Sunday 24 March 2013

Bannatyne Spa - 241 Pamper Day Weekend

Today I visited a Bannatyne Spa for the first time... Before arriving at the Spa I had high expectations, a friend of mine had visited before and said it was amazing.

The two for one package which was offered was for either;
A Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage or a Bannatyne Energizing Facial.
Plus a scalp massage and use of the facilities.

The price for the above for two people was £75.

Upon arriving at the spa/gym which is in Llanishen, Cardiff we were greeted by a receptionist and beauty therapists were there also. We were given three forms to fill out to cover the use of the facilities and the treatment itself. (Three was a little excessive as I wrote the same information on all three, but needs must with these type of things)
Me and my friend Bethan knew that we only wanted a relaxing day and therefore the gym was not a factor in our visit.
We were kindly shown around by the receptionist and handed our robes, towels and slippers.

Now... I have only ever been to one Spa previously. And that is the Vale Resort www.vale-hotel.com/spa
From visiting this Spa my expectations of a spa experience may be a little high which possibly clouded my opinion of Bannatynes. In all honestly Bannatynes come nowhere near The Vale in terms of Spa Facilities.
Here's why:-
Bannatynes Spa, had a cafe which was shared with gym members (a little off putting in my opinion especially when you are sat there in your robe!) At The Vale the spa has its own cafe area is separate so you can fully relax and everyone else is in robes!
In terms of rooms, it was basic - you had a number of treatment rooms which were lovely, well decorated and very relaxing. But other than the pool, sauna etc and one relaxation room the experience was a little lack lustre. If I may compare to The Vale again which includes many relaxation and sleep rooms the overall Spa Experience is far better.
When Bethan and I first arrived we opted to have our treatments a little later, allowing time for a swim etc before hand.
Again, as with the cafe you share the changing room facilities with gym members, something which I was not expecting.
The jacuzzi and pool were fine though, basic but just what was needed. Unfortunately Bethan and I didn't experience the sauna or the steam room - mainly because upon opening the doors we were welcomed by a room full of men who were stretched out across the entire seating area not allowing for anyone else to enter. We exited and headed to the relaxation room which was located in the main entrance area.
Now I would use the term "Relaxation Room" carefully here as it was basically a box room with a sofa, two chairs and a beanbag and what was left after that was barely enough room to swing a cat. And being directly opposite the cafe, every noise could be heard, the clashing of crockery and the steam from the coffee maker. That combined with the loud thumping music of the gym upstairs, it was all to much for the panpipes to drown out. The room was clearly not big enough at one point there was 7 people in there and you couldn't move.
Relaxing it was not!

The Treatment.
This was where the Spa redeemed itself. Having being offered the choice between a facial and a massage I opted for the facial.
The Beauty Therapist Cerys, asked whether I had any problem areas and I advised her of my combination skin and how sometimes my pores get congested. With this in mind she tapered the facial to my needs and opted to use Elemis product.
The treatment was highly relaxing and very thorough, combining a facial with a neck and shoulder massage also.
After many layers of deep cleansing and exfoliation my skin felt amazingly soft.
Cerys then returned and talked me through the products which were used and provided me with an Elemis "Your Cleansing Prescription" card which explained exactly what products were used.
I had;
Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm
Balancing Lavender Toner
Gentle Rosé Exfoliator
And I was also kindly given a few samples of the Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm to take away and try for myself.

Even a few hours later while I write this, my skin still feels amazing and very hydrated.

The scalp massage, was not for me in all honesty but that's preference so I won't dwell too much on it.

Would I visit this Spa again?
For an entire Spa experience day I would have to say no. I didn't feel as though I could relax in the facilities, nor was there enough to occupy me for an entire day.
However like I said, the actual treatment was where the spa redeemed itself and all staff were polite, courteous and professional at all times. For that reason I would return for treatments only.

Have you visited a Bannatyne Spa before, what are your thoughts?

Rhian Xx

This Club is located at;
Bannatyne's Health Club, Parc Ty Glas , Llanishen, Cardiff, CF14 5DU

http://www.bannatynespa.com/spa/cardiff

Saturday 23 March 2013

Mac Pressed Pigment - Deeply Dashing

Another day.. Another eye shadow option.
It seems like ages ago that I bought this product. Actually! It was ages ago. January would you believe? And only now I'm getting round to talking about it.
I used a £15 Debenhams voucher which I received from O2 along with £1.50's worth of beauty club points, so technically it was FREE!
So are the best things in life free for free?

I've used a number of loose pigments in my time, and a large amount of those were from Mac. So when I saw they had created a pressed pigment I knew I had to try it.
I played it safe with my selection and went for "Deeply Dashing" a brown shade with silver glitter pigments throughout.
In all honesty I would have happily walked away with the entire collection because every one of them was as appealing as the last. But with my sensible cap on I opted for the one I felt I would use most often.
So despite having this pigment since January I would be inclined to say I've used it less than half a dozen times. Not because I don't love it but because I was kind of saving it for a night out, and was gonna go all out with it. Instead I've been using it in small doses just for added sparkle.

Today, I changed my mind and went for an all over lid look with it but not too heavy. It's the day time after all!

Using a pressed pigment is much less hassle that a loose one as you don't get the drop out, and I don't know about you but I've dropped my loose pigments more times than I care to remember and they make a right mess!
Now as it is still a pigment as such I used a base to make the shadow stick to my lid a little better (I used Maybellines 24hr Colour Tattoo Shadow - another product I've yet to write about) I found that pressing the pigment against the lid allowed a better finish.

I've had the shadow on for about 6 hours already and it's not budged or worn at all and it still has fabulous sparkle.

I do love this product, and you get a sizeable amount for £16.50 so it will last you a long time and I think it's a must for any eyeshadow lover who can't quite get to grips with applying loose pigment.

I can't wait to try out this product for an evening look over a darker base colour!

So it seems Janet and Luther were right...The Best Things in Life are Free
(Well free to me anyway)

Have you tried this product? Did you like it?

Rhian Xx

**In the pics I used Mac's Embark eyeshadow to contour the eye and applied Maybellines Rocket mascara to finish the look. Eyebrows are courtesy of Illamasqua Eyebrow Cake in Thunder.





Tuesday 19 March 2013

Barry M Textured Nail Effect Polish

I think Barry M nail polishes are great! They have a great finish and have staying power, plus they are fab value for money and normally retail for between £2.99 and £3.99.
While in my local Boots store recently I picked up a new Texture Effect polish.

The polish comes in great Spring Summer shades.

Light Blue - Atlantic Road
Baby Pink - Kingsland Road
Yellow - Station Road
Mint - Ridley Road

Each polish is named after famous haunts where Mr Barry Mero began his early working days in the markets of South and East London.

I opted for Ridley Road but will probably end up purchasing all colours.
Two coats of the polish are required to give the best coverage. But no top coat is required for to the matte textured effect the polish provides.
It does take a little effort to wipe off but nowhere near as bad as glitter is to remove.

This polish is a bargain at £3.99 and is great for the Summer! I will be wearing mine when I go on holiday in May as they look extra fab with a tan.

Have you tried this polish? Which shade did you opt for?

Rhian Xx





Monday 18 March 2013

London Beauty Halls - Which One Rules The Roost?

Last weekend I headed to London to enjoy a special break with the lovely Sheenie.
Whilst shopping on Oxford street I visiting four separate beauty halls within department stores.
I visited; John Lewis, House Of Fraser and Debenhams and basically they are next to one another. The brands they offer are much of a muchness and as the prices are fixed by the counter, so which do you choose?

Now this may seem like a rather unusual blog post, but being a buyer in my day job, retail and all aspects of the shopping experience captivate me. And while I walked these halls I wondered which shopping experience I enjoyed the most.

Firstly - John Lewis
This is definitely the most glamorous and comprehensive of the three. And having undergone a make over last year which included a launch event, I was hardly surprised that this hall would win the style stakes.
Certain brands have specific areas, more like shop in shop concepts than just consignments e.g Jo Malone.
I was greeted by a number of people handing out perfume samples, which I happily took.
I also hovered around a few brands stands to see which brands would approach me.
Now the store was busy, it was Saturday afternoon after all, but the staff did not seem approachable nor helpful and while I browsed one brand, three staff members chatted not once looking up to acknowledge me. At this point I should add that nothing annoys me more than this.
The additional space that this hall offered too smaller sections which were sat in product category e.g nail polishes was great and key brands were featured which is just what you need from a department store. - I will point out that the reason I was particularly impressed by the nail polish is because in my local John Lewis (Cardiff) the product is so poorly displayed it almost seems like a local pharmacy where they have just plonked it on and end and forgotten about it.
Another great point was that they included electrical beauty product within the beauty hall including hair straighteners, this is something I've not seen executed well before so was a definite bonus!

Next Stop - House Of Fraser
This store also seemed to have had a face lift since my previous visit.
It was not as large or as impressive as John Lewis but the staff were second to none.
Each brand I looked at had a helpful and polite member of staff offering help and advice on products, even when staff were busy with other customers I was still acknowledged.
The brands were very similar to John Lewis, but in terms of the type of brands that appealed to me, it had an Urban Decay counter which John Lewis did not. (this could be down to customer profile, I would imagine John Lewis and House of Fraser have a very similar overall customer profile, but in terms of fashion and beauty may be slightly younger - just my opinion)

Finally - Debenhams.
Now I guess this was just poor timing,-Debenhams were in the midst of a beauty hall face lift (understandable in order to keep up with their neighbours) So it is a little hard to judge it on appearance. However, I will add that as I mentioned I was impressed that John Lewis had featured electrical in amongst beauty product, Debenhams very randomly had a hair concession in the middle of their shoe department!????
Now I will let Debenhams off with their appearance as it is unfair to judge them in the middle of renovations, and I'm sure it will eventually look fab as Cardiff store has definitely improved.
What I will not forgive Debenhams for is their customer service or lack of it.
Despite walking around and taking an interest in certain brands I was only acknowledged an approached by one brand - Benefit.
This is very disappointing.


Which would I choose?
Tough call, as they are all much of a muchness in terms of product offering. But if I could combine the John Lewis shop floor with the level of service I received in House of Fraser it would be perfect!
If I was purchasing a brand which was on all three stores, I would purchase at House Of Fraser - it's all very well and good to have a beautiful beauty hall but if the customer service level isn't there it just doesn't appeal to me.

So well done House of Fraser you won me over due to service.

Rhian Xx


Lush - Lip Scrub

I'm a fan of anything bubblegum flavoured, and someone recently posted a pic on Instagram of the Lush lip scrub which was bubblegum flavoured.
I knew at this moment I had to have it.

I've never bought anything from Lush before. I've heard lots of good things, but sometimes the smell can be a little bit overpowering I'm store for my sensitive nostrils.

The girl that served me in store at the London, Brent Cross branch was very helpful.
The instructions for the use of this lip scrub was simple.
Take a pinch.
Close Lips
Scrub
Lick off (my favourite part)

I'm not someone that suffers with chapped lips. (Luckily) but I do always like to keep them moisturised and smooth.

The product is simple. The primary product is none other than Castor Sugar - hence why you can lick it off.

I've used the product for a few days now and my lips are always soft after use (they advise it is best used after a shower)
Bubblegum isn't the only flavour though. It's also available in Mint Julep and Popcorn.
You only need a little so it should last a long time, just make sure you always seal it back up properly.
I'm even going to recommend this product to my friend Kirsty who tends to suffer with chapped lips and I think I will give her some of mine to try, and ask her to talk to you about the results!

The lip scrub retails for £5.25 and tastes delicious.

Rhian Xx





Friday 15 March 2013

Benefit Fake Up! Concealer

So recently I was lucky enough to be invited to a Benefit Cosmetics blogging event in Swansea for the launch of Benefit's latest product. Fake Up concealer.
At first I found it a little strange that it was held in Swansea rather than Cardiff, but as it turns out the Benefit counter I'm Swansea is the No.1 in the country! Who would have thought it hey!?
At the event we were greeted with a champagne reception, along with canapés and fresh strawberries, this accompanied by the views of Swansea bay from the 27th floor of the Meridian Tower only added to the event - delicious!
An introduction to the Benefit team quickly followed and then the whole reason we were there, Fake Up was revealed.

Fake Up is marketed as a hydrating, creaseless concealer, and is available in three shades.
•Light
•Medium
•Deep

The concealer itself is surrounded by a hydrating ring, Lisa - Benefit's Head Make Up and Trend Artist (and Brow Expert) demonstrated the product, applying in a 'V 'shape on the under eye area, a little provides excellent coverage and instantly brightens the under eye area while feeling soothing too.
The product can also be used in your laughter lines (if you have any that is) down the centre of your nose for a slimming effect or anywhere else that you may wish to highlight. - The brow bone was another great tip, along with around your nose for a little pick me up if suffering from a cold or redness.
I was colour matched as 01 - Light
But Lisa also demonstrated a great trick using the mid and deep shades to contour the cheekbones, a process I have become fond of. The product blends seamlessly with the rest of your make up.

I was impressed by the concealer and it definitely does work!
I'm not someone that has particular issues with darkness in the under eye area but I have used this product every day since I've had it, along with the deep to contour.
The concealer retails for £18.50, so it's not cheap but it is less that YSL's Touché Éclat and dare I say it - I think I prefer it to the cult favourite.
If you do usually purchase Touché Éclat I would recommend giving the Benefit one a go!

The event itself was great, we were colour matched to a Hello Flawless foundation shade which we also got to take away as well as being left to try out other Benefit product.
I also got to meet lots of other amazingly lovely welsh bloggers!

Benefits Fake Up concealer hits counters on the 30.03.13 and as I mentioned retails for £18.50
It was released in America last week and has already sold out so it you are looking to grab one be quick!

Rhian Xx


Images of the event are posted below;























Saturday 2 March 2013

Boots No.7 Stay Perfect Nail Polish - So Simple

I don't really have much of a relationship with Boots' No.7 range... I've only ever really purchased it when I've had a voucher for £5 off, in all honesty I find it a little pricey for an own label make up brand and would rather purchase Boots' Seventeen range instead.

As nude nails are on trend this season I thought I would talk to you about a No.7 polish which I previously purchased (using the £5 off voucher you get given at the till) £2 for a nail polish is a bargain!

So Simple is a lovely shade, and has a very subtle sheen undertone which is barely noticeable unless you hold the polish up to the light.
I always apply a base coat to my nails first, so the application of this polish should have been care free.
The coverage on the first coat wasn't great and I was a little disappointed. If I was paying the full £7 for this polish I would expect an at least half decent first coat. Two coats did give an all over coverage which looked great when first applied and I was happy with the result.

Upon waking up the next day - SHOCK HORROR... I had a chip!
Now... I'm the kind of girl that does not leave the house without nail polish - also if required I will paint my nails twice a week as I cannot stand chips in polish.
I was not happy :-(
Now I would like to say that this was the only chip... A good polish normally lasts me five days this barely lasted me one before more chips started to appear! Now three days after first application my nails are a sorry state of affairs and this polish has to go!

I would not recommend this product to any one considering paying the full £7. There are much cheaper better alternatives.
For a product calling itself "Stay Perfect" it leaves a lot to be desired.
The only plus point is the shade, it is a great classic nude.

Rhian Xx