Nakd!

How many of you hit a slump around 10.30-11am when sat at your desk? Suddenly in need of a quick sugar fix, even though you have had your breakfast? Yep me too and whilst I try not to reach for the biscuits or a slice of cake, but more often than not I do.  So, when I was very kindly sent a box of Nakd** bars to try, I was more than eager to give them a go.

Nakd bars are described as being protein bars which are also :

• Dairy free
• Wheat and gluten free
• Vegan friendly
• Low in saturated fats
• Free from added sugar and syrups
• GM Free
• Kosher

All of which on reflection doesn't sound that exciting does it, but they come in a range of different flavours and I (well BeautyKingUK) have been slowly making my way through each one.

"Nākd bars and snacks are a great way to eat nutritious, healthy food without compromising on taste! Our snack bars are made from yummy natural ingredients such as fruits and nuts which are 'smooshed' together for you into a handy bar. Wheat and dairy free, with no added sugars or hidden extras. Get Nakd today!"

The box I have was filled with a selection of Nakd bars and I thought I would share some of my favcourites from the selection

Bakewell Tart - Now I personally cannot stand Marzipan which is odd because I love almonds and I love Bakewell Tarts. This bar was described as follows "We have taken the classic dessert and given it the Nakd treatment, resulting in a snack bar that's totally tasty and good for you too! This Bakewell tart bar features the sweet, deep tang of dates and raisins combined with a hint of shortcrust, rounded off with a moist and nutty texture". It contains date paste (49%), cashew nuts (35%) raisins (16%) and natural flavour.  The taste is as you would expect, just like a Bakewell Tart but without the pastry, quite odd to describe really, but very tasty and it definitely helps keep me out of the biscuit jar.

Cafe Mocha - This one took me a few bites to get used to it because whilst it is a mixture of coffee and chocolate tasting, the raisins felt a bit odd, but you get used to them and there is this really rich aroma, the sort of scent you get from walking into Costa.  The actual description of this bar is as follows "Do you love the taste of smooth rich coffee mixed with a delicious chocolaty flavour? This gorgeous coffee flavoured snack is different to other cereal bars out there – it’s made from all natural ingredients and tastes like nothing you’ve tried before. Imagine the wonderfully rich aroma of freshly made cappuccino infused with chocolatey mocha, and you’ll get some idea of what Nakd Caffé Mocha is like. Why not try one yourself?"  This bar is made with just dates (55%), cashew nuts (26%), raisins (12%), cocoa (6%) and natural flavourings.

Cocoa Mint - This is my favourite of all the Nakd Cocoa bars and I am a huge fan of mint flavoured chocolate. The mint within this bar is immediately noticeable as is the cocoa, together they taste is one I have really enjoyed. This bar is described as "This bar has all of the rich gorgeousness of cocoa combined with a subtle zing of natural mint flavour. Soft and pleasantly smooth, this is sure to satisfy chocolate cravings whilst still delivering all the goodness of fruit and nuts in one handy, healthy bar. Need an easy snack to keep you going? Nakd Cocoa Mint loves to live in lunchboxes and can be popped into pockets for between meals. Try it yourself – we think you’ll find its super delicious! As with other bars, this one is again made with Dates (48%), Cashews (29%), Raisins (17%), Cocoa (6%), natural flavour

The rest of the bars within the box are shown above and the ones which are missing were Gingerbread, and Bakewell Tart which proved very popular with the Hubs, who would not usually ever in a million years pick up anything like this at all, so I am mighty impressed. 

If you are looking for something healthy to snack on, then I would suggest trying the Nakd bars, they are really good at dealing with hunger pangs, keeping your fingers out of the biscuit jar and best of all - they are good for you!!

To purchase them places like Whole Foods, Natural Balance Foods and similar places sell them.

Have you ever tried a Nakd bar?

Balmi Lip Balms

I am a lip balm obsessive, most people know this and are not surprised by how many I have in my collection, but I do use them and have two or three in most handbags and quite a few in my desk drawer as emergencies as well as one in each make-up bag, you get my drift?

The reason I am so obsessed with lip balms is because lips are really important and boy do they get used a lot - from eating and drinking, to kissing, air kissing, talking and so on... so they need a little bit of TLC otherwise imagine what it is like to see dry, flaky, chapped lips coming towards you - quite grim!  I also use lip balm before applying any lipstick to my lips as a base because I find it helps cover any imperfections there might be.

So, the latest editions to my collection are by Balmi who state that "It's cool to be squared" only there is a slight twist to the 'squared' bit!  If you have used these before, then you will know what I mean but if you haven't, then the pictures below will enlighten you because as you can see, it is square from the outside, but once opened (with a quick twist) the actual balm is conical - quite funky I think!

The Balmi Lip Balm has the perfect blend of ingredients to give your lips long lasting daily care and protection because they have SPF 15 and UVA protection not forgetting to mention that they also include antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, soothing Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil to help leave your lips moisturised, soft and super smooth.

Currently available in five different flavours - Strawberry, Blackcurrant, Mint, Strawberry and Coconut, each Balmi Lip Balms is scented exactly as you would expect it to be.  Once applied to the lips, the balm itself feels really moisturising and it adds quite a subtle shine to the lips, thankfully it doesn't make your lips feel as though you have just rubbed them across a block of lard.  For me, the pyramid shape of the balm doesn't have any effect as to how easy the application is, because like similar balms, it just glides across the lips, meaning you don't have to faff about with your fingers.

Balmi lip balms cost around £4.99 each and you can find them in places like Tesco, Topshop and Boots and for that price, I think it is great value for money.

Do you have a favourite Balmi Lip Balm?

Jurlique Jasmine Shower Gel

One of my favourite brands right now is Jurlique, one which is a recent discovery and one that I am enjoying learning about.  The rose scented products are rated high up on my favourites list along with the Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum, but now I have discovered a new Jurlique scent which I have absolutely fallen for and need everything in - introducing the Jurlique Jasmine Shower Gel**.

I am now one of those people who simply cannot just go into my local supermarket and buy a shower gel, I have been spoilt by so many amazing products, that they just don't do anything for me anymore, especially when brands lie Jurlique have their own amazing product.

So the bottle, well everything you need to know is clearly visible and as it is a see through plastic bottle with a pump action dispenser, it is also very shower friendly to hold and pump with wet hands whilst in the shower.  The Shower Gel is really luxurious, it is thick, it is creamy and boy does it lather as soon as it comes into water.  Most importantly for me whoever is the scent which is just stunning, I love it.  A mixture of Jasmine, Honey and Marshmellow work together to create this amazing aroma not to mention the inclusion of:

Soap Bark and Horsechestnut lather on contact for effective cleansing.

Grapefruit Seed Extract helps clarify and refresh skin.

Hydrolyzed Soy Protein and Honey help smooth, soften and rebalance skin dryness.

Adding all of those together you are left with skin which feels  very clean, refreshed, hydrated, moisturised and best of smelling amazing.  The scent lingers so delicately on the skin that you can smell it all day long, if only Jurlique could turn this scent into a candle it would be up there in my favourites for the scent alone.

A 300ml bottle would usually cost around £20 but if you look around you can find this for as little as £14 which I think is an absolute bargain for such a wonder product.  Now I just need the body scrub, hand cream and body lotion to finish off my little collection!

USpicy Cosmetic Brush Set - Real Technique Dupe?

You can never have too many make-up brushes in my opinion and whilst I am some way off completing mine and having all the ones I need, when I was given the chance to try a 10-piece brush set** from USpicy I jumped at the chance. Now 10 brushes is a huge collection to have and this kit usually retails for £35.99 though it is on special offer on Amazon for half price right now!

When the brushes arrive, they are packaged inside this lovely gift box with a really handy guide to each brush. Inside that box, wrapped individually you will find a Flat Brush, Tapered Brush, Flat Angled Brush, Round Brush, Precision Flat Brush, Precision Tapered Brush, Precision Flat Angled Brush, Precision Angled Brush and Precision Round Brush. 

Looking at each brush in turn, not only are they really well made, they use synthetic fibre hair for the brush and then the handle is made from aluminium ferrule and wooden.  On the face, the brush itself is incredibly soft and I would actually say they are as soft as my Real Technique brushes and perform just as good a job.

My favorites of the bigger brushes are the 'Flat' brush which I use to apply my Boots No.7 foundation which is a liquid and it works really well on the flat areas of my face especially forehead and my cheeks.  I also love the 'Round' brush which I use when applying my powder as it helps to blend everything onto my skin leaving no lines.  Then with the smaller brushes, the one I currently use the most are the 'Precision Flat Angled brush' for applying my concealer as I am trying not to use my fingers so much.

I personally think this is a great set of brushes and it would make a lovely gift for someone who is just discovering what make-up brushes can do when used properly or as a gift for someone who just loves make-up brushes, they are great quality and even when washed they don't shed their hair and are just as easy to clean as any other brush I have.

Have you tried this USpicy brush set?  Do any of them take your fancy?