March has come and gone in the blink of an eye and we’ve certainly been keeping busy this month.
First of all, we thought that as a small business we should try and go along to some networking events. Local businesses supporting each other is something that we’re very keen on – particularly if we’ve used someone ourselves and can vouch for them.
Network for business growth
So this month we went along to the Orpington 12.30 Women’s Networking event, held at Scala in Orpington High Street. It was a small group, which was actually quite nice as it made it more intimate and we could get to know each other a bit more.
We also went along to the Ladies That Latte Group in Bromley. It was an interesting event – not least for its location – and we also had the opportunity to meet at least 20 different businesses.
And finally, we attended the Networking Cupper event in the Glades, which ran over two days and allowed us to meet with local businesses.
Next month we’ve got our eye on another two different networking events and then we should have tried most of them locally (with the exception of the very early morning events which, as mothers of young children, we’d find it very difficult to attend).
Colour consultation
This month – it being Mother’s Day – we thought we’d treat ourselves to a couple of pampering sessions.
First up, we had the pleasure of meeting Rebecca from Rebecca Ffrancon, who specialises in colour and style consultations.
It wasn’t something that either of us had given much thought to if we’re honest, but it was really interesting what Rebecca told us about projecting our brand’s colours at every opportunity. So for us, that could mean wearing purple and blue co-ordinating tops or having a purple or blue pen/handbag/notebook.
We decided to book Rebecca in for a colour analysis, which would mean she’d be taking a closer look at our skin tone, hair colour and personalities and from that, working out which colours best suit us.
We discovered that we were both ‘warm’ tones and that Nicky should experiment a bit more with brighter colours and Lauretta should look at more autumnal colours.
At the end of the session Rebecca gave us each a mini swatch to keep in our purses so that when we go out shopping for new clothes, we know what to look out for.
It was a really enjoyable session and we think it would make a lovely gift for a special friend or family member. Rebecca also does wardrobe edits, so if you think you’re stuck in a rut, you know who to call!
Oh and keep a look out for Rebecca’s style tips in the May issue – we’ve certainly learned a few new things.
Beauty is skin deep
Finally, we had the pleasure of meeting Deb Horgan, who is a supplier and distributor of skincare and beauty brand, Tropic.
We had heard a few things about Tropic recently – mostly how good it was, so we felt the need to try it out and see for ourselves.
What we discovered was that all Tropic’s products are made with premium natural ingredients. It’s freshly made and cruelty-free and therefore guilt-free.
With so much talk about toxins and how bad they are for us – it’s refreshing to discover something that you don’t have to worry about being harmful. And with our skin being our largest organ, we believe it’s really important to be vigilant about what you’re feeding it with.
Deb gave us a mini pampering session, which started off with face masks which she customised to our skin, and while we were waiting for the masks to take effect, we enjoyed a wonderful hand massage that left our hands feeling silky soft. It was a wonderful experience and so lovely to get pampered for a change.
We have to admit, we did wonder if the products would smell nice, given the fact that all the ingredients are natural, but we were pleasantly surprised to discover that most of the products we sampled smelled divine.
In fact, having bought a selection of products from Deb there and then, we can definitely say we’re converted!
Yes, the products are pricier than what we’d typically pay, but we think they are worth the money – and apparently, you don’t need to use as much product as you would do with most others, meaning that you are getting the value for money.
That about sums up March for us – we’re looking forward to April as it’s the month that signifies the start of spring – with blooming daffodils, hopping bunnies and plenty of chocolate.
Friendly feedback
Finally we’d like to say a HUGE thank you for all your comments, messages and words of encouragement about Life In Orpington.
We’ve been overwhelmed with all the positivity and how readers have been enjoying reading the magazine.
We’ve got another epic issue just launched – and we’re now working on our May issue (it feels a bit strange working on May when we’re still in March!).
Please feel free to sign up to our monthly newsletter – we’re giving away a Bloo cleaning hamper to mark the start of spring cleaning month to one lucky subscriber.
Talking of winning, we’re also giving away a pair of Vue cinema tickets, a Chakra Aromatherapy Gift Set AND a huge bundle of chocolate Easter treats – enjoy the issue!