Our Heatwave Heroes - Scunci and Thera Pearl Pals (review)

I like the idea of a heatwave. Sitting in a shady spot in the garden with a glass of something chilled, ice cubes jauntily clinking against the side of the glass, quietly reading while the kids giggle in the paddling pool or squeal with delight having a water fight. This last couple of weeks has reminded me that it's actually a lot less idyllic than my rose-tinted spectacled version though. I suffer from hayfever in the summer so I usually get a double-whammy of heatwave hell : the stifling heat, sweat dribbling down the back of my neck because my long, thick hair traps the heat as efficiently as a knitted scarf and swollen, painful eyes that I can't stop rubbing even though I know that the few seconds of relief really aren't worth the extra stinging and redness when I stop rubbing them.

For the first time in about a decade, I gave in and headed to the doctor's for some allergy relief so my hayfever is much better now (hallelujah!) , but the medication takes a few days to kick in, so in the meantime, I fell in love with the Thera Pearl Pals that we had been sent to review. After chilling them in the fridge, they were absolutely perfect for soothing my itchy eyes and making me feel human again. Unlike other similar products that the kids have had in the past, they can also be popped in the freezer for even more effect. They are great for soothing bumps, bruises, minor burns, sunburn or insect bites, as well as just placing on your forehead when you can't take the heat any more. They can also be used in the microwave for providing heat relief, which may be more welcome in the winter months - I can see these being used as hand-warmers for outdoor play if it snows !

As a mum of two daughters with long hair, I seem to spend half of my life trying to locate scrunchies and hair bands, so we were delighted to discover some of the range of products from scünci - also great for keeping my hair off my neck and away from my face to alleviate hayfever symptoms and overheating during the heatwave. We all love the No Damage hairbands with no metal parts so they don't rip half of your hair out when you take down your ponytail at the end of the day, and the bobby pins are designed to be extra comfortable too. The Easy Plait is perfect if your daughters frequently request complicated hairstyles and you're a bit cack-handed (like me - I can do a basic plait but that's my lot !) because it helps you keep hold of the different sections of hair. Sophie giggled and said she could use it as a toe separator for painting her nails too, but I pointed out that she'd have to chop a toe off for it to work !

If you have thin or fine hair and want extra lift and volume, the scünci Perfect Pony gives you a plastic insert to hide inside your ponytail to give it some extra oomph. I was dubious but it does work, as this video shows.

If you're wondering where you may have heard of the scünci brand before, I have no doubt your daughters will have been lusting over their Insta Twist. Sophie and Juliette ooh and aah every time they see an advert for it !

Disclosure : We received the products in order to write an honest review.