90:10 – Tapping into the inner child

Dan is right.

All the men I know have something in their lives that connects to the inner child. Man never completely grow up… they are committed to maturing and “evolving” but they never full grow up. 90% grown up…the other 10% not so much… sums it up just about right.

Anyhow, 90:10 is a men’s clothing line designed specifically to preserve the boyish part of our man. Currently they offer hoodies, T-shirts, sweatshirts and polo’s. Their design is simple yet elegant, childish but still suitable for a full grown man.

Mark was sent a navy blue 90:10 signature embroidered pullover hoodie to review. Features of the hoodie include:

• Made from 100% pure organic cotton
• Double kangaroo front pockets
• A draw string neck line
• Lightweight yet warm
• Close-fitting
• Small logo

The first sensation which grabs you once you have opened your package is the amazing softness of the fabric. We are quite a sporty family (at least when it comes to clothing) so we have our fair share of tracksuits and hoodies but it is really quite a rare thing to have something so soft. It is not possible for me to describe it in words; you will just have to order one to feel it for yourself 😉

But back to the hoodie – The 90:10 signature embroidered pullover hoodie is suitable for being worn all year round, no matter what nature has installed for us. This isn’t one of those mega thick hoodies which make you look like a snow man; this one is manufactured from medium weight cotton, which means that can even be worn as an undergarment if needed.

90:10 is also fairly unique in this modern world of corporate takeover, they are small, young(ish) and above all genuinely enthusiastic about their products and their company and best of all they want to do better. They are still connected to each other in such a way that customer feedback can have a noticeable impact on the way they do business, I know from experience. If they think your idea is an improvement over what they currently do they are only too happy to step it up to a new level of customer service.
So in conclusion 90:10 is a modern company with the quality of foundations that sets it on course to go far in the market place. I appreciate the cutting edge customer service and the absolute top level in quality from their products.

I have their website as a favourite in every browser, need I say more?

Oh, and if you fancy trying the amazing softness of this hoodie for yourself, you can use the discount code CUPID to receive 25% off your order.

MyPure Choice – Alva Caffeine Shampoo and Conditioner

If you remember my Christmas Wish List, I was after some new hair care products… I picked caffeine shampoo and conditioner for thinning hair from Alva to satisfy my need for something new.

Alva Naturkosmetik is a range of certified organic skin care products made in Osnabrück, Germany. Alva was established in 1988 and is now one of Europe’s leading natural skin care brands. The Alva range is split into several categories offering skin care items such as deodorant, shower gel, body lotion, hair care products as well as make up and a whole range of anti-ageing skin care, products for sensitive skin and acne prone skin. Their range is extensive and I am sure everyone would be able to pick something to suit their needs.

As an introduction to the brand I picked the Alva Caffeine Shampoo and Conditioner for Thinning Hair. Both these products are formulated with organic caffeine to stimulate circulation to the scalp, helping to strengthen both the roots and the hair follicles. Both, shampoo and conditioner are:

• Natural product
• Certified organic product
• Not tested on animals
• Suitable for vegetarian
• Suitable for vegans
• Paraben Free

Now let’s take a closer look at them.

Alva Caffeine Shampoo for Thinning Hair with Organic Caffeine

Ingredients: aloe vera, aqua, sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate, cocamidopropyl betaine (plant derived surfactants), citrus aurantium dulcis (orange fruit) water, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (plant derived emulsifier), caffeine, fragrance (natural), sodium hydroxide (pH regulator), citric acid, sodium phytate (antioxidants), limonene, linalool

Price: £15.00; currently on special at £13.50

Packaging: 250ml plastic bottle shaped container with top opening. The open-close mechanism is very secure and it doesn’t open as easy as one might want. I personally like it as it means that someone must really want to open it in order to get to the contents, but I can imagine this being a problem for elderly people especially those with arthritis. The bottle contains all relevant information including product description, direction for use, ingredients, manufacturer, measurements and best before date.

In use: I must admit it is totally different to all my previous shampoos. Alva Caffeine Shampoo comes in the form of a see-through watery like liquid. It is very runny and its texture is more like water than a gel, which I would expect from the shampoo. On the first wash it does lather, on the second wash it lathers slightly. Intellectually I know that less lathering means less chemicals in the product, so I am totally fine with this lack of “foam”. The shampoo must be left for 2 minutes before rinsing, which is not a problem but it helps to read the instructions 😉

Final thoughts: Water like texture takes a little time to get used to. I like the gentle orange fragrance, which doesn’t stay on your hair for long but does make the whole bathroom smell lovely when the shampoo is in use. The two minute leave in time possibly makes it unsuitable for that quick morning shower routine. It is however perfect for an evening bath time routine, when you really want to pamper yourself.

Alva Caffeine Conditioner for Thinning Hair with Organic Caffeine

Ingredients: aloe vera, aqua, citrus medica limonum (lemon fruit) water, jojoba oil, cetearyl alcohol (stabilizer), fragrance (natural), glyceryl stearate citrate (plant derived emulsifier, caffeine, galactoarabinan (larch extract), xanthan gum, pca glyceryl oleate (plant derived conditioning agent), citric cid, limonene, linalool

Price: £14.35; currently on special at £12.92

Packaging: 250ml plastic bottle shaped container with bottom opening. It is the same style of bottle that the shampoo is sold in but this time it stands upside down. This is actually very clever as the conditioner has a much thicker texture and the upright position helps with getting the contents near the exit thus helping with the dispensing of it. The bottle has the same secure open-close mechanism and it contains all the relevant information including product description, direction for use, ingredients, manufacturer, measurements and best before date.

In use: Again, something different to what I was expecting. The conditioner comes in the form of a pure while gel (it really reminds me of an old style toothpaste) but with one key difference – it is extremely light. It is a pure pleasure to use. I am not really sure how to describe it… maybe Jojoba Oil or Aloe Vera gives it this “magic” texture… whatever it is, I really like it.

Final thoughts: I am unable to fault it in any way. It spreads with ease, it smells lovely and it leaves my hair well nourished and smooth (which isn’t the case with every conditioner). Again it has to stay on your hair for 2 minutes but I would expect that from a “healing” conditioner.

So would I buy it again?

Yes. I would definitely buy both shampoo and conditioner. As a team this products work really well. I remember feeling the difference after just one use. My hair felt somehow stronger and they had much more life in them. After weeks of using it (which actually amounts to 6 uses, as with my dry hair I do not have a need for daily wash) I can see less shedding for sure. My brush doesn’t pick up so many “loose” hairs and my pillow is no longer covered with them in the morning.

Would I change anything?

If I could, I would make both products smell the same. I know that this might not be an option as they aren’t made from the same ingredients but I like harmony and different fragrant are not ideal for my nose.

Would I recommend it?

Yes. If you experiencing increased hair loss due to thinning hair this duo might be perfect for you. Their price isn’t outrageous and in my humble opinion they really work well, so it is worth paying.

Have you ever used any Alva products?

Do you have any experience with hair care products designed to strengthen your hair?

I would love to hear about any other recommendations you might have.

* Products featured in this post were provided for free by MyPure for review purpose.

Pet Box Subscription – Purrfectbox and Pawsomebox – Review & Giveaway

Lately box subscriptions have become a very popular phenomena, you can get almost everything this way: food, make-up, cosmetics, even clothing… so why should pet goodies be left behind?… well… they aren’t, not anymore!

Purrfectbox and Pawsomebox offer a box subscription for your cat or dog respectively. Every month you get a lovely box delivered to your door packed with goodies suitable for your beloved pet. The boxes aren’t totally personalized but they do take into consideration the breed and size of your pet.

Cost?

Well that depends…

If you want to order just one box or don’t like making long term commitments, each box will cost you £19.90 but if you were to subscribe for a year, the price drops 20% making each box only £15.90 (this price includes delivery charges).

So what’s inside the box?

This month our Pawsomebox contained:

• A Basketball rawhide chew, which can double up briefly as a toy
• A Nobbly Wobbly Ball
• Some Mutt & Jeff Crunchy Chicken Bites from Hollings
• A delightful Hot Dog Squeaky toy
• A collar LED light from Pet Gear
• Some bacon strips from Trixie

And…This month our Purrfectbox contained:

• Sanicat Clean wipes
• Cat toys
• Food selection from Scheshir
• Scratching post from Wasabycat
• Kitty treats from Zolux

Is it worth it?

Looking at the prices yes, both boxes offer good value for money and savings comparing to the cost of the separate purchase of each item included in the box.

But this isn’t just about prizes and savings. For me these boxes are treats for my little guys. We all treat our pets (at least I hope so) and sometimes it is nice for someone else to make a treat choice for you. It is not because I am lazy and don’t want to go to the pet store, it is simply due to the fact that I personally can learn something, I can discover new brands I’ve never heard of or some product I would otherwise never came across.

Looking at the content of two boxes I shared with you above, we will use most of the items included. The food and treats will get eaten for sure, as for the toys… we have banned all squeeze toys that squeak from the house, so there is no way my guys are getting their paws on this Hot Dog! But as we have a lot of friends with dogs, I am sure one of them will get on our “black list” soon enough and we will have the perfect gift for them next time we see each other – an annoying squeaky toy 😉 (ooh I feel like an evil villain plotting my sweet revenge).

My favourite item from our January cat box is: The bathing Mitt from Sonicat, simply because I’ve never heard of this product and I am really keen on trying it out. As for our doggie box it will be without doubt the Collar Flash Light. We have a few similar lights like this already but they are getting lost from time to time so having a spare one will defiantly come in very handy.

Do you like the idea of pet subscription boxes?

I hope you do because if so, you will have a chance to win 1 of 5 boxes for dogs or cats depending on your choice.

All you have to do is follow me, Purrfectbox and / or Pawsomebox on Twitter, RT the giveaway tweet and tweet us with a hashtag #purrBT if you want to win a a kitty box or #pawBT for a doggie one. If you own both, cats and dogs, and you can use both boxes, you can use both hashtags in your reply.

#Win a #pet goodie box! FLW me @pawsomeboxUK @purrfectboxUK RT and use hashtag #purrBT or #pawBT Full T&C http://wp.me/p3l2gI-1wd

https://twitter.com/AgataPokutycka/status/560798324199264256

Good Luck!

T&C:
1. Open to UK readers only.
2. One obligatory entry per reader – follow me Purrfectbox and/ or Pawsomebox on Twitter RT the tweet as stated above and tweet us with a hashtag #purrBT for a cat box or #pawBT for a dog box.
3. There will be 5 winners in total.
4. Each winner will receive one pet goodies box for either a cat or dog. The prize will be provided by Purrfectbox or Pawsomebox.
5. Winners will be picked at random and informed within 2 working days via Twitter.
6. Winners will have 7 working days to claim the prize, after this time, a new winner will be selected.
7. Closing date is Friday 6/02/2015 at 23:59pm, any entry made after this time will not be counted.

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions
Loquax – Home of The Lucky Duck
SuperLucky Blog Giveaways Linky

***

7/02/2015 WINNERS UPDATE

Well done to:

@felixisfriend
@marjoleine72
@bobbylolly570
@cripaltron
@ChanetteKennedy

Why all pet owners should use PetsPyjamas?

Ok, I know what you are thinking now… “Why on earth would I need pet pyjamas?”… You wouldn’t but you might need PetsPyjamas – the website where smart pet lovers go 🙂

PetsPyjamas is the number one lifestyle website for smart pet owners – putting you and your pet at the forefront of everything we do, from providing the very best products and services to arranging your next pet friendly holiday.

There are a lot of aspects to the PetsPyjamas website. It is not just your average online pet shop. You can find in there all sorts of information that you may need relating to your pet, including pet-friendly travel, pet services and a lot of well written articles covering all sort of pet related topics like travel, wellbeing or current trends.

To make PetsPyjamas even more attractive they run a PetPoints scheme. For every purchase you make you are rewarded with points which you can then swop for goodies. I know that a lot of shops run reward schemes like this but here you can actually get something useful without the need for collection your point for ages and ages. You will get 10 PetPoints (more or less) for every £1 spent and the rewards can be redeemed starting for as little as 500 points, which means that your £50 purchase could already yield a free gift…

Actually you get 400 points as a joining bonus so… you do the math 😉

The PetPoints scheme is one thing which makes me want to shop on PetsPyjamas but there is something else which in my humble opinion beats it – shopping by breed. Bunk is giant (as a generic breed only… as an individual dog he is actually on the skinny side), which makes shopping for him rather difficult. So many times I have spotted something I would love to buy for him, only to find out that this particular item is not available in his size. PetsPyjamas gives you an option to shop by breed – for both cats and dogs – which will bring in your search results only items suitable for your selected breed.

No more getting excited about that nice new collar, which is only available for “cat” sized dogs.

But this isn’t all the things I like about the website. I also like all the additional bonus information which you can find on the PetsPyjamas site, especially all the Pet Services. Currently they have a selection of both pet friendly services and pet friendly places covering:

Every vendor on the website is described in detail and has a review page, so you know exactly what to expect. This really makes life easier, doesn’t it? No more hours of internet searching and checking forums for feedback on that new sitter or groomer you found… now all you need to do is open PetsPyjamas and pick your location.

Have you ever used PetPyjamas?

Did you know that they offered so much more than just an online pet shop?

* Post written in collaboration with PetsPyjamas

Parragon Book Buddy – Food Heroes “Use Your Noodle”

I don’t know about you but I love noodles. Now it isn’t my go to food when thinking about what shall we eat tonight as the option gets drowned out with other choices in my planning stage, but and it is a big but, when I do actually have them I really, really love them. So why does this dilemma exist there is a food I love but my thoughts do not offer it up as a solution to the daily what shall we eat conundrum. Well as it turns out it’s all about ideas regarding the different ways of preparing them, how do I know this you may wonder, I have a little helper in my corner 🙂 Parragon books sent me a “Use Your Noodle” cookbook and I am very grateful.

This cookbook is packed with yummy recipes from all over the world covering different types of noodles.

The cookbooks’ contents are split into four main chapters:

A Bird in the Hand – covering all your bird based noodles recipe

From the Farm – covering farm meats like pork or lamb

From the Sea – this part is packed with recipes requiring prawns, cod, tuna and all the other lovely types of fish

Veg Out – the last chapter is for all veggie lovers out there

After reading just a few pages, how easy they are and how amazing they look and taste noodles are on my mind.

In addition to lots of recipes, like all Love Food cookbooks I have had the pleasure to read, “Use Your Noodle” also contains a lot of useful hints and tips. My favourite is the “know your noodle” part.

In just two pages is an easy to understand explanation about many different types of noodles covering such wonders as:

Soba – mainly made from buckwheat flour and did you know the most popular noodles in Japan.

Ramen – this wheat flour noodle is generally treated as a comfort food and used in a variety of broth-based recipes.

Udon – generally thick and white, made with semi whole-wheat flour; they are light and very easy to digest.

Rice – they are made from rice flour and these are my favourite 🙂

Egg – made with wheat flour, water and eggs – they cook fast and are idea as all-purpose noodles.

As I said above the cookbook is packed with a great selection of recipes. As you would expect from Parragon books all the recipes have a clear indication of both preparation and cook times as well as how many people it will serve. Every recipe has a clear ingredients list and easy to follow cooking instructions and best of all you can see a full colour picture of the final dish so you know what you are aiming for.

I have a few favourite picks from the book.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Steak & Soba Noodle Salad

Udon Noodle Stir-Fry with Fish Cake & Ginger

Sichuan Noodles

So now when I am out shopping I am always on the hunt for new and exciting noodle options as I plan to get myself a nice selection of noodles to cook with.

Do you like noodles?

What’s your favourite noodle dish.

***
Food Heroes: Use Your Noodle
ISBN 978-1-4723-6451-7
Published by Parragon Books Ltd in 2014
Part of Love Food
Number of pages: 128
RRP: £6
Paperback; perfect bound

*I received this book for free from Parragon as a part of my Book Buddy pack.
**All pictures in this post are from “Use Your Noodle” cookbook.

Lifespan of the shoe featuring Mist by Hotter

I am a huge shoe junky. If given a choice of handbags, jewellery, make-up or any other tempting goodies I will always go for the shoes… but I also have high standards… I love shoes but not just any shoes. For me a pair of shoes must have “soul”; they must be comfortable, well made, friendly for my feet and yes, they must look good too.

When we moved out of London I still wanted, indeed needed to fit my love of shoes into our new countryside lifestyle. Unfortunately this did mean replacing some of my brightly coloured and funky footwear with something more suitable for a “village” life, something that would be more in line with my age and the new type of activities that you do in the countryside; Yet something still classy, still comfortable, and yes still good quality and funky looking.

My search for such footwear had led me to Hotter.

I found myself a pair of Mist shoes – flat shoes with a breathable lining, cushioned insole and lightweight soles. When I tried them on I knew that these shoes will become my best friend and I just had to buy them.

At first they were just a going out daily shoes but very soon they became my go to shoes and once we got Lilly they turned into my walking shoes. I could walk in them for hours and hours either sun or rain; no matter the weather conditions my feet were dry, warm and comfortable.

I have had my first pair of Mist for 6 years now. During this time:

I lost my insoles or at least a top part of it

The soles have developed visible signs of usage but are still intact and in perfect order

The shoes became a bit out of shape

And Bunk from time to time has had a chew on my shoe laces

That’s all… 6 long years of wear and tear and these are the only things I have to report. Yes, they might not look as nice and fresh as a brand new pair but they are still fully usable shoes; they still keep my feet dry and warm and provide the same comfort as they did the first day I tried them on (maybe even more as they have moulded to my feet over the years).

Last year I’ve got a new pair of Mist, exactly the same, also in brown. I have had them since February but I didn’t put them on until this October. I knew that I had this lovely, comfortable pair of shoes in my cupboard but I simply couldn’t say goodbye to my original pair… and I still didn’t. Now I use my 6 years old pair for the dog walking and any “dirty” work (like gardening) and my new pair are have now became my “go to town” pair of shoes 🙂

I’ve just checked the Hotter website and they no longer make Mist in brown, they do however have a beautiful red version now. I know I will not “need” a new pair for a long, long time yet I am extremely tempted by the new red ones.

Mist by Hotter are currently sold in a choice of four colours: black, navy, sangria (aka red) and smoke / limestone. They have an RRP of £90 and come in sizes from UK 3 up to UK 9. You can pick a standard or wide fit version. They feature GORE-TEX lining, have lace-up fastening and are built to last! I can personally vouch for all these points!

If you are in the market for a new pair of walking shoes, look no further!

What’s your favourite pair of shoes?

Do you go for comfort or looks when it comes to footwear?

MyPure Choice – Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Day and Night Cream

Natural Being is a new range of affordable natural skin care from New Zealand. Natural Being uses only natural ingredients and each product in the range has been certified natural by BDIH. There are 9 natural skin care products to choose from, these include cleansers, face cream, eye cream & body cream. They feature some great active natural ingredients including manuka oil & manuka honey. As with all the brands they stock at MypPure Natural Being is not tested on animals.

This is the brand description from the MyPure website.

I liked it, so I decided to give Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Day and Night Cream a go.

Both creams are:

• A natural product
• A vegetarian product
• Not tested on animals

Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Day Cream – Normal to dry skin

What to expect: Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Day Cream is a nourishing cream which prevents dehydration and roughness, while enhancing suppleness and clarity. A highly effective blend of botanical oils and Vit E gently enriches the skin and fights free radical damage to keep the first signs of ageing at bay.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), Cetearyl olivate, Sorbitan olivate, Cetyl palmitate, Sorbitan palmitate, Glycerin (vegetable glycerin), Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil**, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter**, Squalane, Glucose, Mel (manuka honey), fragrance (natural essential oils), Xanthan gum, Glucose oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) oil, Citronellol*, Eugenol*, Limonene*, Linalool

Packaging: The cream comes in a tube like container with a security seal on the opening, so you can be sure it is new and never opened before. It is packed in the box containing all the relevant information including: name and description of the product, instructions on how to use it, full ingredients list, manufacturer details and use by date.

In use: The day cream is very light, despite being called rich. It spreads with ease and leaves my skin smooth and well moisturised. It doesn’t leave me with that “heavy” feeling some “rich” creams do. It is white in colour and has quite a light and runny texture. The fragrance was a nice surprise. Most of the natural products I have tried do not have the best of fragrance out there; however Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Day Cream actually smells very nice. It is very gentle and almost none existent but it is there. I was wondering if after some time the fragrance would change, but it didn’t.

Final thoughts: Fantastic day cream which will not break your bank balance. With a RRP of £12 it is a great buy. It leaves my skin soft and it doesn’t cause any irritations. It absorbs well without being greasy or leaving oily patches. Well worth it and I have no objection in recommending it.

Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Night Cream – Normal to dry skin

What to expect: Natural Being Manuka Honey Rich Night Cream is a deeply nourishing cream formulated to replenish moisture lost during the day. Enriched with Active Manuka Honey, anti-microbial Manuka Oil and botanical emollients, it works while you sleep to improve suppleness and help the skin repair and renew itself.

Ingredients: Aqua (water), Cetearyl olivate, Sorbitan olivate, Persea gratissima (avocado) oil, Vitis Vinifera (grape) seed oil, Cetyl palmitate, Sorbitan palmitate, Glycerin (vegetable glycerin), Squalane, Cetearyl alcohol, Butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, Daucus carota (carrot) extract, Glucose, Mel (manuka honey), fragrance (natural essential oils), Sclerotium gum, Glucose oxidase, Lactoperoxidase, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Liptospermum scoparium (manuka) oil, Citronellol*, Eugenol*, Limonene*, Linalool*

Packaging: Same as the day cream, the night version comes in a tube like container with a security seal on the opening, so you can be sure it is new and never been opened before. It is packed in the box containing all the relevant information including: name and description of the product, instructions on how to use it, full ingredients list, manufacturer details and use by date.

In use: The night cream is a bit thicker than the day cream version. It is also a bit more yellowy in colour. These are the only two differences I can spot really. Again, it absorbs well and it nourishes my skin during the night. After a week or so, I’ve notice that the dry flaky skin on my forehead going away – I am not sure if it was the night cream that did it or the day cream or a combination of the two. It also has the same gentle fragrance as the day cream.

Final thoughts: I am not able to fault it in any way. With an RRP of £14 it is still a great buy and I would be happy to purchase it again.

There are more products in the Natural Being range. I think that an eye cream would be a perfect addition to my current routine… and a cleanser and a tonic gel… oh well… it looks like I will have to buy them all 🙂

Have you ever used any of the Natural Being products or any other manuka honey based skin care?

*From natural essential oils
**Certified organic

Products featured in this post were provided for free by MyPure for review purpose.

Let there be light – Sensio Furniture Lighting Solution

It’s 6am and I am up. Mark is still deep asleep and not snoring as he will claim later. I put my dressing gown on and slowly wandered to the bathroom for my morning routine. 15 minutes later I am done and it is time to get dressed… now I facing straight into that common dilemma… I will either be getting dressed in total darkness or I have to put the main light on, which will most likely wake up my non snoring other half… hmmm what to do, I need to rummage and find my outfit for the day!

Sensio has a solution – a rechargeable wardrobe light which can detect movement. You open your wardrobe door and taadaa – the light comes on!

I know as I was sent one for testing.

To be honest I’ve never even considered putting a light into my wardrobe, but having one, especially this time of the year makes a lot of sense. The light is bright enough, so I don’t have to play “cave woman” in the morning, yet it is angled into the wardrobe in such a way so it is not too overpowering for anyone else in the room, thus will not cause the waking up scenario I am so desperate to avoid.

The Sensio Solus has a rechargeable battery fitting. There is no wiring required so it is extremely simple to install, anyone can do it. If used for 2.5 minutes a day the Solus will only need to be recharged every 8 months or so, so it is really the definition of simple to maintain… I think I am taking at least triple this time to actually pick my clothes but still, the battery life is very impressive.

Key features of the Sensio Solus light (as stated on the website):

• Contains a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. No electrical installation required.
• The product is cable free for ease of installation.
• Rechargeable via a pluggable USB charger.
• Angled surface light to reduce glare.
• Features an integrated PIR (person in room) sensor which automatically switches the light on when the wardrobe/cabinet door is opened.
• The detection range of the PIR is 2m, meaning the fitting can be positioned as required inside the furniture.
• If movement is not detected for 30 seconds or more the light will temporarily switch off to reduce wastage of the battery power.
• The run time of the product is 8 months based on 2.5 minutes of use per day. The charging time is 6.5 hours on average.
• The perfect fitting for use inside wardrobes with several storage compartments.
• The product has an additional on/off switch for optional use.

The price starts from £41.88. I know what you are thinking now… yes, I agree it isn’t cheap, but none of the new LED lighting products are.

Did you know that LED lightening is the most efficient lighting solution invented to date? For example an incandescent bulb releases 90 percent of their energy as heat, LEDs use energy far more efficiently with very little wasted heat. LED lights also have a significantly longer life span as well so no more days of no light whilst you try and remember to pick a new bulb up whilst you’re out shopping.

I think that for what it offers, the price isn’t as scary as it might at first look. And to be honest use of a light like this doesn’t have to be limited to a wardrobe. We have a pantry in the kitchen… with no light… it would actually be a perfect spot for this little Sensio Solus light… or a staircase… as the light is detecting movement it will turn itself on as someone is approaching… the uses are unlimited… all those very dark corners of your house, garage or even garden shed can now be bathed in useful bright light.

No more darkness – let there be light!

Beanies The Flavour Co Coffee – Review and Giveaway

I have been aware of Beanies Coffee for quite some time now. As a coffee lover I find the idea of flavoured coffee very attractive. Not that there is anything wrong with coffee’s natural flavour, but if you can take it to the next level and make it even better why not?

Beanies The Flavour Co offers a fantastic selection of:

• Premium roast coffee
• Supermarket range ground coffee

…and last but not least

• Instant flavour coffee

Their choice of flavours is amazing. From Orange Chocolate or Cinnamon Hazelnut through Ginger Bread or Very Vanilla to seasonal flavours like Christmas Pudding or Mulled Spice. And the choice of premium roast coffee is even more impressive: brandy, toffee, chocolate, macadamia nut or whisky, just to name a few… everyone should be able to pick something to their liking.

I was sent two 50g jars of instant coffee to try: Irish Cream and Amaretto Almond. Both of these instant coffees have a medium strength and they are sold in glass jars with a twist on lid. They are 100% sugar free and have less than 2 calories per serving. They are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.

Both the coffees taste delicious but Amaretto Almond Flavour Instant Coffee totally won my heart over. When you open the jar you are met with a strong amaretto and almond aroma. At first I was a bit worried that the flavours would be extremely overpowering, but they are not… they are just spot on; making having a cup of coffee an even more really special moment.

From time to time I would browse over to the Beanies website and try to place an order. It never happened as I wasn’t able to make up my mind, total choice overload, in regards to the flavours I want to try. Now I know that making a choice is pointless. I have to try them all, otherwise how will I ever be able to pick my favourite?

Beanies Irish Cream and Amaretto Almond flavours instant coffees recently reached Tesco. In celebration Beanies The Flavour Co is offering three of you the chance to try these two flavours.

If you are a coffee lover and would like to indulge yourself a little please follow me and Beanies on Twitter and RT the tweet below.

Follow and RT @AgataPokutycka and @Beanies_Flavour to #win 2 jars of delicious flavoured #coffee. 3 winners! T&C at http://wp.me/p3l2gI-1on

https://twitter.com/AgataPokutycka/status/534307286647586816

Good Luck!

T&C:
1. Open to UK readers only.
2. One obligatory entry per reader – follow me and Beanies on Twitter and RT as stated above. Extra RT will count as additional entries.
3. There will be 3 winners in total.
4. Each winner will receive 1 x 50g Irish Cream and 1 x 50g Amaretto Almond jar of Beanies instant coffee. The prize will be provided by Beanies The Flavour Co.
5. Winners will be picked at random and informed within 7 working days via Twitter.
6. Winners will have 7 working days to claim the prize, after this time, a new winner will be selected.
7. Closing date is Wednesday 26-11-2014 at 23:59pm, any entry made after this time will not be counted.

ThePrizeFinder – UK Competitions
Loquax – Home of The Lucky Duck
SuperLucky Blog Giveaways Linky

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2/12 WINNERS UPDATE

Well done to:

Sara @Latte_lover1

Matt @M4ttr1987

Julie @relisys222

I hope you will enjoy Beanies coffee as much as we do 🙂

Review – multiVAPE by multiCIG – Hope for all the smokers out there

*by Mark

There comes a time when you start to question aspects of your life and wonder if what you are doing is really in your best interest. For me it was the other day whilst standing in the wind and rain having a cigarette. I had been fighting off a cold for a couple of days so my chest was already tight and uncomfortable, and here I was in abject misery, cold and wet, compounding the situation.

Time for a different approach I think to myself!

Now followers of Bark Time will already know that this is not the first time we have been at this crossroads and that we both have played at various solutions to our addiction. From patches to white plastic tubes with cartridges in them to even dabbling in the new e-cig vapping craze, but as we have already established I was standing in the wind and rain smoking so obviously nothing has worked so far.

Then in a wonderful case of synchronicity we were offered to try a multiVAPE by multiCIG. Yes it is another type of e-cig but this one has a presence that begs you to pay attention, so I did.

The package arrived and the first thing that struck me was the weight, it had some. I was expecting a fly weight box but this one felt though it has some substance, eagerly I opened it. Inside all nicely boxed in individual compartments was the highly polished silver e-cig, a charger, a small bottle of the liquid in natural tobacco flavour and the ubiquitous user manual.

The e-cig itself is a solid well engineered item that splits into three parts. You have the mouthpiece, the chamber where the atomizer is surrounded by clear glass or plastic (hard to tell which) were you pour the liquid and can easily see how much is left and then finally is the base where the rechargeable battery is. The instructions state that you must fully charge the battery before using so I dutifully plugged it in to discover it had come fully charged already, a nice touch. The next step was a little fiddly as you have to fill the liquid reservoir without getting any into the atomizer, a task for a steady hand. Then simply screw the pieces together, easy.

Depressing the tiny button on the side 5 times powers up the e-cig and a comforting blue light lets you know you’re good to go. Then it’s a simple case of using like a regular cigarette except when you go to inhale you have to press the button to activate the atomizer.

First impressions where very good for me as the smoke actually had some substance. I had taken a big drag expecting the sensation to be very mild and ended up coughing just like I did when I first had a proper cigarette; the second go was much more restrained. If you have ever tried to smoke a shisha pipe it is a remarkably similar experience, the smoke is cool with texture and flavour. Now don’t expect the taste to be anything like your go to packet you smoke every day, you do need to look at this as a new brand. It was very good at satisfying the cravings and had the additional benefit that you only need a couple of drags and your done, no more smoking the second half of a cigarette even though you don’t really want it just because they are too expensive to throw away!

In the true nature of showbiz my e-cig saved its biggest plus till last and it came a couple of days later. My chest relaxed and my mouth stopped feeling like a parrot’s cage in the mornings. I could breathe much easier and taste my food better; this is awesome as far as I am concerned.

I have been using my multiVAPE for a couple of weeks now and the love affair is well and strong, yes I have had a couple of regular cigarettes but I now found that they actually taste awful so that desire is going away.

The other thing I would mention is that the liquid you buy comes in a variety of flavours such as menthol, coffee, cherry with more planned in the future, happy me. The bottles are rather small when you first see one and I wondered how long they would last. I put around 1/3rd into the chamber of me e-cig and it took me almost 4 days to empty it, and I am not a casual smoker, so the savings over £9 a pack cigarettes is HUGE!

Though, all is not perfect in the e-cig world. The one and only complaint I have against the system is if you leave it lying around for the night for example in the morning when you take your first drag it gurgles as if some of the liquid has leaked out or the atomizer has flooded. On one occasion it did actually deliver some unvaporised liquid into my mouth which was not tasty at all, it has only happened once to be fair so may have been my handling as opposed to a design fault. I have since discovered that if you prop it up when not using so the mouth-piece is elevated then the problem is completely eradicated.

In conclusion I think this system is the future, it works for me and I would happily recommend it to my friends. It will save you money, save your lungs, restore your taste buds and bring you into the 21st century.

Go forth and Vap!

Do you Vap? Did you try or are you one of the rare none-smoking healthy types?