Believe it or not, honeymoons date back to the 5^th century and didn’t exactly start out with weddings or expensive holidays. Traditionally, the term “honeymoon” emerged out of the cycles of the moon and a traditional, aphrodisiac-inspired drink called mead (or honey). With those notions combined, honeymoons began as a time to practice intimacy, seek privacy, and “get to know each other”.

But things changed over the centuries. Whilst, today, most couples travel to take some time out together without all those day to day interferences, it wasn’t always that way. Couples in 19^th century Britain used their honeymoon to go on a bridal tour. The newlywed pair traveled to visit friends and family who could not attend the wedding ceremony.

That said, in modern times, Granny Mouse Country House and Spa is the perfect place to enjoy your honeymoon. The peace and quiet of the beautiful Midlands countryside, no matter the season, is the perfect home away from home before you have to return to the hum drum of everyday life.

Here are some tips from Sean Granger, GM of Granny Mouse, when it comes to making the most of your honeymoon:

For starters, we at Granny Mouse will definitely do something special for you if we know it’s your honeymoon – giving you something extra special like flowers, a bottle of champagne or chocolates in the room on your arrival. It’s an easy way to feel special and extra cared for on your trip, so it’s definitely worth reaching out and giving us the heads up!

Probably the most common honeymoon lament we hear is: “I wish we’d spent just a little more and stayed in a really nice room.” Because we have such beautiful rooms at Granny Mouse, there’s never a need to skimp on your accommodation. Maybe on other trips but never on your honeymoon!

Even if you think you won’t spend much time in your room, you’ll be sorry if your accommodation is not special. It’s the first thing you see every morning and the last thing you see at night. A beautiful bathroom means you can enjoy romantic bubble baths. It is also where you are likely to hang out if there’s a rainy day.

Truly unplug. If you are using the camera on your phone, keep the data turned off. The entire point of a honeymoon is to connect with each other and not the rest of the digital world! The weeks and months leading up to the wedding are a rush of responsibilities to other people, deadlines and pressures. The honeymoon is a precious time to do nothing but focus on your new spouse.

Indulge a little! While many brides stick to strict nutritional fitness or lifestyle regimes in preparation for their big day, be sure to relax and live a little while on honeymoon. At Granny Mouse our culinary artists create meal masterpieces, so do enjoy and savour the flavours.

Indulge in our exquisite wines, enjoy a luxurious spa treatment or two, ditch the alarms and schedules and really just let it all go and enjoy yourselves as much as you can.

Also enjoy the tranquility and take in a sunrise and sunset. Yes, sure sunrise can mean an alarm clock going off, but on vacation getting up early to catch a magical sunrise will form part of your memories. We will have the coffee ready. If you, as a couple, are not early morning peeps, then swop that for a sunset and cozy up with some wine while watching the sun go down with your new spouse.

Of course another important one is take tons of photos, so snap those pictures while being present in the moment. These memories will go on to be shared for years and generations to come, so create that memory book upon your return home.

Ever wonder where the art of painting nails originated from? Granny Mouse Country House and Spa therapists, who deliver that perfect manicure or pedicure for guests, decided to go back in time to find out just where this beauty phenomenon began.

Apparently, examples can be found in many ancient civilizations. While nail care may have always been an important element of high fashion in modern times, it was only in the late 17th century when portraits of people with shiny nails started appearing.

According to the historians and some archeologists, some 5 000 years ago nail polish was created in China, where it was used by the imperium to distinguish themselves from the general population. Nail polishes were made from beeswax, egg whites, gelatin, vegetable dyes and gum and the most popular colours were metallic, such as silver and gold. These symbolized power and wealth.

The major difference between China and other ancient civilizations that used nail polish was that this highly prized cosmetic product was only used by the elite. Use was banned by the general population. Several reports survive to this day of common people who were caught with coloured nails being executed!

From China, nail polish spread across India, the Middle East and northern Africa. It really took on in Egypt which was known for its use of cosmetics. Here, the lower classes wore pale colours while the Pharaoh and hoi polio painted their nails reddish brown with henna.

As with many other cosmetic products, nail polish disappeared from European fashion after the fall of Roman Empire.

It was only after the arrival of Renaissance and the new trade connection with the Middle East and India that European aristocracy once again gained access to nail polish and began to decorate their nails once more.

As the centuries went, nail polish and manicures became more and more commonplace, finally becoming ultra-popular in France during the late 18th century.

By the turn of the 19th century, nail polish and colouring became more common amongst the general population in France, England, Italy and the United States – but, it was in the early 20th century that nail polish came into its own, with manicure establishments appearing in France in great numbers (especially in 1920s and 30s).

Today, nail polish can be found in every possible combination of colour and opacity. Black nail polish which is popular today in the Goth, Punk, Emo and Heavy Metal subcultures did not appear in the earliest days but was first introduced in the 1930s during the post Art-Deco era.

Nail polish styles have come and gone and come back again, including a lingering French-tip manicure craze, half-moon polish, decorated tips and other artistic looks.

In fact, nail polish has become a huge global industry in its own right. Between 2011 and 2012, nail polish sales soared up by 32 percent and topped $768 million dollars – and they’ve increased yearly ever since. With nail art continually trending on Pinterest and other social media platforms, it appears that nail polish is here to stay, and trends will keep getting more and more intricate and artistic.

Source: http://www.historyofcosmetics.net/history-of-makeup/history-of-nail-polish/