One Year Vegan Update #Veganuary

The start of the new year marks the start of Veganuary and, for me, the one year milestone of being vegan. As it is the month for Veganuary and all things vegan, I will be publishing more posts about my vegan favourites, recipes and vegan beauty products throughout the month so stay tuned. I thought I'd give you a little context before we begin with my thoughts on being vegan for a year. I have been vegetarian for around 15 years and I have been on/off vegan for the past three years but at the start of 2019 I decided to become fully vegan and I'm SO happy that I did!

No more eczema

There are many changes, both positive and negative, about a vegan diet and lifestyle but one of the main changes I've personally noticed is how much dairy affected my eczema. As I've mentioned, I have been on/off vegan for years but never for more than a month; however I wish I'd made the change so much sooner because since mid-febuary I haven't had any eczema at all on my face and only the smallest amount on one tiny section of my hand which is incredible.

If you personally have eczema, then you know how utterly upsetting and painful it can be especially if you have to keep going back to the doctors and having endless flare-ups. There's no 'cure' for eczema so I had resigned myself to a life of eczema management using steroid creams and anti-histamines (neither of which helped that much overall) so the lack of eczema for the entire year has been almost unbelievable.

For the first time in over ten years, I haven't had to use a single eczema product, I haven't had to go to the doctors regarding my eczema and I haven't had any eczema on my face...it's incredible and something I genuinely never thought would happen. I'm so grateful that I've found the trigger for my eczema and now I can avoid it so I don't have to have eczema at all anymore. It's such a relief, especially after having horrendous eczema on my face and eyes for so many years.

Vegan Food Favourites

2019 was the year of vegan food releases, from Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Sainsburys, Greggs and many more. Before 2019 I had trouble just finding vegetarian food, never mind vegan options but I'm so glad to have many more choice now. Whether you're vegan for health/moral reasons, if you are trying to reduce meat consumption or if you're just interested in trying new food, I think we can all appreciate the delicious new vegan options in major supermarkets, online and in restaurants.

Some of my favourites of the year have to include the Ben and Jerrys ice cream (chocolate fudge brownie), Pizza Hut vegan pizza, Greggs vegan sausage roll and the Marks and Spencers Plant Kitchen range and especially the Thai Green Curry and No Chic'n Nuggets. A more recent favourite from the range are their no duck spring roll which is incredibly delicious. Also I have to mention the incredible Beyond Meat burger which is the best burger I've ever had!

Tips

Lastly for today's post, I wanted to mention a few tips that might be helpful for those who are trying out veganuary for the first time. If you are vegan or vegetarian and you have any tips or advice then leave it in the comment below.

• I have been eating a vegetarian diet since I was a child and I think the process of becoming vegan was much easier for that reason so my first tip is to switch gradually. Starting by reducing meat and dairy consumption, switching to vegan meals throughout the week or switch to a vegetarian diet first. 
• Make small changes! Your switch doesn't have to be instantaneous or dramatic, just make small adjusts over time such as adding in meat and dairy free alternatives to your diet. Instead of using cows milk, use almond, for example. 
• It doesn't have to be all or nothing, you can just cut out eggs and fish or dairy and pork. You don't have to be fully vegan, it isn't a competition. Making ethical and environmentally friendly choices consistently is something we should all think about and strive to achieve but it doesn't have to happen instantly or in its entirety.

For more vegan recipes that promote good eye health, check out the Essilor blog!

Do you have any tips? Are you vegetarian or vegan? If not, why not? Are you trying veganuary?

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2019 Highlights + Favourites

Happy New Year! Today's post is going to be my yearly wrap-up of my favourite moments, memorable events and a run down of my monthly lifestyle favourites from 2019. I've already posed my reading review for the year and I will also be posting my beauty favourites post soon, along with my 2020 goals. 2019 has been a bit of a mixed year from reaching blog milestones, having eye surgery, visiting new cities and switching to a fully vegan diet to reading slumps, gaining weight, new tattoos and everything in-between.

January: Fully vegan & ONE MILLION blog views 

The first notable event for 2019 was switching to a fully vegan diet in January 2019. I have taken part in #veganuary each year for the past three or so years now but I decided to switch fully in 2019 and I'm so glad I did. There were some amazing vegan food releases in 2019 such as the rather irresistible Greggs vegan sausage roll, Papa Johns pizza, the M&S Plant Kitchen range and even more coming in 2020.

The second notable moment of January 2019 was that my little blog reached over one million page views. When I started my blog back in 2012, I never thought anything would come of it but I've been so lucky to work with a tonne of amazing brands and PRs, I've been invited to incredible events, I've received gorgeous products and its something I love to do.

January Favourites: Clean Reserve Rain and Blond Rose fragrances, Freshly Hand Treatment, Maybelline Total Temptation Brow Definer and the Nightrunner book series.

February: Visiting London, first class train & lots of sponsored posts 

February had a few milestones too including reaching over 9,000 followers on Twitter and having the most sponsored posts I've ever had in one month! I also visited London in February with my mum, thanks to gifted first class train tickets from Virgin Trains. We visited a couple of sights I've been to before (Harrods, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum) as well as the Victoria and Albert Museum and Kensington Palace which we hadn't visited before.

February Favourites: Grace by Lewis Capaldi, Caudalie Vinosource Sorbet, Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, Ink Master TV Show and Pizza Hut vegan pizza.

March: No eczema!

As a freelancer, money can be very inconsistent but thankfully my roll of sponsored posts continued into March. I also started loosing weight again and exercising more (ha, that didn't last). The biggest change that happened in March was that I hadn't had any eczema flareups on my hands or face for weeks. Since becoming fully vegan at the start of the year, after two months, I noticed that I didn't have any flareups (and the only thing I changed was to stop eating dairy) and thankfully I haven't had any eczema on my hands or face all year which is just incredible! I've suffered with eczema for over ten years, especially around my eyes, so to just not have to deal with it all year has been almost unbelievable!

March Favourites: Jenna Marbles Youtube channel, Parks and Recreation TV Show, Brooklyn 99, The Grand Tour TV Show, Holika Holika Moisturising BB Cream and Maybelline Brow Tattoo.

April: Visiting Edinburgh for the first time + best reading month ever

Edinburgh is a city I've wanted to visit for a while and back in April, the train tickets from Manchester to Edinburgh were really cheap so myself and my mum visited Edinburgh for a couple of days! We visited Holyrood Palace (which was amazing), Edinburgh Castle and the National Museum of Scotland (which sadly wasn't so amazing). I definitely want to visit Edinburgh again but maybe during the summer months when it isn't so cold!

I also visited the Manchester Art Gallery to see their Da Vinci exhibit, Tatton Park and Gardens and saw The King and I in the Manchester Palace Theatre in April. April was a quiet blogging month but it was a fantastic reading month as I managed to read 20 books.

April Favourites: Holika Holika BB Cream, Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch, Cicaplast Baume B5, Operative Live TV Show and Soaper Duper Yuzufruit and Fig Body Butter.

May: Laser eye surgery consultation 

Laser eye surgery is something I've wanted to look into for years but naturally the idea of eye surgery, not to mention the cost, is a little daunting but I had a consultation at the Laser Vision clinic in the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital in May (it's a private clinic in an NHS hospital). Thankfully I was suitable for the surgery but as my eyes were incredible dry, I had to rectify that with antibiotics and drops for a couple of months beforehand. May also included the EU vote (I voted to remain in the EU) which we all know the results of (still not over it and I don't think I will be until we remain in the EU).

May Favourites: Sabrina Netflix Show, Game Of Thrones Season 8, Omorovicza skincare, Rimmel and Hatari (Iceland's Eurovision entry).

June: New tattoos + heatwave

June was another quiet month but I did go to the Summer Fare at my old primary school, visited the beautiful Quarry Bank Mill and had a tattoo consultation. I received two new tattoos in June and I don't know why but it seems to be a habit for me of getting tattoos in pairs. Most of mine were done by the lovely Zu at Flesh Tattoo in Manchester.

Favourites: Amazon Prime, The Grand Tour, Ben and Jerrys Vegan Fudge Brownie Ice Cream.

July: Laser eye surgery + highest paid blog post

After a couple of months of eye drops, I was finally booked to have another laser eye surgery consultation and at the end of July I had the surgery. I've already published an in-depth post about my experiences of the consultation, the surgery itself and the recovery, if you want to read that for more information. The laser eye surgery option I decided on was very expensive (£3,800!) so it was very timely that I was paid the highest amount I've ever received for a single blog post in July!

However, before the surgery I visited the MOSI and the roman ruins in Manchester with a friend and I visited Leeds which is a city I've only been to once before - we went to the Royal Armoury which was well worth a visit. Also July 2019 marked 500 books read since January 2017!

July Favourites: Tour De France, Wimbledon, BareMinerals Good Hydrations Primer, Daisy London Estee Lalonde necklaces and Helmans Vegan Mayonnaise.

August: Laser eye surgery recovery, appointments + my birthday 

August is my birthday month so I caught up with friends and visited the beautiful Tatton Park and Gardens and visited Dunham Massey. I reached my reading goal of 100 books and I was lucky enough to get more sponsored posts in August. However, the main focus of the month was my recovery from laser eye surgery as I had the surgery on the 31st July so August was filled with eye drops, eye appointments and recovery.

August Favourites: Daisy London x Estee Lalonde sunburst shield necklace, Viscotears, Neom x LookFantastic box and Nordgreen watch.

September: Christmas planning, visiting sights around Manchester + new camera 

Following on from August with another eye appointment and more recovery time but I was discharged from the clinic in September which was fantastic! I visited quite a few sites around Manchester in September including watching the final stage of the OVO Energy Tour Of Britain (which was very exciting and the first sporting event I've been to), visiting the Pankhurst Centre (which is right next to the hospital I went to for my eye surgery) and I also visited the Greater Manchester Fire Station Museum before it closed for refurbishment.

I also started planning my Christmas content and bought a new camera in September. I have wanted a new camera for a while and I finally settled on buying the Sony A7iii which I'm very happy with and I cannot recommend it enough. Lastly for September, I made vegan speatzle for the first time and fell in love - it's almost a cross between fresh pasta and dumplings and it's incredible.

September Favourites: Rugby World Cup, Rimmel Super Gel Polish, Lush Soak and Float Shampoo Bar and Lush Cork Pots.

October: visiting Glasgow for the first time, gifted hotel stay, new tattoos, exploring Manchester + hair salon review 

October, for me, usually focuses solely on halloween makeup but I didn't have time to create any halloween looks as October was an incredibly busy and a surprisingly amazing month. I was gifted a free hotel stay in Glasgow so myself and a friend visited the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art and went on a tour the next day including Stirling Castle, Lock Lomond, the Trossachs National Park and the Glengoyne Whisky Distillery - I hadn't been to any of those places before. I cannot recommend the Hallmark Hotel in Glasgow enough or Rabbies tours! Check out my instagram stories highlights for more photos.

As well as visiting a few new cities in Scotland, there were more firsts in October including being tattooed in a private studio by a tattoo artist I never thought I'd be tattooed by (as she lives and works in New York). I couldn't be happier with my two new tattoos by Rachel Hauer, check out her instagram - you'll want to be tattooed by her too. Another first was a free haircut as part of a salon review from Melissa Timperley Salon in Manchester which was amazing and I cannot recommend the salon enough.

I'm not finished with my October highlights, as I said, it was a busy but fantastic month...I published a couple of posts about sites to visit around Greater Manchester in October so I visited Quarry Bank Mill (again), Jodrell Bank and Manchester's China Town. I also started my christmas gift guides in October and loved watching the Rugby World Cup but sadly it wasn't all good news as October was my worst reading month in three years.

October Favourites: Rugby world cup, Barry M Brow Wand, Ark Skincare Age Defend Replenishing Moisturiser, Ink Master TV Show, Benefit Roller Lash Mascara and SportFX Mascara.

November & December: Christmas gift guides, christmas planning + new favourite music  

I'm grouping November and December together as they were both fairly quiet months but I did have a stall at a christmas fare, I visited the Manchester Christmas Markets twice and voted in the general election - this year has been horrendous in terms of politics in the UK. It's not all doom and gloom though as I discovered a few new music favourites in the past two months including BTS (yes, years behind everyone I know) and a few new to me songs from one of my favourite brands, Panic At The Disco. November and December were months of new food discoveries too such as vegan sushi and gochujang, both of which I cannot get enough of.

November & December Favourites: Hustle Butter, BTS, Panic At The Disco, ACDC, Latest In Beauty Boxes, Candy Kittens sweets, vegan sushi and gochujang.


Overall, 2019 was a pretty good year, with a few ups and downs but mostly positives and a lot of firsts, from having surgery for the first time and visiting new cities to blog milestones and becoming vegan. I was also able to work with a few new brands in 2019 including: Wing Yip, Daisy London, Scrivens, Yes To, Mitch's Kitchen, TJ Hughes, Hallmark Hotels, Melissa Timperley Salons, Megabus and many more which I'm very grateful for!

Stay tuned for more 2019 review posts, 2020 goals and my #veganuary content! 

What were your highlights of 2019? 

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January + February Favourites

Today's post is a little different but it's also very overdue as I haven't published any monthly favourites posts for so long and I'm starting with a round up of beauty favourites, food favourites and general lifestyle favourites of the year so far as well as a few recommendations of places to visit in/near Manchester.

*Lyons Coffee (£2.60)

I'm definitely a coffee drinker, I drink at least one cup of coffee a day otherwise I won't feel as though I can be productive. I usually drink lattes but recently I've been drinking the Lyons Coffee No.3 which is basically fresh ground coffee in a giant teabag...I haven't come across anything like it before and it's so convenient, quick and delicious.

There are 18 within each box and they would be perfect for work! All you have to do is pour water over the gigantic coffee bag, steep and and enjoy - I usually add in a little gingerbread syrup. Every time you purchase a box, they will make a donation to Project Waterfall which is committed to providing sustainable and safe water supplies for coffee growing communities around the world which is fantastic!

*Light Bites Chocolate Cookie Caramel Flavour Bar (£1.25)

Snack bars are some of my favourite sweeter snacks, I used to eat so many cereal bars growing up but now I'm looking for a healthier alternative as some cereal or snack bars can be full of sugar. This chocolate cookie caramel flavour is so delicious, it's almost a healthier Mars bar. It's suitable for vegetarians, the bars are high in fibre and a good source of protein.

*Earthwater - Fulhum 

Now onto something a little unusual in it's packaging and appearance - it's black water. I personally like the unique packaging and I have been trying to drink more water this year and these have definitely been helping this month, even though it is a little disconcerting drinking black coloured water!

The water contains over 70 trace minerals which can help to lower blood pressure, maintain nutrient levels in the body's cells, remove toxins, enable a more restful sleep and enable a better hormone and electrolyte balance. There are a couple of variations available but I have the Fulhum version which contains fulvic/humic mineral complexes. Don't be put off by the black colour, it just tastes like mineral water and it's been helping me reach the recommend water intake each day!

*Light Bites Popped Crisps (99p each)

When it comes to snacking, the main snack I am always drawn towards are savoury snacks, especially popcorn and crisps. The Light Bites popped crisps are a healthier alternative to other crisps as they are only 95 calories per bag, they are high in protein because they contains soya and chickpeas and they are low in saturated fat.

I was kindly sent three of the flavours including: sweet and smoky chipotle, pesto and sun-dried tomato and roasted shallot and cider vinegar, the latter was definitely my favourite as they were so moreish. All three flavour options are so unique, they're a great healthier snack and they are very inexpensive.

Perricone MD No Makeup Concealer 

Next up, I wanted to mention a couple of beauty favourites that I've been loving over the past two months including my current favourite concealer - Perricone MD No Makeup Concealer. I have very dry skin especially during the winter but this concealer (and the matching foundation) is perfect for the colder weather as it doesn't emphasise dryness at all but it still provides coverage!

Beauty Blender 

Another makeup favourite has to be my new Beauty Blender which I was very kindly sent a few weeks ago and I've been using it constantly since then. I've tried numerous beauty blender dupes as well as the real thing a few years ago and I loved it so I'm glad to have another. It's been my go-to beauty tool especially with the Perricone MD foundation and concealer - I cannot recommend the original Beauty Blender enough.

Chetham's Library 

One of my goals for 2018 was to visit more historic places, parks and interesting sites within my own city and I've started really well with this goal as in January and February I've visited Ordsall Hall, Chetham's Library, Manchester Cathedral, Tandle Hill and John Rylands Library, most of which I've wanted to visit for a while but haven't got round to until now.

Chetham's Library is very close to Manchester Cathedral so we visited both in the same day and I cannot recommend a visit to Chetham's Library enough if you live in or near Manchester as it's an incredible historic gem in the city that I don't think many people know about.

Chetham's Library is the oldest public library in the English speaking world and it's based in my home city! The building itself dates from 1421 and it was used as a library since 1655. As it is part of the Chetham's School of Music, you can't go in without a guide as it is a working school, just as you can't just walk into any high school!

We went on a guided tour and it was amazing, the guide was so knowledgeable and the library itself is straight out of Hogwarts! There are chained books, furniture dating from the 1600's and a table where Karl Marx sat. If you are visiting Manchester then you need to visit Chetham's Library - check out their website for times to visit.

John Rylands Library 

Another library we visited this year is John Rylands which is definitely more well known and visited than Chetham's Library but it only dates from the late 1800's. They hold guided tours every Wednesday and Friday so we went on a tour and it was well worth it as the guided gave us the backstory of the building, it's history and more. Both the tours for Chetham's Library and John Rylands Library were free.

As well as Chetham's Library, John Rylands Library is an incredible building with impressive Hogwarts-like architecture! The historic reading room is almost part Hogwarts, part cathedral. It's another historic site in Manchester that we hadn't been in before and I'd definitely recommend visiting. If you follow me on instagram you will have seen all of the historic places and parks I've visited already.

Those were just some of my favourites for the year so far, there are more including the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk foundation (which I was wearing constantly last week), my amazing Black + Blum Eau Good Filter Water Bottle and the Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch (a very random trio of products, I know). I've also been loving the BookBeat app for my audiobooks which I'll have a post on very soon so stay tuned.

What have been your stand out products from this year so far? Have you visited Chetham's Library or John Rylands Library? 

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Products Of The Year 2019: My Favourites

Last month I received one of the best blogger parcels I've ever received, not only because it contained the largest number of items I've received at once but also because it contained lots of food and useful household items! If you follow me on instagram (@ofbeautyand) then you'll have seen the ginormous unboxing on my stories last month - I always show everything I'm lucky enough to be sent on my Instagram stories so make sure you're following!

*Product Of The Year Goody Bag (worth over £235)

If you're in the UK then you'll have seen the 'product of the year' advertisements and their famous logo on various products from snacks, pet products, drinks, cooking ingredients and beauty products. The 2019 products of the year were announced in an awards ceremony last month and in today's post I'm going to let you know some of my favourites.

How are the products chosen? Firstly, companies can enter their products to be considered then a panel of judges including industry experts, bloggers and journalists try the products before they are shortlisted and the public can vote in the largest consumer product survey so you know that they're going to be worth the money.

Food and Drink 

The food and drink items seem to be the largest category, followed by the household items and beauty and pet related products. I'm surprised by the wide and inclusive range of products within the food category as it ranges from cupcakes, cereal, snacks, wine and cordial to yoghurt, tea, flavoured water, ice cream, coffee and many more.

From the huge selection of food items there are a few that instantly caught my eye with the first being Halo Top Ice Cream which I've tried previously as they have a variety of vegan options. The Salted Caramel flavour from Halo Top is utterly delicious and I cannot recommend it enough! I'm so glad that there's a large amount of vegetarian and a couple of vegan items in the winners list this year.

Another item I've already tried from the winners list is the Skyr Fruit and Oats Yoghurt which I loved (sadly as I'm now vegan, it's something I'll have to skip on). I also cannot recommend the Robinsons Fruit Creations cordial, Malteaster Buttons, Volvic Watermelon and Dolmio Veggie Goodness sauce packet enough.

While I'm very grateful for any items I've lucky enough to be sent from PRs (I'm always surprised that such amazing worldwide companies want to work with little old me!) but I did receive a fair amount within this package that I couldn't possibly keep all for myself. For the Cadbury Heroes Cupcakes which looked incredible, I shared them with the children in my mum's class at the primary school I used to go to and they all loved them!

The drinks included within the package included Bulmers Original Cider, Blossom Hill Pale Rose, Volvic Watermelon Water (limited edition), Frijj UHT Milkshake, Tropicana Essential, Robinsons Fruit Creations and the Fuze Iced Tea. I don't really drink very often but the Blossom Hill Pale Rose is delicious and something I think many will like.

However, my favourites from the range have to be the Volvic Watermelon and the Fuze Iced Tea in the Peach Hibiscus flavour, both of which I'd definitely buy in the future. Overall, there were so many fantastic food and drink items within the goody bag, especially the Halo Top Ice Cream which is one of the best vegan ice cream options I've tried - my personal favourite flavour is the salted caramel option but I do really want to try the peanut butter flavour.

Household Items

The next category are all of the household, cleaning and home fragrance items within the winners list and goody bag. For the cleaning products the list includes: Mr Muscle Platinum Kitchen Cleaner, Comfort Perfume Deluxe, Persil Capsules and the Regina Blitz Paper Towel, all of which I've been using for weeks and I can definitely see why they're all on the list of winners for 2019.

However, my favourite household item has to be the Ambi-Pur 3Volution Plugins which I have in the Cotton Fresh Scent. It's been a staple in our living room for weeks and it's so much more effective and convenient compared to room sprays! The plugin diffuser contains three scents which change as it's switched on so you experience a different scent over time which is a great idea and all of the scents are so fresh and spring-like. 

Beauty 

Last but not least (although there are pet products and a vape e-pen in the goody bag) is the beauty section. Let's start with the Oral B 3D White Toothpaste in the 'whitening sensitive' and 'enamel care' options. I've been using the 'whitening sensitive' toothpaste and I love it, especially as I do have quite sensitive teeth and most toothpaste options tend to feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Another beauty item that's been a favourite of mine for weeks is the Barefoot Overnight Foot Treatment as well as the Always Platinum Pads (the only pads I buy are from Always as they're so reliable) and the Palmolive Shower Gel. There's one product that I found to be a little unusual and that's the Mancave Micellar Water which seems quite out of place compared to the other products.

Lastly there are a few items with children and babies including the Extra Care Baby Wipes, Kids Multivitamins, Cow and Gate Follow On Milk and the Colgate Magik, the latter is a manual toothbrush with a stand so that it can be used with their app which tracks, in real time, the position of the toothbrush when it's used to track the brushing technique. I think that's an amazing idea and something I would have loved growing up so I'm going to pass it onto my friends son who I think will like it too!

Overall, I'm so grateful to be very kindly gifted a goody bag of all the winning products, most of which I loved and have been using for weeks now. Today's post was a run down of all my favourite items from the winners list but you can check out the full list on the Product Of The Year website.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think of the award and winners list?

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October Beauty Favourites

Another beauty favourites post that contains so many products! I have been lucky enough to try and find some amazing products during October! Todays post is a mixture of makeup, skincare, haircare and perfume favourites!

Makeup: My first makeup favourite is the amazing, massive Makeup Revolution Awesome Eyeshadow Palette that I have been using for pretty much all of my halloween looks this year. Staying with the palette theme, I have also been loving the *Clinique 'On Safari' Quad for everyday autumn looks, you can read my full review of it, here. My last eyeshadow favourite is the *Clarins Matte Ombre Shadow in 'nude beige' which I have been using as an eyeshadow base as it neutralises redness on the lids and provides a fantastic base for eyeshadows, full review, here.

Now onto my mascara favourite, the *Too Faced Mini Better Than Sex Mascara which I have been using for my halloween and everyday looks as it is such a buildable mascara - one coat is natural and pretty but numerous coats makes the lashes look bold and voluminous. Next up, my two face product favourites - the foundation I have been using constantly for the past three weeks is the Max Factor Luminizer Foundation which I have been recommending to anyone and everyone! It is amazing for light/medium coverage that doesn't highlight dryness and it makes the skin look so luminous and radiant. The second face product favourite is the *Smashbox Fusion Soft Lights in 'Baked Stardust' which is a bronzer, blush and highlight combo that looks so beautiful on the skin, full post here. 

We are nearly at the end of my makeup favourites! The last two products are lip faves, including the gorgeous Rimmel Provocalips Lip Colour in 'Make Your Move' which I cannot rave about enough - it is pigmented, so long wearing yet it is comfortable and smoothing! Last up is the Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Lacquer in 'Charm Offensive' which is part of the christmas range and it is a fantastic long wearing glossy lip lacquer that is also really pigmented and easy to wear! 

Skincare: My main skincare favourite products for october are facial oils! I don't understand why I didn't try them before, they have changed my skin so much! I have being loving the *Rodial Stemcell Super Food Oil for most of the month, it is non greasy, smoothing and very hydrating! A cheaper alternative is the *Bodhi and Birch Desert Rose Oil which is also fantastic! My last skincare favourite is a lip balm. I am a lip balm addict, I have tried so many - I have approximately 27 in my collection currently...The *Rodial Stemcell Glambalm is more like a lip treatment it is so hydrating and nourishing. 

Haircare + Perfume: My haircare favourite has been a favourite product for the past couple of months, it is the Label M Protein Spray which I first heard about from Talk Becky Talk and it is a fantastic nourishing hair treatment spray that I use at any time of the day or night. My final october beauty favourite is the new *Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d'Amour fragrance which is a heavenly floral but musky perfume that is perfect for the autumn/winter months. 

There are my beauty favourite for October! I will also be posting my October non-beauty favourites soon too which I haven't done before! 

What products have you been loving recently? Have you tried any of my october beauty favourites?

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March + April Food Favourites

I haven't published a favourites post for a couple of months, my previous favourites post was published back in February which seems like forever ago so I thought I'd write about some of my current favourite snack items that I was very kindly sent from Ombar, NutreeLife and Squbes.

*Ombar Chocolate Bars (£1.99 each, 35g) 

I'll be honest and say that I'm not a massive chocolate fan *don't get the pitchforks out just yet* but I do love vegan chocolate as it tends to be far less sickly sweet and rich compared to chocolate that includes dairy. I was very kindly sent a few of the mini bars and buttons from Ombar, the buttons didn't even make it long enough to be photographed before it was mysteriously empty...

I adore the packaging of their products, they are all organic and vegan and they are available in a wide range of very unique flavours such as lemon and green tea (which sounds amazing), coconut, raspberry and coconut and blueberry and açai. The bars are gluten free, free from refined sugar and contain great natural ingredients.

I have the following flavours, 72% cacao, goji berry, coconut 60% and raspberry and coconut, the latter is definitely my favourite of the flavours I've tried. It's part of the 'ombar centre' range so the chocolate bar has a delicious creamy centre subtly flavoured with raspberry and coconut. I almost ate the whole 35g bar at once as it's just so moreish but I perforated an amazing feat of human strength and resisted eating it all. I cannot recommend these delicious vegan chocolate bars enough!

*Squbes Snackable Savoury Seed Cubes (£2.50, 100g or 90p 30g)

Next up is a very unusual snack but they're so delicious and healthy! Squbes are small crunchy seed cubes with various flavours, seeds and spices. I have the 'spiced sesame and almonds' flavour as well as the 'sea salt and black pepper' flavour, both of which are very delicious!

They are a good source of protein which is definitely something that as a vegetarian/vegan I need to keep in mind. Additionally, it's high in fibre and they don't contain any refined sugar. The spiced sesame and almond flavour is very savoury, nutty and only slightly spiced, it's the flavour combination I prefer of the two. I was kindly sent some of the larger 100g pouches and the 30g options, the latter is perfect for keeping in your handbag or car for healthy on the go snacking! It's another snack that I'd definitely recommend especially as they're very inexpensive.

*Hawkers Popped Snack 

I'm definitely a fan of more savoury snacks than sweet snacks and one of my recent favourites has to be these Hawkers popped chips which are made from soya and potato! They are 94 calories per packet and they are gluten free, palm oil free and low in saturated fat. Additionally, they're high in fibre and a source of protein.

I've only tried the cheese and onion flavour and smokey barbecue options so far but they're both delicious and very moreish! The cheese and onion option had a flavour of the Sainburys vegan cheese (which thankfully I like) so I think it could be a little hit or miss but the smokey barbecue flavour is so yummy and I'd definitely pick up a packet when I see them.

*NutreeLife Protein Snack Bites (£16.99, 396g)

Lastly but not least is another healthy vegan snack and this one is packed full of vegan protein and fibre which is something that everyone should be being mindful of but especially those with a vegetarian or vegan diet as I do.

NutreeLife have a wide range of vegan protein snacks, bars and products all of which are 100% plant based! These bars contains over 5g of protein per serving, they are high in fibre and they only contain natural ingredients. The bars I have (chocolate/chocolate and vanilla) are also free from gluten, wheat and soya.

The products are vegetarian society approved and I'm so glad that each individual bar (22g each) is individually wrapped which means that they stay fresh and are great for travelling/on the go healthy snacking. The chocolate protein flapjack squares are the bars I like the most out of the two flavours I've tried as they are definitely chocolatey (almost a hot chocolate and chocolate biscuit flavour) but the chocolate and vanilla snack bites are great too! They do have a dry, crumbly texture which I wasn't expecting and I think it could put some people off but I like them.

They have a wide range of flavours of their snack bites and bars such as their strawberry protein cubes (which I definitely have my eye on) as well as their lemon and chia protein cubes. They also made a range of burger mixes, all of which sound great!

Have you tried any of these snacks? Have you tried any vegan protein bars or vegan chocolate?

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Autumn Essentials: Candles, Books, Beauty + More

Autumn is my favourite season, I love everything about it from the leaves turning and the chilly weather to all of the hot drinks, autumnal makeup, comfort food and baking as well as halloween. Halloween is my favourite holiday, I definitely prefer it to Christmas as an adult but growing up, Christmas was the one! Here are some of my autumnal favourites from hot drinks, makeup and books to candles and food supplements.

*Temple Spa Glint Concealer - Light (£20)

I didn't know Temple Spa made cosmetics so when this surprise package arrived a couple of weeks ago, I was very excited! The concealer has 'adjustable' or buildable coverage for dark circles and imperfections. I have the light shade and it matches me perfectly which is an impressive feat to begin with but it gets better! The formula is a dream as it blends seamlessly, quickly and easily; additionally the coverage is pretty good and it doesn't look dry or caky under my eyes. It's one of the most impressive concealers I've tried in a very long time!

 *Temple Spa Stroke Of Genius Mascara - Black (£20) 

I'm a little picky when it comes to mascara as I don't like mascaras which huge brushes and I don't like formulas that are very wet and this one is perfect for me. The brush is a good size, I love the packaging and the formula is great as it's very dry so I can work it into my lashes and have natural, fluttery lashes. If you love massive, false lash effect lashes then it might not be for you but I adore it, it's perfect for everyday - I just wish it was waterproof then it would be the only mascara I'd ever need.

*The Mind Makeover Book by Sharron Lowe (£10.39, paperback, 272 pages)

We all know by now that since January 2016, I've become an avid reader! While I love to read a range of genres, I am always cautious about self help books and I think all of them should be taken with a pinch of salt! I was kindly sent this book and I wanted to give it a go as with the change of the season, I like to assess my goals and create new ones for the upcoming season so I thought this would be a good read.

I love the cover design, it's very striking and appealing! The book is all about changing your life from how it is now to how you want it to be. I have been flicking through the book over the past couple of weeks and while I think it can be a little repetitive and generic at times, I do find it motivating, especially with little exercises - the exercises throughout the book are my favourite sections. If you're looking for a motivating, self help book then this one is definitely worth checking out!

*Bolsius Pillar Candles & Tealights (£3.99)

Candles are a must at this time of the year as they make any dull and dark room look so cosy, inviting and homely but I don't always want candles that are scented as not everyone likes them and they can be a bit much so unscented but pretty candles are the answer. I hadn't tried any candles from Bolsius previously and now I definitely want to look into them as they're so inexpensive.

I have a few of the black pillar candles, champagne pillar candles and the plain unscented tea lights. The tea lights are going to be perfect for Halloween to add to pumpkins, yes, I already have my pumpkin and I'm so excited! I'd definitely recommend these cute candles especially the champagne ones which will be ideal for Christmas and new year!

*Benenox Food Supplement (£12.49 each)

I'm not usually one for food supplements as most contain some kind of fish or gelatine and as a vegetarian/vegan, it's not something I want to eat but these food supplements from Benenox are vegetarian (they aren't vegan due to the honey included). The food supplements come in two flavours: blackcurrant and lemon & ginger, both of which I've tried and they are fantastic.

I've been taking 5-15ml almost every night for the past eight or so days and I've definitely noticed a difference. Let's start with how they taste though, I tried the blackcurrant option first and initially I wasn't a fan as it tastes like thick, sugary blackcurrant flavoured wine gums but it has grown on me now and it's my favourite flavour of the two. The lemon and ginger does have a slightly strong spicy ginger flavour so it's my least favourite but it's definitely still consumable.

I noticed that when I took the supplement in the evening my sleeping pattern was better and I didn't wake up in the night and I found that I was more able to concentrate and work longer too after taking the supplement for a good few days. I've stopped taking it now for a couple of days and I've noticed a difference so I will continue to take the supplement and I might purchase it in the future although it is a little pricy in my opinion, however it does seem to be worth it!

*The Skinny Caffe Hot Chocolate (£34.95)

Cosy hot drinks are a must at this time of the year and while I will always be a coffee lover, especially gingerbread lattes, I do still love hot chocolate! I was kindly sent this hot chocolate from The Skinny Caffe in the chocolate fudge flavour which sounds like an amazing hot chocolate flavour! The hot chocolate sachet contains a 30 day supply of the hot chocolate powder which features all natural ingredients including raw cacao, coconut milk powder, green tea, cinnamon and more.

The range is supposed to help with weight loss when used with a healthy diet and exercise, to boost energy levels, decrease food cravings, reduce bloating and more. I haven't been using it consistently but when I have used it, I do notice a decrease in hunger and cravings as well as minor bloating but I haven't been using it constantly enough to notice all of the claims.

It smells amazing, to me it smells like a cross between chocolate fudge and chocolate biscuits which I'm not complaining about! It's supposed to last for 30 days but I like strong hot chocolate so I have been using a lot more each time than suggested. I personally like the flavour (my sister doesn't at all) but it is a little too watery for me - I have to use more powder and less water to make it palatable for me but I do like the flavour. If you're interested in this range then definitely check it out!

Halloween Books: Rest In Pieces & The October Country 

Lastly, it's October so halloween books are obligatory reading this month and I'm currently reading: Rest In Pieces by Bess Lovejoy which is such a good book and the physical shape is really odd as it's so narrow. I'm also half way through The October Country by Ray Bradbury who is one of my favourite authors and I'm loving this short story collection of unusual, weird and quirky tales!

This is my 1,400th post!

What are your autumn essentials? 

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Exante Diet Food Range

Summer is almost here and that means that I can't cover up in layers upon layers, under a blanket *I'd love to be like that all of the time* and I have come to the realisation that I will have to shed the layers of wool and blankets and wear more weather appropriate clothing especially as the weather in the UK recently has been so sunny and warm! I have never been that happy with my weight/figure and it doesn't help that I adore food and cooking so it was great timing that I was contacted to see if I wanted to try some diet food and meal replacements from Exante Diet. 

I was kindly sent a range of their products from meals, snacks and shakes, all of which I have tried and I now have mini reviews on. If you want more in depth thoughts or the nutritional information then leave me a comment below and I will reply as soon as I can! 

*Exante Diet Thai Green Curry with Rice Pot Meal 

This is the first item I tried from the range that I was sent and it is definitely one of my favourites! It is Vegetarian Society approved, it is a good source of protein and each pot contains 281 calories. The pot contains soya mince as a vegetarian alternative and I do like soya mince but it does have a mushy texture which combined with the rice makes for a one textured and just mushy meal. However, it is really tasty, a little spicy and it is very filling! Perfect for a work lunch or on the go. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Exante Diet Double Chocolate Chip Flavour Cookie

I was excited to try this one as I do have a weakness for cookies but this was quite different to what I thought it would be like - it is very dense and a little bit savoury which I wasn't expecting. The cookie is yummy and it's also very filling but I probably wouldn't want to try this one again. However, it high in protein, fibre and vitamins and minerals so it tastes a bit naughty but it isn't unhealthy. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

*Exante Hot Cross Bun Flavoured Bar

I love hot cross buns, so I thought I would love this but I have mixed feelings! The bar has a fudge consistency and texture which I like and it does have a overall nice flavour but I don't think it tastes like hot cross buns - it tastes like fudge with a white chocolate coating. I do like it but I don't think I would want it again; however I think it will appeal to some as it is sweet, fudge like and filling as everything else in the range is. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5.

*Exante Protein Crackers (Dutch Cheese)

I used to eat things like this all the time as a snack as they usually don't contain a lot of calories and you can put whatever toppings you want on them. I really like these they don't contain a lot of calories and they have a mixture of seeds in them such as flaxseeds,  sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. I've been liking these for lunch with cream cheese and salad on them as even though they have cheese inside then you don't really taste it at all. They are filling, tasty and obviously very easy to prepare for a snack or lunch. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

*Exante Curried Sweet Potato Soup

I love sweet potato, it's amazing as an alternative to fries or in a hearty spiced chowder with butternut squash and dill so I was excited to give this one a go. Firstly, I'm not a fan of the packaging, I think it would be better if it was in a tub container. The soup itself really doesn't look appealing at all but it smells so nice and it tastes really good too! It is spicy to me as I can't handle spicy food but it was flavourful too and really filling. Along with the Thai rice pot meal, I'd definitely recommend it. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Exante Chocolate Orange Meal Replacement Bar 

During high school, for breakfast, I almost always had a breakfast bar/cereal bar as I was usually running late and they are quick and easy and this is pretty much a breakfast bar to me - it would be great on the go, it is perfect for breakfast or lunch and it kind of tastes like a Terry's chocolate orange! Along with the soup and rice pot, I'd also really recommend this bar! It's probably my favourite item from the range that I've tried! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5.

*Exante Flavoured Shakes 

I am not a fan of milkshake drinks or anything like that so I wasn't really excited to try these but the flavours sounded nice, especially the honeycomb flavour! The honeycomb shake smells amazing, like toffee or banoffee ice cream but sadly I'm not a fan - the texture is a bit thick and creamy which I wasn't expecting and it tastes quite artificial. The vanilla flavour is the same sadly. Overall rating: ★★☆☆☆, 2/5. 

Overall, there are some products that I loved such as the soup, crackers, the chocolate orange bar and the rice pot meal which I would definitely recommend and that I'd love to try again but then there are others that I didn't like so much, including the shakes, cookie and hot cross bun bar. I think the products are well worth trying and they have quite a wide range of products to choose from including a fair few vegetarian options! 

Have you tried anything from Exante Diet? Have you tried any diet food brands? 

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August + September Lifestyle Favourites

I stopped writing favourites posts for a couple of years but I've started monthly favourites again and I'm loving them! It's always nice to write about products I've been loving and the past couple of months have been great for new and exciting products. Today's post is all about the lifestyle items I've been using and loving throughout August and so far in September including supplements, exercise leggings, homeware, accessories and an amazing audiobook subscription service.

*Suck UK Book Rest Lamp from Red Candy (£32)

Let's start with my most recent favourite which you will have been on my Instagram Stories (I'm @ofbeautyand) earlier this week - follow me on Instagram to see all of my blogger mail and unboxings. Usually I wouldn't include an item that I've only had for such a short period of time but I love this lamp! I'm a huge bookworm and I always have a few books on the go so this lamp is absolutely perfect for me. It is such a cute little house shaped lamp that is the perfect size for a book rest while still providing enough light to read by or just as a warm toned bedside lamp. I will be including it in my upcoming early christmas gift guide so stay tuned for those posts!

*BookBeat Audiobook Subscription Service & App 

If you have been following my blog over the past year or so then you'll have already seen me rave about BookBeat which is a audiobook subscription service that allows you to listen to as many audiobooks in one month as you want - rather than paying per audiobook which makes it much cheaper and easier than other audiobook subscriptions out there. The app is so easy to use, the service itself is clear and simple and the range of audiobooks is fantastic. If you want to know about the books and audiobooks I'm currently listening to then follow me on Instagram (@ofbeautyand) and GoodReads. Use my link to get a one month trial for free!

*XLS Nutrition Shake - Chocolate (£19.99)

Next up is something I wouldn't pick up for myself but I was very kindly it sent it to review and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It's a vegetarian friendly, gluten free and non-GMO meal replacement shake which I've been using on and off since I came back from holiday. I only use it as a lunch or breakfast meal replacement shake, I couldn't use it to replace a bigger meal as I just love food but it works well as a filling, sweet and easy to prepare meal replacement shake. It has a lot of protein per serving which is fantastic for me as a vegetarian to make sure I'm getting enough protein per day.

I do like the chocolate flavour but you really have to make sure that you blend or shake it very well (I mix it with almond milk), otherwise it will taste very powdery, thick and awful - I recommend buying a specific shake bottle or maybe adding it to a blender such as a Nutribullet. If it sounds like something you'd want to try then give it a go!

*The Haze Shop Cloud Design Tote (£47.99)

I've been a vegetarian for over half of my life but I've also been on/off vegan for around four years and thankfully this adorable, autumnal tote bag from The Haze Shop is vegan friendly! It's made of neoprene, it's a perfect everyday size and it features a cute cloud print design (I think it is a little bit Aladdin-esque). I have quite a few bags but I don't have any with this tote or bucket bag style and I love it as it looks quite unique, it is able to store a fairly large amount within it without looking too bulky and it is very easy to get in/out of unlike some of my other bags.

I've been using it since I received it last week and I'm really liking it for this upcoming autumn season and it goes with so many of my casual outfits - black jeans, black heeled ankle boots and a cosy jumper (the one I'm wearing above is from H&M). The length of the strap is perfect for me which is unusual as typically I have to shorten the strap and it is very comfortable to wear. The only negative I have is the large metal feature on the front but other than that, I love it and I'd definitely recommend it. They currently offer free shipping and 10% off with the code: BACK2SCHOOL.

*Hunkemoller HKMX Branded Capri Sports Leggings (£25)

The final wearable item in todays favourites post is from one of my favourite loungewear, sportswear and lingerie brands, Hunkemoller. They have a fantastic range of sportswear from sports bras, accessories, tops and leggings - I really want to try their sports bras and the Xenia collection looks amazing! I was very kindly sent a pair of their sports leggings and I've been wearing them so much while using my at home cross-trainer recently as they are not only practical but they're so comfortable, the perfect length for me and the design is very simple. I also like that they are very opaque so they don't show any underwear and they are made of a cotton material so they're very soft. I have them in a size 'small' and they fit absolutely perfectly (I'm a UK 8 for reference) and I cannot recommend them enough!

*Bomb Cosmetics Cotton Fields Candle (£15.99)

Now onto a brand that I'm lucky enough to be an ambassador of sorts for, Bomb Cosmetics. I tried one of their christmas candles last year and adored it so I was very excited to try another. I love a range of candle scents from food, spicy and musky scents to fresh and clean scents - this one fits into the latter and it's gorgeous. I love the unique 'jelly' style of this candle! It contains patchouli and vetiver essential oils so it smells amazing, fresh and clean. I love this candle and I'd definitely recommend it along with their magical, glittery and adorable Christmas gifts which have just been released.

*Utmost Me Neurorest Supplements (£24)

Last but not least is a product, along with the Feather and Down Pillow Mist, that has been helping me drift off to sleep recently. It's another product that I've been using since I got back from holiday at the very beginning of the month. The supplements are a natural sleep aid and anxiety reliever containing lots of fruit extracts, magnesium, biotin, chamomile and more. It is a natural product, it's vegetarian and vegan friendly, gluten free and GMO free which is fantastic.

A lot of supplements tend to contain fish oil, collagen or something similar so they aren't vegetarian so I'm glad that these ones contain whole food and plant extracts. You can take one or two per night but I only take one as they are quite large tablets, in my opinion and I do struggle to take them, if I'm honest. I feel as though they have been helping, especially when combined with Lush bubble baths and the heavenly Feather and Down pillow mist which is another favourite of mine. I would recommend them if you are struggling with sleep or anxiety as a more natural option to try.

*Cicioni Almond and Cashew Vegan Cheese (£8.49)

Lastly, Cicioni have create a cashew and almond based cheese alternative that is organic, suitable for vegans and is lactose, gluten and dairy free. It is also free from additives, sugar and preservatives. Additionally, it is made using only four ingredients! I love the packaging and the ethos of the brand as well as the minimal ingredients. It is unlike any vegan cheese alternative I've tried which at first I really wasn't sure if I liked but it is definitely better when used as part of a dish rather than on it's own or as I've used it above. I think, for me, the best way to use it is by crumbling a little onto salad as on it's own, it's a bit too much. Overall, if you're interested in it then give it a go!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourite lifestyle products of the moment? 

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