When life gives you lemons use them! The health benefits of this fruit are amazing.... everything from anti-aging properties to helping with asthma. A glass of water first thing in the morning with a squeeze of lemon helps purify the blood and there's a whole lot of other uses and benefits it has that you might not know about. Sometimes your beauty regime doesn't always require expensive beauty products.  It truly is a wonder fruit!

It aids digestive problems. Warm water and lime or lemon juice is the solution to most digestive problems. Lemons detoxify the blood, reduce the chance of indigestion or constipation and reduce phlegm.

Is anti-aging. Lemon water reduces the production of free radicals which are responsible for aging and skin damage. Lemons are a great antioxidant. So drink up!

Lightens age spots. By applying lemon juice directly to the area and leaving on for 15 mins, it is a safe way to to lighten the skin. Works well on liver spots and freckles.

Cleans and whitens nails. Add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of warm water and soak fingertips for 5 mins. After pushing back the cuticles rub some lemon peel across the nail .

Cleanses the face. You can use lemon juice to apply to spots to draw them out. You can also wash your face with lemon juice to naturally cleanse and exfoliate.  Your skin should improve after a couple of days of this treatment. This I use regularly and it is extremely effective.

Treat flaky scalp with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice massaged into the scalp and rinse with water. Then 1 tbsp of lemon juice with 1 cup of water and rinse your hair with it. Repeat this until flaky scalp disappears.

Can reduce asthma symptoms. 2 tbsp lemon juice before each meal and before retiring can reduce the symptoms of asthma. Definitely worth giving a go to see if this works.

Lemons also stops bleeding gums and reduces toothaches.

Lemon water can  lift your mood and help with depression and stress.

I would recommend though if you are going to use lemons in any of these ways that you buy organic due to the conventional lemons being exposed to pesticides. 

pic courtesy of Harpers Bazaar

The one look I have noticed alot here this summer in London is red and orange/red  lips - everywhere. I love this picture of style queen Alexa Chung. This is makeup at its best. Subtle eyes paired with strong lips and luminous skin. And her hair is just the right amount of messy with a soft side fringe to frame the face.....love love love.

I found this piece in Stylist mag here in the UK while I was flicking thru and thought how perfect it was as they have saved alot of women many months of trial and error. The color of your lips definitely changes the colour that the lipstick will look like once applied and this takes all the guesswork out.... just decide which colour you are and try whichever one of the choices they give you that you like... thank you Stylist mag. (great free mag btw. So many new products, articles and fashion.) Summer has definitely arrived in London this week and walking around the look is very casual and makeup is surprisingly very natural both young and older. I have seen no stand out looks so far or any one trend....one of the things I actually love about this place is that there are so many different looks and everyone is comfortable wearing it.

I did some test shots with photographer Julie Healy of Mitzi afew weeks ago and I love this shot. We did a number of different looks on her but this was my favourite. I gave her these strong eyes using a dark blue eye pencil all over the lid and a black shadow over the top and kept the lips quite soft.... and her thick brows are beautiful. She looks a long way from 14.