TJ Hughes Christmas Gifts PLUS £60 Gift Card GIVEAWAY!

Who doesn’t spend hours online sourcing better prices for their beauty products or hoping there is a discount code lurking somewhere? I am one of those people who will put the effort into finding the absolute best price and in my time, I’ve had some real bargains.  One of those bargains came from TJ Hughes a few years ago with a gift for my mum. This year I have been I was kindly gifted a few items from the TJ Hughes Christmas Range and they have also kindly given me a £60 voucher to give away to one of you. 

If you have never heard of TJ Hughes before, they are a discount department store chain who specialises in everything from homeware and electrical goods to clothing and beauty. As well as having an online presence, they also have physical stores too, the nearest one for me living in London being Harlow. TJ Hughes first started trading in 1912 and since day one they have been offering customers premium brands at discounted prices up to 70% off RRP. Their aim is to provide savvy shoppers with top brands at affordable and competitive prices and those brands include Remington, Clinique, French Connection and Fiorelli to name just a few.

My hubby is a tad obsessed with aftershaves, he probably has one for every day of the week for 3 months without having to wear the same one twice! So my first gift of choice was from Issey Miyake with L'Eau Bleu d'Issey Eau Fraiche.  As a fragrance, it is one which has been around for quite a few years but has somehow escaped the misters' collection.

Described as being a Floral Woody Musk, it features top notes of rosemary, bergamot and mint, heart notes of mate herb, pink pepper and may rose before closing with the base notes of musk and patchouli.  It is a really lovely fresh peppery scent which is just beautiful as both the rosemary and the mint fight for your attention, as it settles on the skin the musk and patchouli really linger.  L'Eau Bleu d'Issey Eau Fraiche has an RRP £36 but with TJ Hughes it costs just £18.95.

The following products for this little TJ Hughes gift guide come from Baylies and Harding with a selection of Gift Sets and this is a first for me with this brand, it is one I have heard and read so much about, but until now, had never tried. The first two gift sets I chose have come from the men's section and they are the Baylis and Harding Citrus, Lime and Mint Grooming Trio Gift Set and the Baylis and Harding Men's Black pepper & Ginseng Travel Essential Gift Set, both of which are amazingly discounted.

The Citrus, Lime and Mint Grooming Trio includes a 300ml Hair & Body Wash, a 200ml Shower Gel and a 200ml Aftershave Balm.  Each one of these products is fragranced with Citrus, Lime and Mint which not only gives a truly refreshing scent of woody base notes alongside the freshness of lime and bergamot.  

The body wash and shower gel work to cleanse the skin and to leave it with a fresh lingering aroma and the aftershave balm soothes and nourishes the skin.  This has the kind of scent that I would be willing to bathe in.  This set has an RRP £15 and from TJ Hughes it is priced at £12.99.

The second set which is the Baylis and Harding Men's Black pepper & Ginseng Travel Essential Gift Set is one I chose because the mister travels a lot with work and this set is really handy to have.  Inside there is a 100ml Hair & Body Wash, 100ml Face Wash, a 50ml Shower Gel and a 50ml Aftershave Balm. Again, this is another scent I absolutely love and is also one I would be more than happy to use too. 

It features a Black Pepper and Ginseng fragrance which is described as being a sophisticated, yet stimulating, blend of fruity, spicy top notes and rich sandalwood and cedar base notes, one which is definitely more masculine than feminine but a fragrance I really love. This set has an RRP £12 but with TJ Hughes it costs just £9.99.

The final item within this collection is all for me and it is the Baylies and Harding Sweet Mandarin & Grapefruit Ultimate Bathing Gift Set. This really is quite the gift set and it features everything you need for that at-home spa session on a Sunday afternoon.

Inside the box you will find a 300ml Refreshing Body Wash, a 300ml Luxury Bath Milk, a 130ml Luxury Shower Crème, a 130ml Moisturising Body Lotion, a 150g Cleansing Soap and 100g Bath Soak Crystals.  

This scent is said to be Baylies and Harding most popular and I can see why. The Sweet Mandarin and Grapefruit scent is wonderfully refreshing at the same time as being zesty and the fragrance works through every single product within the box. I absolutely love the luxury bath milk, it is by far my most favourite to use and that follows with the Refreshing Body Wash which is perfect for those cold winter mornings to wake you up. This gift set has an RRP £25 but with TJ Hughes it costs just £14.99 which is such a great saving.

Giveaway

How would you like to win a £60 TJ Hughes Gift Card? I have one gift card to give to one lucky winner over on my Instagram, so head on over to my Instagram page here

Have you ever shopped at TJ Hughes before?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Murad Resurgence Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel

I am a huge fan of Dr Murad and the Murad skincare range and over the past year, I have loved getting to know the brand a little bit more with the Summer Saviours and the Revitalixir Recovery Serum.  New to the Murad family is the Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel which fits into the Resurgence Skincare line.

This Multi-acid Peel is described as being a daily bi-phase peel that accelerates cell renewal by 33% in just 7 days while nourishing skin to prevent dryness and reduce irritation which is all done thanks to its two-phase intensive treatment.  As you might imagine, from Dr Murad, this Multi-Acid peel comes with quite the claims which include:

Results:

In 7 days:

• Accelerates cell renewal by 33%

In 4 weeks:

• 96% saw smoother texture
• 88% saw more radiant skin
• 84% noticed brighter skin and more even tone
• 84% noticed healthier-looking, more nourished skin

Phase 1 is described as being the one which is comprised of a fortifying blend of complex acids which combine to resurface lacklustre skin. AHA fuses Glycolic and Lactic acid, two gentle exfoliants that work to lift dead skin cells to reveal a smoother skin texture and a brighter, more natural-looking radiance. The BHA then works to calm and cleanse and in doing so, it works to unclog congested pores. Then we have TXA which fights discolouration, promoting a brighter and more even skin tone. Murad state that it is these three components which come together to unite and encourage a supple, younger-looking visage.

Phase 2 sees the use of Holy Basil, an ingredient ive noticed appearing in a few products of late and it is a natural plant-based product which is high in antioxidants. Within this Multi-acid Peel, it is merged with Omega-rich Oils which work to purge and purify while at the same time strengthening the skin’s natural barrier. These two ingredients then come together help to soothe blemishes and revive stressed complexions.

There are a lot of key ingredients within this Multi-Acid Peel which include:

• AHA (Glycolic, Lactic, and Malic Acid): Builds skin elasticity, hydration level and visible plumpness of the skin to quickly reveal a fresher appearance.
• BHA (Salicylic Acid): Normalizes cell regeneration and penetrates oil to keep skin clear of pore-clogging.
• TXA (Tranexamic Acid): A medicinal amino acid long-known in dermatology for its use in treating pigment disorders. Used topically it revives dull skin and evens tone.
• Apoptogenic Holy Basil Oil: An apoptogenic herb, rich in triterpenes and polyphenols. It help skin resist oxidative stress and irritation while building the skin’s innate defenses and restore balance.
• Soothing Lipids: Replenishing omega fatty acids, sterols and bisabolol intensely nourish, soothe and refortify the skin barrier.

As you can imagine, this is quite the product to use and my skin has absolutely loved it, more so because I have had one of the worst head and sinus colds ive had in a long long time of late and my skin has felt so dry and dehydrated.

To use this Multi-Acid Peel, the advice is that it should be part of your nighttime skincare routine because of the ingredients.  After shaking the bottle for long enough to mix the ingredients together, as the above pictures show, you then dispense generous amount onto a cotton pad and then sweep over the face, neck, and chest. After doing this, there is no need to rinse and you can continue with your regular skincare routine. The first few times I used this Peel, I did feel a slight tingling sensation on my skin but after a week of using it, the tingle was less and less and Dr Murad do claim it is perfect for daily use.

Price and Availability

The Murad Resurgence Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel retails for £43 and you can find it on Lookfantastic, Debenhams, Selfridges and Murad themselves.

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*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

ghd Platinum+ Black Professional Styler

I remember getting my first pair of ghd hair straighteners when I was at University and it was like a revelation, how on earth had I managed without them.  I was then given a pair of ghd Rare Straighteners as a gift after my first pair got lost during a house move and they have been with me ever since, some 10+ years!  New to my collection is the ghd Platinum+ Black Professional Styler which I have been kindly gifted and my gosh how things have changed. 

I have a really busy day job, so gone are the days when I can spend a good few hours getting ready to go anywhere and at the weekend, I am more likely to be found in my tracksuit than my LBD, but that doesn't mean I don't want my hair to look half decent. I have a lot of hair, it's thin but there is a lot, that is the phrase any hairstylist I've gone too uses, so styling my hair does take time, more so because it is naturally wavy, so I either work with those waves or I don't, depending on my mood.

The ghd Platinum+ Styler comes with the tagline "ghd’s SMART styler that predicts your hair’s needs" and are described as being a SMART styler with ground-breaking innovative technology that predicts your hair's needs.  Featuring breakthrough ultra-zone predictive technology, the ghd platinum+ styler recognises each section of hair and then adapts the temperature to ensure the optimum temperature of 185ºC is consistent across the two plates allowing for consistent results in one stroke. The heat is also monitored 250 times per second and through its predictive technology, so this means that not only does the styler recognises the thickness of your hair and speed at which you are styling it also adjusts accordingly so you get unbeatable results that are personalised to you.

The ghd Platinum+ styler features a unique wishbone hinge which ensures the precision milled plates stay aligned allowing for snag-free styling.  One issue I have had with other branded stylers is that the plates are quite rough and they do then snag the hair, so with this styler because the plates have a high gloss finish, they glide through the hair with no effort.  

They also come with universal voltage, so no matter where you are in the world, they work just as well there as they do at home.  They also come with the automatic sleep mode after 30 minutes of non-use, I am constantly worrying as to whether or not I switched off my straighteners and this is useful to have for those times.  There is also a 2.7m swivel cord as well, for me a must-have so I am not constantly tripping over a wire as I wander around styling my hair.  One of the most useful additions to the ghd styler for me is the heat resistant protective plate guard which protects the plates from being scratched, so you can take your style and your styler wherever you want

I have found the ghd Platinum+ Black Professional Styler an absolute breeze to use, I love that they are easy to use, I only need to run them through each section of my hair once to get the desired straightness that I need, whereas with my ghd Rare straighteners, which do still work they just don't get very warm, so I would spend a long time constantly running the plates over the same section of hair.  I love the new function of the on/off button which lights up and makes a beeping noise to let you know it’s on and then another jingle when it’s ready to use. I was surprised that they heat up within seconds and are ready to use.

Overall, I absolutely love how much easier these ghd Platinum+ straighteners make styling my hair, instead of taking more than half an hour, I can be done and ready in less than 10-minutes and because of their more rounded shape, I can work with the waves in my hair to make my natural curls more manageable too. 

Price and Availability

If you are asking Father Christmas for some new hair stylers/straighteners then without a shadow of a doubt,  I would highly recommend these. They literally are the most incredible straighteners that I have used since my ghd Rare and they are priced at £189 and with it comes with a 3-year warranty. These ghd Platinum+ Stylers are available in black, white and a limited edition pink design but there is also the option to upgrade your package and add other products to it.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Burt's Bees Moisturising Lip Butters

At this time of the year when the rain comes down heavy and the wind blasts your face, the one product I am never without is a lip balm in my bag, truth be told, there is usually more than one.  New to my bag are these Burt's Bees Moisturising Lip butter which takes lip balms to a whole new level.

Burt’s Bees® Lip Butter is said to provide instant moisturisation to the lips in a lightweight, luxurious texture. For these butters, Burt's Bees has infused the formula with a botanical blend flavour alongside moisturising Shea and Cocoa butters. 

I am a huge fan of how these butters feel on the lips, once applied, it melts onto the lips almost immediately on contact and rather than leave a greasy balm feel, instead, you just have soft, smooth lips which feel really hydrated.  Burt’s Bees® lip butter is available in two botanical-blend flavours which I have to share with you.

The first is Orange Blossom and Pistachio which can be detected from the bright orange lid and inside, the butter, which is very lightly whipped in texture smells just absolutely divine.

On the lips, whilst the beautiful scent of both the orange blossom, which is as fruity as it is fresh combined with Pistachio to give that earthy scent, applies like a dream. It is not sticky or tacky, it doesn't irritate or sting and what I love is that it does create an incredible base for applying lipstick.

The second Lip Butter is Lavender and Honey and again, it is hard not to love the scent of this one too. Fresh Lavender is one of my favourite scents, there is something about it which I find relaxing but mixed here with honey, what you get is a slight sweetness too.

As with the Orange Blossom and Pistachio Lip Butter, this one also applies like a dream as it glides across the lips and in doing so, adds moisture and almost wraps the lips in an invisible veil of protection.  It is also not sticky or tacky and once applied, it too absorbs almost instantly.

Both of these lip butters come in a collectable easy-open press-top tin are formulated without parabens, phthalates, SLS or petrolatum and scientifically tested by a dermatologist so you can feel good about using it on your skin.

Price and Availability

Each Lip Butter is priced at £4.99 and can be found at Boots*.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.