Arbonne Pampermint Gift Set

RRP: £31.50
--What does the promo say?--
"Nourishing cream and gentle scrub pamper your soles and your soul — a gift of cosy comfort right down to the tips of your plush socks. Set includes FootWork Foot Scrub (Net wt. 12 oz.), SoleMate Foot Cream (Net wt. 9 oz.) and Signature Socks in a holiday gift box."

--Packaging--
Apart from the box being a bit bashed around the edges by the time it got to me (but that's the French postal system for you), I have no complaints. In fact, I find the packaging and overall scheme positively inspiring: the combination of the peppermint scent with the red and white stripes suggesting candy canes is a perfect fit for the holiday season. In addition, the foot scrub and cream pots (plastic, with screw top lids) also come with little red snowflakes drawn on them. Brava! All incredibly sweet and festive.

--Application--
Rub the foot scrub into wet or dry skin as you prefer before rinsing off. Apply the cream onto dry feet before bed and then slip on the socks to seal in the moisture as you sleep.

--Appearance--
The socks are quite clearly the most dazzling thing appearance-wise about the entire set; even just looking at them makes you feel comfy and cosy with their baggy, fuzzy cheer. The foot scrub is an off-white, grey-green colour, in which flecks of exfoliant can be seen, and the cream is white and stiff, rubbing into the skin invisibly.

--Scent--
The peppermint smell is there one hundred per cent and really helps to wake you up on those cold winter mornings, as well as helping to calm you down on winter nights.

--Texture and consistency--
The cream is a bit 'blobby' and difficult to get hold of, coming out of the tub in white lumps. While it's still easy enough to blend in (even though it looks and feels stiff), I think most people would still prefer a more luxurious, creamier sensation. The foot scrub is better at this, and still washes off easily to boot. The socks are joyfully just as heavenly as they look, making you feel as innocent and comfy as a child waiting for Santa.

--Effects on the skin--
The socks alone are a really comforting and calming experience, possibly claiming the crown of being the softest, nicest socks I've ever worn. The cream and scrub, used together, also really help to minimise dry skin and restore softness.

--Value for money--
While this appears expensive at face value, it is better value for money than some of Arbonne's other gift sets, with the high-quality products evening out to be around £10 (and a few pence) each, which is no more than you would pay in other more widespread outlets such as The Body Shop. For a unique and wow-factor gift for the special lady in your life this Christmas (or hey - even just yourself) this Christmas, I'd say look no further. Tis the season!

perfect partner
Mint Latte Eyeshadow Palette, £42

Baylis & Harding Sweet Mandarin and Grapefruit Cleansing Hand Wash

RRP: £2 for 500ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Sweet Mandarin and Grapefruit, combined with vitamin A, B & C to create our classic fragrance which features in this sophisticated hand wash."

--Packaging--
The large bottle and copperplate capital logo design is suspiciously reminiscent of the more expensive Molton Brown label. However, it's clear that when you copy something good, at least you know that what you end up with looks nice too, and this would look great in any bathroom, although a change of packaging for something more original might not be such a bad thing. On the flip side, though, the transparent yellow/gold design is undeniably pretty.

--Application--
Easy as pie; lather up under warm running water to leave your hands clean, soft, and smelling sweet.

--Appearance--
A translucent yellow colour which reflects what you would expect from the ingredients while still at the same time leaving no visible residue on the hands after use.

--Scent--
More musky than grapefruity, and perhaps lacks the intensity of higher-end products. Nevertheless, the scent makes the product enjoyable and uplifting to use.

--Texture and consistency--
Lathered up well, although the consistency of the gel was perhaps a little slimy.

--Effect on the skin--
Left hands clean and soft; skin was not dried out or irritated.

--Value for money--
At such a low price there is very little to argue about; however, consumers who have tried the obvious rival brand will find themselves comparing the products automatically, which when there is such a huge gulf between the two brands in terms of price and such similarity in the packaging is a hard thing to stand up to. However, the attractiveness and affordability of the products make an excellent Christmas present in their eye-catching gift sets and these are definitely a low budget way to add some luxury to your bathroom.

perfect partners
Mandarin and Grapefruit Indulgent Moisturising Hand Lotion, £2 for 500ml
Mandarin and Grapefruit Restful Bath Foam, £3 for 750ml
Mandarin and Grapefruit Balancing Shower Creme, £3 for 750ml

retails at: www.baylisandharding.com and at various high street retailers

Your key to beauty

I've talked before on this blog about how beauty is more than skin deep. While I don't specifically endorse certain types of intervention into our natural beauty, such as cosmetic surgery, I do endorse other interventions into our inner beauty from without. And don't we just all dream of how our ideal holiday would be just the ticket to perk us up from the inside?

By playing Radisson Park Inn's game online, you could win just that before 2010 is out. All you have to do is play their surprisingly addictive game here, dropping room keys into lines Connect 4 style. Get 4 in a row and you win the game. However, you don't have to get 4 in a row in order to get a chance of winning a holiday. The odds are all on your side: the game is easy and fun, you can play as many times as you like, and you get an entry into the draw to win an iPad or a £250 voucher for Radisson Park Inn Hotels - whether you win or lose the game.

As with a lot of things, there are a few provisos for pepping up your inner beauty (a lot of these hotels have spas, people). You must be over 18 to enter, and you must be living in the UK, Germany, Austria or Switzerland to be eligible. If you play before December 18 2010 (as many times as you like, remember) then you have every chance of winning - especially with two prizes being awarded per week (one iPad, and one £250 hotel voucher). At the end, all entries are mixed up and drawn from again for the grand prize of seven nights' accommodation at selected Radisson Park Inn Hotels in Manchester, Berlin and Djerba. Now, wouldn't that be a great Christmas present?

It's sometimes difficult to know how you'll benefit from visiting a hotel spa until you have a chance to do it: last time I went to one (for the record, though, it was not a Radisson Hotel but a hotel with a Nuxe spa in Paris) I was pampered impeccably and left feeling like I was walking on air and ready to take on the world. While some of that comes from the confidence boost you get from having your outer beauty preened and seen to, the feeling of destressing and relaxation cannot have a price put on it. Equally, your inner beauty can benefit from travel in general. While I have not visited any of the destinations that constitute the hotels in Radisson's grand prizes, I have been fortunate enough to travel the world over, including America, Thailand, and North Africa as well as plenty of places in mainland Europe. My next trip will be to Tenerife in a couple of weeks' time, where I hope to try out one of those fish spas for the first time. If you want a luxury holiday too, I'd advise you to get playing and get 4 in a row.

The Bluebeard's Revenge Luxury Shaving Cream

RRP: £14.50
available from: The Shaving Shack, Safetyrazors.co.uk, Elm House Products Ltd

--What does the promo say?--
"Designed by a real life Blue Beard who was bored to death with being a Desperate Dan look-alike, The Bluebeards Revenge™ is a paraben free, premium quality shaving cream with added ingredients to specifically combat tough stubble. It has been formulated to our unique specification in one of the UK's premier male cosmetics laboratories who are renowned experts in the field of shaving cream."

 --Packaging--
The shiny blue box combines a white skull and crossbones with a somehow still classy-looking jar that comes with a silver-effect screw top lid. A shaving brush is also included, and the whole ensemble is easy to use. The Bluebeard's Revenge reports that girls have been making up an ever-increasing percentage of their customer base, so the female contingent may wish to skip the use of the brush, but the male tester on this side says that the brush is easy to use and is even a bit of a novelty in an age where most men don't reach for the shaving brush automatically.

--Application--
An almond-sized blob should cover your whole face (for gents), so an even smaller amount is required for ladies who are looking to get rid of persistent unwanted facial, underarm and bikini line hair. Shave off as normal with hot water and a decent razor.

--Appearance--
A pearlescent white, thick luxurious cream that should appeal to everyone. It's quite stiff, too, implying that it is a bit more heavy-duty, going beyond the airy-fairyness of your average shaving foam or face cream. No visible residue is left on the skin after use.

--Scent--
Quite masculine, staying true to The Bluebeard's Revenge's word that it conjures images of a traditional barbershop with a modern twist. I suspect some vetiver in there, although the ingredients list gives nothing away save the inclusion of aloe vera. Possibly too masculine to truly appeal to girls - if I were working at The Bluebeard's Revenge, I would seriously consider putting out a version of the cream that uses the same technology but has a different smell - perhaps something more neutral or something that uses essential oils such as lavender or lemon that may appeal more to the XX market.

--Texture--
As previously mentioned, it's very stiff, but you get a good lather with no effort at all and it washes off easily too, leaving skin feeling insanely smooth and soft after use.

--Effects on the skin--
The most notable immediate effect, baby-softness aside, is the fact that this cream delivers an incredibly close shave, which will alone keep the unwanted hairs at bay for longer even if the stubble-busting technology itself were a load of old cobblers. Him indoors did unfortunately find that he experienced greater sensitivity after using this compared to his usual shaving cream (which, for the record, costs exactly the same), but that to the contrary this lessens if you use the cream having not shaved for a couple of days (as opposed to shaving every day). From my experience, I found no sensitivity occurred while using this product, even when tackling a few unwanted hairs on my own face, so it quite clearly depends on the person. It's also difficult for us to know if the product really reduces stubble, as I am normally a waxer (plucking out hairs that grow on my face), and him indoors has only used this new cream once a week. I'll be passing it onto my dad, whose stubble also regrows quickly, for further tests.

--Value for money--
For a totally vegetarian, paraben-free product that also works well and contributes to charity with every pot purchased (money is donated to Help For Heroes for every unit sold), you're getting a good deal here on a unique product that poses a credible challenge to the domination of the hair removal market by Gillette. Don't hesitate to go out and buy it for the man in your life this Christmas - or even as a Christmas present to yourself.

perfect partners
The Bluebeard's Revenge Scimitar Double Edge Razor, £29.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Doubloon Bristle Shaving Brush, £6.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Shaving Cream, Brush, and Mach3 Razor Gift Set with Free Balm, £49.99
The Bluebeard's Revenge Post Shave Balm, £9.99