Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum Review

Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum ReviewIn the years I have been a lifestyle writer I have rarely come across something that actually changes the texture of my skin, and rarer still to see a visible difference in just two days. Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Serum is this wonder product. My skin had been going through a rough patch when I started using it. I had had a breakout, was ill, red and blotchy. I am in my late twenties and noticed a faint line. I had never been unhappy with my skin so much. The night after I noticed a difference in my skin, by day two I was amazed at the difference, I have been using this for a few weeks now and there is a difference in the texture of my skin. My pores look like their are 16-years-old and my spots have completely cleared up, the line that was developing has been stopped in its tracks. I have sensitive skin and cannot normally use products that promise anti-aging or smaller pores but this serum did not irritate my skin.

This lightweight and refreshing overnight serum doesn’t just do what it says on the bottle, it does much more: product of the year. A must buy and for a product that works so well, and makes such a difference, it is a bargain £14.99.

They also don’t test on animals.

This is what Nib + Fab say:

Introducing Glycolic Fix Serum, an innovative overnight serum with 4% glycolic acid to retexture the skin’s appearance.

This highly effective formua contains powerful glycolic acid to smooth the appearance of fine lines + wrinkles while improving skin texture.

Designed with pore refining ingredient PoreAway, the size of pores are visibly reduced for a more refined, even looking complexion.

Glycolic Fix Serum contains:

  • 4% glycolic acid smoothes the appearance of fine lines + wrinkles
  • PoreAway minimises the appearance of enlarged pores
  • aloe vera soothes + calms

Glycolic Fix Serum can be bought here and from Boots and Selfridges.

New Doctor Who at Sparks Winter Ball

Jake Humphrey and Amanda Lamb co-hosted the Sparks Winter Ball to raise money for children’s medical research at Old Billingsgate on Thursday 5 December. New Dr Who, Peter Capaldi, was there and Denise Lewis, named the new Sparks President for 2014, also attended. We hope you raised lots of money guys.

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AWD_4971 AWD_5330Photo credit: JAB Promotions

Nicole Scherzinger & Fearne Cotton At The Cosmopolitan Awards

Nicole Scherzinger wore a stunning black outfit by British designer Amanda Wakeley to the Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women Of The Year Awards last night. Amanda Wakeley is one of Nicole’s favourite designers, having worn her dresses at the charity gala hosted by Eva Longoria and The Pride of Britain Awards also.

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Radio One DJ Fearne Cotton was wearing amazing demi couture designer Luisa Beccaria to the event – looking beautiful in metallic blue lace.

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Top Christmas Playlist: The Best Christmas Songs

We love Christmas: eating, drinking, presents, family, friends, and, of course, Christmas songs. It is a magical time of year so we have put together a Christmas playlist to get you in the mood. Merry Christmas! Have a good one.

christmas, christmas songs, christmas playlist, xmas

Bing Crosby – White Christmas

Slade – Merry Christmas Everyone

The Pogues – Fairy tale of New York

Judy Garland – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas?

Eartha Kitt – Santa Baby

Chris Rea – Driving Home For Christmas

Mel and Kim – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

John Lennon – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Jon Bon Jovi – Please Come Home For Christmas

Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmas Time

The Ronettes – I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Nat King Cole – The Christmas Song

Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You

Wham – Last Christmas

Mud – Lonely This Christmas

Bruce Springsteen – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Bing Crosby & David Bowie – The Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth

Nelson Mandela Dies Aged 95: His Greatest Quotes

Nelson Mandela, quote, quotes, death

Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Nelson Mandela was an eloquent, humble man who led South Africa from apartheid to democracy. An inspirational figure who fought for democracy, human rights and peace, here Frost pays tribute to him with his greatest quotes. Rest In Peace Mandela.

“One day I will be the first black president of South Africa.” In 1952

“Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.”

“I can’t help it if the ladies take note of me; I am not going to protest.”

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.”

“Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts.”

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.” On oppression in South Africa.

“I cannot and will not give any undertaking at a time when I, and you, the people, are not free. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.”

“Those who conduct themselves with morality, integrity and consistency need not fear the forces of inhumanity and cruelty.”

“In South Africa, to be poor and black was normal, to be poor and white was a tragedy.”

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. I felt fear myself more times than I can remember, but I hid it behind a mask of boldness. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

“I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man.”

“No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

“There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountain tops of our desires.”
– 21 September 1953. Presidential address to ANC conference.

“I have never regarded any man as my superior, either in my life outside or inside prison.”

“If I had my time over I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.”

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

“The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.”

“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.”

“Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.” In a letter to his wife, Winnie Mandela.

“It would be very egotistical of me to say how I would like to be remembered. I’d leave that entirely to South Africans. I would just like a simple stone on which is written ‘Mandela’.”

“Real leaders must be ready to sacrifice all for the freedom of their people.”

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination.”

“Between the anvil of united mass action and the hammer of the armed struggle we shall crush apartheid and white minority racist rule.”

“It always seems impossible until its done.”

“There will be life after Mandela. On my last day I want to know that those who remain behind will say: ‘The man who lies here has done his duty for his country and his people.'”

Interesting Video On How The Media Treated Women In 2013

We found this video from The Representation Project fascinating. Although women did well in 2013, this video shows that we still have a way to go. Let’s hope for better things in 2014.

What do you think?

In Pursuit of the Perfect Winter Boots

ShopStyle.com unearths the definitive trends for you, revealing the must-have items for the month

finding the perfect boots

Each month ShopStyle, the web’s premier fashion search engine, will reveal a trend that has featured high up, or has made a surprise jump on the search term list. Sian O’Flaherty SHOPSTYLE’s resident Online Shopping Specialist will also offer a lesson in fashion terminology with a glossary of monthly ‘it’ words to help you hone in on that trend.

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It may come as no surprise that over-the-knee, chelsea, knee-high, cut-out and thigh high boots fall in the top search terms this month. Whether it’s burgundy studded leather or moss-green suede, the casual boot is the most coveted footwear staple for autumn/winter 2013.

Sian says “When hunting online for your must-have winter boots try not to panic buy a pair that won’t last the season, yes sorry, that means no Rita Ora style patent thigh-highs please. With so much variety on the market there is something to suit everyone; tall or short, slim or curvy. But before you get booted up, make sure you consider the style, fabric and hue to ensure you choose a style that will help complement your figure.

“Traditionally, knee-high or over-the-knee styles look great on taller women. When wearing either of these styles, try to keep the rest of your outfit simple so your boots make a statement. Shorter women should opt for an ankle or mid-calf length boot to keep their proportions in check.”

Glossary:

In order to track down the right winter boots for you, Sian O’Flaherty has developed a list of terms that will make your fashion shopping experience a whole lot simpler.

“Fashion vernacular is something of a minefield for most of us. Unless your name is Anna Wintour how can you be expected to know what a ‘chunky palladium boot’ is supposed to look like? When we analyse search terms we can see that entering a variety of terms can give fashion hunters the best results. Here are some words of wisdom that will help you think on your feet and hone in on the trend of the month.”

Cuban heel boots have an androgynous style and historically feature in men’s boots. It’s a classic that will take you from one season to next, and looks great with skirts or skinny jeans.

Thigh-high styles are fairly obvious; a flat style can look classy with a wool miniskirt or tartan kilt. I would recommend investing financially if you’re thinking of buying this style, there’s a lot of fabric involved, and so make sure it doesn’t look poor quality.

Riding boots are usually knee high, classic brown or black equestrian style. If you’re channelling a Made In Chelsea style country weekend escape or a trip to the polo, these are the boots for you.

Chelsea boots are a classic, and possibly the most versatile of all the winter boots. They originated in the Victorian era and were used predominantly for horse riding, characterised by its elasticated siding. Investment piece alert!

Cut-out is a style ‘it phrase’ that’s been thrown around frequently of late, but this boot style is exactly that, cut out leather showing your tights or socks underneath. These are best worn with a party dress on a night out.

Biker boots are not as scary as you might think, they are usually flat and have decorative feature like buckles. If your search isn’t locating exactly what you want, try biker, they are not exclusive to hells angels, yummy mummies also look fab in these.

Palladium is equally on-trend in fashion slang this season; a throwback from the 90’s, they come with a chunky rubber sole and usually a chunky heel; we’re seeing lots in velvet this season. Give this a go and hopefully you’ll find ‘the one’.

What will you buy?

An Independent Scotland – The Implications For Savers And Investors

·         Cost of financial services will increase, leading to poorer returns for all

·         Diverging tax and regulatory systems will create complexity for all

·         Better state pensions for Scots

·         Potential investment and savings arbitrage opportunities in the longer term

Following the publication of the Scottish Nationalist manifesto for separation between England and Scotland yesterday http://www.scotreferendum.com/reports/scotlands-future-your-guide-to-an-independent-scotland/ , here are a few thoughts on what it might mean for savers and investors.

Duplicate institutions, duplicate systems, more complexity

Tom McPhail, Head of PeScottish flag, scottish independencensions Research ‘As well as the obvious costs of all these duplicate institutions, there is the un-quantified and potentially far greater cost of having to do everything twice. Every bank, insurance company, financial adviser and investment manager North and South of the border will have to invest huge sums of money in running duplicate systems and training their employees to deal with two different regimes; to take just one simple example, if a customer wants to know what rate of pension tax relief they are entitled to, the answer will depend on whether they live in Carlisle or up the road in Dumfries.’

‘This all has a cost to investors North and South of the border; in simple terms a Yes vote would mean poorer returns in the future on ISAs and Pensions due to higher administration costs.’

An independent Scotland would look to create its own financial institutions. It is hard to say exactly what they would all cost; they would be smaller than their English counterparts but equally they would suffer many of the same fixed costs. Here are some of the duplicates the manifesto looks to create, together with the current cost of their UK versions:

·         Financial Conduct Authority £432 million

·         Pensions Regulator £49 million

·         NEST pension scheme £240 million

·         Pension Protection Fund £35 million

Better state pensions for Scots

Scots are being promised a state pension £1.10 higher than the planned new single tier state pension from 2016. Based on current average pension benefits and costs, we estimate this would cost an additional £52 million a year to deliver.

It is also being proposed that the planned increase to the state pension age to 67 could be delayed North of the border. Under UK legislation it is planned to increase from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. Based on previous research from the NIESR and the PPI, we estimate that this could cost the new Scottish government £1 billion.

Potential investment and savings arbitrage opportunities in the longer term

Danny Cox, Head of Financial Planning ‘For now, investors should carry on making as much use of their tax exempt investment allowances as they can; it has been confirmed that existing arrangements would be honoured North of the border in the future. A change to tax rules in the future could open up the possibility for investors to capitalise on preferential investment terms in one jurisdiction compared to the other, or perhaps seeing people move to benefit from preferential inheritance tax rules.’

A vote for separation might unsettle the markets but we don’t expect to see any significant volatility

A fully independent Scottish government would have complete freedom to vary income, capital gains and corporation tax rates. In the longer term we could see companies relocating North or South, and people changing residence to take advantage of preferential personal taxation opportunities. Estate agents, tax advisers and lawyers should all prosper in this new regime.