Monthly Archives: October 2014

Oct 24 2014

Face the Future with Sk:n Clinics

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As a skincare fanatic I’m often ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest hero ingredients. I’ve usually been tipped off by someone in-the-know, done my research and spent hundreds of pounds to secure that pot of elixir that promises eternal youth long before the market is saturated by highstreet alternatives. But I can’t see into the future.

Most of us can look to our parents for clues as to how the genes we’ve inherited will fare in 20 years time, but what if you could actually see into the future to see what sort of external influences will accelerate the effects of aging. We might think we’ve got our anti-aging regime down to a fine art with our wrinkle erasers, UV protection and skin peels, but just what stresses will our skin be under 50 years from now?

Age progression simulator: Age Tell

We all smirked when Sir Alan Sugar gave his recent proteges a wearable technology task, but what about when this gives way to embeddable technology? In just 10 years time you could have tiny, nano-scale, Internet-connection implants inserted under the skin so you can flit between “real world” and the virtual world. Sounds ridiculous? Well I bet our grandparents struggled to get their heads around television when they were transitioning into adults.

Well the skincare experts at Sk:n Clinics have created an app that offers you a personalised look at some of the things that could be your reality in 50 years time. The app, Future Face asks you some basic lifestyle questions then cleverly transports you to your future.

It then describes what you can do to future-proof your skin; from preventative treatments at their award-winning clinics, to must-have products from their partners (inclung Kelo-cote, SkinCeuticals and SkinMed). It’s like a tailored prescription from a virtual skin expert and it’s actually quite revealing so well worth a look.

So what do you think? Are you game enough to face the future and age progress your face?

 

Oct 24 2014

Razzle dazzle them with The Real Effect

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This Christmas will be the first in three years that I haven’t been pregnant. So no more frumpy dresses and propping up the buffet table - I’ll be the first at the Champagne tray and the first to slur my way through a rendition of God Saves the Queen when Her Majesty wraps up her speech.

In fact, Christmas styling should be even more special this year given I’m furiously dieting in a bid to look like Catherine Zeta Jones for the festive season. Bring on the plunge neckline that will make the father-in-law blush, and the red lipstick that will stain the posh wineglasses currently gathering dust in the cupboard.

So when the very lovely Mel from Diary of a Jewellery Lover gave me a gentle nudge to enter her latest blogger comp to win some shiny stuff, it seemed like perfect timing. Given it’s Craigy’s turn to drive over Christmas he’s unlikely be in a generous mood this year; I suspect I’ll have to feign excitement over a perfume and some underwear that I can only dream of squeezing into.

Mel has partnered up with The Real Effect who sell stunning hand-crafted jewellery cut from silver and sparkly gemstones. For 20 years their silversmiths have shaped rings, pendants and bangles from blissfully smooth silver, using micro-finish precision to create some truly glittering pieces. They promise their pieces will feel every bit as luxurious as real diamonds and make the wearer feel every bit as spoiled & glamourous - perfect for this neglected and exhausted mama then!

Joking aside, I love the uniqueness of a hand-crafted product. Every ring that is loving bundled into the bed of a giftbox will have spent hours being cut, shaped and buffed by a human hand. It’ll also be just that tiny bit different from all others - making your piece truly one-of-a-kind.

All I have to do is pick out two pieces from the collection that would make my heart flutter, and trust me, this is hard. My jewellery box has been at the mercy of a curious toddler for the last year and I now have nothing worthy of a special occasion to wear.

But if pushed, I love this delicate linking Sterling Silver Bracelet - I’d wear it slightly loose so it shimmies over my wrist and catches the light. I can imagine wearing this and chucking canapes in my mouth at a candlelit gathering. It’s every inch what I hoped to wear at Christmas and impossibly inexpensive at just £97.70 > believe it or not, this is one of the pricier finds at The Real Effect.

To continue this glittering theme, I’d have this little beauty on my ring finger (or to give it its proper name, Fully Stone Set Cushion Cut Ring). Given Craigy is yet to ‘put a ring on it’, seeing me smile when I slip this baby on might give him the push he needs. This is exactly the style of engagement ring I want so it might even imprint itself on his memory when he takes that scary trip into Pravins to buy me the real thing. You wouldn’t believe this costs just £52.80 would you?!

The good news is that there’s plenty of time to enter yourself and there are three prizes up for grabs (£100, £60 and £40 to spend at The Real Effect!) so head on over and check it out - Best of luck with your entry (I promise not to boycott your blog if you beat me to a prize!). Finally, thanks Mel for such a lovely competition!

Oct 23 2014

Chicco Mamma Lullaby Night Light from Baby Thingz

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Unsettled Baby = Exhausted Mummy

(…. And don’t we all know it!)

I’ve been relatively lucky with Heidi and it’s usually easy to pinpoint the reasons for a meltdown; she’s ready for her next bottle, there’s something uncomfortable laying between nappy and bum, or you’ve laid her down in her cot for a slumber. Of all of these times, the last is definitely the hardest to remedy, and most heartbreaking to hear as a parent.

She’s been in her own room for a month now. She’ll usually sleep through and seems plenty warm and peaceful enough when those eyes are closed, but until they are we’re treated to uncontrollable tantrums. Nightly she’ll question the audacity of Mummy & Daddy for leaving her in a room alone.

When Baby Thingz offered to send her a night light, I jumped at the chance. Although I secretly had doubts it would do anything to placate my little diva, anything was worth a shot. Cunningly, I chose the Chicco Mamma Lullaby Night Light which plays 15 minutes of uninterrupted lullaby in a cheeky attempt to drown out Heidi’s protestations.

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Yep we now have this audacious looking thing hanging off a cot rail to keep munchkin happy. With plenty for little little hands to explore, including spinning ball wheel (this plays a cheerful tune when spun), squeakers, mirror and little bird slider, Heidi now has something far more exciting than Mummy and Daddy to paw at. In theory.

Unfortunately Heidi seems unimpressed by her new bedfellow and would rather headbutt the guard rails instead. Thankfully the night light is easy to attach to her cot (and fully adjustable) so we can put it up high where she can’t hurt herself.

Chicco

The real winner here is the mood music. She has a choice of Classical, New Age or Gentle Nature sounds. These can be manually operated by selecting one of each of the musical notes on the front interface. The big chunky buttons are ideal for mum and dad when the lights are low and vision is impaired. Parents can also choose to have the sound on medium or high volume (the settings slider is located on the side of the night light so can’t be tampered with by Mini DJs). You can also silence the night light without scrambling for the off button by pressing a chunky button on the side.

When the music plays, you have the option of a static nightlight or multicoloured light show. The light show is brilliant, incredibly soft and subdued with each colour change purposefully slow so as not to distract Heidi from the task at hand.

Heidi

You can also record up to 40 secs of your voice to playback to baby and you’ll be surprised just how far 40 secs can go! Simply press the REC button on the side of the night light and project your voice at the front of the light. The big chunky heart shape on the front interface will then playback your voice. Heidi will sometimes unwittingly press this with a flailing appendage in her sleep and the whole house will be treated to a pre-recorded rendition of In the Night Garden by Mummy…. Lucky them, hey?

Usually priced at £34.99, it’s currently £16.99 from BabyThingz.com. To check out the rest of their baby products, including car seats, pushchairs, furniture and toys head to the website or say hello on Facebook or Twitter.

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