Giveaways

Friday, 29 June 2018

Elizabeth Arden White Tea EDT Spray Review

White Tea by Elizabeth Arden is my new everyday scent and I could, and would, quite happily wear it forever. A signature scent? quite possibly!

Seeing it advertised I knew I had to try it, as soon as I did, I loved it and bought it. 



What Elizabeth Arden say 

Elizabeth Arden White Tea is inspired by the simple pleasure that accompanies the first sip of tea. Exquisitely uncomplicated, this new fragrance invites you to revel in the moment.

A musky-woody floral, it preludes with sparkling Italian Mandarin and sensual Sea Breeze Accord. Its Zen-like heart of White Tea Extract and Mate Absolute Paraguay steeps in graceful femininity while Madras Wood, Ambrette Seed Absolute and a Trio of Tranquility Musks lead to a harmonious finale. For the woman who wants to immerse herself in the moment.

White Tea is a crisp, blissful new addition to the Elizabeth Arden fragrance portfolio. The perfect escape for your senses, it is an invitation to indulge in warm memories and delight in the white tea vapors, blue skies and cotton-like clouds.

Top notes  - Mandarin Orange, Clary Sage, Fern, Sea Notes

Heart notes - White Tea, Mate, White Iris

Base notes - Tonka Bean, Amber, Exotic Woods, Ambrette (Musk Mallow)

My thoughts 

This is a beautiful, mood lifting, light fragrance. It is clean, crisp and green on initial spray. As it dries down,it softens and blurs to reveal a creamier and powdery layer of loveliness whilst still maintaining the clean, fresh and uncomplicated scent it promised. I adore it and revel in its simplicity. 

Have you tried it? 

Elizabeth Arden White Tea EDT Spray is available in 50 and 100ml.  

Thursday, 28 June 2018

Music To My Ears

This week's 100 word story based on the following picture prompt


Music To My Ears 


‘What does your son do? Apart from play loud music.’ The neighbour asked, with a healthy tinge of rudeness I thought, as we sat opposite each other on the train.
Billy was a musician, and if he wasn’t playing gigs he was practising in his room.
The same neighbour knocked on the door a few weeks later ‘I see Billy has taken to using headphones after our little chat.’ I watched as she walked smugly away. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes.
Billy wasn’t using headphones, he had died in a motorbike accident. I will miss the noise.


Bettina x

With thanks to Rochelle as ever for the great picture prompt. If you wish to read more stories, click here


Monday, 25 June 2018

Time Of Your Life (TOYL) Beauty Subscription Box Launches

Time Of Your Life (TOYL) is a new beauty, lifestyle and content subscription box aimed at the over 40's woman. As soon as the press release hit my inbox I knew I had to find out more...


I was sent the June box and what a box it is!

What I love about this box is that it isn't just your bog standard beauty box that throws in random garish eye shadows in shades you will never use, or a glitter polish that is ok for the odd night out but will probably then remain in a box until it gets chucked out in the annual clear out. Real thought has been put into the contents, I was delighted with what was included in the first box. Not only that... subscribing to the box means that you have access to podcasts in all manner of subjects.

As an example ,the June podcasts are

Beauty Guru Liz Earle on the Menopause

Dr Marilyn Glenville on Nutrition after 40 

Make Up Over 40 with A-List make up artist Lee Pycroft. 

The links get emailed directly to you to listen to at your convenience.

Inside the box, the contents total an incredible £90 -

Meno Multi Support Nutritional Supplement for Women - 60 tablets, One Month Supply rrp 
£25.78 

Dr Glenville has recreated a special multivitamin and mineral supplement tailored to help you through the menopause and support strong, healthy bones.

Nurture Replenish Collagen Boosting Serum 30ml rrp £17.99 (full size)

This is a creamy serum, it smells absolutely gorgeous and I cannot wait to try it out. As I have hit 40 I have noticed that my skin is crying out for more intense care and this promises to help replenish levels of oestrogen and collagen essential for a healthy and youthful appearance.

Dr Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Vitalising Essence 100ml rrp £17 (full size)

A wonderfully zesty bath essence that promises to moisturise and tone. A refreshing pamper experience.

The Organic Pharmacy Marigold & Comfrey Handcream 30ml £13.17 (travel size)

They call it travel size, I call it handbag size. I don't think you can have enough handcreams, I am always using mine! This one from The Organic Pharmacy is light and absorbs instantly leaving hands silky to the touch. It has a nice zesty scent too.

Bellapiere Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in Charcoal rrp £16.99 (full size)

I absolutely love this eyeliner, coming in charcoal it is less harsh than black and is incredibly flattering against my green eyes. It glides on the skin for precise application and remains all day. Best of all it is formulated with pure minerals and natural waxes. Hypoallergenic.

Surprise!

That's not all,  as if you haven't been spoilt enough, each month a little something extra is popped into the box to make you go oooh!

To my delight, this month the box contained a small bar of chocolate from Willie's Cacao. The Venezuelan 72 dark chocolate blend was too good to keep for too long. I had good intentions  (honest!) of just eating a single square a day... but who was I kidding, it was so so tasty, I devoured it all in one go! What a treat, a delicious bar of intensely dark but not too bitter chocolate, who could resist?

If you want to find out more... head to www.toyl.co.uk and if you are tempted to sign up, and quite frankly, who wouldn't be, I have a special offer code for you to use.

Use JUNE18 and receive 50% off your first month's box when you take out a year's subscription



*PR Sample 


Thursday, 14 June 2018

MB Pour Homme Michael Bublé - Father's Day Gift Inspiration!



My husband has been lucky enough to have had a sneaky peek of the new signature male fragrance by Michael Bublé and we think that it is the perfect Father's Day gift. But you have to hurry because last orders to guarantee delivery in time for Father's Day is today...!! 

MB Pour Homme is described as a rich signature scent for the sophisticated modern gentleman. Starting with fresh and clean top notes of grapefruit and bergamot that mingle with spicy notes of pink pepper and ginger. With heart notes of soft and sensual facets of neroli and cashmeran. All wrapped together with a depth and intense warm base of sandalwood, patchouli and musk. Creating an elegant woody aromatic fougere fragrance, leaving him feeling fresh and energised.

Top Notes - 

Grapefruit 
Bergamot
Pink Pepper 
Ginger 

Heart Notes - 

Neroli 
Cashmeran

Base Notes - 

Sandalwood
Patchouli
Musk 

Thoughts

I have to mention the eye catching bottle that has instant shelf appeal. It's a gorgeous deep and timeless blue shade with strong, clean lines, the result is a chunky masculine bottle that is sure to take pride of place on the bathroom shelf. The inspiration for the sharp, and well defined lines etched into the bottle design is taken from a microphone and the choice of blue to represent the blue suit that every man possesses in his wardrobe and a signature of Michael Bublé himself.

The aftershave is absolutely gorgeous, seamlessly transitioning from day to evening. Fresh and bursting with citrus notes, this is modern and timeless. Blended with a hint of alluring spice it is a fragrance that is sure to appeal to men of all ages. 

Available exclusively from michaelbubleperfume.com 120ml EDP costs £55 








Flash Fiction - Captive

This week's 100 word story based on the following picture prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays

Captive



Watching intensely, they followed the silhouette as it paced backwards and forwards, strutting upright and proud.
‘What is it?’ Sophie spoke in hushed tones.
‘Hard to tell. Wearing a metal helmet, probably got a gun. Some kind of soldier I should think.’
Sophie gasped ‘A gun.’ And then sobbed. ‘We will never get out of here alive.’
Accepting their fate, they disappeared back under the sheets.
The door burst open. Francis pressed his finger against Sophie's lips, ‘Shhh, the captors are here.’
‘Sophie, Francis. Dinner!’
The children giggled, pretend play was so much fun. The chicken, carried on as usual.

I hope you enjoyed this piece.
Bettina x 


*Thank you as ever to Rochelle for providing the inspiration for these week's story, if you would like to read more stories based on this prompt, click here