Special Elemis QVC Launch

I've decided that it doesn't matter who it is...your grandma/mum/sister/husband... everyone loves getting an Elemis gift for Xmas.

The thing that I personally like about Elemis products is that they really work. So much research goes into the science bit and the products themselves are full to the brim with natural and luxurious ingredients.

If you are looking for a really GREAT Xmas present that is also a brilliant deal, then you need look no further than your TV screen this Saturday and Sunday. QVC and Elemis have partnered up to produce an exclusive "Winter Skincare Secrets" Collection. It is worth over £150 but is retailing for less than £50 which is a fantastic deal.

The most exciting thing about the Winter Collection is that Elemis have produced an exclusive product just for QVC and it is stunning.

It is called Evening Blooms Dry Body Oil and if you like the smell of jasmine this is definitely for you. It is a luxurious body oil that is deeply moisturising but light. The fragrance is so beautiful that it could be used as an alternative to perfume. It contains jasmine, vanilla, ylang ylang and osmanthus. The oil is a blend of macadamia and kuikui oil which just feels fantastic on the skin.

So..here's what you get in the Winter Skincare Secrets Collection:

1. The aforementioned Evening Blooms Dry Body Oil

2. A small pot of Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (enough to last for at least a month)

3. A full sized bottle of Skin Nourishing Shower Cream. (A fellow beauty blogger says that this actually got rid of her eczema)

4. A full sized bottle of their amazing Quiet Minds Relaxing Bath Elixir (This smells just beautiful and is instantly relaxing!)

5. A full sized bottle of Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser - I trialled this last night and it took ALL my makeup off (including lashings of mascara).

6. A tube of Gentle Rose Exfoliator- this can be used every day and contains Moroccon Rose.

I think this is a brilliant deal and also like the idea of giving away separate bits to different people for Christmas. (You can also keep something for yourself).

If you've never watched QVC, it's on Sky Digital 640, Freeview Channel 16, Virgin Channel 740 and Freesat Channel 800.

The launch takes place this Saturday 1st December at midnight and the collection will be sold throughout the day on 2nd!

Christmas Ideas Part 1

Christmas is well and truly on the way and I am SO excited. I've started playing Christmas songs on my show on Heart and while some listeners have been texting in and saying that November is too early, I say that seeing as Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, we might as well make it last for as long as possible!!

My friend Jamie who is a presenter on Classic FM gets so excited about Christmas that he has a playlist on his IPod that overflows with his favourite seasonal anthems. He listens to it on his way in to work and arrives feeling happy and ready for anything.

Anyway, if you're struggling to think of pressie ideas, I've put a few together for you. Enjoy!

 The minute I light my White Company Winter Candle I know that Christmas is here. The smell is just beautiful and they do a whole range including reed diffusers.The candle retails for £20 and it's definitely on my Christmas list!

Elemis have launched an amazing range of gift sets this year. My particular favourite is the Pro-Collagen Queen kit. It costs £195 but is actually worth £315 so is a massive saving if you/ someone you love is an Elemis fan. Inside the stunning purple case you'll find all the heroes of their Pro-Collagen range, including a massive pot of my favourite day-cream.

There are some much cheaper gift boxes in the range and another personal favourite is the Princess of Spa which is worth  £80.00 but is retailing for £49.50. It contains a gorgeous hand-cream, nourishing bath-milk and a bottle of relaxing bath Elixir which smells sublime.

The best present that I ever bought was meant to be a joke. I designed a pair of matching onesies for me and my husband on the All-In-One-Company website. His was blue with his name written in red and mine was the reverse. After a few hours of refusing to try it on, Chris finally succumbed and we now spend many a cold night snuggled up in our warm (but admittedly unsexy) onesies. Check out the website-the design opportunities are endless!! (I might go for one with ears this year).

Spa Fabulous Purifying Serum

I get ridiculously excited when I find a product that works miracles. Unfortunately most products that promise the world fail to deliver more than say a hill or a mountain if you're lucky.

I have been a massive fan of Spa Fabulous products for more than a year now. Neena Trehan who is the owner and creator of this incredible brand has spent years passionately developing her products. They are organic, stunning but most importantly they really do deliver.

I've had a bit of a tough month work-wise and as it always does, the stress has revealed itself in my skin. My face has been blotchy and congested and I have even started developing what I think must be adult acne on my chin.

I called Neena in a bit of a panic and she immediately recommended that I try her Purifying Serum. This beauty of a product contains:

Tea Tree which is a natural antiseptic that heals & repairs

Vitamin E which replenishes & rebuilds

Pure Rosehip Seed Oil which renews skin and hydrates

Rosemary which eases congestion & puffiness

Citrus which balances and absorbs excess oil

The effects have been almost instantaneous. I have been massaging it into my skin for four nights and each morning have been waking up with increasingly clear skin that really glows. Also, it has seriously faded my scars (I've very naughtily been squeezing my spots).

I cannot recommend this product enough. It is truly phenomenal and would be great for anyone with spots/acne or who just wants to purify their complexion a bit. 

How to Stop your Nail Polish From Chipping

If you've been reading Bonn Beauty for a while you'll know that when I was younger my best friend Sally taught me how to bite my nails. Unfortunately I took to my new skill with gusto and it is only recently that I have given up and finally grown lovely, long nails. (I didn't even need a patch!)

Anyway, I have grown my nails by using Nail Tek II which is one of the best  nail-strengthening products that I have ever come across. Start by applying it most days in layers and then remove it each week and start again. After about a month you'll find that your nails are a lot stronger and you only need to apply it once or twice a week.

I also love crystal nail files and apply a good nail oil every night. Regular applications of Rodial Glam Balm Hand-Cream have also played a massive part in my new nail-care routine. It is one of the best hand-creams I have used, smells delicious and has also strengthened my nails.

The only challenge I'm finding now that I have nice nails, is how to stop my nail-polish from chipping after a day. I am in awe of women who paint their nails at the beginning of the week and they are still looking perfect five days later. Mine tend to look awful within twelve hours.

I've been talking to friends who have mastered the art of long lasting manicures and here are a few of their tips to help keep your tips looking fabulous:

My Mum says always use a base and top-coat. Apply a thin layer of top-coat every day to keep your polish fresh and chip-free

My gorgeous friend Chloe recommends painting a horizontal line of polish at the tip of your nail and also going over the edge of the tip with your top-coat as this area is most likely to chip

Sara reckons that nail polish doesn't cling well to dry nails so always keep them moisturised with a nail-oil. She uses olive-oil or almond oil as a cheap option.

My Grandma Connie never does the washing-up without a pair of Marigolds!

Hope this helps and if you have any great nail tips let me know :) xx

Sopwell House

When my sister and I were kids we argued a lot! I honestly don't know how my parents put up with the constant shrieking and screaming.

Arguments that stick in my head include:

- The time my sister scratched herself and then told my mother that I did it. This culminated in a full blown pinchathon.

- The time my sister was given a spy kit for her 10th birthday. Months of being spied on ensued and a particular highlight was snogging my boyfriend on the sofa only to look up and find that she was looking through the window with binoculars and writing notes.

- Fighting like rats in a sack every time we went on a long car journey.

The list goes on.....

Anyway, I'm pleased to say that now we are adults my sister and I have become best friends. Every year we celebrate our friendship by going away for the night as a joint birthday present.

This year we chose to go for a pampering night away at Sopwell House in St Albans and we had the most amazing time!

Sopwell House is a gorgeous hotel and spa and is much loved by a number of football teams who like to stay there before big matches. (Leicester City were staying the night we were there).


When we arrived we were directed to our gorgeous room which was one of ten quirky apartments in Sopwell Mews. These are the most expensive option but the standard hotel rooms are really lovely and there are  a range of special offers available on the website.

Sopwell Mews 

Our gorgeous room and massive bed!

Even the wardrobe was huge!

Once we were settled into our room there was a knock at the door and a lovely man arrived with wine and a fruit platter. As it was a spa break we thought we better start with the fruit but rest-assured it wasn't long until we tucked into the wine!

Next we put on our fluffy white dressing gowns and headed over to the spa which has recently been renovated.

The pool was beautiful and large enough to do a bit of much needed exercise. We also spent loads of  time relaxing in the sauna which was great as it had a massive window which meant that you could spy on the swimming pool area without anyone seeing you. (This is particularly handy if a football team is staying in the hotel!) 

The jacuzzi was a bit on the small size and was very crowded but we managed to squeeze in and loved the fact that the water flow was very strong which gave a great back massage. 

Unfortunately the steam room was still being renovated when we were there but we did manage to have a peek and it was beautiful. I particularly liked the twinkling star lights on the ceiling.

Next stop was facials in the treatment area.

Pre-facial relaxation

I was SO impressed with my facial. The therapist was trained in holistic therapy and while my face-mask was on she gave me the most incredible scalp massage that I have ever had. I felt so relaxed that I very nearly fell asleep.

I also loved the ESPA products that were used. They are very good for sensitive skin and mine was glowing afterwards.

After a delicious dinner in the brasserie we indulged in a night cap in the cosy bar area. 

Then it was back to our room for a movie. We watched "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and then both had the best night's sleep that we've had in ages.

The next morning it was down to breakfast in the Brasserie. We were really impressed with the service and the choice. We also noticed (with embarrassment) that Leicester City were on the table next to us. (Why on Earth didn't I put my makeup on???)

All in all we had the most fantastic girly night at Sopwell House and are already planning to return next year. If you fancy booking one of their spa-break deals check out this link

Shiseido Lacquer Rouge

I've just tried Shiseido Lacquer Rouge and it's got me really excited. It's a really intense lip-gloss that literally does not budge.

Having read the blurb it would seem that this gloss is inspired by Japanese Laquerware and the idea is that it gives a lacquer like effect on the lips.

Apart from the gorgeous intense colour and the fact that it stays put,  I love that this is a product that is a really good for the lips. It is moisturising and with continued use can help cure dry and peeling lips.

Laquer Rouge comes in eight colours and is £23 at House Of Fraser.

Happy Movember!!

Happy Movember to all you crazy guys (and perhaps girls?) who are growing a tache to raise money for charity this month!!

Having considered giving up the Immac for a month, I've decided that this is definitely not a good look for me!! Perhaps I can grow my nails instead??

Heart Music Programmer Russ models the Kent Hand-crafted Moustache Comb. 

For those of you who want the perfect look, how about a healthy scoop of Penhaligon's Moustache Wax? 

50% Off Upper Street Shoes

I have a reccuring  dream where I am  wearing Louboutin Stiletto Boots whilst performing in a professional ballet troup. This is categorically impossible for two reasons. Firstly, I have two left feet and secondly they are big, different sizes and heels cripple them.

The only pair of heels that actually fit and don't hurt are in fact a pair that I designed on the Upper Street London website.

My Upper Street shoes are red and black, comfy, sexy and different from anything you can find on the high-street. The website itself gives you carte-blanche to design your dream pair of shoes and the quality of the product is very high.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Upper Street have now launched an app which you can find here.

The launch day is today and if you download it before midnight you will get 50% off a pair of shoes which is a brilliant deal. 

Enjoy :) xx