Mr Blanc teeth-whitening strips

Do you have stained or discoloured teeth, but don’t fancy going through uncomfortable and expensive teeth-whitening procedures?

Despair no longer over your gnarly gnashers for help is at hand.

And that assistance comes in a small box with a French-sounding name.

Mr Blanc.

The well-designed little boxes contain a series of plastic sheets, each with two rubbery gummed appendages on them.

These strips affix to your top and bottom rows of teeth and are left there for a pleasurable, mildly pulsating 30 minutes.

The transformation after half an hour was remarkable.

The visible shine was astounding as a build of daily, weekly and yearly grime was no more.

And this was from just one usage.

No wonder celebrities are flocking to use the strips (and uploading pictures of them using them with the hashtag #mrblancteeth).   

Mr Blanc starts at a two week supply for £19.99 and goes up to a six week supply to £49.99.

• For more information click here

TanOrganic fake tanning products

With the ever-unreliable British summer on the way, now may be the time to enlist some help in getting a tan – and I know just the brand to turn to. 

TanOrganic’s top notch sunless tanning products are not only fabulously effective and giving you a bronzed glow, but also soften and moisturise skin. 

Ireland is not perhaps the first place you’d associate with the sun, so it is perhaps to be expected that superb sun-free tanning products hail from the Emerald Isle.  

TanOrganic Self Tanning Oil (£24.99 for 100ml)

This multi award-winning oil is essentially a moisturising dry oil with a elegant subtle tan.

With its moisturising qualities it instantly illuminates the skin with an irresistible glow that will leave people thinking you have just come back from a fortnight in the Maldives.

TanOrganic Oil Arganic (£24.99 for 100ml)

Body oils are essential for skin hydration and a key step in achieving a perfect glowing professional streak free tan with the perfect fade.

Oil Arganic is a dry oil, made with a unique blend of eight different plant oils.

I found not only did this work well when directly applied to my skin, but was also great as an emollient in the bath.

For more information, or to buy these products and more, click here

Totally Wicked General Election e-liquids

Britain has the chance to register its political preference by choosing its favourite party political e-liquid. 

Totally Wicked, one of the UK’s biggest independent e-cigarette and e-liquid companies, has released the General Election e-liquids with each of the five representing the major parties tussling for control of the county.

Five party leaders are represented, with Cameron's Eton Mess, Miliband's Rocky Red, Clegg's Blueberry Coalition Crumble, Bennett's Green Deal and Farage's Lunchtime Tipple.

And best of all vapers can vote on their favourite to be added permanently to Totally Wicked’s range.

While initially sceptical about using an e-liquid to determine the future of the country I soon came round to the idea.

I mean, it’s just as good as voting.

The way things are at the moment some grubby deal between two or more parties means they’ll soon be reneging on their manifesto promises.

So, why not just sit back and vape until it’s all over?  

Cameron's Eton Mess  

The current PM's old school was the starting point for this one, and with it tradition, the sound of leather on willow, summer days, and strawberries and cream.

This e-liquid is based on a British classic fresh strawberries, sweet meringue, and lashings of clotted cream. 

 

 Miliband's Rocky Red

Being leader of the opposition is often described as worst the job in British politics, so where better to escape to for a break than the great British seaside?

Famous not just for being a great holiday destination, but also for hosting many party conferences, the seaside was the inspiration.

It is minty and fruity, with a hint of pear drops, but no trace of bacon.

Clegg's Blueberry Coalition Crumble

Cleggie is known to enjoy a blueberry vape, so here it is, plus shortcake and vanilla tones.

I was tempted to mix it with Cameron’s Eton Mess for a real coalition of flavours, but knowing the flip-flopping Lib Dems, I imagine this would mix equally well with Miliband’s Rocky Red.

Farage's Lunchtime Tipple

We all know Nigel Farage likes his ciggies and a pint; now it turns out he’s also a vaper.

A full tobacco flavour with a dash of beer, topped off with a note of espresso is what UKIP vapers can look forward to.

Proving the PM wrong, there is not a hint of fruitcake in this.

Bennett's Green Deal

I wrongly expected this to be mung bean and lentil flavoured, with a hint of sandal and beard.

But thankfully this e-liquid is more palatable than your average Earth Day crustie on the third day of an open air festival.

An e-liquid to revive the spirits of any eco warrior, made with an interesting combination of gooseberries and kiwi with a hint of menthol.

Fraser Cropper, Totally Wicked MD, said: "Vapers are very politically aware so it will be interesting to see how they cast their votes.

“Will they opt for an e-liquid associated to a party that has supported the cause of vaping or will they be tribal and stick to another party irrespective of its views on vaping?”

The e-liquids are £3 each or £12 for the whole husting.

Follow the e-liquid election on Twitter with the hashtag #liquiddemocracy

• For more information click here

Darwin Brasserie at The Sky Garden, London

Those with a head for heights, a love of stunning views and a taste for delicious food can indulge all three at one of London’s newest attractions.

The Sky Garden, in the impressive ‘Walkie Talkie’ building, in Fenchurch Street, offers the opportunity to view the capital from an ear-popping 35 floors up and enjoy the terrific indoor gardens at the top of the tower.

The green spaces contrast with the rigid glass interior of the building, add in the awe-inspiring views of London so far below and you’re left with an other-worldly feeling.

Visitors can register to ascend the plush lifts online, although there is quite a waiting list.

But on the evidence of my visit, it is very much worth the wait.

Plus there are three places to eat and drink in the urban treetops, atop the greatest city in the world. 

The Darwin Brasserie offers a fabulous choice, with fine rib-eye steak mains and stand-out starters like beetroot-cured salmon on an extensive menu.

I enjoyed the perfectly-presented beetroot-cured salmon as I watched HMS Belfast below, the Shard opposite and seemingly tiny buses, cars and trains busying themselves around London Bridge.

My dining partner opted for a fabulously-presented tortellini, which I could not resist trying and was simply divine.   

Desserts, including a rich and delicious salted chocolate pavé are also available.

A fish restaurant, which has been open for around 10 weeks, and café are also located up in the clouds above the City. 

A spokesman said “Sky Garden truly takes London dining to the next level, complete with sweeping panoramas across the City.”

I could not agree more. 

• For more information click here

VIDEO: Vapourlites E-liquid EVOD batteries and cartomisers

The first thing that struck me about Vapourlites’ EVOD batteries and cartomisers was the sheer volume of vapour. 

The EVOD 650 was much like other e-liquid batteries, but with a sleeker, classier feel.

It lasts well and heats vapour to the point of a satisfying vape.

But the star of the show has to be the EVOD 900 VV Spinner battery.

With adjustable voltage to vary the vapour volume and a sleek design in chrome (other colours are also available) it makes for a cool-looking as well as very functional item.

The one downside seemed to be the relative fragility of the EVOD 900 VV Spinner.

Mine lasted around three weeks before going kaput.

I’m unsure whether this is a natural shelf-life or a faulty one.

But, the EVOD 650 is still going strong and, while not as powerful as its larger cousin, is still a force to be reckoned with. 

I tried both batteries as well as clear and smoky black cartomisers with a variety of e-liquids.

I felt the smoky black cartomisers inhibited the flavour to some degree and made for a slightly mechanical taste whichever liquid I used.

The clear cartomisers also fared poorly in flavour terms, tasting weak even with premium e-liquid. 

Therefore I felt the EVOD range worked better with other cartomisers, not necessarily from the Vapourlites range, which is a shame, when you consider how well the batteries work (when they are working).

All In all I’d rate the EVOD 650 at 7/10, the EVOD 900 VV Spinner at 8/10 and both varieties of cartomiser at 5/10.

• For more information and to order any of these products click here

Nip + Man skincare for men

With winter’s icy chill in full cry skincare becomes ever more important as temperatures plummet.

And with the boom in male grooming and a raft of top products from Nip + Man to guard against drying and the appearance of aging, there’s no excuse for men to let themselves go.

Nip + Man Scrubbing Facial Wash (150ml) £7.50

This was fabulous for exfoliation.

Unlike other exfoliating products I found this was not abrasive and was sensitive though vigorous, in clearing pores and removing the grime that can build up after a day’s existence in the 21st century.

It also hydrates and moisturises as it cleanses because of Brazilian papaya and contains invigorating caffeine.

Nip + Man Manotox (50ml) £19.95

As a man in my early thirties I’m conscious of avoiding any signs of ageing and this stuff can really help.

It’s not cheap, costing the best part of £20, but you can actually feel and see it working in the mirror as skin is tightened and firmed without the need of any nasty botulism.

It contains a substance called liftonin, which reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles and gransil, which it is claimed helps smooth the appearance of the skin.

Nip + Man Daily Power Moisturiser (100ml) £7.95

Daily Power Moisturiser is an energising day cream that hydrates and nourishes skin with a combination of ingredients to moisturise and brighten the complexion.
This power-packed formula gives dry, dull skin a wake-up call with brightening and smoothing ingredients to deeply hydrate.
Daily Power Moisturiser is designed with caffeine extract to brighten the skin while grape seed oil tightens and tones and jojoba oil soothes and nourishes.

I hugely recommend it. 

Nip + Man Turbo Face Wash (150ml) £7.95

This energising, gentle formula that works to clean and refresh skin daily.
The boffins at Nip + Man have created a formula including moisture-boosting black quinoa awakening caffeine.

Turbo Face Wash is described as “the ultimate quick fix for tired skin”, and as someone who occasionally burns the candle at both ends I found it a must-have part of my skincare routine.  

For more information click here

VIDEO: Attack that plaque and fight bad breath with UltraDEX dental care products

Get a million pound smile and make bad breath a thing of the past, by sticking to an oral care routine.

That is the advice from dental hygiene specialists UltraDEX.

And the firm has just the right tools to achieve terrific teeth by attacking the 100 million bacteria in the average human mouth.

The award-winning UltraDEX Performance Oral Care range, with its clinically proven technology is backed by extensive scientific research.

From fresh breath sprays to toothpaste and a daily oral rinse I found the neatly-packaged products to be a revelation.

The big surprise was the oral rinse, which was flavourless and colourless.

Where was the minty mouthwash-style aftertaste, I wondered.

But, on reading the packaging it was made clear that these trifles are unnecessary as, by means of alchemy, they’ve managed to pack in everything healthy teeth need without gimmicky flavours.

For those menthol-mad die hards there is a sachet of mint flavouring included, so all bases are as covered as your grateful canines and molars. 

A dizzying array of other kit can also form part of your regimen, as brushes and floss are also part of UltraDEX’s fine collection.

After spending years of simply brushing my teeth, there’s no way I’m not keeping to this new routine to keep the dentist’s whining, whirring drill at bay.

• For more information on the UltraDEX range click  here