Articles

Contigo

Birthday Gifts, camping, Days Out, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Plastic free, Sustainable

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We are keen walkers and most weekends you will find us out on the local fells or on top of hill somewhere. It is so important to keep hydrated when walking so I was really pleased to receive a Contigo Jackson Chill AUTOPOP™ Vacuum-Insulated Water Bottle. It arrived just in time for our holiday and was a very welcome addition when we were climbing hills on a couple of particularly hot days.

When it comes to water bottles, I have very high standards – I need a bottle with a top that is easy to open and close and most importantly doesn’t leak. I look for bottles that are easy to clean, without too many nooks and crannies that can prove difficult to clean properly. I also need it to keep my water cold, so a bottle with an opening that is wide enough to get a few ice cubes in is a winner.

So how does the Jackson Chill AUTOPOP™ Vacuum-Insulated Water Bottle fare?

Well, incredibly well – not only does it look stylish this bottle is very practical too, the 590ml double walled vacuum bottle has a mouth wide enough for ice cubes and keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours. A great feature of this bottle is that you are able to open it one-handed so I don’t need to stop to have a drink and it has a decent sized spout that flows nicely. It is really comfortable to drink from and there was no metallic taste to the water.

Over the last couple of weeks the bottle has been stuffed into rucksacks, slid into pockets, slotted into my bike bottle holder and carried in a shopping bag and despite being flung around hasn’t leaked once. It has a very secure fitting lid which protects the spout from dirt and a button lock which, assuming you remember to click it in place, means it won’t open in your bag, thus avoiding accidental spills.

The feature I like most about this bottle is the secure fitting lid, I have had my fair share of leaky bottles over the years and believe me there is nothing worse than reaching into a rucksack and discovering your bottle has leaked!

I am really impressed with this bottle, not only does it look great, it’s easy to fill, nice to drink out of and is a good size. Reuseable bottles are so much better for the environment than single use plastic ones and if you buy a decent one like this Contigo one you will be using it for many years. This bottle is now an essential part of my walking gear and I have been recommending it to all my walking friends.

RRP £25

Available from Amazon

Italian Crisps and Snacks from Fox Nut & Snacks

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Lunchbox Fillers, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We are in full swing of summer now, and I’ve lost count of the amount of places I’m meant to be, want to be or end up finding myself thanks to the beautiful weather.  With friends coming round too, there’s always a need for endless snacks to go with the wine, Prosecco or chats with the girls.

The Artisan Olive Oil Company sent us these crisps and vegetable chips to try, as part of their artisan Italian snack range, all of which are found on their website.  This was one of those times when I opened a box and kept delving to find more and more yummy treats; my mind whirling with how I was going to try all of them in such a short space of time… but don’t worry, the girls with the wine, Prosecco and chatter helped me out!

Included in the bundle was;

Vintage Truffle Potato Chips (120g)

Vintage Potatoes with Sweet Chilli (120g)

Vegan [vegetable] Crisps (150g)

Lightly Salted Tortilla (125g)

Blue Corn Tortilla (125g)                    

For anyone looking for summer snacks, this is only a small selection of what the Artisan Olive Oil Company offer, and you can see that there’s more than just your run of the mill crisps just in this selection.  The flavours are varied as well, which helps when you don’t know what everyone will be drinking.

It is surprisingly fast how quickly so many packets of crisps disappear when you open them! We did study them first though, noting how each of the crisps were of high quality. The potato crisps were sharp, fresh and there were no burnt edges or green crisps in the packet, and none of those monster crisps you used to find as a child! All of the vegetables were of high quality and were cooked in high quality oil.  The Vintage Potatoes with Sweet Chilli are not as hot (in taste) as some of the other brands on the market, but have more of a sweeter taste to them. The crisps are still precise though, and make for a lovely texture. 

The same goes for the Vintage Truffle Potato Chips, which have a subtle taste but are great with the flavour of the oil coming through and the quality of the potatoes. I really liked the Vegan Crisps which were vegetable chips of carrot, beetroot and parsnip. Not only are they some of my favourite vegetables but they have a taste all of their own once they’re cooked, and the added seasoning makes them irresistible.

Finally, the Lightly Salted Tortilla and Blue Corn Tortilla are more gritty, but flavoursome corn chips, with a tiny bit of flavouring to them but just as delicious. These went really well with white wine and their slightly sour tastes of Pinot Grigio and I think would be even better eaten with a dip or salsa, all of which are found on the Artisan Olive Oil Company’s website where you’ll find even more summer treats!

Crisps and snacks available online from £4.25 per 120g bag at:

Premium snacks

Warrior Crunch Protein Bars – Peanut Butter and Jelly 

Family Life, Fitness, Food & Drink

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If, like me, you are trying to stick to a low carbohydrate, high protein diet but still love the sweet stuff and crave chocolate, then you’ll know that there are lots of products on the market but most of them are unpalatable!  They’re often made of substitute products which are bland and tasteless which ultimately puts me off them.

Warrior have been making high protein bars as part of their range of protein products for a long time now, so the new Peanut Butter and Jelly flavour is a nice treat in a long line of bars.  Each bar is 64 grams with 20 grams of protein and 2.3 grams of sugar with 22 grams of carbohydrates in all. Eaten at any time of day as a snack or pick-me-up, they add some variety to the usual keto diet which many of us find difficult to keep up when we’re out and about, so these bars make life much easier!

The flavour is not something you usually find in shops either.  We’re not used to peanut butter and jelly (PBJ) in this country but if you’ve ever tried it in a sandwich, then you’ll know that this set up is going to be delicious, not least because of the chocolate involved! The bars are filled with the peanut butter filling and coated with jelly (it tastes like raspberry jelly to me) then have a final coating of thick chocolate. The sweetness of the jelly really comes through to give you a ‘sweetness hit’ but you really can’t tell the different between this and a confectionary bar you buy off the shelf. There’s no hint of it being a fitness bar and frankly, it’s much bigger than the kiosk sized chocolate bars you buy these days, so it’s a double winner!

I had this after lunch as a ‘dessert’ but you can eat it at any time. It works well within a low carb diet, and the nutritional values are on each bar packaging so that you can fit them into your diet and regime.  You could actually only eat half at a time and still feel the benefit, but if you’re like me, you enjoy a proper bar of chocolate but don’t want to hit the top of the dial with the high carbohydrate options, the Peanut Butter and Jelly Warrior bar does the trick!

Available as boxes of 12 for £16.99 at online retail outlets as well as: https://teamwarrior.com/products/warrior-crunch-12-bars-1?variant=43789094060280

Don’t forget, Warrior also have the Mini Warrior bars available too, for when you need a less hearty snack: https://teamwarrior.com/products/crunch-mini-bars?variant=43910850216184&currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=20341571902&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw5MOlBhBTEiwAAJ8e1skPJhJ3VV9mXUOqszDitQ9ffIsPkkk2xrAZjKuscMQZ0fK7adZ9ehoCl9EQAvD_BwE

Groovy Food Company Hot Agave Nectar and Chipotle Agave Nectar

Family Life, Food & Drink, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Groovy Food Company have launched 2 new Agave flavours to their range of sauces, honeys and oils. The Hot Agave Nectar and Chipotle Agave Nectar sound like they could be fire hot additions to the BBQ this year with their chilli flavours an chipotle, but are they just another sauce to keep in the fridge for the next 6 months?

Both of the sauces are actually fat free and have no artificial colours. The Hot Agave Nectar has no artificial flavourings either and both are suitable for vegans and Kosher – KLBD.  They’re not just for the BBQ thought. They’re great on salads, pizza, any kinds of meat or fish, as an accompaniment to cheeses or even on lasagne or pasta to give it more of a zing!  

The Hot Agave sauce is chilli hot, but not so hot that your mouth burns.  It would be suitable for older children as an addition to their pizza or salad or to use it as a dip for chicken nuggets.  It’s got a lovely texture to it, making it very easy to pour and eat when drizzled over your meals.  It certainly makes vegetables more exciting and with the addition of the Chipotle Agave Nectar, you can alternate flavours or add both to the same meal.

The Chipotle Agave Nectar has a smokey flavour to it but again is not too hot that children couldn’t enjoy it.  The Agaves make for great sauces to dip the crusts of pizzas into, but I haven’t tried it as an addition to making a sauce yet – maybe a homemade pasta sauce with added Chipotle Agave Nectar would give it that extra kick?

Once opened, they both need to be stored in the fridge and shaken every time used, but there are approximately 75 servings from each bottle. 

If you’re a fan of chilli and chipotle then these Groovy Foods agaves are worth trying, and trying on all sorts of different dishes to see how they can change anything from vegetables to your favourite homemade dishes.

Available from Ocado for £3 at:

https://www.ocado.com/search?entry=groovy%20food%20company

Edifier NeoBuds Pro Headphones

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Tech

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

During the summer, when we are more likely to be working out or going for a run, or perhaps you’re on the beach and need to carry very little with you in hand luggage, ear phones can be a life saver.  Nowadays, earphones are state-of-the art and not only come in this ‘ear bud’ form, but are Bluetooth. Connecting to your phone or laptop wirelessly, they don’t have wires so you can hide your phone in a pocket and carry on with your day.  

The Edifier NeoBuds Pro come in a charging case so you don’t lose them easily. Their full charge time is 24 hours, so enough for a holiday or long journey but just 10 minutes of charge gives you an hour listening time.  The ear-tips are also anti bacterial, so you can share them if you wish, or even if you drop them on the car floor, they’ll still be safe to put back in. The box contains the NeoBuds and case, spare sets of ear tips, charging cable and case and written instructions.

The NeoBuds uses LDAC technology which is an auditory technology which allows high quality streaming over Bluetooth. Before purchasing these Edifier NeoBuds, make sure your phone or laptop supports this technology.  LDAC is considered to be the premier audio coding available at the moment, so the NeoBuds are making use of the best technology available, and it shows in the quality of the audio!  There’s Ambient Sound technology too, so you can still hear certain sounds around you when the music is playing – great for when you’re in town and weaving in and out of traffic.

The Edifier NeoBuds Pro also have crossover technology for balanced sound thanks to the Knowles Balanced Armature drive. No matter what audio you’re listening to, the NeoBuds balance out the sound making it a better listening experience all round. You can also use the NeoBuds for phone calls, thanks to the three microphone noise cancellation technology. It also has low latency with game mode, so you can hear exactly what’s happening on screen as it happens and without a time delay.

The Edifier NeoBuds Pro contain all the technology, and more that you need for everyday use of headphones.  There’s no problem with how they perform and the sound quality is excellent. It took me a while to figure out how they fit into my ears and get used to the sensation as I don’t normally have ear buds but it doesn’t take long. I was impressed with how high quality the sound is because it automatically balances out the levels with each song.  Audio books are richer too; you can hear the bass of the reader’s voice much easier and phone calls are as clear as you’d expect them to be and I didn’t experience any drop-off in calls with Bluetooth.

The Edifier NeoBuds Pro are practical, easy to use and easy to store. They’re so versatile across all the different sound appliances that you don’t need another pair, and they store away in their case so you don’t have to worry about carrying heavy overhead headphones that might break.  Not just for summer, the NeoBuds Pro are for all year and all uses!

https://www.edifier.com/global/p/true-wireless-earbuds/neobuds-pro

Available on Amazon for £119.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-NeoBuds-Wireless-Cancellation-Universal-Black/dp/B0B12BGZPT/ref=sr_1_4?crid=31RSN41FGB2OE&keywords=edifier+neobuds+pro&qid=1688822928&sprefix=neobuds+pro%2Caps%2C75&sr=8-4

Joe & Seph’s Chocolate Lover’s Gourmet Popcorn Selection

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Popcorn has become the most fashionable snack nowadays, probably since lockdown and we’re all spending time at home watching on demand TV with better quality food!

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn has also gained in popularity not just for the convenience but for the quality of the kernels and the different flavours available.  Not just content with the usual sweet flavours like Toffee or Sweet & Salty, but there’s the summer limited editions such as Eton Mess and White Chocolate & Raspberry. Don’t get me started on the savoury flavours too like Mojito or Goat’s Cheese & Black Pepper. 

We were sent one of Joe & Seph’s specialty Chocolate Lover’s Gourmet Popcorn Selection boxes.  Unlike the other bags, this 105 gram box is a mixture of four different chocolate flavours; Caramel & White Chocolate, Caramel & Belgian Chocolate and Double Chocolate Popcorn and our luxurious, rich Dark Chocolate Popcorn Bites.  If you’re not familiar with the flavours already, then the first 3 are varieties of chocolate coating on the famous Joe & Seph’s popcorn, whilst popcorn bites are piece of popcorn set in chocolate cups. Not just ordinary chocolate cups, but cups of delicious dark chocolate where you can really taste the richness of cacao.

The box makes it the perfect shape for sharing, or for giving as a gift.  If you have a friend or loved one who loves chocolate, popcorn or both, this is perfect because of the mix of flavours, all of which work together nicely to create a type of ‘dessert’ in the form of a box of snacks, thanks to the mix of sweet flavours.

The quality of the popcorn really is as gourmet as you would hope, with no unpopped kernels at the bottom of the box, no strange shaped, odd pieces that missed the delicious chocolate coating, just a box packed full of quality popcorn.

If you’re not keen on chocolate flavoured popcorn, have a look at the website for lots of other flavours, and different sizes of bags. 

Available from £6.00 from: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/chocolate-lovers-gourmet-popcorn-selection

Pabobo by Angelcare Night Lights

Baby, Children, Family Life, Gifts for children

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Getting children into a good bedtime routine can take a good while, so anything that helps achieve this is very welcome. A night light can be a big help, they are great when babies are small, as the gentle light is enough for night feeds and it eliminates the need to turn on the main light when checking on your child. They are also good for children who are afraid of the dark. There are lots of different night lights available now, making it easy to find one that will suit the decoration of your child’s nursery.

We have a couple of mini reviewers who aren’t the best at going to bed, so in the quest for a good nights sleep, we have been putting a couple of Pabobo Angelcare nightlights to the test, in the hope that they will help them get to sleep a little bit quicker!

The Pabobo Lumicolour Bear Night Light is a cute bear shaped night light that can also change colour. The night light has 3 different modes to choose from

Colour detection – in this mode it scans and matches the colour of the touched object.

White light – 2 different intensities enabling you to reassure or read a story.

Rainbow – the bear changes colour every 10 seconds with the option to freeze it on your favourite colour.

I was quite intrigued to see how the colour detection mode worked and found it quite fascinating watching it change colour as it is placed on different objects! This is quite a quirky product and was a big hit with our mini reviewer who loved putting him on different coloured stacking cups to get him to change colour. The light is a soothing glow rather than a bright light and is just what you need at bedtime. It can be left on all night or there is a handy timer which will turn the light off after 45 minutes by which time your child will hopefully be asleep!

The nightlight is rechargeable and comes with a micro USB port which is really handy as it means it can be taken away with you on holiday or trips to grandparents, enabling your child’s bedtime routine is kept the same when they are away from home.

Once fully charged the battery can power the light for up to 1 month if used on the 45 minute timer or for 24 hours continuous use.

The bear doesn’t come with a USB power adapter but most families have plenty of these around the house so this isn’t really a problem.

RRP £35

The Angelcare  Pabobo Underwater Effects Projector projects waves and fish onto the wall and ceiling whilst playing soft lullaby music or white noise to help lull your baby into a deep sleep. It does require 3AA batteries which aren’t included.

It has three light intensities to choose from and will automatically turn off after 25 minutes or 15 minutes if the sound is on.

The light display is calming to watch and certainly captured our mini reviewers attention. There are also couple of lullabies to play as well as the sound of waves, white noise and a heart beat to help relax your child ready for bed. The projections and sounds don’t have to be played together, you can choose just projections, just sound or both together, so choose which variation suits your child the best.

As well as being a calming influence at bedtime, the projector is a great sensory toy, the lights and sounds create those all important links in your baby’s brain helping support their development and learning. I do feel that it has helped achieve a much better level of calmness at bedtime and provides our mini reviewer with something enjoyable and comforting every night.

It’s compact enough to take on holiday or when staying with friends and family so you can keep the same routine when away from home. Another useful feature is the fabric part of the projector can be removed for washing – I’ve not needed to wash it yet but it’s good to know that when it gets grubby I can easily remove and wash it.

RRP £45

If you are stuggling to get your children to settle at night then I would definitely recommend trying a night light, these have been a welcome addition to our mini reviewers bedtime routine and definitely help them to settle better every night.

Becoming Flawesome book by Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani

Birthday Gifts, Books, Gifts for Her, Learning, Mental Health Awareness, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

As a co-founder of Mindvalley, the meditation and self improvement app, Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani’s first book highlights one of the most sought-after questions for self development – who are we and how do we improve ourselves?

Using her life history and experience of Mindvalley and the world of work, Kristina takes the reader on a journey with short chapters and daily exercises to question your thinking and hopefully, take you to a new place personally and without the pain that self growth often brings. 

Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani book ‘Becoming Flawesome’ starts by explaining her background, then going into detail about how we lose ourselves over time, and how self-inflicted parameters such as being perfect can affect us and the way we connect to ourselves. The same idea of perfection/imperfection comes again later in the book when Kristina looks at why being imperfect is healthy for you, but not before delving into how to find yourself again. She talks, in her customary short chapters with exercises to do daily, about vulnerability and being authentic. The last section before ‘recovery’ is about honesty, particularly being honest with yourself.

Part 6 onwards changes route and talks about kindness for healing, especially self-kindness and self-love. Lots of us struggle with what self-love really is and how we practice it, so these chapters were particularly useful for me. Courage is the next part, talking about fear and overcoming it, and the types of fear which hold us back and we don’t even know about them yet. Finally, the last section is about Living Flawesomely – how happiness is a skill that needs to be learned for most people and isn’t always natural to attain. 

Becoming Flawesome is a great book for anyone, but I feel women will particularly learn a lot because of the content and the way it’s written by a woman.  The short chapters make it easy to read daily or on a commute and the exercises are a mixture of 2 minutes whilst you eat your breakfast, or life-long exercises to change the way you think.  At the end of the book, you will definitely learn something about how to take the path of self improvement, forgive yourself and most importantly, learn something about yourself too.

Get Becoming Flawesome FREE

Available from £19.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Becoming-Flawesome-Living-Imperfectly-Authentic/dp/1401974341/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34S61JLTEJ44B&keywords=Kristina+Mänd-Lakhiani&qid=1684264827&sprefix=kristina+mänd-lakhiani%2Caps%2C50&sr=8-1

Ritter Sport Nut Selection

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Ritter Sport are a German chocolate brand who make distinctive square chocolate bars that come in a wide range of fillings and flavours. In celebration of World Chocolate Day they sent me a box of their delicious nutty chocolate bars to try, with instructions to keep them squirreled away as the nutty treats are just too tempting for the local squirrels!  

With the trademark Ritter Sport logo in the middle, the 100g bars feature images of chocolate coated nuts along with the green 100% certified Sustainable Cocoa Sourcing logo. On the reverse is the ingredients and nutritional information.

Opening the packaging, I was presented with a chunky bar of chocolate with 16 segments, each imprinted with the Ritter Sport logo. When I turned over the bar, I was pleased to see plenty of whole nuts, each segment had a least 1 and some even had 3!

Naturally sweet and with a satisfying crunch, hazelnuts and chocolate are a winning combination. All three varieties – Whole Hazlenuts, Dark Whole Hazlenuts and White Whole Hazlenuts – were absolutely scrumptious. I enjoyed the creaminess of the milk chocolate with the hazelnuts but my favourite was the dark chocolate bar as the bitterness of the dark chocolate contrasted nicely with the nut creating an incredibly moreish treat.

The Honey Salted Almond bar offered a satisfying crunch and the sweetness and saltiness created a real explosion of flavour in my mouth.

Get yours quick before the squirrels find them!!

Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz

Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s summer, the sun is shining and I’m sat watching Wimbledon on TV with a refreshing glass of Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz – life doesn’t get much better than this!

The limited edition Summer Spritz is a very refreshing drink, especially on a hot day like today. Sparkling spring water is mixed with strawberry, apple, elderberry and lime juices and finished with a hint of mint and it really does taste fantastic.

It is lovely on its own with a few strawberries or it works well as a mixer for your favourite tipple.

As it’s Wimbledon season it would be rude not to have a glass of Pimms, so I tried Belvoir Farm’s recipe for Strawberry Pimms. This fruity cocktail was was a big hit with my friends today.

It is nice and easy to make and if you want to try it this is the recipe.

150ml Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz
50ml Pimms
15ml Belvoir Farm Raspberry & Lemon Cordial
Handful of strawberries
Handful of fresh mint leaves

Method – Add 3/4 of the strawberries and mint to a high ball glass and muddle. Add the Pimms and Raspberry & Lemon Cordial then fill the glass with crushed ice. Top with the Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz.

Like the rest of the Belvoir range, Summer Spritz is made from the finest ingredients with no artificial flavours or preservatives. It is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Available from Ocado and look out for it in Aldi next week

RRP 750ml £2.25

Darn Tough Socks

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Sport, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Walkers, hikers, runners, athletes and casual sock fans are discovering Darn Tough socks… but if you’re any of the above you probably know something about the Vermont, USA based company already.

Darn Tough socks are made from merino wool to be, well, darn tough. Their main selling point apart from being so hard wearing is that they are seam free so don’t rub and wear away over time, and if you’re a walker, that’s a big problem.  They have additional features which make them so durable too.  The shin areas typically have extra cushioning for wearing under boots (if they’re longer socks) thanks to the way the socks are woven.  There’s added measures to prevent boot bite too.  The extended toe box allows for wear and tear inside boots and shoes with a flex zone over the front of the foot so that you can rest assured that there isn’t the wear there from laced up shoes.

The heels are particularly well engineered to allow for lots of walking.  Some of the snow socks (of which there are lot more new styles) have added weight to them for extra durability. There’s some new running socks this coming season which are shorter but allow for the same durability, but with the added bonus of being so pretty as well! If you look at the catalogue online, you’ll see that there’s a massive range of socks for men, women and children, but also a complete kaleidoscope of patterns. This hiking/trekking pair of women’s socks have a bear design on them! There’s plenty of other socks to choose from, not only for different activities but in different colours and even landscape designs on them. It makes them much easier to pair up after washing too!

The bonus of all Darn Tough socks is that no matter how they wear out, there is a lifetime guarantee on each pair that means they will replace your socks, no questions asked, whenever a hole appears or they wear down. What better promise of quality is that?

 Available in the UK at: https://www.cdalimited.com/darn-tough/

Hydro Flask 32oz Wide Mouth Flask

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Days Out, eco friendly, Family Life, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Sport, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Everyone has a water bottle nowadays and knows to stay away from plastic which typically isn’t easy to recycle, nor is it very good for your health, especially if left to heat up.  Hydro Flask produce a whole range of flasks and food storage items which keep your drinks and food cold, or hot, for longer.

Using stainless steel and their TempShield double wall technology, flasks such as this 32oz (946ml) water flask can keep your drinks cooler, or hotter for longer.  The inner workings of the flask include a vacuum insulation between the layers of the stainless steel, ensuring the drink doesn’t transfer heat to the outside of the bottle. Hydro Flask 32oz keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours or hot for up to 12 hours.

Think of all the ways that this is practical – not just for camping or days out where there is no hot water, but keeping water at least warm to heat up a baby’s feed, or cold drinks when you’re on the go for long distance exercise. For taking in your daily water allowance, this flask only needs to be filled up once a day on average with nearly 1 litre capacity. It also looks good with the powder coating colour and black and steel lid.

The wide mouth of this flask allows you to drink as you walk or run, but Hydro Flask also have alternative lids which suit all sorts of needs. There’s the Flex Chug Cap – ideal for when running or walking because it narrows the mouth of the 32oz flask so that you don’t spill it as easily (no guarantees that you won’t though, especially if you’re running!) and comes with the same flex strap for easy carry. The Flex Chug Cap is also BPA and toxin free and can be put in the dishwasher like all the other flasks. 

The second attachment for the Hydro Flask 32oz is the Wide Mouth Flex Straw Cap.  It fits all Wide Mouth Hydro Flask bottles and comes with two straws which can be cut down to size. It’s also insulated and like all the flasks and their lids, it’s leakproof when closed. It’s not for hot liquids though, but I’m not sure there is any hot drink you use a straw for nowadays anyway? The Wide Mouth Flex Straw Cap is also BPA free.

The Hydro Flask 32oz comes in a range of colours, including this green, called Dew, but other colours include white, black, Gojo (red) and Lupine (lilac). There’s a 100% customer satisfaction warrantee on each flask meaning there’s a limited lifetime warrantee against manufacturer defects.

Hydro Flask are quite possibly the future in insulated flasks, especially in the wake of anti-plastic.

Available for £41.40 on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BG6HYFJG?maas=maas_adg_9FBBDF957F63467F00CA4C4BB590066C_afap_abs&ref_=aa_maas&tag=maas

ALTERNA Caviar Anti-Ageing Hair Products

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Women

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

Eureka moment!! You know when you find a product that transforms your hair and you can’t imagine using anything else – this is how I feel about the Caviar Anti-Aging range from Alterna. When the box of haircare products arrived, I had been struggling with my shoulder length curly hair, which in the last year has become incredibly dry and frizzy. Despite spending a small fortune on new hair products nothing seemed to be helping and I had almost given up hope on finding a product that could transform my frizzy mop back into smooth curls again.

Alterna isn’t a brand I had come across before despite being around since 1997. They wanted to create a range of luxury hair products based on the science of skincare and developed products for professionals using natural eco-certified ingredients with no sulfates or parabens in sight.  

I received the Caviar Anti-Ageing range which is designed to nourish and protect hair and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that help to strengthen and hydrate your hair. The vibrant purple bottles looked stunning, and I couldn’t wait to see if they would help my frizzy locks.  

The shampoo and conditioner are very easy to work through hair and rinsed out easily. The shampoo lathered nicely, creating a rich foam that cleansed my hair and smelt gorgeous. The conditioner left my hair feeling hydrated, soft and manageable and helped bring back my bouncy curls.

The Priming Leave in Conditioner was nice and light on my hair and didn’t weigh it down like thicker products tend to do. It removed the tangles effortlessly adding some much needed moisture to my hair.

The Shampoo/Conditioner cost £39.90 each for a 250ml bottle and the Priming Leave in Conditioner is £34.70 for 147ml.

The Caviar Replenishing Moisture Intensive Ceramide Shots (RRP £52.10) are a potent ceramide concentrate in individual capsules that hydrate, reduces breakage and strengthen hair. It is easy to twist the capsule open and then apply to damp hair. I used them after the leave in conditioner and before the CC cream.

I’ve used CC Cream on my face but not on hair before so this was a new step for me. The cream feels like a conditioner and smells amazing and is applied to towel dried hair. This miracle leave in product and styling cream delivers 10 benefits in one easy step – Moisture, Shine, Smoothness, Softness, UV Protection, Manageability, Strength, Anti-Breakage, Heat Protection & Light Hold. It is suitable for all types of hair and once applied all you need to do leave it to work it’s magic. RRP £35.85

These products have really helped hydrate my curls and after only a couple of washes my hair was smoother and the dreaded frizz was gone. Thanks to this range I now love my curls again, my hair looks fantastic – shiny, smooth and nourished from the scalp to the ends – what more can a girl ask for?

Available from the Alterna website they also have smaller sizes which are perfect for travelling or if you are trying the products for the first time.


Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegetarian

Disclaimer: we received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s World Chocolate Day today – our favourite day of the year and we have been celebrating with some of our favourite chocolate treats from Joe & Seph’s

Joe & Seph’s are a family business and began making popcorn back in 2010 in their family kitchen. After taking the popcorn to a food show they sold out in 2 days and the rest is history. They use the finest, natural ingredients and now have a range of over 40 exciting flavours which include both sweet and savoury flavours.

The White Chocolate & Raspberry Popcorn Slab costs £8 and believe me is worth every penny. Combining Caramel and Raspberry popcorn and smothering them in delicious white chocolate, Joe & Seph’s have come up with the most amazing indulgent treat. I would like to say that we ate this over a couple of nights but that would be a complete lie! It was so good we demolished the whole slab in one sitting!!

The Caramel & White Chocolate Gourmet Popcorn costs £4 and is a real treat for the tastebuds, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The air popped popcorn is coated in smooth caramel and white chocolate and has a satisfying crunch when you bite into it. Once you’ve tasted this I guarantee you won’t go back to cinema popcorn again!

The Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites are pieces of salted caramel popcorn in a creamy milk chocolate cup. The creaminess of the chocolate and the crunch of the popcorn go so well together and are a real decadent treat. They say each bag contains 4 servings – I think their servings are much smaller than mine!! RRP £3.50

We’ve really enjoyed celebrating World Chocolate Day with Joe & Seph’s and I can’t wait to find out what their next popcorn flavours are going to be.

Mavrik Non Alcoholic Espresso Martini & Passion Star Martini

Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Summer, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts an opinions are our own.

It’s summer and the weekend but if you’re not a big drinker, pregnant or driving you can still join the party with these new non alcoholic martinis from Mavrik.

With Espresso Martini and Passion Star Martini added to their already great selection of canned cocktails, these non alcoholic cocktails have less than 50 calories per serving so they are perfect if you are watching the calories too.

The cans are nitro infused so all you need to do is simply chill the can, turn it over a few times, open and pour gently into a glass and wait for the head to develop. They can also be mixed in a cocktail shaker and shaken with ice in true James Bond style!   

I put mine in the fridge and after allowing them to chill to perfection, I decided to try the Passion Star Martini first. Inspired by the popular Pornstar Martini, the Passion Star Martini is nice and fruity and the nitrogen-infusion gives it a nice head. Passion fruit, pineapple and vanilla along with rum flavouring give the cocktail the distinctive Caribbean taste and if you close your eyes you can pretend you are sipping cocktails in an exotic location!   

The Espresso Martini is also nitro-infused, producing a beautifully smooth coffee flavoured cocktail that tastes absolutely delicious. Coffee and chocolate flavours blend together nicely giving the flavour of an Espresso Martini, just minus the alcohol.

These martinis feel much more grown up than a fizzy drink and best of all I can drink them all night knowing I can safely drive myself home at the end of the party and won’t wake up with a hangover the following morning.

Mavrik drinks are available from their website and a box of 8 Martinis (4 of each) costs £23.60

Mayata Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Food & Drink

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

To celebrate National Chocolate Day on 7 July, the team at Mayata sent us some of their delicious chocolate to try. We can’t promise that it made it past tea time, but we can tell you that we enjoyed testing it for you!

With each 70 gram bar priced at £4.99, they aren’t the off-the-shelf High Street brands but you can taste that in the quality of the chocolate. We were sent the Mayata Colombia 72% Dark Chocolate and Mayata Congo 44% Milk Chocolate bars to review. 

The difference in quality between Mayata Chocolate and other brands is not just the cocoa beans but the fact that Mayata don’t blend the beans to make a hybrid chocolate. Using produce from Asia, Africa and the Americas, the beans are roasted low and slow to reduce bitterness before being crushed.  

The 72% Dark Chocolate from Colombia is made with fermented Trinitario cocoa. Trinitario has been grown in the Antioquia region of Colombia for centuries and is produced by farmers who use sustainable practices.  The 72% dark chocolate is a much richer, deeper flavour which will be loved by anyone who likes dark chocolate, just without such a bitter after taste compared to other dark chocolates. I think this would work really well in a recipe that needs dark chocolate, like a Rocky Road or rich ganache cake.

The 44% Congo Milk Chocolate bar is smoother than smooth and very creamy with a hint of fruit flavour in it, making it quite different to commercial chocolates.  It’s not bitter at all, and you can eat it easily without feeling like it’s too rich as there’s not too much sugar in it. It melts in the mouth, feeling like it’s more of a creamy dessert rather than a chocolate bar.  I could eat this one all day long and not get fed up with it!

Mayata say that they make chocolate like no other, and I can believe it from the history of how they create their single location cocoa, their ethics of making chocolate and the taste of their wonderfully rich and delicious chocolate bars. How many ways can we find to fit Mayata chocolate into our day?

Mayata Chocolate is available on Sous Chef from £4.99 at:

Mayata Chocolate

iWALK PowerSquid Portable Charger

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Mobile Phone, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s holiday time and we’re off exploring the beautiful countryside in Somerset. We’ve got everything packed, including all our tech – it’s surprising just how many items need charging. A quick look shows two phones, two smart watches, earbuds, a camera, the GPS for my bike and a couple of rechargeable bike lights. That’s a lot of charging cables and there are only two USB sockets in the motorhome.

To make things easier, I’m trying out a USB power bank from iWALK. The PowerSquid has a capacity of 9000mAh and offers quick charging to compatible devices. Its name comes from the fact that it has three built-in charging cables that are permanently attached, looking like the legs of a squid. With micro USB, USB-C and Lightning, many devices are covered but for complete coverage there is of course a standard USB socket too. Charging is via USB-C and a USB-C cable is included.

Mine is white but black and pink models are also available, it weighs 200g and feels really well made. A small LED display gives the percentage charge and also shows if fast charging is being used.

With multiple outputs the PowerSquid is able to charge a number of devices at the same time and it can also take on a charge at the same time, this was perfect in the motorhome where USB sockets are limited. It is also capable of offering fast charge to compatible devices with 5v, 9v or 12v offered on the USB-C and USB-A connector. It can charge a Samsung S22 up to 50% in 30 minutes and was able to charge my phone around one and a half times on a full charge so it will be great for weekends away. The cables all clip neatly into the casing so no more tangled cables in your bag.

It is compatible with iPhone 14/14 Pro Max/iPhone 13 Pro Max/13 Pro/13, Samsung Google Pixel & Apple HomePod devices.

I am really happy with this power bank, it is going to be indispensable when travelling both in the UK and abroad. My teenage sons have already been eying it up so that’s their birthday presents sorted too!  

RRP £34.99 available from Amazon here

Herbarium Distillation 29

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I do enjoy a refreshing G&T on a sunny afternoon, but I don’t always want the hangover that one too many glasses brings.  Fortunately, there are now some excellent non alcoholic gins available, enabling me to enjoy all the deliciousness of a sophisticated G&T but without the headache.

Herbarium 29 is the brainchild of friends Andrew Stacey & Steve Brown who struggled to find an alcohol free alternative to gin. After deciding that the best option was to simply take the alcohol out of gin they focussed on this idea and after a lot of experimentation Herbarium was born.

It is delicious served with ice and tonic for a refreshing drink, or if you are feeling a little more adventurous why not try making mocktails?

Distilled in copper pot stills they hand distil small batches of the highest quality, hand selected  botanicals to create a well-balanced, complex spirit that has the beautiful mouthfeel and fresh dryness that you expect from a premium gin. I tried it initially with an unflavoured light tonic to get the full flavour, garnishing with a slice of lime. The botanical flavours really stood out and it made a really refreshing drink.  

I also tried a Herblet Cocktail which can be made with these ingredients

Ice

50ml Herbarium

50ml Lime cordial

50ml water

2tsp sugar syrup

Lime to garnish

With strong notes of juniper and citrus and the classic bitterness that you expect from gin but without any of the alcohol, Herbarium is the perfect drink this summer. You still get the party taste without the hangover – what’s not to like!

A 70cl bottle costs £24.80 and is available from the Herbarium website (there is currently a 20% discount if you use the code SUMMER20), Master of Malt and Amazon.

Happi Oat Milk Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Children, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gluten Free, Stocking Fillers, Sustainable, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We’ve been munching our way through a lot of chocolate this week in preparation for World Chocolate Day on the 7th July.  As well as traditional chocolate we have been sampling some plant based brands as being Vegan or following a dairy free or gluten free diet no longer means you need to miss out on delicious chocolate treats.

Happi Choc was founded by Gavin, Lee & Rosie who spotted a gap in the market for top quality, healthier and FUN plant based treats that they were happy to share with their children and enjoy themselves.  Lower in sugar than other chocolate brands the chocolate is sustainably sourced with the cacao bought directly from a Columbian family owned business and co-operative called Luker.  The company are 100% ethically driven and work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices. (We recently tried FATSO chocolate which is sourced from the same Columbian business)

The Happi chocolate is made using single origin 47% Colombian cacao and oat milk and comes in a range of delicious flavours – Plain Milk, White Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Orange, Cacao Nibs Crunch & White Raspberry.

Happi chocolate is the very first oat milk chocolate I have tried and I have to say I’m really impressed, the chocolate is smooth and creamy and there is definitely no compromise on taste and with less sugar it’s better for my waistline too!

My favourite was the Cacao Nib Crunch, the rich flavour combined with the crunchy cacao nibs is simply irresistible and a chocolate lovers dream. For white chocolate lovers the White Raspberry bar is one to try, with plenty of freeze dried raspberries giving it a fruity boost this one is incredibly moreish!

The packaging is also recyclable with a cardboard box and a home compostable plastic inner. They also give 1% of their annual net sales revenue to good causes and mental health organisations so another good reason to try it.

Happi is available in 40g and 80g bars from Selfridges, Ocado, Amazon and local independent retailers.

Helly Hansen Stockholm Backpack

Birthday Gifts, camping, Days Out, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Sport, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Treat yourself this summer to a new Helly Hansen Stockholm Backpack, made with waterproof material and a laptop compartment, is it for urban, or rural?

Available in various colours including dark blue, black and the green which we were sent to try, the Stockholm Backpack holds 28 litres and has a front pocket for valuables, closing with a zip. The back pocket is padded for a laptop whilst the straps, no matter what you’re using the backpack for, are more comfortable for long wears because they’re padded.

The top of the Stockholm Backpack is a roll top and buckle – no zip here, so you can stuff it full of clothes or gadgets and the roll top is waterproof, like the rest of the polyester material which makes up the whole bag.  The straps also have a cross-strap to hold them in place and distribute the weight across your shoulders, and the whole bag is wider than a normal backpack to add more volume and to even the load. The length of the bag is bigger than usual too so if you’re taking a lot with you camping, or travelling with more than usual this is for you. Anyone who is that big taller might find this a useful bag too as the dimensions mean it holds a lot more but is also more comfortable for wider shoulders and frame.

The base of the bag is re-enforced with a waterproof material which looks and feels like leather (but isn’t) to make it more hard wearing especially if it’s put down on the ground or used for travelling. Empty, it flattens down to almost nothing thanks to its square design, and the material is incredibly durable so is bound to last a long time. It’s easy to clean as well as there aren’t many components and it’s made of only a few materials which can all be machine washed.

Although pricy at £65, it is Helly Hansen so you know it’s well made, will last and is designed and made for the outdoor life.  It works just as well for commuting though as it’s the size of a laptop (or bigger) and hold a computer safely with the added compartment. It’s a great bag for cyclists who are going into work with laptop, change of clothes and lunch all thrown in, and the slightly bigger size makes it easier to carry more. Thankfully the waterproof material and buckle roll top will save your work clothes for the British weather too!

RRP £65.00: https://www.hellyhansen.com/en_gb/stockholm-backpack-67187

Màzo London Q Candle 

Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Plastic free, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We all love a candle, and to receive a British made candle is an extra special gift when there is such choice out there.

Màzo Candles London is a London based company founded by two sisters, Màz and Zö as a luxury candle brand made with natural essential oils and all natural, vegan wax and pure cotton wicks. Like a fine wine, the candles were designed to have a range of aromas layered to create a unique fragrance unlike other candles on the market and to evoke a sense of well-being in your home.

The sisters, who founded the company in 2022, have created a range of luxury candles all of which are available on their website. The range includes Mystic (citrus notes Bergamot and Jasmine with myrrh and tobacco for a cosy atmosphere), Pink (fresh grapefruit and pink peppercorn), Chaparral (guava and eucalyptus to refresh the spirit) and Q, which was the candle which was sent to us.

Opening the parcel which arrived at my door, I could smell the tones of bergamot coming through the packaging. The scent also contains fig, Egyptian Jasmine, Oud and pure Frankincense.  I think it was the frankincense which reminded me of the posh spas and boutiques that sell the higher end gifts in London’s West End. 

The 220gram net candle is set in a gorgeous square glass frame, adorned with metal work on the outside which is unaffected by the flame. Once the candles starts to burn though, the light from the double wicks casts patters through the metalwork onto the floor, creating a shadow effect.  Màz and Zö have thought of everything with these candles because there’s even little protectors provided to stick on the bottom of the metal feet so that you don’t mark the furniture as the candle burns!  The double wicks, which are made of pure cotton, create a tandem glow but also means that the candle burns more evenly.

The scent is heavenly, as you’d imagine and you can tell that this isn’t synthetic wax with an added fragrance made with additives. The natural wax burns more slowly and is much smoother, plus the scents linger longer and you can detect the different layers of Jasmine and Frankincense especially. The candle has a burning time of around 40 hours, so for the size of candle it lasts much longer than High Street brands.

New candles are always exciting, and we love trying new brands at The Review Studio, so to find a local candle company who specialise in natural ingredients and also produce such high quality candles is a real treat!

Available for £72.00 at: https://mazocandleslondon.com/products/q-candle

FATSO Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Vegan

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I am a real chocoholic and don’t need much of an excuse to eat chocolate, so I am really enjoying the lead up to World Chocolate Day on the 7th July.

I love discovering new chocolate brands and one I hadn’t come across before is FATSO who use a Columbian family owned business and co-operative called Luker as their sole chocolate supplier. The company are 100% ethically driven and they grow delicious, sustainable cocoa that has been awarded the highest chocolate classification, FINO DE AROMA. They also work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices.

So with such great credentials the big question is, what does the chocolate actually taste like? Well, that’s very easy to answer. Absolutely delicious!!

We tried two different bars – the King’s Ransom (Mint Pistachio & Cocoa Nibs) and Home Run (Salted Pretzel, Whole Almond & Honeycomb).

One of the things that really surprised me about the King’s Ransom bar (and I really know it shouldn’t) is that it had such a wonderful minty flavour rather than the strong synthetic representation of mint we have become accustomed to in cheaper brands. The minty flavour together with the crunchy texture of the pistachio and cocoa nibs made this a delight to eat.

The Home Run bar is a 60% cacao bar with generous chunks of salted pretzel, whole almonds and honeycomb. This winning combination of flavours complement each other and it is easy to pick out all the flavours, the saltiness of the pretzel takes away some of the bitterness of the dark chocolate and sweetness comes from the honeycomb. Nuts add a satisfying crunch to this bar.

The quality of FATSO chocolate is exceptional and it’s definitely the best I’ve tasted in a quite a while.
One taste and you will see that their chocolate is a world apart from something you might pick up from the supermarket. At £6.50 for a 150g bar it is on the expensive side but you are paying for a quality product here – just keep it out of the way of the children and savour every piece!

The Genius Star

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Father's Day, Games, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Toys

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We’re on the last few weeks of the summer term and on the countdown to summer holidays. Travelling with children can be incredibly stressful so if you can keep then entertained it makes the journey a lot more pleasant for everyone! In the run up to the summer holidays I am always on the lookout for compact games that I can pop in my bag to keep the children entertained, whether they are on a plane, car, hotel room or caravan.

We were recently sent The Genius Star from The Happy Puzzle Company which can be played solo or as a 2 player game. The game is great fun and will not only keep them occupied whilst travelling it is also fun to team up to play together as a family in the evenings.

Inside the box are two plastic star shaped grids, two sets of 11 multi-coloured wooden shapes, two sets of seven blocker pieces (triangles) and seven dice (a mixture of six and eight sided). The game is very easy to play, simply roll all the dice and place a blocker piece into the triangle matching the seven numbers that appear on the dice, then race your opponent to fill every other space on the grid using the 11 shapes. There is also an added twist with the ‘Golden Star’ which allows you to score a double win by solving the puzzle with the ‘Golden Star’ Apparently only 57.4% of the puzzles have a solution that includes the ‘Golden Star’ so this adds to the challenge!

The game is good for STEM learning using skills including problem solving, critical thinking and logic skills to complete the puzzle.

Each game is reasonably quick but with 165,888 possible combinations you do sometimes play a round that takes a little longer to complete, especially if you try to use the ‘Golden Star’ but that just adds to the fun. With so many different combinations this is a game that will keep children (and adults) entertained these holidays.

The Genius Star is suitable for ages 8 to adult and has an RRP of £19.99

Athletia Switching Aroma Green Ray Room Mist

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Fragrance, Gifts for Her, Home, Women

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

This week is World Wellbeing Week and it is a great opportunity to think about what you can do to prioritise your wellbeing. Take a look at your work-life balance, stress levels, the amount of sleep you get, diet, exercise (or lack of it) and think about whether there is something you can change, it doesn’t have to be something huge, just the smallest of changes can make a difference and it is also incredibly important to fit in some “me time.”

The use of aromas to enhance mood and improve health and wellbeing dates back to 3500 years BC and you’ll know yourself that spraying your favourite perfume, lighting a scented candle or taking a long bath with your favourite bubble bath can really boost your mood.

Scented candles, diffuser and room mists are a great way to instantly fragrance your home and can create an instant calming and relaxing ambience. Athletia Beauty recently sent us their Switching Aroma Green Ray Room mist which with only a couple of sprays quickly enhances not only your surroundings but your mood too.

Made from natural botanical essential oils and inspired by travel and nature’s vistas – think forests, the ocean and mountains this crisp refreshing spray has the power to change your mood after only one spray! It contains frankincense oil which is a favourite of mine as the oil is well known for reducing anxiety and stress.

The thing I like about a room mist is you have more control over the intensity of the fragrance than you do with candles or diffusers as you can spritz as much or as little as you like – a quick spray to add ambience to a room or more to mask cooking smells or even wet dogs!

Once sprayed, the scent filled my lounge, creating a relaxing ambience and the beautiful fragrance lingered for hours. I wish I could send a spritz of this electronically as it is such a lovely relaxing fragrance but you’ll just have to take my word for it and try it yourself – I promise you won’t be disappointed!

£39 for 100ml – available from Athletia Beauty here and Selfridges

Altruist UVA Sun Protection 

beauty, camping, Children, Family Life, health, Summer

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We love summer. Summer isn’t always great in this country for skin though, either the direct sunlight, which we’re not used to, or the dry temperatures which our skin hates. My skin is always dry in summer no matter the weather though, so I have to make sure that I not only wear sunscreen when I have to but that it’s hydrating.  

The biggest threat to skin and the most common cancer is skin cancer.  Altruist Sun Protection was developed by dermatologist Dr Andrew Birnie, Skin cancer is undoubtedly caused by exposure to sunlight, especially powerful sunlight if you’re not used to it throughout the year and get a blast of intense sun all in one go.  As well as refraining from burning, using sunscreen, as well as a hat and shirt are the best way of preventing melanomas.

With a lot of research, Dr Birnie has developed the Altruist range of sun protection for the whole family.  From bumper 200ml tubes of SPF 30 to a Face Fluid at SPR 30 (Dr Birnie admits to using this as an after shaving lotion!) and a handy invisible spray which is SPF 50 and PPD 42.  There’s an even bigger range online so you can find what you need for yourself and your family.

All of the products in the range are fragrance – free and have UVA, UVB and broad spectrum protection.  The Family Sun Spray is particularly useful because it packs away flatter than tubes and has the gun action which makes it easy to supply. It’s fabulous for holidays too because there’s a seal which prevents it from leaking in luggage and the shape doesn’t break easily either. It’s suitable for babies and children so at SPF 50 and 250ml it’s the only sunscreen you need to take on holiday!

The Face Fluid works great as a daily moisturiser as it contains vitamin E and it’s an anti-oxidant sunscreen too. It’s pretty rich, and takes a while to absorb into the skin so I wouldn’t recommend it under make-up but it’s great for the beach or by the pool.

The Invisible Spray works differently because it’s such a fine mist, but it’s also non-sticky. I would wear this in the evening so that my clothes and make-up don’t get ruined and it won’t show when you’re no doubt taking photos and in unnatural light. 

No matter what you use Altruist Sun Protection for, there’s a product for you and the reassurance that you’re using the right kind of protection from a skin care expert.

https://altruistsun.com/where-to-buy/ and available at Amazon, Lloyds Pharmacy and TheSkinClinic UK.

https://altruistsun.com/sunscreen/sunscreen-spf30-200ml/ priced at £5.25

https://altruistsun.com/sunscreen/sunscreen-spf50-100ml/ priced at £5.25

https://altruistsun.com/sunscreen/altruist-face-fluid-sunscreen-spf30-50ml/ priced at £8.50

https://altruistsun.com/sunscreen/family-sunspray-250ml/ priced at £12.50

https://altruistsun.com/sunscreen/invisible-sunspray-spf50/ priced at £6.75