Vega Everyday-D: 400IU Vitamin D3 Chewable Tablets

RRP: from £5.95 for 100

--What does the promo say?--
"Suitable for the whole family, Vega EveryDay-D 400IU vitamin D3 chewable tablets have been designed for use by both adults and children from age 4 onwards. They are small, delicious blackcurrant-flavoured chewable tablets, designed to provide 10μg of vitamin D per tablet, as recommended by the UK government.

The 500 tablet bottle will provide vitamin D for a family of four every day for more than three months - so you only need 2 bottles to supplement your whole family every day throughout the whole of autumn and winter.

*Scientific Advisory Council for Nutrition
** Public Health England

1 Vitamin D3 contributes to the normal function of the immune system
2 Vitamin D3 contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth
3 Vitamin D3 contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function"

--Packaging--

The dark brown glass bottle is brightened up by the white and yellow label, as well as the golden screw-top. This evokes a strong idea of sunshine, which is how most of us naturally get vitamin D - and which we don't get enough of in the UK during the winter months.(Vegans can also find it difficult to get enough vitamin D as its primary sources are fish and dairy products.) The lid closes securely, but opens easily when needed.

--Directions for use--

Adults, and children from the age of 4, should chew one tablet per day. An advantage for those who find it difficult to swallow pills.

--Appearance--

The tablets are indeed small (smaller than your little fingernail) and a slight off-purple colour (reflecting their blackcurrant flavour).

--Taste and scent--

The tablets taste and smell of blackcurrant and are not overly sweet.

--Texture and consistency--

The tablets are slightly crunchy, but you do not have to bite too hard to chew them and they dissolve quickly in the mouth.

--Effects--

Vitamin D is not only good for building up the immune system, but also carries a whole host of other beauty and wellbeing benefits that help us out at this cold time of year: it can help weight loss (perfect for helping with those New Year's Resolutions!) and even prevent depression. But the benefits aren't just specific to winter: vitamin D is vital for cell growth and repair, meaning it stimulates collagen to fight the ageing process of the skin. It can also improve acne and eczema and I have certainly noticed my normally acneic skin looking calmer of late.

--Value for money--

£5.95 for 100 tablets comes to under 6p per day. A bottle of 500 tablets (which I was sent for free by Vega's PR) costs £26.95, which equals just over 5p per day - so a small saving. This competes well with other market offerings and as it is so pleasant to take - and the health benefits so numerous - I would recommend.

perfect partners

Calcium + Vitamin D, £5.35

Everyday-D: 400IU Vitamin D3 Spray, £5.95

Fit For School Stick Packs, £7.75

Infant-D: 400IU Vitamin D3 Drops, £6.95

Urgent-D: 2000IU Vitamin D3 Chewable Tablets, £7.95

Urgent-D: 2000IU Vitamin D3 Spray, £7.95

Beauty Kitchen Abyssinian Oil Night Halo Sleep Mask

RRP: £19.99 for 60ml

--What does the promo say?--
"-Nourishing and Detoxing Overnight Mask

-Cleanses, hydrates and refreshes skin

-Glowingly beautiful finish 
Night-time treatment to nourish and detox your skin while you sleep like an Angel. The balm will absorb overnight to deeply hydrate and refresh your skin. Once you’ve woken up from your ‘beauty sleep’, cleanse your face with a konjac sponge or face cloth and admire your new glowing complexion! Suitable for all skin types."

--Packaging--

The yellow box that the pot of balm comes in is refreshing, cheerful and unusual, and of course is entirely recyclable. It tells you everything you need to know, without spin or clutter. The black plastic pot is practical too in terms of both ergonomics and size.

--Application--

Use on your face after cleansing, in place of your usual moisturiser. Let the excess sink in overnight, then cleanse in the morning as normal. Simples :)

--Appearance--

The balm itself is a pale yellow, but leaves no visible residue on the face.

--Scent--

The fruits and flowers are the most prominent, particularly the orange and rose, without any particular scent being overpowering. It smells rich and natural; utterly divine. The high quality of the ingredients is evident.

--Texture--

Smooth, with only a slight graininess (which dissolves once blended onto the face), and not at all runny. It massages into the skin well and sinks in beautifully overnight.

--Effects on the skin--

Wonderfully moisturising, and furthermore, conducive to sleep: I used it and had one of the best nights' sleep I've had in ages. Crucial as we have to adjust our sleep patterns as of today due to the changing clocks!

--Longevity--

You need so little at a time (a dollop the size of a 5p piece or so for your whole face) that one pot will last you ages.

--Value for money--

Beauty Kitchen's PR kindly sent mine for free, but thanks to the top-notch ingredients, clear effects and the fact that a little goes such a long way, I would gladly pay for mine. Bonne nuit!

perfect partners

Natural Cream Cleanser, £12.99

Intensive Daily Hand Treatment, £12.99

5 Minute Miracle Mask, £14.99

Intensive Eye and Deep Lines Serum, £14.99

Handbag Beauty Balm, £14.99

Aroma Facial Concentrate, £19.99

Facial Cleansing Balm, £19.99

Facial Moisture Cream, £19.99

Skin Care Starter Kit, £50 (saves you £31!)

M Micallef Art Collection Rouge 2013

RRP: €185/100ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Parfums M Micallef...is announcing the launch of the new ART COLLECTION with a duo of gourmand and sensual fragrances: Rouge N°1 and Rouge N°2...The M Micallef Company gives priority to qualitative and natural ingredients in its fragrances...Martine Micallef has reinterpreted the Art Deco fundamentals [combining] geometrical figures, cubic cap and bottle adorned with circular shaped Swarovski Crystal Rocks. Floral-fruity eau de parfum Rouge N°1 combines delicious yellow fruit and a generous bunch-of-flowers heart, warmed by the vanilla and white musk base. Oriental-floral eau de parfum Rouge N°2 mixes the refinement of a bunch of jasmine, orchids and violets with oriental scents of amber, vanilla and animal notes."

--Packaging--
The samples sent to me for free by M Micallef were just plastic vials. However, it's true that the bottles themselves look very impressive. My only worry is that this extravagance in the packaging could drive up the price of the perfume itself.

--Application--
Spritz onto pressure points to have the scent linger all over your body.

--Scent--
The Rouge N°1 is, in my view, far too heavy, evoking images of overly made-up old ladies and retro film stars (and sadly not in a good way). I suspect that the overbearing ylang ylang is responsible for this, with the other aspects of the scent not getting a look-in. Perhaps purchase for your grandmother!

On the other hand, Rouge N°2 is a delight, and perfect for young ladies or the young-at-heart. Sparkling and uplifting, it is carried on the blissful wings of violet, citrus and blackcurrant. Vanilla and jasmine ensure it isn't too sharp, while nutmeg and amber make sure it isn't sickly sweet. Unique and perfectly balanced.

--Longevity--
M Micallef's perfumes are made with very high-quality ingredients, so while you may wish to reapply once during the day just to get that burst of the head notes again, it's not strictly necessary, since even though you stop smelling it, it does last all day.

--Value for money--
On the one hand, I can't blame you for the sharp intake of breath that I myself experienced upon realising how expensive M Micallef's fragrances are. Alongside the absolute cost, relatively speaking I can see why people might want to go for a bigger name: for a similar price, you can choose eaux de parfum from brands such as Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Yves St Laurent or Acqua di Parma. On the other hand, such a quantity (remember we are talking about a 100ml bottle here) would last you an incredibly long time - with daily use, I'd estimate a minimum of 18-24 months. Rouge N°2 is a unique scent using high-quality ingredients that would give you a kick out of using a limited edition perfume whose fragrance you really love every day for nearly two whole years. Plus, you'd have the moral satisfaction of supporting a smaller parfumière, as opposed to one of the big boys. The choice is yours.

M Micallef perfumes can be purchased in the UK at Fortnum and Mason, as well as at Harrods (at Roja Dove's).

I Love...Juiced Up Blackcurrant Shower Gel

RRP: £2.05/500ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Take a whopping big bite out of life! My delicious aroma is bursting with super juicy blackcurrants all ready to explode into action, leaving you with your very own bite size portion of happiness!"

--Packaging--

Rocks the funky look with black and white basics contrasting with the purple gel, which can be seen through the plastic flip-top bottle. The bottle is also extremely sizeable (so not great for travel purposes perhaps) but carries lively and easily understandable text which engages you while telling you all you need to know, making you feel really excited about using it.

--Application--

Just lather up over wet skin while in the shower, then rinse off when ready. Easy peasy lemon squeezy (or should that be blackcurrant squeezy?).

--Appearance--

Exactly the colour of the dark purple throat tablets that you can get, matching up well with the blackcurrant idea. Doesn't leave any visible residue on the skin, frothing up instead into an off-white lather that's easy to rinse. You can also use it as a bubble bath, although not having a bath at home means that opportunities to test the product's credentials on this score have been limited.

--Scent--

While perhaps slightly artificial-smelling, it's definitely intense and not at all unpleasant. Plus, you can tell it's a blackcurrant scent straight away - no second-guessing required here, as is true of all the I Love...products (although unfortunately the packaging doesn't tell us anything about how this rich scent is achieved - just putting 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not helpful!).

--Texture and consistency--

This was definitely my least favourite part of the product. Rather than being creamy and luxurious, it was viscous and gel-like - even to the point of slipping back INSIDE the bottle if you didn't squeeze hard enough. All fine on the skin once you get lathering - the foam generated is fine yet spreads well. But still. EW to the first bit.

--Longevity--

I can't say I experienced long-lasting scent or softness on the skin with this product as compared to the other gel I'm using at present (Caudalie Pêche de Vigne). But at £2 for a massive bottle, what do you expect?

--Value for money--

It's possible that they would need to sort out the texture of this before I would purchase again - even though the smell is great, I didn't have *as* positive an experience with this product as I did with I Love...'s Lemons & Limes lip gloss and body cream. But that definitely hasn't put me off the range completely: it's a vibrant budget option without a doubt, and with scents in the range such as Strawberries & Milkshake, Vanilla & Ice Cream, and Raspberry & Blackberry still left to try, who could resist?!

*set to be exclusive to Superdrug, you'll have to keep your eyes peeled; no sign in store or online of it yet...*

Betty Hula Body Moisturisers

RRP: £14.99/120ml

--What does the promo say?--

"Here at Betty Hula we believe in honest, natural beauty. All of our products have been handmade using traditional techniques and the finest quality, fairly traded natural ingredients. This stylish range is laced with a selection of delicious and exotic Hawaiian inspired scents to stimulate your senses as your body is pampered. Traditional values with a contemporary twist. Delicately applied every day your skins youthfulness will be brought to life. Good for relieving signs of stretch marks, scarring, dry/sensitive skin, combination skin, oily skin and for soothing sun burn."

--Packaging--

The Hawaiian theme of this brand is pretty, cheeky, feminine and exotic, as well as being very different to other brands currently on the market. But don't mistake this for some wishy-washy brand: the pots' bold colours also pack a punch (orange for Champagne & Spice, green for Kiwi & Lime, and pink for Rum & Blackcurrant). The sample sizes I was sent didn't feature these, but the screw-top lids look secure and durable.

--Application--

The Betty Hula website advises "[applying] delicately to your body after a shower or bath or as part of your nightly routine." This is not only easy enough to do but the strong scent also relaxes you in time for bed, too.

--Scent--

And speaking of which, the scents of these body butters are not only distinctive and authentic but true-to-life too: what you see on the packaging is definitely what you get, with the Champagne & Spice being my clear favourite as well as the variant that strikes me as being the most unusual. The least true-to-life is possibly the Rum & Blackcurrant scent, with the rum not coming through as clearly as I had thought it would. It's also unclear where the scents come from; given Betty Hula's philosophy, I'd like to hope these come from natural sources such as essential oils, but this is only going to go so far (when's the last time you walked into a hippy store and found a rum essential oil on the shelf?) and so it would be nice to have the origins of the different scents made more transparent to go with the basic composition of the body moisturiser (which, FYI, is made up of shea butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil, aloe vera, and vitamin E).

--Appearance--

All of the moisturisers are an off-white colour, which sinks invisibly into the skin.

--Texture and consistency--

Not at all greasy or slippery; thick and luxurious while still absorbing quickly and well.

--Effects on the skin--

Keeps skin soft and smooth; I haven't had a beautician complain about my dry body skin for months, which is something I used to hear quite frequently. Would definitely consider this as a long-term maintenance product for between waxes for use around the legs and arms, as well as on the bust and stomach as a luxury product.

--Value for money--

We are really in luxury territory here with this being more expensive than any body butter you will buy on the high street for the same ml. However, to my mind it really is the perfect product, combining effective body improvement with the feeling of a luxury at-home spa experience. Would definitely have that Champagne & Spice smell filling my bedroom any day of the week.

perfect partner

Betty Hula 'The Secret' Anti-Ageing Oil, £15.99/50ml