Fitness: Psycle Review

In my quest to keep fitness fun and exciting I am always looking for new classes to try out so last week I popped into Psycle to see what all the hype was about! First of all I must mention that I am not a spinning pro. I attended a few sessions at Cyclebeat two years ago and the odd spinning class at my gym, but I have never been a hardcore spinner as I was concerned about overdeveloping one muscle group and just building my (already sizeable… thanks mama) thighs. Psycle, however is a totally different approach to the spinning sensation!

The Psycle workout is specifically designed to strengthen the body's core and tone key body parts whilst burning maximum calories. Light hand weights are used to tone the upper body whilst movement out of the saddle increases the engagement of core muscles and raises the heart rate. Everyone is given cleated shoes to wear, which promises to increase the connection between the leg and the bike, engaging the hamstrings and glute muscles resulting in lean, toned legs - and no big thighs (hooray)!

The music in the class is also a major element. I always listen to music when I workout so I loved it when the lights were turned down and the tunes turned up as it really helped to just get lost in the music and forget how hard you were working. The playlists are tailored for each different class making sure they are suitable for the time of day and week. As my session was on a Thursday night it was very much a club soundtrack - pushing us faster and faster into the weekend.

One of the things that makes Psycle stand out from other spinning classes is there is no competitive element or performance measurement. There isn’t even a resistance gage on the bikes! At Cyclebeat there is a leader board that plays to everyone’s competitive natures and the instructor gives recommendations of resistances for different tracks, but at Psycle novices and conditioned athletes can ride side by side, getting what they personally need from their workout experience. I would say that I fall somewhere in the middle… there are certain things I am not competitive about, but when it comes to sports I think a little competition is very healthy, especially when competing with yourself! Therefore, I do like to know my resistance and wear a heartbeat monitor to see how hard I have worked and try to use this to push myself further next time. Others may be happy feeling like they have done their best and not worrying about the stats and Psycle works perfectly in this case!

I really enjoyed my first Psycle class, despite the simple fact that I found it so much harder than I thought I would! Most of the 45 min class was spent out of the saddle with a lot of pumping in the arms, which was not something I was used to. It really helped to work my arms, shoulders and core and I truly felt like I had an allover body workout afterwards. As I normally do weights and a bit of cardio the repetitive pulsing and holding a lot of weight on my arms for longer periods was definitely a challenge. However, the music really helped with my endurance and I found that as long as I stayed with the beat it was easy enough to follow! The instructors (I had Becky) are super enthusiastic and really motivational, which was another big help!

The studio itself was great. The changing rooms were clean, with good sized lockers and lovely ila products. Though if I’m completely honest as mine was a full capacity evening class I could have done with a little more bench space to get myself sorted, so it’s worth arriving a few minutes early if you can. I loved the fact that the cleats are provided as it saves you lugging around trainers all day and I felt so much more secure on the bike (especially with all the movement out of the saddle) knowing that my feet were not going to slide off. The cycle studio is crammed full of bikes and does look a little intimidating, but with the lights down low it’s easy to forget about everyone else. Despite everyone working away the studio still felt cool and air conditioned and even had a fresh scent (lemon grass maybe), which definitely made a change from my normal gym and I very much appreciated! Though this may have been aided by the class being 90% ladies too…

Overall, I really enjoyed the Psycle experience and would recommend it for anyone looking to add variety and fun to their workout. My silly heart rate monitor decided to die half way through, but I estimate I burned at least 500kcal in the 45 minutes session.

Have you ever been to a Psycle class? Are you a fan of spinning! I would love to know your thoughts!!

Win While You're Spinning!

On my quest to shape up for Summer I have decided it's time to take this exercise malarkey seriously. I have joined my local gym (David Lloyd) and have signed up to a spinning club near my office so that I no longer have any excuses, even if I'm working late!

Having never attempted spinning before I was quite apprehensive before my first class. As the fiance can tell you (being a mountain biking expert with thighs of steel) I am far from comfortable on a bike. So much so that he has actually banned me from riding in central London as my lack of skill, balance and spacial awareness makes me a danger on the road! Lucky for me spinning requires none of these, especially as the bikes are so well secured you have no chance of toppling off.  I have to say that after 3 classes I can see why people find it so addictive!

The club I have joined is Cyclebeat. It's a great location minutes away from Bank and Monument stations and having just opened last week everything is lovely, clean and new. All the cycling is done in one studio with some loud, heavy music, and mood lighting complete with a disco ball. All the instructors are really encouraging and pick the tunes to go with each workout so you get lost in the music and forget about the pain. I'm not going to lie, it is hard work and the stairs will be a challenge the next morning, but unlucky for us ladies we can't burn 600 calories in 45 minutes by lying on the sofa watching Geordie Shore and eating cake :(.

 

Cyclebeat have a great introductory offer where you can enjoy unlimited classes for 30 days for just £30! Given that exercise classes in London tend to hover around £15 per hour this is a fantastic deal that I highly recommend and plan to take full advantage of.

Are you a fan of spinning? Do you have any fun exercise classes in London that you can recommend?

Gillette Venus Naked Skin: 6 Week Update!

As I am now roughly half way through my trial of the Gillette Venus Naked Skin I thought it was about time to do a little update for you guys on how I have been getting on with it!

So far so good! I have seen a slight reduction in hair growth and am happy to report that my super sensitive skin has been fairing well with the treatment. I usually have a few red patches straight after using the system, but these are not painful and (much like waxing) disappear after a few hours. I am excited to see the final results and will report back at the 12 week mark!

For more info or to purchase the Gillette Venus Naked Skin system you can check out the Boots website here, where you can save £100 by entering the code VENUS at checkout!

Clarisonic Giveaway (and a ramble)

There's still another week to go to enter my Clarisonic Mia 2 Giveaway!

All you have to do is subscribe to my YouTube channel and leave a comment on the video. I will ship anywhere. Good luck my lovelies! xxx

I'm in Marie Claire!

If you fancy picking up the December issue of Marie Claire this month please do look out for my feature with Jergens!

Exciting!

TAG: 10 Minute Makeup Challenge

A few of you got in touch to request I take part in some TAG videos including the 10 minute makeup challenge, and never one to back away I thought I would give it my best try!


Products mentioned:
Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation
MAC Fix+
Real Techniques Buffing Brush*
L'ancome Effacernes concealer
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium
The Bodyshop large brush
NARS Laguna Bronzer
MAC Peachykeen blush
MAC 130 brush
Sleek Makeup Brow Kit in Light*
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Sin eyeshadow*
UD flat eyeshadow brush
MAC Quarry eyeshadow
MAC 139 brush
Stageline Precise liquid liner*
Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara*
Estee Lauder Lavish Pink Lipstick
Jo Malone Rosewater and Vanilla Perfume

Products marked with * were sent to me for review consideration.

Do let me know what you think of this video and if you have any requests for my next one! xxx

Incredible Ojon Offer!!

Starting 11th April you can receive a free full-size Volume Advance Shampoo & Conditioner (worth £37.50) with any £20.00 purchase online from Ojon! I am a big fan of Ojon products, especially their damage reverse range, so I highly recommend taking full advantage of this incredible deal!

All you have to do is enter the offer code VOLUME at checkout, and even postage is included.


Features and benefits of Ojon Volume Advance range:

· lifts hair up, fills it out

· cleanses and nourishes fine, flat hair

· provides texture, volume and body

· detangles and adds softness and shine


You can check out the full Ojon range here: http://www.ojon.co.uk/customer_service/whats_new.tmpl

My absolute favourites are the Restorative Hair Treatment and Serum.


Do you have any favourite products from Ojon? Will you be taking advantage of this offer? xxx

My E.L.F. Studio Line Review

Rugby Hotties

Today I inocently popped popped into Selfridges to get a new NARS Laguna bronzer as currently I have been using the sad little pieces that were left after it smashed. As usual I was magnetically drawn to the shoe department and while there stumbled upon a massive queue of giggling girls. I immediately thought that it must be yet another C-list celebrity novel signing, but was surprised to find out it was in fact a signing with the English Rugby players. Like the sucker that I am I bought their calendar and joined the queue (not for myself, of course, but to get autographs for the rugby mad bf).

Although this blog is for all things girlie, I thought that I would nevertheless share some photos of the eye candy on offer. After all, who doesn't enjoy a half naked rugby player?

I am normally not a fan of wife-beater tops, but they make them look so good that I will forgive.

 

He was my fave. Those arms are crazy!

So now I am the proud owner of a 2010 rugby calendar with autographs from four of the players. I am not too sure if the bf will really appreciate a calendar full of half naked men for Christmas, maybe he can pin it up and use it as inspiration?  ;)

Who said shopping for xmas presents couldn't be fun?

ASOS Discount

Just a little heads up to all my lovely online shoppers. Until midnight today ASOS is having 10% off their entire site with the code 'SAVEFORLATER1'.

Here are some of the pieces that I may be purchasing. I would love to know your thoughts :)

 

 

Happy Christmas Shopping! xxx

Ooglemakeup

As some of you may know Gail, writer of one of my favourite blogs ooglemakeup, has had to unfortunately delete her YouTube channel due to privacy issues. However, I am very happy to say that she is back!! Wooop! You can find her on her new channel ooglemakeup here. So for great reviews, hauls and beauty musings please check her out!! :) xxx

Free Nails Inc polish w/ Glamour

 I must confess that I am not a huge fan of Nails inc polishes, not so much because of their formula, but their packaging. Maybe it is just my personal experience, but I have found that the lids of the bottles never close tightly and so the polish dries out super fast. Yesterday I even discovered that one polish, which I had previously used only twice, had actually disappeared on me, leaving behind less than half a bottle of thick, pink gloop :(. Off to the trash it went, and I was left wondering what I had spent £10 on...

However, being the sucker that I am (let's face it) I still picked up Glamour today purely for the free Nails inc polish. I decided on Victoria, a deep, dark cherry red reminiscent of the Chanel Rouge Noir craze many of us went through a few years ago.

On application the varnish was quite streaky, though I find that to be the case with most dark polishes. To get a really opaque, rich colour I would recommend applying three coats, though I am far too lazy to paint my nails five times over (base coat+3 coats polish+ topcoat= far too much work), so I stuck with two and I think the overall look is pretty good, though not entirely even. Luckily, my Seche Vite topcoat comes to the rescue of any patchy manicure as it provides a high shine masking any streakiness.

This colour does require a bit of work, but it is vampy, sexy and perfect for autumn. Now I just have to wait and see how the polish lasts. If it goes in the way of its ancestors to a sticky, dry death I shall definitely be reporting to you all :).

Has anyone else had this problem with Nails Inc polishes?

Butterfly- Beauty in the City

Today I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of Butterfly, a new beauty boutique conveniently located in the heart of the City (a two minute walk from Bank tube station).

The idea behind the salon is very simple- modern women deserve to feel beautiful! In today's fast paced society it is becoming increasingly difficult for women to find the time to pamper themselves, so the beauty treatments in this boutique were all created with the working woman in mind. These include make-up, hairstyling, quick facials, manicures and pedicures all completed within 30 minutes and at a reasonable price.

I really think this is a great idea (and wish I had thought of it first!). If you work in London this salon is a fantastic escape from the stresses of work at lunch time, if you want to relax and treat yourself, or after work, if you are going somewhere special.

I sometimes think it is so difficult for professional women, who work so hard to be taken seriously, to also be able to express their fun and feminine side. Having worked in the City before, I can appreciate how a male dominated environment can somewhat hinder evening plans. Perhaps your colleagues would not look too kindly on you spending the best part of an hour in the office bathroom and emerging in a ball gown, or that sexy little dress you have been saving for a special date. Fortunately, the Butterfly salon offers everything you would need to prepare for your special occasion including a handy changing room.

The boutique itself is small, but beautifully decorated, with a white french boudoir feel. As well as treatments it offers a small range of jewelry, Barbara Bort Italian luxury Make-Up and organic Pure Bliss Skincare. The skincare (which was used during my make-over) is absolutely fantastic and smells delicious. I am definitely going to research this brand further!

I was lucky enough to have my make-up and hair done on arrival. Normally this would be about £40, depending on the time required for styling. The make-up artist and hair stylists were both absolutely lovely and it was an extremely enjoyable and relaxing experience. I was also pleased to see that the whole make-over was very much customer orientated. At every step the MUA was making sure I was comfortable and liked the colours and products being used. This is not the kind of salon where they force you into looks that you would never wear. If you have a specific look in mind they will do their best to re-create it and if you are stuck for ideas, you can even pick something from their Butterfly look book :).

Here is a little photo, taken about an hour after the make-over

I did not have any preference as I had nothing planned that evening, so just let the MUA play around with a little colour. I really like this look, it is always fun having someone else do your make up and seeing what they come up with!

Overall, I was really impressed with the salon and the concept behind it. As I am currently applying for jobs in that area of London I have no doubt that I shall be popping in for a quick blow dry or manicure in the near future and taking full advantage of their loyalty card scheme. If you work in the City and find it difficult to find the time to pamper yourself I would highly recommend Butterfly for a post-work treat!!

What do you guys think of a pit stop style salon? Have you seen any in your area?

Halloween

In case you were wondering what I was for Halloween...

a playboy bunny! More accurately Bridgette (she is my favourite).

 

Guess which pumpkin I made ;).

Hope you all had a lovely Halloween weekend :) xxx

That's Berry Daring

I love this OPI colour- That's Berry Daring. The formula is super smooth to apply, the colour is rich and it lasts well. Although it is a creamy formula, it has a slight blue iridescence, which makes it more interesting than your standard hot pink.

I get mine from www.beauty4nails-body.co.uk. This is a fantastic site as it stocks a wide range of polishes including OPI, Essie, Zoya, China glaze and Orly for a great price! Most importantly the swatches on the website are very true to colour, which I often find is not the case with some sites or ebay.

Birthday makeup

On Wednesday my bf took me to a lovely restaurant to celebrate my 23rd Birthday. It was an amazing dinner!

This was my makeup for the evening.

Products used:

Face- Mix of MUFE HD and Dior forever spf25 foundation

MAC MSF natural

NARS Laguna bronzer

NARS angelika blush

MAC MSF porcelain pink

 

Eyes-

UDPP

Chanel quad -silver e/s, Urban decay silver e/s, MAC knight devine, carbon, vapour e/s.

MAC blacktrack fluidline, L'Oreal voluminous mascara, MAC 106 lashes (my new love).

Lips- MAC cremecup

This is pretty much my go-to look for going out, a simple silver and black smokey eye, with a light pink lip. Do you guys have a look that you love and always do when you want to look your best? xxx

Friday's OOTD

Just a quick little post as I am sitting here waiting for the clock to strike midnight and the beginning of my Birthday! Yes, I am turning 23.. in approximately 1 hour and 9 mins ;) eek!!

This is what I wore for dinner and drinks with friends on Friday.

Dress: white sequin from French Connection

Opaque tights and boots to dress it down :).

As you can tell, I am still in love with the conical wand. I use it pretty much every time I go out to curl my hair and I can't recommend it enough!!

Oooh.. 53 minutes to go till my Birthday ;). I am excited!! xxx

Quick OOTD

I really wanted to do a tutorial today, but since my eye is still looking horrible and puffy (I got an infection while I was in Moscow.. not pretty!) and I can't wear makeup yet, I thought I would post a quick outfit of the day instead as these seem to be quite popular with you guys!

Top: French Connection plain silk camisole (just to contrast textures with the jacket)

Jacket: Mango (I love the way this is fitted as it nips in at the waist to give a lovely silhouette)

Tan jeans: Zara

Brown Suede and patent leather boots: Nine West

 

Once again I apologise profusely for the awful quality of photos, but I really do find it impossible to do these full body shots without the aid of my old school camera remote. 

Hope you are all having a great week :). xxx

New Hair

I love long hair. I have always loved it. I play with it constantly, until people tell me to stop. I think I will be 60 and still have long hair, I can never imagine getting to that stage that all women seem to go through in their 40s when they decide to go for the chop. I have always wondered why that happens!

When I was 12 my hair was so long I could actually sit on it! To be honest it was pretty horrible and a nightmare to wash and dry. I didn't give it that much thought until I went to boarding school. I definitely couldn't fit my super long hair washing ritual into my schedule and didn't want to annoy everyone with my hour long showers each day! So I got it cut to just below my shoulders and since then it has been getting long and then being reigned in for the last 10 years. I'm not very exciting when it comes to hair. Long soft waves, volume at the crown and a side parting (ie. playboy bunny hair) is what I love. If only I could transplant Cheryl Cole's hair, plus her numerous extensions, on to my own head, then I would be forever happy.

Enough of the rambling, I really should not be allowed to post at 1.30am. I just wanted to share with you guys my new hair :). As you may have noticed when I came back from Thailand it was very long, which I loved. However, I did not love all the nasty split ends and the fact that the colour had really been bleached by the sun, so it was turning somewhat coppery, and very orange on the ends. It was time for a trim, and as much as I hate having my hair cut I could not put it off any longer. In the end I was right to be scared as the initial promise of "I'll only take off an inch" turned into 4 inches! I hate it when hairdressers do that! Luckily my hair grows like wildfire and there are always extensions meanwhile.

As for the colour, I decided to go darker for autumn and more red. I always dye my hair at home as I find it a lot easier, cheaper and I like being in control of what I am doing. Sometimes I add my own highlights, but this time I decided I wanted to keep it dark throughout.
Before:

I used my favourite hair colour (usually 5.3), but in a deeper red shade. I chose L'Oreal Couleur experte in 3.54 a dark copper mahogany. Unfortunately this photo has bleached the colours somewhat and it looks much more red in real life.

I can't decide whether these photos make me look like the girl from the ring, cousin IT from the Adam's Family or the little hair creature from those 'don't break up with you hair' adverts. What do you guys think?

Have you been brave enough to ever do anything drastic to your hair, or do you experiment within limits like me?  xxx

FOTD/ OOTD

Today was another long, hectic day of Visa chasing around London. If you have ever tried going to Russia with a UK passport you will know what I am talking about... they make it very difficult and expensive for you! Though, I did meet a friend for lunch and managed to have a very brief stroll around Selfridges, which always cheers me up!

The makeup today was done in a hurry, but I thought I would share it with you anyway.

Face:

Revlon Colourstay- I never seem to get on with this foundation, though many people love it :(

MUFE concealer

ELF complection perfecting powder to set (the one where they have 4 colours).

NARS laguna bronzer

MAC melba blush  

 

Eyes:

UDPP

MAC holiday pallette- using the grey, silver and nude highlight as well as shale

GOSH lime green eyeliner in waterline

Revlon liquid liner

L'Oreal Voluminous mascara

Lips: MAC Vegas Volt with a little peachy pink pigment on top, which ensured it stayed ALL day. I didn't have to touch up once, not even after lunch! Woop!

Since I was running about I wanted to be cosy and warm so I opted for a wool strapless dress from FCUK, with a long sleeved black jersey top underneath. I am sorry the quality is so awful, as the only way I can take these photos is with my video camera (it has a handy remote).

Hope you guys are having a good day and are looking forward to the weekend. I am off to Moscow for my grandmother's Birthday so I will be away till Wednesday. Time for me to go and pack those thermals ;).

Natalya xxx