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I'm offline for a while. I've turned off alerts so I don't get bogged down with them !
Member since:24.02.2004
Reviews:32
Members who trust:14
Now, before all the men out there move onto the next review, remember that it is a well known fact that you love reading ' women's' magazines. Forget FHM, Loaded and the rest. If a copy of Bella, Woman, Chat etc is lying on a coffee table, my husband will always pick it up and have a good read.
Having said all that , it's not often that I read them myself ! However, I have read the last few issues of Bella. We have been away over Easter to my Mum and Dad's caravan, and my Mum left the latest issues behind for some holiday reading.
Of course, as soon as I got home, I felt a review coming on, and so checked out the magazine categories. And there it was ! So, here is my review of Bella. Aimed at women, but read by men as well !
What is Bella ? ============ Bella is a weekly magazine that averages about 60 pages per issue. As already mentioned, it is aimed primarily at the women's market. This can be seen by simply looking through the adverts. Hair products, pantyliners ( a dead giveaway !), nappies, supermarkets, razors for women etc. I could go on and on ! Add these to the actual content , and you have got the classic magazine for women.
It costs 70 p, which I think makes Bella a very good buy. You get a lot to read for your money !
The Cover ======== On the front cover, there is the standard picture of an attractive woman. In addition, there are 6 or 7 headlines relating to items/articles in the magazine. Of course, they are designed to make you want to buy it, or at least take it off the shelf and have a closer look.
For example, a headline on the cover of the current issue is "My little girl was a mum at 12, but we'll never see her baby again." Another is "Win a holiday in Las Vegas", and one more is "Fast beauty
fixes - in only 60 seconds".
All these show that Bella has lots of variety within its pages that will appeal to all different kinds of people. Unlike some, Bella has something for everyone.
What's Inside ? ============ The contents page is laid out so well that it's easy to find out what you want to read first. Whereas some people like to read a magazine from cover to cover, others will read a particular article or feature first. I fall into the latter category. Don't ask me why, but I always read the problem page first. It isn't because I enjoy reading about other people's misfortunes. I promise you I don't. Perhaps it's because I may find some advice that I can use myself. And, of course, there are some problems that are so strange and weird, that you can't help but laugh. These tend to be found in the lower end of the tabloid market, and not in Bella !
The Contents Page =============== This is well laid out. All the headlines featured on the front cover are highlighted in a box at the top of the page. In case you were wondering, this is called 'On the Cover'. I think that's clear enough !
The rest of the page is categorized into 8 sections. These are -
Real-life stories Your health Your home Fiction Food and drink Fashion and beauty Giveaways (yes please!) Your favourites
I think that you'd agree that these are the kind of things that you'd find in any women's magazine worth its salt. Good quality photos are included to highlight certain articles.
The Contents ========== Real-life stories ---------------------- In each issue, there are about 6 of these stories. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of them unless they are of personal interest to me. I definitely don't like the sensationalist ones. In Bella, they seem to be of the more useful kind. By this I mean offering advice, or showing us all why not to do something, and what the consequences would be if we did.
Readers can write in with their own true-life story, and can earn up to £500.
Your health ---------------- This section is very useful. In the issues that I have read recently, such topics as chlamydia, birth partners, and binge drinking by women have all been featured in depth. There are also fillers to read covering such subjects as obesity, diets, earwax, eczema and diabetes. There are just too many to mention, and that's in just a couple of issues. There is also a Q & A section with the resident doctor.
I learnt some interesting and frightening facts. For example, 1 in 10 British women are affected by chlamydia, and that this disease is known to cause infertility. In fact, it is thought to be the cause of a third of all cases of infertility. The really scary thing is that most women do not have any symptoms, and so don't realise that they have the disease until they try to start a family. For some, it is then too late. A simple test would have revealed the disease, and enabled treatment to have been started at the time of infection.
The magazine uses a case study to highlight a particular problem / illness, in this case chlamydia, gives the relevant facts, gets input from experts, and then offers advice on what to do if the reader finds herself in the same situation, or with the same problem.
If reading such an article makes readers visit their doctor or get tested for something, then good on Bella for dealing with it.
Your home --------------- This is the magazine's equivalent of Changing Rooms. Interior design without the interior designer. And without the hefty fees !
Accessories, fabrics, crockery, bed linen, wallpaper, furniture, curtains etc are all covered. Details of prices, suppliers and telephone numbers are all included in case something catches your eye and you want to rush out and buy it.
In one issue, there were some very snazzy toilet brushes, but I don't think I'd buy one for £30 !
Most of the stuff is very tasteful, and not like some of the things that they show on the TV makeover shows.
Fiction --------- This is simply a page long story with a twist in the tale. Easy reading and usually enjoyable.
Food and drink --------------------- Some nice recipes in this section, and some not so nice ones (but that's only my opinion !) They are easy to understand and are not overly long-winded like some you find. Starters, main courses and desserts are all covered.
I actually made one of them the other day. It was for spicy tomato soup with cheesy nachos, and it was absolutely delicious !
You also get cookery tips, advice on ingredients, and suggested meals. All in all, pretty good stuff.
Fashion and beauty --------------------------- Advice on hair, shopping tips, the latest fashions, celebrity hairdos, diet help, beauty news, latest products. It's all here. What more could a girl want ?
Giveaways --------------- Ah.... one of the best parts of any magazine. Something for nothing. Send your name and address on a postcard and you've got just as much chance of winning something as the thousands who have done the same thing. As the saying goes, you've got to be in it to win it, and you're sure as hell not going to win anything if you don't enter. If the stuff offered is something you fancy, then why not give it a go ?
Recent giveaways in Bella have included bags and sewing machines.
Your favourites --------------------- AKA Regulars. These are the pages that you know are going to be in your magazine week in week out.
In Bella, these include the problem page, horoscopes, crossword and quiz, your money, an item on a travel destination, family life, a psychic letters page, and letters from readers.
There are some very useful tips for consumers including how to complain about products. There is advice about money, which is always very useful in my opinion ! Every week, products are tried and tested to help you make a buying decision.
For those of you who have children, the family life section is good. From help on keeping the sweethearts happy to health issues to product tests. It's all here.
If you're dreaming about your summer hols, the travel part may help you choose a destination, or simply allow you to drool over exotic and distant shores.
The crossword is large and not that easy ! Some clues are general knowledge and some are cryptic. I'm not a big fan of crosswords, so I'm more interested in the ' Beat the Prof ' quiz. Example question - What is the capital of Saudi Arabia ? ( answers NOT on a postcard please ! )
The good thing for me is that you don't have to wait until the next issue for the quiz answers.
The problem page is like any other problem page. However, there is a letters page where you can write to a psychic. People can form their own opinions on that, so I'll say no more.
The general letters page is an opportunity for readers to tell funny stories, give advice or generally have their say on certain matters. You can also send in photos, usually of angelic looking children ! The star letter earns £50 and the rest £25, so not a bad pay day if you have something to say !
Do I Recommend It ? ================= Yes. If you like lots of advice and tips and information in easy to read language. It is colourful and is packed full of photos. I would say that there is something in Bella for everyone to find interesting, whether it is health, fashion, true-life stories, food etc. I would defy you not to find anything of interest to you.
The magazine is aimed at women in their mid-20s and upwards, whether they are single, married, mothers.... There is something for all women ( and men if they find a copy lying about !)
The only thing that Bella doesn't seem to have is celebrity features and interviews. This doesn't bother me one bit. There are the odd snippets about celebrities, but that is all. So, you'll be disappointed if you like juicy gossip about all the famous people out there.
A quick mention about the adverts. Needless to say, they are aimed at women, both with children and without. Some are very useful. For example, some offer free samples or money off vouchers. Even the ads are OK !
In conclusion, I would definitely buy Bella again, but for me, it would be an impulse buy. If I was doing my weekly grocery shop, and saw it on the shelf, then I'd probably buy it, and know that I was going to enjoy reading it.
It is light and interesting reading, and you'll learn something with every issue. It's definitely good holiday reading material too. Of all the women's magazines out there, Bella is my favourite. What more can I say ?
General Information ================ Bella is published by -
H Bauer Publishing 24-28 Oval Road London NW1 7DT
020 7241 8000
ISSN 0953 0983
xxx Thanks for reading xxx
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Wow, what an informative review, you've included absolutly everything possible! My mum is an avid Bella reader and have to admit, I always flick through it when it's on the coffee table, quite like it! Sarah x
steffee 28.04.2004 13:17
reasonable price, I read 'those type' sometimes, but can't recall which is which, only buy them when I begrudge spending upto £3 on my red/she/new woman etc, can't say I could afford £30 for a toilet brush either lol
Apr 21st, 2004
exceptional by (3%):
very helpful by (91%):
helpful by (6%):
