Aveda's head start

Summer is fraught with many potential hair disasters. I’ve seen green hued hair from when bleach meets chlorine and a tear inducing cut from a local hairdresser. But for most of us it’s the humidity, where hair width can increase ten fold, and the very thing that makes the summer – the sun.  Yes, we love basking in it, but just like the skin, hair is open to abuse from UV rays, and once the holidays are over, if hair has been neglected, your barnet can look bleached out, dried up and frazzled. Not a good look.

One protector I will be chucking into my beach bag this holiday is Aveda’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil. In the past I’ve used hair protectors and they’ve been way too greasy and stubborn, making it a chore to wash out in the evening. This one is super light and spritzs on an invisible screen lasting up to 16 hours. It makes for a slick look too, so frizz is kept at its minimum. Water resistance, taking a dip in the pool isn’t a threat and helps protect from colour fade. Most of us have our hair colour done before we go away, so how annoying to see those expensive highlights lose their punch. UVA and UVB filters are derived from wintergreen and cinnamon bark oils and there’s an anti-oxidizing blend of green tea extract too. It smells gorgeous with organic essential oil extracts of neroli and ylang-ylang. So even if you’re not holidaying tropical, your hair will smell like it is!  

Aveda Sun Care Protection Hair Veil costs £21.50

www.aveda.co.uk

Aveda's sole-ful massage

A NON-BROOM CUPBOARD LIKE ROOM

A HEALTHY BREW

Things that make a good massage. A room bigger than a broom cupboard. A warm room. Soft and fluffy towels. Relaxing music that’s not Enya. Oils that don’t smell synthetic. I’m happy to say all of these were massively boxed ticked at the Aveda Institute Salon and Spa in Covent Garden where I had booked in for an Elemental Natural full body massage. But what really swung it for me was my spa therapists, Isar’s feet. Many times I have lain on my front with my head poking through the face hole only to be confronted with shabby feet. Isar’s were immaculate. Her flip flopped feet were buffed and polished whereupon I knew who ever looked after their feet this good, will look after me too!

SOLE-FUL FEET

Fittingly, the massage started off with a foot soak and scrub (along with a herbal tea) whereupon I was  blissfully massaged for an hour. Blissful to me is a firm deep tissue massage, and that’s exactly what I got. It’s customised too. Isar felt knots in my shoulders so duly spent more time trying to loosen them. It’s hard to say what makes a good massage, as a firm pressure for one can be too light for another, but the laying of confident hands is a good sign and I knew from the first touch, Isar’s skills came from within. There are some therapists that appear to go through the motions, but without sounding too plinky plonky, this was a massage that came from the soul – or should I say sole?

Elemental Nature Full Body Massage, £83 for 60 minutes.

www.avedainstitute.co.uk

Tel: 020 7759 7355