Tagged: review
Diet Tip #3: Fage Total 0% Fat Free Greek Yoghurt
So I haven’t written a diet tip for a while, but because I’m trying to loose weight again, I thought I would!
Basically, Fage Total O% Fat Free Greek Yoghurt was a revelation the first time I tried it. Unlike normal yoghurts, it has a really thick texture, instead of runny, so it feels you up a lot more. It is also packed with protein (10.3g per 100g), which again makes you feel full and aids weight loss. Also, as it says on the label, it is completely fat free!
It also tastes great and is extremely versatile. I often have it for dessert at lunch or dinner with fruit like I did today. You could also have it for breakfast, on its own or with some oats and honey ormake it a healthy, but fun treat for kids by adding sprinkles to it.
You can buy the yoghurt in 170g (£1.00) or 500g pots (£2.39).
Hope you enjoy!
Sam x
Product Review: Herbal Essences ‘Fresh Balance’ Clarifying Shampoo
I have always had quite thick hair & I’m used to it being quite big, which I like.
However, just recently my hair felt really bogged down for some reason & definitely wasn’t as bouncy and full as it usually felt. I had been using a colour protect shampoo as I had dyed my hair a red shade and I know that it fades easily. I don’t know whether this was the reason it felt heavy and flat if it was locking in the colour, but I definitely knew I needed to try something.
Feeling a bit down about it (you know what us girls are like) I asked my friend and fellow beauty blogger Lauren what she thought I should do. She suggested a clarifying shampoo.
So, off to the shop I went in search of one. I looked in Boots & Superdrug, but I literally couldn’t find any and thought I might have to go online. However, as a last resort I tried a Tesco Extra and found Herbal Essences ‘Fresh Balance’ on the shelf.
Personally, I love Herbal Essences as a brand. They offer a wide range to suit all hair types, smell lush & are not too expensive!
I decided to go the full wack and buy both the shampoo and conditioner. These were £3.79 each, which are a tad more expensive than the other types in the range, but it’s still not expensive and I definitely needed to try something.
On first use, I noticed the gorgeous smell. With citrus blossom extracts it really creates a gorgeous fruity aroma in the shower. The shampoo also lathers up lovely, more than any other shampoo I’ve used.
I washed my hair with it twice and noticed that it left a squeak after I did, which made me feel like my hair was really clean. I followed up with the conditioner after, which had an equally great smell and left my hair feeling soft.
When I got out of the shower I was eager to dry my hair to see what it was like and I definitely wasn’t disappointed… Before when I went to comb my hair the brush kept getting stuck in the knots, however it was now coming through easily and I had my big bouncy hair back. I was so pleased that I had to take an Instagram of the effect straight away!
I know it’s sad, but you definitely feel better when your hair is better and this product helped me do that so I would definitely recommend it if you feel like your hair is a bit flat and bogged down.
The only thing I would say is that it might not be suitable for everyday washing as it may leave your hair a bit dry. If you do wash your hair everyday though, you could just alternate this shampoo with another.
But yes overall it’s a massive thumbs up from me – Herbal Essences you’ve done it again!
Let me know if you’ve used this product of if you have any wonder shampoos that you use.
Sam x
P.s. This shampoo and condition are buy one get one free in Tesco at the moment so snap it up while you can!
Product Review: Frank ‘honest snacking’ snack bars
As a nation, we are becoming more aware about our health and the food that we eat.
Considering incidents such as the horse meat scandal, people want to know what is going in their food and that it is good for them.
This is why I was so delighted when Frank food company contacted me about trying their new snack bars. These healthy treats are gluten, nut and dairy free, are suitable for vegans and are a source of protein. They also contain no ‘nasties’ – with the main ingredient dried fruit – so they basically couldn’t be more healthy if they tried.
As well as this, they come in an array of yummy flavours – ‘Double Chocolate’, ‘Orange & Chocolate’, ‘Oat & Chocolate, Blueberry & Chocolate’ and Strawberry & Chocolate’. As you can see, these all contain chocolate, which definitely pleased me, considering what a chocoholic I am.
But so they actually taste nice? Honestly my answer is yes. Considering this is my first vegan product that I’ve tried, I was extremely pleasantly surprised. Considering it is made from all healthy ingredients, it still feels like a treat. It also is a nice to not feel overwhelmed with sugar whilst eating a snack and have something that is more wholesome, but still tasty.
I would have to say that the ‘Blueberry & Chocolate’ ones are my favourite. To be honest, I didn’t think this flavour would work very well, but I was pleasantly surprised about how the two mixed and finished the bar in record time!
When it comes to the texture of the bars, I would say they a far more like a chocolate bar than a cereal bar because they are soft and crumbly whilst still being firm.
With huge celebrities, such as Beyonce, now endorsing the vegan trend, it makes products like these even more important for those who want to be healthy but still have a varied and tasty diet.
You can buy the snack bars online at Frank food company’s website, as well as Asda and other stores which you can check on their stocklist page here.
Let me know if you try the snack bars or similar products and what you think of them.
It is definitely a thumbs up from me!
Sam x
Product Review: Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in ‘Huckleberry’
So if you have see any of my previous nail polish reviews, you will have realised that I’m pretty addicted to the Barry M Gelly range…
As well as drying really quickly, they also give a thick, glossy coat that lasts more than five minutes. The only thing about the range is that there weren’t that many different colour to choose from at first.
However, Barry M has totally pulled it out of the bag by introducing some new Gelly pastel shades for spring/summer! When I heard the news I was literally so excited to go to Superdrug and get some (sad, I know).
There are three new fruit-inspired shades that have been introduced by Barry M. These are ‘Huckberry’, a pastel blue, as well as a pink shade named ‘Rose Hip‘ (Superdrug haved called it ‘Pink Lady for some reason) along with a minty shade named ‘Sugar Apple. ‘
As you can see above, I opted for the ‘Huckleberry’ shade first, as I’m loving pastel blue nails at the moment. Once again, like the brighter shades that I have used in the range, the polish dried really quickly and with a great shine. You also get a nice thick colour after just a couple of coats, which is great.
This shade looks great if you are wearing other pastel colours. For example, I wore it with a pink fluffy jumper.
Now all I have to do is try both the other new shades – I can’t wait! Superdrug has a deal where you get two of the polishes for £6 at the moment, so make sure you take advantage of that. Normally the polishes are priced at £3.99 each – still a bargain for such a good product.
Let me know what you think of the Gelly polishes or the new shades if you try them out!
Sam x
Product Review: Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser ‘Cocoa Radiant’
Okay, this is probably one of the biggest beauty no-nos, but I have to admit that I am a total slacker when it comes to moisturising.
I always, always make sure that I put moisturiser on my face every morning and night, however I can never be bothered to put it over my body. You see, I get really cold in my house, so the last thing I want to do when I get out of a nice warm shower is slather loads of cold cream over my body (brrr).
It is also massive effort. Lazy, I know, but hey I’m just being honest!
So, when I saw Vaseline’s new Spray & Go moisturiser range, I thought my prayers had been answered! I was informed you just quickly spray the product, which dries instantly and then you’ll be left with silky smooth skin.
Now, they were right about the spray part, that was easy enough. It did dry quick too and it had a nice chocolate-y cocoa smell. The only thing wrong with it…?
IT WAS FREEZING.
Yep, from the first spray it felt like I was actually dousing myself in ice.
Now I thought maybe I was just extra cold that day, or it was a shock to the system, however I tried for a second time that evening and once again I was left chillier than a polar bear in the South Pole.
Resigning to the fact that I wasn’t going to use the product anymore, I decided to spray my sister with it, attempting to shock her with its icy mist (mature, I know). However, it actually had the opposite effect – she loved the product and then began to use it.
So, now I am left confused; am I just a cold-blooded weirdo or is this moisturiser actually way, way too cold to use?
I’m afraid I can’t give you this answer. All I’ll say is that the product wasn’t for me. It smells nice and isn’t that expensive but that’s about it. I didn’t even feel think it moisturised that well. The thing with sprays is that you are also missing out on the massaging effect, which helps reduce cellulite and boost circulation.
So there we have it, it is a thumbs down from me for the Vaseline Spray & Go Body moisturiser I’m afraid.
If you do want to try the product however, you can purchase it from Boots for £4.99. As well as the ‘Cocoa Radiant’ version of the product, there is also an original spray, as well as an Aloe Fresh edition.
Sam x
POSITIVES
- Smells nice
- Reasonable price
- Easy application
NEGATIVES
- Too cold!
- Doesn’t moisturise particularly well
- Missing out on massaging benefits
Weekend Nails – Barry M Gelly Effect in ‘Green Berry’
I decided I wanted to wear my orange and white striped shirt out to the pub on Sunday night & I wanted a nail colour that would stand out just as much.
Barry M’s Gelly Effect in ‘Green Berry’ fit the bill perfectly. Not only is the shade gorgeously vibrant and full after just two shades, it also dries incredibly quickly, which is great, as I was in a rush to get out the door (as usual).
I seriously recommend the nail varnishes from this Gelly range, as they are honestly the best for coverage and drying time I have tried for ages. I have also recently discovered that there are more colours than I though there were in the range too – but hopefully there will be even more soon.
What’s more, they are only £3.99, which is a bit of a bargain anyway, but I hear they are 3 for 2 in Superdrug at the time of publishing – which is even better!
Let me know if you have tried the Gelly range and what your favourite shade is.
Sam x
Nutella Cookbook Creation #1: Orange Creme Whoopie Pies
So my lovely sister Kerri got me the awesome Nutella cookbook for Christmas…
This is my first post where I am actually using it though!
Basically, I’m sure you will have guessed but this is a cookbook full of yummy treats to make, which all feature Nutella. I thought I would start from the beginning with my creations, however the first recipe was for Nutella & fruit club sandwiches, which was too easy.
The second recipe was for mini coconut Nutella palmiers, however I didn’t really fancy coconut, so on I went. Finally, third time lucky, I stumbled across the orange creme whoopie pie recipe. ‘Yes ‘ I thought, this is definitely the type of thing I am looking for.
I’ve never eaten a whoopie pie, so didn’t really know what to expect, however it looked yummy on the picture, so I was ready to give it a go!
How did I get on?
Well… I did *okay* for my first time. Basically, the recipe that I have included for you below tells you that the mixture will make 15 whoopie pies. So in my brain, I thought okay, 15 pies, means 15 spoonfuls of the mixture on the baking tray, right?
Wrong! That only makes seven (quite large) whoopie pies, when you put the two halves together. So basically, I didn’t fully read the recipe and was having a severe blonde moment (even though I’m not blonde).
So yeah, as I mentioned above, mine came out rather larger than I originally planned, which meant they were quite filling. However, they still tasted nice!
The orange creme went a bit wrong for me as well. When making it, I melted the butter, then took it off the heat before I put in the other ingredients, whereas you’re supposed to put them in whilst it is still simmering. This meant that my mixture didn’t really thicken up that well, however I just rectified this by adding in some plain flour.
Would I make it again?
Yes, I will definitely be making these whoopie pies again, because I want to see what they would be like smaller like they are actually supposed to be!
The only thing that I might do is just use chocolate or vanilla buttercream for the filling, instead of making the orange creme. I didn’t dislike the creme in the recipe, but it was very time-consuming and wasn’t really worth the wait in my opinion.
If you used your own buttercream, the whole process would be so much quicker, as the pies themselves only take 10-15 minutes to cook.
You could also just add some orange flavouring to your chocolate icing, if you still wanted an orange taste for your pies.
Could I taste the Nutella?
In all honestly, not really. However I usually slather it on or eat is straight from the jar so I’m probably immune from the taste when it is used in smaller quantities now.
It is still a nice recipe though and makes for great whoopie pies (if you get the sizing right!)
Conclusion
So yes, that was my very first baking experience with my Nutella cookbook! Not without its hiccups, but like would probably be boring if it was perfect, right?!
Let me know if you try out the recipe (included below), or if you have the Nutella cookbook too!
Until next time…
Sam x
Ingredients
Orange creme filling:
- One orange
- 75g unsalted butter
- 50g caster sugar
- One egg
- 75 Philadelphia-style cheese
Whoopie pies:
- 125g plain flour
- One teaspoon of baking powder
- 40g unsalted butter
- 40g caster sugar
- One egg
- 100g nutella
- 20g cocoa powder
- 100ml semi-skimmed milk
- pinch of salt
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (Gas 4)
2. Make the orange creme filling. First grate the orange zest and then squeeze it’s juice into a bowl. Next melt the butter in a separate bowl over a pan of simmering water. To this, add the sugar, egg and the zest & juice. Beat this mixture, still over the heat, until it thickens. Remove this from the heat and leave to cool. After this, add in the cheese and chill the mixture for at least one hour.
3. To make the whoopie pies: Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until you have a smooth mixture. Add to this, the Nutella, the egg, cocoa powder and milk. Mix this well and then add the first flour mixture to it.
4. Place THIRTY (*winks) spoonfuls of the mixture onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper (or which has been greased). Bake for 10-15 minutes. Leave this to cool and spread on the orange creme mixture when both are ready.
On trend: White Nails
Now, I am definitely a big fan of nail art & trying out some creative designs when it comes to nails. However, I have gone for something different…
There is something uber-chic about white nails. They look sophisticated, perfectly understated and chic.
They also go with any outfit too. As you can see in my main picture, I wore them with my basketball jersey top (which is from Primark if you were wondering). However, the next day, I wore a white blouse and black blazer and the nails still matched perfectly. This just shows how versatile the shade is.
I’ve also had the most compliments in ages than I have about them – which is a nice added bonus.
I used Barbara Daly ‘snow’ shade (available at Tesco) to achieve this look. The only thing is that I bought this nail varnish absolutely ages ago – I mean years. I looked on the Tesco website & can’t see the product still on sale, however you never know, it may still be in-store.
I can’t recommended the brand enough though. I managed to achieve a nice, glossy even colour after just two coats. It hardly chips either, but I would recommend putting on some topcoat just in case if you are planning to keep the shade for a while.
Let me know if you like white nails or have tried them yourself…
Sam x
Super Beauty Vanilla & Honey Body Scrub: Product Review
So, I haven’t done that many product reviews on my blog so far, however I just HAD to do one of this gorgeous product.
I must admit, I have a weakness for body scrubs, as I love it when you get out of the shower and your skin feels silky smooth. I had been using a sugar salt scrub for quite a while however, as I found that this really help to make my skin soft, but when I saw this product in the shop I just had to buy it.
This is the first product I have ever bought from Super Beauty. I haven’t really read any reviews on the company’s products before, so I didn’t know whether it was going to be any good. However, I was first drawn in by the cute packaging, which was bright clean and quirky (see image). I was then convinced further by the sound of the delicious ‘Vanilla & Honey’ flavour.
Now sometimes, these beauty products which claim to smell like certain things don’t at all, however I knew this wasn’t the case as soon as I opened the lid. On my first sniff my nostrils were filled will the glorious flavours of vanilla ice cream drizzled in honey. I actually had to stop myself trying to guzzle it down right there in the shop.
That was then it, the scrub was in my basket and was coming home with me! I was actually sad enough to be really excited about having a shower that evening and testing it to see if it worked as good as it smelt!
The scrub comes in a thin liquid form, rather than being a thicker, solid base, which means it glided over my skin easily, It also lathered up into a nice frothy foam.
Again as soon as it hit my skin I got that delicious smell which I first experienced in the shop. I am pleased to say that I could also still smell it on me after I got out of the shower, however unfortunately it was tainted a bit when I put a different moisturiser on.
What I would say is that this definitely isn’t the scrub for you if you are looking for something to properly exfoliate your skin. However it is great as an everyday scrub to give yourself a quick revitalization as well as a scent sensation whilst you are at it.
I got the scrub from Boots for £4.99, however is on sale on the site for a bargainous £2.49 at the moment (at the time of publishing), thanks to Boots’ half price sale on the brand’s line. I would definitely encourage to give it a try. I mean, that is less than one Starbucks!
I have just bought myself some of the Vanilla and Honey Bath & Shower Gel from the range as well as the Coconut and Acai Bath & Shower Gel, considering they are also only £2.49 each at the moment. I just wish there was a body moisturiser to try too, to help keep the scent on me longer!
All in all, I love the product and I would definitely recommend you give it a try. I have included a round up of the best points about the scrub below to give you a quick reminder of everything I mentioned in the blog.
Anyway bye for now & happy scrubbing!
Sam x
Best for:
- Price (£2.49!)
- Smell
- Packaging
Downsides?
- Not the best for exfoliation
- Could improve on rest of product range
Nail Art #1 – Orange & Leopard Print feature nails
Okay, so I have decided that I want to start getting more creative with my nails in 2014. So I will be doing a series of nail art posts to document this.
I know it’s not the new year yet, but I thought I might as well start to prepare…
The first look I have tried is orange and leopard print feature nails. Feature nails are when you decide to pick one nail to show off and have something different on, just like a feature wall in your home.
I decided I would try orange and leopard print, as I love contrasting leopard print with a really bright colour. However, if orange isn’t your shade, feel free to try any other bright colour, such as pink or green as these work great.
What you will need:
Barry M Gelly Nail Effect polish – ‘Satsuma’ (£3.99)
Leopard print nail wraps (Ebay) – £1.99
Method:
Step 1, Orange Nails
I decided that I would try our Barry M Gelly Nail effects ‘Satsuma’ shade as I have had this in my nail bag for quite a while now and I was intrigued about how gelly paint would differ. I was pleasantly surprised by the results of this. The paint dried quickly and only needed a few coats for a thick, full and vibrant shade.
I painted this on my thumb and three of my fingers, missing out the wedding finger (left hand), as this was my feature nail. I repeated this step on the right hand.
Step 2: Leopard print nail wraps
After that it was time to get the leopard print on! This is really really easy the way I do it, as I just use nail wraps. When you buy the pack you are given strips of the print and you just cut this out to the size of your nail. You then place them on your finger and press down. After you have done this, get a hair dryer and just place it above the nail for a few minutes, rubbing down on the nail to make sure it is secured on.
And there you have it, gorgeous fancy feature nails! If I have a tip though, I would say avoid pairing this nail look with any leopard print clothing, as then it might be too much. However, pretty much anything else will look great with it.
Happy painting! X
Sam Blogs 