Guildford doctor nominated for aesthetic award

Dr Natalie Blakely, of The Light Touch Clinic in Guildford, has been shortlisted in the Rising Star category of this year's Aesthetics Awards.

The awards brings together the cream of the crop from the aesthetics industry to acknowledge the success stories of the past year and reward those who are excelling. They have been designed to recognise those who have gone above and beyond in their dedication and service to the industry

The Rising Star category aims to find the doctor striding ahead of their peers within the industry and is ‘one to watch’ in the future.

Dr Natalie has been instrumental in helping launch the revolutionary INTRAcel skin-tightening machine to the UK and has been asked to present her findings at the annual British College of Aesthetic Medicine conference in London this Autumn.

She said of her nomination: "I am so happy to have been nominated for a Rising Star award at the prestigious Aesthetic Awards 2012. Now I just need to conquer the competition and bring the award home – my own version of an Olympic gold medal!"

If you have experienced Dr Natalie's expertise and would like to vote for her, visit http://cosmeticnewsuk.com/news/item/aesthetic-awards-voting-now-open

Make do & mend at Cath Kidston

There's something quite romantic about the old fashioned value of "make do and mend".

Harking back to those good old days, Cath Kidston is hosting an in-store event later this month at its Guildford store in Chertsey Street, where guests can learn a new skill.

At the workshops on Tuesday, September 18, and Wednesday, September 19, participants will be shown how to make a lampshade using Cath Kidston's famous printed fabric.

Tickets cost £15 and include a lampshade making kit, Cath Kidston fabric, an instructional tutorial and drinks and snacks.

Each ticket holder will aslo receive 15% off any purchases made at the shop on the night and will also be entered into a raffle to win a Trailing floral white filled sewing basket.

For more information or to book tickets, call 08450 262 440.

Celeb favourite Gamila Secret hits Guildford

Natural Israeli beauty brand Gamila Secret, coveted by celebrities such as Madonna, Rihanna and Justin Timberlake, will launch at House of Fraser in Guildford next week.

Created by Gamila herself - a Druze lady who has always lived by the power of healing herbs and plants - the range is a premium quality beauty range produced in Galilee using completely natural ingredients.

Using a unique combination of 15 handpicked Active Healing Herbs, Gamila Secret is a range of organic products to help skin return to the way nature intended.

Developed with the philosophy that skin should be replenished from the inside out, all Gamila Secret products penetrate the deepest epidermis layers for optimal results - giving it a moisturised, radiant, healthy glow.

Gamila Secret Beauty Bar (£20.99

The range, which includes the hero product - a natural olive oil soap available in ten varieties including rose, geranium and spearmint - will be available as part of House of Fraser's Apothecary selection from Wednesday, September 5.

Tracy Van Heusden, senior beauty buyer at House of Fraser, said: "Apothecary was created as a platform for new niche brands to be discovered by beauty lovers looking for something different and special which Gamila Secret offers.

"Gamila’s passion particularly appealed to me – each soap is handmade in Galilee using traditional methods and 100% natural ingredients."

Beauty Buy of the Week

It's been a year since Benefit launched its hero mascarea They're Real! and it has since become a top beauty hit.

Since it first hit the shelves last summer, the jet black mascara, which lenghtens, curls volumises, lifts and separates lashes for a spectacular look, has become the UK's number one selling mascara.

To celebrate the product's first anniversary, Benefit has released a booster set, which includes a full-sized They're Real! and a deluxe, clutch-friendly version - all for the price of one full-sized mascara (£18.50).

The special birthday booster sets area available from Benfit counters across Surrey now.

Cosmopolitan in cookie form

If you love cocktails but are trying to stay off the alcohol then Millie's Cookies has the perfect answer.

The cookie company, which has stores in Guildford, Woking and Kingston, has developed a special biscuit called the Cosmo Cookie.

Designed with the elegant and universally popular Cosmopolitan cocktail in mind, it is a celebration of the feminine icon, which is enjoyed in glamorous bars across the globe.

Bringing orange, cranberry and an accent of lime together, what's great about this cookie is consuming more than one won't leave you even the littlest bit squiffy.

Brilliant as a Friday afternoon snack to get girls in the office in the mood for the weekend, you can order it iced or plain and all cookies come with a lime segment sweet on top, to reflect the lime which is so often used to decorate the martini glass Cosmos are served in.

Available from mid-September for a limited period, the Cosmo Cookie costs 99p each, £2.99 for four or £5.99 for 12.

Beauty Buy of the Week

It seems spa brand Champneys is a favourite with leading athletes, who use the spas for cutting-edge training, recovery and rehabilitation

Sports personalities Theo Walcott, Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins all enjoy Kriotherapy at the flagship spa in Tring and many other high profile stars, including footballers Michael Dawson and Jermaine Defoe, also regularly visit the spa.

Now the company has used this expertise to create an exclusive, high-performance range of products for men, which are available at the Champneys town and city spa in Guildford.

From the High Performance Anti-Perspirant Spray (£3.50) to ensure they don't sweat too much, to the Revitalising Muscle Rehab Bath Soak (£6) to help ease muscle discomfort and the Anti-Chafing Protective Balm (£10), there's a product to support even the most demanding regime.

The Champneys Sports Therapy For Men range is available from Champneys 194 High Street, Guildford, (01483 455850) and Boots branches across Surrey.

Kingston Food Festival celebrates local produce

A week-long celebration of gourmet and local food and drink is set to take place in Kingston next week. 

Kingston Food Festival, which runs from August 6 to 12, will include Kingston Restaurant Week, daily children's food events and workshops, a food trail and a head-to-head Cocktail Mix Off where Kingston’s mixologists shake it up for a coveted award.

The highlight of the week, however, will undoubtedly be the Big Kingston Market on August 11 and 12. The market will featuring more than 70 producers and growers from Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex, alongside demos from top chefs on the Live Food Show stage.

For those who want to delve a little deeper, a programme of tastings and masterclasses will be available covering popular topics such as English wines, cheeses and chocolate.

Ros Morgan, chief executive of Kingstonfirst, the company behind the festival, said: "We anticipate another big favourite of the week will be the English Beer, Wine and Cider Festival featuring artisan and award-winning drinks from London and the south east region. From noon on Friday 10 until 10pm on Sunday 12 August, head to the riverside. It's the perfect Kingston summer day out."

Entry to many events is free of charge. Tickets for masterclasses and details of Kingston Restaurant Week participants can be found on www.kingstonfoodfestival.com.