Boys Boys Boys!!

What is it with men and beauty? Most of them absolutely love being pampered and dream of having facials and manicures but would never dare to wander into a beauty salon for fear that it will detract from their manly prowess.

The thing is boys (if you're reading this) that there are many reasons why having the odd pamper session will make you feel even more manly.

1. Beauticians LOVE having men in. They spend their days surrounded by women so the chance for a bit of banter with the opposite sex is always welcome.

2. A man with lovely skin/hands/feet is always more atractive to the opposite sex

3. Relaxation time makes you much less stressed and therefore a much nicer person!

4. You might meet a lovely lady. Forget internet dating...where better to meet and get to know a woman? You can laugh about your mutual love of manicures as you meet for that first date!


Seriously though, I took my mate Martin for his first pedicure at The Beauty Lounge http://www.beautylounge.co.uk/ (which is my favourite place for just about any beauty treatment) and his reaction was just amazing.

At first he seemed a bit embarrassed by the fuss everyone was making of him but he soon relaxed into it and said it was one of the nicest things that he had ever done. The combination of having his feet pampered and massaged and the outcome (his feet had apparently never felt so soft or looked so good) was enough to convert him to the wonders of the pedicure.

There are a number of spas just for men, but I think more of you should also join us girls in our regular haunts. It'll be fun...I promise!

Design Your Own Shoes

My feet are the bane of my life. You know when someone asks you what you would change about your body? Well the first thing would be my ridiculous feet. They are different sizes, abnormally wide in some places and then stupidly narrow in others and whatever I do I can never find shoes that fit and look attractive.

I know that I'm not the only person to suffer with this problem. I have friends with massive feet, tiny feet, bunions...you name it they have it. The universal problem seems to be that not many shops offer shoes for anything other than the perfect tootsies.

If you do not suffer from the above problems then keep reading anyway because I'm about to introduce you to a shoe company that not only caters for all sorts of shapes and sizes but that also allows you to design your dream pair of shoes.

Check out this video:



I visited the Upper Street London office yesterday and was totally wowed. The shelves were adorned with the most beautiful shoes in an endless variety of designs and colours. I was like a kid in a sweet shop as I designed my dream pair with Julia who is part owner of the company.

If you want to design your dream pair of great fitting shoes then check out their website:

http://upperstreet.com


I'll post a photo of my own shoes as soon as I get them, but just to tantalise you, they're red, black and incredibly sexy, just as good as any pair of Louboutins and much much more affordable!!!

Fat and Cellulite Busting Leggings

I am officially in love...with a pair of shiny black leggings. I have named them my miracle leggings because they are so clever and high-tech that they make my I-Pod look antiquated.

They are called Proskins Slim leggings and here's what makes them so special:


1. They're made by a company that has been making technical sportswear for years and specialises in the compression leggings and T-shirts worn by elite sportsmen to enhance muscle-recovery after exercise. (Meaning that they are to be trusted a lot more than some of the rubbish on the market).

2. They cool you in hot weather and warm you up when it is cold. (I am wearing them right now and my legs are really toasty. Over the weekend they kept them nice and cool!)

3. Wear them for 8 hours a day for 28 days and it is proven that they will help you shift weight AND cellulite. (I met a woman who vouches for this and I have also seen the test results).

4. They don't get smelly, even after a work-out because they are made with antibacterial silver

5. They protect you from DVT like flight-socks

6. They moisturise your legs

7. They make your legs feel light and lovely as you walk.

Hmmmmmm...now which of these points is the most appealing?? The fact that they help you shift and weight and cellulite is the one that does it for me. (I've got the results of a load of tests that they've done and they're really not bull-shitting!) These leggings are exciting stuff!

Check them out at http://www.proskins.co/store/en/ or buy them at Tescos and Next xx

Christina Aguilera, Secret Potion

What a week I've had!! I've been filming reports for the Wright Stuff Extra on Channel 5, trying to sort out my flat before we begin redecorating and I've also been to a couple of amazing product launches.

The most exciting was the launch of Christina Aguilera's new perfume "Secret Potion".

We gathered at the very swanky and eccentric "Crazy Bear Club" in Covent Garden where we were treated like A List Stars.(Why oh why hadn't I done my hair?!) We were treated to exotic cocktails (based on the actual perfume ingredients), a slap-up three course meal, champagne, wine, goody bags and a talk given by the very talented relationship expert Matthew Hussen on "how to shine".

Right, enough of my boasting and down to business!! What is the perfume like?

If you want my honest opinion, it was MUCH better than I expected. I am a bit prejudiced towards celeb fragrances, basically because I see them as being a bit shallow and mass-produced. You never imagine that a celebrity fragrance will contain top-quality ingredients that it has taken years to discover and mix!

However, Secret Potion has a surprising amount of pure ingredients and has all three layers meaning that it does develop.

The perfume itself is far too sweet and heady for me and is very much a night-time fragrance. I imagine that this will be a big hit with teenagers who want to give off the impression of being sexy and emulate Christina's style. I also imagine that self-confident women could carry this off really nicely.

As I said though, you have to be really into your sweet perfumes as this makes the likes of "Angel" smell savoury!!

A Delicious and Healthy Dinner Recipe

When I became a wife I vowed to myself that I would improve my cooking skills. Up to that point, the most that my friends could hope for when they came for dinner was oven-cooked fish cakes or pasta and Chris would either end up cooking dinner every night or have to fake a smile as he tasted the wonders of my odd-tasting concoctions.

My all time low was the Christmas when everyone bought me recipe books. It was as if they were begging me to improve my skills so that 1) they wouldn't have to suffer my meals when they came for dinner 2) I could provide my man with the food that he deserved! That was also the Christmas when Chris' Mum watched in shock as I tried to grate some cheddar and it leapt out of my hand like an oily otter and landed on the floor. I mean what kind of woman can't even grate cheese??

Anyway, I'm proud to say that I have turned my cooking around a bit in recent months. I am perfecting a couple of recipes a week in the hope that I will eventually have a fool-proof and tasty repertoire that I can use in an array of situations.

What does all this have to do with beauty I hear you ask? Well I am a true believer that you can use the best lotions and potions in the world but if you don't eat and drink the right things they're not really going to do much for you. In fact, drinking water and eating well is probably far more effective than anything you can buy.

So, here is a healthy meal that I made last night and it was bloody delicious! Chris was very proud of me and kept going on about it so this is definitely one for the repertoire!!

Bonn's Beef and Broccoli: (It's actually from the BBC Good Food Website but I think the three B's in my title work nicely!!)

what you need:

1 tbsp olive oil
50g unsalted cashews nuts
400g good quality steak
1 large head broccoli , broken into florets
4 sticks celery , sliced
150ml beef stock (from a cube is fine)
2 tbsp horseradish sauce
2 tbsp low-fat fromage frais

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the nuts and toss for a few secs until lightly toasted. Set aside.
Season the steak strips with plenty of pepper and stir-fry over a high heat for 1-2 mins to brown. Set aside with the nuts. Tip the broccoli and celery into the pan and stir-fry for 2 mins. Pour the stock over, cover and simmer for 2 mins. Meanwhile, mix the horseradish and fromage frais together.
Return the steak to the pan and toss with the veg, then sprinkle over the nuts and serve with the creamy horseradish. Great with mashed potatoes.

Yummy!!

How to Get the Dita Von Teese Look

Once again I'm turning to my lovely friends Pixiwoo who give great makeup tutorials.

This one really does help you capture Dita Von Teese's glamourous 50's look!

Enjoy and let me know how you get on xx

Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise-Tips from makeup artist Laura Barrow

Introducing the first of our Heart Beauty Tutorials with makeup artist Laura Barrow. For more check out heart.co.uk!!

Enjoy xx

The Ultimate Perfume

Since I've turned thirty and become a married lady I've become obsessed with finding a new signature scent. I guess I've always done this in various defining stages of my life and I find it very exciting!

Ever since I can remember I've been obsessed with perfume. Along with many girls, my love affair began with a bottle of Anais Anais. I moved on to the watery-fresh Escada Oceana which was one of their one-off summer scents that reminds me of my first love. After that it was Cool Water (which my boyfriend at the time later revealed that he hated) and so the list went on.

The fragrance I have been wearing for the past few years is Coco Chanel Madamoiselle. I also dabble with Aqua di Parma Cologne (mainly because I love wearing the same scent as Audrey Hepburn did...it's about as close as I'll ever get to emjulating her style!), Molecule 01 (which gets more comments than any perfume I've ever worn) and my wedding perfume (which I am still totally in love with) was Max Mara Original.

Anyway, I feel ready to discover a new world of more classic and exciting scents. I want to move on from the light, whimsical scents that seem to define our age and start sniffing out rare perfume makers who create scents with a multitude of layers and pure ingredients. I guess it's a mixture of wanting to smell different to everyone else and also wanting to find a fragrance that will make people take me more seriously.

Below are a few of the fragrances that I have explored so far. Like in my mascara posts I must stress that everyone is different and just because a perfume doesn't work for me doesn't mean it won't be your perfect scent!

Guerlain Mitsouko: Launched in 1919 many would argue that this is one of the best and most extraordinary scents in the world. Unfortunately it is far too strong and cloying for me. My husband felt it had a bit of an "old woman" feel about it.

Chanel no 5: I SO want to be able to wear this so that I can pretend to be all wanton and sexy like Marilyn Monroe. Unfortunately it's another scent that just feels too old for me. I prefer Chanel no 5 Eau Premiere which is a modern take on the classic. It would be a great wedding fragrance!

Robert Piguet Fracas: Read Jilly Cooper's "Rivals" and you will see constant references to this perfume. The character who wears it is very successful and overtly sexy. Every woman is searching for a perfume that makes her "sexy" and this one is bound to help! It had a musky, rampant feel to it but was also a bit salty and almost meaty on me so that was the end of that! Madonna wears this perfume!

Robert Piguet Visa: A remaking of an old classic, I instantly fell in love with this fragrance. It seemed to warm on my skin and instantly felt like it was a part of me. It is a cosy scent that starts off with a commercial, "Angel" feel but soon settles into something more exciting and sexy. I love it!!

I'm going to continue this thread and would love to hear about the fragrances you love and that have defined you over the years.

Oh and make sure you check out BonnBeauty soon for an interview with the most famour "nose" in the world....Roja Dove xx

Heart Beauty Videos and Laura Barrow

I had a great afternoon filming some beauty tutorials for the beauty section of the Heart website yesterday. (www.heart.co.uk)

We've been asking the listeners about their biggest beauty questions for the past few months and aimed to answer them with the help of fabulous makeup artist Laura Barrow.

They'll be on the website soon and tell you how to apply a classic red lippie, great smoky eyes and how to contour your face and produce the illusion of chiselled cheek bones!

Here's a picture of some of Laura's work. She's fabulous for natural makeup for "real women" and also does lots of wedding stuff as well as fashion shoots. If you fancy contacting her you can do so via me!! Email me at nicola@nicolabonn.com xx

Sephora, Paris

I lived in Paris for a year when I was 21. I had a fabulous time discovering the wonders of fresh croissants, the local market, the French music scene and the Guerlain perfume house on the Champs Elysees.

However, I was also surprised and a bit let down when I realised that Parisian women aren't quite as chic as they would have us believe. I went to Paris in the hope that I would become the epitomy of the perfectly put-together gamine but found that many of the fashion choices for the average Parisian woman were dowdy and plain and that having a hair-cut in Paris is the equivalent of taking your life into your own hands. I remember sitting there petrified as the hairdresser chopped at my hair as if he was trimming carrot-tops.

Anyway, I was very excited to spend last weekend in Paris alongside my husband, Dad and his girlfriend Liz.

As Chris and my Dad discussed the Fantasy League and other such manly topics, Liz and I took in all the fashion and beauty houses hungrily. We couldn't resist popping into Sephora on the Champs Elysees which is like a massive sweet-shop that goes on forever. Shelf upon shelf is stacked with a rainbow of every shade of eyeshadow/mascara/eyeliner etc thinkable!! Top end brands mix with Sephora's own-brand which is affordable but perhaps lacking slightly in quality.

I left Sephora feeling a little bit overwhelmed and slightly headachey (this might be the result of the five perfumes that I had spritzed on various areas of my arm).

Sephora is definitely a one stop shop for all your beauty needs but somehow removes the excitement that I associate with searching for beauty products. I'd much rather spend an hour trying the rare perfumes in the cosiness of the Libertys perfume room or checking out the products in the far classier and more intimate Space NK! There was a manic, buy -all- you- can, "Primark" feel to being in Sephora which was slightly unnerving.

Next time you're in Paris, visit Sephora by all means, but make sure you also check out a local chemist where you will find a plethora of exciting face creams and shampoos and pop into Frederick Malle's Editions de Parfums on 37 rue de Grenelle. (Your nose will be very excited by the range of perfumes created by the top "noses" in the business).

A plus tard x

Spa Fabulous Organic Cleanse and Polish Exfoliator

Ever since Lisa Snowdon introduced me to Spa Fabulous products I have been totally enamoured by the brand.

For starters, every product is Paraben(preservative), Petrochemical (petroleum by-product), Sulphate (foaming agent), artificial fragrance and colour free. Add to that the organic, luxurious and highly effective ingredients and you are on to a winner.

I have already written about their amazing "Bliss for your Skin face Oil" which I apply before I go to bed. It is full of the most wonderful ingredients and I always wake up glowing.

My new must have product from the range is their Organic Cleanse and Polish Exfoliator. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the best I have ever used. It is a great consistency and as it scrubs away your imperfections, it is balanced by the beautiful and healing oils that make the base of the exfoliator. Everything about this scrub feels good....the smell, the sensation on the skin and above all, the instant glow after you use it.

Here's the ingredient list to give you a feel for the product:

Sweet Almond (nourishing and softening)

Lemongrass (improves texture)

Rosehip Seed Oil (helps scarring and is rich in Omega fatty acids)

Lavender (deep cleansing and anti-inflamatory)

Salyclic Acid (5%) (digests dead skin cells)


The exfoliator is £36 and well worth the price. Your face will thank you!!

You can order this and other Spa Fabulous products at www.spafabulousproducts.co.uk