Great News! Yes To Range Available To Buy In Waitrose Stores

Now available to buy in selected Waitrose Stores, the following items from one of my favourite natural brands.. Yes To. 

Combining high quality organic fruits and vegetables, with the power of 26 minerals and trace elements, the Yes To Carrots skin and bodycare collection deeply nourishes, helping to boost the skin’s ability to retain moisture.

Exfoliating Cleanser 

Rich Moisture Day Cream

Hydrating Shower Gel

Super Rich Body Butter 

Yes To Cucumbers, a collection of soothing products to calm reactive, irritated skin with organic cucumbers, anti-oxidant rich Green Tea and soothing Camomile. 

Soothing Eye Gel 

Calming Shower Gel 

Daily Calming Facial Moisturiser

To keep skin perfectly balanced, Yes To Tomatoes refreshing collection gives your skin everything it needs to function to the best of its ability.

Purifying Shower Gel - includes Tomatoes and Watermelon and Rosemary.

Selected products from the Yes To Carrots, Yes To Cucumbers and Yes To Tomatoes collections are available at Waitrose stores nationwide.

Umi Pomegranate & Acacia Honey Hand Cream

I picked this hand cream up as its ingredients were hard to resist and have been applying it overnight this winter.

The product claims to help soften skin and nourish, so no fancy claims just a general hand cream.

I would describe this as quite a light hand cream, more like the texture of a lotion,  but I don't really suffer from dry hands unless I do the washing up without gloves (post about that coming soon!). If you apply it during the day the effects seem to disappear after a while. For my requirements though it is just fine.

What I do love about this is that it is non greasy, absorbs easily and smells so beautifully and intensely sweet - so not great for those who don't like a sweet scent but good for those who do!

I think this is an excellent value hand cream and I would definitely repurchase.

Umi pomegranate & acacia honey hand cream is priced at £3 for 100 mls and is available to purchase from Waitrose stores and online at www.ocado.com

The Holiday Post - Venetian Riviera (Includes Waitrose Pure facial wipes review)

I was rather quiet last week, you wouldn't have needed to look far for me though - a short hop on a plane found me in Marco Polo Airport ready for my break in Lido De Jesolo. Although, the hours it took to get to the airport, check in and get onto said plane - I may as well have been heading to the other side of the world....

The week wasn't without incident, my little boy had a choking incident at the Airport Hotel we'd booked into the night before. I'd thought that each time he gagged when weaning and beyond that he was choking, I now know that real choking means silence. He turned blue and we knew it was serious. Springing into action I didn't notice the staff on the sidelines waiting to intervene if necessary, but I was aware of the lack of noise in the packed bar that evening.

He also burnt his finger on an exposed lightbulb in the hotel room and cried for me to "kiss it better". I can only imagine how much it hurt and stung. It only takes a second when you take your eyes off them.

The holiday was fab, I love Italy - Coffee, paninis, pizza and panna cotta - Mmmmmm.

Jesolo was perfect for relaxing - It had the sun, a great beach, children's playgrounds, crazy golf, bars and clubs both your cheesy themed ones and classy, sophisticated ones. Restaurants of all types and the ubiquitous waterpark.

A very easy 50 minute journey by bus and ferry and you find yourself in Venice. I have always wanted to visit and it didn't disappoint. The place is something like straight out of a film set, unreal. Looking back at the photographs it is just so pretty and unique.

You will find plenty of shops to cater for the shopaholics amongst you and oodles to see for the sightseer.  The sites are breathtaking and you do need to be fit to take in all those steps, so a little difficult if navigating a pushchair or similar. I just loved the place and it did remind me a little of Capri, another favourite of mine.

Unfortunately we didn't manage to ride a gondola but I guess this means I just have to return for a second visit.

Here are a few indulgent pictures of our trip:

Hundreds of intricate masks - absolutely stunning!

Nik & I on one of the many bridges in Venice.

A beautiful Venetian Gondola going under the Rialto Bridge

Enjoying a spritzer at the LP26 bar in Jesolo. Highly recommended!

And finally - my little boy playing by the pool!

So back to beauty - I wanted to travel light, mainly because I wanted to see if I could, afterall don't we always pack too much.... 

• Waitrose Pure facial wipes - £1.99 for 30 -  Review below...
  Wipes are a great idea for travelling light as they are meant to cleanse, tone and moisturise. I liked the idea of these as they claim to be suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin. Perfume and colour free with no unnecessary additives.
  
  Unfortunately the reality was rather different - I didn't like them at all and in fact threw them away at the end of the holiday despite some being left over. I found I had to wipe hard to remove all my make-up. It made my skin red and stung it, particularly around my nose and chin. Very disappointing.
  
  Next time I think I will decant my usual cleanser etc or purchase travel size versions.
  
• You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser - Benefit (See my review here.)
  
• Korres Colour Organic Face Primer (See my review here.)
  
• Benefit Boi-ing Industrial Concealer  (Review coming soon)
  
• OPI Nail Lacquer in Kyoto Pearl
  Gorgeous white pearly shade, looks fab with a bit of summer sun, exceptionally easy to apply.
  
• Gina K Bronzer
  A fantastic market find, always have great compliments when I wear this but no idea where to find it again....
  
• Estee Lauder Blusher in Sepia Passion
  My trusty friend but I am long overdue a new blusher plus this is no longer produced.
  
• Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara (See my review here.)
  In hindsight I possibly should have taken a non waterproof for extra glam in the evenings.
  
• Rimmel London Soft Kohl Eye Pencil - 021 Denim Blue
  Great Summer colour.
  
• Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Sand & Sea Eyeshadow Palette (2009 Ltd Edition)
  This was brilliant, took me from day to evening creating lots of different looks.
  
• Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss - Mochaboom (See my review here.)
  
• No7 Limited Edition Soft Matte Finish Lipstick - Nude Rebel (See my review here.)
  I cannot be parted from this!
  
  
• ...And finally (not pictured) - All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage (See my review here.)
  So cooling in the heat.

Umi Peach and Macadamia Nut Sugar Scrub

Waitrose have created a few own brand ranges and one of them is the Umi range.  The Waitrose website describes it as a range of exquisite toiletries. Umi combines natural, uplifting ingredients from food, plants and flowers in unique ways to indulge the body and ease the mind. With seductive aromas and sensual textures, this is a contemporary approach to beauty that satisfies the senses. Umi: luxury to inspire your soul.

 

I am always drawn to lush sounding products, particularly beauty and skincare with food in the description, so this very much appealed.  I recently tried the Peach and Macadamia Sugar Scrub from the range which promises rejuvenation.

It essentially looks like a jar of brown sugar grains and feels like it too but when I rubbed it into my wet skin, it went very slightly foamy and white and then slowly dissolved. 

It successfully removed any bumpy skin I had and left my body feeling silky soft and very smooth. I almost drifted away imagining I was having a spa treatment.  My bathroom was emitting the gorgeous scent so much so that when my husband walked past he asked me what that nice smell was.  I am not sure I was rejuvenated though..

I am looking forward to trying some more products from the range and if I can find a Waitrose that stocks the Umi Spa range featuring even more luscious sounding products then they will be finding their way into my shopping basket too!

All in all, a very nice sugar scrub costing £5 for 200g