Ask Me Why I'm Glowing

So the New Year has arrived. The Chinese year of the dragon. And with it, it brings change to Beauty Mole. The announcement here is that I am pregnant! An exciting start to the year and a definite change in my beauty routine. The little baby is due on July 7^th (subject to change) and has brought a whole host of interesting side effects with it already.

The first is that I have to moisturise my body more than ever. I must admit that I can be quite lazy with body moisturisers, even though I love it when I do. Of course the skin feels so much softer and if you have the right one it also smells amazing. Now, however, I am using oil. Bio Oil is a cult favourite and I am using it to keep stretch marks at bay from my expanding belly. However, I discovered that it’s also amazing for any skin ailment, especially dehydrated skin. Slather on to your face the night before you want to wash your hair and you will wake up to calmer skin in the morning guaranteed.

Then I am using Trilogy’s Aromatic Body Oil for everywhere else – with rosehips, rose and vanilla, the skin simply drinks it up after a shower.

Finally, as my ‘glow’ has not quote arrived, I am cheating with Sisley’s Radiant Glow Express Mask. This helps to bring out the rosiness in any complexion and the red clay will draw out any impurities.

So, now you can ask me why I’m glowing….
Bio Oil from all pharmacies - cheap as chips!! 
Trilogy Aromatic Body Oil, £16.50
Sisley Radiant Glow Express mask, £64.50 

Apothecary Sea Pet

I have always loved seahorses. Ever since I met my boyfriend and we were naïve enough to think that we could actually keep a whole tank of them in our house – it’s romantic because they mate for life. We even found this little seahorse on holiday in Portugal, so the seahorse symbol has been rocking around my life over the past few years.

Needless to say I got more than a little excited when I saw the premise and packaging of the new Seascape Island Apothecary range. The brand is from Jersey (all hail a wonderful British beauty brand) and their logo is none other than my favourite sea creature. But not only does it looks beautiful in your bathroom, but the products themselves are supremely yummy  made without any parabens, silicones, artificial fragrances and other nasties. What they are made with is 100% essentials oils that ease the body and mind. In the shower, it’s pure indulgence.

PS: There is some exciting news in the pipeline for Beauty Mole, please watch this space!

The Shower Gels are priced at £16.00

Coiffed not Stirred

Don’t you love a good haircut? I get really excited even thinking about it the night before, like Christmas Eve – I couldn’t wait to be pampered. This time, I was checking out Daniel Galvin’s new salon in the Corinthia Hotel in London. Talk about plush.

Everything about the experience was pure class – loved the products, which were a mixture of Kerastase and Moroccanoil – and the surroundings, which made me feel like Pretty Woman. The hairdresser was super knowledgeable, albeit a little quiet. I do love it when a hairdresser is explaining what they are doing as they are doing it.

The only thing missing was the buzz and banter that you get in a busier ‘boutique’ salon, like when I went to Gielly Green or Aveda, but the whole experience here is totally different. It’s a working woman’s pitstop (being a stone’s throw away from Charing Cross) or a hotel guests treat. Wonderful attention to detail, but didn’t make my hair stand on end with excitement.

*Image from Corinthia website.

Winter Scent-sation

Now that the nights are getting colder, the afternoons are getting darker and I have well and truly unpacked all my winter clothes: I am also doing the same for my perfume and makeup.
There is something about blustery wind of this yellow and orange season that also makes me want to wear more 'grown up' makeup and scents.
I am in the mood for more spicy scents, so my flowery, sweet perfumes from summer can have a rest for now. One of my front-runners is Sisley's Eau de Sisley 2, which is a sparkling, clean scent with cardamom, bergamot and basil. Water lily and rose add a feminine edge, but I love the 'leafiness' of this scent at this time of year.
And Neal's Yard debut fragrance is surprisingly elegant. Pure Essence Eau de Parfum No.1 Frankincense smells like a deliciously warm waft of spa. It's a deeper fragrance than Sisley's and heavier in its ingredients: frankincense, patchouli and pink pepper.
Both add a touch of warmth on a cold winter's day.
Sisley Eau de Sisley 2, £97.00
Neal's Yard Pure Essence Eau de Parfum No.1 Frankincense, £35.00

Imagine all the Relaxation...

Funnily enough, I measure how good a spa trip was by how tired I am when I return home. I had the pleasure of discovering the new Imagine Spa Thames Valley at Hilton Terminal 5. And I returned home one sleepy bunny.

Although next to an airport may seem like a strange place to relax with a spa package, funnily enough, it is quite the haven. A fully equipped fitness centre, a generous-sized Jacuzzi, a fragrant steam room, sauna and experience showers will leave you feeling revitalised from head to toe.

I also had the mandatory manicure and pedicure (which I NEVER have when I am at home, so it felt like a real treat) and walked away almost a new woman. The spa also offer some truly indulgent packages for very reasonable prices such as a treatment and full use of spa facilities for the day for a couple from £55. Money well spent, I say.

It is worth the ride on the Piccadilly line (and even the commute on the Hoppa shuttle too).

Find out more… You can call 01753 766476 or email on thamesvalley@imaginespa.co.uk

It's Super

It's incredible how sometimes you can come across something that you never had before, but suddenly, it becomes something you can't live without. This is what the new beauty range from Dr Perricone, Super, has become for me.
He's the doctor who put 'super' in to superfoods. And now, he's putting 'super' in to a younger, cuter and more fun skincare collection than the more grown up Perricone MD range.
First up, I am in love with Sweet Clean. It's a yummy cleanser that smells like a fruit jam and is my new favourite morning wake-me-up. The dose of superfood Acai Berry is enough to get me and my skin ready for the day. In the evenings, I tend to need something more powerful to remove makeup, though.
Then, the Hyper Hydrator, which is made with Coconut water is pure indulgence. Not only does it quench my appetite for coconuts, which seems to be eternal, but it quenches my skin's thirst for moisture. A surprising little side effect is that it also mattifies the skin. It's interesting, as although I have dry skin, I love a matte effect on my skin. Products for dry skin usually have the promise of 'dewy' skin, which shouldn't always be a given.
And last but not least, the price tag is not as hefty as the Perricone MD main line, but still all the expertise of our favourite superfood doctor.
The final verdict: it's Super.
Super Hyper Hydrator £29.50
Super Sweet Clean £25.50

One Hell of a Skin Saver

I had professed my love of this product before already. But I will say it again: this product is a life saver. Say your skin is dull, it’s maybe even spotty – it’s basically upset that it’s winter and doesn’t like the wind and rain. In comes Sisley’s Gentle Buffing Cream, which much like a hero swinging from a chandelier will sort out all your skin woes in one easy swoop.

First, you massage on to dry skin, thereby starting the gentle exfoliating process. Then, you leave to dry on your face, like a mask, and afterwards, scrub off gently. Honestly, it’s like little fairies have been giving you a facial all the while. I really like to then slather on lots of serum and moisturiser, which sinks in immediately. I also love to then stroke my face and marvel at my baby-soft skin.

Sisley Gentle Buffing Cream, £50 from Harrods