Summer Treatments

By Decleor at Spa Illuminata, Mayfair

Price: from £40 at spas nationwide

Stockist: Decleor

Best for: A natural looking tan on day one of your holiday.

The claim: “‘Sunrise’ Self-Tanning and Skin Preparing aromatherapy treatment. This incredible treatment has a very different approach to that of normal pre sun treatment. The focus normally being on just self-tan, but Decléor understand that there is more than just giving the client a nice colour.”

Pros: The first thing that my therapist said to me before starting my treatment was this. ‘The tanning product we’re using is quite dark and I just want to warn you that you may wake up tomorrow morning and panic. But don’t worry, by day two it will be perfect.’ Cue a certain amount of panic, especially given that on day two I was jetting off on holiday. But I needn’t have worried. The treatment, at the luxe Spa Illuminata in Mayfair, began with a full face and body exfoliation. Then, once I’d showered off my scrub, I had fake tan applied expertly to my skin. The treatment was great and I loved the spa. Note: I was encouraged not to wear my bra post treatment to avoid unsightly lines so you may want to factor that in to your sartorial choices. And when I woke up the next morning I loved the colour – streak free, and just dark enough with a decidedly natural, un-orange shade. It faded gradually over a week, but kept me tanned for long enough to build up some natural colour on my holiday.

Cons: My legs were a little dry in areas whilst on holiday, so I found the tan faded unevenly. Just ensure you slather on the moisturiser every day after this treatment and exfoliate after four to five days to slough away any dead or dry skin.

Verdict: Definitely a pre-holiday treat worth indulging in, especially for the fake tan inept like myself.

Click here to visit Spa Illuminata's website...

By La Sultane de Saba at Tres Health & Well Being, Chelsea

Price: £98 for 60 minutes

Stockist: Tres Health & Well Being

Best for: A thorough exfoliation

Claim: This is the ultimate uplifting, circulation boosting treat to fight off that orange peel and make way for super smooth, Holiday skin! Using green tea & ginger throughout, with mineral salts to boost circulation and deep tissue massage movements across the lower body to promote lymphatic drainage.

Pros: I can’t express how excited I was at the prospect of having my thighs drained to perfection; I was due on the beach in 4 days, and after looking at pictures of Kate Bosworth in her bikini for the last few miserable weeks, an anti-cellulite treatment was surely the cure?  The spa encapsulates Morocco, with soothing music, candles and fragrant rooms, instantly relaxing my Friday post-work stress levels. I was scrubbed with La Sultane de Saba products which contained Green tea and Ginger, then I took a cold shower (essential for boosting circulation.) Once I was comfortably ensconced back on the treatment bed, I was lathered up in a clay mask and wrapped in heated foil – a treat after the cold shower. While the mask did all the hard work the therapist gave me a back and shoulder massage and I could feel the tension float away. Finally, my thighs were massaged deeply with Ginger based oils – the movements were strong and severe to boost my circulation.

Afterwards I was given a Green tea and advised not to drink alcohol to continue the detoxifying process (Friday night, no drink? Rubbish!).

Cons: The cold shower and then the no alcohol, but hey – no pain, no gain, as they say.

Result: When I stepped out onto the beach in my bikini 4 days later I felt extremely confident, any orange peel effects had (nearly) vanished and my skin was smooth and glowing. Two weeks later and I still can’t stop looking at my bootie in the mirror – more please!

 

By Guinot

Price: £24 half leg wax

Best for: A pain-free, long-lasting wax

The claim: “For hair-free, smooth skin Guinot has the answer with its Revolutionary Hair Removal system. Épil Smart and Stick’Hair is a duo hair removal method. Épil Smart is designed for all areas and Stick’Hair can treat more sensitive areas. Developed and tested in our specialised laboratories, Guinot’s technique ensures that skin stays smooth for longer.  It removes hair in a less painful, non-aggressive method in which there are no burns or pulling of the skin.”

Pros: The Guinot salon on Albemarle street, London is pure luxury, from the grand reception area to the beautifully elegant treatment room. I am not a big fan of waxing but have been forcing myself for the last six months in an attempt to reduce my heavy hair growth. It’s working but I don’t relish a trip to my usual salon. But this was different.

The therapist used a heated spatula which helped the Epil Smart wax coat the whole hair, she then used small square strips to whip the hair off. Unlike the usual long wax strips, the smaller sections ensure a thorough removal of hair from the root with less hair breakage. It was also by far the most painless wax I have experienced. Even around the sensitive ankle area I was able to carry on chatting to the therapist (rather than clenching my fist to my mouth like usual). She also used some of their hot wax called Stick’Hair on my leg, so I could experience it, (this is what they use for the delicate areas as the wax only clings to the hair, not the skin, unlike the strip procedure which clings to both); it was like having my hair licked off by kittens – I kid you not; although I did only test this on my leg – I can’t vouch for a full-on Brazilian.

I’m converted; Epil Smart really is the clever girls’ wax.

Cons: More costly and time consuming than other waxes I have tried, but also more thorough.

Verdict: Not only was Epil Smart less painful, I was smoother for longer and had fewer ingrown hairs when the hair did start to come back.

 

By Eporex

Price: £82 per session (course of 10 recommended) at Janet Ginnings, Mayfair

Stockist: Janet Ginnings, Mayfair

Best for: A flatter stomach fast

The claim: “Tighten, firm and shrink the butt, thighs and stomach with Eporex anti cellulite and fat reduction treatment”

Pros: This course of treatments took a bit of getting used to, but Elle ‘The Body’ Macpherson is a fan so I was willing to persevere. I was hooked up to a machine using a pad on a wire underneath my buttock. Another wire was connected to a bottle of a fat-burning mixture with a metal roller on top. Once the machine was switched on the roller vibrated electrical pulses across my tummy while the mixture (a herbal concentrate) was released; the therapist then spent 20 minutes massaging my tummy with the device. It felt similar to Slendertone, which if you haven’t tried one of those, is like strong vibrations which make your tummy muscles want to tense up. The idea is that the electrical pulses help push the fat-burning nutrients deep into the stomach, the stronger the pulse the deeper the ingredients go.

The concentrate converts stubborn fat into fatty acid which is used by the body as energy, so I was recommended to exercise after each treatment to burn off the fat.

After only three treatments, I noticed my stomach was flatter and less bloated.

Cons: Exercise. If I am being zapped with electrical pulses, regardless of the science, I want that to be enough. I did a bit of exercise but not always on the night of my treatment which may have meant the results weren’t as visible as they would have been.

However, I did notice impressive results. A pair of shorts and a skirt which were far too tight (I could barely sit down in them) now fit perfectly around my middle. I do wish I had targeted my bum and thighs at the same time – there’s isn’t much point having a flatter tum if the rest of you still looks the same.

Verdict: A great treatment, the results were impressive and if I had pushed myself to exercise a bit more I am sure I would have noticed even better results.

By Vela Shape at The London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic

Price: £150 per session (which lasts around an hour)

Stockist: The London Medical & Aesthetic Clinic

Best for: Stubborn cellulite on the thighs, butt and abdomen

Claim: “This breakthrough treatment is perfect to hone your bikini body and is proven to significantly improve the appearance of cellulite by tightening, toning and smoothing the skin.”

Pros: It’s pain free, doesn’t involve a needle and is actually quite pleasant. And you can feel it working. The Velashape looks a lot like a big Dyson vacuum cleaner – but with a thousand times the suction power. The nurse covers your “problem areas” – in my case from my belly downwards – with a gel, then runs the device over the aforementioned areas repeatedly. It works by heating the skin with light energy and infrared, which helps increase oxygen diffusion in the body. Combined with a lymphatic drainage massage, it helps shrink fat cells, break them down, so your body can get rid of them, leaving your skin smoother, less dimply, and tighter.

Cons: You need about six sessions to see results and it helps if you make an effort to combine treatments with a mild detox – more water, less wine, fewer chips, more exercise. I only saw a difference after session number four, when I realised that my bum seemed to fit a little more comfortably into my bikini bottoms. So it’s not really an instant fix.

Verdict: There’s definitely a marked difference in the dimples (they took before and after shots to prove it) and my skin feels smoother and a lot tighter. It also helped sort the horrid water retention around my knees, which I was always paranoid about. It’s a bit of a hassle, it takes six sessions, but I think it’s worth it. I’m booking in some more, anyway.

By Lisa Reich.

By Headmasters

Price: from £150 (available nationwide)

Stockist: Headmasters

Best for: Healthy hair without going for the chop

The claim: “The ultimate maintenance treatment for long hair, The Maxi keeps hair in super healthy condition whilst maintaining maximum length”

Pros: This is the perfect TLC treatment for long hair.  It started with a full scalp and length analysis, which involves a consultation with your stylist - I was advised to drink more water as my scalp was a bit tight.  Then my hair was washed and conditioned as usual. The stylist then used L’Oreal’s brand new Fibercentric system; using a syringe full of hair filling serum the stylist ‘filled’ in my hair where it  was weak, damaged and needed it most, this process helps to give hair more body and natural volume.  A sealer was then smothered on my hair and left on for five minutes to work its magic.

My hair was blow-dried ready for the important part, the maxi cut, to begin. The Maxi cut works to eliminate split ends without affecting the style or length. Split hairs were removed along the entire length of my hair by twisting a section and painstakingly snipping them off individually. My hair looked glossy and more healthy than ever, very unusual for hair as long as mine.

Cons: I loved this treatment, the only downside is the time. I was in the salon for nearly two hours.

Verdict: Ideal for anyone who wants healthy looking hair without having to sacrifice the length. A great post holiday treat.

 

By CND

Price: £35

Stockist: Marian Newman Nails at Charles Worthington, London (also avialable at salons nationwide)

Best for: Long-lasting nail colour without the need for falsies

The Claim: “Now you can say good-bye to chips, smudges, and dry time and say hello to Shellac™ Hybrid Nail Color! This game-changing product applies like polish, wears flawlessly for 14 days of high gloss shine and is removed in minutes.”

The treatment: The varnish was applied just like any other nail varnish, the only difference being that after each coat, I had to place my hand under a mini UV lamp- looking rather like a mini sun bed. The thirty minutes was just like any other manicure, but offered many more advantages.

Pros: It lasts longer but doesn’t take longer in the salon than a normal manicure. The colour is applied just like any other polish; the only difference was that instead of waiting for each coat to dry, my nails were popped under a UV lamp to set the colour.

I’ve had chip-free nails for over seven days now- a first for me, and undoubtedly the reason why I’d book in for Shellac rather a normal manicure anytime. The high-shine finish is gorgeous and keeps them looking fresh and new. Another great aspect of Shellac is its fast drying time- as soon as the last coat was applied and placed under the UV lamps for two minutes, I was ready to go. The usual dilemma of avoiding smudges was eradicated.

Cons: The limited selection of colours is by far the biggest (but only) downside. There is a small selection of classic reds and pinks as well as French whites which sadly meant the greige I so desired was disappointingly unavailable. But Shellac really came into its own when, for a night out I fancied a change of colour- from the coral to a lilac. With Shellac, you can paint over the colour with normal nail varnish and then remove it with acetone-free varnish remover without affecting the Shellac colour below. As someone who likes to have groomed nails at all times, but also likes the freedom of matching my nails to my outfit, this is a huge advantage and why I am now a Shellac convert. Another slight disadvantage is that it can’t be removed with normal nail varnish remover- but the nail technician will give you a remover kit, or if you book with Charles Worthington, they will provide a complimentary removal service.

Verdict: There are numerous advantages to Shellac compared to a normal manicure and I would recommend this to anyone. Chip and smudge free nails a week after applying and still going strong really is amazing. I don’t have manicures regularly but if I was going on holiday, I would definitely treat myself to another dose of Shellac. I loved being able to paint over the colour for a night out and the long lasting results speak for themselves. Obviously the colour choice is limiting but the 12 shades are all lovely, classic colours- and can be changed daily with normal nails varnish if you wish.