IDEAL HEALTH SLIMATEE & DIGESTEE

Hi there gorgeous people. I have reviews for you today of two teas from Ideal Health at Holland & Barrett.

IDEAL HEALTH DIGESTEE

I tried this tea a couple of weeks ago in the hope that it would aid my digestion. This tea claims to help stimulate the metabolism and digestion of fats. You can take it at any time of day or after a heavy meal. I love trying out different types of tea, especially herbal. Unfortunately I could not even finish half a cup of this. It just tasted fowl. I think it was mainly the liquorice root with perhaps a bit of the ginger that just made it too unbearable for me. Coincidence maybe or not I didn't feel great later that day and into the next. My stomach was not in a good way with cramps, bloating and a general sluggish feeling. I won't buy these again.

IDEAL HEALTH SLIMATEE

First and foremost this tea should not be taken if you are pregnant, under 16 or suffering intestinal problems. One cup should be taken at night for up to 2 weeks in any 2 month period. I guess like other similar teas around at the moment this is a type of detox to clear your system of excess waste etc. This tea did taste nice. Not a distinct flavour for me, but I did drink a whole cup :) Afterwards I did panic a little expecting to be woken in the night with terrible cramps hoping I would make it in time for the loo. I made sure I had nowhere to be the next day when testing this for the first time. Although a bit nervous at the thought of what might occur the next day I was a little disappointed. Let's just say there was no drama and I would have been fine for a day trip out. I am not sure if because you can take it for 2 weeks at a time that perhaps I should have tried the whole 2 weeks, but with work and having to be here and there I didn't want to chance it. If you have tried this product or something similar perhaps you could advise me on this so I know if it is worth trying again.

At the moment Holland & Barrett have an offer of buy 1 get 1 half price mix and match if you are interested in trying these teas or others such as PURITEE & LAKSETEE both of which I have not tried.

I would also say that for any of you ladies taking the contraceptive pill please be careful when taking these products or something similar as if you do have diarrhoea this may effect your pill.

Please leave in the comments below any thoughts or recommendations of teas for those suffering IBS symptoms or wanting to detox their digestive system.

Many thanks,

Vicky xx

Tea For Health & IBS Relief

Hey Everyone. Happy Sunday to you all. Today I have a wee post for you that is about a tea I drink I thought some of you might like.

I have been drinking plain peppermint tea for absolutely ages because I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I don't digest food very well and so I always made sure I drank a peppermint tea every morning after my coffee to help with my IBS.

For those who don't know peppermint tea is said to help relieve the symptoms of IBS. There is less evidence, but it is said to also ease other problems including nausea, vomiting, dhiorrea and headaches which can be IBS symptoms. Its minty flavour can take the edge off bad breadth. It is also said to control mild asthma, manage stress and ward off the common cold.

I do enjoy the naughty food and drink in life too, but I like to try and be healthy as well. I have tried green tea many times, even the flavoured ones, but I am not too keen on it's taste.

Green tea may help with lowering the risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancer. Green tea extract containing polyphenols and caffeine has been shown to induce thermogenesis and stimulate fat oxidation, boosting the metabolic rate 4% without increasing the heart rate.

Anyway now on to the tea I have found to combine the benefits of both products. While perusing the tea section in Morrisons I noticed this Green Tea & Mint. Each box contains 20 tea bags which are foil wrapped (not individually) for freshness. There are not other ingredients in each bag. They are 55% green tea and 45% peppermint. They must be stored in a cool, dry place. The tea is simple to make. You just boil some water, add a bag to a cup or mug and brew between 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Personally I usually leave the bag in while I drink it as I feel like I get a better brew and hopefully more of the benefits, but it's really just up to you.

This is an acquired taste and when I first tried herbal teas of any kind I would squirm a bit and think damn I need a good strong coffee or tea, but now I am used to it and find this tea quite refreshing. If I am having a bad day with my stomach and digestion I always reach for this. I have one every morning and sometimes more often.

IBS is such a pain literally sometimes and I pretty much feel bad with it in some way on a daily basis. For those that don't know it can cause the symptoms mentioned earlier in this post as well as constipation, bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, flatulence and sometimes passing mucus from the bottom. I have put up with all of these symptoms other than passing mucus at some time or another which is embarrassing to admit, but true and true for so many others.

So my point is that although I don't believe my IBS is ever going to disappear I can try to at the very least drink one cup of this a day to hopefully alleviate or prevent the symptoms. I do also drink it of course for the other health benefits mentioned it's just my IBS has been a struggle for me since I can ever remember.

If you would like me to discuss further about things I have found that have helped my with my IBS symptoms then please let me know in the comments below. Also any suggestions that you have for a good tea or coping with IBS then please leave those in the comments too.

Love to you all

 

1st JolieBox (December)/Xmas NOTD

Hi my loves. It's almost Xmas, whoop whoop! I am getting a bit excited now if you hadn't guessed. I have finally finished my Xmas shopping and will wrap the last presents up tomorrow with my other half. Have you finished shopping? Are you out on Xmas Eve? We don't have plans to go out. I think we might just have a wee tipple indoors. I received my first JolieBox this month (formerly Boudoir Prive) and I have to say I am impressed. So here is the box and it's contents.

The box is very chic, but still has the festive feel to it

Left To Right: O.P.I. Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer, Link :), Mitchell And Peach Shower Wash, Link :), New CID Cosmetics I-Gloss, Link :), Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust, Link :)

O.P.I. Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer ~ £10.50 for 15ml

The Information:

Inspired by Graffiti....Shatter now comes in gold!

Application:

Apply over any dry nail lacquer to create a stunning "shattered" effect.

For this NOTD I applied my usual Rimmel base coat. I then applied two coats of my Deborah Lippmann Razzle Dazzle Mini Nail Varnish that I received in my December GlossyBox. Please see that post here. I used the Stripped To Go Sachet that also came with my December GlossyBox to remove the polish that was already on my nails and I could only get the polish off four of my nails which is something to bear in mind if you are thinking of trying the Stripped To Go Sachets as I had to use my usual nail polish remover to remove the rest. I was wearing a glitter polish which is always harder to remove, but this sachet came with the Razzle Dazzle polish which is a glitter so it shouldn't have been a problem. It's a shame it didn't work on all 10 nails as it claims and it took quite a while to get it off four. It's a good concept, but a fail for me. Anyway Over the top of the Razzle Dazzle I applied one coat of the Gold Shatter. I think it's a nice and Xmassy NOTD. I am so happy to have received this full size O.P.I. polish. It has fantastic gold shimmer.

Mitchell And Peach Shower Wash ~ £20.00 for 250ml

The Information:

This invigorating shower wash, suitable for men and women, contains nourishing, natural English honey, Vitamin E and wheat proteins.

This smells okay. The bottle looks quite chic. I'm not sure about products that are for both men and women. I prefer my products to be distinctively different from men's products. I suppose it's handy if you share with a guy.

New CID Cosmetics I-Gloss ~ £16.00 

The Information:

Light up lip gloss with mirror for non-sticky, long-lasting and high-glam shine.

This is actually quite a nice thick, creamy, peachy/pink shade. This shade is called Baby Doll. The mirror and light are great for touch ups on a night out. It's a shame that the brush on my lip gloss is splayed out.

Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust ~ £ Various

The Information:

A multi-use shimmer powder in shade Rose Gold to apply to cheeks, eyes, lips, body and even hair.

This is a stunning colour. It's great that this is a multi functioning product. This is fantastically shimmery too.

Left To Right: Yon-Ka Vital Defense, Link :), Kusmi Detox Tea, Link :), JolieBox Concealer Brush

Yon-Ka Vital Defense

The Information:

Anti-aging prevention, antioxidant and anti-pollution cream to help the skin preserve it's youthfulness.

Application:

Apply in the morning to face and neck after cleansing and spraying on LOTION Yon-Ka. In the evening, for an optimally oxygenating action, apply PHYTO 58.

This feels very smooth and has a clean, fresh scent.

Now for the bonus products ........

Kusmi Detox Tea

The Information:

Blend of Maté, chinese Green Tea and lemon grass full flavored with lemon.

Tasting advice: delicious plain or sweetened.

The combination of Maté and green tea virtues -- diuretic and stimulating properties, richness in antioxidant -- makes Kusmi Detox the perfect companion for slimming and detoxifying diets. Known for its tonic properties, mate does not have the side effects generated by caffeine.

This smells like lemon drops. I am really looking forward to trying this. A detox after Xmas will probably be necessary so this is well timed.
 

JolieBox Concealer Brush

The Information:

Designed for blending concealer, the pointed tip provides precision for small imperfections whilst the flat side smoothes coverage across larger areas such as under the eye.

This brush is quite nice. It's a soft, yet quite dense brush. Great for concealing. 


Here is a link to the JolieBox/Boudoir Prive website if you want more information, Link :)

What products did you receive in your 1st JolieBox? Are you happy with them? Have you remained subscribed to Boudoir Prive since they changed to JolieBox? 

Love to you all

Limited Edition 1st Boudoir Privé Box

Hey there you sweet dolls. I was so excited to receive my Limited Edition 1st Boudoir Privé box in the post. What would be inside? Was it better than the GlossyBox? So let me show you what I found inside the box.

 

As you can see the box is very similar to the design of the GlossyBox

The main difference between the two boxes is that the Boudoir Privé one has a flip top lid. It's still nice for storage, but I think it doesn't look as well put together. As you can see the front of the box is a little wider than the sides. A minor detail though.

Here is a close-up of the print inside the box

In the GlossyBox they have a GlossyBox logo sticker holding the tissue paper together that secures the products. That is very nice, but I think this mirror sticker is very cute idea. It also has the pink ribbon that ties around the tissue paper the same as the GlossyBox.

Here I have a lovely card with a personal message saying that they hope I enjoy the box which is lovely. Also, there is a description leaflet about the products which includes three tokens to give to friends so that they can receive a 1/2 price 1st box. I think that's a nice idea, but I think it would be even nicer if you received maybe an extra item or even box for each friend that you introduce as they will be making £10 each month from them if they subscribe.

This is the first product. It is the Olavie Antioxidant Body Butter. The leaflet says that Olavie are wine therapy specialists. Sounds good to me already, haa haa :) It claims your skin will be smooth, hydrated and refreshed. I have to say I love this product. It feels smooth, expensive, luxurious and has a wonderful aroma. It retails at £43.55 for 240ml. It sounds a lot, but for the amount of product you get it's pretty good. I have been using this every day since I received it and I am seriously am considering buying it.

Next up is the Jane Iredale PureLash Extender and Conditioner. I have only used this twice so far, but I think it's quite nice. It claims to encourage the growth of eyelashes and facilitate the application of mascara. It goes on the lashes white, which is easily covered up when you add your mascara. While using this I have just started using the Clinique High Impact Mascara. It was the sample I got some months ago with Glamour Magazine. I have found that this Iredale product helps that mascara to curl upwards a little more. I guess I would describe it as an eyelash primer. I have long eyelashes already, but I will continue to use this to see how it fairs for the conditioning side of it. This retails at £13.00 for 89ml. If this improves the way my mascara sits on my eyelashes and improves the condition of them I may consider buying this.

This product is the Sachajuan Conditioner. It says that it's suitable for all hair types and is great for untangling locks. You are meant to let it sit in your hair for up to 10 minutes and then rinse it off. This retails at £10.00 for 100ml/£20.00 for 250ml. I have not tried this product. I think my Mum will really appreciate this so I will let her give it go.

Here is the Bloom Green Tea & White Tea Duo. The leaflet says you should drink the green tea in the morning and the white tea at noon. It is meant to keep your concentration levels high and your stress levels low throughout the day. I will definitely try these as do drink herbal tea. I however am not sure about it's claims. I don't think there is any drink that will keep my concentration levels high and if I'm that stressed a tea isn't going to help me. I guess it goes back to the saying that is used a lot in stressful situations, 'a nice cup of tea will make you feel better'. These are £4.00 for a pack of 10 teabags. It does not say if these are a mixed pack?

This lovely is the Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream. It's claims are that it softens your skin, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, prevents wrinkles and firms facial contours. You are meant to apply it to a clean, cleansed face in an upward and outward motion. This retails at £82.00 for 50ml. This product feels amazing. It smoothed on nicely over my face. It feels like luxury and smells fantastic. I am just not sure that I could afford to buy this product on a regular basis which is a real shame as I love it. If it were half the retail price then I would probably give it a real thorough testing. It is a shame that this sample is so small. I do really like the packaging though. It has a really high end look to it.

These two sample perfumes are Etat Libre D'Orange in 'Like This' & 'Rien', paying tribute to Tilda Swinton. I really wish they had put the name of each perfume on the bottles as I have no idea which one is which after taking them out of the packaging. A little annoying. I did wear one at work this week and I really liked it. My friend even said it smelt lovely, but I have no idea which one it was? 'Like This' is £74.00 for 50ml and 'Rien' is £52.50 for 50ml. Now I have to say I was a little disappointed when I saw the size of these. I know they are meant to be sample size, but when I received my June GlossyBox Perfume it at least came in a cute little designed bottle Perles De Lalique Perfume

Overall I am pleased with my first box from Boudoir Privé. For £10 it is great. My loves are definitely the Olavie Antioxidant Body Butter and the Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream. I think the Jane Iredale PureLash Extender and Conditioner is very nice too. My only niggle is that the samples are quite small, but they are samples. I thought the card inside was a nice little personalised touch. I can't wait to see what Boudoir Privé come up with next month.

Have you signed up to Boudoir Privé or are you going to? Did you like your samples if you received this box?

Love to you all