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