Snapshot: the bedside table

I thought it would be fun to do a series of snapshots to show you little corners of my new home as they appear from the rubble, plus all my favourite beauty must-haves and style finds, in context.

Here’s my bedside table this morning. It’s the first proper one I’ve had (my first studio flat had a bed that flipped out the wall, seriously), so I’m loving having somewhere to keep special keepsakes and a plethora of overnight beauty products.

From back to front:

Vintage Chanel advert: given to me on my 21st by my friends who bought it from a flea market in Paris.

Card: given to me by my husband after 36-hours of labour and an emergency c-section. It contains the kindest, tenderest things he has ever said to me and I read it before bed every night.

Vintage French alarm clock: my latest purchase from Amanda Leader at her Etsy shop, FrenchVintageLinens. She trawls French brocantes (imagine a chic car boot sale) with an immaculate eye and sells her wares (from linens to eiderdowns, napkins, homewares and kitchenalia) online. I love it, from the sepia toned face to the bold numerals. Such a great find.

Lavender water spray: I like to mist my pillow before bed. I started doing it as a pregnant insomniac and it worked. It’s just a travel bottle from Boots with mineral water and 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

Soap & Glory, Hand Food: Billed as ‘non-greasy, hydrating hand cream’ this stuff smells delicious (I’m addicted to the sugar scrub of the same fragrance too), it sinks in quick so I don’t get the pages of my book sticky.

Elemis Tri-Enzyme resurfacing night cream and serum: These two combined have hands-down revolutionised my skincare regime. Yes they’re expensive, but post-baby my skin fell apart in a big way and I knew they would deliver. This duo didn’t just set it back on track, they gave me skin I’ve never had before. The hormonal breakouts cleared up, the grey pallor lifted and the deep lines faded. My skin just generally evened out, plumped up and glowed.

ARK anti-wrinkle eye cream: I found this at the back of the bathroom cabinet and thought I’d give it a go, I’m always told by facialists and dermatologists alike that if you invest in one product for anti-ageing, make it an eye cream. So I’m slathering this super light-weight cream on religiously and that delicate skin around the eye is definitely looking firmer and more hydrated.

Burts Bees Shea Butter hand cream: Yes, I have two hand creams on my night stand. This stuff is so thick it’s a job to get it out the tube. I like to slather my feet in it (most hand creams are too wimpy for my dehydrated toes) then stick a pair of cotton socks on for an over-night deep-treatment.

Barielle intensive nail renewal oil: I *love* that this nail oil started life as a hoof condition for million-dollar racehorses. Brilliant. The makers only realised the benefits for us two-legged folk when the grooms started growing long, strong nails. My big toe nail fell off (long story, it involved a shoddy pedicure) and this is growing it back quick-smart.

Necklace: ancient Monsoon

Book: The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles – I’m only 20 pages in so verdict is still out.

(Wall colour: Blackened by Farrow & Ball. My bedrooms have basically been this colour for the last six years. So calming.)