Passport to a pampering

IT’S always the same old story before I go on holiday. Instead of winding down and relaxing in preparation for my two weeks of hard-earned, sun-soaked bliss, I run myself ragged trying to get everything ready.

For a woman, this not only involves booking travel insurance, buying toiletries, sorting out currency and finding a temporary home for the cat, it also means transforming yourself into a svelte, bronzed and sleekly groomed goddess-like version of your former self.

Short of a magic wand or the genes of Giselle Bundchen, this generally involves more than a little bit of help.

With neither of these advantages, mere mortals like myself find themselves forgoing food to shoehorn bikini waxes, fake tans, haircuts and manicures into lunch hours, making seemingly endless trips to the gym and slathering themselves in lashings of cocoa butter.

So the chance to try out the Saks Pre- Holiday Package came at the perfect time… A brilliantly simple idea, the theory behind the package is, unless she is Victoria Beckham, today’s modern woman does not have time for endless trips to the salon, particularly in the weeks before her summer holiday.

With this in mind, Saks is offering to do a bikini wax, eyebrow wax and eyelash tint, along with a shape and polish on both fingers and toes, all in one appointment.

The salon suggest the beauty appointment is combined with a hair appointment, allowing the busy woman to get everything done in just one afternoon.

Ingenious.

I went along to Saks, in Northallerton, to try out the package. Difficult job, I know, but someone’s got to do it.

When I arrived, rather frazzled after being stuck behind a tractor for a good 20 minutes, I was welcomed by beauty franchisee Siobhan Caffery, who explained they would do my cut and colour before my beauty treatments.

I opted for a colour gloss, which is supposed to create a shiny, multi-toned effect without smothering the natural colour. After the cut, the colour gloss was applied while Siobhan got to work on my mangled nails. I opted for a classy beige polish for a groomed look. Having two treatments done at once was great – very decadent.

Hair done, I was ushered into the beauty room, an oasis of calm after the hustle and bustle of the salon.

Bikini waxes have never been my favourite treatment but Siobhan’s expert skills seemed to make it as painless as possible. Then she applied a blueblack tint to my eyelashes, and while the colour was developing, she ttidied and polished my feet and toenails, painting them a Marilyn-esqe red.

The tint was rinsed off before the final treatment – an eyebrow wax.

I had always thought tweezers would do the job just as well, but after one treatment, I think I may be a convert.

Although painful, two short, sharp shocks and it was over, and all the annoying little blond and too-short hairs which can’t be tweezed were gone. My eyebrows looked immaculate.

Having gone from tired and stressed to groomed and glossy in less than three hours, I left the salon feeling a million dollars – not withstanding the rather attractive blue foam flip flops I had to wear while my toe nails dried because I forgot my sandals.

All I need now is Giselle’s legs – and her bank balance.

■ Saks is offering the Pre-Holiday Beauty Package, normally £55, for £35 to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Customers can upgrade to include a half-leg wax for an extra £15. There is also 35 per cent off a hair cut and colour.

Valid with selected staff on selected days until July 31 at Saks Northallerton, Saks Scotch Corner and Saks Darlington.

Subject to availability and mention offer at time of booking.

Make sure you do your research

AS the number of people having cosmetic surgery continues to rise and more and more clinics offer a vast variety of procedures, it can be daunting and confusing to know where to turn to for impartial advice.

Paul Baguley and Peter Hodgkinson, consultant plastic surgeons for Vive Cosmetics at Tees Valley Treatment Centre, in Middlesbrough, have the following recommendations for anyone looking into cosmetic surgery.

■ Look for a hospital and surgeon who work across the whole range of techniques, from cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to nonsurgical techniques.

■ Check that your chosen surgeon is accredited on the specialist plastic surgical register of the General Medical Council and ideally a member of BAAPS – the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

■ Ensure that, at your consultation, all the various alternatives are discussed and that you come away with a clear understanding of what can and cannot be achieved.

■ Don’t feel pressured into having treatment then and there. A second consultation should be available if you need it.

■ Ensure that you have confidence in the hospital environment, nursing staff and support services as well as your surgeon, as the whole team will help to manage your experience from beginning to end.

Tees Valley Treatment Centre offers cosmetic surgery and treatments through Vive Life Care, a national brand that only provides services through fully registered private hospitals. All surgical procedure and non-surgical treatments are delivered by qualified and experienced consultant plastic surgeons.

■ For further advice on cosmetic surgery and treatments, come to the open day on July 8, 6-8pm, contact the enquiry line on 0191-2703- 256 or visit vivelifecare.co.uk.

Father's Day

IT’S Father’s Day on Sunday, time to treat the best dad in the world – but what can you get him to make his day special? At Dalton Park there’s a whole range of gift ideas at up to 50 per cent off normal high street prices.

Socks, ties and slippers from the Marks & Spencer outlet are up to 30 per cent off; there are luxury toiletries from Crabtree & Evelyn; Chapelle Jewellery has a range of fabulous watches at up to 50 per cent off, including D&G, Fossil, DKNY and Storm, and at the Nike factory store there are bargains on adidas, Reebok, Lillywhites, brand-fusion and New Balance. Call 0191-526-6157 or visit dalton-park.co.uk

The Saturdays show a leg

LOOK out Girls Aloud, there's a band limbering up to take your campaign crowns. Girl band The Saturdays have been signed up as the new faces of Veet and have revealed their slinky pins to show just what the hair removal products can do. “We all like to look after ourselves and we are often wearing little dresses and shorts for shoots, videos and live performances so we have to make sure our legs look their best,” says band member Una.

Juicy Tubes

EVERYBODY'S favourite range of lip glosses, Juicy Tubes, have gone back to nature with their special summer edition range, P.U.R.E – that's Premium Unique Raw Elements to you and I. Find flavours such as Authentic Lavender, Fresh Mint Tea and even Just Tofu, £13.50 each, exclusively available at Boots.

Try before you buy?

Yep, you no longer have to raid the sample counters. Latestinbeauty.com is a website that offers samples of beauty products for free.

Register online and the site recommends relevant brands to you.