I’ve just got back from LA and here are my beauty recommendations and one big warning..  

There is a really unattractive red mark on my left ankle from a visit to Beverly Hills Nail Design.  I wouldn’t normally choose to write about a mishap, but as they went on to charge me the full price for the privilege, I feel it’s only fair to warn you.  I went there for a mani-pedi, and opted for the neck massage, which quickly became a foot and hand massage too.  All wonderful, except that my therapist was a little too happy with the dispensing of the callus lotion.  I’m not sure I even know what callus lotion is, maybe it was the cuticle lotion, but either way I suddenly felt an ice cold burning feeling on my left ankle.  I could see that there was a damp patch on the towel and asked if the therapist had spilt something.  Well, she had - this mysterious lotion which was now burning into my skin uncomfortably.  She washed it off and offered me all manner of creams to put on it, but all I wanted was some aloe.  And then she charged me full price.  Ah.. so that’s what callous means.   It looks a bit like I’ve been on holiday to Greece and ridden on the back of my boyfriend’s motorbike, then burnt my ankle on the exhaust while a bit sozzled on the retsina.  

I had a great facial though at Tower 23 in San Diego.  I was staying there with Manu for my niece Becky’s wedding to Matt and was suffering from laryngitis (probably).  I sounded like I’d been eating helium gas all weekend.  Occasionally I’d sing songs to entertain Manu - my cracking voice was like a pubescent choir boy’s.  My facialist, Megan, used Dermalogica products and passed on all sorts of little tips about looking after my skin.  She had a great massage technique, just the right pressure.   

Afterwards Manu and I went for a bike ride along the sea front.  We stopped at a little henna tattoo place and had mother and daughter tattoos that read: “Becky heart Matt” in a small circle on our arms. 

For the night of my book signing at Book Soup and the party at Tracey Ross, I treated myself like some kind of Hollywood celebrity and booked hair and make up to come to my girlfriend’s home in Beverly Hills. Heidi Stanton is the Creative Director of John Frieda in Melrose, but will occasionally do home visits.  She did an amazing blow-out (blow-dry), all full and wavy without looking like an ambassador’s wife.   She had a spare 30 minutes so she also did my friend Kathy’s hair.  Kathy has a short crop, but Heidi bouffed it up on top of her head until it suddenly looked quite Sixties, but elegantly so. 

Brett came over to do make up.  Brett’s talk of a “design service” and his long, silent periods spent gazing at my dress and then at my face while deep in thought had me a little worried.  It was a multi-coloured dress and I feared the worst.   Words like “design” or “creative” make me think of peacock body art, or swarovski crystal encrusted lashes.   Luckily, the craziest we got was false eyelashes, and very nice they were too.  He also chose a very pretty Vincent Longo burgundy lip stain - it wasn’t something I would have chosen myself, but it was spot on, and great to have a fresh eye to evaluate my make-up instead of me putting on the same blush, mascara, lip stain combo.  Brett also does lessons and Kathy’s going to get him back to teach her how to do fabulous lashes.  (He did her’s while Heidi was twiddling with my hair). 

But the best hair tip of all is for budding princesses at Disney Land.   Manu was madeover at the princess hair studio.  I was really impressed - I thought hair dressing in the true sense of the words, was all but over unless you popped down to those old-school hairdressers in Mayfair for a Princess Anne barnet.  But no, at Disney, the art of princess hair is alive and well.  It took them about 15 minutes to create flower-girl hair for Manu, who was thrilled with the results.  Of course she wanted it all out about ten minutes later, but that’s princesses for you…

Beverly Hills Nail Design (take your life into your hands, why don’t you…):310 205 0694

Megan at Tower 23: 866 869 3723

Heidi Stanton at John Frieda: 323 653 4040

Brett: 213 550 8507