Thai Square Spa, Covent Garden

On my birthday (Tuesday) I was lucky enough to go into London's Covent Garden for a massage, not just any massage, but one at the award winning Thai Square Spa, which is one of those hidden gems you feel lucky to find and will never forget. Once through the door, you leave behind the hustle and bustle of a busy London tourist area and instead you find yourself transported to an oasis of calm and beauty.

Bringing traditional Thai treatments to London, everything within the reception area is one that exudes luxury, mystical and authenticity. The Thai Square Spa is the only traditional Thai Spa experience within the UK, something the staff are quite rightly proud to share and explain with their clients. The friendly manner and kindness shown to me upon arrival was nothing short of perfect. There are rules you must follow such as turning off your mobile phone and as I was taken to the changing area, again I was asked to remove my shoes and replace them with flip flops before being shown to the locker room where I was to change into my spa gown. 

Then within my treatment room, I was refreshed with a cool glass of water and then the treatment began with a traditional floral foot soak, my feet were plunged into a terracotta bowl of soothing warm soapy water with rose petals and herbs, by which point I was feeling incredibly relaxed within my surroundings.

My treatment was a Ritual Massage, one of the signature treatments and it is the first treatment to use the Royal Rachawadee massage oil from the spa's brand new lifestyle range iMantara, which is available to purchase at the spa or from the website.  The Ritual Massage encompasses various massage techniques from the East to soften, soothe and balance the senses. Once on the massage table, with my head looking directly down into a bowl of water with floating flower petals, I found my self slowly drifting away. My therapist, who was clearly an expert managed to work out how much pressure to apply to different spots on my body without me wincing or being in any pain, though at sometimes, when a knot was found it was slightly uncomfortable until it was worked out - then it was a feeling of bliss.  Having my back, legs, arms and neck massaged was out of this world and then my feet, something I thought I would have huge issues with, but instead found it absolutely amazing (I hate feet) and incredibly soothing before my head was then massaged.  The entire hour flew by and I could have quite happily stayed there all afternoon, it was so amazing.

Once my treatment was over, I was taken to the relaxation area, handed another glass of cool water and was left to take in my surroundings.  Little things like this made the experience all the more fantastic.  There was no pressure to hurry up and leave, I simply laid back on one of the relaxation chairs until I felt ready to move.

The spa itself has been voted Best Spa in the UK by national newspapers and magazines and you can see why, the experience is the best I have ever had and I left feeling as though I had been there the whole afternoon instead of one hour because I felt so refreshed and relaxed as I left. 

The following morning when my alarm rudely woke me, it was an incredible feeling to not have aching shoulders or lower back pain, I was instead wide awake, alert and ready to tackle rush hour.

I had the Ritual Massage, £75, but the spa offers a range of treatments including couples packages, treatments for men and maternity ones too. All of these packages are detailed here - www.thaisquarespa.com 

SpaLondon - Kensington

This week I paid my first (and definitely not last) visit to SpaLondon at their newest branch in Kensington to experience one of two treatments. I couldn't wait to give it a go because I had had an extraordinarily busy six months at work and was in need of some indulgence and de-stressing.

Describing themselves as "An oasis of calm, where you can leave stresses and strains of modern life behind you. SpaLondon offers the perfect environment in which to restore both mind and body, lifting your spirits through each experience"

It was exactly what I was in need of and looking forward too and it is exactly what I got. The centerpiece of spa LONDON is the Thermal Spa Experience, comprising of an Aroma Steam Room, Sauna, Ice Fountain, Hydrotherapy pool, Monsoon Shower and Relaxation Lounge and I cannot wait to experience them all. As you arrive, everything is bright, airy and is everything you expect a Spa to be. Based at the leisure centre in Kensington, there are are over 50 health, beauty and relaxation treatments in partnership with brands such as Elemis, Murad, Fake Bake and O.P.I.

I spent the afternoon with  Copper Garden, One Little Vice, Splitthecity, House of Blog and Beauty With Charm and as we arrived, we were warmly welcomed with an amazing afternoon tea, as well as orange juice and champagne!

Our hosts for the day talked us through the SpaLondon brand to give us an insight into who they are and what they are about. One message that stood out above everything else is to bring a little bit of pampering to everyday people like you and I and to do this the key issue is affordability but without compromising on the luxury. To that end, SpaLondon Spa's are affordable (both the products and the treatments) and have been purposely located in local leisure centres, making them as accessible as possible not to mention welcoming. 

I had been offered the choice between two treatments: the Murad facial or the Midas Touch Gold Treatment. I opted for the latter as it's a signature SpaLondon treatment, and it has the word gold in it and I wanted to know why.  It also involved all of the products you can see in the photo immediately below!

The Midas Touch Gold Treatment lasts for 90 minutes (£70) and is described as being "An exotic exfoliation ritual to leave the skin glowing and hydrated". It starts with a golden elixir cleansing foot ritual to prepare you for your journey. My treatment wasn't 90 minutes long (though I am wanting to do back and try the whole treatment) but in the time I was in the treatment room (shown above) I was made to not only feel incredibly comfortable with my therapist Nicole, but she talked me through absolutely everything that was going to happen and why it was done. 

The room had a really relaxing atmosphere with mood music in the background and the treatment bed itself incredibly comfortable.

So to start with your skin is deeply cleansed, polished using the gold elixir and then it is softened with the SpaLondon signature gold body scrub. The scrub isn't overly abrasive but you can feel it being worked onto the skin and it isn't at all painful. After showering off the scrub, the use of the Thai compress massage comes into being. Shown above, these two padded items, which smell delightfully of coconut, are use to perform the massage. They are heated slightly and honestly, it was so amazing I didn't want the treatment to come to an end, I could literally feel my muscles beginning to relax and I was almost ready for a power nap.

After the treatment had ended, I was given a nice cool glass of detox water and then taken through to the relaxation room where I was asked to lay back on one of the chairs and relax for a few minutes.  I actually could have stayed there all day.  It was so peaceful and calming that after my treatment, whilst my skin was rejuvenated and glowing, my mind was ready for a nap.

For me, this was an amazing opportunity and one I am incredibly thankful for. If this sounds lke your idea of heaven, then there are six other locations to choose from - Bethnal Green, Epsom,  Oxford Circus, Old Street, Swiss Cottage and Wimbledon. Enjoy!

Re:Spa Hot Stone Massage

Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to the Reebok Spa or Re:Spa as it is known in Canary Wharf for a massage, not just any massage, it is called the Reebok Muscle Melt Massage, so I was quite excited to see what it would be like and I was delighted to get the chance to go back to Canary Wharf where I used to live when I first moved to London.

The spa itself is situated right in the heart of Canary Wharf, you cannot miss it and they describe themselves as follows:

"Our tranquil spa offers a full range of beauty treatments, therapies and sports rehabilitation. An express treatment bar, eight luxurious treatment rooms and a dedicated relaxation area create a haven for you to unwind and re-energise, all ideally situated within London’s most prestigious health and fitness club- the Reebok Sports Club".

As I got the lift to the right floor, again it is all helpfully signposted, I was greeted by a really lovely receptionist who took me to the actual spa itself where I was introduced to a further receptionist.  Having had a very brief but thorough tour of the reception area where I could pick up, smell and test some of the products on shelves, I was asked to fill out a questionnaire which included questions such as whether or not I was pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or had allergies.  Whilst doing that I was given a glass of water which had some fresh lemon in it, totally thirst quenching, on what was a rather warm afternoon.  Once my form was completed, I was handed a towel, robe and some slippers and taken to a private area where I could sit back and relax until my therapist arrived.    

Sitting here, I was so relaxed, the lights are dimmed so it is almost dark and there are candles flickering on every surface, along with more lemon or lime water for you to drink.  I sat back on one of the chairs, put my feet up and went off into a world of my own, so much so that I almost missed saying hello to my therapist, who was probably standing there for some time waiting for me to notice her (oops) and when I did managed to bring myself back to earth, I was taken to my treatment room.

Once inside the treatment room, I was told all about the massage which is described as follows:

"Reebok Muscle Melt Massage - A super charged heat treatment with hot stones, this is our Aromatherapy Associates signature treatment.  Using stimulating ginger and black pepper, along with deep cross frictions to melt away knots, tension and pain.  Incorporating the face and body to give the ultimate treatment experience".

What I really liked was how at ease I was made to feel and how friendly everyone that I met was.  I was able to ask as many questions as I felt I needed too and each one was answered properly.  Before my massage began, obviously I had to take clothes off, leave my knickers on and then, lie on my front on the massage table with my head in the specially designed hold and it was actually really comfortable and I probably nodded off a few times because i was so relaxed.

The massage itself was absolutely amazing and not at all like I was expecting it to be.  I had told my therapist that I had a dull ache in my right shoulder and it was given a thorough massaging and as this happened, I could feel all the tension literally melt away.  My shoulders were worked, my back was worked and even my legs and feet had a good massage.  The feeling of the hot stones, which are not just placed on your back, they are used as part of the massage, was a phenomenal feeling, that extra little bit of pressure and the warm feeling that came from the stones was just amazing, I can't describe to you just how nice it was to feel all that tension and stress that had clearly built up, disappeared.

After the massage which took 60 minutes, I was given as much time as was needed to gather myself together and I was told to drink plenty of fluids to ensure I remained hydrated and given a little goody bag which was so very sweet.  

Now a whole week after my massage, I am still pain free in my shoulders and my lower back, which is the first time in a long time I have felt comfortable carrying my handbag.

If you are thinking of visiting the Re:Spa then I cannot recommend it highly enough to you, it is absolutely brilliant and I loved it.  You can see the vitual tour  so you can see for yourself how lovely the whole place is.

Things I love having done!

Do you ever sit back, daydream, think wishfully that you could just pop into your local spa/hairdressing salon or even spend the day with your closest and mostest for some pampering?  I know I do.  I have gone from hating strangers touching me, fear of the hairdressers to absolutely loving being pampered, though please stay away from my feet, that is one phobia I cannot deal with.

This is a post about some of the things I absolutely love being done to me and why, honestly it isn't as rude as it sounds.  As a beauty blogger, you won't be surprised to find out what they are and why.

I have quite a busy and stressful job, at times all I want to do is sit back or indeed lay back and escape from that world and just do something for me, sadly I don't get too many opportunities to do those very often, but if I did, well this is what I would want.

Someone washing my hair for me

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One thing that I absolutely love having done whenever I go to the salon for a haircut/trim is having someone else wash my hair.  Not a chore in itself and it is something I actually don't mind doing, but it is just so relaxing when someone else does it for you and combined with a head massage, hair brushing and temple rubbing, I am almost snoring in minutes.

Having a facial

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I haven't had many in my life, well two actually but I do love having a facial.  Both times I have been lucky enough to have one, it has been totally amazing, relaxing and de-stressing not to mention that feeling of total cleanness afterwards is something I can never repeat at home.

Having a manicure

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This is something I have recently started to really really enjoy.  I had a bad experience of a manicure when I was at University and the manicurist at the time, instead of filing my nails, used scissors to cut them, slipped with the scissors and anyway... needless to say I have had a fear since. 

 Now having been to a few blogger events and met some absolutely lovely manicurists, this is something i had begun to enjoy and something I look forward to having done.

Hand and arm massage

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This is another treatment that I find really relaxing, though it has been a while since I have had it done.  It is incredibly relaxing to have something massage both your hands and your arms using many lotions and potions.  The last one I had was at a beauty event with Debenhams last year and the lovely ladies of Elemis were on hand to do this exact treatment and it was pure heaven.

Back and Shoulder massage

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This is possibly one of the best treatments ever, though again, a bad experience when I was at Uni for a spa day with my housemates terrified me.  The masseuse was so rough with massaging my shoulders that I screamed in pain for her to stop because it was utter agony and for weeks it hurt like anything to move.

Then a few years ago, I took the plunge having had chronic back-ache for weeks to go and have a massage and honestly it was the most amazing thing ever, so relaxing and de-stressing and something that almost had me in a deep sleep.  I find that with having a stressful job my shoulders are usually always quite tense and having them massaged literally cures everything for me.

So there you have, the top 5 things I love having done.  

Do you have a favourite treatment you like to have? is there anything you absolutely swear by?

Valentines Ideas for Him

If you have been in any Supermarket, Card Shop or are signed up to any beauty and fragrance websites, you will be more than aware that Valentines Day is just around the corner.

So I have put together a rather creative list of the kind of things I know my beloved would like and want.


Adopting an animal is something I chose because he did it for me a few years back and it was so lovely and unique.  We are both animal lovers anyway and have three cats of our own not to mention an aquarium full of fish and love going to the zoo.

If you have a stressed out and tired hubby/partner a bit of TLC goes a long way and sending them off for a massage and some pampering is something I have always looked at doing.  My beloved has a stressful job and I think it would be nice to send him off for a few hours of me time.

If you don't take Valentines Day too seriously then something jokey like I.O.U vouchers are brilliant inside a card, some are much more naughty than others and require some imagination and others are simply "I.O.U a cup of tea every morning for x amount of time" and so on.

If money was no option, luxury Rolex watches are something I would want to invest in.  I know a few people who are lucky enough to have them and not only are they stunning they actually keep their value, many increasing at time goes on.

The final option is a meal for two.  For me, one of the best things is going out for a meal, just the two of us and there being no shopping, food preparation, cooking, washing up and so on.  A nice relaxing dinner, with wine is for me a perfect ending to a day and something I want to do more of.

What have you got planned for Valentines Day? Does the Man/Lady in your life get special treatment?

What I got in the Lush Sale!

Christmas isn't Christmas without a trip to Lush is it? As soon as I am notified Snow Fairy is available I am in the shop as soon as possible to stock up for the following year as I love the product.

This year I got a lovely Lush voucher for Christmas and decided to go and see what was on offer in the sales as I had my eye on one or two bits and this is what I bought with my voucher:

The first thing I picked up was the gift set - Lush Stardust which contains 6 items, all of which I had intended to purchase separately but when reduced from £25 down to £12, I liked the box rather a lot, being pink and glittery, I bought it.

Inside Stardust was a 100g bottle of Snow Fairy, Candy Mountain Bubble Bar, Rock Star Soap, Snow Fairy Sparkle, Star Light Star Bright Bath Melt and Space Girl Bath Ballistic.

Then I bought a few other little bits because they were also on offer with 50% off - Snow Fairy Sparkle which I gave as a present to a friend, Godmother Soap which smells the same as Snow Fairy, Snowman Bath Ballistic, So White Bath Ballistic and finally Wiccy Magic Muscle Massage Bar which wasn't on offer but I am a huge fan of this and the fact it is a massage bar.

To date, this is my one and only sales haul, so I am feeling quite impressed with myself.

Have you had a big post-Christmas sales shop?  

My Trapezius is throbbing!

For the last few weeks I have had the worlds stiffest shoulders and a bit of backache in my lower back, they've ached whenever I have had to lift and move a box at work and even standing to sort the washing out and do some ironing at home has been fairly painful. So after having a nice hot bath, which didn't help with the pain, I decided to look online, then having typed in the problem in the hope of finding a solution, I found the muscles that ached are known as the Trapezius muscles and there are lots of demonstrations as to how to can massage your own shoulders, or I can just enlist the help of the hubby and his hands to massage my shoulder muscles. 

This diagram is used to show where the Trapezius Muscle is

Shockingly I had no Lush massage bars to hand, so I had to go looking through my wardrobe where I store a lot of my products and I came across Elemis Spa de-stress massage oil which states the following: 

"The pure touch of this deeply relaxing synergy soothes the mind, melts tension and harmonises the body" 

Well I know work is pretty stressful right now and we have a lot of projects on the go and I am useless at delegating to someone else to oversee something because I panic if I am not on top of things and know what is going on right down to the smallest piece detail and the long hours are clearly going to be taking their toll. We have also had a mass clear out in the office which has meant spending a few hours moving boxes around, carrying boxes up flights of stairs and back down again, so it is little wonder my shoulders and back hurt. 

I am a fan of Elemis Spa products, their quiet time room mist worked a treat when I needed to use that and I am hoping that this will do just the job. How I acquired it I have no idea but it is a 100ml bottle which online would cost you between £25 and £35. The bottle is a lovely deep blue colour; almost a two tone blue in the light and on the front there is silver lettering to let you know what the product is, who makes it and what it is going to do for you. The lid is silver in colour and really stands out due to its pointed shape. 

Once it comes to using the product, ensure the person going to massage you has warm hands, there is nothing worse than someone with cold hands attempting to massage you and also ensure they rub the massage oil between their palms, as though using soap, to release any essential oils that are included, allowing them to work as soon as they hit the skin. So as soon as the lid has been removed, pour a few drops into the palm of your hand (or the person massaging you) it looks similar to Extra Virgin Olive Oil and has a similar texture to it. As the process of massaging begins, which according to Elemis you should "massage using long sweeping movements" you can feel the oil on your skin and as it is worked into your shoulders, the aroma comes alive. This massage oil is packed full of essential oils and smells wonderful, as the oil is massaged into your skin you do feel relaxed and it's a really lovely feeling too. The oil absorbs itself into your skin with relative ease and once your massage comes to an end, there is no greasy feel to the skin, no need to panic that sheets or clothing will become stained, though it is always advisable to have a towel close by just incase there is any excess left on hands. 

One of the most important features of this massage oil is the ability to relax and de-stress you, hence the name it was given. However to do that it also needs to include some key ingredients. So starting with one of my favourites:

• Lavender Oil, which is really soothing for and on the skin and it is also soothing and calming on the nerves, helps to relieve stress and tension, helps with depression and irritability and in general it is effective for headaches, migraines and for those people who suffer from insomnia. 
• Chamomile which in this product helps to relieve back pain and muscle pain in general. 
• Sweet Almond Oil which is another of my favourite ingredients and on the skin it is nourishing, calming and soothing but similarly to the first two ingredients it helps to relieve muscular aches.
• Rosewood Oil helps to de-stress your mind and alleviate nervous tension. Melissa comes next and not something I am familiar with, but I have found it is commonly known as Lemon Balm Oil and it is used because it helps bring about a sense of calmness to the mind, some people have said it has an almost sedatory effect on them when used in a massage oil because it is that soothing and calming. 
• The final ingredient I am going to mention is Marjoram, which again not an ingredient I have come across a lot but it is particularly useful in a product like this because it is known to be a good muscle relaxant but also has what is referred to as pain killing properties making it useful for problems such as rheumatic pains, muscle spasms, swollen joints and painful muscles. 

There are quite a few other ingredients listed and mentioned for this product on the back of the bottle and on the packaging. 

I usually rely on a hot bath to try and cure aches and pains like this, but when even that doesn't work; I know I need to try something else. After the massage and even during the massage process I was surprised at how relaxed I became and how noticeable the difference was in my shoulders where the pain had originally started. Not only could I move my shoulders without wincing with a slight discomfort, I could also shrug them without it hurting and they were no longer sore to the touch, unlike with the first few massage movements, it was very painful, but that soon eased and I was almost ready to fall asleep. A few hours after the massage my shoulders were still pain free and I could still move without wincing. 

So I am pretty impressed with this massage de-stressing oil because it does what it tells you it will do, it smells really lovely, it relaxes you, it de-stresses, it relieves muscle aches and pains and it leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth after using along with a nice lingering floral scent.

You can find out more on Elemis and all their products HERE