Urban Retreat Luxury Spa Days at Harrods

Images from Urban Retreat

To me spa days and pampering treatments are the height of luxury when it comes to looking after yourself and destressing; time for yourself is so important and in an age when we spend probably too much time scrolling through social media *guilty*, being inactive and maybe not eating as healthily as we all could, I think it's additionally important to take some time out to relax and look after yourself. I can't think of anything from luxurious than a spa day at the Urban Retreat spa which is located within the famous and illustrious Harrods department store...yes, I didn't really know about it either and I need to go ASAP.

I have purchased from the Urban Retreat online beautique before which I can't recommend enough (their sales are always amazing) but I didn't know they offered spa days until now. They offer a couple of amazing sounding Moroccan hammam spa packages such as the Signature Hammam and Hair Package (£190) which includes 80 minute treatment, full access to the spa facilities as well as a blow dry by one of Urban Retreat's top stylists - it's sounds incredible! The even more luxurious package, the Half Day Moroccan Hammam Experience, includes an 80 minute treatment, 50 minute massage, blow dry, manicure, pedicure, makeup application and either lunch or afternoon tea.

Images from Urban Retreat

I think both of the Hammam Packages would make an incredibly wonderful and luxurious gifts, yes, I am already thinking about Christmas...They also offer a range of hair treatments, hair removal options, facials, makeup services, pregnancy treatments, lash and brow treatments, treatments for men and so much more!

If you're overly organised, some say ridiculously so, like me then the Urban Retreat spa days and treatments are definitely worth looking into as possible gift ideas; there are so many opinions, there's something for everyone. This is a sponsored post.

Have you been to the Urban Retreat spa in Harrods? Have you had a spa day? What do you think of these spa day packages? 

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Book Review: Be Frank With Me

I haven't read anything by this author before or the publisher and it's quite different to the books that I usually read, so I didn't know what to expect! I have *Be Frank With Me by Julia Claribourne Johnson (£12.99, hardcover, Corvus). The book follows Frank, Alice and Mimi as well as a range of other characters. Mimi is a writer and she is trying to write her second book, that's where Alice comes in as an assistant and to look after the wonderful, if eccentric, Frank. I loved Alice's character and her relationship with Frank, they have such a sweet and endearing relationship, even though I think Frank, a sweet nine-year-old, can be quite a handful most of the time. Throughout the book you get to see all of Franks eccentricities and his sweet nature as well as he is more unusual habits; I loved all of the facts Frank laced into conversations throughout the book particularly about film and Hollywood stars which is something I knew nothing about.

Mimi on the other hand is such an annoying character, there are some times when she is so frustrating and rude, dismissive and ungrateful regarding Alice that it made Mimi's positive characteristics seem very minor and almost insignificant. I also wasn't a massive fan of Xander as he and Mimi were two people that Frank needed the most and they weren't really there; I think that contributed to some Franks more unusual and potentially dangerous habits/nature.

It wasn't a very plot driven book, it is more of a character study and a mystery regarding Frank's father, how Xander is involved with the family and if Mimi will ever finish her book that at times seem far more important to her than her son. Overall it was an entertaining, sweet and relatively quick read which I did enjoy (the best parts of the book were definitely the conversations and relationship between Alice and frank as well as Frank's personality). I also liked Mr Vargas in the book too, he seemed like a geuinely sweet character. However it was a little slow in places and I felt as though the story wasn't progressing very much because as I said it doesn't seem to be very plot driven, in my opinion so it was more of a show of family dynamics, stressors, mental health and relationships. Overall rating: ★★★☆, 3/5. 

Have you read Be Frank With Me? What are you currently reading? 

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July + August Beauty Favourites

I am slacking so much with monthly favourites posts, oops! This months post is a combination of my July and August beauty favourites, so basically my summer favourites ft. skincare, perfume, makeup and the best dry shampoo ever!

Skincare, Haircare & Perfume 

My skin is dry and sensitive so I'm quite selective about the products I use but one brand that I have been loving is Supermood which is a brand based in Finland. The Supermood Beauty Sleep Serum doesn't irritate my skin even when I'm having an eczema flareup, it leaves my skin so smooth and soft and I've nearly finished the bottle - I can't recommend it enough.

Lush is one of my favourite stores and one product that I have loved for years is the Honey I Washed The Kids Soap; it is basically the best smelling soap ever made and I cannot get enough. I wish this soap fragrance was made into a perfume as I would buy it instantly. The soap doesn't leave my skin dry and it doesn't irritate the eczema I have on my hands.

August was my birthday month and one of my best friends bought me the Lush The President's Hat fragrance which has been on my wish list for at least a year and I LOVE it. It is so musky, deep and autumnal, the packaging is stunning and as I have the mini 10ml pipette size, it's perfect for traveling. I took this fragrance with me to London and the Harry Potter tour and it was a perfect size.

Lastly, the best dry shampoo ever! The Moroccan Oil Dark Dry Shampoo which unlike other dry shampoos, leaves my hair looking at lot less greasy and soft; for me and my dry hair, it is the perfect shampoo so I will be buying a new bottle when this one is empty even though it is a little pricey.

Makeup

For my makeup favourites I have a few products that are new and others that I've been loving for years. Let's start with my long term favourites including the best mattifying powder, the Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in 52 vanille. August at times has been SO hot *when we were in London it was 32 degrees celsius* so mattifying powders were essential and this was a makeup saver!

Another long lasting and long term favourite is the Stila Waterproof Liquid Liner. I wore this on the day of travelling down to London and this eyeliner survived an eight hour coach journey, greasy/sweaty skin and 32 degrees celsius. I applied the liner at about 6am and I took it off at about 11PM and it was pretty much exactly the same as when I first applied it *very impressive*.

I feel like August was the month of amazingly long lasting products, the Eylure Brow Pomade is a massive favourite; when you get used to it, it's incredibly quick and easy to apply. It looks natural but it gives such definition and volume to my brows, the shade is a perfect warm brown and it lasts ALL day. It takes me a while to remove this brow pomade as well as the next product.

The last super long lasting product in my favourites is the NYX Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in 08 Bedtime Flirt and I wore it when we went to the Harry Potter tour; it survived eating Mcdonalds, drinking, hot weather and a 7 hour coach journey back to rainy manchester - again I was super impressed, now I need more shades ASAP!

Tom Ford makeup is pretty much the most beautifully packaged makeup ever and I wish I could own more but I only have one mascara (which probably needs throwing away) which I won - it's the Extreme Mascara. It gives instant deep black lashes with dentition and volume, I love it but it's so expensive.

The final makeup item for my July and August favourites is the Etude House Precious Mineral BB Cream in Light Beige; I don't tend to like BB creams as they are usually nothing more than tinted moisturiser but asian BB creams are more like light/medium coverage foundations = at least thats the coverage I get from this. The shade is very pale so it suits my ghostly skin perfectly, it doesn't highlight dryness (unless it's really bad!) and it lasts all day.

Have you tried any of these products? What products have you been loving this summer?

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Luxury Autumnal Wish List

All images from Xupes

Does anyone else feel the need to buy all of the autumnal homeware, clothing...pyjamas and ingredients for baking when summer transitions into autumn? Just me? Ok, I may have a problem as I have quite a few haul posts coming soon but I can't help it. Autumn is my favourite season, I love the fashion and beauty trends, cosy homeware and pumpkin/gingerbread everything!

Here's my luxury, high end autumnal wish list from Xupes. Xupes stock such a wide range of high end and luxurious new and pre-owned designer handbags, watches, jewellery, accessories, fine art and antiques.

Anya Hindmarch Clutch  -  Hermes Silk Scarf  -  Antique Map  -  Antique Copper Jug  -  Longines Watch

There are so many gorgeous antiques that I want as well as so many beautiful designer handbags from Chanel as well as Hermes silk scarves! They also have second hand Rolex watches which are so luxurious and I particularly love the Pearlmaster and Vintage designs. Xupes have their own online magazine which is definitely worth checking out. This is a sponsored post.

What do you think of my luxe autumnal wish list? Which luxurious, high end products are on your dream wish list?

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Book Review: Whispers Through A Megaphone

I read a few books published by the lovely people at Pushkin Press before, you can check out my reviews of The Pendragon Legend and Soft In The Head. I have loved all of their books, they publish quite quirky and unusual books that I don't seem to find anywhere else. I received *Whispers Through A Megaphone by Rachel Elliot (£7.99, paperback) and I didn't know what to fully expect apart from that it would be unlike anything else I have read this year.

The book follows Miriam, her past, present and how she wants to change for the future. It also follows her opposite in many ways, Ralph, who is living an ordinary but ultimately unfulfilled life with a wife and two teenage boys; homosexuality is relatively prominent throughout the book which I'm a fan of as I don't tend to read books with gay characters and I want to expand the diversity of the books I read. Ralph and Miriam meet under quite unusual circumstances, which is the case for the rest of the book, and I love the relationship they have - it's platonic which is a change from the rest of the books I've been reading recently. It was interesting to find out about Miriam's life, how she is now in which she hasn't left her home for three years and her relationships with friends and her mentally ill mother who has passed away. I love the writing style, it's quite unusual in a simplistic and 'train of thoughts' kind of way but it is very easy to read even though it deals with a couple of heavy issues such as mental illnesses, secrets, suicide and dysfunctional families of a sort.

I loved Miriam, Ralph, Eric and his family as well as Boo, they are all such interesting, unique, quirky and sweet characters that I could easily see in an independent, slow and kooky British film but then there is Sadie who to put it bluntly is a bit of a bitch - I really didn't like her character and I also didn't like Miriam's mum because of how Miriam had to grow up but she did have mental health issues so I have to forgive her. The only main point about this book that I hated were the six pages that made up chapter 45, I wish chapter 45 was completely different, as it was like reading a completely different book, but sadly it's in there. 

Overall, I cannot recommend it enough! It's an unusual, sweet, endearing and thought provoking read that would be perfect if you like books regarding family relationships, family secrets, kooky and sweet characters or past regrets and an identity crisis. It was longlisted for the Baileys women's prize for fiction this year too, so it's definitely worth picking up! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Have you read this book or anything published by Pushkin Press? What are you currently reading?

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AW16 Wish List

It's almost Autumn! Autumn is my favourite season and to be honest I have been so excited about autumn since the beginning of July...I think I have a problem. I love layering, cosy jumpers, ankle boots and autumnal makeup shades. The desire to spend my entire bank balance and more on new autumnal clothing, accessories and makeup...and candles....is testing my will power. Here's my autumn wish list:

Retro American Sweatshirt  -  Joules Jumper  -  Fiorelli Tan Bag  -  Brantano Womens Ankle Boots  -  Clinique Matte Lipstick  -  Motel Dress

How gorgeous is the dress, jumpers, boots, bag and lipstick, well everything! I love the print of the dress, it's very autumnal and halloweeny (is that a word?!) to me and halloween is one of my favourite holidays.

What do you think of the autumnal items on my wish list? Whats on your current wish list?

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