Every year billions of pounds are spent on products as we try to prevent the years from showing. However, with so many anti-ageing products on the market it can be incredibly confusing where we should spend our money and most importantly whether they work! In the many years of being in the beauty industry I’ve learnt that whilst you can prevent long-term damage, once done there’s little you can do apart from invasive procedures such as Botox to eliminate the signs, or so I thought. I was lucky enough to be sent to two salons who promised to give me back some youth without resorting to needles or sunglasses!
A smile is one of the first things people notice, and if you’ve neglected your teeth a paler shade of yellow will pile on the years. Many people have cottoned on to this which is why tooth whitening is a booming business and has become so widely available in recent years. However, if like me you’ve shielded away due to sensitive teeth let alone the price then you haven’t discovered Pearlys (www.pearlys.co.uk)!
Now a long established chain of whitening clinics and the brainchild of Liz Ridley, Pearlys Ltd brings clients an affordable range of safe treatments which can be used in-house or as a home maintenance programme. Its celebrity clientele include JLS, Alexandra Burke and Pixie Lott and more recently TOWIE star Mario Falcone, whom so impressed was he with the results which transformed his yellow ‘gnashers’ into a sparkling white that he’s set up his own franchise in Brentwood. I went along to see if they could persuade me to give their Express Treatment a try.
I was greeted by Liz and after explaining how the procedure works by using gentle Sodium Perborate and not Hydrogen Peroxide, she left me in the reassuring hands of Training Manager Joey Lazaroo. After filling out a client questionnaire I was matched to my tooth shade, then after brushing my teeth in Pearlys Weekly Teeth-Brighten Powder I was seated for 20 minutes whilst biting into a gel infused mould in front of a UV light. I have to admit a few beads of sweat gathered not from the humidity but the anticipation of tooth pain however, after a couple of minutes I realised the only painful thing was I couldn’t talk! When I’d finished I was delighted to find my shade had lifted to 1M1 the lightest natural colour there is and most importantly the results were a natural shade of white, polished (pun intended) but not too blinding aka Simon Cowell!
I was advised not to eat or drink any foods which may stain for the next 24 hours as whitening temporarily makes enamel more porous, and whilst rehydration improves quickly I wanted to make the most of the results. I was also given a fantastic home maintenance kit which included a host of brightening products such as a whitening pen which can be used the night before a special event. This amazing treatment cost £89 and the results are worth every penny spent.
My next stop was Kennady’s Hairdressers which is situated in the heart of Ingatestone High Street. Reputation by word of mouth is everything and when customers travel from all over Essex to get there, you know you’re in for five star treatment. I went along to see what they could offer me which was different from other salons – after all every stylist cuts, colours, offers highlights etc but there had to be a reason why Kennady’s has won the L’Oreal Colour Trophy Eastern Region Awards several times.
Small details in a salon count and after clocking the luxury Shu Umera products, immaculate clean workstations and the best toilets I’ve ever seen (noted the organic products) I knew I was in for a treat. Oli Wells the friendliest of receptionists introduced me to Ken Eastwood, the owner who would be cutting my hair, but firstly I was led away by Lizzy Ellwood, award winning Colour Specialist for my ultimate ‘Anti-Ageing Colour Consultation’. In a separate room I was swathed in various colours of silk to see which lifted my complexion and determine whether I was a warm or cool tone. Lizzy could tell immediately I was warm but showed me how certain colours lit my face from within whilst others drained my face - she even had a drawer of warm and cool makeup which enabled me to see which lipstick and blusher made my skin tone alive.
Whilst Lizzy offers every colouring technique she recommended Balayage (£45) which means painting on freehand, unlike uniformed foils and highlights this is a very personal service to achieve colour where movement natural falls. L’Oreal Inoa the latest ammonia free colour was used to ensure my hair was treated with ‘utmost respect’ and after dyeing my hair a warm, multi-tonal shade of brown, various strands were lifted with hues of caramel - the effect was simply stunning as flashes of gold shimmered throughout.
My hair was cut into a flattering shape using Kennady’s 40-20-40 approach 40% foundation cut, 20% blow dry and 40% after-cut to personalise the style thus ensuring maximum benefit to suit my face shape. I was then given a ‘Style School Tuition’ a unique consultation from Ken which offers customers tips and tricks on how to style their hair to achieve a salon finish. This was something I was eager to learn as my blow-drying skills consisted of throwing my head upside down, blasting with a dryer and hoping for the best. This personalised hour service costs only £20 redeemable against products, customers are asked to bring in their own tools and products and taught how to use correctly and if they’re suitable for their hair type. It was an invaluable lesson as I learnt how to dry my hair holding just the nozzle of the hairdryer eliminating arm-ache, how to prevent a ‘fringe kink’ and most importantly a technique to straighten my hair without using heat damaging irons and a hairbrush!
Finally celebrity make-up artist Karleigh Marsh offered some anti-aging tips:-
· Always use translucent powder rather than compact to keep skin looking fresh not heavy.
· Mix your eye cream with concealer to avoid a cakey appearance.
· Apply eye-make upwards to lift drooping eyes.
· Steer clear of matte foundations and try BB or CC creams for a dewy finish.
· Apply lip pencil after your lipstick to avoid a heavily lined lip.
· Give liquid eyeliner a large berth and stick to soft smokey kohl.
· Cream blushers are the most flattering for mature skin types.
For bookings call Kennady’s on 01277 353790 or visit www.kennadys.co.uk (for your free Anti-Ageing Colour Consultation quote Askmollybeauty). For bookings with Bridal Makeup Artist Karleigh Marsh Tel: 07858 399 904. Thank you to Pearlys, Kennedys and Karleigh – I’ve been told I look incredibly well and best of all was asked if I was in my 30’s!
If you have a business or products you’d like featured please email molly@askmollybeauty.com or follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty.
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