The Best Travel Bags For Weekends Away in 2018

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As we step into May, with a long, wet winter behind us, most people are itching to get to warmer climates. As lovely as summer days can be, our infamous British weather makes us itch for some guarantee of warmth and sunshine.

So if you are planning a short break, you may also be looking for the perfect travel bags to take. You’ve probably got some big luggage for your long holiday, but if you are looking for something that will be best for a weekend away, take a look at this list below.

Best Hardshell Travel Bag

Hauptstadtkoffer Alex Carry On

If you are looking for a hardshell case for your holidays, the Hauptstadtkoffer Alex is perfect – as the majority of the over 800 reviews on Amazon testify! You know if this many people have purchased that this is a great case.

Available in 18 colours, it also comes in larger sizes if you want to get a matching set. The hardshell makes your contents extremely safe, and the 4 wheels and telescopic handle make manouvering easy.

Best Canvas Travel Bag

Baosha HB-14 Oversized Canvas Weekender Bag

As the name suggests, this is larger than your gym bag that you used to empty out for your trips away. More than capable of fitting all you need for a few nights away. Made from faux leather, it is super stylish, and comes in a variety of colours. I can’t decided whether I prefer grey or blue best.

Most Stylish Overnight Travel Bag

Trendstar Ladies Butterfly Holdall

If you are going to travel, then why not travel in style? The butterfly design will get you noticed as you stride through the airport lounge. If butterflies are not your thing, maybe owls will be your pick.

With the exterior made from faux leather, there are several pockets that will prove handy for you.

 

Best Overnight Backpack

More4bagz Super Lightweight Cabin Approved Backpack

With a 44 litre capacity, this bag is great at holding all you need for a short trip away. Despite being lightweight, it’s also waterproof, so perfect for a UK trip as well! As well as a large main compartment it has 3 front compartment to help keep you organised. Available in a variety of colours if black is too drab for you.

Best Underseat Travel Bag

 Travelon 18 Inch Wheeled Underseat Carry On Bag

If you are looking for a walk on bag for a short overseas trip, this is the one for you. Not only will you be able to beat the queues at the baggage claim, you will also avoid the extra expense that the airlines insist on adding nowadays.

With a front compartment for your laptop, room for a tablet, and plenty of space for clothes, this becomes the best underseat bag for a business traveller. Buyers report that they can easily get 3 days worth of clothes, maybe even 4. For regular travellers, whether business or the city break away, seriously consider this investment – you won;t regret it.

Best Duffel Travel Bag

Bago Duffle Bag

The Bago Duffle bag is not only lightweight at 700 grams, but extremely durable. It measures 30x40x70cm, making a great size to put under your seat when travelling. Just in case you are looking to buy this for your fella, and worried about the pink, it comes in a variety of colours that may suit more.

Best Vintage Travel Bag

Baosha MS-06 Vintage Messenger Bag

As well as looking great, this gets our vote for being organised – it has many pockets that even the most disorganised person can’t help but think how useful.

This is the bag for you if you are looking for something to hold all your work and work tools. Maybe ideal for someone who is on a day trip or who just wants to keep their work items out of their main luggage.

 

Best Golf Travel Bag

Spalding Padded Golf Bag Travel Cover

Not strictly a bag, but a cover that goes around your normal golf bag. Your club heads will be protected in travel by a layer of foam padding, so you need not worry about damage.

As well as your golf bag, there is plenty of room for clothes. So keep your golfwear separate from the rest of your luggage. There’s also a large front pocket – perfect for your shoes, maybe?

Straps will keep your golf bag in place, and extra tough handles make carrying or pulling (did I mention the wheels?) a breeze!

So there you go, that’s our selection of bags for you. I hope you find this useful, for more details click on the pictures or bag names and this will take you to Amazon where you can purchase.

Of course, as well as buying your bag to travel with, don’t forget to get a luggage label to make sure you get yours, and not another reader of this post! We recommend something a bit bright, to stand out from the crowd on the baggage carousel.

Products from Amazon.co.uk

No matter where you go, I hope you have a great break. We all deserve a trip away sometimes, so kick back, you have worked hard, and relax!

 

Give The Gift Of Perfect Summer Feet

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perfect summer feetNow guys, you may not immediately think of this when you are trying to find a spring gift for your loved one, but giving the gift of perfect summer feet will show that you are using your imagination and finding something that your other half will really appreciate.

I would suggest that you ensure you treat her to a lovely pair of sandals too, before giving her some of the other things I am going to suggest, otherwise she may think you either have a weird obsession or that you are trying to tell her something.

But girls will understand. As the sun comes out – and boy was today hot for April – then out go the boots and in come sandals. Just look around and you will see toes wiggling at you in all directions. And if your girl is like most, she will want her feet in tip top condition before hitting the beach. Continue reading →

Give A Gift Experience – Last Minute Ideas For Mothers Day

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Quite frankly, if you haven’t got any idea by now what you are going to buy your Mother for Mothers Day this Sunday, then you are leaving it a bit late!

Obviously the easiest thing is to go and get some flowers, or if you don’t want to be that cheesy then you could always ask her. But most mothers will say nothing special, just a little something. But after all the years that they have looked after you, they deserve something special!

And that is why I am suggesting that you give the gift of an experience! Think about it, rather than traipsing around shops on Saturday scratching your head and wishing you could find some inspiration, why not give your mother something that will be a long held memory?

Makes sense to me… something you don’t have to think too hard about, but one that will be cherished. And if you get something for two, she may invite you along too! (But no guarantees that she won’t ask a friend along instead).

My number one choice would be a Spa Day treat – which Mum doesn’t deserve a bit of pampering and relaxation? Starting at just £30 or so you could get anything from a pamper treat choice right up to exclusive trips away at health resorts.

Here’s a selection of what is available on Amazon right now:

  • Over 650 pampering gift experiences for either one or two people to choose from at venues across the UK
  • Options include manicures, massages, male grooming, makeovers, health club days and more!
  • Browse the full and detailed range of pamper treats in the printed brochure

 

  • Choice of Massage or Facial
  • 25 minutes treatment
  • Available at over 40 locations nationwide
  • Gift Card valid for 12 months from date of purchase

 

 

 

  • Need a gift for someone who deserves to be truly spoilt? Look no further than the Spa & Pamper package! They’ll enjoy a relaxing spa day with a friend, as well as a photoshoot shoot.
  • Choose from over 30 spa locations and over 100 photoshoot locations nationwide!

  • Over 390 spa days with 25 minutes of treatments for two
  • Choose from Bannatyne, Village, Mercure and Macdonald spas
  • The lucky spa day guests can browse the brochure and choose the perfect pamper day for them
  • Valid for 12 months from the date of purchase with free and unlimited exchange during this time

 

  • 530 luxurious pampering days at various spas, health clubs and retreats across the UK
  • Lucky gift recipients can flick through the brochure, choosing the pamper day that suits them best
  • Featuring everything from nail and hair treatments, deluxe makeovers, photoshoots, massages and spa days
  • Pamper treatments are available for either one or two people, as detailed in the brochure

If a Spa Day or treatment is not suitable, then why not opt for an afternoon tea for two, where you can experience a trip out to taste luxury sandwiches, scones and cakes in a choice of settings.

You may want to opt for a meal. This Taste of Italy from Buyagift may remind your Mum of that romantic Tuscan holiday that seems like oh so long ago now.

Or perhaps a Steam Train Ride will evoke distant memories of happy days.

As you can see, there is a huge choice of things that you could purchase as gift experiences. Names to look out for are Buyagift and Red Letter Days.

So go on, prove what a great child you are, treat that special lady to something meaningful for a change, and make life easy for you at the same time.

Mo Bro’s – Beard and Moustache Grooming With Dragon’s Den Approval

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I do love watching Dragon’s Den on BBC2 – it’s great to see people who are striving to become entrepreneurs and make a success of their ideas. Having said that, I have managed to miss most of the recent shows. But last night, Boxing Day, I watched the Dragons Den 2017 Christmas Special.

It was a good show with the usual scenes where people pitched for investment in their company for a certain percentage of the business. As usual some people managed to upset the Dragons, there were offers of investment, and negotiations over percentages. I will link to the other ones below, but the story that really caught my eye was that of Mo Bro’s Grooming Co – 3 brothers from Leicester who had made a successful start with their beard and moustache grooming business, but needed investment and guidance from the Dragon’s to push on to the next level.

They entered the Den wearing matching outfits, and confidently put their pitch forward.  As usual, questions were asked by the Dragons regarding financials, how they were currently selling, and where they want to go with the company.  However it wasn’t long before Touker Souleyman declared himself out (he wasn’t going to invest) due to a conflict of interests.

However the other 4 Dragons all made offers – if my memory serves me right Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones offered the whole amount, whilst Tej Lalvani and Jenny Campbell offered half each. As is often the case, but not always, Deborah and Peter said they would be willing to share.

After much deliberation at the back of the room, the three brothers accepted Peter and Tej as joint investors, and challenged them to grow beards to match! They had secured the £150,000 they had been looking for.

On their website, they have a blog post that goes into some of the background of the show, from their point of view. They had been approached by the programme’s research team to appear, but at first declined the offer. But further invitations convinced them that they could be ready for the exposure the programme brings. They nearly dropped out when the new series was announced – 2 of the previous Dragons had left the show – but when they heard Tej Lalvvani was coming on board as a new Dragon they were aware of his similar background and that convinced them to go ahead.

They also tell of the amount of preparation they put in, locking themselves away for 3 long days in order to get their pitch perfect. On the day of filming they were collected at 5.30 by the BBC and taken to where the show is filmed. They had been advised that they could be called on to pitch anywhere between 9.00 am and 7.00 pm – a ten hour window to make a 1 hour show!

So where are the products now? They can be seen on Amazon, in Next, and even in the latest Paddington film!

The Products

 

Mo Bro’s Beard Balm is available in 3 versions – Unscented, Classic Cedarwood and Vanilla & Mango. Perfect for taming a wild beard, these 25ml tins contain 100% natural ingredients – shea butter, almond oil and beeswax. Which all go to making your beard or moustache soft and smelling great.

 

 

These Mo Bro’s Beard Oil bottles are 30ml and come in 7 different scents – Unscented, Vanilla & Mango, Sweet Mint, Summer Spice, Sandalwood, Orange Bergamot and Cedarwood. This will leave your beard calmed and moisturised.

 

 

 

The Mo Bro’s Beard Soap is available in the same 7 ingredients as the Beard Oil. For perfect beard washing the base ingredient is goat’s milk, which will leave your lovely and soft as well as superbly clean.

 

 

 

 

Mo Bro’s Moustache Wax comes in Unscented, Classic Cedarwood and Vanilla and Mango. Not too soft like some other waxes, it’s made from 100% natural products, including beeswax.

 

 

Gift Sets

Mo Bro’s have many different gift sets, which give better value for money for you when buying as a present for the man in your life. Here are just a few that I have selected to feature.

If you have a bearded man that you need to buy a gift for – and let’s face it, there are a lot of them around at present, including yours truly – then why not follow in the footsteps of the Dragon’s and put your money into supporting this young family company.

How To Spend It Well At Christmas With Phillip Schofield – Episode 2, Gifts & Gadgets For Grownups

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If you are looking for the 2019 shows, click here for the Gifts and Gadgets show, and click here for the Toys show.

So after Phillip Schofield had looked at toys for children, it was the turn of the adults in episode 2 of How To Spend It Well At Christmas.

Handbags

First off, Phillip pulled in some expert help in the form of the ladies from The Real Housewives of Cheshire. Now, I hold my hands up and admit I have never seen this program, and after watching them, I don’t particularly need to! But these ladies are fashionistas, and think nothing of spending their (husbands’) hard earned cash on designer goodies.

They were comparing 5 black handbags that ranged in cost between £15 and £160 against a Gucci handbag that was priced at £715. Which of the 5 would get the most votes? Now, I admit I didn’t get the full details of each one, but it was interesting all the same. The links below are examples of the brands, but not the exact bags in question.

In fifth place and costing £99 was Kurt Geiger, followed by the cheapest handbag from Asos at £15. In third was a bag from Dune retailing at £60, with the most expensive bag from Ted Baker (£160) the runner-up. But the surprise winner was a £20 handbag from Miss Selfridge! They vowed to keep this a secret from their husbands, especially the lady who stated she preferred the winner to the Gucci designer bag.

Products from Amazon.co.uk

New Technology

The show took a slightly more high brow turn once the ladies had left, by looking at what new technology is on the market.

If you are looking for a top of the range projector, then the Sony 32GB Xperia Touch Projector  is the projector for you. With wifi connectivity you can use this to project the latest YouTube videos, recipes or games onto your walls, floor or table top.

The latest offering from Apple gives greater independence from your iPhone by allowing you to make calls from your watch, even though it shares the same number. At present the technology is only supported by EE though… which is a bit of a downside.

Play the latest games such as  Halo 5: Guardians, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Forza Motorsport 6 on the XBox One.

Having gone from some really high tech gifts, the Selfie Light Case is such a simple idea, but one that will resonate with so many of today’s youth. Capture the perfect selfie in any light with this great device – your Instagram selfies will be perfect without the need for any filters.

There was then an interesting Mastermind-style quiz in order to see which of your home assistants prove to be the most helpful – the Amazon Echo or Google Home. Whilst each had their own areas of strength, they proved to be pretty much equal!

Perfume

Colleen Nolan visited a shopping centre armed with 2 perfumes – J’adore by Christian Dior, priced at about £87, and Rose by Zara priced at about £10.

She stopped ladies who were shopping, and asked them to try both perfumes, and vote for their favourite out of the two. Obviously the bottles were covered… Out of 20 voters, 8 went for the greatly more expensive J’adore with 12 going for the cheaper option of Rosy by Zara.

So guys – with Valentine’s Day around the corner – it may be worth doing your own research in a bid to save money!

Drones

Phillip met up with Vernon Kay, a keen enthusiast, to test out some drones. After Phillip had crashed the Simtoo Moment into a wall, they enlisted the help of World Champion Drone Pilot Luke Bannister to test out 3 remaining drones. He flew them around an assault course, twice each drone, to see which was the fastest.

DJI Spark 30.2 seconds
Parrot Bebop 26.6 seconds
Yuneeq Breeze 27.8 seconds

Shaving

Are the latest electric razors as good as a wet shave? They tested the Braun Series 9 Wet and Dry Shaver against relative newcomers to the market – Harry’s Razors.

Each of the men – or should I say guinea pigs or judges? – was shaved by both razors, half face with the Braun and half with Harry’s Razor. Which came out on top? Despite the cost of the Braun – over £200 – it was Harry’s Razor that came out on top.

Various

Some of the various other items that were covered included the Licki Brush, designed for you to brush your cat whilst holding the brush in your mouth, in a licking motion. Supposedly this feels relaxing for both you and your cat, although Phillip looked bizarre!

The Trendsetter Stain Resistant Shirt test was pretty conclusive, while the portion that looked into quality of sleep came up with an amazing pillow – the Zeeq Smart Pillow. Alternatives to help you sleep was music in the form of frogs chirping and being woken up by a smell alarm cake!

Also shown were the Airhogs DR1 FPV race drone, the Illumibowl Toilet Night Light, Sodacado – an avocado shaped portable charger – and the Nokia 3310, perfect for a backup phone for nights out (in case you get a bit worse for wear and either lose or drop your hone).

The second show was as good as the first, with the same mix of laughs and reviews. I do hope this becomes an annual fixture in the TV schedules – Phillip is perfect for this.

10 Of The Best Hair Crimpers For Christmas 2017

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Name

RRP
BaByliss The Crimper £23.99
Anjou Curling Iron £24.99
Scunci Insta Boost Crimper £22.99
MHD Hair Crimper £62.66
BaByliss Wave Envy Hair Styler £33.99
inkint 4 in 1 Hair Crimpers £27.59
Abody Hair Crimp Hair £39.99
YHJ 4 in 1 Hair Crimper £39.99
Toni & Guy Twist And Crimp £19.99
NatureBeauty Curling Iron Wand £16.97

Click on the images to see latest prices and see product details from Amazon, or scroll down to read the guide to crimping followed by the best hair crimpers available.

What are hair crimpers?

Hair crimpers are similar in looks to hair straighteners, and they work in a similar fashion too. They work by applying heat from the hair crimper to the hair to create a wavy or zig-zag pattern. Continue reading →

Infused Water Tips & Gifts For The Health Conscious

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benefits of drinking infused waterIf you have a health conscious person in your circle of friends, and you want to buy them a gift, but you aren’t that healthy yourself, you may be struggling to come up with any ideas.

One of the most important things you can do to keep healthy is to drink plenty of water. It helps by giving you clearer skin and giving you fewer wrinkles, your digestion is improved and your liver functions better, it makes you more alert and your memory is better. Continue reading →

How To Spend It Well At Christmas With Phillip Schofield – Episode 1, Toys

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If you are looking for the 2019 programmes, click here for the Gifts and Gadgets show, and click here for the Toys show.

How To Spend It Well At Christmas with Phillip Schofield

So, did any of you watch Phillip Schofield on ITV last night in his new three part series, How To Spend It Well At Christmas? In this series Schofield and celebrity guests, along with members of the public, test drive the latest gifts, gadgets, food and drink just in time for Christmas.

Last night’s episode, the first, was all about toys. Well, Christmas is for the kids, isn’t it, so only fitting that he kicks off the series with this subject. Mind you, it looked like some of the adult guests were having just as much fun as the children involved. Continue reading →

Give Jo Malone Gifts This Year

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One of the most loved names these days in fragrances for ladies, gents and the home, is Jo Malone.

Formed in 1983 in London, despite leaving school with no qualifications and struggling with dyslexia, Jo Malone built her brand from scratch into a multi million pound business, until it was bought by Estee Lauder in 1999. She continued to work for the company until 2006 as a creative director.

As well as being popular for it’s luxury fragrances, their strict stance on not testing on animals is a big hit with people. As well as perfumes there are candles and diffusers available.

Jo Malone Fragrances

Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne Spray

The signature fragrance of the brand, it has a unisex feel and is perfect for the summer months.

 

 

 

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Cologne

One of the bestselling Jo Malone fragrances, with pomegranate, raspberry and plum. Perfect for evening dates.

 

Jo Malone Amber & Lavender Cologne

A big favourite with both men and women, with hints of grapefruit, nutmeg and ginger.

 

 

 

 

 

Jo Malone Mimosa & Cardamom Cologne

Oriental and floral, another fragrance popular with both men and women.

 

 

 

The above are just a few of the Jo Malone fragrances available, but you can check them all out here.

Alternatively, you may want to choose a set of several fragrances.

Jo Malone Candles

As well as some of the fragrances above, Jo Malone candles come in a wide variety of perfumes.

Products from Amazon.co.uk

The 200g candles come in presentation boxes fastened with a ribbon. They will burn for about 45 hours in total, so will last long through the festive seaosn and well into the New Year.

Jo Malone Skin Care

Jo Malone also has a large selection of skin care products, including body lotions, creams and oils, and hand and nail creams.

In 2016 Jo Malone wrote her autobiography, a great tale of her story through her childhood to becoming a successful business woman, and beyond. This story will strike a chord with her fans, and will make a lovely surprise addition to their gifts.




Last Few Days To Get Your 2017 Advent Calendars

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Advent Calendars Best Gift GuideAdvent calendars are traditionally given to children from the 1st of December, and have doors numbered 1 to 24. On each day in December in the run up to Christmas, the children can open a door, behind which they will find a chocolate or toy.

However, in recent years, advent calendars have been made to fit a wider audience. Beauty advent calendars have become common – as children move into their teenage years parents still want to buy them a calendar, but something more age appropriate.

Here’s a selection of advent calendars you can get this year:

The Amazon Beauty Advent Calendar is one of the most popular calendars as it features a mix of 24 different products. Not only does this give you variety, but you can try new brands that you may not know already. There may be items though that you won;t want to use.

 

 

 

Bomb Cosmetics have created this bath bomb advent calendar which is a great idea for young ladies who like to bath. All their products are not tested on animals, so this is a great selling point. Of course the bombs are quite small compared to if you were buying a bath bomb alone, but there is nothing to stop you using a second if needs be.

 

 

 

The Mad Beauty Advent Calendar contains 24 mini beauty treats. This is perfect for young teenagers in particular.

 

 

 

 

 

The Technic Perfectly Polished Advent Calendar contains a different coloured nail varnish for each day in the lead up to Christmas.

 

 

 

If you are looking for an advent calendar for a loved one, then these two luxury calendars would show them not only that you love them, but how thoughtful you are. Of course, you may have made a rod for your own back in future years!

The Morris & Co Pure Advent Calendar contains 24 bath and body products. These handbag sized products make perfect travel accessories. 

 

 

 

 

 

The essie Original Nail Polish Advent Calendar contains 24 nail polishes and nail care products. 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want an alternative to these beauty calendars, then the SIX Advent Calendar contains 24 jewellery surprise gifts. including stud earrings, bracelets rings and necklaces. Perfect for young teenagers, although one buyer said he brought for his wife and she loved it.

Yankee Candle have come up with a few calendars that contain their great tea lights and votive candles.

Products from Amazon.co.uk

If alcohol is more your thing, then check out these calendars for a wide variety of drinks. Cheers!