How to avoid sweat patches...

All of us at some point had to deal with the problem of sweat patches and how to prevent them. It could be it's a hot day, your 'time of the month', when you are nervous or it's a day where you are rushing around.

If you are like me and have found that traditional deodorants don't seem to work I might be able to share something that's of interest to you. It's a product called Perspirex.

This product does work and actually helps to keep armpits under control. Sweating or perspiration is a natural and essential bodily function which regulates the body's temperature. However sweat patches are always embarrassing and regardless whether they smell or not they are unsightly.

The great thing about Perspirex is that it works for both women and men (as my husband can testify!). It may sting a little at times but as I am now able to not worry about any embarassing sweat patches it is worth putting up with, and it gets better with regular use. Just do not use it the same day you have shaved. Also, it does need to be put on at night because it does feel sticky but who cares when you throw on a pj top and go to sleep because in the morning you are completely dry. One simple stroke is all you need and after using it 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of weeks I only need it twice a month (once a week when weather is hot).

I've been using Perspirex for about 5 years now, my sweating has been brought completely under control! The difference has just been amazing, and my confidence has rocketed. I can now wear what I want and not have to worry about those dreaded patches emerging.

I would love to know what you think. Please leave me a comment below or if you wish you can also email me at annadizon.rr@gmail.com. I try to respond to every comment or question.

See you next week! :) xx

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Perspirex can be purchased in Boots http://www.boots.com/en/PerspireX-Underarm-Roll-on-Anti-perspirant_22021/

My Spring Capsule Wardrobe 2014 chat...

Thank you for your great response to last week's video on my capsule wardrobe for Spring http://reliablerealist.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/my-capsule-wardrobe-for-spring-2014_11.html

It already had hundreds of views on You Tube and I've received several emails on the subject.

So many of us are used to having dozens, if not hundreds of garments hanging in our wardrobe. The thought of having a capsule wardrobe and only ten core items per season seems daunting, if not impossible.

I know, because I was one of those. My wardrobe was filled (and I mean filled) with clothes but for some reason I was never satisfied with my style and never seemed to have anything to wear. Learning about the capsule wardrobe changed all that and it has been a revelation!

As you can see from my video, my wardrobe is not exactly ten-items but eleven. The concept of the ten or in my case eleven-item wardrobe is not meant to be strict rule but rather an exercise in liberating yourself from an overly cluttered wardrobe. The goal here is to get your clothing down to a capsule collection of high quality clothes. (The less you shop, the more high quality clothes you can afford over time).

Readers questions:

I have received many emails from readers asking me how am I able to function with so few clothes.

Q: A reader from Germany asked about living in very cold weather in the wintertime. 

A: She would have much warmer items: sweaters, wool dresses, etc. You must tailor your capsule wardrobe to your given circumstances. Her extras will also come into play here as she will need a lot of layering pieces to keep warm (cardigans, jackets, coats, long sleeve, t-shirts, etc)

Q: Jenny who lives in the Philippines asked how would this work in a hot climate where the heat means she's changing clothes all the time.

A: If you need to change a few times throughout the day due to climate, then keep more items in your wardrobe. Also, don't forget the extras (t-shirts, vests, blazers, extra dresses, etc.). These things also help to make your closet feel substantial.

Q: Grace asks: What are the extras? I understand when it comes to vests, pj's, underwear, scarf, shoes etc.-you need them to build the outfit, but having few tops, sweaters, blazers that you wear as normal outfit is really having 20 or more core outfits. Could you please explain this? 

A: Core items (in my case I have 11) vs. extras are a great way to organise your wardrobe. The core items are the major items, the foundation that builds the wardrobe. The extras compliment the core.

Q: Abigail asks: What if the weather turns really hot will your spring capsule wardrobe still work for you?

A: This wardrobe will take me to the end of summer. If it gets really warm, I will probably use the sweaters less and might swap them with my old and more lighter items suitable for the weather.

A few more things to keep in mind:

The weather is unpredictable especially here in England as it has gotten warmer since I shot my Spring capsule wardrobe two weeks ago so I might switch out the two Gap lightweight sweaters for blouses or dresses. Also this July we might probably go on holiday to California and because of the weather I might purchase one or two items before our holiday to supplement my wardrobe, or I might not and just bring out my shorts and pull out old summer clothes.

This is perfect example of how to edit your wardrobe when the weather changes. There is no strict rule! :) 

One reader also wrote to me with concerns about the cost of clothing. Remember the capsule wardrobe is achievable on any budget. (I will discuss more about the capsule wardrobe budget in my next post)

In the video, I showed you my wardrobe which some of the items were new and many I've had for years....like the denim dress which I had for almost 14 years now:). Because I buy less clothing, I am able to afford higher quality clothes and consequently they last longer.

James Whatling/Splash News

Like Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, she wore a Top Shop dress  to a formal event. She looks elegant in everything she wears, no matter  how expensive or inexpensive. Just find the brands you love that fit into your budget. It is a fun sort of research so enjoy it!

In fact, the whole process should be fun and liberating.

I get a lot of messages from readers who say they are intrigued by the capsule wardrobe but don't know how to incorporate it into their lifestyle. Some feel intimidated with the capsule wardrobe challenge and wonder how they are going to implement the idea into their life.

Believe me, I hear you! When I first heard about it I was astounded...capsule wardrobe?...that's  impossible. But deep down I wanted to emulate that lifestyle.

Well, I guess you must have a desire to want to change and you must make a choice to put into practice these changes on a daily basis. When you do this, you will eventually reach a tipping point whereby you consciously change the way that you live. There will be no looking back.

I would love to know what you think. Please leave me a comment below or if you wish you can also email me at annadizon.rr@gmail.com 
I try to respond to every comment or question.

See you next week! :) xx

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My Capsule Wardrobe for Spring 2014

This post is part 3 in an ongoing series on how to customise your wardrobe and narrow it down to a set of core items which we call a capsule wardrobe with the idea "...to free yourself from jam-packed closet full of ill-fitting, underused, or poor- quality clothing. Your ultimate goal is to create a wardrobe that you love, in which every item  of clothing speaks to who you are, and to create space for your clothes to breathe by eliminating clutter."    

Today I'll share my current capsule wardrobe for Spring and how it works together so you can get an idea. (Below I've actually put a video together for you to see how it actually looks on me)  

Two weeks ago we cleared out our wardrobe clutter and most of you probably have not recovered yet! lol:). It can be a drastic thing I know going from a 100+ wardrobe to only having 10 or 20. But believe me it does get better.(If you'd like to read how we choose what to keep and what to remove please click here 

http://reliablerealist.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html

Now, it's time to customise your capsule wardrobe so let's get started. This will all depend on who you are, where you live and what sort of lifestyle you lead. A business woman will, of course, have a different core item wardrobe than a stay-at-home mum.

So things to consider are what does your day usually consists of (board meetings, PTA meetings, working from home), the season, the weather and of course your style and personality (fashion forward, classic).

The selection of my 11 items fit my needs as a stay-at-home mum and have been customised to my particular lifestyle and the climate where I live: I am a wife and mother in my 30ies and I live in London - which in my experience has very changeable weather, it can be blistering hot one day and raining and a bit chilly the next! My days consists of taking care of the home and my son, running errands, meet ups, going on play dates, writing etc but I always like to  look presentable.

Keeping in mind your own personal style, your body shape, your daily needs and your budget, are you ready to begin thinking toward a core wardrobe?

Finally here is My Spring capsule wardrobe video. This wardrobe will take me from now until the end of summer. Some items are new, but a majority of the garments are old (not purchased this season).




If you are unable to see the video above please click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_6TL4xU5M&feature=youtu.be

Here is a list of clothing items shown in the video:

11 Core items

Dresses

Apricot dress
Zara dress
Esprit dress
Planet Cybery denim dress
Next dress

Blouses

Ted Baker silk blouse
Zara blouse
New Look sleeveless blouse
Zara beige blouse

Jeans

Gap skinny jeans *New
Topshop jeans in light denim

Extras: 

T-shirts

Banana Republic white tee
Banana Republic (nautical) *New
Zara (nautical)
Zara grey top
Zara beige linen top 

Sweaters and cardigans

Gap lightweight blue sweater *New
Gap lightweight nautical sweater *New

*If you live in an unpredictable climate like me, where the weather often turns, include some in your core items and keep as many as you need in your extras to stay warm. (This will be discussed further.)

Lightweight trench coat by Comptoir des Cotonniers

Blazers

Hobbs blue blazer
T.M. Lewin blazer *New (a great gift from my hubby)

Shoes

French Sole ballet flats *New
L.K. Bennett nude ballet flats
L.K. Bennett sledge heels
Piede a Terre Imperia slingback espadrille wedge

Accessories 

Ted Baker silk scarf *New
Aviator sunglasses by Burberry (a gift from my hubby and my son and had it over a year)
Cath Kidston handbag
LV Totally MM (a great luxury for everyday and last years' birthday present)

Let me know what you think. Are you trying the capsule  wardrobe? How is it working for you? I'd love to hear from you.

See you next week for a capsule wardrobe talk through!:) xx

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How I enjoy the benefits of facial every month without paying for it....

We know that having facial is definitely good and beneficial for our skin but the truth is it's quite expensive to have on a regular basis.

So I have been looking for a solution on how can I save money without compromising my skin.

I heard some people raving about the Clarisonic tools and I wondered: is this for real or is it just a fad? Does this little device really do the things it claims to do? 

So, I decided to do some research before making a decision on whether or not to buy one since £125 sounds like a large amount to spend on something you're not sure about. But after using it for over a year, I can honestly say it is one purchase that from my experience I do highly recommend.

Clarisonic, is a sonic skin care tool. This is the best beauty item I've ever purchased. It is a gentle (very gentle as I have very sensitive skin) cleansing system that uses sonic technology in the form of a rotating brush to cleanse and exfoliate your skin.

Now I can justify the expense as it has transformed and dramatically changed my skin for the better, and I did see immediate effects.

Using this product twice a week has the combined effect of having a regular mini facial but at my own convenience and at a much lower cost (hence the title of this post!) as I no longer need to have one every month but now just have an overall 'top up' maybe twice or three times a year.

I use mine (I purchased the Clarisonic Mia 2 in white) with my Dermalogica special cleansing gel (but you can use your regular cleansing product). In just 60 seconds (it features a one-minute pulsing T-Timer), it cleanses skin 6X better than manual cleansing. It gently exfoliates and gets rid of all the dead skin cells.

Several people have told me that my skin is radiant and I'm sure this is due to the fact that my skin care products finally penetrate deeper in my skin and absorb better now thanks to this great little product.

Again just sharing my experiences but feel free to check one out for yourself. It's sold at most major department stores like House of Fraser, Selfridges and Debenhams.

I thought £125 is a steep price to pay but you would spend that amount on a handbag you use twice but not on your face that's yours for life?!
Also since you can easily swap brush heads, you could actually share it with someone else in the house (me and my husband share this one!).

I will be shooting my spring capsule wardrobe video this week so it will be out soon. It will show and give you an example of what a woman's capsule wardrobe + extras can look like.

Please leave me a comment below or if you wish you can also email me at annadizon.rr@gmail.com. I try to respond to every comment or question.


See you next week! xx

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