Home Brow Tinting

Brow tinting was probably my most successful experiment of 2012. I decided to try as a bit of a fun thing to accompany my Beauty Spotlight Desert Island post and with my history with hair dye, I was half expecting a comical disaster. So, it was a pleasant surprise that it not only worked well but that a 5 to 10 minute job meant that I didn't need to bother filling in my eyebrows for more than 6 weeks.

I used the Eylure Dylash 45 day Mascara in Dark Brown. I did a lot of research beforehand (both reviews and tutorials for application tips) and I was a little concerned that it would make my eyebrows quite red toned which is something I try to avoid with eyebrow powders and pencils. Thankfully it just darkens the colour and the red tones are minimal. However, if this is something you're worried about or your eyebrows are naturally darker than mine, it is possible to mix the dye from the black and dark brown kits to achieve a more ashy brown. Obviously this does make it more expensive initially as you have to buy two complete kits.

The Dylash kit includes a tube of dye, developer, a small mixing spatula and an indent in the packaging to mix the dye. There's also a mascara wand and some eye shields for use with eyelash application. I will mention that it is hard work mixing the dye into the developer as the cream and solution really don't seem to want to mix, but it is advisable to keep going until you make something that resembles a paste. You want the consistency to be relatively smooth otherwise you're likely to get an uneven colour.

Before applying to my brows, I clean the area by wiping over with micellar water, allow to dry and then apply Lansinoh using a cotton bud to the skin all around my brows to prevent accidentally staining my skin. You could use Vaseline instead, I just use the Lansinoh as it is to hand. I use the mascara wand that comes in the set to apply the dye and I tend to apply quite liberally, especially to the tail end of my brows which are most in need of colour. There is a timing recommendation of 1-2 minutes for brows but I tend to just judge it by eye. My reasoning is that I can always put more on if required and I'm only looking for definition rather than very dark brows. To remove the dye, I just wipe over with micellar water on a cotton pad.

BEFORE

AFTER

Please excuse the fact that my eyebrows need plucking in the pictures above, I do this after I've tinted my brows as it enables me see too exactly which hairs need to go!

The first time I tinted my brows, I had a little go at applying the dye to my lashes too. In fact I think this is just about visible in the 'After' picture above. I found it almost impossible to load the colour on to my lashes evenly as I removed as much as I applied with the wand and it resulted in very patchy tinting. I think part of the problem is that my lashes are very short and working on such a small area is very tricky, especially if you're trying to avoid getting dye too close the eye. I'm happy doing my brows at home with this kit but for me this is a no for my lashes.

The Eylure Dylash 45 day mascara cost £7.49 and I bought mine from Superdrug. As I only use a tiny amount of the product each time, I think this set is likely to last at least 6 months, if not more.

My Facial and Foot Scrub at the Baglioni Spa

I recently visited the Baglioni Spa at the Baglioni Hotel in Kensington for a facial and foot scrub. I bought the treatment via Wahanda and the deal is still currently available and costs £50. You can see details of all of the packages available through Wahanda here. If you don't already know about Wahanda, it's a website that lists spas, salons and fitness centres in the UK and Europe with many great exclusive offers available. They also have daily Mob Deals for a number of major cities in the UK. The deals are based on a certain number of people booking together to get a really discounted price. They have great customer services too as I experienced first hand, having messed up my order on the first go!

Back to the Baglioni Spa. The Hotel was very easy to find and the concierge was kind enough to show me the entrance to the Spa. A golden door no less! I turned up quite early for my appointment but was still made to feel very welcome and in fact turning up early allowed me to fill in the health questionnaire and still have enough time to go and make use of the steam room. That was actually an unexpectedly enjoyable part of my visit. It's rare for me to have such peace and quiet and be still at the same time. It's hard to explain what luxury that is!

In the general Spa area there was a changing area and I was allocated a locker where my robe, towel and slippers were stored. The changing area was also fully serviced with a sink area with large mirrors, products and a large shower area should you wish to freshen up after using the steam room or after your treatments. There was even a hairdryer and straighteners in the changing area which I thought was very thoughtful.

The treatment that I booked allowed you to select from two of three possible treatments; a Deep Cleansing Facial, Back, Neck & Shoulder Massage and a Foot Scrub. I chose the facial and foot scrub as my two options. Rather than having these as two separate treatments they actually ran side by side. Also the foot scrub was more of a facial for your feet treatment than a scrub as the therapist explained. First of all my feet were soaked, dried and then in was time to jump on the therapy bed. A deep conditioning treatment was applied to my feet, then they were wrapped up and tucked in with a warm towel. Cosy! Then we moved on to the facial. The facial involved various stages; cleansing, exfoliation, a mask, eye treatment etc. It also included a lot of massage and my favourite bit, the hot flannels. Once the facial was over it was back to my feet for very similar to the facial. Once the treatments were finished I was allowed several minutes to lie still before making my way back to the changing area.

The Best Bits
My time in the treatment room was really blissfully relaxing. The room was dimly lit and with soothing music playing in the background. It wasn't the least bit intrusive as it sometimes can be. My therapist was lovely. She chatted to me during the foot treatment but allowed me to be quiet during the facial as drifted in to deep relaxation through the deep breathing and massage. I really appreciated this and it was such a comfortable silence. The facilities in the changing area, use of the steam room and the lovely herbal tea were also highlights for me.

Other Points of Note
The products used were the Spa's own products. Whilst they did smell lovely, I think they're probably of average quality rather than premium branded products. However, I think the expert hand of the therapist and atmosphere made up for this. For those of you that are unsophisticated like me, it's also worth knowing that the facial goes quite low in the decolletage area. I was a little taken aback but I know from discussions with friends that this is quite normal practice. I obviously need to become more European in my attitude to the entire facial area!

My trip to the Spa was a really enjoyable experience. I'm not going to leave it so long between treatments from now on as it was good to be reminded of how relaxing it really is. It was so relaxing in fact that I completely forgot to take any pictures whilst I was there so those shown are from the Bagilioni Hotel website. I will certainly be looking out for Spa offers through Wahanda in future.



Disclosure: I received the Wahanda voucher from a PR Company without cost and was free to choose from any of the offers available. The links included are for information only and are not affiliate links.

Lash Extension Update

Here's a somewhat overdue update on my lash extensions experience. I had the extensions applied almost four weeks ago now. Sadly, I started to lose lashes quite early on after they were applied. My eyes are reasonably sensitive and prone to watering and irritation. I can't wear contact lenses successfully as my eyes reject them, unfortunately this sensitivity seems to have been an issue with the lash extensions too.

How they looked to start with -

After 2 weeks -

As you can see from the 'after' pictures, I only had a handful of lashes left at the two mark. I had avoided using any oil-based products so I don't think I spoiled the glue. I was conscious that they irritated my eyes and made them feel dry. I used eye drops to stop my eyes feeling uncomfortable and I wonder if this, coupled with fiddling without realising was to blame.

The lashes are similar in feel to cats whiskers. I say this as I had expected them to feel like hair. In hindsight, it was silly to make that assumption as they need some rigidity to stay put and hold a curl. I think it's that rigidity that bothered my eyes, especially whilst I was asleep.

I can also understand now why it's useful to have an oil free mascara suitable for use with lash extensions. It's redundant when the lashes are full but would be very useful as the extensions start to fall out. I imagine that even if your lashes last a good while, you would still experience a period of time when the lashes are patchy. On the plus side, although they fell out faster than I had hoped, they haven't damaged my natural lashes at all. I do still have a couple of lashes that have lasted the full four weeks. The have resisted mascara and oil based makeup remover. I shall be interested to see how how long they cling on for!

I need to make it very clear that I am not saying that lash extensions in general don't last long or will irritate your eyes. I think it's just something that didn't work well for me (I'm also beginning to think I am a destroyer of all things beautifying!). It is possible that other people with very sensitive eyes might experience similar issues.

Lash Extensions by Daxita

I have been interested in having lash extensions for a while now. My lashes are naturally quite fair, fine and straight. Oh and short. So, basically I'm not really blessed in the lash department! There aren't that many mascaras that give me volume or length without flaking or smudging. I like to wear false lashes occasionally but the difficulty I have is that they often brush against the lenses of my glasses.

I was invited along to visit Daxita at Atherton Cox in Marylebone for a full set of lashes. Daxita has quite a special claim to fame as she's apparently the fastest in the UK at applying lash extensions. She trained five years ago, so has has a fair bit of experience under her belt and she has developed her own special technique which allows her to apply a full set in just under an hour. I was entertained to hear that she's often has other therapists book themselves in for a spot of industrial espionage!!

Daxita started off by examining my lashes and looking at my face in general. I was asked what sort of look I was hoping to achieve. There are four different options; Natural, Designer, Fluttery and Fake! The Designer lashes sounded interesting but as the greatest lengths would be in the centre of the eyes, I knew that was really out for me as a glasses wearer. I was torn between Natural and Fluttery, in the end I went with Daxita's recommendation of a natural look with a few longer lashes on the outer corner to help 'lift' my eyes.

My bare lashes

With mascara

After the consulation, I settled myself down on the therapy bed for a bit of quiet time whilst Daxita set to work. A guard was placed over my bottom lashes to protect them. This felt a little strange as it went on but once my eyes were closed, I couldn't feel it. The procedure is not painful at all and mostly you're not aware of what's going on. The only thing I struggled with was not being able to totally relax my eyes and it turns out that the more you try and concentrate on relaxing them, the more impossible it becomes!

I interrogated asked Daxita about how she got into beauty therapy and was surprised to learn that it all started when she was only 13 years old girl. She used to accompany her Aunt on trips to the salon for brow threading and, fascinated by the technique, she for begged for permission to learn. She was initially discouraged by her family but she was allowed to continue to visit the salon with her Aunt. She would pay very close attention to their techniques and managed to teach herself at home. Once she'd honed her skills, Daxita's friends and family let her practice on them. She admits there were probably plenty of misses as well as hits in the early days! From threading, she progressed to waxing, even learning to make her own wax. Again, family and friends were on hand for practice. The final skill she learned before moving to the UK was facials. As with threading and waxing, she was self-taught.

Once her children were at school, Daxita embarked on all manner of college beauty courses, expanding on her self-taught skills. This thirst for learning new techniques has obviously never left her as she enthusiastically sought out somewhere to learn how to apply lash extensions long before they became widely available. Daxita's secret, speedy technique was born out of a desire to minimise the time required for the client to lay still. I know I would struggle not to fidget after a couple of hours so the reduced time is much appreciated.

Anyway, I know you're probably keen to see how it turned out! This is how my finished lashes look. I still have no make-up on in these pictures as you need to avoid water and make-up for 24 hours after application of the lashes in order to let the glue cure properly. There's a dramatic difference when compared to my natural lashes but I still think the effect is quite natural. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it looks with eye make-up. One major advantage I have already discovered is that I don't look half as scary without make-up first thing in a morning!

A full set of lashes like this will last 4-5 weeks. The extensions will fall out as the lashes go through their normal growth cycle. Alternatively, you can return for maintenance after 2-3 weeks to keep them topped up. As well as avoiding make-up and water for 24 hours, you also need to avoid oil based cosmetics (such as mascara and eyeliner) and make-up remover for the duration of the extensions, as oil can dissolve the lash adhesive. There are oil free mascaras that you can use with lash extensions, apparently YSL Faux Cils is an oil free formula. I don't anticipate needing to use any though as these are so dark already and don't require supplementing.

I look forward to reporting back on how I get on with them in the coming weeks. I can't wait to see if anyone notices when I'm back to work next week! Daxita was also kind enough to thread my eyebrows and I think the combined effect of the lashes and tidied brows looks great and has really opened up my eyes. Daxita's services do not come cheap but her extensive experience and easy manner mean you feel in very safe hands. A full set of lashes costs £150 and a half set is priced £95. The cost of maintenance is £45 and this takes around 30 minutes.

Daxita can be found at Atherton Cox, 18 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 8UR. Tel: 0207 487 4048


Disclosure: I was invited along to try out these services without cost for review purposes.

Filthy Gorgeous at Debenhams

Filthy Gorgeous is a new beauty service that launches in Debenhams Oxford Street tomorrow. Let me just start by saying, I saw this picture and thought wow!

It's described as an "apothecary and retail emporium that will revolutionise and transform the beauty pampering experience"! There is a full menu of beauty treatments as well as new beauty finds and accessories on sale. They offer treatments such as Minx nails, nail art and eyebrow shaping. They also offer a dry shampoo and hair styling service (curl or straighten) which sounds very interesting and an ideal way to get party ready post work.

All well as the individual services you can pick from one of their three Signature Services. For example the "One Stop Rock Chick" service which takes an hour and includes a hand nail-over, brow shape, airbrush foundation and make-up, hair straighten or curl for £50 .Or if you fancy a pamper with your friends you could book a the "Girlfriends Lounge" and have an exclusive party in a private area (2-6 people). This service includes a nail-over manicure, brow shape and make-up and costs £25 per person.


I can see this is going to be a really popular venue especially as we'll soon be in to Christmas party season. This certainly beats trying to get ready in the toilets at work!

FILTHY GORGEOUS launches exclusively at Debenhams Beauty Hall, Oxford Street Monday 18th October

Do you DIY?

This post has been sat in draft for a little while, I initially started it after my home pedicure but I've been prompted to finish it after a bit of DIY hair disaster!

After my post about needing a pedicure, it got me thinking. How many of you DIY when it comes to beauty treatments or are there things which you consider a Salon job only? There are quite a few things that I do myself these days; hair removal, hair dye, manicure and the occasional facial. Until quite recently I always did my own brows but I've been very happy with the results I get from threading. Although I've tried threading my own brows I always turn chicken and find I can't shape them! I have resonable success whipping off the 'tash though. If you fancy trying DIY threading OxfordJasmine did an excellent Youtube tutorial which you can find here.

I've never really bothered doing much with my feet other than painting my toes. Though with all the walking I've been doing lately they were in need of some urgent TLC. I've had salon pedicures quite a few times and have always really enjoyed them (no foot heebee jeebees here). I really hoped to go and repeat the experience but with a shortage of time I thought what the heck, I'll give it a go myself. And I've been pleasantly surprised by the results. I have a Scholl Dual Action foot file which I used to remove hard skin. It's good but not excellent, I must look for some other recommendations in fact. I then used some Sanctuary samples I've had for a while, Foaming Pumice Foot Scrub and Soothing Foot Lotion. I really enjoyed using both of these, they smell beautiful and have lovely textures. The only hamper to it being a completely relaxing experience was not having a foot spa to soak my feet! Well, you can't have everything can you? Although I do hope to book a pedicure very soon, I'm happy to have added this to my repertoire of things to do at home.

My latest DIY experience has not been such a success. I have been dying my hair at home since my teens. I'm terrible at going to the hairdresser anyway, so this coupled with the cost of upkeep means I've very rarely bothered with professional colouring. In the last year or so I switched from semi-permanent to permanent. My greys are of the 'extremely stubborn' variety and even permanent colour can't cover them for more than a couple of weeks. I've been lucky with the dyes I had selected and never strayed into too dark territory that can be a problem with brown home colourant. Until last night that is! I picked up L'Oreal Excell 10 in the shade Natural Brown as it was on special offer. Believe me, there is nothing either Natural or Brown about this colour on me. It's very nearly black, the only saving grace is that the colour has left my hair very shiny and beautifully conditioned. Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. It's just my luck that it happened before I'm due to meet a bunch of beauty bloggers for the first time. Just remember girls, no pointing or laughing!

So, I'd love to know, are you a do it yourself kind of girl? Or is it salon all the way for you? Have you had any disasters that you'd like to share? I look forward to hearing your stories.
Jane x

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have a few posts ready I just need to get on and take some photos.

In the meantime I wanted to give a huge thumbs up for this OxfordJasmine tutorial.

I have quite a tolerance for waxing and plucking so I was keen to give it a go. I managed to get rid of the dreaded 'tash and tidied up my brows. My eyebrows were certainly the more tricky area, until I have more practise I know I won't be able to shape them too much for fear of making holes! I'd certainly recommend having a go if you don't mind a bit of pain.

Many thanks to Oxford Jasmine for sharing her skills.