Glasgow Reviewed; Botox at La Belle Forme

day before botox and one week after

When the offer to give botox a whirl came into my inbox my immediate reaction was No. Way. Then when I actually thought about it that night I realised my reaction was only no because I ‘thought’ it should be no, not because I had taken the time to really see what I thought about it. With so many opinions about women and ageing and treatments such as this I think it is easy to make a swift judgement or take a stance just because you believe it is the right side of the argument but in reality It doesn’t mean you truly feel that way.

I have always said I have no problems with cosmetic procedures for people as long as it makes them feel good and is something that they personally really want and don’t just feel a pressure to give into. Why I then didn’t apply that thinking to myself I don’t really know, but I can say now that I am so glad I did. Since I was young I absolutely hated wearing my glasses but I really needed them, only now can I appreciate just how much I needed them in fact. And the result of all that too cool for school attitude and nonsense? Deep frown lines from where I clearly spent those years burrowing my brow to actually be able to read things, a disaster when I spent a lot of time trying to read tiny musical notes in an orchestra……

 It would turn out that even now that I am a proud glasses wearer that my default resting face without even noticing is a slightly furrowed frown which is doing nothing but deepening said lines and they are the thing I always look in the mirror and allow to bother me. I can have my makeup looking beautiful and not long later all I can see in the mirror is where the foundation has gathered in these lines and boom- my confidence is knocked!

So when I really sat and thought about trying botox I realised, I don’t care what people think- I want to try it and see what kind of difference it really makes. And so I did and guess what, I love the results. Before making my final decision I spoke to Laura from La Belle Forme( you can read about a consultation at the clinic here) and she explained that a botox treatment doesn’t have to mean 'frozen face' at all, but when used correctly and appropriately it can be used to gain a whole variety of results. In my case this would mean stopping those muscles from moving automatically (as they do into a frown) which would prevent the situation worsening in the long run. This was music to my ears and was the moment I realised just how much I wanted to give it a go.

day before botox and 6 weeks after

Laura was amazing at answering all my questions and explaining the reasons why people can be nervous about using Botox, it was good to hear complete honesty and advice on the pros and also cons of the procedure. It didn’t change my mind at all, if anything it made me realise giving it a go was for me and it was obvious from her years of experience why she is an award winning practitioner of the treatment!

The procedure itself was over insanely quickly, it really is a no fuss, no real pain treatment, that you can easily have done in among a busy day. You of course do feel sharp pricks from the needles but honestly it is so surprisingly painless. I was left with tiny little prick marks straight after but it was all gone in no time and there is absolutely no down time needed. You don’t see the results till around a week after ( it can take a little longer)  but boy, when you do….

I LOVE IT. Yup, colour me a fan guys- I am absolutely madly into the results. It might seem like such a little thing to others but having something on your face that genuinely bothers you, so quickly  resolved can just provide this massive confidence boost that if I am honest, I truly wasn’t expecting. When I looked in the mirror and realised the treatment had kicked in (around 10 days later), and was working it I was properly blown away by the difference it actually had made. I can completely understand how it is not for everyone and going forward  I wouldn’t necessarily have it in any area bar my frown lines between my eyes ( as the other lines just do not bother me as much- for now!) but it has totally changed how I feel about the procedure. My face just feels a lot younger looking and much fresher, and without a doubt my makeup sits far nicer on my forehead and in fact I barely put any kind of bb cream or foundation up on that area now as I think it looks totally fine by itself.

old selfie/new selfie

For the £150 it would cost to have my one problem area done again in the future, I would absolutely 100% do it, knowing that I am stopping my already prematurely deep lines getting worse by not allowing them to fall into that default position is really comforting to me- sad as that may sound. I know that after 8 or so months when I see the area change again, I will want to have it repeated. When I think of how much I might spend on other things that don’t bring me anywhere near as much an emotion as this did, £150 doesn’t seem at all un acheivable ( of course it is all relative as to others that might seem a high cost).

Laura is a total master at her approach to the use of botox, with the lightest of touch and application she can really give you the kind of results you are after, from a softer look to the little more ‘frozen’ if that appeals. You book in for a check-up a couple of weeks after your treatment and it is fab as there is the option then to have slightly more applied if you require it ( facial muscles can be strong!). Laura really sees it as an art form when she is helping someone make changes and the follow up appointment for any tweaks is just another example of the level of professionalism and care they take at La Belle Forme. It was great to chat away again to her about the kind of way botox and fillers can be used, she showed me some incredible before and after photos of people she had worked on and it is astounding the kind of difference people can have made to their lives when they consider treatments. For example she uses fillers to really help with deep scarring on people ( caused from dog bites to birth defects) and I was gobsmacked at how she uses techniques to completely alter their look. My lines were, I realise now,very superficial in the grand scheme of things, so taking how I felt with having them softened means I can only imagine the relief and confidence felt by those far more effected.

very little foundation needed for a wedding recently thanks to my super smooth lines

So is botox a treatment worth considering at La Belle Forme? Oh yes, Yes it is. From naysayer to mega fan- I am really glad I got over my initial negativity and experienced it. It has definitely made me less quick to judge others on the kinds of things people spend their money on, you just never know the level of enjoyment, comfort or confidence they derive from it.  One thing worth remembering however is had I decided to have botox even without the invite, it would always have been with the team here at the clinic as you just cannot leave your face in the hands of a lesser qualified and experienced person. Botox now seems to be something you can have in different types of places from dentists to hairdressers and I would never consider it. You absolutely do get what you pay for and for the level of skill and years experience the team at La Belle Forme bring to the table is worth every penny.

To speak to one of the lovely staff at the clinic you can call 0141 552 0828.

A consultation with Transform

After learning loads about the non-surgical options on offer at the Glasgow Transform clinic at a recent event, I was excited to get along and chat more to the team to find out what they thought would be a good idea for my skin and current problem skin.

I booked a consultation with the lovely Fiona and was really happy with how the whole appointment went. I settled into the spacious and well equipped waiting room ( complete with fancy free coffee machine and biscuits to enjoy) and filled in my registration forms including a few questions important for the staff to understand what is best for your skin. Fiona took me through to one of the consultation rooms and went through a few further questions to really understand my current routine and lifestyle and get to grips with what it is I would like to achieve. She was really good at answering all my many questions and explaining why certain treatments might be a good option for me to consider. It was reassuring to me that nothing in the consultation session felt at all ‘ hard sell’ which is what I think I often fear from big clinics, but instead you really got the impression Fiona was keen for me to get the best from any treatment I was considering and really good at getting me to think of not just the short term but  possible long-term plan. 

Recently my skin has taken a turn for the spottier which has been really bothering me so it was reassuring to get to talk that through with Fiona and get her knowledgeable input on what is possibly happening to my skin. She then took me through to speak to one of the clinics qualified nurses to get her opinion on my current acne issues and for her to confirm that the route we were going down was the best idea.  We decided that one of the Obagi peels would be a good idea for my skin right now and I am super excited to give it a whirl. We got to watch the peel in action on the press night and I was amazed at how quick and painless it appeared to be and the Obagi products are something I have heard a lot about in the past so I have definitely got high hopes. The team also decided that using the Obagi Cleanziderm system alongside this was the best plan of attack and I am excited to get going with it. Only available through prescription, this system sounds like just what my skin is needing and after seeing the results one of the other staff at the clinic has had through using it- I am super excited to see if it can do the same for me.

The staff and surroundings at Transform are really good at making you feel totally at ease and relaxed which is essential when having any kind of treatment so I was really pleased with how it went. I think I still have that old-fashioned notion that stepping into any surgical clinic is going to mean I leave covered in blue pen with lots of suggested ‘tweaks’ I could make to look better but it really isn’t like that all! I left feeling relieved to have gone over what was bothering me about my skin and feeling happy that I was going down the right route to start to fix it.

Their free consultations are detailed and in-depth but can still be done to fit around busy schedules and with clinics all over the UK there are lots of options of places to visit, call 0800 655 6406 to book in. 

Introducing: Non-Surgical Procedures at Transform

If only I could tell you what we were talking about... :)

Up until recently the Transform Clinic= boobs to me. Lucky for me I was invited along to find out much more about their company at a recent event, and I am so glad I did as I learnt a huge amount about what they are all about. Not only were the facilities in the Glasgow office fantastic but the staff were a real dream to chat to- unbelievably knowledgeable and passionate about what they can do for people and not just at a surgical level. We were there to learn about all the non- surgical treatments you can have and suffice to say I was in my element as the staff were on hand not just to fill us in but let us see first hand some of the treatments in action.

The best cakes have boobs on em :)

We were lucky enough get to watch demonstrations of an Obagi peel, botox and lip fillers and I found it absolutely fascinating. Seeing how quick and pain free these procedures are was amazing to me-the models who were all having the treatments for the first time, barely flinched which was hugely encouraging to a scaredy cat like me!

I have always wanted to try a proper facial peel so I was really keen to see what it might entail and was amazed with the pretty instant results and how little 'red face' it actually leaves you. Without a doubt you could head back to the office after a lunchtime peel without too much obvious signs and the team at Transform all agreed that it can do real wonders for the skin. The Obagi product lines are something I had heard wonderful stuff about with relation to pigmentation so getting to learn more was really insightful and definitely something I am going to look further into.

Botox is something I have always considered as I am pretty paranoid about the deep frown lines I have ( always wear your glasses people!) so I was excited to actually see it performed. Due to the  time it takes for the botox to really take effect we couldn't see anything straight away but in terms of the actual procedure it was fascinating to learn all the little areas it can be applied, even in tiny amounts, to allow for subtle but impactful changes to a persons appearance. Listening to the team give us the background on exactly how it behaves made me realise  how useful it can be in a preventative capacity to stop some wrinkles getting deeper.

Now with the Kylie Jenner phenomen well and truly taking over the world we couldn't go to a clinic and not hear something about lip fillers- they are so in demand right now! I totally had a different idea of what actually happens with fillers so I was completely engrossed in the model having hers done. We learnt that even a simple touch up around the lip line can cause just the emphasis in the right places to create a gorgeous effect but there is also a real build able level so you can get the look you want. Although not something I am keen on having done myself just now it was fab to learn from the pros how it should be done. I say pro's as that's really what I took from the whole evening, that Transform pride themselves on their level of knowledge, skill and professionalism and that is so important to be looking for when picking a clinic to have procedures like these done. Nowadays there are loads of less reputable places who are willing to pop a bit of filler in on the side of hair cut but that doesn't mean it is a good idea, some times you have to pay more to get a good, safe job done.

DELIGHTED to get to watch the demos

It was such a fab night getting to talk treatments with fellow bloggers and the clinic staff- it is always so nice to be in a room with similarly interested people and it was really great to get to ask questions that I have always wondered about. You can tell the staff are more than happy to sit down with anyone who might be the same and be curious about treatments or what might be beneficial for them. It is not just peels and fillers either, I was really intrigued to learn about the clinical grade skincare they can actually prescribe to people with acne. One of the staff at the night actually had the most phenomenal skin I have ever seen so I was shocked to learn that was actually thanks to using some of the Obagi line the clinic offer alongside having a few peels! The whole night was fantastically put together and it was great to get to see first hand how some of these treatments are performed.
I am a big believer in people having whatever done that might make them feel more confident in themselves and Transform are obviously dedicated to making sure that is achieved in the most professional and skilled way possible.

If you are considering any kind of treatments I highly recommend making an appointment to speak to one of the lovely staff- the Glasgow Clinic is located on Ingram Street and you can reach them on 0141 204 4567

Clearing up my skin with SK:N

Apologies for the break, a really busy few weeks combined with my skin turning into a raging spotty mess left me feeling not into blogging. It is amazing just how much your skin knocks your confidence and mood and this recent occurrence really left me feeling flat. I had very little skin problems in my teens which I feel super fortunate about, when I hit my 20's however it decided it was time to make up for it and a few changes in the pill and hormones had it in a right mess. It has never helped that I am a classic picker, oh yes- the skins worse nightmare. Pre-blogging and BCH ( before Caroline Hirons- obvs) I did the textbook approach of using the strongest, most foaming, and most irritating amount of products I could get my hands on to try and clear it up which I know now just has the opposite effect and gets the skin panic producing more oil! My skin eventually settled back down and aside from my pigmentation I didn't suffer too badly aside from the odd hormonal pimple, that is until now! I developed a nasty staph infection on my face which was the start of my recent woes, and deeply unattractive to look at ( crusting anyone?!) and it seems to have left in its wake a bout of possible acne. Now it could just be my skin going back through that 7-8 year cycle and changing, my hormones are possibly all over the shop or it could be from something my face isn't liking but it has been causing me all sorts of problems. From deep cystic lumps to sudden pustules out of nowhere and a heck of a lot of scarring being left over ( once a picker always a picker) I have been at my wits end trying to apply all the skin care knowledge I have to try and turn the situation around with out creating long term damage.

A while back I had been sent a range of the SK:N products to give a whirl but at the time the infection was just appearing on my face and they had to go right on the back burner while I calmed the initial situation down. I have since then being using a few of their products to try and both help the spots and also hydrate and moisturise the face and found they have been a big help so I had to share. I know about SK:N from their clinics and the great range of treatments they offer, but I had no idea they have their own line of products on offer too. With 5 ranges available covering corrective, repair and protect, anti-ageing and anti-blemish, they have definitely got your needs covered. I like the slick, clinical looking packaging, I love that the site lists all ingredients along with product information ( including instructions) and I like the actual product packaging as well- clean, functional and decent sizes. 

For the spot tackling side I have been incorporating the products containing ingredients like salycilic, glycolic and malic acid to help dissolve the oil and debris that was clogging my pores. The Glycolic Cleanser is a joy to use and the combination of active ingredients has been amazing on gently exfoliating the dead skin cells that have been causing me  problems and leaving my skin feeling really clean without over stripping it. It has a clip top lid, comes in a 200ml bottle and I find applying the thin liquid to the face and letting it do its work for a few minutes before gently removing works best and I have been loving using this as a post gym cleanser in the AM to keep my skin free of sweat and build up.

I have tried a combination of these Anti- Blemish products over the last couple of months and been similarly impressed. A couple of times a week I have incorporated the magic ingredients of Glycolic and Vitamin A in the Pore Refining Lotion which have again been helping to remove the dead skin cells that were causing my troubles and help slow down the over production of more. I have been using this in the PM after a balm cleanser and being sure to only use a really small amount. It is important not to overdo it when using ingredients like these as you can easily aggravate the skin even more making the spots worse but with gentle use of this I was definitely noticing less spots occurring. In the AM I have been moving between the Blemish Control Lotion and the Maintenance Serum depending on how inflamed my spots were and they have been fab at keeping my oily skin at bay and work really well under my make up.

To make sure my skin was staying hydrated at the same time as these stronger products I was using a couple of the anti-ageing range too which  has been really lovely to use. With the other products having exfoliating properties it was important to make sure my SPF game was strong so I picked up the Moisturising Cream with SPF 30 to make sure I was protected. This bad boy is oil free which is music to my skin clogging ears and rich in antioxidants which should be working away to keep wrinkles at bay as well as helping my skin say soft and clear. If I was being nit picky I would love this in a tube form as jars always get my hygiene shackles up  but it has performed really well and not clogged my skin like other SPFs often do.  For my hols in August I am definitely going to look into their SPF 50 product which is only £19 and is also tinted so could be perfect for my next SPF adventure!

With ageing being on my radar generally I was excited to try out the Age Delaying cream for Younger Skin which I love! Stacked with the important anti-oxidant vitamins C and E alongside some vitamin A for cell turnover and shea butter hydrating the skin, this leaves my skin feeling amazingly plump after applying it at night time.

Over all I am super impressed by the ranges and the quality mix of ingredients they have put together. for the prices. I like their no nonsense approach to just tackling various skin problems head on and they have certainly been a huge help in getting my skin back on track and back to being much clearer and even again. I am hoping to get into the Glasgow SK:N clinic soon so will report back if their treatments live up to the results from the products.

Have a fab weekend everyone!

Glasgow Reviewed; Elanic Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery

I am overjoyed when any opportunity to go along and chat to like minded skincare enthusiasts comes along so I was absolutely in my element when an invite to head along and check out the luxury health and beauty clinic, Elanic, popped into my inbox. Located on Bath Street right in Glasgow city centre, Elanic offers a wealth of services both surgical and non-surgical, and has some incredibly knowledgeable and passionate staff to boot. A bright and airy reception welcomed me on arrival and clinic Manager Ashleigh gave me the tour- I was instantly impressed with set up that Elanic has on offer. I had no idea you could have a procedure such as liposuction or breast augmentation right there in a clinic, move through to a comfortable recovery room and then head on home to rest up there! I was blown away by the facilities they have on offer and was so intrigued by some of the procedures that they can provide.

Although right now plastic surgery is not something I am considering I was so impressed with the approach the staff at Elanic and the plastic surgeon ( and owner ) Vivek, take. Using an incredibly state of the art Vectra XT System, Vivek was able to show me the incredible differences surgical procedures can do for people The first clinic in Scotland to offer this technology, this 3d body scanner allows potential clients to assess the possible results before making their final decisions. The scanner allows for a high resolution 3d image which can then be manipulated in countless ways to give an idea of what changes will look like, this is invaluable to allow people to make better decisions when it comes to surgery. I was blown away by the quality of images it produces and watching Vivek manipulate them in a whole manner of ways, was an eye opening experience. The difference that can be made in such small changes was really incredible so I can only imagine how amazing this  cutting-edge service is to someone seriously considering procedures.

If it is more a non surgical route you are considering, then Elanic really does have it all. From the incredibly impressive sounding ILipo treatments ( I saw some superb before and after shots) to peels and fillers,  the staff here are so passionate about what they are providing that you can guarantee a superb service. I was thrilled to get chatting to staff about the health side of things and it was encouraging to hear how knowledgeable they were about things such as general nutrition which is so important in educating clients to help better their overall results. I was given a go on the clinics Visia scanner which is a clever piece of kit that takes a UV photograph of your face and can then analyse the sun damage, wrinkles and pores and general condition of your skin under neath the surface. Your consultant can then analyse the results and make recommendations for how to treat your true problem areas to ultimately improve your skin 'age'. Now as a beauty blogger who has worked hard over the past couple of years to turn her skincare regime round, thanks to my pigmentation issues my skin still came out of the Visia at a real age of 39! Not music to my 28 year old ears....

There is hope though in the form of 3 Skinceutical products which the therapist specially picked to treat my issues. I was so exciting to get them home and get trying them out- I can't wait to go back to the clinic in 3 months time and see if they can help bring that skin age down!

Following my skin analysis I was lucky enough to get to sit down for a chat with resident dermatologist Dr Girish Gupta who was an absolute pleasure to chat all things skin with. I have only ever seen an NHS dermatologist before and although good there was absolutely a very restricted amount of time and options on offer and there was also a very considerable wait period which makes the service at Elanic a super option.  You can go to Dr Gupta to discuss everything from acne to worrying moles ( he is a leading dermatologist on skin cancers in Scotland) to lumps, bumps and rashes and he is an absolute delight to chat to.

A host of thank you cards that all spoke so highly of the team

I was really impressed with the care Elanic take in helping their clients get the most out of themselves, their approach isn't a hard sell at all and you can feel their genuine shared interest in improving lives. I loved getting the chance to chat skin with the staff in the clinic and really had my eyes opened to a world of choices I didn't even know existed!  I was so excited to get home and get my skinceuticals products that I think I was practically running. I am trying out an antioxidant treatment that so many of the staff absolutely raved about, and a couple of products to help my fresh pigmentation woes so hopefully I will see some good results on my next visit.

 I can highly recommend going along to meet the exceptional staff at Elanic if you are considering treatments and want to know more. You can contact the team on 0141 332 5106

Glasgow Reviewed: Microneedling at La Belle Forme

By now you will no doubt have seen me shouting from the rooftops about my amazing experience with laser therapy at La Belle Forme in Glasgow. My time with the clinic was not done there however as after leaving my skin to recover for a few weeks I was then booked in for stage two of treating my skin issues, namely my uneven skin thanks to my melasma among some other niggles.

Having been so blown away with the changes in not only the appearance but the texture of my skin following laser therapy, I was incredibly excited to see what this next stage could do. I was provided with two small samples of vitamin A cream prior to my appointment to get my skin ready. I did experience a little over-stimulation using these but I had been pre-warned to cease using them if this occurred and allow my skin a break, which I did and it quickly returned to normal.

On the day of my appointment Norma walked me through the process of microneedling and the benefits it would bring about to my skin. They would be using a roller with 1.5mm needles ( a length that can only be used by a therapist in a clinic) which would be rolled across my skin in numerous directions ( think of a union jack design) which creates lots of little skin traumas on the face which encourages the skin to create more elastin and collagen which once healed can bring a rejuvenation to the skin.

To get us underway Norma first applied a thick white numbing cream all over the face and left it to kick in for around 20 minutes. Another therapist Caroline then joined us to get the treatment underway and I was genuinely shocked when I couldn't feel the needles at all when she began, the numbing cream is a real miracle worker. She worked the roller quickly across the entirety of the face, making sure to work over my problem areas a couple of times- the pressure does create blood to the surface for the skin which is quickly wiped away and at this point you still cant feel anything so it is all relatively fuss free!

In a couple of areas I could feel the needles a little but it is over so quickly it wasn't anything you can't take. I was so shocked at how quickly and painlessly the whole procedure was, i was totally expecting it to be quite painful! For my upper lip they used a derma stamp which is a much smaller head that is powered automatically and gets into the smaller areas. Just like the roller this was pain-free thanks to the numbing and also over quickly.

Afterwards a beautiful cooling menthol mask is applied to calm the skin while they talk you through any aftercare, and then a soothing rescue balm was applied to my face to leave on for the rest of the day. At this point the numbing cream had worn off but I wasn't left in any direct pain at all. When they showed me my face in the mirror it wasn't a major shock, I was a pink, kind of a sun-burnt shade all over and with lines on my forehead that made me look a little 'hellraiser' shall we say but considering how much blood had come to the surface it was not as horrific as I thought it might be and I was actually quite happy to head back on to the street among the crowds of shoppers and head home. No one screamed from my appearance certainly and it went down quicker than i thought it would. The next day I applied a little more of the balm and left my face make up free, it was still a little pink and my forehead still lined but it had gone down considerably and by the Monday I could cover it with make up fine. My skin felt a little rough for a couple of days afterwards and definitely required some intensive moisture but it passed quickly and without any major problems. I did notice a few spots breakout which given the time of year could have been all the quality street I was consuming- but I do think was a result of the heavy moisture I was applying.

After settling down I was thrilled with how my skin looks. You are recommended to have three sessions which I can imagine does absolute miracles but even after just one my skin was definitely happy. It is now 6 weeks since my treatment and I wanted to wait that long to really assess the results as it usually takes that long to see what the microneedling can really do. I am blown away by how my skin now looks thanks to the laser session and this, in the first post on La Belle Forme ( which I started just after the treatment in November) I wrote that it felt weird to have my make up off in public as its just something I never really did. It felt so strange to read that back as in the time since then I have gone out and about at the weekends without makeup on countless times- that might not seem much to some who are used to it, but I was so embarrassed by my uneven skin I just didn't have the confidence to do it. now it is a completely different story, I am truly proud of how good my skin is looking that I have no problems heading out without a scrap of make up on.

I genuinely did not expect such amazing tangible results from these treatments, they have absolutely boosted my confidence and made my skin feel fresher, younger and of course clearer, I wouldn't hesitate to do it all again.

You can get in touch with the amazing team at the clinic by calling 0141 552 0828 they also have branches all over the UK which you can find on their website here.