Beauty, Bargains and Beyond

There’s something quietly satisfying about discovering a product that punches well above its price tag  especially when it’s tucked away on a supermarket shelf. Aldi’s Lacura range has built a bit of a cult following for exactly that reason: affordable skincare that doesn’t feel like a compromise and their Scalp and Body Scrub? It’s the kind of multitasker that earns a permanent spot in your shower caddy. The packaging is simple, no-frills but don’t let that fool you. The texture inside is creamy with just the right amount of grit.  There's no overpowering florals or synthetic sweetness here just a subtle scent that makes you feel like you’ve wandered into a spa treatment room rather than the middle aisle at Aldi. Used on the scalp, it’s surprisingly gentle. The exfoliating particles lift product build-up and excess oil without leaving your hair feeling squeaky or stripped. Massage it in after shampooing and you’ll notice your roots feel lighter, your scalp less itchy especi...

I don't normally review cat products but I had to review this cat comb as one of my cats loves it.  I have owned cats for years (or more likely they have owned me - any cat lovers out there will agree I'm sure) and I can never resist buying them things even when they are more than happy with the empty boxes from all my beauty purchases.   I wanted to post about this product as I have a shorthaired cat that isn't keen on getting groomed. I've tried soft baby brushes as well as the usual cat brushes that are out there (the furminater is fab for long haired cats). Then I came across the Cat Comb and he absolutely loves it. He will sit there and rub against this comb for ages which is so unlike him. The handle is shaped like a cats head and the brush part is flexible so it goes over the contours of the cat as you are brushing without hurting them.  It does a good job of getting the loose hair off him as well.  This is a great little product and its...

  *I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. I was recently sent a Happiness Habit Jar * 30 Days of Inspiration with Positive Affirmations.  It couldn't have come at a better time as l ast week was a stressful one at work, I knew it was going to be very busy even before 2 people called in sick.  I could just feel things getting on top of me and then a package arrived in the post with  the Happiness Habit Jar.  The jar was so colourful with all the different notes in that I couldn't resist opening it straight away (you might notice in the photo below that the string isn't as tightly wrapped as it should be because I couldn't wait to open it).  I'm one of those people that tends to just get on with things and probably lets things build up for a while before I break, this day was looking like it was going to be a bad one and my stress levels were rising. The first affirmation that I pulled out of the jar was 'I am resilient'.  This cou...

*I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. Now I know what you are thinking why would I want a knife sharpener in my stocking on Christmas Day?  It's not a standard stocking filler I'll grant you that but I just love the colours on this one and honestly sometimes it's nice to get a mixture of products in the stocking. All joking aside this is a great little product.  I was kindly sent the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener* to try out and it's a great addition to my kitchen utensils.  I'm not the most natural of cooks, I wish I was, I love watching cooking shows but it's not something that I excel at, so anything that makes my life in the kitchen easier is a welcome addition.  I have to admit I didn't own a knife sharpener before this so I didn't have the sharpest of knives in the kitchen.  Using the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener is quick and easy, you just pull the blade through 2-3 times and you have a sharp knife again.  Now I have a set ...

  *I received this product for free but the opinions are my own. I was sent  Oral-B Sensitivity & Gum Calm Toothpaste to try out by Supersavvyme .     Now I have very sensitive teeth, hot and cold food can drive me crazy and to be honest even brushing my teeth can set my teeth on edge so this was a perfect product for me to try out.  Well all I can say is Wow!  The first time I tried this product out my teeth definitely weren't as sensitive and since starting to use this product regularly I have hardly noticed any sensitivity with my teeth.   One of the great things about this product (other that it stops my teeth feeling sensitive) is that it has a nice subtle minty taste and it doesn't give you that burning sensation in your mouth like a lot of other toothpastes do.  It also has a creamy fine foam which I like as well. 60% of people in the UK suffer with sensitive teeth and gum issues and only 5% of those are using the right toothp...

If you are looking for a reasonably priced face primer suitable for dry skin then look no further than the e.l.f. Hydrating Face Primer.  This primer is infused with grape, vitamins A, C & E which helps boost the complexion and hydrate your skin. This is a silicone based primer (it contains dimethicone), so there is a lot of slip to it, which is perfect for me. When I wear foundation without this primer, every dry area on my face is highlighted as the foundation just sticks to those places and I find this primer helps the foundation to glide over my skin and sits nicely without sinking into my pores. You can purchase this online here . The small size is £7.50 and the large is £12.50 (it does not state the size of the products on the website or bottle). You can also buy e.l.f. products instore or online at Superdrug . At the moment there are gift with purchase offers on both sites which I find happens pretty regularly with e.l.f. e.l.f. is an affordable skincare and m...

If like me you like to eat out a lot then this card could be a good option for you as you can get 2 for 1 or 50% off meals at a large number of restaurants.  I have had a card for a few years now and it has helped save me money each time I visit restaurants that accept the card and enabled me to visit them more often.  The yearly fee is £79.99 but I have never paid that much.  When renewal comes around they always offer a discount so I think most years I have paid between £30-40 for the card.  You can also sign up for a 60 day trial for £1 and if you want to renew at the end of the 60 days it currently costs £39.99 for the year.  More details of the prices are located at tastecard.co.uk .   I use it at the following restaurants: Pizza Express The card is really easy to use here. You don't have to book in advance (although it does say to book on the tastecard site but I haven't had any problems before), you just need to let them know you want to use ...

I was really happy to receive some hair colour products from COLOUR:VIBE* recently as I love changing the colour of my hair.  I have dark brown hair with a few grey strands thrown in for good measure and usually stick to mahogany or chestnut brown semi-permanent colours.   I was sent a couple of colours from the Vibrance semi-permanent hair colour range* to try out - Fuchsia Bloom , Bright Violet and Silver Ray .   Each product can provide up to 10 applications depending on the length of your hair and will provide colour for up to 10 washes. They contain pure honey and marula oil which helps to keep your hair soft and shiny. They can be applied to bleached, previously coloured or natural hair and you can use the product to create a full head of colour or simply use it for an ombre look or even streaks,  Whatever you fancy really.  Obviously it works better on light coloured or bleached hair for a really vibrant look, but I wanted to see if it would giv...

When I was on holiday at Walt Disney World in Florida, I visited Disney Springs and there are loads of new shops there since the last time I went.  One of those shops was Origins and they had such a great offer on that I could not resist buying some products.  There were 2 offers, the first if you spent over $45 you received $20 off and then if you spent $20 more then as well as the $20 discount, you also got a free product (there was a choice of at least 5 products).  I bought products that I have never tried before and I wanted to let you know what I thought of them.  There are a couple of products missing from this photo, but I will still review them. I have a feeling that I heard about Peace of Mind from Grav3yard Girl on You Tube.  It's an on the spot relief for headaches.  All you do is massage a couple of drops onto your temples, earlobes and back of the neck and breathe deeply.  I have a headache right now and have just applied this produ...

I have been given the opportunity to try out  Jolen Creme Bleach*.  This is a product that lightens excess dark hair on your face.  I don't have lots of facial hair but just the odd dark hair around the lip line or chin (no idea where they come from, one minute they are not there and the next yikes!), so this was a product I was interested in trying out. It is really easy to use just wash the area you want to bleach with soap and cold water and pat dry. Measure out the appropriate amount of product which is clearly detailed in the instructions.  You then apply the mixture to the area you want to bleach, covering the hair completely,  Leave for 8 minutes and remove with the spatula.  If the hair is not completely bleached reapply the mixture for another 5-10 minutes and then wash area with cold water. I must admit that as the word bleach is in the product name I was really worried it would be quite harsh on my face, but I didn't ...

I have crap nails. There I've said it.  I read people blogs and watch You Tube and I heart other peoples nails as they have great nails and I do not and I'm jealous.  I have tried so many different products to try and solve this, but I end up with peeling nails and on the odd occasion when I have decent length nails they break at the lowest point on my nail so it peels off skin as well (just writing about that makes me cringe). When I was sent Renunail Nail Strengthener* to try out I was happy to give it a go, anything to try and get nicer nails.  It isn't a quick fix as it is a 28 day programme.  It's pretty straight forward to use and takes seconds each day, you just need to remember to use it each day.  Basically the process is to apply 2 coats of the polish on the first day and then 1 coat for the next 5 days before removing the polish.  Repeat the process another 3 times (each programme lasts 28 days).  You then need to let your nails rest f...

I was recently sent the SensatioNail Gel Starter Kit * to try out.  I have already tried the SensatioNail Polish to Gel Transformer Kit and reviewed it here .  I really liked the Polish to Gel Kit as it worked so well, so I was looking forward to trying out the Gel Starter Kit to see if it was as good.  I received the Scarlet Red colour which is just right for the Christmas period.   Source Sparkle PR It's very easy to apply this Gel Polish and when you take into account how long it takes your nails to dry when applying standard nail polish, I do think this is quicker.  Initially, you prepare your nails by filing and buffing them, then wiping them over with a Gel Cleanser that comes with the kit.  You  then apply one layer of the Gel Primer and air dry your nails.  Once your nails are dry you apply a thin layer of the Gel Base and Top Coat which again comes with the kit.  Then cure...

I have never been happy with my hair, it's naturally curly and frizzy and as curly haired girls will know it takes a lot of effort to get shiny frizz free curls. So I am always on the look out for the perfect hair treatments to try and make my hair look and feel good. These are 3 treatments I have tried out recently. John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Brighter In-Shower Hair Treatment -  £9.99 for 34ml This is a treatment that you apply to your hair (this product is just for 1 use) and then rinse out after 5 minutes.  It is a lightening treatment so you should see a lighter shade of brunette after use.  I tried this for the first time and found it easy to use although it did have a strong fragrance much like a hair colourant as it does contain hydrogen peroxide.  Once my hair was dry I definitely noticed it was a lighter shade and I had some  golden highlights.   This product can be used on natural, highlighted or coloured hair, but don't u...

I was fortunate to be sent a box of goodies from Kypris recently and I have really enjoyed trying out all the products.  I thought that I would review the 2 full size products that I was sent. Named after the goddess Aphrodite (Kypris is the name given to her by Cypriots, as legend tells that she rose from the water off the coast of Cyprus). Kypris was founded by Chase Polan based upon the principle that feeling beautiful is a birthright.   The products are made in Scottsdale, Arizona in the USA. Kypris is luxurious, holistic skincare made with organic, wild-crafted and sustainably grown ingredients.  All formulations are 100% natural and never tested on animals. The first product that I tried out was Kypris Cleanser Concentrate * which contains co-op grown moringa, wild-crafted prickly pear and probiotics (the full ingredients list can be found on the Kypris website ).  Simply apply a pearl sized amount of the cleanser over dry or damp face and...