Palette focus...

I've had this leopard print Z palette for over two years now and it still looks like new. I've recently rearranged/decluttered my makeup and realised just how perfect the Z palette is to mix and match what I like to use on a regular basis.  I then decided to get rid of my MAC 15 eyeshadow palette and replace it with this lovely large white Z palette, it's far more practical as I can fit various sizes of eye shadows and blushers into it. 

I depotted my Benefit cheeky sweet spot box o' blushes set, I use this now to store some small blushers as it is too nice to throw away. In this lovely small z palette I have the four benefit products I use the most ~Hoola~dandelion~balla bamba~coralista 

I was able to fit 23 items into this large Z palette.  I prefer this to my old MAC palette(solid black lid), the reason being this one is transparent therefore I feel I use my eye shadows more, before I would forget what products I had and kept using the same ones everyday.

From top left I have MAC bisque, Natural Collection in shroom, MAC concrete, soap and glory aubersheen, MAC Satin Taupe, MAC blackberry, soap & glory dandy plum, MAC scene, MAC smut, soap & glory smokin, MAC nehru, revlon (not sure what colour), benefit rockateur blush, MAC carbon, loreal solo eye shadow (not sure of name), Stila jezebel, Stila illiamani, Stila kalahoo, benefit sugarbomb, the 4 small eye shadows are from an estee lauder travel set.

Do you like to depot eye shadows or prefer to keep them in their packaging?

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8 Shades of copper...

I have recently been loving copper coloured eyeshadows as they make my blue eyes stand out. I bought the NYX eyeshadow as I thought I didn't have any copper colours and of course being a makeup addict I had already got some lovely copper shades.

Fearne Cotton eye shadow palette - this is one of Fearne's palettes from her Christmas line in Boots.

NYX ES16 copper

GOSH pigment - I think these must be discontinued as I can't find them online

PURE eye shadow cube - again I think this is discontinued:(

Stila eye shadow in jezebel

Chopper from the Urban Decay Ammo palette

Too Faced Mocha Meteor - this is a baked eye shadow which has shades of rich brown, copper and an almost champagne colour.  I think this must be discontinued as I can't find it being sold online.

Jemma Kidd eye shadow from the Backstage kit

What's your current favourite eyeshadow colour?

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Healthy homemade cinnamon popcorn...

Homemade popcorn is so simple, I was addicted to the sweet & salty flavoured popcorn so I made myself stop buying it and start making my own at home.

Ingredients - Coconut Oil - cinnamon - popcorn kernals

~Melt a few tablespons of coconut oil in a large saucepan, covering with a lid

~Once melted shake in some cinnamon and mix

~Add the popcorn kernels and stir to coat the kernels in the mixture

~Keep on a lower heat and cover

~You will then start to hear that wonderful sound of the kernels popping 

~Once you hear the last of the kernels pop, remove from the heat

*Warning you need to keep an eye on it as it can burn easily, but nothing a dishwasher or overnight steep can't fix.  Also be careful as the coconut oil does splash when hot*

Recipes usually say to cook the popcorn then add the desired flavours but I find this way creates the best flavour and coats the popcorn better.

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NUXE love...

(The above picture is from Google images)

In this beautiful set you will find:

•50ml Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil which can be used on your face, body and hair

•Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil Golden Shimmer, this can be used on your face, neck and can also be applied to your hair

•40ml Prodigieuse Cream Antioxidant Facial Moisturiser - I have dry/combination skin, this cream is really rich and sinks straight into my skin

•Candle Bougie Prodigieuse - this candle is not only nice to look at but also has a spa like smell to it.

I got this amazing set during the boxing day sale for £20 on the Marks and Spencers website.  You all need to go and check out the Marks & Spencers beauty section as they are selling a lot of the 'cult' beauty products. This NUXE set was such an amazing deal as the 50ml oil to buy is £17 and the face cream is £21.  I wish I has bought two of these now:(

I have been using the face oil every night and the face cream every morning and I am in love with them, they feel so luxurious.  I have really dry skin around my nose and this has been the only thing that has helped with this. I haven't tried the oils on my hair or body yet but so far I can say I will definitely be repurchasing this once its all used up:)

Have you tried any NUXE products, if so what are your favourites?

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Gluten free energy bites/balls...

Ingredients:

~Organic Goodness desiccated coconut

~Pitted Dates

~Almonds

~Bioglan raw organic cacao powder

~Organic Agave nectar (forgot to include in picture) normal honey would probably do the same.

I never measured any of the ingredients... I just 'guestimated' by the consistency.  

~Blend a handful of almonds, a cup of dates & a few table spoons of agave nectar.  

I used my smoothie blender to blend it so I was left with a chunky consistency but if you would like a smooth texture I would suggest using a food processor to blend.   Truthfully I couldn't be bothered getting my food processor out then cleaning it after so my smoothie blender was the easiest option.  

Another option if you don't have a blender would be putting the almonds into a sealable food bag then hit with a rolling pin (quite fun) which will break them into small pieces. You could then chop the dates into small pieces then combine the almonds, dates and nectar into a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

~Once combined I used my hands and rolled the mixture into small balls. 

~I then rolled them in either the coconut or cacao powder and placed them into the miniature bun cases.

Result - yummy bite sized treats:)

I could have also mixed the cacao powder & coconut throughout the mixture but I felt covering them in these ingredients gave a more appealing look.

Have you made anything similar to these?  If so I would love to know what you made:)

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New cook books (mostly gluten free)...

I Quit Sugar for Life - Diabetes is high in my family and as I have Coeliac Disease (which is linked to diabetes) I want to try and prevent it if I can through my diet. I read about this book online and then went into Waterstones to see if they had it, I like to see a book before I buy it.  This book is beautifully laid out and has lots of delicious recipes which try and eliminate all the extra sugar.  Throughout this book there are well researched facts which help you to pick the best ingredients and the best items which are good for your body.  I have only flicked through this book so far and I can tell it's going to be one of my favourite cooking/reference books to reach for. To note - this book isn't gluten free but as I have been on the gf diet for 5 years now I know what to substitute to make it gf.

Simply Gluten-free & Dairy Free - This is a book I had eyed up when in Waterstones, the front cover picture alone had me hooked so when I seen it online for a better price I of course had to buy it.  For me I feel that dairy products make me feel bloated, I haven't cut it out of my diet completely but I would like to reduce my intake and find better substitutes.  I've started to buy the lactose free cheese and I actually prefer it to 'normal' cheese.  I can't wait to start making some of these recipes to learn how decrease the amount of diary I consume.

Flourless - being on a gluten free diet can be restricting so when it comes to desserts I love being able to make scrumptious options so I don't feel left out, most of the time people don't even realise what they are eating is gluten free, that usually means it's a really good dessert.  I've never made any flour free desserts yet but I've read reviews about flourless chocolate

Seriously good gluten free cooking - I've grown up watching Phil Vickery (one of my mum's favourites) so when I seen that he had a gluten free book I of course had to have a look and then ended up buying it.  The recipes seem simple enough to follow which is what I like in a cook book:)

The Reboot Juice diet recipe book - I have been looking for this book ever since I watched the documentary that coincides with it 'Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead'.  This man Joe Cross was getting fed up with his lifestyle and health issues so went onto a juice diet along with doctors monitoring his health at all times.  Below is a synopsis of the programme (it's on Netflix):

'He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days. Across 3,000 miles Joe has one goal in mind: To get off his pills and achieve a balanced lifestyle.

While talking to more than 500 Americans about food, health and longevity, it's at a truck stop in Arizona where Joe meets a truck driver who suffers from the same rare condition. Phil Staples is morbidly obese weighing in at 429 lbs; a cheeseburger away from a heart-attack. As Joe is recovering his health, Phil begins his own epic journey to get well.

What emerges is nothing short of amazing – an inspiring tale of healing and human connection.
Part road trip, part self-help manifesto, FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD defies the traditional documentary format to present an unconventional and uplifting story of two men from different worlds who each realize that the only person who can save them is themselves.'

After he ended his 60 days it showed that all his health issues had pretty much disappeared and he slowly introduced healthy food items back into his diet.  I would never go onto a juice diet (unless for health reasons) but I enjoy having a smoothie or fresh juice for breakfast or an in-between meal option .  This book was only £3.99 in The Works (which is online as well), they had it in their sale items.  To note - this book isn't gluten free but as I have been on the gf diet for 5 years now I know what to substitute to make it gf.

My favourite places to buy books is either The Works, The Book People or Amazon.

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Duty free shopping spree...

Benefit cheeky sweet spot box o' blushes set

Clarins vanity travel set

Benefit b.right Triple Performing Moisturising Facial Emulsion SPF 15

Clarins Instant light lip perfector set

Clinque superbalanced foundation

Estee Lauder double wear light

I was invited to a duty free night by a friend, not only did this mean I was able to buy all these beauty items at the duty free price but there was an extra 25% off! I had to really control my spending which was very hard... but all the above products for around £85, such an amazing saving.  Next year I will definely be taking a list.

I am so happy with all these products, I've only used the Estee lauder foundation and the Clarins eyeshadows.  When I wore these products for the first time I got compliments from work colleagues.  

Have you tried any of the above products?:)

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