Freebie and Competition Roundup

Hello, isn't the weather crap again? Luckily for me I'm off to New York for a few days next week - see how I threw that in, all nonchalant? - so it's time to pick some magazines for the airport. June is peak time for magazine freebie madness - probably something to do with submitting their circulation figures soon - so even if you don't usually succumb to the lure of the glossy, there are a few which are worth picking up at the moment.

Magazine Free Gifts

Marie Claire
£3.80 - but you get a very cute free Ciaté nail polish set worth a tenner. It's a mini 'cookies and cream' polish, plus a bottle of nail caviar, in pale gold tones. If you have no idea what the hell I'm on about with my talk of nail caviar, I will show you in another post. [Once I've cleaned the bathroom. It's not exactly a low maintenance look]. Anyway, it's the one with Alicia Keys on the cover, who sang with Jay-Z about New York on 'Empire State of Mind'. Oh, and also in the wrapping was a mini sample of toothpaste, very handy if like me, you happen to be going to New York. Ahem.

InStyle

This month it's at a special price of £2.50, rather than the usual £3.90, which makes the free full size 50ml Neal's Yard  Power Berry Moisturiser worth £12 even more of a bargain. Fairtrade, Organic and Cruelty Free. What's not to like? [Well, there is an article where Cheryl Cole says absolutely nothing of any interest and wears a dress made out of wicker, but you can ignore that bit]

Elle
It's a bit odd that they've decided to give away a Rodial Self Tan lotion the month that porcelain skinned actress Amy Adams is on the cover, but mine is not to question the doubtless terrifying editorial team at Elle. I'm not buying this one because I don't do fake tan - flashbacks to a secondary school production of Jesus Christ Superstar in which I appeared as a tango'd leper - however, a £4 spend for a product worth £13.50 seems pretty good, if you're a bronzed glamazon type.

Red
Free this month is Elemis Beauty Balm worth £11.50. Red is usually £4.00 but is currently on offer in Tesco at half price. This is a real 'luxury brand' moisturiser - if you bought the full size 50ml product it would cost you £32, so for an £8 spend you could get 60ml.

Cosmopolitan
Not quite such an impressive offering from Cosmo, one of three pairs of sunglasses, some Smints mints and a packet of sweeties. You could probably get equivalent sunnies in Primark for around about the £3.60 spend, but it might prevent you from being nagged by the offspring for a comic while you browse the mags if you bribe them with the sweets.

Glamour
£2 gets you the magazine and one of five products from Model Co. There's a mascara worth £16, two lipglosses at £16 each, plus a lipliner and an eyeliner retailing at £15 apiece. I've never tried their products but it would be a great way of replenishing your makeup bag on a budget.

Once you've finished the mags - or if you've bought multiple copies - why not drop them in to your local dentist or doctor's surgery? There's nothing worse than being without a book at the health centre and having to resort to reading a copy of People's Friend from 1992, or a leaflet on malaria. Hairdressers always need a good supply of glossies too, and I've also seen them sold in certain charity shops.

Competition of the week

I was asked by Bathstore.com to help launch their latest competition - they must have heard about my shady past as a comper - and as the prizes look pretty good I was happy to oblige. All you have to do is guess which blockbuster movie (from this year) the prizes they've stuffed into their bathroom cabinet refer to, and email your answer to them, along with the make of cabinet they've used. Bit random, but look what you can win:

• Simon Carter cufflinks from Liberty of London
• Mac red lipstick
• Black and silver beaded headband
• Red feather boa
• Baz Luhrman's 'Epic Romances' DVD boxset
• Silver plated faux pearl and diamanté necklace
• Sunday jazz cruise on the Thames for two

[I think I know the answer - my advice would be to think more about the 'Jazz' aspect of the cruise prize than the fact you're on the Thames. And perhaps pretend the setting is New York rather than London. Anyway, full details on how to enter are here, and the competition closes at midnight on 24th June]

Once again I am woefully behind on reading everyone's blogs - I apologize, again - and am unlikely to manage to catch up as this weekend I'm off on my sister's hen do. We're white water rafting - as you do - and then off to Essex glam mecca Sugar Hut to mingle with big boobed D-listers. Obviously I'll fit right in.

Seen any good freebies or comps? Let me know in the comments.

Lakota x