Simply VIP Blogs - Health and Beauty

Simple Winter Cold Pick-Me-Ups

2012-02-08T19:36:25.5070000+00:00

It’s that time of year again – wherever you turn, someone is either coughing or sneezing and you’re left wondering when you’re going to start feeling a little under the weather.

I’m afraid I’ve been that person sitting on the bus sniffling into her tissue for the past week, but on the bright side, it has given me the opportunity to test-drive some Simple skincare and nutrition ideas for feeling that little bit better when you’ve got a cold!

Skincare

I have been doing three key things to make myself look and feel better over the past week.

Firstly, I’ve kept my Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser on me at all times to use on my nose once I’ve blown it. It has really helped me to avoid that horrible, red, flaky-looking nose associated with the pesky cold.

My lips always become very dry when I have a cold; the Simple Kind To Lips Essential Lip Balm has been glued to my hand ready to apply at any given moment! Dry lips can be very sore, and that’s the last thing you need when you’re feeling poorly.

To give my dull skin a boost, I’ve been loving the Simple Radiance Brightening Moisturiser – if you’re having to feel ill, you can still have gorgeous glowing skin! The light-reflecting particles could help to trick anyone into thinking you’ve had your beauty sleep (when in reality you may have been kept up most of the night with a cough!)

Nutrition

Nutrition is important at all times, but when you’ve got a cold eating the right foods can make you feel much better. Not only that – it can also be good for your skin too! Simple Advisory Board Member and Nutritionist Fiona Hunter says:

“A study by Bristol University scientists revealed that eating fruit and veg like carrots, and oranges which are rich in carotenoids, help to give the skin a healthy glow. The vitamin C in oranges also helps manufacture collagen, essential for keeping the skin toned and supple.”

Why not make some hearty soup with chunky carrots or ask a kind friend or family member to make it for you? It will help to keep you feeling nourished as well as warm!

For more top recipes visit: http://www.simple.co.uk/Skintrition/Recipes/

I hope that you feel better soon if you’re suffering from a cold – it’s no fun! But hopefully our tips will make you feel that little bit more positive and set you on the road to recovery.

Charlotte x

Simple Word Association - The Results....

2012-01-30T10:01:57.2530000+00:00

You may remember taking part in a special Simple VIP survey we carried out back in December – it was a word association game where we asked you which words you thought of when you thought of Simple. We’d really like to thank everyone who took part – we now have the results!

We’d love to share with you some of the fun information we found out through the survey. For those who didn’t take part, here’s another chance to play along. Think of the word that first come to mind when you think of Simple, and now take a look below to see if your word matches any of the 6 most common choices!

The most common words that people think of when thinking of Simple were:

‘Clean’, ‘Gentle’, ‘Fresh’, ‘Natural’, ‘Pure’ and ‘Refreshing’!

These are all terms that we embrace and it’s fantastic to know that our VIPs feel the same way about our brand!

Amongst terms like the ones mentioned above, there were some brilliant responses which really stood out! It was wonderful to see terms such as ‘Dependable’, ‘Genuine’ and ‘Unique’ being used to describe Simple and our products – one VIP simply labelled the brand as ‘Important’. One answer which made us smile was ‘Fabbydoodle!’ – that can only mean a big thumbs up!

We also asked which word you would use to describe how you want your skin to look. Some of the most common answers included: ‘Flawless’, ‘Radiant’, ‘Glowing’, ‘Fresh’ and ‘Healthy’. These are all things we firmly believe in here at Simple! For example, our Radiance range could help you achieve that natural-looking glow, whilst our Clear Skin range can help balance the oil in your skin to help avoid blemishes.

Thank you once again to all those who took part. If you’d like to leave a comment below, please feel free to do so – we always love to hear back from you!

Charlotte x

100,000 Thank You's!

2012-01-24T16:44:46.3470000+00:00

Macmillan Cancer Support and Simple would like to thank everyone who bought our Limited Edition Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes..... you’ve raised a whopping £100,000!

Every penny helps the Macmillan team to deliver a wide range of support – from emotional to practical, financial and medical. It is Macmillan’s ambition to reach and improve the lives of everyone affected by cancer and you are helping the charity to reach even more people.

One way Macmillan believes people can get more support is to get people talking about cancer. This week is Macmillan’s Cancer Talk Week (23-29 January). The ‘C’ word needn’t be difficult to talk about. Sharing your experiences and concerns may help you feel more supported. To talk to someone impartial or for advice on how to talk to your friends and family, Macmillan can help you find the words you need

Call Macmillan's Support Line FREE on 0800 808 00 00 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk

Simple Goes Stateside!

2012-01-20T16:37:03.6700000+00:00

This week we've mostly been seeing stars. And stripes. Yes, Simple, the UK's No.1 Facial Skincare brand, has landed in the US!

We're mighty excited that from the end of January Americans will be able to buy great skincare products that have no dyes, artificial perfumes or harsh irritants. Let your friends and relatives in the US know – they'll thank you when they see the results.

Some of you lovely lot were filmed telling us why you love Simple so much: take a peek at our Simple YouTube channel to hear some of the comments. Not everyone who took part features in this first video – there were so many of you that we've had to make more than one video in order to let everyone hear all of your fabulous comments. We'll let you know as soon as the other videos are posted.

Check out the brand spanking new U.S website here www.simpleskincare.com

Have a great weekend everyone!

New Year's Skin Resolutions

2012-01-10T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Christmas and New Year have passed – we’ve all eaten a little too much, possibly drunk a little too much and, most likely, our skin has suffered as a result! Fortunately, the New Year allows us to start afresh, and what better resolution to make than a skincare one!

If you’re wondering exactly what kind of skincare resolutions to make, look no further. We’ve brought you half way to gorgeous skin with our list of New Year’s Skin Resolutions:

1. Get a good skincare routine in place. It sounds so simple, and fortunately with us, it is! We have different ranges to suit different skin types – for example, if you have dull skin, check out our Radiance range; if your skin if oily, our Clear Skin range will balance the oil for you. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! The full list of ranges can be seen here:

2. Once you’ve sorted your skincare routine, try to stick to it! Many resolutions are broken quickly, but investing time into skincare can really pay off. Cleansing, toning and moisturising will really help to improve the appearance of your skin.

3. Drink plenty of water. You’ve heard this a thousand times, but it is an invaluable lesson. Not drinking enough water is bad for you in various ways, but you can really see it when it comes to your skin. Try it, even for a week – you’ll love the results so much that you’ll never be without a water bottle!

4. Give your diet a makeover! Everyone has an early-January health kick, but a good diet can not only improve your health and figure but your skin too! For more information on our SkinTrition experience, visit: http://www.simple.co.uk/SkinTrition/

5. Exercise – it really can make a difference! A healthy body can equal healthy looking skin, and the endorphins released during exercise can not only lift your mood but increase the blood flow to your vital organs. Your skin is one such organ!

6. Still take time out to relax. It has been proven that a stressful lifestyle can take its toll on your skin, so try to reduce your stress levels. Something like yoga is a great way to do this, and it will help with your healthy body plan too!

Good luck with your New Year’s Skin Resolutions – you can do it!

Beauty Bloggers To Watch in 2012!

2012-01-10T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

2012 is well and truly getting underway, and it’s great to see that many bloggers have made a New Year’s resolution to post more often!

Here at Simple we really enjoyed interacting with beauty bloggers over on our Twitter account in 2011, and hope to do so more in 2012!

We’ve put together a short list of our top ‘Beauty Bloggers to Watch in 2012’. They aren’t necessarily the biggest blogs out there…yet! But we think they are fabulous, and wish them all the best for 2012.

Claire from eyeliningobsessions - http://eyeliningobsessions.blogspot.com/

We love reading Claire’s detailed and informative posts about all things beauty – we especially love her reviews of Simple products! If you’re looking for variety, this blog has it all.

Jen from BeautyJunkieLondon - http://www.beautyjunkielondon.com/

Jen is one of the most established bloggers on our list, but she is one to watch nevertheless! Her high quality photos and beautiful blog layout are complimented by her engaging writing style.

Stephanie May from MayLovesMakeUp - http://www.maylovesmakeup.com/

Stephanie May is one of the friendliest bloggers out there – a girly girl and true English rose, her blog is the go-to place for fun beauty reads. We also love that she’s a big fan of the Radiance Brightening Eye Cream too!

Holly Arabella http://www.hollyarabella.blogspot.com/

Holly Arabella is a highly prolific and versatile blogger who is becoming a firm favourite within the blogosphere! Her reviews are detailed and honest, and she can sometimes be found posting on our very own Simple Forum too!

Marc from ABlogAboutMake Up: http://ablogaboutmakeup.blogspot.com/

Marc is a male beauty blogger who loves to experiment with both classic and dramatic make up looks – he’s also a Simple fan, and his reviews are fantastic to read! We think that his blog will become even better in 2012!

Chyaz from http://www.chyaz.com

Call us cheeky, but we couldn’t resist including a link to our very own Simple Star’s blog! Chyaz is the nickname of Charlotte Samuel, who is our online ‘face’ and representative. She has vowed to blog each day in 2012 – think she can face the challenge?

Charity Chic at http://charitychic.wordpress.com/

Finally, want some funky fashion inspiration thrown in too? Check out Charity Chic at http://charitychic.wordpress.com/ for proof that you don't need to spend big money on clothes to look amazing. See how easy it is to not only save money but look totally awesome and individual at the same time. Plus you're doing your bit for charity!

We hope that we’ve provided you with some brand new blogs to read this year!

Last minute Simple Stocking Fillers!

2011-12-22T14:22:39.5670000+00:00

Christmas is just around the corner – only three days to go! If you’re the kind of person who had their Christmas shopping completed weeks ago, we applaud you! If you’re more of a last minute person, don’t worry! We have some Simple Stocking Filler ideas which will help to avert any pre-Xmas panics.

Our Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser is an ideal extra gift, and with all the mistletoe around at this time of year, soft, kissable lips are a must! The formula looks gorgeously glossy on the lips, which is a great bonus!

For the make-up loving ladies on your present-buying list, the Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen makes a wonderful gift! The pen’s fine tip allows you to correct mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow mistakes without disrupting the rest of your look. It will undoubtedly come in handy on New Year’s Eve, especially if the champagne starts flowing before your beauty queen starts getting ready for the night!

Christmas time can mean a few late nights, but don’t worry – we’ve got a couple of stocking filler suggestions which will give away no tell-tale signs! The Simple Kind To Eyes Revitalising Eye Roll-On contains Cucumber Extract which helps to reduce puffiness and makes tired peepers look fresh and awake. If you need that little extra boost, the Radiance Brightening Eye Cream, with its light-reflecting particles, will help to conceal signs of tiredness.

Around this chilly time of year, chapped hands are an unfortunate occurrence, but they don’t have to be! Pop a Simple Derma Intensive Relief Hand Cream into someone’s stocking to help their hands recover from dryness.

We hope you have a wonderful festive season, and that you find a Simple treat in your stocking!

Charlotte x

Christmas Party Make Up Removal Tips!

2011-12-22T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

A Christmas party is a time when people like to go all-out – a new dress, new shoes and a gorgeous make up look to top it all off! After your night out, the feeling of taking off your make up can be refreshing, and it’s important to make sure you take care of your skin properly to avoid problems like clogged pores and dry skin.

When removing make up, it is vital to double-cleanse. The first cleanse removes the make up and the second actually cleanses your skin. The Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion is a creamy cleanser which is great for removing foundation. Use this on cotton pads in an upwards motion – don’t drag your skin down as this could help cause premature skin ageing.

Celebrity Make Up Artist and Simple Skincare Expert Caroline Frazer has a great tip for removing eye make up. Take one of the Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Wipes and add a little of the Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Remover to it. Use one wipe per eye and gently remove any eyeshadow, eyeliner and even waterproof mascara!

I personally love to use the Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel to cleanse my skin after wearing make up – it leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. Then, use a toner such as the Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner to help remove any traces of old make up.

After all of that cleansing, it is important to moisturise. The atmosphere takes moisture out of your face all the time – even when you’re sleeping! By using a product like the Simple Vital Vitamin Night Cream, the moisture will instead be drawn out of your moisturiser. The Vital Vitamins in the cream also help to nourish your skin whilst you’re asleep.

Have a wonderful time at your Christmas party!

Charlotte x

Simple YouTube video giveaway!

2011-11-29T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

What could be better than winning your favourite Simple product?...

Winning your favourite Simple range!

One of our lucky Simple YouTube subscribers will win all of the products from the Simple range of their choice in our brand new competition.

So, how do you enter the giveaway? It’s Simple! First of all, visit the competition video on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oab8OiFmrWY

Leave a comment on the video letting us know which Simple range is your favourite and why!

There are a few rules (terms and conditions of entry)

You must be a subscriber to the Simple YouTube channel to enter!
Entries must be received by 23:59 31st December 2011.
If you’re under 16, please make sure you have parental permission to enter.
The prize a selection of Simple products from the winners favourite Simple range.
No alternative prize available.
One winner will be selected at random from all entries on Wednesday 4th January 2012.
The prize is as stated and there will be no cash alternative.
The prize is non-transferable, non-negotiable and non-refundable. Prizes may not be sold, offered for sale or used in connection with any other competition, contest offer or promotion by a prize winner.
The judge’s decision is final and no negotiation will be entered into.
The Promoter reserves the right to (a) award an alternative prize of equal or greater value and (b) in exceptional circumstances to vary, amend or withdraw this competition on reasonable notice.
This competition is open to all UK residents excluding employees of Unilever PLC or their families, associated agents or anyone otherwise professionally associated with this promotion.
Bulk entries made from trade, consumer groups or third parties will not be accepted.
Entries, which are late, illegible or not in accordance with these rules will be disqualified. The Promoter shall not be responsible for technical errors in telecommunication networks, internet access or otherwise preventing entry to the competition.
By entering the competition each entrant accepts and agrees to these terms and conditions.
These terms and conditions shall be governed by English Law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

The winner will be announced on our Simple VIP blog and on the Simple Twitter page!

Good luck! We’re looking forward to seeing your entries.

Simple x

Night Time Cleansing ... which cleanser do you use?

2011-11-28T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We all know that it’s good practise to cleanse our skin twice a day – morning and night. But if we take a closer look at the types of cleansing we do at these two times of the day, they’re quite different. Let’s run through the best cleansers to use at night, and how to use them to ensure that your skin is simply gorgeous!

At night, you might want to do a deeper cleanse than you would in the morning. I love to use the Simple Kind To Skin Deep Cleansing Face Mask to get rid of any deep down dirt and dead skin cells. I use it 1-2 times per week and it makes my skin feel fresh and clean.

An exfoliating wash is fantastic one or twice a week to really refresh your skin. If you have oily skin which is prone to blemishes, the Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Exfoliating Wash is perfect for you. The special blend helps to reduce blemishes and absorb excess oil.

If you skin is dry, using a moisturising cleanser will help to ensure that your skin doesn’t dry out overnight. The Simple Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion is a brilliant cleanser for keeping your skin fresh and cleansed, but also smooth and soft.

Which Simple cleanser do you like to use at night time? We’d love to know! Leave us a comment below.

Charlotte x

Which Simple cleanser do you use?

2011-11-28T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

At Simple, we have many different types of facial cleansers – if you’re feeling unsure about which might be the best one for you, look no further! Here is a run-down of the different types of cleansers we have in our ranges.

There’s something for everyone!

Facial Washes
If you’re like me, in the morning you might like to use a quick and Simple facial wash. We offer many different types: the Radiance Brightening Facial Wash contains light-reflecting particles to give you a gorgeous early-morning glow. If you want a basic and gentle cleanser, the Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel is a great choice, and will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth – always a great start to the day!

Foaming Cleanser
The Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser has been a firm favourite of mine ever since it was launched! It is an effective cleansing mousse which is not only fun to use, but effective and full of the vitamins your skin needs to feel nourished. I love to use this in the morning.

Cleansing Lotion
If you prefer to use a cream cleanser, our Kind To Skin Purifying Cleansing Lotion is one of our best cleansers for dry skin, as it helps to keep it smooth and softened. This cleanser contains a special blend of Pro-Vitamin B5, Bisabolol and Allantoin.

Which Simple cleansers do you love to use? Let us know in the comment section below!

Charlotte x

The Simple way to rid of those dark circles

2011-11-25T14:21:24.2930000+00:00

You know that frightening moment when you look in the mirror and see two eyes with dark circles ringing them staring straight back at you? It's not a good moment....

Fortunately we have some great advice to help you eliminate dark circles from your life. First up is an obvious-yet-so-often-ignored bit of advice: get some regular sleep. Your body is marvellous but it does need to be able to recharge if you want it to carry on working at its very best. Getting a good night's sleep is a nice gesture; getting a good night's sleep on a regular basis is an extremely nice gesture and a fab way of waving goodbye to those dark circles.

Of course it's not always possible to live our lives perfectly (let's face it, it would also probably be rather dull to be that perfect) so grab these two products:

Radiance Brightening Eye Cream and Kind To Eyes Soothing Eye Balm.

Simple Radiance Brightening Eye Cream contains light reflecting particles to help reduce the impact of those dark circles. Simple Kind To Eyes Soothing Eye Balm is a calming product that gives eyes a multi-vitamin treat.

Thanks to Simple, dark circles' days are numbered.

Reduce your stress levels this Christmas with Simple

2011-11-25T13:58:19.0700000+00:00

Santas are singing, elves are wrapping presents and shop staff are wearing tinsel in their hair – it must be Christmas shopping time!

Those of you who are organised will have already started working through your Christmas shopping lists while getting ready for the Christmas break. Those that haven't, don't panic!

Our online Simple shop will have the perfect skincare gift package to suit that tricky relative as well as having plenty of stocking fillers to choose from. In fact, just to make your Christmas break even more stress-free we're giving away a free toiletry bag with every purchase made in our online shop before Christmas.

Just remember to order before 15 December for guaranteed delivery before the big day.

This festive season do your Christmas shopping the Simple way – and prepare for a relaxing Christmas break.

WIN a holiday of a lifetime with Simple Best Kept Secrets!

2011-11-22T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you are a fan of Simple Skincare on Facebook you’ll have seen our daily photo updates all last week giving you little clues as to what our Best Kept Secret is...

So, what is our secret?

Our Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser is the UK’s No. 1 Facial Skincare brand*!

Woo! How happy are we? So happy in fact that to celebrate, we have launched a brand new app on our Facebook page today giving you guys the chance to WIN some ‘top secret’ fantastic prizes... Let’s just say that first prize is a holiday of a lifetime worth £3,500 from Almond Resorts. Lush.

How do you enter?
Now we have shared our Best Kept Secret, it’s time for you to tell us yours! Head over to here and either share one of our Best Kept Secrets or reveal your very own.

Each week we’ll select a winner who will bag themselves a top secret prize.... to give you a hint we’re talking magazine subscriptions (Good Housekeeping, Zest, Company & Cosmo),Simple Skincare treats, adorable Tiny Tatty Teddy treats plus a whole load more.

Terms and conditions apply. Please click here to read the full conditions of entry.

*SymphonyIRI Group All Outlets UK Non Medicated Facial Skincare (branded moisturiser) units 52 w/e 8th October 2011

How to keep oily skin healthy and hydrated

2011-11-16T15:24:33.1000000+00:00

Did you know that even if you have oily skin you still need to use a moisturiser after cleansing?

You just need to make sure you choose one that isn't going to clog up your pores with excess grease. The key is to use products that are specially formulated for oily skin, such as theSimple Clear Skin range.

TheClear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub, which is clinically proven to reduce blackheads and blemishes in seven days, will gently remove dead skin cells and dirt from your skin without stripping your skin of oil. It's important not to use something that aggressively strips your skin of oil because all that will happen is your skin will panic and produce more sebum – which means the oily skin will come back with a vengeance. Our Clear Skin range gently absorbs oil instead, leaving your skin clear and grease-free. The Clear Skin Oil Balancing Exfoliating Wash is another great cleanser which will leave your skin feeling refreshed and happy.

After cleansing smooth on some Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser. This lovely moisturiser will give your skin all the hydration it needs without weighing it down with grease. Our special blend including natural zinc PCA, corn starch and vitamin E and pro-vitamin B5 helps to keep your skin soft, smooth and gorgeous.

Thanks to the Simple Clear Skin range no-one need ever know you have oily skin!

Best Kept Secrets!

2011-11-11T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you’ve been following us on our Simple Twitter page or Simple Chat you might have seen us mention our Best Kept Secrets campaign. We all have top tips that we like to keep quiet – whether they’re to do with beauty, lifestyle or relationships – but we think its fun to share them out and let others in on the secret!

Yesterday, we held a Simple Press Day so all the beauty journalists could hear about our Best Kept Secrets campaign. During the day, Simple Advisory Board members Caroline Frazer and Fiona Hunter delivered skincare and nutrition master classes respectively, dishing out their own Best Kept Secrets and giving one-to-one sessions to reveal even more.

We tweeted a few of the tips from yesterday – don’t worry if you missed them, they’re still available to see on our Twitter page! As the campaign continues we will be revealing many more from both Caroline and Fiona, so stay tuned to our social sites to find out more!

As for our Best Kept Secret? Shhhh…it’s going to stay under wraps for a little while longer! All we can say is, watch our Simple Skincare Facebook page from Monday and all will be clear....

Charlotte x

Lights! Camera! Action!

2011-11-09T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

The Simple team are really excited about tomorrow! Why? Because, we are creating a fantastic VIP video for our brand new U.S website featuring you guys – our most loyal Simple fans. Following our call for volunteers in a recent Simple VIP newsletter, we have invited a group of VIPs to come to a top secret venue in London tomorrow to film a short clip about how much they love Simple!

Watch out for our live Tweets on set tomorrow. Follow us @simplecouk on Twitter to keep up with the action. There will be photos from the day too on our Simple Skincare Facebook page.

The friendly camera crew are currently setting up now so if you are one of the lucky VIPs involved, we look forward to meeting you tomorrow!

If you missed out this time, don’t worry, there will be chances for you guys to get involved on another occasion. We’ll post the video when it’s finished!

Simple x

The Simple approach to Christmas

2011-11-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Come on, you've heard the music, you've seen the elves in the shopping centres – Christmas is just around the corner. This year Simple has some gorgeous Christmas gift sets exclusively available in Superdrug to help quickly solve those shopping dilemmas, leaving you with enough time for a cup of tea and a mince pie. Choose from...

Simply Chic
A trendy cosmetic bag containing Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes 25's and Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser 125ml.

Simply Super
A pretty gift box containing the three best-sellers from the Kind To Skin range – Purifying Cleansing Lotion 200ml, Soothing Facial Toner 200ml and Hydrating Light Moisturiser 125ml.

The Simple Collection
A stunning gift box packed with Simple Kind To Skin goodies including Cleansing Facial Wipes 25's and travel-size Moisturising Facial Wash 50ml, Soothing Facial Toner 50ml and Hydrating Light Moisturiser 50ml.

These are all available to buy exclusively in Superdrug - click here to see them on Superdrug.com.

And for those of you shopping online, we'll be giving away a stylish toiletry bag with every purchase made from our Simple shop between now and 20 December.

Exclusive Limited Edition Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes back!...

2011-11-02T10:12:55.4100000+00:00

You might remember that, earlier this year, we ran a campaign to raise £25,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support by donating 10p from special packs of our best-selling Kind To Skin Facial Wipes to the charity. Guess what? The special packs are back, and this time we’re hoping to raise a massive £75,000 for Macmillan – that means a total of £100,000 this year.

The special packs of our wipes will be sold exclusively in Boots – just look for the bright pink splash and Macmillan logo on the packaging!

Macmillan are the UK’s leading cancer support charity, dedicated to trying to improve the lives of those affected by cancer. At present, there are around 2 million people in the UK living with cancer, and Macmillan aims to reach out to help all of those affected.

Through this partnership, and by raising a total of £100,000 for Macmillan, we want to help Macmillan achieve this goal.

The special packs will be available from the 2nd November to the 27th December, and they are also on a 2 for £5 offer! We’re expecting the packs to fly off the shelves, so be sure to pay a visit to Boots soon to help us achieve that amazing £100,000 donation mark.

Calling all tweeters!

2011-11-01T08:55:26.9230000+00:00

We’re running another ‘retweet’ competition over on our Twitter page this week, and you could be in with the chance of winning one of 5 Simple Winter Moisturising packs worth £20!

We will be tweeting 5 photos over the course of the week on our Twitter page. Each photo represents a different award we have won for our products, and we’ve love to share them with you! To enter, all you need to do is retweet our competition tweets!

At the end of the week, we will select 5 winners – one from each day that we tweeted a photo. The winners will be selected entirely at random and we will announce them on Twitter on Monday 7th November.

Click here to see our Twitter page now!

Have fun and happy tweeting!
Simple x

Is Simple Eye Make-Up Remover oil-free?

2011-10-31T14:31:36.1370000+00:00

Yes. That's the Simple answer.

We understand that greasy, oily products that clog up the skin are pretty unappealing, especially around the delicate eye-area. That's precisely why our Kind To Eyes Eye Make-Up Remover doesn't contain anything to leave a slippery film behind.

This vitamin-packed, oil-free eye make-up remover gently smoothes away any make-up, even waterproof mascara, leaving your skin soft, smooth and ready to face another day.

If you prefer a more compact, convenient eye make-up remover solution for when you're on the move, try our Kind To Eyes Eye Make-Up Remover Pads. Our pads won't sting or irritate your eyes plus they are also completely oil free.

So next time someone asks "Is Simple eye make-up remover oil-free" you can let them know that, yes, it is, and what's more, it has no unnecessary ingredients or harsh chemicals.

The eyes really do have it!

Ever wondered how long can you keep face cleansers or moisturisers for?

2011-10-31T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

It can be tricky knowing how long a skincare product will remain effective for but, thanks to a cunning symbol you may have spotted on our products, you can now tell instantly how long you can keep opened face cleanser or moisturiser or any of our products.

The symbol, in case you've missed it, is a picture of an open tub. Written on the tub will be something like 12M – this means that you can keep your face cleanser for 12 months once opened. Also known as the POA or "period after opening", it will let you know in one quick glance how long you can keep your opened face cleanser and be sure that it is still working at its best.

So easy, so Simple.

It's time to spill the beans.... Share your secrets with Simple!

2011-10-24T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you've completed the VIP or Teen Simple survey this month you'll know it's all about secrets.

Secrets... everyone has one or has been privy to one at some point in their life. Some of us are fantastic at 'keeping mum' while the rest of us cannot resist the opportunity to blab. Sometimes secrets are fun, bring you closer to your friends or loved ones while some secrets are best kept to yourself.

Simple have got some secrets to share with you but first we want you to spill the beans.... Every day this week, we are going to ask you a question about secrets. What is your Best Kept Secret? You'll be able to share your secrets, read about others experiences and possibly even get something off your chest.

Today, we're asking you about your skincare secrets. Head over to Simple Chat here or simply post your secret here on the blog.

At the end of the week, we'll select the best FIVE secrets... the winners will bag themselves a secret Simple treat!

New Simple TV ad now on air!

2011-10-18T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Did you spot our brand new TV ad last night?

We are very proud at Simple as it's shouting about the U.K's best selling moisturiser which is......Our Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser! It's true - it is the U.K's No. 1 branded moisturiser*. Woo!

The ad also introduces our brand new Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist - the newest addition to the Simple moisturisers family. This incredibly fine mist is the perfect blend of active ingredients and Lotus Flower goodness to give tired, dehydrated and dull skin an instant boost of hydration for naturally dewy skin.

Worried about spraying onto make-up? Don't be.... the mist absorbs instantly into the skin, refreshing and restoring optimum moisture balance leaving your make-up in tact. It's perfect for even the most sensitive skin.

It's on TV until late November so if you haven't seen it yet, there is still plenty of time. BUT...if you can't wait, why not watch the new ad right now on our Simple YouTube channel? Afterwards, see Charlotte, our beautiful Official Online Spokesperson, demo how to use it here.

Enjoy!

P.S. Want to give our Moisture Boost range a try? It's available in Boots and Superdrug now for RRP £5.99.

*SymphonyIRI Group All Outlets UK Non Medicated Facial skincare units 52 w/e 10th September 2011

Help! I have got dermatitis

2011-10-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Dry, itchy skin can be a pain, literally, and for those with dermatitis and eczema the search for everyday cream and lotions that soothe rather than irritate can be frustrating.

That's why Simple has developed Simple Derma, a range of products that are clinically proven to show results in just four days.

The reason Simple Derma cream and lotion are so good for those with dermatitis, eczema and dry, sensitive skin is that they contain two key ingredients: natural aquaxyl and canola oil. Natural aquaxyl is a moisturising plant ingredient that allows deep hydration, restoring the skin's natural moisture levels, while canola oil works to protect and replenish very dry skin.

As you'd expect with products designed for such sensitive skin, they are all dermatologist approved, hypoallergenic, lanolin-free and contain no perfume, colour or harsh chemicals.

The three products are:
Simple Derma Intensive Relief Lotion which is ideal for the whole family in a 200ml or 400ml bottle
Simple Derma Intensive Relief Cream which comes in a big family size pot or a handbag size 50ml tube for on-the-go relief
Simple Derma Intensive Relief Hand Cream especially developed for your hands - a common place for eczema

So next time you're looking for creams to use on very dry skin, even if you have dermatitis or eczema, you can trust Simple Derma. If you'd like to give the range a go click here to go directly to the Simple shop where you can try the range for just £10.20 (£3 P&P will be added at the check out)

How good are Simple Cleansing Wipes?

2011-10-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

"Darn good," is the answer. But don't just take our word for it: Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes are the UK's number one best-selling facial skincare product*. (A fact we are exceptionally proud of!) These non-drying, non-greasy wipes will clean your face of grime and make-up in seconds, leaving your skin refreshed and toned. Even waterproof mascara is effortlessly wiped away.

Celebrity users such as Jennifer Metcalfe and Holly Valance make it clear just how good Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes are as do the numerous awards the wipes have won over the years. Head to our Simple Skincare Facebook page to see our vitrual awards cabinet!

So, join the celeb fans, grab a pack now and discover just how good Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes are!

*SymphonyIRI Group All Outlets UK Non Medicated Facial skincare 52 w/e 10th September 2011

Vote Simple! Sainsbury’s Beauty Awards 2011

2011-10-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

There’s only one thing better than seeing that a Simple product has been nominated for an award…seeing that two have! The Sainsbury’s Beauty Awards 2011 are in full swing and it’s time to get voting!

We were so excited to find out that not only has our Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen been nominated in the ‘Best Skincare Product’ category, our best-selling Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes have been nominated for ‘Best Sensitive Product’ too!

The Sainsbury’s Beauty Awards are voted for entirely by customers, which means that you decide which products are named the best of the best.

In case you need a few extra reasons to give our products your votes, let us give you a quick run-down of both the Corrector Pen and our Wipes!

The Kind To Eyes Eye Make Up Corrector Pen is a handy addition to any make up bag; its precision tip allows you to quickly and easily remove any make up mistakes around your eyes. I find it is particularly useful for swiping away pesky mascara dots which transfer to your eyelid from lashes. It’s also perfect for ensuring that you can get that gorgeous cat eye flick right every time – liquid eyeliner can be a pain, but with the Corrector Pen, it’s easy to sculpt the perfect flick.

Our Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes are a firm favourite; they not only contain vital vitamins like Pro-Vitamin B5 (which softens and smoothes your skin) but they gently cleanse. The wipes even remove waterproof mascara! They contain no perfume or colour, making them perfect for even sensitive skin.

If you would like to vote for our products in the Sainsbury’s Beauty Awards 2011, simply follow the link and click on the appropriate categories: http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/beauty/Homepage.htm

Thank you so much to anyone who decides to vote for us! The closing date for voting is Thursday 3 November 2011.

Having a baby? Skincare for pregnant women

2011-09-30T13:00:50.5130000+00:00

If you are having a baby, congratulations!

You have probably already noticed the rather large hormonal change that occurs when you become pregnant. But, do you know how it can affect your skin and therefore your skincare routine?

Oestrogen increases when you are pregnant. Among other things it increases blood flow, and from a skincare point of view this can result in hyper-pigmentation. Your nipples may be darker, some people get darker facial skin and your skin might be more sensitive to sunlight. So make sure your skincare routine when you are pregnant includes sun protection

Another hormone, progesterone, can cause you to develop more oily skin when pregnant, so you may need to change your cleanser and moisturiser to deal with this. The Simple Clear Skin range can help your skin balance this excess oil production.

Stress, tiredness and a changing diet (morning sickness can mean that certain foods won't be allowed near your kitchen for few months!) can all have an effect on your skin, so while many women won't have to change their skincare routine when they are pregnant, do keep an eye how your skin changes over the coming months so that you'll know if you need to alter your skincare regime a little.

If you have got any specific questions relating to skincare when pregnant, ask our Simple Advisory Board. We'll endeavour to answer as many of your questions as possible.

Simple Science. What are humectants?

2011-09-16T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

From loyal use, I could tell you that Simple moisturisers are fantastic at their job – but now, we have scientific proof! 4Beauty recently posted a great article highlighting some fab moisturiser ingredients, and we were delighted to see that our Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Cream was featured! Why? Because it contains a great ingredient called Glycerin. This means that humectants are present in the moisturiser, and wait until you hear what they do!

Traditionally, moisturisers work on the outer layers of the skin; this is good, but for your skin to look and feel really moisturised something a little deeper is needed. Humectants actually increase the water content of the top layers of skin, which helps to prevent dehydration. Simple!

Other ingredients to look out for include Sorbitol and Panthenol.

Good news for Simple fans as they feature in some of our other moisturisers!

Normal Skin
Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser (a firm favourite of mine) contains all three, so you can expect gorgeously hydrated skin.
Kind To Skin Sun Kissed Moisture Cream will leave your skin to beautifully glowing as well as hydrated, our also contains Glycerin.

Oily Skin
Clear Skin Oil Balancing Moisturiser contains both Glycerin and Panthenol, so you can have lusciously hydrated skin which is still moisture-balanced.

Dry Skin
Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser contains suits drier skin types and it contains the magic ingredient, Glycerin.

Here is the link to the 4Beauty article where our Moisture Boost Hydro Cream is proudly featured. So if your skin is in need of hydration, look no further. Smile – it’s Simple!

Charlotte x

Simple says - we are sorry

2011-09-16T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Dear all,

As some of you will know, we have a brand new Facebook page which everyone at Simple is very excited about. Unfortunately, we experienced some technical glitches with the launch yesterday which meant some of you couldn't redeem the 50% off in the Simple shop and the free Simple Skin Health Check we promised you when you clicked 'like' on the page. We are very sorry about this and realise it will have been very annoying for some of our VIPs. It's now fixed. If you do experience any further problems please let us know ASAP via our Consumer Relations team. Email them at consumer.relations@simple.co.uk

See the new page by clicking here!

*Please note the 50% off discount doesn't apply to the Simple Baby & Tiny Tatty Teddy packs or the Simple Macmillan packs.

Fancy being the face of one of our product categories on simple.co.uk? If you haven't already had a look, why not head over now and enter the fabulous competition we have running on the page. Scroll down the blog posts to find out everything you need to know about this exciting opportunity.

Good luck!

We're looking for the new faces of Simple products!

2011-09-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Do you think you have the Simple look? Like the idea of being on our website? Then read on, because from now on we want pictures of real Simple fans to be on our product pages, not models.

If you think you – or your kids, partner, parents or friends – could be the next face of Simple Cleansers, Wipes or Moisturisers, then click below to choose a category that you think best suits you and post your picture on our Facebook page.

Choose a category here

Once we’ve chosen the winners and decided exactly which category you’ll represent, we’ll send you some Simple products as a thank you*.

Terms and conditions

1. There will be a maximum of 16 winners selected – one photo for each category.

2. Only one entry per person.

3. You must not submit a photo for anyone other than yourself without permission.

4. You must not submit photos containing offensive content or nudity. We reserve the right to remove your entry at any time without your permission.

5. Judges will select winning photographs based on their suitability and relevance to the Simple brand. The judges decision is final. If there are no suitable entries no winner will be selected.

6. Entries must be received by 23:59 GMT on 15th October 2011.

7. The prizes consist of 3 x products from the Simple Kind To Skin Range per winner.

8. A maximum of 16 winners will be selected at random from all entries by 18th October 2011.

9. The winners will be notified via email by 18th October 2011. The email will give details of how the prize can be claimed.

10. By entering the competition, winners acknowledge their consent to take part in publicity and for their name and photograph to appear on www.simple.co.uk

11. The prize is as stated and there will be no cash alternative. The prize is non-transferable, non-negotiable and non-refundable. Prizes may not be sold, offered for sale or used in connection with any other competition, contest offer or promotion by a prize winner.

12. The Promoter reserves the right to (a) award an alternative prize of equal or greater value and (b) in exceptional circumstances to vary, amend or withdraw this competition on reasonable notice.

13. This competition is open to all UK residents excluding employees of Simple Health & Beauty, Unilever PLC and anyone otherwise professionally associated with this promotion.

14. Only one entry per person. Bulk entries made from trade, consumer groups or third parties will not be accepted.

15. Entries, which are late, illegible or not in accordance with these rules will be disqualified. The Promoter shall not be responsible for technical errors in telecommunication networks, internet access or otherwise preventing entry to the competition.

16. By entering the competition each entrant accepts and agrees to these terms and conditions.

17. These terms and conditions shall be governed by English Law and the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

18. The promoter is Simple Health & Beauty Ltd.

A Summer Holiday from Simple!

2011-07-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you regularly follow our Simple VIP Blog, you will know that I was the winner of the Search for a Simple Star competition back in 2010. Winning the competition in itself was fantastic, but I was also lucky enough to earn myself some more incredible prizes. If I tell you that I usually sit here writing my blog posts looking a bit pale and pasty, and today I’m sporting a light golden tan, you could probably guess that I will be telling you about my wonderful holiday to the Dominican Republic!

I still vividly remember first hearing about the holiday in full – it was at the start of the Simple Star bootcamp day in London. It seemed like the ultimate dream holiday – a private villa and pool, all-inclusive restaurants, a helicopter transfer from the airport to the resort…little did I know that it would become a reality for me!

After winning the competition, I began to look forward to the holiday straight away! As the months went by, and all the preparations were being made, it all started to seem very real. Of course, Simple played a huge part in these preparations in terms of skincare – the Sun Sensitive range is perfect for when you’re out and about in the sun. I also was sure to pack my usual Simple products in my case, such as the Kind To Skin Foaming Cleanser, as well as the new Moisture Boost Hydro Cream in my hand luggage for keeping my skin moisturised during the flight.

The holiday itself was incredible – pure paradise! We were treated like VIPs for an entire week, and were lucky enough to have nothing but glorious weather. I usually count on my Kind To Skin Sun Kissed Moisture Cream for a healthy glow, but I’ve replaced it with a real tan (for now – I’ll be reaching for my Sun Kissed bottle in no time knowing my skin!)

I am truly grateful to Simple for this wonderful opportunity, and was sure to take lots of photos to remember the holiday by!

Don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel where I have posted a video about the holiday!

Charlotte x

Summer Holiday Skin Preparation

2011-06-23T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

As some of you might know, I was the winner of the Search for a Simple Star competition in 2010. I was lucky enough to win some incredible prizes, and one of those prizes is an amazing holiday to the Dominican Republic! As I type this, I am surrounded by half-done packing and Simple essentials…and couldn’t be more excited to jet off on Friday!
I’m going to share with you my top tips for summer holiday skin preparation, and a few things that I will be taking with me to make sure my skin stays protected:
• Simple Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream – this has been essential for my skin preparation! I am naturally quite (well, very!) pale, so this has given me some much-needed colour before hitting the beach!
• Simple Spotless Skin Spot Zapper – spots have a habit of appearing just before an important occasion, so I’ve been keeping it on hand to deal with any last-minute spot emergencies!
• Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub – I love feeling that I’ve given my skin a treat, which involved exfoliating! My skin feels gorgeously soft and summer-ready.

In terms of when you’ve actually arrived, there are a few vital things you’ll need for your skin:
• Simple Sun Sensitive Protecting Lotions – I’m taking both an SPF 30 and 50, to make sure that I’m protected at all times!
• Simple Sun Sensitive Protecting Facial Lotion – this is specifically for your face, and I am taking along the SPF 50 one. Premature ageing is something that I want to do everything to prevent!
• Simple Sun Sensitive Protecting Lip Balm – if you’re like me and tend to forget that your lips can burn, this is the perfect product for you!
• Simple Sun Sensitive Moisturising Aftersun Lotion – your skin can lose moisture after exposure to the sun, so it’s important to replace it!
I hope my tips have been helpful! If you’re going on holiday, have a fantastic time. Hasta la vista!
Charlotte x

Introducing... NEW Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost products

2011-06-20T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you’re like me, and have somewhat dry skin, there may be points in the day where you feel that your skin needs a little boost of moisture…I’m very excited to introduce the aptly-named Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost range! There are two fantastic products which can help to give your skin that added hydration that it needs, and after just a couple of uses I’m completely hooked.

The Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist is in a handy pump spray bottle – hold the nozzle 20-30cm away from your face and pump out around 3-4 sprays. It will give your skin a stunning dewy look, and really soften it too. It can even be used over make up! I rarely wear foundation, but on the odd occasion that I do, I find that it dries my skin out. This is the ideal solution – the Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist will give your face that added spritz of moisture to keep you looking fresh.
I used the Hydro Mist over the Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Cream. This moisturiser absorbs amazingly into the skin and is clinically proven to carry on working for 24 hours! Using the products individually is amazing, but together they are the perfect team.

As soon as the products arrived, my sister and I got stuck into testing them out. Her skin is less dry than mine, and despite this she still loved the effect that they produced. It has been around two hours since I last used the Hydro Mist, and the dewy look of my skin is still as fresh and glowing. I can tell that this is going to be a new handbag essential! In the summer months, air conditioning really dries my skin out, so both Moisture Boost products are going to work wonders to help keep my skin hydrated. Perfect!

Both products contain the Skin-Loving Nutrient Lotus Flower for optimum hydration, as well as Vital Vitamins like Pro-Vitamin B5 to soften and smooth the skin. And, of course, the products are ideal for even sensitive skin. So, if you want to give tired, dull skin the attention is needs, try the Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost products – I hope you will love them as much as I do!

Charlotte x

Festival Skincare - Get in tune with your skin!

2011-06-08T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

For many, summer is about a few things; sun, BBQs, long light evenings and…festivals! Many are counting down the days and weeks until their chosen one begins, and some preparations may already be under way. Once the tent, cooking provisions and wellies are ticked off the list, it’s worth giving your festival skincare routine a thought.

The last thing you’ll want to be doing is carrying around dozens of large bottles, especially when there is so much else to consider during the festival season. Here is our Simple guide to festival skincare!

The Essentials
Although your excitement levels might change during festival season, the essentials for your skin don’t. Cleansing, toning and moisturising are still so important – even more so considering the sweaty and sometimes grimy nature of festival-going. But don’t worry! Here at Simple we have special product packs for different occasions, and luckily the Travel Companion pack has everything you need for festival skincare. The pack contains:

• A travel-sized Kind To Skin Refreshing Face Wash Gel (if you can get to a sink!)
• A travel-sized Kind To Skin Soothing Toner (just use with cotton wool!)
• A travel-sized Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser
• A 25-pack of Simple Cleansing Wipes (trust me, they will REALLY come in handy!)

Don’t Forget!
Skincare itself is, of course, important, but if you’re going to an open-air festival you really need to think about sun care too. Suncare is something you shouldn’t cut corners with, so be sure to take full-sized products, no matter how much space they take up. Simple’s Golden Rules for sun care are:
• Apply generously! Always a must!
• Apply at least 20 minutes BEFORE you go out into the sun.
• Re-apply hourly.
• Avoid sun exposure where possible between 11am and 3pm. Instead seek shade and keep covered up. This is obviously difficult at a festival, so make sure you really keep on top of your sun care routine
We have a great range of sun care products which are perfect for even sensitive skin, ranging from SPF 10-50. Check out the following link to see our full range: http://www.simple.co.uk/categories/suncare-47.aspx
Stay skin-safe, have fun and enjoy the music!
Charlotte x

Make-up - how to keep it natural

2011-06-01T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Make-up can be a lot of fun – being a Beauty YouTuber, I love creating dramatic looks that incorporate artistic uses of colour and texture. However, these looks aren’t entirely wearable, and on a regular day I find that I prefer a Simple, natural make-up look. As I spend a lot of time caring for my skin with my Simple skincare routine, I very rarely use foundation, concealer or blush/bronzer – however, here are a few tips to ensure that your make-up looks fresh, light and natural.

Go for it:
• Prep your skin before applying any make up. As celebrity make-up artist Caroline Frazer tells us, cleansed and moisturised skin is necessary before make-up application for an even, glowing look.
• Check that any foundation matches your skin tone – a shade that is too dark (or too light) will look unnatural.
• Fall in love with neutral eyeshadows – it can sometimes seem that neutral shadows are slightly pointless, but they can be used cleverly to enhance certain areas of the eye, for example, highlighting under the eyebrow to light up the eye area.
• Keep it even – if you’re going for a more dramatic eye look, keep the lips neutral, and vice versa. Red lipstick can make you feel fantastic, but teamed with a bold smoky eye the effect is somewhat lost.

Try and avoid:
• Cakey powders – if you do wear foundation, set it all with a translucent powder. Anything heavier can make your face look cakey, which is a tell-tale sign that you’re wearing heavier make-up.
• Drying lip products – your lips need love too! So if you’re in danger of getting cracked and dehydrated lips, remove your lip product and apply the Simple Intensive Lip Moisturiser. It works wonders and has a gorgeous natural gloss to it.
• Replacing a skincare routine with make-up – whether you wear make-up or not, a skincare routine is so important. Don’t fall into the trap of covering the results of a lapsed skincare routine with more make-up; if you take care of your skin, you might just find that you need, or want to wear, less make-up.
• Foundation lines – there’s nothing worse than seeing an un-blended jawline, where the foundation stops just before it reaches the neck. If you do wear foundation, blend blend blend! It can mean the difference between a natural look and a make-up mishap.

Above all, keep it Simple, and let your natural beauty shine through.

A Simple skincare routine for under £10

2011-05-19T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

No matter what the time of year, it always feels good to know that you’re getting a bargain, or saving money where you can. At Simple, we pride ourselves not only on being perfect for sensitive skin, but for being affordable. You might think that getting a great skincare routine set in place would be expensive or out of budget, but in below I will demonstrate that it’s possible to have a fantastic Simple routine and still have cash left over to spend on that gorgeous summer dress or those to-die-for jeans.

Here are three different combinations of products – there are many, many more, and you can mix and match from our ranges depending on your own personal skin type! All for under £10 RRP (Recommended Retail Price)

Combo 1

Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Wash Gel 200ml
Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Toner 200ml
Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser 50ml
Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes x7

= Under £10 RRP.

Combo 2

Simple Spotless Skin Triple Action Face Wash
Simple Kind To Skin Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser
Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser 50ml

= Under £10 RRP

Combo 3
Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub 75ml
Simple Spotless Skin Anti-Blemish Moisturiser
Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes x7

= Under £10 RRP

So it really is that Simple – and affordable! A great complexion can really boost your confidence, and taking care of your skin can easily become a pleasure rather than a chore once you find the right products for you. To find out where you can purchase these products, simply search for them on our site and there will be a list of retailers displayed on each page.
Smile, it’s Simple!

Charlotte x

Hair care made Simple!

2011-05-18T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

At Simple, we’re big on skincare, whether it’s the skin on your face, body or…scalp! Every area needs its share of attention, and we understand that hair care is something that is very important. Let me introduce you to some of our products that will leave you with luscious, soft and conditioned hair, as well as a healthy scalp.

Shampoos
Just like people have different types of skin, there are also different types of hair which require specially selected and matched products. Luckily, we have a Simple solution! If your hair is generally quite healthy, our Gentle Care Shampoo contains Pro Vitamin B5, which gives your hair a gorgeous sheen, and Chamomile to gently soften and smooth. For those with damaged or dry hair, the Rich Repair Shampoo has ingredients like Meadowfoam to rejuvenate the hair and give it back some life. If you have issues with dandruff, our Anti-dandruff Shampoo is here to help! It cleanses your hair whilst also soothing your scalp. All of our shampoos are suitable for even the most sensitive scalps.

Conditioners
Like William to his Kate, each shampoo must have its perfect partner! Give your hair a royal treat with our range of matching conditioners – the Gentle Care Conditioner uses ingredients like Calendula, and Geranium to regenerate your hair. The Rich Repair Conditioner works perfectly with the shampoo to turn your damaged locks into healthy, smooth ones. To help in your battle against dandruff, the Anti-dandruff Conditioner works with its partner-in-shine to make sure your scalp is happy.

So there is our quick guide to hair care – smile, it’s Simple!

Charlotte x

Get gorgeous skin for summer!

2011-05-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

It’s that time of year again – the date of your summer holiday is creeping up, you’re panicking about getting the perfect beach body in time and your wardrobe is desperately in need of a seasonal revamp. Whilst these problems seem a bit daunting, getting gorgeous skin in time for summer is, well, Simple!

You might remember my blog about the Simple Kind To Skin Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream - this is something that is really helping me kick-start my summer skin campaign by giving me a lovely glow. But I like to see that as a finishing touch. First things first – finding the right products for your skin.

There are many different skin issues, and each person’s skin is different, so it is important to find the right Simple products for you. Here is a quick run-down of the recommendations for different skin types:

Oily Skin – As a YouTube Beauty Guru, I get many questions regarding skincare on a daily basis, and frequently people ask me what they would recommend for combating oily skin. Luckily, there’s a Simple answer! The Simple Clear Skin range is oil-balancing, so your skin isn’t being overloaded with the wrong types of products. Don't forget that even with oily skin, a good facial cleanser and moisturiser are a must.

Very Dry Skin – if your skin is exceptionally dry, and perhaps prone to eczema or dermatitis, the Simple Derma range may work for you. The Derma products deeply hydrate and restore your skin, providing relief – results are clinically proven to show in just 4 days.

Dull Skin – Radiance to the rescue! The Simple Radiance range is perfect for those who feel their skin needs a boost, as the products contain light-reflecting particles, as well as ingredients like mango, to give you a gorgeous glow.

Spot-Prone Skin – suffering with spots is something that can drag your confidence down, which isn’t fun at any time of the year! The Simple Spotless Skin range provides fast results and is even perfect for sensitive skin.

Normal Skin – I would consider myself to have normal-dry skin, and using the Kind To Skin cleanser range is perfect for me. I love the huge range of products and they are all suitable for sensitive skin.

So there are some top tips for getting your skin looking fantastic for summer. Once you get to grips with your perfect Simple range. One less thing to worry about!

Charlotte x

Simple Facebook photo contest - only a few days left to enter!

2011-04-27T09:41:28.9700000+00:00

Are you a budding photographer, or just like taking pictures with friends? Read on! There are only a few days left to enter our Simple photo contest, with the chance of winning a year’s supply of Simple products!

All you need to do to enter is this: take a photo of your favourite Simple product in a bizarre or unusual place! The most creative (and odd!) entry will earn you the fantastic prize, so get snapping! You can enter via our Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/simplevip - simply post the photo to our wall to be counted. The contest closes at the end of April. Good luck!

Seen what's happening on Facebook recently?

2011-04-21T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

There's some things happening on our Simple VIP Facebook page that we can't help but shout about!

Firstly, who wants more fantastic offers from the Simple shop this month? Check out the voucher on our Simple VIP Facebook page and take advantage of some egg-cellent deals. ;) The best bit here is that you can forward the voucher onto friends so that everyone (VIP or not) get's a Simple treat.

Secondly, there is a competition which we want you all to enter. We love things which make us smile so this month we are asking all you lovely Simple VIPs to upload a picture of your favourite Simple product in an unusual or crazy place... Last time we did this we had pics of Simple Kind To Skin Wipes at 40,000 feet and on a lilo in the Caribbean. Genius! It doesn't have to be in some far-flung exotic place though...at home is just as good but the more imaginative the better. The best pic will win a special Simple treat so get snapping guys!

Have a super long weekend from everyone at Simple x x

Boots Corrector Pen Demonstration Day - Manchester

2011-04-14T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you follow our Simple YouTube channel, you’ll know that I’ve been a huge fan of the Kind To Eyes Eye Make-Up Corrector Pen from the very beginning – it has changed the way I do my makeup, and I even keep one in my handbag! I was excited to hear that there were to be demonstrations of the Corrector Pen in Boots stores across the country, and even more excited when I was invited along to the Manchester Boots store to see what was going on!

From first arriving at the Manchester store, I could feel the enthusiasm surrounding the Corrector Pen - not just from myself, but from each customer who saw it in action. Many were won over as they saw the precise tip correcting the finest of make-up mistakes – after all, we ladies know how tricky it can be to apply eye make-up without the mistakes occurring! There was a genuine atmosphere of interest as people saw the Pen being demonstrated, and were eager to find out more. And it wasn’t just the female customers who were interested – one lady’s husband was as impressed as she was when he saw what the Pen could be used for. Need proof? Be sure to check out the video from the day on our YouTube channel very soon!

It was fantastic to see others so excited about a product that I love myself, and to have the chance to capture their reactions first hand. Hearing the customers discussing how much easier the Corrector Pen will make their make-up routine is something I can completely identify with and appreciate!

Charlotte x

P.s. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page for photos from the day! The link is here: http://www.facebook.com/simplevip
Here is the link to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/simplecouk

Get Sun-Kissed the Simple way!

2011-04-08T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Gone are the long, wet, dreary days of winter – spring is here, and it’s brought the sun with it! If you’re like me and never happier than when the sun is shining, you will hopefully be as excited as I am about our brand new Simple product!

The Simple Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream aims to build a light, gradual tan on your skin, without any streaking, orange build up or lasting smell. I have been using the Moisture Cream for the last few weeks and I have to confess that I’m completely hooked! It gives your skin amazing moisturisation and a beautiful, healthy glow. What could be a more perfect addition to sunglasses and summer-style beach hair than a glowing complexion?

The Sun Kissed Moisture Cream contains UVA/UVB protection, which is great now that the sun is making an appearance, as well as Vital Vitamins like Vitamin E to moisturise and improve skin’s condition. It also contains Skin Loving Nutrients like glycerin to hydrate and nourish your skin. And remember – Simple contains no harsh chemicals, so it won’t upset your skin.

So when you wake up in the morning with the sun shining through your curtains, reach for the Sun Kissed Moisture Cream and leave the house feeling sun-kissed. I’ve found it amazing how the sun can change your mood, and the Moisture Cream is the perfect accompaniment to that. Keep it Simple; keep it Sun-Kissed.

Charlotte x

P.s. Don’t forget to check out my video review of the Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJyXtIhO1_c

Get the Sun-Kissed look

2011-04-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We have left the cold and wintery nights behind us and it's now time to get your skin ready for beaming sunshine and long drawn out evenings. Bliss!

Have you spotted that we have launched another NEW Simple product? ... No, not the amazing-flying-off-the-shelves Eye Make-Up Corrector Pen but our Kind To Skin Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream. (Currently available to buy in Superdrug)

Now you can buy this lovely moisturiser in our very own Simple shop.

This pack contains everything you need to leave your skin glowing with a natural sun-kissed look. Our Smoothing Facial Scrub will gently exfoliate your skin so that our NEW Sun-Kissed Moisture Cream can gradually build a light natural tan. Your skin will be left looking beautifully sun-kissed without any streaking, orange build up or lasting smell. To finish off your sun-kissed look, our Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser will nourish dry lips and leave you with a natural gloss.

Click here to see buy! It's only £10 too! Bargain!

Pssssttttt... want to meet Charlotte?

2011-04-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Thought that would get your attention!

If any of you lovely Simple VIPs live in the Manchester area and would like to meet Charlotte, our Official Online Spokesperson, then head to the Boots store in Manchester City Centre (Market Street) on Saturday 9th April from 10 a.m. She will be there with the Simple girls giving Boots shoppers the chance to try our awesome brand new Eye Make-Up Corrector Pen.

If you can't get there, you'll be able to come see her pictures and her video blog next week on the Simple VIP Facebook page.

Not seen or heard of Charlotte? (We don't know how you could have missed her.....) Check out her blogs on our Simple YouTube channel.

Rewards!

2011-03-23T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We promised we would always reward those VIPs who took part in blogs, posted on forums and answered surveys (all activities that earn the user lovely points), and lately the top point scorers really have been reaping their rewards.

Yes, we arranged it so that the fabulous Eye Make-Up Corrector Pen that launches today was sent last week to the VIPs who had earned the most points, while those who have earned quite a few points but are not quite at the top of the point-gathering league will be receiving a pound-off voucher to use when buying the pen of wonderfulness.

It really does pay to talk to us, so get chatting on the boards, ramble away with other Simple fans on the blogs and fill in those surveys, and who knows what goodies you might receive in the coming months!

Love, Simple x

The Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise routine explained

2011-03-14T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Here at Simple we’ve been big fans of the ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’ routine for many years. You’re constantly told that you should do it, but sometimes it can leave you wondering what it is about the famous routine that is so vital for your skin. Although it might seem like hard work at first, it takes just minutes in reality and can leave you (and your skin!) feeling fresh and nourished.

I’m going to highlight the importance of each step for you, as well as explaining how it can make your skin feel. I promise that it’s worth those extra few minutes per day, and take it from me – it’s addictive!

Cleansing

Having a beautifully cleansed face is the first step in the routine – cleansing removes make up, toxins and dirt and helps to open up your pores. I love to use the Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes to take off any make up; the wipes also contain Pro-Vitamin B5 to help restore, soften and smooth your skin. All in a wipe!

My favourite Simple cleanser changes all the time, as I can’t get enough of the huge range! I’m currently loving the Simple Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser – not only is it fun to use, but it contains skin-loving nutrients like chamomile to soothe your skin. After a long day (or at the beginning of one!) this can only be a good thing.

For an extra treat, I love to use the Simple Kind To Skin Deep Cleansing Face Mask. I use it once or twice a week to draw out the dirt that is deeper down in my skin, and to eliminate dead skin cells. Face masks are pure luxury, and this Simple one is no exception.

Toning

This is the step that can leave some skincare newcomers a little confused. Toner is not to be feared but to be embraced – it helps to clarify and refresh whilst simultaneously toning your skin. My favourite, the Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner, contains Witch Hazel to help tighten pores and Allantoin to help soften and protect your skin. Apply to cotton wool and wipe across your skin in upwards movements – Simple!

Moisturising

The last step is my favourite one of all. Once you’ve removed all the bad from your skin, its time to replace it with the good. My essential moisturiser is the Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. Simply smooth it into your skin using upwards movements again (this helps to avoid tugging skin downwards and encouraging signs of ageing).

Moisturisation not only hydrates the skin, but the massaging action helps to boost blood circulation, providing your skin with the food and oxygen it needs.

The result? Healthy looking, hydrated, beautiful skin!

So there you have it! An easy, nourishing cleanse, tone and moisturise routine. It really is that Simple!

Charlotte x

Don't miss out!

2011-02-17T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Missed the Simple Skincare Masterclass in London in January? Don't fear!

Julia Bishop & Dr. Chris from the Simple Advisory Board have shared their expert advice so that you don't miss out... read all about how exercise can leave your skin with a healthy glow and how you can manage life changes with minimal impact on your stress levels. enjoy!

Click here!

X

Great Tips for the Perfect Pucker!!

2011-02-14T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Whether you're planning to spend Valentine's Day on your own, smooching your beau or searching for your next hot date, ensure that your pout is in pristine condition and ready for anything!
Beauty bloggers Charlotte and Rowena from Lipglossiping and Cosmetic Candy have some great tips for the perfect pucker!

Charlotte says...

1). Prevention is better than cure!
Drink plenty of water to ensure that your skin and lips remain well-hydrated throughout these cold months and treat the delicate area with care. That means no biting, chewing or pulling at flaky bits! It might be dreary outside but you're still at risk from sun damage. Make sure that your daily lip balm contains SPF to protect the delicate skin from UV rays. Is your diet giving you enough skin-loving vitamins and minerals? Make sure to include lots of vitamin C and vitamin B foods in your diet to help skin tissue repair itself as efficiently as possible.

2). Too late! My lips are already suffering... Help!
The first step is to rehydrate. Drink a big glass of water and go jump in a steamy shower. Once the steam has softened the tender skin, take a muslin cloth and gently work it over the area to help remove any loose flakes before hitting the pillow with a generous slathering of cocoa butter or your favourite intensive moisturiser. If you feel your lips starting to dehydrate, don't lick them! Licking your lips simply encourages the saliva to evaporate quicker, taking precious moisture with it.

Simple VIP Club Editors note: Don't forget about the Simple Kind to Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser (which doubles as a gloss) rich in glycerine and Vitamin E.

3). Lazy lips are sad lips!
Exercise your lips! It may look a bit silly but giving your facial muscles a workout is not to be sniffed at. Unless of course, you're exercising your nose... then sniff away! Blow kisses! It's one of the easiest lip exercises to perform. Not only that... but you never know, it might help you find that perfect Valentine date and when you do, you're gonna need some expert tips on how to get the sexiest smackers in town!

Rowena says...

4). Use a lip concealer.
For Valentine's day you want your lip colour to last for as long as possible. Using a product like a lip concealer does a few things; it covers any rosiness you naturally have in your lips giving you an even base to work with, it fills in any creases and wrinkles you have and also works as a primer, making your choice of lip colour last longer. A special lip concealer product usually has hydrating qualities too so it won't look cakey or too thick, which is why it is preferable over regular concealer.

5). For a strong look, make sure you use lip liner!
If you are going for a strong lip (not advisable if you have a dinner date!) make sure you prime your lips, then use a lip liner, following your natural lip line. You can use a shade that matches your lipstick or a neutral toned lip liner, making sure you fill your entire lip so that when it starts to fade, you are still left with some colour. A square ended lip brush is particularly useful is you want a sharp lip line because it can really get into the edges, and if you want a really polished finish, use your regular concealer and trace around your lips before applying lipliner as the surrounding lip area can be prone to redness.

6). For a natural look, use a lip stain or cream blusher instead of a lipstick.
For those of you who don't want something too high maintenance, opt for a liquid lip stain instead (these can be used on the cheek too!) because these are very long lasting. You can build up the colour by letting a layer dry, then patting on more of the stain. Alternatively, if you have a cream blusher in a pretty pink or peach, you can also use this on the lips for a creamier finish that also stays put. To keep your lips glossy and hydrated, just lip balm on top - a peppermint flavour balm will keep you feeling fresh and ready for some smooches!

Have a great Valentine's Day lip lovers!! For more tips on applying makeup & general beauty banter please visit our blogs here: Lipglossiping and Cosmetic Candy

There is additional advice on the Simple website on achieving the Perfect Pout and a little “hover over lips” interactive game on guessing the Celebrity Pout.

Have a go and let us know here how you got on, choosing the celebrity lips. Also we were wondering which celebrity you think “has the perfect pout” let us know below.

Big Kiss Charlotte & Rowena XX

After you have commented be sure to check out the blog post from Gemma on Simple way to add some Vintage Glamour for Valentines Day

A Simple way to add some Vintage Glamour for Valentines Day

2011-02-11T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Red Lipstick is sure fire and budget friendly way to add some vintage style to your look for Valentines Day. Making a change to your hair and make up can dress up an old outfit so you don't need to spend a lot for an exciting new look.

If you're used to sheer glosses and neutral lips it can be a bit intimidating to know which shade to pick and how to apply, but once you find one that suits it's a short cut to instant glamour.

I've been reviewing as many red lipsticks as I can recently on the blog to help you pick the best one for you and there's more to come. You can see all my red lipstick reviews here.

Today I'm going to give you a few tips on picking a and applying red lipstick.

PICKING YOUR LIPSTICK

It is possible to get a good lipstick cheaply, but generally you do get what you pay for. A lipstick should last you a good long time, especially if well applied so buy the best you can afford. It might seem expensive, but you'll get more wear out of it than a new dress from a budget retailer and it'll probably last longer! Around £6-£8 should get you a decent basic lipstick with high end brands costing up to £25.

My favourite lipstick is Besame, it's not cheap, so I save it for special occasions. It also comes in beautiful vintage style packaging that makes you feel like a Princess reapplying it during the evening! It can be bought at the What Katie Did Store in London or online. They also sell amazing vintage style lingerie, so it's a perfect one stop shop for Valentines Day!

The key to picking the right shade is knowing your skin tone. You can always ask a make up counter assistant for help if you're not sure.

Fair, rosy skin – This type of skin tone often suits reds with a pinkier shade and a blue undertone.
Try Besame Lipstick in Besame Red or Collection 2000 Lasting Colour in Queen of Hearts.

Olive, golden skin – Try a red with an orange tone, but be careful as they can show up discolouration in your teeth. Try Besame Lipstick in Carmine or Prestige Colour Treat Lipstick in Romantic Red

If you're unsure of your skin tone then a true red should suit anyone, but can feel very bright if you're not used to it. Try mixing it with a lip gloss or balm for a more subtle look. Try Besame Red Hot Red or Collection 2000 Lasting Colour in Cherry Bomb

Remember a matte lipstick will last longer, but can be drying on the lips, where as a gloss or shimmer texture won't last as long but will be more moisturising and give a less bold finish. You could also try a special long lasting lipstick. I use Maybelline Super Stay 18 hour wear.

APPLYING YOUR LIPSTICK

Clever application can make a cheap lipstick last longer and stay smoother. With a pricier lipstick it will also make it last longer, extending the life of your investment purchase!

Preparation – make sure you exfoliate your lips and apply lip balm, but do this well before you need to put your lipstick on or it will slide straight off.

When applying your foundation and powder apply it as close to the lip line as you can get, but don't go over your lips or you'll change the shade of your lipstick when it's applied.

Application – When wearing a red lipstick it's a good idea to use a lip liner as this can help prevent strong colours bleeding and give you an even lip line. Start by lining your cupids bow, then, for a 40s style lip, you can line in a curved line from the top of the cupids bow to the outer corners, or simply follow your natural lip line if you prefer.

I personally don't use a lip brush to apply lipstick, but if you have an unsteady hand you might find it easier. Fill in your lined lips with lipstick, then blot on a tissue (or the back of your hand if you're like me!) and reapply another layer. This should give your lipstick more staying power. Another tip is to try dusting face powder through a single layer of tissue paper over your lips before applying your second layer.

If you notice any imperfections in your lip line when looking in the mirror you can touch them up using a lip brush. For mistakes outside the lip try going round your lip line with a small brush dipped in concealer, this can also help with any bleeding into fine lines around the lips.

If you feel the full on vintage red lip look is too bold for you then try applying a stain of lipstick to your lips using your ring finger. You can build up the intensity gradually until you get used to it, or just for a more understated look.

And there you have it!

Simply add a slick of black liner to your top lid and soft waves to your hair for the perfect vintage look for Valentines Day.

For more tips on vintage hair and make up be sure to stop by my blog Retro Chick.

If you've got any other tips for glamorous style for Valentines Day I'd love to hear them!

After you have commented be sure to check out the blog post from Charlotte and Rowena on Great Tips for the Perfect Pucker.

A big Simple Introduction to Charlotte - our Official Online Spokesperson!

2011-01-20T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Although I have blogged for you before, I feel that a new year (and a new role!) requires a new introduction! My name is Charlotte, I am 20 years old and I am the Simple Star for 2011. So far, I have shared with you my experiences of winning the Search For A Simple Star competition, as well as my time at the winner’s photoshoot. But the new year was to be the start of my work for Simple, and I’m loving every minute so far!

Some of you may already have seen the Simple YouTube channel, where I have been posting videos and really getting in to my role. If not, you can take a look here: http://www.youtube.com/user/simplecouk - please feel free to get involved; leave a comment, give us a ‘thumbs up’ and don’t forget to subscribe for notifications about the latest Simple videos!

Like you, I’m a huge Simple fan and love to try out the different ranges and products. I have quite a collection, and seem to rotate products into my ‘essentials’. I would love to share with you all my current essentials, and perhaps give you a few ideas for new products to try out!

On the Simple YouTube channel, I showed you all a ‘sneak peak’ and demonstration of the Kind to Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser – it is really a product to be excited about. I use it each morning and love the feeling of my skin afterwards – it is softening and smoothing, and is so good for your skin. I like to team it with the Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. When you’ve achieved such a fresh-feeling complexion, the Light Moisturiser works perfectly as it doesn’t feel heavy on your skin.

An essential of so many out there, the Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes are my skincare staple – I use them each and every day and would be lost without them! They remove my eye make up in one swish and contain Pro-Vitamin B5, which helps to restore and soften your skin. Being a YouTube make up ‘guru’, an average day for me may involve applying and removing different eye make up looks – the Kind To Eyes Soothing Eye Balm helps to relax any puffiness that occurs around my eyes after removing make up. If you would like to take a look at any of my videos, you can click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/user/punkchyaz

I’d love to hear about your favourite/essential Simple products in a comment below! It’s always fun to hear about other people’s experiences with different products. I look forward to blogging for you again, and to reading any comments below!

Charlotte x

How much of a Simple fan are you?

2011-01-19T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Have you been using Simple for years and years? Does your skin look and feel great as a result? Do the other women in your family use it too and also have great skin? Do your friends and family say how amazing your skin looks? If so we want to hear from you!
Maybe you used another brand in the past and then started to use Simple and have never looked back. If this sounds like you and you’re willing to share your story please let us know. Tell us your Simple skincare story here and all those we receive will be entered into a draw to win a range of Simple goodies with the overall winner receiving a year’s supply of Simple products.

*Please note that by submitting your story you are agreeing for us to contact you to follow up if your story is selected

A Simple Poem by Eliz Wyatt

2011-01-13T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We couldn't help but smile when this poem reached our inbox earlier this week. These are some lovely words written by a happy Simple user called Eliz Wyatt .... enjoy! x

KEEP IT SIMPLE!

The only cleanser that I ever use, is my favourite, SIMPLE, Kind To Skin,
I use it on my skin each day, of that I am as guilty as sin,
It removes my make up perfectly, it leaves my skin so clean,
I’ve tried so many other cleansers, of none I am so keen!

I also use SIMPLE’S Moisturiser, the Age Resisting Night Cream too,
The Vital Vitamin Night Cream, somehow always manages to woo,
But, it’s not just me that thinks this, I know I’m not the only fan,
I always feel I’m so lucky, to use SIMPLE when I can! I love the simple packaging and also the affordable price,
SIMPLE is always easy to spot, ‘cos everything is nicer than nice,
So if you have not tried it, please put it to the test,
You’ll find you will be converted, as SIMPLE is the best of the best!

Simple energy saving ideas that save you money and keep you looking great from the Queen of Easy Green™

2011-01-06T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Simple energy saving ideas that save you money and keep you looking great from the Queen of Easy Green™

Since being little, I am always the one that made my sweets last the longest. When my friends had munched all of theirs in the blink of an eye, I’d still have a bag full by the time we’d meandered our way home and beyond.

I’m still the same now, but not with sweets, with my money. It’s not because I’m tight (no, it’s not really) it’s because I like to get the most from what I’ve got, get the most value out of it, more for my money and I absolutely adore a bargain.

I also like to spend my money on fun things, for example, rather than waste money throwing out of date food away because I’ve forgotten to eat it, I’d rather spend that money on a new pair of boots. And that’s why I started my business.

Frustrated at how much edible food was being needlessly thrown way, I invented Count On It® labels to help households track how long their food had been opened or stored. Now, along with inventing other easy eco products, my website www.queenofeasygreen.co.uk is all about greening our lives, simply and effortlessly. The Queen of Easy Green™ is not about being penny-pinching, it’s about being money-wise; about being sustainable, but without comprising on quality, durability and design and its about making life easier. The only difference you’ll notice is how much better off you are.

With their love of new, energy efficient ideas and products and after reading my blog post at www.energyrethinking.com, Simple has kindly invited me to share with you, the Simple VIP’s, some of my top tips to help you get your 2011 off to a great start. Here they are.

Hurray, the start of a new year - a time of great optimism, but also boo – our waistlines are a little bigger and purses a little emptier.

That is why the New Year is always such a great time for resolutions and if you are like the majority of the population, you have no doubt vowed to either, lose weight, be healthier, save more money or in fact, like me, all three. But what about resolving to be more energy efficient?

Now before you switch off in anticipation of a lecture about using your tea bag 5 times before you throw it away or hanging up your hair straighteners forever, I’m here to show you how being green doesn’t mean you have to change your lifestyle radically. In fact with a little bit of savvy and a few small changes here and there, you can not only save energy, which is great for the environment, you can simultaneously improve your health, your bank balance and look great too.

Here are my three easy eco tips to get you started:

Shower power

To start your energy saving day off on the right note, head for the shower with your favourite bottle of Simple’s shower gel – mine is Nourishing Body Wash.

An invigorating shower improves your circulation, eases aching muscles and can even strengthen your immune system. Plus, a standard shower uses only two fifths of the amount of water needed for a bath and less energy to heat the water too.

But don’t undo you energy-saving good work by showering longer than is necessary, keep an eye on the time and keep your showering to 5 minutes maximum. To help you do this there are some great products out there, my favourite being the Water Pebble (a cute little device that monitors how much water is going down the plug hole), alternatively a couple of no-cost ideas are, either set your phone alarm clock, or listen to a song and a bit on your shower radio (the average pop song is around 3.5 minutes long).

Wheelie good idea

Another simple, eco easy way to keep in shape for free, is to trade in the expensive gym membership’s exercise bike for the real thing instead.

Small runs in the car soon add up and so does energy consumption and car pollution. With fuel prices rising, why not ditch the car in favour of pedal power. With 70% of all car trips being less than five miles, by swapping your mode of transport you will save money on fuel, get a fantastic easy eco workout and can wave goodbye to rush hour traffic jams too. If you haven’t got a bike, then here is your perfect excuse to take up jogging or walking – to make it more socialable, drag along a friend to keep you company – with the money you save you can treat yourself to the latest ‘toning’ trainers.

Things are cooking up

With the average lunch time snack costing about £3, the cost of buying a sandwich and a drink daily soon adds up and so can the calories. In addition to this, the energy used to make, transport and store, plus the waste, which is created, means the convenience of a pre-prepared lunch is incredibly inconvenient to the environment.

Green up your lunch simply and cheaply by making your own. At this time of year what could be nicer than a bowl of homemade seasonal soup – a fantastically easy and healthy one to make is carrot and coriander.

Here’s my favourite recipe:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 sliced onion
1lb carrots, sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
2 pts vegetable stock
salt and pepper to season

Heat oil in a large pan and fry the onions and carrots until soft, this takes about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the coriander, cook for one minute.
Add the vegetable stock and bring to boil. Simmer until the carrots are tender.
Blitz with a hand blender until smooth, season to taste
When cool, serve single portions into reusable soup pouches
Label with date and freeze

Homemade is soup-erb in so many ways, it helps you:

Watch your purse – buying organic vegetables seasonally is cheaper, healthier and environmentally-friendly, to save even more energy buy loose from a farmers market
Watch your waist - you are in control of what ingredients goes in your food and what portion size you are served
Watch your waste – batch-cooking, freezing and date labeling means that you won’t have any vegetables going unloved and limp in your fridge, you will just have plentiful supply of e-convenient, healthy food at hand whenever you need it
Reduce your energy – buying seasonally, buying locally, reducing your packaging, making your own, batch-cooking and freezing are all energy-efficient ways to save you money and protect the environment.

For more great energy-saving ideas, visit www.energyrethinking.org

Now I’ve got you started with these three simple, green steps, why not let me know what other easy eco tips and ideas you’ve come up with. I’d love to hear them, either pop your comments below or hop over to my blog at www.queenofeasygreen.co.uk or tweet me at my Twitter page @mummypreneur - between us, let’s make 2011 the easiest, greenest year yet.

News flash! New Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser!

2010-12-30T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We love sharing news with you guys first - that is after all why you are our Simple VIPs. So who else better for us to shout about our brand new Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser than to you guys?

This cleanser is positively bursting with multi-vitamins and moisturisers to leave your skin thoroughly cleansed, nourished and refreshed. Pro-Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E soften and nourish while chamomile and glycerin hydrate and soften leaving you with naturally healthy skin.

This cleanser isn't yet available to buy in the shops but you can buy as part of the Kind To Skin Essentials pack from the Simple shop which is on offer for only £4.98 (exclusive to you VIPs), or alternatively enter our competition here to win one and try it before everybody else.

Let us know what you think here.

Christmas offers from Simple!

2010-12-14T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Jingle bells!

Panicking about what to buy Great Aunt Edna or your cousin Jenny? We've got two special offers this month. It is Christmas, after all. First up, anyone buying a Simple bundle of products in December from simple.co.uk will get them wrapped up in a FREE pretty Simple gift bag.

PLUS.....Simple VIPs get an extra-special, Santa-can't-better-us offer: 50% off our Radiant Skin pack, which contains Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes (25), Brightening Moisturiser SPF10 (50ml), and Brightening Eye Cream (15ml). The mango goodness and skin-loving nutrients in these products will keep you brighter than a string of fairy lights throughout the festive season, and they'll last longer. All this for £8.50 whilst stocks last.

If that wasn't enough....you can also get your mitts on our Simple For Men Hydrate and Soothe pack for a budget busting £7.50! This also comes delivered in a special black wash bag FREE! Perfect for Grandpa, son, cousin and friend!... any man in fact! All you need to do to is enter the code SFM50 at the check-out.

Time is ticking. For guaranteed delivery by Christmas eve, you need to have placed your order by midday on Friday 17th December so don't waste a moment more.

That's another Crimbo pressie (or two!) ticked off the list!

Merry Christmas from Simple!

The photo shoot!

2010-12-06T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Weeks after winning the Simple Star competition, it still hadn’t completely sunk in. When people asked me about it, it seemed surreal and some days I would still check the voting pages without thinking. I was feeling constantly excited for the next step and when it arrived in the form of a photoshoot, I couldn’t wait to get started!

I travelled down to Birmingham’s Custard Factory, an extremely artistic and interesting building where the photoshoot was to take place. I have to admit that I was nervous; I’ve never considered myself to be particularly photogenic and I usually find I’m more clumsy than graceful. However, as soon as I reached the building and was introduced to the photographer, Simon, and make-up artist Ruth, I felt my excitement returning and was eager to get in front of the camera. It was also fantastic to properly chat to Liz from Simple, who I had only briefly talked to on the day of the Bootcamp.

We began with hair and make-up; Ruth combined light make-up with a chic up-do to create a natural look which, to me, completely embodied the ‘Simple’ look. The photos looked classic and elegant – I was absolutely amazed at the results. The time passed so quickly and within what seemed like minutes I was getting changed for the fashion section of the shoot.

I had mentioned that my favourite look is along the ‘rock chick’ lines, and Ruth set to work transforming my natural look to something more intense and smoky. Through several outfit, shoe and hair changes, and in various locations around the building, Simon took over 100 photos of me – I loved every second of the experience. I was intensely flattered with the praise that everyone gave me; I could never have imagined that I would enjoy doing a photoshoot so much.

Although we were all hard at work for hours, it seemed much shorter – surely a sign of a fantastic day. I was thrilled when I saw the finished photos, and am so grateful for the amazing experience. I am always looking forward to the next venture with Simple; this really is the job of a lifetime.

To see some of the photos click here to go to the Simple VIP Club page on Facebook.

Let Charlotte know what you think about her post and winning the Simple Star contest below. In case you didn't know, she has her own makeup, beauty and style YouTube channel. Click here to go and take a look! She has also uploaded some of her shots here too. Charlotte officially starts her role as Simple Star in January 2011 so watch this space!

Psssst!...

2010-11-24T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We always love getting your feedback - after all, it's you who buy our products so it's really important that we listen to the things you are telling us.

We thought that we'd start to share with you the results of the VIP monthly survey so that you can see what everyone else is saying. It also gives you a chance to comment too. Check out the monthly updates on the Simple forum by clicking here.

Party on at Superdrug!

2010-11-04T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Get your shopping sorted before Christmas Eve!

Sisters, daughters, grannies, aunts and friends will be fighting over our special packs on sale in Superdrug, which include Fresh Faced Beauty, Goddess To Go, Goodness Goddess and Sparkle.

And as the last three packs come with an extra treat of 10% off any purchase at Figleaves along with free postage, you can guarantee your popularity on Christmas morning.

For more information, click here to see what's on offer or head to your nearest Superdrug store now. All Simple Skincare Christmas gifts are on a 3 for 2 offer so you'll save some pennies too which means more for your new party lip gloss.

Only at Superdrug!

Winning the Search For A Simple Star and the final!

2010-11-02T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

From the moment I heard about the Simple Star competition I was not only extremely excited, but felt a sense of dedication too. It all began with a phone call from my friend Georgie; she had seen the competition advertised on a packet of the Simple Cleansing Wipes, and her first words to me about it were ‘I’ve just seen something that you’d be perfect for!” That packet of Cleansing Wipes is now sitting in my bedroom, framed (courtesy of Georgie!) and every time I see it I feel that same sense of excitement. I’m only just beginning to overcome the shock of winning, and sometimes I still can’t believe that this dream came true.

My campaign to become the winner of the Simple Star competition was something that dominated much of my summer – Simple became a big part of my life and I knew from the very beginning that I didn’t want that to end. I began to post videos on my YouTube channel asking my viewers and subscribers to vote for me, and the response was absolutely fantastic. Not only were people voting for me, but many were going out of their way to let me know why they were voting – they truly believed that I should be the Simple Star, and wanted to see me representing a brand that they love. With the help of those who had seen my videos, I began to promote my Simple profile on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and before I knew it I had reached over 1,000 votes. The videos I post on YouTube are predominantly beauty-related and fellow beauty video bloggers were posting videos on their own channels asking viewers to vote for me. The level of support I received was both hugely appreciated and heart-warming – the fact that people believed in me made my sense of determination even stronger. I was thrilled when I made it through to the ‘Top 50’ most voted for, and then on to the ‘Final 10’.

On the journey down to London for the Beauty Bootcamp I was excited and nervous in equal measures; I had been waiting for this day all summer and couldn’t quite believe that I had really reached the final stage of the competition. As soon as I reached the building where the finals were to be held I felt much more at ease – everyone I met was incredibly welcoming and the other finalists were lovely people. We began the day with a series of challenges which related to the four areas specialised in by the Simple Advisory Board. Dr Chris Bundy led us through an exercise in getting to know one another, highlighting the different ways in which we communicate. We then had a cookery show-style challenge with nutrition expert Fiona Hunter, which was great fun and extremely informative. Julia Bishop then taught and quizzed us on matters of fitness and physical health, and the morning was concluded with a skincare master class and challenge from make up artist Caroline Frazer who, as a beauty enthusiast, I had been very excited to meet and learn from!

By lunchtime we were all feeling very nervous; the realisation that, by the end of the day, we would know the winner of the competition was beginning to dawn upon us all. After our break it was time for our ‘New Product’ presentations to the judges, as well as a stint on-camera to answer a few questions about the day and to promote our idea for a new Simple product. Once all the tasks had been completed, we waited for the judges to deliberate and choose the Simple Star. We were all naturally talkative ladies, and judging by how quiet we all were at that time, it was extremely nerve-wracking for all.

I can still feel the butterflies in my stomach as I recall our time in the final judging room. I was the last of the ‘Top 4’ to be called forward by Simple’s Global Marketing Director Alex Pike, and was so grateful that I had made it even that far. The winner’s name was on a certificate wrapped in tissue paper; as Alex turned the certificate around and called out my name I was in a complete state of shock. I couldn’t believe that all my hard work had paid off, and that something I had been dreaming about had come true. I am still just as excited when I think of winning as I was in that moment. The other contestants all gathered round to give me a huge hug, which shows that I was initially correct about how lovely and genuine they all are.

I had an absolutely amazing experience at the Beauty Bootcamp and cannot wait to begin my work for Simple properly in January 2011. I plan to give the role my all, and spread the word about all that Simple, and I, endorse; natural beauty, purity in skincare and, of course, goodness. I look forward to all the challenges the role brings and to representing a brand which I truly believe in. I am so grateful to Simple for this opportunity and to everyone who helped me in my journey to ‘Simple Stardom’; it has been wonderful so far and I am thoroughly excited for the future.

Charlotte x

Our Guest Blogger for October is Lipglossiping!

2010-10-08T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

My name is Charlotte, I'm 29 years old and I reside in a vortex of chaos, gadgetry, beauty products and Iggle Piggle.

I realised the other day, that almost two years have passed since I first felt my daughter direct a kung-fu kick to my abdomen from the inside-out. I would have been around 19 weeks pregnant when this interruption occurred and the alien-esque sensation freaked. me. out. I was in a luxe Spa at the time... channelling my inner Zen or whatever the hell one is supposed to do in such situations. Had I known it would be the last time I got to put my feet up, I would have made the most of it and had a decent kip while I was there.

Fast forward 22 months and I'm the proud owner, sorry... “mother”... of a wonderful (if slightly mental) toddler. She's my joy and my biscuit-eating accomplice though I do wish she'd learn to wipe her own bottom already. In-case you were wondering, (you are right?) “mothering” isn't my only role in life. I also run our family business which glamourously involves repairing computers and maintaining networks – don't be jealous, though I know it's hard... I can clean a client's virus-infected computer whilst simultaneously managing to balls up my own faster than anyone I know.

Blogging

So that I don't die of boredom, I also have another passion – blogging. I'm a beauty blogger, which basically involves me writing posts to justify my spending addiction on all things self-indulgent. (Head to Lipglossiping to find out more!) Once my daughter is tucked up safely in her cot on an evening, I'm mistress of the bathroom and you're not coming in unless you're bearing beautifying goodies. Or Gerald Butler.

So what qualifications does one need to be a blogger? Absolutely none, you just need to have the passion and dedication to do it. I've blogged since my teens... initially it was all angst-y stuff about unrequited love and who groped Sian at the cinema but I've since matured and nowadays talk about which flavour of lip-balm I like the best. It's lovely for a nobody like me to have an outlet, somewhere to channel my passion for beauty and photography. As if that weren't enough fun by itself, other women slowly began to reply back to me on my blog. That was the moment I discovered my personal Valhalla.

Balance

Which is why, when people ask “How can you update your blog so frequently when you're juggling family life and running a business?” I reply, “With ease”.

Wait... that's lies! I'd punch myself in the face if I ever replied with that kind of nonsense. I usually say...

“Well, yano *shrug* - it's ok... I love it, so yano *shrug*” - I'm nothing if not eloquent. If I had more time to prepare and wasn't such a social retard, I'd like to say...

It's easy to find time for the things that you love to do and the day that blogging becomes a chore is the day you should stop doing it. It's the same for all hobbies... We sneak as much effort into them as we can get away with. I have a wonderful husband who takes on more than his fair share of responsibility so that I can indulge in my passion and for that I'm grateful every day.

Social Media

We're lucky to live in an age where technology makes it so easy for us to connect and interact with one another any-time and any-place. I can tweet while I'm on the loo (don't judge me), post to my blog while I'm eating my Rice Krispies and upload inane Facebook photos while I'm at the park. The world is getting smaller and we're all connecting with one another more effectively than ever before. We demand instant information, instant feedback and instant gratification. We want access to areas and information that once-upon-a-time we would simply have considered out of our reach.

Simple Star

I was thinking about all of these things last week as I watched a group of ambitious and web-savvy ladies compete for the title of “Simple Star”. A title that (amongst other amazing prizes) would afford them the salaried role of Simple's online ambassador – writing blogs, contributing to the fabulous Simple Twitter feed and generally communicating with the brand's large online fan-base.

As consumers, we see the value in like-minded “ordinary” people taking on these company positions. Social Media demands a new approach to marketing, there now exists a more direct line between consumer and brand and who knows better what consumers want and need than consumers themselves? Simple have really broken new ground with this competition, though with an already impressive Social Media strategy, I can't say I'm hugely surprised that they were the company to do it.

Judging the finalists was harder and more intense than I could ever have imagined, though the ultimate winner demonstrated a passion for empathy and communication that surpassed my expectations. With an infectious personality, the new Simple Star is sure to excel in her role.

The Future

As for me? I plan to carry-on connecting with like-minded beauty aficionados and making an already small world even smaller. I'd also quite like the best lipstick collection south of Watford please. Social Media? I <3 you.

Charlotte is founder and writer of top UK beauty blog Lipglossiping. She's also a little bit addicted to collecting Boots points, Baklava and Twitter.

Another award win for Simple!

2010-10-06T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

How chuffed are we? We have just found out that we have won another coveted award!

This time it's the Gold Award (yes.. Gold!) for our Simple Baby Moisturising Wipes in the Practical Parenting & Pregnancy Awards 2010/2011 for Baby Wipes.

Did you know that Simple is the UK's Most Trusted Skincare brand? If you have a baby, you'll know how important it is that you trust the brands you choose for your baby's delicate skin. Simple Baby contains no perfume, no colour and absolutely no unncessary or harsh ingredients so that you can trust it to care for even the most sensitive skin.

For your chance to win a Simple Baby Bathtime pack worth £19.99 RRP click here!

How nuts and seeds are great for your skin

2010-07-30T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

People watching is one of my favourite past times. I look at what they wear and wonder what made them choose that particular outfit. I admire the variation in hairstyles and wonder if I could ever pull off one of those. I also wonder what that devious smile was all about. I look at their skin and I know what kind of diet they have.

Your skin is a true reflection of your inside health. We all have days of indulgence; too much chocolate, alcohol and coffee and not enough food containing essential nutrients. Keeping your skin healthy is not rocket science. Just look at the Simple skincare range; I think the name says it all.

The mirror of your inner self
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It weighs about 5kg. There are several underlying mechanisms that need to be functioning properly for your skin to look healthy, including hormone balance, liver detoxification and digestive health.
To make hormones your body needs enough material including healthy essential fats and proteins. And the your ever-so-hard-working liver is dependent on antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E, as well B-vitamins and the minerals selenium, zinc and magnesium. Last but not least, your digestive tract. I won’t start ranting on about the size, shape and frequency of your stools, but fibre does wonders for your skin too.
I addition, Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which helps your skin repair itself, zinc promotes wound healing and is often used as a treatment for acne, the B-vitamins help prevent skin inflammation and magnesium can calm skin irritations and also relaxes muscles to help reduce those emerging frown lines. Selenium is your body’s little helper and get involved in most its functions. Happy days.

Little pieces of goodness
Well, that’s a lot of nutrients. And you thought a bit of moisturising would do the trick for those rough red pimples on the back of your arms. Or maybe some hugely expensive serum for those far-too-quickly-emerging-orange-peel-looking-dimples on your thighs. Thankfully, Mother Nature has provided us with something beautiful called nuts and seeds.
Yup. These little fellas are truly amazing. So much goodness in such a small packaging. Did you know that only three Brazil nuts provide you with a whole day’s worth of selenium? Speechless. Now, let me share a few more secrets from the world of nuts and seeds. Excited? I am.

All nuts and seeds contain vitamins, minerals, good fats, protein and fibre but in varying quantities. These are the skin loving nutrients each nut scores highest in:

Almonds are an excellent source of Vitamin E as well as being high in protein and fibre.
Brazil nuts are, aside from selenium, high in zinc and magnesium.
Cashew nuts have a low fat/high protein ratio compared to other nuts and are high in zinc. Hazelnuts are packed with vitamin E and B-vitamins
Macadamia nuts are high in monounsaturated fats, thiamin (vitamin B1) and magnesium.
Peanuts whilst a legume, are high in protein and provides B-vitamins and vitamin E.
Pecans are full of digestive-tract-loving-fibre, thiamin (vitamin B1), magnesium and zinc
Walnuts are the only nut that is high in omega 3 fatty acids, also provides B-vitamins
Flaxseeds/Linseeds high in omega 3 fatty acids, fibre, magnesium and zinc
Pumpkin seeds are truly skin-loving and packed with vitamin E, zinc, magnesium and protein
Sunflower seeds are little power seeds containing vitamin E, B-vitamins, zinc, magnesium and selenium, whilst also being high in protein and fibre.

Other skin loving nutrients such as vitamin A and C can be obtained from a few pieces of colourful fruit or vegetables including mango, apricots, peppers and carrots. Enjoy. And don’t forget to sip that water throughout the day. Keeping your cells hydrated contributes to radiant looking skin and help flush out those lingering weekend toxins.

Naked is best
I mean, if you can avoid snacking on roasted, salted or sugar coated nuts and seeds, it’s preferable. Your taste buds will soon adjust. Another way to indulge in nuts and seeds is adding them to salads and stir fry’s or on yoghurt and porridge in the morning. If you find nuts difficult to digest, soaking them over night might help.
At graze, you can get just the right mix for you, including healthy ‘naked’ options as well as treating yourself to salsa tossed almonds or yoghurt coated macadamias. As the wise old Swedes use to say (and still do): ‘Lagom’ (untranslatable but kind of meaning ‘just the right amount’) is what we should aim for with everything in life. So maybe that is the genius of graze snacking; the perfect lagom treat.

Promotion:
Excitingly the team at Graze.com are offering our Simple VIPs the chance to receive one free box and the second half price, just use the code SIMPLE at the checkout. Simple will donate 50p to MacMillan every time this code is used. Thanks Graze.com. www.graze.com/signup

Simple claims yet another No. 1!

2010-07-29T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Have we have got something to celebrate!

Your favourite skincare brand, that’s Simple in case you need to ask, has beaten the competition and can now claim the spot as the Best Selling Branded Moisturiser in the UK!*

Our Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser (125ml) is officially flying off the shelves with UK consumers buying more than two bottles every minute making it officially the UK’s best selling branded moisturiser. **

Just when we thought we couldn’t smile any more, news from independent consumer watchdog magazine, Which?, identified lots of household products deemed as those ‘you don’t need’ but voted Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser as a definite must-have***.Priced from £2.99 RRP, it just proves that being more expensive doesn’t automatically mean more effective and you don’t need to break the bank to look good. We know you know this already but we are so chuffed we want to sing it from the roof tops anyway!

Sources:
*SymphonyIRI, Non Medicated Facial Skincare Unit sales 52 w/e 10th July 2010
** Calculated using SymphonyIRI, Non Medicated Facial Skincare Unit sales 52 w/e 10th July 2010
***Following Which? Consumer testing

Boost the self-esteem of your child

2010-07-28T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Parents and carers of children this blog is for you. It talks about friendship and
self-esteem issues when children make the move from primary to secondary school. If you want to know more about this subject or would like help with any emotional or behavioural issue your child has come find me at www.thekidscoach.org.uk, follow me on twitter @thekidscoach or contact me in confidence at my website www.thekidscoach.org.uk.

New Life = New Life – excuse the pun

Hi I’m Naomi and I work as a life coach for children. I used to work as a Marketing Consultant but after getting married and falling pregnant I decided I needed a career that would allow me to work around my new life. I wasn’t sure what that job would look like so I did lots of reading and research and even asked my friends what they thought I would be good at. The end result - Life Coaching.

The Life Coaching course was perfect for me. It was interactive, collaborative, creative and it completely confirmed my decision that this was right for me. However, I realised during the course that my passion was not working with adults but to work with children. I wanted to work with children to help them find solutions to problems they had and give them the valuable life skills that they would need in adulthood. I realised that problem-solving and life skills were things that had to be learnt and if they did not grasp them at home or at school then there needed to be someone to help them.
Children it was then! So I began my new adventure and went it alone.

I have been working as a Life Coach for Children since 2004 – after my first son was born and work around my children – two boys – and my passion is still very much alive. There is nothing as satisfying for me than when a child walks out of a session and says, ‘thank you, I feel much happier’.

What do I really do?
Children come to see me (via their parents) to work though any issues they have at home or at school. They could be having problems with friendships, bullying, their parents separating, negative beliefs and thoughts, confidence or self-esteem etc. I help them by talking through their worries and together we find solutions that they can implement to make life happier for themselves. Parents don’t always know how they can help their children with their emotions or behaviour and some children don’t want to talk to their parents. I am like the auntie they never had!

I work face to face with children, do SKYPE sessions if they live too far away to come to my house and I also run workshops on a varied of different topics such as living with separated parents, communication and friendships and self-esteem and confidence. Although the issues are serious, all my work is fun, interactive and creative. It involves role-playing, worksheets, discussion etc.

Why friendships?
I see a lot of young girls who worry about friendships and the way they look. They have gone from primary to secondary school and have a bit of an identity and insecurity crisis. They had a tight group of friends at their old school but now they are at a bigger school and know only a handful of people. They have to make new friends.
Moving schools also unfortunately collides with the uneasy stage of changing into a woman and this is a time when young girls are having to adjust to a new body and awkward feelings. They want to feel attractive and be accepted by others. Being part of a group is very important to them but I feel they can only do that if they accept themselves for who they are.

They can find making friends quite hard to do. It’s the initial introducing themselves to new people and then continuing and maintaining conversation. You can help them by getting your child to think back to when they last made a new friend and discuss how they did it, talk about the type of questions they can ask new people, talk about non-verbal communication (arms uncrossed, nodding, saying ‘yes/no’), discuss the key skills needed for friendships e.g. listening, sharing opinions, compromising and help them feel great about themselves. If they feel good about themselves then they will project a more positive image and be able to deal with friendship problems if and when they arise.

Self-esteem too?
It is important that children have good self-esteem so they can handle the tough times as well as the good and that goes for friendships. Good friendships require hard work and investment of time and it can sometimes be a rough ride. It is important that children don’t let what others say to them/about them affect the way they think about themselves. Some children can be quite unkind about the way you dress or look. Remember it’s what’s inside that counts and that being different when making friends can be a good thing. It makes you interesting and mysterious. You don’t need to change for people to like you – whether in your dress or make-up. As simple say – keep it natural.

Self-esteem is linked to friendships because if children don’t have a healthy self-esteem then it is possible they will read into situations that are not there. They may see friends whispering and assume they are talking about them, read body language as being negative towards them and take jokes personally.

Love who you are
They need to love who they are and accept that they are unique. They have strengths and weakness and that is okay. We all make mistakes, we all can’t be good at everything but we do need to accept and like ourselves on the inside and the outside.

Everyone has something they are good at
I believe everyone has something great to offer – that might be your creativity, great at sums, ability to look good. When I set up The Kids Coach I knew I was good with children and teenagers and knew that I loved to be creative. When I thought about putting the two ideas together and came up with life coaching for children I got excited and starting feeling very positive about how I could help young people. I have tried out many places and ways of working and it has been a huge learning experience but now I am writing for websites, podcasts, running workshops and working with charities as well as individuals and feel like I have reached the place for me.

Have self-belief
Discovering who you are and having the journey to that place is an adventure and no matter how many obstacles in your way if you have self-belief you will get there. My journey has not always been easy but with persistent, determination, focus and the ability to see set-backs as learning curves I think you can achieve anything.

For more information on me and how I work with children visit www.thekidscoach.org.uk. I am also on twitter – www.twitter.com/thekidscoach - so come follow me around or email me at Naomi@thekidscoach.org.uk if you have a question. Best of all tell me what you think of the concept of Life Coaching for Children and please share some of your self-esteem tips that you use with your children. I would love to hear your thoughts. I hope you enjoyed the post!

Have you got a skincare story to share?

2010-07-23T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Does your partner steal all your moisturiser? Has your wrinkle-free Granny used Simple since she was a young woman? Have you only ever used Simple Baby on your child’s delicate skin? Do you use our Sun Sensitive products on your dog?... OK that’s a little bit far-fetched but you probably get the gist of it. You know we love hearing your stories on how much you love Simple but it’s not all about massaging our ego (well ... ok it is a little bit!)

Here’s what we want. If you have got any stories you can share with us, specifically about our products, we want to hear them. They can be funny, poetic, surprising, anything you like as long as they are about products in the Simple range. It’s a chance for you to share your story, make people laugh, inspire others and make yourself famous! The best quotes or stories will be published on our website. If it’s yours, you will win one product from the range your story is about. What better incentive do you need to start scribbling now!

Be super savvy with your skincare regime next month

2010-06-30T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Did you know we invented the 3 step skincare routine back in 1978 since then we have become the UK's number 1 skincare brand*.

As pay day has now arrived, why not take the Simple Challenge and change your skincare regime this month.

We have put together theee skincare packs at the discounted price of £10 per pack and not only that, but we are also donating £2 per pack to MacMillan Cancer Support.

Find out more about The Simple Challenge http://www.simple.co.uk/macmillan-challenge/ and you can also use our survey to work out which is the perfect pack for you.

Also if you think your friend has too many products in their bathroom cabinet or is spending too much money on skincare, let them know about this offer too by sending them this link: http://www.simple.co.uk/macmillan-challenge/

You could also let your friends know on your social network by Tweeting, Facebooking, Myspaceing, Beboing the below:

134 characters for Twitter: I’m taking the @simplecouk Challenge & changing my skincare routine for charity want to join me: www.simple.co.uk/macmillan-challenge

136 characters for anywhere: I’m taking the Simple Challenge & changing my skincare routine for charity want to join me: www.simple.co.uk/macmillan-challenge

Your support is appreciated. A BIG THANK YOU for simply reading this post, as we also seek to raise awareness of the amazing charity Macmillan Cancer Support who help to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

All the best

The Simple Team

*IRI UK Non-Medicated Facial Skincare, units 52 w/e 12th June 2010.

Healthy, glowing skin is simple!

2010-06-29T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

The sun is shining (for a while hopefully!) and so we thought we’d focus our seasonal top tips on helping you to look your most radiant and glowing this summer. Click here to see how to achieve not only radiant skin this summer but also how to look after your skin with sunless tanning tips.

In case you didn’t know, our Simple Radiance range is packed full of Mango goodness and multi-vitamins for healthy, glowing skin. Mango Extract has amazing antioxidant properties and helps to protect, hydrate and refine skin tone. Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E and Vitamin C boost skin condition by actively moisturising, softening and smoothing. If that wasn’t enough our Radiance range also contain Bisabolol and Glycerin to hydrate and nourish. The result is simply natural, bright and healthy skin. Click on any of the ingredient names to learn more about them and their benefits for skin health.

Pssst! VIPs get 50% off our Simple Radiant Skin pack in July. Try a selection of products from the Simple Radiance range and people will be asking how you get such naturally glowing and healthy skin – we promise!

Freebie Friday at Mum's The Blog

2010-06-25T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Fancy a freebie this Friday? Head to Mum's The Blog to find out how to be in with the chance to get your hands on a Complete Family Skincare kit worth £45! Hurry though - as the name suggests it a Friday treat only! The competition closes at 7pm.

Win a Simple Baby Bathtime pack!

2010-06-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Calling all new Mum's or anyone who knows someone having a baby!

If you have seen our new Simple Baby range you'll notice that to celebrate the launch of the new Simple Baby products we've teamed up with the adorable Tiny Tatty Teddy, the loveable grey bear with a blue nose and a warm heart. All our new Simple Baby products have a picture of the little teddy on pack to make bathtime more fun while you can be confident your baby's skin is getting the best possible care. There are now 3 new Simple Baby packs available to buy from the Simple online shop; Simple Baby Bathtime, Simple Baby Playtime and Simple Baby Bedtime. These special packs, priced from £9.99 all contain a Tiny Tatty Teddy and are the perfect gift for a new Mum or simply for you and your baby.

For the chance to win one of the new Simple Baby Playtime packs worth £17.99 RRP which includes an interactive Tiny Tatty Teddy, a new Simple Baby Moisturising Shampoo 300ml and a new Simple Baby Moisturising Bath 300ml click here!

Calling all concerned mums....

2010-06-02T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We are looking for mums to share their own experience of a much simpler, less pressurised school life compared with that of their teenage daughters today who are under extreme pressure to look good at school. We want to hear about the challenges and problems mums face who want their daughters to be much more natural at school and not bow down to the pressure of heavy makeup, hair and nail extensions and fake tan. If you have a story, or concerns you would like to share with other mums, we would love to hear from you. Let us know below...

Get fit for summer!

2010-05-10T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

The evenings are already getting lighter and we have left the cold wintery evenings by the fire behind. (Well, hopefully!) Now is the ideal time to think about getting fit for the summer so we thought we’d ask Julia Bishop, one of our Simple Advisory Board members, for some top tips. If you want to tone up and improve your general wellbeing ahead of bikini and beach time, then click here to go directly to Julia’s top tips!

We always love to hear your feedback too! Let us know what you think.

Social Media School: Twitter Lists

2010-04-27T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Back in November 09 Twitter launched “Twitter lists” as a new way to organise who you follow on Twitter. The lists offer a way for you to bunch together other users on Twitter into groups, so you can get an overview of what they are up to. Providing a real time stream of their tweets. Pretty handy if you follow over 1000 people or as we call them tweople or tweeps.

Recently we have been setting up some Twitter Lists from our Simple Twitter account separating some of the people we follow into handy groups related to areas we and our Simple VIPs are interested in.

In summary: If you are on Twitter follow one of our lists or follow the individuals on our lists so their updates appear in your twitter stream. We are updating these lists weekly so make sure you check back.

If you are not sure about Twitter, or perhaps not even heard of it (!!) then go visit the “Getting Started Information” from the lovely tweeps at Twitter:

We absolutely love Twitter as it has provided us with a new avenue to promote Simple VIP and all the fun things going on over here . It has also allowed us to connect with people on a more personal level. There are many people on Twitter whom we would call our close friends (New twitter list coming soon), and along with making friends and connections we have been able to provide support to others, have a laugh and promote the people worth promoting. It’s just fantastic.

Something that we have been really keen to do on Twitter is to understand more about the beauty bloggers and how they wish to be contacted from brands like ourselves. Several companies are now contacting bloggers as they have started to understand more about the possibilities available of word of mouth spread from within the bloggers communities. To find out more about our approach in contacting bloggers read this blog post (coming soon).

If you have joined Twitter do pop by and say hello it will be lovely to see you. Feel free to recommend tweeps to us and we will do the same in return. Don't forget too that we are updating our Simple VIP Connections page, so if there are any blogs you would like to recommend let us know about them at this post here.

Sarah
Simple x

This blog post is part of a Social Media School we are running in April, we are writing a few Social Media School blog posts in relation to a large, massive, huge campaign we are launching in May. Sshh it’s a secret........

Social Media School: Beauty Blogger Pledge

2010-04-27T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

The title of this blog post is Beauty Blogger Pledge, I would like to point out that it does apply to all bloggers who happen to pass by and read this.

As many of you know late last year we launched our Celebrity Fan Club so you can find out what the Stars are saying about Simple and it wasn’t long until we added a new category of Celebs to our Hall of Fame, introducing the Celeb UK Bloggers/Writers.

Before Twitter lists, this was our way of letting our Simple VIPs know who we favour and as they had reviewed us, who favours Simple. We also wanted the bloggers to know that we recognise them for the value they give to our brand when they promote our products. As champion bloggers they have highlighted us, so we have highlighted them in return, a lot of love shared. We also feature a number of blogger reviews and journalist reviews in our News section.

Many of the bloggers we have networked with are full time workers and it is pretty unbelievable how they also find the time to write the blog posts, communicate with their readers and keep on supplying interesting content. As a beauty brand we want them all to know that we are super thankful for their reviews and mentions and so we have been looking for ways to provide them with information which makes their lives a little easier.

So this year we will pledge to give the bloggers (esp: beauty ones) more:

This includes:

Increased access to images
Updates on latest press releases, long text or 140 characters
Provide bloggers with campaign content before it reaches the Press
Access (on request) to a calendar of Simple activities to help them plan their blog posts

Plus this week we are asking our PR agency to contact bloggers to find how best to communicate with them as individuals.

As we regularly read beauty blogs, fashion blogs, mummy blogs, lifestyle blogs etc we are able to make comment on how brands should approach bloggers. We would like to share with you what we understand about blogging ethics:

Understanding Beauty Blog Ethics

We are aware that bloggers are very keen to create original content and maintain their editorial integrity, as a means of being true to themselves and their readers. Put another way the majority of bloggers write to express themselves and aren’t in it for the money. Those bloggers who are keen on blogging ethics don’t accept paid for placements and will only post what they are indeed interested in. The majority of the well known bloggers do place a statement on their blog to specify whether there is a relationship between the blogger and a company, generally within an area called "sponsored placements". We praise bloggers who are keen to be fully transparent in their blog posts stating whether they have been invited by a company to post up a press releases or whether they received a free sample from a company in which to promote (we sometimes send out samples).

Collaborating with bloggers

We really want to make it easier for bloggers to proactively write about Simple. Currently all our press releases are posted up on our website here on the day they are released to the general press. This isn’t very handy to the beauty bloggers out there who are eager to write about the latest trends and news; also we know a few bloggers who like to create monthly blog post plans as it helps them keep their blog alive with fresh content. Due to this we are inviting our PR to contact a certain number of bloggers to ask how they would be like to be approached. So that we don't fill up their mail box with information they don't want ! If we get a good response from the email then by July we hope to have a clearer picture on our communication strategies.

Currently bloggers can get access to our information as it is released on our News page, via our Simple VIP Newsletters, Facebook Fan page and Twitter account and YouTube Channel (mainly TV adverts, but hey it’s a start).

We are considering what bloggers need

Along with considering how best to approach individual bloggers. We believe that images are almost a must-have for a compelling blog post and a short video makes it even more intriguing for the visitor. We know that bloggers may run into trouble if they are hunting for a good photo or video to go on the post. So from now, we pledge that we will do our very best to provide a range of images, videos, links for further information.

Help with planning blog posts and collaboration

To help bloggers plan their blog posts, we do have a calendar of scheduled Simple events/campaigns/promotions. We are currently considering giving online access to our calendar to active bloggers (that regularly post & network).

Also a company that we hope to work with in the coming months is Handpicked Media who have collated a selection of independent sites and blogs with a reach of Beauty, Style and Entertainment, Food and Culture. We especially like their ethos that they only choose sites that are determined to remain true to their values. Quite peculiar as several of the sites HandPicked Media have picked are the same as the ones we picked, so it shows we have good taste when it comes to beauty, fashion and lifestyle blogs.

Why not create your own blog

Now you know that we are doing are very best to help bloggers, and we have explained a little bit on what makes a good blogger, why not create your own blog !? Creating a blog is relatively easy, maintaining it is hard, hard work of your own personal resource, but when you start to get comments and feedback and followers, creating a blog could be one of the best things you’ve ever done.

Two blogging platforms we recommend: https://www.blogger.com/start (see video Tutorial) and http://en.wordpress.com/features/ .

If you do make the decision to make/start your own blog let us know about it over at this blog post or over at Twitter, you will be surprised at the support you will get when starting out?

Thanks for listening

Sarah
Simple x

Live a glamorous life without breaking the bank...

2010-04-20T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Nearly 2 ½ years ago I made a decision.

My job was making me so unhappy that I just couldn’t do it any more. So I didn’t. I quit and started selling vintage and pre-owned clothing on eBay, a few months later I started a blog and now Retro Chick is my full time job.

Suddenly being without 2 regular incomes in the house was a bit of a shock to the system. I was already a bit of a bargain hunter, but suddenly every penny spent took on a whole new meaning. If you’re reading the Simple Blog then you already know that great skin care doesn’t need to cost a fortune, but I thought I’d share a few ways I’ve learnt to live a glamorous life without breaking the bank.

Your Wardrobe

Being on a limited budget doesn’t mean you have to wear poor quality clothing; a little forward planning and organisation can go a long way.

Visit Charity Shops often. You don’t have to spend hours in them, these days most Charity Shops are relatively clean and organised by size. If there is a route you walk regularly then pop in every time you pass to make sure you never miss a bargain. I’ve found pieces from Mulberry, Calvin Klein and Catharine Malandrino as well as top end High Street like Monsoon, but shopping this way involves a bit of a change of attitude. You can’t expect to find something every time you go in, and you have to be ready to snap it up immediately when you do.

If you need something for a particular Special occasion then sites like eBay and Etsy as well as swapping sites like What’s Mine is Yours can be your saviour. You’ll still need to plan ahead to make sure you get what you need in time, but you could save a fortune. Have a bit more money to spend? Designer outlet sites like the Outnet or outlet shopping villages like Bicester Village are worth a visit to get more bang for your buck.

Your Social Life

Life on a budget doesn’t mean staying home eating beans on toast, it means making sure you get the most from the resources you have.

Most Supermarkets and many other shops have reward schemes, make sure you sign up. It’s amazing how quickly the boring stuff you buy, even petrol, can turn into enough points for a bottle of Champagne, a trip to the Cinema or a new Dior Lipstick.

Do your research before you go out. If you’re visiting a restaurant search online for discount vouchers and special offers. Sign up to the newsletter of your favourite restaurants for advance notice of special offers, and sometimes even special treats. I got a voucher for a free bottle of Champagne from one chain on my birthday, I certainly wouldn’t have been drinking that had I not signed up!

Be aware of how much you’re spending. That cup of take out coffee every morning could be costing you nearly £50 a month. Buy a reusable cup, make it at home, and use that £50 to treat yourself to dinner out, a facial and manicure, or something that’ll make you feel really spoilt.

Your Skin

Don’t be fooled into thinking just because a product is pricey it must be good. I have fussy skin and I’ve been using Simple skin care products for years, as I know they won’t cause me breakouts or irritation.

I use the Kind to Skin Exfoliating Wipes as an emergency back up for nights when I can’t be bothered with a full cleanse and tone and the Kind to Skin Soothing Toner also makes regular appearances on my bathroom shelf. Everyone’s skin is different and if you’re still struggling to find the right products for your skin it’s worth getting a Simple Skin Health Check. You could ultimately save a fortune in all those costly half empty mistakes sitting on your bathroom shelf.

Remember, those reward schemes? Every time you buy skin care make sure you collect those points. Many of the schemes offer pampering treatments at local salons as part of the rewards and you could treat yourself to a relaxing facial.

I blog about vintage, ethical and affordable fashion, as well as living life on a budget at www.retrochick.co.uk, do stop by for fashion and beauty advice from a retro girl in the modern world as well as more tips on finding those elusive Charity Shop bargains. You can also find me on Retro Chick Presents, my You Tube channel, for make up and hair tutorials and my eBay shop, where you might be able to snap up some fashion bargains for your wardrobe. I’d love to see you there!

Why do I use a moisturiser?

2010-04-19T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

It's in every magazine, on the side of the packs of skincare in your bathroom and even on TV - we all know that we should use moisturiser daily, even you men out there. But what's the main reason you use a moisturiser every day? We want to know why you moisturise and what do you believe to be the benefits of using a facial moisturiser on your skin.....

Start your sentence with 'I use moisturiser everyday because....' or 'I don't use moisturiser everyday because....'

And the winner is.....

2010-04-01T16:39:05.2470000+00:00

The moment you've all been waiting for.... it's time to announce the winner of the VIP poem competition. We were thrilled with the response and have had lots and lots of fun reading all the submissions. It was a very tricky decision but the winning entry in the end came from Kerry Farrow from Essex with the below witty rhyme.

Simply gorgeous
Simply kitch
Simply radiant
Simply rich

Simply magic
Simply pure
Simply flawless
Simply a cure

Simply smooth
Simply divine
Simply luscious
Simply mine!

Kerry is now the Simple VIP for April and has won £50 worth of Simple products.

We have also picked two runners up! Congratulations to Louise Howarth and Catherine Mulvenna who have each won a surprise Simple goodie!

Thank you to everyone who entered - we hope you enjoyed writing them as much as we enjoyed reading them! If you haven't read the poems yet, take a look at the blog posted on 2nd March.

Happy Easter from everyone at Simple. x

Social Media School: Simple VIP Connections

2010-04-01T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Hi,

We let you know back in June 09 about the Social Media Networking sites we had joined and the websites we like to visit and we also invited you to let us know which sites you favour: See the post here titled “Simple says Social Networking is Fun”

Seeing as the connections page is now 10 months old, we thought it was about time to revisit this page and give it a makeover. ??Please do join in with this website update by letting us know which websites you like to visit in your leisure time, we can then check them out and possibly add them to our connections page to share amongst the wider Simple VIP community.
So if there are any websites, blogs, or must follow twitter users that you would like to recommend please list below.

The page will be updated in the coming months.

Bank Holiday approaching!

2010-03-22T16:07:06.8500000+00:00

Are you getting ready for the first bank holiday of the year? Do you have a nice long weekend break planned in or outside the UK?

If you are planning on going away this bank holiday then don’t forget to pack our Simple Travel Companion Kit which contains everything your skin needs to be happy on holiday. Click here to see the Simple Travel Companion Kit

If you are travelling overseas you will be pleased to note that the travel size bottles are within the legal limit to take in your hand luggage plus they come in a clear bag so you are ready to go!

We have set up a fantastic Easter promotion with Thomson and First Choice travel. If you spend £500 on currency in March 2010 you get a free Simple Holiday Skincare goody bag. So if you have plans to escape the UK over Easter - don't forget to get your foreign exchange from either one of those places!

International Women's Day is on the 8th March

2010-03-05T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Did you know that it's International Women's Day on the 8th March? IWD is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. The first IWD was in 1911 and today hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

If you had not heard about this global event, click on the link to learn more about the day and see what's happening around the world.

www.internationalwomensday.com

We'd love to know what you are you doing for IWD. Let us know on the blog and you never know, your ideas may inspire other women to set up an event to mark this special day.

As March is an extra special month for women with Mother's Day & IWD, don't forget we are giving 50% off our Repair & Radiance packs for Simple VIPs throughout March. Simply ensure you are logged in as a VIP and 50% will be automatically deducted from the price of the pack when you get to the check out. If you order by 9th March, you'll get your pack in time for Mother's Day!

Bathing your baby on a budget - the Simple way

2010-03-03T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Hi Mums and Dads,
When you have a baby your budget can be stretched to the farthest of points. I have been a stay-at-home mum for the last five years and we have had to exist on a very low income. I have written a book packed to the brim with all the budgeting tips I have learned along the way: ‘How to Afford Time Off with your Baby’ (Vermilion) gives you guidance around areas such as birthdays on a budget, ways to make money whilst off with your baby, fabulous frugal clothes buying and of course, bathing.

As you’re reading this Simple blog I am sure you are interested in toiletry/bathing products and I can only assume that, like me, you like high quality but natural products. Can this fit with a budget?

Bathing your baby and buying toiletries is one area of childcare that can eat up finances if you don’t keep things simple. Here are my bath time budgeting tips for you.

Baby baths or the kitchen sink?
Are baby baths a necessary expense? ‘Why not just wash him in the sink?’ my mum suggested to me, but I have to say I wasn’t convinced. A little carrot peel stuck to your baby may be cute but an old tea bag? ‘The bathroom sink I meant’ she said. Oh, well, that’s different, I thought. But I found that wasn’t too easy either in my sink with a tiny tot, let alone a slightly bigger baby; taps on their head, toes in the plughole, etc. Of course, if you kitchen has a lovely big sink – it may be perfect, for a while at least. Give it a try, I know someone who did actually use her kitchen sink (minus carrot peel I hasten to add) because it was the best height for her aching back.

First time around, it’s easy to buy every bath gadget going. You can have a floating bath support, a seat that looks like a potty to sit up in and a sort of stand with fabric for your baby to lie on. Why would a baby need three seats? There are cute little thermometers that indicate with a tick if the water is the right temperature, special top and tail bowls with fishes on and towels with special little hoods that cost a fortune - plus bath toy scoops shaped like frogs! All these are gimmicks. A cheap bath thermometer from a chemist, a Tupperware bowl and an ordinary towel, if soft and clean, work just as well. Later on, they’ll want floating toys or plastic cups and bowls, which you can borrow from the kitchen anyway. Sharing a bath with your baby will absolutely delight them without the need for any toys – always remember you are the best free entertainment your baby could have.

What products to use?
All Health Visitors will tell you that your baby should be bathed in nothing but plain water for the first few months and that their bottoms should be cleaned with just cotton wool and water. It can be tempting to buy gorgeous-smelling toiletries for your baby with promises of lovely fragrances and soft skin, but these can be very expensive and are not at all necessary. Babies smell lovely as they are, so choose bath and skin products that are as simple as possible and perfume-free.

Simple Products

Simple Baby products are 100% perfume and colour free with no unnecessary additives to care for the needs of the most delicate and sensitive skin. All products are paediatrician approved, dermatologically approved and hypoallergenic! ?

Simple products have always been my family’s toiletries of choice for our children, from babies of a few months old right through to now (they are 5 and 2). Simple baby products are fabulous quality, totally natural and lacking in all the harmful bits and bobs our babies do not need. They are also very effective without being in the least bit harsh. Both my children had baby eczema and Simple products were fabulously gentle on their skin.

Simple products are in my opinion an excellent budget buy. They may not be the very cheapest on the market BUT a tiny bit goes a long, long way and they are top quality products that knock their competitors out the water! (Little joke there!)

Simple’s Baby Moisturising All-In-One Wash is my absolute favourite Simple product as it washes skin and hair (so no need to buy a separate shampoo) and it guarantees no tears. Brilliant bargain buy!

I blog about budgeting with a baby at www.babybudgeting.co.uk so do come visit us and share your budgeting tips too! How to Afford Time Off with your baby by Becky Goddard-Hill can be purchased online from Amazon.co.uk or through the website. It is also available from Waterstones.

£50 worth of Simple goodies up for grabs!

2010-03-02T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Would you like to be the Simple VIP of the Month in April? The lucky VIP will bag themselves a bonus £50 worth of Simple goodies to keep their skin happy & healthy...
All you have to do to be in with a chance is to write us a short and sweet poem on why you love Simple. Post it to the blog page and the poet which makes us melt will win. Get scribing peeps!

Thanks for all the fabulous contributions, you Simple VIPs really are amazing. The lucky winner has been announced over at this blog post.

Simple Live On-line Skin Clinics

2010-02-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

If you haven't taken part in our Live On-line Skin Clinics then put Friday 12th March at 1pm in your diary. Our very own SAB psychologist Dr Christine Bundy will be taking your questions live on-line offering expert advice on beauty from within.

Don't forget for those that haven't taken part in these sessions yet, you can review the archive by clicking on the SAB and advice tab on the homepage. It's bursting with fantastic advice on everything from dieting and skin health to avoiding breakouts caused by stress.

Let us know what you think of these sessions on the blog as we are committed to listening to your feedback to ensure these sessions are helpful and informative. Who says we don't look after our VIPs!

Tell us what you think of our new Intensive Lip Moisturiser

2010-02-08T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Simple has just launched a brand new product into it's Kind To Lips range: Intensive Lip Moisturiser. It is a perfect blend of active ingredients and vitamin goodness to nourish dry lips and enhance with a natural gloss.

Those of you that applied for a sample in the Feb newsletter will be receiving your product soon so tell us what you think below...

Tell us what you think of the new Simple Kind To Lips range!

2010-02-03T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Pucker up peeps! We are very excited to let you know that we have very recently launched our new Simple Kind To Lips range. The range contains two brand new lip products, Kind To Lips Essential Lip Balm with SPF15 and Kind To Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser. Both are packed full of vitamin goodness to nourish and care.

What better time than February with Valentines Day and the cold winter weather to give them a try!

Let us know what you think of them!

Brand New Products from Simple!

2010-01-14T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Way back in 2009 you might remember us asking you whether Simple should launch a new Lip Product. Believe it or not, a whopping 91% of you said yes - you'd be either very likely or likely to buy such a product.

Well, the good news is we have listened and we have acted...this week Simple has added two gorgeous new Lip products to it's range: Kind to Lips Essential Lip Balm with SPF15 and Kind to Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser with natural gloss both packed with Vitamin Goodness. And it's all down to you!

We have selected a group of of lucky VIPs to recieve a sample of one of the new Lip Products in February so do please let us know what you think if you receive one or alternatively they are both available in Superdrug now for you to give them a try. We'll keep you posted on upcoming offers and opportunities to get your hands on packs right here...

Tell us if we've missed anything

2010-01-13T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

As we welcomed in 2010, we talked about what Simple had achieved in 2009. It was a long chat. We thought it would be fun to remind you of your highlights from the last year:
... The Simple Skin Health Check, The Simple Advisory Board, The Simple Junior Board, Teen Simple, Celebrity Hall of Fame, Facebook Fan Page, Simple on Twitter, Blip FM, The ageing film, the new product launches...

Erm, that's quite a lot then!
For those members that have been through it all with us, can you think of anything that we've missed?

What do you think of Simple Repair Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream?

2009-08-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We have recently selected a group of our VIPs to receive a sample of Simple Repair Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream with sunscreens. We hope that you enjoyed the sample. We'd love to hear what you thought of the product, so please add any comments here...

To read more about the Repair range visit http://www.simple.co.uk/categories/Repair-274.aspx

*Please note, we are only able to send samples out to small groups of VIPs at a time so not all of you will have received a sample. We do try to ensure everyone receives a sample at some point and aim to send you the product which would be most relevant to you.

What do you think of our Simple Sun Cream?

2009-08-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

We recently selected a group of VIPs to received a sample of our Simple Sun Sensitive Protecting Facial Hydrolotion SPF25. We'd love to hear your feedback on the product so please leave your comments here....

*Please note, we are only able to send samples out to small groups of VIPs at a time so not all of you will have received a sample. We do try to ensure everyone receives a sample at some point and aim to send you the product which would be most relevant to you.

Fancy being part of a Simple case study?

2009-08-19T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Calling all people who have a good or bad skin experience to share....

Have any of you turned to Simple after having an adverse reaction to another skincare
product (perhaps it was an expensive product to make it even more annoying)?

Perhaps you suffer from sensitive skin in the sun such as prickly heat or maybe your concern is a dry skin condition such as eczema that has plagued you for years?

Have any of you taken skincare to the extreme and tried something unusual to cure those spots or problem skin conditions?

Please note this competition is now closed. Thank you for your entries - we have been overwhelmed by your response. The winner is Sophie Drewery who has some Simple treats heading her way!

We were especially pleased to hear that so many of you have found that using Simple products has helped your skin conditions. Feel free to keep on sending us stories if you want to share them with us.

Save £1 on Simple Radiance at Boots

2009-08-12T16:57:28.2370000+00:00

We are all hoping that the sun will come out and stay out! However failing that you can visibly brighten your day with this offer - buy The Times on Wednesday and get a voucher which will save you £1 on Simple Radiance in Boots.

Win a spa weekend break in Paris!

2009-08-11T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Paris is one of those cities which has it all - exquisite shops, magnificent restaurants and spectacular sights.
To offer you a taste of tranquillity in between all that excitement, Simple has teamed up with The Times again to give you the chance to win a blissful weekend for two in Paris, including return flights from London, two nights hotel accommodation and a luxury spa treatment for each person.
For your chance to win, don't forget to buy The Times on Tuesday!

Free sample of Simple Repair Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream at Superdrug now!

2009-08-07T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Another bonus from the UK's No 1 facial skincare brand! If you've not tried any of the products from our new Simple Repair range then now is your chance. Get down to your local Superdrug store for a free sample of our Repair Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream when you buy a pack of our best selling Kind To Skin Facial Cleansing wipes. You'll need to hurry up as they are selling fast!

Simple teams up with Thomson and First Choice for a fantastic holiday offer!

2009-08-06T09:32:36.7600000+00:00

If you are going away this August, then check out this fantastic deal for some summer holiday freebies!

We have teamed up with Thomson and First Choice in the UK offering a free Simple Holiday Skincare pack containing some great Simple holiday skincare essential goodies when you spend £500 or over on Foreign Exchange.

The Simple Holiday Skincare pack contains everything you need to take care of your skin on holiday - Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes, Regeneration Age Resisting Vitamin E Serum Pads, Sun Sensitive SPF 20 Facial Hydrolotion as well as a Free Skin Health Check & 50% off discount on a holiday essentials pack online.

What do you think of our Sun Sensitive Shimmer Facial Aftersun?

2009-07-31T09:39:46.8900000+00:00

Simple For Men shortlisted in annual FHM Grooming Awards!

2009-07-30T16:59:00.8900000+00:00

We’re thrilled that our Simple for Men range has been shortlisted in the FHM Grooming Awards but we’d be even more thrilled if we won!

Every vote counts so please click on the below link to cast your votes in the various male grooming categories and be sure to look out for the Simple for Men range when you get to the skincare category!

Thanks!

http://www.fhm.com/site/pages/grooming/Voting.aspx

Simple in the City "start spreading the news"

2009-07-29T09:47:11.3600000+00:00

Chic restaurants, Friends, Top museums, Glamourous bars, Amazing Shops, Times Square, 250 Duane Reade stores and now Simple Cleansing Wipes. What more could you want. Simple is now available within Duane Reade in the US for all of those avid fans. Let us know if you're a US resident and have tried our products...

Give your skin what it needs - from top to bottom!

2009-06-24T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

As you would imagine, Simple’s natural skin care heritage is much more than just, well, skin deep. And to ensure that we don’t just scratch the surface and that we get the maximum benefit from that wealth of knowledge, those lovely people at Simple are providing us, every month, with a basket full of Top Tips for skin health. Stuff like lending you a helping hand with shaving, the natural way to sunless tanning, pastel shades for the summer and that age-old search for radiant skin – the list goes on and on!

Simply visit http://www.simple.co.uk/TopTips/index.aspx. You’ll find this month’s skincare advise in simple-to-use bites of information, with product recommendations to help you achieve the very best results. Don't forget to have a look at the list of months on the left side bar to see other great tips from previous posts.

So, go on! You’ve got nothing to lose and a more radiant, healthy looking skin to gain. And there’s going to be a lot more to come, so keep visiting the web site.

When it comes to your skin, we know what’s best for you!

Fabulous at 80!

2009-02-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Joan, my mother in law, has been using Simple cleansing lotion since 1978 after she went to her doctor with a skin complaint. He advised her not to wash her face with soap and water and she chose Simple cleansing lotion. She has been using it every day since which is now 31 years. She is now 80 years old and you can see by the photographs attached she has very few wrinkles, in fact hardly any.When we see the adverts on the TV for skin care products we always say" you look much better than that " - see for yourself!

Teenage Angst

2009-02-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

I really feel that I need to share a recent situation with you all - unfortunately I don’t have any children but I have a great relationship with niece, Anna, who is nearly 15 years old. Anna often comes to stay with me and we are really close. During Anna’s last visit, she confided in me that she didn’t know what to do about her skin – in some areas she was really shiny (and had a few pimples) and yet in other areas her skin was quite normal. We went to Boots and looked at all of the ranges on offer, and we settled on Simple Oil Balancing – we bought all of the products – the wipes, the moisturiser and the exfoliating wash. Anna came to visit me last weekend and her skin was absolutely amazing. Really clear and a lot less shiny. Obviously the products are really good, but she was also really diligent with the regime which she does morning and night without fail. It just goes to show, that with the right products and the right attitude – you can make a difference!

A complete circle....

2009-02-26T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Simple was the first ever skincare range I used. I remember being given a selection of products for Christmas by my Mum. The packaging was brown and white and I absolutely loved this present – I can remember cleansing, toning and moisturising every day – I was only 14 – but can still see the products sitting on my dressing table – I felt so grown up! Over the years, I have used other skincare products but I must say my skincare regime has come a full circle! I was in Boots the other day and noticed that Simple do an anti-aging skincare range which is absolutely brilliant – and not too expensive either. I have read so many articles in magazines where they compare the really expensive stuff with the cheaper products and it seems to me that the cheaper products always win. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable using a brand I didn’t recognise which is why I was so pleased to see this range by Simple. It feels so great on my skin – it is quickly absorbed and leaves absolutely no stickiness or oily feeling. Now I am older, I really notice that my skin is so much dryer than it used to be – and sometimes I feel it needs to literally drink some water – but this moisturiser is brilliant! Try it – you won’t be disappointed.

Simply Smile

2009-02-20T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Has anyone else noticed that Simple have made some changes to their packaging? I noticed this morning, that there are some really lovely quotes about smiling on the jars and on the cartons ..... Simple manage to get it right again! Yes, we have to use the right products when looking after our skin – but it is all about attitude too.... smiling and laughter all help to make us look and feel younger. Just reading the few words brought a smile to my face – okay I may have a few extra laughter lines but my husband says I am far more attractive when I laugh....... Thanks Simple for brightening up my day.

New discount and Postage & Packing in the Simple shop

2009-02-16T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

The results from our December survey revealed that 70% of you would prefer to be charged for postage & packing on the site in order for us to provide you with bigger discounts on the Simple packs. As always, we've taken what your feedback on board and have changed the shop accordingly. We hope you like the fabulous offers that we have coming up....

Why pay more?

2009-02-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

I was reading yet another review in a magazine yesterday – and yet again, Simple beat some of the most expensive skin care ranges available. Of course it would. I have always used Simple Skin Care – right from when I was teenager – and now I am 40 something and I still use it..... I have always found Simple to be excellent value and all of the products really work..... I don’t understand why anyone would pay over £30 for a moisturiser when Simple works and I mean really works. In this time of doom and gloom – I say, save your money and buy Simple.

Festive Fortune!

2008-12-24T10:06:17.6430000+00:00

Buying Christmas gifts isn’t all that it is cracked up to be is it? With so many people to buy, I normally start with a financial value in mind and work from there. I have the categories of up to £5, up to £10 and up to £20 depending on who I am buying for! I normally try and get the best value possible. I was delighted to see the Simple Secret Santa Gift for £9.78 – not that I am using it to give away at the office – I have bought them for my 4 sister-in-laws...... The product itself is actually worth over £15 and you get a make-up bag free. I didn’t even have to go out for it – I bought it via the Simple shop on the website – I received the sets within only 5 days – absolutely ideal.... Take a look......

Radiance - Brighten your skin

2008-12-24T09:50:42.6100000+00:00

At this time of year, when there is so little sunlight – or daylight – for that matter, my skin has always seemed to be a little more lack-lustre than usual. Not this year though! My wonderful Mother-in-law gave me a present when I gave birth to her first grand-daughter.......a selection of the Simple Radiance range. It promises to visibly brighten your skin – and I promise you it does! I am normally fairly sceptical of claims made by products – but this truly works. I love the texture of the cream – and you know the Eye Cream does make my dark circles not so obvious. Since I have had Amy, I have not been getting as much sleep as usual - and my eyes really show everyone when I have had a bad night or little or no sleep – but this cream really seems to do the trick. I know this is going to sound corny, but now I have absolutely no time for me, I love the simple things in life!

Tell us what you think of our new Regeneration Vitamin E Serum Pads?

2008-11-12T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

Our exciting new Moisturising Serum Pads are here. Infused with a special blend of Vitamin E and active moisturising ingredients to help fight the signs of premature ageing. Use after cleansing and before moisturising for lovely soft skin.

For more information about the product click here

Simply Soaring

2008-10-30T17:01:27.5200000+00:00

George McIntyre from Stirlingshire has been busy finding unusual ways for recycling Simple products. Here's what he has done with a bottle of Simple Refreshing Shower Gel. Let us know of any other unusual uses that you have for Simple products...

Does your baby love Simple too?

2008-10-30T16:40:24.2470000+00:00

Baby Poppie simply won't bathe with anything else!

Autumn Urge.....

2008-08-28T00:00:00.0000000+00:00

My Autumn Itch has come early this year. It is only just the end of August and yet I am yearning to make changes – it happens every Spring and every Autumn....... I have a desperate need to make changes – big changes and small changes – but until I have made them I simply can’t rest. The biggest one is about my wardrobe. Clothes which I really enjoyed wearing even last week are suddenly not suitable. I feel the need to know about the latest fashions and I enjoy planning the changes I am going to make and introduce. I love planning and I love the buying! In spite of my urges to go out and splurge – I am resisting for a while – firstly, it is just too soon (this urge normally comes at the end of September) and secondly, I need to get a little fitter and take better care of myself. Yes, I have done the Skin Health Check – and yes, I do need to do more exercise and drink more water and yes.... I will...... (soon!).

The one urge I have given into, however, is a new moisturiser and a new lipstick!

Whilst I enjoy these two things – my urge to buy new clothes has resided (just a little and I don’t know for how long!). I have recently switched to the Simple Age Resisting Moisturiser – it really is making a difference – I do feel as though my skin is less dry and although hard to describe it seems to have a softer/richer feel to it. Am not sure if I look younger yet but it promises to defend me from the early signs of aging – and I am really happy to believe it! I just wish it could slow down the number of grey hairs I can now see too!

Now there’s a good idea Simple. Over to you?.............................

Mangolicious – give us the lowdown!

2008-02-04T16:10:35.0000000+00:00

If you have tried Simple’s award-winning Daily Radiance moisturiser, then we would love to know your thoughts. All you have to do is post a comment to this blog.

Because Daily Radiance includes light reflecting particles that bring out the natural radiance of your skin, we think it will brighten your day – particularly in these short winter days and long winter nights. And, if you think you have a photo that captures what brightening your day means to you, then just click on the link here. All you need to do is attach your photo(s) to the email and send them back. Alternatively if you use email like Hotmail and Gmail, then just send your photos to Simplycity@Kaizo.net. We are sure what you share with us will brighten everyone’s day!

Thank you from everyone at Simple and SimplyCity

Exclusive: what do you think?

2008-01-03T10:01:21.0000000+00:00

We have been eager to put a brand new product into your hands before the rest of the world and now we have done it.

The product you have been sent is so new that no one from the press or public will have had a chance to see it, try it, or comment on it before you. However, we would love to know your thoughts, so please, please, please tell us what you think about the latest addition to Simple’s range. All you have to do is post a comment to this blog.

Thank you from everyone at Simple and Happy New Year!