Bodyform Black Daily Fresh Liner - #Bodyformblacklinerchallenge*

*This post is in collaboration with BodyForm 

Say Hello to the Panty Liner that might just make going to the gym even better.

I was challenged by Bodyform to trail out the NEW and First EVER Black Liner (Why is this only just happening in 2017). They were designed to be discrete in whatever you wear to the gym that might be black leggings or them colourful bright leggings that you just loving running in. I was asked to do a challenge and trial these the next time I exercised. You can read how I get on below. 

Photos taken by Michael Teasdale

Exercise has always been a massive part of my life from such a young age. From 13 years old till I was 18 years old I was on a trampoline 5 days a week training. When I went to college I really got into gym classes and wanting to build my upper body strength (that didn't actually happen) and most recently I got a job that involves me cycling pretty much 24 hours a day. As you can tell exercise has always been a huge part of my life but so have periods.

Photo by Michael Teasdale

When I was younger my trampoline coach was a man and as you can imagine feminine hygiene and periods was not something I wanted to speak to him about but because trampolining was my sport at school and I lived in a leotard most of my life it became a  subject that had to be talked about. I was lucky and had a great female PE teacher who talked to me about everything I needed to know including telling me how empowering periods were.

Photos By Michael Teasdale

When it came to this taboo subject it was subject she was happy to discuss and help me fully understand. I find it strange that it isn't talked about more on the internet and in society but I do know a few ladies and brands that are pushing the boundaries and discussing periods more and more. 

When I was younger I was very keen on using liners when I was training but the one thing I hated was that they were always WHITE, lets just say a white panty liner and a black leotard was never a good look then let alone now. Even when I stopped trampolining I used liners in the gym and they still were white which didn't always look great with my gym wear.

I won't lie when it comes to exercising I alway wear black leggings but I'm adding more colour to my gym wardrobe so when I got a e-mail from BodyForm asking me to be part of the #BodyformBlackLinerChallenge I jumped at the chance because this sounded like something that I needed in my life and Bodyform have always been my go to liner.

Who are Bodyform?

Bodyform are one of the leading feminine protections brands and are focused on helping women feel comfortable and confident. They want women to be able to live life and have nothing hold them back. They offer a range of products including uniquely shaped liners that fit any type of body and are products that actively care for you. 

Why do I love Bodyform?

Bodyform has always been my go to products when it comes to periods and feminine hygiene. When I got older and started buying my own liners I went for the cheapest but learnt very quickly that wasn't the way to do it. Thats when I found out about BodyForm and their large range of products that can be fitted to any individual. It doesn't matter what age, flow, occasion and where you are in your cycle Bodyform will most likely have a product for you. 

What is the #BodyFormBlackLinerChallenge?

BodyForm challenged me to take on their NEW Bodyform Black Daily Fresh Liners which are designed especially designed for black underwear and black leggings. I decided to take on the challenge but try it out twice with two very different types of exercises.

First up was a fitness class at my local gym and lets say I was impressed I felt extremely comfortable and definitely found that they moved well with my body. With exercises ranging from squats to push ups and even a bit of running around the park I felt that I definitely gave these black liners a run for their money and I was extremely happy and comfortable which is always a bonus when your sweating your backside off.

My second test of these black liners was on one of my many bike rides. If you read my last post (here) you will know that recently I've been cycling around 50 miles a week and it pretty much my life. So I needed a product that would be suitable for this and thought that the black liner would fit that job well. Well lets say it really did, I regularly commute to work on my bike so that was the first try out of the day and I didn't know what to expect but to be honest it actually felt great. I arrived at work and felt fresh and because I've never cycled to work and felt comfortable with a liner on for the main reason being is that they didn't stay in place but these did a great job of staying secure throughout two rides that day. 

Both times I've tried these liners I would say that I have never felt so comfortable in myself when exercising with a liner but also they made me not scared to wear my lovely tight leggings to the gym or on many bike rides. 

Overall thoughts on the Bodyform Black Liners?

I would recommend these to anyone. I don't think you even have to use them just for exercising. Remember that gorgeous little black dress you have in your wardrobe that you hate wearing with liners? This is your answer. What about the uncomfortable liners you've been using for years but can't be bothered to switch? It's time to change and I would definitely recommend the Body Form Black Liners.

*All these opinion are my own. 

Dacia Magic Weekend - The VIP Treatment*

If you saw my post on Saturday (here) which was all about day 1 of the Dacia Magic Weekend then you should have a good idea how great of a day it was.

Me and Michael were very lucky to get VIP tickets for all of the games on Sunday. These included Catalans Dragons V Huddersfield Giants, Leigh Centurions V Salford Red Devils and finally Castleford Tigers V Leeds Rhinos (or as I kept calling them, Captain America). The Tigers V Rhinos was one of the most of anticipated games of the weekend with fans travelling from all over England to cheer on their teams.

With it being a Sunday the first kick was at 1pm so me and Michael thought we would have a look around the Fan zone which was situated in St JamesPark car park. This included options to win a number of large competitions, to buy replica team shirts and other merch. There was also a stage where they were doing interviews with cheerleaders and ex players and the chance to win prizes.

There was also the chance to buy hats, shirts and underwear from ODDBALLS with money going towards the charity that rasies money and awareness for testicular cancer. You could tell that this was a popular charity with rugby league fans as the odd balls hats were everywhere.

 

We weren't sure what to expect with our VIP passes but we definitely weren't expecting the treatment we got. From walking through Milburn reception where we were greeted and directed up to level 3 where we were shown to the Heroes Suite.  If you are a Newcastle united fan then you will know that the heroes suite is a big deal and definitely a perk we weren't expecting. We were given our VIP wrist bands and our itinerary for the day.  When we walked in to the suite you knew you were in a room with important people this included chairmen of the rugby clubs, ex players and even one of the directors of the league.

After some food and drinks we made our way to the directors box to our seat and let's just say we definitely had the best seats in the house. With the seat being right in the centre we could see all the action happen both on the pitch and off. I will say that I've only ever been to one other rugby league match in my life and I didn't have a clue what was happening but with the help of Michael I started to get it and, being a girl with a tactical mind, I started to really get in games.

After watch Catalans Dragons V Huddersfield Giants we headed back in to the heroes suite and were given little steak pies and chips which I believe is a tradition of NUFC hospitality. We went out for the 2^nd match of the day which is where the game pace picked up with Leigh Centurions playing against Salford Red Devils. Leigh Centurions were the underdogs but they didn't let that stop them  from putting up a good fight even when they lost one of their players through a tackle that wouldn't have looked out of place in a wrestling ring. This game definitely had a different pace from the first, you could see how much the Centurions wanted to win but Salford played the better game and the Salford fans were loving every moment of it.

Final match of the day was Castleford Tigers V Leeds Rhinos this was the game that a lot of people were here for. The fans were not let down and the Tigers fans must have been loving every moment as their team delivered try after try in the 2^nd half. The atmosphere at this game was crazy the fans from both teams cheered, chanted their team songs and did what every fan does best and made lots of noise.

I have to say that this day was defiantly a high light of 2017, from getting the VIP treatment to seeing fans from all over the England coming together to cheer on their own teams but cheer on other teams along the way.

I would definitely recommend Dacia Magic Weekend to anyone, you could go with the family with the fan zone entertaining every member of the family to the half term entertainment (I'm sure we saw a pillow fight in the middle of the pitch). You can go along with a group friends and soak up the atmosphere with a beer and some chips.

Even if you didn't get to go to Dacia Magic Weekend you couldn't have missed the 65,407 fans that were running around Newcastle throughout the weekend. This is the 3^rd highest magic weekend attendance with all 3 highest attendance being in Newcastle.

 The next thing to do is wait and see where the 2019 Magic Weekend, you never know it could be back in Newcastle or it could have a new home for a few years. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post all about Magic Weekend. 

* This was a gifted post but all views are my own. 

10 good things that happened in 2016

2016 was a bit of a rubbish year, many celebrities died, we had the whole Brexit problem (it's ok I'm moving north if Scotland goes independent) and I feel like sometimes I live in a society that isn't understanding of others. There is hope for 2017 I think but I thought I would start 2017 with a post about 10 good things that happened to me in 2016. This is a carry on from my 18 things I've learned in 2016 post if you haven't read that one you should. Here are 10 good things that happened in 2016:

1. I helped organise the first This Girl Can award evening in Newcastle. 

I was really lucky and got asked to help organise Newcastle's first This Girl Can award evening after being an ambassador for over a year I couldn't have been more excited to help. It was a great event with over 200 women all there to support each other for the work they had done in their community.

2. I got my first real job.

When I say real job I mean a job that is related to my degree. In April I became Newcastle's Ping Activity Officer, my job involves me looking after table tennis across Newcastle and developing a free program across the city. I love it, I've had my moments with it but I think I've found my feet and can't wait to start 2017 program. 

Me and my colleagues at the launch of Ping in Newcastle

3. I passed my driving test the first time and I got my first car.

This was a big step for me in June I passed my driving test and got my first ever car. Driving for me was more of a necessity than a pleasure. I have a love/hate relationship with cars I'm on to my second car after my first one decided to break 2 weeks after buying it and as I'm writing this my second car is in the garage after breaking down. Who knows I might have a better year when it comes to cars in 2017 but I do like driving and I'm glad I've done it now. 

4. I got lots of amazing blogging opportunities.

I was a lucky girl this year with the number of opportunities I got through blogging. I was able to go to the Mineral House at the Crowne Plaza to do a review of the spa. I've been to a number of ElleFluence event that the lovely Laura runs for Northeast blogger and who I must say is an amazing lady. I've been sent amazing products to try out including some Adidas products from Blacks and even got to trail out anytime fitness in Gateshead.

5. I tried out 2 new fitness classes.

This year I got to try out 2 very different types of fitness classes. The first one was a trampette fitness class that was run by the lovely Nicki at Great Park Community Centre and the other was the Extreme Air class at Newcastle's new Trampoline centre. 

6.  I started going to church.

2016 was about learning and this year I learned that I needed to do things for myself. For around a year, i had been thinking about going to church but I didn't go because I felt that people around me would think differently of me. In August I watched one of Louise's (Sprinkle of Glitter) video about religion and how she had taken the step towards becoming a Christian. I think that was what helped me take the leap and about a month later I took my first step into the church and Christianity, I went to a 4:30 pm service and I never turned back. I've started to find what I was looking for and I think its helped to make me a better person. I even finished a 7-week course called Christianity explored which was a massive help for me, I'm excited to see what my next step is. 

7. I ran my first 10K 

One of the many opportunities, I got this year included the chance to run the Mo run. I talked all year about how I wanted to run at least one 10k this year and I did. You can ready about it here.

8. I went on my first ever winter holiday to Poland.

This was 1 of the main highlights this year. I had never been on a holiday abroad in Winter and I was really excited when my sister agrees to go to Wroclaw with me. It was amazing, I'm in the middle of putting a photo diary together so keep an eye out for that in 2017.

9. I ran my fastest 5K with a personal best of 27.57

The 10th December just before Christmas I ran my fastest ever 5k at Newcastle's Parkrun. I was going for around a 30 minutes finish after not being able to get below that. I somehow was able to not be far behind the 28 minutes pacer and absolutely trashed my last personal best by a whole 2 minutes. I felt that this was one of my biggest achievements this year.

10. I met Mr. M. 

If you've read my 18 things I've learned in 2016 you will know that I was very lucky and met Mr. M. I'm not going to go into loads of details about him because I want to try and keep some things private, that might chance later on but for now I like our little private bubble. What I will say tho is that meeting him was definitely one of the highlights in 2016. We already have quite a few plans for 2017 which I'm definitely looking forward to. 

It's strange because I thought I would find it really hard to write this post hard as I thought that actually not much good had happened to me in 2016 but it shows that even the littlest of things can make you happy. 

Adidas Women's Terrex Agravic Boost GORE-TEX Shoe*

I decided in the summer that I wanted to adventure more out of my comfort zone when it came to running. The first thing I thought was changing my location; I’ve ran the same maybe 3-mile route from my house for maybe the last year but without transport, I found it hard to find new and exciting routes. Then I got a car in June and decided that I wanted to go further a field and started trail running. 

I was a very lucky lady because Blacks the outdoor retailer offered me the opportunity to review a pair of the Adidas Women's Terrex Agravic Boost GORE-TEX Shoe. 

‘Same iconic Boost™ midsole, sleek new profile; the exclusive Agravic from Adidas is their next generation Boost running shoe which delivers uncompromised, endless energy on the trail’

As you can see from the description from their website these shoes sounded just what I needed for my transition into trail running.

When I received the trainers the first thing I noticed was the sole of the shoe. The Terrex trainers have a Continental Rubber sole which helps to deliver exceptional grip which is great for keeping your strides stable and controlled. The grips on the sole are deeper than your regular trainer which again gives you the stable stride and also is great in wet conditions. As we know a lot of trails have an uneven surface which is why people like going trail running but giving your feet a stable grip and platform is always  important, which is what you get with these shoes.

I knew that the trainers that I normally would run in weren't going to be good enough for running out on the trails as they didn't offer enough support around the ankle. I was pleased when I tried on the Terrex that they came up around the ankle just enough to give my ankles the support they needed but not to high.

 What I have found when I’ve been running in these trainers is that they do weigh more than my regular trainers, they weigh around 285g and because the trainers have GORE-TEX membrane which provides complete waterproof protection but still keeps that shoes breathable. You can't expect something with all this waterproof technology to be light as a feather.  The waterproof technology like I said encourages breathability which helps to keep the feet cool and dry which I find great when you’re out running in the rain which living in the north happens a lot you can get wet a lot.

I did find at first it very hard to run with these shoes on because of the weight of them. My regular trainers are Nike Frees so are basically the total opposite of the Adidas Women's Terrex Agravic Boost GORE-TEX Shoe. I found after a couple of short runs my legs started to get used to the weight of the shoes and now find them very comfortable to run in. The shoes are very well made as they can deal with all weathers with the shoes still looking in very good condition even after the amount of running I have done over the past 5/6 months.

I would definitely recommend this type of shoe if you are looking to invest in some shoes that are specially made for trail running. They are normally retail at £110 but at the moment are reduced to £88 which I think is a bargain.

These trainers would also be a great present for anyone that is interested in running trails or interested in walking in the countryside.  

To go along with this post I will be sharing my favourite trail route across Newcastle and Gateshead. Keep an eye out for that post coming next week. 

*hese trainers were gifted to me from Blacks but all view are my own and not influenced by anyone.

Anytime Fitness: Gateshead Review

Anytime Fitness Gateshead

Anytime Fitness in Gateshead asked if I would like to try out the facilities that they have in their gym and a have a 1 to 1 with their personal trainer. I thought it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

The gym is located opposite the Tyne Bridge and below the 24/7 Tesco in Gateshead. I’m awful with direction but I didn’t get lost so that says something about how easy it is to find. There is a tonne of parking as you can park in the Tesco car park which is open 24 hours and every time I’ve been I’ve found a space really easy.

The first thing that I noticed about Anytime Fitness is that when you come in there is like a mini welcome area where there are leaflets, magazines and where the staff members are located. My one pet peeve about some gyms is when you can’t find a member of staff when you need them so when you at least know where the office is and the doors always open, it gives you a feeling that someone is there if you need help and it just makes me feel comfortable when I'm in the gym.

When I arrived for my tour of the gym I was greeted by Andreea who is the manager and she was absolutely lovely. She showed me around the gym which is all on one floor and even tho the space is smaller than other gyms it doesn’t feel overcrowded with machines as the layout that they have makes it feel quite spacious. When Andreea was showing me around the gym she asked me questions about what workouts I like to do or was their things that I preferred doing the jump. I mentioned that I was really into classes rather than doing machines.

 This is when she showed me what I think might be one of the best things about this gym and that is the Wellbeats Virtual classes. If your one of them people that loves classes but can’t make them because of work or the time doesn’t work for you this will be great for you.  Wellbeats is an on-demand virtual class which means that if you turn up to the gym and fancy doing a class you can go up to this screen pick a workout you fancy including indoor cycling, kickboxing, and Pilates, they have 50+ classes on offer and you do it in their studio there and then, you can do it alone or with a friend it is the best thing ever. I did my first virtual class and went for an indoor cycling class (I really did die a little). I haven't seen anything like this is other gyms in Gateshead and Newcastle. I've definitely found that because I go at times that suit me rather having to try and fit my work schedule around the gym class schedule I go more often.

The gym is full of high-quality equipment including all your normal cardio machines (watching big bang while on the treadmill is my new favourite thing to do), they have battle ropes, TRX, squats racks, kettlebells, power bags, double-loaded leg press and dumbbells up to 50kg, so anything that should be in a gym is in this gym.

The final part of my night was to have a 1 to 1 with Sian who is the personal trainer at the gym. Sian e-mailed me before the session asking if there was anything that I wanted to work on, in particular, I mentioned that I had pretty much no upper body strengthen and that I would like to work on strengthen my lower back after injuring it back in March. Sian was great and made me feel really comfortable as I hadn’t really had much experience working with PT, I have friends that are PT and have worked out with them but it’s not really the same. Sian had me do exercises that I wouldn't do on my own and pushed me to do a number of reps that I might have not really done if I was alone.

I had a great experience at Anytime Fitness and I would definitely recommend it anyone that is looking for a gym in the area. I've now got a membership for this gym and have enjoyed every time that I have gone in. The Membership is £32.95 a month, you have to pay a one-off fee for the fob to be able to get into the building. You can get FREE 3-day trial so that you can have a look around the gym and try out all the equipment before you join.

Here are all the links that you need to check out Anytime Fitness Gateshead.

Facebook / Twitter / Website  

Estee Lauder Skincare

Today I’m going to be talking about skincare. If you read my Love yourself it’s important to blog post you will know that I wanted to look after my skin more.

 I’m very lucky when it comes to my skin I have normal skin and don’t get spots very often and I don’t wear makeup very often, which is why I think I’ve kind of neglected it over the years. It was only really when I turned 24 that I decided that I should really start putting some effort into my skin.

After deciding that I was going to look after my skin more my sister bought me a gift set for Christmas from Estee Lauder and the set had in 2 samples of their skincare. The 2 samples were the Day Wear crème and the Nightwear Plus crème, each of the samples were 15ml and come in really cute little pots which are great for traveling.  My sister also gave me her Revitalizing Supreme crème sample after finding it in a gift set she bought herself. 

Straight away I feel in love with these products and I thought as it has been around 8 months I would do a small overview of the products.

Estee Lauder Day Wear -50ml £42.00

The day wear is a high-performance moisturizer defending against and diminishing the appearance of premature aging.  It includes super anti-oxidant complex and broad spectrum sunscreen. It reduces the look of first signs of aging, for example, dullness and fine dry lines. It refreshes skin with lasting hydration.

I love this product and when I use it my skin feels soft and hydrated. It also gives my skin a glow but not in a shiny looking way if that makes sense. I have quite dull skin and this has definitely helped to give my skin a boost. All 3 of the crèmes feel very luxury and because it is lightweight you don’t have that sticky moisture feeling after. I’ve also found that a little goes a long way with this product and because I only use it first thing in the morning the 15ml sample lasted around 6 months.

Estee Lauder Nightwear Plus - 50ml - £46.00

Nightwear Plus is a lightweight night crème that helps your skin detox from the visible effects that have accumulated throughout the day. This crème is purifying and refinishes the skin's surface and visibly reduces pores. When paired with the Daywear’s super anti-oxidant complex it helps to deliver deep, long-lasting moisture. Nightwear plus detoxifies, soothes and intensely hydrates your skin while you sleep.  

Out of all 3 crèmes, the Nightwear plus is my favorite and was the one I finished first. When I apply this crème just before I go to bed I wake up with skin that feels so hydrated and soft. You don’t get that sticky feeling when you put it on which is always a bonus and you can feel it going sinking into the skin give you that hydration that you want.  The one thing that this crème has done that I didn’t really expect was for it reduce my pores but to my surprise, it has reduced them a lot on my chin as well as helping to reduce the small amount of dry skin I had around my lips.

Estee Lauder Revitalizing Supreme - 50ml £46.00

Revitalizing Supreme instantly gives your skin a clearer, more radiant appearance and leaves your skin looking more compact, supple and smooth. This crème is a high-performance, multi-action moisturizer significantly reducing the sign of aging including lines, wrinkles, loss of firmness, dullness, and dehydration.

 I’ve only been using this recently after finishing my Day Wear, I find this works just like the Day Wear the only difference I’ve found is that the consistency of the crème is thicker so I find that I can feel it on the skin and it takes a little bit long to sink into the skin which is not a massive deal but when the Day Wear used to sink into the skin quite quick it’s hard to get used to it taking longer. My skin is has a radiant look about it but I still think I prefer the Day Wear to the Revitalizing Supreme

.  

I guess you can tell for this post I think I’ve found my love for skincare products and these 3 items are definitely my favorites of 2016. I’m not sure if anything will stray me away from these 3 crèmes. I’m hoping to buy replacements of the Day Wear and Nightwear Plus but at £43.00 and £46.00 it is a bit on the high-end price wise. So if you have any recommendations for maybe some high street skincare or cheaper alternatives please let me know in the comments.

Mineral House Review

I was recently very lucky to be invited to the new spa, The Mineral House which is situated in the brand new Crowne Plaza Stephenson Quarter. I’ve never been the kind of girl that loves going to a spa resort, as I find it quite hard to relax in general. I was given a voucher to go to The Mineral House by my colleagues as a Thank you gift for the work I had done for the This Girl Can awards recently. I thought this would be a good chance to try and get in the spa mood to see if I could actually relax.

  In case you don’t know or haven’t seen it. The Crowne Plaza is right behind Central Station, when you head round you can’t miss it, as it is huge. The Crowne Plaza is part of a huge regeneration that is happening at Stephenson Quarter, with lots of new exciting things happening in the area. Which i'm looking forward to seeing.

The Mineral House is part of the hotel and is based in the basement of the hotel. I had already seen the spa before, as I had gone down to see it with a colleague when we were looking for raffle prizes for an award evening we were doing. As soon as you walk out of the lift you come in to that relaxing spa environment, you feel calm as soon as you walk out the lift. Once you’re out of the lift, you head down to the reception, which you can’t miss, which is great as I’ve been to facilities in the past where, just finding the reception is a mission in itself. The staff there were lovely and very helpful as I had to ask for my treatment to be changed as I had been recommended by my doctor to not have a back message. They were happy to change it and I decided to get my nails done instead (another new thing for me).

The staff changed my appointment for 1:30pm and we were allowed to use the facilities for 2 hours before hand. The facilities include a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and gym. I got there early and wanted to try and get full use of everything. The staff showed me to a relaxation area which was small but cosy. I filled in a form and was given my robe and slippers and I was ready to go, the changing rooms were a decent size which large lockers and good size showers which were filled with White Company product (always a winner in my book).

Anyone that knows me knows I hate swimming it is one sport/exercise that I just hate. Water is something I try and stay away from but I’ve been trying to change that since I injured my back and it put me out of using the gym for the last month. After getting changed and taken the typical spa selfie, I made my way to the pool area. The swimming pool was a good size for the amount of people that were there and the Jacuzzi was your normal size Jacuzzi. I spent most of my time in the Jacuzzi, which was great as I do like Jacuzzis but what I didn’t like was the timer, it must have been set for like a minute as I always had to turn it back on which is a little bit annoying. The Jacuzzi was great for my back and I actually started to relax, like a said at the beginning I’m not good at relaxing and being in my own company for too long as I get bored but I did well.

I decided the next thing to try out was the steam room which I did absolutely love. It was small but as long as too many people aren’t in there then you’re good. I spent a good amount of time in there as well.

When I did eventually get in the pool, it was ok like I said I’m not a fan of water and swimming pools. I did a few laps of the pool it’s not massive but big enough to do a decent swim. The temperature of the pool for me was just too cold so I didn’t stay in too long.

A few other bloggers had started coming in and were in the relaxation area and I heard that there was mocktails and nibbles so I was straight there. A met a few people that I hadn’t met before which was great as I love meeting new people and it’s always good to see old faces as well. We chatted for a while before people started heading to there treatments or to use the facilities.

The part I was excited about trying out was the gym, I love going to the gym and after being out for a month and a half decided that it was time to try and get back into it. I had been given a few exercises that I could do with my back and thought I would try out The Mineral Houses gym as they had quite a bit in there. I’ve not used many hotel gyms but the ones I have, have always been really small. The Mineral House’s gym isn’t massive but it bigger than your average hotel gym. It has everything you need including all cardio machines a good amount of weight machines but my favourite part was the wide seclection of dumbbell, bars and medicine balls. I did a quick 15 minutes HITT workout using dumbbells and the medicine balls (I’m hoping to get this workout up on my blog next week) before heading for my treatment. 

After doing 20 minutes in the gym it was time for my treatment, I quickly got changed and grabbed my stuff before heading to the reception area to get my nails done. I have only ever had my nails done once and that was 4 years ago for a girl’s holiday. The lady that did my nail used the brand Orly which I’m going to talk about in a smaller post.  I don’t look after my nails so she had a hard job making them look good but she did a great job. I went for a dark red/berry colour which is a colour I use a lot on my lips so I knew I would love it. She also told me darker colour always look better on short nails which is great for me as I have really small nails. The treatment took about 20 minutes. I was really impressed with the finish she told me the polish should last up to double the time of normal nail polish. She told me my nails would be touch dry in 8 minutes which they were which was good as I had a busy afternoon planned. There was other treatments you could get including facials and back treatments.

Overall I really enjoyed the day, for someone who isn’t really bothered by spa I really enjoyed it. I’ve booked up to go again in May with my partner we are having a similar thing but I’m hoping to have a back massage and we will be having afternoon tea at Hawthorns so I should have a little review of that up after that. I would definitely recommend The Mineral House; it’s in a great location and you can get some great packages for the spa and for the restaurants and bars upstairs. We were given a goodie bag at the end and it was full of products that I'm excited to try out, maybe not the tanning stuff as I don't use tan but the other stuff I'll keep you updated on.  

I actually left the spa feeling great and kind of understand why people go to spa, I don’t think it will become a regular thing but I definitely will try and go more than once a year. 

If you would like to try out the Mineral House I'll leave all the links below.

Mineral House Website / Facebook / Twitter

What's your favourite treatment to have at a spa?