Clockwise from top left: Fashion Foie Gras took a look back at Kate Hudson’s style from How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days; FFG’s post inspired me to write about my own on screen style icon – Carrie Bradshaw – and how her looks translate for 2012.

What have you been reading this week?

Maybe you can’t be bothered to take your make-up off at night and then spend hours each week worrying about the lines this bad habit will eventually leave you with.

Or maybe you can’t be bothered to shave and then spend your entire time in jeans or tights.

Or maybe it’s styling your hair and you end up with your hair tied up all the time in the hope that no one will notice the frizz**.

Whatever your beauty bad habit, we all seem to have them – even those who really should know better, like the lovelies over at Elle magazine, who last week confessed theirs’.

What’s mine? I’ll tell you. Moisturising. I’m pretty good at moisturising my face. At night. Not so good during in the mornings but I figure once a day is a whole lot better than never at all! But moisturising anywhere else – my legs, my arms, my shoulders, anywhere – is something I nearly never do! Not because I don’t want to. Or really because I’m too lazy to***. No, it’s actually because I hate the feeling of the lotion on my body making me feel sticky and greasy and grossy**** all day! So when Dove offered to send me a couple of samples of their body lotion I thought it might be time to give it a go.

Dove sent me their Hydro Nourishment Body Lotion – which boasts fast absorption and a light feeling -and their Intense Nourishment Body Lotion – which restores extra dry skins. So I began by using the light formula each morning. The fragrance of the lotion is unoffensively subtle and it quickly aborbs into my skin – just what I wanted! I love the fact that I don’t really notice that I’ve even put any on throughout the day. If I’m honest, I’m lucky that my skin was never very dry, despite never moisturising and so, I haven’t noticed too much of a difference but my pealing burnt skin on one shoulder***** is feeling far less sore since I started using it and looks a lot less raw.

I decided to try out the intensive lotion at bedtime so that any greasy residue might be washed off in the shower in the morning. To be honest I haven’t really noticed too much of a residue anyway – maybe I was always just imagining it!! There is a definite difference in the consistency of the two lotions and this one is obviously more creamy and rich. I love it. My legs are definitely loving this lotion. Again, the lotion’s scent is subtle rather than sickly.

What do you most dislike to do?

* that’s my reason – mainly!
** this was me at school – and at uni – and now, at work!
*** Ok, maybe it’s that a little bit!!
**** not a word – I know!
***** very attractive!

Have you bought it yet?

Images via (clockwise from top left): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

I have already written about some of my favourite trends for Spring/Summer 2012 so in this post I intend to take my two favourite trends for this season: pastels and prints.

The pastel trend was seen on many of the catwalks for SS12, including at Prada, Jaeger London and PPQ. The pretty candy colours allow the wearer to stick to shapes and styles with which they are already familiar and play around with the shade instead. This is a great trend for work-wear – simply switch your usual white shirt for a pastel blouse and you’re summer office ready.

Prints are synonymous with the summer. Every year floral prints are all over the high street for our holiday wardrobe. This season though, it is all about clashing prints – as seen at Mary Katrantzou and at Clements Ribeiro. This is one trend that we will surely all be rocking on our holidays this summer?

Images via: Pastels (clockwise from top left): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Prints (clockwise from top left): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Glasses Direct have contacted me to tell you all about their latest competition. They are looking for the face of their new brand Scout. Glasses Direct told me:

Scout boasts an eclectic mix of bold and on-trend frames that need an equally individual face to wear them. We’re not looking for the next top model, just someone with a love of fashion and a unique style.

If this sounds like you make sure you enter!

As a glasses wearer myself – and having only been wearing them for just over a year – I love the sound of this competition and the collection. Glasses Direct offers afford and on-trend glasses styles to lens’ wearers – something which can be hard to find on the high street.

To enter, email scout@glassesdirect.com by the 9th June with a picture of you in your favourite get up, along with a little bit about how you’d describe your style, and get picked to star in Scout’s debut eyewear collection on the 12th June in London, all expenses paid.

Plus you’ll win a year’s supply of Scout frames with your prescription, UV or sun lenses!

To see a selection of the entries so far – and to get some inspiration, check out the Glasses Direct Blog.

Get ready for summer with Kurt Geiger’s summer shoe collection and beach accessories. The offer ends on Thursday 31 May 2012.

What will you buy?

I can’t quite decide between the Eastern Geo Print Trousers and the Printed Ikat Peg Trousers – what do you think?

The minute the sun comes out and I put on t-shirts abnd vests and have my arms bare, I love to pile on the arm candy. Warehouse has some great – and cheap – options this summer. I already have the Star Stretch Bead Bracelet and the Heart Friendship Bracelet – next on my wish list is the Anchor Cord Friendship Bracelet.

What are you lusting after in the summer sun?

From the creators of The O.C. and Gossip Girl, Hart Of Dixie stars Rachel Bilson as a sophisticated and ambitious young doctor who has to swap her fast-paced life in New York for the down-home world of Alabama after her perfect plans start to fall apart.

Zoe Hart thinks she has her life sorted – she graduated top of her class from medical school, has the perfect boyfriend and is set on following in her father’s footsteps to become a cardio-thoracic surgeon. But things soon start to go wrong, and Zoe is forced to accept an offer from a stranger, Dr Harley Wilkes, to work with him at his small practice in Bluebell, Alabama.

Bilson’s wardrobe in the show is filled with covetable pieces and great inspiration for the glorious summer sunshine we’re currently enjoying here in the UK, whether you favour a chance to show off your pins in a mini skirt or cover-up in easy-to-wear peg-leg trousers, Bilson shows you how.

If you’ve missed the show, so far, make sure to catch yourself up and watch it on Really – there are still more than 15 episodes left in the debut series and a second series has already been confirmed for the US – so it’ll likely be back on our screens in the UK again next year!

I’m clearly having a “Rachel-Bilson-moment” as my Pinterest boards are currently filled with her! Particularly her dip-dyed hair* (see here).

Who’s your current on screen style icon? For a blast from the past, check out my post earlier this week on how Carrie Bradshaw’s style translates to 2012!

* I’m so doing this next time I go to the hairdressers!!

Gwyneth Paltrow says, “This is an all-around oil that you can apply to your entire body, face and hair for a quick moisturizing, glossy refresh. It’s great right after the bath as it really takes right then. It also has a very lovely, very subtle smell.”

Sounds good to me! And while you’re there, why not pick up one of these to try? All £15, or less! Like the Nuxe Rêve de Miel Ultra Nourishing Lip Balm, the Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water with Roses & Green Tea, or the Nuxe Melting Cleansing Face & Eyes Gel with Rose Petals.

What will you be buying from M&S’s new beauty department?

Shoes by Pretty Ballerinas