Madame LA LA Introduces Pop-Up Self-Tanning Bar To Selfridges London…

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Madame LA LA is introducing a pop-up Self -Tanning Bar to Selfridges.

Located in the luxury department store’s Beauty Workshop from August 10-16, the Madame LA LA team will be offering on-the-spot tanning and skin prepping with a focus on the face and décolletage.

They will also be delivering ten minute self-tan masterclasses on pre-tanning preparation and how to achieve a ‘half-body’ look.

Products used will be the brand’s new West Coast Bronzing Serum (£28) with coco water and green tea and Madame LA LA Tan (£36), a lightweight mousse tan perfector with aloe.

One-to-one sessions with the Madame LA LA team are available in-store from August 10-16 as well as free customer demos.

www.madamelala.com
@madamelalauk

Christmas Gift Guide For The Fashion Junkie

Here are some top presents for the fashion junkie in your life.

 

We love these ASOS.com Knicker Shorts in Jewel Sequins: £45.00
asos christmas

Nothing adds style like a good coat. Who even cares what you are wearing underneath. Karen Millen Tweed Coat: £275 from Selfridges

Karen Millen tweed coat

This beautiful Mint Velvet Cable Knit Jumper from John Lewis is perfect for Christmas and beyond. £59

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The matchesfashion.com sale continues! Shop part two now with up to 50% off the best international designers including Chloé, Givenchy, Valentino, Stella McCartney and Dolce & Gabbana. We love this Peter Pilotto dress was £756 Now £529 Save 30%
 Peter Pilotto Eva panelled-print dress

fashion fashion

French Connection have 50% off. We love this Belle Boucle Wool Coat £140.

 

Belle-Boucle-Wool-Coat

House of Fraser has up to 40% off including 15% off Beauty. We love these Jane Norman Metallic Contrast Heel Sandals. £35

 Jane Norman Metalic contrast heel sandals

Great wool gilet by Josh & Nicol

great wool gilet by Josh & Nicol

Shibumi for dressing down and relaxing, we love this decadent cashmere dressing gown. What a perfect way to spend Christmas day. Available in five colourways – Wedgewood, Imperial Red, Eau de Nil, Crimson Red and Verdigris, the dressing gown is £225 and comes in small, medium and large. Gowns are normally £225 but are currently on a special Christmas price of £180.

fashion

Designer and owner Ruth Guise says “I want to provide women with pieces that look and feel fantastic – and last beyond a trend. ” Born into a family of creatives and tailors. Her grandmother was a couture dressmaker, and Ruth spent her childhood watching and learning how to create a chic dress from a simple piece of fabric.

A fully bespoke service is also available.

Shibumi is available online at www.shibumistyle.com and at shows and events across the UK.

 

Firetrap shredded Shoulder Biker Jacket (£119) www.firetrap.com
shreddedjacket
Scandale Sirene The Dress (£60) Amazon.com
scandale dress
Dior houndstooth skirt (£99) www.enamoda.com

e&adior

 

What do you think?

Christmas Gift Guide For The Beauty Junkie

Dynamo House Red Tea Skincare

Dynamo House Red Yea Skincare, christmas

Red Tea natural skin therapy products have 50 times the anti-oxidant properties than other products. Perfectly suited for any skin type and will improve your skin conditions.

 

E Body Spa Collection

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This great collection lets you care for your body naturally without harmful cleansers. We love the face cleansing mitt, eye cleansing pad, hair turban and luxury hand towel.They also have micro-dry technology. They make you more beautiful and are environmentally friendly.

ZAO Make Up

ZAO Makeup The Bamboo packaging is not only beautiful and sustainable, it is brilliantly designed to be a refillable makeup line. Making it environmentally friendly and economical. We love the pearly eye shadow and mascara. They use 100% natural, organic and fair trade ingredients and all powders are talc free. Available from notonthehighstreet.com

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Nip & Fab 10 Years Younger Set From ASOS

Nip & Fab

Colour Wow 3 Piece Root Cover Up Collection From QVC

Colour Wow set. Christmas gifts

We love Colour Wow. Those of us who dye our hair love the root touch up. It really works and saves money. Three-piece root cover-up protection by Colour Wow. Features a root cover-up, a Colour Security shampoo and a Colour Security conditioner. Colour Wow helps your hair colour remain flawless and vibrant between salon colour treatments.

 

Urban Fudge Hair Colour

Fudge hair chalk

This brilliant hair chalk lets you temporarily colour your hair. And you can buy the ice white chalk if you want the colour to look pastel. It makes your hair look funky and is easy to use.  Available from Superdrug. Great stocking filler.

Elemis Indulgent Treasure Collection Set From John Lewis

 Elemis set. christmasPamper yourself with this Elemis set of indulgent treats specifically formulated to leave you feeling deeply relaxed, restored and with intensely moisturised skin.

 

Bourjois Summer Lovin Set From Very.co.uk

bourjois christmas gift

Okay it is not summer, it is actually winter, and cold. But who would not want this set in their Christmas stocking?

 

Glo Minerals Lipstick. Available in lots of colours. Glō minerals use only pure pharmaceutical grade minerals and anti-oxidants chosen by dermatologists. They have a powerful antioxidant blend of Vitamins A,C,E and green tea extract

Lipstick_ spiced rum_ __15 - glominerals

 

 

Benefit’s Confessions of a Concealaholic From Debenhams

Benefit’s Confessions of a Concealaholic

 

Dove Real Women Gift Pack From Boots. A great bag filled with great products.

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HD Brows Foxy Eye & Brow Palette. Perfect for eyes and brows. 

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Stila Convertible Colour Lip and Cheek Palette From Selfridges

stila

Stila Convertible Colour Lip and Cheek Palette is sure to have you blushing this Christmas with a gorgeous mixture of 5 core and limited edition shades. A must have.

Ultradex

ultradex

Great, handy and practical stocking fillers, the recalcifying & whitening daily oral rinse and toothpaste are great, The oral spray is an essential during Christmas social situations.

For The Boys….

Nspa Men’s Duo Set From ASDA

nspamen

Scaramouche & Fandango Sh & Cd. Great Shampoo and Conditioner for Men.

SF_Shampoo

Real Gents keep it clean with detoxing shea butter and black quinoa to remove excess oils and dirt from the hair. Keravis protein keeps hair strong and healthy, protecting against day-to-day pollution.

SF_Conditioner

Like milk for your bones, Keravis helps strengthen the hair making it look and feel strong, soft and smooth. Apply straight after shampooing to give hair the boost it needs whilst protecting it from the elements.

What are you going to get for your loved one?

Frost Shopping Challenge: Finding The Perfect Jeans

buying perfect jeans. Selfridge jeans loungI hate shopping. It is so stressful and I find it hard to find clothes that fit me. It is pretty stressful too. So I teamed up with Sure to do the Sure Maximum Protection heat fresh challenge. Using their Everyday Fresh fragrance in their Sure Maximum Protection range. I went to find the perfect pair of jeans from Selfridge’s fancy denim section.

Selfridges denim section is jean lover heaven. A range of jeans from £9 to £260 is available, and there is also an interactive section where you can search for jeans and even put price range and style in. It makes the difficulty of buying jeans easy.

I don’t want the £9 Primark jeans so that is already out. I also don’t want to spend over £150 on a pair of jeans as that just seems obscene. It is pretty stressful to find a pair of reasonably priced, good-quality jeans.

I scour the shelves and look at every pair. I go to the interactive section and they only have a number of jeans in the colour (black) and style (straight) that I want. This is becoming stressful. Thankfully, I don’t break out into a sweat. I see an American Apparel pair of jeans. They are black, £69 and skinny. I have a mixed relationship with skinny jeans. Not everyone looks good in them and I think I might be one of those people. I head to the American Apparel counter and try the jeans on. The staff stand outside the changing room and ask my endless questions. I feel uncomfortable but still have not broken a sweat.

beauty review, beauty, magazine, sure maximum protection, magazine

I try the jeans on and, finally!, a pair of jeans that look good quality and they fit! They are proper skinny jeans but thankfully all of the stress of moving and the no sugar diet I am on has worked to my benefit.

I have my jeans and I am happy. I love my new jeans and have been wearing them to death. And thanks to my review of Sure’s Everyday Fresh fragrance I was cool when the heat was on.

Sure Maximum Protection is twice as strong as the leading antiperspirant. The new Everyday Fresh fragrance is out now, lasts for 48 hours and is available from Boots and other leading retailers. £5.10 approx. The antiperspirant lasts for ages and it really works. The best antiperspirant I have ever used.

 

Frost’s Valentine’s Day Special

So it is that time of year again, where the lovers of the world show each other how they feel. Gift buying can be a nightmare so Frost has put together a guide.

You cannot go wrong with The Body Shop. They do not test on animals and always have great products. They do excellent gift sets and underwear may be a cliche but most women love something from La Senza.

Perfume is something that pretty much all women love. Get some at halfpriceperfumes.co.uk and then take your other half out for a meal with the money you save.

Shoes are the way to a women’s heart, and men are partial to them too. There are some beautiful shoes at zalando.co.uk

Get some excellent grooming products for the man in your life from mankind.co.uk

uk.loccitane.com products are classy and smell divine. I buy their hand creams for the people I love in my life.

Fifty Shades of Grey is still selling like hotcakes and it might get your women in the mood. No, not that one, the good one. You can get her the book on Christian Grey or some other erotic books from Amazon.co.uk.

Benefit Cosmetics are sassy, cool and well packaged, and that is before you even use the product. Perfect for the wow factor.

Forget the Valentine’s Day clichés, if you’re looking to ignite your lover’s imagination this year, then the Kobo Mini eReader is the perfect gift, at just £59.99 from WH Smith.

Proving that great gifts come in small packages, the Kobo Mini is the world’s smallest and most stylish eReader currently on the market. Preload your lover’s Kobo Mini with romantic poetry and love stories to truly get hearts racing – and with over 3 million ebooks to choose from and one million that are absolutely FREE, the Kobo Mini is a thoughtful gift that’s sure to seal the deal.

Coming with a 5” screen and device that holds over 1,000 ebooks, the Kobo Mini perfectly slips into a clutch bag or jacket pocket. Available in either black or white, you can customise your eReader by choosing from Kobo’s selection of signature quilted back interchangeable back covers that come in a selection of colours, designed for comfort.

Other great gifts include the Kobo Glo eReader – which comes with front-light, and Kobo Arc – Kobo’s new tablet which comes with tapestries to hold all your favourites so you can easily find them on the interface.

The Kobo Mini is available from WH Smith at £59.99 and all good retailers.

With Valentine’s Day coming up, award winning online marketplace notonthehighstreet.com is helping people make a truly meaningful romantic gesture this February with their innovative #Tweetheart campaign.

 

From today, anyone can tweet a romantic message (or comment on the notonthehighstreet.com Facebook page) using the #Tweetheart tag, along with their declaration of love, and notonthehighstreet.com will select five messages to bring to life with teams of musicians and artists in London.

• Five winners will receive a bespoke ‘live gift’ sent wherever in London the lucky recipient is to be found, whether in their office, at a restaurant or walking in the park.
• Specially selected acts will work with notonthehighstreet.com to create a surprise tailored to the content of the selected tweet or Facebook entry.
• notonthehighstreet.com will record the ‘live gift’ to create a lasting, romantic memento for the winers.
• #tweetheart follows on from 2012’s successful campaign with popular duo The Coopers.

The Itchy Feet Dance Academy: Thursday 14th February, Valentine’s event at Concrete, Shoreditch

WHAT: An evening of vintage dance lessons, pizza and cocktails to the sound of rock n roll, rhythm and blues and swing. Sure to get your feet moving, Itchy Feet dance instructors will be on site to teach you toe-tapping moves to dance the night away without the pressure of bright lights and the dreaded dance studio. Professional cocktail makers will be on hand to help you pluck up the courage to take what you’ve learnt to the floor and let your moves do the talking. You can also win prizes through a series of dance competitions during the night and raid a giant dressing up box to get you into the spirit.

WHERE: Concrete (under Pizza East), 56 Shoreditch High Street, East London, E1 6JJ

WHEN: Thursday 14th February 2013, 7.30pm till 1am

WHO: Itchy Feet’s resident DJ, Leo Bedford, will be playing a mix of rock n roll, blues and swing throughout the night. Itchy Feet dance instructors will be hosting a 90-minute dance lesson in a laidback venue to get hips swinging and souls beating.

TICKETS: Tickets are priced at £14 each or £25 per couple, which includes buffet pizza and dance lesson. For those wanting to just join the after party, post dance lessons and food, tickets cost £5. Buy tickets at http://buytickets.at/itchyfeet/7104.



Set Hearts Racing this Valentine’s with Sumptuous Sharing Steaks and Flirty Cocktails at Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar

This Valentine’s Day satisfy your and your loved one’s heart’s desires with a unique Sharing Steaks menu and selection of bespoke, amorous ~Ish Gin cocktails available at Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar. Located on the banks of the river Thames it is the perfect spot for romance.

Gillray’s own Executive Chef Gareth Bowen will be lovingly preparing a trio of 1kg, hand selected sharing steaks for you and your loved one to choose from and devour, all served with roasted cherry vine tomatoes, Portobello mushrooms and a choice of sauces.

Choose from the Chateaubriand 35 day dry aged Angus Beef Fillet steak, priced at £90 for two, Skirt Steak servedsliced from 35 day dry aged Angus Beef Plate steak, renowned for its flavour and priced at £40, or Gillray’s own signature Bull’s Head double rib chop, priced at £55. A selection of sides sourced from the finest producers in England including truffle and Old Winchester chips, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Hazelnuts and Yorkshire Blue and Chili Roasted Local Squash.

The team at Gillray’s Bar has partnered with the London Dry ~Ish Gin to create an exclusive collection of cocktails – the prefect libations to inspire an evening of flirty romance, either as an aperitif or nightcap.

The selection includes:

Provocative – £10

~Ish Gin lusciously combined with velvet falernum and elderflower cordial, served with a scoop of champagne and elderflower sorbet

Stiletto – £10

~Ish Gin in a naughty combination with apple liqueur, fresh lemon juice a scoop of bramley apple sorbet

Chocolat~Ish £20 (to share)

A spicy combination of ~Ish Gin, red chilli tincture, dark & milk chocolate liqueurs and a touch of cayenne pepper, served in a tall martini glass

The Sharing Steaks Menu is available from Monday 11 – Sunday 17 February.

The ~Ish Gin collection of cocktails is available throughout February.

An English steakhouse of the finest design, Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar pays homage to top quality beef. The menu features nine cuts of steak, with the Bull’s Head – weighing in at an incredible 1000g – at its helm, whilst the bar offers a selection of no less than 39 English gins.

Also available are a range of in-house gin infusions and tinctures including blood orange, cardamom and mandarin and fennel seed. Non-gin drinkers can choose from ten English beers, six English vodkas and a selection of the finest English wines.

Offering a sophisticated and stylish Thames-side destination, with stunning views over the illuminated Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, there is simply no better place to enjoy English gin with a touch of vintage glamour.

Want a testosterone boost without an expensive injection?

Nature’s Plus T MALE puts the ‘super’ back into man

It’s all over the news – an increasing number of men are looking to Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) to boost their flagging sex drives and inject some energy into their day.

Stressful careers, overindulgence and poor nutrition are all contributing to burnt out men, leading many to go to the extreme of having expensive testosterone injections. If you are looking for a injection of testosterone without a needle then why not try Nature’s Plus T MALE? The unique formula can be taken in tablet form and the all-natural ingredients mean you don’t have to worry about any of the unwanted side effects that can be associated with TRT.

High potency zinc found in Nature’s Plus T MALE aids maintenance of healthy, natural testosterone concentrations in men. Zinc supports fertility, while vitamin B6 reduces tiredness and fatigue and assists the regulation of hormonal activity. T MALE also provides the body with selenium, which offers nutritional support for normal sperm production (spermatogenesis) and calcium, another key mineral for the production of testosterone.

 

“GO ON, BREAK UP THIS VALENTINE’S DAY” – IT’S THE ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY!

One in ten (15%) people have broken up with a loved one around Valentine’s Day, according to new research by Nationwide Building Society*. But the Society says “breaking up is not always a bad thing.”

“It all depends on the relationship and what you want to get out of it. If your relationship is not working, then change is not always a bad thing. For example, this Valentine’s Day we are encouraging those who have been let down by their bank or have a bad financial services relationship, to make the split and switch their current account to us, as we are a building society we do not have shareholders to satisfy we can focus on our customers.

 

 

Løv Organic loose leaf Rose tea, packaged in an eye-catching pink reusable tin, is the ideal blend of luxury, fun and romance this Valentine’s Day. The black China tea is lightly scented with organic rose blossoms for a wonderfully delicate flavour. The perfect present, it is available at John Lewis and Selfridges priced from £8.99.
www.lov-organic.com

Celebrate the 14th by indulging in a selection of Cocomaya’s exquisite chocolates and artisan cakes and biscuits. Heart-shaped all-butter shortbread biscuits (from £2.50-£3.00 apiece) come wrapped in beautiful packaging to make for the perfect present. For an intimate gift, create a bespoke Name Bar with white, milk or dark chocolate and finish it off with a sprinkle of glitter or personalised decoration, a quirky way to spell out your love. www.cocomaya.co.uk.

Give Your Man Morning Glory this Valentine’s Day

Make Your Valentine’s Day Go With a Bang with Rude Health’s Naughty Breakfast Range

Recent health studies show that when it comes to getting your man in the mood this Valentine’s Day it really is all about having your oats, and leading cereal maker Rude Health has the perfect recipe to put the passion into your Valentine’s Day breakfast.

The most common cause for not having sex is because people are too tired, with one in three married Brits even saying sex has become a chore. Well, top independent food producer Rude Health, which is stocked in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, has come up with the perfect solution to keep Britain in the mood this Valentine’s Day with its energy boosting Morning Glory porridge.

Porridge oats are rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals that are known to affect how we feel. These include: zinc, vitamin B6, iron, folic acid, calcium and magnesium to name a few. It is reported that a single serving of porridge oats contains 17% of the required daily intake of zinc, therefore making porridge the perfect answer for sustaining you for longer in bed.

So forget the champagne, oysters and chocolate, make sure you feed your man a hearty bowl of Rude Health’s porridge to make your Valentine’s Day go with a bang.

Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard said: “At Rude Health we produce food that gives you enough energy to stay in rude health all day.

“We’ve always maintained that you should breakfast like a king and it’s interesting to see that most Britons now cite being too tired to have sex. Start your day with a bowl of porridge and you’ll get all the energy you need for morning activities of any kind.”

Pixengo: New iPhone App helps men deliver on Valentine’s Day

Looking for the perfect way to say “I love you” to your girlfriend or wife this Valentine’s Day? Are you too skint to buy a card or just too lazy to drive to the shop and buy one? Perhaps you’re inept enough to forget the date completely and spend the day frantically trying to arrange that ‘surprise’ gift or trip.

Fortunately, there is now a new way to send your loved one a Valentine’s Day message. It takes just a few minutes and doesn’t cost a penny.

Pixengo, an innovative new App for the iPhone available to download from iTunes, is FREE and allows you to add thoughts and emotions to still images by fusing them with 30 second sound bites. Record a funny message, whisper sweet nothings or even propose if you are brave. Let your photos do the talking!

Pixengo means you can send personalised Valentine’s Day greetings to your partner. Capture a photo using the App or select an existing one from your camera roll – perhaps one of you, a screenshot of the flowers you forgot to buy or the necklace you ‘definitely’ ordered that hasn’t turned up yet. If you want to enhance the image Pixengo comes complete with special creative tools and filters.

Add a recording and share privately (or publicly!) via your Pixengo stream, email, Facebook or Twitter with the one you love. If you mess up you can rerecord, simple.

Lucky recipients see the photo, click on a play button to listen to the sound clip and have the option to like or comment. They can view ‘Pixengos’ in a web browser on their mobile or a computer; they do not need the App.

Although some might see Pixengo as a get out of jail free card it actually complements traditional gifts brilliantly, earning brownie points for gentlemen who remember and prepare for Valentine’s Day in advance.

For instance, if you’ve arranged a surprise trip why not send your partner a Pixengo clue? Or a picture of the intimate dinner you’ve laid out for when they return from work, complete with a seductive message? Pixengo allows you to add the finishing touch to what will hopefully be a perfect Valentine’s Day.

Check out our examples (click on the play icon in the top left hand corner to hear the clip):

The mankini (it’s exactly how it sounds): http://new.pixengo.com/p/18GD7CM
A romantic dinner (not a brilliant effort!): http://new.pixengo.com/p/18GD5PA

Sealed with a kiss this Valentines at Flavour No5 Cavendish Sq

London’s hottest new restaurant offering

Wine, dine and impress your Valentine at the exclusive restaurant, Flavour at the beautiful and opulent No5 Cavendish Sq overlooking the picturesque views of Cavendish Square – the perfect backdrop for a romantic evening.

Exclusively for Valentine’s Day, Flavour at No5 Cavendish Sq are offering an exceptional Valentine’s dining package which includes a six course tasting menu lovingly prepared by Jamie Oliver trained chefs and a complimentary glass of prosecco complete with romantic background music to get you in the mood for love!

Pre-booking is recommended – for reservations please call Flavour at No5 Cavendish Sq on 0207 079 5003. Price per person is £35. For more information visit www.no5cavendishsq.com

Valentine’s Day Set 6 Course Dinner Menu 2013

Starters

Bruschetta of buffalo Mozzarella with smashed peas and broad beans in fused with lemon and mint dressing

Warm salad of wood pigeon with frisée, mâché, cranberries and raspberry and thyme dressing

Mains

Six hour porchetta with roast onion purée confit baby carrots, grilled baby leeks and fennel with calvados jus

Gnocchi with shiitake, oyster and portobello mushrooms in thyme cream sauce

Deserts

Wild strawberry fool

Chocolate, orange and pistachio semifreddo with candied orange

No5 Cavendish Sq are also offering diners who wish to continue the romance into the night a special room rate of £208 including breakfast and complimentary upgrade subject to availability.

On 14th, 15th and 16th February No5 Cavendish Sq are including a bottle of prosecco and chocolate covered strawberries with any hotel room bookings.

YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A…. NATURAL APHRODISIAC

ONE of the last remaining tea producers in Britain, Higher Living is described as ‘the Rolls-Royce of tea’ and has firmly established itself as a leading expert in the world of herbal tea.

So much so in fact, that not only are the 23 blends 100% organic and extremely tasty, but three of them possess the natural ingredients needed to light up your Valentine’s night.

While some turn to alcohol to accompany a romantic evening, the health conscious and tee-total may have been lacking in assistance with sensual gusto… Well not anymore.

One for the ladies, Fennel is notably high in phytoestrogens, natural estrogen-like chemicals found in plants. In fact, in the 1930’s, fennel was considered to be used as a source for synthetic estrogen*. Ladies’, slip into something more comfortable and get the kettle on!

Chillies can fire you up in more ways than one. They contain the chemical capsaicin that can induce the release of endorphins to create a temporary high. Capsaicin also speeds up the metabolism and increases circulation, responses that are similar to those experienced when being intimate*.

One for the guys, Licorice has been used in ancient China for its love and lust provoking properties*. Research has revealed that the secret to Licorice could be the smell itself as it has shown to stimulate the male libido in a number of scientific studies**.

Higher Living Tea is priced from £1.99 RRP and available to buy from Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic and Whole Foods.

Cornish Red mugs for Valentine’s Day

A pair of personalised Cornishware striped mugs make an unusual gift to say ‘I love you’ on Valentine’s Day. The two mugs come in a handsome striped gift box for £30 including p&p (+ £1.00 per letter for up to 12 characters on each mug) from Cornishware makers T.G.Green’s online shop. www.tggreen.co.uk Last orders for bespoke mugs is 10th February.

Sexy, Fun and Outright Awesome Valentines Day Gift ideas from Desire and Pleasure

Valentines Day is a time to show the one you love just how much you love them and what better way than getting up close and personal and taking things into the bedroom for some after hours fun!

This Valentines Day, unleash your inner sexual desires with the help of Desire and Pleasure and this range of sexy, fun products to try…

Dim the lights, start the fire and keep warm this winter whilst making signature Belvedere cocktails in the comfort of your own home.

Cosy up with your loved one and induce your creative juices this Valentine’s Day by making and drinking your very own Belvedere Cupid’s Bow. Served in a classic Martini glass, the easy to make cocktail is made with delightful splashes of simple syrup, lemon juice and half a dozen fresh raspberries – a real boost of sweet ingredient’s that can be enjoyed in true Belvedere style.


Belvedere Cupid’s Bow Recipe

50ml / 2 oz Belvedere Pure Vodka
15ml / ¼ oz Simple Syrup
20ml / ½ oz Lemon Juice
6 Raspberries
Dash Egg White

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a raspberry.

To push your mixology skills even further, try your luck at also making the Belvedere Skinny Swizzle and Belvedere Grapefruit Caipiroska. Please find images and recipes attached for your use (further Belvedere bottle imagery available on request).

For the full range of signature Belvedere cocktail recipes, please visit http://www.belvederevodka.com/browse-drinks.

What’s more, all profits made from sales on Desire and Pleasure are used to support the invaluable sexual health charity work of the FPA (Family Planning Association).

Check out these amazing umbrellas from Fulton. My favourite are the ones from Cath Kidston and Lulu Guinness

Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 vintage, £120

Champagne Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 was created more than 25 years ago by Mr Nicolas Feuillatte, as a tribute to an opera diva he once met in New York, where he was living at the time. With its sensual shape and honeycombed sides that capture the light to magnificent effect, Palmes d’Or Rosé 2005 Vintage makes the perfect drink to celebrate Valentine’s Day with extravagance and lavishness.

Available at John Lewis online.

Champagne Brut Rosé, £30

Salmon pink with silver tints, this sublime Champagne works from starter to dessert. Thanks to the large proportion of Pinot Noir grapes in the blend it offers up aromas of blueberry, blackcurrant and raspberry. Refreshingly dry, but with enough flavour to pair it with food, a chilled bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Rosé will be the ideal Champagne offer or to simply enjoy with friends on 14th February 2013.

Available at John Lewis Stores and John Lewis online.

The historical shopping store Selfridges has some excellent gifts. Clothes, make up and perfume all under one roof. There is nothing they do not sell, even fridges. (boom, boom)

Handmade from QVC this Valentine’s Day

“Spread a little bit of love on Valentine’s day and send all of your favourite people a Valentines card to let them know how much they mean to you. Happy Crafting!” – Stephanie Weightman, QVC’s Craft Expert

Fed up with the usual roses and shop-bought cards on Valentine’s Day? Why not get crafty to show your loved one just how special they are? Decorate the house, a card or simply create individual jewellery with love. Be thoughtful and creative this Valentine’s Day with QVC.

Martha Stewart Enchanted Heart Large Double Punch

Item number,  501115, QVC price £17.75

This upright punch creates crisp, perfectly shaped cut-outs. Great for decorating Valentine’s Day cards, scrapbook pages, party favours, or custom gift tags.

Martha Stewart Set of 12 Glitter Paints

Item number,  590909, QVC price £23.25

 

Features a collection of glitter paints in a variety of vibrant colours. Perfect for all craft painting techniques, including brush painting and detailing, sponging, stencilling, stamping and lots more.

Set of 5 Hearts & Sentiments Stencils

Item number, 590488. QVC price, £13.00

These stainless steel stencils are ideal for use as dry embossing templates for embossing on paper, scrapbook embossing and embossing with paste, as well as using for tracing and stencilling. Add another dimension to your paper crafts with this set.

Set of 60 Mini Rose Buds

Item number, 502148. QVC price, £9.50

 

Features bunches of mini rose buds in beige, peach, red, dusky pink and raspberry shades. Add a beautiful dimension to your Valentine’s Card making with these stunning fabric rosebuds, wire stemmed to allow perfect positioning.

Londoner's LIfe 20 – By Phil Ryan

Ah the London January sales! This year they have an added importance in that according to figures they may be the last big spend before austerity 2012 is completely with us all and we have to start rooting through bins courtesy of George Osborne and his millionaire pals. However getting Londoners to give up conspicuous shopping is akin to getting fish to give up water so don’t hold your breath on the collapse of the high streets just yet. So after re-adjusting to the fact that the great vague days were finally over and I could leave the twilight zone days of Christmas behind me I headed into Town. My local Council have opted for the most pathetic decorations this year – basically about ten bare bulbs and some decaying green glitter from last year blu tacked to it – giving the entire high street the appearance of a walk in STD clinic with slightly less cheer. As usual for the holiday period I had lost track of which day it actually was – constantly checking my blackberry for re-assurance. Not that which day it was mattered technically. Everything shuts or opens incomprehensibly in London at this festive time especially our superb Transport network (this year I think they were trying a ‘use your legs replacement service’ approach). The surprise strikes from the unions seem eminently reasonable as they always are at this time EVERY SINGLE year without fail. Struggling by on a £40,000 plus salary with free travel must be a drag. And I do see that working on a day you don’t fancy is a bit of a pain. But didn’t they sign up for it when they started or are their working days a pick and mix job for them? Sweet huh? Usually I support unions but this lot are now officially beyond a greedy joke. Not I might add that I have any warm feelings to the bozos that allegedly run TFL (including I might add a lot of them on hundreds of thousands of pounds to run a lousy and uncoordinated service) That all said after just twenty three handy and in no way inconvenient changes by way of Cardiff I found myself at Bond Street tube.

A friend had invited me to meet for tea and somehow just to kill some time I found myself wandering through some shops on my way there. In a sale! Oh my god. House of Fraser looked like a scene from a Bosch painting. Grim faced loons squashed together like battery chickens rummaging through masses of ugly jumpers and shirts that are only in fashion during a total eclipse. Lines of ever grimly smiling staff carefully re-folding everything a matter of minutes later. The only thing missing were bare buttocked devils gouting fire from their eyes although I think I saw a few queuing up at the Calvin Klein concession. Still in shock I made the terrible decision to pop into HMV in Oxford Street where the staff had dropped all pretence at being anything but hacked off. Two wardrobes in shirts saying security kept bellowing “Don’t block the aisles it’s a safety hazard MOVE PLEASE MOVE it’s all about SAFETY” and glaringly waving their walkie talkies around like surrogate light sabres. The counters were manned by gimlet eyed dudes who at least seemed quite chilled when they took your money although they did all have a glassy rohipnol look about them. I suspect they’d been given something. But my favourites were the harassed looking shelf re-stockers. No sooner had they ripped open a box of whatever the manic punters gathered behind them were after they would hiss loudly “Please wait until we have put them onto the shelves” presumably muttering the words “you ravenous mindless scum” under their breath judging by their pained expressions. I saw a crowd six deep virtually slobbering as for some odd reason they waited patiently behind a makeshift nylon tape barrier as some Harry Potter boxed sets of DVD’s appeared. There was a surge for goodness sake. A surge. Some grinning HMV manager kept shouting only a few left. Which quite frankly just fanned the flames. But it clearly gave him a thrill. One punter was actually holding a wand and he looked to be about thirty four.

Making my escape I finally ended up in Selfridges which I think now holds the outright London award for amazingly surreal prices and stock next to Harrods. I looked at a tie which had been slashed from £300 to just £200. And then I ran my fingers over some shirts which would’ve made Stevie Wonder gag. Honestly, bright just doesn’t come close to describing their lime electric silk and leather splendour. But just who is wearing this mad stuff and where? Especially the latest in sartorial elegance the Swarofski crystal encrusted training shoes a snip at £700.00 a pair. They finally broke my wafer thin desire to stay and fight through hordes of slow moving crowds all in thrall to the great shop. Trying to make my way down the street was like taking part in some alternate universe flash mob comedy penguin shuffle. So I left. By taxi. Heading for Patisserie Valerie and some sanity. And as per usual I noted that everything I eventually bought wasn’t in the sale. Ho hum. But do Londoner’s feel the sales are a rip off. Probably. Would Londoners like all the visitors to the sales to naff off? Definitely. But do they worry themselves about such issues? No. It’s a London thing.

Stylists Talk Bags As Converse Launch New Range

With Converse launching their first bag collection just in time for the new school year, a handful of the UK’s finest experts on style and self-expression representing fashion, music and culture reminisced about what defined their own unique style, getting nostalgic about what it means to be an individual once the new term begins. Provided simply with a canvas duffle bag from the Converse Bags & Accessories launch collection, a pencil case and notebook, they got creative to express their personal style in their very own special way…

Sam Voulters
About: Fashion Editor at Vice, Sam Voulters is 22, stylist, brand consultant and writer.
What was your favourite school bag? “I had a CAT backpack with tippex all over it.”

‘Synamatix’ – The Daily Street
About: ‘Synamatix’ is Editor in Chief & Mixtapes Director of the UK’s finest streetwear blog The Daily Street and specialises in sneakers and menswear as well as covering the UK underground dance music scene.
What was your favourite school bag or accessory? “I had a wicked rucksack in olive green, covered in band logos, skate logos etc. That was my greatest bag by a mile.”

Chantelle Fiddy
About: Chantelle Fiddy is a journalist and renowned commentator on London’s grime scene, whose music credentials include penning for Ctrl.Alt.Shift, RWD Magazine, Mixmag, Sunday Times Style and Dazed & Confused as well as presenting on Channel 4’s ‘Generation Next’ and making multiple appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Review Show. You’ll mostly find her online.
Describe your school style. “My school style flitted between record bags and (hideous) rave jackets (I hereby admit to rocking a Technics number) to holding my (entire mop of unbrushed) hair up with felt tip pens and wearing leg warmers alongside my yellow shirt and green blazer.”

Larry B – WORK IT
About: Ripe for reminiscing are some of the team behind London’s coolest 90s night, Work It. Work It have a reputation for drawing the biggest crowds with a cult following craving their unique blend of music, hosting nights and events for Selfridges, Lovebox 2010, Warner Music, London Fashion Week and Vogue Fashion Night Out.
Describe your style at school. “My style at school was your general London rudeboy schoolboy.”

About Converse Bags:
For AW ’11 Converse took the illustrious heritage and iconic style, that has seen their classic sneakers and Chuck Taylor All Star logo omnipresent since the 1900s, to create their first ever dedicated Bags & Accessories Collection. The debut collection reflects the simple and versatile styling synonymous with Converse complete with the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star logo, steel eyelet details and the ever versatile canvas.

The new line of Converse Bags & Accessories is available now at stockists including Schuh, JD Sports and www.blackleaf.com. Prices range from £19 – £54.95

LAST MINUTE MAN. {Christmas Gift Idea}

SELFRIDGES LAUNCHES SOS SHOPPING SERVICE FOR MEN-ONLY FOLLOWING NEWS THAT 80 PER CENT OF ITS CHRISTMAS EVE SHOPPERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MALE

80 per cent of shoppers at Selfridges on Christmas Eve are expected to be men

He’s only had 365 days to complete it, however Selfridges, the world’s best department store reveals that for yet another year, 80 per cent of its male shoppers have left it to the final hour to purchase Christmas presents for their nearest and dearest.

Selfridges anticipates over 250,000 customers to start their festive shopping on Christmas Eve, and the majority of these to be men who rely on the expertise of sales colleagues to emerge laden with a gift selection that will bring tears of joy (instead of just tears), on Christmas morning.

With this in mind, Selfridges is to introduce a special 30 minute SOS shopping service for those men who are clueless to the art of Christmas present buying. Starting Saturday 18th December, and running until stores close at 5.30pm on Christmas Eve, Selfridges’ Gift Gurus will offer male customers an express 30-minute no fuss service – guaranteed to cater for all their last minute panic Christmas gifts.

The Gift Guru Express service will be available in all Selfridges’ stores nationwide. Customers are asked to go to Selfridges’ information desk, where the closest Gift Guru will be contacted via a radio-link and the 30 minutes starts from then. The service, which was trialled last weekend, was inundated with men wanting to take advantage of wrapping up their Christmas in one swift 30 minute session.

According to scientists, the reason behind men’s last minute panic Christmas shopping, compared to female’s more considered approach, is down to a woman’s love of spending hours browsing in shops while men prefer to be in and out in minutes, reflecting their primitive past when women foraged whilst men hunted and gathered.

Selfridges’ Gift Guru, Ena O’Neill said: “Last minute man does his desperate shopping in the final hours of Christmas Eve. He comes in and asks to be shown the most expensive fragrance and just goes with that. The trick to productive gift buying, even for those who have left it to the final hour is to prepare a list. Don’t be afraid of asking questions, to find out what people actually want, what size they are, and any dislikes. I am always amazed at how many men are petrified of shopping. Last weekend we had many grab-and-run male shoppers who admitted disliking the gift buying experience, but left the store with a a huge smile after their 30 minute, hassle free shopping session.”

Anne Pitcher, Buying & Merchandising Director at Selfridges said; “For some men, shopping at this time of the year can be quite a stressful and daunting experience, especially for those not accustomed to gift buying. Our Gift Guru Express service is targeted at these men specifically, and provides them with a productive and effective service, all keeping within the festive spirit”

Selfridges’ Top Ten Gift Guru Express Gifts (jewellery):

1. Chanel J12 watch in blue from £2,750
2. Boucheron Four Gold Ring, £2,160 without diamonds, £4,390 with diamonds
3. Theo Fennell Skull Ring in silver, from £250
4. Missoni Toy Watch £385
5. Natalia Brilli gold watch bracelet £205
6. Lanvin glass pompom necklace £1,115
7. Yves Saint Lauren arty cuff £595
8. Georg Jenson fusion white gold ear studs £895
9. Hermes Enamel bracelet £375
10. Tiffany Praseolite cocktail ring £635

Selfridges’ Top Ten Gift Guru Express Gifts (beauty):

1. Bare Escentuals make up box £500
2. Benefit Dolls House £400
3. Chanel No 5 soap box set £30
4. Nars Kabuki Box Bowls £95
5. Lancome Exclusive Juicy Tube gift set, £30
6. Bobbi Brown Deluxe Beauty Trunk £350
7. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Collection £259
8. Vivienne Westwood Naughty Alice 50ml gift set, £50
9. Supersized Chanel No. 5 £800-£3,000
10. Creme de La Mer Globetrotter £950