No comments
18
Jun 13

A Treatment and Trim at Eleven Hair

Tucked away behind Bond Street station, Eleven Hair is a mid-sized and charming hair salon. My hair was in desperate need of a trim so I popped along to see how comfortable the stylists would be working on afro hair.

I started with a consultation with my stylist Russell. We discussed my hair routine, what my ideal hair type is and what I wanted from my visit. During our discussion he gave me a really useful tip for tonging hair: put your hair in two ponytails and only tong the ends. Run fingers through the tonged ends to loosen and you’ll have wavy hair from mid ends. Wear your hair down and as the week progresses and curls drop wear in a side pony and a messy fluffy fishtail braid when the curls have dropped out. Such a brilliant idea!

We washed my hair with Joico K Pak repairing shampoo to repair and rejuvenate damaged coloured tresses. I then had a wonderful head massage while the assistant worked in Joico Hydrating Masque to hydrate and nourish dry hair.

eleven-hair3

After conditioning, she sprayed Joico leave in moisturiser for dry hair then worked thru Joico Colour Therapy restorative styling gel which has more argan oil and protein lipids than Moroccanoil. She finished with Sculpting Lotion (good for fine hair) mixed with Smoothing Lotion to smooth without making my hair too flat. We were going for springy and elastic strands.

I had Russell and an assistant blow dry my hair and dampen sections as they dried out. As each section dried he made it into a pin curl to add body and light waves/bends. At the end he’d done such a good job he didn’t need to go over again with straightening irons; always a sign of a good blow dry.

I sometimes wonder if treatments are anything more than glorified conditioners but the next time I washed my hair I could really feel the difference. It felt thicker and stronger and I can only put it down to the Joico treatment.

I think Eleven Hair is best suited to Caucasian hair and girls with thick curly hair. When it comes to afro hair I think is best for those with mixed race and hair up to maybe 3 A-C. If you have hair that’s 4 A-C I think they might struggle to straighten it but go along for a consultation first either way.

I felt like they really cared about the condition and health of my hair and after a much-needed trim I came out with swingy happy hair.

eleven-hair2

The end result

Eleven Hair
11 Blenheim St
London
W1S 1LL
www.eleven-hair.com

No comments
17
Jun 13

Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme

I love that undone, matte, beachy mussed up hair look that girls with Caucasian hair seem to easily pull off but I’ve never been able to quite get the look on my own tresses. Even when my hair is blow dried straight and/or flat ironed, it seems to veer between big and poufy or straightened to within an inch of its life.

In an attempt to achieve the look, I tried out the Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme. It has received mixed reviews online with some claiming it doesn’t do anything and others saying it makes their hair too greasy.

bumble-and-bumble-grooming-creme

Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme was specially formulated for ‘colour-treated hair, and calming coarse, curly or African American textures’ – in other words me! The Creme contains a blend of Jojoba, Sweet Almond, Avocado, Safflower and Castor Oils and gives a nice subtle satin finish to the hair.

Simply add a 10p size amount to damp hair and blow dry and usual. I used BaByliss Big Hair and twirled each section as i dried to get the choppy ‘lived in’ finish I was after. my hair dries very quickly so some sections were semi dry before I got round to them so I re-hydrated them with Bumble and Bumble Tonic; water mixed with a blend of herbs, vitamins and Tea Tree Oil to replace moisture, soothe and detangle.

I really liked the finish Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme gave to my hair; it didn’t weigh it down at all, it smelled pleasant and it left a matte, textured look to my hair; not too neat and flat but not too big and crazy either. As it was especially formulated for thick, curly and afro hair, i find a great way to make my blow dry look a little more interesting.

Bumble and Bumble Grooming Creme – £21/150ml

No comments
15
Jun 13

Benefit All Star Kits

Benefit has brought out a new selection of makeup kits to complement their All Star Kits range (Complexion, Lip & Cheek and World Famous Neutrals).

The three new Benefit All-Star Kits for Summer 2013 are:

Do The Bright Thing
Primping With The Stars
The Bronze Champions

benefit-bronze-champions

 

benefit-do-the-bright-thing

 

benefit-primping-with-the-stars

I tried Do The Bright Thing which contains lots of my favourite products:

Stay don’t stray (concealer for eye shadow and concealer)
Some kind a gorgeous (foundation)
Girl meets pearl (face illuminator)
The POREfessional (pore minimiser)
They’re real (bestselling mascara)
Benetint (cheek and lip stain)

My favourite thing about Benefit kits is the fact that contain ‘Tips & Tricks’ so even the most makeup challenged can figure out how to best apply their products.

If you’re new to Benefit, these All-Star kits are a great way to get to know the brand and decide if it’s right for you.

The three new All-Star Kits for Summer 2013 will be available from May 18 and will retail at £26.50.

No comments
15
Jun 13

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Sometimes a product comes along and you wonder how you got along without it. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate is one of those products.

The product launched nearly three years ago, on average a bottle of it is sold every minute and so far, over one million have been sold worldwide. It has won 21 awards in a variety of countries and celebrity fans include Bar Rafaeli, Sarah Jessica Parker and Uma Thurman. It took the Kiehl’s chemists 20 versions to settle on a formula they were pleased with and results can be seen after just one use. Yes, one use; it’s not called Midnight Miracle for nothing.

kiehls midnight recovery concentrate

I told a few friends I was trying it out and everyone who had heard of or used it said how amazing it was.

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate contains a blend of botanical extracts and essential oils and after applying three drops instead of my usual night cream, I woke up to brighter and more radiant skin. My skin felt softer, my pores smaller and my face just looked all around better. I don’t know how Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate does it, but it really does ‘do’ it.

In trials, users found that a four week nightly use meant:

Fine lines reduced by 37%
Wrinkles reduced by 31%
Feel of roughness reduced by 28%
Firmness/resilience reduced by 25%

It doesn’t matter what skin type you are, this lightweight overnight concentrate will work on everyone. If you have normal to combination skin, apply 2-4 drops in place of your usual night cream. If you have dry skin, you might want to apply a light night cream on top of the concentrate.

I’m hiding my bottle from my husband and this is one product I do not want to share!

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – £36

No comments
12
Jun 13

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Coming to Theatre

Unless you spent your childhood under a rock or your parents didn’t like you, you would (should!) have read Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I’ve read the book, my daughter has read the book, we’ve seen two versions of the film; such is the enduring legacy of Roald Dahl. Like Cameron from Modern Family, I consider myself ‘theatre folk’ so was rather excited to hear about the new stage production of Charlie & co directed by Academy Award® winner Sam Mendes.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

And this isn’t just any old stage production. Oh no. Set at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the music is by Marc Shaiman and the lyrics are by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Grammy® winners for Hairspray; Smash). The book (and now I’ve seen Smash I know what this is) by award-winning playwright and adaptor David Greig (Midsummer; Creditors; Tintin in Tibet), set and costume designs by Mark Thompson (Mamma Mia!; One Man, Two Guvnors) and choreography by Peter Darling (Billy Elliot; Matilda).

charlie-chocolate-factory-drury-lane-theatre (2)

Willy Wonka (Gene Wilder left big shoes to fill) is played by Olivier and Tony Award®-winning actor Douglas Hodge and he is accompanies by Nigel Planer as Grandpa Joe, Clive Carter as Mr Salt, Jasna Ivir as Mrs Gloop, Paul J Medford as Mr Beauregarde, Iris Roberts as Mrs Teavee, Billy Boyle as Grandpa George, Roni Page as Grandma Josephine and Myra Sands as Grandma Georgina. I am almost as excited as my children at the thought of seeing this production on stage.

Watch the creative team behind the musical come together to talk about the production as well as a sneak peek at the rehearsals with the cast and orchestra here.

Further information and tickets (from £25) are available from www.CharlieandtheChocolateFactory.com. Opening night is Tuesday 25 June at 7.30pm.

No comments
11
Jun 13

The Beauty Edit: June

Interchangeable weather means I’ve got these in heavy rotation this month:

june-beauty

Nad’s Facial Wand Eyebrow Shaper – £10.20
I admit I was nervous to try this at-home eyebrow waxing kit as the last time I tried to do my eyebrows myself I looked constantly surprised. I recommend you get your brown expertly waxed/plucked/threaded first and then use the Nads’s Facial Wand Shaper for maintenance only. My brows weren’t too straggly so it was pretty easy to apply the wax with the gel and use the strips in the box to tidy them up. No one has said I look different so I know I can’t have done too bad a job.

Kiko Eyebrow Styling Kit – £13.90
Once your brows are the right shape, enhance them with this styling kit. It contains pigmented eyebrow wax to fix, and two complementary coloured powders to shape and fill brows. The kit also includes grooming tools to spruce and style: mini tweezers, slanted brush and a mini wand. It is available in two colour shades: one for chestnut browns and black haired ladies and one for reds and blondes.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Cool & Creamy Wash – £5
If you grew up in the 90s chances are you had something from The Body Shop Tea Tree range as your hormones played havoc with your skin. Personally, I had the concentrated tea tree oil. This new creamy wash contains fair trade marula and soya oil, skin-clearing and anti-bacterial tea tree oil and a hit of menthol to help give the wash its cool sensation and fresh fragrance. Perfect for good and bad skin days. To prevent the bad ones from ever happening again!

L’Oreal Confetti Nail Polish – £4.99
Plain nails seem to be a thing of the past and make up giant L’Oreal have taken their time to get on the textured bandwagon. Their confetti top coat is designed to be worn over your favourite nail colour to give that speckled look to your existing polish. At £4.99 it’s cheaper than a lot of the other brands out there and works just as well.

ESPA Lifestage Net8 Serum – £100
It’s not cheap but this serum has been rigorously tested under independent clinical trial conditions to ensure efficacy across a broad spectrum of the most visible signs of ageing. Especially formulated for those aged 45 and over, it contains Natural Encapsulation Technology – an innovative and intelligent delivery system that utilises a natural protective outer shell to hold a multitude of microspheres – each infused with a unique blend of individual actives in their purest most concentrated form. I’m not 45 yet but my frown lines that lead from nose to mouth aren’t going to disappear on their own!

No comments
11
Jun 13

Tangle Teezer for Children

If your children have curly, thick, afro or mixed race hair, you need a Tangle Teezer Magic Flowerpot in your life. It’s one of those ‘how did I survive before it’ type products.

I use my Tangle Teezer each and every time I wash my hair and it works amazingly at detangling my very curly hair. They’ve recently brought out a super cute Tangle Teezer for children; it’s brightly coloured and comes in a cute Magic Flowerpot case which doubles up as a storage pot for hair bands and clips.

tangle-teezer-magic-flowerpot

For best results, wash your daughter’s hair, condition as usual and when wet, brush through with the Tangle Teezer to get rid of knots and tangles. I don’t know how the brush does it but there are no tears or tantrums when using this brush as it almost magically gets rid of the tangles to leave behind soft and smooth hair.

tangle-teezer-magic-flowerpot2

How’s this for a celebrity seal of approval: none other than Victoria Beckham tweeted a picture of the Tangle Teezer for children so now we know how and why little Harper’s hair looks so good!

Victoria Beckham Twitter

Victoria Beckham Twitter

Tangle Teezer Detangling Brush for Little Girls – £10.99

No comments
10
Jun 13

Exercise Beauty Favourites

I am currently two weeks in to a 60 day exercise programme called Insanity.

Created by ex-dancer Shaun T it is intense interval training and it’s the hardest workout I’ve ever done (yes, worse than spinning) but it drops the fat like nothing else.

All this exercise means I’ve had to switch up my beauty routine slightly so these are my current favourites:

exercise beauty

Bumble & Bumble Black Hair Powder – £16
This is like dry shampoo in black; perfect for those of us with darker tresses. If your hair gets greasy, use this to soak up some of the oils. The colour was especially formulated for inky brown, Asian, Hispanic and afro hair and I use it post exercise to add fullness to my otherwise ratty ponytail. You can also use it to give a matte finish to your hair, dry cleanse or add volume if your hair is falling flat. Spray carefully; this is like black coloured hairspray and you don’t want it all over your clothes/bed/walls.

Dr Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer – £16.99
Although I am exercising my heart out, every little helps which is why I am using Dr Ceuticals Leg Tone & Shimmer. Not only does it give the legs a subtle shimmer, it contains marine extracts which are proven to target and refine stubborn fatty deposits. For best results use religiously every morning for three months. Massage into dry skin until the cream has fully absorbed. It’s only been two weeks but I’ll let you know if it makes a difference. Worst case scenario I’m left with moisturised and shimmery legs!

Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak – £34.50
Insanity is like nothing you’ve ever seen, high intensity isn’t the word so you can imagine the state I am in by the end of the workout. The first few days I could hardly move which is why I was so happy when the Elemis Aching Muscle Super Soak arrived in the post. With extracts of extracts of Birch, Juniper, Clove, Alpine Lavender, Wild Thyme and Blue Chamomile, combined with Mineral-rich Sea Salt a 15 minute soak in the bath does a great job in lessening the strains and aches next morning.

Bioderma Sebium Corrective Concentrate for Enlarged Pores - £14.85
There’s a reason French women always look so fabulous and it’s probably because most of them use Bioderma products. The Micelle solution for sensitive skin is a favourite of beauty editors worldwide but I think the Sebium range has been overlooked. Formulated for combination and oily skins, it clears pores and smooths skin. Excess sebum, stress, smoking and pollution can cause pores to dilate and enlarge but this corrective concentrate improves the appearance of the skin and can be worn as primer. I use it on my forehead, nose and shin before applying makeup.

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser – £3.65
This is a genius product from Nivea; you use your shower gel as usual, rinse off, apply this in shower moisturiser (I used the blue bottle – it contains almond oil and is especially for dry skins) rinse off and you are ready to face the day. Yes, no moisturising your skin afterwards. While it definitely hydrates and moisturises the skin, I’m not ready to say goodbye to a separate body cream totally but it is perfect for the gym, the busy and/or the lazy.

No comments
10
Jun 13

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

To be sure these were apropos, I asked Mr 32 Boroughs to compile a list of things he likes. So if you’re buying for a 30 something man who likes fashion, food and grooming, these should be right up his street:

Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Range – from £8
Who doesn’t want the gift of youthful looking skin? I really like Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Energizing Scrub and No Shine Hydration Gel. For use daily this one-two combination will have even the most weathered of faces feeling fresh, fit and firm. The energizing scrub is packed with apricot kernels for a scrub that won’t dissolved after a few rubs making it an excellent pre shave treatment. It also contains natural menthol, vitamin E and lemon and orange peel extract to really wake up and revitalise tired skin in the morning. It lathers up well too so no real need for an additional cleanser.

fathers-day2
The No Shine Hydrator really moisturises the skin without leaving a sticky clammy feel or a shiny forehead. You look and feel as if you’ve had a facial for the sake of 5 minutes wash-and-go time in the morning.

Johnnie Walker Double Black – £29.99
Johnnie Walker Double Black whisky is a richer, more intense and smokier expression of the classic Black Label. It was matured in deep charred old oak casks and specially selected whiskies from the West Coast of Scotland with a naturally smoky flavour. For those who fancy themselves as connoiseurs, Johnnie Walker Double Black has a more intense taste; apples, pears and orange zest add a freshness to the blend, whilst the creamy vanilla and spices bring a softness and sweetness to the tongue. It tastes perfect neat or in a whisky sour.

fathers-day

Chocolate – A Love Story’ by Max Brenner – £20 
Give your Dad chocolates and the likelihood is that he’ll scoff the lot in one sitting. Give him the recipe book to make his own chocolate masterpieces and he literally has he gift that keeps giving. That book is ‘Chocolate – A Love Story’ by Max Brenner. For those that do not know who Max Brenner is Google ‘Max Brenner’ or ‘The Bald Man’ and prefix either with ‘Chocolate Bar’.

max-brenner

The Chocolate Bar is the brainstorm of Oded Brenner and has been very successful in the Southern Hemisphere, Israel and NYC. He hasn’t graced us with a permanent UK store yet so Chocolate – A Love Story is the next best thing. Packed with 65 mouth-watering recipes that are surprisingly easy to make you’ll be on the receiving end of the best of Max Brenner’s eccentric creations. It includes the recipe for the ‘Bad boy chocolate pizza’ and the oh-so simple ‘Once-upon-a-time small almond cookies’ which were delicious. If only we had Oompa loompas to clean everything up afterwards!

 

No comments
07
Jun 13

Defuzzing with Gillette

I used to be a bit of a cheap skate when it came to women’s razors. I’d pick up a packet of whichever brand was cheapest, use some of my husband’s shaving foam and pray for no nicks and scrapes. Of course I had lots of nicks and scrapes so I left shaving and moved over to waxing. Waxing is expensive and time consuming so when I came across the Gillette Venus and Satin Care ranges I was happy to give them a try.

gillette

Well it’s like moving from sparking white to champagne! I applied the Gillette Venus Satin Care shave gel to my damp legs and rubbed in until all surfaces were covered. I then shaved with the Gillette Venus Pro Skin razor in a variety of directions and was left with baby smooth and moisturised legs. I also used the products on the underarm and they were left smooth and hairless. Underarms can be tricky as the surface isn’t smooth but the Gillette Venus Pro Skin razor adapts to the curves and contours of your body to make sure you aren’t nicked in the process.

I’ll never go back to the pound shop again!

← Older Entries

Featuring WPMU Bloglist Widget by YD WordPress Developer