Purrfect Box for Cats - February 2016

The big pink cat box arrived with some excitement for my boys this morning. The Purrfect box** of which we have had a few now, is a UK subscription service which allows you to treat your cat, or your dog (Pawsome Box)and each month you will receive each month treats, toys, accessories, hygiene and personal care products customized and based on the cat's age, size, weight, fur type and preferences. Anyone who reads my blog or follows me on Instagram will know what a big part my three cats play in my life, Hector even has his own Instagram!

Each month has a different theme so you get different goodies each month. The cost is £19.50 per month or £15.50 if you subscribe yearly and this was what was in the box.  

The box was again packed to the top and as soon as I ripped the lid off, as you can see my boys wasted no time inspecting the contents.  There was a bit of a fight over a few of the toys, but that was soon sorted out and their attention was diverted with treats.

First up there is some Cat Caviar by Schulze. Cat Caviar is a delicious treat for your cat, that you can either sprinkle over your cat's usual food to enhance the taste and diversify, or you can just give it to him as a reward when deserved. Then we have Cat Munchies in Fish flavour.  These treats are cereal, gluten and wheat free, made from 100% natural quality fish fillet, is naturally Low in fat and calories and easily digestible.  Both have been received with glee and I have no doubt they will be consumed within no time at all.

Then come the toys.  This time we have three toys and you would assume three cats and three toys would make for an easy dividing up of the assets right? No... They all wanted the Dolphin. There is very little information on this Dolphin Plush, but it is handmade and does contain catnip, it is obviously quite strong as all three cats wanted to claim it as their own.  This is followed by A Trixie Cat toy.  Trixie is a brand I am really familiar with and we have a lot of Trixie cat toys already.  This one is a bird of sorts with a fluffy tail which catches their attention as they chase it around the floor.  The final toy is from a company called Pet Brands and it is a crocheted ball with a bell on the end, bright yellow in colour and not too noisy, thankfully!

The final two items in the box are useful ones for cat owners.  The first is deodorising cat litter crystals and these are to be sprinkled on the top of litter to mask the odour that they omit.  The second is from Wolf and Tiger and it is a cat brush, which I had been meaning to purchase as the one I had seems to have grown a pair of legs and walked away.  All three of my boys absolutely love being groomed, so I know they are going to love this brush.

So there you have the February Purrfect Box and as I have said before, it is a real treat for my boys to get and as soon as they see the box they know exactly what it is and cannot wait for me to rip it open. If you have a friend who has cats, then this would make a fantastic present!

Valentines Day with Lush Cosmetics 2016

Do you want to buy your other half something more exciting than flowers and chocolate (actually still get those) for Valentines Day? Well now is the time to get in the mood for love with this new collection of limited edition Lush treats and a Valentines collection is always one not to be missed.  

There are so many products to choose from this year, whether it is a single item or a gift package, that walking into Lush makes me want to grab everything and shove them into my basket, but instead I have been quite restrained. However I did manage to have the chance to play with and test a lot of products whilst wandering about and here are some of my favourites:

Top right we have Roses all the way soap which smells amazing! When I washed my hands with it in store, I was expecting it to look as though I had had one massive accident with blood red water, but instead it turns into a creamy lather which definitely made me look twice, possibly in confusion, but what is amazing is the scent.  If you love the smell of rose, in particular Turkish Rose which is both delicate but fresh scented, then this is one for you.

Unicorn Horn is a well loved Bubble Bar and even now I am still obsessed with all of the magical colours.  This is one of my favourite bubble bars because of the scent and its ability to make me feel instantly relaxed.  Using Lavender and Neroli is always going to get the thumbs up from me, but make it bright and pretty and mention the word 'Unicorn' and what is not to love?  This is one of those bubble bars that you can cut in half, or be like me and chuck the whole lot into the water crumbled up for lots of bubbles.

Cuteness alert with the Ladybird Bubble Bar which is new to Lush and is technically for Mother's Day but its far too cute not to want for Valentines Day. This one is a beautiful bright red and purple spotted being which when crumbled into the water uses both Geranium and Peppermint to relax the mind but uplift the soul, so if you are having one of those 'everything has gone wrong days' and the stress levels have hit the roof, then Ladybug is the perfect antidote to clam you now, chill you out and make you smile - it creates loads and loads of bubbles and turns your bath water a lovely shade of red!

Finally another newbie for Lush with the Lover Lamp Bath Bomb. It smells like a chocolate orange and uses Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute and Brazillian Orange Oil and once you chuck it in the bath and it begins to whizz around, slowly melting away, the oils when they hit the steam are just magical. The scent is amazing and it leaves your skin smelling good enough lick, never mind eat and the scent stays with you pretty much all day.

If those haven't really tickled your fancy or you think your wife/girlfriend/best friend or even the man in your life deserve a little something more, then there are of course the gift packages and again, they are just amazing and there is something for every budget.

In your Dreams is just under £10 and inside are two amazing products. Unicorn Horn which i've mentioned above and Tisty Toasty Bubble bar which is based on a medieval love potion. Studded with seven real rosebuds, it is scented with a captivating combination of floral orris root powder, rose, and lemon and it is just divine.

Two Hearts is again a total bargain at just £13.95 and it contains trio of bathtime treats with Tisty Toasty as mentioned above, Lover Lamp which again ive mentioned above and Sex Bomb bath bomb which uses a fragrant blend of jasmine, ylang ylang and clary sage will soon have you relaxed and feeling in the mood... Jasmine is an ancient aphrodisiac, used as a sensual perfume in India for centuries and in aromatherapy to ease stress and anxiety. Clary sage clears the mind, while ylang ylang is renowned for soothing worries.

The final package is Lots of Love and it costs £27.95 and is just brilliant. Inside this box are six amazing products which are - Tisty Toasty, Lover Lamp, Sex Bomb and Unicorn Horn all of which are mentioned so far.  The final two are ones I also adore and the first is French Kiss Bubble Bar which when crumbled under running water creates a paradisaical bath full of the lavender and rosemary scents of Southern France. Relax as your troubles bubble away and extra virgin coconut oils softens your skin. Finally is Rose Jam Bubbleroon which is just incredible. Pep up your spirits in a bath filled with Rose Jam: lemon, rose and geranium oil will help perk you up, while Fair Trade cocoa and shea butter leave you feeling gorgeous. You’ll end up feeling as cheered as though you'd been been given a bunch of flowers. Rose oil and rose absolute give a double dose of rosiness, helping to clear the mind and boost your mood.

This is just an insight into some of the products available from Lush and there are many more to look at - Prince Charming Shower Gel, Heart throb Bubbleroon and Love Spell Massage Bar to name just a few!

Have you gone to Lush for a Valentines Gift? 

Barbour New Fragrance Range

The iconic brand Barbour, who are perhaps better known for their wax jackets, motorcycle heritage and love of the British Countryside, have recently launched a fragrance** for him and for her in Selfridges.

Designed in a beautifully etched bottle which features the iconic checked design, the fragrances are just stunning. The rounded bottle which has a more feminine touch for the ladies and the rather square and chunky bottle for the man.

Barbour for her brings into the use the trend of rose gold with a chunky lid and lettering which add a touch of class to the already beautiful bottle. The scent, as you might expect is divine and perfect for those of you who like a fragrance which encompasses both floral and fruity notes. Opening with fresh, sparkling fruity notes of red currants, contrasted by spicy pink pepper which are the first things you notice upon spritizing, it settles down on the skin to reveal an elegant floral blend of rose, jasmine and blush peony are complimented by notes of musk and sweet vanilla, which are not overpowering but instead work with the other notes to make what is a fragrance perfect for spring and indeed the summer. 

Once on the skin, it has an amazing lastability, one spritz in the morning when I am getting ready and I can still smell the perfume at lunch time, right through the afternoon, only needing to re-apply if I am going out or have an event in the evening afterwards, even then, it is more for my own paranoia than need.

Barbour for him, has been created for a man who loves spending time in the British countryside. Using a warm layer of frosted violet leaves and cinnamon which are cast on a bed of vetiver, sandalwood and musk, while a burst of grapefruit and hint of black peppercorn enliven this captivating blend makes for a truly stunning fragrance which has real longevity when wearing. 

The mister is about to do a review on his blog, so if this is a fragrance you are thinking of purchasing, then a male view point is well worth waiting for. For me, I really like it and it is a scent that lingers on the skin enough so that when you are walking down the street, you leave a trail behind you.

Both fragrances are available at Selfridges and are priced from £40. Perfect if you haven't yet got that love of your life a gift for Valentines!

Wedding Outfit Tips

We all like weddings. They are days that create great memories and fantastic photos. Most people love the opportunity to dress up.

Going out shopping for a wedding outfit is always fun and interesting. Often you end up trying on clothes you would not otherwise consider buying. As a result, you usually gain some extra insight into what clothes look great on you. It is a chance to experiment and shake things up a bit. A wedding forces you not to be lazy and just carry on buying the same style of clothes you always do.

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Buy wisely

Naturally, you want to look your best, which means buying good quality clothes, which are expensive. If you are invited to several weddings in one year, being able to afford a complete new outfit for each of them can be impossible.

Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to get around this problem. If you follow my tips, you can buy a good outfit that you can adapt and update throughout the year. That way you get a new look for each wedding without having to pay for a complete outfit each time.

Buy for both weddings in one shopping trip

If you know for sure that you are going to be attending more than one wedding before you go out you have the chance to shop for both outfits together. With shops changing their range on six or 8-week cycles this is the wisest approach.

If you do not do this, you run the risk that styles will change drastically between shopping trips. Should that happen, it will become more difficult to buy accessories that fit together nicely with the outfit you have bought.

Accessories are the key

How you accessorise the outfit has a big impact on the overall look. Bear this in mind when choosing what you buy. You are looking for a dress, or maybe a suit, in a colour and fabric that is easy to match with different colour and styles of shoes, belts, scarves, handbags and hats.

Go classic

Choosing a classic cut improves your chances of being able to find the accessories you need. If you choose a radical look, your chances of being able to do this are reduced.

Think about the type of weddings you will be attending

Just as important is thinking about the kinds of weddings you will be attending during the year. A formal suit, in a luxurious fabric, may be perfect for a classy city wedding. Whereas, for a countryside wedding venue such as Heaton House Farm it won’t work so well.

Consider the weather

Another consideration is the weather. If you are attending a summer wedding, the chances are you will be fine in just a dress. But, if you want to wear that same dress to an autumn or winter wedding you will need a jacket or shawl. That is a good thing because you can choose one in a different fabric, which will make it far easier for you to give your outfit a fresh look. 

*collaboration