Fashion – Page 3 – The Review Studio

Darn Tough Women’s Running Socks

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, National Walking Month, Sport, Women

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

Yes, it helps to be Darn Tough when running, and these merino wool ¼ socks from Darn Tough stood up to my Park Run test today.

Socks are a nightmare to get right when you’re running. You can’t change them half way through a run and stopping to adjust them is a no-no when you’re on the clock and surrounded by people who would need to edge around you. So Darn Tough have brought out their running socks (and new versions come out every year) which are comfortable as well as functional.

From Vermont, Darn Tough manufacture walking, hiking, sports and running socks for men, women and children based on quality. Their socks are made from merino wool and a high quality Lycra for the best fit, no blisters and best of all, they have a lifetime warranty. Their socks may be expensive (these ¼ socks for running are priced at £20) but if you ever get a hole, or any kind of defect, they will replace them for you with a whole new pair.

If you look at their whole range online, you’ll see the socks aren’t boring either. There’s a whole range of colours, and each design comes in multiple colours too. Great for distinguishing in a household who the socks belong to if you have multiple runners or walkers! They’re pretty enough to not feel stagnant either with the range of colours that fit the running and workout outfits that are available today. I liked these blue socks which have a quirky yet not overstated design. It makes them easier to distinguish when you peer into the drawer and decide which pair to put on.

These socks are called Women’s Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Socks. It means that they are designed for running because of the extra Lycra across the bridge of the foot (where the laces would be) and are lightweight for running. The Lycra is also a high quality to allow for more give and cushion and to compensate for the fact that these socks have less merino wool as they were making the socks and therefore the running shoes too bulky and uncomfortable.

Park Run this morning was hot and uncomfortable by the Darn Tough socks were no problem. There’s plenty of stretch in them, they’re durable and don’t pinch with the extra Lycra and there’s absolutely no slippage when running and no blisters. The lifetime warranty means I can wear these every week without having to worry about them every wearing out. I can’t guarantee that won’t happen to me though…

Available online at £20:

Women's Run No Show Tab Ultra-Lightweight Running Sock

GlassesShop Prescription Glasses and Sunglasses

beauty, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Home, Sport, Summer

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

We finally have some sun! If you’re scrabbling to find your sunglasses though and don’t want to pay the earth and then find them (they’re in the glove compartment of your car by the way!) then GlassesShop have a one-stop shop for all your looking needs.

GlassesShop have cheap prescription glasses and sunglasses to order online and have delivered to your door, even in the UK. Choose from a range of frames which can cost as little as $19.95 (currently less than £16) on their website and the process is easy – you go through and choose the frame, then the use of glasses and finally enter your prescription. In the UK you have to provide a prescription by a UK registered optician so you also need to upload the prescription to the website.

We chose two sets of glasses, the multicoloured Vogt ($29.95) for everyday prescription glasses, and Road ($29.95) for sunglasses, but without prescription lenses. There is an additional cost for the lenses you require, but the process online takes you through everything and gives you a total at the end. If you’re paying by credit card, then the card will automatically convert the price to British Sterling, or you can Google the amount to find that day’s accurate rate. It literally took just a few days for them to be delivered by courier and each pair arrived in their own glasses case.

The frames are very sturdy, with the multicoloured Vogt frames we ordered as prescription reading glasses being a nice fit and not too heavy. The frames are just as described on the website. The Road sunglasses weren’t prescription but again are well made with the lenses being a slight blue tint. The arms are pliable so that you can fit them under a hat or sportswear and super lightweight for running, which is what I use them for! You can get prescription sunglasses too, which the website explains and there’s even an option of the colour of tint you want in sunglasses – orange, grey, blue or pink.

It’s super easy to order online, and if like me you get a free eye prescription for working on screens all day, you can just take your prescription from the optician and send it to GlassesShop. They may seem cheap for glasses, but in a world where frames and extortionate and the lenses require a second mortgage, GlassesShop have a solution for everyday glasses wearers that won’t break the bank! You can also get your first pair free using the code FIRSTFREE (frame & 1.50 index lenses)

Visit GlassesShop to see the range and even try some frames at home.

Swan ProSteam Foldable Garment Steamer

Family Life, Fashion, Home, Home & Garden, Hotel, Summer

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

As summer approaches, most of us are thinking of going on holiday and with the weather we’ve had until recently, I think we’d all like some sun now! The Swan ProSteam Foldable Garment Steamer is something I’ve been looking to try for a long time, but not had the motivation of a holiday to try it!

Rather than ironing everything whilst you’re staying in a hotel or rental villa, steaming clothes has become the new life hack. Shops use steamers to keep clothes fresh in shops and take out creases so it’s no wonder that steaming clothes has become a good alternative. The Swan ProSteam is a foldable steamer, specifically for travelling and being able to de-crease clothes whilst on the go. We were sent one to try this week.

The ProSteam is actually very lightweight and not very big. It stands about 30 centimetres tall and the ‘face’ folds in to make it more compact. It comes with its own measuring jug as the water tank can only take 150ml of water. It’s very easy to set up. It has a delicates brush affixed already so you just need to unfold it, add the water up to the Max mark on the tank and plug in. The light on the top shows when it’s ready which is only about 30 seconds.

I tried a test on this pillow case that I was going to iron. Holding the brush close to the fabric and always keeping the ProSteam vertical, I just led the appliance down the length of the pillow case and let the steam do its work. After going over the same area twice, I stated to see a difference so a third and forth time proved that some of the creases were falling out with the more steam that was applied. You can see in the photo where I had been using the ProSteam and where I still needed to work. Looks like it decreases beautifully!

The Swan Prosteam did run out of water pretty quickly so you will need to keep topping it up and if you’re in a hard water area like I am, it’s better to use filtered water. However, if you are using it in a hotel, then hotels nearly always have drinking, filtered or desalinated water in their bathroom taps so it’s less likely that you will get limescale on the ProSteam. You don’t need to take the measuring jug with you either as you can fill up the tank from the tap as long as you’re careful not to get water on the electrics.

The Swan ProSteam Garmant Steamer works a treat on the creases and saves having to take an iron with you or trying to set up an iron in a small hotel room. All you need is some hanging space and the steamer takes the same amount of time to steam an item as it does to iron it, but using less space and the ProSteam actually heats up quicker.

This is a must for going on holiday especially if you’re not sure what amenities you’ll have or are travelling. Don’t forget to take an adapter plug though!

Available for £29.99 at: https://shop.swan-brand.co.uk/products/swan-foldable-garment-steamer?_pos=1&_sid=a176b9bf1&_ss=r

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

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

Cherry Blossom Ultra Cleaner, Shoe Protector and Regimental Gloss

Family Life, Fashion, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Home, Home & Garden

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

Cherry Blossom are synonymous with shoe cleaning and shoe maintenance. We all grew up with the Cherry Blossom polish being used on our school shoes on a Sunday night, but I wasn’t aware that the Cherry Blossom range now extends to a many more products including cleaners and protectors too. We were sent a 3-step shoe product gift box of the Cherry Blossom Platinum Eco Ultra Cleaner, Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector and the Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector.

The Platinum Eco Ultra Cleaner is a 200ml bottle of water based cleaning fluid, which dispenses as a foam which makes it really easy to apply either straight to the shoe or onto a cloth to clean. The Eco Cleaner is gentle to use on any type of footwear including leather and suede and is aimed at uppers, but you could easily use it on the soles of shoes especially trainers and durable boot soles. It’s non-abrasive so it won’t change the appearance of the shoes or leave any scratches but just gentle removes dirt, even ground in dirt. I tried it on my black leather boots which had some mud on but mostly scuffs and every day dirt. Along with the heel, the leather came up nice and clean! Which meant onto the next phase of shoe restoring…

The Cherry Blossom Platinum Regimental Gloss is 40 grams of high shine polish to be used on leather. I used the black colouring on my leather boots and was surprised at how soft the polish was compared to other brands which take a lot of work to get the polish out of the tin and onto the shoe! Using a rag, I applied the polish to all areas of black leather on my boots and left it overnight to see the full effect. The Carnauba wax in the polish leave an exceptional high gloss shine and nourishes the leather for longer. A quick buff the next day left my boots with a lovely new-looking shine. Along with Black, the other colours in the range include dark tan, mid tan, light tan and neutral.

Front boot has been polished with Regimental Gloss

Finally, the Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector is great for the extra protection which some shoes and boots need when worn all day. After I applied the Platinum Regimental Gloss Polish and removed the excess polish, I sprayed each boot with Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector. This protector is suitable for leather, suede, nubuck and fabric footwear as well as some accessories like handbags and wallets. It helps protect against rain to keep your feet dry, but also prevents stains and maintains the colour and look of shoes. This week has been great for testing the Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector with the amount of rain, and puddles there have been!

If you’re looking at this Cherry Blossom gift set for Father’s Day, then at less than £15 for all of them, they will prolong any pair of shoes at a fraction of the cost of a new pair. If you buy the set online at www.cherryblossom.co.uk and spend £20 in total, customers receive free shipping too.

Cherry Blossom Regimental Gloss £2.95: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/regimental-gloss

Cherry Blossom Shoe Protector £5.95: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/shoe-protector?variant=41808837378247

Cherry Blossom Platinum Ultra Eco Cleaner £5.95: https://cherryblossom.co.uk/products/eco-ultra-cleaner?variant=41817849757895

Annabelle Minerals Pressed Powders

beauty, Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Home, 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.

Spring is here! Which is another excuse to start looking at your make up collection and trying out some new pieces from Annabelle Minerals. We were sent some pressed powders (which I’ve never tried before) to see how we like their summer shades and award winning foundation.

Annabelle Minerals work to the theory of natural make up to bring out your own natural beauty. The ingredients nourish the skin and help prevent clogged pores, inflammation and excess sebum.

The Annabelle Minerals Pressed Powder Foundation comes in a beautiful metal compact with mirror and a separate sponge applicator. The Pressed Powder Foundation is a concentrated powder which has a slightly different colour to their loose counterparts so it’s worth trying it out first – I put too much on the sponge and found that I had applied the foundation too thickly so I had to reverse the coverage. With a bit of time though, you can soon get the coverage as well as the colour. This is why it’s won the Global Green Beauty Awards in 2023!

The photos show my face without any make-up and then half my face with the Pressed Powder Foundation. As my skin is very light and it’s the beginning of spring, I have the shade Natural Light but with refills online and 20 shades available at Annabelle Minerals’ shop, you can change your shade throughout the year. You can see the coverage that just one application of the Pressed Powder gives, and with some blending and a proper base (I didn’t use any primer or foundation this time) you can see that the age spots and some of the blemishes are evened out. The make-up itself feels really light especially as you don’t need much of it to make a difference. Having the second colour (I was sent a refill of Natural Fair) you can blend both colours together to match your skin tone or the tone of the contour look you’re trying to achieve.

The Pressed Powder is a really good idea because of how concentrated it is and how easy it is to apply. It’s not a liquid foundation so you can take it on a plane with you but it’s so light that you don’t need much and can apply it quickly, in the knowledge that it gives great coverage. It allowed my skin to breath as well, giving a lovely glow as all Annabelle Minerals products too. A lovely new product to add to the handbag this year!

Pressed Powder Foundation (in Natural Light colour) £23.90 at:

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/face/1387-1923077-pressed-powder-foundation.html#/486-options-metal_compact/501-foundation_shade-natural_light

Nanogen Hair Care

beauty, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Women

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

Treat yourself to a little luxury haircare as well as using the Nanogen features to repair and restore hair growth, giving you nourished locks for the summer!

Nanogen are experts in haircare but have also designed shampoos and conditioners for both men and women to give you thicker hair. We were sent a selection of products from their online range, for both men and women to try out. We were also sent the new Hair Growth Factor Treatment Serum which launched earlier this year, but more on that later!

The Nanogen shampoos and conditions work together to create thicker hair. As with any beauty products, you get the most out of them if you use all the products in the range, so I was eager to try out the Nanogen Shampoo Luxe for Women and Nanogen Conditioner. There is also the Nanogen Shampoo for Women (in the purple bottle) which I kept as an in between shampoo for when I was at the gym, but they all compliment one another. The Nanogen Shampoo Luxe is especially rich and adds to the hair thickening experience which is what Nanogen are striving for. This shampoo is silky and soft but still does an excellent job of cleaning and you don’t need much to get your hair squeaky clean, which is how I like it.

The Nanogen Conditioner (which is for everyone not just for women) is where the magic happens. Like any conditioner, it needs to go on for about 2-3 minutes but I have a timer in my shower so I like to keep it on longer, as a type of mask. The conditioner is also softly smooth and you can feel that the texture is fortified with lots of good nutrients that are going straight on your hair. The combination of both the Nanogen Shampoo Luxe and the Nanogen Conditioner leave hair soft, but over time it also keeps hair thicker by adding nourishment and stimulating growth.

We were also sent the Shampoo for Men and Shampoo and Conditioner for Men (2-in1) which works much the same, and has a different fragrance for men. The Shampoo and Conditioner for Men also works brilliantly if you are sharing shampoo and conditioner with your other half and are camping or taking cheap flights where the luggage is limited! The 2-in-2 also continues with the Nanogen treatment if you can’t take all of your bottles with you and creates a stop-gap for you to be able to keep up the good work until you get back to your usual Nanogen bottles.

We were also sent the Nanogen Hair Growth Factor Serum which was launched earlier this year. Using all the best Nanogen hair technology, the serum works on the scalp to stimulate hair growth over time so that as one hair is lost, another starts growing in its place as soon as possible. The Nanogen Hair Growth Factor Serum does this in 3 ways: Stimulates new cell growth, regenerates hair follicles and reduces hair shedding by increasing collagen around the hair follicle. The serum contains Pea Sprout Extract (to stimulate hair cells), Europaea Bark Extract (to revitalise hair follicles) and Peptides, including Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3 to create more collagen around hair follicles.

With all this science involved, it still takes a few weeks or even months to show a difference as it’s working deep in the hair follicles for your hair to be able to grow, and as with all hair growth, it takes time! You can add the serum at any time though, not just during your hair wash and as the serum is non-greasy, you can add it during the day. Just use a full pipette amount of serum on your scalp and massage in. It’s not greasy so you can add it after you’ve styled your hair or at the beginning of the day and you can use it every day to give a more consistent approach.

I have been using it for this week and yes, it’s easy to apply and to massage in and it’s not greasy. It’s more like a tonic and you don’t need very much of it but the pipette means you can direct the serum to the area of the scalp which you think might need it the most. I’m looking forward to my hair looking thicker over the summer and coming months as well as stronger and shinier.

Shampoo, conditioner and Hair Growth Serum available online at:

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

Avani Hair Growth Oil by Hair Veda

beauty, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Women

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

Hair Veda have taken a range of natural, organic oils and created an oil blend to promote hair growth in those with moderate hair loss.

With the antibacterial and antimicrobial oil properties, the scalp is cleaned and nourished to provide the best conditions for hair to grow. The anti-inflammatory properties increase circulation to the scalp which in turn increases growth of new hair, and the oils themselves condition the existing hair to leave it shinier and glossier with less frizz. The Vitamin C rich oils enrich hair growth and the oils also help prevent dandruff and further hair loss.

Containing Jojoba oil, Cedarwood oil, Thyme oil, Rosemary oil, Lavender oil and Lemon oil among other natural ingredients, the combination of the oils helps the scalp grow hair again after hair loss, plus strengthens new strands and your existing strands. To reap the full benefits of Avani Hair Growth Oil, leave it in for a few hours and let it work its magic like a hair mask and over several weeks, you’ll start to see a difference.

The instructions say to warm up the oil first to have the maximum benefit, which I did by placing it near a warm radiator. Then, using the pipette provided, drop it into sections of the scalp and massage into your hair roots. With the remaining oil on your hands, run it through the length of your hair to give a protective, nourishing coat. After a few hours, you just have to wash out with shampoo and then you can condition and style as normal. I find though, that you don’t need to shampoo more than once, the one shampoo application is enough to clean your hair and doesn’t strip out the good work of the oil.

Results are not immediate – not for hair loss anyway. What you will find is that after a few hours of your locks marinating in the Avani Hair Growth Oil, the smell is divine from all of the different oils in the blend, and your hair from root to tip is nourished. Your hair is nourished over time with each application so after you shampoo and condition, there’s a slight improvement each wash. The hair loss improves slowly with each application too, with your hair regrowth being stronger so that the strands of hair withstand the daily combing, styling and pollution of everyday life. Over months and years, this all adds up to healthier, stronger and more luscious hair!

Available online from £29.99 at: Hairveda

TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch

Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Mobile Phone, Tech

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

Combine a watch, sports monitor and health monitor with the TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch for a stylish wear this summer.

Smart watches have come a long way with most of us using them on daily basis and replacing the mechanical watches that only tell the time and the date at best. The TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch contains multiple functions and the latest technology and at less than £50 it costs roughly the same as a cheap watch but with all the benefits. We were sent one to try this week and to see how well it worked and I tracked it during my Park Run and gym sessions to see how well it worked and whether it gave me what I wanted.

The first aspect of the TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch is the screen. It’s 1.83 inches, square and has the touch functionality that makes it distinguishable from the old-fashioned watch. The coloured screen shows information it gathers from throughout the day including date, time, bpm, steps, calories and your sleep information. Touch and hold the screen to see other displays that are available such as a conventional clock face (if you prefer to see analogue time rather than digital) and a sports display showing your number of steps, distance and calories. The other displays give a variation on the health data and time but in different configurations, depending on how you like to see your summary display.

The TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch also has a microphone and Bluetooth to connect to your phone (it works with both iPhone and Android) and allows you to call from it. Connecting to Bluetooth was easy – once the Smart Phone was charged, a QR code comes up and allows you to download the app. The app then takes you through the Bluetooth pairing easily. This makes workouts and running easy as you have free hands and can accept or make calls from the touch of the screen. The Smart Watch also notifies you of new messages and allows you to view older messages that come into your phone. If you swipe the face of the smart phone, you can view all sorts of information if you are link your phone via Bluetooth including the weather, stress levels and activity.

The health monitoring is up there with the best of the smart watches as just by wearing it, your heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen saturation level and activity tracking are stored. Particularly interesting to me was the blood oxygen saturation level so that I can compare it at rest, night and when exercising as I’ve never had this facility before. The distance and steps is not new to me, but it was refreshing having it on a different display and being alerted whenever I got to 3 kilometres. On the app though, you can change any of your goals, so I was able to change it to 5 kilometres once I had used the watch for a while.

The watch arrived with no charge at all so I was able to see how long it took. The cable is included in the pack and works as a magnetic point at one end to attach to the watch and the other end is a USB so you can plug into any socket or any laptop to charge. It took about 1 ½ hours to charge fully and you can see the percentage charge amount on the display screen. The first full charge lasted about 6 days which is longer than my FitBit and longer than my iPhone, but with different variations of use, the battery will last longer.

The app gives more detailed information on all your stats and includes data such as menstrual health, blood oxygenation and standing amount. One of the areas I was most interested in was the ability to record a specific exercise and see individual information. You can set the watch so that when you press the side button, it comes up with your favourite sport (in this case it was Outdoor Running) and it will calculate your time, steps, bpm and other information relating to your exercise. The more detailed information is on the app which you can look at later.

The TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch has all you need of a watch, the information that you see on your phone and a detailed health monitor, all in one small device. It’s easy to use, and when you get into the settings and how it works it’s really easy to set up and to make it work for you the way you want it to. For my Park Run, it gave me all the information of my FitBit plus Blood Oxygen Saturation which is new to me, and very interesting.

I would highly recommend the TOZO S3Ultimate Smart Watch as an alternative to the more high end watches which cost a lot, lot more and do the same job just as well. It looks stylish too with the black face and black strap, and dare I say it, looks like it’s a lot more expensive than it is!

Available on Amazon at a discount at the moment but usually £49.99:

Puma and Modibodi Period and Leak-Proof Underwear

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, REUSABLE, Sport, Sustainable, Women

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

Things have changed a lot with period underwear recently. Have you seen the huge range of products at Modibodi and especially their range with Puma sportwear?

The new Puma X Modibodi Seam-free range is designed to eliminate the need for tampons and sanitary towels. The extra-absorbent lining is the equivalent to 3 tampons in this size (the one featured is moderate-heavy absorbency)

The Puma Active Seam-free collection is now VAT-free in the UK. With the combination of not having to pay for tampons and sanitary towels and the ability to wash the Puma X Modibodi underwear, the collection saves you a lot of money every month. It might seem like a novel idea to have the whole garment as leak-proof but it’s more practical than you think. These period pants are made of a recycled fabric with re-enforced areas that are super absorbent and don’t require a sanitary towel, or if you prefer, you can use a tampon and be completely sure that there will be no leakage. To help the environment, all the material used is recycled too!

I was sent a black pair to try, which is ideal for in the gym or running. The Puma X Modibodi collection was created out of a need to not have bulky underwear for doing sport, going to the gym or for athletics so it makes sense that they are designed with heavy use in mind. This pair of Active Bikini Briefs are a size Large (roughly size 14-16) and made of very stretchy material so you can wear them for sports easily. They’re also seam-free, which makes them so inconspicuous under Lycra or shorts! The seams are re-enforced as well so that there is a lot of movement.

I particularly like that in this seam-free edition, the absorbent material at the front comes up really high so that you can be sure there is no leakage and the material is really soft too. There’s actually loads of movement in the stretchiness of the material so you can move about easily, or as I lift weights, this is great for not riding up, or down when you’re bending. They create a nice shape under sportswear too.

I don’t know why this idea hasn’t been used a lot in the past because it’s really handy having this underwear spare in your gym bag, or being able to wear them at the gym and not have to worry about leaking. It takes a bit of getting used to not having a towel or tampon there but it’s really just the same as any other underwear, and you can wear it as a non-VPL pair of knickers at any time, not just on your period!

The Puma Active Seam-free collection is available in bright pink or light pink too, so you can match them to whatever outfit you’re wearing whether that’s at work or in the gym.

Usual price £21, on sale now at £18.90: https://www.modibodi.co.uk/products/puma-x-modibodi-seamfree-active-bikini-moderate-heavy-onyx-grey

HJ Hall Pro Trek Socks

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Days Out, Easter, Family Life, Fashion, Father's Day, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Winter, Women

Spring is in the air and with the Easter holidays fast approaching it’s the perfect opportunity to get outdoors and explore the countryside. There are many forms of outdoor exercise that you can do but my favourite is hiking, a great all-round exercise that is suitable for everyone and best of all doesn’t require a lot of expensive equipment.

If you are planning on starting walking then my advice is to invest in some decent socks, it really is amazing the difference a good pair of walking socks makes, having cushioning in the right places and wicking materials to draw moisture away from your feet is really important, helping to keep feet nice and comfortable and also prevent blisters – every walkers nightmare! I’ve been trying out a couple of pairs of HJ Hall socks over the last month and I’m really impressed, they’ve kept my feet incredibly warm and comfortable (and blister free) and I’m looking forward to covering many miles in them this year.

The Mountain Climb socks are a heavyweight sock with extra padding on the heel, toe and Achilles tendon areas. Made with an ultra durable, moisture wicking, scientific wool blend, the socks offer warmth and long lasting comfort and are the perfect choice for colder days. The socks are lovely and thick and keep your feet nice and toasty when the temperature drops. They are comfortable to wear, the arch support and ankle bracing keep the socks from moving about on your feet and they are a good length, coming up higher than the back of my walking boots. The socks are also long enough to tuck into trousers if you wish. This sock is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a heavy duty hiking sock, especially if you walk a lot in cold weather as they will keep your feet warm in sub zero temperatures.

The Adventure Trek are a middleweight sock, they are thinner than the Mountain Climb socks and are suitable for both boots or shoes. The breathability is excellent thanks to the mesh zones that run across the top of the sock and along with the cushioning underfoot they are very comfortable to wear in both warm and cold weather. The socks hug my feet nicely and I have worn them on both long and short hikes with no discomfort. Whether I’ve been on the fells, the park or a recent trip to London, when we walked an average of 12 miles a day, they’ve never slipped, sagged, or bunched up and my feet have been comfortable all day long.

I would highly recommend the HJ Hall socks for anyone who enjoys walking and hiking, they are good value for money and your feet will certainly thank you for putting them in socks as warm and comfortable as these are. So whether you’re exploring the local fells, conquering mountains or walking the dog make sure you have a pair of HJ Hall socks on your feet. Happy hiking!

Mountain Climb Socks RRP £16.50 available in sizes 4-7, 6-11 and 11-13

Adventure Trek Socks RRP £15 available in sizes 4-7 and 6-11

RapidLash and RapidBrow Enhancing Serum

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

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

I will confess now that I love these products. As a woman of a ‘certain age’ I realised that my eyebrows and eyelashes were starting to thin and not be as long as they used to be. Lashings of eyebrow pencil and mascara were my only option, or something really drastic like make-up tattoos were going to be needed but I didn’t want to go down that route. RapidBrow and RapidLash came to the rescue though.

If you haven’t guessed what RapidBrow and RapidLash are yet, they are both serums for enhancing eyebrows and eyelashes without the use of make-up but instead work overnight to build up strength and therefore thicken brows and lashes.

The statistics on the front of the packaging tell the story of how well loved RapidLash and RapidBrow really are. 93% of people experienced improvement in the appearance of brows and 88% experienced improvement in the appearance of lashes with each respective serum. 91% experienced thicker, fuller and healthier looking brows whilst 86% experienced thicker, stronger and longer looking lashes. This information was gathered after just 8 weeks, but the serums last a lot, lot longer so you can expect the treatment to carry on for several more months.

Each of the RapidBrow and RapidLash serums are applied once a day, preferably in the evening, to clean lashes and brows that have had all traces of make-up removed. RapidLash should be applied to the base of the eyelashes on the top lid, and RapidBrow is applied to the full length of the brow. That’s all you have to do. The serum works its magic overnight and in as little as a few weeks you start to see a difference.

This is why I love these products. Within a couple of weeks, my eye lashes were stronger plus they were able to hold more mascara whenever I did wear make-up. My brows, which are starting to thin with age, were stronger and didn’t come out as easily. It may be my imagination but the colour was deeper too, meaning I didn’t have to add pencil to them. Within 4 weeks, I did a double-take in the mirror where I swear my eyelashes looked longer BEFORE I put mascara on, and my eyebrows looked like they had already had the eye brow fixer on them, or at least a little pencil colour.

Over time, I hope that the serum keeps working and keeps strengthening my eyebrows and eyelashes so that I have more of a base to add make up to, but also to give a more natural look. The serums are much cheaper than having any cosmetics done, and don’t have the initial ‘look’ that tattooing or permanent make-up have when they’re first done. It looks so much more natural having the lashes built up over time and gets you to a level where you can keep the hair strength. These serums last forever too, so are very cost effective plus they make great gifts!

From £37.00 – £40.00 at: https://rapidlash.co.uk

Lacura Collagen Lip Oil from Aldi

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fashion, Gifts for Her, 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.

A few weeks ago, some girlfriends and I went for a makeover in a posh London department store. After buying a ton of new products, I was hesitant about buying the lip oil they had used on me. I had never heard of lip oil before and my usual lip covering is lipstick or sometimes a matt lipstick applied with a wand, so the lip oil was a new product to me.

Well, Aldi had other ideas! They sent me this Lacura Collagen Lip Oil (8ml) with Shea butter and Vitamin E to try, so after last weekend I was very happy to oblige! The lip oil is a tube with roller glass ball for ease of application and is only about 7 centimetres tall so can fit into a handbag or purse easily when you go out. The added shea butter and vitamin E are to protect and moisturise the skin and you can really feel the softness of both ingredients and taste the shea butter too!

Lacura Collagen Lip Oil applies easily and doesn’t leave your lips feeling sticky like a lip gloss. It’s more like a light oil, as the name suggest and leaves a shine on the lips. It’s colourless on application but seems to enhance your natural colour, or if you apply with a lipstick underneath, brings out the lipstick colour and protects a little from the make-up transferring onto glasses etc. It’s easy to wear on its own during the day or to mix it up at night with a lipstick as well and create a different look, especially if you’re really good with lip liner and can create a blend with the oil too.

I’m loving experimenting with the Lacura Lip Oil and being able to make a new look with it for both day and night. It’s so easy to use too and doesn’t need to be precise at all. A new staple for the make-up bag!

Available from £2.99 at: https://www.aldi.co.uk/collagen-lip-oil/p/722836778210501

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick, Jumbo Lip Pencil and Refill

beauty, Birthday Gifts, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Home, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

What beautiful Mother’s Day gifts! Annabelle Minerals have been around since 2012 and founded in the UK to provide handpicked ingredients that are both minimalist and natural. The idea is that the ingredients pamper your skin so that you don’t have to suffer unnecessary layers of heavy chemicals just to look your best. The theme of the ingredients being natural also carries across into the style of make up – natural and understated but still with a flare for style.

We were sent some lovely lip make up for Mother’s Day. Annabelle Minerals have both lipsticks (with refills available online) and jumbo lip pencils which can be used as both lip liners and as a lipstick. There’s several colours online too, including these shades; Apricot for the lipstick you can see and Brown Fig for the refill.

The Shear Lipsticks are presented in these gorgeous gold swizzle sticks and come in Apricot, Brown Fig, Coconut, Dragon Fruit and Strawberry. The names of the colours give away the type of natural ingredients Annabelle Minerals strives for! The Apricot colour I received is a slightly darker shade of my lips, so it’s very natural and glides on superbly. The colour stays all day too, as I discovered when I went out one Friday night wearing it. Only a small amount of the middle of the lips was missing at the end of the night, and probably as a result of drinking.

Once you’ve bought one lipstick, you can buy refills in either the same colour or a different one, and saving not just the packaging but also a bit of money! I was sent my second choice of Brown Fig, a slightly darker shade with a touch of red in it. This was a great colour for when I was wearing a darker outfit and wanted my lips to pop.

The Annabelle Minerals Jumbo Lip Pencil is probably my favourite of all the lip products. I was sent the Marigold colour which compliments all the other lipstick colours in the range. I used it as a lip liner, then you can fill in your lips with that colour, or dab it on as a base before you add a lipstick on top to vary the colour. You can also do the opposite and put the lip liner on top of your lipstick and seal it in and also change the colour.

With each of the lipsticks and the lip liner, they glide on perfectly, don’t come off easily and keep a constant colour. I didn’t notice them on my lips as they’re not greasy at all and in fact, I didn’t even need to blot with each application. They travel really well too, with a pencil lid to the liner and magnetic locking lipstick cases. I’ll be exploring more of the range at Annabelle Minerals, and looking at what Mum would like for Mother’s Day.

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick: £12.90 (Apricot)

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1368-sheer-lipstick.html

Annabelle Minerals Jumbo Lip Pencil: £11.90

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1268-1922590-jumbo-lip-pencil.html#/364-jumbo_lip_pencil-marigold

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick refill: £9.90: (Brown Fig)

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1368-1922976-sheer-lipstick.html#/478-lipstick-brown_fig/485-options-refill

Spode Creatures of Curiosity Travel Mug

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mother's Day, Sustainable, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

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

Mother’s Day gifts are always hard to source especially if you veer away from the chocolates, flowers and wine tradition. Spode have a fabulous range of gifts for Mum, Nan or Aunty which are slightly unusual but very usable. Like most Spode products, they are hugely decorative and decadent and not something your Mum is ever likely to buy for herself.

Take for example this Spode Creatures of Curiosity Travel Mug. Made of ceramic, as you would imagine a Spoke piece would be, it’s a 0.31 litre travel mug that’s decorated in a beautiful dark floral pattern with curious snakes, bugs and pink roses. The cup itself is very hardwearing and both dishwasher and microwave safe. The silicone lid needs to be hand washed, but the manufacture makes it easier to place over the mug and doesn’t spill easily when knocked about in transport. As the ceramic mug is well constructed and robust, it holds the heat of your beverage really well and for a long time. It doesn’t burn your hands when you hold it, so no need to add a sleeve to carry it around. You can use it for cold drinks too of course!

At 15 centimetres high it fits into most car and buggy cup holders and has real longevity compared to the plastic mugs. The ‘curious’ pattern is a real talking point because it’s so beautifully detailed and very feminine, unlike most sports travel mugs that don’t have any character. This is not a mug to use whilst jogging; it’s more for long walks in the park, taking the dog out with friends or keeping warm on long car journeys. The baristas will love this too because it’s so easy to heat up and to put the silicone lid on quickly. It’s a classy piece that Mums or Nans who love their hot tea or coffee on the go and want something with more of an occasion to drink it!

There’s also a matching laptop sleeve and water bottle as part of the Spode Creatures of Curiosity collection.

Available from £15.50 at: https://www.spode.co.uk/creatures-of-curiosity-travel-mug

Darn Tough Lifestyle Socks

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

Is there such a thing as a sock snob? If there is then I’m definitely one of them! Where I used to just pick up any old socks when out shopping, I now have more discerning tastes and I’ve discovered it really is worth spending money on a decent pair of socks – I’m on my feet a lot and the difference between a good pair of socks and a bad pair is quite astounding.

If you’re not a hiker the chances are that you won’t have heard of the American sock brand Darn Tough. Made in America the seam free socks are made from merino wool and are unbelievably comfortable to wear, I have a couple of pairs that I wear when hiking and it’s no exaggeration when I say it’s like walking on air when they’re on my feet. As well as being incredibly comfy the socks are very hard wearing, in fact Darn Tough are so confident about the durability of their socks that they offer a lifetime guarantee. Yes you heard that right, if they wear out you can send them back and they will be replaced free of charge without a receipt and no questions asked!

As well as the popular hiking socks they also make everyday socks called the Lifestyle range. These crew socks are thinner than hiking socks and are the perfect choice for everyday wear, whether that’s in shoes, trainers or boots. Made from a mix of 61% merino wool, 36% nylon and 3% lycra the socks are moisture wicking and more breathable than your average pair of socks and once you’ve worn a pair, I guarantee you won’t go back to those supermarket socks! The animal designs are cute and I especially love the ones with ducks wearing blue spotted wellies.

The Darn Tough Lifestyle socks are available in small, medium and large which will fit feet between sizes 2.5 to 9. They sit nicely above the ankle and are ideal for wearing in trainers or casual boots. The merino wool is not only soft against your feet but is also perfect for helping to regulate body temperature and won’t lead to smelly feet.

The socks are an excellent fit, sitting nicely on my foot and they don’t slip down when walking, the ribbed cuff is a comfortable fit and not too tight around my leg. I have worn these socks a few times now and they are lovely and comfortable both in trainers and casual boots, fitting snugly on my feet. They wash well, even on cooler washes and they are still soft to the touch and have not lost their shape.

So if you’ve run out of inspiration for all those hard to buy for friends and family members then a pair of Darn Tough socks are the ideal choice. With many different designs you are bound to find a pair to suit everyone and with the lifetime guarantee it it’s gift that will last forever!

RRP £27

Tom Gates Personalised T-shirt

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for children, Stocking Fillers

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

One of our mini reviewers is a huge fan of the Tom Gates series of books and was thrilled to receive a personalised BEST EVER T-shirt. The grey T-shirt is perfect for both boys and girls and being a neutral colour will go perfectly with jeans or leggings. If you are familiar with the books you’ll know they have a very distinctive hand drawn style which is mirrored in the design of the t-shirt.

Taking it out of the packaging I found it to be lovely and soft and all the seams are stitched nicely with no loose threads. It is made from 100% cotton and can be machine washed at 30 degrees. It’s been washed a few times now and each time it comes up as good as new without any fading or stretching.

The T-shirts are available in range of sizes starting at age 5-6 and going right up to an adult XL, so if you are looking for quirky gifts this Christmas you could get a matching set for all the family! The sizing is spot on and it fits our mini reviewer perfectly, with room for when he has a growth spurt.

As well as the personalised T-shirt there is a whole range of Tom Gates merchandise available on the website, check them out on the Official Brilliant World of Tom Gates Shop. The bespoke range features an exciting mix of clothing, mugs, water bottles, bags, stationery and gifts, including some personalised items and colour-your-own kids t-shirts that can be decorated with their own doodles and designs. All of the products feature Tom’s distinctive hand-drawn style with the stamp of approval from the author and illustrator Liz Pichon.

RRP from £14.99

Puma Golf Double Canopy Umbrella

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Days Out, Family Life, Fashion, Father's Day, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Sport, Stocking Fillers, Winter

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

Ideal Christmas gifts rarely exist but Puma’s double canopy golf umbrella is very close! Not only is it a staple for any golfer, beginner or advanced, but golf umbrellas are excellent for everyday use, or just keeping handy in the car. Families love them too for days out when more than just one person needs covering or as a brilliant sunshield in the summer.

The Puma double canopy golf umbrella is heavy duty for even the toughest of weather out on the course, and the double canopy not only acts to keep you dry but adds extra structure so that it doesn’t turn inside out. If you’re using this for sports, it also makes the umbrella more durable with extra layers so it won’t fall apart after a few winters. The handle has a foam moulded hand grip to make it easier to hold for long periods and it’s also sturdier compared to everyday umbrellas. It’s opened by a push button at the handle too – much easier when it’s starting to rain!

The Puma double canopy golf umbrella has minimal branding and is available in black with bright white features and made of 100% polyester. Its suitable for golf players or any outdoor sport or spectating and even comes with a chic cover for storage. I’m keeping this one in the car for when I’m caught in a downpour and don’t want to leave!

Available from £44.99 at:

Puma Golf Double Canopy Umbrella

Grangers Down Care Kit and Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield

Children, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Him, Home, Stocking Fillers, Uncategorized

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

It’s officially winter, and that’s probably not the best time of year for me take up running but that’s what I’ve done. With some new (and very expensive) running shoes, I’ve gone on Park Run a couple of times. Each time it was pouring with rain, which isn’t helpful when you don’t know the course yet.

Cherry Blossom have the Ultimate Protection in the form of the Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield. This spray not only shields trainers from rain but from stains too, which is helpful when you find you’re running through muddy fields as well as a muddy woodland. I was sent some to try along with the Down Care Kit.

The 200ml Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield spray can be used on all materials including canvas, synthetic materials, leather, suede and nubuck. It’s best to spray your trainers before you wear them if they’re brand new, otherwise the Cherry Blossom Sneaker Cleaner Kit is ideal for cleaning up your shoes before applying the spray. After shaking the can, spray onto the trainers from roughly 10-15 centimetres away (4-5 inches) and allow to dry. You can apply another layer after an hour or so, depending on how worn your trainers are and how porous they have become. It’s best to leave the spray to dry on the trainers for at least a few hours, but I left them in a warm place overnight before I used them.

The spray left the shoes slightly shiny but well protected. Even the laces were waterproofed! With the two layers of protector spray on them it was time to test the shoes whilst out running. I think the two layers helped because I was running through some long, very wet and frosty grass at places and found that the trainers not only stayed dry but the dew collected on the uppers and didn’t affect my feet underneath. My socks stayed toasty dry! This has spurred me on to try the Cherry Blossom on other trainers and shoes like the garden shoes I use for pottering around, and my Sketchers.

The Grangers Down Care Kit is a powerful cleaning agent for your down insulated clothing, namely duvet coats and puffer jackets. I have a Regata jacket that I wear obsessively throughout the winter but I’m loathed to wash it because I hate how it loses its fluffiness. The Down Care Kit contains the Wash & Repel solution and 3 dryer balls to help dry your garments quicker, and to get more air into the down so that it doesn’t go flat after washing. To use, you just add 2 capfuls (100ml) of the Wash & Repel solution to the washing machine drawer where you normally put detergent. For each additional garment, add another capful but I washed just my coat on one load to give it room to spin properly. If you’re tumble drying, add the dryer balls on a low heat to get the air circulating more. You might need to redistribute the down as it dries so that you don’t end up with all sorts of lumps and bumps. I let my coat dry outside on a clear day so that it gets some natural air to it too and make sure that all the moisture is out.

Once dry and you’re able to wear it, your garment is not only clean but is protected against rain as well. It’s not completely waterproof (depending on the material of your garment and how it’s made) but it is water repellent. It doesn’t soak in the rain as much and it’s quicker to dry if you do get wet.

The Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield and Grangers Wash & Repel Kit are handy kits for anyone who is the outdoor type, or a stocking filler for anyone who takes part in outdoor sport. They also help make clothes and trainers last longer!

Cherry Blossom Sneaker Shield available from £7.45 at:

Sneaker Shield

Grangers Was & Repel Kit from £17 at:https://grangers.co.uk/products/down-care-kit

Modibodi Festive Gifting 3 Pack Briefs

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Home, REUSABLE, Sustainable, Women

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

The Australian company Modibodi have been changing how women deal with periods for 10 years now, but still not everyone knows about their revolutionary products!

Sometimes known as period pants, Modibodi produce underwear that doesn’t need tampons or sanitary towels because Modibodi design in a high absorbency layer to their clothing, giving you more protection. As these are reusable feminine products, they have added layers of materials which give much higher absorbency than disposable liners etc, therefore giving you longer wear.

The Modibodi Festive Gifting 3 Pack is a set of 3 differently sized and shaped knickers all in Fiesta Red colour. Including High Waist Bikini (light/moderate absorbency), Classic Bikini (moderate/heavy) and Full Brief (heavy/overnight), they are bundled up in an attractive draw string bag which can also be used for laundry. The packs are available in sizes 8-18.

The briefs are made of bamboo viscose for the body of the knickers and merino wool for the absorbency section, which is brilliant at absorbing moisturiser to keep you dry. They look and feel like everyday pants, which is always a bonus and the different sizes and shapes make them adaptable for any dress or trousers. The bright red colour makes a change from the usual dark blue or black period knickers which are usually on the market and I can guarantee you have something red and Christmassy you want to wear over the Christmas season!

I have been using Modibodi pants for a while now, and they’re really innovative. If you’re a bit nervous about using them, you can always use a sanitary towel or tampon as well, before you get used to how much more absorbent they are or how they fit. I find if I am going out for the day, I use a towel or tampon as security and then rely on the pants later on. It’s more comfortable that way. The knickers themselves fit really nicely and the bamboo viscose is cosy and fits well, especially as they’re in my dress size and not S/M/L like other period pants.

As for absorbency, you get used to not having any other products to rely on. I found that I forgot I was wearing Modibodi pants and it really helped that I wasn’t wearing a towel at the same time when I was in jeans or certain dresses where I was more self-conscience. The absorbency of the period pants was also much better than towels or tampons. The wool material used for the black lining is super absorbent and you can go a whole lot longer without having to need to change them, especially in the full briefs which are bigger. If you have the 3 pack bundle and use them in conjunction with other Modibodi pants (such as the PUMA Active Period Underwear we reviewed previously), you can go your whole period and not use and disposable products at all. Modibodi saves money on using feminine products but also saves the environment with having less to throw away each month.

Even if you’re not buying the Modibodi 3 Pack gift set for anyone else, treat yourself to a pack this Christmas!

Available online now at a discounted price of £39.00:

Modibodi Holiday Gifting 3 Pack – Fiesta Red

Critically Endangered Socks – Elephant Speckle

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, eco friendly, Fashion, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

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

Who would have thought that socks could save wildlife? Critically Endangered Socks have made it their mission to do just that, and your tootsies could be the reason that an elephant survives in the future; but how?

The profit from the Critically Endangered Socks is donated to charities such as WWF who benefit from 10% of direct sales. The socks are embroidered with some of the animals the charities save including pandas, cheetahs, orangutans and tigers plus these stylish elephant socks in gorgeous pink. All of the socks on sale are 85% GOTS certified organic cotton and include 5% Spandex (to make them last longer!) plus 10% Polyester for hard wearing. The little elephant on this pair aren’t over the top, just giving you a glimpse of the animals at the ankle.

The socks themselves are super soft! The elephant pink tie-die are very unique and go well with snazzy trainers. They’re certainly a statement piece and I was able to wear these with my trainers to the gym because of how stretchy they are and the high content of cotton makes them fabulous for working out.

For Christmas this year, there are also baby socks, pyjamas, jumpers, baby rompers and muslins available online. Critically Endangered Socks make excellent presents for the person who has everything as well as animal lovers who want to know they are doing something for the greater good, and who doesn’t always need socks?

Available from £12.00 at:

Elephant Speckle

PUMA x Modibodi Active Period Underwear

Birthday Gifts, camping, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, health, Home, REUSABLE, Sport, Stocking Fillers, Sustainable, Women

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

The revolution in period products started a few years ago when we saw more and more period items in the shops that gave women and girls more flexible options. One of the newer inventions are the period pants – the ability to wear underwear without having to worry about sanitary pads to protect clothes. Modibodi came up with period pants designed specifically for sport, and along with PUMA, they’ve brought out a new range of Active Period Underwear.

The PUMA x Modibodi Period and Leak-Proof Underwear we were sent (called Active Cheeky Briefs!) are already graded 2/4 for absorbency which is around 10ml or the equivalent of 2 tampons. That’s quite a lot for just a pair of pants! They’re made of recyclable material and are machine washable and I especially like that shape because they’re not big and bulky but have a slimmer fit to them, which is exactly what I want from a brief. The material used is stretchy and silky too, so you won’t get a VPL. The waist is elasticated and there were no problems overall with the fit.

When using them, I didn’t find any leakage. All the new reusable sanitary pads and knickers seem to be extra absorbent compared to the disposable towels and tampons of old. When at the gym, I forgot that I was wearing these and even out for a run there was no problem with movement or stretching and no chafing either! They’re very versatile, so it got me thinking that these PUMA x Modibodi pants would be great for travelling on long journeys where you weren’t sure about facilities and didn’t want to be uncomfortable. I can imagine wearing them on planes and trains to feel more secure.

These are a brilliant idea and I feel like they’re a lifestyle change, away from the need to carry so much with you for each period but are so discreet you don’t need to worry about them. If you’re hesitant, wear them with a sanitary pad first to prevent leaks, and eventually you’ll see how much more absorbent they are, especially with all the different designs Modibodi are coming up with!

Available online from £15 (in the sale) at Modibodi

Aldi Lacura West Hollywood Eye Make-up and Brightening Concealer

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

If you’re popping into Aldi this Christmas to get all the party food, Christmas day meal and all the trimmings plus general festivities, then have a look at the Lacura beauty range by Aldi. Every year they have something lovely and this year is no exception. We were given the West Hollywood Eye Make-Up set and Brightening Concealer to try our as part of their extensive range. Are you feeling in the festive mood yet?

The West Hollywood Eye Make Up set is 16 shades of the gorgeous Natural Radiance range, with 8 of the shades a matt colour and finish and 8 highlighting shades to compliment them. You don’t have to use the complimentary shade with each block, and you can mix and match them (I have already!) and create a whole new look but there’s enough range there to give you a whole host of choice. From the base neutral colours which would suit various skin tones to more vibrant and sparkly golds and metallics, this pallet isn’t just for Christmas but for all year, and all day too. There’s a lovely Espresso dark charcoal colour which is great for smokey eyes, and teaming it up with either a shiny top colour like Glam or Auburn would give you great ‘party eyes’ or something more subtle like the shade Toasted would make it more of a day wear colour. Whichever shades you like to use, there is plenty of choice and it glides on beautifully with little effort and doesn’t go sticky or rub off easily.

The Lacura Brightening Concealer, which is in the palest shade Lacura produce (yes, I am that pale!) is a rich concealer that needs a minimal amount to blend in. You can see from this test patch on my hand that the colour is deep and you don’t need much to give all the coverage. Depending on what you need to cover (such as under eyes, or maybe a scar) you only need the tiniest amount as it goes so far so quickly. If you do use too much though, it has a tendency to be a tiny bit chalky so start small and build up layers if you need to. I don’t think you would need to though as it gives great coverage and don’t forget it’s just a concealer, not a foundation that give all over coverage.

The West Hollywood Eye Set and Brightening Concealer aren’t on the Aldi website yet so they won’t be in stores for a while, but when they are, get them asap! The Lacura range often sells out early!