Chlobo's Closet Beauty: Number Xleven

My monthly piece of heaven, where I can come, pamper myself and leave feeling me again, just ten times better! Number Xleven, located in the hustle and bustle of the popular centre of Stow-on-the-Wold, a very big Cotswold favourite amongst tourists and locals.

Stow is my nearest local town, it is quite small but for necessities it is perfect, especially when I get to come to my little corner of peace. Obviously I do not just venture to the salon out of easy access for myself but having had so many trials and errors along the path of beauty go so incredibly wrong, I was constantly trying to find the best salon with the best professionals to give me what I was looking for. Number Xleven came to me through recommendation and in my disastifaction and pain from my the last place I had visited, I was incredibly eager to come and try the treatments and put them to the test. To my absolute delight everything I have ever receieved has been beyond fabulous, so in a small way I am  quite pleased that my previous experiences were so disasterous. In finding Number Xleven I have never looked back, being a happy customer of theirs for almost a year now - how time flies!!

The salon is stunning, I love the way they have styled the salon with the colour schemes and décor, inside and out. It really fits in with the Cotswold stone and country vibe of the town, whilst making you feel very cosy and at home. Inside you will find the team of girls, not are they just wonder women in the beauty treatment department but they offer such a large range of treatments, haircuts and styling, plus a variety of skin and haircare products. This is one reason why I love it here so much because you have such a diversity in products and treatments on offer, it is fantastic. The girls are really clever with years of experience and are so friendly, they will make you feel like a member of their family , as you can see that they all get on marvellously. The minute you walk in you absorb the enthusiasm they all have for doing their jobs and working together as a great team. You are always greeted with warm, gorgeous smiles and immediately you feel like you are in safe hands. I shall just give you a brief introduction on the lovely ladies we have, that are making woman around the Cotswolds look stunning; Nicky the talented owner of Number Xleven and master of hair, Kate the whiz with her hands at tattooing, who gives defined cuts and styling,plus she is great at gents cuts too boys!! We then have Chrissie and Bubbles, experienced hair dressers and beauticians who are equally charming and  gifted with their work. With any of the girls you are in safe hands and all of them are fantastic at what they do, they are all kind, friendly and nothing is too much for them so they will try to cater to any need you might have. 

The treatments I usually come in for are monthly waxes including bikini, legs and eyebrows. Recently though due to my awful skin I have started to have facials done here and Bubbles (my beautcian) and I have been working together to try and build up a useful skincare regime that compliments my skin type, to try and correct the evil little red blighters that seem to pop up like daisies onto my skin sometimes. I shall discuss the facials in further detail below. 

Wax Treatments

Going up to the cosy, tranquil treatment room is bliss. Lightly lit with soothing tones and comforting sounds you are in a place of relaxation. This is where I slip myself onto the comfy bed and could easily fall asleep for a very long time. 

Speaking for myself I prefer to have waxes, purely because the effects last longer, you have smoother skin and it saves me time and energy on doing it myself. I would much rather have a professional do it for me, where I can appreciate that it looks neat and tidy. If  I did it myself I would be in an awful mess, perhaps some of you who have tried at home waxing kits might have an inkling to what I am referring to. Here at Number Xleven they offer a range of waxing treatments, I have put the list of what they offer below should you require further information, price done to the Great British Pound.

WAXING TREATMENTS

THE BIKINI                                             20 
CALIFORNIAN/MOHICAN                          35         
BRAZILIAN                                             40
HALF LEG WAX                                       20
3/4 LEG WAX                                         22
FULL LEG WAX                                       26
UNDERARM WAX                                    15
FACIAL WAX                                          15
BIKINI & FULL LEG                                 38
HALF LEG BIKINI & U/ARM                      48

I have a half leg wax done every month. Just above my knees as my hairs are fairly light towards the top, so I am quite lucky as I do not need to touch this area. Please arrange for a consultation anywhere you go, as everyone is different and this treatment may not suit your needs. Following my leg wax, we then usually move on to the bikini area. I often have a standard bikini wax, just as this is what suits me. The waxes for leg and bikini are performed with hot wax, therefore this technique should be far less painful than strip waxing. It is quick and effective, I do not find any discomfort with any of my waxes but like I previously mentioned everyone is different. I find the process of it all very relaxing and I thoroughly enjoy having a good catch up with my beautician Bubbles and finding out all the fun and exciting things she has been getting  up to. 

We then move onto my eyebrow waxing, which does not usually take too long. Again using the soothing hot wax, it goes on as easily as it comes off. Quick, painless and simple. I get mine waxed to the natural shape of my brow, so it looks chic, stylish and not over the top. All in all I am probably in the treatment room roughly an hour so told for waxes, this is hard to pin point as I am such a chatter box in there I get carried away. Below you can see the before and after shots of my brows, excuse my face and the slight redness - this is to be expected when you have any  form of brow wax treatment.

Facials

Beauty Express  35 mins  £40     
To reduce fine lines and wrinkles after only one treatment, Pores are opened to enable specialised anti-ageing ingredients to penetrated deep into the skin.

Above is the facial I tend to opt for and does exactly what is says on the tin! At Number Xleven they offer a couple of facial treatments, using the best products on the market - Dermosthetique. This is how I discovered LA Biosthetique, which I discussed with you in a previous post. Since having facials here I have started a serious love affair with the products of Dermosthetique and the difference made already in my skin is unbelievable. 

So we begin with Bubbles taking out three very cute glass bottles in very bright daring shades, which get placed in front of me. This looks very scientific and I can't help but get drawn in by the bottles which look like witches potions. With these bottles they are going to tell me how dehydrated my skin is, how high my oils are and just how my skin is behaving at the present moment. It is all very clever and what you see is very interesting. Firstly you cleanse a small area on the face with a cotton wool ball, you follow this with the oil lotion. With the cotton wool ball, a small application of the second bottle goes on. It starts one colour and then you can see it gradually changing, when it stops you match it to a colour chart which tells you how high or low your oil levels are. This procedure is followed again for hydration levels. Very clever indeed, if only I knew about this years ago and some of the damage may have been prevented. From my skin test I learnt that I have oily skin that is also dehydrated. Now I thought that if you have oily skin the worst thing to do was to moisturise and I thought in some odd way the skin was sort of moist from the oils. Wrong, your skin can still be dehydrated with oil and finding the right moisturiser will justify and do wonders, as I found. So having had our skin test and realising what is wrong, Bubbles can now decide which products are going to work with my skin type and correct some of the damage. For the next thirty-five minutes I lightly doze in pure ecstasy and relaxation at having my face gently massaged, and inhaling delicate notes of scrumptious scents of products that caress my skin. When Bubbles comes to the end of the facial, I gently come to and quickly ponder whether it is safe to drive being this relaxed. We go through again what I need to be doing in my skin care routine and what to avoid, whilst I start scanning the products with my eyes - I can never resist buying myself some treats when leaving here. When booking in for a facial you will automatically have a consultation, where they can determine your skin type and find what products you need to be using. I leave the salon looking gorgeously glowing and feeling a million dollars. On my way back to the car I cannot help looking in as many mirrors as possible, checking my healthy glow. To my delight I even get complimented through the afternoon on how wonderful my skin looks and asked what make up am I using? I get to respond by saying, I am not wearing any make up. it is just a very good facial!!

If you are local or are visiting the area and need some you time, pampering or even if you are looking to treat a loved one, then I highly recommend this salon. With the best of the best under one roof, with a wonderful team of pros, what can be better? I have had the best experiences here and will long be a customer of their's for a very long time, keep up the wonderful work girls you are doing some fabulous, great things and we love you!!

For further information, details and promotions on Number Xleven please visit;

www.number11stow.com or alternatively you can find them on Facebook. 

Please keep your eyes peeled on the blog, as there will be lots more exciting things with Number Xleven coming your way. Including more information on facials and a very scientific approach with a special camera to investigate the standards of your scalp. We all should know that a healthy scalp, means healthy growing hair, so I am very excited to be coming back to see what sort of state my hair is in with this magical camera. 

Chlobo's Closet looks forward to another visit to Number Xleven and thank you girls for all you do.

Chlobo's Closet Beauty: Scissors of Campden

Nestled in the heart of the popular old sheep market town, Chipping Campden, you will find the treasure that is Scissors of Campden. An amazing hair salon that will transform your look in an instance, making you feel fantastic and fabulous.

The staff here are highly recommended, this shows with the high amounts of bookings they often take. They provide a truly friendly service and cater to your every need, making you feel at home, relaxed and in good hands. Josie has done my hair numerous times and is a fantastic hair colourist and stylist amongst the girls at the salon, she also makes me incredibly envious every time I see her because one she is drop dead gorgeous and her hair is always flawless.

When I had shorter hair I was at a bit of a loose end on what to do with it. I am not keen on myself having a short hair do, as they don't suit me. Therefore she created the most chicest braid on me. I don't know how she did it but she was a whizz with her hands and hey presto fifteen minutes later.... Voila.

Of course the girls cover pretty much anything you can think of, up do's for a special occasion or just a treat, fancy blow outs and colouring. Take a peak below to see one of my personal favourite blow dries.

Now let's talk about some colour! As we all know, for the past year or so hair colour has had a major overhaul, with ombré styles and balayage coming into play, to mention a few. You will see here some of the wonderful changes on some drop dead gorgeous girls.

The natural looking ombré style this client has had below, was breathtaking! The client had come in with box dyed hair and Josie pre-lightened and toned it. As ombré styles are meant to look natural with the colours blending into each other, Josie then put through a full head of foils and added a golden toner to finish.

There are also some amazing ombré and coloured styles the girls have done, which can be viewed below, finished off with flirty blow-dries and styling.

Also having had a bit of a browse on their page, please visit and have a look for yourself! I have to get Josie to do this for me! I am totally in love with this style, which can be worn anyway, anytime for any event or function. You can see that they are very creative with hair! Absolutely stunning, I cannot wait to get this tried out on myself!

Now let's talk boys, yes there is no sexism here ladies and gents. They do very stylish, on trend mens cuts. My partner frequently visits the salon and quotes, "It is the only salon I have visited in the past decade where they have done what I wanted and better." What more can I say. Take a look at my friends brother who had his hair cut and styled to perfection.

I really do recommend a visit to the salon, professional treatment with great results and at reasonable prices! What is not to love here? Also the salon is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the Cotswolds, so why not enjoy the quaint country shops, pubs and tea shops in Chipping Campden and show off that brand new do!!

Please visit Scissors Campden on Facebook or alternatively pop in for a consultation.

Enjoy everyone, love Chlobo xxx

Chlobo's Closet Culture & Travel: Stratford Upon Avon

      

                                             

It is sadly drawing to an end with my current job within Stratford-upon-Avon as in a few weeks time I will be setting off on another adventure with my fiancé to explore Asia. With nostalgia sinking In, I felt it would be fitting to share with you some of my favourite highlights of Stratford. 

I am fairly local to the area and since living in the Cotswolds for the past twenty two years, Stratford has often been a place I have frequently visited. I was also very fortunate to spend a lot of social time with friends whilst at secondary school in Chipping Campden here and more lucky to attend Stratford's college. For the past year I have basically been living here as a nanny, caring for three wonderful boys. Therefore I have been able to see parts of the town, that I have not seen before over the years and I have been truly blessed to work in a beautifully cultured environment.

As a lot of you may know Stratford-upon-Avon is a honey pot for tourism and is the home town of the famous English writer Shakespeare. Without sharing the generic usual sights of the town, I would like to take you on a tour of my Stratford.

Halls Croft

       

       

          

Above we have Halls Croft, which was the home of Susanna Shakespeare who was the daughter of William Shakespeare. Here she lived with her husband Dr John hall, who later had a daughter together. The architecture is beautifully constructed and makes you feel like you have gone back to the period to which they once lived. This is one reason why I love this town, for the quaint cottages are a true reflection of British country lifestyle. Unfortunately I did not have the time to go inside the house or gardens but you can see below a sneak peak of the Shakespeare gardens. I sincerely recommend a visit in late spring, early summer as the roses and flowers are breathtaking. 

                                      

                               

                                  

Bancroft & The Royal Shakespeare Company

     

                               

     

I am now going to take you to a very popular local hotspot, as well as being popular with tourists;Stratford's Bancroft. Bancroft is situated around the corner from the Royal Shakespeare Company and I have spent many a summers day sat on the grass. It is a beautiful park area, which you can spend hours walking along the canal wathcing the boats going up and down and the graceful swans. I also appreciate this part of the town because opposite the park is one of my favourite pubs - The Dirty Duck. 

                                     

                                   

The Dirty Duck offer traditional English food all year round and have a lovely seating area outside the front, which is ideal for people watching or if you prefer they have a pretty pub garden around the back. My main appreciation for the Dirty Duck is they let you take drinks out onto the Bancroft. This is bliss in the summer when you are with friends, watching the world go by with some Pimms. This is my little piece of heaven. 

As you can see below the Royal Shakespeare Company is right around the corner. Please excuse my poor photos, especially the one with the van - unfortunately the working world does not stand still. In all honesty though I did not want to share too much of the theatre, as they have changed the surrounding area a lot. Years ago there was no paving and shiny railings, it used to be paths and vass amounts of grass. In the summer it was always so busy, you could not even see a sign of a blade of grass. There also used to be room for street entertainers but unfortunately with the towns moderation this has disintegrated somewhat. I think it is quite sad as a local, how modern they have made this part of the town and I think it has tampered with some of its culture. I understand the theatre needed work done to preserve the original theatre where Shakespeare famously put on his plays. I remember being a student and campaigning for the green to be kept and for the trees also to be left and not torn out. However it does not look too bad but I did prefer it how it was before, this is just my old fashioned opinion.

     

     

                                     

                                     

The Elizabethan Gardens

Also known as the memorial gardens, I love to visit here if I need some quiet time. It is very tranquil and peaceful and always kept to perfection. You can also find interesting sculptures made by Greg Wyatt which reflects on the Shakesperian plays; Hamlet, Twelfth Night, The Tempest and A Midsummer's Nights Dream to name a few. Each statue supported by a pillar has a message on it, which I think is really sweet. When I visit here, it is almost dream like, sometimes I like to pretend I am in a fantasy world just wafting through, taking in all the stories that we often hear so much of. 

                                    

                                          

                                         

Anne Hathaway's Cottage

We now come towards the end of our little journey through my Stratford. I could go on endlessly about the picturesque places here but as I mentioned I wanted to show you the highlights that are not so tainted by the tourism here. We have ended our route with William Shakespeare's wifes house, Anne Hathaway. Again another beautifully crafted cottage, tucked away out of the busy town and nestled in the hamlet called Shottery. The thatched farmhouse contains original items of family furniture including the Hathaway bed. The grounds are breathtaking and I suggest visiting in Spring/Summer when the flowers are in full bloom and you can appreciate the blooms and shrubs. The garden is also decorated with stunning willow creations, which you can see in the background in one of my images. After taking in the history and beautiful culture surrounding you, there is also a cafe a few yards up the road, should you require snacks and refreshments. 

                                                                                                                                                             

      

                               

                                      

       

        

So our journey has come to an end, for now at least anyway. I hope you enjoyed some of my favourite spots in the wonderful picture perfect town of Stratford-upon-Avon. I am sure I will miss all of this whilst I am away but it is not forever, I will be back to the Shire.