Learning During Lockdown With The Wine List - Tipsy Talk

Lockdown had many people trying out new things, the last thing I thought I would be doing is a wine tasting course in the comfort of our own home. The team at The Wine List reached out and asked if would like to try out their service. Spoiler alert – I am glad they reached out and so is my wife!

The Wine List is a subscription wine box whereby you get 2 bottles of wine, 2 interactive cards, and an introduction into wine booklet. Not only to The Wine List offer a subscription service, but it also acts as a wine course teaching you how to enjoy wine. I have to be honest here; I have never tried a wine that I enjoyed. However, there is a vast variety of grapes and wine types so I was probably always choosing the wrong one. 

The box arrived, I was worried about opening it and there just been a mass of glass along with a faint whiff of wine. The subscription box arrived extremely well packaged in 2 perfectly sized bottle packs. We received a Casa Castillo Monastrell 2017 (Red) and a Bico De Ran 2018 (White). We ordered copious amounts of local cheeses to go with wines, Luckily I chose the right cheese otherwise the pairing could have gone wrong!

The first thing I did was reading my way through the introduction to wine, as advised previously it isn’t something I have ever had any interest in so I thought I best start here. The introduction takes you through the four parts, Look, Taste, Smell, and Think. Each topic is covered on a page so it isn’t overwhelming and or complex for first-timers. It’s extremely descriptive and really helps you understand the wine you are about to devour.

The 2 interactive cards are such a good idea, especially for a wine amateur! On one side of the card, it gives you a full rundown on the wine. This includes food pairing, type of grapes, and region along with a good bit of trivia. This really helps us understand the wine before tasting, After all, you don’t want to pair it with the wrong dish! On the flip side of the card, you have what I can only describe as a review sheet. It provides you with the scales used to judger characteristics of the wine along with space to make any notes. There is also a space for a verdict. Although I am not a seasoned wine drinker this does help create a profile of the wine. The cards can also be kept as a reminder of what you have tried and enjoyed. 

I can honestly say I have never enjoyed wine, I can also honestly say I am still more of a craft beer fan. However, this was an extremely enjoyable experience. My wife enjoys a glass of wine and loved the Bico De Ran. 

I would highly recommend Wine List if you enjoy a glass, equally if you would like a home-based wine experience it really makes a great night in. Not only that if you are stuck for a present for a wine lover then it would honestly make an amazing gift. My wife and I will definitely be trying out another box, it was great trying a wine you wouldn’t buy.

Thank you for reading and if you would like a cheeky discount use code FRIENDS and get learning yourself! It doesn't always have to be spreadsheets and numbers.

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Herbalife Skincare Review

If one thing this lockdown as taught me, it is that I need to look after myself a lot more than I normally do. I used to have a great grooming routine but over the last year or so I've been quite busy with work. Meaning any sort of routine went out of the window.

So being in lockdown has given me that extra time to bring this routine right back and god I definitely feel the benefits. I look better and also feel loads better in myself.

And this is all down to the Herbalife Unisex Skincare Products I have been using.

If you have visited my blog before you may have seen that I have worked with Herbalife before, if not then please check out my post here. Also, don't be too quick to judge we have found they have some great products when used correctly. 

Like I said my skincare routine was totally out of the window and, to be honest, my skin was starting to look quite old... well I am 37 now but I have always had quite good skin. Don't get me wrong I'm not Mr wrinkle yet but I do have a good few lines starting to appear. Not to mention the morning eye bags are coming along quite nicely.

I feel a lot more confident, I started posting a few more selfies and my wife as mentioned a few times that my skin is looking a lot better, which is always nice to hear.

We've reviewed quite a lot of skincare products on the blog and we have found some really good and some mediocre. I can honestly say I think I have found my favourite products within the Herbalife range. I'm really happy that I can let you guys know what I think. 

I was sent quite a few different products and I have used them all but there was a certain few which blew me away and they were that good that my wife and 14-year old son started using them too. This was a bit of a pain because they soon disappeared.

The first product I would like to tell you about is the Instant Reval Berry scrub. This is by far the best face scrub I have ever used, from the texture when rubbing it into your skin to the feel afterwards and the fragrance, it has it all. The antioxidant-rich scrub is fantastic, the berry seeds which are used for exfoliation smell amazing. To be honest, it's a pleasure to wash my face and I actually can not wait to use it, you definitely have the instant refreshing feeling afterwards. 

• Fresh and fruity fragrance enlivens the senses.
• Suitable for all skin types.
• No added parabens. Sulphate-free.
• Dermatologist tested.

Next up is a product I use every 3 days just after the berry scrub and it's the Soothing Aloe Cleanser. Once again another refreshing product which leaves my face feeling super clean and really soft. My skin is normally quite tough and dry so I think the aloe vera really leaves it feeling soft and moisturised. When I first started using this product I think I overdid it with the amount I used! I ended spending a lot of time rinsing it off because it lathers really well. It's another product which is a pleasure to use and look forward to using.  

• Aloe vera-based cleanser with a fresh and gentle scent. Perfect for normal to dry skin.
• Silky, soft lather gently removes excess oil, dirt and light makeup from the skin without irritation.
• Aloe vera softens and moisturises the skin.
• No added parabens. Sulphate-free.
• Dermatologist tested.

Like I said above my skin is normally quite dry and I've noticed more since I shaved the beard off. More face was visible and it was clear I needed to moisturise more. This is where the daily glow moisturiser came in, It's an all-purpose hydrating lotion with illuminating properties which will give your face a nice glow. I noticed results using this product within about 5 days, I used it after my morning wash... which was normally around lunchtime when I finally got up and then I added a little bit later in the evening. I think I really helped to smooth out the smaller lines in my skin which in turn made my skin look a little bit younger. 

• Helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in just 7 days.*
• Clinically tested to show that skin looks more glowing and feels softer and smoother in just seven days.**
• Clinically shown to double skin’s moisture for eight hours.***
• No added parabens. Dermatologist tested.

I think the mix of the berry scrub, cleanser and then the moisturiser have worked wonders for me, they have brought life to my skin again and I still haven't used the night replenishing cream! Not that I can either! Because as soon as it arrived my wife took it and said she's having that! Having said that, she only has nice things to say I about it and uses it as her go-to night time moisturiser. 

This is the first unisex skincare product I've used and will carry on using. It also seems like a family favourite. I've had no issues like outbreaks since using it! I honestly have nothing negative to say and I hope all the stigma around Herbalife doesn't put people off trying out their products because they will not disappoint.

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The products were gifted in return for our honest review

Looking After Yourself During Lockdown With Men-U

The market is absolutely flooded with men’s grooming products, from body wash to beard growth serum there is literally a product for everything. However, this is when the problem starts, the market gets saturated with poor products and it puts men who aren’t used to a skincare routine, off buying another one to try. Fortunately Carl and I have already done a lot of trialling for you, and there is one brand that always comes out on top. That brand is Men-U.

For those who are new to Men-U they were founded in the UK in 2001 that hold a vast range of products. Not only do they have a great range of products but they also come in various sizes. Meaning you don’t have to fill up your toiletries bag with huge bottles, their ‘buddy’ tubes are a great example. Compact 15ml tubes that pack 30 applications, and yes they really do have that many applications in them! A little definitely does a long way with these products.

So what can we recommend? Keep reading!

 

First off it has to be the black pepper and bergamot ultra-concentrate shower gel. This stuff smells unreal and the fragrance sticks around, lightly might I add. But this is what I love about this shower gel; it isn’t overpowering but leaves you smelling fresh and obviously… clean

Secondly, we have SLIC. This is a smooth leave-in conditioner; I have been using this as a pre-treatment before I jump in the shower. I put it on around 30 mins before and then rinse off. It is amazing how dry and damaged your hair and scalp can get. Use a product like this, even just once a week and your head will thank you.

 

Last but not least we have the ultra-concentrate shave cream. You are probably all thinking, it’s just another shaving cream to add to the long list. However, due to not shaving often and only lining up my beard I am quite prone to shaving rashes. I have tried many, only a few including this one help give a close enough shave but are gentle enough to help prevent razor burn.

 

I could honestly go on about Men-U’s line up forever. I was pretty much hooked when I first tried out their Ultra Matte moisturiser and it has been a product I have bought over and over again. A huge thanks to the team over at Men-U making for making this post possible and sending us some awesome products to try out. For me the buddy tubes are amazing, I am still amazed how little goes so far?

To say thank you to our readers the team over and Men-U have provided us with our very own discounts code. So head over to here and use discount code ABEV20 for a 20% discount– Don’t worry this isn’t an affiliate link either it is just some awesome discounts.

Also, don't forget to drop them a follow on Instagram and check out more of their products  

 

Thanks for reading and if you do end up checking out the Men-U range let us know what your favourites are in the comments below!

 

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Will 2020 Be The Year

So we have made it into 2020 and the blogs still live!

I say this like its a big shock but actually, it is because in 2019 I didn't post that much at all and I did question myself and asked myself quite a few time, should I even bother with it next year?

In December my Go Daddy domain was due to expire, I had to do a lot of thinking and actually have to come to a decision whether I was going to continue or not.

Thankfully, after a lot of thinking, we came to the decision that we would keep it going and not only keep it going, we would try and push on with it and try to make a real go of it.

Around the same time last year, we wrote a post about what was going to happen with the blog in 2019 and that we were going to take it down a more tech and gaming route. Even though we had some massive plans and did produce some really good posts, we just didn't get the interaction we wanted and this is mainly because of the blog is more known for its lifestyle, fashion and male grooming posts and that's what our following was used to.

2019 wasn't a total loss for us with content creating and even though we weren't keeping up with gaming and tech-related post on our blog, we have teamed up with the guys over at Thumb Culture. We will be reviewing games and creating content for them, well this will be done more by Dan! So if love all tech and gaming related then I'd advise you to definitely check them out.

So what's the plan for Ablokeseyeview in 2020? Well, basically we want to take it back to where we were in 2017-2018 and go back to what we were doing then, creating posts which hopefully our followers want to read and hopefully relate to. 

We will be trying to publish at least one post a week, we are not sure what days best to publish but that's something we will be looking at and for the first time in 5 years of blogging, we will be looking at how to improve our SEO and looking at other ways to promote our post, so any tips would be 100% be appreciated 

We are also going to try to improve both of our health and wellbeing and we possibly may blog about it too, we are thinking if we keep track on it through blog posts, it will help us keep track on how we are doing and may help keep us motivated.

Also, our blog photography is something we want to improve on, whether it is fashion shots or even product shots and even our lifestyle post photos because photos are one of the main things which draw me into a post.

I think on our last few fashion-related posts our pictures came out quite well, so hopefully, more of that and us trying to be a bit more adventurous with product shots.

Social media is something we also what to improve on, for the first 3 years of my blog, our Twitter grew really well and our Instagram did ok but over the last few years its hasn't done too well, So any hints or tips will be grateful... Please Help!

We are open to suggestions on what you would like to see in the blog and we are hopeful that we can gain the confidence to getting the YouTube channel back up and running, with products reviews and blogger days out to events and stuff like that. 

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