Les Parisiennes de Mamansnet - Thread part deux

[TossDaily]

New thread for those of us who would like to let a little je ne sais quoi into our lives...

[Redandblue11]

Cloud we are in a new thread not sure what number but come and join here if you fancy
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/3525994-Les-Parisiennes-des-Mamansnet-See-life-in-pink-but-do-not-wear-it?pg=1&order=

[cloud1183]

I stumbled across the original thread yesterday as I’m going to Paris in September and staying in Le Marais. A quick google of the area brought up the original thread so I read most of it (great fun) and went shopping today. I haven’t got the budget for expensive things right now so it was a high street shop.

I got a smart black blazer, simple t-shirts and shirts in black, white, navy and grey and threw out anything bright and too garish. I look so much better for it and wish I’d found this thread earlier. When I was shopping I always had at the back of my mind ‘would the French wear that’

[Accountant222]

Place marking

[BagelGoesWalking]

PJs. Sainsbury's do lovely cotton ones. Just got these for my DD18, showing as out of stock now. I've bought many for her over the years and they're pretty good quality for the price.

[TossDaily]

new thread

[TossDaily]

New thread started, but no idea how to link to it, sorry.

If someone wouldn't mind..?

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

Im an expensive yarn hoarder so not risking it
Will try and find a pic-it was gorgeous and not huge/flappy

[botemp]

Well, yes, that's true but moths tend to be a warm weather thing so before storing it away for the season everything gets a wash otherwise a good airing or steam does the job.

Do you have a pic of the trench coat? I still haven't caught up with that show yet. Comptoir have a few good ones in the sale but none I would call khaki.

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

Am at putting worn knitwear away .
Non non
Quickest way to get moths-they love feasting on skin cells /oils etc
I use Lakeland woolwash -smells divine
Blood warm water -pop in item andwalk away. For 45 mins,no rubbing or agitation .
Rinse and gently roll in a fluffy towel.
I love washing knitwear
Second best is a squeeze of baby shampoo NEVER Woolite

[Pinkpeppermintteaforme]

Can I join you ?
Thank you to whoever recommended the Kiko reds.
Have been looking for the right red and had a dreadful experience in Mac
Kiko staff lovely and helpful.
In the end 115 was spot on, just ghe right amount of orange tone and last night tried it on with no other make up.
Lovely and looked "done"
Wearing khaki cord mini and wool ribbed tights ,black roll neck today.
I want a khaki trench like the one Catherine wore in Witnesses .
Cant be too £££

[quirkychick]

Base layer... I really give up now...

[quirkychick]

Ah, base level... I can't type today!

[quirkychick]

Another one who loves merino (I wouldn't wash it every time if I'm wearing it, as I'm wearing a bash layer underneath). Weirdly, my merino jumper dress does bobble . It's from Numph, nice style but on that basis I wouldn't recommend the quality or buy from them again. I also think the smooth nature of merino is flattering on those of us who don't want to bulk up our top halves.

I'm wondering about soap, now. I use shower gel, as our water is super hard and it can produce scum, nice. However, I did use to use french olive oil soap, which was lovely. I might look out for some.

banana with regards to moths, we had an infestation the summer before last. I think they come in from the garden, as it is shady and seems full of them in the summer months. They completely ate through a beautiful, Indian rug and the carpet in the living room. We cleared out the room and changed the carpet, I also got very good at killing them, it was much more effective than the pheromone strips! I put my out of season knitwear into a vacuum bag and weirdly, the only thing that was eaten was my toast jumper dress (sadly, one of my favourite things). Any moths I see in the house just get killed now, it seems to have stopped any further infestation but they are buggers. I don't put clothes I've worn back in the wardrobe either, only clean things as that apparently attracts them too, so any out of season stuff always gets washed/cleaned before storing.

[ProperLavs]

Thanks bo I'll get that one.
I'm going to throw the Dove bars in the bin.
I might have bought another hat on eBay last night.......

[botemp]

Get a cleansing oil Proper, the Avene Xeracalm CO is really great for eczema prone skin (but I use it with no eczema and love it too), doesn't dry at all, removes dirt but not the natural lipids. It's fragrance-free and I often recommend it to use on the face for those who have it there too as it's so gentle. It's been a life-changer for a poster's DD on the Fantastic Skincare threads.

I only use soap for the pits because the pH of soaps are too high, properly alkaline when our own skin barrier is acidic (which is how you want to keep it). Sweat itself is highly acidic so the slight disruption to your pits pH level with soap isn't such an issue but on the rest of the body, it's less desirable as we're unlikely to sweat in the same amounts there. Cleansing oils are pH neutral, shower gels will be a range of pHs, but often slightly alkaline too (but not as high as soap).

[explodingkittens]

Just delurking to say how much I have enjoyed these threads and yes please to another one!

I have been inspired to give my wardrobe a proper clear-out and have realised that it's not new clothes I need, but new ways of wearing the old ones, and this thread has been great for inspiration.

Am looking forward to striding into the new year all chic and french-like

[AuldAlliance]

Dove isn't proper soap, though...

[ProperLavs]

splat that comptoir coat is just like the peacoat I bought! Well except mine is already used and worn in .

[ProperLavs]

I've yet to find a soap that doesn't aggravate dd3's eczema though. I have a Dove soap and I hate hate hate the smell of it. I do find soap very drying, much more so than shower gel.. if anyone knows of a soap that is actually moisturising please do tell

[boldlygoingsomewhere]

I also started using soap again and noticed a lovely side effect was a reduction in KP on my arms and legs. It hasn't disappeared completely but is much better.

I'll join you all in the slatterns' bench - I also try not to wash my woollens and denim too often.

[botemp]

New thread is fine by me. Why do people think it all ends just because MN only allows a 1000 posts on a thread?

Oh Bloomed, I somehow managed to miss that gem . It all makes perfect sense now not.

I wasn't on the soap/shower gel thread (never used shower gel myself) but if we're talking pits, then I think it's a two-fold thing, most deodorants are silicon-based which creates an artificial seal on the skin, so it doesn't actually remove perspiration, it just locks it in and adds a touch of fragrance to mask anything that does somehow get through. If it's not removed properly (especially the extra strength, long lasting ones) it builds up (much like silicone can build up in your hair) and it's therefore not working as it should and storing up old transpiration under a nice warm little seal at the same time that positively reeks when it breaks through (think of it a bit like clogged pores). You have to view traditional soaps a bit like a solid oil cleanser, oil dissolves oil better than anything else but needs a surfactant to help it along (soap saponifies). Silicon has properties like an oil, so it tends to be more effective at keeping away that buildup as it actively breaks it down. I don't see why a shower gel with a heavy duty surfactant wouldn't do that job as well, but those tend to be the really drying types so probably not that popular and best avoided on those grounds.

I've always been a fan of traditional soap for the pits and a liquid cleansing oil for the rest of the body. French pharmacy is great for these, giant bottles that cost next to nothing. Usually marketed at eczematic skin, which is great as it doesn't dry your skin out or rob it of natural lipids, I rarely use body lotion.

[LazyDailyMailJournos]

Pretty much what Splat said! Some soaps can be drying because of this, but you can counteract it to a certain extent by using mild soaps that have glycerine in them, so they aren't as drying as ordinary soap.

I've alternated between soap and shower gel for years, depending on what I fancied. I hadn't used soap for a while when I read the recent thread and was inspired to go back to it. Having done so and been mindful of the info shared on the thread about minimising smell, I have noticed a difference; I can still smell the soap scent on my skin 24 hours later.

It's also much more cost effective as you only use what you need - whereas with shower gel there's always the danger that half of it slides straight off and down the drain! I bought a two in one body polisher from Boots - a bath puff on one side and a loofah on the other, with a thick strap across it to go across your hand. Works a treat - get it wet, lather some soap onto it and off you go!

[SplatPancake]

Methen I think it was something along the lines of soap can actually remove the “oily” layer on the skin where the stink-causing bacteria can live/thrive, whereas shower gel can’t (because if the difference in constitution of the liquid). This is not a damaging “oh god, soap dries out my skin” fallacy.

Lazy might remember better than me - I just started using gorgeous Neste Dante soaps again, and feel a lot cleaner!

[Methenyouplus4]

Splat- I remember on the other thread about looking groomed they said men's cashmere is a great option , apparently TK Maxx is great as often have small sizes/ pastel colours etc heavily reduced.

[Methenyouplus4]

Would also love another thread.

Splat / Lazy- could you summerise the main point of soap versus shower gel? I use soap (to cut down use of plastics) but curious about other thread.