The Creative Colouring Book for Grown-ups

One thing my nieces and my nephews love to do is to sit with a colouring book and colour and it is something I really enjoyed doing as a child too. Then a friend of mine suggested I purchase an adult version which she has found highly relaxing and a way of helping to de-stress. So I took the plunge and I purchased The Creative Colouring Book for Grown-ups (rrp £7.99) and some pens to give it a go.  The one thing I am not is arty, I can barely draw a stickman and am so envious of those people who are talented artists because when you see them drawing or painting, it looks so relaxing, so for me, this is the next best thing.

Described as follows:

"Explore your natural creativity with some stunning and exotic patterns to colour in, however and whenever you feel inspired. Doodling and colouring have long been known to enhance one's thought processes and provide a relaxing yet highly creative way to free the mind. In this original and unique book you'll find over 100 detailed patterns to colour, providing endless entertainment and building into a piece of work that you can truly call your own"

This book is no bigger than an A5 notebook and has an elastic band, in fuschia pink to keep everything neat and tidy and to stop the pages from bending, ripping and becoming unruly. Not quite a hardback exterior, it still has a fairly rigid brightly coloured sleeve which caught my eye in WHSmiths. The reason I have started off with this one is because, if I carry it around in my handbag, it is less likely to get bent out of shaped and ripped and it is a nice little introduction into the world of adult colouring books.

Inside the book are over 100 beautiful patterns for you to pick and choose from to colour ranging from floral motifs to geometric designs, all of which capture your attention. The paper is quite also quite thick, so there no chance of anything seeping through the page to ruin the adjoining patterns. The only downside is that once you start, you quickly lose a good few hours because it is really relaxing and it certainly holds your attention.

So if you are looking for a new hobby that doesn't cost the earth, holds your attention and will engross you, seriously, buy one of these books, there are so many different ones out there to be had that you will be spoilt for choice as to which one to choose, but once you start, you will find it very hard to stop.

If it's 20-plus years since you picked up a crayon, you'll be surprised how fun it is!  Have you tried or bought one yet?

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.