Degustabox December Unboxing

Ooooo a delicious Degustabox. I received December's box just over a week ago as my box was sent to someone else and they signed for it. You can track your parcel and I had never heard of the surname of the person who had signed for my box which was so disappointing. Luckily, Degustabox sent another box out to me and so I got my box of foodie goodness after a longer wait than usual.

Degustabox is a monthy subscription box full of 9 to 14 products. Some of which are new to the market and the contents are meant to cost less than you would pay for them in the shops.

So the box arrived in perfect condition and had a Merry Christmas sticker on this time which held the brown paper together. 

The first items that I saw in the box were the drinks and I was really pleased to see them in there. This first bottle is Eisburg alcohol free wine which is made in exactly the same way as usual wine but with the alcohol removed. This has a third of the usual calories ans is available in Chardonnay, Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling.

These drinks would be perfect if you enjoy the taste of wine without the alcohol, if you're taking part in dry January or you simply don't want to or can't drink alcohol.

Price: £3.49 per bottle.

What I thought:

This was of great quality and I found it quite a strange concept of drinking this without there being any alcohol content. I don't tend to drink wine because I like the taste of it, I drink it because it has alcohol in it. I do prefer sweeter wines so I would like to try the Rose variety next time. I think this would be fabulous in social situations if you don't want to look or feel as though you're missing out. Although I'd be happy with a soft drink. 

Would I buy it again?

Yes I would in the different varieties for a party or get together if people were driving. These would also be fabulous if you were pregnant or on medication and couldn't drink alcohol.

Pukka Herbs- Clean Green, green tea.

"Spring clean your spirit with nature's finest fairly-traded clean green herbs. Let them dance in your cup for a while to release the zing of whole Sicilian lemons and the freshness of dandelion root. One sip and you're ready to sparkle."

Price: £2.39

What I thought:

 I know how good green tea is for you but it's just too bitter for me to drink. I want to like it as I know it would be so good for me just I just can't bring myself to drink it regularly. The Sicilian lemons make this sound delicious but I prefer a nice cup of regular tea with milk so I shall be passing these onto my mum.

Would I buy them again?

Maybe for my mum or to have in the house for visitors but not for myself as it's just not my cup of tea so to speak! Although it's a bit unfair of me to say without sampling them first. (Goes off to boil the kettle.)

Gloworm drinks

"Gloworm is ingeniously different. It's the first premium mixer of its kind, specifically blended to compliment a selection of spirits. The unique formula is sugar-free and taurine-free. Gloworm is available in 4 flavours; Raspberry & Orris for Vodka, Cucumber and Apple for Gin, Pear, Spice & Lime for Rum, Ginger & Lemongrass for Bourbon."

What I thought:

I popped these straight into the fridge to chill and my other half grabbed one and we shared it. It was the Cucumber & Apple one and it was so refreshing and delicious. I then read that they were mixers for alcohol. Whoops!

Price: £1.50 per can.

Would I buy them again?

Yes. Especially the Cucumber & Apple.

Next up are the yummies. 

POPCHIPS 

"Never fried, never baked. POPCHIPS are popped with heat and pressure to make a  naturally delicious crisp with all the flavour and less than half the fat of fried crisps, fewer calories and none of the fake colour or flavours (or greasy fingers) that gives snacking a bad name. And by the way, there are less than 100 calories in each serving."

Price: £1.79

What I thought:

I first saw these being showcased at the Clothes Show Live a few years ago. I also received a small bag from there from December last month too. These are deliciously moreish and you get quite a lot in the packet too. They feel quite light and have a great crunch to them too.

Would I buy again?

Yes I would and especially if they were on offer for £1.

Baru- Chocolate Wrapped Cloud 

These are little added extras in the box as they aren't listed on the information card.

They are delicious marshmallows with a chocolatey filling. 

Would I buy again?

Well they retail at around £3.14 for four marshmallow pieces which is a little too expensive for me.

Bahlsen Choco Leibniz 

"Finest continental milk chocolate wrapped around our original butter biscuit or oozing with caramel. With more chocolate than biscuit, it's fresh and crisp when you bite it, but so chocolatey when you taste it. Available from Asda, Booths, Budgens, Co-op, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose."

Price: £1.79 per pack.

What I thought:

I recently ate 6 out of the 9 biscuits in the one sitting the week before I received some more in this box. They are yummy. I was excited to see the caramel ones but for me the caramel wasn't 'oozing' it was solid and I much preferred the milk chocolate ones.

Would I buy them again?

Yes but not for £1.79 a packet and I wouldn't get the caramel ones again.

Onto the cooking ingredients:

Kent's Kitchen Brazilian Feijoada

" The meal kits are a one. two, three step to an authentic, delicious meal in just 20 minutes. Use the three clever pots and add a few fresh ingredients to create a restaurant quality meal. All natural ingredients and perfect to keep in the store cupboard for when you need meal inspiration."

Price: £2.50

What I thought:

I love the idea of the little kits to aid in preparing a variety of meals. I've had a previous kit before but I didn't use it in time and it ran out of date. This time I'm going to make this kit as I'm sure it will be delicious.

Would I buy it again?

If I really like this one then yes I would.

Frylight Infuse Chilli Oil

"Made with natural Chilli extract and adds a spicy kick to all sorts of pan fried and roasted food at the touch of a button."

Price: £2

What I thought:

I used this when I cooked spicy chicken noodles. It was super easy to use as you simply spray the required amount and cook your ingredients. It added extra flavour to the ingredients which is always a good thing.

Would I buy this again?

I'm more likely to buy the sunflower oil version.

Bonne Maman- Coarse Orange Marmalade

"Coarse orange marmalade is fresh, zingy and made with thick shred orange peels  for more character. Spread on toast and let the full flavour of oranges fill your mouth, or use it as the ingredient that will make the difference in your savoury or sweet recipes.

Price: £2.30

What I thought:

I think this is a fantastic quality brand. I enjoyed this on toast as it was delicious.

Would I buy it again?

Yes I would.

The Chia Co 

"The Chia Co Oats + Chia are wholegrain oats and Chia blended with the finest quality fruits and coconut oil. These 'just add water' oats deliver a smooth and creamy texture, without dairy. Chia seed offers the highest combined plant source of omega-3, fibre and protein, and is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants."

Price: £1.70

What I thought:

I didn't really know what this product was on first glance and after reading the description card I'm more likely to try this out now. The ingredients are fantastic and will be super healthy for me. I've had Chia shots before in my Birchbox but I didn't know what to use them in so I still haven't touched them.

Would I buy it again?

I think it's expensive for 45g so maybe if I feel that I need to be super healthy then I might repurchase. I'm also inclined to repurchase if they were to taste delicious.

Total price of items:

£25.75 (excluding the two little marshmallows)

An excellent quality box for the £12.99 that I paid. My favourite items were the Gloworm, POPCHIPS and Bonne Maman Marmalade.

My next box is being delivered tomorrow! More scrumptious treats.

Love Laura xoxo

Makeup Revolution Haul

I've wanted to try Makeup Revolution products for the longest time so when I had some Christmas money, I decided straight away to get some items. At the time there was a Christmas promotion whereby if you spent £25 or more on items then you got a free gift with your order. After seeing what you would get, I took full advantage of the offer.

Makeup Revolution was launched in London in March 2014 and in that time has gained fast popularity. Their products range from as little as £1 and I have heard fantastic comments about the pigmentation of the makeup. New products are launching all the time and I already want/ need the I love Makeup Blushing Hearts (I adore the heart shaped packaging,)  the Naked Chocolate Palette  and the new Lip Lava's.  Anything with cute packaging and I neeeeed it!

I decided on three eye shadow palettes these being;

Iconic 1 - I chose this one as it had lots of shimmer shades and I love nudes as they make my blue eyes stand out more. I loved the look of the golds in particular and can't wait to see if they are buttery and pigmented.

Iconic 3 Again this has a great mix of shimmers and mattes and what I love about this one is the more pink/ gold shades. These really remind me of the Urban Decay Palettes but for a much smaller price tag of £4 compared to £37. 

Mermaids vs Unicorns When I heard the name of this palette, it made me want it even more! I love mermaids and I love Unicorns so great name choice.  I've only actually started wearing nude colours recently whereas this palette is definitely my go to. I like wearing blues and greens so I'm leaning towards a Mermaid already. 

 

I got the blush palette in All About The Pink  for £6 and it has a mixture of shimmer, matte and baked blushers. I love pink blushers and these six shades look fabulous.

I love lipsticks and so I decided to choose six different ones as they were an amazing £1 each.

The colours I chose were;

Enchant,

Magnificent

Flashing

Sweetheart

Dazzle

Cheer

Mostly pink shades with a purple too as I loved the look of this shade.

This is the free gift that I got with my order. I wanted one of these palettes as soon as I saw them, yes purely for the pink gem heart on the front! This is the I Heart Passion palette and it will look beautiful on my dressing.

Also included with the gift were these three lipglosses. The vibrant pink shade looks an absolute beaut.

I also got this vivid blush lacquer too which is not a shade I would necessarily choose myself but it will be great to try it out and see if I suit it or not.

What do you recommend from Makeup Revolution? Have you tried this brand before?

Love Laura xoxo

Peach Perfection Crochet Collar Review : Lavenderskys

Happy Monday everyone!

Today is supposedly blue Monday where it's the most depressing day of the year. The sun has been shining here and I have been out on a long walk with my pups so there's been nothing blue about that.

Today I have a review for you on this beautiful, vintage crochet collar. I received this as a gift for Christmas off my best friend who owns the business Lavenderskys and has been established since 2014. The collars retail for £6.50 + pp. Lavenderskys makes a wide range of products and my favourites are her buntings and the gorgeous pom poms!

First of all, I absolutely adore the peach colour as I love pastels and it will co-ordinate with a wide range of clothing in my wardrobe.

The collar has been expertly made and is finished off beautifully with a metallic round flat button.

It opens up so that you can fasten it into position over your chosen attire.

I started off by going through my wardrobe and choosing similar shades to pair my collar with. (It would also work beautifully with varying pastel shades but today I was in a peachy mood.) The beauty of buying a new accessory is that you can revamp older items in your wardrobe and gain a completely new look. I found that it really freshened up the clothes that I already had.

I predominantly chose shirts for pairing the collar as when I looked at the piece I thought of warm Spring sunshine but I'm also going to wear it with dresses and jumpers too.

I love the frilly edge that this collar gives to the shirt.

I think that this one goes really well with the collar as the vertical panel is a similar shade and the addition of the collar makes it look vintagey. 

Here I've paired the peach with coral and think it works really well.

I chose a paler/ nude coloured top here so that strongest colour came from the collar.

Look how beautiful it is! (Goes off to buy a selection in mint green, baby blue, lilac and pastel pink!)

Thanks again Kelly.

Love from Laura xoxo

A Discovery Of Amazing Shakes From Mr. Sherick's : Review

Upon laying my eyes on Mr Sherick's shakes I just knew that they were going to be something special. Do you ever get that feeling? Well I certainly wasn't wrong. I was over the moon to win a selection from a competition that the lovely people were running through their Twitter page and couldn't wait to try them.... nearly all at once it seems. 

I adore anything to do with shakes, diners and parlours and would love to actually work in one sampling, designing and creating a pastel parlour full of cupcakes and shakes.

What the company says:

"Mr Sherick, Making Milkshake Magic.........

Mr Sherick and his chefs have spent many hours in their wondrous kitchens, crafting a range of tempting, luscious luxury treats with something special and unexpected- designed to make your taste buds tingle!

Each bottle is crammed full of fresh British milk, mixed with the finest ethically sourced ingredients, made extraordinary with exciting bursts of flavour and texture.

With a huge amount of passion and a little bit of magic, Mr Sherick is creating heaven in a bottle."

I absolutely love the use of alliteration and the description of the metaphor for these shakes. Their website is fabulous too how the ingredients are cascading down. Check it out here.

The milkshakes aarrivedincredibly fresh in a branded cool bag with gel icing pack to keep them cold. I needed to pop them straight into the fridge to maintain the coolness of them and ensure that the products didn't turn sour with the heat. 

I received one of each flavour to try and got my pink stripy straws and Kilner jars out ready to make the experience even more indulgent. I only managed this with one shake though as the rest were drunk straight from the bottle as I couldn't wait! 

From left to right there is:

Strawberry Pavlova

"Indulgent milkshake blended with natural strawberry juice and pulp to deliver a genuine strawberry flavour. With meringue pieces throughout it's a little bit of summer luxury in a bottle."

This has a luxurious, creamy texture and a genuine strawberry taste. The meringue pieces are soft but add depth and even though it seems to be a small bottle, they surprising fill you up.

A Hint Of Mint

"Rich decadent chocolate milkshake made with real cocoa mass... only this time with soft mint chocolate chips throughout. A luxury mint sensation. It's mintalicious!"

The mint adds a perfect hit and breaks up the chocolate. They have got just the right amount and the chocolate is of exceptional quality.

Pot Au Choc

"Rich decadent chocolate milkshake made with real cocoa mass and soft Belgian chocolate chips throughout. It's total chocolate heaven."

This milkshake had the thickest texture and was the most filling. Again the Belgian chocolate and ingredients used are the best.

Cookies & Cream

"Creamy vanilla milkshake brimming with gorgeous cookie pieces and Belgian chocolate chips. Indulgence that takes the biscuit!"

If  had to choose just one to be my favourite then Cookies and Cream would win. It was expertly creamy  with just the right amount of soft cookie pieces. The blend of the vanilla and cookie was outstandingly scrumptious.

Softly Banoffee

"Lush banana milkshake mixed with a luxury toffee sauce and soft toffee pieces. Sweet mellow yellow delight!"

I loved the addition of the toffee sauce and pieces in this banana milshake as it gave it another dimension. It was absolutely delicious and moreish and I would definitely buy this even though banana milkshake was not one of my favourites beforehand.

So where can you buy these amazing milkshakes? 

Well they are available in Booths' , Waitrose, London food halls (Harrod's, Selfridge's and Partridge's) 

I would love to see them available to buy online too so that they are even more accessible.

Outcome:

These are the best milkshakes I have ever tasted in my life and if I was to see these on a shelf I would buy them without hesitation. They are divine. Don't let the small bottles fool you as they fill you up and have exceptional ingredients contained inside that make the bottle last longer than a watery thinner counterpart.

Oh Mr Sherick's how I love you! (Goes off to dream of the shakes that have all been consumed!)

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My KawaiiBox January 2015?

I'm always delighted when my KawaiiBox makes its way to me through the post. If you haven't seen my previous unboxings and reviews then KawaiiBox is a monthly subscription box which is filled with Japanese and Korean Kawaii goodies. It costs $18.90 per month and ships for free worldwide.

So today I have my January KawaiiBox to unbox and review for you. As soon as I lifted off the pink tissue paper I was delighted straight away with all of the goodies that I saw. The box has been carefully thought out so that there are a mixture of products and I feel that it is extremely good value for the price. This one has to be my favourite subscription box as it's me in a box!

These are all of the items that I received in the box and so many items were squeezed into this month's collection. I love every single piece again.

As you can see there are a mixture of plushies, stationery items and beauty accessories this month.

I look forward to seeing what foodie treat I will receive in the box and this month's are the two packs of  Rilakkuma biscuits! I love Rilakkuma as he is adorable. It's great to see branded items in the box and I can't wait to try the little bear shaped biscuits.

I've popped all of the accessories together this month. I am in love with the lilac mermaid shell bracelet as that is just me down to a tee. I absolutely love mermaids and pastels and don't have many items in lilac so this is perfect. 

I've seen the Hello Kitty glasses before and these are lens free for looking cute in. The little coin purse is sweet and I love how they've included a nail polish this month as I love beauty items. The shade is perfect for me too as I love brights and this coral shade will add some much needed sunshine in this Winter weather that we're having.

Up next are the stationery items which I received three of in this month's box. The cute little pen will come in handy for every day use or for writing blog ideas. 

Look how cute the 3d puffy animal stickers are. I need to decorate something with these. Maybe make a blogging scrapbook as that would look fab. 

Then finally for the stationary items I received this fun stamp set which is fun to use for decorating plain papers or envelopes or for letters and invitations. 

Finally I received a plushie and two mobile accessory charms. The first item I saw when opening the box was this strawberry cake roll plushie and this is my favourite item out of the whole box. Look at her little arms and legs! The charm one in the middle doubles up as a mirror which is very handy and I love the design. The last one is a squishee and as soon as I see them I give them a great big squeeze! He's like a little round marshmallow that makes you feel good!

So that's my January 2015 KawaiiBox review. I can't wait to see what is in my February box and in the meantime I need to put good use to all of these products rather than just storing them up!

What's your favourite item in the box?

Love Laura xoxo

What's In My Glossybox January 2015 ?

 Hello Glitter Rays!

My Glossybox just arrived and I was excited to open my box of beauty. I almost cancelled my subscription for a number of reasons being that I have too many products, last January's box wasn't very good and I wanted to cut out one box. As you can clearly see my finger didn't press unsubscribe and here is my box. I'm so glad that I decided to keep it as this month is a fab one. It contains five full sized products and I've not tried any of the items before so it's all new to me.

 I received a card this month with the details of the products and the price lists. ( Mine was missing last month.) I'm glad they have gone back to including an information card as I don't always see my e-mail from them and therefore just miss all the product details completely.

This month there's a wide variety of products and I love how there's much more concentration on make up this month (my favourite.) It all looks so pretty with all the pinkness going on.

I love Jelly Pong Pong but I'm confused as I'm not sure whether it's turned into So Susan or whether it's just their sister brand. I've had lots of their cosmetics over the past five years or so but never tried this All Over Glow which retails for £10. I love their packaging and the scent of their products too. I prefer to buy them as a deal at the Clothes Show Live as I feel that their products are rather on the high side. 

"This brightening gel is great for problem skin (as it's oil free) and is packed with micronized pearlescent pigments that catch the light, highlighting the face for a radiant glow that doesn't look glittery."

Glossybox says: "Dab along cheek and brow bones using your ring finger then switch to a small brush to blend."

I say- So this should be great as a highlighter and I can't wait to see the results.

I love lip balms and especially in this weather I am desperately needing one that is extremely effective in soothing and preventing chapped lips. This one is Naked Lips - Organic Lip Balm in Superfruits and retails for five euros. 

"Some balms taste a little waxy for our liking but this 100% natural formula is sweet tasting, packed full of oils from some of the world's most anti-oxidant rich fruits snf berries and leaves lips nourished and subtly sheeny."

Glossybox says: " For super smooth lips buff away dry skin with the end of a soft, wet tooth brush and then slick with balm."

I say- It smells sweet and natural and nourished my lips straight away.

Nicka KK New York- Colorluxe Powder Blush 8.95 euros.

"Say hello to loose powder blush without the mess. Packed in a faux metal pot complete with a soft, powder puff applicator, this blush is easy to apply and won't cause a powder explosion at the bottom of your handbag."

Glossybox says: " Apply blush to the cheek bones rather than lower down on the apples of the cheeks in order to quickly lift the face (the pop of colour will also draw attention to your eyes)

I say- I have the shade Romantic and I hope it compliments my skin tone. I recommend to blend blusher well. 

Kueshi Natural & Pleasant Cosmetics- Revitalizing Face Toner 10.70 Euros.

"This toner contains a soothing blend of calendula, chamomile and aloe vera to calm and rehydrate skin."

Glossybox says: " Saturate a cotton pad with toner then sweep it over cleaned skin before applying your usual serum and/or moisturiser on top."

I say: The ingredients in this are very calming and should be great to tone my face with.

Finally I received a MeMeMe Eye Liner Pencil in Clay which retails for £4.

" This British born brand has created the perfect eye-pencil: long-lasting but extra soft so it easily glides along the lashes without pulling at skin. We picked this clay shade because it suits all eye colours and is a day-to-night staple."

Glossybox says: " Line inside the lash line (also known as the water line) and smudge beneath lashes for a sexy worn-in feel.

I say- I love soft eye liners and will get good use out of this. I've not had this particular shade before but it will be great for an every day wear. I tend to put it just underneath my lash line as putting it on my water line makes my eyes water.

So a much improved Glossybox this month. What a way to start the year with five full sized products! I will use every one of them too which is brilliant.

My favourite items are the lip balm , eyeliner and the highlighter.

What do you think of this month's box?

Love Laura xoxo

New Look Novelty Clutch Bags Haul

New Look have knocked it out of the park with their selection of novelty, quirky clutch bags. I first spotted the Doughnut Clutch in a magazine and wanted it on the spot. It looks good enough to eat and appeals to my personality. I left it too long though and never ended up going to a New Look store so I presumed they had sold out of them. Then around December time I saw New Look's promotion of the Chocolate Coin Clutch and I wanted this one too. It reminds me so much of the chocolate coins that you get at Christmas adds a different edge with the bite taken out of it. 

It was after browsing the sales that I spotted the Strawberry Milkshake Sundae and the Chocolate bar clutch too all on sale for £5 each that I knew that I needed them all. They were originally £12.99 and so for £5 I snapped them up. After searching for them now they have been further reduced to an amazing £2 each!

I have also spotted the Pink Queen of Popcorn Clutch and the Champagne Bottle Clutch too so I may just have to make a cheeky Birthday purchase for myself ready for February time.

The bags are of excellent quality and I like that it has the little wrist strap to keep it safe on a night out. I've worn this twice over the festive period and because of the gold shade, I found that it goes with many items in my wardrobe. I'm a minimalist on a night out so this bag is perfect for me. It doesn't hold much apart from your keys, money/card and a lip gloss so if you carry more than this then it wouldn't really be ideal.

This was the original bag that stole my heart. I love the pink design and the sprinkles and this is completely my personality. This would be fab in the Summer time with a pastel play suit and sandals.

This is the largest clutch out of them all. It really reminds me of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory which I love. This one fits the most items in comfortably.

Finally my Strawberry Milkshake clutch. It reminds me of American Diners which I love so I knew I had to add this to my online basket. 

I think I have a thing for quirky bags!

Do you have any quirky bags? Do you know where they sell similar designs?

Love Laura xoxo

What I Got In My Soap & Glory Boots Box

After trying out the Sugar Crush body butter by Soap & Glory, I was really impressed and so I kept on checking the Boots website for this offer to arrive online. Usually costing £60 it was a star offer for £29 which is a fab reduction. On the morning that it went online, the website was playing up and wouldn't let me check out. When I tried later on in the afternoon, they were all sold out (gutted!) I remembered my mum telling me though that last year she saw them in the actual Boots' stores and they were all piled up like a pyramid, so before I started work on the Saturday, I dashed in and found lots of them left and near the entrance to the store. (Phew!)

The products are all stored in this box which is limited edition and has been designed by 'London's Queen of doodle' Hattie Stewart. I love the design of the box as it mixes Christmas, pink and retroness. I'm going to keep the box on display in my bathroom and when I've finished using all the products (probably next Christmas!) I will use it to store other items in.

Inside the box is this handy drawstring bag which is great quality and houses all of the products.

Here's all of the ten full-sized items that are contained inside the bag. I love how they have included a wide range of different items from their products line to try out. I've not tried out any of these before so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Here I've put all of the creams together and these are;

The Righteous Butter- Body Butter 300ml

Butter Yourself - Moisture Lotion 500ml

Heel Genius- Foot Cream- 125ml

Hand Dream- Super Cream 100ml

For the make-up items there is;

Off Your Face- 3 in 1 Daily Purifying Cloths x25

Thick and Fast- Super Volume Mascara 10ml

Sexy Mother Pucker- Lip Lacquer in Charm Offensive 7ml

Here I have popped the shower items together and there is;

Whipped Clean- Shower butter 250ml

Orangeasm- Body Wash 500ml

Sugar Crush- Body Scrub 300ml. I have the Sugar Crush body butter and it's smells amazing and that's what prompted me to buy all of these goodies!

Have you tried Soap & Glory before? Did you buy this star offer?

Love Laura xoxo