The Pet Empire - District 70 Scratching Furniture Sardine Tin

If you are a regular reader or follow me on Instagram, you will be aware that I am a crazy cat lady and my boys are everything to me. Treated as tiny humans, spoilt and adored, my boys want for absolutely nothing, including cuddles and playtime at 4am if they so wish. When The Pet Empire got in touch to ask if I would like to choose a new toy for them to play with, I was lost for choice and eventually settled on the District70 Scratching Furniture Sardine Tin. 

The Pet Empire is no ordinary online pet store, it offers exclusive luxury dog and cat accessories and furniture and they offer some of the most beautiful items I have ever seen. For dogs, there are as many luxuries as there are for cats - luxury dog beds including the most beautiful accessories I have seen.  The website is really well laid out so you can choose what it is you are looking for with items such as Orthopedic beds, toys and even litter trays which are incredibly stylish.  You can also search for items by brand and they include the likes of Kotty, District 70 and Halycon Home to name a few.

Anyone who has a cat for a pet will have undoubtedly purchased a scratching post at some point from their local pet shop and whilst they all come in all shapes and sizes, this one is the best one we have ever owned. Whenever we buy something new for the boys, you can never tell whether or not it is going to be something they are 'in to' for example, on Facebook we saw a lot of videos with cats loving a plush cat bed, thinking mine would also love it, but no, one sniff and it didn't meet their expectations, so it will now be gifted to our local cat charity.

The District70 Scratching Furniture Sardine Tin (€59,00/£52)  is the perfect combination between a shelter and a scratching post. Cat's absolutely love cardboard, as soon as a box appears, no matter the size, they will find a way of fitting in to it and there is something about a box which offers security and the feeling of being safe to cats. Cat's also love scratching things, in part to keep their claws in good condition, to mark their territory and boredom and curiosity also play their part, combine the two things together and you are on to a winner.

As you can see, it proved to be a big hit with Hector who didn't let me finish removing the wrapping before getting himself acquainted with this new Scratching Tin. Made from the recycled corrugated cardboard, this product is also free from odours and toxic adhesives, something to think about when purchasing any toy for your pet is whether or not it safe for them to play with.

This Scratching Sardine Tin is incredibly sturdy and really well made, both of my boys can either sleep on top of it or inside it, though it definitely won't be something they share.  

I love that it has that unique appearance as looking like a can of sardines, the attention to detail is really impressive. It measures 60 x 30 x 30cm and has an opening on both sides of the product, so it doesn't necessarily need to be flat against any wall.  This product is also available in black if that suits your home aesthetic more than the white option and shipping costs around £5.

I absolutely love this product, not as much as my two boys do, but it is definitely something we would purchase again should the need arise that we have to have two products. For now, my doors are seemingly safe from being scratched to pieces whilst this keeps both of them occupied and active.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Roccabox HoneyBunny Box - April Edition

This month Roccabox is all about going Vegan and this HoneyBunny Box is dedicated to products which are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. 

Each product within this box has been carefully selected to give you everything you need from tea to get you through working from home, makeup to keep you accustomed to your everyday routine and something to help you get a good nights sleep!

The first product within the box comes from The Beauty Crop and this is a brand I’ve seen featured in a few beauty boxes recently. Within Roccabox we have the Lightening Crew Highlighting Cream.  

Packaged inside a tube, this cream is packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants derived from Pineapple and Green Tea. Described as being versatile, this cream can be used as you would usually use your highlighter - cheekbones, brow bone and the inner corner of your eyes, but this one can also be added to your foundation or body cream for an extra glow.

The second product comes from Code Beautiful and it is the Code Lip intense plumper. 

Described as being a hydrating, plumping treatment which doesn’t irritate your lips but will instead the exclusive combination of ingredients help to redefine the natural contours of the lips to create that more sculpted but hydrated look.

Next is a Vitamin C Fix Sheet Mask from Nip + Fab and this mask is said to be revitalising. Drenched in a brightening blend of actives which are designed to transform dull complexions to provide n instant boost of hydration.

To use the mask, you apply to freshly cleansed skin and leave it to work it’s magic for around 15-20minutes and then gently massage any leftover product into the skin.

The fourth product comes from Dr Botanicals and it is the Lemon Superfood All-in-One Rescue Butter.

This Butter is packed full of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins and it works to rejuvenate, renew and invigorate dull and dry skin. The formula which is 96% natural features coconut oil, almond oil and the superfood power of lemongrass and its high Vitamin C content. This body butter nourishes skin blemishes, leaving a smoother complexion and a dewy glow.

The final product comes from Feather & Down and their wonderful Pillow Spray. 

This pillow spray uses a combination of Lavender and Chamomile essential oils which help to reduce an anxious mind and encourage calm to aid a restful night’s sleep.  To use, it is advised that you spray a generous amount onto your pillow and around your bedroom to help relax you as you drift into a peaceful night's sleep.

Also included within this box is OFFBLAK Tea, a startup brand from London who was founded on the belief that tea shouldn’t just be black, it should be anything but. 

This box offers three different products from OFFBLAK Tea as a taster to what the brand has to offer so whether you like mint tea, chocolate tea or something a little more fruity, there should be something here for everyone to try. 

This months edition of Roccabox is another great edition especially if you are looking to try and find more cruelty-free and vegan brands. If you like the look of this box and want to give them a try, It is priced at just £10 per month if bought separately, Roccabox is a subscription service and there are further subscription offers available to choose from. However, before you run off, I have a discount code for you to use the code 'BEAUTY20' to grab yourself 20% off a monthly subscription plan. It can only be used once per customer and it means that you can grab your first box for £8 (plus p+p)

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Top 5 viral TikTok Beauty Hacks

There is no escaping TikTok, it is absolutely everywhere and most people I know are just loving it whether they have joined or just watched, whatever the reason there is no escaping that it is the place to be and some of the biggest Beauty Bloggers are using it to its full advantage whilst it is popular and killing it.  On TikTok, you will find everything from lip-synching and dancing to something that catches my attention - Beauty Hacks and ones which include getting that list drop of product from your makeup bottles, I’m there!  I even have a dedicated Pinterest board to Beauty Hacks.

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

I am one of those people who isn't obsessed with YouTube, but there are a few people who have a channel that I can and do watch, one of them being Laura Lee, who with her 4.45million subscribers was the one who drew my attention to the TikTok Beauty Hacks! So these are the 5 that have intrigued me the most and I would love to know if you have tried them!

Foundation Coverage - Making your sheer/medium coverage foundation into full coverage adding a loose powder to it!   In some videos, it appears to work really well and you can see a slight change in the coverage whereas, in others, it just makes that sheer coverage foundation have a thicker texture but does nothing to change the actual coverage. In fact, it looks really odd. It could all depend on the initial product, type of loose powder and whether or not, as in some videos, a primer is used.  That said, I think the concept is quite an interesting one. 

Faux Freckles - This is by SophdoesNails but Laura Lee did her version of it too.  You need a bronzer and some setting spray to create the look.  In a tub or dish, whatever you have spare, mix bronzer with some setting spray to get an almost runny paste and then taking an angled makeup brush, dip it into the mixture and flick it onto your skin, creating the Faux Freckle look and I quite liked the finish better than having to dab them on using eyeliner pencils, which I have seen others do!

DIY Glow - This is one I have tried having seen many beauty bloggers do it and that is to create your very own setting spray which gives that glow and it is something you can almost definitely make right now.  All you need is your favourite facial mist, or better still if you have a mist you are not that much of a fan of, but need to use it up, grab that and a product which has a loose pigment in champagne gold, maybe a silver, rose gold or something that sparkles - I have found loose pigment highlighters, such as Illamasqua's Beguile* work really well for this. Then add some of that sparkle to the facial mist, shake it up and test it out.  The joy with doing this is that you can add as much or as little 'glow' as you are happy with.

Foundation Lashes - There are a lot of products on the market which claim to make your lashes look thicker and more fluttery thanks to the addition of fibres within a mascara. From TikTok we have adding foundation to your lashes before adding mascara.  For this, you need to paint your lashes with foundation and whether you use a brush or a spoolie seems to be up for contention and then apply your mascara on top.  Again, it does seem to work in some videos and not so in others and each person who has done it has used a different foundation and mascara, so that combination would need to be the one which works for you. A lash serum is of course a much better alternative to giving your lashes that much thicker and fuller look and you can also get your eyelash extension supplieso to make the task much easier.

Eyelash Curler Eyeliner - This is one I have actually tried with a varying degree of success. Eyeliner and I will never be the best of friends and it will never be a product I will actively seek out and need in my life.  Anyway, the trick is to get your eyelash curlers and almost colour in the top part of the curler which curls your lashes and as you curl them, the eyeliner should transfer to your eyelid.  On the whole, I have found it does work and it definitely makes tidying up the line an easier process than it would usually be.

Now we all want to find time saving hacks to make life that much easier and I would love to know if you have tried any of these or even have a little trick of your own that should be shared?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Get the Midas Touch with Emma Hardie Skincare - GWP

Emma Hardie has introduced their new Midas Touch Kit which is exclusive to Marks & Spencer. Usually priced at £59 it is currently on offer as a gift with purchase (GWP) to customers who buy any two Emma Hardie Products* online via M&S.

The Midas Touch Kit contains everything you need for glowing, radiant skin and the products inside include:

Moringa Light Cleansing Gel (15ml) - This cleansing gel is an absolute delight to use in a morning and if you are a fan of the Moringa Balm, then this lightweight gel will also become a favourite.  Using nourishing Moringa and Sweet Almond Oil which leave your skin feeling supple, while Omega 6, Vitamin E and essential fatty acids work to moisturise, smooth and soften. Sea Fennel Extract and Moringa Seed Peptides then help to reinforce the skin’s barrier function to help protect against the damaging effect of environmental aggressors such as harsh weather conditions and pollution.  You can read a full review on the Moringa Light Cleansing Gel here on my blog.

Midas Touch Face Serum (15ml) - This is a serum that instantly hydrates skin and targets signs of ageing to promote a smoother, younger-looking complexion.  It uses Avocado Peptides which help you encourage collagen production, a blend of Hyaluronic Acid and Moisture-bonding Glycoprotein whose properties plump and hydrate, while extract of Vivillume from Wild Banana Seed improves the appearance of volume and tone. Full review of Midas Touch Face serum here on my blog.

Moisture Boost Vit C Cream (15ml) - This cream contains a pure blend of Vitamin B3 and time-released Vitamin C to reduce pigmentation and increase healthy collagen production, leaving skin looking brighter and clearer. It also contains Red Algae Extract which has a luminating effect to give you a gorgeous glow and it also aids in reversing the effects of UV damage and they work alongside Pumpkin Enzymes, Shea Butter and Grapeseed Oil all encourage increased cellular renewal and regeneration.  I have a fuller review of this Moisture Boost Vit C Cream on my blog.

As you can see, this GWP also comes with a pouch to keep your products in and it has plenty of room to add a few more of your favourite products comfortably to it.

This is a great kit for any Emma Hardie fan, a gift for a loved one or a treat and it is on offer now with Marks & Spencer online. To redeem add product code T239885G to your bag

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.