Lifestyle Maven | The UK lifestyle blog for your fabulous 40s and beyond

My bookish obsession, my favourite books of the year

December 05, 2019 386 Views 8 Comments

A blog about my growing obsession with reading, with a few personal recommendations. I didn’t care much for books as a child. I was too impatient to know the plot before I’d established who the characters were. Same with musical instruments. My piano teacher dared … [read more]

The Ethical Christmas Gift List: give well, do good

November 19, 2019 681 Views 0 Comment

Shop ethical – do good, feel good Every couple of years I bring you a list of ethical gifts to buy your loved ones, or treat yourself to at Christmas. This year, I visited two gift fairs to do my research – the Christmas in … [read more]

Wisdom

How to fail at job interviews

October 29, 2019 1364 Views 14 Comments

Busman’s holiday Write about what you know, so the saying goes. I doubt it would qualify as a specialist subject on Mastermind, but I know a fair bit about job interviews. Since joining my first recruitment consultancy in 2001, I have interviewed several thousand candidates. … [read more]

Food

Quick, easy, moist banana cake recipe

October 17, 2019 645 Views 2 Comments

I hate food waste. I buy healthy groceries with good intentions, but the fruit and vegetables are always on the turn before the next load of shopping arrives to replace them. Limp vegetables become soup. I seldom consult a recipe book for Leftovers Soup – … [read more]

Beauty

Is professional teeth whitening worth the money?

October 08, 2019 577 Views 2 Comments

Teething problems WARNING: this post contains ugly photos of teeth and gums. I had a brace as a child. I was given a retainer which pressed against the roof of my mouth and was almost invisible to the untrained eye. Apart from a silver stud … [read more]

Beauty

My day and night-time skincare routine for thirsty skin

September 27, 2019 590 Views 2 Comments

I have so many skincare products on the go at the moment, my bathroom cabinet looks like a miniature branch of Superdrug. Having finished the last drops of my Verso Skincare, I’ve been experimenting with several ranges to find the right combination for my thirsty … [read more]

Wisdom

The benefits of writing and keeping a journal

September 13, 2019 305 Views 0 Comment

September, you’re my favourite September is my favourite month. Whereas for most of the year my social calendar is as uncluttered as a Marie Kondo cupboard, I up my game in September – my birthday month – and make plans. This month brings three outings … [read more]

Beauty Popular posts

The honest blogger’s review of Verso Skincare

September 09, 2019 21864 Views 3 Comments

The honest blogger’s review of Verso Skincare Verso Skincare claims to have found a formula which can turn back time. Taking its name from the Latin for reverse, Verso has patented a formula which is eight times more potent than typical Retinol – or Vitamin … [read more]

Fashion

eShakti customised clothing. Is this the perfect fit?

August 17, 2019 425 Views 0 Comment

The despair of the high street Browsing the high street for the perfect dress can be a depressing experience. My mantra is ‘if only’. Not ‘if only I had enough money’, more ‘this would be the perfect dress, if only it had sleeves’, or ‘if … [read more]

Eagle Brae: a unique adventure in the Highlands of Scotland

August 08, 2019 408 Views 0 Comment

Town vs Country We are townies through and through. Our kids were born in an inner city hospital in East London and, for the first few years of their lives, we lived within walking distance of London’s Kings Cross. It was a huge wrench to … [read more]

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Fun Wisdom

How to unwind from the stress of modern life and WIN A BED

October 24, 2018 1103 Views 157 Comments

Modern life is occasionally rubbish I’ve had a crappy week folks. The boiler packed up, taking with it any hope of a hot shower and making me resort to multiple layers and fingerless gloves to carry on my work from home. The car alarm kept … [read more]

Popular posts Wisdom

The blogging hierarchy

July 03, 2016 5098 Views 35 Comments

“What is a lifestyle blog?” This question comes up in my life a lot. Most recently, at two very different events. The first was at a networking event for all sorts of professions and the consensus around the room was one of blissful ignorance. Lifestyle … [read more]

Popular posts Wisdom

8 reasons to love (and hate) being self-employed

May 07, 2016 5504 Views 28 Comments

Two years ago this month, I quit my job of 11 years and walked away from two decades of full time employment, to start up my own business. That means that I’ve already been self-employed for 10% of my working life and feel like I’ve … [read more]

Wisdom

Is Reiki a universal panacea, a placebo, or a scam?

July 11, 2017 7087 Views 26 Comments

Reiki – is it the panacea of all ills the human race has been waiting for, or just a harmless placebo? What is Reiki and does Reiki work? Reiki is an energy healing system, with its roots in Japan. The first time I had a Reiki treatment, … [read more]

Popular posts Wisdom

Why midlife women are turning their backs on permanent employment

July 18, 2019 7330 Views 19 Comments

The growth of self-employment I’ve been self employed for five years. Before 2014 I hadn’t noticed all the midlifers working for themselves, tapping away at laptops in cafes or working from home. Now that I am one, I see them everywhere. At the beginning of … [read more]

Fashion

My O bag makeover

December 13, 2016 10199 Views 19 Comments

With the expense of Christmas looming – I’m entertaining 13 people, more of that to follow soon – now is not the time to be obsessing about new handbags! But what’s a girl to do. I have a habit which must be fed. While sharing … [read more]

Fun Popular posts Wisdom

11 things only parents of boys will understand

March 01, 2016 4755 Views 18 Comments

Nothing prepares us for becoming a parent and looking after small children. Sure, there are practical manuals about caring for babies and toddlers; and then the psychology books take over, helping us get through those ‘difficult phases’. But no one in my immediate circle really … [read more]

Beauty

The honest blogger’s guide to… cellulite treatments

October 28, 2015 2880 Views 17 Comments

I love reading about product innovation, particularly from beauty brands who make big promises. The cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry spends millions of pounds on advertising to convince us that their new technology will turn back our biological clocks and help us look ten years younger. … [read more]

Beauty

The honest blogger’s review of the NEWA skincare device

May 25, 2017 15465 Views 16 Comments

Face yoga is a thing now and it’s dividing opinions in the health and skincare industry. Some say face yoga is as beneficial as Botox or surgery and that facial exercises help banish fine lines and sagging, by increasing blood circulation under the skin. Critics … [read more]

Wisdom

How to fail at job interviews

October 29, 2019 1364 Views 14 Comments

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My bookish obsession, my favourite books of the year

The Ethical Christmas Gift List: give well, do good

How to fail at job interviews

Quick, easy, moist banana cake recipe

Is professional teeth whitening worth the money?

My day and night-time skincare routine for thirsty skin

The benefits of writing and keeping a journal

eShakti customised clothing. Is this the perfect fit?

Eagle Brae: a unique adventure in the Highlands of Scotland

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