Gift Reviews
Make Up Works Ultimate Luxury Gift Box.
This has got to be the perfect gift for all make-up lovers! From Make Up Works, the Ultimate Luxury gift box contains £125 of products for £69.99.
The box itself is a gift – a beautiful black box with the bright pink logo, tied with a luxurious strip of black ribbon – definitely one to keep.
The contents are encased in numerous layers of co-ordinating pink tissue paper and I simply love this type of presentation, it screams luxury, and I couldn’t wait to open it.
The set includes a brilliant DVD, with a classic tutorial for the perfect look. I would not have worn a lot of make-up simply as I wouldn’t have known what to do with it, but I have no excuse now!
The make-up set also includes a great brush kit – beautifully packed in a black wallet for safe-keeping. This looks very well and would be great for overnight stays and holiday. The brushes are good quality – and leave no hairs on your skin – very important as I find this really annoying. So, well done make-up works!
A neutral eye palette and cheek and lip palette all individual enclosed in boxes and pink tissue paper makes this kit a delight to open and explore. Both these palettes’ are perfect for those who don’t wear heavy make-up as the tones are subtle and perfect for day wear.
To compliment the lip palette, they have included a neutral lip pencil, vintage rose lipstick and a nude lip glaze – I love these colours. Almost the natural colour of your lips only better!
The mascara included in the set is super creamy and a 100% natural botanical based formula. I was delighted with this – no more stingy eyes! – just lovely long lashes.
This set would be a great gift for women of all ages as all the contents are very wearable as well as trendy. Perfect for teenagers and mums alike.
This is one of many sets available from www.makeupworks.co.uk and they have a great variety to suit all budgets.
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews
Ora naturals.
Ora naturals launched itself onto the world in 2012 and is now a top selling natural skin care product. The ‘roots’ of this ingenious brand stem from the developer actually witnessing the wonders of argan oil used by a tribe in Morocco for generations as a nutritional aid and for skin care also. It is extremely high in essential fatty acids and naturally occurring vitamin E. Impressed?? I certainly was!
I am a mother of three and, prior to ‘kids’, would never have looked at the ingredients in anything! My, how that has changed. I have a tiny medical background – I trained as a nurse many years ago- and the one thing that stuck in my mind was at least 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed into our bloodstream. This never really bothered me until I became responsible for three beautiful children. Ora naturals – thank you! This range has made my life so easy – no more scouring the shelves of health shops reading labels – I have my trust in this brand now!
The range is produced in Kent – a big plus for me, I love supporting the UK economy. They use many other ingredients along with Argan oil, all with their own benefits.
I will use the ‘Daily Face Cream’ as an example. The box made me smile – ‘Certified 91% organic ingredients’ – Brilliant.
The cream itself was light – great as my make-up sat well on top. My skin definitely felt soft after the first application and the smell – wow – try it and see for yourself! The triple action result moisturises, encourages repair (a good thing in your late 30’s!) and protects the skin from free radicals.
Manuka oil, calendula oil and totarol work together to reduce scar tissue and blemishes. Hard to believe that all this can be found in one cream and its’ natural! Now – the price? I would have estimated somewhat in the range of £85 judging from 10 years experience using natural products. Well – 50 mls of this super cream can be bought for £32!! What a gift (for yourself!).
Check out the website www.oranaturals.co.uk to see this and other products.
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews
Funky Giraffe bibs and clothes.
Every trendy baby just has to have a selection of funky giraffe bibs! So many celeb babies too have been spotted wearing these fabulous creations. There are so many to choose from, you are sure to find one to suit every outfit in babies’ wardrobe!
The range includes dribble bibs, with high quality cotton fronts and fleece lining to maximise dryness. I mean it – nothing soaks through to babies clothes or skin. My sisters have both 2 little baby girls and every time I see them, they are proudly wearing Funky giraffe bibs – matching their outfits perfectly!
Check out the website, the vast selection of colours are astounding – apparently they undertook a survey and got lots of ideas from the public as to what patterns and colours were popular – what a great idea!
However, the range does not end at funky bibs! There is funky fashion too! Baby can dress from top to toe with cool co-ordinating accessories.
The clothes are as colourful as the bibs and just as high quality. From playsuits, body suits, dresses and socks, you will have difficulty picking from the selection. The dresses start from £8, and they do super little socks, also co-ordinating with the bibs. So, you can see why celebs just love Funky giraffe!
The little moccasins are gorgeous, super colours and designs and so cosy looking! The first pair is £7 and the price drops with further purchases – another cool idea from Funky giraffe.
All the above items (and many more) are available from www.funkygiraffe.co.uk
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews
Artisan ‘Sent with a loving kiss’
Looking for a gift thats’ going to stand out from the crowd? This is it!
New from www.sentwithalovingkiss.co.uk are the most fabulous chocolate gifts I have ever seen. Have a look at the website – these are simply amazing!
The chocolate – Belgium, of course – the best, is ethically sourced. It is then hand crafted in Hampshire by award winning chocolatiers. Now, when I say hand crafted – words cannot describe what these people can do with chocolate. Milk, white or dark, your choice also.
The chocolate masterpieces are then presented in a personalised tin of your choice – and there are a vast number of choices. It took me 2 days to decide which one I would order and I will definitely be back for more. Birthday, new home, get well, thank you, the list is endless. They really have something for everyone. The tins can then be used as a keepsake, they really are beautiful.
I ordered the ‘Butterfly garden’ for my younger sister who is in the process of moving house – she was speechless when she opened the box. I am 100% sure my ‘New home gift’ will be her favourite!
Sent with a loving kiss offer a money back satisfactory guarantee and they can deliver anywhere in the UK. To order visit http://www.sentwithalovingkiss.co.uk/
and prices start from under £20.
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews
SKYCIG Freedom pack.
One of the largest distributors of electronic cigarettes, SKYCIG has earned a name for themselves as the company who allows’ the customer the ‘freedom’ to smoke, but without the 4000 harmful substances present in regular cigarettes. As you can imagine, the health benefits from switching to SKYCIG are immense.
The ‘SKYCIG freedom’ is the latest in the range. When the kit arrived, I was definitely impressed with the presentation. The black box was nicely presented and looked very well indeed.
However, did I know what to do with it? NO! Thankfully the user manual was easy to read and had clear instructions on how to use an electronic cigarette. The actual cigarette looked quite posh, just like the box. I loved the variety of flavours. Classic tobacco, tobacco gold, crown tobacco, crown menthol and crown cherry. It gets even better, the flavours come in different strengths – so ‘freedom’ really does have something to suit every smoker.
The kit included a charging case, 2 extended life batteries, a sampler sleeve of the five flavours, a USB stick charger and a wall cable and a ‘neat’ travel case to store everything in.
Smoking these was just like smoking a cigarette, without the hazards to my health. The cherry cigarette was my favourite. I would encourage any smoker to give this kit a try. The SKYCIG website have a ‘money back offer’ if you are not satisfied so what are you waiting for?
Available from www.SKYCIG.co.uk for £49.99
Gift Reviews, Homeware Reviews
Vaseline hand creams.
2 in 1- Handcream & anti bac.
I must admit, I thought this was ingenious – sanitizing and moisturising hands all in one go! As a mum with 3 young children, I always carried alcohol hand gel when out and about. This would have left my hands quite dry.
On switching to new Vaseline hand and antibacterial cream, I no longer use the gel at all! Vaseline have been caring for skin since 1870 and they sure knew what they were doing when they came up with this! I found the cream silky soft and moisturising – Vaseline state there are 5 different moisturising agents in this useful little tube. The smell was fresh and clean but not over-powering, it does not smell like a disinfectant! So, when packing my baby bag, I will never be without this. A quick squirt and my hands are sanitized and left silky soft, perfect for every busy mum!
Vaseline – Healthy hands and stronger nails hand cream.
This hand and nail lotion is formulated to leave hands silky soft and non-greasy. It nourishes, smoothing cuticles and strengthening nails – perfect for me! My cuticles are awful, no joke, rag nails galore! I love to multi-task, its’ a female trait! Vaseline creams are so good at this too. Whatever your concern, whether it be one or more, they have the cream or lotion to help. This lotion smells beautiful, and has improved the appearance of my cuticles and the condition of my skin in less than a week, another handbag must-have!
Vaseline have several other unique ranges targeting specific skin concerns. The intensive rescue range comes in several different formulas, aimed at those with dry or damaged skin in need of repair.
This range has the ability to lock in moisture without leaving a ‘slippy’ feel, and impressed me by delivering that soft feel all day.
The entire range has the added bonus of being unfragranced, hypoallergenic and suitable for dry and very dry skin.
Available from www.vaseline.co.uk and all leading chemists. A very well priced range.
Gift Reviews
Murad Skin Prefecting Primer.
I just LOVE this product. I am not new to Murad, as I have used the masks before and was very pleased with the results. The primers are from the ‘Hybrid’ range, which claim to improve the appearance of the skin when applied and over time as well, so you look good now and in the future.
The primer I have is the matte finish – there are two to choose from, Matte and Dewy. I choose the matte as I would have combination skin.
I was delighted with the result, but have to admit, I was not the one to notice at first. It started with my friends beginning to say your make up is nice today. I never passed any remarks as I had not changed my make-up! Then when the compliments kept coming, I thought – ‘My Murad Primer’!!
Wow, it is so good, you have that ‘just applied make-up’ look all day and into the night. It does not stick in fine lines, but smoothes over them and prevents shine – yes, all day! My skin really does look flawless. I have also tried it without make-up on top and it worked very well. The consistency is silky and easy to apply, I am loving that it dries in an instant. You literally need a pea sized amount – honest, try it and you will be delighted too. I could not be happier and will use this product forever!
Murad provide a 30 day money back guarantee and most important of all – they do not test on animals!
Available from www.murad.co.uk £29 for 30mls.
For The Garden, Homeware Reviews
Karcher SC 1.020
First of all, let me say that this steam cleaner is to housework what Google is to the internet… invaluable!
When I first obtained my Karcher SC1.020, I didn’t realize just how ‘multi-purpose’ it would be. I have used it, with great success, in most rooms in my house.
I suppose there were 2 reasons why I decided to try a steam washer. The first being the fact that I live on a farm, with 3 young children constantly running in and out, bring all manner of dirt and grime with them. The second reason is that I do not like using chemical cleaners in my house, as I can’t imagine the fumes and artificial perfumes of such cleaners being very good for you. I am delighted to say that this steam cleaner cleans extremely effectively without the need for any additional cleaning creams, which is saving me money and providing a more healthy environment for my family.
This steam cleaner is very effective on my tiled kitchen floor, the beauty being in the fact that it does not leave streaks. With very little effort on my part, my kitchen floor looks like new every time.( Mind you, it doesn’t stay that way very long!)
In our area, we are plagued with limescale in our water, which leaves awful stains on the shower and sink. I usually have to spray on limescale remover and leave it to work for a while. This annoys me as the smell permeates through my whole house. Not any more though, as this steam cleaner quickly and effectively removes all limescale and soap scum from my bathroom, with no nasty odours. This is priceless to me. It also managed to remove a patch of mould which has been slowly growing on the side of my shower tray, which I had tried in vain to remove with specialized mould remover. My toilet has never been cleaner, with 2 boys in our house, this is no mean feat.
I have even used it to spot clean stains on my carpets that I had given up on ever being rid of. Now my carpets look like new again!
Not content with all this success, I decided to try my new toy on my windows.
I have to admit, I am not the most proficient window cleaner in the world, and find it hard to leave my windows streak-free. I am pleased to say now that this is all in the past, as my steam cleaner is able to leave my windows spotless without using any window cleaner, which I always blamed for those residual streaks.
This Karcher steam cleaner comes with a variety of attachments, including a floor tool, a detail nozzle for those awkward, hard to reach areas, and a hand tool. Terry cloths are supplied for both floor and hand tools. I found the attachments simple to exchange, and the terry cloths are washable, which means they can be used over and over again. The small brush tool is a very useful item, my husband uses this to clean the alloy wheels on our car with great success.
This Karcher steam cleaner has a 1 litre tank capacity. As I was filling it for the first time, I was expecting to have to refill it a short time later, but I was surprised at how long the tank of water lasted. The heat-up time is less than 10 minutes. I use this time to do a quick vacumn before I started. There is a steam flow control on the handle, personally I find the machine to work best when I keep the steam output low. When I am finished, I press the nozzle to allow all the steam to escape, and then empty the tank- very simple. It is surprisingly lightweight and compact which makes it very easy to store and transport around the house.
All in all, I would very much recommend this Karcher Steam Cleaner, it has certainly taken the ‘work’ out of housework for me and saves me valuable time, in which I can be doing many other important things. I no longer dread cleaning day now that I have my new magic helper! The only thing is, I’m wondering do my visitors think I have a cleaning service…
Available from www.karcher.co.uk
Homeware Reviews
OXO Folding Clip Dryer, Medicine shelf and Upright dustpan.
Who doesn’t have an Oxo product in their home? I am sure everyone does. Oxo is well known by reputation for delivering useful quality items for a range of uses within the home. Their mission statement says it all for me – ‘dedicated to providing innovative consumer products that make everyday living easier’.
Could we ask for more?? I simply love my Oxo items, both kitchenware, laundry and cleaning tools. They really have thought of everything, in fact, there are now over 850 different Oxo items available to purchase!
If I had to pick my favourite it would have to be the folding clip dryer.
This rust proof aluminium rail has clips which can hold delicate laundry and even heavier items like jeans! It is perfect for items that should not be tumble-dried. I have mine hanging on the shower rail – and it also suits a curved shower rail with its unique folding mechanism. Now, storage is of the upmost importance in my home and this is the best bit – the clip dryer folds in half and snaps closed so it can be stored away in seconds. How useful is that? I would recommend this to anyone and several people have commented on it asking where they can get one. Priced only at £20. Thank you Oxo!
Another favourite would have to be the medicine shelf, although I use it for everything. It is strong and non slip and basically doubles my cupboard space. Although specially designed for medicine cabinets, it also fits my bathroom cabinet. A very practical item and well priced at £6.
Anyone with a ‘not so good’ back like myself? The large upright dustpan is my lifesaver. No more bending to sweep up after every mealtime (3 messy kids). I just waltz around the floor with my brush and dustpan without having to bend once. It must look like fun as the kids always offer to help! This is one of the new products and priced at £17.
All of the above can be bought from www.oxouk.com
Leisure Gifts, Luxury Hotels & Spas, Pampered Experiences
Macdonald Hotel & Spa Vouchers
A day, or overnight stay, of pure pampering and indulgence would have to be a visit to one of the iconic Macdonald’s Hotels. The spa experience’s they provide caters for all needs and preferences and there are 23 destinations to choose from.
Sometimes our other half can appreciate a ‘hint’ in the right direction with regards to buying Valentine gifts! I adore vouchers of all descriptions so I can shop and choose a gift I really like. Macdonald Hotel and Spa Gift Vouchers are available in various amounts to suit a variety of budgets.