Firstly, I'd like to say a very very very biiiiiggg sorry for not blogging for the past few days!  I've been so busy.  You are probably asking what I've been up to...and fact is, I've been helping to lay down a driveway.  Yes, really, a driveway!  And to top it off...I've also helped to place some conduit (plastic tubing to carry electrical wiring) on our wall to place a light near our stairs to allow us to see where we are going!  So busy doesn't begin to cut it!

However, I'm back and will be on top blogging form from now onwards! 

The biggest concept that has taken up lots of thinking space in my brain this week is how to make this years Christmas extra special.  Now for those that really do not want to hear the 'C'-word yet, apologies!  But fact is, it is time to start budgeting and saving pennies for that time of the year.  I must admit that I love Christmas, and relish the idea of giving gifts.  So in the December months, I will do some special posts to show you how to make Christmas a little bit less expensive with some thoughtful and easy little gifts! 

Another very exciting thing happening here on the bloggie, is the fact that as promised, we'll be having some lovely guest bloggers to feature.  Each individual will write a post that is in the typical style of their blog and introduce themselves.  I've personally followed each of their blogs and absolutely love their works and would love to share it with like-minded people! 

But enough chat, on to reviews! 

Bloom Tea:

Bloom Green Tea

The instructions on the inside of the packaging.

The tea bag with the mesh outer skin and the Green Tea, Jasmine, Rose Petals and Echinacea inside

The colour of the Green Tea when brewed

In my August Boudoir Prive box, I received two samples of Bloom Green Tea.  I was fairly excited to try these products out, because the claims on the instructions really had me in a tailspin! 

I opened the packaging and started reading all the instructions.  The tea bag itself is really different in the fact that the bag itself is made out of a fine satiny mesh.  I brewed the tea as instructed and left the tea bag in the water for approximately 3 minutes.

When I first tasted this tea, bearing in mind I hadn't added any milk or suger, it wasn't the best taste in the world.  I actually must say, it is pretty horrible! However, I think it would be much better with milk and sugar.  The taste is bearable, and for the fact of the tea helping with 'inner' beauty, I'd keep drinking the tea! 

According to the label it says:  "A fragrant green tea treatment will help you de-stress and relieves muscular tension while you work. This Aromatherapeutic tea blends the sweet fragrance of rose petals, Chinese green tea dried with jasmine flowers and the 'wonder-herb' echinacea - for an immune boosting tea rich in antioxidants and good for DE-STRESSING."

I'd have to say that I did not feel any more/less stressed after drinking the tea.  It did help me to have a more peaceful nights sleep, however, and on this basis it actually was really great.  The best thing about this tea, is not all the other hoo-ha about the rose petals and jasmine really, but the echinacea!  As they rightly describe it, it is a wonder-herb.  In South Africa it has been used as a herbal remedy for colds for as long as I can remember.  It is definitely worth drinking this tea, especially during the winter, to relax and to boost your immune system.  The Chinese green tea will also help to detox the bowels and help with slimming/appetite suppressing - as this is also an ancient remedy used by Chinese medicine men. 

So overall, this product gets my stamp of approval and as it costs £4 for 10 teabags, I think it is a reasonable price to pay for my health and beauty.  A thumbs up from me! 

Have you tried any herbal remedies that you would recommend?  Please let me know!

August 2011 - Boudoir Prive Box

Aaaah, it is almost the weekend!  Just hang in there, everybody.  I'm not sure what I'll be getting up to over this coming weekend, but I'm hoping to spend it with my husband and to be as busy as possible!  I know that I will insist on some evening cuddles and movies, due to the autumn fast approaching now.  *BOOO*

Back to the topic at hand though!  I'm doing a late review of the first box from Boudoir Prive for August 2011.  I know that this has probably been reviewed to death on uTube and on every persons blog, but I thought I'd give my input on the box and what I thought of it!

Now like many of you girlies out there, I too followed the uprising of Boudoir Prive on Facebook, Twitter and their website www.boudoirprive.co.uk.  And what an uprising it was!  The Boudoir Prive team were very clever in the sense that they built up anticipation surrounding the membership and the products on the various social networking sites before they actually allowed anyone to join.  It was nail-biting and I fell for it hook, line and sinker!  Eventually, I was allowed to subscribe and it was well worth the time and effort.

Everyone knows how the box and membership works really, so I won't be going into detail about that.  I was not in the United Kingdom during the time that the first box was sent out, (boo hoo) but luckily had the opportunity to look at the wonderful contents the moment I returned!  And it was inspirational!

I hadn't heard about any of the products that were featured in the August box, which, to me, made the whole experience so much more exciting! The packaging is fabulous with the soft pink box and black "B" logo on the front.  When opening the very clever magnetic flap at the front of the box, the magic starts to ooze out of the box!  There is a delightful soft pink bow surrounding a dark ominous package (excited much?), as well as the wonderful little foil sticker of a mirror to seal the contents in.  It is also very exciting to receive a little letter inside that actually addresses you by your own name!  It is all about the personal touches, and Boudoir Prive has certainly managed to make the experience special.

When I opened the wonderful little parcel, I found the following:

The most exciting product inside the box, for me, was the Sachajuan Hair Repair Conditioner.  It smells wonderful and is a really reasonable size to trial the product properly.  Then there was then Babor HSR extra firming lotion, which was interesting to try really even though it was certainly not a favourite.  This product is very pricey and it is great to have the opportunity to try things that I haven't heard of before.

Also included in the box were two little perfume samples from Etat Libre D'Orange and two green teas from Bloom.  Both these products, again, was things that I was excited to try out!  And lastly in the box I found the Olavie Chardonnay body butter and the Jane Iredale Purelash Extender and Conditioner.  These last two products was really the highlight of the box!  The Olavie Chardonnay body butter literally smells of wine and is very rich and creamy.  It is a joy to use and will definitely be on my christmas list for Santa to buy me! (Hehehe, sorry for mentioning the 'C'- word)

The Jane Iredale range has also interested me a lot!  I enjoy wearing really natural makeup on a day-to-day basis, and Jane Iredale's makeup range is mineral-based and has been raged about on numerous occassions.  The makeup is basically good for the skin and will help to prevent break-outs and is very soft on the skin.  I'll certainly be trying more of her products in future.

Overall, this box has been a pleasant and interesting surprise.  I've enjoyed the box from the moment of opening it, to the point where I got to try and experiment with all the products.  I think that Boudoir Prive has been a huge success so far, and can definitely give themselves a pat on the back.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Are you subscribed to Boudoir Prive?  What was your favourite product out of the box?