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Skincare, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spring 2015 Skin Heroes

April 25, 2015

springskin-heroes

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;

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tvk-18-ombar

 

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

tvk18-faith-handwash

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

tvk18-coconom-ginger

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

tvk18-soffles

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

tvk18-eatchic

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

tvk18-tvcf-recipe

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

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;

tvk-bb-feb-15

 

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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!

tvkbb-feb15-olivia

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.

tvkbb-feb15-premae

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.

tvkbb-feb15-whiterabbit

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.

tvkbb-feb15-hedgerowherbals

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

tvk16

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;

tvk16-fitbites

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.

tvk16-white-rabbit

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.

tvk16-quinoa

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.

tvk16-banana-powder

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.

tvk16-freedom-mallows

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.

tvk16-fresh-heather

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

 

 

vegan-panackes

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-feb-15

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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
Vegan Pear Crumble

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.

Vegan Pear Crumble

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

Vegan Pear Crumble

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.

Vegan Pear Crumble

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).

Vegan Pear Crumble

Divide your crumble mix between your two ramekins and pop into the oven on the middle shelf for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Vegan Pear Crumble

Serve with some yummy vegan custard, vegan cream or on their own. Delicious!

Are there any puddings you love to make and eat during Winter? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

Totally hellbent for not missing out on anything ever

– Pants

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
TheVeganKindTVK15

TheVeganKindTVK15

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;

TheVeganKindTVK15

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

TheVeganKindTVK15

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

 

 

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;

TVK14

tvk14-inserts

tvk14-harper'sbizarre

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.

tvk14-toppers

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.

TVK14-olive-branch

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.

tvk14-teatonics

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