This week Simply Darling had the pleasure of attending the launch event for the new Royal Ballet: Performance & Elegance collection by fabulously innovative Brit beauty brand, Berkeley Square.
Beginning at the Terrace at Chez Gerard in Covent Garden on an unbelievably beautiful day, we were first treated to fruity drinks and tasty nibbles (fresh fruit kebabs, miniature pastries…). Face of the new range, Royal Ballet’s First Artist Olivia Cowley (as gorgeous and poised in real life as you’d expect), Richard Cann, Director of Berkeley Square and Jeanetta Lawrence, associate director of The Royal Ballet, then gave a short introduction to the collection, which was on display to experience first hand.
This was followed by a tour of the nearby Royal Opera House, home of the world-renowned Royal Ballet.
A highlight of the launch (though we couldn’t take inside photos – sorry), this 40-odd minute tour took us to all areas of the impressive complex, which includes a fabulous Grade I listed auditorium.
Along with visiting the costume making department, we were treated to a peek at the Male Morning Class of the Royal Ballet. Awe-inspiring at the best of times when you hear a) how long and hard the performers train and b) how supple, lithe and impossibly athletic the dancers are, I don’t need to explain how well this part went down with the mainly-female group when faced with training male principles that included ‘Face of Dunhill’ Rupert Pennefather. Was the area outside the studio really kept artificially warm to ensure the dancers didn’t cool down too much after practice or was it just me?
The Performance & Elegance range itself is aptly named because, like the Dancers it was developed in conjunction with, for all it’s beauty it packs powerful underlying strength. These products feel A-mazing and bear a delicate scent that is just gorgeous, but they also all contain potent ingredients that mean these products do more than just make you look and smell nice.
The new range includes
- a deliciously minty-smelling high performance Cooling Muscle Gel (RRP £13) which uses natural menthol, seaweed extract and Aloe Vera to soothe tired and acheing limbs – perfect after intensive exercise (or a hard day of shopping!),
- a Shea Butter-packed intensive Hand & Foot Cream (RRP £14) that also contains Arnica, a natural healer used to treat bruising, muscular strains and swelling,
- Soothing & Relaxing Bath & Shower Cream (RRP £12) that contains Vitamin E,
- Body Firming Conditioner (RRP £18) that includes Vitamin E and Arnica to aid the body’s respite and repair, as well as super-ingredient Dermochlorella, which improves firmness, tone and elasticity, assisting in the battle against cellulite and stretch marks.
The Body Conditioner and Intensive Hand & Foot Cream have passed independent 24 hour moisturising tests (that’s 24 hours of soothing and rejuvenating care. Lovely).
The Royal Ballet Performance & Elegance range by Berkeley Square is available from October in the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London and from Fenwicks and other stockists from November.