Step into summer

After pounding the pavements in New York and Madrid my feet had taken a bashing. They really were in need of some TLC, so it was off to the Urban Retreat at Harrods, London to see Chloe who, in my books, is the best filer, buffer and painter in town.

A pedicure especially for sandal season when your feet are on show is not a luxury it is a necessity.

“It is important to keep your feet well moisturised,” said Chloe. “So many people don’t use a moisturiser every night before going to bed. If your feet aren’t too dry then use a light lotion such as Leighton Denny Sole Pleasure (£9.50, urbanretreat.co.uk/beautique). 

Nail Loft, Urban Retreat Harrods

“If you have been wearing open-toed or/and backless shoes you may find that you need something more heavy duty such as Vaseline.”

I have to admit that I always slather my feet in Vaseline (not between the toes). I have tried lots of creams from the cheap to the expensive, but nothing seems to leave your tootsies as soft. Chloe’s tip is to apply it at night so there is plenty of time for it to absorb into the skin. 

After soaking my feet, Chloe set to work beginning with my nails. “The length should be just below the top of the skin,” she said. “You don’t want to have them too long so they catch or too short in case you are prone to ingrown toenails. File straight across and soften the corners.”

Chloe noticed that I had a nail that had slightly lifted. This had never happened before, but onycholysis apparently is common in adults of all ages and sexes. Separation occurs gradually and can be caused by trauma (I had banged my toe) or not being careful when you use tools to clean underneath the nail.

Essie Mademoiselle

Luckily, as mine was really not bad, Chloe managed to cut off the offending part of the nail and it now seems OK. You have to wait until the nail grows out, which will take months, until it is completely healed.

Chloe’s advice to keep feet in good condition is to have regular pedicures. “Also make sure that your shoes fit properly. Il-fitting shoes only cause problems such as corns, damaged toe nails and, of course, general discomfort.”

The best-dressed toenails, this summer, according to Chloe are wearing pastels or brights. “A nude is always chic and classy,” she said. “Essie Ballet Slippers is a classic pale pink.”

I went for Essie Mademoiselle, a pretty sheer milky pink. “It makes your feet look tanned,” said Chloe.

After the “Chloe treatment” my feet looked amazing and were ready to be back on show.

By Daralyn Danns

Custom Pedicures from £57. For more information and appointments visit www.urbanretreat.co.uk

Turning up the volume

Voluminous tresses always look glamorous and sexy. If you are going to a special event, look at getting a blow-dry as an investment. Your hair is your best accessory, so if it does not look chic, it won’t matter what you are wearing.

As I had a couple of events to go to I booked into see top stylist Carlos Rodriguez at the Urban Retreat, Harrods. This Portuguese wonder instantly transformed my hair making it feel and look so gorgeous.  

If you don’t have time to get to the hairdressers, you can try blow-drying it yourself, but trust me, it never looks the same as when a professional does it, nor does it last as long. 

Carlos says that the biggest mistake women make when blow-drying their own hair is not to work in sections.  “Dry the roots first,” he says.”Use your hands to pull hair out and hold it taut while holding the dryer downwards. This will help prevent the hair from frizzing.

“Once hair is dry you can roller each section to create volume or pin it. Or, alternatively use a small round brush to smooth the hair out and create curls. After you have blow-dried your hair, run some hair serum through the mid-lengths and ends and break it up with your hands. You can use a hair spray to seal the look.” 

A good blow-dry should do you for several days. Carlos’s certainly is one of the best I have had. It even survived the damp and the rain and didn’t frizz. All I needed to do, in the mornings, was run my fingers through it. 

Carlos suggested if, after a couple of days, I needed to pump up the volume, I could pop in some heated rollers. “Ensure that you let them cool down completely before taking them out. When hair is cool, it will lock into shape,” he said.

You can also use a couple of Velcro rollers on the crown and leave them in while you are getting ready. I didn’t need to. I’m just going to keep Carlos on speed dial.

By Daralyn Danns

A blow-dry with Carlos Rodriguez  costs from £40. For further info visit www.urbanretreat.co.uk/harrods.