Finding a Role in the Beauty Industry

The beauty industry continues to grow, consistently drawing the participation of skilled professionals and consumers. Within the industry, there are many different (and sometimes unusual) roles for people to explore and pursue. Commonly known roles, for example, include beautician, commercial, beauty blogging, makeup artist, etc. However, it can be tricky to know exactly where to start, and if you do not have experience it can be difficult to know exactly what you want to do, or how to do it.

Here are some tips on first getting into the beauty industry.

Portfolio



Frances Mazur, CEO of the Mazur Group, a headhunting firm for the beauty industry believes that maintaining an updated portfolio is critical. She says, “As you prepare for your interview, you can refer back to your file to find specific things you've done that are relevant to the job you're applying for. Showing the visuals that support your stories in an interview really sets yourself apart." 

In an industry that is so visually driven, having a portfolio is essential to help build your personal brand. Of course, to build up a portfolio you need to have examples of previous work you have done. A great tip, if you are just starting and have no professional experience yet, is to use family and friends as models.

Work within your strengths


The first job you take in the industry or even the second, third, fourth does not mean that it is the job you will be stuck with. 
If your dream job is to be a designer, it may not seem to make sense to take a job in marketing. However, if you have experience in marketing, this could be the perfect way to get your foot in the door. Use your strengths and experience to find a role within the beauty industry and see where that takes you. From this insider role you can spend time learning the ins and outs of the beauty business and then take a sideways move when the time comes.

Volunteer


Volunteering is a great way gain experience and gives back to the community. Check your local area for events such as fashion shows or fetes, or even fundraising events with a low budget that may be looking for volunteer beauty professionals.  Also, check out local and small companies that may love to have an intern or assistant for a period of time. 

Suitable vacancies


The common dream in the industry is to work in a big city such as London. However, if you look outside the big cities it could benefit you in your job search. Speak to others within your network and see what is available around in the more low-key cities. 

There are many networking events where you can meet new people and expand your network  Putting yourself out there and letting it be known that you are interested in beauty roles could certainly help bring in the job offers.

You can also keep an eye on any suitable vacancies in your local area by regularly checking job sites, like Jobrapido, so you do not miss an opportunity perfect for you. 

Remember, the first role you get in the beauty industry may not be your dream job, but do not give up on your search! Put yourself out there and be confident in your skills.  Gaining experience is vital in order to progress your career in this industry, so remember every opportunity is worth taking if it offers you the chance to learn more and improve your skills. Take advantage of any possibilities, learn as you go and enjoy! It is a wonderful industry to be in.

*guest post by Emily Jones

How To Make Your Garden Wildlife Friendly

With over 16 million gardens in the UK according to statistics from The National Trust, it's important to see these outdoor spaces as a great opportunity to help species that may be struggling to survive in the wild. From buying sustainable furniture like a wooden bench to putting out bird feeders, here are some top tips.

Creating Wildlife Habitats



The RSPB assures homeowners that even if they have a small garden, they can still create a range of habitats suited to all kinds of wildlife in your garden. The key is to think about how much space is available and focus on making microhabitats that are as good as possible. Leaving an area of lawn long and un-cut will be a haven for minibeasts and insects while even a narrow border with shrubs and flowers will be a food source for bees and butterflies.

Hedges and trees are a convenient site for nesting and roosting for mammals and birds and if you have space for a pond or even a small water feature, this can be home to amphibians and invertebrates. If you have a composting bin or a woodpile, the discarded and decomposing off-cuts from your plants, trees and lawn can be a great spot in which animals can hibernate, feed and live.

Choose The Right Plants 





The Royal Horticultural Society points out the importance of selecting the right plants for your garden if you want to attract wildlife. Flowers which can provide nectar and pollen for butterflies, insects and bees are essential and avoiding large and double flowers as well as highly bred cultivar plants is very important since they have very little nectar and pollen.

Plants like Mahonia and crocus flowers have a long season and are a good choice, while ivy and the Michaelmas daisy, flower late in the season and so can help provide a useful food source in early winter when it is scarce.

Consider Sustainability

Although eco-friendliness has become a buzzword these days, sustainability is a key part of creating a wildlife-friendly garden environment. For example, avoiding peat is important, since extracting peat can actually destroy wildlife habitats. You can save water too by setting up water barrels and butts to collect rainwater for topping up ponds and water features.

Recycling is a great way to increase sustainability, and using old materials like planks and pallets are ideal if you're considering building a raised border or structure for your garden. You should also consider using non-chemical and non-toxic alternatives to traditional pesticides.

Increasing Access

Instead of surrounding your garden with solid plank fences, consider changing your fencing to a more open design with empty space at the bottom to allow wildlife to move freely around your outdoor area. Small mammals will be able to access your garden even more easily if you switch to a border of hedges or trees instead of fencing.

Another way to facilitate the movement of wildlife in your garden is to connect up any large expanses of exposed space with corridors of plants so that invertebrates, newts and frogs can move more easily from space to space.

Shelter and Breeding Spaces 


All wildlife species need a safe place to shelter and breed. You can provide this for them in your garden by planting climbing plants against your walls for birds to nest in, installing bat and bird boxes in your trees or on your fences and by planting hedge garlic and buckthorn bushes which are both favourite breeding spots for butterflies.

Make A Rockery

By designing a small rockery, a dry stone wall or even just a pile of rocks in the corner of your outdoor space, you can encourage newts, frogs and toads to shelter in your garden. A rocky area also provides shelter for a number of insect species including ladybirds during the winter months. 




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Garden Benches is a specialist in the garden furniture industry with almost three decades of experience. Contact us today and find out how we can give your outdoor space a brand-new look.

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Creating A Study Space

Whether you are a student or you work from home, a productive study/work space is essential. Somewhere you can work from with no distractions and manage to get everything done. But it can be difficult to know exactly what you require from such a space - after all, everyone is different and has different working and studying styles., so it is important to work out what your style is and working from there. 




A visual learner may prefer their space to have some pictures to help them, focus an aural learner may prefer to have some soft music playing to enable them to study to their full potential. Verbal, physical and logical learners may also have their own ways of making their study space their own so that they can work more productively. 




First things first, when creating a study space you need somewhere to work. Choose an area of your home that would be perfect as a study space and then take a look at the various home office desks out there to find the right one for you. Make sure you pick the right desk for the space, and for your posture - there’s no point purchasing something that won’t fit or that will cause you to be hunched over. You also want to make sure that the area that you have chosen has plenty of natural light - straining your eyes to work under the gaze of a dim light bulb is not a good idea. Also, it's important to make sure that your space is positioned correctly in regards to lights - you don’t want either the natural light or house lights to be shining directly into your eyes. 



You will also need some good seating - whilst it may be tempting to use any old chair that you have in the house such as a dining room chair, it is so important to invest in a decent computer chair that provides lumbar support. They are created especially for people who have to sit at desks for long hours so that their back isn’t affected - don’t risk your health by not choosing a chair wisely.

Whilst you want to be able to study and work from the space and you want to be productive without distractions; you also don’t want the space to be too clinical. Make it your own - personalise it with some ‘you’ touches. Maybe some photos of family and friends, some inspirational quotes. Make it productive but inspirational.


You also want to make sure you have plenty of storage and are very organised - whether you choose a desk with various drawers for storage or opt for folders for your paperwork, you must think about this before finishing off your study space. Pen pots for your stationery, pins for your pinboard where you will pin any important information - all these things need to be stored nice and neatly in and around your desk. A perfect study space is relaxing and inspiring - it needs to be somewhere you want to sit and study rather than somewhere you dread going. Keep positive affirmations dotted around to keep you positive when working there and know when to take a break - don’t overdo it. Make it a nice positive space that you like to visit but can also easily leave to take a few minutes breather.

By taking these few simple steps, you will be able to create a study space that works for you - somewhere that you can go and study or work and get things done. All you need to do is work out what suits you best and go from there.

What does your ideal productive study space look like?

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Chocolate Hamper Review And Gift Bag Giveaway With Montezuma Ends 15/10

There is something about chocolate, the look of it, the smell of it, the taste of it, and Montezuma makes some of the best chocolate around. This innovative British brand was started in 2000 by Helen and Simon Pattinson after a trip to South America where they were sold on the idea of starting a chocolate company. Being lawyers it was a steep learning curve but they had a real passion for creating amazing flavours and thus Montezuma was born.


Fast forward to 2017 and Montezuma's is a hugely successful chocolate business firmly rooted in ethics. Fair trade chocolate is at its heart and ethical sustainable business growth.

The chocolates are all made with love. The Great British Pudding Union hamper is presented in a box all in recyclable material and topped with a bow. 



Inside is a plethora of scrumptious chocolate all based on puddings like apple crumble, treacle tart, spotted dick, Eton mess and black forest gateaux. Now for someone like me who loves desserts you can't really get a more fantastic hamper.

One of the highlights for me was the Great British Puddings truffles. Containing Apple Crumble truffles, Eton Mess, Black Forest and Lemon Meringue. Now these may seem like strong flavours to have in truffles but they have a more delicate flavour than I was expecting and I thought they complimented a cup of coffee perfectly. 



The bars of chocolate were wrapped well in foil wrapping to keep the freshness and flavour.



I loved the M monogram, the mark of the Montezuma chocolate bar, and before too long I was tucking into the apple crumble bar.

I really enjoyed this bar, it tasted subtly of apple and had a slight crunch having biscuit pieces woven into the chocolate. Next, I tried the treacle tart which was sweet, smooth and rich. By this time I was all chocolated out but I am looking forward to sharing the Eton Mess bar with my son, as it sounds exactly the type of chocolate he would like with strawberry and crunchy meringue, a sweet tooth's delight.

If you like luxury chocolate you will definitely like Montezuma's chocolates. With items priced from £2, the chocolate compares favourably with other luxury chocolate brands and the hampers make a great birthday or Christmas present.

Today on my blog I am giving away a Half Pint Milk Chocolate gift bag to one of my lucky readers. The Half Pint gift bag contains a selection of mouth-watering chocolates including giant chocolate buttons and bars of mint and orange chocolate as well as scrumptious truffles.

All you have to do is enter the competition below. The competition is open to those from the UK who are 18 or older. 

While you are here don't forget to check out the other competitions I have running too, to win £100 in cash, a Von Shef food processor and a jewellery voucher from Gemondo. Good luck!

Win a chocolate hamper with Montezuma

Terms and conditions


You must be 18 + to enter 
Open to entrants in the UK only
One entry per household 
The winner will be contacted within 7 days of the competition ending.
If I do not hear from the winner within 28 days I reserve the right to redraw
Please allow 28 days for delivery 
Closing date 2017-10-15 11:59:59 PM

As listed on The Prizefinder, LoquaxSuper LuckyCompetition Database 

Top Luxury Experiences You Must Have In Las Vegas

Las Vegas is known for its non-stop nightlife and is thought of as the partying capital of the world but it's also a city for top luxury experiences, from helicopter rides over the Grand Canyon, to eating at the top of the Stratosphere in a revolving restaurant. Here is my guide to the top luxury experiences you must have in Las Vegas. 

See the Grand Canyon in style



Rather than take a four-hour drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, instead take a helicopter flight over for a bird's eye view. We were picked up in a stretch limousine from our hotel, to be taken to the helicopter port, then before we knew it we were whisked up into the air for a tremendous view of the Las Vegas strip, then over the Hoover Dam.

On touchdown, we had some time to take photos and then we were treated to a champagne picnic. This trip with Sundance Helicopters was a perfect and luxurious way to see the Grand Canyon especially when short on time.

Eat at a 'top restaurant' 


Las Vegas is known for its fabulous top-class restaurants and Joel Robuchon is one of the top restaurants in the world. This three-Michelin star restaurant in the MGM Grand Hotel has unforgettable food in a luxurious Art Deco townhouse complete with a lush garden terrace and marble floors. The food is beautifully presented and simply astounding.

For a meal with a view check out the Top Of The World restaurant 800 feet above the Las Vegas strip. Within The Stratosphere Hotel, the restaurant slowly revolves and has a jaw-dropping view whilst the food is pricey but fabulous quality - check out the amazing filet mignon steak with a red wine reduction that just melts in the mouth or the sublime 
lobster thermidor with crab. Perfection on a plate!

Take a gondola ride

Take a romantic gondola ride through the Venetian hotel to transport you back to Italy and the Venice canals. Be serenaded by the gondolier in his best operatic voice and don't forget the Italian tradition of kissing under each bridge for good luck. It's a surreal experience as the skyline is artificial but looks like a blue sky with real clouds.

If you want to pop the question to your other half, the gondoliers are experts at making moments special so be sure to let them know before you get on.

Drive a supercar into the desert



For the ultimate rush why not drive a supercar through the desert?  Choose a luxury car such as a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Porsche, go through the safety briefing and then put your foot down for some laps on the track. When you are confident let them know and you could drive your fast car through the desert and then floor it - safely of course! 

Mr W enjoyed this ultimate bucket list wish, which is certainly one unforgettable experience for you speed freaks out there.

Max out your credit card at the luxury shops



Las Vegas is known for its luxury shopping, so to be sure to bring your credit card when you visit with plenty of credit! The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace has Gucci, Christian Louboutin and Cartier whilst the shops at Via Bellagio have Prada, Chanel and Tiffany and Co. With over 50 luxury brands, the Shops At Crystals is a luxury shoppers delight, so splash your cash at Bvlgari, Hermes Tag Heuer or Harry Winston for a shopping high.


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If you want to visit Las Vegas, Travel Planners have a range of offers to the USA. Their Las Vegas deals are a bargain with prices from £529 per person for flights and accommodation, and before you know it you could be sitting by the pool in the Winter catching some of the Las Vegas sun. Money saved could be spent on one of these luxury experiences above, so what are you waiting for.

Tell me, have you been to Las Vegas? What do you think of my top luxury experiences? 

*PR collaboration
Wander Mum

How To Choose A Wedding Ring

In my past experience as an owner of a family run jewellers, I would often advise customers in the art of buying the perfect wedding rings. It can be a complicated process. In this post, I will look at some of the considerations when choosing that perfect wedding ring.


Matching or Complimentary Rings

One of the first things to consider is whether or not you decide to match or complement each other's rings. In this day and age, it is perfectly acceptable to prefer a different metal than your spouse and different style ring, although some traditionalists will disagree. To be sure you'll enjoy your rings for the years ahead, I feel it is important to choose rings that you love, and this should be utmost in your mind.

The Choice Of Metal And Budget

Many jewellers advise the lady to have the same metal wedding ring as their engagement ring. Often it is said that the different metals will wear at different rates, but if you consider you may have your engagement ring long before you get married, this can be seen as not really necessary. It is purely up to the couple to decide.







Regarding budget, 9ct gold is the cheapest precious metal which is used to make wedding rings, then Palladium, then 18ct gold, and then the finest material is Platinum, which is often described as pure, rare and eternal. 22ct gold wedding rings are rare these days but were popular in times gone by, and are also popular with the Indian community.

9ct gold is made up of 37.5 % gold, the rest is other alloys that are mixed with it, whilst 18ct gold is 75% gold and the rest other alloys. 22 ct gold rings are soft as they are 91% pure gold and thus the gold can wear more. They are also expensive in comparison to other gold rings due to the high percentage of gold. The strongest of these rings is the 9ct ring.

Palladium is from the same family as Platinum and stays true to its colour although it has a slightly grey hue in comparison to white gold or silver. It's a popular choice for men, as it is hard wearing and cost-effective.

Platinum due to its purity stays white and does not fade or tarnish. It is seen as the best metal in which to have diamonds set in as it is strong and will not give a colour cast on the diamond. Platinum is extremely rare and it is said that if all the platinum in the world was put together it would only fill up an Olympic sized swimming pool. Platinum does not wear away, if it is scratched it is a displacement of the metal and no mass is lost, it is therefore thought of as eternal.



If you choose a gold ring you have three choices in the colour - yellow gold, rose gold or white gold. Gold is ultimately yellow so if you choose a white gold wedding ring, it is mixed with white alloys and coated with rhodium to keep its shine and white look. This can wear off with age so you may have to budget to have the rings re-coated with rhodium every 2 or 3 years. This process is relatively inexpensive.

Rose gold has more copper in its composition to give it the rose colour. You can even have mixed metals in your wedding ring and mixed colours too, such as a rose gold centre and a platinum edge.

Design


There are many designs that you can have these days, from floral patterns to diamond set to plain bands, you can even have animal prints. Celtic rings are also popular in Wales, Scotland and Ireland and for those of Celtic descent.

If a lady has a classic solitaire diamond ring she may want a wedding band to fit perfectly with the ring. You can buy rings that are shaped to fit perfectly with the engagement ring or have one made to measure. She may have one of the popular diamond shoulder engagement rings and if so she may want a complimentary diamond inset wedding band too.

When selecting the width of the ring, consider the shape of your hand. Narrow bands can work best on narrow hands while wide bands are often better for broad hands, but the bottom line is always personal preference.

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The last thing I would say is that a quality wedding ring should last you a lifetime, so always buy exactly what you want and the best you can afford.

I hope this guide has been useful and I wish you all the best in your wedding plans!

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How To Keep You And Your Devices Safe When Travelling

We are a family that loves to travel. In the last year, I personally have taken 23 flights, that's a lot of flights for someone who really doesn't like flying! I know, silly isn't it? Yet it doesn't stop me travelling the world, whether I am travelling with my husband or with my son as well who is in university. We have had some great adventures recently including a trip to Iceland, where we hiked a glacier and a press trip with a group of bloggers to the Castellon area of Spain.  

Now to keep up-to-date with emails and social media on the go, I rely on my devices, mainly my iPhone and my MacBook Air, as I am an Apple girl through and through. It's also important to me to keep busy on the plane, and here is where my iPhone is invaluable, I download relaxing music or films when I have no access to them on the journey. This keeps my mind occupied and helps relax me. 

My son Jake, who is 20, loves his iPod. He uses it to keep in touch with mates on Facebook and Twitter, to watch YouTube and Netflix. I must admit he's a worse addict than me!


Mr W is a blogger and vlogger too, and although he's not as social as me (think grunt once for yes), he does like his iPhone apps, namely Instagram and Facebook. 

Although I am not especially proud of this, you can see we are device addicts, so there are some things we have had to consider in the last few years to keep us healthy and our devices safe when travelling the world.

Limit your time



Talk to the whole family before the holiday and set expectations and limitations on device and internet use. Rather than spend all your time on your devices and online, try to limit this. Turn off your mobile data unless absolutely necessary and any alerts on emails and encourage the rest of the family to do the same. Think, do you really have to document everything on social media as you go? Why not just take some time and enjoy the beautiful beaches, amazing cities and fantastic attractions without living it through a lens.

Perhaps allow a time period every day, to catch up with friends or emails, then make an effort and get off. If the kids (or adults) are finding this especially difficult, consider a small reward as an incentive. Or swap it around. If the kids are well behaved in a restaurant then allow time on their devices when they get back to the hotel or apartment.  

If your trip includes a lot of driving, ensure you plan rest stops along the way where you do something active. When you get to a town take time to explore, perhaps find a park and let the kids let off steam running around before lunch. Exercise boosts mood and self-esteem so they will feel better for it and will hopefully be relaxed on their return to the car. Limiting your time online can also help social skills 'in real life' and don't forget you are on holiday so enjoy the different surroundings and activities you don't get every day.

Device Safety



Be aware of open networks when you travel. Many Internet networks aren't secure, which could let your personal details including passwords, and card details get into the wrong hands. One simple thing to do is to check for the padlock symbol on your browser and ensure you log out properly on shared computers.   But is this enough? 

Travel and Leisure magazine offers some excellent advice, such as updating all your software before you go especially your operating system and treating all networks as hostile. They recommend HTTPS Everywhere which is an extension to your browser to encrypt your details. 

Another thing to consider is to use a product like Kaspersky Security Cloud. This product is especially clever as it is an adaptive digital security service which can give online protection to the whole family. 

It's a fast cloud-based security service that won't slow down your devices yet helps defend them from Internet nasties such as Trojans, worms, and phishing across Macbooks, Android and Windows Device.  It can also alert parents to your kids' Internet usage, handy to avoid potentially inappropriate sites.  

Insurance



So first thing's first, only take your devices you will definitely need with you. Can you cope with your tablet and not your laptop for example? If you take fewer devices than a theft will have fewer opportunities to steal from you. 

Going on holiday is a great time to sort out your devices. Take anything off your device you will not need and consider deleting your cookies and also passwords if you can remember them. Empty your trash bin on your laptop as you will be surprised about the amount of potentially sensitive information that can be there. Backup any important files you need on a security drive or the I-Cloud.

Ensure you take out travel insurance, and also check your policy, to see what your insurance covers. This is so important as you want to check your insurance will cover the devices and also what the excess is if you do have a theft. I always keep a copy of our families insurance document with us for easy access on holiday. 

So these are some considerations to keep your devices safe whilst travelling the world. Do you use any of these tips? Tell me what do you and your family do to keep your devices safe on holiday

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Reduce Your Energy Bills With Flipper

We all want to save money on our energy bills, don't we? Well, welcome to Flipper. Flipper's mission is to ensure no one ever overpays their energy again. 

Flipper is a switching service that finds you the best energy deal and then switches it for you. They check the market every month and switch you to the best deal, thus saving you valuable money and time.  If you don't want to switch they will give you the option to opt out before they check for you.




How do they know the best deal you may wonder? They check your bills to ensure they know exactly what you pay and then access a range of deals available to them.The best deals that don't charge commission.  

How much does this cost? The service costs £25 a year but they won't flip (switch) you until you save at least £50 a year and they won't charge you until you save that too. If you are not happy with the switch you have a 14 day period where you can cancel the deal free of charge. 

They have a number of approved suppliers that they work with, 6 big and over 32 small and medium suppliers including SSE, Scottish Power and NPower. 

And they don't monetise the consumer by selling your data or showing you constant adds too.

Of course, you are always in control. Flipper work for you and you can exclude suppliers you don't like from their search. You always have 14 days to cancel your switch too and they will flip you again free of charge. Whether you want to pay your energy bills on receipt or pay by direct debit, it's all a simple, easy and convenient process.




Londoner Stephen Brewster is one such customer that saved a fortune with Flipper. Being fed up of the hassle of trying to compare tariffs he used Flipper and saved £816.07 on his energy tariffs. That is a significant amount of money, I think you would agree. What would you spend that saving on? I know I should spend it on the house but would probably spend it on a holiday!

Signing up is easy and you don't need to know the ins and outs of your energy suppliers.  With energy prices always seeming to go up, never down, it's good to know a service like this exists, and that they do all the switching making everything hassle free. All you have to do is reap the rewards with your savings.

If you use my link here you also get a £5 discount too off Flipper, and with average savings of £385 per year, what do you have to lose? 

Let me know, would you use Flipper? Are you happy with your energy supplier?

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Getting Prepared For Iceland With Millets

On a recent trip to Iceland, we decided to hike a glacier! Yes, not something you do every day but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

We needed to get kitted out for the trip in the appropriate gear and Millets online kindly decided to help with providing clothes for my twenty-year-old son in return for an honest review. 



Now Iceland is known for its changeable weather so although we were travelling there in August we needed clothes that could cope with rain and the wind without being too bulky. This is where the clothes brand Peter Storm came in. The coat we chose for the trip was the Peter Storm Men's insulated storm jacket.  


The Peter Storm Men's insulated storm jacket has simple styling without any fuss. Now my son doesn't like much colour, preferring black or navy clothes without much detailing so this was the perfect jacket for him. The inside has soft polyester wadding to help insulate the body, whilst the shell outer fabric is waterproof protecting you from a rain shower or heavier storm. As well as two outer pockets there is a useful inside pocket too to stash away your valuables like your mobile phone or wallet.

Around the back of the neck is a rollaway hood that isn't flimsy giving you good rain protection whilst being small enough to hide away when not in use.

Now another item of clothing my son was given to try out were the North Face men's Hedgehog Hike cross terrain boot. These waterproof boots with a GORE-TEX®  breathable outer membrane have solid ankle support for hiking difficult terrain. The midsole is moulded for stress and impact resistance and the Vibram® rubber sole unit gives you a reliable grip on wet surfaces. Worn together with performance socks I know that he has suitable support for his feet.

So all kitted out we drove to our destination in the South of Iceland. Our trip started off in the Icelandic Mountain Guides hut at the Svinsfellsjokull glacier. This is the glacier where they filmed Interstellar, the science fiction film with Matthew McConaughey. One of the main reasons my son wanted to visit!

Here we were given crampons to fit over our boots to help adhere to the ice, an ice pick and a harness. We then took a short drive to the glacier, had our safety briefing from Helkar our guide, and off we went. You can read more about our glacier trip on Svinsfellsjokull in my post here.


Over the course of our two and a half hour hike, the weather was not kind to us, being drizzly and with light winds, but the coat and boots lived up to their waterproof claim.  


The boots were incredibly sturdy and with the crampons provided gave the extra grip making these possibly the perfect boots to hike a glacier. The coat was warm without being too bulky when hiking and really helped to keep my son cosy in the wind. 


My son was impressed with both items and would highly recommend them. giving the boots 9 out of 10 and the jacket 9 out of 10 too. High praise indeed! 

My opinion is that the jacket is a very versatile jacket, perfect for a range of weather conditions and an excellent choice whether you are hiking a glacier or going for a walk in the British weather. The boots are incredibly sturdy, waterproof and the perfect boots for walking or hiking, especially on the slippery and difficult terrain. We also visited a number of waterfalls in Iceland and the boots provided great grip on the wet and muddy ground.



If you want to find out more about these products, you can check out the North Face items on Millets online and the Peter Storm jacket from a selection of coats and jackets from Millets online too. 

The North Face boots are currently £140 and the Peter Storm jacket £27 from £90 in the sale, both from Millets online, a bargain I think you will agree! Whilst you are here, don't forget to check out Millets online on Facebook: @milletsonlinefans, Twitter: @millets_online and Instagram: @milletsonline. 

If you want to read more about Iceland check out my posts on Why You Will Love Iceland and 10 Money Saving Tips For A Trip To Iceland. Also, check out our Iceland videos from the travel vlog/blog I write with my husband Fly Drive Explore.

Tell me, have you ever been to Iceland? What do you think of the boots and coat?

My Fashion Wish List For Golfers

If you have a golfer in the family you may realise how much passion they have for the sport. As well as having the right clubs and other equipment, it's also extremely important for them to look the part too. Here is my fashion wish list for golfers from Callaway golf clothing. 




Callaway shoulder block polo shirt £34.95

This men's polo shirt has a 3 button detail and a colour block design. As well as looking smart it is made of an Opti-Dri material to keep you fresh and dry. The Opti-Shield technology also protects you from the suns harmful rays and the stretch material gives a comfortable fit. 





Mens Callaway Golf Merino lined Sweater £39.95

This simple but stylish merino wool mix sweater is soft and perfect to keep you warm. Finished with a wind and water repellant finish made of Teflon, it's a great sweater to keep you dry on the golf course. The rib cuffs and hem also keeps you cosy.



Callaway X-Series Technical II Trousers £49.99

These technical trousers by Callaway have a slim leg and are full of the technical ability that you learn to expect from Callaway. The Opti-Dry technology keeps you dry as well as keeping moisture away from your skin. The Opti- Shield technology also protects you from the sun's harmful rays, so important when you could be out in all weathers. 


Again the stretch material is perfect for bending down to place a golf ball and practising your swing. With belt loops, a front zip and button fly these tech trousers will not disappoint. 

Callaway X Series corded II shorts



If you want to ring the changes with navy, try these smart corded shorts. Made from a stretchy material and again with enhanced moisture management and protection again harmful rays, the man in your life will cut a dash on the golfing green. Available in Insignia blue and Irongate grey, why not buy both colours if you like the design?
Callaway Golf sports crew sock £4.95

My last choice is these Callaway golf sports socks. These socks are made from a comfortable cotton blend with Spandex for extra stretch and feature a reinforced toe and cushioning for improved comfort. I feel it is certainly worth paying extra for these sports designed crew socks.

With all golf clothing, of course, always check the rules out with your golf club. Some have very specific clothing requirements, such as sports shirts needing a collar and sleeves, and long socks required.  So here is my Callaway fashion wish list for golfers. What do you think of the choices I have picked?

*PR collaboration