Aqua Zinger by Zing Anything

To say that I'm not a fan of drinking water is an understatement - back in my teens I was hospitalised a few times with severe dehydration simply because I couldn't bring myself to drink water unless infused with super strength coffee or in the form of a 2 litre bottle of Coca Cola.

This was not good, actually pretty life threatening and while I have got better and cut out the Coca Cola and started to drink at least one litre of water a day, the Aqua Zinger has been a god send.

Available for under £20, the Aqua Zinger fell into my possession thanks to a competition run by Zing Anything and Chloe at Clo's Beauty Spot blog.

This is what the Zing Anything website has to say about the product:

'As most of us know, we need to drink more water, but even in concept it can come off as a chore. The Aqua Zinger offers a fun new way to enjoy drinking water and reduce food cravings.
With the Aqua Zinger you can drink significantly more water and still satisfy your palate, as well as your body’s need for hydration and energy.

The Aqua Zinger water bottle works by subtly infusing water with flavours. From cucumber to lemon and lime, to blackberries, kiwi, strawberry, raspberry, peach, ginger, or even mint and basil – your Aqua Zinger can infuse them all.

Mix and match and get creative; the flavours and ingredients are only limited by your imagination.
The Aqua Zinger has the unique ability to create all-natural beverage options that are light and refreshing.'

So easy to use is the Aqua Zinger that a simpleton like myself can manage to infuse fruit into water which with anything remotely technical is a hurdle that has to be overcome. I first of all tried infusing lemon, and duly added half a fair sized lemon to the bottom and left for an hour.

After unscrewing the lid and pouring out some of the water it was obvious that thee fruit juice had mixed with the water - I could see little bits of lemon floating around in the water. More importantly I could taste the lemon but it was a subtle infusion, not too bitter and certainly not overpowering. It also tasted a lot better than the flavoured water you can buy in the shops.

I've tried lots of different flavours since receiving the Aqua Zinger and none have left me thinking I needed the flavour to be stronger. Personally, my favourite is orange and lemon, it blends brilliantly and the flavours linger on the tongue. It's also an excellent way of taking on board some much needed vitamin C.

Each grind of the fruit section should deliver two drinks that are free from artificial sugars and ingredients and that to me makes this a great little gadget that has got me drinking even more water on a daily basis - so fear of dehydration reduced (bonus) and vitamins pumped into my body (bonus). 

While this isn't something I would ever have thought to buy I wouldn't be without it now. It fills up a bottle of flavoured water for me to take onto the underground in the morning. Usually I spend around £3 a day on bottled water while travelling to and from work - even if I spend £1 a day on fruit to infuse I'm making a clear saving, not using up so many plastic bottles and have tastier drinks. 

On a value for money test this pays for itself in just weeks and would be ideal for someone like me who detests drinking plain water, someone (not me) who treats their body like a temple or will appeal to people who just like fruit flavoured water. Winner!

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L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Anti-Fatigue Moisturising Lotion

As I get older I become increasingly vain and desperate to keep the boyish good looks that broke so many hearts in my early twenties. Some would say this has become something of an obsession or borderline paranoia. As I bat back to those who poke fun, there really is nothing wrong with a healthy dose of OCD! 

When a new or interesting product that promises to recharge my skin with energy and leave it moisturised appears I just can’t help myself. L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Anti-Fatigue moisturising lotion crossed my path after I had run out of Dead Sea facial scrub. I was desperate to try and find something that would invigorate my skin and leave it feeling smooth and moisturised. 

The product is now a firm favourite and I have at least three tubes at any one given time. 

The moisturising lotion forms part of the L’Oreal Men Expert range of facial products, designed as a daily active defence system used to help nourish, moisturise and refresh the skin. 

The leaflet that comes with the lotion goes to great lengths to explain that using the anti-fatigue lotion will increase softness, form a layer of resistance to pollutants (which is good as I work in an office on one of the most polluted roads in Europe!) while leaving skin feeling refreshed, smooth and looking totally refreshed. 

I’ve lived in London now for 10 years and I have to say that the air quality does impact on my skin (and lungs but they haven‘t come up with a cream for that yet). 

When I first tried this I was having a daily commute that involved filthy air on the Underground and being blasted by exhaust fumes when I surfaced up to street level. It really was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained. 

Using the lotion is easy and thanks to the pump dispenser you are unlikely to end up with a hand full of the lotion or not enough to cover your own nose. This serves two purposes that add to the positives. One press of the pump and a pea sized amount of the blue/green lotion is dispensed. The strange colour and strong fragrance are the first things to hit home. Once it has been dispensed the lotion has a quite thick consistency and remarkably doesn’t soak into the palm of your hand. It doesn’t start to be absorbed until you actually rub it onto your face meaning none of it is lost during the application process. 

As it is rubbed onto the face the smell of the lotion increases in strength and the crisp, clean fragrance lingers for a while. If asked to sum up the actual smell I would have to say that it has an almost clinical edge to it, but thankfully I am a big fan.

After rubbing between my palms and then gently massaging the lotion into my face a quick glance in the mirror showed that indeed only a pea sized amount is needed to cover every inch, including my Tefal sized forehead! As soon as it touches an area it seems to be absorbed as quickly as it is applied. As it is a moisturiser the first few minutes after applying do leave your face looking a touch wet, if not greasy but as it completely dries in this appearance fades in no longer than 2-3 minutes. 

Once it has been applied there was no irritation but a slight tingly sensation as though a cold wind had just blown in my face which I can only describe as refreshing. This it seems is due to the caffeine.

My daily facial routine starts with shaving, then the use of a Dead Sea Mineral facial peel followed by using the L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic anti-fatigue moisturizing lotion and I have found this to produce the best results for me personally. 

Since my stocks of the facial peel have been depleted I just use the lotion and whilst the results are not as good as previously, my face and condition of my skin is still ten times better than prior to using it.

In terms of results regardless of my facial routine I could not be happier. 

Immediately after applying my skin feels incredibly soft and smooth. Over the longer term I’ve noticed that I don’t suffer as much from the patchy, dry or blotchy skin that has plagued me since I moved to London and best of all, the lines of my forehead do not appear as pronounced as they did prior to using this lotion. That’s right those Gordon Ramsey forehead trenches are reduced in size.

The lotion is widely available both online and from most large supermarkets and is priced between £5 and £7 for a 50ml tube. Personally I paid £6.49 for my last tube. While I think this is expensive for a moisturiser it does live up to its billing and the claims made.

It’s money well spent. Not only does it smell pleasant, it also leaves my face looking moisturised, visibly less tired and lasts for at least 4 weeks when used on a daily basis making it in real terms very good value for money.

I have now found a product that does everything it claims to do and I won’t be switching to any other brand.

In the world of male grooming products, L’Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic anti-fatigue moisturising lotion is king.

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