Birthday Gifts – Page 13 – The Review Studio

Softly Mens Alpaca Scarf

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, camping, eco friendly, Fashion, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, National Walking Month, Winter

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

Ordinarily a scarf isn’t something I would consider as a Father’s Day gift as June is supposed to be lovely and warm and sunny! Not this year though, it’s still quite chilly so we’re having to wrap up on our evening walks so I know my husband would really appreciate a lovely warm scarf to keep him cosy when he’s out walking!

The Softly Softly Mens Alpaca Scarf is made from 100% premium alpaca fleece from Peru and is lovely and soft against your skin. Alpaca wool is stronger, softer, more eco-friendly, and offers 85% greater wicking capability than merino wool so it is a great choice for outdoor activities, especially hiking, as it’s also breathable and wind-resistant too.

The scarf is nice and long which makes it ideal for wearing different ways, it can be easily wrapped twice around your neck, tied overhand or worn in the Parisian knot style the choice is yours.

Available in a fantastic selection of colours – black, oatmeal, sapphire blue, scarlet, dark blue, dark green and mulberry this scarf is not only a stylish accessory but practical too and will keep Dad’s neck warm and cozy on colder days for years to come.

Size 150cm x 30cm

RRP £45 but currently on sale for £18

Read our Softly Softly Alpaca wool socks review here

Prezzee Gift Card

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts

Sometimes it can be hard to decide on a Father’s Day gift, do you get them a voucher and if so where for? Prezzee digital gift cards are a great idea as the recipient has the choice of over 190 retail outlets so there is bound to be one they will love.

The gift card comes via email and when you click the button to open your gift it takes you to the Prezzee website where a parcel opens revealing your gift. To redeem you simply enter the pin number from the email and you can then swap your Prezzee gift card one from the many retailers on the Prezzee website. There are so many different brands to choose from including high street stores, sports brands, restaurants, supermarkets, garden centre vouchers, theatre tokens and hotels so there is bound to be something they will love. The Prezzee card is available from as little as £5 and up to £500 so you can treat your Dad, no matter what your budget.

After swapping your gift card you instantly receive an email with your electronic gift card which can be saved in an electronic wallet to spend at a later date. I chose a National Gardens digital gift card for my Father in Law, which arrived in less than a minute, so I was really impressed with the speed of delivery.

I was really impressed with the whole process and will certainly be buying more Prezee cards as gifts as it means I no longer need to spend ages deciding what to buy and the recipient will enjoy choosing something special to treat themselves to!

Tozo – OpenReal Headphones

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, National Walking Month, Tech

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

When I’m out and about, commuting or working in the garden I really enjoy listening to music and audiobooks. I own a few different types or headphones and it depends on what activity I am doing as to which pair I decide to wear. When I’m walking or commuting on my bike, I use a pair of bone conducting headphones as they allow me to stay aware of my surroundings but the one downside is that the audio quality isn’t as good, so I tend to listen to spoken word rather than music when I am wearing them.

The Open Ear Design of the Tozo OpenReal headphones get round this problem by using a pair of high quality speakers positioned over your ear. The design allows me to hear what is going on around me without compromising on sound quality.

Talking of sound, it is generated from a pair of 16.2mm drivers and they give a great sound quality, reproducing a full range of frequencies with no distortion. The accompanying app allows access to a graphic equaliser to further tune the sound to your preference. With the speakers sitting over the ear there is very little contact with your skin and so none of the sweaty feeling that can come when wearing other headphones for longer periods.

I found the headphones easy to setup and operate and controlling the headphones is simple, there are two physical buttons on the right side and a single touchpad for quick music control or answering a phone call. Connection uses Bluetooth 5.3 for reduced power consumption and better sound quality. There is a brief user guide included in the box but I managed to get them up and running without reading it!

The battery life is good, the manufacturer claims 16 hours of listening from a 1.5 hour charge with a couple of hours from a quick 10 minute top-up, I haven’t timed this but they will certainly last me for a few days before they need charging.

I’m really impressed with these headphones, they are perfect for commuting and with Father’s Day coming up they would also make a great gift for active Dad’s.

RRP £59.99 available from Amazon

Maxine Laceby Absolute Collagen

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fitness, Gifts for Her, health, Subscription Boxes, Summer, Women

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

Collagen is an absolute must for our body’s wellbeing and is used in so many ways. Most read about nowadays is how collagen is needed for hair and skin as a building block to repair and maintain.

Maxine Laceby created the Absolute Collagen to make collagen easy to integrate into your everyday life and improve the quality of your skin and hair and has been the number 1 selling collagen supplement since 2017. Absolute Collagen is made from marine collagen (basically fish!) and blended into a supplement which also contains Vitamin C as an antioxidant. The collagen is absorbed into the body and the dermal layers of skin to promote your own cells to create more collagen and enrich hair and nails.

The Absolute Collagen pack we were sent includes 14 sachets of collagen in a lovely presentation box which also has a day record included so that you can check off once you’ve had your sachet for the day! This proves invaluable if you have a busy life and I found it easy to keep it near the kettle and use it as a diary. Each sachet can be torn open and consumed straight away but I found that although the texture is easy (it looks and feels like honey) it’s actually a bit too fish-like to eat straight from the pack. Instead, I read the instructions and realised you can add it to boiling water and create a hot drink from it, which also dilutes the taste. If you are used to hot water and honey, this is no different just a slightly different taste! I used it as a substitute to a cup of tea (or coffee) in the afternoon and obviously it helps with hydration if you have a water-based drink too.

Having never taken a collagen supplement before, it was interesting to see the difference. This was only 14 days’ worth of collagen but on the website it explains that some people see or feel a difference in just a few weeks whilst others see improvement over a longer period. I guess it depends on what your diet and lifestyle is like already. The website also details the changes expected after 12 weeks so 2 weeks isn’t long to test it but here goes…

I can’t say that I noticed anything different in my hair after just 2 weeks but my skin was different. The fine lines around my eyes (you know, only the ones you know about!) were reduced and plumper. It was like taking me back 3-4 years and slowing the aging process that had been catching up with me. I could feel that my skin was more hydrated and softer without too much of an effort on skincare or any change to my routine. I think over time this would be a greater change and perhaps hold back the drying out of my skin once winter arrives and the heating does its thing! I did notice that my nails had changed… I always paint my nails so I couldn’t see the condition underneath but I did realise that my nail varnish stayed on a lot longer than usual and didn’t chip. I’m presuming the nails underneath were in a better condition and more hydrated therefore kept a better hold on the varnish for longer?

Although 2 weeks isn’t long to test a beauty product, the start looks promising and my skin and nails especially are definitely not worse. The challenge will come when the 14^th sachet runs out and I see if my skin goes back to its old ways!

Available from £27.99 at: https://www.absolutecollagen.com/products/marine-liquid-collagen-drink-for-women

Thorntons Chocolate Pearls

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Stocking Fillers

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

Chocolate isn’t just for Easter, or Christmas but all year round the family can enjoy these Thorntons Chocolate Pearls – or would you give them to Dad for Father’s Day?

These new offerings from Thorntons are boxes of delicious individually wrapped chocolates (in the shape of a pearl) in two distinct flavours –Brownie Deluxe and Salted Caramel Sensation. Each box contains 167 grams of chocolates, which is about 18 chocolates per box. The chocolate is the same world-famous Thorntons chocolate you’re used to, with a rich smoothness to the milk chocolate but with new fillings to keep you happy!

Starting with the Salted Caramel Sensation Pearls, this flavour is relatively new given the history of chocolate but it’s everywhere now. More of a flavour for grown-ups, children will actually appreciate this variety because it’s not overpowering nor too different. The shell is made of milk chocolate with the salted caramel soft centre easy to enjoy. There’s only a hint of the salt in there, but mostly the pleasure comes from the caramel which is very rich, but not so rich that you couldn’t eat just one pearl at a time. Thorntons have really got the balance right between the size of the bite and the richness of the chocolate and filling.

The second flavour we were sent was Thorntons Brownie Deluxe. These are the same pearls with a milk chocolate shell then the filling is rich chocolate with tiny biscuit bits to make it a Brownie. The filling is not the same chocolate as the shell; it’s softer and more like a chocolate cake piece, as the name suggests. There’s not too much biscuit in it, which is something I hate in chocolates, it is more of a rich chocolate fondant and a tiny amount of small bits of biscuit. It add texture but without taking away from the chocolate indulgence!

These Thorntons Pearls could be shared by the whole family, but if Dad is a chocolate fiend, he’ll love these sophisticated chocolate flavours and will be able to drown in as much or as little of the lovely chocolatey tastes Thorntons is famous for.

Available in supermarkets or online for £5.28:

Brownie Pearls: https://www.thorntons.com/uk/en/p/pearls-brownie-deluxe/77233281

Salted Caramel Pearls: https://www.thorntons.com/uk/en/p/thorntons-pearls-salted-caramel-sensation/77226875

Sauce Shop Hot Sauce Challenge

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer

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

Hot sauce challenges have been around for a while and bringing them home can be a great bit of family or party fun. The Sauce Shop’s Hot Sauce Challenge Set is a great way to have fun even for those who are new to heat! The 5 sauces are varied and tasty – with a few of them winning Great Taste awards in 2023.

Hot sauces can bring many flavour profiles to any meal, adding a great deal of depth and complexity to a variety of foods. From Sweet and fruity to Smoky and tangy – there is a hot sauce for everyone, even if you don’t call yourself a hot head!

This set is a fantastic gift for a group of spice adventurers (like the group we got together), spice lovers, or even those new to spicy food – but be warned that some of the bottles get HOT!

The presentation of this set is great as a gift – it is minimal but striking. It gives a clear view of all the bottles you get with a great symbol and colour scale showing you what you’re in for with the heat. There are great descriptions of each sauce on the back of the box with information about the sauce, its ingredients, and it gives you a recipe for “Ultimate Easy Wings” that you can use for the challenge!

For the Challenge itself, we gathered 4 relative spice adventurers, some fried chicken and chips, and the Sauce Shop Hot Sauce Challenge box! So, let’s talk about how we found each sauce:

Original Hot Sauce – Heat 1

A tangy and vinegary sauce that gave a slow and low lingering heat. This sauce is a jalapeno sauce which makes it a great starting point for the challenge.

Sriracha Chilli Sauce – Heat 2

A great balanced sauce with sweet notes, if you like sriracha normally this a great time and is a little more ketchupy in consistency – which we loved! This is also a jalapeno based sauce so non-spice heads can still take part.

Buffalo Hot Sauce – Heat 3

The classic “wing” sauce – it is sharp, tangy but a little creamy. This jalapeno based sauce is a great mid level sauce – a hit of spice with a nice low burn.

Habanero Hot Sauce – Heat 4

This was our groups favourite sauce – hot, sweet and tangy with a great burst of mid-heat that lingers in a great way. The mangos in this make it a fun and good entry into trying sweeter style hot sauces.

Habanero Ketchup – Heat 5

So you like ketchup? Well this is the same thing but replace tomatoes with habanero peppers! Rich and spicy! A good way to end the challenge and a real heat that will challenge those that dare try this!

We had a fantastic night with this challenge, discussing the sauces, giggling when one of us got hit a bit harder than they expected, and tasting these great sauces while doing it. I will add that the last two sauces can get hot for those not used to spice so, if that is you, challenge yourself to get the buffalo sauce and have a glass of milk nearby ready!

If you are looking for a good gift for those who like spice, a fun friend or family party night, or want to challenge that friend or family member that keeps saying they love spicy food – this is a perfect gift to grab! The sauces are tasty and there is plenty of it so you can keep using them after the challenge.

Available from £19.99 at: https://www.sauceshop.co/products/hot-sauce-challenge-set

Just Spices Gin Making Kit

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Summer

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

Let’s BeGin!

For an extra different novelty gift this Father’s Day, Just Spices have this fabulous Gin Making Kit available, complete with a set of their famous different spices. If you’ve never made gin from scratch before, then read on to hear how it’s done plus how Just Spices have created this exciting kit that can be used again and again.

To make gin, you need a base alcohol. Vodka is best to start with as it’s tasteless and colourless. There isn’t any vodka included in this kit so you’ll have to buy a bottle which is at least 350ml in size, to accommodate the size of the provided bottles and the amount of spices included. The kit does have 2 glass bottles with cork stoppers, a funnel and sieve for adding the vodka and the botanicals and then tons of spices, botanicals and lovely things to make the gin taste as you wish!

The process is easy – add vodka to a bottle then add a measured amount of juniper to your bottle using the funnel. Close with the cork and shake vigorously – this is what releases the flavour into the vodka and make it gin. Add the botanicals (it’s all in the instructions) Then the gin then has to rest for any period of time (days, weeks etc) and the longer it rests the more of the botanical flavour seeps into the alcohol, thus allowing you to control the type of gin flavouring you like, plus how strong you like it. Careful though! The gin will be nearly 95% proof and too potent to drink so you need to dilute it with water before drinking or adding to a cocktail!

All the detailed instructions are in the enclosed booklet. There’s also a history of gin (originating from Holland) and a history on the different types of gin plus a rundown of the botanicals. They’re all included in the kit and are some of the expected ones like juniper and rosemary but then there are some more interesting ones like lemongrass and rose petals. You can mix up the botanicals so that you use different ones at the same time or one after the other but it’s best to stay with simple ideas and build up your knowledge as well as your pallet. There’s lots of recipes for making different flavours of gin then there’s recipes for cocktails using your new gin too!

I’ve never tried to make gin before but this is a really simple, all in one way of making it. All you need to do is add a bottle of vodka and you have the perfect gift for Father’s Day plus a new hobby which he can try. The personalisation of the gin labels and a kit which can be used again and again makes it all the more enjoyable as each bottle of homemade gin will last ages – unless your Dad likes testing the cocktails just as much!

Available from £45.99 at:

https://www.justspices.co.uk/gin-making-kit.html

Softly Softly Alpaca Socks

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Fashion, Father's Day, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, National Walking Month, Stocking Fillers, Winter, Women

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

May is National Walking month and the perfect opportunity to try out some great new walking gear like these alpaca socks from Softly Softly.

Softly Softly Alpaca socks are made from luxurious and sustainable alpaca fibre which not only feels lovely and soft on your feet but keeps them toasty warm in winter and cool in summer. Alpaca wool is stronger, softer, more eco-friendly, and offers 85% greater wicking capability than merino wool and being hypoallergenic means alpaca socks are a great choice for outdoor activities, especially hiking.

We walk hundreds of miles each year and socks are a lot more important than you might think when you’re out hiking as they are crucial for keeping your feet comfortable and blister free. I have been trying out the Ultimate Alpaca socks and the Luxury Alpaca Boot Socks over the last couple of weeks and I have to say I am really impressed, they are lovely and soft and incredibly comfortable to wear. The socks are quite thick so perfect for wearing in boots and the cushioned sole helps protect your feet on longer walks, trail runs and tougher terrains.

The socks are an excellent fit, sitting nicely on my foot and they don’t slip down when walking, the ribbed cuff is comfortable and not too tight around my leg and they are plenty long enough to tuck leggings or trousers into.

When I wear them on long walks my feet don’t seem to get as hot and sweaty as they do in cheaper socks and they have kept my feet cool on the one hot day we’ve had so far this month and lovely and warm on the cooler days! They can be machine washed on a wool cycle and after washing several times they have kept their shape and feel just as comfortable and luxurious as the first time I wore them.

Available in extra small, small, medium and large they will fit feet between sizes 1 to 12.

Whilst they are not the cheapest socks around they really are worth splurging on as you can’t put a price on comfortable feet. Whether you’re exploring the local countryside, conquering mountains or simply walking the dog make sure you have a pair of Softly Softly alpaca socks on your feet this summer!

RRP £25

Omnilux Mini Skin Corrector

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, REUSABLE, Summer, Tech, Women

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

What I’m about to show you is a new gadget that is revolutionary in skincare. You might have heard of infrared LED light being used to correct flaws on facial skin, but the Omnilux Mini Skin Corrector takes it to a new level with the ease and versatility of this new product.

At first, I wondered where the actual Skin Corrector was. In this tiny box, a round, malleable disk with a tiny 2-pin charge point was in a box all on its own, with a USB 2-pin charger and a box of hydrocolloid Skin Corrector patches. I struggled to see where the actual appliance was but if you watch the video online (link below), you not only see how the device works but what it can do.

The Omnilux Mini Skin Corrector is a portable, very lightweight device which emits near infrared LED light onto your skin. It doesn’t need a lead, it charges from a USB port using the lead provided then once the charge light goes green, it’s ready to use. By placing one of the Skin Corrector patches over the 6 LED lights on the back, it attaches to your skin to emit healing light to work on the layers of your skin. You don’t plug it in, you don’t need to sit still with it. The light does its thing and all you have to do is sit with it on!

You only need between 3 and 5 treatments a week, with each treatment lasting 10 minutes. The lights work on the layers of your skin to boost collagen and reduce fine lines, inflammation, redness and pigmentation. The red wavelength (633nm) reduces inflammation, pigmentation, and redness and helps prompt cellular repair and circulation for a more vibrant complexion. The near-infrared wavelength works on the deeper layers of your skin to help produce new collagen and elastin products to help lump and firm the skin.

It’s completely painless and has no side-effects and gets to work straight away. I sat with it on in a targeted area under my eyes whilst I was typing or watching TV. It’s very slightly warm from the LED lights but that’s it, you don’t even notice it. The Omnilux Hydrocolloid Patches keep the device adhered to the skin so that you can move around easily (no one wants to sit there holding it!) but they also feed the skin with the infused Vitamin C and azelaic acid. Once the 10 minute session is up, it turns itself off so you don’t even have to worry about how long you’re using it for.

The Omnilux Mini Skin Corrector is 100% natural, using the power of light waves to generate collagen in the skin. Safe to use, it’s been cleared for use by the FDA (in the USA) and is brilliantly portable and able to be used by all skin types. I particularly like how small and lightweight it is so that it can even go on holiday with you or you can wear it without having to worry about the weight on your skin, which no doubt would damage the elasticity over time.

How did it work? Well, I’ve been trying it for a few weeks now and I can see plumper skin! There’s a luminosity to my skin that I wasn’t expecting and I really enjoyed being able to sit and have this painless, intervention free method to help me feel like I’m doing something productive with my skin care. Once I took the device off, there was a little redness from the adhesive, but I’m aware that it was also penetrating products into my skin. The area felt slightly warm, like I had been sleeping on that side of my face and turned over but underneath you could see the skin was plumper. Using it several times a week, you can see a slight difference after just 4 or 5 sessions and you feel a difference when you touch your face. It can be used under eyes, for pigmentation and for fine lines, so I have been moving it around and getting my mini-facials in whenever I’m sitting indoors. It’s genius!

More Hydrocolloid Patches can be bought on the Omnilux website as they’re one time use only, but the Omnilux Mini Skin Corrector works a treat, and feels like a real treat on the skin too. I can’t wait until the winter months when I can brighten my skin even without a holiday!

Available from £96.80: https://omniluxled.com/products/skin-corrector

REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, 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.

Sun exposure, sand, and salty water tends to leave my skin very dehydrated, so toner is an essential stage in my skincare routine, especially when I am on holiday. I love REN skincare products so was really pleased to receive a bottle of their Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic which not only gives my skin a healthy glow but also gives it the hydration boost it craves.

Delivering multiple benefits in just one step, this refreshing toner not only helps to eliminate dead skin cells, but it exfoliates it too, leaving skin looking brighter. The toner is gentle enough to use every day and the energising formula helps to smooth skin, even out skin tone and visibly tighten pores as well as minimising the appearance of fine lines and pigmentation.

I have been sweeping it across my face with a bamboo pad after cleansing and as well as removing the last traces of make up from my skin it adds a layer of weightless moisture, giving my skin the hydration boost it craves. The toner not only smells divine but is gentle on my skin leaving it feeling refreshed and revitalised. It has really improved the condition of my skin; it now feels more hydrated and the pores on my forehead are definitely a lot less noticeable. The toner also helps prime my skin meaning my serum and moisturiser absorb better and I am finding I need less moisturiser as my skin is a lot more hydrated. After a couple of weeks used my skin not only looks more radiant but healthier too.

As well as using it as part of my skincare routine I think it will be perfect for freshening up my skin after a day at the beach and I will be packing it in my suitcase when I go on holiday this summer.

Highly recommended!

250ml RRP £30

Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask 2-In-1

beauty, Birthday Gifts, cruelty-free, Gifts for Her, health, Home, Mother's Day, Summer, Women

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

As summer is here, there’s always a need for a more enhanced beauty regime and what better way to brighten up your skin than with a face mask. Face mask that also exfoliate, like the Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask have the added benefit of allowing your skin products to absorb into the skin better, which also helps with summer make-up. I tested the Kora Organics Face Mask this week, knowing that I haven’t used a face mask in the winter and my skin needed some serious brightening!

Kora Organics was started by Miranda Kerr in 2009 under the belief that healthy skin is beautiful skin. Miranda and her team wanted to make a brand which was organic, cruelty-free and natural to detoxify and nourish your skin. The Turmeric in Kora’s Brightening Mask has anti-inflammatory properties and also reduces pigmentation of the skin, which is often found in older women. There are other natural ingredients too, including aspen-barn and peppermint for their antibacterial properties, and papaya enzymes which clear pores. There’s finely crushed amethyst creates the glow and the positivity of this popular crystal.

To use, it’s a gentle cream which is spread over the face, avoiding the eye areas. It’s best to massage into damp skin, so I used this in the bath and let myself soak for 15 minutes, but you can let it work in just 5 minutes. To remove, you can wash away but I liked the idea of the extra exfoliation of massaging away with finger tips or a damp cloth.

The smell of the turmeric is very powerful so if you’re not a fan of spices, you are in for a shock! The turmeric left a slight tingling on my skin but it was nothing like the sensation of a hot curry or burning so it soon went away. I assumed it was the ingredients which were working to clear away the dullness of my skin. It’s very refreshing and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin while you let it sit and work. I rather enjoyed the feeling of the exfoliating taking away the winter and allowing the summer to hit my skin, and it wasn’t drying at all so my usual face products glided on and absorbed beautifully. I could feel that my skin was cleaner, clearer and it looked brighter and after just one application of 15 minutes, there were tiny improvements to some of the discolouration of my face through age. Added bonus!

I’m very happy to continue using the Kora Organics Turmeric Brightening & Exfoliating Mask throughout the summer and seeing the long lasting effects of the Kora organic products.

Available from £47.00 for 100ml at:

https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/kora-organics-turmeric-brightening-and-exfoliating-mask-30ml/12701160.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=GBP&shippingcountry=GB&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw48-vBhBbEiwAzqrZVKTWjR4EKEAZUWw19OVmUJXpiAEJ-MU7pEZr39D21ibWX0WRyGIQAhoCukcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ikago Smart Mug and Heat Coaster Pro

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, coffee, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Sustainable, Tech

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

I had seen heated mug warmers on Instagram and wondered how good they were and whether the price (much more than a coffee mug!) was worth it so I was intrigued to find out when we were sent the Ikago Heat Coaster Pro. Perfect as a gift that you didn’t know you needed, this is brilliant for parents whose coffee always goes cold when there are small children around, or if you’re in a long meeting and want hot coffee throughout!

What is it? The Ikago Heat Coaster Pro is an electric heating pad which plugs into a normal electrical socket. The ceramic mug which is part of the set is placed on top of the coaster and is kept at a constant temperature using the infrared emitter. This means that as long as the coaster is plugged in and your mug is sitting on it, the temperature of your coffee (or other beverage!) is kept constant until you either drink it… or top it up!

To use, unpack all the equipment. As well as the heated coaster the ceramic mug is included, along with a lid and a spoon. The mug is actually quite attractive and 100% handmade and I was surprised it was a slightly bigger size than I expected. The lid is needed to keep the heat in so that the temperature can be kept constant and the spoon works with the infrared emitter.

Plug the coaster into the wall and the lights come on, but you need to press the power button at the side. The coaster will only heat up with the mug on the plate so make sure you have your coffee made and in the mug before you put it on. To change the temperature, use the display – and + signs to reach temperature sup to 65 Centigrade (150 Fahrenheit). You probably don’t know the exact temperature you like your coffee to be at, so this may take some trial and error before you get the right temperature! Don’t worry about remembering the exact number though, the Ikago Heat Coaster Pro will remember the last temperature and make sure your coffee is heated to that.

This is actually a really fun gift to receive because it’s not just a novelty item, it’s really useful and has longevity, it’s easy to use and the fun of getting it set up and discovering ‘your temperature’ and getting it right is all part of the process. It took me just 2 attempts to get the temperature right and actually allowed me to have a hot drink and not be distracted by filling up the mug when it got cold. I think it’s a brilliant idea for anyone working from home or who needs to concentrate as in time, I will get used to having the Ikago Smart Mug Warmer by my side and can rely on it.

It’s not ideal for warming a cup from cold, so it’s always best to have the drink hot first and either warm it slightly or keep it at the same temperature. NEVER use anything other than the ceramic mug as infrared and the radio waves can affect plastic, glass and quartz so best to stay away for safety reasons.

I think I’ll be using the Ikago Smart Mug and Heat Coaster Pro for a long time to come, and you can expect this gift from me in the future!

Available from £54 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ikago-Smart-Mug-Warmer-Thermometry/dp/B0BML12VKN?th=1

Fieldtrip 10oz Field Cup Set

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Days Out, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, National Walking Month, Summer, 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.

May is National Walking month and we’re trying to go for a walk every day, some days it’s just a quick walk after work but at the weekends we are heading further afield and enjoying longer walks in the beautiful countryside.

On our longer walks we always carry a flask of tea or coffee, in winter it’s just what you need to warm you up and there’s nothing better than sitting in the middle of nowhere enjoying a breathtaking view with a brew in your hand.

In the past we’ve just taken a couple of plastic mugs but the arrival of the Field Trip 10oz Field Cup set has certainly upped our game. The double walled stainless steel cups are available in stacks of 4 or 5 and come in a very practical 6oz waxed cotton bag which is hand finished with a stainless steel cord slider.

The insulation is just right for a quick hot drink or even a more leisurely coffee and most importantly they are really comfortable to hold, unlike the old fashioned metal cups that burnt your hands and lips – most hikers have had at least one bad experience with that style of cup! At 10oz the cup is a good size and is the equivalent to a normal mug that you use at home.

The metal doesn’t hold onto flavours so it can be used for any drink without the flavours being tainted and can also be used as a handy bowl for soup or porridge when camping. The cups are solid, durable, well-made, and a pleasure to drink out of and as they can be stacked in the purpose made bag, they don’t take up much space making them easy to throw in the rucksack or car so we can enjoy a nice brew when we’re out on our adventures.

We generally only take 2 cups with us so we have found the waxed cotton bag is a great place to store biscuits to enjoy with our brew!

At £59.95 for the 4 cup stack and £67.95 for the 5 cup stack they’re certainly not the cheapest set of cups around but they are made to last and I guarantee you’ll be using these cups for many years to come.

Edifier Comfo Run Bluetooth Headphones

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Sport, Summer

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

Another brilliant gift idea for Father’s Day is the Edifier Comfo Run Bluetooth headset. Wireless so that they just connect to your phone, these sports headphones are great for running or cardio work because of the design of the earbuds and how they attach. They’re open ear so they don’t have to sit inside your ear but because of their special sports design, they don’t fall off when running either!

Just 15 minute of charge (using the cable provided) gives 5 hours of listening time, and as they’re sports headphones, they also double up as a pedometer too. The can be used for gaming or work with the in-built double microphone and are dust and splash proof – perfect for taking on holiday and working out, being by the pool or listening to a podcast.

Unlike headphones for music and some gaming machines, the Edifer Comfo Run headphones are very lightweight. They’re great for running, but a they’re not inside your ear canal, they also work for cycling because they allow you to hear what’s going on around you too. The sound quality is really good and the controls (+,- and on/off) are easy to use when you’re trying to run, cycle or keep up with another sport. Like all Edifier headphones, they connect really easily to the Bluetooth on your phone using the ‘Search’ on your phone or device.

The design makes them slightly different to get used to because the ring goes behind your head, then each ear piece is over your ear with the headphone speaker sitting outside your ear canal. If you’re not used to this and instead have over the head or earbuds but they’re designed that way so that they don’t fall off! Anyone who doesn’t like something in their ear especially for prolonged amounts of time will prefer these because they sit outside the ear. However, the charging point is on the headpiece which doesn’t always stay in place if you move the headphones around, so charging them on moving transport can be tricky.

You don’t want too many bells and whistles with sports headphones, just easy to use, don’t slide off and they quality is really good. There’s not much to adjust on these, either technically or physically so not much can go wrong, and hopefully thanks to the design, they won’t fall off easily so you won’t lost them either!

Available from £79.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-Comfo-Run-Conduction-Headphones-Black/dp/B0CRYF3Y5K

Swizzels Sweet Shop Favourites for Father’s Day

Birthday Gifts, Children, Days Out, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Halloween, Lunchbox Fillers, secret santa, snacks, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Vegan

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

Think back to the sweets you had when you were young. Were Refreshers among them? What about Drumsticks and Love Hearts? Swizzels Sweets have a treat for Dads this Father’s Day with a bumper selection perfect for Dad; or Grandad to keep him occupied during the weekend. We were sent a huge assortment of Swizzels sweets to test before the big Father’s Day onslaught of chocolate, sweets and treats so we hope you get some inspiration from these for your Dad!

First up is the big box of Swizzels Sweet Shop Favourites. At 650 grams net it’s a pot pourri of favourites including Parma Violets, Refreshers, Double Lollies, Fizzers, Fruity Pops and Love Hearts. There’s also Drumsticks and Drumstick Squashies which are the same flavour but the Squashies are obviously softer on the teeth! Each of the sweets are as you remember them as a child and in this enormous round box, you can share them out within the family too. They’re great for dipping into when you need to get a sugar rush or to give out after dinner. Dad will love them for the memories too.

Also in the review package were variety packs with a packet of another favourite – Swizzels Luscious Lollies. There’s 16 lollies in this 176 gram pack which include Drumsticks, Fruity Pops and Double Lollies. Yes, there are some repeats here from the box of Sweet Shop Favourites but they are delicious and you probably don’t want to be taking a whole box out with you when you picnic or go on days out so 16 in a pack is ideal. All the lollies featured in this pack are also vegan and free from artificial colours.

There’s two more similar packs of sweets with the Swizzels Curious Chews at 171 grams and Swizzels Scrumptious Sweets at 173 grams. The Curious Chews contain Drumsticks (again), Refreshers, and then Sour Refreshers, Puds (sticky toffee pudding flavour) and Fudg-eee Fudge Chews. None of those are recognisable to me so I’m guessing they’re new in the last few decades. They are indeed very chewy! I would stick to one at a time for these if you have anywhere near loose fillings but they are very addictive and the Fudg-eee and Puds really do taste as they’re supposed to. The Scrumptious Sweets are some of our familiar Swizzels favourites including Drumsticks, Refreshers and Fizzers which again, are universally liked.

Finally, we have the Love Hearts! Everyone knew these sweets growing up so it’s only right that Dad gets them on Father’s Day too. The messages are slightly changed from the less-politically correct ones we might have had but the sentiments are the same. Love Hearts are vegan and free from Artificial Colours and this pack weighing 127 grams has approximately 12 little packs of sweets included, each with love messages on each sweet.

If you’re looking for a fun treat for Dad for Father’s Day, Swizzels Sweets are definitely going to be a favourite for any sweet tooth Dad!

Available from Ocado and other supermarkets: https://www.ocado.com/products/swizzels-sweet-shop-favourites-tub-456465011?ds_rl=1291426&ds_rl=1290929&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw0YGyBhByEiwAQmBEWjC2y6gjspdSz9BGgxRlILm2GTFhSTK2j7tZBBr6UK68eS0CDAGBNhoCUosQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Kalme Day Defence Cream SPF25

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, health, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Women

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

No matter what the weather this summer, a good SPF face cream is needed and it’s true that even dull, overcast weather can damage the skin.

Kalme Day Defence Cream SPF25 is the down to earth daily face cream for all seasons, but best of all, the richness and smoothness of Kalme keeps your skin hydrated and feeling soft too. The added bonus of SPF25 means you don’t have to put on daily sunscreen too when you’re walking around, which is a bonus in saving time and money.

During the summer months when you’re on the beach, by the pool or out playing sports and walking, the sun isn’t your only enemy. All the elements work together to evaporate moisture away from your face. Walkers and sports men and women find it especially hard to wear a SPF cream to protect their skin without it sliding off. Kalme Day Defence Cream SPF25 is exceptionally rich and takes a while to rub in so you know it’s not going anywhere in any weather! I really liked how thick it was so that I only had to use a small amount most days, but when I needed a denser layer, it was easy to apply and blend in. It’s great for night time too to give a deeper moisturising level and as it’s a daily face cream, you can use it anywhere including your hands.

There are more expensive day creams out there especially with SPF25 but for a deep, moisturising cream, Kalme Day Defence Cream SPF25 gives all the Department Store protection without the need for the price tag!

Available from £23.95 at:

https://www.skinshop.co.uk/kalme/kalme-day-defence-cream-spf-25

Peptide Dry Shampoo, Scalp Foam and Hair Mask from Hair Gain

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Gifts for Her, health, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian, Women

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

We all need a bit of help with our hair sometimes. I love the ritual of hair masks, conditioners and then using products to fix my hair once it’s washed and styled. Hair Gain sent us the Peptide Puff Dry Shampoo, Hair Gain Hair Mask, Hair Gain Scalp Foam and a lovely Hair Gain Comb to try out!

Starting with the Peptide Puff Dry Shampoo, it’s not an aerosol and isn’t like a mousse so it’s easier to use and will last longer too. The dry shampoo is more of a powder, administered by a soft pad which prevents the powder from going everywhere and also helps direct it to the roots. I was particularly happy to find that it doesn’t leave a white residue on your hair, nor does it leave a residue on your clothes. Instead, it’s clear and just takes the edge off of the oil in your hair. You can use as much or as little of it as you like so that it takes off more of the greasy shine but you get used to how much you need to use with time.

The Hair Gain Scalp Foam is a fairly new concept for women but men have been using enhancers for years. The foam is absorbed into the scalp and helps grow fuller, thicker hair. It reduces hair breakages from the roots and strengthens hair over time to prevent long term breakages. This is a product you need to keep using and it’s probably best to use after you’ve washed your hair but before you completely style it. The formula makes your hair fuller anyway so it makes hair styling easier if you like big curls or lots of volume. Over time, this should have more of an effect so I would go with using it every wash until it’s used up and then you’ll see how good it is!

The Hair Gain Hair Mask is probably my favourite. It’s a luscious treatment to nourish your hair and is intently hydrating. You only need to use it in your hair for 10 minutes whilst hair is towel dry and then wash out, and once or twice a week is enough. Again, over time this works even better but with just one application you will find that it starts to work on making hair softer and fuller. In combination with the Hair Gain Scalp Foam, it creates thicker locks and less breakages. It’s also a vegan formula but it does contain alcohol, sulphates and parabens.

The Hair Gain Comb was a nice treat to send to us along with the hair care products! I love a chunky comb so this is great for any hair type whilst you’re in the shower and trying to get the product through your hair as well as smoothing down the cuticles, especially if your hair is long and thick. It looks like plastic but it’s actually made from materials which are 100% biodegradable.

The Hair Gain product package creates an all-round treatment for your hair, from dry shampoo through to hair mask as well as the handy comb! I’m looking forward over time to seeing the long term results on my hair and how it’s changed in thickness and strength too.

Peptide Puff Dry Shampoo for £15.00: https://www.hairgainnow.com/products/dry-shampoo

Hair Gain Scalp Foam for £25.00 (on sale): https://www.hairgainnow.com/products/hair-gain-scalp-foam?pr_prod_strat=jac&pr_rec_id=4203a01fe&pr_rec_pid=7706678526122&pr_ref_pid=7903145492650&pr_seq=uniform

Hair Gain Hair Mask £25.60 (on sale): https://www.hairgainnow.com/products/hair-gain-hair-mask?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=4203a01fe&pr_rec_pid=6598552125610&pr_ref_pid=7903145492650&pr_seq=uniform

Hair Gain Hair Comb £11.95: https://www.hairgainnow.com/products/hair-gain-wide-tooth-comb?pr_prod_strat=jac&pr_rec_id=4203a01fe&pr_rec_pid=6851814752426&pr_ref_pid=7903145492650&pr_seq=uniform

Clean G Rhubarb Non Alcoholic Gin

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Women

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

On a sunny afternoon there’s nothing better than sitting in the garden with a good book and a refreshing G&T but the downside is the hangover that one too many glasses bring! Fortunately, there are some excellent non alcoholic gins available and we have been enjoying this Clean G Rhubarb from Clean Co which has all the deliciousness of a rhubarb gin but doesn’t leave you with a groggy head the next day.

If you’re not familiar with the brand Clean Co they were founded back in 2019 by Spencer Matthews and they create premium non-alcoholic spirits which taste just like the alcoholic versions. Their drinks are in lovely art-deco style bottles that would look stylish on any drinks trolley and unless you read the label you would be forgiven for thinking they are regular spirits.

Distilled in copper pot gin stills the Clean G Rhubarb non-alcoholic fruity gin is infused with an array of fruit and botanical flavours, creating a well-balanced, complex spirit that has the beautiful taste and fresh dryness that you expect from a premium gin. I mixed it with an unflavoured light tonic to get the full flavour, adding the recommended wedge of lemon and found it to be a really refreshing drink. I was really impressed with the taste and it was so like a traditional rhubarb gin that my friends were amazed when I told them it was actually non-alcoholic!

With less than 0.5% ABV, no sugar or additional sweeteners and only 14 calories per 50ml serving it’s the perfect choice when you want something special that isn’t alcoholic. A party taste without the hangover – what’s not to like!

A 70cl bottle costs £16 and is available from Clean Co and supermarkets.

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce

Birthday Gifts, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Summer

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

Dads beware! This is a novel Father’s Day Gift you won’t be expecting, unless you’re an award-winning hot sauce lover looking for another challenge!

The Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is made with the famous Carolina Reaper peppers, known for being the fieriest, hottest peppers in the world and as if you didn’t need any more evidence, even the packaging has black and yellow, “Warning Extremely Hot” written across it! I love the box it comes in too, which adds to the drama of the World’s Hottest Sauce.

Brought to you by Tropical Sun, the international foods experts, Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is part of a range of international food sauces and lots of other foods you can’t always find in the supermarkets. It may be a novelty to most people, but if you’re passionate about your hot sauces, this is one to try. I would recommend trying a small, very small amount with food first and having water to hand. Not only is it hot but there’s a fiery flavour to it too so you might not like the taste. However, if you are a seasoned hot sauce eater, you won’t need telling how to sample a Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce, but you will enjoy the thrill of trying it!

A brilliant idea for Father’s Day, the Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce will certainly make a gift that will have you talking for years to come. Just remember to take the photos as Dad tries it!

From £1.99 at: https://tropicalsunfoods.com/products/carolina-reaper-hot-sauce?_pos=1&_sid=dc1b14d4c&_ss=r

AA 2024-25 Walking Guides

Birthday Gifts, Books, camping, Days Out, Family Life, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, National Walking Month, Sport, Stocking Fillers, Summer

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

May is National Walking Month and is the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and explore our beautiful countryside. If you’re new to walking or just on holiday, then a guide book is a great way to discover the best routes in the area. The AA have recently launched a new series of walking books covering some of the most beautiful areas of England, each featuring 50 walks to suit all abilities. The walks are numbered and it is easy to see their locations on the handy map at the start of the book. As well as being numbered they are also colour coded according to the difficulty of the walk – easy (green), intermediate(orange) and hard (red).

Each walk has information about the distance, time, gradient, type of surface and accessibility, landscape, dog friendliness, parking, and public toilets as well as the OS map that covers the area. They also give useful information about the area, a little of the history of the area and things to look out for. There is a map of each walk with the route clearly highlighted making it easy to follow the written instructions. As the guide is meant to be taken out on a walk with you it fits perfectly in a map pocket or rucksack, making it easily accessible when walking.

There are two books covering Yorkshire and there is a great selection of walks in them, some we already know like Malham, Pen-y-Ghent and Grassington and lots for us to discover over the coming months.

Whether you want to explore country lanes, the coast or the fells these handy guides offer plenty of walks for novices and experienced walkers alike.

The new 50 Walks In guides are £13.99 and feature Devon, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire and Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, North Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire.

Available from Amazon and all leading bookstores.

Woodwick Linen Large Hourglass Candle

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Father's Day, Fragrance, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, secret santa, Spring, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Winter, Women

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

Scented candles are an easy way to create a cosy and relaxing ambiance in your home and I find lighting one in the evening really helps me unwind after a busy day at work. I have lots of candles around my house and I love to change the scent to match the seasons. Fresh scents like linen are perfect for Spring so I was really pleased to receive a Woodwick Linen Large Hourglass Candle which not only looks stylish but smells fantastic too – just like freshly washed linen blowing in the breeze.

The candle has Woodwick’s exclusive, patented wooden wick, Pluswick®Innovation which creates the sound of a crackling fire which helps create a cosy ambience when the candle is lit. The wicks are handcrafted and produce a generous wax pool which helps release the beautiful fragrance into the room. Our lounge is very high and sometimes it takes a while for the fragrance to permeate around the room but I found that once lit it didn’t take long for the sublime fragrance to diffuse around the room. The linen fragrance is nice and fresh and is perfect anywhere in the house, creating a welcoming feel in your hall or a tranquil oasis of calm in a bedroom or bathroom. The fragrance is lovely and not too overpowering and it fragranced my room beautifully, lasting long after the flame had been blown out.

The candle weighs 610g and whilst there isn’t a burn time given it’s such a big candle I know it will last a good while. The scent is nice and consistent and so far the candle has burned nice and evenly. It is advised to burn the candle for 3-4 hours at a time and trim the wick to 1/8” before each use.

The candle is in a tall, solid glass jar and looks very elegant, the simple design will suit any style of décor and not look out of place whether it’s in the hallway, lounge, bedroom or bathroom.

Woodwick candles are beautiful to look at, smell absolutely gorgeous and as they have such a great selection of fragrances they make perfect gifts for any occasion whether that’s a wedding, housewarming, birthday, Christmas or why not just treat yourself ??

To view more of their range, or find out more about Woodwick candles head over to the Woodwick website.

RRP £32.99

SJCam C200 Pro Action Camera

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Sport, Summer, Tech

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

What’s better than taking up a new action hobby or sport in 2024? Making a movie of it! Father’s Day has cranked up a notch this year with the high definition SJCam C200 Pro Action Camera.

This camera is absolutely tiny! At less than 7 centimetres tall, it fits inside your pocket, let alone in your hand luggage to go on holiday, or even to take on days out. The 20 MP quality can record in 4K at 30 fps and has an impressive average of 120 minutes battery time. The field of vision is 135 degrees and records in jpeg with features such as time lapse, slow-mo and can even be used as a webcam.

Less of the technical details though and more about what fun you can have with the camera! The small size makes it easy to adapt to different environments and because it’s waterproof and has a touch screen, you can use it for all sorts of activities. On holiday, it can be used at the beach or by the pool, or you can attach it to one of the enclosed mounts and put on a bike or take on a hike with you. Inside the box is a waterproof case, back clip, frame mount, base mount, curved and flat mount and other accessories including a cleaning cloth, adhesive stickers and USB cable. Everything you need. In case you were worries about how much room this takes up as a box, everything packs into a box which is smaller than the size of a brick!

The SJCam C200 Pro has a built-in stabiliser, giving you anti-shake video thanks to gyro technology and it has automatic face recognition so that you can focus on the action, and not just randomly filmed footage. This makes sense when you realise this is a camera that you don’t look through the view finder, it’s very much a ‘stick it up and go’ type camera where you rely on the settings and view the content later. The controls are all from the 1.3” touch screen which is easy to use, but it’s not obvious by looking at the camera that it’s also waterproof to 30 metres (98 foot). It’s excellent for all adventures, but imagine taking it on a high-speed boat ride? Or even surfing or sailing?

You can share all the footage via Wifi too, so anyone with a phone or device can see a copy of what you’ve captured. I prefer to remove the SD card from the device though and put the card in a computer to transfer the data faster. I wish I could say I was an expert at editing film, but with the right software, you can have some expert level editing going on with really high quality movies from the SJCam C200 Pro.

There are more features to the SJCam C200 Pro but they’re all a bit high tech for a beginner like me. What I will say though, is that taking this camera out and playing with it has really encouraged me to try out some different sports that I wouldn’t normally, just to see how good it can look on camera. It’s also made me explore my video editing software on my Mac so that I can start to use the video I do have and learn how to use the more advanced features of SJCam S200 Pro. So if you’re looking for a project this summer, or want motivation to get into a new sport and keep your hand in photography, this is an excellent way of discovering a world I hadn’t even thought of.

Even better, if you want to get your teenager off their phone and outside more, you could do worse than buy them an SJCam C200 Pro and tell them to go out and explore, just to get the camera working for them. For less than £130, you never know what Kelly Slater or Bode Miller it might inspire.

Available from £129 at: https://shop.sjcam.com/product/cameras/action-cameras/c200-pro

Chantic Home Lip Balms

Autumn, beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Winter, Women

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

Founded in 2020 the mission of Chantic Home is “to create impactful and premium handcrafted gifts whist upholding the highest sustainable and ethical values.” Based in Harrow they offer luxury fragrance and skincare products that are both eco friendly and reasonably priced too.

I’ve been trying out their 100% natural lip balms this week, which are handmade and available in in four fruity fragrances – Wild Cherry, Watermelon, Sweet Orange and Passionfruit. Packaged in handy screw top tins they are the perfect size to pop a handbag or pocket, to keep lips moisturised when out and about.

I could tell from the minute I opened the tin that these lip balms are much better quality than an off the shelf lip balm. They smell lovely and fruity and have a silky smooth texture which glides easily onto lips, The balm is quite solid in the tin but quickly warms up with the warmth of a finger and once on your lips it doesn’t feel greasy or sticky and it leaves my dry lips feeling soft and hydrated.

My ideal lip balm is one that pampers and nourishes my lips, keeping them soft and hydrated no matter what the conditions are and these lip balms tick all these boxes. Whether I’m out walking, on the beach or on the top of a windy mountain a quick application of this lip balm is all I need to keep my lips in tip top condition.

Chantic Home have a lovely selection of gifts on their website and they are all very reasonably priced. If you need a gift for a loved one or just want to treat yourself then it’s definitely worth taking a look – there’s even free shipping to the UK so even more of a reason to shop with them!

RRP £4

Edifier WH700NB Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

Birthday Gifts, camping, Family Life, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home

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

In preparation for the holidays, or just as a gift for Father’s Day, headphones can be used by everybody and not just for listening to music. These wireless headphones connect to Bluetooth but are also noise cancelling and are fantastic for gaming.

If you’re not familiar with Edifier, then read on to find out about their top range of headphones and earbuds. The WH700NB Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are super all-round headphones thanks to their Bluetooth connection, titanium coated 40mm dynamic drivers and Active Noise Cancellation.

These headphones are in ivory, but also come in black, grey and navy. Perfect for holidays, they fold up smaller so that they can be taken on a plane or as hand luggage, plus they can be connected to two devices at once – that means you can be listening to the TV on the plane and also be connected to your phone. Or even connected to a work call but also listening out for a personal call on your mobile without having to switch over at short notice.

Connecting to Bluetooth is easy, just like any other Edifier appliance. By pressing the Bluetooth button on the headphones and making them ‘findable’ it means the paired device can connect and stays connected, even when you turn off the headphones or the other device. My laptop finds these WH700NB headphones as soon as I turn them on at the headphone power button and just opens my usual Music app so that I can start playing straight away.

The headphones have a few buttons on the right headset which allow you to adjust what you hear. There’s a skip up and down button and a central power button. Under that, there’s the Bluetooth connectivity button and the charging point which is for a C-USB charger, the same as the newer Apple laptops and iPhones, so you’ll only need one charging cable. Like most headphones now, they are Active Noise Cancelling so even if you don’t want to play music, they block out outside noise but allow for human voice to get through. These are BRILLIANT on a plane when you want to sleep with no sound playing, or if you want to listen to music or a movie and not be disturbed by the engine noise. It does allow for you to hear the cabin crew when they try and speak to you though, which is always a bonus when you’re waiting for your inflight meal before you go to sleep!

The charging takes a few hours, as is normal for headphones of this size. You do get 45 hours of Active Noise Cancellation hearing time with a full charge though, and 68 hours of hearing when you switch off the ANC. If you think about it, that’s a whole holiday’s worth of listening and assumes that you don’t charge the headphones the whole time you’re away. You can get 8 hours of listening time in with just 10 minutes of charging, making them easy to charge in the car or whilst you go for breakfast. Think of how useful they are when camping though!

For the price of (currently) £39.99 these are a steal too. They’re high end enough that you won’t get annoyed by tinny music or not connecting properly but not so pricy that you can’t take them on and off all the time. I like having headphones in when I’m commuting to work so that I can not only listen to music but it drowns out the chatter around me, or worse, the engine noise of trains and buses. They’re really lightweight too so I don’t notice when I’m carrying them in my handbag or rucksack.

Available for £39.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edifier-WH700NB-Active-Cancelling-Headphones-Black/dp/B0CFVLVD46

Elements of Art – Book by Susie Hodge

Birthday Gifts, Books, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers

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

I am not an artist. I didn’t study art at school or college and I don’t have any areas of artistic flair so I am a complete novice on the academia of art and the techniques behind it. Elements of Art is a book which anyone, artist or otherwise, can pick up and read, become immersed in a whole new world and learn what the artists were trying to convey.

I had no idea that there are seven essentials that make up any artwork; colour, value, line, shape, form, texture and space. They’re fundamental components of any artwork regardless of the media. Then there’s the principles of art; balance, contrast, emphasis, harmony, unity, proportion, rhythm, movement, variety, repetition or pattern, and scale. See? There’s a lot more to art than you might think!

The book is broken down into two section, Part 1 is the elements of art and Part 2 uses 30 famous works of art as examples to put into practice the elements. There’s artwork there from Jan van Eyck to Andy Warhol and not just two dimensional but sculpture and film too. The chapters are packed with information but also beautifully illustrated and easy to read. I particularly like the detail that Hodge goes into with each of the artworks. It not only brings the artwork to life but ties in the knowledge in Part 1 of the different elements and makes them relevant to other artwork you might see which is not featured in the book.

I really liked reading through Elements of Art and started flicking through as soon as the book arrived. It’s really easy to pick up and put down, so although it’s not a huge, chunky book it’s actually more of a coffee table book. I learned loads about art and how it applies to the era it was created in but also about the elements and principles which I’d never thought of before. You can read the book cover to cover or just delve in to where your favourite artwork is, so you don’t need the commitment of sitting down and reading every single page, unless you want to!

This book is particularly good for art lovers who don’t have an art education and I couldn’t help but think of the GCSE and A-Level art students who would benefit from this and really enjoy it. Either way, I know that this is a lovely book to keep or to give as a gift and provides an insight to enhance any art outing.

Available in paperback from £15.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elements-Art-Ways-Decode-Masterpieces-ebook/dp/B0CDXPPLP2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IHMK54K7VZFM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.vfzuaAQbP1JqW8bxF8NRT7ots3hVZ2uLZ2-kqPjMX008GM_DGvFdq__b31l6WaS0B05wqrSYQwsE6Kk98E3BeC_ptLfEDmmDRI8334RI2m8crPXBSFcrNQZDO_ANYolk7a92ouoDn83gacKeFthTkl2fkY_IoMsZ9OXFsiGD_tyvUmLfurP-USztendRsWwhMEg83KrdzphoHv6gYKCN5-ZZQOWC1iefhQJ99GumjZ4.4XPQgnbNdDGxP8vtVfOz-YEe9iB8sHu5okzhq6z8bU0&dib_tag=se&keywords=elements+of+art&qid=1713703639&sprefix=elements+of+art%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-1