Monthly Archives: February 2012

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum Selection

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Hotel Chocolat have a lovely range of gift ideas for Mothers Day.  If you haven’t thought about Mothers Day yet, now is the time to do it. This year it is on Sunday 18th March, which is not that far away. Although most mums do not expect anything for Mothers Day it is a really nice way to let them know how much you appreciate all they do for you.  Hotel Chocolat kindly sent me a box of their Sleekster All About Mum Selection to try and I can’t think of a nicer way to let your mum know you care.

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum Selection

The box says it all, the chocolates are

created especially for mums to enjoy with their feet up – with uplifting fruit recipes, silky smooth cream truffles and dreamy liquid caramels

That sounds perfect to me, before I even open the box I am excited to see what is inside. I am not disappointed, I am met with a gorgeous colourful display of chocolate. Each chocolate is a work of art, almost too lovely to eat.

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum SelectionThere is a lovely selection, which come in the shapes of hearts, lips, spheres and even a seashell. The different shapes and colours on each one allows you to easily identify the flavours from the key provided. What a mix of flavours there are, from champagne and bucks fizz, to strawberry and black pepper to chilli and cherry – there is definitely something here to delight everyone.

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum SelectionThe chocolates are beautiful to look at so I had to do a close ups just to show them off before they got eaten.

Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum SelectionThe use of colour is fantastic, it really makes them look special and you can definitely easily find the one you want to try. As for the taste, these really are luxury chocolates. They are not the sort of chocolates you can eat all at once, they are definitely the type you want to take your time over and savour.  The fruit flavours were really fresh and mingled well with the chocolate casing. The truffles were really soft and melted perfectly in your mouth and the caramels were perfect. I think my favourite was the Bucks Fizz, I really loved its colourful outer case and gorgeous taste.

The Hotel Chocolat Sleekster All About Mum Selection is £22.oo and you get 26 chocolates in the box. You can buy it from their website http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/Mothers-Day-Chocolates-P260556/ . They also have a lovely range of different Mothers Day gifts http://www.hotelchocolat.co.uk/Mothers-Day-Gifts-CHCOMOTHER/

Any mum who received these would definitely feel special, so why not make your mums day this Mothers Day?

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Cosy Tea

Leap Year Day

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It is 2012, which is a year that is divisible by twelve making this year a leap year. Today is 29th February, a day that only happens once every four years due to a strange quirk in the calendar. We calculate a year as the time it takes the earth to travel round the sun, 365 days. In actual fact it takes the earth approximately 365 days and 6 hours. This means that every four years we have gained an extra day, so we add this into the calendar to keep everything correct.

A fact that highly amused my son yesterday was that if you are born on the 29th February you only get a birthday every four years.  You also get the honour of being called a leapling.  I am not sure if it also makes you good at jumping however.

My son worked out that instead of being eleven he would only be 2 and three quarters.  He then realised that he might not have been allowed to go to school and could have been kept in nursery with all the other two year olds. His next realization was that he would be missing out on birthday parties and presents and he decided it was definitely a good idea to avoid being born on this day.  Still it kept him amused for a while and was a good exercise in Maths.

Traditionally if you are a woman this is the one day you are allowed to propose to your man. It seems a bit unfair that women are only allowed one day every four years when they can do this, so I dug a little to find out why. Apparently it is down to an old Irish legend, St Patrick apparently struck a deal with St Bridget to allow women to propose to men. It balanced out the traditional roles of men and women in the same way that the extra day balances out the calendar.  Is anyone going to take advantage of that this year? I would love to hear your stories.

Bubble Melody App From Daredevil Development

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Everyone loves popping bubbles, how many of you spend ages popping bubbles on bubble wrap just to hear the pop? With this new Bubble Melody App for the iPhone and iPad you can indulge this bubble popping love in a fun game. The game is created by  DareDevil Development.

Bubble Melody App

The game is really simple, you need to pop bubbles. The bobbles move across the screen from the right to the left and you need to pop them before they reach the other side. If one escapes you lose a life. There is a twist however, some of the bubbles contain cute Miximals trapped inside. There are 8 Miximals in total, Eskimoo, Porkupineapple, Glambrock, Iced Bunny, Viking Kong, Octopuss, Kimono Dragon and Panda, my favourite is obviously the Kimono Dragon.  In order to save them you need to pop the bubble and then quickly tap the Miximal before he falls the the ground. If the Miximal hits the ground it  dies becoming an angel. You also lose a life signified by the five hearts at the bottom of the screen

Bubble Melody App You do need to be careful while frantically popping bubbles and saving Miximals from doom.  There is an evil baddie called Boomskull. If you pop a bubble that contains him you will lose a life. You can spot him easily as he is all in black with a skull face.

Bubble Melody App

The good news is that if you rescue all eight Miximals you get a life back.  It starts off with a fairly easy wave of bubbles but as you progress though the game the game play becomes more and more manic and it is harder to pop all the bubbles before they reach the end.  You get points for the bubbles you pop and extra points are available for complex combinations of bubbles popped.

It is a simple game but highly addictive and you will find yourself playing this over and over again.  It does get quite hard, you find yourself popping bubbles automatically and get caught out by popping Boomskills bubble. Part of the attraction is the mad frantic popping and the bubbles do make a satisfying noise when they burst. My son also loved this and I lost my iPad to him for quite a while.

This is a video showing the game in action:

BubbleMelody is currently available for free in the App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/bubble-melody/id499653546?mt=8  and is suitable for children aged four and above.

Other reviews you may be interested in:

We love Tracy Beaker App

Tinga Tanga Tales App

Dermalogica Power Duo Exfoliation Kit

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Dermalogica Power DuoI have recently been trying out Dermalogica Power Duo from John and Ginger Beauty. This is a kit that is said to power up your exfoliation which to me sounded intriguing.  There are two different products in the packet, Daily Mircofoliant and Gentle Cream Exfoliation.

Dermalogica Daily MircofoliantThe Dermalogica Daily Mircofoliant is meant to be used every day to brighten up dull skin by lifting the surface debris. I am taking surface debris to mean dead skin cells. It comes in a small wide bottle and strangely it is in powder form.

Dermalogica Daily MircofoliantYou need to mix the powder with a small amount of water to form a paste which you then apply to cleansed skin. The product is for daily use. I used a little bit to start off with to see how far it went. I found that you did not need much. It goes onto the skin nicely with a slight warming effect and you rub it in gently to get the exfoliation to work. It felt nice on the skin and when rinsed off my face felt much softer and smoother. I also thought my skin looked a bit less dull than it does normally. It did not irritate my sensitive skin either as I often find exfoliators can do.

The Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliator is a more traditional creamy product. This is meant to be used once or twice a week for stepping up cell renewal. It is meant to refresh and revive skin.  The product goes onto your skin like a cream and has a nice creamy texture. It is easy to rinse off after use and my skin looked much brighter after application. Again I had no problems with my sensitive skin.

The product is a nice handy size so if you are going away it would be easy to slip into your toilet bag. I liked this product, it definitely made my skin much softer.

At the moment the Dermalogica Power Duo is available on John and Ginger Beauty for £12.50

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub

Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser

Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub

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I was recently sent a couple of sachets of Dermalogica Exfoliating Body Scrub from John and Ginger Beauty to try out. Body scrubs are normally used a couple of times a week to remove dead skin cells from your body and keep your skin soft. This goes a step further however, its blend of ingredients is meant to energise the skin and awaken the senses.

The body scrub has a slight orange tinge to it and you can see small grainy bits within it. The orange tinge is explained when you look at the ingredients, it contains essential oils of lavender, orange, sandalwood and rosemary. These give it a lovely smell which acts to wake you up and energise you. The smell is not overpowering and does not linger but is nice at the time. The exfoliating action is provided by fine fig, date and olive seed powders along with rice bran and papaya enzymes which help with skin renewal. It also contains green tea which has anti-oxidant properties to help guard against free radicals.

It has a lovely feel on application to the skin.  It is a luxurious creamy scrub that creates a slight foam, but you can also feel the exfoliating action. The exfoliator is not too harsh, you can feel it cleansing your skin without feeling that it is being rubbed to roughly. It washes off without leaving any residue but does leave your skin feeling lovely and soft after use.  My skin is sensitive, but I had absolutely no problems with this scrub at all.

For more information visit: http://www.johnandgingerbeauty.co.uk/dermalogica-exfoliating-body-scrub.html

RRP £19.90 for 150 g tube

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser

Acorelle Epilation Body Scrub

Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser Review

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Recently John and Ginger Beauty sent me some Dermalogica products to try out. The first one I tried  Dermalogica UltraCalming Cleanser. This is a gentle cleansing gel that helps to sooth and calm sensitive skin whilst cleansing it gently. As I have sensitive dry skin this sounded ideal for me.

Dermalogica UItracalming CleanserThe product is a white shiny gel in appearance. You apply it to your face as you would with a normal cleanser and can either remove it with warm water or a tissue/ cotton pads.  It contains no artificial colour or fragrance so there is no noticeable smell when you use it. It is non-foaming so you do not get any foam when you apply it but the gel consistency makes it easy to apply to your skin. You do not need to use loads either to get a nice clean feeling, the small amount on my fingers above was more than enough for my whole face and neck.

After use my skin did not feel dry or tight and even felt slightly moisturised which was a bonus. It felt lovely and clean after use. The product contains lavender  to help soothe the skin , coneflower to help calm the skin and cucumber to help cool irritation. It definitely did this, the slight dry red patches I had felt a lot better and less itchy.

I really liked this cleanser and if you have dry sensitive skin it is perfect. It soothes irritated skin and does a good job of cleansing it.

RRP £8.45 for 50ml, £18.75 for 250 ml or 500 ml for £33.37

The 50ml and 250 ml sizes come in bottles with flip tops like the one pictured above. The 500ml bottle has a pump action top which a lot of people prefer.

The product is available from John and Ginger Beauty http://www.johnandgingerbeauty.co.uk/dermalogica-ultracalming-cleanser.html

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Olay Total Effects Sensitive Moisturiser

Bodhi Body Moisturisers

Comvita Anti-Ageing Gentle Soothing Cleanser

Did You Win The FreezeFrame Serum Competition?

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Freezeframe serum

As you are aware I have recently been running a competition to win FreezeFrame Serum here on my blog. This is a serum that is meant to produce the benefits of a face lift just by applying it. In order to enter the competition I asked that you let me know what moment in time you would most like to freeze and I had a range of great answers, from the funny to the sad to the inspiring. The winner was chosen by a random number generator however and I have to announce the lucky winner is:

  • Audrey Halliday

Well done! I shall be sending an email shortly.

Sani+ Hands Cleansing Wipes

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As a mum I am always finding my son in sticky situations when I am out, so was pleased to be asked to review these Sani+ Hands Cleansing Wipes. There is nothing worse that being in town, feeding your child and having them turn before your eyes into a sticky monster. My son is not so bad now he is eleven but still has a tendency to get his hands covered with all sorts. Sani Hands Cleansing Wipes are the ideal size to pop into your handbag and whip out at those sticky times.

As the name states Sani Hands are cleansing wipes. They are kind to the skin and contain added moisturiser which will keep your skin soft. They  been dermatologically tested and are suitable for sensitive skin. In addition they kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria, always a useful bonus with kids.

The wipes themselves are strong and soft meaning they do not rip easily when my son over enthusiastically rubs his hands with them. They have a textured surface which provides a scrubbing action and definitely makes your hands feel cleaner.

These are a great product to have in your handbag. The wipes are a good size, so one wipe will normally do both hands. They are a nice compact size to carry around and a reasonable price.   The packet is resealable so you do not need to worry about the wipes drying up after they have been opened.

RRP £0.99 for 12 wipes.

Available at Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado and independent pharmacies.

For more information visit: http://www.sanihands.co.uk/index.html

Other reviews you may be interested in:

Ecover Stain Remover

Cuticura Hand Sanitisers

Did You Win The Fade Out White Anti Shadow Brightening Eye Cream Competition?

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As you will be aware I have recently been running a competition to win Fade Out White Anti Shadow Brightening Eye Cream and five of my readers will be getting a chance to try it for themselves. In order to win the competition I asked you all to say what you would like to Fade Out. The winners were chosen by a random number generator, but  it made me smile reading your answers. Lots of you wanted to fade out housework and ironing (something I agree with) and other common answers were fading out fat and debts. I only wish that was possible. So who won? The five winners are:

  • Ashleigh
  • Andrea
  • Andy D
  • Jean Bolsover
  • Lisa Pope

Well done. I shall be sending you an email shortly to confirm your details.

Olay Total Effects Sensitive Moisturiser Review

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Olay Total Effects Sensitive MoisturiserAs I am now in my forties I am worried about my skin showing signs of ageing so I was really pleased to be sent some Olay Total Effects Sensitive Moisturiser to review as part of my membership of the Savvy Circle.  Olay Total Effects Sensitive is the newest addition to the Total Effects range and is said to fight the seven signs of ageing while being kind to sensitive skin. This sounds ideal for me, I often find that anti-ageing cream can be too harsh for my skin which can be dry and sensitive.

Olay Total Effects fights the seven signs of ageing by:

  • Brightening the skin.
  • Smoothing the skins texture
  • Preserving the elasticity of the skin.
  • Promoting the regeneration of the skins surface.
  • Refining the appearance of pores.
  • Helping to make the skin more supple.
  • Reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

In order to do this it contains a number of ingredients that have a beneficial effect on the skin. To protect the skin from the environment  it contains Vitamins E and C,  Sea Buckthorn and White Tea. Sea Buckthorn is rich in anti-oxidants which help protect the skin from free-radicals which can cause skin damage. It is also a great source of Omega 3, 6 and 9 which keep skin cells moist and strong as well Omega 7 which helps with collagen production. Interestingly White Tea has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries as it is full of protective nutrients that promote healthy more radiant skin.

Olay Total Effects also acts to calm the skin and for this purpose it contains Glycerin, Cocoa Butter and Allantoin. In order to increase the moisture in the skin and reduce redness you will find Pro Vitamin B5. This actively works to increase the moisture level of the skin, dryness is often a problem with sensitive skin.

It is also worth knowing that the Olay Total Effects range is the first skincare product to receive the new Skin Health Alliance Accreditation. The Skin Health Alliance is a body that works with international dermatologists, researchers, scientists and industry with a common interest in the promotion of healthy skin. The Accreditation reassures us that the product is not harmful to the skin and does what it says it does.

So what did I think of it? When I opened the box I found that the moisturiser was in a handy little pump which makes it easy to use. Having said that when I first used it I had to pump it up and down a few times before the cream came out and when it did it whizzed out all of a sudden and went everywhere. That was only the first use though, it is now very well behaved. The pump dispenser is actually a big plus as it makes it much easier to control how much you apply. One squirt is enough for the whole face so it should last a while.

The cream did feel nice on, it absorbed well and was not too greasy. I find that my skin can tend towards dryness and redness at times, which is often the case with sensitive skin. After using this my skin felt soft and well moisturised. I also found this feeling lasted through the day which was a big plus.  I also noticed that my skin did not have the shiny look that some moisturisers can give it but it did look a lot softer and more glowing.

After using it for a week my skin does seem to be much improved so I am hoping long term use will increase this effect. It definitely feels much smoother to the touch.  I like the fact that SPF 15 is included in the product. In the warmer weather I will not have to apply a separate sunscreen to my face which is a definite bonus.

RRP  £19.29 (50ml), £13.29 (30ml)

Other reviews you may be interested in:

FreezeFrame With Inhibox Serum

Qsilica Revive Nutrient Boost Face and Neck Moisturiser