Vinted Mandatory “Buyer Protection Fee” needs renaming to “Non Refundable Vinted Sales Tax”

When things go wrong buying and selling on Vinted it helps to be in the know

Margaret Clayton

2026-03-23T15:51:55.4930000 2026-03-23T16:01:42.3970000

i am sharing this Vinted story, experience because I needed to rant and I also think it will stop others getting burned shopping and selling on the popular app.

I bought an item on 16th February, 2026 on Vinted.

I of course paid the mandatory buyer protection fee.

The seller was great. I’ve shopped with her before, communicated with me about the item and shipped it immediately. No messing about.

By the 23rd February, Evri the shipper confirmed the item was lost. I was gutted. Really wanted the item but the seller was great, we both notified Vinted and based on Vinted policies and the buyer protection fee paid wrongly assumed we’d both be covered.

Vinted said I had to wait until 13th March to receive a refund. Not ideal I thought but hey if that’s the rules then so be it.

I didn’t realise as I am not on the Vinted app everyday I had anything further to do regarding this transaction so I am writing this snoop as a warning to others who may get burned in the same way on Vinted at the hands of the business, their policies and a shipper like Evri.

Apparently on 15th March I received a notification from Vinted saying the parcel had been delivered, it hadn’t but this is their process. I then had 2 days to dispute this assumption, they already knew to be untrue as we had provided details from the shipper declaring the parcel lost. I didn’t dispute the assumption as I wasn’t on the app, so the transaction went through and was completed even though Vinted knew the item was lost.

When I saw this 3 or 4 days later and took it up with Vinted their response was basically “tough”. They told me I basically had two days to dispute the delivery, I didn’t do that, so the transaction was completed even though they had documentation from Evri saying the parcel was lost, and according to Vinted the time had now conveniently passed to take this up with Evri the shipper.

Shocking I know.

Fortunately the purchase wasn’t expensive so when the kind seller offered to split the loss with me if I sent her my bank details, there was no way on the Vinted app to offer any kind of refund for this situation; I declined. It wasn’t fair for her to lose her product and the money as much as it wasn’t fair for me either.

Vinted sitting in the middle weren’t bothered about either of us.

Which is fine.

If like me you use the app, better to know the pitfalls and if you decide to buy or sell on Vinted I am sharing this experience because being in the know, what to do if the shipper loses your item, which does happen more than it should is good. Don’t expect Vinted to help you if you don’t catch the item being delivered assumption notification and contest it, even if you’re in communication with them. Makes no difference.

I have included our last communication which did make me laugh. You can’t say “we (Vinted) are sorry you are not satisfied with the proposed solution” when you didn’t propose a solution.

Come on Vinted just own what you do. It’s fine if we all know the situation and choose to still use the site. Although the mandatory “buyer protection fee” maybe needs renaming to non refundable shopping premium or plain and simple “Vinted Sales Tax” as there wasn’t any buyer protection for me in this case.

Masterchef The Professionals why change is good but presenters pay needs to be the same

Why Women taking over regular Masterchef is Even Better

Margaret Clayton

2026-03-18T08:42:06.6770000 2026-03-18T09:02:15.5730000

Have you been watching masterchef the professionals 2026. I think it’s the best series ever now they have finally got rid of Gregg Wallace the show has taken on a more stylish and “professional” aura.

I feel confident while ever Monica Galetti remains on board she would never allow the behaviour that got Gregg Wallace and John Torode sacked to permeate and infiltrate. She is my favourite judge on Masterchef the professionals, a little bit scary but always fair and consistent. Everything you need in a judge.

Matt Tebbutt joined MasterChef: The Professionalsas a new judge for the 18th series, which premiered in February 2026. He replaced former judge Gregg Wallace, who was dismissed following a series of misconduct allegations, joining established judges Monica Galetti and Marcus Wareing.

Now the Saturday Kitchen host has joined the lineup I think they’ve got the line up absolutely right. I don’t really understand why he only got a one season tenure. Was it a get out clause for the BBC in case the audience didn’t approve.

The reaction from us the viewers has been very favourable describing his less in your face approach as an absolute breath of fresh air.

It makes me wonder how many other presenting teams on great formats could do with a shake up. When news reader Clive Myrie took over hosting Mastermind replacing veteran journalist John Humphrys in 2021 I returned to watching one of the oldest and most successful long running formats on TV.

TV executives get stuck using the same people year in year out thinking the public won’t cope with a change and putting too much stock in presenting teams to keep the audience loyal. Personally I think it’s crazy, give someone new a chance, Matt Tebbutt has proved a new face and fresh dynamic makes things better. More talent, more gratitude and less ego make for a winning combination.

Even the contestants in this year’s Masterchef the professionals seem more relaxed and at ease. Leaning in to the tasks at hand, being guided by professional chefs who have earned their stripes and can give real tutelage.

We are now at the semi final stage, Sel from Guatemala went home last night after taking a risk that didn’t come off with his white truffle ice cream.

We think Gareth is the winner in our house, but there’s still some stiff competition from the ladies, Georgia with her Mediterranean flavours and Caroline from Brazil who seemed perfect and a judges favourite until her parfait melted last night into a creamy puddle. She struggled to remain composed, the disappointment was palpable.

There’s everything to play for with unassuming Dad of four Luke putting out some incredible plates, everyone getting better and better and Jack Black look alike from Northern Ireland John holding his own too especially when it comes to working with an open flame or at the barbecue.

For me I hope Matt Tebbut and the BBC change their minds and he’s back for at least another season. I for one am really glad to see the back of Gregg Wallace with his exaggerated fakery in favour of someone way more credible.

Personally I am delighted to see an all female lineup replacing John Torode and Gregg Wallace in food critic Grace Dent and Chef and restaurateur Anna Haugh when Masterchef for amateur cooks, series 22 returns in 2026. There has been no information released however whether the women are being paid the same money for doing the same job. I don’t need to know the amount. I’d just like to know if they are being paid less which I am assuming is likely as equivalent pay has not been mentioned.

Dates to be announced, the recommendation is keep your eyes on the radio and TV times.

After all the sexual allegations against the previous pair I think the BBC had no choice but to finally elevate and recognise women for these roles.

I’ve Been Posting Regularly On TIKTOK For A Year And This Is What I’ve Learned

My experience will surprise you, all of a sudden I realised what was going wrong.

Margaret Clayton

2025-12-21T12:19:24.2030000 2025-12-22T10:21:26.1400000

TIKTOK

Growing an account on social media these days is very difficult. We managed to build a following 10 years ago on Instagram but when it got hacked and we couldn’t get our company handle back we stopped putting in the effort there as we saw the platform become controlled by algorithms and paid advertisers and moved over to TikTok.

It’s very interesting to see TikTok advertising on TV for the first time this holiday season and the advert is marketing TikTok as a place to find recipes of all things. The lady with dementia being visited by her son who’s made an apple tarte tartine and the feel good vibes as the taste triggers her memory.

It’s interesting to me where they are trying to position themselves to a new audience.

I’ve had three goes at building an account and marketing on TikTok, the best I’ve managed regarding an kind of significant traffic and going viral was a very funny clip I managed to capture, a fluke which did get 100,000 views the rest I struggled to get over 1000.

I’ve followed a few TikTok strategy gurus, and done what they have recommended to the letter, the last post I made suggested posting a 7 second clip, any clip, didn’t matter, with the heading “If you are seeing this clip it’s a sign from the universe” there are a lot of lonely people out there and enduring tough times right now so I chose a clip with a massive love heart about CONNECTION, what this site is all about, I picked TIKTOK recommended music as suggested, the sales pitch from the guru was her student got 2.6 million views when they followed this tip, I normally get between 700-1000, for this post you can see I got 7 views. So you can see it hasn’t made a difference, if anything the engagement was worse following their tips than doing my own thing. You can see I posted two posts about snoopers rants and raves, both pretty much the same, the first one about CBD oil got 50 views, the second one about sunglasses I popped a picture of model Gigi Hadid over and that got 250 views, not ground breaking I realise but clearly people are five times more engaged by a model they recognise than a brown bottle of Hemp Heros.

I guess logically it would make sense if everyone is doing the same thing, following the same tips, presented to them by the TIKTOK algorithm, what TIKTOK wants users to do. TIKTOK’s job is to keep you engaged and hopeful, tap into your desire to go viral just like a dating app taps into your desire to fall in love and live happily ever after. However TIKTOK like Google can only show a certain number of accounts and ultimately chooses the accounts that best benefit them by delivering what the audience wants and keeps them swiping and engaged. Like the top spots on Google’s first page, there are only a few and of course they go to the people that pay the most, unless you have managed to build something over time, like here on Poopsnoop, all original community moderated content the search engines love.

In a world of AI generated content and everyone doing the same thing, following the same strategies, listening to the same few people for a handful of top spots it’s obvious it’s not going to work.

The only way you are going to break through is by doing the work, being consistent, having a great product, message that people want to buy, listen to, or get something from.

If you enjoy your time on TikTok, connecting with others and find it rewarding and pleasurable then why not but if you are looking to it to save your business or really grow your reach for free I think that’s is unlikely to happen based on my experience.

There are so many posts on TikTok saying something like, I’ve been on TIKTOK for a year, posting regularly and this is what I’ve learnt.

Why I thought it would be a good title for a snoop.

A Snooper Introduced Me To Hemp Heroes For Animals and Humans What a Recommendation

Animal lovers who help humans too

Margaret Clayton

2025-12-19T10:25:47.7330000 2025-12-19T11:37:39.4330000

I read about Hemp Heroes on here, a snooper was sharing about an injury and it shows how Poopsnoop works, not just for small brands but for people too. You get to know the snoopers and over time, because I am a content moderator and read everything I find out about all the products and the people who use them. So I know I can trust the recommendations. They are not marketing posts from random strangers, but solid advice from online friends and real connections. I had Hemp Heroes on my radar because of PS then lo and behold I was watching Ideal World home shopping channel, which I almost never watch and saw a segment marketing the balm. I was so surprised to see them on there, you know something you’ve never heard of and then by chance they are right there on TV. I have to say I took it as a bit of a sign, not that I am remotely religious.

The best things about Hemp Heroes, well there are a few. You’d imagine David Hartigan the boss to be old, he’s seasoned and wise but he’s not old at all, he’s actually really young. And yet he runs his growing award winning company with the personal touch you’d expect from a grandpa figure not a young man in his twenties.

The best thing about Hemp Heroes, aside from the products is the instant messaging. How many companies can you ask a question and pretty much get an immediate response, whether it’s about product not arrived or assistance with a minescus tear, there’s someone on hand to answer any question you might throw at them.

And whilst the shipping is FREE, not really just included, they don’t cut corners. They use DPD, not Evri to ensure packages are delivered safely and quickly and reliably where ever you are in the world.

It’s the type of local feeling you get when you pop down the chippy and they throw in an extra battered sausage just because it’s you. Maybe it’s the Irish charm but as a customer the staff at Hemp Heroes manage to make you feel valued, cared for, something not many companies manage to achieve these days.

The reviews online are a testament to great products and this wonderful service I have experienced. So it’s not just a fluke. I found out about their pet care range on here from another snooper and decided to give it a try for a rescue collie dog we were struggling with. She had bad anxiety, barking, waking up the house at night and didn’t know what to try. A couple of weeks with the CBD chews and she’s a different dog entirely.

Then we had a knee injury to contend with and a very grumpy patient and I decided to try the CBD oil, I went for the stronger one 1000mg and it has really helped calm things down. We also purchased the balm for topical application to the injury itself and although it’s early days, and the jury’s still out, there are definitely less grunts and groans getting in and out of the chair. I have avoided explaining what it is exactly, not sure how that would go down, it’s one of those things I just say someone else recommended it for the same problem and leave it at that.

This is a product that definitely works. You don’t notice what it is doing until you don’t have it, a trip away for a week when I was nervous to fly with it, not sure why I just didn’t want any weird difficult questions at a foreign airport yet being without it for the time away we definitely noticed a difference in sleeping especially. Something at the time I put down to jet lag but when I returned I knew it was not having the CBD oil.

So anyone struggling with an anxious pet or someone who won’t stop barking, weeing on the rug, waking you up give the pet product range a try and the same for humans, you might just find grumpy family members for whatever reason are much easier to live with whilst they recuperate.

The recommendation on the bottles whether the 500mg strength or the 1000mg strength is to start taking one drop per day but people take anywhere from one drop to 1.5 droppers full I am reliably informed by David and team, the Hemp

Oil experts. We have found one dropper of the 1000mg is good for a 6ft 2 man weighing 14 stone.

https://hempheros.com/

After Eight Limited Edition Collectible Box By Camille Walala 2025 while stocks last

Make sure you pick up a box of After Eight By Camille Walala. I have a feeling by 2026 they will...

Margaret Clayton

2025-12-16T14:39:55.3570000 2025-12-16T15:02:07.9000000

Camille Walala is an East London-based textile, graphic, and interior designer influenced by the Memphis movement, the Ndebele tribe, and op-art master Victor Vasarely.

The irreverent French artist harnesses optimistic typography and exuberant geometries to create entire environments that stimulate the senses and inspire pure joy. Why for me her collaboration with the British iconic after dinner Christmas treat staple After Eight is an obvious pairing.

Her work encompasses full-facade murals, immersive 3D installations, street art, interiors, and set design. So some may imagine a limited edition chocolate box is outside her remit.

Me on the other hand see her recognisable work in White City and Leyton, East London easily transferred to the wafer thin chocolate mints, After Eights even the Monty Python crew captured their irresistible nature in the “one more wafer thin mint” gag “Finally Monsieur a wafer thin mint” the exact quote, of Mr Creosote in The Meaning Of Life, repeated by people all over the world when being so gluttonous they believe they may actually explode. The new box design didn’t stop me eating 10, wafer thin mints until I felt a little over done, the new box design however much admired didn’t stop us opening the early Christmas gift either.

It’s a reference that has come to mean for certain foods the inability to stop consuming them; After Eights for many enjoys this status and perhaps why the particular reference was chosen in the first place by the Monty Python writers John Cleese, Terry Jones, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin.

In the UK After Eights will always be connected for me and especially at Christmas.

Camille Wahala practice has taken her all over the world to transform homes and workspaces with her signature tribal-pop style, which has been beautifully and stylishly transferred to the totally collectible After Eight box. Whilst based on the UK the French artist has become a recognizable force on London’s street art scene with her joyful murals and colorful installations so to see her work on a significantly smaller but commercially more expansive scale, possibly in almost every home in the UK Christmas 2025 is a joyous exposure for a widely appreciated super talented artist, into a market that perhaps would never have seen her work or ever heard of her.

Personally I’d love to see more deep rooted established brands like After Eight, made by food giant Nestle, but created by Rountree in 1962 elevating creative talent in this way and catapulting them swiftly into the main stream so a much wider audience get exposed to their work.

This is so good for nurturing artistic talent and providing a cultural cross over into the main stream for creatives to connect with an audience they perhaps may not otherwise reach.

I will be buying one more to keep for posterity. The challenge will be, will we be able to refrain from opening it. To be admired for years to come like any other great work of art.

White Christmas The Most Fabulous Music and Mirth Show

Escape into the magical score of Irving Berlin and the choreography of Robert Alton

Margaret Clayton

2025-12-01T08:02:31.0870000 2025-12-01T08:13:23.5030000

White Christmas

These are a few of my favourite things. I know, different movie.

Some might question why we can watch the same films over and over again, like listening to our favourite songs or reading our favourite books, revisiting the feelings and memories of a time, that probably wasn’t that fantastic in reality when we escaped into a dream, humour or just shared something a parent or loved one enjoyed.

There are a few parts of White Christmas, starring Bing Crosby, (my Dad loved his voice) and Danny Kaye, I loved his moves, and the contrast between his uncoordinated physical comedy I think of as the draw to return.

The “Sisters” number where Betty and Judy, played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera Allen establish for the audience their commitment to one another, the strength of their relationship, the suggestion a union that nothing, not even love to could come between. Only in the movies. I can visualise the chiffon of the cornflower blue dresses, a long time favourite colour of mine. And those tiny waists and skinny legs Hollywood studio bosses demanded of their female leads in the 1950s.

The show in Vermont, put on to show the aging General Waverley who commanded Bob and Fred (Crosby and Kaye) during the war, he is remembered and respected. I love the scale of it, all the marching, the haphazard almost unrehearsed perfect performances by the stars, the music of course and the lump in the throat it always manages to deliver. It’s the shared emotion conjured that make it a classic I guess.

And the scene at the end where the tiny ballerinas join the cast around the massive Christmas tree, reminds me of visits to the Nutcraker in posh frocks, winter coats and patent mary Jane’s and all the excitement those visits to the theatre conjured. Pure nostalgia for two hours escapism.

The film was made in 1954 and directed by

Michael Curtis and along side Crosby and Kaye, stars leading ladies Rosemary Clooney and Vera Allen as sisters Betty and Judy. The other standout performance comes from Mary Wickes who plays a hilarious Emma, General Waverley’s housekeeper at the Inn in Vermont where all the action takes place.

If you’ve never watched it, I can’t imagine that could possibly be the case, although I have never seen a Star Wars film, don’t shoot me, give it a go without preconception. Let the film take you on a light, funny, old fashioned, very unrealistic journey about real true friendship and good strong unselfish values. Two things that can be hard to find let alone actually recognise in the fast paced aspiration of the commercialised Christmas we endure these days.

Lake Isles Restaurant and Rooms delivers a 5 star surprise

Small luxurious country rooms with views and gourmet 2 rosette restaurant

Margaret Clayton

2025-11-26T19:02:23.9270000 2025-11-26T19:24:51.8800000

You know that feeling when you go somewhere for the first time and it’s so good you are annoyed you didn’t know about it sooner. You start thinking about all the times you’ve invited people to visit, needed somewhere for them to stay and ended up putting them up in some weird and wonderful bed and breakfast or Air BnB because you just couldn’t think of the perfect spot. Well no more.

The Lake Isles has 10 gorgeous individually decorated boutique bedrooms, number 7 is our favourite with a suite like feel and sprawling views over the exquisite Leicestershire countryside. All mod cons in a spacious, luxurious home away from home.

You can book dinner (without wine) breakfast and the room for the night for two for £270 which considering the quality of the food is an absolute steal. In London a room of this quality and space would cost you £500 - £600 at least without the fabulous dining.

The lake isles isn’t flashy or super impressive from the outside. When we discovered it we entered with a little trepidation. It was a wild and wet day and the outside tables and chairs looked a little wind swept and barren.

However everything changed when we stepped in side and were greeted by Robert the manager.

Our waiter, a local, happy to chat about the area made the lunch. Not literally the chef made the lunch obviously, three courses of beautiful food adapted for one vegetarian. The menu is mainly meat and fish but definitely gourmet with a focus of locally sourced ingredients.

The heritage tomato salad starter was possibly one of the nicest starters I’ve ever tasted.

The lunch and a snoop around meant coming back for a night, a special occasion was definitely on the cards.

If you are in Uppingham there’s a restaurant I go to a lot No. 23 but if you are looking for something more gourmet, fine dining then it’s the Lake Isles I’d recommend and staying over is as lovely as anywhere I’ve stayed in the country boutique category.

It’s intimate yet very stylish and the staff could not have been more accommodating.

Wonderful spot and Uppingham is a super old town with an array of art galleries, antiques shops and independent cafes and home interiors shops to browse and shop, gorgeous stone architecture too.

Have Elemental Herbology discontinued my favourite face cream Radiance and Vitality Cell Nourish 30ml?

Margaret Clayton

2025-07-22T10:13:29.1970000 2025-07-22T15:20:10.7200000

Described as a powerhouse of proteins, vitamins and anti oxidants to transform dull skin I was so happy when a friend gave me a bottle of Elemental Herbology vitality and radiance ultimate skin nutrition as a present. I’d told her about the vital cleanse I like which has since been discontinued unfortunately and knowing I probably wouldn’t pay £40 for a bottle of face serum she bought me a bottle of cell nourish radiance and vitality face serum to try.

And I loved it. It was light but definitely nourishing, true to its name, it really did give my cells a nourish. The properties a combination of co enzyme Q 10, Kombuchka and green tea I had discovered something I actually really liked and bought into. I’ve had 5 or 6 bottles since direct from the Elemental Herbology website and then it disappeared. It says online it has not been discontinued, however the radiance serum that comes up is now in a different shaped bottle, tall and thin and although the quantity 30ml and the ingredients remain the same, I am not sure what they have done, maybe it’s the same thing repackaged.

That said even the “new” version has been out of stock on the elemental Herbology website for ages and also out of stock on Amazon in the UK.

I’ve seen a couple of the old style bottles available on EBay but the sellers are in America and the postage costs are astronomical.

If anyone knows where I can buy Elemental Herbology radiance and vitality cell nourish or knows of a product similar boasting the same ingredient combination please let me know.

I am happy to pay £35 - £40 for 30ml size if I can find it somewhere. With the new packaging of the 30ml size of Radiance and vitality cell nourish cream (currently not available) came a price hike, now £53 so it will be a stretch for me to pay £15 more, was £38 so almost a 40% price increase for new packaging if it ever does come back into stock.

I resorted to buying a 10ml tester size I found on a random website. You’ll never believe it, even that got lost in the post, Evri delivery and U had to get my money back.

Mcvities Digestives fans the triple chocolate version is a recipe change you won’t be able to resist

Margaret Clayton

2025-07-14T14:44:23.2970000 2025-07-14T15:02:38.4800000

Did you know biscuit makers Mcvities hold the royal warrant. I wonder which is the kings favourite? I only bought this packet of McVities Digestives a day ago, a new recipe with a chocolate flavoured base digestive replacing the traditional “digestive biscuit” base. And as you can see between two of us we’ve all but polished off the whole packet. Whoops.

I bought ours in Morrisons for £2.35 but I noticed this morning on Ocado the online grocery website you can pick up these highly addictive “seriously chocolatey” biscuits for only £1.85. pays to shop around.

For someone who can usually take or leave a chocolate biscuit these babies have been lethal. You have two and then before you know it you are back for another two so avoid at all costs if the biscuit tin is your nemesis.

Described as a triple chocolate sensation by marketeers they are actually not far wrong, a cocoa digestive base. Topped with milk chocolate layer and somewhere dark chocolate chips as well.

McVitie's most indulgent biscuits yet they say and whoever they are are right. You don’t actually notice the dark chocolate chips when you are stuffing them in your face after a good old tea dunking but perhaps this is what makes them so moreish as they actually don’t taste that sweet.

I wager if you love a chocolate digestive and you try these. Even if you don’t love a chocolate digestive and you try these you’ll surprise yourself how quickly you’ll manage to devour the whole packet.

I usually hate it when brands like Mcvities try and take an old favourite that you think can never be improved, a rich tea biscuit or fruit shortcake springs to mind and ruin it, but in this case the Triple Choc one is the one.

Coop Milk Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream beat the Magnum Taste test

Margaret Clayton

2025-07-10T07:20:15.6500000 2025-07-10T07:36:46.3170000

The Magnum classic vanilla ice cream sticks are currently on sale at Waitrose regular price £3.40 for a pack of three but for the cost conscious currently £2.75, working out at less than a £1.00 a lolly so we decided to give the higher priced “luxury” option a go and compare to the one we normally buy, the the Coop brand milk chocolate vanilla ice cream sticks.

And I have to say the Coop version at £2.30 quite a bit cheaper even when not on sale, I’ve found them for as low as £2.00 for a box of three is way better if you are not looking for an overpowering sugar fatty fix.

The chocolate on the magnum is much thicker and the icecream way more sugary and sickly than it’s cheaper generic alternative but we found ourselves picking off the chocolate and offering it to the children who actually refused to diluted the sugar fix experience. The chocolate tastes more like an old gimmick chocolate sauce product we used to squeeze out if a bottle that would then form a solid chocolate coating when it hit the ice cream but the quality of the sauce was well not the best.

The magnums are not massive but for us they were super sickly. Even the dog turned her nose up when offered a taste as it dripped off the stick.

The ones from the Coop are way better. The ice cream is better in my opinion, and even though the chocolate coating is thinner the quality and taste of the chocolate is more luxurious and way less sickly.

This is definitely one example of the cheaper unbranded alternative being actually the superior product.

Solero from Walls Berry Bliss for anyone who likes tangy

The ice cream sorbet treat for a low calorie option at 97 calories per ice cream lolly

Margaret Clayton

2025-07-01T10:16:12.0430000 2025-07-19T14:06:10.9700000

No I am not the ice cream expert. I just like ice cream. I spotted these, Berry Bliss being reviewed here on, they are new, I found them in Waitrose in packs of three and decided to give them a go. I’ve only ever had the mango solero before, which is refreshing and fruity, and I love mango, so they have become a family favourite when the weather is hot. In the lolly you really taste the tropical mango, yet more a cross between an ice lolly, watery tangy sorbet on the outside, creamy frozen yoghurt on the inside, so not super sweet and for anyone watching their figure. Low calorie too, at only 97 calories per lolly. The new version is even tangyier if that’s a word, they are made from reconstituted skimmed milk so not dairy free. Described as vanilla ice cream with a swirl and a coating of raspberry and strawberry sorbet. For fresh berry lovers it’s a good alternative to the mango solero, a very refreshing cross between an ice lolly and an ice cream on a stick.

If you are looking for very sweet though these might have you screwing up your face. Maybe keep them for the grown ups, the berry ice might not appeal to kids so much.

Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum not bad not great

What Do you buy when you can’t afford what you love when it comes to beauty?

Margaret Clayton

2025-06-21T07:30:44.2330000 2026-03-17T11:49:37.3900000

Have you ever found yourself in the position you can’t really afford the face serum or any product really you love so you waste a load of money trying to find a less expensive alternative you love maybe not as much but you can live with.

The product, face serum I love is Chantecaille Essense Vital which is a clear serum that hydrates and feels amazing on however at over £100 for a pretty small bottle to be fair it’s just too expensive for me.

As a result I’ve been in search of an alternative for some time and the latest face serum I have tried is Merit Great Skin instant glow serum at £34 for 50ml.

So the price is perfect and the American brand is made in South Korea who are known for great beauty products and lovely skin.

It’s got Hyaluronic Acid in it but you don’t get any tingle or burn which is either good or bad depending on what you like I’ve heard people say they like that tingling feeling when you apply it, like you know it’s doing something. Chantecaille Vital essence doesn’t tingle at all. Niacinamide allegedly helps to visibly brighten skin and refines skin texture and Cacao Seed Extract an antioxidant helps to stimulate blood flow.

I’ve pretty much used the whole bottle and I cannot say it’s done anything but I am in my forties and for me my skincare is more about how it feels than how it looks in reality.

I believe the best thing you can do for your skin is eat healthy and wear some SPF or a hat to protect your face from the sun.

The product is quite thin and watery it doesn’t feel like anything is soaking in really.

It’s not bad, just not wow remembering I am set on something else I can’t afford. Champagne taste on a lemonade budget.

I won’t be buying again that said younger skin might appreciate the lightness and no harsh effects after use.

For me too liquid and a bit messy.

The big plus for me is vegan and cruelty free. The thing I liked the least the texture runniness of the product and left a residue, a bit of stickiness on my skin.

The Birdcage shows we’re going backwards

Margaret Clayton

2025-05-10T08:00:32.8930000 2025-05-10T08:10:21.1970000

The Birdcage, come as you are, the clever and compelling movie strapline.

I haven’t done a movie review yet. This film is a great place to start. I was completely inspired to write after watching for maybe the 10th time.

The film was adapted from a 1973 French farce by Jean Poiret La Cage aux Folles (“The Cage of Madwomen") with a sound track to die for, for anyone who came of age in the 1980s.

In some ways it’s tough watching a movie that shows clearly how the world sometimes moves in reverse as this 1996 absolute classic must watch movie tackles challenging themes as republican Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman) faces public scandal as his co chair, the leader of the “Coalition for Moral Order” Senator Jackson dies in the arms of an under age black prostitute and Senator Keeley is left to take the heat from the press and a swarm of TV camera crews.

Meanwhile in South Beach Florida Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) and Albert aka Starina (Nathan Lane) own and star in respectively a drag club on the strip “The Birdcage” assisted by their Guatemalan house boy Agador (Hank Azaria) who steals the show creating laugh out loud totally hilarious exaggerated physical comedy through out the whole movie.

This is a movie of deep contrast when Val, the straight son of Armand and Albert brilliantly played by Dan Futterman announces he’s getting married to Barbara (Calista Flockhart) the daughter of Senator and Mrs Keeley again superbly played by the enigmatic academy award winning actress Dianne Weist.

Nathan Lane won a Sag award and was nominated for a Golden Globe and despite winning best ensemble cast for director Mike Nichols the film wasn’t acknowledged at the academy awards with only one nomination.

Maybe it was a bit too soon for the industry tackling difficult themes of open prejudice like gays in the military which in reality didn’t happen until 2011, 15 years later.

Regardless the film enjoyed massive box office success grossing a whooping $185M it cost $31M to make.

A beautiful tribute from the public who went to see this film in their droves, to the sheer talent of this cast, the late great Robin Williams, the equally late great Gene Hackman and a yet to mention hilarious performance from Christine Baranski who plays Val’s birth mother Katherine Archer.

A belly laugh movie for the whole family and a reminder of a time when inspite of global prejudice against the LGBTQ community love and laughter in whatever form does indeed conquer all.

Watch the The Birdcage again be reminded where your heart is and what a powerful healing force laughter actually is, the very best medicine for anything.

Canó Water toast to doing things differently

A new kind of watering can

Margaret Clayton

2025-04-13T09:14:12.6170000 2025-04-13T10:59:55.3770000

For centuries we've tended our gardens and our land and ourselves using vessels for water. Now there's a new kind of watering can.

Don’t you just want to shout it from the rooftops when you go to a business you buy something normal that you buy every day but it comes in a way that is just inspirational. I love that. I love discovering companies taking on challenges and doing things differently and I love it even more When I’m supporting a business that is educating me by selling me something I buy every day in a different way.

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Welcome to Cano water. And this is not your average watering water can. There are so many advantages to buying your water in a can, stays way cooler for longer for a start and yet I don’t know what the percentage is but it’s high of bottled water to canned in distribution, plastic bottled water is still how most water is delivered to the consumer.

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It takes a long time to turn the ship around, especially one as big as the colossal tanker that is the global plastic pollution problem.

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When I think about this I think about a book someone bought me a long time ago called “chicken soup for the soul” which was a compilation of short stories written by different people. Inspirational short stories to change the way you think about things. One of the stories was about someone observing someone else tackle a seemingly impossible task, moving beached whales massive creatures, one by one back into the water and how the person observing this almost futile act of kindness because there were so many whales and no time to save them, asked why are you bothering you just can’t make a difference. The memorable line at the end of the story was “well I just made a difference to that one” as one was saved.

As I popped open my Cano water can which I bought from the Mexican food chain tortilla, congrats to them for thinking outside the box, I too thought I just made a difference so thank you tortilla for buying Cano water and selling it to me so I could write this and share my thoughts about how we can all make a difference. We can all be part of the chain of change in tiny ways. Even if it’s infinitesimally small because small changes add up.

The only difficulty I have now is where to buy the ethical water as Amazon seems to have the market. I guess by going direct to Tesco or Ocado.

It is the one thing that drives me crazy when small ethical and sustainable brands are forced to use the Amazon platform to reach their customer. Kinda defeats the object to end up there for me. I won’t buy on Amazon sorry Cano Water it doesn’t gel for me with your sustainability message.

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Hopefully soon everyone will be shopping directly from here on Poopsnoop affiliate marketing program, clicking a link to buy from my snoop taking the business straight back to Cano Water.

Harvey Nichols please don’t close

Best fashion shopping in London

Margaret Clayton

2025-03-15T11:10:06.7030000 2025-08-22T12:16:07.7700000

I have read two back to back articles over the last couple of days that have got me thinking. The first was in The Daily Telegraph on 5th March. I follow Lisa Armstrong the Head of Fashion at the telegraph and the Instagram algorithm put the post in front of me yesterday.

The article detailed the hiring of ex Vogue editor Kate Phelan, the woman tasked to turn around the fortunes of the beleaguered titan where a gung ho Mary Portas apparently failed with her take on a Harvey Nichols revamp as creative director in the early nineties. By 2013 Portas was quoted in the evening standard saying Harvey Nichols had lost its cool and had been eclipsed by Selfridges.

I used to love a nose is Harvey Nichols and was introduced to some brands I now love by the buyers at Harvey Nichols, brands like Alice and Olivia and Self Portrait I got my first taste’s of at Harvey Nichols.

And now the self-effacing Kate Phelan, who has worked at Vogue, then at Marie Claire, then at Vogue again, was the fashion editor other fashion editors watched now has the reins of so many women’s favourite London shop; if only they could get it right.

On the one hand we know we’ve spent too much buying our designer luxury in other places and secondhand, a market that just won’t stop growing we may just have stuck the boot in too far to save a true luxury experience like Harvey Nichols.

The article in the Telegraph did make me feel like I need to go and support Harvey Nichols, even if I only go to the cafe. I honestly would be gutted if it closed.

On the other hand in Time Out there’s an article announcing the complete opposite. The online secondhand platform Vinted, a privately held unicorn business started by two Lithuanian girls looking for a way to clear out their wardrobe in 2007 is defying the trend of falling shopping footfall on London streets and opening a physical pop up in South Kensington.

This is what it says in Time Out;

“House of Vinted opens its doors at The Adria in South Kensington on Saturday, March 22. It’ll feature curated wardrobes from prominent fashion names and influencers like Susie Lau, Victoria Magrath, Simran Randhawa, Giulia Valentina and Keiona Revlon. Arranged according to different themes (‘Art Deco Déjà Vu’, ‘Modern Eclectic’s Encore’, ‘Cottagecore Comeback’) the display includes items from the likes of The Row, Prada, Gucci, Maison Margiela and Jacquemus.”

Not sure what time but I am extremely curious what the House of Vinted are going to do and if this brave step on a dying high street is the biggest shift for sustainable fashion, when Harvey Nichols are struggling to survive. The challenge to present the offering in a way that presents value to the market. It will be interesting to see if relatively new players like Vinted are coming in and taking the old guards lunch. If the Vinted pop up can deliver for people who love the physical shopping experience in a curated cool stylish way then there’s nothing anyone can do about poor old Harvey Nicks.

The market right now is tough trading conditions for everyone and is being dictated by consumers. I’ll be going to check out House of Vinted next Saturday when the doors open.

I’ll add the time here when I know what that will be. May be I’ll pop into Harvey Nichols afterwards for a cup of tea and to do a direct comparison.

Zadig and Voltaire St John’s Wood

Premium luxury clothing brand with edgy French aesthetic

Margaret Clayton

2025-03-11T11:51:56.9770000 2025-08-22T14:49:37.3170000

There are only a few neighbourhoods in London I actually like to shop; the old fashioned way. Make a day of it, lunch, lots of browsing and then deciding at the end what you are having. That’s how we do it anyway. The easiest I find for parking; not mad about the tube are either Chelsea around Sloane Square or St John’s Wood. I like the mix of small shops and shopping on a high street adds something you don’t get in a department store.

Zadig and Voltaire have a big concession in Selfridges although the staff aren’t as friendly or as knowledgeable and I like the whole experience in the Zadig and Voltaire shop on St John’s Wood High Street.

The brand certainly feels more established than its relatively short 28 year history, founded in Paris in 1997. The collections became well known in the noughties for pushing boundaries combining romantic ballerina skirts with grunge and leather. They pushed colour, prints, skulls even in a similar but more subtle way to French fashion designer Christian Audigier Ed Hardy or Phillipe Plein except with an added dose on the side of that chic you only feel in France especially Paris.

Zadig has always felt rebellious to me why I became a customer at launch and why I still feel almost thirty years later Zadig and Voltaire will have something lovely, fun, original and luxury for me when I am in the mood for a shop. Or even in search of a specific shape or piece.

As other shops and brands have lost my interest I am still excited to pop in this particular Zadig and Voltaire store at least once a month.

I think this is why this brand particularly has endured so well. It doesn’t exclude based on age or size or gender. It feels so Jean Paul Gaultier to me only more affordable.

It’s a brand that challenges, asks questions, if you’re brave enough you’re in and I LOVE that.

Whenever I go into this store particularly I am always treated so very warmly and it doesn’t seem to matter if I make a purchase or not.

I will say like for so many fashion brands the quality of fabrics seems to have deteriorated (not massively) and the prices have exploded so I am always excited to see a piece secondhand.

Currently in St John’s Hospice shop three or four doors down there is the most exquisite vintage Zadig and Voltaire jacket, military, size 8 for £60.

The charity shop has a strict window policy. The window is rotated on a Thursday so this current window display will be available to buy on Thursday 13th March, 2025 when the charity shop

Opens at 10am.

If you’re a window shopper like me get down there.

Joseph Good Clothes Used to Be British

one of the only UK staple brands left

Margaret Clayton

2025-03-10T10:25:48.3230000 2025-08-22T15:01:51.2000000

The first Joseph store I ever went into was the one next to Bibendum and Chanel in Chelsea where the Fulham Road and the Brompton Road meet. It was an experience I won’t forget as my friend at the time bought a suit and coat her mother and aunt had clubbed together to fund and my friend looked unbelievable in the gorgeous clothes. I was as green and the swing coat expertly packed in the massive black shopping bag.

These days it’s the store in St John’s Wood where I’ll find myself thumbing along the rail enjoying the feel of the clothes as much as the aesthetic.

This is what Joseph is known for. Simple, plain, quality, no prints unless it’s a check or a tweed, clothes that go with everything; made to last and pass on hand down.

Hold on to your wallet when it comes time to pay. You’ll pick up a light skinny rib jumper and then keel over when the assistant politely tells you you owe her £300.

Wonderful over coats and sumptuous knitwear, natural fibres, silks, cottons, microfibres that sculpt and shape, eco textiles that temperature regulate and everything made with the chic of a Parisian in mind.

Fast fashion has engulfed the British high street, 30 years ago Philip Green captured the imagination of women the world over bringing expansive high fashion collections (made for pennies on the dollar in far off places) from Topshop and marketing the brand globally with high profile collaborations with brand influencers like Kate Moss.

It was the beginning of driving sales of mass produced cheap goods using carefully crafted images and short videos.

This wave of mass produced fashion has pretty much killed off the fashion business as we know it. And yet beautiful Joseph has survived despite its very high (for the middle) price point.

There are other options on St John’s Wood High St, Liu Jo has closed however Zadig and Voltaire is across the street as well as Tara Jarmon and Apostrope. I like the aethetic of Zadig but I have noticed the quality decline over the last 5 years and Tara Jarmon and Apsotrophe are a little twee for me so Joseph remains my front runner when I want to buy something important.

Today I think about Joseph how I used to think about Marks and Spencer’s. I used to LOVE M&S. These days I cannot even look at the clothes in Marks and Spencer’s. If they cannot be bothered to iron them before putting them on the racks I say I cannot be bothered to look.

Travelex Worldwide Money

Best currency exchange rates

Margaret Clayton

2025-02-13T09:18:38.5670000 2025-03-17T07:53:26.9170000

The beauty of Travelex, changing money or buying euros is extremely convenient at the airport. Travelex provide a great service for travellers and you will always find a Travelex kiosk at every UK airport.

For anyone who is watching the pennies the Travelex retail kiosks are probably the MOST expensive way to change money.

Buying currency from the bank or post office ahead of time you are going to get a significantly better rate and my advice, NEVER insure or guarantee a buy back rate from Travelex. This is a great way for them to make extra money.

If I’ve got money left over, I’ll take it to the bank or even better, stash it in a drawer for the next trip, like a secret vacation savings account you’ll definitely forget about.

Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris Aqua Media

Fresh light citrus fragrance

Margaret Clayton

2025-02-02T10:05:38.2370000 2025-03-17T07:56:43.3270000

I haven’t purchased yet. I have to save up. It’s £185 for 70ml. I love the natural smells of the ocean and fresh cut grass, nothing too strong: saying that I’ve worn the same perfume pretty much my whole life. And even when I mixed things up, gone off piste and tried something new (impulse purchase or unexpected gift) I always went back to The Vert, a Bulvgari original.

This scent has been on my mind since sampling it a few months ago and being impressed by how long it lingered after just a few squirts.

Perfume is something so personal. I’d say I have a sensitive nose and really know the notes I like, white flowers, especially.

It’s an investment, you can get a small bottle 35ml for £115 and if you want to blow your entire budget 200ml will set you back £365.

I want to add to salesperson who introduced me to this fragrance, in Selfridges was so knowledgable and excited about the fragrance, genuinely, it rubbed off and the experience in store has stayed with me.

I think it shows to sell someone like me, who is careful with money and doesn’t spoil themselves that often a great experience in a store can make all the difference.

Elemental Herbology Five Elements Vital Cleanse 200ml £38

Margaret Clayton

2025-01-21T16:43:56.0100000 2025-03-17T08:04:14.8030000

The ingredients are wild flower honey, vitamin C and green tea and all those things are great.

The instructions are simple rub a small amount onto dry skin and then rinse off, sounds easy enough, the type of product I love except it’s too runny.

You end up with too much out the tube and then it just sort of makes a mess, in your hair etc.

I couldn’t find the big one. The 100ml is now sold out. Elemental Herbology now have 15ml tubes available for £7 if you want to try it for yourself without breaking the bank or ending up with a massive tube you are probably not going to use like me.