Tuesday 20 November 2012

Bunches yummy Chocolates!

To my delight when i arrived home from work yesterday i found a little box with my name on.. On opening it up i found a gorgeous little box of 'Bunches Chocolates'!


It a really pretty little box whihc is fuschia pink coloured with a white flowers desgin. I think it is very unique and certainly a treat to set eyes on!

Upon opening the box with the front flap, i saw it had a little professional touch of the cushioned cover to protect them - i was quite impressed with this little extra effort!

The chocolates are quite thick 'coins' with two seperate designs. ONe being a nuch of flowers and one stating 'Bunches Florapost. Founded 1989.'



They come stacked with 3 in each pile in a bucket-like container with two compartments so that the chocolates do not fall out.

I must admit i had my reservations on how nice the chocolate would taste, it not being branded as such but it really is quite yummy! The taste reminds me of easter eggs! The chocolate is quite thick too which made it nice to bite into!

All in all, i think they are a really nice touch to accompany a gift or card and add a little something special.

They are available to buy with orders from http://www.bunches.co.uk/ or at the minute, are available for free with any order!

Tuesday 13 November 2012

New: AVEDA 'Pure Abundance' Style-Prep!

AVEDA 'Pure Abundance' Style-Prep spray
'infuses hair with all-day weightless volume'




The morning after using the other Aveda products, my hair was feeling gorgeously soft but it still didn't have much lift.. this is where this product was sure to come in.

The bottle has an interesting design and colour scheme in a subtle green colour and also it has the word 'AVEDA' embossed onto the neck of the bottle. I must say that this adds an extra hintof professionalism. The product instantly makes you feel relaxed and in-control too. It has quite a long plastic protector cap which comes off easily with a gentle tug. The spray button has quite a long base which enables you to spray larger amounts and in-turn use less.

The porduct has easy to follow instructions that are simple to understand. It fits into the palm of your hand and is very travel-friendly which is a massive bonus! As although this seems quite a smlal product, ic an assure you that it willl last a considerably long time. I found that when i first opened the product, you have to press the button quite a few times to get it started so take my advice and do this over a sink or something unimportant incase of a sudden dash of spray!

The instructions stated: SHAKE WELL. To reactivate styling on non-shampoo-days, spray liberally onto dry hair, comb and re-style.

I shook the product (which is when i felt how much of the product was actually in the bottle which suprised me greatly!)
I had my hairbrush at the ready and 'sprayed liberally' on all parts of my hair before replacing the cap. I was suprised that the spray did not seem to emmit any fumes or play up my breathing (i suffer with asthma and some sprays can aggravate this).
This instantly took my liking of this product upwards.

I then brushed my hair as normal, styling it gently with my hands as usual to build volume on top. I was suprised at the impact of the 'hold' of the product. It seemed to stay in the same position for a considerable amount of time.
(It takes me around 90 minutes to travel to work and it was still holding well when i arrived after going on 2 buses and walking)

I now see this product as an absolutely must and is a big part of my hair regime. It is highly recommended for anyone who suffers with asthma and also for those of you who struggle to keep volume in your hair!

I rate this: 5/5

New: AVEDA 'Invati' Thickening Conditioner!

AVEDA invati Thickening Conditioner

I was asked to review this product by the Debenhams VIP Beauty Panel.



I loved this product as soon as i saw it. I can't explain why, something just struck me about it. Although it is quite a normal design and shape for a conditioner bottle, it struck me that this was a fair bit bigger than other ones that i had seen. This factor, combined with the subtle tones of the colour scheme was a winner for me.

The concept is definitely aimed towards me as i suffer with thin and brittle hair and i have tried almost every product out there but nothing has helped so far..

The bottle came with a clear plactic pop-cap and clear, simple instructions on how to use the product effectively. It states:
'To Use: Massage onto scalp and hair after shampooing. Rinse.'
Simple as that.

When i first opened the bottle, i was suprised at how easy it was to open. As a main problem factor with a lot of existing hair care products is that they get stuck or are generally a struggle to open. The smell was a subtle mix of spices - which instantly reminded me of cooking (which i love!) which made me happy as a consequence. (This was a bonus for me!)

I squirted a small amount onto the palm of one fo my hands and closed the pop-cap easily. When i began to lather the product between my hands i was suprised at how relatively 'sturdy' it was and how it didn't simply slide off my hands. I began to lather my shampooed hair and instantly found the product to seem to 'sink' into my scalp. It did not irritate my scalp or 'miss' any bits of hair either. The smell is also very relaxing and soothing.

When i rinsed my hair theproduct came out easily and i could instantly feel the softness of my hair on which the conditioner had made an impact. It is honestly the softest i had felt it since i could remember. I was amazed and very impressed with the product and will have no hesitation in buying it when it has been used up! I would Highly recommend this prooduct to anyone that has brittle, dry or lifeless hair.

I rate it: 5/5

New: AVEDA 'Invati' Exfoliating Shampoo!

New: AVEDA invati Exfoliating Shampoo

I was asked by the Debenhams Beauty Club V.I.P Panel for Aveda. (Which was a big honour in itself!)

Before using the product:


I personally, absolutely Loved this product! I was especially impressed that it was in a range exclusively for 'solutions for thinning hair' which is absolutely Perfect for me!
The product comes in a bottle with an interesting design, one with colours that wouldn't neccessarily usually be used but in this case, is very intriguing. It also had very simnple instructons that were easy to follow. It seems very inviting as a product from the look of it and comes in a very decently sized bottle that would last me around a month or so.

When i first opened the product up, i found the top very easy to open which impressed me as a lot of products have tops that tend to stick! It flicked open quick easily with a small amount of pressure from my thumb. The next thing i initally noticed was the smell of the product. It is quite strong.. the kind of smell which reminded me of walking into a shop that sells insence and candles! Although coming to think of it, it smells a Lot like ginger and other spices that i use for cooking! I loved the smell and thought it definitely bought something different to the product. The smell strikes you and is very interesting as well as inviting.

I squirted a small amount onto the palm of one of my hands, the shampoo came out in a sort of firm liquid form, in the sense that it did not just slide out of your hand! I was very inmpressed with this as it made handling the product easier. As soon as i started to massage the product into my hair i felt almost instantly soothed and relaxed. The shampoo is so soft and seems to fall into your hair with ease. When it came to rinsing it out, i had no trouble with any sticking or staying in my hair, it seemed to almost 'swim' out gentle and care-free.

The Next morning:


All in all i must say i was very impressed with this product and when used up i would definitely go and buy it again. The concept is perfect for my hair, it allows me to use the product with ease and i love the smell too!

I mark this: 5/5


Leaving for work:

Friday 9 November 2012

L'Occitane Limited Edition! Date Bouquet Hand Cream Review

I recently recieved a little suprise package in the post which turned out to be this Limited Edition L'Occitane Hand Cream! I love their products so i couldn't wait to try this out!

It came in a 30ml metal tube with a distinctive design and a colour co-ordinated screw top which i thought was a nice little feature. It also clearly states that it is 20% Shea Butter on the front.



When i opened the tube, there was no foil top that you had to break-through to open which i thought was quite handy as this meant i could use it right away!

I squirted a small pea-sized amount onto my palm and rubbed the cream all over the front and back of my hands. The cream has a very mellow smell mostly it just smells like hand cream! But it had a slight whiff of sweetness a tiny bit fruity.
The cream took around 2-3 mintues to set onto my skin and had a nice light sensation on my skin which amde it feel a little tingly and fresh.

I must admit that it left my hands really soft and definitely made my skin feel 'more awake'. I think i will definitely be buying a few more tubes for myself especially now it already feels like winter!

Limited Edition L'Occitane Hand Cream is available from The L'Occitane website priced at £8.00 http://uk.loccitane.com/shea-butter-date-bouquet-hand-cream,83,1,29776,292490.htm?cm_mmc=GoogleShopping-_-FluxProduits-_-Catalogue-_-01MD030K12

Or it is available to buy in a gift set priced at £16.00
http://uk.loccitane.com/date-bouquet-gourmand-hand-lip-duo,83,1,29776,321592.htm?cm_mmc=GoogleShopping-_-FluxProduits-_-Catalogue-_-95LR1112037

Thursday 8 November 2012

Welcome to my First Ever giveaway! UK Only


Mirror Mirror Giveaway!

As this is a new blog, i thought you might appreciate a Welcome giveaway!



I'm offering you the chance to win the film Mirror Mirror on Blu-ray!
It also includes a FREE Warwick Castle ticket worth £30 inside!

Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions to enter!
Remember you can come back daily to share to gain extra entries!

Good Luck!

Closing Date: 11th November 2012
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BzzAgent Clubcard Challenge facebook app

As a registered BzzAgent (https://www.bzzagent.co.uk/)
"Clubcard Challenge is a new Facebook app which adds exciting games & fun challenges while you shop with Tesco".

My latest campaign is Clubcard Challenge.




As a new Facebook app, i was quite ingrigued to find out the link between Tesco and what you could gain from it.

When i first logged in, the page seemed very inviting, with a bright colour scheme and a 'play-like' manner about it. I was keen to get stuck in!




So, What is Clubcard Challenge?
Clubcard challenge lets you earn badges and rewards for things you already do whilst shopping within a Tesco store. It's the very first version and they are hoping to amend it to make it better over time.

It has a list of questions that you might need answering such as; What is a Challenge? and How do i invite friends? This is quite useful but still not totally self-ecplanitory. It's best to just have a look around the app yourself.




From what i have seen so far whilst having a little play around on it, it seems to be and look fun and interesting, but saying that there isn't much you can do on it whilst you are on the app itself. You 'earn' badges and rewards for buying different categories of things in Tesco stores - you have to use your Clubcard though otherwise it doesn't register on the app.
The aim is to collect stars in different categories. The more products you buy or the amount of times you use your Clubcard on specific types of products, the more your percentage bar goes up (it goes up to 100%) and the more stars you earn. When you unlock all the stars, that is when you begin getting your rewards. (I am yet to find out what these rewards are, but i suspect it may be vouchers or extra Clubcard points). You can also earn more points for inviting facebook friends.




As it is still in the first stages of development, it does have a habit of getting stuck and the links not working so you have to keep refreshing the page. I am yet to unlock any 'Rewards' but when i do i will be sure to write another update!

Overall, i'm not sure you could quite call it a 'game'. It seems to have some advantages but it isn't really that playable or exciting at this stage. I'll just have to see what happens when i gain all the stars in a category!

Any comments on what you think would be brilliant!

Tuesday 6 November 2012

New! JUST made for you - Made for the Toaster Crumpets!



I was very intrigued when i noticed these in the supermarket yesterday and just couldn't resist picking up a pack! When looking at them, i couldn't believe that such a simple concept hadn't been thought of earlier! I Always burn myself when trying to get normal crumpets out of the toaster so to me, i had nothing to lose!

When i got up early this morning, i couldn't wait to have these for breakfast!


I popped two into the toaster and it was Brilliant! For such a simple idea, it really does stop a lot of the usual problems! Especially for people like me, who don't have a grill as part of their oven.

The pack stated that i should just pop them in the toaster on a medium heat setting (Mine goes up to 6 so i put it on 3) and i left them in for around 3 minutes.. I was wondering how they were going to come out as usually theya re best cooked when under a grill..

I was Very suprised to be honest, they looked and fet crunchy and crisp and were just the right amount of toasted!

After i'd spread the btuter on, which sank through the crumpet nicely - this is an added bonus as usually it just stas on top and the rest of the curmpet is dry - and it smelt yummy and buttery!



A perfect (and simple) breakfast to start a busy day!

Definitely recommended!

You can buy these from Asda for £1.00 for a pack of 6 (They're on offer for that price at the minute so grab them quick!)

Monday 5 November 2012

NEW! Foccacia from the ASDA Chosen by You range!

Hi and Welcome to my first ever blog post and review! I hope you find this useful and my many others that will follow! Enjoy!


I found this product whilst browsing in Asda for a few bits & pieces this afternoon. Even better it was in the 'Whoopsi!' section for 89p! so i felt i had to try it. Tonight we were having a mince & pasta meal and i thought it would be a perfect match for the meal.

The packaging had really simple cooking instructions and a clear layout which made the product more appealing and the flavour was clearly labelled as 'Semi Dried Tomato and Cheddar'.



I took the product out of it's outer packaging and got a baking tray ready. It looked very appetising and a great size for sharing! The product was around a 20x20cm square shape and around 3 inches in depth so there was plenty! The top was scattered in half cherry tomatoes and sprinkled with cheddar and herbs, it smelt yummy then so i couldn't wait to find out how yummy it would taste later!

I then followed the instructions set on the packet;
1. Remove the film
2. Place foil tin on a baking tray in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 180c/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 8-10 minutes
3. Check product is piping hot before serving
4. Do not re-heat

So simple enough..


This is how it turned out.
(I left the Foccacia bread in for around 12 minutes as it needed a little extra time to crisp)

The Foccacia went a nice and crisp on top with the cheese having a nice browned top. It looked really yummy and you could smell the cheese and ripe tomatoes right away! I couldn't wait to dig in!

All in all (and my boyfriend definitely agrees!) a really yummy tasting product. Perfect for sharing and nice for dipping in pasta sauce! It was really easy to tear & share and cooled down to a good warm consuming temperature within a few minutes so for once, i didn't burn myself!
It was soft in the middle but not doughy, and had a full flavour which i ahve founjd can be quite rare in these sort of bread-based products bought from the supermarket own range.

I would Definitely reccomend this for all the family! I think it's perfect for weekend meals and also for when you have friends round as a tear & share option. I will be picking some more up next week at the full price!

You can buy this product for most ASDA stores in the chilled section, for £1.40