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Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Beauty, Fashion, North East, Uncategorized

Intu Eldon Square Fashion Spooktacular

Struggling for some Halloween outfit inspo?  Then The Intu Eldon Square Fashion Spooktacular is here to give your Winter wardrobe a shake up with an added spooky twist…

From October 23rd to 29th you’ll find the Intu Walk-in Wardrobe and resident Stylist Emma on hand to dish out advice on how to create the perfect Halloween glam outfit – there’s no cheesy fancy dress here, it’s all glam, high street pieces, with a scary edge to turn you into the perfect Halloqueen come October 31st.  Whether it’s taking layered tulle from New Look to create a Corpse Bride look, or using Topshop’s sugar skull makeup kit, or even visiting Ann Summers for a tongue in cheek take on Natalie Portman’s Black Swan, Intu Eldon Square’s retailers offer a variety of ways to tap into Halloween, without having to step near a polyblend costume.

Already got Halloween nailed?  There are a selection of short workshops available from finding the perfect Winter coat using FW17 trends as inspiration, to finding a festive outfit to turn heads – with only 8 Mondays left until the big day you might as well sort your outfit now and give yourself one less thing to worry about!

INTU FASHION PIXIE STRANGER THINGS
PIXIE STRANGER THINGS TEE

I was invited along to the Fashion Spooktacular preview evening, it’s one of my favourite events in the North East fashion calendar and as one of Intu’s team of Bloggers it’s always a lovely opportunity to get a good look at the Fashion Week trends that have filtered down to the high street.  Given the Spooktacular theme, I wore my Topshop Stranger Things tee (which you can shop here), and was greeted with paella and sangria from Tapas Revolution on arrival as well as some familiar faces.

INTU FASHION SPOOKTACULAR 1
INTU FASHION SPOOKTACULAR 2
INTU FASHION SPOOKTACULAR 3

After a brief introduction from stylist Emma and a preview of some of the key pieces to land at the shopping mall for Halloween, we were paired off and set challenges at individual retailers, fellow blogger Jen and I hotfooted it to Topshop for a series of mini games culminating in a Supermarket Sweep style timed challenge where we were each given two minutes to style a Halloween outfit for ourselves from scratch.  We also got to test out the latest glitter Lip Kits from Topshop Beauty, at £18 they may sound pricey but when you see the effect they create and just how easy they are to recreate, you’ll be adding one in every colour to your basket Voyeurs.  After all, glitter makes you fitter right?

My Halloween Style Challenge Outfit
My Halloween Style Challenge Outfit
Topshop Glitter Lip Kit £18
Topshop Glitter Lip Kit £18

The whole evening was rounded off with some spooky cocktails at The Alchemist, which is about to undergo a very bewitching makeover just in time for Halloween weekend, when the bar will see some of its most popular cocktails on the menu given a creepy Halloween spin.

So, how can you get involved?  Well, the Fashion Spooktacular is open to everyone and workshops are run frequently throughout the day.  There’s no need to book, you simply turn up, listen, then go shop!

October 23, 25, 27 and 29:

11.30am Creepy crawly homeware
No dodgy paper garlands or wolf masks here, feast your eyes on the chicest of Halloween homewares to get your house or venue ready for the creepiest night of the year!

1.30pm How to pick a wicked Winter coat
Discover this season’s outerwear trends including checks, red, folklore, sports luxe and capes all in an Fall palette of orange, mustard, black, camel, red and gold.  Learn the perfect coat shape for your frame, how to identify the right size of pattern/print and which shade will make your skin tone pop.

3.30pm Autumn/Winter capsule wardrobe wizardry
Our personal stylist will work with you to build your perfect Fall/Winter capsule wardrobe based on key pieces which can be combined to maximise your looks this season extending your cost per wear.

October 24, 26 and 28:

11.30am How to pick a wicked Winter coat​
As Above.

1.30pm Our top ten must have Autumn/Winter items
Featuring a mix of trends, we’ll run through our top ten must-have pieces for this season including ‘wear everywhere’ dresses, slouch boots, statement tees, knits and earrings.

3.30pm Scarily-good Halloween costume ideas
This is the chic version of Halloween, for those who really want to wow at their Halloween party. We’ll show you the very best ghastly accessories that can help create a costume using items already in your wardrobe and also super cute kids costumes for your little ones.

Bewitching beauty

The best of the the shopping mall’s beauty offerings will be on hand throughout the week to give you tips on upping the ante and levelling up your makeup skills.  Fancy a Halloween makeover, or just want to learn some tips on how to create the perfect sugar skull look?  The swing by for one of these beauty workshops taking place throughout the day between 11am and 4pm.

  • 24 October: Topshop
  • 25 October: Mystical makeovers
  • 26 October: Inglot
  • 27 October: Inglot
  • 28 October: Topshop
  • 29 October: Mystical makeovers

So, now you’re armed with the dates and the deets, you’ll be rockin’ a bitchin’ and bewitchin’ Halloween outfit in no time!

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, North East, Uncategorized

An Evening of Crafting & Power Dressing with Intu Metrocentre

As an official Intu Influencer I always look forward to the fashion preview events that unveil the high street’s interpretations of the key trends for each season.  The team at Intu Metrocentre always put on a show to accompany their previews and the FW17 showcase was their best yet.  Not content with the regular runway show, we were treated to an evening of power dressing with Costume Historian (and my friend) Meridith Towne and crafting with the gals from North East based company The Crafthood.

Pixie Tenenbaum Intu Zizzi
Zizzi Intu Metrocentre Christmas

After being greeted with a custom blended mocktail at Zizzi we were given the chance to browse the trend rail which had been pulled from the shopping mall’s leading fashion retailers.  With lots of high street versions of Fashion Month’s key trends including blazers, stripes and lots of red, it was clear to see from the outset that the evening had been tailored (see what I did there?) to the Power Dressing theme.  So, what did we get up to?

CRAFTING

The Crafthood is a modern craft business.  I’ve come across them before at another event and their workshop model is one that definitely hooks you in.  From candle making to Christmas bauble painting and calligraphy (which I’ll be booking on to) these girls are teaching skills in a social environment and paying it forward to boot.  For every workshop space they sell, they donate a workshop space to charity.  Nice right?

On the upper floor of Zizzi, we had a designated crafting zone laid out with plain canvas makeup bags and a place tag in gorgeous golden calligraphy (a skill you can hone with The Crafthood).  Paint and stamps were laid out for us to get our craft on and create our own bespoke washbags using any colour imaginable.  With a quick lesson from Sharon and Kay, A.K.A The Crafthood, we were let loose with paint and free will, and pretty much every single person immediately looked to stamp their own initials on their bags.  Even with seashells, stars and leaves available to use, it just goes to show that the trend for personalisation isn’t going anywhere.

Pixie Tenenbaum The Crafthood 1
Pixie Tenenbaum The Crafthood 2
Pixie Tenenbaum The Crafthood 3

After a lot of practice on strips of cloth, I made two very questionnable washbags, one for me and one for Plankton.  Both featuring a gucci-esque bee. 

SCRANNING

As this was a seated event, Zizzi put on bespoke platters to satisfy even the most fussy palates.  Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian or a meat lover like me, Zizzi has your back.  Think pizza, deep fried peppers, falafel, carrot sticks and all the carbs, the sharing platters are actually big enough to share (so many of them aren’t) and there’s a great variety of food on each one.  I’d recommend the garlic and rosemary bread and that’s why I ate 10 slices.  Fact.

POWER DRESSING

I’m a huge fan of fellow Costume Historian Meridith Towne and we’ve worked together a couple of times now.  Basically Towne travels the country with History Wardrobe delivering a number of talks on topics she’s set, based on her extensive collection of vintage and antique clothing.  Got that?  It’s a sort of educational talk about era or genre specific trends with a little theatre thrown in to keep it upbeat.  Towne’s Glitz & Glamour talk is one of my favourites on her menu, if you get a chance to catch it then I strongly recommend you do.  Today though, we’re here to talk about the art of Power Dressing, given the number of women in politics and the rise in female CEOs it seems an uber relevant topic.  It’s less of a lesson on how we as women should power dress and more a look at how these women dress to exhibit their own power.  Take Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior for example, spear heading the trend for the feminist slogan tee, it’s not so much about angled shoulders and pant suits, but more about different ways of wearing our power in a noticeable way.

Intu Metrocentre Meridith Towne 1
Pixie Tenenbaum Intu Metrocentre
Intu Metrocentre Meridith Towne 2

We were guided though notable moments in global history which charted the rise of female empowerment, from Maggie Thatcher’s blazers and pearls, to the tricks that women used to widen their shoulders in order to appear equal to men.  Towne has immersed herself in her self curated collection, some of which she’s made herself to the exact specifications that they would have been in their designated era.  After Towne brings us up to date with how female power dressing throughout history has influenced our present day wardrobes, we had the chance to get up close and personal with a small selection of her curated vintage and antique wardrobe, some of which is so old and delicate that we’re not actually allowed to touch it.

FW17 TRENDS

As you know, everything we wear is influenced by the runways of the Big Four at global Fashion Month.  The fate of our 2017 Fall Winter wardrobes was actually sealed in February 2017 when the most influential designers in the world sent variations on old shapes down the catwalks.  Multicoloured fur, stripes, tweed, polo and neck sweaters were all relatable and translatable trends for the high street to deliver as affordable fashion.  Red was the colour of the season but as a block, not a hint so for FW17 if you’re going red then go bold or go home.

Outside of power dressing padding and quilting is the way to go, metallic puffer jackets were on every major runway in Paris with Chanel leading the pack, tailoring in beige and brown toned tweeds with applique are huge for FW17 too and my hero piece is a simple long line tweed overcoat that will bring your Winter wardrobe bang up to date for around £80.

Basically power dressing is about confidence and what makes you feel powerful as a woman.  Whether it’s a slogan tee that shows the world you wear your feelings on your chest, or a pant suit and stilettos, if you know your own power pieces then get out there and work them.  If you’re still discovering your power dressing style then it might just be time to take a class….

Pixie xo

Categories: Beauty, North East

John Lewis Beauty Retreat

If you’ve visited John Lewis department store in Newcastle you’ll know it stands as a flagship shopping destination in the city.  Along with Fenwick it offers shoppers everything from fashion and beauty to kitchenware and appliances.  What you might not know is that hidden in plain sight, is the Beauty Retreat.

You’ll find this urban sanctuary hidden behind smoked glass at the back of the Beauty Hall and I’ll admit, I thought it housed only the Clarins beauty rooms.  What’s actually back there is a little more exciting than that….

I was invited along to the inaugural store specific blogger event aimed at discovering the beauty offerings from the department store giant.  You guys know already that I work with John Lewis on a national scale already and my ongoing love for inhouse denim brand AND/OR, but the beauty rooms are actually something that despite being right there in plain sight, are actually pretty easy to miss.  I’m here to tell you why they’re worth a visit.

JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA CANAPES
JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA CANAPES 2

I arrived to a super warm welcome from staff and a live performance from Music Newcastle’s David Ball (seriously, look him up, he’s young, hot and uber talented), our coats were whisked away and we were treated to a champagne reception and canapés that looked way too pretty to eat.  Well, I say that but I ate about twenty so maybe not strictly true, anyway, after an introduction from Spa Manager Claire, we were divided into two groups to explore on and off counter products and treatments.

With Taster Treatments on offer from Decleor, ESPA, Liz Earle, Elemis and Clarins we were spoilt for choice but managed to indulge in almost everything going.  The Retreat is a calming environment, despite being just yards away from the busy shop floor, it’s easy to find peace and tranquility in the soundproofed rooms.  So, what’s back there to aid the stressed out shopper in Newcastle?

DECLEOR

I hotfooted it to Decleor to try out a condensed version of their signature deep tissue massage on back and shoulders and as usual was told that my body is like a block of concrete.  Saying that, this girl almost had me sleeping, her firm touch was perfectly pitched for my aching shoulders and had me mentally adding her to my list of Fashion Voyeur approved Massage Therapists.

JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA DECLEOR

LIZ EARLE

Next up I headed to Liz Earle’s dedicated beauty room to hear all about the latest limited edition Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish.  This cult product introduces a limited blend to its fragrance line up each holiday season, it doesn’t stick around and is always worth picking up, if you’re not familiar with the product then basically it does what it says on the tin.  it’s a eucalyptus blended cleanser that you ‘polish’ into wet skin using a muslin cloth and it removes ALL traces of grime, dirt and makeup without drying out your skin in the process.  The beauty room offers bespoke Liz Earle treatments that can be discussed and booked on counter in the Beauty Hall.

CLARINS

Clarins monopolises the upstairs space with a large counter and treatment spa which looks out over the store through smoked glass.  Therapists were on hand to give pressure point massages in those weird massage chairs that you can never quite get comfortable in.  The space upstairs is clinical, contemporary and quiet, despite being right in front of the busy department store.  With several treatment rooms at their disposal, the Clarins team have a suite of face and body treatments available to book as solo treatments or as a discounted block.

JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA CLARINS
JOHN LEWIS URBAN RETREAT SPA CLARINS FRONT

ESPA

ESPA are a spa specific brand I know and love, much like Decleor, their focus is on the power of aromatic blends which work deep into the muscles and surrounding tissue.  Their friendly Therapist was on hand to provide short massage treatments on the neck and shoulders and talk through the ethos behind the brand in the best smelling treatment room I’ve ever been in.  There’s also an Elemis beauty counter in the Beauty Hall with all of those candles you’ve come to know and love (Mama Tenenbaum buys me one every Christmas).

ELEMIS

Elemis was the last treatment room I visited and personally it’s where things unravelled for me, lack of attention to detail meant I was left with muscle cooling gel in my left eye causing blurred vision and if I’m honest, a pretty scary amount of pain, I wasn’t given any water or anything to try to clean it out, just a cotton pad.  Unfortunately my eye and the skin around it swelled and was left bloodshot meaning I couldn’t participate in any of the beauty hall counter action and this lasted long after I’d left the Retreat and arrived home.  If you’re booking in, maybe specify no muscle cooling gel on the eye area in advance to avoid any mishaps.

JOHN LEWIS BOBBI BROWN CHRISTMAS 2017
JOHN LEWIS BOBBI BROWN CHRISTMAS 2017 2

Needless to say, the Beauty Hall itself has some great cult brands represented such as Sisley and Creme de la Mer – if you haven’t tried the Creme de la Mer Tinted Moisturiser then hit up the counter for a three day sample pot straight away, it will change your life.  Bobbi Brown gave Influencers an exclusive preview of the new 2017 Christmas Collection ahead of its official launch and Chanel were on hand to give lip makeovers with their signature Rouge a Levres shade collection.  Something else you might not know about John Lewis Newcastle is that the GHD counter actually offers hair demonstrations with GHD tools; so if you’ve been wondering how the GHD Curve might work on your hair, or how to create the perfect curl with a flat iron, then pay them a visit on the ground floor, the girls on counter are always happy to help.

All in all it made for a pretty awesome night actually, except for the eye mishap which left me flustered and headache-y.  The event itself was very well organised and the staff who man the retreat are friendly and knowledgable when it comes to their specialist areas – especially the team manning the Decleor room.

jl_spa_newcastle_3_190712
jl_spa_newcastle_190712
jl_spa_newcastle_2_190712

We were given a programme of events on arrival meaning everything ran to time and we were given ample exploring time, the added bonus of us all  being entered into a pretty epic beauty prize draw was the climax of the evening and saw one lucky lady take home £300 worth of Charlotte Tilbury goodies, swoon!

Basically Voyeurs, go check it out, the fact that it’s a separate entity at the back of the store shouldn’t put you off, the team are lovely and they might just manage to revive you if you’re running out of steam during the festive shopping season.

Pixie xo

To book an appointment or enquire about the range of services on offer, email BeautyRetreat_Newcastle@johnlewis.co.uk

Categories: Lifestyle, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Newcastle in the Sky 2017

Back in March I told you about Newcastle in the Sky, a dining event brought to you by Events in the Sky and the same company behind The Experimental Diner.  Newcastle in the Sky is something you can’t effectively explain without experiencing first. When I was booked for the event, it felt so far away in the future that I didn’t really think about it until the day rolled around

Newcastle in the Sky is back on the Gateshead Quays for its second year.  After a sellout residence in Performance Square in 2016, round two is bigger and better with more award winning chefs from across the region on board to make the experience unforgettable.  The concept is this: a purpose built dining table suspended 100ft in the air whilst you’re served your choice of meal.  Simples.

Newcastle in the Sky Dining Table
Newcastle in the Sky Full View
Newcastle in the Sky Table

I was invited on to the press table to experience the inaugural flight and the culinary delights of REDS True Barbeque, translation: All The Meats.  I arrived early for my flight – guests are asked to check in 45 minutes before their flight – and was greeted with a champagne reception in the Sky Lounge.  All guests are given a full safety briefing prior to flying, there’s a free cloakroom available to store bags, coats and whatever other loose items you might have, and there are toilets on site for that all important emergency wee.

After I soak up two double espressos and a glass of fizz, we’re walked over to the table for our safety briefing and I manage to convince myself that it’s not as high as I maybe first thought….

The seats swivel out and have a super sturdy 5 point belt system to make sure that you’re strapped in tight.  once we’re all fastened in and have our feet firmly on our A4 sized foot plates, we’re hoisted (pretty quickly) up into the air.  My first feeling is one of absolute terror, I’m overwhelmed by how quickly we get into the air, and by the fact that the whole contraption moves in the wind.  However once I’m up there, within a minute I’m completely relaxed.

Me & Ashleigh Money Saver

The location of Newcastle in the Sky offers amazing views up and down the Tyne and over the famous curved architecture of The Sage.  The weather conditions dictate the height at which you’re able to safely dine; as the weather is on our side, we’re up at the full 100ft with spectacular views of our awesome city.  There’s a perspex roof over the table in case of rain, but we’re in luck, we’ve got low wind and cloudy skies but very warm weather.  We’re served a selection of typical BBQ meats including pulled pork and slow cooked ribs, with coleslaw, side salad and a rum cocktail to wash it down.  Usually at food events everyone digs in straight away but this time people are more interested in the views on offer from this awesome height.

To give you some perspective, we’re way higher up than the Tyne Bridge and we’re able to look down on The Baltic and The Sage; Newcastle in the Sky is way higher than you’ve probably imagined.  Half way through our 30 minute flight our table is turned 180 degrees to give us the alternative angle and I notice the network of railway lines that run out of Newcastle and towards London, something I’ve never been able to see until now.  Being up so high allows you to see things in your city that you’ve never noticed before, things you’ll likely never see again.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

The food we’re served is good quality American diner style food.  It’s served in airline style strays (for obvious reasons) and it’s laced with REDS famous BBQ sauce which has a delicious tang.  If you like meat then the Afternoon BBQ flight is a feast but this is more about the experience and the views than anything else.  If like me you’re nervous about the thought of being suspended from a crane 100ft up in the air with a bunch of strangers then don’t be.  The nerves vanish once you’re up there and you’ll make friends with the person next to you in the first 30 seconds, in fact they’ll become your best friend for the duration of your flight.  The chefs talk you through the food you’re served on a microphone and the whole atmosphere is very informal, so much so that it’s completely suitable for single diners who also feel nervous.

Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord
Image by Chris Ord

The whole Newcastle in the Sky experience from start to finish is just that, an experience.  It’s only around for six days and I’d urge you to try it Voyeurs.  I was nervous – so nervous in fact that last year I cancelled at the last minute – and this year I’d jump at the chance to do it again.  The selfie potential is epic, the views over the Tyne are unrivalled and you’ll talk about it fondly for ages after.  Yes it’s pricey (tickets range from £50 to £150 each) but it’s worth it for the experience alone, if you’re on the fence about it just do it.  I guarantee you won’t be disappointed, it’s literally been one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had.

Pixie xo

FANCY TRYING OUT NEWCASTLE IN THE SKY?

Select the sitting you fancy, click here to make your booking, you’ll have to be fast though as several dates are already sold out…

Breakfast sittings – start your day with a healthy four course breakfast from up high.

Lunch sittings – sit back, relax and enjoy a stunning three course lunch and two glasses of sommelier selected wines.

Afternoon sittings – enjoy a sumptuous treat with champagne high tea whilst relaxing in the summer sun, alternatively enjoy the American-style BBQ dishes from REDS for meat lovers.

Dinner sittings – enjoy sunset views with a spectacular four course dinner and two glasses of sommelier selected wine.

Night sittings – see the Newcastle nightscape from a different view whilst sipping on cocktails in the sky.

DATES

24th – 29th August 2017

VENUE

Performance Square, Sage Gateshead, NE8 2JR

DAILY SCHEDULE

Sitting Price Times
Breakfast in the Sky £50.00 pp 08h30 – 09h00 & 09h30 – 10h00
Lunch in the Sky £125.00 pp 12h30 – 13h15 & 14h00 – 14h45
Champagne High Tea £65.00 pp 15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
BBQ in the Sky £65.00 pp 15h30 – 16h00 & 16h30 – 17h00
Dinner in the Sky £150.00 pp 18h30 – 19h30 & 20h15 – 21h15
Cocktails in the Sky £75.00 pp 21h45 – 22h15
Categories: Beauty, Fashion, North East, Pixie, Uncategorized

Boilerhouse Hair Ouseburn

If you live in the North East and more specifically Newcastle, then you’ve probably heard of Boilerhouse Hair.  Their flagship salon stands proud at its Jesmond site and its industrial, steampunk styling is synonymous with the brand.  Well they’ve since opened up a second salon over in the uber trendy Ouseburn end of town just around the corner from Ernest.

When Felix, the owner of Boilershop Ouseburn contacted me about a collaboration, I told him all about my hair disasters (you guys are well versed in my traumas by now but if you want to catch up then head here for the skinny) and he was very reassuring telling me that customer satisfaction is at the top of their agenda.  Felix booked me in and I’ll admit, despite feeling worried, I kind of felt that I was in safe hands.

The salon itself is gorgeous, it’s everything you’d expect from the Boilerhouse brand and more, the signature industrial styling shines through but the Ouseburn salon has a distinct rustic vibe to it.  With exposed wood and plants on show in a variety of glass bottles and planters, and a 50’s style pink SMEG fridge, it has some serious Instagram credentials.  On the day of my appointment I had Plankton with me which could have been a complete disaster but the staff there are fantastic and there was one apprentice there who spent all day making sure he was happy.  Kudos guys.

Boilerhouse Ouseburn window
Boilerhouse Ouseburn Coffee Area
Plankton Tenenbaum

I was teamed up with Saskia who is the Technical Colourist and responsible for training all new Boilerhouse apprentices, for a full head of highlights and a very reluctant trim.  Now if you follow me on social media, particularly Twitter, you’ll know that I’m participating in an Influencer project with Nature’s Bounty on hair growth and that I’m super precious about my hair given that it stopped growing completely for 16 months.  You’ll also know that I’m held to ransom with my hair a little given my work with L’Oreal during Fashion Month and the fact that the Nature’s Bounty project limits how much I’m allowed to cut during the active project time frame – as part of the project it’s measured every three weeks.

Saskia gets to work mixing up a blonde for my highlights using Fibreplex bond builder to minimise bleach damage (it’s similar to Olaplex and Smartbond but made by Schwarzkopf).  Saskia is a fast worker and before long I have a full head of foils and I’m chilling out with the perfect Americano and the latest copy of Vogue, but I’m a little thrown when she tells me that due to me not having had a patch test in advance, she won’t be able to tone my hair when the pre-lightener is washed off.  Eek.  I’ve seen my hair pre-toner and it’s not a pretty sight; also I was never asked to come in for a patch test prior to the appointment.

Boilerhouse Ouseburn Salon
Foils in Underneath, Half to Go

I’m taken through to the backwash area to have the foils removed; it’s a cute little room with a gorgeous wooden wall and in the time it takes to remove the foils, wash my hair and apply a conditioning treatment, three customers have asked where the wood came from, it’s that cool.  Once my treatment is washed off and my hair feels silky soft, I’m taken back through to my section for a cut.  Now I hate having my hair cut.  I don’t even need to tell you this.  it’s my worst thing, I have nightmares about it, my palms get sweaty, my face gets hot and I feel like panic is taking over my body. I just, HATE IT.

Boilerhouse Ouseburn Tints
Boilerhouse Ouseburn Wooden Wall

I’ve spent the last hour showing Saskia pictures of my hair disasters, some of them funny, some of them damn right shocking, all of them traumatic.  For me anyway.  She combs my hair and tells me that to get a good straight line and a nice blunt finish she would recommend taking off two inches and shows me in the mirror how that looks in terms of length.  I almost faint, literally and before I’ve processed it I’ve already said the words “No way”.  She laughs and asks what I’d be comfortable with and I tell her “an inch, at the most.”  We agree on an inch off the length and nothing off anywhere else as my goal is to grow it all down to one length.  Currently I’m sporting some fugazi layers which are completely unintentional and only there due to breakage from previous, long ago colouring trauma.

After cutting the length for what seems like ages, Saskia tells me that it would greatly strengthen my hair if we trim the shape around the front and I reluctantly agree, not wanting to at all but agreeing that she is absolutely right.  After the cut is finished, she shows me the back of my still wet hair in the mirror and internally I’m freaking out, to me, it looks like I’ve had around five inches cut off and I can’t verify as the hair on the floor has already been swept away.  It definitely looks a lot shorter and I’ve certainly lost more than an inch.  That bastard Hairdressers Metric System has got me again.

AFTER
AFTER
AFTER
AFTER

I opt for my usual beachy waves to finish and when it’s dry I can’t help but notice that there’s a distinct yellow band around the top section where my root regrowth has been touched up and that the colour isn’t as close to the root as I’d like.  It’s a real shame about the toner and when I see the final style I make a mental note to go buy toner asap.  I’m not so keen on the blowdry but that’s no reflection on the salon, I’m that unusual breed of girl who hates having her hair blowdried and much prefer it when I’ve done it myself, slept on it for 3 days and it’s just the perfect amount of messy/dirty.

When you’re reading this Voyeurs, remember that I’ve been tainted when it comes to my hair.  Too many bad experiences have left me treating it like spun gold and with kid gloves, nursing it with treatments and supplements in an attempt to restore it to its former glory.  A particularly bad experience left me with very little hair and it’s taken me around two years to get it back to this stage so I’m more damaged than you can imagine when it comes to hair, and way more dramatic than someone else might be.  Saying that, the salon knew this in advance of my appointment.

So, the bit you’ve been waiting for, would I recommend Boilerhouse Ouseburn?  Well that depends, if you’re someone who likes to be directed by the expertise of your Stylist and you’re not averse to a cut then yes, definitely.  The quality of the cut is good, it’s not what I asked for or what we agreed on but I can’t deny Saskia’s skill as a Hair Stylist and she’s got good bants.  If on the other hand you’re similar to me in that when you say an inch you mean an inch and no more, then probably not.  Boilerhouse is a cool, urban salon in the heart of Ouseburn and it brings with it a youthful team of Stylists and new business to this thriving area.  If you’re looking to update your current style and want to act on advice from a Stylist rather than having something specific in mind, then it’s worth booking in for a consultation at Boilerhouse Ouseburn.

Pixie xo

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Pixie Tenenbaum 2024

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People will stare, make it worth their while

Pixie Tenenbaum

FASHION VOYEUR

Freelance Fashion and Beauty Writer
Currently taking review slots
Hire Me: pixie.tenenbaum@gmail.com

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So.edited Contributing Editor

RION Magazine Fashion Editor

http://www.rionmagazine.co.uk

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Copywriter/Editor/Proofreader/Journo in fashion, fashion history & language Currently: Fashion Ed @rionmagazine & @so.edited.co Fashion Innovation @shopbyshape

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coutureisbeyond Couture is Beyond @coutureisbeyond ·
23 Oct

Miley Cyrus by Mario Sorrenti, Vogue France, November 2025.

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vsactu Victoria’s Secret Actu @vsactu ·
21 Oct

CLASS 0F 2025 🪽🤩 #VSFashionShow

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skynews Sky News @skynews ·
22 Jul

BREAKING: Ozzy Osbourne has died at the age of 76.

https://trib.al/NRGiXel

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

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