I’m Jo, (Mrs T), a local girl, born in 1977. Follow me as I approach my 40th birthday. Having lived and worked in London for many years finally the draw of the sea and the more relaxed life won my heart. You can take the girl out of Thanet but the sea will never leave you!
Settled now in Margate for 10 years, and diagnosed with M.E in 2006, I recently ditched the corporate life and concentrated on building my own business – Mrs T’s Beauty.
Learn tricks of the trade, follow the tribulations and triumphs of being an entrepreneur, discover the people I meet and, as I love a glass of fizz with friends, the places I party, hidden local gems, and local recommendations.
The Marvels of Make-up
The magic of makeup really is incredible. A well applied make-up can take years off a lady, as opposed to the #trowelled on look. Getting a fine balance between beautiful and bodged can be a challenge for the untrained eye. Come on, we’ve all been there, trying to copy the online tutorial with varying success, or none at all.
I’ll let you into a secret, I never used to wear make-up! Yes, I know, it’s true! I’ll let you into another secret, it was all Richard Branson’s fault, he got me into it, really!
My look used to very much be natural, with long wild red hair and pasty white skin. My first job as a beauty therapist was in London Oxford Street for Virgin Vie in their salon “Living River Therapies” (try saying that quickly) at the tender age of 20.
I distinctly remember being taken into a room by the managers and it being explained that my look didn’t reflect the brand. Wel,l as the brand sold make up and I didn’t wear a scrap, they may have had a point! My first purchases were a tinted moisturizer, black mascara and a rose colour blusher, that I also used as an eye shadow. That’s where my love started and later in my career I worked for YSL where my collection exploded. I have close to 300 pieces now. #makeupjunky
I think the secret to a good make-up is to keep it as natural looking as possible, blending and building to develop the look, highlighting personal, key features. Everyone’s different but cheek bones, eyebrows and lashes are a winner and, of course, how can we talk about make up without mentioning #contouring?
Now, ladies and gents, I have some earth-shattering news, contouring is not a new thing, no, no, no, it has been going on for decades. It was just called something different #highligting
I remember many years ago, probably the late 80s, when my mum went off to her hairdresser’s make up evening and came home with a highlighter kit.
Of course, fashions have changed, blusher was much more the trend then, so this kit had two colour blusher, white to highlight the cheek bones, and a coral pink for the cheeks! Well, didn’t we think we were the #beesknees!
However, the smallest of efforts with contouring goes a long way. Not everyone can master the five lines and blending, for an easy everyday look a good tinted moisturizer, line of highlighter across the top of the cheek bone and a light bronzer blended into the cheek area is just enough to freshen your look.
A #toptip alert, foundation or tinted moisturiser should be as close to your natural skin colour as possible, slightly lighter is better than too dark, which is when you see mask lines. You can add colour to the skin by building light bronzer, something with a little sparkle is great for giving luminosity.
One of my #hero products is the Boots No 7 Instant Radiance Highlighter, which can also be used on the top of the cheek bones, along the shaft of the nose and under the eyebrow to lift and lighten the eye. http://www.boots.com/no7-instant-radiance-highlighter-10165924
For those of you feeling lost in a #makeupminefield I provide make up lessons for just £30, where I explain and show you how to use the basic products so you can replicate this at home.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/mrstsbeauty/services/
Mr T treats me
I was super spoilt this weekend. Mr T look me out for a wonderful Sunday treat. Now this doesn’t happen frequently you understand, so being the grateful wife I am….. I took full advantage of the situation!
We went to the Buoy and Oyster in Margate and it was wonderful, it’s the best meal I have had in ages.
The service was exceptional, we were greeted at the table by the waitress who took the time to start a conversation with us. Now we are chatty people so I am sure she wasn’t quiet expecting the full blown discussion about jet skis that my husband launched into, but ho hum!
When he finally stopped talking #gotawordinedgeways I ordered dressed fresh Norfolk crab for starters, Mr T had mojito halibut (not remotely influenced by the cocktail name, NOT) for main I had the Buoy Bowl and Mr T had the biggest, juiciest burger ever!
It was all washed down with a stunning sparkling local Chapel Down Rose Brut, for just £40 per bottle. I thought this was exceptional value. It’s the first time I had tried the local fizz and was expecting an aftertaste, but no, it was light and delightful, perfect with fish and exceptionally easy to drink.
The food was excellent and the portions were more than ample, in fact I was full to the brim. At the end of the meal we were invited to sit outside (without asking) as a table had become free. We enjoyed a coffee overlooking Margate sands, while Mr T watched his Jetskis #sigh, the whole experience was exceptional and I felt very spoilt. 100% will be back.
http://www.buoyandoyster.com/menus
Move over Buzz
While we were sitting on the balcony enjoying our coffee, we looked across the bay and saw what seemed to be people on the roof of the old Escape nightclub, I will always however remember it as Buzz or previously Ki KI’s. although that maybe showing my age. I was thinking it must be a new apartment with family on the roof.
But by the power of social media we figured it was a new roof top bar, Ziggys! Well, new bar did someone say and I’ve not been to it, that won’t do at all!
So, we hotfooted it over, it’s so exciting to have something new and fresh in Margate, but also so full of memories. To enter you have to go around the back and up what used to be the Buzz fire escape, there are a fair number of stairs to climb, but as you go up and peek through the windows you can see the old club floors and we walked back through the footsteps of me and my friends over 20 years ago.
I’m sure the new occupier must have been thoroughly sick of all the reminiscing of his new guests as they spilled stories from “back in the day” especially as he only moved down from London eight months ago, #hadtobethere
Anyway, sadly for him but great for us, drawn by the power of social media, friends streamed in all day, even people who had previously worked in the old club, #reunion and one or two turned into the whole day!
It was fabulous and the door staff were so friendly and professional. I have to say though, for a long time now we have been waiting for something to come along and rival the old club and memories and I can 1000% say that Ziggy’s and the newly renovated Cinque Ports, definitely does this. Sitting on that roof you completely forgot you were in Margate, I really felt we were on holiday. The Jamaican theme shone through as music was piped out onto the roof, it only heightened the experience.
Mr T was particularly excited by the news that a Jamaican themed BBQ will be starting very soon for the season #beerandburgerheaven.
As the evening drew in the roof top heaters were more than adequate to keeps us warm, plus the beer jacket obviously helped and I can honestly say that “Buzz, it’s time to move over.”
This is going to be the new place to be and with a much cooler, sophisticated vibe so much more age appropriate. Who am I trying to kid, did you say something about four months till I’m 40, no no no! Anyway Ziggy’s, bring on the new memories, so many are going to be created here I can feel it! #theplacetobe
https://www.instagram.com/ziggysrooftop/
Bank holiday Beano
My last of the bank holiday weekend ended up with taking my dad on a trip down memory lane at Margate Meltdown.
It is an exciting day with endless streams of bikes pouring into Margate and the odd few Scooters.
Back in the day everyone will remember the Mods and Rockers era or have heard about it and this is how our family story started with Margate.
My dad born in the #bowbells and raised in East London. He used to take “ beanos” to Margate just like those featured in Only Fools and Horses, stopping off in the old Roman Galley as a young Mod on his scooter with his #cronies (as he calls them).
If it wasn’t for him and then, later in life after he married my mum, them getting into his Mini and driving down to Margate from their flat in Elephant and Castle to job hunt and start a new life, we wouldn’t be here. #original #londontomargate.
It was great to see him loving the day and all the memoires that came with it and we even found the exact same scooter he had back in the day, seen here in the picture. #family #love #fullcircle.
My family are my world and this was just the fairytale ending to a brilliant action packed weekend. I just can’t wait to see what next weekend will behold. Lots of love everyone!
Mrs T
www.mrst-beauty-aesthetics.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/mrstsbeauty/
07837773010