SUITE LIFE AT THE BONHAM HOTEL

I'm back, once again with another hotel review. I feel like travel has been a huge focus this year in Scotland's blogging industry and I ain't complaining.

This time, I was headed to the Capital to stay at a charming 4 star hotel situated in the West End. The Bonham Hotel has recently undergone a huge refurb which has seen the bedroom interiors given a modern update which still reflects its original design. The hotel feels traditional Edinburgh but with wood panelled walls and original fire places but with a young, fresh twist mixed with plush turquoise velvet sofas and glitzy chandeliers.

Myself and some of my favourite Glasgow bloggers were kindly invited to the hotel to indulge in,what sounded like, the most festive night ever. After checking-in, Suzy and I headed to our room - a newly refurbed twin room that was going to be the perfect spot to rest of our heads. Eager to see the Executive Suite, we quickly hurried along to where Victoria was sleeping as this was where the main activities would take place. A large spacious room complete with not one, but two, bay windows, a fire place, two sofas, a tv cabinet, lovely white bathroom with both shower and tub, a big kingsize bed and a dinner table and Christmas tree set-up for later. I was so excited for the night ahead...

Not before long, we were sipping on champagne before the first activity commenced - cookie decorating. If there was ever a therapeutic Christmas activity to indulge in, this was it. We laughed at realising our serious concentration levels and successful and failing icing designs.  I went for a wreath, holly and (slightly dodgy) looking fairy light design.

Next up: cocktail making in their intimate bar area. We shaked up espresso martinis by the fire place and took the opportunity to capture a few pictures.

Two activities ticked off the list, we headed back to our suite to find gifts left for each of us at the table. This was one of the sweetest things ever and I was kindly gifted a hair set by Ouai - perfect! The rest of the evening saw us enjoy a deliscious three course meal in the suite while listening to Christmas music, followed by silly games, lots more prosecco and girly chat until 3am.

After a leisurely morning we enjoyed breakfast in the restaurant together before checking out. Myself, Rachel and Victoria took a quick jaunt to the Christmas markets before catching the train back home - both of which were handily in walking distance from the hotel. Heading back West, I couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky to experience things like this. A huge thank you to The Bonham Hotel and Beattie Communications!

The Bonham Hotel is still undergoing a phased refurb and early 2019 will see exciting new looks for the bar, restaurant, lounge and reception. I can't wait to see what the do with the place! It's already gorgeous and can only get better.

If you have an upcoming trip to Edinburgh and looking for a convenient hotel in the city centre definitely check out The Bonham Hotel.

XoXo

The Key to Glowing Skin

Is it just me that thinks beauty starts with gorgeous skin? As a hormonal 16 year-old, I longed for radiant skin and the confidence that comes with that. Now well into my twenties, I'm thankfully passed the stage of unwelcome break-outs, however my skin is scarred in areas and I've re-focused my energy on minimising the appearance of those imperfections.

Over the past few months, I've experimented with more facial treatments than I ever have and honestly, my skin has never looked better. Despite struggling with problem skin, facials have never been something I've been keen to try. The fear of crazy break-outs post treatment is probably the reason for this but as I've learned, not all facials will make you spotty before giving you clear skin.

I booked in for a consultation with the skin gurus at Therapie Clinic, to determine what I wanted from the treatments and agree my areas of concern. My agenda was clear - I wanted my skin to glow, the appearance of my scars to be minimised and my pores reduced. I can say with absolute confidence that we have genuinely achieved this! Here's how we've transformed my skin from lack-lustre and a little dull to plump, smooth and even.

My First Facial 

We started off simply by trying out one of their less-abrasive treatments with the Organic Passion Image Facial Peel. This was a relatively relaxing treatment, with various products wiped across the face with a slight tingling sensation. The results from this were super glowy skin immediately after. I loved the results and my skin felt extremely replenished and nourished - something it absolutely needed. This treatment is perfect for a quick fix - perhaps ahead of a big event like a birthday or celebration. 

Prepping the skin for deeper treatment 

Treatment two was their advance skin peels. This treatment was similar to the first but a little more intense with stronger products used on the face. They say this treatment can result in a little peeling after the treatment but my skin was absolutely fine. Personally for me, this treatment didn't make my skin look quite as glowy and bright as the Passion Peel but that may be because the first treatment was so overdue and therefore had a more drastic change. 

Trying out the Derma Pen Treatment 

After 'prepping' my skin, we moved onto something a little more intense that would really target my scars. The therapist advised me on trying the Derma Pen facial - a fairly new treatment on the market that is said to transform skin. I'm not going to lie, the thought of twelve tiny needles being pierced across my face didn't exactly excite me but I was willing to give it a try. Much to my delight, the first step for the treatment is smearing a numbing cream across your entire face. After ten-minutes, the therapist got started. I was surprised that the treatment actually wasn't as sore as I was expecting. Of course, you can feel the needles but it's definitely bearable and manageable for someone with a low pain threshold. On my first treatment, we used a 0.5mm needle and a 1.5mm needle on treatment two. Naturally the bigger needle pierced deeper and so hurt a little more. I would say it is still bearable but just more intense so something to be aware of if you're wanting more intense results! 

One downside to this treatment is the recovery time. Don't be fooled and think the 'mild sunburn' as it is described on the website will mean you will be cool to go shopping straight after the treatment - you won't! Expect to be housebound for a least 48 hours. Of course, everyone reacts differently to any treatment and I can raise my hand and say I have very sensitive skin but I genuinely looked like I had laid in the sun for 24 hours in 40 degree heat after my first session. Don't believe me? Check out my vlog of the experience here. 

Once your skin recovers, you'll be pleased to know that your days in the house were absolutely worth it!! Honestly, I never expected the results to be quite as good as they were, and it wasn't just me that noticed how glowy and smooth my skin was looking. The treatment not only targets pores and scarring but also fine lines and skin pigmentation so it's amazing for numerous skin woes. 

I'm due to get a third and final Derma Pen treatment and I do think getting this treatment done a few times makes for better results! The treatment is also only £120 which I think is incredible value for money! 

As I said, my skin has never looked better and it's all down to these treatments. 

Thanks again to Therapie Clinic for letting me try them out!

XoXo 

Brunching, Burgers and Blogger Events - October in pictures

I'm not going to lie, when Tuesday marked the beginning of a new month and more specifically the end of October, I was relieved! Last month there were so many highs and lows that I was simply  emotionally exhausted. Feeling ready for a fresh start - November was my saviour.

I don't want to look back and remember the crappy times so thought I would round-up the highlights of my month - and let me tell you, there was plenty of them!

I started off the month with a delicious champagne brunch at Cote Brasserie. After heading along to their 1st birthday celebration a few weeks before, myself, Victoria and Rachel headed back for more brunch and bubbles. I really love this spot for a lazy weekend brunch. The menu is delicious and really affordable! Plus there's a lovely relaxed ambience and pretty interiors - what more could you want. Definitely one of my top recommendations for weekend brunch.

Next up, was our engagement party! We had the best night with our nearest and dearest and were completely spoiled by everyone who came along.

Location - the party was held at Loks Bar and Kitchen in Shawlands - I'd highly recommend this spot for anyone planning a party in Glasgow. It's modern, right next to a train station and the staff are super helpful and friendly.
Cake - we (finally) managed to get the perfect cake from @MeganRoooney (Insta). I knew what I wanted and she completely nailed it. It was almost too good to eat. Almost!
Dress - I picked up this gorgeous white dress from Missguided's premium collection. I purchased it when there was 20% off the website so it was really affordable and I totally loved wearing it! I also had my make-up done by my talented little cousin, Naomi. She's amazing - check out her page here.

Two events in the one night - Specsavers #LoveGlasses Press Show and the Glasgow Therapie Clinic launch.

Held at BoConcept, we checked out the new glasses collection at Specsavers. There were a lot of nice brands on show, food from Martha's, a braid bar from Blow and a candy cart - I'm sure you can guess where I was at. Now I really need to get my eyes checked. It's only been, what, 15 years or so?!

Victoria and I then popped into Therapie Clinic on St Vincent St. They specialise in laser hair removal - something I've never tried (and not sure I'd be brave enough to!). They also offer facials though and sell a bunch of brands I've never tried before but look great. We actually got a sample of Image Skincare Vital C in our goody bag which I'm really excited to try out as I've heard a lot of good things about this brand.

Finally, although not technically within the month of October, this week we were invited along to the launch of Gourmet Burger Kitchen at Glasgow Fort. I never been to a GBK before but the food was de-lish! It's like a Nandos in that you need to go up to the cashier to order but everything we tried was spot on. Especially those cheesy truffle fries......

XoXo