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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Gemma Cairney

Sparkles and colour: these are a few of my favourite things

Firm favourites: a thick coat of mascara will lift your spirits.
Firm favourites: a thick coat of mascara will lift your spirits. Photograph: Jonas Hafner/Getty Images

I keep smelling a sort of panic in the air, a fear of not achieving enough, not having enough money, not being deemed successful or beautiful enough. We seem to be always looking forward, working out ways of getting more. Trying to be more, to rope-climb to dizzying heights, but gracefully and gorgeously… We need to be better at looking at the right now and appreciating the things we already have.

So today, I urge you to delve into your treasure chests and make-up bags and herald your favourite thing. If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ll know that it’s about reassuring sparkles, using colour and partaking in ritualistic beauty sessions that give me my bliss. Here are my top three things I’ve featured so far.

1) My electric blue HEMA mascara.
2) Hey Girls Sanitary Pads. Engage in period activism on your high street – when you buy these you help others.
3) Disciple face spray, made of geranium oil and designed with mental health also in mind.

I recommend keeping them in one of Artisans & Adventurers’ Kenyan Woven baskets, which burst with colour and joy (from £10).

Follow Gemma on Twitter @gemcairn and Instagram @gemagain

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