As I have a holiday coming up I wanted to get my nails done beforehand to see if they were any good, I chose to have Bio-sculpture gel nails at The Retreat in Gosling Sports centre, Welwyn Garden City. As I am already a member in the gym I walk past the salon everyday and occasionally check to see if they have any offers. My nails had grown quite long so I thought this would be a good time to try it before deciding if I should get them done for my holidays next month.

My nails were shaped and buffed lightly, my cuticles were ‘filed’ off and a clear coat of gel was applied. Then two coats of white gel were applied to my tips but no pink or peach was applied to give it that natural ‘French’ look.

The technician was nice but as my nails have grown a lot since I had them done two weeks ago I can notice the faults. The smile lines are straight rather than curved and it looks really dull. When I got home my nails were so sharp that I kept cutting myself so u had to file them again. I have also noticed that my nail has cracked near the smile line! I am almost positive that it wasn’t there before I had my nails done as I do them every few days so it must’ve appeared afterwards.

I won’t be able to have gel nails on holiday as they will be too short and I really wanted French tips. I now have to pay £12 to have them removed and then cut my nails really short so they can grow back again. I really wouldn’t advise going to The Retreat as they do not have good lighting and no ventilation. So if you are pregnant and want to have your nails done its not advisable if you cannot have proper ventilation, there are no windows or an extractor.

As my nails grow fast it was not ideal for me as you can see the nail bed outgrowing the gel area after just a week. I will stick to my own manicures as I can change them as often as I want if I get bored without having to pay a total of £43 in two weeks to have the gel put on and then taken off again.

I would have preferred to have the pink gel also applied and the white tips a little whiter as they look washed out after a week.

Driver instructor insurance is not much different from personal car insurance cover. It covers all the different aspects, like theft, accidents, liability, etc., which are insured under any general car insurance. The only difference lies in the cover that driving instructor insurance provides to the students of insured instructor. It doesn’t matter if you are teaching your students full-time or part-time, you always need to possess this insurance for taking up the teaching job.

In fact, the need of this insurance is much greater than any other driving insurance due to higher possibility of claims associated with the students. While a personal insurance covers your personal liabilities only, driving instructor insurance covers entire liability of all of your students. You never know when your students will get into an accident and claim or something like that and you might get dragged into a lawsuit too. So, you always need to be prepared beforehand and for that you must possess this type of policy.

But, as the number of people being insured under this coverage, it is much more than a single person in case of personal insurance, you also need to pay comparatively a large sum for purchasing the insurance and for paying the premiums. If you are finding this insurance cover to be a little more expensive for your pocket, more so if you have just started out your teaching endeavour, then you can go with the insurance carriers that offer month-by-month insurance plan. However, it is wise to opt for a yearly plan instead of a monthly plan if you are already an established instructor. This will cost you less.

Although this insurance policy includes each and every student under its cover, it doesn’t require you to name any of them in your policy. This insurance will cover any accident, occurred during the period of driving lessons, along with any hospital bill and legal fees thereof. But there are certain rules of this insurance that an insured must adhere to, like not to bring any item or people that are not directly related to the driving lessons. This is because such items or people will not be covered under driving instructor insurance. If you violate this rule, you could end up losing your claim even if your claim is completely genuine. Besides, you could also end up losing your insurance cover and your instructor license once and for all.

There is one more important thing that you must know about and that is to know the limitations of your policy. If you are an independent individual instructor, then you can make do with single person driving instructor insurance. But when you grow into a driving instruction company, your insurance protection should also change accordingly. This new insurance policy should not only cover you and your students but also your employees.

Yesterday night my partner spontaneously decided to go out to eat at a restaurant, it was a Tuesday evening so I thought why not, it shouldn’t be too busy. I was in the mood for Chinese food so I went online to find a good restaurant that was within easy reach as I didn’t feel like travelling too far. I came across Fu Hao in Welwyn Garden City as it wasn’t too far from where I am and decided to give it a try.

There weren’t any reviews for Fu Hao so I wanted to go there with an open mind; from the outside it looks nice and quiet. When we went in it was so tiny there were only 5 tables and a small counter where the waiters were. I think there are some more spaces upstairs but when we went at 7pm only three of the five tables were occupied. When we asked for a table we were directed to the one at the window, just as I was about to sit down I was asked if I could move to the table on the other side of the room.

The waitress was friendly but her English was very poor and she couldn’t understand us and neither could we understand her. My partner wanted Coke and I had pineapple juice, he realised his was flat and asked for another one. The waitress said it came from a bottle not a can and that there wasn’t another one. The bottle was diet coke, we asked for regular! My partner had to opt for apple juice instead as there wasn’t much choice of beverages.

We ordered sweet corn and crab meat soup and Thai spring rolls; we then had a duck dish, squid dish with some egg fried rice and a side of noodles with bean sprout. I love Chinese food so was very excited as it has been some time since we have been out to eat at a Chinese restaurant. The soup was ok nothing spectacular, I’ve had better and the spring rolls were tiny and didn’t taste of much. The squid was horrible; it didn’t taste of anything other than being boiled. The duck was the only thing that was ok but then again nothing spectacular. I have eaten out at many restaurants but this has been the worst so far. If you want food on a budget then this is the place for you but be warned it isn’t very tasty. If you want gorgeous tasting food with a lovely atmosphere and waitresses you can understand then this is not the place for you.

Save your money and go elsewhere as there are other restaurants that are cheaper with better tasting food. I rate Fu Hao 4/10 as the food was extremely disappointing and the restaurant was very claustrophobic.

Since I have finally kicked the habit of biting my nails I quite enjoy having my nails done on a regular basis. I have been a nail biter since I was a child my mum has never had the chance to trim my nails in her whole life and numerous attempts to stop have all failed. Just recently I decided to stop but my nails became soft and brittle. They would chip and split at every chance they get but after months of treatment my nails were healthy and no longer prone to chipping or splitting. I was happy with my weekly French manicures with the occasional nail art but I wanted to make my manicures last longer than a week so I did some research on how to prolong my nail colour without nail extensions or acrylic.

What is bio sculpture nails?
It’s basically a gel that is applied on the natural nail that allows the nails to breathe and grow without damaging them. As it had taken me so long to get my nails in good shape I was very tempted to try this to see if it was worth it. It’s a nice way to preserve the strength, colour and encourage nail growth especially if you have a special occasion coming up such as a wedding, graduation or party. You can guarantee that they will last for at least two weeks as a minimum, it depends on your nail growth speed and how well you look after them.

When I went to get mine done the nail technician buffed my nails slightly and shaped them, they were cleaned and my cuticles were also worked on. A clear gel was applied that then had to be cured under a UV light to make the gel harden and dry. Afterwards a white gel was added to my tips for a French manicure, the nail technician said that they didn’t put pink in between the smile line and nail bed as it would quickly fade. Two coats of white were added to my tips as one coat is barely noticeable. The whole process took a little over an hour.

After my nails didn’t really look like they had been done as my ‘at home French manicure’ looked better than the salon one. I paid £31 for it to be done and found it quite expensive, they seem fine but I just wanted to know how long they will really last and if they really prevent any damage to my nails. I am sceptical so I will have to wait and see but I recommend everyone trying them at least once as not everyone’s expectations are the same, out of ten I would give it a 7/10.

A few years ago I started to suffer from a bad back and as my mum has also had problems with hers I knew it was a matter of time before it started to affect me too. I did some research and found that there was a lot of hype surrounding memory foam mattresses so I did a little research. Compared to a ‘standard’ spring mattress I was impressed as the mattresses I have had in the past had springs stick out after a few years which can be very dangerous. I needed a mattress that was firm but not too firm as I have a husband that would also be sharing this bed.

I went to all the major be stores including Dreams, Silentnight and local furniture shops such as Harvey’s, I tested them all out. They were really comfortable and my husband seemed to like them too, when I checked the price they were really ridiculous such as £500 – £800 for a mattress. I did check the website prior to going and they were cheaper such as £120 – £350 but they were really thin mattresses or mattresses that were soft. I was really disappointed, the bed frame I wanted was only £120 so spending up to £800 on a mattress seemed really silly.

I finally did buy my mattress through eBay and was so pleased I bought another one for the spare bedroom. All the guests that have slept in the spare room have complimented me on the good night’s sleep they had. Even my mum, dad, sister and aunt want one since sleeping on the bed. I would advise buying memory foam pillows too; they really do make a difference.

One year after purchasing my memory foam mattress
Like everyone who buys something at a bargain price you wonder how it will fair in a year or more from the time it was purchased. I bought my memory foam mattress for £120 with the recommended retail price (R.R.P) of at least £400 through eBay. I was willing to take the risk as I have purchased many things through them with no problems. So one year later I am pleased to say my mattress is still fantastic, it has retained its firmness and not sagged. I still have a wonderful night’s sleep and my memory foam pillows are still as good as new. The downside is that the memory foam mattress is so well insulated that during the summer months you can get very hot and sweaty but then again it’s a god send for the cold winter months as after a few minutes on the mattress you are nice and snug.

I would recommend a memory foam mattress but do try it out first as some people have difficulty adapting to a mattress that moulds to your body. Shop around and do not be afraid to purchase online from a reputable dealer.

One of the most exiting experiences of being a teenager is being able to take driving lessons legally. With the UK laws stating you can only start taking lessons when you have a provisional licence many teenagers are forced to wait until they turn 17 to be able to drive. This is not necessarily true as teenagers as young as 14 can learn to drive, this is far too young and the appropriate age of 17 is a good time to start.

Leaning to drive before turning seventeen
There are many learner centres that also provide under 17 driving lessons but there are rules that prevent underages learners from having the full advantage of driving lessons.

• You do not need a provisional licence
• You cannot drive on a public highway
• It is illegal to ask a parent or friend to supervise you on a public road
• You can only drive on private land

If you are under 17 then why not ask your parents to get you a taster lesson for your birthday, they are an excellent way to see what the driving course entails. The benefits of learning to drive a year younger than the national requirement enables you to have an advantage over the other students your age. Whilst they are learning the basics of stopping, starting, clutch control and parking you are well on your way to passing in the minimum amount of lessons needed

Be warned that you still need an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) to teach you if you are under 17 and that lesson can be quite expensive. If you want to save then you could choose a group booking method that allows you to split the cost between a few friends but are still able to benefit from a real driving lesson.

Remember that when you turn 17 you will need to apply for a provisional driving licence that will enable you to take driving lessons on the open road.

After noticing many different stubborn weeds appearing in the cracks of my patio I decided to dig them out individually. After that failed my only other solution was to buy a weed killer that killed the weed along with the roots. As I have many pets I was reluctant at first to resort to such extreme measures, but after much research and reading reviews I decided to try Weedol Max weed killer.

Weedol Max weed killer is very hard to miss in the shops, it comes in a red bottle whereas most of teh others are in a green or white bottle. At £5 a bottle it isn’t cheap but it promises to kill other things as well such as algae and moss. It says on the bottle that children and animals will be safe after the area has been treated. I did find the spray to be quite toxic so I had to lock my pets indoor for awhile, the bottle promises to work in as little as 10 minutes or a maximum of an hour. I did notice a small difference on the weeds I targeted as they began to wilt and change colour but they were pretty much ineffective at the larger and more established weeds such as those dandelions that grow on lawn areas. Also they all came back within a matter of weeks which was extremely disappointing as the 1 litre bottle only allows me to do two applications as I have a large garden. I know they have the larger spray pack but it costs around £20 so I wanted to try the smaller first and I’m glad I did.

Weedol Max just isn’t worth the price tag and the product really reeks I know it’s supposed to be made from plant extract but it still made my chest feel tight (I’m an asthma sufferer). I have tried cheaper weed killers and they did not work but after trying Weedol I’m even more convince3d that weed killers do not work. The best thing to do is pull them out with the roots and unfortunately if you want an immaculate garden this should be done on a regular basis, the plus side to this is you get a good work out from getting down and dirty in the garden.

If I have to use a weed killer then I would do some research and make my own at least then I wouldn’t have to fork out so much money for unce4rtain results and it’ll be cheaper too.

It’s amazing what lengths companies will do to draw in customers. As I previously wrote about memory foam mattresses it was only fair I do the same for memory foam mattress topper.

What is a memory foam mattress topper?
It’s the same as a mattress only thinner, it is placed on top of your original mattress most likely one that you have had a long time like a spring mattress. Memory foam mattress toppers were introduced because the market for memory foam mattresses was becoming increasingly popular. It is so popular that some customers are willing to fork out up to £1000 for a memory foam mattress.

Although I have two memory foam mattresses on in my bedroom and in the guest bedroom £1000 a mattress is quite shocking. So when companies try to sell memory foam mattress toppers they only start from around £70 so it looks like you are making a saving. In reality you are being made a fool as a full sized memory foam mattress can cost as little as £100.

Memory foam matters toppers in my opinion are just another way for memory foam manufacturers to make more money. You do not actually save any money as the mattress under the topper will need to be thrown away anyway so you should just buy a memory foam mattress that will last a long time anyway.

Memory foam mattress toppers usually last a lot less that the mattress, studies have found that o average they only last around 2 years but the memory foam mattress will have a guarantee of 5 years. Other factors such as weight and mattress condition will also have a negative effect on the toppers life span. People who are overweight will find that the memory foam will lose its firmness and elasticity quicker. If you have a mattress that is sagging already then by putting a mattress topper on top will only cause it to sag too, cutting its life span in half.

If you do choose to buy a mattress topper instead of a mattress then shop around to make sure you are getting a good deal. Also be aware that you may have to buy another in a few years, beware of companies that do not provide you with enough information such as depth, firmness and density. You may come to find that your product is not at all that was described. Most reputable companies also come with at least one years guarantee but memory foam mattresses can come with as much as a 5 year guarantee so if you are spending too much ask yourself why.

When I bought my house I knew that my bedrooms would have memory foam mattresses and pillows. I suffer from a bad back and the reviews and feedback I have gotten from friends who own them have been very good. I have tried all the mattresses available on the market including the so called ‘orthopaedic’ mattress but it still didn’t help. I had a colleague who once spent £5,000 on just a mattress because she thought it would help her get a good night’s sleep. It lasted no more than a year before she had to replace it. Like most people I enjoy getting a good night’s sleep and if I don’t I get cranky, also as I suffer from a bad back the thought of waking up in the morning all twisted and sore would really ruin my day.

Choosing a memory foam mattress?
When I decided that a memory foam mattress was for me I went to all the major furniture and mattress shops to see what the retail price was and to try them out. It turns out that the mattress would cost more than the actual bed frame and this was the case everywhere I went. The cheapest memory foam mattress I saw in the larger stores were no less than £200, they were also thinner than the standard mattresses and I would also have to pay delivery. Memory foam mattresses also come in grades of firmness so you can get a softer or firmer mattress depending on your needs, just like spring mattresses. The mattress I wanted was retailing £900 or more but the bed frame I wanted was only £120, it seemed silly and outrageous but I was determined that I could find the same thing cheaper.

Buying a memory foam mattress cheap
I searched online as I know all the shops were over charging but even then some internet sites were charging silly prices for delivery. In the end I found somewhere that I could buy the mattress that I needed at a fraction of the price that included delivery and two free memory foam pillows. Memory foam pillows on their own retail from £50 so to get them free with a mattress seemed perfect. The mattress cost £120 with two pillows and free delivery. I know what you are thinking, ‘there’s no way it was the same as a £900 mattresses, but how many people really know the difference? Memory foam mattresses are all made the same way with the same materials the difference in price is in who manufactured it and where it came from. If you buy one from Dreams you are being over charged but if you buy from the source you pay factory prices and this is what I did.

You can buy a good quality memory foam mattress without paying over the odds you just need to shop around, read reviews and make sure it’s a trusted company before you buy. If you buy online then make sure that you can return it if it doesn’t meet your expectations or you don’t like it. As memory foam mattresses are vacuum packed they are rolled up into a log shape and once you open it, it will unravel into a mattress and plump up. Some places will not allow you to return it if you have already let all the air out the vacuum seal, so check first.

A few days ago my electric shower stopped working, I only had it a year but it was a cheap unknown brand so I wasn’t too upset. I decided to buy a replacement shower that had a good reputation, last years to come and that was also modern. The original shower I had was white and I wasn’t very fussy on whether it should be the same or chrome instead. When I checked the shower connections before buying a replacement I noticed that the water pipe connection was not the standard installation required. So I had to find a replacement shower that could be installed using the existing connections. The only shower I found that came close was Triton T80Z; the average retail price is £130. They vary from £102 to £190 for the basic white finish. The chrome version of Triton T80Z costs on average £200 but I have seen it being sold for as little as £180.

When I saw the shower it did look very nice and well suited to my existing bathroom suite and for £150 for the white or £200 for the chrome shower it came with a 3 year warranty. Since my last one only lasted a year and packed up just after the warranty finished I was sure that this was the shower for me. To be honest I had no choice and it was either this or smash my bathroom and change the plumbing to fit any other standard electric shower.

Like I said before the chrome retails for £200 and the white for £150 I originally placed an order for the white but they ordered the chrome instead, but since my shower had been broken for a week I really needed it. I managed to get them to sell the shower to me for £150 that’s £50 of the average price! The most I have seen this shower sell for was £270 so I was very proud of the saving I had made.

Triton T80Z chrome electric shower 9.5kw review
When I took it out the box I was a little disappointed the chrome cover for the shower unit was very light and looked extremely fragile. Fitting the shower was simple and the instructions were easy. The shower does have a handy economy setting that allows you to save water but I hate it because the pressure on this setting is very terrible you end up spending twice as long so therefore it doesn’t save you time or money when using it. When in the normal standard setting the pressure of the water is really good, the shower head also has 5 different spray settings so you are sure to find one that suits you. Overall it does look nice and function well, it also came with a 3 year warranty but I do think it is massively overpriced. Unless you get it for £150 – £180 I wouldn’t bother, spending £200+ on a fragile shower is just not worth it!  But if you like style and function over the price then go for it as the shower itself serves its purpose.