Beauty, Bargains and Beyond

  I hope you and your family have a great Christmas Leigh 💜

I will be taking a break over Christmas.  See you in the New Year Leigh 💜  

*I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. I am always on the look out for more sustainable products so when I was asked to try out products from The Humble Co. I was more than happy to. I really like this company and have reviewed some of their products previously here . Humble Brush - Replaceable Head Toothbrush * The Humble brush * has a handle made from 100% biodegradable, sustainably-grown bamboo (the fastest growing plant on earth). Bamboo is also naturally antibacterial which means that there is no need to use fertilisers or pesticides during its cultivation. The Humble brush comes with 1 handle and 3 easily removable brush heads. Its a 100% recyclable product. The box is made from recycled materials, and the inside wrapper is made from compostable paper. The products are also certified vegan, cruelty-free and verified Bisphenol A (BPA) free. The bristles are not stiff or harsh and clean my teeth really well. I think these are a great replacement for p...

With the cold, dark nights (at least there is light at the end of the tunnel as its the shortest day today), I thought I would give you a run down of my recommendations for some good old binge watching and reading. There is nothing better than curling up on the sofa which a hot chocolate (see yesterdays post here ) and a blanket and settling down for a binge session. Things to watch: Superstore - Netflix & Peacock on Sky - 6 seasons. This show is about the hilarious antics of the crazy people that work in a massive supermarket in America. Starring America Ferrera from Ugly Betty and a cast of very funny characters it shows the weird and wonderful and sometimes awful things that happen when you work in Retail. Virgin River - Netflix - 3 seasons - Mel is a nurse practitioner who moves to a remote town from Los Angeles following the death of her husband. This follows her adventures as a big city girl mixing with locals in  a small town and her budding romance with Jack, who is a...

I just wanted to write a quick post about the  Hotel Chocolat The Velvetiser Hot Chocolate Machine . I hate coffee or tea, but I love hot chocolate, so I decided to treat myself to this hot chocolate maker a couple of months ago and I do not regret it one bit.  It is so easy to use and makes velvety smooth hot chocolate every time. It costs £99.95, but make sure you download the Hotel Chocolate App as there are some great offers available to reduce the price.  I bought the Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate sachets in a variety of flavours which costs £13 for 10 sachets (again check the app for offers before you buy).  They are all simply divine as they are made of grated chocolate (my particular favourite is the Hazelnut Praline flavour). I have also tried the powdered version from Hotel Chocolate, plus versions from Starbucks and Costa and the velvetiser makes great hot chocolate each and every time no matter what hot chocolate you use. The Velvetiser is so easy to use, ...

I'm not sure what happened as I was aiming to do regular updates on how my weight loss was going throughout the year, but I checked when I last posted an update and it was ages ago and I've only posted about 3 updates this year.  Anyway I thought I would update you on how its gone so far as my goal was to lose weight before my sisters wedding.  So how did I do?  I'm pleased to say that I managed to lose 2 stone before my sisters wedding which I was really pleased about.  I must admit though that over the summer I didn't stick to the diet as much as I should have, I think it was a combination of the lockdown ending and everything opening normally again so I just couldn't resist going out and I found so many great places to eat.  I need to get back on plan as I must also admit to putting on a bit of weight since the wedding so I gave myself another goal of losing 1 stone before Christmas and another stone before my next holiday abroad which if it happens will prob...

I thought it would be interesting to go back into the archives to see which products that I have reviewed over the years I still use.  One of the first products that came to mind was Da'Dude YoungHair The Root Fix Temporary Root Cover.  I reviewed it in May 2019 and the review is below (I did initially receive it free to try out and review a couple of years before the review below, but since then I have purchased it a number of times as its my go to root cover up - please note that this is not a sponsored post).  Other than the price I haven't altered my review below as it says everything I want to say although I must admit I have a bit more grey then I did back then, but I have my hair dyed regularly at the hair salon rather than doing it myself and this is a great product to cover the regrowth between visits. Previously posted 1/5/2019 I thought I would post about one of my must use products that I always use when I have those pesky grey hairs showing at my roots when ...

     *I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. If you are looking for a last minute gift for a beauty lover, then look no further than the St. Moriz Pout & Glow Set*.   It only costs £8 from Superdrug  and contains the following items: St. Moriz Tanning Mousse in the shade Medium (200ml) St. Moriz Velvet Tanning Mitt St. Moriz Nude Shimmer Lip Gloss 2.4ml St. Moriz Liquid Highlighter 2.4ml This is a great little set for a bargain price and it's still available online at Superdrug .  Leigh 💜    

    *I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. If you are looking for stocking fillers for anyone that is into b eauty then one option is this great little sanitising set and even better its on offer at the moment.  I love this great little kit of Beauty Hygiene Essentials * from Beauty Hygiene Plus . The set contains 50ml spray bottles of Quick Dry Beauty Tools Sanitising Spray, Quick Dry Brush Cleaning Spray, Quick Dry Makeup Sanitising Mist and Deep Cleanse Sponge & Brush Wash. The kit also comes with a travel size set of makeup brushes which is a nice touch and comes in a zip bag which makes them easy to carry on your travels. I think many of us are guilty of forgetting (being too lazy!) to wash our makeup brushes and tools on a regular basis and I am horrified to admit it, but I have never sanitised my makeup after use, so this little set is perfect for me. Beauty Hygiene Plus is the consumer product arm of Beauty Science UK who are an es...

*I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. I have tried a few St. Moriz tanning products recently and I really like this reasonably priced brand that makes self tanning really easy. I have now tried the St. Moriz Miracle Tanning Serum* and its a product that I really enjoyed using.  First of all I have never used a tanning serum before, so I was interested to see how it worked. This serum contains collagen boosting, skin firming hyaluronic acid for extra hydration and a smooth feel. It helps to reduce the effects of aging and reduce skin imperfections and I am all about that right now. This serum gives an instant glow and then gradually builds into a lovely bronzed glow. This product was easy to use and produced a streak free tan and left my skin feeling nourished and hydrated. It is recommended that you exfoliate 24 hours before application and then use a small amount on a tanning mitt to blend into the skin.  You can use this on your face and body which i...

     *I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. Sadly I'm now at an age where I go to sleep and wake up with a long hair on my chin (how the heck does that happen).  I'm sure its taking the hair from my brows as there seem to be much lusher hairs on my chin these days.  Luckily I was sent Jolen Face Wax Strips* and the Facial Hair Remover Kit* to try out. Face Wax Strips for Upper Lip, Chin and Brows* -  My main area of concern is my chin so these were ideal to try out.  They are long lasting and effective even on short hair.  They are suitable for all skin types even sensitive skin and can leave the area hair free for up to 4 weeks.  They are easy to use just make sure your skin is clean and dry without traces of any products.  Warm the strips up between your hands until the wax softens then separate the strips slowly.  Apply the strip wherever you need to remove hair and hold the skin taunt with one...

    *I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. Now that the nights are getting dark at around 4pm and with the first snow of the year I am staying in more and more rather than venturing out in the freezing cold so finding things to keep me busy is the name of the game.  I was kindly sent the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Board Game* which includes digital lifelines to try out which is ideal at this time of year. The game comes with a game board, answer tokens, lifeline tokens, playing tokens and over 700 questions. Its suitable for 14 years + and you need 2 or more players.  To play, you choose a player to act as the host (the host still gets to play and the role of host changes after each question). The host takes a card from the £500 deck and reads out the question and multiple choice answer options. All players including the host then place their answer tokens face down in the final answer section of the board. Once an answer is in the final an...

*I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. I must admit that I don't drink much alcohol anymore whether that's on a night out or at home. I will have the odd one sometimes but in the most part I stick to soft drinks and sometimes it can feel like there are only so many soft drinks you can have before you get a bit bored, so it was nice to get sent a bottle of Wilfred's Bittersweet Orange and Rosemary Spritz* to try out. Wilfred's is a carefully crafted blend of distilled natural rosemary, bittersweet orange, rhubarb and clove. Wilfred’s 0% ABV is free from alcohol, allergens, artificial flavours, sweeteners, colours, and vegan-friendly for a naturally lower calorie aperitif. It contains just 21 calories per 50ml serving. Its recommended that you serve in a suitably large glass with plenty of ice, a generous helping of tonic and a slice of zesty orange (1 part Wilfred's, 2 parts tonic and a slice of orange). I must admit its nice to feel like you...

*I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. Can you believe its just a month to go before its Christmas Day. I need to get my act together and get the rest of my Christmas presents as it will be here before you know it. I do love the run up to Christmas Day although it can get even busier at work there is just something more relaxed once you get to December.   If you have younger children to buy for Dantoy BIOplastic Tiny Bio Stacking Play Cups * are a good option for ages 6 months+.  The eco-friendly toy includes 7 stacking cups for children to build up and knock down.  Each stacking cup is a different shape and colour and can be used in a sandbox or in the bath (2 of the cups can be used for scooping and 5 of them have holes for letting water sprinkle out of them). They are: Stackable, buildable and delightful to knock down Great bath time fun Can be used as cookie cutters in modelling clay or dough Stimulate childrens awareness of colou...

I was browsing in The Body Shop looking for something to spend my £5 birthday reward on, when I came upon The Refill Station. This was totally new to me and its a wonderful idea.  The Refill Station at my local store had 6 different products that were available for refills.  There were 4 shower gels and then the Ginger shampoo and conditioner.  All you need to do is pick your product (I picked the Ginger Scalp Care Conditioner) and then ask a member of the Body Shop team to fill your aluminium bottle.  The bottle costs £2 on top of the cost of the product and then you can bring it back in the next time that you need a refill.  Its great value for money because 250ml of the Ginger Scalp Care conditioner usually costs £7.50, whereas 300ml of the refill costs just £6. Product availability varies from store to store (maybe according to local bestsellers?), so I am not going to list each of the products available at my store, and the prices of the products also varie...

*I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. I have reviewed St. Moriz self tanning products* a few months ago which you can read  here and it's definitely one of my favourite self tanning brands, so I was happy to try out a few more of their products. The St. Moriz Colour Correct Medium Tanning Mousse* is a self tanner with olive undertones which helps to neutralise any red tones in the skin. Its transfer resistant and the instant colour lasts all day and then washes off to reveal a natural, just back from your holidays, sunkissed tan, which leaves you glowing even on the most rainy, dull day here in the UK. It contains chamomile, hyaluronic acid and vitamin B5 ensuring that your skin feels hydrated after using this product. Its recommended that you exfoliate and shave 24 hours prior to using this product, then simply apply the mousse using the St. Moriz Velvet Tanning Mitt *, using a circular motion on your body and face, to blend the product into your skin....

*I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. I don't know if it's my age, but I do like to receive practical gifts and these gifts are really useful items that I wouldn't mind receiving. Kikkerland Safe Slot Tech Pocket *. This universal phone pocket holds up to 3 cards and features soft touch lining, tech leather exterior and easily removable non-residue 3M adhesive. I don't know about you, but my handbag is usually crammed full of stuff, so rather than pull my purse out when I am buying things, it's usually far easier to pull out my phone and grab a card from this pocket, stuck on the back of my phone. I'm sure some people think that's crazy, when you can just use your phone to pay for things, but tech wise I am not quite there yet and prefer to use my credit card. You can buy this item here for £8.99. Kikkerland Avocado Hot/Cold Pack* . This is freezable, non-toxic and reusable. To use as a cold pack, place the pack in the freezer f...

*I received these products for free but the opinions are my own. Now Halloween is officially over its definitely time to start thinking about Christmas (if you haven't already).  Here are some more fab gift ideas for friends and family. The Mr Potato Head 3D Ceramic Mug* is a fun gift for Christmas.  There are 7 interchangeable silicone face pieces so you can have fun creating his wacky expressions and its perfect for your hot chocolate on these cold dark nights.  Please note that this is an adult novelty gift not a toy.   You can purchase this gift on Prezzybox here for £17.99. The Decision Maker* is similar to the magic 8 ball, you ask a question and swing the decision ball for the answer.  I am a very indecisive person so I love things like this.  Its a perfect stocking filler or even Secret Santa gift as it fits easily on any desk.  You can purchase this gift on Amazon  here  for £10.84. Zany Zoo Jigsaw Puzzle*  has ...

  *I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. I was kindly sent The Colour Enhancing Gloss & The Corrector Drops by the Hair Boss* to try out. I have already tried out some of the other products from this brand which I loved and you can read my reviews  here  and here . I was excited to try these products as I do colour my hair regularly.  The Colour Enhancing Gloss is semi-permanent and lasts up to 6 washes. The Gloss was Golden Balayage and it enhances beachy blonde tones. It is a treatment that adds soft, sun kissed colour whilst adding salon shine. The formula deposits a subtle colour while smoothing the cuticle of the hair and they recommend following this treatment with The Conditioning Milk (now renamed Conditioning Lotion - a sachet in included in the box) to seal in the shine and add moisture. To use this product, you simply shampoo your hair as normal and then after removing excess water, apply a generous amount of the Gloss, ensuring...

*I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. Taskmaster The Board Game* is based on the hilarious Channel 4 comedy game show starring Greg Davies and his assistant Alex Horne. The premise of the show is that they set silly tasks for a bunch of well known comedians to complete and the results are often extremely amusing and sometimes very very messy. Well with this board game you get to replace the comedians or if you so choose become the Taskmaster in your very own home (or someone else's  might be preferable as things could get messy). The game consists of a game board, rules sheet, scoreboard playing pieces, perforated paper slips, Taskmaster trophy, 200 task cards and a wipe-clean pen. The game is suitable for 8 years+ and is for 3 - 5 players and it takes between 30-45 minutes to complete the game. The task cards are divided into 6 piles - kitchen tasks, living room tasks, lab tasks, garden tasks, final tasks & secret tasks and placed in the corresponding ...

It wasn't too long ago I was saying that I wasn't buying much at all but recently I seem to be buying loads of stuff. I saw a post on Facebook about the online company  Must Have Ideas and couldn't resist picking up a couple of products. You know those type of products that you don't know you need until you see them and then you can't stop yourself picking them up (I must admit that I had a couple more items in my basket but as I had never heard of the company before buying these items, I was a bit wary about spending too much.  I only bought 2 items this time but I was tempted with a few more which I might go back and purchase at a later date. Fur Friend - Currently on offer for £12.99 with a free travel size version As an owner of 2 cats I have a house that is covered in cat fur.  It is impossible to get rid of and even worse I tend to wear dark clothes so there are always cat hairs stuck on me when I'm out and about.  I love them to death, but honestly th...