Archive for the ‘Clarins’ Category
Eye make-up is a royal pain to remove. I think we all agree on that one. To help, Clarins have brought out two new magical potions that will blitz even the most stubborn eye make-up: Instant Eye Make-Up Remover for waterproof and heavy eye make-up and Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion for Sensitive Eyes for regular eye make-up.
The Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover is a lotion for taking off every day eye make-up. It freshens and soothes the eyes at the same time and is suitable normal, dry, combination and oil skin.
The Instant Eye Make-Up Remover is built for heavier stuff. A bi-phase lotion made up of oil and water, the non-emulsifying oil breaks down the pigments found in heavy and waterproof cosmetics and the water part removes the soluble elements and impurities related to pollution. Basically, one half melts away the make-up using volatile oils and the remaining ingredients of organic camomile extract and organic rose floral water soothes, softens and moisturises…and the scent is divine!
The formulas also protect the lashes by coating each one with a protective, covering film and stimulating lash growth.
Both are very gentle to use, alcohol-free, dermatologically and opthalmologically tested and contain a PH balance equivalent to natural tears. I can vouch for this fact as I am a contact lens wearer who’s often displaced or managed to actually catapult a lens out of my eye from trying to take off my eye make-up.
With Clarins I didn’t need to rub repeatedly for ages to take off the gunk - just soak a cotton pad and gently hold on the eye area for about 10 seconds – the excess wipes off straight away. I also found a cotton pad for each eye was enough to thoroughly cleanse the eye area.
Both of Clarins’ Eye Make-Up Remover come in 125ml bottles and cost £17. Is this pricey? When it does the job and uses very little product with minimal waste, I have no complaints.
Available from all Clarins counters and online at www.clarins.co.uk.
*PR samples*
Last weekend was amazing. I know you will all agree with the sunshine we had but for me, it was extra special for a different reason. Why? Well I met my friend Rhian from Pretty Green Eyes for a spa weekend…and it wasn’t just any old spa but at the luxurious Vale Resort.
Rhian has long told me about this spa which is she is lucky to be living 5 minutes from. It’s Wales’ largest spa, is set in over 650 acres of breathtaking Welsh countryside and is a stone’s throw from Cardiff.
We showed up bright and early on Saturday morning to take full advantage of the spa facilities, which I was personally yearning for from a hectic week at work and surviving on six hours of sleep from the night before.
The Vale Spa's reception
The Vale takes a holistic approach in creating a peaceful and calming ambiance and there certainly is real attention to detail with the lighting and décor.
Equipped with 19 treatment rooms, there are three zones where you can float away in – the Indian inspired tented slumber lounge, the therapeutic water zone with warm water beds and the scented, rebalancing chromotherapy area. If you are unable to drift off then there are wonderful sofas to curl up on and read a book or a magazine in the relaxation room.
Choosing treatments is tough when they all sound divine but after much deliberation I settled for a Sensorial Candle Massage (£60 for 55 minutes) and a Jessica Grooming Manicure (£5 for 25 minutes).
My appointments weren’t till after lunch so I took the opportunity to spend the morning indulging in the steam room, the enormous Jacuzzi, going for a swim and the best thing, a snooze session in the chromotherapy room. Poor Rhian had wondered where I had disappeared to as I slid under the duvet for a nap, under the fancy mood lighting.
the chromotherapy room
I’m telling you every spa should have rooms to snooze in. They are amazing especially after a treatment. And yes, I had another nap, this time after my massage. I should add my treatment did not involve hot wax being poured on me. Instead my legs, arms, hands, soles of my feet, shoulders and back were gently massaged while fragrant burning candles filled the room. Total bliss!
So after all this pampering, when did I manage to leave the spa? Almost nine hours later and oh Lordy, I’d love to go back and do it all again. Beautiful surroundings, remarkable facilities and superb beauty therapists, escaping to the Vale was just the fix I needed. I suggest you give it a try if you get the chance.
To find out more about the Vale Resort and the facilities it offers, visit www.vale-hotel.com. There are often packages and good deals available so check their site.
My room looked like this
My stay at the Vale Resort is not a sponsored post but paid for by myself. (All images above courtesy of The Vale.)
I had such a great time in Wales, I thought I’d share a few of my pictures from the weekend with one or two for your amusement…
the view from my room at The Vale
evening across the resort's golf course
My Jessica Nail manicure in Notorious
Castell Coch
Yesterday Helen and I were taken on a personal tour of John Lewis’s multi-million pound new beauty hall at their flagship store on Oxford Street and what an experience it turned out to be.
Photo: John Lewis
Costing over £7 million to revamp and a whopping 18,000 square feet of retail space, if heaven is all bright white lights and pretty things then this must be it. I defy you not to be marvelled by what welcomes you the moment you enter the double glass doors of the store’s entrance.
Designer gpstudio has carefully planned the concept of this breath-taking haven with precision and style and created an ambiance that soothes and relaxes customers. It’s a complete turn-around from other beauty halls, which are usually very daunting and sometimes claustrophobic. John Lewis’s epic beauty hall was completed in seven phases, with the final unveiling only yesterday.
Photo: John Lewis
Based on the idea of a Town Square, the premium cosmetic brands are positioned like ‘houses’ around a central area focused on fragrance and niche assortments such as haircare, skincare and nails. It is a pleasure to stroll through and take in the sights, sounds and scents. I think this was the first time I could stop and look around in without other shoppers pushing past or shoving me out of the way.
Photo: John Lewis
Major international names are neighbours with niche brands and some highly prestigious names. It’s wall-to-wall beauty with something for everyone.
You can make a bee-line straight for Creed, Tom Ford or Diptyque or drool over favourites Chanel, Nars, YSL and Dior. Both Lancome and Guerlain have treatment rooms but there is also room for firm favourites L’Oreal, Carmex, Neal’s Yard, Ojon, Origins, Elemis, Liz Earle, Clarins and Clinique (to name but a few).
John Lewis has also secured concessions with Burberry (the first one outside of Harvey Nichols), Top Shop (the only place other than Top Shop itself to stock their make-up range) and the jewel in the crown (in my humble opinion), a Jo Malone concession that blasts other JM concessions out of the water.
Photo: John Lewis
Photo: John Lewis
Photo: John Lewis
You also can’t miss the incredible OPI glass cabinet housing hundreds of OPIs (can we have one commissioned for Helen, please?) surrounded by Nails Inc, Jessica and Leighton Denny delights.
Even gadgets have been incorporated (such as electric toothbrushes, haircare electrical goods, hair removal and magnifying mirrors) so all your beauty needs are covered.
It’s the ultimate beauty experience and the ultimate beauty hall. Mind you, I couldn’t leave without actually experiencing it properly, now could I? So I picked up YSL lip stain and then had the pleasure of spending an hour or so in the company of Stephanie at Jo Malone. The purse is a bit lighter (as is my head) but John Lewis’s new beauty hall is amazing. There. I’ve made my point. Now go and see it for yourself.
