Getting my hands on the big Elemis offer!

Blimey it’s been filthy weather out there hasn’t it? Yucky damp, dank and dark weather… not easy to retain ones lighter brighter sparkly side is it? But soldier on we will, and keep in mind all the outdoor workers out in the thick of it.

Mind you, once you’re out and in it looking around, it’s never as bad as it seems, and by Jove, you feel better for it.

I posted a picture of Dan’s work van on my Instagram and laughed at the messages all saying much the same thing! Chivalrous of him to offer to take me… but they reckon walking in the rain would have been a better and cleaner option!

Talking of laughing, I certainly did that this morning, and goodness it was a nice sound. Okay, so it may get lost in translation, but…

Frankie, one of our super make-up artists, was wondering about the huge box containing separate labelled bags with all our names on that had been left in the corridor of our Presenter area.

“It’s Richard Jackson’s new recipe of bird food,” I told her, “we are taking it home to try.”

“So you all have birds then?” She replied.

I spat my tea out and said “well, we ALL have birds outside don’t we?!”

There followed a discussion about us taking it home to trial it and she then said, somewhat sarcastically, “of course, the birds can tell you they loved it right?!”

“Hmm kind of… just by them eating it and seeing how many come and visit the bird table,” I replied. We were properly laughing at her genuinely thinking we all had a parakeet or cockatiel in a birdcage!

Possibly lost in translation but worth a share nonetheless!

As indeed I will share the response of our fine feathered uncaged connoisseurs in due course.

Now, talking of response, I must tell you that the response to the festive seven-piece Elemis Pro-Collagen Today’s Special Value has been mahoosive.

It is available to order here right now, ahead of the 9pm launch on Saturday 9th November. Keeley Aydin and I have been bursting to tell you all about it, and indeed will be doing a Facebook live chat on Friday 8th at 11am so any questions for Keeyley, fire away and I will ask and as ever her brilliance, knowledge and passion will be contagious.

Oh, and by the way, SUCH a fabulous listen is Inside QVC, our new podcast, hosted by the brilliant Will Gowing. This week’s is such a great and in-depth chat with Oriele Frank, the co-founder of Elemis, and with Keeley. I have just listened in the car and I found out so much about them personally and more about the award winning range. It is fascinating and so worth heading to listen to. Oh, and Jackie Kabler, my dressing room partner in crime, is even more fabulous than I even knew, such a great interview with her too. Never have I enjoyed my car journeys in and out of London as much as I do now with Audible books and fab podcasts to keep me company.

So having been trialing the collection, I am hopelessly in love with how hydrated and soft (incredibly soft) my skin has been having used the exquisite Pro-Collagen Rose Facial Oil under the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. It’s my first time of trying and it’s definitely the choice for sensitive skin that needs hydration. I can completely understand the difficulties! We have created the solution for you in offering two gorgeous seven-piece options, so much so that for me, ordering both has happened!

The beautiful new Modern Rose fragrance has been a pleasure to experience. I already know and love the Skin Nourishing option, you can find the full contents and sizes etc. on the QVC website as it differs depending on your choice. However, you can be assured of the brilliance of the cleansing balm (I’ve adored the Rose version) reliably yet luxuriantly removing ALL make-up, the toner that compliments the Rose Balm is soothing Apricot, and along with the adaptive Pro-Collagen Marine Cream on top of that facial oil, my skin is feeling and looking, though I say so myself, mighty fine!!

I am a Rose fan anyway, so I’ve hugely enjoyed the femininity of the fragrance in the Bath & Shower Milk, Body Cream and Hand & Nail Balm. It has a smidge of orange and a freshness that is unexpected, it’s a triumph from Elemis there’s no doubt about it.

I intend to gift and split up the sets, the additional gift packaging allows for that and makes it even better value as I can spread it out more between friends and family. Note the word “intend”.

To be honest, the Liz Earle, Elemis and the L’Occitaine offers at this time of year are incomparable, I barely even check the contents. I just know from all my 21 years as a QVC presenter that they are MUST-HAVES. This set is worth £170 at an incredibly accessible price of £49.96 plus just £1.95 P&P (which we LOVE during this festive season) plus it’s available with four interest-free instalment payments of £12.49 if you’d prefer.

There’s some videos on my Instagram if you’d like to see me demoing and chatting… more chatting than demoing, to be fair.

I have to shout out to my friends and give them the heads up, as I am you.

So tap away at the link and enjoy, I certainly have!

The half-term was pretty uneventful, though a lovely family walk in our beautiful countryside is always a joy and I need to remember to stop cleaning, sorting and doing things at home and just BE outside more. The day was beautiful and I loved the naturalness of the pics everyone took, Joe’s T-shirt summed us up perfectly, “Motley Crew”! That walk fed my soul and I will be grateful for it.

We had plenty of extra teens in the house most nights with various sleepovers. I haven’t organised any family getaways as everyone said it would be a time for revision for both Maddie and Joe,  funnily enough I’m still waiting to see some!

This weekend we will all be celebrating my lovely Momie’s Birthday.

I’ve managed to get everyone together, as amazingly my brother Neil is in the UK from Singapore so ALL of her children, grandchildren etc are coming together to celebrate her. I have opted out of catering! So there’s 20 of us all converging for Sunday lunch at a pub midway for everyone. I’ve already got my thinking cap on for next year, as it will be a special birthday celebration for her. How exciting, you know how I love to organise a “do” or two, and my nieces are partial to a bit of party organisation as well so we will chat and make plans, how flipping organised is that.

New hair for Miss Maddie this half term

Before, during and after. Four hours of my Saturday spent waiting as she didn’t want me to leave. Though it was a tit for tat really as she had come into London with me to keep me company earlier in the week when it was my turn. She chickened out of going shorter, though still had a chunk off as I now see in her before picture, having some colour was enough of a change, so sensibly she decided to keep a little more of the length. I think she’s beautiful regardless, but she’s super thrilled with it so that makes me happy.

I realised I honestly have a phobia about hair brushing, especially wet hair, I cannot bear it. What with asking them to apply 3 times more conditioner to my hair than they normally would AND onto the root area even though they’re trained not to, and please don’t rub with the towel or I’ll brush it myself… I must be the worst ever client, I’m surprised they don’t hold my head under the water just to shut me up! I had to bite my tongue, as Maddie would have been furious with me, though I had to look away! Is it just me?

Ok, if she allows me, I shall look forward to sharing Momie’s birthday pics with you all next time. ‘Til then,

Lots of love

Claire xxx