The Johnnie Sapong Studio

Somewhere along this path of being a beauty blogger, I started to pay a lot more attention to my hair and what I put in it. Long gone are the days of buying shampoos and conditioners purely because they smelt nice and had pretty packaging. Nope, haircare for me has definitely moved up a couple of notches on my barometer and is now equally as important to me as skincare and makeup. How the change happened, I don't know, but I do know that I appreciate all the new knowledge that I have about hair and all things related.

Last month I was invited to the Johnnie Sapong Studio to meet the world renown hair stylist and his team as well as check out the brand new Leonor Greyl Micro Viewer and meet the Leonor Greyl team. With so many people to meet and things to see, the night flew by but I picked up some tricks and tips and even got to see what my scalp looks like up close, it isn't pretty.

Here's Johnnie...

Johnnie Sapong is an internationally known hair stylist who has seen to the hair of Natalie Portman, Brad Pitt, Gemma Arterton and Jude Law, to name a few. Hidden away in the heart of London is the Johnnie Sapong Studio where each hair consultation and experience is unique and individualised. There are no rows of chairs or hair washing basins and there is no dodgy mood lighting or music, this is a place where you come to have a different kind of hair experience.

With one hair basin and one styling chair, there isn't room anyone else except for you and your stylist which is what I think is a fantastic idea. As much as I love the hustle and bustle of the average hair salon with loads of gossip mags and general chit chat, it would be equally as nice to have a sanctuary away from all the noise and be able to actually talk to your stylist. This is exactly what Johnnie has done with his studio and it doesn't go unnoticed. From the minute I walked in to the building, I knew it was going to be an experience like no other and I knew this because I had never seen a studio like this before.

Graffiti, abstract modern designs, one off Banksy pieces and all kinds of random pieces of artwork are straegically placed around the studio so your eyes dart all over the place. I remember walking in and thinking "bloody hell" when I saw a huge box in the corner of the room with a peep hole that had a 3D image of a man and woman immersed in water doing, well, stuff. It wasn't like any hair salon I had been to, or anyone else who was at the event had been to.

Before I got a chance to speak to Johnnie, I managed to score some one-on-one time with Carolyn of Leonor Greyl, a prestige French haircare brand that has been around for quite some time. Carolyn explained the history of Leonor Greyl haircare and also introduced me to the Micro Viewer which is a video camera that shows you what your scalp looks like. Having seen something similar at a L'Oreal Professional event earlier last year, I already knew that I have a very oily scalp which explains why my hair gets greasy quickly. I have an overactive sebacious gland which means I produce more oil than my body needs, it also means that my scalp and skin gets oily very quickly. I hate it now but I know I'll be grateful later on in life when I'm 50 and have the glowing skin of a 21 year old, or so I've been told.

Carolyn explained that the Micro Viewer was a fantastic tool to have in the Johnnie Sapong Studio as it meant treatments can be bespoke, much like the experience itself. No two people have the same type of hair or have the same requirements and the brainy people at Leonor Greyl haircare understood this and thus created a pretty big range of products to help with all the different types of problems and needs people have. By using the Micro Viewer, stylists are able to treat any scalp issues which would then, in turn, have an overall effect on your hair. When I was explained this, it made a lot of sense and I could see why it was important to have my hair checked out with the Micro Viewer before Carolyn could recommend any of the Leonor Greyl products to me.

After having my one-on-one consultation and taking up a lot of Carolyn's time, we were treated to a three course intimate dinner in the Studio where we got the chat and shoot questions around the table as well as drink a lot of wine.

I was lucky enough to be sat near Carolyn and Johnnie with LondonMakeupGirl so we really got a chance to ask as many questions as we could think of as well as sharing jokes and giggles. From haircare to blogging to products to celebrities, we discussed it all and it turned out to be an informative and pretty cool night altogether.

If you're looking for a different type of hair experience then I would definitely recommend checking out the Johnnie Sapong Studio. It may be a little pricey but with the personalised consultation, treatment and overall experience, it works out better in the long run. For more information on Johnnie Sapong and The Studio, check out the website or give them a call on 0844 412 7620 or if you would like more information on Leonor Greyl products then check out their website.

I will be doing a full write up of the Leonor Greyl products soon as I haven't had a chance to trial them for very long to give a thorough review. I did try the products I was given once but I didn't see the results I was promised so I have now been invited back to Johnnie's studio to have another consultation and run through of the products to see where I was going wrong. Keep your eyes peeled for that one!

What do you think of the Johnnie Sapong Studio? Is it somewhere you might want to visit or are you happy in the chair of your local hairdresser?

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your

My Alpha-H Skincare Routine *Photo Heavy*

This post is long overdue and when I say long, I actually mean long. Skincare posts crop up all the time on blogs with very little follow up or photos to show how far their skin has come since using the products which isn't very helpful. The last year has been a rollercoaster ride for my skin as it has gone through really bad patches and really good patches but, to be honest, the bad definitely outweighed the good. I know I'm not the only person who suffers from bad skin so I don't need to write a whole paragraph on how it can get you down and beat your self-esteem. It's just one of those things that most women, and men, go through at one stage or the other but where some people grow out of it, my bad skin patch grew with me.

After hearing a lot about Alpha-H skincare, mainly from Caroline of BeautyMouth, I knew that I had to give it a go. I managed to meet with the owner of the brand, Michelle Doherty, who talked me through the products and the brand before recommending which products I should use.

I have now been using Alpha-H skincare products for 7 months and my skin has improved so much. Don't get me wrong, there are still times when my skin will breakout for a week or so and it'll get me down in the dumps but the products work to balance it all out so after a while I am back to my normal self.

Before you scroll down, let me break down how the post is going to go because there are quite a few photos and it will probably get a bit boring. Michelle recommended products for me to use in the morning and in the evening so I essentially have two different skincare routines. The photos of my face that you will see below were taken throughout the last 7 months so you can see how my face reacted to the products in the first couple of months and how it has improved as well. I have no makeup on the photos and this is a big deal with me because I very rarely take a photo sans makeup. I have no tinted moisturiser/foundation/concealer or eye makeup on so brace yourselves for a shock. Not everyone is blessed with fabulous skin and it has taken a while for me to be comfortable in mine, scars and all.

Morning products:

My morning skincare routine consisted of the following products and order:
- Wash face with Clear Skin Daily Face Wash
- Apply eye cream of choice
- Mix Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF50+ and Essential Hydration Cream
Every few days when I felt like I needed a bit of a deeper cleanse in the morning, I would use my Alpha-H Micro Cleanse which is a fantastic exfoliator.

Evening products:

My evening skincare routine consisted of:
- Balancing Cleanser to remove all makeup and traces of eye makeup
- Eye cream of choice
- Balancing Moisturiser and Exfoliator
Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday were my Liquid Gold nights. I swap my Balancing Moisturiser and Exfoliator for Liquid Gold which is absolutely fantastic as it helps to refine the skin, tackle any spots, keep it hydrated and smooth it out. Seriously, they don't call it Liquid Gold for nothing!

This is what my skin looked like before I started using Alpha-H:

Some people might say that it wasn't actually that bad and, to be honest, I have had worse days. When I breakout, it usualy happens on my cheeks and chin but nowhere else. I guess i should be happy that it doesn't happen all over my face but I don't think there is ever going to be a time where I am grateful for spots and breakouts.

After one week:

One side of my face always looks worse than the other side and I have no idea why. I know faces aren't symmetrical and you never know where you're going to breakout but the left side of my face seems to get the worst of it. Stupid face.

After one month:

Using the products that I listed above, my skin still went through good and bad patches during the first four weeks however this may be due to my skin adapting to the products and learning how to work with them. At the four week mark, I hadn't had a new breakout and my old spots were starting to heal.

After two months:

By this point, I felt that my skin had come a long way since the initial breakouts that it used to suffer and now they weren't as frequent or as angry. I'm sure a lot of you can relate to having an angry breakout that looks like it might just take over your whole mug and you'll need to go into hiding. No? Well, maybe it's just me then. 

After two and a half months;

During this period, I'm not sure what happened because I started seeing mini breakouts on my face which lasted around two weeks. I continued using the same products as I had done from the beginning and hadn't made any changes to my lifestyle or diet so I'm not actually sure what happened. The spots always appear in the same place so my cheeks are still quite scarred.

After three and a half months:

The mini breakouts started to fade out, again. You can still see the scars and marks where they were but my skin was less angry after three and a half months which led me to believe that it was now used to all the products and would start repairing myself. In terms of my pores, they had started to shrink in size which is good thing as I tend to have an issue with my enlarged pores. Damn them.

After five months:

In general, my skin was a lot clearer than it had been in over the last few months but one side of my face was still breaking out more often than the other. I tried encorporating different cleansers in to my routine but, to be honest, nothing would work so I figured that it would probably be best if I just carried on using the Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser as it still made my skin feel clean and hydrated. I should add that for the breakouts, I would apply a tiny bit of the Shiseido Pureness Blemish Targeting Gel to help shrink them down and it really does work.

After six months:

There wasn't much change in my skin between the fifth and sixth month of using Alpha-H skincare products. My skin remained relatively clear, minus the odd spot every so often. I upped my water intake too as I figured that all the Diet Coke I was consuming was probably not helping my case and although I didn't see a huge difference in my skin, I did feel a lot better. Who'd have thunk it?
After 7 months (present):

This is what my skin looks like now. There are no major breakouts and miraculously, the scars from breakouts gone by have started to fade out too. Although I still get spots and the occasional breakout at some point during the month, if I leave them alone and don't do anything to iritate them then I'm usually fine to apply my tinted moisturiser or foundation and be on my merry way.

Overall, my Alpha-H skincare regime really did improve my skin for the better and in the long run. There were some days and weeks were I thought that maybe my skin was just done with being a pain in the buttcheeks but I know that the products played a big part in helping balance my skin. I still have breakouts and spots and enlarged pores and the rest of crap stuff we all hate but I'm definitely more prepared to deal with them now. The stand out products from all of those that I tried were the Balancing Cleanser, Liquid Gold and Micro Cleanse. They're different from any other skincare products that I've tried and I'm pretty sure they made the biggest impact to my skin.

If you're interested in trying Alpha-H skincare products then check out QVC and Look Fantastic for the full product range and you might be lucky enough to find skincare sets too so you can try out several products for a fraction of the price.

How many of you have bad skin? Would you dare to go barefaced like me?

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your

*PR SAMPLES*

L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Range

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to the launch of the new L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise range so I skipped on over there (Well, really I got a cab) and had a poke around the new products before having my hair washed and blowdried by a pro. The event was a small intimate affair with a few bloggers coming in to meet the L'Oreal Paris team and their hair expert, Chris Appleton.

The new Hair Expertise range is made up of three mini ranges; EverSleek, EverPure and EverStrong. 

EverySleek is perfect for frizzy, unruly hair, EverPure is for coloured hair that needs moisture, smoothing or volume and EverStrong is for fragile and brittle hair. The range in products means that there is something for almost all hair types which is great. As a consumer, we are so used to seeing products for "Normal", "Dry" or "Coloured" hair so it makes a nice and welcomed change to see a range of products that go slightly deeper than that and tackle the problems that we really have. All products in the range are sulphate-free and contain natural botanical oils and extracts to help restore vitality, radiance, shine and strength.

The packaging looks a lot more high end than what you might expect to find on the High Street which is a bonus considering the price tag is more down to earth. At £5.99 for a shampoo or conditioner and £6.99 for the intensive masque, the range is affordable for everyone and with generous sizes, it means you won't need to purchase them so often.

After being greeted by the lovely L'Oreal Paris PR team, I was then introduced to one of their hair experts, Chris Appleton. I always feel a bit intimidated when meeting an "expert" because I feel like I might say something really silly and they'll just look at me like a complete twit but Chris was lovely. We went through my current hair routine and the products I use, I told him everything I knew about my hair and my concerns, he then suggested a range out of the new Hair Expertise products that would be ideal for me.

That would be me ^^^ boring Chris with the stories of how my hair is a greasy mane while he tries not to look too disgusted with the state of my oil slick look. 

I was then treated to a hair wash using the EverStrong range, which might I add was so relaxing. If my stylist had massaged my scalp for a minute longer, I would have been out like a light!

I tried to capture the whole thing as we went along so apologies for the boring photos!

I'm absolutely rubbish at blowdrying my hair and have no idea how to handle a round brush without turning it into a weapon and attacking my hair with it so it was nice to have someone do it for me to give me a nice Kate Middleton-esque curly/wave affair. (N.B: I know she isn't Kate Middleton anymore but Kate Windsor just sounds weird)

Does anyone else have trouble blowdrying their own hair? I'm sure I'm not the only one! Professional hairdressers make it look so bloody easy but I can just about straighten my hair let alone going blowdrying it. I never seem to be able to roll the hair, dry it and pull the brush out without dropping the hairdryer or, like I already said, getting the hairbrush caught up in my mane.

Check out the hair...

I picked the brains of my stylist as much as I could while I had the chance and asked her all the way I could achieve nice wavy locks without breaking my arm trying to blowdry my hair. Her tip was to dry my hair like normal and then split it into two, roll my hair into two seperate buns on the side of my hair like Princess Leia, let it dry and then take them out. As I write this, I am sitting here with my hair in those two buns and hoping for the best!

Me and the lovely Chris Appleton...

My hair hardly ever keeps any type of wave or curl because it is too straight for its own good so shortly after leaving the event, gravity took hold and my hair returned to its normal poker straight self. Never mind, it was great while it lasted!

I've now been using the *L'Oreal EverStrong products for just over a week and while I'm not completely convinced that they're doing anything spectactular to my hair, I am enjoying the change in haircare products. The EverStrong range is infused with rosemary, juniper and mint which smells amazing and the ingredients are meant to help revitalise hair so it feels stronger. Here's hoping that my hair stops falling out and my locks are restored to their former healthier glory!

The new Hair Expertise EverStrong, EverPure and EverSleek ranges will be available from February at Boots stores nationwide.

How many of you will be trying out products from the range? Let me know in the box!

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your

*PR SAMPLES*

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

It has been a while since I held a giveaway on here and I've hit a couple of milestones since my last one. I've gone above and beyond 1000 members which was amazing as I never expected to get there and although I don't post as often as other bloggers, you all keep coming back to read when I do which I am very grateful for. It was also my blog birthday in October and The 6 Inch Stilettos turned 2, which was another epic moment because I didn't think I would still be doing this when I first started it. Also, a couple of weeks ago I found out that I had been 'longlisted' in the Marie Claire Blog & Twitter awards for the 'Beauty Twitter of The Year' award so it's been all systems go over here!

Anyway, back to the giveaway...

I was considering photographing all the products that will be up for grabs but I thought, let's make this more interesting and do a 'blind giveaway'.

What does that mean?

Well, it means that nobody will know what is going to be up for grabs, apart from me. I will, however, let you know what brands you can expect to find in the 'blind giveaway' and I can assure you that I will be adding to the goodie bag (it'll be more of a box) so look out for update tweets or notes on the Facebook page because that will be the only way to stay in the loop.

So, what brands are going to be in the giveaway?

Benefit, Stargazer, Liz Earle, Dirty Works, O.P.I, Melvita, Ponds and a few others but I am not telling because that will spoil the surprise for everyone and takes all the fun out of it. The prizes are a combination of things that I've purchased with my own money and things that my PR friends have all wanted to throw in to the mix because they're so supportive of the blog so thank you to all of you who have been contributing!

How do I enter?

The rules are pretty simple and straightforward:

1. Be a member/follower of the blog via Google Friend Connect (the box in the left hand column)

2. If you can't follow the blog via GFC then I will accept email entries at the normal address

3. Leave a comment on this post telling me what you would like to see more of on the blog and/or what you find the most useful

4. Leave a valid email address or Twitter handle for me to contact you on in case you are the winner

5. Spread the word via Twitter or Facebook to all your friends and family - This isn't really an entry requirement and you won't get any extra brownie points but if someone you know wins, then maybe you can divvy up the prize.

That's it!

Like I said, the rules and regulations are straightforward and all entries must fulfill the requirements or else it won't be counted. If you don't leave a comment, name, contact info or be a follower then you are automatically taken out of the loop and lose the chance of winning. It's only one entry per person so if you've left a comment then you don't need to email me your entry because it won't count, and vice versa.

The giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY and is now live so you can start leaving your comments from here on. I will close the giveaway on FRIDAY 17TH FEBRUARY at 9pm so there is enough time to get your entries in. Remember, you snooze you lose!

I look forward to reading through all your entries and remember, keep an eye out on Twitter and Facebook for information about more brands being added to the giveaway.

Ready... Set.... GO!

Until next time...

Keep swivelling those hips in your

Review: Wash/Cut/Blowdry at the House of RUSH

Before I beging my review of the House of RUSH, I need to state that the photos I took were absolutely crap because I left my camera at home and had to use my BlackBerry. Usually, my BlackBerry doesn't do too bad of a job but the battery was dying so the flash wouldn't work... Yadda yadda yadda.

Basically, my photos are rubbish.

Back in November, I was given the chance to go for a treatment at the brand new House of RUSH in Piccadilly, London. I opted to get my hair seen to rather than a facial or massage and managed to get an appointment the day before my birthday so I could seen the ripe age of 24 with fantastic hair. RUSH hair is a salon franchise to be reckoned with and the new House of RUSH is no different.

As you enter the main RUSH hair salon on Piccadilly, you know that it can only get better. The chic and classy decor of the downstairs salon sets the scene for what else is to come when you're ushered upstairs to the main House of RUSH.

The product corner:

The House of RUSH is packed with loads of different L'Oreal hair care brands so there is something for every hair type. Redken, L'Oreal Professional, Kerastase and Shu Uemura and Mizani are just a few of the brands that are used in the salon which is great because they are able to cater to all hair types and requirements.

The salon:

How lush is that?

The salon is absolutely gorgeous and is a mix of classic pieces with a modern twist. Each station is spacious so you don't end up sharing a mirror with the person next to you and you get the full attention of your stylist.

The next few photos were the ones that I took so you'll see how the quality is absolute pants.

Hair washing stations:

The hair washing stations were actually amazing as the chairs were super comfy and had a massage feature so you can relax and unwind while getting your hair washed with one of the many product ranges on offer. The young man who washed my hair for me was lovely and knew exactly when to stop talking so I could enjoy my time on the salon which I think is actually really important. The last thing anybody wants is to be stuck in an uncomfortable conversation while getting your hair washed when all you really want to do is just chill out and enjoy the experience.

The hair pre-chop:

My hair wasn't really in bad shape before I went in for my treatment as I had only had it trimmed three months earlier but my stylist, Gabriel, explained that I should actually be getting a trim every six to eight weeks. Gabriel was everything a gal could want in a hair stylist. He listened to my concerns, asked me what I was after, made a few suggestions and met me half way before he embarked on the journey of sorting out my barnet.

Post-wash:

Getting blowdried:

The finished look:

The end product was amazing and exactly what I wanted. Gabriel sorted out my layers, feathered the front and shaped up the back so I still had the length but had a lot more movement. It is so easy with long hair to forget about the shape and for it to fall flat but I had no worried after my treatment because it looked amazing!

The entire treatment took just over an hour which is standard for a wash, cut and blowdry so you could probably be in and out of there on your lunchbreak, if you're able to take add an extra 10 - 15 minutes. The staff were absolutely fantastic at the salon and extremely knowledgeable so if you have any hair concerns or suggestions then they are the ones you want to be speaking to and discussing them with because they really know their stuff.

Prices start at £49 for a cut and blowdry for women and £39 for a cut and finish for men. Make sure you check out the House of RUSH website for more information and book yourself in because you won't regreat it!

Until next time...
Keep swivelling those hips in your

 

NOTE: Treatment was complimentary

NOTD: Filthy Gorgeous 'Rock Chick'

Throughout the festive season, which now feels so long ago, I was loving glittery nails and made my way through all the glitter nail polishes I own. Although glitter is an absolutely nightmare to remove, it is guaranteed to catch a few eyes or distract you when you're tapping away on your keyboard.

'Rock Chick' from Filthy Gorgeous is unlike any other glitter I have as it has a black base coat and the silver glitter particles are slightly darker and borderline pewter. Unlike other glitter polishes that I own, it only took two coats of the polish to get an opaque finish which is fantastic as there is no need for a coloured base coat so it dries quickly.

This is 'Rock Chick'...

You have to admit, it is a pretty striking polish. It's not too glittery where it would look out of place in the office and it's not too dull where it would go unnoticed either. The polish went on really smooth and lasted four days before I saw a chip because my nail got caught inbetween the keys on my laptop, if that hadn't happened then it would have probably lasted another day or two.

I love 'Rock Chick' and will definitely be wearing it a lot more!

If you're interested in Filthy Gorgeous nail polishes then make sure you take a look at their new website - You can buy the polishes online as well as infamous OCC Lip Tars, BeFine skincare and Airbase makeup... It's a one stop beauty shop for all you addicts out there ;-)

Until next time...
Keep swivelling those hips in your