Skincare bargains

Don't you just love it when you come across a real gem of a website and more so one that saves you a bit of money in the process?  Well let me introduce you to Mistrys Pharmacy who have got a rather good skincare sale on currently and there are bargains to be had.

Mistrys is the online version of Mistrys Pharmacy, which is a large High Street Pharmacy based in Market Harborough in Leicestershire. Started in 1977 by Shantilal Mistry and his wife, Jasumati Mistry they allow you to order products online and delivered to your home.

I came across this site when searching Google for the name of a product I really wanted to try and as ever looking for a good price rather than paying out for the first website which came up. Mistrys stocks all kinds products within the beauty, skincare, bath and body sections of their website and many of brands you will have heard of such as Aveeno, Burts Bees, Avene, Eucerin, Weleda, Lancome and a few more besides.  Here are some of those bargains:

Weleda Skin Food is a product I have seen talked about a lot on the blogs and it is a brand I havent really tried out.  On Mistrys you can buy this 75ml version for just £9.15.

Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisture is one of my favourite products from the range and it usually retails for around £4.70 but on Mistrys it is just £2.69

Upper Canada Lip butter is another product I have seen mentioned and compared to Korres and it has me intrigued.  I haven't been able to find in any of my usual shopping haunts, but it is online and usually for around £5 for a 10ml pot but here it is half the price at £2.50

Burts Bees Pore Refining Scrub with Willow Bark is the product I switched to using after I got bored of St Ives Apricot Scrub and I remember thinking how pricey it was at £10 a tube, here you can save a few pounds and pay just £8.69.

Nivea Visage Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes usually cost around £5 for a pack of 20 which is quite expensive I think, but at £1.99 I am rather tempted to buy some because they do come in handy at times of need.

The final product that caught my attention was the Evian Facial Spray.  I am a bit of a facial spray convert and have been using one from La Roche-Posay but this costs just £3.49 for a trial sized 50ml and elsewhere I have seen it priced as high as £7.

I hope you agree there are some real bargains to be had and it definitely makes me think twice about just ordering from the first website I come across. 

Do look scour websites before you buy?

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.

Biosculpture Spa Range Nail Care

One of my goals for 2014 was to to take better care of my nails because they have become quite weak and brittle not to mention prone to peeling and snapping which is really annoying when you finally manage to get your nails to a length you are happy with.

Apparently the cold weather can be harsh on your nails because the change in weather means they have to as the change in continually adapt to dealing with either the freezing cold outside or the warm centrally heated indoor environment much like your skin which can also turn dry, flaky and be in need of a little more TLC.  The constant cold and change in temperature can cause your nails to weaken, crack and split easier, more so in the winter because dry air destroys keratin, the protein that keeps them strong and flexible.

Biosculpture have just introduced a new Spa Range of manicure and pedicure products and I have been lucky enough to try them. I have the handcream, Executive Base, Cuticle Oil and Top Coat. However there are quite a few more products within the range and you can go along to your nearest salon to have the products used and manicures start from £25 please visit www.biosculpture.co.uk for further information and to find your nearest salon.

Described as:

Bio Sculpture supports healthy nail care as the treatments nourish and protect the natural nail underneath. An application keeps nails well conditioned throughout use whilst ensuring manicures and pedicures are long lasting and maintenance free. Vitamin Dose and Executive Base, infused with vitamins & essential oils, are products used in the treatment preparation in order to nurture nails and protect nails. No primers or bonders are used that might de-hydrate or damage the natural nail; and unlike other treatments, the natural nail is not buffed prior to application, again ensuring maximum protection is maintained.

The Cuticle Oil which is enriched with Vitamin E, helps to re-hydrate cuticles and it is formulated with Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil and Avocado Oil. This products retails for £5.40.  The brush within this oil makes application so much easier to do and once on the nail bed it feels absolutely lovely and only takes a few minutes to sink in.  If like me you apply a little too much, you can of course rub it into your entire nail for a extra bit of TLC.

Executive Base which is described as being multifunctional strengthening base which compresses the nail keratin to strengthen soft, weak nails.   This product retails for £8.00.  Again the brush within this base coat makes application really easy because the brush fans out across the nail.  Once applied, it takes less than a minute to dry and then you can apply your nail polish.  What I have found by using this is that my nail polish glides onto the nail so much easier.

The final product I have been using is the Top Coat.  I have found that this is a really fast drying top coat which leaves your nails with a lovely gloss finish as you can see from the photos below, I have been wearing Essie Luxedo for the last week and it has yet to chip, so I am really impressed with this top coat.  

I think you can tell that I am really impressed with these nail products, more so given the extra length of time I have been able to wear my favourite Essie nail polish. My nails are less brittle though not quite yet near perfect, but my cuticles do look so much better and are in a far better condition now than before I used the cuticle oil.

For me these are a worthy investment and something I am going to continue to use. Hopefully in a few months time my nails will stop being brittle and weak and become the strong nails they once were.

London in Winter

Living in London can be lots of fun.  There is always something to do, something to see, places to go and things to do, particularly in winter when the city transforms itself from being hot, muggy and smog ridden, to a much more relaxed, serene and beautiful place to be. Links of London asked some bloggers to write about their favourite things to do here in London and these are my thoughts.

As soon as winter arrives and Christmas is on the horizon, everywhere you look, there are bright twinkling lights, Christmas displays in shops and in streets and lots of shopping to be done amongst the hustle and bustle of tourists who are all hunting for that final bargain for the big day.

Some of the things I love to do during this time is to meet with friends and go ice-skating, this can be at Somerset House where the ice-rink is open from November to the end of January with the grand courtyard is transformed into a beautiful ice-rink and you find yourself surrounded by lots of squeals and laughter as being skate around merrily chatting away.

Source

Then from Ice-skating a trip to Hyde Park to Winter Wonderland is a definite must.  It starts towards the end of November and it has something for all the family.  Whether you like to sample the delights of German Bratwurst Hotdogs, Donuts, Belgian Fries with Mayonnaise or simply enjoy a few drinks whilst sampling beers and mulled wines from around the world, you will find something you enjoy.  I have been going to Winter Wonderland for the last few years and always have lots of fun, there is the funfair element of trying to win teddies and bits of tat from stalls such as the rifle range or hook a duck, there are fairground rides for all the family from the big wheel, teacups and saucers to the rides for the more adventurous that chuck you around in the air and spin you upside down.  If that isn’t enough there are hundreds of stalls which sell all kinds of things from world cheeses, Zebra burgers, candles and beautiful lanterns and lights.

If you want something less busy but as equally beautiful, some of the more famous streets of London, such as Carnaby Street have beautiful Christmas displays which make wonderful photos and as well known as they are, I have never found them to be overcrowded, but naturally if the crowds don’t bother you too much, then Oxford Street and Regent Street is the place to be.

Covent Garden is also a great destination for a bit of shopping, followed by lunch and maybe a bit more shopping and it is here you will also find some of the big named store such as Links of London, MAC and Apple to name just a few.  What's more, if you are in need of a bit of entertainment, there is always one of the street entertainers on hand to put on a show and grab your attention for a few minutes.

What is your favourite thing to do in London?