Table of contents for Bella 03 October 2023 in Bella

Autumnal shades of ochre and rust are a match made in fashion heaven A pleated skirt can be dressed down with chunky boots and a neutral knit, or add heels and a pretty blouse for the evening Smarten up a casual look with a stylish stripe. Add a neutral, on-trend gilet for chillier days and evenings A classic blazer in a heavy wool with tweed or herringbone detail will never go out of style…

Red velvet Makes 1 Ready in 5 mins, plus cooling 2tbsp light brown sugar 3tbsp plain flour 1tsp cocoa powder ¼tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼tsp baking powder 1 medium egg ½tsp vanilla extract 1tbsp buttermilk 2tbsp sunflower oil ½tsp red food colouring gel 3tbsp ready-made soft cheese-style icing 1 In your mug, mix together the brown sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder using a fork. Add the egg, vanilla extract, buttermilk, oil and food colouring, then mix until just smooth. 2 Microwave for 1 min 10 secs, or until risen and springy to the touch. Set aside to cool for around 10 mins. Either dollop or pipe on the cream cheese icing and dig in. Tip To make your own icing, beat 1tbsp full-fat soft cheese with 3tbsp icing sugar and a few drops…

MUSHROOM MAGIC Recently released, DIRTEA Matcha Super Blend, £59.99, is the ultimate wellness pick-me-up. Combining 100 per cent pure ceremonial-grade Japanese matcha with functional mushrooms and adaptogens, it’s brimming with goodness. Add to your day to reap the benefits of a boosted immune system, better focus and balanced all-day energy. ROCKET-SPEED RECOVERY Make this portable muscle massage gun your gym bag friend. Perfect for post-workout rest and recovery, it comes on four pretty colours – black, grey, green and red. Boasting six adjustable speeds, the device can be attuned to meet any of your message needs. Chronic aches and pains be gone! Available at The Range, £19.99 WORTH THE WEIGHT Elevate your home gym, with the Oypla 12kg hand dumbbell set. Each dumbbell has an anti-slip neoprene finish for easy…

GET IN TOUCH Write: Have Your Say, Bella, The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL. Email: bella.letters@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/bellamagazineUK twitter.com/bellamagazineUK instagram.com/bellamagazineUK £50 Star letter The real deal What a truly inspirational story about Karen Owen, who became a mum at 46 (issue 37) against all odds. I’m so happy this amazing lady was able to fulfil her dream despite a break-up and a lot of time wasted. Her son Alex is a lucky boy, sharing adventures with his incredible mother. She should never suffer with imposter syndrome, she is the real deal, good luck Karen! Agatha Bush, Cambridge Harry's trauma I thought your article on Harry’s suffering (issue 36) was a reminder that we are all human and a lot of us have past trauma to work through. He was…

SCORPIO 24 October − 22 November Get creative early in the week when it’s so satisfying to do things that come naturally to you. It’s a perfect time for being with a loved one, too. On the 29th, don’t be surprised if you’re strongly attracted to someone who isn’t your usual type at all. Theme of the week: Being playful 0906 650 7237 SAGITTARIUS 23 November − 21 December Domestic concerns need your attention early in the week. Try to find a happy medium between only looking at the negatives and vaguely hoping for the best. If you seem to be getting nowhere, wait until the 30th when plans that have been confusing suddenly slot into place. Theme of the week: Competitiveness 0906 650 7238 CAPRICORN 22 December − 20…

TV interview A new round of famous faces are leaving their glamorous, comfortable lives behind to prove they have what it takes to make the grade in Celebrity SAS. Amber Turner, Danielle Lloyd, Gareth Gates, Gareth Thomas, James ‘Arg’ Argent, Jermain Pennant, Jon-Allan Butterworth, Kirsty-Leigh Porter, Matt Hancock, Melinda Messenger, Michelle Heaton, Montana RoseBrown, Perri Shakes-Drayton, Siva Kaneswaran, Teddy Soares, Zoe Lyons are being pushed to their physical and psychological limits and given no special treatment or allowances. The Directing Staff, made up of an elite team of ex-special forces soldiers, have drawn on their skills from over five decades of training and operational experience to create the toughest challenge yet, in the epic and unforgiving Vietnamese jungle. We caught up with Melinda, 52, to find out more… Why did…

Once regarded as daytime TV’s golden couple, the growing rift between Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby appears to be widening after he deleted her from his social media. His decision to scrub photos of his former “best friend” – which includes pics from This Morning and Dancing On Ice, which they co-hosted, as well as on holidays together – from his Instagram account came after he unfollowed her earlier this month. His daughters Molly and Ruby have also unfollowed the This Morning star. Culling Holly from his social media could be seen as a sign that Phil, 61, is attempting to move on onto the new chapter of his life, away from her, sources claim. “Holly and Phil used to post pictures together for fun. They were huge parts of one…

When people switched on their TVs in the ’90s, there was one woman they’d be very likely to see – Jill Dando. During her career, the much-loved journalist, TV presenter and newsreader hosted a variety of prime-time shows including the BBC news, Holiday and Crimewatch. She was renowned for her warmth and had a look reminiscent of Princess Diana. By the beginning of 1999, Jill, then 37, was at the height of her career and engaged to a charming, handsome doctor, Alan Farthing, who she hoped to start a family with. The couple were about to exchange on a new home and their wedding was set to take place on 25 September, that year. However, Jill ’s future was brutally cut short. On the morning of 26 April 1999, Jill…

Hair Hero Wave goodbye to greasy locks with a shampoo that’s specially formulated to target excess oil on the scalp and regulate sebum production. It leaves tresses feeling fresher and healthier for longer, so you can postpone your hair-wash day! Noughty Back To Balance Shampoo, £7.99 Body Booster Add this creamy body wash to your routine for smooth and supple results. The kind-to-skin formula features cacay oil, a gentle alternative to retinol, to support cell turnover and vegan squalene to deeply hydrate. The fruity floral scent is a real treat, too. Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Body Wash, £23 Overnight Remedy Boost your beauty sleep with a face oil that’s packed with 17 plant extracts for superior nourishment. After just one use, skin is smoother, plumper and more radiant. Over…

With a bowl of strawberries resting on my bump, I smiled as my baby began doing a little jig in my belly. “He just loves his fruit!” I smiled to my partner Reece, then 29. Anytime I ate berries or pineapple, my little man would show his appreciation. Reece and I were expecting our first baby and had just found out we were having a boy, who we decided to call Ollie. Throughout my pregnancy I kept hearing the same thing. “Everything looks fine,” doctors, sonographers and midwives told me. Despite their reassurance, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Call it mother’s intuition. Only, my concerns were brushed aside. “They think I’m being overly cautious,” I told Reece. As my due date came and went, I…

YOU could be in with a chance of winning £200 PRIZE crossword WIN £200 Solve the crossword to find, reading from top to bottom in the shaded squares, the name of a US actor and former pro wrestler. This is your competition entry answer. See the ‘How to enter’ panel, below right. Across 1 Migraine (8) 7 Gangsta’s - - -, 1995 hit for Coolio (8) 11 Triangular Indian snacks (7) 12 Beyoncé anthem, Single - - - (Put A Ring On It) (6) 15 Feeling that you’ve experienced something before (4,2) 18 Weaving apparatus (4) 19 Poker stake (4) 20 Lengthy life, anagram of TINY GLOVE (9) 21 Jackal-headed Egyptian god (6) 22 (Of music) smoothly (6) 23 Small carpet, mat (3) 24 Dishwasher or fridge, eg (9) 27 - - - Vardalos, star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, pictured…

Louise's new man Louise Redknapp has a new man – six years after her break-up with husband Jamie. Former military officer Andrew Michael, 39, known as Drew to his friends, was seen leaving London’s Groucho Club with the 48-year-old singer and actress, in their first public appearance together. Only recently Louise – who has sons Charley, 18, and Beau, 14, with ex Jamie – said she would be “open” to finding love again. “It’s not my number-one goal, but if it goes that way and I met someone who swept me off my feet and was amazing and kind and great, then I’d be open to exploring that.” Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness are ending their marriage, amidst rumours that the lockdown took a toll on their relationship. The couple,…

Since winning The Great British Bake Off in 2015, Nadiya Hussain’s profile has risen spectacularly. She’s landed her own TV show, become a regular chef on The One Show and Saturday Kitchen, become an accomplished author of cookbooks and children’s books, been awarded an MBE and even baked for the late Queen. While she may be living her best life now, things haven’t always been rosy for the married mum of three. Nadiya – who has sons Musa, 17, and Dawud, 16, and daughter Maryam, 12, with husband Abdal – has suffered from a panic disorder since childhood, which has caused panic attacks and crippling anxiety. We catch up with her to find out about her new BBC Two show, Nadiya’s Simple Spices, and more… What can we expect from…

FIGHT THE FRIZZ Color Wow Extra Strength Dream Coat £15 Help tame frizz with this styling spray. Water-proof technology seals the hair cuticles to keep your strands free from frizz, providing gentle hold while smoothing and defining all hair types without a crispy finish. SCALP SAVIOUR Kevin Murphy Scalp. Spa Serum £30 A weightless formula that relieves a dry, itchy scalp, reviving thirsty skin with an intense burst of moisture, defending against flakiness while gently dispersing excess oil and product build-up. DAMAGE CONTROL Pacifica Coco Bond Damage Care Leave-In Mask £23 For a weekly no-rinse, leave-in treatment that makes strands stronger and reverses signs of damage, look no further. With B5 and copper tripeptides, this mask will tackle harm caused by heat-styling, bleach and chemicals. YOUTH BOOSTER Aveda Invati Advance…

Up for grabs we've got: • *5 Starter bundles of Provytl 50+, worth £63.71 each. Provytl 50+ is an evidencebased daily protein supplement to help combat age-related muscle loss and extend healthy, active living in the over 50s. • * 10 bottles of A. Vogel kelp tablets, £8.99 each for 240 tablets. Please note, these are not suitable alongside thyroid medication, or for pregnant or breast-feeding women. • * 10 bottles of Health & Her Menopause Biome, £28.49 each for a 30 day supply. This supplement has a blend of 50 billion live cultures, botanicals, vitamins, and minerals.…

Pop colourful candles into used bottles for a chic focal point On-trend and super stylish, this boho look will work in any bedroom – keep it natural with soft linen and layer up for a luxe touch Introduce a colourful mix of cushions – we’re loving these covers from just £3! ALL £5 AND UNDER!…

She's so rude! Q My oldest son got married a few months ago. At first, I liked his wife – she’s very focused on her career which I like, unlike some of his previous girlfriends. But I’ve seen another side to her recently, and my son didn’t bat an eye. I bought her a birthday present, and as I gave it to her, I said, “This is from me and my husband,” and she said, “Well, actually it’s from your husband as it was his money that paid for it.” Although I don’t have an actual job, I have always worked hard keeping the home and I also do a lot of work for charity. Another time, when I had made dinner for the family, my son complimented me on…