I have recently overhauled my skincare regime; I decided that I need to start taking care of my skin properly again, spend some quality time each morning and evening cleansing and hydrating my face. I have even started using a toner! I have added Yes to Blueberries Smoothing Daily Cleanser (£9.99), Natio Gentle Skin Toner (£6.80) and Bluemandarines Aquaporin Plus 24 Hour Facial Cream (£19.00) to my daily routine. I use the cleanser as part of my evening routine whilst the toner and facial cream are used both morning and evening, with the addition of a serum or oil in the evening.
I treated myself to some new make-up. I needed a concealer, I used to swear by YSL Touche Eclat for under my eyes but since giving up work I’ve tried to find a high street alternative and have discovered that Collection concealers are pretty damn good! I had been using their Illuminating Touch concealer but Superdrug were sold out so I picked up Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19) instead. Superdrug had their 3 for 2 offer running so I also picked up GOSH Velvet Touch Eye Liner in Fashionista (£4.99), which is a gorgeous deep dark blue shade, and Maybelline Brow Drama (£4.99). Back in August I received a LAQA & Co Lip Pencil from Birchbox and absolutely loved it, so ordered the LAQA & Co Lil Lip Duo containing two travel-sized lip pencils in Wolfman and Fairyblood.
New Things #2
I have recently overhauled my skincare regime; I decided that I need to start taking care of my skin properly again, spend some quality time each morning and evening cleansing and hydrating my face. I have even started using a toner! I have added Yes to Blueberries Smoothing Daily Cleanser (£9.99), Natio Gentle Skin Toner (£6.80) and Bluemandarines Aquaporin Plus 24 Hour Facial Cream (£19.00) to my daily routine. I use the cleanser as part of my evening routine whilst the toner and facial cream are used both morning and evening, with the addition of a serum or oil in the evening.
I treated myself to some new make-up. I needed a concealer, I used to swear by YSL Touche Eclat for under my eyes but since giving up work I’ve tried to find a high street alternative and have discovered that Collection concealers are pretty damn good! I had been using their Illuminating Touch concealer but Superdrug were sold out so I picked up Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19) instead. Superdrug had their 3 for 2 offer running so I also picked up GOSH Velvet Touch Eye Liner in Fashionista (£4.99), which is a gorgeous deep dark blue shade, and Maybelline Brow Drama (£4.99). Back in August I received a LAQA & Co Lip Pencil from Birchbox and absolutely loved it, so ordered the LAQA & Co Lil Lip Duo containing two travel-sized lip pencils in Wolfman and Fairyblood.
Picture the scene: you’re having immense cake cravings and have a packet of cake mix just pleading to be baked but you’re out of eggs and oil / your best friend is allergic to eggs / you just can’t be bothered with all the faff. Oh well, no cake for you…
…Wait a minute, do you have a can of Sprite in your fridge? Or maybe Coke or even Dr Pepper? Then you can make a Sprite cake like this!
I don’t usually use packet mixes when baking as I prefer to make cakes from scratch, but when someone from one my my “mummy” groups mentioned Sprite cake, I was so intrigued that I just had to try it out.
All you need is your choice of cake mix (I chose Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake), a can of Sprite (or 330ml if your corner shop only sells bottles like mine!), and some icing if you so desire. The instructions on the cake mix will say that you need some eggs, oil and water but you don’t; the Sprite replaces ALL of these ingredients!
Tip the cake mix into a mixing bowl and pour in your Sprite. At first it looks pretty grim, but once you start stirring it looks just like normal cake batter. So far, it looks like cake!
Pour the batter into your baking tins – I like to use three so that my cake has more layers, but you can just use two like the cake mix packet suggests. Then bake according to the packet instructions. Yep, it’s looking very much like cake!
Once the cake has cooled, assemble the layers with your choice of filling and absolutely smother your cake in icing. I used Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Icing for both the filling and topping. Ta-dah! You have made yourself a cake!
“So it looks like cake but does it taste like cake, Sian?” I hear you cry. Oh my goodness, YES! It is the yummiest, moistest cake I have had in a long time but is also so light and fluffy. It’s divine. And that’s why I had to tell you about it. You NEED to give this a go!
I’ve been told that this works with Coke and Dr Pepper but I have only tried with Sprite!
Sprite Cake
Picture the scene: you’re having immense cake cravings and have a packet of cake mix just pleading to be baked but you’re out of eggs and oil / your best friend is allergic to eggs / you just can’t be bothered with all the faff. Oh well, no cake for you…
…Wait a minute, do you have a can of Sprite in your fridge? Or maybe Coke or even Dr Pepper? Then you can make a Sprite cake like this!
I don’t usually use packet mixes when baking as I prefer to make cakes from scratch, but when someone from one my my “mummy” groups mentioned Sprite cake, I was so intrigued that I just had to try it out.
All you need is your choice of cake mix (I chose Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake), a can of Sprite (or 330ml if your corner shop only sells bottles like mine!), and some icing if you so desire. The instructions on the cake mix will say that you need some eggs, oil and water but you don’t; the Sprite replaces ALL of these ingredients!
Tip the cake mix into a mixing bowl and pour in your Sprite. At first it looks pretty grim, but once you start stirring it looks just like normal cake batter. So far, it looks like cake!
Pour the batter into your baking tins – I like to use three so that my cake has more layers, but you can just use two like the cake mix packet suggests. Then bake according to the packet instructions. Yep, it’s looking very much like cake!
Once the cake has cooled, assemble the layers with your choice of filling and absolutely smother your cake in icing. I used Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Icing for both the filling and topping. Ta-dah! You have made yourself a cake!
“So it looks like cake but does it taste like cake, Sian?” I hear you cry. Oh my goodness, YES! It is the yummiest, moistest cake I have had in a long time but is also so light and fluffy. It’s divine. And that’s why I had to tell you about it. You NEED to give this a go!
I’ve been told that this works with Coke and Dr Pepper but I have only tried with Sprite!
Some of you might know that I recently completed the Artistic Colour Gloss - The Art of Perfect Polish course and since then I have been gradually building up a collection of different colours from the Artistic Colour Gloss range of gel polishes. I couldn’t resist buying the Holiday Collection which includes the gorgeous rose gold shade currently being sported on my nails.
My friend Jo, who owns Vanity in Hitchin – the salon and training academy where I undertook my training – is amazingly talented when it comes to nail art and when I saw some cute little reindeer designs she had done I decided to have a go myself. Sadly, I’m not ambidextrous so I settled for snow on my other hand!
The colours used are Goddess, Purity, Vogue, Swag, Hotzy and Gold Digger, and are all from Artistic Colour Gloss. And yes, I do need to moisturise my hands. Cold weather and central heating are not a great combo for the skin!
Are you rocking any festive nail art this Christmas?
NOTD: Christmas Gel Nails
Some of you might know that I recently completed the Artistic Colour Gloss - The Art of Perfect Polish course and since then I have been gradually building up a collection of different colours from the Artistic Colour Gloss range of gel polishes. I couldn’t resist buying the Holiday Collection which includes the gorgeous rose gold shade currently being sported on my nails.
My friend Jo, who owns Vanity in Hitchin – the salon and training academy where I undertook my training – is amazingly talented when it comes to nail art and when I saw some cute little reindeer designs she had done I decided to have a go myself. Sadly, I’m not ambidextrous so I settled for snow on my other hand!
The colours used are Goddess, Purity, Vogue, Swag, Hotzy and Gold Digger, and are all from Artistic Colour Gloss. And yes, I do need to moisturise my hands. Cold weather and central heating are not a great combo for the skin!
Are you rocking any festive nail art this Christmas?
If I had to choose only one beauty box this month, then it would have to be the Betrousse Absolutely Fabulous beauty box. This box is one of five currently available from Betrousse; it contains six luxurious products worth a total of £119 and is available for only £19 plus shipping! This is the third box I’ve received from Betrousse and it is by far my favourite.
The Absolutely Fabulous box contains six gorgeous luxury products to pamper you during the party season:
Organic Surge Pure & Clean Face Wash: I often see Organic Surge products mentioned on other blogs but I’ve never tried them myself. This gentle, foaming face wash is perfect for my AM cleanse especially with its invigorating lemony scent. (200ml/£5.49)
LEOR Facial Exfoliate Creme: I’d never heard of LEOR before, they seem to be a relatively new British skincare brand. This creme contains smooth pumice to exfoliate and smells of heavenly lavender. (100g/£11)
Duck Island Mandarin & Bergamot Shampoo: The packaging of this reminds me so much of Molton Brown products, it has a real luxury feel and smells beautiful. I can’t wait to try it! (250ml/£14.98)
Helenere Hedelweiss Intensive Serum: Helenere is a Swiss brand and was totally new to me before receiving this beauty box. Containing edelweiss extracts, this serum is intensively repairing and hydrating. Just what I need during this cold weather. (15ml/£32)
Helenere Heidelweiss 24H Cream: Like the serum, this cream contains extracts of edelweiss and stimulates cellular respiration, prevents loss of moisture and fights against harmful exterior agents and UV rays. (30ml/£30)
Spa Find Sculpted Silhouette Inchwrap Firming Gel: I’m a bit of a sceptic when it comes to gels and creams that claim to burn fat and tighten skin – I think you can only change your body with diet and exercise (or surgery!) - but I do think products like this can help the skin’s appearance which in turn helps those lumpy bits look better. Maybe I should do a trial and take a before and after photo, what do you think? (250ml/£25.30)
I really think Betrousse have nailed it with this box, it is unbelievably good value for money and the brands are a great mix of well-known and new ones. I love that you get full-sized products and, whilst I love the surprise element of other beauty boxes, I think it’s great that you can see what’s going to be in your box before ordering.
If you like the look of this beauty box then simply head over to the Betrousse website for more information: http://www.betrousse.com
Disclosure: I received the Betrousse Absolutely Fabulous beauty box for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. With thanks to Betrousse for the sample.
REVIEW: Betrousse Absolutely Fabulous Beauty Box
If I had to choose only one beauty box this month, then it would have to be the Betrousse Absolutely Fabulous beauty box. This box is one of five currently available from Betrousse; it contains six luxurious products worth a total of £119 and is available for only £19 plus shipping! This is the third box I’ve received from Betrousse and it is by far my favourite.
The Absolutely Fabulous box contains six gorgeous luxury products to pamper you during the party season:
Organic Surge Pure & Clean Face Wash: I often see Organic Surge products mentioned on other blogs but I’ve never tried them myself. This gentle, foaming face wash is perfect for my AM cleanse especially with its invigorating lemony scent. (200ml/£5.49)
LEOR Facial Exfoliate Creme: I’d never heard of LEOR before, they seem to be a relatively new British skincare brand. This creme contains smooth pumice to exfoliate and smells of heavenly lavender. (100g/£11)
Duck Island Mandarin & Bergamot Shampoo: The packaging of this reminds me so much of Molton Brown products, it has a real luxury feel and smells beautiful. I can’t wait to try it! (250ml/£14.98)
Helenere Hedelweiss Intensive Serum: Helenere is a Swiss brand and was totally new to me before receiving this beauty box. Containing edelweiss extracts, this serum is intensively repairing and hydrating. Just what I need during this cold weather. (15ml/£32)
Helenere Heidelweiss 24H Cream: Like the serum, this cream contains extracts of edelweiss and stimulates cellular respiration, prevents loss of moisture and fights against harmful exterior agents and UV rays. (30ml/£30)
Spa Find Sculpted Silhouette Inchwrap Firming Gel: I’m a bit of a sceptic when it comes to gels and creams that claim to burn fat and tighten skin – I think you can only change your body with diet and exercise (or surgery!) - but I do think products like this can help the skin’s appearance which in turn helps those lumpy bits look better. Maybe I should do a trial and take a before and after photo, what do you think? (250ml/£25.30)
I really think Betrousse have nailed it with this box, it is unbelievably good value for money and the brands are a great mix of well-known and new ones. I love that you get full-sized products and, whilst I love the surprise element of other beauty boxes, I think it’s great that you can see what’s going to be in your box before ordering.
If you like the look of this beauty box then simply head over to the Betrousse website for more information: http://www.betrousse.com
Disclosure: I received the Betrousse Absolutely Fabulous beauty box for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own. With thanks to Betrousse for the sample.
I’m officially useless. It’s only when I receive my next Hello Fresh delivery that I remember that I haven’t yet shared my last box with you! So here’s what I made with the week 40 box, which had the all ingredients to make Pork Chops with Cinnamon and Apple Chutney and Rosemary New Potatoes, Walnut and Rosemary Crumbed Chicken Breast with Crispy Potatoes and Salad, and Patum Peperium Pasta Puttanesca (tongue-twister or what!)
Impressed? :) I’m not usually a fan of pork chops, but with this chutney I have changed my mind! I get the 3 meals for 2 people box which costs £39.00. It arrives with all the ingredients in the required quantities and full instructions on how to cook each meal.
You can get £20 off your first box with my referral code. Simply go to Hello Fresh and enter discount code C4MJSY.
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Hello Fresh
I’m officially useless. It’s only when I receive my next Hello Fresh delivery that I remember that I haven’t yet shared my last box with you! So here’s what I made with the week 40 box, which had the all ingredients to make Pork Chops with Cinnamon and Apple Chutney and Rosemary New Potatoes, Walnut and Rosemary Crumbed Chicken Breast with Crispy Potatoes and Salad, and Patum Peperium Pasta Puttanesca (tongue-twister or what!)
Impressed? :) I’m not usually a fan of pork chops, but with this chutney I have changed my mind! I get the 3 meals for 2 people box which costs £39.00. It arrives with all the ingredients in the required quantities and full instructions on how to cook each meal.
You can get £20 off your first box with my referral code. Simply go to Hello Fresh and enter discount code C4MJSY.
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Just a quick post from me today. I thought I’d show you this lovely deep pinky red offering from GOSH. It applies like a dream and I love the chunky bottle. It took 3 coats to get this intensity of colour and it actually chipped pretty quickly, within days, but I think it’s so gorgeous and perfect for winter! You can buy GOSH Berry Me from Superdrug for £3.99.
What colour are you sporting on your nails?
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NOTD: GOSH Berry Me
Just a quick post from me today. I thought I’d show you this lovely deep pinky red offering from GOSH. It applies like a dream and I love the chunky bottle. It took 3 coats to get this intensity of colour and it actually chipped pretty quickly, within days, but I think it’s so gorgeous and perfect for winter! You can buy GOSH Berry Me from Superdrug for £3.99.
What colour are you sporting on your nails?
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Apart from the first few days after birth, N has never taken a bottle, so when the time came to start introducing food I was a little worried about how well he would take to drinking from a cup. There are lots of different cups for babies and toddlers available these days and we have tried a several of them during our weaning journey; we have two that N currently likes to use and one of those is from the new cute Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection.
The Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection features fun animal characters each with a special skill, and the new designs are featured across all the different cup types, from transitional cups through to sports bottles. N has a Sporty cup (similar to a sports bottle but without a push up/down spout) and his cup features The Tumblers, a family of balancing ants! You can find out more about The Tumblers and the other 8 characters by visiting the Tommee Tippee website: www.tommeetippee.co.uk/animal-antics. You can also download Animal Antics colouring in sheets!
The Sporty cup has a non-spill valve in the spout which seals automatically when your child stops drinking – you can see the valve in the photo above. Prior to using sporty cups N had soft spout beakers which he was able to get the water out of by pressing the spout down on his tray! With his Tommee Tippee Sporty cup he can only get water out when drinking which is saving me from a lot of cleaning up; also the non-spill valve combined with the large 360ml capacity makes this cup ideal for when we’re out and about.
I love the design of the bottle; the little ants are really sweet and the colours are bright and bold. I like that this one in particular is unisex in its design as I try to stay away from the “blue for boys, pink for girls” stereotype and go for more vibrant shades, although they do have a pink and a blue variation as well. The bottle is the perfect size for N’s little hands as you can see below!
The Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection is available at Asda priced £4.49 for the First Transition Cup, and £3.99 for all other cups. They are dishwasher, microwave and steriliser safe and BPA-free.
Which character is your little one’s favourite?
Disclosure: I received the Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Sporty cup for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
REVIEW: Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection
Apart from the first few days after birth, N has never taken a bottle, so when the time came to start introducing food I was a little worried about how well he would take to drinking from a cup. There are lots of different cups for babies and toddlers available these days and we have tried a several of them during our weaning journey; we have two that N currently likes to use and one of those is from the new cute Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection.
The Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection features fun animal characters each with a special skill, and the new designs are featured across all the different cup types, from transitional cups through to sports bottles. N has a Sporty cup (similar to a sports bottle but without a push up/down spout) and his cup features The Tumblers, a family of balancing ants! You can find out more about The Tumblers and the other 8 characters by visiting the Tommee Tippee website: www.tommeetippee.co.uk/animal-antics. You can also download Animal Antics colouring in sheets!
The Sporty cup has a non-spill valve in the spout which seals automatically when your child stops drinking – you can see the valve in the photo above. Prior to using sporty cups N had soft spout beakers which he was able to get the water out of by pressing the spout down on his tray! With his Tommee Tippee Sporty cup he can only get water out when drinking which is saving me from a lot of cleaning up; also the non-spill valve combined with the large 360ml capacity makes this cup ideal for when we’re out and about.
I love the design of the bottle; the little ants are really sweet and the colours are bright and bold. I like that this one in particular is unisex in its design as I try to stay away from the “blue for boys, pink for girls” stereotype and go for more vibrant shades, although they do have a pink and a blue variation as well. The bottle is the perfect size for N’s little hands as you can see below!
The Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Collection is available at Asda priced £4.49 for the First Transition Cup, and £3.99 for all other cups. They are dishwasher, microwave and steriliser safe and BPA-free.
Which character is your little one’s favourite?
Disclosure: I received the Tommee Tippee Animal Antics Sporty cup for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
A few weeks ago I received some bottles of Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner to try out on my naturally dark (but currently dip-dyed!) brown hair. I first discovered Naked when I had my baby last year and a friend gave me a few of their baby products to try. I then found out that they had a whole range of lovely products for the face, body and hair as well!
Like all products from the Naked range, the shampoo and conditioner are 97% natural; in case you’re wondering the remaining 3% consisting of things like preservatives to stop the products going off and emulsifying agents to stop them from separating. You won’t find any sulphates, parabens or petrochemicals here. They also use recycled plastic for their bottles and the products are all made in Britain, which just makes me love them even more.
Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner have been created to care for both natural and coloured brunette tresses, by moisturising and conditioning the hair to leave it shiny and healthy looking. They contain natural, botanical extracts of elderberry, sage and black tea; to be honest I did wonder if my hair was going to be left smelling like a cup of Whittard’s finest when I saw “tea” listed, but this combination has actually created the most incredible smell EVER. I’d like to bottle it up and wear it as a perfume!
A good scent isn’t everything though, of course you want your hair care products to deliver as well as smell nice. Being mostly natural, the shampoo doesn’t lather up as well as you might be used to but that is no indicator of performance, it still cleans the hair really well and rinses away really easily. The conditioner is thick and creamy and washes away with no residue left on the hair. My hair has felt drier since being dip-dyed, however this shampoo and conditioner combination works well to leave my hair feeling soft, tangle-free and ready for styling.
Both the Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner cost £4.19 each for 250ml and can be found in Boots (online and in selected stores). They’re both currently on special offer in Boots so worth taking a look now!
Disclosure: I received the Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo & Conditioner for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
REVIEW: Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo & Conditioner
A few weeks ago I received some bottles of Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner to try out on my naturally dark (but currently dip-dyed!) brown hair. I first discovered Naked when I had my baby last year and a friend gave me a few of their baby products to try. I then found out that they had a whole range of lovely products for the face, body and hair as well!
Like all products from the Naked range, the shampoo and conditioner are 97% natural; in case you’re wondering the remaining 3% consisting of things like preservatives to stop the products going off and emulsifying agents to stop them from separating. You won’t find any sulphates, parabens or petrochemicals here. They also use recycled plastic for their bottles and the products are all made in Britain, which just makes me love them even more.
Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner have been created to care for both natural and coloured brunette tresses, by moisturising and conditioning the hair to leave it shiny and healthy looking. They contain natural, botanical extracts of elderberry, sage and black tea; to be honest I did wonder if my hair was going to be left smelling like a cup of Whittard’s finest when I saw “tea” listed, but this combination has actually created the most incredible smell EVER. I’d like to bottle it up and wear it as a perfume!
A good scent isn’t everything though, of course you want your hair care products to deliver as well as smell nice. Being mostly natural, the shampoo doesn’t lather up as well as you might be used to but that is no indicator of performance, it still cleans the hair really well and rinses away really easily. The conditioner is thick and creamy and washes away with no residue left on the hair. My hair has felt drier since being dip-dyed, however this shampoo and conditioner combination works well to leave my hair feeling soft, tangle-free and ready for styling.
Both the Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo and Conditioner cost £4.19 each for 250ml and can be found in Boots (online and in selected stores). They’re both currently on special offer in Boots so worth taking a look now!
Disclosure: I received the Naked Brunette Radiance Shampoo & Conditioner for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
Icons is the theme of the November beauty box from Birchbox, and features five products plus two extras.
♥ Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Body Butter It was mentioned in the October box that there would be another Laura Mercier product this month so I was really excited about finding out what it was. I was secretly hoping it would be make-up, but I’m happy with this gorgeous smelling body butter. (25g)
♥ Weleda Replenishing Oat Shampoo I knew this was going to be in this month’s box after seeing the spoiler, I just can’t resist the temptation of looking! I love Weleda products and hope this shampoo will help my dry ends. (18ml)
♥ Spa Find Sculpted Silhouette Intensive Bust Firming Extract Serum Having spent the last 21 months of my life either pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s safe to say this is a product my boobs are looking forward to trying! (6ml)
♥ Chella Higlighter Pencil This is one of the things I love about beauty boxes: discovering new brands. I’ve not heard of Chella before but this looks like a good shade highlighter and I like the chunky pencil style. (1.4g)
♥ English Laundry Perfume This is a really light perfume with notes of quince, jasmine and musk. (2ml)
♥ Pukka Herbs Teas I got a sachet each of Three Cinnamon, Earl Grey and Elderberry & Echinacea. The teas are a ‘lifestyle extra’.
♥ Birchbox Pencil Sharpener Always handy to have! This is a ‘beauty extra’.
I think I was a little spoilt by last month’s box as I’m not blown away this month; I’m happy with my box it just hasn’t got the “wow” factor that last month had!
If you like the look of the Birchbox beauty box and want to sign up, please feel free to use my referral link: http://birchbox.co.uk/?raf=674. The box costs £10 per month plus p+p.
Let me know your thoughts!
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PS. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway – you could win a Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box!
Birchbox – November Beauty Box
Icons is the theme of the November beauty box from Birchbox, and features five products plus two extras.
♥ Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Body Butter It was mentioned in the October box that there would be another Laura Mercier product this month so I was really excited about finding out what it was. I was secretly hoping it would be make-up, but I’m happy with this gorgeous smelling body butter. (25g)
♥ Weleda Replenishing Oat Shampoo I knew this was going to be in this month’s box after seeing the spoiler, I just can’t resist the temptation of looking! I love Weleda products and hope this shampoo will help my dry ends. (18ml)
♥ Spa Find Sculpted Silhouette Intensive Bust Firming Extract Serum Having spent the last 21 months of my life either pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s safe to say this is a product my boobs are looking forward to trying! (6ml)
♥ Chella Higlighter Pencil This is one of the things I love about beauty boxes: discovering new brands. I’ve not heard of Chella before but this looks like a good shade highlighter and I like the chunky pencil style. (1.4g)
♥ English Laundry Perfume This is a really light perfume with notes of quince, jasmine and musk. (2ml)
♥ Pukka Herbs Teas I got a sachet each of Three Cinnamon, Earl Grey and Elderberry & Echinacea. The teas are a ‘lifestyle extra’.
♥ Birchbox Pencil Sharpener Always handy to have! This is a ‘beauty extra’.
I think I was a little spoilt by last month’s box as I’m not blown away this month; I’m happy with my box it just hasn’t got the “wow” factor that last month had!
If you like the look of the Birchbox beauty box and want to sign up, please feel free to use my referral link: http://birchbox.co.uk/?raf=674. The box costs £10 per month plus p+p.
Let me know your thoughts!
♥ Bloglovin’ ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook ♥
PS. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway – you could win a Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box!
Baby N has been giving gNappies a whirl over the past week or so; I’d heard of them before but despite being a “cloth bum mum” I couldn’t get my head around how they worked so I stuck with the other brands I already knew and trusted. I’m so glad we got the chance to try them out because we love them!
gNappies are a two-part cloth nappy: there are reusable cloth nappy covers called gPants, these have a little waterproof pouch inside which hold your choice of reusable or biodegradable disposable inserts. There are loads of different prints in the range currently, including the awesome Grand Tartan print (below left) and gVeggie (below right) print. The sizes range from Newborn to X-Large (6lbs to 34lbs+).
The disposable inserts are biodegradable so can be popped into your compost heap - only the wet ones though, not the dirty ones! We’ve been using the reusable cloth inserts, called gCloths. They have two layers of polyester microfleece and two layers of hemp/cotton. The microfleece is fast-wicking and draws the moisture away from the skin quickly through to the super-absorbent hemp/cotton layers.
Now that Baby N is so much older and more aware of everything he is curious about everything around him. gNappies are different in that they go on “backwards”; the tabs are done up on the back rather than the front so little hands can’t undo them. The velcro on gNappies is also incredibly sticky so even mini Houdinis will have a hard time getting them undone!
The waterproof removable pouch within the gPant forms a seal against your baby’s skin and stops any moisture leaking out. It took us a few attempts to get this part right as I stupidly decided to forgo reading the instructions which tell you to make sure the trim of the pouch sits in baby’s leg crease, just like how you and I wear underwear! Once I realised this, we were all good. Having this pouch also makes gNappies one of the best nappies - out of all the cloth and disposable nappies I have tried - when it comes to containing poo explosions.
We change nappies roughly every two hours and that has been the same with gNappies. You can get a bit longer using the disposable inserts, although personally I would still change every two hours as I don’t think it’s great for their skin to be left any longer! Washing is super easy, simply wash at 30 or 40 degrees and then line dry. As the pant and the inserts are so slim, everything dries really quickly which is great.
I tried to get some action shots of Baby N in his
gJoy Christmas gNappy but he is so fast at crawling off it was almost impossible!
I’ve been very impressed with our gNappy experience; they are so slim, almost as slim as disposable nappies, so I was a little worried about how absorbent they would be. We had a couple of leaks to begin with until I realised I was doing it wrong but since then I simply can’t fault them. They fit really well, the material is super soft and stretchy and they’re really slim. They’re very absorbent as they are, but being so slim means I can easily put an extra insert in if I know N is ready for a long nap. Using gNappies with the disposable inserts would be ideal for if we go on holiday!
We’ll definitely be looking out for more gNappy prints to add to our collection, I’m looking forward to seeing what this year’s Christmas print looks like! gPants start at £14.95 with packs of inserts starting at £7.95, and can be purchased from the gNappies website, Ocado and various nappy retailers.
Disclosure: I received the gNappy and gCloths for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
REVIEW: gNappies
Baby N has been giving gNappies a whirl over the past week or so; I’d heard of them before but despite being a “cloth bum mum” I couldn’t get my head around how they worked so I stuck with the other brands I already knew and trusted. I’m so glad we got the chance to try them out because we love them!
gNappies are a two-part cloth nappy: there are reusable cloth nappy covers called gPants, these have a little waterproof pouch inside which hold your choice of reusable or biodegradable disposable inserts. There are loads of different prints in the range currently, including the awesome Grand Tartan print (below left) and gVeggie (below right) print. The sizes range from Newborn to X-Large (6lbs to 34lbs+).
The disposable inserts are biodegradable so can be popped into your compost heap - only the wet ones though, not the dirty ones! We’ve been using the reusable cloth inserts, called gCloths. They have two layers of polyester microfleece and two layers of hemp/cotton. The microfleece is fast-wicking and draws the moisture away from the skin quickly through to the super-absorbent hemp/cotton layers.
Now that Baby N is so much older and more aware of everything he is curious about everything around him. gNappies are different in that they go on “backwards”; the tabs are done up on the back rather than the front so little hands can’t undo them. The velcro on gNappies is also incredibly sticky so even mini Houdinis will have a hard time getting them undone!
The waterproof removable pouch within the gPant forms a seal against your baby’s skin and stops any moisture leaking out. It took us a few attempts to get this part right as I stupidly decided to forgo reading the instructions which tell you to make sure the trim of the pouch sits in baby’s leg crease, just like how you and I wear underwear! Once I realised this, we were all good. Having this pouch also makes gNappies one of the best nappies - out of all the cloth and disposable nappies I have tried - when it comes to containing poo explosions.
We change nappies roughly every two hours and that has been the same with gNappies. You can get a bit longer using the disposable inserts, although personally I would still change every two hours as I don’t think it’s great for their skin to be left any longer! Washing is super easy, simply wash at 30 or 40 degrees and then line dry. As the pant and the inserts are so slim, everything dries really quickly which is great.
I tried to get some action shots of Baby N in his
gJoy Christmas gNappy but he is so fast at crawling off it was almost impossible!
I’ve been very impressed with our gNappy experience; they are so slim, almost as slim as disposable nappies, so I was a little worried about how absorbent they would be. We had a couple of leaks to begin with until I realised I was doing it wrong but since then I simply can’t fault them. They fit really well, the material is super soft and stretchy and they’re really slim. They’re very absorbent as they are, but being so slim means I can easily put an extra insert in if I know N is ready for a long nap. Using gNappies with the disposable inserts would be ideal for if we go on holiday!
We’ll definitely be looking out for more gNappy prints to add to our collection, I’m looking forward to seeing what this year’s Christmas print looks like! gPants start at £14.95 with packs of inserts starting at £7.95, and can be purchased from the gNappies website, Ocado and various nappy retailers.
Disclosure: I received the gNappy and gCloths for free for review, however all thoughts and opinion remain my own.
I’ve been offline for the best part of a week whilst sorting the final arrangements for Baby N’s first birthday. Yes, my teeny little guy turned one on Monday! I really don’t know where the last year has gone, it still feels like only yesterday that he was born. More on all that to come soon!
I have so many new posts in the pipeline and so many emails to catch up with, but for now, I’ll leave you with a taster of N’s birthday cake. It’s a Heap of Cake by the super talented The Cakey Lady. Eight pieces of gooey brownie, three of them “dressed” as Batman, Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk, and drizzled with white chocolate. This is the smallest of the sizes, the biggest one has a whopping 32 pieces of cake and has other superhero “accessories” too!
The Cakey Lady Facebook page is updated all the time with her amazing creations, in fact that’s how I came across her. Do take a look!
♥ Bloglovin’ ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook ♥
PS. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway – you could win a Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box!
Baby N’s First Birthday Cake
I’ve been offline for the best part of a week whilst sorting the final arrangements for Baby N’s first birthday. Yes, my teeny little guy turned one on Monday! I really don’t know where the last year has gone, it still feels like only yesterday that he was born. More on all that to come soon!
I have so many new posts in the pipeline and so many emails to catch up with, but for now, I’ll leave you with a taster of N’s birthday cake. It’s a Heap of Cake by the super talented The Cakey Lady. Eight pieces of gooey brownie, three of them “dressed” as Batman, Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk, and drizzled with white chocolate. This is the smallest of the sizes, the biggest one has a whopping 32 pieces of cake and has other superhero “accessories” too!
The Cakey Lady Facebook page is updated all the time with her amazing creations, in fact that’s how I came across her. Do take a look!
♥ Bloglovin’ ♥ Twitter ♥ Instagram ♥ Facebook ♥
PS. Don’t forget to enter my giveaway – you could win a Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box!
Rub Rub Rub is a heavenly smelling shower scrub from one of all-time favourite brands, Lush. I always ask for Lush gift sets for my birthday and Christmas; this pot was in one of the sets I got for my birthday earlier this year.
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub is is a pot of blue loveliness packed with fine Spanish sea salt, lemon juice, jasmine, orange flower and mimosa to leave your skin feeling silky smooth and smelling beautiful. The smell of this scrub is incredible; I’m a huge fan of those white flower scents such as jasmine, it’s so intoxicating.
The fine sea salt granules mean that you can use this scrub in two ways – on damp skin for a gentle exfoliation or on dry skin for a more intense scrub. I tried it on damp skin but as the salt is so fine it just dissolved before it could do anything exciting. I stuck to using it on dry skin, which I have to say still felt very gentle. It exfoliates well, but doesn’t feel too rough or harsh. I have even used it on my face, my damp face I should point out, although I’m sure Lush wouldn’t recommend you do so!
You can also use Rub Rub Rub in your hair but I didn’t try this; I wanted to use every last bit on my skin as it is just so lovely. I have used Big – Lush’s amazing salt-based shampoo – in the past and LOVED that, I imagine it would be quite similar. This will definitely be on my shopping list next time I visit a Lush shop, along with a tub of Big shampoo as it’s reminded me how much I miss it!
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub costs £8.25 for 330g and can be bought from their shops or online here.
Have you tried this scrub? Are you a fan of any other salty beauty products?
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub
Rub Rub Rub is a heavenly smelling shower scrub from one of all-time favourite brands, Lush. I always ask for Lush gift sets for my birthday and Christmas; this pot was in one of the sets I got for my birthday earlier this year.
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub is is a pot of blue loveliness packed with fine Spanish sea salt, lemon juice, jasmine, orange flower and mimosa to leave your skin feeling silky smooth and smelling beautiful. The smell of this scrub is incredible; I’m a huge fan of those white flower scents such as jasmine, it’s so intoxicating.
The fine sea salt granules mean that you can use this scrub in two ways – on damp skin for a gentle exfoliation or on dry skin for a more intense scrub. I tried it on damp skin but as the salt is so fine it just dissolved before it could do anything exciting. I stuck to using it on dry skin, which I have to say still felt very gentle. It exfoliates well, but doesn’t feel too rough or harsh. I have even used it on my face, my damp face I should point out, although I’m sure Lush wouldn’t recommend you do so!
You can also use Rub Rub Rub in your hair but I didn’t try this; I wanted to use every last bit on my skin as it is just so lovely. I have used Big – Lush’s amazing salt-based shampoo – in the past and LOVED that, I imagine it would be quite similar. This will definitely be on my shopping list next time I visit a Lush shop, along with a tub of Big shampoo as it’s reminded me how much I miss it!
Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub costs £8.25 for 330g and can be bought from their shops or online here.
Have you tried this scrub? Are you a fan of any other salty beauty products?
Last month I promised to hold a giveaway so you could win your very own Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box containing four gorgeous full-sized products as featured here: http://www.quitefranklyshesaid.com/2013/09/review-betrousse-glitz-glamour-beauty.html
To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and complete the two mandatory requirements, which once completed will unlock further options to gain more entries – easy! The giveaway is open to UK entrants only.
Please note: as mentioned on the original post the Betrousse Glitz & Glamour box used to contain a fifth product, a Tulecos oil, however these have now been removed from the boxes by Betrousse due to the oils reaching their expiry date. The prize box does not contain the oil.
Good luck!
UK entrants only. Ends 30/11/2013. Entrants must be 18 or over, or have parent/guardian’s permission to enter. No cash alternative. Incomplete entries will be voided. The winner will be contacted by email within 7 days and must respond within 7 days.
ENDED: Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box Giveaway
Last month I promised to hold a giveaway so you could win your very own Betrousse Glitz & Glamour Beauty Box containing four gorgeous full-sized products as featured here: http://www.quitefranklyshesaid.com/2013/09/review-betrousse-glitz-glamour-beauty.html
To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is enter using the Rafflecopter widget below and complete the two mandatory requirements, which once completed will unlock further options to gain more entries – easy! The giveaway is open to UK entrants only.
Please note: as mentioned on the original post the Betrousse Glitz & Glamour box used to contain a fifth product, a Tulecos oil, however these have now been removed from the boxes by Betrousse due to the oils reaching their expiry date. The prize box does not contain the oil.
Good luck!
UK entrants only. Ends 30/11/2013. Entrants must be 18 or over, or have parent/guardian’s permission to enter. No cash alternative. Incomplete entries will be voided. The winner will be contacted by email within 7 days and must respond within 7 days.
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