Beauty

Father’s Day Gift Guide 2019

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

Today I am going to be sharing with you some ideas on what to purchase your Dad, Stepdad, Grandad or whoever you purchase gifts for this Father’s Day. Father’s Day this year is Sunday 16th June so do not forget, you still have some time when this post goes live to be able to pick up an amazing gift.

Card’s

You may not purchase gifts for your Dad when it comes to Father’s Day. However, I know the majority of people do actually purchase cards. I have noticed in the past few years they have not always been that amazing. However, for sure there is some amazing fun cards available from Danilo!. I was lucky to be sent these ones for me they are perfect because my Dad loves Only Fools and Horses. Of course, they feature Del Boy and some of his best-known catchphrases.

The other ones which I got sent was the Ladybird books Father’s Day Cards. Each card has quirky quotes to make your father chuckle. This would be amazing for a Dad who used to read the Ladybird books to you may be as a child. For sure these are going be an amazing card this Father’s Day. I would recommend checking out Danilo! and their cards. You can order from their website or Clintons, ASDA Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s and independent card shops.

Phone Cases

If your Dad is anything like my Dad and Joe they always are carrying their phones. Of course this does mean that often batter them. Whether this is in your pocket or if you drop it this is why you need a strong case on your phone. Hopefully, he reduces the chance of their phone become broken. Speck does some amazing cases you can get the designed for the ct which is drop tested for 2.4 meters which for me is enough. Then they do a sports impact range which is a 6-metre drop test. For sure this is amazing because who wants to break their phone. Saving your Dad from doing this I am sure you’re going to be his favourite child.

They also sell the grab tabs which allow you to hold the back of the phone between your fingers. This gives you a firmer grip meaning that you have less chance of dropping it. You can ever make your phone stand up so you do not need a holder when you have it on the desk. If you have a phone which allows you to wireless charge this is another element which you can do through the grab tab. For sure this is going to help me not drop my phone because this is something which I do often. They come in a range of designs so I am sure that you are going to be able to find one for your Dad this Father’s Day. Do not worry if your Dad does not have an iPhone they do a range of different brands.

Skincare

Men’s skincare is something which has boomed in the last few years. For sure Joe is now taking more care of his skin than he has been in the past as well. There is a new brand which has launched in the UK called Black Leopard it is designed for men by men. These products are designed to hydrate, soothe and revitalise skin. Great for Dad’s who may shave a lot I know this is something which Joe has to do for work.  The moisturiser is very thick which is great for men. A small amount goes a long so this does mean it is going to last for a long time.

The eye cream Joe has only just started to use it however, he is lucky and does not suffer from wrinkles but he can have dark circles. The eye cream is supposed to help reducing puffiness and dark circles. Increasing elasticity locks in moisturiser and plumps the skin to reduce wrinkles. For sure if your Dad likes looking after his skin Black Leopard could be a company to try out.

Experiences

Experiences or Days out are always something amazing to create memories. It could be a family trip out the Zoo or a Farm which is both something which Joe loves to. This is because they create memories and Jess loves wildlife. If maybe you a little bit too old to go on a day out why not treat them to a trip to the cinema. This is something which we do not get to do enough however, whenever we do it we always state we need to do it more. Of course, this means having to find a film which you want to watch which can be harder to do. If this is the case why not buy a movie and have a cinema night at home for the fraction of the price.

If you really want to splash out you could purchase concert tickets or experience that way. You could even purchase indoor fly diving experience I know they have some offers on at the moment. I have done a post all about our experience when we have been. For sure this is something which you and your Dad would remember for a while

Sweets

Sweets are something which most Dad’s like to consume.I know for sure this is the case with Joe and my own Dad. Jelly Belly’s are something which I have purchased a number of times for my own Dad. He even has one of the machines to hold them and you pay it every time you want a handful. For Father’s Day this year they have teamed up with DC Comics to launch a superhero collection, featuring designs of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman – the perfect gift for superhero dads this Father’s Day. Of course, these bags include the classic flavours which we have all come to love from Jelly Belly. These include Berry Blue, Blueberry, Cream Soda, Sour Lemon, Very Cherry and Wild Blackberry.  They are so cheap at £2.85 for 3 bags you could always get them out of your own pocket money.

Of course, you do not have to purchase Jelly Belly. You can always purchase your Dad’s, favourite sweets. This does mean that you can purchase a gift with a low budget. After all Father’s Day is about showing your Dad that you care however, you do not have to break the bank to do this.

Coffee

If your Dad is like me and loves Coffee then I may have the perfect gift for you to purchase.  This Father’s Day Midnight Blue Coffee is releasing a limited edition coffee. For sure something you will not want to miss out on if you have a coffee addict in your life. Midnight Blue, is releasing just 250 luxury gift boxes of exquisite hand batch-roasted Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Each gift box contains a numbered, limited edition, signed roasting certificate, a personalised Father’s Day message, a presentation booklet and 250g of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, with a choice of whole bean, coarse, medium and fine grounds to suit your father’s preferred way of preparing his coffee. For sure this is one which would be amazing if your Dad drinks coffee this would be great however, this is not something which I could do for the men in my life’s as neither do drink coffee.

Phone Away Box

Does your Dad spend a lot of time on his phone and you wish he did not do this. I might just have the product which you need so you can enjoy more family time together. By putting your phone away it does mean that you can have more time to create memories because, after all, we do not know how long we are going to get to spend with our Dad’s. I know I am guilty of spending a lot of time on my phone and this can be a problem. I know Jess does not have a phone, however, even if Joe and I put our phones away for a least one hour a night this means that we have more one on one time with Jess which is going to be a huge bonus.  They hold up to 4 phones which means that should be enough for the whole household. It even fits the larger phone should you have one of those. This is an amazing idea because of course we can have memories and they are priceless.  You can purchase the phone away box for £13 from Amazon which I feel is cheap to create the memories which you can cherish forever.

A Meal

You could cook a meal for your Dad if you have the skills. Or you do not want to foot bill or on the other hand, you could take him out for a meal. Beware some places may make you actually book in advance if you want Sunday. Depending on what kind of food your family like there are a range of places you could go to eat. I would recommend Wildwood. They do some amazing Italian food as well as burgers this is a place that you could easily have just a main meal or have a three-course meal. I seem to remember when I have been previously a 3 course meal for 2 people came to around the £50 mark. You could take your Dad to his favourite restaurant it could even be somewhere that does a nice carvery.

Shaving Products

Shaving is something which a lot of men have to do. Whether like Joe it is for work or whether it is because they choose to for whatever reason. Of course, there are some amazing products which have come as a result of the this trend. Joe which Joe has been using for a number of months now is the milkman clear shaving gel. This allows 200 shaves I seem to remember for around £20. This would be an amazing present if your Dad does a lot of shaving for sure it will save him money and last him a long time.

Of course, if you do not want to get your Dad a shaving gel but still want to get him something shaving related. As you know this is going to be something which he will end up using. Wilkinson Sword have some products which could be what you are looking for. There is the Hydro 5 Sense  which is a razor which is customised for how you shave. It has 5 blades with skin guards to help reduce irritation it also has a flip trimmer which means you can get a precise shave.

On the other hand their is the Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 Groomer which is designed to protect from irritation. Due to a gel reservoir which reduces friction by 40% compared to a lube strip. It includes the shaving, trimming, edging and hydrating. All within one razor which means that you do not need multiple devices. The bonus of this groomer is it is battery powered which means no need to charge it up. For sure this is going to be a huge bonus when Joe has to go on exercises.

What are you going to be purchasing this Father’s Day for your Dad?

 

Charlotte xx

This post contains PR samples however words are my own.

 

 

 

July Favourites 2018

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

It has been such a long time since I shared my favourites of the month. This is usually because I do not have a lot of favourites or I end up forgetting, however, this month I have had a few. They range from a couple of beauty pieces,  some household items, a little bit of food and of course who could forget a few things Jess has been loving.

Raspberry Pavolva

The first item I want to share with you is the Possibility 3 in 1 Raspberry Pavlova. This I only actually use as a shower gel because I am still loyal to my Lush hair care routine.  As some of you may know I used to be obsessed and only use lush shower gel but I thought I would give this a try. Oh wow, the smell of this is so amazing it does actually make me want to be able to drink or eat this.

That is because of the fact it is so nice to smell, sometimes I find that cheaper shower gels do not actually lather up enough.  This is one which does actually lather up so well and it is also mosituring which is something I am finding I am needing because the sun is actually drying out my skin. I was shocked to find that it was only £2 for the huge 500ml which is a fraction of the price of lush.  I think that this is one which I would be purchasing again I want to try some of the other favourites because if they are the same as this I can see myself getting obsessed.

Summer Romance

Body spray is something which I actually love in the summer months because it helps me smell better. When I picked up the Possibility shower gel picked up the Summer Romance body spray. This is something which just before I go out I spray all over the outfit I am wearing.  It smells of berries and floral goodness which of course just has to scream summer to me. The scent does last for a while which is always a bonus because there is nothing worse than having to respray you outfit throughout the day. This body spray is going to last me for a while because it is 250ml and you do not need too much. It was on the 3 for 2 offer and came in at £4.99 so is not going to break the bank either.

Naked Noodles

Noodles are something which I have been loving for the past couple of months. I think this because it is something easy to make for lunch and at the moment I am trying to write as many blog posts as I can before Joe finishes for summer and we move house. So I have found myself when I am bored of sandwiches reaching for Naked Noodles which are Egg Noodles in a range of flavours.

I actually am yet to find a flavour which I do not like which is always a bonus. They are full of flavour which I always like because there is nothing worse than noodles which taste like nothing. They only take about 4 minutes to be ready which as a busy person is something you want.  I have been picking these up when they have been on offer I know you can get them at Asda and Iceland for as little as 75p.

Dyson V6 Trigger

You know when you are getting a little bit older when one of your favourites this month is a hoover.  Yes I am loving the Dyson V6 Trigger which is the handheld hoover which we have currently. This is something which is amazing because it does mean that I can just get it out and clean up the mess which Jess has made.  It is so handy that you can actually take this out to the car as well we always have a messy car because of the amount of time we spend in the car. It does not struggle too much with my hair which is great because I molt more than a dog so sometimes we find it hard.

Even Joe loves it because of how easy it is even cleaning it is so simple.  I managed to get this when it was on offer for around £100.  This is something I know we are going to get even more use out of when we move into the new house.  The only thing which annoys me is that I forget to put it on charger and then sometimes struggle to hoover everywhere I need to.

Micro Trike

The final couple of things which I have been loving this month well technically they are Jess’s. The first one is the Micro Trike this is something which I was fortunate enough to be sent after entering a competition.  This is that good that basically it has replaced her pram which I did not think would happen. Jess uses this to ride to nursery it is a trike which folds down so basically nothing which means that it can be stored so easily.  We have used it in a range of places including Ikea and never had any problems. In the next couple of weeks I hope to have a full review of the trike up but for sure this is something which we have been using every day since we got it.

Orchard Games

The final item which we have been loving this month is the Orchard Games.  I picked them up in Aldi when they had them for £2.99 because we wanted some games so that Jess is not always on Youtube after nursury. I picked up the Teddy Holiday Snaps which is basically snap, Holiday Heads & Tails which is where you have to match the pictures in order to win and the final one we have it a counting game. Where you have to spin the spinner and then find the number of shells on a card. The one who wins is the one who has the most sandcastles.  These games have kept us all entertained and have actually been so fun and Jess is learning every time when play. I have actually found Jess playing this on her own. This just shows how much she loves the games.

What have you been loving this month?

 

Charlotte xxx

 

Review- Admiral Men’s Skincare

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

Men’s skincare has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Gone are the days when men only had a moisturiser now some of them have as many products as us women. I for one am not saying that this is a bad thing at all if anything I am all for it. Recently I was contacted by Admiral skincare to see if I would like to review some of their products.

Joe recently in the past few years has got more into looking after his skin. This could be due to the fact that I have got him into using more products. Or it could be as a result of there being more products on the market which are aimed at men rather than just been female.

Admrial Organic Antioxidant Moisturising Balm

Moisturiser is one which we have used a number of brands including Lush and Bulldog. However, we have found that they can be way to thick which is annoying when you have glasses and they slip off or you end up with smear marks on the glasses.  Or they are too thin which you do not think that you are getting enough moister into your skin.

Where with the antioxidant moisture balm with artichoke extracts this is not too thick for us which means that it is not all over our glasses which is always an bonus however, it does actually moistener your skin giving it the hydration which your skin needs. For sure this is a product which I know has changed my skin due to the fact that it has never felt so soft this product does not have a harsh scent either.

This is something which I think we are both going to use over the next few months when the weather gets even warmer when our skin needs looking after. Along with the fact that this product is going to be great when the wind burn occurs in autumn because I am sure it will save our skin from too much damage.

Admiral Men’s Detoxifying Facial Skin Care Scrub

Facial scrubs are a product which we both love so much because we find there nothing worse than a clogged up pores. We have been using this product for several weeks now and I have to admit my skin has never felt so much cleaner. This is a gel scrub with the little bits which are actually in product.  These particles are not very large but they are still effective at removing all of the grime out of the face.

Even though this is aimed at males because admrial specialist in male skincare there is no reason why women can not use this. It does actually mean that this can be a little bit more aggressive that a female one would be. This does mean that my skin does feel like it is more clean and smooth than it would be if I used a female scrub. For sure this is a product which we are going to repurchase well I we already have this just shows how much we love it.

Admrial Men’s Moisturising Skincare Body Wash

Body wash is something which we are both very fickle about we rarely repurchase the same one. Even if it is from Lush, we change the scent so much. This product is one which we found did not make the skin too dry which is always something which you want.  This is a scent which does linger on the skin which is nice because of the fact that it is such a nice scent rather than been too harsh.

This lathers up a lot which is rare for some of the male ones which I have tried, in my experience I find that they lather less than the female ones. Truthfully I am unsure if I would repurchase this shower gel because this is £11 and this is more expensive than Lush. This is something which we think is at the upper end of the budget that we should spend on shower gel.

Admiral 2 in 1 Shampoo & Conditioner For Men

Shampoo is something which I would say I am a snob when it comes to however, Joe on the other hand is not.  This for sure is one shampoo which I do think is amazing it does clean your hair. It gets rid of all of the rubbish which has been building up this also makes your hair so soft. Having a soft feeling is something which I love because then I feel like my hair is actually in a good condition.

The scent of this shampoo and conditioner is very hard to describe the people at admiral have not made this such a masculine scent it just feels very clean. I love the pump because it does mean that we get the correct amount which we need in order to clean our hair without using too much of them. This for sure is one product which we would repurchase because it seems to last for so long and it is £10 but can be often found on offer.

If you fancy grabbing anything for yourself or a loved one, you can use the code Cups25 to get 25% off which makes the products so cheap. I have even used my own code to repurchase some of the products. These would make an amazing birthday or even thinking very early Christmas present.

Have you ever heard of Admiral Grooming?

 

Charlotte xx

This post includes a PR sample

 

Sleep better with Feather and Down

- cupsofcharlotte Leave a comment

Sleep of course is something which we all need and love. It is something which some of us as parents do not get enough. I regret not sleeping more before Jess was was born because I used to be able to go to bed after a night out at 4-5 am and then still be up and at a 9 am lecture. Gone are the days of that now I need to be in bed by 10-11 pm in the week days.

Recently it was national sleep week and I was contacted Feather and Down. They are a company whose products are made in England who have a range of bath,body and home fragrance helping you drift of to sleep.

Shower Cream

Now showering is not something I always do a lot before bed because I prefer to shower in the morning due to the fact that the shower wakes me up. However, I did start showering at night because of the fact that this is claims for you to have a better night sleep as a result of using this shower cream. I have used this in the shower as well as using in in a bath for Jess. When applied to wet skin in the bath or shower, this creamy, dreamy shower cream immediately lets off a hit of calming Lavender and Chamomile essential oils. It made me want to drift off stood in the shower which is not usually something that occurs to me as I struggle to sleep.

I did notice if you use a shower puff and apply the cream to this instead of directly on to the skin the scent does last longer. This is something which I am used to due to using Lush a lot so this is something which I loved. I asked my partner to use this as well and he reported that he liked it as well however, he did not know how much it effected his sleep. One thing which I made him guess is the price and to be honest he was not very far away this bottle costs £6 for 250ml. You can get your hands on it from Boots I would recommend picking some of this due to the fact it might help you sleep better and it does smell amazing.

Sleep Balm

Feather and Down do another product which is a sleep balm this is a little pot which you are supposed to apply to your pulse points. I think this would be amazing because as many of you know I do travel a lot which means this could be popped into my bag. It could be applied if you want to take a nap in the car and also if you like me struggle with nerves I am sure this could be on which could calm you down before an exam or something which is stressing you out. This little pot will last you a long time and does not actually break the bank as it is only £7. I usually apply this an hour or so before bed when I am starting my routine this is going to help my body know it is bed time when the lighter nights come. This is one I would recommend for people like me who are always on the go.

Pillow Spray

There is a lovely pillow spray which has been created by Feather and Down it is £7 which is a fraction of the price of that of this works and other brands which I have seen. I have used this a few times and have noticed that there is a huge scent of lavender when you spray this. This is something to be aware of because I know some people like my mum can not deal with that it would give her a headache. I do have to spray this a little bit before I go to bed because otherwise I do find it too much. I do not again know if this was due the scent but I think I slept better and this bottle is going to last a long time which is always a bonus.

My thoughts

I think that Feather and Down are an amazing brand they can not say that you are going to have an amazing night’s sleep due to the fact that you have used some of their products. I would really recommend the shower cream of the three items which I have tried from them. It amazing that you can get them from the the high street for under £7 is a steal as some brands you would be paying double. I think this is going to be amazing if the weather comes warm in the UK where you end up struggling to sleep or even if you are going on holiday these might be great.  I feel like I am going to have to have a look at more of this range because candles are something which I adore.

Have you seen this brand or tried them at all?

Charlotte xx

This item includes a PR sample