Weekend Wonders 14th-15th June: 10 Brazil-inspired must-dos

1 / 11

World Cup special: Weekend Wonders

This year’s World Cup has injected a dose of Brazilian fever across the UK. So in true Latin American spirit, we’ve selected the best Brazilian-themed things to do and products to try this weekend.

Read on to see how you can get involved - expect Samba, Capoeira and Carnival dancing…

2 / 11

Enjoy a bespoke Brazilian cocktail

Every six months, Archer Street’s Soho basement is transformed into a unique and entertaining pop up bar. Its latest redesign? Barzinho, a Brazilian themed bar complete with carnival feathers, palm leaves from the Amazon and DJs spinning beats from a tin shack. Guests can take a seat and admire the beautiful oversized South American-inspired murals while they sip on creative cocktails with a Brazilian twist.

The star of the menu is The Redeemer, their signature cocktail made with Leblon Caçhaca, infused with açai berries, campari infused with goji berries, fresh passionfruit juice and lime. But before you take a sip, you must suck on a Miracle Fruit sweet. This will enhance and alter the flavours of the drink to give you a unique taste. Saúde!

Barzinho, Archer Street,  3-4 Archer Street, South Soho, London, W1D 7AP

3 / 11

Support England with a wax

Show your support for England in this year’s World Cup... by booking in for a Brazilian wax. The clever folk at Daniel Hershesons are offering a complimentary Caipirinha cocktail with every Brazilian wax that is booked in at their Beauty Rooms in Harvey Nichols. Your Caipirinha cocktail will be specially created and served by the Harvey Nichols 5th floor mixologists to help ease the pain of your wax. This offer is only valid while England are still competiting, so book in fast – it’s an unpredictable game!

Daniel Hershesons  at Harvey Nichols, Brazilian Wax, £52, with free Caipirinha cocktail while England are still competing

4 / 11

Score the ultimate beauty goal

Earn yourself major beauty points with this winning purchase from Benefit. This limited edition set was compiled in celebration of the World Cup and includes Brazil’s bestselling beauty players for face, eyes and cheeks. You’ll score big with minis of Hoola, Bella Bamba, The POREfessional, “that gal”, It’s Potent!, They’re Real!, Ooh La Lift, Stay Don’t Stray in light/medium, Benetint and Highbeam. And that’s not all. Benefit have gone above and beyond by opening their own Benefit World Cup Pub, aka Gabbi’s Head. This pop up pub for women will be open for the duration of the Brazil championship and women guests can watch the major games while receiving Benefit makeovers, watch stand-up comedy, or receive expert tanning, waxing, lashes and brows from their ‘Bene-babe’ beauty artists. Oh Benefit, you really do spoil us…

Benefit Beauty Score, £29.50,  available from their website 

5 / 11

Bring the Brazilian party to you

New nightclub Cocobananas will throw you into the heart of a Brazilian beach party from the get-go. Spread across two floors, the venue celebrates all things Brazilian, including vintage surfboards, distressed plantation shutters and even a reproduction of Rio’s iconic Christ the Redeemer Statue. Guests are invited to view the late night football matches before taking on the dance floor or grabbing a drink in the Caipirinha bar. Expect Latin house music, capoeira dancers and South American street food. You can also find Brazil’s national drink Cachaca in a range of cocktails, served in either a vessel modelled on Brazilian beach shacks or the ‘Bum Bum’, a cup sculpted to represent the country’s famous string bikinis.

Cocobananas , Friday– Saturday (10.30pm - 2.30am). Also open for all Brazil /England Group World Cup Matches. 101 Howie Street, London, SW11 3BA

6 / 11

Get to grips with martial arts

Developed in Brazil, Capoeira is a martial art unlike any other. Combining elements of dance, music and acrobatics, it is known for incorporating kicks, spins and ginga (think side-stepping) in speedy blur-inducing movements. Capoeira Pernada Baiana host classes four times a week and is led by Marcio Santos, the Mestre for the Capoeira Group. Marcio is from Salvador, where he began training in Capoeira before teaching in the UK for 20 years. His classes inject fun into the sport as he teaches moves to songs and traditional instruments originated from the upbeat country.

Capoeira Pernada Baiana | Saturdays (1.30pm - 3pm), Mondays (7pm – 8pm), Tuesday (6.10pm – 7.10pm, beginners and 7.10pm – 8.10pm, intermediate), Thursdays (6.30pm – 8pm) | Venue depends on class | Visit their  Facebook page  for more information

7 / 11

Become a bronzed Brazilian goddess

If there’s one beauty look we desperately strive for, it’s that beautiful Brazilian glow. While the sun seems to have finally decided to show its face, nothing can compare to basking in the heat on a beach in Rio. So we’re turning to some of our favourite summer products to transport our skin from pasty to sun kissed. Lancaster Sun’s new Trip to Copacabana Self-Tanning Melting Delight is a deep brown marmalade which delivers an intense golden and smooth finish to the skin. Its Colour Adapt Technology means the product adapts to your skin tone to create a bespoke natural holiday tan.

Alternatively, if the word ‘tan’ strikes fear in your heart, opt for Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Beauty Balm. Naked Bronzing creates a subtle and healthy glow while Naked Illuminating’s champagne-coloured pearls leave you looking radiant. Both anti-ageing products work to perfect, protect, prime and hydrate - the definition of multitasking in a sleek tube. Once applied, the products blend seamlessly into the skin, instantly leaving an illuminating effect or bronzed glow. With added SPF 20 in the equation, you can’t go wrong with these wonder products.

Lancaster Sun | Trip to Copacabana Self-Tanning Melting Delight | £26.00 | Available from selected Debenhams and Selfridges stores nationwide

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm | £23 each | Available  here

8 / 11

Show bad grooming the red card

In honour of the World Cup, Ministry of Waxing and Browhaus have teamed up to bring you the ultimate beauty treatment with a kick to its normal price. When visiting Ministry of Waxing’s Covent Garden salon, you can purchase a Brazilian wax (usual price £50), full leg wax (usual price £44), and browgraphy (usual price £20) for a reduced price of £90, usually worth £114. As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll also receive 10% off all aftercare products to ensure that you can keep your skin soft and refreshed post-treatment.

Ministry of Waxing  | £90, usually worth £114 | From 12th June – 13th July 2014 only | Covent Garden, 19A Floral Street

9 / 11

Sweat it out with Bodywear’s Brazilian fashion

Bought to you by Bodyism, Bodywear’s Brazilian Body Collection is for those that want to look and feel good whilst they work out. Combining fashion with function, Christiane Duigan and Nathalie Schyllet (who also features as the stunning face in the campaign) have developed a chic collection that shows that there’s no reason that stylish fitness cannot be factored into your lifestyle, whether you’re heading to a Pilates class, a session of HIIT or even meeting the girls for a drink. Cut from state-of-the-art fabrics, they come in a variety of prints and are comfortable, breathable and lightweight, meaning they lift, support and sculpt the body without hindering your workout. Speaking about the collection, Christiane said: “Beauty comes from within and positivity always shine through, but how you dress is also reflective of who you are and how your view yourself”.

Bodyism |  Bodywear Brazilian Body Collection  | Prices vary | Bodywear will be available from Net-A-Porter in July 2014

10 / 11

Experience the World Cup… in complete silence

Yes, you read that right. Brazilian bar and club Guanabara are giving you the chance to enjoy the footie in complete and utter pin-drop silence. Matches will be screened in London’s very first’ ‘silent football’ viewing area. Arrive early to pick out a prime seat, grab some headphones and enjoy the game before partying with your friends after. And when Brazil or England are playing, it’ll be a whole other story. Re-creating the spirit of a Brazilian carnival, Guanabara will be providing you with live entertainment, including samba dancers, capoeira performers, football freestylers and LED screens to enjoy the action. Who needs a ticket to Rio?

Guanabara | To see what’s on, click  here  | New London Theatre, Parker St, London WC2B 5PW

11 / 11

Tap into your inner Brazilian

Originally an African dance, samba travelled to Rio de Janeiro and spread as the exhilarating and fun dance that it is today. Based at Pineapple Dance Studios, Monika Molnar, an award-winning Brazilian Dance Teacher will show you how to improve your rhythm, posture, strength, endurance and elegance through a series of footwork, hip moves and dance variations. This class is highly recommended for a sweat-worthy cardio dance session. One of those gems that puts the fun back into exercising.

Brazilian Samba with Monika Molnar  | 5 Week course for Beginners, £60 | Pineapple Dance Studios | 7  Langley Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JA