The Spa Break we were invited to try is a two night stay: double room, half board, two hours per day in the spa and a choice of complementary treatments (two mini or one full treatment). You pay for additional treatments as you wish and there are lots to choose from, from manicures to full body mud masks.  When you’re not in the spa there’s endless family orientated entertainment on site to keep you amused. You can even get married!

The spa is a large and airy space and you can easily laze around for a couple of blissful hours enjoying yourself. It has a great ambience and, despite being tranquil, you don’t feel that you have to creep around in silence. The mood is laid back and friendly and we shared the spa with couples, a Butlin’s bride on her honeymoon plus entourage, and mums enjoying a break while their little ones were entertained elsewhere.

The spa experience is designed around the principles of stimulating the circulation by warming, heating and cooling the body. As you might expect, there’s a hot tub outside on the balcony and a Hydrospa with underwater jets and waterfall.

Then there’s the aforementioned disco shower – with flashing lights and speakers that blast out ‘Disco Inferno’ when you press a button – which offers a choice of warm tropical rain or cold drench settings: the latter induces a fair amount of squealing. You can else enjoy the crystal steam room (45º c, 95-100% humidity), which is hot, dark and aromatically steamed. It’s equipped with two cold showers and we dared each other to give them a go (an over-the-head soaking proved to the ultimate breath-taking challenge). Or why not sweat it out in 85º c dry heat of the sauna – before heading for the Snow Cave, a –16º c den of ice and snow.

Step inside (in your swimsuit!) for a quick chill down (and snow ball fight!) then nip back to the steam room or sauna and reheat yourself up all over again: I promise you, this is the best fun you will ever have in a spa!

Finally give in to the allure of a heated poolside lounger and magazine (all current!), refresh yourself with complementary fresh fruit and cooled water or order champagne and snacks to enjoy within the spa area.

The treatment rooms – there are ten of them – are situated to the side of the spa area, down a rather fabulous corridor that wouldn’t be out of place in a swanky London hotel.

The rooms are large and well equipped: bonus points for having showers which make body treatments much more practical. I had a great back massage from a skilled therapist – I asked for maximum pressure (so fussy about that) and that’s what I got.

Special mention goes to the Exclusive Butlin’s Treatments, including Beauty & The Beach, a top to toe pamper complete with seagull calls and ice cream, and the Sporting Highlights Massage for Men with accompanying projected highlights of sporting classics to keep him amused.

I should mention that this is not the sort of spa break where you are likely to drop a dress size. We ate at a couple of Butlin’s restaurants (lost count of how many there are to choose from!) and loved Turner’s (developed by TV chef Brian Turner) for its delicious classic British menu (best chicken pie I’ve ever eaten, by the way). The great Butlin’s breakfast runs to an ‘as much as you can eat’ selection of bacon and eggs, omlette, pancakes, cereal and toast. You can, however, book an Inchwrap treatment at the spa as a sort of rear guard action.

Most spa breaks tend to be big on treatments but sparing on pulsating nightlife, but yet again Butlin’s breaks the mould. I admit that on the first night we were so relaxed that we were in bed by 9pm watching The Apprentice with a bottle of wine. But night two saw us heading out to the resort nightclub to watch a great Michael Jackson tribute band. All included in the price, too (you just pay for drinks).

One last thing, you can’t review a trip to Butlin’s without mentioning the staff. There are lots of them, and everyone from the spa therapists to the handy men who came to mend our hairdryer was charming and professional.

We’d go back any day!

Our Butlin’s spa break cost £338 for two.

You can also visit the spa as a day guest, which costs £19 per two hour session plus treatments T: 01243 845211 to book.

INTRAcel isn’t just one of the most expensive treatments I’ve reviewed: it’s also one of the most painful, which is why Dr Natalie applied skin-numbing anesthetic gel to my face prior to my treatment. It takes half an hour for the anesthetic to work and during that time I flicked through a copy of OK! wondering how many celebrity faces had, at some point, been numbed for the sake of beauty and feeling increasingly nervous.

In case you're wondering why they numb your face: microneedles in close up.

Each INTRAcel treatment involves the repeated use of tiny insulated microneedles that penetrate the surface of the skin and transmit Fractional Radio Frequency energy. This intensely heats the lower layers without damaging the top surface (hence little downtime). As a result, the skin is stimulated to repair itself and it does this by producing collagen (which skin loses naturally as it ages), a protein that gives it strength and elasticity. As a result wrinkles, scarring and sagging diminish. I’m told that optimum results are achieved six months after treatment as the skin rejuvenates itself over time, although first improvements can be seen within days. One to three treatments are recommended (do the maths and start saving!).

Being a wimp, all I could think about was the pain, which ranged from the equivalent of a mild pinch to what I image is the equivalent of being stapled. Dr Natalie left no area untreated – including the difficult-to-treat eye area (INTRAcel is meant to be particularly effective here), upper lip and neck. I’d taken my over size sunglasses to hide the resulting redness, but frankly they were nowhere near big enough to hide my forehead-to-throat glow. Meanwhile my skin felt sunburnt hot. To the rescue (because this reaction is expected), Dr Natalie gave me an ice-cold face mask, while she explained the recovery process: no make up for 24 hours, precautionary cold sore medication (one of INTRAcel’s few possible side effects is that it can cause a cold sore outbreak), SPF30 sun block to be worn for at least two weeks, plus a glycolic skin peel to be used after five days to remove any needling marks.

Beneath the redness, I thought I could see plumper looking skin and faded lines already and got quite excited until Dr Natalie told me that what I could see was probably temporary swelling.

Thankfully within half an hour the heat sensation had faded to a mild, very bearable tingling. My skin felt tight, especially around my upper lip, which made drinking tea somewhat amusing but other than that it felt fine. Within a few hours the redness had faded to such an extent that when my children got home from school they didn’t even comment on it (too busy raiding the biscuit tin to notice).

The next morning my cheeks felt vaguely sore and glowed a bit more than usual. There were some faint grid marks which I could conceal with make up. I spent far too much time looking in the mirror and felt slightly ridiculous for it.

After six days I used the peel, which was painless but had to be left on for three hours. More peering into the mirror revealed impressive results. I could go on about younger looking skin, but frankly I can’t remember ever having a complexion as radiant as this, at any age. My lines are less noticeable too – more on one side than the other interestingly (Dr Natalie reassures me that, at this stage, that’s probably due to the remains of the swelling). In short, I look as if I’ve been mildly Photoshopped.

But enough of the mirror: would anyone notice a difference? The next day I have a meeting with a beauty therapist who I have known for a several years. I was there to discuss a forthcoming launch event but before we were half way through the guest list she stopped and asked me what I had had done “because your skin looks amazing”…. Not bad considering the final results won’t show for another six months! Will keep you updated…

I had my INTRAcel treatment at The Light Touch Clinic, Guildford, Surrey.

Visit the Ad Hoc London store at 153 King’s Road London SW3 or view the ranges and do a bit of online shopping here.

Vulpine Merino Cycling Top. And for the record, I don't cycle in these sunglasses.

Merino wool is nature’s gift to those who love outdoor pursuits. Not only is it super soft, it is also ultra efficient at keeping you comfortable. This is because it is hydrophilic – which means it draws sweat from the skin allowing it to evaporate so you stay cool, and it traps warm dry air next to your skin to keep you snug. The other benefit is that it is naturally odour-resistant so, as long as you haven’t had too much of a mud pasting, you shouldn’t have to wash it every time you wear it.

So, what’s it like to ride in?

This Vulpine top is from the men’s range as  there’s no women’s range at the moment  (it’s in the pipeline!) and as they’re a new brand we’ll let them off. Being 5’ 10”, I really appreciated the extra long length – no chance of the sort of chilled kidney malady that well meaning people who aren’t doctors warn you about. It also features a silicone waist gripper (more of a hip gripper on me) to stop it from riding up as well as three rear pockets. One of the pockets has a zip so there’s no chance of your flapjack bouncing out as you hurl yourself off the edge of a ravine – one less thing to worry about, I think you’ll agree.

Somewhere to keep your flapjack safe.

Worn both alone (plus arm warmers – I don’t like cold wrists) and as a base layer it was brilliant at keeping my body temperature comfortable and enabling it to stabilise quickly after a heart-rate raising climb or breezy descent. It’s a ‘second skin’ level of comfort – so light and efficient that you hardly know you’re wearing it.

I did have some concerns about durability and at this point I’d like to say that I fell off halfway round the ride solely to see if the top would rip upon hitting the rooty, rock strewn ground.  But actually I fell off because I hit a wet stick that turned out to be a tad more ‘technical’ than my speed and approach had allowed for. Anyway, the top survived intact. Which is more than can be said for the stick.

I’m not sure how merino would fair in the ultimate test – top vs bramble (and here comes the horrific bramble story!): a friend of mine had to endure twenty seven stiches in his throat after a bramble entanglement – NEVER RIDE INTO A BRAMBLE AT SPEED IN THE DARK – so, rather than risk life, limb and throat, I’m simply going to guess that most tops wouldn’t fare much better, this one included. However, and on a more fashion-oriented note, Vulpine assures me that the top is not given to bobbling. Thank goodness as I’m sure a bobble can be, in certain circles, almost as horrific as stitches in the throat.

Having rubbed the mud off the top at the end of the ride, I can report that it didn’t need to go in the wash (this isn’t just because I’d only been round the block for two minutes either – I’d be up hill and down dale for hours). In fact, I mooched around the house in it for the rest of the day, feeling toasty*.  However, if you’re the type who tends to produce great outpourings of sweat then you may, of course, find differently.

Vulpine Merino Button Jersey costs £80 – but will probably last the rest of your cycling life (brambles permitting) so a worthy investment, I think.

* Update – I’ve ridden in it four times and still not washed it. And I still have friends.

Buy one, and have a nosey round the Vulpine website, here.

Photo credits: Photo: Paul Mitchell

Thanks to Howard at Pedal & Spoke in Peaslake, Surrey for letting us shoot outside his shop and for the props.

Bit of a homemade effort here: my other half (who is a pro photographer) took these photos for me (‘lets try a bit of ringflash’ – good idea!)  and my daughter, who appears to have nailed the art of a good photo wink, is the model. I was the art director (drank tea, pretended to know what was going on). Out of over 100 frames, it came down to these two images and having agonised about which one to choose, I went for the wink because its more eye catching. Think the wig probably looks better in the second shot though. Anyway, I love them both.

Here’s the other one.

Let’s play art director for a moment. Which shot would you choose?

Annabelle’s Wigs Blunt Cropped wig in Denim Blue  From Asos £30. Photo: Paul Mitchell

Dress by Tara Keely at Miss Bush, make up by InParlour, flowers by Bloomingayles

First of all, the lowdown on that name. I’m told by shop owner Emma (purple fringe, ex-goth and ex-London PR) that a succession of Miss Bushes ran a sweet shop and tea room where the bridal store now stands. They enjoyed a reputation for being somewhat ‘fast’ and so when the bridal shop opened way back in 1988 it seemed fitting to name the shop in homage to them and their bawdy ways.

Emma joined the store in 1994 and has gone on to create something of a destination for happening brides who flock here from all over Surrey and London (head down the A3, trip over the M25 and you’re here – no passport required). Out went the meringue frocks and fascinators, in came gold crystal shoes, black strapless bridesmaid gowns from New York and wedding dresses so fabulous that they make your jaw drop.

Shoes by Benjamin Adams

A great fashion show is always about more than the clothes, and the make up by InParlour and hair by Bloomingayles was right on-trend. Loved the ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ tousled hair entwined with yellow and white flowers – a bit of Kate Bush for Miss Bush  – and a refreshing million miles away from the crispy curls and tacky tiaras of the Hello! bride generation.

Dress by Noir by Lazaro at Miss Bush, make up by InParlour, flowers by Bloomingayles

Welcome too the return of barely-there make up as fake tan and multi-lashes beat a long overdue retreat. The classic natural look for brides gets an update though with arched brows, flushed cheeks and matt lips (ditch the  gloss!) in candy cane pink or orange. Gorgeous.

Find out more about Miss Bush here and see more show pictures on the Rock My Wedding blog here

For me, Liz Earle botanical skincare is the ‘Aga’ of cosmetics: proudly British, sensibly dependable, big on quality and much-loved by a fantastically loyal clientele.

In fact if I had a fiver for every time one of my  friends has sworn allegiance to Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, I’d probably be rich enough to afford the sort of large 4×4 that many Surrey ladies choose to shoehorn into Guildford’s car parks.

Guildford, meanwhile, is a quietly posh haven for the well heeled. As a snapshot, brands like Jaegar, Jack Wills and Barbour have been on the High Street forever. The House of Fraser beauty hall sits slap bang opposite a Space NK store, which is just round the corner from Heal’s. You really don’t see much evidence of an economic downturn, apart from the sad demise of Habitat.

So, when it comes to Liz Earle, I can’t think of a beauty brand and a town more suited to each other. And judging from the in-store message board, neither can its customers: ‘Guildford loves you’ seems to be the general consensus.

And what a lot there is to love! This is the only Liz Earle store outside London to have a treatment room, available seven days a week and solidly booked already, where I was treated to a Liz Earle signature facial combining traditional hands-on techniques as well as steaming, vacuum suction and high frequency technology.  This ‘leave no beauty stone unturned’ treatment costs £90 for ninety minutes – and if you’re doing ‘fashion maths’ (the only maths I’ll ever be any good at!) this works out at quite a bargain compared to the damage you could do to your credit card in the same time at Kurt Geiger or Donna Ida, both of which are just across the road.

You can stock up on the entire Liz Earle range and enjoy the ‘serene yet interactive environment’ complete with comfy chairs, a sink (why don’t all beauty stores have one of these?) and a mini library where you can find out more about the brand. On Friday afternoons they serve tea and cake, a ritual designed to encourage customers to get together for a chat. A fabulous idea although, no doubt, quite a few customers disappear at around 3.30 to do the private school run…

Find out more about the Liz Earle Guildford store and the brand here!

I’ve mentioned before that I think REN products are some of the best you can buy, and Marielle Alix, Head of Therapy & Training for Ren, is a facialist of extraordinary skill so all in all it was a bit of win-win situation for me.

In fact, the only problem was trying to stay awake while my face was massaged with the brand’s very lovely and sweet smelling oils and luxurious creams.  This I managed to do by asking professional-sounding questions. Meanwhile my brain drifted into that deliciously deep place full of profound thoughts that isn’t quite the land of nod and is the reason that I love a good facial.

‘Is there a name for this state of soporific bliss?’ I asked in one of my more lucid moments (about the time the face mask was removed, I think). To summarise the ensuing discussion, it appears there isn’t. ‘Relaxed’ doesn’t get near it, ‘meditative’ is a bit too worthy (after all I’d done nothing but lay on my back), and ‘nirvana’ too Kurt and Courtney.  ‘Away with the fairies’ would be a serious contender if it wasn’t the term used a few years back by the midwife who took my gas and air away when I was in labour (because I wasn’t listening to her, apparently), while ‘stupor of wonderment’ is a bit too silly.

So, such a lovely place to be…but no name for it. Unless you know better?

photo: Paul Mitchell

While most of us don’t have a Swede (by which I mean a man and not a root vegetable) to hand you can at least spruce up your existing bloke with the Swedish sportswear brand Ron Dorff Skargaard Body Care Collection, a range designed to ‘maintain the active man’s body’ and formulated with Swedish spring water and a fresh, clean fragrance ‘inspired by the brisk wind of the Swedish archipelago’ – or in other words, manly.

Admittedly, it will take a lot of ‘sprucing’ to get your average bloke up to the standard above. But you can have fun trying.

Available from www.thegroomingclinic

Survey Source: http://www.travelersdigest.com/best_looking_men_2.htm

Wonderlip is the first launch in the new Lubatti anti-age range, which features a unique Hyaluronic Acid complex to keep skin firm, hydrated and plump. In clinical tests lip volume increased by up to 40%, hydration improved by up to 60% and lip softness increased by up to 70%. It contains UVA & UVB filters and is paraben free.

Lubatti is a brand with a wonderful heritage: Madame Lubatti was a skin care guru who used her own secret recipes, some which date back to the 1920s, on royalty and film stars including Ava Gardner and Vivien Leigh. The recipes were handed down to British facialist Tracey Malone, a skin care expert who herself works with royalty and Hollywood elite, and developed into the Lubatti range. The result is a collection of products that bring glamour and timelessness to skincare.

Lubatti is all about luxury and Wonderlip certainly delivers that. It glides over your lips, with no drag or stickiness and absorbs in seconds so its perfect to wear under lipstick. The cream formula means it can also be used around the lips to target fine lines.

Wonderlip costs £29 so think of it as a lip treatment product (to be used, as directed, three times a day!)  - definitely not one to be lost in the bottom of your handbag!

Lubatti Wonderlip is available here