Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Woman & Home

Wherever you are reading this – at home, on a staycation or maybe, just maybe, on a plane heading towards a holiday or even by a pool – then I hope you’re having a good summer (and if the last is you, then well done, we’re with you in spirit!). I also hope you’re getting some of your life back. Reading our fabulous beauty feature, Summer in the Salon!, reminded me what a joy it is to pamper yourself with the occasional beauty treatment – Shellac pedicures are a personal favourite of mine down at my local nail bar. Read it on page 100 to get some inspiration for treating yourself. There are also plenty of gorgeous recipe ideas for dinner parties on page 144. The first time my husband…

BREAK FREE I have just read Rachel Marks, on how her stay-at-home mum gave her an amazing childhood [June]. How I envy her! I grew up in a dysfunctional broken home. I worked hard to get away from where I was brought up, but I agree with Rachel that success isn’t measured by a job or money. I wish I’d learned that years ago. I worked part-time with my first child, returning to full-time when she was four. I cherished that time at home with her, although I felt I was missing something and should be striving for more. We get consumed in a financial bubble, which is hard to break out of. Fiona, by email IRISH BEAUTY I loved your article on all the places to visit in my…

‘My trademark look is a pirate meets Alice Cooper meets somebody who’s  slept in a skip. That’s what I’m after. With just a touch of Chrissie Hynde.’ We’re chatting to Claudia Winkleman as she’s having her hair and make-up done for our cover shoot, and to say she’s a laugh a minute would be an understatement. This is someone who’s been on our screens for almost two decades – hosting shows such as The Great British Sewing Bee and, of course, Strictly Come Dancing. But, between comical self-criticism of her trademark look and openly questioning how her career is still going, Claudia is clearly a person who doesn’t take herself too seriously. Apart from when it comes to the fringe. When someone appears with a camera during the chat while…

‘WE’RE IN THE HEART OF OUR COMMUNITY’ Helen Jones, 58, helps runs The Bevy in Brighton. She lives with her partner Ant, a builder and tree surgeon, 58, and has a grown-up daughter. I could never make up my mind what I was going to do growing up, but it certainly didn’t include running a pub. I studied sociology at university in Sussex, then did a diploma in teaching English as a foreign language. I travelled and got involved with conservation, but the birth of my daughter brought me home at the age of 30. When she was two I started teaching at summer schools and volunteering with a conservation organisation. Various jobs followed, including working outdoors with Green Gym for six years. After a spell in Devon – following…

What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve ever learned? If you want to be the best at what you do, it takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice and stamina. You have to be prepared. So many of us live in our comfort zones – I know I  used to. I created a little space where I knew I’d be safe and it was only when my career really started to take off that I  realised that if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. You don’t know your full potential until you put yourself out there. To sum up: dream big, work hard, stay focused and surround yourself with good people. When did you discover your passion for sport? My grandad in Uganda played tennis on clay…

Never have our communities been more vital and valued than over the past 12 months. As the pandemic shrank our worlds, we have come to know our friends, neighbours, local businesses and services like never before. We asked you to nominate amazing women serving your communities, who make a huge difference. It was hard to narrow the list to 15 finalists, but these women were selected for their outstanding contribution to improving lives. Now you can choose which of these fabulous women you would like in the final of the Amazing Women Awards 2021. To vote, visit womanandhome.com/vote21. Look out for the winners in our November issue. WALES & WEST MIDLANDS CREATING A SOCIAL HUB Veronica Wells, 73, from Prestatyn, co-founded the Prestatyn and Meliden Community Action Group pop-in centre…

Thrifty trick Seven million households are out of contract with their broadband suppliers and pay £120 a year more than those within contracts, according to Uswitch. Nowadays companies are meant to tell you if your contract is ending and give at least a month’s notice of any price rise. Seize the chance to get a better deal, by checking comparison sites accredited by the communications regulator Ofcom, such as broadband.co.uk, broadbandchoices.co.uk and Simplifydigital. Then see if you can save without switching by calling your current supplier and asking if they will cut costs to keep your custom. Treat yourself If you fancy a food delivery, always check for discounts and promotions before ordering via the likes of Just Eat, Foodhub, Deliveroo and Uber Eats. These services regularly offer codes such as…

PRINTS CHARMING ✢ A jumpsuit makes a refreshing change to a maxi dress and will instantly update your wardrobe. Look for styles where the fabric drapes over your figure with a seam at the waist for definition. ✢ Wide-leg styles are great for pear shapes who carry weight on their bottom half, as the material skims and lengthens, while a halterneck style is flattering for those with a smaller bust. ✢ Make a statement and pair with bright accessories for a look that oozes summer fun. Jumpsuit, £90, sizes 8-16, greatplains.co.uk; shoes, £45, Kin at johnlewis.com; bag, £245, russellandbromley.co.uk; bracelet, £260, flat ring, £80, and dome ring, £90, all tillysveaas.co.uk COLOUR CLASH ✢ Embrace brights this summer and experiment with contrasting colours that work perfectly together. ✢ Puff sleeves are…

When it comes to print, it’s definitely a case of some girls do and some girls don’t. I have always envied people who can nonchalantly throw prints together in really unexpected combinations. I gravitate towards neutrals, and when I opt for bold colours, I tend to wear them head-to-toe. But having shied away from prints in the past, I’ve started to embrace them of late. The simple reason being that I’ve noticed it lifts my mood. So where to start? Well, my advice to fellow print newbies is to begin with a single piece. A simple patterned scarf will add interest to a dialled-down look. When you feel more confident, experiment with a bolder piece, like a blouse or a dress. To really step change your wardrobe, try mixing and…

‘I suffered with stomach issues as a child, but they became much worse in my late teens. My friends ate whatever they wanted and drank alcohol, whereas if I did the same I’d feel sick, my stomach would balloon as if I was pregnant and I’d constantly rush to the toilet. There is lots of awareness now surrounding gut health, but back then I  suffered in silence and tried to cope. Doctors told me I’d probably grow out of it. In my early 20s, I went travelling and lived in Australia for four years. I taught surfing, and it was a holistic and healthy way of life, but my stomach problems continued to plague me until eventually I  was so poorly I had to return to the UK. I was…

The idea that you should walk 10,000 steps per day started as a marketing slogan in Japan in the 1960s, when the pedometer was introduced and the idea that activity was beneficial to health was being established. The value of walking, or steps, has been shown in studies since then, but whether it’s 8,000 or 12,000 seems to matter less than consistently keeping active. In fact, the studies seem to only compare those doing fewer than 5,000 steps per day, which would be considered a sedentary lifestyle, with those who do 10,000 steps, so it may well be that 6-8,000 steps has the same benefits. We should aim for 30  minutes of activity five times a week, which you could take in three 10-minute bursts, so just start walking!…

LOOK ONE EAST COAST STYLE Make your home feel like summer all-year round with this bright and breezy style. Light and airy rooms are key, with whitewashed walls, painted panelling and blonde wood floors, with large picture windows and skylights to let maximum light in. Furniture and furnishings have a relaxed, lived-in feel – think woven wicker, weathered wood and faded linen – while natural details add a coastal element, from pebbles and driftwood pieces to seashells and coral. LOOK TWO ECLECTIC IBIZA Soak up this sunny, chilled-out vibe, inspired by holidays in the Med and the boho ‘anything goes’ mood of the party island. Interiors are laid-back and relaxed, with rooms in earthy terracotta and plaster pink, with rustic tiled floors cosied up with woven matting and shaggy rugs.…

✢ Choose a coastal-inspired colour palette mixing denim blues, pebble grey and soft sandy shades. ✢ Warm up cool tones with natural textures, think soft linen, woven sisal, cosy knits and basketware. ✢ Add an industrial edge with utility-style lighting in steel and glass. ✢ Keep to just a few key coastal accessories to avoid a kitsch look. W & H TAP TO EXPLORE  Items on this page are shoppable. Turn to page 5 to discover how to bring woman&home to life on your phone…

Charlotte Philby Charlotte Philby is a journalist and writer whose spy thriller novels are brimming with suspense and heart-stopping twists. Her latest, The Second Woman, is a compelling story of a family legacy built upon lies. Inspiration comes partly from news stories, conversations with journalists and police contacts, and my own family history. I’m inspired by particular places that have meant things in my life, such as Hampstead Heath, where I spent most weekends growing up. Working on a newspaper taught me to write every day, regardless of how I’m feeling. As a reporter, you have to be productive with ideas and words, and work to tight deadlines. The twists in my novels always come to me later when writing the book. I sketch out my novels, to varying degrees,…

NEW DISCOVERY AT MRS LIPPINCOTE’S by Elizabeth Taylor I’ve been reading all Elizabeth Taylor’s books recently – not the actress! She wrote domestic novels set in the Home Counties, and was rather sneered at by male novelists. She tried to do what I do, but better. They’re funny, about the subtleties of human nature and the changing weather in a marriage. She is one of my new discoveries. HISTORY MAKER THE SIEGE OF KRISHNAPUR by JG Farrell I lived in Pakistan for a couple of years and I particularly love this book. It’s set during the Indian mutiny in the 1850s. It takes a historical incident and makes it human. There’s a moment when one of the men keeps blinking and invents modern cinema without realising it. It’s heaven. OLD…

Annie opened the kitchen cupboard to find a mug and it happened again – the face of Rob Tyler flashed through her thoughts. She sighed. Was this always going to happen? Would her hand-built cupboard be a constant reminder of the first man she’d seriously fancied in ages? This hadn’t occurred to her when she’d commissioned Rob to make it. Yes, it was a desperate ploy to see him again. But all she’d got out of it was somewhere to store her tumblers and crockery. If he had done a shoddy job, she could have written him off as a cowboy. She almost wished he had built her a substandard cupboard, then she could curse him every time the hinge slipped or the shelf dipped. But no, it was a…

Monsters At Work 20 years after the original Monsters,  Inc. movie, there’s now a series. It follows power plant mechanic Tylor Tuskmon, who dreams of working with gentle giants Mike and Sulley. Disney+ Schmigadoon! This parody of Brigadoon stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple who discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical, but there’s a catch… Apple TV+ The Tomorrow War The world is stunned when time travellers arrive from the year 2051, explaining that in the future, mankind is losing a battle to a deadly alien species. Amazon Prime Video…

1. Strand saviour Summer-weary tresses will turn silky smooth after only one use. Phil Smith Be Gorgeous Bond & Plex Strength Boosting Conditioner, £5.50, Sainsbury’s 2. Nourishing cleanser If your hair is dry, upgrade to this shampoo, which will care for it by acting like a hair mask. L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil More Than Shampoo, £6.99 3. New hair booster This treatment leaves locks looking and feeling stronger. Percy & Reed Give Me Strength Strengthening Scalp Concentrate, £25, percyandreed.com 4. Curl definer A weightless elixir that will give you soft, bouncy and defined curls, even if you apply it from the roots down. Living Proof Curl Enhancer, £33 5. Frizz fighter This mask packs hair with moisture to keep it looking great. Pantene Intense Frizz Tamer Hair Mask, £4.99 6.…

I introduced myself to my now oldest best friend by whacking her around the ankles with a hockey stick. We were 12, she was new to our comprehensive and very good at hockey. I’d been there a year and wasn’t, but what I lacked in skill I made up for in competitive ‘enthusiasm’, and I didn’t think much of the flashy new girl who could run tons faster than me. ‘I am incredibly lucky to have these women in my life’ Despite my shameful lack of sportsmanship, a few weeks after The Incident, she and I became friends. Forty-five years later, she still cheerfully reminds me of our wobbly start – when  I told her I was writing this for w&h, she said, ‘Are you going to mention you could have…

‘Stress is a body-based experience. The following technique is a simple way to begin to release stress by deliberately tuning in to the language of sensation in your body. When the body is holding tension, there will be a sensation somewhere in the physiology. By bringing your awareness to these places of tension, we facilitate release, just like unwinding a knot in a rope.’ ✢ Sit easily, close the eyes and take a  moment to get comfortable. ✢ Bring your attention to any sensations in the body. ✢ Somewhere there will be a dominant sensation. It might be anything: tightness in the chest; a tingle on top of  the head; even an itch in the big toe. ✢ Gently bring the attention to that sensation. There is no need to…

As the nurse handed me my newborn baby boy, with his downy black hair and the bluest eyes, I thought he was safe in my arms at last. I’d lost his twin early on in pregnancy and had been confined to hospital waiting for Billy to be delivered six weeks early by caesarean. I had no idea I would spend the next 15 years fighting to keep him alive. We created a happy routine at home until Billy was four months old. Then one day I noticed he’d become chillingly still, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling. I thought it was wind but it happened again. I  was told to take him to hospital. In the back of an ambulance, he had his first full-blown seizure, which racked his body…

Look around any cafe in a southern Italian town on a summer’s evening and you are sure to spot customers enjoying lemon granita. It’s slushier and sharper than a sorbet – there’s nothing quite like it for cooling a hot soul down. Unless you opt for a birra con granita – beer and granita in the same glass – a miraculously restorative version of a shandy. Serves 6 200ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (around 7-8 lemons) 100g caster sugar ✢ Strain the lemon juice through a sieve. Put the sugar into a saucepan with 200ml of water. Set over a moderate heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool. Mix with the lemon juice. Freeze in an ice-cream maker or pour into a shallow, freezer-proof container and slide…

I went to the hairdresser recently and drew him a Venn diagram of what my perfect haircut might look like. In truth, very little has changed since this picture. I have the same haircut, the red has just dulled, I still like swings, being in grass with bare feet, green T-shirts and, perhaps most importantly, overflowing compost heaps. ‘I am treading the inevitable path of becoming my mother’ The compost heap will have been my mother’s doing. She has always been into making compost, often on an epic scale. I  have memories of clambering over heaps and diving into bays of rotting leaves; of peeling back layers of rot to hunt for toads and newts, or being sent out with a pail of scraps to add to the pile. My…

FATFACE ✢ The brand is known for its relaxed fits and timeless style, but it’s also  striving to become more environmentally responsible. ✢ As well as using sustainably sourced cotton, FatFace has pledged to use recycled polyester and sustainable linen and viscose by 2025. ✢ It set up the FatFace Foundation a decade ago to make positive contributions to the local communities where the brand sources, manufactures and sells its  products. ✢ fatface.com BODEN ✢ Boden has long been our go-to for stylish pieces that will stand the test of time. And it offers a 365-day guarantee and care, repair, rewear service. ✢ All its swimwear is made from eco-friendly fabric Mipan, created from recycled nylon, so you can look and feel great on the beach. ✢ In July, the…

If you do one thing this month TALK IT OUT Louise Chunn, founder of therapist-matching service welldoing.org, says: ‘Sometimes we talk a lot, but we don’t really put into words what we are feeling. We may even use our conversation to keep people away from us, rather than connecting with them. For example, the fear of being vulnerable can lead people to cover up their real emotions, saying they are “all right” when they are actually feeling low, or anxious or worse. ‘In a long-term relationship, it can feel dangerous to speak honestly. What if it unravels everything; what if your words are simply untenable to the other? ‘But conversations thought out in advance, and conducted with sincerity and care for the other person, will rarely smash everyone they touch.…

✢ Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of  the lower end of the digestive system, which includes the large bowel  and rectum. ✢ Crohn’s disease is the inflammation  of anywhere throughout  the entire digestive tract. Symptoms can include abdominal pain  and diarrhoea with mucus and blood, fatigue, weight loss and anaemia. These can vary from person  to person and range from mild  to severe. ✢ Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are chronic conditions, although there may be periods of remission or flare-ups. It’s not known exactly what causes either condition.…

Jenny Summers, 44, from Hertfordshire ‘I have long suffered with gut health issues due to anxiety. I’ve always managed it through meditation and exercise, but when the pandemic hit, they were no longer effective. I was terribly worried about my family, and the anxiety peaked last spring when I constantly had an upset tummy and sleep became impossible – I dreaded that I’d wake up to hear about a loved one catching COVID-19. I also had appetite loss and nausea spells. A friend suggested a supplement called Digest Gold (from £10.99 for 21 capsules, enzymedica. co.uk) . After taking it for just a week, my gut health improved and my anxiety was manageable again. I was able to fall asleep and the virus no longer consumed my every thought. I’d…

We all know that we need to wear sun cream to protect our skin from the effects of the sun, but how can we protect our skin and ensure that we are still getting enough vitamin  D? We make vitamin D through our skin from being exposed to the sun. Due to the lack of sunshine in the UK, we are all recommended to take a 10 microgram (400IU) vitamin D supplement between October and March. As soon as the UV index is three or above you need to wear sun cream, but it is best to wear it every day, as the UV index can change throughout the day. Sun cream stops skin damage but also blocks the effects of UVA and UVB light, which means technically it could…

1 Install outdoor shelving Below: Whether you have just a few pots or a whole nursery of plants to find space for, a modular system allows you to tailor your storage to fit. These outdoor shelves come in a range of sizes and are made of galvanised steel to suit all weathers. 2 Set up a potting station Above: Create a dedicated spot for gardening tasks, so you can keep tools, pots and other essentials all in one place. Make your own work table – repurpose an existing piece or buy an off-the-peg potting bench. Make sure it has a sturdy, wipe-clean worktop and storage space underneath. 3 Keep essentials handy Above: Save yourself a trek to the shed by investing in extra storage closer to the…

Electric vehicles have a crucial role to play in reducing carbon emissions, but new research has revealed two misconceptions that put people off making the switch. The first is charging costs. Almost two-thirds of those surveyed believe it would cost up to £50 to fully charge an electric car at home. The actual cost? In the range of £6 to £17 per charge – compared with an average of £23.20 to fill a tank. The second relates to journey length. More than a third of people said distance per charge was the biggest barrier to going electric. Yet, this is no longer the issue it once was, with some models now able to travel up to 270 miles on a single charge – which is enough to get from Sheffield…

Yossy’s olive oil, rosemary and yoghurt cake A light, delicate cake with a tender crumb and a lovely fresh, herby flavour. Serve with poached fruit and extra yoghurt. Serves 8-10 2tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary Grated zest of 1 lemon 200g sugar 175ml olive oil 55g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing 4 eggs 240ml natural yoghurt 225g 00 or plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting 2tsp baking powder Icing sugar, for dusting You will need: A 23cm cake tin or Bundt tin, greased with butter and lightly floured 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Mix the rosemary, lemon zest and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the olive oil and the melted butter. Add the eggs and whisk for 30 more secs. 2 Whisk in…

AMERICAN DIRT by Jeanine Cummins is so powerful and full of suspenseful moments, yet it’s also moving. I will remember this story for a long time. Janice Jones, Suffolk Jean’s uneventful post-war life in Clare Chambers’ SMALL PLEASURES makes me think of the effect of COVID-19. Denise, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire I’ve been reading ON CHAPEL SANDS by Laura Cumming about a girl who is kidnapped, but found safe and well five days later. It is so different. Deirdre Spendlove, Dublin I spent the weekend reading ACTS OF KINDNESS by Heather Barnett while my husband watched the rugby! It is such an uplifting book. Keren Carolan, Thatcham, Berkshire…

DEBORAH MOGGACH has written 21 novels including Tulip Fever  and These Foolish Things (which inspired the film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel). On page 172, she talks about her latest, The Black Dress. What’s your idea of a perfect summer evening? Gardening until I’m exhausted, and cooling off in a river and seeing a kingfisher or an otter. Then cracking open a bottle of rosé with all the people I love best in the world, including my children and grandchildren, and eating a vast paella. Cook, food writer and TV presenter SOPHIE  GRIGSON has over 20 books to her name and nine TV series. On page 54, she tells us about her latest book, A Curious Absence of Chickens, and moving to Italy’s Puglia on a whim. What’s your idea…

Add your pictures by hashtagging #womanandhomestreetstyle or email wandhstreetstyle@futurenet.com to join in.…

Ever wish certain triggers didn’t set you off like they do, or think that you’re hardwired to behave a certain way because that’s what you absorbed from your experiences growing up? ‘Everything you think, feel and do is a collection of learned habits, and you’ll continue living a life designed by someone else, feeling increasingly dissatisfied and uncomfortable, until you decide to break the cycle,’ says wellness coach Haifa Barbari. ‘But the good news is that new habits can be kick-started in as little as 18 days.’ OUR EXPERTS Haifa Barbari is a love and wellness coach, and founder of the Boost What Matters app; boostwhatmatters.com Former England cricketer Jeremy Snape is a mindset coach and founder of the consultancy Sporting Edge. 1 DITCH YOUR INNER CRITIC Was positive…

The best hairstyles make you feel like you’re living your best life. A successful look sends your self-esteem rocketing, and as self-care is proven to be good for mental health, who needs an excuse to be pampered in a salon chair? A change can also reflect a new direction. Although a cut might not solve all your problems, it can generate confidence, especially after a relationship break-up or job loss. Great styling is empowering when you’re navigating a hectic schedule. Michelle Obama’s relationship with her hairdresser is the goal! A great cut will not only improve hair health, but your style should fall into place easily. When it comes to colour, Victoria Beckham’s chic brunette is a perfect example of how colour can enhance. So next time you’re salon-bound, take…

On 1 November 2018, UK rules changed, enabling specialists to prescribe medicinal cannabis for conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain and multiple sclerosis, if conventional options have been tried without success. Dr Anthony Ordman, honorary medical director at medical cannabis clinic Integro, says, ‘Cannabis medicine works by rebalancing the body’s nervous and other systems. It can also reduce anxiety and low mood, improve sleep, and may even reduce inflammation.’…

You frequently hear people express the view that dementia is a cruel disease, and it is. Watching your loved ones lose the pieces of their identity that make them unique can be heartbreaking. Yet in experiencing my mother’s dementia, I found a joy that we had not had in our relationship before, and I know that she felt it too. The illness brought us much closer. My relationship with my mother was quite distant. Photographs of the two of us together when I was a baby show her cuddling me affectionately, dazzling the camera with her smile. Within five years, however, her marriage had broken down and she went through an unpleasant divorce; perhaps it was this that turned someone who had seemed open and demonstrative into the wary and…

‘I love natural dyeing techniques’ Lisa Reddings, 46, is the founder of Indigowares. She lives in Hertfordshire with her children, Minnie, nine, and Dexter, seven. THE IDEA I worked as a freelance textile designer for nearly 20 years, and it left me disillusioned by the fashion industry. In 2016, I started indigo-dyeing, a method of resist-dyeing using the natural organic compound indigo. This led me to Shibori, a traditional Japanese technique of binding, wrapping and compressing cloth to create patterns. The fabric comes out of the dye pot green, oxidises and turns a beautiful blue – a process I found fascinating. I launched Indigowares in July 2018 to celebrate traditional dyeing and printing techniques with a contemporary twist. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT I ran a stall at arts and craft fairs,…

✢ Avoid melting make-up this summer by adopting a fresher approach with your look. Prime skin with YSL Pure Shots Airthin UV Defender UVA-UVB Pollution SPF50+, £38, yslbeauty.co.uk – it protects without feeling heavy. Invest in a dewy base like Giorgio Armani Neo Nude Natural Glow Foundation, £33.50, armanibeauty.co.uk, to even out skin. Up your summer glow with a dusting of Guerlain Terracotta The Bronzing Powder, £39, guerlain.com, applied in a ‘3’ shape down the side of the face to contour in all the right places – available in six shades. Clarins Limited Edition Ombre 4 Colour Eye Palette, £34, clarins.co.uk, has all you need for sunset eyes, and Dior Addict Lip Glow, £29.50, dior.com, in 10 shades, is just right for giving your pout a subtle tint. W…

✢ DO YOUR RESEARCH Look at brands and collections that are striving towards a better future. There’s a long way to go for the high street, but make a start by choosing items with more eco-friendly properties. ✢ BUY LESS, BUY BETTER Take a look through your wardrobe and work out what you have hiding at the back. The chances are that you have some gems you’d totally forgotten about that you can still wear. ✢ TRY RENTING Reluctant to buy an outfit for a special occasion that you’ll only wear once? Head to sites such as mywardrobehq.com or byrotation.com and rent a designer outfit for a fraction of the full price. ✢ RECYCLE More than 200,000 tonnes of clothing heads to landfill in the UK every year. Avoid being…

Pamela Marshall Clinical aesthetician and co-founder of Mortar & Milk Dr Sophie Shotter Skin expert and founder of Illuminate Skin Clinic Dija Ayodele Clinical aesthetician and founder of West Room Aesthetics Catherine Westwood Group editor in chief, Women’s Lifestyle Miranda McMinn Editor, woman&home Sarah Cooper-White Group beauty director Charley Williams-Howitt Group beauty director Fiona McKim Senior beauty editor, woman&home Stephanie Maylor Beauty editor, woman&home Jess Beech Deputy beauty editor, woman&home Emma North Beauty writer, woman&home…

Always try to increase your dietary intake of vitamins and nutrients first. ‘You don’t need supplements if you have a healthy, balanced diet,’ says Dr Ruxton, ‘but the reality is, that at times, our diet isn’t balanced.’ Considering a supplement? It’s best to take one multivitamin rather than lots of individual ones to avoid ‘doubling up’, as some might be fortified with others (for example, a vitamin C supplement with added iron). ‘You should notice a difference within the first month,’ adds Jenna. ✢ TRY Nature’s Way Alive! Women’s 50+ Ultra Energy, £24.99 for 60 tablets, Holland & Barrett; or Vitabiotics Wellwoman 50+, £10.50 for 30 tablets, Boots…

I’m going to shout this bit. Protein is VITAL for our bodies, even more so as we get older, and it’s not just about keeping fat levels down… (but yes, I’ll talk about that too). First we’re going to look at how it makes our bodies beautiful. Brace yourselves for some background. Every single cell of our body is made up of protein. The enzymes involved in the thousands of chemical processes in the body (digestion, metabolism, energy production) are proteins. Proteins help transport nutrients, they build up our immune system (COVID…ahem…just throwing that in there), and they repair muscles, hair, skin and nails. Collagen, the stuff that gives our skin its elasticity – that’s a protein too. Look at your leg muscles – they’re attached to the hip and…

Q In the past few months, I have been experiencing pain when having sex. It’s not on the outside, like it can be if we don’t use enough lubricant, but it’s in my lower stomach. Changing positions can help, but it is there and getting worse – sometimes it hurts for a bit afterwards as well. What could be the reason? A Dyspareunia is the medical word for painful sex. Doctors tend to split it into superficial dyspareunia, where the pain is felt in the vagina or vulva; and deep dyspareunia, where the pain is felt inside, in the abdomen or pelvis. Women often describe the sensation as aching, but it can be sharp or stabbing, and can persist for a while after sex. There are many causes of deep…

If you do one thing this month BOOK A BRITISH ISLAND BREAK From wonderful windswept wildernesses to glittering harbours, the UK has more than 1,000 beautiful islands dotted around its rivers and coastline. If you’re dreaming of Caribbean-style beaches, you’ll want to head to the gloriously unspoilt Isles of Scilly, which forms an archipelago of more than 200 stunning subtropical islands, islets and rocks, 50km off the tip of Cornwall. Think white sand beaches, tranquil coves and wild flower meadows. And if you’re craving windswept walks and impressive views, Rathlin (pictured), Northern Ireland’s only inhabited island, should be on your radar. Take the hike from Rathlin harbour to the RSPB Roonivoolin Reserve to enjoy splendid views of the coastline and wildlife such as seals, curlews and Irish hares. For more…

When Vicky White and Chris Ling decided to buy a holiday home in north Norfolk, the challenge that lay ahead of them was of a greater scale than they could have possibly imagined. ‘Norfolk is where we got engaged and have spent many holidays and weekends with extended family, so we were both in agreement that this was where we should buy a second home,’ says Vicky, who runs lifestyle brand Plum and Ashby (plumandashby.co.uk), while Chris is a wealth manager. But when two potential properties fell through, the pair decided to widen their search to the north eastern Norfolk coastline, and it was here that they discovered Eden Hall Cottage. ‘We used exposed painted floorboards to bring rooms together and create a modern, beach-style house’ ‘The day we went…

FAMILY TRAUMA Everyone Is Still Alive by Cathy Rentzenbrink (£14.99, HB, Phoenix) One of the most honest, poignant and well-observed books about family life we’ve ever read – Rentzenbrink takes you by the hand and reassures you. Juliet, Liam and their young son, Charlie, move into Juliet’s late mother’s house, where it seems lots of families are living ‘happily ever after’. But while stay-at-home dad Liam seems to be getting to know the local mums, Juliet is still coming to terms with her grief. When tragedy strikes, everything is thrown into perspective. Full of wisdom, you’ll be clutching this book to your heart for a long time after.…

Novelist and screenwriter Deborah Moggach OBE is perhaps best known for writing These Foolish Things – the book behind hugely successful film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – but her celebrated works also include historical novel Tulip Fever, The Carer and a screenplay for Pride and Prejudice, for which she was BAFTA-nominated. Known for seeing humour in most situations, her 20th novel, The Black Dress, follows the misadventures of Prudence, a funeral crasher who would quite like a nice widower… Deborah spends her time between London and a cottage on a beach in Kent. She has two children and three grandchildren. ‘I spent the second and third lockdown on my own’ The idea for The Black Dress probably came from my own situation. I wasn’t as lonely as my…

The Women’s Prize With the winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction announced on 7 July, this celebration of women’s writing is a great listen. Regular Bookshelfie episodes feature women such as Kim Cattrall and Naga Munchetty. Acast, Apple Podcasts, Global Player Stacey Dooley: Fresh Starts In her inimitable, down-to-earth style, Stacey Dooley talks to ordinary people who are embarking on new chapters in their lives, from a young woman trying to wean herself off social media, to another who is learning to read at the age of 44. BBC Sounds The Rule of Three Hosted by comedy writers Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris, this podcast features well-known guests deconstructing their favourite moments in comedy, including Katy Wix on Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge and Lucy Prebble…

VIRGO 23 AUGUST – 22 SEPTEMBER In August, love planets Venus and Mars are in Virgo boosting romance. Between the 12th and 29th, your own chatty ruler’s there too. Need to charm anyone? Do it. Call 0905 789 4155* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates LIBRA 23 SEPTEMBER – 22 OCTOBER On the 16th your lovely ruler Venus sails into Libra, helping just about everything. If you’re taking time off, it’s a fabulous influence for making the most of it. Call 0905 789 4156* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates SCORPIO 23 OCTOBER – 21 NOVEMBER Around the 15th is peak time to get busy. The stars are aligned for taking action towards an important goal. Don’t get lost in the details – just do it. Call 0905…

LEO 23 JULY – 22 AUGUST It’s your time in the spotlight – but someone could try to dim it early August. After the Leo New Moon on the 8th, you’re back on track. YOUR MONTHS AHEAD Saturn, the taskmaster planet, influences partnerships for the year. Significant others will have a hard time. But it brings you closer to someone long-term. Call 0905 789 4154* and choose weekly, monthly and yearly updates.…

‘Parents are expected to recycle with religious fervour’ Is there a statute of limitations on maternal self-sacrifice? Due to the pandemic, kids have been boomeranging back home at warp factor speed. Apparently, one in four young people between 20 and 34 have flown back into the parental nest. And it’s a big adjustment. Especially on the environmentally friendly front. Not only are parents suddenly expected to recycle with religious fervour, we must also pander to exotic food whims involving kale and quinoa, with careful menu planning for vegans, pescatarians, flexitarians and lactose averse. Every parent I know is marooned in supermarket aisles, scrutinising the small print of ingredients, rejecting packaging that’s not biodegradable or anything that contains palm oil. It’s all very admirable but has extended my quick dash to…