Free £10 Cowshed body lotion with April's Marie Claire

Magazine freebies are rarely up to much but the free 100ml Cowshed Body Lotion in April's Marie Claire, worth £10, is top notch. There are six fragrances to collect, I got Grumpy Cow but Knackered Cow might have been more appropriate, or Grumpy Cow (and I'm not even going to comment on Horny Cow). Also available in Wild Cow and Lazy Cow ... collect them all!

Rescue me! Nature's skin saver

As a 30-something, whenever I get a spot I don't really want to be reaching for the teenage Clearasil-esque products any more, so Living Nature's Rescue Gel with Manuka Honey from New Zealand really hits the, er, spot!

Ashamed as I am to admit it on the World Wide Web, I'm a terrible spot picker, but a slick of this light gel over the area really makes me more inclined to leave pesky pimples alone. One tiny dab (it dries in seconds) is all that's needed and for me it works fine under concealer and make-up. 

The Manuka Honey and Manuka Oil, with their antibacterial and antiseptic properties, get to work by putting the skin in the best possible position to heal itself naturally (stimulating wound healing), keeping skin hydrated, rejuvenated and protected.

One small point. I'm not entirely sure the aroma of this product will appeal to everyone. I didn't mind it (it just smells really healthy, natural and earthy to me!) and considering you only need a dab, I can't see it being a major issue!

I'll be keeping a pocket-sized tube to hand for the summer months too, as it's also great on bites, cuts and grazes, sunburn, skin rashes and irritations. It's 100% natural so I'll use it on my children's skin too. A really lovely product.

Living Nature's Rescue Gel is available in selected salons, pharmacies and health stores, £8.15 for 10ml or £12.25 for 50ml. For stockists visit www.livingnature.com

Coming up roses. The soap the A-listers love!

This has got to be the hardest working product in my bathroom! Dr Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Castile Liquid Soap, which I'm told is loved by Hollwood A-listers like Drew Barrymore and Sandra Bullock, is suitable for, yes you've guessed it, 18 purposes.

From washing hair and body, cleaning the house, brushing teeth (peppermint probably best!), doing the laundry, cleaning fruit and veg (?!), even washing pets, it seems there's not a lot this multi-tasking gem doesn't do.

Apart from its all-round versatility, what I really love about this soap is the quality and purity of the product for the price. It's just £1.69 (59ml) or £4.99 (236ml) and for that you're getting a superior product containing pure organic oils (extra virgin, coconut, olive, jojoba and hemp). You might expect it to be greasy but it's just the opposite, it left me feeling squeaky clean!

I've been trying the rose soap and have found it to be gorgeous in the shower (creamy velvety bubbles) and I also really love it as a face wash, I just dilute a few drops in water first. I wasn't so keen on it as a shampoo but the range does include a conditioning rinse and a leave-in conditioning creme so I'll reserve judgement until I've tried it in conjunction with those. It's relaxing in the bath too, not the bubbliest bath product I've tried, probably because it's a mild and simple formulation, free from aggressive synthetic detergents, which can irritate the skin.

Available in Peppermint, Eucalyptus, Citrus, Almond, Tea Tree and Unscented Baby Mild, I'll be working my way through the range. 

Available in selected Waitrose and health food stores. For more stockist info visit www.kinetic4health.co.uk

no!no! Trial - Week 1 (of 8)

Hurrah, my no!no! has arrived so I thought I'd start by sharing with you what the marketing claims are and post a few pics of exactly what's included.

The main box (above) includes the no!no!, a Quick Guide manual and a CD user guide, two Thermicon tips and a buffer for larger areas (legs/arms), a power cord/charger and a little cleaning brush.

The kit for smaller more sensitive areas (face/bikini line), below, contains a travel case, two small buffers, three small Thermicon tips and a Quick Guide instruction leaflet for using the machine on smaller areas.

 

So what are the marketing claims?

• Painless
• Slows down the rate of hair re-growth (up to 94% hair reduction)
• Catches hair on all skin types and colours
• No sore, red 'after wax' rash
• Skin can go in the sun directly after use
• Immediate hair removal as well as long lasting results.

How much? It's £193.50, available at Harrods & Selfridges, yes not exactly Suburban Beauty Junkie haunts but I'm hoping long-term this device will save me hundreds of pounds a year in waxing, so bear with me! It's also available online at www.my-no-no.com

Well I'm off to charge it up (for five hours before first use) then give it a whirl so will be back later with lots more info on the device and how I've got on with it! Stay tuned!

Click here to watch a demo video 

Want pain-free hair removal? Watch this space!

Over the next eight weeks, I'll be trying out the new no!no! 8800 and reporting back to you. Marketed as a 'pain-free, professional hair removal system' which uses Thermicon technology to remove hair and slow down the rate of hair growth, I can't wait to put it to the test, especially if long-term it saves me money on waxing bills. It's just arrived so I'm busy unpacking it ... watch this space!

A Shining Example - St Eval Candle Company

I'm so excited to have discovered the St. Eval Candle Company. Based on a farm on the north coast of Cornwall, they make a huge range of exquisite (yet affordable!) candles using traditional methods, and their attention to detail really shines through.

I've been burning one of their Scented Tins, (£8.65, 45hr burn time) on my desk for a few weeks now (Thyme & Mint) which has a really clean, crisp, fresh fragrance, a scent which I've found great for motivation and concentration - it's pulled me through several deadlines this week!

I took a peek at what else they have to offer on their website and the range is truly stunning. I loved the National Gallery-inspired range, especially the Sunflowers candle (a Van Gogh sunny yellow) and also the rustic terracotta-filled pots, which conjure up a balmy evening in Tuscany ... I'll buy anything that makes promises like that!

Next time you need a present for someone, or fancy treating yourself, bookmark this page and take a look. There's classic, rustic, pretty, scented quirky, arty, romantic, something for everyone, you really can't go wrong.

Order online at www.stevalcandlecompany.co.uk

Never leave a burning candle unattended

 

The little pout perfector

Strictly speaking this Aromatherapy Associates Moisturising Lip Balm is a little bit more luxe than I'd normally go for (£13.50) but I can justify it by saying a little goes a long, long way! I love products you can use once in the morning and reap the rewards all day ... this is one of them!

The quality of the moisturising ingredients (rose wax & cocoa butter) are so superior that the balm sinks right down into the lips - it's not just a slick of gloss on the surface - and it leaves them feeling nourished, protected and plump for hours!

As with all Aromatherapy Associates products, it's packed full of wonderful natural ingredients (protective vanilla, stimulating ginger and soothing calendula) but the scent is light and delicate, just enough to know it's there.

I'd recommend treating yourself to this balm as a mini-intro to the Aromatherapy Associates range. I once survived a stressful Christmas with regular soaks in their divine Support bath & shower oil, my all-time favourite de-stressing bath product, but, at £37, that's strictly one for the Xmas list!

Buy online at www.aromatherapyassociates.com