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July 31 Nice and tasty: Big Chill teaListen up tea lovers - avid tea enthusiast DJ Mr. Scruff is planning to launch his brand new make us a brew! Big Chill tea exclusively at this year’s The Big Chill Festival during his now legendary festival tea party. As The Big Chill regulars will know, the place to go for top notch DJ sets, home baked pies and cakes, and mug loads of quality teas. Mugnificent. The Big Chill: 6th - 9th August 2009
July 27 An afternoon of indulgenceA new independent boutique health and beauty haven has opened on London's King'S Road in the form of The Chelsea Day Spa. With design features reminiscent of a boutique hotel, The Chelsea Day Spa houses an extensive list of treatments, including the luxurious anti-ageing Elixir d’OR Gold and Crushed Pearl Facial (£125) and the celebrity favourite for immediate visible results, o2 Intraceuticals Oxygen Facials (fans include Madonna, Eva Longoria Parker and Justin Timberlake), from £125. The Chelsea Day Spa emphasises a long-term approach to skin and body care to achieve longer lasting benefits with its prescriptive Mary Cohr facials and personalised aromatherapy, Swedish and sports massages. For serious face and body rejuvenation and beauty indulgence, the spa has also created a trio of signature packages, including: The Sloane Signature, £250 (4hrs 30mins) The Chelsea Signature, £180 (3hrs) The Chelsea Girl Signature, £100 (90 mins) The spa also offers bespoke beauty and well-being packages to address your personal needs and for any occasion (pre-wedding or event, pamper party, body detox etc.) upon request. To book an appointment at The Chelsea Day Spa by Faye Fasan, please call 020 7351 0911, or email info@thechelseadayspa.co.uk
July 23 Post retail sex: most of us are more turned on after shopping!British women are more likely to be in a positive mood after shopping, with the majority agreeing they are more likely to have sex with their partner after a good spree!
The study of 2062 women, aged 18-35, found nearly half of British females feel more attractive after shopping for themselves and are subsequently more likely to want to have sex with their partner. When asked “are you more likely to feel ‘in the mood’ for sex after shopping?” 38% of respondents said ‘yes’. The research, commissioned by www.MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk, discovered that shopping acts as a way to improve the mood of 86% of the nation, with just 12% of participants stating that they shopped out of necessity rather than to add to their wardrobe or for enjoyment. When asked the multi-answer question, “Are any of the following feelings applicable to you after shopping?” the top 5 answers were as follows: Happier – 86% More relaxed – 69% Guilty – 61% More attractive – 46% Depressed– 14% The study also found that nearly 90% of women aged 18-35 had shopped for clothes online, with two-fifths of females of this age group saying they preferred this method of shopping. . Jilly Tovey, MyCelebrityFashion’s Head Stylist says: “We had heard from a number of users that they felt more “in the mood” after shopping, so decided to be blatant and ask our users outright! To find that over a third of women feel more sexual and nearly half feel more attractive after shopping are just two more reasons why shopping, even in the recession, is still big business.” Do you feel more 'in the mood' after shopping? Talk about it here. Detox your locks this summerHarsh treatments, daily heat damage and pollution can weaken and dry the hair out, making it look dull and lifeless. Summer sun calls for clean, healthy locks that shine with radiance and vitality so take steps to bring your tresses back to life with a detoxing hair regime from Umberto Giannini, which will banish build-up, boost moisture levels and restore health and shine. The Umberto Giannini Spa Rituals Detoxifying Shampoo (£4.99) is a daily cleanser, which contains purifying extracts of rosemary and thyme and is specially formulated to deep cleanse the hair and rid it of product build-up. Product director Ben Randle advises careful handling of the hair when cleaning:'Most of us know that hair is at its most fragile when wet, so take care not to over tangle and rough up the hair cuticles by shampooing too vigorously. Instead, gently drench the hair with water, apply shampoo in the direction of the hair length and massage into the scalp as you go. Next, use a good conditioner to seal the hair cuticles and lock in moisture. The Spa Rituals Rebalancing Conditioner (£4.99) invigorates and revitalises dull hair leaving it soft, shiny and deeply nourished thanks to the softening properties of fig and olive. For a weekly hair treat, hair masks and elixirs are a must, especially for coloured or treated hair. Try the Spa Rituals Moisture Replenishing Hair Mask (£4.99), which has a sublime fragrance and luscious texture, and is the best-selling product in the Spa Rituals range. And for a deep nourishing hair treat, the Spa Rituals Brightening Plus Hair Elixir (£9.99) is a salon-style intensive repairing concentrate with the enriching properties of milk and vitamin B5 that penetrate the hair shaft. Available at Boots Stores and Umberto Giannini Hair Salons nationwide.  July 22 Shift over Frank BrunoI'm in week four of personal training and have to hold my hands up: I'm a convert. In fact I've become a bit addicted. It's going to be hard to give this up after running my half marathon in October, so I might not.
The last couple of Sundays have involved going for 11am runs around Hyde Park. Now this is something I would never do if I didn't have Karen waiting there for me. But after a 10K jog or game of relay sprints on a beautiful sunny, Sunday morning you feel absolutely ruddy brilliant and alive.
Even the fella (who's not one to leap out of bed before 9am at the weekends) has been enthused. Though that may be partly owing to the fact he accidentally found himself running with several hundred women dressed in pink for last Sunday's Race for Life.
In between runs I've been at the gym with Karen building up muscle (I have none on my upper body), toning my legs (they need it) and doing some intensive exercise bursts to build the heart muscle (so I can live forever).
We've done boxercise, which made me feel like some kind of secret underground Fight Club member, and we're still working on those press-ups.
Readers of this blog may remember that when the training began, I couldn't even do one full-size, proper grown-up version of one. Now, as the Count von Count of Sesame Street might say, I have managed two, magnificent, press-ups!
My rugby-playing brother may snigger but he'll be laughing on the other side of his face when I get to ten - and show off my dangerous new boxercise skills.
I'm doing my personal training with Matt Roberts. To find out more visit mattroberts.co.uk.
 Pussycat Dolls dance masterclass: bring your heels!Kimberly Wyatt of the Pussycat Dolls is giving dance fans the chance to practice with a popstar pro through a series of dance master classes - and ladies are asked to bring along their heels. “I’m amazed that so few classes teach girls how to dance in heels,” says Kimberly. “It really is an art in itself. Not only that but just about every audition will demand it. “These workshops are all about making people feel better about themselves. Along with dance steps, I’ll be teaching my class how the body moves. Once they’ve been taught how to carry themselves, even the clumsiest person can feel more confident. It’s all about breaking free of your insecurities and stepping outside your comfort zone." The classes will cater for varying levels of ability and will incorporate a wide range of genres, from jazz to ballet and hip hop. Sessions will take place on 26th and 27th July at the Urdang Academy at Finsbury Town Hall, at 10am, 12.30pm and 3pm. Book early to avoid disappointment at marksummers.com/kimberly, call 020 7229 8413 or email info@marksummers.com. Tickets are £35.00 plus a £5.00 booking fee and are subject to availability. July 17 Uncover the secret to glowing skinWe all know the golden rules for great skin: cleanse, tone and moisturise. Now Clinique has gone one step further. By answering a few simple questions, you can get customised skin care advice to address your personal skin concerns. After all, correct skin typing is the key to getting that radiant glow all year around - and your skin's needs change according to the seasons. Uncover the secret to glowing skin here.
The How to Look Good… weekendIf your body is feeling sluggish, your brain has switched off and your energy levels are close to zero after the summer months, give yourself an instant boost at Stoke Park's Detoxifying Weekend, from Saturday 12th of September to Sunday 13th of September.
Detox guru Jane Scrivner will introduce you to ‘Detox Yourself’ a 30-day food programme based on the best-selling book which includes body brushing, alternating temperature showers and professional treatment recommendations.
The weekend is designed to help you purify your body with motivational, fun and luxurious treatments at the hotel's SPA SPC, to give you a post-summer treat.
The two day retreat will consist of:
• Overview of Jane Scrivner’s successful detoxification programme
• Maggie McMillan, founder of the ‘Style Counsel’ teaches you how to make your wardrobe work for you, whatever your budget, so you look and feel a million dollars!
• SPC detoxifying luxury treatments • Cookery demonstration with executive chef, Chris Wheeler on how to cook foods from Jane Scrivner’s programme
• A gentle session of yoga focussing on opening the chakras and balancing the body
• One-on-one lifestyle consultations with Jane Scrivner
• Organic detoxifying juices throughout the purifying weekend
• Jane Scrivner’s purifying meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Jane Scrivner’s 30 day detox programme to take home
Fees: residential - £352, non-residential - £237.
To find out more visit spaspc.com.
 July 14 The nation's make-up bags are worth £1.1billion!The UK is a nation of make-up devotees and despite the recession’s impact on our disposable income, we are still spending on average a staggering £1.1 billion a month on make-up essentials, according to a new Avon survey. The survey results, announced this week, asked women across the UK to put a figure on the cost of the contents of their make-up bags. The results revealed that the average UK make-up bag contains £57 worth of products and that women aged 25-34 spend the most on make-up each month. The survey also highlighted notable differences in spending habits within the UK. Women in Cardiff had the most expensive make-up bags at just under £75, closely followed by women in the North East who carried just over £66 worth of products with them in their make-up bags. Londoners were not far behind, having the nation’s third most costly make-up bags with an average value of £59. Ladies in Belfast spent the least on make-up with an average make-up bag working out at just over £49. The survey results highlight that the ‘lipstick effect’ is still taking hold in the recession as women spend their money on small luxuries like make-up in a bid to boost their morale. Interestingly, mascara and foundation are now overtaking lipstick as essential make-up buys for most women in the UK. Mascara was overwhelmingly the most popular item with 62% of women saying it was a ‘must-have buy’. 38% of women considered lipstick as their make-up essential, closely followed by 37% of women who felt the same about foundation. Visit Avon for affordable, luxurious cosmetics.
July 10 For beautiful brows...Brows are set to be big this autumn if the Fashion Week catwalks are anything to go by. Moshino, Versace, Dior, Lanvin and Diane Von Furstenburg all played up to the key trend with unashamedly big brows. But the look is not bushy and unkempt, it's all about sleek, groomed brows that frame the eyes in a dramatic arch. This style is all about angles. Never tried threading? Allow the experts at Blink to assist. The teams have been trained in this season’s top shapes and can perfectly replicate that catwalk look. "As fashion reverts back to the 1980s, brows are following suit," says founder of Blink Brow Bars Vanita Parti. "Big, bold brows are back with grooming and maintenance being vital to this season’s look. Think Anne Hathaway and Penelope Cruz with their thick shape and defined arch rich in colour and slicked with gloss. Blink also have a professional product range to help us mere mortals get our brows in shape. Brow gels (£15) and oils work on cuticles to stimulate growth, pencils in every shade (£13) can fill in gaps and brushes will help groom brows to perfection. Find a Blink Brow Bar in a Selfridges or Harvey Nichols near you or log onto www.blinkbrowbar.com to find out more.
Delicious new fragrance by Jo MaloneFresh, floral and fragrant, Jo Malone is synonymous with luxury and indulgence and fragrance fans will be pleased to learn that a new cologne is to be released on September 1st. Vanilla & Anise Cologne has been created to transport you to Madagascar and capture the fleeting moment of the blossoming rare vanilla orchid. "The fragile cream and white flowers found on the vanilla vine are a precious discovery: only one or two appear in the morning, and seemingly vanish by late afternoon," said a spokesman. Lively and uplifting, Vanilla & Anise opens with a burst of bergamot, neroli and star anise, with a touch of spice sparkling above transparent layers of delicate vanilla orchid, oleander and frangipani. The warmth of vetiver, white amber, vanilla bourbon absolute and the subtlest hint of clove complete the new cologne. We can't wait to get our mitts on it. Vanilla & Anise Cologne 100ml £64, 30ml £32.
Meanwhile, is your skin suffering from the effects of a little too much sunshine? Jo Malone's Rosemary and Lavender Skin Tonic is a gentle toner with soothing and calming properties that work on all skin conditions to balance sensitivities. Use it to remove any residue from cleansing products, to prime the skin before applying moisturiser and to add radiance to your complexion. Rosemary extract helps to naturally calm, while lavender extract soothes, helps to reduce excess oil and balances the skin. Perfect for reviving the complexion, apply before moisturiser. Rosemary & Lavender Skin Tonic 250ml £27.
To find out more, visit www.jomalone.co.uk. July 08 Beth Ditto at evansBeth Ditto has linked up with evans to launch an eclectic and vibrant collection for plus-sized women. The range, shot by leading fashion photographer Rankin, launches this month and reflects Beth’s inimitable style and flair. Available in sizes 14-32, the collection is bang on trend with a nod to the 80s and also features graphic designs, embellishment and draping. “Designing this line is a dream come true,” says Beth. “I wanted to make something special, just for us, something never seen before. I hope the clothes inspire you to think outside the box. After all, boxes are square and in more ways than one we are not.” Beth has worked closely with evans’ Head of Design, Lisa Marie Peacock, to create the collection. Her favourite items include the two-tone domino print double layer dress and oversized ‘kitty’ print tee, which can be worn loose or belted over leggings. And for a night on the tiles, the flamboyant purple sequin batwing top and beautiful stain glass printed prom dress are just the ticket. Visit bethdittoatevans.co.uk to go shopping and more. Beth Ditto at evans is also available in the following stores: Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Nottingham, Brighton, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Meadowhall, Cardiff, London Marble Arch, Dublin, Plymouth, Belfast, Bluewater, Bristol and White City. [2].jpg "Beth Ditto (2)") [2].jpg "Beth Ditto (1)") July 06 Katie vs Peter: a new lowDoes anyone else think this is a bit sad, in every sense of the word? Katie Price visited her divorce lawyer Fiona Shackleton yesterday wearing a black vest with the words 'Team Katie' emblazoned across it. You know, like that's the kind of thing you do when you break up with your husband after five years of marriage, having had two children with him. Is there no tiny element of La Price's private life that isn't being spun out for publicity and yet more column inches? Honestly, words fail us. The makers of the T-shirt, Diamon'T, are also selling TEAM ANDRE T-shirts 'like hot cakes' apparently, so maybe Katie is on the defensive by getting her own version printed up. But the whole thing is just beginning to look a little desperate and tragic, in our opinion.  July 02 Death by dumbbellsAll right all right, I know I'm being melodramatic and that dumbbells can't actually kill you. But lawks a mercy they can give you the shakes- especially when you're on your last rep of 12. So last night Karen had me working on upper body strength at the Matt Roberts gym in Chelsea. Because it turns out I have none. I literally can't do one, single, full-sized press-up. We tried five times. I can do the girly one where you cheat by leaning on your knees, but not a proper grown-up one. Karen can though, she can do loads of them and holds her posture as flat as an ironing board when she does them. I am a jumbling, back-dipping red-faced follower, desperately trying to catch up. But I will, I will. The press-up has now become our goal, see. It's going to be what we measure my (please god, rapid) progress by during my training schedule. Karen has faith. She thinks I'll easily be able to do 10 in a matter of weeks. I'm not so sure, but after lifting loads of different dumbbells in all different muscle-building ways last night, I feel like I have the arms of King Kong today. So maybe there's hope. If you're interested in finding a personal trainer, check out the Matt Roberts website.
Fairtrade beauty: Bubble & BalmBubble & Balm has just launched a fairtrade, 100% natural skincare range. One of the first companies in the UK to offer beauty products carrying the Fairtrade mark, Bubble & Balm's new range contains wholesome ingredients such as fairtrade certified shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, rosehip oil and Vitamin E, all packaged up in elegant shiny bottles. Prices range from £14.95 for Pure Shea, to £7.95 for Stubble & Balm, a shaving oil for men. Got a special request? The company offers a Made for Me service, where customers can create their own blend by choosing essential oils to blend with their favourite ‘base’ product. Commenting on the launch, founder Sue Acton said: ‘We’re really excited to be at the forefront of Fairtrade beauty. Our new range is not only gorgeous and ethical, it’s also unique.’ Products are available at the company’s website, www.bubbleandbalm.co.uk.
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