I don’t get arsey a lot.

Ok I do , I really do. Who am I kidding? I’m telling porkie pies. Little  things niggle me, stupid little things.

One of the most annoying misconceptions and one that keeps cropping up at the moment is that bloggers get stuff for free.

Your probably sat nodding in agreement thinking but yes they do!

I had this conversation yesterday with some guy over on twitter who was  really peeved off that his Instagram feed was just like [ his words] “one big advert for stuff bloggers had received for free”

I had to initially question why he was following a boat-load of beauty and fashion bloggers [odd guy probably ‘gets off’ while scrolling  ]

I suggested he should ‘man-up’ and perhaps search for new accounts using hash-tags like #fishingtackle and #cars. Maybe follow  some of those accounts instead. People don’t tend to give cars away that regularly …. as for fishing tackle I’m not so sure ?

I had to agree an Instagram account that just posts ad after ad isn’t something that would appeal to me either.

I told him he should maybe just press the unfollow button … Instagram is after all a matter of choice. 

Why follow accounts that wind you up ? Life’s really too short.

That aside I then went on to advise him that while yes some people are lucky enough to receive lots of ‘free’ stuff from brands it’s hardly free…is anything really free these days ?

You still with me? 

That is unless the definition of free goes something like this :

A.) To receive an item and spend hours researching / trailing the product to ensure you write an interesting, informative and accurate post.

B.) To take and edit lots of high quality photographs of the product [ usually with a bunch of colourful flowers , a nice candle or a selection of succulents as a back drop that are NOT provided by the client]

C.) To photograph an #OOTD usually in the rain wearing something totally unsuitable for the time of year… while old people  nudge each other and look on bemused mouthing to each other  “what is she doing?” and children chuck things at you. Feckers.

To get to the stage were a brand has taken an interest in you generally means you’re doing something right but it doesn’t happen overnight. [not in my case anyway]

I speak from personal experience . I work bloody hard, I very rarely get paid hard cash and my time is precious.

Yes it’s great that I receive shoes, items of clothing, beauty products etc. etc and while I’m not complaining [I adore blogging ] it  doesn’t put food on the table.

My BF personally thinks that even though I’m receiving a product for review purposes I’m the daft one for working for free…

The client provide the goods and you provide a service.

On the surface it may appear we are all getting loads of freebies  but think about it for a second … we aren’t really are we? We work for it.

Arsey me … never ! It’s just better out of my head rather than in it…

So anyway now I’ve made my thoughts  clear [ or I’ve just totally confused you ] here’s some things I’ve been sent over the past months to review and my thoughts …

[Odd bloke you might want to leave about now … I wouldn’t want to wind you up! ]

SKINADE – 30 day supply £99.00

Apparently SKINADE gives you better skin from within.

It’s a drink that you take once daily. It contains no added sugar, artificial colours or flavours.

It does contain : Hydrolysed Marine Collagen, Vitamin C, MSM, B vitamins, Omegas 3 & 6 and L-lysine.

I took mine first thing in the morning after my breakfast as advised . It doesn’t taste offensive infact I actually looked forward to my morning ‘shot’

It claims to repair  and strengthen your skin from inside for younger, healthier and better looking skin on the outside.

I took it religiously and would love to say it worked. Unfortunately if I’m being honest I couldn’t really see any significant difference.

Perhaps I looked a little sparkler , maybe even a little plumper but I can’t say I saw a huge change in my skin.

It does actually recommend you take SKINADE for at least 9 weeks so maybe I didn’t give it long enough to work ?

Would I purchase it again?

Probably not mainly because of the high price tag.

For just under £100 I’d want more noticeable results. You can get similar alternatives for £35.00 a month which is what I’d be happy to pay.

JANINA ULTRA WHITE 

I was sent a few items from this range to trail and I’ve got to say I’m impressed.

I received :

• Ultra White Activated Charcoal toothpaste – 75ml
  
• Ultra White Teeth Whitening Foam -50ml
  
• Ultra White Professional Teeth Whitening  System
  
• Ultra White Teeth Whitening Spray – 20ml

The product I was most keen to use was the Professional Teeth Whitening Kit; a 5 day system which allows you to safety whiten your teeth from the comfort of your own home.

It’s great for people who have surface staining i.e tea, coffee, nicotine and red wine.

You receive 10 pre-filled ready to use trays. 5 for your top, 5 for your bottom.

I have pretty big top teeth [ think Janet Street Porter-esque nashers ] and my only negative was that the upper tray didn’t sit well and kept coming away. My teeth seemingly wanted to break free!

That apart I did as instructed and used the system every night consecutively for 5 days for 35 minutes each time.

It’s easy to use but you do look slightly demented. 

The first time I wore them my BF and I couldn’t keep straight faces; we were rolling around laughing while I tried desperately to keep the trays in place!

I looked like the bloody love child of Hannibal Lector and Rylan!

It claims you can go 7 shades lighter in 5 days.

I’m not sure I had such good results but I did get results.  My teeth definitely looked whiter [ even the BF noticed and he doesn’t notice much] I would repurchase.

Instant White Teeth Whitening Spray – 20ml

This is handy to throw into your handbag and use on the go.

There’s no brushing or water required. You simply spray into your mouth, swish it around for a minute then spit it out.

You can use it as often as required. It gives you fresh breath as well as providing teeth whitening and cleaning on the go.

It would be ideal for a night out… a quick refresh when you’ve got beer breath.

All in all it’s a great range and it’s not overly expensive. I’ll be purchasing it all when these run out.

You can find Janina products in larger branches of Boots where they currently have 25% off selected items.

So there you have it, I think I’ve whittled on enough for one day.

Have you used any of the products mentioned above and what did you think, did you get results?

I’d love to hear…

Right I’m off for a pamper in the bath. I’ve a new face pack I’d like to try and I really should shave my legs… it’s getting warmer and I might have to expose them shortly.

Current status – woolly mammoth with anemia. 

I’m not sure what’s whiter my teeth or my legs!

Until next time, Tracey x