Putting On The Ritz

WHAT does a girl from an Oxfordshire market town do when she gets an invitation to take tea at the Ritz?
Find a classy hairdresser and a beauty specialist to give her a complete make-over, polish up her vowels and go for it!
First call on the Monday morning of my trip, a visit to Louise Dockery at Eclipse, a new salon nestling in a tucked away corner of the Cornmarket, Thame, to get the unruly, red ?barnet? tamed and looking respectable.
Walking through the door, I?m surprised to find myself in a deceptively spacious hair salon, obviously designed with customers in mind. The relaxing, vibrating shiatsu wash massage chairs have apparently have already sent several clients to asleep. Chatting to Lousie, I discover that the extensive choice of refreshments includes healthy herbal teas and de-caffeinated coffee but there is wine, or beer for the men or the less health conscious – I opted for a strong, black coffee.
The characterful beams and charm of the old building somehow combine with a light and airy feel to give a totally contemporary and inviting ambience to the place; what an amazing start to a busy working week after a weekend of spiritual and bodily neglect!

Louise has a wealth of experience in the industry but Eclipse Hair Design is her first very own salon. She prides herself on customer service and knows clients expect more than just a great haircut. She says: ?Having frequented many salons over the years, it can be intimidating at the best of times, so we at Eclipse like customers to feel relaxed when they come in, to enjoy the experience and looking forward to their next visit?.

After a thorough hair wash and conditioning with the salon?s Redken products, while the shiatsu wash chair gently eased away the tension in my back and legs, Louise set to and lightened some of the heavier layers in my locks before setting it in a flattering and manageable style, helpfully explaining all the while how I could achieve similar results myself at home.

Next, I was off to Karen Case?s beauty clinic, Monera, in North Street, Thame, for their challenge of the day ? to transform this ruddy-faced country girl into a glamorous girl-about-town in one hour.
Using products from the ID range, Beautician, Laura Morris applied a granula foundation that toned down my rosy tones, softening some of the wear-and-tear that age and cycling have inflicted. Then she applied a clever combination of colours to my somewhat hooded eyelids that amazingly made my eyes seem larger and brighter. Wow – I was beginning to like this new me. The first manicure my chipped and gardening-damaged nails had ever had in their life (well, apparently nails are actually dead as my pedantic biologist friend tells me, but you know what I mean) completed the treatment.
Had I more time to spare, I would have gone the whole hog and tried more of Monera?s specialities, which include facials, waxing (for men too!), pedicures and particularly, Stone massage. Go along to their Open Day on November 7, and experience some for yourself ? I can highly recommend the wonderful pampering and feel-good result on one?s confidence and ego that the whole beauty salon thing gives.
All I had to do was to go home and change into my brown linen trousers and brown and cream lacy top, (which I had brought the week before from a charity shop), and the transformation was complete.

After a relaxing bus ride to Marble Arch via the Oxford Tube from Lewknor, I strolled in the sunshine up Park Lane to my world-famous destination, with the words and melody of the old 1940?s number, Putting On The Ritz, buzzing around in my brain. (A friendly, cockney ?doing the knowledge? before qualifying as a London cabbie, had pointed me in the right direction).
Then, just past Green Park Station, there it was ? the hotel of the rich and famous, opitimising style, sophistication and elegance, looking like a French chateau.

Going in past the doorman with his gold-braided shoulders and top hat, I negotiated the large, wooden revolving door like a Ritz regular and, trying not to look too much like an awe-struck ?towny?, confidently strolled along the long, vaulted gallery hung with sumptuous chandeliers that runs the whole length of the building.
Suddenly, the jacket that I was carrying over my shoulder bag, began to slip to the floor; my cover was blown; but almost before it had reached the ground, one of the uniformed attendants standing attentively at the ready, deftly stepped to my side and picked it up before handing it to me with a respectful: ?Madame?? and a slight bow.
Having restored my composure, I found the Marie Antoinette suite, one of the elegant public rooms that lead off the gallery on either side, where I had been invited to a Press Launch of an intriguing new beauty treatment called Chromo-Science, currently all the rage in up-market beauty salons and spas throughout the UK.
Collin UK claims to offer ?a one hour and 30 minute retreat from the hustle and bustle of your life and stresses, offering a complete rebalancing of your energy centres (Chakras)”. The treatment incorporates colour therapy, relaxation and meditation along with brand new active ingredients, promising a “re-programming session for your skin?s cells, to stimulate them to function in the way that they did in your younger years.??..hmmmm thought the sceptic in me.
And yet, I pride myself on being open minded and so, with a wonderful plate of elegantly cut, crustless sandwiches in front of me, a silver pot of Green tea and a shiny three-tiered cake stand of little fancy cakes, I watched as the lights were lowered and a slim, toned and attractive 40 something (well, she might have been a 50 something that had received the Chromo-Science for herself for all I knew) began the demonstration. Gently she massaged seven different coloured serums to match each Chakra into the skin of a brave volunteer, each for a specific need of the skin, i.e. energy, oxygenation, protection or hydration, all of them smelling absolutely gorgeous. All the while a soothing voice-over CD drew us and the brave guinea pig from our ranks, into a world of Mediterranean villages of golden sunshine, blue waters and friendly church bells, culminating in the Fountain of Harmony serum.

Interestingly, my favourite smell of all the samples brought round for the gathered journalists to sniff, was the green, Fountain of Tone for protection, green being my favourite colour.
We were all given a goody bag containing the 28 day ?cell re-programming cure? and a voucher to have the 90 minute massage treatment at our nearest participating salon, which I shall certainly be using in the near future. (The nearest salons to us in Thame are The Orchid Rooms, in Olney, or The Beauty Studio at Appletrees, Chesham, both in Bucks).

After meeting my eldest son, whose response at seeing his new-look mum was: ?You look sort of ???.different,? for a quick drink in the Portebello Road, only four tube stops away from the Ritz, I practically floated home on the Oxford Tube.

Back in Thame, I went into the News Agents to top up my mobile phone, and thinking that I could get used to this ?Putting On Ritz? lark, I bought a lottery ticket.
Oh well, a country girl can dream can?t she?

FACT FILE:
Eclipe Hair Design, 1a Cornmarket, Thame, OX9 3DX ? 01844 260062
Monera, 62-63 North Street, Thame, OX9 3BH ?
01844 260454
Collin (UK), Beeston Grange, Sandy, SG19 1PG ?
01767 682288 ? www.collin.ltd.uk