Spotlight on Braun SensoCare styler, £89.99, Amazon.com

This is not a paid post. Products are press samples.

I have fine, fluffy hair so I try to resist using straighteners because I know that the can heat can damage the hair. Indeed excessive use can make your hair become frizzier and drier which in turn can lead to breakage. Heat defence sprays may help to protect your tresses but they are not miracle workers.

For damage limitations some experts have advised keeping the temperature of your straighteners under 180C. So when I discovered the Braun SensoCare styler (£89.99, Amazon.com), which you can use at 120C, I decided to give them a try. (They do reach 200C for those who want it.) They heat up and cool down quickly which is a bonus.

You need to create an individual profile before you use them. Questions about your length, density and colour flash up on the tiny screen so that they adapt the temperature for your specific hair type and number of strokes needed. You also get feedback on the moisture level of your hair, so that if it is too wet to be straightened you will be warned. 

You can also use them manually and select your desired temperature which is my preferred method as I only want to use the lowest possible setting. 

Braun has also kitted the styler out with, what it claims, are indestructible ceramic plates that will not scratch or deteriorate. 

They glided smoothly over my hair and were easy to use. These are a winner with me as I can ensure that I am using the lowest heat possible to achieve the results I want, be it straight or curly.

By Daralyn Danns

  

Berry Bros. & Rudd Good Ordinary Claret has a new limited edition label by London-based designer Luke Edward Hall

This is not a paid post. Products are press samples.

Lip-smacking blackberry and blackcurrant flavours silky-soft on the palette. Yes, there is something comforting about drinking a glass of good claret on a cold winter’s night.

Following the success of last year’s limited edition “Paul Smith” label, Berry Bros. & Rudd Good Ordinary Claret (£9.75, bbr.com) now has its second one. Not only does the wine taste good, the bottle looks great as well.

The latest collaboration is with London-based illustrator and interior designer Luke Edward Hall. His label depicts his version of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.

According to Geordie Willis, creative director at Berry Bros. & Rudd, Luke was picked because he is one of the capital’s most exciting young designers. The pairing of the UK’s oldest wine and spirits merchant with the new and fresh is an exciting proposition for this much-respected company.

“I was delighted to be offered the opportunity to design a bottle label for Berry Bros. & Rudd's iconic Good Ordinary Claret. As a fan of 'Graeco-Roman myths and legends' since childhood, it was natural for me to illustrate a label inspired by Bacchus, god of winemaking and his wild Bacchanalian parties. I wanted it to be very colourful and eye-catching too – I used a variety of my favourite materials to create the design – paints, pencils, chalks and pastels,” commented Luke Edward Hall.

There are only 4,000 bottles with this label so you need to be quick off the mark to ensure that you get one. I like the bottle so much I am keeping it to use as a vase.

By Daralyn Danns