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Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Beauty, Fashion, Pixie

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
Orange Gel Nails The Wax Bar
Gel Pedicure The Wax Bar
Gel Pedicure The Wax Bar
Gel Toenails Day 4
Gel Toenails Day 4
Gel Toenails Day 2
Gel Toenails Day 2
Gel Toenails Day 9
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

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LVL Lashes Immediately Before & After
Brow Tint & LVL The Wax Bar

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
Feeling Smug with this Brow Game
Brow Tint 5 Days After
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
The Aftermath
Totally Worth It
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: Uncategorized

Le Petit Spa, Malmaison Newcastle

When I was invited to spend the day at the Malmaison Hotel Spa, I jumped at the chance, after all, what girl wouldn’t want to spend a day being pampered, preened and beautified, right?!  My mission?  To allow myself to be waxed, exfoliated, prodded and polished all in the name of research and to let you lovely readers know whether it was worth it, and whether it’s worth your time.

Let’s first start with the fact that I wasn’t even aware that the Newcastle Malmaison Hotel even had a spa until around three weeks ago and it’s been there as long as the hotel has stood on the glorious Newcastle Quayside.  I know right?! Mind. blown.  I was given a date and time for my visit and asked to select some treatments from an extensive menu comprising mainly ESPA treatments.  On the day of my visit I packed up my hugest Tom Ford handbag and off I set.

The Malmaison is easy to find and it has designated parking (a dream in Newcastle city centre).  It stands on the Newcastle Quayside right next to the Millennium Bridge and behind The Pitcher & Piano bar, it’s a great spot, the views are fantastic and there’s a constant flow of people passing.

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Tucked away in the basement of the hotel is the spa, the hotel upstairs is a world away from the tranquil, hidden sanctuary below.  An elevator ride transports me to a calm, quiet and low-lit environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and as the doors open, I’m greeted with smiles from behind a reception desk.  (The first thing I notice is how much higher up I am than the reception desk and I instantly wonder if I’m standing in the wrong place – I’m not)  We go through the standard discussion about allergies etc. and what to expect from today and then I’m given a brief tour before being given a robe (my attire for the day) and shown to the changing area by Laura, my Therapist for the day.

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One of the glaringly obvious things about the Malmaison Spa is that it doesn’t have the usual trappings that you would come to expect.  There’s no steam room, no jacuzzi, no whirlpool, plunge pool or indeed any pool of any kind, and that’s because this is purely a treatment spa.  yes, it’s a given that some people will consider this a negative, but in reality, it allows the therapists to concentrate on providing the best treatments available, and in a city like Newcastle, it’s more about getting beautified and getting out on the Town.

All of my personal belonging are locked away in a generously sized locker (good job really, as i decided to bring the biggest handbag in the history of handbags), and I’m shown through to the central Relaxation Area.  This area is the hub of the spa, it’s where everything starts and ends.  The room is dimly lit with music playing at a low-level, there are soft, squishy, leather massage chairs operated by remote control and there are a variety of teas available on a stand in the corner.  I spot a magazine rack filled with fashion mags and photography books and I settle down in a massage chair with Elle magazine.  After some intense Level Three pummeling from The Chair, I’m whisked into a treatment room by Laura.  The rooms here are gorgeous and don’t have the clinical feeling of some day spa’s, everything has low-lighting and is very calming, there are individual flowers on each treatment bed and the same music is played throughout all areas of the spa.

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First up is a Lycon Brazilian Wax, definitely an ice-breaker and  yep, it’s exactly as it sounds.  For anyone who goes through the pain of intimate waxing every six or seven weeks, if you haven’t yet discovered Lycon (or Brazilian Hot Wax), get it on your radar now as it’s almost pain-free and it takes half the time of strip wax.  In a nutshell, the therapist pre-cleanses the area with oil and the hot wax clings to the hair rather than the skin.  There are no cloth strips used in this process, the wax simply sets hard and is then pulled away.  Trust me when i say that the Malmaison Spa is a great example of this service.  The North East has been slow to jump on the hot wax trend, I know this because for the last fifteen years or so I’ve travelled to London for the privilege and although there are a few places offering it throughout Newcastle and the suburbs, they aren’t a patch on Laura.  So if f you’re curious, or even if you’re a regular waxer, give the Malmaison a try, you might just be pleasantly surprised.

Next on the agenda is a muscle warming ESPA Body Wrap.  I’m taken to a different treatment area where we choose products by conducting a “Smell Test”.  This involves smelling various oils and positions and basing my choices on preference of smell.  Once I’ve selected my preferred aromas, Laura tells me that this will give a muscle warming wrap – perfect as I’m nursing a shoulder injury.  I’m exfoliated head to toe and covered in a green smoothie like substance before being wrapped in a big tin foil-esque blanket.  Once I’m wrapped, I’m treated to an aromatherapy head massage whist the green stuff gets to work.  I can feel a sort of deep heat sensation and the whole experience, strange as it is, is super relaxing.  As soon as I’m cooked, i’m unwrapped and whilst covered up i’m taken to a private shower behind a screen in the corner of the room and instructed on how best to wash the mixture off, i’m then moved onto a fresh bed and we move on to the full body hydrating massage section of the wrap experience, including a bespoke deep tissue massage to aid recovery of my injured shoulder.

Now let’s be clear, I’m a massage freak.  I have at least one a week and I’m pretty fussy too; I tell Laura that “I like to feel like I’ve been beaten with sticks” and she laughs and agrees.  After all, what’s the point if you can’t feel it, right?!  For a petite girl, Laura is strong and she’s right in there, all-elbows and heels of hands, she tells me that my back is full of knots and she’s not surprised I’m always in pain.  She goes on to explain that each knot is a build up of lactic acid that should be released through pressure.  The thing I really loved about this particular Deep Tissue Massage is that Laura is particularly attentive and has a knack for picking out those exact hyper-sensitive spots, moving my arm into various positions to slide my shoulder-blade, she’s almost relentless in her mission to iron me out, and regularly asks is the pressure is ok.  I can tell she’s frustrated when there are knots that she can’t flatten.

On to the facial and I’ve opted for an Active Peel Facial; it claims to be a powerful and effective natural peel which smoothes, softens and evens out skin tone.  A Clarisonic brush cleanse is followed by an intense enzyme peel containing botanical extracts and pumpkin enzymes which exfoliate and remove dead skin cells.  I’m no stranger to a glycolic peel and I love the familiar tingling sensation when it eventually begins.  Once the peel is removed, skin is massaged with rose quartz crystal rollers which cool and calm the skin and send me into a relaxing trance.

To finish with, I’m handed over to Bronia who sits me down for a Jessica Geleration Polish.  Generation delivers a high shine, chip free finish for up to two weeks in a variety of colours.  For a small charge you can add nail art or a French polish but I’m a creature of habit and I opt for a Rouge Noir type colour.  As most of us already know, gel polish is cured under a lamp and so there’s no drying time – perfect if you need to be out in a hurry and don’t want to sit around waiting for polish to dry, also perfect if, like me, you opt for rich, dark colours.  It’s worth noting that help polish should be soaked off when it’s ready to be removed, this way you protect the nail underneath and minimise any damage, the Malmaison offers a soak off service for £15.  Bronia is hilarious, she has me cackling like a hyena throughout my polish, kind of like a friend you haven’t seen in a long time.

As my day of treatments draws to a close, I’m taken back to the relaxation room where I’m told I can stay as long as I want, or if I’d prefer, I can use the sauna and drencher bucket shower, there’s no hurry to get rid of me, the vibe here is chilled and relaxed and clients are encouraged to stay and do the same.

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One of the great things about the spa at the Malmaison is that there’s no judgement.  In an environment where you’re in and out of a robe and very little else for treatments, these girls have seen it all before and they aren’t bothered.  I’m sure we’ve all been to that one place where we’ve felt a little uncomfortable but this is not it.  Here, it’s just day-to-day business and the girls are completely unaffected.  If you’re the nervous or body conscious type, have no fear, the staff here are friendly and professional and within about ten minutes you’ll have forgotten all about the worries you might have had when you arrived.

Le Petit Spa at Malmaison Newcastle is a hidden sanctuary in a busy city, and one that I’ll be returning to.  It’s on the Quayside, has its own designated parking and offers every treatment you could possibly want and more.  Yes it could do with a lick of paint but that doesn’t affect the treatments.  In terms of aesthetics, the spa may have to up its game in the ever-changing sky scape of Newcastle but given the multi-million pound overhaul the hotel has just had, that might not be out of the question.  For now though, know that if you’re ever in the city and just fancy a little peace and quiet, or some space to relax, it’s right there, underneath your favourite Quayside hotel.  Would I recommend it? Yes, absolutely.  It may just change the way you see beauty treatments.  It’s a one stop shop and you get a relaxation room thrown into the mix, how many regular beauty salons can boast that?  So, go, try it out, and let me know how you get on.

Pixie x

The treatments I had on the day were:

Lycon Hollywood Wax £34

ESPA Body Wrap £60

30 Minute Deep Tissue Massage £42

Active Peel Facial £75

Jessica Geleration Nails £30

Huge thanks to Therapists Laura and Bronia for looking after me all day long!

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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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