How To Prepare For Your Wax Appointment

 

Here are our top tips to get the best from your waxing appointment.

First off, ensure a minimum of 4 weeks growth, if your hair is too short the hair will not be removed effectively, therefore your therapist may not be able to carry out the service and you could be charged!

A week before your appointment, exfoliate to remove dead skin cells, dry skin and prevent ingrown hairs.

Always look after your skin and keep it hydrated by moisturizing daily. This will keep your skin supple and prevent your skin becoming dry, dry skin can cause the wax to adhere to the skin resulting in skin irritation, redness and on rare occasions can result in grazing.

Do Not Moisturize ON WAXING DAY!

On waxing day, ensure your skin is showered and wash away any moisturizing butters and oils, do not apply any moisturizers post shower as it acts as a barrier and can prevent your hairs being removed effectively.

Stay away from tanning beds on waxing day as this can leave the skin sensitive and prone to irritation.

Wear loose fitting clothing to allow your skin to breathe and avoid irritation.

Fake Tanners beware!!!  If you are a regular fake tanner, waxing will remove your tan or will leave you patchy, it is not advisable to tan pre appointment or for 48 hrs post appointment.

Intimate waxing

In addition to the advice above.

Arrive at your appointment wearing loose, cotton underwear and freshly cleansed. If this is not possible, please arrive a few minutes early to allow time to freshen up, your therapist doesn't want to see a dirty fairy!

Make sure you tell your therapist of medication or health conditions.

There are certain conditions and medications that can interact with some treatments, You may need to a consult your GP and bring a note to your first appointment for insurance purposes with a number of serious conditions or post cancer treatment.

Holiday Beauty Guide

The spring shoots are finally poking through! Boy are we ready for summer... It's that time of year to start cleaning out cupboards, taking bags to the charity shop & shaving your legs! Summer is on its way... but not soon enough, hop online and get something booked for a cheeky bit of spring sunshine, if you haven't already and then it's time to prep for that bikini like you never prepped before.

Spring holidays are amazing and dreadful in equal measure, ok if your Mrs body confident or you hit the gym all year round but for the vast number of women, even on a good day we stress about our bodies. Whether it be a mummy tummy or hairy toes, whatever it is we've all got that one thing that we think of in the run up to a holiday... Who are we competing with? Ourselves, I think because most of our partners don't care about our wobbly bits, in fact there just supper happy we will be shedding the 2 pairs of socks, fluffy slipper boots, pyjama and dressing gown ensemble we've been hibernating in all winter. Oh, and we might actually shave our legs, not just our ankles or the bits people can see if we cross our legs 🤣😮

If you wonder every year why the beautiful ones manage to look so good by the pool each year and you resemble Ursula from The Little Mermaid rather than Ursula Andress emerging from the sea, then read on…..

Looking great on holiday is all about preparation, but it doesn’t have to be hair work, leave it to the professionals!

What Pre-Holiday Treatments Do These Goddesses Have?

LVL Lash Lift

Why? Because this fab treatment means you always look like you have mascara on. This two-stage treatment tints your lashes making them look thicker and fuller, then lifts your lashes from the roots, which makes them look longer and like they have mascara on. Results last around 6 weeks.

Waxing

Why? Obviously to remove unwanted hair, but the results also last longer meaning you don’t have to shave on holiday. Most of our clients opt for full leg, bikini, under arm and brows. Waxing reduces hair growth with repetitive use and leaves skin feeling smoother for longer. Many women can feel self-conscious wearing a bathing suite or bikini, shaving the bikini area can leave soreness especially in warm humid weather as the razor can drag across the skin and it often needs to be done daily. Bikini waxing can be tailored just for you, whether you want it all off or just a little tidy on the sides. We have women of all ages shapes and sizes so don’t be embarrassed talking about your bikini area.

Brow Tint

Why? To make your brow look thicker, more defined and will make your brow shape look better. Great for clients who have a lighter colour brow or finer hair, this treatment can really alter the eye shape and open the eye up to give a more youthful appearance. Even if you’re not sure you have enough hair for this if your very fair it’s worth asking, you might be surprise what can be done!

Nails

Why? Nothing says holiday like pretty, bright coloured nails! There are different options with nails, whether you opt for a natural mini pedi with varnish or shellac fingers and toes. If your needing additional length too, acrylic enhancements are a great durable solution. We personally recommend shellac for holidays as its longer lasting, you can expect up to 2 weeks of chip free perfect nails, we do have many ladies who get longer but we can’t promise!

Tanning

Why? So you arrive with a healthy glow! Ever noticed how the plane on the flight out is full of pail endemic looking people except for the hand full of beautiful people? We they had a pre-holiday fake tan! By the time it fades they will have a beautiful natural glow from the sun, while you look red and flustered from trying to tan quickly and get rid of your milk bottle legs! Get a tan and use a high SPF cream while your in the sun so you get a more gentile exposure.

 

Michelle our super perfect beauty therapist with over 20 years’ experience working in the beauty industry.

 Although we will say 10 years because 20 make us feel old!!!

We qualify young you know!

 

So, what are our top tips to help you prepare I hear you ask! We’ve put together a few tips from the top, well from Michelle!

1)     Get your beauty appointments booked! Discuss with your therapist when and where you are going to plan your beauty visits ahead of your travels. Bear in mind some treatments must be done one separate days so if you want a tan but also want waxing this will take a little more planning. For some treatments such as LVL Lash Lift, an allergy test is required 48 hours prior to the service and do you need to grow any hair before you can wax it off?

2)     Body Brush! Now it costs nothing, except a brush and you can start straight away, this is the no.1 secret to amazing skin. It helps to detox by improving circulation and removing toxins. Gets rid of dead skin cells and reduces cellulite! Forget the gym just stay home and brush all day!

3)     Stay, Hydrated. Drink plenty of water, this will flush toxins from your body and hydrate your skin. Dehydrated skin often looks dry and increases the risk of ingrowing hairs or poor removal of hear when waxing as the wax can stick to the dry skin. Resulting in a more uncomfortable waxing session and less than perfect results. Dry skin also means your tan normally fades quicker too so get drinking!

4)     Moisturise, use a body cream every day to keep your skin feeling extra soft, this will also help your fake tan apply more evenly giving you better results and regularly moisturising your tan will make it last longer, fake or real! We recommend Dermalogica skin care, speak with your therapist to find out the best for your skin.

5)     Relax! By booking your Lashes, waxing, nails and tanning in you have less to pack, more time and will feel way more confident when you hit the pool, so get online and buy some holiday clothes! Not convinced? Don’t try and paint your nails in the taxi on the way to the airport after you had 3 hours sleep and were still packing at 1am, it looks s*$t ever time and when you see the airport goddess with the colour coordinated outfit, fab hair and heels at 6am you will regret it!

Keep an eye out for our perfect skin care post, coming soon!

Happy Holidays!

Hayley x

Read Our Holiday Hair Guide Here

Holiday Hair Guide

There's nothing quite like a red weather warning to get you hunting the internet for a bit of sunshine! Hands up if storm Emma made you do it 😯🙌 So, now your holiday or holidays are booked and etched on the calendar, have you thought about your hair? Summer can be very stressful for your hair; all that heat and salt water can really dry it out. Try our tips below to get you holiday ready.

1) schedule your appointment with your holiday in mind, speak with your stylist about your upcoming trips in good time and what type of holiday it will be. If your relaxing and taking it easy, it could be a great opportunity to up your hair treatment regime and spend most of the holiday with your hair in a bun by the pool, repairing your hair whilst sipping a cocktail and reading a book. If so, schedule your colour for your return. Hair fades fast in the sun, so bear that in mind when booking your colour appointment. If you are spending your trip networking, socialising and dressing up then have your colour done in the days leading up to your trip so you look your absolute best all holiday! If like me you're the lie by the pool with your hair in a bun type, but you can't bear to look at roots from the start of the week. Aim to travel on week 4 of your 6 weeks cycle but be warned you will have a week when you return with faded hair and roots 😱So if you can't cope with that, bring your colour appointment forward a week or simply book for 2 weeks instead, yay!

2) Protect your hair! Invest in an anti fade, colour protection shampoo and conditioner. Some lines do a dedicated sun range for your travels, that includes a spray to protect your hair too. Speak with your stylist to find out which one is best. Use this while you are away and for 1 -2 weeks after you come back. Often you will find they are heavier than your usual home care, this is to keep your hair extra hydrated as the sun will strip what it can from your hair... Just think of that sun-bleached piece of driftwood on the beach... yep, that’s what sun does to your hair!

3) Take a hair mask! This is your golden opportunity to get some hair care brownie points and give your hair some TLC. Shampoo your hair before going to the pool or beach and towel dry your hair before applying Moroccanoil Hydration mask to your locks. Tie it up high in an invisibobble and let it work its magic while you snooze.... When you return to your room to change for dinner, shampoo your mask out and condition. We recommend shampooing it out to remove sweat, SPF or chlorine from to pool. If you’re the glamour puss who looks immaculate all day by the pool, without a hair out of place, (how do they do that?) Treat your hair intensively in the month leading up to your holiday, 2 masks per week and try to work a hat or headscarf into as many outfit combos as possible! You could even rock a Kim Kardashian Braided doo by the pool while your mask does its thang…

Do make sure you use a colour protecting stray all over to protect you hair and your parting, there is nothing worse than a burnt, flaky scalp! Paul Mitchell's colour locking spray comes in a handy mini 100ml which is great for hand luggage, although we are sure you don't travel light!! The colour locking spray had both UVA and UVB and is very useful for getting to all the bits you can't get with cream. Mist it all over your hair, parting and hairline for extra protection, don't forget behind the ears!

4) Tip 4, Is a bit of a curve ball. With the sun in mind and its incredible power to suck the colour out of your hair, like a dementor from Harry Potter. Pre-holiday is actually a great time to try a darker shade you’re not sure about... Now obviously if you colour it black, there's no shifting it, but if you are a lighter colour wanting to try a warmer or slightly darker toner it's a fab time to try it. If you hate it, sit in the sun and it will probably be gone by the time you get back, love it, then you can try it confidently on your return.

5) Start thinking about beauty prep!

Read our Holiday Beauty Guide Here

 

You Said Yes!!! It's Never Too Early To Book Your Dream Team!

So, you finally got the ring!! Whoop Whoop (que Beyoncé dance!)

Now what? Everyone is throwing advice at you left, right and centre, whether you've asked for it or not. We are here to add our pennies worth with our top tips to getting the biggies nailed.

1) Firstly, set the date, this can be really tough. In the end Mr Cocco and I picked a date by flicking through the calendar on our smart phone. Remember, a short engagement may sound like a nice idea but if you've got your heart set on a venue or photographer, the top people could already be booking two years ahead so get on it and don't announce your 1st THE date as it could well change as you hit tip number 2!!! 

2) Contact your top 2 immediately! Venue & Photographer and don't be surprised if you have to alter your date to get the place you want.

3) Book the time off work! (Not very exciting but important!)

4) Contact your stylist. Making sure you look your best on your big day and being surrounded by people you trust is key. Secure your date & ask for a price guide, until you know exactly how many are in your bridal party, the quote won’t be set in stone, however, you can get a rough idea from your salon. (See our hair tips below)

5) Choose your bffs to be your bridesmaids and dish out the jobs!!! 

Cake, Cars, Flowers, Save The Date.... Harp or Piano???!!!

It's so easy to get carried away with it all and a small intimate day on a shoestring can soon snowball into a formal sit-down meal for 200!

Jot down your dream day from the beginning and whenever you feel like you’re getting carried away, refer to it or it can turn into your aunt Edna’s perfect day! I've overheard relatives with the purse strings at so many wedding fayres offering to pay for things that 'they' want not what the bride and groom want.

Anyway.... Let's get back to the hair...

Top 5 Wedding Hair Tips

1) Reserve the date, don't worry too much about the detail or style at this point, rough numbers are all we need, to book out the right number of stylists, therapists or makeup artist needed on the day.

2) I always like my bride to have picked the dress before we talk hair styles. The neck line and proportions of the dress will influence the choice of hairstyle for the day. So, I usually start talking styles 3 months before the big day. See tip 4 about getting your hair in great shape!

3) Hair accessories and jewellery. You want them to all work together, I like my brides to show me their jewellery if possible (just a picture is fine) It's important not to over embellish if the dress is already very detailed. The whole look has to flow and work together, balance is very important for a bride so it's important you stylist knows as much as possible about your vision for the day.

4) Hair condition and colour. This needs to start as early as possible, although I don't like to talk too much about style until nearer the date, most women will know if they need to grow their hair or not. I like to prescribe a home care regime to get the hair in optimum condition for the big day and discuss colour. If we are going to want lighter hair i need to know about it asap!

5) Take professionals advice! We know it's your big day, but those pictures could haunt you forever if you get it wrong. It's so important you choose people you trust 100% because you need to be able to take advice from the professionals you choose to take care of you. I regularly hear a bride wanting to make the hair smaller or make up subtler, but be careful... Once your dress is on, if your hair proportions aren't correct to balance the size of your full skirt you could look like a pea head and all dress. If you don't go that little bit darker with your foundation you could look washed out from the flash photography... Choose professionals who are experienced, strong enough and care enough to ensure you look the best version of you on the day and most importantly whom you trust!

Hayley Hudson x

Take advise

Choose professionals who are experienced, strong enough and care enough to ensure you look the best version of you on the day and most importantly whom you trust! HH

Hayley Styling Beautiful Anna

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Professionals I Recommend Personally.

All Are Lovely People, Have Excellent Customer Service & Go The Extra Mile!

Click On Their Names To Find Out More....

Flowers The Greenery Florist

Venues Peak Tipis

Photographer Kate Lowe

Cake The Sugared Rose

Dress Lori G

Invitations The Small Print Company

Wan't To Know Michelle's Secret To Beautiful Lashes?

Hate wearing mascara? Tired of using eyelash curlers?

We girls all have the same pet hates....

You're getting ready and your lashes just won't go right! We have all developed our own little ritual that gets them looking just right, but one wrong move and there's just no fixing it... no pins or cotton buds will sort that mess out!

Short, Clumpy Sparse Lashes? Or you may have long lovely lashes that stick out so straight, you have to keep curling them.

Either way, after so many years of hearing my clients, complain about this and personally battling with the victorian torcher device more commonly known as the lash curler... Just don't sneeze or you will pull them all out! eeek... I decided to seek an alternative way and answer all our prayers. 
After trying different methods I came across Nouveau, I'd seen them mentioned in Grazia, Cosmopolitan, Vouge, Elle and various trade magazines I decided to check them out.

The results were amazing and being the preferred choice of so many celebrities I can see why.
 

What To Expect Having a Nouveau LVL Treatment?

LVL from Nouveau is a great, natural way to enhance your lashes. If you don't fancy extensions or your new to the lash game, this is a great treatment to start with.

LVL stands for Length, Volume and Lift.

No extensions or mascara, just your natural lashes with no harmful damage or adhesive. We lift the eyelashes and straighten them unlike the old eyelash perm where a roller was used, we straighten from the root up using a shield on the eyelid, this is to create that ' wide eyed' look.

A tint is then applied giving the mascara effect which gives shine and depth to the lashes. Results lasting 6-8 weeks, this is a quick 40- 45 minute treatment which is quite relaxing for the client.

Want to wake up with perfect lashes every morning? Then give LVL a try! The results are amazing.

A patch test is required 48 hrs prior to treatment, Book online or Call to reserve your appointment.

See what Nouveau has to offer bellow...

 

The official brand film for Nouveau Lashes introducing our new brand concept - Ultimate Lashes From the moment you step into a Nouveau Lashes accredited salon, through to your lash treatment and aftercare, you can be confident your eyelashes are in the best possible hands. At Nouveau Lashes we look at things differently.

Anita's Top Tips On What To Expect During A Massage.

Anita In Action At Our Christmas Countdown Event...

Never had a massage before?

When it comes to our health, prevention is always better than cure.

Prevention involves all sorts of mediums such as a good diet and exercise, experiencing joyful activities and resting but one thing a lot of people are not very good at is positive self-care.

By positive self-care, I mean engaging in an activity that will serve us on a better level and keep us well such as massage.

Massage is a great way to relax and take time for and nurture yourself without feeling that it is an indulgence but rather a necessity in our busy lives. We cannot give when we have no reserves left. Even in just a half hour massage you can switch off to the outside world and relax completely-something many people find difficult to do.

Massage can help remove excess fluid, relax tense muscles, relieve aches and pains, increase circulation, improve digestion and counteract the effects of stress which is prevalent in today's society.

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What to expect during a massage.

If you have never been for a massage before and are a little worried about what to expect then here is an overview of what will happen during a therapy session.

First of all, it’s important to say that the session is all about you. It’s about you enjoying the experience, relaxing and feeling better. If there is anything you feel uncomfortable with or do not like, then it is absolutely ok not to proceed or continue.

Every practitioner operates differently so this is a guide as to what to expect.

• Essential oils are diffused in the room so if you have any preference or dislike the smell then please do say.

•   Soothing music is also played in the background; again if you find it unsuitable then please say.

•  I will take a history to ensure there are no contraindications to you having a treatment.  This ensures your safety and well-being and identifies expected outcomes of the treatment. This is also a time in which the I can find out likes and dislikes and areas that maybe need concentrating on e.g. back and shoulders or legs.

•    I will then leave the room whilst you undress and place yourself on the couch and cover up. Again if you are uncomfortable with having to undress then we can work out a way to make you feel more at ease.

•    Your feet will be cleansed and a full body massage will generally start with the legs. With a full body massage, I will start working on the front of the body then, half way through you will turn over onto your front and I finish with a back massage. Dignity and privacy are of utmost importance and will be maintained throughout.

•  Oil of an agreed type will be applied where the I will be working so there will be a fine coating of oil all over your body by the end. Please bear this in mind with items of clothing you will be wearing after the massage.

•    I will then work through my routine which can be adapted to your individual needs and check pressure is good but you can always say during the massage if you would like deeper or less pressure. This is your time so it’s important you get the best out of it.

•      Once the massage is finished then I will leave the room give you a few minutes to come back to the present moment, have some water and get dressed.

•   At this time, we can discuss what you enjoyed and find out if there was anything you didn’t enjoy or change for next time.

•      Aftercare advice will then be given and the treatment is complete.

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What to expect after a massage...

Drink Water

After your massage your therapist will bring you a glass of water, you should try to drink as much as possible as this will help to flush out the toxins released from your muscles and body during your massage, Over the next 24 hrs try to keep as hydrated as possible.

After any massage, it is always advisable not to do anything strenuous or stressful to get the full benefit.

Take A Bath 

Run a nice warm bath, this will help to soothe any aching muscles or soreness and continue your relaxation and 'me time' post treatment.

Pay Attention To Your Body's Reaction To The Massage

You may feel energised, tired, sore, emotional amongst many other things, this is all normal. It is important to listen to your body and feed-back to your therapist on your next session so he or she can tailor your message perfectly to you and make any necessary adjustments.

Rest

You may feel tired after your massage and want to take a nap. This is completely normal, and you should listen to your body. If you can, clear your schedule after your diary. 

Massage works on the body and the mind too.  It helps to destress and relax you so if you can, take the time to come back into land and rebalance, try not to feel pressure to do something if you really don't need to.

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How do I book in?

Anita runs her clinic on Thursday's with appointments available from 12 noon til 8pm.

You can find a list of all her treatments HERE

You can call 01332 292192 or book online by clicking the button below.

If you are unsure of anything or have any questions prior to an appointment, then please do ask.

We are all here to help you have the best experience you can.

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