Make Collecting Money for Group Gifts easier with Leetchi.com

The Coca Cola lorry is coming to town and people are getting into the festive spirit which means presents are being bought and secret santa is on its way. Some work places have whip round to buy gifts for the boss, to plan a work a night out and even monies for a charitable cause, mine does all of the above and then some. However someone always has to take control of organising everything from the collecting of monies to the present buying which can be time consuming, awkward with constant reminders and in some cases the cause of arguments. So let me introduce you to Leetchi.com.

Leetchi.com was founded in 2009 by Céline Lazorthes and is described as being 'the leading European service for online group money collection'.  Recently launched here in the UK Leetchi.com proposes an easy and convenient way to pool money together into one online money pot to pay for gifts, trips, projects and events. In just a few clicks a you can create a personalised money pot online and invite your friends, family and other groups of people.  To ensure people see the fund yoou can email the link to them directly, add it to your social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to ensure you get maximum coverage.  As people begin to donate, you can see who has donated x amount of money and you can have notifications to alert you to monies having been sent. What I do like is that Leetchi gives you the ability to thank them at the click of a button. 

Some people choose to make their posts public and they appear on the dedicated page which allows people to discover all public money pots created by Leetchi users with the purpose of raising money for charity, nonprofit organisation as well as personal project. The most interesting public money pots are promoted on the homepage (free of charge) to increase their visibility and help collect more funds. Creating a public money pot allows the creators and organisers to explain, further develop and get support for the projects that are close to their heart. 

Finally, once the needed money has been raised, Leetchi.com users can spend that money pot as they please: online on partner sites such as Amazon (100% free), ask for a bank transfer (2.9% fee for transfers above £2000 and 4% below) or offer the electronic money pot directly to the beneficiery.

What I like about Leetchi from my own trial is how it is to use.  We all know how hard it can be to try and organise surprises for people without wanting to have to put a lot of time and effort into it. For me, it makes getting a pot of money together so much easier than I expected and when it comes to organising a few surprises next year for family members, I have a site which makes group gifting a much easier task.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Bee Good to your skin this Christmas with these gifts from our British bees

T’is the season to be jolly, to deck the halls with Christmas decorations galore and to buy fabulously festive gifts to give to all your friends and loved ones! Bee Good has Christmas all wrapped up this festive season with five brand new Christmas skincare gifts.

These boxed delights, each revealing award-winning Bee Good products for all ages and skin types make the perfect stocking filler or Secret Santa surprise for friends, sisters, daughters, mums and nieces. Take the guesswork out of gifting, support our British bees and celebrate all things 'British' with Bee Good this Christmas. Taking inspiration from our fabulous British bees, each gift is presented in a hexagon gift box with a beautiful silver foiled honeycomb design - what beauty lover wouldn't want to discover one of these treats tucked beneath the tree on Christmas morning?

Award Winners - The perfect gift for those hard to please beauty lovers... Contains two best-selling Bee Good award-winners; Honey & Propolis 2-in-1 Cream Cleanser plus Vanilla & Honey Lip Balm. British honey, crambe oil and antibacterial propolis work hard in our luxuriously rich Cream Cleanser to sweep away makeup and grime without drying out your skin. Perfect for removing festive party makeup or waking up tired skin on Christmas morning. A trio of British plant oils and protective British beeswax are lovingly blended in Bee Good's original Lip Balm to intensively condition and repair dry or chapped lips. Price: £8 

Lip Balm Trio... For everyone from tweens and teens to mums and grandmas... Contains three Bee Good lip balms; Vanilla & Honey, Raspberry & White Chocolate and Lime Blossom & Honey. This trio of deeply replenishing lip balms is packed with hard-working, intensive and soothing ingredients. Super-moisturising British beeswax and a trio of British plant oils; crambe, echium and borage combine to deliver effective and long-lasting results. Lips will be left perfectly conditioned and kissably soft and the flavours are truly addictive! As an extra special touch this small and beautifully formed gift comes complete with hanging ribbon to adorn your tree

Youth Enhancing Travel Trio... An extra special treat for mature or ageing skin... Contains Bee Good Youth Enhancing Hydrate, Smooth & Prime Serum, Youth Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturiser and Youth Enhancing Lift & Brighten Eye Cream. The power-packed Youth Enhancing range restores vitality to mature or ageing skin through the combined power of British bee ingredients, British botanicals and naturally derived skincare technologies. This trio of high performance, youth enhancing essentials will plump and firm, soften fine lines and wrinkles and brighten dull, tired skin. The perfect present to bring an outer glow to the skin and an inner glow to the confidence! £20 

Hand & Lip Treats... For friends, teachers or Secret Santa recipients.. Contains full sizes of Bee Good Honey & Crambe Daily Hand Cream plus Lime Blossom & Honey lip balm. The delicately scented, easily absorbed hand cream will hydrate, soften and protect hard-working hands. The refreshing lip balm is a zesty interpretation of bee-friendly lime blossom mixed with delicate notes of sweet British honey. Packed with moisturising British honey, nourishing crambe oil and skin strengthening borage oil, this skin saving duo makes the perfect present for those whose hands and lips are in need of a little extra TLC this winter. £10.

The one I have been kindly sent is Clean Sweep... For busy bees on-the-go... Contains Bee Good Honey & Wild Water Mint 3-in-1 Cleansing Water and Raspberry & White Chocolate Lip Balm. This award-winning micellar cleansing water gently dissolves makeup, cleanses and tones skin, no water required! Perfect for convenient cleansing on-the-go, it is expertly formulated with super moisturising British wildflower honey, brightening red algae and refreshing wild water mint. Repair and condition lips with this rich and deeply replenishing Raspberry & White Chocolate lip balm. Combining British beeswax with a trio of plant oils, this lip balm delivers effective and long-lasting results. Price: £11.50 

All of these gifts are really beautifully wrapped and great value for money. If you have never come across Bee Good before, they have a great story to tell. Bee Good was created in 2008 by husband and wife team, Simon and Caroline. As an expert beekeeper, Simon keeps a number of beehives in old orchards surrounding his Hampshire home. It was Caroline’s interest in harnessing the excess honey and beeswax to create natural skincare products which led to the first award-winning products; a lip balm and a hand cream; made in Caroline’s kitchen using centuries-old recipes and sold at local Hampshire farmer’s markets. Word spread, sales grew and the awards continued, so in 2013 Simon recruited a small team of skincare experts with similar beliefs and passion for natural skincare to build Bee Good into the award-winning, premium skincare brand that it is today. You can find out more about Bee Good right here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

YOU BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR 2016

Whether or not you are a regular reader of BeautyqueenUk you will probably know that I am obsessed with Beauty Advent Calendars and have a massive post featuring over 60 of them (here). Well today I am introducing you to one of those Advent Calendars From You Beauty* which is still available for just £69.95, (though keep reaidng because there might be a money off code at the bottom of the post) which when considering the contents are worth an eye-watering £270 you need to be snapping it up right now. Keep on reading because there is a £10 off code coming below...

This Beauty Calendar from You Beauty is just massive, so much so I had to get the mister Beautykinguk to help me out. I am a huge fan of the You Beauty, Beauty boxes which I get every month and knowing how amazing they are, I have no doubts that this calendar will not leave me feeling disappointed. Bursting with brands such as Amie, Bee Good, MUA, ESPA, Rodial, Oskia, MoroccanOil and Miller Harris to name just a few, there is everything you need right here for some head to toe pampering and full on party prep for the festive season. 

There are going to be spoliers within this post as I reveal what can be found inside the Advent Calendar, so if you have already bought it then you need to look away now. If you are wanting to purchase it and don't want to know what is inside, then the code that you need to use for that £10 off can be found right at the bottom of the post - scroll now!

As you can see inside the Calendar, the doors are all fairly big in size and I have been naughty and opened just a few of them so that I can share them with you:

So I am already chuffed with those two products and in no particular order, because I don't want to ruin the entire suprise behind these 24 doors, you will find the following items:

Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Miracle Cleanser (30ml) -With a Bamboo Muslin Cloth, this product is one I urge you to try if you haven't yet because I absolutely adore it. This intelligent, aromatic, creamy infusion glides on to the skin lifting off all impurities. Fusing probiotic and peptide technologies with BioOrganic ingredients to hydrate and soothe skin whilst helping to prevent skin ageing.

Bee Good Youth Enhancing Hydrate, Smooth and Prime Serum (10ml) - A luxurious, high performance concentrate bursting with potent, natural ingredients to target the signs of ageing, fine lines, even skin tone and penetrate deeply, delivering intense hydration to the skin. Expertly formulated with collagen stimulating peptides, hydrating British honey, antioxidant rich propolis, firming blackcurrant seed oil and moisturising larch extract. Suitable for all skin types. Use morning and night before moisturising.

Miller Harris Rose Silence Eau de Parfum (14ml) - Rose Silence elicits a solitary rose and an intimate embrace. The first rays of sunshine on a lazy morning stream through the window. A rose, fresh and luminous, untouchable yet crisp, with a delicately fruity resonance of sweet mandarin and tangy blackcurrant. Undertones of warm skin are created with creamy sandalwood and subtle musks.  If you love the fresh scent of Roses, then this perfume is almost too amazing to comprehend because it is just like walking through a rose garden as a fresh scent hits your senses.

The White Company Orange Grove Signature Candle (35g) - Uplifting yet comforting, zesty yet warming, Orange Grove is a wonderful contradiction in scents. It combines fresh orange peel and green leaf with the earthy, woody richness of vetivert. The perfect blend for adding a welcoming touch to your living room, hallway and beyond. I adore candles and the scent of this one is so fresh, it is just amazing.

OSKIA Renaissance Mask (15ml) - Nutri-active Brightening & Resurfacing Mask is packed with OSKIA trademark blend of beauty-boosting clinical nutrients and bio-actives. This mask gently exfoliates by unbinding dry cells, activating renewal, improving structure and revealing brighter, fresher skin. Reduces the appearance of fine lines by increasing cell turnover while softening and boosting the skin’s own hydration processes.Energises, revitalises and brightens the skin by boosting oxygen and ATP cell energy to benefit all cell renewal processes.This indulgent anti-ageing treatment instantly refines and brightens to re-awaken the complexion and leaves skin looking healthy and illuminated.

MoroccanOil Treatment 25ml - Get the silky, shiny and healthy-looking hair you’ve always wanted! Moroccanoil® Treatment, the award-winning signature product that created the worldwide buzz on argan oil, can be used as a conditioning, styling and finishing tool. Featuring a proprietary blend of powerful ingredients, this advanced treatment helps to fortify hair, improve elasticity and shields against harmful environmental stressors.

Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer 40ml - This Vitamin E Face moisturiser from Malin+Goetz has been specially formulated to be suitable for all skin types. A residue-free moisturiser it gently and effectively hydrates and ph balances the skin without blocking the pores.

Rodial Smokey Eye Pen (Black 1.2g) - Create a bold eye with this kohl eyeliner. With super-rich pigment and gel-effect definition, this long-lasting soft formula can be easily blended to create a dramatic smokey eye. Draw generously to the upper and lower lash line and along waterline. Blend the line using an eye smudge brush, onto the eyelid and into the outer socket line to create a ‘winged’ effect for a modern feline flick.

Leighton Denny Miracle Mist (75ml) - A speed dry spray for your nail polish. Ideal if you want smudge-free polish that’s touch dry in seconds. The nonsticky formula works to condition the cuticles, whilst drying the nails quickly. After applying your polish, spray directly onto nails around 15cm away for 2-3 seconds.

Nanshy Kabuki Brush (Full size) - Kabuki brush is an indispensable tool in any purse. This compact brush is great for application of mineral make-up, bronzers, loose powders. Handcrafted from soft, synthetic bristles which feel gentle on your skin. This type of brush doesn’t absorb make-up or oils from your skin, for an additional hygienic benefits.

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (Rose) - Get a hint of colour and a whole lot of conditioning with a tube of Burt’s Bees® Tinted Lip Balm in Rose. It enhances your lips with a warm red shade while botanical waxes and shea butter nourish and soften dry skin. Like all Burt’s Bees® Tinted Lip Balms, from neutrals, to pinks, to reds and plums, this lip tint is 100% natural. No one knows colour better than nature, and nobody knows natural lip colour better than Burt’s Bees.

Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Hair Healer (30ml) - This is a leave in conditioner designed to give hair a new lease of life with this intensely nourishing lightweight gel crème conditioner. Its unique encapsulated burst of 5 oils works as an invisible shield, protecting hair whilst restoring healthy levels of moisturisation. With anti-frizz and humidity prevention, this thermal heat protection leave-in conditioner leaves hair feeling softer and deeply nourished.

Rimmel London 60 Seconds Super Shine Nail Polish - This polish coms in shade Rapid Ruby with 3-in-1 Nail Colour Technology. Just one flawless stroke for a precise application of colour that delivers a base coat, incredible colour and a glossy top coat finish all-in-one. The ultra-precise brush makes everyone a pro as it glides perfectly on nails for a gorgeous professional finish.

The Vintage Cosmetics Company Pink Duo Pencil Sharpener - This super cute, polka dot pencil sharpener by The Vintage Cosmetic Company is sure to prevent any messy make-up bags by keeping all shavings safely enclosed. Sharpening both thick and thin pencils, even jumbo crayons, and housing a convenient cleaning stick this duo sharpener is pretty and functional!

Sanctuary Foaming Micellar Cleansing Water (50ml) - As quick as a cleansing wipe but 50% more effective at removing foundation and 46% more effective at removing everyday grime! Soothing rose water and nourishing argan oil are combined with micelles which act like magnets to gently lift away make-up and impurities from the skin. Skin is left feeling instantly clean, fresh and soothed.

Carmex Original Pot (7.5g) - First introduced in the US in 1937, this is Carmex’s hero product to save dry lips. The award-winning formula is a favourite of celebrities and make-up artists. Containing menthol, camphor and beeswax and the Carmex trademark tingle we know and love. It soothes. It relieves. It moisturises.

The Organic Pharmacy Marigold & Comfrey Handy and Nail Cream (50ml) - A light, instantly absorbed organic and natural hand cream enriched with Shea Butter, Jojoba and Aloe with healing herbs Marigold and Comfrey to soothe and nourish dry hands. Perfect for your hand bag, beside your bed and your own at home manicure. 

Amie Skincare Deep Pore Exfoliating Polish (25ml) - Award-winning Amie’s New Leaf Deep Pore Exfoliating Polish contains 95% natural plant extracts and is free from harsh chemicals. New Leaf cleans deep down into pores to remove excess dirt and oil, leaving skin clear, soft and smooth. Gentle yet highly effective, suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin.

Omorovicza Refining Facial Polish (30ml) - Enriched with marine micro-algae, this Refining Facial Polisher refines texture, and brightens tone, while natural pumice exfoliates dead skin cells, smoothing the epidermis and helping regenerate the skin.

Nuxe Shower Oil Prodigieux (30ml) - An ultra-sensorial shower oil which gently cleanses, leaves a satin finish and a delicate fragrance for a moment of pure pleasure. Rediscover the fragrance of the iconic Huile Prodigieuse® in a shower oil! For all skin types.

ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy (15ml) - This unique, rejuvenating night mask blends replenishing plant extracts, restorative marine actives and soothing essential oils that transform skin overnight. Intensely rich, the cream-gel blend feeds skin with the essential vitamins, nutrients and minerals it needs to look and feel smooth, hydrated and energised. A bespoke blend of pure aromatic oils help calm the mind for a blissful night’s sleep.

Margaret Dabbs London Glass Crystal Nail File - This is a slim and elegant but most importantly, effective to use nail file. Smooths and seals the tip of the nail, protecting the nail and reducing the risk of snagging. The finest, highest quality abrasive crystal finish protects the nails, making them less prone to splitting and can be used on both finger and toe nails.

MUA Twelfth Night Palette or Dusk Til Dawn Palette - There will be just one of these two offerings in each Advent Calendar. So sparkle this season with MUA’s Winter Eyeshadow Palettes. These 12 shaded highly pigmented palettes are packed with stunning natural and deep tones that will keep you looking gorgeous all Christmas. The Dusk til Dawn & Twelfth Night palettes have the perfect combination of glam and easy wear colours that will take you from desk to dusk.

This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (10ml) - A good night’s sleep should be the first step in your skincare routine. Infused with 100% natural essential oils of Lavender, Vetivert and Camomile, deep sleep pillow spray is clinically proven* to improve your sleep quality. Harnessing the potent aromatherapy power of the award-winning deep sleep super blend, you will wake up feeling and looking refreshed.

So there you have it, one absolutely amazing advent calendar which has something for everyone and even though I am a subscriber to the box, there are a handful of products that I have never tried before and am now looking forward to doing so!  AND the £10 off code that you need is:

AC10YOUADVENT

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

L'Occitane Advent Calendar 2015

I am a huge fan of L'Occitane and I cannot wait to see what 2016 has in store for this amazing brand. When I was kindly gifted an Advent Calendar I was ecstatic because I had tried to get one in store to no avail, no sooner were they in stock, they sold out. It cost just £39 which is an absolute bargain to be had.

I adore how this advent calendar has been put together, for me it very much represents the brand I have come to know and love and I love the design and graphics.  As you can imagine, behind the 24 allotted doors is a product or surprise inclusion and again I have shared all of them on my Instagram feed.

Opening like a big A3 book, this advent calendar is really well made and this is what I found:

Day One - Ultra Rich Face Cream with Shea Butter

Day Two - Shampoo containing 5 essential oils

Day Three  -Cute Gift Tags

Day Four - Extra Gentle Milk Soap

Day Five - Rose Scented Hand Cream

Day Six - Almond Shower Gel

Day Seven - A Red Bow to hand on your tree

Day Eight - Pivoine Flora Handcream

Day Nine -  Hair Conditoner containing 5 essential oils

Day Ten - Cherry Blossom Hand Cream

Day Eleven - Festive Nail File

Day twelve - Jasmine Scented Soap

Day Thirteen - Ultra Rich Body Lotion

Day Fourteen - Foot Cream for Dry Skin

Day Fifteen - Verbena Body Lotion

Day Sixteen - Christmas Table Place Cards

Day Seventeen - Almond Hand Cream

Day Eighteen - Star Shaped Cookie Cutter

Day Nineteen - Moisturizing Lip Balm

Day Twenty - Verena Shower Gel

Day Twenty One - Ten Christmas Stickers

Day Twenty Two - Hand Cream for Dry Hands

Day Twenty Three - A bag of gold stars

Day Twenty Four - Pivoine Flora Eau de Toilette

Now that is an amazing haul of products from one calendar and it contains some of my absolute favourite products such as the Jasmine Scented Soap, Almond Shower Gel and the Cherry Blossom Hand Cream.  There are some products which are also new to me and I cannot wait to give them a try.

What do you think to this offering from L'Occitane?

Marks and Spencer Advent Calendar 2015

If you follow me on Instagram then you might have seen my daily posts from my L'Occitane and Marks and Spencer Advent Calendars.  If you didn't then you are in for a treat because I am going to share all of the contents of the 

Marks and Spencer Advent Calendar with you now and then L'Occitane in its own post too.

There had been quite a lot of excitement surrounding the Marks and Spencer Advent Calendar and I was one of the lucky one to get it for £25 as I had re-ordered some Philip Kingsley shampoo and conditioner. I was surprised at how heavy the advent calendar was but it is made so well, that my intention is to keep the box and make my own advent calendar for someone in 2016.  

Inside the box are 24 individual numbered boxes and then inside each box was a product that can be found on sale in Marks and Spencer, naturally it is all beauty and there is a wide variety of items to be found.

So as you can see there are some really good products here and this is what I found and when:

Day One - Philip Kingsley Geranium and Neroli Elasticizer 

Day Two - Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Day Three - Cowshed Grumpy Cow Uplifting Body Lotion

Day Four - Pur Minerals Volume Vixen Mascara

Day Five - Leighton Denny Renovate nail repair cream

Day Six - Rosie for Autograph Nuit Perfume

Day Seven - Rituals Organic Rice Milk and Cherry Blossom Shower Gel

Day Eight - Pure Super Grape Day Cream

Day Nine - Filorga Time Filler Absolute Wrinkle correction cream

Day Ten - Neal's Yard Frankincense Nourishing Cream

Day Eleven - Josh Wood Full Bodied Shampoo

Day Twelve - Diego Dalla Palma Lipstick in shade 46 Antique Rose

Day Thirteen - Mio Skincare Liquid Yoga Restorative Bath Soak

Day Fourteen - Percy and Reed Volumising No Oil, Oil

Day Fifteen - Roger & Gallet Fleur de Figuier Hand and Nail Cream

Day Sixteen - Rodial Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel

Day Seventeen - Swell Hair Ultimate Volume Mask

Day Eighteen - Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Bar of Soap

Day Nineteen - Autograph Lip Crayon in Nude

Day Twenty - L'Occitane Verbena Shower Gel

Day Twenty One - Pixi Glow Tonic

Day Twenty Two - Ren skincae Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Day Twenty Three - Stila Lip Glaze in shade Sugar Plum

Day Twenty Four - Morgan Taylor Nail Polish in shade Pretty Woman

For a very first advent calendar, I actually think Marks and Spencer have smashed it.  Not only was it such great value for money, but there are so many amazing brands and products inside making it well worth the £25 it cost and one to hope for in 2016.

What do you think to this Advent Calendar?

Christmas presents you should definitely buy your cat!

With three cats in the house, I might often be referred to as the 'Mad Cat Lady' but they are my boys, my furkids and I don't think they should be left out at Christmas.  A quick Google search gave me an endless list of things I could purchase.  

The first item I absolutely love and it could not be more perfect is Kitty Street - Terrace Cat Houses with Scratchy Roofs.  This is a cat bed terrace, perfect because I have three cats and rather than fighting over the one cat bed we have, they could have one each. Inside there are fur cushions and the roofs are scratching mats.  What I love about this is that you can also add more cubes should you need them.

One thing Hector loves is laying on the laptop when you are trying to use it and no matter what it is we are doing, the save button is constantly over-used because out of nowhere comes this crazy kitty jumping all over you. So this could be the answer to all of my problems - Cat Playhouse Cardboard Laptop. Designed to look like a laptop with screen and keyboard with a rather humorous mouse.  With this, I feel Hector could have a fantastic time sat next to me as I type and if you have a similar laptop obsessed kitty, you can find the laptop.

Having cats means providing stimulating play time or they get bored and can become quite destructive. Hector is now 4 months old and loves to climb, much to my horror. He loves to be as high as he can possibly get, which is normal for a cat. However, in an attempt to stop him from climbing on top of my wardrobes and bouncing off, we have bought the SmartCat Door Climber in the hope it will satisfy his climbing urge

If you have friends, who like me are mad cat ladies and you cannot think of anything to buy them, or they have everything, then forget them and buy something for the cats.  There are two cat hampers which really have caught my attention from Purrfectbox and Cat Hampurr.

My boys are huge fan of the Purrfectbox and we have reviewed a few of the boxes right here on Beautyqueenuk. The team over at Purrfecrbox have an amazing Special Edition Christmas Box is a box of 6 specially chosen products, perfect for those wanting to treat the pets of their friends and family. It costs just £19.90.

The lovely people over at Cat Hampurr have also come up with their very own Christmas Cat Hamper and which will be a hand picked a box full of goodies that will keep them entertained well into the new year. Again the box costs just £19.90 and you can get it  but be quick because they are limited.

Staying with the theme of food and hampers, my boys were very kindly sent family-owned US brand of natural pet food, Wellness, which has just launched at Pets at Home. Wellness offers wholesome, healthy nutrition for cats and contains no wheat, corn, soya, artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. The recipes use delicious, real-foods like deboned meats, healthy fruits and vegetables and easily-digestible carbohydrates to provide the perfect balance of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the healthiest way possible. The range my boys have been trying is the CORE Divine Duos, an indulgent savoury pâté topped with protein-rich cuts in gravy. Dishes include hearty cuts of beef, chicken liver, tuna and salmon – balanced with nutrient-rich broccoli and carrots and it has been absolutely lapped up and loved.

Anyone who has any experience with kittens and cats will know that they love to scratch everything including you, your furniture, your carpet and anything you can do to encourage them not to do this will be in your favour and will also lower your stress levels. So a perfect gift for any cat is a scratching post, mine absolutely love them and they are the most used and loved item we have. The good news is that they also come in all shapes and sizes and are widely available and range in price from around £10 right up to £50+!

Anyone with cats will also know about catnip.  Catnip is part of the mint family but it has an essential oil in it called nepetalactone which has a powerful effect on cats who are sensitive to it, though not all are, and it turns them totally crazy and has them running around like a big fun-filled bag ecstasy, dribbling everywhere and generally just attacking the toy it is in or on.  Again, they are readily available and come in all different shapes and sizes but are really budget friendly and your cat will absolutely love it and you.

One final item that is synonymous with Christmas is stockings and yes there are stockings and stocking fillers for cats which all contain cat treats and are perfect for spoiling your little fur ball and again they range in price from £2 right up to £8 so they won't break the bank.

So here you have just a few ideas as to what you can buy your kitten, cat or your friends, family or neighbours cat as a gift.  There is naturally a whole host of other items I could have included within the toy section, the ideas are endless.

Do you have a cat or indeed any animal? If so, do you buy them a Christmas present?

I Love... Christmas Bath Collection

As a huge fan of the I Love range, I was really excited to try out the Christmas collection which is just bursting with stunning fragrances and colours.  What I love about the range is the element of fun that comes with using it after all, who wouldn't want to bathe in chocolate orange scented bath foam?

I Love... Big Barrel of Love Cherry and Raspberry is just huge! Packaged inside this sweet baby pink coloured tin, inside there are four products which smell good enough to eat. Cherry and Almond Sparkle which is a Bubble Bath & Shower Creme plus a tub of Body Butter makes you smell good enough to eat and better than your mum's Christmas Cake.  There is also a Raspberry and Blackberry body Spritizer and hand cream which both smell as though someone has just freshly picked both fruits, juiced them and then bottled them and of course a puff to help you enjoy your bath experience even more.

This tin for me is such good value for money, it has an RRP £20 in Superdrug but is currently on offer for just £10!

I love... Lots of Bubbles Festive Edition which contains everything you need to enjoy your bath and shower with a different scent for almost everyday. This set features six 100ml bottles of fruity Sugared Cranberries, indulgent Chocolates & Oranges, delightful Mixed Berries, warming Spiced Cinnamon, sweet Iced Cookie and Cherry Almond Sparkle making each and everyone of them perfect for the Christmas Season, perfect for making you smell good enough to eat and brightly packaged and designed to look amazing in anyone's bathroom.

This set would usually retail at just £6 which is a bargain, but again, Superdrug has an amazing offer on right now where you can get this set for just £4.

The final set that I have is perfect for travelling or for that long weekend away.  So if you are lucky enough to be spending Christmas at a hotel, then this is the perfect item for your bag.  The I love... Little Bag of Love set is nicely and easily packaged inside this handy travel package and contains 100ml Cherry & Almond Bubble Bath and Shower Creme, 100ml Raspberry & Blackberry Spritzer and a White Shower Puff.

This set for me also makes a really lovely stocking filler and makes a great little secret Santa too.  Usually priced at £5.50 it is currently on offer for just £4 right here.

I Love products are not tested on animals and smell exactly as their names suggest, which for me makes me lots of fun and great gifts to buy for yourself and she give to others.

Do you have a favourite I Love scent?

Five Christmas Gadget Must Haves

Here at RED5 we are delighted to announce that this year we are able to bring to you a whole new host of cool gadgets. We’re talking, drones, quadcopters and loads of Star Wars goodies.  It’s our job to make sure nobody is disappointed with what’s under the tree and it’s your job to listen, get ready for this year’s top Christmas gadget must haves!

Zombie Slayer Blast Kit

At number one we have, wait for it, the Zombie Slayer Blast Kit. If Walking Dead has taught us anything it’s that a zombie apocalypse is coming.  The question is are you ready for it?  What’s great about this product is that it allows you to get creative and actually build the model yourself. So we advise you not go fighting any zombies before it’s up and running, the ending would not be pretty.

Now if you’re a mum reading this buying for your son, don’t fear. He’ll be chasing zombies not you. The gun fires paper ammo, 60 rounds will be included in the package. Just in case the apocalypse comes sooner than expected, everyone will be ready.

Spy Drone Quad

Everyone’s talking about them, we’re selling them. This particular product comes in at a very reasonable price. For those of you not wanting to spend too much, we recommend this style of drone quadcopter. This little quadcopter comes with a built in 3MP camera, allowing you to take pictures and record 640 x 480p videos whilst in flight.

Don’t really know what that means? It’s good, high quality imagery coming straight from the sky, amazing! A lot more user friendly for those who are new to this flying in the sky business.

The Beast

The Sky Drone Pro White is for those of you who want to spend a little more. Perhaps you’re a more experienced flyer. You won’t regret this purchase, at just a little extra cost comes great joy and added bonuses.  For example, this beast records high definition footage, with help from its clever free app your smartphone will become an eye in the sky.

Talking Chewbacca Plush

It’s back. Star Wars is back and we’re loving every minute of it. At RED5 HQ everyone has a beady eye on all Star Wars gifts, but it’s only fair we share the goodness. What is Christmas without the fluffy giant Talking Chewbacca Plush, who we all hold dear in our hearts.

Chewbacca, legendary co-pilot, not just best buds with Han-Solo, he’s now yours too.  This bundle of fun and fluff springs to life at a press of the belly. Enjoy endless hours copying his Wookie language and giant roars.

Star Wars BB8 Droid

Since we are on the topic of Star Wars, why stop? Keep the good stuff coming I say.  For those of you desperate to get in touch with your inner dark side, the new BB8 droid is for you.  This bundle of joy is already on the path to greatness, it’s set to star in the new ‘The Force Awakens’ and we’re all going crazy for it.

Give your loved one the gift of friendship this Christmas, guaranteed to keep you busy throughout the Christmas holidays. This clever little droid is completely controllable from your smartphone or tablet, packed with various voice commands which fulfil all of your Star Wars dreams.  With help from the clever app, BB8 Droid can create and view holographic recordings, awesome.

Interactive Glow T-Shirts

Ok so we accept that not everyone is Star Wars crazy, actually we’re not sure, but we’ll mix it up for you nonetheless.  After all, this product is so worth it. It’s hard to shock us gadget heads here at RED5 but every now and then, it happens.  

That was certainly the case when we first got our hands on these interactive Glow T-shirts from illuminated apparel. So cool! It’s sometimes the case that with novelty clothing comes a lack of style; thankfully, that’s not a worry here. At first glance you’d be none the wiser.

The T-shirt is a stylish black with a large white polygon graphic, pretty trendy if you ask me. When the lights go down, that’s when things really kick off. Simply pass a UV light (included) over the white space and watch as the clothing comes to life. The good news is Smartphone lights work just as well, so if you’re out clubbing and forget your pen, do not fear. Talking of clubbing, if you’re that guy who’s unlucky in love, I have a feeling your luck just turned.

What are your Christmas Gadget Must Haves?

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