Welcome back to our regular feature at 40 Now What where we hunt down and share with you some of the awesome things that have landed in our inboxes lately! In the name of you – our lovely readers – we have been busy chugging, chowing, nurturing and guinea-pigging ourselves to the max. Read on to find out what has made the cut in our recommendations to you in our autumn edition of Tried and Tested. PLUS there is the chance to win over almost £500 in prizes in our bumper giveaway where you can win a massive selection of the items featured in this edition.
So without further ado, come a little closer and let us tell you about this month’s shining stars because this month we have been….
Eating/drinking

Mockingbird Spirit
Have you also fallen into the habitual 6pm wine trap? It’s time for a replacement. We’ve tried and tested non-alcoholic alternatives. And we’ve hit the jackpot. Mockingbird Spirit is an alcohol FREE, tequila INSPIRED, agave-based SPIRIT. Ideal for making all the margaritas with none of the migraines. Embodying the spirit of the Mockingbird, humbly mimicking the taste of Tequila by using authentic 100% Organic Mexican Blue Weber Agave. A functional & adaptogenic, passionately produced Alcoternative, made with all vegan/ gluten free ingredients to support health and happiness. Feat. Pure Ashwagandha, an adaptogen that benefits mental and physical wellbeing.The latest creation from their team of wellness beverage enthusiasts is the brand new Non-Alcoholic Mexican style Cerveza; Esmeralda, made with real Mockingbird Spirit.
Mockingbird Spirit, £22.99 Esmeralda, £26.99 for 12. Available from mockingbirdspirit.com
Tuscan Tree
We were so excited to try out this new non alcoholic aperitivo and it didn’t disappoint when we used it for mixing up a Negroni. Infused with the fresh, natural juice of real blood orange juice. The bottle looks awesome in any drinks cabinet. Check out the mocktail menu on their website here and unleash your Italian spirit without the hangover!
Tuscan Tree, £11.99 (70ml bottle.) Available from Amazon, Master of Malt
Bella Italia
You had me at prosecco! Bella Italia is a unique 0% alcohol free sparkling wine made & bottled in the heart of prosecco country in Treviso, Italy. Using revolutionary technology keeps the unpasteurised & micro-filtered must fresh, with nothing added except the carbon dioxide which guarantees that special fizz. The result is a fresh Italian sparkling wine with a delicate flavour, low calorie content (just 46 calories per glass)& always, all importantly, 0% alcohol. Having tried and tested it during Mimosa Thursday, we are not joking when we tell you we couldn’t tell the difference and it was nice not to be tipsy on the school run! (jokes!)
Bella Italia, £9.95. Available from Amazon
Good Fibrations snack bars
How thrilled were we when these little bad boys landed on our desk for us to snaffle. We really struggle around 4pm and these bars are perfect. Designed to support your gut health, they are one of the highest fibre content health bars on the market and provide a third of your recommended 30g daily fibre intake! The bars come in yummy Peanut Butter, Raspberry & Coconut, Apple & Cinnamon, Cocoa & Hazelnut and are gluten-free, high in fibre, dairy-free and totally vegan too.
Good fibrations, £1.30 individually or boxes of 12 in Peanut Butter and Raspberry & Coconut for £15 for 12. Available from The Gut Stuff or Ocado
Jack Link’s High Protein Meat Snacks
I’d always been super curious about beef jerky. In 2019, Jack Link’s launched an improved recipe for its delicious Beef Jerky range, delivering a juicier and even more tender bite, responding to consumer demands following rigorous taste tests. I love the texture of it and its salty goodness. The full range is made of 100% lean beef, is high protein and all products are under 80kcals per portion. The Beef Jerky currently comes in three delicious flavours including Original, Sweet & Hot and Teriyaki. Perfect for afternoon snacking, on-the-go refuelling at home or at work.
12 x Bags, £12.99 from jacklinks.online or £3 per bag. Available from Ocado
Looking after our bodies & minds

The Leg Master®
Pelvic floor issues? Have you got 1 minute a day? That’s 60 seconds ladies! We’ve got you. This fantastic bit of kit uses your own body weight to improve pelvic floor health through classic strength training and deliver a full body workout, and also improves posture. Pelvic Floor health is essential not only for women who have had babies – but for everyone (men included!), and one beneficial side effect of The Leg Master® Total Body is that the muscles used to control ‘incontinence’ are strengthened, and tightened. Watch me in action here!
The Leg Master® , £89.95. Available from legmaster.co.uk
Trade to Aid pads
Feeling conscious of your period waste but haven’t yet made the switch to reusable pads. It’s not as scary as you might think! If you’re thinking of making the switch, we highly recommend taking the plunge with Trade To Aid reusable sanitary pads which come with everything you need to be kinder to the planet when Aunty Flo comes to visit. Think bright colours, a variety of pads to suit your flow during your period and the inclusion of a much needed matching waterproof storage bag and an absorbancy level which was absolutely spot on. Plus for every pack of pads you buy from Trade To Aid, they give a free pack to someone in need in a refugee camp to help the fight against period poverty. We’re almost excited to get our next period so we can use them again!
Trade To Aid Reusable Sanitary pads, £29.95 for a set. Available from tradetoaid.org
Beautifying with

Beauty products from Asia
We all know those beautiful women from Japan and Korea have the most to-die-for skin and now it’s time for us to get a piece of that pie! Korean beauty giant Atomy understands the importance of self-care, which is why they have created an online shopping mall that encapsulates everything to make you feel amazing from the outside in. We are huge fans of their multi award-winning Absolute CellActive Ampoule. Think of it like your favourite serum – only more powerful, much like a boot camp for your skin. Repairing, hydrating, brightening and anti-ageing, this is your secret weapon in times of skin dullness, breakouts, inflammation and irritation. Or whenever your skin is not looking its best.
Time to hop over to Japan. Hada Labo Tokyo™ -Japan’s number one selling skincare brand – is now available in the UK and we are massively crushing on it. Formulated for dry and dehydrated skin, this super skincare brand is designed to boost hydration by supplementing your skin with hyaluronic acid. We can not live a day without Hada Labo Tokyo™’s Anti-Ageing Super Hydrator Lotion or Wrinkle Corrector Eye and Mouth Cream which together with their Anti Aging Sheet Mask has left us looking about ten years younger!
Absolute CellActive Ampoule, £36. Available from www.atomy.com/uk. Stock up on Japan Hada Labo Tokyo™’s range at Superdrug.
Beeutiful B-Rose Facial Balm
There is something incredibly comforting and soothing about using a facial balm, especially at the end of a long hard day. And that’s why Beeutiful’s B-Rose Facial Balm has become part of our bedtime beauty ritual. Know for creating natural handmade skincare so natural you could eat it, Beeutiful’s B-Rose Facial Balm is a luxurious blend of specially selected Jojoba, Rosehip & Macadamia oils combined within a beeswax base and the addition of delicate Rose Absolute to refresh, regenerate & tone. It smells amazing, transporting us nightly a gloriously scented rose-filled relaxing place. But the real plus? Waking up to an fabulously nourished looking visage every morning!
Beeutiful B-Rose Facial Balm, £18. Available from from Beeutiful
ThickTails
So many of us are challenged by fine, thin hair and have tried so many different brands over the years. With perimenopause on the horizon, we were keen to try something new to help us battle the trestles. This range does not disappoint. ThickTails works to stimulate new hair growth by:
- Improving the quality of the keratin structures formed.
- Stimulating collagen and fibre renewal.
- Reducing hair inflammation around the hair shaft.
- Keeping the scalp at the optimal pH balance for healthy hair to grow.
- Providing essential active ingredients to protect hair from free radicals and oxidants.
Check us out using it via Instagram here
ThickTails Stimulating Shampoo, £17 Stimulating Conditioner, £17 Thickening Spray, £17. Available from Thicktails.com
Wearing

Cozi Hoodie
Close your eyes and imagine being swarmed by 100s of fluffy puppies… and that friends is that it feels like to be wearing a Cozi Hoodie. Made with sherpa fleece and lannel fleece to keep you warm and cushy so you don’t have to worry about the cold, we are pretty sure that this is the cosiest, comfiest and warmest we’ve ever felt whilst being engulfed in our Cozi Hoodie. Think taking comfort with you anywhere – nana naps on the couch, alfresco drinks with friends, cuddling with your pooch or partner – the options are endless!
Cozi Hoodie, £59. Available from cozihoodie.com
PLAINANDSIMPLE T-Shirts
This is a new ‘circular’ company. The slogan here is Made to be Re-Made. They offer free returns and a lifetime guarantee, that when they’re worn out, you can send them back, get £6.00 store credit, we then break them down and turn them into new ones. How awesome is that? They are perfect for autumn, wearing under leather jackets or styled in many different ways.
T-shirts, from £24. Available from plainandsimple.com
Feather and Bloom headbands
There’s nothing we love more than a strategically placed headband for elevating an every day look or dustract from greasy hair. Our go-to is this gorgeous guinea fowl feather headband from Father and Bloom. Simple, striking, elegant and easy to pair with so many different outfits, plus this is the most comfortable hairband you’ll find.
Spotty Headband, £30. Available from Feather and Bloom
Tillet’s Clothing Cape
We are big believers in the power of accessorising over at 40 Now What. Our recent crush? This block patterned knitted cape from Tillets Clothing. Perfect for adding a bit of style over your standard jeans and boots look, but also super flattering and incredibly versatile making it the perfect layering piece for the season.
Block Patterned Knitted Cape, £30. Available from Tilllets Clothing
Vionic Shoes
These shoes are divine. I’m living in my Cecily ankle boots this autumn. This is an orthotic footwear brand which is loved by 40+ women, both for its style and also the fact that every pair of shoes comes with in-build comfort technology, which cups the sole, provides arch support and cushioning under the ball of the foot. We had a sneak peek at their Spring/Summer 22 collection and have to say ladies, your feet are in for a treat!
Ankle boots, £130 Available from Vionic shoes
Nurturing our homes with

Papershades
Fabulous, unique and, quite frankly, awesome. These are, as the creator herself describes are, ‘a very different lampshade.’ Ros is an artist who specialises in paper collage. Choose from a variety of collections including florals, places, culinary, literary, nostalgia or large. There’s a handy construction guide and easy to follow instructions so you can easily enjoy your beautiful papershades, perfect to bring some snazz to any room.
Papershades, £30. Available from papershades.co.uk
OceanSaver EcoDrops
This is a 100% plastic free, plant-based cleaning brand, on a mission to get everyone to banish single use plastic from home cleaning routines to preserve our oceans for future generations. They’ve taken a stand, by making really effective, plastic-free, plant-based home cleaning solutions, with all the power and none of the pollution. Unlike conventional cleaning brands, they don’t ship water. Simply drop the cleaner into the bottle, add water, shake & clean. Et voila!
The Everyday Essentials Starter Collection £17.50. Available from OceanSaver or find your nearest stockist here.
***GIVEAWAY***
Would you like to get your hands on a bounty of items featured above. We love to share, so that’s why we’ve put together a massive giveaway to win almost £500 worth of prizes! Would you like to win…
12 x Esmeralda Non-Alcoholic Cerveza + 1 x Giftboxed Mockingbird Spirit 70cl
1 x bottle of Tuscan Tree
1 x bottle of Bella Italia
12 x Good Fibrations snack bars
12 x packs of mixed Jack Link’s jerky
1 x Leg Master
1 x box of Trade to Aid reusable pads
A supply of Hada Labo Tokyo™ Anti Aging Sheet Masks
1 x Beeutiful B-Rose Facial Balm
1 x set of Thicktails Shampoo, Conditioner and thickening spray
1 x plainandsimple T-shirt
1 x Feather and Bloom headband
1 x £20 gift card to spend at Tillets Clothing
1 x Cozi Hoodie
1 x pair of Vionic Shoes
1 x Papershades lampshade
1 x OceanSaver starter pack
PHEW! That is indeed a MASSIVE giveaway! and you can enter it over on our Instagram as soon as it launches.
Follow us on Instagram now to be the first to find out and enter.