You Beauty Discovery Box - October 2015

It's that time of the month and my October You Beauty Discovery Box has arrived. For October the box prevents its perfectly polished edit. This month we have a bunch of products which help you to embrace Autumn, which is now well and truly here, and allow you to choose from some carefully selected items to help you feel perfectly polished and ready to take on and tackle whatever life throws at you.

There are two treats inside this months box. A few sachet samples of Vichy Dermablend Foundation which I feature here a few weeks ago. The Foundation gives up to 12 hours of long lasting flawless wearwhilst providing a natural even skin tone. Used in conjunction with the Dermablend setting power it can offer up to 16 hours of wear. The smooth blendable texture that glides on and spreads evenly and offers maximum colour dispersion. The Foundation includes Vichy Thermal Spa Water, renowned for it’s soothing and fortifying properties. The skin is moisturised, supple and comfortable all day long without a mask-like effect.

The White Company Day & Night Fragrance samples. The Day fragrance uses the delicate sweetness of jasmine and apple suffused with aromatic cedarwood and a burst of bergamot brings a refreshing twist to this beautifully light and luscious scent and once it has settled on the skin, it is absolutely divine. The Night fragrance uses notes of pomegranate, which are wrapped in opulent cassis and patchouli with a soft vanilla base to create this seductive and sophisticated off-duty scent. Again, once on the skin, it settles quickly and is a lovely evening fragrance.

The two products I chose centred around being happy, healthy and less stressed. The first offering is a little trio from a brand called Kore and nestled inside this cute organza bag is a Foaming Cleanser, Pearl Revitalising Toner, Pearl Gentle Exfoliator. Kore is an Australian skincare company who recently launched here in the UK and their main focus is on producing superior, natural skincare and have spent a concentrated effort studying the ancient healing remedies once used for medicinal cures for a number of problematic skin disorders. The trio I have is blended with the latest advanced pharmaceutical peptides with natural fruit and vegetable extracts (AHA’s) to create a unique, trademarked ingredient ‘KORE Complex.’ The products also contain the powerful bioactive concentrate, ‘Bovine Colostrum’ which increases the production of glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant which is vital in the healing and production of skin cells.  So I am looking forward to giving this trio a try.

The second products I chose is Scentered – Stress Less Therapy Balm, something I felt I needed to try having read the description and this is it: STRESS LESS is a 100% natural, therapeutic balm to ease everyday tensions, soothe the mind and lift the spirits. STRESS LESS is the ultimate ‘feel good’ scent, with uplifting citrus herbal top notes of Chamomile, Neroli, Mandarin, Rosemary and Sweet Brazilian Orange, a balancing floral heart of Jasmine, Rose, Mimosa and Lavandin, and a grounding Cedarwood base.

Scentered therapy balms have been created with a unique blend of plant oils and waxes, moringa and shea butters, to create rich, nourishing balms that won’t leave your skin feeling greasy, whilst ensuring long lasting fragrance delivery. On-the-go remedy to help you stay centred, no matter where you are or what life throws at you.

So that is my October box and I am really happy with it.  For the bargain price of £6.95 you always get real vale for money, especially when the Scentered Balm alone costs £14.95.  If this sounds like a box you want to check out, you can find everything you need to know about this box and previous boxes right here.

A helping hand from ECover

Today, Thursday 15th October is World Hand Washing Day and the lovely people at Ecover sent me a really lovely package in conjunction with this day, so look out for the hashtag #BeautifulHands. The idea behind the campaign is to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their handwashing habits by washing their hands with soap at critical moments throughout each day. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of handwashing with soap as a key approach to disease prevention.

Now the cold weather has set in, Ecover think we should take a closer look at our hands.  Dry and sore skin is something many people encounter in the colder months and in order to do their bit, Ecover use plant and mineral based ingredients within their products to ensure they are kinder to your skin than other much more chemical-heavy cleaning products.

Ecover kindly sent me some Multi Action Wipes in Pomegranate and Lime scent.  I use a lot of wipes at home alongside my anti-bacterial sprays to cover all eventualities and for ease of use when it comes to cleaning.  These wipes have no chemical scent too them whatsoever, but clean my surfaces and tiles as good as any other wipe.

The Zero Washing up Liquid and it has no scent at all.  You only need one squeeze to wash a sink full of dishes and whilst it does a thorough job, it doesn't generate excess bubbles like other brands.

Finally there is the Multi Action Spray and this is by far the best product of the three because you can use it everywhere!  I have cleaned my worktops, my sink, my floors and even my mirror and most impressive of all it leaves a streak free shine, so there is no need to get my vinegar and newspaper out to finish the job.

Naturally being a beauty blogger and a wife, I need to ensure my hands are kept in tip top condition and also included within my package was Qtica Intense cuticle repair balm, Zoya nail polish in shade Amanda which is described as being a medium muted peach creme with pink, brown and mauve undertones and Liz Earle Superskin Hand Serum which is rich in GLA, omega-3 and antioxidants. Everything you need for soft, smooth, pretty moisturised hands.

Have you ever used Ecover products at home?

Free skincare trial with L'Occitane

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a huge L'Occitane fan and I have featured some amazing products from the range.

From now until the 21st October, L’Occitane will be opening its doors to offer you an exclusive free 7-day skincare trial and if you are looking for a new moisturiser, have never tried a L'Occitane product and really want too or just like the look of what is on offer then now is your chance and for FREE!

Whatever your age, skin type or concern, just click on this link mybeautystory.loccitane.com once on the site you’ll be asked to answer three easy questions to determine your perfect match. Once you have done that, you will then be able to collect a free 8ml jar of that recommended cream from your nearest L'Occitane boutique which you can find right HERE.

The choices of creams are absolutely amazing and includes two of my absolute favourites - Pivoine Sublime Perfecting Cream which smells just divine and then the wonderful Divine Cream which has an amazing texture. 

I really hope you do take advantage of this offer and I would love to know which cream it is that you are given, so let me know in the comments.

Will you be taking advantage of this amazing FREE offer?

Back to Basics with Birchbox

Last Month Birchbox celebrated it's 5th Birthday with an incredible box of beauty products and I reviewed it right here. This month subscribers were able to choose which box they would like to receive and it was a choice of the Stylist guest editor box or the back to basic. Yesterday I featured the guest editor box so today, I am sharing the Back to Basic box with you and I would love to know which you would prefer. 

The Back to Basic box is all about mastering the beauty basics which means discovering those everyday essential items. Inside the box are 5 beauty essentials.

The first item is the Eyeko Fat Liquid Eyeliner.  I quite like the look of this eyeliner and am hoping I can get to grips with it. It is a chubby eyeliner pen which is enriched with nourishing algae extract, this liner glides on smoothly for a high-impact look.

Then we have a product which is pretty much a must have item for me and that is Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.  It does everything it says on the tin, or in this case bottle and it is brilliant. If you haven't tried it and love your manicures, then you need this product.

The third item is Bioderma Hydrabio H2O. Described as being the beauty editors favourite and is a daily cleanser for dehydrated and sensitive skin contains the patented water-retaining complex Aquagenium® to help activate the skin's natural moisturising capacities. Gentle on your skin, it’s alcohol and colourant free and has even been tested under ophthalmological supervision to help protect your eyes.

One item everyone needs is toothpaste and Regenerate Enamel Science™ Advanced Toothpaste not only has a minty-fresh formula protect against cavities and boost original whiteness, but it also works to reverse the early invisible signs of enamel erosion process.  For me, my teeth are just as important as any other part of my body and are something I take great care of (I also have a major false teeth phobia).

Finally we have two products from the Beaver Professional Range, a brand I have never come across until now. In the box there is a Hydro Nutritive Moisturizing Shampoo and a sachet of conditioner, both of which are Birchbox Exclusives! They are both perfect for dry and damaged hair and the shampoo acts as mild cleanser using moisturising avocado oil and aloe vera extracts to repair and rebuild hair, leaving it smoother, softer and shinier. The conditioner deeply nourishes and strengthens dry, frizzy, or damaged hair, leaving it softer, smoother, and healthier looking.

So there you have the Back to Basics Birchbox.  I would love to know what you think to this box and the one I showcased yesterday.  Do you have a preference for which box you think is best? Is there a product which stands out to you?

Birchbox Stylist Guest Editor Box

Last Month Birchbox celebrated it's 5th Birthday with an incredible box of beauty products and I reviewed it right here. This month subscribers were able to choose which box they would like to receive and it was a choice of the Stylist guest editor box or the back to basic. Today I am featuring the guest editor box and tomorrow you can see the basic box and decide which would you prefer. 

The Stylist Guest Editor Box is packed full of must have products chosen by Stylist's Beauty Editor Joanna MGarry and it is described as being the box for those self-confessed beauty buffs. Inside the box are 5 deluxe beauty must-haves which are:

Rituals Yogi Flow. Rituals do some of the best smelling products I have ever used and the Jasmine Dream Candle remains a firm favourite within my collection and is the only candle I have repurchased. Yogi Flow is
a shower foam which smells just divine. It uses the scents of Indian Rose and Sweet Almond Oil to alert your senses and leave your skin feeling really soft and smooth and smelling just amazing.

Next we have the cult product Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar Water . My experience of Micellar waters isn't great and I am yet to find one I like, so perhaps this little sample can change my mind. It is described as being fantastic for all skin types, but in particular if you have sensitive skin, this miracle removes-everything cleanser is what you’ve been waiting for.

I am a huge of sheet masks, so I am delighted to see one I haven't yet come across. The When Travelmate Sheet Mask is said to help restore skin after sun, wind and dry air damage. It is also great for locking in that much needed moisture your skin needs as the season changes and gets colder and it only takes up 30 minutes of your time which makes it perfect for a good pamper session.

Next is a sample of the English Laundry No.7 For Her perfume. I know some people dislike sample perfumes in their boxes, but I quite like them. This perfume is described as being bright and fruity and it includes top notes of sparkling pear, jasmine, melon and apricot. Gardenia, blooming jasmine and toasted almonds are composed together as the middle notes. Adding beautiful depth to this fragrance, sandalwood, vanilla créme and musk are added to the base notes.  As a scent for me, it took me a few applications 

The next product is a full sized 100% Pure in Peach Bellini, a pretty, pink lip glaze. It comes nestled inside a cardboard tube and the lip glaze itself is packaged inside a round, silver bullet with white flowers emblazoned on it. The glaze itself applies really beautifully to the lip leaving them hydrated with a pop of pink shimmer.

Lastly is a product from a brand I have not come across until now and it is, Parlour by Jeff Chastain. Parlous is a Smoothing Blowout Spray and I am already impressed with the scent which is of ripe peaches but with an earthy tone to it. It is also simple to use. You simply spray it onto damp hair before blow drying to give your hair instant volume and shine. All products within this range are safe for colour-treated hair and are free of sulfates, parabens, and gluten.

So there it is in full, the Stylist Guest Editor Birchbox, what do you think of the box? Did you opt for this one?

Happy Halloween with Yankee Candle

I absolutely love Halloween and only wish we celebrated it with as much excitement and vigour as they do in America.  Celebrations aside, we do at least have some reasons to cheer here in the UK with some brands giving us any excuse needed to vamp up our homes, Yankee Candle being one of them.

I love a good Yankee Candle and this Halloween there is a choice of two creepy and kooky looking choices:

Witches Brew which is described as having the spicy sweet aroma of exotic patchouli to cast you under a captivating spell! I love the design of this jar, the black ombre design giving it that overall spooky design.  This candle is also available as a wax melt and a voitive.

Candy Corn in all its bright orange glory is described as being the familiar, sweet scent of candy corn is a fond reminder of Halloween fun and treats.  You can also find this candle as a wax melt and a voitive candle.

Alongside the candles, there are some really fabulous accessories which you could also use to give your home that Halloween feel and these are some of my favourites:

The Black Cat Wax Melt warmer I did once own but lost it in a move. I used to use this all year round rather than just for Halloween as I am a huge cat lady and I just loved the design.

The Spider Web Jar Candle Holder is perfect for Halloween and this design is definitely spooky. What I love is that it adds a different dimension to your jar candle and is definitely eye-catching.

Then there is a choice of three Voitive Holders which again are brilliant for Halloween.  There is the White Skull, Green Monster and Orange Pumpkin shaped holders, all of which you can find here and together they look absolutely brilliant.

Do you decorate your house for Halloween? Do you have anything from the Yankee Candle Halloween range? 

Pain free hair removal with the iluminage Touch

If someone said to you that you could remove hair pain free and in just a few minutes, I am sure like me you would be raising your eyebrows thinking "Yeah right" laugh a little and walk on. Well meet Iluminage** a device which I have been using once a week for the past 6 weeks. It is described as being the most advanced at-home hair removal system and is said to work with all skin tones and hair colours! I am one of those lucky people who has very very light hair on my arms and legs so it doesn't really pose too much of a problem, but I find shaving, waxing and using creams a right bore, time consuming and a faff!

So Iluminage is an at home hand hand IPL hair removal device which or to give it a proper introduction "From the scientists at Syneron - the inventors of IPL and the breakthrough elōs professional technology - comes the first and only in-home technology to combine Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radio Frequency (RF) energies to deliver clinically proven, permanent hair reduction. The combination of these two complimentary energies delivers unprecedented safety, speed and effectiveness for smooth, hair-free, beautiful skin - painlessly"

That last word 'painlessly' was the one which made me raise my eyebrow because in my opinion and experience, these devices usually do cause some amount of pain and wincing, yet this one claims not too plus it is also safe, fast,effective and pain-free method for hair removal for any skin tones and hair colour.

So to use it, you use the Iluminage device on those areas that you would usually shave, wax, strip and so on and you use it once a week for 6 weeks and the statistics state that it is clinically proven to reduce hair growth by 94% in just 7 treatments! On the body it can be used everywhere, from your facial hair right down to your toe hair, all you need to do is prep the area before you use the Iluminage by removing the hair (wax/shave/epilate) for it to work effectively. Oh and it comes with an epilator attachment if you want to give that a go. Once you are ready to give it a go, you switch on the machine, select your level (low/medium/high) and glide the device over the area you are treating and it is so easy an quick to use that you can do both legs in around 20 minutes, your bikini line in under 5 minutes and even your arm pits and it looks a bit like this:

When I used it for the first time, I fully expected to be wincing and using all kinds of profanities as I went, but it does not hurt at all, the only thing you will find, depending upon which intensity you choose is a little heat, which isn't uncomfortable but does take a few minutes to get used to it.

So as you move the scanning device over you chosen body area, which in my case was my legs, it claims to give permanent hair-reduction, which isn't the same as permanent hair removal. That said, over the last 10 weeks, I have noticed that the need to shave my legs has lessened though I feel I need to use it for a further few weeks to see results.

Iluminage is not cheap and it costs £375 but for a permanent reduction in hair-growth which it promises, then for me this is a really good price and absolutely worth every penny, more so when you work out how much it actually costs to de-fuzz per year using the products you buy on the highstreet. It is clinically proven to work so I have no doubt it will do what it says. 

Available to purchase various online retailers, Harrods, Boots & QVC.

Do you think that this something that you would be interested in?

LookFantastic Beauty Box October 2015

The October LookFantastic Beauty Box has just landed and it is another great box.  Not only is it beautifully decorated, there are 7 products within the box which makes it pretty full!

The first item in the box is from Elemis and it is a 20ml tube of Hydra-Balance Day Cream which is suitable for combination skin. Well my skin is combination and this cream is specially formulated to provide continuous hydration and is said to be ideal for normal to combination skin, it's enriched with meadowsweet extract to regulate oil production, whilst hyaluronic acid locks in essential moisture to keep your skin balanced. It is infused with an aromatic blend of petitgrain, neroli and mandarin which work together to soothe and comfort your skin, this regulating cream will leave your skin feeling nourished without making it feel greasy. This has a value of around £17.

The second item is a 30ml tube of Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. Described as being a gentle cleanser it contains salicylic, lactic and glycolic acids to encourage clarity and brightness by dissolving skin cell build-up; jojoba beads to further polish and re-texturise the skin; sodium PCA and jojoba seed oil to help counteract dryness; and liquorice extract to provide anti-irritant and anti-inflammatory properties to your skin. This product had a value of around £8

The third item from the box is from Percy & Reed and it is the Volumising No Oil, Oil.I assume it is for thin hair, though it doesn't say on the bottle, but it is essentially described as being a lifesaver of a product when it comes to creating lovely locks which are smooth, sleek and shiny whilst also adding volume. It uses violet extracts and pro vitamin B5 acting to strengthen, deeply nourish and moisturise you hair, you can be sure that this non-greasy oil will give you only the best results. Also, with added heat protection properties, your hair will be kept safe from thermal styling. This 30ml bottle has a value of around £7.

The fourth item is a 15ml tube of Nuxe Reve De Miel Hand and Nail Cream. Said to be perfect for dry, chapped hands, the non-greasy formula works to nourish and repair the hands, protecting from premature ageing whilst smoothing and soothing to reveal, soft, supple skin. It uses a blend of honey, oils such as Avocado, Sunflower and Soyabean plus vitamin E to ensure hands are intensely moisturised and nails strengthened. This product has a value of around £4.

Next comes Balance Me Radiance Facial Mask in a 30ml tube.  This is the only product within the box that I have tried and I am a big fan.  The mask can be used can be used as a reviving exfoliating face wash or as a soothing, intensive treatment mask to replenish lost moisture and luminosity. Contains purifying kaolin clay to eliminate impurities and a bespoke fruit acid complex to restore a healthy glow. Enhanced with rosemary, palma rosa, lavender and Roman chamomile oils to help smooth and soothe your skin.  This product has a value of around £7.

The Monu Firming Moisturiser is the penultimate product in the box.  I am a big fan of Monu products and this is one I have never tried.  It is Enriched with marine collagen and Aloe Vera, fine surface lines will appear smooth and skin feels tightened and toned.  It also uses sweetly scented Neroli and Lavender essential oils which give a fantastic scent.  The cream should be used daily for soft, smooth skin. This 25ml tube has a value of £11.

The final item in the box is from Look Good Feel Better, a brand I have never come across until now, but I have the Eye Shading Brush. The brush is described as being a hand-sculpted blending brush designed for contouring and shading. Its flat-headed tip allows you to accurately buffer around the eye area for definition. This is a professional quality brush which has been handmade, it is also cruelty free and is suitable for sensitive skin.  It has a value of around £6.99.

Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) is the only worldwide cancer charity providing practical support for women and teenagers struggling with the visible side effects of their cancer treatment. 12% from all sales of the brush collection (HERE) will be donated to the LGFB charity.

So there you have the October offerings from the Look Fantastic Beauty Box and I happen to think it is fantastic. There is a nice mixture of products and some amazing brands included and the box has a value of over £50 which is amazing value for money when the box itself costs just £15. If you want one of these for yourselves, grab them quick right HERE.

World Sight Day with L'Occitane

Every Year for World Sight Day L’OCCITANE sells a special soap to help raise funds to support the fight against avoidable blindness in developing countries. This year World Sight Day is on 8th October and this is how you can help/

Almost 285 million people around the world are blind or visually impaired, even though 80% of blindness is avoidable! In 2014 L’OCCITANE raised €162.000 to support projects in Burkina Faso and you can read and learn more about that
right here.

Melting Honey Solidarity Soap is made with nourishing shea butter and softening honey from Provence, this soap gently cleanses the skin while enveloping it in the delicious scent of melting honey. As you can imagine, it smells absolutely delightful and is a pleasure to use. A 50g bar will cost just £3 and for each soap purchased, the money raised will enable a patient from a rural area in Burkina Faso to have access to glasses and eye care.
Also within this Limited Edition range there are other products, all of which have matching packaging an really do capture your attention:

Melting Honey Exfoliating Sugars - This melting balm contains sugar crystals and ground walnut shells which work to gently exfoliate the skin and remove dead cells. It is also enriched with shea butter and honey from Provence and after using, it leaves skin feeling silky smooth and delicately scented with tender notes of melting honey.

Melting Honey Soft Shower Gel - If ever there was a shower gel that smells good enough to eat, it is this one.  As with the Exfoliating Sugars, this shower gel is enriched with softening shea extract and honey from Provence.  It is a golden-coloured shower gel that gently cleanses the skin while leaving it feeling supple and comfortable with the delicious scent of melting honey.

Melting Honey Lip Balm - No Limited Edition set from L'Occitane is complete without a lip balm and this one is my favourite yet. Formulated with 5% of nourishing shea butter and softening honey from Provence, this luscious balm leaves lips beautifully soft and scented.

So for £3 you can help L'Occitane and get yourself an amazing scented soap!

Midnight Gelly from Barry M

Barry M is one of those brands I absolutely love, I find them a bit quirky and within their range, there are some amazing products just waiting to be discovered.  

The Midnight Gelly range is a set of four off-black nail polishes which have really captured my attention and they are perfect shades for AW15.  The description is as follows:

"Devilishly dark past the midnight hour. AW15 saw a range of dark moody hues hit the runway, get the look and rock an off-black shade this season".

Now I wear dark shade nail polishes all year round.  I am not the kind of girl who likes pastel shades on my fingers at all.  You'll often find me sporting an off black shade - usually a deep burgundy or my latest favourite being a dark grey shade, so for there, these are quite exciting.

Within the range the four shades are Black Grape, Black Pistachio, Black Currant and Black Cherry and I like each and every one of them.  

Black Grape isn't black and it doesn't remind me of grapes either, but what you do get this is stunning deep blue shade which looks black out of the sunlight or away from my camera flash.  

Black Pistachio again isn't black but what you get is a deep dark moody green shade which as you might have guessed, looks black away from the sunlight and away from my camera flash.  I am not usually a fan of green, but this shade I absolutely love.

Black Currant is everything a good Ribena should be.  Brooding, not quite black but definitely purple and it is an amazing shade which you can clearly see from the swatch above.

Black Cherry is possibly my favourite of the four shades.  If I was to described black cherry as a shade, then this would be it.  It is dark, moody not quite black and definitely not a red but somewhere in between.

So here we have four great shades for AW15 and even better for those, like me, who prefer darker shades of polish on our nails.

What do you think to this collection?

Damaged Hot Oil Treatment by Lush

Do you remember those little Hot Oil hair treatments that you use to put into a mug of boiling water for one minute, snip the end of and then cover barely 1/3 of your hair? Me too... So when I heard Lush had their own version, the chances of me leaving the store without one was pretty slim!

There are a total of three hot oil treatments to try - Kinky which is for those with curly hair, Damaged for those who need a little bit of TLC for their hair and Tangled to tame those tangles.  I opted for Damaged.

Damaged Hot Oil Treatment is packed full of extra virgin olive, shine-enhancing almond and avocado oils to replenish deeply and re-hydrate thirsty locks. It comes packaged on a stirring spoon, made of wood, which is a handy tool to have for this treatment.

To use, you place the treatment in a suitable container and whilst in Lush, they used an empty black pot during a live demonstration, so I use one of my empty black pots too.  Then you need to boil the kettle and once boiled, slowly add a small amount of water to the solid treatment and then gently stir. You do need to add the water slowly so that the product will thicken.  Then after around 5 minutes of gradual stirring, you should have a nice creamy hair treatment and an empty stick!  

You then apply the treatment to dry hair and leave it on for around 20 minutes before shampooing, to allow the ingredients to get to work, hydrating and replenishing your hair.  Once I applied the treatment, I put my Shower Cap over the top to ensure there is no spillage.  Once those 20 minutes are up, you shampoo and condition your hair as you normally would do.

What I love about this treatment is firstly making it, standing there and doing the stirring in a pot is oddly relaxing but it also smells absolutely delightful and it does leave your hair feeling soft and smooth, incredibly hydrated and an absolute pleasure to style.  For £6.50 this is one product I will be purchasing again.

Have you tried any of the Lush Hot Oil Treatments?

Stay well, warm and in control this winter with smart meters

Autumn has arrived and with winter hot on its heels, I’m already starting to think about how the colder weather and darker evenings will affect our energy bills. To suggest that our flat is rather draughty is the mother of all understatements and I absolutely hate dragging myself out of bed on a winter morning.

Energy bills are not the sexiest of subjects but once the mortgage has been paid it’s actually one of the largest outgoings in our household. Combine draughts and expensive-to-run storage heaters with a husband who can multi-task to watch football on the TV and a film on the iPad, whilst simultaneously bashing away on a laptop, and our bills look something like the national debt.

Having no way of knowing how much electricity we’re using, or how much it is costing us as we go along is a pain. This plays out with the constant chopping and changing of our direct debit to our energy supplier – either being in debt to them, or as is the case at the moment, them owing us (a lot).

I’m always looking out for ways to save on our bills, so I was really pleased to hear that the energy industry is finally modernising, and help is on the way.

Between now and 2020, every home in Great Britain will be offered a smart meter by their energy supplier, at no additional cost. Smart meters automatically measure and communicate the gas and electricity we use, meaning accurate bills and an end to unpredictable estimates. Best of all a smart meter display provides near real time information on energy use in pounds and pence, so we can finally keep track of what we’re using (in my case, what my husband is using!) and reap instant rewards from any energy saving changes we make in our homes.

It’s essential to stay cosy and comfortable during the winter months – and I’m certainly not one to scrimp on lights and heating when I need them on – but there are plenty of small changes we can all make to help keep the costs down… and no, I’m not talking about locking my husband out! Smart meters make this journey a whole lot easier because they let us see the real cost of leaving devices on standby, and help us compare our outgoings when we invest in some thicker curtains to keep the heat in, or run the washing machine at a lower temperature.

Smart Energy GB is the consumer campaign for smart meters. Their independent research report Smart energy outlook has shown that those who have a smart meter are more confident in the accuracy of their bills and the information they have available in order to make decisions about energy.

Sometimes we all need a helping hand to cut back, but using a smart meter is just one way to stay well, warm and in control this winter. Even if – like us – you haven’t had yours installed yet, this Smart Thermometer graphic will help you get started with some tried and tested energy saving tips from smart meter customers and energy experts. I’m definitely going to give them a go this winter.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored content – however, my husband does work for Smart Energy GB (and raves constantly about smart meters).

Aromatherapy Associates Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil

I felt very priviledged to attend the launch of Clear Mind Bath & Shower Oil at Liberty. Aromatherapy Associates, of whom I am a massive fan, and Liberty have come together and created this amazing collaboration. Not only is the scent amazing, but so is the packaging.

Clear Mind has been created to harness and encourage the effects of mindfulness, an interpretation or meaning which is: 

"Mindfulness is the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment, which can be trained by meditational practices that are described in detail in the Buddhist tradition". 

So for me, this sounds like the perfect product for those days when your to-do list has grown in epic proportions, you are not really in the mood for anyone or anything and when you just need a big slab of chocolate and an even bigger glass of wine and a nice soothing bath. One thing Aromatherapy Associates manage to do for me is sort out my mood, there is something about the blend of oils that have the power to click their fingers and oomph, mood change! Breathe Support, which I mention in this post, is the best product I have found to shift a rotten a cold - amazing.

Packaged inside this amazing Genevieve Print by Liberty, which is from the Autumn/Winter 2003 print collection, is my very own initialed bottle - how cool is that?.  The oil itself is a blend of chamomile, which soothes, comforts and emotionally calms; frankincense, to help focus the mind and encourage deep breathing and spiritual awareness; palmarosa, which is a cleansing, balancing and a circulatory stimulant; and bergamot, to uplift, refresh and revive. Putting all of that together makes for one super soothing and relaxing scent which I just adore and it definitely is a de-stresser and it most definitely does calm you down!

The Bath and Shower oil costs £48 and is available exclusively from Liberty from 1 October right here and I think it is worth every penny. If you have never used an Aromatherapy Associates Oil before, all I can say is that a little definitely goes a long way, all you ever need is one capful into the bath water for the oil to work its magic, obviously you can also use it in the shower, but I personally prefer to enjoy the scent whilst relaxing in the bath.  Grab it quick!