REVIEW - Bionsen Deodorants

The photo my little girl took!! 

Without disclosing too much information I have always suffered with sweating problems, especially in summer - but unfortunately in the colder months too!

Over the years I have spent a small fortune on new innovative products to help with my dilemma - but nothing I had tried has stood up to my expectations.

Until..... I tried Bionsen. I very fortunately got sent some of these products to try and I am so pleased I did. Although I was not expecting a natural aluminium and paraben free deodorant to work - it did. The smell reminds me of the freshness of baby powder but it is subtle so it does not overpower perfume. But more significantly I got through the whole day without any excess sweating and damp patches. Which until I tried the products was a totally rare event.

I don't just like the product and its effectiveness though - I think the packaging is a lovely design and colour. I am not a girly girl so the blue colour suits me and my bathroom shelf!

Here comes the science bit.... the deodorants themselves consist of a unique blend of Japanese Spa minerals which originate from volcanic spas in Japan. The range of products has been tested by the Clinic of Dermatology at Siena University and are free from aluminium and parabens. There are potential links between these chemicals and breast cancer but further research is needed before a conclusion is reached on these links. 

The Bionsen ingredients deodorises  naturally whilst allowing skin to breath and pores to remain unblocked so staying fresh is natural. 

Deodorant Roll on 50ml 

Because they are so gentle and suitable for sensitive skin it makes them ideal for those who suffer with skin complaints, I also would consider using this deodorant for my daughter when she reaches the age that she needs it. 

If you feel like trying out the Bionsen products (which I do recommend) then you can buy them from Morrisons supermarket or online at www.bionsen.co.uk

There is a Deodorant Stick (40ml)

Deodorant Roll on (50ml - £2.35 at Morrisons) 

Deodorant Pump Spray (100ml - £2.75 at Morrisons)

Deodorant Aerosol Spray (150ml) 

Deo Total Body (20g of Crystals) 

Normally I do not like Roll on's or more 'damp' type deodorants but I found no problems with this type. I used both the Roll on and the Pump Spray and will be looking for the other types when I go on my weekly shop! 

Check out their twitter page here BionsenBeauty

Or their Facebook page here  BionsenBeauty

The Neverending Winter........

Like a lot of the UK I woke up Friday morning to find snow covering everywhere. This is the 22nd march (above photo) so officially the 2nd day of Spring. My son was pleased because his school was closed, my daughter's school was one of the only ones in the area to be open but she was worried her after school disco would be cancelled. And the other half stressed some more about heating costs. 

Nothing can be done about the weather though - so we went to bed hoping that the snow would go or stop at least.....

But it didn't as the other two photos show!! 

I like snow.... its good cheap family fun. But like most things there is a time and place for it... spring is for daffodils, baby birds and lambs. Not snowballs and icicles!!! I cant help but feel for all the animals who would usually be having babies at this time... all the lambs out in the fields shivering instead of frolicking! All the birds trying to build nests in tree branches laden with snow! 

I just hope it doesn't last too long.... I have had enough of this cold now...

Website Review and Wishlist - ORTAK JEWELLERY

www.ortak.co.uk

Is a jewellery website that I came across a couple of weeks ago now.

What struck my eye first of all is the elegant and classy design of the website itself. The white background is a neutral colour which makes the items themselves stand out more upon the page and you are not distracted by pop ups and advertisements, leaving you to focus on the wonderful items. 

The layout makes the website very easy to navigate around and technically all the links I clicked when exploring the designs worked. There is nothing worse than a broken hyperlink!! 

Categories

Contemporary Jewellery - 

     Stylish silver and amethyst Set!

The price for this is £68 and the sterling silver and purple amethysts work so well together and compliment each other perfectly! 

Chunky silver ring!

I adore chunky silver jewellery and this ring is such an eyecatching piece. I would wear it everyday and on special occasions (like my super rare nights out!!)

I think it is a very reasonable price too at £47.

Classic Jewellery

Celtic Style ring with various stone inserts.

This ring comes with a selection of stone or enamel inserts. Which honestly means I would find it hard to pick just one! Wouldn't it be good to be affluent enough to afford one of every style! (Maybe when I win on ITV?!?) The prices vary depending on the finish and it is sold in many styles.

Earrings - from Achnabreck

There is a full range of this circular jewellery which is based on patterns left in Scottish rocks. I love the idea of a modern, trendy piece of jewellery which is inspired by nature.  These are priced at £26 and would make a lovely gift for someone.

Giftware

Baby Girl Figurine

Perfect for a new or expecting family, this is an adorable keepsake that would make a wonderful present. 

Priced at £19.50 it is affordable to those on a limited budget. There is also a matching 'Baby Boy' version which is equally as cute.

Bags and shoes compact mirror

Another little gift idea - I like this almost retro design which is simple and useful too! This would be a welcome addition to my make up bag. Costs £14.10 

Current Promotions

March madness - Exclusive Online only. Some fabulous jewellery at amazing prices. 

Zodiac Promotions - I love this offer - depending on which month it is there is a reduction on the birthstone necklace  The usual RRP is £49 but if purchased between the dates that correspond with the Zodiac sign then the necklace is £37. (For example if the Aries Gemstone is bought between 1st March - 19th April then it is the lower price) 

Mailing list & Brochures

To ensure that you do not miss out on any new items or awesome offers then you can sign up to the mailing list  HERE ...

There is also an option to download various - Catalogue downloads

Summary

In future when I am shopping for presents or even contemplating treating myself then this is a website that I will definitely click on again! I have signed up to the mailing list so in future I will be aware of all promotions. And without a doubt I would recommend this website and company to other people! 

If you like the designs above and want to see more then check it out - a lot of the styles can be customised with metal type and stone or enamel finish. So you can really create a piece which is personal to you! 

Google Petition - please sign

A lot of you have heard that from April Google plus is no more!

In reading up about why and how and all the in's and out's of the decision I have stumbled upon this Petition set up on www.change.org. Dan Lewis from New York set it up and at the time of writing this is has had 101,809 supporters . I myself am one of those!!!

The petitions objective is written below - and if you agree then the link to follow is at the bottom of this post! 

Dear Google:

A few years ago -- years, wow -- Google Reader was one of my go-to social networks. It was an accidental one. I was using it for its intended purpose -- aggregating and reading a lot of web content in one place -- but it turns out, a lot of other people were doing the same thing. A lot. Many of which shared interests and when you added the amazing (amazing!) share and comment features, Google Reader blossomed into a wonderful experience for many of us, core to our day-to-day consumption of content online.

Unfortunately, you decided to kill those "extra" functions. I'm not here to ask you to reverse that (you should, though). In doing so, Google Reader's day-to-day value declined, and I, like many, ended up using it less often. Instead of hitting the bookmarklet I have on my Chrome install three, four times a day, it's now a once a day (okay, once every other day more often, recently) experience.

But it's still a core part of my Internet use. And of the many, many others who are signed below.

Our confidence in Google's other products -- Gmail, YouTube, and yes, even Plus -- requires that we trust you in respecting how and why we use your other products. This isn't just about our data in Reader. This is about us using your product because we love it, because it makes our lives better, and because we trust you not to nuke it.

Oh.

So, please don't destroy that trust. You're a huge corporation, with a market cap which rivals the GDP of nations. You're able to dedicate 20% of your time to products which may never seen the light of day. You experiment in self-driving cars and really cool eyewear which we trust (trust!) you'll use in a manner respectful to our needs, interests, etc.

Show us you care.

Don't kill Google Reader.

KEEP GOOGLE READER RUNNING  sign here

COMPETITION LINK - £30 Amazon Voucher - Attachment Mummy Blog!

Attachment mummy has reached her blogaversary and to celebrate with her many monthly readers she is running an INTERNATIONAL giveaway. 

I have been following this blog for a while now and really enjoy all the posts and updates. 

Attachment Mummy   is a really interesting and informative read.

Click on the link above to check out her posts and perhaps enter into the competition too? It is a rafflecopter form with multiple entries! 

Good luck 

I can't wait for the pitter patter of 4 small paws......

Just a quick post today because I wanted to introduce the adorable, cuddly, amazingly lovable pooch who will soon be the 6th member of my family.

His name is Budd - which is short for Buddy if you ask my little girl, or short for Buddha if you ask me!!! 

He will be five week old on tuesday and is a little chunk!! 

Im sure in a couple of months I will be writing to complain about chewed shoes and wet cold puddles in the middle of the night.... but right now I can't wait to see what fun and mischief he will bring!!!! 

REVIEW / WISHLIST - MooKow Army Jewellery

I like it when I come across a company on Facebook or Twitter, especially if they sell amazing stuff. MooKow Army definitely fits that specification. I like quirky and usual and this place has that but it also has cute and adorable too.

These Strawberry cupcake earrings are priced at £2.50 and have flecks of glitter in them which makes them sparkly! I know a lot of little girls (and big girls) who would like to add these to their collection.

   

These Monochrome Star earrings are on trend and adorable. At the attractive price of £2.00 these would enhance any trendy black and white outfit!

There is a full range of the quirky and fantastic Lego Earrings - and this is such a simple idea but so effective. You could colour coordinate lego according to the clothes you have on that day!

For animal print lovers there is this Pink Leopard Print Choker at £6.00 it is approx 13" long and fastens with a clasp. (There are a lot of more gothic-y chokers and necklaces on there too. Something for everyone!!

  This Alice in Wonderland key necklace has to be one of my all time favourites. It is £8.99 and has diamante detail which always makes it that bit more special. The Alice in wonderland range is all excellent though, if I am honest I would be happy to add any to my jewellery collection. 

         I am not a big broch wearer however there are some in the Cameo range on here that I would definetely purchase. This gothic female Cameo  would match some of my tattoos! It is priced £6.50.

Some more outstanding items are these Strangeling Figurines  by Jasmine Becket-Griffith are so fab!! It was a tough choice because I do like them all - but this Valentine Dragon (£14.00) has to top my poll of favourites!! This would look amazing on my shelf!

Love Never Dies Cruet Set is found snuggled within the sale category and priced at £9.99 would be a welcome sight among my condiments!

For a special occasion or a fancy dress night out there is also a massive range of Fashion Contact lenses at the very reasonable price of £13.00. To help care for these there is also a care pack that you can buy for £2.99.

Finally (otherwise I will end up showing you every item that is sold!!) there is this Alchemy Gothic single black rose. I would make myself an unusual flower arrangement using several of these and priced at £2.50 I would be able to make it look impressive! 

So I really recommend checking this site out. Even if you have not got a gothic or quirky style there are lots of items which I am sure you will like - or even know someone that does! I know that as soon as I get a job I will be visiting to purchase some items and not just drool over them!! 

There is also a Facebook page too - with some additional items for sale. 

The perils of hair dye!! Ouch!

Not a very nice picture I will admit but I wanted to highlight the 'dangers' of dying your hair! 

Now I have always dyed my hair and have been a full spectrum of colours since I was 15. But I favour black or dark colours. (That's my inner goth!!) 

Last weekend I figured my hair needed a touch up so went and bought a well known and reputable brand. 30 Minutes later and I was expecting to a have a sleek new shiny colour which I suppose I do have. However I have been left with the sorest, itchy, inflamed, scabby, did I mention sore? rash! 

To help relieve the itch I bought and started taking some anti-histamines. Which have helped slightly but it still has not gone down! After a trip to the docs I have now got anti-biotics stronger anti-itch pills and some cream, fingers crossed this lot works because I don't want to be left with scars and it really does hurt!!

I have been doing some research though and it is the chemical Paraphenylenediamine (PPD)   which is found in the majority of permanent hairdyes especially the darker ones that cause this reaction. 

On one website I read that a body usually has a tolerance of 60 times to this chemical and side effects can occur at any time you dye your hair. So if the maths is done I have been colouring my hair for 15 years - perhaps this means my time as a black haired beauty is coming to an end? 

I used to only associate extreme allergies to hairdyes - TV programmes & magazines showing some poor person who had used colourings and stopped breathing or their face had swollen to unrecognisable proportions. But a skin reaction to people who have become sensitive to PPD is common too! 

The only thing I can do in the long term is to not colour my hair, especially with permanent ones. Even if I used a henna or more natural based dye I would need to check whether it contained PPD. 

To read more about it Check out the allergy uk website here...

My early Mother's day treats!

When I picked my little girl up from school she came out with her hands behind her back and a furtive sort of look on her face. It was cute because she was the only one in her class to be hiding her creations, all her classmates had them in full view - so I had some sort of idea what delights awaited me. 

She is as impatient as me and could not wait to show me my card - which I love. She picked my favourite colour and did her writing so neat! 

Such a simple yet beautiful card and one I can display for a long time! 

But that wasn't all - she had also been baking. 

I am a major chocoholic and she has made some choc truffles with her class and she told  that whilst making them she sneaked to the loo to lick some chocolate mixture off her hands. I asked "Why in the toilet?" and she very cleverly replied "Cos Max got told off for eating it off his hands and I didn't want to get into trouble!" 

I love these little conversations we have that reveal some of her quirks but as a 'responsible'mum I did advise that perhaps the loo wasn't the best place to be testing the mixture! 

But I am so pleased with her and really happy with the effort she has shown - despite needing the loo break!! 

And she says there are still loads of surprises to come yet .... 

(I know the photos are not the best - I am blaming my phone! But I get to upgrade in a couple of weeks - so the photos should be a lot better!! 

COMPETITION LINK- Ravi Famous £100 online voucher

Another competition link for a £100 clothing voucher to spend online at Ravi Famous 

I had a quick look around the website and picked a few items I would treat myself to if I was lucky enough to win! 

I love this skater dress with floral motif and I like it in the red colour they do too! 

This geek t-shirt is fab and comes in other colours too.

This looks both cute and snuggly warm!

But there are lots of amazing clothes to pick at a really fabulous price so maybe you should check it out and then head over  To this facebook competition here you could end up being lucky enough to expand your summer wardrobe!!

Good luck! 

COMPETITION LINK - Baileycakes Blog Beauty giveaway

I have stumbled across another fab blog. This is a really good lifestyle blog from Dorset - an area of the UK I would love to visit! And to top it off Hannah of the Bailey Cakes blog is holding a competition as a thank you for all of her followers!

The prize includes Lousie Gray for Topshop Eye pallette, Louise GraforTopshop 'impact' eyeliner, Louise Grey for Topshop creme eyeshadows and a £20 gift voucher for Zalando 

I have had a look around www.zalando.co.uk and if I was lucky enough to win I think I would be spoilt for choice! 

I did decide I liked this Anna Field dress priced at £34 - I think its striking and unusual and my typical colour!! 

So why don't you pop over to Bailey Cakes Blog and check out the competition and her fabulous post. And have a browse and see what you would treat yourself to if you were lucky enough to win!! 

My cooking - Chocolate Treats! Fudge and Hot Choc!

 I like chocolate! I like making new things with chocolate - here are two things I have made recently that both kids (and me) really enjoyed!

Hot Chocolate 
The kids wanted some hot chocolate but we didn't have some - however we had a lot of chocolate bars and treats in the cupboard so I decided to make my own! I melted chocolate in milk (using the microwave) and then to mix really well I used a blender - this created a frothy top. I added to this froth with some yummy whipped cream, crushed maltesers and some orange chocolate matchmakers!! They looked amazing but tasted a lot better!! I was quite proud of myself. Within minutes I went from being the mum of two disappointed kids to having two happy chocolated up kids!

Chocolate fudge (quick & easy) 

This was a personal challenge to myself because over the years I have tried unsuccessfully to make fudge about 3 or 4 times. It hasn't worked out so I have become frustrated. For some reason this morning I woke up determined to try something new and found an easy recipe for fudge!! I thought I would give it another go because this version looked simpler. 

To make I warmed up 400g dark choc (50%+ cocoa solids) with 25g of butter and a tin of condensed milk. Once all these ingredients were melted together I whisked in 100g of icing sugar (sifted). Once it is stiffer then put in a greased lined tin and set in the fridge before cutting into squares. 

In hindsight (that wonderful thing) I should have used an electric whisk because there are still icing sugar crystels showing - but that does not effect the taste! It is yummy!!!!! 

The Great Spring Clean 2013

In all the time we have lived in this house I have not given it a proper spring clean. In my mind a spring clean involves a deep clean and vacuum of all rooms, a massive de-clutter and organisation of household items and 'junk/treasured possessions' - all done in the same time period.

I don't want it to seem like I haven't cleaned at all - I have done all the above - in all the rooms - but not in the same weekend / weekly period.

I officially can not live with it any more though. Yes I have been recovering from my operation and so has the other half. But all the books, cds, dvds, games, teddies, clothes and ornaments are making me feel like I am drowning in crap!!

Slowly but surely I am de-cluttering - the other day I did music magpie to reduce some of my cds and jeans. Then yesterday I sold some old, unwanted and broken jewellery. I've donated some books to the local library and I've stockpiled items for a car boot.

But today I have bitten the bullet and made a somewhat small start to my huge, ginormous list!! It might take a while - but I will just work my way through it and tick them off. After all an organised tidy house leads to an organised tidy mind?

The worst / strangest view out of my window ever.

www.wooden-blinds-direct.co.uk  Are currently running a bloggers competition to try and find the worst view from a window. 

Well as soon as I read about this it took me back to 2009 when I looked out of my window and there was a runaway bus!! 

Well ok... it was a stolen bus - but it was driving erratically and crashing into parked cars causing a lot of damage. 

Me and my family were minding our business when we heard all these screeching noises coming from outside  when we stood up to take a look a bus was swerving all over the road irregardless of parked cars and pedestrians. It was one of those moments when we all looked at each as if we couldn't see believe what we were seeing. After the initial shock when we deemed it safe we ventured out to investigate - all along the street front doors were opening and other families were stepping out shaking their heads in disbelief. There was the distinctive scent of burning rubber and thick obnoxious black tyre marks running parallel all the way up the road. Those few people who had not parked on their drives were examining their vehicles to check for damage and all neighbours chatted together to gather what we knew about this incident.

Now buses do not run on our street and the people who had seen the driver could see that he was not wearing the local bus company's uniform so we gathered that something was off with the whole scenario. Eventually it came through the local grapevine that the bus had been stolen by someone with a grudge and in total had caused over £250000 worth of damage. Not just on our street but the entire 30 miles the driver had travelled had seen some form of destruction. 

It was definitely a window view that I won't forget about in a hurry!

To read about it in our local paper click here...  

If you feel you have a story about a view you have observed then head over to Wooden Blinds Direct. See what it involves and drop an entry in yourselves. You could win a Kindle Fire!! 

In Love With Fashion Wish list! (Albeit a gothic theme!!)

etailpr blog have teamed up with In Love With Fashion (ILWF) and are running this amazing competition where you can win £200 to spend online.

All you have to do is head on over to ILWF and pick some items and accessories that you like, then put them onto a collage to show them off. Now this is only the second time I have done something like this and the first time I have done a photo collage thing! So yay to me!! (haha) 

I found 5 items that I would be pleased to add to my some what dark wardrobe.      

        1  . Black and silver stud and buckle trainers at £38 I picked these because they look

 comfy and I live in trainers. (At the moment - when I get a job the 

posh shoes will come out!) The studs give that 'rocky' vibe which I know and love so these would coordinate with a lot of clothes I already have.

                      2.  LOU LOU Black Velvet Burnout Skater Dress  at £38

This is like because I consider it multi-functional. For the day time it can be teamed with funky tights, comfy shoes and for a night it could be jazzed up with a belt and some eye-catching accessories. I love wearing velvet too, its such a cuddly fabric. 

3. Black skull patterned bag with dark silver skulls! Was £35 NOW £17 (Save £18) 

I adore and love this bag. Its black, its big enough for me - yet not too big to fill with kids sweets and wipes etc... It has skulls on it - but in a subtle way. (This photo doesn't do it justice, click on the link and look in closer detail!) I just hope they still have it by the time I can afford it- because no spare income at all right now AND I WANT IT SOOOOooooooo MUCH!! 

4. Black Tie-Dye long sleeve high low top!  £28 I have always liked tie-dye but do prefer it in the two-tone colours rather than the psychedelic hippy tones! This could be teamed with a skirt, leggings, jeans - it is so versatile and because it is tie-dye it is so ontrend too! 

5. Lou Lou Purple Prom Skirt £36 - as with the dress I do need to wear more skirts and I love prom style skirts. It is purple not black - but as I wear both colours it would match many other items I have. 

I know it is a dark and maybe gloomy theme for some people - but I always wear dark clothes and feel naked wearing white or other pale colours!! I wanted to do this to show that even people with alternative fashion style can shop at fashionable & trendy stores. 

I think I have achieved this pretty well? 

To have a go at this yourself head over to etailpr and check out their guidelines on how to enter. It closes on the 15th March and the winner will be hand selected by Love's design team. 

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COMPETITION LINK - Chi-Chi dress and GHD's

ENTER HERE to have the chance of winning a dress of your choice and some ghd's then click the link.

Many methods of entering so you can double or even triple your chances. 

Rafflecopter form with 10 days left to enter. 

Fabulous competition so don't miss out!! Who doesn't need a new dress every now and then?