Visible Difference.

I was recently sent the new Visible Difference skincare range by Elizabeth Arden to trial for Debenhams, and below are my findings.

Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Cleanser: 5/5 star rating. I really liked the texture of this cleanser, and when I accidentally got some in my usually very sensitive eye, it didn't sting at all. My skin felt soft and refreshed after using it, and not stinging or tight like a lot of cleansers leave my skin. Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Toner: 5/5 star rating. This toner smelt fresh and pleasant without being overbearing and left my skin feeling smooth and hydrated without causing any stinging sensations. Visible Difference Optimising Skin Serum. 5/5 star rating. The silky texture made it glide onto my skin beautifully without any greasy residue. Although the entire range is fantastic, I can tell what a difference it makes using this serum in addition to the rest of the products. Visible Difference Hydration Boost Night Mask. 5/5 star rating. My skin was noticeably different right from the first time I used it. It was plumper and unbelievably soft and smooth. I had comments from people telling me I looked glowing, dewy and radiant! Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Cream SPF15 5/5 star rating. The inclusion of SPF really sold this cream to me, as did the fact that it actually works. It absorbs quickly without leaving any nasty residue, and any product which runs due to perspiration doesn't leave streaks, marks, stinging patches or hurt the eyes. Made a huge difference to my skin, even spending many hours outdoors in all weathers. Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Night Cream 5/5 rating. The cream soaked into my skin really quickly, meaning I was able to go to bed soon after applying it, knowing that I wouldn't be smearing it all over my pillows! In the morning, my skin felt soft and smooth and comfortable, as opposed to the definite tightness I have previously woken up with.

Marvellous Magnum.

Whilst shopping in Westfield, Stratford in London, I came accross an ice cream boutique with a difference.

The well known brand Magnum are offering customers the chance to create their own bespoke ice cream. There is a menu on the wall. You begin by choosing between vanilla ice cream and chocolate. You then select 3 toppings of your choice from a wide selection (I went with edible rose petals, blue poppy seeds and cocoa nibs) and then choose a chocolate coating and a chocolate drizzle.

At £3, it is about £1 more than you'd pay for a single Magnum in your corner shop, without the added bonus of the extra toppings and drizzle. It was a fun experience, and I enjoyed tucking into my creation, which is shown in the image above.

Get it nailed!

Nails Inc Couture is the latest offering from the cult brand Nails Inc and makes the perfect personalised gift, either to give yourself or to give someone else. The concept is simple; you select a colour, choose a lid for it and then select a box, before naming your unique nail polish (up to a maximum of 12 characters). Prices start at £16, which is reasonable for a Nails Inc personalised product as the possibilities are almost endless! Furthermore, Nails Inc polishes are really great quality and long lasting both in the bottle and on the nails.

The picture isn't the clearest, but here is a rough idea of what you can create!

There are NO drawbacks with Corel DRAW X6.

Having used both X4 and then the vastly improved I was keen to see how it was possible to improve on such a great piece of software. One thing is that if you're using it on a 64-bit system (as I do on my main PC), it's much faster than its predecessor (not so much so if you're using it in 32-bit as I do on my laptop). Its increased speed is, in part, I think, due to its recent optimisation for multi-core processors. This allows you to work with more than one part of the suite running concurrently without any slowness, ie if you're running the Website Creator, Corel Draw and Photo-Paint elements together, it shouldn't make any difference (or at least, that's how I found it when I was working with it on some web design). I would recommend that you use the Corel Connect feature to optimise your activity with multiple tasks. There are some great new features, such as in the aforementioned Photo-Paint programme, you can now use the Smart Carver to edit photos to remove unwanted bits and adjust the aspect ratio. Overall, a worthy competitor to the Adobe software (although I admit, I use both as they both have capabilities I consider to be essential (I think I'm becoming spoilt by the high expectations I've gained from using these programs!)

The king of strings.

I've been using these on my and they are a perfect fit, both literally and in terms of how well they create the sound I want. They have a truly lovely tone and are easy to play with comfort. They're easy to change and are very long lasting. I wouldn't use any other bass strings now.

Away, Away with this abomination...My Eyes Are Fully Open!!

I must confess, I read a few others users' reviews before ordering and reviewing this album myself. So, I bore in mind that the orchestra was electronic, although I have to say that having listened, aware of this fact, I noticed that the instruments did not sound "warm" and so it then became very clear to me that they were indeed not actual instruments being used. I also agree with others who say that it is hard to distinguish some of the lyrics being sung at times, and as Gilbert And Sullivan songs are ones people like to sing along to, I don't think these current incantations do the originals any justice. The quality is shockingly below par for Sony-BMG, and I was saddened and disappointed to see that this was the label which released this album. I would not even be impressed with this standard of delivery on a west-end stage, let alone on a CD. I am sure there are better Gilbert And Sullivan compilations out there; this one does not do them justice.

The Ideal food...I mean Home, Show (Part 1)

Tuesday was a well deserved day off from the dreaded day job, so I took myself down to the SECC to check out the last day of the Ideal Home Show. I must admit, with the exception of the Bang & Olufson stand, I wasn't that enthralled...maybe it's because I'm sadly only renting at the moment...but then I smelt burgers and headed towards the smell. There I came across a room full of both food/drink and fashion/beauty stands, and felt much more, erm, at home (pardon the pun). I watched one of the fashion shows and was largely uninthralled, with the notable exception of one lovely Pied A Terre dress, which I, erm, spotted.... if budget allows, I need this dress in my life. The first food and drink stand which caught my attention was The Loch Lomond Brewery where I was proffered a sample as I passed. With a disdain for ales, finding them heavy, bitter and, well, a bit Northern Male, I declined this offer, only to be told I could be proven wrong. Loving a challenge, I sampled The West Highland Way which is lovely, light, fruity and a little honeyed. OK, point proven. Speaking to Fiona, the director and brewster was really interesting; it's surprising to have a female owning such a business, but I think it's going to do well. Artisan products are always worth paying that bit extra for. I suggested the range would do well at Peckham's, and it's actually being brought out there soon, which is great news. Currently, it can be bought at Co-Op stores in Scotland. Another notable stand was the Truly Scrumptious Designer Cakes where I got to decorate my own cupcake...my inner 6-year-old couldn't wait to play with all the glitter and sweeties...I was very proud of my handiwork, and loved eating it, even though I walked around with glittery teeth for the rest of the day.

A fascinating insight into the President.

Although I follow world politics, I knew virtually nothing of Obama before he ran (successfully) for president. Making history as the first African American president, the eyes of the world were even more upon him than they would be for a white leader. The book details the long marriage of the Obamas and their background as a couple and as a family. It has been said many times that behind every successful man is a strong woman, and that has never been more true than in the case of the Obamas. They make a great couple, great parents, a great family and great representatives of the USA, but this has taken years of hard work and dedication, which is also explained in the book. I found it an inspiring read and it just garnered further respect for a groundbreaking leader who I believe will go down in history for all the right reasons.

Theme For A Dream.

Unfortunately, this DVD is the nearest I'll get to seeing Cliff Richard and The Shadows perform live (unless they decide to get back together again, despite this being their Final Reunion). However, it was almost as good as being there. The instruments were tuned to the specs they were originally, or at least that's how it sounds to my ears...and the vocals don't seem to have aged a day either (whereas the majority of singers from that era have undergone noticeable vocal changes). Cliff also has the energy of a teenager, dancing and moving the whole way through the show. The show was engaging and electrifying and that was just at home...I can only imagine how fantastic it was to have been there in person. Absolutely brilliant and one of the best concert DVDs I have ever seen.

Internet security solution.

After trialling other security suites, and having tried another Kaspersky product, I tried this software on 3 different Windows computers on my home network. I am a heavy internet user, and use forums and blog sites a lot, and have recently had a few problems as a result of this. Having been using the Kaspersky suite for a month now, I am happy to report an improvement because there is a component in the software which allows you to check a website against Kaspersky's database to verify whether or not it's safe. There are other options available such as Sandboxing Technology, which I am yet to trial, but it's a way for you to try out websites in a safe environment, ie without any risk of internet security breach. I look forward to trying out these various alternative options and I trust that they will be equally as positive in their outcome as those I have tried already. For me, it's Kaspersky all the way in terms of future IS solutions. Comment Comment | Permalink