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

Affordable Stocking Fillers From Mandara Spa

Filling stockings for the ones that you love is great fun and it's always so lovely to watch them open all the bits and bobs that you've picked up over the months/weeks/days (depending on how organised you are!)

The only problem is that if you're anything like me you can get a bit carried away and end up spending loads of money.

Well I've been on a search (with the help of my Christmas Elf/product tester,my gorgeous Aunty Kate) for some great stocking fillers for you that are affordable but lovely and found that Mandara Spa really do come up trumps when it comes to quality and price.


There are three products in particular that I think would make perfect stocking fillers for a lady in your life.

Exotic Soap Stack: £6.50 from www.timetospa.co.uk

Kate found the soaps very moisturising and good quality. I personally love the exotic packaging and was instantly reminded of the spa I went to on my honeymoon in Mauritius.

Luscious Lip Butters: £7.50 from www.timetospa.co.uk

Kate thought that the tin was sweet and the products were really nice - the shea butter balm was gorgeous and really moisturised, despite smelling slightly of coconut. The coconut butter was lovely and smooth.

Bath Indulgence: £13 Available from www.timetospa.co.uk

Everyone loves a bubble bath and these smell beautiful. They foam up nicely and the fact that you get five different bottles (each one is a different Manadara Spa signature scent) means that you can tailor your bath to your mood and that they are also great for taking on holiday.

If you're feeling a bit more flush then you could always book a treatment for someone at the Mandara Spa London, Park Plaza http://www.mandaraspa.com/ which is one of my favourite spas in London.

A Christmas Treat for your Mum

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you my gorgeous Mum!

Today I am handing Bonn Beauty over to Mummy Bonn who sparked my passion for beauty as a kid. (She is very glamorous and I still love watching her applying her makeup!)

Anyway, MB has tested The Jewels of Elemis for me. The minute I saw it I thought it would make the perfect luxury present for Mums this Christmas.

Mum's thoughts:

"I thought that all of my Christmas’s had come at once when I was given The Jewels of Elemis as an early present.

My skin was looking dull after a two week cold, which had been doing the office rounds, so the timing was perfect.

The collection is beautifully presented in a grey patent make up case and is aimed at mature skin. Each of the six full sized products are Pro-Collagen. Not being able to wait until Xmas, I started by using the Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules. The pot is divided into blue capsules for the night and pink for the day. Each capsule smells beautiful and repairs the visable sign of aging and helps counteract damage done by pollution. I followed this by using the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. This is one of my favourites, which I always end up coming back to. After two weeks of using the capsules and marine cream I noticed that my skin was radiant and had a pink glow. Just what I needed for Xmas parties.

I have just started on my third product, having run out of my usual cream cleanser and can report that it has exactly the same radiance boosting effect and my face feels beautifully soft. I shall now be using the Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser as one of my staple skincare products.

I’m looking forward to pampering my body with the rest of the set."


Thanks Mum xx

It's Christmas Time!!!!

Yayyyy it's December!!!I love EVERYTHING about this time of year and generally spend the entire month like the kid in the John Lewis advert. (Although I don't think I'm quite as lovely as he is!)

Anyway, from now until Christmas Day, Bonn Beauty is going as festive as a giant bauble covered in fairy dust.

I'm going to be recommending great gifts, party looks and beauticians to make you look fabulous this Christmas.

So, let's start with the perfect all in one makeup palette for the party season.

The Jemma Kidd Glamour Kit Palette honestly has everything you need for a night out apart from mascara, foundation and powder.

The colours are universal and are really gorgeous.

Here's what you get for a bargainous £28:

A two-in-one priming eye and lip base to enhance colour pigment and ensure long-lasting results

A selection of 4 versatile eye shadows in neutral, taupe, charcoal and an illuminating silver to open the eye area

A high pigment black crème liner to give high definition

A lightweight lip and cheek flush for a natural finish.

Mini Jemma Kidd Make Up School essential shadow and liner duo brush applicators.

I absolutely love this kit. We used it on a recent OK Magazine Beauty shoot and I couldn't believe how versatile it was.

You can get hold of the palette from Space NK.


http://www.spacenk.co.uk/product/shop+by+brand/jemma+kidd/glamour+kit+palette+exclusive.do

xx

Hair Laser Removal (I can't believe I'm sharing this with you!)

My Grandma is 80 but looks about 50. She is vivacious, flirtatious and spends her time line-dancing and learning French.

Anyway, I will never forget the time that she took me aside and whispered "Darling, I can't help but notice that you've inherited a real family trait"

"What's that?" I replied, imagining that she was referring to some hidden beauty that I didn't yet realise I posessed.

"Well" she said, "You're a tiny bit hairy aren't you!"

I instantly turned into a surly teenager and stomped out of the room.You see, what I now refer to as my "heritage hair" was the absolute bane of my life and my Grandma had definitely hit a folic nerve!

Here's why:

1. Ed Smith, who I fancied BIG TIME at the age of 14, told me that he would fancy me if it wasn't for my hairy arms.

2. I could shave my legs in the morning and 24 hours later already see the re-growth. YUCK!

3. I got awful ingrowing hairs every time I had a wax

4. I hated getting my legs out because they never looked hair free!!!

You may notice that these four points are in the past tense. This is because two years ago I changed my life by having laser hair removal.

Now some people might think that spending the best part of £1000 on hair removal is crazy but for me it was worth every hard-saved penny.I had six sessions of full leg and bikini removal. It was bloody painful but SO worth it!More than a year later I am still hair free and LOVING it!

Anyway, if you don't have the money to splash out on getting laser removal in a salon*, then I may have found a product that will make you very happy indeed!

The TRIA Hair Removal Laser is a Laser that you can use safely at home and which has been through rigorous safety checks. It uses exactly the same technology that is used in salons and unlike most salon lasers you don't need to wear goggles when using it. The main pro is the price! The laser retails at £349 and this is amazing considering that you will have it for life and won't need to spend thousands on going to a salon.

For more information on this wonder-device, here's the link to their website: http://www.triabeauty.co.uk/tria-laser-hair-removal-system

Oh and if you want any advice on general hair removal issues I'm definitely your lady!!

* make sure that you go to a reputable salon if you do choose this option. I had mine done at SK:N in Holborn, London and was very happy with the service they offered!