When Uniqlo met Laura Ashley

Uniqlo are a brand known for their simple basics, e.g. their t-shirts and their Heatech range of clothing which I always see fantastic reviews of. Therefore, their new collaboration with Laura Ashley, a classic British brand who are synonymous with heritage prints, might not have been the most obvious one. However, with prints being a major trend this season, the collection , which uses prints from the Laura Ashley archive, is perfectly timed. With pieces starting at just £9.90, this is the perfect way to work some print into your wardrobe.

Uniqlo and Laura Ashley will be making a donation from the sales of the collection, to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN agency providing protection and support to refugees across the globe.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection:

Stole, £9.90 - Perfect for throwing over a plain outfit, to add a bit of print

T-shirt, £14.90

Tunic, £19.90 - This would look great layered under a blazer or cardigan for work. Perfect for introducing some print to your workwear.

T-shirt, £14.90

ghd Style & Protect gift set

Despite always having the best intentions, haircare tends to be an area of my beauty routine that tends to stay the same. I never really do much beyond straightening it. Therefore, the host of haircare products that I have in my cupboards remain unused. However I think I might have found a product that will be in regular use from now on. I was sent the ghd 'Style & Protect' gift set to review. The set contains a paddle brush; 'Straight & Smooth' spray; sectioning clips, and 'Final Shine' spray. I sometimes find that many brands will combine products into a set, without much thought put into the combination of products. However this set, gives you everything that you need to create a lovely straight style, from start to finish.

Now I know that this isn't a fragrance review, but the first thing that I noticed about this product, was the scent as I sprayed it on my hair. Some hair products can have a really strong chemical smell, so I was pleasantly surprised with this. It has a really nice fragrance, which although it might not be essential in a hair product definitely doesn't hurt if you are going to be wearing the product on your hair all day.

In order to create the desired effect, you spray the product 4-6 times onto damp hair before blowdrying. It can also be used on dry hair before using your styling tool. The 'Straight & Smooth' spray did exactly what it says on the can, with the added bonus of protecting my hair from the heat of the hairdryer.  My slightly wavy hair was left straight, and with no frizz. It also felt really soft, and I didn't feel like I had any product on my hair. The spray comes in two varieties, one for normal/fine hair and another for thick/coarse hair.

The large paddle brush, was great for helping to dry my fringe straight, which it doesn't normally do of its own accord.

The 'Final Shine' spray instantly gave my hair a lovely glossy finish which just helped to give my hair a more polished look. As someone who doesn't tend to spend a lot of time on my hair, any product that gives such a quick-fix result is a winner for me! Some shine sprays I have used have felt slightly heavy, but this didn't feel as if I had product on my hair.

You can buy the products individually, but if you buy the set, which retails for £39.00, you make a saving of nearly £4.00 - with the sectioning clips thrown in for free! So if you know you are going to use all of the products, it definitely makes sense to buy the set. You can purchase the set from www.ghdhair.com

Fine Print: I was sent this product by ghd for review purposes.

Diamonds and (welsh)cakes are a girl's best friend

When a press release entitled 'World's Most Expensive Welsh Cake Goes on Display' popped into my inbox, my curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn't resist opening it.

And what of this pricey pastry I hear you cry? Well, local jeweller, 'Clive Ranger' are raffling the world's most expensive welshcake in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Before you get visions of a solid gold Welshcake, I will fill you in on the cake in question. The welshcake itself is the real deal, but it is decorated with cubic zirconia. And if that wasn't glitzy enough for you, it is toppped with a pure 18ct Welsh gold and .71 carat certificated diamond solitaire ring worth £6,250. Not too shabby as cake toppers go!

The giant Welshcake (baked by new start-up Mary Margaret Mix) went on display this week in the Cardiff store (on the corner of High Street and Castle Arcade). If you want to be in with a chance of getting that ring off the welshcake and onto your finger, then you will need to pick up a raffle ticket instore on 1st March, in exchange for a suggested donation of £2 to the charity. And as well as entering you into the prize draw, the donation will also get you a tasty welshcake. So you can't lose either way.

Everyone entered into the draw will be invited back to an instore drinks reception later that day, with the winner being drawn at 5.45pm. 

All money raised will help Marie Curie Nurses care for people with terminal cancer and other illnesses at home or in the Marie Curie Hospice, Penarth. Having had family members and friends who have accessed the services at the hospice, I will definitely be supporting this fantastic cause.

Dermalogica facial at Liberty

I recently visited the new Dermalogica spa at Liberty in London. I was lucky enough to win the treatment via a RT giveaway on Twitter, way back in the Autumn. However, for various reasons I was unable to get up to London before Christmas, so had to wait until January to claim my prize. It was quite lucky that I did, as the longer wait meant that by the time I paid the lovely Dermalogica ladies a visit, Dermalogica had got its own permanent space in the Liberty treatment rooms.

My 'Face Map'

I got to Liberty slightly early, so had a wander around the store. I haven't been there for years, so couldn't wait to take a look at all the designer loveliness inside. What I love about the store, is that in addition to stocking major designer labels, it also stocks pieces from smaller designers. Liberty manages to stay true to its heritage and design roots, whilst still remaining fashion forward.

I managed to resist making any major purchases, and restricted myself to some quirky cards from the Stationery Hall, and a top by 'Whyred', which was in the Sale section for £38 (60% off).

Typically, the day before the event, I saw a few tweets by someone who had had a bad reaction to their Dermalogica facial, which made me slightly nervous, but then I reasoned that different people can react to the same range in very different ways.

My beauty therapist was called Jadine, and she made sure that she took the time to ascertain exactly what my skin needs were before starting the treatment. A key part of a Dermalogica facial is the 'Face Mapping' process, where the different areas of the face are analysed (see the diagram above). My 'face mapping' showed that despite having oily/combination skin, areas of my skin were still slightly dehydrated, and that I had areas with breakouts.

The Dermalogica Treatment Room

The treatment room was a really relaxing space, all decked out in white. However, it managed to avoid looking too clinical. I was so relaxed that I nearly fell asleep during my treatment. Although that might have had something to do with my very early start from Cardiff that morning!

My treatment involved thorough cleansing; exfoliation; the application of a face mask, moisturiser and treatment boosters. The facial also involved some extraction where needed, which ensured that my skin was looking its best. In the past I have had a few facials that seemed to involve applying lots of lovely lotions and potions to my face to give it that 'glow', but that perhaps weren't the most effective at really dealing with the needs of my skin.

After my treatment I was given samples of the products used on my skin so that I could try them for a few days to see if I liked them. I was going straight to meet with a friend afterwards, so Jadine applied Dermalogica's treatment foundation. I hadn't heard of the product before, but I really liked how it felt on my skin and the coverage it gave. She also gave me some samples of that to try.

I really enjoyed my treatment and definitely felt that my skin looked better. I forgot to take my camera up to London, so didn't get any good pictures of my skin to be able to show you the results. If I lived up in London then I would definitely consider booking another treatment there.