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Beauty Boxes, Lifestyle, Vegan, Vegetarian

Birchbox January 2015 – Women’s Health Edit – Review

January 22, 2015
Birchbox January 2015 Review

Birchbox January 2015 Review

I’ve been waiting for this box to come for a while now, ever since I found out this month’s box Birchbox would be in collaboration with women’s health. Gem and I are both gym nuts and I was hoping there would be some exciting products to get me back into the groove after a few weeks of sheer gluttony during the festive season. Because my box was so late this month, I’d already sneaked a peek at what was in the box, something I usually try to avoid, so it wasn’t that much of a surprise when it finally arrived.

In the box:

Birchbox January 2015 Review

This month’s little booklet was filled with lot’s of great bite size challenges and tips which I really enjoyed reading! They certainly motivated me to get off my Christmas behind and back to the gym.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Birchbox January 2015 Review

stila – lip glaze | £15 | full size product

This is the second lip glaze I’ve had from stila now, and I’ve not even opened the first one. I’m not a gloss person, it annoys me, my hair sticks to it and colours like this really don’t do much for my complexion. As glittery as this is, I don’t think I’ll be taking it for a spin on my lips any time soon. Not to mention there were talks about stila no longer being cruelty free a few year’s ago and it had been heard on the grape vine that they were potentially involved in some 3rd party animal testing. Despite their claims against this, I’m still not 100% sure I want to trust the brand.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Green People – Intensive Repair Shampoo | £11.95 | 30ml sample

This is actually a fairly decent sized sample as far as Shampoo goes, thankfully this intensive repair shampoo is for coloured hair which is great news. I get so many samples that I can’t use and my other half ends up with (he does have hair longer than mine!) because I almost exclusively use sulfate-free Shampoo on my vibrant locks. This is also Vegan and approved by the Vegan society which makes me one happy bunny. If it’s any good, I’ll definitely be looking at switching brands again.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Caudalie – Vinoperfect Radiance Serum | £45 | 10ml sample

I’ve literally just finished a massage oil from Caudalie which was truly spectacular and has lasted me month’s! This seem’s a fairly standard serum, to be applied pre moisturising. I’ll be adding it to my collection then! I can confirm that Caudalie state they do not test on, nor use animal products and in scouring their website, as I have to do when checking all products I came across this little snippet from their FAQs;

Also, please be aware that we continue to defend our Cosm’ethics and are always seeking to go one step further in our commitments. Hence, in 2012, Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, the founders, decided to donate 1% of Caudalie’s turnover to ecological associations for the protection of the planet and the preservation of plant and animal species.

I definitely have no qualms about slathering this serum over my face morning and night now.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Korres – Citrus Showergel | £8 | 50ml sample

I actually have some Korres body lotion hidden in my enormous stash that I’m yet to use. It was clearly waiting for this showergel to come along so they could be used together. I really like the subtle scent to this though, although labelled as Citrus, it’s not too overpowering and has a fairly subtle sweet scent. This is another product that I believe is cruelty free, I know that there were huge issues with Korres and China some years back and they pulled out of various deals due to concerns about animal testing. Their customer service team also seem relatively happy to answer queries and have confirmed and provided lists of their alleged Vegan products to other people (widely available on the internet after a little searching) which includes their shower gels.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

activbox – Cooling Finish Lotion | £12 | 20ml sample

As a sucker for piling on the weights in my Body Pump class, or trying out classes that involve way too many squats for my liking, this is definitely a welcome gift. I’m a huge fan of the Nip + Fab post workout fix and this is pretty similar by the looks of things. A menthol packed lotion for massaging into clean skin. Just what I need when I’m struggling to walk up and down the stairs the morning after the session before! After checking out some of their other products online, they come with a pretty friendly price tag so I’ll be trying this lotion out and perhaps spending some more time in Boots picking up the others.

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Embrace Matcha – Green Tea | £24.99 | 1 sachet

I’m afraid, as English as I am, this is completely wasted on me. I really don’t like the taste of Green Tea and as much as I’ve tried, I just can’t get into it. The instructions do say that this can be added to a smoothies as well which I might consider – If I’m not feeling brave enough I know a few people who will welcome this though, but at a price tag of £24,99, I don’t think my circle of friends or I will be rushing out to buy any more. Pukka tea bags all the way!

Birchbox January 2015 Review

Birchbox Pilates Band  | £7.99 | Lifestyle Extra

This is pretty cute, and pilates has just been introduced as a new class to our Thursday gym time table, which we’ve been thinking of going to. Great for improving muscle endurance and it can be used at home! There are lot’s of tutorials and youtube videos should you fancy taking a peek and trying out a resistance band in the comfort of your bedroom whilst watching your favourite show.

Writing this review and really looking at all the products, I’m more impressed with this box than I was when first opening. There’s a great selection, albeit the stila lip glaze and I’m looking forward to trying out a few new brands. I think the collaboration with women’s health has been a great idea for January and has given me a little more motivation to pick up my gym back and get my behind back into gear. My subscription for Birchbox run’s out in March and I’m still not sure whether I’ll be renewing it. Not because the past few month’s haven’t been good – because they have been absolutely amazing and remained top of my list for beauty boxes, but I do find it a big effort to check every single product before using it.

If you feel like you want to take the plunge and subscribe to a box this month, I’d definitely recommend Birchbox. It’s just £10 a month plus p&p or you can opt to buy a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription which works out slightly cheaper. You also receive Birchbox points for completing surveys on the products you have been sent, which can be used to purchase lot’s of extra goodies from the Birchbox shop! To subscribe, just visit their site here.

Have you had this month’s Birchbox? What were your thoughts? If not has there been anything that’s kick started a new routine from to help with the transition from Christmas couch potato to spritely and enthused January go getter?

Totally hellbent for products to help with aching post squat thighs

– Pants

 

Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind #TVK15 January 2015 Review

January 20, 2015
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Both Gem and I have had a pretty terrible lead up to Christmas and New Year in terms of subscription boxes. From hoards of products we can’t use because they aren’t cruelty free and contain animal products to terrible customer service. One box I haven’t lost my lust over yet though is The Vegan Kind. I’ve been looking forward to the first box of the year landing on my doorstep for a good few weeks now and it finally arrive a few days ago – albeit a little late than usual.

This month’s box donated to Veganuary – a worthy cause. You may have friends and family who have taken the pledge to try Veganism for this month which I have to admit has been pretty inspiring to see on various social networks as some of my friends have attempted this. Although we are coming to the end of January now, it’s not too late to give it a try. You can head over the the Veganuary website where they have loads of tips and recipes to help you on your way.

Here’s whats in the box this month;

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Hectares Sweet Potato Crisps – Sea Salt and Black Pepper Flavour – 35g (RRP £1)

Whoever said all Vegan’s are skinny was a very stupid person. These are so yummy, yet so full of things that make me fat! (Albeit natural things). I’ve had Hectares crisps in a past Vegan Kind box, and as yummy as they are I have to admit the guilt of my post Christmas gut set in as I munched my way through this packet – which incidentally I had to spread across two days because they are verge on 200 calories per pack! Great for snacking on though, providing you’ve been to the gym beforehand!

Hectares Sweet Potato Crisps

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Power of … Superfoods Cereal Pots – Sreawberry, Goji & Beetroot Flavour – 65g (RRP £2.29)

This is actually the only new product for me in this month’s box. It’s a breakfast pot that just so happens to be gluten free. You simply add hot or cold water, pop the lid back on and wait for your delicious cereal to, well, erm, become even tastier? Pots like these are a brilliant little convenience food, especially when on the go (and something I must remember to put on the “on tour” supply list) and I always find something wholly satisfying about having hot cereal on a cold winter’s morning. With 265 calories, 7g of fat and 38g of carbs, this is pretty similar to most leading porridge oat brands however there is zero cruelty and all the ingredients are mostly super foods as opposed to the usual preservatives and sweetener so despite it’s slightly pricier tag, is definitely worth it.

Of The Earth Superfoods

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Greenfrog Soap Nuts – 250g (RRP £3.99)

Greenfrog is yet another brand I’ve experienced through The Vegan Kind. I’ve previously tried the washing up liquid and have literally just finished a packet of soapnut detergent tablets from another box so I’m more than happy to receive more. This time though, instead of tablets, there is a bag of actualy soap nuts and instructions on how to use them. It contains enough shells for around 25 family washes – and for £3.99 that’s pretty  barganous when you compare it to the likes of Bold and Persil. Soapnuts are an environmentally friendly way to power through your washing an they are 100% biodegradable. I can’t wait to try these out.

Greenfrog

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Pulsin Raspberry & Goji Raw Choc Brownie – 50g (RRP £1.79)

Another treat I’ve had in a past box – these are absolutely delicious though and great for breakfast on the go. The bar I’ve tried previously was an oat based bar, so I’m intrigued as to how the choc brownie will taste. Definitely another snack to be had on gym days though at 200 calories per bar. But as I said above, although high in sugars and pretty calorific for such a small snack, it’s packed full of zero nasties.

Pulsin

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Clearspring 100% Organic Fruit on the Go – Pear – 100g (RRP £0.89)

I really like pears, and I’ve also had the pleasure of trying a few Clearspring products out too and have yet to be disapointed. I’m already planning on turning this little packet into some adorable singular Vegan crumbles, so I’ll be sure to post that up when I get round to it! My favorite thing about this product though, is it’s ingredient list – “Pears” – that’s all. 100% pears, with no added anything. Perfect.

Clearspring

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Creative Nature Tropical Treat Bar – 38g (RRP £0.99)

Wow! It’s happened! After a year and a month or two, I’ve finally received a product I’m not bothered about. That’s only because this is yet another product I’ve received in a past box and wasn’t really that keen on it. I’m sure my other half will be delighted though as unwanted Vegan snacks are always given a welcome home in his tummy.These bars are kind of like, pressed flapjack and fruit bars, something I’ve never really enjoyed. Especially as they tend to have more of a raisin texture and flavour to it (eurgh), still I don’t mind having one snack I’m not that interested in as it’s probably far better for my waist line.

Creative Nature

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This month’s recipe card is from Fresh Heather over at Big City Dreamer. It features the most scrumptious looking homemade almond milk and brownies. Definitely one I’ll be trying out once I’ve lost some Christmas belly! You should definitely check out more stuff on their blog though, including their amazing Mcapple Fries!

This month’s box has been full of some great products. Despite this I can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed for once, but only because almost all the products are ones I’ve already had in previous boxes. I guess though, having been subscribed for so long now, I’m bound to revisit some old products, which I really don’t mind. Another thing I’ve reminded myself of, is the sheer work that the guys at The Vegan Kind are faced with when it comes to finding suitable products to go in their monthly boxes.

Have you been trying out Veganism for Veganuary? Are you thinking of making changes to your diet to incorporate a more crulety free lifestyle? Let us know how you’re getting on below, and of course to discover a great range of Vegan products, you can sign up to The Vegan Kind box here for just £10 a month plus p&p.

Totally hellbent for eco friendly housework and delicious Vegan blogs

– Pants

 

 

Beauty Boxes

Birchbox December 2014 Box Review

December 28, 2014

Birchbox is definitely going up and up in my estimations, after a good few month’s of rubbish Glossybox contents, they have come to the rescue and gifted upon me all things I enjoy. This month was mostly no exception and with the exclusive Sophie Webster design, brought a little sparkle to my day when it eventually arrived through the post!

Whats in the box;

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Eslor Firming Collagen Day Cream – 10ml sample – £50 for full size

This is where the “mostly no exception” comes in. As much as I love the idea of slapping firming collagen day cream upon my self, I can not use this. Although eslor say their products are not tested on animals, this cream contains hydrolyzed marine collagen, which is extracted from fish. So that is all I have to say on this cream and I will be gifting it upon someone who will at least use it.

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Electric Hair Electric Hydrate Shampoo – 30ml sample – £17.50 for full size

This smells amazing, and allegedly promises to repair damage and improve shine. I can probably squeeze two applications out of this little sample but it will be strictly saved for when my colours have faded and I’m left with cotton candy pink hair as I am a strict sulfate free Shampoo user these day’s as I do not enjoy the 5+ hours it take Gem and I to complete the mammoth task of dying our hair, thus like to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.

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Eyeko Fat Eye Stick in “Smoke” – 4g product – £8 for full size

I do enjoy Eyeko quite a significant amount – my first product of their’s was the Skinny Eyeliner pen that I literally bled dry. This is a little thicker than that though and I’m glad I received the shade “smoke” which is a very blend-able black. Application wise this glides on like a dream, however the longevity of it is a little more disappointing with a tendency to smudge a little and give you those panda eyes. Having said that I’m sure a little bit of primer will go a long way with helping this problem out and even a little makeup setting mist to help with the corpse paint look.

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Benefit Christmas Cracker High Beam – sample received – £19.50 for full size

First of all I have to say, if you do not own this already as a highlighter, you really do need it in your life. I have about three of these tiny samples in my collection and I haven’t even dented the first one. It’s my staple go to highlighter which I use on my brow bone and to highlight my cheeks. It blends beautifully and can be built upon as required. Best of all, once applied, you can guarantee it will see you through the night until you reach for your trust micellar water to wipe away your face. So in a nut shell, thanks for another Birchbox, I absolutely love it.

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Models Own Velvet Goth Nail Polish in “Absinthe” – 14ml product – £5 for full size

I coerced Roode Gem’s partner into buying her the Velvet Goth set for Christmas last year. Neither of us are particularly into Model’s Own, for no reason other than we hadn’t really tried much of their stuff, but as soon as I saw the glittery matte goodness of this collection I knew she needed it in her life. After sampling the red on boxing day with a post Christmas, hangover fueled nail painting session in her living room I was so jealous. When Birchbox announced that we would be receiving these in this month’s box and we got to choose our own colour I was definitely over the moon. I don’t actually remember choosing Absinthe, which is an emerald green, but I obviously did because it’s now mine and I don’t mind one bit. I enjoyed swatching this so much for my photo’s that when I used my Birchbox points to purchase a Benefit push up liner a few day’s ago, I also picked up two other shades from the collection. I definitely recommend a really good base coat when applying these though as they are difficult to remove, but so worth it. I also love how a top coat can be applied to transform the Velvety consistency to a bright and shiny nail for a completely different look.

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Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil – 2.5ml sample – £16.50 for full size

Oil seems to have been a pretty popular product this year, not that I’m complaining because I’ve become quite a fan, it’s incredibly multi functional and I find does wonder’s for my dry skin but is also great for a massage when the other half is helping me to de-stress! What I love about this sample is the pipette applicator, which makes applying it so much easier. Although this is only a 3.5ml sample I expect it to last a fair while too.

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Sophie Webster Purse – £25

To top the box off and in keeping with the theme of course, this month’s box features this utterly adorable Sophie Webster purse. A perfect fit for throwing into a handbag or clutch and with a cute leopard print design I’m imagining this will go with pretty much any outfit I throw together.

Overall this month’s box has been another spectacular one. Birchbox are definitely in the lead as far as beauty boxes for for me at the moment and with an amazing 7 products, all of which I’m enthused about (with the exception of eslor of course) I really do feel I got my money’s worth this month. If you’d like to try Birchbox, you can sign up here via their website for just £10 a month plus p&p.

I’d love to know what your thoughts were on this month’s box or whether you are thinking about signing up – just leave a comment below to share.

Totally hellbent for glittery nails and benefit crackers

– Pants

Beauty Boxes

Glossybox December 2014 Christmas Box Review

December 17, 2014

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I simply can not believe it is Christmas already. I also can’t believe that this box has been sat on my desk waiting to be reviewed for nearly two weeks now too. Time seems to be flying by and there simply aren’t enough hours in the day, but at least when it’s time for beauty boxes it feels like time pauses just for a moment as you lose yourself in the unveiling.

Glossybox are usually renowned for having spectacular festive boxes so I was super excited to find out what was in this month’s box, especially after the rumors of receiving some full size products.

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TRESemme Nourish & Renew Tonic – 150ml full size product – £5.50 for full size

I’m not really sure what to make of this. It’s a solution you apply to your scalp and leave in, styling your hair as normal. It claims to help nourish the scalp and renew hair – I am already imaging how big this could potentially make my locks if I applied this though, given a) the amount of hair I have and b) my hair’s intolerance to liquid of any form. After trying it on a small section of my scalp, I can’t say I’ve noticed any real big difference other than my roots feel a little greasier in one spot and I can’t say I’m excited to try this out on my whole head as I imagine it would take a pretty long time to apply. Perhaps over the festive season I’ll put some time aside to give it a go properly and see how it fairs.

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Skin Pep Hydra Boost Pure Haluronic Acid Serum – 15ml sample – £8.99 for 15ml

Admittedly this is a bit of a boring product for me. I have serum stock piled in my drawer’s like no tomorrow so yet another sample isn’t overly welcome. If this wasn’t enough to put me off, the Skin Pep website is something of a pharmaceutical wannabe company which frightens me a little. After trawling through their products I couldn’t see clearly whether all their products were tested on animals but a few select products which had FAQ sections stated their products were not tested on or contained any animal products. Having said that I’m still a little apprehensive about using brands who don’t have an open policy on animal testing. Edit: Thankfully I’ve been kindly informed of the black banner across the top of the Skin Pep website that clearly states “Pep Cosmeceuticals products are not tested on animals”. I think in my desperate frenzy of ingredient checking, I completely bi-passed this! Despite these qualms, there seems to be a lot of positive feed back for this product in particular especially for people who tend to suffer with dry skin that worsen’s during the colder month’s (yup, that’s me!) so this will be one for the “Winter Serum” pile.

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anatomicals zap! zap! zap! gets that chap day and night spot stick – 3.5ml full size product – £3.00 for 3.5ml

anatomicals are a brand that I’ve really grown to like. I own quite a few of their products, including their head ache balm which has done wonders for my severe migraines. Although I don’t often suffer with spots I don’t mind receiving this so much as it’s a handy something to have stashed away for the hour of need. Judging by their previous wonder products, I hold high hopes that next time I’ve indulged in too much junk food and my body is paying me back that this will get me out of a spotty situation.

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bellapierre cheek and lip stain in “coral” – 5 gram full size product – £12.99 for full size

Another product to add to an ever growing pile of cheek and lip stains (do you see a theme here?). I’m glad I ended up with Coral from the range as it’s one of my favourite go to colours besides red. The consistency of this is quite nice for applying to lips but I found after swatching it wasn’t so great for blending, thus I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to try this out on my cheeks when I have so many other’s (the balm’s palette for one) to use. One thing worth mentioning here though is it does contain bees wax. I’m actually Okay with this, providing it’s sourced ethically. I know there are a lot of Vegan’s who are high and mighty about products from bee’s such as wax and honey, but a lot of bee keepers really nurture their bees and are at least doing their bit to preserve a species on the brink of disappearing and I fully thrive off bee’s, I think they are absolutely beautiful. That aside, I’m sure I’ll put this to good use once Summer come’s round and I lay my moody, dark red’s to rest until the following Winter.

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all that jazz nail varnish in “Sofie’s – I own the runway” – 15ml full size product – £9.95 for full size

Now this is a brand that I have seen around but have never really been that interested in. The packaging is pretty underwhelming when you compare it to me current fav’s such as Ciate and Nails inc and I now have such a vast collection of varnish that I find it hard to get super excited about them. Having said that, the glittery purple hue of the bottle made for a promising colour so I was pleasantly surprised when I swatched it and there was not a purple spec in sight. This is actually shimmer green and definitely not purple which is fine by me because I lack a variety of green’s in my collection and it is absolutely perfect for the festive period. I don’t think I would spend £9.95 on this, but I probably wouldn’t spend that on any brand of varnish, but it’s welcome upon my nail varnish rack and I vow to use this at least once before the end of the year.

So that concludes the Glossybox Christmas box. I’m not ashamed to say that I was disapointed by the contents of this month’s box. I’ve held onto my subscription hoping they would win back my love with this box but it just doesn’t do it for me. So much so that I’ve cancelled my subscription (again!) and have promised myself to use the £13 I’ll be saving a month to buy a product that I actually want. If you do like what you see though, you can subscribe to Glossybox for £10 a month plus postage and packaging via their website here.

What do you think of this month’s box? Are you a Glossybox subscriber or thinking of becoming one? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for finally breaking free of my first ever Beauty Box

– Pants

Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind #TVK14 December 2014 Review

December 15, 2014

It’s feels like such a long time since I put pen to paper – or rather mouse and keyboard to WordPress backend but as always life has a funny way of stopping you in your tracks and forcing you to take an unwanted break. The past few weeks have been absolutely crazy, from personal problems to a mountain or work I just haven’t had any time to blog at all. To top things off, we had a huge problem with our server as of late which meant we have been unable to upload any images to Hellbent for Lipstick because we are greedy and stole all of the server space. Unfortunately we ran the risk of the server going down if we did post which would result in all our our client’s websites going bye bye’s too. Definitely not something you want three weeks before Christmas. Alas we’ve finally sorted out a much bigger server which means I can now share with you all this month’s The Vegan Kind Box – and boy did it come at the right time when I needed a little pick me up after being stuck in the middle of an office refurb surrounded by paperwork, flat pack instructions and unorganised stationary. So rambling aside, here is this month’s box;

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Harper’s Bizarre Jingle Bells Christmas Candle – (RRP £5 full size) My heart sang the most beautiful song when I opened the box and was greeted with this. In fact it took me at least ten minutes to even look at the rest of the contents because I was so content to sit in my chair and smell the most Christmas candle ever. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of discovering Harper’s Bizarre yet, well you simply must head over to their website and pick up an array of items. We were lucky enough to meet the brains behind the operation at this year’s Vegan festival in Wolverhampton and each candle is lovingly hand crafted from soy wax – each label has also been hand drawn and designed by Harper’s Bizarre themselves and they support the Jerry Green Dog Rescue with the candles from their charity range. I already have a Cinnamon candle, which is un-burnt but I leave the lid off and it fills the room with such a beautiful scent. I already had a list of things to by from their online store.

Please head over to Harper’s Bizarre and feast your eyes upon their range of amazing candles.

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Wholeplus Gingerbread Toppers 100g – (RRP £2.20) Cue obligatory grumble about dates … Actually no, this looks really nice and something I’m definitely going to be sprinkling over my porridge now that it’s far too cold for iced smoothies in the morning and to make things even more festive, I may add a dash to a few Chai Latte’s and Hot Chocolates (Vegan of course).

Visit Wholeplus online here.

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Olive Branch Gluten Free Sweet Biscuits 130g – (RRP£2.79) Mmm biscuits. I do love a good biscuit to go with a decaf earl grey or english breakfast. There were three flavours available in this box; Cinnamon, Almond & Clove and Orange. Although I would have preferred the Cinnamon, I’m happy with these. After taking my photographs I had a sneaky nibble and they are sickly sweet, but very nice. They are currently sat on Brain’s desk as we work late, taunting him to have another nibble.

View more of their range here.

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Teatonics Mind Awakening Yerba & Laid Back Botanical Tea – (RRP £1) I have to admit, I do enjoy receiving tea samples as I am somewhat of a tea fiend. Although I’m not massively into herbal tea and I can’t really stand the taste of green tea I do at least give new flavours a try. Laid back is green rooibos (red bush tea I believe) blended with hops, elderflower, chamomile and lavender – I do love all of those ingredients and this is a perfect wind down for the end of the day readying you for bed. Yerba is blended with grapefruit, citrust peel, peppermint and rosehips – probably a concoction I would usually steer clear of but I’ve found most herbal tea can be made a little better with a teaspoon of honey. This blend contains three lots of feel good compounds and lots of antioxidants, great for kick starting your morning.

www.teatonics.co.uk

tvk-14-toothpaste Green People Toothpaste 50ml – (RRP £3.50) Now I’m a little ashamed to admit, that although almost every aspect of my goods purchasing life is plagued by label checking, toothpaste isn’t something I’ve ever thought about! I’m always as careful as can be with cosmetics, Shampoo, Condition you name it, but when it comes to the weekly shop, a tube of Colgate is tossed into the trolley without a second though. What I love about this box is how it has opened me up to the variety of cruelty free brands, from body wash, to washing tablets and now toothpaste. I’ll certainly be thinking more carefully about which brands I take home with me in future. Take a peek at the Green People site here. tvk14-recipecard

This month’s recipe card was for a red lentil and cashew nut loaf. What a perfectly festive dish to finish the box off – courtesy of “Bit of the Good Stuff.”

I know you are all probably sick to death of hearing about me talk about how amazing The Vegan Kind but this is yet another great box filled with lot’s of new and exciting brands and bringing a little Christmas cheer with it. Each box bought donates 10p to a charity chosen by subscribers and this month it was the Soi dogs foundation. If you’d like to subscribe you can do so for just £10 a month plus postage and packaging by visiting their website here. You should also keep an eye out for their quarterly beauty box. If you subscribe or are thinking of doing so, or just liked reading the post I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment below.

Totally hellbent for a Vegan festive period with not a Turkey in sight.

– Pants

Beauty Boxes, Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box November 2014

November 19, 2014

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When Gem and I were at the West Midlands Vegan Festival a few weeks back, the lovely people at The Vegan Kind were excited about the launch of their quarterly beauty box. Having already picked up the first one, I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity to subscribe! This box was delivered along with my #TVK13 which you can read about here. This latest box will be released quarterly and will contain a host of Vegan cosmetics – perfect for the cruelty free beauty enthusiast!

Here’s the first ‘official’ The Vegan Kind Beauty Box;

 

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Organic Surge Million Dollar Balm – 30ml (RRP £14.99)

I seem to be building quite a collection of Organic Surge products as of late. This glorious multi-tasking skin soother can be applied to dry areas anywhere, which is great for the looming mid-winter “dry-patch”. The balm is very thick and does take some coaxing out the jar, but once melted a little between fingers, covers the skin nicely. I’ve used this a few times on my elbows and it seems to have done the trick. My only bad point is the scent. It’s not bad, it’s just not pleasant and a little clinical which does remind me a little of bathing patient’s in an array of medicinal moisturisers. Despite this I have every faith in this being a nice nifty dry patch banishing tool for the heating infused winter months.

www.organicsurge.com

 

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Freya Luna Skin Support Facial Steam Bath – 5g (RRP £1.56)

Wow this sachet smells amazing. What a lovely unexpected surprise though and something totally new and different for me to try. This beautiful fragrant sachet contains a blend of lavender and chamomile – simply empty into a bowl of hot water and use to steam your face for 8-10 minutes. Now all I need is 10 minutes piece and quiet without a puppy charging around!

www.freyaluna.com

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Freya Luna Happy Feet Footbath – 40g (RRP £4)

Similar to the above facial steam bath and equally as fragrant, this sachet contains enough for 2-3 foot-baths. I’ve been thinking about getting a new foo spa for a while, so perhaps this will spur me on (not that I need any encouragement to shop). I can’t help but hope this is going to be a miracle cure for the morning after a Dakesis show whilst I’ve been stuck on my feet.

www.freyaluna.com

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B. Lip and Cheek Tint in “prom” – (RRP £7.99)

This isn’t my first B. lip product and the ones I currently have stashed in my collection are all pretty nice. They apply well and longevity wise, they definitely stand up to the task. This lip and cheek colour is just as great to apply, although not usually a colour I would go for I reckon I can pull off a dusky pink shade on my lips. As for a cheek colour, it’s a little thick and difficult to blend when applied but a perfect color for blush – perhaps I just need a little more time and patience to perfect it!

www.bisforbeautiful.co.uk

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Fairy Pants Candy Cane Lip Balm – (RRP £3.99)

I am absolutely head over heels for this lip balm. What better way than to bring some Christmas cheer (it’s not that far away now beauties!) than with this minty vanilla balm. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing, but it makes your lips feel so soft and beautiful. This is definitely taking pride of place in my handbag. I’ve already got my eyes on their banoffee pie and sticky toffee pudding lip balm!

www.fairypants.co.uk

Overall I’m quite thrilled with the contents of this box, although there are a few things I wouldn’t normally use, I’m quite excited about trying something new and having some pamper time. (One can but hope anyway).

If you’d like t0 try The Vegan Kind beauty box, you can do so here for just £15 every 3 months plus p&p. Have you subscribed to this box? What are your thoughts? Are you thinking of subscribing soon? If so, we’d love to hear your thoughts below.

Totally hellbent for cruelty free pamper time

– Pants

Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind #TVK13 November 2014 Box Review

November 13, 2014

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So this month is officially The Vegan Kinds birthday and after catching up with the lovely people behind it at the West Midlands Vegan Festival a few weeks ago, it looks like there is no sign of them stopping yet! A massive Happy Birthday to them and all the best cruelty free wishes for their future! For those unfamiliar, The Vegan Kind is a monthly cruelty 100% Vegan box filled with yummy edible goodies and at least one lifestyle product. Each month a donation from each box is given to a charity chosen by subscribers. They’ve also recently launched The Vegan Kind beauty box which will run quarterly so keep your eyes peeled for my review of the latest TVKBB since the postman was kind enough to deliver my boxes together!

This month’s box:

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Considerit Salted Caramel – 65g (RRP £2.50)

My eyes lit up when I lifted this out of the box. I’m a massive fan of caramel and although i’m fully aware of the dangers of consuming too much sugar, I really couldn’t give a monkeys when it comes to having a whole pot full of the lovely gooey stuff! This month’s recipe card also features this as an ingredient and The Vegan Kind chaps recommend drizzling over vegan ice cream, spooning into hot chocolate or straight out of the tub (erm, yes please!). Despite my overwhelming urge to shot this pot, I’m going to get into the festive spirit and share this with my Vegan friends during Christmas time!

Go to www.consideritchocolate.com for oodles of caramel (and chocolate lots of chocolate).

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The Primal Kitchen Coconut & Macadamia Paleo Bar – 45g (RRP £1.59)

I’m a fan of Coconut & Macadamia, but a little less into raisins and dates (those of you who read my TVK reviews regularly, will already know my loathing for these ingredients). Having said that I have a collection of friends who are very ethical in what they choose to put in their mouth so I’m pretty sure this will find a well deserved home after I’ve had a little nibble to make extra sure I won’t like it!

For more paleo products visit The Primal Kitchen.

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Rebel Kitchen Orange Choc Mylk – 200ml (RRP £0.90)

The chocolate version of this was featured some boxes ago so I was pretty excited when I saw this month had brought us the Orange Chocolate flavour! The last Choco Mylk I indulged in was gorgeous so I have high hopes for this one and probably won’t be sharing this one!

Vist The Rebel Kitchen Website here.

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Organic Surge Awakening Shower Gel – 250ml (RRP £5.99)

Organic Surge Shower Gel is another previously featured product from one of my first boxes I think. It was truly amazing though so I imagine this will be no exception. When I last used this I felt so fresh and invigorated with zero skin irritations which is a huge bonus. This will take pride of place in my epic shower gel stash (yup, still going from last Christmas!)

There are lots more products over at Organic Surge.

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Ten Acre How Chicken Soup Saved the Day Crisps – 40g (RRP £0.80)

Yet another brand that’s been previously featured, but I have to say, Chicken soup really did save the day. Usually I don’t indulge in any goodies from my box until after I’ve posted my blog, but on Monday evening Gem and I went to meet a friend in Birmingham City Centre (it’s best pointing out that Gem and I mostly live on the internet and rarely leave the house except to go to the gym/gigs these days). We had a few wines (9 glasses each in total … oops) and Tuesday morning I woke up with literally the worst hangover in the world. Everything I did … blinking, breathing, peeing, showering … made me very sick and I got to the point around mid day where my stomach was so empty, that my hunger pains were also making me feel sick. I called Brains from the bedroom to find the ten acre crisps in my latest TVK box stashed in the office and even though it took me about four hours to finish the packet, I managed to keep them down and they definitely helped me feel a bit better!

To stock up on some great hangover fixes, visit Ten Acre Crisps here.

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Quinola Mothergrain Express Quinoa – 250g (RRP £2.55)

Quinoa seems to be quite a popular thing at the moment and I do enjoy switching up my usual rice and Bulgar wheat for this if I can pick up a good deal. (It’s expensive!) This is a very welcome addition to my kitchen cupboards as I’m always looking for quick things to throw together that aren’t ready meals. Theres quite a lot in this packet so I’ll be sharing it out and cooking up something adventurous.

Visit Quinola for your healthy Quinoa fix!

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#TVK13 Recipe Card

This month’s card is from The Vegan Cookie Fairy with a pumpkin spiced salted caramel hot chocolate. A wonderful recipe to test out the Considerit Salted Caramel. Subscribers also receive a lovely recipe binder to hold all their cards once they have subscribed for 6 month’s.

Despite this month’s box having a lot of products I’ve previously received, I really don’t mind. They are all different flavours/varieties and it’s nice to see some of these make a come back. Yet again another great box and a great way to kick off the end of their first year and start of hopefully many more to come. As I regularly say in my reviews, I think this is probably my favourite box, because it opens me up to so many different cruelty free products which is such a huge part of my life. No only does it give smaller brands to opportunity to showcase their glorious products it also gives subscribers the chance to open their minds to all sorts of possibilities (hello Vegan marshmallows!). A great year of boxes and I’m even more excited to see what the future holds for these guys. If you’d like to subscribe, hop on over to The Vegan Kind, subscriptions are £10 + postage and packaging a month.

If you subscribe to this box, let me know what you thought of this month’s goodies, if you aren’t yet a subscriber I’d still love to know what your thoughts are from my post!

Totally hellbent for The Vegan Kind

– Pants

 

Skincare

The Body Shop Festive Sweet Treats Hand Cream in Vanilla brulee, Glazed Apple & Frosted Cranberry Review

November 12, 2014

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Gem and I have been saving up some of our Body Shop “little card of Christmas wishes” from various magazines for a few weeks now. As it happened, we both went to meet a friend in town on Monday and thought it would be such a wasted opportunity if we didn’t go in store and use one of our £3 off cards. After all the new “Christmas” ranges were out and we were both desperate to try out “Vanilla Brulee”.

Despite our best intentions, we both failed at only picking up one item and both ended up with three hand creams thanks to their in store “buy two get one free” offer. I decided to pick up the new ranges; Vanilla Brulee, Glazed Apple and Frosted Cranberry.

Glazed apple is actually much nicer than anticipated and is that typical candy apple fragrance, without being too sickly or sweet. Frosted Cranberry seems to be a new take on the usual “Cranberry” range, but I think this smells much nicer than previous years so I don’t know if they have changed the formula. Lastly, Vanilla Brulee is another gorgeous scent and after sniffing everything else in the range, I’m definitely adding all of the Vanilla Brulee products to my Christmas list this year.

Each hand cream is just £3.50 (from as little as 50p if you’ve picked up a recent little card of Christmas wishes) and in stores they are 3 for 2, so although I didn’t get to use my card due to opting for the in store offer, all three only set me back £7. These are great for testing out the new scents, without diving in head first and purchasing the whole the range in one go.

If you’d like to check out the rest of the range, simply visit The Body Shop’s website here. Although if you’ve already tried these, or the other products then we’d love to hear your thoughts?

Totally hellbent for Christmas time and festive season treats

-Pants

Beauty Boxes

Glossybox October 2014 Review

October 29, 2014

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It’s not secret that Glossybox and I have had our ups and downs over the last 6 months and despite cancelling my box I’ve somehow still ended up subscribing. Thankfully they’ve managed to win me over with this month’s Pop Art theme which has been absolutely fantastic and well worth my monthly sub.

This first thing that’s a little different about this month’s box, is that the product card you usually receive is now online. Great if you can keep your crummy hands off opening the e-mail until your box arrives, but unfortunately I peeked because I couldn’t help myself. There was also no glossy mag but I’m all up for saving the environment so I don’t mind.

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NUXE – CRÈME FRAÎCHE® DE BEAUTÉ MASK – £19.50 for 50ml – Full Size Received

The first thing I checked was whether this was cruelty free and it seems to be after confirming with their FAQs. This is billed as a 24 hour moisturising mask which helps to soothe and reduce redness. The instructions say to leave the mask on for 10 minutes and then either rub it into the skin or wipe off with toner, so I’m quite excited to try this out. After trying a little on my hand although the smell is a little less than desirable my hand did feel quite soft afterwards, although I opted for rinsing it off under the sink. I’ll definitely be giving this a go sometime next week to see how my face gets on with it.

 

Website: uk.nuxe.com

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ÊTRE BELLE COSMETICS – LIPLIFT PEEL – €12.95 for 15ml – Full Size Received

Again my research tells me this is not tested on animals and should be cruelty free. Brilliant news because I’m super excited to give this a whirl. I often get dried lips, especially in Summer and Winter so have a quick fix like this will really help. Simply massage onto the lip area and rinse. No nonsense, no fuss and hopefully lovely smooth lips!

Website: etre-belle.co

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SO SUSAN COSMETICS – FLUTTER MASCARA – £14.95 for 4ml – Full Size

I do already own this mascara I have to admit and it’s been sat unopened in my “mascara” drawer (issues I know!). I’ve enjoyed all the So Susan products I’ve acquired over the past few months so I’m hoping this one will be no exception. The price is a little steep and I’m pretty good at avoiding paying full price for pretty much everything so I’m not sure that this is something I would actively seek out to buy but it’s been bumped up my “mascara to open next” list by quite a few so I’ll see how it goes!

Website: sosusan.com

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CIATÉ LONDON – PAINT POT – £9 for 13.5ml – Full Size

One of the reasons this month’s box was so appealing was definitely this full size beauty. Both Gem and I have quite a collection (obsession) of these and they are definitely one of our favorite brands of nail varnish. The finish and look is so perfect and the longevity of the colours beats a lot of other products I’ve used in the past. I’d not owned a nice blue from Ciate so this gorgeous bright and bold colour named “Skinny Jeans” was a more than welcome addition to my collection. I’ve had it on my nails since it arrived and I’ll be hard pushed if I’m going to change it for another few days I’m so in love. Gem received a lovely green in hers which I also want!

Website: ciate.co.uk/glossy-box

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YVES ROCHER FRANCE – QUELQUES NOTES D’AMOUR – £33 for 30ml – 5ml Sample Received

I’m always pretty so so about receiving fragrance samples. The reality is that even though they may smell nice, I never really repurchase them with the exception of Katy Perry which I instead asked for as a gift. Still, providing they smell nice, they are quite handy for when I go away, for festivals and gigs. This fragrance is quite pretty though and is a pretty great Autumnal smell with notes of damascus rose, guaiac wood and patchoul it’s not too heavy and very wearable for the day.  £33 seems pretty reasonable for this though and it might be something I’d think about repurchasing at some point when I can justify it.

Website: yves-rocher.co.uk

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RIMMEL LONDON – BB CREAM MATTE – £6.99 for 30ml – 8ml  Sample Received

This is probably the least exciting out of the box. I’ve not really got on with BB creams since they became such a trend. Mostly because even when opting for the lightest shade, they still turn out a tad orange. Although I received a sample in “light” it’s still a little too dark for my skin but there is less of an orange undertone to this one. I reckon this is destined for my summer skin drawer where it should give me better coverage when I become a victim of tanned when daring to brave the sun for more than 5 minutes. In terms of application, I’m not sure how impressed I am with this. It’s a little heavy and I have the feeling it may dry my skin out if I use too much of it. Having tested it on my hand, it does give a pretty nice matte finish so a good dose of moisturiser may help with the heaviness when applying – unfortunately they only have this in Light and Medium, but a shade or two lighter would have been perfect for my skin!

Website: uk.rimmellondon.com

This month’s box has definitely made up for a bunch of bad ones and I love the theme, the box and the contents to go with it. I’ll still be subscribing for now and crossing my fingers that the next few month’s are equally as good.

You can subscribe to Glossybox for just £10 per month plus postage and packaging here. You can also buy 3, 6 and 12 month subscriptions which are perfect for gifts especially around this time of year!

Have you received the Pop Art Edition yet? If so, I’d love to know what you received and what you thought!

Totally hellbent for a little art with my makeup

– Pants

Vegan, Vegetarian

The Vegan Kind #TVK12 October Box Review

October 19, 2014

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I have a slight confession to make in that I actually received this box about a week and a half ago and I’m afraid that I can’t keep using the “puppy” as a good enough excuse for not blogging more frequently! (Although that is totally the truth) I’ve had a busy month so far in terms of work which is great, but unfortunately this means a few late nights and my inability to want to sit in front of the computer for a minute longer once I’m done, favoring sitting in bed with an early grey and a biscuit. Still, it’s the weekend and I’m so enthused by this month’s box that I have to get this blog out so I devour whats left of the contents!

It’s hard to believe that this is the 12th box and The Vegan Kind have corrected me in saying their official birthday is actually November, but this is still my favorite monthly box and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Each month I receive delicious Vegan treats and a lifestyle extra and not to mention the 10p donation to a good animal charity from each box. This month’s is the Manchester and Cheshire dogs home which is a very worthy cause and I’d already donated a little something a few months ago after the horrific tragedy. So here’s to the twelfth box and many many more and since next month is apparently the official birthday, I hope they have something special planned!

#TVK12:

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Angelic Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookies – 125g (RRP £2.60)

What’s that you say? Reduced fat, gluten free, dairy free, wheat free and 75 calories per cookie? YES!!! I’ll admit, after I took my photos (which were pretty rushed due to the bad weather/lighting/work commitments and my inability to contain my hunger) I indulged in one of these. Now we aren’t talking a Millies scrumptiously gooey, warm cookie here, but my gods this is pretty darn good. I would have no qualms eating these for the rest of eternity and by passing all other cookies if I had to. I’ve also been following weight watchers the past four weeks (preemptive Christmas strategy is probably something to do with that too) and I can confirm that each cookie is only 2 Pro Points for those that are interested.

You can get down with some guilt free face stuffing cookies here.

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Howdah Onion Bhajis – 100g (RRP £2.39)

Another delicious snack on this month’s menu are these “Onion Bhaji” snacks. Packing quite a punch with each bite, they are a wonderful bit of savory style nom when you are in the mood for … well … “something”. My only downside is the pretty high calories and fat content per 25g serving. (3 Pro Points per 25g serving) so not a packet to devour all in one go and definitely one to measure out in the kitchen instead of taking the whole thing with you.

Check out their range here.

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Premae Skincare Triumph Creme Balm – 10ml sample (RRP £33.66)

I am a fan of no nonsense moisturisers, so a cruelty free moisturiser is right up my street. With added anti-ageing Vitamin A, C and K, I couldn’t ask for more. The sample is a pretty decent size too although I’m not sure I would spend £51 on the full size 15ml version. It feels quite luxurious on the skin and I didn’t react to it at all which is a good thing, so I guess I’ll see how it holds when used on a regular basis.

For more of the premae skin care range, visit their website.

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Landgarten Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Raspberries – 90g (RRP £1.99)

I’ve tried some of Landgarten products before – chocolate covered soya beans to be exact and they were very scrummy. I’m therefore holding high hopes for these chocolate covered raspberries. Another snack bound for a workout day but exciting none the less!

To see their yummy chocolate covered treats, visit their site here.

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Nom Organic Oat Bar – 52g (RRP £1.49)

This seems a perfect breakfast substitute (pre gym of course again due to the high calories!). Being vegan, organic and having a low GI I’m going to enjoy nibbling on this before a intensive workout – although I may indulge in only half of the bar! You can pick these up in a few places including Ocado so I’m bound to see these around.

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As always with each month’s box, you get a recipe card for your beautiful Vegan Kind ring binder which you now receive on month 6 of your subscription. This month is from Little Miss Meat Free and is a scrumptious looking Ombre Vanilla Dream Cake – definitely something I’ll be making nearer the festive season.

Read more about their product here.

I really take my invisible hat off to The Vegan Kind for successfully delivering such a great box over the past year (almost), each month has been as exciting as the last and I’ve been opened up to so many amazing Vegan products, including the lifestyle items that I never imagined could exist – deodorant, washing powder, washing up liquid and moisturiser to name a few. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them as I hope they only get bigger and better.

If you’d like to try this box out, you can do so for just £10 plus p&p per month via their website here.

Totally hellbent for supporting such a great box!

– Pants