The ‘Spring Clean’ is a British institution!
The history states that in times past, when people kept their houses shut tight against the cold of winter and heated them with coal, oil and wood and lighted them with candles, the coming of spring signalled a welcome opportunity to make the habitation fresh again.
On the first warm, dry day of the season, everybody in the family would pitch in to pull every piece of furniture and scrap of cloth outside. Then, armed with brooms and washrags, one team of housecleaners would return to the house, sweeping and scrubbing every corner and washing down the walls, whilst another would air out linens and remove the soot and ash from every nook and cranny.
With the clocks having gone forward and the arrival of lighter mornings and longer evenings, this is the ideal time to ‘spring clean’ your beauty bag too! After months of using products to protect against the cold, it is time to look forward to heralding and sun and start to prep the skin and hair in anticipation.
Here are some of my picks, of the British brands that I will be adding to my Spring regime – celebrating the best in home-grown beauty!
For the Face: Antonia Burrell Mask Supreme 7-in-1
This sublime mask is perfect for spring as it promises to hydrate, smooth, detoxify, repair, clarify, illuminate, protect and perfect the skin – which is just what is needed after the winter months. A natural product packed with powerful ingredients such as Safflower Oleosomes, Bentonite Clay, Phoridium Extract, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Abyssinian Oil, Mango Butter, Anti-Blemish Active and Frankincense Oil all work together to even the skin tone, banish lines and wrinkles as well as protect from UV rays – it really is a miracle in a jar!
Antonia Burrell Mask Supreme 7-in1, £57
For the Body: Stone Beauty
Stone Beauty hand makes a small product range of bath and beauty products using incredibly powerful, natural ingredients – all made with love by founder Janet Stone in Walthamstow London, E17!
All products are made to order by hand using little or no preservative and contain no parabens, no sulphates and are not tested on animals. I recently tested the Body Butter with a beautiful Pomegranate Noir Fragrance. The rich formula contains Shea and cocoa butter and jojoba and apricot kernal oils, blended to perfection. It is extremely moisturising and the fragrance lingers throughout the day – a daily treat for super soft skin.
For the Hair: Beauty and Melody Hair Services
This beautiful hair and beauty salon is located in Marble Arch just moments away from the tube station. The luxe decor ensures that every client feels like a million dollars. The stylists can cater for an array of hair types: Afro or European, natural curls and sleek locks.
You can refresh your locks for the new season or if you are suffering from more serious hair issues (such as thinning hair or alopecia), the in-house hair loss specialist Funlola will aid you in tackling the problems. Funlola is also a qualified wig specialist with over 15 years of experience in making wigs and will adapt a NHS wig to make it more comfortable.
You can book an appointment with the salon here.
For the Nails and Brows: Nails & Brows Beauty Salon
In the heart of Mayfair, the flagship Nails & Brows boutique salon is both a tranquil haven that burst with colour and creativity. Founder Sherille Riley opened the doors to the boutique just over one year ago. Two years prior to this, Sherrille (pronounced Cher-elle) Riley was due a mani-pedi and brow prep before she jetted away on holiday, (as we all do!) and her appointment got cancelled at the last minute. She called and searched the entire West End for a luxe manicure pedicure and brow offering prior to her Dubai holiday and there was nothing and no one to help her out at 6pm on a Friday night. When she arrived at her destination the next day, the concierge directed her to a ‘nails and brows’ salon in the mall and her idea was born.
The Nails & Brows salon is a luxurious boutique situated in heart of Mayfair, using natural and acclaimed products, some so unique that she is the only person that stocks them in the UK! The salon has been featured in Net-a-Porter, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Stylist magazine.
Find out more about the salon here.
For those special treatments: sk:n Clinics
You may want to treat certain skin issues such as hyperpigmentation and also the permanent removal of hair with more intense – but totally safe – skin and laser treatments.
I have been posting about my trips to sk:n in Holborn for a laser consultation and treatments on my Instagram and Twitter accounts. I was keen to find out more about the effectiveness of such treatments for darker skin tones and to also tackle my pigmentation by incorporating treatments into my skincare routine.
sk:n is the nation’s multi award winning, skincare expert that has held a partnership with the NHS in a dermatology capacity for more than 25 years. With the largest network of clinics in the industry (35 nationwide), sk:n brings the reputation and prestige of ‘Harley Street to your local high street’.
I have mentioned my hyperpigmentation in the past (caused by trauma inflicted to the skin) and key areas of pigmentation on my chin area are caused by the hair growth linked to my monthly hormonal changes! Years of plucking has caused trauma in this region and a build up of the pigmentation. Thus, the sk:n specialist that I met with (Anne-Marie), suggested that I treat this area with a course of laser treatments, whilst also having a course of Jessner skin peels to treat the hyperpigmentation. Ideal for all skin types, a Jessner peel uses a combination of active ingredients to rejuvenate the skin. The peel includes salicylic acid, which helps reduce oil production and lactic acid which combats ageing and uneven skin tone. This peel works well on a variety of commonly reported imperfections.
Anne-Marie, was very thorough and knowledgeable and asked me a series of questions about my health and lifestyle prior to the patch test. I felt very comfortable with the process, I had all of the information I needed and I was clear on what to expect at my first treatment.
To date I have had three laser treatment sessions and two Jessner peels and I have been very impressed with the results and the overall service. I will be writing a full review about my experience soon…so watch this space!
So, here’s to a beautiful and beauty-filled Spring!
You can find out more about the products and businesses’ mentioned by following them on Twitter. Get you Spring Beauty Spring Clean – British Style with @nailsandbrows @melodyandbeauty @StoneBeautyUK @antoniaburell and @sknclinics!
