Magazine Freebies - August 2016

This month see's some absolutely amazing Magazine Freebies, making up for a few months where there has either been none or there is just one or two pretty decent ones, if you follow me on Instagram, I have featured them for this month. The best so far has to come from both Marie Claire and Glamour Magazine if you are a Benebabe and like your brow products or if like me you love a good Benefit Mini, as I showed here.

For those of you who are not in the know, Benefit have just launched a whole new Brow collection, which I have had a sneak peek of and it is pretty fantastic, keep your eye out here for more information. 

That said, in Marie Claire Magazine this month, you can get your hands on one of those brand new products - Read, Set, Brow and it is the product I think I am likely to reach for the most. Goof Proof Brow Pencil which is a clear and sturdy brow gel that promises a flake-free, 24 hour hold completely natural brows that are just set in place. I really liked this gel and you can use it on its own or with other products to ensure those brows stay in place. Ready, Set Brow is £18.50.

Staying with the Benefit freebies we have Glamour Magazine which has Gimme Brow in two different shades, 1 (light) and 5 (dark). Gimme Brow which has been given a makeover, is a tinted eyebrow gel which contains tiny microfibers that adhere to skin & hairs, creating natural-looking fullness and definition. The custom, tiny tapered brush blends easily while the precision tip shapes hairs into place.

Also this month:

• Red Magazine - The Organic Pharmacy trio of skincare products which include a Marigold and Comfrey handcream, Antioxidant Lip Balm and a duo rose face cream which together are worth £20.95
• Harper's Bazaar - L'Occitane choice of 4 products which include the iconic shea butter hand cream, the nourishing almond shower oil, or the refreshing Néroli & Orchidée scent which is divine or one of my favourites and that is the Imortelle Divine Creme which is as the name suggests, totally divine. Together these products are worth £32!

Image Credit - Harpers Bazaar

So, once again there are some fabulous freebies to be had this month which are more than worthy of being picked up.  Have you picked up any yet?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

MY PURRFECT GIFT BOX | JUNE EDITION

I am back once again with the amazing Mypurrfectgiftbox* on the blog and as I have said before, it is an absolute must for cat lovers, cat loving friends and for your furry friends.

Kim and Juan Kniveton the founders of My Purrfect Gift Box are dedicated cat lovers, so much so they moved back from the USA to the Isle of Man to set up and run their own idyllic countryside retreat for cats - Boodee Beg Boarding Cattery, something I dream of doing (if I ever win the lottery). With their onsite gift shop not doing as well as they had hoped, Kim and Juan decided to start My Purffect Box and each month they choose to focus on a different cat charity, rescue centre or shelter and highlight the work they do through their social media sites and through information that comes in each box. They then donate 5% of all our profits from that month's box to that chosen charity of the month.

This box is aptly titled 'Head To The Beach' and the items enclosed are ready for you and your cat to enjoy the summer sunshine and again it is packed full of amazing products that are hand made!

Starting with the gifts for the crazy cat lovers we have some cat eye sunglasses which are obviously an essential summer item to have. These are possibly the cutest things I have ever seen and they are not only stylish but they will protect your eyes with UV protection.  They also come with an incredibly cute cat sunglasses case (which I adore) from Etsy seller LukieDukie.

Next up we have some cat themes luggage tags and there is one thing for certain, there is no way you wouldn't not spot your own luggage with these. With two in the box, they are lovely and bright white and have a stunning cat print them on with enough room to write the important information.  Again these come from an Etsy Store - Theeclecticcloset and are available in black & White or in Colour.

Everyone needs a tote bag and as far as I am concerned you can never have enough of them. I always ensure I have one in my handbag so I am not having to pay out for a carrier bag. This beautifully designed cat tote bag is etched with an original drawing by an artist.  Made from 100% cotton, again you can find it on Etsy from artdp.

The final gift for humans comes in the form of a lip balm and I am one of those people who has an obsession with lip balms, but this isn't like any other I have used.  This one is infused with pure catnip essential oil for a fresh minty flavour and is enhanced with extracts from Gunpowder Green Tea and Gotu Kola.  Given my cats reactions to anything catnip, I am quite interested to see how they react to this.  Available on Etsy from wildroseherbs store.

Gifts for the cats have caused some excitement this month, well for Dexter anyway!  Starting with the cat candy toy which is soft, cuddly and so very brightly coloured, you cannot miss it.  With a jingle bell and a bit of catnip, Dexter has a new favourite toy.  Available from rufflesnufflemat.

Finally in the box we have two products which go hand in hand with one another.  A sachet of Encore natural cat food which my boys absolutely love and I buy it for them as a treat or as a change from the food they currently have and a Mason & Cash ceramic cat bowl which is far too cute and I want to keep it to myself

I think this is just another fabulous box. I love that there is a great inclusion of products for my boys and for my as a crazy cat lady. Boxes start from £15.95 and there is a choice of three boxes to choose from depending on your budget and then you have a further option as to whether you would like a one off box or a subscription.

So, if like me, you are a crazy cat lady or have a crazy cat friend, this is a perfect little unique gift to give or purchase for yourself as well as do you bit for charity!  I also absolutely love the Crazy Cat Lady Accessories Box!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Braun Silk-expert IPL

As summer has arrived, by that I mean the Great British Summer, it is time to ensure those legs are looking the very best they can be when the time comes to grab those skirts, shorts, cullottes and pretty dresses.  For me, that means a huge exfoliation exercise and being hair free.

I am the first to admit that I find shaving my legs incredibly boring but it is a necessary evil and it is one of those tasks I never look forward to doing, much like cleaning my make-up brushes.  So when I was given the Braun Silk-Expert  iPL* hair removal system to use, it was love at first use.

To give a little background to the device, the Braun Silk-expert is a ground-breaking IPL system which results in permanent visible hair reduction in as little as four treatments. It works beneath the skin's surface by targeting the melanin in the hair follicle, helping to break the cycle of hair re-growth. With continued, regular use, it helps prevent unwanted hair from reaching the skin's surface. Not only that, but this device has what is called intelligent SensoAdapt technology which continually reads and adapts to your skintone throughout use, and emit gentle pulses of light which are tailored to your needs.

The device is incredibly easy to use and this is in part due to its design, it is sleek, not at all heavy and it doesn't hurt, sting, pinch or burn the skin in anyway shape or form and it is something you can use at any time of the day and as part of your skincare routine. It also doesn't leave my legs feeling dry and nor does it cause irritation, in fact I can find no fault with it what-so-ever.

The device is designed to be used on legs, underarm, bikini line and it can be used on your face, though it is not suitable for being used near the eyes because it is capable of producing 120,000 flashes and these flashes are part of the IPL technology. When it is in use, it flashes every 1-2 seconds which means a treatment on your leg takes around 8 minutes, which I find really impressive.

It also has two different modes of use.  The first is called the Gliding Mode which is for fast but efficient treatments and the second is called Press and Release which is designed for treating smaller more sensitive areas such as the underarm, upper lip and bikini line, so again, depending on your preference for use, there is something to try and decide which works best for you.

I have been using this device for the last few months and I am so impressed with it. Firstly, I have been waiting for some hair to grow back so I can show picture evidence of it working, but it is so good I have been waiting weeks to just to post this review. Now I don't have very hairy legs, so to speak, the hair is quite sparse in places

As you can see the hair on my legs is taking quite some time to grow back and that is after using it once a week for 8 weeks. 

Braun Silk-expert is an IPL system which results in permanent visible hair removal in as little as four treatments. It works beneath the skin's surface by targeting the melanin in the hair follicle, helping to break the cycle of hair re-growth. With continued, regular use, it helps prevent unwanted hair from reaching the skin surface. This Braun Silk-expert IPL is most effective on light to medium skin tones with hair ranging from natural blonde to dark brown or black. The device is least effective on very blonde, red, grey or white hair where the smaller amount of melanin does not absorb the light.
Finally, if you are as forgetful as me, don't worry, Braun have it covered with their app! The Braun Silk-expert IPL mobile application helps remind you of treatment dates, usage instructions and can even track your progress. You will be able to visualize the importance of the SensoAdaptTM skin tone sensor in getting the safest, most effective treatment. Braun Silk-expert: permanent visible hair removal made easy - now that is cool!

This device is available exclusively from Boots and this is a special edition as it comes with a Face Cleansing Brush.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

#TEAMME with Superdrug | Yokebe

Superdrug have recently launched their #TeamMe summer campaign and they are working with well-known Olympians and members of the public to get the nation healthy and achieving their personal health and fitness goals. 

Whether your goal is losing weight, quitting smoking or getting your blood pressure under control, Superdrug will provide members of #TEAMME with the impetus, inspiration and expertise to get you there. #TEAMME is a team for all the regular people out there wanting to achieve their own personal health goals and with Superdrug by their side everyone across the country can set their own goal: to be the me they want to be.

I was sent a lovely package of products to work my way through and for me losing a bit of weight is something I have been doing but when you reach a plateaux it becomes much harder to shift those pounds and you become a little de-motivated. So Yokebe is what is referred to as being Active Food and is essentially a meal replacement shake for weight loss made with 100% natural ingredients + all the vitamins, minerals and macronutrients your body needs.  

Now I have never tried any kind meal replacement shake diet, I have never thought it was for me and it always looked and sounded far too time consuming, but I decided to give Yokebe a try.  My package included two tins of Yokebe in Natural Honey Flavour plus a couple of shakers plus a box of Yokebe Active Food 1 Week Turbo Diet Pack. 

The ethos with Yokebe is quite simple and is as follows:"We believe that meal replacements are the most effective way to lose weight. But this shouldn’t mean feeling hungry, lacking of energy, and yo-yo dieting. Yokebe’s formula is full of delicious natural goodness that nourishes your body, harnessing protein for active weight loss and a feeling of fullness".

Now the shake is really easy to make and it takes just a few minutes, much less time than I was expecting:

1. Pour 200 ml low-fat milk (1.5 % fat) in your Yokebe shaker.
2. Then add 50 g Yokebe (5 heaped measuring spoons or 5 heaped tablespoons) to the milk.
3. Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) vegetable oil with a high level of unsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil, safflower oil) - This is so you can absorb all of your fat solumble vitamins (A, D and E)
4. Tightly close the shaker and shake it vigorously!

Having used Yokebe now for 2 weeks solid, I admit the taste is not for me.  I find it to be quite chalky, too sweet smelling and the taste is just not for me at all.  Once you have made your drink, it isn't one you can leave to sit around for a while because it separates slightly and becomes gloopy and given it contains milk, if left in the sun it will curdle.  That said, I was determined to stick with it and whilst I don't usually step on to any scales, I did for this and after 2 weeks of having a shake for breakfast instead of cereal or toast, the loss was 6lbs. I found the shakes to be incredibly filling and whilst I don't tend to snack much, I found lunchtime moving from 12.30-1.30pm because I simply wasn't hungry. I just need to find a way to deal with the taste or look to trying the chocolate version which has caught my eye.

If you find you need a bit of inspiration or advice, then #TeamMe is definitely one to look in to and you can find all the information here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise