Beauty, Health & Wellbeing

Featuring Careys Manor & SenSpa | New Forest

As a destination I hold close to my heart, returning to the New Forest often feels like coming home. I have many childhood memories of summer holidays spent cycling the forests, feasting on picnics and camping with friends. With the prospect of a weekend of sunshine ahead, I took the opportunity to escape to the New Forest; boyfriend in-tow, to it’s blossoming heath-land, wild ponies, cosy pubs and an oasis of relaxation at Careys Manor & Senspa. Making a swift exit out of the City, miraculously missing any Friday night traffic, we were greeted by the setting sun as we travelled up a meandering gravel drive towards Careys Manor. I can only describe the view of Careys Manor as something out of a quintessential English novel. Immaculate lawns, trimmed hedges, tudor chimneys and air of history. Nestled under the bows of the trees is an outdoor bar and comfortable sofa setting, the perfect place to start your weekend with a glass of Provencal as the sun begins dip behind the trees.

Featuring The ultra sports clinic

The newly opened Ultra Sports Clinic (USC), located in the heart of The City is a stone's throw away from the busy business district of Bank. Ultra Sports Clinic work holistically and sustainably, whatever the ailment. Taking a highly professional and proactive approach to treatments tailored specifically towards you, the clinic is dedicated to creating a stronger and better you. “The best athletes are passionate, motivated and committed to their craft, so it makes sense that the people who treat them should be the same. Regardless if you’re an elite athlete, a weekend-warrior or anything in-between, we’re motivated to help you achieve your fitness objectives,” says Ashleigh Wienand. With 15-years worth of experience under her belt, Ashleigh has worked with some incredible sports teams such as the British Lions Rugby Team, Davis Cup, Fed Cup Tennis, South Africa Rugby 7′s and Legends, London Irish RFC, the England Cricket team, Commonwealth Games and IAAF Athletics.

Mother’s Day gift guide

Review of Hare & bone – a Sam Burnett salon

Conveniently, the salon is located about five minutes from Oxford Circus and a short walk to Bond Street so it couldn’t be easier to get to.  With my cut and colour well overdue, I was looking forward to visiting Hare and Bone for a well-needed covering of greys and trimming of split ends. As soon as I stepped through the door I knew I was in good hands, the staff were friendly and my stylist Nathan knew just what I was looking for in my colour. Despite its super sleek interior - think monochrome fittings, exposed pipes and industrial-style lighting – there is a very relaxed atmosphere and it didn’t feel at all snooty. Nathan listened patiently as I moaned about my greys and how cutting my fringe was the scariest part of any cut for me (I’m sure he’s heard it all before, but he did a good job at looking interested) before he spent a good while going through a selection of colours. We eventually settled on a glossing treatment that would give depth to my natural colour and also hide the lighter ends left over from my last trip to a salon.  We also agreed to lose about an inch and a half off the ends.

Featuring A tool case you can travel with for generations to come –...

This is perhaps the only tool case needed for those that appreciate fine craftsmanship and beauty.

Featuring Sir Bani Yas Island: an eco-Wildlife Safari on the...

Beginning when this 87-sq-km desert island was originally Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s private retreat. The founder and first ruler of the United Arab Emirates was given a bevy of exotic animals as gifts when exploring Africa as a young royal. After this, he took an interest and started collecting exotic species now thriving on the island's huge wildlife. Sheik Zayed’s initiative was to save a native species that had teetered on the brink of extinction; the Arabian oryx. Officially declared extinct in the wild in the late 1960s, it’s plight moved the animal-loving emir to begin developing Sir Bani Yas as a place to protect it.   "The oryx is the main reason the island is the way it is today," says Matt Bottomer, an adventure guide who familiarizes visitors staying on Sir Bani Yas with its many resident creatures. "Sheikh Zayed searched the world to see if there were any oryx in captivity. "He found a handful and started a breeding program here."

Review of Face Gym: The workout for your face we guarantee you have...

Face Gym. It is a workout for your face. After speaking to the founder, Inge Theron, I found myself actually questioning why I would go to the gym and work my body muscles and not do my face. You never think that your facial muscles need to work out, everyone buys cream and lotions to keep their skin young and supple. I can bet that not a lot of people do a facial workout for 5 minutes every day to do the exact same thing. The treatments are endless at Face Gym so, after some careful deliberation, I selected the Signature Electrical; a quick round the face workout to life, tone and tighten. Followed by the unique Face Gym device which stimulates the muscles.

Review of The best of Beauty 2017

We bring to you a series of posts rounding up the whirlwind that has been 2017. Whether it is our favourite beauty products, restaurants or hotels, we bring you our favourites from the past 12 months.

Featuring Gili Lankanfushi – a sanctuary hidden from the world

This is a sanctuary hidden from the world, where you are invited to literally kick your shoes off and let go of any stresses or worries of the world. Their ‘no news, no shoes’ ethos means that your footwear is placed in a little canvas bag during the short 20-minute boat ride to the resort, allowing you to just be casual and comfortable your entire stay.

Review of Visit the Residence: The perfect family getaway in the...

We returned home feeling completely rejuvenated and relaxed. From the mesmerizing colour of the water to the mouth-watering local cuisine, everything oozed luxury. For the first part of our trip, we stayed at The Residence, an exclusive and secluded retreat of unparalleled beauty in Falhumaafushi, a pristine island located in Huvadhoo Atoll one of the largest and deepest atolls in the world.  After a 10-hour flight with our little boy, we were greeted by a representative from the Residence who took our luggage away for us and escorted us to the air-conditioned lounge. The hotel is located 242 miles south of Male International Airport, so after a cold drink, we boarded the scenic 55-minute flight to Kooddoo airport. This was then followed by a short mini-bus ride and speedboat direct to the resort.

Discover Karine Jackson: London’s most luxurious organic...

Spanning two floors of a large Victorian building, it has been decorated with an exquisite modern feel. Having held so I was ready for my holiday, my hair colour was well overdue and my fringe had totally grown out. I was really looking forward to what the stylist had in mind for my lifeless locks. I arrived on a wet, blustery, dark winter's evening - still feeling slightly manic from my day in the office, however within minutes the calming atmosphere of the salon had rubbed off and I started to relax.  The salon’s owner Karine is originally from Australia but came to London to train with Charles Worthington before setting up on her own in 2003. She is famous for only using Organic Colour Systems hair colouring that is ammonia free with fewer chemicals. I was interested to see if it covered my greys as well as normal.

Behind the Quintessential Dior fragrance: J adore Jasmine...

Vogue Fragrance recently covered the jasmine harvesting process in a video featuring Dior's perfume creator, François Demachy. In the film, Demachy describes how Dior's iconic 'J'adore L'Or' is created using the finest flowers from Domaine de Manon. Carole Biancalana's family estate Domaine de Manon, in the Grasse area, has reserved its jasmine harvest exclusively for Christian Dior since 2006. Grasse, which is considered the world's capital of perfume, is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera in the hills north of Cannes. The heritage of its long-established perfume industry is celebrated at the Musée International de la Parfumerie, in the town centre.  The jasmine flower blooms between July and late October, and each year the Biancalana estate's entire centifolia rose and Jasminum grandiflorum crop is reaped for the benefit of Dior Perfumes.