Baglioni Spa Algae detox wrap

Located near Hyde Park, Baglioni hotel looks quiet and unassuming, but hidden towards the back is a luxury SPC spa, which feels like a serene and tranquil haven the minute you step inside.

As it was January, I was offered the Algae detox wrap. Given the name, I was expecting to be wrapped in cling film, then left to detox, but as it's an SPC treatment, it turned out to be so much more.

The 85minute treatment started off with some deep breathing, followed by a soothing foot massage and all over body brushing to get rid of any dead skin cells. After this the wrap was applied. It turns out the wrap was a clay and peppermint based mask without any cling film involved.

Prior to application, the mask was heated up, so it felt nice and relaxing. As it cooled down, the peppermint oil really started to take effect, leaving my skin feeling tingly and stimulated. The wrap was left on for quite some time, and during this I was given a lovely scalp massage. It was then time to jump into the shower to rinse off the mask.

The final stages of the treatment involved a full body moisturisation, a detoxing abdominal massage and another foot massage. My therapist gave me a mini massage as she rubbed in the citrus body moisturiser, finishing off with a circular abdominal massage which is designed to stimulate the digestive system to get rid off any toxins.

After the treatment, I felt deep cleansed, as well as thoroughly relaxed and pampered. I really appreciated the fact that I wasn't rushed out. Instead, I was taken to a quiet room where there was plenty of drinks to choose from, as well as a foot spa with body scrub and moisturiser on offer.

Overall, I was really impressed with the spa. Despite being on a busy road in Central London, it couldn't have felt more relaxing or luxurious and I would happily return for another treatment next time I'm in need of some pampering.

If you'd also like to try the Algae detox wrap, then
simply quote JDETOX12 for 40% off the treatment price.

Have you ever been to an SPC spa? What's your favourite spa treatment?

Disclosure- Complimentary treatment

An introduction to New CID Cosmetics and SS12

Last week I was invited down to the New CID cosmetics studio to meet brand owner Kelly Colman, find out more about the brand and have a play with their new SS12 products.

We were first introduced to the lip products. They already have a range of light up i-pout lipsticks and i-gloss lipglosses, but for SS12 they are expanding the range of lipsticks as well as bringing out a new i-shine lipgloss.

Now I love my lipglosses, so couldn't resist trying one out. I went for Coral candy, a beautiful pinky orange shade which really suited my skintone, felt very moisturising and was relatively longlasting.

Lip gloss aside, another product that caught my eye was their new light up nail varnish. There will be a choice of 24 shades, each named after a different desserts.

Finally we were shown their range of face products. As I didn't have any foundation on, I was chosen to demonstrate the new i-perfection colour adjust foundation. I'm not much of a foundation wearer, so wouldn't use this everyday, but it did feel weightless on my skin and gave a medium coverage. I was however impressed with their i-prime and i-powder, which kept my skin shine free all evening.

Have you tried anything from New CID cosmetics? Did any of the new products catch your eye?

Benefit they're real! mascara review

First thing to say is that I love the packaging of this mascara. The metallic silver tube looks fun yet expensive, and stands out from all the other mascaras in my collection.

The rubber brush has some flexibility and consists of short uniform bristles along the length of the brush as well as the tip.

Pigment wise, this is one of the darkest mascaras I've come across. Usually I need 2 coats for depth of colour but with this one coat was enough. The downside is that it is prone to smudging mid afternoon and it takes a little longer to remove.

As you can see from the photo, it does lengthen my lashes a little, but it does a better job of separating and volumising my lashes. It is also very good at holding a curl and helps to lift my outer lashes.

At £18.50, it is one of the more expensive mascaras in my collection, but also one of the best. I just hope they'll bring out a waterproof version soon!

Have you tried this mascara? What's your favourite Benefit product?

Disclosure- PR sample

Australia highlights - part 1

Towards the end of last year, I spent 2 months in Australia, travelling down the East coast, exploring the country and taking in all the beautiful sights.

I had hoped to post a travel diary, but without a laptop it was impossible and I've only just got round to sorting through my 2725 photos!

Melbourne
I've already posted some of my favourite shots, but here are some more photos and highlights of my time there:

Making new friends and taking roadtrips.

Visiting a koala sanctuary

Seeing penguins at Philip island (photo of a poster as cameras were prohibited)

The food- there were so many great restaurants and cafes in Melbourne.

From Melbourne, we travelled up to Cairns, Port Douglas and Airlie beach:

Snorkelling in the Great barrier reef

Sailing around the turquoise waters of the Whitsunday islands

Spending the day on Whitehaven beach- aka paradise!

Have you ever been to Australia? Where's your favourite holiday destination?

Ojon full detox dry cleansing spray review

Dry shampoo is an absolute must have for me, and the latest one in my bathroom is this Full detox dry cleansing spray from luxury haircare brand Ojon.

Like other dry shampoos, you simply spray over the roots, then rub into your hair and brush as usual. This particular one came out as a fine mist, and I found it best to apply a little bit several times rather then apply lots all in one go.

It contains extracts of Soap bark tree and Ojon oil, which made it smell like herbal medicine. The scent almost disappears afterwards, but it is strong during application.

The product helped to soak up any grease and freshen my hair in between washes. Compared to other brands, this has finer particles and didn't leave my hair feeling as chalky.

On the whole, not a bad dry shampoo, as long as you don't mind the herbal medicine smell during application.

Do you also rely on dry shampoo to freshen up between washes? Have you tried any Ojon haircare?

Disclosure- PR sample

Look beauty review and swatches

Created by the girls from Look magazine, this 100+ collection is exclusive to Superdrug and includes everything from foundation to nail varnish, as well as a few make up kits:

'Standout eyes' single eyeshadow in Lame, Cashmere and Cami
Unfortunately Cashmere smashed in transit but the eyeshadows themselves are smooth, pigmented and apply with minimal fallout. I do wish they came in the same packaging as the blusher though. The plastic case is sturdy and functional, but difficult to open and not as sleek as the silver compact.

'Make me blush' blusher in Rosy
This is gorgeous. It's a shimmery pink shade which as the name suggests, gives a nice rosy glow to the cheeks. Of all the products, this has the best packaging. The silver compact is sleek, sturdy and comes with a mirror inside.

'Lip slick' lipgloss in Peaches
This looks scarily opaque, but the colour is actually very wearable. It's sheer but buildable so can be applied lightly for a 'my lips but better look' or layered for a stronger colour. It's very moisturising and gives a glossy sheen to the lips. One of my favourite products from the range.

'Nail pop' polish in Dusky and Prom
I was also sent 2 nail pops to try out. Prom is a bright pink shade and Dusky a shimmery lilac. Both polishes were easy to apply and dried to a glossy finish. The above photo shows one coat of prom and two coats of dusky.

On the whole, I was impressed with this range. The products are nicely pigmented, come in a wide range of colours and are reasonably priced for the high street. The stand out products for me are the lipgloss and blusher, but I would happily recommend all 4 products.

Have you tried anything from this range? What's your favourite make up item?