Getting things done with BidVine

Getting things done is awesome. More accurately, being done and enjoying the outcome is the real reward of dealing with the smallest fix to the largest project. The problem is that finding someone to help you get there has remained a hassle. Wasn’t technology supposed to help with things like that? Is pretty much what I think about the discovery of apps on my iPhone, iPad or even laptop most days and that too is the ethos of BidVine.

Bidvine is designed to help you get things done by finding competitive quotes for jobs you need doing, whether that is hiring a domestic cleaner, a handy man, wedding hair and makeup and even someone to take some professional photos for you. What I love is that it can all be done via an app or via your computer, depending on your preference and it is a simple case of Request, review and Hire in easy to follow steps.

The website is so user friendly and easy to use with everything you need right in front of you. Facing you straightaway on the homepage is a search box asking you what it is you would like help with, so I opted for portrait photography, I have hardly any decent photos of the mister and I together, not even on our wedding day, so it is something I would like. So having typed in my request and postcode, a list of options come up for you choose from what type of portrait you need, where will it be taken, type of image you are looking for, how you would like the images displayed, your budget and the delivery of the service. All of which are simple tick box exercises. 

Once the form was completed, I was sent an email letting me know that there are limited photographers in my area that could meet my needs but that on my behalf they would still hustle to get me a quote from at least one qualified professional.  So already within minutes I have someone bidding on my behalf, doing the leg work and promising to keep me up to date with what was happening and that by Tuesday morning I would hopefully have something or someone to work with.  The end result was that I not only had one quote but three different ones ranging in price from just slightly higher from my lower budget £75 to the top of my budget £200.  When the quotes come in you get to then view each company's portfolio, qualification and references, read reviews from other customers and then you can either call them directly or continue to use BidVine to send your messages.

The best part about BidVine is that it costs you the customer absolutely nothing to use the service and the team at the company review every service provider's profile before it can go live but of course it is always sensible to do your own research before settling on the company you choose, this is where reviews from other people come in handy.

I am really impressed with BidVine, I love how easy it is to use whether you have limited internet experience or know your way around pretty well.  It is easy to follow, the questions are relevant to the job you need doing and it isn't intrusive and your inbox isn't filled with spam messages within seconds.  Great service and definitely one to add to the favourites back for those pesky jobs!

*this post is a collaboration but all words and experiences are my own.

Coffee Scrubs - My Top 5

I am absolutely obsessed with coffee scrubs (thanks Pinterest) and have for the past few months been working my way through a few brands (11 in total) trying and testing them out. 

Coffee grounds are said to have a multitude of benefits for the skin when used as an exfoliator, Not only have I found coffee scrubs to be incredible at removing dead, dry and flaky skin, but it is true that they helps to improve the skin tone and also the texture of the skin. If from time to time you can feel slightly bump skin where it has dried out and is in need of a good scrub, a coffee scrub is among one of the best things I have found. Coffee Scrubs are said to also increase blood circulation as well as helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite eczema, stretch marks, age spots, varicose veins and psoriasis and of course it does leaves your skin smelling just absolutely amazing!

Instead of including them all in one post, I have selected the ones I liked the most and all for different reasons and here they are:

Lush Cup O Coffee 

This has already featured on my blog (here) a little while ago but I do absolutely love it. Designed to be a face and body mask, if you love the smell of fresh coffee brewing in a morning, then this one is for you.

The scent is fresh, it wakes you up and it is a really good exfoliator, which isn't too abrasive on the skin. Alongside coffee, this scrub also uses Kaolin which helps to cleanser and exfoliate the skin, Coriander Seed Oil which not only warms and soothes tired achey muscles but also uplifts and refreshes where states of tension and fatigue exist plus it is naturally antibacterial and there is also Vanilla Absolute which is fresh and uplifting scent as well as having an antibacterial effect on the skin, it is also naturally rich in vitamins which help your skin to feel more balanced and healthy.

This Lush Cup O' Coffee Face and Body Mask costs £6.75/150g and £13.25/325g and can be found online and in stores.

Clean Beauty Co. - Scrub Life.
If ever there was a product to make you get excited when opening the packaging, this one gets full marks. It smells just incredible and promises to scrub, buff and smooth from head to toe. 

What I love about this scrub is that it comes with a little spoon to extract some of the scrub from its tub. 100% natural, this scrub contains grapefruit which is an anti-oxidant and will get to work on any pesky cellulite, coconut oil to smooth, moisturise and hydrate your skin, Jojoba Oil which is also an antioxidant and as well as being great at moisturising the skin, it also gently unclogs the pores and lifts grime and imbedded impurities. I love how this feels on my skin and I love how the scent lingers, it is a strong coffee scent and it does leave my skin soft, smooth and just feeling incredible. 

This coffee scrub is £20 for 200ml.

Bean Body Coffee Scrub
This scrub came to me via a Libbie Club Box and it is an Organic Coffee Scrub which uses Robusta Coffee Beans, Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil, Himalayan pink rock salt, Demerara Sugar, Organic Cacao and Vitamin E oil. 

The inclusion of Demerara Sugar and Himalayan Salt are what makes this scrub stand out in the crowd for me. Designed to exfoliate your skin, removing dead skin as well as whiteheads, blackhead, it also helps with breakouts and other skin blemishes. Slightly coarser in texture than the rest of the scrubs within this post but I love that with a little bit more pressure, it removes that tough dead and dry skin.  What I love about Bean Body is that it is the most abrasive of the bunch and with just that little bit of extra pressure, you can do so much more.

This coffee scrub ranges in prices from around £11 up to £15 depending upon where you shop.

Sukin - Energising Body Scrub with Coffee and Coconut

Sukin is a brand I am just getting to know, so when I realised they did a coffee scrub, I was delighted to receive it and it comes in a tube!

This scrub is again totally different to every other scrub within this review and again this is due to its texture. Rather than looking like spent coffee beans, Sukin has a more cream feel to it, though the coffee is most definitely present alongside coconut and walnut shell which you can feel. The use of both Walnut and Coconut Shell make for an incredible exfoliating duo which come together to gently buff away dull, dead skincells, Add to that there is the inclusion of Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil and Jojoba which are nourishing, moisturising and hydrating leaving the skin feeling soft and smooth and finally there is antioxidant Vitamin E and Rose Hip which protects skin and reignites that natural glow.  For me, this scrub deserves its inclusion within my post and if you have never tried a coffee scrub and are not sure whether or not you would like it, this is the beginners guide to coffee scrubs option, it is kind and gentle and the coffee scent isn't as strong as it is within others.

This coffee scrub costs £12.99 for a 200ml tube.

Scrub Love - Mint Temptation
If you want a scrub to quite literally drag you out of that slumber and kick you awake, let me introduce Scrub Love. Mint Temptation makes me want to drink it never mind use it

Alongside coffee this scrub gives you that complete minty experience with the inclusion of Peppermint Oil which is anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and pore cleansing, Tea Tree Oil which has antiseptic properties make it great for healing and softening, plus it helps soothe tired muscles. Dead Sea Salt which is full of minerals, magnesium and potassium, it’s the best salt to scrub and rub on your skin to stimulate and relax deep into the tissue, Argan Oil which is high in fatty acids and vitamin E, it’s easily absorbed into your skin to moisturize and combat dark spots and finally Aloe Vera which is an anti-septic with cooling and healing properties. It’s also packed with vitamins A, B, C & E and Beta Carotene which give it anti-ageing properties as it nourishes your skin.  For me this scrub is all about the scent and how it makes you feel when you use it, the feel good factor is most definitely present with this scrub.

This coffee scrub costs just £12.95 and it is a 200ml bag and you have three to choose from with Mint, Coconut and Original. 

If you have never ever tried a Coffee Scrub, then these are my top 5 of all of the ones I have tried. Each and every one of the five are totally different from one another whilst they all have one thing in common - coffee.  Whether you like your scrub to be potent, mild, abrasive or gentle to the skin there is more than a few choices with this 5.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Jolen Crème Bleach : Celebrating 50 years in Beauty

I am sure everyone who reads this post will have heard of Jolen Crème Bleach and this summer Jolen celebrated 50 years in beauty. That is 50 years on continuous sales in the UK Market since its launch in 1966, which is simply amazing in a market which is ever growing and with new technologies formulating products which are almost space age in their concept, telling that Jolen has stood the test of time and clearly does what it says on the box because people keep on buying it. Jolen offer a variety of solutions for unwanted facial and body hair including our Creme Bleach Original and Mild formulas. Creme Bleach was the first cosmetic created to lighten unwanted dark hair to a colour which blends with natural skin tones. 

My first memory of Jolen is my older cousin using it as a sort of facial bleach to lighten the hair on her face, especially her top lip and it was only later on that I realised that it is also recommended for lightening any darker hairs on arms and thighs as well as other body hair.

In celebrating those 50 years, Jolen has had a bit of a makeover with packaging that I feel is more stand out on the shelves and much easier to figure out what it is for. It also now comes with an easy mix cup and spatula. 

So why bleach when there are so many other ways of removing unwanted hair? Well Jolen say it is quick, safe, inexpensive and at-home convenience. Add to that unlike waxing, bleaching unwanted hair on the face and body does not involve painful pulling which can make the face swollen or red, or lead to stubble growth weeks later. Because you’re not pulling at the hair follicle, you don’t risk the possibility of ingrown hairs, either. 

One thing I wasn't aware of is how many uses Jolen has until now. It can be used as a facial bleach to lighten unwanted hair–upper lip, chin, cheeks and even sideburn areas. Jolen is also recommended for minimizing noticeable hair on the arms, thighs, back, stomach and other body areas (but not for use on pubic hair). You can also use Jolen to lighten eyebrows to match your hair colour and even add highlights to your hair. 

Available as the original formula or with added Aloe Vera, Jolen isn't tested on animals and you should always do a test patch before using to check for signs of irritation.  Available nationalwide, prices range from £3.29-£11 depending on where you shop and which size pot you purchase.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

L’Occitane La Flamme Marie Claire

Did you know that less than a third of school children worldwide are girls? Quite a shocking statistic when you realise how many children of school age there must be! Launching the first week of September, the L'Occitance La Flamme Marie Claire, a collaboration between Marie Claire and L’Occitane will be released to raise funds for the education of young women around the world. 100% of the profits from the sale of each candle will be donated between three chosen charities in order to help transform the lives of thousands of young girls in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Cambodia and South Africa where the lack of available education leaves girl and women dependent, powerless and vulnerable.

Access to education is something I used to take for granted, in the UK it is a right not a privilege and I know without it, I wouldn't be where I am today. I was lucky enough to go to pass all my GCSEs and A Levels before going on to University where I graduated with a 2:1. It is campaigns like this which make you realise just how lucky we are.

L'Occitane have, for the past 30 years, supported many ethical and charitable foundations and one of their biggest projects has been enabling the women of Burkino Faso, where L'Occitane sources their famous Shea Butter, to develop other revenue generating activities to drive them towards economic emancipation.  Partnering with Marie Claire to support projects with a common goal: educating girl and young women, the flame (La Flamme) is a symbol of hope, a beacon of knowledge spreading the light of understanding and education throughout the world.

So the candle! It comes packaged inside this beautiful pink tin is a Verbena scented candle and it smells just incredible and very much like Lemon Bon-bons to me and that is before I have lit it. 

The L’Occitane La Flamme Marie Claire La Flamme Marie Claire initiative will be available in the UK, France, Italy and Czech Republic and will be priced at £8 from 1st September.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise