Being an Allergenius at the #aoCleans event

We were invited by ao.com to attend the #aocleans event at the Thinktank in Birmingham, where we were to learn all about what it takes to become an 'allergenius' with Hotpoint. With hayfever, asthma and eczema sufferers in my family, the subject of allergies is very relevant for me, and I was interested to find out how I can help Ian, Ella and Megan avoid the misery of allergies.

I attended the event with Freddy, Ella and Kezia. The kids are always up for joining in with whatever fun is on offer and were excited to take part!

The focus of the allergy advice was surrounding dust mites and pollen, both factors in some very common and unpleasant allergic conditions. 1 in 4 Brits suffer from home based allergies and are six times more likely to turn to medication rather than find an in-house solution to reducing allergens. In fact only 1 in 10 say that they actively attempt to reduce the allergen levels in their home, even though there are steps that can be taken.

Hotpoint have a washing machine with an anti-allergy cycle to help avoid the effect of allergens, especially on bedding. They use high temperatures and extra rinses to remove up to 99.9% of major allergens found in homes. Investing in a good vacuum cleaner with anti-allergy functionality and a steam mop, are efficient ways of reducing exposure to allergens on flooring and hard surfaces. Using a condenser dryer on an anti-allergy cycle, especially for bedding, can remove 99.9% of dust mites, pollen, fungi and bacteria. In fact, line drying laundry can actually cause washing to become contaminated with pollen, which is not good for hayfever sufferers.

The children took part ion a range of fun activities including playing some games, which helped the little ones learn about dust mites, cleaning and laundry. They even played musical statues to the sound of a vacuum cleaner! There was a treasure hunt where the children hunted for allergens hidden in a mock up living room, searching under the sofa, inside lampshades, under cushions and in the carpet!

The adults were able to chat with the knowledgeable experts and find out about the Hotpoint appliances and how they can help in the fight against household allergies. I loved the look of the washing machine and dryer that they had on display.

They made some pretty spring flowers using tissue paper, pom poms and pipe cleaners, while learning about pollen and hayfever.

They also did some colouring in, adding their own colourful twist to the cheeky allergen characters!

We enjoyed a lovely lunch and completed the day by visiting Thinktank, where Freddy enjoyed dressing up, pressing buttons and looking at the exhibits, before playing in the brilliant Science Garden.

Freddy had a great day and learned a lot about how to get rid of allergens, in fact he got his very own certificate and t-shirt to prove it!

If you are an allergy sufferer there is some great advice available at allergyuk.org and on the Hotpoint Allergy Week page, which includes details of the products with anti-allergy functionality. Also take a look at ao.com where you will find thousands of household appliances to suit your needs!

Summer Essentials Review Round Up - Comfort, Boots Pharaceuticals and Sure Women

 Comfort Intense

Comfort Intense is a long lasting, ultra concentrated fabric conditioner, which comes in four vibrant, new fragrances: Fuchsia Passion, Fresh Sky, Ocean Pearl and Sunburst. Each small dose of Comfort Intense gives laundry a burst of freshness, which lasts from wash to wear. It also keeps clothing feeling soft and well conditioned.

We received two 38 wash bottles of Fuchsia Passion Comfort Intense to try out. The bottles are small, space saving and manageable, fitting into my kitchen cabinet easily (unlike those really big bottles of non-concentrated fabric softener, which I struggle to find a place for). The Comfort Intense is measured out into the lid of the bottle and a little really does go a long way. The floral, fruity scent is fragrant, fresh and pleasant, and lasts well on clothing. Laundry smells clean and just-washed even once it is dried and put away. It did a great job on our bedding.

The 38 wash bottle costs just £3.30, and a 64 wash bottle costs £4.89, available now in major supermarkets. You can find out more at www.comfortintense.com.

Boots Pharmaceuticals Allergy Barrier Nasal Spray

With two hayfever sufferers in the family, this time of year is sometimes difficult, with lots of sneezing and runny eyes to contend with. New research from Boots Pharmaceuticals reveals that for the 18 million Brits who suffer from hayfever, 64% of them continue to suffer once the sun goes down as airborne pollen drops as the air cools. On a typical summer night, nighttime hayfever can cost sufferers an average of 72 minutes of sleep. This loss of sleep has been dubbed 'insneezia' - as  the insomnia-esque symptoms caused by itchy eyes and blocked noses affects their ability to get to sleep. This can lead to bad moods, tiredness and irritability.

There are some hacks that sufferers can use to help ease their symptoms during the day such as wearing sunglasses, eating spicy food, avoiding hanging washing up outside, and putting Vaseline under the nose. There are also lots of remedies on the market that relieve symptoms, such as anti-histamine medication, eye drops and nasal sprays.

We were sent a powder based nasal spray for Ian to test out, which acts as a barrier to allergens by creating a protective lining in the nasal passage to reduce the inhalation of the pollen that is responsible for hayfever. It protects against runny noses and sneezing, two of the symptoms that keep sufferers up at night. It is fast acting, working in just 3 minutes against airborne allergens. Each bottle, which costs £8.99, contains 200 sprays of the non-drowsy formula to bring fast relief day or night. Although Ian generally takes one a day tablets to relieve his hayfever symptoms, the fast working spray is proving another good weapon in his arsenal for fighting his seasonal sneezes. It is particularly good in the evenings, boosting his protection and calming his symptoms before bed time. The Nasal Spray is suitable for adults (including pregnant women) and children aged 18 months and over.

Sure Compressed Shower Fresh and Cotton Dry with Motionsense technology

In the warmer months, things can get hot and sticky so staying fresh and protected is a big consideration for most of us. Sure have a new world first product on the market: Sure Compressed made with breakthrough Motionsense technology. It is an antiperspirant activated by movement meaning that the more you move, the more you are protected. Microcapsules burst with friction to release fragrance to keep you fresh, so whether you are going about your daily routine, at a festival or trying out a new exercise class this summer, it won't let you down.

The compressed format makes the cans smaller using less packaging, but are just as long lasting. They are a handy size to carry in your gym bag or to pop into your handbag. The two fragrances Shower Fresh and Cotton Dry are both light, fresh, feminine and clean smelling. They are great summer essentials for long lasting freshness and confidence all day, however active you are.

The Sure Compressed variants are available at leading retailers with an RRP of £3.29. I've tried them and am impressed at how well they worked - no sweaty armpits for me this summer!

Nose Nuzzles For Tiny Noses

Cleaning Up Noses When Our Kiddies Get Colds

Jackson Reece have a new product in their range of bio-degradable, compostable, environmentally friendly, natural wipes...Nose Nuzzles!

I've reviewed the Herbal Baby Wipes and the Unscented Baby Wipes in the past and have always been really impressed with the Jackson Reece ethos and their products.  

The Nose Nuzzles wipes contain natural saline for helping to unblock stuffy noses and Aloe Vera and Chamomile extract to soothe the skin.  They are pH balanced, 100% unscented and contain 99% naturally derived ingredients.  They are "kinder by nature"!  They come in a pack of twenty, a good quantity for dealing with a bout of runny noses,  while at the same time reducing possible waste and ensuring they don't dry out.

Nose Nuzzles

Recently, Kizzy has had cold after cold.  Using ordinary tissues has left her nose really sore and red with cracked skin around one of her nostrils.  It looks really sore, poor thing.  The wipes offer a gentle alternative to the harshness of tissues providing a sting-free, soothing method of cleaning up your nose.  They have actually seemed to promote healing which is a real bonus.

Freddy, like most little people, often has a runny nose and sticky, dried on boogers caked around his nostrils, especially with the weather like it is!  This is when the wipes really come into their own lifting the mucky messes with relative ease.  It feels so much kinder to use a Nose Nuzzle rather than a rough tissue on baby's delicate skin.  Freddy was perfectly happy having a nasal tidy up with a Nose Nuzzle and I was happy knowing that they are free from any artificial nasties.

It really does seem like a really obvious idea, I can't believe it hasn't been done before!  Maybe there is a market for an adult version or little pocket size packs for when you're on the go.

They are quite pricey at £2.49 a pack, but would prove a good investment if they avoid the problem of sore, chapped noses.  They are currently available at Sainsburys.

For more invitation check out the website at www.jacksonreece.com