Reflexology and Reiki

Products to use and avoid during Pregnancy

My experience with BOTOX!

FATHERS DAY COMPETITION!!!

This year for Fathers Day I’ll be making sure the kids spoil their dad and I’ll be happily depositing them to his house so they can make him breakfast in bed, take over the remote and leave crisps down the side of his sofa! To be honest he will be probably love it as this year has been a bit different for him in terms of spending time with them.  He was on garden leave for 3 months and for the first time in 10 years got to sample the delights of the school run, homework and club runs whilst I sat back watched all hell break loose!  However, I know that within a couple of weeks of him returning to work he’ll be missing their midweek stays, their fights over the TV and their general mess and if I’m totally honest he did do a pretty good job of being ‘Mum’ for a few months.  If you want to spoil your dad this year check out some of these great gifts!

Menace Male Grooming Shenfield www.menacegrooming.co.uk 01277 202448

Give your dad some relaxation time and a nice pamper session at Menace. They offer a huge array of treatments from massages, facials to soothing cut-throat shaves. They also offer some great Fathers Day gift packages as well as vouchers!

Real Ale Devon Hampers www.devonhampers.com

I’ve used this company before and they are brilliant for an alternative gift for someone who is hard to buy for. Choose your budget, make your own hampers from a selection of food/drink on offer, or select from a variety already made up. The Real Ale Hamper is just £24 and can be dispatched for next day delivery!

Ted Baker Mini Tour de Ted Body Maintenance Kit £12 wwwtedcares.co.uk

A great gift for a dad who likes the gym or who travels. It contains a handy 50ml size of Hair and Body Wash Body Spray in two different zesty, get up and go fragrances.

I Coloniali Eau de Toilette £29.95 www.garden.co.uk

Bring a touch of Italian to his life with this gorgeous Eau de Toilette to leave him smelling sophisticated and stylish.  This range also offers a line of mens skin treatments that include luxury products to leave skin freshly cleansed, rejuvenated and reducing any irritation or redness.

Ferrari Red Power £29.95 stockist Boots.

A racy mix of Calabrian bergamot and Sicilian blood orange with warm Mediterranean and spice notes will leave him ready to take on the world.  With base notes of woody amber, white moss and patchouli this is a seriously sexy fragrance encapsulating the image of a man who knows what he wants in life!

Lacoste L!ve £47 100ml nationwide stores

The latest fragrance from Lacoste is all about life and energy. With citrus top notes of lime and fresh notes of green leaves, as the name suggests this is all about vibrancy. Dark liquorice is one of the main base notes which gives and edge to the fragrance. If he loves his sport and being outdoors this is the one for him!

Hugo Boss, Boss Bottled, Unlimited £55 stores nationwide.

Launched only a few months ago, this new fragrance again gives an energetic vibe and is all about adrenalin. Definitely for the man who loves his sports this limited edition is a must for summer. With notes of mint, pineapple and woody base notes this encapsulates sportsmen at their best.

Clarins Men Antiperspirant Stick £14 stores nationwide

Whilst more expensive than your usual antiperspirant, this will last months. Its alcohol free and packed with plant extracts so great if your dad suffers from any spots, as this won’t aggravate the skin! Orange, lemon and grapefruit essential oils neutralize any nasty odours leaving him smelling fresh all day.

Alien A*Men Eau de Toilette £41 stores nationwide

A powerful fragrance for those who work hard, play hard but also have a sensitivity underneath that tough exterior With essences of peppermint, lavender and lasting notes of patchouli, musk and coffee this is all what dads should smell - safe and secure.

Nip & Man prices from £5.95 Superdrug

Choose from a variety of menswear products from this no-nonsense masculine range. The Scrubbing Facial Wash contains fruit extracts such as papaya to gently slough away debris, leaving his skin clear and soft, ideal for shaving preparation. The After Shave Power Lotion is cooling, soothing and will leave skin feeling super soft.

COMPETITION TIME!!!!

For all Askmollybeauty readers and in collaboration with go! I have an amazing prize!  One lucky dad will win a  ‘Mens Pampering Session’ with Menace Male Grooming. This will include a back, neck and shoulder massage, facial and a cut-throat shave. He will also receive directly to his door a luxury Ale Hamper from Devon Hampers!  Simply email molly@askmollybeauty.com and tell me in no more than 30 words why your dad deserves to win this treat. Please make sure you include your name and phone number, as well as your dad’s name and full address!  Good luck the competition will close on Sunday June 15^th Fathers Day!

For features follow me Twitter @askmollybeauty or email molly@askmollybeauty.com

Interview with Chloe Sims

Venus Freeze - The Secret A List Hollywood Facial

Valentines Competition

Back in January I launched a competition to ‘Win a Date’ with Danny Wisker a UK model. The prize also included a makeover with Scarlett & Stone, The Beauty Experts of Great Dunmow and hair transformation with Smith & Co Hairdressers, Great Dunmow before being chauffeur driven by McKenzie Arnold Executive Transport to The Rare Cow Restaurant in Billericay where the winner would meet her date and enjoy an evening of fine dining! 

Within a day of the competition the entries came rolling in and to enter was easy, just tell me in no more than 30 words why you deserved the date.  Choosing however, was not simple!  Every other day I received stories which would make Bridget Jones sob, poems so creative (and kinky) they should be on the top shelf and pleas of ‘pick me’ so desperate I wanted to shake the girls and tell them to ‘get a grip’. 

In the end it was this simple email from Beckey Arnold which stood out for well its simplicity.  ‘Danny looks very handsome and a real gentleman. I am a 28 professional girl who would love to be wine and dined and dance the night away with him.’

Now I’d like to say that in features everything goes more or less to plan – it doesn’t and unfortunately on this occasion there was a real clanger. On the morning of the competition Danny text to say due to unforeseen circumstances he had to cancel.  We agreed to postpone but despite several attempts to contact him I’ve not heard back!

Well come rain or high horses I was going to make sure Beckey had the time of her life and so she invited along her sister Holly instead.

On the day the girls met at my house where they were both treated to a glamorous hair makeover from Maria and a stunning make-up application from Holly. Looking every inch the stars they were whisked away like Hollywood royalty in a top of the range Porsche (via Brentwood High Street – have to milk this girls), to the much talked about The Rare Cow in Billericay.  Whilst I retreated to my local drinking vodka, lime and soda, the girls were posting pictures of them quaffing champagne and having a feast! As the evening drew to a close it was evident from all the fun tweets that ‘sisters are really doing it for themselves’!

I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved and for the kind generosity given in making this competition happen.

Scarlett & Stone, The Beauty Experts of Great Dunmow are offering all Askmollybeauty readers who visit and like their Facebook page, 10% off all facials - for a full list of treatments visit www.scarlettandstone.com.

Smith & Co Hairdressers can be contacted via www.smithandcodunmow.co.uk and are offering 25% off cut and finish for new clients, quote Askmollybeauty.

McKenzie Arnold Executive Cars are giving 10% off bookings quoting Askmollybeauty visit www.facebook.com/MckenzieArnoldExecutiveTransport

For bookings at The Rare Cow visit www.rarecow.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty or visit www.askmollybeauty.com

Spring Make Up 2014 Whats In!!!

I’m currently staring at some hyacinths on my kitchen table, which can only mean one thing – my kitchen smells (albeit overpowering) of spring!  Anyway whilst the weather remains questionable and teases us with the sun followed by torrential downpours (rather remarkable rainbows though),  one thing which is consistent is the make up counters sporting their fantastic, new colours in the prettiest pastels and brights.

Every year whilst the trends are similar there are a few updates. This year hot pink has been replaced by mouthwatering tangerine, shimmer has thrown matt off the scale, thick, heavy brows are totally passé (thank heavens) and most of the focus lies on thick, luscious lashes!

To get into the swing of spring here’s a few tips!

·      This year the catwalk showcased models with light reflecting, pristine and natural skin tones!  Try a tinted moisturiser, brands are always launching improved formulations and a good one will leave your skin looking healthy and flawless. 

·      Orange lipstick is this seasons colour. Professional Make-Up Artist Claire Ballah (claireballah@blueyonder.co.uk) recommends a peach tone if your skin is fair, olive skin suits a brighter shade and dark skins suit all shades of orange.  Beware of orange with brown undertones as these can make teeth look yellow!

·      To compliment orange lipstick always choose a warm blusher in peach or apricot shades. Only Kelly Osbourne can get away with orange lips and pink blush!

·      Eyes should be kept neutral in shimmering shades of sand and ivory whilst emphasis on thickening the lashes with black volumising mascara will add definition.

·      There are many ways to sport eyeliner and the great thing about make-up is it comes off! Some trends such as wearing eyeliner on the crease of the eyelid are best left to the catwalk, but if you often wear a lightly smudged rimmed eye, then try experimenting with a pen liner slightly flicked at the corners.

I can’t feature them all but here are some of my favourite products.

Clarins Super Restorative Tinted Cream £44 – I’ve remained faithful to their tinted moisturisers for many years, they give just a hint of colour and with radiance boosting pigments really lift the complexion.  Their Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base £26 illuminates and corrects blemishes and can be mixed with your foundation.  I’m coveting their new lip colours in glosses and high shine lip finishes.  Coral Tulip £18 is a daunting bright orange at first sight, but once applied glides on and leaves a gentle sheen of colour. Their Ombre Minerale 4 Couleurs £31 is a palette of long-wearing lilac, pink and silvers which look amazing on all eye colours but especially brown. Stockists nationwide counters.

Sleek MakeUP is a brand loved by beauty bloggers worldwide. This spring sees the launch of the Blush by 3 Palette £9.99 which in a choice of pinks or corals include cream blushers and can be mixed together to create a unique look. They have also launched their CC Cream SPF29 £8.99 which eliminates shine, conceals blemishes whilst leaving the skin radiant.  Their i-Divine Garden of Eden Eye Palette £7.99 consists of 12 highly pigmented colours in beautiful shades of moss, forest green, ethereal green and dusky mauves.  Available Superdrug

MAC Fantasy of Flowers range is begging to be played with. Mineral Eye Shadow £17 in Golden Hours contains hues of gold and bronze and makes blue eyes glisten. Mineralise SkinFinish Perfect Topping £22 lifts cheekbones with a luminous pearlised pink. Mineralise Blush Azalea £20.00 suits cool skin tones and is ideal for fair skins giving cheeks a natural flush.  www.maccosmetics.co.uk

Celebrity Make Up Artist Caroline Barnes has collaborated with Max Factor and designed an amazing range of nude Colour Elixir Gloss lip colours £7.99. Super reflective, moisturizing and luxurious with accents of champagne, oyster and rose gold gives a perfect illusion of plump, fuller lips. For excessively thick lashes their new Excess Volume Mascara £12.99 plumps each individual lash and leaves a jet, patent, black, glossy finish.

Eye of Horus Goddess Eye Pencil £13 gives an alternative to a black smoky eye with stunning, iridescent and metallic shades. I love both Jewel Amethyst and Lazuli Blue, which leaves the eyes looking enchanting and alluring, the colour is longwearing and a must for night outs. www.eyeofhorus.uk.com. 

Pur Minerals Lip Gloss Stick £16 is a buttery, jumbo lip gloss which leaves lips super soft as it contains moisturising Vitamin E. Try Daredevil for a shot of tropical watermelon red.  www.marksandspencer.com. 

RVB is a luxurious Italian brand and the Color Therapy Eye Shadows £23 are perfect for sensitive eyes. The formulations are longlasting, give excellent coverage and can be used dry or wet for a more intense look. www.rvbcosmetics.co.uk. 

The Make-UP Store Slim Lipsticks £16 treat the lips with a blend of shea butter, jojoba and avocado oil, but without compromising on colour and spoil in a range of matt and sheer tones. www.makeupstore.se

Lucy Mecklenburgh is the face of Sunkissed Glimmer Compact £4.49 and its not hard to see why. This super sized compact features 5 shades, which can be worn alone or mixed together to highlight the cheekbones, eyes and décolletage and like TOWIE offers pure glamour. www.sunkissedbronzing.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty or www.askmollybeauty.com

Your Ultimate Guide to Spring Hair!

The final result after Amy Jones gets her hands on my locks! 

The other day whilst scrutinizing a very small dot on the side of my face and deciding whether it was worth attacking or not (it wasn’t I have gel nails on and they don’t give enough grip), I noticed my roots were somewhat dark and long.  Now many years ago this would have been a huge fashion faux pas however, if you look around at all the celebrities and models this look appears to be very much en vogue. At first it was known as the trashy ‘dip-dye’ but this gave way to a classier and softer version called ‘ombre’, which was basically two similar colours blended in to give a soft natural highlight. The trouble is whilst this looks amazing in magazines and photos, in daylight well if truth be told it’s a look which belongs on Eastenders.

Of course one must take into consideration the age group. On 18-25 years it’s great to follow trends, this is the one age you can get away with Rihannaesque locks be they dyed blue, pink or lilac. However, the problem starts when you get someone in their erm ‘middle-aged’ like me, who want to retain their youth but without looking like a desperate wannabee – my daughter won’t even walk into school with me if I wear my beanie hat, so I can’t see how rainbow coloured tresses will fare!

So with my 3 inch roots dangerously approaching 4 inches I booked myself into Mars and Venus Hairdressers in Brentwood for a full spring makeover with Specialist Colour Trend Analyst Amy Jones.

Whilst Amy knows the ins and outs of all the trends, she is also wise to the fact what may suit one skin tone will not suit another. Despite my hints of fancying a platinum blonde she gently guided me towards a more suitable soft, caramel full head of highlights with a scattering of sun kissed blonde, and whilst she worked her magic I quizzed the staff on hot tips for Spring 2014.

·      Spring/summer trends vary from platinum blonde to glossy natural darker tones. The ever popular ombre hair colour is still being requested and this trend will continue through 2014.

·      Beautiful, soft, glossy brown tones will be popular as summer approaches and easy maintenance makes this option extremely popular.  L’Oreal Luo have a stunning range of colours suitable for all skin tones, these colours give a shiny, healthy and glossy look to hair.

·      Reds and coppers will play a large part in 2014 and include a spectrum of deep rich mahogany to fiery coppers!  Icy platinum blondes will continue to become popular with short cropped hair and long hair, but the blonder you go the faster roots show so this is a high maintenance look.  For a softer, lower maintenance try using highlights and lowlights for a natural blonde and by these darker tones roots will be disguised for a further few weeks.

·      Whichever colour you choose one thing in common is that hair must be in good condition - it’s no good having the latest platinum or colour block if hair looks dry and tired.  Whilst it may seem unachievable with the amount of chemicals being placed onto the hair, with the right products strands can be kept strong and glossy. 

Possibly the best shampoo and conditioner I've tested - my hair loves it!

·      One top brand loved by Victoria Beckham, Reese Witherspoon and Katie Holmes (she’s the spokesperson and co-owner), is Alterna Luxury Hair Products. The formulations are free from harsh chemicals, infused with top ingredients sourced from all over the world and free from sulfates, mineral oils, parabens etc (strong chemicals are often used in cheaper shampoos).  The products work not by masking or coating the hair, but by continuous use – the more you use the stronger, more resilient your hair will be due to the patented Age Control Complex.

This is great as you don't have to leave on for long - no jumping in and out the shower!

Alterna Instant Recovery Shampoo £28.50 was used on my hair, now before you gasp at the price, a tiny amount goes a long way so the bottle will last months. I was advised when using the shampoo at home to add more water to make the shampoo last rather than add more product. The shampoo is ideal for anyone with long hair, which is in need of nourishment from over-colouring or heat styling. 

Amy then massaged in the Replenishing Moisture Masque £37.50, this contains tiny protein beads to fill the gaps of damaged hair and in turn smoothens the cuticles.  I have been using this mask at home and love it because it starts to work in as little as 2 minutes – great for a busy mum like me who simply doesn’t have time to apply regular masks. However, if you do have the time it can be left on for longer.

Finally The Alterna Rapid Repair Spray £30 an infusion of vitamins was used throughout the blow-dry. This replaces serum and can be used on wet or dry hair and with added UV protection, is brilliant from locks drying out in the sun – a must for holidays.   My hair was left silky soft, bouncy and with a beautiful sheen rather than looking ‘mirror shiny’.

For a free spring hair consultation with Amy contact Mars and Venus 01277 203740/203730. They are offering a generous 25% off all hair colour when quoting askmollybeauty or this feature, one month from publication.  The full range of Alterna products are available at Mars and Venus or online at www.alternahaircare.com.

Follow me on Twitter @askmollybeauty or www.askmollybeauty.com