Heavenly Gluten Free Cakes

Earlier this month my Mum reviewed some gluten free cookies, today she's reviewing gluten free cakes created by Heavenly Cakes.

“Just like mum used to make” is the catchphrase used by Heavenly Cakes - and how true! I was delighted to try out these very tasty cakes in such a variety of flavours and they certainly made me think back to cakes my Mum used to make as well as to cakes I used to make and eat until I had to start following a gluten-free diet. For a long time I just made do without cakes or biscuits but now that people such as Heavenly Cakes are making such a wide range of gluten-free goodies, there’s no need to do without any more.

Tiffin

I started by trying out Tiffin – a traditional favourite and this one was definitely like Mum used to make; it was great to get my teeth into something so familiar and particularly into biscuit!! This was a great start to my tasting session!

Millionaires Shortbread

Then there was the Millionaires Shortbread! I was never very good at making this myself but my Mum certainly had it perfected. This one was tasty too – the shortbread was perhaps a bit soft, almost more like a sponge, but tasty nevertheless.

Marathon Flapjack

I didn’t know what to expect from Marathon Flapjack – wow! This was the best yet! Full of (gluten-free) oats, it was chewy and full of flavour. I was trying to just taste a slice or two of each cake but it was very tempting to devour all of this one.

Chilli Brownie

Then on to Chilli Brownie. I know that chilli and chocolate go together and the first taste of this too was very appealing – I just love the chance to eat a chocolate brownie nowadays. However I got a bit of a shock shortly after – this has a bit too hot an aftertaste for my tastes – I don’t think I could eat the whole thing without my mouth burning but if you’re happy to eat ‘hot’ food then you’ll enjoy this one.

Lemon Meringue with White Chocolate

Last, but certainly not least, Lemon Meringue with White Chocolate – what a lovely fresh lemon flavour, yet I still got my chocolate hit from the chunks of white chocolate scattered over this cake! I’m glad I kept this one till last – very refreshing and a most unusual cake based on the traditional Lemon Meringue Pie but with chocolate added.

So I’d certainly recommend these to anyone following a gluten-free diet – one will keep you going for a while as they’re quite a substantial size – but scrumptious!

Heavenly Cakes pride themselves on making additive free cakes using only the best of natural ingredients. They have a fantastic range of cakes, the majority of which are available in gluten-free form as well as "standard". Their very generously proportioned cakes are available to purchase online as a gift pack (£12.50), a family pack (£21) or a pack of 6 individually wrapped cakes (£11.70).

Why not keep up to date with all their news and latest products on Facebook and Twitter (@BettyBakes)?

A selection of gluten-free Heavenly Cakes were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received in return for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

FlexiBath - The Foldable Bath!

This week my guest reviewer Liz and her cute assistant Jonny were sent a FlexiBath to review. What's a FlexiBath I hear you ask? Well it is a fantastic baby bath that folds up flat when not in use! It's suitable for up to 4 years old, with a non-slip bottom reducing the risk of your wee one slipping.

From this........

.........to this!!!

Here's what Liz had to say....


"What a great idea! If you have the luxury of a big bathroom storing a baby bath isn't a problem, but most new-builds and flats just don't have the space. As baby usually gets washed on a night time and we have showers in the morning it works in perfectly to leave the FlexiBath draining over night and then pack it away the following day. Jonny was VERY excited to try out the new bath which did lead to quite a bit of water on the floor so putting a towel down first might be an idea!

I think the biggest advantage of the FlexiBath is to be used when travelling. Even if we're staying with friends and family they don't generally have bath mats and we've had a few incidents where the bath is too slippy and Jonny has gone flying (it's nice to think you're responsible parents who never allow this to happen, but we certainly don't live up to that standard!) I wish we'd had the FlexiBath on our last holiday to a little chalet when Jonny was younger. We didn't really think about bathing him until we got there and then it was, of course, too late! There was only a small shower which Jonny hated and we all got a soaking when attempting to wash him. If we'd had the Flexibath then it would have made a huge difference to us.

The FlexiBath is so convenient, taking a fraction of the water needed to fill a bath which obviously benefits the environment as well. Our son has just turned two and fits in the bath without a problem. I do wonder, however, if it will be big enough when he is four and so I think this is probably a product for the younger end of the age range.

One negative comment I would make is the accompanying booklet which, as far as I can tell, says nothing of value and what it does say could be incorporated on the general packaging. It's a lot of paper the world could save...

I only wish more companies would invent gadgets like these that actually solve problems, rather than doing the same thing as many other products without necessarily making them better."

Jonny enjoying his new Flexibath.

If you are pregnant and looking for a baby bath look no further than the FlexiBath. Unlike a lot of other baby baths the Flexibath has a longer lifespan and it's foldable nature means you wont be tripping over it for the first few years of your child's life! We were all very impressed with the FlexiBath, and although it might be slightly more expensive than some other baths, you will get a lot of use out of it both at home and when travelling.

The FlexiBath is available in a variety of eyecatching colours so there's something for everyone.




Range of Colours

The FlexiBath is available to purchase directly from the FlexiBath website for £29.99. To find your nearest stockist of the FlexiBath click here.

A FlexiBath was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in return for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

The Coolfan

The best thing about the Coolfan is that it does exactly what it says on the tin! It is an easy, hands-free way to cool your child's food without the risk of spreading germs. The constant super-heating/super-cooling of all things to do with babies and toddlers is a necessary but extrememly time-consuming part of being a mother and I can't begin to think how many hours of my life have been spent blowing on bowls of food whilst my son is getting, well, a little impatient to say the least.

We were sent an "Izzy" Coolfan to test and review. There are four great character fans to choose from, each with their own colours and "personality". The fan is mounted underneath Izzy's head and mounted on a frame for stability.

Izzy busy at work.

I really appreciate the 'hands-free' solution the Coolfan offers, it gives me time to do the dishes and get my little darling to the table with bib on and cuttlery in place. Or, if Jonny is really impatient, a couple more minutes of entertainment time. Plus, Jonny does like to turn it on himself which, once again, gives me those few minutes to do something useful. The fan blades are soft so there is no risk of injury.

Jonny & Izzy Cooling Dinner

The Coolfan allows Jonny's food to be cooled without blowing on it, a particular bonus recently when I've been suffering from a cold, the last thing I wanted to do was blow germs all over his food and pass it on to him.

I've used the fan with bowls and plates of differing sizes and all have fitted without a problem, although I did get into a little difficulty when trying to multi-task and squeeze a blob of tomato sauce whilst the fan was in operation. I suggest others wait until the fan has stopped before doing this!  Thankfully the fan can be detached from the frame for easy cleaning.

If there is any negative to this product it's that the batteries don't seem to last very long, but that's easily outweighed by the fact the fan is so useful! I think we will invest in some rechargeable batteries just for Izzy.

This really is one of those inventions that you wished someone would invent and then suddenly found out they already had. With another child on the way this fan is going to make my life that little bit easier! Now if you could invent an all-in-one system that fed the child it's food too I would be very grateful...

The Coolfan is available to purchase online for £9.99, this includes 2 x AAA batteries for operation. Why not "like" the Coolfan Facebook page to keep up to date with all their news?

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Earth Friendly Baby Review and *Giveaway* - CLOSED

A few weeks ago we received some fantastic Earth Friendly Baby products to review and the time has come to share our thoughts with you.

Earth Friendly Baby is an award winning, eco-friendly range of baby care toiletries. All of their products are created using natural ingredients and are free from artificial colourings, synthetic fragrance, peanut oil, petroleum by-products and SLS meaning that your child's skin is being treated with the utmost care.

We were sent some Earth Friendly Baby Organic Lavender Shampoo and Bodywash, together with Earth Friendly Baby Organic Red Clover Diaper Care Cream to test out........

Shampoo & Bodywashes, 250ml £3.99

Even the packaging on the Earth Friendly Baby products looks relaxing and lovely. With babies there comes an unending stream of washing, cooking, bathing etc and I've certainly thought about the impact on the environment of all these, so any way I can reduce the effect on the environment has to be good. Although I would like to say that saving the environment is a big priority, with a toddler and second baby on the way it is more of a passing thought, which is why I love these products as an easy way to do it. Plus, I can't help but think that natural products are the best thing to use on children.

The shampoo and bodywash smells gorgeous and I have certainly been known to use it on myself at the end of a long day. The lavender does help to relax the senses and because it's an all-in-one wash you don't have to have separate products on the go. The consistency is excellent - a bit like runny honey - so it is thick enough to cleanse the skin whilst thin enough to wash off easily.


Diaper Care Cream 43g, £2.99

Next we tried the nappy cream and it is excellent. Nappy rash is awful and you really feel it for them when they're in such discomfort. We have tried all the main brand potions and lotions but, like children, nappy rash comes in different forms and something that worked the last time doesn't always work the next time. This red clover cream seems to treat the rash as well as protect the area from moisture and we were very happy with the results. The size of pack makes it easily fit in the change bag.

Both Jonny and I have loved using these gorgeous products, I just have my fingers crossed for some 'earth friendly mother' products sometime soon too...

The lovely people at Earth Friendly Baby have offered one lucky Rhoda Reviews reader the chance to win FIVE of their gorgeous products (the prize will be a mixture of Earth Friendly Baby's choosing).

Entry for this giveaway is really simple, just "like" the Earth Friendly Baby Facebook page then fill in the form below!

There is ONE additional entry available....tweet "I've entered @justforcomps' blog giveaway to win a bundle of #EarthFriendlyBaby goodies. You can too at http://goo.gl/G8Gzg" and leave your twitter ID in the entry form to be counted.

The competition closes at 5pm on Tuesday 1st March 2011.


There is one bundle of five Earth Friendly Baby goodies to give away to one lucky winner. If I have not heard from the winner within one week of first contact I reserve the right to select a new winner. All information received shall be used solely for the purposes of this competition. The competition is open to the UK only and will close at 5pm on Tuesday 1st March 2011.

Earth Friendly Baby products are available to purchase from selected Waitrose stores, good baby and health stores or online.  You can keep up to date with all of their news on their Facebook page. There is also a range of products created for kids, for further information check out Earth Friendly Kids.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. Thank you to Earth Friendly Baby for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Chocolatea

Regular readers and followers on twitter will know I do like a good hot drink. My husband will tell you that I prefer it if it's accompanied by chocolate! So you can just imagine my delight when I came across Chocolatea from tea4life.

Chocolatea is a loose leaf tea that combines Japanese Sencha tea with raw organic cocao nibs ... aka chocolate! Sencha tea is the most popular tea in Japan accounting for up to 80% of their tea production.  It is extremely high in polyphenols, catechins and antioxidants which have been proved to have excellent health benefits.

This green tea has been combined with chocolate in its raw form. Raw organic cocao nibs actually contain a lot of goodness and are full of antioxidants, minerals and serotonins, so the combination of the two make for a goodness packed cuppa!

I gave this tea a go not quite knowing what to expect, was it going to be a chocolate taste sensation? Well the answer is no, but really was it ever going to be? There are the slightest tones of chocolate flavours in the tea, possibly enough to curb those chocolate cravings. The tea itself is gorgeous, the scent is fantastic, it smells so fresh and the flavours are full and smooth. I didn't add anything to the tea, just allowed it to brew for about 4 minutes and it really was very tasty.

If you do suffer from chocolate cravings (like myself) this could be a low calorie way to curb those cravings. If you just love tea then you really can't go far wrong with this.

Chocolatea is available from tea4life and retails at £5.95 for 50g.

A sample of Chocolatea was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Thirst Pockets Multi Cloth

In a previous life, well back in the days when I had the energy, I was a cleaning freak! Everything had to be immaculate, and I would spend hours scrubbing all the rooms of the house. I had a bit of an obsession with cleaning products too - there was something for everything!

Things have changed somewhat since I became ill and I don't clean anymore, but that doesn't mean to say I can't appreciate cleanliness and the effort it takes.

I was therefore stupidly excited when I was sent a sample of the new Thirst Pockets Multi Cloth to review. It's advertising says it looks like a kitchen towel but performs like a cloth. I was hugely intrigued and naturally we had to test it out for ourselves!

Firstly, let me say that we currently have "normal" Thirst Pockets kitchen towel in the house and so decided to put the new version up again the old. I was immediately struck but how thick and "good quality" the Multi Cloth felt in comparison to the kitchen towel. It really does feel like a cloth, but I wasn't convinced that it could perform like one.

Well I'm pleased to say that it totally proved me wrong! It's unbelievably strong for something that just looks like kitchen towel and if I hadn't tried it for myself I'd never have believed it. We have used it to scrub (yes, scrub) the bathroom and kitchen, and mop up my numerous spillages. I was particularly impressed with it's capabilities when it came to dealing with the spillages, we only really needed one sheet to mop up mess as it was very absorbant.  It really came into its own when it was time to clean the glass and didn't leave any streaks or "papery" residue on the glass. In fact it stayed strong throughout, even when rubbing tough marks.

All in all we were very impressed with the Multi Cloth and despite all our cleaning and mopping we aren't even halfway through the roll which goes to show how far one sheet can go. I genuinely think I'd find it very hard to go back to "normal" kitchen towel now and look forward to what Thirst Pockets bring out next.

Thirst Pockets Multi Cloth is available from Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Asda with a MRRSP of £2.39.

A sample of Thirst Pockets Multi Cloth was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Dreamgenii Pregnancy Pillow

Last month we reviewed the fantastic Twinkle Tog by Dreamgenii.  It was a fantastic hit with 2 year old Jonny, he absolutely loved it! His mum has been using the Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support Pillow for two months now so we thought it was about time we shared her thoughts with you.

The Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow is an award winning pregnancy pillow which supports your back, bump and knees meaning that you can get a good night sleep. It is designed to prevent you from sleeping on your back, which can result in reduced blood flow to your baby and encourages you to lie on your left side which is the best position for both mother and baby.

Liz has been using this pillow for the last two months, and as she didn't use the pillow for her first pregnancy she can make a good comparison between the two.  Here's what she had to say....

"Absolutely fabulous! This is my second pregnancy and the memories of trying to get a decent nights sleep have come flooding back. Last time I tried to get away with using pillows to support bump which never quite worked. This pillow, however, is so well-designed that I can support bump and my back without having to constantly re-arrange separate pillows and pushing my husband further out of bed (although I think if that's the pinnacle of his pregnancy problems he's getting away likely!). It balances comfort and support perfectly without the bulk of other products on the market and its slimline design means you don't have to use the entire bed to get a good sleep. Looking after an active toddler has resulted in more back pains and pelvic pains so the pillow is used everywhere from the settee to the car. Easily washable covers are also a necessity as it has withstood Jonny being sick and spilling food on it. I only wish I'd had one for my first pregnancy."

A glowing review I think you will agree! Research has shown that using the pillow from 20 weeks onwards can help your baby adopt the optimal birth position, meaning a shorter labour.....we will let you know if Liz finds this to be true in May.

The beauty of this pillow is that it needn't be relegated to the back of a cupboard once you have given birth as it also doubles as a feeding pillow.  It is designed to support your back as you are feeding and also keep baby at the right height and position too.

As Liz said the pillows have washable covers, a necessity when you think how much you will be using it.  Dreamgenii also sell a variety of covers from fleece to cherries and spots to suit your personal tastes.

All in all this is another fantastic product from Dreamgenii that Liz absolutely loves and uses every night and day. In fact when I pop round to her house it's frequently lying on the settee and I do enjoy wrapping myself up in it too!

For further information on how to use the pillow visit Dreamgenii's excellent How To Use section to view their video.

The Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support & Feeding Pillow has an RRP of £45.99 and is available to purchase directly from the Dreamgenii website or from all major nursery retailers (see here for stockists).  The Dreamgenii pillow covers start from £11.75.

Why not keep up to date with all their news by liking them on Facebook or following on Twitter (@dreamgenii2)? They also have a great blog written by an expectant mum which is well worth a read.



A Dreamgenii Pregnancy Support & Feeding Pillow was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Never Forget Review and *Giveaway* - CLOSED

I don't know if it's just me, but there seems to be new babies everywhere at the moment. If not new born then announcements of pregnancies. So for the past few months I've been trying to stock up on gifts so that when all the babies arrive we wont be totally skint!

I always like to buy gifts that are either going to be useful or are going to have some kind of meaning behind them, and even better if I can combine the two.

I recently discovered a fantastic website called Never Forget.  They have an impressive range of personalised gifts for all the family no matter what the occasion. I was therefore delighted to be sent a gorgeous Blue Hippo Striped baby comforter with my chosen personalisation of "Cuddle Me" to review.

The hippo (which I've named Harry) is absolutely gorgeous! He is incredibly soft and cuddly and very well made. He has a lovely long tail with five ribbon taggies - a fantastic way to help promote hand-eye coordination in the lucky recipient. As you'd expect being a product for young children he is also machine washable in preparation for any minor mishaps!

As with a lot of the products on Never Forget I was given the opportunity to personalise the comforter with whatever I wanted and in a choice of threads and fonts. I chose the phrase "Cuddle Me" but you could easily pick a child's name, date of birth, anything you want really that fits into the space (up to a maximum of 90 characters). The result is a high quality, truly unique gift that hasn't cost you the earth (personalisation of the comforters is £2.50).



Personalised Face Cloth - £3.00

It's not just baby products either, there is a huge range of potential gifts available on the website, from personalised hand towels to personlised suit covers and bunting to personalised t-shirts. One of the most impressive things about this site for me is that their minimum order number is one, so if you have been looking for a personalised t-shirt then you don't need to buy in bulk you just pay the price of the t-shirt plus £2.50 for personalisation! Oh and delivery in the UK is absolutely free (launched today) - another huge bonus I think you will agree.

I'm really impressed with this website and the quality of the comforter I received. The personalised comforter makes for a great new baby gift, adding a unique edge that I think shows you really care.

The lovely people at Never Forget have offered two of my readers the chance to win a gorgeous baby comforter from a choice of the following - Blue Elephant, Blue Teddy, Cute Frog and Pink Bunny.


There are six entries available, one prize will be given to a Rhoda Reviews fan (by completing any of the steps 1-3 below) and one prize to a Never Forget Fan (by completing any of the steps 4-6 below).

Here's how to enter -

1. Follow my blog (see right hand side).
2. Become a fan of the Rhoda Reviews Facebook page
3. Tweet the following "I've entered @justforcomps' blog giveaway to win a comforter from @neverforgetcouk you can too http://goo.gl/v5GwA"
4. Become a fan of the Never Forget Facebook page
5. Follow @neverforgetcouk on twitter
6. Follow the Never Forget blog

To make entering the competition as easy as possible just fill in the form below! Remember if you are entering via a Facebook or Twitter route to leave the appropriate ID.

There are a total of six entries available. Your email address will only be used to contact you if you are a winner. There are two comforters available to two lucky winners. If I have not heard back from the winners within one week I reserve the right to select a new winner. The competition is open to the UK only and will close at midnight on Monday 28th February 2011.

For more information about Never Forget and to view their full range of products visit their website.  Why not keep up with all of their news and offers by following them on twitter (@neverforgetcouk), Facebook and on their blog?

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. Thank you to Never Forget for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other rewards, financial or otherwise were received in return for this post. All opinions expressed in this blogpost are entirely my own.

Batiste Tones

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a big fan of Batiste Dry Shampoo. It saves me so much time and energy that it is one of my "must have" beauty products. Back in Decemeber I reviewed the Batiste Brit dry shampoo, but now it's the turn of their new product Batiste Tones.

Batiste Tones is the new dry shampoo that adds a hint of colour to your hair while freshening it up. It's available in light & blonde hair, medium & brunette hair and dark & deep brown hair varieties. I've been trying the medium & brunette hair version for over a week now and really like it.

There have been occasions in the past where I applied dry shampoo to my hair without brushing it out properly and have left some dusty residue in my hair - entirely my own fault as I've just been in a rush. The new Batiste Tones means that there's no chance of that as it just blends in with your hair colour.

Like all the other Batiste products it's very easy to apply and really does freshen up slightly greasy hair, or adds volume to newly washed hair. Unlike previous varieties of Batiste, the Tones doesn't particularly have a scent, it more a kind of fresh smell. If I'm honest I'm not entirely sure about this, I like the scents of all the other versions, and it's great when you haven't managed to wash your hair to have some kind of fresh smell. I do like this scent, but I think I prefer the Blush or Brit varieties.

Clearly the biggest difference between this product and previous Batiste Dry Shampoos is the addition of the colour. I found that it complemented my hair well, however there is scope to have some residue on your scalp (it does remove quite easily though). My other slight concern is getting the spray on clothes or furniture, having said this it hasn't happened yet so I can't tell you how easy it is to remove, but clearly it isn't too much of an issue if you apply it as per the instructions.

All in all I really like the idea of Batiste Tones and it does freshen up the hair very well. I can imagine that when my stray grey hairs become a bit more prominent it might be good to just cover them up a bit, however at the moment I think I will stick to my Batiste Brit and Blush, if only because I prefer the scent.

Batiste Tones is available from Boots, Superdrug and all good retailers for £3.05. For more information on Batiste and their products check out their website, follow them on twitter @BatisteHair or "like" them on Facebook .

A sample was provided for the purposes of this review.  No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in return for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Kitchen Garden Propagator - The Stewart Company

Over the past few months my husband has been working really hard on getting our garden sorted out so that it is more manageable for us both. Perviously I used to do the garden, but as you'd expect it's not something I can manage these days. He's done a brilliant job of it and we now have a raised bed ready for planting this year's herbs and vegetables.

We were really excited when we were sent a Kitchen Garden Propagator by the Stewart Company to review. Regular readers will know that I reviewed their Zurbano planter last month and love that (it's now looking fantastic in our garden), so we were really intrigued as to what we'd make of their propagator.

The set comes complete with 2 x 22cm propagators, 5 x flower pots and 1 x 67cm tray.

A couple of weeks ago we set up the propagator with some fine gravel in the tray and seed compost in the propagators and the flower pots. We put a mixed of seeds in the propagators and popped some onion sets in the pots to try and get them started off, together with some random bulbs. It was really easy to set up and actually lots of fun too.

This is the first year either of us has attempted to grow vegetables or herbs so it has been a bit of a learning curve. We planted mixed leaves, rocket, basil, rosemary, coriander and mint in the propagators and within a week had enough mixed leaves and rocket to transplant into an individual pot.  Our basil and coriander is coming on well now, but we are still waiting for any signs of the rosemary and mint.

Note - plug isn't part of propagator, though Stewart Company do electric ones too.

The propagator set is just the perfect size to sit on a windowsill or worktop.  We have it sitting on a kitchen worktop so that it's out of direct sunlight. As with all propagators you just need to keep the soil damp and leave it to do its stuff.

It's been great fun watching the seedlings grow, and I can imagine it would be brilliant for little kids as well as keen gardeners as they could keep an eye on their plants and learn a bit about gardening too!

The Kitchen Garden Propagator has a SRSP of £9.99 and is available from garden centres and DIY stores.  For more information about the Stewart Company and their products visit their website. 

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post.  All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Blinc Eye Cosmetics

With lots of weddings to look forward to over the next few months I have been on the lookout for a decent mascara...yes I am one of those people who cry at weddings! It's quite embarrassing being unable to control your tears and even more so if you turn round with panda eyes and black streaks down your cheeks! So when I came across Blinc mascara I was really keen to give it a go.

I was lucky enough to be sent two samples, black and purple of Blinc mascara, as well as a tester of one of their liquid eyeliners.

So what's so special about blinc mascara then? Well blinc mascara is a water resistant mascara and it's the first of it's kind - rather than painting your lashes it forms tiny tubes around them. The tubes bind to your lashes and can't run, smudge, clump or flake!

To put the mascara through its paces I applied it first thing in the morning and wore it all day. It was very easy to apply and left my eyelashes looking long and full of volume. I'm not normally very good at applying mascara and my lashes can end up looking spidery, but I had no problems at all with this particular mascara.

For the purposes of research I put a heartwarming film on and settled down with a cuppa. True to form I started crying! I gave my eyes a good old rub and went to inspect the damage in the mirror. To my amazement the mascara was still in place - not so much as a smudge!

By the time I went to bed it was still looking good. It did make me wonder though as to how easy it would be to remove. I dug out a wipe (the same kind I use for my "normal" mascara) and started removing the mascara. It came off really easily and you could actually see the wee tubes in the wipe. The tubes just seem to slide off your lashes when you apply a little pressure.

I often find that mascaras make me sneeze and give me itchy eyes but I didn't have that problem with this one. It's clinically tested to be non-irritating and it certainly didn't irritate me at all. If you generally don't wear mascara because of contact lenses or irritation I do recommend giving this one a go.  I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have given it a go, did you find it as comfortable to wear as I did?

I'm really impressed by this mascara and it definitely beats all the other ones in my collection. I love the fact it comes in a cute wee tube too - a lovely touch that echoes the tubes of the mascara.

The mascara is available in black, dark blue, medium brown, dark brown, dark purple and dark green. It retails at £18.50 and is available to buy directly from the Blinc website.

I also mentioned receiving a sample of the blinc eyeliner. If I'm honest I never wear eyeliner, but this is because I really can't apply it. I find it very hard to get an even line. So I gave this a go not quite knowing what to expect. However it was very easy to use. Like the mascara, this isn't your conventional eyeliner, it creates a water-resistant layer of colour that will last all day without smudging or running. It also removes really easily, with minimum effort. Since I don't wear eyeliner normally I can't compare it to any other products, however if you think it sounds good you can buy a tester bottle from blinc to give it a go!

Both of these products are available in small tester sized bottles so you can see if you like the product before paying £18.50 for the full product.  I think this is a great idea as personally I'd never go out and spend £18.50 on a mascara unless I knew it was going to be amazing! You can buy the trial sized products for £2.56 and they come complete with a 20% off voucher for the full-sized product! This means when you buy the full product you actually get the price of the sample and more off your purchase.

If you love your makeup, and you want it to last without smudging, running or clumping I'd highly recommend you give this a go!

Blinc products are available for purchase on their website. You can also check for you nearest stockist here.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Byron Bay Gluten Free Cookies

Today's guest review comes from my Mum. Mum has been on a gluten free diet for about 16 years now, so she is somewhat of a gluten free food connoisseur. She was sent some award winning Byron Bay Gluten Free Cookies and Crackers to try recently and here's what she had to say....

"I am always excited when I go to a coffee shop and there is actually something gluten free there for me to eat with my coffee! Some time ago I had the pleasure of trying out a Byron Bay Chocolate Orange Cookie, so when the Beyond the Bean Company offered me a variety of Byron Bay Cookies to try out, I knew I couldn’t resist.

I started with the 'Chocolate Orange', knowing I would enjoy it as I had before. That combination of chocolate and orange works for me every time and this was no exception. Then I couldn’t resist trying the ‘Dotty’ which has the bonus of having Smartie type sweets on it as well as having a delicious chocolate flavour.

If I had any slight comment on how these cookies could be improved, these two flavours are very tasty if slightly dry. However, I could not say the same of the next three – ‘Triple Chocolate Fudge’ indulged not only my usual craving for chocolate but also my passion for fudge; it was delicious to have chunks of both chocolate and fudge in there!

‘White Chocolate Chunk and Macadamia Nut’ was scrumptious and a lovely change of flavour although I was still getting my chocolate kick! Then I wondered how ‘Sticky Date and Ginger with Walnut’ would live up to the others – after all, it had no chocolate in it! I wasn’t disappointed. The flavours went so well together and I would say this was the moistest of all the flavours I had tried.

So, after several days of sheer indulgence with my morning coffee, I can honestly say that next time I’m in a coffee shop I’ll be hoping Byron Bay Cookies are available and would recommend that anyone following a gluten free ‘diet’ tries them out.

I was also asked to sample Byron Bay Original Crackers and Rosemary and Sea Salt Crackers. These are both tasty and would be handy to have in to offer to a guest requiring a gluten free snack with an apéritif. They can be eaten on their own or would be very tasty with pâté or smoked salmon and cream cheese. I would not add the toppings until very close to serving time as I suspect the cracker would lose its crunch fairly quickly but I would still recommend these combinations.

Thanks to Beyond the Bean and Byron Bay Cookies for some very yummy tasting sessions!"

You can keep up to date with all of the Byron Bay cookie news on twitter (@ByronBayCookie) and Facebook.

Beyond the Bean (@BeyondtheBean) are official suppliers for Byron Bay foods in the UK. Although Byron Bay Cookies are originally Australian, they are now being baked in the UK using as many locally sourced products as possible. The gluten free range has been approved by the Coeliac Society.

Byron Bay cookies are available in cafes and fine food stores throughout the UK, including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
Samples of both the cookies and crackers were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise was received for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert Giveaway Winner

I am absolutely blown away by the number of entries into the Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert giveaway - I guess you all love their products! I have to say that I am slightly jealous of the winner of this competition, it's a lovely prize.

The winner (as selected by random.org) is .....................

LilLeese

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please email me (see top left) your details.

Thank you again for entering! I have a couple of lovely new giveaways coming up this week so keep your eyes peeled!

If you missed out on this prize don't forget you can purchase the Cosmopolitan Beauty Expert range in Superdrug, Tesco and Debenhams.

Balloon Baboon Giveaway Winner

Thank you all for your entries into the Balloon Baboon giveaway. I'm delighted to have been able to introduce you to this fantastic company!

A huge thank you to Balloon Baboon too for running this giveaway and offering such a cool prize.

The winner of the gorgeous Balloon Baboon Handtied Mixed Floral Bouquet is...

emmabarron

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Please email me (see top left) with your details.

Don't forget that all of Balloon Baboon's products can be purchased through their website. You can also keep up with all their news on Twitter (@balloonbaboon) and Facebook.

The Takeaway Secret

Sorry I've been a bit quiet recently, I've not been too well. I'm back now though!

I've been looking forward to writing this review for ages, and now I feel that I have tried out enough recipes that I can do the book justice!

The Takeaway Secret is a fantastic book packed full of recipes so that you can create your favourite take away meals at home!

I was particularly intrigued by this book as the author, Kenny McGovern became housebound as a result of suffering from Social Anxiety Disorder, depression and agrophobia. One of the things he really missed about being stuck at home was one of his favourite lunchtime sandwiches, so he set about trying to recreate it in his own kitchen! When he succeeded he decided to do the same with his other favourite takeaways foods.....the result is this brilliant book.

The book is set out into various chapters:

• Burgers
• Kebabs
• The Chip Shop
• Indian Main Meals
• Chinese Main Meals
• Pizza and Pasta
• Sides, Salads and Sauces
• Breakfast and Lunch
• Drinks and Desserts

Each chapter has a great variety of recipes, all of which are very easy to follow and, from the ones we have tried, produce great results!

In order to put the book through it's paces I selected three meals to cook and test out. Firstly we tried the Chinese Style Curry Sauce with some roast chicken leftovers. It was very easy to make and really did taste just like the takeaway version. In fact I preferred it to the takeaway version, largely because I knew what was in it - just some flour, water, herbs and spices!

Having made a successful curry I decided to challenge myself to a different dish. At my husband's request I made the Lamb Doner Kebab. This is something that I would never normally eat, as I can be pretty fussy about meat, and especially lamb. However the kebab was gorgeous and it was so easy to make, just needed lamb mince, herbs and spices. There is a recipe in the book for homemade pittas, but I did cheat and use shop bought ones this time. I did, however make two of the kebab sauces from the book - red kebab sauce and white kebab sauce.  The end result was a kebab banquet, that (according to my husband) tasted very kebab shop-like and (according to me) was very tasty!

To complete a trio of Takeaway Secret recipes we invited a bunch of the guys round for sport watching and burger eating. What better way to test out the Mega Burger with Special Burger Sauce (aka, the Big Mac)? Again, the recipe was so easy with no scary additions, just pure meat with some seasoning. The boys were all suitably impressed with their homemade "Big Mac" and agreed that if I'd bought the right type of burger buns (oops) it would have been just like the real thing!

This really is a fantastic book, especially if you enjoy a takeaway now and then, but not the unhealthiness or cost that goes with it.  Yes, it might not be quite the same as just flopping on the sofa and picking up the phone, but it this book will definitely help save you some money!

The Takeaway Secret is available to purchase directly from Constable & Robinson, with an RRP of £5.99.

Cuddle Your Toddler Dry With Cuddlemoo

We recently reviewed a towel for pregnant ladies, well now it's the turn of the toddler towel. We were very excited to be sent a Cuddlemoo toddler towel from Cuddledry.  Cuddledry is an awardwinning company (you may have seen them on Dragon's Den) set up by two mums who have created fantastic products to make bath time easier for you, and more fun for your wee one.

Cuddlemoo - £29.99

The Cuddlemoo is a specially designed toddler towel, suitable from walking age to 3 years old. It is a big, cosy towel to keep your child warm when they get out of the bath. In fact it's the warmest toddler towel you can get, with two layers of beautifully soft organic cotton with bamboo fibres.  As you can probably guess from the name, the Cuddlemoo has a cow design with cowprint on the main part of the towel and two cute wee horns on the super cosy hood.

I instantly fell in love with the product when it arrived, but then I do have a slight obsession with farm animals. It pained me to do so, but I passed it on to Liz and Jonny to put it to the test.  Here's what Liz had to say...

"Wow! What a great towel that mixes fun, comfort and practicality. This must surely be classed as 'baby chic' and I am only a little jealous that my son has the most luxurious towel in the world. It certainly is a hard life being a child! You can really feel the quality when you open the packet and Jonny absolutely loved the cow design, running round the house shouting 'moo moo'. It's fabulous as a swimming towel as it keeps him warm in cold changing rooms and dries him (especially his hair) much faster than his usual towel. A fantastic towel that we both love."

So it's a huge thumbs up for the Cuddlemoo from all of us. It really is a high quality product and it's luxuriously soft texture has left both myself and Liz feeling incredibly jealous.

Cuddledry have three other designs of toddler towel available, so if cows aren't your thing why not check out the Cuddlesafari or Cuddlebugs (green or pink)?

The Cuddlemoo is available from the Cuddledry website for £29.99.  You can also search for your nearest Cuddledry stockist here. While you're there why not check out the Baby Apron Bath Towels and Colour Change Bathmat....they both look fab! 

Keep up to date with Cuddledry's news on Twitter (@cuddledry), Facebook and on their blog.

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are entirely our own. We did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post.

JML Giveaway *Winner*

I am absolutely delighted with the response the JML giveaway has had! Thank you for all of your entries, I'm really looking forward to selecting the winner of this great competition.

If you missed out on the competition you can still read my review of JML's new Bounce Fit - a great, fun way to get into shape for 2011.

Before I draw the winner I just want to thank JML, once again, for being so supportive of my blog. I'm a huge JML fan so it means a lot to have the chance to review for them.

Ok, here goes........the winner of the £50 JML voucher (as selected by random.org) is.....

Maya (@maisietoo)

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Please drop me an email (see top left) with your details!

For more fantastic products from JML check out their website - http://www.jmldirect.com/. You can also keep up to date with all of their news, offers and giveaways on their Facebook page, and Twitter pages @JML_Direct).

Balloon Baboon Review and *Giveaway* - CLOSED

It's that time of year again when the world turns pink and red and the shops are overflowing with hearts, chocolates, flowers and cuddly toys - yes it's nearly Valentine's Day!

Did you know that the first ever Valentine note was sent by a Frenchman Charles, Duke of Orleans? In 1415 he was imprisoned for 25 years in the Tower of London and during that time sent over 60 love poems to his wife, these are claimed to be the first ever Valentines. Nearly 600 years on and a billion cards are now sent worldwide for Valentine's Day!

I have recently discovered a website that allows you to send your Valentine's message in a new, fun way Balloon Baboon.  Balloon Baboon specialise in balloon sculptures and have some amazing designs!

I was lucky enough to be sent their Romantic Man to review, and I was seriously impressed.

Romantic Man - £11.95 incl delivery

He arrived by post well packaged in a cardboard box on a bed of tissue paper. The minute I lifted him out the box I was blown away. As you'd imagine he's made entirely of balloons! The skill involved is incredible, I have trouble tying a balloon let alone shaping it into a man clutching a rose.

It's now a week on since I received this lovely wee guy and he still looks just as perfect as he did the day he arrived. This is especially impressive when you consider he has been danced with, thrown about and "fed" water by a small child (under close supervision of course).

To my mind, this would make a lovely Valentine's present. It's something really different that your loved one will always remember. If this wee guy isn't for you though, Balloon Baboon have lots of other designs too.  How about a bouquet of roses?

Handtied Red Rose Bouquet, £23.45

Of course a Balloon Baboon gift needn't just be for Valentine's Day, they are perfect for any occasion and cater for all your needs.

Here are a few of my favourite balloon designs featured on their site

Moo Cow is one of my favourites! £14.95

Stork and Baby  is a great gift for new parents. £15.95



Teddy and Plane is just so cute. £14.95

I could actually just list their whole site here, but managed to stop myself.  All of their lovely gifts come complete with your own personal message for direct delivery to the lucky recipient.  Even better all of their prices include delivery so there are no hidden charges. You can also add some extras to your order too, to make it even more special.

I am absolutely delighted with my Romantic Man, the quality is fantastic and he is just such a novel idea. Balloon Baboon are a one of a kind business, so you can be sure that whatever you send from them will be a unique gift....what better way to impress your love on Valentine's Day?

The lovely people at Balloon Baboon have very kindly offered readers of Rhoda Reviews the chance to win one of their gorgeous Handtied Mixed Flower Bouquets!

To be in with a chance of winning just visit the Balloon Baboon website then pop back here and leave a comment telling us which balloon you would most like to send, who to and why? Easy!

There are three additional entries available too, please leave a separate comment for each telling me what you've done.

1. Tweet "I've entered @justforcomps blog giveaway to win a bouquet from @balloonbaboon, you can too at http://goo.gl/xWmrm"
2. Follow @balloonbaboon on Twitter.
3. Become a fan of Balloon Baboon on Facebook.

I'm afraid the competition is open to the UK only and will close on Thursday 10th February 2011 at 4pm. There is one Handtied Mixed Flower Bouquet from Balloon Baboon to give away to one lucky winner. I will make every attempt to contact the winner, however if I have not heard back within a week I reserve the right to select a new winner.

Balloon Baboon's products can be purchased through their website. You can also keep up with all their news on Twitter (@balloonbaboon) and Facebook.

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. All views expressed in this post are my own. I did not receive any other reward, financial or otherwise for this post. Thank you to Balloon Baboon for providing the prize for this giveaway.