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So why did I name the salon The Powder Room anyway ?

I decided to call the salon The Powder Room for two of reasons.

The main one being, the female camaraderie we show each other in the night club bathrooms. More about this later.

The other reason was because I went for dinner at a restaurant  near York and their bathrooms were amazing. Just how I had pictured my future salon, I was only around 15 years old at this point. The bathrooms/ toilets/ powder rooms were decorated in an eclectic way with lots of mismatched items. Such as a large antique maple veneered wardrobe with a old fashioned 1920’s dress hung on the door. Next there were powder puffs everywhere and a real 1920’s vibe- even a gramophone which I have always wanted.

I had a vision of having the main reception desk as a black gloss baby grand piano and the gramophone perched on top for stylish effect.

What has got to do with anything ? you might ask, nothing really in the grand scheme of things, it’s just a glimpse into how my mind works and how I have manifested my dream salon since I was a teenager.  Now boasting 21 years of business, so we must be doing something right!

Anyway I have always loved the Art Deco era of the roaring 1920’s, the scalloped edged chairs, the black and gold high gloss finish, draped pearls and diamonds, crystal chandeliers, decadent bar set ups with martini glasses all lined up. Decanters and soda siphons, bevelled mirrors – you get the idea.

I have tried to incorporate some of these style ideas in our décor over the years, it has been streamlined somewhat recently as tastes have changed and the colours are slightly different, but the main vibe is there.

So this whole theme of grandeur and opulence teamed with the aforementioned feeling we get in the ladies bathrooms has been my main focus for our mission of making you feel good over the past 21 years.

Have you noticed how kind we are to one another in theses places ?

Sharing hairbrushes, lip gloss even, championing each other, giving out compliments –  if only we would talk to ourselves in such a positive and kind manner.

We don’t though do we? We are so hard on ourselves constantly seeking validation and lacking confidence and it’s so nice to receive a compliment that we don’t know how to react and sometimes it catches us off-guard.

This is my whole ethos behind the creation of the salon- women supporting women- (we do treatments for men too but that’s not what we are talking about right now).

We are all about building your confidence and helping you feel the best you can, obviously we are in the beauty industry and for many years I have had an inner battle with my conscience as to whether some of the treatments we offered aligned with my ethos, some didn’t make the cut and didn’t last long while some have stood the test of time.

You see, as you may know this industry is geared to highlighting your flaws to make you feel rubbish in order to sell you the miracle cure all, whether that’s a wonder cream or a course of treatments promising all sorts.

We work a bit differently as we look at the root cause of any issues you maybe experiencing then we address that in order to treat from the inside out. It’s a longer process, but ultimately better results will be attained this way.

As part of the process we give you tools and strategies to incorporate into your everyday life to help build a sustainable plan for success. 

This strategy applies to many things that we deal with such as:

Skin issues

Menopause symptoms

Back pain

Nails in need of repair

Feet with hard skin and dodgy toenails

Hairy legs and other bits

We do not highlight your flaws we celebrate all the good things to build your confidence so you don’t feel the need to seek that societal approval we have been conditioned to bow down to.

We play to your strengths and offer selfcare without judgment.

Everyone has a favourite treatment that makes them feel better or more human again. Whether is having your nails painted beautifully or having a facial to deeply relax you.

I’ll be honest with you- you will most likely LOOK better when you walk in than when we have finished massaging your head and made your hair all stand on end and given you a sleepy glow.  But I promise, whatever treatment you choose, you will FEEL so much better when we have worked our magic.

We would love to see you at The Powder Room for some much needed relax time and we will make you feel amazing.

Thank you for reading this far and hopefully I have given you an insight into what we stand for.

Written by Natalie Hodges

 

 

We highly recommend that you invest in a skin specialist.

This will give you peace of mind.

We have the knowledge and experience you can can trust. You will be on the right path using the correct products for you ever changing skin.

You see looking for advice online is ok sometimes, but your skin is pretty precious wouldn’t you agree?

You could be easily persuaded to invest in online trends and skincare that will not help your skin at all in fact it may do the opposite and cause damage. We have seen it too many times over the years.

We have made it easy for you to invest in having your very own skin specialist to help you along the way. We give you a detailed consultation prior to your facial and follow up with regular check-ins and updates.

We can keep an eye on how your skin reacts to the skincare routine you do at home, teamed with regular professional salon facial treatments to boost your hard work and dedication. You see we only get to treat your skin when you come for a facial so it important that you are doing all the right things at home in between.

Its a bit like going to the gym regularly and eating the good stuff to fuel your body in between.

You don’t pay any extra to have this personal service either. It comes with the territory, so you can rest assured you have the right guidance and you can get on with all the other things in your life without worrying about your skin.

All you have to do is BOOK THAT FACIAL and come and see us.

If you are not sure which one to choose then select the Nimue prescription facial option and we can tailor make it to your requirements.

The first step is coming in and laying on the bed so we can see your skin and start working our magic.

You can look forward to luscious cleansing, sumptuous facial massage, deeply relaxing neck and shoulder massage, prescriptive masks to target your problem areas and of course a complimentary nap is always included.

We can successfully treat the cause not just the symptom of many skin concerns including: acne, premature signs of ageing, dehydration, rosacea, red inflamed skin and many more.

We use Nimue Skin Technology Skincare which has patented delivery systems that can get the key ingredients to where they need to be in the skin to make the most difference to the overall result.

It is smart skincare so it takes the guesswork out of finding the right thing for you specifically. It is synergistically tested for optimum penetration of actives and minimal irritation.

You only need a few products to get started:

A cleanser, a moisturiser and an SPF are the basics if you want to keep it simple. If you’re a skincare junkie like me then there’s lots of other bits you can bring in later to boost it all.

If you feel like you have tried everything and nothing has helped you get the skin you have been wanting for so long then maybe its time to come and see us. You will wish you came sooner, but that’s ok, now is good.

We can wait to get you all cosy on the treatment bed and start working together towards your skin goals.

Thanks for reading this blog written by Natalie Hodges

Award winning skin specialist

The Powder Room Birstall

The seasons are changing and the energy is shifting for sure.

September’s full moon and lunar eclipse was particular beautiful in the sky and the trees are starting to show their autumnal colours.

As the cooler weather creeps in we need to think about a few things:

1. Our Skin and what it needs to feel good and stay protected as we brave the elements. Ask us about SPF and element barrier, also its a good time to switch up your treatment mask or serum.
2. Our Mental Wellbeing – as the darker nights draw in our mood can drop and we need to make sure we have a cosy place to enjoy the evenings. Make your nest inviting with blankets and candles, warm drinks and a good book.
3. Our Stress Levels – We need to try and keep our nervous system regulated with calming activities. This can be hard at home when you are running round trying to stay on top of your to do list. But if you pencil in your diary some regular time out for yourself for a massage or a facial. Your body and mind will thank you for it for sure.
4.  Fuelling our Bodies  –  Its a great time of year to incorporate one pot wonders like soups and stews into your meal plans. These will free you up if you make some in advance and save energy as you will only need to put the oven on once for everything. Think pies and crumbles for warming tummy filling meal ideas.
5. Last of all for this list, although I could go on is Slowing Down – We need to take heed of the animals in nature that hustle and prepare their space for hibernation, even though we are not quite there yet its a good idea to start prepping food and freezing portions so you don’t have to keep nipping to the shops in the cold weather. Try to slow down your morning tasks instead of rushing around like a nutter getting stressed  maybe enjoy your tea or coffee in peace without looking at your phone. Just take it easy, the more you rush, the more stressed you will be. – Remember your to do list will never be finished and your email inbox or laundry basket will never be empty so you may as well enjoy life to the full in between doing a few essential tasks.

I hope this has given you a little boost to get you in the mood for autumn and I look forward  seeing you in the salon for some seasonal specials and maybe a pumpkin latte.

 

 

Summer is here … Well kind of !

The weather is a bit hit and miss in true British form.

Are you managing to spend any time outdoors at the moment?

If we just see some Greenery – grass or a tree it has the potential to lift our mood and raise our vibrational energy.  Nature is powerful and helps us feel grounded and connected to ourselves better.

The sea, the sky , the air, the trees.

I don’t know about you but i do feel better when i have spent some time outdoors.

As the weather is warmer and the sun makes an appearance is more important than ever to ensure you are using a good SPF to protect your skin from the harmful UV rays. I personally have found that now i am in perimenopause my tolerance for the sun has decreased. I need a hat on and some high factor sunscreen as my skin reacts badly these days. I do like being outside but i make sure i am careful not to be too exposed to the big ball of fire in the sky.

I can still enjoy the good effects of the sun and allow it to recharge my batteries and warm my bones, also the brightness helps the brain feel more alert and we feel more positive and more inclined to do more things when the suns out.

It’s like we are solar powered – which we kind of are after all we are made up of 80 % water  and need regular sunlight to function optimally.

We stock Nimue in the salon which offers a few options of SPF

Did you know the importance of wearing SPF daily?

We realise that you may have an SPF in your moisturiser,
this is usually only a factor 15 which isn’t really enough to protect you from the environmental damage that our weather causes on the skin.

The sun is bad enough but the cold, wind and rain can create havoc too , and as we know we can experience all 4 seasons in one day here in the UK.
The Nimue skincare is smart and I personally wouldn’t put anything else on my face.  The Nimue SPF comes in a factor 40 and 50, they are both different formulations and its best to come and try them out for yourself.

Having a high factor sun screen doesn’t have to mean thick, waxy, white sun block. It is ideal to wear under make up and can be reapplied as often as necessary also protects against prickly heat too.

If you have invested in your skincare and are having regular facials, its recommended to use SPF daily to reinforce your hard work, otherwise your skin is vulnerable to the elements and could incur damage.

Come and have a chat with our award winning skin specialists and we can show you what’s its all about so you can rest assured your skin is protected all the time.

I have now gotten used to having the Mirena coil in my body.

It was a few weeks before it settled in and I stopped feeling cramping and bleeding lightly. I went to the doctors a week after the coil fitting to get the oestrogen patches to complete the process.

My GP was quite reluctant to give me them and said at first I was too young, she also went through the risks of HRT again… and I responded with ”But the benefits now outweigh the risks don’t they ? Yet you haven’t mentioned any of those.” Her response was a moment of silence as she processed how best to reply to this opinionated/clued up patient who wasn’t going to be easy to convince otherwise. She said we are supposed to tell you about the risks, we are also supposed to let you know that HRT is not recommended for long term use, i.e. more than 5 years – I said I had heard otherwise and that it actually prevents some of diseases that will cost the NHS money in the long run i.e. Dementia, Osteoporosis, heart disease etc. She just shook her head and said she would just write the prescription for me.

I have been on the patches 25mg of oestrogen for a couple of weeks and I do feel good. I feel like I have more energy and have been sleeping well.  I have been advised to go for a check up and to get more patches soon so stay tuned.

I would love to know how your experience had been so far, you can email me at thepowderroombirstall@gmail.com

I wanted to create a blog to let you know how I have gotten on so far.

Firstly I had telephone appointment with the contraception and sexual health clinic. I had asked about my pill and that I was considering a Mirena coil as I planned to start HRT. They advised me this was a good plan and booked me an appointment which came as a text.

I had to go to Huddersfield to have it fitted as they outsource these things to various clinics. The nurses that looked after me were really caring and understanding. The main one explained the procedure and suggested a smear test while I was there as it had been while. She went through everything and put me at ease.

I was asked to go the toilet and give them a urine sample to test for pregnancy.

Then I had to take trousers and underwear off and get on the bed. They explained they would insert a speculum and do the smear first. This was fine I didn’t really feel much at all. Then it was time to fit the coil.

This is a small T shaped device that releases Progesterone to protect the lining of the womb and provide contraception. I could feel it being pushed in there was a slight cramping feeling they said that was normal.  It was over very quickly and I then had my blood pressure taken, which was high.

They advised me to take it easy for a few days and that the cramping might continue until it had settled into place. So I went home and took some painkillers and sat with a cuppa and a wheat bag on my belly and read my book.

I am waiting until next week to go back to the gym but the cramping stopped after a few days. I was advised to make an appointment with my GP to check blood pressure and to get some Oestrogen to complete the HRT treatment plan. This will no doubt be trial and error as to which format will best suit me.

–  It could be a gel patch or spray. I will keep you informed as to what happens and how my symptoms feel. Currently I have experienced: Brain fog, dizziness, bloating, hot feet, headaches, poor sleep sometimes, mood swings.

I am hoping this will ease as I have implemented other things in my life to help with the menopause to work alongside HRT.

The benefits now outweigh the risks and it will protect against heart disease, dementia and osteoporosis.

Email me to share your experience on

thepowderroombirstall@gmail.com

Why stress matters in menopause

The more stress we are under the more this can aggravate menopause and perimenopausal symptoms.

Conversely, the more our sex hormones decline, the more we feel stressed and end up in a downward spiralling loop.

People want to know if it’s the stress causing their symptoms or the menopause – the answer is it’s both – We need to understand why and how to break the cycle. This is why this stage in life has been called midlife crisis and it can feel like one but it doesn’t have to be that way – read on…

Where can stress come from?

• The pressure of children grandchildren and ageing parents
• More responsibility at work or within the family
• Social pressure
• Feeling that you’re losing your looks fertility and loss of value in an ageist society
• Insomnia / poor sleep pattern
• A less than optimum diet
• Lack of exercise
• Work / life imbalance
• Low levels of self-care
• Exposure to too many EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies)
• Chronic infection
• Chemical exposure to household cleaning products
• History of trauma
• Adverse childhood experiences
• Divorce
• Bereavement
• Anxious, avoidant relationship dynamics
• Power struggles
• Client demands
• Life admin – booking, tickets meal, planning shopping, school admin etc
• Time constraints and deadlines
• Worrying about the future
• Self-imposed expectations
• Traffic and road rage

The list of modern day stressors goes on and on.

Here’s the science bit –

Stress is connected to the brain. -The pathway between the hypothalamus, and the adrenal glands is called the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA).

The hypothalamus detects and interprets stress to send a signal to your adrenal glands to produce adrenaline or cortisol. This is because instant energy is needed for this threat. – The problem is, the more adrenaline you produce, the more you see things as a threat. This is the loop that you get stuck in.

The important thing to remember is the HPA axis is triggered by your own interpretation of stress so by learning how to cope with your stressors by reforming your perspective is powerful. You can learn to relax into life’s challenges and feel more in control and able to cope with what life throws at you without feeling overwhelmed or stressed out. This doesn’t happen by telling someone to calm down – its a bit more work than that which we can help you with. As you have probably experienced for yourself this would have the opposite effect.

Sex Hormones

FSH – Follicle Stimulating Hormone is it Gonadotropin, a Glycoprotein and a Polypeptide hormone which means it helps things grow.

LH- Luteinising Hormone triggers the release of an egg and controls the menstrual cycle

In men it causes the testicles to make testosterone.

The reason we feel more stressed during perimenopause is because FSH and  LH levels are changing and this makes the HPA axis become more reactive.

The body has its own coping mechanisms of rebalancing this limbic activity, but when oestrogen and progesterone decline, so does the bodies ability to regulate this HPA axis.

So basically, the sex hormones protect the body against that stress reaction.

When they start to decline we are no longer protected against this stress buffering response. When we find ourselves in the state of stress, the body prioritises survival not reproduction.

This is why we store fat because the body collects fuel in case we need as it still thinks stress = famine. Perimenopause is a time when learning how to deal with stress differently comes into play. If we’re going to alter our perception of stress and improve resilience, we need to  learn coping skills that can really help the body avoid falling into the stress trap.

A powerful skill is realising stress doesn’t have to be negative. It can be neutral when we know why menopause makes stress worse we can approach it with more neutrality instead of dramatics and negative reactions.

This is easier said than done if you’re at the top of your tree feeling overwhelmed and stressed, this is where we come in.

We can offer holistic treatments such as Reiki and Aromatherapy Massage to help you relax for even a short time to reset your thoughts to enable you to make better decisions, moving forward along your menopause journey.

Other therapies we offer include: Reflexology, Lomi Lomi massage, Indian Head Massage, Therapeutic Results driven facials. and so much more.

The way our holistic approach to stress works is by temporarily slowing down the heart rate and brainwaves to help you relax deeper to recharge your batteries. This is a chance for you to reset and refocus and with our tips to help you move forward you will feel much more in control and less reactive to the things that would normally cause you stress.

There are many other holistic therapies that can help with this and we have a number of contacts we can refer you to should you want to explore them – These include : Hypnotherapy, Sound Therapy, Homeopathy, Acupuncture, EFT Tapping therapy, Cognitive behavioural therapy,

Thank you for reading and if you have found this blog helpful please share with anyone you feel might benefit from it and we look forward to seeing you soon for some much needed holistic therapy time just for you.

Written by Natalie Hodges

Reiki Practitioner, Women’s Circle Facilitator, Menopause Mentor and Award Winning Skin Specialist.

We have a unique offering here at The Powder Room

We have gone a bit more witchy, spiritual and holistic.

This means we treat the mind and body as a whole.
🌹We empower you to feel amazing
🌹We show you how to love yourself again
🌹we bring women together to feel safe and nurtured
🌹we help you embrace your inner warrior goddess to feel strong and powerful
🌹we show you how to prioritise yourself without neglecting others
🌹 we want to spread the love and light that brings us together

How do we do this ?

🌹 we hold women’s circles
🌹 we do journaling and help you let go of negative feelings and work through them.
🌹 we offer reiki healing
🌹Lomi lomi massage
🌹reflexology
🌹 relaxing facials
🌹 aromatherapy massage
🌹 mindfulness sessions
🌹meditation sessions
🌹We have oracle cards
🌹menopause mentoring
🌹we offer advice and guidance to help You find your way to happiness
🌹 we do craft workshops to create things like your own blend of herbal tea,
a seasonal wreath or a aromatherapy remedy roll on etc.
🌹We are going to do some guided walks and wild swimming in small Groups too

✨If any of this sounds like your thing please get in touch to see our offering and to book something in.

✨It might be just what you’re been looking for

Please get in touch if you would like to know more.

I have been working closely with many women to find out how we can embrace these gifts as we reach this sacred chapter of our lives.

As our oestrogen levels drop it makes us more outspoken and receptive to how the world is working now. We can see things we may not have seen when we were younger.

Such as : How corrupt some systems are and how we are programmed to follow lots of rules that don’t seem to benefit our wellbeing. Also our conditioning from childhood and how that may be triggering our reactions while under stress and emotional exhaustion.

We may realise that we no longer need to be rushing around like a mad woman pleasing people and putting ourselves on the bottom of the pile.

– This stops now and its time to prioritise our self care so we can be more present and enjoy our lives more by living in the moment and noticing the beauty around us.

Its time to implement boundaries – with friends, family and work colleagues. You could try small changes if this is scary, but a good place to start is to not reply to calls or messages after a set time in the evening. Be strong and see how it affects your stress levels by not being glued to your phone at everyone’s beck and call.  If you want to get a bit more ruthless unfollow the friends or social media accounts that annoy you or don’t make you happy. You know the ones where you just scroll and instantly your mood flips – BLOCK AND DELETE.

When you have finally had chance to sit by yourself and enjoy a bit of peace start to think about what you really want. Life is short, is it how you hoped it would be or are there changes that need to be made?

It’s called ”the change” for a reason!

Its time for you to rise up in your power now and do the things that fill you with joy. The small things that can make a big difference like being more mindful with everyday tasks. Take your time to savour the moment and realise to beauty around you.

If you are struggling to find these gifts and are battling with physical symptoms, get in touch to see how we can help clear some of the stress to help you feel more balanced and able to focus on your needs.

Email me on

thepowderroombirstall@gmail.com