Gifts for teachers – The Review Studio

Marty’s Virgin Bloody Marys

Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Who needs lessons in cocktail making when you can buy the cocktail mixers ready-made nowadays, and enjoy your cocktail without any of the mess!

Marty’s Virgin Bloody Mary is a pre-mixed Bloody Mary cocktail but without the alcohol. If you’re a fan of just the tomato juice, apple juice and apple cider vinegar summer drink then pop this in the fridge and drink away. Hugely hydrating, Marty’s Virgin Bloody Mary has no additives, is vegan and only contains natural sugars. You can of course, add your favourite alcohol to it to make up your own cocktail (conventional Bloody Marys have vodka but you can add anything you like to this!) or you can use it to create a completely new cocktail by adding other ingredients. The high tomato content in this 750ml bottle can also be added to cooking – Bolognese sauces will never be the same!

Marty’s Mild Virgin Bloody Mary comes in a 750ml bottle but we were also sent the spicy version in 250ml. This had more of a kick to it and I would recommend the spicy version for cocktails where the alcohol balances out the spices. Both drinks are sold alcohol free though, so you can really taste the rich tomato flavours coming through in them, the spices that add the summer flavour and best of all, there’s no pulp from the tomato that you have to wade through in order to get to the flavour! It is best to shake up the bottle first though as the natural juice does settle.

Best of all, Marty’s has won the Great Taste award in 2023 and A in the Aurora International Taste Challenge. Whenever a food wins such prestigious awards, I always like to find new ways of using it, so my lasagne is going to taste amazing this week, and I have ideas for a new salad dressing too!

MILD Virgin Bloody Mary currently on Sale for £20.99 for 3 at: https://drinkmartys.com/shop-uk/p/martys-virgin-bloody-mary-mild-3-pack

SPICY Virgin Bloody Mary currently on sale for £16.99 for 6 at: https://drinkmartys.com/shop-uk/p/martys-virgin-bloody-mary-6pack

Home Fragrance

Birthday Gifts, Fragrance, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Winter, Women

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

Candles are a great way to create a cosy atmosphere in your home and having them dotted around your home means you can quickly mask unwanted odours or create a cosy ambience. A strategically placed candle in the kitchen will quickly remove the lingering scent of a homemade curry whilst one in the hall creates a welcoming feel when you walk into the house.

Lavender is well known for helping you relax so the Woodwick Lavender Spa candle is perfect in a bedroom or bathroom and lighting it before bed can really help you sleep better. The Ellipse candle not only looks very stylish but the large surface area of the candle allows for a fully melted wax pool, which helps produce a more consistent fragrance for you to enjoy. The exclusive, patented handcrafted wooden wick, Pluswick®Innovation, is easy to light and once lit creates the sound of a crackling fire, which helps create a cosy feel wherever you place it. I found it only took a few minutes for the fragrance to fill the room, creating a relaxing feel in my bedroom which really helps me switch off before bed. The lavender scent is delightful and not too overpowering and after a couple of days I found I was sleeping much better.

The candle weighs 453g and whilst there isn’t a burn time given it’s such a big candle, I know it will last me a good while.

RRP £34.99

The Yankee Candle Pink Cherry & Vanilla Signature Large Jar Candle strikes the perfect balance between floral and fruity notes, creating an inviting ambiance that’s never overpowering. Housed in a large glass jar with a glass lid, as the candle flickers it quickly fills my living room with the fresh fruity scent. I was very impressed with the level of fragrance produced by this candle and I found it lingered long after the candle was blown out With two wicks this candle has a burn time of 60-90 hours which should easily last me through to autumn.

Once you’ve melted all of the wax, you can easily peel off the label (which doesn’t leave an annoying sticky residue) and reuse the large glass jar.

RRP £29.99

So whether you’re looking to reduce stress, improve sleep or simply unwind candles can play a role in enhancing your overall wellbeing – so go ahead and light those scented candles – you’ll be benefitting both your space and your wellbeing!

To view more of their range or to find out more about Woodwick and Yankee candles head over to their websites.

Wickedly Welsh Chocolate Great Taste Trio

Birthday Gifts, Children, chocolate, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Stocking Fillers, Summer

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

As if you need a reason to celebrate chocolate, there is an important day in the calendar – 7 July, which is World Chocolate Day! To mark the occasion, Wickedly Welsh, the British chocolate makers, have sent us the Great Taste Trio of three different flavoured chocolates to try. We’ve never said no to chocolate in this office and today wasn’t the day we were going to start!

The trio are three flavours; Orange Marmalade, Dark Chocolate & Welsh Sea Salt and Mint Crunch. Two of the flavours has won the Great Taste awards (Mint Crunch in 2017 and Welsh Sea Salt in 2021) with Orange Marmalade being inspired by an award winning recipe. Each bar is handmade in Wales, and handmade is not something we associate with chocolate in this country so this is a rare treat.

The Orange Marmalade flavour is set in dark chocolate with a half and half mixture of tangy and sweet, much like the jar of marmalade you remember growing up. It also has a little Cointreau but you can hardly taste it, it’s just the aftertaste on your tongue that you might notice the slightly orange flavour. The dark chocolate is smooth and rich and brings out the orange flavour. With the Dark Chocolate &Welsh Chocolate Sea Salt, the minerals of the sea salt are apparent as soon as the dark chocolate starts melting and you can feel the crystals dissolve. The juxtaposition of the salt and dark chocolate work really well together, reminding me of the sea at night when you can hear and smell it but you can’t see it. If you like dark chocolate, then this flavour is a great addition to your taste buds!

Finally, my favourite is the Wickedly Welsh Mint Crunch. Again, this is dark chocolate, swirled with peppermint and meant as an after-dinner chocolate or to cleanse the palate. It reminds me of an Aero bar but with more peppermint and a richer flavour because the chocolate has a higher cocoa content and less sugar. It’s particularly good when added to cooking. Have you tried making your own croissants at home from the ready-made packets and adding some chocolate before you roll them? Instant chocolate croissant, and the Mint Crunch chocolate bar adds not just the novel flavour to the chocolate filled pastry, but extra texture too. I think Mint Crunch is my favourite!

Wickedly Welsh have a whole host of different flavours of chocolate on their website and are adding new products all the time, but the Great Taste Trio is a fabulous place to start.

Available online for £14.97 at: https://www.wickedlywelsh.co.uk/collections/best-selling-products/products/your-great-taste-trio

Silver & Birch Exfoliating Wash from Clarol

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, health, Stocking Fillers, Vegan, Vegetarian, Women

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

Some smart person somewhere in Russia discovered that birch is a great detoxifier and exfoliator for skin and can help prevent acne. Clarol have used this information to bring out a new exfoliating wash that works in 4 different ways to clean, exfoliate and rejuvenate your skin. We were sent some to try this week, and I must say, the scent alone is enough to brighten your skin!

Birch bark is known to detoxify the skin but uses natural ingredients instead of salicylic acid and methyl salicylate so your skin won’t dry out. We don’t use birch bark anywhere near enough but the botulin in it reduces inflammation and Lupeol and Erythrodiol help produce the proteins needed to speed up the healing process. If you’ve had long term acne like me, then you’ll know that healing is part of a long process.

Silver & Birch Exfoliating Wash also contains MicroSilver, which has long been known for its antibacterial features. Brilliant for acne, it doesn’t irritate the skin either so you won’t ‘make it worse before it gets better’ like some over the counter products. The exfoliating aspect of the wash takes away dead skin and helps clear pores allowing extracts of Bladderwrack and White Nettle to calm skin and Coffee Seed opens pores, which should help the extraction of oils and bacteria too. There’s tiny amounts of pumice stone and rice bran in there too, to add to the exfoliation.

This gentle exfoliator lathers up on wet skin and when massaged in, takes away a lot of the surface grease and dead skin. You don’t need much of it to create the lather, and after 2-3 minutes, rinse with water (I like to use warm water) and your skin is cleared plus not as dry as with other brands of exfoliant washes. It’s also paraben free, vegan and perfume free too.

Silver & Birch Exfoliating Wash from Clarol is a lovely gentle wash, perfect for summer and especially for skin that suffers from acne and especially lots of make-up and not enough time to clear it!

Available from £12.95 at: https://www.skinshop.co.uk/clarol/clarol-silver-birch-exfoliating-face-wash

iWalk Portable Phone Charger for iPhone

Birthday Gifts, camping, Days Out, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mobile Phone, Summer

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

Most people are off to some kind of outdoor event this summer whether it be a concert, festival, picnic or even camping so if you’re taking your phone, you’d be prudent to take some extra battery charge for your phone too. The iWalk Portable Phone Charger for iPhone (Android also available) holds 4800mAh of charge for your phone, and all in this tiny little charge bank you can take anywhere!

Available in white, pink or black, the iWalk Portable Phone Charger takes around 90 minutes to charge but gives more than 100% of charge to an iPhone. So if your phone is down to 0%, the iWalk Charger will charge it up to 100% with a little charge left over to charge again, or hand to another friend to charge instead! (This is from me testing the charger, not official statistics from the manufacturer.) This particular iWalk is USB-C so fits newer iPhones and nowadays there are multiple other devices which aren’t phones but still have USB-C connections which can also charge from the iWalk. It’s handy to have around so I keep it in my handbag so that I can charge my phone if it goes low.

As the iWalk Portable Charger is so small (it measures approximately 3 inches long or 7.5 centimetres) it is roughly the width of your phone so you can still either type or talk on our phone as it’s charging at the same time. The compact size also makes it easy to pack away or even put in your hand luggage so that you never run out of charge. It is charged with a USB-C cable which comes with the packaging and as it doesn’t take long to charge, you can add it to your laptop as you work or even use an adapter and plug it into the wall. The two items together are so compact you can take them anywhere and the extra charge they provide will be invaluable if you lose charge.

The iWalk Portable Phone Charger also differs to other chargers because there’s a handy display on the front. When you press the button on the side, the front display shows you how much charge the device holds as a percentage. As it charges, the number goes up until it’s 100%, which doesn’t take as long as you think. The charger is lightweight but also really robust so you can keep it charging whilst moving around, even if you’re doing sports or on bumpy transport.

I really like having the iWalk Portable Charger on hand and knowing that it will reliably keep charge and then transfer it to my phone whenever I need it, and it’s especially handy as it charges as you use your phone. Not all the portable chargers can do that. Makes a great gift for a teen or for someone going travelling too.

Available from £29.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/iWALK-Portable-Charger-Charging-Compatible/dp/B0CFL1Z99Y?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

Prezzee Gift Card

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

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

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

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

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

Thorntons Chocolate Pearls

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Available in supermarkets or online for £5.28:

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

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

Ikago Smart Mug and Heat Coaster Pro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Edifier Comfo Run Bluetooth Headphones

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Swizzels Sweet Shop Favourites for Father’s Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clean G Rhubarb Non Alcoholic Gin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Woodwick Linen Large Hourglass Candle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RRP £32.99

Edifier WH700NB Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elements of Art – Book by Susie Hodge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Clean G Rhubarb Flavoured Non-Alcoholic Gin

Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Gin and tonics are becoming more sophisticated these days, especially with home-grown gin from the British Isles. Not only is Clean G a non-alcoholic gin though, but it has the botanical flavours you’d expect of a rhubarb gin, plus none of the sugar. Oh, and it’s vegan too!

Clean G Rhubarb won 95 points in the IWSC Awards 2021 and is becoming a favourite amongst those who love gin, rhubarb gin and particularly people who are not drinking alcohol. Think post-lockdown, where everyone is trying to give up alcohol, save money and still work from home. There’s no harm in a 2pm G&T if it’s made with Clean G non-alcoholic gin but it still feels like you’re celebrating or winding down because of the flavour.

Let’s talk about the flavour. It’s a take on a London Dry Gin, so it has the flavour of rhubarb by with a dryness that makes it more like a grown-up drink. Added perfectly to a tonic (we were sent a set of Fever Tree tonics to try it with!) you can still add lemon or any of your favourite garnishes and the flavour of a gin and tonic is still there. The texture of a London Dry Gin is also there, with the tangy aftertaste of the rhubarb to remind you that it’s still got spirit, if not any sugar or alcohol.

There’s no reason why you couldn’t use Clean G Rhubarb in cocktails as well. The Clean G website has some fantastic cocktail recipes based on well known bar cocktails at: https://clean.co/blogs/clean-cocktails?spirit=clean_g_rhubarb We particularly like the Clean Applepolitan which includes apple, cranberry and lots of ice along with the Clean G Rhubarb of course!

Available in supermarkets and online for £16 at:

Clean G Rhubarb

The Garden of Eva Relish and Chutney from the American South

Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Lunchbox Fillers, Summer

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

You know it is summer when your neighbours start advertising on WhatsApp that they’ve got a free BBQ to give away, which is what happened to me this morning… and I realised that it probably is outdoor weather from now on. The Garden of Eva have a lovely array of condiments which are made of garden products you probably wouldn’t have ever thought of making relishes out of! I’m all for trying new flavours and new ingredients so the lovely team at Garden of Eva sent us some to try. Any excuse to get the posh cheese out!

The Garden of Eva array include American Southern Chili-Watermelon Jam, American Southern Chow Chow and American Southern Pickled Watermelon Rind. Starting with the Chili-Watermelon Jam, this watermelon heavy relish contains garlic, ginger, chili peppers and cinnamon with a generous helping of Jalapeno chili to give a beautiful rich flavour. You can taste the watermelon in it because the juicy sweet flavour comes through, but the hot Jalapeno gives it a beautiful kick that certainly makes you remember it! I tried it with a very strong Cheddar cheese and the two flavours hit it off.

Inspired by the use of watermelon, I then tried the Pickled Watermelon Rind. These are chunks of watermelon rind which have been marinated in sugar and vinegar with only a little salt and cinnamon. They’re absolutely delicious though! They’re not hot to taste, but you can taste the watermelon in them and the slight cinnamon. They’re not tough either, which is what I was expecting from a rind. Instead, they’re really soft and like marinated garlic pieces you get with sushi. The sweet watermelon taste is there and I can totally see these being eaten straight out of the jar although I’m thinking on a salad to give a different taste, or definitely in a sandwich.

Lastly, the American Southern Chow Chow contains tomato, cabbage, bell peppers onion and spices with some mustard and celery seeds too. This again wasn’t too hot, so children could have it, but it does have a tang to it from the vinegar. It was again wonderful! It would go really nicely at a BBQ or with a burger. I’ve never tried Chow Chow before but Garden of Eva makes it taste like it’s homemade. The flavours of the mustard and spices are all there, and the different textures really make it stand out. Delicious!

If you’re making up a charcuterie board or a hamper for someone who loves food, I guarantee that these are going to be a winner! They’re unusual ingredients but exquisitely put together with just the right amount of vinegar and time to make them a new addition to your fridge this summer. I’m already planning my BBQ around which relishes I want to use up first!

Chili Watermelon Jam £4: https://www.gardenofeva.co.uk/products/chili-watermelon-jam

Pickled Watermelon Rind £6.49 : https://www.gardenofeva.co.uk/products/pickled-watermelon-rind-coming-soon

Chow Chow £5.99: https://www.gardenofeva.co.uk/products/southern-chow-chow

TOZO Tonal Dots T12 Wireless Earbuds

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

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

The TOZO Tonal Dots T12 Wireless Earbuds are some nifty headphones which for the price, do everything you expect them to do and more. We were sent a pair to review this week, which are perfect for the summer and those sports activities that are starting again soon.

The TOZO Tonal Dots T12 are wireless stereo earbuds which come in their own carry case which acts as a charger case too. The charge case has a digital display to show you how much charge the headphones have, so that you know to charge them or that you have up to 15 hours of full charge left- which is pretty much a whole plane journey or 2 weeks plus of running, gym or walking. I haven’t needed to recharge them yet, but judging by other TOZO earbuds, it shouldn’t take long with a USB cable fast connection.

The Tonal Dots are easy to connect with Bluetooth 5.3. Yes, you need a phone or appliance with Bluetooth 5.3 but most of us do nowadays, then connecting is easy because my phone (and laptop) could ‘see’ the TOZO headphones when they were in the charge case and kept the connection. There’s a great range to them too; I could walk all over the house and still be connected and the connection didn’t drop at all. Even going outside was no problem. These TOZO Tonal Dots T12 are great for sports because of the distance they connect over, but also because they are waterproof and sweatproof! You can wear these swimming, although I haven’t tested them yet, but with a long connection range it means you can be at the gym and still connected to your phone nearby, or at the pool and your phone be on a lounger somewhere.

There are 16 preset EQs with the Tonal Dots so that you get the sound you need with whatever music or even audio files you listen to, but you can personalise it too. I liked the quality of the sound with these TOZO earbuds, and how easy it is to change the presets. The Smart Touch control is a must on earbuds, and they work perfectly on these headphones, plus are quickly responsive.

The carry case and compact design make them perfect for travelling and for sports. The wireless charging also makes them easy to charge on the go, so that hotels and planes can charge for you whilst you are travelling or getting unpacked. The waterproof quality makes them doubly useful and at such a low price (and currently on offer at some places) means you can keep them for work or children are going to love them for their ease and quality but without such a high price. Perfect birthday presents too!

Available from £39.99: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOZO-T12-Headphones-Cancelling-Waterproof-Black/dp/B0C8NNCWGL/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZiSbXPGeasQZix3NSt-dCoSV0TYrPr5_RFgDTIrue3r0xNMQ4v9cRQrcLO-dJa1G7BplSvG5Y8yzzcqzSeFDd66dWqNgjUA9NIs06yPPqkPzgp-tBG22WG46R2Ce3Nlidqpk6tZnDicuCEJF7KZo3Q.reyIJ45G6hWblS4_hEZaHAypzEL7pFgOVfszDcE42Ic&dib_tag=se&keywords=TOZO+tonal+dots&qid=1710172852&sr=8-3

The Ned Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Fleur de Lise Rose Wine

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Drinks and Mixers, Easter, 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, Women

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 wondering what wines to buy for the Easter weekend then we have a couple of suggestions that are bound to go down a treat, either as gifts or enjoyed with a meal with friends and family.

Rosé fans will love the Fleur de Lise 2022 rosé from the Saint Mont region of France. In a distinctive tall bottle with attractive label the fruity dry rosé has notes of raspberry and redcurrant and is lovely and crisp on the palate. Best served chilled, the wine is great as with grilled meat, fish and salads. It also goes surprisingly well with chocolate – it is Easter after all!!.

ABV 12% RRP £9 available from Ocado

The Ned Marllborough is a Sauvignon Blanc wine from the Marisco Vineyards in the Southern Valleys region of New Zealand. We enjoyed a glass with our roast chicken dinner, but it will go just as well with seafood. The wine is lovely and crisp with hints of lime, herbs and gooseberry and we found it to be nice and refreshing to drink. I’m hoping the weather warms up a bit by Easter as it will be nice to enjoy a glass or two with friends in the garden whilst the children are doing their Easter Egg hunt!

ABV 13% RRP £11.99 available from Waitrose

Generation Hope – Book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home

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

By Arunjay Katakam

Following Generation X and Millennials, the post-pandemic generation are starting to make their mark in terms of economics and we see in Generation Hope, but Arunjay Katakam how we have got to this point and where it is likely to go.

During the 1980s, the mantra was ‘greed is good’. No way would this saying be accepted in business any longer however the sentiment is still there with an uber-capitalist market out there except now there are 40 plus years of capitalist decisions, recessions and now a pandemic which have changed the face of finance across the world for good. What are the newest generation’s challenges now, and what area they likely to be?

Author Katakam takes us on a little journey through the history of the last century to the point now where as a world, we are under paid and over worked to a degree which we’ve never seen before. Things are looking to change though, as the new workforce, mostly working from home, seek more of a work/life balance but also appreciate working for a business or industry that believes in community and people, and not about just profits. However, undoing all those decades of greed is going to take some time and the book explores how old-school economists are being replaced by Inclusive Economics and how everyone can benefit from it.

Arunjay Katakam’s book is sliced into three parts; 1. The Scale of the Problem, 2. The Shape of Change and 3. The Scope of Impact. Each section has easy to understand chapters, complete with footnotes for anyone who isn’t an economist, and the odd quote or diagram to help explain along the way. Katakam takes the time to look at what the problems are and how they came about and then directs the reader to how things could look in the future, if change might happen.

The book is a modern day look at how we operate finance and economy nowadays, and essentially where it is going wrong. The speed of change which has been instigated by the internet and social media over the last 20 years means that the models that used to be applied are now no longer relevant and change is needed. For anyone interested in economics or studying the subject, Generation Hope adds seasoning to the commentary on wealth today and brings the reader up to date with how those Billionaire made it… and where they are likely to end up.

Further details:

Arunjay Katakam

Insta – @arunjay.katakam

X – @arunjay

#Genhope

From £14.99 at: https://www.waterstones.com/book/generation-hope/arunjay-katakam/9781955671347

Just Spices Discovery Spice Box for Mother’s Day

Birthday Gifts, Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, health, Mother's Day, Summer

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

If you’ve never heard of Just Spices (and if you ever go to the supermarket and look at the spice and herbs section, they’re everywhere!) then let me tell you a little secret. You no longer have to blend a whole heap of expensive spices together to make savoury meals or even desserts because Just Spices has an enormous range ready-to-use which does all the work for you.

This Just Spices Discover Spice Box contains 8 ready spices including; Sandwich Seasoning, Potato Allrounder, Pizza Topping, Chicken Seasoning, Pasta Allrounder, Vegetable Allrounder, Avocado Topping and Egg Topping. Each of the sachets contain a mix of herbs, dried vegetables and spices which can be added to food especially the ones recommended on the packet.

For example, the Sandwich Seasoning contains salt, onion, leek, black pepper, cumin and lemon myrtle among other ingredients. It doesn’t matter what sandwich filling you’re using, you can add the Just Spices Sandwich Seasoning sachet to it and enhance the flavours. Alternatively, you could make the same sandwich every day and use different sachets to create different flavours. Your cheese sandwich will taste completely different with the Pasta Allrounder seasoning with the added paprika, chilli and rosemary.

If you usually cook pasta once a week, or have avocado on toast anytime, then the seasoning sachets make a pleasant departure from your usual cuisine. Without Just Spices, you’d have a cupboard full of tons of opened spices and herbs, all past their sell by date and all in different quantities that you’re never going to use anyway! I’m not sure I’d even think of adding a different herb to my egg on toast let along a whole host of the Just Spices ones…

The Just Spices Discovery Spice Box is not only for popping in the post to your Mum or Grandma, but it could introduce your household to the range of Just Spices available in the supermarket without the cost of having to buy a whole jar. The Discovery Box is also easy to post to a student who is just starting out cooking or doesn’t have a lot of room to store anything in a kitchen. It’s the perfect gift for a teenager learning to cook as well as something homely for Mother’s Day.

Available from £9.99 at: https://www.justspices.co.uk/discovery-spice-box.html

Olay Protect Gift Set

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, 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 is a great excuse to buy Mum some luxury skincare and with the Olay Protect Gift Set, it’s not just the day cream, but a night cream and Vitamin C eye cream that’s included! This gorgeous box set contains Olay Retinol24 Night (50ml), Olay Niacinamide SPF30 Day (50ml) and Olay Vitamin C Eye Cream for Day (15ml), all in a pretty gift box.

Starting with the Olay Niacinamide SPF30 Day Cream, the hydrating, renewing, age defying cream works perfectly as day cream either under make up or just on its own, especially as it is SPF30. For British weather, it’s a must to both moisturise and have some sun protection as we’re not used to the high temperatures in the summer and like now, the biting cold and wind that the winter can bring. Your skin will love you for looking after it with a rich day moisturiser! Couple this with the Olay Vitamin B3 24 Eye Cream. Packed with lots of vitamins to work for as long as possible, this eye cream hydrates the delicate area around the eyes and acts as a barrier too, to prevent free radical damage.

The final piece to the Olay puzzle is the Olay Retinol 24. This cream moisturises and smooths skin overnight using the powers of Retinol and helps give your skin that healthy glow. It’s fragrance free too so you still wear a scent with it. This is a lovely indulgence to put on at night as part of your bedtime routine because it feels so soft against the skin and gives you a luminous glow before bed and when your skin regenerates as you sleep.

Each of the creams are lightweight and don’t feel greasy at all. They’re fabulous on their own, but in combination and over time they work together to give your skin a continuous glow and make it feel hydrated and smooth. They’re so light in fact that you can wear them under make up and it won’t matter but the vitamins help protect your skin when you’re out and about.

If Mum (or Nan!) love Olay, then this is the perfect gift for her. You know she’ll use it, love it and appreciate having it all together in one box set is a thoughtful gift for Mother’s Day.

And if you don’t give it? You could just keep it for yourself!

Available from £111.00 at: https://www.boots.com/olay-project-protect-day-and-night-moisturiser-and-eye-cream-christmas-giftset-10335161

Lola’s Cupcakes Valentine’s Postal Cake

Birthday Gifts, chocolate, Easter, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

Love is in the air and The Review Studio team have been spoilt rotten by our loved ones today. As well as the usual chocolates and flowers we’ve had a very special delivery from Lola’s Cupcakes who make the most amazing cakes. Their stores are mainly in London, but they do offer a nationwide delivery service, meaning everyone can enjoy their delicious bakes.

When sending cakes through the post they need to be well packaged to ensure they arrive in perfect condition and I was really impressed with the care that goes into the packaging. The cake sits in a carboard box with a protective layer of cardboard on the top and there is a cool block and thermal liner to ensure they arrive in tip top condition. Once opened the cake should be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container and is best eaten within 48 hours. It can be kept in the fridge for another 2 days – ours didn’t last that long!! The thermal liner and ice pack can also be returned to Lola’s Cupcakes and they will be cleaned and reused which is a great idea and to make it even easier there is a prepaid label so it doesn’t cost you a penny.

So, onto the important bit – the cake – the Valentine’s Postal Cake not only looks amazing but tastes fantastic too. The delicious chocolate sponge is beautifully decorated with pink vanilla buttercream with “Happy Valentines” iced in the middle. It won’t come as a surprise to hear that it is adorned with hearts – a couple even have “Love” written on them and there are plenty of Valentines sprinkles and a few rose petals to complete the Valentines theme. The cake has a nice thick layer of pink buttercream sandwiched between the two moist chocolate sponges and once we had cut into it, we discovered that the cake was light and fluffy, nice and chocolatey and incredibly tasty.

We were all really impressed with this cake, it has travelled a few hundred miles yet still looks like it has just been picked up fresh from the bakery. Lola’s Cupcakes make all their cakes daily by hand and from scratch, using only the very best ingredients and have a fantastic selection of cakes, cupcakes and brownies available on their website. The cakes make lovely gifts so next time you need a birthday, anniversary, get well soon, Mother’s Day, Easter or even a “Just Because” gift for a loved one then Lola’s Cupcakes is the place to go and I guarantee they will be well received by the recipient!

Small (serves 8) £25

Large (serves 14) £40

LoveRaw’s Nutty Choc Balls

Birthday Gifts, chocolate, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Lunchbox Fillers, snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

LoveRaw started in 2013 with the crazy idea of founder Rini to create vegan chocolate that tasted like regular chocolate. In the 10+ years since then, the website has grown and the product line has exploded to include all sorts of varieties of chocolate, including the Nutty Choco Balls (milk chocolate) that we were sent this week to try!

LoveRaw chocolate is not only vegan but is completely plant based, has no palm oil and no added artificial ingredients either. LoveRaw product chocolate bars which are similar to commercial treats on the market, and are less about blocks or bars of pure chocolate or they type of chocolate you can cook with. The LoveRaw chocolate bars are the type of treats you’d buy for yourself for lunch, or as snacks for children. The fact that you can buy them in bulk (typically packs of around 16 bars) means you can keep them for lunchboxes or even use for children’s parties where anyone, even though with dairy allergies or who are vegetarian or vegan can eat them.

The Nutty Choc Balls are based on a famous commercial chocolate that the Ambassador would enjoy… each one is individually wrapped and contains a hazelnut surrounded by hazelnut cream, wafer then milk chocolate and finally a coating of hazelnut pieces. Guessed what it is yet? The pieces are easily eaten after dinner, during a meeting or as they were in our house, as a snack in the afternoon when you need just one or two for a quick sweet hit of sugar.

You really can’t tell the difference between the commercial chocolates and the LoveRaw variety. The chocolate still has a smoothness to it and tastes like chocolate should. The added hazelnut pieces and hazelnut cream are still silky and indulgent and the wafer adds the decadent touch we look for in these chocolates. The team at LoveRaw also sent me some Cream Wafer Bars in milk and white chocolate which I have tasted before, and the LoveRaw Peanut Caramel Bar in Milk Choc which is new to me, but I will make room for!

LoveRaw Nutty Choc Balls available from £9.99 here: https://eatloveraw.com/products/m-lk-choc-nutty-choc-balls-box

Martha Hill Anti-Ageing All Day Crème Gel

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

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

Martha Hills are one of the brands available from the Beauty Naturals team, the natural beauty company since 1980. Their extensive range of beauty items online covers everything beauty related, and this Anti-Aging All Day Crème Gel is no exception.

The new Anti-Ageing Crème Gel is new to the market, formulated with natural probiotics preBiulin FOS™ to protect and restore the skin’s natural microbiota barrier. What does that mean? Well it means that it protects the ‘good bacteria’ on the skin that is needed for your skin to be healthy and therefore keeps a balance that’s more favourable to clear, well-nourished skin.

It’s suitable for all skin types and not oil based so it absorbs in easily without a greasy shine. The Anti-Ageing All Day Crème Gel keeps your skin moist and nurtured all day to give a glowing complexion and the gel seals moisture in. Along with the preBiulin FOS™ to protect the microbiota barrier, the All-Day Crème prevents wrinkles, protects from UV damage and acts as a buffer between pollutants and harsh chemicals. It also works wonderfully under make up to create a beautiful skin texture. Over time, the crème will build up protection along with keeping moisturiser in to give you ongoing defence.

I have been using the Martha Hill Anti-Ageing All Day Crème Gel for a few weeks now. It’s not heavy at all, and keeps skin light and hydrated. It works well under make up, and if you’re wearing it to bed or with exceptionally dry skin, you can still add a moisturiser over the top. It’s fragrance free too!

Available for £21.00 but currently on sale for £14.70 at: https://beautynaturals.com/product/?mh=200

Steccato Set of 4 Dinner Plates

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Valentine's Day Gifts

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

These Steccato dinner plates which are part of a much bigger collection at Spode, remind me of al fresco dining in Italy, or your favourite posh Italian restaurant back home. Made of Earthenware, these plates are 28 centimetres in diameter and have the traditional cobalt blue striped design. The timeless artwork and deep colour of gorgeous blue is a scheme which never go out of fashion.

The Steccato Dinner plates are made in England and are dishwasher, microwave, freezer and oven safe. So whether you are making a fancy meal from scratch or just heating up leftovers in the microwave or oven, Spode have covered your back and made life easier with these super durable plates. You can see how each plate is made with quality in mind, and their robustness is a beautiful quality that will keep these dishes contemporary and relevant for a long time to come.

The plates are part of a whole set of Steccato ware which instantly lift a table and give a sense of style. There are also sets of similar designs which you can mix and match to your taste, so that there’s more interest on the table, or you can build your crockery set over time with different statement pieces and arrange them for your celebrations.

Available for £80 for 4 at: https://www.spode.co.uk/steccato-set-of-4-dinner-plates