Crystalla Lingerie Blog

This evening's BBC Horizons programme began by leading us on a merry dance as they introduced us to scientists on the brink of discovering the panacea for ageing with some exciting results!

One scientist had studied genetically engineered rats for ten years, desperate to prove that anti-oxidants were the cure because they dealt with oxidating stress - a contributing factor to age related diseases. Anti-oxidants have become a billion dollar industry as we all clamour for the elusive elixir of youth. His evidence ended up disproving his own theory, which he was personally dismayed about. (Note to self - don't bother buying grape juice for the anti-oxidants as they don't work anyway...oh and stop buying those expensive skin creams just because they contain, you guessed it, anti-oxidants!).

The next researcher was trying to develop drugs which would inhibit the shortening of the chromosome which affects the ceasing of our cells being able to divide which subsequently leads to our death (or something like that). But apparently that wasn't going to work either! Yikes, stumped again!

Then we watched a chap research a particular jewish population who appear to be able to smoke, drink and eat what they want, who don't necessarily partake in much exercise and yet live well into their 100's. They are lucky enough to have a gene which means that whilst lifestyle is 80% responsible for the majority's longevity, it is only 20% responsible in their case. Lucky for some.

Then we met a women, the first and last female researcher to be featured, who had discovered (wait for it) that the state of our health and well-being is massively impacted by how we feel, what we believe about ourselves and our bodies and that basically if we expect to die at a particular age then we will do. Like the saying goes; we are as old as we feel. Not a new one on me, but hey - how fantastic to have it confirmed scientifically!

The thing that is key here is to really paying attention to our thought processes. To catch and interrupt that predictable little voice inside saying - "You forgot that arrangement - you must be getting old." or "I can't run as fast as I used to...". The conversation we have with ourselves and others about how we look and feel and how we expect to look and feel in the future is a really powerful thing.

Looking after ourselves well and loving our bodies is all part of that positive body image and this is when wearing beautiful lingerie - our second skin, which makes such a difference to how we feel, inside and out,  can in turn, impact how fast we age. I love that it's not just the crystals in Crystalla that support your health and well-being, it's our beautiful lingerie too! And I've got the science to prove it.....! x

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qm7zr/Horizon_20092010_Dont_Grow_Old/

We are thrilled to announce the third boutique to stock Crystalla will be Fine Lingerie in Cambridge. Specialists in French and Italian lingerie they love the fact we produce Crystalla even closer to home in the UK! The owner Donna adores our ranges and her assistant Tracey also has some experience of crystals so together they make a winning team and love the fact that Crystalla can be worn with or without crystals!

Christmas presents from Crystalla are looking very tempting this year with the launch of our delicious loungewear.

This sumptuous Malachite Satin Cami matches our 'to beg for' Satin Loungepants. Simply devine in lace trimmed segrino stretch satin; perfect for chilling with a glass of champers by the fire and a superb christmas gift to yourself or another. The cami is nice and long in the body and we have made the loungepants really roomy for comfort. The stretch satin really goes with you for that luxuriously cocooned experience. You will have to be persuaded out of them!

"Deck the halls with much Crystalla...."

Our Jasper Negligee in chocolate stretch satin is stunning with a flame of orange lace down the right side. Pass me a martini someone...I'm in heaven. Crystalla Loungewear will be available to buy in our online boutique on 1st December....time to drop some hints girls.... "Deck the halls with much Crystalla Fa la la la la la la la la Lovely loungepants, camis, bras Fa la la la la la la la la Don me now in sumptuous satin Fa la la la la la la la la Matching nicknocks sent from heaven Fa la la la la la la la la...."

Boudoir Pink in Ulveston, Cumbria will this month become the second Crystalla Lingerie stockist. I am thrilled that Crystalla is now available in such a fantastic boutique in a northern location, where once again customer service is second to none. Cathy is really excited about the imminent arrival of Crystalla and is looking forward to watching her customers faces when they see our georgeous colours - not to mention the perplexed look as the ladies of Cumbria start to work out that we really are suggesting they put crystals in their knickers!

Peoples reactions to this idea are fantastically varied. When we took a stand at the Complementary & Alternative Medicine Expo; people got it. Using crystals is natural to the visitors of that show and to them Crystalla was instantly recognised as an ingenious concept. When we visited the Brentwood Health & Beauty Show, this was the first time I really experienced just how bamboozelled some people could become by the prospect of even using crystals - let alone tucking them in their lingerie.

It even has to be said that we experienced quite a few reactions that were verging on bemused. However, once crystal therapy was explained to them, their understanding changed and they could then appreciate the context of our design.

Sometimes, it takes a bit of time to understand where other people are coming from. What was your initial reaction to using crystals? Has it changed through experience? - Leave a comment below...

www.theginlady.com approached me for an interview. (I thought they had found me out and wanted me to take a taste test!) Actually GIN stands for Green / Independant /Natural products and is a powerhouse of information regarding products which espouse these qualities. The interview focuses on the ethical standards behind Crystalla.

I was invitedto comment on the Marks & Spencer bra size price discrimination debate on Henry Kelly's BBC Radio programme this morning as covered by the Daily Mail. Have a listen and leave a comment with your own views and opinions here.

I had great fun this morning, talking to the Henry Kelly Show on BBC Radio Berkshire about 'what women want' and 'what men should know' when it comes to men buying lingerie. With the help of some Citrine to calm my radio nerves we discussed how daunting buying lingerie can be, I shared a few tips for men wanting to make successful lingerie purchases and explained why Crystalla Lingerie has an usual twist. The presenter (not Henry Kelly - he must be off on his hols) LOVED the idea of his underwear helping him to 'control his MOJO' as he called it and asked when the mens range will be launched. I want to hear from any other men out there who would be interested in a gents range. I can see the strapline already... "Is that a crystal in your pocket..?!). Listen to the radio interview. (Interview starts at 01.45)

Well, aren't we relieved that Christmas and New Year seemed to pass quite swiftly and painlessly because...yes indeedy - it means we can all get excited about Valentines Day and the best reason ever (as if you needed one) to treat yourself  or someone special to some beautiful Crystalla Lingerie and carefully chosen crystals (more about these in a bit).

Writing this blog entry today has been a bit of a surprise to me. Before writing, I decided to look a bit more closely into the history of Valentines Day and why we give gifts and cards. What I found was that the reason we give cards (which started first) is very different to the reason we give gifts (which came later).  Valentine was the name of an early Christian martyr: who was a priest in Rome in about AD 269 who took to marrying sweethearts in secret when Claudius II banished marriage to try to invoke young men to join the army. He was discovered and put to a bloody death on 14th February. He became a Saint and a festival day in his memory lead to young Romans offering maidens, who had captured their heart, cards bearing Valentines name. 

It was thought by some that it was not until the 14th century that Chaucer, an author, linked Valentines Day with love in The Parliament of Fowls' in which he wrote "For this was on St. Valentine's Day, When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."

I would have thought that the giving of cards had been of American conception which the British then followed (sneeze, cough). Indeed it turns out that the first Valentine cards in America were produced by Elizabeth Howard who had actually been given the idea by a Valentine card she had received from England.  

What I then also discovered was that my great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great aunt Elizabeth Gaskell, is credited with being the first example of an author writing about the english practise of giving valentine cards, in her book Mr Harrisons Confessions (published in 1851). 

Elizabeth Gaskell in the 1832 minature by William John Thompson

And here I find myself discovering this about her, and writing about the giving of valentine lingerie, 150 years later. And not just lingerie. The giving of semi-precious stones, which are thousands of years old ...

This Valentines Day the perfect crystals to give and to wear are:
The Stone of Love - Rose Quartz
The Stone of the Heart - Green Aventurine
And for those romantic revellers, keen on boosting their sexual base chakra - Red Jasper.

Those lovely people at lingerieblog.co.uk are featuring Crystalla in a Valentine feature. Read Lingerie Blog here...

We have added a rather lovely Slide Show to our Homepage so that now you can enjoy the amazing images of our current ranges as soon as you log on. View it here!

Happy Valentines!

Picture courtesy of the Reading Chronicle, holder of the copyright. Not to be reproduced in any way. www.readingchronicle.co.uk. Juliette pictured with Helen Masters at Pudding Lingerie Boutique's Crystalla launch.

On Thursday night curious customers descended upon Pudding Lingerie Boutique to discover the secret of Crystalla at a champagne reception. The night was a huge success with Crystalla Lingerie being snapped up in good time for Christmas. What I was especially encouraged by was the ratio of men to women customers. Men are really out there in force taking so much care about the lingerie they buy their wives, partners and girlfriends for christmas. It was great to see men getting just as excited by Crystalla and crystals as women do and when asked to select crystals to be worn by their loved ones the male shoppers could IMMEDIATELY see which crystals would benefit their partners. Brava to the chaps of Reading. Congratulations also to Paul and Helen Masters of Pudding Lingerie for such a successful launch and being the worlds first stockists of Crystalla. The service their customers receive is exquisite and Crystalla is very safe in their hands.

We are delighted to announce that Pudding Lingerie in Reading has become the world's first ever stockist of Crystalla Lingerie. At the start of our continuing browse for boutiques and salons with impeccable taste, Pudding had already caught our attention as it just happens to be on our doorstep. But when it was recently voted Best New Lingerie Shop in Britain it was just the proof we needed. The Crystalla Collection will be unveiled at a champagne reception this Thursday, December 11th in the Pudding Salon from 5-8pm where customers will be invited to try on the styles and find out more about Crystalla. Where is Pudding?