Essentials is a British magazine for women. It is published monthly and so there are twelve issue per year. The current cost of the magazine is £2.99 per issue, quite expensive, but I do think that this magazine is excellent value for money. Essentials is available from most supermarkets and newsagents in the United Kingdom.

Obviously, the first thing you notice when you see a magazine is the cover and this was the reason why I bought this magazine. The cover is 'very busy' with lots going on. It even features a reader which I think is great. The cover is very glamorous and happy looking and just looks like 'a perfect read'.

The magazine is split up into different sections; Your Fashion, Your Life, Your Looks, Your Health, Your Home, Your Time and Money, Your Time Off and In Every Issue. So there really is something for everyone in this magazine. My favourite sections are the 'Your Life' and 'Your Time Off' ones as they heavily feature 'real people' and so I find it really interesting seeing how others live their lives etc.

There are quite a few adverts in this magazine; as is to be expected with a glossy magazine. They tend to feature products such as beauty items etc, things that will interest women but aren't really necessary (like the everyday household products you see in other magazines).

I like that real women and readers feature in the magazine as I find them to be more inspirational than celebrities. It also means that you can take steps to be like these 'real women' unlike celebrities. One of my favourite parts of the magazine is the double page; 'Real Women Like You' which features a thermometer of what real people are loving and hating right now, a little section called '3 things you don't know about me' which is about a real reader, funny stories as well as polls.

One of my favourite articles is the 'Life Lessons' page as you can pick up some really useful tips. I also enjoy the 'simple solutions' page as this also provides some very useful tips such as '8 ways to avoid getting a cold'. I also like that the tips featured are 'realistic' and ones normal people can actually do rather than silly 'celebrity ones'.

The issue I have in front of me is the December issue and so a lot of the features a 'Christmas and winter inspired'. Under the health section, there is an article telling you what exercise / activity you have to do to burn off certain Christmas food, such as mince pies, 1 slice of chocolate log. I like the way they have designed this page in a fun way, it makes it look exciting and actually makes me want to do a bit of exercise. Another useful 'health' article in this issue is called ; The Cure's In Your Kitchen, which tells you how certain items in your kitchen cupboard can cure certain things such as bananas are great for a hangover and horseradish for blocked sinuses etc. So in all, some great tips. They also have a page called 'My Story' where a reader discusses a health problem and how they cope with it etc. I think that this is especially helpful especially as it shows people that they are not alone as other people have the same illness and also can learn how others cope with the same illness etc.

If you like nosing around people's home, then you will enjoy this magazine as they have a section where you can nose around people's houses. There's also tips on how you too can also get the look.

If you are into saving money, as I think most people are these days what with the recession and everything, you will be pleased to say that they have a few articles which tell you how you can save money with lots of useful hints and tips. The tips in this issue are Christmas related; such as how to save on postage when sending Christmas cards, and how to save when you have guests coming to stay etc. So definitely great tips!

I think its great that the magazine features a reader on their cover. There is a section in the magazine called 'Meet Our Cover Star' which I think is interesting, especially if they have an interesting story to tell. There isn't that much on celebrities in this magazine which is refreshing as you can't seem to pick up a magazine which isn't celebrity loaded these days. So this magazine features normal people, yet still manages to keep it really glamorous and inspirational.

I'm not someone who follows fashion, I tend to just go shopping and pick up things I like rather than being like; I have to buy this because it's 'in'. So normally fashion pages in magazines don't really interest me as they tend to feature things which are 'straight off the catwalk' and things I would never wear. However, I have to say that I do like the fashion pages in this magazine as they are laid out beautifully. They are also affordable too - lots of items are under £20 which is great news.

The articles in this magazine are always of very high quality. They are also informative yet not too lengthy- I can't bear magazines where the articles go into depth and go on and on and on because I think that magazines should be a pleasure to read and not like a chore. This magazine is perfect in that respect.

I love how the magazine is laid out; it's bright and colourful and just the right amount of text to provide great light reading. The magazine is written in an informal, friendly and easy to read which makes the magazine a pleasure to read.

I like this magazine; it is the kind of magazine which makes you feel that your life will be perfect after reading this. It's quite a happy magazine and I would describe it as being very inspirational. I will continue reading this magazine and definitely recommend it to all women.

Thanks for reading!
December 2012
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