The stylish, must-have essential for parents – Stokke Limas Carriers

Getting around as a parent can be hard, if not impossible. In fact, even doing things around your house can be hard with a baby. This is why I could not live without a baby sling. I have tried many over the years so I thought I would review the Stokke Limas Carriers.

Stokke® Limas™ Carrier,

Stokke® Limas™ Carrier, Espresso Brown.

Featuring three hero products, Stokke® Limas™ Carrier, Stokke® Limas™ Carrier Plus and Stokke® Limas™ Carrier Flex, the range delivers stylish, must-have essentials that allow parents and caregivers to go completely hands-free when on the go or at home with their baby. Helping to facilitate closeness and bonding as well as providing optimal comfort and support from birth and beyond, the carriers enable both parent and child to grow confident together, every step of the way.

Not only does the new collection adjust to accommodate infants, but it supports the child’s physical and physiological development along the way. The carrier expands as your baby grows, to support the growth of the hips, spinal column and muscles; as well as providing them with a whole new sensory experience, helping to stimulate the brain.

I found the Stokke Limas Carrier to be comfortable and stylish. It looks great and is easy-to-use. Highly recommended. 

Solid Beauty Bars The Ultimate Travel Essentials

I adore beauty bars. None of the guilt of plastic, and all of the beauty benefits. They are perfect for traveling because they can’t explode in your bag or leak. Hurray!

Solid Beauty Bars – The Ultimate Travel Essentials

When it comes to travelling, the struggle to streamline and squeeze in all of our beauty essentials can make packing feel like a mean feat – especially with carry-on restrictions and tight luggage allowances. Hack your summer holiday packing and forgo the liquid hassle altogether with solid beauty bars from Eco Warrior.

These compact, job-specific, plastic-free, solid cleansing bars are not only kind to your skin, hair and the planet, but also help to take the stress out of packing – replacing bulky and heavy liquid bottles, you can simply pop your Eco Warrior bars in your hand luggage, without the risk of any leaking or spilling. From washing and exfoliating, to shaving and shampooing Eco Warrior has all your cleansing needs covered…in solid form. It’s time to hit the bar this summer!

eco soap, beauty bar, beauty, review, soap, shampoo, face

Mini-Bars with Bottle for Everyday Cleansing
Eco Warrior Mini Cube – £8/ 4 x 30g
your essential face, hair and body cleansing routine in mini form – pocket sized perfection for cleansing away from home.

Shampoo Bar – with a blend of Orange & Ginger essential oils to stimulate the scalp and Pink Clay to deeply cleanse and hydrate, this solid shampoo cleans, conditions and moisturises hair. Why take two bottles into the shower when one mini-bar will do?
Sensitive Facial Bar – with a Chamomile & Calendula essential oil blend, this nourishing facial bar is gentle enough to use on sensitive skin and good to use all over the body.

Exfoliating Bar – Fragranced with a pure Citrus essential oil blend, this solid, moisturising body scrub is made with oatmeal – a natural, soothing exfoliant to help gently buff away dead, dull skin cells, for soft, smooth, supple skin.

Shaving Bar – a luxurious, naturally lathering bar with Coconut Oil and Shea Butter, fragranced with a pure blend of Bergamot and Lime essential oils to moisture, and soothe the skin pre, post and during your shave.

Targeted Cleansing Bars
Eco Warrior Clear Skin Bar – £4.50/100g
for those with oily, acne-prone skin this clarifying and richly moisturising black cleansing bar contains Charcoal to reduce excessive sebum, Grapeseed Oil to nourish and soothe dry, sensitive skin, with an antibacterial Tea Tree essential oil blend.

eco soap, beauty bar, beauty, review, soap, shampoo, face

Eco Warrior Sensitive Scalp Shampoo Bar – £5.50/100g
for a uber-gentle, scalp sensitive cleanse this shampoo bar contains a blend of White Clay and Clary Sage Oil to gently and naturally cleanse and moisturise your hair and scalp.
fragranced with a clearing, pure essential oil blend of Mint and Eucalyptus to help keep the scalp happy and heathy.

Vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable, biodegradable, recyclable and plastic-free – Eco Warrior bars have major impact on cleansing, minimum impact on the environment. And as you’ve come to expect from this certified B Corporation collection – totally from detergents, SLS, sulphates, alcohol, parabens, sorbates, silicones, and synthetic preservatives.
littlesoapcompany.co.uk

Eco Warrior bars are available from Ocado, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and littlesoapcompany.co.uk
@eco_warrior_soap | @little_soap_co

The Accomplice By Steve Cavanagh Book Review

I love Eddie Flynn and The Accomplice is the best Eddie Flynn novel yet. Yes, I know I say that every time, but this time it is true. Steve Cavanagh is one of the best crime writers of our times. Full stop. It left me terrified, excited and completely engrossed. The hardest thing about this book is not reading it all in one sitting. Clear a day in your diary and ignore everything else.
The Accomplice doesn’t take the easy, obvious path. It is full of surprises. It will break your heart and thrill you all at once. Brilliant.

steve cavanagh the accomplice

THE MOST HATED WOMAN IN AMERICA

The Sandman killings have been solved. Daniel Miller murdered fourteen people before he vanished. His wife, Carrie, now faces trial as his accomplice. The FBI, the District Attorney, the media and everyone in America believe she knew and helped cover up her husband’s crimes.

THE LAWYER

Eddie Flynn won’t take a case unless his client is innocent. Now, he has to prove to a jury, and the entire world, that Carrie Miller was just another victim of the Sandman. She didn’t know her husband’s dark side and she had no part in the murders. But so far, Eddie and his team are the only ones who believe her.

THE FORMER FBI AGENT

Gabriel Lake used to be a federal agent, before someone tried to kill him. Now, he’s an investigator with a vendetta against the Sandman. He’s the only one who can catch him, because he believes that everything the FBI knows about serial killers is wrong.

THE KILLER

With his wife on trial, the Sandman is forced to come out of hiding to save her from a life sentence. He will kill to protect her and everyone involved in the case is a target.

Even Eddie Flynn…

The Accomplice is available here.

Natural travelling companions… Skincare Travel Kits from Live in the Light

Ensure naturally nurtured skin whilst on your travels with a luxurious Skincare Travel Kit from Live in the Light – the natural and organic lifestyle store.

Each Travel Kit contains a carefully curated selection of Pure Anada’s finest skincare, haircare and bodycare allowing you to pamper and protect wherever you may wander!
Travel Kits are presented in a black mesh zippered bag making them the perfect pressie for any natural product lover.
There are two skincare options – Balancing and Hydrating – and a bodycare/haircare option with a fresh lime fragrance making it perfect for men or women.
pure beauty

A bit about Pure Anada…
Pure Anada’s goal is to create luxurious, affordable skincare, haircare, bodycare and cosmetics exclusively using ingredients that are derived from nature.
Clean Formulations – natural colourants, natural essential oils and organic food-grade fragrances, plant-based oils, butters and waxes and bio-based preservation systems.
Free from Common Allergens – Pure Anada is committed to choosing ingredients that are least likely to cause skin irritations and allergic reactions. With that said, it may still be possible to be sensitive to a naturally-sourced ingredient.
Products do NOT contain: Gluten (our Vitamin E is derived from Rice Bran or non-GMO soy), Tree Nuts, Bismuth Oxychloride (a common mineral irritant).Cruelty-Free

Cruelty-Free – Pure Anada does not test products on animals or purchase ingredients from suppliers that do. Pure Anada has been certified as a cruelty-free manufacturer by the Leaping Bunny Program.

Balancing Skincare Travel Kit
£25.00
Balancing Skincare Travel Kit from Live in the Light
For normal skin types.

The Balancing Skincare Travel Kit includes:

– Delectable Cleanser (50ml)

– Hydrating Toner (50ml)

– Mellow Hydrator (7ml)

– Anti-oxidant Cream (7ml)

Hydrating Skincare Travel Kit
£25.00
Hydrating Skincare Travel Kit from Live in the Light
For dry skin types.

The Hydrating Skincare Travel Kit includes:

– Calming Cleanser (50ml)

– Garden Facial Mist (50ml)

– Hydrating Cream – Berry & Bouquet (7ml)

– Revive Moisturizing Serum (7ml)

Personal Care Travel Kit
£25.00
Personal Care Travel Kit from Live in the Light
The Personal Care Travel Kit includes:

– Shampoo – Vanilla Lime (120ml)

– Conditioner – Vanilla Lime (120ml)

– Hand & Body Lotion – White Grapefruit & Lime (30ml)

– SoulDeo Travel Deodorant Stick – Lime & Bergamot (14g)

– Lip Balm – Lime (5g)

Pure Anada’s Travel Kits are available in the UK from…
Live in the Light – the online natural and organic lifestyle store www.liveinthelight.co.uk

About Live in the Light…
Live in the Light is an online natural and organic lifestyle store sourcing a comprehensive collection of natural and chemical-free ranges including skincare, bodycare, colour cosmetics, hair and nail care, mother & baby, men’s grooming, home fragrance and pet care.
With an emphasis on ‘living life naturally’, many of the brands on the website are exclusive to Live in the Light in the UK and include Annemarie Gianni, Pure Anada, Fat & The Moon, Marley’s Monsters, Orgaid, Carina Organic, Live in the Light, Tin Feather, Meta-Pora, Earthbath and Vermont Soap.

Website – www.liveinthelight.co.uk
Instagram – @liveinthelight3
Twitter – @liveinthelight1
Facebook – www.facebook.com/liveinthelightuk

Frost Loves Katherine Daniels Skincare | Mile High Heroes

Whether it’s a short trip or a long-haul flight, flying can wreak havoc on our skin. With summer holidays fast approaching, it’s time to consider our in-flight skincare!

Katherine Daniels Co-Founder and Skin Specialist Kirsti Shuba says, “When cruising at 30,000 feet, your skin is exposed to recycled air, increased air pressure and decreased humidity. Plus, you’re never going to be closer to the sun than you are on a plane. All of these factors can be a skin recipe for disaster – think dull, dehydrated, puffy, parched, lined complexions…”

“These mile high heroes will tackle the three key in-flight skin saboteurs to ensure you arrive at your destination with a fresh, healthy, hydrated complexion.”

1. Air Pressure = Puffiness

“Low cabin pressure, along with a reduction in your circulation from inactivity and lack of muscle movement will cause puffiness – you’ll notice this in your feet, fingers, ankles and especially around the eyes. Apply our Katherine Daniels Instant Effect Eye Masks (£65 / 4 treatments) and leave on for at least 20 minutes! You’ll arrive looking like you’ve had a good 8 hours sleep. Plus, the handy packaging means you can take a single pack on board and activate it when you need to!”

activated right before use, these salon-strength eye masks work to intensely hydrate, firm, plump, revitalise and lift the skin around the delicate eye area.
Sea Kelp – a mega hydrator and antioxidant, packed with a mineral complex to stimulate your skin to act more youthfully.
Mineral Complex (Calcium and Sodium) – awaken the moisture channels in your skin to hydrate, increase cell energy and cell regeneration. Skin will become visibly denser, firmer and plumper.
Hyaluronic Acid – hydrates the upper layers of your skin and maintains optimal moisture levels.
2. Low humidity = Dehydration

“The amount of moisture present in air cabins is around 20% – in the UK it’s around 40-60%. Lack of humidity draws moisture out of your skin, leading to dehydration, which causes skin to appear dull, parched, lined and even greasy if you have an oilier skin type. Say goodbye to dehydration by applying a thick layer of our Katherine Daniels Rehydrating Cream (£49 / 50ml) and leave it to sink into your skin. After 10 minutes massage in any remaining cream.”

this intelligent, salon-strength moisturising cream delivers a serious hit of immediate and long-term hydration for smooth, plump skin with renewed density and radiance.
Intelligent Aqua Bio Complex – reduces water loss and improves distribution of hydration within the skin. Fortifies the skin’s natural barrier to maintain plumpness and improve skin density.
Turbo Moisturising Complex – to give your skin an advanced, rapid hit of hydration.
Hydranov – faster and 3x more efficient than Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate and restructure the skin.
Seaweed Extract (Rhodella Viollacea Complex) – a fast-acting, long-term hydrator to oxygenate your skin and restore radiance.
3. UV rays = Premature Ageing

“You’ll need your SPF when you arrive, but you also need it in-flight… Plane windows are designed to block out UVB (burning rays), but they don’t block out UVA (ageing rays), which are the main cause of premature ageing. After you’ve massaged in your Rehydrating Cream apply a thin layer of our Katherine Daniels Daily DNA Defence SPF30 (£55 / 50ml) to protect your skin from UVA rays and blue light pollution.”

an invisible veil of advanced photoaging technology to defend, repair and protect your skin from the damaging effects of UVA & UVB rays, blue light and pollution.
UVA & UVB Filters – both physical and chemical broad-spectrum SPF 30 to protect skin from UV rays.
Active DNA Defence and Repair Enzymes (from Micro Algae & Plankton)
These powerful anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-free radical enzymes block cell damage, protect against and repair DNA damage from UV, blue light and pollution exposure.
Chamomile Extract – calms and soothes the skin
katherinedanielscosmetics.com
@k_d_cosmetics

Travel-Sized Beauty – What you need to pack

Whether you’re jetting off abroad or planning a spontaneous weekend away, your favourite beauty products make for essential packing. We all know that deciding which products will accompany you on your travels is no mean feat.

From skincare to haircare, each of the sets below features the same iconic formulations you know and love, while fitting neatly inside that trusty zip-lock bag. Whether you’re looking to smooth legs post sunbathe, or nourish strands post-swim, these kits make the perfect travel companions.

beauty, beauty review, travel, travel size,

AMELIORATE 3 Steps To Smooth Skin – RRP £21.00 (Worth £26.00)

The perfect holiday accessory! 3 Steps to Smooth Skin smooths away bumps and softens and moisturises rough, dry skin and Keratosis Pilaris. The simple, proven formula, Exfoliate + Cleanse + Transform, is designed so each step enhances the next, smoothing bumps and leaving your skin softer, renewed, and moisturised for 24 hours. Holiday ready!

Contents: Smoothing Body Exfoliant (50ml), Nourishing Body Wash (60ml), and Transforming Body Lotion (50ml).

 

Christophe Robin Travel Essentials – RRP £36.00

A three-step ritual for a fresh scalp and hydrated, lightweight hair from roots to tips, wherever you go! Deeply cleanse, hydrate, smooth, and volumise with this iconic trio, with concentrated yet gentle formulas and scents designed to ignite the senses.

Contents: Cleansing Purifying Scrub With Sea Salt (75ml), Hydrating Melting Mask With Aloe Vera (75ml), and Instant Volumising Leave-In Mist With Rose Water (50ml).

 

Coggles: Eve Lom Travel Essentials Set – RRP £38.00

Achieve a clean, fresh, and glowing complexion wherever you roam with the Eve Lom Travel Essentials Kit. This ultra-nourishing bundle of products makes for the perfect holiday companion, providing all the essential tools to cleanse, hydrate, and treat your skin. Arriving in a convenient zip-lock pouch, the cleanser, essence, and moisturiser are compact and travel-friendly in size, ensuring you never have to be without your preferred skincare saviours.

Contents: Cleanser (20ml), Time Retreat Radiance Essence (10ml), Moisture Cream (8ml), Muslin Cloth (Travel Size).

 

Grow Gorgeous Scalp Therapy Kit – RRP £55.00 (Worth £76.00)

Experience a scalp sensation and discover the secret to fuller, healthier-looking hair with Grow Gorgeous’ four-step Scalp therapy Kit.

Contents:  Defence Detoxifying Scalp Scrub (50ml), Intense Thickening Hair and Scalp Mask (50ml), a full-sized bottle of the bestselling Hair Growth Serum Intense (60ml), and the Stimulating Scalp Massager.

 

Perricone MD Vitamin C Brighter Together – RRP £72.00 (Worth £129.00)

A supercharged brightening and smoothing duo designed to work better together. Visibly brightens and minimizes the appearance of dark spots and discoloration for more even-looking skin. Features our proprietary Vitamin C Ester – a more potent, highly stable, and less abrasive form of vitamin C.

Contents: Vitamin C Ester CCC + Ferulic Brightening Complex 20% (30ml), and Vitamin C Ester Photo-Brightening Moisturiser Broad Spectrum SPF (30ml).

 

ESPA Tri-Active Regenerating Visible Results Skin Regime Set – RRP: £100.00 (Worth £169.00

Four beloved products to create the perfect daily skin regime for a rejuvenated complexion. Brighten and Bounce with this powerful resurfacing range that reduces fine lines, wrinkles, and signs of aging. Unique Tri-Active Formulation:

  • Plant Actives are carefully distilled to bring vibrant potency into our formulas
  • Marine Actives provide maximum hydration, fortified by the sea’s rich nutrients
  • Aromatherapy renews our senses for an elevated skincare experience

Contents: Cica Cleansing Balm (55ml), Phyto-Collagen Plumping Cream (55ml), Bio-Retinol Sleeping Serum (10ml), and Brighten & Resurface Mask (30ml).

 

Guylian Belgian chocolate – New look, new taste!

Guylian unveils brand new packaging and makes moves towards becoming a sustainability leader
chocolate

Guylian, the premium Belgian chocolatier, has announced a brand-new relaunch including beautifully designed green and copper packaging, which is also 100% recyclable; a new and improved recipe to make the chocolates even more delicious and is proud now to be 100% Fairtrade certified alongside many other sustainable changes.

CEO of Guylian, Tom Snick, said “This year will see many exciting changes in store for Guylian. From an improved flavour profile to our pioneering sustainability initiatives, and a fresh and luxurious new look design, we’re confident that these exciting changes will help us to continue as the world’s favourite Belgian chocolate brand.”

With consumers demanding more and more from their favourite brands, Guylian is delighted to be the biggest Belgian chocolate company to be 100% Fairtrade certified.

By working with Fairtrade, suppliers are guaranteed a fixed cocoa price, thereby improving their livelihoods, and positively impacting their communities. Fairtrade is supporting cocoa farming co-operatives in their push for living incomes and better terms of trade for their cocoa farmers. For companies, that includes paying a fair price for the produce, and for farmers, it includes workers’ rights and protection of the environment.

Mike Gidney, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, said “It’s great to see the distinctive Fairtrade logo now appear on Guylian packaging in stores nationwide, giving chocolate lovers another reason to enjoy an indulgent, ethically sourced treat that’s been produced with the planet in mind and where cocoa farmers have been treated fairly. Cocoa farmers and their families are struggling to make ends meet due to climate change, poor soil quality and long-term low prices. When you choose Fairtrade, you choose education, empowerment, fairer incomes and training to help farmers adapt to climate change.”

Renowned for its Sea Shells, which are a harmonious blend of dark, white, and milk chocolate filled with the signature praliné filling, Guylian has improved its time-honoured, traditional recipe using only the best hazelnuts, roasted in house in their shells to guarantee the best taste. The result is a more intense and less sweet hazelnut flavour, to make them even more irresistible. From relaunch, Guylian will offer a select range, focusing on Sea Shells and Sea Horses, as well as Temptations (individually wrapped seahorses), and its range of premium 100g bars.

Environmental responsibility is important to Guylian, which is why its new packaging is 100% recyclable. Two big steps have been the removal of the plastic windows from its gift boxes and the replacement its brown trays (which hold the chocolates) with clear trays which have had all dyes and carbon removed, making them easier for recycling centres to handle. Not content with just this, Guylian is also exploring ways of further reducing its use of paper and plastic. Consumers around the world will begin to see the gorgeous new, eco-friendly packaging on shelves from mid-May onwards.

Since the start of this year, the factory in Sint-Niklaas (the production home of Guylian’s delectable chocolates) is fully climate neutral, meaning that C02 emissions have been reduced to the lowest possible level and all other emissions are compensated. Guylian is proud that the 800 million chocolates they produce annually are now made entirely with a zero-carbon footprint, making their chocolates as planet friendly as they are delicious.

Guylian chocolates are available in all major retailers including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, Ocado and Sainsburys with 250g boxes of Sea Shells having a MRRSP £5.50.

My Baker launches new whimsical and magical cakes with delivery within 24-48 hours

My Baker, who sell delicious artisanal cakes made by a network of independent bakers, have launched a brand new children’s cake range of 28 cakes and cupcakes suitable for a party big or small.  Bored of seeing the same cakes at every birthday party? My Baker’s range offers unique and exciting designs that can be delivered in 48 hours (24 at a push), meaning mums and dads who are running around getting the final details for a party can tick one major item off the “to do” list with a minimum of fuss.

And if you’ve any last-minute concerns or questions before placing your order, the team’s “Cake SOS” phoneline is manned 7 days a week, 10am to 6pm.

The cakes, that are always made freshly to order, go beyond your wildest imagination; the range includes a safari cake, a roaaaarsome dinosaur cake, a rainbow cake and many, many more.

By offering such a large range, we’re pretty much catering for every age and every interest, from dinosaurs and diggers to rainbows and unicorns.  We know that the demand for beautifully designed, delicious, freshly baked children’s cakes that can be ordered and delivered across the UK is there.  We are excited to launch this line and can’t wait to see our cakes at birthday parties across the UK’ says My Baker CEO, Mark Sinjakli

Three of the new designs which the team at My Baker are predicting will be most popular include:

The Dinosaur cake; a towering cake made of layers of light sponge, covered with a generous coating of buttercream, and featuring your favourite dinosaur, and even an egg or two.

If you’d rather a more whimsical cake, the Somewhere Over The Rainbow cake is the one for your child. Cutting though the generous coating of sprinkle-covered vanilla icing will reveal six layers of vivid rainbow-coloured sponge, fit for any birthday celebration.

A party isn’t a party without a balloon or two!  My Baker’s Eat Until You Pop cake is adorned with balloons ready to get any party started.  Available in blue, pink, yellow or green buttercream, this cake will add the ‘wow factor’ to any birthday party.

The cakes are available in a variety of flavours including red velvet, vanilla, salted caramel, chocolate and many more, and most can be adapted to suit all dietary requirements. The cakes start from £78 and can be delivered widely across the UK within 48 hours, with next-day delivery available within the M25 as standard. A next day service may even be available in other locations on request (please call to confirm before ordering). For more information or to browse the full range of children’s cakes, head over to the website.

They also have delicious cupcakes which we heartily recommend.