Braun Silk-expert IPL

As summer has arrived, by that I mean the Great British Summer, it is time to ensure those legs are looking the very best they can be when the time comes to grab those skirts, shorts, cullottes and pretty dresses.  For me, that means a huge exfoliation exercise and being hair free.

I am the first to admit that I find shaving my legs incredibly boring but it is a necessary evil and it is one of those tasks I never look forward to doing, much like cleaning my make-up brushes.  So when I was given the Braun Silk-Expert  iPL* hair removal system to use, it was love at first use.

To give a little background to the device, the Braun Silk-expert is a ground-breaking IPL system which results in permanent visible hair reduction in as little as four treatments. It works beneath the skin's surface by targeting the melanin in the hair follicle, helping to break the cycle of hair re-growth. With continued, regular use, it helps prevent unwanted hair from reaching the skin's surface. Not only that, but this device has what is called intelligent SensoAdapt technology which continually reads and adapts to your skintone throughout use, and emit gentle pulses of light which are tailored to your needs.

The device is incredibly easy to use and this is in part due to its design, it is sleek, not at all heavy and it doesn't hurt, sting, pinch or burn the skin in anyway shape or form and it is something you can use at any time of the day and as part of your skincare routine. It also doesn't leave my legs feeling dry and nor does it cause irritation, in fact I can find no fault with it what-so-ever.

The device is designed to be used on legs, underarm, bikini line and it can be used on your face, though it is not suitable for being used near the eyes because it is capable of producing 120,000 flashes and these flashes are part of the IPL technology. When it is in use, it flashes every 1-2 seconds which means a treatment on your leg takes around 8 minutes, which I find really impressive.

It also has two different modes of use.  The first is called the Gliding Mode which is for fast but efficient treatments and the second is called Press and Release which is designed for treating smaller more sensitive areas such as the underarm, upper lip and bikini line, so again, depending on your preference for use, there is something to try and decide which works best for you.

I have been using this device for the last few months and I am so impressed with it. Firstly, I have been waiting for some hair to grow back so I can show picture evidence of it working, but it is so good I have been waiting weeks to just to post this review. Now I don't have very hairy legs, so to speak, the hair is quite sparse in places

As you can see the hair on my legs is taking quite some time to grow back and that is after using it once a week for 8 weeks. 

Braun Silk-expert is an IPL system which results in permanent visible hair removal in as little as four treatments. It works beneath the skin's surface by targeting the melanin in the hair follicle, helping to break the cycle of hair re-growth. With continued, regular use, it helps prevent unwanted hair from reaching the skin surface. This Braun Silk-expert IPL is most effective on light to medium skin tones with hair ranging from natural blonde to dark brown or black. The device is least effective on very blonde, red, grey or white hair where the smaller amount of melanin does not absorb the light.
Finally, if you are as forgetful as me, don't worry, Braun have it covered with their app! The Braun Silk-expert IPL mobile application helps remind you of treatment dates, usage instructions and can even track your progress. You will be able to visualize the importance of the SensoAdaptTM skin tone sensor in getting the safest, most effective treatment. Braun Silk-expert: permanent visible hair removal made easy - now that is cool!

This device is available exclusively from Boots and this is a special edition as it comes with a Face Cleansing Brush.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

#TEAMME with Superdrug | Yokebe

Superdrug have recently launched their #TeamMe summer campaign and they are working with well-known Olympians and members of the public to get the nation healthy and achieving their personal health and fitness goals. 

Whether your goal is losing weight, quitting smoking or getting your blood pressure under control, Superdrug will provide members of #TEAMME with the impetus, inspiration and expertise to get you there. #TEAMME is a team for all the regular people out there wanting to achieve their own personal health goals and with Superdrug by their side everyone across the country can set their own goal: to be the me they want to be.

I was sent a lovely package of products to work my way through and for me losing a bit of weight is something I have been doing but when you reach a plateaux it becomes much harder to shift those pounds and you become a little de-motivated. So Yokebe is what is referred to as being Active Food and is essentially a meal replacement shake for weight loss made with 100% natural ingredients + all the vitamins, minerals and macronutrients your body needs.  

Now I have never tried any kind meal replacement shake diet, I have never thought it was for me and it always looked and sounded far too time consuming, but I decided to give Yokebe a try.  My package included two tins of Yokebe in Natural Honey Flavour plus a couple of shakers plus a box of Yokebe Active Food 1 Week Turbo Diet Pack. 

The ethos with Yokebe is quite simple and is as follows:"We believe that meal replacements are the most effective way to lose weight. But this shouldn’t mean feeling hungry, lacking of energy, and yo-yo dieting. Yokebe’s formula is full of delicious natural goodness that nourishes your body, harnessing protein for active weight loss and a feeling of fullness".

Now the shake is really easy to make and it takes just a few minutes, much less time than I was expecting:

1. Pour 200 ml low-fat milk (1.5 % fat) in your Yokebe shaker.
2. Then add 50 g Yokebe (5 heaped measuring spoons or 5 heaped tablespoons) to the milk.
3. Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 g) vegetable oil with a high level of unsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil, safflower oil) - This is so you can absorb all of your fat solumble vitamins (A, D and E)
4. Tightly close the shaker and shake it vigorously!

Having used Yokebe now for 2 weeks solid, I admit the taste is not for me.  I find it to be quite chalky, too sweet smelling and the taste is just not for me at all.  Once you have made your drink, it isn't one you can leave to sit around for a while because it separates slightly and becomes gloopy and given it contains milk, if left in the sun it will curdle.  That said, I was determined to stick with it and whilst I don't usually step on to any scales, I did for this and after 2 weeks of having a shake for breakfast instead of cereal or toast, the loss was 6lbs. I found the shakes to be incredibly filling and whilst I don't tend to snack much, I found lunchtime moving from 12.30-1.30pm because I simply wasn't hungry. I just need to find a way to deal with the taste or look to trying the chocolate version which has caught my eye.

If you find you need a bit of inspiration or advice, then #TeamMe is definitely one to look in to and you can find all the information here.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise