My 5* Bathroom

Viakal sent me a handy guide - "How to Achieve 5-star Results in Your Own Bathroom" in which Louise O'Mahony, provider of housekeepers to 5* hotels across the capital shares some of the industry secrets on how to make your own bathroom look as stunning as those in top hotels.  Knowing that I live in a MEGA hard water part of the country, this seemed like rather an optimistic challenge but probably not as much of a challenge as dealing with this...

Little did Viakal know that my planned bathroom rennovations would take 'for-ev-er' and that when my 5 star guide arrived I would be clearing up plaster dust on a daily basis.  That said, I knew that a shiny new bathroom would be the perfect way to put Louise O'Mahony's five-star bathroom tips to the test.  What better challenge that to try and keep a new bathroom looking like new?

Before

Before

Even two days after our beautiful new bathroom was complete I could already see the effects of the local limescale on our taps and shower fittings.  I've resolved to keep everything looking as new so at the weekend I gave them a quick fix of Viakal bathroom spray to get rid of the water marks and after rinsing, I polished them with a soft cloth to make then look as good as new!

I've followed Louise's tips to ensure that all of the clutter is tidied away out of view; this required a bit of re-organising of the shelves in our cabinet but it was definitely worth it.  I've given the mirror cabinet a polish to get rid of toothpaste splatters! and limited the toiletries on show to be seriously scrummy ones only (functional ones hidden away from view).  I like it, it makes the room still feel like new.

I've placed a little aromatherapy oil burning stone on the window ledge with my favourite ESPA luxury aromatherapy oils (one for a pick-me-up in the morning, and a more mellow relaxing scent for the evening); it makes a much nicer touch than a bowl of pot pourri!

One of the things I'm not quite sure I yet agree with is a recommendation to avoid brightly coloured towels and bath-mats.  I love the crisp white towels but I feel like my room is crying out for a splash of colour.  I'm tempted by a vibrant green.  What do you think?

After

After

So here is what my bathroom looks like after this weekend's mini Viakal makeover.  I'm feeling inspired... it wasn't a lot of work and I think if I do a little bit of a tidy up every weekend I'll never be faced with the mammoth limescale clear up like I used to have to in my old bathroom.

Mums - What Makes You Feel Mellow?

If there was one thing I would ask for as a Mother's Day gift this year, it it would be a whole afternoon of just me.  Nobody else. No noise. A chance for me to do whatever it is I want to do and not have to rush.  The thing that makes me feel most mellow is a long hot bath with lots of time to spend pampering.  As I write this on a Tuesday evening after work I feel exhausted, stressed, sweaty and exasperated that, once again, bedtime for the girls took so long that I missed my opportunity to take a long hot bath and instead, tomorrow morning I will rush to squeeze in a shower before breakfast time and the school run.

For me, bathtime is not only my chance to indulge in a few of my favourite skincare products (one of the original starting points for my Mellow Mummy blog!) but it also signifies time.  Time for a bath means time for me.

Pebble Grey, bathroom accessory specialists asked me to think about what it is that makes my bathroom my place of sanctuary.  I love my bathroom - the two keys to a properly mellow bath are my heated towel rail (got to love a huuuuuuge bath sheet straight from the nice warm towel rail) and my LED Mirror which makes a really lovely light glow in the bathroom if I switch the main light off.  These two things set the mood but it is the pampering smellies which really make the occasion.

So here are my top tips for a mellow mummy bathtime experience this Mother's Day.

1. A really good quality bath milk or bath soak.   Bubbles are cool but they tend to disappear quickly so choose a product with a scent that you love and which works as an additive to the water that can keep your skin soft and well-loved.  I LOVE the Elemis bath milk as it leaves my skin feeling wonderful but the Neal's Yard Remedies bubble baths all smell amazing.

2. Turn the lights low and zone out.  These days I most enjoy having a bath after the girls have gone to bed because it is more likely that I will remain uninterrupted.  Though not guaranteed.

3. Use a gentle body exfoliator during your bath to slough off dead skin and leave your body feeling renewed.  This Agent Provocateur Silky Body Scrub is one of THE most awesome products I've ever come across.  My legs and arms felt soooooo good after I had used it and the room filled with the heady Maitresse scent.

4. Use a face mask or dedicated facial wash on delicate facial skin so as not to dry it out or irritate.  Modern Friction by Origins skincare is my current favourite exfoliating face treatment.

5. Bathtime doesn't have to finish once you get out of the bath. Once you're wrapped up in that warm bath sheet you can still find time to treat yourself.  Finish off with a slathering of a sumptuous, sweet-smelling body lotion and let your skin drink it up.

6. Finish off with a home manicure or pedicure (to me, the fact that I only find time to do this approximately once every three or four months means this is the ultimate indulgence).  Give your feet a scrub, rub in a little hand cream or foot cream, touch up those nails and lie back and wait for them to dry - the perfect excuse to stay still, chill out in the bathroom and not go anywhere for a little while longer.