Lifestyle Archives - She and Hem

Kinky Boots UK Tour Review | The Bristol Hippodrome

Posted on 1 March, 2019 by She and Hem — 1 Comment ↓

On Wednesday night, I was very kindly invited along to The Bristol Hippodrome to watch the UK tour of super popular musical, Kinky Boots. Not only that, but I was lucky enough to be welcomed backstage before the show started to have a tour of the Hippodrome and all of the kit needed to put on such a spectacular production. As a Theatre Studies graduate (no really, I am), I was as happy as Larry, as the Hippodrome is such a beautiful space, a real curtain raiser of a building! It may not surprise you to learn that, during my time studying theatre, I once did a performance about puns. Well, really it was just a play on words…

Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes the audience from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos. I feel compelled to give a shout out Joshua St Clair who played the lead role on Wednesday night. I was so impressed I didn’t even realise he was the understudy! A solid performance with top vocals. Encore!

Kinky Boots will be at The Bristol Hippodrome from Mon 25 Feb – Sat 09 Mar 2019 with performances on Friday’s at both 5pm and 8.30pm, Saturday’s at both 2.30pm and 7.30pm and every other evening at 7.30pm. Ticket prices: from £19.50 depending on which seats are available. If you’ve not heard of Kinky Boots before, I’d definitely recommend checking it out – I had a blast! And don’t worry parents, even thought the two main characters are called Charlie and Lola, I can promise you this show is a world away from it’s namesake book/tv show!

Victoria

Woolley Grange Luxury Family Hotel Review

Posted on 5 December, 2017 by She and Hem — No Comments ↓

Woolley Grange Luxury Family Hotel Review | She and Hem

Since having babies, Jo and I (Victoria) are ALL about family friendly holidays. Luckily, that doesn’t always have to mean Butlins. Hey, we’ve had some great times at Butlins in our younger days, but while the girls are still only crawling around, a luxury hotel like the gorgeous Woolley Grange meets all of our staycation needs. Situated just outside the beautiful old town of Bradford-on-Avon, it’s the perfect place to spend some family time, relaxing in their 14 acres of fun! This all came in very handy, as we were recently invited along to try their ‘Baby’s First Stay Away‘ package.

Woolley is a real comfy retreat, with all the luxurious treats a tired mum needs. There’s many a large comfy sofa dotted around, a few cosy (and baby proofed!) fires, and most importantly for us, lots of room for children to play. They even have toy boxes in their social areas. Children are welcome everywhere in the hotel, which is great as going away with a baby for the first time can be pretty daunting. It’s very comforting to be able to relax while your baby has room to roam without disturbing anyone. All this made us feel super welcome, although the abundance of free chocolate in the welcome hamper certainly helped…

Woolley Grange Luxury Family Hotel Review | She and Hem

For me, the facilities are Woolley’s biggest selling point, particularly the onsite spa, which has a sauna, steam room and heated pool. As part of the ‘Baby’s First Stay Away’, the girl’s took part in a swimming lesson run by Puddle Ducks. That was a lovely experience for all of us, and the kids didn’t want to get out afterwards. As the pool overlooks the walled gardens, neither did we! The gardens are filled with ducks and chickens pottering around, cute wooden play houses and a fairy garden. It’s all really rather sweet.

After their swimming lesson the girls spent some time at the Ofsted-registered Woolley Bears Den located in an old coach house. You get two hours of free childcare whenever you stay! We were all a bit nervous about leaving them as neither of the girls have been left with strangers before, but we were really impressed by the size of the facilities, the sheer amount of toys available, and the lovely welcome we received from the nannies there. It wasn’t long before we were back in front of the fire wondering how to spend our baby free time. *Spoilers* We spent it eating and drinking. Lots. Want MORE baby free time? Then sign up to the ‘Baby Breakfast Club’ where your little love is picked up from your room, allowing mum and dad a lie-in on the Wednesday morning.

As you can see above, there is also plenty to do outside too! We tried our hands at croquet, netball, football and even had a bounce on the giant trampoline. Unfortunately, it was far too chilly to jump in the outdoor pool, but that’s a good excuse to go back for a Summer holiday.

Woolley Grange Luxury Family Hotel Review | She and Hem

What makes this place so great for kids I hear you ask? Well! They really have thought of everything. The restaurant is filled with everything your baby/child needs to feel welcome, from highchairs to colourful cups and plates. The kitchen staff were even able to puree meals from the kids menu for the babies, using ingredients fresh from the walled garden. Our girls were big fans of the macaroni cheese and the sausage and mash. They send their compliments to the chef!

Woolley Grange have obviously spent a lot of time thinking about how to make all of the rooms feel like a home away from home for both adults and children. They give you a call before you leave to check what you’d like in your room to make sure you have the most comfortable stay possible. For example, you can request a cot, nappy bins, changing mats and a bottle warmer. I also requested a mini fridge to keep my daughter’s food in and they were more than happy to supply one. Jo’s split level room, the John Baskerville suite, even came with it’s own sitting room. Once the kids feel content in their cots (just look how happy Poppy is below!), if you fancy heading down for dinner, you can request a baby sitter for an additional charge or take advantage of the free baby-listening service. I decided not to take them up on this offer, preferring to spend most of my time sitting on the windowsill admiring the view…

Woolley Grange Luxury Family Hotel Review | She and Hem

Until next time Woolley!

V&J

Ghibli Museum, Japan.

Posted on 18 September, 2017 by She and Hem — No Comments ↓

It’s my (Victoria) 2nd wedding anniversary in a next week, which not only means that I’m due a hella sweet present but also that lots of lovely wedding pictures have been popping up on my Facebook timeline. I’ve really enjoyed looking back at all the photos. It still feels like it was the perfect day. A few photos that really caught my eye (and given me a severe case of wanderlust) were from our honeymoon. We went on a bit of a tour of Japan and it was honestly the BEST TIME EVER. I can’t imagine ever visiting anywhere that’s as magical, fun and interesting as Japan.

I can’t wait to take my daughter there in a few years time. My husband and I have decided to wait until she is old enough to appreciate it fully. We are keeping all of our fingers crossed that she loves Studio Ghilbi as much as we do, as it’ll be a great excuse to go back to The Ghibli Museum. As we are both huge Ghibli fans, as soon as we had our honeymoon route plotted (through the awesome Inside Japan), one of the first things we did was book our tickets to The Ghibli Museum and got VERY excited about riding the giant Cat Bus. A typical (purr-fect?) honeymoon activity I’m sure you’ll agree.

Ghibli Museum, Japan | Hem and Away | She and Hem

I came away from the museum with so many beautiful photos, it was hard to whittle them down into a blog post. Hundreds of photos of dust bunnies, spiral stairways and glorious glass windows. Spellbinding stuff. There’s so much to enjoy that I’d even recommend a visit to non-Ghibli fans! Watch a short film in the Saturn Theatre, wander the roof garden with gorgeous views over Inokashira Park (and a giant robot) or pop for a Ghibli-themed lunch in the Straw Hat Cafe. Thinking about it all over again has put a big old smile on my face. You’ll be pleased to know that I did get a little Spirited Away in the gift shop and that cheeky Totoro above came home with me.

Ghibli Museum, Japan | Hem and Away | She and Hem

Sayōnara!

#SummerofSurprise with notonthehighstreet.com

Posted on 30 July, 2017 by She and Hem — No Comments ↓

#SummerofSurprise with Not On The High Street

Happy International Friendship Day!

If you’re reading this blog, you probably already know that we are super chums, BFF’s, all round top pals. Our wonderful friendship goes way beyond the blog. We holiday together, were bridesmaids for each other and we even had our beautiful babies one month apart. Both girls, obviously. But above all that, and please forgive the sentimentality here, our phones automatically connect to each other’s wifi. Pretty close, right?

We like to think we know each other better than anyone else (other than our husbands, of course!). So when notonthehighstreet.com got in touch to see if we wanted to celebrate International Friendship Day with them as part of their super sweet #SummerofSurprises campaign, we jumped at the chance! A great friend is something to cherish and celebrate, so we were both chuffed to be asked to choose a gift for one another. We wanted to choose a real treat that the other probably wouldn’t splurge on for themselves, and it was a lot of fun!

#SummerofSurprise with Not On The High Street

What I (Victoria) didn’t realise was exactly how wide a range of things notonthehighstreet.com sells, and how genuinely awesome it all is. I was a little overwhelmed at first and had soon opened (roughly) a million tabs filled with potential treats for Jo. As Jo is moving next month, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to get her something special for the new house that both her and her husband would love. I’ve spent A LOT of time in their current flat, so I like to think I have a pretty good idea of their personal style. Added to what I know about their new place (contemporary and modern), I decided to go for something useful, fun and stylish.

After deciding that a chair possibly wasn’t an appropriate gift, however useful, the incredible Hoop Wall Light* (pictured below) caught my eye whilst browsing the home items. It completely fitted the bill! I could imagine them both admiring it in a trendy interiors store whilst out shopping, and I just knew that Jo would love it as much as I did. Who wouldn’t want to spend their downtime sitting under a giant glowing moon? I can’t wait to see it where they hang it in the new pad. I hope they find it as illuminating as I did.

#SummerofSurprise with Not On The High Street Jo here! Just like Victoria, I soon had a long list of ideas about what to pick thanks to all of the original gifts on the website. A sentimental person would they say they are just as unique as our friendship. Awwww. What I didn’t know was that notonthehighstreet.com also sells experiences, and my goodness, they all sound great! The gifts on offer include stargazing, a pinata workshop and even bee keeping! However, as Victoria is allergic to bees, that would have made for a memorable, if not particularly enjoyable experience…

After collecting my thoughts, I remembered that Victoria’s second wedding anniversary is coming up in September, so I thought it would be pretty dreamy to send her and her husband off for a romantic stay somewhere. As luck would have it, one of the NOTHS partners offered an overnight stay* in the cutest cottage hideaway in Wales, which just so happens to be where Victoria and her husband met. Log fire, roll top bath and welcome hamper all included. Now where do I collect my BFF award guys?

On giving the gift to Victoria yesterday in preparation for International Friends Day, she was absolutely thrilled. In fact she was so happy that she said she’s going to write a post all about her time away in Pembrokeshie, so look out for that on the blog later in the year!

#SummerofSurprise with Not On The High Street Thanks for making this International Friendship Day the best ever, notonthehighstreet.com

V&J x

Food & Fashion Challenge at SouthGate Bath

Posted on 14 April, 2017 by She and Hem — No Comments ↓

Food & Fashion Challenge at SouthGate Bath

We love any excuse to visit our very attractive next door neighbour, Bath. A quick hop on the train at Temple Meads and a few minutes later you are in the the World Heritage Site of dreams. As you exit Bath Spa station you are immediately thrust into its newest quater, SouthGate… and not a Gareth in sight (niche joke there). It might be relatively new but thanks to the way it has been built, it blends seamlessly into its Georgian surroundings. We just love the quirky sense of fun that’s usually evident when you walk around. Last year they hung colourful umbrellas high in the air (we’ve embedded our Instagram photo of this at the bottom of the post but please note they aren’t there anymore!) and followed that up with some equally fab bicycles. We aren’t sure if they’ve got anything similar planned for this year but even while we were there a phonebox was being painted a fetching shade of yellow.

And great news! A bunch of tasty new restaurants have recently opened at the centre, including Comptoir Libanais, Thaikhun and the incredibly named Absurd Bird! To celebrate this, we were set a food and fashion challenge by the team at SouthGate which was literally the greatest challenge ever as it basically involved us buying clothes and eating food with a £150 budget. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

We were first asked to choose one of their fashion retailers to buy an outfit from. We plumped for Topshop because we both really wanted new jeans and theirs are the best in our opinion! We had a great time scouring their sale rails and each managed to buy a top and jeans without blowing our £100 clothing budget. We were both a little nervous about how we would manage trying on clothes with the babies (in buggies) with us but we needn’t have worried as the lovely assistant in Topshop sectioned off a whole area of the changing room for us. For the record, Topshop had no idea we were coming or what we were doing whilst we were there so this was in no way special treatment. It was so refreshing to see a major brand go out of their way to help two flustered mums. Hooray! We then changed into our snazzy new get up and headed for the next part of the challenge, dinner!

Food & Fashion Challenge at SouthGate Bath

We spent a bit of time researching our food options before spotting the outrageously colourful Comptoir Libanais on Instagram. It was right up our street! Whoever designed the interiors for this Lebanese chain is our kind of human. Its like dining in a kaleidoscope. We were also big fans of the menu and opted to share a few of their hot & cold mezze dishes as well as a pretty epic salmon salad. We are also now obsessed with their frozen lemonade. If it’s green it must be healthy, right? Either way, it was so flippin’ tasty.

Like the troopers we are, we managed to squeeze in dessert and another tasty drink (this time it was the iced fresh rose mint tea – yum!). Victoria plumped for the baklawa which was very tasty indeed and I (Jo) went for the pomegranate and orange blossom yoghurt which was a nice light option after getting messy with the mezze.

Food & Fashion Challenge at SouthGate Bath

Technically we failed our challenge as we actually went £2 over our £150 spend but that was mostly because we couldn’t resist pudding! We were so impressed with Comptoir Libanais and can’t wait to go back and try more of the dishes.

If you like our looks then here you can find Victoria’s Jamie Jeans* and my Jonie Jeans*. The cactus print shirt and spotty affair were both sale finds so we recommend heading into store if you want to track them down.

J&V

A post shared by Blogging duo | Jo & Victoria (@sheandhem) on May 29, 2016 at 1:56pm PDT

*SouthGate Bath very kindly provided our food and shopping vouchers to review but all opinions are our own.

She and Hem Baby Shower

Posted on 3 December, 2016 by She and Hem — 4 Comments ↓

She and Hem Baby Shower | Cox and Baloney, Bristol

Last weekend we gathered our nearest and dearest, popped on some pregnancy friendly party frocks and wandered (slowly) on down to our favourite tea room in Bristol, Cox and Baloney. Why? Why, only to celebrate the imminent arrival of our little bundle of joys at the She and Hem Baby Shower! Yippee! After shooting at Cox and Baloney several times over the last few years for the likes of Emily and Fin, Boden and Joy, we knew we’d love to hold some sort of event there one day, as it really is the perfect party venue. Luckily for us they had some availability, so we jumped at the chance to book all our chums in for a lovely afternoon of mocktails, sandwiches, scones and oh so much cake! Not to mention an endless supply of tea. Perfect!

We are pretty easy to please and decided we’d rather not have any baby shower games. We had invited more people than the venue usually holds (oops!), and we really wanted a chance to spend time and catch up with everyone who’d given up their day to spend it with us, without any forced fun. One thing we couldn’t resist though was a jazzy photo booth. Come on, we are bloggers after all. Jo fixed up some excellent props, and then we joined creative forces and spent the night before hanging lots of ribbon to our sparkly backdrop. At no point did either of us get frustrated with it not all holding together. Nope, not at all. Fortunately, it looked great on the day and everyone was super keen to get involved, even the grandmothers to be!

She and Hem Baby Shower | Cox and Baloney, Bristol

Alongside all of the incredible gifts we were both given by our very genourous friends and families (thanks guys!!), we were also sent this fun handmade nappy cake from The Bump Company and a wonderful personalised balloon from The Giant Balloon Company! Would you just look at those adorable little booties?! We really were so excited unboxing them both the day before the baby shower, and so touched that people are as excited as we are about our two tiny humans coming into the world. The cake and the balloon added an extra little something on the day, so thanks to both for sending them over to us. They were both big hits all round!

In true She and Hem matchy matchy style we wore dresses that complimented each other. Well, we like to think so! Jo’s beautiful Sequin Swing Dress is a maternity exclusive from ASOS and my Stardust Jewel Bodice Dress is by Rock-a-Bye Rosie from House of Fraser. I’d not heard of Rock-a-Bye Rosie before, but am now a big fan. I really love this dress. As it’s a maternity piece, I’m hoping to wear it to a Christmas party or two before I have to part with it! If not, I may just have to wear it around the house on maternity leave. Who doesn’t wear a party frock to watch This Morning?

She and Hem Baby Shower | Cox and Baloney, Bristol

J&Vx

New Year, New York: Leah’s Big Apple Adventure Part 1

Posted on 1 January, 2016 by She and Hem — No Comments ↓

She and Hem | New Year, New York: Leah's Big Apple Adventure Part 1

Happy New Year everyone!

We are kicking off 2016 with something a little different! Our glorious friend Leah (pictured above, smiling) likes to go on adventures and, like any good friends would do, we have spent an unreasonable amount of time pressuring her into writing about them for us! Until now we have failed to convince her to do so but imagine our excitement when she decided to embrace her inner Carrie Bradshaw (sorry, Leah) and write about her trip to New York for us! Hoorah! Over the next few weeks we are going to be posting Leah’s NY diary, which should help us combat those January blues and, potentially, leave us all a lot poorer once we’ve inevitably booked flights to America so that we can follow in her footsteps. Fun fact: Leah is really good at both writing and adventures.

Enjoy!

J&V

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She and Hem | New Year, New York: Leah's Big Apple Adventure Part 1

I’m going to New York City to see a boy. That’s right, I’ve fallen in love. Not with the boy (though he is pretty dreamy) but with New York. Having spent five days there in the hazy summer of ’05 and my whole sentient life soaking up the city in sight and sound, I know it intimately and not at all; New York is the teen crush I’ll never grow out of. A few weeks back, an octogenarian New Yorker mocked me for fawning over her accent: I’ve got it bad. It’s my first solo trip anywhere and I’m terrified and excited in equal measure. Will my British accent and claims I live in a castle be enough to buy me some friends? Will I meet She & Hem’s exacting standards? Probably not, but I shall try my very best.

She and Hem | New Year, New York: Leah's Big Apple Adventure Part 1

Friday, 11th December

“You’re going to New York City… On… Your…Own?” My palms became so sweaty that I feared I would fail the fingerprint scan at Newark Airport. The incredulous tone of the man welcoming me to the USA got me thinking, was this the most ridiculous idea ever conceived? Was I the first person to venture to the Big Apple alone? Aren’t we all essentially alone? “Ummm….yes?” I offered, memories of last night’s work Christmas party conga line and the accompanying headache fresh in my mind. After a few more probing questions and a sigh of relief to my response about leaving the country in ten days, I was through security with a vague sense that I’d failed and that I wasn’t really good enough to be in America. It was time to seek out a friend, a prize with which I would be rewarded after doing battle with a tram, train and subway. I was nervous and excited but mainly so so sleepy.

Saturday, 12th December

I awoke at Nash’s apartment (a self styled “hell hole” that wasn’t actually all that bad) with a cat in my face. It had identified me as an outsider and was willing to stare me out until I confessed. I had met Nash in a Trick Art Museum on Jeju Island, South Korea in July and liked his sarcastic sense of humour. We went for French Toast and pancakes at a diner in Park Slope, a leafy area of Brooklyn where he lives and I did my best not to comment on how cool and like a movie set everything was (everything was super cool and like a movie set). It was an unseasonably warm, bright December day and we decided to do a spot of people watching in Prospect Park before checking out the wonderful Brooklyn Public Library and the awesome Brooklyn Museum. I was particularly excited to see an exhibition on Coney Island, a favourite stop on my post university road trip around North America. Later on I would rave about pizza BY THE SLICE and hope that I wasn’t becoming too annoying a house guest. I took myself off on a photography walk while Nash finished some work (in his spare time, he’s a grad student at NYU), aiming for the gritty industrial port. I couldn’t stop beaming to myself as I took it all in, catching sight of the Statue of Liberty in the distance, marvelling at the beautiful Brownstones, the festive decorations and the ubiquity of the stars and stripes.

She and Hem | New Year, New York: Leah's Big Apple Adventure Part 1

Sunday, 13th December

I have been savaged by mosquitoes. In New York. In December. On the plus side, it’s another gloriously sunny and mild day in Brooklyn and those sights ain’t gonna see themselves. Why don’t we have delicious French Vanilla coffee in Britain? Maybe we do and I’ve never noticed. After a leisurely (pronounced leez-ure-ly) start, I decided to embark upon the Lonely Planet walking tour of Brooklyn Heights: more beautiful brownstones and incredible views of the iconic Manhattan skyline. I also took in Truman Capote’s house (I think I was looking at the right one) and Jane’s Carousel before wandering around the super cool and elephant free DUMBO, which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. After reading about the resurgence of poetry as an art form in the New Yorker a couple of months ago (I’m so cultured), I managed to seek out Berl’s Poetry Shop. Unfortunately, it was closed! I finished the day strolling up the magnificent Columbia Heights, the street on which my Brooklyn buddy grew up. Fun fact: Nash’s parents once rented a studio in their house to the author Norman Mailer.

In the evening we decided to take a trip to the super cool and super stunning BAM Rose Cinemas to see Chi-Raq, the new Spike Lee movie. We arrived early so had time to make a detour to one of my buddy’s favourite barbecue restaurants, The Smoke Joint. It was packed so we sat at the bar, I confused the beautiful bar staff with my strange accent, we ate Southern Sandwiches, drank Margaritas and enthused about pickles (well, I did). It had a really cool vibe and we shot the breeze about American/British cultural differences for so long that we managed to miss the beginning of the movie. After watching Chi-Raq (which I would give 8/10, btw) I would also like to say hooray for the enthusiasm of American moviegoers. My amazed reaction to high fives at mediocre jokes in Wedding Crashers in ’05 came flooding back. Fun fact: as a child, Nash once went to the baseball with Spike Lee. Apparently he (Spike Lee) was “like 5’1” and really mean”.

To be continued….

….but in the meantime why not follow Leah on Instagram xx

Beat the Rush

Posted on 6 December, 2015 by She and Hem — 4 Comments ↓

No, it’s not hair-say, a new hairdressers has opened in Bristol! When the invite landed in our inbox to pop for a chop at the new Rush Hair and Beauty salon on The Horsefair in the centre of Bristol, we didn’t need to mullet over. We have a heck of a lot of hair between us, so it’s really important that we try to keep it in tip top condition, especially in this monstrous weather. Long hair and blusterous winds are a frightful mix. Hair-raising stuff for sure!

We were handed a glass of champagne and chatted with our hairdressers, the wonderful Josh and Laura, about what we wanted. I (Victoria) am currently growing my hair, so although Josh took only a a little off of the length, he made sure we waved goodbye to all of my lifeless ends. Good riddance bad ends! My hair felt extremely light and swishy after and really did look so much healthier. We discussed tips on promoting hair growth, and Josh recommended that I use a hair mask about once a week to add moisture and shine. Since my visit to Rush, I have been using a Kérastase mask and I’ve really noticed the difference. My barnet has been exceptionally shiny, but I promise I haven’t let it go to my head! Laura had her work cut out finding the end of Jo’s hair, but once she did, she set to work and the results were absolutely gorgeous. I always love to see Jo’s hair curled, and Laura did such an incredible styling job with just a pair of GHD’s. What a talent.

After a few cheeky selfies we parted ways, and I used every shop window en route home as a mirror to admire my luscious locks! We both definitely recommend a trip to see Laura and Josh. They really know their stuff, listened to our needs and intuitively produced exactly what we both wanted without any fuss. You could say they’re real big wigs of the stylist world. In fact, that very evening we raved about them to our mutual BFF Ellie, who booked an appointment and had her hair cut at Rush yesterday. Let me tell you, she looks INCREDIBLE! So, thank you Rush for inviting us and making us feel so comfortable at your super salon. We’ll be back soon!

V&Jx

The Mercure Grange Hotel, Bristol.

Posted on 4 November, 2015 by She and Hem — 1 Comment ↓

The Mercure Grange Hotel in Bristol | She and Hem

During the summer I spent a long time deciding where I wanted to spend the night before my wedding. I knew that I wanted my three lovely bridesmaids to stay with me, so that we could do all of those last minute preparations (eating McDonald’s, gossiping about boys and watching Don’t Tell The Bride) together, and I felt that my flat would just be too small to do this in ultimate comfort. I looked into various local hotels and also renting an apartment for the four of us, but most just didn’t cut the mustard and didn’t seem quite special enough. Unfortunately, the odd few that looked tempting were waaay out of my budget!

Luckily, I didn’t need to fret for too long, as the lovely folks from Mercure offered me a little pre-wedding present in the form of a discount for The Grange Hotel, near Winterbourne in Bristol. Eeeeeek! After having a look at their webpage, I could not have been happier. With 18 acres of gorgeous grounds, and a bevy of charming, quirkily decorated and beautiful rooms, it really did tick every box! After booking the rooms, I was so excited about telling my bridesmaids, and I think they were equally as thrilled as I was to be having a night of luxury. What a delight! We all agreed that one major highlight of the stay was the incredible breakfast. Now, the photo above may make it look like we were quite tame, but alas, the fruit and pastries were just our first course. Well, it would have been pretty rude not to try it all, right?

The Mercure Grange Hotel in Bristol | She and Hem

I had a such a peaceful night’s sleep and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to face the Best Day Ever. Luckily, my bridesmaids managed to persuade me to change out of my incredible cat pyjamas. Thank you for the wonderful stay Mercure!

Alpha H Moisturiser and Korres Body Butter, Bath and Unwind.

Posted on 6 September, 2015 by She and Hem — 2 Comments ↓

Alpha H Moisturiser and Korres Body Butter, Bath and Unwind | She and Hem

The Alpha H Daily Essential Moisturiser* has found me at the perfect time. I recently had some red blemishes on my forehead diagnosed as sun damage, and since having the areas removed with a reeeeeally sharp needle, I’ve sworn to myself that I will take much better care of my skin, especially my face. It’s an awfully pore (ha!) excuse, but I’ve never enjoyed wearing any sort of sun protection on my face as they are usually so greasy and heavy. This is the only product I’ve ever used which gives you effective protection against the sun (as long as you reapply when needed!), whilst not feeling sticky on your face. In fact it’s the opposite, as it dries on contact with the skin. It’s so lightweight I’ve actually started using it everyday.

I wasn’t confident that my skin would get along with Alpha H, as when trying new moisturisers, nine times out of ten, I will have some sort of reaction to them. With Alpha H though, so far, so good. Personally, I think this may be due to the aloe vera and natural honeycomb, but whatever it is, I am so thankful to have found a moisturiser that doesn’t leave me looking like a ripe tomato! Bath and Unwind could not have picked a better product for me, and I would advise anyone who is as naive about skincare as me to get in touch with them and see what they can recommend for you.

Alpha H Moisturiser and Korres Body Butter, Bath and Unwind | She and Hem

Moving on to more decadent matters, if there’s a body butter that smells anywhere near as good as Korres Guava Body Butter*, I’ve yet to get my nose near it. It’s like all of your favourite Summer holiday’s squeezed themselves into a really trendy looking tube. You only need a super small amount, so don’t go crazy ladies, and the moisture lasts all day with no icky sticky residue left behind. Moisture goals.

The body butter is packed full of sunflower and almond oil, shea butter and quince extract, but my favourite thing about this it is that it contains avocado. During my research for this post I have learnt that avocado is excellent for both skin elasticity and smoothness. Now, I can’t promise that if you buy this body butter (or eat a lot of avocados) that you will suddenly be blessed with smooth skin, but you will smell delicious. Strangers will be queuing up to sit next to you on the bus.

If you know of the perfect moisturiser for extremely sensitive skin, please let me know in the comments and do pop over to Bath and Unwind’s snazzy website.

*This post is in association with Bath and Unwind*