Pure Spa ... A Shopping Sanctuary

Shopping and pampering don’t always go hand in hand for me. As much as I love a bit of retail therapy, it stresses me out – a mixture of impulse buys and a race to the last size 4 leopard loafers has me breaking out into a cold sweat, not to mention my measly looking bank balance at the end of it.


It had never occurred to me to visit a spa at a shopping centre before and in all honesty before my experience with one, I would have questioned the quality. Location, location, location …. But maybe Pure Spa have hit the nail on the proverbial head with their shopping centre based salons.

I was invited along to try out Pure Spa at Silverburn Shopping Centre, just outside Glasgow. I was well aware of it’s whereabouts on the 2nd Floor of the centre as my 2 sisters-in-law visit regularly but I was still a bit of a cynic. Surely, it was hard to leave the noise and buzz of the crowds below, even in the confines of a spa…

I was wrong. The minute I entered the salon, I was met with friendly staff who made me feel comfortable and the sense of calm and tranquillity in the salon was immediately noticeable. The salon looks deceivably small and I wondered where I would having my facial with only some nail stations and pedicure thrones in my visibility. However, what seemed like secret rooms lie beyond the reception of the salon and it’s behind these doors that the pamper journey begins.

Behind the doors are ample changing rooms and a snoozy chill out room for some extra downtime between treatments. The treatment rooms were dotted around the chill out room so you could literally roll off the bed and onto a comfy lounger to relax a little longer after your pamper session. I was booked in for a facial and I was delighted to see Pure Spa use Elemis products. It has been a long time since I have used Elemis but it has always been one of my favourite brands for skincare products and everything smells divine! I was given a quick foot massage (which I squirmed the whole way through as I am so tickly) before going through a skin consultation with my therapist and settling on the Visible Brilliance Anti-Ageing Facial.

The next 40 minutes were sheer bliss. My skin was cleansed, massaged, oiled up and completely re-hydrated while I lay snoozing and hoping beyond all hope I wasn’t snoring!! My skin felt completely refreshed at the end with the oils left on to absorb throughout the rest of my evening.

Unlike my initial opinion, it didn’t feel weird at all being in a spa in the middle of a shopping centre, instead feeling like a sanctuary from the madness of spending too many pennies and stressing about the next party outfit to be had. The quality of the salon and the therapists were also certainly not scrimped on like my pre-conceived notion of a shoddy get up for ‘on the run’ females looking for a quick nail fix or a half leg wax. In fact, I look forward to when I can visit again with a friend for a day of what we love most, shopping and pampering!!

You can find Pure Spa's at Silverburn Glasgow, Ocean Terminal Edinburgh, Union Square Aberdeen and Lothian Road Edinburgh.  They have lots of great packages available for Christmas which may act as a saviour after some hectic Christmas Shopping!

Treat yourself with Aromatherapy Associates

It's always around this time of year I up the pampering game.  The party season and cosy nights in always calls for an extra bit of TLC and one of the things I always look forward to are my long, lingering bath time rituals through the colder season.

Aromatherapy Associates is a bit of Christmas treat for me, I usually stock up on some products (my favourite is the Deep Relax bath oil) and it's a sure bet it will feature in a friends Christmas booty from me.  This year they have these adorable stocking fillers which double up as tree decorations with mini versions of your favourite bath oils.  At only £10, it's an affordable splurge on some gorgeous essential oils.

For an extra wee treat though, Aromatherapy Associates have just launched their new flagship boutique at Montpelier Street, London.

Bah, if only I lived closer!  It's a stunning salon with not only the full range of products available for sale but also treatments in their relaxing 'bedroom feel' treatment rooms.   From facials to 'stress buster' massages, the aromatherapy associates treatment menu offers a therapeutic experience using their famed essential oils.  I can only imagine how amazing this boutique must smell.

There is even the chance to have a one to one consultation with Aromatherapy Associates co-founder, Geraldine Howard who will create a bespoke blend of essential oils especially for you.

To visit the boutique you can visit the website here.  I know where I will be treating myself the next time i'm in LDN!

x

You've got to be in it to win it!

A few weeks ago I posted about L'oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss competition.  They are looking for 3 girls to star in the next advert alongside the nations darling, Cheryl Cole.

The competition is coming to an end so if you haven't entered, it's not too late!

All you have to do is click the application button on the left hand side, upload your photo then make sure you get everyone to vote for you between 28th November and 4th December 2011.
You still have until the 27th November to enter the competition by visiting the L'Oreal Paris Facebook page. 


All you have to do is click the application button on the left hand side, upload your photo then make sure you get everyone to vote for you between 28th November and 4th December 2011.


The most votes wins the coveted position and their fifteen minutes of fame (or more).  So go on, you've got to be in it to win it!


Dislcaimer:  Opens to female UK and ROI residents aged 16+. Entrants must register with L’Oréal Insider, colour their hair using Casting Crème Gloss and upload a photo on facebook. No purchase necessary. Closing date 27/11/2011. For full Terms & Conditions and to enter visit this page 

This time tomorrow ...

... I will be singing my lungs out and bopping about to the one and only Rihanna!!

I cannot tell you how excited I am to go, not to mention the fact that I am going with my buddy Jen who I don't get to see too often as we live miles apart (our lass is a Geordie).

The tour is sponsored by Nivea who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year and Rihanna just happens to be the voice of the centennial celebrations! Thanks to Nivea, I have been given the opportunity to go along and watch this utter goddess of pop perform!  The Nivea tour bus will also be at the venue so hopefully I will get to pop on for a nosey.

Who knows, maybe I will bump into the lady herself *I die*

Now I need to go panic about what to wear ... ;)

Leighton Denny Baby Doll NOTD

I recently posted about Octobers GlossyBox and one of the products inside I was really looking forward to trying was Leighton Denny's nail polish in Baby Doll.

Baby Doll is a gorgeous, milk candy pink, reminiscent of pepto bismal but in a nice way!

I was surprised at how opaque the shade was when applied.  I expected it to be sheer but I loved it's thick coating of colour.  One coat appears slightly streaky so a second coat was needed to even it out.  The finish is glossy and quite bold as it is quite an in your face Barbie pink.

It definitely looks better with a tan which also helps the colour make an impact.  I've only had it on 24 hours but so far no chipping.

I do really like the colour but I'm not sure if it's just too girly for me but it's a lovely change from my usual nail choices.

What do you think of Baby Doll?

Nails Inc Magnetic Range

A couple of weeks ago I told you about my Nails Inc gel nails and harped on about my love and amazement of their new magnetic range.

A few nights ago while treating Ann from Girlinthecityg to her belated birthday treat by popping her Yo Sushi! cherry, we also got the chance to go into Nails Inc, right next door at House of Fraser.  We were treated to some lovely manicures and naturally I went straight for the metallic range. 

Magnetic nails guarantee the wow factor and since sporting them, everyone has been asking for a closer look and asking how exactly do they do it.  Let me tell you ... 

The polish formula has been specially developed with metallic particles which create a patter on the nails used magnetic forces.  The magnet, housed in the lid of the polish is held over your nail after applying the shade and that's when the magic happens.  The iron powder in the formulation gravitates toward the magnet forming a design to create a unique finish.  The magnet can also be held in different directions to create slightly different looks.

There are 3 shades in the range, Houses of Parliament (a gorgeous heather purple - my fave), Trafalgar Square (silver) and Big Ben (a beautiful gold shade but the magnet doesn't really do much for it unfortunately and I have also noticed seems to be removed from the website!).

As I said, Houses of Parliament is my favourite of the 3 available shades so that's what I went for.  I absolutely love it and everyone wants a closer look at my nails.  The only downside however is that they seem to have chipped quite a bit since Thursday but not enough to merit a re-paint as yet.

Each polish is priced at £13 and a half hour heavenly hand manicure using magnetic polish is priced at £38.  I honestly think they are a fab Christmas gift for manicure junkies out there.

What's your take on magnetic nails?

x

GlossyBox October

Last month I got to try out the wonders of the beauty box concept courtesy of Boudoir Prive.

Glossybox, possibly the most popular and the first to start (I think - correct me if that's wrong) of the beauty box phenomenon have since been in touch asking if I would like to try out their 6th edition of luxe beauty samples as their 6th box promised to be a goody!

Much like other beauty boxes, the Glossybox arrives, beautifully presented which makes it's arrival feel all the more special and exciting.

Box Contents:

Dermalogica Age Smart:  Multivitamin Thermafliant; Multivitamin Power Recover Masque; Renewal Lip Complex (with beauty Bag).  3 mini sized products and a cute little bag to house them all in.  The bag is a bonus really but it goes without saying that Dermalogica are a fabulous brand who know their skincare inside out.  I have used Dermalogica on and off for years and I am always more than happy with the results.

Leighton Denny Expert Nails Colour & Care Polish in BABYDOLL:  Can you believe I have still never tried Leighton Denny nail colours despite hearing plenty of good reviews about them?!  I haven't tried this one out yet but look out for it in an upcoming Nail of the Day post.  I can tell already I am going to love this shade, girly, sweet and candy like.

STILA Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in MORAY:  The Stila brand has recently been resurrected in the UK much to my pleasure and this sample just serves as a reminder that they are back and won't go unnoticed.  The colour of this liner is beautiful and so unusual, a mossy, olive green with gold flecks, it applies smoothly and softly on the skin and is kind to the delicate eye area.  The swatch you see here was still clearly visible after at least 5 hand washes ... A job well done for a waterproof product.

Robert Piguet Eau de Parfums:  Hailed as the 'most Parisian of Fashion Designers' (what does that even me), three signature scents, Fracas, Calypso and Visa are the works of Robert Piguet.  I wouldn't say they are everyones cup of tea but I like the darkness and muskiness of the scents, my favourite being Calypso.

Another lovely offering from the Beauty Box brigade.

To subscribe to Glossybox it's £10 per month plus p+p ... you can find out more about it at the Glossbox website here.

So who is signed up to Glossybox?  How do other months boxes compare?

x

Glitter Heels

Thanks to the likes of Miu Miu and Jeffrey Campbell, it seems this season everyone is going a little crazy for some ba-bling-ba-bling on their footwear.

I am definitely not exempt from this, as a natural magpie, anything with a little bit of sparkle usually ends up on my lust list.

There is no way I could justify a huge spend on something I see as a passing phase so it was a disco loving girls dream to find these bobby dazzlers in New Look of all places.

It's fair to say that New Look shoe department is an absolute gem of a shopping experience.  Cheap, fashionable shoes, reasonable quality with most shoes I've bought from New Look having lasted the test of time.  I should show you a pair of 8 year old purple platform stilettos - still in fantastic condition!

I digress...

A beautiful plum shade, perfect for autumn/winter, a concealed platform for a bit of extra leg slimming and height and the goldest glitter heels this side of the High Street.

You can't tell to look at them but they are also pretty comfortable for their height.  A bargain at £35 but I was lucky enough to grab them in a 50% off deal.

One small problem however, I have no idea what to wear them with!

Suggestions on a postcard please :)

What do you think of New Look shoes?  Would you wear glitter heels?

x

BM Beauty Mineral Blush

BM Beauty is a relatively new brand of mineralised make up, co-founded by Laura McComiskie and Kimberly Wyatt of the Pussycat Dolls, their mineralised make up range is free from bismuth oxychloride, parabens, nano particles and synthetic dyes and fragrances.

Yes, I had to google some of those words too ;)  From foundations to eyeshadow, the range is vast and all cruelty free with a stamp of approval from PETA and BUAV.

I was sent a sample of the mineral blush in colour, Velvet Dawn.  Normally, I steer clear from mineralised products.  There are a couple of things in my collection but to be honest I never use them but that didn't stop me putting this blush to the test.

I wore the blush every day for near enough a fortnight.  The first thing I noticed was how soft the formulation is, however, it wasn't as finely milled as I would have hoped, although this is not necessarily a bad thing.  The shade Velvet Dawn is a bright dusky pink with shimmer.  Not glitter, there are no chunks in this, simply a little sheen that provides the teensiest of sparkle when the light hits it.

To apply to the cheek, it appears pigmented and creates a beautiful glow to the skin.  The shimmer isn't too much to be worn through the day and retains a natural freshness that seems to come hand in hand with mineral make up products.  It doesn't feel like a powder sitting on top of your skin which I really liked as well as it feeling extremely lightweight.  However, after a couple of hours it fades quite a bit and I definitely feel the need to re-apply.

For 4g of blush, it's £8 which I think is fairly reasonable as that is quite a bit of mineral for your buck.  You can buy from here.

Has anyone else tried BM Beauty?

What is your take on mineral make up?

x

Cover FX

It's the ultimate mission, to create the perfect make-up base.  Made all the more harder if we suffer from skin conditions or problem areas such as acne, pigmentation, under eye darkness or rosacea.

Cosmetic brand, Cover FX looks to provide a solution for all such skin types in order to create that flawless finish for everyone.  Created by Lee Graff, a corrective make up specialist and cosmetic engineer (yes there is such a profession) Jenny Frankel, Cover FX is a range that promotes self esteem and confidence by taking control of your appearance.

Don't be mistaken, this is not just a range for those with skin imperfections, anyone can use Cover FX to create a perfect base.  In fact, it is used by many celebrities and apparently a favourite of Beyonce.  If it's good enough for Sasha Fierce ....

The range consists mostly of base products such as primers, foundation, concealers, setting powder but they have branched out to colour products like lipgloss and blush.

Wanda, Me and Lee

Cover FX has recently launched at Harvey Nichols, Edinburgh where it is exclusively stocked in Scotland and I was asked if I would like to come in and meet with Lee Graff and Cover FX make up artist Wanda Longo to try out the range for myself and be made over using their products.

It was fantastic to meet Lee and Wanda, hear the story behind their extensive careers which eventually led to the Cover  FX brand and of course to be made over by Wanda using Cover FX products.

My Wanda make-over.  Wearing Cover FX Primer, Liquid Natural Foundation, Concealer, Blush and Lipgloss

Now there are things I really like about the brand and some things I am not such a fan of.  I particularly love the anti-ageing skin prime fx which feels so silky on the skin and the natural fx foundation.  The blush collection is also extremely pigmented with amazing longevity although may be a little shimmery for some.

My skin looks good for such a close encounter with the camera!

The extensive range of shades really appeals to me - there is a shade for everyone regardless of skin tone or shade.  It really does try to cater for all.  Also dependant on skin condition there are different recommendations of products which you can find on their website.  For instance, they recommend acne sufferers  prime the skin, blot it with a matte powder then use a pressed mineral foundation to create a flawless finish.

I am not so much in love with their setting powders as I find them a little on the cakey side and creates a little flashback when taking photos.  However, it's a great range, brilliant concept and I will continue to experiment with the brand.

You can find Cover FX stocked at Harvey Nichols.

x

YSL Shocking Mascara

I love big lashes, black lashes, in your face lashes.  I pile on the mascara like there is no tomorrow to achieve the thickest, bushiest of lashes.  You see, I just feel naked without it.

I was a fan of YSL Faux Cils and Singulier mascara so when I was asked if I would like to try their new false lash effect offering, YSL Shocking, I obviously jumped all over that bad boy.

My first attempt at this mascara wasn't great.  It is very very wet which made it blob - I hated this, however, I loved how dark it is (I have shade 'Deep Black') it is almost like black ink.  The brush is long, slim and a little bit messy looking with it's multi direction bristles.  Instead of dismiss it immediately, past experience has taught me to stick with a product a while before making a final call, and i'm glad I did.

After a week or so, the formula starts to dry out a little.  Just enough to have more control of the wand and application and that's when you start to get the best results.  While it is still wet, blobbing occurs, a lot.  However, after it settles in its tube, I found I could layer it on my lashes, flaring them out where desired and really getting into the roots which was too hard to do beforehand without getting mascara all over my eyelids.

Excuse my early morning tired and red eyes!

Now the result isn't  going to be everyones cup of tea.  It is prone to clumping although this can easily be combed through but I quite like when it clumps especially with a smokey eye.  It really lengthens and thickens the lashes making them appear big and almost baby doll like.

I tend not to have to curl my lashes with YSL Shocking but if I do, it holds the curl well.  The best thing is I never feel the need to give my lashes the once over with the wand throughout the day or if I was freshening up my make up before leaving work for the day.  It looks exactly as it does in the morning as it does at night.

However, do I think it's worth it's 'Shocking' title and £22 price tag.  Yes and No.  Yes, as I love the mascara, it's great to work with (after those first few days), it gives a pigmented and voluminous finish and lasts the entire day and then some.  No, because it's not that different from the YSL faux cils formula however, if you like faux cils then i'm sure you would also love YSL Shocking.

Have you tried YSL Shocking? What's your verdict?

x

Are you worth it?

Getting your hair swish on is a girls prerogative, right?

Well, now you can do something with that swish thanks to a new campaign from L'Oreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss.

L'Oreal Paris are looking for 3 girls to star in the next Casting Creme Gloss advert alongside spokesmodel, Cheryl Cole.  Whether you are a deep brunette, honey blonde, or my favourite, fiery redhead ... you could be the next colour crush!

From 31 October to 27th November you will be able to enter the competition by visiting the L'Oreal Paris Facebook page and click on the application button on the left hand side.  Upload a photo of yourself and after that it's down to the vote so make sure your friends and family get clicking for your win from the 28th November to 4th December 2011.

The most popular brunettes, blondes and redheads will be shortlisted for a casting day where you will be preened to perfection in preparation for a live audition in front of a panel of judges.  The winners will be chosen to appear in an exclusive new L'Oreal Paris advert alongside Cheryl.

So go on, prove you're worth it!

Dislcaimer:  Opens to female UK and ROI residents aged 16+. Entrants must register with L’Oréal Insider, colour their hair using Casting Crème Gloss and upload a photo on facebook. No purchase necessary. Closing date 27/11/2011. For full Terms & Conditions and to enter visit this page 


x