Beauty Lab have sent us a basket of goodies to review for them, and we handed them over to in-house beauty aficionado, Tamsin, to test out for us. Over a cuppa we discussed the products from KSBL and Beauty Lab’s own brand.

As it turns out, the KBSL's Bubble & Squeak wasn’t really ‘aimed’ at Tamsin, so she passed it on to her teenage sister.

“This product was for a younger skin and so I sent it off to my sister, Nadia, to test for me,” she said. “She loved it. In fact she had heard of this range before and it apparently is quite The Thing for her to have been given it for free. We both rather loved the name too. How cute is Bubble & Squeak for a face wash?”

Boots have the Ultimate Sanctuary Pamper Case on a better than half price deal at the moment, selling at £19 instead of £40. That’s a saving of £21 and if you’re a Boots Advantage Card holder, you’ll net 76 points too.

• Treat the ones you love with the Ultimate Sanctuary Pamper Case

Now, if I’m honest, if you really want to treat the one you love, send her to the Sanctuary Spa for a day, but be warned – making a decent day of it will cost you a good 10 times this. So if that’s not on the cards for you, this is a pretty good compromise.

The “pinnacle” in home pampering, the Ultimate Sanctuary Pamper Case comes with six products to leave your skin feeling pampered:

• Sanctuary Intensive Rescue Heel Balm contains shea butter and a blend of wheat germ, vitamin E and rosehip seed oil to  leave your skin super moisturised and feeling silky soft, while tea tree and lavender your feet cools and refreshes
  
• Sanctuary Body Wash is infused with essential oils and spices to gently cleanse and condition, with moisturising capsules of sesame oil and jojoba to help leave it feeling soft and silky smooth
• Sanctuary Body Scrub can be used every day to gently polish your skin, leaving it invigorated, alive and gorgeously soft
• Sanctuary Body Lotion is a fragrant, super-absorbent lotion which nourishes and stimulates the body, smoothing away dryness and revitalising tired skin. Invigorating ginger root extract, nourishing jojoba and pro-vitamin B5 combine for a super smooth finish and a warm tingling sensation
• Sanctuary Foaming Bath Soak is enriched with wheat proteins and soothing aloe vera, to fill your bath tub with rich and creamy bubbles and leave skin feeling velvety soft and smooth.
• Sanctuary Body Butter is a luxurious, super moisturising, cream laced with Sweet almond oil, smoothing macadamia oil and protective vitamin E for all over.

There’s also a shower cap for when you’re taking those lovely long baths and don’t want your hair to get wet, and a case to keep your Sanctuary treats neat and tidy.

And as an added bonus Sanctuary products last a really long time…

There’s a whole array of Organic and Ethical beauty product gift sets available at Green People at the moment.

• Head over to Green People for a feel good Christmas

There’s something for men and women in this offer, but unfortunately none of the kids products are included:

• A Merry Moisture Kit organic shower and lotion, packed with Aloe Vera goodness for £22, a £4.90 saving
• A Festive Fine Grooming Shaving Kit including Shave Now Gel and Cool Down Moisturiser with a free luxury brush and razor for £25
• The Twinkle Twinkle Organic Luxury Facial Set with a spa exfoliator, spa oil and reviving day/night cream for £40, saving £12.95
• The Winter Wonders Organic Skin Treats, consisting of Help at Hand and Vita Min Fix for £20, saving £4.90.
• There are also different Skin Essentials Stocking Fillers available for £5.

Delivery is free on your first order, and thereafter delivery is £3 for orders under £50, but orders over £50 are free too.

There’s something about pregnancy that just makes you want to be healthier. I guess it’s the burden of responsibility knowing that you’re setting the foundations for a whole other person’s life. I don’t do pregnancy very well and spend most of the first two trimesters being rather ill, so now that I’m able to, I’m topping up on all the vitamins and nutrients my body had to do without for so long.

We received a gorgeous Ultimate Beauty gift set  (£34) from Viridian, which I leapt on, eager to give it a try.

Viridian is a company with a strong ethical influence, from the fields where many of their ingredients are grown to the recycling banks where the glass bottles their products come in can be recycled they aim to preserve “the ancient health traditions and the sensitive introduction of innovative complementary health foods, supplements and  concepts.” Well, it certainly sounds very healthy.

The set I received contained three items in a sturdy and earthy-feeling organic cotton toiletry bag.  That plus the glass bottles certainly give the set a beautiful environmentally friendly appearance from the outset.

As I’m nearing the end of my first trimester, I’ve been taking particular care to moisturise and prepare my stomach for the carrying of our next baby. With my daughter I was very ill for the first twenty weeks and lost a lot of weight, so I didn’t even look pregnant till almost the third trimester. It was only in the last few weeks that my stomach really grew, and a few stretch marks appeared. Those stretch marks still grace my abdomen now, so I’ve been using the Clinica Vitamin E Cream to help both heal the marks already present and hopefully prevent too many more.

The Clinica products look like expensive beauty treatments. They have a very professional appearance, and you’d expect to pay a lot more for it than you do.

The Vitamin E cream feels luxurious and rich, and as I don’t have an overly dry skin at the moment, I don’t have to reapply too often. Used as a face cream in the evening, I find my skin soft and hydrated looking – even the really dry patch around my nose and whereas I normally have to apply a day cream in the morning, else my skin feels really tight, I haven’t had that need since I started using this.

Clinica do claim that this is an Anti-aging cream, and while I’m not feeling much younger at the moment, I do like how it feels on my skin, that it doesn’t have a particular scent or aroma, and that it isn’t very greasy at all, and absorbs beautifully.

If I compare what I pay for normal face cream alone, I think this is a lot of quality for a really very reasonable price (£3.00).

There’s 50% off the Rio Salon Electric Nail File at Amazon, which makes a £40 saving and brings it to a nifty £39.99.

• Get your nails in shape with this super deal from Amazon

One of the first things that went when I had my daughter were my nicely manicured nails. It was one of the things that fell by the wayside in the decision to be only part time employed. Of course, I still file my nails and keep them nice and clean, and when I have time or a special occasion or something, I do still love to pain my nails.

I’m quite liking this Electric Nail File set from Rio – although there are no reviews, so I can’t vouch for its usefulness or effectiveness.

None the less, the blurb says that the Rio Salon Electric Nail File Set has anti-clockwise and clockwise drives, making it ideal for left or right handed use.

It includes a range of profiling, shaping and polishing tools for manicuring and pedicuring. The set can be used for removing gel nail enhancements, hard skin from feet and professional infills (although I suspect you might need some skill for that too!)

There are step-by-step instructions and a DVD to give you in-depth details on how to use the Rio Salon Electric Nail File

Three beautiful beauty products are on offer at Green People this month for £40. The Body Beautiful package saves you £18.25

• Spruce up your body for summer

It was such a beautiful day yesterday, I actually pulled some shorts out the cupboard for the first time this year.  Most of us, at this time of year, need to give our legs and feet a good bit of TLC, however, and this kit from Green People  seems like the thing to do it.

The Body Beautiful package consists of:

• 1 x Triple Action Cellulite Lotion 150ml a non-invasive organic formulation which contains a patented herbal extract of bayberries, clinically proven to both remove and prevent cellulite.

  This blend of active therapeutic plant extracts and essential oils tightens, tones and releases accumulated fluid and built-up toxins, helping to leave skin smooth and silky.

• 1 x Self Tan Lotion 200ml– this is the first certified organic self- tan lotion in the UK, and is suitable for people prone to eczema or psoriasis.

• 1 x Sensuous Sugar Scrub 245g, a deluxe body exfoliator designed for integration into your usual beauty routine.

Happy pampering!

Gaia Natural Baby is an Australian toiletries product for women, men and children. The Mini Traveller set is intended for babies, although it's equally useful for pregnant women.

As the name suggests, Gaia Natural Baby uses no harsh chemicals, such as Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, artificial fragrance, soap, sulphates, lanolin, petrochemicals, paraben preservatives, mineral oils, propylene glycol, along with other ingredients that can cause dryness and skin irritation, making it very eczema friendly.

The Mini Traveller set consists of three 50ml travel bottles containing bath and body wash, shampoo and moisturiser, and a skin soothing sachet. These are pretty much identically sized to your standard hotel room toiletries, with the difference being that they aren't as abrasive as the stuff you'll find in your standard hotel room.

The Bath and Body Wash has a fantastically fresh sweet orange, evening primrose oil and lavender aroma, and the shampoo is similar without the lavender. The Bath and Body Wash is meant to induce calm before bed time, while the shampoo will help reduce cradle cap (compliments of the evening primrose oil.)

The Gaia Natural Baby Shampoo also doesn't contain SLS, which makes it low foaming, which I think is great for babies and children as it doesn't then run into their eyes – although this apparently doesn't burn anyway. (I've not purposefully tested that, I'm afraid.)

The Baby Moisturiser is also quite lavender-ish, and has wheat germ oil in to improve skin elasticity, making it great for pregnancy too. Additionally, it absorbs really easily and doesn't leave an oily residue, which I appreciate when dealing with a squirmy child.

While these products are fantastic I was worried that it was a bit expensive, costing £7 - £10 for what is essentially enough for a night or two, but having used it for a week and having more than half left, I'm pretty impressed. Even so, I would actually purchase this and the larger bottles, and refill after each trip – especially since they come in the right sized bottles in a perfectly sized zipped pouch.

You can't really buy directly from Gaia either, which is unfortunate, but there's a long list of online and in store retailers in the UK where their products can be found.

Summer's on the way and here at PlayPennies we're busy getting ready for warm evenings and outdoor events – or so we hope.

I love the Barry M range of beauty products. They are fun, funky and different, reminding me of my younger days, and encouraging me to break out of the routine I've found myself in lately – a touch of mascara and one or other nude shade of lipstick.

We passed a great range of samples from Barry M on to PlayPennies mum Samantha to test out for us, and her findings have me even more excited to try something new and bring a little fun into my make-up bag this season.

First on her list was the Shimmering Body Crème (£2.99 - not currently available, but you can try the other shimmer powders) – which she loved. “The Shimmering Body crème is amazing stuff!” Samantha exclaimed when we asked her about it. “It comes in a tiny little pot and the one I chose (Golden Highlights) looks very pale, almost more silver with a tinge of yellow - I was a bit worried that it would look a bit odd on my skin as I'm rather tanned!  But it looks AWESOME!  You only need a tiny TINY bit of it to highlight your collar bones and shoulders which are left gently shimmering in the light, not like you've just covered yourself in glitter.”

Doesn't that sound just gorgeous for summer evenings? I think so!

The next item Samantha trialled was a very summery sounding Clear Coconut Lip Gloss (£4.49) This was another product Samantha gushed about. “Seriously,” according to Samantha, “Barry M have got everything right with this product!”

“First, I love anything coconut,” which definitely will help! “Second, it's one of the best lip glosses I've used.”

Samantha had a list of reasons for loving the Clear Coconut Lip Gloss too. “I'm not a fan of solid blocks of colour for lips so it's lip glosses all the way for me BUT (and here's where I get a bit picky) I don't like my lips to me super shiny and I can't stand it if they feel really slippery afterwards - I really loathe my hair sticking to glossy lips when the wind blows.

I don't know HOW Barry M have done it but this lip gloss really brings out the natural colour of your lips without drowning them in gloss.  They look glossy without looking OTT and it lasts a long time too.  The coconut smell isn't overpowering either.”

The Retractable Silver Eyeliner Pen (£3.99) was good too, it seems. Although Samantha prefers her silver to be a little darker (silver eyeliner makes your eyes look bright and bigger), she did like the fact that she would never need to hunt around for the always elusive pencil sharpener.

“You just have to twist a little and then carry on. Marvellous.”

Next up is eye shadow. Samantha chose the Golden Goddess Eye Shadow Trio (£5.99). She doesn't use much eye shadow, but thought the colours were great: “A pale creamy colour which is fabulous for making eyes look bright, a warm golden colour and a dark smokey chocolate colour, which was perfect for dramatic smokey evening eyes.”

The compact they are contained in is very sturdy, and Samantha doesn't think the lid's going to snap off and require being held on with an elastic band – something she has experienced herself, as I'm sure most of us have!

The Eye Shadow Trio also comes with a double-ended applicator - a brush on one end and a foam applicator on the other.

“I was very happy with these,” says Samantha, “they were nice to apply and didn't crease even after a fair few hours of wear.”

The only thing Samantha wasn't overly impressed with was the Nail Whitener Pencil (£2.99).

“It's simple to use but I really didn't find it that effective.”

The idea behind nail whitener pencils is to moisten the end and colour in the tips of your nails from underneath. This is supposed to make them look whiter, but Samantha wasn't convinced. “I'm sure if you already have super white tipped nails then this would make them look a little better, but with bare naked nails I really didn't notice that much of a difference at all.  It certainly didn't make them dazzle as per the description on the website. And it all dissapears with the first wash of your hands, too."

If you really want nice white tips for an evening out, Samantha recommends a good French or American manicure instead.

So, with one exception, really good reviews for the Barry M range – and in addition, the website has make-up tutorials, should you need a refresher.

With Mother's Day just around the corner, mums up and down the country will be receiving lotions and potions for pampering. What better time to support a women's charity while treating mum then?

We asked mum and daughter duo Sandra and Kim to review another set of beauty products for us, this time from All For Eve. 100% of ‘All for Eve’s’ net profit goes to The Eve Appeal, a women’s charity which raises funds and awareness for Gynaecological Cancer Research. All the All For Eve products are paraben free, contain no nasties and are infused with organic cucumber and lightly fragranced with an allergen free scent.

We sent our tester-couple the hand cream, body scrub and body butter, and they gave us pretty mixed reviews. Here's what they had to say:

All For Eve Hand Cream £7.50

“The hand cream is fresh and light smelling, I really can't put my finger on any particular something it smells like; its not unpleasant though and its not overpowering,” says mum Sandra. “The cream itself is quite thick and almost has a translucency about it, it doesn't go watery when you start to rub it in but its definitely not greasy either.”

For daughter Kim, the hand cream is a winner too. The backs of her hands tend to get a bit dry in the winter, so she used the All For Eve Hand Cream.

“I like the smell a lot” Kim told us, “but because it smells a bit of sun cream and reminds me of my skiing holiday a year ago.”

A little goes a very long way so you really don't need to apply too much at all. She found it absorbed quickly but not so quickly that you end up feeling like you should put more on. Kim believes that the 100ml container will last a very long time and for £7.50 is good value for money.

Sandra agrees, “I'd happily pay the £7.50 for the hand cream (I've paid more for less) because it does a good job. I'm not sure if it would be up to the task of heavy duty hand protection in dry/cold weather, but if you want a decent hand cream that does all the things we've already mentioned then you could do far worse than this one.”

The Body Scrub £7.50

“Neither of us liked the smell of this, it was reminiscent of musty old waxed jackets!”said Sandra. They felt it was too creamy with not enough scrub, “but then I like to feel as if I've been sandpapered in the shower. So for me this just seemed a bit 'namby-pamby'.”

Kim, on the other hand, felt there was adequate 'scrubbing' going on and said it was very easy and quick to wash off.

“So, mixed reactions for the body scrub, but neither of us would buy it; the smell was a big influencing factor on this. We certainly didn't get the 'refreshing and uplifting scent' we were expecting after we'd read the blurb on the back.”

Hydrating and Refreshing Body Butter £10.50

“My daughter thought the body butter smelled very nice which was odd, because I thought it had the same musty waxed jacket smell that the body scrub had!”

Kim says it was very cool and smooth to apply, left her skin very lightly covered, nicely moisturised and not overly greasy and quick to absorb into the skin.

Sandra really didn't like it at all - the smell put her off again, and she had a bit of a reaction to it. “It left my skin feeling cold and clammy AND I came out in a non-itchy rash across my decollete. I've never had this happen before so I can only put it down to the All for Eve Body Butter, although quite why it should I have no idea. My daughter didn't suffer any adverse reactions to it at all.”

So what do our mother-daughter duo have to say for the finish?

“To sum up - the hand cream was a definite winner, the body scrub, NO because of the smell (or lack of) and the body butter another no from me, but a yes from my daughter.”

Skin Wisdom, the skin care range from Tesco, is celebrating its 10^th birthday. In celebration of this, Skin Wisdom has been refreshed and re-launched. Bharti Vyas, the renowned holistic and wellbeing beauty expert who helped develop the products, says, “The new ranges bring together a collection of 34 exceptional products. The age indicator takes the guesswork out of skin care so you know what ranges will suit you. These new additions enable women to concentrate on individual features ensuring that every part of the face is given the care it deserves.”

That sounds fantastic, so we sent a test package to Tamara, mum of one, to trial for us.

The first item Tamara tested was the Skin Wisdom Youth Protect Wipes.

“These are soft and tingly and smell fantastic”, she said. “The are really good at removing make-up and your skin feels clean when you're done.” She would advise using a toner anyway just to be sure you've got everything, but feels that they're ideal for travel. “If you're away for the night and don't fancy schlepping your entire regime around with you, these wipes are perfect. You only need one wipe per night really, although I don't use heavy make-up and so don't have a lot to remove.”

Next up was the Age Delay Deep Wrinkle Concentrate. It came in a gold tube with clear instructions on how to apply it – although Tamara did make me laugh when she moaned about the font size of these instructions. “The instructions are in a tiny print which, for a cream aimed at older women, is hardly useful!”

The need for a magnifying glass making her feel older aside, Tamara liked the Age Delay Deep Wrinkle Concentrate. “The lotion dabs on nicely and absorbs really well leaving a light sheen behind. It doesn't disappear entirely but it isn't excessively oily either. I like this one a lot and have found my eyes look a lot less bedraggled since I started using it about two weeks ago.”

The Skin Wisdom Moonlight Renewal Cream, looks, according to Tamara, “ bobbly”. In other words, “it was a bit wet and sort of clumpy.” (Yes, we were grateful for the explanation of 'bobbly' too!) A little further into the tub the consistency was better, but it is a thick and very heavy cream and definitely meant for night time. While Tamara loved the smell, she did think it was a bit sticky and heavy. “I would put this as a great night cream for anyone on a budget but it still had my skin feeling a bit tight afterwards. And, the big minus, is that a couple of hours after application it sort of rubbed off in weird little clumps. Like peeling skin after a bad sunburn. Not a lot, mind, but enough to make me think twice about it. Not a keeper.”

Moving on to something she liked a whole lot more, Tamara tried the Skin Wisdom Age Delay Treatment Serum next. “This serum is lush. It applies to the skin like silk and velvet. It is so creamy and luscious that I want to eat it.” This serum is applied before your moisturiser and after your toner. It absorbs instantly, and is good value for money as one squirt will cover all the areas. Tamara loved it. “It leaves your skin feeling really silky. I love it and would definitely buy it again and again.”

The Skin Wisdom Face Wash sent to Tamara was a winner too. “This is a very gentle and pleasant wash with no granules or harsh textures. It foams up quickly and spreads really well. It cleans beautifully without making my skin feel excessively dry, more so that my usual anti-aging face wash actually and this is a youth one for younger skin! I like the smell and the way a little goes a long way.”

For not so young skin, there's the Skin Wisdom Ultimate Lift Eye Cream and Tamara loved this too, calling it “the stuff of dreams”. She felt that her eyes really did look less tired and black underneath than they had before. “I don't care if that's in my head, if it works for me I am happy to keep on using it. The cream has a lovely smell too.  I have used the eye cream with the serum and the moisturiser for a fantastic feeling skin all day.”

Skin Wisdom Instant Benefits Beauty Balm comes with a warning on it telling you to get more sleep, a warning Tamara doesn't always heed. As a work at home mum, she often works late at night when her daughter is sleeping. “This is the cream you use when you've been up all night with baby (or working) and your skin is tired and dry and fed up with your bad behaviour. It will boost your skin with extra moisturiser and make it look like it had a good nights sleep. I can't say that I saw any major difference between it and the others but I did get compliments when I used it after a wedding this weekend.”

And the final product we sent to our tester was the Skin Wisdom Ultimate Lift Face and Decollatage Serum. “Another of the potions to protect and stop the ageing of your sensitive skin areas, this serum is another silky delight that I could happily use all day”, says Tamara. It is very very luxurious to apply and feels fantastic, she told us, but unfortunately it also suffers from the same strange peeling thing that the moisturiser does. “It seems to leave a residue that then flakes off during the day. You won't see gigantic flakes or anything, obviously, but you can feel them if you run your hands along your skin. I would buy it again regardless, though, because I really like the way my skin feels after I've used it.”

So, there you have it – the full verdict on the Skin Wisdom range from Tesco. Those we haven't linked above aren't available yet, but do keep an eye out for them at Tesco, because they'll be out soon, for prices ranging between £1 and £7.

With Valentines looming dangerously close, we've gathered together a few great items to test out for you. We sent our findings to PlayPennies mum Hajong to see what she thought.

We sent out the Seductive Shimmer Serum and the Ciate Paint Pots.

First off is the the Seductive Shimmer serum for hair (£5.99 available from Superdrug stores – and currently it's 2 for £6.99), which has glossy kukui nut oil that “leaves the hair with a gorgeous shine without leaving it heavy and flat”, according to Hajong. Apparently it also contains citronella to neutralise odours, although citronella is so strong I find this hard to understand!

“I am rather taken aback by this” says our PlayPennies mum. “I mean, it is nice to have nice smelling hair after a night out but I've never actually seen a hair odour neutralising agent in a hair serum before. The serum smells delicious though. So if it neutralises smoke and food, that can only be a good thing. I am smitten with the smell actually. Often hair serums can really smell chemical or weird, this smells so yummy I could put it on toast.”

There's no glitter in the Seductive Shimmer Serum, but you Hajong says your hair shines in a delicate shine that really appeals to her. She says: “I have very short hair and it needs quite a bit of styling to ensure that I don't look insane and the styling wax has a tendency to make my hair look flat - and I don't mean as in flat like down I mean as in dull. Styled nicely, but dull. SO when I applied this stuff it immediately lifted the shine and made my hair look stunning.”

It lasts a while, as you don't need much and too much can make your hair look dirty and oily as opposed to lustrous and shiny.

Ciate Paint Pots (£9.00) are a fancy name for nail enamel. The shade Hajong received was called “Mistress”. She wasn't overly impressed. “The nail enamel is called mistress and with good reason. It is the most insane colour of red that I've ever seen. I am SO not putting it on my nails. I would look ridiculous. This is a very personal colour choice and not one I would make”. So perhaps a better purchase for Halloween than Valentines, unless, of course, Mistress is your thing.

The nail enamel does seem to be pretty good quality though. “I used it on my toenails as they are allowed to be a bit wild and the polish has been there for about two weeks now.”, says the PlayPennies mum. “It is good polish actually. A cheap polish starts to look faded and bedgraggeld after about a week. Chips appear and you look like you've never had a pedicure after 10 days. at 11 days the Ciate Paint Pot polish was starting to chip and fade, but it wasn't looking excessively shabby.”

Cheapsmells offers, as the name suggests, are in the smelly stuff. They currently have quite a few fragrances on offer until Valentine's Day.

For example, CK Truth for Men is £16.90 with the code Truth3 which gives you free postage. This scent is described as an aromatic, sensual, woody fragrance, accented by aromatic basil (YUM!! - on food, anyway) and fresh cardamom.

CK Contradiction is a 'daytime' scent for women and has a blend of pepper, rose, satin wood and sandalwood. It RRP's for £39, but on the Cheapsmells Valentine's special it is only £15.95. This is a £23.05 discount amounting to a 59% saving.

There is a massive list of fragrances available to choose from, and until Valentine's day you can also have your purchase gift wrapped for 99p.

The only problem is that with Valentine's day on Monday, you're not going to get these in time if you order with standard postage. You'll have to order today by Special Recorded Delivery and with any luck you'll receive it by 1pm on Monday, but this cannot be guaranteed. So even if you can't order for Valentine's day, you can still take advantage of the special offers for any birthdays or special occasions that might be coming up or even just because.

And finally,

Hajong loved the Seductive Shimmer Serum. Her final words on it are, “It is gorgeous if applied sparingly and I am a total convert. Delicious.” On the nail enamel she says “I'd give this an easy 7 out of ten. It loses points for colour.”

This is one of those reviews where you're going to hear about a whole bunch of products in one go, so fasten your seatbelt, and get ready for a strong desire to be pampered.

We received a great big basket full of products and sent them off to mum of one, Tara, to review a few and let us know what she thought.

Nip + Fab Moisture Fix Daily facial Moisturiser - £17.31

The Nip + Fab Moisture Fix Daily Facial Moisturiser promises to “visibly “fill” and plump the skin, noticeably smoothing fine lines and wrinkles”. It sounds like a great promise, so we asked Tara what she thought.

“I have very dry skin so I'm always on the prowl for products that will help ease my skin, especially in the winter months. I loved the way this moisturiser felt on my skin and the fact that it didn't sit and get all oily. In fact, it absorbed really quickly on both my hands and my face, which is great.”

Tara continues, “It is light, doesn't have any kind of smell so it won't offend anyone who has a specific or sensitive nose. Also, a little goes a very long way. I like the fact that three squirts has my face, decollatage and back of neck sorted out.”

There was a downside, however. Tara's skin felt a little tight by mid-morning, and she had to supplement the lotion with something a little stronger. “But”, she says, “I am not overly surprised by this as my skin is very sensitive and takes a beating with the temperature changes of winter”.

Considering this, though, Tara feels that £17.31 might be a bit pricey.

Nip + Fab Shower Fix - £12.20

Tara didn't see too much of the Nip + Fab Shower Fix, as her husband actually claimed it for himself!

“The smell is so neutral and pleasant that this can be used by both men and women - a complete bargain, although you may not want to share it.”

A fragrant and relaxing aroma which also does not dry out your skin, according to Tara, manufacturers say that it is “enriched with gentle oils which cleanse, nourish and protect the skin’s natural moisture balance and toning.”

“In fact”, says Tara, “the husband said that he found his skin felt much better now that he is using this so it is definitely a winner, although I personally prefer bubbles and foam to oils”.

Organic Blue Mens Body Lotion - £4.27

Since Tara's husband Alan was so happy to be involved in the testing, we roped him in to do another for us: The Organic Blue Men's Body Lotion.

“The husband was deeply sceptical of this. He isn't exactly a body lotion kind of guy and this wasn't really his cup of tea.”

A little gentle persuasion from Tara, however, and Alan dove in with gusto, delivering his opinion:

“The lotion was nice on my skin and not too oily or gooey. It absorbed quickly and didn't leave a sticky residue.”

A man of many words, Alan. But he wasn't really sure about the smell, thinking it really was more of a feminine smell - “a little herby and aromatherapy oil, but a personal choice, I guess.”

Tara didn't think it was an overpowering smell at all, and they agreed that it was light enough to be worn easily under aftershave.

The herby smell comes from an infusion of Neem, which is meant to help with skin disorders, Mandarin, Ginger and Vanilla, Angelica, Elder, Red lover and Passionflower – so it's easy to see why it could be thought of as a more 'hippy' kind of feminine smell. I must admit, that sounds positively tantalising to me!

Les Fleurs de Bach Creme De Jour - £40.00

Apart from being quite a mouthful to say, Les Fleurs de Bach Creme De Jour is an Anti-Stress Day Cream which comes in a 60ml Amber jar for £40.00

This one Tara simply loved:

“I loved this lotion, I did. The smell was delicious but not overpowering. I cannot tell you if the anti stress properties worked at all, I couldn't test it properly, but I know that I enjoyed the actual cream and the way it made my skin feel so much that I put it on two to three times a day. It made my skin tingle and feel ever so fresh.”

That would probably be due to the “exclusive blend of vegetable extracts, hyaluronic acid and natural Vitamin E” in the product description.

“I know that these are quite expensive but I would pay it. Not only does a little go a long way but it also feels amazing.”

Les Fleurs De Bach Cleansing Milk Anti-Stress - £20.00

Tara was less sure about this one to start with. “I am not a fan of using cleansing milks. I prefer cleansers that involve water and washing. I feel as if my skin isn't CLEAN if I use a milk and if I use the wrong one then I get spots.”

But this one, she said, is quite different. “There is an almost astringent edge to it that made me feel like my skin was being polished and cleaned. It wiped off easily and quickly and didn't leave much of an oily residue. I also got the same tingly feeling that I did with the day cream”

It's priced slightly better than the day cream, at £20.00 for 150ml, so that might be a better option for a trial product to start with.

AND FINALLY...

So there you have it. A few products from the Nip + Fab range, and a few from the Les Fleurs De Bach range, some better than others – at least according to Tara and Alan.

There are plenty more products in each range to choose from – just click on the links above for a full list of each.

A company called Upper Canada Soap recently sent us a sample of their Vanilla Fig Foaming Bath Milk, and we sent it straight off to PlayPennies Mum Kelly to review for us.

Most mums we know would love the chance to just soak in the bath for a few undisturbed minutes (or is that hours or even days!) so we were keen to hear what Kelly had to say.

Upper Canada Soap started 40 years ago and has been drawing upon the natural surroundings in Canada for inspiration. To date it has over 2,000 bath and body products in its range. These products use natural botanical ingredients and extracts and leave out harsh chemicals and preservatives. They are also not tested on animals, and all are produced in Canada before being transported to more than ten countries around the world.

We asked Kelly to review the Vanilla Fig Foaming Bath Milk. This is a 50g sachet and retails at around £2.50.

Upper Canada Soap say that the fragrant milk moisturises your skin, leaving you feeling fresh and re-energised.

"The perfect way to relax and unwind, this mineral-rich soak purifies and detoxifies hard-working muscles as your mind drifts off; relaxed by the aromatherapeutic ingredients.”

So what did Kelly think?

Her first impressions were good. She thought the packaging was nice and natural looking and that the wrapping was classy and nicely put together.

“The fragrance” says Kelly, “was an interesting combination and when I stuck my nose in the packet it did smell very nice. The blurb claims it is a mineral rich soak to rehydrate and refresh to skin, so I was full of hope as I emptied into my warm running bath (as per the instructions) and prepared to sit back and enjoy (also as per instructions).”

Kelly likes a foamy bath, so she was rather disappointed in the distinct lack of foam.

“The 'foaming bath milk' labelling really did suggest the product would be right up my street. Er, wrong. It did not foam one bit. In fact, so lacking was the foam it actually made me laugh. Ruined my bath, but made me laugh.”

At least she had a sense of humour about it, but what is unfortunate is that as soon as the product hit the water, the fragrance disappeared too.

So, all in all, that's not a great review for the Vanilla Fig, which is slightly worrying for the other bath milk options of Pressed Olive Avocado, Cranberry Moro Orange and Warm Honey Nectar – all of which sound fantastically luxurious, and sadly I can't seem to find any other customer reviews on it.

And Finally...

As a company that has been in business for forty years, one would think that the rest of their product range must be somewhat more promising. In the UK we can currently buy the Naturally range, and the All About Feet range.
Naturally includes wonderful sounding fragrances, such as Warm Honey Nectar Nourishing Hand & Body Lotion, Pressed Olive & Avocado Whipped Hand Repair Balm, Soothing Mint Lime Gentle Baby Wash, and the Wholesome Soap Bar Collection.

The All About Feet range includes all the pepperminty goodness you'd expect: Peppermint Feet Soothing Foot Cream, Peppermint Cooling Leg Rub, and Peppermint Feet Cracked Heel Treatment.

What does count in it's favour is the fact that the ingredients are 97% natural, using botanically active ingredients, while remaining free from Parabens, mineral oils, SLS, and synthetic dyes.

Tinted bottles give an apothecary feeling to the products, while preserving and extending shelf-life, which is essential for a Paraben-free product.

Unlike beauty products from a few other sources, it is also a relatively affordable range, assuming you're happy with your purchase once you've tried it.

Unfortunately, Kelly was not.

Her final verdict was simple, really: "Not impressed!"

Amazon, which is where we can currently buy them, and all the links above lead, is currently having a sale on these items too, so if you do want to try them out, you don't have to do so at full price.

The Soap and Glory Pink big tote bag is less than half price at Boots down from £60.00 it's now £25.00 – or possibly even £20.00 if you're a Boots Parenting Club card holder.

Get Soaped up and looking Glorious with Boots

• Promotional Code: PCBS44 & PCBS43 either code works, so if you want two, use both.
• Promotion: £5.00 off a £20.00 spend for Boots Parenting Club card holders.
• Expiry: Unknown

I received a similar kit last Christmas and was relatively non-plussed, having never heard of Soap & Glory. It was only when I opened them and started sniffing, spraying and rubbing about a week later that I realised how lovely they are.

This bodycare set is a complete package of treats, containing:

• Clean On Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel (500ml, RRP £5)
• The Righteous Butter Body Butter (300ml, RRP £9.79)
• Flake Away Body Scrub (300ml, RRP £6.50)
• Girligo Scented Body Moisturising Mist (100ml, RRP £6.25)
• Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Super-Shampoo (250ml, RRP £5.11 )
• The Breakfast Scrub Body Smoother (300ml, RRP £9.25)
• Hand Food Hydrating Hand Cream (125ml, RRP £4.75)
• Scrub Your Nose In It Face Scrub And Mask (125ml, £7.25)
• Super Colour Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss in ‘Pink Apricot,’ (7ml, RRP £8.25)
• Off Your Face Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes, RRP £4)
• Giant Super Sudsy Shower Puff
• Quite a lot of stuff for £20/£25 wouldn't you say?

Alongside these gorgeous face and body products is a pink foldable fabric storage box, and the Soap and Glory Pink Big Tote Bag is packaged up in a re-usable super-sized holder, so you can take your Soap and Glory with you wherever you go.

Postage is £2.90, but instore pickup is of course free and cardholders collect 100 points with this purchase.

Thanks to CooliceT at HUKD

Tess Daly's range of beauty products is currently half price at Marks and Spencer. Great for stocking fillers or for wholes sets – but if you're buying for someone you'd like to keep special, you might want to be selective in what you pick: cellulite cream might not make for a great Christmas day!

• Click here to find half price beauty products at Marks and Spencer

The Tess Daly range includes:

• Illuminating Face Balm for £4.75
• Body Glow for £4.75
• Face Bronzer for £4.75
• Legs Invisible Stockings in various shades for £4.75
• Body Skin Shimmer for £6.00
• Body Sheen Compact Balm for £7.50
• Natural Face Gift Bag - a great little gift for £9.75
• Bath & Body Wash now £3.00
• Suntan Everyday Bronzing Moisturiser - £3.75
• Tone Zone Lift and Tighten Body Perfector – this is one you probably want to watch out for as a gift, even at £3.75!
• Beautiful Body Fragranced Spritz at only £4.75

Items will appear full price until checkout when the discount is applied.

The PERWEB02 promotional code also still works for free delivery, meaning an additional saving of £3.50 on your order.

Thanks to graham29a at HUKD