Healthy Happy Pets - Feat. Petshop.co.uk*

For those of us that have a furry friend in our lives, you will know how important it is to look after them and you’ll want to provide them with the best care that you can. I have a few furry friends that I am going to introduce you to in this post and I was very kindly sent some food for them from Petshop.co.uk.

Petshop.co.uk is a nationwide home delivery subscription service for pet food. All of the staff are pet owners so really understand the needs of us per parents. Their website stocks over 10000 products and all major brands of pet food and supplies. They offer a service called ‘Bottomless Bowl’ to ensure you never run out of pet food. This is a service that auto-reorders your pet food as often as you choose and enables you to pick a schedule that suits your pet.

The first item I was sent was the Huntland Adult Grazing British Lamb Grain Free Dog Food which I tried with my dogs Buster and Ruby. Buster is a small black cross breed between a Scottie dog, Lhasa Apso and a Yorkshire Terrier – a right mix! Ruby is a cross between a West Highland Terrier and a Jack Russell. The Huntland Grain Free Dog Food is 100% natural and contains 50% meat or fish, 50% vegetables, fruits and herbs. I received the lamb flavour which contains 50% lamb. The food is made in the UK using freshly prepared lamb, dried lamb and lamb stock from sustainable sources. This food is the perfect complete and balanced diet for all adult dogs and has even been tested on fussy dogs who loved it! Buster will eat anything but Ruby is known to be fussy with her foods so I was interested in trying this out with her. After following the packaging feeding guidelines, I served this up to both of my dogs who ate it all up. The dry food is made into small round and when the dog bites and chews to eat; the biscuits help to clean the teeth and remove tartar! Great news for my smelly-breathed mutts! Overall I think they really enjoyed eating this and eagerly awaited their next meal. It’s good to know they are getting wholesome, healthy foods too.

The next item I received was the Canagan Scottish Salmon Dry Cat Food  for Biscuit, my fluffy ginger cat. Biscuit is very spoiled and usually only likes the best, most expensive food which is typical really. He is on the other hand very open to trying new foods so when I popped some of the food into his bowl, his head was straight in there. This Canagan dry cat food is a grain-free, all-natural food, made with fresh meat and vegetables, which benefit your cat in every way.  The smell was very fishy and I knew Biscuit would love this as he is always under my feet when I open a can of tuna. The high quality ingredients mean this food is easily digestible and boosts your cats immune system. I can’t believe it contains over 75% fish! Biscuit loved his Canagan cat food, I’m tempted to set him up for the bottomless bowl subscription when I move out and take him with me.

The final pet food item I got was the Burgess Excel Small Animal Chamomile Herbage for Mr. Bunny the rabbit. He is also fussy and mainly eats nuggets. He doesn’t like muesli or anything with bits. This product is made from Timothy Hay and contains chamomile, and is something Mr Bunny has never tried before. Timothy Hay is an excellent source of fibre and helps maintain dental health and chamomile is known for its calming properties. This product was brilliant in getting Mr Bunny back in his hutch. He usually requires a carrot to get him inside every night and won’t accept anything less but this herbage seemed to have done the trick. He is one happy bunny!

Overall, I have 4 very happy and spoiled pets getting to try out a new range of food. I received an excellent service from petshop.co.uk and urge you to check them out if you have pets and regularly buy food. Delivery is free on all orders over £19.99 and the food is delivered straight to your door. Prices are very competitive and petshop.co.uk always offer the lowest prices possible. Visit petshop.co.uk today and stock up on food for your fur babies for great prices.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my pets! Let me know what pets you have in the comments.

*I received these pet food goodies from petshop.co.uk free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. 

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JADU Tea London Review*

I love tea, I am definitely a tea person and there aren't many flavours that I don’t like. Green tea is one of my favourites so when JADU Tea offered me the chance to review some of their teas I was so excited to experience the flavours of a brand I had never heard of before. 

I received some loose leaf China Green Tea. The packaging was simply divine, it is so well presented that it would be the perfect gift for a tea lover. The box is made with navy blue Royal Suede and embossed with the JADU Tea logo in gold. It looks fat to nice to hide in a cupboard – this is a tea I am proud to display on show.

The leaves have been carefully  rolled and are full of antioxidants. The taste is so fresh and light and much nicer than the usual standard supermarket blend green teas that I buy. This Chinese green tea is best served without milk. Infuse 3g of tea per 200ml for 2 minutes in 80°C water. Thankfully Kim (Romanov’s Views) bought me an adorable pug tea infuser for Christmas which holds the perfect amount of tea leaves for the perfect brew. You can purchase 12 JADU Tea Envelopes for £16 or 100g of the loose leaf tea for £21.50 on their website.



JADU Tea also very kindly sent me some individual teabags in English Breakfast and Mademoiselle Grey which I popped in my handbag and took to work with me. The English Breakfast tea was smooth and flavourful and I prefer to drink this wish a dash of milk. Perfect for the mornings, this blend was everything I look for in a morning cuppa.

The Mademoiselle Grey is a flirtatious take on your classic Earl Grey and was absolutely delicious. The flavours revolve around the citrus blends and can be served with or without milk. I prefer to drink this tea black to really enjoy the different aromas.

 

I also received two large sachets of the Apple Lemon Ginger tea and the Vanilla Rose Green which was my favourite of the two. Both of these were loose leaf so I had to use my infuser but I really enjoyed the flavours of both of these teas. The Vanilla Rose Green stood out to me because not only do I love green tea, the subtle undertones of vanilla and sweet honey really made this a special drink - one that I wanted to drink over and over.

Overall I really enjoyed the teas I received and would definitely repurchase for myself or as a gift for any tea lovers.

Are you a tea fan? Head over to JADU Tea London and check out their amazing range. They ship internationally so it doesn't matter where in the world you are.

*I received this tea free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

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February 2016 Glossybox

I always look forward to the February Glossybox because from past experience it’s usually a limited edition design and usually full of great goodies. In the past we have even received chocolate! This month was no exception, with a fun and flirty design I couldn’t wait to crack open my box and see what was inside. With 5 full sized items we were certainly in for a treat.

Browtician – Love Skull Tweezers – Full Size £7.99
I have never heard of this brand before but it is readily available in Superdrug. I was in need of some new tweezers as my mum stole mine so these couldn’t have arrived at a better time. I love the limited edition packaging. It makes them super easy to see in my makeup bag. The tip of these tweezers have been finished by hand and allow great precision when plucking those pesky hairs. I can see these being my new favourite.

Naobay – Protective Hair Mask Volume Conditioner – Full Size £10.64
I have received a few Naobay products before from Glossybox and it is a brand I like but I was disappointed the packaging didn’t follow on from previous products with the wood finish lid. Nevertheless I love a conditioning mask. I use heat on my hair often so it’s always nice to be able to give my hair a deep nourishing conditioning session. Upon trying this I loved how my hair felt. It was silky smooth and really easy to comb through at the end which was great. I would repurchase this product and use it every so often when I am in need of a pamper.

Nicka K New York – 24 Hr Waterproof Eyeliner – Full Size £3.99
I have previously received items from Nicka K in the past from Glossybox so this is a brand that is familiar to me (see my product directory for previous reviews). I love waterproof eyeliners as they don’t budge and they are great for the colder weather when the icy winds make your eyes water. I received this in the colour brown which I do not currently own and I enjoy wearing this when I want something less harsh than dark black. The great thing about this eyeliner is that it comes equipped with a built in sharpener.

MUA – Power Pout Glaze Low Voltage Gloss – Full Size £3.50
I will be honest I am not a huge fan of this product as I don’t like sticky glosses. I have seen that some people were able to choose the colour they wanted but I must have missed the email as I never got to choose. I received the colour Serenity which is a lovely pink colour with sheer colour payoff. I love the subtle hint of colour it provides but the formula is too sticky for me. For £5 off when you spend £20 or more, use code MUAGLOSSY2 online.

Wilkinson Sword – Intuition Razor – Full Size £6.99
Correct me if I am wrong but have we received this item in a Glossybox before? I’m not sure but I was pleased as this is the razor I currently use and it saves me buying some new heads for a little while. I recommend taking the head off after each use and popping it back in the plastic container because otherwise the soapy bit gets everywhere especially when I pop this in my gym bag. I am a huge fan of Wilkinson Sword and love this razor. It is great for more sensitive areas and provides a really close smooth shave without leaving nasty rashes or bumps. I will continue repurchasing this item.

Overall I really like this month’s box and will be making full use out of it. Do you get Glossybox? Link me your reviews in the comments.

If you’d like to sign up for Glossybox, click here.

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Bioglan Skinny Greens* - Review and Results

I have mentioned in a previous blog post that I am a Holland and Barrett Good Life Insider which means I sometimes get the opportunity to sample products which is great. I received this selection of Bioglan Skinny Green’s, available at Holland and Barrett and I couldn’t wait to try and review them after seeing Lucy Watson from Made in Chelsea post a photo of them on her Instagram.

Week 1 began with the Bioglan Skinny Greens Superfood 7 Day Cleanse RRP:£17.99. This is the smallest pot and contains 70g of the powder and a scoop to measure your 10g daily portion. The Skinny Greens aim to help you achieve the shape you want in a natural way. I have tried shakes and things before and to me it’s just empty or wasted calories so it’s great to hear that these aren’t a replacement, they are an addition to your lifestyle and this one contains only 25 calories a serving. This is step one in the three step regime and has been formulated with milk thistle and dandelion to naturally detox and cleanse your system over 7 days and prepare yourself for step 2.

The instructions advise to mix one scoop of the powder with 200ml of water and mix until dissolved. For best results it is advised to consume once a day before breakfast for 7 days. I mixed my first portion and was surprised at the bright green colour. I’ll be honest I really didn’t like the taste of it. It was sickly sweet with an odd aftertaste but I held my nose and gulped this down.  As this was before breakfast I was rather hungry and drinking this on an empty stomach made me feel a bit sick. I genuinely wondered if this was going to be worth it! By day 3 I was used to the taste and could down this in one without holding my nose or gagging. By the end week one, I hadn’t actually lost any weight but I did notice I had less bloating.

Week 2 began with the Bioglan Skinny Greens 14 Day Superfood Thermo Burn RRP:£24.99. As this was a 14 day cleanse I really hoped it tasted nicer than the last one! The flavour is described as citrus and aims to raise your bodies temperature and stimulate metabolism. I definitely noticed I was warmer, it was a welcomed change – I normally freeze in the office. The taste on the other hand was not pleasant. At least with step 1 I was able to down this, but due to the cayenne in this one I couldn’t drink it fast as it was rather spicy. It had a distinct orange taste but I could also taste cocoa. Once again this was to be taken before breakfast or before exercise for 2 weeks. I had a couple of nasty side effects with very little time to get to the toilet. I was at work, my stomach made the loudest rumble ever and I had to rush to the toilet when I exploded. This happened twice, around 4 hours after taking the drink. After about 4 days it was a lot more manageable and I thankfully had no more bad side effects but it did keep me regular, that’s all I’ll say! After 2 weeks on this shake I lost 1.5lbs. I was very happy with that because I ate so much in these 2 weeks due to having a hectic and busy social life with meals out and birthdays. Normally I would have gained weight but to lose made me feel chuffed.

I was told by other people using this that during step 2 you can incorporate some of the skinny greens for step 3 but one was enough! I decided to save step 3 for when it was time. When I got to week 4, it was time to move onto step 3 of the cleanse which lasts another 2 weeks. This is where I drank the Bioglan Skinny Greens 14 Day Superfood Replenish Shake Vanilla RRP £24.99 or the Bioglan Skinny Greens 14 Day Superfood Replenish Shake Mixed Berry RRP:£24.99 instead of a snack each day. The Vanilla flavoured shake smelled and tasted like Playdough. It was far too sweet for me and made me gag drinking it. With all of the drinks after a few days I got used to them but it wasn’t something I looked forward to. I will be honest I couldn’t finish it, the taste was just too much.

Overall at the end of the 6 weeks I had lost weight (around 5lbs) and inches despite eating loads as I had a hectic social schedule. I did continue to exercise throughout the 6 weeks. Usually I would have gained or maintained my weight eating this way but I was impressed that I still managed to lose throughout taking the Skinny Greens.  I imagine if taken with a healthy diet then this would product fantastic results but for me I just couldn’t stomach the taste and would definitely look to other ways if I wanted to lose weight.

Would you ever try Skinny Greens?

*I received these items from Holland and Barrett free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

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Skincere Cream Cleanser Review*

I love cleansing and usually stay true to my Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser but when I was given the chance to try out the Skincere Cream Cleanser, available at Holland and Barrett, I couldn’t wait to vary my routine.

The Skincere Cream Cleanser is 100% natural. It is ideal for daily use and is great for my sensitive skin and all other skin types. The product is free from wheat, sulphites, nuts, egg, alcohol, milk, gluten and so many more items that could be classed as allergens. I have been massaging this into my dry face and neck each morning and night then rinsing off with warm water and a muslin cloth for the past 3 weeks now and I have really noticed a change in my skin. Even after just a few uses, my boyfriend noticed how soft my skin is and couldn’t stop touching my face which was slightly bizarre. I put it down to using the Skincere Cream Cleanser as I have not added anything else to my skincare routine.

My skin tone seems more even and I have less discolouration on my face and the dry areas I used to have are gone. Skincere also have an eye cream, day cream, night cream and facial serum in their range all available at Holland and Barrett . When used together I imagine you would get great results. The scent of this product is minimal and fresh being fragrance free. It is great at removing all traces of makeup left on my face leaving my skin clean and fresh. You can even store this product ibn the fridge! I think in the summer this will be so refreshing to cleanse with if its cold.

I love how soft my skin feels after introducing this cleanser into my routine and it is a lot more affordable than cleansers I have used in the past and I have achieved excellent results. Have you ever heard of Skincere?

*I was kindly sent this item free of charge in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

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Get Flirty and Fruity This Valentines with Echo Falls*

With Valentine’s day right around the corner I am sure some of you will be planning something with your partners or even planning a night alone. This year to save money I am cooking a meal for my boyfriend at home and it wouldn’t be complete without a glass of my favourite Echo Falls wine. As you may recall, I created some delicious cocktails with a festive twist so when Echo Falls contacted me about trying their exciting limited edition Rose infused wine, I knew it would be the perfect addition to my Valentine’s Day meal.

Echo Falls have been experimenting with innovative flavours to come up with this limited edition fusion that will go down perfectly on the most romantic day of the year. Blended with the natural flavour of roses, this sweet treat with a floral twist is absolutely delicious. Echo Falls is currently the third largest wine brand in the UK and my personal favourite. I love trying out any new flavours that they come up with and seeing this in the shops would definitely catch my eye.

Even the label oozes with romance. Decorated with beautiful roses and a metallic stamp reading ‘I Love You’ this is the perfect Valentines’s gift and accompaniment. The back of the label even allows you to come up with your own ‘Roses are red’ poem with a space for you to write a little message to that special someone.

This drink is best served chilled over ice. When I poured myself a glass I instantly could smell that lovely rose fragrance but upon taking a sip this is a subtle and welcome taste to the wine. It’s a shame this is limited edition as I love this combination of sweet flavours and I hope Echo Falls bring it back each year. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Echo Falls Limited Edition Rose Infused Wine is currently available in Morrisons and Tescos RRP £5.99 a bottle. There is still time to pick your loved one up a delicious treat today. Check out Echo Falls on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

*I was provided with this Echo Falls Wine free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

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Lovely Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe

Ever since I got a slow cooker I have lived on Pinterest and slow cooker groups on Facebook and one of the most popular things people seem to make is slow cooker fudge. Unlike traditional fudge you literally only need 2 ingredients. 500g of chocolate and a tin of condensed milk. You can then add whatever extras you like to make it unique to you. For Valentine’s day I decided it would be appropriate to add some heart shaped treats to make them fit in with the holiday.

 
To make your fudge simply put 500g of milk chocolate and one can of condensed milk into your slow cooker. I have tried a few different brands of chocolate but I find the supermarket brand names work the best, and they’re cheaper which is always a bonus!

Leave the lid off the slow cooker and fix the setting to ‘low’. Stir with a wooden spoon every 10 minutes until the mixture is fully melted and combined. You will notice it start to get a firmer, fudgier texture. That’s how you know it’s done! Turn off your slow cooker once you reach this stage. This should take around 20-30 minutes.

 You can add whatever you like at this stage but I decided to add some heart shaped sugar treats. Stir into the melted fudge mixture and then pour into a baking tray. Then add more hearts to the top of your fudge. Allow to set in the fridge for a few hours.



Slice into squares and serve when ready. I love popping these into little treat bags for friends and family for little gifts. These will keep for a couple of weeks if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You could even try crushing mini eggs into your mixture for Easter, or candy canes at Christmas. The possibilities are endless and they taste great. I baked these for a charity cake sale at work and bagged them up into individual sized portions. I hope everyone enjoys them!

If you’re looking for other Valentine’s Day treat ideas, check out my Marshmallow Bark recipe which can easily be adapted to make a lovely treat for your loved ones.

Have you got any other great ideas for slow cooker fudge?

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Valentine's Day Gifts feat. The Jewel Hut*

The first thing I think of when I think ‘Valentines Gifts’ is beautiful Pandora charms, rings and bracelets. It’s every girl’s dream. When The Jewel Hut offered me the opportunity to review a beautiful bracelet I jumped at the chance knowing I could share it with you all and show off such a lovely gift that you could hint to your partner about buying for you or even treat yourself.

 
The Jewel Hut is an online jewellery store offering some of the best branded jewellery at competitive prices. Not only can you buy Pandora you can also purchase Links of London, Thomas Sabo, Swarovski and many more well known brands.

I received the beautiful Pandora Silver Heart Clasp Bracelet which costs £55 at The Jewel Hut and comes complete with official Pandora packaging. This bracelet forms part of the Pandora Valentines 2015 collection and offers an alternative to the standard Pandora bracelet. I love that the design is finished with a unique heart shaped clasp which really emphasises how glamourous this bracelet really is.

To finish the gift off, I also received the Pandora ‘I Love You’ Heart charm which costs just £30. This stunning charm is also from the Valentines collection and as you can see it is a sterling silver heart engraved with the words ‘I Love You’. Perfect to give as a gift to the one you love. It really is very charming. 

My bracelet and charm came boxed up in official Pandora packaging and even included a gift bag and the latest brochure so I can start circling what I want next! I received my parcel very quickly from The Jewel Hut and I cannot fault the service in any way.

What do you think of this bracelet? Will you be visiting The Jewel Hut to see their fantastic range of branded jewellery?

*I received these items from The Jewel Hut free of charge in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way.

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Winter Memories With my Fujifilm Instax Mini*

I love the colder seasons. Summer is nice but there’s nothing I love more than wrapping up in lots of layers and having a nice warm hot drink outside to warm me up. Winter in England can vary and every year I wish for a flurry of snow but it is more likely we just get rain.   

I recently received the Instax Mini Polaroid Camera and was set a little project from Ocean Loans to showcase some lovely scenery using my camera and bring your homes to the fore this winter.

Crisp dry winter mornings are my favourite and me and James recently took a walk by the river where I managed to take some lovely photos. Not only did I get some lovely photos out and about, I also managed to get some from the comfort of my own home. When the weather is wet and windy there’s nothing I like more than to stay inside with a hot drink and some biscuits wrapped up in my favourite blanket, usually with my cat snuggled next to me.

The Instax Mini Polaroid camera is the perfect size to pop in your handbag and prints lovely credit card sized polaroid photos. I love that you can get your print pretty much straight away and as the packs of polaroid’s only come in 10’s, I really had to think hard about what I wanted to take photos of which made them all the more special.

I love that I have been able to preserve my Winter memories in a unique and special way. Have you made any changes to your home this winter?

*Post in collaboration with Ocean Loans

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