Compiled by Nicoline Greer
SPLASH OUT Natural soaps made without sodium lauryl sulphate and other foaming agents are at the heart of two shops called Splash, on Pembroke Street in Cork and at Douglas Shopping Centre. "Anything that forms bubbles has this chemical that can cause problems for people with sensitive skin, eczema or psoriasis," says Mary Roster, the shops' owner. Her pure shea-butter soap is great for wrinkles, stretch marks and dry skin, she says. Roster buys the shea butter from South America and South Africa, then sends it and the other ingredients to Wales and Latvia to be made into soap, foot products and more. Splash soap is more expensive than supermarket ranges, costing €4 per 100 grams, although the shop will weigh and cut any amount you like. A big-seller is Flake Out shampoo, which tackles dandruff. A nine-ounce bottle costs €9. Another, a lavender and chamomile massage oil called Little Monster, helps babies to sleep. Splash also sells sea-salt body scrubs, which, Roster says, are great for getting rid of fake tan. Splash is at 021-4898289. Colette Sheridan
GROW YOUR GARDEN BETTER Know the basics of gardening but long for further expertise? Jimi Blake, master plantsman and highly creative gardener, starts a series of Thursday-night classes aimed at intermediate gardeners at Airfield Gardens, Dundrum, Co Dublin, this week. The five classes (which cost €170) cover herbaceous perennials, spring and woodland plants, grasses and tropical plants, propagation, and shrubs and bulbs. Blake's Saturday day courses restart next week, on March 5th, at his picture-book timber home on a Blessington hillside. Subjects include organic vegetables for beginners (with Klaus Laitenberger on March 12th), springtime in the garden (April 2nd) and contemporary flower arranging (with Carol Bone, April 9th). The fee for each day, which includes a home-cooked lunch, is €90. For a complete list of courses, and booking form, visit www.huntingbrook.com or call 087-2856601. Jane Powers
HEADS UP Heuston is the first station to have a barber shop - good news for anyone who doesn't arrive at the last minute and have to leg it down the platform. Nigel Cleary (right) provides a walk-in service, but if you don't have time to queue, you can book up to an hour in advance. A hot towel shave or a wash and cut costs €18, a dry cut €14. Women can also have a blow dry for €20. Thus you can start your journey to the great south-west - or home to see the mammy - with a cool head. Nigel's Barber Shop, Heuston Station, 01-6729055. Patsey Murphy
PORTUG-EASY Lorna Roberts, agent in Ireland for the Spanish government's Parador hotels, is now also representing the Pousadas of Portugal. This chain of small, state-run hotels - many of them former convents or castles - was set up in the 1940s to reflect Portuguese culture, cuisine and regional diversity. Following a recent visit, Roberts has identified a number of pousadas that are easily accessible from Ireland, such as Sao Bras, 20 minutes from Faro Airport; another on a cliff top at Europe's south-western tip, near the surfing village of ; and many historic pousadas close to Lisbon, including the one pictured below, at . Prices start at four nights for two people for €290. You can browse the hotels online and book direct on or, if you prefer to draw on Roberts's local knowledge, call 095-23511 or e-mail lorna.roberts@iolfree.ie. Aer Lingus flies Dublin-Faro, Cork-Faro and, from March 27th, Dublin-Lisbon. Ryanair flies Dublin-Faro, and EUJet Shannon-Faro. See also www.visitportugal.com.
WEDDING BELLES Wedding stationery is usually a quagmire of ribbons and embossing, but one woman has taken a more contemporary approach. Catriona Ogston, a graphic designer, noticed her friends had problems finding special stationery for their weddings. "I was getting married myself around that time, and the stationery was important to me. It was a bold design, with strong colours. I did it all, down to orders of service, place cards, menus. I thought wedding stationery would make a good sideline from the commercial stuff in my business, but now it has taken over." So what are her customers looking for? "Often people will bring me an image: it might be the venue, or even a picture of themselves, or they will want to incorporate a particular colour. They're looking for something quirky, a bit different." One couple getting married in Italy wanted photo-album-style thank-you cards. "A lot of those who sent gifts wouldn't have made it to the wedding, so the bride wanted to show them the day - and her dress." The design process generally takes two to four weeks. Prices start at €19.50 for 10 invitations. 01-4969339, www.odesign.ie. Clare McCarthy
GROW WINGS Planning a weekend away and want to make sure you get the best deal? Usually, this involves hours of surfing the net and making confusing price comparisons. Take a short cut by logging on to www.skyscanner.net. Key in your departure point and destination and, within seconds, you'll have live price quotes from whichever airlines service your chosen route. If price, rather than destination, is your motivator, you can nominate a date and see the cheapest deals available that weekend. If skyscanner has nothing tempting, try www.gohop.ie. Once you've bagged a bargain flight, find a hotel on www.hotelclub.com (check out the last-minute-deals section for the biggest discounts) and cross-check the travellers' reviews of your chosen accommodation on www.tripadvisor.com. Then away you go, smug in the knowledge that you've got the best deal going. Marie-Claire Digby
SMILEY PEOPLE Smiles is a teeth- whitening clinic that has just opened on South Anne Street in Dublin. Make an appointment and the process takes 90 minutes, carried out by dentists with nurses on hand, during which time you can choose from music and movie options in your private cubicle. Yours for €600.The clinic says it uses a high-tech US system with numerous shades of white from which to choose the one that best suits your colouring. It's also "faster, safer and more effective" than any other system in Ireland, they claim. Smiles, 4 South Anne Street, Dublin, 1850-323323. Eoin Lyons
LOCAL LOOT There are now 80 farmers' markets in Ireland, north and south, and a new booklet produced by Bord Bia is a real eye-opener: in addition to the organic vegetables, meats and farmhouse cheeses that you'd expect, the list of ethnic goods is growing by the mile - a great reflection of our increasingly diverse tastes. From Palestinian food to sushi, Polish sausages, pickles and pies, the fare is as irresistible as it is politically correct. All the more reason to avoid the supermarket whenever possible. The booklet lists all of the markets, the producers and the contacts and has good advice for anyone interested in setting up a stall or even a market. It's available from Bord Bia at Clanwilliam Court, Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, 01-6685155, info@bordbia.ie.