Makeup Monday- blue eyes

Mickey Blue eyes 

Get the look with these products: 

1. Dermalogica Redness relief primer 

2. Dermalogica Sheer tint medium 

3. Hema Brow gel, brown 

4. MAC brow set, auburn 

5. MAC blush, Melba 

6. Tweezerman lash curler

7. MAC technakohl liner, smooth blue 

8. MAC 5-colour palette Bleuluxe pearl fusion shadow 

9.Snow season mineralize eyeshadow

10. MAC Prep + Prime lash

11. MAC studio sculpt lash, super black 

Bleuluxe pearl fusion shadow 5-colour palette 

Treatment Thursday- Chewton Glen Spa Day

I was treated to the Drop, Dip & Dine spa day for my birthday. My Mom & I had a warm welcome then enjoyed a breakfast smoothie & coffee accompanied by a mini croissant & pain chocolate in the spa dining room overlooking the luscious green grounds. 

We were then given a guided tour of the facilities before being left to enjoy the amenities. The locker rooms and showers are stocked with REN skin and haircare products. An aromatherapy steam room and crystal therapy sauna are also located in the changing area to help relax clients before and after treatments and gym sessions. 

The spa day includes use of the lovely 17-metre swimming pool that has a painted sky ceiling and a wall of floor to ceiling windows that overlook the green acres. The natural light and quiet ambiance enhance the relaxing environment. 

There is a separate area for the hydrotherapy pool that has various types of water based treatment options to relax muscle tension and massage the body. There is also an outdoor hot tub and heated lounge chairs in the pool area to relax in after or between dips in the pool. 

I was treated to a Pregnancy massage which was bliss! They have a special pillow for the bump to sit in, so even though you're elevated off of the treatment couch by several inches your body feels weightless and you can comfortably lay on your front while all your knots and muscle tension are worked out by the experienced therapist. 

When I have visited the spa before I was lead into a relaxation room post treatment, which promoted further relaxation. This time I was given water out if a flimsy, plastic disposable cup and seated in a chair that looked onto the treatment room doors. Not quite the relaxing finish I was expecting in this 5-star hotel. 

The day ended with a delicious three-course lunch in their award-winning fine dining Vetiver restaurant. For more information about our dining experience visit http://bonvoyagefriends.blogspot.co.ukfor a culinary review. 

This was a wonderful birthday treat and an amazing day mother and daughter day out, one of my favourite spas in Hampshire! 

Waxing Wednesday- eyebrow waxing

Australian Bodycare specialise not only in tea tree wax, but also in hygienic waxing. The hybrid system has pinhead sized pellets that are measured out individually for each client. The picture below shows the foil cup with melted wax ready for an eyebrow treatment. 

If you'd like to see the application process, this video demonstrates an upper lip wax and the same principle is used for any facial area. http://youtu.be/-VXCM4Hp8iw 

Waxing removes all the hair in the area leaving a defined brow. There is minimal redness with tea tree wax because it has anticeptic properties and is gentle on the delicate facial areas. 

This photo was taken about 10 minutes post waxing treatment. The new Dermalogica Redness Relief Primer helps to soothe & reduce the redness and a bit of MAC eyeshadow adds definition to the brows. 

Makeup Monday- go green for Christmas

Go Green for the holidays, to get this look we've used: 

Face: 

Speizia nourishing face balm 

Dermalogica Skin Perfect Primer 

Dermalogica Sheer Tint Medium 

Mac powder, porcelain pink mineralize skinfinish 

Brows: 

Hema brow gel, brown 

MAC brow set, auburn 

Eyes: 

Mac powerpoint pencil, emerald sea- line along the upper lid and bottom corner 

Mac shadow, bows & curtseys- use as a  lash liner along top & bottom corner 

Mac shadow, high spirits- apply to the outer corner to contour and lift the eye 

Mac shadow, swimming- blend along the centre of the eyelid 

Mac shadow, snow season- blend along brow bone to finish the look. 

Tweezerman lash curler 

Mac Prep & Prime lash- apply one coat to top and bottom lashes to enhance length & thickness 

Mac Zoom Lash Mascara, black- apply two coats to top and bottom lashes to frame the eyes 

Cheeks: 

Arbonne blush, blossom- apply from the apples blending upwards & outwards 

Lips: 

Mac lipgloss, brook shields artful- apply a thick layer to complete the look. 

Daily microfoliant Christmas presents

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ORCHIDS RETREAT! 

This year as a thank you to our clients, those who visit in December will receive a travel Daily Microfoliant. 

Benefits: 

- This rice bran powder is gentle enough to be used daily

- It can be used around the eye and lip area

- Licorice and grapefruit help to brighten the complexion 

- It is suitable for all skin types 

- Can be mixed with a cleanser for a power cleanse 

How to use: 

1. After cleansing, use a 20 pence or nickel amount of Daily Microfoliant in wet hands.  

2. Rub hands together to mix the powder into a foamy lather. 

3. Massage all over face, neck and decollete for 1-2 minutes

4. Remove with sponges or rinse off in the shower. 

Use 2-3 times a week to help maintain a healthy glow during the holiday season! 

Treatment Thursday Dermalogica BioSurface Peel Treatment Six

The grand finale! 

Six treatments concluded and now I have a my much improved, velvety Christmas skin with added sparkle.

Onwards, because the skin texture has improved and pigmentation marks lightened so much, Diana recommends that I continue to have a Biosurface Peel facial each month through to April and then move on to the Active Resurface facial each month during the summer. This facial is also good to stimulate cell renewal and so help reduce the appearance of fine lines with minimal redness usually associated with intense re-surfacing treatments.  Also very suitable to re-hydrate the skin during the summer months and reduce any pigmentation or uneven skin tone.

A course of Biosurface Peel facials does improve the quality, texture and tone of the skin - as it states in the pamphlet.  And it is suitable to treat skin concerns such as skin roughness, signs of sun damage, pigmentation and unbalanced skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles, skin breakouts and congestion, AND IT GENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY WORKS!!! 

Many thanks to Diana and wishing a joyful festive season to all.

Ding Dong, Diana (Senior!!)

Feature Friday- 20 Christmas ideas under £20

We've put together a list to help you with stocking stuffer and small gift ideas:

1. Clear Start limited edition Clear as day and night set. £14.00 is a great Skincare introduction for your teenager this Christmas to fight breakout activity.

2. Clear start blotting papers, great for a makeup bag or to keep in your handbag to soak up excess shine during the day. £3.00 each 

3. Clear Start breakout clearing kit £9.50, contains travel foam wash and day treatment. Perfect for a teens sports bag! 

4. OPI polish £11.50- we have a variety of Colours from deep reads, bright corals, neutrals, deep blues etc. 

5. Top to Bottom- this top coat comes with a free base coat, so for only £11.50 you can finish a manicure by just adding colour! 

6. Rhinestone Nail Files £11 from OPI- keep nails smooth with these mini crystal files that are accentuated with a rhinestone at the top. 

7. Multivitamin Hand & Nail £6 these mini hand creams are perfect for your handbag or travelling to keep hands & nails nourished 

8. OPI Wipe Off- a box of acetone free polish remover wipes £10 for 10 individually wrapped wipes. 

9. HeShi Tan £20 includes award winning express liquid tan and a free tanning mitt. Stay sun kissed through the winter! 

10. HeShi Gradual Tan £14.50- a medium weight moisturiser that gradually enhances your skin's natural colour. Great pre or post holiday or to just give yourself a healthy glow during the winter. 

11. HeShi exfoliating Bodywash £11- a shower gel that contains exfoliating beads to gently rub away dead skin cells. Perfect to prepare skin before tanning but also great to use as a daily exfoliant. http://orchidsretreat.blogspot.com/2014/09/tan-tuesday-feature-product.html 

12. Australian Bodycare Anytime Balm £13.50 for details about how to use and special ingredients check out our blog http://orchidsretreat.blogspot.com/2014/06/waxing-wednesday-anytime-balm.html

13. Australian Bodycare Facial Exfoliator £8.80- gentle scrub to use 2-3 times a week for healthy skin. 

14. Australian Bodycare Body Lotion £15.99- can be used all over face and body daily and after waxing treatments to prevent ingrown hairs. 

15. Dermalogica Exfoliating Face Brush £17.60- a great gift for men to help lift facial hairs to aid a smooth shave. The brush can also be used to give skin a deeper cleanse. 

16. Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes £14.80- these wipes are great for on the go people- post gym workout, camping, travelling, and much more. 

17. Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Cloth £12.50- use daily with shower gel to slough off dead skin cells & keep the body soft. 

18. Dermalogica Hydroactive Mineral Salts £2.50- use the sachet in the bath, as a foot soak or mix with Conditioning Bodywash. 

19. Arbonne Lipstick or gloss £18- for more details check out our Makeup Monday Feature 

http://orchidsretreat.blogspot.com/2014/08/makeup-monday-arbonne-lipstick.html

20.  Give a gift voucher for any amount, vail for six months and can be redeemed for treatments or products. 

Treatment Thursday- Holiday Hands

Five hacks for keeping your hands healthy this holiday season: 

🔹Thermal Manicure- the use of heat in a manicure treatment helps to penetrate the moisturiser or masque deeper into the skin leaving the skin more moisturised and softer for longer.

🔹Gel Nails- a gel finish on the nails lasts longer than regular polish, so your manicure will shine for longer during the festive social gatherings. 

🔹Moisturise, Moisturise, Moisturise- handcream is essential during these winter months because everything is zapping the mousture from them- Central heating, cold weather, car heaters, etc. 

🔹Cuticle oil- is important weather you have a professional treatment or maintain your nails at home. By massaging oil into your cuticles not only does it promote healthy nails growth it also prevents hangnails. The cuticles frame the nails so by keeping them soft it makes the polish look ten times better! 

🔹Wear gloves- wearing gloves is recommended aftercare all year round- when washing dishes, cleaning, etc. During the winter months wearing gloves when outside and driving it protects your hands from the elements & helps prevent dry, cracked skin. 

Follow these tips for happy hands during the holidays and throughout the winter. 

Feature Friday- Mothers SOS Kit

Being a mother of two big babies who both ended up arriving my cesarean I've put together a mother's SOS Kit to help those heal after their little bundle of joy arrives.

Calendula Balm- to put over the scar to help it heal and it has anti critic properties to keep the area clean. 

Rosemary Balm- apply to hands and forearms to ease muscle strain and help prevent repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel from holding, carrying & feeding big babies. 

Arnica Balm- apply to the stomach as it's shrinking back down and any other areas that may be bruised- don't use it on open wounds though! 

Baby Balm- great for nappy rash, cradle cap, any little scratches or sores a baby might develop. 

These post natal remedies are organic and all natural if purchased by the right company. My favourite is Spiezia, 100% natural and Organic made in Cornwall, England. 

Treatment Thursday- BioSurface Peel update 5

Dermalogica BioSurface Peel Treatment Five with Ollie (9 days old)

Coo-ing Stage with Ollie. With the fifth treatment, Diana chose to pre-cleanse, followed by an exfoliating cleanse using the active resurfacing cleanser before the BioPeel enzyme preparation stage.  Then, this time I had five layers of the active acid over a period of 25 minutes - this is the maximum number of applications recommended to achieve greatest results.

Cuddle Stage with Ollie.  Ten wondrous minutes with sleepy treasure whilst the de-accelerator calms the skin.

Onwards, cannot claim that my skin is as smooth, soft and perfect as Ollie’s.

However, certainly the improvement continues.  My skin is smoother than at commencement of the treatments - as in the fine lines feel less defined to the touch of a finger, particularly on the forehead and between the eyebrows.  

My face is softer to touch and naturally stays much more hydrated in all weathers, with the correct use of skin care moisturisers.

Not perfect, but certainly the patches of skin discolouration have faded noticeably - now happy not to wear any form or tinted moisturiser or foundation during the winter months.  I would previously always worn some ‘hint of a tint’ when the summer tan fades.

I have now introduced MAP -15 regenerator to my skin regime to further improve skin firmness in specific areas. Diana has several clients that are devoted to this product and the positive effects that it has on their fine lines particularly on the the upper lip and around the eyes, although it can be used all over the face.

Shorter account this time - lots happily happening in the family fold!

  
Great Aunt D (56) with contented Oliver Matthew (12 days)