treatments

Disclosure - service was provided free of charge by PR

Earlier this week I wandered out in the blazing sunshine to attend a skincare tutorial with Liz Earle's treatment manager and skincare expert Jo Givens at the Liz Earle store in Chelsea.

The skincare tutorial is part of Liz Earle's range of treatment services, and costs a rather daunting £45 for 45 minutes. It's a one-on-one session designed to allow clients to discuss skincare concerns and learn how to adjust their skincare routine to address them. It's also a chance to learn exactly how to use Liz Earle products and how to get the best out of your skincare generally through application techniques and advice.

On arrival I was given a cup of iced tea and a very thorough pre-treatment questionnaire to  fill in, covering my medical history, current skincare routine and  various other relevant details. I filled it out sitting in a very welcoming relaxation area at  the back of the store.

As Beauty Mouth points out in her  excellent "facials  checklist", you should always expect a history to be taken or to  have some discussion with your therapist before any treatments. Liz  Earle's questionnaire is very thorough (down to asking how firm you like  the pressure during a massage).

Then I was introduced to Jo, and led through into the treatment area of the store, which is blocked off from the shop floor by a door and passageway (good for keeping the noise out).

I'd say the service is probably most suied to those with a particular or acute skincare concern, like an outbreak of acne, eczema or rosacea. I am lucky enough to have pretty easy-going skin, although I have started to see the dreaded First Signs Of Aging in the last year, particularly in the form of smile-lines and crows feet around my eyes. That was the first thing I raised once I was sitting in the treatment room (light, very spacious, spa-esque music playing) with Jo.

Jo had set out a tray containing all the Liz Earle skincare products for us to run through, and we sat down and started chatting. Jo explained that she could either talk me through the products, or I could apply them myself following her instructions. As I had come bare-faced to the session, I thought I would opt for the latter.

She showed me a simple 2-minute massage technique I could use with my cleanser, and also gave me very detailed advice on how to handle my skin, what sort of strokes to use and what level of pressure I should be applying (I am far too rough with it at the moment). She explained, using a diagram, how fine lines appear and where they originate in the skin. Her explanation made good sense to me and tied in logically with the advice she gave me. Having studied biology, I'm generally pretty sceptical about "the science bit" when I hear it from beauty professionals, but Jo's reasoning seemed very sound to me.

We moved on to treatments, and Jo showed me several auxiliary products in the Liz Earle line, including the Gentle Facial Exfoliator. This is simply a version of Cleanse & Polish with additional Jojoba beads for mechanical exfoliation. I liked the simplicity of that, and it seemed very logical to me to keep the formula the same and just add exfoliators rather than create a whole new product for skin to adjust to.



We also discussed eye treatments, and Jo taught me exactly how to apply eye cream (this had ALWAYS mystified me) and also how to use it as an eye mask. She answered my questions about the role of serums and oils in skincare (her verdict was that the format of a product matters much less than the ingredients it contains and the way it's used) and assessed the type and condition of my skin.

I could go on, but as my treatment was specific to me, it won't be relevant to most people reading. Suffice it to say that I found the service extremely thorough and professional, and I came away feeling that I had acquired some valuable new skills. It could so easily have been a Liz Earle sales pitch, but I didn't feel that was the agenda at all. I did get to know the products in the Liz Earle range better than I had previously, but I didn't feel Jo was trying to push them at me in any sense. Her approach was more about listening to my needs and concerns and tailoring the tools we had available to my particular skin and lifestyle. She provided me with as much useful information as she could within the 45 minutes, without swamping me with too much detail.

At the end of the session she wrote down all the products and  techniques for me, and we finished  up the session with a hand and arm massage. I left feeling very relaxed,  positive and happy.

Verdict - a pricey but very professional service with lots to offer, especially for those with specific skincare concerns.

Disclosure - Katy is someone I know personally, which is how I learned about this service

Makeup By Katy is a blog you may be familiar with, and a fine blog it is too - but it barely scratches the surface of Katy Messer's immense makeup know-how. With 13 years' experience under her brush-belt, she's a fount of knowledge and is more than happy to share it around. Her expertise is now available to customers at Fenwick's, Brent Cross, where she offers one-on-one appointments with personalised consultation, skin care and full makeup.

I've met Katy a few times at events and we've chatted frequently via Twitter, and I was delighted for her when she announced she was going freelance and working part-time at Fenwick's. On a less personal level, I thought the service seemed like a wonderful alternative to the usual beauty-hall model, where advice and demonstrations are heavily biased towards one brand or another and finish up with a sales pitch. The beauty of Katy's service is that she's totally brand-neutral, doesn't work on commission and can offer you her honest advice and some quality playing-with-makeup time.

With that enticing prospect in mind, I jumped on a bus over to Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north London to experience the service for myself.



Katy met me at the entrance to Fenwick's and escorted me through to her private treatment room at the back of the store. It's a small but peaceful space with a large mirror, lamp, chair, sink and tea and coffee facilities. It's down a corridor away from the busy shop floor, so it's quiet and relaxed.

After making me a refreshing cup of chamomile tea, Katy invited me to take a seat in the chair for my two-hour appointment. She asked me about my skin and we chatted about my various skincare concerns - I'm pretty lucky but I do get some congestion on my cheeks, which I'd always found bizarre since I have a fairly dry nose, chin and forehead. Wisely, Katy pointed out that congested doesn't have to mean oily. I was probably more of a dry-all-over skin type, and maybe the congestion was to do with how my hair lay on my face. This made brilliant sense to me.

That established, she asked about what kind of texture and performance I want from my skincare, and found me some light-textured, easily absorbed products with SPF (the latter is a requirement since I rarely wear foundation) - Laura Mercier moisture lotion and a Darphin serum. (I'd come bare-faced to the appointment, so a full cleanse and moisturise wasn't necessary in my case, though Katy offers a full cleanse, treatment and moisturise as part of the service.)

I loved the fact that Katy has a bespoke library of products to work with - she told me she'd literally been able to take a basket and go around the shop floor choosing products to equip her treatment room. She took a leaf out of Beauty Mouth's book, asking the staff at each counter what they themselves ordered from their brand and couldn't live without. The result is a Messer-approved dream-team of beauty products from a wide range of brands - although I must say that Katy's love for Laura Mercier, with whom she worked for several years, does shine through in the selection.

I wanted Katy to have a totally free rein over my makeup. I find it far more interesting to see how someone else will approach my makeup than just watch them follow my own directions - you learn much more with a fresh perspective.

She taught me a lot - firstly that I'm more cool than warm (total shock). She "reads" colour from the chest and neck area rather than the face, as the two will always need to coordinate. Matching my foundation shade to my inner wrist rather than my face had also meant that I'd been wearing paler colours than I needed to - surprisingly, the foundation she chose for me wasn't the lightest shade from the range. Unheard of, for me.

I watched in total fascination as she filled in my brows, first with pencil and then with powder on top. Pencil is better for sparse brows like mine, she says, because it adheres to skin whereas powder adheres to hair. She drew fine lines in line with the "grain" of my brows using a Laura Mercier brow pencil in Blonde, a great ash tone with no red in it (saving me from the "ginger brow" curse that results from most brunette-themed eyebrow colour products).

After applying eyeshadow primer and concealer, she contoured the crease of my eyelids with a warm colour - she told me she never uses cool tones in this area as they can look grey and ashy very easily. A wash of pale colour finished the lids, and she also tightlined my top lashline with Benefit Babe Cake cake eyeliner.

I was really interested in Katy's rationale for my eye makeup, which worked with the shape of my eyes - lining underneath to open them up instead of loading up my relatively small top lid. She explained that as my lids are hidden while my eyes are open thanks to their particular shape, any colour on the top lid is only going to show as a flash when I blink. For me, and other small-lidded people, a coloured liner is the best way of wearing strong colour on the top lid.

Katy has her own face-charts which she fills in during and after the session with all the product and shade names, so that if like me you can't remember everything used, you have a reference to take away.

After we were done, I decided I wanted to buy a few products I'd taken an interest in during the session and Katy put them through the till for me. All of them were totally new to me - the Laura Mercier brow pencil was my first ever purchase from that brand. I also amazed myself by choosing Benefit Erase Paste and Babe Cake. I'm normally so busy trying to avoid the Benefit sales staff's psychotically hard-sell traffic-stopping techniques that I don't even think about buying Benefit products, but having seen them in action thanks to Katy, I have made two exciting discoveries.

The session is extremely thorough, and although I had a pre-existing connection with Katy I found her to be superbly professional as well as friendly. She's someone who is passionate about her work and obviously enjoys what she does, which goes a long way towards putting the client at ease. She's down-to-earth, very intelligent and clearly an independent thinker, making products work for her rather than following brand guidelines. She's very much a master of her craft, which inspires great confidence. The absence of any pressure to buy also totally changes the timbre of the interaction - Katy's there to provide a service, not sell a product, which for me is priceless and extremely rare in a retail/beauty hall setting. I can't imagine sitting in a room with a commissioned counter assistant for two hours without running out screaming; but with Katy, the two hours pass enjoyably and easily.

Katy Messer's makeup service is available at Fenwick's, Brent Cross. The 2 hour session costs £50, which is fully redeemable against products from the store. To book, call 020 8202 8200 and ask for extension 2372. There's a bit more info here - (scroll down).

Verdict - if you live in London and want to treat yourself to expert advice along with your makeup purchases, this service is highly recommended, and well worth the journey to Brent Cross.

A few weeks back, I spent a Wahanda mobdeal voucher at Nougat Spa, Notting Hill.  I've already reviewed the salon itself, and I think the microdermabrasion facial I had was definitely worth reviewing on its own.  So here we go!

Crystal Clear Microdermabrasion promises instant visible results, with improvements in fine lines, blackheads, scarring, enlarged pores and more.  The therapist uses a special machine, which combines a flow of fine crystals with a vacuum to get rid of the dead skin, while giving facial muscles a bit of a work out. 




I was initially quite worried about the probability of my skin reacting badly to this treatment, I admit.  Microdermabrasion is quite a harsh process, and can inflame sensitive skin, and although mine is not particularly sensitive, I was concerned about ending up with red, irritated skin - not to mention the possibility of pain!  The therapist explained that she'd never actually seen anyone have a bad reaction to the process, and gave me a short demonstration on my hand so that I could see what it felt like before she tackled my face.  And indeed; it wasn't painful - I could mostly feel the suction of the vacuum, with a slightly tickly undertone.

My foundation was removed, but rather surprisingly my eye and lip makeup were left intact, as the treatment isn't suitable for the fine skin around eyes and lips.  For about half an hour, the therapist methodically moved a wand over my face, and while my skin did feel tingly, it didn't feel inflamed or painful.  After the initial pass, she concentrated on areas which needed a little more attention, in particular some uneven bumps on my forehead, and some congestion on my nose (lovely). 

After this, she mixed and applied a thick, heavy masque, which was optional to the treatment, but highly recommended.  By this stage, my face was a little bit pink and feeling slightly warm, so the coolness of the masque came as quite a shock - but it effectively cooled and calmed my skin.  Whilst it was left on to do its work, the therapist gave me a lovely arm and shoulder massage, and I fell asleep (and started snoring).  I woke up as the masque was being peeled off and was shown my face in a mirror - and was pleased to find that there was no residual redness or irritation; my skin was a little bit more pink than usual, but otherwise just looked well scrubbed.  I was even shown the waste crystals, which were interspersed with grey flecks (dead skin cells) and black dots (blackheads).

Immediately after the treatment I noticed a big improvement in the smoothness of my skin.  It felt much like it does after I've applied a silicone based primer; very silky, ultra smooth, and quite firm.  I was advised to avoid the sun, makeup, exercise and my regular skincare regime for the next 24 hours, as my skin would be a bit sensitive, and rather charmingly I was given a few Crystal Clear skincare samples to use in place of my usual products - I'm not sure I could have gone 24 hours without moisturising! 

A day or two later and my skin looked glowy, incredibly clear, and very smooth.  I noticed that some of my scarring seemed reduced, and that the fine lines on my forehead were a little blurred.  For me, though, the improvement in clarity and evenness was the boon - I even went foundationless a few times in the following week, which is something I very rarely do.

In short: the Crystal Clear microdermabrasion facial is effective, not painful, and delivers definite results.  But if you like your facials relaxing, it's not going to do much for you - the process is geared more towards results than to a relaxing experience.  I'll definitely be having another in the future - and I can see this becoming a go-to treatment a week before a special occasion.  Highly recommended!

If you'd like to try a Crystal Clear microdermabrasion facial for yourself, you can find salons by getting in touch with Crystal Clear via their website.  My treatment cost £60 for the microdermabrasion facial with lifting masque and lasted for an hour.

When Wahanda ran a MobDeal to the tune of £100 worth of treatments at Nougat Spa for the tiny price of £30, I whipped my credit card out immediately, as did 280 other people, according to the girls at the spa.  I also rang my Mum and instructed her to bag the deal, and this week we used our vouchers up as part of a very lovely girls day out.

Set in Notting Hill, amongst cute (and no doubt expensive) boutiques from the likes of Nanette Lepore and Aesop, the Nougat store is a whimsical, pretty space.  Upstairs, the brands body care products are displayed alongside a selection of their clothes, with a manicure station to one side.  Downstairs is the business end of the spa, containing two treatment rooms and space for two pedicure stations.



We opted for Crystal Clear microdermabrasion facials with lifting masks (a separate review will be forthcoming), pristine pedicures, and a quick file and paint for my Mum.  My treatments fell just beneath the £100 threshold, and my Mum had a mere £10 to pay to secure the extra nail servicing.  After the usual form filling, we were led downstairs, offered drinks, and installed in our respective treatment areas. 

I went into a moodily lit, cosy treatment room, with the ever present relaxing music.  The therapist stayed in the room as I disrobed, which I found a little bit strange as I've always been left alone to strip down and hide under a towel.  Once I was comfortably settled on a treatment bed, the therapist was the perfect balance between chatty and quiet - she answered all my questions and was very friendly, but as soon as I fell silent, she did too.  I was glad that the facial I had chosen was more results driven than relaxing, as I could fairly clearly hear my Mum talking to her therapist at the pedicure station outside the room.  That didn't stop me from falling asleep during the mask-and-massage stage of the treatment, though!

After my facial, I had a Leighton Denny pedicure, administered by the same therapist.  I was somewhat surprised that the pedicure area, at the bottom of the stairs, was so small - two stations could be shoehorned in, but once in place, you'd have to climb across the comfy leather chairs to get back up the stairs.  As for the pedicure itself, it was fairly standard, finishing off with a very precise application of polish.  Again, I felt that the therapist was a perfect mix of chatty and quiet, and I didn't feel I had to chat to her as she massaged, scrubbed and painted. 

All in all, Nougat spa is a very cosy space and isn't quite as luxe as other spas, which offer larger treatment rooms, and soundproofing.  They have, however, made good use of the space available, and despite the compactness, you'll still have a relaxing visit.  The therapists were the key ingredient in an enjoyable afternoon, being friendly and genuinely warm, remembering our names and being generally smiley and helpful without a sense of detachment.  While this isn't the place to go if you're looking for deep relaxation and utter peace and quiet, I would recommend a visit if you're looking for a functional, enjoyable treatment in a central, boutique location.

Disclosure - this product was tested during supervised sessions provided free of charge by Philips.

As mentioned earlier in the week, I'm currently trying out Philips' new home-use IPL device, Lumea. Yesterday I had my first session, and came face to face with the Lumea handset for the first time.

My first impressions are very good - the Lumea is about the same shape and weight as a travel blowdryer, and feels very solid, smooth and well-made. It's cordless and has an intutive control system - there's a trigger button, an on-off switch and a range of intensity settings (1-5) which can be adjusted according to skin and hair type.

The window at the head of the device is quite large - it took me about 15 "flashes" to do each armpit and I'd done the whole of both sides in under 3 minutes. Much much quicker than expected.

Lumea has a few advantages over its competitors - it doesn't need a contact gel, it's a cordless all-in-one unit, and needs no bulb replacement within its 40,000-flash lifespan (estimated to last about 5-7 years with normal use). However it's not a "permanent" solution. Instead, it's something you need to use every 2 weeks to prevent hair growth. If you stop, the hair comes back. Unlike more intensive treatments, Lumea doesn't claim to kill the hair root - rather it forces the follicle into a resting phase so that it doesn't produce hair.

Lumea has the same limitations as all IPL devices - it can't be used by women with very dark skin, or by those with blond, red or grey hair. For Anglo-Irish types like me, it's great news, but its potential user base is demographically pretty narrow, especially as it's only recommended for women.

Using it is fairly simple. The only bit I found tricky was angling the head correctly; In order to work, the window bit needs to be in full contact with the skin. When it's ready to flash, a green light on the back of the "head" comes on. I needed a few contortions to get it properly aligned at first, although it's something that I think gets easier with practice.

Did it hurt? No - and it shouldn't if you're using it at the correct intensity for your skin and hair type. The flash sensation is warm, but not unpleasantly so. It's like a very quick exposure to bright sunlight. If it does sting, you can turn the intensity down a notch using the buttons on the handle.

I haven't seen any results yet, and probably won't for the next couple of sessions, but I will let you know how it performs in future posts. Again, feel free to ask any questions in the comments and I'll field them to the experts at my next session.

In summary - so far so good, and I'm feeling very positive about the product after the first session.

This week, I begin my sessions with the Philips Lumea, a hair-removal device which uses IPL technology. I have been intrigued by the idea of IPL since Boots released their Smooth Skin machine last year, and I'm quite excited to be trying this out.

IPL stands for "Intense Pulsed Light". It's a progression from traditional laser hair removal, and it started out in salons. Basically the little "window" in the head of the device shoots out a burst of incredibly bright light which is absorbed by the dark hair shaft. It is transmitted to the root of the hair which is then frazzled out of operation. The treatment needs to be repeated because hair follicles have different phases of growth and dormancy, so you need periodical re-treatment to catch them all.

IPL is now coming to the home-use market via brands like Tria, Philips, Boots and Remington, all of who offer a hand-held unit costing roughly £300 - £400. The Lumea retails at £399.99.

Because of the way IPL works, the method is restricted to those with a good contrast in tone between hair and skin - if you have black hair and pale skin you're ideal, but it's not any use for most black and Asian skintones or those with pale blond, red or grey hair. A frustrating limitation to an otherwise amazing-sounding method.


Unlike Boots' version which proffers "permanent hair reduction", Lumea provides no claim of permanent absence of hair. Instead the marketing blurb says that you can use it every 2 to 4 weeks and stay entirely hair free in perpetuity without any regrowth, ingrown hairs, shaving rashes or painful/expensive salon visits. Interesting contrast - I'm not sure whether it reflects a difference in the way the two machines work, or whether it's just two marketing gambits, but in either case, the prospect is exciting - a single payout for permanent, easy to maintain results.

I'll be attending 4 sessions over the next couple of months as part of Lumea's "spa sessions", which I think are restricted to reviewers (although there was a competition run in Glamour magazine to win places on the trial too). I'll be posting as I go to give you the detail of the experience and the results.

If there's anything you want to know or any questions I can ask about this unit on your behalf, please let me know in the comments.

Disclosure - I received a complementary treatment and checkup at The Shah Clinic in Highgate while researching this post.

Ah, feet. The most neglected body part, give or take a few internal bits and pieces. We spend most of our time ignoring our feet, hiding them in shoes and socks, walking around on them all day or pouring them into torturous high heels, then perhaps bewailing how gnarled and unsightly they become as a result. Not many of us have a close relationship with our feet, but we'd be pretty lost without them, and with proper care, they can be as much of a pleasure as they are a necessity.


When I found myself in conversation with Podiatrist Vas Shah recently, it quickly became clear that we had much to discuss. Feet are an important but often overlooked health concern, especially for those of us who are obsessed  interested in beauty. I had plenty of questions about foot care, and I felt sure that plenty of people reading the blog did too.

I arranged to meet Vas at his Highgate clinic for a treatment and a bit of a Q&A about a beauty addict's most pressing footcare concerns...


Settling ourselves in a local Highgate cafe (OK, it was actually a branch of Cafe Rouge, but the scenery was nice), we began the interview.

LBR: A lot of salons offer pedicures as part of their treatment range. Are pedicures good for feet? What should I look out for when choosing a salon?

VS: A key concern with pedicures is hygiene. Our feet are very succeptible to infections because they are kept inside shoes where air can't circulate and moisture builds up. Where there's moisture, you get bacteria and fungi multiplying. That also applies to foot baths at salons, and bottles of polish that get dipped into with the same brush in between clients. (Nail polish doesn't kill bacteria and fungi.) A good salon should have excellent hygiene practices and clean everything between clients. Ideally, footbaths should have a disposable insert that is thrown away between clients. As there is no accreditation or legislation to enforce good hygiene practice in beauty salons, be careful when choosing one. Bad hygiene can risk your health - if the same instruments are used from one client to another without proper sterilisation, you can potentially be exposed to a whole range of infections. Pedicures are also very superficial. Visit a Podiatrist every few months and then go for a pedicure if you wish. The best advice I can give is always to go first thing in the morning, because everything at the salon should have been cleaned at the close of the previous day.

LBR: Should we paint our toenails? And is it true we should cut them "straight across"?

VS: Unfortunately, nail polish actually degrades the nail surface, creating tiny holes in the nail. Again, because feet are enclosed and moisture builds up, this can increase the risk of fungal nail infections, so polish on toenails isn't recommended. Try and give your nails a break in the winter months when they’re not on show.


LBR: Oops...

VS: Doctors often recommend cutting toenails straight across because this prevents ingrown toenails, but not everybody's nails are naturally suited to the "straight across" shape. The important thing is not to leave any sharp edges that could dig into the skin around the nail and grow inwards. A gentle curve is OK if that is how your toenail is shaped naturally.

LBR: Another common practice is to exfoliate calluses from the feet. Is it good to remove dead skin, or should it be left there to protect the foot?

VS: Exfoliation is definitely a good idea because dead skin cells can harbour infection. If you're using a foot file or a pumice stone to exfoliate your feet that's great, but don't be tempted to do "DIY" dead skin removal using anything like a knife or clippers. It's very easy to damage your feet that way. A lot of people do this!

LBR: A lot of us wear high heels, and we know they're probably not the most healthy footwear choice. What's the best way to minimise the negative effects of heels on our posture and our feet?

VS: If you wear heels and you are experiencing pain in your feet, you can visit a Podiatrist for a biomechanical assessment to determine which areas of the foot may be taking damage. Your podiatrist can prescribe individually fitted orthotics [inserts] that will fit into your shoes and help support the foot more. If you wear heels to work, it's good to kick them off under the desk if appropriate at your workplace. Some people wear trainers along with their suits while they're travelling to and from work, and that is also kinder on the feet than walking in heels. There is a precription treatment that involves injecting silicone into the balls of the feet to give more support to older people whose fatty tissues have depleted and want their heels to be more comfortable, but it's quite a new procedure at the moment.

LBR: A question close to many readers hearts... how often should we be buying new shoes? Or is that like asking "how long is a piece of string"?

VS: Maybe a bit like that! It depends on your shoes, and how much you walk around. Obviously high heels wear down very quickly because the heels take so much pressure. But for flat shoes, you can check the wear at the back of the shoe. The heel naturally strikes the ground on the outside first, so over time the heel of your shoe will wear unevenly, sloping outward. If you can see that  happening, it's time to replace the shoes, because otherwise the slope will affect your knee and hip joints, putting you out of alignment.

~~~~~

With my brain stuffed with foot-related facts, it was time to adjourn to the clinic (a beautiful restored period property) lie back in the treatment chair and let the man himself take a look as I bared my sole(s). I found myself actually kind of self-conscious - which I think goes to show how infrequently we subject our feet to any level of scrutiny.

The treatment started with a visual inspection, and Vas was able to affirm that my feet hadn't succumbed to any obvious infection (more through luck that judgement on my part). After positioning my feet on a disposable sheet and cleaning them with an antiseptic spray, he cut my toenails with large metal clippers, ensuring that my big toenails were filed and trimmed into a shape that wouldn't allow them to become ingrown.

He then unpacked a small ultrasound machine and tested the circulation of blood to my feet. A small hand-held sensor and conductive gel provided a loud rendition of my heart-beat, pushing blood through the two major arteries in each foot - one that goes across the top of the foot, and the other going around the side of the ankle into the sole. Vas told me I had a triphasic pulse - a good sign, as it means the walls of the artery are elastic and healthy.

Next, Vas tested the functioning of the nerves across the surface of my feet using an implement with two difference surfaces. With my eyes shut, I was called to tell which one was which as Vas placed it on various bits of my feet. Tickly! Again all was well.

The next stage was a removal of the hard skin from the soles of my feet. Using first an expertly-wielded scalpel and then a small drill with a kind of sanding attachment (again tickly, but painless), Vas returned my hard callused soles to the kind of smooth perfection they hadn't had - oh - probably not since I was in high school. I couldn't believe how much smoother they were, and they felt good too, almost as though the hard skin had never been there.

The treatment concluded with an application of specialist moisturising cream. I was interested to learn that feet do in fact need a special moisturising regime, rather than just regular body lotion. I always thought foot creams were mostly a marketing trick, but it turns out that the skin on the soles of our feet is up to 4 times thicker, they do need a more powerful product than the rest of the body. Vas used ClearZal Silk Smooth on my feet. It's a white aloe vera cream that dries non-sticky and contains urea for extra moisturising power. Not too expensive either at around £7 per tub. It's available from The Shah Clinic, and you can also buy it online.

The treatment I experienced costs £45. When compared to a beauty treatment, that seems pretty good value considering the level of care provided, especially since you get a trained Podiatrist (Foot and Ankle Specialist) treating you rather than a beauty therapist. The Shah Clinic operates in three locations - The Summit, Highgate (where I was), at the Jarrolds Aveda salon in Old Street and at the "Stress Exchange" at London Bridge. Vas also does home visits in the London area.

If you fancy getting your feet MOT'd for presentability, any fungal nail infection treated, and a foot health check into the bargain, I thoroughly recommend Vas's service. To enquire about appointments, contact Vas via The Shah Clinic website. You can also find him on the usual social media sites (Facebook and Twitter - search "Shah Clinic").

With the current focus on blogger integrity and honesty in reviews, now seems as good a time as any to face the music on this one.

NV Perricone Cold Plasma was given to us to review. Owing to the high RRP of this cream and the reputation of the brand, I wanted to trial this thoroughly and bring you a comprehensive review of how it addresses the "ten signs of aging" it sets out to improve or correct. You can see my initial post about it here.

It has a light, easily absorbed consistency and sturdy glass packaging. It looks like a white version of Clinique's Moisture Surge moisturiser - almost more gel than cream. In fact it is designed to be used along with moisturiser - it's more of a treatment product than a traditional face cream.

It has a patented "delivery system" designed to carry beneficial nutrients and fortifying substances across the cell membrane and thereby improve the look and feel of skin. This is an interesting premise but one that I found slightly disconcerting from a biological point of view - my skin is there to protect my body from outside invaders after all and I'm not sure I want its integrity compromised in this way. However it seems that a lot of work and expense have gone into designing this stuff, and it would have been nice to tell you exactly how well it worked and what the effects were over time.

Unfortunately there is only one definitive thing I can say about this cream, which is that the smell of it is bad. I have tried to steel myself and put it on after cleansing, but the odour put me off and most times I just skipped it. So I can't in all honesty tell you whether it works or not. It may do absolute wonders for aging skin. But it also smells like slightly-off meat or fish.

I am very sorry - I have failed you all. *Pushes fish-cream into back of cupboard with great relief*

This cream may work out well for you if you are anosmic or have a poor sense of smell. Or you may find, as many seemingly have (this product is a best-seller on NV Perricone's site) that it works well for you and you don't perceive any bad odour. The issue may be a quirk of my olfactory system, which is quite sensitive to certain protein smells. (I can't stand using crockery that has been used to serve eggs, for example, unless it has been washed very thoroughly.)

But as far as I am concerned - this is not one I am going to be purchasing. The smell is something I just can't get past.

Wahanda describe themselves as a "health, beauty and wellness ecosystem". Their site contains listings of heath centres, spas and salons nationwide, as well as information on individual treatments, therapies and classes. Founded by veterans of LastMinute.com and Yahoo!, they're a growing source of information and deals in the health and beauty area.

Recently, they've started offering Mob Deals - whereby a particular treatment is offered at a heavily discounted price, provided that enough people sign up to it. The sign up numbers are small; usually between 15 - 25, and the discounts are pretty significant, making this a good one to watch day-to-day. For example, today's Mob Deal is a Bespoke Facial at Dove Spa Mayfair (within Virgin Active fitness centre). Usually priced at a reasonable £31, Wahanda are offering it for just £10 today, assuming 25 people sign up. The only downside is that for the moment, the deals are all centred in and around London.

If you'd like to put this on your interest list, you can find the latest deal on Wahanda's website - I think I'll be checking back every day in the hope of securing a cut-price treat!