My Best Reads of 2017

Happy New Year peeps.

I decided to take a much needed break from blogging for the majority of 2017 due to several life changing factors but I decided to come back for 2018 and write about all things that interest me and hopefully my readers.

Speaking of interests, I read a lot this year. More than I hoped for. I normally participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge each year and last year was no different. I established that I would read fifteen books but I genuinely didnt think I would touch this as I was so busy in the first half of the year with my final year of uni and then we bought a house in the second half so I knew I wouldnt have time but I completed it and decided I would share my absolute favourite reads of 2017.

Korean Skincare | Tony Moly I'm Real Sheet Masks

Hi guys,

After a harrowing week last week, I lost all my uni work from my pen drive and laptop including my dissertation and an essay, i've decided to chill today. No need to worry though as I managed to get some of my dissertation notes from my supervisor who I thankfully emailed a couple of days before but I had to start my essay from the beginning again which annoyed me as it was almost finished! A break is very much needed ha-ha. 

Beauty Essentials | Shadow Switch Dry Brush Cleaner

Teeth Whitening with CB12 White Including Results

Hi guys, 

I don’t know if you know this about me but I hate my teeth. Well hate is a strong word but I dislike them sometimes. The problem isn't with anything other than the colour as they aren't as white as they used to be and for that reason, I dislike them. Obviously you will see the cheeky wee tooth on the left hand side is a little crooked, that's due to me falling on a rock at the beach when I was thirteen and then I chipped it on a champagne glass a few years ago. 

I could go ahead and blame everything else for the lack of whiteness but who am I kidding, it’s the copious amounts of red wine and coffee I consume that’s done most of the damage. I also smoked for a number of years so that’s yellowed them a bit. They aren’t over the top yellow (until you get up close and personal), most people compliment me on my teeth but I notice all the yellow parts, especially when I go right up to the mirror or take close up shots (see pics below) and it does my head in so I wanted to whiten them. 

I know what you are thinking, why don't I just go to a dentist and have them professionally whitened? but I don't have that kind of money! It’s so expensive and even with my gorgeous dentist, Claire, offering me a discount, it’s still too much so I resort to these kinds of measures.

As you may or may not know, I came across Doll White UK Teeth Whitening Strips* last year and thought they were great. They made such a noticeable difference after just one use so I continued to use them and was wowed by them. I did eventually stop using the strips as I couldn't keep up with the price tag so I went on the hunt for something more affordable. That’s where CB12 kindly stepped in.

The name sounds very scientific doesn't it. I mean come on, CB12 White*(£15)! Or is that just me that thinks that? Anyway as you can guess from the name and the post title, this is a new teeth whitening product which promises to remove stains in less than two weeks, prevent future stains and keep your breath smelling fresh for up to 12 hours! I don't normally believe such statements but on this one, I shouted "Sign me up buddy". 

The solution itself is liquid based, very much like a mouthwash so no need for gum shields or strips. I don't really like things like that due to the fact that I slabber all over the place and it's not really attractive is it? This solution contains Fluoride which helps to strengthen enamel and is also alcohol free. On first use, I brushed my teeth as normal and then took 1/2 cap full of the liquid and swished around my mouth for a minute. It stung a little bit, as a normal mouth wash would but wasn’t uncomfortable at all. The soft peppermint taste was pleasant, it wasn’t overly minty. Once I was finished with it, I spat out (sorry, but couldn’t think of another word) and was surprised by the lack of aftertaste and burning. I usually hate that, but with this, there was no problem. I then used twice per day every day for the full twelve days as recommended.

I have to say, I was a little miffed that I didn’t see instant results like I did with the Doll White Strips but around Day 5 I began to notice the stains on my front teeth fading and that kept me going with it. After the twelve days was up, I was over the moon at the difference. As you can see from the before and after shots, there is a massive change. I took the before shot the day before I started and the after shot this morning before publishing this post. 

I just have to say, both of these photos were taken in the same bedroom of my house. As its Glasgow, it was a little dull on both days but the lighting turned out to be ok. They were not altered and they are my teeth in both shots. Just in case anyone says I have used teeth whitening apps, I haven’t. The only work I done to these pictures were to crop them so it was purely my teeth and lips that were shown as nobody wants to see up my nostrils. Or do you? I then made a comparison picture and added some writing. 

Hopefully you can all see the results from using this teeth whitening solution and for that reason, I would highly recommend it. The only thing that I wouldn't agree with is the fact that you have fresh breath for up to 12 hours. I don't suffer from bad breath, obviously if I eat smelly food or drink coffee then I will but it’s nothing for me to worry about. This maybe worked for about an hour or so but definitely not 12 hours.

All in all, a fantastic product with visible results. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to give their teeth a little clean and to anyone who wants to prevent future staining. I have loved using it and I will be buying a few of these to keep the results coming.

PS. Print can be bought via Dorkface Shop

Have you checked out my latest featuring My Summer Reads?

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Slendertoxtea | Slender Slim & Slendertox Coffee

Hi guys,

I’m sure you are aware of all the detox teas and coffees out there at the moment. They have been making their rounds on social media by Towie stars, Geordie Shore stars and even the Kardashians so it’s no wonder they have become quite popular. After all if Kim and Kylie are using them, then they must work right? I am not shaming people for buying these types of products due to this reason, I am a sucker for buying something that my favourites celebs are endorsing but I don’t really believe it will work, I just want to try it. 

Being a beauty blogger, I tend to "buy to try" so I can give my honest review. As you may or may not know, I tried the Slendertoxtea a while ago and I didn’t really like it. Sure, I lost weight, but I didn’t like the experience. I felt as though my body was rejecting the tea and I felt like I was punishing myself. However, I found out they released coffee blends and I decided why the hell not! I am a weird specimen, I have this incessant need to try things out, and I am a curious cat after all.

Now, I don't want it to seem like I am promoting detox programs or shaming woman into trying these items. I am simply trying them out to give you an idea of what they are like. I don't necessarily buy to lose weight, I buy to see how the ingredients affect me and to give my honest review on such a hyped up product. If you don't want to try it, that's fine and if you do then make sure you read other honest reviews to find out if these types of products are for you. Don't buy because you want to look like a model or celebrity as it doesn't quite work like that and certainly don't buy if you feel like it is going to help you lose loads of weight, only a healthy diet and regular exercise will help with that.

Both of these coffees promise to aid weightloss, increase your energy levels, detoxify the liver and to cleanse the colon. Yes, cleanse your colon, so you will be making regular trips to the toilet i'm afraid. It is advised that you start these on a weekend to get your body used to it before heading back to work on the Monday morning.

Slender Slim Coffee (£13.99) - Now called Slim Coffee Creamy Latte Flavour

Ingredients: Creamer, Soluble Coffee, Grain of Barley and Rye, Fibre, Inulin, Green Coffee Beans and L-Carnitine. This has 22 calories per 1 teaspoon serving.

This product contains dairy and is made up of non-roasted coffee beans, known as green coffee. This particular coffee contains the highest levels of Chlorogenic Acid, yeah me neither.  Apparently it speeds up your metabolism and helps to lose unwanted fat. It also inhibits the uptake of glucose in the intestines & regulates the metabolism which results in weight loss. 

I added 2 tsps. with hot, not boiled, water into a cup and added 1/2 tsp of sugar/sweetener as I found the coffee to be a little sweet. I didn’t add milk as I like it black. This is a very enjoyable drink, I had no problems with taste whatsoever. This isn’t a high end coffee so its not strong but there is a definite coffee taste to it. During the ten days, I had no side effects. I was slightly gassy on day one and then nothing for the duration of the detox. Very enjoyable, no issues and no results ha-ha. I have to say, I didn't notice any difference with this drink at all. It didn't reduce bloating, I didn't lose weight and I didn't have any extra energy. Sadly this wasn't for me.

Slendertox Coffee (£13.99) - Now called Detox Coffee Mocha Flavour 

Ingredients: Same as above. This also has 22 calories per 1 teaspoon serving.

This is pretty much the same coffee as it contains the same ingredients according to pack details. I found this to be a little more creamier but I needed more sweetener than the Slim version. I prepared this in the exact same way, just with freshly boiled water that had been left to cool every so slightly. It was nice, but again, I didn't notice any increased energy, nor a reduction of bloating or weight. 

For me, both of these products were not worth the price tag. I would rather buy normal coffee that tasted like a strong coffee (that's my preference) but if you prefer a smoother, weaker coffee then these might be for you. As I said, I didn't notice any weight loss with these. I have joined Slimming World and only been losing 2lbs per week but this is down to eating better not this coffee. Last week I maintained (kept the same weight) and I drank the coffee all through the week so if it worked, I would have lost something.

Would you try a detox coffee?

Have you noticed a difference if you have used them?

Have you checked out my latest featuring 

My Reasons For Not Buying Beauty Boxes Anymore?
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Jeffree Star | Mannequin & Rose Matter

Unicorn Blood, Mannequin, Rose Matters and Celebrity Skin

Hi guys,

I picked up a few more vegan friendly Jeffree Star Liquid Lipsticks ($18) a while ago when there were new releases and also a restock of some extremely popular shades. I bought Rose Matter and Mannequin as they were the new shades but I didn’t bother with any other ones as I already had them in my collection.

I know there has been a lot of heat on Twitter when it comes to Jeffree Star, and I thought long and hard about putting this post up but I came to the conclusion that I love these products and felt the need to share my views. 

As I said on my previous post, these are the best liquid lipsticks I have ever used as they don’t dry out my lips too badly compared to other brands, they are the most pigmented products I have ever used and the staying power is just incredible. I would wholeheartedly recommend everyone try them out at some point, especially if you are a liquid lipstick lover who likes a full on matte finish. How I wear them is by scrubbing my lips with a sugar scrub such as this or a homemade one, apply lip butter like this, line my lips with a similar colour and then apply this. It stays put pretty much all day and I have no problems with bleeding or smudging. If I leave the lip butter on, the lipstick doesn't last as long though so be wary of that if you try this technique.

Rose Matter is a soft neutral coral which is perfect for spring/summer season. I can’t say I 100% love this shade as I am not a big coral fan but if you are then you will love this. Like Unicorn Blood and Celebrity Skin, it is very watery and goes on opaque. One swipe from the doe foot applicator is plenty as it is super pigmented. It dries completely and lasts really well until you have something oily and then it starts to come off. This is a known fact about all of the lipsticks in Jeffree’s line, it’s something we have to deal with I’m afraid.

Mannequin is a cool toned nude which is darker than the shade I’m Nude but lighter than Celebrity Skin so if you didn’t like the look of those, this should be right up your street. I love this shade, sometimes Celebrity Skin feels a little darker and grungy and even though I am all about grungy lips sometimes I want to go for a softer lip especially if I go for a full on smokey eye.

This was the first time I purchased straight from Jeffree’s website as I bought from Beautylish previously. I wont be buying direct again as I was hit with a £12.92 custom charge from Royal Mail which seemed extreme for lipsticks that cost a few pounds more. I will also be keeping a close eye on Cocktail Cosmetics as they are the official company in the UK for JS. The only issue I have is the fact that all of the lipsticks are constantly sold out so you have to keep and eye on his twitter and instagram for updates, he is on the ball with this and lets you know instantly.

If you love your liquid lipsticks to go on easily, pigmented and comfortably then these are definitely for you. If you want something that dries quickly and lasts all day/night, these are for you. If you want something that won’t break the bank and is an all-round fabulous product, these are 100% for you!

 Have you checked out my latest featuring My First Week On Slimming World?

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Scottish Scran | Crossbasket Castle Restaurant

Source

Hi guys

If you don’t already know, it was my 31st birthday on the 6th July and Liam decided to take me to the newly opened Michael Roux Jnr & Albert Roux restaurant within Crossbasket Castle in High Blantyre. I was actually screaming inside when he told me he booked it as a surprise as 31 isn’t a big birthday at all but considering he missed my 30^th family meal last year he said he wanted to make up for it. And boy did he make up for it.

When we drove onto the grounds, I was taken aback at how beautiful the surroundings were, it really is quite incredible. The building itself is a 14^th century castle which was recently restored by husband and wife, Steve Timoney and Alison Reid Timoney. As well as the Albert & Michael Roux Jnr Restaurant & breathtaking surroundings, it boasts 9 en-suite bedrooms which are filled with antique furnishings and a grand ballroom perfect for weddings.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the hotel manager (I think!), he took our coats and escorted us through to the bar area where we overlooked the river behind the hotel. While we waited for our table we read over the menu, which looked incredible. We were presented with a few bar nibbles including olives, salt & vinegar cashew nuts and salted popcorn. We were then given some canapes including salted beef, smoked salmon on beetroot crisps & rhubarb with parmesan crisps. I was blown away at this point as they tasted amazing. Honestly if this was only the canapes, I could only imagine how good the meal was going to be. 

After 30 minutes, of relaxing by the waterfall display outside, we were taken through to the restaurant which overlooked the beautiful gardens in the forecourt. As we already salivated over the menu, we were quite excited and wanted to dive straight into the food. 

In total there were 7 courses which included an amuse-bouche of Chicken Liver Parfait with a Madeira Jelly & 6 dishes including dessert. Please see above for full breakdown of menu. I actually forgot to take pictures of the amuse-bouche & the first course as I zoned out and just started shovelling the delicious looking food into my mouth. What can I say, I`m a greedy person when beautiful food is presented to me. 

I opted for the wine parings with each dish and I have to say, up until now I just drank wine to drink it as I never understood its place but after tonight I will be looking into this more and more as it really added to the experience. Liam who is not a wine drinker tried some of the offerings and he loved them. After 6 courses, we were getting full. I know everyone moans about portion sizes when it comes to eating like this but honestly it’s more than you would imagine.

Chefs Taster Menu (£67 per person)

Homemade Mortadella Sausage with Asparagus & Bois Boudran Sauce

Crab Tortellini with Scallops & Lemon Dressing

Wild Smoked Salmon, Peas, Broad Beans with a Light Liquorice Consomme

Glazed Duck Breast with Salt Baked Beetroot, Celeriac Puree and a Duck Jus

Passionfruit Soufflé with Chocolate and Hazelnut Ice Cream

I am glad I made some room for the dessert as it was the most amazing thing I have ever eaten. I am not a soufflé lover, I would much rather a cake of some sort but as soon as I cut into the soufflé the most intense aroma whacked me in the face. It was really strong with Passionfruit, which is what you want when it’s the main flavour but I was not prepared for the intensity at all. It was hands down the best dessert I have ever eaten. Liam, who unlike me, hates desserts, he would rather have a starter and main whereas I am the opposite but he devoured his in a matter of seconds with all of the obligatory oohing & ahhing ha-ha. 3 days later and he is still talking about it, that’s how good it was.

Crab Tortellini with Scallops & Lemon Dressing

Wild Smoked Salmon, Peas, Broad Beans with a Light Liquorice Consomme

Glazed Duck Breast with Salt Baked Beetroot, Celeriac Puree and a Duck Jus

Passionfruit Soufflé with Chocolate and Hazelnut Ice Cream

After the meal, we were escorted through to the lounge area which was very welcoming and relaxing. We were full to the brim by this point and welcomed the comfy seats in a beautifully decorated room. We were then given coffee & petit fours along with a slice of rich chocolate cake with a Happy Birthday message & candle on it which I was not expecting. I love little touches like this when you dine out as it makes the overall experience that bit more special. 

The overall feel of the hotel/restaurant was very decadent indeed. It was very warm and inviting. It screamed high class all the way and the food was definitely the star of the show. One thing I was worried about was the service as I have never dined in a restaurant of this calibre before so I didn't know how they would act but I shouldn't have worried as both of the ladies who looked after us were an absolute joy. I was highly impressed with their knowledge of food and wine but they were just down to earth girls who made us feel comfortable and special. 

I'm not going to talk money as I feel it is a little crass, I'm sure you will have a rough idea after seeing the menu above. I understand this is a once in a lifetime experience or a once every year kind of a deal but we were celebrating a birthday and wanted to try Crossbasket Castle ever since we heard of it. We certainly don't dine like this every weekend, trust me. If you don't want to try the dinner service, they offer a Lounge Menu (items from £6.50) Afternoon Tea (from £25) and a Lunch Menu (£30) too which I will be trying out very soon as they all sound amazing. 

I have to say, 3 days later I am still salivating thinking about this meal. Both myself and Liam keep talking about it every couple of hours and have the stupidest grins on our face as we know it was a once a year kind of a thing for us. The service was top notch, the surroundings were gorgeous and the food was the most amazing experience ever. My favourite dishes were the Crab Tortellini with Gavi di Gavi Olim Bauda 2014 Wine (£14.99) & the Passionfruit Soufflé with Berton Vineyard Metal Label Moscato Frizzante (£31 for 3 bottles) as they were both out of this world. Liam’s favourite was the Duck & Beetroot as well as the Passionfruit Soufflé. As Liam and I love to cook, we are going to attempt the crab and scallop dish at home, obviously we dont have a recipe but we will search for a similar one online and I will 100% be buying the wine to go along with it as it truly impressed me.

If you haven’t tried this place and are saving for a special occasion then I would recommend the Albert & Michael Roux Junior Restaurant. It is by far the best meal I have had the pleasure of eating and the castle was the most extraordinary way of spending my birthday with my love. I would get on it instantly as I am sure it will be in the running for a coveted Michelin Star soon so get in quickly! Also for all us beauty minded folks, Arran Aromatics supply all their bathroom supplies so you know you are going to smell like a dream while you eat but i'm sure you wont be worrying about that when you tuck into your first course.

Have you checked out my latest featuring A Rival For Lush?

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Bath Time With Pretty Suds

Hi guys,

Well, its that time of the year again where we get the cake out, the candles out and we turn another year older. Yes, its my birthday and I have finally entered my 31st year. This is actually scarier than turning 30. I dont know why but it feels weird. I'm not going to do a whole, "What My Goals Are" speech cause lets face it, I wont stick to it. I do know that I am doing my Honours this year so I will have hopefully finished that by the time I reach 32. But as far as anything else goes, I'm pretty much open to suggestions. Enough of me rabbiting on eh?

You know by now that I am a Lush fiend and I have not found a company who can rival them. Until now. Pretty Suds is a family run business headed up by the lovely Chloe where all products are handmade. All products are vegetarian with most of them being vegan as well but please check ingredients list if this is something you are keen to know. I decided to buy quite a bit as I was running low on bath bombs and all of the ones on her website looked amazing. It was quite difficult to narrow it down as you can imagine as the home page is filled with loads of tempting delights. I eventually settled on Sunny Side Up & Juliet’s Kiss which are bath bombs, Starry Night & Water Malone which are bubble bars and some Wax Melts along with an Oil Burner. After receiving the package, I wish I bought more.

First things first, Sunny Side Up (£5), how freaking adorable is this packaging. When I first got the parcel I was shocked at the scent coming through the box. It was bursting with the most incredible fragrance. Liam actually took the parcel from the postman and starting tearing his way into it as it was so intoxicating. We both opened the egg carton as if it were diamonds inside, I’m not joking. We are both a little dramatic ha-ha. Anyway, the smell from each and every one is incredible. There are 6 mini colour bombs in total to give you a sense of what the company have to offer so its a great way to get to know Pretty Suds. These are a charity product so this month is celebrating the LGBT community and PS will be donating 50p from every box sold to the LGBT foundation. I have used 2 from this carton and they are not playing around. Even though they are quite small they pack a serious punch and leave your bathroom smelling incredible, even after the water disappears.

Water Malone, the watermelon bubble bar was the only reason I found out about Pretty Suds. I saw it on Instagram and instantly needed it. I was a little apprehensive about this one as I wasn’t sure it was going to give off a great aroma but I bought it anyway and was pleased to find out I was wrong. The scent is so incredible that it nearly brought tears to my eyes (I told you I was dramatic). No in all seriousness though, it was beautiful and created the most perfect bubbles. I loved how soft my skin felt once I had dried myself off and I also loved the fact that I could smell this on my skin the morning after which is very rare. Once I was in the shower, I wished I had a shower gel that smelled like this as it really is amazing. Sorry, I cant find a link to this on their website so I dont know if they have taken this off the market or what. 

Starry Night is the stand out for me. It is a serious contender for all-time favourite bath product and I mean it would beat even Lush`s best product (find my top 10 here). This has a very fruity scent which I wasn’t expecting at all. It gives off scents of sweet apple, pear, mandarin and raspberry. It is quite hefty too as it’s about 130g, so you could easily get about 4 baths out of this. Not too bad in my opinion. The bubbles this babe produces is intense, honestly, I crumbled in a little bit to see how it fared and my bath was gorgeous. As with the Water Malone bubble bar, I was left with silky soft skin which smelled like a dream. I had Liam saddled up beside me all night when I used this the first time as he just wanted to smell me ha-ha, I don’t know if that’s creepy or sweet. Sorry, I cant find a link to this one either. 

Juliets Kiss (£2.95) is simply stunning. If you are a girly girl who loves sweet floral scents, then this is the one for you. This boasts the gorgeous scents of jasmine, violet and peony and also has rose petals captured inside the bath bomb which just gives a whole new meaning to a romantic bath doesn't it. This does exactly what you can imagine, it leaves your skin feeling super soft, you feeling relaxed and lets you drift away to the romantic setting of your choice. If you and your partner like to bathe together, I would suggest using this one as it is very romantic. 

I haven't used my wax melts yet as I am using some Yankee Candle ones at the moment but as soon as I do, I will update you. I'm sure they will be great though as they smell incredible through the packaging. 

All in all, these products are amazing. I got everything I was expecting from a great bath product and more. The overall design of each product is brilliant and the aroma from each bath bomb from the packaging straight through the scent left on your skin afterwards is unlike anything I have tried before. I do suffer from sensitive skin as you may or may not know and I didn't have any issues with these products but you may have to carry out a skin test before using if you are scared of breaking out. The only issue I have now is, what ones will I choose next?? 

Have you checked out my latest featuring My Favourite Male Bloggers?

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