Do I take out another subscription? (Zest)

Member Name: flickpugh

Product:	Zest
Date:	21/05/06 (497 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots of interesting features, can help keep you motivated to live more healthily

Disadvantages: Cover price is expensive, gets a bit 'samey' after a while

I am just coming to the end of my year’s subscription to this magazine, taken up on a whim at the Vitality Show last year, where they were offering loads of freebies (always the best way for companies to get my attention!) and a heavy discount. With the latest issue (June) I was sent a renewal notice, I have enjoyed the magazine throughout the last 12 months but am in two minds as to whether to sign up for another year, so thought writing this review might help me make up my mind!

… THE BASICS …

Zest is published by the National Magazine Company in London. Essentially a women’s health magazine, it does also touch on issues concerning beauty and sex & relationships like most women’s magazines. Also in the style of most women’s magazines, a beautiful and sickeningly skinny model always adorns the front cover, but to make you feel worse/ more motivated to stick to that diet plan (depending on what frame of mind you’re in) these models flaunt their perfect figures in a bikini and the editorial messages on the front try to convince you that you could have a figure like this too if you follow the advice inside (yeah right). This, along with the strapline “Health, Diet, Fitness, Looks, Feel 100% confident” all combine to persuade the health and fitness conscious female that this magazine can help them get the results they want and need. Cover stories this month include:

*** 7 Moves to a show-off stomach, PLUS this summer’s hottest diet

*** You’re just one step away from 100% happy

*** Cut your cancer risk – Double your fertility – Transform your health in a month

*** 5 minute DIY reflexology

*** Bikini body special


… STYLE and CONTENT…

Aimed primarily at 20 to 30 something women, it’s a bright and breezy magazine packed full of photos and easy to read features. There are few long articles and those over 2 pages are broken up in easy to read chunks of text, making it an ideal read to flick through on the train or in front of the television. There is usually some feature about a celebrity’s body – you can never escape those, but I’d say that pictures of celebs on holiday in their bikinis feature much less in this magazine than the likes of Heat and Glamour, which makes a refreshing changes.

Like any glossy magazine, there are a fair few adverts, but I’d say far less so than some of the ‘mainstream’ women’s monthlies such as Cosmopolitan. Most issues include a substantial discount of some product or shop. Recently it was 25 % off JJB sports, which enabled me to update my gym collection, this time it’s 25% of Bikinishack.co.uk which might come in useful too, must take a look!

The main cover features vary from issue to issue as you would expect, but there are also numerous regular inclusions, such as healthy eating recipes (which I religiously cut out every month, but never quite get round to cooking). The contents page is very concise and makes it easy to pick out exactly what you want straight away, an asterix is placed by all features that are promoted on the front cover to help you spot them easily. Features are divided in the same way each month, as follows:

*** UPFRONT – these are one off features such as readers’ stories, or as in this issue, features on happiness and lifestyle.

*** HEALTH – some regular bits and pieces come into this section, such as ‘Health News, ‘Your Most Embarrassing Questions’ and one-off/ cover features.

*** ALTERNATIVE HEALTH

There are usually 2 or 3 features in this section per issue. In this one there’s a piece on DIY reflexology.

*** EMOTIONS

Bits and pieces on love, sex and emotions. This one included quite an interesting feature on how to think like a man!

*** BEAUTY

Make up, tanning, hair, cellulite, perfume, anti-ageing, fragrances – everything you’d expect to find written about in a women’s magazine really.

*** EAT LIGHT

For me, this is the area that sets this magazine apart from other 20/ 30 something women’s magazines as it includes lots of features on food and healthy eating, as well as recipe but manages to do so without being too ‘house-wifey’.

*** FITNESS

I do read these but many of them are for the far more dedicated than I. Lots on running, exercise routines, but also features on different sports which is more my kind of thing, this month there’s a piece on getting the latest tennis kit which came in handy as I’ve just signed up for some beginners’ tennis lessons.

*** REGULARS

Includes the editorial leader, letters page, next month’s highlights, getaways, travel (with a health and fitness flavour e.g. this month it’s sailing and surfing in Croatia and France), health & fitness directory (naming suppliers/ websites of products mentioned in the magazine), horoscopes (with emphasis on health and fitness again of course) and body gossip – i.e. the Celeb Body bit that you can never escape, this month we learn all about how Reese Witherspoon stays in shape.


*** RENDER TREATS

Things like ‘Get £6 of a Talking Pedometer’ (yay another gadget I can buy and never use!), competitions, the discount of the month as aforementioned and other offers (subscription offer this month is a free Original Source Gift Set, worth £19, plus substantial saving (see below) if you subscribe to Zest.

… FINAL ISSUES …

The cover price is £3.20, but like most magazines they offer a substantial discount if you take out a subscription (such as £3 for the first 3 issues, 33% discount of the cover price thereafter – website offer) – go to the Zest website to sign up if it sounds like your sort of read. This month as I said, the magazine is promoting a free Original Source Gift set, if you take out a subscription by direct debit and a saving of 37% on the cover price.

… MY VERDICT…

Well, I’ve been through the last issue of my current subscription once again. I’ve realised that it is an interesting read with lots of useful discounts and offers and always tells me something new and interesting. That said I think I might have a rest from it for a few months as I have got a bit bored of it as the year has gone on and then see what freebies they are giving away for a new subscription later in the year!

Summary: Health and beauty with more emphasis on health