We had a great start to the summer season - at the Make it British event in June, and a busy time through July in Fenwick Brent Cross with our popular SEAMS Hand Massage events. The sun continued to shine when we were requested to supply SEAMS to the make up department on the set of a new Steven Bernstein movie, about the poet Dylan Thomas called Dominion. I decided to deliver SEAMS in person - all the way to their base in Montreal. "I actually have got a confession,"revealed hair expert Tamara Harrod when I arrived on set the second day, "I have also been using SEAMS on my whole body after a bath as such a little goes a long way!" I was so pleased to see her use it at every opportunity on set - she even requested a bigger 'professional size and also a foot cream too. Watch this space!  Whilst there I was fortunate enough to see the amazing actors, Rhys Ifans, John Malkovich, Romala Garai and Rodrigo Santoro shoot some amazing scenes. We can't wait for the movie! Another delightful ray of positivity added to our summer glow: Next week SEAMS arrives at the prestigious Dorchester Spa in London's exclusive Dorchester Hotel Park Lane London. we are overwhelmed that SEAMS' first spa is such an esteemed hotel. We will be ensuring that the guests will enjoy our SEAMS Hand Massage treatment as part of their manicure regime. I hope the sun shines positively for you this summer! Keep SEAMS close to hand Karen J Gerrard

SEAMS  Hand Cream MADE IN UK SEAMS is proud to be British. When I created SEAMS one of my main priorities was to keep production in the UK. I wanted a product that I could trust, so being able to watch it being made close to our offices was imperative. So many wonderful factories across the country produce premium products successfully, it made sense to harness that talent and support the British manufacturing industry. Today SEAMS was a product sponsor at the Make it British Meet The Manufacturer conference. The first event of its kind, we have sampled SEAMS Hand Cream in the VIP goodie bags. With over 1000 brands, retailers, buyers  and manufacturers taking part, its purpose provides companies and designers to forge relationships with Britain's best clothing manufacturers. With fabulous guest speakers from the fashion world such as Mary Portas and Ian Maclean, Managing Director of John Smedley, it has been an inspirational and ground breaking event at The Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. Make it British is a fabulous initiative for British brands and UK manufacturing and we are proud to be featured in their directory click here According to research carried out by Mintel last year, one in two Brits now believe that buying British is better. I am sure the recession has made people stop and think about the impact on the UK economy of buying British, as well as how doing so can create more jobs. Even large multinational companies like Arcadia and Debenhams are starting to bring their production back to the UK because of customer demand, higher quality levels and speedy factory-to-shop-floor manufacturing. We are so proud SEAMS is playing a part in this revolutionary British manufacturing movement. Long may this home-grown approach continue.... Always keep SEAMS close to hand Karen J Gerrard  

This month SEAMS was selected by Models 1 as one of their favourite daily essential items. As you can see from this image taken at a recent Models 1 event, we are alongside healthy snacks, quality skincare and expert make-up, we are so happy that SEAMS has become such an important part in models' everyday looking-good regime! I have met lots of models since creating SEAMS and they have all had almost-perfect hands thanks to their good hand care routines. Although most models' hand care habits are extreme, we can adapt them to help keep our hands beautiful. If you're a hand model for example, your hands are crucial to your fortune, so everyday tasks like peeling a potato are approached with, as one model put it, "cautious  lunacy". This isn't surprising when you consider that some models hands are insured for up to five million pounds! Even opening a can of drink is risky, because if it breaks the skin they are at risk of losing a lot of work. So in order to protect hands, all hand models wear gloves religiously! I know of one lady who owns over 500 pairs! Of course for most of us, wearing gloves 24/7 is impossible, but what we can learn from this is that gloves pay a huge part in keeping hands soft, protected and callous-free. So always wear them when the weather is cold and use rubber gloves when doing any manual work like cleaning, gardening or washing up. We are often in such a hurry that gloves get forgotten! A good 'model habit' to get into is wearing driving gloves. One of the main causes of ageing hands is from sunlight contact whilst they are on a steering wheel. Diet also plays a huge part in keeping a model's hands healthy. White spots on nails is as much a no-no for a hand model as freckles and age spots, so models are advised to eat a diet rich in Zinc, protein and calcium to stop them appearing. Caffeine and chocolate should also be avoided as models have to keep their hands steady, sometimes they will be expected to hold objects for long periods without leaning on anything and without shaking. It can take up to 12 hours to film just a 30 second film, and caffeine and chocolate can make hands shake more. If your nails are cracking or splitting try eating more foods with Vitamin B2 like almonds, eggs and oily fish. If they are dry and brittle I suggest to increase your Vitamin A and calcium levels. If cuticles are dry a Zinc-rich diet and massaging in SEAMS Hand cream will help soften them. SEAMS  hand cream contains plenty of Keratin which is the best to help make your nails strong and heal split cuticles. But the ultimate secret of keeping your hands looking young, as agreed by all models and agents I have met so far, is the regular use of hand cream! The girls at Models 1 love SEAMS not just because of its velvet feel and soothing scent, but because its light non-greasy texture absorbs into skin very quickly which is vital for use around expensive fabrics whilst on a shoot. I have heard that some models can use it up to thirty times a day, which is great but not practical for all of us! I advise that if you are only going to use hand cream once a day then keep a tube of SEAMS by your bed. Applying SEAMS just before you go to sleep has the most beneficial effects and provides a great opportunity to make the most of its calming and soothing ingredients like Lavender and Fragonia Oil. Skin goes into repair mode when you sleep, so moisturising  hands at this time is vital as this is when they will be most receptive to the unique replenishing, repairing and restoring properties of SEAMS. Always keep SEAMS close to hand. Karen J Gerrard

For Mothers day on Sunday March 30th, we have collaborated with London's most luxurious florist, Nikki Tibbles Wild at Heart, by selling a SEAMS Hand Cream with one of her gorgeous floral bouquets. The collaboration came about after Nikki contacted me to say how SEAMS had transformed her sore and cut hands, and made them soft once again. To hear this was such an honour, as I have admired Nikki's beautiful bespoke creations for years. "SEAMS has been a miracle cream for all our hands at Wild at Heart," she wrote. "Being a florist, you can't avoid cuts and irritation to the hands - it comes with the territory, but since using SEAMS, the invisible mending has been a blessing. My hands are now so smooth and soft: looking at them, you'd never know the daily constant pressure I put them through." This is one of the many reasons why SEAMS was created and it is amazing to hear that someone so respected in the floral industry recognised SEAMS' remarkable results. "Using SEAMS now protects my skin and calms from the first moment of impact," she explained. "Even despite the constant contact with water, applying SEAMS daily keeps my hands conditioned and healthy." So it was fitting that the SEAMS Wild at Heart 'Forever Love' bouquet was created. Is it available at Wild at Heart stores in Pimlico, at the concession in Liberty and at the Turquoise Island, Westbourne Gove or order online from www.wildatheart.com SEAMS' reputation has also been acknowledged in the publishing world too, we were approached by the beauty industry's leading retail trade magazine, Pure Beauty to advise their readers on how to care for dry hands. It was great to be part of an article that concentrated solely on hand care, caring for the skin on our hands is as important as the skin on our face! Then the Daily Mail's Beauty Editor Elsa McAlonan reported how SEAMS' notoriety backstage at February's autumn/winter catwalk shows was so huge, that it is now known as the "Unsung Hero of London Fashion Week. From mothers and florists, to fashion designers and journalists, I feel so honoured that SEAMS' caring properties is providing so many with a helping hand. Until next month.... Karen J Gerrard   .

It's February already, and  at SEAMS  we are busy preparing for London Fashion Week and our Valentine's Hand Parlour in Fenwick Brent X. We are so happy that lots of men have been buying SEAMS as a gift for their wives and partners, but let's not forget that men's hands need tender loving care too, as SEAMS most recent piece of press coverage in FHM reminds us: Men's hands are just as susceptible to dryness, so why not treat your man to his own tube of SEAMS for Valentine's? He will love the clean, unisex packaging and scent, but it's SEAMS fast absorbing texture that he will respect most! As one male admirer told me: "I love it, especially because it doesn't leave greasy stains on all my stuff." Quite! While on the subject of gift-giving, SEAMS is appealing to all this Valentine's day to also give the gift of "holding hands"! This uncomplicated, tender (and free) gesture seems almost old-fashioned as we are more customary to holding our mobile phones than our partner's palms! So while we all love to receive hand written cards, bunches of roses and candle-lit dinners (and of course, tubes of SEAMS), it's more the simple gestures like holding hands that make us feel special. To make hands desirable to hold, skin needs to feel and look sensuous and soft, while nails should be smooth and trim. So here are my top tips to keep your hands beautiful for holding: IF YOU'RE OUT FOR A VALENTINES STROLL keep your hands  protected from the cold weather by wearing gloves. Moisturise with SEAMS before you put them on and don't forget to take off your gloves as soon as you get back in the warm to avoid dehydrated skin! IF YOU"RE COOKING  A DELICIOUS DINNER  moisturise with SEAMS before and after to keep hands nourished and protected during exposure to heat from the oven and cold water, SEAMS' antibacterial ingredients will help to protect hands against germs and to heal any cuts. Keep kitchen tongs close to save your hands from contact with hot foods and oils and don't forget to use gloves when washing up. The less wet work you do, the better hands will feel. IF YOU'RE GOING ON A CINEMA OR THEATRE DATE don't forget your hands will also be on show! It needn't take long Simple steps like massaging SEAMS onto cuticles and nail beds overnight will transform hands and give nails a smooth sheen. Shape nails using a file with a fine texture and only file in one direction to prevent nails breaking. Finally, whatever you decide to do for Valentine's, why not give each other  a sumptuous hand massage. 1 - Massage SEAMS HAND CREAM into skin in a series of long strokes from the wrist down to the fingertips. 2 - Concentrating on one finger at a time, gently rub the cream into the three joints on each finger. in circular motions. Then very gently stretch each fingertip away from the hand. 3 - Turn the hand so that the palm is facing upwards, and with the thumb on the opposite hand massage in circular movements. Do this on both hands. Happy Valentine's Day Karen J Gerrard http://www.pinterest.com/seamsbeauty/holding-hands/      

  KEEP HANDS FIT AND FLEXIBLE Happy New Year! SEAMS has had a great start to 2014 - not only are we so excited to have been featured on the beauty pages of The Mail On Sunday's YOU magazine last Sunday, but we are also happy to be launching our new must-do exercise regime this month: SEAMS' Hand Yoga. We have been inundated with emails from customers for simple exercises to keep their hands flexible and fit, especially during these cold, winter months. Most of us would never think about exercising our hands, yet they endure so much daily wear and tear, which can lead to joint problems and stiffness. These yoga stretches encourage hands to open up, helping them to be as free, mobile and loose as possible, maximising their potential for everyday tasks. SEAMS' Hand Yoga comprises of 3 short, easy exercises that help to keep hands and fingers supple and flexible: 1 HAND STRETCH Gently draw your fingers into a fist placing your thumb on the outside, but don't squeeze or clench tight. Hold for a few seconds, and then stretch open your hands wide with fingers spread apart. Hold them for a few seconds, and then repeat the first movement. Do 5 -10 of these close-and-open sets. SEAMS TIP: For an extra stretch through to your arm, try doing this with your arms out either side of you so they are in a 'quarter-to-three' clock position. 2 PALM PLANK Place your hands in a praying position in front of you, leaving both sets of fingertips touching each other, while separating the palms away from each other. You should feel a stretch in the muscles directly underneath your fingers, which is where we get tight from too much clenching. SEAMS TIP: Think about your posture while doing this stretch, stomach in, shoulders down, back straight. 3 FINGER PRESS Bend each finger backwards for an individual stretch. Make sure you support the knuckle joint with your thumb from the opposite hand, and use the rest of the fingers from the opposite hand to bend the finger back. Another way to do this exercise is to place a finger tip ( up to the first joint), onto a steady flat surface, press down keeping your hand as vertical as possible for comfort and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat on the rest of your fingers and thumbs. This is a great way of relieving finger tension. SEAMS TIP: You could also massage your fingertips to increase circulation. 4 PALM  MASSAGE Why not finish up with a 30 second palm massage, use the opposite thumb to massage your palm in a circular movement, this really helps to relieve tension! The great thing about SEAMS Hand Yoga is that it can be done pretty much anytime and anywhere. When you're on the telephone for example or having a couple of minutes break from the computer. You could also try to incorporate it into your exercise regime as keeping fit often takes its toll on hands. Here are ways to keep your hands healthy while you exercise: SEAMS HAND YOGA: IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE TRAINING Running in cold, wet or windy weather can cause dryness and will make fingers' stiffen up. To avoid dryness, moisturise with SEAMS HAND CREAM before and after training concentrating on knuckles, cuticles and tops of hands. To keep fingers from stiffening, wear gloves but remember to take them off as soon as you get inside and stretch with SEAMS  Hand yoga. IF YOU'RE CYCLING There is a hand condition called 'Handlebar Palsy' that is a form of repetitive strain injury caused by holding the bike's handlebars too tightly. So as well as protecting hands from the elements by wearing bike gloves (make sure you wear new gloves in before a long cycle!) and using SEAMS before and after you cycle, you may want to consider doing a short session of SEAMS Hand Yoga. IF YOU'RE AT THE GYM Most gyms encourage us to use antibacterial gels after each weight session. Yet while hygienic they are also drying for the hands. SEAMS Hand Cream contains Fragonia oil which will help keep 'gym germs' at bay, its non-greasy texture won't make hands slippery. IF YOU'RE BOXING Hands can get sore during a boxing session, as they are prone to developing calluses caused by friction and tension against your palms. So as well as a pre-box moisturise, it's also worth using SEAMS at night for extra help softening your palms. If you develop any hard skin, rub the area with a pumice whilst in the shower. IF YOU'RE SWIMMING Chlorine and expose to the extreme heat of the pool versus the cold temperatures outside can wreak havoc with the condition of hands. Make sure you keep a tube of SEAMS in your gym bag to keep them nourished before and after you hit the pool. It's also worth noting that the SEAMS lovely light scent will help take away the medicinal chlorine smell that normally clings to the skin. Happy exercising Karen J    

  SEAMS first Christmas has been a busy one! Most of December has been spent in our Hand Parlour at Fenwick Brent Cross, nurturing tense 'Christmas shoppers' hands with Seams now infamous Hand Shake massages. We have witnessed how much customer's hands endure during the Christmas shopping season and if, like them you've been busy shopping and wrapping, your hands are most probably in festive distress too! Wrapping paper works like blotting paper on the hands, absorbing all of their moisture so fingertips get get that dry pulling sensation and become prone to paper cuts and rough snagging skin. One of SEAMS' star ingredients - Shea Butter - works hard to moisturise parched hands, and because of its fast-absorbing texture that sinks in instantly, shopping, wrapping (or cooking) can reconvene straight away. Switching from warm heated shops to the cold air outside is another seasonal strain, making hands and cuticles really dry and sore! It has been great seeing how instantly SEAMS transforms hands to look younger and feel softer like silk, and customers have been astonished at how a simple hand massage can de-stress. Join us for a very merry HAND SHAKE in our Hand Parlour! We will be in the Toiletries department at Fenwick Brent Cross until 24th December. We have also added a soft eco- friendly  SEAMS gift bag to package SEAMS as a stocking filler, or as a neat way of storing SEAMS in your handbag, drawer or glove compartment. Being very eco-consious at SEAMS we have made sure that our gift bags and gift boxes can be recycled or re-used. We suggest using the gift boxes as storage for pens and paper, and  our gift bags as the perfect travel pouch.  It becomes very clear at this time of year, how much paper, cardboard and tissue is wasted on wrapping, but SEAMS love to recycle, simple  ideas like using delivery notes as scrap paper, tissue paper and bubble wrap for home storage and saving all your Christmas delivery boxes to re-use  can really help to lower waste. We have had a busy month for press as well. I was honoured that SEAMS was featured on the beauty pages of Hello Magazine. It was lovely to be picked as one of the team's favourite hand creams! 2013 has been a very exciting year for Seams and in 2014 we look forward to launching innovative SEAMS products that your hands will love. I will keep blogging with lots of practical advice, including a Hand Tip of the month to keep your hands looking and feeling healthy. On that note, I'll leave you with December's Hand Tip: Fingertips, cuticles and knuckles often get missed when hand cream is applied, (try yourself and you will see!) yet these are areas that suffer the most with dryness and sores. So to get the most from your hand cream, make a conscious effort to massage into these areas, and at night add an extra squeeze of SEAMS to your fingertips and around your cuticles.. Happy New Year! Karen J

As the cold weather began to take hold this week, SEAMS' pop-up shop in the fashion floor at Fenwick Brent Cross was a busy one. While SEAMS was on hand to care and comfort dry, winter-worn hands, flurries of shoppers filled the floor purchasing this season's most stylishly soft and warm sweaters and coats to prepare for the impending arctic blast. Many noticed how dry their hands had become since the temperature drop, so a tube of SEAMS (along with a free in-store HANDSHAKE massage) was a welcome accessory to add to their shopping bags. Tailoring your routine to care for hands and nails during winter is just as important as tailoring your wardrobe for the colder weather. While you cover up with stylish outerwear, underneath your skin is crying out for moisture! Cold temperatures mixed with drying central heating can wreak havoc on your hands, causing cracked, weak nails, dry skin and sore, unsightly splits. To keep your hands healthy over winter, follow my top 'winter handcare' tips... ALWAYS CARRY SEAMS HAND CREAM IN YOUR HAND BAG Even if you're leaving a warm building for just a few minutes, the cold air will soon make hands really dry so always carry a tube of SEAMS to replenish the moisture regularly. Many customers told me that SEAMS is ideal to keep in the car too as the non-greasy texture allows hands to grip the steering wheel easily. They also love the way its lovely light scent helps the car smell gorgeous. WEAR GLOVES PROPERLY Gloves are essential, but don't forget to take them off as soon as you get in the warm! This will stop skin losing any unnecessary moisture when they are exposed to central heating. Also use SEAMS just before you put them on, and just after you take them off to lock the moisture and keep your hands soft. BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CLOTHES Wearing knitwear can dry out the hands as wool is a powerful moisture thief! Nourishing with SEAMS will not only replenish your hands' moisture levels, but will also keep skin snag-free. As the editor's of Harpers Bazaar recognises - SEAMS is perfect for keeping "hands conditioned and your silk and cashmere pristine." KEEP NAILS SHORTER Nails tend to become very dry and brittle during winter, so keep them shorter to avoid breakage.  SEAMS  works as a cuticle oil too, always massage it into the cuticle and nail beds every day to banish winter nail problems like hang nails, dry cuticles and brittle, flaking nail beds. SEAMS contains Keratin to help keep your nails strong. Always keep SEAMS close to hand this winter Karen J Gerrard SEAMS Pop-up shop will be in Fenwick Brent Cross fashion floor until 29th November.

Last week we got to join with one of our popular customer bases: knitters. Knitting ( Also one of my favourite ways to relax) is fast becoming very stylish. In the past few months, I have witnessed many sophisticated models and actresses behind-the-scenes at catwalks and TV studios passing the time by knitting beautiful bespoke designs. London's hippest fashion brands went crazy for the launch of Wool Week, H&M made the  impression clear in this fashionably succinct window display at their Oxford Circus store: Wool Week was a great opportunity to spread the SEAMS mantra:  that hard working, creative hands ned to be nurtured and nourished. Knitter's  hands are a great example of how skin can be sapped of moisture when it's least expected. As you knit, wool absorbs moisture from the skin making hands feel dry. Plus, the warm feeling experienced whilst knitting, makes skin even more dehydrated. Dry cracked hands then snag the wool, which in turn makes them work slower. Knitters hands need to be kept soft and supple! SEAMS worked its smoothing magic on some of knitting's most influential VIPs whilst at Wool Week. I had the pleasure of meeting the knitting world's answer to Dolce & Gabbana, fashion designers Arne and Carlos who have written lots of cool creative books. It was also great to meet the people behind the new Yarn Bombing craze. Knitting's very own "Bansky's" like to remain incognito to avoid being recognised while leaving their magical creations in random public places, but I am happy to say they loved using SEAMS to nurture their dry, aching hands. I advised them that by taking a few minutes to stop and massage with SEAMS their 'hand ache' (caused by repetitive movements) would disappear. Seams has now become a vital tool in their knitting bags. I spotted some amazing knitwear whilst out and about at Wool Week too. Gorgeous cashmere cardigans, cable-knit ponchos and soft, fluffy angora-blend sweaters in shades of 'winter white' were my particular favourites. The fact that they are the perfect match to SEAMS packaging is of course a little more than a coincidence.... as the editor's of Harpers Bazaar said about SEAMS: it is perfect for keeping "your hands conditioned and your silk and cashmere pristine." Always keep Seams close to hand Karen J Gerrard

I am happy to announce that SEAMS HAND CREAM is now available to buy at FENWICK store in London's Brent Cross shopping centre. To celebrate this new partnership I will be in-store all day this Thursday 3rd October, and as part of Fenwick's special Beauty Week, you can redeem a complimentary SEAMS HAND SHAKE (a heavenly de-stressing hand massage) when you buy a tube of SEAMS HAND CREAM. If you don't have time to visit us, don't worry! Take 5 minutes to try my 3-step hand massage: 1 Massage SEAMS HAND CREAM into your skin in a series of long strokes from your wrist down to the tips of your fingers. 2 Concentrating on one finger at a time, gently rub the cream into each of the three joints on each finger, in circular motions. Then gently stretch and pull each fingertip away from the hand. 3 Turn your hand so that your palm is facing upwards, and with the thumb on the opposite hand massage circles into the palm. Do this on both hands. THE BENEFITS OF SEAMS HAND MASSAGE - A quick and instant de-stresser. - Improves the motion and flexibility in fingers and wrists. - Enhances the circulation in your hands and arms. - Massaging with SEAMS HAND CRAEM is nurturing and nourishing for skin and nails. As Apple creator Steve Jobs once said, "the hand is the most used part of the body to implement what the brain wants to do." So look after them! I promise you will feel (and work) much better! Karen J Gerrard