Nutrition Tracking + Vegetarian Protein Boosters

I have been a vegetarian since I was 11 years old and more recently I've been mostly sticking to a vegan diet. I wanted to keep track of my fat, protein and calorie intake so I looked around at various apps and I've come across one that is fantastic but it's made me realise that my diet is seriously lacking in protein!

Lifesum 

Lifesum is an app where you can scan the barcodes of the food/drink you consume, or estimate the amount of a certain type of food and it will show you the amount of calories, fat and protein you eat in a day based on what you have added. It saves a list of items you've added which is great if you're like me and you have the same thing for lunch/breakfast everyday!

I've noticed that while the amount of fat I consume on a daily basis is fairly low, my calorie and carbohydrate levels are usually a little too high and my protein at half of what I should be consuming each day. Protein has been something I've struggled to consistently get enough of while being a vegetarian so much so that years ago I was classed as anaemic and had to have iron supplements prescribed.

The app has put it into context that even when I'm trying to consume enough protein either as part of a vegetarian or mostly vegan diet, it's not quite enough, especially as we are going through a complete kitchen redesign so I haven't been able to cook anything for the past three weeks. So I've bought some products to help including pea protein which I haven't been able to fully use so far and I was kindly sent these protein milkshake drinks from Ufit.

*Ufit Protein Milkshake Drinks (£2 each, 310ml)

I was kindly sent the vegetarian flavours of the Ufit milkshake drinks which includes the flavours: banana, vanilla, chocolate and my favourite, iced latte. All of these drinks are suitable for vegetarians but not vegans as they contain a lot of milk and milk proteins. The drinks also contain added vitamins and a whopping 22g of protein.

The first drink I tried was obviously the iced latte flavour as I adore coffee, including iced coffee. I was a bit worried that it would taste powdery or grainy but it doesn't; it's a very smooth and rich tasting drink that doesn't taste any different to iced lattes I've bought previously which is fantastic! This iced latte flavour is definitely my favourite and I will be buying some with my next Ocado order as it not only tastes amazing and contains so much protein and very little fat but it is inexpensive and filling too.

Next up, the chocolate flavour which I think will be the flavour that everyone likes! To me, it just takes like chocolate milk and I guess that's what it is, just with some nutritional additives. I would definitely buy this one again and for me it definitely helps when I have sweet cravings.

Now onto the flavour that I don't know if I will like, banana. I like to eat them as they are but I usually hate anything that is banana flavoured. To me this tastes like bananas in a creamy custard which I do like but it's definitely not my favourite out of the four that I have tried however if you like the sound of this one then it's worth a try!

Lastly the lactose free vanilla flavour which to me tastes like melted vanilla ice cream or liquid custard, surprisingly I really like it! Obviously, it's not as nice as the 'iced latte' option but it's a close second.

Overall, I liked all four flavours of the protein milkshakes, they are surprisingly delicious and contain so much protein which is something I was definitely lacking in my vegetarian diet. They are so inexpensive and well worth trying! I'd also recommend the fantastic Lifesum app too!

Have you tried these milkshakes? Do you use lifestyle/nutrition apps? 

* gifted item sent to me

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Arconic Paddle Brush

I go through this cycle of growing my hair to be waist length or longer then cutting it into a short bob; having short hair makes me realise how difficult long hair is to manage or even just to brush through...I'm currently in the waist length hair stage and oh boy, it's getting to be a pain but thankfully along with my army of detangling brushes, I've found another brush that has been helping me to manage the mane.

*Arconic Curved Paddle Brush (£19.99) 

I was kindly sent this brush to test out; this unusual curved paddle brush was created for medium to long hair lengths by John Gillespie. I have gone through so many paddle brushes since I discovered how amazing they were for long, thick hair back in my early teens. Paddle brushes can manage the amount of hair I have so much easier than regular sized brushes, so I don't have to spend forever brushing my hair.

The curved shape of this paddle brush is specifically designed for blow drying large sections of hair easily and to create 'movement with a strong finish'. I don't blow dry my hair regularly but this month I have been more often which my hair is rebelling against, it doesn't like to be brushed, it likes to be left alone. This curved paddle brush has definitely been helping to dry, smooth and tame my frizzy, long hair when I need to blow dry it rather than let it dry naturally. I've also been using it on my almost dry hair to smooth out the frizziness or to dry it fully.

It seemed to hold my hair really well while it's being dried and the curved shape helps me to dry large sections while smoothing and reducing frizz. If you have medium to long hair that is unfortunately prone to frizziness or if you aren't very skilled when it comes to blow drying your hair, like me, then you need to check out this brush. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5.

Do you have any blow drying tips or product recommendations? Have you tried this brush?

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*Blogging While Travelling + Working Without Borders

Image from Mathew Williamson by Pinterest

One thing the internet and blogging has done is to create opportunities where there previously weren't any. It has opened doors for us. Now, we can talk about the opportunities on the internet - job boards, freelance work including blogging and other roles that we can get paid for, or we can talk about the opportunities that the internet has actually created for us in the real world. These both merge, though - the internet has made a lot possible in the world of work.

The internet and blogging in general has helped us find cheap flights; it has guided us with online maps, it has sent us to new destinations in all four corners of the world and thanks for bloggers it has also made us want to go to places we haven't before as well as cafes, restaurants and sites to visit. Travel and opportunities come together though because the internet has made it possible for people to work without borders. You can operate your business or blog from your mobile phone and you can complete your work from anywhere in the world with a laptop. The opportunity might be there for you to travel and work or travel and blog at the same time? For freelance workers, this means the possibility of being a roving, moving worker is a reality. As long as you have the right gear, a strong and solid internet connection that won't fail you and an attitude of exploration, there isn't much that will stop you.

Working without borders presents a number of challenges as well. Also, what about accommodation - will you work from a hostel, will you find a luxury house to rent, or hotel? Or what about a road trip, I've seen so many bloggers over the past couple of years going on about Trek America - anyone interested? You might always be on the move - so remember to plan your steps ahead. Working while you travel, or traveling while you work is something that we can actually do now - they don’t need to be separate.

For me travelling and blogging is the ultimate combination, who wouldn't want to travel around the world being paid to do so or staying in gorgeous hotels for free! Blogging as a new media has been a bit of a rollercoaster journey, particularly in light on the recent bot drama but it's amazing to see the progress that blogging has made over the five years I've been blogging - from an unknown media to such a influential form of advertising, marketing, advice and more which allows freelancers and bloggers opportunities in all aspects that wouldn't have previously been available.

Are you a travel blogger? Do you blog while travelling? What do you think about the new opportunities of working without borders? 

*This is a collaborative post

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Initial Impressions: Love My Skin Laser Hair Remover

I have been interested in permanent hair removal for the past five or so years and I have tried a couple of devices previously, the first was very scary (the Rio Laser Hair Remover) and it's safe to say that I wouldn't recommend it. The second (Silkn Glide HPL System) did provide some results but definitely not enough for me to want to keep going with it sadly although it was so much better than the terrifying Rio device.

I started to think that there wasn't a device out there and I'd have to go to a salon but the *Love My Skin Laser Hair Remover (£299) arrived a couple of weeks ago and I was very excited to give it a ago, especially as it has amazing reviews. In the box you get the laser hair remover device, a mains charging cable, instructions and a sheet to record your uses. It all comes really well packaged, it seems simple enough to use and it's "the most effective laser hair removal system on the market, chosen by dermatologists".

As with pretty much all devices of this nature, it will only work on certain skin tones and hair colours; for example, if you have dark hair and pale skin as I do then that's the optimum combination to use with laser hair removal. However, if you have fair hair, auburn hair or dark skin then it might not be suitable for you. On the Love My Skin website, linked above, you can check to see if the device will work for you or not.

Patch Test

Before using the device fully, it suggests a patch test to see if you have any adverse reaction which is what I did. You just plug in the device, press the on button and a green light will appear. The device has five levels of intensity and I started on the first for the patch test; just place the device where the little window is, on the skin and it will beep after a second or two then you move to the next area making sure to overlap the section you just treated.

As I said, I've tried two devices similar to this one before and with those, it had the same system where you place the device against the skin and wait for a beep but with those it took up to five seconds to hear the beep so I was surprised when this device only took one second to beep - it's a good point that it takes so little time to treat each little areas as it means it won't take as long to use the device each time.

During the patch test, I tested various areas on my legs with the levels 1-5 to make sure that I didn't have a negative reaction and thankfully I didn't while I was using it or 24 hours afterwards. I was expecting a little pain during the patch test but there was nothing but a very slight warming sensation which I only experienced once. It was very quick and easy to use with no pain, just one second of very, very slight discomfort so I can't wait to start using it fully!

Another point that makes this device different is that unlike the others you only need to this it twice a month compared to the others which you could use once a day if you wanted. After three months, which is only six treatments, you are supposed to be able to see results and I can't wait.

First Full Treatment

I did the first full treatment a few days ago on my legs and underarms; the process was a little quicker than I thought it would be and as with the patch test, I didn't experience any pain at all which is fantastic! There is just one downside I can see so far, the light that tells you if the device is ready (green), running (blue) or abnormal (red) is on the side you don't see so you could use the device all over your legs but it might have shown a red light the whole time and it wouldn't have worked but you wouldn't have known as the light faces the skin rather than you, if that makes sense.

I only noticed this light being anything other than green (ready) when I used it on my underarms and a few times the light changed to red, I presume because there wasn't enough contact with the skin. I haven't noticed the blue light at all, I don't know if that means I'm not using it correctly? Also, this isn't a fault of the device but the nature of all products like this - it's hard to know which areas you've gone over as there's no change in the skin and you could end up going over some areas more or you could very easily miss some areas.

I haven't noticed any difference yet as I have just used it once and it states that results will be visible after about three months of use. I haven't noticed any adverse reaction to the device, it is easy to use and I love the little treatment tracking sheet provided where you can keep track of when you used the device for each body area.

Overall, the device is really well packaged and presented, the device is easy to use and so far I haven't experience any negative effects in terms of an adverse reaction or pain/discomfort as I have done with other devices of this nature. I've only used it once so there aren't any results but I will have an update post in about two months time!

Have you tried any laser hair removal devices? 

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Kitchen Re-Design + Decorating Update

The past month or so has been...crazy! We've not only had a few family things going on and problems with one of the cars but in all of that the kitchen has been completely redesigned with walls being knocked down, walls being put up, dust literally everywhere *which has been making my hayfever so awful* and lots of problems that have arisen during the re-design process - it's not an exaggeration to say that there was a new problem or issue every three or so days this month.

Now that the kitchen design and redecorating is almost finished, there's still tiles to put up, painting to be finished and other little jobs to do but we've finally been able to paint some walls and wallpaper on the feature wall. A few weeks ago I posted about redecorating the living room with the same gorgeous wallpaper - *Crown Luxe Florence Bracken Wallpaper by Inspired Wallpaper (£19.99 per roll - Grey/Pearl).

As with the living room, the wallpapering process was just as quick and easy even though it was a larger wall and it looks fantastic. We used the same grey paint for the walls in the kitchen too and I think it looks great having the two features walls match. The way the light from the garden hits the iridescent/pearlescent wallpaper is just gorgeous and makes it looks so light and bright.

I'm also happy with the new kitchen but sadly I can't show all of it as there are still large areas of plaster than need painting before it's finished but I love the built in ovens, the novelty of a pull out/spring neck tap and a kitchen island...it's the little things! Off topic, but I'm really happy with how the herbs I have on the window sill are growing - they are from the Seed Pantry subscription box.

When the kitchen is finally painted, I can't wait to post more recipe and food posts as I'll now have a lighter and a nicer background than before as it was just old tiles previously. I have a few vegan blog post ideas and recipes that I want to share but if you have any requests then let me know!

Before I finish this post, there's one thing to mention that is an important addition to any home - a Mixergy eco-friendly hot water tank which only heats the volume of water that is needed so it is more economical. You can use the app (for android and iOS) to monitor and increase the volume of hot water! It's more cost effective than others on the market and you can find more about My Plumbers Mixergy tank installers on their website. 

What do you think of the new kitchen design/wallpaper? Are you embarking on any redecorating soon? 

*This is a collaborative post

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Festival Hairstyles with ghd

I have owned a pair of ghd straighteners since I was about fifteen which is almost ten years ago now and I have loved them ever since. I started with the wide flat styler which was perfect for my thick, long hair and until a couple of weeks ago I was using my gorgeous lavender ghd styler. As I've spent my own money on ghds in the past and I've used them for so long, you can imagine my excitement when the *ghd V Ruby Sunset Styler (£139) arrived for me to try and create some cute festival hairstyles with!

Let's talk about the styler first as it's stunning! This new V Ruby Sunset Styler is part of the latest wanderlust collection which has been nominated for the best gadget and tool in the Sunday Times Style Beauty Awards. The styler is a gorgeous ruby red with a matching heat resistant case that comes in so handy when using the styler. As with the previous two ghd stylers I've used, it makes straightening my hair such a quick, easy and fuss free process that leaves my hair incredibly smooth, soft, manageable and de-frizzed!

Now onto the hairstyles, I've created two very quick and easy styles that can be finished within around 15-20 minutes or less and they require minimal products, minimal effort and I have some time saving hacks for you too! To me festival, summery and beachy hair is all about being creative but also keeping it simple as you don't want to spend ages inside doing your hair and becoming increasingly too hot with aching arms...just me?

The only items you'll need for both styles includes: ghd V ruby styler, heat protector spray, hairspray, chunky glitter, a brush, pins/clips and some optional extras such as hair chalk and sea salt spray. A heat resistant mat or pouch like the one that comes with this styler is also really useful !

Look One: 15 Minute Beachy Waves

Check out my video for the full tutorial on how to create the first style but it's basically just a cheats way of creating easy beachy waves. Start by brushing your hair and applying a heat protect spray and sectioning your hair down the middle so you have two large sections. Take one half of your hair and twist it tightly, holding it firming at the ends and slide the styler down the hair a few times (maybe 3 to 5, it depending on your hair thickness) and secure the hair so it won't unravel as it cools. Do the same with the other side, wait for 15 minutes and take out the clips to reveal very quick beach waves with very minimal effort - no need to curlers, rollers or wasting time using a styler to curl sections individually. Also instead of twisting the hair, you could create section your hair into quarters and braid each one and use the same method with the styler to creates waves too - it's such a quick, time saving way of creating loose beachy waves.

You could leave the waves at that or you could add some hairspray, sea salt spray or hair chalk to the look to add definition, hold and a pop of colour (I hate that phrase!) which will be perfect for the festival season. Hair chalks, sprays and semi-permanent dyes are such a quick, easy and temporary way of adding summer shades to your hair. I've been using the Loreal Colorista Semi-Permanent Dye in Dirty Pink to add some colour to my bleached ends. Tying up your hair with a cute hair tie is another option and one that will be perfect to show on the colourful ends while keeping your hair away from your face on the one hot summery day we will get, if we're lucky.

Look Two: Braids & Glitter

There are a few times in the year where glitter is more wearable and socially acceptable for those over the age of five and they are christmas and summer festivals! This second look consists of smooth, straightened lengths and a simple braid running from the temple to the base of the neck, viking style. The styler is so easy to use to de-frizz my hair and make it much more smooth, manageable and sleek looking, especially compared to how it usually is which is essentially a halo of frizz.

After creating the braid, you could add a few more if you want, it's time for the fun but messy business of glitter. I used a chunky glitter so it would be more visible than fine glitter and to stick it to my parting I used the ghd hairspray before and after apply the glitter and it works well...too well as the glitter will never want to leave your hair! I think the combination of my pink dip dyed ends and glitter is a colourful, feminine and fun festival look that is so quick to create and it can be adapted to suit you with more braids, rainbow dip dyed ends, sequins as well as glitter or other accessories.

Make sure you watch my tutorial so you can see the process of creating these two simple, quick and fun festival hairstyles using the ghd V Ruby Sunset Styler as well as the fantastic ghd hairspray (£9.95, 400ml) and ghd heat protect spray (£12.95). If you want more hairstyle ideas then definitely check out the ghd youtube channel! I will also be posting more videos on my blog including another with ghd so stay tuned!

Are you a ghd fan as I am? What do you think of these festival hairstyles? What do you think of the new ghd wanderlust collection? 

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