Benefit Coralista lipgloss in ELLE || Review

Hello Lovelies,

The only way I can survive a long train journey is with a good magazine to read, I love Elle as it has fab reading and lots of pretty pictures.  What got me more excited than usual was the freebie lipgloss (a complete bonus as I had forgoton mine), I have never actually tried a Benefit lipgloss but am a complete Benebabe so was happy to slap it on my lips and give it a whirl.

I cant think of any products that I have got in magazines that I have actually repurchased but this one I can firmly say will be popped in my shopping basket asap.

Benefit describes this gloss as a sheer coral and they are pretty spot on, I love coral lipsticks and glosses as they tend to make my lips a lovely natural pink colour.  Apart from the colour I love the fact that it isn't sticky or tacky on your lips, it feels more like a lipstick.  It is also in a fab tube which reminds me of the days that juicy tubes were the rage.  The longevity of the product is also really good, you will always have to reapply lipgloss but this seems to have great staying power. This is a fab product which gets an A* from me.

Will you be skipping out to buy a copy of ELLE?

Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil || Review

Hello Lovelies,

I have been using this Organix Moroccan Argan Oil (£6.99) for the last three weeks, I had never used one before but my mother has a ridiculously expensive one which she swears by, so after seeing this on various blogs I decided to give it a whirl.  After using it just once I have to admit to falling in love, on the hair care love list it is on par with my Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque, something my hair can't live without.

You apply the oil by rubbing your hands together then running it through your damp (towel dried) hair with your fingers.  Organix say that the oil 'penetrates, moisturises, renews and creates softness and strength' as well as protecting your hair from harmful heat and UV damage while giving you smooth sexy tresses.  

Likes/Loves:

the price (very affordable)
love the scent 
it smooths and controls frizz
it absorbs fast and isn't heavy
it is sulfate free

Dislikes:

I really can't think of any, which is rare as I am so picky when it comes to hair care products. 
    

This is a complete winner I have recommended it to so many people, when my shampoo runs out I am definitely going to give the shampoo a go.

Does anyone else use Argan Oil on their hair? 

Getting Crafty with Pumpkins

Hello Lovelies,

As Halloween looms ever closer I thought I ought to pop up a little post, having not really celebrated Halloween since I was about six and having never been trick or treating, as it's hard to do when you live in the middle of nowhere.  So I don't tend to get very excited at the thought of Halloween   However that aside I have always loved carving pumpkins (and eating them) so when my lovely cousin sent me a picture this morning of the pumpkin her and her children had carved, it sparked a full half hour of Pinterest searching, oohing and ahhing at all the seriously amazing pumpkins.   

After viewing lots of pumpkins I came across these two, there is a bit of a 'BOO' theme, but they were just so darn cute I couldn't resist.  I love the first four pumpkins spelling 'BOO!', they would look amazing if you had a wall or a large porch to put them on.  The second pumpkin appeals to my crafty side I love all the little buttons and the big spotty bow however as quirky and crafty as it is, I love my cousins toothy pumpkin, it is a traditional Halloween pumpkin and just like the pumpkins I carved when I was little. 

Are you a traditional pumpkin carver or do you like to get a bit crafty and step outside the box? 

Super Easy Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes || Recipe

Hello Lovelies,

As you know I am a serious pancake girl, these were the pancakes I grew up on, making them on the simmering plate of the Aga then scoffing them with my little brother.  They are a supper easy recipe all you need for measuring is a cup any kind of cup (don't worry it doesn't have to be one of those special measuring cups that you can buy).  They are super fluffy American-style pancakes that will give you serious brownie points whenever you make them.   

Ingredients:

1 cup Self-raising flour

1 cup semi-skin milk

1 free-range egg

pinch of salt

fruit of choice

spritz of oil

Put the flour, milk, egg and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.  Once your mixture is combined add your fruit, my two favourites are grated pear and blueberries, pear is better added to the mixture while blueberries are better dropped on just after you have poured the batter into the pan.

I normally make my pancakes in a big plastic jug then just pour them onto the pan, but it is just as easy to spoon them on.

Once you have added your batter to the pan wait until it starts to bubble then grab your spatula and flip it over.

You will have to cook them in batches, but once they are done eat with either natural yogurt and honey or real Maple syrup, the perfect breakfast. 

What is your favourite topping on your pancakes? 

Quesadilla with an Italian Twist

Hello Lovelies,

I am one of those people that always knows what I am eating for supper but lunch is a different matter, I find it really tricky to decide what I am going to eat, I want something filling but healthy, yummy but that's going to make me feel good (no post lunch guilt), the humble quesadilla is one of my all time faves.  Quesadillas originated in Mexico and were a corn tortilla filled with Oaxaca cheese, mine is quite far from the traditional form but it is extremely yummy.

I grab myself either a corn or wheat tortilla (basically whatever is in the larder) then some marzano tomatoes, (however any small tomatoes are fine) a few basil leaves and your cheese of choice, I can't have cows products so I tend to use a hard goats cheese.

Mine has a bit of an Italian twist as in my mind there is nothing better than tomato and basil, it is a match made in heaven.

So to make this scrummy lunch you need to grab your tortilla fold it in half and stuff it with your ingredients of choice, once you are happy pop it into a heated frying pan and wait for it to go golden then flip it over to cook the other side.     

Once it is lovely and golden take it out of the pan and cut into three for easy eating.  I love mine with a big handful of spinach, (my favourite salad leaf by miles) this and homemade soups are my go to lunch.

Does anyone else have problems deciding what to eat? 

Weekend Exploring in Dorset

Hello Lovelies,

I was a bit of a snap happy Sophie last weekend so just a little sorry in advance for the mass of pictures.

Last weekend we went on a little family vaycay, my Father, Aunt, Uncle, two cousins their spouses and their gorgeous children all decamped to Dorset.  The only place we would ever stay in that neck of the woods is Scoles Manor, it is a lovely barn conversion just outside of Corfe that sits in the middle of green fields and has the most amazing view out towards Corfe castle.  We stayed there regularly in the 90's when I was little with family friends.  We would spend ages looking for a tunnel to Corfe castle that our parents insisted existed (hours of entertainment!)       

Hello 90's Kids!

After years of visiting we all grew up and stopped going, but last weekend my family and I went on a lovely mass family trip, which I have to say was one of my favourite weekends away in a longtime.

  

We all rocked up with shed-loads of scrummy food, bags of clothes, wellies and coats, all ready for a weekend of fun.  We stayed in The Dairy and The Great Barn which were lovely bases for our exploring in and around Corfe. 

On Saturday we went to Kimmeridge Bay for a bit of fossil hunting, it is somewhere I used to go when I was little so it was lovely to go with my cousins children, they are such cuties and the perfect little fossil hunters even is some just wanted to paddle. 

After fossil hunting we went to the The Square and Compass a gorgeous little pub on the jurassic coast, it was covered in lovely pumpkins of different colours and sizes.  We drank freshly squeezed apple juice and yummy peppery pasties. 
  

After our lunch stop we drove to Studland beach a gorgeous sandy National Trust beach that I visited a lot as a child, we took our dog and all the kiddies and just ran around, built sand castles and played with the dog in the water  

Studland Bay

The next morning the children were given a can of feed for the ducks, (something I remember doing as a child) so I got in on the action and went with them as they let them out and fed them.

After the adults had enjoyed a latte (someone bought their Nespresso with them!!!!) the majority of us went on a walk to stretch our legs.  Gus our Labrador was rather fond of his new surroundings and all the little people (children) that wanted to play with him, so a good weekend was had by all, even the dog!

Pumpkins we didn't have time to carve (family tradition)

I can't recommend this place enough, beautiful accommodation, surroundings and lots to do especially for children.  If you are looking for a little break in the area then pop over and have a look (here)I promise you you wont regret it.

Cherry Me Maybelline Baby Lips || Review

Hello Lovelies,

I already have Pink Punch (review here) and use it quite regularly so when I spotted Cherry Me in Superdrug I thought I would add it to my lip balm collection.  Cherry Me is a sheer pink/rosey red tinted lip balm.  It coats your lips nicely with one swipe and leaves them looking very plump by diffusing all the little lines.

I wouldn't say this balm hydrates my lips like others I have, its a bit like Vaseline it protects them while it is on as it forms a barrier, but it won't sort out your chapped lips.  They do however do an 'Intense Care' and 'Hydrate' but I have yet to try them so can't comment on their moisturising ability.

I really like this balm as I love the berry colour of the tint, it is fab to keep in my bag as an alternative to lipstick.

BEE HAPPY || Birthday Giveaway

Hello Lovelies,

Today is my birthday, and to thank you all for being so wonderful and reading my little bit of the web I thought I would do a little giveaway.  I have been wearing this lovely bee necklace by Lily Charmed everyday and love how cute and dainty it is, so as a prezzie for one of you I thought I would give away a brand spanking new bee charm, that you can either hang around your neck or put on a charm bracelet.

To enter all you need to do is follow my blog and leave a comment below telling me how you celebrated/or are planning to celebrate your birthday this year. 

This giveaway will be open for a week, ending on Wednesday 23rd October.

The lovely Stevie Hearts Makeup is the winner of the Bee Happy giveaway.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Passionate Jasmine Hand Cream || Review

Hello Lovelies,

I love L'Occitane products so when there was a tube of their yummy hand cream in this months edition of Marie Claire I jumped at the chance to get my mitts on a new shiny tube of hand cream goodness.  I did however trawl the shops to find the right one, as now one seems to like the Subtle Violet (hands smelling of Parma Violets) it doesn't float my boat!  I wanted either the Passionate Jasmine or the Shea Butter so after eventually finding the Jasmine in Waitrose I decided that was the one.  

As freebies go this is a pretty darn good one it retails at £8.00 and is liquid gold.  I am rather obsessed with hand creams as for someone who doesn't work with their hands I seem to have the driest hands in the south, which just isn't a good look, so I constantly apply various hand creams and I have to say L'Occitane is one of my favourites.

L'Occitane say that their hand cream is 'highly concentrated with shea butter, helps to protect, nourish and soften the skin, while leaving them delicately scented with the captivating and radiant jasmine fragrance'.  I cant really say much more than it does what is says, it is a lovely thick hand cream that is non-greasy and is easily absorbed into the skin.  The packaging is really pretty I love the colours and the sweet little flower cap.  It is also the perfect size to pop in your handbag, all in all this product is a good egg and I have no complaints!     

Does anyone else like L'Occitane products?