I know we should be all happy with the way we look but let's be honest, there are some aspects of ourselves that we'd like to change, whether we can or can't. I have a few of those, some of which are very minor but I would like to change them via treatments. Today's post is all about the beauty treatments I'd love to have in the future, although obviously you don't have to and treatments of any kind should be researched thoroughly beforehand.
The first is something I've wanted for years, fat reduction or cool sculpting treatments. Last year I reached my two stone weight loss goal which is the best and healthiest way to loose weight in my opinion but I do have some areas were the fat just won't budge such as my upper arms and thighs. I think there's quite a lot of stigma related to fat reduction treatments of any kind but there shouldn't be as if some aspect of your body isn't quite as you want it to be, then why not do something about it if you can - whether it's through exercise, diet, treatments or all of the above.
Facials and other spa-like treatments are a more tame or safe treatments that most people are familiar with but due to my eczema, I've never had any kind of facial. However, I'd love to go on a spa day and have a facial or a treatment to reduce the size of my pores which have been something I've been a little self conscious of since my teen years. I never really get spots, whiteheads or blackheads but I do have fairly large and open pores on my forehead and nose especially so I'd like to reduce them.
Botox
Last not not least is a treatment I've been thinking about recently as I have noticed more and more fine lines, most of which are dehydration lines but some are a little deeper (although I'm only 26 so it isn't a major issue for me yet). I am not opposed to botox at all and I will definitely have a botox treatment in the future for lines around my eyes, mouth and forehead. As I use steroid eczema creams on my face and I have done for years, I know that wrinkles will be a problem for me in the future as steroid creams can thin the skin over time, in turn that makes wrinkles and lines more prevalent.
Have you had any of the treatments I've mentioned? Would you consider any of these treatments in the future?
*Sponsored #AD please always do your own research before considering any kind of treatment anywhere
Today's post is a little different to my regular content but it's something I've been thinking about since watching the Sabrina series on Netflix and since reading the Sabrina comic book a couple of days ago - the 90's. I was born in 1992 so I grew up with Teletubbies, Sabrina The Teenage Witch, spaghetti hoops, Clueless, Sunny D and frilly gingham socks - it was a good time to grow up.
Furbys, Tamagotchi & Gameboys
I wanted to look back at some of my favourite toys and TV shows from the 90's today while wishing that I was back in the 90's drinking Sunny D, watching Art Attack as I put off doing my homework and waiting for my mum to cook Smily Faces. The main three 'tech' toys that I remember loving throughout my childhood includes: Furbys, Tamagotchi and my Gameboy Colour.
My most memorable has to be my Furby which I received as a birthday present and it was a constant companion since then! I had a black and white one with little pink ears and it was the best toy I ever had. I don't actually remember the features or the point of a Furby but it did make some strange noises and you could feed it but it was so cute. A friend of mine had a Furby-like toy that also gave birth...not strange at all.
As well as the more 'tech' toys, I also had a range of dolls but I was never one of those girls with baby dolls like Baby Born as I was not the maternal type even as a child; however I did have a tonne of Barbie dolls. My favourite barbie had to be the flying one which had wings and a stand so it would shoot up into the air and fall back down, onto your head or the head of your friends. Polly Pocket was also a big thing growing up in the 90's but it was all about the Barbie dolls for me.
TV Shows
Lastly, TV shows! I've already mentioned Sabrina The Teenage Witch but others include: The Queens Nose, Rugrats, Hey Arthur, Saved By The Bell and naturally, The Simpsons which I still watch today. Sabrina was the main TV show as who doesn't love Sabrina! I also had those Sabrina magazines that included makeup...please tell me someone else remembers those. I collected every single one, I had the makeup case and all of the shades as well, I think that was when my makeup obsession began.
Did you play with any of these toys growing up? Where were your favourite toys or TV shows from the 90's?
Even though it's coming up to spring and hygge seems to be more of an autumn and winter theme, I still love the idea of hygge and especially hygge decor. Hygge is all about being cosy and spending time with friends/family as well as hygge homeware such as candles, blankets, throws and minimalist but comfy furniture.
TV Bed
The first item I'd love in my hygge inspired home is a TV bed! Growing up in the 90's meant that naturally I had a purple glittery TV in my bedroom with a VHS player...it was huge and I'm so surprised it didn't fall off the wall. I'd love one in my bedroom again but not a glittery purple one this time around, more of a sophisticated hidden TV bed. I'd have to choose the Liberty TV bed in 'oatmeal' as my TV bed of choice as it has a simple design but it still looks cosy and hygge-esque. I think that if you're looking for a TV in your bedroom, childrens bedroom or guest room then TV beds are a great, space saving option.
Clawfoot Bath
Next up is quite a fancy item and that's a gorgeous, luxe clawfoot bath. I did want one in our newly renovated bathroom but they're so expensive and sadly our bathroom is pretty small (you'd have seen the renovation on my Instagram stories - @ofbeautyand). Clawfoot baths look so luxe and elegant and ideal for a hygge bath!
Plants
Lastly, plants aren't really considered to be typical elements of 'hygge' but I love bringing nature into our home and to me, plants are a cosy addition to any room. I have a few succulents in my study which surprisingly I've managed to keep alive for over a year now but I'd love more plants within the kitchen and bathrooms, especially with spring around the corner.
What hygge items are your favourites? What do you pick of my picks?
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?
The January blues somehow moved on into February and I had no motivation to be productive in any way so sadly today's post is a little late but it is finally here! The January box was absolutely fantastic and thankfully the February box is great too with a wide range of items. If you use the code KVAA2 at the checkout, you can receive your box for only £7.99.
The range of items within the February box ranges from childrens milk cartons and snacks to pastas, sweets and more. There are quite a few items and brands that haven't been included within the previous boxes such as the brioche flatbread, jelly gums, pork crackling and seaweed snacks. The theme of the box is 'degusta and chill' so I assume that's why the box contains mostly snacks for any movie night you might have.
*Sacla Reduced Fat Vegan Pasta (£2.50)
Let's start with my favourite item from the box, the vegan pesto from Sacla. It's a brand I've wanted to try for a while but haven't purchased before. I'm SO glad that more and more of the items within the boxes are vegan! The pesto is so incredibly delicious, even my non-vegan friends liked it and I've managed to eat half of the jar already...I will definitely be purchasing this item in the future as it's so quick/easy to use, it tastes delicious and it's vegan.
*Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea Fusilli (£3)
Another vegan item is the chickpea fusilli which I haven't had the time to try yet but I have wanted to try non-wheat pasta for a while as it's a healthier option and one that contains more protein than regular wheat pasta. Additionally, it's organic and gluten free so this box is ideal for those with numerous dietary requirements.
*Deli Kitchen Golden Brioche Flatbread (£1.25)
Another extremely delicious item, or so I'm told, are the two packs of brioche flatbread from the February box. Before going vegan at the beginning of the year I did try brioche buns a few times and I can say that they were amazing so I'm sure these are too. My mum has tried tried these as part of an easy lunch at work and she loved them.
*Snaffling Pig Pork Crackling (75p each)
Thankfully, there are only two items within the entire box that aren't suitable for vegetarians and one of those are the two packs of pork crackling. There are two flavours included, the salted flavour and BBQ flavour. Naturally I haven't tried them but I am going to pass them onto someone who'll enjoy them.
*Bebeto Watermelon Jelly Gums (50p each)
The second and final item that isn't suitable for vegetarians are these watermelon sweets. If these were suitable for vegans then I would have been so happy as I love gummy sweets but sadly they're not. They are apparently the biggest selling pack in the UK with over three million sold last year.
*Orangina Original (£1.30)
Next up, an item that's been included in a couple of boxes already but I'm always happy to receive. I try not to drink too many carbonated drinks; however, I do have to make an exception for these. They contain real citrus pulp and can be used on its own or mixed into cocktails.
*Appy Kids Co Whole Milk (£1)
When I saw these two packs of mini milk cartons, the first thought I had was that one of my best friends toddlers would love them...as they had Paw Patrol on the front. I don't drink cows milk so I passed them onto my friend and her son instantly loved them as Paw Patrol is one of his favourite TV shows!
Next up is probably one of the most unusual snacks within the box (and from the past couple of boxes at least). It's a pack of dried seaweed sheets that are flavoured with turmeric...they don't sound like the most delicious and typical snacks but I changed my mind very quickly after trying them.
It's a multipack so there are three in each pack and I've already ate them all, especially as they are only 18 calories per pack. The sheets are baked, they are gluten free, vegan and high fibre snacks. The only downside is that the numeric powder on the sheets can be very messy and can stain very quickly.
*Choc Chick Quinoa Pops and Plantain Bites (£1.85 each)
Last but definitely not least are two packs of vegan chocolate snacks, including the quinoa pops and plantain bites. The quinoa pops are so moreish and delicious, I'll definitely be looking out for them in the future! Sadly though, the plantain bites aren't great if I'm honest. I think this is the first time that I've tried plantain and it's just not for me unfortunately.
Overall, it's a little bit of a mixed bag but I'm happy on the whole with the range of items as well as the inclusion of more and more vegan items in the boxes. I hope more vegan items will appear in future boxes. Don't forget to use the code KVAA2 to get your box for £7.99!
Have you tried any of these items? What do you think of the February box?
As we edge closer to the end of winter and the emergence of spring, it’s hard not to start thinking of our summer holidays. Instead of paying for your next big trip by maxing out your credit card, now is the best time to start saving. The guys over at Cash Lady have put together a few helpful tips on saving money for your holiday in 2019 which may prove helpful.
Make a budget
If you already have a spreadsheet for you monthly expenses, you are one step ahead. If not, list all your outgoings, including rent, food, entertainment etc., and how much you spend each week/month. See where you can cut down each month. Maybe you can take a break from going to the cinema, or reduce the amount of clothes you buy. Make a savings target and then you will know how much you need to save each week/month to meet your deadline.
Create a holiday bank account
Setting up a new bank account just for your holiday money will ensure it builds up slowly over time. Create a standing order that automatically transfers a set amount from your main account into the new one. (Here is a guide on how to do it published by Barclays) You’ll quickly adjust to the lower amount of money coming in (remember, you have also budgeted for it) and before you know it your holiday bank account will have a healthy amount ready to be spent on a luxurious holiday.
Spend wisely
Shopping, especially when it comes to groceries, can quickly eat up your income. By the time you get to the till and ring it all up you’ll be surprised it costs so much for so little. Always stick to your spending budget and look out for deals wherever you can find them. Use loyalty points on store cards to save money, while shopping online often proves to be cheaper.
Research your holiday
There are more options than ever when it comes to finding money-saving deals for travel expenses. Keep looking for cheap flights, hotel deals and travel discounts wherever possible. Set-up email alerts so you are instantly notified as soon as they become available. If you are planning on going abroad, keep an eye out for the best exchange rates that will maximise your spending while overseas.
Sell some items
Fashion trends come and go quickly, and before you know it you have a stash of clothes that are in great condition but just look so ‘last year’. Sites like eBay and Depop are great ways to sell your unused clothes and accessories without much hassle to make some quick money. Every penny counts, and it can just go straight into your holiday savings fund. Even old mobiles, DVDs and CDs could be worth a few bob or two.
Cut back on bills
It’s easy to get stuck with the same energy supplier every year, instead of shopping around to find the best deal. However, there are some big savings to be had if you take the time. The Energy Saving Trust claim you can save up to £250 a year by using their home energy check tool. This could add some serious pounds to your holiday savings account in a matter of months.
Do you have any saving tips? Are you currently having for a holiday?
I'm a university graduate, coffee drinker and beauty, book, lifestyle and fashion blogger from little old England - posts marked with an (*) contain products sent for review or sponsored posts Read More >>
