Burt's Bees Lip Crayons

I am a huge fan of Burt's Bees from the hand cream, foot cream, lip balm and Cuticle Balm to the Lip Crayons. Infact despite my hatred of Marzipan (yes really it is evil) I absolutely adore the Almond Milk handcream, which smells just like marzipan, I just don't have to eat it.

The lip crayons which are twist-up crayon format with no added scent to them are available in six creamy full-coverage shades which can be used for everyday wear either alone or layered under a Lip Gloss or Lip Shine. Infused with Shea Butter, Kendi Oil, and Jojoba Oil to provide a lightweight and comfortable suitable-for-everyday formula, each crayon whilst being incredibly lightweight gives a coverage of colour just like any other traditional lipstick. Add to that, these crayons, owing to their ingredients, are designed to moisturise and hydrate your lips too, so whilst you look fabulous with your lip shade, that formula is working to look after your lips to leave them looking and feeling soft and smooth.

The six shades within the collection called Napa Vineyard, Sedona Sands, Redwood Forest, Niagara Overlook, Hawaiian Overlook and Caroline Coast, all of which are all wearable and all look amazing. I have both Sedona Sands and Redwood Forest and have not stopped wearing them.  Redwood Forest looks a lot darker than it actually is and I would describe it as being a warm-toned brownish red-pink, that leans more towards maroon as you build up the colour, a shade I absolutely love and one which is perfect for day or nighttime wear. Sedona Sands is the perfect nude and I adore it. I would describe it as being a warm, earthy pinky nude which is incredibly wearable and for me more of a daytime shade than an evening one, but I adore it.

Retailing at £8.99 each these 100% natural lip crayons won Best New Makeup Product For Lips at the 2016 CEW Awards.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Lulu Guiness Compact Style Tangle Teezer

Did you know that the Tangle Teezer launched back in 2007, was showcased on Dragon's Den and turned down by the Dragons for any kind of investment but pricked the interest of Boots and the rest became history.  Today there is a plethora of Tangle Teezers available - The original, The Elite, The Cute little flowerpot (loved by Victoria Beckham), the Tangle Teezer for thick and curly hair, the Aqua Splash, a Tangle Teezer for men and now some really interesting blow dry tools, which I frankly really want to try!

My current love in this Lulu Guiness Compact Styler. Called the compact styler because it fits perfectly into your handbag and the innovative removable cover protects those wonderful flexi teeth from dust, fluff, dirt and other gubbings found lurking in your handbag.

Now my hair is not particularly thick, but I do have a lot of hair, so I am prone to knots and tangles which can be a pain to brush out, but the Tangle Teezer makes what was once a painful experience of detangling an absolute breeze and if you have never owned one, you need one!

The Compact Styler as I have mentioned is perfect for chucking in your handbag to use on the go, packing for holidays and long weekends away. It glides through my hair effortlessly without pulling, snagging or breaking my hair. As soon as it comes into contact with any knot or tangle, the uniquely designed teeth manage to untangle your tangle to leave it soft, smooth and effortless to brush, gone are the days of grimacing as you drag a brush through your locks.

Designed by Lulu Guinness, this Compact Styler features the trademark red lip design on a black and white striped background.  The whole design is matched in colour with a black base and red brush teeth.  The teeth as you can see are slightly curved to make working it through your hair much easier and the two different sized teeth ensure that every single hair is brushed into place. It doesn't scratch your scalp when brushed through and nor does it tangle itself into existing knots.

The perfect hair and handbag accessory for keeping your locks brushed and looking as fabulous as the Tangle Teezer itself and it retails for £13.50 - HERE and is worth every penny.

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

#EstimationNation Bake Off with Smart Energy GB

In early May I was invited by Smart Energy GB to attend an event organised to highlight the absurdity of estimation in our daily lives. We don’t and wouldn’t accept it in other parts of our lives yet seem to have no problem using estimation to pay for one of the largest household bills, our gas and electricity.

On 19 May the date had arrived, hubby had managed to say nothing of what was in store* and I made my way through the streets of trendy Hoxton, dodging hipsters, the pools of beard wax on the pavement outside overpriced bars and artisan coffee houses to Open Kitchen.

So, what was on the cards? Well, it was described as a strange an unusual punishment in a jokey way, but it actually turned out to be four hours of fun, laughter and a great chance to see how other bloggers coped with the challenges. Hosted by Ian Cumming of chocolate well fame from a certain baking show had developed two recipes for us to try and bake, the twist being that the recipes didn’t have any measurements, we had no way of measuring anything and we had no idea what temperature and for how long they had to be baked for – everything was to be done using estimates.

As we had an odd number I had the beauty of lots of advice and assistance from Ian. Without it I would have been lost, completely lost and despite his expert help I have to say the first challenge resulted in lovely looking cakes but on tasting them they had a sharp taste. Way too much bi-carbonate of soda!

As the chefs from Open Kitchen made their way around the work stations to judge the offerings we had come up with we adjourned downstairs to a beautifully decorated area where we learnt more about smart meters and how they will bring an end to the age of estimation and drag one of the last analogue industries into the digital age. We even got to watch a short hidden camera video showing the reaction of shoppers when a supermarket estimates their final bill. I had seen it before but it still makes me laugh. You can see it here:

After taking on some tea it was time for Ian to set the second challenge. Cheese and herb scones! I’ve never made a scone in my life and dreaded this section! After much tutting and deliberation it became clear that I had to get a move on and again I was pulling my scones out of the oven as time was called. These were much worse than the cupcakes and it took about five minutes to chew one bite – not good.

There were prizes for the best estimator bake and to my surprise the worse bakes also received vouchers for cooking lessons with the excellent chefs at Open Kitchen.

I didn’t win, I couldn’t (see the disclosure at the bottom) but that didn’t take anything away from the day which I thought was a fantastic way of bringing energy and an energy related topic to life, brilliantly organised and well executed.

Three things I learnt on the day:  

• Estimation sucks and smart meters will finally bring this to an end for my bills
• Ian Cumming is not only a great baker but also he is a genuinely lovely man and it was an honour to cook with him
• Smart meters will show me, in pounds and pence what I’m spending on my electricity at home - we don’t have a gas supply.

Smart meters are being offered to every household in England, Scotland and Wales between now and 2020 at no additional cost. They show how much energy you are using and do so in pounds and pence so you can use the display to make energy efficiency savings around the home, easy steps like changing to energy efficient light bulbs, turning off lights when leaving rooms and switching devices off standby.

*it’s an obvious disclosure but hubby does work for Smart Energy GB, he offered no help on the day and he even excluded me from the possibility of winning or losing so there could be no accusations of bias. It was fun though and an experience I’ll never forget.

 For added fun you can see how hard this challenge was:

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Boutique Spa Classic Pedicure

I hate feet, it isn't a new fact and it isn't even that unusual, what's more, I hate my feet being touched full stop so when I was given the chance to enjoy a pedicure, I was in part filled with dread that I wouldn't enjoy it and fearful that as soon as someone touch my feet, I would, as I usually do, kick out!

Boutique Spa is the sister company of Spa and Massage, which I have recently visited and reviewed here and it is based in Queensway, just a few stops up from Oxford Street  in London with another to open in Fitzrovia later this year. As with its sister company, Boutique Spa aims to make having a treatment easy and is open on Monday to Saturday from 10am until 9.30pm and on a Sunday from 10am until 8pm, they offer a walk-in, no appointment necessary service or you can also book a treatment in advance.  

Upon my arrival, I was greeted with an offer of freshly made Lemonade, Water or Tea and then asked to choose a nail polish that I would like used for my Classic Pedicure.  Gratefully accepting Lemonade, I looked at the wall, yes an entire wall, full of nail polishes and eventually settled on an Essie Shade which is quite unlike anything I would usually choose.

Once I had chosen my nail polish, I was taken over to the Pedicure section of the Boutique and told to get myself comfortable, remove my shoes and relax.  What I liked about this Boutique was how clean it was and having got myself relaxed into a chair, I could have quite happily sat there all day just watching the world go by.  Nothing was too much trouble and I was kept hydrated the whole time I was in the Boutique.

I was to have the Classic Pedicure which lasts for 45 minutes and costs just £35. The treatment include smoothing of the feet, cuticle tidy, foot massage, shape and then polish.  So once my feet had been soaking in the amazingly warm water, absolute heaven as my feet were pretty tired and aching from all of the walking I had done that day.  The first part of the treatment my therapist did was to cut my talons, file them into shape and then tidy the cuticles around each nail, a totally painless exercise and one, which like your fingernails, is important. 

Then using various foot buffering tools, my feet were scrubbed, rubbed, buffed and exfoliated, not just the heels of my feet either, each toe, the back of my heel, the ball of my foot and the sole, a tool for each job used and some more abrasive than others, but impressive at the same time.  Once my feet had become soft and smooth to the touch, I was then given a foot massage, the part I had really not been looking forward too but wow, what an absolute treat it was and it was so good, I almost fell asleep in the chair, I was that relaxed and de-stressed.  My feet were massaged from top to bottom with varying degrees of pressure applied, it wasn't uncomfortable nor did it hurt, it was just absolute bliss (Beautykinguk take note!!)

Once the massage was complete, it was time to paint my toe nails, it is rare that I have no nail polish on my toes and when I do, it is always a dark polish. Having had a base coat applied, the Essie shade I had chosen, Sunset Sneaks, was then applied and then a cuticle oil.  I was then told to sit back, relax and wait for the polish to dry, which I did.

The whole treatment lasted 47 minutes and it was so much better than I had anticipated it would be. Not once did I flinch or get the urge to kick out, infact I enjoyed the whole process so much, I didn't want to leave.

Boutique Spa is a fantastic little find. The staff are incredibly welcoming and easy to chat too, nothing is too much trouble and the entire experience is so incredibly relaxing with the scent of aromatherapy oils in the air and some light music in the background.  So if you are in need of a lunchtime treat, this place is the the place to be!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise