Tales From The Chair - March

Your monthly round up of everything I’ve been discovering and sharing with clients, straight from the salon chair . . .

Starting with a round up of everything lovely and local

Time for Tea . . . at Orange Pekoe

I finally made an ‘in person’ visit to Orange Pekoe award winning Teas in Barnes recently. During lockdown, owner Marianna very kindly supplied the teas for Complexion Club. The quality and freshness of their infusions are second to none and there’s a huge variety to choose from. Marianna is very kindly putting together a discount code for any clients of mine that may wish to purchase OP teas online. Please ask me if you are interested in using this and do try a tea next time you visit me at Venwood as I’m now serving a couple of varieties in the salon too!

New favourite coffee spot . . . Oree Richmond

From tea to coffee, I’ve been enjoying getting my caffeine fix from Oree bakery in Richmond lately. Although they’re a chain, I really like the Monmouth coffee they serve and their croissants aren’t to be sniffed at either!

Little known floral exhibition . . . Blackfield at Kew Gardens

Last week I visited Kew Gardens on a really gorgeous sunny day. We are just so lucky to have this wonderful park close by! In the (often overlooked) Shirley Sherwood Gallery at the mo there is an amazing installation by Artist Zadok Ben-David entitled Blackfield which is made up of more than 17,000 etched, hand painted flowers. It runs until 24th April and is well worth a visit.

Super serums . . . from Byoma

I’ve been LOVING these serums from new skincare kid on the block Byoma. I bought the Hydrating and Clarifying one and have been very impressed. All of their serums come with a Tri-Ceramide Complex to keep the skin barrier happy and healthy and at just £12.99 each they are great value too.

Good hair days . . . with Ouai

Another duo of products I’ve been using recently that get a big thumbs up from me are Ouai Fine Hair Shampoo and Medium Conditioner. Boy are these good. If you want light, bouncy, clean hair with the most luxurious lather and delicious scent that lingers on your locks then give these a try. Colour safe and with added keratin and biotin for strength and chia seed oil for nourishment. I’d recommend bumping up to the thick hair conditioner if your mane needs extra TLC and can handle a richer consistency.

Merch has landed . . . tote bags are go!

This month I launched a limited run of tote bags, my very first foray into Helen Ray Studio merch! They are £10 each and available at the salon, please let me know if you’d like one and I can put it aside until I see you next (while stock lasts)

Roast at the coast . . . Beadnell Towers

On a recent visit home we paid a visit to Beadnell Towers for Sunday Lunch. A short walk from Beadnell Bay, a horse shoe shaped, golden sandy beach backed by huge sand dunes and a quaint little harbour, this stretch of Northumberland coastline is one of my absolute favourites. If you ever find yourself in this part of the country it’s well worth a visit!

Silence is golden . . . with Loop

After featuring Loop ear plugs in my last Festive Gift Guide I decided to buy a pair to try and reduce the arguments in our household about my boyfriends incessant playing of music. Sometimes I prefer silence to help wind down after being in a stimulating environment and chatting all day and now these nifty little noise blockers help reduce 27 decibels of background beats from my awareness. If you wish to sleep with them, the loop end fits snugly inside your ear and lays flat so that you can forget about them and rest your head with ease.

An app to see you home . . . Walk Safe

I recently met founder of Walk Safe App Emma Kay and just had to share her brilliant app, designed to provide the tools to allow you to make informed decisions around your personal safety. WalkSafe map shows police and community reports of dangers such as knife crime, sexual assaults and muggings in any particular location so that you can plan safer routes. TapSafe is a feature for the times when you might be feeling nervous, on a quiet street late at night, in a cab home on your own or when being accosted by undesirable attention. As soon as you open TapSafe your loved ones are notified and if something goes wrong and you stop tapping, your protectors are automatically alerted and shown your location. HomeSafe automatically alerts loved ones if you fail to get home on time. If you’re leaving a party or night out on your own, you can set a specific place and time and share your plan with loved ones. If you don’t successfully complete your journey, your loved ones are notified. Apps like this shouldn’t have to exist but sadly there is a place for them. Stay safe and share with friends.

Thanks for reading, I hope that you discovered something new!

H x