But did you know Lush has a small collection of Spas around the UK?   They seem to be quite a well kept secret but they’re well worth discovering as they are a completely different experience, offering a range of treatments which are both visionary and architected to create an escape from the stresses and strains of every day to leave you invigorated and refreshed.

The Spa is a world away from many other places I’ve been to and is more of the kind offered by boutique hotels than high street beauty bars.  Great care and attention is paid to the decor and antique furniture and the walls are adorned with retro framed prints of birds.  Everywhere you look there are life affirming Lush products including oils, massage bars and even different types of tea.

I tried The Good Hour massage which is designed to iron out muscular tension using a massage bar of your choice – I chose the Hottie bar with ginger and black pepper (and you get to take it home too which is an added treat).  They all have a base of Shea butter which is great for creating a lasting moisturisation for the skin; perfect for keeping Winter skin supple and protected as well.

The massage has it’s own sea-themed soundtrack which mixes voices and ambient sounds which makes a refreshing change from the usual panpipe muzak which usually gets put on at other spas.   My masseur, Anna, sat and talked me through the treatment for about 10 minutes which meant I could ask her to target my knotty shoulders and stiff lower calf muscles.  She talked about the vision for the spa and how the treatments were all aimed at the body and mind and then started the great unknotting process.  A day later, I can still feel the benefit of the treatment and would definitely go back again.

To begin with, the room is darkened and candles flicker around the room to create an atmosphere of relaxation, this is accented with a bowl of aromatic sea scents and a gentle light that gradually changes colour.  The masseur uses the a jelly disc which is chilled to help circulation and also complement the massage bar.  You can expect some intense pressure to release tension and also a great sense of wellbeing at the end of the hour.

And to finish off, tea with a drop of Rum and biscuits, well what’s not to like?

The Lush Spa can be found at;

123 KINGS ROAD,
LONDON
SW3 4PL
T:020 7349 9648

There’s lots more information about the Spa locations and ranges of treatments and vouchers at this link here.

Like most women, I use moisturisers and spend quite a bit on them but I’ve never tried botox because I’m worried it would freak me out and I would have to wait six months to be rid of it. Plus, I also like to have facial expressions.

That said, I have an inquisitive nature and I love to know about beauty stuff. When I spotted this curious object recently at my local beauty salon, I was intrigued. To the untrained eye it looks rather like some kind of iPod, with headphones that are a bit too small…well, that’s what it looked like to my eyes anyway.

‘What the hell is that is it?’
‘It’s a facial rejuvenator’
‘Really?’
‘Oh’
‘You can try it if you want.’
‘I’m too scared to put that on my face in a bit of a hurry – how long does it take?’
‘You can try it for three minutes…’
‘Nah, thanks for the offer but I must dash home and google it madly for hours have to get home.’

So what is it? It’s the Slendertone Face product. It claims it can exercise the facial expression muscles to tone and lift the face. It’s also got three settings for Lift, Radiance and Massage. It seems a bit like a TENS machine and small currents cause the facial muscles to contract and relax. The premise is quite a simple one, the facial muscles are excercised therefore creating a lift effect. The other settings are to increase bloodflow and create a healthy look on the Radiance setting and the Massage is a facial relaxer. There is a lot of information on the Slendertone Face site, so a good idea to check out the FAQs. To get results, it’s recommended the product is used 20 minutes a day, five days a week.

That’s 1200 minutes of facial exercise. That’s a lot. And I’m going to try it out and see if it works. I will take before and after pics (sorry but they will be make up free too but it’s all in the name of beauty!).

Slendertone has given me one of the units to try out. I can’t tell you anything else yet, other than it’s being charged up and that takes three hours…more to follow…

Prepping for the holiday is no easy task when you’ve got a family to pack for; it takes planning and can be exhausting.  When we were child free, we’d all spend hours finding the right bikini and matching sarong, now it’s more a case of rummaging around the back of the underwear drawer and hoping last year’s bikini still fits and the sun cream is not out of date.

Short of swimming in the sea fully dressed, there’s no two ways about it, no one wants to head to the beach without a few essential beauty treatments to feel ready to bare.  Legs are number one in my book, followed closely by a pedicure. However, if you’re heading somewhere hot, it’s easy to spruce up your feet with nail polish as it dries quickly in the heat.  Legs take a little longer and these nifty new epilators with loads of added features should definitely help.  The packaging looks great and won’t take up valuable room in the suitcase either.

About the product

The new Philips Satin Perfect has an extra-wide head which enables it to removes more hair in one stroke, giving long-lasting smoothness, faster. Its high performance discs are made of textured ceramic material, which gently grip and remove even finest hairs.

The new Satin Perfect epilators have new and improved widest epilation head ever, which
means it’s now easy to remove more hair than ever in just one stroke. Equipped with a subtle
vibration system to lift up hair and textured ceramic discs to grip the hair gently, these new and
unique features make it extra gentle on the skin and guarantee efficient removal of even the
finest hairs. It neatly fits the contours of your body and the gentle rolling massage bar
soothes your skin as you epilate.

Available in three stylish attractive models: HP6570; HP6572 which comes with an extra
trimming attachment and shaving head for sensitive areas; and the deluxe HP6576 which is also
equipped with a shaving head and extra trimming attachment, has 40 minutes cordless use and
includes an innovative smart tweezer kit with integrated light and mirror for the face. You can find them in Boots or on Amazon, prices below – and you don’t need an appointment.

Product Features

• All models in the Satin Perfect range (HP6570, HP6572, HP6576) have:
- Textured ceramic discs that grip hair gently, removing even the finest hairs
- Body contouring head curved to follow every contour of your body
- Unique hair-lift and vibrate system to lift fine hairs for perfect results
- Washable epilating head for optimal hygiene
- Opti-light to reveal fine hairs
- Pressure control to maintain a constant epilation speed, for consistent results
- Optimal performance cap that pivots for optimal skin contact
- Active massage cap, a gentle rolling massage bar soothes your skin as you epilate
- A luxury pouch to keep the epilator in
• Additional features are available on the HP6572 and the HP6576:
- Sensitive area shaving head to easily shave, trim and contour your bikini line and under
arms

Additional features available on HP6576:
- Cordless use with an improved re-chargeability to 1 hour recharge for 40 minutes use
- Smart tweezers for use on the face
• HP6570 RRP £70
• HP6572 RRP £80
• HP6576 RRP £100

This is a Philips digitorial from Handpickedmedia.co.uk

Being a bit of a socialista and girl about town (especially when my daughter is away) I want to make my weekends as fun and grown up as possible. My idea of a great Saturday afternoon is certainly not a) sitting in the pub b) doing the ironing c) any other form of housework. So it was no wonder the temptation of afternoon tea at the Langham Hotel with the lovely Handpickedmedia bloggers community and the beauty brand Biotherm led me like to bee to a honeypot last Saturday.

Just get a load of these gorgeous cupcakes – they look mouthwateringly gorgeous don’t they? So before I prove my point and tell you how they can shrink your butt, there’s a bit more.

There must have been just about every beauty blogger in London crammed into the very stylish tearoom to natter over cakes and cucumber sandwiches and some lovely ladies from Biotherm on hand to talk about their new product ranges.

Novelty seeker that I am, I had this groovy little gadget zapped on my face to measure hydration, oil and elasticity. I knew I would be a little bit dehydrated after a few too many bellinis the night before so I was very pleased to find that my skin was actually quite good – phew. I’m going to be drinking more water and trying out the Biotherm Source Therapie 7. The serum is light and easily absorbed and worn under normal skincare, which means I can still keep my spf moisturiser on the go while making my skin much better.

However, as I looked around the room at all the hero products on the new ranges on their little white pedestals, I was keen to see what the new innovations would be. What caught my eye though was this Biotherm Celluli Laser cream. And yes, it promises to smooth the skin and is also an anticellulite cream.

You need to use it for one month morning and night and apply it from the ankles up to the waistline. It smells exotic and contains caffeine, menthol, camphor and salicylic acid plus ginseng and biloba. On first application, I was expecting to be glooped but the serum-like gel dries quickly and the tingling sensations do last a while. It’s very pleasant in fact and in the morning is a great energiser, I did use it in the evening before bed and already found my skin feeling smoother. I’m going to go the whole month on this one.

And that’s how cupcakes can smooth your behind non? Just book yourself in for afternoon tea with Biotherm.

Thanks Stephanie for the samples and I hope you got back to Devon in a flash! And I’ll be seeing the rest of the Handpickedmedia bunch at next week’s meet up.

I love a bit of luxury but I wouldn’t say I spend as much as £24,000 per year like some. Neither would I say it’s a feminist principle to pamper or not, it’s just about feeling good and having your favourite products. For me it’s got to be a sumptuous pot of Laura Mercier body souffle, a gorgeously dressed bottle of Pucci perfume, or maybe some Rose handwash and even better a Morrocan rose bath soak. Whatever it is, it must be full of natural aromas and ingredients and packed with ingenious, life ehancing science that doesn’t harm the planet and makes me look and feel great.

What’s your favourite brand and would you consider up or downgrading? Are you a Boots No 7, Creme de la Mer, Mac, la Prairie, Khiels fan or all of the above? Or do you shop in the temples of beauty like Harvey Nichols or Boots?

I’ve loved Space NK for many years and been a slave to the gloss and glitter been able to get the best nail colour, the newest edgy brands, quality products and loads of great advice. While I’m obviously captivated, my loyalty is being tested… My latest splurge has left our household smelling of delicate flowers, I’m scrubbed and polished and Miniminx has had a heavenly milk bath soak before bed and will probably dream she is Cleopatra this evening.

I bought this body scrubber. It”s an Space NK one £18 (suspiciously like something I used to buy from the Bodyshop back in the day).

And then I got this gorgeous body wash which is great for exfoliating and detoxing ropey old Winter skin.

I also bought some more Terry eyeliner – the best ever, ever, ever – it shimmers and sets and doesn’t fold or flake, try it. And some Dr Sebagh face wash (can’t live without it), Laura Mercier eyebrow pencil and cream blush. Well at least I thought I did.

I got home and the blusher was not in the bag. While I’d not been charged, I was really peeved. I’d planned a whole new look – and I wanted to try it out at home immediately, as you do. It’s not the first time I’ve felt so disappointed. Last weekend I dropped into Space NK Bournemouth and asked for a product and was told they did not have it, I felt affronted by the sniffy sales assistant – I was away from home and I had run out of cleanser and I needed it, I didn’t need to be laughed out of the shop. At Christmas I bought a fabulously glittery eyeshadow which I tried in the Covent Garden branch – only to find they had put the wrong one in the bag and when I got home and opened the packaging, it was navy and not the silver one I’d chosen. It’s still sitting unused in my make up box, I’ve not had the time to sort out a refund or exchange.

I’m wondering if I’ll keep spending my hard earned money there.

Why am I sharing all this?
I want something better.

If you’ve got as little time as I have but the desire to shop and nice things, why should it be so impossible?

I don’t want to go traipsing from branch to branch in search of a product, I want a really personalised service that fits around me and gets my product past the till and into my make up box. After all the money I’ve spent over the years, surely I deserve it.

So let’s look at Avon.

A friend of mine gave me some really gorgeous pyjamas the other day – they’re from shock horror Avon, they’re bloody great. Then I had an Avon catalogue dropped through my door the other day…I’ve put it outside on the windowsill but I might just grab it back in after my experience today. Another friend of mine texted me today to say she was thinking of joining up with Avon. Seems like everyone’s at it doesn’t it? I suppose after the credit crunch, we’re all in need of some extra cash.

It leaves me wondering first off; whose pocket do I want to line with my hard earned cash and second; if I’m going to make the change from a depersonalised service to something more community based.

I’m a busy working Mum who doesn’t have time to faff about and have to keep going in and out of shops, I want face to face yet convenient service. Imagine if that was in my home or round the corner at a friend’s house with a few other friends coming over for a glass of wine and a natter…if Avon products are good, I’ll give them a try.

Oh, that’s unless Space NK fancies popping round to mine … I’ll bring a few friends too, honest!

It’s not that I don’t get out much.

I’ve been all over the social-meeja-blogandbeer-scape this week and I’m also popping to Butlins for their Tweet Up in a couple of weeks. I just can’t get enough of it in fact!

What’s so amazing about all this stuff is there’s room for everyone and it’s not just powerful as a new media (think blogs/twitter/facebook/myspace et al) it’s really getting people together and empowering people to connect and share in new ways.

A few weeks ago I went to SMCLondon and was pretty gobsmacked. VioletPosy recommended it to me some time ago and I offered to guest blog. I met a lot of very cool people with a lot interesting things to say. In fact, I hadn’t felt such positive energy among a bunch of people for a long time. This reminded me of the early days of the dot com boom and it’s a totally invigorating feeling and anitdote to the credit crunch.

So this week, I hightailed to my old hometown; Shoreditch, and popped in to see Vanessa and Katie at The Sway event downstairs at The Great Eastern Dining Rooms. Oh heavens above, this was certainly one step close to career nirvana and an evening full of highjinx. I have fond memories of the venue, when it first opened I had lunch with a fashionista friend and we drooled at Isabella Blow who was dining delicately in the corner, and dressed exquisitely.

The Sway brings a touch of Sex and the City to blogging – I kid you not, it was a very glamorous evening and lots of amazing people there too – the chicks who click are hipsters. My Armani jacket (it’s out of the wasdrobe again!!) and killer heels certainly got a run for their money. I was quite taken with Deluxe – a site I think a lot of you out there probably know already, and if not should check out. There was also a free bar and some lovely canapes provided by the sponsor Skimlinks and I was impressed with the company’s slick social networking products which I hope to look into more.

On the same night, there was the London Bloggers meet up at Shish! on Old Street – another flashback to days and nights gone I thought. As The Sway wrapped up, a few of us went to the Meet Up. It was a good crowd and sadly I’d missed the speaker. I got a chance to chat to all of the people there and had some very big laughs too. Andy who hosts it is great fun as are the other bloggers who I met.

It’s a good time to be a blogger!

I don’t know about you, but I have an inner-freak radar. If I hear or see something just the slightest bit quirky, I just can’t help myself – I become entranced, it’s as if I’ve had an audience with Paul Mackenna. It kind of works like this video

Just last week I was at my gym and the receptionist (she’s about 18, very innocent, very bright, very bored and probably in a gap year before Cambridge) was chatting to one of the tiny size zero oranged gym bunnies.

‘Good morning’
‘Hi’
‘So what do you do’
‘Botox’
‘Oh’
‘Yeah’
‘So you mean, you’ve had Botox?’
‘Yes I have’ ooh, this is getting good I thought, can she smile?
‘And, you do Botox?’
‘Yeah’ ooh, one word answers, is her mouth frozen?? Fantastic!
They both grin, one because it’s the only face she can pull and it’s stuck there, the other because she’s hoping that the conversation is over. I’ll leave it to you to guess which one is which.

But hang on a minute gals, this is when the Nixdminx inner-freak radar hit a total high. I was propelled, zombie-like toward the two of them. Sidling up to the coffee bar to grab a closer look, the Botox gym bunny looked at me witheringly (neck muscles active I thought, good sign). I quickly downsized my meerkat behaviour and pretend-rummaged in my handbag. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but I wasn’t giving up just quite yet. Jumping Jesus, every time she turned round, she clocked me craning my neck and widening my big blues.

Oh purlease….just let me get a really good, really long, very hard look at that poisoned face…how difficult can it be? What’s the harm? I wanted to see what a bona fide loud and proud botox face looked like. After five minutes, I gave up the ghost and sauntered towards the changing room, and sadly the freak-o-meter sensed nil.

Completely unwittingly, I did it again the other morning – and to my complete and utter shame – with witnesses. In the sleepy enclave of London where I live (yes,I found one), there’s really not much shocking going on, but if there is, I’m there, like a bad smell lapping it up. As I lazily walked up to the school gate I was reminded of this discussion on Mumsnet, and at the same time, had a Life on Mars moment, feeling like I’d been hurled unceremoniously back a few decades.

There in front of me was a total notox pram-toting smoker – AT THE SCHOOL GATES – call the papers! What a girl, I thought, she’s sooo brazen, she’s sooo fab. Even better, her boots clip-clapped on the asphalt and I spied those tell-tale white square stickers on the sole – she hadn’t taken the price tags off – priceless! What a complete fashion faux pas and she just didn’t give a crap. Wow, a cardinal sin in London’s Pleasant Valley – ooh, I just had to get a look at her roots. I know, I’m terrible aren’t I? But I bet you’ve all done it all the same, or at the very least thought of doing it yourself. Haven’t you? Are you sure? Well I did take a snidey butchers….at least two inches of regrowth…

So this chick was fully made up, totally self confident and didn’t give a hoot about the finer details. 100% for attitude I say. While there’s me suffering from school-gate angst, spraying myself top to toe with perfume and rinsing with mouthwash if I’ve even had the slightest hint of a cheeky lunchtime glass of wine, never ever smoking within at 10 miles radius, and wearing sunglasses if I’m not made up…which brings my own double standards into sharp focus.

I’m always carping about the people (women and men) I know who plunder all manner of chemicals for their complexion but would never let you smoke/drink/swear/eat around them. Am I just the same? I’ve never had botox but in recent weeks, I’ve serious considered having a 10 Years Younger make over in the hope that I will look better for a job interview.

You see that’s the point of this game, I’ve been quietly obsessing in my doledrums (sic) when in fact, out in the real world, people don’t give a flying crap, they just brazenly get on with it – botox or notox, it’s all the same.

Well, I guess, it’s time to get to grips with my own inner-freak and let it all hang out…roll on school run, the real radar-free me is beating a path to the playground!

…and here is my latest doodle, inspired by days of rummaging round my handbag in search of my lippy only to find the poor little thing has just about had it.

It’s not that easy to replace, no matter where I look, I haven’t found it anywhere. Don’t you hate it when cosmetic companies discontinue that shade that gives you a bit of * * WOW * *?

Try this, it could save you a few quid and give you luscious lips for longer.

originally uploaded by nixdminx.

========================

** Very simple instructions **

========================

Pop your lip gloss (with the lid up) in hot water for 5 minutes

and it magically melts to the bottom of the tube and gives you

lots more wear.

WARNING: Don’t apply until it has cooled down though

Fabulous!

PS: If you spot Clinique Blackberry Bloom anywhere, just let me know will ya?