Find my favourite December purchases here... (cont)
I promise one day I will film my monthly favourites and put them on my youtube channel, but until then...
My first December favourite is this foot care Christmas gift set by Baylis and Harding. Yes, as you can see, I have bought myself a Christmas present, but only because I wanted to try something new on my feet and it cost the same amount as my usual Neutrogena foot lotion (but this has extra goodies included)! So in this gift set you will find a manderine and grapefruit foot lotion with vitamins A, B and C, scented foot soak crystals also with vit A, B and C and a pair of super soft, fluffy, white socks. With diabetes it's important that we look after our feet, check them every day and keep them well moisturised to prevent any breaks, cracks and dry skin which could cause problems. As I mentioned, I usually use Neutrogena foot lotion but I love the Baylis and Harding hand washes and thought I'd give these products a try instead. I added the bath crystals to warm water and soaked my feet for 10 minutes, dried them well and applied the lotion (being careful not to put any between my toes) and then I slept with the socks on over night while the lotion got to work. The result - silky soft feet with a fruity scent and the gift set didn't break the bank! You can get this gift set in Asda for only £5 in their Christmas gift section.
Next up is this diabetes alert bracelet by Kirsty. I actually won this a few months ago in a competition and it was the first ever medical alert that I'd had. Obviously it's important for people to know that we have diabetes just in case there is an emergency situation, but most medical alerts don't look so great. Kirsty, however, has a lovely selection of not only jewellery but other diabetes accessories too. They're affordable, they look good and they would make great stocking fillers, birthday presents or just a nice treat! Check out Kirtsy's website at Diabetic Jewellery to see her full range and prices.
Now, I've raved about the Hid-In range before on my blog and youtube channel, and as these really are one of my favourite diabetes products of all time I thought I'd give them another mention. Katie, the lady who designs the Hid-In range, has type 1 diabetes herself and knows just how hard it can be to stash away insulin pumps inside clothes. She has come up with a whole range of attractive and discreet ways for insulin pump users to wear their pumps in a comfortable and fashionable way. From the range I have a pair of pocket panties, which have a pocket in the front for my pump, and I also have a body band which I can wear with any outfit. Something I also love is that Katie can customise the body bands to match your favourite underwear! Again, this would make a great Christmas stocking filler and I'd definitely recommend the products. Katie also has designs for men too, so guys... get hold of a pair of pocket pants or a body band for your pumps too! Take a look at the range on Katies website and check out her brand new kit bags too!
Moving on to blood glucose testing and for the last few months I've been loving this little duo by Nipro Diabetes Care. I was sent a whole bunch of their blood glucose meters to try out and this one has to be my favourite so far. Not only is it pink (it also comes in blue) but it is a 2 in 1 meter, combining the meter with the pot of test strips, therefore saving that vital bit of space in your bag or pocket and making testing that little bit easier. Something else, which I don't currently have, is that it also comes with a matching pink or blue jacket (yes a jacket) that fits over the test strip pot and has a sleeve for a finger pricker! I love how simple this design is, how easy it is to test my blood sugars with it and, obviously, I love that it's pink! Check out the Nipro range on their website.
Time to get diabetes appy! Here are two apps for carb counting that I'd like to recommend for any time of year, not just Christmas, and those are Carbs and Cals and Cook and Count. The first, Carbs and Cals, I've used for the last 3 years and I also have the book (it was a freebie with my accu-chek combo meter) and I've found it so useful, especially when I'm eating out and I'm unsure of the carb count. It's a great little app that doesn't use much space on my phone and it's really easy for me to use. The second app, Cook and Count, is designed by Deborah who's son has Type 1 diabetes. This is a fantastic app for home cooking - It allows you to select all sorts of ingredients (as well as add your own), add measurements and calculate your total carb count for a whole dish or per portion. It also allows you to take pictures of your food and store your favourite recipes to look back on later to quickly view the carb count. Both of these apps will make carb counting at Christmas a whole lot easier! Check out Carbs and Cals and Cook and Count on the app and play stores.
Aaaaaand finally! This isn't a diabetes product but in a way it's related so I thought I'd throw it into my December favourites... A few wonderful products from the Simple skin range. So during the winter my skin tends to suffer for a number of reasons - cold weather, stress, drinking more alcohol than I usually would and eating slightly less healthy food, but I've noticed that when my blood sugars are running high (which they have been in the last month or so) my skin becomes really dry and dehydrated and needs an extra boost. I'm loving the Simple range at the moment because it's just so simple! Micellar cleansing water is everywhere at the moment and it's not only a great make-up remover but also good for hydrating skin. I usually remove my make-up with Simple cleansing skin wipes, cleanse and exfoliate with Nivia products, then use the micellar water on a cotton wool pad, use the eye roller for a refreshing wake-me-up, apply a Olay moisturiser and finish off with the Simple beauty balm. It seems like a lot but my skin needs it in the winter and when it's so dry and dehydrated I can really see the difference. Take a look at the Simple range on their website and find out more about what their products can do for your skin.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Laura x