A Guest for the Evening - Welcome to The Chapel Horsham

Have you ever walked away from a hair salon feeling truly satisfied with your new look? I can honestly say that I hadn't. That was until I'd had the absolute pleasure of visiting The Chapel, Horsham - the new hair salon in town that's all about the experience, as well as the end result.

*For full disclosure I was invited to The Chapel to receive a complimentary cut and colour in exchange for sharing my experience. I would never recommend something that I didn't believe in or hadn't experienced myself, and all views expressed in this post are entirely my own. The images below are a mixture of photos I took on the evening, as well as some professional shots provided for my use by the salon.

To give you all a little back story on my personal hair journey, up until a year ago I'd never been brave enough to do anything particularly wild with my hair. I can remember having friends who'd experiment with edgy cuts and vibrant colours, and the boldest look I'd ever pulled off was a long bob - not exactly something to write home about. One day on a complete whim, I decided I wanted to try out the balayage hair trend that seemed to be everywhere from Pinterest to Instagram. Fast forward five or six salon bleaches and a never ending need for purple shampoo, I'd somehow embarked on a hair journey that had left me lacking confidence in both my own hair and the salons I'd visited.

So when I was invited to spend an evening at The Chapel, Horsham for a fresh cut and colour, I jumped at the opportunity. A world away from any hair salon I'd visited before, the experience itself is an integral part of visiting The Chapel. Founder Amanda realised that so many women complain about exactly the same factors when they go to get their hair cut - many of which I'd felt too, without even realising it. Lack of privacy, trust and even sometimes a sense of imposition were all recurring emotions, as well as more aesthetic factors like harsh lighting and awkward seating. Amanda realised that by creating a relaxing environment where you have the time to build a rapport with your stylist, and allow yourself to unwind and enjoy the experience of having your hair cut, was the key to success.

There's not a single item inside The Chapel that hasn't been curated for both functionality and aesthetic. The attention to detail is subtle yet significant as soon as you step through the doors. Every plumped, plush pillow, every delicately glowing candle and every definitive brushstroke of paint on the walls, serves the purpose to create the ultimate luxury environment to unwind in, that's unmistakably The Chapel.

As soon as I entered through the doors, I was given a guided tour of the building, which is truly spectacular. From the outside it's an unassuming chapel, but once inside it's a glorious tardis of unabashed 'me time' and a sanctuary from all the pressures and distractions of everyday life.

Once my tour was over, it was time to take a pew (pun completely intended) over on one of the luscious velvet sofas with my stylist for the evening, Hazel. I was initially taken aback when faced with the question 'how do you want to feel?' - a simple question, with an endless realm of answers that made me realise just how important my hair is to me. It's one of the first things people see when they meet me, an expression of my personality and to be honest I'm surprised I hadn't made this connection sooner.

By sharing my hair journey and routine with Hazel, she was able to gain an understanding of exactly what I wanted from my hair. A low maintenance cut and colour, that felt healthy and shined like a glossy magazine. She talked me through warm and cool tone colour options, explaining what would suit me best and had an upfront approach about what I could expect from the session - something I found particularly refreshing! There's nothing worse than being told something is achievable, to get half way through the process and have to compromise. I loved Hazel's 'under promise, over deliver' approach.

After the colour had been applied I was left to enjoy the solitude of a cosy little waiting room at the back of the building. Low lighting, soft chairs and dusky hues allow you to leave your troubles at the door and enjoy 20 minutes (in my case) of pure relaxation. I'd even been told that some people have found the room to be so therapeutic that they've literally drifted off - testament to the thoughtful decor!

When the time had passed, I was lead upstairs into yet another inspiring room to have my hair washed. More soft lighting and incredibly comfortable chairs allow you to remain in that moment of relaxation for a little longer - this time I was the one close to dozing off!

The haircut took place on the upper floor too, in front of one of the beautifully light, suspended mirrors. You can't help but feel like an old-school Hollywood star with a contemporary twist in front of one of those! Hazel talked me through every part of the cut as it happened, which really put me at ease and also meant I learnt a lot of tips which could help me maintain and style my new do.

When my hair was revealed to me post-hairdry, I was overwhelmed with what an incredible job Hazel had done. She'd achieved everything I could've asked for and more, and I still can't stop admiring the seemingly mirror finish my hair has now - it has never looked so glossy in all of my life!

I was beyond thankful to Hazel for my wonderful new hair, and also everyone at The Chapel who made my experience there so wonderful. Hair salons can be quite daunting places at times, particularly if you're the anxious sort, but at no point during the evening did I ever feel on edge or worried, I had complete trust in Hazel's judgement and ability, which was a very welcome change! I feel like I've got a new sense of inspiration for my hair, and also a new confidence in myself, which just goes to prove again that a haircut can entirely change the way you feel about yourself.

I'm in awe at how simple yet effective the small steps that The Chapel takes to treat their clients to, that sets them apart from other hair salons. I can't recommend them highly enough, and I'm sure that anyone who gets a taste of the luxury experience offered inside, will find it very hard to schedule in a haircut anywhere else. The Chapel will welcome you like a guest, not just another customer.

For full information on the inspiring history behind The Chapel, as well as their full list of salons, visit their website here.

Until next time..

Georgina ♡

Afternoon Tea for Two at Sugarhut Brentwood

It’s become a bit of a tradition over the last couple of years, to celebrate my birthday with my Mum and sister, by booking in a special afternoon tea. If you’ve been following me for the last year, you’ll know that last year I hopped on a London Tour Bus for Afternoon Tea, which was truly delectable and really set the bar pretty high.

This year I was lucky enough to head to Sugarhut, Brentwood with my Mum to experience an afternoon tea for two, TOWIE-style. I’ve long since stopped watching TOWIE, but as we headed towards the venue, I definitely spotted a few of the spots the cast had previously filmed at!

If when you hear the word TOWIE and you immediately conjure up thoughts of ‘vajazzles’ and ‘Joey Essex,’ you might be surprised to discover that Sugarhut isn’t all rhinestones, veneers and perfect tans. As well as being a nightclub, there’s a wonderful restaurant area where my Mum and I were seated for our tea – lavish pink leather and velvet chairs, marble-topped accents and contemporary lighting gives Sugarhut a really luxurious feel. In fact it really reminded me of the photos I’d seen of Sketch in London (another bucket list location!)

We visted on a Monday afternoon and were lucky enough to have the entire place to ourselves! Despite it being quiet Sugarhut never felt like it lacked atmosphere, my Mum and I happily chatted away whilst we sipped our bubbles whilst we listened to a bit of Amy Winehouse playing in the background. The staff couldn’t do enough for us and were really friendly, even offering us another round of sandwhiches, which we politely declined – I definitely couldn’t have eaten another bite if I tried!

The food was truly wonderful, there was a tasty selection of sandwich fillings, warm scones and an array of petit fours on the top tier that were pure works of art – we had no problems sampling our way through the tiers!  I honestly thought it was excellent value for money, delicious and a wonderful birthday treat, if you're looking for a a luxury afternoon tea that's got a bit star quality to it, definitely consider Sugarhut,

Until next time..

Georgina ♡

Wet Skin Moisturiser for Sensitive Skin - The Body Shop Almond Milk Body Yogurt

Thought yogurt only came with a fruit corner, or those delicious little chocolate covered biscuit nibbles? Well you’d be wrong. The Body Shop have reinvented yogurt to be a wonder product that’ll hydrate your skin and leave you feeling smooth and soothed.

Okay, so it’s not actually yogurt, it’s one of their incredible creations they’ve whipped up in their headquarters, but I’m still here for it.

As a long-time fan of their body butters, when an email dropped into my inbox explaining how this new wonder yogurt product worked, I had to give it a whirl.

The new body yogurts have all of the appealing flavours of their existing range of body butters, but have a totally different formula. Where the butters are thick and buttery (funnily enough), the yogurts are much lighter, less greasy and much easier to apply.

The Body Shop recommend you apply to damp skin when you first hop out of the shower to see the best results. Now this came as wonderful news to me, because for the past two years I’ve been completely addicted to Sanctuary’s Wet Skin Miracle Moisturiser, but have been longing to find something similar to try out and explore some different products.

When applied, it’s so light and a little really goes a long way. If like me you’re one of those people who never uses ‘just a pea-sized amount’ of products, because you love the feeling of super hydrated skin then these yogurts will be right up your street. They glide on and absorb beautifully within minutes – none of that lying in a towel for an hour like a Grecian goddess, waiting for that tacky feeling to subside. But the instant smoothing effect the product has on your skin is literally incredible! I’m prone to really dry elbows (wonderfully interesting fact, I know) and since using this product daily for a month, my dry skin has completely disappeared, which is incredible really considering the hot weather we’ve been having.

I opted for the Almond Milk yogurt for sensitive skin, because I adore the clean, freshness of the scent. But I’ll definitely be repurchasing once I’ve run out, and will probably work my way through the other scents that are available.

The Body Shop has really been worming its way into my everyday routine with its latest products. In fact this body yogurt and the Drops of Youth Liquid Peel have become my holy grail items - combined they create the perfect base for applying fake tan! I think that as a company they've really branched out with their offering, and aren't just a go-to for nice smelling bath products anymore, they're so much more!

Have you tried these body yogurts yet, or is there another wonder product from The Body Shop you've been loving lately? I'd love to know!

Until next time..

Georgina ♡