Acorelle Intense Cherry Eau de Toilette from My Pure

I received this product free of charge from My Pure, in return for an honest review. All opinions are based upon my own experience.

Believe it or not but Summer's here and there are loads of gorgeous perfumes on the market right now. I love some of the fruity smells available so was most curious when I noticed this Intense Cherry perfume from My Pure.

I took this picture in the garden and unfortunately, it didn't come out too well ....sorry! The bottle itself isn't anything particularly special but it's a nice size and comfortable to hold. The lid has slight patterning on it and clicks on to prevent it just dropping off. The bottle has a simple spray action and a nice amount is dispersed with each squirt.
I sprayed this on my pulse points and as with all perfumes, I spray a little in the air then stand under to get a perfume shower. This works especially well if your hair has just been washed and is still wet because you then dry the perfume into your hair and every time you give it a swoosh, the smell re-awakens itself.

Although this is called Intense Cherry, I wasn't really prepared for just how cherry like it would be! It's not too overpowering but there's no mistaking that it is cherry .....and a really gorgeous one at that! The second I sprayed this, my oldest daughter was at my side waiting with her hands outstretched for a spray. I have had many compliments on this perfume and it's one of few that my other half actually liked too. My only complaint would be that the smell doesn't hang around too long. I found that I was re-applying around 3-4 times a day just to keep me smelling luscious. For this reason, I'd recommend the Eau de Parfum as I believe it would have far better staying power.

Overall, I really loved this and would certainly buy it again, despite it not lasting long. The cherry smell is extremely appealing and perfect as a Summer fragrance.

Acorelle Intense Cherry Eau de Toilette comes in a 50ml bottle and costs just £13.05 (normally £15.00) from My Pure. 
Prices correct at time of post.

The Prodigal by Nicky Black

Now available to buy is the fantastic gripping new crime novel The Prodigal by Nicky Black.

I was lucky enough to receive a copy free of charge, in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After many years away, Detective Sergeant Lee Jamieson is about to return to Valley Park in Newcastle where he grew up, to help tackle crime in the local area and to meet his daughter for the very first time. 

Life in Valley Park has been on the decline over recent years, with the area vast becoming a bit of a crime capital. It's not helped by the unemployment rate and unruly kids out pinching cars night after night, which is a far cry from how Lee remembered it all. Keen to help put the hard men behind bars, rid the streets of drugs and generally make Valley Park a place worth living in again, Lee embarks on the seemingly impossible task of clearing out the trash. 

When he unexpectedly falls for the wife of local hard man Micky Kelly, things begin to take a sinister twist. An uncooperative work force with out dated ideas, means that Lee has to come up with a new strategy, and fast! Every lead appears to be hampered until he gets the information he so desperately needs - but will this risk the lives of those he loves?

I really don't want to give away any more of the storyline, all I can say is that I tip this to be a big selling hit for 2015 and you really ought to get out there and buy it!!

I had only read the odd excerpt before reading The Prodigal in full, so only had a very small idea of what to expect. A few pages into the first chapter, and I knew this book already had me gripped. 

The Prodigal is exceptionally well written and the characters are so well described that you actually live the story with them. Their hurt, pain and joy can all be felt by the reader, so be prepared for giggles, repulsion and even maybe a few tears along the way. The dialogue is spot on and the essence of Tyneside has been captured to a tee making the story a believable one. There are several unexpected twists which keep you gripped and desperate to find out what happens next. 

The ending wasn't quite what I expected, but for me I preferred this as it was unpredictable and kept me guessing all the way. 

I cannot thank Nicky enough for allowing me to read The Prodigal, I thoroughly enjoyed it and plan to shout about it to everyone I know! I wish Nicky every success and look forward to her next novel with great anticipation.

Go grab your copy now from Amazon.co.uk for only 99p - you really can't go wrong for that and it is a fantastic read!!

Follow Nicky Black on Twitter and Like her Facebook page for more info and further updates.

Bold 2in1 Pearls with Lavender and Chamomile

Being part of the savvy circle on the Supersavvyme website means that I get to try loads of new products free of charge in return for honest reviews.

The latest project was for Bold 2in1 Pearls with Lavender and Chamomile and as soon as I received my pack, it was the first thing I could smell.
I received a box containing 12 washes worth of pearls, a few samples to hand out to friends and some sheets for them to fill in, as well as some interesting insider knowledge tips.

Bold 2in1 Pearls store powerful agents in three separate compartments which are brought together during tje wash to give you:
1. A deep and purifying clean
2. The gorgeous, long-lasting scent of Lenor with the finest perfume oil and high efficiency microcapsules which release an invigorating scent each time you wear.
3. fibre agents which result in irresistible softness and long-lasting colour.

I'm never short of washing so set the machine off instantly. You simply place the little cushion .....

...directly into the drum, add your washing, set your washer, and off you go! These little gel filled pockets contain both detergent and softener so there's no need to add anything else to your wash saving both time and money.
I noticed the smell beginning to appear as the washer was in full swing and it smelled throughout the house making it a very calming environment ....ahhhhh.

Once the washer was finished, I opened the door and the smell hit me immediately. I personally love a strong smell on my washing and this didn't disappoint. I judge a detergent from start to finish of the wash, and I was slightly gutted that my washing didn't feel quite as soft as usual when wet. It smelled gorgeous but felt slightly stiff. Nonetheless, I pegged it out on the line and waited ....patiently! After a couple of hours, I ventured outside to check and again, the smell was unbelievably strong - which I loved! Now dried, my washing felt far softer and seemed to be a bit brighter in colour than normal. Above all, I was most impressed with the sheer whiteness of my whites - they were MUCH brighter than with my usual detergent and managed to remove stains that have been there for ages!

Now, although I really love strong smells, I've never been a huge fan of lavender, so after a while I did find it a little sickly and overpowering. If you like lavender then this really is for you as you can smell it on your clothes even when worn 2 weeks after washing! Despite tiring of the smell, I've personally never slept so well or felt as calm as I have since I started using them, so they're also having a positive impact on my well being!

Overall I loved the simplicity of use, the fact that no extra softener was needed and their amazing cleaning power so would definitely buy them again - only maybe try a different smell next time.

Chicago Town BBQ Pulled Pork Takeaway Pizza

Chicago Town  have always been one of my all time favourite 'cook at home' pizzas, so when I was lucky enough to receive a voucher entitling me to a FREE BBQ Pulled Pork pizza from their delicious Takeaway range, I quickly tottled off to find my local stockist!

I struggled to find this in the smaller supermarkets so had to venture slightly further afield - but it was definitely worth it!

The pizza itself comes with a nifty little round tray which is used to cook on - saving dishes and guaranteeing an even bake. I left it for the exact time stated and it came out spot on and looking tempting as hell  .....

As you can see, the edges have risen nicely and there's plenty of topping which you don't always get on frozen pizzas. The crust is stuffed with a bbq sauce and I have to say that I absolutely loved it!

I never fail! So keen am I to get the first bite that the inevitable happened - I burnt my tongue, lips & chin! I would say that it was a lesson well learned, but I know I'll do exactly the same next time.

Anyway, I was well impressed with the amount of topping on here and for me, there was just the right balance between the pulled pork, cheese and other ingredients. The dough was absolutely delicious and I had great fun watching it rise through the oven door while it was cooking - fascinating! My youngest daughter wasn't so keen but then she isn't too adventurous when it comes to trying new things. My oldest on the other hand was as bad as me and said that she definitely wanted me to buy these again in the future. We shared a pizza between the two of us and were pretty stuffed afterwards!

Overall I think these are simply delicious and as they are cooked with no fuss and no mess, they make meal time easy peasy. I haven't tried any of the others available in this range, but keep a lookout because it's only a matter of time ;)

Check out the Chicago Town Facebook page to stay up to date with all that's new and why not give 'em a follow on Twitter too, they're really very friendly!

Age Proof CoQ10 Booster Serum with FREE CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate from My Pure

I was sent this product free of charge from My Pure, in return for an honest review. All opinions are based upon my own experience.

I'm getting old and so is my skin, there, I said it! Since I've noticed the odd wrinkle here and there as well as darkened patches of skin on my face, my confidence has been at an all time low. There's always so much pressure on women to stay looking younger that it's difficult to know where to start and which products actually work. When I noticed this Age Proof CoQ10 Booster Serum on the My Pure website, I couldn't wait to give it a try and see if there were any noticeable results. The added bonus is that it comes with a free bottle of CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate so you can also work on smoothing out the eye area with a dedicated product at no extra cost.

Both of these products have been expertly created to boost skins radiance and the CoQ10 helps combat dull, tired or dehydrated skin - perfect for my needs!

I applied to Eye Recovery Concentrate first and absolutely loved the instant refreshing feel I had around my eyes. There is a roller ball in the top of the bottle which makes it really easy to apply as it just gently glides over the skin ....

This only took a couple of minutes to dry and the fine lines were even finer after just the first use. I have continued my use of this product over the last 2 weeks and have to say that I'm really impressed with the results. The delicate eye area appears more plumped and the dark circles I usually have on a morning have gone completely making my eyes look more youthful and luminous.

The Booster Serum is also very easy to use. Simply apply a few drops to your fingertips (this is made easy as the bottle lid has a built in pippette), then gently pat them over your skin paying particular attention to any problem areas. Try not to rub, just gently pat so as not to drag the skin. This does have a pretty overpowering smell but it's not one that lingers for long so is definitely bearable.
The results of this serum can be seen after just one application. My face appeared smoother and my skin was nice and soft with no visible dry patches. The darker areas seemed to blend better making them far less noticeable than before and my skin felt refreshed and well nourished - a feeling which lasted all day!
I have used this twice daily for the last 2 weeks and again, I'm really impressed. although this is a serum, it doesn't leave the skin looking or feeling greasy and is perfectly fine to apply make-up afterwards.

If, like me, you have noticed the first signs of ageing and are looking for products which work well in combating this, then these are for you!

Age Proof CoQ10 Booster Serum with FREE CoQ10 Eye Recovery Concentrate is available to buy form My Pure at a very reasonable price of £29.50