February – 2015 – Hellbent for Lipstick

The Vegan Kind #TVK16 February 2015 Review

February 17, 2015

Yes it’s here, it’s here. This month’s #TVK16 box which I have to say, had me squealing with delight! For those unfamiliar with this box, I’ll start with my usual spiel – The Vegan Kind is a Vegan (obviously!) lifestyle box that contains between 5-6 products, one of which is usually a non edible item. Each month they donate 10p from every box sold to a charity chosen by subscriber’s. This month it is the Mino Valley Farm Sanctuary, run by two vegan’s.

So zero rambling and on with the most exciting contents;

FitBites – 50g (RRP £2.30)

Let’s start with my most disliked – the one with the dates and raisins in. I say that, but these two little balls (giggle) actually look incredible delcious (double giggle).Another raw treat containing raisins, date paste, prunes, almonds, figs, coconut, sunflower seed and maca. This is what I would usually call the “post workout snack”, the one that is slightly better for you than all the other stuff in the box. Funnily enough Fit Bites seem’s to have been started by two fitness fanatics too. I’m looking forward to having a nibble on these though, and I’ll definitely share it with my other half, who always end’s up having to eat all the raising filled products from this box. (Which I can assure you he doesn’t mind one bit!)

You can check out the other “balls” available here.

White Rabbit Skincare – Toning Eye Cream – 15ml (RRP £8.00)

I’ve been meaning to take a look at White Rabbit Skin care and see what delights they have for a few weeks now. I’ve been using their cleansing lotion for some time which smells good enough to eat so I’m ecstatic to have received another of their products in this month’s box. Packed with lot’s of natural ingredients and promising to tighten and firm the eye area as well as reducing circles and puffiness, the generous 15ml will be going a long way.

Check out the White Rabbit shop here.

Eat Real – Quinoa Chips Sour Cream & Chive Flavour – 30g (RRP£0.79)

Quinoa crisps? What next? In fairness I love quinoa and I tend to enjoy most sour cream and chive flavoured products. My only problem with all these delicious alternative crisps such as sweet potato or quinoa, is that they have such a high calorific and fat content compared to other crisps that I feel a surge of guilt when eating them. This can be somewhat rectified however by only eating half a bag at a time though!

For lot’s of waist line expanding muches you can visit their site here.

Supernutrients Banana Powder – 150g (RRP £4.00)

I am definitely one to start the day off with a strawberry, banana and soya milk smoothie. I’ve never tried banana powder but I really like how there are no added ingredients to this, other than banana powder. Good for sprinkling over deserts or putting into milkshakes and smoothies I’m looking forward to giving this a go. I reckon it’s great for adding a little sweetness to some Vegan Oat pancakes too. Perhaps I’ll make a mental note to do some experimenting so I can share some recipes.

Freedom Mallows Choc Dip – 62g (RRP £2.49)

If you’re Vegan or Vegetarian, you’ll know that there are lot’s of yummy things we can’t eat because they have revolting things such as pork and beef gelatine in. For those of you who don’t know, gelatine is made up of skin, bones and connective tissue from animals. Marshmallows are one of those that contain this ingredient, which is so sad because I bloody loved marshmallows in my pre Veggie/Vegan days. My first taste of Freedom Mallows was a pretty long time ago and they are absolutely amazing. They are the best Vegan alternative I have ever tasted so when I pulled this out of my box, I squealed with delight and even had to put a cheeky pic on instagram for fear that I may eat the contents before I had time to photograph the box. Much to my own disbelief, I still haven’t eaten these but I will be savoring them with every bite and scoop of dipping chocolate.

This month’s recipe card is again from Fresh Heather – if you haven’t checked out her site yet, you must. Each time I pop on there, my mouth salivates and I basically wan’t to eat the whole world. I haven’t decided which one of her recipes I’m going to try first as there are so many, but this month’s #TVK16 recipe features a scrumptious looking super green smoothie. Perfect for practicing your smoothie making ready for summer (or all year round if you’re anything like me.)

We were also treated to a Beyond Skin Discount Voucher in this box, which entitled us to 25% off our first order. Beyond skin are an ethical footwear brand, which are currently for women only, but it looks like there is a men’s line in the works! If you’d like to check out some of their products you can do so here.

I know last month I mentioned that most of the products weren’t new to me and I’d had them in different boxes in the past, but this month has more than made up for that. (I really don’t mind the return of Freedom Mallows or White Rabbit at all!) #TVK16 however is fantastic and I can’t wait to clock up some exercise points so I can stuff my face.

If you would like to get your hands on a Vegan Kind box, you can do so here for just £10 a month plus p & p. They also have a beauty box which is available quarterly here.

Have you had this month’s #TVK16 yet? Are you thinking of subscribing, or just hoping to make a few changes to your life that are more cruelty free? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS WITH CHOCOLATE DIP ZOMFG

-Pants

Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegan Pancakes with Blueberry Compote Recipe

February 16, 2015

Being Vegan doesn’t mean missing out, quite the opposite actually. It opens you up to new way’s of reinventing old recipes. I often get cravings for Pancakes and since the ever popular pancake day is tomorrow, here’s my Vegan pancake recipe for you all to try.

For the pancake mixture:

150g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

300ml water (you can also try adding a little soy or almond milk to this, just substitute the water.)

1 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoons coconut sugar or brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

For the blueberry compote:

1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup of water

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

In a small saucepan, add the blueberries, water and coconut sugar. Bring to a very gentle boil and simmer on low whilst you make the pancakes, stirring occasionally until the blueberries have caramelised. Be careful that the compote doesn’t start to burn, you can always add more water if you feel it’s getting too thick.

Mix your pancake ingredients together either in a food processor or a bowl. If you are using a bowl, you should sift the flour first (something I’m guilty of never doing!!!). Whisk until nice and smooth.

Heat a frying pan, spray lightly with oil and once warm, pour a few tablespoons of your batter in. Once formed, you can flip them over and cook the other side.

Serve with a dollop of your blueberry compote and a drizzle of golden syrup or Vegan chocolate sauce if you’re feeling really naughty! (We recommend choc shot).

Totally hellbent for having my (pan)cake and eating it

Pants

Beauty Boxes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Birchbox February 2015 Review

February 12, 2015

Birchbox have definitely topped my monthly beauty box list, pumping out box after box that hasn’t disappointed. I’m a little saddened that come March I won’t be renewing my 6 month subscription and it’s not because I’m no longer enjoyiny my boxes, but more that I have so much makeup I’m never going to use as well as the effort that goes into to checking every product to make sure it’s cruelty free. I eventually want to slim down my collection and use the money I’d spend out beauty boxes on brands that I really love but can never afford.

This month’s Birchbox has a love theme and is packed with lot’s of amazing products. Once again, they’ve excelled with their selection and there isn’t really a product I’m not that excited about.

London Butterflies – Bath Salt Scrub in Dead Sea Salt & Sweet Almond Oil – 34g – £35 for full size

At first glance I thought this was going to be bath salts, but as I re read the packaging and opened the lid – a sweet almond aroma greeted my nose and I saw this was in fact an actual scrub. When I tried a little on my hands I was more than impressed. At the £35 price tag though, I shouldn’t really expect any less. Although not the sort of scrub I would usually opt for, since it doesn’t resemble sand paper – it feel’s gently on the skin, but there’s still enough scrub to make it feel worthwhile. The best part is how beautifully oily it is. My hand was left feeling as though I’d just moisturised when in fact I’d simply used a pea sized amount of scrub and washed it off again. Probably not favorable if your skin is naturally oil, but for those of us with dry skin, I should imagine this is absolutely amazing.

theBalm cosmetics – Cindy-Lou Manizer – 0.57g sample – £15 for full size

I am such a fan of theBalm cosmetics. I love their quirky packaging and names and have also enjoyed using every product I’ve come across so far. This highlight is a welcome addition to my collection and although the sample is on the small side, I actually have two blushes in the same sample packaging that I haven’t even hit pan on and I use these for pretty much every makeup application.This is a shimmery highlight so probably not great for my every day looks but will work amazingly on stage. Another plus item that I am over the moon with. The application is smooth and the texture creamy, leaving a nice subtle sheen behind.

Cynthia Rowley Beauty – Eyeliner in Black – 0.8g – £11 for full size

Now this is a product I choked on my own words for. I scoffed when I pulled it out the box – seriously you have no idea how many pencil eyeliners I have and I never wear them. I find they smudge and are the culprit of the unwanted panda eye. I much prefer liquid or gel eyeliner which takes about the same time to apply and I’m confident won’t leave me looking like I’ve been playing with the corpse paint for my own amusement. This however, is more than an eyeliner. It applies almost like a gel liner, but with the precision that you admittedly do get with a pencil. I was expecting this to smudge and fall at the last hurdle, but nope, it made a stand and wouldn’t bloody budge. So much so that my usual regime of micellar water was my only hope for removing it. I’ll be reaching for this for a quick fix eye now that I know it’s reliability! It’s also worth mentioning that despite it’s stay put ability, it’s also very blend-able when you first apply it, which is perfect for smokey looks.

Liz Earle Beauty Co. – Botanical Shine Shampoo – 50ml – £10 for full size

Liz Earle is a brand that I admit I was a late bloomer to. After the whole hype with the cleanse and polish, I wasn’t sure I was ready to try it out for myself, afraid I’d just be disappointed. After procuring two cleanse and polish samples though, I was hooked and couldn’t believe how amazing it left my skin. I’ve been itching to get my hands on some more samples to try out ever since. This is a perfect next level Liz Earle sample for me, not only is the size a generous 50ml, but the shampoo is sls, which means I can actually use it instead of leaving it in my “mini’s I’ll never use or have to wait until my hair has faded to candy floss pink” pile. I’ve sworn by SLS free shampoo for such a long time now that there really is no going back unless it’s the day/week before hair dye day. I have high hopes for this though and will be putting it to the test very shortly. I also think that £10 for a full size product is almost affordable if you wash your hair as little as I do.

Wild About Beauty – Rose Water Illuminating Serum – 30ml – £22

I’ve not tried anything from Wild About Beauty before but I am a fan of serum. With dry skin, I clutch to any extra form of moisture I can, whether this be pre or post moisturising. This generous tube of illuminating serum can be smoothed over the skin and applied over base makeup to give a youthful glow thanks to it being packed with reflective pearls. Sounds promising and it feels pretty magical on my skin I have to say.

The Chia Co – Oats + Chia – Mixed Berry 1 sachet – £4.95 for 5 pack

I love Chia Seeds, I’ve had an obsession with pouring them in my smoothies and over my porridge for at least three to four years now. I also thrive off porridge oats, It’s the only cereal that I dare eat these days, mostly because I’m not a fan of soya milk cold on cereals but can’t taste it when it makes a creamy porridge bowl. The other great thing about these oats is that they’re Vegan – and made with coconut sugar (yes another obsession with mine). Not only is coconut sugar slightly better for you than normal sugar, it has a low GI.

What a stunning box, and best of all I can actually use everything without worrying about animal derivatives and how it’s been tested. I think this is up there with the best beauty boxes of all time (maybe not number one but definitely close). In fact it was so good, they should have called it “Panties Loves” instead of “Birchbox Loves”. Oh, I forgot to mention that they have now just released a post box friendly box that has all the same great samples in, but fits through your letter box!

If you’d like to subscribe to Birchbox, you can do so here for just £10 a month plus p&p.

What are you thought’s on this month’s box or did you get something different? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment below.

Totally hellbent for a cruelty free box packed full of things I can actually use

– Pants

Events

The Body Shop Detox Party

February 5, 2015

Sunday night we were invited to a Bloggers Detox Party at the Birmingham Bullring Body Shop, and after the fun we had at the last The Body Shop event we knew we were in a for a great evening of pampering and treats!

We were inevitably early and made a beeline for the Starbucks next door where we had what can only be described as the absolute best soy chai lattes ever. The queue for the most heavenly beverage of vegan kind was rather long so by the time we got back to The Body Shop there were a gaggle of familiar faces to natter with before the event started.

After a quick catch up we were all rounded up by Elaine, the manager of the Bullring branch and officially one of the most lovely smiley ladies we’ve ever met, and offered some herbal tea to kickstart our skin detox. It’s worth mentioning a thousand times about just how lovely and enthusiastic the staff at The Body Shop (and that goes for every single member we’ve encountered at every single store!) are, every single one of them knows absolutely everything about the brand, the products and the ethos that drive the company and we’ve never once been greeted by anything but a warm smile in their stores. It’s also worth noting how passionate the staff are about the ethics behind the products and we’ve yet to find a staff member that doesn’t swear by at least one of the products.

We were taken over to Jessica who put us right at ease, going over our current skincare routines and troublesome areas with a patch test before helping us choose which ranges and products we wanted to try. Amie, who suffers with dry skin, went first and after stripping off the carefully applied make up (gasp!) she was treated to a lovely cleansing facial with the Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter [£12.00] followed with a touch of Aloe Toner [£8.50] and Vitamin E intensive moisturiser [£13.00].

It was very quickly confirmed that Gemma has much oilier skin, so after another round of the amazing Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter it was time to break out the tea tree and seaweed ranges (which we are both already very well acquainted with!) to get the oil slick under control. Special mention has to go to the Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion [£12.00] which is amazing for shiny skin! We’re both familiar with the roller-ball style eye treatments that are amazing for working away those dark circles on the morning after the night before, but the Drops of Youth Eye Concentrate [£18.00] felt divine and certainly dispersed any worries about being bare faced in a room full of beauty bloggers – quite the opposite – everyone looked absolutely radiant!

Elaine was taking great care of everyone, checking in at each station to make sure everyone had everything they needed, and she came over to introduce us to the Drops of Youth Bouncy Face Mask [£22.00] which is absolutely the most delightful product we’ve come across in a long time! The best way to describe the texture is flubber! It’s bouncy and spongy and very gelatinous but doesn’t feel heavy at all on the skin. It’s an overnight treatment mask that we will be putting to the test very soon, but if the results after only a few minutes of it on are anything to go by, then it’s going to be an absolute skincare necessity!

Above is Amie’s re-applied makeup courtesy of Jessica and all the new shiny Body Shop makeup (BB cream in 00, Instablur Eye, Poppy Shimmer – Cube blue 31, Lip & Cheek Stick – 35 for cheeks and 50 for lips and Gel Eyeliner)

We also got a preview of the new Poppy make-up range, which has only just been released. This includes Lip & Cheek Velvet Sticks [£12.00] which comes in four shades, the Universal Lip & Cheek Velvet Stick [£12.00] which is a different shade depending on the PH in your skin, and two brand new Shimmer Cubes [£16.00] in yellow and pink, with some absolutely amazing colours!

At the end of the event, we were also treated to some mini samples of the new Smoky Poppy range, which included a sample of the Smoky Poppy Scrub [£13.00] and the Smoky Poppy Body Butter [£13.00] which are definitely a welcome addition to The Body Shop‘s extensive offerings. A gorgeous fragrance and a scrub that really does pack a punch when it comes down to ridding your skin of all those nasties, it’s definitely a range we will both be dipping into now it’s officially launched.

So we can only finish by congratulating The Body Shop Bullring staff on a wonderful evening and thanking them for giving us back a little bare-faced confidence! We were given a lovely selection of samples from the new Poppy range to play with, and picked up a few bits and pieces at a very generous discount!

Totally hellbent for herbal tea, facials and a little bit of post crimbo pampering

Gem & Pants