The scrub of your life: Teal Anchor (Review)

Pampering and relaxation has never been high on the priority list for me. Gone are the days I would lather my skin in my grandma’s Nivea cream, or mix every bath and shower gel she had together to create my own special beauty remedy.

I'm the one that still use makeup wipes and soap to take my makeup off. And yes, I can hear you screaming from here...

When Teal Anchor, a new Aberdeen body scrub company approached me to try out their products, I was really excited to try get myself back into a routine pampering my skin with high quality products, the way it should be treated.

Ok yes, I’ll admit it, the first few times I had set out to try the scrubs I kept forgetting to take the darn things in with me. I’m a 100mph kind of gal, and it wasn’t until I had soaked my hair, that I’d remember about the scrubs. Pre-planning the morning ahead one night, scrub in place on the shower shelf, I was ready.

With six core scents in the range, featuring mint, lavender, black pepper, grapefruit, vanilla and tea tree, I had asked for a few different samples to try out to ensure I was getting to full Teal Anchor experience.  The scrubs all smelled very strong, and it was very easy to distinguish which smell was which. The jars the scrubs were presented in were lovely, and would make the perfect jars for holding trinkets or even homemade jams/marmalades – providing you washed them out thoroughly enough. They also came with a cute wee wooden spoon. As there is coconut oil in the mixture, it has the tendency to harden. The wooden spoon allows you to mix up the scrub, ensuring you can use it time and time again.

I decided the best way to apply the scrubs would be after I’d wet my skin. Scooping out a small handful of the mint scrub I began to scrub away. The sugar and oil based scrub was very gritty initially, as you would expect, and took a wee bit to take to my skin properly. I don’t know if it was because I was a ‘scrubbing’ beginner, but a little bit did not seem to go a long way.

On the second time sampling the scrubs, I decided to wet the product a little ahead of using it for the rest of my body, again I used the mint scrub. I found it to go on much easier this time and I didn’t waste so much of the product. It was easier to apply and was overall a much more pleasant experience. I spent time really massaging the product into my skin to ensure it could benefit from the natural ingredients within the scrub.

I'm not going to lie, I made a bit of a mess in the shower with the product, but it was fun to use and was easy to wash away.

With different variations of fine or thicker sugar available on request, and the ability to customise any of the scents to different colours, the team at Teal Anchor goes the extra mile for their customers.

I found that pat drying my skin with a towel left my skin feeling smooth and allowed my skin to absorb the products moisturising elements. As the scrub is oil based, my skin was a little oily afterwards, however, it wasn't bad and I knew it would be soaked up in no time.

I was also told that I could eat the scrubs, however, I wouldn't recommend it. Organic the scrubs may be, if you're going to eat one, or at least try tasting one, steer well clear of the lavender flavour...

The scrubs feature all natural ingredients, are vegan, and are homemade. With the core ingredients featuring sugar, coconut oil, green tea, sweet almond oil, and natural colouring, these scrubs are perfect for all skin types. If you have sensitive skin, I would definitely recommend getting the fine grain sugar for your scrubs, as this is less likely to irritate your skin.

I’m still a little unsure about the whole ‘scrubbing’ etiquette thing, but overall the products seem pretty cool. The brand’s ethos is nice and the two owners, Gillian Paterson and Sarah Marwick really seem to know their shit. They even handed me an information pack, showcasing promising plans for the business. I’m excited to see how they get on and look forward to seeing new scents and new products hitting their online shops shelves.

All of the scrubs are handmade to order. They are also available in refill packs for £9, meaning you can recycle your scrub jars too. All of the refill packs also come in recyclable paper packs. It is recommended to apply the scrubs 2-3 times a week for optimum results.

Teal Anchor was established in May 2016, and is available online from http://www.tealanchor.com/

Fancy trying the scrubs out for yourself? Use my 20% discount code for your first purchase. Enter 'JUST JULIA' at the checkout.

   For Now...

Just Julia

James Dun's House Aveda Lifestyle Salon: Aveda body massage

Luxurious back massages, manicures, pedicures and fabulous facials are every girls dream. Well, for those who are into spoiling themselves in their spare time, which traditionally isn't me at all.

Looking back, I've never really been one to visit spa's, not because I don't like them, but purely because I never seem to have  time, sorry, make time to spoil myself, and more importantly, spoil my body. My job in PR can be pretty stressful and getting a good night's sleep is pretty rare for me, especially during the week. So when Anna from James Dun's House invited me to try out their new bespoke Aveda body treatments, my body screamed yes. A spa virgin, this was set to be an exciting new experience...

Arriving at the Aberdeen city centre salon on Schoolhill, (they also have a salon in Glasgow) I was surprised at the size of the establishment, which consists of four floors and boasts an open-plan set up. The interiors of the salon are very soothing welcoming you with open arms, and I instantaneously felt at ease with myself. With natural, earthy tones throughout, it was clear that nature had been a big inspiration for the salons decor. After registering at reception I was left to chill out in the lounge, eagerly awaiting my spa treatment.

Lizette, one of the salon therapists and quite frankly miracle worker in my opinion, greeted me and instantly made me feel relaxed - she could probably see the fear in my eyes of not having a clue what I was doing. She led me down the grand staircase to the spa where I was left to change into a luxuriously soft, cotton robe in the serene, private spa treatment room. Lizette had urged me to take my time and really enjoy the experience. Feet placed in the warm foot bath, I patiently awaited Lizette's return. As she caressed my exhausted feet, with foot reflexology,  she explained the ethos of the salon and the purpose of the customised massage menu. Everyone's bodies react differently to stress and individuals experience stress in different ways. For me it was my upper body and my shoulders, as well as my neck which seemed to be the problem areas. Lizette was great at recommending which massage would be best for me, and felt the de-stressed therapy exactly what I needed. It's not very often I think about the effects stress has on my body, so it was extremely interesting to learn about it in such a chilled out environment.

Self-care and relaxation is important, and looking after our bodies can really influence how you feel about yourself, and how your body copes with stress.

The room smelled beautiful and was tranquil, exactly what I needed after a busy day at work. The music was soothing,  almost rocking me slowly to sleep. Lizette softly talked me through everything she was doing, ensuring not to disturb me too much. Holding a lavender scent in front of my face (which at this point I was face down on the bed) and guiding my breathing, she then got to work on my back. Now my treatment was in full swing...

After a good 45 minute stress-fix body massage, I definitely could have fallen asleep on that bed. Lizette performed a Swedish and deep tissue massage on my arms, legs, back, neck and shoulders, and even concentrated on acupressure points, guiding me through a calm meditation in rejuvenating my body. The massage itself was heavenly. Accompanied by the smells and the music, it truly was a magical experience. The serene ambiance of the room took me back to a beach somewhere nice and warm, and if I could have, I wouldn't have left.

Obviously I couldn't leave without taking a #robeselfie now could I!?

The new Aveda Body Wise treatments truly do leave you feeling divine and with a bespoke range tailored to your body's needs, the therapists can ensure you get the most out of your massage. The experience is a personal sensory journey, and is completely unique to everyone's individual tastes.

The spa aims to focus on recovery of the body, mind, and skin from negative stress, and all of the spa treatments at James Dun's House incorporate aroma, breath, and touch which Lizette mentioned had been proven to lower stress levels and place the body in a state where it is relaxed so it can repair is itself. The products Lizette used were beautiful, and left my skin feeling very fresh, not oily as I had originally imagined.

There are four Aveda Aromas to choose from including; Stress-Fix, infused with lavender, lavender and clary sage, Beautifying, infused with lavender, rosemary, and bergamot, Shampure, infused with a unique blend of 25 pure plant and flower essences, and Rosemary Mint, infused with essences of organic peppermint, rosemary, lavender and marjoram.

After my treatment, Lizette advised me how to continue to look after myself, reiterating about my stressed upper body she told me the products and treatments which would be best suited to my body if I wanted to return. Mental stress is something I can relate to a lot, however, physical stress isn't something I would say I had ever really considered thinking about until now. I'm much more educated on how to take care of my body and I now know that I enjoy a medium-strong massage pressure. As they say...you learn something new everyday!

If you're looking to book yourself in for a bespoke body treatment (which I highly recommend) then visit http://www.jdhlifestyle.co.uk. A huge thank you to the team at James Dun's House in Aberdeen for this amazing experience, Aveda's new body wise treatments really do deliver, especially when you're in the right hands!

For Now...

Just Julia