Hi Gorgeous, hope your day is beautiful.


Have you heard of HJ Manicure ?  I hadn't until recently I was asked to try out this Vegan/animal friendly range of polishes which are really keeping up with today's demand for less chemicals and cruelty free products, bang on trend with 20 colours, the design and look of these polishes are clean and modern a good size 14.8 ml bottle with a soft flexible brush, they apply easily and cover perfectly with just one coat, no wishy washy 4 coats needed here. 

Coco

Caramel Latte

I tried 2 shades, Coco which a pinky nude and Caramel Latte which is true to it's name, which actually was my personal favourite as it went with everything.

I don't know if the company do a base and top coat, I couldn't find any sign of them so I sampled the polishes as they come, straight onto bare nails, 2 coats with no base or top I got 3 days wear, bearing in mind I am no delicate flower, don't wear gloves while cleaning and had a one hour float tank soak during the test, they did pretty well, next trial was with a branded top and base coat, with this method I got a full 5 days before removal was needed. What you will notice when using these polishes is that the fragrance id not overpowering like usual polishes and even on bare nails there was no staining and removal was easy.

The Company pride themselves on being free from 5 which means they are free from
 five harmful ingredients – Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Di-butyl phthalate (DBP) and Camphor.

The range of great shades is definitely worth a look, find them at www.nailspacafe.co.uk


Love n Hugz
Lyn x


Post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins

You have heard me talk about the brand ARK recently when I discovered the Ark Pro Remove Pre Cleanse, a fabulous pre cleanse that simply melts away make up and grime, I followed this with Ark Agedefy Brightening Cleanser, the agedefy range that I tried is specifically designed for 50+ skin.

This beautifully creamy cleanser is applied to damp skin, massaged in and removed with warm water, completing my double cleanse. This cleanser contains a host of goodies including Red Algae and Apricot Oil to help reduce the appearance of age spots.  Omega 3 Fatty acids, Goji Berry and blackcurrant and Starflower lipids all add to the goodness.

The 200ml pump action bottle produces enough in one pump to cleanse your whole face, I really did feel that combined these two cleansers gave a really deep down clean without leaving my skin feeling stripped.

You are recommended to follow your cleanse with Ark Hydrating Toner, this I didn't have so used a different brand. Followed by 


Discover more about the ARK skincare range by visiting them at www.arkskincare.com 


Love n Hugz
Lyn x



post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins

I was recently lucky enough to be invited to the opening weekend of Floatworks in Vauxhall, London, due to confusion on my part I couldn't make the opening weekend, but co owner Chris Plowman very kindly arranged for myself and my eldest daughter to re-book.



Along we went, quite excited as we had looked at the website but really unsure what to expect, we were greeted at the reception by a super smiley welcome where we were taken through to the locker area to leave our shoes etc as the centre provides you with flip flops for your stay, I was shown into Pod Room One, which housed the huge white floatation tank, a chair and a beautiful shower cubicle complete with rainfall shower.  It was explained that we didn't need our swimming cozzies as it was better to be nekkid !   am thinking OK lets go with this, they obviously know what they are talking about, while eyeing up the secure door lock, and with a full explanation she left me to it to get a shower before entering the tank.



Shower done, earplugs in and still grinning like an idiot I get into the warm Epsom salt filled tank and close the lid, the water feels really really soft, there is a light inside the tank so you control how you want your experience, I was told that music would play for ten minutes then stop to allow you to relax, I honestly don't know what music I was expecting, Drum n Bass maybe ? nope what I got was the most relaxing sound of waves lapping a shore, and the odd distant seagull, it was flipping lovely and I personally could have listened to it throughout the whole experience, music stopped and whilst I was quite enjoying floating like a cork the thought did cross my mind, ok now what ?  I think I may find this boring for the next 50 minutes, I turned the light off and was in the blackest of pitch black I have ever experienced, bored ?............FORGET THAT the next thing I knew was the music had returned which was the five minute alarm for you to leave the tank.





Honest to god, I woke up not quite knowing what day of the week it was, realising that I needed to get out, my experience was over, having showered using the fabulous complimentary products, I headed off to the Hollywood Room, to make myself look human again, a beautiful little space surrounded by Hollywood style beauty stations, each with it's own super powerful hair dryer and a set of GHD's, we ten moved on to the chill out room, a soothing space for you to sit and enjoy the wonderful range of complimentary herbal tea's.




To sum up.

Was it relaxing ? 100% the feeling of being suspended in a warm water cocoon was second to non.

What were the benefits ?  I entered with the usual aches and pains, but a particularly painful shoulder, which was instantly eased and a week later still feels flexible ! the total feeling of well being after the experience and the sleep of all sleeps that night were priceless.

Would I do it again ? 100 % without a shadow of a doubt, and If I were back in my old working in London days, I would have made it a Friday night priority.

Find details of Floatworks here.


Love n Hugz
Lyn x

Hello Beautiful 

You may well have heard of the brand Grown Alchemist these Australian modern day chemists producing outstanding skin and haircare products with only pure Organic ingredients, you can read more about the companies philosophy HERE 



I started out by testing the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser with Olive Leaf & Plantago Extract. ideal for Normal/Dry skin, the first thing you notice is how rich and creamy this cleanser is, and applying it to your face with your hands leaves you breathing really deeply to inhale the fresh herbal scent, once massaged in, simply rinse with warm water, this cleanser left my face feeling squeaky clean.




The next stage which I actually believe to be the most important Is Detox Serum Antioxidant + 3  and even if I didn't use any other product from this company I LOVE this serum, it is designed to detox your skin of all free radicals and prepare it for the moisturising stage.  it is recommended that you do a patch test with this product to ensure it is suitable for your skin, 2-3 drops of this fluid it all you need, do be quick when applying as it dries instantly and is absorbed immediately. 




Next up I used the Hydra Repair Day Cream Camelia and Geranium Blossom, this non greasy moisturiser again has the beautiful smell of fresh herbs and flowers, is absorbed easily and leaves your skin feeling thoroughly moisturised which lasts all day.




There is something really quite exciting about this brand in that all of the science has been formulated in an ethical organic way, with thought even going into the packaging for the care of the environment.

Grown Alchemist is available HERE


Love N Hugz
Lyn x


Post contains brand/agency samples, affiliate links unless otherwise stated.

Hiya gorgeous darlin reader,

Thanks for stopping by, I don't honestly know what made me think of it, but having spent the usual hours looking at blogs and pictures on Instagram it suddenly occurred to me how lucky I am not to be 20 something, in these day's of anti ageing products, botox and fillers, I'm not saying  "mature" ladies don't want to look good for their age, and my generation is probably the luckiest yet, as the age barriers are certainly slowly but surely coming down, it's taking time, but we appreciate the beautiful older models, and revel in the fact that we can wear whatever we want, seriously, even if you look like a total crank someone will say, oh she is fabulous for her age, so quirky.



We have more disposable income now our nests are empty and we really don't lust after things the way we used to,  I honestly remember once not being able to sleep in case Ravel had sold out of a certain shoe in my size before payday, now I'm like who flippin cares, oh look Urban Decay have a new palette out, Twitter is freaking out over it, girls are waiting to get paid to own it, ......................seriously ? we don't care :)  I don't ever recall staring at someones eyelids and saying, OMG you are wearing the latest fairy dust unicorn prancer dancer palette, that changes into 18k gold at the sound of the clock striking 12.

 Life is easier now there is less pressure to keep up, what is that saying ?  " Too many people spend too much money trying to impress people they don't even like " tiz true, you have people buying bloody ornaments just for instagram or blog photo's, people using filters to soft focus not only their faces but also their lives, which of course have to be themed for pictures, just because that's what everyone else does, the world has gone fake barmy, stop and ask yourself...............who really cares ? 

 Let this old bird tell you, NO ONE, life is way too short to worry about impressing anyone, unless it's your boss, coz after all you need to keep that job baby girl to pay for the next pallet.

Love n Hugz

Lyn x

Hiya Gorgeous

Let's talk bargain, once again our friends at Aldi have come up with a fabulous skincare range  Thermal Spring which is specifically designed for sensitive skin.

Thermal Spring water is a natural mineral groundwater that emerges from the ground at a temperature of over 20 Degrees Celsius containing minerals and trace elements it is ideal for use in a sensitive skin range.



I tested out the Thermal Spring Facial Care, the 50 ml glass jar contains a light soothing cream that would be ideal for all skin types but especially Sensitive, whilst the cream is a moisturiser that leaves your skin fully moisturised it felt as though it had healing properties and totally soothed my face after a rather abrasive cleanser trial of another product, I was left with red uncomfortable skin, and this moisturiser really soothed it.

Lacura Thermal Spring  is a complete skincare range, with Facial Care, Eye Care, Body Lotion and Shower Gel. If you have delicate skin you have a whole body treatment at Aldi's bargain prices. Each item costs £1.99  so a whole range for less that £8.00.

Love n Hugz
Lyn x


post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins 
As you will have have read in my previous post I am a bit of a fan of UFIT protein drinks, not that I am a hench muscle ripped bodybuilder but I do believe in adding supplements to our daily diet especially when doing any kind of fitness, Mr LB takes protein a couple of times a day, has an extremely physical job and also like to throw around metal weights for fun, I on the other hand don't take as much as don't climb trees for a living but I am not a huge meat eater to like to keep protein levels topped up.

The thing with UFIT PRO50 is that it's supplying you with a whopping  50 grams of protein in a rather lovely 500ml shake, the clever bottles do not need refrigeration, will always stay cool and the screw cap means that you don't have to drink it all in one go, I tend to use protein often as a meal replacement at 336 cals per bottle this would be pushing it a bit for me, so I tend to have half for breakfast and the rest for lunch  although "him indoors" could quite happily do 2-3 of these a day. 
It comes in both Chocolate and Strawberry, and they are so delicious it's hard to believe they are healthy.


Read more or order

Love n Hugz
Lyn x



post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins

I cannot tell you how excited I was to try out the New OUAI haircare range from Celebrity stylist Jen Atkins, you will probably know her as the Kardashians stylist but there is much more to her than that, she was recently names by The New York Times as the most influential hairstylist in the world !

In February 2016 te OUAI range was born, until now only available in the USA, us lucky Brits will be able to grab it on April 25th exclusively at  Selfridges London.  There is something seriously stylish about the brand packaging which was inspired by the likes of Diptyque packaging being clean fresh and stylish.

The name OUAI pronounced WAY was inspired by Paris fashion week where OUAI means yes in a casual Parisian style.   You can shop the entire range by the results you need from your haircare, Clean, Repair, Smooth and Volume, I trialled the Smooth.



Here goes.  Firstly the Shampoo in Smooth,


A good sized 300ml Snap top lid bottle, the fragrance has notes of Jasmine and Gardenia and is beautifully fresh without being overpowering, a small amount was needed and rinsed really well leaving my hair feeling as though it was already conditioned.



Conditioner in Smooth. 250ml which is brilliant as how often do you end up with half a bottle of conditioner left after your shampoo is finished ?
My hair was so smooth it didn't actually need any product in after washing, as it often does.


Treatment Mask these come in a box of 8,  9ml sachets My hair isn't long but it is incredibly porous and one sachet wasn't enough for me, I needed 2, but the condition when rinsing was out of this world. It is recommended that you leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse it off, I left it overnight and rinsed off in my morning shower, You could even pop a sachet on before a workout and let it do its work while you do yours !



And when you are all beautifully shampooed, conditioned and styled then we have the Soft Hairspray to finish off.   213 g of the most expensive smelling hairspray I have ever encountered, as named soft spray, don't expect this to set like rock, it is a finishing spray designed to keep your hair tidy and prevent moisture from giving you the frizzes.

When your friends are struggling with the name, you can very cleverly say "Oh It's pronounced way :)"

www.selfidges.com 


Love and Hugz
Lyn x



post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Gorgeous 

My love for Laura Geller is no secret to you all, and once again I have discovered something that simply had to be shared, and this has come at the perfect time of year in my opinion.

Spackle Treatment Even Tone Make Up Primer




I know you are probably thinking this is just another primer, but I promise you it isn't, I think the name actually underestimates it, yes it is a fabulous primer that gives your make up a flawless finish, BUT it also has the capability of totally brightening your skin and colour correcting over time any dark patches you may have, the formula  is a beautiful soft peachy pink that when applied gives your skin a glow like no other, almost a subtle golden pearl sheen, this light reflecting quality adds an almost soft focus look to your face, reducing the appearance of fine lines and dark spots.




I have used this under Laura Geller Baked Liquid Radiance Foundation  that I have previously tested, and the finish was fabulous and lasted from mid morning to well into the evening, keeping the foundation in place.
I have also used this on quite a few occasions on bare skin with no make up, it just leaves you looking more even toned and a little bit healthier, which is why I think it is totally perfect for summer days when you want to go make up free, but still need a little something. I personally always need a little something, I'm not brave enough to go totally bare faced, and this little gem will find it's way into my holiday bag.

Available at 


Love n Hugz
Lyn x



Post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

#AD

Hiya Darlins

Firstly let me say I am a blogger not a scientist, but as regular readers know, I have a bit of an obsession with Collagen, and I thought it may be an idea to talk about, in terms of what it is and why we need it.

I only discovered the whole Collagen story within the last couple of years, and as such take it daily without fail.  As you can see from the clever little graph at birth you start with the maximum amount of Collagen in your body  as indicated by firm peachy, bouncy skin, and by age 25 it starts to deplete at what I would call a pretty alarming rate, hence wrinkles and looser skin, aches in joints, hair loss and often Arthritis.

All of these things are associated with ageing, but the facts are it is mainly due to the lack of Collagen we carry in our bodies.   One third of of all the protein in the human body is made up of collagen, so with the rapid depletion over the years you don't really need to be a rocket scientist to work out why we need supplementation,  I only wish I had know this at 25 in order to slow down the whole wrinkly process.

Signs that you are lacking in Collagen .

Wrinkles
Loss of skin elasticity
Hair Loss
Arthritis or joint problems
Constipation.

In my humble opinion I don't really think we need a list of signs, everyone over the age of 25 should be taking it on a daily basis, and why wouldn't you ? if you knew it would help, and that your body was missing this vital ingredient.

It is said that by taking Marine collagen in particular you will begin to see signs of improvement in around a month.

One of the things I have heard said is that it is expensive, now don't get me wrong there are some companies that would have you pay almost £100 per month for your daily dose, however I have recently been pointed in the direction of a company providing high grade Marine Collagen at incredibly reasonable prices.

Also, My personal view is that as women we would pay whatever it took to look after our Children, Husbands, Parents and even Pets, so why on earth should you be at the bottom of the list, you are so busy caring for everyone else you forget about yourself, but the thing to bear in mind, is that if your health isn't tip top, who will do the caring ?

As Women I think we sometimes need to stop and say * yes I am worth it * 


Check out the range of Products at Hellenia who also provide everything you could possibly need in terms of  health supplements.


Love N Hugz
Lyn X


This post was in collaboration with Hellenia

Hiya Darlins,

First let me say as always, nothing will stop you ageing, you can slow it down, you can look great for your age, but unless you go for surgery or fillers, but my personal opinion is they are the only ways to turn the clock back, what you can do is use good skincare and begin to see a vast improvement in a very short time, especially if you are a bit hit and miss with your skincare routine.

Dr Renaud have cleverly devised these little kits at such a low price £9.00 that allow you to trial the brand in the absolute faith that you will return for the full sized products, to me that shows a huge sign of confidence in their products and the results they provide.  I sampled the Iris Anti-Ageing Kit  which contained 20ml Iris Lift Mask, this is a super rich creamy mask that you apply and leave for 10 minutes and rinsing off with warm water,  what I do need to mention about all three of these products its the gorgeous feminine fragrance, not overly sneezy type perfume, but a really light fresh floral scent, this mask left my skin feeling soft and hydrated and I have to say was a joy to use, breathing in the scent while chilling out for ten minutes, was pretty relaxing.





Next up I applied the Iris Lift Radiance Serum, this absorbed well and again had the matching fragrance making it a pleasure to apply, this was followed with the Iris Firming Lift Cream a rich soothing moisturiser that absorbed well leaving a tiny film of moisture on the skin, and again with the matching fragrance.

Now I have to be honest, the little package arrived and I wasn't particularly impressed, lovely packaging, but I have a hatred of sample sizes, I often don't bother with them because I don't think they can give you enough product to full test, this little kit was an absolute pleasure and had me checking out further products from the brand.

If you fancy a little trial £9.00 it an absolute bargain, and also these would be perfect for a weekend away to pop in your bag.

Available HERE

Love n Hugz
Lyn x


post contains brand/agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hi Darlins

I was very kindly sent two sets of the most amazing make up brushes featuring Swarovski Crystal handles, I can honestly say they are stunning, currently these brushes are only available from Swarovski Austria in Crystalworld, Innsbruck and Vienna. however they will be available from the brand partners Total Partners on a website that is currently under construction www.totalpartners.de




The first set of three include a large very soft powder brush, the flat square head shadow brush, and a finer flat point brush again for eyes, the clear acrylic handles are filled with millions of tiny Swarovski Crystals and are quite heavy, so you really do feel as though you are holding quality in your hand.
These brushes work incredibly well and wash without any hair loss at all, I can envisage having these for years to come.



Next Up is again another set of three, this time in black acrylic with each one featuring 3 individual Swarovski Crystals on each handle. This really is a dedicated eye trio with a sponge applicator, a brow and lash brush and comb, and a flat very soft shadow brush which picks up powders beautifully.




Once these are available to the UK market they are sure to be a huge hit.

If You can't wait you could always drop an email to   

who I am sure would ship some to you.

Love n Hugz
Lyn x

Hiya Darlins

How handy is this little bit of newness from the Lacura range at Aldi ?
A spray on body moisturiser containing Aloe Vera and Argan Oil, I instantly thought about it being perfect as an after sun with the cooling Aloe Vera especially if you have over done it a little bit, this isn't what is designed for, just my initial thoughts.




This spray is fabulous, it doesn't spray in a wide area, say like deodorant, so there is no waste, it smells totally amazing and really does have reminders of summer holidays to it, it absorbs almost instantly and is dry to the touch, just leaving you with soft supple skin, I am totally in love with this, and I really don't have the patience for lurking around the bathroom waiting for a moisturiser to dry. ( ain't nobody got time for that )

Unfortunately as this is totally new I don't have a price to give you for the 200ml can, but knowing Aldi it will be as cheap as oven chips, my love for the quality and price of the Aldi brand never ceases, and now there is no excuse for dry skin now that we exposing just a little more flesh each day.........yes I went without a coat today, which really is an indication of better things coming.

Love n Hugz
Lyn x



Post contains Agency/Brand samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins

Talk about fabulous weather we are having the last few days, it's as though Spring is here with a bang, and you just feel that Summer is on it's way.

I have just had the pleasure of experiencing Summer in a bottle in the form of a Lemongrass and Mint Body wash from the English farm Company Summerdownmint, This company re introduced English Black Peppermint to it's farm in the foothills of the Hampshire Downs.  This fabulous Body wash really does have the most refreshing zingy fragrance of peppermint mixed with lemongrass and the greenness of galbanum, rather than foam it emulsifies into a rich creamy almost body lotion that leaves your skin and senses feeling totally alive and ready to start the day. 




With 96% natural derived content, no Sulphates, Parabens, PEG's, Petrochemicals or artificial colourings this really is just a bottle of pure English Countryside.

It is worth taking a look at to explore the ranges, from, tea's to chocolates, body care and room fragrance.

Hi My Darlins

I am hoping you will have heard of the skincare brand ARK, if not I am delighted to bring them to you. 

Ark have established that there are two main transition periods in the ageing process where there is a dramatic shift in hormone production and a significant change in the way the body functions: late 20s to early 30s and late 50s to early 60s. 

They have devoloped three age specific ranges teens & twenties, 30s & 40s also 50 upwards.  The product I am featuring today is suitable for all ages, I have been in the process of trialling a couple of the age specific products and will bring them to you soon.  Pro Remove & Pre Cleanse........have you ever heard of anything like it ?  no ? me neither, I love this idea, I also  love the product ! In a nutshell it's your first cleanse, this clear clean oil containing Avocado, grape seed and Kiwi oil simply melts away any makeup, environmental muck and leaves you feeling as though you have a spa cleanse, which funnily enough Ark are experts at, having their own London Spa, simply massage into dry skin, watch the make up disolve and rinse with warm water, I used a muslin wash cloth.




This Oil can be used by both men and women, it will remove all traces of even waterproof make up, NOT eye make up, you are recommended to avoid the eye area, it can also be used by men as a pre shave for rash free faces, ( don't tell him though ) or you will never get it back :)

Available from Ark Directly HERE  or from 

Love n Hugz

Lyn x




Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless otherwise stated.

Hiya Darlins

If I am honest I don't think I have ever written about Make Up Revolution before, I have spoken about them Often of my YouTube videos and twitter, I think the problem with me and Make Up Revolution is that I take it for granted that everyone knows and uses the brand, there is nothing new I can bring to the table :)



HOWEVER !!!!!   As you all know I have Daughters and Grandaughters and as a gaggle of females between us we probably should own Shares in Make Up Revolution, there isn't a week goes by without at least 2 of us buying from them, and why wouldn't you at the quality and prices they offer ?  It is very rare for me to be able to keep hold of my purchases, as soon as one of the girls gives it the ohhhh I love that sentence, I hand my swag over, often living to regret my generosity. Hey ho, the joys of my girls :)
I must admit I haven't really got to grips with the whole contouring trend although I do a little bit, I have not got into the whole shebang, I do though have a passion for highlighting, I think it can deflect from the old wrinkles, or laugh lines shall we say.  I have in my time tried a huge amount of brands, my favourite always being MAC, not any longer, I now have a new favourite and it cost me the princely sum of £3.00 shiny new pounds !!!!!!!  seriously this is the best thing ever, a tiny weeny bit just highlights all the right areas, it has fabulous staying power and is the most glorious shimmer ever, without looking like R2 D2 as some do !

Also..................here's a thing, it has taken me all these years to work out why the stars and models have shiny shins, you may think I have gone completely nuts, but I often notice on TV people have better looking shins that me lol, not any more, when my summer tan comes, I shall whip out my highlighter and have the shiniest shins in Surrey :)

Make up Revolution Can be found in Branches of Superdrug, some branches are better than others, mine in my tiny town is pretty dismal so we usually always order online, I love Superdrug for Make up Revolution as the offers are fabulous, currently they are running a


Love N Hugz
Lyn x


Post contains PR/Brand Samples unless otherwise stated. 

Hiya Gorgeous 

Here's a review you have never seen me do before ( Face Powder )  why ?  because I NEVER ever use it.

Since becoming a *certain* age I have over the years found powder ageing, I have tried ultra fine loose powder, mineral powder and compact powder, they ALL sat in the lines making my skin look older and more wrinkly, I am not one for wanting my my face to look like un-ironed bedding, so for years I have avoided any form of face powder.



Now..........being the nice polite blogger that I am, I try everything, and I do mean everything,  some of it never gets to reach the blog, as if I don't like it, I don't give it blog space.   This product had me eating my words, is no ordinary face powder, oh no, it has a multitude of beautiful flattering pastel shades that are designed to swirl together on your brush forming the most fabulous photo filter you will ever use, blurring fine lines and blemishes it literally filters out the gremlins.
This little palette will suit every skin tone and really make you wonder how you lived without it, I wore it for an entire day over foundation well into the evening with no caking, patchiness or dryness, It just set and finished my make up, totally changing  my mind about a powder face setting product.
£25.00 




Love n Hugz
Lyn x


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless otherwise stated.