Juice Burst Review

JuiceBurst4I have always been a fan of juices and smoothies, and any simple way that I can get nutrients into my body quickly. When I heard about Juice Burst drinks I wanted to try them and give a short review for those who may not have discovered them yet.

Based in Wednesbury in the Midlands, Juice Burst is a company who specialise in bringing healthy, less sugar fruit juice drinks to the people of Britain. They first became established back in 2001, and have since grown to become one of the leading brands of bottled fruit juices.

So what makes them so great? Well their modern way of manufacturing and filling means that Juice Burst contains no preservatives, only 100% pasteurised fruit juice, and all bottles are sealed to keep in the freshness.

JuiceBurst1Every one of the products counts as one of your five a day, and they are all smooth to drink and delicious too. Juice Burst have core flavours, and a new range of skinny drinks as well. These core juice drinks contain a lot of fruit juice and range from paired fruit perfections such as Orange and Passion Fruit, and the more unusual such as Blood Orange. As for the skinny options these have no added sugar and still contain enough fruit juice to be classed as one of your five a day.

JuiceBurst2I have been lucky enough to try some of these drinks, and I’m going to review some of them individually for you, outlining the nutritional information as well as what I thought of the flavours.

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Blood Orange: This flavour surprised me, because I have previously drank very tangy and sometimes sharp flavours in a blood orange beverage. Instead I found that this Juice Burst version was smooth, full of a tangy citrus and orange taste. There are no bits what so ever in these drinks, and you end up enjoying them so much that they are gone soon after opening them.
This bottle mainly contains fruit juice from blood oranges. It contains 8.2g sugar if consumed in one go (500ml).

Peach & Passion Fruit: One of the skinny varieties from Juice Burst, this to me is a match made in fruity heaven! I cannot think of any flavours better suited to one another. This drink doesn’t disappoint with the right level of sweetness and citrus and tropical notes.
This bottle contains juices from apples, peaches, oranges and passion fruit, with some peach puree added in as well, this should be a good source of Vitamins A & C which are essential to the human body. It contains just 4.0g of sugar if the whole bottle is consumed (400ml).

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Pomegranate & Blueberry: This skinny flavour from Juice Burst was deliciously sweet for such a low calorie drink, and the taste was tangy and crisp. I really enjoyed drinking it and I didn’t feel like it was in any way containing less sugar than the core beverages. This could be because Juice Burst add stevia, a naturally occurring sweet plant extract to it.
This bottle contains the fruit juice of white grapes, pomegranate, aronia, apples and blueberries. It is only 99cal per drink and contains 5.1g sugar if consumed in one go (400ml).

Overall these drinks are truly delicious and I would happily choose them as a fruit juice option for myself in the future. I hope you have enjoyed this review,, I know I have thoroughly enjoyed drinking them!

Should you want to find and taste a Juice Burst for yourself then look in your local WHSmith stores, Superdrug stores and also Costcutter shops to name but a few places they are available.

You can find out more about Juice Burst on their website and social media’s, including where you can purchase the drinks, information on flavours, and also where they get their fruit from, but trust me, it’s global and it tastes amazing!
www.juiceburst.com/

Spectrum Brushes Review

Spectrum InstagramSpectrum Brushes are some of the most beautiful makeup brushes I have ever seen, no scratch that, they are definitely the prettiest I have seen! But what makes them so good? Well I decided I wanted to try them for myself and review them. So here I am in action, using these brushes and photographing them as I go, to give you an overall review of these unique looking products.

Spectrum10Being lightweight and soft the brushes are each designed for a specific makeup application. The shapes are specific to applying all kinds of makeup including Powder, Cream and Liquid. There are Eye Shadow, Foundation and Contour defining shapes as well as the general brushes for everyday use.

Spectrum04I kept hearing great things about the quality of these brushes from all over social media. And when I held them in my own hands and used them to apply makeup to my skin I could understand what all the fuss was about. Soft and shape specific, they made the application of my makeup products easy and precise.

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The amount of detail that has gone into creating this range of brushes is excellent. Spectrum has used millimetre precision to adjust the shape of their brushes to ensure that even coverages and defined lines are achieved.

There isn’t just one Eye Shadow brush; there are 8 eye brushes in total that allow for blending and shading. Some brushes like the larger ones are designed for the application of a base colour; others such as the smaller brushes are shaped for the blend and the contouring around the eyes. There is also a 4 piece contour brush set available too.

The range depict ‘A’s for Application, ‘B’s for Blending and ‘C’s for Contouring, all of which are specific dependent on their shape and size for their role.

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The brushes I have purchased for my beauty collection are;

A03 – So Oval You – This brush is designed for applying liquid and cream products to your skin. The firm brush bristles and oval shape mean you can achieve an even distribution of product and even application.

A05 – Blush Crush – A brush with angled bristles perfect for the application of blusher. This brush is designed for small amounts of product to be applied to the skin and built up using the brush to blend creating a natural looking finish.

A07 – Full Colour – This soft and fluffy short bristled brush is for blending colour, usually used for the application of eye shadow. The stubby shape means that you can easily build colour, perfect for smokey eye looks and high pigment coloured shades.

A08 – Happy Medium – This cute little brush is known as an all rounder. It can be used in a variety of makeup application from powders to creams to pigments. Designed for eye makeup this medium sized brush is large enough to create blended finished looks as well as building shade in all areas of the eye.

B06 – Blending Friend – A brush made for blending in eye makeup. Whether it is used for blending of colour or to build up a contour or a distinct look, this brush type is essential for those who wear regular eye makeup looks.

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Overall I have found these brushes to be excellent. The quality and the appearance of them is like nothing I have tried or reviewed before. When using them to apply my makeup I found the feel to be soft and gentle but effective, and the quality with which the application is made is second to none. Each brush is designed to be used in its unique way, and when used correctly the look you can achieve is very professional.

Flawless makeup from Spectrum comes at no cost to animals, they pride themselves on selling products that are cruelty free and they are vegan registered. Made with synthetic hair all of Spectrum’s brushes are super soft to the touch. The hand crafted design allows for exceptional quality and durability, they really are the on trend beautiful brushes that offer professional performance for affordable prices.

Spectrum07I’m very pleased that I can add these stunning brushes to my collection, and I hope they last me for many years to come.
You can discover your favourites on the Spectrum website http://www.spectrumcollections.com/

Spectrum12If you have enjoyed this review then please feel free to leave me a comment, and look out for more beauty reviews and pictures including these brushes in use, coming soon…

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May Treat Box Reveal

TreatBoxMayOneSo it’s that time again! The start of a new month means a new treat box arrives in the post. I’m very excited to see what could be in this one and I couldn’t wait to photograph during this reveal!

TreatBoxOneTreatBoxMayThreeI grinned from ear to ear as I opened the box and saw purple tissue paper. I love purple and hoped the theme might continue inside. The quote on the card read ‘She believed she could so she did’ which is a wonderful sentiment for everyone, to believe in yourself. I hope to get this card framed in a pretty frame I can see every day and remind myself this quote is true.

When I read the description of ‘pretty chic’ I knew there would be things I would love inside. When I think chic I think drift wood that has been carved into something, I think flowers and I think other symbolic shapes such as stars and hearts. I wasn’t disappointed as I opened the ‘hello beautiful’ sticker…

TreatBoxMaySevenTreatBoxMayEightInside this months treat box you will find a quote card that reads ‘She Believed She Could So She Did, a Cushion that reads ‘Follow your Heart’, a fabulous Queen Bee bookmark, a polka dot bag with a lovely Compact Mirror inside that reads ‘You Look Lovely Today’ on the back of it, a Wooden Board with the words ‘Life is too short to be anything but Happy’, some hanging Metal Hearts that chink together and are a very nice decoration and lastly some lovely pink decorative tape.

TreatBoxMayFourTreatBoxMayTwoOne thing that all of these wonderful gifts have in common are that they are inspiring and confidence boosting. Reminding the people who have received these wonderful treats that they should believe in the things they do, to follow their dreams and hearts to success and happiness.

TreatBoxMaySixTreatBoxMayFiveOverall I’m so pleased with this months treat box, I love every single item that has been received. The quality is excellent and I know that I will find place in my home for all of the things in this treat box. My favourite item, (if I have to pick one because it’s so difficult with this box) is the quote board. I think that it’s words are rather poignant, Life is Short, Be Happy, is something I try to live by, and think of a positive even on the bad days.

I now cannot wait for my next box to arrive in June, and I think it will be a hard act to follow with a box filled with as excellent things as this is!

TreatBoxMayNineIf you would like to order your own treat box then you can find Treatbox by searching that keyword on Facebook and/or visit their website to subscribe for your own treat box https://treatboxuk.com/

The beauty of subscribing to treatbox is that you’ll pay a one-off fee for whichever amount you choose, and then each month your box gets sent to your door. Inside could be a range of gifts from homeware to accessories, edible items and other useful things, as well as trinkets, jewellery and inspirational quotes too!

If you would like to see the video reveal of this on my youtube please take a look here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChGSVoeSozeHGe3hl9lfdQA

Sabrina

BooHoo Mini Haul

There is nothing in fashion that I love more than new clothes. I don’t pretend to stay on trend all year around, but I do love to invest in items that I don’t already own. I also love to buy new things for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings and christenings among them. If something is on trend and I think the style will suit me I will purchase it.

When I had the opportunity to buy some clothes from the wonderful BooHoo I took it all in my stride! I was ordering in advance of wearing some of the items but confident in them still being fashionable in several months to come. And if not then who cares if you look and feel great in them. The one thing I think clothes should do is make you feel confident in yourself, right?!

So what did I buy I hear you ask… Well… I bought a beautiful maxi dress for my summer shenanigans and a lovely long cardigan for cooler summer evenings.

I have always been happy with everything that I have purchased so far from BooHoo.com. I find their clothes fit true to size and the quality is fantastic for the prices. I have made many purchases in the past two years from this wonderful company, they mostly include dresses because the quality and choice is excellent. However this time I treated myself to something a bit different.

In this post today I’m going to review the items I have purchased recently, with photographs of me wearing them included in this review.

So first up is the stunning ‘Rachel Tie Back Border Print Maxi Dress’ with a beautiful butterfly and floral pattern. This stunning piece is lightweight which is ideal for summer and comes with enough detail to make you feel like you need very little accessories. I would pair this with wedge shoes or strapped sandals with one of my arms filled with bangles.
The only thing that is a little annoying about the material used for this maxi dress is that it creases easily. It can be cool ironed only, and even when I did that some creases wouldn’t come out completely. I recommend hanging it up at all times while it’s not in use, and to cool iron soon after every wear and wash to ensure no lasting lines. This is the only downside to the dress, because the detail is wonderful and the shape is very flattering, even to someone slim like myself. There is so much to see on this piece, you find your eyes wandering over the entire piece and you aren’t focusing on one area.

BooHoo Butterfly Maxi Dress Final Butterfly Maxi Dress backof
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The second piece of clothing I’m reviewing is this stunning Wine coloured ‘Rosie Longline Jersey Basic Cardigan’ paired with a boohoo crop top. I always like to throw on cardigans when my arms get cold. There is something very comforting about long sleeved clothing, and when the fabric is as long as this is, it’s not only warming but it’s also fashionable! So I paired this piece with a crop top and some skinny jeans. When the warmer months appear it will be worn with shorts and crop tops. Such a versatile item of clothing I look forward to seeing all the outfits that I can pair it with. I also chose this colour because I love deep shades; they go well with both light and dark outfits.
This cardigan will need ironing frequently and when being washed it would need to hang to dry to avoid getting misshapen. Other than that I cannot fault it’s soft material and almost perfect length of arms and body.

BooHoo Long Cardigan and Crop Final CardiganBH

For anyone who is interested in purchasing these pieces of clothing they are all still available on the BooHoo website.
Maxi Dress http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/day-dresses/rachel-tie-back-border-print-butterfly-maxi-dress/invt/azz54063
Cardigan http://www.boohoo.com/restofworld/day-tops/rosie-longline-jersey-basic-cardigan/invt/azz10453

My Review of the items from BooHoo are;
5/5 Quality
5/5 Value
5/5 Appearance and Style
5/5 Comfort
4/5 Durability

If anyone is wondering about my details I am a size 8 and of height 5 ft 3.5 “. So if you are taller than me these items will appear differently on your figure. Always take into consideration your height when ordering dresses. For example I cannot wear the beautiful maxi dress without a 2” or more heel, something to consider when buying if you don’t like wearing high heeled shoes.

I hope you have enjoyed this review post and if I get anything more from BooHoo in the future you can be sure I will blog about it. 🙂

Review of Dorothy Perkins Stripe Cold Shoulder Dress

When I saw this beautiful dress on the Dorothy Perkins website I knew I just had to have it. If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know how much I adore striped clothes, and this is no exception. Paired with a delightfully cute belt bow this dress is everything I love about nautical feminine dresses.

The cold shoulder trend is something I’ve only recently been trying out, and actually I really like it. It allows me to feel a little bit sexy without being cold (I get that it’s called a cold shoulder but you don’t actually feel cold while wearing it).

Nautical Cold Shoulder2Nautical Cold ShoulderNautical Cold Shoulder3

The dress is made of good quality material that will wash well because it’s made of 96% cotton. I found that it’s a flattering fit and very comfortable to wear due to the soft material used. I think the length of the dress is excellent for the style, I prefer to purchase knee length dresses for my height and found this perfect for that. The soft belt that can be tied into a bow is a lovely accessory to the outfit and allows a focus point between all of the stripes. I paired the dress with my white flat shoes with bows but it would also work with a variety of footwear dependent on the occasion.

I would accessorize this dress with lots of bangles on my arms, shoulder length earrings and a hair piece to keep the nautical theme going. If I needed to layer for an evening I would choose either a black leather jacket or a white cardigan.

My final review for this beautiful piece of clothing is:
5/5 for comfort
5/5 for durability and quality
5/5 for style and appearance
5/5 for value

For anyone interested in purchasing the dress here is the link http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/product/dresses-203543/view-all-dresses-2523253/stripe-cold-shoulder-dress-5383365?bi=60&ps=20

Rimmel London Super Gel Nail Varnish Review

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I will start by saying that Rimmel London are my go-to brand for nail varnishes, I love all of the wonderful shades they release and buy several of them each year. So when I heard about their new Super Gel I was intrigued how you could get the salon quality yourself at home.

After a few weeks of watching the bottles land on the shelves and seeing other people writing reviews I really wanted to try this product for myself. By the time I purchased this one I had read a mixture of reviews. I knew that I could do the 14 day test required, coinciding with what it says on each bottle about the varnish lasting up to 14 days. I was doubtful it would if I am honest (from what others had written about it) and I made no attempts to prevent the chipping on my nails, just going about my daily routines as normal.

For this review I have simply followed all of the instructions on the bottles, I took nail pictures every few days to show the progression of the quality that remained, and I was actually very pleasantly surprised by the result. This review outlines my application and subsequent photographic evidence of the condition of my nails after the 14 days. The base coat colour I chose is called 043 Venus.

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Day 1. Application time! My nails are shiny and smooth and honestly look great, not that professional because I’m not as neat as a nail technician, but I do okay. This involved me applying the nail varnish one coat at a time and I did wait for 5 minutes in between applications to ensure each was thoroughly dried. I followed the instructions on the bottles to the letter and once finished with applying I made sure that they were 100% dry before I went about any daily duties.

Nails3Day 3. Today I began to notice a few very tiny chips at the edge of my thumb and first finger. Not that noticeable though unless you were up close. This was bound to happen to me because of all the things that my hands go through every day. But it’s not bad enough to ruin the manicure. My nails are still a wonderful shade and are shiny, I have been both cooking and cleaning and typing the past 48 hours, so I am surprised they are in such good condition. So far so good!

Nails8 Day 5. Other than a few minor chips my nails look great. The look and feel of he polish is still smooth and shiny which is what I would expect to see from a successful manicure. So far the quality of both the polish and the gel top coat is excellent.

Nails6Day 7. It’s been a week since the application and overall my nails look fabulous! The shine, colour and smoothness is still apparent and other than my thumb and first finger loosing some polish at the tips the manicure is still in a very good condition. When looking at them not close up you wouldn’t notice the chips.

Nails7Day 9.  Today I inspected my nails and as you can imagine they are beginning to grow out now at the backs. Their pink lines stand out against the dark red colour painted upon them. Saying that though the look of my nail varnish is still very good. My first finger, thumb and middle finger are now beginning to look worse for wear, but from a distance you can’t tell very much.

Nails5Day 11. Not much difference in two days despite my daily duties. All of the nails are beginning to grow out now and most are chipped at the edges. Saying that I have never known a nail polish to last this long without me needing to remove and re-apply at least one of the finger nails.

Nails4Day 12. More growing out and a tiny bit more chipping, but otherwise my nails look great for having been applied 12 days ago! I’m starting to really like the quality of this product. It goes to show that when you apply things correctly it can really work in your favour, no wasting time reapplying polish every day or so.

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Day 13. The fortnight is almost up, and my nails aren’t looking too shabby all things considered.

Nails 11Day 14. Time to remove the nail varnish, but I’m impressed with how well it’s lasted. My daily routine involves cooking and cleaning and I would’ve expected more chips than I have. As you can see in my photograph my nails have lasted reasonably well overall and I think if I were applying this nail polish long term it would be very useful investment knowing that when applied correctly it will last a minimum of a week, almost 14 days if looked after.

It would be a rarity if I got to wear the same nail varnish for two weeks unless I was going away, but it’s great to know that at least some of my nails remained almost intact during that time in the test. I have reviewed this product because I like to see whether or not the product lives up to the expectation. Obviously if you do any kind of manual labour the polish won’t last as long. However I have still done work, including typing and around the home. I have washed up, cooked, cleaned and been shopping using my hands a great deal throughout the fortnight. I think overall the nail varnish has lasted very well and I am very impressed to be honest with you!

i would love to try some varying colours in these gel nail polishes because I think they look great when applied properly. Having never had any false nails manicures or gel ones before I had nothing to compare the look and feel to. I’ve always been lucky enough to be able to grow my nails, and every time I’ve had a manicure my original nail has been used, I’ve never had any tips or false ones attached. But just how silky smooth and shiny my nails were with this Super Gel varnish has made me want to get more colours. I love how the overall look and feel of this polish was.

So my final review for this product is;
Appearance 5/5
Quality 5/5
Value 5/5

The appearance I have given a 5/5 because the polish lasted very well for the ‘up to’ 14 days as advertised. Overall I thought the product as a whole was fantastic. The quality of the colour and smoothness as well as the ease of application is why I gave the quality a 5/5. And finally the value for money, you can wear the same top coat for all base colours therefore saving yourself money. And for the quality you achieve I think the price is reasonable. I cannot wait to try some other shades now during the summer months!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my review, and feel free to send me a photograph on Twitter or Instagram with your pictures if you decide to try out Rimmel London Super Gel for yourself!

Book Review of ‘Cook Yourself Young’ by E Peyton-Jones including Recipe Review

CookYourselfYoungBack in February of this year I was lucky enough to win a competition through Intu shopping centres to win this wonderful book by Elizabeth Peyton-Jones. As it says on the cover the author has cleverly created recipes that allow us to harness the power of food so that we may live healthier lives. There are lots of aspects of food that can provide the health benefits our bodies need. Making the most of things such as antioxidants and vitamins that foods such as tomatoes naturally provide.

The author of ‘Cook Yourself Young’ is a food and health expert as well as a naturopath. Elizabeth Peyton-Jones is helping people to make the necessary changes to their lifestyle and diet in order to increase their wellbeing and health. The title of the book stems from her belief in slowing the process of ageing by restoring balance within the human body. She promotes simple ways of eating good food that can allow for higher energy levels, encouragement of sleep and reducing body fat, to name but a few. Through the recipes and advice in her book Peyton-Jones hopes that people will feel the benefits of her expertise, allowing them to feel good about their bodies and look and feel more youthful.

The book not only has wonderful easy-to-cook recipes but also advice about what foods are natural medicines for your body. I found these facts fascinating to read about, my favourites include foods for tackling problems such as fatigue, digestive problems and also ingredients for boosting the immune system.

So having read through the book there was a recipe in particular that I kept coming back to, so that is the one I decided to try. Peyton-Jones’ ‘Cheesy’ Stuffed Tomatoes recipe didn’t just sound delicious it looks great on the authors photograph too. So I managed to get the ingredients that I needed and waited for a free afternoon where I could take my time and cook this recipe right.

RecipeThis recipe was easy to follow and the instructions were very clear. I have always loved to cook so it was nice to try something different. The only thing I did change however was one ingredient, which was relating to nuts. My husband is very allergic so it’s not something that we even have in the house. ‘Cook Yourself Young’ contains many recipes which have nuts in, and although I won’t be able to include nuts in the ones I do try out, I either substitute them or leave the ingredient out completely.

Garlic Toms

So I readied the items for the meal and prepared them appropriately to E Peyton-Jones’ instructions. While my oven preheated I took some photographs, and once they were cooked I took some more. The smells of the sweet tomato mixing with the garlic, shallots and basil filled my kitchen and I couldn’t wait to try them.

Recipe3Recipe2

The final result was a truly delicious tomato dish that I would most definitely make again. Great on their own or they go wonderfully as a side dish with a variety of different meals. We actually ate them on this occasion as a side dish with a chicken breast. The delicious sweetness of the tomato accompanied with strong garlic and basil was wonderful. The tomatoes keep their shape even after the stuffing and the cooking, they are soft and easy to eat, and this makes them all the more inviting. The sweetness and the strong taste of garlic and basil together are divine, and I enjoyed the smells that filled my kitchen all throughout the preparation and the cooking. The final look of the recipe was also very inviting. I always believe that you first get hungry from what you see with your eyes and if something looks delicious it usually is. The colours that are present in this tasty dish make it rather appetising.

Recipe ResultSo overall this is a wonderful and unique book filled with recipes and facts that will keep you entertained for months as you create these interesting and healthy dishes. Even if you have to substitute ingredients like I have done, the recipes are still fantastic and it’s well worth it for all the facts about your body and the way it reacts to food.
Through ‘Cook Yourself Young’ I have learned about the foods that can give me more strength, and the foods that can make my healthier, one dish at a time. If you suffer from an ailment sometimes foods can benefit you in other ways, and it was fascinating to read about the ways in which even some spices can make a difference in your life.
I can recommend this book if you enjoy cooking and learning about how what you can eat, can benefit you in lots of varied ways.

Makeup Revolution ‘Colour Chaos’ Palette Review

ColourChaos1SWI was lucky enough to receive this incredible palette from Makeup Revolution London in my mystery bag in March. If you saw my mystery bag reveal here on my blog then you’ll remember it. I wanted to swatch this one and really test out the vibrancy of the colours. At first glance you can see how pigmented the shades are, especially some of the shimmer colours with glitter for extra sparkle.

Colour Chaos SW

I really wanted to review this item because I don’t often wear bright colours on my eyes so it’s a new aspect of makeup for me to try. With 18 exclusive shades inside this palette there is so much choice.

When you initially open the palette you instantly notice how pigmented the eye shadows are. They are all titled from Makeup Revolution London and the plastic sheet is easily removable and then re positioned after each use. The pro two ended brush that is included is soft and seems durable. The brush tips are small ideal for getting into the edges of your eyes.

Here are some photographs of the palette itself and then some swatches on my arm too, before I give my overall review. I took these photographs in natural light to show the true pigment of the shades and give you the correct colours as expected in the palette.

My swatches run from left to right and top to bottom. Example; Gleam, Needed To, Wkd, Me Three, etc, The six matte shades are on my other arm so they can be viewed separately from the shimmer shades.

ColourChaos2SW ColourChaosSwatchedSWHere are the 12 shimmer shades of eye shadow. I particularly like the darker shades, because that is how I would usually do my makeup style. As you can see from my swatches there are differences between the shades even those of similar colour like the blues. Luckily I think there are palettes that suit everyone, and there are palettes that people may use only a few of the colours included. I wouldn’t reach for the majority of these shades on a daily basis, but they are great for themed makeup and fancy dress nights out, or just matching with a bold outfit. The great thing about a set like this one is that those shadows are there when you need them, and you can use your regular palettes for the regular days of the week. Unless you love bright and bold as an everyday look in which case this palette is certainly for you!

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The matte shades contain 4 bright and 2 light colours. You can barely see the beige colour (left on my photograph). This is great as a primer for your eyelids before adding other colours to blend, or even as a lower lash line highlighter, which is probably what I will be using this and the white colour for. As you look at the palette I have gone from right to left with these swatches.

Swatches Smudged

I decided to test the staying power of these shimmer eye shadows by rubbing my arm one way with a piece of tissue. I did this for a few seconds and was astounded to see that most of the colours remained intact. I in fact needed two cotton pads of Garnier Micellar water to get this stuff completely off! So it has great staying power I think!

Quality 4/5
Value 5/5
Variety 5/5

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As you can see from my images of swatches the overall quality of the palette is great. The shimmer shades are a little dusty but once you have blown off the excess you will see a wonderful shade that is left. The pigment is wonderful but they are quite fragile. That is my only reason for giving it a 4/5 for the quality.
The actual variety that you get is great for such a small piece of kit and I think the range is one that would suit most people. I myself do prefer the dark shades such as ‘Me Three’ and ‘On A Mission’ but you also have the bright and bold to go specifically with outfits or themed makeup nights. Electric Blue Eye Shadow is currently on trend so I might have to give that a go next time I wear one of my nautical outfits!
I gave the value a 5/5 because although I received this palette free you can pick one of these up for around £6 (sometimes lower), and I think that’s a fabulous price for all the content you get in this palette.

I am very pleased that I was lucky enough to receive this palette, and although it won’t be the one I go to use every week it doesn’t mean to say that it wont be used and enjoyed. I hope you have enjoyed reading this review, and here is a link to the Makeup Revolution London website showing the palette for those who are interested in purchasing one.
http://www.makeuprevolutionstore.com/salv-colour-chaos.html

Cadbury Dairy Milk Medley Review

I have always enjoyed eating chocolate, all kinds really. So when I saw that Cadbury had released a new ‘Medley’ chocolate bar I thought I should give it a try.

Since Cadbury are now owned by Kraft I always worry that recipes will start to change, and luckily the original Dairy Milk still tastes wonderful to me.

The bar I’m reviewing today is the flavour of dark chocolate chips, caramelised hazelnuts and raspberry pieces. I love the idea of this combination, and it contains fruit so it’s one of my 5 a day right? I wish! Ha ha!

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So how does it taste? I know you’re all desperate to find out… It’s the delicious creamy taste of Dairy Milk with delightful crunch of hazelnuts, the bitter taste of the dark chocolate, all accompanied by the tangy sweet raspberry pieces.

What I liked the most about it was the delicious creamy taste of the dairy milk among all the textures inside on top of the chocolate itself. Crunchy Nuts, Melt in the Mouth Raspberry Pieces and Soft Dark Chocolate drops. I won’t lie it was rather moreish!

Cadbury1 Cadbury2 As you can see in my photographs the majority of the ingredients are scattered on top of the dairy milk chocolate. There is a lovely texture as you bite through because of the contrast between the caramelised hazelnuts and the freeze-fried raspberries. The dark chocolate and nuts must be added while the milk chocolate is still drying during production because many are integrated in the pieces, but the raspberry is all on the top.

I personally think this bar is a keeper, if you like Cadbury Wholenut and enjoy the taste of Raspberries then I recommend you give this one a try.

This final images give you any nutritional information you might be interested in, and to finish the review, a macro shot of the chocolate itself. I have already eaten this bar now and just writing this review makes me want to get more.

MedleyCadbury3So where can you buy this chocolate bar? I looked in a few supermarkets and eventually found it in Sainsbury’s, but It’s also in larger Tesco stores and I’m sure within a few weeks it will be available in most places.

Makeup Revolution Haul and Review

A very good friend of mine is a makeup artist and she recommended Makeup Revolution London to me last year. I started off my collection with a palette I knew I would use on a regular basis because of my complexion and eye colour. That was their Iconic 3 eyeshadow palette, and I have to say the colours are fabulous. Not only that but they last a long time on your skin, sometimes right through the day. And to make it even better, they aren’t expensive products either.

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I enjoyed using this makeup brand so much that this Spring I ordered some more things from them. Another 2 eyeshadow palettes and some new brushes. For the price you pay the quality is excellent. The brushes are soft yet durable and even if they only last me a year or two, for the price it’s well worth it. I deliberately chose the following palettes that compliment my skin tone and my eye colour.

Makeup Revolution Iconic Smokey – 12 smokey eyeshadow powders and this set includes a pro 1970 double ended brush
Makeup Revolution Iconic Elements – 12 basic shades – 11 matte and 1 shimmer

MakeUpRevolutionSWI know a lot of bloggers do swatches of the colours in the palettes, but these aren’t brand new items so there will be plenty of people out there who have already reviewed them. I just wanted to give my honest opinion of them to you.

I have hazel eyes and so I wanted to show you the 3 shades, 1 from each palette, which I deem most suitable for me. Number 1 is if I was going for a smokey eyed look. Number 3 is for a more glamorous look. Number 3 is for an everyday look.

The palettes I used for these swatches are Iconic Smokey, Iconic 3 and Iconic Elements. All of them have a great pigmentation and the texture is light but durable. They blend extremely easily which is great for all the smokey eye looks I wear.

Swatch 1 – Iconic Smokey – ‘Silvery’
Swatch 2 – Iconic 3 – ‘Deep Purple Shimmer’
Swatch 3 – Iconic Elements – ‘Chocolate Orange’
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What I noticed the most about doing these swatches on my arm was how strong the pigments were and how incredibly resilient they were. When you remove the makeup on your face with wipes and micellar waters you don’t always notice how much it takes to get the product off. When I began to remove the swatches after photographing I couldn’t believe the strength in the colours. When I have worn other Makeup Revolution eyeshadows they always last all day, so you can wear these products with confidence. You know that you don’t have to worry about a top up part way through the day or night. This quality is essential for those of us who are on the go a lot, one less thing to think about.

MakeUpRevolutionBrushesSW Here are my recent brush replacement purchases. I chose mostly eye specific brushes because I generally wear makeup on my eyes if nowhere else. The final and largest brush in this image is the new foundation one I ordered. Mine was old and looking worse for wear so I decided to replace it.

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My overall review of my Makeup Revolution haul is;
Value 5/5
Quality 4/5
Variety 5/5

Would I purchase from Makeup Revolution again? Yes. The delivery time was good and the quality and the care that was taken to post them in was fantastic too. I look forward to seeing what other great products they release this year.

Thanks for reading.

Sabrina