Indholdsfortegnelse for August 2024 i Platinum

Our August issue is packed with 19 pages of vibrant summer fashions (from page 25), fabulous places to visit including a walking and Pilates holiday in Puglia (page 90), and the glorious Trebah Garden in Cornwall (page 100), as well as lots of ways to enjoy your time at home this summer with the latest barbecues and pizza ovens (page 76), and multi-vibrant homewares so you can entertain in style this summer (page 80). And with the countryside in full bloom it seems fitting that our My New Chapter feature this issue is with Jennifer Panxhi who changed her career from banking to floristry in midlife (page 108). We’ve got a fabulous giveaway too for a stay at Burleigh Court in the Cotswolds worth £450 up for grabs (page 104).…

Skin and beauty guru Liz Earle is a walking advert for what she does. We share a birthday (May 17) but that’s about all. I look every one of my now 62 years and, although she’s a year younger than me, the last time we had dinner together she looked as though I could have given birth to her. Sickening, right? Except I know how hard she has worked on achieving, and keeping, that dewy complexion and healthy lifestyle. When we first met in the early 80s, she was a junior beauty writer with “chronic eczema” and, after interviewing a naturopath who said she should change her diet, she did exactly that and it worked. It proved a “lightbulb moment” and since then, she has immersed herself in how to…

3 TO PACK…

Many years ago, I met a man on holiday. He had lost his sight a few years previously and as we sat down to eat with him one evening, his companion handed him his cutlery and explained that on his plate he had fish at 12 o’clock, a green salad at 4 o’clock and a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad at 8 o’clock. The following day, when I sat down to eat, I studied my plate and then closed my eyes and started eating. I realised for the first time just how much vision plays a role in the enjoyment of our food. As August is National Eye Exam Month, urging people of all ages to prioritise regular eye check-ups, I thought this month I would share my top tips…

Do you ever feel that your focus and time are being drained by social media? Try totting up how many hours you spend scrolling over the course of a week: you might be shocked at how much of your precious life is being swallowed up by those little digital squares. A couple of summers ago, I decided to have a total break from social media. Although in previous years I’d always stepped back from sharing content over the summer, I’d still find myself instinctively reaching for my phone and scrolling mindlessly through Instagram whenever I was at a loose end. The gamechanger for me was removing temptation by deleting all social media apps from my phone. From day one, it was a blessed release. I found that I wasn’t even…

Career change My new chapter ‘When I walk into my shop I’m happy. I’m not working, I’m doing what I love’ ‘I worked in the investment banking sector for decades,’ says Jennifer when we catch up over zoom, with her family in the background happily preparing dinner. These are definitely happier times for Jen, as she likes to be called, compared with her banking days. ‘It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy my job, there were days when I had fun, and I miss some colleagues dearly, but just before lockdown my role got made redundant. I was completely devastated. My immediate reaction was, “What am I going to do?”.’ But it was more than just financial worries that hit Jen; for the first time she really began…

Adele Parks MBE is the author of 23 bestselling novels. Her latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, is reviewed this month, while another of her novels, The Image Of You, has been adapted into a movie and is available to buy and rent now. Adele has sold 5 million books in the UK edition and is translated into over 30 languages. She is dedicated to spreading the love of reading and is proud ambassador of The National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency. She loves hearing from readers so keep in touch with her via Twitter @adeleparks and Instagram @adele_parks. FIRST WIFE’S SHADOW by Adele Parks (£16.99, HarperCollins) Indulge me as I tell you about my latest novel, First Wife’s Shadow, which is out now and I’m shamelessly calling my Book…

LOUISE MINCHIN The TV presenter and author looks forward to an epic challenge with her family for support. SUZY GLASKIE Health coach Suzy shows how a digital detox can boost your mental health. ANGELA KENNEDY Writer Angela looks at positive ageing and why 60 is the new 40. ADELE PARKS MBE Bestselling author Adele rounds up her six favourite new reads for us this month. DOTTIE MONAGHAN Platinum’s makeup guru focuses on the lips as the centrepiece of a great summer look. GAIL ROLFE The fashion expert shows us how to do boho, but in a grown-up way. JANE MOORE The Loose Women presenter reveals the secrets she’s discovered to living a great “second half”. DR DAWN HARPER The author and GP takes a close look at why looking after…

It’s a sunshine-filled May bank holiday Saturday when Sarah Ferguson breezes into a luxury hotel in Berkshire to honour a promise. After a series of eleventh-hour aborted telephone interviews, including one meant to happen days earlier before her dazzling appearance at the amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) charity gala in Cannes, the Duchess of York proposed a face-to-face meeting over tea. It’s a thoughtful gesture. Fresh off the back of visits to America and southern France, her best-selling historical romance novel A Woman Of Intrigue is just days away from paperback release and, on top of a mountain of forthcoming promotional activity, today she is guest of honour at an event celebrating high-achieving females. Yet despite the huge demands on her time, as she settles down with Platinum, her…

New looks As a “dedicated follower of fashion” diligently charting the ebb and flow of fashion trends since I was a teenager, with tear sheets from Vogue, Flair and Nova on my bedroom walls, it almost becomes instinctive to determine when we are due for a style u-turn. What has featured in all the glossy magazines, newspaper pages and worn by influencers for several seasons will fade into insignificance, while a trend that has been mothballed for a few years or more will suddenly be the only thing on the fashion radar. Life would be extremely dull if there was never anything new, but the arrival of a fresh style direction doesn’t mean a full blown clear out of everything you own. Just a slight shift in a new direction…

My career as an interior designer began “on the job”, when I was assisting the clients of my husband’s building business. It was then that I discovered this was my calling and I proceeded to complement my experience with formal courses in home staging, feng shui, decluttering, colour and more, to enrich my skills and enhance my confidence. I was always a neat and tidy child and loved the challenge of redecorating my bedroom. So my interest in interior design was there from an early age, and I have been fortunate to develop my passion into a full-blown career. As well as earning a living, I have also earned recognition in the industry worldwide, having been a guest speaker at High Point Market USA and Home Meeting Mallorca. I have…

The Veggie Family Cook Book by Claire Thomson (£30, Quadrille), with photography by Sam Folan, is out now. BREAKFAST Orange blossom French toast with clementines, honey and pistachios There are many recipes out there in the world with repurposed day-old or more bread as the star of the show. So much so, I buy or make bread and always have the tail end of a loaf in mind for one recipe or another. What makes this French toast special is the use of orange blossom water (an ingredient that so deserves its cupboard space). Made from water distilled with the essence of flowers from orange trees, I am always surprised by what a drop or two of this sweet, citrus and floral-scented water can bring to so many different dishes.…

‘I love dressing up for an occasion’ Nancy Ralston, 65, Lanarkshire I have to say, I do love “dressing up” for an occasion but this particular occasion was a first for me. My husband Archie and I were invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 21, 2019. Not only did I have the “what to wear?” question, I also had the “what will the weather be like?” question. I found a dress in my favourite colour, cobalt blue, in a lovely little boutique not too far from me in Falkirk and then the question was, “hat or fascinator?”. I found this hat in House of Fraser and have to say it cost almost as much as the dress! Women everywhere all know what that’s like! We had…

Having pretty much had a year off planning big outdoor adventures because I was so immersed in writing both Fearless, and my upcoming thriller, Isolation Island, I am planning to make up for it with a vengeance this summer. I’ve got lots of fun things planned, and right now I am feeling the pressure to make sure I’m fit enough to attempt them. First up is a 24-kilometre Swimrun event in the Lake District, which I am doing with my brother. Swimrun, if you aren’t familiar with the term, means exactly what it says on the tin, you swim and you run between the start and finish points, running in your wetsuit until you get to the water, then wading in and swimming wearing your trainers. You can compete on…

I’m pleased to tell you we’re all getting younger. Hear me out! Remember how The Beatles sang, “will you still need me… when I’m sixty-four?” wryly conjuring up the unimaginably old age of being 60-something? Being in your 60s was old, then. But calling the fit and adventurous 60- and 70-somethings of today “elderly” seems ridiculous. So, you might be surprised to hear medical authorities around the world, including the NHS, still categorise from age 65 upwards as elderly. It’s a word brimming with negative connotations of decrepitude and frailty. The funny thing is, the closer you get to those big age milestones the more you recognise that age really is just a number. For sure, your mental outlook, health and fitness have much more of an impact on how…

Few things brighten up a face more than a beautiful lip shade. Make-up counters are overflowing with fabulous lip shades for summer offering a variety of finishes. Matte coverage, particularly big for 2024, can be a nemesis for those of us with dry lips. But don’t despair, not only have lipsticks improved in what they deliver, there is also a lot you can do to help the condition of your lips and allow you to capture the brightness and glow of summer in which ever shade or finish you choose. PUCKER UP Lips do not contain oil glands and the skin is very fine, so it’s prone to drying out and becoming chapped. Add to that sun and wind exposure, and you can understand why we need to show our…

Beauty awards Hello! It’s been four months since we launched the new Platinum Beauty Awards, and the response has been phenomenal. We’ve been amazed by the exceptional quality of the products submitted. Our expert judging panel has spent the last eight weeks rigorously testing each entry, using their extensive knowledge and skills. The judges’ task was not easy, but every product was independently tested by three judges and scored across various categories to ensure a fair and balanced process. We are excited to reveal our winners and will include a dedicated 32-page Beauty Awards supplement with our October issue, available on August 23.The standard of entries has been incredibly high, and we are currently compiling the scores to recommend the best products in bodycare, skincare, fragrance, haircare, beauty tools, and…

As we scramble off the beach and turn to face a short steep hill up to the café, I hear our instructor’s voice from the back of the pack: ‘Hang on to that lottery ticket! Squeeze those lemons!’ We’d been romping along a coastal path, enjoying the Italian sunshine, but this incline presents our first real challenge. We are not just walking, we are Nordic walking, which means using poles. The old me would be leaning forward, groaning, sweating, and probably cursing, and taking short steps on the balls of my feet – calves screaming. But the Nordic walking me is taking big “heel then toe” strides, squeezing an imaginary lemon under my big toe to activate the power of my glutes, and gripping tightly to a fictitious lottery ticket…

CODEWORD Each letter of the alphabet has been replaced by the same number throughout this grid. Use the decoded letters given to work out the identity of other letters and fill in the grid. The alphabet list and reference grid will help you to keep track of the letters you’ve decoded. WORDWHEEL You have ten minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each word must be three letters or more and contain the central letter. Use each letter once, and no plurals, foreign words or proper nouns are allowed. There is at least one nine-letter word. AVERAGE: 25 wordsGOOD: 34 wordsEXCELLENT: 40 words CELL BLOCK Fill the grid by drawing blocks along the gridlines. Each block must contain the number of squares indicated…