Transformulas Professional White *Giveaway* - CLOSED

I recently ranted about how important it is to look after your teeth and how much I'd hate to grow old with yellow, rotten teeth....if you missed that particular rant you can find it here. It seems these days people are a lot more conscious of the dental hygiene, but much more than that we are concerned with our smile.

I for one look at people on the TV and get "teeth envy" over the whiteness of their smile, or straightness of their teeth. Well I did the braces thing when I was a child and now I'm more concerned about the colour of my teeth. I've always wanted to have my teeth whitened but firstly I'm concerned of turning out like Ross from Friends and secondly the cost has always put me off. So when I heard about Transformulas Professional White, a one-step tooth whitening and brightening treatment you can do at home and on the go I was instantly intrigued!

I was lucky enough to be sent a sample to try out for myself and I've been really impressed. Transformulas Professional White is designed to whiten your teeth several shades lighter and to help get rid of discolouration caused by coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, food and ageing. It looks just like a mascara on the outside, it's small, sleek and easy to fit into your handbag, toilet bag etc. When you open up it's simply a brush that you use to apply the formula onto your teeth. It is very simple to use and not messy in the slightest. In fact you don't need anything apart from the wand! You just simply turn the bottom to release some formula onto the brush and apply it to dried teeth. Once you have applied the formula you just need to leave you mouth open for 30 seconds while the gel dries.

I was really impressed by how easy this product was to use, I had visions of tooth whitening involving mixing pastes and palates, but there was no hassle whatsoever. For best results you are encouraged to use this 2-3 times a day which is realistically very easy to do - once in the morning, once at work and once at night!

I have been using this for four weeks now and have noticed a difference in my teeth. It is said you can see the difference after 5 days and I think this is probably true....although I must admit I did continue to drink coffee for the first two weeks of treatment which may have slightly slowed down the process. Either way, I didn't think I'd be able to get such good results at home without spending a fortune, but for just £25 you can get a white, bright smile too!

Transformulas have kindly offered TWO Rhoda Reviews readers the chance to win Professional White. To enter just complete the compulsory entry below.

COMPULSORY ENTRY

Simply visit the Transformulas website and find the product you think you could most benefit from. Pop back here and leave a comment telling me what it is and why - EASY! Please remember to leave some form of contact details with your entry.

BONUS ENTRIES (you must complete the compulsory entry above first)

- "Like" Transformulas on Facebook then come back and leave a comment below telling me you have done so along with your Facebook name.

- Tweet "I've entered @rhodak09's blog comp to have a dazzling smile with Transformulas Professional White. You can too at goo.gl/bNi0L"

Please remember to leave some form of contact details so I can contact you if you are a winner. There are a maximum of 3 entries available per person. The giveaway will close at midnight on Sunday 12th June 2011.

There are two Transformulas Prefessional White sets worth £25 to give away to two lucky winners. The winners will be selected from all eligible entries at random using random.org. Every effort will be made to contact the winners but if after a week we have had no response we reserve the right to select a new winner. The giveaway is open to the UK only and will close at midnight on Sunday 12th June 2011.

For more information or to purchase Professional White visit the Transformulas website. Why not "like" them on Facebook to keep up with all of their news and offers?

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. Thank you to Transformulas for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this blog post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

New Persil Small & Mighty

A couple of weeks ago I told you about a fantastic competition by Persil to win a washing machine. Were any of you lucky? At the time I said I'd be reviewing New Persil Small & Mighty, well that time has come.

The new Small & Mighty from Persil is their most powerful liquid detergent to date. It is so powerful that it can wash your laundry on a cool setting in just 30 minutes....sounds too good to be true? Well I put it through its paces to see if it really is as good as it sounds.

Over the past couple of weeks we have tried new Small & Mighty on a variety of garments and on the whole we have been pretty impressed with the results. Due to the strength of Small & Mighty you need only put a small amount into the washing machine. We have been using it in the dosing ball it comes with and putting it straight into the drum of the washing machine. We have then been setting the machine to 30 degrees and a 30 minute cycle.

Generally our laundry has come out extremely well and appears to be just as clean as a prolonged wash on a warmer setting. In fact there has only been one instance when I wasn't completely satisfied with the result, but in fairness I should have treated a particularly tough stain before popping it into the washing machine so I can't blame the Small & Mighty for that.

I really do like this product as it saves so much time! Instead of waiting for the washing machine to finish when  you are desperate to hang up the clothes and go out, you can do a quick wash with results that are, to my mind, just as good. It's particularly useful when that top you REALLY have to wear tonight is dirty, half an hour in the wash and it's clean!

Another thing I love about this product is that you can comfortably wash your laundry on a cooler setting. Not only is this better for the environment (in the 2 years since Small & Mighty launched over 70 million litres of water have been saved) but it is kinder on the electricity bill too, saving 5p-10p in a single wash.

If you're a busy mum or a career-person with precious spare time why not consider giving this a go and save yourself an hour per wash? I'd love to hear from you if you have used new Persil Small & Mighty - what did you think of it?

The new Persil Small & Mighty is available is 18, 28, 54 and 85 wash packs with an RRP starting from £4.39.

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

Jaxx Crunches

It's no secret that I LOVE chocolate. A few weeks ago I started a dairy-free diet (incidentally this doesn't mean I can't review dairy products any more, I have a husband for that), but thankfully before starting it I received new Jaxx Crunches from Jaxx Mouthy Chocolate to review.

Jaxx Crunches is a new chocolate product aimed at the "tween-teen" market. Considerable time has been taken researching the consumption habits of 10-18 year olds in order to come up with this new product which meets the expectations and desires of early teens.

Now just because I'm definitely not in my early teens didn't mean I couldn't enjoy this chocolate too! Jaxx Crunches are made with the richest cocoa, a layer of white covered by a rich layer of milk chocolate and a surprise crunchy centre.

There are three varieties available, and naturally we had the try them all - milk chocolate crunches, orange-chocolate crunches and double chocolate coco crunches.

The chocolates are absolutely gorgeous, and extremely moreish. The chocolate tastes great and the crunchy biscuity centre really adds to the enjoyment of this product. I kept them in a cupboard in the house. One day we had a small child visiting, he kept disappearing into the cupboard and I couldn't understand what he was up to...it turned out he was going in and taking one chocolate at a time! They definitely got his seal of approval and they certainly have mine too.

There is a great website that compliments Jaxx Crunches perfectly, Jaxx World aims to engage and interact with fans via competitions, games and webisodes. Jaxx are also on Facebook so it's easy to keep up to date with all of their news and interact with the brand.

We all loved these chocolates, my personal favourite being the orange-chocolate. I like the idea that Jaxx is a brand that interacts with its consumers and have no doubt that these will be a huge hit with teens and adults alike.

Jaxx Crunches come in 50g snack packs and are available in more than 3000 stores throughout the UK and Ireland including Londis, Budgens, Scotmid and Martin McColl. For more information visit Jaxx World or Jaxx Mouthy Chocolate on Facebook.

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

Planet Health Products Review & *Giveaway* - CLOSED

I think by now regular readers are aware of my interest in natural products as well as eco-products which help the environment. So it will come as no surprise to you that when asked to review for the natural health company Planet Health I leaped at the chance.

Planet Health was founded in Australia in 1996 before moving into the UK market in 2010. They have introduced a great range of previously unavailable brands to the UK, including New Zealand brand B_E_E.

I was asked to review two products that Planet Health have introduced to the UK, B_E_E's multi-surface cleaner and Australian Bush Flower Essences Organic Skin and Space Mist.

Let's start with the B_E_E product. B_E_E (Beauty Engineered for Ever) is a New Zealand brand that produces ethical, environmentally responsible cleaning products. Planet Health introduced this brand to the UK last month and I had the pleasure of testing out their High-Performance Multi-Surface Cleaner.

Like all B_E_E products the multi-surface cleaner avoids the use of harmful chemicals meaning that it's safe to use where food is being prepared or where there are children. B_E_E products use cleaning agents made from natural ingredients such as coconut and sugar combined with essential oils to ensure their products are as environmentally friendly as possible, as well as safe to use.

The multi-surface cleaner uses a combination of eucalyptus, spearmint and lemongrass essential oils to refresh and revitalise surfaces. Personally I found this product to have a really nice scent, it did make the room smell very fresh rather than the chemical smell you get from so many products, but surely the main question is how did it clean? We used it around the kitchen and bathroom to give it the toughest test possible. It certainly did clean well however we felt we needed to use more of it than other multi-surface cleaners to get the job done.

Now, I wouldn't mind using more of the product considering it is natural and more environmentally friendly, however at £4.95 for the trigger bottle (shown above) it's not really justifiable. I do appreciate that eco-products tend to cost a bit more but in these tight financial times I cannot justify spending £4.95 on a product that, in my experience, requires considerable amounts of product to be used to do the job.

That said, my only real gripe with this product is the cost. I like the product itself, I love the scent and I love the fact that it's naturally safe to use. In fact B_E_E is New Zealand's most environmental cleaning product range. I do however feel that for me it is just too expensive, particularly when there are similar products on the market for nearly half the price....then again it is being shipped from New Zealand. I would be interested to know how it is being shipped, does this shipment considerably add to the carbon footprint / environmental impact of the product? Something to ponder.

As I said, I also had the opportunity to test one of the skin and space mists from Australian Bush Flower Essences. The Australian Bush Flower Essence Organic Mists have been formulated with a base of pure botanicals, herbal extracts and aromatic oils to create a product which is certified as organic.

I was sent their Organic Woman Essence Mist to try. You can spray this into the air or apply it as a facial or body mist. The Woman range (also available in drops and cream) has the specific aim of creating feminine balance and inner strength while coping with the feminine emotional cycles. It is said to be able to help with mood swings and coping with emotional lifecycles.

The spray uses a combination of floral essences including Billy Goat Plum, Bottlebrush, Bush Fuchsia, Crowea, Five Corners, Mulla Mulla, Old Man Banksia, Peachflowered Tea-tree, Pink Flannel Flower and She Oak. Personally I LOVE the scent that this product has, it smells fresh while being very soothing. It feels very soft on the skin and is said to cleanse, moisturise and tone the skin while also helping with your emotions.

I think most woman would agree that there are times of the month where we aren't exactly at our most....erm....logical. I know this is certainly true of myself. This product can help to relieve those stresses and emotions. However I feel that this product is a fantastic day-to-day product too. I feel that it has really helped to chill me out a bit. I could quite easily get lost in a daydream as I sit as smell this mist.

I particularly love the fact that this product is so natural. There are no hidden nasties and no chemicals to help rebalance your body. In fact it can actually be used on female teenagers and pets too. Perhaps worth a go for the teenager in your life who is going through that bodily change....or for the female cat that is a bit highly strung!

This spray is available for £14.95 (for 50ml) from the Planet Health website. Although this might seem quite expensive, I feel it is worth the money and it does last very well. There are other mists available in this range including Sensuality, Emergency, Travel and Calm and Clear.

This leads me very nicely on to our giveaway. Planet Health have very kindly offered Rhoda Reviews readers the chance to win a Emergency Essence Twin Pack worth £15.95.

Emergency Essence is a fast acting natural way to deal with life's busy lifestyle, daily dramas and emergencies. It is suitable for adults, kids and pets - simply put 7 drops under your tongue anytime, anywhere.

Here are some examples of situations where Emergency Essence can help you....

• fear, public speaking, grief
• exams, distress, bad news
• accidents, flying, panic
• upset, arguments, tantrums
• interviews, relationship problems

If you'd like the chance to win this fabulous prize then just complete the compulsory entry below.

COMPULSORY ENTRY

Simply pop over to the Planet Health website, have a browse and choose your favourite product. Then pop back here and leave a comment below telling me what it is! Easy! Remember to leave some form of contact details, eg twitter ID / Facebook name so I can contact you if you are a winner.

There are two bonus entries available too.

BONUS ENTRIES (must complete compulsory entry above first)

 - Be a follower of this blog and leave a SEPARATE comment below to say that you are.

 - Tweet "I've entered to win an Emergency Essence Twin Pack on @rhodak09's blog, you can too at http://goo.gl/Vaf1Z" then leave a SEPARATE comment below with your Twitter ID letting me know you have done so.

Please remember to leave some form of contact details so I can contact you if you are a winner. There is a maximum of three entries available per person. The giveaway will close at midnight on Saturday 11th June 2011.

There is one Emergency Essence Twin Pack worth £15.95  to give away to one lucky winner. The winner will be selected from all eligible entries at random using random.org. Every effort will be made to contact the winner but if after a week we have had no response we reserve the right to select a new winner. The giveaway is open to the UK only and will close at midnight on Saturday 11th June 2011.

The B_E_E product range includes laundry liquid, laundry powder, delicate fabric wash, multi-surface cleaner, dishwash liquid and whitener and is available from the Planet Health website.

Australian Bush Flower Essences are available directly from the Planet Health website.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. Thanks to Planet Health for providing the prize for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this blog post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.


UPDATE!

The lovely people at Planet Health have taken the time to address my concerns regarding shipment method and carbon footprint. Here is their response......


"When Beauty Engineered Forever (B_E_E) unleashed its range of household cleaning products on an unsuspecting market in New Zealand eight years ago, the company put its green credentials firmly on the line. Its mission was to make environmentally-leading products so desirable and effective that you simply can’t resist them. 


UK consumers buying B_E_E products do so knowing that the company’s carbon footprint satisfies the strictest of standards, including the high-calibre Environmental Choice New Zealand certification which is carried on all its goods. 


This certification, described by DEFRA in the UK as “having one of the strongest environmental assessments in the world”, covers every aspect of the ingredients and packaging, as well as the manufacturing process. B_E_E goods are transported to the UK from Auckland by highly efficient diesel-powered container ships.


B_E_E's Environmental Choice accreditation, with its rigorous investigation of every ingredient in the bottle, offers consumers an absolutely assurance of its green credentials."

Dentyl Active Mouthwash

We only get one set of adult teeth in life so it's really important to look after them. I can deal with the thought of grey hair - just dye it - I can almost cope with the thought of wrinkles, but the thought of losing my teeth as I grow older, or brandishing a brownish rotten smile fills me with dread!

We were recently asked to review Dentyl Active mouthwash, given my dental care obsession I was really excited about trying this out.

Dentyl Active is an alcohol free scientifically proven two phase active mouthwash that reduces plaque by a further 25% post brushing. The active formula consists of two phases, a water-based antibacterial stage incorporating bacteria fighting ingredients and an oil-based solution with natural essential oils that have to be shaken well before use.

In shaking the mouthwash before use the two mouthwash stages combine and create a dynamic cationic solution. The negatively charged bacteria and debris adhere to the positively charged mouthwash solution to remove it.

The really cool thing about this mouthwash is that the debris can be seen as small, brightly coloured masses in the sink. I love this as it really shows that it's working. It's such a satisfying feeling knowing that the debris has been removed, and thus the risk of plaque. It kind of reminds me of the disclosing tablets you used to get from the dental hygienist - you know you are really cleaning your teeth when you use them.

Unlike a lot of mouthwashes I've used in the past I didn't find this stingy in any way, this is due to the fact that it is alcohol free. It also leaves your mouth feeling fresh and its composition helps prevent bacteria from producing the Volatile Sulphur Compounds that cause bad breath.

I was really impressed by this mouthwash, we have been using it for over a month now and it has lasted well. It really feels like it works and since tests have shown that it lifts and absorbs 99.9% of oral bacteria and debris from the mouth you can be confident that it is helping protect your smile for the future.

Dentyl Active is widely available from supermarkets and pharmacies. For more information visit their website or like them on Facebook.

Samples were 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.

RNLI Lifeguard Clothing

Coming from an island the RNLI has always been a charity very close to my heart. The work they do is fantastic and it's a charity I try to support whenever I can.

The RNLI has just launched a gorgeous new clothing range in conjunction with the organic coastal brand Seasalt. It's a range of t-shirts and hoodies that all come with important beach safety messages.

The range includes clothing for men, ladies, boys and girls. Although I've not had the chance to review the clothing itself I have fallen in love with the look of their products!

Little Lifeguard Hoody - £25

Since all of their products are made from 100% organic cotton I can just imagine how soft they will be. They look incredibly comfortable and I've added a couple of products to my birthday wishlist!

My favourite thing about this range though is the fact that all of the profits go straight to the RNLI. So while the charity is teaching kids and the public about safety at sea it is also raising money to help save lives.

With Father's Day coming up soon why not check out the mens range and give a gorgeous gift that helps a worthy cause.

For more information about the RNLI and the work they do visit their website www.rnli.org.uk.

No reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. 

Norfolk Soy Wax Candles

I absolutely adore candles. It's fair to say that if anyone is ever stuck for a gift for me a scented candle will always go down well. So when I was asked if I'd be interested in reviewing handmade soy wax candles from candlescraftsgifts.co.uk I couldn't possibly say no!

I was sent two candles in Lily Garden scent, a tin and a tealight to try out. Both of these candles are handmade in Norfolk and use only ethically sourced ingredients.

The candles are absolutely gorgeous with a fantastic scent. Soy wax candles are more environmentally friendly than paraffin and provide a great way to scent your home without the use of chemicals.

The candles both burned beautifully (with 90% less soot than paraffin wax) and have a great burning duration, longer than paraffin wax. I was really impressed by them, I love the fact they are handmade as it makes them even more special.

These tins are available from the website for £4.99 and are available in a wide range of scents including wedding day, chocolate, baby powder and vanilla. They would really make a great gift for the candle lover in your life.

The candlescraftsgifts.co.uk website itself looks great. There is a brilliant range of candles on there with some beautiful candle holders, gifts for the home and the garden.

Why not follow candlescraftsgifts.co.uk on Twitter (@CandleGifts) and Facebook to keep up to date with all of their news?

Samples were 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.

Are you a Supermum? Win a £1000 family holiday!

The world is full of amazing Mums! Holly Willoughby has just been voted as celebrity Supermum, but surely it's about time a real life Mum was recognised for her abilities? Well that time has come! Milton are on a search to find an extra special British mum who deserves some recognition.

Milton have recently carried out a poll of 2000 mums which has revealed just how amazing British mums are.... three quarters juggle work with raising a young family, 1 in 10 cope with their partners being away long term or are single mums, 1 in 30 have adopted or fostered a child and 1 in 20 do charity or volunteer work. 

To recognise the efforts of British mums, Milton have a fabulous prize to offer one Supermum - a family holiday worth £1000! While a runner-up will be rewarded with a relaxing Champney's Spa Day. 

So if you know someone who is an extra special Mum then why not nominate them to gain the title of Supermum and win this fantastic prize? All you have to do is visit the Milton site and fill in the entry form. You can nominate yourself or a special Mum you know. You just need to tell Milton in up to 150 words why your nominated mum deserves Supermum status!

The deadline for entries is 27th May 2011 so pop over and enter the competition now! Full terms and conditions are available here.

Follow details of the competition on Twitter, @Milton_baby and on Facebook.

Why not check out our review of Milton here?

No reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post.

ikeepfit.com - Get Fit From Home

What with the good weather we have had of late (she says looking outside to see a mass of dark clouds) I'm sure I'm not alone in being scared of baring my body to the world! By that of course I mean wearing shorts and t-shirt.......or even (dare I say it) a bikini for the summer holidays!

We were recently asked to review www.ikeepfit.com, a new website designed to be your personal trainer. Unfortunately I'm not in a position to be able to do a huge amount of exercise so I signed Jonathon up for a month to see what it was like!

ikeepfit.com has been created by 2 of the UK's top personal trainers, Marc Marchant and Nick Mays who trains the likes of David Walliams. They are hoping to re-educate the public to see fitness as an important lifelong commitment, not just a fad. Research has shown that if obesity levels in the UK continue to rise at the current rate, 9 out of 10 people will be obese by 2050, that's a really staggering and frankly quite depressing fact.

So what is this ikeepfit.com then and what's it like? Well it's a website that contains all you need to lose weight and get fit! It features sections on nutrition, training, lifestyle, videos and programmes. The idea is that you can manage your own fitness by examining the training and nutrition programmes available. The website has an easy to follow calendar so you know when you should be exercising, as well as menus and recipes to help you with your nutrition. All of the exercises are shown in HD video meaning you can work out from a laptop, computer or even hook it up to an HD TV. It gives you the freedom to do your exercise in your own time, in private.

Jonathon tried out the site for a month and found it very easy to use. You simply fill in all your details, select what your aims are with regards to fitness and weight and choose the programme that best suits your needs. The videos are excellent and very easy to follow. I would say however that this website is really more aimed at women, so although Jonathon found it a useful tool I can't imagine it's the kind of thing he would really embrace for a long duration.

ikeepfit.com also features a postnatal training programme, perfect for new mums who really don't have the time, or finances, to go to the gym. It features routines such as Postnatal Core Conditioning, Postnatal Progression, Postnatal legs, bum and tums, back care, hatha yoga and pilates. It is designed to be used for 12 weeks, allowing you to progress to a more intensive regime after that time.

Personally I really like the look of this site, as it allows you to stick to a training regime in the comfort of your own home, or if you are on the move with your work you can also keep up with your training in hotel rooms etc. I personally hate gyms and the feeling of inadequacy that invariably comes with gym workouts, so I think this is a great compromise!

The site is very user friendly and you can even post your workout progress on Facebook, a great incentive to keep up the hard work. You can currently try out ikeepfit.com for 7 days for free, a great opportunity to see if it's right for you. Membership costs are £9.95 per month, £25 for 3 months and £79.95 for 12 months.

For more information on ikeepfit visit their website ikeepfit.com or "like" them on Facebook, I'm sure they will be delighted to answer any questions you might have.

A one month complementary membership 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.

30 Minute Winning Cycle

Sometime in the next month I'm going to be reviewing the new Persil Small and Mighty, however I have something really exciting to tell you about first!

To celebrate the launch of their new Small and Mighty Liquid detergent (which achieves unbeatable results on a 30 minute quick wash cycle) Persil will be giving away a washing machine every 30 minutes at Asda stores across the country this Saturday (14th May)!

To be in with the chance of winning just pop along to your local Asda store on Saturday. There will be a range of activities going on and you never know you could get your hand on a state-of-the-art Samsung Eco Bubble washing machine worth £599 RRP!

The draws will be running from 10am until 4.30pm and winners will be announced on Asda radio that day. Winners will be notified by text or email. For more information visit your local Asda store on Saturday.

As always please do let me know if you are lucky enough to win!

No reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post.

Shloer Summer Fruit Punch

Back in January I reviewed Shloer, and poured my heart out about the family memories that each glass of this non-alcoholic grape drink holds. If you missed my review you can check it out here.

Well now that summer is just around the corner Shloer have released a new, limited edition flavour....the Summer Fruit Punch.

The new punch is light and fruity and is designed to compliment a hot summer's day. It is best served "dressed to impress" in a jug with mint leaves, slices of orange, cucumber and strawberry and of course ice. 

Now I've always been a huge fan of Shloer and have never had a drink I didn't like from them....until now. I'm sorry to say that I really didn't enjoy this drink at all. I didn't enjoy the blend of flavours and while I could imagine it could be refreshing I personally didn't like the flavour. Clearly I was quite shocked by this, so when we had a barbecue recently I got everyone a glass and asked for their opinions. It seems that most people agreed with me, one person liking it to a "dentist taste". However some of them said that they felt it was just too strong and would be nice with some lemonade added to it. 

To be honest I was really quite disappointed by this product....I was excited about trying a new Shloer flavour but for me it didn't compare to their other varieties available. I will definitely be sticking to their "staple" flavours this summer.

That said, Shloer is still my go-to non-alcoholic drink when we have friends round or at a friends house. I love a nice chilled glass of white grape in the summer. It's a great drink for all the family, particularly as it contains no preservatives, artificial colours, sweeteners or flavourings.

Shloer currently have a fantastic competition running for their Facebook fans. They have a variety of goodies up for grabs for people who upload their tasty recipes, or vote for their favourites, in the Shloer Sunday Cookbook! Prizes range from tickets to see Jools Holland to cookery lessons with an expert chef. So get your thinking caps on and upload your recipe now! There are also prizes for those who vote!

The new Shloer Summer Fruit Punch is available from all major supermarkets with an RRP of £2.29. If you have tried this limited edition drink I would love to hear your thoughts, please post a comment below. Thanks!

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.

Win Breastfeeding Products All This Week With Nuby!

This week the BBC have been reporting that breastfeeding your child may actually help their behaviour in later years - for the full article see here.

As a result of this research Nuby have launched a competition which will be running every day this week. Nuby are offering their Facebook fans the opportunity to win a bundle of breastfeeding accessories to help and support your decision to breast feed your children.

So how do you enter then? Well every day this week Nuby will be posting a daily competition on their Facebook wall. To enter you must "like" their Facebook page and you'll find the daily details on their wall! Today (Wednesday) they want to hear your funniest story about your "boobs" during pregnancy or breastfeeding. See their wall for details on how to enter.

Each daily competition runs until midnight so you still have the chance to enter today, Thursday and Friday!

Good luck and please do pop back and let me know if you have been lucky enough to win!

No reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post.

Bottlegreen Supports Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

Throughout this fantastic weather we've been having I have been sitting out in the sun absorbing Vitamin D with a wee glass of chilled sparkles in my hand.

No, I wasn't drinking sparkling wine, I've been indulging in two of bottlegreen's classic sparkling presses, ginger and lemongrass and pomegranate and elderflower.

As part of its ongoing support for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity, bottlegreen has developed a very special limited edition bottle collection specifically for the celebrity led fashion charity campaign Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK with nearly 48000 women and 300 men diagnosed each year. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is dedicated to the prevention, treatment and eradication of breast cancer by fighting the disease on 3 fronts - research, campaigning and education. Bottlegreen have joined fashion partners such as Coast, Warehouse, Topshop and M&S to help raise awareness and funds for this worthy cause.

Bottlegreen have designed three limited edition monochrome bottles perfect for BBQs and social gatherings this summer. Mum and I tried both the pomegranate and elderflower and the ginger and lemongrass and loved them both.

 We started with the pomegranate and elderflower.  It was a lovely, well balanced, light fruity drink. The two flavours compliment each other really well and although it had sweet flavours it was by no means too sweet or sickly. We served it chilled while sitting on the patio in the sun - what a combination!

We then moved on to the ginger and lemongrass. This was equally as delicious but very different from the first. The fieriness of the gingers was tamed by the smooth lemongrass flavour. We had this drink mid-afternoon and found it to be bother tasty and refreshing.

Both of these flavours were a huge hit and together with elderflower they make up the trio of bottlegreen's limited edition FTBC sparkling presses.

They are the perfect alternative to alcohol on a summers evening and can be enjoyed by young and old alike. What's more, for each limited edition bottle sold a 10% donation will go to support Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.

These products are available now for a limited period only. You can purchase the bottles from Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons, Budgen and Booths. RRP £2.40

For more information about bottlegreen and the work they are going with Breakthrough Breast Cancer visit http://www.bottlegreendrinks.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter (@bottlegreen).

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

Firefly Step Up for Oxford Children's Hospital

Last month saw the launch of firefly tonics' latest creation, Step Up. Step Up is a tangerine and lime flavoured natural energy drink that has been released with the sole intention of raising £30 000 for Oxford Children's Hospital. It features the fabulous "KIDS" image created by world famous artist Michael Craig-Martin for the atrium of Oxford Children's Hospital. 

RRP £1.49 for 330ml bottle

I was sent a sample of this drink to review. I hadn't actually heard of firefly tonics before and was really intrigued by the fact they use all natural ingredients to create a flavour-filled natural energy drink.

I found it to be a very refreshing drink, and the subtle combination of tangerine and lime works very well together. I liked that it was a still drink and, importantly, contains no refined sugar, preservatives, artificial flavourings or colourings.

I love the fact that the main aim of this product is to help raise funds for Oxford Children's Hospital. They want to help improve the quality of life for children in the hospital by giving them access to the best medical equipment, as well as the chance to be more creative and to have more fun. Consequently firefly will donate 10 pence from the sale of every Step Up bottle to the hospital in order to try and reach their £30 000 goal.

The money raised by firefly will be used to transform two 70m corridors that connect the children's ward to the operating theatres, as well as adding art to 14 anaesthetic rooms and purchasing some of the latest high tech equipment.

So if you're looking for a great tasting, natural energy drink don't go past the limited edition Step Up! Not only does it taste fantastic but you'll be helping to change the lives of children too.

Firefly Step Up is available to purchase nationwide (see here for stockists) with an RRP of £1.49 for a 330ml bottle. For more information about the fundraising campaign visit www.fireflytonics.com/chox and check out their latest total.

If you'd like to help by donating more than 10p, text "CHOX" to 70099 to donate £1. You will be charged £1 plus one message at your standard network rate. Oxford Children's Hospital will receive between 76p and 96p depending upon your network.

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.

DeviliShh Desserts

For me one of the best things about going for a meal is the chance to have a dessert. I have a very sweet tooth and I can never resist that question "Would you like to see the sweet menu?" In truth it's normally the first thing I've looked at and I always know exactly what dish is going to conclude my meal.

I love to cook and used to love spending hours in the kitchen creating cakes, biscuits and desserts. I can't do that these days but that doesn't mean to say I can't still enjoy them!

I was recently sent a selection of desserts from DeviliShh to try. They have designed a range of puds for people who love to entertain but don't have the time, energy, talent or inclination to cook desserts from scratch.

We were sent their Panna Cotta, Creme Brulee, raspberry coulis and mango coulis to try - I could have sworn I was dreaming.

The DeviliShh desserts come in small carton and are so easy to make! You simply pour the liquid into a saucepan, bring to the boil stirring regularly, pour into ramekins and leave to chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

We took them round to a friends house for dinner and everyone was stunned into silence when pudding came. They couldn't believe that the puds had come from a carton, they were delicious. We teamed the Panna Cotta with the raspberry coulis and the result was delicious, the flavours combining perfectly.

Panna Cotta

I also really like the fact that DeviliShh encourage you to personalise your dessert, whether it's by adding Baileys to your Panna Cotta or espresso to your Creme Brulee you can experiment to find the perfect flavour combination for your own tastes.

Both of these desserts were absolutely gorgeous and felt a bit more special than readymade store bought desserts both in taste and presentation. They are perfect for dinner parties or just a quiet night in and as they are cartons you can keep them in the cupboard for that no-notice visitor or pudding carving.

The coulis were fantastic too, with a perfect balance of sweetness and fruit. DeviliShh actually have some cocktail recipes you can make using these coulis - how does a Raspberry Mojito or Mango Bellini tickle your fancy? Check out their website for more details.

Win a luxury hamper & £250 holiday vouchers on Twitter.

For those of you that are on twitter make sure you check out DeviliShh's summer promotion to win £250 holiday vouchers and a luxury DeviliShh hamper! To find out how to enter just visit www.devilishh.com/twitter-competition, good luck!!

DeviliShh Desserts are available in four varieties - Creme Brulee, Panna Cotta, Creme Caramel and Pot au Chocolat (RRP £2.99 per carton). There are four DeviliShh Details available - Chocolate flavoured Sauce, Caramel Flavoured Sauce (RRP £1.79 per bottle), Mango Coulis and Raspberry Coulis (RRP £2.99 per bottle).

The desserts are available to purchase online or from a range of stockists nationwide.

Why not follow DeviliShh on Twitter (@bedevilishh) and Facebook to keep up with all of their news and promotions?

Samples were 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.

Northern Nights Duvet Set from QVC

We have spent the last few nights sleeping in luxury - no we've not been off in some five star hotel, we've been sleeping in Northern Nights 400TC Egyptian Cotton bed linen from QVC.

I absolutely adore fresh new bed linen, almost as much as I love Egyptian Cotton sheets but the tightening of purse strings has meant there's been no indulging in new sets of late. Yes I'd love to go out and buy new bed linen but invariably you end up getting caught up buying matching sheets, pillowcases etc.

Northern Nights grabbed my attention when I was looking through the QVC website. They provide six piece duvet sets complete with duvet, fitted sheet, 2 housewife pillowcases and 2 Oxford pillowcases, meaning there are no hidden costs involved in trying to finding matching items.

We were asked to review the Northern Nights 400TC Egyptian Cotton 6 Piece Duvet Set in damson purple and I've been absolutely loving it - a great excuse to lounge about in bed with a good book!

The set is simple but beautiful. It's a plain design but both the Oxford pillowcases and the duvet cover have a border round their perimeter separated by good quality, decorative stitching. For us this is ideal as my husband is not a fan of anything "girly" so any pattern we have in our room has to be discrete. The linen itself is lovely and soft with a slight sheen to it.  

I particularly like the shade of purple used in the linen, it's not too light to be exclusively for summer use, in fact I think it would look really cosy in the wintertime. It is a lovely full colour and the sheen in the linen works very well with it. 

I actually teamed this bed linen with the Faux Fur throw and cushions I reviewed for QVC (see here for review). It really finishes off the look well and the colours look great together.

As for the comfort, well as you'd expect from 400 thread count sheets they are very comfortable. It's been pretty warm over the past week or so but I certainly haven't felt the heat while sleeping. The sheets are breathable and I've had a great sleep - day and night - in them. 

All in all I love this set. I love the quality, the design, the colour and the value. My only negative is that it needs a good iron before being put on the bed (not one of our favourite jobs!!). 

The Northern Nights 400TC 6 Piece Duvet Set is available directly from QVC for £84....however there is currently a deal on the website reducing it to just £69! The set is available in Aqua, Damson Purple, Champagne and White.

You can keep up to date with all of the latest news and offers from QVC by following them on Facebook.

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.

A Visit From The Fairy Hobmother

I received a lovely gift in the post the other day. Where did it come from? The Fairy Hobmother!

My blog was recently graced by a visit from the lovely Fairy Hobmother (Ian from Appliances Online). The Fairy Hobmother flutters from blog to blog reading posts and comments before treating bloggers with gifts. I was lucky enough to be visited and chosen as I had left a comment on the fantastic Mummy Loves blog.

As if by magic the Fairy Hobmother knew about my love of sports (and rugby in particular) and I was sent a copy of this fantastic book (books are another love of mine)...

It's sitting beside me spurring me on to finish my current book so I can delve between its covers. It's such a lovely, thoughtful gift so I'd like to send a huge thank you to the Fairy Hobmother and Appliances Online for visiting Rhoda Reviews and putting a huge smile on my face.

I have it on good authority that the Fairy Hobmother will be keeping an eye on this post, so why not leave a comment.....you never know you might just get the magical ping of an email from the Fairy Hobmother too!

Yes To Baby Carrots

Jonny adores bath time, so the opportunity to review Yes To Baby Carrots Gentle Foaming Shampoo and Body Wash was too good to miss. Yes To Carrots was founded in 2006 focussing upon skincare and haircare for adults. They have now branched out to create a 100% natural range of products for little ones. 

The Gentle Foaming Shampoo + Body Wash is designed to cleanse, nurture and soften delicate skin and hair while using natural ingredients. Organic melons are used in this product, together with Vitamin E and Organic Pumpkin. The result is a tear-free, paraben-free, all natural, vitamin-packed wash that moistures, soothes, hydrates and nourishes your child's skin.

£8.99 for 300ml

This fun bottle has really captured my two-year-olds imagination and he loves to wash himself with the ‘dancing carrot’.

Jonny loves bubbles so he thinks the foam is just magic. Washing his hair has become very funny as we make different hairstyles and pile bubbles on his (and my) head. Thank goodness it’s tear-free as he does like to get it everywhere! All-in-one products are so much easier with children and this foaming wash does everything. Not only that, but it’s made from natural ingredients and even smells gentle to young skin. Even though it contains oil it certainly doesn’t stick to Jonny’s skin and leaves it clean and cared for.

The only negative about this product is the price, at £8.99 for 300ml it's very expensive compared to the products we usually use. I appreciate that it is all natural, but I do feel that for a baby wash this is just too expensive, particularly as you need quite a lot of it per wash. If I'm honest the price definitely puts me off using this product again. Although we have had great fun with it and it's a nice product, I feel that for Mummies on a budget it's a bit too expensive.

Yes To Baby Carrots also produce Nourishing Baby Lotion, Soothing Nappy Cream and Naturally Cleansing Bubble Bath. All of their products are available to purchase directly from Victoria Health.

You can keep up to date with all of the new from Yes To Carrots on Facebook.

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.

E-Cloth General Purpose Cloth

You've all read before about my unhealthy love for cleaning prior to my M.E. Now we simply look for the most efficient way to do a job. We were recently asked to review the e-cloth General Purpose Cloth and have been putting it to the test for the past couple of weeks.

There is a large range of e-cloths available and they all work with the same principle. Each e-cloth as 480000 fibres per cm2. When this unique fibre technology is combined with water the cloth breaks up and holds the grease, dirt and bacteria that other cloths often leave behind.

The General Purpose Cloth is designed for general cleaning on all hard surfaces. It can be used dry for dusting or damp for removing grease, dirt and bacteria.

We gave the cloth a go initially as a duster and we were impressed by its capability to pick up dust. When it is dry the cloth has a natural positive charge which attracts dust and makes the job easier. We were impressed by its dusting capabilities but what I was really intrigued by is how well it would cut through grease when teamed with plain water.

We put it straight to work on our stainless steel hob. It was badly in need of a clean and it was the toughest job I could think of to test the e-cloth with.

Well the e-cloth certainly rose to the challenge! I was gobsmacked at how quickly and easily this damp cloth cleaned the cooker - no elbow grease, no chemicals, just an e-cloth and water!

We've been using it for all our worktops, sinks, glass....you name it we've tried it and it has never failed to impress....particularly as it leaves no smears behind.

My only concern is how do I know the cloth is removing bacteria? It seems wrong that a cloth and water can do this. I have been following the cloth clean with a separate anti-bacterial wipe, but feel bad doing this as it's as though I don't trust my e-cloth!

I can't help but think this wee cloth is helping me to save money too as it can help reduce the use of household cleaning products by up to 90%. It is also guaranteed for 300 washes, meaning it has a long life cycle - ultimately better on the purse and the environment.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is a brilliant product, it's so easy and safe to use, I really love it! No wonder it received the Good Housekeeping Green Living Award in 2009.

The General Purpose Cloth is available in three colours, green, blue and lilac and retails for £4.99. For more information on the range and to purchase an e-cloth visit their website www.e-cloth.com. You can also keep up to date with all the news from e-cloth by following them on Twitter (@eclothuk)

Simply Hibi Giveaway Winners

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter the Simply Hibi giveaway! I'm really excited about drawing the winners of this competition as I think you'll all love it. A huge thank you too to Simply Hibi for giving Rhoda Reviews 20 cartons to give away - very generous.

As always I have used random.org to select the winners. The TEN winners who will each receive TWO cartons of Simply Hibi are........

Crystal MSE (@CRYSTALmse)

Kirsten Murphy (Kemcaflipflops)

Mel Butcher (@melspur)

Marzena (@marzutek)

ammaline (@ammalinetheduck)

lucky321 (@Murtle42)

Ruth Tesdale (@RuthMarianna)

@Dorothee77

Angela (@daisyangel1)

LilLeese (@LilLeese1)

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Please email me your details (see top left of blog). If I haven't heard from you by 9am Friday 13th May 2011 I reserve the right to select a new winner.

If you missed out on a prize don't worry you can purchase Simply Hibi in selected Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores. You can also buy online at www.simplyhibi.co.uk.