Tag: Cocoa Butter

Divine Deliciously Smooth 70% Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar and Joyful Caramel, Hazelnut and Candied Orange Chocolate Bar

advent calendar, Children, chocolate, Christmas, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Home, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

The world is divided into those who love dark chocolate and those who detest it. I am definitely a lover of dark chocolate, and the higher cocoa content the better so this 70% advent calendar from Divine was mine for the taking. Plus, I’m never one to pass up the opportunity to try chocolate, so when it came with Divine’s Joyful Christmas chocolate in caramel, hazelnut and candied orange flavour, there was no stopping me!

The advent calendar is packed with 24 windowed chocolate pieces, one for every day of advent up until Christmas Eve.  The calendar itself is beautiful, in black packaging to illustrate the dark chocolate and brightly coloured with decorations and figures of the farmers who product the cocoa. Unlike other calendars, this one is vegan too.

Every bar of Divine Chocolate helps to directly change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Divine Chocolates are made with only Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, so the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the right farmers who are given the right compensation. That alone should make you feel good about buying Divine Chocolate but it doesn’t stop there. All of the flavours and ingredients are natural, and they use only 100% pure cocoa butter. Additionally, Divine are helping to save the environment and habitations too by using NO palm oil.

This is an advent calendar clearly children will enjoy but adults will too, and anyone with a conscience will appreciate that somewhere in Ghana, there is a farmer and his family whose life will be improved by you supporting Divine Chocolate.

What is the Joyful chocolate like though? As a special edition for Christmas, this chocolate is 45% cocoa so a higher amount than typical milk chocolate without being bitter. You can feel the texture of the hazelnut filling and there are lovely pieces of caramel to give it the slightly sticky, sweet taste too. I can’t say that the orange flavour is very strong, so if you’re a fan of citrus or candied orange then this isn’t overpowering. The whole bar is a grown-up way of celebrating Christmas though, and very moreish. I would suggest this is a good treat for when you’re Christmas shopping, or to have one dark evening after dinner. If you give chocolate and money as gifts to adults, I would recommend the Divine Joyful Christmas Chocolate every time, but don’t expect it to last past Boxing Day!

Advent calendar available for £5 from Ocado, Whole Foods, Oxfam and online at: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-dark-70-chocolate-advent-calendar

Joyful Christmas Chocolate bar available for £4.50: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-joyful-christmas-bar-180g

Divine Seriously Smooth Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar

advent calendar, Children, chocolate, Christmas, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Stocking Fillers

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

Chocolate is no longer just for children, nor is it the over-farmed, unfair trade that it used to be, or at least it doesn’t have to be if you choose the right retailer. Divine Chocolate is co-owned by cocoa farmers to give them a better deal on their wares plus improves the standard of the chocolate. It’s a win/win for everyone and their 2023 advent calendars are no exception!

We were sent two to try, the first one being the Seriously Smooth Milk Chocolate Advent Calendar. With 24 days (or nights if you’re being pedantic) of chocolate to taste, it’s the usual size and structure of an advent calendar. Slightly larger than A4 size, it can be posted and most of it is recyclable due to the cardboard involved.  The windows open to reveal a Christmas-themed chocolate which appeals to both children and adults.  Nothing complicated about that? Well there isn’t anything complicated, it’s just that the chocolate has secret powers… Secret powers to change lives. Let me explain more.

Every bar of Divine Chocolate helps to directly change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Divine Chocolates are made with only Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, so the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the right farmers who are given the right compensation. That alone should make you feel good about buying Divine Chocolate but it doesn’t stop there. All of the flavours and ingredients are natural, and they use only 100% pure cocoa butter. Additionally, Divine are helping to save the environment and habitations too by using NO palm oil.

What is the chocolate like though? Well as you would imagine, it’s smooth milk chocolate, and it has a more authentic chocolate taste because it has pure cocoa butter and contains no palm oil. No substitutions mean that it’s a richer, smoother chocolate both in texture and taste.

This is an advent calendar clearly children will enjoy but adults will too, and anyone with a conscience will appreciate that somewhere in Ghana, there is a farmer and his family whose life will be improved by you supporting Divine Chocolate.

Available for £5 from Ocado, Whole Foods, Oxfam and online at: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-milk-chocolate-advent-calendar

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula

Autumn, beauty, Christmas, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Winter, Women

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

Last week my inbox was bombarded with Christmas gifts and whilst we’re only in September it does make sense to start shopping early as it means you can get gifts before they sell out it and it also helps spread the cost too.

I’m on a hunt for stocking fillers at the minute and when the Palmers Cocoa Butter moisturisers arrived I knew they would fit nicely in the stockings this year. Palmers are a natural cocoa butter and coconut oil skincare and haircare brand whose products are not only reasonably priced but are brilliant at caring for dry skin. I’ve used Palmers products for years as I have dry, eczema prone skin and the moisturisers really help care for my skin, leaving it lovely and soft and hydrated.  

The Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Daily Skin Therapy Body Lotion (RRP: £5.99 – 400ml) smells amazing and is gentle enough for sensitive skin. The pump action bottle makes it easy to dispense the lotion and it is easy to apply, absorbing effortlessly. It has really helped soothe the dry skin on my arms and legs after only a couple of applications.

When my skin is particularly bad I find a thicker product is best to help soothe the redness so the Palmer’s Original Solid Formula Jar (RRP: £7.49 – 200g) is perfect when my skin flares up. This is more of an intensive moisturiser and the balm is thicker and greasier than the lotion, but my dry skin just soaks it up and it does a brilliant job at keeping my skin soft and smooth and calming the redness. I let it warm in my hands first to make it easier to apply and find it is Incredibly soothing on my skin.

With a uniquely rich and creamy blend of Cocoa Butter, made from ethically and sustainably sourced cocoa beans, and Vitamin E these moisturisers are just what you need in the winter months to keep your skin hydrated and soft. As well as buying some for stocking fillers I will be treating myself too!