LET’S TALK ABOUT… PERIOD PANTS

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Sophia Mead

No, you didn’t read the title wrong. We want to talk about your minis and your menstrual cycle. Obvs.

Four out of five women have had to throw away underwear because of their periods and quite frankly, we all invest too much in our underwear to let that happen.

Apparently, according to Figleaves, there is a way to ease the discomfort by matching your knickers to your time of the month meaning less binning of the Brazilians and less discomfort down below.

Check out Figleaves’ Knicker Guide. If anything, it might give you a great excuse to plan a shopping trip to stock up on a full month’s lingerie drawer… every cloud, eh!

A COFFEE LOVER’S DREAM…

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Sophia Mead

Did you know that approximately 95million cups of coffee are consumed a day in the UK? Especially for you eager beaners out there, we’ve pulled together our coffee collectables which are absolutely worth your investment and will help you feed your fix of the good stuff!

THE MULTI-CCINO MUG

If pricey coffee machines or tricky filters isn’t your thing, there’s a super simple, genius measuring mug which will help you perfect seven different types of coffee. Designed as a collaboration between the Museum of Modern Art and the School of Visual Arts in New York, this mug allows you to customise the proportions of espresso, milk and water using the handy indicators printed on the outside of the glass. Serves include espresso, macchiato, cortado, café au lait, Americano, flat white and cappuccino.

RRP: £16.99

ZOKU ICED COFFEE MAKER

Let’s face it, in the summer all we want is our coffee to be taken down a Celsius or two. The Zoku Iced coffee maker allows you to have a refreshing iced coffee without pesky ice cubes diluting the flavour. All you need to do is pop your Zoku in the freezer before pouring. It’s spill resistant and has a sipping straw – bonus!

RRP: £23.32

KRUPPS MILK FROTHER

Frothy milk is essential to any great latte or ‘cchino so it’s important you have a faithful frother to hand. We’d recommend Krupps – an easy-to-use frother with three functions for barista-quality results at home.

There’s non-stick coating for easy cleaning around those irritating milk stains, plus quantity markings for each function. Pricey, but worth it.

RRP: £109.99

MAIYADUO COFFEE SCOOP HYBRID

There’s nothing worse than finding your perfect bag of ground coffee and noticing the flavour’s escaped quicker than your milk has frothed. With built-in bag clip, these nifty scoop hybrids keep coffee fresh and tasting great by sealing the bag straight after use.

They also measure coffee quantities for cafetiere, filters and percolators so you’re covered. There are plenty of these on the market but we love the jazzy colours of the

RRP: £7.99

MINIPRESSO PORTABLE ESPRESSO MAKER

If you’re on the go and craving a cuppa, this ‘minispresso’ machine is the perfect sidekick. You can fill it with coffee grounds or capsules and just add hot water ahead of a simple pump.

It’s travel size, lightweight and super easy to use. A few squeezes and the pressure inside the Minipresso reaches a 116psi – the same as a traditional espresso machine – forcing full-bodied espresso coffee out of the spout and into your cup. Ahhh, perfect!

RRP: £49.99

Capturing Mumm’s Daring Spirit with New Grand Cordon Bottle

Posted on July 7, 2016 by Kesh

Maison Mumm have continued to pride themselves on their innovation and their daring spirit. Being sponsors to a host of sporting events throughout their production including The Vendée Globe, Formula 1 and Le Mans to name a few, Mumm have recently become proud sponsors of The Fia Formula E Championship. In 1876 Georges Hermann Mumm decided that he would pay homage to all of his prestigious customers by adding an iconic red ribbon to every bottle representing the highest of all French Honours and encapsulating the motto of GH Mumm of “only the best”. The red sash aka the Cordon Rouge has now become synonymous with the extraordinary achievements Mumm supports today and marking their latest sponsorship with Formula E and 140 years of the iconic red sash, Mumm have revealed a brand new revolutionary bottle, Grand Cordon.

Frost were honoured to be invited by Mumm to the Formula E final and witness the new bottle in action at the infamous Victory Podium. The origins of the Champagne spray started all the way back in the sixties where Le Mans winner Jo Siffert accidentally sprayed the crowd due to a Champagne bottle which has been left out in the sun causing a build up of pressure. The next year, another racer deliberately re-created the happy mistake and thus was born this momentous tradition. Having upgraded to Mumm’s Jeroboam bottle which is a staggering 3 litres, there is now double the amount of Champagne to soak the anticipating crowd.

Having arrived at Battersea Park with not much knowledge of Motor Sports we were given the low down on what Formula E entailed by the fantastic hosts and representatives of Maison Mumm.

Essentially, Formula E is The World’s first auto race which uses electric cars. Formula E represents a vision for the future of the motor industry and being the sponsors of the tournament, Mumm are proud to back the efforts of sustaining and maintaining a cleaner and greener future. The series started in 2014 in Beijing and is contested by ten teams of two drivers each. This year, the contest was comprised of ten races with the final being in Battersea and it has recently been revealed that next year will consist of fourteen races with the final being on the streets of Brooklyn. The drivers are divided into four groups with each group having 6 minutes to set their best lap. The five fastest drivers then go out again to determine their grid position. The race itself is over within 55 minutes with each driver changing cars once throughout, after all, they are electric cars. One of the most interesting features of the Fia Formula E is the Fanboost which allows the fans to have some power over their favourite drivers by voting for them using social media channels. The three most popular drivers receive an extra energy boost potentially changing the outcome of the race. Points are then awarded using the current standard FIA system with drivers who set the fastest lap being awarded two extra points. This years final was won by Sebastien Buemi after a thrilling final race taking the lead and spraying the anticipating crowd with GH Mumm Jeraboam.

Mumm produce Champagne’s which capture the essence of adventure and victory and their constant celebration of this has been their inspiration for their Limited Edition Victory Bottles. Each of the Mumm Champagne bottles are uniquely produced and turned by hand to remove any sediment and are monitored for over two years before they are released. The Grand Cordon bottle designed by multi-award winning designer Ross Lovegrove is inventive and creative to say the least true to Mumm’s daring style. Breaking the convention of the original bottles, the bottle has no front label, instead the G.H. Mumm signature and eagle emblem are printed in gold directly on the glass. The neck of the bottle is also unusually longer designed to encapsulate the development of the aromas of Mumm’s legendary Cordon Rouge Cuvée. The most striking addition to the new bottle is that the iconic red sash, only altered twice in as much as two centuries, has now been transformed into a genuine red ribbon which has been indented into the glass. A true celebration of over two centuries of excellence and tradition.

So if you would like a slice of victory on your wine rack;

Mumm Grand Cordon is now available to buy;
www.sohowine.co.uk
RRP: £39.99

Planning Tips For Your Dream Wedding

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

Many women have dreamed of their wedding day since they were little girls. Although I didn’t and had no idea what I wanted on my big day after getting engaged. I had to start getting some ideas together and make what felt like a million decisions. It was fun but it was stressful. To cut down the stress for other brides I wrote my wedding planning book. Hopefully it will make the journey easier for other brides. In the meantime, here are some tips for creating your dream wedding.

Your Dream Wedding: Wants And Compromises.

You may have a specific idea of your wedding in mind but the reality will probably be different. This doesn’t need to be a bad thing. Just choose the things that you are not willing to negotiate on. When you know what is most important and worth spending money on you can focus on that and then look at cheaper options for other things. Or rope family and friends in. Most will be happy to help.

Budget.

This is the tough one but you need to work out what it is and then you need to stick to it. Enquire if any family members can help and then sit down with your fiancé and have a proper discussion about what you can and cannot afford. There is no point in going into debt for a wedding or taking out a loan. It is only one day of your life, an important one, but one day. You can have an amazing wedding on a small budget. No one should start their married life in debt. Watch out for the ‘W’ bomb. As in ‘wedding’. The W word makes everyone vastly put their prices up.

Guessing cost.

Always overestimate. That way you won’t be left short. Always remember VAT. Some venues and suppliers will be coy about whether VAT is included but ask them and get a direct answer and then make a note of it.

How much it will cost.

This is the question. The answer is: quite a bit. My husband and I managed to get married for less than £10,000. We paid for the majority of this ourselves but did have some family members contribute. Not bad when the average wedding costs £21,000. Spreadsheets are your friend. Negotiating will also be your friend. Try to get money off everything. Don’t take the first quote and rope family and friends into the planning if money is tight.

Controlling Costs.

This is very important. Watch out for VAT and always account for everything. Use a spreadsheet if you can. Keep an eye on the small things as they can all add up.

Dealing With Suppliers.

When dealing with suppliers always remember that you are the customer. Be polite but always be firm. Read the small print and make your wishes clear. More importantly, don’t pay any final invoices until everything has been checked. One supplier charged us for VAT despite the fact they said they wouldn’t. Hmm. Always be careful.

Hatton Gardens.

Hatton Gardens is the area in London where all of the jewellers are located. You can get a very good deal here.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets are your friend. If you don’t know how to do one then quickly brush up your skills. They will be your saving grace. Have one for your wedding budget and one for your wedding guest list. For the wedding guest list one, leave space for information such as dietary requirements, RSVP received, gift given and thank you card sent.

Organisation Tips

Have everyone’s contact details to hand. Use spreadsheets and have plenty ‘to do’ lists. Make sure your partner pulls his or her weight. Weddings are hard and stressful to organise, don’t go it alone.

Wedding Planner: To Go It Alone Or Hire Help.

If I had the money I would have hired a wedding planner in an instant. However, they are expensive and you don’t really need one. I am not saying that in a rude way, they will save time and probably a lot of money but weighing up the cost is important. Your venue might have a wedding planner or venue coordinator onsite. If so, this is a tremendous bonus.

If you get a wedding planner make sure you check their recommendations and also have a clear idea of what you want. It is their job to take your ideas and make them into the wedding of your dreams. Don’t accept anything less, budget permitting.

If you are getting married then get your hands on a copy of The Wedding Survival Guide: How To Plan Your Big Day Without Losing Your Sanity. It has great advice on planning your perfect wedding and is written by our editor, Catherine Balavage. It is also available in Ebook format and is a great guide for wedding planning.

Mother-of-Three Proudly Displays Her Stretch Marks in Viral Picture

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Catherine Balavage

In an empowering move, lifestyle blogger Rachel Hollis posted a picture of herself wearing a bikini in an uplifting photo post on her Facebook page.. She was tired of worrying about the stretchmarks left on her body after three pregnancies with ‘huge’ babies. The picture soon went viral.

Looking amazing and with a wide, beautiful, smile the photo of Hollis has been liked over 465,000 times and shared over 62,000 times. Many other mothers are posting pictures of their own mummy tummies below. The photo, along with the inspiring statement has gathered a lot of support from other women. This is what Hollis said:

“I wear a bikini because I’m proud of this body and every mark on it…It’s never ever going to be like a Victoria’s Secret model, but I think I look good and my husband wants to make out with me, so I’m doing something right.”

I have stretch marks and I wear a bikini. I have a belly that’s permanently flabby from carrying three giant babies and…

Posted by The Chic Site on Saturday, 21 March 2015

I have stretch marks and I wear a bikini. I have a belly that’s permanently flabby from carrying three giant babies and I wear a bikini. My belly button is saggy… (which is something I didn’t even know was possible before!!) and I wear a bikini. I wear a bikini because I’m proud of this body and every mark on it. Those marks prove that I was blessed enough to carry my babies and that flabby tummy means I worked hard to lose what weight I could. I wear a bikini because the only man who’s opinion matters knows what I went through to look this way. That same man says he’s never seen anything sexier than my body, marks and all. They aren’t scars ladies, they’re stripes and you’ve earned them. Flaunt that body with pride! ‪#‎HollisHoliday‬

What do you think?

Calling Lifestyle bloggers: Enter The UK’s Most Prestigious Digital Awards

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Frostie

Entries for the National UK Blog Awards will close in 10 days on Friday 31 October 2014 and provide a unique opportunity for bloggers from the lifestyle industry to be recognised nationwide.

The first ever National UK Blog Awards took place in April and achieved huge success with over 900 bloggers entering the awards and 16,000 members of the public voting to determine which blogs deserved a finalist spot.

Alongside the category for the lifestyle industry, bloggers will have the chance to enter into 13 other categories including fashion and retail, education, health and travel, whilst members of the public can also nominate their favourite individual or company blogger.
Gemma Pears, director of the National UK Blog Awards, said: “The UK Blog Awards provide a unique opportunity to be acknowledged and recognised as a true knowledge provider within your industry.

“Blogging is growing increasingly important in the UK; it’s a great way to position yourself as an expert in your field to build your credibility, as well as being able to showcase your knowledge whether you’re blogging as an industry professional or simply because you love to write.

“Awards are a hugely powerful marketing tool. They give you and your business immediate credibility and set you apart from the industry norm.

“Whether your blog is your business, a hobby or it’s part of your daily working tasks, a good blog can really help develop your client’s trust and helps close the gap between the ‘you’ and ‘ them’.”

You can enter your own blog or nominate a blog at www.blogawardsuk.co.uk with entries closing on Friday 31 October.

Enter The Prestigious Blogger Awards

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Catherine Balavage

Exciting news: The UK’s most prestigious blogger awards are back to celebrate the very best talented industry professionals and individual bloggers from the lifestyle industry. What are you waiting for? Enter from Monday 1 September 2014.

Entries for the National UK Blog Awards will open on Monday 1 September 2014 and provide a unique opportunity for bloggers from the lifestyle industry to be recognised nationwide.

Alongside the category for the lifestyle industry, bloggers will have the chance to enter into 13 other categories including automotive, education, health and events, whilst members of the public can also nominate their favourite individual or company blogger.

Gemma Pears, director of the National UK Blog Awards, said: “The UK Blog Awards provide a unique opportunity to be acknowledged and recognised as a true knowledge provider within your industry.

“Awards are a hugely powerful marketing tool. They give you and your business immediate credibility and set you apart from the industry norm.

You can enter your own blog or nominate a blog at www.blogawards.co.uk from Monday 1 September 2014, with entries closing on Friday 31 October.

The UK Blog Awards are on the look-out for expert judges from the lifestyle industry to help decide which bloggers will be announced as finalists prior to the awards evening in April 2015.

Handpicked Media London Fashion Week Suite SS14 | Fashion

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The Handpicked Media London Fashion Week suite was as amazing as ever. As well as lots of lovely people I also got pampered and checked out some great brands.

I had my brows done by HD Brows, they looked so good afterwards I didn’t want to wash my face. Ever. I tried on some jackets from Superdry. Their tailoring is amazing and their jackets are such good quality. Superdry also have great Bento Beauty boxes. They have some great products in them and look cool.

I also had my make up done by Martin Carter. The Stila make up artist used some amazing Stila products on me, including the CC Cream which comes out blue, but looks great on. I love Stila and Martin taught me some amazing make up tricks such as; put eyeliner in between the upper lash line for a natural, defined look and to paint mascara on the bottom lashes with a brush rather than applying the mascara directly. I wish I looked how Martin made me look 24/7.

I also had a hot stone massage and a hand massage from The Mandara Spa. I am completely converted to hot stone massage now. My spine and hands were never so happy. I felt completely relaxed and happy. I highly recommend them.

I also had a bra fitting thanks to Freya lingerie. Like most women I found out I was wearing the wrong size. Apparently women think their back is larger than it is, this turned out to be true for me as I thought I was a 34D but am actually a 30DD. I love my Freya Lingerie, below.

I had a relaxing manicure. I always love getting manicures. When my nails look good and are painted just looking at them makes me happy, even if I am having a bad day. WAH nails gave me some great blue polka dot nails. I love them.

Legendary hair dresser Errol Douglas was also doing hair. My fellow bloggers/writers were walking out with amazing hair styles. Unfortunately I had to head off to a show so couldn’t get one myself.

I managed to pick up some products in the suite at One Aldwych Hotel and will be reviewing them in the coming months.

Well done Handpicked Media, see you in six months.

Do you want to try any of the above? Which one?