Fairlady October 2017

The FAIRLADY editorial team is small – just 16 people. It’s an open office, so we work very closely together, relying on each other for help and support when things get tough. And they do get tough: when I started at FAIRLADY 10 years ago, there were 30 members of staff and far less emphasis on digital so, like many other businesses, there’s now more work and fewer people to do it. Anyway … the point of this is to say we’re a bit like family: we laugh and grumble, get annoyed and get over it – but we always pull together, usually over gorgeous cake and bubbles, which helps. And up until around October last year, that gorgeous cake was almost always baked by Pia, our food ed. At…

1 PINK MUSHROOMS is an initiative of the SA Mushroom Farmers’ Association and Pick n Pay. From 25 Sept to 30 Oct, R1 from every pink punnet will be donated to the Ditto prostheses project, which offers prosthetic breasts at minimal cost to women who have had mastectomies. You’ll be helping yourself, too: research indicates that one white button mushroom a day seems to substantially reduce our risk of breast cancer. Button up! 2 DOVE’S DERMASPA UPLIFTED + BODY LOTION This is such a great product: affordable, effective, beautiful texture. It’s easily absorbed, which I love (hate the sticky feeling of cream on my skin) and has a great, uncomplicated scent. I’m a fan! 3 CHERYL ARTHUR’S NEW RANGE I love the fabrics,…

WINNING LETTER From corrupt to clean In the August issue, Suzy writes about the wonderful time she had in Portugal. We worked at the SA embassy some years ago so this brought back fond memories. There are many parallels between Portugal and SA. Their national pastimes are also food and sport. Every region also has its specialities – the clams and pork Suzy raves about are from the Alentejo area, which is similar to the Karoo. Every feast has its signature dishes. For instance, at Christmas we had Bolo Rei, a cake filled with lucky trinkets. Other ‘pastimes’ we have in common are politics and roadworks. What we can learn from them is that being involved in all matters of state counts. You are entitled to fight for clean governance.…

Bring out your natural, radiant sensuality with Alien, the bewitching fragrance by Mugler. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of the galaxy, the parfumiers of Alien have created a fragrance for a solar goddess. With notes of jasmine, cashmeran wood and white amber, it is soft on the skin yet unforgettably powerful. The fragrance’s enchanting mystery is captured in the beautiful bottle. The hamper contains an Alien EDP refillable bottle (60ml), an Alien eco-refill bottle (60ml) and Alien Les Rituels d’Or body cream.…

‘Well-known celebrities like Lupita Nyong’o and Michael B Jordan have asked for pairs, and Jidenna loves the shoes.’ ‘It would be easier and cheaper to produce in the East, but I want my continent to win and my collaborators to win with me.’ Maria McCloy may just be the definition of the African Renaissance woman – she’s almost always busy, with her time split between three solid careers. But more than that, her ‘Africanness’ is the inspiration for her work. She’s inspired by the cultural diversity of her mother’s home country, but transcends southern Africa, drawing from the entire continent. Given her background, it seems only natural that this would be her approach. Born in the UK to an English father and a Mosotho mother, Maria spent her childhood…

A wide range of health problems have a strong genetic link, so if your mom or dad had a condition, your own risk of being diagnosed with it rises significantly too. But even if you have inherited the same genes, it’s not always a given that your health will turn out the same. Why? One explanation is something called epigenetics. And it’s possible to use it to your advantage. What is epigenetics? While you can’t change the genes you inherit, it is possible to influence how they function. Environmental factors, like nutrition and stress, can create epigenetic changes, which switch a gene on or off. It helps explain why only one identical twin might develop type 2 diabetes – both twins inherit the same genes, but different lifestyle choices…