Hello to everyone out there in cyberspace! Thanks for stopping by (or randomly stumbling across) Health & Beauty Salon's new blog. That's a web log to you and me -- a selection (and hopefully regularly updated array) of comments and opinions from the editorial team.

I'm Annette Hanford, news and features editor, here on the magazine. New to blogging (-- see, i'm picking up the lingo already), I aim to post my thoughts on some of the issues surrounding the professional (-- and perhaps even the consumer) beauty industry, along with giving you "hot-off-the-press" info before it's published in the magazine.

Hopefully, you'll find the posts interesting and varied -- alternatively, you may totally disagree or want to voice your own opinions. That's fine -- and actively encouraged, as I want this site to become a place for those working in the industry to source information as well as have a say.

As you're reading this, my first post has been successful (-- and you're probably clued-up on all things web-related), so bookmark this site, keep checking for regular updates and let me know what you think.

Annette

It's that time of year - when schools and, it has to be said, parents, need to find something to occupy teenagers'/school-leavers' time.

So, for the last few weeks, we have been introducing the willing and not-so-willing to the 'mysteries' of journalism.

Is anyone else as troubled as me by the story in today's papers that says more and more people are embarking on DIY cosmetic surgery?

In case you don't have the time, or the stomach, to read the whole article, there are tales of at-home nose jobs (curiously replacing the cartillage with a chicken bone), tummy tucks (you can only imagine) and pinning back ears with super glue.

This surely has to be the wettest summer on record -- I'm more likely to get webbed feet, rather than a tan at this rate. Ah, that was until St Tropez called...

I was privileged to be one of the first visitors to Spa London, the UK's first public sector day spa, located in the heart of London's East End.

A joint venture between Tower Hamlets Council and Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) -- a non profit society, it aims to offer a first-rate spa package at an affordable price.

Getting out and about in the industry is one of the best parts of the job -- seeing the people behind the brands and sometimes getting to experience the products and treatments first-hand can't be beaten.

It's also a really valuable opportunity to find out what people think of the magazine.

People often say they enjoy the feature articles and like reading about new products, which is very flattering, but perhaps even more so, was when one company recently asked me for my opinion.