Elemis Total Face and Body Polish

I am so relieved that it is finally February. Everyone I know has had a terrible bout of the January blues this year and I'm hoping that romantic February will be a chance for people to relax, indulge and forget about New Year's Resolutions and being broke from Christmas.

Anyway, if you do fancy a bit of a treat in your aim to forget the woes of January then please pay a visit to the Elemis Day Spa in Mayfair and book the Elemis Total Face and Body Polish. This is a brand new treatment and it is fabulous in so many ways.

Here goes:

1.The spa itself is so cute and is hidden away in Lancashire Court, off New Bond Street. Lancashire Court is a hidden London gem and is full of lovely little restaurants and bars. The place is a haven.

2. The interior of the spa is cosy and boutiquey. I could have spent all day reading and relaxing in the waiting room alone. Oh and the treatment room transports you to Morocco(see image). Escapism at it's best!

3. The Face and Body Polish is special because there is so much to it. During the treatment you will receive a facial, a total body polish and moisturise, a hot-stone shoulder massage and a foot massage. The result is that you leave with a glowing face, a soft, buffed body and in a state of total relaxation. It is in effect three great treatments in one. Oh and I was so taken by the hot-stone shoulder massage that I now want the full body one. It was SO relaxing!

4. The facial in particular is totally prescribed to suit your skin type. You start by having a face analysis where a picture is taken to show everything from sun damage to ageing. After going through every aspect of the picture the therapist discusses your facial needs in great detail and explains what she will be using and why.

5. I am a BIG fan of Elemis. They put a lot of time into formulating products that really work with great ingredients.

This treatment is great if you want to feel relaxed as well as having a total over-haul for your skin. You'll leave soft, glowing and smiling!

The Elemis Day Spa
2 Lancashire Court, London W1S 1EX
020 7499 4995

http://www.elemis.com/dayspa/

Margaret Dabbs Medical Pedicure

Is it just me or do you sometimes forget about your feet? They're just so far away from your face and as they stay hidden for most of the year, if something's gotta give (what with time restrictions and all) it's going to be your feet....

If you agree with me then for goodness sake don't tell the podiatrist/foot expert at Margaret Dabbs. In her words "your feet carry you through your entire life and they deserve to be looked after."

Margaret Dabbs is a renowned celebrity foot expert who created the medical pedicure (fondly known as the medi-pedi) as a way of creating beautiful and more importantly really healthy feet.

This basically means that you'll leave one of her extablishments not only with stunning, sandal ready feet but with your corns/ingrowing toenails etc completely sorted!

I visited the Margaret Dabbs Foot Clinic and Nail Spa, near Marleybone and instantly loved the atmosphere. The staff were friendly and chatty,the fresh coffee was fabulous and the decor was modern and relaxing.

The first thing that struck me about the woman who did my medi-pedi was how utterly professional she was. She explained that she had been fully trained as a podiatrist but loved doing the medi-pedi because it turns a medical treatment into something luxurious.

The first thing that she noticed was that my toe-nails were slightly in-grown. Time was spent sorting this out and following this, my feet were buffed to perfection. After about 45 minutes I couldn't believe the difference. My feet were soft and my toe-nails looked healthier than ever before. In fact they looked so good that I chose to leave them natural rather than opting for polish.

Before leaving I bought some of Margaret's renowned "Intensive Treatment Foot Oil". I've been using it for a fortnight now and my feet are looking as good as they did straight after my pedicure.

The medi-pedi is not cheap at £125 but I figure that if you were going book a separate pedicure and trip to the chiropodist it may well come to more than this.

For more info on Margaret Dabb's clinics and products click here: https://www.margaretdabbs.co.uk/

A little bit of respect makes a big difference

Even though this is a beauty blog I hope you'll excuse me going off piste from time to time.

I read an article in the Lifestyle Section of the Daily Mail this morning and it has sparked me to write about a subject that I am incredibly passionate about.

The article itself is a diary about the hell that a woman went through when her Grandma was rushed to hospital. The Grandma in question received a level of care that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy and the only thing that saved her was the fact that her grandaughter stayed in the hospital and cared for her for the entire time that she was there.

Certain things about the article sent a shiver of recognition down my spine. The lack of care, lack of respect and a dangerous lack of communication between the Drs and nurses were just some of the things that I observed when my own Grandma was in hospital.

My Grandma Lily was an amazing, talented and fascinating woman. In her youth she was a successful fashion designer and throughout her life she never looked anyhting less than impeccable with a great sense of style and Hollywood grace about her. She was a strong woman who combatted alcoholism and spent her later years counselling members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Lily was a kind, inspiring woman with a wicked sense of humour and she was fiercely proud and protective of her family and friends. Unfortunately old age always gets us in the end and when she broke her hip things started to go downhill for her.

Visiting my grandma in hospital was a real shock for me. It was the first time I had ever seen her without immaculate hair and makeup and the first time that I realised that she wasn't immortal.

When you know and love somebody, one of the most frustrating things is seeing them treated like a generic "old person" by the medical staff in a hospital. I was shocked at how condescending and patronising the nurses were with my Grandma. They spoke to her like a child rather than a woman and it was quite clear that they did not care about her as an individual but as a number.

I found myself freaking out when it was clear that my Grandma wasn't receiving the care that she required. I won't go into details because she wouldn't have wanted me to, but I found myself having to consistently chase the nurses as they had forgotten to do a number of basic things to ensure Lily's comfort and basic rights as a human being. I also found myself talking to the nurses and telling them a bit about the woman that lay before them. Why couldn't they see how incredible she was? Why couldn't they speak to her with a bit of respect and humanity?

I know there are a lot of truly amazing people in the NHS who work harder amd care more than many of us can even imagine but for those other ones who ignore their duties or are just too damn busy to really care, I beg them to find another job.

More importantly, Everyone needs to remember that one day they will be old. Quite frankly, our attitude to old people in this country stinks. We spend our lives fearing the ageing process and somehow this translates to a fear/lack of respect for the elderly. I look with envy at other countries where the elderly are revered for being wise and every wrinkle is celebrated as telling a story about their lives!

Next time you look at "a little old woman/man" remember that she/he was once your age and had your dreams and ambitions and deserves the utmost care and respect.

Some great advice from skincare guru Neena Trehan

Sometimes I get a bit muddled about exactly what I should be doing when it comes to my skincare routine.

When we were younger it was all very simple. The three steps (as advised by the likes of Clinique) were Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise and that was about it. These days it's not so easy with a bombardment of serums, face oils, exfoliators, face peels, masks and creams on the market. Not only do I get confused about the products I should be using but what order to apply them in.

Anyway, I decided to ask one of my beauty gurus, Neena Trehan, for some advice. I know I always go on about her but I absolutely swear by her products(as does Lisa Snowdon). They are totally organic, luxurious and make you absolutely glow and she has put years of work and passion into creating them.

Here's Neena's guide to the perfect skincare routine to combat signs of early ageing using her incredible products.

"Ageing is not only about wrinkles. It is also about the skin’s tone, texture and sensitivity. With this in mind I have created a range of wonderfully organic at home spa products to tackle these problems and maintain healthy glowing skin. Remember that having a regular skincare routine is only part of the process to having gorgeous skin. Sleep, exercise, diet and lifestyle are also factors that need to be looked at as they have a great effect on the condition of the skin.


Wake up the skin with my Cleanse and Glow Rebalancing £28 for 150ml.
Containing organic aloe, tea tree, lemongrass, jojoba and grapefruit this cleanser deeply purifies yet calms the skin.
Follow this with a spritz of our fabulous Splash containing Persian rose and honey suckle to brighten throughout the day.
All our face oils and serums can be used as a day moisturising treatment as well as helping specific problems such as breakouts, scarring, sensitivity and dryness. Choose from our organic Purifying Serum £58 30ml, Calming Serum £58 30ml or our hero product Bliss for your Skin Face Oil £65 30ml.
Massage these serums into skin to stimulate blood supply and oxygenate the skin.
Finish with our A Little Pot of Heaven Eye Cream containing horse chestnut for puffiness, carrot for dark shadows and rosehip seed oil for added omega fatty acids.

Before bed follow the same routine but a few times a week after cleansing use our Organic Heavenly Exfoliator £36 (formerly called Cleanse and Polish)to remove dead skin cells to assist in cellular renewal. This treatment works miracles on scarring and pigmentation as it contains rosehip seed oil, chamomile, lemongrass and 5% salicyclic acid.
Follow this treatment with one of your chosen serums or oils but spend a few extra minutes massaging in small circular movements. It is at night that your body repairs and replenishes and by massaging in our organic products you wake up with glowing radiant skin."

To check out Neena's products go to http://www.spafabulous.co.uk/spa-fabulous-products.html

Lashaholic

This morning I have realised that for the first time in my life I have become addicted to something healthy in that I can't live without my daily mug of warm water with a squeeze of lemon. I think they say that if you do something 12 or so times it becomes habit. Well I've been having a cup a morning since Jan 1st and it really makes me feel good. (Especially when I'm still full from the massive steak that Chris and I ate last night!)My friend Danie, who is super slim and fit also reckons that it helps keep the weight off. (I'm yet to see proof of that!)

A very quick review this morning. I tried some really lovely fake lashes last night and was really impressed. They're called "Lashaholic" and are handmade. The thing that impressed me is that they feel very light and natural and stayed on without a problem. They are also cheaper than my usual ones at £7.99.

Take a peek at their website www.lashaholic.eu

I'll be writing up the BEST EVER skincare range next week. It is truly astonishing x

25% off waxing at Ministry of Waxing in February for Bonn Beauty Readers

When I was 21 I lived in Paris for a year. My boyfriend was in the UK and came to visit every month or so. I was certain that the only way to keep said boyfriend interested was by looking as fabulous as possible every time thast he visited and one of the things that I required first and foremost in order to do this was to locate someone who would keep me hair free.

One of the first things I did when I started my job at a little theatre on Rue de la Roquette (a great little road near Bastille with lots of bars and resaturants) was ask the receptionist where I could go for a good wax. She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow and then gave me a smile and recommended a woman called Natalie in the North of the city.

The next day, I trudged around Paris trying to locate my new waxer and finally stumbled upon a tiny beauty salon where I met a woman who was to become my beauty guru for my entire year abroad.

After introducing herself, Natalie ordered me to whip off my trousers and subsequently gave me a look of disgust and muttered in French. "You are very hairy". I replied that I thought that was the whole pre-waxing point!(Although my French at this point wasn't great and I doubt she understood me!) Anyway, within ten minutes my legs were hair free and wonderful, but still Natalie tutted. "You come back for brazilian" she said to me. "Your boyfriend will love it!"

Now I was only 21 and as yet had never experienced or wanted to experience the wonders of the Brazilian. I was absolutely petrified but agreed to return the next day "as a matter of urgence".

Needless to say, the rest is history. My now ex-boyfriend decided that this was something that he could definitely get used to and Natalie spent the entire year fashioning all sorts of looks (including a heart on Valentines Day!)

I REALLY HOPE MY BOSS/DAD/GRANDFATHER DON'T READ THIS BLOG!!!

Anyway, how do you fancy going all nice and hair-free for your partner/self this Valentine's Day?

Here at Bonn Beauty I've managed to get 25% off all waxing at Ministry of Waxing for you my lovely readers. You might choose to go for a simple leg/bikini wax or how about a sparkly diamond heart decoration to accessorise your Brazilian/Hollywood?

Ministry of Waxing comes highly recommended and they pride themselves on their quick and professional waxes and are apparently 70% less painful than most other salons.

All you need to do is contact one of the Ministry of Waxing salons listed at the end of this post and say "BONN BEAUTY" when you book in order to get your 25% off during the entire month of February.

Enjoy and let me know if you go for the sparkly heart! x

MINISTRY OF WAXING W: www.ministryofwaxing.com

Mayfair - 17 South Molton Street, London W1 T: 020 7409 7343 E: mayfair@ministryofwaxing.com

Covent Garden - 19a Floral street, London WC2 – T: 020 7240 7004 E: coventgarden@ministryofwaxing.com

Skincare in Your Forties

After yesterday's post I thought it was only fair to talk about skincare in your forties. This is taken from a great article I found in YOU Magazine!

- In your forties the big change is the breakdown of collagen, with a loss of elasticity. Sun damage in the form of brown spots and patches may also appear. ALWAYS wear an SPF during the day!

- Moisturise as much as you can. Face, neck and cleavage in the morning and top to toe at night or after bathing. Argan oil is really good and antioxidant ingredients such as avocado oil, rosehip seed, borage seed and passion seed oils are all effective and natural ingredients to look out for in your moisturiser.

-Gently exfoliate once a day at least with a soft face cloth. Use a more intensive exfoliator once a week but choose a type with smooth round beads (often labelled spherical) that buff and don't scratch.

- The products you need are a creamy cleanser, gentle facial scrub, non-drying skin-toner (I always recommend Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic), day moisturiser, night cream and oil or serum (you can apply your serum under your night cream), face mask plus a multipurpose balm for lips, cuticles and the rest. (I always turn to Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for this).

- Calcium and Magnesium supplements are important in your forties to protect your bones

xx

Beauty Tips For Your Thirties

I was doing a bit of a tidy up over the weekend and came across an article from YOU Magazine that I had cut out and kept. After taking a closer look I remembered why. It's basically a guide to what your skin needs in order to look it's best during each decade of your life.

I thought that I'd give you a few of the pointers from the "thirties" section today as I found it really helpful and informative.

- This is the time to boost hydration from the inside so make sure you drink lots of water. (I find eight glasses is too much for me but that's what they advise).

- The basic skincare products you need are a detergent-free cleanser which you should remove with a muslin cloth in order to remove dead skin cells. Follow with a sweep of toner that is alcohol-free and is based on plant oils. (I love Liz Earle's Instant Boost Skin Tonic)

- If you have small age spots, massage in a little rosehip oil mixed with the contents of a vitamin E capsule every night.

-Always wear an SPF during the day!

- Eye cream is really important in your 30s and the best ones contain natural skin plumpers such as GLA, antioxidants and richer plant oils such as borage seed, rosehip seed, cranberry seed and avocado.

-All skin will reap rewards from a nightly application of facial oil. Look for blends based on pure plant oils. (I really recommend Neena Trehan's Bliss for Your Skin face oil-see earlier post!)

- A natural source vitamin E supplement such as Ester-E by Lifetime Vitamins, £13.95 for 30 capsules, will help guard against premature ageing

I'll give you the forties low-down soon xx

Darphin Refreshing Cleansing Gel With Water Lily

If like me you don't have to time to do a full cleansing routine in the morning and prefer to use a face-wash in the shower then can I recommend Darphin Refreshing Cleansing Gel with Water Lily.

I have been using this since I had my Darphin facial and have found that it throughly cleanses without leaving my skin feeling dry and tight.

Here is the blurb from the Darphin Website:

Complexion is left healthy-looking
Skin is clean, refreshed, soft and supple
Neutralizes the drying effects of tap water
A crystal clear texture with a delicate, fresh fragrance that turns into light-as-air foam
Ultra gentle, non-drying, non comedogenic formula
Dermatologist tested


This would be a great option for anyone with sensitive skin and brings a little bit of luxury to your daily shower!

Pixiwoo Easy Everyday Look

As you know, I am a massive fan of Pixiwoo. Sam and Nic are incredibly down to earth considering how incredibly successful they've been.

If you don't know them, they are sisters and both makeup artists who started posting makeup tutorials on Youtube for their friends. Within a very short period said videos were getting thousands of views and they now have around 50 million followers worldwide (Amazing!!)

Their tutorials are simple, friendly and really excellent.

I thought I'd share the below with you as it's a great look.

Enjoy xx

The Chelsea Day Spa

I adore being on the radio over Christmas. There is something very magical about chatting to people and playing their favourite festive tunes as they unwrap their pressies and spend time with their families. The only draw-back is that I have started 2012 feeling a bit knackered and could do with a break.

Not having the time for a holiday I decided to turn to the second best thing and yesterday I spent the best part of three hours in utter heaven at The Chelsea Day Spa.

The Spa is nestled just off The Kings Road next to The Carphone Warehouse and is very easy to miss. Once you've climbed up the stairs, passed an accountant's office and finally reached reception, you are struck by the friendly welcome and the simplicity of the place. No ultra modern furnishings or fancy furniture here, it is a clean, welcoming sort of place with lovely wallpaper and a cosy waiting area.

My first treatment was a Darphin Facial and was the most wonderful, relaxing and educational treatment I have ever had.

My therapist was called Elise (I implore you to ask for her because she's just amazing.) She spent about fifteen minutes studying my skin and talking through my problem areas as well as my daily skincare routine. I discovered that I have got the first signs of aging (eeek) and that I need to exfoliate and do masks more often.

Elise then told me exactly what to expect during the treatment and that she had chosen the Vitamin & Tangerine Vitalizer Energising & Radiance Treatment which is described on the website as "A perfect pep up for sluggish skin. Delivers a high-powered boost to rev up skin's natural vitality and antiaging resouces for a smooth, toned, revitalized and radiant complexion."

The next hour was so deeply relaxing and wonderful that I feel good just writing about it. The treatment started with a "foot ritual" which involved hot towels being applied to my feet and having my pressure points massaged. The same thing was then done to my shoulders. The reason for this ritual is to make you ultra relaxed as one of the beliefs of the people over at Darphin is that the more relaxed you are, the more effective the products will be.

Following this wonderful start to the treatment, a succession of stunning smelling creams, serums, exfoliators and masks were applied with the utmost expertise. Elise used her hands in so many different ways and I could feel her plumping up my skin and helping the products work their wonders with an array of deep massage, facial tapping and other techniques that she had totally perfected.

My favourite part of the facial was the beautiful arm massage during my face mask and the facial massage which was deeply relaxing. (So relaxing that I very nearly nodded off which is rare for me!)

Apart from the spectacular treatment, I was also excited to be introduced to Darphin products for the first time. I was really impressed by the feel of them on my skin and their ethos. I also love the fact that they contain an array of botanical ingredients. I'll definitely be reviewing their stuff in more depth in the near future.

My experience at the Chelsea Day Spa culminated with their "New York Manicure" which is £15 and is described on the website as an "immaculate manicure in a New York minute."

I must admit that I expected a quick shape and polish and was very pleasantly surprised when I was treated to a full half hour mani consisting of a soak, cut, file & shape, in depth cuticle work, hand massage, moisturise and polish. A total and utter bargain made even better by the snacks and one of my favourite girly films "Notting Hill" playing in the backround.

This little spa is a hidden gem and the quality of the treatments that I experienced was absolutely exceptional!

The Darphin Vitamin & Tangerine Vitalizer costs £85 for an hour's treatment and £340 for a course of five.

The New York Manicure is a mere £15 and beats a trip to the likes of Nails Inc hands down!!

For more information check out www.thechelseadayspa.co.uk

Bliss Fat Girl Slim Wrap

Morning! Today I am handing Bonn Beauty over to my best friend Pip. She got married in November and had the most incredible wedding!! Before said wedding I treated her to Bliss Fat Girl Slim Wrap....here are her thoughts:

"With less than a month to go until my wedding, I had a little panic. It seems that with old age I’ve lost the ability to diet and I’ve never been one for regular exercise; with a slightly worrying dress fitting where my dream dress sat a little tight on the hips, I suddenly thought that perhaps I shouldn’t have been so complacent.

All wine was cancelled– I call it the vodka and slimline tonic diet - and of course, all bread and pasta was off the menu replaced by beans and salads. Snore.

But I needed an extra boost to help shift a couple of nuisance pounds and thankfully, one of my bridesmaids just so happened to be my best friend, Nicola of Bonn Beauty Blog fame. Nic had the answer: the amusingly, and slightly indelicately titled Fat Girl Slim wrap at Bliss Spa. For a slightly weird but very pleasant hour and a half I experienced what it feels like to be a piece of oven-baked salmon.

Lying on a heated foil blanket, I was first of all dry body-brushed all over in order to stimulate my lymphatic system and discourage water retention. This was followed by an all over body massage using a gorgeous smelling citrus oil. A sea-weed wrap was then applied to the troublesome parts – thighs, bum, stomach – and then the baked salmon effect was completed by wrapping me up tightly in the foil and leaving me to ‘cook’ for 15 minutes. The whole process was really relaxing and – although a little odd – was one I would recommend. It's like a really good massage but with the chance you may lose a few pounds at the end of it, I see that as a total bonus.

And the results? Well, I think it did make a bit of a difference and it certainly helped to kick start a healthy couple of weeks. They encourage you to drink lots of water, cut out caffeine and alcohol and reduce your salt intake (some of which I did!). And I continued to use the Fat Girl Slim product creams which help tone. I really do think the dress hung a lot better on the day, but actually, I was on such a high that it didn’t matter either way: what an amazing day! "

Happy New Year

Happy New Year one and all!! I hope that you had a lovely break and managed to relax and spend some quality time with your families and loved ones.

My first Christmas as a married lady was wonderful but crazy. Have you seen the film "Four Christmases" with Reese Witherspoon? Well that was what my Christmas felt like. I indeed had four different Christmases and the sheer amount of food and drink has led to the return of an old friend..my belly!!

I also discovered this Christmas that I am a terrible influence on children. For some reason, toddlers don't view me as an adult but as one of them. My two year old nephew Charlie (who I am utterly in love with) bosses me around, laughs every time he looks at me and sometimes raises his tiny eyebrows at me as if he is the adult and I am the naughty child.

On Boxing Day I was playing "shops" with Charlie and he was having great fun selling me pretend apples, pears and cups of tea. Now I'll do anything to make Charlie laugh,(he's one of the only people who actually gets my sense of humour!) so without thinking of the consequences, I got one of his pretend eggs out of his pretend egg carton and threw it in the air accompanied by the sound effect "bleughhhhhhhhh".
Charlie loved it and was laughing hysterically. He then had a go and within minutes we were both snorting with laughter whilst throwing plastic eggs in the air and shouting "BLEUGHHHHHHH" at the top of our voices!!

It was at this moment that my husband Chris' sister (Charlie's Mum) walked into the room with a look of utter dismay on her face. "Nicola", she said shaking her head with a terrifying look of disappointment on her face, "My next trip to the supermarket is going to be hell".

It was at this point that I realised that "Naughty Aunty Bonn" had just potentially taught little Charlie to throw real eggs in the air (or even worse, at actual real people) whilst shouting "Bleughhhhhhh!". Needless to say, I not only need to brush up on my behaviour around kids before I consider becoming a mother but I also need to work on proving to my in-laws that I am a capable and mature adult.

Anyway, I thought that I would start the New Year by telling you about the hand-cream that has totally turned around mine and Chris' dry, sore hands and made them so smooth and silky that people have actually commented on how nice they look and feel.

Now I will warn you that if you are feeling the pinch at the moment then this hand-cream may not be a great option as it is fairly expenive. If you do like to spend money on things like this though then I would go far as to say that this is one of the best hand-creams on the market and is worth investing in, even if you only do so when the weather is cold.

The cream: Sisley Nutritive Handcare with Harpagophytum

The price: Around £50 for 75ml

Why is it so good?: This cream not only smells incredible but is an absolutely exceptional product. My husband had hands so dry that they had become itchy and were actually bleeding in places. After a week of using it they were totally better and really soft.

I find that if I apply this cream before bed, I wake up still feeling the benefits and that my hands remain soft and moisturised even after washing them.

If you have some left over vouchers from Christmas or want to treat yourself then I thoroughly recommend this product. xx