As a practicing masseuse, it’s important to know what other practitioners are doing. I want to introduce you to some of the really good ones I’ve seen recently:

First up is the Chi Yu Wellness Centre. My therapist was the owner, Mami, a beautiful Japanese lady with an uncanny ability to hit the nail on the knot and make it vanish. She is one of the best I’ve experienced. I decided to try the Oriental Aromatherapy in celebration of the year of the Water Dragon. A thorough and precise consultation, whilst sipping a home-made tea, concluded that my kidneys and lungs were off kilter.  Mami then picked out 3 oils. Sandalwood – an excellent moisture retainer for skin and a soothing hand in calming the mind;  Frankincense -  helps clear congestion in the kidneys and lungs which also addresses my water balance as the lungs distribute water into skin; Geranium – helps to regulate the secretion of various hormones, enzyme acids and bile and tones up the internal systems.

Mami (pictured) then got to work stretching, manipulating and performing acupressure on my various muscle groups, pressure points and meridians. At one point she turned ninja on me as she leapt on the bed, straddled me and went to work on my back. This move gives her a perfect position to apply balanced pressure with her both left and right hands. I hate it when a therapist applies more pressure with their dominant side. Every move was precise, with purpose and felt amazing. Her routine flowed effortlessly. It felt as if my body was a mass of circuits and she was refreshing each one, paying special attention to the ones which weren’t playing ball. But at no time did she cause me any pain. She knew exactly what to look for and where to target her moves. ‘Twas amazeballs.

Next up, Cult Beauty expert Annee deMamiel. Annee comes over to the UK seasonally to work her magic from her room at the Beauty a la Carte spa in Fortnum & Masons’ beautifully grandiose shop. Annee starts the 90 minute facial with a consultation so encyclopedic, I wonder if she can read minds too – her background is in Traditional Chinese medicine. This ancient philosophy is based on the balance of Qi (pronounced “chee”) or vital energy, that flows through our body. Our Qi regulates our spiritual, emotional, physical and mental balance and is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. What Annee is looking to find is where your imbalances are and then she works on rectifying them.

She checks my tongue and takes my pulse. Apparently some people leave out vital information when questioned, but nothing fools Annee for she can read it on your tongue, see it in your eyes and hear it with your pulse. As this was my first foray into acupuncture, she went easy with the needles – two between my big toes, two in my inner ankles, 1 on each shin, 2 a little way up my wrists and one in my 3rd eye, then a cashmere blanket placed over my body to keep me warm.

Her signature facial started with a wonderful vibrating stone placed over each of my chakras. She smoothed hot honey over my face which I wanted to eat, and then using a herb compress, gently but firmly kneaded and rolled it, pressing the honey deep into my skin. I melted into the bed in a state of bliss. When all was said and done, my face looked about 10 years younger. It was bright, glowing and plumped up. It felt like everything about me physically and mentally was restored to a beautiful harmony.

That evening I had a committee meeting, where I proceeded to drink 4 glasses of wine and smoked 2 cigarettes. When I went to brush my teeth later that night, I looked in the mirror and was saddened to see the glow had vanished. The chemicals in the booze and fags had acted like vampires and sucked the life-force out of all the great work Annee had done. I could see how immediate these toxins act, what a wake up call!

Lastly, I’d like to talk about the fabulous Ushvani. The setting for this day spa is a beautiful Edwardian town house in Chelsea, when you walk through the door it’s like entering a Malaysian palace. It is rare to find a spa on this level in a Western city, I’ve only had similar experiences in the far east. It is rare that you see anyone other than your therapist here, so luxurious that it felt like I was the only client in the place.

I opted for the signature Bali/Malay/Thai massage. After a long soak in the hydrotherapy pool, tropical shower and sauna I was ready to be transported to Pandora. The massage was totally relaxing. I loved the hot compress, the choice of music, the harnessing of the power and beauty of the hibiscus flower, the after massage service with accompanying sugared wintermelon and the way Lauren (my therapist) spread my scapula…was the best stretch. I also love the Ushvani products, especially the Ushvani Balm, it gives Tiger Balm a run for its money.

The only thing I think they could work on is the advice given at the end of the treatment. If its not precise, the diagnosis can come out sounding unsure. Have confidence in the truth or don’t say anything. olivia inge

I have a confession to make – I am a high maintenance blonde. By that I am referring to the insane lengths I go to get my chemically treated, frizzy curly mop look halfway decent. As well as my normal makeup jobs, I now regularly consult for a luxury brand, where I have to look absolutely immaculate. It’s an eternal struggle that goes on pretty much daily so when Urban Retreat invited me to sample their Rahua Omega 9 treatment, I could hardly say no. I have contemplated having my wild locks tamed by a Brazilian blow-dry to save me time – although the chemical side of the process is something that worries me – but a natural way to get my hair looking good is definitely welcome.

I had already heard great things about the wonderfully wholesome Rahua Hair Care range from Cult Beauty’s Alexia, as they were the first to sell it in the UK. I then met the charming people behind the brand last summer and was bowled over by the enthusiasm they had and how natural this collection actually is (free from synthetics, parabens, sulphates). Deriving its potent ingredients from the oil of the rahua nut and ungurahua oils found in the Amazon, the products seek to nourish the hair follicle from within, rather than the usual coating it in silicone to create an artificial shine. Rahua has become a massive hit in the upmarket salons of New york which is another good enough recommendation for me. The shampoo and conditioner do not come cheap but you only need a very small amount so it will last you a long time.

For the £35 treatment the lovely James washed and conditioned my hair – the hair masque is about 15 minutes long – then gave me a fantastic blow-dries that made my hair look sleek, shiny and healthy. I always like my hair best the day after a blow-dry when it has settled a bit  and the best news that my normally coarse and unruly mop still felt soft and shiny three days later which to me is the main test of not only a great blow-dry but also of fantastic products, to which I am now completely addicted. emma day

I’m exactly a week away from commencing my second quarter of life (yes, I will live to be exactly one hundred) and in a bid to stave off any semblance of maturity, have hit the bottle.

I’ll admit, it seemed pretty late in the day to be getting a dip-dye. The trend’s been around for so long that every man and his dog (within a three mile radius of Dalston) have two, three or even thirty tone hair. However, like most things, it’s taken a year’s worth of subliminal brainwashing to convince me that it’s a greeeeeat idea and so, (finally) here I am.

For those of you unfamiliar with Dalston, it’s probably not the first place that would spring to mind if you were in line for revamp. Unless you wanted a new tattoo – in which case, get yourself to Haggerston pronto! Bleach has been garnering a reputation amongst those-in-the-know as the place to be if you’ve a lust for reinvention.

In the same spot as good old WAH Nails (of which we at CB are HUGE fans), Bleach on Kingsland Road is unquestionably cool. The white space has walls lined with cuttings from only the trendiest mags, together with Polaroids of previous victims clients (Pixie Geldof’s a fan) to make a glorified mood board and provide hours of amusement when you’ve finished your book and are still getting yo’ hay-er did.

I was greeted by Matthew – elbow deep in violet toner but no less charming because of it – who sat me down and left me just enough time to slurp a coffee and  think about bolting make myself comfortable. I was armed with a picture of Abbey Lee Kershaw, the courage of my convictions and, um, not a lot else.

Fast forward almost FOUR HOURS and I look like a shiny new ‘My Little Pony’ with the swishiest pink mane in town. Matthew concentrated the bleach on my lower layers, to create flashes of brighter colour that peek through the more muted top layer. He was also very careful to create a shade that wouldn’t jar with my natural strawberry (*ahem* ginger) tones and left tiny sections au naturel, to highlight the pink tint and give a sun-kissed holiday vibe.

All in all, I feel much better about my imminent birthday (and slightly like a superhero). The only downside is that it need to be very protective of my colour and have stocked up on masses of the brilliant Sachajuan Color Save Shampoo and Conditioner.

For inspiration and prices visit http://bleachlondon.co.uk/ – there are Bleach salons in Dalston and Topshop, Oxford Circus and if the SS’12 catwalks are anything to go by, I would make an appointment asap as this is one trend that refuses to dye a death… verity douglas