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The Shed, Barry – A Review

September 11, 2021 by Erica Hughes Leave a Comment

approach the shed barry

The Shed, Barry

Situated in Barry’s redeveloped Docks area, The Shed by James Sommerin is a very welcome upmarket eating place in the town. Housed in the Gwalia Buildings (Goods Sheds), now sympathetically repurposed, this is a restaurant that represents much of Barry’s hopes for the future. The Shed is envisaged as a modern and contemporary eating destination, but its philosophy is centered on Barry’s proud industrial heritage. They have even sourced the wood for the table tops from original timber reclaimed from the Barry Docks area. Plus the slate that forms the bar and the pass have come from old snooker tables. The interior is airy and light. There are hints at the industrial heritage of the area within the decor.

The restaurant’s price point is that of a high end bistro rather than a grander fine dining affair. However, the food is certainly up there with fine dining establishments. It’s a relaxed setting in which to enjoy your meal.

interior the shed barry James Sommerin has brought his expertise to The Shed. He was formally a Michelin-starred chef (The Crown at Whitebrook) and both The Shed and his previous project at Penarth have been featured in the Michelin Guide.

Smoked Haddock Souffle

The Meal

To start I had the Smoked Haddock Souffle, which is flavoured with wholegrain mustard and dill. The mustard is applied with a sparing hand and doesn’t overpower the dish. It’s very much a creamy, soft, smoky haddock delight. I’d have very happily eaten a big bowl of this.

Rabbit and Pork belly Terrine

My companion opted for the Rabbit and Pork belly Terrine served with fig, walnut and chicory. As you’d expect this had a richness from the rabbit and the fig, but the chicory cuts through that to bring some freshness.

tomahawk steak, the shed barry

For our main we shared the Tomahawk Steak. This was cut in the kitchen, but plated at the table for a little drama. We picked out sides of Triple Cooked Chips, Tenderstem Broccoli and Heritage Tomato Salad. We followed the chef’s suggestion and had our steak cooked medium rare. It was a good quality steak with plenty of flavour. The triple cooked chips were wonderful. Crispy on the outside, but soft and fluffy inside: everything a chip should be. The broccoli, with its almond and garlic flavouring, together with the tomato salad proved to be the idea accompaniments to the steak.

crepe suzette

For pudding I opted for a Crepe Suzette, but unusually for me I tried the alcohol free option. It does mean that the table-side cooking of the crepes is slightly less dramatic. Certainly the alcohol and the flames do add something to the occasion. But the crepes were still very moreish with their lovely orangey coating.

Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Millefeuille

The Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Millefeuille really did look a picture. An exquisite sandwich of raspberry and creamy dark chocolate sweetness. For me, the balance of crunch to softness was spot on.

The service was attentive without being obtrusive. So we felt very well looked after during our visit to The Shed, Barry. If we are visiting Barry in the future, we will definitely be making a return visit. Highly recommended.

House of Games Board Game Review and Giveaway #Ad

September 7, 2021 by Erica Hughes 13 Comments

We have been avid fans of Richard Osman’s House of Games for a long time now. It’s standard tea time viewing in this house. I love the mix of games, the contestants and pitching my wits against the questions as the show airs. Would it work as a board game though? I was interested to see how well the series would adapt to the board game format. So when I was offered the chance to review a copy of the game, I jumped at it. Read on to find out how we got on and what we thought of the game as we played it.

If you have not watched House of Games, this is the simple premise: the contestants either pair up or go against each other to answer or solve word-based tasks for points. They do this over the course of a week, but each programme can be watched on its own. Each day the winner of that day’s programme gets to choose from a selection of branded, rather kitsch prizes with the House of Games fondue set being my personal favourite. The boxed version follows the same premise, only you won’t play it over a number of days and the prizes are up to you.

There are six categories or rounds to choose from and a final seventh round, Answer Smash, which always ends the game. Four of the rounds are chosen at random and slid into a card holder – this determines the order of the rounds and the rounds that are actually played. Now it suggests that this game can be played by 3+ players. But it’s better played as a group of five (or more in pairs so 7,9, etc.). This is to make it work better as some of the rounds are played in teams and one of the players acts as the Question Master.

Each round has four questions asked, and the fifth round is always the same but also has four questions – points are gained for correct answers and whoever has the most points at the end, wins. The prize is a Richard Osman-themed cardboard trophy.

Richard Osman’s House of Games is good fun, but I’m not sure how good the repeat play value is. I think there could do with being a few more different cards for the various rounds, to keep you playing longer. That said, I don’t think we’d often have the right number of people in the house to play this at its best, so perhaps that wouldn’t be that much of a concern.

One of the joys of the game for me is that it isn’t a straight forward quiz game like say Trivial Pursuit. The questions are a bit different and will give your brain a work out in a quirky way.

I’ve got good news for readers, I have a copy of Richard Osman’s House of Games to give away to one lucky reader. Enter via the Gleam widget below.
Richard Osman’s House of Games Board Game

Competition Terms and Conditions

1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries allowed.

2. Entrants must be aged 18 years or older and resident in the UK.

3. The winner or winners will be chosen by a random draw using the competition widget.

4. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter to enable prize fulfillment.

5. The winner’s name may be published on this site.

6. Competition closes at the end of Sunday 3rd October 2021.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of the game for the purposes of this review.

Trainfit Leggings Review #Ad

September 2, 2021 by Erica Hughes 2 Comments

Leopard High Rise Roll Down Leggings by Halo Fitness

Yoga, swimming and walking are my main forms of exercise. For yoga and often for walking too, I prefer to wear leggings. Leggings are so easy and comfortable when you are exercising. They have plenty of stretch too, so they move with you when you bend and stretch. They keep you warmer than shorts which is good for outdoor exercise or when you are doing less intensive yoga sessions. Leggings can suit any number of different workouts from cardio to weights, pilates to running. I usually change after exercise, but if there isn’t time, it’s easy to dress leggings up with a nice top and you are good to go almost anywhere.

Trainfit recently asked me to try out something from their selection of gym clothing and cross training gear. They have a great selection and they don’t do boring. There are bright colours and prints to choose from which I find really cheerful. I find wearing that sort of gear when I’m exercising helps keep me motivated. I decided to pick out some Trainfit leggings because I am always on the look out for great leggings to exercise in.

trainfit leggings

I picked out the Leopard High Rise Roll Down Leggings by Halo Fitness. It was a difficult choice because there were so many great options. I’d recently admired some animal print leggings on someone else at a yoga class though, so that was what swung it for me. I was really pleased with my choice when they arrived as they looked great and felt soft and smooth to the touch. If you are not a fan of the leopard print then Trainfit also stock a range of funky gym leggings in a variety of different styles and colours to suit varying tastes no matter how bold!

These versatile high-rise tights were designed to fit like a second skin, which makes them perfect for yoga or the gym. I found they were a really good fit for me. They are made with single-lined, lustrous material that allows for unrestricted movement. This meant it was easy for me to do any yoga pose from downward dog to chair pose in them. The four-way stretch fabric is sweat-wicking, which helps keep you cool and comfortable, even when you are working hard. I love that the fabric is breathable.

Whilst exercising the leggings feel supportive on both my legs and tummy. The high rise cut is flattering and I prefer to wear them high waisted as it gives a bit more coverage. But, they are easy to roll down if you prefer the low or mid rise look. They come in a range of sizes from Xtra Small to Xtra Large. I couldn’t find a size guide on the Trainfit site, which was a shame. However, I take a size 14 bottoms usually and I found that the large was a good fit. I felt they looked good on me and were flattering despite being a good, close fit.

They have washed well and I’ve found they spring back into shape quickly after being worn. I’m hopeful that they will last me a good long time and wear well.

Disclosure: I was sent the Trainfit leggings for the purposes of this review.

Gentle Tooth Whitening #Ad

August 31, 2021 by Erica Hughes 2 Comments

Over this last year I’ve been using more home beauty treatments. It’s been the only way during lockdowns with salons closed. I’ve missed the salon pampering experience, but I’ve enjoyed the ease and convenience of being able to have the treatment whenever I want. Obviously, at home you aren’t always able to use the full range of products or give yourself all the treatments, you would get professionally, but there are plenty of options out there. The added benefit is that it’s often cheaper too. Here I’ve been trying out some gentle tooth whitening products to help whiten my teeth.

Introduction: What are the Benefits of Gentle Teeth Whitening?

The benefits of using gentle teeth whitening are that it is easy to use, it does not require the person to stop eating or drinking for long, and there are no negative side effects.

How Does Gentle Tooth Whitening Actually Work?

Gentle teeth whitening works by using natural ingredients like charcoal and apatite to naturally whiten teeth. There are two main ways that these ingredients are applied: in a toothpaste or as part of a kit using strips or something similar to apply the ingredients to the teeth. Toothpastes are the easiest to use and can be used as a maintenance treatment. Using a kit will often get a quicker result, but it requires you to set aside some time for the treatment.

Charcoal based toothpastes

Just a word of warning here. These toothpastes are black in colour. Once you get over the fact that you are putting something black onto the teeth you want to whiten, you’ll soon realise how effective these toothpastes are.

The first brand I tried was White Glow Toothpaste from cruelty-free, dentist led brand Millionaire Smile. The Volcanic White Glow toothpaste is specially formulated using the latest innovative ingredients including hydroxyapatite, activated charcoal and volcanic minerals. It is designed to tackle surface stains, prevent staining throughout the day, rebuild enamel, reduce sensitivity and gently but effectively whiten teeth. It also helps maintain healthy gums and fresh breath, resulting in a brighter, whiter smile and a healthier mouth. I find it very pleasant to use – I liked that it wasn’t minty to the taste. I found that my teeth quickly became a few shades lighter.

Curaprox’s Black Is White Toothpaste. Using enzymatic science that reacts with the mouths saliva to produce a whitening outcome, CURAPROX’s Black Is White is safe to use as a regular daily toothpaste, with no harmful bleaching agents. The Black Is White Toothpaste helps to remove discolouration by using activated carbon without abrading or bleaching and helps with sensitivity too, whilst strengthening oral health with enzymes that protect against tooth decay and support the salivary functions. Again this is really pleasant to use and it also helped my teeth become a few shades whiter. Another plus point for me is that this came with a black-bristled toothbrush, which is handy as my white one was getting stained.

Other toothpastes

If you don’t like the taste of charcoal or you prefer a minty toothpaste, there are other gentle tooth whitening toothpastes available. I tried Urtekram’s Fresh Mint Whitening Toothpaste, available from Amazon, is a certified organic and 100% natural origin toothpaste. Specially formulated to strengthen tooth enamel, protect against tooth decay and reduce dental calculus, it leaves your breath smelling minty fresh, too. The whitening effect comes from completely natural ingredients, including Apatite. This one is great for leaving you with a fresh minty taste in your mouth and it is effective over time. This is now the toothpaste I use before a night out because of the combination of the minty taste and the gentle tooth whitening effect.

Teeth Whitening Strips

I also tried some Teeth Whitening Strips from Millionaire Smile. The strips aren’t as easy as using a toothpaste, but they work well at home. Before use you need to brush your teeth and dry them. Then you place the strips on your teeth. You leave them on for 30-45 minutes and you need to avoid eating and drinking during this time. This isn’t hard to do, but you will have to plan in the time for the treatment. Once you have done that you can watch TV or read a book or whatever you like, so it’s quite relaxing. The strips do feel a little odd on your teeth, but you quickly forget about them. I would use these ahead on a big night out or similar. They are quicker to work than the toothpastes, so they are a good way of getting your teeth a bit brighter quickly.

Teeth Whitening Products in the News

According to a new Which report, nearly 60 percent of teeth whiteners bought from Amazon Marketplace, eBay, AliExpress and Wish had illegal and dangerously high levels of a bleaching agent. Which tested 36 whitening kits. Of these, 21 had more than the legal limit (0.1%) of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for home use in whitening kits, while 11 had more than 6 percent H2O2, which exceeds what dentists can use. Dr Ahmed Hussain, leading dental expert from Harrow on the Hill Dentistry shares his concerns: “Your social media feeds, or searches online, may show you that it is possible to purchase peroxide-based products to bleach your teeth, but I strongly urge you not to buy these products. Who knows the long-term damage these non-professional treatments might cause? Some products may not even be strong enough to make any lasting difference.”

Conclusion

I have been careful here to pick out reputable products that don’t use harsh chemicals. If you want to use a stronger treatment, make sure you go to a qualified professional for proper treatment. I found that all these products were effective in making my teeth whiter, so they are a much nicer, whiter colour than before. None of them were able to remove denser, darker specific stains, so I think I will have to consult a professional about that. I hope you have enjoyed my round up of gentle tooth whitening products.

Disclosure: I was sent the products featured in this article for the purpose of trying them out to write this post.

Rooster Rolltop Welded Dry Bag #Ad

August 31, 2021 by Erica Hughes 2 Comments

rooster roll top welded dry bag

Summer holidays mean the beach, the sea and lots of fun in the water. So this seemed like the perfect time to test out the Rolltop Welded Dry Bag from Rooster. Wet swimming costumes and wet suits soon get smelly, so it’s important to have a way of dealing with them that contains the smell. That smell often seems to linger long after you remove the wet things from the car. Also, no one wants their car upholstery getting wet, so a dry bag seemed like a perfect solution to the wet clothes dilemma.

The Dry Bag

The bag itself is made from a strong 500D PVC material and is incredibly well made using high-quality materials. It feels durable and I think it will last a long time. Also the clips feel strong and again I think they will last well. The bag can be easily wiped down after use, so it’s no problem to clean. Another plus is that it does look very stylish, as well as being functional and useful. There are 60 litre and 10 litre versions depending on your needs.

rooster roll top welded dry bag The bag folds down well and it’s easy to make it really small. This is great for storing at home or in the boot of the car when not in use. The straps can be removed and simply clipped on when needed. This helps keep the bag compact, but you can easily carry stuff to or from the beach when the bag is full. We used it to carry dry things and food to the beach and it works very well for this. However, it really comes into its own when you are using it for wet things.

Using the Dry Bag

When you want to use the bag, you simply pop our wet things inside. It’s just one main compartment, so it’s easy to use. Then simply roll down the top of the bag. You just turn it over itself three times and then clip the ends together. Then you can clip on the straps, which are really comfortable on the shoulders.

The dry bag is really spacious and can hold all of our swimming things. It’s been more than big enough for me and my son to use it together and you could easily fit in a family’s wet gear. We really put it though its paces by turning it upside down and throwing it in the air, but no water escaped. It’s been so much better than using a plastic bag (they always seemed to spring a leak on me, no matter how well I checked them first).Some people think that dry bags are an unnecessary expense. They believe that a simple plastic grocery bag will do the trick, but I find a plastic bag doesn’t do the job nearly as well.

Perfect for trips to the beach, the lake or for keen sailors, popping your wet clothing in here means no more wet, slightly doggy, smell in the car home. I can see us using this for trips to the swimming pool too.

Getting To Know Birmingham #Ad

August 16, 2021 by Erica Hughes 2 Comments

Over the last year I’ve spent a much greater proportion of my time either at home or fairly close to home. During the lockdowns I’ve been out on walks to explore the area. I’ve discovered and explored some places close to me that I didn’t know that much about. Given that holidays abroad are hard to come by and even holidaying closer to home is proving difficult due to high demand, it makes sense to make the most of what’s on your doorstep. So getting to know Birmingham better seems to be a good idea.

Birmingham Museums has just launched an exciting new book –Things to Do & Places to See in Birmingham & the West Midlands. It follows the success of their best-selling book, Walk Birmingham, and is now on sale via the museum’s online shop. It’s a handy guide to discovering – or even re-discovering – the region. It features some 400 odd hidden gems from Birmingham and beyond including historic houses, nature reserves, parks and more.

Now I was born in Birmingham and I’ve lived in the area all my life. So I think I’m quite knowledgeable about places to see and visit. I had visited a lot of places in the Birmingham part of the guide, but there were plenty more that I hadn’t and some that I hadn’t even been aware of their existence. It’s not just Birmingham that’s covered in the guide: there’s Dudley, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Coventry and Solihull. I’d been to quite a few places in Sandwell and Dudley in particular, but again there were quite a few places I wasn’t aware of. In the other areas there were even more places I had yet to explore.

Format wise, the book is divided geographically by the various council areas and then within that there’s an alphabetical listing. Within each council area there are listings for museums, historical properties and art galleries: visitor attractions; entertainment and performing arts venues; parks, gardens and nature reserves; and libraries. Each entry gives an overview, provides contact details and there symbols to indicate the facilities available. There are lots of lovely pictures of the various places featured. The book is A5 sized, so it’s convenient to take out with you if you want.

Walk Birmingham is a handy book that will easily fit in your pocket when you are out on a walk. It details 20 walks in Birmingham, often picking out historical details or areas of interest. The only walks that I’ve completely walked the routes of were the Medieval Birmingham and Harborne walks. I’m familiar with bits of other walks too. Exploring Birmingham is a lot easier when you are on foot and have time to have a good look around.

Each walk features a map, photos and a written description. There’s also a information panel giving key details like post code, length, duration, bus routes, parking and facilities. I’m already plotting my next walk to explore a new area or see bits of the city I’ve not seen before.

Disclosure: I was sent these books for the purposes of this review.

A La Mexicana Restaurant, Bearwood Review

August 9, 2021 by Erica Hughes 1 Comment

A La Mexicana Restaurant

I’ve been meaning to try out the A La Mexicana Restaurant for a while, but the pandemic has got in the way. The restaurant is situated on Sandon Road in Bearwood, close to T C Hayes, and diagonally opposite the Bear pub. A La Mexicana is a family run, Mexican restaurant and it is decorate with bright primary colours and lots of authentic Mexican items. Everything was spotless and the tables were cleaned down well after customers left. It was a reasonably warm day and the door was left open, so there was plenty of ventilation.

We were greeted by a friendly Mexican host, who was keen to make sure we were comfortable. He was happy to help guide us through the menu, which is just as well as it was tricky to pick out which of the delicious-sounding dishes to try. I think I’m going to have to go back to try out some more.

The Menu A La Mexicana

There are three sections to the menu: lunch (lighter items), dinner (bigger dishes) and drinks. We visited at lunch time and could choose off both the lunch and the dinner menus. Soft drinks and hot drinks are currently available and are reasonably priced. The restaurant is currently unlicensed, but I understand that they hope to change that.

We decided against a starter of nachos because my friend had a tooth infection and wanted to eat soft things. Our host helped us find just the right thing: burritos. Despite eating at lunch time we ate off the dinner menu because we wanted a more substantial meal. The burritos came with a choice of filling: steak, pork, chicken, ham, chorizo or vegetables. My friend decided to go for the chorizo, which is homemade on the premises. I liked the sound of the slow cooked pork, but it was too early in the day for that to be ready (because it is cooked long and slow), so I went for the pork and caramelised onions. This wasn’t actually specified on the menu, so it’s worth talking to your server before deciding on your choice.

Our Meal

Our burrito meals came similarly presented with salsa in the lovely, colourful mexican bowl. There was an attractive side salad with peppers, tomatoes and avocado. The burritos were well wrapped and easy to eat with hands: very little escaped. My pork was nicely spiced, but not too hot (I tend to prefer things to be reasonably mild). As you can see inside there was a mixture of rice (I could have chosen beans instead), pork and carmelised onion. It was delicious, tender and moist . My companion really enjoyed her chorizo burrito. As I think you’d expect it was a bit spicier than mine, but I’m tempted to try that next time or maybe the slow cooked pork. I’m spoilt for choice.

Portion wise it really was a main meal. My lunch companion took the second burrito home to eat later. I just about managed my two burritos, but didn’t have an appetite for the rest of the day.

The service was timely, attentive and friendly. We had a warm welcome and my friend is already talking about taking other people there because she enjoyed it so much. I know other people who have been and they have really enjoyed it too, so much so that they have already made a return visit.

Other restaurants to try in Bearwood include The Old Dresser.

Brownies from Sponge Cakes Ltd #Ad

July 13, 2021 by Erica Hughes 3 Comments

We all love home made baked goodies. I do quite enjoy making them at home, but often time and life get in the way. If you are busy getting ready to host friends for the weekend, other jobs may take priority. Wouldn’t it be lovely to be able to buy a homemade cake or some brownies? Unless there’s a convenient cake sale or you know a good local baker, you probably can’t unless you make it that cake yourself. Then Sponge Cakes Ltd got in touch and told me about their new brownies range. I really loved the idea of ordering brownies and having them delivered by post.

Chocolate orange brownies sponge cakes ltd

Sponge Cakes Ltd’s new brownies range is full of wonderful things. I tried out the Chocolate Orange brownies because chocolate orange is one of my favourite flavours. The brownies had a great texture with just the right amount of gooey ness and crumbliness. It’s an orange flavoured brownie with orange chocolate chunks throughout the mix. It’s topped with a white, dark and orange chocolate drizzle effect.

We tried the brownies out and home and I also took them around to a friend’s house for her family to try. They went down very well with everyone. I’d have liked them to be ever so slightly less sweet, but that’s a personal preference thing. The proof is in the eating and the brownies certainly didn’t last long.

I love the brownies are full of good things: free range eggs, gluten free flour and natural flavourings. They arrive well packaged and mine were undamaged in transit. Unusually the brownies come in a circular shape like a cake, rather than the square shapes that we have become more used to. This works well for me as I find it easier to cut a round cake into equal pieces.

If you aren’t sure which flavour to buy, maybe try the Four Sharing brownie, which has four quarters each a different flavour.

Coffee cake sponge cakes ltd

As well as trying out the new brownies range, I tried a Coffee Cake from Sponge Cakes Ltd too. For someone who isn’t a coffee drinker, it’s perhaps surprising that coffee cake is one of my favourites. Again the cake arrived well packaged and looking fabulous. It was very moist and did have that lovely homemade taste to it, whilst being a very professional looking treat. It got a lot of compliments and I’d certainly get one again, especially if I was entertaining or celebrating a birthday or similar.

I liked to idea of using coffee beans on top of the cake to add some crunch instead of the usual walnuts. Once again good quality ingredients are used in the baking, such as free range eggs. We had no trouble eating it all whilst it was fresh, but you can freeze left over slices.

Sponge Cakes Ltd have 14 flavours of cakes available so there should be something to tempt you. If you prefer you can have a sharing cake with either 14 flavours in one cake so you can have a slice of each one or a cake with four flavours that can be cut into slices.

Scrumptious By Lucy Review and Giveaway #Ad

June 22, 2021 by Erica Hughes 67 Comments

Scrumptious by Lucy brownies
Brownies are one of my favourite treats. I do like making brownies myself too. There’s something very special though about having a delicious box of brownies pop through your letter box without any effort on your part. The other advantage of getting them delivered is that you can pick a range of goodies. If you make a batch then, they will all be the same type. This is a perfect gift to give to a lover of brownies. Great for these pandemic days too because you can send them in the post. You can avoid the need to go to the shops to pick a gift. Scrumptious by Lucy got in touch recently and Lucy offered me the chance to try her fabulous brownies. I opted to try the Pick your own box of 4 as I loved the idea of picking out my favourite flavours. I picked out Chocolate Orange, Signature Chocolate, Lemon Blondie and a Bakewell Blondie. These were the varieties that appealed most to me and I liked the idea of having a nice mix of brownies and blondies.

Scrumptious By Lucy offer around twenty flavours, including gluten free and vegan varieties if you need them. So you really are spoiled for choice. You can pick a chocolate focused brownie like the Signature Chocolate Brownie which offers all the chocolatey brownie goodness that you desire. Or pick out a brownie with a flavouring like Chocolate Orange or Salted Caramel. I’m a bit fan of chocolate orange as a flavour and that one certainly didn’t disappoint. Both brownies that I selected were full of flavour and had that great moist, crumbly texture. There are innovative flavours available like the Lotus Brownie Biscoff or the Oreo Brownie.

bakewell blondie As well as brownies Scrumptious By Lucy offer a selection of blondies too. These are great if you want something that tastes a bit lighter or has a more delicate flavour than chocolate. I loved the lemon zing of the Lemon Blondie which is a packed full of lemon flavour. The Bakewell Blondie is very moreish too and it is really difficult to pick out a favourite.

If you are buying a box of brownies as a gift, you can opt for a gift wrap. It’s really easy to buy for those with restricted diets. Just pick out a vegan box or a gluten free one and all the work is done for you.

I have a box of Scrumptious By Lucy’s fabulous brownies to give away to one lucky reader. Enter via the Gleam widget below.

Competition Terms and Conditions

1. No bulk, third-party or automated entries allowed.

2. Entrants must be aged 18 years or older and resident in the UK.

3. The winner or winners will be chosen by a random draw using the competition widget.

4. Promoter is responsible for fulfilling the prize and full contact details of the winner will be passed onto the promoter to enable prize fulfillment.

5. The winner’s name may be published on this site.

6. Competition closes at the end of Sunday 18th July 2021.
Scrumptious By Lucy Brownies

AirPop Pocket Face Mask Review #Ad

June 14, 2021 by Erica Hughes Leave a Comment

Now that we are well into the pandemic, I think we have all tried a number of different face masks. I’ve tried to avoid using disposable ones, as I prefer a reusable mask as that seems less wasteful. Of course, I have had to use disposable masks when visiting hospitals, etc. though. I’ve tried a number of reusuable fabric ones too, but so far all have had a few downsides. There’s also a concern about how effective they are as most of the ones I’ve tried are only two layers thick. So when AirPop got in touch about their Pocket mask, I was keen to try it out.

Company history and credentials

AirPop is the world’s first air wearables company and was founded in 2015. The brand combines material science with the latest technology to build ultra-high-performance products providing an unrivalled breathing experience for millions of users around the world. Founder Chris Hosmer and his team conducted lengthy research to ensure AirPop products delivered on three key elements to make them effective: fit, filtration and breathability.

Wearing the AirPop pocket mask

The Pocket mask is a hybrid semi-reusable mask designed for 40 hours of wear time (this can be cumulative). Airpop says it can be worn for 40 hours and up to 10 washes before you need to retire it. It’s made from three layers of spun-bound, non-woven polyester and nylon, which makes it similar to disposable masks. There’s a foam nose bridge which really helps with making them comfortable and creating a good fit. This was the first mask I’ve tried with the foam nose bridge and it certainly makes a difference to being able to wear it for longer. Also the ear straps were gentle on the ears, but still maintained a snug fit.

Filtration results are impressive: 99.9% before washing, and 94% after five washes. It will cost more than a fully reusable mask, but that might be a price worth paying if you are encountering higher risk situations; are vulnerable; or want to protect about a more infectious virus.

Carrying the mask

You can fold the mask up and put it away in a small carrying case. The on pack instructions weren’t very clear to me, but I was easily able to follow the online instructions. The vent on the top of the case allows any moisture to evaporate naturally between wears. This helps keep the mask dry and fresh for when you need it.

Summing up

The Pocket mask has impressed independent experts too, as it scored an impressive 94% in Which’s latest face mask round up. Not only did Which’s testing reinforce how effective the Pocket mask is, the masks were also awarded a BSI Kitemark late last year.

Overall I found the AirPop pocket mask a reassuring and comfortable mask to wear. The mask is quite thick, so it’s not so comfortable when it’s hot, but that goes for just about any mask worth wearing to be honest. It holds its shape well and folds up nicely. Wearing the mask for a long time is fairly easy though. I’d see myself using these for high risk activities in the future. That’s because I have been impressed by the effectiveness and ease of wear.

Disclosure: I was sent masks to try for the purposes of this review.