Category: Women

FFØR Hair Products

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, 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.

It can feel quite daunting choosing a new shampoo, there are so many different ones available for every hair type, so whether your hair is short, long, curly, coloured, oily, dry or anything in between there is a product for you. Whilst we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the haircare market it can start to get expensive trying new products, and it’s quite frustrating spending hard earned money on new products only to find they don’t suit your hair. We’re all feeling the pinch at the minute, so The Review Studio have been trying out a selection of hair products and sharing our favourites with you.

FFØR stands for Free From, Original, Real and as you’ve probably guessed from the name are an ethical company who believe in Clean Beauty, both for you and the planet. Their products are vegan, cruelty free and free from nasties and they only work with likeminded, ethical suppliers who can provide verified information about their sourcing, and who share their important values. They are also winners of the Marie Claire 2022 Hair Awards and the Global Green Beauty Awards so with such impressive credentials I was keen to see how the products performed on my dry frizzy hair.

The Re:Nourish shampoo lathers up nicely into a rich foam and rinses out very easily.  My hair felt very clean and well hydrated after use. The shampoo is perfect for dry and damaged hair and is infused with organic orange and cinnamon giving it a lovely fragrance which is subtle but very pleasant.

The Re:Nourish conditioner is rich and creamy and easy to apply to my hair, before rinsing I scrunched it into my hair which helps add moisture to my curls. It rinsed out easily leaving my hair tangle free.

I use a hair mask weekly so was pleased to find a Re:Plenish hair mask in the gift set.  It is thicker than the conditioner and once applied I combed it through from root to tip to ensure that it was applied evenly. The instructions say to leave it on your hair for 3-5 minutes before rinsing so as my hair needs lots of moisture, I left it on for the full 5 minutes so that it could penetrate my hair properly. Afterwards my hair was soft, smooth, nourished, frizz free and smelt lovely too.

After using these products for 2 weeks I can see a huge improvement in my hair, it feels nourished and moisturised, and the frizz has gone, it also looks a lot shinier than it was before. My curls look great, even without extra styling products and they are defined and bouncy.

The Re:Nourish gift set costs £39 so why not give the gift of great hair this Galentine’s Day with FFØR.

Afternoon Tea at Colonel Saab, Holborn Town Hall, London WC1

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Days Out, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegetarian, Women

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

I’m a lover of afternoon tea. I also love Indian food, so when they mentioned Indian afternoon tea, there was no way I wasn’t going to try it!

Colonel Saab, located at the Holborn Old Town Hall at 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1 was only opened in October 2021 but is already winning awards. Just walking through the door, you can see all the accolades, including the Forbes top 40 Indian restaurants in London.

Inside, the 134 covers restaurant is situated over the ground floor and a cut-o mezzanine floor. As soon as you pass the bar, it’s the giant multitude of rose glass Indian chandeliers  which leave you fascinated with the décor.  Photos of owner Roop Partap Choudhary’s family, antique paintings and at the back, a photo each of his parents, Colonel Choudhary and his wife, Binny Choudhary.  The restaurant is named after Colonel Choudhary and is a love letter to their relationship since their marriage more than 40 years ago.

We were there to review the Indian Afternoon Tea, a specialty of Colonel Saab which takes a bit of explaining as India isn’t known for their own Afternoon Teas. Firstly, Champagne was brought out to each of us before the tea arrived. You don’t have to have the typical English Breakfast Tea to accompany your meal, so I tried the Massala Chai tea whilst my guest had a latte coffee.  Massala Chai is a special blended tea, with milk, which has spices such as cinnamon and a touch of sugar to give a full bodied, slightly sweet tea that challenges the usual English Breakfast.  I ordered a second pot of Massala tea in the end as it was so delicious!

The beautiful afternoon tea cage was brought over to our table with the familiar three tiers, but with an Indian twist.  The first tier of sandwiches were cucumber and yoghurt, and dhokla fingers.  If you’re not familiar with dhokla, it is an Indian cake-like fermented batter that is savoury but flavoured through the middle.  The middle layer had the familiar scones with cream and jam, but their added Indian twist here was a vegetable samosa!

The final layer at the top were the cakes!  Carrot cake, Lemon Meringue, two different flavours of macaron and a chocolate truffle each.  If, like us, you were particularly full by this time, you can always ask for the cakes to be boxed for you to take away.  However, they are so delicious, it’s easier to just have another cup of tea and work your way through them!

With the delicious afternoon tea finished, I was given a tour of Colonel Saab to show where the idea came from and the facilities beyond just the restaurant floor. The bar, on the ground floor, is available at any time and doesn’t need booking. Around the corner are the family photos of Roop Partap Choudhary [the founder] and love letters between his parents.  Behind the front door, there are the private dining rooms, which were beyond magnificent!  One large room, or a divider makes them two smaller rooms, the area is dominated by a huge canopied fireplace.  You can’t miss the enormous mobile bar though – which although made by Aspreys of London, belonged to Colonel Choudhary and travelled around with him whilst on campaign. It is stunning, and still looks as if it could serve drinks today.

Going upstairs, there’s more tables, all of which have different styles. At the far end of the mezzanine there is a quiet ‘nook’ area of a canopied table for four.  A perfect hideaway and position to watch the restaurant downstairs!

I was also told to walk downstairs to the bathrooms as this is one of the most ‘Instagramable’ areas of the restaurant. Dark red walls festooned with family photos and even more of the beautiful rose glass chandeliers. The bathroom itself was also very beautiful with carefully designed soft furnishings and retro sinks.

Don’t forget the two portraits of Binny and Colonel Choudhary in the main restaurant, with so many decorative plates around them, and the 6th centuries old painting between them that is an Indian traditional and takes literally years to paint.

By the time we had finished, we had been there nearly two hours and didn’t want to leave.  The atmosphere of the restaurant and the friendliness of the staff, all of whom said hello to us whilst we were there made this a hidden treasure. Just outside of Covent Garden but not quite in theatre land, it’s easier to get to than you think and as well as the fantastic food, it’s fascinating to visit. 

Afternoon tea is £25 per person or £48 for two. Champagne afternoon tea starts at £41 per person. 

https://colonelsaab.co.uk

Holborn Town Hall, 193-197 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BD

020 8016 6800

reservations@colonelsaab.co.uk

Philip Kingsley Haircare Products

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

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

Philip Kingsley is synonymous with quality hair products as well as great gifts.  We were sent the Nourish & Volume Jet Set pack – a set of Elasticizer, Body Building Shampoo and Moisture Balance Conditioner in travel sizes, all set for going on holiday this summer!

I have bought Philip Kingsley before and was impressed by with the high quality of their shampoos and conditioners so to have a travel set that I can take away with me, and not have to rely on whatever shampoo the hotel provides makes it a travel must have for me. Whilst we’re on the subject, why do hotels only provide shampoo and not conditioners when you stay? Do we not want luscious, glossy locks whilst we’re on holiday, or do they assume we will bring our own? Well with this shower-proof pack (the set comes in a zip bag) there isn’t a question.

The Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (75ml) is step 1 in your haircare routine.  To apply, wet your hair before shampooing and work the Elasticizer into all sections. Cover with a shower cap for 10-20 minutes, the longer the better, then rinse off and use the other Philip Kingsley products. The pre-conditioner works on your hair before you take off the residue with the shampoo, leaving it softer, conditioned and as the name suggests, elasticised.  

The Body Building Shampoo (75ml) works with the Elasticizer to cleanse the hair but also leave it voluminous and bouncy.  It actually cleans really deeply too to leave your hair properly clean, and as I like my hair, squeaky clean! It has a lovely light fragrance too.

The Moisture Balance Conditioner is the last of the Philip Kingsley haircare steps and is great for when you’re on holiday because it nourishes and moisturises hair which might have been exposed to sea water, chlorine and the weather.  Used in combination with the Elasticizer, it’s slightly more gentle, but leaves hair soft and bouncy and manageable too.  It also has a lovely fragrance like the shampoo.

All Philip Kingsley products are available on their website and are 100% recyclable and cruelty free. All orders on their website are postage free and also come with a free sample – I had a 20ml shampoo sample with mine so I can take that on holiday too!

Philip Kingsley have a huge range of haircare products on their website and works with trichologists to develop the very best in haircare products.

Philip Kingsley Nourish & Volume Travel Kit is available online for £30 at: https://www.philipkingsley.co.uk/philip-kingsley-nourish-and-volume-jet-set.html

Hada Labo Anti-Aging Facial Sheet Mask

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Winter, Women

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

Hada Labo Tokyo is Japan’s favourite skincare brand, and it’s now available over here in the UK, selling at Superdrug. The team at Hada Labo sent me some lovely Anti Aging Sheet Masks to try out, and seeing as the weather has got so cold and the heating has been turned up, I am going to need some hydrating, and anti-aging!

Each mask costs £2.99 and although they can only be used once, you can use a mask three times a week.  The mask itself is infused with hydrating serum, in fact it’s dripping in serum so you can adhere it to your face but also top up the mask whilst it’s on your face, or on the neck and décolletage. The Hada Labo Anti-Aging Facial Sheets are pre-cut with the holes for eyes, nose and shaped around the hairline. The sheet is left on for 15 minutes.

I left the mask on for the given time, but I did find that it was a bit big for me, and I had to wrap the edges a bit like hospital corners.  The mask does stay on though, probably due to the amount of serum used.  I could feel the cooling effect of the products seeping into my skin, and thankfully, the mask didn’t dry out, even with the heating on.  

Taking off the mask, my skin was still covered in hydrating serum so I let it sink in a little and rubbed in the remaining amount in the packet.  As it started to dry, I could feel that my skin was more hydrated and smoother, taking away the dryness from the central heating after I’d been indoors all day.

From £2.99 at Superdrug: https://www.superdrug.com/skin/face-skin-care/face-masks/face-masks-sheets/hada-labo-tokyo-anti-aging-sheet-mask/p/805545

Image Skincare Products

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Summer, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

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

New Year, New Routine!

With New Year comes change, and many of us are looking to improve our self care. Image Skincare offers a whole range of options for all skin types, from moisturisers and serums to SPF sunscreens and facial cleansers.

We were sent a selection of their best sellers to try, all of which are available on their website: https://imageskincare.co.uk/collections/best-sellers

Starting with the MAX Facial Cleaner, this luxurious cleanser is mild enough to be used morning and evening to take away impurities on the skin as well as any make-up.  Work a generous amount into the skin and rinse off with warm water followed by a cool splash to brighten up your skin tone.

The MAX Facial Cleaner combines plant stem cell technology and botanicals to create a sumptuous, rich cream which provokes your sense of smell with citrus and floral tones.  The peptides promote youthful looking skin and target the visible signs of aging but cleverly, don’t include traditional sulfates.

Trying this before my beauty routine and the rest of the Image Skincare products, it’s the heavenly fragrance that hits you first. The cleanser is effective but doesn’t dry the skin out with use. I particularly liked the richness of the formula which didn’t feel abrasive on me at all, and didn’t foam up and get in my eyes. It felt like when you have a facial and the steam and products are lathered on by your beautician and then gently exfoliated away to leave clean, crisp skin ready for papering.

Before moisturiser, Image Skincare have the Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum.  A handy 50ml pump of morning and evening pre-moisturising serum to go under make-up and skincare. The Vital C promotes elasticity and signs of aging, softens wrinkles and combats environmental damage before it even hits the lower dermal levels.

Vital C Hydrating Serum contains many different forms of Vitamin C (hence the name) to impart brightness and glow to the skin, whilst hyaluronic acid helps with moisture control and antioxidants defend against skin stresses. It can be applied day or night onto cleansed skin, and works best when an moisturiser is applied on top, but is equally good on its own.

I loved this serum. With a similar scent to the cleanser, it really moisturisers deeply in the skin and exudes a richness that gives away the quality of Image Skincare.  It does sit on the skin momentarily before it is absorbed in but once it does, it’s dewy and soft and leaves your skin feeling fresh. The citrus fragrance also helps, and reminds you of the lovely Vitamin C it contains!

In the same range is the Vital C Hydrating Repair Créme. Another of the Image Skincare products to fight the signs of aging and fine lines, it also contains Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to add bounce and vitality to the skin.  Any skin which is lacking nutrients will enjoy the benefits of the added nutrients of this Hydrating Repair Créme and the Vitamin A which refreshes skin texture and tone.  

Once you open the pot, you’ll see there’s a tiny applicator to use instead of dipping in a finger! The créme itself is just as rich as the other Image products, and also has the Vitamin C kick that gives it the same citrus smell.  Applied on top of the Vital Hydrating Serum this combination created the salon-like texture of new facial and the freshness of a spring spa break, just without the blossom!  Once the hydrating crème sinks in, you can feel the texture of your skin smooth and elasticity is added where once was lost.  Yes, it really does feel that poetic.

Lastly, we were also sent the Image Skincare PREVENTION+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturiser. My one gripe with modern moisturisers is that so many of them still don’t contain SPF despite us knowing about the cost of sunlight to our skin.  The PREVENTION+ Protection Moisturiser is a very handy 50 SPF, so much higher than most moisturisers in this country but also useful for travelling abroad when you might need to wear a higher Sun Factor Protection.

The uniqueness of the PREVENTION+ is that it can be used as a sunscreen when needed, or as a daily moisturiser.  If you’re using it as a sunscreen, then it needs to be applied 15 minutes before you go out in the sun.  It needs to be applied every 2 hours as well. As a daily moisturiser with the added sunscreen factor, less can be applied. The more product you use though, the higher the sunscreen protection and longer it lasts. It also works best if applied to cleanses skin.

The PREVENTION+ Protection Moisturiser is another excellent skincare product from Image Skincare, with a richness which makes it easy to wear but not greasy enough for you to notice it.  It also has a lovely fragrance to it, although not as citrus as the other products featured but works beautifully as either a moisturiser or a sunscreen.

All of the Image Skincare products are available online, and I can’t recommend them highly enough, especially for upcoming Valentines gifts.

Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum £89: https://imageskincare.co.uk/products/vital-c-hydrating-anti-aging-serum?variant=38111818449094

Vital C Hydrating Repair Cream £95: https://imageskincare.co.uk/products/hydrating-repair-cr-me?variant=38111821594822

The MAX Stem Cell Facial Cleanser £38: https://imageskincare.co.uk/products/the-max-facial-cleanser?variant=40168255520966

Prevention+ Daily Ultimate Protection Moisturizer £59: https://imageskincare.co.uk/products/daily-ultimate-protection-moisturizer-spf-51?variant=38111819956422

Hair Boss – The Heat Protecting Spray

beauty, health, Women

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

There are so many hair products on the market nowadays, and getting to know what might be available for your hair routine is just as difficult.  If you style your hair with a hairdryer (who doesn’t in winter!) or use straighteners, you may find that the condition of your hair suffers when so much heat is applied.

Hair Boss by Lisa Shepherd is a revolutionary spray which protects hair before heated tools are used, or as a hairspray after styling, to give extra hold.  

Lisa Shepherd is a Kidderminster based colourist and hairdresser whose accolades include being the most awarded hair colourist in the UK today. As a mentee of Umberto Giannini, she has spent more than 30 years perfecting her craft. Lisa also has a drive for her business and a philosophy in life to be true to yourself and shower clients with love, whilst at the same time being honest.  With this enthusiasm, Lisa has developed the 4-step programme for hair, personally evolving the products herself to give clients, and you, the best possible hair. 

The Hair Boss Heat Protection Spray is number 4 in the list of 4-steps developed by Lisa.  The spray can protect hair up to 230 degrees centigrade, which is about as hot as most hair straighteners can get. I tried the spray twice – once on wet hair and again as a flexible hold hairspray on finished hair.  Using the usual 10-15cm rule of spraying from a distance, on wet hair it took a bit more spray for it to cover all of my hair, which is almost down to my elbows and very curly.  I usually put on some kind of heat protector if I’m using straighteners but not always when using a hairdryer. I used both on my hair to give a straight look and try out how the protection works.

After The Hair Boss Heat Protecting Spray, I used the hair dryer and straighteners on my hair. My hair was better hydrated and protected from the heat, allowing a shine to come through once my hair was straight. I think I need to use more though, especially on the ends to give an even protection, so the first few times are very much trial and error to see what is right for your hair, and depends on what heated styling tools you use.

Lastly, I used the spray on my dry hair to see how it held. It does seem to have a really firm hold, even in this weather and brushes out easily without destroying my styling, which is always the problem.  

I will happily be using Lisa Shepherd’s Heat Protecting Spray from The Hair Boss more, and hopefully getting the application 100% correct to give my hair the best possible style.

Available for £8.99 at: https://www.thehairboss.co.uk/products/the-heat-protection-hairspray

Hada Labo Day Cream-in-Milk Moisturiser

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

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

Hada Labo is Japan’s Number 1 skin care line, which although being available from Superdrug in the UK, it isn’t very well known here. It is remarkably cheap though for such a good quality product as I discovered when I tested the Hada Labo Day Cream-In-Milk.

The product gets it’s name from the milky essence of the moisturiser, delivered in a pump to make it easier to carry and travel with.  It contains 5 types of hyaluronic acid, which is not only the newest type of skincare ingredient but is very fashionable at the moment, found in a lot of the high-end skincare products available on the market. Hada Labo’s Day Cream-In-Milk works on different layers of the skin to provide moisture, filling and wrinkle-smoothing throughout the day. 

Best used in the morning, it is best to pat the cream into the face and neck area rather than rubbing it in, which can damage the structure of the moisturiser and doesn’t particularly help repair the skin.  You can then apply make-up on top of the Day Cream but Hada Labo suggests using their Premium Lotion Super Deep Hydrator and night cream.  As it’s a rich moisturiser, it is particularly good for lifeless skin that might be dehydrated. Anyone living in the UK at the moment probably has dehydrated skin, thanks to the cold weather and the need for central heating this time of year!

Using the cream in the mornings after my shower, the fragrance-free Day Cream-In-Milk blends into your skin beautifully, although it is quite rich. I can see why it has the moniker ‘In-milk’ because it does have that slightly rich texture of milk but it does blend in easily.  I could see that at first, it left my skin quite dewy then as it absorbed and dries, it leaves a base moisturiser which is great for applying make-up over the top.  It certainly as a filling effect on the fine lines on my face too.

For the price, this is a remarkably good day cream, with all the ingredients you find in the top day creams available today and with a lovely texture to boot, too.

Available from Superdrug from £15.33:

https://www.superdrug.com/anti-ageing/expert-anti-ageing-skin-care/hada-labo-tokyo-premium-day-cream-50ml/p/817393

Forward After 50 by Rebecca Ronane

Birthday Gifts, Books, Christmas, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

I recently celebrated by 50th birthday and unlike some of my friends who were dreading the big  5-0, I am actually embracing growing older. I’m not quite sure where 50 years have gone and I’m certainly not ready for slowing down anytime soon – if anything I’m doing more than I ever have and I try to think more about myself than I did, which is a lot easier now my children are older. I’m really enjoying this new phase of my life as I’ve much more confidence than I did in my 20’s and a bit more money (well I did until the cost of living crisis hit!)

Whilst I already have a forward-thinking attitude, I still learnt a lot from Rebecca Ronane’s new book – Forward After 50. This inspiring book shows women than there is so much to look forward to and just because we are 50 it doesn’t mean we’re over the hill. Rebecca offers inspiring and practical advice to help make these changes happen.

The book is split into two parts – Part 1 explores ageist views and how your values and beliefs can shape your life and Part 2 explores how you can invent yourself by reviewing your work, time and independence.

Each part is split into chapters with plenty of humour to keep you going, along with inspirational quotes to help you on your journey. I especially liked the chapter in part 1 about Mindset – I have always been a people pleaser and the book gave me the confidence to start saying no which was difficult at first but the more I say no the easier it has become. Initially I felt guilty but now I find it quite liberating and wish I had read Rebecca’s book sooner as I have wasted so much time doing things I didn’t want to do for fear of upsetting someone.

Rebecca fills the reader’s mind with all the tools they need to reinvent themselves and helps them to realise that there is life after 50. In-short it’s a book I’ll be referring back to regularly to reinforce and remind me that its ok to say no, and it’s ok to be selfish and to chase those dreams whilst I can.

RRP £12.99 available from Amazon


ARRAN After The Rain Bath Salts

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, health, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Valentine's Day Gifts, Women

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

Arran Sense of Scotland is based on the beautiful Isle of Arran, if you haven’t visited Arran, I recommend that you do – the island is beautiful and the breath-taking views from the summit of Goatfell are definitely worth the climb! Their skin care products and home fragrances are inspired by the unspoiled way of life on Arran and the intoxicating fragrances aim to help reconnect you with nature.

The latest addition to their iconic After the Rain collection is the After The Rain Bath Salts. A carefully crafted blend of natural sea salt and Epsom salts, they are fragranced with Lime, Rose and Sandalwood and are formulated to revitalise skin, relax the mind and aid restful sleep. As a perimenopausal woman I struggle a lot with sleep, often waking several times a night, so I was very interested to see if the salts could help.

I added a good handful of the salts to a hot running bath and the salts quickly dissolved, filling the whole bathroom with comforting scents of Lime, Rose and Sandalwood. The salts created a heavenly experience to unwind in, especially when teamed with candlelight and I was soon laying in a relaxed state feeling the warm water over my body. All my worries seemed to melt away and when I finally dragged myself out of the bath I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. I even slept all night, waking up feeling energised and rested which was amazing.

If getting a good night’s sleep is top of your list of priorities, this product is definitely worth trying. Using the salts and following a simple sleep routine has worked wonders for me and has enabled me to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep and soothed my aching body and tired mind.

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching why not treat your loved one to a bottle of these amazing bath salts?

RRP £16

RapidLash and RapidBrow Serums

beauty, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Women

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

The world seems divided these days between those who have false eyelashes and micro-bladed brows, and the rest of us who persevere with mascara and eye brow pencil.  I am in the latter group, and only recently released that as I get older, my eyebrows especially need more help.

I didn’t want to go down the false eye ashes and cosmetic enhancement route (the cost being one reason) so when I was offered a try of the RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum and RapidBrow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum, it seemed like a good idea. The research into both products seemed promising too;

  • 88% of testers* of the RapidLash Serum experienced improvement in the appearance of lashes and 86% experienced fuller looking lashes.
  • 93% of RapidBrow Serum testers* experienced improvement in the appearance of brows and 93% also experienced their brows being fuller looking.

*Consumer Study of 102 subjects over 56 days.

With this is mind, it was worth me having a try to see if it made a difference. The marketing suggest 8 weeks is all it takes for you to see an improvement, so with that in mind, I set about reading up what needed to be done.

For the RapidLash Serum, the supply only needs to be applied once a day, at night, to the upper lashes with the applicator along the base of the eye lashes. Eyelids need to be clear of make up and the serum shouldn’t be on the eyelid itself, just the base of the eyelashes themselves. For the RapidLash Serum, the formula is used twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Using the applicator, RapidBrow needs to be applied to the full length of the brow, and again should be completely clear of make-up. In each case, the serum needs to allow to dry.

Neither serum was difficult to apply, as they are both much like applying make-up or mascara anyway.  Once the serum dried, they were still soft enough to not notice that they had any kind of products in them, and it’s easy to sleep without them being rubbed off.

It’s difficult to show in photos but my eyelashes were stronger after about 3 weeks so I’m guessing that after 8 weeks they will be much stronger! This led to them being longer too. My brows were thicker and didn’t have the gaps between them as much as I used to have without the serum. Over time, I hope that they become thicker still and I won’t need any make-up for either eyelashes or eyebrows.

RapidLash and RapidBrow serums are a great addition to a make-up bag and beauty routine to improve the appearance of lashes and brows, without the cost of expensive cosmetic enhancements.

RapidLash available at Boots for £40: https://www.boots.com/rapidlash-eyelash-enhancing-serum—3ml-10103497

RapidBrow available at Boots for £37: https://www.boots.com/rapidbrow-eyebrow-enhancing-serum-10137216

ECO Professional Hair Styling Gel

beauty, Family Life, health, Women

Whether it’s a new hair style, a New Years’ Resolution for haircare or if you feel like a change, your hair styling is something very personal to you.  For 2023, I am trying more hair styles, colours and drying methods to see what suits me, so the Eco Professional Hair Styling Gel, made with olive oil was on my radar to try!

Olive oil has long been used as a beauty product, and the Eco Hair Styling Gel is made with 100% olive oil.  The oil acts as a way of keeping in the moisture and keeping hair soft, as well as working on the scalp to keep it hydrated. The effect of the olive oil overall is to keep hair slick and sheen and easily managed, especially as it’s so light weight.

The gel can be used on wet or dry hair, and hair of all lengths. Obviously if it’s used on wet hair it keeps in more of the moisture, and on dry hair you can style better. Both methods should give good hold.

I tried the Eco Hair Styling Gel on both wet and dry hair.  With my hair roughly dried but not long out of the shower, it was difficult to assume how much gel to use without it looking ‘crunchy’ so I used it sparingly at first, with the texture of the gel coating locks of hair. My hair is naturally curly so it was easier to work it through long strands. When it came to drying, I let my hair dry naturally and found that I should probably have used a bit more gel than I did so that the curls had more definition, but with trial and error, I managed to get an even, defined curl throughout.

When I used Eco Hair Styling Gel on dry hair, there was more of a ‘wet look’ and it made it easy to pull my hair back into a tight bun or pony tail.  My preference though, is to use the gel for defining curls, and anyone who has curly hair knows how difficult that is!

Available from Boots from £3.99: https://www.boots.com/eco-style-olive-oil-styling-gel-237ml-10261195?cm_mmc=bmm-buk-google-ppc-_-PLAs_HeroCompare-_-Toiletries_Hair-_-UK_Smart_Shopping_Toiletries_Hair&gclid=CjwKCAiAk–dBhABEiwAchIwkR_MKSkfzxIYdAB2snpW3y8Iq4qX4rHnu3ZfMKRT7H5z_emU_zXw-BoCPRsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

New Years’ Resolution, New Hair style, new hair, hair styling, Hair gel, curly hair

#NewYearsResolution #NewHairStyle #NewHair #HairStyling #HairGel #CurlyHair 

Mavrik Non Alcoholic Cocktails

Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Summer, Vegan, Women

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

It’s the weekend and even though we’re taking part in Dry January it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a cocktail or two – there are plenty of delicious non-alcoholic cocktails available now and Mavrik have certainly come up trumps with their exciting non- alcoholic cocktail range.

The Mavrik taster pack contains four 250ml cans and with less than 50 calories per can they are perfect for those watching the calories as well as those who prefer a non-alcoholic drink. Choose from

  • Aromatic G&T: A delicious version of the quintessential English favourite with a refined low calorie pink G&T.
  • Cuban Mojito: Zinging with mint and rum flavours, this indulgent alcohol-free Mojito is the very refreshing and will be lovely to drink with friends this Dry January. 
  • Venetian Spritz: A refreshing, sparking orange drink, sweet with a hint of bitterness and is  delicious with plenty of ice and a few slices of orange.
  • Storm & Spice: a fiery, tongue tickling, low calorie version of the classic spicy Bermudan rum cocktail.

My favourite of the four was the Cuban Mojito which was just as a Mojito should be, nice and  refreshing with the taste of fresh lime and mint and with no sugar I can drink it all night guilt free.

I must say I was very pleasantly surprised with the non-alcoholic drinks, made with natural ingredients and carbonated New Forest spring water they are very refreshing and enable you to get into the party spirit without the hangover! They are vegan friendly, gluten free and contain less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams so what’s not to love?

Mavrik drinks are available from their website and the tasting pack costs £9.75

The Contour Pro by Dr Levy

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Tech, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own. The Review Studio are not responsible for any of the information provided below and no information should be taken as advice. Consult your doctor before using any new devices especially on the face. Do not use The Contour Pro on the chest/breasts, neck (including the thyroid), within the orbital rim of the eye (including eyelids), on the lips, genitals or groin area. Do not exceed the 3 minute maximum per day.

Every so often a new technology comes on the market to wind back the hands of time and help eradicate the signs of aging.  The Contour Pro by Dr Levy Switzerland is a multitasking technology that helps plump and firms skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines.

Who is Dr Levy?

Dr Philip Levy is a dermatologist who works out of Geneva, Switzerland with an aim of delaying the need for cosmetic surgery and instead uses techniques to reverse the signs of aging and restore glow.

He was the first person to introduce cosmetic botox to Geneva in 1995, and also practices other technologies such as CO2 laser resurfacing and hyaluronic acid injections. When skin stem cells were discovered in 2009, a whole new world of ‘healing’ the skin opened up for Dr Levy who harnessed the skin’s ability to heal itself.  Along with his other treatments, Dr Levy is best known for the Nefertiti Lift® which is used to tighten the jawline.

How does The Contour Pro work?

The Contour Pro is a non-evasive, hand held machine which is used to tone and plump the face.  Using Electro Muscle Stimulation (EMS) and Radio Frequency (RF) in micro-pulsating sequences, it boosts deeper muscle strength and plumps the surface of skin. The radiofrequency stimulates collagen production and stem cell action, all of which help the appearance of skin.  The combination of the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask (more about that later!) and the heat generated from The Contour Pro, further boosts the skin to leave it illuminated. 

Why do I need the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask too?

It is highly recommended to use the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask with The Contour Pro for two reasons. Firstly, you MUST have a gliding gel on your face before using The Contour Pro. This is to ensure even texture, and it’s never a good idea to put an electrical appliance right onto the face, especially if you have never used such an instrument before.

The Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask has been specially designed to be used with The Contour Pro because the benefits of this mask compliment the technology used in The Contour Pro.  

What do I need to do to use The Contour Pro?

Before I explain in depth, be assured that there is a well-designed and thought out booklet that comes with The Contour Pro which explains even more and has diagrams to help!

Firstly, you need to clean your skin thoroughly to remove any make up and residue. Dr Levy recommends the 3DeepÔCell Renewal Micro-Resurfacing Cleanser. You can also apply the Eye Booster Concentrate over the eye contour area and the Booster Serum all over the face. Once the products have been on your face for one minute (in order to penetrate the skin), you can add the gliding gel.

Dr Levy Switzerlandâ’s Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask (a gel) is recommended as the gliding agent.  Distribute the gel all over the face and especially on the target areas. The device may stop working if you don’t have enough gel. Now you are ready to use The Contour Pro.

About The Contour Pro

The Contour Pro device is hand held, charged by a USB cord (only ever use the cord which is provided!) and easy to operate.  The head of The Contour Pro has 4 discs which administer the radio frequency and electrical pulses. There is one Universal Button on the front of the device which turns on and off, and changes the intensity. You can tell the intensity of The Contour Pro by the blades of the propeller on the front. 1 blade means the lowest intensity whilst 3 blades is the highest. Start with the lowest intensity first.

There are no other buttons to learn on The Contour Pro, making it easy to use!

Before you start…

Always undertake a patch test on the inside of your arm the day before using The Contour Pro. Check that the skin doesn’t have a negative reaction to either the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask or the device.

The full workouts are detailed in the enclosed booklet, which include the workout for eyes  (“Fox Eyes”),”Cheekbones contouring” and “Lips contouring.”  It is important to never use The Contour Pro on the eyes or eyelids, lips, breast and chest area or other sensitive areas especially not on the face. 

The booklet also states;

  • To use The Contour Pro slowly, in an upward motion, and with light pressure.
  • Always STOP if the skin becomes hot or red.
  • Do not stay more than 3 seconds on any general application area and continuously move the device.

What happens when you use The Contour Pro?

Once you have tried the patch test, you can start using The Contour Pro the next day. With the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask gel applied all over your face especially the target areas, follow the workouts detailed in the booklet. Start on the lowest intensity level.

When you turn on the device, there is no sound and no movement, which threw me at first. The intensity dial lights up but you only know it’s working once you apply it to your skin and feel the sensation.

I found that the electrical pulses, which are intermittent, were a bit of a strange sensation at first. They felt like sharp vibrations, and although they didn’t hurt, they took a while to get used to. It’s similar to holding the vibrating head of an electric toothbrush against your lips when you’re not used to it. I’m glad I took the advice and started on the lowest intensity!

Working for only 10 minutes maximum at a session with one session a day, work around the eye area (not the eyelid or the eye though!), cheekbone and lip area.  It’s best to do the workouts 2-3 times a week, not every day.

So, what was the outcome???

The Contour Pro is a sophisticated bit of kit which takes some getting used to.  It starts to work immediately with the device heating up and pulsating the skin, helping the products to seep into the deeper layers.  At first, you can see your skin reacting to the heat and stimulus with plumping of the skin surface.  After a few sessions (the course of a week if you are taking the advice and repeating every other day) the pulsations and electricity are more familiar and you will have learned the workouts to use.  I could feel that my skin was softer from the combination of the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask and The Contour Pro together, and it was as if the underlying muscle and tissue was ‘working’ which I took to be the muscles toning up and the skin repairing itself.  The contour of my jaw and cheekbones was smoother too, and my face felt like it had had a workout all of its own!

Over time, I’m sure the benefits will continue even if you don’t use The Contour Pro as often. I think once you get the desired effect and are used to the sensation it will be easier to increase the intensity and use it to maintain the benefits rather than having to use it so often. It’s difficult to show the physical changes in such a short amount of time, which is why I haven’t posted photos but I know that my skin and face has already started to feel different.

I especially like that The Contour Pro is an alternative to cosmetic surgery and non-intrusive.  You can adapt the intensity yourself and concentrate on one target area, or several, depending on your needs. It’s also very small and handy! I have used it for over a week now and the battery hasn’t run out yet.  I will be taking this on holiday with me soon, so that I can use it at my leisure and tone up those muscles even more!

The Contour Pro is available for £249 and the Freezing Anti-Fatigue Mask for £69 at: 

Dr Levy – https://www.drlevy.swiss/en/product/the-contour-pro

Cult Beauty –https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/dr.-levy-switzerland-the-contour-pro/13974127.html

Liforme Yoga Mat

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Family Life, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Home & Garden, Plastic free, Sport, Sustainable, Women

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

By a certain age, or maybe it’s a certain level of fitness, yoga becomes less of a puzzle and more of a necessity. The company Liforme pride themselves on doing things differently to support and encourage the practice of yoga, and do so with their conscientious products. Their ethos to ‘Live for More’ by positively engaging communities is evident on their website, along with some delicious products any yoga fan will adore!

Amongst the products available was this Liforme Grateful Rainbow Yoga Mat which was sent to us to try out.  It’s bright pink, printed with an eco-friendly, non-toxic design of a rainbow mandala and alignment markings which can be described as guides for your feet and hands. This mat is a serious bit of kit for serious yoga people and you can tell just by looking at it. There’s much more science, and thought, behind it than you realise though, as I discovered.

The Liforme Yoga Mat is made with a real natural rubber base (so that it doesn’t slide all over the place) and the top layer is made of eco-polyurethane.  In all, the mat is 4.2mm thick but it feels thinner than that. It’s not chunky or clunky at all. The top eco-polyurethane layer is designed to be more grippy than other mats, so that you can practice without worrying about sliding all over the place, and the design is printed with durable yet eco-friendly ink. The same goes for all the designs of the yoga mats available on the Liforme website.  The mat weighs in at a hefty 2.5kg though so if you’re used to your yoga mat being light-as-air, this is going to be quite a shock!  The weight comes from the quality of the material though.

The dimensions of the mat come in at 185cm long and 68cm wide. That’s 73 inches long and 27 inches wide in old money.

As for the usability, the mat comes with a free carry case, which is needed when you have a rolled-up mat of this size and weight and need to transport it to several lessons a week.  The real test is in a yoga class, which is where any yoga equipment needs to prove itself.  The bright pink façade is very pleasing especially as you know in a dimly lit room and when you might need to wander around a bit, you can never lose it!  The surface is nicely grippy. Grippy enough for a Downward Dog and to not face plant yourself.  Liforme call this GripForMe technology and it allows you to use your full body weight in poses and not move an inch. Not even a millimetre for that matter, as I discovered when I was able to more pressure into some of the poses than I usually would. So in some ways, you could say that the Liforme Yoga Mat made me better at yoga as a result!

Liforme as a company have recently been awarded B Corp status. The B Corp status proves that Liforme has high standards of social and environmental impact as their core belief as a company and a quick look at their website proves that their high quality and non-toxic materials are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to responsibility. The mats bio-degrade in 1-5 years (depending on conditions) and believe that they have the world’s most planet-friendly yoga mat.

Truly a treat, the Liforme Yoga Mats aren’t cheap but they are suited to the serious yoga practitioner or fitness expert and look simply gorgeous. The unique design and alignment cues make this yoga mat stand out from all the rest, and a perfect gift too. 

Available for £140 (but currently on sale for £105) at:

Liforme Grateful Rainbow Yoga Mat – Grateful Pink/Rainbow

Sennheiser Momentum Ear Buds

Birthday Gifts, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Sport, Tech, Women

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

The first time I had headphones I was a teenager in the 80’s and back then headphones were firmly attached to your Walkman. Thankfully technology has evolved and improved a lot since then and I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to try out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds

The stylish grey fabric charging case is nice and solid and closes with a satisfying click. It holds the earbuds securely and once placed in the case the earphones start charging automatically. The USB-C connection makes the case easy to charge and there is also the option to use Qi wireless charging too. A single charge provides 7 hours of playback with the case providing an additional 21 hours of charge, so in total you can enjoy 28 hours of playback before you need to charge. When it does run out of charge, 10 minutes of ‘fast charging’ offers an hour’s playback and a full charge takes just 90 minutes. 

Included in the box are four pairs of silicone ear tips, three pairs of ear fins, and a charging cable. The earpieces are IPX4 rated for water resistance, and each earbud has three microphones for voice and Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) functionality.

When I first received the earbuds, I found that they had 40% charge, so I was able to use them straight away – all I needed to do was fit the ear fins and then pair them to my phone.

Pairing the earbuds was simple – just touch and hold both earbuds and then select them on your Bluetooth device and they pair to your device easily. The earbuds power off when placed in the case and the lid closed and power on and connect automatically to your device the moment you open the case.

Once paired, I downloaded the Sennheiser Smart Control app. The app not only allows you to control settings on the earbuds but there is also an option to go through a ‘Sound check’ where you select your preferred sound from a choice of 3. There is also the option to set “Sound Zones” where you customise locations you frequent, like your home, gym or workplace and save preferred Active Noise Cancellation and Equaliser settings. Once you enter the radius—set by you on the location map—your settings automatically change to the saved setting when you are in that Sound Zone.

The earbuds feel light, well made, and with IPX4 sweat resistance they are perfect for the gym or when I am out walking.

So I’ve talked about the fit, pairing and app so what is the sound quality like?  

Well, it’s excellent, the sound is crisp and clear with no distortion, every song I played sounded amazing, whether it was rock, pop or classical music.

You can also use the earbuds to make and receive telephone calls – if you are playing music it stops whilst you are on the call. I found that the call quality (for both people) was very clear and background noise was minimal.

Answering calls, skipping tracks and turning on/off different modes can all be executed by tapping the earbuds. Once you get the hang of tapping they are very simple to use, the sensitivity is very good and works well all the time.

Overall, I was very impressed with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True wireless 3 earbuds – superior sound, excellent Bluetooth connectivity and a secure and comfortable fit. They are definitely a premium pair of wireless earbuds and anyone receiving them this Christmas won’t be disappointed.

RRP £219.99 available from the Sennheiser website here

Elliot Brown Bloxworth Hali Watch

Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, Fashion, Fitness, Gifts for Her, Jewellery, Sport, Women

I am not the easiest person to buy presents for – I am told that every single birthday and Christmas, and with a milestone birthday coming up in a matter of weeks my family have started asking me what special gift I would like to celebrate the occasion. One thing that I have considered is a nice watch, but being an outdoorsy sort of person, I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a watch that will invariably get bashed and scratched when I get too close to a rock face, fall off my bike or slip on wet ground. I also don’t want a watch that is likely to stop working after getting wet too many times. Nowadays fewer people wear watches as it is easy to glance at our phones to check the time, but there is no denying the elegance and refinement that a proper watch brings. And, when you are half way up a rockface or standing on a paddleboard, believe me, looking at a watch is a whole lot easier than taking a phone out of your pocket – and you don’t run the risk of it slipping out of your hand either.  

So when Elliot Brown, a UK-based watch brand that makes the most wearable, affordable, toughest watches on the planet, asked me if I would like a loan of one of their Bloxworth Hali watches I jumped at the chance. Elliott Brown test all their watches meticulously so that they will withstand the toughest of situations. Me knocking it on a rockface, or falling in Lake Windermere is a drop in the ocean compared to being smashed with a 3kg mallet or being submerged for an entire winter in Poole harbour – just some of the rigorous tests the watches are put through. Oh, they also strap watches to the bows of racing yachts and send them off round the world for 40,000miles and 12 months at sea – the watch survived and was still keeping perfect time. How impressive – these watches really are built to last!

The watch is presented in a lovely solid grey box, with the instruction and warranty details in a neat little pocket in the lid of the box. There is also a mini screwdriver type tool to enable you to remove the strap should you wish to change it for one of the rubber straps that are also available for this model. This fantastic presentation helps to make this a really special present.

The quality of the watch was obvious from the second I took it out of the box. It has a solid feel but isn’t cumbersome to wear. I also really liked how the size of the watch face was slightly larger than a standard, small ladies watch. I have never been keen on tiny dials as I find them hard to read, and I think bigger ones look a bit more rugged too.

As the Bloxworth Hali isn’t a smart watch it doesn’t have the features that other outdoor watches might have but you can wear it all weekend without worrying about charging and be confident that it won’t get damaged whilst out and about, as it is super tough and incredibly durable.

With a recommended retail price of £595 this is not a cheap watch but, reading the specifications of the watch you can see just what you get for your money. At the heart of the watch is a Swiss Made Ronda 705 quartz movement which is encased in a finely brushed stainless steel case with high polished elements. The high contrast, easy to read face is protected by a domed anti reflective sapphire crystal. The high contrast face glows in the dark, making it easy to read when you are off on night time adventures.

The brushed link bracelet strap, has a concealed double folding deployant buckle on bespoke stainless steel, meaning I can wear it on top of my drysuit without altering the bracelet. Marine grade 316 stainless steel is used for the case, bezel and strap bars which means it won’t rust, even in saltwater (and after 12 months at sea we are confident that it has been thoroughly tested).

The other features to mention are

  • Dual layer piano sandwich dial with polished minutes track
  • Matte finished stainless steel uni-directional 60 click timing bezel
  • Signature basket weave textures on compressor case back
  • Domed crown at 4 o’clock with triple seals
  • 100% tested at 200m in water
  • Unbreakable easy change strap bars
  • 5-year warranty

This watch looks just as good when I’m out adventuring as it does with heels and a cocktail dress and is the perfect gift for any outdoor enthusiast. It’s not the cheapest watch on the market but you are investing in a serious, timepiece that will stand the test of time and I know it will still be ticking and keeping perfect time long after the smart watch has counted it’s last step!

Available to buy from https://elliotbrownwatches.com/