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What you need to know this week

Great new clothing store

We are obsessed with the great items we discovered at UniQ, Checkers' new retail outlet. Although it is not an affiliate of the well-known Japanese brand Uniqlo, the brand was clearly used as inspiration — even the design of the clothing tags resembles those of Uniqlo. 

UniQ offers high-quality clothes — from heavyweight cotton-rich fleeces to timeless jackets and 100% Merino wool jumpers.

And just like in the Uniqlo stores, UniQ clothing is the first in South Africa to offer self-service checkout. Smart tags and advanced radio-frequency identification (RFID) enable customers to scan and pay for items themselves.

Find a store near you

The new It Girl

Popping up everywhere, being invited to everything, showing off on all the social pages and in high demand for film roles, the girl of the moment is the popular and clearly relevant-to-the-moment 28-year-old British actress Florence Pugh.

She speaks in a low voice, has a confusing laugh and is an ambassador for the charity Race against Dementia.

She enjoys eating and making her own food videos, Cooking with Flo, which she shares on Instagram. She is not skinny, is self-confident about how she looks and often shares photos of herself enjoying ice cream or pasta. The Fomolistas love her.

Finds

A budget-friendly smart charger

Here's something that rarely happens. A technician at a car battery store tells you, “Ms Vogelsanger, leave the battery with us for a few days, it probably needs a reconditioning charge". What happens more often is a technician saying, “Ms Vogelsanger, your battery is dead. But it's your lucky day, because right here we have a lovely Absorbent Maintenance Free Glasmat battery that will last until 2085, for only R3,800!” You just swipe the credit card, because how will you ever know he's selling you rubbish?

Most car batteries that run down just need a good charging session, preferably one that revitalises the battery. Car batteries have plates inside that become less effective when sulphate accumulates on them. A good smart charger stimulates the plates to get rid of the buildup. For less than the price of a cheap battery, you can buy a smart charger that does this. A Victron Blue Smart IP65 Battery Charger (5 amp) costs just R1,335 at Makro. This charger can extend your battery's life by two to three times and save you a nice sum. The faster 7 amp Victron costs R2,200.

Moisturisers for winter

Crème Fraîche de Beauté 3-in-1 48hr Moisturising Cream  (R655) is a wonderfully fragrant and multi-functional moisturiser, makeup remover and mask rolled into one. It gently yet thoroughly removes makeup and impurities and works excellently as a balancing mask to give skin a comfortable glow.

Nuxe products are available at Woolworths. This all-natural French skincare range is on the pricier end of the spectrum but an excellent option, especially for those with sensitive skin. These products will not give you the dreaded scratchy eyes. We also absolutely love their cult Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil (from R475). It is a delicious-smelling, fuss-free moisturiser that can be used on the face, body and hair. One bottle is sold around the world every 11 seconds.

Hand-gripper

Avalanche Fitness's ergonomic Foam Hand Grip Strengthener helps build muscular-looking forearms and strengthen wrists, palms and fingers. It is important to keep forearm flexors working because they control the use of hands and fingers. It's good to use while watching TV. Start with 2-3 sets of 12 repetitions, 3 times a week, and increase slowly.R129 at Takealot.

Food

Anneliese saw this dish on Instagram this week and made a big pot for her neighbours. It's incredibly easy and fun; all in one pot. And it's ready to eat within 20 minutes. Even if you're not crazy about rice (AB isn't), she promises you'll devour it.

Tip

Yes, citrus peels do not belong in your compost pile. But that doesn't mean they belong in the bin. Take a look at this:

Video of the week

New York genius Jean-Michel Basquiat, who died aged 27, was known for his work ethic. This video is a must-see for anyone interested in pop culture and art.

“The brain is the enemy of art.”

♦ VWB ♦

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