Burt's Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals

I am a huge fan of Burt's Bee's products and I love everything from the Lip Gloss, Lip Balms, Hand Creams, Body Creams, Bath oils, Cuticle creams and pretty much everything I have tried to date.  Infact Burt's Bees are no stranger to my blog because I have mentioned quite a few of their products to date.  One product that I have been glad to be reunited with is then Burt's Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals.  

For those people who haven't heard of Burt's Bee's before, as a company they were born back in 1984 when they began selling beeswax candles fast-forward to 1989 when the company has grown and taken off as a brand, they stepped into the cosmetic industry and began to make cosmetics, starting with soaps and perfumes. Today they sell over 150 plus products around the world and like many companies within this market they use as many natural ingredients as they possibly can and they go one step further by ensuring that most of the packaging of their products is created from recycled materials as far as possible. You can now find products from Burt's Bee's for your lips, face, body, hair, hands and feet, for men and for babies to name but a few, so there is definitely something for everyone.
 
These bath salts used to be sold in a tin, similar in size to a tin of baked beans.  Fast forward a few years and now we have them sold inside this plastic tub instead.

 
These Therapeutic Bath Crystals are to be used in your bath, now for my regular readers you will all know that I love baths, not only do I love them but I like them to be nice and hot because I an intending to spend more than an hour in one with my book, a chilled glass of wine and a facemask if I have one around. For me a bath is a luxury I look forward to. I have a stressful job and a stressful lifestyle and I do like to kick back and treat myself at least once a week to a self-indulgent bath.

Once the water in your bath has been running for a few minutes and there are several inches of water in the bottom, you only need to use 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how generous you want to be, I always use 2 and then let your bath finishing running and allow the salt crystals to dissolve into the water for a few minutes afterwards. The instructions with this product is that you need to spend approximately 15minutes in your bath to allow the salt crystals to work on your skin and body to "help release the lactic acid that builds up during physical activity causing muscle ache. The penetrating action of essential oils helps stimulate the elimination of waste products, helping muscles feel as good as new".

Once in the bath there are two aromas which work together, the first is Eucalyptus oil which helps to revive and relieve for tension-free muscles and the second is lemon oil many benefits particularly for the skin because it helps to decongest the skin and is especially useful for people who have greasy skin. It also helps clear the mind and relieve headaches.  Naturally this is not all the ingredients, added to those two are Soybean oil, which is used because it is a natural moisturiser which has a nourishing, softening and moisturizing effect on skin. Finally the most important ingredient is Sea Salt and it is one of those ingredients that is becoming more and more popular within bath products because it helps draw the toxins out of your skin thus leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed as well as soft and supple because it acts as an exfoliator which helps remove dirt and grime from your skin alongside dead skin cells and hard bits of skin which need to be removed. So adding off of these ingredients together, you have quite a product here. 

 How did I feel after my bath? Well my skin was most definitely soft and smooth to the touch and well moisturised and in myself I did feel much more relaxed and stress free and the fact I liked the fragrant aroma of this product is an added bonus because it isn't too over the top it is just right and it does also linger on your skin and throughout your home. As I said before to purchase this at full price, it is likely to set you back £10.99 for 450g but you only need to use a maximum of 2 tablespoons of it per bath and depending on how often you use it depends on how long it will last. I have had mine for just over two months and have used less than a third of the tub and there are two of us who use it. I store it on my bathroom shelf but ensure the lid is secured after using to ensure that it remains as fresh as possible and I suspect I have at least another 6 months use out of it. 

For me this product is a lovely treat for my skin and something I recommend as an alternative to a body scrub or a sea salt treatment because it works just as well.  If you would like further information, you can click HERE

Aromatherapy Associates Limited Edition Renewing Rose Body Velvet

I am going to confess that I have a bit of a love thing going on with Aromatherapy Associates, to date there hasn't been a product I have disliked, only the opposite. Now as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary this year, a product has been created to celebrate and mark that occasion. That product is the Aromatherapy Associates Limited Edition Renewing Rose Body Velvet and the name alone screams luxury to me, so when it arrived, I couldn't wait to open it and loved it from the first time I smelt it.

 The body velvet combines the highest quality essential oils and plant extracts, to help rejuvenate the skin, for a noticeably firmer appearance and feel. Ingredients such as velvet flower extract which is rich in minerals ate designed to help your skin retain moisture levels for a younger, smoother looking skin. Add to that the inclusion of special peptides and gotu kola which on its own has some of the most amazing skin rejuvenating properties and assist a host of skin complaints and ailments such as cellulite, eczema, scarring as well as hosting the most amazing skin rejuvenating properties. Putting these together, not only is your left looking revitalised with improved tone and feeling softer for longer, you will see an improvement in your skins suppleness.  I have to say, it really does leave your skin velvety soft and smooth after using and is the perfect treat.

This cream as I said screams luxury and it really is a lovely thick and as soon as you apply it to your skin, it wants to absorb it as soon as it can, which it does realty well. Once it has been absorbed there is no greasy film or residue left behind, instead you get the lovely scent of rose, geranium and sandalwood, which makes it quite floral with a bit of a kick, that aroma you get when you walk into a spa is what it reminds me, something fresh and clean.

The tub costs £50 is huge at 200ml and for me, this is not a cream you would apply every day morning and night, it is something you would use as a treat, for a special occasion, a big night and so on, something to add a bit of luxury to your pamper session.

Purrfect Box for Cats

When asked if I would like to review the Christmas Purrfect subscription box, I jumped at the chance because my cats enjoyed the last one so much, it would be a perfect little treat for them. If you are a regular reader of my blog or my Hubby's blog, you will know that we have three male tabby cats who are often referred to as the #furkids and they make regular appearances on Instagram.

The Purrfect box** is a brand new UK subscription service which allows you to treat your cat or your dog every month with a boy of treats.  These treats include toys, accessories, hygiene and personal care products all of which will be customized and chosen by the information you give on your cat's age, size, weight, fur type and preferences. Each month has a different theme so you get different goodies each month. The cost is £19.50 per month or £15.50 if you subscribe yearly and you can see the original box I had HERE.

As this box is Christmas themed, you won't be surprised by some of the contents and this is what we have.

So there was a lot of interest in this box as soon as I placed it on the floor for the boys to look at and the first one in the box was no surprise, the little hunter that we call Asbo.  This box has something for each of my three cats, whether it is to eat or to play with, though it is no surprise that one item has become a firm favourite with the three of them.

The first item is a multi-pack of treats by Good Girl.  Like any cat, mine love a treat or five, though I do seriously try to limit their intake of these and instead reward them for good behaviour or just being cute.  In this bag there are milk drops, catnip drops and catnip biscuits, all of which we are yet to try and all of which will be totally new treats for them.

The next item is the Merry Mice Toys from HappyPet and these little critters are crinkly so make a nice crisp bag scrunching sound when played with and are perfectly designed for being carried around, rolled on and chewed.

Chick 'n' Snacks follows and again, as with treats, I try my best to stick to the guidelines given by my own vet rather than on the packet and having let my boys try these, they seemed a little unsure at first, but now know as soon as I rattle the packet that there is a treat coming their way.

The next item is the one which has caused the most excitement from all three boys (though one is too camera shy to appear) and it is the one toy that they will fight over and chase each other for because it comes with a tube of catnip, which you open and pour into the inside of the mouse and then let them get excited and drool away - like so!

Wrestling the cat nip mouse from them to try out the next item which comes in the form of a glove and is called the Grooming Glove from Camon.  The one things about having pets is that they shed hair, some only a little and others a lot and it is a natural cycle that cats go through to get both their summer and winter coat.  Mine are no exception to this rule and I am sure they have an inbuilt antennae which tells them I am wearing a lovely clean pair of black jeans which are furless, only for them to come and want to jump on my lap!  This Grooming Glove is designed so be worn over your hand and then act as a brush to help you groom your cat and remove those loose hairs which are waiting to fall off.   My cats loved to be brushed and they are quite keen on this glove too.

The final toy in this selection is a Christmas themed gingerbread man shaped teaser toy which is hangs off of a piece of elastic on a pole.  The idea being that you tease the cat with it, they get a bit of exercise and the poor toy gets pulled to bits.  My cats are big fans of these toys and happily bounce all over the show trying to catch it, when they do catch it they attack it as though it was once alive.  For a bit more fun, you can drizzle cat nip onto it to add to their excitement.

The final item is something no Christmas is the same without and that is a stocking for all these lovely gifts and infact it has come in really handy for storing all the treats in because it is both cool and dark. 

So there you have it, the Christmas box from Purrfect for cats, there is also an alternative for the dog in your life which you can find HERE.

My cats have absolutely loved this box and if all of those toys and treats were not enough, well all that is left to say is show a cat and a box and this is what you get:

AirMotion Pro hairbrush Giveaway

Airmotion is a new, multi-use hairbrush which has been developed by experts who have over 27 years experience within the hair industry, these experts understand those contributing factors which lead to daily stress and strain on your hair.  Specifically designed to reduce daily ear and tear on your hair, Airmotion uses superlite materials to glide along the contours of your head.

The man behind Airmotion, Grange Snell said:

"As a professionally trained hairstylist by trade, I wanted to invent and design a brush which incorporated revolutionary design, high-quality materials with outstanding performance: the result is a precision engineered multi-use hairbrush"

I was sent one a few months ago and reviewed it HERE.  Now you have your chance to win one in this fab giveaway.  All you need to do is follow the entry requirements on the Rafflecopter form below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Age Old Dilemma and Anti-Wrinkle Injections

Is there a person among us who has never worried about growing old and all the afflictions which come with the natural ageing process? Weaker eye sight, deteriorating teeth, sore muscles, and cranky old joints are just some of old age’s side effects which terrify us. And yet, perhaps the scariest of them all is the inevitable arrival of wrinkles, especially on our faces.

I mean, these are faces we have been proud of all through our lives. They identify us, define us, and help us become attracted to another - or many others. In an increasingly appearance conscious world, one where we are constantly connected to everyone else on the planet through social media, a person’s face has become their single greatest asset.

Obviously then, if anything were to happen to our faces, be it accidental or natural, we would be completely terrified. So it is for most of us, and so it was for a dear friend of mine. Now, before I tell you about her dilemma and her experiences with the solution she found, let me quickly explain that Rachel, to me, is absolutely gorgeous. She is a little older than me, loves the outdoors, and has a constantly lively personality.

So what then, you ask, is the problem? Well, her lifestyle, with the prolonged exposure to the sun and the wind, combined with the fact that she is almost always smiling and laughing, had left her with the odd wrinkle on her face, and quite a few smile and laughter lines. If you ask me, they added a touch of wisdom and even more charm to her appearance, and I told her so. Yet, she was adamant about rejuvenating her skin and restoring its smooth and youthful appearance. Her solution: skin treatment with Botox for wrinkles from a private cosmetic clinic in Harley Street, London.

Source

Honestly, I was incredibly nervous when I first heard her intentions. After all, how many botched up Botox jobs had I seen on celebrities? I didn’t know much about anti-wrinkle injections then, and some of my uncertainty must have gotten to Rachel too, because she became rather nervous as the date of her first appointment at the clinic drew closer. She dove into research, having done none of it before making the appointment in her usual, act-first-think-later style.

I was curious myself, so I helped her with the research, and what we found on the internet didn’t quite help us reassure ourselves. The day of the appointment came, and Rachel begged me to go with her - for moral support, if nothing else. As it turns out, that first day was a simple consultation with the doctor to discuss Rachel’s background and medical history, but his answers to our questions did help to calm us down considerably.

Once the clinic had formulated a treatment plan for Rachel’s wrinkles, they called her back, and she dragged me along once again. The doctor began by examining her ability to move different facial muscles, and then mapped out the area which was to be treated. Then, and this was the really scary part for me, he made several small injections into Rachel’s face, explaining that they would target the muscles which were causing the wrinkles, and each worked at a different, specific depth and with varying volumes of fluid.

Ten minutes later, it was done, and a week afterwards, Rachel had her natural, smooth, glowing skin again. She told me the injections had felt like little mosquito bites, but that it had all been worth it, for she felt like she looked at least 5 years younger, if not more. She did too! The results totally amazed me, and have me convinced that when I eventually, inevitably get wrinkles, I would undergo the same treatment, and if possible, from the same clinic.

**Guestpost

Emu Australia Boots Charlotte Black

Now the frost is settling and we have threats of snow, it is time to dust off the warm snug boots and hide my toes until the Spring. 

Shoetique have an amazing range of boots to choose from and I finally managed to settle on the most amazing boots from Emu, infact I have wanted them for ages and ages but have never bought them.  Let me introduce you to the Emu Australia Boots Charlotte** which I opted for in Black, the other colour option is Chocolate.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing these boots are they are just fantastic, so snug and warm and perfect for this weather.

As calf length boots, they can be styled with everything and best of all they are totally waterproof! So they can be worn under and over your jeans, leggings, with a dress, with a skirt and they just look so good.

These boots feature a black suede upper which is built with a waterproof membrane and sealed seems which ensure no water gets in. The really thick sheepskin linings provide a lot of warmth and make them extremely comfortable to wear, almost like walking on springs they are so soft and bouncy. The sheepskin is also said to naturally remove moisture which in turn keeps your feet and your boots smelling fresh. The sole of the boot is texturised rubber which gives it a good old grip on those frosty slippery surfaces and is completely flat.

These boots are easy to pull on and off and have the Emu logo on back of heel and button straps for added detail and I absolutely love them.  They have been perfect for this freezing cold weather and my feet have been as snug as a bug.

If you are looking for a new pair of boots, then get yourself over to Shoetique because they have an amazing sale on right now!

Nivea Body Lotion

When it comes to products the one that I am the useless at applying is a cream after being in the bath or shower, I just always seem to forget to do it, even when I am faffing about in a towel drying my hair.  So when I was sent some lovely Nivea products to use, I decided I was going to do my best to use them every day after showering and at a weekend when I had my bath, even if that meant setting a reminder in my phone or leaving post it notes on my mirror!

Nivea as a brand is one that I have a love/hate relationship, I either really like something or I really hate it.  I like some products but not others and body creams are not something I have tried until now and I have three different products to share with you.

The first one if the Rich Nourishing lotion with Hydra IQ and Almond Oil and it is designed for dry skin.   It said to restore and replenish lost moisture whilst enhancing the skin's natural protective layer and 24 hour moisturisation.  As a crème it is a really thick luxurious formula, so you really do only need to use such a small amount.  As it is designed for dry skin, I concentrated on using it on my legs which is where they can become almost reptilian in texture.  Does it work? Actually yes it does, even I was surprised that it was so moisturising on my skin and it left my legs feeling really hydrated.

The second is called Express Hydration for normal skin and it is designed to be use everyday.  Using Sea Minerals and Hydra IQ the formula is light and absorbs almost as soon as it comes into contact with your skin leaving behind soft, smooth and supple skin.  I have used this one on all body parts and I absolutely love the formula because you don't have to sit around and wait for it to dry and it leaves a really lovely subtle scent on the skin.  Does it moisturise, yes it does and it is perfect for people on the go who want to add a little extra TLC.

The final product is called Irresistibly Smooth which is again designed for dry skin and has the added inclusion of Shea Butter and Hydra IQ to leave your skin feeling unbelievably smooth and hydrated.  I have been using this every night and the formula is a mix of the other two, quite luxurious in feel but absorbs as soon as it comes into contact with the skin and again it leaves behind a subtle Shea Butter scent which I am a huge fan of.

The one thing all three of these products have in common is the Hydra IQ which is said to promote a non-stop moisture from within the skin. The formula supports the skins own water channels to enhance your natural moisturisation.

Overall, I really like these body lotions and my favourite has to be Express Hydration because the formula is just so lovely and your skin feels instantly smooth after application.  Costing around £3.49 each for a 250ml bottle, these products are affordable and they last quite a long time.  They are also dermatologically tested and they are perfect for winter.

Are you a fan of Nivea products?