Sun seeker...

After a crazy week of summer extravaganza parties held in the driving rain... had a mad dash for the real thing on Friday. Crete did the trick and a couple of days lying on a lounger, reading and floating in the sea - yes, so salty one can float - feeling a little revived.

Brings up the question of body beautiful once again... the worst thing about living in the cold is that horrible moment standing in your hotel room, lilly white body, squeezing into new bikini, realising that the only hope is a tan. Yes, brown wobbly bits are somehow much more attractive than white wobbly bits. The only glow in the dark people who look attractive are of the tall, lean variety... actually, I can only think of one. Nicole Kidman perhaps? So easy to become body unconscious when you are usually clothed head to toe trying desperately to keep warm.

Thankfully got back to a session with Hayley, the Nutritional Therapist who has got me focused on health, the natural way... will just have to spend more time on a beach for the rest of it.

Size 0 vs love handles...

When I think of models, I don't necessarily think healthy. The two don't seem to go together somehow. Its difficult enough for us ordinary mortals struggling with those last 3-5 kgs strapped to our hips and thighs like unwanted baggage... never mind the extraordinary effort and self control it must take to be a size 0. And then I met Hayley Darby who stepped out of the modeling world four years ago to go back to university and qualify as a Nutritionist.

She, and a collection of ex-model friends are keenly aware of what it takes to be body beautiful, have clear complexions and to get those energy levels up. They are all offering complementary therapies - nutrition, acupuncture, hypnotherapy... I see so many clients who struggle with their weight, with feeling healthy - it's almost always the first thing that comes up in an Image Consultation. So I have booked myself in for a session with Hayley. The proof is in the pudding - or in my case, the love handles - got to give it a go, right?

The most expensive perfume in the world

Every now and again I am blown away by something so very unique and unusual that it makes me do a double-take. I am talking about a £64,000 double-take. And that's the starting price. Meet V1, the most expensive perfume in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

V1 contains 1400 of the most refined essences and rare flowers from all over the world. It took the designer Arfaq seven years to create it with renowned parfumeur Arthur Burnham. The bottle was designed by Arfaq and assembled by Pierre Dinand of the famous Ateliers Dinand, Paris. Each bottle is made of pure platinum with 18 carat gold and ruby crystal and bears the recipient’s name, individual number and hallmarks.

Rolls Royce were commissioned to make the case of precious wood which is lined in the finest Connolly hide. Each case is a result of thirty hours of craftsmanship. Graff were commissioned to produce the 18 carat yellow gold key, set with brilliant cut diamonds and rubies, which opens the box. Each key is numbered.

Only one hundred and seventy-three bottles were made. Only twenty-two remain.

If you are intrigued, inspired, interested, email baronessva@v1onenightonly.com to arrange a viewing. Oh, I almost forgot... it smells simply divine.

The Alchemist

What a fabulous find! The Alchemist is an exclusive London based spa service providing beauty therapists, masseurs, personal trainers, make-up artists and other specialists - in the comfort of your own home.

Whether you are looking for a massage – from deep tissue to prenatal, a facial – from dermobrasion to anti-ageing, pilates, reiki, threading, a mani-pedi or a make-up artist for special occasions, this couldn’t be a better way of doing it.

To find out more or to book a pampering session of note, please call +44 20 7349 0093 or click on this link.

Sense of smell

Had a rather interesting Q from JS a little while ago about whether one should have a shower before a date. It made me think about the whole subject of pheromones. JS, I am an image consultant not a biologist, however, according to all reports pheromones speak for themselves and no amount of showering will mask them. So yes, definitely, a shower before a date is a must.

I am always batting on about how we look, how we sound and our body language, however, it seems that how we smell is the deciding factor. Chatting to Liza (my medical friend) over the weekend about all things olfactory and interesting to hear that we initially recognise flavours via our sense of smell. Also, unsurprisingly, we can change our body odour by what we eat. So plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will make us more attractive... add a shower to that and it’s probably a knockout combination!

Tummy Tuck

I have just reached the conclusion that I am certifiable. Again. Who in their right mind would pay £100 for 100ml of ‘tummy tuck’ cream with ‘stomach flattering micro fibres to slim and visibly tighten the abdominal area’?? Me. I did. I asked all of the sales assistants whether it worked and no-one knew. I must be the only person who has bought a bottle if no one knows. The promise: 2 cm’s off your waist in 8 weeks. If there is anyone out there who has tried it, please let me know... Apparently corsets are in again if all else fails.

On the hunt for a pair of platforms or wedges yesterday and I realised very quickly that the deciding factor was how heavy they are. You really need to think about how much walking you are going to do as most of them are the equivalent of wondering around with a kilo strapped to each ankle. On second thoughts, there may be some benefits...

I left empty handed and went on to meet with an Image client to discuss a particular event she is attending. With the outfit finalised, we moved onto jewellery and selected a couple of pieces. The key with jewellery is to complement your frame. If you are very slight, then go for something more delicate, if you have medium sized frame, medium sized pieces, and if your frame is larger, then chunky jewellery is best.

Lastly, as ever, less is more...

BioStarlight

Anouk Puper, the therapist behind BioStarlight suffered from a bundle of allergies and physical ailments for many years. In her quest to find a solution, she came across Bio-Photon Coherency Therapy, which proved to be a turning point... two years later, and qualified as a Therapist, she brings us BioStarlight.

Bio-Photon Coherency Therapy utilises StarLight technology, which is a series of instruments capable of measuring light emissions from acupuncture points on the body, using fibre-optic cables and crystal electrodes. The Starlight measures the oscillations on each acupuncture point, comparing them to the oscillations of the most common illnesses, bacteria, viruses and fungi. The correct oscillations are then returned to the body, allowing the body to heal itself.


In this age of alternative therapy, healing the body with light resonates somehow... the StarLight has been hailed as a treatment for a multitude of sins, including intestinal problems, colds and flu, chronic fatigue, scars, migraines, dyslexia, depression and whiplash, to mention a few.

To find out more, contact Anouk on +44 7841 876 765, e-mail anouk@biostarlight.com or click on this link.

Power-Plate

Proclaimed as "the new way to shake off the pounds" Time Magazine September 2006, Power-Plate®, the most sought- after fitness machine on the market has launched its newest and most exciting home-use model to date... the my5. By bringing the gym into your home, the my5 promises to take acceleration training to another level.

The my5 uses Advanced Vibration Technology, which is backed by research and on-going scientific studies and from what we hear, it is incredibly effective.

With applications ranging from elite sports conditioning to training for the elderly and sedentary, the my5 can provide a broad range of health benefits... not to mention the slimming, toning and cellulite banishing results we all want.

For more information, contact Mark Andrew on +44 7743 825 935 or click on this link... I for one have placed my order.

Valentine Alexander - Face Focus

My recent consultation with Valentine Alexander in London proved to be an extraordinarily eye-opening experience in more ways than one. Valentine has spent the past 20 years as a makeup artist for photographers including Peter Beard and Helmut Newton. She now offers one-to-one consultations, based on her own method, Face Focus, a make-up technique based on light-reflection... and I walked away enlightened by her mastery.

Valentine tests every new product on the market, and her mission is to show women and men how to actually 'see' their facial structure and to 'focus' on it in a simple, graphic and refined way, using the same techniques as Renaissance portrait painters, adapted for modern times. You will walk away with a 'face map' so it is easy to re-create the looks at home.

Devotees include Nicky Haslam, who says of Valentine: 'She kind of paints a perfect portrait on your face, and can make any pit bull into a Brad Pitt.'

Valentine is based in Paris and comes to London every month to see her clients. To book an appointment with her, call +44 7956 846 909 or +33 69 963 3410.