August Empties.

Hello everyone. So it's got to the end of August and I am about to show you yet some more empty products that I've managed to finish. As I said in my previous empties post, I seem to be going through a lot of products recently. I'm not really sure why. So without further a do I shall get on with the post...

 

The first product I used up this month is the Radox Cool Air 24hr Anti-Perspirant Deodorant. I think I said this in my last post but I seem to go through deodorant so fast in the summer months because I'm using it 2-3 times a day. I really love this roll on but I've since went to repurchase it and it wasn't in store - I'm just hoping it hasn't been discontinued or they've definitely rebranded the packaging. I bought mine from my local Savers. I do have one more in my draw to use though. It does the job that it's supposed to do and it was £0.89p and so it's really not expensive and if I can repurchase it, I definitely will. I'd give it a rating of 8/10.

The next product empty I finished this month was this packet of Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes and you get 20 wipes in the pack. I believe you now get 25 in a pack but I could be wrong. These were for normal and combination skin which I have combination skin. I got these in a gift set for Christmas so I was using them up really. I would never have thought to buy these otherwise. They are okay. I wouldn't repurchase them but they were okay for cleaning my face in a morning when I was feeling lazy as the wipes are very gentle on the skin but I have tried better. They come in at £3.15 which is quite expensive for face wipes in my opinion as I can get 75 for £1. I would give these a 4/10.

I then finished this *The Body Shop Chocomania body scrub. I think it's called that anyway. I didn't like this body scrub very much and I think it was mainly down to texture and how well it worked for my skin. I have very dry, flaky skin on my body (this sounds so gross I know) and so to help maintain a smooth and not flaky body I have to use a body scrub every week. Sometimes I use it for exfoliating before applying my fake tan or for scrubbing my fake tan off but this product just didn't help for any of it. It's just too thick and it wasn't very gritty. I know this could be due to personal preference but I prefer the little grainy scrubs as I feel like they work really well for my skin. This was quite oily based and my skin felt like I had dipped it in baby oil which my skin reacts badly to. I decided to continue to use this product as I hate to make a fast judgement on a product and by using it all I definitely had a firm opinion on this product. It smelt nice but other than that I wasn't that impressed. The packaging was leaky and therefore some of the product leaked out everywhere and the product itself just didn't win me over. I actually got this as a Christmas present and I'm glad I got to try it out but it just didn't work for me. Mine was also a travel size. I believe this was limited edition for Christmas so I don't think I'll be able to find a link to this product but you can find the Cocoa Butter Scrub here for £13.00. I wouldn't repurchase this product and I would give it a rating of 1/10.

The next product empty I have this month is another product from The Body Shop however this product I did actually really like. I go through so much shower gel as I use it as bubble bath as well but I did really enjoy using this product. This is *The Body Shop's Strawberry Shower Gel. I got this in a set for Christmas but I've only just got round to using it as I've had other shower gels to use up first and so I used it this month. It's a 250ml bottle and I do love the packaging of this product. I did find that if I wanted a bit more product I had to squeeze the bottle but that reassured me that it wouldn't leak and you only get the amount of product that you want. I would repurchase this product in the future but I'd definitely be interested in trying other scents as I do like to use different shower gels with different scents. At £4 it's not the most expensive shower gel but it's a bit more expensive than what you can find in the drugstore. This product doesn't lather very well so I did tend to use it as bubble bath but again it wasn't exceptional. I'd tried better shower gels but it wasn't unpleasant and overall it is a nice product to use. I would give this product a rating of 7/10.

The next product I finished was some more wipes. These are the Pampers baby wipes. You get 64 in a pack. I use these types of wipes for make up swatches and cleaning product packaging etc as you can't really use them on your face. I find them to be quite sticky feeling on your face and so I would recommend them for swatches. I won't be repurchasing these as they aren't my favourite wipes I've ever used and I prefer others. These are priced at £1.25 so they aren't too expensive either but I won't be buying them again. I would give these a rating of 2/10.

The next product I finished was the *Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff 3 In 1 Body Scrub. Now I'm not going to talk about this product too much as I did do a review on this product here. This product is only £5.99 for 200ml and this lasted me quite well. I really loved using this product to scrub my fake tan off or prep my skin for fake tanning because it contains finely ground pumice, so it does a far better job of exfoliating your skin than your typical apricot or walnut kernel body scrubs. Don't be fooled by the pretty pink colour of the tube or scrub because this body scrub means business and it leaves your skin feeling smoother than it ever has. I'd definitely recommend you paying particular attention to areas such as your hands, feet, elbows and knees which can be particularly prone to dryness as it really works. Also this scrub smells incredible and it is just so good. I would highly recommend it. I have now run out so I will definitely be repurchasing this product without a doubt because it's the best body exfoliator I have used. I would give this product a rating of 10/10.

The next product I finished was yet another shower gel. This was in my Latest In Beauty Box and so I decided to use it. This is a foaming shower gel and I definitely think that this was the best part about it. I got a 50ml size and it's the *Rituals Hammam Delight with Fresh Eucalyptus & Rosemary. The full size is 200ml and comes in at the price of £8.50. It's not the cheapest shower gel out there and I'd definitely say it's a luxury product. I didn't really like this product and I think it's down to the fact I didn't like the scent. The eucalyptus and rosemary are very strong and I just didn't like it. I did like the texture and because it is a foaming shower gel it lathered up well but overall this product just isn't for me. I wouldn't repurchase it and I'd give it a rating of 5/10.

The last product I finished was the Clinique take the day off makeup remover. This was again a travel sized version of the product. You don't actually need that much of the product on a cotton pad as it really does remove make up easily. I definitely think a little goes a long way with this product. I have to admit the first time I used this product I didn't like it - I found the formulation too oily and greasy but then I persevered with the product and the more I used it the more I started to enjoy using it. This make up remover is for lids, lashes and lips but I found that if I was feeling super lazy, it was good enough to remove a whole face of make up. This product is very oil based but I think this is what makes the product work so well and I was very impressed with this product. This product was gentle and soft on the skin - at times a little too oily but with a wipe of a flannel or muslin cloth you are basically sorted. The thing I loved the most about this product was definitely the packaging. The packaging is designed like a medicine is so that children cannot open it and I loved it just because I knew that there would be 0 spillages or leaks. I really loved this product but I am testing another eye make up remover which could be a dupe for it so I don't think I'll be repurchasing it. The full size is 125ml and is priced at £17.00 so it's definitely a pricey one for the amount of product you get. Overall I'd give this product a 9/10 just because the price is a tad steep.

So that's all my empties for this month. I really hope you've enjoyed this post.

 

What products have you finished this month?

 

 

*DISCLAIMER: Some products mentioned in this post were PR samples or were gifted to me by friends and family and they are marked with an '*'. This doesn't affect my views or opinions in any way. All my views are 100% honest and are my own.

A book I just couldn't put down...

 

(L'Amour Actually By Melanie Jones you can buy it here, bookmark was a gift from one of my family members a few years back)

 

Hello everyone. So today's post is about a book I haven't been able to put down. I used to love reading and could read books like they were going out of fashion but since starting my GCSE's in Year 9 I haven't loved reading as much. Now that I've officially left school, I decided to contact Melanie Jones who is also a blogger and you can read her blog here. I did a post about Melanie back in February as there was an Amazon Deal with her book and I also did an interview with her. You can read that here. I promised I would review her book at some point and today is the day. I'm not going to give away too much detail as I do find myself, that I'd rather know the person's thoughts about the book rather than the plot etc. I would like to thank Melanie for letting me review her book and kindly sending me it.

 

My copy even has a little personal note which is great! Anyway onto the review...

"After one particularly bad day at work, advertising executive and confirmed city girl Melanie Jones decides to give up her old life in search of something new and simpler in South West France. With little knowledge of the country, even less of the language and just the memory of a disastrous school French exchange and a few day trips to Calais, she embarks on her adventure with a suitcase full of optimism and not a little bit of naivety. After all, how different can life in France be?"

"After a series of adventures with skirt-ripping tractors, handsome twin farmers, celebrity not-quite-beens, unusual toilets and a bonkers ex-pat community, all topped up, of course, with lashings of rosé, Melanie begins to discover that her new life in France isn’t quite what she’d thought it would be."

 

I was firstly drawn to Melanie's book by the front cover, it's so pretty and would look lovely on a book shelf, sadly I don't own one at this current moment but hopefully in the future I will have a book shelf full of wonderful books. I then read the blurb and instantly wanted to read it. I love the title of the book 'L'Amour Actually' after doing GCSE French in Year 9 and then failing and having to resit in Year 10, I definitely wanted to see what French was based in  this book.

 

The thing I love about reading the most is you can perceive a book differently to everyone else. You can imagine your own characters when you are reading it and even though I have seen photos of Melanie from her blog, I still kind of imagined her differently when reading her book.

 

Every night I got cosy into my pyjamas and lit a candle and found myself absorbed into her book, on some days I've been reading it through the day as well, just because I couldn't put it down. I was gripped to it.

 

Even though I currently don't have a job, I have been to London a few times in my life and I know how busy it is and so you can imagine how lovely it must be to leave your stressful, tiring job and take a break in the French Countryside. The French Countryside compared to London must be a whole new world as we discover in this novel. I live in a small town and even that at times is rather hectic. This novel definitely made me smile as you do read about some of the hilarious realities of a London City Girl moving to Rural France! I couldn't stop smiling and laughing at this book.

I have to say, I was even laughing from the beginning. When Mel first arrives in France she had to impress with her crazy high Louboutins - probably not the sort of footwear you'd typically wear in the countryside but it definitely made me laugh. She then ends up in a ditch and has to be rescued and then to end the perfect first journey she also loses half her skirt by stepping down from a tractor. Although I cannot relate to any of these situations, I definitely think that the ripping of the skirt would be something that would happen to me. I'm unbelievably clumsy and always seem to embarrass myself. I love Mel's character, she's a very likeable character even right from the beginning. Some of the embarrassing situation she gets into, you feel quite sorry for her.

In the beginning Mel definitely appears as a high maintenance character, which is not like me but you do find that the more you read, the more you get to see of the 'real' Mel and your opinion can definitely change of her.

My favourite part is possibly when she meets Julian and the fact that he is described as looking very similar to Channing Tatum, is well, very impressive. I definitely like how he is described.

I did find that this book was like reading a diary and I think this is one of the main reasons why I just couldn't put it down. You feel like you are one of Mel's friends and you are along for the ride. The writing style of this book is fantastic.
 

I think one of the most interesting facts about this book is that it is part fiction and part fact, which I have never read a book quite like this before. You do find yourself wondering which parts are actually true and which parts are made up. I think it's fantastic how Melanie creates this mystery but I hope she didn't have too many embarrassing situations like described in the book! I really hope Julian isn't made up though!

There were lots of great characters among the book which made the story interesting to read. You have Gerard the drunken taxi driver who sounds like he could use a good shower and bar of soap - who ends up putting Mel in a ditch in the beginning and she ends up having to be rescued. You then have Tracey who is the reality TV singer star, who I have to admit, I didn't like her at first but she did grow on me.

There were a few twists towards the end which were very intriguing to read but if you want to find out about them, then you'll have to read the book.

I started this book on the 2nd of August and finished it on the 20th of August so it didn't take me too long to read it. I definitely think, that this book is a great summer read and if you want to escape the reality of your life then you can definitely do this with this book and you'll really think you are in France when reading it because you'll be absorbed.

You can buy L'Amour Actually by Melanie Jones on Amazon for £8.99 but it is currently on offer for £5.58 . You can buy it here. I would definitely recommend this book and I believe you can also buy it free for your kindle but I could be wrong.

 

Have you read L'Amour Actually by Melanie Jones?

 

 *DISCLAIMER: This product was sent to me for review purposes only. This doe not affect my views and opinions on the product. All my views and opinions are 100% honest.

 

An Explanation.

 

Hello everyone. So while this photo is totally random (I did take this myself),  I just wanted to do a post explaining one thing before people start to complain. Basically you may have noticed that this month I have posted 4/5 PR sample review posts. Normally I would do 2 for each month but I wanted to explain the reason behind it. By me posting 4/5 PR sample review posts, it doesn't mean I'm trying to show them off in any way. I am not sat behind my laptop saying 'Look at all the samples I have received in the post'. This is not what it's about. I have posted these reviews because a) I feel that they would interest you b) I was behind because I've had no laptop for 3 nearly 4 weeks c) because why shouldn't I. I know a lot of people sit and complain and at times I feel that it's just a little bit pathetic. I don't get PR samples on a regular basis but when I am lucky enough to review them, if I feel that it's a product I want to talk about, then I do.

I'm sorry for this rant but I feel like it had to be said. I spend 1-2 hours, even 3 hours at times on a blog post and for someone to come and rip me to shreds just because I've posted a few PR samples. At the end of the day, even if the products are PR samples, they don't influence my opinions and views on the product in any way. I base my reviews on the items as if I had bought them. I do declare in all my posts if they are PR samples or if it's sponsored content because I am honest. I don't blog for PR Samples, if I get offered the chance to review products I feel very lucky and grateful but if I don't get offered any then it doesn't matter because you just create different content. Although PR samples are great, my blog doesn't work around them. It just happens at this point, I had a few to write about and share.

I do blogging as a hobby, not a full time job. I love blogging and it's my blog and I should be able to write what ever content takes my fancy without being criticized.

So again, sorry for the rant. I just wanted to clear this up before people started to make comments.

If you do read my blog and you do like my content then thank you so much. You all inspire me and without your support my blog might not have continued. Your comments mean the world to me.

 

Have a lovely day.

 

 

UPDATED Twitter Blogger Chats: When and what are they?

Hello everyone. So today I thought I'd do an updated post on the Twitter blogger chats. On the 27th July 2014 I did a post all about the Twitter blogger chats so that people knew when and what Twitter blogger chats were out there for bloggers to join. You can read my previous post here. Since I did this post, the Twitter blogger chats have expanded and so now I thought I'd do a new post rather than update my old one as it shows how much the blogging community is growing.

I'd definitely say that Twitter brings me a lot of blog traffic and it's definitely down to the various blogger chats. I love the chats and I really want to aim in taking part in one every single day for all of the summer and then when I go to college I may have to limit a few.
 
The topics do vary from chat to chat and I find them so interesting and end up discovering new bloggers and new blogs to read. I have been a host of both the #lbloggers chat and the #bbloggers in the past and it's such a wonderful experience both from a blogger taking part perspective but also a blogger host perspective.

I absolutely love the Twitter chats and it is a way/place where I can interact with new bloggers and people who share the same interests as me. You don't have to be a blogger to take part in the chats but mainly bloggers take part. I have learnt while I've taken part in the chats that you will be accepted no matter how long you've been a blogger and it's just a lovely way to get new ideas and share good/bad experiences. Also these chats can create long lists of shopping - some how I don't think my bank balance appreciates this but hey ho. I get a lot of inspiration from the chats and it means that I can put my blog out there too - I love the blogging community and if you would like to take part in a variety of chats, I have put a list of hashtags together so that you know what chats are available and when they take place. Just remember that link sharing is meant to be saved till the end of the chat but if you have relevant links to the topic feel free to give people a chance to look, as long as you don't spam. All times below are in BST unless stated otherwise. There are so many blogger chats but again I've tried to narrow it down to the main ones and I shall give you all the information like in my previous post. So if you didn't already know what blogger chats are - basically you use certain hashtags on a set day at a set time and sometimes there are questions and a topic and other times it can just be a general chat. I love how you can talk to other bloggers using the same hashtag and it makes things a little more fun. The chats are typically an hour long and are at the same time every week. If you click on the '#' at the beginning of each chat on the list it will link you to the chats on Twitter.

 #bbloggers (beauty bloggers) - Sundays and Wednesdays 8-9pm. - Sundays are normally a topic and Wednesdays are general chit chat.

#lbloggers (lifestyle bloggers) - Sundays and Wednesdays 7-8pm. - I believe that this chat is similar to the #bbloggers chat and that Sundays are normally a topic and Wednesdays are general chit chat.   #fbloggers (fashion bloggers) - Mondays and Thursdays 8-9pm. - Hopefully in the near future I will have more fashion related posts on my blog and will participate in this chat.   #psbloggers (plus size bloggers) - Sundays 9-10pm. 
#pbloggers (parent bloggers) - Sundays 9-10pm.   #tbloggers (teen bloggers) - Saturdays 8-9pm and Thursdays 9-10pm.    #sbloggers (student bloggers) - Fridays 8-9pm. - Another great chat to be involved in.    #socialcafe (all bloggers) - Tuesdays 2-3am.    #bookbloggers - Tuesdays 7-8pm.
 
#mybchat (market your blog- all bloggers) - Tuesdays 7-8pm.   #bloghour (all bloggers) - Tuesdays 9-10pm.   #beautychat (anyone who loves beauty) - Fridays 6-7pm.   #beautichat (anyone who loves beauty) - Thursdays 9-10pm.   #socialbloggers (all bloggers) - Saturdays 6-7pm.   #fdbloggers (food bloggers) - Thursdays 8-9pm.   #fblchat (fashion/beauty/lifestyle bloggers) - Tuesdays 8-9pm.   #cfbloggers (cruelty free bloggers) - Thursdays 9-10pm.   #bundlechat (fashion, beauty & lifestyle) - Mondays 7-8pm.   #30sbloggers - Sundays 9-10pm.   #bdib (all bloggers) - Mondays 7-8pm and Fridays 8-9pm.   #nzbloggers (new zealand bloggers) - Sundays 8-9pm (NZST)   #pabchat (pick a blogger) - Sundays 5-6pm.   #vloggerschat (vloggers) - Thursdays 8-9pm.  

#tweetursis (small businesses by women) - Tuesdays 9-10pm.  

#beautybabble (any beauty lovers) - Mondays 8-9pm.   #craftblogclub (craft bloggers) - Tuesdays 7-8:30pm.   #bloggab (all bloggers) - Tuesdays 9-10pm (ET)   #beautytalk (all beauty lovers) - Tuesdays 2-3am.  

#healthyselves (staying healthy chat) - Mondays 8-9pm.  

#bloggerspace (all bloggers) - Thursdays 7-8pm.   #blogphotochat (photography chat) - Thursdays 9-10pm.   #AskABlogger (all bloggers) - Tuesdays 7pm-8pm.
  So they are all the current Twitter Blogger Chats. I hope you find this post helpful.   What Twitter Chats do you join in with?  

IT'S RESULTS DAY!!!

Hello everyone. So today I wanted to be organised and actually announce my results on the day that I got them. Last year I didn't do a post on my results till September which you can read about it here. I was a little disappointed with 2 of my grades last year but I tried my best and that's all I could do. This year I tried even harder and I struggled with Science a lot. I just mainly wanted to pass all my subjects and anything over a C for me is a bonus. So I got my results 8 hours ago and it has been a mad day to say the least.

So what did I get?

I am no way bragging about my results. I just wanted to share them with you. This year has been the best year ever for my results and I had tears of joy as I opened my results. I passed every single one of my exams except for Maths which I was only 5 marks off a C. I did struggle with maths a lot too and so this came as no surprise to me. So I'll be resitting it at college which is not ideal as it now makes everything complicated regarding my course but nevertheless I will figure it out in some way.

I cannot believe I passed Science, How did I do it? I struggled so much and got D's, E's, F's and U's on every single paper I took in class but somehow managed to get all C's in my exams which I am absolutely ecstatic about! I did spend over 100+ hours revising for science and it definitely helped.

To be honest with you, all of my grades except for maths was a shock for me. I really didn't expect to do very well at all and to get 2 A*'s I really don't know how.

Anyways, I am going to keep this short and sweet today but I just thought I'd share my results with you all. It goes to show that some of my hard work definitely paid off.

If you've got your results today, I'd love to read what you got!

 

 

*Daniel Wellington Review.

Hello everyone. So today's post is another different post that I normally wouldn't write about which is a watch. Now you may not know this but I love watches and I love how they can really finish off an outfit. I own about 6 watches now but I do have my favourites. My other favourite watch needs a new battery but for now, I'm not going to bother. I was kindly sent a Classy Sheffield (34mm) Rose Gold Watch by Daniel Wellington and I am over the moon.

It came really quickly (within 4 days) because it was sent by UPS and so I cannot fault Daniel Wellington for how quickly they get your watch delivered to you. My watch was shipped from Sweden but depending where you are based in the world, will depend where your watch is shipped from.

The box that the watch comes in, is absolutely gorgeous! The box is very sturdy and I think it's also made out of leather but I could be wrong but it feels like it anyway. I definitely know that my watch will be safe in this box if I had to store it in there.

What I love about the company Daniel Wellington is that they sell both Men and Women's Watches and the watches are very similar whether they are for a man or for a woman (the sizes of the watches differ slightly) but I like that.Daniel Wellington has some lovely designs, they are classic and elegant and for me, they are right up my street.

So who are Daniel Wellington?

The story behind Daniel Wellington begins with a trip half way around the globe where Filip Tysander, the founder of Daniel Wellington, met an intriguing gentleman from the British Isles. The man had the inspiring ability to be genteel but still relaxed and unpretentious. He had an impeccable style and loved to wear his watches on old weathered NATO straps. His name? Well, Daniel Wellington, of course.

A strong friendship emerged between the two, and our founder was inspired not only by the man's many great life stories but also by his class and timeless style of fashion.

The preppy trend is bigger than ever before but we felt that there was an empty space in the watch market. There was something missing and the Daniel Wellington team aims to fill that gap.

Our vision is that when someone thinks of a preppy dressed person, he or she is wearing a Daniel Wellington watch.

When Filips line of watches then came to be launched, it was therefore no insecurity that the brand would be named after Daniel Wellington.
 

So here is my gorgeous new watch. This is the Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield (34mm) Rose Gold Watch. The price of this watch is £159. It's not the cheapest of watches but it's such good quality, it's totally worth the money. This watch allows you to have interchangeable straps and so you can change the strap whenever you like - providing you have another strap to change it with.

"The slightly larger watchcase of 34 mm from the Classy Collection creates beautiful harmony between case and the exclusive Swarovski crystal index. With its feminine finesse, this watch radiates just enough sparkle for you to manage your time in style. The ultra-thin (6mm) Daniel Wellington watch is suitable for every occasion. Whether you are attending a formal event, playing a game of tennis or enjoying a sunny day at the country club – Daniel Wellington makes for a beautiful companion. Not only that, but with interchangeable straps you will have a unique timepiece for every day of the week."

"A ladies’ watch from Daniel Wellington signals sophisticated elegance with a minimalist look. The classic design means you can wear your watch anywhere – at work, every day, or at parties. Whether you happen to be or whatever you are wearing, a Daniel Wellington watch perfectly complements your style."

I definitely agree that the watch is sophisticated and very elegant. I am a very minimalist person and so this watch is perfect for me. It is perfect for every day use. It's not too big or too small and it's just an amazing watch to own. Daniel Wellington certainly provide you with timeless designs that suit everyone. Daniel Wellington have sized their ladies' watches so that men and women wear them equally which I think is great. I also love how you can choose between silver and rose gold and pick an additional replaceable strap in leather or NATO.

Even more product information for anyone who is interested in the different components of the watch:

The base coating is 0.8 Micron TiCN (a yellow colored base metal) and the top coating is made of 0.1 Micron rose gold (made of 80% 23 carat gold and 20% copper to create the rose color).

The plating is fixed using an evacuated chamber and there are no liquids involved.

Glass

 

The glass of the watch is made of hardened mineral glass. It is resistant against normal wear and tear but should be used with care.

 

Battery

The expected life length of the battery is 2 to 4 years depending on outer conditions such as heat/cold.

The battery is a silver oxide cell battery (standard button cell).

 

Leather wristband

 

The leather wristbands are made of Italian calf leather and are treated with vegetable oil.

 

3 ATM 

 

Our watches are classified as waterproof 3ATM. That means they are suitable for everyday use and are splash/rain resistant but should avoid direct contact with water.

 

Here is a photo of the Daniel Wellington Classy Sheffield (34mm) Rose Gold Watch on my wrist. As you can see it is a perfect fit. I do find with most watches they are always too big for my wrist and end up moving round on my wrist but this will certainly be staying in place. It's super comfy to wear and the design is just gorgeous. I've been getting a lot of compliments while I've been wearing it. I chose the Classy Sheffield (34mm) Watch mainly because I live in Yorkshire. I live about 1 hour away from Sheffield and I thought it was such a lovely touch. I love classic pieces, I love the name and I just love the watch. I also chose it in Rose Gold because well, why wouldn't you? Rose Gold has fast become one of my favourite things but I don't own much Rose Gold. This watch is just amazing and I cannot fault it. I cannot rave about it enough.

If you are looking for an elegant but sophisticated watch that is comfy, then I'd highly recommend Daniel Wellington. Although they are a little more pricey, they are totally worth the money. They are such good quality! My watch strap is made out of genuine Italian Leather and I would pay £159 for this watch any day.

I would like to say a massive thank you to Daniel Wellington for sending me one of their gorgeous watches to review.

Also, Daniel Wellington have kindly provided me with a promotion code so that you can get 15% off the Daniel Wellington website until September 15th. All you have to do is use the promo code; theperksofmeg in the checkout and you will get 15% off your order.

 

 Have you got a Daniel Wellington Watch?

 

*DISCLAIMER: This product was sent for review purposes only. This does not in any way influence or change my opinions and views on the product. My views and opinions are 100% honest.

*Urban Fruit Review.

 

Hello everyone. I must firstly apologise for the quality of this image. I'm not really sure what's happened to it but unfortunately I ate all of the packets and so now I can't take anymore photos. The reason this photo isn't in my usual set up is because I got them on the day before prom and I was rushing about and I'd only just had my spray tan done and I had my nails in the afternoon and I had 2937474 things to do and so I had to take my photos at that moment. But now that I've babbled on, I shall talk about the products themselves. It's weird calling them products because they aren't really but I'm just going to call them snacks because they literally are pure fruit snacks.

 

At the end of June I was lucky enough to be picked to review some snacks from the brand Urban Fruit. I'm sure you've heard about them but if you haven't I'll tell you all about Urban Fruit.

 

Urban Fruit is a healthy and pure fruit snack with no messing. Urban Fruit is made with 100% fruit that's been hand-picked in season and gently baked. Packs of Urban Fruit contain no sulphites, added sugars or nasty concentrates - therefore they are a delicious and nutritious snack. All varieties are also gluten free and suitable for vegans, as well as being low in fat and high in fibre - making them good for the heart and digestive health and keeping you fuller for longer.

 

Because Urban Fruit only has naturally occurring fruit sugars, each snack pack only contains 100-103 calories. They're perfect to snack on throughout the day, to give you a fruity energy boost pre/post workout and to tuck into as a natural alternative to satisfy that sweet craving!

 

Urban Fruit works directly with farmers to grow the world's best fruit, picked when it is perfectly ripe. The farmers add absolutely nothing to it and gently bake it so that the fruit holds on to all its nutrients and fibre.

 

Urban Fruit is easy to find on the high street and available in a variety of flavours including 'Tremendously Tropical' (Mango, Pineapple, Banana and baked Coconut), 'Magnificent Mango', 'Smashing Strawberry', 'Perfect Pineapple', 'Superberry Blueberry & Blackcurrant', 'Awesome Apple & Pear', 'Brilliant Banana' and 'Cheeky Cherry'. There's something to suit every taste.

 

Urban Fruit comes in two sizes; 90g/100g/125g packs that are perfect for sharing or 35g snack packs that are great for munching on the move.

 

Other tips:

 

- Munch strawberries before your workout to boost fat burn.

- Pop cherries post workout to reduce inflammation and boost recovery.

- Bananas help make serotonin and melatonin, they brain's key calming hormones.

- Mangos are rich in Vitamin A which makes the skin soft and shiny.

- Pineapples contain an important digestive enzyme that keeps your tummy happy.

 

So now that you know all about Urban Fruit and some other tips, I'm going to tell you which snack bags I tried and what my verdict on each separate one was.

 

So the first snack bag I tried was the Tremendously Tropical bag which is a delicious mix of tasty mango, tangy pineapple, toffee-like banana and decadent baked coconut. It is vegan and gluten free, with no added nonsense. It comes in a larger 100g bag and so it is perfect for sharing.

 

Nutritional info, per 100g;

 

Energy (KJ) - 1416

Energy (Kcal) - 338

Protein - 2.4g

Carbohydrates - 60.1g (of which sugars) 41.8g

Fat - 8.2g (of which saturates) 3.5g.

Fibre 6.8g

 

So what did I think of it? Personally, I didn't like it. I'm not really a fan of pineapple or mango and so it wasn't really my cup of tea but I shared it with my family and they really liked it.

 

I then had the Magnificent Mango bag. Mangos are nothing short of delicious, so why mess with them? At Urban Fruit they give you the mango, the whole mango and nothing but the mango. It's available in 100g and hand snack pack sized (35g).

 

Nutritional info, per 100g;

 

Energy (KJ) - 1239

Energy (Kcal) - 296

Protein - 2.9g

Carbohydrates - 68.2g (of which sugars) 56.6g

Fat - 0.3g (of which saturates) 0.1g.

Fibre 9.0g.

 

So what did I think of it? Personally, I didn't like it. Again it was mango and I don't really like mango but my little brother loved it.

 

So then I had the Perfect Pineapple bag. Urban Fruit keep their pineapples pure and prickle free. It's available in 100g or handy snack pack size (35g).

 

Nutritional info, per 100g;

 

Energy (KJ) - 1201

Energy (Kcal) - 287

Protein - 2.0g

Carbohydrates - 69.3g (of which sugars) 57.2g

Fat - 0.2g (of which saturates) 0.0g.

Fibre 8.0g.

 

So what did I think of it? I think you already know what my answer is going to be considering I dislike pineapples. I didn't like it but the rest of my family did.

 

Then I tried the Smashing Strawberry snack bag. Urban Fruit keep strawberries simple - just the strawberries and a dash of apple juice. No added sugar, no sulphites, no shortcuts. These are available in 90g or handy snack pack size (35g).

 

Nutritional info, per 100g;

 

Energy (KJ) - 1230

Energy (Kcal) - 293

Protein - 2.0g

Carbohydrates - 67.3g (of which sugars) 58.1g

Fat - 0.2g (of which saturates) 0.0g.

Fibre 6.1g

 

So what did I think of it? I actually really liked it. They were sweet and tasty and really did fill me up. They are small and each to travel around with.

 

The last one I tried was the Cheeky Cherry bag. Urban Fruit don't trifle with cherries - they're delicious as they are, so that's the only ingredient in the 90g pack.

 

Nutritional info, per 100g;

 

Energy (KJ) - 1118

Energy (Kcal) - 267

Protein - 2.0g

Carbohydrates - 67.3g (of which sugars) 56.1g

Fat - 0.3g (of which saturates) 0.0g.

Fibre 8.3g

 

So what did I think of it? Again, I actually really liked it. It was again quite yummy and was a great snack.

 

Overall thoughts of Urban Fruit:

 

My overall thoughts of Urban Fruit is that I don't really like some of their range, mainly just because I don't like the fruit. The only thing I didn't like about all of them in general is the texture of them. I think it's just because they are baked and it makes the texture quite weird and so I don't really think I'm a fan of baked fruit. I really like the concept of the brand and I think the packaging is amazing but I just don't think this snack is the one for me. If you like dried fruit then you'll definitely like these. I won't be purchasing these in the future.

 

Current Urban Fruit stockists: Asda, Tesco, Waitrose, Ocado, Co-op, Amazon, Wilkos, Whole Foods, Boots (in the meal deal), Amazon, and lots of lovely independents. Urban Fruit is also now available in Sainsbury's too.

 

Urban Fruit retails for £1.97.

 

Have you tried Urban Fruit before?

 

 

*DISCLAIMER: These products were sent for review purposes only. This does not influence my views and opinions on the products. My views and opinions are 100% honest.

My Prom 2015 {26th June 2015}

Hello everyone. So this post won't be for everyone. Nobody will probably be interested but I thought I'd write it anyway. I'm always so interested and love to see people's prom pictures on instagram and I have to admit it was very weird sharing mine this year but it was one of the best days of my life. My prom was actually on the 26th June 2015 which seems so far away now. At first I didn't even want to go to prom and I was determined that I wasn't going to go. Then I was just looking on ASOS one night and I found this dress which was my prom dress and I found a bag and some shoes and thought well I may as well go. I then showed a few people my dress and how I wanted my hair and then I ended up with a prom date. We went just as friends but it was just so lovely. I knew how I wanted my hair since January and so I just wanted a messy bun at the back but a plait going down the middle and then a flower crown to finish off the look. It was a lovely night and my feet were killing by the end of the night but I'd danced, had chocolate ice cream and it was just such a lovely way to end my time at high school and I'm so glad I went. My prom date got me a corsage and it was so pretty.  This post is just mainly to share a few photos and to give you links to the items I were wearing if I can find the links. I also thought I could give all the prices of how much it cost me for prom just in case anyone is wondering.

 

 

Me and my little brother Alfie.

 

My prom nails which I got done at a local salon.

 

The back of my hair which I got done at my local hairdressers.

 

Prices and Links:

 

True Decandence Wrap One Shoulder Maxi Prom Dress - £55 - ASOS

New Look Wow Sparkle Box Clutch - I paid £9.50 but it's gone down to £4.50. - ASOS

ASOS Survivor Heels - I paid £12 but should have been £25 - ASOS

Boho Bride Flowercrown (light blue)  - £0.99p - Ebay

Heart Necklace - gift - H M Samuel

Bracelet - gift - Joma Jewellery

Spray Tan - £17 - Local Salon

Nails - £25 - Local Salon

Hair - £20 - Local Hairdressers

Make up - Done by my Auntie.

 

So for my prom it cost me a total of £138.50. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on prom and so I didn't which goes to show you don't have to spend lots of money to go.

 

I hope you enjoyed this post.