Lengthen Lashes In Your Lunchbreak

Stand by for a lash extravaganza.



Making friends with the beauty journalists has many perks - not least being treated to a fair few pamper treatments under the guise of trialling them for work. 

But of all the goodies for which I've had the pleasure of playing guinea pig, the LVL lash treatment is by far the most impressive. 



I headed to Harley Street to Karen Betts' clinic for my lash transformation, following in the footsteps of a whole host of celebs - and if it can work for a blonde-coloured, stubby-lashed gal like me, the results are pretty much guaranteed to be top-notch for all you flutterers out there.


LVL stands for length, volume and lift, all of which this promises to deliver to your eyelashes. It differs from perming in that the lashes aren't curled, so much as actually straightened upwards following their natural growth shape, so you're left with gorgeous Bambi eyes that Zooey Deschanel would be envious of, with no false extensions to be seen.


So enough of this gushing. Let me talk you through what the treatment involves…

My lovely therapist Jane had me remove the eye make-up from my top lashes (the bottom lashes are left untouched) and settled me into the comfortable leather chair. Once I'd closed my eyes, I felt very little thanks to Jane's gentle touch, though she talked me through every stage of the treatment so I could at least imagine what was going on.

While I lay back and relaxed, Jane got to work:


• Any residue oil or make-up was wiped from my upper lashes with cotton wool.
 A protective shield was placed underneath each eye to make sure none of the treatment lotions made their way onto my bottom lashes.
 
• Jane combed my lashes to separate them and applied a silicone shield onto each of my eyelids. There's three different sizes of shield - small, medium and large - and I chose small, which Jane explained delivers the most dramatic lift.

• Each lash was then pulled over the shield and secured into place with a thin cotton swab.

• Next, the lifting balm was applied to the roots of my lashes, and left on for 10 minutes.

• Then the balm was removed and a neutralising lotion applied in its place.
 After five minutes, the neutraliser was removed and Jane put a tint on my lashes for a few minutes to change them from their natural blonde to a black hue.

• Finally, a moisturising serum was placed on the lashes, not only to inject them with a moisture boost but also to help release the lashes from the shield.



And that's it. The entire process takes less than 50 minutes, making it a true lunchtime treatment. 



The result? Well, I never. The moment I opened my eyes after the treatment and looked into Jane's mirror I was blown away - my lashes looked double the length they'd been just an hour earlier, without any tussle with the wand of a lengthening mascara or eyelash curler. The lift turned my small nondescript lashes into dramatic eye-framing wonders and I now wake up every morning positively doe-eyed before even touching my make-up bag. What I love most is the fact that they're 100% my own lashes and the results will last until the next cycle of lashes grow in, which will hopefully be in 8 to 10 weeks. In short, I'm sorted for summer!



An LVL treatment takes up to 45 minutes to apply and prices start from £40. Visit lvl-lashes.co.uk for more information and to find your nearest salon.

Welcome To Miami

The who's who of stars living in Miami is seemingly endless - Shakira, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Whitney Houston,  Lenny Cravitz...  You get the picture.

So a night in Miami is bound to be packed with celebrities, right?

Hence why there was no way I could miss Smirnoff's Exchange event, where they promised to bring the Miami way of nightlife right here to London while our friends across the pond were treated to a quintessential British party. Though I was disappointed that they didn't manage to bring the Floridian celeb massive to the Big Smoke, the night was a major success.

Walking to the Troxy nightclub as part of my trusty foursome (Ibiza crew), we were greeted by Miami police officers, accent and all, guiding us to our venue for the evening. Once we stepped in and picked up the obligatory VIP wristbands, Miami was at our feet and our fingertips. Bottomless Smirnoff Mule cocktails, mini burger canapes and palm trees galore. From our seats high in the wings, we grinded to Tinie Tempah, raved to Zane Lowe and bopped to Example. But once the final Miami-inspired act of the night took to the DJ booth, Jaguar Skills, we just had to join the masses to party until the lights came on at the end of the night.

So, OK, we had to walk the icy cold journey back to the tube station after the doors closed behind us. And there was no local beach to head to watch the sunrise. But for just a few hours we could pretend we were on the Atlantic coast rather than south-east London. And for that I can't thank Smirnoff enough. I raise my Miami Mule to you guys.

It's High Time To Shine

With naturally fine hair but a lot, and I mean a lot, of it, winter is not kind to my tresses. Summer's tousled beachhead look comes sickeningly easily to me loose waves but once the cold weather set in and I'm forced to tame the beast on a daily basis, frizz and split ends wreak havoc.

So how do I bag myself the mane of Eva Longoria Parker or Lauren Conrad? Hair that looks healthy, feels healthy and you can do anything with?

That's exactly the reason I headed to the Charles Worthington salon on Percy Street. Could their mineral hair masque salon treatment help in my quest for sleek and smooth hair? Or would it just be another false promise?

Combining the heat of ceramic irons and a hot towel treatment, the spa-inspired treatment aims to give the hair an intense injection of much-needed moisture, particularly at this time of year.  The inevitable change in temperature that comes with winter - blustery chills outdoors and stuffy central heating outdoors - leaves the hair stripped of its natural oils, head stylist tells me. Enter the CW mineral hair masque, whose primary ingredient argan oil is revered as a tonic for dry, damaged tresses.

Blink and you could easily miss the Charles Worthington salon in London's West End, but once I stepped in, I was treated like a queen. We're talking celebrity status.

First, I was offered a variety of celeb mags (they know their audience), a drink of my choice and skewers laden with fresh fruit. My hair hadn't even been touched and already I was won over. Then I was introduced to Mathew, who started to talk me through the treatment. My hair was washed and towel-dried, after which the mineral masque was combed through my hair, a section at a time. A top tip from Mathew? Only apply conditioning products to the midsection and tips of your hair, as the roots generally hold on to the scalp's natural oils and adding extra product can leave you with lank, greasy locks. My hair was then sectioned again and ceramic irons were pulled over the strands, as if he was straightening them. The thought of heat on my wet, product-laden hair scared me but Mathew explained the irons were only set to 80degrees, which is just enough to seal the moisture in without damaging the hair. Then I was led to the washing area again, where the masque was rinsed out, a serum applied, and my hair bundled up into a warm towel. After about 10 minutes, the serum was washed out and I sat down for my usual blow dry.

I couldn't see an immediate difference to my hair though the hairbrush did seem to glide through it more easily when Mathew was styling it afterwards. The real test was when I washed my hair the following day, and as I rinsed my normal conditioner I was struck by the smoothness of my hair. There was a slight gloss to the strands which lasted a day or two, plus I could swish my mane back and forth proud in the knowledge that I'd definitely done my hair a favour in the long term.

I'm All Of A Flutter

I make no secret of the fact that Eve Mendes and Jennifer Lopez are among the front runners of my girl crush list. Sure, they have amazing figures and gorgeous tresses, but the real reason I envy them so? Their big beautiful eyes, lined with fanciful fluttering lashes.

While friends begrudge me for the fact that my fair colouring means I can get away with being a tad lax about shaving my legs and plucking my eyebrows now and again, the blonde, unassuming stubby eyelashes I've been 'blessed' with far outweigh those benefits.

So could celebrity favourite Jinny Lash transform me into a doe-eyed beauty, even if just for a little while?

Beauty guru Jinny Coffey developed her system of eyelash extensions as an alternative to daily falsies, which esteemed beauty Cheryl Cole apparently now can't get enough of. Each individual synthetic eyelash is glued on to the existing eyelash and doesn't come into contact with the surrounding skin, so there's no damage to the eye - and the lashes stay in place until the natural eyelash grows out. 90 days later if you're lucky. 

When I arrived at the salon, I was settled onto a comfortable sofa to chat about what I wanted from the lashes. I settled on quite a natural look - fullness rather then length was my aim - with a few longer lashes at the end to create a little flick. Then it was time to lie down and think of, erm, that Mulberry Alexa I so desperately want to get my hands on. I can't fully attest to what happened during the treatment as my eyes were shut for the entire thing, but all I can say is it didn't hurt a bit. Every now and then the therapist brushed my lashes lightly with her fingers, but because the extensions weren't being fixed to my own skin, I really couldn't feel a thing. After about 45 minutes I was told to open my eyes and face the mirror - and there looking back at me were a set of completely natural-looking longer, fuller lashes I could call my own (kind of).

  
So, how did I rate Jinny Lash extensions? They were by far the easiest and least painful beauty treatment I've ever had - with an amazing result. At work the next day more than one colleague asked what mascara I was using, to which I was happy to reply - none, and three weeks later I'm only minus a few stray lashes. That's a small miracle in my eyes (literally).

You can find Jinny-trained technicians nationwide - visit www.jinnylash.com for more information. As a rough guide, the Regent Street salon charges £80 for a half set and £150 for a full set.

Celebrity Body...You Will Be Mine

There's nothing more celebrity than a personalised beauty treatment delivered direct to your door. So, is it any wonder I called upon Return To Glory as my birthday (and bikini-baring) trip to Ibiza beckoned?



With just days to go before I shed my clothes in favour of my chosen two-pieces, something had to give - and it wasn't going to be my beloved food. But could the aptly named Bikini Bootcamp treatment deliver it's promises of instant body confidence and a slimmer, slender figure?
 Focusing on the three main 'problem' areas that bug us ladies - thighs, stomach and chest - the Bikini Bootcamp treatment is a sequence of deep exfoliation, massage and tailored products that claim to detox, smooth and firm the body. And the best bit? Return To Glory's unique concept is that they bring the therapist and treatment to you, so it's all done in the comfort of your own home. 

 

Cue me, waiting patiently in my flat for my RTG therapist Lauren and her magic lotions and potions. Once she arrived and I slipped on a pair of barely-there paper pants, it was time.
Firstly, an exfoliating gel was applied, quite vigorously I must say, to the front and back of my thighs, stomach and sides and finally my chest. Though I felt it working on my skin, Lauren applied it in long sweeping motions so it actually felt more like a luxurious massage than a quick scrub. She explained that although this kind of exfoliation is beneficial to the skin, to achieve real smoothness we need to go deeper into the skin's layers. So next up is a fruit acid peel. I was a little apprehensive about this as Lauren warned me the peel contains gycolic acid and might feel uncomfortable on my skin. But I actually didn't feel more than a tingle, and after around 20 minutes Lauren smoothed it off with a wet cloth and I was left with skin that has never felt smoother. Ever. 
I would have happily called it quits at this point and leave a very satisfied customer but she isn't done with me just yet. It's time for the specialised Mama Mio lotions that target each body area in a different way. Tummy Toner and Get Waisted were massaged into my stomach to tighten, firm and increase inch loss, Shrink To Fit was applied to my thighs in a bid to reduce cellulite and Boob Tube promised to lift and anti-age my chest. After 90 minutes of pampering I was done.
Lauren encouraged me to experience the effects at every stage of the treatment and the instant transformation of my skin after the acid peel was amazing. I finally understand why the celebs go mad for glycolic facials! My stomach (my particular body bugbear) immediately seemed more taught, too. I was told the effects of the Mama Mio products would continue for up to five days after the treatment, meaning my body would still be working to create a more slimline me even on the Ibiza sand.

I definitely felt happier shedding my clothes once I landed on the White Isle, but the real wonder of this treatment is that I didn't even need to leave my flat. Now that's what I call a treat.

The Mama Mio Bikini Bootcamp treatment is available to book on the Return To Glory website, which services the London area.

The Island That Never Sleeps

Sure, Julia Roberts might have spent the summer sunning herself on a beach in Hawaii and Kate Beckinsale lived the Mexico high life, but when it comes to a party holiday destination, the White Isle is the celebrities’ choice. And it just so happens to be mine too.

 

As the grand old age of 25 threatened to descend (less than a week now – eekums), I considered it a travesty that I hadn’t yet visited Ibiza for a fun-filled holiday and three of my closest friends agreed. A few months later and we were all leaving work (the Friday before last) to hop straight on a plane to the hedonistic island, with our shortest shorts and colour-pop bikinis packed for the closing parties of the season.

I’ve often pored over images of Kate Moss, Jade Jagger and Paris Hilton living it up in Ibiza, and while our budget didn’t quite stretch to a luxury villa or yacht, the celebrity haunts were in our sights. First stop, Hed Kandi at Es Paradis. (We’d been promised a glimpse of Ms Moss, as she was there to launch a new E4 show but alas, I can’t report a celebrity sighting.)
So back to our own Ibiza experience. At first look the club reminded me of a dentist’s workspace – clean lines and white floors – but as we ventured further in, we found a circular dancefloor surrounded by multi level steps that was by far the most fun venue I’ve ever been in. Add to that the circus/burlesque dancers and Tara McDonald singing our favourite Hed Kandi tunes (My, My, My anyone?) and our first night as Ibiza clubbers was a success.

 

The next few days were a blur of dancing on the beach at Bora Bora, raving at Space (where I was lucky enough to dance the night away to a set from Too Many DJs – the boys haven’t lost any of their appeal since I fell in love with them at V Festival two years ago), watching the beautiful sunset at Café Del Mar and bouncing up and down to the beat of Pacha.
But the real treat came in the form of Ibiza Rocks closing party. Touted as a gig rather than a club night, the headliners have performed poolside in the San Antonio Ibiza Rocks’ hotel all season. Knowing that Florence and The Machine, Dizzee Rascal and Calvin Harris had all taken to the stage earlier this summer, we hoped for an even better act to play the final gig and booked our tickets in advance. On hearing our much anticipated top billing was 90s punk band The Specials, we were a tad disappointed. No Pendulum? Or even The Ting Tings? My friend A.L assured us that The Specials were the kind of band you had to see once in your lifetime (up there with The Clash and Queen apparently) so we bit our tongues and rallied round in old fashioned Ibiza spirit, with many a rum and coke to see us through.

 

We needn't have worried. After 20-odd years of performing, the band knew exactly what they were doing and the poolside crowd were soon skanking and raving away like something out of a music video. So what if we couldn't sing along to all (make that any) of the songs or have uncles younger than the musicians – we were all united in our quest, to party hard and dance like it was the last chance we’d ever get.

Which, for this year at least, it was. After heading to the after party at Es Paradis – ah, so we meet again multi-level dancefloor – it was back to the apartment to quickly pack our cases and head to the airport, with Ibiza Rocks glitterpaint still adorning our faces.

All in all, it was an amazing experience – one of the best holidays I’ve ever had. And it’s safe to say that if I had a celebrity budget, I’d be rocking out in Ibiza every season - from onboard my luxury yacht, obviously.

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If Galaxy Did Beauty Treatments...

If you, like me, feel guilty at the thought of indulging your chocolate cravings – Whitney Port sure doesn’t look like she makes friends with Mr Cadbury all that often - Matis may well have found the answer. Their Sheer Delight Body Wrap.

Via We Heart It

Based on the beauty properties of oh-so-tasty cocoa – the magnesium, theobromine and polyphenol content claim to de-stress, invigorate and detox the body – this treatment coats the skin in a chocolate mousse that leaves you feeling silky smooth and distinctly lacking in cellulite. Hoorah!

I headed to celebrity beauty haunt Neville Hair and Beauty salon to be treated by the healing hands of therapist Hasti Parangi, a favourite of Claudia Schiffer and Lisa Snowdon.

After being guided to a tranquil treatment room above the two main floors of the achingly trendy hair salon, it was time for the pampering to begin.

Firstly Hasti rubbed an exfoliating gel over my skin to prime it for the main treatment. I consider all large-grain exfoliators the work of the devil so fell immediately in love with this gel, which was made up of soft beads that didn’t seem to touch, let alone irritate, my skin. After showering the gel off, it was time to choose a scented candle that would form the basis of a warm wax massage. I chose chocolate – if we’re going to do this, let’s do it properly! – and the melted wax was kneaded into my skin. Utter bliss.

Then for the piece de resistance. The powdered chocolate formula was mixed with warm water – imagine the consistency and smell of a choc brownie mix and you’re nearly there. The temptation to lick my own arms has never been greater. After leaving the chocolate treatment to work its moisturizing magic for twenty minutes, I showered for a second time and a new uber-smoothness to my skin was revealed.

It was noticeably softer and had a certain glow to it, which became even more noticeable when I showered that evening. 

In terms of its claims to banish cellulite and tone sagging skin, I'm not convinced - 20 minutes smothered in Angel Delight is no miracle cure. But I believe us ladies all deserve a spot of pampering every now and then, and this treatment is guaranteed to deliver that every time.

The Matis Sheer Delight Body Wrap is available at Fere Beauty within Neville Hair and Beauty Salon and other selected salons nationwide.