Category: reviews

healthy, lifestyle boxes, reviews, snackly, vegan kind

Snack boxes

ramblingmads

Doesn’t everyone snack from time to time? But what about snacks delivered to your door.

Graze has been delivering delicious treats for the last few years and their range is always expanding – from protein top ups, to granola, savoury, sweet, flapjacks and everything in between. I’ve sampled a few and I like a mix of sweet and savoury treats.

Snackly is a gluten free selection box

image

Featuring a range of companies who cater to a gluten and wheat free diet.

The Vegan Kind again features a range of treats from different brands – from dairy free chocolate to maple water (odd but not repellant).

image

They also include a lifestyle or beauty item – this month’s was a soy wax candle that smells like fresh sheets. Every three months they send out a beauty box filled with cruelty free beauty treats too.

Do you know about any other snack boxes? Have you tried any of the ones above?

ramblingmads

beauty, make up, reviews, skincare

Libbie Club – July offers #treatyo’self

ramblingmads

I love new products, and as part of my summer of trying new items, receiving these goodies is a bonus.

Becca Beach Tint for cheek and lips – this says water resistant but without a swimming pool to test the theory in I can’t speak to that.

image

The formulation is quite runny, even after giving it a good shake – but the colour is quite nice – a warm pink, which I would be more likely to use as a cheek tint/blusher than on my lips.

image

Bioeffect Volcanic Exfoliator – made in Iceland (the country not the shop of many freezers!) this contains microcrystalline lava to leave your face free of dead skin cells and grime. Perfect to apply your summer look on to clean, fresh skin.

image

Skin & Tonic London Steam Clean cleansing balm – made with organic ingredients, sustainably made and cruelty free. You smooth a little into your skin, soak the accompanying in warm water, drape over your face to melt it away, cleansing deeply. It also smells amazing.

image

If you would like to treat yourself to any of these fab products (special offers all round) click here and buy them through Libbie Club. Go on treat yo’self.

*items provided by Libbie Club for promotional purposes – all opinions my own*

image
Parks & Rec forever!

ramblingmads

beauty boxes, make up, reviews, skincare

You Beauty Discovery Box – July

ramblingmads

As always the USP is a chance to select two of the items for your box.

image

I picked Lola Ultra Shine Nail Polish in Stone Grey and Hairy Jayne Hair Perfume in Citrus.

image

Also in my box was a sachet of Emma Hardie primer SPF 30, Nairns Muesli Break oatcake snack pack and St Tropez Gradual Tan in Shower – a current bestseller.

image

As always there are discounts on the brands included and a competition to win a goodie bag of products.

I’m quite impressed with this box, for £6.95 they send a nice selection of things and the option to select some of the items is always good, although you have to be quick, as some items are limited and go fast.

ramblingmads

beauty boxes, birchbox, make up, reviews, skincare

Birchbox – July Birchbag

ramblingmads

This month Birchbox has dispensed with boxes and has instead sent out clear plastic bags in a selection of colours.

To be honest they look cheap. Mine is pink (not my favourite colour) and I don’t see it getting used at all.

image

However the items inside make up for it somewhat.

Benefit Dream Screen SPF 45 – sample sized. Benefit is one of my favourite cosmetic companies, I love their quirky packaging and product names. This sunscreen is formulated to absorb quickly, leaving your skin hydrated and protected.

image

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum – a targeted spot shrinker and break out preventer. It contains chamomile, lavender and aloe.

image

Unani Aloe Vera gel – useful as after sun or just to soothe irritated skin (from bites or the heat).

Pop Beauty eye shadow trio in Peach Parfait – summer smoky eyes, here we come. Instead of dark greys and blacks, it’s peaches and creams.

image

Jelly Pong Pong – Glow Getter Luminizer Gel – a full size facial illuminator for a subtle glow – perfect for fresh summer skin.

Pure Vida lace headband in Aqua – a bit like pop bands, this is a stretchy lacy band, to be honest I only use these to keep my hair off my face when applying a face mask.

image

A nice selection of summer themed products in a slightly disappointing package. 

ramblingmads

exercise, lifestyle boxes, reviews, yoga

Yogi Surprise – first box

ramblingmads

I have been trying to get back into yoga, it’s good for your body and also your mind, so I was delighted when Yogi Surprise started shipping internationally.

image

A box of treats and yoga tools – hopefully this will inspire me to practise more.

Mind Over Lather – mat cleaning spray in lavender mint – this smells heavenly and will hopefully prevent that sweaty rubber smell yoga mats give off after a while.

Natural Fitness hemp yoga strap – yoga straps help you get into some of the asanas or poses that are a little trickier if you’re not super flexible. Unfortunately they can also be expensive, so getting one in this box is great.

image

Bearded Brothers Fabulous Ginger Peach Energy Bar – the first ingredient is dates, which unfortunately means I will be passing on this – I find they overwhelm all other flavours and if I want to live on dates, I’ll buy Medjool ones from the little grocers on the corner.

Yoga Gangsters essential oils energy mist – I spritzed this on for the all important sniff test – it smells good but I didn’t feel instantly more energetic. Though apparently you should spray into the air and inhale deeply – I don’t think my asthmatic lungs will be too keen.

image

Gaiam Yoga Gloves – these grippy gloves help you keep yourself from slipping on sweaty palms and can be used without a mat. Great for practicing on the go.

image

Finally a beautiful bonus treat – a jade tree of life bracelet

image

image

This was in a little cloth bag, and is worth more than the box cost.

Jade encourages love, inner peace, balance and harmony, while the tree of life represents knowledge and wisdom. All things I could do with.

If you want to win a yoga retreat, they host a monthly prize draw on their social media pages, all you have to do is take a selfie of you and your box that’s fun. I guess a yoga pose with box is what they’re after.

image

ramblingmads

beauty boxes, latest in beauty, make up, nail polish, nails inc, reviews, skincare

Latest in Beauty – Capital Beauty Box

ramblingmads

This is absolutely jam packed with goodies, seriously, look at it!

image

There are 10 items in the box, full and sample sized.

image

Dr Organic Dead Sea Mineral Mask – this has popped up in several different boxes over the last few months, and according to my guinea pig/mother (she loves getting freebies from me) it’s lovely stuff. Will have to give this a go myself.

Colab dry shampoo in Paris – beauty writer and my guru in all things skin, Sali Hughes (buy her book – it’s fab) recommended the Colab dry shampoo ages ago and I picked up London in Superdrug, which is practically scent-free. Paris has a floral fragrance that reminds me of those So… and Impulse body sprays that were all the rage as teenagers. Still I’m sure my perfume will mask it.

image

Hawaiian Tropic Satin Protection SPF 30 – I am a sunscreen obsessive, I have Northern European ancestry which means I am so white I’m practically translucent, and slather myself in sunscreen daily. I’ve used this one before and find it works quite well.

Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm in Berry. This has SPF 15, vitamin E and aloe vera. Carmex do make good products, so I reckon this will do the job.

Malin + Goetz trio – a travel sized cleanser, moisturizer and lip moisturizer, all in a handy travel bag. This brand is new to me, but the lip moisturizer in particular attracts me. I have very dry, prone to cracking lips and hopefully this will do the trick.

image

I love perfectly peachy bath & shower gel – possibly the most disappointing item – a sachet of shower gel from a brand that I’ve seen for sale in Poundland –  not exactly too pricey to be more generous. It’s a special packet with advice from Coppafeel about breast cancer awareness – something I doubt most people would read as they shower.

Fudge Urban Hair Art Sprays – spray in hair colour that washes out. I remember having something similar in the 90s. I got Violet Haze, which I don’t see myself using (not exactly office appropriate) but it could be fun for a party.

MUA Mega Volume Mascara – I like MUA but I am very fussy about mascaras so this probably won’t get used by me (my mum hasn’t bought one in years, I keep her supplied).

image

Nails Inc Gel Effect Nail Polish in Soho Place – a turquoise polish from my favourite nail brand, named after one of my favourite areas of London – it’s a win!

And finally, possibly the box’s star item.

image

MUA Eyeshadow Palette in Poptastic – 12 different coloured shadows, which considering I promised to stop wearing the same colour every day is going to come in handy (I am that lazy, making complex make up decisions first thing is too much).

What did you think? Have you bought this box? Do you think you will? Comments please.

image

ramblingmads

lifestyle boxes, reviews

Happy Mail box

ramblingmads

A box full of adorable goodies was waiting for me in the letterbox today. It comes from I Heart Homes, a shop I discovered on Facebook.

image

The items in the box are lovely and worth a lot more than the £10 the box cost.

I got a sweet butterfly bookmark, Sass & Belle bird brooch, a poster, bird pegs, a keyring, flower pen and a little plaque with a bee on it.

image

image

ramblingmads

books, reviews

Book Review: Navel Gazing by Anne H. Putnam

ramblingmads

This is subtitled ‘One Woman’s Quest for Size Normal’. That alone annoyed me before I’d even begun reading this book.

image

What is size normal?

Anne Putnam had a gastric bypass at 17, in a quest to reduce her body weight of almost 300 pounds.

This book is full of so much self loathing, whinging and misery, it’s a miracle I made it through
As someone who’s struggled with her weight since my teens, I know what a nightmare it can be, but I’ve never thought of resorting to something so drastic.

In today’s world, of body positivism, plus size bloggers, #effyourbeautystandards and more clothes available, the focus is less on weight than on health. You can be healthy at any size, BMI is no indication of that, it wasn’t designed to do so.

In the end, like the majority of rom coms, it is the love of a good man that stops the self hatred and allows her to see her body in a new light. What a cliché.

I don’t recommend you read this book unless you enjoy a good eye roll and some tutting. I really wanted to track the author down, grab her by the shoulders and give her a good talking to. 

ramblingmads

reviews, theatre

Easily Offended?

ramblingmads

Took my boyfriend to the theatre tonight for his birthday. We went to see The Book of Mormon.

image

We saw Avenue Q a few years ago, and this is by the same team (who also wrote South Park – which I can’t stand).

BoM is very, very funny but not for anyone who doesn’t like swearing, or sexual references. Basically, if you’re easily offended, skip this and see something else (Les Mis, Cats, Phantom, all good).

The story is that of two Mormon missionaries from Utah who are dispatched to northern Uganda for their two year mission – to convert and baptize the natives.

A lot of the jokes revolve around the fish out of water scenario these 19 year olds find themselves in. However, others are very crude and based on American stereotypes of Africans. There are jokes about Aids, poverty, FGM (I didn’t find these funny), warlords, rape (again, not so funny) and dysentery.

Fans of South Park will know this crudity, and find it amusing, and while I laughed at some of the jokes, others really grated. South Park has never been something I would choose to watch, I really don’t think it’s funny or clever.

I think it depends on your comedic taste and level of sensitivity to near-knuckle humour, as to whether this show would be for you.

The man sat in front of me laughed so hard at times, I was a bit concerned as he was bright red.

image

ramblingmads

beauty boxes, make up, reviews, skincare

You Beauty Burt’s Bees Limited Edition

ramblingmads

image

Came home from the office to find this beaut waiting for me. The You Beauty Burt’s Bees Limited Edition box and it’s a good ‘un.

Seven products and all but two are full size – only £19.95!

image

Peach & Willow Bark Deep Pore Scrub

Orange Essence Facial Cleanser

Soap Bark & Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream

image

Lip Crayon in Hawaiian Smolder

Hydrating Lip Balm with Coconut & Pear

The two sample size products are;

Facial Cleansing Towelettes

Intense Hydration Night Cream

image

There’s also a £10 coupon for the Burt’s Bees website.

I’m a fan of the natural ingredients Burt’s uses, and have been eyeing up their website for a while. Looking forward to ordering some more goodies with my voucher and treating my skin with these lovely products.

ramblingmads