Monday 20 June 2016

4 struggles of having tattoo regret


1 in 6 people who get inked, totally and completely regret doing it! Maybe mum was right that getting Robbie Williams’ signature tattooed on your arm wouldn’t be the pride & joy it once was when you were 18! These may seem all too familiar to you, if you too have tattoo regret:

1. Summer heat + long sleeves = a hot mess
It’s so not attractive when it’s 30 degrees outside, everyone’s in dresses, shorts and t-shirts but you’re at the BBQ in long sleeves, to cover up the dodgy artwork! A recipe for heatstroke & a seriously limited wardrobe!


2. Everyone will ask about it
We all love a conversation starter, but when that conversation starter is your ‘Girl Power’ Spice Girls tattoo, we would rather skip that totally cringe chat about how you got the tattoo when you were drunk on a girls’ holiday, thank you very much!

3. One tat, fits all
As they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea, but how many fish are named Tim?!


4. Using bucket loads of foundation
There are no amounts of foundation and concealer that can cover up the dolphin tattoo for your job interview, but you think it’s a good idea and worth a shot, until you leave an orange streak across the desk as a nervous sweat breaks out!


HOWEVER, you don’t have to feel these struggles for much longer! Our tattoo laser remover treatment can remove any cringe-worthy tatt over a course of sessions, from just £39 per session!

Here’s how it works…
We use a laser called Q-switched ND YAG to remove the unwanted tattoo & you’ll usually be able to see a significant fading in 3 to 4 sessions, and a complete removal in 6-10 sessions. However, everyone and every tattoo are different, so we will advice you accordingly at your consultation.


If you’re interested please call our salon and our team will be happy to discuss your requirements > 020 8301 0040

Tuesday 7 June 2016

What is your skin type?


A common question people ask – what skin type are you? You may think you know, but many people have no idea if they have normal skin, dry, oily, combination, acne-prone or sensitive. It is important to know what skin type you are, so you can use the right products for your skin & so we can recommend you products & treatments, such a facials according to what your skin needs.

1. Normal skin type
Normal skin is exactly what you think – not too dry and not too oily, just normal!  It has:
                Few imperfections
                No severe sensitivity
                Barely visible pores

2. Oily skin type
However, some people are prone to have oily skin, which can produce:
·      Enlarged pores
·      Shiny, thick complexion
·      Blackheads, pimples & other blemishes

If you tend to have oily skin, you may want to stay away from rich moisturizers. A great recommendation is Dermalogica’s Active Moist as it is made for skin with excess oil production, so is oil-free and very lightweight on the skin. Pick you’re one up next time you visit us at Gems!

Finding foundations for oily skin can also be tricky, as you may find that liquid foundations make your skin look shinier and enlarge your pores. A great foundation recommendation is the Bare Minerals Original Foundation, which is a weight-less, mineral powered foundation, which reduces, skin oil & pore size.

3. Combination skin type
If you have combination skin, your skin can be dry/normal in certain areas and oily in others, such as your T-zone (nose, forehead & chin).
Combination skin can create:
                Large visible pores
                Blackheads
                Shiny skin

4. Dry skin type
If you have dry skin, your pores will be almost invisible, and you may suffer from red patches. As your skin has less moisture, it may be less elastic which makes the lines on your face more visible.

Skin can crack, peel or feel slightly itchy which may be worse in certain weather conditions like being in the sun or the cold.


Our Guinot Hydramerdie facial is great for people with dry skin, as the facial is designed to instantly make your skin feel more hydrated and comfortable. Your skin will have regained its radiance, which sometimes lacks in dry skin types.

Tuesday 10 May 2016

6 tips to protect your skin during summer

Summer is coming, can you feel it?! The days are getting longer, dinner has been consumed al fresco & everyone is getting their (spray) tan on! Who doesn’t love summer, eh? However, with all the ice-creams, sunshine & outdoor movie nights, its easy to neglect our skin during the summer months. Summer calls for special attention to your skin, to keep it looking glowing, fresh & healthy. Here are 6 tips:

Apply sun-cream religiously
An obvious tip, but many people forget to apply sun-cream throughout the day. Make sure you still apply it on cloudy days too, as there are still UV rays in the atmosphere, even if the sun is nowhere to be seen. The Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster (SPF 50) & Guinot Crème Solaire Hydratante (SPF 20) are our favourites so pick them up when you next come and see us.



…and moisturiser
Your skin goes through a lot in the summer sun – heat, humidity, air conditioning, so make sure you protect it with a light moisturiser, that doesn’t make your skin feel heavy and oily but still keeps it healthy. A great summer product is the Dermalogica Active Moist as its lightweight and oil-free but still hydrates the skin without making it greasy.



Skip the sun-bed & have a spray tan with us
It’s no secret that sun-beds are harmful and dangerous as they give out UV rays that damage your skin, make it look wrinkled, leathery and older and also cause skin cancer. Instead, why not have a St Tropez spray tan with us, to give you that gorgeous summer glow but also protect your skin!


Don’t forget to protect your eyes & lips
Harmful sun-rays affects your delicate skin the most, so make sure to protect your lips with an SPF lib balm and use the Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair around your eyes.

Drink water
Keep hydrated throughout the day and try to take a bottle of water with so you can take small sips to prevent dehydration and heat stroke.

Exfoliate
Exfoliate at least once or twice a week to help shed dead skin build up and slough off previous sun damage. Exfoliating helps to rejuvenate your skin and leaves it soft and brighter. 

Wednesday 27 April 2016

3 ways to make your manicure last longer

We all know the feeling; you go to the salon (Gems, obviously!) to get a lovely, fresh Jessica nails manicure which you need to make last for your up coming events: maybe a wedding, a friend’s BBQ or a birthday party, so you sit at the salon and pray for a long lasting manicure? You could do that, or you could try these 3 things, until you come and see us again for another mani:

1. Keep the hand sanitizer at bay
Hand sanitizer is great for avoiding spreading germs during flu and cold season, but while it kills bacteria, it also kills your mani. The alcohol in these gels eats away the topcoat of your polish and causes your colour to fade and go dull, as it has super drying effects.

It’s best to use mild hand soap that is gentle on your hands and nails and try to avoid any lotion that contains alcohol too. Usually if the lotion has a fragrance, it contains alcohol, which also leads to drying of the nails and cuticles.


2. Don’t forget to glove-up!
Rubber gloves when doing the dishes, or cleaning the bathroom is a given but another helpful tip is to apply a thin coat of alcohol free hand cream or lotion over the entire nail bed after washing your hands. This will act as a protective coat to prevent the polish chipping.

3. Prevent dehydration before bed
We often apply moisturiser to our face before bed, so why not our cuticles? Dehydrated nails are more likely to break and split when cuticles become ragged and look like dead pieces of skin. Gross and not good for the manicure! Keep a tube of cuticle oil beside your bed, so you don’t forget to apply some each night. Get Phenomen oil from Gems, the next time you’re in to see us!

P.S. Don’t forget to book our excusive May offer, all on Jessica nails:

Receive a free pack of Jessica nail files when you book:
-       A deluxe Jessica manicure (£28)
-       A deluxe pedicure with our new Zen Spa products (£34)

-       OR BOTH & receive a free Phenomen oil (worth £9.25)


Monday 11 April 2016

Shellac Nails 101

There are a few things that get us quite excited here at Gems, and Shellac nails is one of them! We have been doing Shellac for quite some time now and our clients simply can’t get enough…and nor can we! If you’re new to this style of mani and want to see what all the fuss is about, this blog post is for you. Here is everything you need to know:


What is Shellac?
Creative Nail Design’s (CND) Shellac nail care line is a hybrid between a nail polish and a gel. The product is applied like a normal nail varnish but uses UV light that dries it and gives it its durability, flexibility & that Shellac great shine!


Why is it so great?
Where do we begin?! There’s absolutely no drying time with Shellac nails. With normal nail polish, you become redundant for the next few hours while waiting for your polish to dry, so things like washing up, picking things up or even going to the loo is a serious task & can cause a chip or dent in your fresh mani.

However, once your Shellac manicure is put under the UV light, it dries instantly and you can carry on with your day as normal! Just don’t tell your mum/dad/husband/boyfriend/kids this insider info and let them do the dishes while you sit back and wait for your nails to “dry”!

How long does a Shellac manicure last?
Another amazing fact about Shellac nails is that because of the formula it’s made with, there is hardly any chance of your nails chipping, which means that a Shellac manicure usually lasts up to 2 weeks, or longer in most cases!


How is Shellac different from other nail enhancements, like fake nails?
Shellac is gentler on nails than the techniques used to apply fake nails. It doesn't require a drill, and removal doesn't leave nails weak, dry or torn.


How much is it & how can I book an appointment?
Shellac nails are £25-£30 & you can book by calling us at Gems: 020 8301 0040

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Spring clean your beauty regime

The daffodils are blooming, the temperature outside is slowly rising & the clocks have gone forward, which means one thing - spring is officially here!

When spring time hits, everyone appears to be happier and more cheerful, as it’s the time of year to get everything in order & spring clean your life – the office, the house, clearing out the toys the kids have outgrown; so why not also think about giving your beauty routine a spring clean?! Here are 4 steps to have spring fresh skin to last you until summer:

1. Throw out old products
Have a spring clean of your beauty products and check their expiration dates. Makeup & skincare products do expire, so if you keep using them you could risk spreading bacteria which causes skin infections & break outs. A rough guide to how long products last:
Mascara – 3 months
Concealer – 6 months
Lipstick – 1 year
Foundation – 1 year
For skincare such as moisturiser & cleanser etc, be sure to check for an a expiration date.

Remember to also never use an old applicator in fresh products, as the applicator will transfer bacteria to the new product.


2. Wash your brushes
Makeup brushes are prime breeding grounds for bacteria. If you use your brushes every day, you should be washing them every week. Of course, we’re all human and this is definitely one of those chores we tend to “forget” every now and then, so what better time to remind yourself and get washing?!

3. Update your products for spring
During the cold winter, all our skin wants is a thick moisturiser to counter-balance the freezing temperatures. However, your winter moisturiser is probably too rich for summer, so it’s a good idea to switch to one that’s lighter one. Try the Guinot Creme Hydra Finish tinted moisturiser for a healthy glow, which also has SPF 15 – perfect for spending those spring days picnicking in the park!

4. A new mani

What better way to welcome spring than to get rid of that winter ox-blood manicure and re-fresh those fingertips with a pastel blue or green. Our Shellac manicures last up to 2 weeks with no chips! Call us to book an appointment – 020 8301 0040

Wednesday 9 March 2016

Eat your way to great skin

We all get good skin days and bad skin days, and although the odd break out sometimes can’t be helped, our skincare & diet are two large factors that affect your skin. On top of the usual cleansing, toning, moisturiser, face-mask, facial (see past blog posts for skincare tips & recommended products), a good diet is essential for healthy, glowing skin. Here are 5 foods to eat your way to great skin:

1. Avocado
Avocado has been in the limelight amongst the healthy ‘super-foods’ recently and this is for a good reason! It has a great source of vitamin E, which boosts the skin’s vitality & makes your skin glow.

Plus there are so many recipes & dishes that incorporate the green fruit, so you don’t bored of the same taste; salads, avocado on toast, avocado pasta – the possibilities are endless!

2. Water
Not really a food but its no secret that water is good for clearing your skin. It’s one of the cheapest & most effective ways to flush out the toxins in your system, so make sure you have the recommended 8 glasses a day!

3. Beetroot
One not to get on the carpet but worth eating regularly, as the nutrients in this root vegetable is great for skin healing and body cleansing.


4. Kale
Another on trend craze is kale. The leafy greens contain a full range of vitamins as well as manganese, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, protein and phosphorus (phew!). We love adding a handful of kale into a soup for a real skin-clearing tonic.

5. Dark Berries

Not only are berries jammed with skin clearing antioxidants, but they’re packed with fibre too: great for staving off hunger pangs and regulating insulin production.

Thursday 3 March 2016

5 skin-care habits you should do before bed

Your bed time routine maybe a bath, brushing your teeth and slapping on a bit of pre-sleep moisturiser, but in this post, we are going to be telling you what skin-care steps you should be taking before the big sleep every night. After all you sleep for a long time (roughly 8 hours), so during that stretch of time, your skin needs a little more TLC before you attend to it in the morning again.

1. Remove all make up
Not a surprising one, but sleeping with make up on is a big no no! Make up clogs up the pores and doesn’t let your skin breathe and rest; so make sure to remove all traces of make up. We know mascara and liquid eye-liner sometimes doesn’t budge, so try Guinot Hydra Démaquillant Yeux, (Gentle Eye Makeup Remover) which is great for all skin types, including sensitive skin.

2. Pin your hair back
Your hair contains oils and dirt that can get on your face and cause breakouts. Tie your hair back to keep it off your face while you sleep.

3. Treat your skin before bed with a mask
Not essential for every day, but it’s nice to give your skin a little extra pampering some nights with a face mask. One of our faves is the Guinot Eclat Lifting Face Mask, which is packed with Vitamin C & helps to hydrate the skin – a perfect before bed mask.


4. Apply an eye cream
Another beauty tip that’s no secret, but eye creams are important to keep that skin looking young and fresh. Apply the Dermalogica Intensive Eye Cream around the eyes to help combat signs of premature ageing skin & damage. You’ll thank yourself come morning, when your skin will be plump, hydrated and ready for the day ahead!


5. Drink hot water
Water is nature’s best beauty tip, as it obviously hydrates your body and skin. Drinking hot water, however, increases your blood circulation, which results in better skin complexion. The warmth of hot water makes you feel relaxed before bed, plus the steam that comes from hot water makes a great ‘mini face steam’!

Friday 12 February 2016

Client’s Guinot’s Hydradermie facial experience

Meet our client, a 20-something year old who has never before had a facial! We asked her to review the Guinot’s Hydradermie facial and here’s what she had to say about her experience:



How would you describe your skin type?
I would say I have combination skin usually, an oily t-zone but in the winter months, I can feel a change in my skin. It usually gets drier and I need to apply moisturiser more than once a day.

How did you find the facial itself?

My facial was carried out by one of the lovely Gem’s therapists and I thought the whole experience was wonderful and a great excuse to put my feet up and get pampered!



The therapist first cleansed and exfoliated my skin and then massaged my skin with two metal rollers and some gel. She told me, after the facial, that these metal rollers were electrotherapy and it was used to deep cleanse and oxygenate my skin. She also applied a sheet over my face, which further oxygenated my face and had anti-bacterial, which is great for tackling spots.


Could you tell a difference in your skin immediately?

I could immediately tell that my skin felt and looked noticeably fresher, firm & glowing!

Does your skin still feel different a couple of days after the treatment?

A couple of days after, my skin still felt just like it did straight after the treatment. It still felt soft, fresh and super moisturised, but not oily! Others even noticed the difference in my skin!

Would you come back again to have another Hydradermie facial?
Absolutely! I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this not so well kept secret for so many years! When’s the next available appointment?!



The Hydradermie facial is one of most popular treatments at Gems. It’s a favourite, as is tackles many skin problems – spots, pigmentation, premature ageing etc and is great for many skin types – dry, oily skin, ageing skin. The electrotherapy facial is not a “surface” facial, as penetrates deep into the skin, instead of focusing on the first layer of skin like other facials may do. An all round amazing facial, which you will not be disappointed with!

Monday 1 February 2016

Exfoliate – why, how & what to use


“You must exfoliate” - words we often hear and although we know it’s important to exfoliate, we often don’t know exactly why it’s good for our skin, the correct way of doing so, and which products to use to achieve the best exfoliated skin. So here is why, how and what to use to exfoliate properly:

Why
Exfoliating both removes old skin cells and enables new healthy skin cells to grow. Therefore, to maintain healthy, glowing, youthful skin, we need to remove these old skin cells and encourage proper cell turn over.

If you don’t exfoliate to remove these dead cells, your skin can looked aged, dull and simply unhealthy. The cells can also clog up your pores and create blockage, which can sometimes be the cause of breakouts.

How
Body – Apply an exfoliating scrub to a loofah or glove and scrub your body gently from the ankles upwards. Be careful not to scrub too hard, as leaving it red and sore will do your skin more harm than good. Rinse off with hot/warm water and do this a couple of times a week. Apply a moisturiser to lock the moisture back into the skin.

Face – Using a face exfoliate, apply the product into wet skin, and use circular motions to massage gently. Wash off with warm water.

However, always read the back of the label of the product you’re using, as it will also guide you on how to use it properly.

What to use
·      Equipment > A loofah or exfoliating scrub is the best option to exfoliate your body. The Dermalogica exfoliating face brush is also a great brush to use.
·      Body exfoliants > The Guinot Gommage Facile Smoothing Body Scrub is great for getting that soft feel.


·      Face exfoliants > Dermalocia’s daily microfoliant is a popular choice with our clients. Unlike other exfoliants, it is a rice-based powder, which you mix with water and it instantly leaves the skin smoother and brighter.
If you’re suffering from a breakout, try Dermalogica’s blackhead clearing pore control scrub, as it deep cleans pores.