Beauty Treatments Archives

Pre-Vacation Beauty with The Wax Bar

If like me you’re off on vacation some time soon, you’ll know the prep that goes into getting yourself ready. I’m not talking about the endless gym hours (which I didn’t do), searching for the perfect vacation fragrance, or the shopping for cute outfits, I mean the beauty prep. The search for travel sized versions of your favourite products to make space in your case so you can bring back exotic spirits (just me?), the waxing, primping, preening and plucking that goes into making sure your face is as instagrammable as your vacation wardrobe and the gel polish to give you that flawless finish. Yup, vacation season is almost over but I’m shoehorning in one last trip to see my mama in Menorca and that means a jam packed visit to The Wax Bar for The Works. The Salon is cool and modern. With it’s dark, charcoal grey and fuschia pink interior and it’s Ministry of Sound chillout vibe, it’s actually a place that you don’t mind hanging out in, plus the staff are pretty awesome too.

I try to get an appointment as close to the date of travel as possible, in this case, they day before. This gives you the longest life out of your treatments and ensures they’ll last for the duration of your time away.

When it comes to vacation essentials everyone has their favourite treatments, but these are my absolute staples. Here’s my guide to the beauty treatments that will have you looking like a natural beauty on the beach:

1. GEL FINGERS & TOES

Orange Gel Nails The Wax Bar

Gel Pedicure The Wax Bar

Gel Toenails Day 4

Gel Toenails Day 2

Gel Toenails Day 9

A gel manicure is probably a staple for some of you in everyday life and not just vacation season so this isn’t anything revolutionary, however it does make your life a lot easier when you’re on vacation and it finishes off your look perfectly. If you don’t usually indulge, then give it a go right before your next vacation. If you don’t have a Wax Bar salon near you then go by word of mouth; a good salon and a great Nail Technician won’t damage your nails with gel. I always have a gel manicure before travelling, I ask for my nails to be trimmed down short and sweet to avoid snags and tears and also because suncream down the underside of long fingernails is just gross. When I’m taking a Summer vacation I shun my usual black nail polish for something uber bright.

Point of note Voyeurs, if you’re based in either Newcastle or Edinburgh, you’re lucky enough to have some of the most talented manicurists around, right on your doorstep. A gel manicure from The Wax Bar is extensive; cuticles are cut back, hands are massaged, nails are trimmed, filed and buffed, and they’ve discovered the best combination of gel base, colour and top coat to give you the longest lasting manicure you’ve ever had. Trust me, I’ve been there many, many times and my last one lasted six weeks and two days before the fist chip. Yes, I know, mind blown right?!

This time I opt for a sunburst orange with an ocean blue on my toenails. I’m not a fan of anything pastel or bland, I’m either a gothic queen or a Rainbow Bright (if you get this 80’s reference then can we please be friends?) and there’s no in between. Short, sweet and super sassy, I feel like if a mermaid had toes, this is what she’d wear on them.

2. LVL LASHES

LVL Lashes Immediately Before & After

Wearing mascara on vacation sucks. The air is different so our eyes can be prone to watering more, we’re dehydrated so our eyes are more dry and to be honest it’s just a pain in the ass putting on a full face of makeup when you just want to look like a boho fairy. What if I told you there was treatment that would leave you with thick, dark and luscious lashes negating the need for mascara completely?

LVL Lashes are bomb and The Wax Bar are bomb ass at doing them. The procedure is simple and should be the same no matter which salon you go to. The objective is to Lift, add Volume and Lengthen. Simples. It’s a 45 minute treatment that’s completed with your eyes closed whilst various solutions are applied to your lashes to achieve a soft, natural looking bombshell effect.

When you’re done you sometimes get that momentary sting that you get after a tint but the difference is amazing. The reason the treatment works so well with your own lashes, is that whilst our lashes often point straight ahead, the LVL solution breaks down the bonds in the lash hair, changes the shape of the natural lash to point upwards instead of forwards, and then reseals the bond. Et voila, instant doll eyes with no crunchy lash extensions or fiddly strip lashes. Straight after the treatment they can ‘clump’ together a little but this is temporary and the day after treatment you’ll look like a freaking Barbie doll.

If you do indulge in a spot of pre-vacay LVL remember that they’re just like Gremlins: you must not feed them after midnight, do not expose them to bright light, and never get them wet. Actually only the latter is true, for 24 hours you gotsta keep those lashes dry so no washing, no crying and definitely no jumping in pools until your 24 hour settling period is up. Follow these rules and all eyes will be, errr, on your eyes.

3. BROW TINTING

Feeling Smug with this Brow Game

Brow Tint 5 Days After

Thanks to Cara Delevingne (and me of course – maybe…) we now live in an age where brows are king. A wise and beautiful lady once appeared in my mirror and told me that a good set of brows can open many doors and it’s actually true. After a painstaking gazillion years of growing them back in, I am now the proud owner of a set or brows to rival Ms Delevingne and I do nothing at all to them except a fortnightly tint.

I’ve had my brows tinted at many, many salons up and down the country and The Wax Bar is home to one of the best. Different salons use different brands of tint and they often switch up their brands regularly in order to find the best one for their clients. If your regular salon uses a tint that doesn’t last very long then tell them, they’ll appreciate the feedback and have access to many different suppliers so you’ll be doing them a favour. I opt for the deepest brown with the tiniest touch of black because my natural brows are very dark.

Take a wax pencil with you on vacation and if it starts to lighten up towards the end of your trip, you can use this to fill in the gaps and create the shape under the arch. My top pick and handbag essential is Tom Ford’s Eyebrow Sculptor in Espresso which costs £42.

4. LYCON BIKINI WAX

The Aftermath

Totally Worth It

Put down the strip wax, this isn’t the 90’s and step away from the Veet, there’s only one way to wax your bikini area these days and that’s with Lycon Hot Wax. If you’re a virgin to hot waxing then read this, it’s an indepth review of hot waxing that will tell you all the benefits. Basically you’ll get a smoother finish, no redness or irritation and way less ingrown hairs. What’s not to love? There are a whole range of options with Lycon waxing, you don’t have to go sans bush like me, you can opt for a little off the sides, a landing strip or even a lightning bolt. Whatever your waxing jam, do it with Lycon, nobody wants an itchy foof on vacation. If you find a great Waxer then follow her, they’re hard to come by, mine is formerly of Newcastle Hair & Beauty Clinic and her name is Gemma if you’re thinking of booking in with her. I’ll follow her to the ends of the earth until my dying breath. Oh, and I’m not anti-bush, if you wanna rock the full Jackson 5 then that’s ok too.

These are my top picks, the essentials I wouldn’t go on vacation without because they make things so easy once you’re out there. There’s no ongoing maintenance with these treatments, except maybe having a nail file on standby for emergencies, and I don’t know about you, but I don’t wear makeup on holiday so LVL just gives me a bit of polish.

There are other treatments I occasionally book if I can find the time pre-vacay, I like to book in with my chiropodist in the week that I’m travelling to get my tootsies in tip top condition. There are foot clinics in every major town and city who will be happy to give your feet the once over and you’ll leave feeling like you’re walking on air. Sadly my schedule didn’t allow this pre-vacation, so I’ll be doing this pre-London Fashion Week instead.

I’m off to Menorca, I’ll see you on the flip Voyeurs..

Pixie xo

Categories: Beauty, North East, Uncategorized

Gel Nails at The Wax Bar

You’ve heard of The Wax Bar right? Long story short, it originated in Edinburgh then opened up in Newcastle in December 2016 specialising in all things wax, if you aren’t familiar then shame on you, I wrote a post about their launch party, their branching out from wax into the art of LVL Lashes, and their awesome resident Waxpert Gemma, formerly of Newcastle Hair & Beauty Clinic. Get acquainted Voyeurs and do your homework. Now.

The Wax Bar specialise in way more than just the sticky stuff, they may be Wax Connoisseurs, but these gals do a mean set of gel nails at their inhouse nail bar. Situated on upmarket St Georges terrace in Jesmond on the outskirts of Newcastle, and most importantly, with a boat load of free parking right outside the door, The Wax Bar’s pink white and grey colour scheme and minimalist decor offer a fresh, modern alternative to those who flock to Jesmond for their beauty treatments.

I was invited along for a luxury gel manicure and got way more than I expected when I took my seat at the New York style nail bar. Usually when you drop in somewhere for gel nails you get just that, a lovely shiny coating of gel polish in a colour of your choice that lasts for somewhere in the region of 2 weeks, give or take. At The Wax Bar, you get a full nail overhaul; Nails are shaped and matched in length, cuticles are clipped and oiled in preparation, nails are buffed and then you make your choice from the huge selection on the wall.

Gemma tells me that they’ve found the perfect combination of gels to give the best finish at The Wax Bar, using a branded base coat with super staying power under Shellac gel they’re able to achieve optimum shine with maximum resilience. I opt for black (obvs) and after some very thorough prep, my nails look healthier than when I arrived, and shinier than a choir girl’s church shoes. Once the topcoat is cured, I’m treated to a hand and arm massage to reinvigorate the skin on my hands and make it more luminous, to match my shiny new nails. Sound familiar? Levoi offers a similar service right in the centre of the pedestrian zone in Newcastle.

Personally, I love the convenience that The Wax Bar offers, being able to pull up and park (for free) right outside the door is a major bonus. For people who suffer from post wax redness, particularly after facial waxing treatments, having easy access to transport home is an absolute godsend. The fresh, urban feel of The Wax Bar is in keeping with the other new businesses breathing life into St Georges Terrace, the Ouseburn Coffee Co. is right next door meaning if you’re early for your appointment you can grab a locally sourced brew and chill in the sun outside. One of my favourite things though, is the music; weird, I know, but when you’re lying there for 40+ minutes for a beauty treatment, the music is a big factor. The Wax Bar don’t play typical spa music, they soundtrack their treatments with Ministry of Sound and Ibiza style chill out music and I’m telling you Voyeurs, it makes a huge difference to the feel of a place.

I’d say it’s worth taking the time to schedule a visit, whether it’s for waxing, HD Brows, LVL Lashes or gel nails, every service The Wax Bar offers is a five star treatment and the service is excellent. My gel nails lasted a whopping 18 days before the first tiny chip appeared (I was peeling a label off a delivery box) at the time, the second chip appeared after 21 days. I’ve visited since then and had the same treatment, I’m 19 days in with no chips as yet. If you’re like me and you can’t function without a bit of colour on your nails, then give The Wax Bar a try for your next gel manicure, you won’t be disappointed – that’s a promise, not a threat.

Pixie xo

I was gifted a Luxury Shellac Manicure in exchange for an honest review. A simple Shellac file and polish is £27, rising to £37 for the Luxury Shellac Manicure. The Wax Bar offers a 10% discount for customers who check in on FaceBook during their visit and also runs a loyalty scheme offering a stamp for every visit where £20 is spent on treatments.

Categories: Beauty, North East, Uncategorized

Decleor Facial Pilates at Intu Metrocentre

Decleor is a brand known for having its finger on the pulse when it comes to plant based skincare, with its rich, aromatic oils, products from Decleor’s skin specific ranges are something of a treat for parched skin. As well as home use skincare, Decleor have a full suite of salon treatments to really get deep into the skin and nourish it from the outside in. Yes, you’re probably thinking “I know all this.” But did you know that there’s a dedicated suite of beauty rooms hidden in House of Fraser at Intu Metrocentre that eliminate all background noise to make you feel a million miles from the hustle of the shopping mall? Then read on Voyeurs…..

Decleor have just introduced their brand new Facial Pilates treatment to the market and it’s as weird as it sounds; think of it as a deep tissue massage for the face focussing on the contours of the brow bone, cheekbones and jaw. It’s an intense facial that got me just a little bit excited.

I like my massages like I like my guys, rough and ready so when I was invited to try out Facial Pilates at House of Fraser, Intu Metrocentre, I jumped at the chance. I met Decleor Therapist Karen on counter and she took me to the dedicated Decleor beauty room at the back of the store. With soft lighting and even softer music it’s a super relaxing environment. I strip to my waist and lie face down for Decleor’s famous diagnostic back massage that helps to flag up any potential issues to your Therapist. You all know I’ve recently had surgery so it was no surprise that mine flagged up a sluggish system and dehydration.

Once we’re ready to start, Karen prepares my face for the treatment with a double cleanse and hot cloth exfoliation to remove any dead surface cells, afterwards I’m treated to lashings of Magnolia Night Balm to lubricate the skin ahead of the Facial Pilates Treatment.

To say the treatment is weird is an understatement, however it’s something I really enjoyed. I was warned in advance that there are some areas of the face which may feel painful during and after the treatment as the purpose of the treatment is to lift and stretch facial muscles in order to plump out the skin. Personally? I didn’t find it painful at all, in fact I found it very pleasant and found myself drifting off a few times. The steady petrissage movements on the forehead are deeply relaxing and the effleurage motion across the cheekbones almost sends me into a trance. There are lots of repetitive motions during this part of the treatment to not only elongate the facial muscles but to drive the balm deep into the dermis. That’s another thing to note about Decleor, because of the concentration of pure, microfine essential oils, the rich fragrances you experience throughout the treatment are divine, and definitely aid relaxation.

Once this part of the treatment is complete, an Energy Youth Concentrate mask is applied which is massaged deep into the skin with similar, but less intense movements. After ten minutes of massage it’s removed from the skin and a skin specific moisturiser is applied.

BEFORE

AFTER

You’re encouraged to take a before and after picture when you have Facial Pilates so that you can actually see the effects of the massage. We all know about Caci and other mechanical anti aging facial treatments, but Decleor’s Facial Pilates is the first of its kind in that it’s all manual, the lift and visible skin plumping effect are produced by deep massage alone. (Sidebar, I’m aware this makes me look like I have a serious head injury – I haven’t)

When we’re done, I’m given the mirror to check over my skin and the first thing I notice is the radiance. Well, not strictly true – before I even look in the mirror I’m aware of how absolutely exhausted I feel and ready for sleep – when I look closer I can see there’s visible fullness and definite plumpness to the skin, the apples of my cheeks look full and rosy and my face feels supple.

When I get home, I ask Bo if he can see a difference – he can’t – but I notice that for the rest of the day I feel more aware of my cheekbones, as if they’re sitting a centimetre or two higher and I yawn constantly until my head hits the pillow – anything that winds me down like that is a winner in my book.

Intrigued about Facial Pilates? Well the only stinger is the price. It’s a whopping £75 for this 60 minute facial, but to sweeten the deal throughout the month of May Voyeurs, House of Fraser have a pretty damn good offer on that’s worth checking out: Book in for Facial Pilates on counter with a £50 deposit, the remaining balance is payable on the day of the treatment and the full value of the Facial is redeemable against any two anti ageing products. If you’re already a fan or a client of Decleor, that’s a pretty neat little offer that bags you a free facial with visible results and you can’t grumble at that, can you Voyeurs?

Pixie xo

Categories: Beauty, North East, Uncategorized

Murad: The Secret of Connected Beauty

When it comes to skincare, I’m something of a slut. I flit from brand to brand taking the pieces I like and cobbling them together in some sort of self curated regime. My skin is changeable, sometimes it’s oily, sometimes it’s dry and other times it’s a bit of both – hence the sluttery.

What I know deep down but have completely suppressed, is the fact that good, healthy skin, is a reflection of not just what you apply topically, but how you live. Every aspect of your life directly affects cellular hydration, and that’s the basis of the whole Murad skin regime.

I visited Murad at House of Fraser Intu Metrocentre this week to discover more about the range that explores the connection between skin, body and mind – something they call Connected Beauty. What struck me immediately, is how clinical the Murad counter is. In a beauty hall filled with prestige and luxury brands such as Tom Ford, Chanel and Acqua Di Parma, Murad stands out as being cosmeceutical. With a stark white counter and clean, simple packaging, the brand needs no gimmicks to convey its message.

I was introduced to Murad skincare expert, Rachael (she’s worked with the Queen’s personal doctor), and given a skin analysis using a high tech facial scanner. The machine scans for skin concerns and prioritises them in order of their appearance. This wonderful, awful machine also has the capability to fast forward time and give a projection of how skin may appear on the future. Horrific but also very fascinating.

After completing a basic questionnaire about my health, lifestyle and skin concerns we established that my primary and secondary concerns – fine lines and brightening – could be improved with a glycolic peel and a selection of Murad products for home use.

If you didn’t already know, House of Fraser has a suite of treatment rooms hidden away at the back of the store, it’s a calming, tranquil oasis that could be a million miles away from the busy shopping mall. The Murad room is bathed in soft light and there are a range of products on display. As Rachael begins the process of the glycolic peel, she explains that this will brighten and tighten my skin, but may give rise to a little temporary redness.

The process starts as you would expect, with a deep cleanse, and once the peel is applied, my eyes are covered with a weighted mask whilst my shoulders, arms and hands are massaged. The whole treatment takes a little over an hour and is incredibly relaxing – not at all what you would expect from a glycolic peel. There’s no tingling sensation, no pain and personally, I have no redness afterwards although this varies from person to person. At the end of my treatment I’m left thinking (almost out loud) “don’t stop!” Yup, it’s that good.

Rachael makes observations about my skin during the treatment and asks about my diet, lifestyle and stress levels, all of which have an impact on skin. She advises the use of retinol on an evening to encourage cell turnover and renewal, and gives me a batch of “youth activating” smoothie recipes (none of which require the purchase of any Murad products).

I’m also given an awesome goodie bag with a selection of Murad’s hero products and a promise of a follow up in four weeks to see how I’m getting on. The philosophy is clear, treat the skin concerns from both the inside and the outside and you’ll see improvement. It’s doctor led skincare with a focus on healthy, nourished, strong and protected cells.

As I leave the counter, I’m reminded to “eat your water” by consuming a balanced diet, exfoliate regularly, and to “be kind to your mind” by cultivating emotional self awareness. Rachael hands me a card that she’s hand selected for me as she bids me adieu, it says “Focus on your ultimate goals and not the steps getting there.”

If you’re looking to switch up your skincare then Murad is a good place to start. Good solid foundations, a strong clinical basis and completely cruelty free; the brand is made up of products which aim to address common skin concerns with a suite of off-counter treatments available using clinical grade ingredients. My experience with Murad was great and it certainly got me thinking about internal, external and environmental factors which could be affecting my skin. Well worth a visit , even if it’s just for the scary skin assessment….

Pixie xo

I visited Murad at House of Fraser, Intu Metrocentre’s and was treated to a glycolic peel which normally costs £55.

Categories: Beauty, North East, Uncategorized

The Wax Bar Newcastle Official Launch Party

You’ll have heard me waxing lyrical (see what I did there?) about The Wax Bar, a recent addition to the beauty scene in North Jesmond and you’ll know that I’ve visited the salon for intimate waxing and LVL Lashes (two essentials for your beauty maintenance regime). Now the salon may have been operational since December 2016, but after establishing a loyal North East client base, The Wax Bar threw open their doors this weekend for their official launch party and I was invited along. Obvs.

A live DJ provided the tunes and the salon was set up to provide complimentary treatments including nail polish and stencilling, HD Brows, threading, tinting and my favourite, a braid bar, with added glitter station. Fresh pizza, pasta and doughballs from Pizza Express Jesmond were served, from Pizza Express along with sweet shop sweets and super cute bespoke cupcakes (of which three mysteriously appeared in my kitchen the next morning). Prosecco and Pimms were on tap all night and the party was in full flow when I rocked up fresh com a runway show.

First stop: The braid bar, I was sat in front of a lit mirror and given a selection of styles to choose from, I opted for two top Dutch braids into wrapped ponytails which the Stylist did in record time. Sidebar, The Wax Bar will have a resident hair braider working in the salon once each month offering single or add on appointments. I can vouch for her talent too, she’s young, hip and dresses like a rockstar, oh yeah, she does awesome braids too.

If you haven’t already visited The Wax Bar, the salon is modern and minimalist. With it’s cool grey and white colour scheme (with added Wax Bar branded metallic balloons for the party) it has a fresh, urban feel and the pop of fuschia pink in the branding is uniform throughout the each salon.

New and existing clients had a chance to chat about the treatments and products on offer at The Wax Bar as well as putting forward suggestions to the business – a real nice touch to involve potential clients in shaping the business to suit their needs. Kudos. Owner Nicole Peterson and Area Manager Claire travelled From Edinburgh for the party; saying they’d been nervous and excited for the past four weeks. Nicole told me that after doing some research on Jesmond and learning about its huge student population, she wanted to cater for that because it’s unfair to price out such a huge chunk of the market, to combat this, The Wax Bar offer 25% discount to students on qualifying days.

I chatted to the staff who told me that throwing a launch party works so well in beauty because it offers a great opportunity to meet potential new clients and learn more about existing clients.

These guys are the holy grail of hot waxing; resident hot waxer Gemma has her technique nailed and can have you stripped, Hollywood waxed and out again fuzz free in 20 minutes. The salon also offers a range of other treatments including men’s waxing, gel nails, LVL Lashes, HD Brows and lash extensions amongst other things. Each Therapist has her own specialty so you can rest knowing you’re in good hands. All treatments booked at the official launch party were offered at 50% off but fear not Voyeurs, there are regular rotational offers on treatments and there’s a loyalty club too which allows clients to collects stamps leading to free treatments.

So, long story short, aces launch party, friendly professional staff, free parking outside the door and good coffee. What’s not to love?!

Pixie xo

To book an appointment at The Wax Bar call 0191 2812183