The Hero Project: Hand Rehab

For a culture so obsessed with skin care, we so often forget to look after our hands. Our poor hands which are put through the ringer every single day. May it be hammering away at the keys, plunging them in water, or just general day to day wear and tear. But our hands deserve looking after too! So how exactly should we go about this? Well, my friends, you need look no further, as I have found a potential solution to this in the form of, The Hero Project's Diamond Dusted Hand Rehab.

This is hand cream at its finest, made for luxurious pampering and keeping your hands looking as good as you feel. I am a bit obsessed right now with SPF so I absolutely love that this is more than just a standard hand cream, but also protecting them from the sun with SPF 20. Sun damage is a major issue, which can cause premature ageing and even cancer, so it is important to take this seriously. Often our hands are neglected when it comes to sun protection, but they need just as much protection from the sun as our faces and the rest of our bodies. 

Hand creams, especially those with any form of SPF often feel super heavy and greasy, never actually soaking in and making it impossible to actually do anything. Thankfully Hand Rehab doesn't feel like this at all! It is quite a thick cream but this definitely works to its advantage because it adds to the overall feel of luxury, especially because of how quickly it soaks into the skin.

The cream smells simply amazing. The aloe vera scent is quite subtle and smells really fresh and reminds me of spring for some reason. A beautiful light fragrance which you can't help but smile at.

This works well for both young and older skin, providing moisture and a bit of love to neglected hands. I love to use this throughout the day, topping it up whenever my hands start feeling a little dry or in need of TLC. My Mum has recently started using it after hearing me rave about it so much, and she has become a total convert and we find ourselves fighting for who gets to take it with them to work, clearly the best solution is to get my mum her own... 

The addition of diamond dust is simply genius! It is not just a fancy ingredient but an active one which does your hands, especially your nails, a lot of good. It hardens soft nails helps to strengthen them. This is especially good if you wear false nails or have gel nails. 

This makes such a lovely present for someone because it comes in a beautiful little presentation box. It really is the touches and details like this which make this a special product. It a great size to just pop in your bag, and doesn't take up much room, I am normally a little nervy about putting any liquid or cream product in my bag incase of spillages, but I do not have this fear with my Hand Rehab because of its screw top which stays secure! 

After

Before

The packaging is simply stunning and I cannot compliment it enough. The whole aesthetic and image behind The Hero Project is absolutely perfect and I love the tone of voice they use on their descriptions. It feels fun and approachable and truly genuine, something which sets itself apart from many brands at the moment and I just love it. 

Click HERE if you want to get your own Hand Rehab. 

Keeping it Peachy: A Soap & Glory Review

It's the summer time and the weather is definitely looking fine! But with this heat comes a whole range of skin problems, from oily skin, to chapped lips. So how do you deal with this and still feel confident in yourself? How do you keep your lips feeling great and looking great? Well, I think that I have found the solution in the Soap & Glory Peach Pout, Completely Balmy Lipstick. 

 

1. FREEDOM OF PEACH 

2. PEACH BALL

3. PEACH FOR THE SKY

A lipstick that thinks it’s a balm? It must be the creamy, dreamy PEACH POUT™, available in 3 sassy, peach-perfect shades. A lightweight, long-lasting formulation that lasts all day features a rich, juicy peach-infused fragrance. With a shaped bullet edge for easy and precise application, it goes on just like a lipstick leaving you with instantly softer-feeling luscious lips. 

If you know me, you will know that I normally go for a darker red lip, preferring something to be a bit bolder and more daring, but sometimes this just doesn't feel right for the occasion and can wreak absolute havoc on your lips, making them feel super dry and just darn right uncomfortable! I had yet to find the perfect everyday lipstick, which was no fuss, and actually really enjoyable to wear! 

The Soap & Glory Peach Pout really does everything which is claims to do! The scent is simply gorgeous. I love how fresh and natural it tastes, there is absolutely nothing unnatural about this, and it is subtle when applied to the lips so as not to be overpowering or unpleasant, as some fragranced lip products can be. The scent reminds me of peach sweets, which is never a bad thing!

The formula of the lipstick itself is heavenly. It applies so easily, gliding along the lips, leaving you with the perfect and mess free application. No stress about having to perfectly line your lips or to have exfoliated them to within an inch of their lives! This really does leave your lips feeling hydrated and ready to go with just one application, and I am just loving it! Since I got this a few weeks ago I haven't stopped wearing it because it is just so lovely to wear.

The colour of the lipstick is what surprised and impressed me the most. I was worried that it would be a little sheer and be more like a tinted lip balm with minimal colour pay off, but boy was I wrong! The colour is so pretty and works with every outfit, to add a natural pop of colour to your look. I love wearing it with a bare face and just a bit of mascara (I swear by the Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Flash Extensions Effect Mascara : Click here to find it on Boots!). 

I think it is great that they have three shades so there is one for everyone, from the lightest more nudey peach colour, to the more vibrant pink toned colour. Or maybe treat yourself and get all three, seeing as they are 3 for 2 at Boots! At £9 each they are an absolute steal!

I wear Freedom of Peach

Click Here To Treat Yourself!

Pret Vegan Cookie Review

A cookie. It isn't often that a cookie makes the news, but this Pret cookie has. It really is quite peculiar how a cookie, has developed such fame simply for being vegan. If only it was quite that easy for the rest of us!
So, as I was saying, the Internet seems to be going absolutely wild for this cookie, and with it being so readily available and only £1.45, all it needs now is to taste good! I suppose that I should move onto the review then and tell you whether or not it is indeed good!

The cookie is Dark Chocolate and Almond Butter flavour and believe me when I say that it is rich. The chocolate cocoa is undeniably strong, making up the base of the cookie, but this works perfectly to create an unwavering sense of indulgence. The almond butter creates a subtle taste to it, adding a nuttiness and depth to the overall taste, along with creating a bit of intrigue of texture. There also seemed to be some patches which were significantly gooier and I think that these may have had more almond butter in them (possibly my favourite bits if I'm honest).
The texture of the cookie itself is slightly chewy, thick, and still retains a bit of crunch. I personally prefer my cookies on the chewier side of things, so I decided to warm it up in the microwave. Guys, this was clearly the correct decision to make, because what was already a tasty cookie, became utterly delicious and let's be honest, pretty darn magical.
I loved how the chocolate chips in it melted, and made the cookie overall even better, with the chocolate merging with the almond butter.

I really hope that these are a permanent feature of the Pret a Manger menu and not a passing flavour or trend because these are absolutely amazing. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy them, but you definitely need to like chocolate because these are super intense and chocolaty!
Overall these are utterly divine and I can't wait to get some more!

Rating - 9/10

Vegan - Yes (It's in the name)

Buy Again - YAAAAAS

Beat the Rushower: A Soap & Glory Review

So, picture this, you've had a late night. You've been out having a little catch up which subsequently turned into a bit of an all nighter and you haven't had a chance to  wash your hair. It isn't looking as fresh as it did the night before and that vanilla shampoo smell has faded. What do you do?

Well, until recently my solution would be to throw a hat on and hope for the best...  that was however until I discovered the Soap & Glory Rushower Dry Shampoo!
Now, I am aware that there are a fair few dry shampoo's available and on the market right now, which all do the job more or less, so what sets this one apart?

If I'm honest, I think that it has to be the absolutely gorgeous signature Pink scent of rose and bergamot. Because of the touch release technology, the scent last all day and a quick ruffle of your hair gives you a fresh blast of fragrance as though you've just sprayed it!
The scent isn't too strong or overpowering, as some dry shampoo can definitely be, nearly choking you with how strong the fragrance is. Instead this is light and floral, as though your hair is perfumed.

It is so quick and easy to use, just spritz, ruffle and go! I have really dark hair naturally, and find that many dry shampoos leave an awful white residue in my hair- which I never seem to notice until someone points it out several hours later. But this seems to blend in really well, it may take a bit of working in the fringe area because of there being less hair, but it does leave my hair looking as though it has been freshly washed, rather than being on day two...

This is definitely going to be my new go-to dry shampoo, and I love that it is a good size, yet slim enough that I can fit is in most of my bags to keep with me on the go. It is perfect for using when you are going to uni for some long study sessions in the library, when you don't quite want to wash your hair, but you still want to feel good about yourself, and confident!
A perfect staple for everyone, with it working with all hair colours!

So, how are you going to treat yourself when Boots have all Soap & Glory products on offer for 3 for 2? Click here to see the full range! But here are some of my favourites! 

In Women We Trust -The Young Women's Trust

Imagine feeling alone. 

Imagine waking up and not knowing if you can afford a cup of tea. 

Imagine not having the opportunity to get the job that you want, because you just don't have the right qualifications.

Well, for many young women, aged between 16 and 30, they don't have to imagine this, they have to live it. Statistics suggest that this is in fact a reality for 800,000 (11.1%) young people. These young people are stuck in this situation of being neither in eduction, employment or training. They are unable to earn themselves a wage and fulfil their true potential. This is not because they don't have the ability or the intelligence to do so, but simply because they don't have the opportunity. 

This situation cannot be ignored. How can we allow so many young people with potential to be forgotten? To be denied the opportunity to earn a wage which would enable them to support themselves. The problem often begins in school, with these young people, specifically women, not enjoying the experience. They develop such negative connotations for education which can cause them anxiety about continuing it further. Often they feel as though they have nobody to speak to and confide these fears in. Nobody to turn to for advice and support, and often the only option becomes dropping out or to not even try. So, how can this be tackled?

Well, this is where The Young Women's Trust comes in. The 'Work it Out' Coaching is simply an incredible initiative, with the sessions being tailored for each individual young women. The sessions can be focused on building confidence, job applications, and  basically any other issue you may face as a young woman growing up! I love that they are focused entirely upon the young woman, with the sessions being done over the phone, Whatsapp, or even e-mail if that is what's best, meaning that you don't need to meet anybody face to face, and are available evenings and weekends.

The Young Women's Trust run a special service to try and help prevent these situation from escalating further, instead providing an outlet for these young women to voice their fears and worries, and come up with ways to tackle them head on!

Click To 'Work it Out'

Now, that is what The Young Women's Trust do, but what can you do to get involved and help? As a student it can be difficult to consistently donate to charity, when every penny has to be accounted for and managed. This in itself can be a cause of stress, wanting to do something to help, but not quite having the money to do so. The Young Women's Trust is aware of this issue, and as a result have a variety of different ways for you to make a difference! 

My favourite has to be their slogan t shirts, with the powerful statement, 'In Women We Trust'. It really isn't often when what your wearing has the power to change a life, but for just £12 you can. Not only do the t-shirts help to raise money for the Young Women's Trust, but they also raise awareness of the charity itself, whilst spreading the message of female empowerment!  

The t-shirt is super soft and is a perfect addition to any wardrobe, so if you want to do just one thing then buy a t-shirt, and spread the word. 

Buy a T-shirt! 

Another great way to help is to shop. Yes, you heard me right, to shop! This is called, 'Give as You Live', and all that you have to do is sign up and shop all of your favourite things, and by using their links a small commission is donated to the charity! No need to spend anything that you wouldn't necessarily be spending, yet the Young Women's Trust will thoroughly benefit from this donation. This is such a great concept and really allows you to support charity in everything you do. 

Give as You Live

Lastly, there is good old fashioned fund raising! The Young Women's Trust have a pack which you can download with some really fun and unique ways of raising both money and awareness for them. The Gender Pay Bakesale is a fun twist on the traditional bake sale, by highlighing the significance of the gender pay divide. Highlight how far we still need to go to achieve equality by holding a gender pay gap bake sale. On average, women earn 18% less than men. So at this bake sale, suggest that women pay 18% less. If a cake costs £1, men can donate the full price, and women can donate 82p

Find out More Ways to Fundraise

So, what are you going to do to get involved?

The Hero Project: Undo Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover

Now, I'm all about brands coming out with cruelty free and vegan products, but sometimes it takes extensive research and a lot of hearsay to find out whether a brand is indeed cruelty free and vegan, so you can imagine that companies which actually boast about this, are hot on my radar!
I was desperate for some new skin care, because I was coming to the end of quite a few of my staple product, and so enters, The Hero Project!

The Hero Project has quite a brilliant and unique stance when it comes to beauty. The focus on high quality products which do exactly what they say, no gimmicks, no nonsense, and absolutely no rubbish in them! Their website mirrors these views and I couldn't help but smile whilst reading such a refreshing and honest philosophy on beauty.

Now, let's take a minute to talk about this packaging guys, because oh my goodness, it is blooming gorgeous! I love how simple and minimalist it is. It feels really expensive and really fits in with the brands overall aesthetic: simplicity done beautifully. Everything feels really sturdy and of a good quality, so, without further ado, shall I get on to the review?

I wear waterproof mascara almost daily, and also struggle to actually remove it almost daily. My routine normally requires using a face wash, and miscella water and even then there is normally still some stubborn mascara which just won't budge! So I am always willing to try something which promises to actually remove it all and not leave my eyes stinging and sore.

"Undo™ truly is your ‘no faff’ waterproof makeup remover. The softening chamomile and cornflower have been carefully plucked from nature to help soothe and nourish your eyelashes and the delicate eye area. Of course, one of our fave ingredients is also present: hyaluronic acid hydrates and conditions without the unpleasant greasiness you may find with other removers."


I decided to to give this a proper test run, not just waterproof mascara, but a pretty hefty amount of liquid eyeliner, and some (a lot) of kohl eyeliner pencil smudged out. I expected it to be all over my face as normally happens after I remove eye makeup, however, I was pretty darn shocked when all I had to do was soak the cotton pad with the Undo, place it over my eye for a couple of seconds and swipe! I then quickly flipped the pad and gave it another quick wipe and it was all gone! I was shook, genuinely shook. I have never used an eye makeup remover which was so effective and left my eyes feeling refreshed and soft! I had to make sure that this wasn't just a flook, so I did the exact same on the other eye and again, all of the makeup was removed and my eyes were feeling incredible!


I absolutely love this makeup remover and it is definitely my new go to product! at £16 I think that this is reasonable and you really are paying for the quality here, it does the job and a lot more, leaving your skin feeling great afterwards with no dry or sore patches from trying to scrub off your eyeliner!

Here is a little before and after shot.

https://www.heroproject.com/undo-waterproof-eye-makeup-remover.html

Spring into Life this Summer

The clocks may have changed, but have you? Are you, like so many other still stuck in a winter rut, doing the same thing every day? Waking up, eating the same breakfast, going to work/uni etc. 

It is so easy to fall into the same patterns, and any form of change becomes almost impossible. The mere thought of trying something new for breakfast sends a chill running down your spine. So, to combat this, I decided to challenge myself to make three changes to my routine and see what, if any impact it has on me. 

Visit New Places! 

I love going to new places, yet I find myself very rarely doing this anymore. Instead resorting to my tried and tested favourites, never wavering from ordering the bean burger or going to the cinema if I fancy a day out. So, this week I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and visit a Harry Potter exhibition where they had real owls! It was an incredible experience being able to touch such a beautiful animal and find out more about them. I also had the chance to learn about work that charities like the RSPB do to protect the owls and other birds in Britain.

In addition to this, I also attended a vegan fair! It had so many fabulous independent businesses from all over the country. Each of them promoting the importance of animal well fare. They proudly showcased their products, proving that vegan food isn't just lettuce and carrot sticks. There was such a lovely atmosphere there, and I loved that by buying these products, especially knowing that I was helping to support small businesses! 

Stop Putting off Friends

We are all guilty of saying, 'Oh we need to meet up', but never actually following through. It isn't because you don't want to see each other, but just that sometimes life takes over. Everyone has their own thing going on, and you struggle to find a time when you can all coordinate schedules. But maintaining friendships is so important and really can lift your mood. Plus, who doesn't love a good catchup over lunch and coffee?

So I did just that. I met up with one of my closest friends and laughed so much my cheeks hurt, and I even tried a new restaurant! I also managed to arrange a night with uni friends where we put the world to rights and simply enjoyed being each others company. It really is moments like these which you treasure. Friends truly are brilliant, and spending time with them is such an effective way to improve your mood!

Make a Plan (or Two!)

Obviously, you can't do everything at once. That just isn't possible, but sometimes just having something to look forward to can have such a good impact upon how you are feeling. Knowing that you have a holiday planned to celebrate your end of year exams, having tickets booked with your friends to see your favourite band play. It doesn't have to be something monumental it simple things like a day trips and saving up for those dreamy velvet loafers! Forgive the cliche, but it really is the little things in life which really matter.

So what have I learnt from this? Well, nothing I didn't already know I suppose. But sometimes you need to be reminded of why it is so important to actually do these things. Putting words into action, and not just think about making that change! 
There are so many things which you have the power to change in your life if you aren't happy with it. They don't have to be drastic, it can be going for a walk every day to get your step count up and get a bit of fresh air, or cutting out meat. There are so many little changes, but they all have the power to make a big difference. 

So make that change, and spring into life this summer!

Mini Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns (Tesco)

Hot Cross Bun season is finally upon us (but who would believe it when half the country is experiencing snow more often than not, but I digress), and the stores are full of them! There are so many different flavours out there at the moment. But there really aren't that many actually vegan friendly. There are a few out there, but most of them are a bit basic in flavour, but then I discovered these little beauties! The Tesco Mini Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns!

I was excited about these. I was very very excited about these. So well done Tesco, for the conception of these incredible buns! So maybe I should stop rambling and write the review?

The pack comes with eight little buns, with the cute little crosses across them, as one would expect from a hot cross bun. This doesn't seem to necessarily be chocolate flavoured, but that isn't a terrible thing, as there is certainly enough chocolate chips running throughout the buns to leave you feeling entirely satisfied! The chocolate is evenly distributed, so you are definitely going to get a mouthful of chocolate with every bite, which let's be honest, is what we are in it for! 

The chocolate is of a good quality, not too sweet, with a nice bitterness to it. This works perfectly with the almost brioche sweet of the bread base. The buns were somewhat soft, but personally prefer my hot cross buns to be super soft and a bit squidgy . I know that it is traditional for people to toast their hot cross buns, but I think that due to their tiny size toasting them may cause serious problems, such as not actually being able to get them out of the toaster... 

So, in order to remedy this issue, I find that microwaving them for around 10-15 seconds tends to melt the chocolate to perfection! Not too hot that it is basically molten lava in sugar form, but not too little that they are still solid chips. The buns become delightfully soft, with chocolate oozing in the most tempting of manners. Honestly, this is just blooming delicious! 

Just a little word of warning though, the chocolate does have a tendency to get a tad messy, so be warned!

Rating - 9.75/10

Calories - 102 per bun

Buy Again - YES!!!

Walls Vegan Cornetto

Have I been waiting my entire life for this? A vegan Cornetto from the ice cream giant that is Wall's. Many a sunny afternoon as a child I spent munching this ice cream, so, you can imagine my delight over ten years later to discover that my childhood favourite had just become vegan. 

But, and here is the question on everyone's mind, does it taste as good?

The box and packaging are pretty standard, staying within the Wall's Cornetto branding, with nothing feeling too unfamiliar or strange. I like when brands do this, making something vegan look like it belongs in the range rather than some peculiar novelty item. 

But, I'm near certain that this looks very small in my hand? Does anyone else think that these are ridiculously small in size? I could be going mad, or perhaps I just haven't had one in such a long time that I am not longer a valid judge of size, but this definitely does not feel as big as it used to...

Anyway, I can cope with a smaller size providing it is of a good taste and quality, like the cliche goes, quality over quantity! But, I am sorry to say, the flavour didn't quite live up to my expectations. 

Maybe I was expecting too much for it to be like a flavourful trip down memory road, I enjoyed that they kept the main components of the Cornetto, simply veganising it. But I think that the flavour really was lacking overall.

The ice cream was a little mild in taste, it was nice enough, but not overly vanilla. I am curious as to what ice cream they actually used. Because this didn't taste like Swedish Glace (now owned by Unilever the parent brand to Wall's), it was sweet but there was something just a little bit off. I had my mum try, just to compare notes kind of thing and she agreed that the ice cream flavour was really weak, and didn't really taste like the original.

This being said it wasn't unpleasant, it just wasn't great.

The cone was good, it seemed to do what other vegan ice cream ones fail to do, and retain its crunch. I enjoyed this quite a bit and it created a good contrast between that and the soft almost foamy ice cream. 

There definitely could have been a bit more chocolate in the base, but that is my personal preference as a chocolate lover. The chocolate itself was rather lovely, not too sweet, with a slight bitterness to work against the sweet ice cream and the sweet cone!

So, what are my thoughts overall? Honestly, I'm not that impressed by these, and think that Tesco's own versions are all superior! I wouldn't go out of my way to try this again, but they are a nice enough treat.

Rating - 6/10

 

Calories - 179

 

Buy again - Doubt it.

The Righteous Butter: Soap & Glory

The weather may be suggesting otherwise, but Spring is rapidly approaching, so who can blame me for going in search of the perfect all round body butter? One which leaves your skin feeling hydrated but not greasy, nourishing without taking hours to dry, thus making it absolutely impossible to get your jeans on! But alas, I have found the solution in the form of the beautifully packaged Righteous Butter from Soap & Glory. 

I'm not going to pretend that I've never tried this iconic cream before, because I have and like so many others this is one of my favourite products I own, and has become an intrinsic part of my routine. So, for those who are less acquainted about this body butter and want to know what the hype is all about, continue reading!

I think that my absolute favourite thing about the Righteous Butter has to be the smell. It is simply divine, staying on your skin the entire day. The Original Pink scent is lightly floral with a delicious citrus twist to it which keeps the fragrance light and youthful, perfect to have on your skin every day. This truly is one of my favourite smells, and it translates beautifully to a body butter, allowing it to last morning until night, all whilst keeping your skin feeling like velvet (just as it says on the tub!)

So really, what more is there to want?

I love using this as an intense and luxurious feeling body butter after I shower. Letting it soak into my skin, leaving it feeling so soft and revitalised. It hydrates you, providing a much needed blast of moisture, and just overall making you feel better! 

Because of this, it would be a fantastic present for Mother's Day! Treating your Mum to something beautiful without breaking the bank, and think, you could definitely 'borrow it' every now and then... 
Flowers are great and everything, but flowers only last a week and this lasts blooming ages and smells even better!

But don't just take my word, because sometimes two opinions are better than one, and who better to ask than my go to girl on campus for all things glam, Georgia!

"I absolutely love the way it makes you feel! Gives you that little lift with their signature scent, just enough to get through those 9am lectures. Which is no small task when it is minus 10 degrees and snowing outside! I never leave the house without my travel sized tub in my bag. It is always such a massive hit at Campus and House Calls and really, is it any wonder why? It is the cream which does almost everything, and last absolutely ages, even when applied liberally every day!"

Buy it at Boots, because it is included in their 3 for 2 offer!