Are you comfortable in your own skin?

While my other half insists that he needs at least £10,000 of plastic surgery to rid his face of lines and wrinkles I’m fairly comfortable in my skin. That said, while BeautykingUK may look in the mirror and see someone else’s body it would appear he isn’t alone, and in fact the use of surgical procedures for purely aesthetic reasons are more popular than you would think.

It wasn’t until a snazzy new infographic from the New Birkdale Clinic popped into my inbox that the scale of procedures being undertaken across the UK really hit home. 

Would you believe that last year there were over 45,000 procedures across the country? No? Me neither, if you had asked me to guess I would have put the figure firmly in the region of around 10,000 but I would be way, way out! Even more striking is the fact that the total actually decreased in 2014 when compared to the year before.

What do I draw from the infographic? Well, to me it appears that as the economy picks up and most of us have more money to spend on luxury goods and services. This could explain the increase in procedures. Could it also be the explosion in clinics offering procedures and the decreasing cost of undergoing a procedure?

What was staggering for me was the sheer increase in the number of breast augmentations (boob job to you and me) - 231% since 2004 and the increase in breast reductions - 243% since 2004. Wow, there are a lot of people out there who just don’t like what they were given in the genetic mixing pot.

*Guestpost

SpaLondon - Kensington

This week I paid my first (and definitely not last) visit to SpaLondon at their newest branch in Kensington to experience one of two treatments. I couldn't wait to give it a go because I had had an extraordinarily busy six months at work and was in need of some indulgence and de-stressing.

Describing themselves as "An oasis of calm, where you can leave stresses and strains of modern life behind you. SpaLondon offers the perfect environment in which to restore both mind and body, lifting your spirits through each experience"

It was exactly what I was in need of and looking forward too and it is exactly what I got. The centerpiece of spa LONDON is the Thermal Spa Experience, comprising of an Aroma Steam Room, Sauna, Ice Fountain, Hydrotherapy pool, Monsoon Shower and Relaxation Lounge and I cannot wait to experience them all. As you arrive, everything is bright, airy and is everything you expect a Spa to be. Based at the leisure centre in Kensington, there are are over 50 health, beauty and relaxation treatments in partnership with brands such as Elemis, Murad, Fake Bake and O.P.I.

I spent the afternoon with  Copper Garden, One Little Vice, Splitthecity, House of Blog and Beauty With Charm and as we arrived, we were warmly welcomed with an amazing afternoon tea, as well as orange juice and champagne!

Our hosts for the day talked us through the SpaLondon brand to give us an insight into who they are and what they are about. One message that stood out above everything else is to bring a little bit of pampering to everyday people like you and I and to do this the key issue is affordability but without compromising on the luxury. To that end, SpaLondon Spa's are affordable (both the products and the treatments) and have been purposely located in local leisure centres, making them as accessible as possible not to mention welcoming. 

I had been offered the choice between two treatments: the Murad facial or the Midas Touch Gold Treatment. I opted for the latter as it's a signature SpaLondon treatment, and it has the word gold in it and I wanted to know why.  It also involved all of the products you can see in the photo immediately below!

The Midas Touch Gold Treatment lasts for 90 minutes (£70) and is described as being "An exotic exfoliation ritual to leave the skin glowing and hydrated". It starts with a golden elixir cleansing foot ritual to prepare you for your journey. My treatment wasn't 90 minutes long (though I am wanting to do back and try the whole treatment) but in the time I was in the treatment room (shown above) I was made to not only feel incredibly comfortable with my therapist Nicole, but she talked me through absolutely everything that was going to happen and why it was done. 

The room had a really relaxing atmosphere with mood music in the background and the treatment bed itself incredibly comfortable.

So to start with your skin is deeply cleansed, polished using the gold elixir and then it is softened with the SpaLondon signature gold body scrub. The scrub isn't overly abrasive but you can feel it being worked onto the skin and it isn't at all painful. After showering off the scrub, the use of the Thai compress massage comes into being. Shown above, these two padded items, which smell delightfully of coconut, are use to perform the massage. They are heated slightly and honestly, it was so amazing I didn't want the treatment to come to an end, I could literally feel my muscles beginning to relax and I was almost ready for a power nap.

After the treatment had ended, I was given a nice cool glass of detox water and then taken through to the relaxation room where I was asked to lay back on one of the chairs and relax for a few minutes.  I actually could have stayed there all day.  It was so peaceful and calming that after my treatment, whilst my skin was rejuvenated and glowing, my mind was ready for a nap.

For me, this was an amazing opportunity and one I am incredibly thankful for. If this sounds lke your idea of heaven, then there are six other locations to choose from - Bethnal Green, Epsom,  Oxford Circus, Old Street, Swiss Cottage and Wimbledon. Enjoy!

Weleda Natural Citrus Deodorant

When I was asked if I wanted to try a deodorant spray from Weleda, I was intrigued by the entire concept.  I am quite choosy about which deodorants I purchase, I like them to last all day long without the need to re-apply and whilst I don't believe their are ones which last for 48 hours, I can count on one hand which ones I am confident with when wearing.

So the Weleda Deodorants are available in three different scents - Sage, Citrus and Wild Rose.  They are housed inside a beautiful, recyclable glass bottle, feature a handy pump-action spray nozzle and are free from aluminium salts.  Weleda Deodorants are safe for both you and the environment and are made using herbal extracts and natural essential oils which work to neutralise bacteria and prevent body odours.

I was sent the Citrus Deodorant which is described as being made with the refreshing tangy essential oils of biodynamic lemon peel and sweet orange. The scent itself is quite light when spritzed and it works against body odours with the use of organic alcohol that mildly disinfectants, leaving a cooling and refreshing effect.  The fine spray dries on the skin within seconds and leaves behind no stickiness, instead the soft citrus scent is refreshing and fresh scented.

As well as being used as a deodorant, this spray can also be used on your feet, hands and rest of the body to freshen and revitalise. If that wasn't versatile enough, each spray can also be used to freshen up a room in the house, again once spritzed the light citrus scent is noticeable and not overwhelming, much like a candle after a few hours of burning.

I have become a huge fan of this deodorant and intend to try out all three. A 100ml bottle costs just £8.95 and is available from places such as Waitrose. You can also try a handy travel 30ml size for just £5.95 too.

L'Occitane & My Little Box event

L'Occitane is a brand I am absolutely loving the discovery of and there are a few products to share on the blog in coming weeks, but last week I was invited along to the Covent Garden store to a blogger event which was in conjunction with My Little Box, a beauty box which has taken the blogging world my storm and one I was keen to learn more about.

On arrival I was treated to an absolutely amazing and most relaxing hand massage and then was introduced to the My Little Box which is filled with L'Occitane hero products. For those not in the know, My Little Box is a hand-picked and beautifully designed box of fashion, beauty and lifestyle surprises. This box aptly named My Little Provence Box is adorned with a floral pattern and a striking figure of a woman.

Inside the box there are seven items in total. The first item I saw is a card with the saying "In Provence, the sun rises twice a day - once in the morning and once after nap time" by Yvan Audouard, a writer and journalist. There is also a newspaper which opens right out into a huge print after you read all the articles, including what the fabulous Really Ree has inside her vanity bag!

Next is perhaps the best item I have come across in a beauty box. My Little Provence Doll. Not an actual doll but a magnetic one with magnetic clothes, hours of fun to be had with this.

Sunny Things inside Cuff - This I love. I am not the most artistic of people, but being able to make my own bracelet really appeals. The cuff is described as being the ultimate DIY accessory for the summer. Inside this box you have the cuff bracelet and two different coloured cotton threads, I have a navy blue and bright blue and all you need to do is follow the instructions to create it.

Naturally being a beauty box there is a little tote bag which has those four L'Occitane hero products inside and this is what there is:

• Mer & Mistral Shower Gel - The Mer & Mistral Fresh Shower Gel gently cleanses the skin, leaving it freshly perfumed with the aquatic and aromatic scent of the Mer & Mistral fragrance. Skin is left clean and perfumed with an invigorating scent which lingers on the skin all day.
• Roses et Reines hand and nail creme - Enriched with shea butter and vitamin E, the Roses et Reines Hand & Nail Cream helps nourish, soften and protect the hands while helping to strengthen the nails. This is a lovely little handcream, it smells very much of fresh roses and it leaves your hand so soft and moisturised.
• Verbena Body Lotion - Enriched with organic Verbena extract and grape seed oil, this body light lotion gently moisturises, nourishes and softens the skin, leaving it delicately fragranced with a uplifting zesty aroma.  This is a perfect for those mornings when you just need a poke in the ribs to wake you up, a sharp scent which really hits the senses.
• Soap with Verbena Leaves - Crushed verbena leaves gently exfoliate as you wash or shower. All-vegetal, non-detergent cleansing base won't dry skin. Rich and creamy, with a light citrus scent.  I am not the worlds biggest fan of soap, it isn't something I tend to get that excited over, but I do love the scent of this and as L'Occitane state, it doesn't dry out your skin.

The final item is The Amazing eyeshadow crayon (rrp £9) of which mine is a metallic brown shade and it is a shade I actually quite like. Like most eyeshadow crayons, it is easy to use and features a twist bottom so you don't have to sharpen it.

As a L'Occitane fan, I absolutely love this box, it contains products I have never tried and it is a perfect weekend away treat all rolled into one with a bit of fun when it comes to the magnetic doll and cuff bracelet.

You can subscribe to My Little Box** for £14.95 per month which includes P&P - link