Iggy's review 1

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years, you have probably heard of the “magic” powers of juice cleanses. You have probably seen numerous insta-models showing off their fit bodies, supposedly having achieved thanks to the “natural this” and “organic that” fitness teas or juices…But do these cleanses ever work? I put myself through the test with London’s own Plenish, to give you an honest and personal account of what really happens.

I had bought Plenish’s products through Ocado in the past (because who has time to go to the supermarket?) and to my delight, I later discovered that they do personalised multi-day juice cleanses too. Plenish’s programs can be anything from 1 – 7 days long, with 4 levels of caloric composition available, depending on your needs, desired results and general fitness level. I went for a 3 day, level 2 cleanse (920kcal per day), because I felt that 1 – 2 days was too short to make a real difference, but I couldn’t quite summon the courage to last more than 3 days without solid food (I’m tough but I’m not that tough). What you get in this pack is 3 days of 6 x 500ml cold pressed goodness (that’s 3 litres of juice a day…yeah it’s a lot) delivered straight to your door.

Iggy's review 2

DAY 1: Immediate reaction, I felt lighter, and refreshed. It wasn’t too difficult to go the full day without food, and it definitely helped that the last juice of the day was cashew milk with dates, so a bit of natural sugar when the night cravings hit was helpful.

DAY 2: Still feeling lighter naturally, but a tad less energised as my body was adjusting to the drastically reduced caloric intake. To be absolutely honest, day 2 evening was particularly tough for me to push through without sneaking in any kind of a snack. You may even experience a bit of a headache, but trust me…take a hot bath or shower, go to bed early and let the sleep do the rest of the work.

DAY 3: The worst part was over and my body had adjusted to the new regime. Energy level was back on track, and I saw a noticeable difference in my skin complexion. Not the mention the 2kg weight loss! Who wouldn’t be happy about that?! I loved the way I felt, but also knowing that I could go back to a bit of solid food the next day definitely helped me get over the mental hurdle.

Iggy's review 3

POST CLEANSE RESULTS: Obviously if you are on a liquid diet for 3 days your stomach shrinks a little and you start eating a bit less than normal, which is great. I generally felt like eating less the next week, but most importantly now that my liver has gone through a thorough filtration, any heavy foods made me feel very uncomfortable and sluggish (…the french fries did not go down well).

Why go through this deprivation at all, you may ask? Well imagine your liver and guts are a sort of filter. And over time remnants of toxins and all kinds of other things get stuck in the filter and they slow down your metabolism. A juice cleanse is meant to basically clean out the filter and flush out a lot of these bad toxins.

FINAL VERDICT: I am a total convert, and having really felt the “magic” myself, I have been doing 1 – 2 day cleanses once a month ever since. I couldn’t recommend this enough, and I am certain that you’ll love the effects of Plenish’s juice cleanses. I guarantee that you once you try them, they will be your go to method for hitting that “reset” button on your metabolism every time you feel you need to re-boot (and loose a pound or two for that special occasion ☺).

Cleansing waters 2

Every few months, there’s a new beauty trend, and this year’s must haves have been micellar water and facial oils. We’re all over these products like a rash – but what are they in reality? Is Micellar water as magical and mysterious as it seems, should oil touch the likes of oily skin, or are they just more beauty gimmicks that won’t stand the test of time?

THE MYSTERY OF MICELLAR

Cleansing 2

Turns out Micellar water has been around for over a hundred years, yup, for real. Originally designed to help busy Parisians deal with the cities harsh H2O, the formula is made of micelles, which are tiny oil molecules suspended in soft water. Dermatologist and Simple skincare expert Dr. Debra Luftman notes “Micelles are attracted to dirt, grime, and oil, and they draw out impurities without drying out your skin”.

Instead of using your average ‘makeup remover’ which can leave behind harsh chemicals on your skin, micelles work to dissolve the leftover dirt and makeup on your skin, leaving behind a glowing, hydrated complexion to rival the likes of K-Mid.

Must haves:
We LOVE the Decléor Paris Aroma Cleanse Micellar Water (£23), and so do some of our Sparistas! Containing Rose Essential Oil, which protects the skin against aggressors, this solution will purify and settle even the most sensitive of skin. For a more affordable option and by far the most highly recommended by industry experts, is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution (£10.80). The decongesting ingredients prevent stains caused by irritations which are often related to your every day cleansing – say your goodbye’s to face wipes!

OIL IT UP

Face Oil MK

Having first crept their way into our hair care regime (Argan oil we’re looking at you), face oils are now slowly planting their bottled selves down in to our skin care regime. Although they may sound a little scary, especially if you suffer with ‘oily skin’, they’re actually great for ALL skin types.

The more good oils you use, like rosehip, blue orchid and African marula oils, the less your face will produce its own bad oils which lead to spots, blemishes and a whole load of uninvited problems. Read below for our favourite skin heroes, designed to rebalance the skin, leaving it super-nourished and moisturised.

Must haves:
A very luxurious option is African Botanics’ ‘Cell Regenerating Oil’, made from pure Marula Oil. This nutrient rich ingredient extracted from the Marula tree in South Africa is full of essential fatty acids, along with Vitamins C and E,  which work to to build collagen and increase elasticity in the skin. It’s all about plant power in the beauty world, and we highly recommend this Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil by Clarins (£33). Ideal for the upcoming change in weather (RIP Summer 2017), this face oil (£80) made from pure plant extracts will nourish your skin.

We didn’t want to throw too much information at you all at once, so keep your eyes peeled in the next few weeks for more insights into the best beauty waters and oils… Glowing, hydrated skin and a very full bathroom cabinet – what more could you want?

Sports

Name one thing that is more satisfying than a massage… Maybe don’t answer that, but you get our drift right? If you’ve had a stressful week at work and need to relieve some tension or you’ve finished a hard-core session at the gym and your muscles feel super tight, a massage is your next port of call. The question is, Deep Tissue or Sports? Read below to help you decide which technique is the one to fulfil your body’s desires.

DEEPER THAN DEEP TISSUE

Deep tissue

A deep tissue massage is designed to improve a number of problems, including blood circulation, stimulating the muscle’s strength reflex, as well as draining toxins and targeting pain. Using warm oils, deep finger pressure and slow, firm strokes like kneading; your therapist will work out the tensions and smaller knots in your body, concentrating on the manipulation of the tissues that lie over the top of the muscle. Don’t panic if a little discomfort occurs during your massage due to inconsistencies within the tissues; think of this as ‘good hurt’, the kind that almost feels good at the same time.  Remember that a little pleasure and pain never hurt anybody! According to Consumer Reports magazine, 34,000 people ranked deep tissue massage more effective in relieving osteoarthritis pain than physical therapy, exercise, prescription medications, chiropractic, acupuncture, diet, glucosamine, and over-the-counter drugs. One massage, so many benefits -we’ll leave you to do the math.

HIT THE RIGHT SPORTS SPOT

Don’t be fooled by its name: a sports massage isn’t just for athlete’s -it can revitalise the muscles and ligaments of us all! It’s all about hitting the right spot, if you know what we mean…targeting specific areas prone to injury of course, which aren’t always sports related.  Working similarly to physiotherapy, it targets sports specific injury areas like hamstrings, working out larger knots or muscle adhesions caused by poor training practices, or every day postural problems. “Today most of our work is sedentary and desk orientated, which brings a lot of postural problems and changes. Think what stress is placed on the body when eight hours a day spent at a laptop is followed by one hour of high-intensity exercise” says the senior soft tissue therapist for the English Institute of Sport, Andy Stanbury. Involving stretching, it will work to improve flexibility and realign the muscle fibres, giving your body a much-needed surge of strength. Iron man who?

MY BODY YOUR BODY

Sparista

So there you have it! From my body to yours, everyone is different. Whichever massage you choose, the main thing is to communicate with your therapist about what to expect from your treatment, it may sound obvious but people are often too embarrassed to discuss their questions and wants/need from a massage. Open up, relax, and spoil yourself.

Massages starting from £69, choose from 60 mins, 90 mins or 2 hours.


Download the USPAAH app from the App Store or Google Play. If you have any questions, please email concierge@uspaah.com or call 020 7101 3534

MAIN

So you’re waiting for your massage therapist to arrive, and you’re worrying whether you have to get naked, or if your therapist will mind if you haven’t shaved your legs since December! Whether you’re awaiting your first at home massage, or you’re a regular on the table, we’re about to spill the beans on the only things you need to think about before a massage. Heres to our Sparistas working their magic on you – mind, body, and soul.

MOUTH SHUT

Hydrate

One of the great things about massage is that it stimulates digestion. Not so great if you’ve just eaten a huge meal beforehand! Don’t eat a couple of hours before your appointment to prevent any, urm, sticky situations. And drink plenty of water before and after, you’ll get so much more from your massage if your muscles are hydrated.

SAIL AWAY

Room

We’re fully equipped to transform your home into a tranquil retreat, so please choose a quiet room with sufficient space. FYI, we’re unable to carry out massages on your bed or on the floor; we use our massage tables to give you the best, most professional home service that we can. Your spare room is about to get real Instagrammable!

STAY BREEZY

Stay breezy

Comfort is everything, so we recommend you remove as many layers of clothes and jewellery as you feel comfortable taking off. No massages however in your birthday suit, so underwear on at all times please. We’re definitely not that kind of service.

FOR THE LADIES

Menstrual

Don’t let your time of the month stop you enjoying one of the beauties of life! “A massage can actually be very beneficial in reducing pain and discomfort associated with cramps” says Josie Feria, Director of Spa Operations at Lapis Spa at Fontainebleau Miami Beach.

LET IT OUT

Communicate

Don’t hold back from discussing any apprehensions or requests – the more feedback and information you provide, the better we can tailor the treatment to your needs. Treat our Sparistas like your own personal masseuse doctor!

Massages starting from £69, choose from 60 mins, 90 mins or 2 hours.


Download the USPAAH app from the App Store or Google Play. If you have any questions, please email concierge@uspaah.com or call 020 7101 3534