Last night’s Twin party to celebrate the launch of Twin IV was road blocked.
The lucky few were recipients of a rather generous bag of goodies. Here’s the breakdown:

Bumble and Bumble Hair (un)Dressing creme, bumbleandbumble.com
Elemis bath oils, elemis.com
Freedom at Topshop apple pendant necklace, topshop.co.uk
Kat and Bee rings, katandbee.com
Opening Ceremony tie-dye tote and T-shirt, openingceremony.us
Purity organic skincare moisturiser and cleansing lotion, purityorganicskincare.co.uk
Sanctuary Youth Boosting Facial, thesanctuary.co.uk
Shu Uemura Deepsea Repair Foundation Essential Hair Prep, shuuemura.com
St. Tropez Skin Illuminator, sttropeztan.com

Tags: Bumble and Bumble, Freedom of Topshop, opening ceremony, Purity, Sanctuary, Shu Uemera, St Tropez, Twin IV

It’s that time of year again when the majority of people think about tanning. However, I am not in that majority. I can count the number of times I have tanned in my life on one hand and I am fast approaching forty. Therefore, for a great number of years I have remained proudly milky pale. I think it’s an alternative/indie thing, in my teens, the eighties, red lipstick and pale skin were the apogee of underground style, as epitomised by Vivienne Westwood muse Sara Stockbridge and the androgyne model Jenny Howarth. Nowadays its indie queens like Gwen Stefani, Beth Ditto and Dita Von Teese who embody the pale look. And it’s these gals I’d want to be in a gang with, not orange hued WAGs or Katie Price. However this year I have to admit, for the first time in a lifetime I’m strangely drawn to the idea of tanning. Obviously it would be a very subtle golden tan, not the creosote hue once favoured by Victoria Beckham. But some kind of gentle olive tint, a Mediterranean sun kissed teint, might just be nice come summer sun. I have yet to explore the range of products on offer, but I’m thinking the St Tropez No Tan Tan might be the one for me. Or at least a touch of Johnsons Holiday Skin on my rather chalky legs. I’m not sure if this is a flirtation or a genuine commitment to the idea of a tan. After all my whole identity is bound up with being pale. Whatever, I will keep you posted.

Words by Bethan Cole

Tags: beauty, beth ditto, Bethan Cole, Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani, Jenny Howarth, Katie Price, Kristen Stewart, Sara Stockbridge, St Tropez, twin, Twinfactory, Victoria Beckham