Valentine's Day blogger Secret Swap

As you read this post, I and my hubby will be either on the plane or just landed in Amsterdam, but Happy Valentines Day!

I took part in a bloggers secret valentines swap organised by xx and xx and posted my package off to its recipient last weekend, so hopefully you have got it and like it, though you won't know it was me that sent it!

My package has arrived and knowing I was going to be away, I wrote this post a few days ago so that it could go live on the day itself. I have no idea who my swap partner was, but it is always exciting to get a box full of products right? Well this is what was in my beautifully packaged swap box:

How cute are those love hearts and the card, I love pugs I find them so cute and I am particularly impressed and moved that my swappee took the time to look for a card with cats on, knowing that I have 3 of them.  Thank you.

So we have quite a lot of products here and I haven't tried any of them - whoever picked this box has clearly looked at my blog because the first thing that caught my eye was this beautiful tub of coconut and cream body butter from I Love Cosmetics and it was actually on a list of things I wanted to try because I love things scented with coconut.

Then we have Maybelline Baby Lips in Hydrate.  Now I know some people are not a fan of these, but I really like them and find them so handy to have in my handbag, desk draw or on my bedside table and this particular one I have yet to try.  It states that it will give 8 hours worth of moisture and in this weather, I definitely need it!

Argan oil treatment for the hair comes next and it has a Moroccan Argan oil extract to give an intense hydrating treatment to rejuvenate and repair your hair leaving it shiny, smooth and healthy.  Again, not a product I have tried and am looking forward to giving it a whirl to see how my hair copes with it.

Then we have some make-up products from a brand called Catrice whom I have read about on other peoples blogs but have never come across them myself.  There is a colour changing lipstick which says it is a lip glow, too look at it, I was expecting to have bright Oompa Loompa lips, but it actually gives my lips a bit of a glossy look to them.  Then comes an eye palettes with 4 different shades called Never Let Me ago and this is truly stunning, I love all of the shades.

The next products is from Essence - Oz the great and powerful in shade 01 Beware of the Wicked Witch - are you trying to tell me something blogger swapper??  This is a cream blush, again not a product I have used before, though cream blushes seem to be a popular item across the blogger sphere and I am looking forward to giving this a go. It comes with a pump dispenser and you only need a really small amount on your hand, brush or whatever you choose to use to apply to your cheeks.

Barry M comes next with a lipgloss and in the tube it looks as though it is a candy floss pink colour and when you open the tube, it smells wonderfully sweet of strawberries and it is a lovely shade of pink - pics needed

Then I have three samples - Melvita Narcissus which look this up!!! Followed by Nuxe anti-fatigue moisturising cream which is for dry skin and finally an eye contour  anti-ageing and radiance cream from Avene which I am also looking forward to trying.

Last but no means least a bar of Galaxy Cookie a crumble chocolate which is just so yummy and I could quite easily east the whole bar to myself and two packets of Love a heart sweets which I haven't come across in years, so I am looking forward to seeing what each one has to say on it when it comes to eating them.

Links of London Wish List

Would you like to win £1000?  Well Links of London are holding a competition which you can enter to win £1000 worth of their gorgeous jewellery and I mean gorgeous.  All you have to do is simply create a wishlist of your favourite pieces and write a blog post, like this, which also happens to be my entry.

As you can see I managed to choose just 6 pieces, it was really hard because there are just so many things that I like, but for me, these ones caught my attention the most.

1. Aurora Link Bracelet
Inject the wow factor into you party wardrobe. This Aurora link bracelet combines silver with rose and yellow gold vermeil. Strung on a sterling silver chain, this versatile piece has been designed to be lightweight to wear and features a textured finish which adds a touch of subtle sparkle. Costs £95.00

2. Celeste Rose Gold Wrap Ring
The mystic and celestial qualities of the traditional Native American Indian protective charm are bound up in this delightfully modern Celeste Wrap Ring in 18ct rose gold vermeil. The thinnest threads of diamond-cut glitter wire wrap around the Silver band to echo the web-like construction of the original pieces that were said to capture only the good dreams, while letting the bad ones go.  Costs £180.00

3. Dream Catcher Heart Rose Gold Earrings
With a base of sterling silver, these enchanting stiletto earrings each feature a heart that has been delicately wrapped within a subtle rose gold vermeil web. Featuring a unique glitter finish, these rose gold vermeil earrings will add a sparkle to any outfit. The inspiration behind this collection lies in the Native American dream catcher which protects against nightmares. Wear with other Dream Catcher pieces for double protection. Costs £150.00

4. Hope Rose Gold Plate Ivory Strap Watch
Fine detailing marks out this Hope Rose Gold Coloured Ivory Strap Watch as a modern classic. The traditional shape and form has been remodelled with overlapping asymmetric rings of rose gold coloured plate and a white mother-of-pearl dial. The chic satin effect ivory leather strap holds a watch face of subtle detailing, featuring rose gold coloured plate watch hands and a stylish crystal index at 12 o'clock. Water resistant to 3ATM, this is a must-have everyday accessory.  Costs £295.00

5. Dream Catcher Heart Rose Gold Pendant
This sterling silver heart pendant gets a modern interpretation with a fine web of rose gold vermeil glitter wire. A unique and interesting necklace, the Dream Catcher collection has been inspired by the Native American symbol to protect against nightmares. With a glittery finish, pair this piece with a bracelet and earrings from the same collection for maximum sparkle in your life. Costs £150.00

6. Effervescence Star XS Ring - Rose Gold & White Topaz
Everything is rosy with the Effervescence Star XS Ring in 18ct rose gold and pave white topaz. Each ring features small roundels of resplendent rose gold and white topaz stars. Giving you something different for your jewellery collection, team your new ring with different colours from across our collections to complete your look. This ring is also designed to be layered with others in the collection. Find your favourites and create your own look! Costs £130.00

I think all of these items are simply stunning and would be over the moon to receive any of them on Valentines day!

If you would like to enter this competition is open to the general public, but for more information follow this link http://blog.linksoflondon.com/2014/01/win-valentines-day-list/

Give it a go and remember to hashtag your entry #myvalentinewishlist you might just win yourself an amazing £1000.

What do you think to my choices? Do any of them stand out to you?

Lovers Corner with London Perfume Company

Are you still looking for ideas and gifts for Valentines Day? Are you low on ideas and don't know where to look?  Well let me give you a helping hand. This year The London Perfume Company have launched Lovers Corner on their website and with every order you get to choose one free gift from a choice of four.

As a customer, you get to choose between a free Solid Perfume Heart or one of three Giorgio Beverly Hills Teddy Bears, when you buy any fragrance listed in the 'Lover's Corner' section for Valentine's Day and these are the items to choose between:

The perfume which you can find within Lovers Corner is quite a wide and varied mixture such as Nina Ricci, Vera Wang, Ralph Lauren and Nine West plus a few gifts sets to name just a few of them, so I am sure there will be something for everyone.

Now if this isn't enough to tempt you boys and girls, there is one more offer and that is as well as your gift of choice and one of the options above, you will also receive some Love Heart Swizzles and a very cute makeshift gift tag in within your parcels to add a little extra love and style to your package.

All you have to do to claim all these offers is to go to the London Perfume Company website, go to Lovers Corner which is clearly displayed on the top taskbar and you cannot miss it because the text is bright red.  You will need to add your choice of free gift to your basket, the price of which will be deducted at the check-out and in order to get your free gift, your item must be chosen from the Lovers Corner section only.

I would love to know which product you purchase and what free gift you choose, I would struggle to choose between those teddy bears which are totally adorable.

Lush Event - Regent Street

Last Thursday I was so excited to be invited to a Lush event in Regent Street here in London, those of you who read my blog will know that I am a bit more than a fan, I am more like a Lush-a-holic.

The aim of the event was to promote and introduce to us Danger! Cosmetics to Go, a book on the story of the company that preceded Lush which tells the meteoric rise and devastating fall of the the brand in just 6 years.  Written by the beautiful Mira Manga, a musician and writer, she was commissioned to write the book by Mark Constantine OBE, Lush Co-Founder and managing Director.  Mira herself worked for Lush, starting as a Saturday girl in Lush's Carnaby Street Shop (which has since closed).  I was lucky enough to get Mira to sign my copy and for anyone out there, who like me, is a huge fan of Lush, this is a book you should have in your possession because it is a fascinating insight into the world of Lush, the products they have and how they came to be.

As well as meeting Mira, Lush put on a brilliant event with nibbles and drinks to keep those of us present fed and watered and we had exclusive access to the staff to ask as many questions as we wanted, see demonstrations of the products and try out the products that Lush sell.  

All of the staff I spoke to were absolutely brilliant and so knowledgeable in what they knew of each product, some sharing funny stories of mishaps with customers and others giving a real detailed introduction to things I was yet to try and advising on other products that might work well with either my hair, skin or hands.

With Valentines Day not too far away, Lush have their own Valentines Day products out there to grab and my advice is to grab them quick because they are amazing.  I have already taken a shine to the Valentines Shower Gel Prince Charming which smells wonderfully of marshmallows and pomegranate juice.  Then there is the Love Locket Bath Bomb which has three parts to it, not something I am going to ruin for you now, but look out for the review.  There are 11 different products within the Valentines Day range, including three different gift sets, a lip gloss and some soap, all brightly coloured and beautifully packaged.

I had an absolutely brilliant time at this Lush Event and know so much more about the products I liked, loved and swoon over and whats more, I really loved the chance of being able to meet Mira and ask her many questions about the book she has so brilliantly written and it may just feature in its own review.

I was also surprised to get a goody bag and this one was just amazing and below are the contents, each of us was asked to choose Bath or Shower, now for someone who is as indecisive as I am, this was a hard task, but I did choose bath:

Of course I couldn't leave such a fabulous event without something for my beloved hubby could I? Especially when he has his own blog now, so this is what I bought for him:

Ickle Baby Bot was my first choice, designed for children but it is filled with Lavender to help calm and relax before bedtime.  Then there is Dirty Springwash Shower Gel which has the opposite effect to the Bath Bomb and because it is filled with Spearmint and menthol, it leaves you feeling wide awake and alert, ready to tackle the day.

Thank you Lush, the experience and the event was fantastic.

Valentines Ideas for Him

If you have been in any Supermarket, Card Shop or are signed up to any beauty and fragrance websites, you will be more than aware that Valentines Day is just around the corner.

So I have put together a rather creative list of the kind of things I know my beloved would like and want.


Adopting an animal is something I chose because he did it for me a few years back and it was so lovely and unique.  We are both animal lovers anyway and have three cats of our own not to mention an aquarium full of fish and love going to the zoo.

If you have a stressed out and tired hubby/partner a bit of TLC goes a long way and sending them off for a massage and some pampering is something I have always looked at doing.  My beloved has a stressful job and I think it would be nice to send him off for a few hours of me time.

If you don't take Valentines Day too seriously then something jokey like I.O.U vouchers are brilliant inside a card, some are much more naughty than others and require some imagination and others are simply "I.O.U a cup of tea every morning for x amount of time" and so on.

If money was no option, luxury Rolex watches are something I would want to invest in.  I know a few people who are lucky enough to have them and not only are they stunning they actually keep their value, many increasing at time goes on.

The final option is a meal for two.  For me, one of the best things is going out for a meal, just the two of us and there being no shopping, food preparation, cooking, washing up and so on.  A nice relaxing dinner, with wine is for me a perfect ending to a day and something I want to do more of.

What have you got planned for Valentines Day? Does the Man/Lady in your life get special treatment?