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Ted Baker Normar
by lj174
Until now, I have always just used cheap make up bags which end up getting tatty or falling apart after a few months. I had never really considered investing in a good, well branded make up bag. For Christmas, I was lucky enough to receive this Ted Baker Normar wash bag and I absolutely love it. I have always took an interest in Ted ... Baker products, particularly their accessories so I was thrilled with this.
This is the smaller wash bag, although there is a slightly larger one available too. This is suited for make up, but I still find that it is generously sized compared to most make up bags. The Normar wash bag comes in two varieties. The one I own is shown in the image of this review. It is a gorgeous pale pink in colour all over, with black detailing. The contrasting black is typical of Ted Baker and I love it. There is a huge black bow on the front, as well as the Ted Baker logo. The other wash bag on offer is a black wash bag with the bow and writing in baby pink. As these are two of my favourite colours, this is right up my street and I love its appearance.
One of the things I like most about the make up bag is its material. It is PVC plastic on the outside which Ted Baker is well known for. I find that this is quite practical as it is easy to clean and does not stain from make up on the outside. The inside is just a polyester lining so make up will mark this, but nobody sees the inside! It has a lovely detailed zip along the top of the bag which is easy to use and keeps make up stored securely. Due to the plastic feel of the make up bag, it means it is very sturdy and strong and stays in position. I like this as it means none of my make up will get squashed or break if thrown into bags or suitcases. I have owned this a good few months now and it has seen no damage at all considering the amount I carry it around.
This leads me on to talk about the sizing of the bag. Although it is the smallest one available, it is still quite large for a make up bag. It fits in my foundation, powders, brushes, eye liners, mascaras, blushers and lip products. It really can fit in a load! This is good for me as I find it very practical as I also store tablets and small health products in it. The only issue with this is that it is not too effective for carrying around on a daily basis due to its size, as it would take up quite a lot of room in a handbag.
Apart from this, the only reason I could fault it would be on price. It does cost £22.00 which is very expensive in comparison to what I was paying for make up bags. I was lucky enough to be gifted this which I am really happy about. However, I can honestly say that it is worth the money as it is such a practical and sturdy make up bag, and does everything which I require from one. If you are interested in purchasing this you can buy it from Ted Baker or good high street department stores such as John Lewis or House of Fraser.
Thanks for reading and hope it helps!
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Cath Kidston Book Bag
by Abski2001
As a little Christmas gift my Aunt bought me a Cath Kidston Book Bag. I am a big fan of Cath Kidston and all things made/designed by her and my family always buy me a few items at Christmas's and birthdays which I always love.
The book bag I was bought is in the English Rose pattern of which I also have a diary which matches ... very nicely. This is a nice pale blue background, with a variety of lovely large bunches of pink, blue and yellow flowers. I really like this pattern as it is one of her more classic looks and the flowers and leaves look hand painted. These colours seem to match everything and it looks very stylish and pretty. You can tell it is Cath Kidston from a mile away, there is also a Cath Kidston branding label on the front of the bag which is the distinctive white with red writing.
The bag has approximate dimensions of 38 cm height x 33 cm width and a depth of about 8 cm. This is a book bag rather than a shopper bag and as such is long and thin, but it can still hold a good amount of stuff and I often use it for shopping that I have picked up on my way home as well. The straps on this are nice and long and fit easily over a big winter coat. Inside the bag is lined with beige cotton and has a small pocket for smaller items to sit.
This book bag is made of 100 % cotton, which is slightly unusual because a lot of their bags have a waterproof outer layer that means they are wipe clean and rainproof. This will not keep your books and shopping dry and I have been caught in a rain shower before which is a bit of a shame. The cotton also gets a bit tainted/stained with use, but with mine being a blue colour this is not too much of an issue.
The bags are machine washable which makes life easier.
Overall I really like this bag and use it on a daily basis for taking my lunch and books to work. It is very strong and looks great and so overall will give this 4 stars. At full price these book bags cost £16, which is quite expensive for what is basically a piece of stitched cotton, but a lot of the styles are currently half price which makes them much better value. Available in Cath Kidston stores, John Lewis store and online.
Wash instructions : Use a 40 degree wash, wash separately, do not tumble dry, iron on reverse, re-shape whilst damp
Thanks for reading :)
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Argos Deluxe Shopping Trolley
by northernlovely
A shopping trolley might be something that you associate with old ladies but they are very useful, though admittedly, I did buy one for an 'older lady', my mum who is in her late 60s. She does not drive and buys most of her day to say shopping fairly locally so she needed a trolley that she could take into the village and into town on ... the bus.
After having a look around at what was available we plumped for the Argos Deluxe Shopping Trolley at £45 in the sale, thinking that it wasn't too bad a price, and if there were ever any issues with it we could take it to a local Argos, not something you can easily do if you buy online.
The trolley is quite nice looking really, a steel frame with rubber wheels, and has plain navy sides and a tartan style navy and green check to the front and 'lid' of the trolley, which is styled in a square design. The 'bag' is removable and cleanable which is a bonus, overall I think it looks quite neat and not too old fashioned.
Use wise, it's very versatile. The handle is adjustable which is good because my mum is quite small, and the wheels are well made and with them being of rubber it gives a bit of shock absorption which is good on tarmac and rougher shingle or stones. They also do well on grass but not so well on mud as they don't have any tread / traction, so not good for people who like to go to car boots! It cleans down well, and is waterproof which is essential for our British Summers, and is fairly lightweight so not too difficult to get on and off the bus (though I wouldn't like to try when it's full of potatoes and tinned foods!)
Overall I think the Argos Deluxe Shopping Trolley is a nice looking trolley which is well made and won't break the bank. It is available in all Argos stores subject to local stock availability and online at Argos.co.uk for a small P&P fee. Certainly it's made shopping that bit easier for mum as she can now pick up heavier items like cooking oil, potatoes and tins and so on herself and not have to rely on one of us to give her a lift to the supermarket all the time, she likes to be independent! I'm very pleased with it and recommend it. I'll give it 5/5, for the money it's a top little shopper which is very very useful indeed.
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