Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
After years of straightening my curls, I am now embracing them and in my quest for perfect curls have tried a huge selection of curl friendly products, all with varying results. One product my hair likes is protein as it gives my curls strength, shape and structure so I was really pleased to receive the Strengthening Silk Protein Shampoo and Strengthening Essence Conditioner from MONPURE.
If you’re not familiar with MONPURE they are a luxury haircare brand who know that the secret to healthy hair begins with the scalp. Their products contain retinol and lactic acid – products more familiar to us in skincare – and are effectively bridging the gap between skincare and haircare, taking haircare onto a new and exciting level.
TheStrengthening Silk Protein Shampoo £36 is a fantastic product, cleansing the hair and scalp without stripping it of its natural oils and moisture. The shampoo lathers easily, creating a creamy foam that lifts away dirt and debris and the vegan silk peptides in the shampoo create a breathable ‘second skin’ on both the scalp and hair to protect it from the effect of pollution, irritants and bacteria.
I love the fragrance of this shampoo, it smells fresh and luxurious and as you massage it in it instantly feels like it is doing wonders for both my scalp and hair. It rinses out easily leaving my hair clean and fresh.
TheStrengthening Essence Conditioner £36 is designed to hydrate both your scalp and hair, the lightweight formula glides through my hair leaving each strand silky and free of tangles. I found a walnut sized amount was perfect for my shoulder length hair and I left it on a few minutes before scrunching it into my hair and rinsing with plenty of water. The conditioner deeply hydrates and nourishes my hair and scalp and the blend of strengthening vegan silk peptides, Argan oil and pro vitamin B5 has left my hair incredibly shiny and it definitely looks a lot healthier than it did a few weeks ago!
The key to great curls is to keep them moisturised and hydrated and these products do just that, helping keep the dreaded frizz at bay and enhancing my curls.
Whilst the products are fabulous they aren’t the cheapest so with Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day coming up it’s time to start dropping a few hints!!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Granny always knew about cleaning. When I was little, there were so many different cleaning cloths, just in her kitchen that I could never keep up. As time went on though, all her cleaning equipment as well as the cleaning products in my parent’s house whilst growing up were plastic, non-recyclable and not good for the environment. We’ve come full circle though, with cleaning products now becoming more environmentally friendly and from companies other than the big corporations.
Seep (Sustainable, Everyday, Essential Products) is the only B-Corp certified cleaning product company which means they can be proven to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. They have an extensive and ever-increasing range of products too, and these Valentines Eco All-Purpose Sponge Cloths are one of their latest innovations.
The pack of 2 cloths are zero plastic and long lasting, made from sustainable wood pulp. That also means they are compostable! Each cloth measures around 15 centimetres square and is spongey to the touch. They soak up loads of water and are easily rung out. You can add them to the washing machine to give them a longer life but they dry really quickly on the side of the sink or over the tap. They’re hardwearing too, but when they are at the end of their life, they can be compostable. Just cut them up and add them to your compost or food waste bin.
Each of the designs is suitable for Valentines, but they can be used by anyone! If you’re like me and don’t particularly relish the thought of cleaning products as a Valentines present, then any of the Seep products can be used as part of a bigger present, or a hamper for your Mum, Nan or a friend at Valentines. I think the best use of these Valentines Eco All-Purpose cloths is to use them as a date marker – start using them on 14 February and you can easily tell how long they last before you need to buy new ones.
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.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Mother’s Day gifts are always hard to source especially if you veer away from the chocolates, flowers and wine tradition. Spode have a fabulous range of gifts for Mum, Nan or Aunty which are slightly unusual but very usable. Like most Spode products, they are hugely decorative and decadent and not something your Mum is ever likely to buy for herself.
Take for example this Spode Creatures of Curiosity Travel Mug. Made of ceramic, as you would imagine a Spoke piece would be, it’s a 0.31 litre travel mug that’s decorated in a beautiful dark floral pattern with curious snakes, bugs and pink roses. The cup itself is very hardwearing and both dishwasher and microwave safe. The silicone lid needs to be hand washed, but the manufacture makes it easier to place over the mug and doesn’t spill easily when knocked about in transport. As the ceramic mug is well constructed and robust, it holds the heat of your beverage really well and for a long time. It doesn’t burn your hands when you hold it, so no need to add a sleeve to carry it around. You can use it for cold drinks too of course!
At 15 centimetres high it fits into most car and buggy cup holders and has real longevity compared to the plastic mugs. The ‘curious’ pattern is a real talking point because it’s so beautifully detailed and very feminine, unlike most sports travel mugs that don’t have any character. This is not a mug to use whilst jogging; it’s more for long walks in the park, taking the dog out with friends or keeping warm on long car journeys. The baristas will love this too because it’s so easy to heat up and to put the silicone lid on quickly. It’s a classy piece that Mums or Nans who love their hot tea or coffee on the go and want something with more of an occasion to drink it!
There’s also a matching laptop sleeve and water bottle as part of the Spode Creatures of Curiosity collection.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Probably not your first thought for the typical Valentines present, but let me explain She Grows Veg to you and it will start to make sense!
She Grows Veg is an online seed company with a very modern, yet traditional twist. They sell seeds online, but they are heirloom seeds. That means the seeds are cultivated from rare varieties of vegetables, fruits, flowers and trees and are typically not found in your usual garden centres. This means that the varieties often have different looks, taste different and grow differently to what you might be used to. It’s an expanding industry where so many people are now getting into gardening especially growing their own food since lockdown.
She Grows Veg sell singular packets of seeds, but they also sell gift bags, like the two that were sent to us; Chilli Trio and Tomato Lover’s Bundle (£22.50). If you or your other half are gardeners, you’ll know that this is an excellent selection of seeds for someone who loves growing, especially growing and eating!
The Chilli Trio contains 3 different chilli seeds; Biquinho Red, Chocolate Habanero and Machu Pichu. On the back of each pack are the growing instructions and key facts, along with a QR code to find out more on a You Tube video. You can see from the photos on the packets what you’re getting, and helpfully, the instructions on the back tell you what kind of flavour each chilli is and how to use it. The Biquinho Red chillis are from Brazil and take a little longer to geminate but are worth it. I’ve never grown chillis before but the instructions say to start sowing in January or February indoors, so these are perfect as Valentines gifts.
The Tomato Lover’s Bundle contain 5 packets of tomatoes, none of which I’ve ever seen before. There are three hanging varieties; Crazy Cherry (a sweet green tomato), Red Currant (small, early ripening and very sweet) and Hanging Prince (plum shaped and unusually last for months if stored correctly). The other two tomatoes are Black Beauty and Green Doctors, but of which are favourites of Lucy and Kate at She Grows Veg. Each of the gift bundles comes with a gift bag to keep your seeds safe but can also be used to store larger seeds later in the year.
These are lovely gifts for Valentines and if you harvest the fruit right, they produce can go on for weeks in the summer. The fact that these seeds are heirloom and not easy to find anywhere else if at all, makes them all the more special as a gift.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Nowadays, everyone who drinks coffee LOVES drinking filtered, roasted, blended real coffee rather than the instant coffee we used to buy in jars. I noticed after coming back from lockdown that there are a lot more coffee brands out there, but that’s probably because there are a lot more ‘real coffee’ drinkers than there ever used to be.
Pact Coffee send packets of specialty coffee to your door as part of a subscription, but with the assurance that this is the very best coffee available. There’s an ever expanding range of coffee available from a company that is a Certified B Corporation – that means they act in a sustainable, ethical way and are using business as a force for good for their farmers, the planet and you.
As part of their changing range, Pact have brought out a new coffee called Cafeina, by Elenita Nogueira. This Brazilian coffee boasts hints of dark chocolate and strawberry. We were sent Cafeina in a Pact reusable tin, so it can be given as a gift or kept in the cupboard. For those interested, it was a coarse ground coffee, not the beans.
Elenita Nogueira is the first woman in her family to farm, aided by the Cafeina group; a cooperative in pursuit of gender equality for women in the Brazilian coffee industry. Her Arabica bean coffee is competition standard and grown at an altitude of 950 MASL. Upon opening the tin, the coffee is darkly rich with a strong almost earthy aroma, much stronger than the High Street varieties you buy off the shelf. When brewed, it gives berry tones and slightly bitter, deep chocolate flavours. This is a strong coffee for serious coffee lovers who don’t want the run-of-the-mill coffees but instead appreciate subtle flavours. It’s strong, so if you’re not used to coffee it might take a while to get used to the hit. On the plus side, if you like strong coffee then this will definitely wake you up!
If you’re not up for getting a subscription from Pact yet, then this Cafeina from Elenita Nogueira makes an excellent gift, especially for Valentines Day. At £13.95 for the tin as well as the coffee, it makes approximately 15 cups or more if you prefer it less strong. If you and your partner are coffee lovers, it’s the perfect gift to show you care – especially about the quality of your coffee together.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Lighting a scented candle is a simple way to create a cozy and relaxing atmosphere in any room and with Valentine’s Day coming up, make the perfect gift for a loved one. For a special occasion it’s lovely to have a luxury candle but premium scented candles, whilst smelling amazing, can be a little pricey so I was really pleased to discover Bruler Candles whose mission is to make premium scented candles at an affordable price. With over 15 scents and a choice of candles and reed diffusers there is a great selection to choose from.
In my experience the sign of a good candle is always when you can smell the fragrance before you take it out of the packaging and the Bruler candle did not disappoint on that score! After unwrapping the Bergamot & Oud luxury soy candle l couldn’t resist lighting it straight away and within minutes the sublime fragrance was diffusing around the room. The balance of bergamot and oud is perfect, the fragrance is noticeable but not too overpowering and it fragranced my room beautifully, lasting long after the candle had been blown out. With the 30cl candle having a burn time of 40 hours my home is going to be smelling lovely for the next few months.
The design of the candle is nice and simple, a solid glass jar with a white label meaning it will suit any style of décor and not look out of place. The 30cl glass candle costs a very reasonable £23 and there is the option of adding a gift box for an extra £2. Standard delivery is £3 and orders over £50 (with standard delivery) are free.
So if you want a candle to create a romantic ambience this Valentine’s Day then take a look at Bruler candles, they will add a luxurious feel to any home without an expensive price tag. And if there isn’t anyone special this year then why not treat yourself!!
Disclaimer: We received a complimentary stay for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
There is nothing better than escaping from the stresses of everyday life to a beautiful hotel in the countryside and whether you just want to relax and recharge your batteries, enjoy a foodie break or explore the local area, Gibbon Bridge, situated in the picturesque village of Chipping, ticks all those boxes and needs to be on your list of places to visit this year.
Situated in the Forest of Bowland, the hotel is in a real walker’s paradise with both rolling countryside, woodland, rivers and the spectacular Bowland Fells on the doorstep. If you’re not familiar with the area, you can expect wild moorland walks with stunning views but without the crowds you find in more well known destinations. History lovers will enjoy visiting the nearby village of Ribchester, a significant Roman site and the market towns of Longridge and Clitheroe (with a Norman castle) are well worth a visit with a fantastic selection of independent shops to browse. Although perfectly situated to explore the delights of the Forest of Bowland and the Ribble Valley, you could be forgiven if you never left the hotel, instead simply enjoying the food, hospitality and beautiful views the hotel offers!
We have just spent a fantastic night there and from the moment we entered the hotel we knew this was a special place. After receiving a very warm welcome we were immediately struck by the character of this old building which began life as a family farm and was converted into a hotel in 1982 by owner Janet Simpson. The warm fire in the reception area was a welcome treat coming in from the sub zero temperatures outside and once we had warmed up we were shown to our room.
Opening the door we discovered a spacious room with a king sized bed and a couple of very comfortable armchairs. The room was spotlessly clean and incredibly comfortable with everything you might need for a relaxing break. It was very modern and tastefully decorated and the large bathroom contained a jacuzzi bath with an overhead rainfall shower. The bed was very comfortable and I’m not sure whether it was the long walk we did earlier in the day or the complete absence of road noise but I had one of the best night’s sleep I have had in a very long time.
The room had all the extras you would expect in a luxury hotel, cosy bathrobes, fluffy towels, complimentary toiletries and a tea tray with a good selection of teas and coffee. There were also some delicious biscuits, made in the on-site bakery, not only giving our tastebuds a treat but offering a taster of the culinary delights awaiting us later in the day.
Venturing downstairs the roaring fire in the bar area looked very inviting so we decided to enjoy a drink in the cosy bar area whilst waiting for dinner. There is a good selection of mouth watering dishes on the menu with ingredients sourced from local suppliers. Two courses cost £30 or three for £37.50. After much deliberation we settled on the Crispy Pork Belly with Black Pudding and the Gin Cured Salmon followed by Sirloin Steak (£5 supplement) and Slow Cooked Shin of Beef. The food was not only beautifully presented, it was absolutely delicious and we didn’t need much persuasion to look at the dessert menu! Spoilt for choice we settled on the Warm Sunken Chocolate Cake and the apple pie and custard. The staff were attentive and friendly and as the tables were well spaced out you didn’t feel on top of the other guests.
The following morning, we headed back to the restaurant for breakfast – cereal, juice, fruit and yoghurt was served buffet style and the waitress took orders for cooked breakfasts and toast. We both went for a full English breakfast which was perfectly cooked and was just what we needed to set us up for the day ahead, exploring the beautiful Forest of Bowland.
Gibbon Bridge has large mature gardens offering many places to sit and chat or simply enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. The gardens, although not at their best in January, are stunning and offer a perfect backdrop for the many weddings that are held at the hotel. With a large terrace overlooking the garden and beautiful ceremony room it makes for a perfect venue for a special celebration.
The hotel has a number of outdoor eating areas plus a function suite and can accommodate both large and small gatherings. These are often used for corporate functions and family celebrations and the hotel also holds a variety of events throughout the year such as musical afternoon teas, concerts and recently partnered with a local distillery to hold a gin tasting evening. You don’t need to be a resident to enjoy the delicious food so I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re visiting again!
Throughout January and February you can take advantage of their Winter Warmer offer where you can stay in a double or twin room for £149 and includes tea or coffee on arrival, served in front of a roaring fire with syrup flapjack made by the onsite bakery as well as a delicious breakfast.
We really loved our stay at Gibbon Bridge, we were made to feel very welcome, the food was wonderful, the scenery fantastic and the hotel has so much more to offer than we realised. Living locally we’re sure to return and will be keeping our eyes on their website for news of their next events. We have already recommended the hotel to our friends and family as a brilliant location for family celebrations and look forward to our next visit.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
The nights are certainly chilly at the moment and with temperatures outside regularly dropping below freezing I have been very glad of my Belledorm Heat Holders Luxury Fleece bedding.
The bedding is available in four stylish colours, Snowfall, Moonrock, Navy and Antique Silver and the velvety, inviting texture is not only lovely and cosy but has a TOG rating of 1.7, giving additional warmth on those chilly nights without sacrificing on style.
The duvet cover not only looks great it is simple to put on thanks to the hand holes at the top corners of the duvet cover which makes changing the bed a doddle. I’m sure I’m not alone in getting frustrated with the amount of hassle it is to put a duvet cover on and I was pleasantly surprised with the ease with which the Heat Holders duvet cover goes on, putting an end to my weekly fight with the duvet cover!!
The Belledorm Heat Holders Luxury Fleece Duvet Set is made of 100% polyester which and best washed at 30 degrees. I’ve washed it a couple of times and due to the fleeciness of the fabric it needs little in the way of ironing to stay crease-free and smooth.
Being cosy and comfortable in bed is extremely important and helps you to have a good night’s sleep, this duvet cover is incredibly warm and cosy and I’ve slept really well since I started using it – it’s also great for snuggling up in on cold, snowy days too!
Available in single to super king sizes the duvet set has a RRP starting at £85 but I’ve just spotted they are currently half price so get one quick!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
A cheery red lipstick is just we need to bring a flash of colour to these dreary January days and Avon have come up trumps with the Hydramatic Iconic Red Lip Giftset. The set contains a lovely creamy lipstick and a matching lipliner in a vibrant red that can’t fail to set your day off on the right foot. Beautifully packaged in a striking red fabric drawstring bag this set contains everything you need to add a spot of glamour to your working day.
The Hydramatic Matte Lipstick in Siren red glides on nicely with no bleeding or feathering, leaving my lips plumped and hydrated. The colour remains vibrant, even after eating and drinking and stays fresh and bright for about 5-6 hours.
The Glimmerstick Lip Liner in Ruby Shock complements the lipstick perfectly and the creamy texture is a dream to apply, outlining lips effortlessly. The twist up style means there’s no need for a sharpener and the fine tip allows you to line lips with total precision.
The drawstring bag is ideal for keeping the products together in your handbag or you can use it for for storing small items like hairclips or bobbles.
At £12.50 it is excellent value for money and a great way to blow away those winter blues!
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Josh Wood is a world leading colour expert and has developed a great range of hair products to keep your hair in fantastic condition. As my curly hair is currently very dry and frizzy – a result of all this cold, wet weather and a bit too much straightening over the Christmas period – I was really pleased to receive the Josh Wood Miracle Care for Dry, Damaged Hair set with the hope that they would be able to work a few miracles on my unruly mop of curls!
The Miracle Shampoo and Conditioner are designed for dry damaged hair and being sulphate free are great for curly hair. The duo are full of natural active ingredients as well as Josh Wood’s signature Colour Shine Complex of Quinoa Extract, Green Walnut and UV filters. The products worked really well together, adding moisture to my curls and helping reduce the dreaded frizz. The shampoo lathers beautifully leaving my hair feeling lovely and clean. The conditioner is rich and creamy and easy to apply, I used a couple of pumps on my shoulder length hair, leaving it on for a couple of minutes before scrunching it into my hair and rinsing with plenty of water. It rinsed out easily, leaving my hair tangle free.
The Miracle Mask can be used once or twice a week and as well as helping to protect colour from fading it gives a much needed hydration boost to my curls. It’s easy to use, a couple of pumps were enough and after leaving it on for the recommended 5 minutes it was easy to rinse off. The creamy consistency felt like it was doing my hair the world of good and my hair felt lovely and moisturised after only one application.
I have been using these products for a couple of weeks now and I am really pleased with the results, not only does my hair look nice and shiny, but it also feels a lot more nourished. After a couple of washes my hair was noticeable less frizzy and the curls are now a lot less straw like and are defined and bouncy again. These products have transformed my dry, frizzy locks and each time I use them I feel as though I’ve just walked out of the hairdressers!
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I’ve used many corkscrews over the years to open bottles of wine. Cheap ones (which have been known to break before we’ve even got the cork out of the bottle), more expensive ones and my trusty Swiss Army knife, with a very basic corkscrew which has saved us on many occasions! Ultimately though, what is important is being able to open a bottle easily so you can enjoy a nice glass of wine without bits of cork floating around in it.
I’ve no need for my Swiss Army knife this Christmas though – our house has gone high tech on the wine front with an electric wine bottle opener from Haier.
The rechargeable corkscrew is nicely packaged as part of a gift set, making it a great present for any wine lover. The black accessories are stylish and modern and inside the box is everything you need to enjoy a glass of wine at home.
Inside the box are the following wine accesories
USB Rechargeable Bottle Opener, this is a dream to use, simply hold the corkscrew over the bottle, press the button and hey presto the cork is removed. It will remove both natural and synthetic corks with ease and open 30 bottles from just one charge making it perfect for parties.
Tulip Wine Aerator Pourer – allows the wine to quickly obtain oxygen for a better tasting experience.
Foil Cutter – makes easy work of that tricky task, meaning you can get the bottle opened all the sooner.
I don’t always finish a bottle in one sitting so I’ll make great use of the vacuum pump and reuseable bottle stoppers. They fit snugly and even when I turned the bottles upside down there was no leakage.
Less high tech but just as useful is the Haier Wine cooler bucket. Just pop it in the freezer for an hour and it will keep the bottle perfectly chilled. Made of rustproof stainless steel there is plenty of room for ice and it can even be popped in the dishwasher.
As a wine lover myself, I know these items will make a lovely gifts and will come in very useful over the Christmas period!
There’s also 25% off the Christmas gifts if you use the code XMASGIFT25 (until 25 December)
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review, but all words and opinions are our own.
If you are looking for reasonably priced Christmas Stocking fillers or Secret Santa gifts then the Aoura Body Mist giftset is perfect, costing a very reasonable £13 it can either be given as one gift or split up for stocking fillers.
The set contains four fragrances, Paradise Bliss, Pretty Woman, Midnight Passion and Love Rush which are packaged in pretty jewel coloured 60ml octagonal bottles.
Love Rush in the deep pink bottle is a fruity and spicy scent which is perfect for day and night. It has hints of vanilla and aims to remind you of what falling in love feels like again! With notes of bergamot, blackcurrant and pear it is a fragrance designed to capture the excitement of life. It’s light and easy to wear and is a great everyday fragrance.
Pretty Woman comes in a light pink bottle and is a lighter fragrance scented with bergamot and pear. When you spray it, you initially smell the delicate rose fragrance which is followed by sweet vanilla notes with a hint of musk and patchouli. This is my favourite of the four and I receive lots of compliments when I wear it.
Midnight Passion in the purple bottle is a heavier fragrance and one I would wear in the evening when going out. The floral fragrance has top notes of bitter orange and anise, middle notes of rose and almond and base notes of tonka bean, creamy vanilla, and sandalwood.
Paradise Bliss comes in a beautiful turquoise bottle and reminds me of the sea and walks on the beach. The enticing mixture of heliotrope, orange blossom and mango combined with the closing notes of hazelnut, wood and creamy coconut milk is sweet and fresh and a lovely fragrance to wear during the day.
The pump spray is nice and powerful giving a good spray from just one pump. Obviously, the mist isn’t as strong as perfume, so it does need topping up during the day which isn’t a problem as the 60ml bottles fits nicely in my handbag.
This is a lovely giftset and anyone receiving it on Christmas Day is going to be delighted with it.
Available at Boots ( included in the 3 for 2 Christmas offer) and Amazon
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
We’re half way through November and I have started to think about all the food and drink required for the Christmas period as well all the Christmas presents I need to buy. With a big family this is quite a task, so I was really pleased to receive a wine tasting kit from Perfect Cellar as this not only offers me the opportunity to try some new wines it will also makes a fantastic gift for all the wine lovers in my family.
Perfect Cellar were founded in 2020 by Moez Seraly and are the UK’s fastest growing, home delivery wine retailer. Working with Master Sommelier Christopher Delalone they aim to introduce their customers to great quality wine in the comfort of their homes, at an affordable price – what’s not to like!!
Whilst I am not a wine expert, I do love a glass of wine and like most people tend to stick to a couple of favourites. The TastingBOX really appeals to me as it offers the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and not only try some new wines but also find out a little more about the flavours, the wine and the food it should be paired with.
Available in two different sizes – three or six servings – each box contains three different Michelin Star level wines from bottles retailing between £20 and £35. You can enjoy each of the three alone or if you want to share, the box of six has two of each wine. To make the boxes letterbox friendly the wine is packaged in strong foil pouches inside small carboard boxes – very much like the packaging of the wine boxes you can buy in a supermarket. There is also a card showing pictures of the bottles of wine along with a little more information about each wine. The card has a QR code linking to detailed tasting notes and background on the wines. There is also an invitation to join Perfect Cellar’s live tasting experiences with a Master Sommelier using an Amazon Alexa, allowing you to learn more about the wine from the comfort of your armchair. The tastings are held in the last week of the each month and if you are not able to attend you will be able to access a recording. There is an email invitation each month so you won’t forget to join!
Of course if you do enjoy the wines you can of course purchase them directly from the Perfect Cellar website.
With a 1 month, 3 month or 6 month option this is a gift that keeps giving and will be enjoyed long after the Christmas decorations have been put back in the attic.
RRP from £26 (3 servings) & £42 (6 servings) available here
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
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
You can’t go wrong with a fragrance gift and lots of women will be thrilled to discover a Gucci perfume gift set under the tree on Christmas morning, especially if it is the gorgeous Flora Gorgeous Gardenia by Gucci. The floral fruity women’s fragrance was launched back in 2012 and is inspired by the House’s renowned Flora pattern. With fruity top notes of pear and red berries, middle notes of gardenia and frangipani and base notes of patchouli this perfume is light and feminine and perfect for everyday wear.
The Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardenia gift set is packaged in a stylish cream and black box, nestled inside the gift box are two bottles of perfume, a 50ml and a very handy travel sized 5ml bottle. The hexagonal glass bottles with black bows look very striking and will look good on any dressing table or bathroom shelf. The lids of both bottles fit snugly so they won’t come off in your handbag and both bottles give a good strong spray.
The perfume is very much like the bottle, chic and stylish and perfect for anything from work, a day out shopping with the girls or a date. It is a very versatile fragrance and I feel it could be worn by anyone, young, old and by both dress and heels or trainers and jeans type of girl!
I found the perfume lasts really well, I first sprayed it in the morning before work and could still smell a hint of the fragrance by the end of the day. If you are out all day and want to refresh the fragrance the handy 5ml handbag sized bottle is perfect to pop in your bag for top ups.
You can always tell if a perfume works well on your skin by the number of people asking what perfume you are wearing and since I started wearing this perfume, I have lost count of the number of people asking me what the fragrance is.
I love floral and fruity fragrances, so Flora Gorgeous Gardenia is a real winner for me. From the very first spray I loved it, the fruits and floral notes work so well together creating a beautiful fragrance that is perfect for all ages.
Currently costing £82.99 the 50ml perfume gift set is available from Perfume Direct and would make a lovely gift for any woman this Christmas.
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Marshall are at it again with their state-of-the art, high end speakers and headphones, this time with the Minor iii wireless, Bluetooth earbuds.
With 25 hours of wireless playtime, these are the classy headphones you would expect from Marshall and I was VERY excited to be testing them. I don’t usually use wireless earbuds but having tested the Marshall speaker a few months ago, I knew what the quality would be like for these headphones and how I would likely learn to use them.
The first aspect you notice for the headphones are how sturdy they are and how famously Marshall they look. With the snakeskin-esque charging case and raised ‘Marshall’ white lettering, it’s instantly recognisable as the iconic brand. The case opens and closes with robustness, revealing the headphones inside. The charging case is powered with a USB C charging lead which comes with the set. You don’t need anything else to begin using them and thankfully, there was a little bit of charge in the headphones when I took them out the box to set them up!
Inside the box packaging there is a Quick Start Guide which gives you an easy reference of how to set them up. There’s no downloading of any apps or software and no need to use any website. Instead, connect them to your device (in this case it was my Apple MacBook Pro) by turning on the Bluetooth and opening the Apple Settings. To make the headphones discoverable, you just press and hold the button underneath the case, with the headphones still in it. There’s a tiny LED light on the front of the case just above the Marshall logo. When it flashes blue, you know that the headphones are pairing with your device. That’s all you need to do for them to work and link to your device!
The headphones snap into the charging case magnetically so you don’t have to make sure the connections are in the right place for charging. Lifting them out, there’s R/L on them and that’s pretty much all you need. As soon as I take them out of the casing, Music (the jukebox app on my Apple laptop) opens and recognised that I have switched on the headphones. It’s only when I put the second headphone in my ear that I can use the touch controls to start playing music directly from the laptop. One tap to play or pause, or receive or end a call… two taps to skip forward or reject a call… three taps to skip backwards. Now, I found this quite difficult to master for several reasons. When you tap, you are assuming where the stem of the earbud is (and the same tapping applies on both earbuds so you can use either hand) and therefore miss quite often. So when I wanted to tap twice, I would often miss and therefore only hit the stem once, thereby only pausing the music and not skip forward. I would suggest practicing with music before you use the Minor iiis for calls – otherwise you run the risk of accepting a call with just one tap rather than rejecting with two taps!
The quality of the Marshall Minor iii headphones is excellent, as you would expect. I was able to pick up the background static on older songs originally recorded onto LPs. The balance between both headphones is also true to the original recordings and there’s a formidable bass there too. From another person’s perspective, when you have the headphones in you can hardly hear the sound. These headphones are great for commuting or for when you don’t want someone else to know what you’re listening to! I also liked that they don’t vibrate when they’re in your ears. That’s important to protect your ears, and your balance and shows a high quality of workmanship on headphones that don’t have loose working parts. Rattling will get annoying very quickly, and end up damaging the structure of your ears.
The only gripe I have with them is that you can’t change the volume through just the headphones. You have to go back to the device to change how loud they are which makes it slightly annoying when you are either out and about and have to fix your phone, or when you need to keep going back to a laptop and changing the volume. It’s the same with other settings like the balance of sound, bass or treble. There is no control for them either on the headphones or on a device so you take these headphones as they come.
The price of £119.99 is very reasonable for the quality of these headphones. They’re not extortionately expensive and can be used for either music or phone calls so they’re versatile, and both for work and home. The ease of setting them up makes them all the more appealing compared to cheaper brands, and I love that they’re so sturdy and in the charging case they can be put in any pocket, handbag or hand luggage. Strong enough casing and manufacturing that they won’t get squashed easily, although I wouldn’t try it, they are probably stamp proof too!
The Marshall Minor iii is the next generation of high quality headphones, with superb sound, easy usability and flexibility for a long time to come.
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I’m sure I am not the only one who finds applying eyeliner tricky – I struggle to apply it evenly and invariably end up poking myself in the eye in the process! Over the years I have tried lots of different eyeliners and now favour the pencil style ones like these from Annabelle Minerals which I find are much easier to apply.
They recently sent me a selection of Eyeliner Pencils and Jumbo Eye Pencils in the most gorgeous shades of purple, the pencils are extremely gentle to the delicate eye area and incredibly easy to use, the creamy texture glides onto your eyelid and lash line without dragging the delicate skin. The intensity of the colours is fantastic, they are very rich and vibrant and highly pigmented.
I especially like the Jumbo Eye Pencils as they can be used as eyeshadow, eyeliner and primer and I have been using all three shades – Catmint, Fuchsia and Midnight – to create both day and night looks. Fuchsia is a gorgeous deep purple which is the perfect colour for anyone who’s looking to make a change from traditional black or brown but doesn’t want anything too bright just yet.
I don’t have the steadiest of hands, but the eyeliner pencils are nice and soft and I found it easy to apply to my lash line, adding a little flick at the corner of my eyes to lift them and make them stand out more.
After applying for the first time I went to work and put the eye pencils in my makeup bag, fully expecting to have to reapply at some point during the day. I was therefore quite surprised when I found I didn’t need to as the colour lasted on my upper eyelid for the whole day. As well as being easy to apply the eye pencils were easy to remove too, a wipe with eye make up remover and the colour was gone.
Annabelle Minerals products are based on only 4 ingredients and are 100% organic. Their products are suitable for every skin type as well as vegetarians and vegans.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
It is lovely to go out for cocktails with friends but as we all know it’s not a cheap night out. Luckily staying in is the new going out so our evenings out at cocktail bars have now been swapped for the comfort of friend’s houses, thus enabling us to still enjoy our girlie cocktail nights but in a more purse friendly way.
This weekend we’ve been trying some O’Donnell Moonshine which in a nod to the history of moonshine is bottled in cute glass mason jars. The brand, who have featured on Dragons Den, was created back in 2016 after founders August Ullrich and Philip Morsink took a road trip through America learning more about the Prohibition era when the production and sale of alcohol was illegal. Alcohol production went underground, becoming known as Moonshine, as it was made at night to reduce the chance of discovery. The alcohol was stored in mason jars before being handed over to smugglers called ‘bootleggers’ who then sold it on.
Fascinated by the history surrounding Moonshine the friends decided to create their own at home and O’Donnell Moonshine was born.
We have been sampling the following flavours – Very Cherry, Blood Orange, Tough Nut, Sticky Toffee and the new Passion fruit which is lovely and refreshing, especially with some fizz and ice. The Very Cherry is very nice on it’s own and I think it will be a lovely addition next time I make an almond Tart.
The liqueurs are delicious on the rocks or can be topped up with some fizz to produce a delicious ‘spritz’ drink. They also make lovely cocktails too, our favourite was the Passion Fruit Moonshine which went down really well with my friends this weekend – here’s the recipe if you want to try making it yourself?
30ml Passion Fruit Moonshine
60ml Vanilla Vodka
1tbsp Lime Juice
1tbsp Simple Syrup
Prosecco optional served alongside
One thing that O’Donnell pride themselves on is that their Moonshine is vegan friendly and allergen free so they can be enjoyed by everyone.
The 20ml mini sets consisting of 4 x 20ml bottles make a lovely gift and are perfect for sampling the flavours before you commit to a larger bottle – which I guarantee you will once you’ve tried them! They also make lovely gifts too.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
It’s holiday time again and we’re off in the motorhome. We love our road trips but living in such a compact space does have its challenges, the most difficult perhaps – clutter! It is so easy to take too much stuff and with limited space you end up constantly moving it from the table to the bed and back again!
We both love reading and before any trip stock up on a few magazines. I like tech and model making but might pick something different just for a change. My wife likes food and gardening magazines, but it does mean that wherever you try to sit there is a magazine in the way!
This time I’m going to avoid this problem entirely by not taking any magazines with me, but I won’t miss out because I have a Readly subscription that allows me to pick from a massive number of different magazines and read them on my tablet or phone.
There is a huge choice, my usual favourites are there but there are also titles that I might not normally choose and they’re all available for one monthly price.
Sometimes we struggle for internet (we do choose so out of the way places to camp) but that’s not a problem either, we can download magazines to the tablet and read them later. Once we’re done, delete the files and start again.
I wasn’t too sure how I’d take to reading on a screen, but I found it to be brilliant, the pages are rendered in a very high quality and if I needed larger text the page zooms easily. I was just as impressed with the app on my phone! Whilst the screen is not a big as my tablet, many magazines use an “Article View” that re-formats each article for better reading on a mobile device. All the content remains the same, but it is presented in a more natural scrolling experience.
With over 7000 titles available it could be easy to get lost, but each publication is categorised and once you find a magazine you like you can add it to your favourites. Not only are the current editions available but many magazines have back issues too, one of the magazines I occasionally dip into is The Magpi, looking at that the back issues are available back to August 2018 which will keep me going for a while!
At £9.99 per month, a Readly subscription isn’t much more than some magazines and allows you to read as many as you like without worrying if you’re going to enjoy them or not, just move on and download another!
There is currently an offer on the website where you can try it for a month free of charge – perfect for summer holiday reading!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
I have a very sweet tooth and I’m especially partial to cookies so was really pleased to discover that the Covent Garden based, vegan cookie brand Floozie now offer a mail order service – meaning more people outside of London can enjoy their delicious cookies.
Founded back in 2020 by pastry chef Kimberly Lin, Floozie cookies are available in eight different flavours, Cinnamon Crunch, Celebration Cookie, Blackforest, Chocolate Chunk, Pecan Pie, Peanut Butter & Jam, Triple Chocolate and a Seasonal Special so there is something to suit every taste. The Peanut Butter & Jam and Blackforest cookies are also gluten free.
A box of 6 cookies costs £17.50 and they are nicely packaged in a pink box with two sliding drawers, each containing 3 individually wrapped cookies. Opening the drawers and discovering the cookies made me feel like I had received a really special treat and because of this I think they make great gifts for a friend or loved one.
Inside the box is a handy card showing all the flavours and it was quite difficult choosing which one to try first! The cookies are a good size, about 3 inches across, and are large enough to share – although they are so good you may not want to!!
Each cookie was fresh, flavoursome and incredibly moreish and after sampling them all the Triple Chocolate was my favourite, with a soft gooey chocolately middle the cookie was incredibly moreish. The pink Celebration cookie with homemade raspberry jam came a very close 2nd being soft and tangy with just the right amount of jam and the sprinkles added a satisfying crunch.
When ordering online you can customise the mix of flavours in your box but if like me you find it hard to choose the cookies are available in larger boxes of 12, 18 and 24 cookies. Orders placed Monday to Friday are shipped within 48hrs and orders placed after 5pm on Friday and Saturday or Sunday are shipped within two working days.
If you are wanting to send a birthday, anniversary, or general ‘thinking of you’ gift through the post, I can highly recommend a box of Floozie Cookies. They are guaranteed to bring a smile to the recipient’s face, and I will certainly be ordering more both as a treat for myself and as gifts in the future.
Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Joe & Seph’s are a gourmet popcorn company with a range of over 80 different flavours of popcorn. With both sweet and savoury options, they have something to suit every taste and occasion and with National Prosecco Day just 2 weeks away we have been sampling some of their Prosecco treats.
Some sweet popcorns are coated in such thick caramel to the point that you lose the popcorn flavour, Joe & Seph’s popcorn isn’t like this, their popcorn is hand made in small batches, using the finest natural ingredients and their light, fluffy popcorn is packed full of flavour.
The Prosecco popcorn is available in either a 75g re-sealable pouch or a 30g gift box. The gift box is pyramid shaped with a gold ribbon on the top and makes a lovely gift for friends and family.
The popcorn is more sophisticated than standard popcorn and just the thing for a girls night in – with or without Prosecco!
Pouch RRP £4
Gift box RRP £5
We also tried the Prosecco Caramel Sauce, which we drizzled over vanilla ice cream and also bowls of strawberries. The sauce is lovely and rich and the caramel flavour is heavenly, the prosecco flavour isn’t especially strong but it is there and it made a simple pudding feel incredibly indulgent! It is best to heat the sauce a little in the microwave make it easier to pour – or you can just eat it straight out of the jar!
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
by Amazon has launched it’s first collection of wines from the finest vineyards across the world including South Africa, Argentina, Chile, France and Australia. The selection of 10 wines are very reasonably priced, costing between £6-£10, have been selected, tried, and approved by a master of wine. Available from Amazon they are available in 75cl, 3L or a case of 6 bottles.
They sent me a bottle of the Australian Chardonnay to try and as it was National Cheese & Wine Day it seemed the perfect opportunity to open it and try it.
The white wine is lovely and crisp and alive with a myriad of fruity flavours, with citrus and white peach as the dominant flavours combined with a zesty fresh acidity. We drank it with roast pork and it went down a treat!
This Chardonnay presses all the right buttons for taste, value for money and food friendliness and is available to buy from Amazon so you don’t even need to leave the house to purchase it! I really enjoyed this wine and will certainly be purchasing some more as it will be perfect for summer barbeques.
Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.
National Cheese and Wine Day occurs annually on the 25th of July so we couldn’t let the occasion pass without sampling some delicious cheese and wine.
Graffigna Reserve Malbec is a red wine from the Uco Valley of Mendoza in Argentina. When you pour the wine into a glass it is a gorgeous deep red colour and the wine is smooth and easy to drink. You can taste a hint of black cherry and plum and it leaves a wonderful tannic aftertaste without being overpowered by the tannins.
I thoroughly enjoyed drinking the Graffigna Reserve Malbec wine, the taste was smooth, the colour delightful and it looked great in the glass. Highly recommended!
Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.
Salama was born and raised in Syria with her brother, who was newly married to her best friend. The Syrian war breaks out and changes everything Salama knew about, including her job. Originally a pharmacist, we soon learn that her one year education suddenly propels her to becoming a surgeon in the local hospital. To us this sounds like a bizarre promotion, but during war, needs must.
The book is beautifully written by new author Zoulfa Katouh. Although she is Canadian, Zoulfa has Syrian roots, which really shows in the detail she goes to to describe life in Syria at the time of the war newly breaking out. The language is descriptive and gentle even if some of the scenes are not, and the story flows as the characters develop.
Part of the character of the book is how it so far removed from our own Western lives as you could imagine. Becoming an unqualified surgeon at age 18? Living without water and electricity whilst the only city you have ever known in the country you love is ripped apart by war? Losing all the members of your close family at such a young age and having to look after your pregnant sister in law? The cultural differences are an education but the emotional side of what the Syrians had to go through are heart breaking, touching and so thought provoking.
The book is a modern classic, with attention-grabbing plot twists and soothing language that rarely find in anything but best sellers, especially not in the storytelling of a first time novelist. I loved sitting down to read this book, delighting in the imagery and not able to guess what was going to happen next, and that wasn’t just because I was unfamiliar with the culture and enjoyed learning about it. For anyone who commutes, this is also a good book because the chapters are bite size and the text is easy to follow if you get disturbed. It’s a long book at 464 pages but it’s an easy read.
You’ll want to find out more about Syria when you read til the end. You’ll also learn a lot about the war and about what the Syrian people went through and in some cases, are still going through. It’s a book that will stay with you for a long time and one which you can read again and again.
The Review Studio 