Lisa, Author at Conversations through the middle

Giveaway – Living Nature Skin Essentials

December 7, 2012

This week’s great giveaway at 40s Chic comes courtesy of New Zealand natural skincare company Living Nature.

One lucky person will win a Skin Essentials gift pack for dry skin, which at this time of year, lets face it, is something we could all do with. The prize, worth £28, includes 50ml size bottles of cleanser, toner and moisturiser, a sample size night cream and award winning Firming Flax Serum, all bundled up in a reusable canvas bag.

For those of you unfamiliar with the brand, Living Nature products are formulated with native New Zealand plant and herb extracts from sustainable sources. Ingredients are 100% natural, there are no artificial fragrances or preservatives, and all products are certified natural by BDIH Germany, an independent auditor of natural skincare and cosmetics.

The company also takes its environmental responsibilities seriously – packaging is fully recyclable, paper and cartons are sourced from managed forests and the factory in New Zealand uses carbon-neutral wind and hydro energy, as well as filtered rainwater.

While the product range does contain beeswax, honey and lactose, the company says these are humanely sourced and no other animal products feature among the ingredients. The range is also cruelty-free, which in my book is a very big deal.

So what are you waiting for? Win our great gift and pamper yourself this Christmas – you know you deserve it.

To enter, simply leave a comment below along with some way of contacting you, such as your Twitter id or blog address, but not your phone number. If you would like to follow 40s Chic through Google Friend Connect it would be great to welcome you as a regular reader – this would also ensure you don’t miss future giveaways – but it’s not a requirement of entry.

(This competition is open to UK residents only; one entry per person; entrants should be over 18 years old; the giveaway closes on 21 December and the winner will be chosen at random through random.org. Any questions, please let me know.)

Arm candy – Radley spring summer 13

December 6, 2012

You can never have too many bags. Some people like jewellery, some people like watches, me, I love bags. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to be invited to the Radley SS13 launch in London a week or so ago. I walked into a large, white room, completely full of beautiful bags. I was in heaven.

This is my favourite – the Chiltern Tote. Hanging above is the Classic Pocket Bag and alongside you can see the Chiltern Mini. Look at the paint colours splattered on the canvas behind and that chair is amazing. The colours are new for next summer and the coral at the end is so beautiful. My favourite though is the blue, second from the left. My photos have not done the colour justice, but here it is close up.

It is much more vibrant and rich than it appears here. It launches at the end of February and I shall continue to lust after it until I buy it – already saving up as it costs £129.

Here you can see the vibrancy of the coral shade better than before. At least I think it’s coral; it is described as red but I see an orange tint to it that will look fabulous against tanned skin next summer. I believe the bag to the right at the back is the Hastings, the one on the left in the back row is the Aldgate.

There’s a lot of detail in the design of next season’s collection. Here you can see the weave pattern that features strongly throughout…

And here is a close-up of the embossed theme that also runs through the collection and is bound to be popular next year. This Lily Broad grab bag is a variation on that theme – isn’t it delicious?

Radley is just not Radley without the dog. And don’t worry, he does make an appearance in spring summer 13. Illustrator Rory Crichton has created a number of styles in a distinctive print (Thames), ranging from a purse to a tote to a barrel bag.

Model and writer Laura Bailey continues her partnership with Radley through a series of styles in canvas and leather, just right for weekends away in summer or sunny days out. The weekender is my favourite here.

There were oh so many other gorgeous bags on display, in all different sizes, so just to sum up and so you don’t miss anything…

Giveaway results – Canapés recipe book

December 5, 2012

Congratulations to the following people who have each won a copy of Canapes from Dorling Kindersley. Written by Victoria Blashford-Snell and Eric Treuille, this book is choc full of great party food ideas – what could be more perfect in the run up to Christmas.

Lucy Simpson
Maci234
Jools H

Your books will be sent to you direct from the publisher.

Many thanks to everybody who entered. Why not sign up to follow 40s Chic through Google Friend Connect (in the sidebar) and then you will always be up to date on our giveaways and competitions?

Gorgeous Christmas gifts

December 4, 2012

I have been holding my hands behind my back, twiddling my fingers and sitting on my hands since July to stop myself talking about Christmas too early, but hey, it’s now December and it’s definitely time to jingle those bells and get festive. I thought I would bring you a few of my favourite Christmas gifts, discovered during my travels in the lat few months. I could go on for pages, but I wouldn’t want to tire you out before the big day itself, so I’m limiting myself to just a few, with more photos than words for a seasonal change…

I love this gift set from The Body Shop. I first saw it at a blogging event I attended and posted about it here. The ginger fragrance if very fresh and Christmassy. I almost bought it for a friend but instead opted for a hand cream and hand wash set in a pretty metal holder that will look great in her bathroom. Another lovely idea from The Body Shop this year is this lip balm lollipop – I know somebody who is going to love finding this in her stocking on Christmas morning…

Elemis is one of my favourite brands and this gift set is my idea of heaven. It’s not cheap, but it’s certainly one for the wishlist. Find it at Time To Spa The great thing about this gift set is that all the products are full size – and I can vouch for the eye treatment, which I’ve been using for several months.

Green People always come up with gift packaging that is just that little bit different every year, and of course the products inside are high quality, vegetarian or vegan, often organic and suitable for even sensitive skin. This is another brand I use regularly and I really admire their philosophy and approach to skincare.

I think the idea of advent calendars for grown ups is so good – skincare products instead of chocolates, what’s not to like? I know there are a few versions around at the moment, some more expensive than others, but this is one of the nicest I’ve seen. Liz Earle also do crackers, which are great for a party though the thought of people pulling apart something that costs so much is a bit hard for me to get my head around. Candles, well I’m now officially a candle convert and I’m also a fan of the latest Liz Earle fragrance, so this definitely gets the thumbs up.

I discovered Melvita just a couple of years ago, but since then I’ve become a big fan, especially of their eye treatments and moisturisers. Full of natural ingredients and subtly fragranced, Melvita was founded in France, but luckily for us has made inroads into the UK and has a flagship store in Covent Garden. I was invited there for a Christmas tipple and to see their Christmas gifts, including the rose nectar gift sets, which are beautifully boxed and contain some of the brand’s best-selling items. I was surprised to see how many products Melvita has – and delighted as it means I have so many more to discover!

This beautifully presented gift bag (a little creased by the train journey home) contained a rose nectar gift set, which smells sublime, and a bottle of Melvita’s new Huile Extraordinaire, which I will blog about soon. The candy cane disappeared as soon as Dot saw it funnily enough.

Finally, I wanted to include these shoes because they are just so pretty. I could never walk in them and they are totally impractical, but for Christmas they say to me parties, fun, fairytale princess, dressing up. They’re from Matalan and I took this photo at Christmas in July. Every girl needs a pair of sparkly shoes at Christmas don’t you think?

What would you most like to see in your stocking this year?