I’ve never been a beauty treatments kind of girl. Lots of my friends (and my Mom!) have regular nail appointments and have had varying degrees of lash faffery. But I’ve never really thought it was an affordable thing to do on such a regular basis or been that… bothered. Until now. The last couple of months I have discovered what have now become my must have beauty treatments.
Beauty Treatments You Can’t Live Without
That title might be a bit OTT but the last few months I have been setting aside some cash and more importantly, some time, to start looking after myself better and treating myself a bit . I was lucky to be presented with a gift card for a spa for Mother’s Day and decided to split the value across three separate massages. I decided to book one a month. I have looked forward to every single one. I feel really comfortable with the masseuse now I’ve seen her a few times and can tell her when I want more or less pressure without feeling embarrassed or awkward. She is getting to know where I need a bit of extra work – mainly my knotty left shoulder and where I need more gentle pressure – mainly my lower back. I only have half an hour at a time but it really is bliss. Wether its psychological or actually physical, I come out feeling like a weight has been lifted and feeling super relaxed. At first it felt a bit indulgent to be swanning off for a completely selfish massage but now I’m not sure I can give it up. My voucher ran out at my last appointment but I booked in for a follow up anyway.
The second of my must have beauty treatments is LVL lashes. I first had them done 7 weeks ago. You lie down with your eyes closed for about 50 minutes (try closing your eyes for 50 minutes without sleeping! IT is really strange) and your lashes get permed and tinted. Initially I thought it sounded really expensive (as I said I am a novice to beauty treatments so had no idea if this was the norm – I paid £45 which turns out to in fact be about the average) but I have been so happy with the results. I have very short, straight lashes which I have curled with a hand curler for years only to watch the curl drop within a matter of hours. The tint wore off after about 4 weeks but the curl is still really good. I was stunned she was actually able to do anything with them. My main reason for trying the treatment in the first place was hay fever. I wanted to be able to try and get through some of the hotter months without wearing mascara and still looking semi ok and not worrying that I’d be left looking like a panda after constant eye rubbing. But now I am just loving having these new found lashes! Who knew they were there all along! I’ve booked back in to have them done again in a couple of weeks before my holiday.
So what do I need to try next? The team have a mix of things they love; for Laura and Alice it’s all about booking in a really good facial. Fern regularly has her eyebrows threaded. It is something I have had done now and then but my goodness it makes me wince! On that note, if anyone knows of anyone who is excellent at this in the Cornwall area can you hit Fern up because she is struggling to find the perfect beautician to do it. Whilst we’re on the subject of eyebrows, Charlotte has hers tinted every month along with her lashes.
Then there’s probably the most common of beauty treatments… the haircut/colour. Actually is it the most common or is it nails these days? Either way, how often do you visit your hairdresser? I have been having mine coloured once a year (the plus side of having balayage) but I want to go brighter and lighter so next week I’ll be sitting in the seat for the second time this year! Oh how I’m spoiling myself! But interestingly I’ve not had it cut since about November (so 8 months) whereas the lovely Lauren has to have hers chopped every 8 weeks without fail and Lisa once every 3 months. (Did you see Lisa’s post on Tuesday about how to look after wavy hair? Pop over and have a look if you missed it)
So tell us, what are your must have beauty treatments. What are your best and worst experiences and what do I need to try next? Are you a regular in the hairdressers chair or do you leave it as long as you possibly can?
Personally, and you all know I’m not a big one for beauty, it’s my feet. I like a massage and will occasionally have someone come here when the kids are in bed (home treatments are where it’s at – and also cheaper) but my essential is my feet.
Not a pedicure because I never be arsed with perfect toe nails but the hard icky dead skin. I use these shoe acid peel things from eBay and they peel your feet. It’s immense. You put them on for 90 minutes and then a week later it’s like you’re an actual snake. Totally addictively rank.
But my feet get such a pounding from heeled shoes or sandals in the summer. And actually my masseuse specialises in the thing where your feet unblock your shoulders and I’m not one for mumbo jumbo but there’s something in it!
Ooh which ones? That sounds appealing! Not the snake skin but the lack of it!
I have two must haves. My hair and my nails. I’ve been having a manicure every four weeks since we got married (7yrs ago). It is an indulgence, but it makes me feel better about myself. I don’t smoke, very rarely drink or have any other expensive vices so I feel I can justify it.
My hair is a different matter, I get that cut and coloured every 5wks. That is a non negotiable. I started going grey at 17, and so if I don’t go that often my root regrowth is horrendous, I also have a bob, so it needs a regular trim to keep it’s shape. I try not to think about how much it costs me a year to maintain (I think I would cry!), but such is the price of my vanity. 🙈
I’ve also had lash extensions, facials and massages over the years, but never regularly.
I have a haircut about every eight weeks, and where time allows will also get an Indian head massage at the same time. Total bliss.
For me it’s a facial. I really like Elemis based facials, but they can be so expensive in salons and spas. I go to my local Debenhams where they have an Elemis Spa Pod and you get a 45 minute facial in an amazing massage chair for £30! Not only that, they often have buy one get one free offers and seven for the price of five. It’s not done on the shop floor – they have a little room which you go in and strip off, cover up with a towel and lie back whilst the chair works it’s magic and you get the added bonus of a hot stone shoulder and neck massage whilst one of the masks works away. At the beginning of every session they analyse your skin through pictures and show sun damage, blocked pores, spots/oil and lines, then talk you through which treatment would be best that day. As it works out at less than £30, I can completely justify having one every month without an ounce of guilt!
Would totally recommend the hydrafacial. It’s expensive but an absolute game Changer
I feel like such a fraud booking anything ‘beauty’.
I have my hair cut once every 6 months (or more) and just don’t feel like I can justify having anything else done.
I once treated myself to having my nails painted but felt so silly during the appointment! My nails looked great and I was surprised how good it made me feel afterwards. Maybe I need to stop taking myself so seriously?!
If you know of anywhere that’s great in the Peterborough area please shout!
I love a good facial (especially Elemis) and try and get on every few months (it’s usually every six months – no bloody time). I like getting a manicure but I tend to keep my nails short around my little one so that takes the fun out of manis at the mo.
My main thing at the moment is getting Keratin hair treatments. I love them! I have very thick hair that goes frizzy at the roots so the Keratin treatment works an absolutely charm. There are lots on the market with varying results – I find Kerastraight stays the longest.
I always feel so awkward having my nails done (and then they chip after – my nails are so weak!). I haven’t enjoyed massages I’ve had either! I have however enjoyed facials so maybe I am a girl deep down 😉
My friend put me on to a great trick for facials – Clarins often have treatment rooms in John Lewis (no idea if they’re in other department stores too) and you can buy a voucher (£15 or £30) which gets you a facial and then the amount to spend on clarins products. So if you’re likely to buy clarins anyway, you get a free facial too! I’ve bought them as presents for people too.
I get my hair cut and coloured every 8 weeks give or take. I have a chin length bob so regular cuts are a necessity. I’ve had my hair highlighted forever and I tried going without last year but after about 3 months I couldn’t bear it any longer!
I rarely get my nails done but then I’m a gardner/DIYer/general crafts person, so there has never been any point. I need my hands practical! I do like having a pedicure in the summer so my toes look nice in sandals, but I don’t get them done regularly.
I love a good back massage, but it can be hit or miss as I’m extremely ticklish 🙁
Facials I might have once or twice a year but I have a friend who has been having Clarins facials once a month for many years and at 53 her skin looks amazing, so maybe they are worth it after all….?
I don’t have anything regularly but probably have a massage and a facial once or twice a year. I had gel nails done two weeks ago on a whim, bright pink with glitter ombre over the top. Was fun whilst we were camping but bit OTT back at work! I do feel more polished when I’ve got them done so might rebook. Someone local does it for only £22.50.
I have taken my boyfriend to a couple of spa days and despite his worry it would be very female orientated, he quite liked it. We went to the Bath Thermae Spa after a running race a couple of weeks ago and it was lush!
I have very fine thin hair which I have always had in a bob but now on the road to growing it out. At the moment I get a cut every 3 months, and at my last trim my hairdresser suggested extensions to help thicken my hair out a bit. I am very tempted, as I think it will be the only way I can get thicker looking longer hair. I am at the fed up shoulder length stage and I think extensions may be the only solution to avoid me going for a shorter cut again. Does anyone have any experience of hair extensions?
I’ve just had my eyebrows “microtinted” which is like microblading but a finer needle. I absolutely love them – my eyebrows were rubbish before and always felt I needed to use pencil but now I often go out without make up – they look v natural but I feel more done!
I used to live walking distance from a beauty college and as a result used to get regular discounted treatments in their training spa! Dermalogica facials, pedis, the works. Sadly no longer…
I have never shaved legs or plucked my own brows, so waxing is my absolute necessity. Every six weeks. When I was working I used to throw in a gel pedi but the days of double income no kids are long gone…
Am rubbish with my hair. It makes me feel so much better reading everyone else saying how little they go as I always feel my hairdresser is horrified by the state it’s in by the time I go and get it sorted out 😂
So glad you are loving the massages Becky, you definitely deserve something for you and you are probably safeguarding your spine for the future while you’re at it.
I love a beauty treatment, but they tend to be treats for me. I get my eyelashes tinted a couple of times a year, gel nails done before a holiday, and a facial/massage if I see a good offer. I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and when I was last really ill with it I booked in for a last minute facial and I could not believe how relaxed and rested I felt afterwards. I really should treat myself more as it made such a difference to how I felt that day.
Last September I took the plunge and had my eyebrows microbladed! Best beauty thing I have ever done! They look so natural and I have thrown away the eyebrow pencil. I will definitely keep this treatment up.
In term of hair I just have two cuts a year (I could do with adding in a third cut though) and with a colour on one of those occasions – hurray for balayage!
Im not into beauty treatments really but i cant live without my eyebrows being tatood on every year or two… i had it done for my wedding and never looked back my eyebrows are on fleek all the time now