Introducing; The Wee Pal Charger

I love finding a new product that was born here in Scotland and not only makes my life so much easier but actually in turn does something for a much greater cause.

Wee Pal is an chic new portable charger for your devices which comes with a side of amazing from the team at Poweralife.com. Started by two Glasgow University students who were studying Sustainable Development in Africa, they realised a buy one,give one model could bring real change in the areas they had visited and that’s when the Wee Pal Charger was born! For every Wee Pal purchased  they then give a solar light  to a school child in Africa which is a such a beautiful idea.

So why Solar lights? They learned on a trip out there, that a big issue the kids were facing was the ability to do homework at night which impacted their education. The giving of a solar lamp means they can safely keep up with their studies and enjoy more time with their families too. 'Using Power to Empower' is the perfect slogan for these guys  as they are now changing so many lives and it will only continue to grow. The teachers in the partnered schools they have worked with so far have been so impressed with the change it is making to their students and are excited about the increase in academic attainment thanks to the lights you provide with each purchase. The ability to study at night will improve the opportunities in life and provide such a good start and help the kids work towards a brighter future- how amazing is that.

Now the charger itself is a beautiful wee thing, my old one was practical but not exactly exciting, this however is a sleek beauty! I love the colours that are on offer in the range and it has saved my buns countless times on my new train commute. It feels just like carrying a sleek ipod, I would probably love a little carry case for it so it doesn’t get totally battered up in my bag but I can no doubt find something that fits. Oh I should also point out you do need to buy a cable to keep with it for actually connecting to your chosen device. You can buy one super cheap from loads of places including ones that charge various types of devices too.

As part of a social enterprise myself, I could not be a bigger fan of what these guys have created. I think a Wee Pal charger would make such a wonderful, ethical Christmas present to give this year, everyone I know has phone battery issues and could make so much use one of these. The fact it is so much cooler looking as my past portable charger is pretty amazing too! The creative team clearly have so many ideas, I have spotted a wooden charging bank over on their social media that I am definitely getting Ally, he is going to absolutely adore it. I am so excited to see what else they roll out and updates on all the amazing work they are achieving in Africa. A wonder product if ever I saw one!

Follow the Power a life team on facebook and purchase your own wee pal right here.

Hair Today....

Do you know in the whirlwind that was the last few weeks of organising selling my flat and purchasing a house, all normal functions of maintenance and  hair removal went right out the window. It is funny how routine disappears and then before you know it, you finally take 5 minutes in front of a well-lit mirror and you realise you are all over the shop. This is exactly what happened to me at the weekend, without even realising I hadn’t kept my eyebrows in check, my underarms were not exactly fresh and my legs had NO chance of being kept in order. essentially I was a bit of a hot mess. 

It made me realise just how much I actually undertake in terms of hair removal- and made me think how for a lot of it there must be an easier way! A couple of weeks back I was actually sent some info on IPL hair removal and it has got me thinking of what time I could cut down in that regard. I know I have it easy in comparison to  my middle ages sisters who were dealing with a delightful mix of cat wee and vinegar to get that silky smooth feeling but even finding a new razor to purchase (I know it is in a box somewhere…..) was a total minefield that fried my brain. Now I remember a beauty therapist pal once showed me her underarms thanks to IPL and we compared my one day growth with her 6 weeks and it was properly astounding but at the time at home systems still seemed SO expensive not to mention painful. Taking a look at the new Panasonic hair removal machine however I am definitely intrigued by the money I could save on expensive replacement razor blades never mind how much shower time I could recover by not faffing about!

For now however I will have to stick to what I know as all spare pennies are being thrown into the house. I had to settle for  locating some tweezers and  taking out some time to bath and unwind for a little bit. I maybe shouldn't leave it quite so long next time....

Happy Weekend!

*this is a collaborative post*

Benefit Brow Range

Brows are such a hot topic for me, after teenage years with trichotillomania and therefore never having any proper eyebrows, what I do have there now is precious and only the best products will do. I have tried so many in the past, gels, pencils, powders, you name it- I have tried it. I thought I had fully settled on the perfect gel for me in the popular but a pain in the bum to get hold of, Anastasia brow pomade but then Benefit go and change the game completely with a whole new range of brow products that are absolutely fantastic.

I was blown away by just how many brow products they could have, and so prettily presented too. I should have known though as they never disappoint on that front! The product in particular that I was absolutely bursting to try was the new Ka Brow, a sleekly packaged brow cream with an incredibly handy brush hidden in the lid. Finally someone had paid attention to how annoying it is to carry a separate little angled brush!! When I headed into my local boutique to check it all out I was super impressed with the colour range on offer, the issue I have had with various gels and creams is that I cannot find an ideal match with many having too much red or being to dark but I was over the moon to find a match in the range. I was super excited to apply the next morning and see how it would compare in terms of application and longevity which is so important when you are paranoid about your brows! I needn’t have worried however as with pretty much all Benefit products I use daily, the quality and care that goes into creating them is top notch. This cream really did apply so incredibly quickly I was blown away, the brush does the job wonderfully ( was so worried it might let it down) the colour pay off is good and best of all it lasts through a hot sweaty day including the gym- HURRAH! Best of all it feels so much more compact for lugging around in my bag and I never have to worry about remembering a brush again!! This little has not left my side since I got it and I have been raving about it to pretty much every other girl in the gym changing room :)

The other new product that really piqued my interest is the Brow Definer that looked like a very promising dupe for the popular Anastasia Brow Whizz. There are two new pencils in the line up and this one is the more precision tip that is ideal for creating small, natural feather like strokes on the brow which is what I needed with mine being quite spares.For those blessed with a fuller brow the Goof Proof pencil is worth checking out for evening them up as it has a thicker nib but for me this one is a real winner as it applies great to areas with no brow. The formula goes on really smoothly and is easy to create a lovely natural looking effect that doesn’t budge, again the colour match is spot on and there is a shade for pretty much everyone. If you have ever wanted to try out the Whizz I highly recommend checking this out instead.

Lastly I got myself Brow Zings….I know, I know, as a brows fan I must have tried this before? I never have done!! It is recommended to me allllll the time and I can see why. For this one I had to get a colour a shade darker ( glad I checked!) but it is a super handy compact for taking with me as I go, plus I use it as liner too. This is an amazing little kit for getting for someone starting out with brows, i can't believe I didn't get it sooner. The powder really helps create a lovely thick statement brow or just for evening out patches for a more natural and subtle effect.

Here is me after a super super quick application of my the Ka Brow cream, I adore the colour and I just cannot get over how quick this has made the process for me. It has given my brows a much more natural appearance than my previous products and the products all last so much better too. A resounding success!

Pure Spa Skin Care Range

So selling and buying a house turns out to be just as hideous and stressful as people say it is and it has certainly taken a toll on me mentally and physically. From eating every single feeling to never sleeping, my skin has taken the brunt of it all and was looking less than clear and bright recently. Handily for me Pure Spa sent me along some of their brand new shiny at home spa products to try out, and they have been a savior in these crazy times.

With no harsh chemical, parabens or irritating foaming ingredients, this cruelty free capsule collection is instead loaded with regenerating pure plant oils and antioxidants which were ideal for calming my skin, never mind being a joy to apply! Ranging from £14.50 to £32, the collection contains 5 products including cleansing oil, eye serums and refreshing spritzes that all smell divine.

I adore using facial oils and have found that they have really improved the texture of my skin with continued use. I do find that my skins need do change a lot however so the Pure Skin range offering one for oily and blemished skin, and one designed to rehydrate, is an ideal combo. I flick between using the two and have loved both.  The Regulate and Clear option is loaded  with Omegas to help heal  while still providing gentle rehydration  too with Vitamin E, the added rosehip is also fantastic for old scarring which has made my skin look more even and clear. The Ylang Ylang is the key ingredient that help balances the sebum which causes my usual spots but also serves the purpose  of really boosting the mood with its exotic aroma, it is so lovely!

The Hydrate and Renew oil has rose, geranium and orange so obviously smells incredible as well as frankincense  which helps regenerate the skin cells and actually promotes deeper sleep through relaxation. This element of it has been so welcome with all my sleeping troubles in the last two months, I love applying this at night and inhaling as I take my time massaging it in. this little beauty is so moisturising, I wake up with much more rested complexion that is so so soft. Wonderful Stuff!

My other favourite from the bunch  is the Clean and Glow Cleansing Oil which has been ideal for removing the thicker spfs I have been using in the summer. This deeply cleansing formula really melts away my makeup through the jojoba oil while still utilising Vitamin E and Neroli to calm and balance the skin. I have been massaging just one pump over my face and removing it with a nice warm face cloth. It feels a wonderful routine and my skin has been reaping the benefits of sticking to it. There has no been no film or residual left over after using this, and it works just as well in the AM as at night. So far, so happy!!

The clever bods at Pure have included an Eye Serum and Refresh and Revive  face spritz that I have used less so can’t fully report but I have been just as impressed. I like the alcohol free spritz as it doesn’t leave me feeling tight and dry and has been a lovely pick me up for during the day. The eye serum is light to apply and I like the consistency, I am just useless and remembering to apply regularly!!

In all, this is a lovely little collection that Is well thought out, packaged and priced. Right now if you spend over £40 on the products you get a lovely free gift of a tote bag with miniatures, a cloth and a £10 voucher for your next Pure Spa facial which is ace!!

LIFE LATELY

I have always been one for last minute decisions and this was one hell of a big one! After humming and hawing about doing it at some point in the distant future, I suddenly decided the time was NOW. I wanted to sell the flat and start working on the next adventure.... and since then life has been alllllllllllllllll over the shop! So here I am saying I am still alive ( just) and before long I should be back up and running and getting to enjoy a life outside of sorting through estate agents, visiting countless homes and having small meltdowns about a million different things at once!

I bought my flat 5 or so years ago and while that might have felt stressful, nothing prepared me for the headache of selling and buying some where too,  never mind the expense!! I fear I will never get to enjoy my favourite frivolous purchases again :( I guess I will hopefully have a nice place to call home instead though so I shouldn't moan!

I don't know where to even begin filling you in on the journey, what started as one quick wee valuation on my beloved flat turned into all stations go! Having to entertain a host of estate agents to find out who we liked and importantly- who we could afford, we finally found the one. I was not prepared for just how hard it was going to weedle out the truth from the fibs and I actually found the whole process pretty awful. That was until I made contact with Alex who owns AB property. Since deciding on using them for the service it has all been a much easier process, although still sad as I do love where I love, Alex and the team have provided an excellent service for the sale.

As of this week it  looks like it might be selling in the very near future which is exciting but terrifying all at the same time. Next up is quickly trying to find where to go next..... hopefully by my next post I will have some exciting news! I know so many fellow bloggers are in the process of buying their first place, or considering moving on to their first home so I would love to hear how everyone else is getting on and pass on a recommendation for a good agency to consider.

Send me some positive vibes amigos!

Edinburgh Reviewed: CACI Synergy facial at Chamomile Sanctuary Spa

J.Lo is flawless,  she might not quite be Jenny from the block anymore but she certainly seems to never age which it would turn out is in part thanks to the CACI, non surgical face and body treatments she loves. So of course I felt like a superstar when i was asked if I would also like to give it a go, would I come out looking as young and fresh as she did? My fingers were crossed!

The glorious Chamomile Sanctuary Spa in Edinburgh who are always on the forefront of new treatments, are the first place in Scotland you can actually try the new CACI synergy facial treatment and it was certainly a whole new experience. Centering around an almost space like machine that has a whole load of bells and whistle attachments that are used in the facial, means that for the first time your skin is treated to light therapy alongside a microcurrent which allows for  added tissue stimulation which helps with collagen production. You can opt to include either a microdermabrasion session in the 90 minutes or an ultrasonic peel which is ideal for tailoring the session to your skins needs.  I unfortunately couldn't experience the peel option on the day, but I did give the micro dermabrasion a shot. In the past I have not had much success with this in the past, often finding it a bit 'sand blaster' like, but this technology was a whole different experience. With CACI it feels far less granular on the skin and instead the wand used just bumps along the skin a little ( not painfully) and gets to work on really clearing out the pores. I don't think my blackheads knew what had had hit them! I learned in the session that using superficial abrasion like this helps trigger the body's own natural repair mechanism which brings new collagen as well as rehydrating the area so it was no surprise when it left my skin utterly baby soft and smooth looking. 

The innovative micro-current aspect of the treatment is performed using wands that are moved around the different areas that while a tiny electrical pulse is passed it helps re educates the facial  muscles ( all 32 of them)  and prevent the sagging that ageing brings. It also increases blood flow and aids in lymph circulation which is ideal for reducing any puffiness and making a more defined and taught silhouette. It is these benefits that sees the CACI touted as a non- surgical face lift and I can see why. I was interested to learn this micro-current technology is also now used in hospitals for wound healing and in physiotherapy too.

The light therapy aspect being added in is ideal as the blue light can be issued to help with killing surface bacteria and soothing angry skin and the red light helps cell renewal and wound healing. Both of which my skin badly needed! Not only that but my fine lines I suffer from were given the once over with the 'wrinkle comb' attachment, the difference afterwards was fantastic! This was also aided by the Hydratone mask that is applied which really firmed up the areas that bother me.

looking dazed and confused post treatment with smooth feeling skin!

None of the aspects of the treatment were sore and the whole thing is performed perfectly by the amazingly knowledgeable therapists at Chamomile. It was so different to facials I have had in the past and I loved how effective the results were. You are recommended to attend for a course of treatments and I can only imagine what the long term results would be like as after one, my skin looked worlds away from when I went in.

Treatments cost from £125 with offers on course bookings. You can contact the Spa on 0131 220 1000 or visit the website.