Benefit How To Look The Best At Everything - Light

I have mentioned a few times that I am a fan of the Benefit Kits, they make great gifts and also they provide an excellent introduction to products within the brand. What I love is that the kits are really well thought out with the items included in them, meaning that you are likely to use everything included in them and the packaging is fun to boot.

Benefit have the How To Look The Best At Everything kits - (Flawless Complexion MakeUp Kit) in 3 shades - Light, Medium and Dark.

Packaged like a book, you flip it open where you will find the mini size products, a mirror and a handy step by step guide on how to use the products.

Inside -

Kit includes:

• The POREfessional PRO balm to minimise the appearance of pores 7.5ml
• Hello flawless oxygen wow “cheers to me” champagne brightening makeup 7ml
• Boi-ing 01 & 02 industrial-strength concealer ( mix to achieve your perfect shade) 2 x1.5g 
• “hello flawless!” “me vain?” champagne custom powder cover-up 4g

I have already reviewed three of the items that are contained in the kit, the reviews of which you can read by clicking on the links below.

Porefessional 
Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup
Boi-ing Industrial Strength Concealer 

The product that was new to me was the Hello Flawless "Me,vain?" Powder in Champagne (custom powder cover up with SPF15) which I am glad that I have now discovered. As a finishing powder this is pretty fabulous, so light to be almost undetectable and yet it provides a subtle matte finish that keeps shine/oil at bay. I like it a lot.

Used together the kit does provide a perfectly flawless appearance, I do rate the foundation very highly. I love the minis, they are perfect for weekend's away, I do like the book style packaging but to be honest I would probably have ditched it except for the fact that the powder cannot be removed to be stored separately.

Swatches of Benefit's How To Look Best At Everything - Light

From left to right: Porefessional Primer, Hello Flawless "cheers to me" Champagne Foundation, Boi-ing Concealer shades 01 and 02, "Me Vain" Champagne Hello Flawless Powder.

Benefit How To Look Best At Everything Kit costs £24.50

*PR Sample

Superdry Neon Orange Fragrance - Review

Superdry Neon Orange Fragrance 

Neon Orange is part of a relatively new launch of female fragrances from Superdry. The simple bottle design includes a cigarette lighter style flip top lid.

Description

Mandarin, orange, blackcurrant, orange blossom, pineapple, cedarwood and musks.

My thoughts

Fresh, fruity and clean. I absolutely love Neon Orange, this is a gorgeous citrus scent that has captured the scent of a satsuma being peeled, which personally evokes many a happy childhood memory for me. This is similar to Jo Malone's Orange Blossom cologne but far more sparkly.

The scent stays true throughout the day. Perfect for Spring/Summer.

The other fragrances in the Neon Collection

Neon Blue: Pear, apple, melon, lily of the valley, jasmine and musks.
Neon Pink: Bergamot, pineapple, galbanum, water fruits, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, vanilla and musks.
Neon Purple: Fresh figs, green leaves, lily of the valley, cedarwood, sandalwood, dry amber, coconut, tonka and musks.

Superdry Neon Fragrance costs £35 for 40ml

*PR Sample

Lips Of The Day - Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Heart Lipstick in Rose

Today's photo comes courtesy of my sister who is wearing the Valentine's Day lipstick from Marks and Spencer's Limited Collection Heart Lipstick in Rose - So pretty.

She has also reported back that it feels lovely to wear and keeps lips hydrated. A winner.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector - Review

Every Winter my husband suffers from chapped hands. His lovely soft hands become very dry, rough and scaly. Quite often they split and bleed particularly between the knuckles. The condition is so bad his hands resemble the hands of someone far beyond his years. Recently they looked so awful that even one of his friends felt he had to comment on the state of them!

I try to get him to use moisturiser, occasionally he will reluctantly try something, and whilst it may work for a short while (a couple of hours), they soon become very dry again. When I mentioned that I had been sent a hand cream suitable for very dry skin to review and that it was rather pointless me trying it as I don't suffer from dry hands he did offer to give it a go.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector 

The Body Shop say 

Our best-selling Hemp Hand Protector helps soften and protect hands. It is dermatologically tested for very dry skin and contains Community Trade hemp seed oil.
Relieves very dry skin
Restores moisture and suppleness

My thoughts (husband's thoughts)

First of all I think the fact that the packaging wasn't at all "girly" convinced him to try the product. The scent is subtle and herbal (again not 'girly'). This is a thick cream that melts into the skin, is non greasy leaving hands wonderfully soft instantly. However.. the brilliance of the Hemp Hand Protector is that hands remain like this ALL DAY. Used twice a day my husband's hands have been TRANSFORMED and restored to pre Winter hands. I make no apologies for the capitals, this is a product worth shouting about.

Bottom line: This works!

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector costs £10 for 100ml 

*PR Sample

A Spring Poem - The Friday Column

With slightly warmer weather trying to burst through last week I thought Spring may have arrived, unfortunately the cold weather has returned much to my disappointment... despite this I felt like writing a poem about Spring.

A Spring Poem -

Spring is awakening
It is finally here
Goodbye bitter Winter
Warmer weather draws near

Lighter nights are impressing
The Daffodils in abundance
Sweet tones of birds chirping
To last year, good riddance

The dew on the grass
Falls like a single tear shed
Layers of clothing
Fall onto my bed

Bare arms appeal to the warmth of the Sun
Oh yes, Spring has awakened, all hope has begun

An original work of fiction - all rights reserved

Sample Sachet Sunday - Dermalogica Sheer Tint, Cover Tint, Skin Perfect Primer

Three sample sachets today from skincare brand Dermalogica.

Sheer Tint, Skin Perfect Primer and Cover Tint swatched

Sheer Tint Medium SPF20

Dermalogica say

Lightly-tinted moisturizer provides an all-day sheer wash of color.
Natural, light-diffusing Iron Oxides provide translucent color for radiant skin, while Broad Spectrum sunscreens shield against damaging UV rays. Hydrolyzed Pearl amino acids, hydrating Hyaluronic Acid and antioxidant Walnut Seed extracts help improve 
skin texture and reduce the appearance of fine dehydration lines. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors.

My thoughts

This tinted moisturizer is available in 3 shade, the medium was perfect for my skin tone. Reading on the Dermalogica website I saw that this is a replacement product for a previous one that was well regarded. Having no experience of the previous Sheet Tint I can only tell you of my experience.

I wore this in place of a moisturiser after cleasning and toning as per the instructions. It was hydrating and my skin felt soft and comfortable all day.

I was expecting this to be runny but actually it was quite a thick cream which surprised me. I wore this over the Skin Perfect Primer and loved the result. I had really clear, perfectly natural looking skin that was bright. It didn't quite cover any blemishes but a concealer would be able to do this. Perfect for a light make up look with no hint of shine even after wearing it all day, I liked this a lot.

Skin Perfect Primer SPF30 £37.50 for 22ml

Dermalogica say 

Smooth away fine lines, brighten and prime for flawless skin and to prep for make-up application. Velvety silicones create an instantly smooth surface. Neutral tint helps balance tone and enhance luminosity and radiance. Peptides and AGE Smart® actives help firm and shield against MMP and free radical damage, as sunscreens shield against sun damage. Wear alone over your moisturizer for visible smoothness and luminosity, or after moisturizer application and before foundation to help fill fine lines for a lasting make-up finish. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors.

My thoughts 

I was blown away by the Skin Perfect Primer, it has a slightly herbal scent which is pleasant,  it is soft and easy to apply. Texture wise this reminds me of Benefit's Porefessional Primer. As you can see from the switch this has a slight colour to it but this was just ideal for my skin. It left my skin silky soft to the touch, evened out my skin tone, hid the pores and just made my skin look so nice and bright that I would have been happy to have left the house without anything else. It makes an excellent base for makeup, Ooh and I didn't suffer any shine ALL day! 

Amazing primer that does exactly what it promises to do and I love the fact that it contains SPF30. I have a few more applications of this in the sachet but I am sorely tempted now to purchase a tube.

Cover Tint Medium SPF20

Dermalogica say

Creamy foundation delivers full coverage that lasts.
 Natural, light-diffusing agents and Iron Oxides balance skin tone and soften fine lines while Broad Spectrum sunscreens help protect against damaging UV rays. Hydrolyzed Pearl and extracts of Ginseng, Purslane and Centella help firm and smooth the skin while marine extracts hydrate skin to minimize fine lines and provide an even finish. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors.

My thoughts

I wore Cover Tint after moisturising and with no primer. As you can see from the swatch, the medium in the Cover Tint is really dark and not my shade at all. Used sparingly I did manage to make it work for me (just!), the warmer shade providing a healthy sun-kissed glow. On application it has a slighty dewy finish but this soon settles down to a smooth, velvet finish. I wasn't entirely convinced by the coverage as I felt my pores were still visible. However, it could be that I just hadn't used enough product because the shade was so wrong. On the plus side it was long lasting and once again not a hint of shine.

The swatches smoothed out a bit 

Have you tried these products?

Alicia Keys Brand New Me v Emeli Sande Clown

When I heard Brand New Me from Alicia Keys I loved it instantly, I admit to playing it over and over again..however I felt that I had heard the tune before on the radio. I kept hearing this other tune in my head but I couldn't think who or what it was and it was beginning to bother me.. until I watched the Brit Awards 2013 and saw the wonderful Emeli Sande performing, finally I had the answer.

Brand New Me Alicia Keys



Clown Emeli Sande


So tell me, what do you think? These two songs are similar right?

Perfume Sample Saturday - Jimmy Choo Eau De Parfum

Jimmy Choo EDP 

Jimmy Choo is all about style, glitter and red carpets with a twist of provocation. The first fragrance envelops the woman with the sensuality and the essence of the brand through a glamorous Fruity Chypre perfume. A pure and irresistible object of desire.

Top notes: Pear Nectar, Sweet Italian Orange, Green notes
Heart notes: Tiger Orchid
Base notes: Toffee, Indonesian Patchouli

My thoughts 

Fresh, sweet and fruity on first spray this perfume has floral depth and warmth provided by the Tiger Orchid and Patchouli. I couldn't really identify the orange in this scent, I felt that it was more berry like in tone strangely. After about two hours the scent settled down and I could identify the toffee base mixed with the musky note of patchouli which was slightly more bearable. I am not a huge fan of fruity scents so understandably this perfume didn't really appeal to me.

I find this to be a strong, heady perfume, one of those that sadly gives me a headache or makes me feel rather odd. I would say this is a statement perfume, one to be worn at night. A scent you either love or hate.

The amber textured bottle is inspired by Venetian Murano glass. The box packaging snakeskin print.

Jimmy Choo EDP is available in 40, 60 and 100ml. 

The Friday Column - A Little Poem

As I went to sleep last night, the idea for this poem came into my head..it was stopping me from sleeping so instead of trying to ignore it and force myself to sleep I let my mind wander and came up with the following -

Wondering if you will ever tell her
Of how we met and how I know
Trapped in enforced silence
Banging frantically on the window

I see you turn and stare at me
Both of you happy entwined as one
The sneaky glance a different story
When I had the chance I should have run

What to do, I need to think fast
Whispers or notes which would be best
She is in danger,the love affair not what it seems
A man not to be trusted, a passing guest.

What do you think? Would love your feedback

An original work of fiction - all rights reserved

Les Senteurs Gourmandes - 'Childhood Memories' Collection

Today I bring you another fragrance collection with *Gourmand notes that caught my attention, I love the story behind the concept. Inspiration for a Mother's Day gift?

Les Senteurs Gourmandes reawakens happy memories passed between mother and daughter in its ‘Childhood Memories’ collection. Three enchanting perfumes use the power of Gourmand notes to capture the fresh smell of clean linen, the tantalizing taste of violet sweets and the comforting warmth of freshly baked cakes.

Musc Blanc 

Pure and light, the sweet smell of white sheets drying in a sunny garden overflowing with white flowers combines with the delicacy of clean skin with powdery accents.

Notes: Ambrette, Lily Of The Valley, White Musk.

Vanille Violette 

The emblematic little Violet flower of Toulouse crystallised in sugar. Sweet, fresh and flowery notes reawaken the memory of an elegant perfume you once knew so well.

Notes: Rose, Violet, Vanilla.

Tendre Madeleine

The delicious aroma of freshly baked sponge cake blended with Orange Zest, a hint of Bitter Almond and Cinnamon. A comforting and warming perfume made sweeter by the heat of the oven.

Notes: Cinnamon, Bitter Almond, Precious Wook.
Eau de Parfum RRP £22.50 (100ml) Available exclusively at Marks & Spencer (new beauty halls) and www.marksandspencer.com

*Gourmand = basing a fragrance on edible notes

Jo Malone Sugar and Spice Collection - Limited Edition

The Sugar and Spice Collection - Five deliciously Gourmand sounding and tempting fragrances inspired by Afternoon Tea delicacies..Of course I had to share this news with you! I haven't tried these yet but I intend to get to a Jo Malone counter very soon. I also think they have the potential to make a nice gift idea for Mother's Day.

Jo Malone says 

A collection of fragrances created for moments of delicious pleasure. Inspired by delectable ingredients.
Decadently tempting. Impossible to choose. Delicious to wear. Succumb to divine indulgence.

The 5 fragrances

Lemon Tart

The mouth-watering tang of lemon tart. Sparkling with citrus fruits and verbena, contrasted with swirls of meringue and lemon thyme. Refreshing.

Redcurrant & Cream

A summer pudding. Sharp-scarlet juices of redcurrants, lush strawberries and raspberries, rippling through creamy musk. Vivacious and enticing.

Elderflower & Gooseberry

A voluptuous gooseberry fool. Crushed, summer-green gooseberries, juicy with lychee, enfolded into the soft delicacy of elderflower.Tender and feminine.

Ginger Biscuit

Just-baked biscuit. Spiced with ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon, melting into caramel. Butter-crumbly with
roasted hazelnuts. Warmed by tonka bean and vanilla. Irresistible.

Bitter Orange & Chocolate

The bite of bitter orange, layered with dark chocolate. Orange peel counterpoised with warm, powdery cocoa, milky coconut and coumarin. Sumptuous and addictive.

Limited Edition. Available from March 2013. Each Cologne costs £38 for 30ml

www.jomalone.co.uk

New CID Cosmetics i-glow, i-shadow and i-shine reviewed

I was recently sent some pieces from make up brand New CID cosmetics, I have already written about how much I love their i-glosses and the pot of eye shadows from The Bodyguard Collection.

i-shine in Kir Royal £12.50

Described as a super shiny gloss, I must admit I much prefer my glosses to be applied on a wand applicator. I found this to be too gloopy and messy to apply with just my finger and if I am carrying this around I would need a separate brush. That said it is is pretty pink shade, it smells of yummy coconut and it is glossy.

Swatches of Kir Royal

Daylight

With flash

i-glow in Coral Crush £24

Daylight

With flash

I liken this to an ice cream swirl, so pretty in the case. Pinks, coral and swirls of gold shimmer. i-glow baked powder gives a gorgeous glow to the cheeks when applied and there is no need for a separate highlighter. It is quite light so the swatches below are quite heavy so you could see the colour (as I was having a hard time capturing its prettiness with my camera!)

Swatches of Coral Crush 

Daylight

With flash

i-shadow in Florence £22

I absolutely love this eye shadow quad and have been wearing it most days - 4 shades that are so wearable.
one matte shade, 2 shimmers and a highlighting colour. Perfect. Texture wise they are smooth and creamy, making them very blendable and they last all day.

The casing is slim and smart too. My only niggle is the applicators included. The handle is too small (even for my fingers) and I end up getting eye shadow all over my fingers. I prefer to use my own applicators that are not double ended.

Swatches 

With flash

Daylight

The matte brown makes a lovely base colour or worn alone it really brings out the green in my eyes. The light brown/bronze shimmer is so pretty and the dark brown with shimmer is fab for depth and lining the eyes for definition. Florence is a gorgeous quad palette.

Coming soon - my review of i-prime - Foundation primer.

For more info visit www.newcidcosmetics.com

*PR Samples

Revlon ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamel - Mannequin Hands

Nude nail fans are in for a treat with Revlon's New ColorStay Longwear Nail Enamels. The Mannequin Hands Collection contains eight flawless nude shades for every skin tone. The gel-like formula  promises chip free nails for up to 11 days.

From L-R

Mocha
Rose Beige
Natural Tan
Natural Beige
Sandy Nude
Cool Beige
Natural Pink
Porcelain

Mannequin Hands Collection available from March. Nail Enamels cost £7.99 each.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer - French Nudes Collection

With nude nails being a huge trend this Spring, Estee Lauder have created 5 perfect shades with one bound to suit, whether you want a barely there look or a shade to contrast your skin tone. Billed as foundation for your nails these flesh tones take simplicity and give it a fresh, modern twist.

Whilst I like playing occasionally with colours on my nails I am far more comfortable with nude shades so this trend makes me very happy indeed!

French Nudes Collection

From L-R


Bittersweet
Diabolique
So Vain
Nudité
Ballerina Pink

Estee Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquers French Nudes Collection will be available from March - £14.50 each.

Perfume Sample Saturday - pureDKNY A Drop Of Rose Eau de Parfum

pureDKNY A drop Of Rose

The pureDKNY sustainability story unfolds with the classic Turkish rose. The rich soil, rain and sunshine of the Isparta valley give way to the perfect rose. As with its predecessors, A Drop of Vanilla and A Drop of Verbena, A Drop of Rose evolved in a non-traditional way: the ingredient comes first.  It begins in Turkey`s Isparta valley in the Anatolian flower fields, where the delicate pink blossoms of rose damascene variety are harvested early each summer. It follows a generations-old process that`s virtually unaffected by modern technology: Each flower is hand-picked, one by one in the cool, pre-dawn hours. By season`s end, 2500 tons of petals have been bagged, weighed, and transported by truck to the distillery where they are gently rolled and processed through 26 stills. The end product is rose essential oil.

The resulting fragrance is rose in its simplest incarnation.

With notes of Turkish rose, blackcurrant, magnolia, cedar, verbena and vanilla.

 My thoughts 

pureDKNY A Drop Of Vanilla is one of my all time favourite scents, so wearable and perfect for every day. When I heard that the new addition to the pureDKNY was going to be A Drop Of Rose I could hardly contain my excitement, I HAD to try this new scent. Regular readers will know that I am a HUGE fan of rose scented products so I was pretty certain I was going to love this new fragrance.

Needless to say A Drop Of Rose does not disappoint, rose scented, fresh, light and natural. Once again an ideal daytime scent. This to me is like the scent of rose water (the liquid left over from distilling rose oil) captured in a perfume. Rose water is one of the ingredients in my favourite Persian ice-cream (bastani) and this smells just like the dessert tastes. Utterly delightful, fragrant and in its purest form. Quite simply the perfect rose.

I liked Stella and Paul Smith Rose but this is by far the best rose fragrance yet.

I would definitely purchase this perfume.

pureDKNY A Drop Of Rose Eau de Parfum costs £37 for 30ml

Champneys Mediterranean Bliss Body Hydrator & Miners Tin o' Tint Mango - Sunshine Beauty

The sun was out today in its full glory and what better way to celebrate than with some sun inducing beauty products. Every time I use these products I allow my senses to think of far away places, warmth and sun.

Champneys Spa Indulgence Mediterranean Bliss Body Hydrator £10 for 200ml

One of my favourite body lotions, this light body hydrator absorbs immediately leaving skin soft, smooth and smelling gorgeous. The scent is delicate and creamy. It contains fig milk, olive leaf and green tomato. Full of mediterranean goodness.

Miners Tin o'Tint Mango £2.99 for 12g

This delicious mango scented lip tint cannot fail to bring the sun into your life. It smells good enough to eat and is a most wonderful coral shade that screams 'Hello Summer'

Sample Sachet Sunday - Rodial Glamtox 5 Minute Facial

This sachet was in a GlossyBox along with Rodial's Glamoxy Snake Serum.

Reading back I see that there were 2 sachets of each product in the box, this is important,you will see why further on..

Rodial 5 Minute Facial

Rodial say

5 minute facial is an exfoliating and decongesting mask packed with active ingredients to restore a youthful glow. The gently exfoliating formula clarifies and absorbs impurities; reducing pore size to reveal smooth, bright, glowing skin.

How to use 

This thick clay mask should be generously applied to clean dry skin, avoiding the eye area. Allow to dry until the peel can be removed by gently rubbing the skin with fingertips. Finish by rinsing thoroughly with warm water.

My thoughts 

After great results from two facial masks recently - GlamGlow and Sanctuary Spa, I was really looking forward to trying this one from Rodial.

Anything that promises results within 5 minutes appeals to my impatient side. This mask smells lovely and fresh, I really like the scent. The mask is white/very pale cream and resembles toothpaste in texture. Unfortunately I thought I only had the one mask (have no idea where the other sachet is) and 1ml really doesn't go far even on my small face! I had to really eke it out and so I ended up with quite a thin mask.

I am not sure whether this made a difference to its performance as the instructions do say to apply generously . As a result the mask dried fast, and when removing was gritty so appeared to be exfoliating well. However, I felt that the mask didn't really do much or make a difference to my after appearance at all.

If I was judging the performance of the Rodial 5 minute Facial based on a sample sachet, I wouldn't be making a purchase of the product as it left me distinctly unimpressed.

Rodial 5 Minute Facial £35 for 50ml

Elemis Rehydrating Rose Petal Cleanser & Soothing Apricot Toner

Since the beginning of this year I have been using this duo of Elemis Reyhdrating Rosepetal Cleanser and Soothing Apricot Toner in conjunction with the Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream. All of these items were in the Supreme Glow Christmas Gift Box.

Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser £21 for 200ml

Elemis say

Active extracts of healing Rosepetal, Lecithin and Vitamins E and F replenish moisture levels, whilst gently purifying the skin. Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal facial cleanser is a rich, aromatic Cleansing Milk that helps restore the youthful bloom to dehydrated and mature skin.

Skin type: Mature, Normal/Dry

My thoughts 

This cream cleanser is heavily scented with a traditional rose scent so if you don't like rose you will not like this. Luckily rose scents do appeal to me. A cream textured cleanser, which you apply onto the skin and then use a damp muslin/face cloth to remove. It feels so soft and gentle to use, I find it to be an effective cleanser and leaves my skin soft and comfortable feeling.

Although I liked this product, I didn't love it enough for it to make an appearance on my beauty essentials page.

Soothing Apricot Toner £21 for 200ml

Elemis say

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner has extracts of fragrant Apricot soothe and harmonise, giving rise to a fresh sensation and radiant appearance. Ideally suited to extra-sensitive, delicate and hormonal skin. This alcohol-free toner is so gentle, it may also be applied to cotton pads for a soothing eye treatment.

Skin type: Sensitive

My thoughts 

Absolutely lovely toner with a delicious apricot scent. I find it incredibly gentle on my skin and soothing,whilst the scent is refreshing. The pump action spray is handy and the product comes out as a fizzy, frothy foam before calming down to a liquid on my cotton wool pad. I like this a lot.

*PR Sample

Burberry Lip Velvet - No308 Pink Azalea

Matte lipsticks are a huge trend and one that I am more than happy to embrace.

Burberry Lip Velvet in shade no308 - Pink Azalea is a gorgeous matte dark pink/magenta colour proving that matte does not equal flat..

Burberry say

Iconic pigments give incredibly dense, luminous colour; gel technology gives weightless, imperceptible feel and comfortable long wear performance, while triglycerides and wild rose continuously hydrate.

My thoughts

Casing that is weighty with the synonymous Burberry Check, magnetic closure that ensures the lid never comes loose and a rose scented lipstick with the Burberry print ensures that Lip Velvet is up there with the best of the lipsticks I have ever tried. A wonderful matte velvety finish with a radiance that brings life to lips means that I reach for this often. I find the texture dry to apply but it is not drying on the lips.

Next on my list is no301 Pink Apricot Lip Velvet as an every day shade.

Here I am wearing Burberry Pink Azalea on a visit to The View at The Shard

.

Burberry Lip Velvet costs £23 and is available from Harrods, John Lewis Oxford St and uk.burberry.com

The View From The Shard

I was reading last week that 'experiences' make people happier than material goods as we tend to remember an experience longer into the future, usually with fond memories, whereas goods tend to have a shelf life and once it is gone, it is gone. Funnily enough for the last few years I have tended to gift experiences and been given them in return. I do enjoy them and so was rather delighted that at Christmas my brother presented the whole family with tickets to visit The Shard's Viewing Platform. Something to look forward to in the New Year.

For those who haven't heard of the Shard, it is an iconic, landmark building on the London skyline, designed by Master Architect Renzo Piano. At a height of 1,016ft (310m) it is the tallest building in Western Europe.

The View is situated at the top of The Shard, on floors 68, 69 and 72, and almost twice the height of any other viewing platform in London.

Yesterday our day finally arrived to travel up The Shard to The View and all I can say is wow!

We took two high-speed ‘kaleidoscopic’ lifts, reaching Level 68 in no time at all. However, we climbed the stairs up to level 72 and out onto the elements. Wind, rain and bitter cold greeted us but were all soon forgotten as we took in the magnitude of the views afforded us. London in all its glory. A 360 degree view stretching over 40 miles.

Look up

Tower Bridge behind me

The Gherkin

The London Eye 

We ended our day by heading towards Hays Galleria London Bridge, Tooley St with a meal at Cote Brasserie. 

A brilliant day spent with family, the memories of which we will cherish for ever.