Spotlight on BeautyBAR by Clarins, John Lewis, Oxford Street, London

“Get Glowing, a made to measure self-tan facial for fatigued faces”. Well, I certainly had one of those. So, how could I resist the opportunity to look refreshed in minutes?  

Clarins, the renowned French cosmetic house, offers a range of 30-minute beauty treatments for £25 each at selected department stores (more information at beautybar by Clarins) to cater for time-poor women who want a quick beauty fix). Whether you need to brighten up your skin or ease tension from your neck and shoulders, you will find a treatment that will perk you up for the day.

My therapist Talia spent a good 10 minutes analysing my skin to see what products would best suit me. She cleansed my face with One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract to help transform my dull skin back to its former glory. I also had a lovely facial massage using Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil. The cult Beauty Flash Balm, which helps to perk up tired skin, was left on my face for a good 10 minutes while I relaxed. 

More lotions and potions were applied including a few drops of what I call a miracle worker, Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster to give me a sun-kissed complexion.

After half an hour, when I looked into the mirror there was definitely another woman staring back at me. Before Talia sent me on my way she applied a quick sweep of blush and mascara and kissed my lips in Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector Toffee Pink Shimmer so that I was ready to face the world.

Not normally a fan of facials, I could become a convert as I was impressed to see how quickly I was transformed from drab to fab.  

By Daralyn Danns

A visit to Michael Charalambous at Nyumba, Chelsea, London

From rock stars to royalty, Michael Charalambous at Nyumba attracts the good and the great. He is also a favourite with fashion and beauty editors because he really knows about hair. A cut from the mane man is a work of art.

Michael will never let you be stuck in a hair rut. He is always updating my look and is definitely one step ahead of you.

When he cut my hair to all one length, I was delighted. My hair looked thicker and has been easier to manage. I thought this is it. This will be my signature style.

The maestro had other ideas. “When I cut a fringe into your hair, it was short. Now it is long and you are back to your natural dark colour which works well with your pale skin, I want an even more dramatic look for you. We are growing your fringe out.”

I never saw that one coming. Michael moved my parting from the side to slightly off centre. It looked pretty good. I was amazed how many people noticed that I looked different and as one man said: “I like the new hairdo. You look so much younger.” With compliments like that, it shows how Michael has his finger on the pulse and knows when it is time for a change.

We got on to the subject of hairstyles in general. Michael had showed me a magazine which had an article about choosing the right hairstyle for your age. It stops at 40,” he wailed. “Why?” Women want to look good at any age. We then started to talk about hair length. When is the right time to cut your hair? There are lots of women of a certain age with long hair, but it can be ageing.

Michael’s tip is to keep an eye on it. “Hair tends to snap off and break as you age. This can be down to hormonal changes,” he said.  “As soon as it becomes wispy and transparent, cut it. Hair should also be glossy. If your hair is dull and lifeless, it will make you look older.”

He also advocates having a fringe as it will hide wrinkles. “Have your hair professionally blow-dried. At the salon we can offer a range of products and change them on a weekly basis to suit your needs.”

Going on holiday? Michael’s answer is to get a wig. “You will never have a bad hair day,” he adds. 

If there was such a thing as a god of hair. It would be Michael Charalambous. The man is pure genius.

By Daralyn Danns

For more information visit www.nyumbasalon.com or follow on instagram.com/nyumbasalon

 

A visit to Sanrizz, Knightsbridge, London

“All rules can be broken when it comes to hair colour,” exclaimed Tina Welsh, manager at Sanrizz, Knightsbridge.

Yes they can, provided you feel that you are in capable hands and not just with somebody who talks a good story and may not deliver. Talking to Tina, I could tell she knew her stuff. So, you might not need to go lighter as you age and those dreaded greys appear. Or, if you have been hankering after a certain hue but are not sure, you may be able to have some test strands.

My roots had started to show big time. You know what I mean, one day they are OK and the next you really notice that regrowth.

I had had the best results using Wella Professionals colourants than I have had with any other and wanted to choose a salon that worked with them, so, I chose Sanrizz, Knightsbridge.

 

Sanrizz, Knightsbridge.

 

 

At the previous salon the colour had been taken through to the ends a few times. As this can be damaging to the hair, I did not want to do it again. Tina agreed. “There are better alternatives that are less harmful to the hair,” she said. “You could use a gloss which will just wash out if you need shine. However, at the moment, your hair is perfect and does not need touching. This time, I will just do the roots and we can judge the situation and what is better for you on your next visit.”

Tina gave me a good consultation. She emphasised how important it is to listen to the client. “You need to not only discuss what they want, but look at his or her features, skin tone, face shape, hair line and texture of the hair. You also need to know the history, in other words, what has been used previously, and where they want to take their hair.”

 

 

 

Techniques are always changing. Tina said that now hair is becoming more muted. Highlights are not as precise as they used to be, they are more blended into the overall colour. It is a more artistic approach.

While you should not follow trends slavishly, it is always good to catch up with the latest methods of applying colourants.

Being in a hurry, I did not want a blow-dry, instead an assistant rough-dried it. It must have looked good as I went to a press launch afterwards and somebody commented how lovely my hair looked. There is a lot to be said for simplicity.

By Daralyn Danns

For more information about Sanrizz, visit sanrizzsanrizz.co.uk

 

 

A visit to Robert Kirby, Balham, London

When it comes to hair, it is not where you go but who you go to. Walking through the leafy suburb of Balham, in London, I discovered Robert Kirby’s recently-opened salon.

Decorated ornately yet still maintaining a warm and cosy feel, it  relaxes you straight away. Robert, a former leading member of the Sanrizz Group’s creative team and a regular at London Fashion Week, has struck up a partnership with IdHAIR, a Danish brand renowned in Europe for its quality products,  

His ethos is to tailor each haircut to the individual, ensuring that every style he creates is unique.

As Robert was about to shoot his autumn colour collection, I asked him about the up-and-coming trends. 

“Blondes are going to be more natural. Colours will be softer and more muted,” he says. “Brunettes will have more violet tones in them. It is a take on the burgundies of the 1980s, but this time round there will be more shimmer running through the hair.”

According to Robert, there will also be a lot of colour-blending of tones. “Roots could be done in a level 5, while the mid-lengths to ends would be done in a burnt violet making them look deeper and richer. It is working in the opposite direction to what we are used to.”

The whole idea, he points out, is to make colour look expensive. “Shabby chic”, is how he describes it. “It as if you have just got off a jet ski and are about to board a yacht. It is a look for a lifestyle. It is about taking a trend and making it your own.” 

Robert took one look at my locks and got the measure. “I will blow-dry your hair smooth with some body and then the ends can do their own thing.”

A great blow-dry that lasted a good five days. I was really happy and would be only too pleased to put my tresses back into Robert’s capable hands.

By Daralyn Danns

For further information visit www.robertkirbylondon.co.uk

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