Lumi Light-Up Fashion Jewellery review

The girls were over the moon when the postman dropped off a selection of new fashion jewellery toys from Lumi to review. I have to admit that I'd never heard of them before I was emailed to ask if I'd like to review some but just a quick glance at the press release was all I needed to know they'd be a huge hit with the girls. The opening line - "Glow crazy this year with the ultimate in light-up fashion accessories to il-LUMI-nate your life!" - was all it took to have them oohing and aahing in excitement !

The Lumi range contains a whole host of girlie accessories designed to appeal to kids, tweens and teens, including charm bracelets, necklaces and bag charms. They are all fully customisable and they all glow in the dark, which both girls agreed is very cool indeed !

While 7-year-old Juliette starting trying to decide which kit to open first, 10-year-old Sophie had instantly honed in on one of the more grown-up products - a Lumi-Status Band, which also doubles up as a watch.

Now I have to admit, I had no idea what a Lumi Status Band was so I turned to the instructions on the box. It's quite a clever idea really - you plug the USB band on the bracelet into your computer and you can type a status update, as you would on facebook or twitter, which then displays on your bracelet's display. It also takes the time from your computer to set up the watch function. Now, I have to admit, as a grown-up, displaying your staus on a bracelet where nobody else will see it seems a bit pointless, but Sophie thought it was brilliant. She came up with all sorts of messages about BFFs and cute boys bands that she would be proud to show her friends and giggle over. I told her I'd use it to download my shopping list for her the next time I sent her down the road to the supermarket, which had her rolling her eyes ! It could be handy for leaving a parent's phone number on though, like a more grown-up version of the lost child ID bracelets. As a watch, Sophie thought it was very funky and impressive too and can't wait to show her friends !

Juliette meanwhile was busy getting to grips with the other pieces of jewellery, putting together the various beads and charms to create a bag clip, necklace and charm bracelet.They're all very easy to attach and they all come with the batteries (of the watch battery type) that are required, which is handy.

Juliette was very proud to be able to make them all with no help whatsoever, although she did have trouble putting on and off the different "skins" (the red and blue round frames that can be clipped on to the white, central part of the necklace), which is why - in the photo - she hasn't put one on.

The girls loved the cute little plastic charms and shared them out between them. We received the Cool Café set, featuring things to eat including a cup cake, ice cream and sweet, but you can also collect other sets, such as Beach babe, Rock Chick and Sporty Chick.

The girls had fun making up the jewellery sets, deciding which colours, beads and charms to use, but the best part was still to come. At bedtime, as I turned out all the lights, they pressed their Lumi jewellery to make the lights flash. The above photo is taken in the dark but the flash kicked in, so you can see how incredibly cool Juliette thought this was ! It reminds me of the light bands that you can buy at carnivals but with the advantage of being able to turn them off, so they last for much longer.

These Lumi products are guaranteed to appeal to kids because they are so funky, but I can also see them being a useful safety device in the winter, when we're walking home from school in the dark. If a Lumi bag clip or bracelet is worn and switched on, it will make kids much more visible to car drivers. I can imagine teens and clubbers thinking these would look cool on nights out too.

I know it's only May so it's too early to be thinking about Christmas but I can see these being great stocking stuffers at the end of the year.

star rating : 4/5

RRP : Glo Bracelet, Glo Bag Charm (RRP £7.99) or Glo Necklace (RRP £9.99), themed bead Collections (RRP £4.99), Lumi Status Band (RRP £16.99)

for more information : www.lumi-style.com

Disclosure : I was sent a selection of Lumi products in order to write an honest review.

Other reviews you may be interested in :

  

Interplay Japanese Best Friend Dolls Kit review 

My Clippy - Bags of Style review 

Charmies Magic Beader review