She's a lady

BEAUTY BAZAAR: "Just popping out to meet an OBE," I told my desk-bound colleagues

BEAUTY BAZAAR:"Just popping out to meet an OBE," I told my desk-bound colleagues. Recently I spent an afternoon with Eve Taylor, regarded as the founding mother of modern aromatherapy. Many of her teachings are now standard practice, and at 77, she is a terrific advertisement for her methods - vibrant, agile and energetic.

When I met her, she had been on the go all day, beginning with a live TV appearance, and was jetting off to Toronto the next day for a lecturing tour.

So what's she all about? Her holistic "systems of analysis" involves studying the face, ears and feet to determine treatment and home care guidance. As it's a holistic experience, genetics and lifestyle come into play, and the aim is to balance the entire system. Taylor "reads" faces and of course was sizing me up from the moment she met me. Somehow, she was able to tell me that I am the eldest of a family with a history of rheumatic fever (both true). My fluid retention meant that my system was too sluggish, and my modest salt intake elicited gasps. From this day forward it'll be Himalayan Crystal Salt or nothing for me.

I left with a "prescription" of oils and potions, resolving to end up as sprightly as she. The range is well-priced, and products and facials are available from Nue Blue Eriu in Dublin.