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Monday 28 February 2011

Copella Apple Juice Cartons Review


I love apple juice, not the clear kind that is made from concentrate and costs but a few pence but real cloudy freshly pressed from apples, apple juice and this is exactly what Copella make....  and make exceedingly well too.

I was sent a 4 pack of their new cartons or wedges as they call them (think the shape of Innocent smoothie drinks) to test out and they were gone in literally minutes.  It is normally only me who drinks apple juice in this house but when the kids saw me with one they all wanted one too and everyone agreed they were fabulous.  That included Miss M who normally will only drink water or milk and while I know some Mums would kill to have a child who just asks for water all the time it is good to get some real fruit in her too.

The wedges are 180ml and a good size for a school lunch or picnic.  Each wedge provides 1 of your 5 a day and I love the fact that all the apples used to produce this juice are grown in the UK and hand picked and pressed at their farm in Suffolk.  It is wonderful to support a British company.

So we will be buying these again, not every day as they are a tad pricey for that (£2.49 for 4 wedges) but as a pic nic treat most definitely they will make it on to my shopping list.

This is a review post.  I was sent a 4 pack of apple juice to review. I was not instructed what to write, these words are my own and I remain honest.

Saturday 26 February 2011

Review of Zoobles Girls Toys


All I hear at the moment is 'Mummy, have you seen my bunny?' in Miss E's cute little voice.  What is not so cute is that off we have to go again and look for her beloved Zoobles ball.  Last week the girls were sent a Zooble each to have a play with and see what they thought of them.  The response has been mixed.  Miss M tells me she loves it and it is great but she has not played with it since the moment she has opened it and nor do we know where it is now!

Miss E on the other hand is in love with her Bunny!  As is big brother JJ, which was a surprise to me.  These toys are targeted at girls of 4 years plus but I think the ball turn animal with the magnet spring action appeals to JJ's sense of gadget.  A few times that Miss E and I have been on our hunt we have found the Zooble in JJ's room! So the appeal of these is fairly wide with both my 3 year old girl and 7 year old boy loving them.

So what is a Zooble?  Well they are little balls (smaller than a golfball) that when placed on their happitat pop open.  Miss E has a bunny and it has legs and ears that pop up and Miss M has a fish which has fins and a tail that pops up.  When you press the ears or 'pet' the Zooble it blinks or twitches depending on which one it is  - cute, for about 2 seconds in my opinion, but what do I know? I am 37 and they were not aimed at me.  Miss E is nearly 4 and they are aimed at her and she adores it!

Pros - Lots of different designs to choose from and collect, Miss E and JJ seem to love them, small enough to go in your pocket and transport about, fairly sturdy for such a small toy.

Cons - I think they are a bit pricey at £5.99 RRP for a single Zooble with its happitat

The kids tell me these deserve a 5/5 rating as they are great! These may just be the next 'must have' toy, they are made by Spin Master who also make the Bakugan line of toys.

Zoobles are available to buy from good toy shops and supermarkets such as Toys R us and Sainsburys.



This is a review, we were sent 2 Zoobles toys to review.  I was not instructed what to write, the words are my own and I remain honest.

Thursday 24 February 2011

Honest Mummy Recommends Blue Friesian Celebrity Style Spoof Magazine Covers

Did you see my review a few weeks back of the spoof magazine covers by Blue Friesian?  No, then you missed out as I loved them and the people who have received them loved them too.  Click on the link and take a look.

The good news as well, is that Blue Friesian are constantly updating their repertoire of covers available and following the competition run on Mummy From The Heart... they have just launched a baby inspired cover - Mother and Babes will make a wonderful present for any new parent or a really lovely Mothers Day gift.


Go on check them out, the prices are so reasonable...

Tuesday 22 February 2011

Review of Nip & Fab Tummy Fix

I see the words Tummy Fix and I think yes please, but the type I am after is sadly not available in a tube!  Given the size of my tummy and my lack of body vanity I decided that it would be better to offer my tube of Nip & Fab Tummy Fix to my friend Fiona to trial and review for me.....  so over to Fiona.

Nip & Fab describe their products as instant beauty fixes made simple, which sounds good.  The Tummy Fix 'Ab' sculpting gel is sold as a product that will help to firm the appearance of the abdominal area and reduce girth.  I had my last baby about 2 years ago and whilst I have lost the baby weight and been exercising I have never yet been able to get my tummy back to pre-baby shape, so I was really pleased that Michelle offered me this product to trial.

I have now been using the Tummy Fix gel twice a day for two weeks and I have to say I am pleased with the results. The slight sagginess that I have suffered with since my pregnancies has visibly lifted and tightened in just this short amount of time.  I might even think about wearing a bikini later on this year if my tummy continues to firm up. I do not think there has been a reduction in girth but as a size 10 this was not my aim anyway, I just wanted a tighter tum again and I have got definite signs of this happening.

There has been much meda-hype about the Nip & Fab Tummy Fix and Boots even sold out last year when it was launched. The 100ml retails for £19.25 and I think that is good value and I will continue to use it as my confidence has been boasted in the tummy area.

Apparently this miraculous difference is caused by a substance called Armashape which will sculpt and promote elasticity, here is what they say about it -

“a highly effective combination of fat burning actives to refine body contours such as waist, thighs, buttocks, and hips. The active substances are caffeine and synephrine. Both ingredients activate the breakdown of lipids in fat cells of the adipose tissue (body fat).

Also included is bitter orange to smooth and firm and Lecithin to soften and hydrate.  It is pretty impressive stuff!  The Nip & Fab range also includes some other products I might just have to check out now, such as Leg Fix and Bust Fix Plumping Treatment, now doesn't that sounds irresistible?

This is a review and that means Michelle was sent the Nip & Fab Tummy Fix gel free of charge for the purpose of writing this review post.  No-one instructed us what to write and this is an honest opinion.

Friday 18 February 2011

Meaningful Beauty Skin Care Review & Giveaway

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to trial and review a set of facial skincare products from the Meaningful Beauty range by Cindy Crawford, Yes that Cindy Crawford!  Now we all know she looks amazing, she will be 45 in 2 days and looks like this with no make up


and I am 37 and look like this without mine



OK, in turns of skin I am actually quite lucky, as someone who has never (yes I really mean never, I know I am committing a cardinal sin) used any kind of moisturiser of skin care regime I am doing well but look at those bags and when I finally do lose some weight then who knows how saggy and liney my skin may be.  So now is the time to start using some products and see if I can delay nature's course just a little bit.

I have been using the Meaningful beauty products for about 3 weeks now and I really like them.  Not only is the packaging simplistic but elegant the actual smell and feel of the products is really lovely.  I saw the small sizes (mine is a trial kit) and I thought they would last just a few days but I am 3 weeks in and have hardly used any product at all, a small amount certainly does the job and seems to go a long way.

Skin Softening Cleanser - is fragrance free and comes in a superb container which means there are no spills or messy edges. It feels like silk on the skin and once applied and gently massaged in, you wash it off with a face cloth.  I normally use wipes to remove my make up and this did a far superior job.  One night I even did my normal with the wipe and then used the cleanser after and I could still see it has removed extra grime, so it results in a very fresh and clean face.

Daily Moisturise SPF 8 - This light but creamy moisturiser was lovely, as mentioned a small amount goes a long way. It did not feel too heavy on my skin and I was able to apply my make up practically immediately as it was not wet or sticky. My skin definitely had a smoother and less liney appearance after using this for a couple of weeks.  I also like the fact there is a built in SPF, you know, in case the UK ever does receive any sun!

Eye Creme - I have used this a few times but to be honest I forget! I do not know if it has made a difference or not. I tell you what I was pleased with, I did get a bit in my eye on one day and it did not sting at all, so it is nice to know the products are gentle.

Facial Masque -  I love the smell of this and could happily use it every day, however it just recommended for twice a week, so being a good girl that is what I did.  After this masque my face felt really tight and fresh, I could definitely see after using it the first couple of times that my skin started to expel all the bad bits as the spots come and went but now it is a case of maintaining rather than exfoliating.

I think I have done well for a novice, trying out these four products and sticking to my regime using them every day.  I will definitely stick with this now and when my products run out I can buy some more from the Meaningful Beauty website. The products range between £13.99 for a 50ml facial masque to £17.99 for a 30ml Moisturiser.  Considering the small amount you need I am happy to pay that price.

There are other products in the range such as Night Fluide (moisturiser), Glowing serum, Decollete and neck creme and Pore refining toner but I did not trial these out.

Giveaway

So you have read the review, are you now interested to try some products for yourself?  Yes, great I have a giveaway for you!

One lucky winner will receive a 50ml Facial Masque worth £13.99 and also a 14g Decollete and neck creme, 5ml Glowing serum and 15ml Night Fluide.


To Enter
  • Subscribe to this blog by google friends, email or RSS - all the widgets are on the right.
  • If you would like a second entry, then please do like my facebook page! and leave a comment to tell me.
  • For a final entry (max of 3) you can tweet '#Win Meaningful Beauty Products from @michelletwinmum 's #giveaway http://tinyurl.com/5raehno'
Terms and Conditions
  • The giveaway will close at 12 noon Saturday 5 March 2011
  • The winner will be contacted within 3 days of this giveaway closing
  • The giveaway is open to those in the UK and Ireland
  • The winner will be chosen by random number generator
  • There is no cash or prize alternative
  • Your Facial Masque will be sent direct from the PR, the other products will come direct from me.
Good Luck!

This is a review, I was provided with a Meaningful Beauty trial kit for free for the purposes of undertaking this review.  This review is honest and I was not instructed what to write or how to write this review.

Congratulations to @ericahughes.  You are the lucky winner.  Please email or DM me on twitter your postal address.  Thanks, Mich x

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Honest Mummy Recommends K Shoes & Boots

I have an admission for you, you probably do not even want to know this....  but you know what they say, it is good to share!  I have horrid feet, the are big and wide, the nails are not nice and they get very pongy!  (ohh my, why am I putting this out there? lets call it therapy!) Also, I don't know if it is because I am overweight but my feet get really achy, I can not wear gorgeous hooker heels, I have to be sensible and in the past often sensible has meant lack of style, cost the earth and boring, but not so anymore...

I have found some shoes and boots which make the world of difference to me.  It is those made by K shoes from Clarks.  Yes, you know the ones, the ones your Grandma used to buy, complete with velcro fastening fronts but it is not all like that anymore.  They still do the granny shoes but nowadays they also do a great range of comfy but stylish shoes for younger women, like me!  Yay


Those are my gorgeous boots that I bought in the January sales.  They originally retailed at £89.99 and I got them for £59 which I was very pleased with for soft leather knee high boots. Just look at that soft fleecy interior, I kid you not, these are a dream to wear.

The thing that is superb (for me) about K shoes is that they come in E and EE fit, so that is wide and extra wide to the uninitiated. Also, I have heard many of my larger friends moaning that knee high boots do not fit round their calves when they buy them in standard ladies shoe shops, but it seems that as K boots are made for wide fit they take this into account as the size around my calf is very roomy.

I am super happy with my K boots and I also had some ballet pumps and court shoes for work as well, so I am completely happy to recommend these.

As this is a recommendation post, I was not asked or paid to write this post.  I just like to pass on my good finds.