Monday, December 15

SALON REVIEW: Abi's Hair and Beauty

Hello pretties,


How's everyone doing? Hope the holiday season is in full swing! I'm sitting here snuggled up on the sofa admiring my gorgeous sparkly tree peeking up above my laptop :)

Sadly in front of my laptop is where I have firmly been placed all day... I'm studying for a Masters in Strategic Marketing part-time... this means little time to work on it and even less time for play!

So to treat myself I booked an hour long full body Aveda Elemental Nature massage appointment at a salon I hadn't been to before Abi's Hair and Beauty Salon in Purley. It's fairly new in the area, having just had it's one year anniversary in November so I was looking forward to meeting the staff and checking out their salon.

Located in a prime position on Purley high street it was easy to spot with it's glowing lilac frontage and clean sleek layout inside... very impressed. The salon inside is white, tidy and homely. After filling out the necessary forms I was whisked off to a treatment room toward the back of the salon for my massage to begin.

The room was a little compact but the delicious warmth of it made up for that entirely.. who needs space when you're lying down anyway! If you're accustomed to my salon reviews you'll know that cold treatment rooms are my biggest no-no so in that Abi's can be given the highest commendation!

My therapist was fantastic, friendly and firm with her massage. I explained to her my issues and I felt she really tailored the massage to my needs. I was also impressed by her firm hand - I can't count how many massages I've had where they just limply rub you up and down for a while!

Ok,,, so that sounds a bit weird, but you all know what I mean right? 

Abi's also added those final touches that so many salons forget. I had a mince pie waiting for me when I asked for a drink (In my eagerness to eat it I spilt half of it down me but lets not go there!). There were complimentary chocolates and biscuits in my treatment room... who doesn't want chocolate after a relaxing massage? Heaven! AND, when I was about to leave I received a hand written Christmas card addressed just to me wishing me a Merry Christmas and giving me a 10 pound voucher off my next treatment. Impressive or what ladies!!

From my experience of the salon and my treatment I would definitely visit again. The staff and the salon are a pleasure to visit.

Check out their full treatment list and try them out, I recommend it :)

Love 

LauraClaire

Tuesday, December 9

Wassen We Beautify Collagen Review


Merry Christmas beauts,

Hope you're enjoying the Christmas season! Two weeks ago Wassen contacted me to see if I'd like to try out their We Beautify Collagen drink. I take Berocca every day so, with Wassen being an orange powdered drink too I thought it would be perfect to compare against my usual.

They sent me the 10 Sachet pack. On the packaging it does say 1 sachet per day for 4 weeks minimum so I can't really give a full review of the effects but have taken a few before and afters all the same :)


If you read my blog regularly you'll know I'm a sucker for packaging... I like the pink and silver.. but most of all the cute handy size sachets. So easy to pop into your handbag.

One sachet provides
Peptan®
Hydrolyzed Collagen 5g
Vitamin E 15mg α-TE
Vitamin C 100mg
Manganese 2mg

As well as manganese, vitamins and sweeteners it has the special ingredient... hydrolyzed collagen which has been demonstrated scientifically to improve skin condition and appearance. The taste is nicer than Berocca in my opinion, it's more subtle and was a pleasure to drink!

BEFORE
DURING
AFTER


Apologies for frightening you all with my #nomakeupselfies!! But I think it does a great job... the vitamin boost of a vitamin drink with the added bonus of caring for your skin.

Peptan Hydrolyzed Collagen supports:

· Younger-looking skin
· Moisture levels
· Smoothness
· Prevention of deep wrinkle formation
· Improved suppleness
· Bone density
· Joint health
· Post-exercise recovery
· Weight control (as satiating macronutrient)

If you want to try this out for yourself pop down the road to Boots where you can by the same 10 sachet pack for £19.99.

Will Wassen's Collagen drink be on your list to Santa this year? Let me know in the comments below!

Love 
LC

Thursday, December 4

My perfect Christmas Eve with #NextmasWishlist!


The perfect ingredients from Next for a festive Christmas Eve in with the Boyf. Sipping champagne ( and later on sipping a cuppa to sober up!) in your cute Christmas PJs surrounded by a big tree and lots of decs, snuggled up watching Elf on the sofa and waiting for Santa to come!

What is your perfect Christmas eve? Let me know in the comment box below...I'd love to compare! 

Hunt down the nightwear for yourself now :) Merry Christmas

Love 

LC 


Sunday, November 30

An Amazing Gift with a Personal Touch: The Book of Everyone

Hi my lovelies!

Firstly I'd like to wish you a very warm Happy Advent... yes that's right ladies.... it's officially December! Get to the shops now in urgent gift grabbing melt down... or perhaps I have something that you'll find twice and good and not at all manic to purchase...

A few weeks ago the amazing people at The Book of Everyone contacted me to review their books. I'd never heard of them before but when I checked out the website I so wanted one!

The book of everyone is exactly that, a beautiful hard-backed book (or e-book if you wish) made especially for your loved one all about them. They call it a book that celebrates that 'one-of-a-kind' person. Using some vital stats each page becomes all about them - like their star sign, what happened in the year they were born. Each page is filled with fun facts.

The pages themselves are beautiful too. That's because each one is designed by a bunch of talented artists.

With free shipping in the UK the cost is very reasonable I think... £7.50 for the digital version, £19.50 for the soft cover and £29.30 for the hard cover which I was sent. Not bad for a totally bespoke one-off coffee table book.


The bit I especially like is their joint work with Age UK. On top of sharing their profits they'll also be celebrating the lives of elderly people; presenting them with beautiful personalised books full of stories and photos about them.

I chose my amazing boyfriend to create a book for. It was so fun and easy! You don't have to log in or sign up so go play around and create your own book now.

Before I knew it it had arrived at my little flat door...






There is just so much detail in it, it's like an interesting facts book all about them, love it!

Cannot wait to give it to him! :)

P.S. they also do a Christmas version... hells yeah!

Love 

LauraClaire

Thursday, November 27

An Interview with Sneaker Chains UK




I love fresh home-grown entrepreneurial talent. It's so inspiring to see great people go out of their comfort zone doing something they're passionate about. Whilst scanning Twitter recently I stumbled upon Sneaker Chains UK which is just one of those inspiring businesses. 

Sneaker Chains UK sells a range of slick key chains and air fresheners and have quickly amassed a 3000+ strong social media following. 

Jordan, the brains behind it all, was kind enough to send me the Air Max 90 Duck Camo which he designed and had produced himself! As you can see from my snaps it looks amazing, I was so impressed when I received it - retailing at £2.50 it's a must for any sneaker head... the perfect stocking filler! 

So, with a great product and a buzz growing fast around the brand I was eager to interview the genius behind it all and find out his ambitions for the future...

Can you tell us a little about yourself and where you're from? 

My names Jordan, I'm 19, I live in London but I'm originally from Blackpool.

What inspired you to start Sneaker chains uk and when did it all begin?

I was inspired to start sneaker chains uk due to being a huge trainer collector/fan for years and it just clicked that keyrings would be a great idea to match the trainers with a keyring on your keys.

What's your favourite product in your range and why? 

My favourite product is the Air Max 90 Duck Camo because I designed it and had it produced myself, Very chuffed with how it came out too.

You seem to have masters social media for your business. You've created a buzz on Twitter and have a strong following. Any tips for social media success? 

The only tips I can really offer are don't be afraid to put yourself out there, if you don't ask you don't get. It was a risk and it worked. 

Best business moment so far since starting up?

My best business moment since starting up has been meeting some of the nicest down to earth people. Business doesn't just bring in money, if you're nice about it you'll also develop a lot of friends.

What are your ambitions for your business in the future? 

My top ambitions for the future are first of all expanding my brand to selling a whole range of products and my dream would be to see my brand appear in one of the top high street stores such as Selfridges, Liberty London, Harvey Nichols or/& Harrods.

Watch out for Jordan as I have a feeling we'll be seeing more from him and Sneaker Chains UK in the future. 

Love

LauraClaire

Sunday, November 2

The Top 5 Luxury Advent Calendars of 2014

Hey pretties,

So, it's the 2nd of November... perfectly acceptable to start talking about Christmas right?

Eeerrrmmm... so I may be pushing it BUT I have a great excuse... I'm giving you a month's notice to get your BF/Mum/Sister/Random on the street in line to buy you one of THESE must-have beauties!

Coming in at a very respectable number 5 is...
From Tomorrow L'Occitane fans can get their hands on a gorgeous collection of mini goodies for advent. The calendar has lots of beautiful miniatures and all different... unfortunately you're only going to get 13 of them (something to do with Provence holiday traditions) and that's why it's my number 5.. yep I'm greedy!

Counting down to 4 we have..

EEEK that's right girls it's Yankee Candle yaaay! I'm going to generally assume that everyone loves a Yankee Candle, I've yet to meet somebody that doesn't! This advent calendar is a big big big love, such cute packaging and a candle for each day. It's called Advent House (aww cute), costs £24.99 and you can buy it from the yankee store.

It would have been top of my list had it not been for the teeny tea lights in all of the door bar one... bit of a moan on their tea lights... they only seem to burn for half of the candle... sort it out Yankee!

For number 3 I've chosen...

It's a favourite from good olds Boot. Called 25 Days of Beauty Secrets, this little beaut comes in at £35 but is jam packed with 25 (yep, even a goodie on Christmas day!) treats worth a total of £130. Impressive.

Slipping in at number 2...

is the highly coveted Benefit Cosmetics Advent Calendar, this year entitled Candy Coated Countdown, which I'm sorry to say has already sold out online! Retailing at £60 on their site I've still seen it being sold on Ebay etc. but with prices up to £120 there's a pretty painful mark up. All the same with the incredible array of gifts and goodies behind each door I suppose it's no surprise... I'll have to get in earlier next year!

Absolute number 1 is...


always going to be from Selfridges right! There 2014 Enchanted Spells calender opens in half like a book to reveal 24 little doors and 24 incredible potions and lotions that even the most high maintenance woman would go weak and the knees for.

£85 for such a collection of enviable goodies is darn reasonable too don't you think? We have a winner!! 


Ditch the chocolate, keep the pre-Christmas health kick going and go all out with an grown up calendar this year!

Love

LauraClaire 

Tuesday, June 3

An Interview with Miranda Price, jewellery designer and Mara company owner

Hi Beauties, 

Hope you're having a good week so far. Monday's over so things are looking up already right? :) 

I've got something else to lift your spirits too! The stunning Miranda Price, Jewellery designer and owner of Mara got in contact with me last week to promote her latest jewellery collection 'Charmed Life'. She is a UK-based business owner too, and I do love to support UK business so I took a look at her designs.... Fell in love! 

I was so interested by her 'about us' section of her site www.marajewellery.co.uk and how she got inspiration for her jewellery that I asked to interview her and here's how it went...



So Miranda, how and when did you first realise you wanted to become a jewellery designer?
It was years ago when I was living in Koh Samui, Thailand. It was definitely something I fell into without knowing it would actually become my passion and job years later. We travelled up to Bangkok and whilst looking for clothes in the markets I came across numerous stalls covered from ceiling to floor in strands of semi-precious stones. There were stones of every colour, they all looked amazing. I bought a few strands...I think I bought some coral and agate. I made a few simple necklaces and it started as a hobby first. It wasn't until I came back to the UK in 2012 that I really pursued it as a job and got my first website.

You are very well travelled! How have your travels inspired your work? 
I think it has probably inspired me more than I have realised. I have taken in so much over my years away...different cultures, places and styles. I think it has definitely been a positive thing for my jewellery. 

Can you tell us a bit about the process from conception to the finished product - how does a piece of jewellery get made?
usually start by deciding what semi-precious stones to use for the collection. Once I know the colour of the stones I'm using I then shop around and find charms and beads that will go well together. I will already have ideas in my head for what I want some of the pieces to look like.  But with some of the stone bracelets and necklaces I just start off beading them together and see where it takes me. It can be quite fiddly because the stones and beads are so small. 


What would you most like to make that you haven't so far?
I would like to make some chunkier pieces of jewellery and perhaps some ankle chains and rings.

Are there any tips you can give readers when choosing jewellery?
I think its nice to have a selection of jewellery....with necklaces I have some long and some short styles. Its always good to have a couple of statement necklaces that you can wear on a night out and to buy jewellery with colour in as well as plain pieces.

And finally, what's your favourite piece of jewellery in your new collection and why?

It would have to be the Carpe Diem bracelet. I like the peach colour leather and the gold plated tube beads used in the design. You can wear it whether you are dressing casual for the day and also for nights out.

The New Collection 'Charmed Life' is on the website now to purchase. Go take a look! 

Or watch my review video of the 'For Keeps' bracelet on LuckyPrettyTV now!

Love

LauraClaire

Tuesday, May 27

Relax Therapy Massage Review

Heya Beauts 

I've always wanted to try a Hot Stone Massage since my gorgeous mummy raved about her friend having one. So when Relax Therapy in Purley offered one I was eager to try it out!

Like most of you out there I do love a massage.. any form of pampering will do really right? So here is what I thought of Relax Therapy's Hot Stones..

Relax Therapy is located with Dynamics Health and Fitness just on the Brighton Road. Once at the front reception I was motioned upstairs to the treatment room. There I met Beata who was my lovely therapist for the hot stone massage. She was very kind and patient with me as I flustered about with my multiple bags I carry with me two and from work (half the time I'm not sure for what reason even!). She offers a number of different massages including deep tissue.


The treatment room is fairly small but clean, tidy and comfortable. It is also warm which is one of my biggest niggles. Cold treatment rooms will one day be the death of me. So big brownie points held by Beata there! The calming music makes you forget that you are in a fitness centre at all, apart from the occasional sound of dropping weights or running feet but it is rare.

The massage began by placing the hot marble stones onto my back and massaging first my legs and then arms until the whole of my body had been massaged. After massaging each area with her hands she would then use the deliciously warm stones to rub deeper into my muscles absolutely melting away any tension I had in them.

The pressures she used was perfect in my opinion. How do you like your massages? I like a fairly firm massage and I found this one to be very good. I left feeling very relaxed indeed. Pure magic :)

I was a happy customer and in fact sneaked off a few weeks later for yet another hot stone massage with Beata (cheeky!).

Have you been to Relax Therapy? Let me know your thoughts in the comments box below :)

7/10

love

LAURACLAIRE


Wednesday, March 5

Hair Artist: Pink Hair Chalk Review




Hey lovelies

You may have seen my other posts about dying my hair ombre, pink, red, dip dye.. ummm ok, so I like to dye my hair! But this time I thought I've have a go at something a little less permanent with Hair Artist - Pink Hair Chalk.

I bought this is Top Shop at the weekend after spending at least 20 minutes deciding on which colour. I very nearly chose mint green (too cute!) but didn't know if it would show up on my light brown hair.

The hair chalk is definitely just that.. Chalk. Not too sure really what I was expecting haha sounds silly huh. But as you can see from my before and after shots it does show up quite nicely on my darker hair. It's quite a subtle look but nice to chuck in your bag and apply mid-festival.

Saying that, it is an over priced gimmick for something that really guys.. is just a piece of chalk. Yup, fuelled into yet another purchase by marketing! hehe you got me :) hey we've all been there right? right?

Love
LauraClaire
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Popular Posts