Mothers Day – The Review Studio

Kipling Art Bag

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

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

Let’s be honest there’s really nothing quite like a lovely handbag to make a woman feel fabulous. It’s so more than just an accessory – the right handbag becomes an extension of who we are. So, when it comes to celebrating the wonderful mums in our lives this Mother’s Day, you simply can’t go wrong with the gift of a new handbag.

I’ve just fallen in love with the Kipling Art bag, a versatile handbag that has the perfect mix of practicality and style. Designed with a relaxed, smart-casual vibe the handbag is light enough to carry all day whilst having plenty space for all the essentials which, if you’re a Mum can mean snacks, tissues, emergency plasters and probably a stray toy or two on top of your own bits and pieces! At 44cm wide, 27cm tall and 20cm wide it will easily accommodate all these – plus more besides and with an adjustable zip and stud fastening corners it’s easy to alter the size or look – making the bag more versatile.

The Art bag has two sets of straps, two shorter handles for when you’re dashing out the door, plus a removable, adjustable 138cm strap which is great for wearing messenger-style across your body when you need to be hands free, like when you’ve a coffee in one hand and a toddler trying to make a break for it with the other. Inside, there are handy pockets for a phone, pens, and purse plus a handy key clip that is a real lifesaver when you’re trying to find your keys with a screaming child in tow.

The design of the bag is simple yet elegant with the Kipling logo embossed on one side and, of course, the adorable little colour-coordinated monkey charm. The wide-opening design is a real bonus, making it easy to reach in and grab whatever I need without any fuss. The spacious main compartment is impressive too, it’s plenty big enough to fit my laptop comfortably or bulkier items like a pair of trainers or a sweatshirt when I’m off to the gym. I’m already planning to use it as my hand luggage for summer trips, and I just know it’ll be perfect for keeping everything organised and within reach. With its combination of style, practicality, and a bit of personality, this bag really does tick all the boxes. Plus, it is very well made so I can see it becoming my go-to for everything from weekend getaways to everyday use.

The Kipling Art bag is available in thirteen colours, from the super versatile Relaxed Grey – a greyish-blue that goes with everything, to bolder choices like Ocean Blue and Ultimate Plum. There are even playful patterns like Holiday Waves and Palmtree Leaves if you want something a little more eyecatching. Yes, at £98 it’s a bit of a treat, but it’s a sound investment and let’s be honest, Mum’s worth it!

Patchwork: A Cosy Game About Making a Quilt

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

We sat down to play Patchwork expecting a simple tile placement game but found a fun and engaging puzzle of creation. This game has you softly competing with another player to build a quilt with random sized tiles on your own grid. The satisfaction of placing just the right piece to fill a gap… amazing!

In Patchwork, you take turns but not in the conventional manner. The player behind on the time board plays, so if you stay behind your opponent you can take multiple turns in a row. On your turn you will pick from 3 different shaped quilt tiles, all with beautiful patterns. Then move a sweet little sewing machine token to replace the taken token and now your choice of tokens changes, giving each turn a new challenge to get just the right tile, or work with what the fate of the game gives you.

So what’s the catch for placing tiles? Each one costs a certain amount to play and takes you time to add to your quilt, which will have you and your opponent leapfrogging across the time board, staring down the other player as their hand hovers over the piece you want, and looking at that all too expensive piece that would fit perfectly but you don’t have the buttons for!

This game is quick, engaging, and has a cozy feeling as you build your quilt alongside your opponent. Patchwork really nails the pace, simplicity of its rules but gives so much replay value – my wife immediately wanted to play this with her mum when she finished. It is a game for any level of boardgamer.

The one part we found a little dissatisfying was the scoring at the end but this may have been due to our gung ho way of playing! We found the -2 points for blank spaces harsh and it led to one of us getting negative points. I would have it only remove 1 point or -2 per a certain amount of blank spaces to give a bit more of a good feeling at scoring. But we enjoyed the journey of the game and look forward to playing again.

Patchwork is a great game to pick up for a couple or to play while catching up with a friend. It requires just enough attention that you can play, chat, and enjoy! The satisfaction of the quilt you can build and fitting that perfect piece will have you wanting to play again and again to see what form of Patchwork you make next time!

Available from £22.99 at: https://www.johnlewis.com/asmodee-patchwork-game/p113011033?s_ppc=2dx_mixed_home_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xsnMBLxQENgyUI88JTxb41h&gclid=CjwKCAiArKW-BhAzEiwAZhWsINM5utKi0PX2I-yjEyV0lX-GOD0EUxaOQ40v7LuICNRP09C0lsfSXhoCaHAQAvD_BwE

OneBrush Adjustable Hairbrush

beauty, Birthday Gifts, camping, Children, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Mother's Day, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

As hair and beauty products seem to be advancing at an exponential rate recently, there are new gadgets on the market all the time. The OneBrush takes the humble hairbrush and upgrades it to something tailored to what you need it for that day. It’s the world’s only adjustable hairbrush.

If like me, you have several hairbrushes (and combs!) for different reasons, then the OneBrush replaces all of them. With a dial on the back of the brush face, you can change the firmness of the brush in 7 iterations and anything in between. From ‘Soft’ to ‘Firm’, the dial changes the direction of the bristles on the face so that they have different effects. The brush bristles are plastic (the whole brush is recyclable and already made from recycled plastic) and shaped like aeroplane wings. They’re wider at the base than at the top and they taper towards the end. This gives the advantage of changing the firmness of the brush stroke when the dial is changed, thanks to the direction of the fin. The pattern of the bristles also causes the brush to be firmer or softer as it pulls in different directions.

Yes it sounds technical! However, when you play with the brush and try it against your scalp and hair it feels different so you start to get an idea. As it’s easy to change the dial each time you use it, you can start with the firmness in one direction for the scalp, then change again as you brush towards the ends. Likewise, you can change it when you are in the shower and might need a softer brush to run conditioner through your hair, or need a firmer brush for when you have shorter, fly away hair.

It takes a while to get used to the different settings, which is understandable as it’s a whole new concept. I’m not a fan of plastic but it does mean that this brush is more versatile and can be used in the shower, taken on holiday (it’s probably indestructible!) and kept in a handbag if you need to. I found that the firmer end of the dial was very good at massaging my scalp as well as brushing, which made me wonder if using OneBrush helps with stimulating better hair growth. It’s not just great for getting the right stroke in your hair brushing, but for massaging your pressure points after a long day too. Mum will love it!

This Mother’s Day, OneBrush have a special pink version on their website, along with the original version.

As a special deal for Review Studio readers, you can use discount code MD20 for 10% off for Mother’s Day!

Available online for £16.50 at: https://onehairstyling.com

Yankee Candle Hello Italy Lemon Gelato and Olive & Cypress Candles

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for teachers, Home, Mother's Day, secret santa, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Finally, we have the beginnings of summer here in the UK with some beautiful spring weather. With a few weeks left until Mother’s Day, Yankee Candle have brought out some beautiful summer candles in a new range called Hello Italy.

Featuring Mediterranean inspired scents such as Capri Glow, Azure Sky and two fragranced candles sent to us called Lemon Gelato and Olive & Cypress. Can you feel the warm Italian sun already?

The Lemon Gelato Yankee Candle evokes that late morning ice cream from the local gelato where you stroll along the beach or amongst the dusty lanes after breakfast. The Lemon Gelato starts off as a sweeter scent, with the lemon citrus tones coming afterwards. The double wick makes it quicker to burn but more even, and the glass jar looks not just pretty but keeps the smoke at bay once you replace the cap and take away the oxygen. The scent of lemon lingers in the room longer than the sweet smell.

The Olive & Cypress Yankee Candle reminds me of waking up with the sun shining and the scent of the countryside. The woody effect of the cypress tree is the first fragrance to hit but I really like the joint, musky tone of the olive coming through. This is more of an evening scent for me. Something to burn over dinner or after dinner with drinks compared to the sweet Lemon Gelato candle.

Both candles are 368 grams which is the medium size in the Hello Italy range. The other sizes are Signature Jar (567 grams) and Mini at 37 grams. These medium jars have a burn time of 35-50 hours and you can make them last longer and have a less strong fragrance if you only burn one of the wicks. That’s effectively burning the. Candle for 2-3 hours every evening for 2 weeks! What isn’t there to like for a Mother’s Day gift?

Lemon Gelato Yankee Candle £24.99: https://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/yankee-candle/candles/shop-by-type/signature-large-jar-candles/lemon-gelato/ORCL_2642885E.html

Olive & Cyprus Yankee Candle £24.99: https://www.yankeecandle.co.uk/yankee-candle/candles/shop-by-type/signature-medium-jar-candles/olive-cypress/ORCL_2642887E.html

Sherpa Mayalu Roll-On Bracelet

Birthday Gifts, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Jewellery, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Sometimes it’s not the cost that’s important but the gift, and this hand made bracelet from Sherpa is just the charm.

Handcrafted in Nepal, the enterprise gives work to women who would ordinarily not be able to work outside the home. It features an Endless Knot, known in the Nepalese culture to symbolise Buddha’s infinite wisdom and compassion. The bracelet itself is a roll-over meaning there are no fastenings to undo, snag on clothing or for small children to play with as it just glides over the wrist to wear.

The tiny two-coloured beads create a pattern using eco-friendly materials and come in three other colours (brown, black and yellow) too. They’re only one size though, which is big enough for an adult wrist with a bit of wriggling but a teenager will love this just as much especially with the chunky texture and inability for it to fall off the wrist with loose fastenings!

An added bonus for Mother’s Day; for every bracelet bought, Sherpa Adventure Gear donates a school day in Nepal, so you’re investing in the future generations too.

Available online now for £6.00: https://www.sherpaadventuregear.com/en-gb/products/unisex-mayalu-two-color-roll-on-bracelet-tongba

RapidLash and RapidBrow Enhancing Serum

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

I will confess now that I love these products. As a woman of a ‘certain age’ I realised that my eyebrows and eyelashes were starting to thin and not be as long as they used to be. Lashings of eyebrow pencil and mascara were my only option, or something really drastic like make-up tattoos were going to be needed but I didn’t want to go down that route. RapidBrow and RapidLash came to the rescue though.

If you haven’t guessed what RapidBrow and RapidLash are yet, they are both serums for enhancing eyebrows and eyelashes without the use of make-up but instead work overnight to build up strength and therefore thicken brows and lashes.

The statistics on the front of the packaging tell the story of how well loved RapidLash and RapidBrow really are. 93% of people experienced improvement in the appearance of brows and 88% experienced improvement in the appearance of lashes with each respective serum. 91% experienced thicker, fuller and healthier looking brows whilst 86% experienced thicker, stronger and longer looking lashes. This information was gathered after just 8 weeks, but the serums last a lot, lot longer so you can expect the treatment to carry on for several more months.

Each of the RapidBrow and RapidLash serums are applied once a day, preferably in the evening, to clean lashes and brows that have had all traces of make-up removed. RapidLash should be applied to the base of the eyelashes on the top lid, and RapidBrow is applied to the full length of the brow. That’s all you have to do. The serum works its magic overnight and in as little as a few weeks you start to see a difference.

This is why I love these products. Within a couple of weeks, my eye lashes were stronger plus they were able to hold more mascara whenever I did wear make-up. My brows, which are starting to thin with age, were stronger and didn’t come out as easily. It may be my imagination but the colour was deeper too, meaning I didn’t have to add pencil to them. Within 4 weeks, I did a double-take in the mirror where I swear my eyelashes looked longer BEFORE I put mascara on, and my eyebrows looked like they had already had the eye brow fixer on them, or at least a little pencil colour.

Over time, I hope that the serum keeps working and keeps strengthening my eyebrows and eyelashes so that I have more of a base to add make up to, but also to give a more natural look. The serums are much cheaper than having any cosmetics done, and don’t have the initial ‘look’ that tattooing or permanent make-up have when they’re first done. It looks so much more natural having the lashes built up over time and gets you to a level where you can keep the hair strength. These serums last forever too, so are very cost effective plus they make great gifts!

From £37.00 – £40.00 at: https://rapidlash.co.uk

Mavogel Sleep Mask

camping, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, health, Mother's Day, Summer, Women

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

The mornings are getting lighter, which means the evenings are too and as we approach summer, the nights aren’t as deeply dark. If your circadian rhythms are affected by the daylight then you’ll appreciate some darkness in order to sleep. I know I do.

Mavogel’s Sleep Mask is a handmade mask which goes over the eyes and fits over the nose to give a completely light-tight night time. The mask is designed with an adjustable strap at the back so that you can get a custom snug fit, and the bridge of the nose has a mouldable cartilage to fit over the nose and prevent light entering. The mask is made of black cotton with a sponge inner that makes it more comfortable to sleep in, and there’s no sharp bits that dig in or are too tight. The adjustable straps make it easy to fit and not be uncomfortable when you sleep.

The mask itself is very deep so can accommodate most faces and prevent light seeping in at the top or over the nose, where conventional sleep masks usually struggle to keep out light. This is great for adults and for older children because of how it adjusts. I think this would be excellent for travelling with too as the mask comes with a travel pouch and clip that you can use to keep on the plane seat in front or the back of the car. If you don’t know where you’re staying, it also makes a handy travel companion as it’s so light it can go into main luggage or hand luggage. No doubt a life saver if you need it and you won’t notice it’s there if you don’t!

It’s comfortable too. The nose clip is made of carbon steel and can adjust to nose bridge sizes but also be straightened out in case someone else needs to use it. I found the strap easy to adjust and fitted my head and nose easily. It absolutely blocks out all the light too! It was one of those moments when I woke up in the morning and didn’t know what time it was because it was so dark! If you’re a shift worker, this is also great for sleeping in the daytime.

Great as a travel companion or for anyone who finds it hard to sleep with the amount of light in the room.

Available from £6.99 at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cotton-Sleep-Eye-Mask-Comfortable/dp/B07D3M6892/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3AB6UWQO46YBV&keywords=mavogel%2Bcotton%2Bsleep%2Beye%2Bmask&qid=1707324947&sprefix=mavogel%2Bslee%2Caps%2C213&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&smid=AAJ55L688ECUI&th=1

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick, Jumbo Lip Pencil and Refill

beauty, Birthday Gifts, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Fashion, Gifts for Her, health, Home, Mother's Day, Stocking Fillers, Women

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

What beautiful Mother’s Day gifts! Annabelle Minerals have been around since 2012 and founded in the UK to provide handpicked ingredients that are both minimalist and natural. The idea is that the ingredients pamper your skin so that you don’t have to suffer unnecessary layers of heavy chemicals just to look your best. The theme of the ingredients being natural also carries across into the style of make up – natural and understated but still with a flare for style.

We were sent some lovely lip make up for Mother’s Day. Annabelle Minerals have both lipsticks (with refills available online) and jumbo lip pencils which can be used as both lip liners and as a lipstick. There’s several colours online too, including these shades; Apricot for the lipstick you can see and Brown Fig for the refill.

The Shear Lipsticks are presented in these gorgeous gold swizzle sticks and come in Apricot, Brown Fig, Coconut, Dragon Fruit and Strawberry. The names of the colours give away the type of natural ingredients Annabelle Minerals strives for! The Apricot colour I received is a slightly darker shade of my lips, so it’s very natural and glides on superbly. The colour stays all day too, as I discovered when I went out one Friday night wearing it. Only a small amount of the middle of the lips was missing at the end of the night, and probably as a result of drinking.

Once you’ve bought one lipstick, you can buy refills in either the same colour or a different one, and saving not just the packaging but also a bit of money! I was sent my second choice of Brown Fig, a slightly darker shade with a touch of red in it. This was a great colour for when I was wearing a darker outfit and wanted my lips to pop.

The Annabelle Minerals Jumbo Lip Pencil is probably my favourite of all the lip products. I was sent the Marigold colour which compliments all the other lipstick colours in the range. I used it as a lip liner, then you can fill in your lips with that colour, or dab it on as a base before you add a lipstick on top to vary the colour. You can also do the opposite and put the lip liner on top of your lipstick and seal it in and also change the colour.

With each of the lipsticks and the lip liner, they glide on perfectly, don’t come off easily and keep a constant colour. I didn’t notice them on my lips as they’re not greasy at all and in fact, I didn’t even need to blot with each application. They travel really well too, with a pencil lid to the liner and magnetic locking lipstick cases. I’ll be exploring more of the range at Annabelle Minerals, and looking at what Mum would like for Mother’s Day.

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick: £12.90 (Apricot)

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1368-sheer-lipstick.html

Annabelle Minerals Jumbo Lip Pencil: £11.90

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1268-1922590-jumbo-lip-pencil.html#/364-jumbo_lip_pencil-marigold

Annabelle Minerals Lipstick refill: £9.90: (Brown Fig)

https://www.annabelleminerals.com/en_gb/lips/1368-1922976-sheer-lipstick.html#/478-lipstick-brown_fig/485-options-refill

Small Sterling Silver Plain Heart Locket Pendant

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Jewellery, Mother's Day, 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.

Mother’s Day is soon upon us and treating Mum is always high on our priority list. There may be plenty of items available out there but finding the right one, which is good quality and timeless, can take time.

Gatwards of Hitchin have a range of jewellery items available for Mother’s Day, and beyond, which are perfect choices. On offer are necklaces, pendants, rings, bracelets, earrings, silver photo frames and keyrings. Don’t worry about jewellery being too expensive as there’s a variety of prices from the £25 Silver Crossover Ring to the beautiful £49 Ti Sento CZ Stud Claw Set Earrings. If you really want to push the boat out though, there are several high-ticket items such as the 18ct Yellow Gold Memoire Round Brilliant Cut Diamond Bridal Eternity Ring for £1050.00 or Platinum Skye Round Cut Diamond Eternity Ring for a cool £3935.00!

Gatwards have sent us this gorgeous Silver Sterling Heart Locket Pendant to review for Mother’s Day. At £28 it’s very affordable but the design makes it versatile and easy to wear. Lockets have long been a way of mourning a loss, or keeping someone close to you with the position of the locket always being close to the heart.

The Gatwards Silver Sterling Locket is a plain heart locket, made in Sterling Sliver with a hinged mechanism that allows you to open the locket and add not just a photo but anything from a lock of hair or even put in a special note to Mum. The locket is smooth on both sides with minimal decoration so you could also have it engraved or embellished. It’s very delicate without being breakable and I actually found it easy to open and close again. Small children will love giving this to Mummy with its tactile face and the hinge that opens to reveal the surprise inside!

The locket arrives in a beautiful presentation box and with a gift wrap bag from Gatwards and gold wrapping paper. There isn’t a chain included, but this can be bought separately.

The Silver Sterling Heart Locket is such an all-round piece of jewellery which can be worn with almost any style and will last forever, and at £28.00 it makes the perfect gift for Mother’s Day from anyone in the family.

Small Silver Sterling Heart Necklace available for £28.00:

Innoteck Kitchen Pro Electric Kettle

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

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

Innoteck are the kitchen pros with all sorts of appliances such as air fryers, coffee makers, sandwich makers and kettles. Along with their appliance range they also have small kitchen items like bamboo chopping boards, baking trays and even photo frames. We were sent the Innoteck 1.7 litre electric kettle as a Mother’s Day gift to review to see how we liked it. We did!

The kettle comes in 4 different colours – green, white, grey and the version we were sent is black and each colour has a corresponding toaster too. The outside of the kettle is textured which makes the black body more interesting and far more stylish than the old-fashioned plastic kettles that used to adorn the worktops of kitchen but added no aesthetic.

The Innoteck Kitchen Pro stands apart from other kettles, not just because of its stylish, timeless design but because because it’s BPA-free and therefore not toxic. The main body of the inside of the kettle is made of metal with stainless steel accents and for anyone who is following the plight of plastics in the ocean, you’ll know that it’s not only the fish and wildlife who are suffering from ingesting plastic but also the human effect of eating small plastic particles when they enter the food chain. Heating water to high temperatures with plastic kettles is one of the ways microscopic plastic particles end up in our bodies.

With that information, you can see why more and more appliance makers are turning to stainless steel machines, as well as making them more recyclable.

The Innoteck Kitchen Pro kettle takes hardly any time to boil, at less than 2 minutes for a full kettle. The instructions ask that you don’t put less than 0.5 litres of water in to protect the element but the kettle can take 1.7 litres of water in all. It’s also got a circular base, which makes it easier for people like me who are left handed and need to move the kettle around to get to. The electric lead is around 50cm long too, and conveniently the element has an overheating guard if you don’t manage to fill the kettle with enough water before you switch it on and will switch it off without sufficient water.

This is a nice gift for anyone and will be used for a very long time on a daily basis in most households. Mum, or Gran, will love it for Mother’s Day.

Innoteck Kettle available for £27.99 at: https://innoteck.co.uk/product/1-7l-black-kettle/