Christmas – The Review Studio

Yale Linus Smart Lock 2

Christmas, Family Life, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Everything is controlled from your phone nowadays and the Yale Linus Smart Lock 2 is no exception. Using a smart lock on your door and the app on your phone, you can open your door remotely, give permission for someone else to open the door or open the door with your phone still in your pocket.

I have to advise at this stage though, that the Linus Smart Lock only works with lift-to-lock doors and those with at least 3mm of the barrel protruding. It means it works on newer doors only and probably on US/European newer doors especially, so check whether it’s compatible with your door before you buy it. The link at the foot of this page gives some good background as to how the Linus Lock is installed and should give you an idea if it will work with your door or not.

The premise of the Linus Lock is that you fit it to your existing door lock and your phone can unlock it using the Yale app. This means you need to install the Linus Smart Lock on both the inside and the outside of the door and connect it to your wifi, then register it with an app on your phone where there are various options of how to unlock the door. To install the Linus Lock, you don’t need a professional and the whole kit includes everything needed including the batteries.

The mounting plate has to be installed first. It isn’t stuck to the door lock but a mounting plate is placed over the lock face and tightened to stay in place. Once the lock has batteries placed inside, you need to put the key in the lock and make sure that it can turn freely. The lock then fits over the mounting plate and key and is tightened again. It should turn the key easily when you manually turn the lock.

Once physically set up, you need to register the lock and add it to the Yale Home app on your phone. The Linus Lock is compatible with Samsung phones and you can register it using the QR codes.

As long as you have the correct type of lock, and the key turns in the lock properly, the Yale Linus Smart Lock 2 works brilliantly. For hands-free access, the lock can detect your phone in your pocket and unlock the door automatically. If you have an Air BnB property and need to give access without being there, or give access for a limited time, then this solution really works. For anyone who needs carers, this is also an excellent way of granting access and in combination with the Yale Smart Doorbell, you can see whoever is coming into your house, and being able to grant them access when needed.

Available from £103.99: https://yalehome.co.uk/yale-linus-l2-lite-smart-lock/

Yale Smart Video Doorbell

Christmas, Family Life, Home, Home & Garden, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

You hear a lot about these gadgets. So I was quite pleased to be able to try one out. Hands up though – I’m a bit old school. I love my old fashioned mechanical, battery powered chiming doorbell that you can hear from the bottom of my garden. Do I really need to come into the 21^st century with a video one? Find out later!

Opening the box it is pretty obvious what everything is. The doorbell itself is quite large and heavier than I thought. It would definitely need a sturdy fix at the front of the house to hold it in place.

The doorbell comes with a welcome leaflet (which tells you to download the app for instructions!), a charging cable, mounting options, a packet of screws and another packet with a little hook in.

After downloading the Yale Home app I was told to charge the camera first. After a couple of minutes it was flashing a green light which I took to be fully charged.

The app had instructions on installing a new device. Quite straightforward as it used QR codes to identify what I had and the serial number. Then it was just a case of following the online instructions and choosing names for both my house and the video doorbell. I’m assuming this is if you had several doorbells or another Yale device that uses the Home app.

It could also be the case that you could connect to another person’s doorbell, for example, at an elderly parents house? This could be useful so you could help them with callers at the door. After set up there is an option to share by email the device info with someone else.

I had to allow permissions on my phone, connect it to my home wifi and decide whether I wanted full screen notifications when the doorbell was rung. I had no idea whether I wanted full screen or not, so a bit of help as I went along would have been useful. I opted for yes – wasn’t sure how I would know someone was at the door otherwise? I was also glad to see that the app did give me the legal bits about filming etc. But, living in a terrace house near the road, I can’t see how I could avoid occasionally filming someone coming down my neighbour’s path.

I was then ready to receive callers, or so I thought. First I had to decide how I fixed the doorbell to my front porch. This is where it became a little apparent that it may have been designed with modern or American houses in mind. As the doorbell was large and heavy, my options were stick it on or fix it with screws. My house was built in 1929 and I have a upvc glass front door, surrounded by brick. It didn’t really fit anywhere comfortably. If I drilled into the brickwork, it wouldn’t cover the front step clearly. I fiddled around with it and opted for sticking it to the doorframe. It was a tenuous fit but hoped it would stay up.

Another thought occurred to me – how do I remove it to charge the doorbell? It was fixed pretty securely so can’t be tampered with. Then it became apparent what the other packet was for – a little release hook which wasn’t obvious. On the plus side, you do get a notification on the Yale Home app if the device is tampered with – as we found out when trying to release it from it’s fixing.

So, you’re asking, did it work? On first trying it I could hear the caller, when I answered it, but they couldn’t hear me. The app had microphone permissions and my phone volume was turned up. It took me about 20 minutes of googling and fiddling with the app, until by chance, I turned the doorbell volume from level 5 to level 10 (max). Then I was heard.

Was the film capture useful? Possibly – it was quite grainy and dark, but my door is under a porch. This photo was taken in the early evening on a very sunny day – so it would be worse in the winter months. But you can see who is there.

The app also records the footage and all activity for you. Once I’d spent a little time with it, I managed to enable the detect motion option and ensure the settings matched the activity expected at my front door. I don’t have any other relevant gadgets, but the Yale Video doorbell works with Amazon’s Alexa and other devices. And there are subscription options if you want to store the footage etc.

However, it totally relies on having your phone on you, looking at it so you know the doorbell has been rung and having the volume on your notifications on (which I don’t). Inside the house there is no ring or chime, it’s just a camera connected to your phone. You can buy a ‘chime’ to add to the doorbell, so it rings inside the house, but at a cost. I would have thought this would be useful and should be included as standard. You have no idea if you can hear it everywhere inside until you buy it.

However – I do think there is a market for this. If you are glued to your phone and check every little ‘ping’ it could be useful and fun – there is something to be said for video calling from your house. If you are in a block of flats with a communal door, this could be useful on your flat door in case someone wanders in and you want to check it’s a valid caller. If you have elderly relatives, you could answer the door for them, screening who is allowed into the house especially in the case of scammers.

If you’re a Yale household with more gadgets in the range, the app might make more sense and have more appeal as a ‘complete’ range of technology. In our house, it will take more time to get used to it.

Available from £139.99: https://yalehome.co.uk/smart-video-doorbell-grouped/

Yale doorbell, video doorbell, smart doorbell, smart video doorbell,

#YaleDoorbell #VideoDoorbell #SmartDoorbell #SmartVideoDoorbell

Easymark Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Do you read a lot? Or pick up a book to read and then put it down without marking the page? How about returning to chapters to re-read them? With any of these scenarios, the Easymark Bookmark can help you. The Thinking Gifts page marker sits on the corner of a page unnoticed as you continue to read, but allows you to return to that page later, thanks to the design of the bookmark corner. This design is of a cactus, but Thinking Gifts have lots of designs to choose form, and you can purchase multiple Easymarks for lots of different reading books, or if you want to mark lots of different pages within a book. They’re easily transportable too, and if you leave them in a book and put them back on the bookshelf, they stay exactly where they are but don’t take up too much space or damage the spine of a book.

At only £3.99 they’re a great stocking filler or Secret Santa plus you can stock up on them and make up a gift from a range of items, especially if it’s for a book lover who would want a set of books and something like the Easymark Bookmark to finish it off. There are some lovely other designs for all ages too.

Available for £3.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/easymark-bookmark?option_values=6998825782e9b570bdbce5e0

Flexilight Classic Book Light

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This is a brilliant gift for anyone who reads, and not just book lovers. The Flexilight is a bookmark and book light in one, allowing you to read anywhere thanks to the built-in light at the top of the page marker.

The Flexilight Bookmark is ultra slim to be a bookmark, but the neck can be tilted towards the pages so that you can angle the light at the top to be able to read whatever size book you are looking at. The LED light has 8 lumens of bright light and comes with the 2 batteries needed, but you can change the batteries in the future if you need to.

This is a great Secret Santa gift , especially as it’s only £8.99 at the moment, and it’s great for children who like to read in the back of the car, or under the bed covers at night. Imagine having this in a sofa cushion den under a blanket and being able to read in secret? This is a great stocking filler, and any age can use it!

Available from £8.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/flexilight-original-book-light?option_values=6674d2bac7b00e129da33980

Penmark Ruler Bookmark

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stationery, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The Penmark Ruler Bookmark caught my eye because it’s multifunctional. Not only is it a pen, but it’s thin enough that it can be a bookmark too. Additionally, the decoration on it is that of a 10cm or 4 inch ruler. Not only that, but the Penmark comes with two refills and already comes with an ink cartridge.

I know I would use this in the office when I’m running about and trying to find a pen for my notebook – this fits into the pages nicely and won’t get lost. If you’re in an industry where you need a ruler too, this is an exceptionally good gift. It’s brilliant for a stocking filler or Secret Santa, or just for putting in your handbag because it’s so light and easy to carry around.

Available for £4.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/penmark-pen-bookmark?option_values=6877767922f3c885a0ca472b

Plusheez Phone Holder

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I have the perfect P|usheez gift for you! This ocean-inspired clown fish is not only a desk toy, but it is designed to prop up your phone too. Whether you’re charging your phone, on a call or trying to read something, the Plusheez Phone Holder can prop up your phone either vertically or horizontally.

I kept the Plusheez on my desk at home, so that I could take a call on my mobile and have it facing me and the microphone could pick up my voice whilst I was on my laptop. It works just as well with video calling too, so that you’re hands free. The fact that Plusheez is a soft toy is also great for phones because it doesn’t mark or damage them in anyway with grippers or anything that secures phones in place like a tripod does. If you’re like me and need to have something on the desk to distract your hands when you’re on a long, boring call, the Plusheez toys are great for that too, and they don’t make a noise when you drop them or play with them!

The Plusheez are really great toys that have a use, anyone can use them. Fabulous Secret Santa or stocking filler gifts too.

Available from £10.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/plusheez?option_values=66790eb201bc075225ebaaed

Tile Wireless Phone Charger

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

This pretty tile is more than just for decoration, and it’s not a coaster either! The Tile Wireless Zip Charger from www.thinking.gifts uses a USB-C cable to connect to either your laptop, a plug or any compatible device (which could even be your car if it has a USB-C plug). If you place your phon over the centre of the tile, the light changes to red and charging starts. It even works through a phone cover, depending on the material. Once fully charged, the red light turns blue.

The Tile Wireless Phone Charger works with Apple iPhones, Samsung and many major phone brands, and also works with Apple Airpods. The Tile is really light weight, and uses a normal USB-C cable so if you’re packing for work or for travel, you don’t need that many cables. It’s really lightweight too, and is only 12cms by 9cm in size.

This is a brilliant Secret Santa gift or a Stocking filler for teenagers or anyone who spends a lot of time on a laptop and needing to charge a phone on the go. It looks so pretty too!

Available from £14.99 at: https://www.thinkinggifts.com/products/zip-charger-wireless-phone-charger?option_values=6717a072ed44ba45f5ca297b

Sous Chef Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Described as a rich, complex flavour, the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena from Sous Chef is a must have for a kitchen. To either use it yourself or give as a gift, it is a luxury that once tried, you can’t do without.

Made from grapes which are aged for 12 years, the balsamic vinegar has a thick consistency which is used predominantly in Italian cooking. This is pricy at £23.99 a bottle, but once you use it in cooking, you miss the quality when you try other brands. I use balsamic vinegar a lot – on cheese, pasta, with bread and pizza and as part of a salad dressing. Italians use balsamic vinegar in everything, which is something we could all learn from!

The Sous Chef Balsamic Vinegar of Modena has a rich, sticky flavour to it, with the oak tones coming through thanks to the way it is aged in barrels. The quality of this balsamic vinegar can be tested by using it on its own with bread or a burrata and being able to savour the quality. I tried this on a burrata and in pasta to give a rich edge to it, and it works brilliantly. You’ll find yourself looking for dishes to cook just so that you can use the Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

Available from £23.99: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/sous-chef-balsamic-vinegar-of-modena-igp

La Favourita Pesto with Genovese Basil

Christmas, Food & Drink, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Treat yourself this Christmas to some genuine Italian pesto.

Boxing Day, and after all the festivities, food and drink, you just want something simple and easy to cook. Pasta with authentic Italian pesto is perfect, and everyone loves a good pasta dish! The La Favourite Pesto is made with Genovese basil DOP. The Genovese area grows the highest quality of basil, hence the Protected Designation of Origin status. I didn’t realise that the best quality part of the basil plant is only the top plant and La Favourita hand pick the basil, which is grown with natural fertiliser too, which explains the fuller taste.

Opening the jar, the Mediterranean aroma of the basil pesto overwhelms you, as your senses register that it’s lunchtime and the pasta is gently bubbling on the stove. You can taste that the pesto is lovingly made because it has very few ingredients and uses a high quality olive oil. You can also taste the pine nuts and cashews in the sauce, which goes well on pasta or with a beautiful tomato, which are ripening about this time of year. There’s a beautiful, herby flavour to the La Favourita Pesto which reminds you of Italy every time you open a new jar.

Available from £8.99 at: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/la-favorita-pesto-with-genovese-basil-dop

Two Farmers Lightly Salted Crisp Drum

Children, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, snacks, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For lovers of crisps, you can’t beat a drum, literally, of crisps this Christmas! Two Farmers, the Herefordshire based farmers, use local potatoes to create these local, lovely and sharp crisps in a 500 grams tin. It opens like a paint pot, with the lip having to be prised open (I used the back of a spoon) but it can be sealed up again when not in use. That’s handy, because 500 grams of crisps is a lot! It’s the equivalent to more than 4 of the big bags of potato chips you get in the supermarket, but this isn’t a brand that you would find in the supermarket, nor the format that you’re used to.

The Two Farmers Herefordshire Crisps which we were sent from Sous Chef are lightly salted and ooze a cleaner flavour than other crisps. These are prefect for sharing, thanks to the size of the tin, plus they can be used with dips, thanks to their light flavouring. The tin also means that they don’t get crushed in transit, so I found that the crisps were bigger and there was less ‘dust’ at the bottom of the tin. They stay nice and fresh too thanks to the metal container and resealable lid.

These are great for watching TV on Christmas Day, and after the festive season, you can clean out the tin and use it for storing Christmas decorations!

Available from £15.00: https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/two-farmers-lightly-salted-potato-crisps-in-sharing-tin

GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Chocolate has always been a popular treat, and gift, but nowadays it’s taken on a life of it’s own with the new phenomenon of handcrafted chocolate. Combine that with the new novelty flavours and higher quality ingredients which are available, and you have a completely new genre of food connoisseur, similar to wine or coffee experts. GNAW Handcrafted Chocolate sent us a box of chocolates to review, and by box, I don’t mean your supermarket box for Granny on a Sunday, but a box that can be delivered through your door and contains 6 slabs of chocolates, each of them weighing 80 grams and of all different flavours, we couldn’t resist!

The GNAW chocolates arrived in a letterbox sized box and contained 6 bars; Dark Chocolate 70%, Dark Chocolate with Raspberry, Milk Chocolate New York Cheesecake, Milk Chocolate Honeycomb & Caramel, Milk Chocolate Popcorn & Peanuts and Milk Chocolate Lemon Drizzle. The bars are wrapped in paper labels with a ‘foil’ inside cover in an old-fashioned style, but all the packaging is actually recyclable. The chocolates don’t contain any palm oil and the packaging tells you if they are single origin ingredients too, which in the case of the Lemon Drizzle, the single origin is Colombia.

You might be thinking that these are unusual flavours for a chocolate? Well, they are! They represent a small selection of all the flavours that are available online in their shop; https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/milk-chocolate-bars which has a lot more dessert-inspired flavours as well as everyday milk chocolate and dark chocolate bars. They are especially good if you like something slightly different to just chocolate, or if like me, you skip dessert and instead have a piece of chocolate instead.

How do they taste? Well, of course, I had to taste a piece of every chocolate bar we were sent, purely for research purposes… the dark chocolates are 70% so they are darker in colour and taste but still sweet enough to eat as a snack. The added raspberry is a treat because it sweetens the dark chocolate a little bit. The milk chocolate bars are a little less traditional but all have a theme of being slightly sweeter than the chocolate itself. The Lemon Drizzle has a hint of lemon but the added texture of tiny biscuit pieces. New York Cheesecake also has subtle biscuit pieces but you can taste the cheesecake filling as the flavour develops. Honeycomb & Caramel reminds me of a famous triangular brand of chocolate, so it’s a more familiar taste but I love having the chewy texture in a chocolate bar. Finally, the Popcorn & Peanut is a strange combination which is more about the consistency than the taste, until it evolves after a few moments.

I think my favourite chocolate was the Dark Chocolate Raspberry because of the juxtaposition of sweet raspberry and the dark chocolate. I don’t think there are any that I wouldn’t buy again, but I am very tempted by the other flavours on their website too!

Available online at: https://www.gnawchocolate.co.uk/collections/chocolate-bars

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

“The smallest fit ever” is what the packaging on the JLab Mini JBuds claims and we’d have to agree! Even the casing is smaller on these diddy earbuds, which are perfect for children or those with smaller ears. The ear buds are 30% smaller but the case is 50% smaller than other ear buds, which also makes them easier to carry, especially in pockets. They’re so small in fact, that at just 3.3 grams each and a total of 18.5 grams for the case, they make an ideal keyring or can be worn as a charm on your phone.

The JBud ear buds pack a punch though with a 6mm dynamic driver speaker for audio and an output of 103 ± 3dB. The battery life is around 20 hours when fully charged, which is impressive amount of play time with such small headphones. It takes between 1.5 and 2 hours to charge depending on how you charge the case, which is a USB-C port and comes with the C to C cable. The ear buds connect to Bluetooth 5.3 (the most recent version) and have approximately 30 foot range.

These are especially great for children because of their size and they also connect really easily to devices when in ‘find’ mode. There’s not very many settings on them either, and the 4.5cm length case is easy to handle and keep on children in their pockets, rather than having to hand them to someone else or carry a bag with them. They’re a great price too, either as a gift or as a stocking filler and they’re currently on sale at £29.99 on the JLab website below!

JLab JBuds Mini Wireless Ear Buds for £39.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/jbuds-mini-true-wireless-earbuds-teal

JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Summer, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Here’s a great gift for the teenagers or when you’re travelling – a portable Bluetooth speaker that lights up and connect to other JLab speakers to create a wall of sound!

Imagine being out on a picnic, or camping, and having a team of these JLab Pop Party Bluetooth speakers all playing the same music at the same time from the same device. Each of the speakers lights up so that not only can you find them easily amongst all your stuff, but as night falls, you can see each other in the glow or red, green and blue lights. They each have 8 hours of power in them; enough for a whole day outside or a night time party. The JLab Pop Party Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speakers are only £24.99, and make excellent birthday gifts, stocking fillers or gifts for children and teenagers.

With 5 watts power and a 2 year warranty, the speaker is only 7.55 inches tall and has a 2 inch driver and 2 inch woofer. It has various mounting options and a detachable magnetic loop, which you can hold in one hand or mount on a bicycle handle or in the backseat of a car. It has IP55 waterproofing so you can take it outside (it’s rain protective, not water protective so you can’t submerge it!) It’s lightweight so you can carry it in hand luggage or just over your wrist.

Charging is with a C to C cable in the USB-C port and takes around 3 hours to fully charge. Syncing is with Bluetooth 5.3. There’s approximately 30 foot range of connectivity. You get the most out of t he RGB lights if you use the JLab App to control the frequency, pattern and create the light show from it.

This is the first time I’ve seen these ‘Pop Party’ speakers and ever got to use them. They’re really useful for just taking out for the day and for children to play with in the garden or for teenagers to take out with them. The sound quality is excellent and connection to my phone was super easy one I turned on the speaker and it was ‘findable’. The JLab Pop Part Ultra-Portable Bluetooth speaker is ultra-easy to get along with and use, making it a perfect gift for anyone!

JLab Pop Party UltraPortable Bluetooth Speaker for £24.99 at: https://www.jlab.com/en-gb/products/pop-party-ultra-portable-bluetooth-speaker-black?srsltid=AfmBOoqK6kuF00xfCjWpXLHOKF0Unr3Tr9WJdnI1K9qK1ksBeALP11zW

Eyeam Daily SPF NoTox Daily Face Cream

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I’d never heard of the company Eyeam before, so when they offered to send us some SPF NoTox face cream, I had a look at their website to see what it’s all about. Turns out, this is a British company with an holistic approach to beauty through using pure products, small batches and using the body’s connections. Their Four Pillar approach bridges the mind, body, spirit and skin to bring out the best in women. Even more interesting, is that Eyeam is run almost completely by women FOR women. Their website is fascinating to find out more about the science and spirit behind their approach to wellness and skin care.

We were sent the Eyeam Daily SPF face cream. Boasting a SPF of 20+, it’s called NoTox because it has pure ingredients and is non-comedogenic, meaning it doesn’t clog your pores. As a daily cream, it can be worn under make-up, is free from fragrances and protects against UVA and UVB rays. It also gives Polyphenol-rich antioxidant peptide protection and actives. As we’ve had a lot of very sunny weather recently, it was easy to try this daily moisturiser in very direct sunlight!

The Eyeam Daily SPF 20 cream is very thin when you dispense it. It’s only slightly less thin in consistency than single cream, but it’s very rich so you don’t need too much. I found that it takes a while for it to blend into the skin. It leaves a slight white gloss over your skin until you rub it in and settle. I believe this is to do with the SFP and creating that barrier between your skin and the sun’s rays. Once it’s blended into your skin, it has a tiny bit of sheen to it, which give a nice glow in the sunshine, with the knowledge that your skin is protected. It can be used as a primer though, where you can apply make-up on top and it acts as a base.

It lasted all day during the summer heat. It left my skin plumper all day, with a slightly waxy texture but not anything that meant my make-up slid off. It felt like a barrier cream that moisturised at the same time, but not like a film, more like a base. It certainly worked as a SFP as well, with no colour getting to my face the whole time I’ve worn it, and I’ve been wearing it daily for a few weeks now.

There are lots of other items available on the Eyeam website, all of which are made in the UK in small batches to ensure quality.

Available online for £59 at: https://eyeamworld.com/products/daily-spf-notox?_pos=1&_psq=Notox&_psid=a47aaa7c1&_ss=e&_v=1.0

TrueStart Ground Coffee Cafetière & Coffee Gift Set

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, coffee, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

There are some sacred things in this life, and the first cup of coffee in the morning is probably high up on most people’s wish list! What better gift to buy a caffeine lover than a whole set of coffee and a cafetière too, all in this pretty presentation box, ready to wrap and hand over.

TrueStart have a range of coffees available by both strength (strong, smooth, decaf, half cafe) and type (instant, coffee bags, ground, beans etc). They also have a starter packs, gifts packs and accessories, so a natural progression at Christmas time is to have a Coffee Starter Pack. You can create your own starter pack too, which is what we were sent when we received this cafetière (in grey but blue is available too) and two coffees. I chose the TrueStart Super Blend coffee with a strength of 8, and the TrueStart Energising Colombian ground coffee with a strength of 7. I can’t stress how cute it is to have the box arrive with the handle of the cafetière as the handle to the gift box, making it easier to carry!

The glass cafetière has 1 litre capacity, which is enough for 8 cups of coffee and has a stainless steel finish. It needs to be hand washed because the glass is delicate, so not suitable for the dishwasher nor the oven. It’s a lovely, classic design which comes in both grey and dark blue so suits many kitchens. I have a pet peeve with cafetières that they’re either too small and you can’t get enough cups out of them, or they’re too big and therefore just functional and don’t look pretty enough for modern kitchens. This one looks lovely though, and would sit nicely on any worktop.

We tried both coffees (multiple times!) in our house. We chose stronger coffees with more aromatic tastes so the Super Blend and Energising Colombian were perfect for us. They both had a strong, bold taste which lasted throughout the whole cup of coffee, and because you can make up to 8 cups in one cafetière, we were able to drink a second cup quite quickly afterwards and each cup kept it’s integrity. Delicious!

If your’e not used to a cafetière, this is a great starter pack, and they’re really easy to use and keep clean. In fact, I would say it’s the most fun way of making coffee, and you can alter the strength of the coffee easily depending on how much you add to the jug. I loved the coffee, which is carefully selected and curated by the TrueStart coffee company since 2015 who take coffee very seriously. It’s a great size for a gift as well, or for students going off to university and needing the whole kit that’s the right size for their room. The ability to choose which coffee you want also makes it perfect for gifting and I will be looking at these as gifts at Christmas too!

Available from £30.00 at:

https://www.truestartcoffee.com/products/ground-coffee-starter-pack

Hozo NeoSander

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Tech

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

HOZO was founded in 2021 and they are an innovative technology company that designs and develops smart measuring and creative tools for professionals and DIY enthusiasts. Their product range included digital measuring devices, modular rulers, laser measurement tools and creative workshop equipment. With users in more than 65 countries, HOZO continues to redefine precision, creativity and efficiency in modern tool design. We recently tried out both the HOZO NeoBlade Wireless Ultrasonic Cutter – Creator Combo Set and the NeoRuler Go – 41 Piece Premium Gift Combo and now we’ve had the opportunity to try out another of their smart tools – the NeoSander.

My husband is a keen model maker and often need to use sandpaper or a rotary tool to smooth off plastic or wooden parts so he was more than happy to take a look at The NeoSander.

The small reciprocating detail sander is a small handheld device that vibrates a sanding head at up to 13000 strokes per minute. The controls are simple, just a power switch and then a sliding control to vary the stroke length. It is charged using a USB-C cable and is not too heavy so fits easily into your hand. It’s difficult to say how long the battery lasts as I haven’t used it enough yet but if it was to run out when you’re in the middle of sanding you can simply plug it in and carry on using it rather than having to wait for it to re-charge.

The base model NeoSander (RRP £53) comes with a set of 8 different heads and 8 sheets of pre-cut self-adhesive sandpaper in a range of grits from 180 to 1500. To use, simply peel off a piece of sandpaper to suit the head and fit the head to the sander. The heads come in different shapes and sizes so there is always one to suit the job.

My husband has found it really useful for sanding down wooden parts and plastic, it’s particularly good at removing the plastic mould marks that you get when you pop out the plastic from the sprue. We also think this would be brilliant if you do a lot of 3D printing as it would be invaluable for cleaning up the 3D prints.

There are other accessories available, my husband now has his eye on the set of 64 colour coded heads which would mean he could have every head available in every grit and would save him a lot of peeling and swapping paper between different jobs.

My husband is really impressed with the performance especially compared to a rotary tool. As the sander uses a linear motion rather than rotary it is much easier to keep control and sanding marks are reduced. The detail heads make getting into the smallest parts simple and the other heads are good for curved parts or corners. The stroke length can be reduced to less than a mm so there is little danger of overunning onto the wrong part.

The NeoSander may be small enough to disappear into a drawer, but don’t let its size fool you. This little powerhouse makes the tedious business of sanding remarkably satisfying, tackling fiddly corners, awkward curves and tiny details with the sort of precision that would have most rotary tools waving a white flag. Whether it’s model making, 3D printing projects, crafting or general workshop tinkering, it takes much of the effort out of achieving a professional-looking finish. And with Father’s Day fast approaching, it’s the kind of gift that will delight any dad who loves building, fixing or creating things. Practical, clever and genuinely useful, it’s a tool that’s far more exciting than another pair of novelty socks!!

Trapiche Pure Malbec

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, secret santa, 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 and opinions are our own.

If your dad enjoys a glass of red wine, a good bottle is guaranteed to go down well on Father’s Day. Better still, for those last minute shoppers, Trapiche Pure Malbec is readily available from the Co-op so you can pick a bottle up on your way to see him!!

Produced by Argentina’s most awarded winery, this Fairtrade-certified Malbec is packed with juicy fruit flavours and is wonderfully smooth and easy to drink. At just £10 a bottle, it’s also excellent value for money, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to give a special gift.

The Trapiche vineyards are in Mendoza, one of Argentina’s most famous wine regions which are nestled at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The winery was founded by Argentine politician and businessman Tiburcio Benega back in 1883 and over the years the business has grown to be one of Argentina’s leading wine producers. The vineyards are planted higher up in the mountains, where the cooler air helps keep the grapes fresh and balanced, despite the intense Argentinian sunshine.

The “Pure” in the name refers to the fact that this is an unoaked Malbec. Rather than being aged in oak barrels, the wine is made in stainless steel and concrete tanks. While I’m no wine expert, I find this style lets the fruit do the talking, bringing out the cassis, blueberry and plum flavours without the vanilla or smoky notes that oak can sometimes add.

The rich purple wine is smooth and easy to drink and it goes really well with both steak and cheese.

By choosing Fairtrade wine, you are supporting farmers and ensuring that they have access to fairer working conditions. Fairtrade also makes sure that producers receive a fairer price for their grapes and provides extra funding that can be invested back into workers and local communities. It also supports growers in adopting more sustainable farming methods and promotes fair treatment and opportunities for everyone working in the vineyards.

Available from the Co op

Dad’s Dram Selection Whisky Tasting Set

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Stocking Fillers

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For any Dad or Grandad who loves whisky, a dram selection is always a good idea on Father’s Day! For anyone who likes whisky and wants to try a selection without having to buy a whole bottle at a time, the Dad’s Dram Selection from Drinks By The Dram is an excellent choice to try yourself. The six drams included in the set are:

Singleton of Dufftown 12 Year Old
Teeling Small Batch
Islay Whisky 8 Year Old (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)
Tobermory 12 Year Old
Talisker Skye
Darkness 8 Year Old

Each of the drams are 3cl and although they come in identical bottles, the logos on their labels is faithful to the companies’ brandings. There’s a mixture of different whiskies too, which all come from Scotland. They arrive in this smart presentation box which can be posted or handed over without even any gift wrap!

The glass-sized samples of whisky are all of excellent quality. Depending on how Dad drinks whisky, they can be kept for special occasions or tried every night for a week. I especially like the idea of this being a birthday present for Dad, so that his birthday can last longer than a week and be able to sample the different whiskies in isolation on different days.

Available from £24.95 at:

https://www.masterofmalt.com/tasting-set/master-of-malt/dads-dram-selection-whisky-black-tasting-set/?sku=143113

Faith In Nature Seaweed & Citrus Range

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Vegan

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

If you’re struggling to come up with the perfect gift for Dad, this year why not skip the predictable beer or chocolate and go for something he’ll use and enjoy every day like these Seaweed & Citrus products from Faith In Nature. These are a great practical gift, especially for Dad’s who take pride in their appearance.

Faith In Nature has been around since 1974, long before natural, cruelty free and vegan products were a thing. Founded by Rivka Rose, the brand has stuck to its guns for more than 50 years, making straightforward products with as few ingredients as possible and none of the unnecessary stuff like silicones, parabens or SLS. These days it’s sold in more than 40 countries, which is quite an achievement.

If your dad’s got hair that soon gets greasy, the Seaweed & Citrus range is well worth a look. The shampoo and conditioner (£13.99 for the set or £7.99 individually) are made with rock wrack seaweed that’s hand-harvested off the coast of northern Scotland. Seaweed is packed with nutrients that help keep hair and scalps in good condition and with the addition of citrus oils these products will leave your hair feeling clean and fresh.

The vegan shampoo and conditioner are 99.5% natural origin and are cruelty-free. The ingredients include rosemary oil, nettle which helps add shine and chamomile, which is known for it’s calming properties.

Faith In Nature are passionate about using only the best quality natural ingredients and the rock wrack seaweed in these products is sustainably harvested in Scotland by trained specialists who follow strict environmental practices, ensuring the surrounding ecosystem remains healthy and allowing the seaweed to regenerate naturally for future harvests.

The coastal inspired theme continues with the Seaweed & Citrus Body Wash (£6.49). With the same fragrance as the hair products this body wash creates a creamy lather which leaves your skin feeling clean, refreshed and invigorated.

The formula is enriched with oat extract which gently soothes and soften the skin along with limeflower extract which has calming and antioxidant properties. It also contains Elderberry extract which brings a wealth of naturally occurring bioflavonoids that help support healthy-looking skin and contribute to an overall feeling of wellbeing.

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

Finding the perfect Father’s Day gift isn’t always easy, especially with the cost of living still squeezing budgets. Aftershave is always a good present to buy and with so many different fragrances available it’s easy to find one that suits both your dad’s personality and your budget. Superdrug have some brilliant offers on at the moment, so whether your Dad likes something classic, fresh and clean or a little more sophisticated there’s plenty to choose from without spending a fortune. These two are a couple of my favourites and both are currently reduced – which is even better!

The Artiscent Male Gift Set (usually £10 and currently £5) contains three 20ml fragrances Cedar Blanc, Musk Dore and Vettiver Arome, all created in Paris, the home of prestige perfumery. They come in smart dark blue glass bottles and are surprisingly good dupes for Paco Rabanne Invictus, Paco Rabanne 1 Million and Bleu de Chanel. The fragrances are fresh, wearable and ideal for everyday use and while they don’t quite have the staying power of the designer versions, they’re a fraction of the price. The smaller bottles are also perfect for chucking into a washbag or gym bag, making them ideal for travelling too. Whether your dad prefers crisp and sporty scents or something slightly warmer and muskier, this set gives him a few different options to try without the designer price tag attached.

If you’d rather go for a recognisable designer fragrance, then Versace The Dreamer is a really good buy. Ordinarily the 100ml bottle retails at £78, but it is currently on offer at Superdrug for only £21.84, which is an absolute bargain. With fresh notes of juniper, tarragon and artemisia, balanced with softer floral hints of iris and lily and a warm amber and tobacco base, Versace The Dreamer is one of those really easy fragrances to wear because it feels fresh and masculine without being too heavy or overpowering. Whether Dad wears it for work, weekends or going out for dinner, it’s the kind of classic scent that never really goes out of style,

CUKTECH 15 Power Bank Air

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Tech, travel

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I love a gadget, and this power bank is perfect for a Father’s Day gift!

The CUKTECH 15 Power Bank Air holds enough power to recharge your iPhone 17 by 1.6 times or a Samsung S25 Ultra about 2.2 times over. That’s only for phones, it can power laptops too with 65W Fast Charging, which is enough to power a Mac Book Air from zero to 48%.

The slim design is deceptively heavy though! It’s enough to carry all that power but is about the size of a phone just fatter. It does mean that it fits into a pocket or hand luggage, and it would comfortably fit into a handbag too but it comes with a cosy bag to keep it in, along with the USB-C cable. The front of the power bank has a display which tells you the percentage charge already on the power bank, plus how long it will take to charge fully or how much charge it has left through each of the ports. Speaking of which, you can charge to and from the CUKTECH 15 with a Type-C2, Type-C2 and USB-A1 ports. The screen goes dark when not in use but the button at the side lights it up again so you can see the stats as it charges. The three different ports mean you can power up to three appliances all at once too.

You can charge up the CUKTECH with the provided cable. To change the direction of charge, click the side button twice and the display changes. Keep clicking and it allows you to change the display and setting so that the screen stays on and it shows you which port is being used to charge in or out of the power bank, and how long it takes to charge and the percentage. You can even change the display to be upside down so that you use it on the go or if it’s in a pocket!

At around £50, it’s not a bad price for a power bank on the market, as there are a lot out there which aren’t as compact or as useful, and having the ability to charge 3 appliances at once is definitely a benefit. The cable is a bit short though, especially if you have the charger in your pocket and you’re trying to walk and text at the same time, and you would have to source other cables for the other ports if your appliance didn’t already come with one, but they can all be poppled in the supplied bag so that you can carry them with you. Although it’s heavy too, it’s not any heavier than other power banks, and that’s because of the nature of the battery it contains.

The CUKTECH 15 Power Bank is a really useful gift and a great surprise for Father’s Day as something that is actually helpful to everyday life.

Available from £49.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FNQK3VHZ?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP&social_share=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_P8ESV8CN44BP0FR26YKP

Tessan PD20W Universal Power Adaptor

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Stocking Fillers, Tech

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

For the Dads who travel for work, or just those Dads who are always prepared, the Tessan PD20W is a travel adapter for almost everywhere in the world, allowing him to plug in to a socket and use any appliance he’s taken with him.

The small, palm sized adaptor has 3 plugs to fix into a wall socket throughout the world; the sockets included are for the USA or Japan, Australia and the UK, meaning you can use it in Britain too if you have sockets or cables from elsewhere in the world. The front of the adaptor has 4 sockets in total. The first one is the AC socket which is commonly used in the US. Underneath, you have the USB-A, USB-C2 and USB-C1 sockets for cables. This is usually for charging phones and small appliances such as cameras and tablets. The three different sizes means it works on most modern appliances so there’s no need to bring anything else when you’re abroad.

The small, lightweight design has retractable plugs which pack away nicely, and can be turned out when ready to use. They are designed so that when one plug is being used, no others can be utilised so as not to interfere with the supply. They’re a bit clunky and all open in different ways but once you work out that one them slides, one of them flips and other one has to be prised out, you get the gist of it!

Charging is fairly quick on the Tessan PD20W Power adapter, given that it’s not a charger just an adapter. I could plug in my phone and it gives about 10% charge in 30 minutes, but that isn’t what the adapter is for. It’s mainly for being about use foreign sockets and plug in USB plugs but if you do need to charge a phone or appliance, you can charge overnight.

The Tessan PD20W is small enough that it can be packed away in your luggage or hand luggage and used anywhere abroad. For going on holiday or for the Dads in your life, it’s a nifty gadget that will be used again and again but will benefit everyone.

Currently available for £17.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0C1NRTR81/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=b0b68efcc7ecaa3dbd3e6bcea53d4618&hsa_cr_id=0&qid=1770721697&sr=1-2-e0fa1fdd-d857-4087-adda-5bd576b25987&aref=pJEjmdvY48&ref_=sbx_s_sparkle_sbtcd_asin_1_title&pd_rd_w=E5nIF&content-id=amzn1.sym.7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f%3Aamzn1.sym.7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f&pf_rd_p=7d8787df-7d4c-460d-ab31-21b0ba272b2f&pf_rd_r=MTEFXKDHG0PHPCRVZ25S&pd_rd_wg=TbzsW&pd_rd_r=9ab1dc17-2e36-4d8a-b08f-50f8737b3f5c&th=1

JLab JBuds Open Sport Earbuds

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 the review and all thoughs and opinions are our own.

May is National Walking Month so I’m taking every opportunity I can to get outdoors and walk as much as I can. When I’m walking alone, I quite often catch up on podcasts or listen to music and wear a pair of open-ear headphones rather than standard ones so that I am still aware of my surroundings. I do prefer earbuds to earphones so was really pleased when I received the JLab JBuds Open Sport Earbuds which fit over the ear with a flexible earhook and I have to say I’m really impressed with them. They are very comfortable to wear and are surprisingly light and as they are sweat and dustproof they’re ideal for sporty people. As a glasses wearer, I wasn’t sure if the hook would interfere with my glasses but there was no problem, even when I wore them for a full day.

Setting up the earbuds was simple, my Android phone automatically offered to pair with them and the Bluetooth Multipoint feature allowed me to pair with my Laptop at the same time. The JLab app has all the usual options, I can setup different equaliser configurations or change the touch controls (or turn them off) and check for updates for the firmware. Once setup though there is little need for the app and they could be used without ever opening it.

Because they don’t block outside sounds, they are also perfect to wear at work. Ordinarily I wear a headset for Teams meetings and phone calls, but it can get uncomfortable after a few hours so wearing these is a lot better. I can hear what the callers are saying and still pick up the chat from the rest of the office. My only criticism is that the clarity of my voice isn’t quite as clear as with my normal headphones and a couple of colleagues have mentioned that my voice sounds a little tinny, but they are more comfortable to wear and hopefully this is something that can be addressed in a future firmware update.

The battery life on them is good, I’ve been wearing them all morning, putting them into the charging case over my lunch break and then wearing them all afternoon but they do have an impressive 26 hour battery life so if I’m out on a long walk I don’t need to worry about the battery running out.

The JLab JBuds Open Sport wireless earbuds are perfect for those with active lifestyles, offering a whole new way to tune into your favourite music whilst exercising.

RRP £79.99

Moderato Alcohol-Free French Wine

Christmas, Days Out, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, health, Summer

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The French (wine) Revolution is here! Moderato wines are all alcohol-free but are still French beauties with Cuvee, Colombard white wine and the Gros Manseng Merlot. We were sent a bottle of each to try this summer and to sample how good alcohol free wine can be.

We started with the La Cuvée, a light sparkling wine with a slightly acidic taste from the Merlot grapes. It has less than 0.5% of alcohol (they have to give it a slight alcohol rating due to the way it’s fermented) but it doesn’t have the alcohol taste to it. Instead, it’s an effervescent glass which is excellent for summer. I would drink this with a main meal or on its own. It also has fewer calories than wine, so if you’re not drinking it for the low alcohol, it’s perfect for a low calorie diet!

The Colombard is a traditional-tasting white, with citrus flavours and the sharpness that can only be found with white wines. This is also <0.5% alcohol and 7x fewer calories than other white wines and has the white wine fragrance to it too. I would drink this on its own, after work or in the garden in the summer.

The Gros Manseng Merlot is rosé with a softer fruity flavour compared to its Merlot cousin. It’s definitely a summer drink with lots of energy and a beautiful red fruit uplift. This is great with food or on its own but lives in summer thanks to the fruity nature of the wine. It doesn’t taste alcohol free either which is a brilliant achievement, even if it is made by the French experts!

All three of the wines are part of a larger range by Moderato to have alcohol free (or sans alcool in French, as the bottles proclaim) that add to your summer without needing alcohol. Delicious!

Gros Manseng £14: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/alcohol-free-rose-revolutionary-cuvee-merlot-gros-manseng-1

Colombard £14: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/alcohol-free-white-wine-colombard-revolutionary-cuvee

La Cuvée £14.50: https://le-moderato.com/en/products/the-sparkling-revolutionary-cuvee-blanc-de-noir-without-alcohol

Cuvée Révolutionnaire

Joe & Seph’s Shortbread Biscuits and Neapolitan Chocolate

Children, chocolate, Christmas, snacks

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Joe & Seph, the famous gourmet popcorn makers, are branching out into new gift treats this year, bringing out more goodies for Christmas and beyond. Not just popcorn, but gifts including these shortbread biscuits and Neapolitan chocolates, suitable for a whole range of events, not just when Santa arrives!

Both the biscuits and chocolates arrive in large packets, set for the mass market of party bags, wedding favours and even offices where guests are greeted by the Joe & Seph favourites. Popcorn has been popular as a snack whilst watching TV for years, but it has now found itself in mainstream snacking with weddings using popcorn as favours at the end of the day. Well, the Joe & Seph chocolates work just as well with the gifting opportunities. I was sent some to try, and they reminded me of the chocolates you get in pillows of posh hotels! The shortbreads biscuits are reminiscent of afternoon meetings with clients where you bring out the cups and saucers at work and have a proper cup of tea!

The Neapolitan chocolates come in packets of 100 and are individually wrapped. They’re great for sharing at home or at parties and the milk chocolate is made with cocoa and premium ingredients to give a smooth, silky texture and chocolatey taste! The shortbread biscuits are very light – lighter than some of the biscuits on the market. They’re not gritty either, which some shortbread biscuits are and they break rather than crumble, making them easy to eat.

I’m looking forward to seeing whatever treats Joe & Seph come up with next in time for Christmas!

Shortbread Biscuits (40 packs of 2) £20 at: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/butter-biscuits-pack-20

Neapolitan chocolate (100 pieces) for £28 at: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/neapolitan-gift-pack