HO HO HO | Free facial at Content Beauty/Wellbeing

AGAIN, ANOTHER no brainer gift idea. Why? Because a. it's an EXPERIENCE, which I love far more than just being gifted more stuff... everyone already has too much stuff. Give them something that they can DO and that will change the way they look instantly (that's the result you're after with all those beauty, wellness and fashion gifts anyway). Plus, did we mention, IT'S FREE. Or, I should say, free with purchase. 

You buy a gift card for one facial and you get a second facial FREE. That's insane. No one does that. If I lived closer, I would buy 5 and give the 5 free facials with purchase to all my sisters, my mom and my friend with the youngest and most numerous bebes.

The offer's available through December 20th and valid through March 2011, which, I think, is a good idea -- you'll actually go if you know there's an end date instead of holding onto the voucher until you've long forgotten about it, waiting for the exact right time to book your appointment.

Check out Content Beauty/Wellbeing here.

SPA WATCH | Elemis Winter Warmer Delight

The ever intrepid Julia Rebaudo submits to the hands of yet another beauty therapist all in the name of research for beautywoome.com. Find out what she thinks of Elemis's Winter Warmer Delight...

EVER SINCE my highly successful Modern Skin Facial I’ ve been a huge fan of Elemis and was impressed to see they have tailored a spa therapy treatment specifically for these grim winter months. An hour and 45 minutes of blissful pampering at this bijoux spa in central London frequented by the likes of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Denise Van Outen and yes, even the BBC’ s Loose Women? I’ d have been a fool to say no.

As I probably mentioned before, just walking through the front door of the Elemis flagship spa is a pleasure; scented, warm and populated with pretty therapists padding around in perfectly manicured bare feet. Welcomed and offered green tea by my therapist Amy, I’ m taken upstairs for my treatment into a room with sliding doors that makes up one half of a couple’ s treatment room – couples treatments are very popular Amy tells me, although I wouldn’ t be able to drag my other half into spa in a million years.

Anyway, a quick chat about my skin and massage needs and then I’ m getting undressed and slipping into those little black paper pants, you know the ones, except, thoughtfully, Elemis offer both the g-string and brief variety depending on how modest you’ re feeling. I’ m usually not bothered, but for some reason I go for the comfy big briefs.

THE DETAILS

First up, body brushing with a special Elemis brush, while I lie melting into the heated bed, followed by Frangipani oil rubbed all over my bod and then a lime and ginger salt scrub. I’ m so cosy and warm and my winter skin is feeling fresh and invigorated. I wash it all off in the shower then lay back down for the hot stone body massage which is quite simple divine. Special attention is lavished on my laptop-tense neck and shoulder muscles. Then my face is treated to a soothing facial not too far removed from the afore-mentioned Modern Skin Facial, lots of nourishing Visible Brilliance serum – basically just all the nice cleansing, nourishing, massaging bits of a facial, none of the extraction pain. At this point, predictably, I’ m nearly asleep.

Final touch is a mini manicure with Essie products. I got for the moody Smokin’ Hot colour from the winter collection, a beautiful sultry grey-purple, and am super impressed with the result aided by the Nail Corrector Pen and Quick-e drying drops.

THE RESULT

Skin is super-soft and fresh-feeling, face is looking plumped and moisturised, neck and shoulders are relaxed and nails so beautifully manicured that everyone is commenting.

Elemis Winter Warmer Delight, 1hr 45mins for £125. Available until 31 January 2011 at Elemis Day Spa (2-3 Lancashire Ct, London W1S 1EX, 0870 410 4210). Find other locations here.

Check out Julia on her blog Stylonylon.com.

SPA WATCH | Verta Spa London to Paris

 

THE NEWLY opened Hotel Verta in London’s Battersea, right next to the Heliport, by luxury hotel chain von Essen, boasts a brand new sparkly spa (rain showers, heated loungers, atmospheric hydrotherapy pool) and is open to the public – so if you’re in that part of town, it’s worth a visit. The staff is extremely friendly and willing to help. The spa is partnered with French beauty brand Anne Sémonin, and this is where I went to experience the Verta spa’s signature and tailor-made treatment, the two-hour London To Paris with Anne Sémonin (£200).

THE TREATMENT

My therapist Wendy, a former beauty school teacher, was extremely experienced and knowledgeable in all things beauty, and I was full of questions to begin with (What to do with ingrown hairs from waxing? Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate. What can I do about the small milia below my eyes? Use a quality eye make-up remover.) But I soon wound down as she got started on the black sea salt all-over-body scrub. This involved donning the little black paper panties, lying face down and turning over for application and then showering off. My skin felt extremely soft after the scrub.

Then a hot bubbling seaweed back treatment – Wendy dolloped the seaweed mix onto a sheet of foil, which I lay back onto; the sensation was warm and the bubbles like a mild massage. In the meantime, Wendy massaged both my feet and scalp. Next up was the facial, which, after cleansing, consisted of a mineral mask and a fantastic lymphatic drainage facial massage – Wendy gently pressed points on my face, neck and scalp with her fingers.

Finally some Oligoanne Serum for my dehydrated skin and Wendy’s hero product, which she uses night and day instead of a moisturiser, the 100% Active Serum to finish off.

THE RESULT

Two hours is a fantastic length of time to really slip into a relaxed, slumberous state. I loved the bubbling seaweed back treatment, the heat was so soothing and the lymphatic drainage facial massage was a real pleasure. My skin was soft from the body scrub and my face, with the freshly applied 100% Active Serum, was deliciously dewy and stayed that way all evening. This is definitely a product I would welcome into my life!

London To Paris with Anne Sémonin (£200)

Check out Spa Verta and Anne Sémonin for more information.

Written by Julia Rebaudo for beautywoome.com. Check out Julia's blog at Planet707.