Calcot Manor Country Spa Retreat Accessories

I have never been to a spa. Seriously. Never spent a weekend being pampered and whilst I always look in awe of those in my social media feed who are seemingly in the most amazing surroundings, there is something about home comforts which I adore.

Calcot Manor Country Spa Retreat is a luxury Cotswold Retreat which looks just absolutely stunning and offers everything you need for that ultimate switch off, pamper, de-stress and calm experience, not to mention an incredible food menu to boot.  But, if you can't make it to the spa, thankfully, the spa can come to you and I have been trying out a few products from the range over the last few weeks which I am sharing today.

I am a big believer in using accessories which make your skincare work, a lesson I learnt a long time ago and here I have a whole host of products, which you can find in Tesco priced upwards from just £3.

The first one if the Cactus Bristle Body Brush (£7) and what I like about these brushes, an item I have had in my bathroom for years, is that you can use them wet or dry, depending on your preference.  

Using this brush wet, you simply massage your skin using your favourite shower gel, lotion or potion of choice and what it does, is to help you reach those hard to reach places, which for me is the middle of my back.  I also use mine with an exfoliating body wash to ensure my back, the back of my legs, shoulders and rest of my body are really given a thorough work out.  To use the brush dry, I tend to grab a coffee scrub and massage it onto my skin and then use the brush in circular motions to really get things moving, it is a great way to help improve and increase your circulation.

The bristles are made from Cactus and are not overly abrasive on the skin, though if you apply too much pressure then you might feel a slight tug on the skin. It has a fairly long handle, so for me, it reaches the parts of my skin that I need it to without problems.

Next, we have the Super Moisture Bamboo Gloves and these are an incredible purchase for just £3 and if you see them in your local store or online, grab some. I have purchased an extra pair so I have a backup.

If you have really dry skin on your hands or if you want to simply give your hands a really good pampering, then these gloves tick those boxes.  To use, you grab your favourite hand cream, smoother your hands in it and then apply these gloves and then let the cream works its magic.  If you are pushed for time then you can wear these gloves for up to 20-30 minutes but for me, the best use is to wear them overnight.  As a treatment, I tend to wear these gloves overnight 1-2 times a week during the colder months and then once every other week in the summer months, unless I feel my hands need more TLC.

The Super Smoothing Scrub Mitt (£3.50) is a great alternative to a shower puff or body brush and I have really enjoyed using this one. 

The glove fits over the hand and is a great way to exfoliate the skin. Again using natural Cactus Sisal, it isn't overly abrasive, but it does work incredibly well to remove dead and dry skin.  I use mine with my body lotion and if I feel I need to exfoliate some harder to remove skin, then I apply an exfoliating body scrub too.  The softer side of the glove is great for wiping down the skin after exfoliating and it is so soft and smooth and again, it helps to lather your body lotion and give your skin a really good clean.

When it comes to face products, I absolutely love to use a Muslin Cloth for cleansing with and from Calcot Manor I have a pack of two clothes (£3) and a double-sided Bamboo Face Cloth (£3).

For me, a muslin cloth is a must have item in my skincare collection. I always have a surplus of them washed ready to be used and because I double cleanse every single day, I always use a balm as my cleanse and this is when I use them.  I find them incredibly good at helping to remove everything from my skin that the cleansing balm has just lifted and because they are slightly more abrasive than a flannel, they also gently exfoliate your skin at the same time. It was a Liz Earle event I attended some years back who encouraged me to use a Muslin Cloth with the Hot Polish Cleanser and I have stuck to using them ever since.

The Muslin Cloths from Calcot Manor are so soft and smooth to the touch and do such an incredible job on my skin, much better than some of the more expensive cloths I have.

The final product is the Double-Sided Bamboo Face Cloth (£3) and it isn't something I had used before. It is made from luxuriously soft bamboo which has been delicately woven and on the skin, it feels just divine.

Said to be naturally antibacterial, this cloth is great for using with a foaming cleanser and it brings that product to life and really does give your face a good deep clean. If you feel your skin needs a really good exfoliation, then the rougher side of the cloth is the one to use, whilst it does remove dead skin cells, it doesn't irritate or scratch the skin. I use my cloth a few times a month when my skin needs a really good work out and it is just brilliant.

For me, this has been a really good introduction to Calcot Manor Country Spa accessories and I am delighted they are all so readily available in Tesco and alongside these products is a whole host of others I am wanting to try.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Create a Spa at home Gift Ideas

I absolutely love a good pamper session and this will usually involve a hot bath, my latest book, face masks, hair masks and sometimes a candle. Just lately I have been hit by a spate of illnesses and it is so unlike me to catch anything, that when I do catch something, I get it really bad - Chest infection, Sinusitis, a dry cough and then this horrific cold sore, something I haven't had for a good 3 years now, appeared. So I needed some time out, some me time and some de-stressing.

One item I use a lot of in my baths are salts, not just any salt but Dead Sea Salt. The Dead Sea ,which is rumoured to be over 15 million years old the Dead Sea have been renowned for their therapeutic benefits since ancient times and they are packed full of key minerals such as:

• Magnesium - An essential mineral for staying healthy. It helps to improve mood and relieve stress as well s encourage healthy skin tissue and aid detoxification.
• Sodium - Helps cells absorb nourishment and expel waste
• Calcium - Prevents water retention, increases circulation and strengthen bones and nails
• Potassium - Helps to balance the skin's natural moisture levels and is a crucial mineral to replenish following intense exercise.
• Bromides - Acts to ease muscle stiffness and relax muscle
• Chlorine - Is necessary for maintaining the correct balance of alkaline and acid in the body
• Iodine - Is vital for both energy and cell metabolism

With that in mind, there are some incredible gift sets and products that would be amazing for Christmas and these include:

Dead Sea Spa Magik products have been available all over the world as 'home spa treatments' since 1981 a and as a brand, they are offer some affordable luxury products to use at home. This Relax Kit which costs just £12 and includes a duo of Bath and Shower Gel and some Dead Sea Bath Salts. 

The Dead Sea Spa Magik Refreshing Bath Shower Gel is described as being a luxurious, foaming bath shower gel, which leaves the body refreshed and revitalised. it is fortified with a blend of mud, salt and mineral extracts from the Dead Sea and can be used in the bath or shower.  The Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Bath Salts are renowned for their exceptional beautifying and medicinial properties as they have a unique ability to attract and retain moisture and they are just incredible, especially if you do have dry skin.  Dead Sea Salts are also incredible at soaking away tensions, aches and pains

Westlab is one of my favourite brands and again they offer a real luxury of having that spa like treatment at home.  The Relax Dead Sea Salt Scrub is just incredible.  

The scrub is infused with a a blend of essential oils which includes relaxing frankincense, calming lavender, soothing geranium and uplifting bergamot and they work alongside apricot, rice bran and antioxidant vitamin E and by bringing everything together they work to not only boost elasticity, protect and repair skin, they also eliminate dead and dull skill cells, provide anti-inflammatory properties, soften and regenerate the body.  The Dead Sea Salts with Colloidal Oatmeal, Lavender and Chamomile are simply incredible. Designed to nourish, protect and soothe, if you suffer with dry, itchy skin then these are the salts to try as they help reduce the itch scratch cycle.

Finally we have Spa Find Shimmer Body Collection and it is described as being a perfect duo skincare treatment for an at-home spa treat. Inside the box you will find two incredible products the first is the Spa Find Heavenly Hydration Salt Brushing and then the Spa Find Heavenly Hydration Re-Mineralize+ HS Body Balm.

The Salt Brushing Scrub, which is Spa Finds number one selling product combines pure Dead Sea Salt which removes dead skin cells and revives skin texture with Vitamin E to protect and aid skin repair. Added to that is Grapefruit extract which stimulates the circulation and the lymphatic system to aid detoxification and finally Coconut Oil intensely nourishes the epidermis leaving skin soft and glowing. What I love about this Salt Scrub is firstly how absolutely divine it smells, it is so fresh and when it is massaged onto the skin, it isn't as abrasive as I was expecting, but it does an amazing job at removing dead and dry skin cells.

The second product which is the ReMineralize Plus HS (High Strength) Body Balm which contains Mineral-Age Nanoplex complex. Ingredients such as Zinc, Copper and Magnesium provide the skin with a much-needed boost of moisture especially if it is dehydrated.   What I hadn't expected to find with this Body Balm is the Citrus aroma which is really fresh smelling and just divine when massaged onto the skin because not only does the balm leave your skin feeling nourished and hydrated in a little cocoon, it also lightly scents the skin with the citrus aroma.

So if like me you are have never had a Spa Day with all the treatments, but like the idea and opportunity to use some products to create your own version at home, these products should help you do just that!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

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?