Ciate Floral Nails | Makeup

I'm back! After a brief hiatus due to an unforeseen change in plans I took a little break from blogging, but now I back at it and I have the nails to prove it! To really kick off my spring nails I have gone back to an old favourite. Last year Ciate (one of my all time best nail brands) brought out a nail varnish set with real pressed flowers included and I snapped it up straight away.  After using it a few times I must have stored it away and lost sight of it, until the other day when I spotted it again.

The kit contains a mini pastel blue nail varnish in the colour Ferris Wheel, a full size Speed Coat Pro topcoat, 2 pots of pressed flowers (purple, blue and red), a pair of tweezers for ease of application and a nail file for the removal of excess flowers. The set I have is named Baba Bloom, but there is also another named Strike a Posy containing blue, white and yellow flowers and a pink polish. 

First of all, as always, the packaging is lovely and stores well alongside other nail varnish sets. The full sized topcoat is certainly a generous addition, and the tweezers and file are a particularly handy addition (as there is no searching with wet nails for your own). 

I've also found the staying power of this very good. As with all additions to the nail, whether it be studs or pressed flowers, I get a little dubious about the duration... I frequently change my nail varnish as I quickly get bored of the patterns, but I like to get as much out of prettier designs as possible, so longevity is a must. Especially being an artist I am often covered in paint, scrubbing my hands and splattered with ink, so poor nail varnish is a big no no. This however with the aid of a couple of layers of topcoat lasts a good 5 days at least! Very good in my opinion. 

Illustrated instructions are included on the back of the box adding even more ease than there already is. I simply applied a couple layers of a Ciate base coat, 2 layers of Ferris Wheel (allowing to fully dry), one layer of topcoat and applied the flowers one nail at a time, and finally once all nails were flowered applied a further 2 layers of topcoat to make sure they were steadfast. 

All in all I love Ciate and this certainly was no exception. Their vanishes have a beautiful formula and apply very well. I'm so glad I found this especially being as it is perfect for this time of year! 

Cheerio x 

Chorizo, Chickpea and Lemon Tomato Soup | Food

I've been at it again! Adapting recipes, this evening for dinner. Originally from Rachel Khoo's Kitchen Notebook, and vegetarian before I got my hands on it... 

Originally intended for a starter I served this with lightly toasted ciabatta and in a slightly larger portion to make into a homely main course. As for adaptations I added a little more cream, so as a cream of tomato soup was made as oppose to a more tomato puree based one. I also used a meat based stock cube and added some cooked chorizo for a meatier twist. The crunchy chickpeas act as a citrus infused alternative to croutons when roasted with the lemon. To see how to make this yummy dish look below! 

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35-45 minutes

Serves: 4 as a starter

Ingredients:

400g of chickpeas

1 unwaxed lemon

4 garlic cloves

1 tbsp vegetable oil

sea salt 

black pepper

800g good quality tinned cherry tomatoes

pork stock cube

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

120g chorizo 

170ml single cream 

1. Preheat the oven to 180◦c and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

2. Drain the chickpeas and rinse fully. Place them on the baking tray along with thinly sliced lemon (shown above) and whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Top with sea salt, drizzle with oil and place in the oven to cook for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crispy. 

3. While the chickpeas are cooking place the tinned tomatoes in a medium saucepan and crush in the stock cube. Warm through bringing to a simmer. 

4. After approximately 15 minutes of the chickpeas roasting remove the garlic from the baking tray (placing the rest back in the oven to finish cooking) and squeeze it from its skin into the soup. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. 

5. Add the sugar and the vinegar to the soup and continue to simmer, season if necessary. While this is happening place the chorizo into a small pan and cook for around 3 minutes, until slightly crispy. 

6. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the cream. Use a hand blender to process the soup mixture until smooth. 

7. Serve by ladling the soup into bowls. Garnish each with the chickpeas, chorizo and a slice or two of lemon, running a little extra cream through if presenting, and the lightly toasted and buttered ciabatta. 

Tip: Don't leave the soup on the heat while adding the cream as it is likely to curdle, no good for anyone! This dish is perfect for a starter or main (with supplements) this time of year when it is neither warm or bitterly cold. The crunchy chickpeas add a different texture to what would otherwise be a smooth cream  based soup, and the chorizo adds a little salty flavor. Have a go, it's really yummy!

Cheerio x

The Ship by Antonia Honeywell | Review*

The Ship, Antonia Honeywell audiobook

For quite some time I've been delving into the world of Audible and the audiobooks they provide. I particularly enjoy them for while I am travelling or walking any distance as I find other methods of entertainment rather arduous; reading while walking is a recipe for disaster and makes me feel particularly unwell while journeying, while I find music lacks engagement and I drift off getting bored over longer periods (1+ hours). Audiobooks therefore are the perfect mix of the two. Engaging meaning I don't get bored and clock-watch, yet not sickening to experience in motion. 

My most recent audiobook adventure has been The Ship, by Antonia Honeywell. I immediately thought of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaiden's Tale when it began. Of a dystopian nature the exact time it is set is rather ambiguous. People appear to have a memory of similar times to ours, but this fluctuates wildly dependent on the person, older ones having obviously the clearest of memories. It is also unclear whether some may be the relayed memories of others. Furthermore being a book set in London many familiar landmarks are mentioned, however in a rather sorry state. Richmond Park has been turned into a homeless refugee camp and the British Museum is experiencing a distinct lack of exhibits. 

The protagonist Lalage Paul is a girl of 16, though flashbacks are scattered throughout, who lives in the broken down London. Her father created a program called The Dove, essentially a human cataloging system, allowing the "fair" distribution of resources to those with an identity card, though those lacking one do not exist and are doomed to the refugee parks. This has allowed Lalage and her family to live in comparative luxury in their flat in Bloomsbury. Lalage is spared by her Mother many of the horrors of the new world, and she is therefore slightly oblivious. 

She and her mother frequent the British Museum on learning trips and she experiences safety in her flat. London however continues to degrade around them, but the eradication of another of London's great parks is the last straw for her father Michael. He unveils a long term project to help his family escape the madness. The Ship. A gargantuan vessel filled with all the provisions they could dream of in their near starving state, and 500 select passengers to progress the human race, providing Lalage a safe cotton wool wrapped world to grow up within. However while boarding the ship the unimaginable happens twisting Lalage's world upside down. How will she cope in this new setting full of strangers when her home and family in London are ripped out of her hands without word of warning. 

First of all the books starts off on a very good footing. The reader has a pleasant voice, so you stay attentive. The imagery is beautiful and I found it to be extremely well written. I was easily able to envisage the settings in great detail, without feeling like the description was never ending. I particularly liked this as I enjoy being able to picture vividly what is going on. The familiar and iconic setting enables a basis to work from with regards to the rest of the story.

That said the protagonist is particularly irritating. She come across in a rather needy and annoying manner, though feels like she is an all knowing person revealing secrets to the 500. She seems to be particularly mopey and becomes fixated on the same topic again and again. She is also rather selfish and experiences callus regard for others on the ship. I found myself siding with the other members the majority of the time, though this was not necessarily a bad thing. As I became more involved in the book I was persistently urging Lalage to side with the other members, engrossing me more. Though some things were repeated a fair few times, an example being her love Tom's green eyes. The amount of times I heard this fact became slightly tiresome, though if I were reading as oppose to listening I am not sure I would have noticed this quite as much. 

The ending overall confused me slightly. The book focused very much on Lalage and her opinions on the ship for the majority of the book but the ending felt a little abrupt. It finished almost suddenly and I felt as though I wanted to know more, again not a bad thing. It could be that it was setting up for a sequel.

All in all I very much enjoyed the first section of the book, wonderful imagery exciting story line, but the second portion left me guessing easily what would happen next and wanting more of an explanation. I'd overall give it 3 out of 5 stars. It had very good potential and I enjoyed a good lot of it, I just felt repetition and abrupt endings let it down a tad.

This book was provided to me by the Midas publishing team. All my product reviews are however objective and will not be swayed by the provider. 

All the best and,

Cheerio! x

Easter Cake | Food

 

Easter is swiftly approaching and for me that means lemon drizzle cake. I have a pretty fail safe recipe, but today decided to stray from those boundaries and try the March Waitrose recipe card version. Though saying that I did adapt it a bit (who doesn't adapt recipes?!) so I thought I'd let you all know what I did! For example reducing the layer number and sprinkling with poppy seeds. 

This cake has a citrus lemon zing which counteracts the sponge, allowing for a refreshing nibble without much stodge. It is topped with ground almonds, crushed up pistachios and poppy seeds giving difference in texture too. There is also a layer of homemade marzipan in the middle as well making it the perfect treat for April afternoons! 

Prep time: 25+ minutes

Cook time: 30-40 minutes

 Cooling time 1+ hour

Ingredients for Marzipan: 

100g pistachios

50g ground almonds 

75g golden caster sugar 

75g icing sugar

1 medium egg 

Ingredients for Cake:

175g butter

175g golden caster sugar

2 lemons, zested and juiced

3 medium eggs 

225g self-raising flour 

1 tsp baking powder

50g poppy seeds 

Lemon Sugar Icing:

1 lemon, juiced 

150g caster sugar

Topping:

50g pistachios

30g ground almonds 

10g poppy seeds

1. Firstly preheat the oven to 180◦c (fan assisted). Grease a 20" cake tin with a piece of kitchen roll lightly dampened with vegetable oil. 

2. To create the cake mix, place the butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice, eggs, flour, poppy seeds and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and combine with a handheld whisk. It should look as above, pale and creamy with a batter-like consistency.

3. To create the marzipan process the pistachios until they reach an even and fine consistency, this can be done with a blender or food processor. Tip into a bowl and add the ground almond, caster and icing sugar, and egg and combine with a fork until a paste is formed. 

4. Spoon half of the cake batter into the cake tin and level the surface with a spatula. Flatten parts of the marzipan with your fingertips and lay them across the surface of the batter, until the surface is covered save an inch around the edge. Cover with the remaining cake batter and smooth once more. 

5. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, the marzipan remains slightly gooey, so the cake prod method will not effectively test cooking here, instead press the middle, when firm the cake is complete.

6. While the cake is baking make the icing by juicing one lemon and adding the caster sugar, beat using a small whisk or fork until a slightly thickened runny consistency is formed. 

6.  Once out of the oven immediately pierce the cake in multiple places (around 20) with a cake prod or skewer and pour the pre-made icing all over. Don't worry if it pools slightly as it will seep into the cake. Straight after this top with the almonds, pistachios and poppy seeds as they will stick to the icing before it seeps in. 

 Tip: allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin, to help keep the structure and allow the icing to fully seep through. The cake may look a little gooey in the middle, but don't worry as this is the marzipan within. Serve on a sunny spring day and enjoy!

Happy cooking!
Cheerio x

Waitrose Pure Skin Care for Sensitive Skin | Makeup

Waitrose Pure products: Cleansing Wash, Eye Make Up Remover, Beauty Balm

Last year Waitrose brought out their own sensitive skin care range, being an avid purveyor of their essentials products range I certainly wanted to give them a go. I originally picked up one of the cleansing washes and enjoyed it very much! Then upon running out of that recently I popped back in today and was delighted by the 3 for 2 offer sign so grabbed some other bits and pieces. All the products range from £1.99-£2.99 which I feel is an incredibly reasonable price, both for Waitrose and for skincare products. Affordable and natural what could go wrong?

Firstly the Cleaning Wash. Being one of the £1.99 products when I first saw this I couldn't say no. Especially considering the product claimed such promising things for sufferers of sensitive skin. The cleanser is totally fragrance free (handy as that is what my skin seems to rebel against sometimes) and has 99% naturally derived ingredients. I wouldn't say it is completely fragrance free as it has a slight smell, I'm not entirely sure what of but there is something. It has a jelly like consistency when squeezed out and foams up nicely on a wet face. You can clearly see the product being removed and it seems to remove even tough mascaras and eyeliners like Benefit's They're Real (which is a tough task). When wiped away and dried off I found it didn't completely dry my skin out so didn't leave that horrible tight feeling some cleansers do as well, which is a further bonus in my book. I have to say I really do enjoy this, okay my face doesn't smell like flowers afterward but it works incredibly well at removing every last smear of foundation, unclogging pores, and even clearing up unwanted spots speedily. 

I also today picked up the Eye Make Up Remover, as when I have opted for a dramatic eye look I quite like to wick away the majority before attempting a cleanser attack. I find this irritates my eyes much less, as I have particularly sensitive skin around them so much so that Simple products burn sometimes. This product also retails at £1.99 and also seems to be rather effective! It follows the same rules as the previous pure product: 99% natural, for sensitive skin, and fragrance free. A liquid form, this is an eye make up remover to be dabbed onto a cotton pad and wiped over the eyes. I'm rather excited about this and expect good things!

And last but by no means least the Beauty Balm. This was the most expensive selection of mine today at £2.99, but still a very reasonable price. Immediately you can tell this balm is meant for problem areas of particularly dry skin. This is the kind of thing I would use on my elbows, fingertips, dry lips and either side of my nose as problem areas. Being a very waxy consistency this is certainly not something I would use all over my face, but I feel would really benefit people with target dry areas, then to be supplemented with their moisturiser or facial oils. 

It looks a tad odd, almost like crystallized ice, but when rubbed around and warmed through it becomes much more malleable. I can see this being something I throw in my handbag for emergency skin dryness on still chilly winter days. 

All in all I think Waitrose Pure is a great little range of cheap and effective products, delivering on the promise of being sensitive skin friendly. If you have skin troubles you should certainly pop in and have a look, and come on who can refuse the Waitrose free hot beverage? 

All the best,

Cheerio! x

Ted Baker Nail Wraps Reveiw and Tips | Makeup

Ted Baker Nail Products

Now first of all I have to say I am very sorry, I am about to get overexcited about a product that is no longer available. I got these Ted Baker wraps around Christmas and am not sure if they are a seasonal product but certainly cannot find them for love nor money now. Rather disappointing! I didn't even take a photo of them all packaged up for you, but I love them so much and really wanted to make a post. Here is to hoping they bring out some more this year!

Firstly I really love the pattern. Recently I have become rather infatuated with botanical floral prints (aka. have recently purchased various clothing items in the pattern) and then remembered I had these nestled away!

I was firstly a little concerned as I have tried nail wraps before and it did not go as planned... I followed the instructions to the tee and still ended up with that strange wrinkly look they sometimes get. Because of that when I tired these out I wasn't really hoping for the best, but loved the pattern and had to hope. It seems to have worked rather well though!

I firstly removed my previous nail varnish with a Ciate Chocolate Pot, one of the swirly nail varnish remover pots, this particular one leaves your finger tips smelling of chocolate too which is rather pleasant.

Then I washed my hands and scrubbed out my nails using a Crabtree and Evelyn nail scrubbing brush and Johnsons Baby Shampoo. I use this for the same reason I and many others use it on makeup brushes. It is soft and natural so doesn't strip my nails, yet washes them clean.

I then filed my nails down and used a base coat of Ciate Nail Super Hero. I'm not sure whether wraps require a base, but I really do not like going without them as my natural nails are fairly long so demand quite a lot of care.

I then applied the nail wraps by placing them in line with my cuticle, pressing them down, and filing the ends away. I recommend you file in a downward motion angling the file underneath your nail, so as not to file off any of you nail while still removing all the excess wrap (you can also trim them down first before applying).

Finally I used Rimmel London Finishing Touches Ultra Shine Top Coat (whoo, that's a mouthful) to seal them. Having read up a little though make sure you don't use a fast dry top coat as this can make them go awfully wrinkly, evidently a non desirable result. I also made sure to do a couple of extra layers around the tips to really ensure they don't start to peel away too soon. So far so good! I've only been wearing them 2 days but no signs of wear and tear (literally) just yet.

As you can see they apply incredibly smoothly, and don't add bulkiness to the nails. The pattern is also beautiful, I know I keep saying it, but it is true! The only issue I have with them is my fault too, I didn't apply them quite as close to the cuticle as I really needed to, so I maybe won't get as much wear out of them as I could. Saying that lets hope they bring out another lovely set this year! I am kicking myself a little for not buying more when I had the chance...

All the best and,
Cheerio! x 

March 2015 Habitat Birchbox | Review

(Click here to have a look at Birchbox )

It is the exciting time of the month once more when Birchboxes are falling on the doorsteps of UK residents! In case you were interested here are all the exciting goodies I found in mine!

First of all this month Birchbox created their theme Do Try This at Home, in collaboration with the home store Habitat hence the beautiful box. This included a do-it-yourself sample where you chose one of Benefit's 3 mascaras to try out along with all the other samples! 

Benefit Roller Lash 

I spoke about this in my monthly favourites post, so was rather excited when it came up as one of the chose your own sample options. Straight away I snapped it up to keep my Roller Lash sample use going for as long as possible. Plus it looks beautiful, even the sample. I also snapped a picture of the applicator brush as I hadn't included one in my favourites. 

The curved brush I feel really helps with ease of application and even though the bristles are a little rubbery they don't seem to drag like some others do. Starting at £19.50 it is certainly not the cheapest mascara, but I would certainly give it a go!

Catherine Malandrino Perfume | Style de Paris

This perfume is a Birchbox exclusive, and I believe most subscribers received one this month. It has rather musky top notes, but finishes with a pleasant citrus zing. Although lovely smelling the full sized bottle is a little disappointing design wise. I feel as though I often enjoy the bottles as much as the scent itself, but find this particular bottle a little underwhelming. 

Philip Kingsley Smooth Cream

I have gotten various Philip Kingsley products from Birchbox, and I have enjoyed them all, so for this I have high hopes! Being a big sufferer of major hair frizz this could be a very handy product to have. I will report back!

Serenity Skincare Dead Sea Bath Salt

I'm not sure I've heard of this brand before, but who can say no to relaxing bath things (unless you haven't a bath I suppose). I was a little surprised that there is no scent to the salts as these things are usually spritzed with lavender or like, but they seem pleasant enough. I am not sure that I can say much more about them until I try them out, but they are apparently moisturizing and 100% natural.

Lord and Berry Bronzer | Sienna 

I'm not really a bronzer person, as I am so pale I feel it makes me look a little washed out, though if I did I think this would be it! 

There is no shimmer to it, so it isn't the kind of product that makes you feel a little disco ball-esque... It is a matte powder consistency and looks as though it would glide on rather well, and having applied it with my finger onto my hand (I know, incredibly professional) has a nice level of blend. 

Finally this month's box had all sorts of extra lifestyle bits and pieces within. First of all there is a little update letter and product list (letting you know sizes and prices of the things received), and a set of information cards almost like a magazine. I really enjoy the cards, they are themed to each month and are full of all sorts of tips, tricks and activities. This one included finding your perfect mascara and home scents. Also this month was a lovely little Birchbox/Habitat notebook in red, with plain pages, a rather lovely addition. There is also an exclusive 20% of Habitat code, hints about upcoming Birchboxes, and a chapter sample of a book by Penny Vincenzi.

Overall this month I'd say 4 out of 5 stars! Wonderful amounts of extra lifestyle bits and pieces, but the fact there were no full sized products as there usually is was a little disappointing. I did however really enjoy the pick your own sample section.

Have a lovely day!

Cheerio x 

February 2015 | Favourites

It may be the 2nd of March, but I was determined to do a monthly favorites post. I enjoy reading and watching various others every month, and find even though they are all very similar I really can go through a fair few. So for the post to start off my new posting I thought I'd have a crack! 

Cynthia Rowley Beauty Pencil Eyeliner | Black 

I received a mini version of this eyeliner a midway through this month in a Birchbox and haven't used anything else since. It glides on incredibly smoothly, without pulling the eye at all, allowing for a really even application with a solid steady line. Because it doesn't pull the eye it also allows for product application along the lash line with ease. I received that black liner, but there are various other colours including Silver, Metallic Plum and Rose Gold (all of which sound rather tempting). You can blend out immediately after application for a smokey look, or leave it as a solid line which stays put for longer than any other liner I've tired. If you're looking for a liner I highly suggest you check this one out. 

Ciate Nail Super Hero

Lots of exciting things are happening for the nail varnish company Ciate, a company I've loved for a long time and always find myself picking up. They're currently bringing out a makeup range, expanding their already vast nail varnish collection, along with new nail products all the time. Their newest nail collection is a selection of nail treatments, including Nail Super Hero, a strengthening base. Since I switched from acrylic nails to my own natural ones I had a slight problem with bending on a couple of nails. This product, being a new one by a company I tried seemed a good one to try as a remedy. The suggested usage is two coats twice a week, under other varnishes or alone, which I've been doing consistently. Usually I'm dubious about things like this, but I truly love it! The nails I had problems with bending are much straighter and healthier, and the healthy ones in the first place are much stronger now. I'll definitely be picking another one up. 

Rimmel London Red Nose Red Lipstick by Kate

With Comic Relief approaching fast Rimmel London are showing their support with a new by Kate lipstick. The colour is meant to mirror that of the classic red noses sold around the time. Always one for colour coordination I picked this up to try out. The standard Rimmel lipstick price includes a donation (of around £1.64) to the Comic Relief charity, which is first of all a good thing. Secondly, look at the packaging! I love a good quirky design, which this certainly is. It is a lovely bright red colour, great for this time of year, and has relatively good staying power. And who doesn't want to show support after all? 

Benefit Roller Lash

Speaking of beautiful packaging, all I have to say is Benefit, who we all know are are queens of beautiful makeup packaging. Their newest launch, a rare treat, is a mascara. Since I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of Roller Lash, I won't go on about it or explain it in great depth, but I will say something. It's wonderful. I tend to steer clear of plastic brushes, but the shape of this one makes it much less annoying to use. It's very separating and curling, without leaving horrible clumpy bits. The hype is certainly justified!

Korres Guava Lip Butter 

I'm more of a lip balm than butter person as I'm not such a fan of very glossy lips. I did however pick this up on a very chapped lipped whim, and apparently what right to do so! It has a very pleasant smell (though I've never smelled a guava before so I'm not sure how accurate), and although a creamy colour is translucent on the lips. There isn't too much sheen, and it leaves my lips feeling smooth and hydrated. Korres also offers up tinted versions of various colours and scents too.

Now after that monstrously lengthy post, let's hope this month is as good for products too! What are your favorite February bits and pieces?

Cheerio! x