November begins and the stresses are piling on! Credit crunching, cold weather and of course the Xmas spending obligations just around the corner! But have no fear, just check out this fab offer from The Beauty Village!

Escape the stresses of everyday UK living with this unforgettable experience and we’ll pick up the tab!

Prize includes these sumptuous treatments…

Holistic Full Body Massage - Promotes a sense of wellbeing by increasing your blood circulation and lymphatic flow. Improves muscle tone, skin texture and creates total relaxation

Dermalogica Facial - Using an active combination of plant extracts, hydro essential botanicals, alpha hydroxy fruit acids and botanical enzymes, this deep cleansing prescriptive facial is packed full of vitamins and vitality, delivering intense hydration and leaving the skin totally energised

Sauna Treatment - improves blood circulation, enhances detoxification, provides deep skin cleansing and rejuvenation, and relieves tension and stress

Hamam Steam Treatment- relieves muscle tension and stiff joints, boosting the immune system, provides lymph detoxification, improves blood circulation, relieves sinus congestion

Manicure or Pedicure Treatment - complete your experience with a cute touch!

Total package worth over £150!

To be in with a chance of winning this luxurious prize, simply answer the following question.

The actor Will Smith played a superhero in which of the following movies?

A. Hancock
B. Hitch
C. Hannibal

If you think the answer is A text Spa A to 82055
If you think the answer is B text Spa B to 82055
If you think the answer is C text Spa C to 82055

Good luck!

Nature’s Parlour & The Beauty Village Family xxx

Competition ends at midnight on the Friday 14th November 2008. Prize draw will take place on the 16th November 2008. Winner will be contacted directly. Check out the website link www.beautyvillage.co.uk/press after 16th November to discover the winner! Good luck! Text cost £1.50 plus standard network charges. Entrants must be 18 or over.

Ever wondered what some of the basic principals of loc’ing your hair would involve…? Well here are some simple pointers for you:

There are a few ways to loc including:
*two strand twists, which get washed and re-twisted without combing the hair through - a very presentable, tidy way to do it)
*gel coils which get redone at the hair dressers fortnightly or so without combing through the hair - can be quite messy in between washes
*have plait extensions and keep getting the hair re-plaited without combing the hair through
*sister locs

There are three stages of growth:
*baby locs (look neat, cute and nice)
*teenage locs (don’t do anything you want them to do)
*mature locs (settled in, manageable, thank God you didn’t give up!)

There are two ways to maintain locs after (or in some cases in between) washing your hair:
*palm rolling
*latch hooking

Things to be aware of:

* if a hairdresser knows that you want to loc your hair they may charge you more money, saying that they’re “starting your locs off”. If on the other hand you say you want comb coils, you’ll be charged the normal price for comb coils; if you say you want your hair to be twisted they’ll charge you a reasonable price to do that too but use the term “please start my locs off” at great expense.
*don’t get your locs any thinner than pencil sized (unless you like Sister locs) - remember to be practical: Don’t have more locs on your head than you’ll be comfortable managing on your own

A good tip:
*If you’re going to have slim locs, have a centre parting from the front to the back of your head when you start them off so that you can have neat bunches/pony tails, etc when your locs mature

There are some great Yahoo! groups which you could join including
*LadyLocs (Good site)
*Lovinlocs (I highly recommend this one!!!)

Natural Products for your Natural Hair

*Maintain your hair with natural shampoos, conditioners and oils - no beeswax, wax or petroleum based products as they are almost impossible to wash out of your locs.

Want to know more about loc’ing your hair or any of the pointers mentioned above?  Post your questions below…

Yours naturally,

Xina

Aloe Vera has powerful properties and is often overlooked - so, we’re going to give it a well earned spot light here.

Aloe Vera has a calming effect on irritations, sunburn, bites and stings and it’s anti-oxident properties make it a great anti-ageing ingredient.  It’s a plant which is versatile in both its health giving benefits as well as in the way it can be used.

When used externally for skin and hair care, it replenishes moisture levels and sends nutrients to sub-dermal levels and is absorbed into the hair shaft. It has superb anti-inflammatory properties so is great as a weekly face mask especially on spotty, irritated skin.  It’s antiseptic and calming effects also make it a perfect toner.

It’s lesser known use in shaving preparations give wonderful results for those prone to razor rash. Use during the shaving process with a light shaving oil and then again - neat - after shaving. Once thoroughly absorbed into the skin, follow with a moisturiser.

Nature’s Parlour has a selection of products available for sale which canbe obtained from the Aloe Vera section of the Parlour

This is one of the Parlour’s most popular products and it’s easy to see why. It has a wonderful aroma, lathers very well and offers a luxurious bathing experience. The jojoba beads are small and soft, so are gentle enough to be used on the daily on the face as well as the rest of the body.

It is an exemplary cleanser and I find it’s one of the best make-up removers on the market. It leaves the skin cleansed but not dry or taut.

A firm family favourite, it’s wonderful for problem skin - eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc. It can be used as a shampoo and due to it’s moisturising properties would be particularly suitable for afro hair but is not recommended for locs due to the presence of the jojoba beads which could be very difficult to remove from locked hair.

Shea moisture’s liquid black soap is available from the bath & body section of the Parlour

You may know many of the myths surrounding acne and it’s causes, but here is an article that takes those myths down one by one and gives us a greater insight to this skin disorder

Do you have a special occasion coming up? Your wedding, graduation, new job…? Or perhaps you simply want noticeably more beautiful, healthier, younger looking skin? If you do, the 10 Years Younger Kit is just for you!

20% off or 10% off?…you decide - but hurry, the sale ends Bank Holiday Monday!

20% Sale: Friday, 15th August - Sunday, 17th August. Spend just £20 to qualify for a 20% discount on the contents of your shopping basket.

What’s the best kind of product you can use to aid against ageing skin? You might be surprised to know that sun cream is your best defence, read here to find out why.

Pampering is a necessary way to add balance to your busy life. For user friendly tips and suggestions read on…