Stocking Fillers – Page 9 – The Review Studio

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

Dog Keychain from Kikkerland

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Pets, 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.

Dog lovers, this one is for you!

The Kikkerland dog keychain is exactly what it says it is – a keyring that’s in the shape of a dog! No more losing your keys on the long dog walks across the fields or into the woods, this sturdy keychain can hold all of your keys and more.

Made of zinc alloy, it’s durable, doesn’t rust and won’t bend out of shape and is lightweight too. The screw closure ensures that all your keys are safe and the hollow outline of the dog face means you’ll be able to add more keyrings or keys to the chain. The unique shape also means you’ll be able to put your hand in your pocket and find your dog keyring easily. At just £9 it’s great for Secret Santa or as a gift which can be posted as it’s flat and so light.

This is a great Secret Santa for dog lovers or collectors of keyrings, looks stylish and like all Kikkerland products, will last for ages!

Available from £9.00 at:

Dog Keychain

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

Kikkerland Make Your Own Tea Kit

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Sustainable, Winter

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

For the tea lover who has everything, they will always need more tea! Kikkerland have this gorgeous Make Your Own Tea Kit tin which has everything you need to brew your own.

Whether you’re a loose tea lover who wants to make your own blend or simply take loose tea with you out and about, or if you love making whole new blends of herbal teas, perhaps from your own dried flowers and fruits from the garden, this is for you. The tin contains a bamboo tea spoon, 5 reusable teabags, 2 mesh envelopes and a booklet on how to make and blend tea.

The mesh envelopes are for collecting your herbs, flowers or berries from the garden and helping them dry so that you can make your infusion later. The mesh bags are sewn on three sides to make it easier to collect and store natural items easily and allow the air to dry them naturally. Each of the teabags is drawstring and can be washed in a normal washing machine cycle after use. The bags have ample room for brewing tea, and not just herbal teas but loose tea works well too. There’s a lovely bamboo spoon which allows you to dolly-up the mixture into each bag, or even stir the infusion once the teabag is in your cup. The handy green tin also doubles up as an air-tight container to keep your teabags in once you’ve made them up but not yet used them!

The Kikkerland Make Your Own Tea Kit is a lovely kit for Secret Santa or a friend who loves making their own tea. Teenagers who are learning to make their own infusions will love the practicality of this make-your-own craft kit.

Available online for £13.00 at: https://kikkerlandeu.com/products/make-your-own-tea-kit?_pos=1&_sid=b07c6d0a5&_ss=r

Kingsland Drinks Wine Selection

alcoholic drinks, Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Vegan, Winter

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

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice bottle of wine with their Christmas dinner, or cosied up in front of a roaring fire? We certainly do so were delighted to receive a selection of wines chosen by the experts at Kingsland Drinks, which as well as being lovely gifts are the perfect accompaniment to Christmas lunch.

Rosé fans will love the Tourmaline 2022 rosé from esteemed producers, Barton & Guestier. The wine is in a gorgeous tall bottle with a glass stopper and the dry wine has floral, citrus, pear, peach and red berry notes. Best served chilled, the delicious fruity wine is dry and crisp and great with food or drunk whist curled up in front of a fire with loved ones. With a beautiful pink hue this French wine is hard to beat.

ABV 12.5% RRP £26.99 available from Waitrose (currently £18.99)

The South Australian Sauvignon Blanc from The Hidden Sea is perfect for Christmas lunch, we enjoyed this zingy citrussy wine with chicken, but it will go just as well with turkey and if you are having a seafood starter even better as it pairs nicely with seafood. This is a delightful fresh wine and is very smooth and palatable and also works really well as a spritzer with ice and sparkling water. Another bonus is for every bottle purchased The Hidden Sea will remove the equivalent of 10 x 500ml plastic bottles from the sea and recycle them, so perfect for those who want to do their bit for the environment.

ABV 12% RRP £8 Suitable for vegans, available from Sainsbury’s and Asda

Champagne might be out of your budget this Christmas, so a bottle of Prince Alexandre Crémant de Loire is purse friendly. Made in France in the exact same method as Champagne, this sparkling wine is a subtle blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc and boasts a fresh elegant aroma of citrus and white stone fruit with hints of biscuity notes. When I poured it into a tall flute there was a multitude of bubbles that jumped and fizzed and popped satisfyingly on my tongue, served chilled it is perfect for a festive toast.

ABV 12.5% RRP £14.49, Waitrose

These wines should appeal to pretty much all palates and I’m off to Waitrose to stock up whilst the Christmas offers are available!!

Articulate

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Winter

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

Christmas is a time when families and friends get together and as the festive season approaches it’s the perfect time to invest in a couple of new board games to play with your nearest and dearest.

Articulate the “fast talking description game” from Drumond Park is a great game to play as whilst it can be played with 4 people it is much more fun played in teams. It’s really easy to get the hang of too so is perfect when playing with family members with a mix of ages.

The circular board unfolds to reveal coloured sections named with the following categories – people, world, objects, actions, nature and random. Players are split into teams and it depends on the number of players as to how many describers and guessers there are. The game begins by placing the counters on the start segment and the first team then have 30 seconds to describe the object listed on the card to the rest of their team, if they shout a correct answer, they keep picking cards and describing words from the same category until the timer runs out. Once their turn is over they move their counter forward by the number of correct words.

Sounds straightforward – it is but once you get started there are a few extra twists to add more excitement to the game. If you land on a white CONTROL segment play does not pass to the next team, instead the same team pick the next card and the describer/s describe the item marked with the spade icon to all the players, there is no time limit for this and play passes to the team who shouts out the correct answer first. The other curveball in the game is the orange and red segments which extend into the centre of the board. When a counter lands on one of these the team spins the spinner to try and win bonus places or the opportunity to move an opponent back a few places.

It’s a very fast paced game and as you are racing against the clock you’ll find your voice getting louder and using your hands to try and describe the words on the cards, much to the delight of the rest of the players. Some of the categories are much harder to describe than others so if you are playing with children younger than the 12+ recommended age you may need to look at a few cards to pick one they can describe easily. With 500 cards, each with a word for all six categories you’ll be able to play it every day over the festive period without using the same words!

This is a fantastic game and will be a great addition to any Christmas festivities this year.

RRP: £32.99 but currently £17.99 at Amazon

Suitable for ages: 12yrs+

Stockists include: Independent toy shops, Amazon, Smyths, Argos, ASDA, WH Smiths, Hamleys, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and The Works Stores

Danilo Calendars

Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

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

Now Halloween is over thoughts are turning to Christmas and buying gifts. Calendars make great stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts and here are a few of our favourites from Danilo, Europe’s number one publisher of licensed calendars, that are bound to be well received on Christmas morning.

Despite all the electronic options available I still like a paper calendar in the kitchen as it’s easy for the whole family to see at a glance what’s going on – whether that’s birthdays, appointments, holidays or reminders for insurance and MOT’s. There are lots of different wall calendars available but I especially like a calendar that has columns for each family member as it makes it easy to see at a glance who is doing what.

The Great British Bake Off 2024 Official Family Organiser has 5 columns to keep all the family organised along with a seasonal recipe to try each month. It also has over 200 stickers which are perfect for highlighting important dates such as birthdays, school holidays, dentist and doctors appointments helping them stand out on the calendar.

As you would expect from Danilo it is very good quality and the images of the cakes and pastries all look absolutely delicious. There is a handy pouch at the back of the calendar to store the stickers, receipts and all those important bits of paper that you accumulate as a family.

RRP £9.99

Perfect for the home or the office these Harry Potter calendars make great stocking fillers or even Secret Santa gifts.

The Harry Potter Desk Postcard Desk Calendar is spiral bound and has the dates down the right-hand side alongside a colourful graphical image from the eight Harry Potter films. The calendar is designed to be flipped over and each image is actually a postcard that can be removed along the perforated edge and kept or posted to a friend.

RRP £6.99

The Harry Potter Desk Block Calendar is a page-a-day calendar designed to sit on a desk. It has a hard cover and has a separate page for each day featuring fun quotes, trivia and images of characters from all the Harry Potter films including Harry, Ron and Hermione along with others. It can laid flat on a desk or use the cover to stand it up.

RRP £10.99

Flip a Zoo Mushmillows

Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Stocking Fillers, Toys

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

When I was a child my auntie made me a Topsy Turvy Doll which was my absolute favourite toy and went everywhere with me. One head had a smiley face and flowery summer dress and when you flipped the skirt there was an identical head but this time the doll was in a nightgown, so it was like having two different dolls in one.

FlipaZoo™ are the same idea but instead of dolls they are animals, ours is the cat and dog but there are plenty of other combinations including giraffe/elephant, shark/dolphin, polar bear/ husky and unicorn. The 38cm cuddly toy has gorgeous big eyes and magically transforms from one animal to another and is suitable for children aged 1 year upwards. It’s really easy to switch from one animal to another and our mini reviewers soon got the hang of it! Simply fold the body part of the animal over the head to reveal a different animal.

The toys are lovely and soft and once the ear tag had been cut off was quickly grabbed for cuddles with our mini reviewer. As well as being a lovely toy FlipaZoo™ doubles up as a pillow for nap time and I can see this being invaluable when travelling with children as something familiar that they associate with nap time will help them sleep when they have a change to their normal routine.

The toy has been a great hit with our mini reviewers and for me the standout feature is the softness, it is so soft and tactile which makes it extremely cuddly. The stuffing is just the right balance between firmness and squishiness and it bounced back into shape after being sat on and used as a pillow! Looking at the stitching, it is very well-made and I didn’t spot any small holes in the seams that little fingers can poke in, so it should last a very long time. Whilst I haven’t washed it yet it is good to know that it can be washed when the need arises.

If you are searching for inspiration for gifts for little ones then a FlipaZoo™ toy comes highly recommended by our mini reviewers and will make a wonderful gift for little ones this Christmas which will be loved and cherished for years to come.

RRP £22.99 available from The Entertainer

NOMO Christmas Chocolates

Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gluten Free, Stocking Fillers, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

NOMO (No More Missing Out) have brought out a lovely range of Christmas chocolates for 2023, aimed at anyone who is allergic to the main allergens (dairy, gluten, egg and nuts) or lives a plant based life. We were sent some of the selection to review, and frankly, it’s the best part of our job when we have to force ourselves to eat chocolate!

The selection of NOMO Sharing Boxes contain 140 grams of chocolates, each individually wrapped and there’s about 12 chocolates in each box. There are three flavours of the sharing boxes; Choc Orange Crunch, Caramel and Mint. All of the sharing boxes are vegan chocolate, plant based and free from eggs, dairy nuts and gluten so are suitable for the whole family.

If you’re familiar with the ‘big brand’ chocolates then you’ll recognise what type of confectionary these flavours are based on. The Caramel flavour is milk chocolate with a soft caramel filling. They’re arranged as two squares for each of the sweets, so you can take your time over eating them and the chocolate is surprisingly thick. The Choc Orange Crunch isn’t a fondant filling but more of an enriched chocolate filling with piece of – you guessed it – crunchy flavoured orange pieces. The last box is the Mint flavour which was my favourite. Again, there was generous chocolate but also a lot of the mint fondant filling which was soft at room temperature and reminded me of another famous brand.

We were also sent the NOMO Reindeers in Choc Fudge and Cookie Dough flavours. These individually wrapped chocolates weigh 33 grams and 30 grams respectively and are also vegan and free from eggs, nuts, gluten and dairy. They’re perfect for adding to children’s stockings or for Christmas parties where you don’t know if the kids are all able to tolerate conventional milk chocolate. The Cookie Dough flavour is soft with slightly crunchy pieces covered in NOMO milk chocolate. The child in me insisted on eating the reindeer ears first but there’s no obligation! The Choc Fudge flavour was my favourite though as it was rich, deep fudge that was slightly gooey and very indulgent. It’s a real chocolate lover’s treat.

The sharing boxes are an excellent idea no matter what time of year and are just the right portion size to be eaten after dinner over the Christmas period. They’re also great for school lunchboxes or for anyone who’s never tried plant-based chocolates before. For those of us who are always scrambling for last minute gifts for the neighbours, these NOMO sharing boxes mean you don’t have to worry about offending anyone with an allergy by giving them something they can’t enjoy! The NOMO Reindeers are a great pick-me-up for the supermarket too, or to enjoy on car journeys throughout the festive period.

NOMO are continuing to make great fun chocolate that’s appealing to everyone and more importantly, more accessible. There is indeed No Missing Out anymore when it comes to chocolate.

Modimi Paco the Pony Toy

Baby, Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, eco friendly, Gifts for children, Stocking Fillers, Toys

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

It’s almost November and with a large family to buy for I’ve already made a start on my Christmas shopping. I’m trying very hard to be more sustainable so I was really pleased to discover Modimi which are an eco-conscious modular toy system made from durable recycled plastic.

With six cute animals to choose from – Ellie the Elephant, Dexter the Dog, Paco the Pony, Ginny the Giraffe, Donny the Dinosaur and Dash the Dinosaur the toys are made from 100% recycled plastic and are packaged in a cardboard box with none of those annoying plastic ties that parents hate.

The heads are all a similar size and the legs are the same height meaning they can easily be interchanged to create new creatures. I especially liked the feet which squeak when you press down on them, bringing delighted squeals and giggles from our mini reviewers as we walked them across the wooden floor.

Modimi toys are designed to grow with your child so babies will enjoy the textures, colours and squeaks and older children will begin learning the animals, colours and shapes. Toddlers will have the most fun as once they work out how to pull the animals apart they can begin creating new creatures to play with.

I especially like how the joints are articulated, meaning you can turn the heads and bodies, allowing children to bring the animals to life when playing with them. The pieces snap together easily and our mini reviewers soon got the hang of pulling them apart and putting them back together. Each body part is brightly coloured and the textured raised shapes and crinkly fabric ears and manes are great for sensory play.

I’m really impressed with Modimi toys, they are not only great fun they are educational too, helping with fine motor skills, dexterity and encouraging role play and they will make great gifts for babies and toddlers this Christmas.

RRP: from £9.99 and available from Tesco

Suitable for ages: 10m – 3years

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Bites – Chocolate Orange

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Lunchbox Fillers, Stocking Fillers, Vegetarian

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

Just in time for Christmas, Joe & Seph have launched their delicious Chocolate Orange Popcorn Bites. That’s right, not just popcorn, not just chocolate but Chocolate Orange flavoured chocolate!

If you’ve never had Popcorn Bites from Joe & Seph’s before, I’ll try and explain what they are. Perfectly popped pieced of popcorn are encased in cups of rich chocolate. They look like popcorn pieces set in thimbles of chocolate and turned out to create each little bite which you can pop into your mouth easily. The popcorn and chocolate melt at different rates so as you chew, you get a hit of chocolate, then the texture of popcorn and then the richness of the chocolate again.

Joe & Seph’s are famous for their gourmet popcorn with over 80 flavours and more being added all the time. The popcorn is cooked to the highest standard with no ‘crunchy bits’ at the bottom of the bag and no unpopped kernels. The milk chocolate meets the same exacting qualities as the popcorn, with it’s melt-in-the-mouth smoothness and no fake sugary taste. You can taste both the chocolate and the orange in each Popcorn Bite, and the popcorn itself is velvety caramel, but not too sweet.

The Popcorn Bite grab bag is 63 grams, vegetarian friendly and gluten free. There’s no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives either. It’s the perfect size for sharing or an afternoon snack and a great treat for children to share after school. You can see that it’s great for the cinema, or would be perfect as a stocking filler too!

Available at £3.50: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/chocolate-orange-popcorn-bites

Warmies Giraffe

Autumn, Children, Christmas, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Winter, Women

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

Whilst it looks like an ordinary soft toy this cuddly giraffe from Warmies isn’t just for children. Scented with lavender, which is well known for helping you relax and drift off to sleep, the soft toy can be warmed in the microwave which helps the beautiful fragrance intensify. The warm giraffe is then lovely and snuggly, just like a warm hug and is lovely to cuddle up to.

It is really easy to heat , place it in the microwave and turn it on, for microwaves 600 to 800W heat for 45 seconds and 850 to 1000W it needs 30 seconds.

I have been using it instead of a heat pad and found it perfect for soothing cramps and muscle pain. Our mini reviewers have been snuggling up to it at bedtime which has really helped settle then down at night and they have definitely been falling asleep much faster.

Popping a Warmies soft toy in the microwave before bed has now become one of our favourite bed time rituals, guaranteeing us all a good nights sleep.

Available from Well Pharmacy there is also a Cockapoo and the super cute Warm Hugs penguins which would make great Christmas gifts. If you are looking for gifts for older relatives then it might be worth considering the fully heatable bottle, fully heatable eye mask or the fully heatable slippers which are all available from the Well Pharmacy website.

RRP £14.99 and currently on offer for £13.49 here

Retreev SMART Tags

Birthday Gifts, Days Out, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, REUSABLE, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Tech

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

I have thankfully never lost luggage on a flight. I’ve had most of my luggage damaged and even ended up with an empty holdall because the airline company ripped a hole in the side and everything fell out, but so far, not lost anything. It’s one of my fears though; going on holiday and not being able to relax because I have nothing to wear but also that my belongings aren’t personal any longer and could be anywhere in the world. Maybe, never to be seen again?

There are a lot of items on the market for tracking down your luggage, but most of then are very expensive and difficult to set up. The Retreev SMART Tag is a credit card sized tag which you affix to your luggage in case your bags get lost. On the back there is a QR code and it has a chip inside too for any of the airlines who can read them. If your bag is lost, anyone can scan he QR code or chip to register it as lost and you receive a message via text and email to say it’s been found. Retreev SMART Tag is recognised by 3000 airports and 400 airlines and is available in multiple languages.

To set it up, tap or scan the card which you are going to attach to your luggage. Complete all your contact details online and activate your tag. There’s no subscription fee, your card is covered for life. If your bag is found, the finder either taps the card or scans the QR code to bring up the ‘found’ form. They fill in the details of where your bag is and how to retrieve it and you as the owner receive a text and email with the finder’s details. There’s no need for them to know your personal information and the tag doesn’t display anything to show that the bag belongs to you.

We were sent a Union Jack and a Lion tag, but there are many to find online at the www.retreev.com website. They have solid metal tags to them too so that it’s difficult to break them off of your luggage and the plastic cards are made of 100% recyclable packaging. Not only are there no subscription fees, but they have a lifetime guarantee and there’s no batteries to have to replace!

Setting up the cards was easy. I just scanned the QR code and filled in a simple form with my name, email and mobile number. The form is set up to be accessible from anywhere in the world so it doesn’t matter where you call home. Retreev send you a login and you activate the card on a dashboard. That’s it! Adding the second tag was easy because you just scan the QR code again and open your account to activate it.

So far I’ve not had any lost luggage to be able to test how it works, but from what I can see it’s a really good idea and keeps your identity safe too. Here’s hoping I won’t ever need to use it but if I do lose any luggage, I’ll be much happier knowing I have the Retreev SMART Tags on them!

Available online from £14.99 at:

Great Britain / United Kingdom – retreev SMART Tag

Brewing Up a Storm – Trooper Gift Set

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

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

Do you know a Star Wars fan? Whether they’re a fan of the recent films or a die-hard fan then they’ll love the Original Stormtrooper “Brewing up a Storm -Trooper” gift set from Well Pharmacy. Containing an exclusive Stormtrooper dishwasher safe mug along with a 100ml Shower Wash it is a great choice for a stocking filler or Secret Santa gift.

RRP £8 available here

Well Pharmacy are the third largest pharmacy chain in the UK and have a great selection of Christmas gifts available. If you aren’t able to get to one of their branches then you can buy online with postage starting at £3.95. These are some of our favourites that will make great stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts.

The Kind Edit Co. Spa Botanique Garden Glove Set

Chit Chat Nail Varnish Colour Wheel

Warmies Giraffe

Annabelle Minerals Sheer Shine Lipsticks

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

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

I don’t leave the house without putting lipstick on so was very pleased to receive a selection of Sheer Shine lipsticks in the most gorgeous shades of nude, pinks and red from Annabelle Minerals.

Available in six shades, these lipsticks are a lovely creamy consistency which glides nicely onto your lips, enhancing as well as nurturing them. The colours are lovely and last well but the main benefit to me is how moisturised my lips now feel. Enriched with a blend of natural butters, oils, waxes, and vitamin E they have the moisturising qualities of a lip balm but in a lipstick formula – a winning combination which not only makes your lips look good, keeps them lovely and soft and hydrated too.

The shape of the lipstick enables a precise application, and it was easy to adjust the intensity of colour from a subtle wash to an intense full lip. We all know the packaging of lipsticks is important and these are available in a chic golden magnetic case, with a snug fitting lid and there is also a refill option too which is a great sustainable option.

The colours available are –

APRICOT – a fresh peachy nude shade that complements both warm and cool beauty types. A very versatile everyday colour that will suit most people.

BROWN FIG – a gorgeous pink caramel colour that can easily be glammed up if you are going out straight after work.

COCONUT – a warm brown hue, great if you have a tan.

DRAGON FRUIT – this fuchsia pink lipstick teamed with smoky eyes is a winning combination for Christmas party glamour.

GUAVA – a powdery pink shade that will suit all complexions.

STRAWBERRY – a stunning red lipstick that will add a touch of drama to any outfit.

As a user of more expensive lipsticks, I can honestly say that these lipsticks could easily rival any of my normal brands so are a great choice if you are looking to save a little money but aren’t prepared to compromise on quality. The choice of shades is great and they keep your lips lovely and moisturised which is very important now we are heading into the winter months.

From daytime to evening glamour, Annabelle Minerals have a great selection of makeup and skincare products that would make amazing gifts this Christmas, so whatever your budget you will easily find the perfect gift.

RRP £11.90 and the refill is £9.90 – available here

Spot the Intro

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, secret santa, Stocking Fillers

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

Christmas is a time when the whole family gets together and sitting down to play a board game after lunch is now a favourite family tradition. Music games are great to play when you have a mix of ages and Spot the Intro from Cheatwell Games is bound to get everyone reminiscing about the music of their youth and all those long forgotten top ten hits that we all know and love.

The game features music from the last six decades with the aim being to guess songs from a 10 second intro and be the first to reach the finish. There are 480 double sided cards in the box giving you 960 tracks to play and we found it quite addictive so it will certainly keep everyone occupied over the Christmas period. Unlike older music quiz games that used a CD or DVD to play the music, this game has QR codes on the cards to scan with your phone, taking you to a Spot the Intro page where you can play the songs via Amazon, Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

After listening to the intro, the team have to name the song correctly to get one point with an additional point given for naming the artist. With any correct answer there is a bonus question with another point available for a correct answer. Once the questions have been answered the team then moves their counter by the number of correct answers.

The game is great fun although it’s a bit fiddly scanning the codes so that’s definitely a job for the teenagers rather than Granny!

Spot The Intro is a great game for music lovers and works really well as a team game, especially with mixed ages. It’s a great game to play with family and friends and with Christmas round the corner, it would make a great gift that also doubles up as the afternoon or evening’s entertainment.

RRP £25.83 available from Amazon

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!

The Kind Edit Co. Spa Botanique Garden Glove Set

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mother's Day, 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.

Calling all of you who need a Secret Santa this year… or who are struggling to find that little gift for Mum or Gran! The Kind Edit Co. have this beautiful Luxury Garden Glove Set and Hand Cream in a gift set, which any garden enthusiast will both love and need.

The set includes a pair of green and pink gardening gloves with elastic fit and finger grips and 125ml hand cream of bergamot, ylang-ylang, lily and sandalwood. The hand cream formula is 95% natural, hence the Kind Edit Co endorsement. You can either put the hand cream on before the gloves when you work in the garden, or apply the cream after working in the garden although you could use it at any time. The hand cream has a lovely floral aroma which is not lost on the fact that this is part of a gardening set!

I like the gloves especially because they’re very heavy duty but made of cotton, so they’re not waterproof but they are softer on the skin. They’re hand wash, which is easier when you’re working outdoors and can just leave them to soak. The hand cream is nice and rich and has a lovely fragrance so if you do put it on under your gardening gloves, it leaves them smelling so sweet!

This is a great gift for the price of £4.99 for anyone who enjoys gardening, and I especially like it as a Secret Santa gift for someone at work.

Available from £4.99: https://well.co.uk/the-kind-edit-co-spa-botanique-garden-glove-set/

Chit Chat Nail Varnish Colour Wheel

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Stocking Fillers, Toys, Vegan, Women

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

This lovely gift set is aimed at girls but with the ten different colours, including pinks and red, it could be a lovely gift for anyone!

Chit Chat’s Nail Varnish Colour Wheel is also vegan, which is not something you find very often in beauty products especially nail varnishes. There are 10 colours (including pink and red but also blue, green and yellow) which are 3.5ml in size each. In the centre of the wheel there’s 12 different glitter colours to add to your nail colour. Whether you use the corresponding glitter and varnish colours or do something outlandish and mix up the complimentary colours, the combinations of glitter gems and nail varnish are endless, and so much fun!

The gift set doesn’t say what age range it’s aimed at, but I would guess children aged 6-10 years old, and not much younger due to the smaller parts. The wacky colours are great to experiment with but also teach children fine motor skills with the application of the brush and then the tiny gems which go over the nail varnish and stock to the surface. To make them really secure, you can use a top coat nail varnish over the top, although that isn’t provided with this set.

Even if you don’t have children in the house, this is a great kit for the colours and nail art, especially as the varnish pots are a smaller size and you can take them on holiday with you. The quality of the varnish is good too. This kit is great as a bonding exercise with an adult and child.

Available from £ 7.50 at: https://well.co.uk/chit-chat-nail-varnish-colour-wheel/

Artificial Wisdom by Thomas Weaver – book

Birthday Gifts, Books, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Stocking Fillers

A stunning cover image and thought-provoking twist of a title make you want to look inside this book to see if the story lives up to the title. And for the most part it does. The story is easy to read and moves along at a decent pace, even when at times it is dealing with complex issues and ideas. The world Artificial Wisdom is set in is both frightening and believably based on the news topics of today. The characters are likeable, or not if the plot demands, and in a few cases a little too good to be true. The author, Thomas R. Weaver, takes you through the story in such a way that you care about the outcome.

In a not-too-distant future, political leaders are much as they are today and have failed in their actions to stop climate change. The world is failing, countries becoming uninhabitable from heat, flood or famine causing migration challenges and human disasters. The super-rich have built floating climate-controlled islands, to escape the unbearable heat, that are run on their behalf by a unique artificial intelligence. The nations of the world have, rather surprisingly, agreed that one person must be given absolute power to make the hard decisions and save the human race from extinction. But who will they choose?

Against this background, the book’s main character, Marcus Tully, is a journalist who believes in the truth above all else, consequences are not his problem. He is supported by a team of misfits, all with the special skills needed to help his work of uncovering the truth and exposing those in power. He is following an anonymous lead to the ultimate story. But what is the truth and is it more important than saving humanity? The death of his wife in a climate change tragedy beyond imagining has taken a toll on the man.

Artificial Wisdom is essentially a mystery set in a future built but taking its ideas from the paths unfolding in the present. Climate change has not been solved, political intrigue is still rife, political corruption is still prevalent, conspiracy theory is everywhere, information can be deep faked and artificial intelligence is evolving. The author’s writing brings the reader along with each new idea and builds the world in a credible way explaining how such things could have happened.

This is Thomas R. Weaver’s debut novel and is ambitious in its reach. Full of twists and turns but perhaps a few too many coincidences and fortunate connections. However, this aside, the story rattles along and keeps you wanting to read to its conclusion. The concepts and situations challenge you to think about what you would do in this disturbing future timeline. The ending irked me slightly as it required a character to betray principles written in stone for the rest of the novel. However overall, I would recommend this novel to those who like a good mystery novel.

Available from £14.99 at:

www.amazon.co.uk/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=glance-detail&asin=B0CJT79SXG

STABILO pens and pencils

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

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

Have you started shopping for Christmas yet? These STABILO pens and pencils make great stocking fillers or why not add a colouring book to make a lovely gift for an artistic friend or relative?

With STABILO’S instantly recognisable striped pattern on the pens the metallic STABILO Pen 68 is perfect for creating masterpieces. With a firm tip the pens make crisp, smooth lines, and move effortlessly over the paper. The metallic colours are striking, and the pens are perfect for writing, doodling or colouring and look amazing on black card.

RRP from £14.33

Children will love the STABILO Trio DECO metallic pens, with 8 sparkling colours they liven up any picture. The colours are bold and strong with a metallic shine and are great for art projects or colouring.

The pens have an ergonomic triangular grip making them easy to hold in little hands.

RRP from £9.37

The STABILO aqua colour pencils are lovely to use and the colours are bright and vibrant. Soft with a rich pigmentation the pencils glide smoothly across the paper and when blended with a wet brush give an incredible wash effect. They are the perfect introduction to watercolours as they are much easier to use than paint and ideal for detailed work.

The pencils are the same colour as the barrel making it easy to find the one you need, and I also found they sharpen nicely too.

RRP from £6.71

These STABILO pens and pencils would make a lovely Christmas gift for any budding artist – both young and old.

Orchard Toys Countdown to Christmas Activity Book

advent calendar, Books, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Gifts for children, Stocking Fillers, Toys

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

As thoughts turn to Christmas I’ve been looking out for Christmas themed books to keep our mini reviewers occupied in the lead up to Christmas. We are big fans of Orchard Toys as they make fun educational games so when I saw the Countdown to Christmas Activity Book, I knew it would be perfect for the little ones this year.

With 25 fun activities including pictures to colour, wordsearches and recipes the idea is you do one activity a day from the 1^st December meaning the children will have lots of fun counting down the days to Christmas. Once each activity is completed there is a number sticker to add to the page and a sticker to add to the pull out advent scene at the back of the book.

There is also a letter to Santa and if you submit a photo of it to Orchard Toys by the 18^th December you are guaranteed a response.

This is a really fun book and a great way to countdown to Christmas with little ones. I would definitely recommend it and will enjoy doing the activities with our little ones this December.

RRP £4

Cetaphil Skincare

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, health, 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.

There are a host of different skincare brands and products on the market, all aimed at different ailments or even have different objectives that we find irresistible to choose. Cetaphil are the sensitive skin experts, specialising in moisturisers for face and body plus cleansers which are all aimed at sensitive skin and the ailments around it.

We were sent a batch of different products including; Cetaphil Gently Clear Clarifying Blemish Cream Cleanser, Cetaphil Gentle Clear Mattifying Blemish Moisturiser, Cetaphil Pro Tinted Moisturiser Day Cream SPF30, Cetaphil Moisturising Night Cream for Redness Prone Skin and Cetaphil Gentle Clear Triple-Acton Blemish Serum. If that’s not a full medicine cupboard full of skincare, then I don’t know what is!

The Cetaphil Gently Clear Clarifying Blemish Cream Cleanser is just what it says it is – cleans the skin gently especially after make up and when you’ve been out in polluted air. It’s cool and easy to use with white tea and aloe vera to keep pores clean but not dry them out. Cetaphil Gentle Clear Mattifying Blemish Moisturiser contains Salicylic Acid to reduce the size and appearance of pores whilst still keeping the skin fresh and moisturised. It also contains prebiotics which help keep the bacteria on the skin in balance which is important for overall health. Cetaphil Pro Tinted Moisturiser Day Cream SPF30 is probably my favourite because it’s made for sensitive skin so is ever-so-light and absorbs beautifully. The SPF 30 is a big help with day to day wear so you don’t have to think about going out in the British summer and wearing sunscreen on your face because you know that Cetaphil has the sun protection covered for you. The tinted nature of the moisturiser covers like a foundation, giving you a flawless complexion.

Cetaphil Moisturising Night Cream for Redness Prone Skin is more of a specialist product, again designed for sensitive skin but skin which is already prone to redness due to allergies, acne or general dryness. As a night cream, it’s slightly richer and takes a little while to absorb in, but also cools and calms skin thanks to the vitamin E, B3 and Pro-vitamin B5. It’s cool and gentle which can sooth any skin type regardless of whether you are prone to redness or not. Finally, the Cetaphil Gentle Clear Triple-Acton Blemish Serum is another friend to sensitive skin especially skin which suffers from breakouts. The serum reduces post-acne scaring and sooths skin, helping it heal whilst also preventing breakouts with the added Prebiotics, PHA, BHA and succinic Acid.

In combination or as individual products, Cetaphil has you covered for all of your sensitive skin problems. Find out more here:

https://www.cetaphil.co.uk

Top It Board Game

Birthday Gifts, Children, Christmas, Family Life, Games, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Learning, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Toys, Winter

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

If you are looking for a fun game to play after Christmas lunch that the whole family will enjoy then look no further than Top It from Cheatwell Games. This fast thinking game is great to play with family and friends either individually or in teams. It is recommended for ages 10+ but we played it with an 8 year old and he was able to come up with plenty of answers – but it does depend on the child.

Inside the box are

75 double sided Top It Topics Cards
60 Top It Cones
18 Letter Discs
Sand timer
Score Pad
Pencil

The game is really easy to set up, there are 60 coloured cones, 10 of each colour so the players/team decide on a colour and take their cones. You then place 9 of the letter discs on the table in 3 rows of 3 and place the topic cards next to the letter cards. The top card is turned over, followed by the timer and then the fun begins! Everyone shouts out an answer that fits the topic and begins with one of the 9 letters on the table. As they shout out their answer they place a cone on that letter, if there is already a cone they “Top It” which means they place theirs on top and at the end of the 60 seconds the person who owns the top cone on each of the letters wins the points – scoring is easy if there are 3 cones they win 3 points or 6 cones wins 6 points etc.

There are also bonus points to be had if you get 3 of your coloured cones in a row (horizontally, vertically or diagonally) adding a strategic angle to the game as getting correct answers in a row can really boost your points and earn you more points than being the top of a stack of cones.

We found the game can get quite loud and competitive as the cones stack up, especially when my family were playing! We thought it was better played as a team game as everyone can join in, both young and old. There is a good mix of topics and it was quite surprising hearing some of the answers – I’m not sure I fancy either chocolate or potatoes as a pizza topping!

Top It is a great game for the festive season particularly for groups of friends and family and whether brought as a gift for Christmas or just as an addition to your festive games’ cupboard Top It will provide lots of fun and laughter.

RRP £26.99 available from Amazon

BLO Pens

Autumn, Birthday Gifts, Children, Games, Gifts for children, Halloween, Stocking Fillers, Toys

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

The days are getting shorter, the nights are darker and the spookiest day of the year is just around the corner. Our little withes and ghouls have been getting into the Halloween spirit with some spooktacular Halloween crafts and have been having plenty of fun with these new BloPens sets from John Adams Toys.

BloPens are really clever as they turn a felt tipped pen into spray paint – simply take the top off, put the nib into the clear plastic tube and put the coloured end back on. By blowing through the top the colour sprays out and you can create different effects by blowing harder and softer. Once you have finished your picture you can use the pens to add extra details and wording.

The Harry Potter Set (RRP £15) and the Scooby Doo set (RRP £13.38) are both perfect for creating spooky Halloween masterpieces, both sets contain 8 coloured BloPens and 6 cardboard stencils which you can use to create colourful effects on the paper. I would advise popping out the bits of the stencils before you give them to a younger child as little fingers might end up tearing some of the pieces which will spoil the pictures.

Our mini reviewers found them easy to use and before long were creating some spectacular works of art by mixing the colours to create a selection of spooktacular and magical pictures. They have really enjoyed using the BloPens and unlike a lot of crafts it’s a pretty mess free activity so there’s hardly any tiding up needed – definitely my sort of craft! The stencils can be reused so the little monsters will be able to create plenty more spooky pictures in the lead up to Halloween.

Available from Amazon