And winnertheis...

As usual, we spoiled you a little with the amazing prizes in the last issue. Sally Cattenach and Stephanie Bateman each bagged a pair of tickets to seeThe Bodyguard at His Majesty'sTheatre. WeadmittobeingateensiebitjealousofAnneBoydwho'll airline Widerøe for a stay in the ScandicTorget Hotel with the guest of her choice. Her prize also includes twoVisit Bergen cards.

Here come the girls:

CATCH SIX AT HMT

Award-winning musical and West-End smash Six tells the tale of Henry VIII’s marital woes from the point of view of his many, many wives. From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. Tickets from aberdeenperformingarts.com, the show runs from May 9th to 13th.

Messing about in boats:

PORTSOY BOAT FESTIVAL

Head up to Portsoy for a weekend of food, music, crafts and a harbour full of traditional boats, from the smallest skiff to some restored classics. There are races and lots of activities at this family-friendly weekend. Skerryvore headline the evening entertainment on Friday night, with Rhythmnreel on Saturday and a Sunday Ceilidh to round of the weekend. 30th June-2nd July, with tickets and programme details from stbfportsoy.org

Reach new heights: CHARITY ABSEIL FOR SBH SCOTLAND

If you’re feeling brave, Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland are looking for adventurous types who fancy abseiling down the Northern Light tower at the old AECC site on June 10th. There’s a fundraising target of £150 for each participants and you need to be over 18. Sign up at sbhscotland.org.uk

For electronica fans: CULTIVATE AT INNOFLATE

Bounce down to Innoflate at the beach on May 12th and 13th for the North-east’s festival of electronic dance music. A blast of Deep House, Techno House, Techno, Disco House and Wendy House. (Yeah, we made the last one up.) Weekend tickets from £93.20 from www.skiddle.com

Where to be seen in May and June…

Family choice: BALLATER'S DUCK FESTIVAL

Head to Ballater's village green from 11am on June 4th for a day of nibbling your way round a selection of food stalls while the kids have a go on the merry-go-round and old school hook-a-duck sideshow or the bouncy castle and slide. Head to the riverbank at 3pm for the finale where you can bet on which giant inflatable duck will triumph in the race, then watch the pipe band parade through the village. Find out more at ballaterrd.com/ballaterduck-festival/

Aberdeen's outdoor art gallery:

NUART'S BACK F0R 2023

Nuart Aberdeen, the award-winning and internationally renowned street art festival returns to the city from June 8-11. There will be talks and workshop and, as always, it’s free to explore.

The theme for this year’s festival is 'rewilding’ and will see 10 acclaimed artists visit Aberdeen to create new artwork in the city, ranging from large murals to smaller, more intricate installations. Find out more at aberdeeninspired.com

Gorge walking is a better option for beginners and families. It involves walking along a river, but it’s got to be the right river. We’re not talking about a relaxing stroll along the shady banks of the Ythan Estuary here. Gorge walking is much more exhilarating, combining lots of climbing rocks, splashing in plunge pools, slipping and sliding your way down stream or struggling your way upstream.

It’s a family friendly activity, but best for kids over eight, who don’t mind getting wet and messy. It’s best to book an organised trip with qualified guides who know the river rather than just plunging in with no idea of the currents or terrain.

Canyoning is a higher octane version of gorge walking, suitable for reasonably fit adults and teenagers. Think of it as white water rafting, without the raft. You’ll find yourself scrambling up scree slopes, climbing rock faces, abseiling and crossing rope bridges, plunging behind waterfalls, leaping from ledges, wild swimming and generally feeling like a superhero that’s forgotten their cape. We can’t guarantee the superhero feeling will still be with you the next morning, though!

Adventure Aberdeen and ACEAdventures in Forres all offer canyoning and gorge walking adventures in Aberdeenshire and Moray and there are lots of options in the Cairngorms and Highland Perthshire too.

It’s time to cast off some of the 17 layers we’ve been swaddling ourselves in since last September and show some skin. Winter can leave skin dull and dry, so give it a boost with our pick of products and treatments designed to get you summer ready and glowing with vitality…

Start with a quality SPF like mesoestetic’s Moisturising Sun Protection SPF50+ sun cream. It offers added hydration and a silky texture that creates a soft and nourished base. It’s great for dry or mature skins. You can buy it at facethefuture.co.uk for around £60. Even if your regular foundation or tinted moisturiser includes SPF, it’s worth boosting your protection levels with an additional sun cream.

If you want to get a healthy summer glow, head for the Sun Spot on Broomhill Road, where you’ll find a selection of the latest tanning beds. Alternatively, Green People have their new Age Defy+ Liquid Gold Tanning drops, which offer a temporary at-home radiance boost and subtle colour for up to a week. They’re 95% organic, vegan and cruelty-free. £36 for 30ml from greenpeople.co.uk.

If you’re tanning, then a decent exfoliator is a must. Give FRUU Cosmetics’ Coconut Coffee Scrub a go. It’s gently effective, smells great and, like all FRUU products, it’s vegan, crueltyfree and made from wonky fruits. Find it at fruuurskin.com for £12.99.

If winter has left your skin prone to breakouts or acne, then beauty tech specialist PMD’s new PMD Clean Acne could be a worthwhile investment. It combines a rechargeable silicon cleansing brush on one side with the power of blue light therapy on the other. The cleansing brush operates at 7,000 vibrations per minute at a perfect frequency to break down dirt and oil from within the pores whilstlifting and toning the skin. You’ll find it at harrods.com or uk.pmdbeaty.com with an RRP of £209.

Treat Company in Inverallochy offer a full range of Diode SHR Super Hair removal treatments, Lycon waxing and Mabel Plus Tri-polar treatments which use subcutaneous heat to lift and contour the skin and shrink fat cells which firms the jawline for those holiday photos.

Aesthetic Beauty Inverurie now offers EXO-SKIN™, a concentrated rejuvenating serum with growth factors from stem cells, peptides, soothing cytokines, hydrating hyaluronic acid, collagenstimulating vitamin C and other potent substances that support skin health. Combined with DermaPen micro-needling, it basically rewrites your skin’s past and lies about your age for you. Great if you want to look younger and boost your self-confidence for summer.