An evening of pampering with Treatwell at RMUK in Leeds

Have you thought about the fact that we nowadays book or buy most things online? But when it comes to hair and beauty treatments we tend to do it the old fashioned way - either by a visit or over the phone. This is where Treatwell comes in! As the largest hair and beauty booking website in Europe, they're on a mission to inspire people to express their beauty in every way. The website is perfect to use if you're a bit spontaneous with your beauty bookings, or if you're after a great last minute deal. It's also ideal for discovering new salons or spas you've never heard of before.

A few weeks ago, Treatwell visited RMUK hair salon in Leeds to talk about their super convenient service, and to let us trial some taster treatments in the form of hair styling, manicure, and mini massages. I was one of the first to arrive and got first dibs on a treatment of my choice, and I opted for something I've never tried before; bamboo massage. It was basically a normal aroma therapy back massage with essential oils, but rather than using her hands, the masseuse used hot bamboo sticks. The sticks are of various sizes to reach muscles in different areas, and they're cylinder shaped with rounded edges. 

After my massage we had a thorough browse around the very impressive RMUK salon. I had never been in this salon before and I was amazed by the layout and the stunning interior.

But then it was time to gather for some bubbly and the official welcome speech by the Treatwell founders.

I absolutely love the concept of booking your hair and beauty appointments online on one massive hub where you can see all your local companies. Why has no one thought of that before?! Treatwell has been around for years, but due to their expansion to the rest of Europe they've recently rebranded the company - they used to be called Wahanda.

There was even a celebrity appearance at the Treatwell event! A few actors from the Emmerdale cast were amongst the VIP guests that had been invited for this evening of pampering.

A couple of manicurists were working on getting everyone's nails all shiny and sparkly.

My plus one guest for the night, Laura from Top Style Advice, opted for metallic nails of a cool purple hue.

It was such a fab event by Treatwell, and I managed to squeeze in three mini treatments; bamboo massage, head and shoulder massage, and a manicure. I had the limpest hair on the day, full of dry shampoo, so I didn't fancy any of the stylists trying to do anything with it. I would have felt sorry for them!

I absolutely adore the dusky teal nail polish I ended up choosing from the impressive nail bar. That's one to go on the shopping list!

An extravagant designer fashion show at Room 7

Just over a week ago I was invited to attend a designer fashion show in a VIP store event arranged by luxury designer boutique Room 7. It was their first ever store event, and it just screamed extravagance.

I was welcomed with a glass of prosecco and some lovely canapés, and had a browse around and a bit of a mingle before the fashion show started.

Three drop-dead gorgeous models rocked the catwalk in exquisite designer pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Victoria Beckham and plenty of other top designer brands. I felt like I was just sitting with my mouth open in awe throughout the whole show – every piece was simply stunning!

Room 7 had put the outfits together themselves and mixed and matched the different brands – something you don’t see on the big fashion week catwalks. I really like this concept though, as this is likely how you will be wearing your outfits. Not many people would leave the house wearing solely Armani, right?

By doing this, Room 7 also highlighted that they offer style advice. They sell the shopping experience rather than specific brands – something that is very appreciated by their customers. But just because something is in fashion doesn’t mean Room 7 will offer it. They handpick their designer pieces to make sure that all styles are wearable in real life, and not just on the catwalk.

It was a fabulous evening, and I fell in love with so many of the pieces that the models were showcasing. A huge thank you to Room 7 to inviting me to this VIP event! It was truly inspirational, and I felt like I was being treated like a queen.

Below are some of my favourite outfits from the show. Have a look, and enjoy!

Key learnings from Leeds festival

The August bank holiday weekend up in the north of England means only one thing for some people… Leeds fest!

I’ve personally never been to Leeds fest before as it always falls on my birthday weekend and I tend to do other things for it, but my sister convinced me to go with her this year seeing as she and a friend were flying over all the way from Sweden for it.

I had only been to day festivals prior to this, and my sister had only been to a really small reggae festival before, so the 80,000 crowd was a bit of a shock for both of us.

But I think we were as prepared as we could have been with our double tent and sleeping bags.

After 3 days of walking around in the alcohol soaked grass and mud, here are my key learnings for surviving a festival.

Go with the flow

Everyone is in the same situation, and no one will judge you for having greasy hair or dirty clothes, or for sleeping off that hangover in a camping chair in the middle of the day… so just let your hair down and make the most of it. 
You’ll have so much more fun if you just let loose and go with the flow. 
Messy hair, don’t care!

It’s all about layers

As we all know, the weather in England is extremely unpredictable, so make sure you plan what clothes to bring, and wear layers so that you can quickly take some off when the sun comes out, or pop a cardigan on when it gets chilly.

Shorts may be great during the day, but bring a pair of thick tights for the evening.

Some of the best items I brought were a cardigan, hoodie, scruffy ankle boots, thick tights, a fold-away parka and standard dark jeans. I also brought some comfy pants and fluffy socks to sleep in.

Everyone has to compromise on hygiene

Bigger festivals like Leeds fest do offer some showers, but they tend to be very basic (a single trickle of semi-cold water in a tent booth) so people often try to stay clean in other ways. Baby wipes and face wipes are your best friends during a festival, and the same goes for dry shampoo! If you, like me, like to wash your hair very often (I admire people who can get away with only washing their hair once or twice a week and still make it look nice and glossy on day 2, 3 or 4!) you may be confused as to what to do with your big but limp crow’s nest hair when you wake up in a sweaty (or freezing) tent on festival day number 3. 
Why not do a practise run of some simple hairstyles back home prior to the festival? 
Maybe some cool 70’s style braids? 
Or just bring a hat!

Stay safe

Never leave any valuables in your tent! 
Also, you may think backpacks are great, but would you actually notice if someone behind you in the crowd started digging out your stuff? Opt for a bag that is close to your body and that people can’t just snatch off you. 
A bum bag, or a cross-body bag are your best options.

Jazz it up

Even though you feel slightly disgusting, it’s a given that you want to look nice. 
Statement accessories is always a fun touch to a festival outfit – personally I went for big, bright blue sunglasses, an oversized metal necklace, and green feather earrings.

The new friends we made, and seeing Metallica headlining (from really close to the stage!) made it all worth it, and I already can’t wait to attend another festival next year! Download festival, perhaps? ;)  

 Have you ever been to an all-weekend festival, and what are your top tips and key learnings?