Not Another Bunch of Flowers

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I am sure most, if not all of us, will know someone or know of someone with it, has had it or has sadly passed away from what is a truly horrendous disease. I have known, in my lifetime, 4 people who have had it, two of them are still alive and they still fight it.

Not Another Bunch of Flowers is an online web shop set up by Anikka Burton to help friends and family of poorly people make thoughtful gift choices for their loved ones. Anikka herself was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 aged 33, and has had the full works of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy and 5 operations to date. When she was first diagnosed, Anikka’s friends, family and colleagues sent so many bunches of flowers that she ran out of vases, jugs, pint glasses... until she was putting them in saucepans and anything else that would hold water! From here, Not Another Bunch Of Flowers was born.

The first thing we do as humans when someone is unwell is reach for the phone, internet or shop for some flowers.  Flowers, which are bright and beautiful instantly make people feel cheery and much better but, having friends with breast cancer, flowers are a lovely gesture, but sometimes there are other things that can also make the difference and this is why Not Another Bunch Of Flowers is such a great idea.

I know from experience that doing the simple things in life like the shopping, buying ice cubes and even doing the ironing or walking the dog were as much appreciated as the flowers but I also get that buying something other than flowers is sometimes a bit of an alien thought process. So buying an alternative present can be a difficult choice and this is where  Not Another Bunch Of Flowers helps shoppers pick out the right practical gifts for those going through chemo, such as eye masks, button front pyjamas, beanies, and all sorts of bits and bobs you would never have thought of if you hadn’t been through it yourself.

Not Another Bunch of Flowers is generally known for supplying gifts for cancer patients – due to Anikka’s personal story and the resulting PR. However,  Not Another Bunch Of Flowers  also sells general get well gifts, hospital gifts and gifts for mums-to-be and new mums.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Introducing Noble Naturals

Nano minerals are not a concept I had heard of until recently, but now I have, I am incredibly intrigued. Throughout the years, The Health Factory has specialised in the research and development of 100% bio-available minerals and other natural products. Described as being something our body needs, Nano minerals can do a whole host of amazing things and here is how.

L'Ords des Pharaons is a face and body mist which contains purified and revitalised water with added nanoclusters of pure gold, platinum and pure zinc. From the beginning of time gold is considered to be a gift from the gods and going back to the time of the ancient Egypt, the gold of the Pharaohs was used for face masks to help preserve the skin whilst monatomic gold, which was very highly-valued by ancient cultures for its "mystical properties" and "magical powers", was used to rejuvenate and extend the lifespan of a human. 

Fast forward to today and what we have in L’Ords des Pharaons Face and Body Mist, £40 is a product which when applied on the skin before make-up and creams; L’Or des Pharaons’ pure ingredients are absorbed deep into the skin layers. Thus the revitalisation is deep and lasting. L’Or des Pharaons combats the visible signs of aging at cellular level and helps rejuvenate your skin – defying the effects of time.  It contains no allergens or chemicals.

Nano Silver (or Colloidal Silver) is described as being a uniquely formed mineral water which contains silver particles and it is these particles which kill bacteria and fungus in minutes. Noble Naturals’ Nano Silver is available in three different sizes; a 15ml spray, a 100ml bottle with a handy dropper and bigger bottles in 200ml and 1 litre sizes. Prices start from £10.95

I had a quick chat with a science teacher friend of mine and I was more acutely aware as to what a great little find this is. Apparently, the world’s oldest and original antibiotic which was used before the discovery of penicillin to fight off illness, Silver has, for centuries, been used to protect the body from disease and illness and also to kill harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi within the body! Something I never knew until now which shames me as a history graduate!  Before the invention of the refrigerator, it was common practice to drop a silver coin into a container of milk as a preservative because silver was known to prevent the growth of algae, bacteria and other undesirable organisms.

So, when applied directly to the skin, this product can treat problems such as nappy rash, burns, sores, cuts, skin conditions such as eczema, toothache, throat infections and eye infections to name just a few.  As someone who suffers with tonsillitis and am allergic to penicillin, this is definitely a product I intend to try the next time I am ill. 

I absolutely love learning about products such as Nano Silver and L'Ords des Pharaons, they fascinate me and one of the reasons I enjoy blogging as much as I do is because without it, I would never have the chance to discover and try products such as these.

All Noble Natural products are available at The Health Factory. 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Jay Manuel Beauty

Beauty. It's deeply personal, purely individual and surprisingly public. A woman's appearance is an outward reflection of who she really is. Jay Manuel Beauty is about self-sourcing your style and finding the path to you.  So says the man himself.  Jay Manuel is a name you might recognise and associate with America's Next Top Model and Fashion Police and now he has brought to the world his own cosmetics brand which he say is about empowering modern women to enhance their unique beauty and to do that, the range utilises the highest quality ingredients, sophisticated pigments and can we just add, some pretty amazing packaging which is sleek and just delightful.

I was lucky enough to fangirl, I mean meet Jay at a recent event where he took the time to speak to myself and a few others and talk through some of the products.  Throughout his career, Jay has noted that most women fall into three broad categories: Classic, Avant-Garde and Iconic, sometimes not exclusively and sometime a mixture of all three.  It is these three categories which are reflected across the Jay Manuel beauty brand.

• Classic: A look that is relevant always. opts for a fresh-faced, natural look that has an understated elegance.  Prefering neutrals and classic colours without a lot of flourishes.  Products will be easy to blend and build, ideal for a no muss, no fuss approach or simply the more subtle look.
• Iconic: A strong statement that is remembered through time. Makes a powerful and sophisticated impressed through the use of strong colour, smoky eye and plenty of drama. Wants the flexibility to define the look based on occasion, hot trend or mood.  Products are more layered and create seductive, high-impact looks which command attention.
• Avant-Garde: Throwing away all the rules. Loves to experiment and isn't afraid to take risks. The look is cutting edge and often extreme, featuring highly eclectic and eccentric choices.  Products will include a variety of intense colours and unusual finishes that are mixed and matched with wild abandon.

With products ranging from Foundation, lipstick, lipgloss, Mascara, eyeshadow quads, eyeliner, blusher, bronzer, powder and concealer to name just a few, there is plenty to get stuck into.  I have been lucky enough to play with two of the Ultimate Lipsticks, all of which have very playful names, mine are Nudiest which as you can see is a beautiful nude shade and Siren which is a beautiful red shade that I am hoping I can pull off. I love the packaging, as I have said it is sleek, nothing too over the top and you can see what the product is and who it is by all in one look. Described as being "Bold, statement-making lipsticks saturate lips with high-intensity pigments and create long lasting definition with deep, luscious hydration" one thing for sure is that they glide onto the lips with ease and are just so super soft, they are a delight to wear.  There are 15 different lipstick shades to choose from 

The Soft Focus Powder Blush which comes inside a sleek compact and is adorned with the initials JM, I have shade Bella which is a slightly pinkier shade than I would usually choose, but it is a shade which gives a light dusting of colour to the cheekbones and can be built up to give as much colour as you are comfortable with.  It is available in 5 other shades and in my opinion, well worth looking at because it is divine.

The Ultimate Lip Gloss in shade Wet. On the lips it glides on so quickly and effortlessly to give a really good shine and as it is clear there is no colour. Thankfully it is neither sticky or tacky which is a massive no for me when it comes to a gloss. It is formulated with luxurious pigments and extra fine crushed gemstones and uses Diamond dust which refracts light giving lips a soft focus and high shine. The wand has really flexiable silicone tip making it easier to complete the application.

The Everything Mascara in black features an adjustable and retractable wand which features two different lengths of bristles allowing you to  twist and pull through your lashes to ensure each one is coated. Designed to maximise length and volume, I love that this mascara doesn't clump, it doesn't have a scent and you can reach those small little inner lashes easily without poking yourself in the eye. 

The Jay Manuel Beauty collection is available now on QVC and if you are never sure what shades might be right for you, then you can download Jay's app and it gives customised make-up recommendations based on your style, identifies your skin tone to recommend your shades, and suggests shades for you based on products you already own.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

It's Halloween with Lush

How amazing does a Saturday night locked in a Lush Cosmetics shop sound? Amazing that is what and guess what... It is exactly what I did!  Down at Victoria Station hidden away is a little Lush Store with the most amazing, excitable, knowledgeable and friendly Lush staff you will possibly meet.

Spending an evening being allowed to explore new products, play with products, touch absolutely everything and eat sweets is a dream for any Lush fan and I got to take it one step further and walk around the store, wearing Lush BB Seaweed Facemask whilst dropping bath bombs into water, why? Well because I could and because, well why not?  One thing I do love about Lush and their staff is how friendly everyone is and if you are not so sure whether or not a product is for, then simply ask and it will be shown to you.

With Autumn arriving and Halloween and then Christmas coming, there is, as you might expect, a lot of new Lush products and first comes Halloween so this is what you might find on the shelves on your local store.

The Lush Halloween 2016 collection, which is available in-stores now, debuts some bright, weird and most definitely sparkly products to try out.  Starting with Dead Good Pumpkin gift set (20.95) which features four products Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar, Pumpkin and Lord of Misrule Bath Bombs plus Boo the bath melt.

Pumpkin Bath Bomb (£3.95) fizzes into a hue of bright orange as it melts into the water and it gives off a spicy scent of vanilla with a dashing of cinnamon to almost make you believe you have a piece of pumpkin pie, fruity and sweet all at the same time.

Monsters' Ball Bath Bomb (£4.25) explodes into bright vivid pinks, purples and mint greens as it dissolves into the water and using Lime Oil and Neroli Oil it is every bit as fruity as a bath needs to be, but there is also the inclusion of rock salt from the Himalayas.

Boo the bath melt (£3.50) which is shaped like a ghost uses calming Mimosa, warming Ginger, Fair Trade, organic cocoa butter, grounding sandalwood combines and vivid Sicilian mandarin oil to make the most amazing amount of bubbles which smell delightful.

Autumn Leaf Bath Bomb (£3.75) fizzes from green to yellow and then to red which is as amazing as it sounds and uses Sandalwood, Bergamot and Neroli oils, again smelling just incredible, just like cut grass!

Goth Fairy Shimmer Bar (£3.50) gives off a multitude of iridescent lustres - gold, green, purple and silver on the skin. Using illipe and cupuaçu butters which gently melt over the body, they soften skin and leave the fruity scent of almond, grapefruit and bergamot, it smells literally good enough to eat.

Sparkly Pumpkin Bubble Bar (£3.95) is definitely one for the glitter lovers, though it doesn't turn you into a disco ball thankfully.  Dropped into the water this one becomes bright greens and oranges and used Juniperberry, Grapefruit and Lime oils which pack a punch and should leave you revitalised and full of energy.

Little Monster (£10.95) is the second gift set to have caught my eye. Inside you will find two gifts - Lord of Misrule Shower Gel which uses spicy black pepper and patchouli concoction, with just a dash of Fair Trade vanilla absolute to bring out your sweet side.  Add to that is Monters' Ball Bath Bomb.

So if Halloween is your thing and you love Lush, this combination is just perfect!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise