Give and Make Up

I thought that as quite a few people might have received unwanted gifts of makeup and toiletries over the festive period, that I would repost one of my earlier posts about the fantastic 'Give and Makeup' initiative, which helps women and children who have escaped domestic violence:

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If you are an avid reader of beauty blogs, then I'm sure you will have come across this logo (or a variant of it) on a number of blogs.

Just in case you've never had time to click through to the webpage, then here's a quick post to let you know what it's all about.

Give and Make Up is a fantastic initiative which was set up by the lovely Caroline Hirons a.k.a Beauty Mouth. Caroline is, in her own words, a "3rd generation beauty industry lifer" (her mother and grandmother also worked in the beauty industry). In fact I wouldn't be surprised if there is lip gloss running through her veins.

'Give and Make Up' is a non-profit initiative whose sole purpose is to work with Refuge and Women's Aid, to get daily essentials into the hands of women and children who have had to flee to refuges to escape domestic violence. Each week two women in the United Kingdom are murdered by a partner or ex-partner. One woman in four experiences domestic violence in their lifetime.

'Give and Make Up' take your unwanted make up, toiletries and baby products and pass them on to the women and children who need them. The list of items needed can be found below:

Everyday Essentials

shampoo

conditioner

bath/shower gel

deodorant

toothbrushes

toothpaste

body lotion

feminine hygiene products

shaving products

at-home hair dye colouring kits

Skincare

cleanser

toner

moisturiser

MakeUp

foundation

concealer

powder

blusher

eye-shadow

eyeliner

mascara

Tools

makeup brushes

makeup bags

hairdryers

curling tongs

straighteners

Baby Products

all of them!

In Wales, 'Give and Make Up' are working with Welsh Women's Aid (WWA) and 'Escentual' (who are a Cardiff-based online beauty site). If you would like to help, then you can send your items to 'Escentual' either by post (*address below) or you can drop them off at 'Central Pharmacy', Wellfield Road. 

When I read about this initiative I was really impressed. It's such a simple idea, which can make a big difference to women and children who need help. And on a personal level, it meant that I could clear out my cupboards without having to throw out perfectly good products which just weren't right for me. I also think that it's great that items that might be seen as frivolous, can make a real difference to people's lives. So if whilst you've been reading this post you've been making a mental note of all of the things that you've got in the cupboard but have never used then why not send it 'Give and Make Up's way. It could be that Christmas gift set from Boots that your aunty gave you, or maybe you were just a little over-zealous with the 3 for 2 purchases? Whatever it is, if it's on the list, then I am sure that 'Give and Make Up' will appreciate it.

If you don't live in Cardiff then check out the 'Give and Make Up' site for details of how you can donate items in your area.

*Escentual.com, Give and Make Up, 63-67 Wellfield Road, Cardiff, CF24 3PA

Clarins TriActive Body Treatment at Central Pharmacy, Cardiff

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might remember that I recently blogged about Central Pharmacy's 25th Anniversary celebrations, and that at that event we were given demonstrations of the new Clarins TriActive Face and Body Treatments. So when the lovely Sam from Clarins HQ offered me the chance to try the TriActive Body Treatment I jumped at the chance. After a very busy week I was really looking forward to a bit of pampering, and this treatment definitely didn't disappoint.

There are three different TriActive body treatments to choose from:

• The Body Sculptor - "a pampering shortcut to a body that's svelte, toned and silky-smooth"
• The Moisture Quencher - "for a body that gleams like satin and is velvet to the touch"
• The Firming Age Corrector - "an all-in-one body youth boost"
• The Body Polisher - "for a body that's super soft, supple and smooth...helps minimise dark spots and stretch marks"

I opted for the 'Body Sculptor' treatment, as it is fair to say that my body is not particularly svelte or toned. Before the treatment, I had a thorough consultation with Natasha, the beauty therapist, who asked if I had any particular concerns and talked me through what would be involved in the treatment. I can certainly see how the salon has been awarded 'Gold Salon' status by Clarins, one of only 76 salons in the U.K. to have received this award.

The treatment began with an all-over body exfoliation so that the products used could really be absorbed into the skin. After that the therapist applied Clarins 'Body Treatment Oil - Relax' to my décolleté in order to help me relax. Natasha used the Clarins 'Body Treatment Oil - "Anti-Eau" to do the massage. The massage incorporates a series of movements designed to help streamline the body and boost circulation, which assists with reducing fluid retention. Towards the end of the one hour and twenty minute long treatment, Natasha applied a mask to my problem areas, to which she had added firming serum. She then applied plastic wrap over the mask which helped the product to be absorbed into the skin. This was kept on for fifteen minutes, which gave me some much needed relaxation time whilst I was given a head massage. 

At the end of the treatment Natasha sprayed Clarins' classic treatment fragrance, 'Eau Dynamisante' over me, which helps to invigorate the client. I would thoroughly recommend this treatment, as it was the perfect combination of invigorating and relaxing massage, and I felt really refreshed after leaving the salon. I definitely felt more streamlined after the treatment and my skin looked more toned. I will certainly be booking myself in for another one of these treatments soon.

Fine print: I was given the chance to try out this treatment for free by the Clarins Press office for the purposes of this blog post.