Rosie Scribble

Sponsored video: Avon foundation and Alesha Dixon

Not a lot of people know that I used to be an Avon lady. I'm not sure I portrayed the right sort of image for the role cycling round the Surrey countryside in all weathers with a rucksack full of Avon catalogues on my back. I’m not even sure if they are called Avon ladies anymore, but for a few months the job kept me busy each evening and surrounded me with endless boxes of hair and beauty products, which was no bad thing.

It was a thankless task at times but it did give me a small income, which I then spent on Avon products. It also gave me my first taste of hard work in the real world after just leaving university.

So I have a soft spot for the brand. I had to stop selling it when my landlady objected to me running a business from her house. I think her main objection was to the vast number of Avon boxes that used to arrive at regular intervals. She thought they were a fire hazard. I thought she was being deliberately difficult. But no matter.

Not so jet set

Once upon a time I imagined myself living the jet set lifestyle. Well, not quite jet set but I certainly imagined myself travelling up and down the country, staying in posh hotels, wearing killer heels and a power suit to match. Think Dynasty and manicured hair. I’m a child of the eighties. It was regular Saturday night viewing. 

So this week I packed my overnight bag and headed off to London for a business meeting and a one-day copywriting course. And the reality of that sort of lifestyle hit home.

Rather than a posh hotel I found myself in the tiniest single room imaginable in an area of Kings Cross I decided wasn’t safe to walk through at night. Rush hour on the London underground proved to be an exercise in survival of the fittest. Hesitate getting on your train for even a second, and the nice, sweet lady you smiled at entering the tube will suddenly barge past everyone in sight to claim her seat. 

A little pampering

Standards have been slipping in our house.

Slowly but surely the little voice in my head that states, quite clearly, that the twice-daily school run requires brushed hair and an appropriate coverage of make-up had started to fade.

But sometimes that just rolled out of bed look can give the impression, in my case, that I have just rolled out of bed. I’ve also discovered that an over-reliance on dry shampoo, if it builds up on your hair, can start to give it that grey tinge you’ve always hoped to avoid.

So action has been taken.

A post that will make beauty bloggers shudder

There's a distinct lack of glamour on this blog. 

I've come to this conclusion after spending a whole morning reading beauty blogs for a project I'm working on.

I'm suddenly feeling a little old and a little frumpy.

The blogs and the writers are all very glamorous and many feature some stunning photographs of the latest beauty products and make-up ranges.

They've taught me a lot.