Freebie // Manuka Doctor Mini Hero Kit review *

I've been hearing so much about Bee venom and Manuka honey and the wonderful effects they can have on your skin! Apparently they have great healing and nourishing properties and even leave your skin looking youthful and glowing.I didn't want to pay the often hefty price tag on these products,so I decided to take advantage of the Mini Hero Kit that the lovely people at Manuka Doctor are giving away for free! It's worth £12.99 and you only have to pay £2.50 P&P so I think that's a pretty good deal.Pick it up here (I'd be quick though, you never know when they're going to take these deals down.)

You get 3 sachets which have enough product in to get 2 or 3 uses each out of them,and I'm really pleased with the results! I did look up the process of how they retrieve the bee venom,and I'm happy to say that it is a humane process.If you'd like to know more then there is more information here.They do advise not to use this product if you are allergic to bee stings.

Manuka Doctor Rejuvinating facial mask

"Pain free natural way of combating wrinkles with purified Bee venom to help promote elasticity"

I applied a thin layer of this after cleansing and left it to soak into my skin for 30 minutes.It really felt like it was working,it reminded me of a nice spa treatment.On application it had a lovely fresh smell and went on really smoothly.I used a damp face cloth to remove the residue and my skin felt so soft and nourished! It also had a nice glow to it,probably from the Bee venom!

Manuka Doctor Skin treatment serum

"High performance natural alternative to significantly improve blemish prone skin"

Honey and it's antibacterial properties have been used in skincare for years,and I can see why.I applied some of this before I went to bed and when I woke up my skin tone did look more even and refreshed.It might take a few more applications to get it looking how I want,but I am impressed with it's results.

Manuka Doctor Targeted wrinkle filler

"In just 30 minutes wrinkles are reduced"

Now I don't know if this is true,because I'm only 22 and I don't have any wrinkles that I can see right now.It did leave my skin looking really plumped out and fresh though.I also noticed it gave my skin a lovely smooth texture which made applying my make up much easier.

They also offer lots of other products for all different kinds of skin conditions.I'd never heard of Manuka Doctor before but after using these samples I think I'll check them out.Their products vary in price from affordable to the more high end,but I'm sure there is something for every budget! I would definitely recommend them.

Have you ever used Bee venom in beauty before?

Graze Box // March 2014

 When this lovely brown box landed at my front door,I was so excited to take a peek inside.Graze is a snack delivery company that offer a wide range of sweet and savoury treats.They can become fairly expensive, as they are £3.89 each,but different delivery options give you the choice to order fortnightly or push back boxes to another date if you're on holiday.I've ordered from Graze occasionally,but I thought I'd take advantage of their first box free deal,let's see what I've got.

I like that they're in portable little boxes,and I find the portion sizes to be just right.I'm pretty happy with my selection,you can influence what you receive from Graze by going to their website and clicking "love" or "bin" on their snacks.

Smoky Gazpacho dip (with wholemeal crispbread slices)

I've yet to try this,but it sounds really good.I've got more of a sweet tooth,but I think this would be an interesting alternative to crisps.I like the crispbread to dip ratio too,I don't want to end up with the same issue that I had as a kid when I ate Dairylea Dunkers and not have enough dip to go around.

Summer berry flapjacks

I love anything that has oats in it from porridge to Hob Nobs,so this looks perfect for me.It says they contain " berry infused" cranberries which sounds very fancy,I hope that it's a fresh and realistic tasting berry flavour,unlike some flapjacks which can have an artificial taste.

Billionaire's Shortbread

I had this yesterday and it was lovely! It's an interesting mix of milk chocolate,almonds,cranberries and fudge.It kind of reminds me of that "trail mix" that is so popular in America.I also found this pretty filling due to all of the healthy fats in the nuts.

Inspired by Jaffa Cake

I really enjoyed these too,just the right amount of orange flavour made them taste very similar to Jaffa Cakes.The chocolate tastes nice and rich,and I think it's quite good quality.The roasted hazelnuts added good texture and crunch so it felt quite substantial.I wish you could buy big bags of these!

I like that Graze is an informative company.Inside their boxes there is all the information you could want to know about your snacks.Also,they often offer really good discounts and deals that you can pass on to your friends.

I have a friend code that means you can get a Graze box for free! It's KIMW9141E.

Have you tried Graze boxes before? What do you think?

  

The best sites for free samples & links

I am addicted to sample sized products,they're great for popping in my bag or in my suitcase when I travel.Luckily, a lot of companies give away sample sizes so that you can try before you buy! If you know where to look you can save quite a bit of money,I haven't had to buy perfume in ages.To save you the hassle I've put together a list of useful sites I like to use to get freebies.

The samples above are ones that I've had for a few months.I've tried everything except Gucci Guilty (you can still get a sample!) but it does look good. The Clipper teabags always come in handy and the Nicki Minaj perfume is gorgeous,very peachy and floral.I love anything from Palmers and their facial scrub is great at brightening my winter skin,the HASK smoothing shine oil is pretty good too and does a wonderful job at taming flyaways (although I don't use too much,live and learn!)

As samples get snatched up pretty quickly,it's always best to check these sites regularly to make sure you're up to date with what they're giving out.The only frustrating thing is they can take up to 6 weeks or longer to turn up,but I guess we can't complain too much.

http://www.latestfreestuff.co.uk/

This site is really easy to use as it's organised into categories and has an App for both iPhone and Android devices.It's updated daily,and offers a wide range of freebies including perfumes,cleaning products and toiletries.They also  run competitions and offer discount vouchers,so there is a lot to be found on this website.

http://www.magicfreebiesuk.co.uk/

Magic Freebies UK is another site I use pretty often.It's tailored for the UK,which is useful because so many times I've seen a wonderful freebie and not been able to get it! They have had quite a lot of media attention for being a trustworthy and helpful site,so I know I'm always getting a good deal.Freebies are pretty varied,and they have an area of "low spend" freebies where you just pay a small fee or P&P.

MoneySavingExpert Freebies Boards

MoneySavingExpert is the holy grail of frugality.This board is full of dedicated posters informing you of the latest freebies.They keep their posts very up to date,so you hopefully you will be in with more of a chance.There is something for everyone here and the community is so lovely,if you have a question,they are more than willing to help you out.

Here are my top freebie picks right now:

Free Boss Jour Pour Femme Perfume

Free honey & lemon drink from FruitBroo

Free BareMinerals Makeunder voucher & foundation sample

These are the 3 main sites that I use,and I must say they are pretty consistent.They have always delivered reasonably quickly and the products are as described.I think that getting freebies is a great way to save a little money,and it does feel nice when the packet comes through the door!

Have you had any success with freebie sites?