My Avon Lady journey

As mentioned before, I'm not exactly the best Avon Lady on the block, I have, ahem, one customer (my BFF .. does she even count?) however I resolve every 3 weeks to make an effort and get to know my neighbours using the Avon Lady persona as a useful disguise/opening/focusing tool. Nothing to lose, perhaps even cash to gain. Plus I'm putting my mis-spent youth to good use - who loves Product more than I do? (Not that many people)

Now, I'm a fan of the skin-so-soft shower stuff; am keen on the nailpolishes - easily among the best available in terms of coverage and durability. You need to look regularly when it comes to Avon as a truly gorgeous shade comes along every now and then, alongside a whole load of passable nice colours. I like the truly special ones most specially - at Avon prices they really are brilliant buys, they dry fast, they won't chip (not unless it is time, or you are up to no good).

SO that's where I started from - I'm about to try and see how Avon fares at high-end skin care.

I've been formaly 'caring' for my skin, specially my face/neck for ... oh ... must be since I was about 14. Age appropriate at all times, I've been jolly careful and at times of huge stress, have left off putting stuff on my skin (as I would be using the wrong stuff in such a state) rather than abuse my skin knowingly - I know, I know, I take it all waaaaay too seriously.... Remember, I had a sheltered upbringing and wasn't allowed out really, not till I left home at 21 or 22 ...... That's a lot of afternoons to hang about make-up counters at Wimbledon's Centre Court Shopping Centre and Elys.

High end stuff, if you pick the right one for you works. Definitely. When I was younger and greasier, Clinique and Lancome worked; when I came of age and required a few sophisticated touches, had funky hair and loved playing with colour - which looked awesome on my skin - make up from Dior and MAC did the trick. The fragrances and aromatherapeutic malarky in some of Lancome's skincare products, the technology and sympathy in Shiseido - I loved it. Then came marriage (Dior, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Philosophy) and motherhood - Stella McCartney moisturiser, Dr Hauschka, Neals Yard, lots of Shea Butter, Simple and Badger balm ..... Bits and pieces from Avon continued to make an appearance along with the od Body Shop treat or Lush luxury - and I have to say Avon's eye shadow does last, to rival Dior even, and the colours can often be just as special. The last big skincare binge was to combat the ravages of a harsh birth (for me, Jaan was fine) and the onset of PND. The Estee Lauder man sorted me out, big time. Made my mind change about the eficacy of high-tech creams.

Time to use what I know, two weeks - Avon's Reversalist. I'm using the ANEW range - sunscreen (which I always need a lot, I burn so fast), cleanser, moisturisers and eye stuff plus the saphire emulsion which looks so ethereal - glimmery plasma perhaps? Star Trek stuff!

14 days they say. 5 years off (not sure I want that much off!) they say. We shall see.

Should probably do something to rejuvenate my hair too but (sigh) one huge problem at a time, eh? Not taking care of myself ages my skin. Taking care of Jaan to the exclusion of all else ages my skin (it follows). Jaan's about to enter a wider social sphere, and although it is a toddler focused wider sphere, I'll be there too and I could use the boost to my self confidence (I reckon the doctors whipped out all my self confidence when they shoved that ironic birthing ball - and the rest - between my thighs the day Jaan was born).