Dr Hauschka | cheriecity.co.uk

Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at Heathrow & JFK

March 14, 2013 by cheriecity

On my trip to New York last year, I was delighted to experience the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at London Heathrow and New York JFK.

The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse is a stylish perk for Upper Class passengers and for Flying Club Gold members. It’s a calm sanctuary with a private member’s club feel, away from the hustle and bustle of the airport.

Guests can refuel over a proper meal, unwind with a spa treatment, relax with a drink at the bar, watch the large screen TV or catch up on work and emails before a long flight. It certainly makes the travel experience much more enjoyable and stress-free.

Virgin Atlantic offers these luxurious lounges in selected airports around the world, but London Heathrow boasts the flagship Clubhouse with the most facilities and complimentary treats.

We started the Clubhouse experience in the restaurant with a hearty Full English Breakfast and a cup of tea. The breakfast was delicious and immaculately presented – an ideal start to the journey. We read the morning newspapers and went over our itinerary at our own comfortable table, enjoying not having to scramble for a seat in the departures lounge.

During breakfast, one of the Clubhouse hosts kindly came over to book us in for a spa treatment, so that we wouldn’t miss out as other passengers arrived. The staff were so friendly and charming, making sure that we were well looked after during our visit.

After breakfast, I enjoyed a relaxing seated back massage (15 minutes) at Cowshed Spa. My lovely therapist used hot stones to smooth out the knots in my back, shoulder and neck, preparing me for the flight. The Cowshed Spa is tucked away neatly in the Clubhouse, so guests have a good amount of privacy to really unwind.

With a newspaper in hand, we left to board the plane and were seated in Premium Economy. It’s all about the small extras in Premium Economy that make a huge difference, particularly the extra leg-room, wider leather seats and the excellent meals served on china dinnerware with stainless steel cutlery. I rarely drink alcohol on flights to avoid dehydration, but if you want to indulge, wines and liqueurs are served.

The movie selection is a real highlight of flying with Virgin Atlantic. I particularly liked that you can stop and start each movie whenever you wish – surprisingly a feature that not all airlines entertainment systems offer.

On the return journey, a series of delays including an unexpected Sunday rail replacement bus and the most epic queue at security added hours of travelling and waiting to an otherwise punctual journey. We managed to step into the JFK Clubhouse for less than 5 minutes before boarding and the staff kindly and swiftly supplied a cold Diet Coke, which was most welcome after the stresses of the journey.

There was sadly no time for a good look around the JFK Clubhouse, however it is just as smart as London Heathrow with sleek dining, entertainment and work spaces. It features the very first Clubhouse spa outside of London with New York brand Bumble & Bumble and Dr Hauschka.

The Virgin Atlantic experience was unbeatable and that’s why I’ve booked to fly with them again for my trip to New York next week. With competitive prices in the winter sale and 2000 Flying Club air miles accrued on my Virgin Atlantic credit card over the year, I got a pretty good deal.

Chérie City was offered a complimentary seat upgrade and Clubhouse access.

Photos by Virgin Atlantic and Chérie City

books, Events, London

Amelia’s Magazine Launch Party in London

February 1, 2011 by cheriecity

The launch of Amelia Gregory’s second book, Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration has been the most-talked about event of the new year, bringing a bit of loveliness back to a month filled with talk of detox and austerity (neither present at the launch). So much was the excitement online that #ACOFI may now be permanently lasered onto my eyes!

Illustrators, designers, bloggers and journos all got together for a right old knees-up at Scout Hut, behind the 123 Bethnal Green Road ethical clothing super store.

We drank Vodka O and Adnams beer, flicked through copies of ACOFI, made new pals and devoured the prettiest Lily Vanilli centre piece cake.

A brilliant party soundtrack was spun by The Pipettes and we were even treated to a guest DJ appearance by Will of Mystery Jets.

Photos: Max Petrossi

The turn out for the party was immense with all sorts of creative people and a few familiar faces…

Now on to the serious stuff…the gift bag! With the purchase of Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration came a printed cotton tote bag packed full of treats:

– Limited edition Tatty Devine necklace made for Amelia’s Magazine
– Limited edition Amelia’s Magazine Moleskine notebook
– Dr Hauschka organic beauty products
– Back-issue of Amelia’s Magazine
– Collection of Amelia’s Magazine postcards and bookmarks
– Tatty Devine 10% store discount
– Dr Hauschka 15% online store discount

It was amazing to come down and meet all of the people involved with Amelia’s Magazine and it’s nights like these that make living in London so much fun.

Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration is just so beautifully made and is a very relevant resource, as ethical fashion is moving forward so quickly.

There’s a lot of content to get through, so it will take you a while to read from cover to cover and it’s a real gem that you’ll keep going back to.

Having made my own zine a few years ago, I know just how much work, time and money goes into producing an independent print publication – printing costs alone can drain the budget.

So if you still love words on paper and beautiful artwork (can you tell I’m not a Kindle fan?), it’s so important to support Amelia and all of her brilliant print releases… especially so we can have more parties!

Buy Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration online for a reduced price and receive 12 unique Amelia’s Magazine postcards. For more info and a preview of ACOFI, visit www.ameliasmagazine.com

Beauty, Shopping

Melvita French Skincare Arrives in the UK

February 4, 2010 by cheriecity

Yesterday I headed down to Aubaine for the UK launch of France’s number one organic skincare, Melvita, which looks set to make a big impact on the natural beauty world.

The natural skincare market has expanded significantly over the past few years and as cases of adult acne, eczema and allergies increase, many of us are looking into the product ingredients of well-trusted brands and questioning just how beneficial these synthetic chemicals really are.

Founded in 1983 by biologist Bernard Chevilliat, Melvita was one of the first brands to combine technology with the healing and nourishing properties of natural ingredients.

Melvita have an impressive range of over 300 products to suit all skin types, including cleansing jelly, micellar water, moisturising serum, facial oil and a night cream. Most of the skin care products have a light texture with a soothing feel and a very subtle aromatic scent.

Out of the skin care system that I tested, the stand-out products were the Hydrastim intensive moisturising gel, which is perfect for oily or combination skin, and the Eye Contour Gel, which contains cornflour, aloe vera and caffeine to provide an instant cooling and tightening effect.

Like many French skincare brands that use the natural resources in their country, such as the thermal springs at Evian and La Roche-Posay, Melvita began on a eco-farm in the Ardèche Gorges. Having discovered the healing properties of honey, Chevilliat became a professional beekeeper with over 500 hives. He based the first collection on the products from the hives, hence the name Melvita – a reference to honey and life.

Melvita are all about promoting an organic lifestyle, with a product solution to every beauty concern. There are a number of body creams, bath and shower gels, deodorants, toothpaste, beauty supplements and even a collection for men. All products are ECOCERT certified organic and the ingredients are farmed sustainably.

They are also launching the Nectar de Rose collection for Valentine’s Day, which is perfect for sensitive skin and has the most gorgeous, pure scent. Unlike many brands who only use one essential oil, Melvita use a ‘totem’ of rose ingredients, which all have their own unique benefits.

The Nectar de Rose day cream contains Moroccan rose petals, Iranian rose water, Damask rose essential oil and French rose seed milk, which helps hydrate the skin while fighting fine lines and wrinkles with anti-inflamatory properties.

Already hugely popular in France and across Europe, the London flagship store is set to open this summer and a further 10 high street stores in the UK are planned for over the next few years. The collection will also be available in selected natural remedy and organic food stores, as well as online.

The range is priced from £12-£32 and the products seem to go a long way, and come in generous sizes. I’m a pretty firm devotee of Dr Hauschka’s homeopathic, but I’m looking forward to trying out Melvita’s Naturalift and Facial Scrub to see if I can be converted.

Melvita is available to buy online and offers free postage and packaging and two samples with your first order.

Beauty

Dr Hauschka anti-blemish system trial

November 22, 2009 by cheriecity

I’ve been searching for the perfect solution to my skin breakouts and blemishes and since there are so many skin systems out there with weird chemicals and acids, I decided to go down the natural route with Dr Hauschka’s Daily Face Care Kit for Oily Skin.

My skin complaints date from when I moved to London almost two years ago from Newcastle and many of my friends have blamed the hard water and excess pollution and stress for changes in their own skin.

I popped in to Zest Pharmacy in Soho, a proper neighbourhood chemist, which stocks an excellent range of natural, specialist and French skincare brands. I had a long chat with one of the owners, a French lady who knew pretty much everything about skincare and had luminous skin to prove it.

She showed me starter kits by La Roche-Posay, Murad, Vichy and Caudalie, but recommended Dr Hauschka for its homeopathic approach to solving skin problems.

I’ve been using the Hydra Medic skincare system by Repechage for about nine months, which I roadtested for ELLEuk.com, but after initial good results, it seems to have dried my skin out. The Repechage Beta Hydroxy Serum is a great overnight treatment, as it smoothed out all the tiny bumps on my forehead, but the Mattifying Moisturiser is a horrible bright white that made my skin feel tight and uncomfortable.

At just £15 for six travel size products, I thought I’d give it a try and see if I have more luck without the drying chemicals I’ve been relying on for so many years.

The Daily Face Care Kit for oily skin consists of a Cream Cleanser, Clarifying Toner and Normalising Day Oil to be used instead of a moisturiser, as well as three weekly treatments – a Facial Steam Bath, Cleansing Clay Mask and a Revitalising Mask.

On the first day of the trial, I took some time out to do the whole seven step system with all of the products. I expected the Cleansing Cream to be smooth and rich, but it had an oatmeal consistency that gently exfoliated my skin without drying it. The Clarifying Toner felt refreshing and calmed my skin with extracts of calendula, witch hazel and daisy.

Having used oil-free products for so long and having an almost pathological fear of getting an oily T-Zone, I was sceptical about using the Normalising Day Oil. I could just imagine my make-up slipping off and suffering a greasy face all day, but I was amazed at how quickly the oil was absorbed. It’s important to get the right amount and I found that two drops was enough to cover my face.

Dr Hauschka’s skin regime is completely different to any other I’ve tried, as he doesn’t believe in using exfoliators or night creams, as they upsets the natural rhythm of your skin, thus clogging pores and making your skin increasingly dependent on products.

It’s all about normalising skin and making it learn again how to repair itself biologically. I’m still unsure about putting so much trust in my own body to rid itself of the blemishes, as it’s been a bit of a bitch so far, but picking and choosing various harsh and expensive products is probably what’s given it the hump in the first place.

Once a week, you should give your skin an intensive treatment of steam, deep pore cleansing and radiance revealing. The Facial Steam Bath has a subtle, herbal scent and helps open pores and detoxify skin. Add a few table spoons to a sink full of boiling water, cover your head with a towel and breath in the aromatic steam for five to seven minutes. Afterwards, my skin, chest and head all felt opened and I instantly had more energy.

Immediately after steaming, you’re supposed to add a thin layer of the mustard-coloured Cleansing Clay Mask and keep your face moist for up to ten minutes (I forgot and my face felt tight and rigid, like it was covered in cement). After washing it off, I applied the Revitalising Mask, which felt luxurious but not too rich and had a relaxing aroma.

Dr Hauschka’s regime can be a bit of a faff, as they expect you to have an endless supply of clean muslin cloths – cotton wool just won’t cut it, as it absorbs the skin’s natural oils – and enough time in the morning to steam said cloths in between cleansing steps. However, it is good advice and it just requires a bit more effort and perseverance.

So on day two, I don’t have that tight, under-nourished feeling on my face and haven’t experienced any more painful breakouts, apart from a few spots when the steam and masks brought out the impurities. I’m impressed so far, but will post updates when I finish the starter kit.