Pants – Hellbent for Lipstick

Our Weight Loss Journey: Things They Don’t Tell You About Weight Loss

June 9, 2015

Above; Pre Weight Loss. In order; Top: At The Maze venue after a Dakesis show © SD photography. Middle: An outtake from a Dakesis location photoshoot © Stagedive Photography. Bottom: New Years Eve 2012.

You may have seen references to Gem and I’s current fitness routine in more recent months. I figured it was about time I actually put a post together about our journey so far and what’s still yet to come. I’m hoping to make this a regular thing (unless I fall off the wagon and bury myself in a pit of denial) and hopefully it might be a bit of inspiration for others and will show that if you put your mind to something, you really can achieve great things!

So let’s start from the beginning; about a a year and a half ago, we both decided that it was time to make a drastic change to our lifestyle. Years of living off junk food and being forced into grabbing some crisps and McDonald’s fries on the go whilst on tour and gigging up and down the country due to our Veggie diets had left us … rather bulbous to say the least. It really hit home to us when going through many stage photos – the one’s we don’t get to vet and pick because they -all- live on the internet, just how much weight we had actually put on. It was horrifying and even more so now when I look back a few years to see just how big I’d gotten. So we began making a change to our diet and when I took the plunge into self employment we re-joined the gym. We were somewhat successful for quite a few months, but we finally decided to take our weight loss to the next level by joining Weight Watchers about 10 months ago.

I never thought I’d end up joining a “diet” or “slimming” plan, but it’s been one of the best decisions of my life. It’s not really a diet, more of a gentle and gradual lifestyle change. I always liked to think I ate pretty well before, but one of the things I struggled with was portion control and I feel like I’ve grasped this by the hands and am making much better decisions about my diet. We’re both also keeping up with the gym and our fitness levels are soaring.

Since I joined Weight Watchers, I’d already lost about a stone before hand, but I’ve racked up another 16lbs+ in weight loss and have reached my 10% goal with weight watchers (yes I have lost 10% of my own body weight!). I’m a long way off, but it’s so great to see how far both of us have come.

With that, there are some surprising changes that happen to your body that no one ever warns you about, so to kick off our first Weight Loss Wednesday, here’s some of the things we’ve found out the hard way;

Last week always catches up with you.

Remember that pizza last week? Remember how you worked extra hard this week to try and regain some control? Are you now carrying an extra pound or two despite your amazingly on track week? Well, we’ve found out that the previous 1-2 weeks really do catch up with you, so don’t feel disheartened if you’ve put your heart and soul into turning down every sweet, doughnut and dorito offered to you because you will be rewarded!

They don’t do “in between sizes”

Be prepared to part with your most favorite items of clothing. If you’re lucky like me, you’ll have an awesome best friend who you can give all your old clothes to. Unfortunately it also means you get to linger in that awkward “betwix thy size” stage. Your size 14 jeans are now no longer safe to wear anywhere unless you want to spend the day clutching onto them for dear life to prevent showing the world your equally as large “granny suck me in pants” yet those size 12 “ooo I’ll fit into these one day” are a little on the tight side and as much as you thrive off cake, you aren’t ready to share your extreme muffin top with the world. I’ve found that my best friends at the moment are long tops and leggings.

I write out a meal plan each week to keep me on track and it also keeps things interesting as I’m always trying out new recipes and ideas.

Your weight loss is a psychological journey

You’ll begin to see patterns and realise how you got to where you were. Instead of getting angry over your quite frankly, most ridiculous previous behaviors and then reaching for that pot of Pringles; use this as a learning curve to spot trigger behaviors for when you crave that comfort food. I’ve noticed that if I’ve had a busy day and am feeling a little run down, the last thing I want to do is stand in front of the cupboards and think of a meal, and that generally results in bad decision making and or the ordering of takeaway. Now I plan my meals a week in advance so I don’t have to think creatively after a day of mind frazzling coding.

Your feet shrink

About three years ago I was a size 6/7 depending on the type of shoe and where I bought them from. Fast forward to 2 and a half stone lighter and my entire shoe collection is rendered useless (much to Gemma’s delight) and I’m now a size 5 and bought a pair of size 4 boots some weeks back.

Your fingers shrink

Because no longer fitting into your vast collection of shoes clearly wasn’t enough. I’ll just explain here, that I’ve had a gold signet ring with my initials carved into it since I was about 8 years old. It started out on my middle finger and since the ripe old age of around 14 when I probably stopped growing (upwards anyway), it lives on my ring finger. It was bought by my Nan who is sadly no longer with us and is the only possession I hold that has a connection to her. So having worn this since I was a wee lass, I was profoundly confused when it started to fall off my ring finger. Not only that, it’s now too big for all of my other fingers along with every other ring I own – including my beautiful and fairly newly acquired asatru esque silver rings that I utterly adore.

This is forever

There is no quick fix. It takes hard work, dedication and a yearning to be in it for the long haul. This isn’t some fad diet, it’s changing the way you think and feel about food for the rest of your life. It’s hard and there are times you’ll want to give up, but if you fall off the wagon, you have to will yourself to get back up and carry on. One step forwards and two steps back, or rather in my case it’s often more of a 2 pounds off and 1 pound on. You are the only person that can provide yourself with the determination and motivation to do it, so make sure you are doing it for you and I promise you will succeed.

Just some of the delicious food I’ve been eating; home made falafel and salad, home made chilli and tortilla chips, vegan sausage, onion, mushroom and pepper skewers, butternut squash medley, chickpea and cauliflower curry with homemade naan, tikka marinated Vegan fillets with cauliflower rice, mixed salad and pea and parsley spaghetti.

You don’t have to miss out on anything

As I said above, this isn’t a quick fix or a fad diet. You shouldn’t deny yourself anything, something you should learn on your magical psychological journey is that you can have your cake slice and eat it, just not so much the whole cake. Providing you are filling yourself with lot’s of healthy and nutritious meals, there’s no reason you can’t treat yourself now and then. It’s all about control and knowing when to choose your “treats”. I’ll be keeping a mental note of all the delicious things I eat over the coming month’s and put these into a post too, but before I sign off, here are some “after” photos to show our progress so far;

Above a few shots from the Dakesis set at the Metal All-Dayer in Northampton on the 7th June 2015 thanks to David Sarah photography and at Rock Zombie Dudley courtesy of Stagedive Photography on 29th May 2015.

Again at the Metal All-Dayer in Northampton Rock Zombie Dudley.

Above; zero chins and less thighs! At Quinphonic Festival at the Barge and Barrel and Rock Zombie with some good friends Cath and Bexie

I hope you’ve enjoyed the first of a fair few weight loss journey post’s that we’re planning and we’d love to know whether you’ve been on your own journey recently in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for the new us

Pants

Skincare, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spring 2015 Skin Heroes

April 25, 2015

Now that we’ve had some glorious sunshine at least two weeks in a row and I’ve woken up naturally at 7am every morning thanks to the glorious early sun I feel I can finally say that we are truly in Spring. With that, it’s time to take a peek at some of the all important skin heroes that have been helping me nourish my dried out winter skin

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser – Original

Yes I know I’m a little late to the game with this one, but I’ve had about four samples stashed in my cupboard and started using this just after Christmas when my skin was in appalling condition. When I first saw people raving about this, I thought it was just another fad and people were only in it for the branding. My how wrong was I, and a little annoyed that I hadn’t bust this out of my stash sooner! What an absolute delight to use, honestly. It’s a non greasy facial cleanser that is simply massaged into the skin and then wiped away with a hand hot Muslin cloth or flannel which works just as well. Not only was it gentle on my skin, but it left it feeling hydrated as well so I didn’t have the mad rush from bathroom to bedroom to lather my face in moisturiser before it started to crack and rebel. After about a week of using this, I then began using it a few times a week to try and prolongue it’s use and after going having a bit of a reaction to some other thing’s I was trying, this was wonderful for soothing my sore skin. It also worked wonder’s the day after a gig day, having spent half the day in heavy stage makeup, when I used this the next morning my skin felt as though it could breathe easily and didn’t feel as clogged as it usually does, despite the hours spent the night before removing my makeup.

Be warned however girlies, this product does contain beeswax, therefore it is not suitable for Vegan’s. I’ll be on the hunt for some Vegan alternatives though.

Repurchase: I’d love to if they had an alternate version that didn’t contain beeswax

RRP: Prices start from £6.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from the UK Liz Earle Website

Sanctuary Spa Resurface & Refine Polish

Gemma actually recommended this to me and I can’t remember where I got this sample from, possibly love me beauty but I don’t know. Anyway, this has been my once to twice weekly treat and I’ve loved using it. It’s abrasive enough to make my skin feel fresh and clean, but not so harsh that I end up with a red blotchy face.

Repurchase: Definitely! This is on my shopping list when I’ve run out of my current face wash.

RRP: This retails at around £8-12

Where can I buy this? Debenhams currently stock this for £8.40 for 200ml.

Boots No7 Beautyful Skin Day & Night Cream for Dry/Very Dry Skin

I bought this day cream on whim last year as I wanted to try a new moisturiser that was for dry skin and thicker than my current one. I also needed it to have an spf and since I had some vouchers for Boot’s and had read a few good reviews, I figured I’d give it a try. From the first application of this, to the last where I was desperately trying to scrape every last morsel out of the tub I have absolutely love this. My skin felt so amazing and it really helped to minimise dryness for me without being too greasy. It had the bonus of being thick to apply, but I didn’t look like ‘porezilla’ and as though I’d smothered my face in Vaseline for the rest of the day. So this is actually my second purchase of this cream and it’s SPF15 is perfect for the Spring sun.

Repurchase: This is my second repurchase of this product and there’s no stopping me now!

RRP: £13.50

Where can I buy this? Boots – they have a wide range of creams to suit all skin types so make sure you browse and try.

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Day & Night Cream

This was bought for me for Christmas and I started using it about 3 weeks ago. Although not as thick and luxurious as it’s dry skin counterpart above, this is remarkably good. Apart from the odd dry patch, my skin has felt hydrated all day and when I wake in the morning after applying the night cream.

Repurchase: This is great but I think I’ll be sticking to the Beautiful Skin Moisturiser in future.

RRP: £24.00

Where can I buy this? Boots, again take a look at their range and make sure you sample.

Olivia Chocolate Coconut Body Butter

I discovered this through The Vegan Kind and I wasn’t too keen on it at first. I thought the smell was a little weird, but it wasn’t until I tried it on my skin that it unveiled a heavinly chocolate coconut scent and I was hooked. This is a very oily body butter though, which is fantastic for my skin but probably not so great if you have greasy skin. It takes a while to absorb because of how oily it is, but the results are so worth hopping around in your pants after applying this post shower. My skin felt soft and was left with a beautifully subtle chocolate coconut scent.

Repurchase: I’ll be trying some of the other scent’s and perhaps some more products from Olivia in the future.

RRP: £5.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from the Olivia Soaps and Balms Website.

Anew Clinical E-Defence

I was using this as a night cream and wasn’t expecting a great deal as I’ve found a lot of Avon moisturisers dry my skin out. Having said that I’ve enjoyed using this so much. It has a real luxurious feel to it and my skin felt rejuvenated and hydrated in the morning. I was definitely surprised at how much I enjoyed using this though.

Repurchase: I think if this is on offer in the future I’ll pick up another to use.

RRP: £20.00

Where can I buy this? Avon either direct from their website or from your local Avon rep.

White Rabbit Toning Eye Cream

I’m really into White Rabbit at the moment, I’ve tried a few of their products after discovering them through The Vegan Kind and I’ve really enjoyed them all. My favourite at the moment though is this toning eye cream. I find it’s gentle around my eye area and helps to keep the skin hydrated. It also doesn’t irritate my eyes which is something I’ve suffered from before with previous eye creams. Being 100% Vegan and natural is also an added bonus.

Repurchase: Definitely going to have a White Rabbit haul soon.

RRP: £8.00

Where can I buy this? Direct from The White Rabbit etsy shop – make sure you check out all their other wonderful products.

Premae Triumph Moisutrising Creme Balm

I really loved using this – I mean really really loved using this! I wish I hadn’t enjoyed it so much because the price is somewhat out of my range at the moment. It’s such a lightweight formula that glides onto the skin and each morning when I used this pot of joy sparingly over my face, it felt absolutely wonderful. My face remained soft and hydrated until bedtime and I can’t even begin to put into words how amazing it felt.

Repurchase: I’d like to, but not at the current price.

RRP: £51

Where can I buy this? From the Premae website.

So there’s the low down on some of my current skin heroes that have seen me through the end of Winter to the beginning of Spring. I’m looking forward to using the rest of these up over the next few weeks to try and repair some of the damage all those nights with the heating on have caused!

What are your current spring heroes? Is there anything you use all year round or do you have a different skin routine depending on the season? I’d love to know in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for SPF moisturisers

Pants

Lifestyle, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind TVK18 April 2015 Box Review

April 14, 2015

I’m a little ashamed to admit that I missed reviewing last month’s box, which was utterly amazing, but time was of the essence and I just didn’t get round to it. With myself well and truly scorned here is this month’s treat filled #TVK18!

Each month 10p from every box is donated to a chosen charity and this month’s proceeds goes to CALF Animal Sanctuary. Please take a look at their website and see the amazing work they do and if you’re feeling generous you can donate to help get their newest arrival “Duke” the Bull on his feet. They also have an online Vegan shop too which you can visit here.

Now I’ve spent a suitable amount of time procrastinating with a few tears in my eyes after reading the CALF website, here’s what’s in the box;

Ombar Coco Mylk Buttons – 25g (RRP £1.49)

I’ve had an Ombar chocolate bar before and I’m pretty sure it was delicious, I also love chocolate buttons. Not only will this be amazing to nibble on, I can also put them to good use and make some Vegan cookies (nom nom nom). If memory serves correct, I’m pretty sure they have similar nutritional values to your bog standard milk chocolate buttons, which is always a bonus as I often find that Vegan alternatives tend to have a few extra calories!

Ombar

Faith in Nature Coconut Hand Wash – 300ml (RRP £4.19)

I love receiving the lifestyle products with this box. I feel it opens up my mind (and unfortunately often empties my purse) to the Vegan posibilities I never even knew existed – Vegan toothpaste as an example! This hand wash smells beautiful and doesn’t have the artificial coconut smell you sometimes get. I’m looking forward to adding this to my handwash collection as I have somewhat of a germ issue and love washing my hands (blame my career as a nurse!). The RRP of £4.19 is a little much though, but I’ll be looking out for alternatives in the future.

Faith In Nature

Coconom Ginger Coconut Sugar – 250g (RRP £3.45)

Those of you who read my recipes will know that I have a slight obsession with Coconom Coconut Sugar and I did a resounding yes, complete with fist pumping motion when I spied these in the box. It has a lower GI than usual sugar and is such a great replacement with a hint of caramel. It’s been my staple in baking and cooking since I first discovered it many boxes ago, and these 250g packets for a surprisingly long way.

Coconom

Soffle’s Chilli & Garlic MILD Pitta Chips – 60g (RRP £1.20 – £1.50)

Another delicious alternative to the potato chip. Unfortunately being so delicious means it’s equally as bad for my waist line as the beloved potato chip. Best eaten half a packet at a time to reduce feelings of guilt.

Soffle’s

eat chic 73% Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups with Maldon Seat Salt – 35g (RRP £2)

Oh my, this looks spectacular and what a finale! Since there are absolutely zero nutritional values on the packet and as I already know it’s Vegan, surely this can be enjoyed completely guilt free? A modern – British – twist on the American chocolate peanut butter cup with their signature 73% dark chocolate. And we all know that dark chocolate has it’s health benefits right?

eatchic

This month’s recipe is from the all familiar The Vegan Cookie Fairy and features som scrumptious looking Banana Ginger Butterscotch Muffins with a crunchy topping. Definitely one I’ll be making very shortly due to our fruit bowl over flowing with beautiful fresh bananas at the moment.

You can take a look at more recipes from The Vegan Cookie Fairy here.

I’m really happy with the introduction of some new brands in this month’s #TVK18 and I can’t wait to stuff my face full of all of the lovely treats. Yet another wonderful box although I was secretly hoping for some Vegan Easter eggs, preferably mint chocolate ones but I think that was definitely wishful thinking!

Did you get this month’s box or are you thinking of subscribing? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. If you’d like to subscribe to your very own The Vegan Kind box, you can do so via their website here. You can also purchase past boxes and subscribe to their beauty box, of which the next one I think is due to be shipped around May. Each lifestyle box will cost you £10 plus postage and packaging.

Totally hellbent for restocking my coconom sugar supplies

Pants

Metal, News

2 Girls 1 Band: Missing In Action

April 10, 2015

Photo © Ian Black

Well we may not have been kidnapped or fallen off the face of the earth, but we have definitely been held prisoner by our own lives most recently. Those of you who have been following us may have wondered where we have been and it’s been driving us crazy being away from our very own ‘blogosphere’. The truth is, that we’ve been putting a lot of our time and effort into the band and haven’t really had any left over for all the fun things, like talking about makeup and beauty! A long while ago, we started our first blog “2 girls 1 band” where we would review the ~~dressing rooms~~ ‘dressing rooms’ of some of the venues we played in which I have to admit was most fun and pretty hilarious to look back on. But it’s something we may consider carrying on under the Hellbent for Lipstick name if there is some enthusiasm sparked for it.

Alas I guess this is a rather short post to tell you all what exactly we’ve been doing with the band and why we’ve been surrounded by mic stands and cables instead of our all too familiar mascaras and lipsticks. Over the past few month’s we’ve been working flat out on the writing process for our upcoming album and part of this preparation was getting two new songs ready to play live for some upcoming gigs, the first of which was the Saturday just gone. This has meant full days spent in the studio rehearsing until our fingers and throats were sore, but we came through Saturday’s gig feeling overwhelmed with joy that we’d managed to pull off not one but two brand new songs in such a short space of time.

We’re still super busy with all the preparation that comes before recording our next album, but we’re still here we promise and will make sure we still get our dose of beauty blogging into the mix, even if it is interspliced with a bit of band news and us squealing mindlessly about how excited we are to be in the midst of album prep.

Here’s a few shots from Saturday night where we played the Quinphonic Prelude Party at the Barge and Barrel in Tipton. We had an absolutely amazing time, not to mention meeting some new friends with Rainover and Temperance the other bands playing – and our month away from the real internets truly paid off.

Photo © Ian Black

If you’re interested in following the band you can also head over to the Dakesis Website although we’ll most likely be shouting from the roof tops as album 2 progresses (however our next post is definitely beauty related!)

Totally hellbent for girls who surprisingly -can- play metal

Pants

Five Looks to Rock Your World in 2015

March 6, 2015

The following is a featured post courtesy of Perfect Lips.

Well, ladies, 2015 in now in full swing – and with a new year comes fabulous new trends in the world of hair and beauty. But what does this year have in store? And what shades of lippy and liners should we be stocking up on? Let’s take a look at five trends to rock your world:

Beautiful Black Lines
Calling all rock chicks: Black eyeliner is very much IN for 2015; and the best news? However you wear your lines, you’ll be bang-on-trend.
Grab your trusty gel liner and draw on some fine lines or go bold with some strong flicks on your upper lid. Lower lid liner is also popular for this year, so you can really play around with your look to find something that works for you.
And, if you want to give this trend even more impact, team your luscious lines with a smoky shadow. Gorgeous!

Plum Perfection
Whether your best feature is your perfect lips or whether it’s your big, beautiful peepers, you can rock this trend in 2015; it’s important not to do both though – choose your best facial asset and work with that. Plum is a great shade for all skin tones, just choose the right level of plum for you.

Big Bold Lips
We’re forever fans of big bold lips, but this season, they’re dominating the nude lip look. The hottest lips this year will be showcasing bright reds, plums, orange tints, and powerful pinks. Don’t neglect your lip liner either – this can really enhance your look.

Brown-eyed Beauties
Fall in love with brown shadows this season; play with bronze powders and soft walnuts to find your ideal shade. This is the perfect look to take you from daytime casual to hitting the town – try a subtle brown for the office to enhance your eyes, but take it up a notch with bold wings or dazzling metallics for your evening look.
If you’re not a fan of shadows, you can still rock this trend with a sexy brown lip.

Pop of Colour
If you like to have fun with your look then you’re going to love this trend: it’s all about flashes of colour on your lids; the only limit to your look is your imagination.
Blues and reds have been key to this trend on the catwalk, but you can enjoy whatever shade suits you. Wear it solid for a more intense finish, or fade it out into a smoky eye effect.
Those are 5 of the hottest looks to rock your world in 2015, but which one is your favourite? Leave us a comment below.

About the author

Dr Rob, of Perfect Lips, is a facial cosmetic and dental surgeon with 30 years’ experience creating beautiful smiles, and now in creating the perfect pout. Get in touch to find out more about his pain free lip injections.

Beauty Boxes, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box February 2015

March 4, 2015

One beauty box I’m keeping my subscription to, is The Vegan Kind Beauty Box. One of my biggest problems is spending hours reading ingredient’s lists and checking out companies when I receive samples from other boxes, just to make sure I can use them. There is none of that with this box as I know everything is already Vegan and it always opens me up to some great new brands!

Let’s take a peek inside this month’s box;

Fresh Therapies – Nourishing Natural Nail Polish Remover Wipes – 55g (RRP £7.50)

What a fantastic idea this is. Ten individually wrapped, nail polish remover wipes. Made with natural ingredients, no toxins and no chemical smell. It’s also suitable for Vegans, Children, Sensitive Skin and Pregnancy. £7.50 is a little pricey I think for only ten sachets, although they do have a 50ml bottle of nail varnish remover available for £8.99 which seems more reasonable. I know that this isn’t something you would use every day for taking off your varnish, but despite the price I think this would be wonderful for travelling. I remember last year cramming a bottle of remover into my bag on the way to Germany, just so I could do my nails on the ferry. Unfortunately said bottle leaked everywhere and I ended up with the tiniest drop left and having to borrow some off Gemma. The nail varnish pots are also great, but again prone to leaking if thrown into you bag. The individual pads are also pretty good the first time you use them, but since they are stored in the same pot I find they dry up really quickly. Since these are individually wrapped, you can just pop one in your bag and go!

Olivia Soaps and Balms – Chocolate and Coconut Body Butter – 50g (RRP £5.00)

I really love how cute the packaging is for this Body Butter. My first impression when I opened the lid and took a sniff though wasn’t amazing. It’s hard to explain but I really didn’t like how it smelt. However, after dipping a finger in I was somewhat surprised to discover that the butter was hard, but melted beautifully under my finger and once applied to the skin, it smelt absolutely gorgeous. It reminds me of a Bounty chocolate bar except perhaps somewhat less edible. The consistency is quite oily once applied, which is great if you have dry skin but probably not as good if you suffer with oily skin. Despite my initial reservations about the smell, I’m looking forward to trying this out after a shower for some extra pampering.

Premae Skincare – Mild Dermabrasion Face & Body Scrub – 20ml (RRP £5.00)

Made with Italian Olive granules, this can be used as a body or face scrub. I actually used this on my face this morning to text it out and it’s quite nice. It’s very mild on the skin and not something I would usually choose to use in terms of exfoliation, but it felt nice to apply – almost as though I was applying an exfoliating moisturiser. It doesn’t lather but wiped off beautifully with a face cloth. Although this says to use once or twice a week, I’m not sure I could use it instead of my usual face scrub. My dry skin needs something a little tougher but it’s great for a mid week pick me up.

White Rabbit Skincare – Comfort Cleansing Balm – 50ml (RRP £7.50)

The cosmetics gods must have heard me when I said I wanted to try more from White Rabbit Skincare since I also received a sample in this month’s #TVK16 which you can read about here. This cleansing balm can be massaged into dry skin before removing with a hand hot damp cloth. This reminds me a little bit of The Body Shop Chamomile cleansing butter. The smell is amazing and has a beautiful eucalyptus and lavender fragrance, which I adore. Once wiped off, it does leave the skin feeling pretty great I have to say.

Hedgerow Herbals – Bath Bags – 3x 10g (RRP £4.50)

These are essentially giant teabags for the bath. I actually don’t think I’ve ever come across anything like this before, but since I hate baths, I don’t ever buy bath products. These smell delightful though and have filled the whole TVK Beauty Box with such a calming aroma. I’m deeply saddened that I won’t be using them myself, but my general trick with bath treats is to force my partner to have a bath so I can sit on the toilet seat and enjoy them from afar. My favourite thing about these bags is that they are made from wild-crafted ingredients and each bag is bio degradable which means they can be composted.

I’ve really enjoyed the range of body related products in this box, so much so in fact that I hadn’t even noticed there weren’t any makeup items. Another great thing about The Vegan Kind Beauty Box is that it’s quarterly, so I don’t feel overwhelmed with products every month, it’s more than affordable and I’m more excited when I anticipate it’s arrival. I know they had put some feelers out as to whether people would like the service to become monthly and I always thought that I’d prefer a monthly box, but I’m really enjoying my guilt free spending with the 3 monthly boxes.

Have you signed up to The Vegan Kind Beauty box? What are you thought’s on the box potentially moving to a monthly service? I’d love to hear your comments down below.

Totally hellbent for guilty and cruelty free purchases

Pants

Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Vegan Pear Crumble

January 30, 2015

Whoever believes that Vegan’s eat nothing but “rabbit food” and lead strict healthy diets are wrong, as are those who believe we miss out on all the good stuff. One of my most favourite Winter-esque deserts is a crumble – primarily made with lot’s of sugar and margarine, but with one teeny tiny switch, you won’t even notice the difference and will have probably helped to save a cow somewhere along the line.

My vegan crumble recipe also features not one but two ingredients which I discovered through The Vegan Kind Lifestyle box and it’s a great way to get started if you want to open up your mind to other cruelty free products, stay on the Veganuary band wagon and continue into February, or just love snacking on amazing treats! This is definitely one of the easiest recipes to make and it serves two. You can easily double up the ingredients as required to make more though and if you remember that you use double the quantity of flour to your fat and sugar, then you’ll probably need never look for a crumble recipe ever again.

What you’ll need:

2 small oven proof dishes, I used 9 inch ramekins
1 pouch of Clearspring Pear Puree or the equivalent in fruit – tinned or fresh.
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
80g Plain Flour (you can also use Gluten/Wheat Free)
40g Vegan Margarine – I used Pure Soya Spread (which FYI is cheaper than most leading brands of margarine in Supermarkets and always on offer)
40g Coconom Coconut Sugar – You can use any other sugar if you don’t have Coconut Sugar

Method

Start by pre-heating your oven to roughly Gas Mark 5/6 or 190/200 degrees. If you are using a fruit puree, you can simply squeeze this between your two ramekins or oven proof dishe(s), add a teaspoon of Cinnamon to each and mix well. If you are using fresh fruit, I tend to boil this with a little water and a teaspoon of sugar until it’s soft and sticky. Once it’s softened, share it between your ramekins.

Add your flour, vegan margarine and sugar to a blender and turn it on. If you don’t have a food processor then all you need is a bowl and a little bit of elbow grease. (I made all my cakes and puddings by hand mixing prior to the arrival of my new food processor last Christmas).