Table of contents for 43-2019 in Best

As I climbed on the bus into Sheffield, the conductor looked confused. ‘Haven’t I just dropped you off ?’ he asked. I shook my head. I’d been at home all morning. ‘You must have a double,’ he shrugged. It wasn’t the first time someone had claimed to see me – somewhere where it couldn’t have been me. Like the time my friend from work accused me of being stuck up. ‘I saw you in town yesterday; you completely ignored me.’ I wasn’t even in town… Or the time in the hospital waiting room when my husband, Howard, came back with a cup of tea and insisted he’d just seen a woman who looked exactly like me… Could it have been her? That was always my first thought. Ever since I…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Are sons more high maintenance than daughters? Good news for parents of girls, not so good if you have a house full of boys – a survey claims that bringing up a son can cost £20,000 more than bringing up a daughter. How so? Well, it’s all down to more young adults living at home longer, especially as house prices remain out of reach for many first-time buyers. According to the survey by pensions firm Portafina, the average age of young women fleeing the nest is 22, but it goes up to 26 for men. More than three quarters of women (77 per cent) expect to have moved out of their childhood home by the age of 25, compared with just over half (55 per cent) of men.…

My eyes filled with tears as I looked at my husband, Rob. ‘I’ll understand if you want to leave me,’ I said, struggling to keep my voice steady. As I gestured to my body, ravaged by sepsis and now missing three limbs, a fresh wave of emotion hit me. When I’d woken up at our South Wales home with a cough three months before, in April 2016, I’d thought I was coming down with a chest infection. Even with all of my training as a nurse, I never dreamt it would develop into a life-threatening infection I’d barely survive. I was breathless, coughing up dark-coloured phlegm and, despite usually being an active person, I’d had to return home just 15 minutes into a walk with our dog, Harriet. ‘I need…

1 To prevent lipstick bleeding ‘Apply a primer (such as Look Fabulous Forever Never Feather Lip Prime, £19) to the edges of the lips, not just the middle, and let it dry before applying your colour.’ Tricia Cusden, founder of Look Fabulous Forever 2 To protect your eyes ‘Lip SPF (such as Ultrasun Lip Protection SPF30, £6) is sensitive enough for all areas, and our customers often use it around the eye area for extra protection.’ Abi Cleeve, MD at Ultrasun UK and creator of skinSense 3 For foolproof lifted lashes ‘Get extra volume for your mascara by gently warming your lash curler first using a hair dryer. This will lift lashes so when you apply mascara you’ll get a dramatic effect.’ James Molloy, global make-up ambassador, Rimmel London 4…

TOP TIP A padded gilet looks great layered over a dress, or worn with a jumper and jeans for a more relaxed look. TOP TIP If you tend to stick to black or navy, ease yourself into embracing colour with a bold dress. TOP TIP Team tan boots or shoes with orange shades, as it creates a softer and richer look than classic black.…

Take cover Keep warm at weekends with a chunky cardigan. Just the jumper When shopping for a chunky knit, opt for a cropped style that sits neatly at your waist. Stripe it right If all-over stripes are not your thing, choose a knit with stripe detailing Star-gazing Pick up a star-print knit now and look fabulous over the festive season!…

HOW IT WORKS 1 A lack of sleep is a major factor linked to piling on the pounds. In fact, just four nights of poor sleep can lead to weight gain, according to the latest research from Pennsylvania State University. 2 The NHS recommends six to nine hours of sleep a night. However, a third of us now get just five to six hours’ kip, according to The Sleep Council. So what can help? ● Get up and go to bed at the same time every day. ● Limit caffeine. ● An hour before bed, relax with a book or mindfulness app. FOODS THAT CAN HELP ● Cherries: contain high levels of melatonin, which aids sleep. ● Kiwis: give you a serotonin boost to help you get zzzs. ● Milk:…

CAN AN OLD DOG LEARN NEW TRICKS? I got made redundant a few years ago after 20 years as a PA in the finance industry, and spent some time looking after my grandchildren, which was wonderful. Now they’re at school, I am thinking it would be nice to get back into the workplace. But one thing really worries me – I am 56 now and I am scared that I just won’t be able to keep up with the new office technology? Vanessa, honestly, do you think I am too old? Helen, Southend No, I don’t. Snap out of that dead-end thought immediately. I was made only recently to learn how to drive the desk on my Radio 2 early breakfast show. I’m a total technophobe and warned the powers-that-be…

TV presenter Scarlett Moffatt, 29, found fame on Gogglebox. She lives in County Durham and is dating PC Scott Dobinson. How did you feel about going to live in the African village? Very excited. We haven’t done anything together as a family since Gogglebox and this was such an amazing opportunity. Did you feel nervous at all? My mam and I were initially worried that nobody would like us! But we quickly made friends. I became best mates with Kandisiko – I found myself telling her things that I hadn’t really shared with my friends at home. In the first episode, you break down in tears as you chat about your feelings on body image… I did talk about how I didn’t look at myself naked, but the hardest part was…

5 TO GIVE AWAY Looking to spruce up your home ahead of Christmas? We’ve got just the prize for you. B&Q is filled with everything you need to help your house become a home, from bathroom essentials to easy kitchen updates – and all your rooms in between, too. Five lucky Best readers can win a £100 B&Q gift card. To enter, see right. HOW TO ENTER ONLINE: Save money by entering online at www.hearstmagazines.co.uk/best4319 by 8 November 2019. POST: Send a postcard with your name, address, email and contact number to Best/B&Q giveaway, GVBSTL19812, Hearst Magazines UK, The Data Solutions Centre, Worksop S80 2RT by 8th November 2019. PHONE: Call 0901 027 2710 by midnight on 8th November 2019. Calls cost 30p per minute, plus your telephone company’s network…

Karren Brady is famed for her no-nonsense approach to contestants on The Apprentice. But she’s not afraid to tell it like it is when it comes to celebrities, either. And in a recent column, she had her aim firmly trained on Liverpool-born WAG Coleen Rooney – or ‘Wagatha Christie’ – as she’s been dubbed on social media. Unless you’re a hermit with no TV, you’ll know that the celebrity spat of the year involves Coleen, who claimed in a sensational Twitter post that she’d discovered the source of the person selling stories about her personal life ‘for a few years now’. Dramatically, she claimed the stories were being leaked from Rebekah Vardy’s Instagram account. Rebekah has strongly denied being the source. But this drama is nowhere near its conclusion. Both…

Our younger Royals have been proving that when it comes to mental health, their stance is very far removed from the ‘stiff upper lip’ approach of past generations. But now James Middleton, the younger brother of the Duchess of Cambridge, has made the most emotionally honest revelation yet – sharing the news that following a crippling depression which left him with suicidal thoughts, he underwent intensive therapy -and in some sessions was joined by big sister Kate. Speaking to a newspaper, he described how he underwent a year of cognitive therapy, and his whole family joined him – including his supportive older sister. When her brother James revealed he was battling depression, the Duchess (recently returned from a tour of Pakistan) lent her support, joining the family therapy sessions “All…

Q After years of fine lines, I’m starting to develop deep-set wrinkles that are harder to hide. How can I treat or disguise them? Lisa, Birmingham A DR AAMER SAYS: A new one-off treatment called Lipogems will not only make skin look younger and healthier, but also helps slow down the ageing processes at a cellular level. It uses your body’s own fat, taken from the stomach, hips or thigh, through liposuction. The extracted fat is then treated using small ball bearings which release the regenerative cells. These are then mixed with untreated fat and injected as a filler. Over the following week, this boosts collagen and elastin, resulting in firmer, plumper, more youthful skin. The treatment is ideal to banish deep wrinkles and because it is 100 per cent…

I NEED SOME HEROES! I had an incredible time at the best Heroes Awards. It’s wonderful to see normal people being acknowledged for their remarkable feats. It’s not about celebs, the limelight and all that nonsense, but ordinary people, the best of human nature. The stories were so inspiring – there was a lot of mascara running that night! AMAZING ALFONSO Do I miss Bruno while he’s away doing Dancing with the Stars? No! Life is so awful for him – having to jet off to America in first class and sip champagne. It’s tough at the top! So I might make him jealous by saying how much I like Alfonso. He’s a superstar and a brilliant all-rounder. He’s like a male version of Motsi. SPOOKTACULAR FUN Halloween is around…

A paintbrush coated in dried, red paint on my kitchen table, which did not belong to me and had not been there when I’d left the house, was what it took for me finally to accept that something strange was happening in my home. It appeared after months of mysterious occurrences that I had done my best to ignore. But this was a paintbrush, dipped in scarlet paint, showing up in a house where I lived alone and was not having any decorating work done. I would have given anything for there to have been a rational explanation. I’d never believed in anything supernatural before I moved into my house in Brighton. The previous owners had lived there for over 50 years and told me how happy they’d been there.…

1 ANYONE CAN DO IT You don’t need a lot of money to get started, nor do you need to be an expert. Some investment apps, such as Moneybox, even let you begin with just a few pennies, by rounding up your loose change every time you spend. The new roboinvestors (online tools) that do the work for you are far simpler than traditional methods and are perfect for beginners. 2 IT’S QUICK AND EASY It only takes a few minutes to get started. You can go online and set up an Stock and Shares ISA, for example, in the time it takes to watch an episode of your favourite TV programme. All you’ll need are your bank account details, National Insurance number, and the time to answer a few questions about…

…Quitting smoking I started in my teens and smoked all through my adult life. I finally gave up with the help of a counsellor and support from a friend, who was also kicking the habit. It is easily the best thing I’ve ever done. I encourage all smokers to search Stoptober and banish cigarettes from their lives. ..the lure of cigarettes They felt like a bad-boy lover – very bad for my health, bank balance and looks, but irresistibly alluring! I would try to break up with ‘him’ but he would keep seducing me back. And when I dumped him for good, it was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. I just hope my girls have more sense than I have and know better than to ever start smoking.…

BEST’S CELEBRITY INSIDER TALKS TO MARTIN KEMP AND WIFE SHIRLIE MARTIN KEMP was the child actor who went on to become a heartthrob with Eighties band, Spandau Ballet, then take over the small screen in EastEnders. He’s been married to wife Shirlie Holliman - former Wham! backing singer and one half of Eighties pop duo, Pepsi & Shirlie – for more than 30 years. Now they’ve teamed up for the first time to make a swing album. Martin explains why it took so long for them to sing together, and Shirlie opens up about their late friend and musical genius George Michael, who helped set them up on their first date. How did the idea for the album come about? SHIRLIE: Martin invited me to sing on the demo for the song,…

LIBRA 24 September – 23 October Librans such as John Cleese (born on 27 October) and Julia Roberts (born on 28 October) are incredibly gifted and they will be using their skills to lead and inspire others to reach new heights. Raising awareness for a good cause will be a great outlet for their humanitarian instincts. CAPRICORN 22 December – 20 January You are feeling oddly superstitious but you won’t want to admit it. You’re seeing signs all around you and interpreting them as unlucky – or the opposite. Trust your instincts if you sense everything is working in your favour. You and a partner will be getting together to revise some future plans. ARIES 21 March – 20 April New information discovered this week will help you make a…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT Incredibly, it’s 20 years since popular British rom-com Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, hit cinema screens. Filmed in and around the colourful area of the same name in West London, the movie helped attract even more tourists from all over the world. It’s also home of the Notting Hill Carnival every August. With fantastic, arty shops and the bustling Portobello Road Market, the retail therapy is brilliant, and there are also great restaurants and bars to enjoy. INSIDER’S GUIDE • Book a studio flat at Citadines South Kensington – you can save money by self-catering and it’s near other attractions such as the Natural History Museum and the V&A. • Save queuing time as well as money by pre-booking sights through Attraction Tickets Direct, 0808…