Smells Like Green Spirit ! Comfort Intense review

You may remember that last month, I reviewed Comfort Intense Fuchsia Passion, and I loved the vibrant, feel-good fragrance, so I was delighted when they got in touch again with news of their latest campaign and a bottle of their Sunburst fragrance to try out. 

For their latest campaign, they created the Comfort Garden in the heart of London’s Covent Garden, which was opened to the public for one day only and which was made from hundreds of clothes, freshly washed in the four new Comfort Intense fragrances. The amazingly realistic garden took a team of specialists over 159 hours to create and is made of over 1,846 items of clothing, including roses made from shirt cuffs, foxgloves made from socks and even a tree made out of a mixture of tights and scarves. 

To celebrate the garden opening, brand ambassador Kimberley Walsh was crowned with a beautiful flower headdress, where all of the delicate blooms were made from responsibly sourced clothing. I've looked really closely and they still look like real flowers to me !

In-keeping with the garden theme, Comfort Intense sent us through a lovely kids' gardening kit, some sunflower seeds, pegs and a bottle of their Sunburst fragranced fabric softener.

Pierre headed straight out to the patio to have a little play and we've promised that he can grow the sunflowers next year, as it's a bit too late for this year.

Having smelt how lovely the Sunburst fragrance is, with its mixture of petals and vanilla, I didn't even mind too much when he came in covered in mud !

Don't forget, you can still grab a free sample of Comfort Intense on their website. (Click on Try). 

Comfort Intense has a RRP of £3.30 for 38 washes and £4.89 for 64 washes, available from all major supermarkets from July 2015.

For more information visit www.comfortintense.com, www.facebook.com/ComfortZoneUK or #comfortintense.

Disclosure : I received the product in order to write an honest review.

Forget Turkey and Brittany .... the next globecooking destination is Colombia !

August is the month in which we do our real-life globetrotting so I haven't actually had a chance to do any cooking at all, let alone globecooking lately. I'm itching to dig into the August Kitchen Trotter box though, which will be whisking our tastebuds all the way to Colombia. I have no idea what they eat in Colombia but, as it's a South American country, I'm expecting spicy Mexican style dishes to set our tongues on fire !

The first product that I pulled out of the box was White Maize Flour for making arepas, Colombian pancakes/flatbreads.

An intriguing spice mix was next - Triguisar, which is a blend that is used in many Colombian dishes.

Panela - cakes of solid brown sugar.

More white maize in a different form, this time as grains.

Crystallised ginger and guava jam.

And to finish off, some Bocadillos Veleños Rojos - traditional Colombian sweets.

So, what will I be cooking with this little lot?

Arepas con chorizo y guacamole - apparently pancakes garnished with avocado and sausage 

Posta Negra - marinated roast beef.

Fruit Salad with Ginger

Maza Morra Antioqueña - I wonder if it's anything like the Peruvian Maza Morra Morado

*** Don't miss my country-by-country globecooking recipe index ! ***

Does size really matter? Sure Compressed v Regular test

Before the kids arrived, I was great at travelling light. I'd throw a few T-shirts and a pair of jeans, some underwear and a few toiletries into a bag and I'd be good to go for a weekend or even a week away. Now that we're a family of five, travelling light isn't so easy. For our fortnight in Turkey, we had three suitcases, a Trunki and each of the Madhouse kids had their own backpack, stuffed with cuddly toys, travel games and a variety of other sometimes unexpected things that they couldn't bear to be parted with for a fortnight. One case was almost entirely full of beach towels, arm bands, rubber rings, snorkels and even - on the way back - a huge inflatable crocodile, so finding space for my essentials turned into a bit of a Tetris-style headache, squishing things into the remaining gaps wherever possible !

One area I did manage to gain a few precious inches of packing space was by taking the Compressed version of my deodorant. At the start of the summer, Sure asked me to carry out an interesting experiment, sending me the Compressed and Regular versions of their Cotton Dry anti-perspirant. Despite being half the size (125ml instead of 250ml), the packaging promises that it will last just as long as the larger, non-Compressed can. I've already used the Compressed cans (you can read a previous review here) so I knew that they lasted for a long time, but I'd never compared them directly to their bigger counterparts. That's what Sure asked me to do, using the non-Compressed can on my left armpit and the Compressed on my right for six weeks or until they ran out. I was slightly concerned that they wouldn't have the same fragrance and I'd end up smelling like the Debenhams perfume counter, but I needn't have worried - they're identical.

Well, I've been happily spraying and waiting to see which one would last the longest and the answer surprised me - the Compressed can actually lasted a bit longer. Only by a couple of days so I think it was down to me applying more with the bigger can (it seems to come out more quickly, but that may just be an impression, as the Compressed can has a softer spray that feels gentler on your skin). The rest of the Madhouse family were pretty gobsmacked by the result, as were the other people I have mentioned it to in passing, but their cynicism actually surprised me. Consumers have happily adopted concentrated versions of laundry detergent and fabric softener or even ultra concentrated squeezy fruit squash, so why is it so hard to believe that deodorants can be Compressed too?

If you're wondering how it all works, the Compressed cans have an innovative spray system which means that they require less gas to deliver the same protection in each spray. I love the fact that they take up less space on my bathroom shelf, are smaller and lighter in my shopping bag and need less raw materials to make the cans so they're better for the planet too. The smaller size also makes them ideal for keeping in my handbag or desk drawer at work.

Still not convinced? Well then, how about buying a can of each and taking the challenge to see for yourselves that Compressed really does last as long as Regular? I'd be interested to hear how you get on !

RRP : £3.29

for more information : www.suredeodorant.co.uk

Disclosure : This is a sponsored - but nevertheless 100% honest - post.

What's Cooking at The Madhouse? menu plan 28/8/15

Our travels are over. After two weeks in Turkey, four days in Brittany and four days visiting the Madhouse grandparents, the summer is drawing to a close and we've headed back home with heavy hearts, ready to go back to school and work next week. That means picking up our routines, including menu planning, for the first time in over a month. As we're about to go shopping, I'll do a plan for next week but also what's left of this week.

Friday 

lunch - pasta with tomato, bacon & mushroom sauce

dinner - big mixed salad with ranch dressing

Saturday 

lunch - sausage, mash & beans

dinner - soup of some description & homemade bread if I have time

Sunday

lunch - roast dinner or last bbq of the summer, depending on the weather

dinner - sandwiches or leftover soup

Monday 

lunch - turkey dinosaurs with a sachet of microwaveable rice (Sophie will be fending for herself as I'm back to work !)

dinner - goulash with spätzle

Tuesday 

dinner - Jamaican jerk chicken with rice & mango salsa

Wednesday 

lunch - tacos

dinner - posta negra - a Colombian roast beef dish - with rice & veggies

Thursday 

dinner - pasta bake or leftovers

Friday

dinner - Callalloo rolls with salad & rice

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Want to see what everyone else is eating ? Head over to Meal Planning Monday at Mrs M's blog !

Ty Beanie Boos Domino Game review

When we were given the chance to review a Ty Beanie Boos Domino Game, I thought it looked like something that 6-year-old Pierre would enjoy playing with, but I didn't initially make the connection with 10-year-old Juliette's beloved "big eye toys".

She did though and she squealed with delight when the postie dropped it off !

She went running off to her room to round up her collection of toys and had great fun looking for the matching pictures on the cards !

Once the excitement had died down slightly, we sat down for a proper game (or ten !). The cute illustrations and vibrant colours would appeal to children of both sexes, regardless of whether they are fans of the cuddly toys or not.

 Dominos is such a classic game - it's great fun, simple enough for kids of all ages to play and encourages strategic thinking and logic skills. It's also a quick game so it's ideal if you want to spend some quality time with the kids when you have a million things to do ! The cards are nicely cut with rounded corners and are made of sturdy thick cardboard. Every toy box needs a domino game and this is a particularly cute and appealing one.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £7.99

Disclosure : We received the product in order to write an honest review.

Madhouse diaries : She was a skater girl

I couldn't help but giggle when I looked out of the window at the in laws' in Brittany and saw Sophie gaily skateboarding down the middle of the road ...

... in a dress !

It sometimes looked like a strange combination of skateboarding and ballet dancing !

But at least she didn't fall off. Grazed knees definitely wouldn't go with this look !

Giveaway #501 : Win 3 x Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 on DVD - closed - winners Lee Hardy, Christine Lockley & Sarah Eaglesfield

Kevin James Stars in the Fun-for-the-Whole Family Hit PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2

 Kevin James is back in action as Paul Blart in the outrageous comedic sequel PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2, released on Digital HD August 3rd and Blu-ray™ and DVD August 17th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. After six years of keeping our malls safe, Paul Blart has earned a well-deserved break and heads to Las Vegas with his teenage daughter for a security guard expo. But safety never takes a holiday and when Blart stumbles upon a heist, he must answer the call and, once again, save the day. PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 also stars Raini Rodriguez (“Austin & Ally”), Eduardo Verastegui (Chasing Papi), Daniella Alonso (“The Night Shift”), Neal McDonough (Captain America: The First Avenger), David Henrie (Grown Ups 2) and Shirley Knight (Grandma’s Boy).

The Blu-ray features all-new bonus materials, including six deleted scenes, a gag reel and eight behind-the-scenes featurettes with Kevin James getting re-acquainted with his old friend, the Segway; a look at the filming of Le Reve; an inside look at creating the action sequences; and real-life security officer’s thoughts on the fictional Paul Blart. Included on the DVD are two behind-the scenes featurettes.

The DVD is also available as part of the PAUL BLART: MALL COP 1 & 2 DVD boxset, released on August 17th.

Directed by Andy Fickman from a screenplay by Kevin James and Nick Bakay, PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 was produced by Todd Garner, Kevin James, Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo, with Marty P. Ewing, Ben Waisbren and Jeff Sussman serving as executive producers.

Blu-ray & DVD Bonus Features Include:

“Security Force: The Cast of Paul Blart 2” featurette – The gang is all back with some very notable additions!

“How to Make a Movie” featurette – Director Andy Fickman gives a tour of each department on the film.

Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features Include:

Six Deleted Scenes

Gag Reel

Six Featurettes

“Action Adventure” – Cast and Crew talk about creating the action set pieces from the stairs to the Zip Line!

“Back in the Saddle” – Kevin James gets his bearings on his old friend, the Segway.

“Le Reve” – Go behind the scenes of La Reve as filming gets underway.

“No Animals Were Harmed” – Paul’s attacker is revealed in his natural state.

“Sales Tactics” – Sometimes nailing a line takes time. A lot of time.

“Real Cops” – Hear from Nevada’s finest about their thoughts on Blart.

Photo Gallery

PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 has a run time of approximately 90 minutes (DVD)/93 minutes (BD) and is rated PG.

Visit Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on the Web at www.SonyPictures.com

I have 3 copies of Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 on DVD to give away to lucky Madhouse Family Reviews readers. Fill in your entries in the rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

UK only. Closing date : 10/9/15

T & C's : Entries close at midnight on the closing date. Winners will be selected with a random number generator and announced on facebook, twitter and in the giveaway post subject line. Please note, you will be contacted by email and/or twitter and if I haven't heard from you after a week, I'll have to pick another winner. Prizes will be sent out by the companies or their PR directly to winners. Madhouse Family Reviews cannot be held responsible for any prizes that go astray !

Other giveaways you may be interested in :

Giveaway #499 : Win 1 of 2 Horlicks bundles - closing date 3/9

Giveaway #500 : Win a £50 Boots voucher with Oilatum Daily - closing date 6/9

An indulgence package from Oykos (review)

The bad thing about going on holiday is coming back down to earth with a bump when it all ends. Luckily, Oykos came to the rescue this year, with the perfect email landing in my inbox to welcome me back after a thoroughly reaxing fortnight in Turkey. They explained : "Oykos has launched two brand new four packs this Summer for you to enjoy more indulgent moments - the Oh So Heavenly Vanilla Oykos and the Devilishly Delicious Salted Caramel yogurt. We would love to send you some of the new packs to try, along with an indulgence hamper full of heavenly treats so you can relax and have some ‘me-time’." It sounded perfect so I was delighted when the postie delivered my treats today.

Nestling inside the first hamper was a soft white towelling robe, perfect for relaxing in after a pampering session in the bathroom.

In the second hamper was some lovely and very apt "ange ou démon" perfume, some nail varnishes (which the girls seem to have claimed already !) and the new Oykos.

As represented by the packaging, Oh So Heavenly Vanilla is set to battle Devilishly Delicious Salted Caramel, giving people the choice of indulging their inner angel or succumbing to their devil within, depending on how heavenly or devilish they are feeling!

The angelic Oh So Heavenly Vanilla Oykos combines the creamy, sumptuous texture of delicious Greek style yoghurt, delicately blended with ground vanilla beans, promising a moment of ultimate taste and heavenly me-time. It's beautifully thick and creamy and the flecks of vanilla give it a rich vanilla flavour.

However, on the naughty side, Devilishly Delicious Salted Caramel Oykos offers a tantalising flavour experience that leaves you wanting more, with a creamy Greek-style yogurt masking a rich sumptuous layer of salted caramel below the surface. I must be a naughty-but-nice girl at heart because this was my favourite. I love pushing my spoon deep through the creamy white yogurt to uncover the hidden sticky sweetness lurking below - the flavours and textures complement each other perfectly, resulting in a really decadent and satisfying dessert.

Oh So Heavenly Vanilla Oykos and Devilishly Delicious Salted Caramel Oykos will be available in all major retailers, launching from the 5th August to mid-October in 4 x110g packs with a RRP of £2.39.

The full Oykos range comprises: Strawberry, Peach, Pear and Passion fruit, plus the new 4 packs Devilishly Delicious Salted Caramel and Oh So Heavenly Vanilla.

Visit www.oykos.co.uk or www.facebook.com/OykosUKto find out more.

Disclosure : We received the products in order to write an honest review.

Madhouse Diaries : We Played at the Stade in Hastings Old Town

Our short summer break with the Madhouse grandparents in Hastings has had autumnal overtones rather than the blazing sunshine that we were hoping for so our days out have been limited, but we did manage to go shower-dodging in the Old Town yesterday morning.

We parked at Rockanore and wandered along to the Stade - only a few hundred metres but there are oodles of interesting things to discover. Hastings fishing port is unique because the fishing boats are dragged right up on to the beach. (The word stade is in fact a Saxon term meaning landing place.) These ones are on display by the Fishermen's Museum so they never go out to sea but the real ones are just behind the huts on the beach opposite.

The iconic tall black net huts are unique to Hastings too - dating back to the 16th century, these huts are used for storing the fishermen's gear, including their nets, and they were awarded a listing by English Heritage because of their importance. They are black because they are made of wood covered in tar and they are tall because of the limited space that was available on the beach before the groynes were built.

The sights and above all smells of the fishing port continue with the little fishermen's shacks, selling fresh fish straight from the boats on the beach. You can tell by the seagulls on the roof when they have a new haul to sell !

As we'd just missed Old Town Week, with Pirate Day, the Pram Race and the Old Town Carnival, amongst other festivities, there were several floats still on view in storage and we were very impressed with this large pirate ship that has been made completely from junk.

I love the pirates at the top made out of part of a table football game !

I asked the Madhouse kids if they'd like to see an even bigger boat and we wandered over to the lifeboat station.

You can get up close to the Hastings lifeboat and learn all about its history, as well as beach safety. (It's a free museum but donations are gratefully received and I bought some huge lollipops in the shop to give them some more much needed funds.)

I was impressed to learn that the Hastings lifeboat took part in the Evacuation of Dunkirk as one of the Little Ships during World War II. You may remember we went and visited the Little Ships, including the Ramsgate lifeboat, when they visited Dunkirk as part of the Operation Dynamo commemorations this year.

The Stade has been totally redeveloped in recent years but it still retains some of the olde worlde seaside town charm. I love the little huts selling whelks and prawns by the pint, and even jellied eels, although I'd never eat them in a million years !

A trip to The Stade wouldn't be complete without a visit to the amusement arcades to play on all the 2p machines.

Sophie sat on the electric chair machine and I was so tempted to put money in it ! (I actually think it's quite a horrible idea, to be honest !)

On the way out, we spotted a rogue hot air balloon ride that had gone a bit mental and was going up and down all by itself.

Pierre had a free ride until we all got bored and convinced him to come off !

Strolling back to the car as the rainclouds rolled in, I spotted this little cottage made out of half a boat. It looks just as I've always imagined  Peggoty's Boat-House in Charles Dickens' David Copperfield.

It's amazing how many places of interest are rammed into such a small area. There's also the Blue Reef aquarium, the free Fishermen's Museum (with a real fishing boat you can explore), the Jerwood Gallery, Winkle Island, the half-timbered houses of All Saints Street and the East Hill Lift, a funicular railway that takes you up to the clifftop walks above. It recently dawned on me that I have yet to do all the touristy stuff with the Madhouse kids, such as visiting the remains of Hastings Castle and the Caves (now rebranded as Smugglers' Adventure), so I'll have to rectify that situation on our next visits.