From the source: Marilyn Monroe's fitness and beauty secrets

 

How on god's green earth did we miss this absolute gem of a resource when my co-founders and I launched the Cult Beauty website in 2008? Would you believe we did an entire piece on the woman and never once did we have such a robust source as this original article about her beauty routine, fitness habits (yep, she exercised) etc. The imagery leaves me speechless. Grounded yet stunning photos of a classic beauty looking magnificent without all of the on-set accoutrement needed nowadays to get the already beautiful looking unattainably so. She looks the part of the perfect starlet yet a wonderfully natural (okay, bar a few procedures) specimen of what near female perfection looks like in the flesh. Of course, beauty is in the proverbial eye of the beholder and the likes of Liz Hurley have admitted to preferring certain death over a figure like Monroe. For those of us who think otherwise, I think you'll appreciate this article, borrowed from Glamournet and found via the Vintage Beauty Blog.

View slideshow here (click on the images once in the gallery to view the full size and read the copy).

TenPilates opens Mayfair outpost

Why does it seem like all the good pilates studios in London are outside of the center... if you have the time to get to Fulham, Notting Hill or Clapham on your lunch break, then you have a job I covet. Because that's not the case for most. Being a big fan of Pilates (have burnt out on jogging after years of doing it and finding that, as I age, it hurts more and more), it was hard for me to rationalise the three-hour block of time needed to complete a 45-minute session. 

If you work in central London, that's no longer the case. TenPilates has staked its claim in Mayfair just this week, located at Matt Roberts studio on Berkeley Street. 

Why TenPilates? Because they offer classes in Dynamic Pilates, an programme that uses custom Reformer beds to develop core strength, improve posture and flexibility and build toned muscles.

David Higgins is a co-founder and the Master Trainer... I'd have to check my facts on this, but I'm pretty sure it's the same David Higgins who was one of the trainers at BeautCamp Pilates several years back. If it is, he's good... really good.

Do studio classes, one-on-one training, pre- and post-natal sessions and rehabiliation for those recovering from back pain or injury.

Prices start at £12.50 for the first class with private personal training sessions starting at £80.

TenPilates Mayfair, 16 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DZ

To Yoga in India?

The new husband is a big yoga buff. We're traveling to the homeland of yoga and unlike similar institutions in California or Ibiza, yoga ashrams can be amazing and affordable in India. Where do I begin with research? We fly into Delhi and I certainly want to visit Rishikesh, which, it seems, is both a hill station and spiritual home for Hindus. it's also a great launch pad for adventure travel in India and... yoga! Apparently it's known as the yoga capital of the world. And, for Beatle buffs out there, this is where the fab four met the Maharishi and began their love affair with transcendental meditation.

So... research thus far has unearthed a few promising ashrams, including Parmarth Niketan, Bharat Heritage Services, Braham Yoga... then there's the decision about what sort of yoga to do?!

Image Courtesy of Yogatic.