HomeandgardenGifts.co.uk - NEWS

February competition!

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:17:11 GMT

*February Competition*

We’ve got some incredible prizes up for grabs in this month’s competition: a No Tray high chair and a My Chair transition high chair, both from one of our favourite baby suppliers, Scandinavian Selection.

The No Tray high chair

This is the same high chair you’ve probably used if you’ve been out for a meal with your child to any one of the many restaurants that use the No Tray high chair. Unlike a conventional high chair, the No Tray high chair is a simply designed, no-fuss, practical solution to encouraging your young ones to stay in the same place for just long enough to eat!

The My Chair transition high chair

This is the ‘big brother’ of the No Tray high chair, the transitional step between using a high chair and a normal grown-up seat. Parents who have survived the difficult time from when your child outgrows their baby high chair will appreciate just how much help a purpose-made chair like the My Chair can be. It provides you with the knowledge that your child is safely and securely sat at the table with you, while your child feels that bit more grown-up with their very own (almost) grown-up chair! Meal times have never been so easy!

All you have to do to win one of our Scandinavian Selection high chairs is answer the two questions below:

Question 1:

How many different flavours of Message Muffins do we offer?

Question 2:

In no more than 25 words, tell us why you like the Home and Garden Gifts website. Please be aware that we will use your comments in question 2 along with the first letter of your first name and your surname on our website.

Please use the boxes below, or email your answer, name and contact email to competition@homeandgardengifts.co.uk and mark ‘high chairs competition’ as the subject by midnight on 28th February 2009.

Competition rules:

1. There will only be one winner for each of the two prize sets.

2. The winner will be announced in the newsletter following the closing date of the competition.

3. The winner will be judged by the Home and Garden Gift Management Team and their decision is final.

4. The judges will not communicate with any entry enquiries.

5. By taking part in this competition you accept to be bound by the above rules.

Good luck!

*December Competition winners*

Congratulations to our December competition winners, who correctly named one of our . Our first winner was L. Gibbins from Northumberland, who said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because whatever your interest, whatever your age, there's something for you on each fab page! "

Our second winner was J. Barnes from Dumfries, who said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because who needs to take a trip to the shops when Home and Garden Gifts is the tops! ”

Ms Gibbins and Mr Barnes win handmande Belgian chocolates and a Race track Minis set.

Christmas discounts and savings with Home and Garden Gifts!

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:44:43 GMT

Christmas is definitely on its way: you’re figuring out who’s going to spend Christmas with whom, and searching for gifts for those hard-to-buy-for loved ones.

The first thing to realise is that there's more to Christmas spending than just presents. There are decorations, clothes, parties and travel to think about too. And don't forget about cards, postage costs, and phone calls to loved ones.

When it comes to present-buying, it pays to have a plan. DO NOT just take yourself off to town and spend. Succumbing to impulse buying is a very risky business for anyone on a budget as it can lead to a spiralling outlay.

Make a list of EVERYONE you'll be buying a gift for. Include relatives you'd rather forget, all work-related presents and even the gift you keep under the tree just in case someone unexpected pops round.

Think about how much you can afford to spend on each person. Write the figure down next to their name and then come up with an overall gift total.

Don't forget homemade or personal gifts: these can be an inexpensive way to make sure the thought really counts. If you browse through our Personalised and Gifts sections, you will stumble on a whole range of gift ideas that don't even require craft skills. For instance, a gift of a photo cushion personalised with a picture of your children would make the perfect present for grandparents without breaking the bank.

Whatever the gifts you're looking for, there are a number of simple things you can do to reduce costs:

1. Don't wait until the last minute. If you wait until Christmas Eve to do your gift shopping, you'll be forced to buy inappropriate presents at high prices. If you start early, you'll have the luxury of time to do some price comparisons between different retailers.

2. Avoid using store cards because they charge the highest interest rates. Even if you're planning to have the bills paid off by February, it will pay in the longer term to avoid extra outlay on interest payments.

3. Do some comparison shopping online. Even if you're not comfortable with the idea of shopping online, internet prices will give you a good idea of what reasonable prices are and help with budgeting.

4. STOP shopping when you've bought the last gift on your list! A little extra something for your partner or for the kids can quickly turn into several somethings extra and ruin your budget plan.

With all that financial planning done and dusted, you can sit back and enjoy your Christmas, knowing there won't be any nasty surprises in the new year.

Exclusive Turds sale!

20% off any purchase of The Turds until midnight on 31st December 2008 with our new discount code:

20TURDS

Google Checkout discounts

To celebrate our new Google Checkout initiative, we are offering you two discount codes to use during the Google Checkout payment process for goods from Home and Garden Gifts.

£10 off when you spend £100 –

Discount code: google£10

This discount code will entitle you to £10 off a total order value of £100 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

£5 off when you spend £50 –

Discount code: google£5

This discount code will entitle you to £5 off a total order value of £50 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

£2.50 off when you spend £25 –

Discount code: google£2

This discount code will entitle you to £2.50 off a total order value of £25 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

We will also be giving every 1,000th Home and Garden Google Checkout customer a free Wii Fit game (RRP£79.99 - 100) and every 100th Home and Garden Google Checkout customer a specially selected prize, so what are you waiting for?

Google Checkout comes to Home and Garden Gifts!

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:34:27 GMT

With Christmas fast-approaching and the panic setting in, we thought we’d tell you about our new Google Checkout facility to help simplify your Home and Garden Gifts experience.

What is Google Checkout?

Google Checkout is a payment process, a little bit like Paypal and WorldPay, which offers a quick, simple and secure way of paying for goods you wish to buy from participating internet retailers.

Why use Google Checkout?

Google Checkout is a facility powered by Google that enables you to input your payment details once and use them to purchase gifts from a whole range of different websites. This saves you from mis-typing your details in a rush which can cause problems with your orders, and saves you time when you need to buy something with as few clicks as possible!

We have found from our customer feedback that many people enjoy using Google Checkout because it helps them order items more quickly, and because they trust Google to keep their details secure. We’ve all heard horror stories of people buying items from bogus websites who set out to commit credit card and identity fraud.

Home and Garden Gifts is a fully 3D secure website that allows you to buy with confidence, but we understand that many people miss out on the discounts and savings that we offer simply because they are too afraid of their details being stolen.

How do I use Google Checkout?

1. Browse the Home and Garden Gifts website as usual, and select the items you would like to buy in your Shopping Basket (pictured in the right-hand sidebar on the website).

2. When you have selected all the items you would like to buy, select the Google Checkout icon instead of the usual “Secure Checkout button”. This will take you to a page in Google Checkout that shows your order.

3. Here, you will need to sign in using your Google Checkout username and password. If you’ve never used Google Checkout before, you will need to input your payment and address details here.

4. Next, you will need to confirm your delivery and payment information by simply clicking the "Place your order now" button.

5. This completes your order with Google Checkout. You will be able to track the progress of your Home and Garden Gifts order using your Google Checkout account.

Google Checkout discounts

To celebrate our new Google Checkout initiative, we are offering you two discount codes to use during the Google Checkout payment process for goods from Home and Garden Gifts.

£10 off when you spend £100 –

Discount code: google£10

This discount code will entitle you to £10 off a total order value of £100 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

£5 off when you spend £50 –

Discount code: google£5

This discount code will entitle you to £5 off a total order value of £50 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

£2.50 off when you spend £25 –

Discount code: google£2

This discount code will entitle you to £2.50 off a total order value of £25 or more.

Limit: 3 per customer

We will also be giving every 1,000th Home and Garden Google Checkout customer a free Wii Fit game (RRP £79.99-100) and every 100th Home and Garden Google Checkout customer a specially selected prize, so what are you waiting for?

For further information about Google Checkout, please see our FAQs section.

We look forward to discounting your Christmas!

December competition and November competition winner!

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:51:19 GMT

*December Competition*

With all the hard work and planning you're putting into Christmas 2008, we think it's high time for a little light relief with our December competition.

To round-off the perfect Christmas, we're offering you the chance to win our post Christmas surprise pack. This New Year pick me up will include handmade Belgian chocolates to help delay making those dietary New Year's resolutions and a Race track minis set to keep your weary thumbs occupied.

All you have to do to win our post Christmas surprise pack is answer the two questions below:

Question 1:

Name one Film Cell that we stock at Home and Garden Gifts.

Question 2:

In no more than 25 words, tell us why you like the Home and Garden Gifts website.

Please be aware that we will use your comments in question 2 along with the first letter of your first name and your surname on our website.

Please use the boxes below, or email your answer, name and contact email to competition@homeandgardengifts.co.uk and mark ‘Post Christmas competition’ as the subject by midnight on 31st December 2008.

Competition rules:

1. There will only be one winner.

2. The winner will be announced in the newsletter following the closing date of the competition.

3. The winner will be judged by the Home and Garden Gifts Management Team and their decision is final.

4. The judges will not communicate with any entry enquiries.

5. By taking part in this competition you accept to be bound by the above rules.

Good luck!

*November Competition winner*

Congratulations to our November competition winner, Mr B. Needham from Dumfries, who correctly counted the number of bath bombs we stock. Mr Needham said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because with their quality, choice, service and price, Home and Garden make Christmas so bright and bring such delight. ”

November competition and October competition winners!

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:12:35 GMT

*November Competition*

There are now only 8 weeks and counting until Christmas comes round again, and with the economic climate seeming to change every day, there really is no time like the present (!) to start budgeting for your Christmas expenses.

To help you save some pennies, we will be adding a whole range of more than 100 new Christmas decorations to the Home and Garden Gifts website. And a special pre-Christmas gift from us to celebrate the fact that you can now use Google checkout to buy your Christmas gifts from Home and Garden Gifts, we are giving you an exclusive 5% off discount code to use with Google checkout: GOOGLE5. This code will give you 5% off all your purchases from Home and Garden Gifts, only when used through Google checkout.

Don't forget homemade or personal gifts: these can be an inexpensive way to make sure the thought really counts. If you browse through our Personalised and Gifts sections, you will stumble on a whole range of gift ideas that don't even require craft skills. For instance, a gift of a set of luxury bath bombs would make the perfect present for a female loved one without breaking the bank. The lucky lady will be able to enjoy a relaxing aromatherapy bath with the help of a handmade Bath Blasters , made with only the finest ingredient blend of essential oils and cocoa butter.

For the full Christmas budgeting article, click here.

To give you a head start with getting your Christmas presents bought, we're offering the chance to win a set of luxury bath bombs.

All you have to do to win a set of luxury bath bombs is answer the two questions below:

Question 1:

How many luxury bath bombs do we stock?

Question 2:

Please use the boxes below, or email your answer, name and contact email to competition@homeandgardengifts.co.uk and mark ‘bath bombs competition’ as the subject by midnight 30th November 2008.

Competition rules:

1. There will only be one winner for each of the two prize sets.

2. The winner will be announced in the newsletter following the closing date of the competition.

3. The winner will be judged by the Home and Garden Gift Management Team and their decision is final.

4. The judges will not communicate with any entry enquiries.

5. By taking part in this competition you accept to be bound by the above rules.

Good luck!

*October Competition winners*

Congratulations to our October competition winners, who correctly identified the brand of digital photo frames we stock. Our first winner was B. Bowdler from Cornwall, who said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because excellent prices and superb selection all adds up to shopping perfection.”

Our second winner was S. Soames from London, who said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because it makes Christmas shopping easy - no need to search through multiple sites, when this site covers everything inside and outside for young and old alike!”

Ms Bowdler and Mr Soames win a set of one silver snowman and one silver Christmas tree decoration.

New planning rules for log cabins, shed and summerhouses!

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:14:09 GMT

New Planning permission regulations have been brought into force in the UK. This article is intended as a starting point for your research into whether or not you requuire planning permission for your log cabins, summerhouses or sheds.

First of all, it is important to note that UK planning permission laws changed on 1st October 2008. This means that the following rules and regulations apply to any log cabins, summerhouses and sheds ordered after this date.

It is always a good idea to contact and submit plans to your local County Council Planning Officer before building your cabin to check whether planning permission will be required.

Below is a rough guideline as to the new planning permission rules:

1. The total area of garden covered must not be more than 50%.

2. The building must not be situated further than the front of your house.

3. Overall height from ground level to ridge must not exceed more than 4 metres.

4. Overall height from ground level to ridge must not exceed more than 2.5 m within a 2 m range of any boundary. A building with overall height exceeding 2.5 m in height and placed within 2 m of any boundary will require planning permission.

5. Height of the eaves must not exceed 2.5 m.

6. No verandas higher than 30cm from ground level.

7. On designated land buildings to the side of a property will require planning permission. (Designated land includes National Parks, The Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.)

8. Buildings within the grounds of a listed property will require planning permission.

If you would like further information and advice, please use the links below:

www.chelmsford.gov.uk/media/pdf/6/p/uksi_20082362_en.pdf (Page 6 / Class E)

www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/1115315233153.html

Please note that Home and Garden Gifts Limited cannot accept liability for any dispute between customers and local County Council Planning Officials, as the responsibility for obtaining planning permission lies solely with the purchaser. However, it is possible for us to provide technical plans on request for submission to your local planning officer.

Christmas gift guide from Home and Garden Gifts!

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:49:07 GMT

With ten weeks and counting until Christmas, it’s the perfect time for parents the world over to start panicking. But have no fear, we’ve put together some gift ideas for you to help you on your way to buying the perfect presents.

While the usual kids toys adverts are doing the rounds on television at the moment, it might save you some money and the perennial return of duplicated gifts by thinking of unique and personalised gift ideas. At Home and Garden Gifts, we have a huge range of personalised and thoughtful gifts for your partner, kids and friends that are guaranteed to impress on Christmas day.

Our friends in the know have suggested that you might have a bit of trouble escaping the following brands and names in the run up to Christmas, and might even struggle to get hold of that High School Musical 3 soundtrack CD. Predictions for the biggest sellers in Christmas 2008:

1. High School Musical 3

2. Doctor Who

3. Ben 10

4. Bakugan

5. Thomas the Tank

6. Star Wars Clones

7. Bratz

8. Scooby Doo

9. Indiana Jones

You might also want to watch out for the following if you’re looking for something a bit different:

1. Ginger Fox DVD Games

2. Gadgets (expected to be big news this Christmas, with over 500 on Home and Garden Gifts alone!)

With over 10,000 products on our website, Home and Garden Gifts has all the quirky, special gift ideas you could ever need. Just think, with just a few clicks, you could find your dream gift!

Knowing your kids and their friends, you’ll have your own ideas about which toys will be popular this Christmas. Recent predictions by toy manufacturers suggest you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for the following:

BABY born® with Magic Potty (RRP £33.99) from Zapf Creation®

Bakugan™ Starter Pack (RRP £12.99) from Spinmaster

Ben 10 Deluxe Omnitrix (RRP £15.99) from Bandai

Catcha Beast (RRP £19.99) from Bandai

Cupcake Maker (RRP £29.99) from Character

Elmo Live (RRP £59.99) from Mattel

FurReal Biscuit My Lovin’ Pup (RRP £149.99) from Hasbro

High School Musical 3 Musical Dance Mat (RRP £22.99) from Vivid Imaginations

In The Night Garden Upsy Daisy and Her Chase and Play Bed (RRP £34.99) from Hasbro

My Life (RRP £49.99) from Flair Leisure Products

Rescue Pals Swim To Me Puppy (RRP £29.99) from MGA Entertainment Ltd

Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer (RRP £29.99) from Hasbro

With a list like that, it’s easy to see scores of parents being driven up the wall with various musical and noisy toys and gifts, so be sure to get all those batteries in to avoid disappointment on Christmas day (or not, if you fancy a quiet Christmas!)

If you’ve got little ladies, we’ve also heard these toys will be hot property:

BABY born® with Magic Potty RRP £33.99

Barbie Princess Liana Singing Doll RRP £21.99

Bratz™ Girlz Really Rock Dolls RRP £19.99

Camp Rock Gift Pack RRP £24.74

CHOU CHOU My First Tooth RRP £34.99

FurReal Biscuit My Loving Pup RRP £149.99

High School Musical Sing Together Dolls RRP £22.99

I Love Ponies Honey, My Baby Pony RRP £39.99

Littlest Pet Shop Tail Waggin’ Fitness Club RRP £39.99

Littlest Pet Shop VIPs RRP £12.99

Rescue Pals Swim To Me Puppy RRP £29.99

Sylvanian Families Old Hollow Oak Tree house RRP £74.99

As any parent knows, boys will be boys, so the usual wish list compiled from what they’ve seen on television and in the cinemas over the last few months. Some suggestions to start you off:

Air Hogs® Zero Gravity™ Micro Radio Controlled Vehicle RRP £29.99

Bakugan™ Starter Pack RRP £12.99

Ben 10 Deluxe Omnitrix RRP £15.99

Cars Walking’ Talking McQueen RRP £44.99

Clone Wars AT-TE Vehicle RRP £99.99

Gormiti Island of Gorm Play set RRP £29.99

Indiana Jones Hat & Whip Set RRP £24.99

Power Rangers Overdrive Tracker RRP £13.99

Star Wars Clone Trooper Voice Changer RRP £29.99

Transformers Animated Roll out Command Optimus Prime RRP £44.99

Wall E Transforming Robot RRP £14.99

WWE RAW Arena Play set RRP £49.99

Check out our selection of Toys and games for even more gifts ideas for kids of all ages.

If you have presents to buy for babies and toddlers this Christmas you’ll already know that buying the perfect gift is a difficult balancing act, especially if you haven’t been watching Cbeebies for the last year! With this in mind, roll on part three of our Christmas gift guide 2008!

Anything television-related is probably a safe bet. All kids these days have access to specialist kids TV programmes at least some of the time. Here’s our list of the latest and greatest television spin-off gifts:

Bob the Builder Interactive Construction Site RRP £49.99

Dance With Me Tele tubby RRP £34.99

Elmo Live! RRP £59.99

In The Night Garden Upsy Daisy and Her Chase and Play Bed RRP £34.99

KidiZoom Multimedia Digital Camera RRP £49.99

Mr Tickle Stretch & Giggle RRP £29.99

Peppa Pig’s Spaceship RRP £19.99

Playskool Kota the Triceratops RRP £299.99

Recycling Truck RRP £19.99

Roary the Racing Car Silver Hatch Workshop Play set RRP £49.99

Tag Reading System RRP £39.99

Take Along Thomas Morgan’s Mine Electronic Play set! RRP £34.99

If you’re still stuck and in need of some serious inspiration, head to our baby and toys sections to find more brilliant gifts for the kids.

Family gifts and games are a real treat at Christmas, particularly if it’s the one time of year that you’re all together for some family fun. With some new innovations and television spin-offs, and new editions of some old favourites, choose your evening entertainment from the list below:

20Q Hand Held RRP £10.99

Bop It Extreme 2 RRP £19.99

Cluedo RRP £14.99

Disney Princess Magic Mirror Game RRP £14.99

High School Musical 2 DVD Board Game RRP £24.99

In The Night Garden Play Path RRP £29.99

Kids Are All Right Electronic Game RRP £19.99

Monopoly Here & Now: World Edition RRP £24.99

Pictureka! RRP £19.99

Quack-Shot RRP £14.99

Rubik’s Cube RRP £9.99

Scrabble 60th Anniversary Edition RRP £27.49

If your kids like a more solitary challenge, check out the latest range of robots, gadgets and interactive games to keep those idle thumbs occupied:

Bladestar Character RRP £39.99

Catcha Beast! i RRP £19.99

Guitar Rock Star RRP £14.99

Hannah Montana My Secret Pillow RRP £19.99

High School Musical 3 Musical Dance Mat RRP £22.99

IM-ME RRP £54.99

iTeddy RRP £49.99

My Life RRP £49.99

My Meebas l RRP £16.99

Pleo RRP £249.99

Spykee The Spy Robot RRP £199.99

Woogies RRP £14.99

If the noise and frenzy caused by the noise gets a bit much, you could always engage the creative, handy side of your kids with a creative craft game or set. Kids are never happier than when they’re making something, especially if it’s messy, so take your pick:

Bindeez 3D Super Studio RRP £19.99

Crayola Creations Illumination Station RRP £19.99

Cupcake Maker RRP £29.99

Etch a Sketch RRP £14.99

Golden Coin Maker RRP £14.97

High School Musical puzzle ball® RRP £9.99

LEGO Star Wars V19 Torrent RRP £49.99

Magnext 360° Magna Case RRP £49.99

Martian Matter Alien Maker Hasbro RRP £17.99

Moon Sand™ Adventure Island RRP £24.99

Puzzle Extra Assorted RRP £14.99

Rainbow Aqua Draw RRP £24.99

If you'd like even more dazzling Christmas gift ideas for your family, try our toys and gifts sections.

This Christmas, there are some big and small brand manufacturers to look out for:

• Bandai

• Zapf Creation

• Character

• Mattel

• Hasbro

• MGA Entertainment Ltd

• VTech

• Leapfrog

• TOMY

• Meccano

• Ravens burger

• Lego

• Megabrands

• Spinmaster

• Vivid Imaginations

• Flair Leisure Products

• RC2

• Drumond Park

• Jumbo

• John Adams

We would like to that the British Toy & Hobby Association and the Toy Retailers Association for their information.

October Competition and September Competition winner!

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:07:08 GMT

*October Competition*

There are now only 12 weeks and counting until Christmas comes round again, and with the economic climate seeming to change every day, there really is no time like the present (!) to start budgeting for your Christmas expenses.

The first thing to realise is that there's more to Christmas spending than just presents. There are decorations, clothes, parties and travel to think about too. And don't forget about cards, postage costs, and phone calls to loved ones.

Then you need to come up with a budget for each of your expenses and STICK TO IT. It helps to make a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for and how much you can afford to spend on them. Then SHOP AROUND both online and in the high street to track down the best deals.

For the full Christmas budgeting article, click here.

To give you a headstart with your Christmas budget, we're offering the chance to win a set of one silver snowman and one silver Chrtistmas tree decoration.

All you have to do to win one of our two sets of asilver snowman and a silver Christmas treeis answer the two questions below:

Question 1:

Name one of the manufacturers whose digital photo frames we stock.

Question 2:

Please use the boxes below, or email your answer, name and contact email to competition@homeandgardengifts.co.uk and mark ‘snowmen competition’ as the subject by midnight 31st October 2008.

Competition rules:

1. There will only be one winner for each of the two prize sets.

2. The winner will be announced in the newsletter following the closing date of the competition.

3. The winner will be judged by the Home and Garden Gift Management Team and their decision is final.

4. The judges will not communicate with any entry enquiries.

5. By taking part in this competition you accept to be bound by the above rules.

Good luck!

*September Competition winner*

Congratulations to our September competition winner, who correctly counted the number of designs of 'the Turds' that we stock. Our winner was G. Fulton from Essex, who said:

" I like the Home and Garden Gifts website because it's so easy getting around, with bargains galore to be found. When Santa shops, it's here he stops and saves himself many a pound!” Mr Fulton wins a set of 2 silver Reindeer Christmas decorations.

Infrared health sauna exclusive September sale!

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:27:54 GMT

Is the Credit Crunch getting you down? Why not relax and unwind with one of our infrared health saunas from the Health Sauna Company?

With everything in high street shops and supermarkets going up, we’ve got a special September set of offers on our health saunas to cheer you up.

Until the 30th September 2008, our health sauna offer prices will be:

The Solo (1 person) £899

The Valetta (2 persons) £999

The Havana (3 persons) £1199

The Titania (4 persons) £1699

The Elegance (4 persons) £1799

Finesse (4 persons) £1799

With cheap as chips prices, there’s never been a better time to treat yourself and enjoy the infrared heath sauna’s health benefits.

What are the health benefits?

Enjoy the health benefits of a sauna all year round in the comfort of your own home, without the hassle of being restricted to gym opening times and memberships. In fact, daily usage of the infrared sauna will cost approximately £0.75p per month compared to £11.50 to £15.00 per month in a traditional sauna, if each is used for 20 minutes after warming-up.

Our Infrared Health Saunas offer you and your family greater health benefits than a traditional sauna because it uses heat, not steam. The heat emitted from the ceramic heaters penetrates the surface of your skin further than a conventional sauna, up to 45mm deep. This makes it easier for your body to cleanse itself of all the toxins that build up underneath the skin over time as a result of a busy modern lifestyle.

Infrared heat is a completely safe form of energy - unlike the Ultra violet rays of sun beds - which heats objects naturally. This type of energy also helps the body to increase blood circulation and nourish damaged tissue. Every summer, we are reminded of the harmful effects of too much sun bathing and the dangers of not using skin protection. The Sun is obviously the main natural source of radiant Infrared energy, but has the drawbacks of harmful Ultra violet rays too. Our selection of Infrared saunas offer all the benefits of heat therapy, without any of the health risks.

Your session should last no more than 30 minutes and be accompanied by drinking a bottle of water to keep you hydrated. As with all forms of therapy, you must take additional precautions if you are: are pregnant, generally unwell, severely ill, suffering from breathing difficulties, on drugs or medication, you must consult your Doctor to ensure you use the sauna in total safety.

Further to the health benefits mentioned above, Infrared saunas can offer additional benefits to those who suffer with the following ailments attributed to poor circulation:

Arthritis

Back aches

Bursitis

Children’s overtired muscles

Fatigue stretch marks

Haemorrhoids

Menstrual cramps

Nervous tension

Neuritis

Strained muscles

Sciatica

Upset stomachs

Ulcers: after failings with conventional treatment

Varicose veins

How does an infrared sauna work, and how is it different to a traditional steam sauna?

The Science Bit! Our saunas use infrared radiant energy to penetrate the body's tissues to a depth of over 1-1/2". Their energy output corresponds so closely to the body's own radiant energy that it absorbs close to 93% of the infrared waves that reach it.

Conventional saunas rely on an indirect means of heat. First the air must be heated and rise from the stove and reach the user’s skin, where the convection heat heats the user’s skin by conduction. However, in our infrared saunas, less than 20% of the infrared energy heats the air, leaving over 80% available to be directly absorbed by the body. As a result, an infrared-based system can warm its user(s) much more effectively and efficiently than a conventional sauna.

The infrared from our saunas’ thermal systems can cause up to 2-3 times the sweat volume of a traditional sauna while operating at a much more comfortable air temperature range of 110° to 130°F compared to the range of 180° to 235°F in a traditional sauna. In fact, German researchers have reported beneficial effects from hour-long, whole-body infrared exposure in two groups of tested hypertensive patients that they studied in 1989, including a 24-hour long increase in peripheral blood flow and a beneficial decrease in blood pressure.

It is also far less unpleasant to breathe air that is from 50°-125°F cooler while relaxing in a sauna. If you require, it is also possible to use the infra red sauna with the door open in the event that the only desired effect is for infrared penetration of the skin, or a very cool no-sweat experience (for example as a pre-activity warm-up while fully clothed). This approach might be used in warming-up prior to exercise or exposure to cold weather.

New baby wipes from Clearly Herbal

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:05:39 GMT

Clearly Herbal, makers of our popular Bamboo and original baby wipes, have just announced new flushable organic baby wipes.

The new flushable baby wipes are unlike conventional flushable baby wipes, which can only be flushed because they are of a smaller size than non-flushable baby wipes and can still block drains.

Clearly Herbal’s flushable baby wipes are different: they are the same size as non-flushable baby wipes, and remain as strong as regular baby wipes, but they are broken down into flushable pieces when the toilet is flushed. This breaking down happened because of the strong movement of water caused by flushing.

The wipes retain the gentle formulation with aloe vera and tea tree common to both the Bamboooriginal baby wipes, only these flushable wipes are one of the first made from a material called Viloft, a new innovation material that breaks down upon strong contact with water.

The new flushable wipes will be available through the Home and Garden Gifts website from November, giving you an even larger range of sensitive baby wipes for your child.