What: Massage using hot volcanic stones and oils. I had mine at Ikou Day Spa in Leura, NSW (Australia) which uses their own (gorgeous) brand of natural and chemical free products – but they are offered at most day spas these days.
For: A little glimpse into heaven. Seriously de-stressing & relaxing.
Review: This was my first hot stone massage, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’m not quite sure why I was so reluctant to go down the hot stone route – I think in my head I pictured the therapist coming in a placing a few rocks down my spine, then toddling off to leave me for an hour whilst she chatted to her therapist friends about exfoliants and face peels (that’s what they talk about, right?). I couldn’t have been more wrong - this is a very “hands on” and penetrating massage.
The masseuse started by placing hot stones on pressure points on my back, and then proceeded to knead away tension using the stones and hot oil over the rest of my body. The massage was the perfect balance between indulgent relaxation and feeling like it was working deeply to release tension. In summary – it was absolutely divine… I practically floated out!
Verdict: The perfect massage for de-stressing and pampering yourself. I can highly recommend both this style of massage and Ikou Day Spa – if you are ever in the area definitely book a treatment or visit their retail store, as they are such lovely & professional people, and the environment is the pinnacle of eco luxury. I left with a bevy of products to try - reviews coming soon!
*If you aren’t in the area, Ikou deliver Australia-wide for a flat rate of $8.50, and will deliver internationally - contact them for shipping costs.
Highlighter applied to the cheekbones is an easy way to add polish and glamour to your look. I love RMS Beauty Living Luminizer (full review here). Keep it fresh with a bold lip and nude eyes.
Image via passionedelamode
(via swe-at)
What: Richly hydrating body moisturiser with a delicious rose fragrance. Think rose petals in the spa, not Grandma’s hand cream.
For: Dehydrated skin
Review: This is a lovely luxurious moisturiser – not one that I use every day, but one that gets doled out for special occasions. The cream is (as the name suggests) ultra rich, so it’s quite hydrating and leaves a fine film of moisture over the skin. I wouldn’t use this if I were about step into a stinking sweaty day, but it’s a nice one to use before you go out because of the light sheen it gives to skin. Skin is silky soft to touch and lightly fragranced – even my boyfriend notices when I use this (which, believe me, is a BIG DEAL. I’ve sometimes walked around in a clay mask all over my face and he hasn’t noticed). The only slightly annoying thing I find about this moisturiser is the tube – it has a very nice looking wooden top but I find that this collects moisturiser in the rim. Although I’m sure I’ll be quite pleased once I get to the end of the tube and rediscover this hidden stash of moisturiser…
Clean cred: No synthetic fragrances or colour, sulfates, glycols, pegs or parabens. Australian owned and made. Against animal testing.
Verdict: Lovely ‘special occasion’ moisturiser. For the price you wouldn’t want to use this every day, but it really is nice to pamper yourself with or would make a gorgeous gift (the packaging looks very smart).
Available from here.
What a gorgeous idea! This company ticks all the boxes - vegan, cruelty-free, natural, pure, organic - and fully customisable products. Truth Art Beauty’s ethos is simple:
By enabling our customers to select their own ingredients and build their own blends, we are empowering them to learn exactly what’s going onto their skin. And into their bodies.
Create your own blend of eye balm, face oil, body scrub & body oil in Truth Art Beauty’s modern day online apothecary. There are also suggested blends on their site for different skin types (but choosing your own is the fun bit)!
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What: Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil
For: Chapped lips everywhere
Review: Love love love Burt’s Bees Replenishing Lip Balm. It tastes delicious (which, let’s face it, is probably the best thing about lip balm), nourishes lips, and leaves a gorgeously subtle berry tint on the lips. In fact, I’ve occasionally swiped the lip balm over my cheeks when leaving the office for that ‘I haven’t done a thing all day’ glow. And it lasts FOREVER. No weird gooey mess that you have to mash the lid into.
Verdict: You’d be balm-y not to like it. 10/10.
