I'm back with my second favourites post! Coincidentally I've ended up with 8 favourite products again, a right mixture of bits too - some beauty, some edible! Let's crack on.
The Melt Crowd - September | Flamingo Candles
(Click on the photo to see them up close)
Back in July I got my first box from Flamingo Candles and couldn't of been happier (you can find it here) and today I received Septembers box in the post which seems crazy because how is it September already?? You might at this point be wondering what happened to August but I was so busy I didn't have time to review it, however i will pop a picture of it at the bottom so you can see what was in that box! If you have never heard of Flamingo Candles and have not read my post from July then here a little info about it all..
(Click on the photo to see them up close)
Lush Haul | New Summer Products
It's been such a long time since I've done a Lush haul, I don't manage to get to Lush that often and when I do I only really pick up 1 or 2 things since it's all so pricey! A few weeks ago Lush released their summer range even though summer is basically over now, a lot of the products were London's Oxford Street exclusives which i so desperately wanted to try. I only really live about hour and half away by train to London but since my illness took a turn for the worst a few years ago I haven't ventured in so i had missed out on all these goodies, until now.
Joe and Seph | The Poshcorn
Whilst Joe and Seph's are not a new company I think that many people have never heard of them before. They are a family run business that started out back in 2010 and all the popcorn is handmade in London. They've won 15 great taste awards, so you can imagine your taste buds are in for a treat when you purchase their corn! I first came across them a few years ago when I bought my boyfriend a couples of pouches to put in his stocking, knowing how much he loves his popcorn. The lovely Madision from Joe and Seph's HQ sent me 4 pouches AND one of the new sauces (I know, how generous!) to try and I can tell you it didn't take long for me to rip open the first packet, it was all i could do not to open them all at once and eat the sauce straight out of the jar but somehow I found a little bit of self control!
My Jo Malone Favourites
Ever since I got my first Jo Malone fragrance 2 years ago on my way to Italy I have been slightly addicted to this luxury collection. My first and probably still my favourite fragrance was Vanilla and Anise but sadly it ran out a couple of months back and I have yet to replace it, I've been lucky enough though to have been gifted by family a couple more and I love them just as much. It's not pictured here but I have French Lime Blossom aswell, although it's lime and judging by the name you would think its a summer smell I think it's more an autumn winter scent. It's quite musky with hints of lime and bergamot so it's a heavy scent which in the summer I don't think works on the skins aswell as light delicate, floral scents.
Cool Down With Coconut This Summer
I am a huge coconut fan, anyone who knows me will tell you that. I love coconut water and regularly drink it along with using coconut oil in my cooking (and my hair!), it's not often you see ice lollies made from coconut though. I did attempt my own last summer using coconut water but they lacked taste and were pretty bland if I'm honest. So coconut fruit ices are pretty exciting to me and I bet other coconut lovers out there will feel the same too! When these turned up on my doorstep (thank you Smooze!) i pretty much knew I would like them there and then, plus it was bloody hot that day and my mouth was watering at the thought of a nice cold ice lolly!
Why Colouring Is Good For Your Mental Health
Until recently colouring was a fun activity that was reserved only for children and any adult that bought a colouring book with the intent of using it themselves was considered a bit weird. Well how things have changed! Adult colouring books are even outselling cookery books, how crazy is that. So in a turn of events it appears that colouring is now a form of therapy to relieve both stress and anxiety. I bought my first colouring book last year when I was going through a bout of stress from insomnia and bad health, I thought it would help to reduce my anxiety levels and provide me with that much needed calm feeling I so desperately craved.
Dr PawPaw - Are They Worth The Hype?
So I want to tell you about this little British company that I've recently fallen in love with. There are so many things about Dr PawPaw that I like that I don't even know where to start. I was very lucky to be sent this trio to try recently, it's the first time I had used the Dr PawPaw brand but I have tried a balm that is very similar before, the Papaya Gold Paw Paw Balm in fact. They are alike in the way that both are made from the same main ingredient which of course is Papaya, Papaya Gold however is an Australian brand and they add in Manuka Honey so maybe not ideal for anyone who has a beeswax allergy.
My Thoughts On The #YouLookDisgusting Campaign
I recently came across a YouTube video by a beautiful young women called Em Ford, a beauty blogger who also runs a YouTube channel called My Pale Skin. She often posts tutorials on her channel showing other adult acne sufferers how to cover up imperfections/scars with make up and I must admit she's pretty amazing at it too! Sadly she's faces a lot of critistim and abuse in the comment section from viewers cyber bullying her, stating that she's ugly without make up or that they can't look at her or on the contrary that she was misleading people because she covered her acne up with "too much make up".
Nails Of The Week | Essie
Oops, its been quite a while since I wrote a post on what's on my nails! I tend to rush doing my nails every week and then forget to take photos, what a bad beauty blogger I am. In my June favourites I included my Essie Fiji polish which is my all time favourite Essie nail colour, although Mint Candy Apple is a very close second. I was having a look through my HUGE collection for something a little different to the pinks I have been wearing lately and came across this little beauty that had been sadly forgotten, pushed to the bottom of the pile.
Graze | Good To Go
Im so excited to be sharing this new range launched by Graze! When the lovely people at Graze HQ asked if I wanted to try the new "Graze - Good To Go" range I literally jumped at the chance! I've previously had the boxes delivered through my letterbox as have most people I think and love that you can now buy them as individual snack packs!
June Favourites
Wow I can't quite believe we are 6 months into the year, I've never done a favourites post before but better late then never right? Let's just start this thing slap bang in the middle of year! I tried to pick just 5 favourites and keep this post short and sweet (yeah right ha) but I've somehow ended up with 8, so here we go.
The Melt Crowd | Flamingo Candle
Out of all the subscription boxes I've tried, a candle box has to be the most unique and exciting one. I'm a candle addict and having them delivered to my home every month is just simply marvellous. Even better, its one of my favourate candle brands - Flamingo Candles! You may have seen my review a few months back on Flamingo Candles Scent Melts where I raved about how wonderful they are.
Why Wheatgrass Isn't As Bad As You Might Think
When you hear the word wheatgrass I'm sure your instant thought is, why on earth would you want to drink grass. I know mine was! Superfoods have become a big thing in the last couple of years and it seems everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, me included. I was at a stage where I was desperate to get well and heard of people using these "miracle" superfoods to naturally heal themselves, I naturally was intrigued as I'm not a fan of modern medicine so I went a little bat shit crazy and bought 5 different types, including wheatgrass.
The Coconut Balmi | Review
I have been wanting to try one of these lipbalms FOREVER and when the kind people over at Balmi HQ sent me a coconut one to try I was thrilled. Not just because I finally got to try one of these but because I love everything coconut scented and flavoured, summer is not summer without me smelling like a coconut.
Yankee Candle Red Velvet Is Back!
Oh I do love a candle, I am unquestionably a candle horder. Right now under my bed is a huge storage box filled with half used candles and most of them are Yankees. I am drawn to them like a moth to a flame, it's an addiction for sure.
Teapigs Peppermint & Chocolate Flake Teas | Review
I am a huge tea lover. I used to drink countless cups of black tea a day before I decided to go caffeine free. I switched to one decaf black tea a day and introduced flavoured tea as an alternative to my 4/5 cups a day addiction and have never looked back.
I was super excited when Teapigs sent me these two teas to try (NB: although I was kindly gifted these teas, all opinions are my own) I drink a lot of peppermint tea anyway as its exceptionally good for the digestion and bloating that I suffer greatly with, I normally go for Twinings or on occasion the Clippers ones but I must admit these Teapig version are by far the best I've tasted.
Latest In Beauty Box | Glamour Summer Edit
Beauty Boxes - one of the best inventions around and I'm sure whoever came up with the idea of a monthly subscription filled with beauty bits is rolling in it. However, what I really like about Lastest In Beauty is that they do one off boxes that you don't need to pay a subscription fee for and are packed full of amazing pieces.
My Favourite Lips Products | Review
This post has been long overdue, I'm obsessed with make up in general but lipsticks and balms are my weakness. Ever since I was a child I would beg my mum when we popped into boots for a new Chapstick and as I got older and had my own money, I just couldn't resist buying a new one every time I saw an intresting flavour or packaging. I am still yet to even finish a whole one, one day!
To this day I have to quickly sprint past the aisle in boots to resist the temptation of buying any more because I seriously have no more room and just not enough time in the day to use that many haha.
Right now these are my top used lip products.
Motivational Monday | Judgement
Here I am again with another motivational Monday for you, this week I'm talking about judgment. We all judge people, whether we know a person or not - as the quote goes "never judge a book by its cover" and the same goes for people. I've delved a little into this topic before when I did a post a while ago on comparison, which funnily enough is one of my most read posts.
Gooey Banoffee Cake | Tutorial
I'm a big fan of Banoffee pie and thought this cake is ideal for you banana loaf or banoffee pie lovers out there as it combines the two perfectly. I used my tried and tested Victoria Sponge (well Mary Berry's) recipe which I know always comes out ok and I'm glad this time was no exception. I made this just yesterday for a birthday and I think it went down well, I liked it anyway!
Foodies Festival
Last weekend I won free tickets with Vita Coco (who also kindly sent me coconut water too!) to attend the Foodies Festival in Brighton, it's the UKs largest food festival and is held in 13 different venues across the country at various times of the year.
The Spring Tag
1. What three colors remind you of spring?
Pastel colours - pink, mint & coral.
2. What is the first thing you add to your spring wardrobe?
Normally a new pair of sandals, generally from Accessorize but this year I went a little hair flower bando crazy. Oops.
3. What are your ultimate nude and bright lipsticks?
My ultimate nude is Mac Creme Cup, it's perfect for every skin tone I think. For me personally my favourite bright lipstick is Mac Girl About Town, it's a bright pink and is a great colour for blondes.
Motivational Monday | Happiness
I've spent years doing what I think I SHOULD be doing not because I want too but I want to make others happy and hate letting other people down. I found I would make myself miserable worrying what people would think if I didnt/couldn't do something and would force myself to do it regardless of my own happiness. I saw a quote that said "do only what makes you happy" and thought to myself, what the heck am I doing.
Pink Parcel | May
If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know i reviewed a Pink Parcel box back in March and might have a fair idea of what it is, however if you have never heard of it, read on. Right so, it's a subscription service that delivers your monthly supplies of sanitary goods to you (pads or tampons) but with a little twist at just £9.99, including postage. I like to think of it as a beauty meets lifestyle box.
Motivational Monday | Trying
We've all been there, beating ourselves up because we might have failed at something we expected to go well or just didn't get the outcome we wanted. Mistakes though are how we learn, how we improve ourselves. As the quote says "mistakes are proof that you are trying" and do you know what, trying is just as good as succeeding, well maybe not as appreciable but it's enough.
With chronic illness, I make quite a few mistakes with misjudging what I can and can't do and sometimes I really push my boundaries just to see what I'm capable of.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum In Oil | Review
Let me start off by saying, why on earth have I not been using a serum of some kind all these years? I've been struggling recently with quite dehydrated skin and my usual moisturiser just wasn't cutting it. Since I have combination skin which is prone to spots (damn oily skin!) I am always very wary about trying new products or using anything that is either to oily or highly scented.
Nails Of The Week | NEW Barry M Daylight Curing
When popping into Boots last week for some dry shampoo I made the mistake of having a look at the make up, although it was only a mistake for my bank balance! I saw that they had the new Barry M Daylight Curing polishes on buy one get one half price and after seeing these being advertised everywhere I knew I couldn't just leave without picking one up. You see I'm a bit of a nail polish addict, I own over 100 different colours and find it hard to resist buying new ones even though I really don't need them.
Bluebird Tea Co's Candy Floss Tea | Review
I did a review quite recently on the Bluebird Tea Co in Brighton (which is here) but since then I have got a brand new tea and I'm so excited about it, i had to share.
It's a new limited edition tea called "Candy Floss" and it's their best one yet! The pouch of tea I have is only a sample but since it's limited edition I need to get my ass in gear and buy some more as this is going to be a favourite over the summer. I'm also looking forward to trying this cold aswell as an iced tea with some crushed ice cubes, mmm.
What's In My Make Up Bag | Summer Edition
So, I did a whats in my make up bag back in October and think it's about time I update you all. My make up changes regularly as I like to try new products and only stick to a few of the same products that I really like. Also, make up tends to be slightly different in the summer compared to winter, out come all the pinks and beautiful bright lipsticks and away go the dark vampy shades until autumn arrives again in a few months time. There were actually a few other items in my make up bag but they were items I don't use regularly and are mostly duplicates of my everyday essentials, plus a few lip liners.
Nails Of The Week | Barry M
Oops, I've missed a few weeks on the nails of the week blogging front but I've mostly been wearing the same colours that ive posted before, I have over 100 polishes yet I'm wearing the same 3, figures.
So here's this weeks!
So here's this weeks!
50 Things That Make Me Happy
1.Feeling the sun on my face
2.Putting on pjs when I get home
3. Trips to the cinema
4. Ice cream straight out the tub
5. Going to the zoo
6. Burning a brand new candle
The Perfect Cupcake | Recipe
Cookie dough
Since I started making cupcakes a few years ago I've had a fair amount of people ask me what basic cupcake recipe I use. Mainly because they do, if I say so myself, taste rather scrummy!
I always think the key to the perfect cupcake is the taste, yes it's all well and good that they look great but do you really want to eat a dry or over baked cupcake? I got my recipe from the Good To Know website and then slightly changed it around until I had what I think is a good size cupcake.
March Films
So, I started what will be monthly film review posts last month & can't help wondering if I need to start watching more films. In 31 days I only watched 4 films, what am I doing with my life?
I'm going to make a conscious effort just for you guys to start watching more films (plus I do love a good challenge!)
Day Out | Gaston Farm
Its lambing season! Spring is my favourite time of the year, the flowers are blooming, the sun has come out (bloody chilly still though) and it's finally time for lambing season which believe it or not I love more than Christmas time! I know, say what?
Anyone who knows me knows I am a animal lover, I can't even go into Pets at home without visiting every animal and talking to them in the most stupid baby voice I could possibly make but throw in baby animals (not literally) and you can't drag me away.
This is the forth year running we have visited Gaston Farm in Slindon, West Sussex and every year I can't wait to go back again. For me, it's heaven! Little lambs, baby ducks & chicks to hold and cuddle is my perfect day out (yes I'm 26 not 6 like most of the kiddies there, oops)
I thought I would share some of my photos from our most recent visit last week, just so you can indulge in the case of the "awws" too, your welcome
(just a little awkward reference there, some of you may get that!)
Easter Malteaser Traybake | Tutorial
I fancied doing something a little different for Easter this year as I seem to make cupcakes more than anything else these days and since one of my new years resolutions was to be a little more creative and experimental i decided a no bake tray bake was the perfect idea!
Bluebird Tea | Review
There's a little shop in the lanes of Brighton, Gardiner Street to be precise that sells the most darling tea blends and this shop is called Bluebird Tea Co.
The sell quite a variety of teas now that you can buy and take home or you can order them online and get them delivered too you (with free samples!!). They also do drinks you can takeaway in store aswell.
Pink Parcel | Review
For a while now I've seen adverts on Facebook and little snippets in magazines about Pink Parcel, who are a fairly new company that offer a monthly box filled with essentials and treats for your time of the month. When i first read about it i thought it was a bit of a gimmick and probably over priced for what it is. I then saw a few girls on Instagram's boxes (oh social media you've won us over!) and thought for the price of the box you get a decent amount of goods in it and some of the items were in fact quite enticing.
Living With Anxiety | + My Tips On Coping
Anxiety is such a taboo subject. It's falls under an umbrella term of illnesses/disorders called "mental health" which refers to your cognitive wellbeing. I actually hate the term mental illness, it gives off the impression that there is something wrong with you and your not normal.
Rainbow Cupcakes | Baking Tutorial
Recently I made some rather exciting cupcakes, rainbow ones!
They were a lot easier to make than I anticipated actually and I think using gel food colouring was the key to these vibrant cakes.
Nails Of The Week | Essie
It's that time of the week again.
Now it's officially spring and sunny (well actually it's pretty gloomy today) it's time to dig out all the spring pastel polishes and put away all those reds and blacks and embrace the light shades once again!
This week I'm using one of my all time favourite colours that I feel can be used on any skin tone. I am naturally very pale and fake tan most of the year but I love the pastel colours that can normally wash you out, this one however doesn't at all.
My New Love | Flamingo Candles
I've recently discovered a little company called Flamingo Candles who are based in the UK and there candles are stocked in many shops across the country. The candles are all made from soy wax which is all natural unlike Yankee Candle ones (sorry Yankee!) that are apparently made from refined paraffin, which explains why they give off a cloud of black smoke after you've burnt them a few times.
February Films
During February I watched four films, not that many actually. They were a right old mixture too, two horror films, a british comedy and only one of the best films of all time.
Sugar Free Peanut Butter Crispy Squares
These are such a yummy easy sugar free snack to make! They take about 10 mintues at the most and you only need four ingredients. It makes about 8 small squares or 6 bigger ones deciding on your portion size (maybe just one big one??)
You could probably make these chocolate flavoured if you added raw cacao powder in too, yum.
Spring Mini Lush Haul
I swear there is nothing more exciting (well for me anyway!) then going into Lush and seeing all their new products and wandering around eyeing up some new goodies to take back home with you.
The only downside to Lush is the price, the products are all organic, natural and made by hand so it boosts the price up unfortantly but it doesn't stop me every so often having a little spending spree in there!
Nails of the week - OPI Special
This weeks nail polishes are beauty's and both OPI! It's rare for me to wear two colours from the same brand as I have so many but this weeks nails are brought to you by OPI (well not officially but hey OPI, if you read this I'm happy for you to send me freebies to blog about haha)
Tricks To Getting A Good Nights Sleep (& My Insomnia Story)
If you had asked me a year ago how my sleep pattens were i would probably of just cried. Sleep is important, we need it to stay healthy and its often referred as "sleep hygiene".
Six to eight hours sleep a night is the recommended amount of sleep for adults and too little or even too much can have serious effects on our health. I'm not here to scare you in any way with this blog post but to simply tell you how i managed to overcome (for now, let's not jinx it!) my terrible insomnia.
This Or That Tag
Red or white wine? I would always choose white.
City or countryside? What I like about where I live is you've got city, sea and countryside all close by but I would choose countryside over a busy city like London.
Mini Break Away
I've just recently got back from a 4 night mini break away to a Forest Holidays location, a beautiful little self catering site with log cabins, hot tubs and log burners oh & not to forget the wildlife!
Magazine Freebie Alert - Benefit Roller Lash
I've been waiting for Elle magazine to come out for a few weeks as it has the new exclusive sample of Benefits Roller Lash mascara which is not even in stores yet, so you can imagine how happy I was when I popped to my local supermarket expecting it to be sold out and there was a copy with the free sample still attached (that in itself is a miracle!!)
