I Heart Cosmetics

STK Restaurant Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:42:00 +0000

STK is the steak restaurant in the new ME hotel on Aldwych. Having walked past it endlessly as it's opposite my gym I booked a table for last Friday night, taking advantage of Bookatable's £25 for 3 course offer.

We were greeted and coats taken by a very cheerful tattooed lady who is swiftly replaced by our server Carlos who could easily be Ricky Martin's slightly camper cousin. Carlos embarrassingly informs me, when I ask what I need to do regarding our Bookatable reservation, that I was supposed to tell the person at the coat check this when I first came in. Obviously I am not psychic so I didn't know that, so thanks Ricky for making me feel like an idiot before I even order.

Correct menu arrives and we then hear the spiel about the restaurant getting busy later on in the night, people dancing on tables while the DJ spins etc. etc. To be honest I just want a steak love if I want to go clubbing I will go to a nightclub! Carlos then decides to try and go on about the entire menu, sides, explain about the Wagyu beef in the Lil Brgs, at that point I start to lose the will to live, there is attentive service and then there is encroaching on a night out! I started to feel like he was part of the date!

Somehow the £25 per head menu ends up costing £106 with a tip, which I realised afterwards was asked for EVEN THOUGH there is a 12.5% service charge already added! So I ended up giving a 26% tip. Fuming since the service was the most annoying part of the whole night.

The Lil Brgs and the feather steak were delicious but both overpriced, actually everything was totally overpriced including the ridiculous cocktail that was so strong it took and entire hour and a half to drink as I felt like I was drinking paint stripper. The upsold extras of parmesan chips and spinach were necessary as you can't just eat a piece of steak on it's own but we shared a portion of each and we still didn't finish them all as they were so rich and fatty and just blah.

The desserts of mini ice creams and mini magnums were nice, but to be honest I would have preferred an actual magnum, which costs like £2 and tastes better.

To be honest a few drinks at the bar would have been enough at STK, I could have quite as easily done that and then had burger king and been just as satisfied without spending such a ridiculous amount.

The room itself was gorgeous and felt like we were in Vegas, the bar was poorly designed as there wasn't enough room for people to pass each other properly without colliding so I spent the night being bashed into until we finally gave up and almost had to crowd surf to get out of there.

If you fancy wasting £100 or so and feeling slightly ripped off then by all means, otherwise I'd just head to Maccy D and go to the ME's lovely radio rooftop bar instead to enjoy the view which in comparison is where I had one of the best nights out and this is one of the poorest dinners I have had out in quite a long time.

Overall I would avoid and save your pennies!

Pennyhill Park Hotel and The Spa

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:38:00 +0000

Hidden away in 123 acres of woodland is the stunning Pennyhill Park Hotel, a 19th century Mansion House which is where I spent an amazing weekend recently enjoying the spa and all of the other facilities available and generally having an amazing time.

The grounds of the hotel are picture perfect from the driveway to the immaculate lawns around the property. There are terraces, an outdoor heated pool, 9 hole golf course and pretty much anything you could wish for in a country house hotel with an emphasis on luxury.

The Magnolia Suite

Pennyhill Park is such a versatile and world class 5 star venue that amongst the wedding parties, weekend spa breakers, honeymooners and footballers we were told about the England rugby team staying while training as they often take over part of the hotel, the F1 driver and his girlfriend who has been such a regular that he has a preferred room (the Magnolia suite) and that Cameron and Justin stayed here when they were together and even visited the local chippie!

Lupin

The View from Lupin

The traditional junior suite I stayed in (Lupin), was gorgeously decorated with pale green wallpaper covered in butterflies, which contrasted with the extremely fancy bathroom/wet room which had a walk in shower, two sinks and a TV in the bath - because what kind of bath doesn't have a TV?!

Each room is decorated differently however they all share the same quality with crisp white sheets, pillows that are so amazing you wish you could shamelessly steal' them and a general air of luxury from the tea and coffee box to the proper iron and ironing board stowed away in the cupboard.

View of The Spa

The spa was built 8 years ago and while it does look very new and lovely I found that the building wasn't out of keeping with the rest of the hotel at all. There are a wide selection of treatments available including facials, couples treatments, many types of massage and your standard nail services and the hour long aromatherapy massage I had was hands down the best I had ever had. It included a proper consultation and a choice of aromatherapy oils (I chose vanilla citrus) as I wanted to feel uplifted after the treatment.

After your treatments you can head down and enjoy one/all of the hotels 8(!!) pools including a jacuzzi, heated outdoor hydrotherapy pool and indoor infinity pool all of which I tried and my favourite was the outdoor heated pool.

Aside from The Spa and gorgeous rooms the restaurants at the hotel are both a must visit, the Laytmer is the hotels 2 Michelin starred restaurant and the Brasserie served up the most delicious meal which frankly I would have assumed was Michelin Starred itself having eaten at other Michelin restaurants before. We had a starter of duck which was probably the least favourite part of the meal as the watermelon was slightly distracting, then mains were veal which was cooked to perfection and salmon with lime which I was told was delicious, desserts were rhubarb and strawberry crumble (to die for) and chocolate fondant which looked amazing. Each meal was the perfect size to be filling without feeling sickly stuffed and as you can see above, the presentation was impeccable.

Both restaurants serve bread freshly baked in the hotel's own bakery which even includes gluten free options. After the meal we headed to the Ascot Bar for some delicious cocktails and it was pretty lively for a hotel bar mostly due to the live entertainment and tipsy wedding guests who made my night after taking photos, no doubt for Facebook, atop the bronze horse situated in reception!

Overall this is is by far the best hotel I have stayed in so far in the UK and I would definitely go back without hesitation. The room and spa prices are high but there wasn't 1 thing I was disappointed about, and how often can you say that about a hotel stay? I would recommend this for a wedding, a hen do or just to treat your mum or girlfriend if you have the money.

Pennyhill park website is http://www.pennyhillpark.co.uk/EXCLUSIVE_HOTELS/the_hotel.aspx

The suite I stayed in costs approximately £345 per night for room only and the massage £90 which, considering a treatment at a local place on my high street is £70 and this was light years ahead I think is a brilliant price.

Sk:n Skincare, Inhibitif and Rooftop Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:44:00 +0000

I went to an event at Sk:n clinic in Holborn on Tuesday which was really amazing. Not only did I get to view an Isolaz acne treatment which uses a high tech laser combined with pore purifying suction technology to purify your skin from inside out, I got to chat with one of the doctors about glycolic peels which I would love to have done and to review on the blog, I got a big box of Sk:n skincare to test out and also lots and lots of information on their treatments and the changes in the industry that are very likely due to the recently published Keogh Report which Professor Keogh was asked to do in light of the whole PIP scandal with breast implants and, if taken on by the government (which is incredibly likely), what different effects this will have on the surgical and non surgical procedures and how they are administered. I have so much information now but the first thing I am going to do is test out the products. Above are the products that I will be using and I will update after a couple of weeks as to how I am getting on. I

I am also testing out a new product to Boots called Inhibitif which is to stop hair growing, I will be using it on my legs. You apply it twice a day for 8 weeks so we shall see how I get on.

In other news I feel the need, now we finally have some sun, to try and go to as many of the London rooftop bars as possible to review so I have a few on the list, hopefully I will get to go to some soon but if you have any recommendations of rooftop bars in London then please let me know.
Have a lovely weekend everyone xx

Pizza Express - Leggera Lighter Options

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 21:35:00 +0000

Last week I went along to a pizza-making lesson at Pizza Express in Holborn to celebrate the launch of the new summer menu. It was a really cool evening filled with food, drink, pizza making and then pizza eating! We started off the event with a few olives and drinks, I tried the Pinot Grigio blush which went down (a bit too) easily! We then donned some pimpin aprons and hats (and let's be honest everyone in the picture below looks like the colonel from KFC) and got down to some pizza making.

After kneading and rolling the dough we went to put them in the pan, which was when the guy taking the class decided to tell me that mine was rubbish and did me a new one himself. I wonder if I do the ironing really poorly someone would come and do that for me? Seems like an avenue to explore.

After Mr Smarty Pants redid my pizza we cut the hole out of the middle as after cooking the gap is filled with salad and one of these low calorie pizza and salad combos is called a Leggera Pizza. Leggera pizzas have been carefully created to bring customers pizzas that taste delicious but with only 500 calories. Leggera pizza options include Pomodoro Pesto, Padana and American Hot. If I am being entirely honest with you I still think the Fiorentina pizza with spinach and an egg would be my choice if I went to Pizza Express, just because it is soooo delicious and I rarely go so I feel I should treat myself. If, however you go out a lot then this is a great option. Perhaps on a date night so you can have a pizza but still keep the calories as low as possible. I do think if you check out the new menu, you'll be pleasantly surprised. And I seriously recommend the Pinot Grigio blush rose, responsibly obviously (you wouldn't want to stay out so late you miss your last train home or anything like that) LOL!

All calorie information can be found at www.pizzaexpress.com and according to Which? the Pizza Express pizzas are the lowest in fat and calories with the best taste of all of the leading UK pizza chains. I certainly think Pizza Express have the tastiest pizzas out of the other chains that I have been to.

Do you like Pizza Express?

Finally an update!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:18:00 +0000

Finally I am home at a sensible hour so I can update with what I have been loving and eating these last few weeks.

First of all I have been obsessed with Korres' Mint Tea products especially the shower gel. I have loved Korres as a brand for a good few years now and their shower gels are my favourites - so gentle and the scents are gorgeous but always a little bit different, Mint Tea kind of reminds me a bit of CKbe perfume mixed with mint tea. You can get Korres products online or in Liberty.

I love a bit of baking, especially to take into work for my friends so I made a batch of Cadbury cream egg brownies using the recipe here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PeK0vCB2ujd5usQdYJgYGFt_hxV31kSb6dsBn6Y-lKU/mobilebasic?pli=1

They went down really well, all 12 of them had gone by the end of the day so I definitely recommend making them. The brownie tin is genius and saves cutting them all out, it's from Lakeland.

I am obsessed with Pret a Manger's sushi salad, it's so tasty and so easy to eat in a rush at my desk which is like, every day! I know it's not like proper sushi but its definitely a nice change from sandwiches.

I have found the Ray Bans that I want in House of Fraser in Bluewater, I like the larger sized ones and they have sturdier arms which I am less likely to bend! Have you got Ray Bans? Just wondering they're sturdy on holiday.

My boss bought me this lovely scarf for my birthday,it looks so nice with black (lucky that since all my outfits are black). It was so kind of her and I love it! I really should look in Jigsaw more often in fact I don't think I have ever been in there!

This is the inside of my Birthday card from work, I love getting these cards every year and I am in charge of sorting everyone else's cards too, it's nice to feel loved on your birthday. The randy IT guy thing was a bit of an in-joke but basically this IT guy was a bit of a perv even though I wasn't interested, everyone else found it hilarious!

I am so excited as we have tickets for Wireless festival for the whole weekend and my mate from work is also coming on the Friday to see Snoop Dogg/Lion so yaaaay!!! Always one of the best weekends of the year so I. Just need 3 outfits now! This photo is from last years festival.

The only other news I can think of is that I have booked a holiday with my mate Roxi for June to Madrid. I am so excited and am also hoping that I get another weekend away and a weeks holiday this year too, I think I deserve it!

What have you been up to?

The Cheltenham Chase Hotel and Spa Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 15:05:00 +0000

I recently spent a very relaxing weekend at the Cheltenham Chase hotel and spa which is a gorgeous four star hotel located nearby the spa town of Cheltenham and also great for exploring Gloucester.

The hotel has a relaxed and stylish interior which is clearly suited to both spa and business travellers alike is also a great base to stay in if you are going to Cheltenham race course.

I've not had the best year so far and was in dire need of some rest and relaxation which is why the spa was amazing at the hotel as I left feeling so rejuventated. You can have a day spa or a spa break at the hotel or just pop in for a one-off treatment and there is also a gym and swimming pool to enjoy. I felt like I was cocooned in the haven of the spa while I was there and the relaxation area was so calming with comfy lounge chairs and soft music and I enjoyed just sitting in there before and after each treatment, there isn't a clock so you don't even have to worry about how long you are in there for you can just sit back and close your eyes and let your stress ebb away.

I had two treatments at the spa, a deluxe pedicure and a Qhotels Ritual which were both performed by lovely therapists who worked their magic and left my feet (and the rest of me) feel totally refreshed and energised. The products used in the spa are mostly by the brand Spa Find.

Spa Find specialise in authentic mineral spa therapies from around the world to help you relax and unwind. Spa Find treatments are rich in skin loving minerals. During Spa Find treatments our bodies absorb these minerals and the levels within the body can once again begin to normalise and bring our inner health back into balance. Spa Find offers non-comedogenic, skin friendly formulas, blending natural de ionised water with pure dead sea minerals and organic plant extracts - products are allergen free and contain no parabens, genetically modified organisms or animal ingredients.

The rooms were really nice and cosy with a large bed, chairs and lots of extra cosy cushions and pillows. The bathroom was super clean and the bath and shower were good and there was a hairdryer - very important.

We had such a brilliant time and I would thoroughly recommend The Cheltenham Chase for a really relaxing spa break. For more information visit The Cheltenham Chase

Wicked The Musical Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:09:00 +0000

I went to see Wicked the musical on Saturday, I got the tickets as a surprise for someone else and hadn't even really thought about what the storyline was prior to seeing it, knowing only that it was something to do with a good witch and a bad witch.

The actual storyline is of two friends who meet as sorcery students, Glenda and Elphaba, they take different paths in life and end up being the good witch (Glenda) and the wicked witch (Elphaba). However I did presume that they were enemies throughout the show but it turned out they aren't and it's a really good show. I don't want to give away too much of the story and ruin it but it is pre Dorothy and the wizard of oz, the -pre-story. The flying monkeys were absolutely wicked (boom boom)!

I loved everything from the acting and singing, the dancing and special effects to the set and our seats were great, if you can get S24/25 in the stalls then they are right in the middle just far back enough to be able to see everything. I think this is probably the best West End show I have ever seen and definitely worth the rather pricey tickets. This is one that I would recommend to anyone!

For a quick dinner prior to the show we went to dascalzo and I had a lovely spaghetti alle vongole (with chilli and clams) nom nom nom, should have taken a picture but didn't want to look like a weirdo!

Anyone seen any good shows recently? How about the Audience with Helen Mirren?

Thriller Live Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Last week I went to see Thriller Live at the Lyric. I had a really good time but damn people of Lyric have you ever heard of a heater? I was colder than a fricking penguin eating an ice pole in there and that was WITH my coat on!!

That being said I really did enjoy myself and the singers did pretty good renditions of all of the Michael Jackson hits I know and a few ones that I didn't! I wasn't too sure what to expect as I don't particularly know that much about Michael Jackson and I wasn't sure if it would be the story of his life or some sort of made up storyline but it is fairly easy to understand, they start with the songs from the Jackson 5 and work through to his later music as an homage to Michael.

I thought the performers were good as were the dancers, obviously they aren't going to be perfect as they would in a show like The Lion King because it's more like watching a concert type performance but there were definitely some talented performers and the choreography was great. Obviously this isn't one to go and see if you don't like Michael Jackson or his music but if you have even just a passing knowledge and enjoyment for it then you will probably have a good time. One thing I think these type of shows depends on is the audience, when we went some of the audience where we were sitting were a bit boring and I felt a little self conscious to get up and dance and clap if they were still all sitting down, so I urge you to get into the spirit of things and get up and have a boogie if you go!

You can buy tickets here Ticketmaster

Meat Liquor Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:49:00 +0000

http://www.meatliquor.com/

MeatLiquor

74 Welbeck Street

London

W1G 0BA

I heard about Meat Liquor from my friend Caoimhe and it sounded like somewhere I would definitely want to go. Anywhere with meat and alcohol has to be at least fairly good and then a recommendation from Keevs is definitely one to take up.

The location is just on a corner of the block behind Oxford Street so was really easy to find and when we went on a Sunday around middle afternoon there was a fairly short line meaning the wat was about 10 minutes, giving us the perfect time to smell all of the delicious (and seriously meaty) scents of the food cooking inside wafting out.

The menu, as you can imagine, is a lot of meat and plentiful alcohol and cocktails which are all very reasonably priced. You can see the menu here http://www.meatliquor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/menu_meat.jpg and we opted for:

Chili Dog -hotdog in a bun with lots of spicy chili and jalapenos

Chili cheese fries - as the name suggests

Dead Hippie burger - 2 burger patties, dead hippie sauce, pickles etc.

Sharing the fries was a good plan as the portions are American supersize but that does mean that they are even better value for money and you can share easily. My chili dog was delicious and almost exactly the same as the one with a similar name at Pink's hot dog stand in Las Vegas clearly making it my joint best hot dog EVER. The chili cheese fries were good but I probably would just have them the once to try them out. I didn't sample the Dead Hippie burger but it definitely looked delicious.

The cocktails have some very interesting names, my 'tipping the velvet' turned out to mean something a lot more naughty than I had expected, but you'll have to google that yourself - wink wink!

For dessert we shared a peanut butter cup sundae more for the fact that we wanted to try it than for hunger, I felt a bit like I had a 7 month old food baby by the end of dinner! The sundae was definitely worth it though but probably only wise if you love peanut butter.

The place is definitely worth a look if you usually head to a burger joint as a standard, it's easy to find, not too far off the beaten track and the staff are friendly and quick to serve. The food is reasonably priced and the drinks are funky and not skimping on the alcohol whilst not being so strong that the flavour is ruined.

Overall I think Meat Liquior is an awesome restaurant to go to and handy that you don't need a reservation. It's a great change from the usual boring chain places and the food is superior and flavoursome. I would 100% love to go back but this time I won't be wearing a fake fur coat, and neither should you! The strength of the meat scent permeated my fur coat and ended up making me reek like Lady Gaga's meat dress for at least a week which was pretty embarassing!

10/10 for a nom nom nom experience

Why is eye health important?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:20:00 +0000

We’re all aware of the need for exercise and healthy eating - they’re absolutely vital when it comes to keeping our bodies working properly and staying fit. However, there are some aspects of our personal health care that are easier to ignore, only facing them when we come across a problem.

Eye care is one such area, with most of us assuming that as long as we can see reasonably clearly then everything must be fine. While there are many ways that issues with eyesight can be corrected or managed (with medication, glasses or contact lenses, or perhaps even the slightly more costly option of laser eye surgery), clearly it would be preferable to try and prevent the onset of such things in the first place. Here are some key things to remember:

Most problems with your eyes will not cause them to hurt. Yes, you may experience headaches if you’re straining your vision regularly but your eyes themselves won’t hurt, so you may not connect the two things immediately. Some illnesses, such as diabetes and glaucoma, can impact on your eyesight and for many of us our vision will deteriorate over time as well. Therefore, having your eyes tested regularly is very important. The NHS recommends that both children and adults visit an optician every two years, though this may be more frequent in certain circumstances.

It is possible to diagnose many other illnesses - or at least to raise concerns - simply by looking at a patient’s eyes. The health of your eyes can potentially be used to spot issues as diverse as brain tumours, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and liver disease, as well as those conditions more readily associated with eyes such as glaucoma. If you are visiting your optician regularly, they may well be able to alert you to abnormalities and suggest you get referred for testing and in some cases this could, quite literally, save your

life.

Good vision contributes in many vital ways to learning and the development of other skills, such as those required for sport. A lifetime of undiagnosed vision problems can impact on your performance at school and work, delay the acquisition of fine and gross motor skills and generally impede your physical and academic progress. Whilst it might seem melodramatic to say that getting your eyes tested regularly from an early age could change your life, for some people this is actually the case.

There are a variety of statistics available about how we form our opinions of people in various situations (through body language and tone of voice, as well what we actually say) but everyone agrees on the importance of eye contact. If you are confident in the appearance of your eyes and their ability to function well, this will be evident when you interact with people and you will automatically come across as more open, friendly and knowledgeable. Avoiding eye contact, either because you don’t like how your eyes look or because you can’t rely on them to transfer information to your brain accurately, could unfortunately cause people to think that you are shy, uncomfortable or downright shifty. Luckily, you need never experience it, because if you look after your eye health, your eyes will look after you!

Barry M Nail Paint Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:13:00 +0000

On of my favourite brands of nail varnish is Barry M Nail Paint. They have a new type of nail varnish called the Gelly range which has an almost wet look high gloss finish which looks really similar to the finish of gel nails.

I love shiny nails and the whole trend for textured nails has passed me by as I don't think they look classy at all. The Gelly nail paint goes on easily and is dry really quickly. I use two coats and a top and base coat and the polish lasts a good 3 days without chipping which is good for me as I can often chip the same day I polish with other brands.

Overall I'm absolutely loving these. I definitely recommend grabbing a few of these if you can.

The Gelly Hi Shine nail paints cost £4 and the regular nail paints cost just £3 so they are such a bargain. 10/10 from me.

50 Things About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:30:00 +0000

1. I used scottish dance, yes the full highland fling. #awkward.
2. I would love to go to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
3. I hate my surname.
4. Tea really needs to be made with a PG tips pyramid bag.
5. My favorite holiday was to Barcelona.
6. I love cooking but cannot be bothered with presentation.
7. I am quite secretive with people IRL.
8. The more people tell me to watch a tv series the less I want to.
9. Sheldon from Big bang and The Rock are my secret crushes.
10. I hate cheap shoes and bags.
11. I'm starting to wonder if I have slight ADHD
12. My drinks of choice is Ciroc vodka and tonic.
13. I love trashy books.
14. I love Harry Potter everything.
15. I read the book The Secret and completely agree with it.
16. I hate following recipes, I like the slap it in approach.
17. I love watches.
18. I love gangster rap, hip hop and....salsa music. Randomness.
19. I can be very childish. Say 69 and I WILL giggle.
20. I hate the smell of lavender.
21. I HATE tan accessories. All black everything, that's my attitude (thanks Trina).
22. I do not understand Mac computers.
23. Worst chore in the universe is doing the bins.
24. Bill Bailey is my favorite comedian.
25. I love the gym but running outside is my idea of hell.
26. I have trouble listening to music that I don't like, it makes my skin crawl.
27. I think karaoke is the work of the devil.
28. I can speak just enough Italian to get myself fed, drunk and party.
29. I eat porridge for breakfast nearly every day.
30. My first kiss was with my friend Clare's next door neighbour.
31. I love dancing.
32. I get a bit upset when people cough or sneeze without a tissue. Vile.
33. I think my cat is gay.
34. I have lots of 'internet friends' including some I have met in real life.
35. I did a beauty qualification so I could do my own spray tan!
36. I really hate lukewarm food. It's hot, cold or nothing.
37. I'm scared of buying things on my credit card.
38. I hate DIY and decorating. I do it, but I hate it.
39. I love being busy.
40. October - December is my favorite time of year.
41. I hate people touching my hair/ears. Touchy toucherson back the fuck off!
42. I hated school so much I would quite happily have bunked off every day
43. I wish I had a big family
44. If I had a daughter I would want to call her Madison.
45. I once stayed out so late that my mum called the police
46. I love Cadbury Pinky bars from Australia
47. I love watching boxing or cage fighting.
48. I think they should make commuters take a test and if they are too annoying they can't get a season ticket.
49. I am all for banning the use of rucksacks.
50. I would rather use the hairdryer on myself than put the heating on.

Bounce London - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:32:00 +0000

121 Holborn,
Holborn,
London,
EC1N 2TD (020) 3657 6525

www.bouncelondon.com

You know you're in for a good night when by the time you've walked to the bar you have a big smile on your face, and everyone you walk past has a big smile on their face too.

The place is kind of hard to find, it's at Holborn Circus roundabout right next to Boots and there was a doorman... wasn't expecting that! Go down the stairs and you come across reception which has the bar to the left and the loo to the right.

The bar is huge and sweeps down the middle section of the left hand side of the venue, to the back is a pizza restaurant although to be honest (as always) I spent more time talking than eating (why doesn't this ever stop me drinking too much)? So I can't comment on the food per se but from what I remember it was tasty.

The place is really big as you can see from the picture above and there are 17 ping pong tables in all. This would be a great place for a team do at work or a birthday, you really need to book in advance to get a ping pong table but even though we didn't play I really liked the atmosphere, it was pretty funny having balls flying through the air while you're having a drink and we even saw someone so drunk when they got hit in the face with a bat they didn't even notice!

Overall I think Bounce is a great concept and a welcome change for a drink and some fun. We had a great time and I would definitely go back there and this time book and get a ping pong table too. 9/10 (drinks and food pretty pricey) but a great time had by all!

Agua Spa at the Sanderson - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I've not been having the best time at the moment (personal reasons) so being offered an amazing agua Spa treatment at the beautiful hotel The Sanderson which is renowned for its extensive menu of luxurious treatments and services was the best thing that could have happened to me.

I went along last Thursday evening to be introduced to one of the spa's most popular facials and to experience the pampering first hand as, like most London spas, the treatments are quite expensive so it is good to read about someone else's experience before parting with your money especially if it is a present for someone else. Let me start by saying, I am sure you know since I have written moany blog posts many times before, that I am not shy to say if something is bad, wrong or just plain weird. That being said I would 100% happily go back to this spa and pay for a treatment and am already planning to go back again for the same facial I had once I get my bonus from work.

The treatment I had was from Natura Bisse called The Cure. It is a deep cleansing treatment which I really needed. My skin is generally very good but the stress of the past few months had taken it's toll and I had even come out in a couple of spots last week, for someone who never EVER has even the tiniest blemish this was clearly a cause for national panic.

The Cure is based on an enzymatic detoxification that includes a double cleansing process inspired by traditional Japanese protocols and the extraction of impurities. Applications of aloe and propolis, lymphatic drainage and a nano stimulating mask. The cleansing is so lovely and relaxing and you have gorgeous hot towels to remove each layer of cleansing which really feels so luxurious, much more so than the sponges you get removing the product in a lot of other facials. The nano stimulating mask was fun but a bit freaky! You are only left for 5 minutes but the mask is sort of bubbling and fizzing on your face and I felt a bit like I was part of a science experiment! It was pretty cool though and I am looking forward to having it done again. After the facial my skin looked like baby skin it was amazing. It was so bright and radiant and now, 3 days later it still looks the same. I even had extraction but had no redness or any spots over the next couple of days. I love this facial.

The Agua Spa is different to a lot of spas in that there are no internal walls and the ceiling is super duper high, all of the walls are made instead with layers of whispy white curtains and all of the furniture and basically everything is either silver or white in the entire spa, which made me feel like I was inside a cloud, it was very cool. The decor is quite New York in style and very minimalist which I love. It had been a very long time since I just sat, drank a glass of champagne and chilled doing nothing but look at a fountain for AN HOUR but there time just stood still and I had quickly racked up an entire hour doing nothing but feeling awesome. After I left I sent loads of text messages because I felt in such a chilled mood and wanted everyone else to know all about it!

This spa would be an amazing place to go before your wedding if you are having a bit of a nightmare, if you are having a hard time at work or in your relationship and need a few hours of escape time or just, if you can afford it, every month! I would go all the time if I was able. The facial The Cure costs £100.

You can also buy Natura Bisse products in Space NK and I am definitely going to go and take a look at buying a few new things on payday as the products were amazing.

Colgate Proclinical A1500 Toothbrush Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 10 Feb 2013 11:57:00 +0000

Having a lot of people comment on how they like my teeth or think I have good teeth, you can imagine the time I now have to spend on brushing and flossing just to keep up appearances! Secretly though I actually really enjoy brushing my teeth which I know is probably a little strange. I brush for at least 2 minutes twice a day after using my waterpik water flosser to keep on top of plaque but the main reason is because I love the compliments, shallow much?

The problem is that sometimes my old toothbrush, with its round head, just didn't clean the back of my molars properly as it was too big to fit in the gap so when the lovely people of Colgate sent me their gorgeous new Colgate Proclinical Electric Toothbrush to review I was very excited. The brush has smart sensor technology that promises to automatically adjust to the speed and direction of the brush strokes you are using, and it didn't disappoint. There are three different programme settings - 1 for regular brushing, 1 optimum programme for everyday and a deep cleaning programme to make sure your molars are super clean. The programme lasts 2 minutes which is how long you should be brushing each time and has 30 seconds pacers so you brush each part of your mouth for the correct amount of time. It has a great battery life too which means less charging and less electricity used. I have to say that the design of the brush is really ergonomic and fits in my hand a lot better than the old brush I used, this is more like an old school toothbrush and much lighter.

One of my favourite features is the ability to choose programmes as I had to have a tooth out recently and I was able to use a more gentle programme to make sure that my teeth were clean but that I didn't cause any bleeding around the healing gum and now it has healed I can use the more in depth optimum cleaning programmes to make sure that there is no plaque forming.

Funnily enough I read a survey on-line (daily mail but still, technically relevant) that men notice not your hair or your body first on a date, but your teeth! With that in mind if you're looking for a man then you could do worse than picking up one of these and getting those toothy pegs gleaming to blind him into asking you out!

So far this is the best electric toothbrush I have used and is perfect for anyone at any age, it's easy to use straight from the box and your teeth will really thank you for it in looks and health benefits as healthy teeth are really important. The toothbrush has 4.5/5 stars on Amazon reviews and 4/5 stars on Boots reviews.

You can pick one of these up at most local department stores or Boots, online at the colgate website the general price is £164.99-£170.00 so make sure you shop around to get the best deal.

Wonderful moments

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 20:06:00 +0000

There are moment's in a girl's life when she really just needs to relax, chill out and get pampered. In an ideal world this would be something that all women could afford but spa treatments are often a very pricey trade-off for the reduced wrinkles and de stressing that the spa days provide.

Saving some money while enjoying yourself

Fortunately there are ways to get a spa treatment or spa break without having to send huge amounts of money. Simply take a look at the Groupon homepage. Groupon offers fabulous deals which make it possible to keep the costs down.

If a treatment for both body and soul is needed, one can easily check here for spa deals to get a complete spa day just for you. When you are looking for beauty treatments such as hair removal, gel nails etc. there are some great offers for laser hair removal and many other types of treatment.

Selfmade wellness

Of course, there are various ways to relax at home = although it is not comparable to a professional treatment, here are some tips for creating a spa feel at home:

Having a bath - adding a few drops of essential oil to your bath can evoke different moods from refreshing and rejuvenating to relaxing and de-stressing. Lavender essential oil provides a feeling of calmness and relaxation, whereas eucalyptus has anti inflammatory effects and myrtle is gentle on the skin.
Treatment masks - before putting on a face mask for some skincare, ensure your face is thoroughly cleansed and toned. After your face is clean, mix together a mashed banana and an egg and apply to your face avoiding the eye area. Leave for 20 minutes and then rinse off. During this time you can soak cotton wool pads with cold milk and rest them over your eyes to de-puff your eye bags and cool and soothe.
Massaging - It is possible to massage yourself - it might not be quite as relaxing as someone else doing it at a spa but if you warm some oil and gently knead the knots in your feet and hands it will definitely have a positive effect. Using coconut oil for this is a great idea as it is brilliant for the skin and also has a very low melting point so you can warm it in your hands.

Do you have any at home spa tips?

New Year’s resolutions: caring more for one’s beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:30:00 +0000

2012 has come to an end and many people have already started reflecting on what aspects of life could be improved in 2013 and writing their New Year's Resolutions. With the recession work life seems to be as hard as ever and we find less time for ourselves. A good resolution for 2013 is to look after yourself more. Looking after yourself involves finding a healthy balance for your life and also finding beauty products to help your skin stay clean and nourished. Eating healthy food and finding a work life balance with relaxing leisure activities and exercise are all things that will greatly help.

Keeping Fit

Starting a sport or exercising is probably the most popular New Year’s resolution. Everyone wants to get in shape for their Summer holiday, skimpy clothes and bikinis and just lose the weight that they put on over Christmas. In connection with that a lot of people resolve to change their beauty and skincare habits and find some new products to help their skincare routine. The trend definitely goes into the direction of natural and organic products to underline the natural beauty and to avoid allergic reactions. As it can be difficult to find these products in local shops the internet is a brilliant shopping platform.

Online shopping for beauty products

Numerous shops offer all different types of beauty products to entice the beauty conscious man and woman to try online shopping. It could even be a resolution to do more shopping online in 2013 to save time which can leave the time open for other activities. The more information on online payments
one can find, the more relaxed the online shopping experience actually is because you are aware of the security mechanisms which have greatly improved over the years. There are now guarantees that the money transfers are safe and that the customer policy is fair for most online shops. In that way it is easy to order all the nice presents to yourself you want to buy without any worries or risk.

Benefit peek-a-bright eyes review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:29:00 +0000

I used this kit nearly every day in December which I think is reason enough to put the review on the blog. I'll be honest I didn't even try the tiny brushes. Straight in the bin. I am suspicious of tiny brushes. You can get full instructions on how to get different looks from this palette here peek a bright palette how to

The kit contains:

Buff base shadow

Chocolate brown shadow

Pearly pink highlighter shadow

Eye bright

This palette is perfect for everyday use, the eye-shadows are really pigmented and last all day and you can use the shadows for a day or evening neutral look so perfect if you are off out after work or school.

The kit is perfect for travelling or taking to the gym as you have 3 separate shadows that can be used alone or mixed and matched for different looks but the palette is pretty small.

The palette costs £24.50 which I think is a good deal, I have been using it loads and have barely touched the surface on any of the shadows. To be honest I can't ever remember using up an entire eyeshadow so I doubt you would have to repurchase this for a very long time.

Overall I would give this 8/10. I would prefer a small pencil eye bright rather than having it in the plastic lidded box like a teeny tiny tupperware!

You can buy benefit in most department stores, Boots and online on the benefit website

Sensational Magnetize Magnetic Gel Polish

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:18:00 +0000

As I already have the Sensationail kit that I reviewed a couple of weeks ago I thought I would try out one of their newly available polishes from the Magnetize Magnetic Polish. They don't have any magnetic Shellac polishes so I was interested to see how easy it was to use as I hadn't ever used even a regular metallic nail varnish before.

The box contains the polish, a magnet, instructions and a hoof stick. I chose the shade Tantalize.

The magnetic polish contains tiny metal bits and so when you hover the (included in the box) magnet over the polish before drying it in the lamp the magnet attracts the metal bits and they move, therefore making a pattern in the gel. You then cure the gel and the pattern stays.

Holding the magnet vertically gives a subtle liney look

Holding the magnet horizontally gives the look shown on the box

The Full Procedure

Apply basecoat and cure
Apply one coat of colour and cure
Apply another coat of colour then hover the magnet over the nail for 10 seconds, repeat for each finger then cure
Topcoat then cure

I found this remarkably simple to do and the pattern was really cool and different. Sometimes nail art can be such a faff and this looks really unique without taking ages. I found that holding the magnet sideways with the stick horizontal to your hand gave a much better design on the nail than around the other way.

I would definitely buy another colour and think that it's a really fun idea and they are only £13 from http://www.sensationail.co.uk/magnetic-gel-nail-polish or you can also get them in store at Asda or Boots.

Not beauty related BUT - Do people really do these things?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:12:00 +0000

I've been really ill the last couple of days which has meant having to sit and basically do nothing (apart from throw up) but sit on the sofa, watch tv, read blogs, read the papers online and just rest. Whilst I detest this to the max it does seem to have made me very aware of some crazy crazy things people do and say. And by people I mean women.

Just watching random tv programmes and films and reading things online made me notice things that I hadn't thought of before because, to be honest, to me the answers are quite obvious, but so many women seem to be confused! Now I am no relationship expert but... DAMN! are people thick?

Women trying to ask their friends or the person they are dating 'where is this relationship going'?....

Firstly, if you don't know then who the hell does? Secondly if you have to ask then it's probably not going anywhere actually at the moment so either hang tight and see what happens or give up if you are desperate for immediate action and, finally, asking this must be a right kick in the balls and make you look like such a nag...don't frigging ask this question unless you want to look like a whining woman!

Women who say 'I slept with him on the first date but he didn't call, why hasn't he called?'....

Well you've just answered your own question! If you're giving out the candy for free nobody's going to buy the sweetshop darling. Facepalm.

Men being dragged around shops at Christmas looking like they want someone to kill them and women arguing with them for dragging behind, not helping or not giving you good advice in your present buying and seeming surprised that their hub doesn't suddenly shop like gok frigging wan.

Derr. My mum used to drag me round Marks and Spencer when I was little and all I kept doing was running away. Why? because it was about as much fun as cheese grating my flesh. This is how the majority of men feel about shopping in general, then add that to a packed Christmas shopping time of year mall and he will feel like he is in hell. Just don't do it! Ask him to help you wrap the presents, ask him to help you write a list of who wants what, hell ask him to drive you there, wait in the car and then pick you up but you're just going to argue otherwise so you're making a rod for your own back! Obviously if your man likes shopping then go nuts! But if not then just imagine if he wanted you to go to a strip club and pick out the best stripper for his mate's stag do...awkward... that's how much he's enjoying the shopping trip.

Asking anyone 'do I look fat in this?'

If you have to ask then probably. If you don't and are trying to draw attention to the fact you look fabulous then stop being an attention whore, someone will tell you that you look nice if you do.

Why hasn't he called me?

Three answers
1. He lost his phone
2. He's just not that into you
3. He's just fricking busy!

It doesn't really matter either way as you are NOT, repeat NOT, going to call him so unless he does bother to call you then you'll never know. If a man can chase a ball around a pitch, a fish around a lake and another man around a paintball field he can sure as hell be the one doing the one chasing you. If he can't be bothered then he's not worth bothering about. And if he makes you wait ages to call then let that shit go to voicemail and call back another day.

Does he fancy me?

Probably. If he's being weird enough for you to notice. If you like him then try and give him some signal that you are interested too, he'll be unlikely to do anything if he thinks you're going to laugh in his face, if not then make up a hunky fireman boyfriend!

Is it just me? Aren't these things fricking obvious?

Elegant Touch Red Glitter Nails

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:57:00 +0000

I love red nails for Christmas and the Elegant Touch Limited Edition red glitter nails are perfect for this as if you are fed up of red glitter straight after boxing day you can get them off without much of a faff and go back to something else for New Year's Eve.

The only issue I had was that there are 10 size nails but there weren't any of the nails quite small enough for my two smallest nails so I just improvised with some red glitter to try and match them up.

The nails are easy to apply and you can either use nail glue or the adhesive tabs provided in the box. With nails glue they last about a week and with the tabs a few days so perfect for a special night out or Christmas day itself.

They are a perfect way to look polished and Christmassy without spending a lot of money or if you don't have time to get your nails done.

I accessorised mine with a little 3D nail art snowman from Nail Rock> Frou Frou Holiday

You can buy them in Boots and they are currently on special offer http://www.boots.com/en/Elegant-Touch-Glitter-Nails-Red_1277873/

@Core150Shaker Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 10:48:00 +0000

I used to find taking my protein powder to work to make my shakes for after the gym or a snack a bit of a pain but then on Twitter I found out about the Company Core 150 http://www.core150.com/ and ordered two of their shakers as they were on special offer for 2 for £20. Inside the shaker fits a small tupperware box with 3 compartments where you can ether put 3 different powders, protein powder, small snacks, vitamins or basically anything you want, the box then fits inside the shaker to save space.

I use one of these nearly every day now and it is definitely one of the best things that I have purchased recently. I would recommend this to anyone who has protein shakes but hates lugging loads of stuff around.

Love! Also they come in nice colours (the lid and inside box, but the main bits are black so people don't start trying to analyse what you have got in them, if you work in an office you know what I mean, people are always trying to get involved!

PR / Blogger Competitions can go and fuck off

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:05:00 +0000

I would just like to state, for the record, that I am in a bad mood. And sending me an email like the ones I have received from PR's today about entering their competitions makes me want to punch them in the ovary (or equivalent). I have no interest in any of these products and find it so irritating that they contact everyone on their database about every single competition.

Here is an example

Dear Beauty Blogger,

[Insert PR Company] has teamed up with [Insert brand you either haven't heard of in your life or a brand that should know better] and is offering 10 lucky beauty bloggers the chance to win five pairs of [insert something crap] to giveaway on their blog.

The chance of me entering these competitions is less than zero. I haven't got the time, the inclination and frankly I just don't give a toss about the prize in the first place. If I wanted it I would go and buy it, but I don't, so I haven't!

I am not sure why this seems to be the recent new thing but I presume the Companies see bloggers as cheap labour to create a buzz about a brand without spending much money. When 50+ bloggers are pinning, making youtube videos, tweeting, instagramming, hashtagging and facebooking about the same thing they are generating a lot of talk about this brand, so great for them, but not great for you as a blogger, you basically waste your time on the very small chance you will win, then even if you do win you have to give the products away in a giveaway.

You can count me out of that, if there's one thing I hate it's getting mugged off.

I wonder if they want to enter a competition to win the amazing opportunity of hoovering the hall in my flat or helping an old lady put her g string on..............? Hmmm....

What to do when your normally good skin get's a spot!! AAAH!

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Normally my skin is very good and very well behaved. This is mainly because I know what it likes, it's very dry and so I give it lots of lovely Emma Hardie cleanser, nice non astringent toners and oils, hydraluron and lots of moisturiser and moisturising face masks. I am very gentle with it and try not to exfoliate too much even though it feels so good! Sometimes however I use something that for some reason makes it unhappy and I have the dreaded.

ATTACK OF THE SPOT! DUN DUN DAAAAAAAH!

As it happens fairly rarely I do get really overdramatic about it. In fact I don't even call it dramatic it's just other people who seem to think so. What do they bloody know anyway? I have some go-to products depending on what kind of complete disaster I seem to be having.

Oxy Seaweed Power Clear Pore Exfoliator
This stuff is pretty strong and gritty and it is perfect for an outbreak of those irritating spots on the back of your arms which I think are called Keratosis Pilaris called by clogged pored. This cleans and is anti bacterial so perfect for use after the gym to unclog all of the dead skin and make the backs of your arms perfect and smooth. Winner!

Sk:n Vitamin-Rich Cleanser For Oily Skin £11 In Boots
This is great if I have been using a lot of fake tan... although really, would I do such a thing? Ok yes. Sometimes you get a bit of build up and your skin gets a bit clogged so it's great to use this to remove impurities and dead skin cells with the glycolic acid it contains without using a super strong product because they just don't work if you have really really sensitive skin like I do as it just goes red and gets sore. This also seems to work well if you have a rash on your face under the skin.

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub £3.50 on Ocado
This scrub is great for blackheads. Can you believe that?! I should win an award for stating the obvious. However it's also good if you have recently had a spot to keep the area clean. It does truly seem to work on the nose and chin area to stop blackheads in their tracks and seems to work even better on men than women although perhaps that's because they have rougher skin and more blackheads? Who knows. I also use this on a microfibre cloth on my wrists if I have gone a bit streaky with the fake tan. The only problem with this is that it's a right pain to wash off, you think it's all off then you end up having to rinse again then it's still on there so you splash yourself like in the adverts and then the water gets everywhere (how does that work in adverts)....

Clean and Clear Blackhead Clearing Daily Scrub £3.99 in Boots

I usually either buy this one or the Neutrogena one but I got sent the Neutrogena one while i still had this one, so there you go. Let's be honest when you have two products from different brands that are almost identical we do what anyone sensible would do. See which one is on special offer in Boots and buy the cheaper one. This and the Neutrogena one are almost identical, same effects, same white cream with little scrubby beads, nice minty ish fresh smell. I think the clean and clear one just swings it because it's blue. Yes I am that shallow.

Overall my favourite is the SK:N facial wash and I wouldn't be without that now.

Any tips for a spot you need to draw out? Does magnesium sulphate paste work?

Sensational At Home Gel Nail Starter Kit Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 23:36:00 +0000

Sensationail is a relatively new product on the UK market. It is a DIY gel nail kit that you can do at home instead of having to visit a salon and as you can see above it's very compact and travel friendly.

I have seen the product in Boots before (or you can also buy it here)> gel nail polish . I had been interested but as I am trained in gel polish and Shellac and have those kits and lamps I didn't seem much point shelling out on a consumer product just for my own use but when I was contacted by Sensationail they seemed interested in me testing it out and seemed fine that I was already trained in using the product and wanted my honest opinion which is refreshing.

So, how does it work?

First step is to prep your nails. Trim them and file them like you would normally. The next issue is cuticles, prior to any gel or acrylic application you need to remove as much of your cuticle from your nail plate as possible to avoid the gel peeling. There aren't any products in the kit to do this but if you purchase some cuticle remover from the chemist, leave it to soak for a few minutes then gently using a rubber hoof stick to push the skin from your nail plate and VERY gently push a little at the skin at the bottom of your nail (which you might have presumed was your cuticle but actually isn't) make sure you do not jab at it, be careful.

Then very gently buff the shine off the surface of your nails. After that, wash your hands with water and liquid soap to remove the cuticle remover and dry thoroughly as gel doesn't perform well unless the nails are dry.

Start by using the gel cleanser from the kit on one of the lint free wipes.
This is to remove oils and dirt from your nail plate and prep it for the base coat. Next stop is to apply the primer.

Sensationail in Sugar Plum Day 1

After a few seconds when this has dried apply the the base coat (which is a 2 in 1 base and topcoat). Just apply it as you would a nail varnish but ensure you don’t get too close to the edges as if you continually get gel on your skin it can be dangerous and you can get an allergic reaction. Also any gel on the skin will look unsightly. Once your nails have the basecoat on, put your fingers in the lamp and turn on for 30 seconds to dry them. Once that is dry remember your nails are sticky until the end of the process so carefully ensure you apply the colour coat and then put back in the lamp for 60 seconds. Repeat for a second coat of colour and then apply the clear topcoat and put back in the lamp for 30 seconds. Once that is all done then use your colour coat and again dry in the lamp, this time for 60 seconds. To finish - cleanse your nails to remove the sticky residue with the cleanser on a lint free wipe and apply some cuticle oil and hand cream.

I have been having gel polish applied since 2010 and been trained since 2011 so I can do it fairly quickly, I would presume you could crack out a good set of nails in an hour though even if you are new to this.

I found that the Sensationail lasted for 10 days before I started getting chips at the edges of some of my nails, I think this is because it isn't as thick as the normal gel that I have on my nails so doesn't provide the same amount of strength.

The colour Sugar Plum is GORGEOUS, I had lots of comments and I think it is a stunning colour I would happily wear this for a month and I hate wearing the same colour for too long.

Sensationail in Sugar Plum Day 10

The starter kit costs £60 on-line and £69.99 in Boots and the kit contains:

The free exclusive travel bag
1 x full size polish colour of your choice 7.39ml
Primer 3.54ml
Base/topcoat 7.39ml
Gel cleanser 27.2ml
12 x lint free wipes
Buffer
Manicure stick
Pro 3060 LED nail lamp (Power 7W +/- 10%)
How-to Booklet

Removal

They do sell removal wraps but 3 sets for £10 seemed a bit steep so I just did the usual which is file the top of the nail with a nail file to 'break the seal', then use cotton wool, acetone and tin foil as per the tutorial I did a few months ago. Bizarre but it didn't really seem to want to come off so I was very naughty and just soaked them in a small bowl of acetone to which I added some sweet almond oil. It took 10 minutes for them to remove. They were a bit dry afterwards but generally fine but I applied my normal gel polish after and then lots of oil and handcream so I am sure they will be fine. If you are going back to normal polish after using this then use a nail strengthener and lots of cuticle oil.

After removal

Overall I liked the kit and think that if you are good at painting your own nails then it would be worth getting it. There aren't that many shades in the range and they are quite expensive at £15 each if you are just using them yourself so my suggestion would be to go halves with your best friend or mum or sister to ease the cost or if you have a group of friends maybe club together and each buy a shade so you can swap them around.

The only thing I think was a negative was that the lamp was very small, it's a plus in that it's not heavy and you can just shove it in your bag but I am not sure if you could get your feet in it either to do a pedicure, a professional size nail lamp is for fingernails or toenails and that's why it's a bit bigger than this lamp. If your feet are quite small I think it would be fine.

Overall 8.5 out of ten which could be improved by a slightly wider lamp with a button for 30 seconds and a button for 60 seconds and the lamp being a bit heavier so it's more sturdy and the shades being a little bit more affordable.

Edited to add - There are currently 19 shades in the range but I have been advised that in the new year there will be some new colours and great seasonal specials and the cost from www.sensationail.co.uk is £10 not £15 for each colour...which does beg the question - why the hell are Boots charging £15 each for a colour? What a ripoff if it's only a tenner online? Sort it out Boots!
pr samples - honest review as always and was very grateful to test this out