There’s no better way to start a new year than by looking after yourself, whether for you that’s ditching the booze, trying a vegan diet, working out more or going for a massage. So we’ve rounded up the best healthy habits for you to try this month (and beyond), and the good news is you won’t need to travel any further than central London for them.
Explore vegan dining
Whether you want to give up meat and dairy entirely or not, Veganuary is a great time to discover the many delicious vegan dishes on offer in the restaurants on Oxford Street. Market Halls offers street food to suit all tastes, including plenty of vegan options from the like of Le Bab, DF Tacos and Inamo Sukoshi – think falafel bowls, ancho mushroom tacos and aubergine katsu curry. Spaghetti House offers vegan options all year round (try the delicious Penne All’ Arrabbiata), as does Gordon Ramsay’s Asian restaurant, Lucky Cat, on request. Don’t miss out on Aqua Kyoto’s delicious vegan dishes: Japanese aubergine, fig & sesame miso and Age-dashi tofu, tentsuyu gel, celeriac yuzu koshu tsuma & crispy nori.
Do Dry January in style
Who fancies a fun bar crawl, without the hangover? There are plenty of fun mocktails to be drunk on Oxford Street, including a Pink Paradise (Watermelon, pink grapefruit juice, mint, sugar) at Aqua Kyoto, a Seedlip ‘gin and tonic’ at Berners Tavern, a Virgin Amaretto sour at Heddon Street Kitchen, and an Old World (fresh melon puree, 0% white wine, balsamic vinegar, basil leaves) at the Churchill Bar. For a fun day out with friends, why not go to Swingers for a round of crazy gold and a mocktail or two (made with Spencer Matthews’ CleanCo non-alcoholic drinks)? Try the Miami Breeze, a mix of Clean T, cranberry juice, cinnamon syrup and lemon juice.
Work out for free
If you don’t want to commit to a gym membership, don’t worry, you can still get your endorphin fix with a free workout. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a complete novice, you can join the Asics run club, which brings together like-minded runners on Wednesdays and Fridays from 6pm to 7pm. Plus you can book into the Asics Oxford Street store to get a free run analysis and expert advice to find the perfect running shoes for your needs.
Tick off your healthy shopping list
Whether you’re into New Year’s resolutions or not, there’s no harm in giving your body a bit of TLC – quite the opposite. From gym equipment at JD Sports and TK Maxx, to trainers at Nike and adidas to clean beauty products at Lush and The Body Shop, we’ve got all your healthy buys covered in our wellness gift guide.
Give yourself some TLC
Who doesn’t love a beauty treatment? I can’t think of a better way to start the year than with some indulgent ‘me’ time at the various spas, beauty and grooming stores on Oxford Street. You could try one of the many treatments at Lush Spa (the Tales of Bath treatment is a personal fave, a hot oil massage with a bath) or get your hair washed and styled for just £35 at the Dyson Beauty Lab and learn all about their latest tech. And did you know Primark had its own beauty bar, Rawr, offering services like threading and manicures? They’re offering 20% off all services until the end of January, between 12-4pm, Monday to Thursday. Head to Selfridges for free fragrance, beauty and make-up consultations – you can even get some makeovers at certain counters if you buy makeup. If it’s grooming you’re after, I recommend the Ultimate VIP treatment (a haircut, an expert shaving with steamer, shape-up or beard trimming service, eyebrow trimming and traditional Turkish ear-flaming) at Ted’s Grooming Room and a quality trim with friction (a traditional barbers’ practice to invigorate the scalp and de-stress) at Pall Mall Barbers.
You might also want to give your beauty regime an eco-conscious makeover, and Rituals have just the ticket. Rather than bin an empty product, keep it and join the Refill Movement instead. For every refill sold, B-Corp certified Rituals have pledged to plant, protect or restore a tree. Plus every formula contains over 93% natural origin ingredients, so you know you’re treating your skin well. Did you know about Muji’s clean skincare? It’s made in Japan with purified water, and is designed to adapt to each skin type based on its needs, with three principles: cleanse, repair, preserve. You can get 20% off its entire range until 12th February, using the code SKN20 at checkout.
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