New Balance Me Protect and Shine Conditioner

I've been looking back at old blog posts recently, and I noticed how much I have wrote about conditioner - it seems to be something I buy quite frequently, and I definitely know what I do and don't like in a conditioner. Who would have thought an average, every - day item would be something I enjoy writing about so much?! I'm not really sure why I am a little fussy with the conditioner I use in my hair, it may have something to do with having sensitive skin and oily hair - I want a conditioner that doesn't irritate my scalp and leaves my hair feeling super soft and in good condition.

Balance Me are a brand I started using just a few Years ago, and pretty much everything I have tried from them has worked perfectly for me. Balance Me products are made from natural ingredients which is ideal if you suffer from very sensitive skin as natural beauty products may be able to help as they do not contain nasty ingredients and chemicals which are found in a lot of beauty products.

This conditioner helps to give my hair that boost and leaves it feeling a lot more strong and not quite as lank and weak as it usually feels. My hair is damaged from dyeing and using hair tools etc, so a good protecting conditioner really seems to make the difference in not only the appearance of my hair, but also the condition.
Something I wasn't expecting from this conditioner is that it smells really good, even my family have commented on it smelling quite fruity. Overall I am happy with the product and am looking at all of the brands other hair products now too!

You can buy the Balance Me Protect and Shine Conditioner online here from Mypure for £10 *currently £8.50*

*PR Sample*

Lovea Pink Clay Face Mask

Are you looking for a new face mask? Do you suffer from sensitive skin? Are you a fan of natural products? If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, then this blog post may be of interest to you.

Lovea are a brand I have featured on my blog several times before. As you may know, I have reviewed some of their products on behalf of MyPure; an online store that stock all natural beauty products, which I definitely recommend you check out! This Month my skin has been suffering a little and was in need of some TLC, so a pamper evening was long overdue. I love a face mask and usually apply a face mask once or twice a fortnight when I am having a bad skin day or if I am having a relaxing evening. I opted for Lovea's Pink Clay Mask. Lovea state that clay has been 'used for centuries to purify the skin and remove toxins. Under a microscope clay looks like a giant porous sponge, it attracts toxins and then binds them deep inside the clay ready to be rinsed off the skin'. Lovea stock three different clay masks to suit different skin types, I opted for the pink clay mask as this is for sensitive skin. 

To use, you simply apply a layer onto your face and then remove five minutes later with water. The mask does dry quickly and smells pleasant. The results were that the face mask made my face feel smooth and clear, as well as feeling quite refreshed. I have used this face mask around four to five times now and so far so good! I would probably purchase this in the future as I think it is a reasonably priced product; considering Lovea is natural beauty brand, I think that is pretty good.

The Lovea Pink Clay Mask is available to buy online at MyPure and is currently priced at £6.99.

*PR sample*

Breast Cancer Awareness

October welcomes Breast Cancer Awareness Month - something that is extremely close to my heart. Raising money for charities that help cure cancer is so, so important (not just this Month, but every Month). 

Every year nearly 55,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK, that’s the equivalent of one person every 10 minutes. 1 in 8 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women in the UK. Nearly 12,000 people die from breast cancer in the UK every year. Breast cancer also affects men, but it’s rare – around 400 men are diagnosed each year. Statistics taken from Breast Cancer Care.

The statistics are shocking; 

We need to cure cancer sooner.

There are many ways you can get involved. You can make a donation, take part in fund raising, volunteer, take part at a fund raising event, or you can purchase items from the charities corporate partners where some of the proceeds go to the charity; such as Breast Cancer Care and Asda .

I have included a list of useful links below.

Breast Cancer Care Charity | National Breast Cancer Foundation | Cancer Research UK | Breast Cancer Now | Breast Cancer Care | Macmillan | Coppa Feel | Maggies Centres | The Haven | Big Pink Day  | Tickled Pink | Race For Life  | Look Good Feel Better 

Wonderful Things #1

I wanted to begin writing a little series where I share with you some things I am loving at the moment that don't quite fit into a Monthly beauty favourites blog post. In this series, I intend to share some random favourites; that could include absolutely anything - beauty, fashion, food, TV, places - basically, anything that has made me smile. After all, it is all the little things that are wonderful in life.

Pamper evenings
I have to say there is nothing quite like a night in watching a good film and then having a lovely pamper night using all of my favourite beauty products. I have been having regular pamper evenings and I am sure this will continue throughout Autumn and Winter. I have been loving using the Madara Night Cream* on an evening, as well as my new discovery Latherly*- which is a really cool shower gel which lathers LOTS - it smells refreshing and is brilliant if you have sensitive skin because it doesn't contain any nasty chemicals. I have dyed my hair recently so have wanted to keep my colour radiant, so have been reaching for Dove Colour Radiance Treatment Conditioner - it has really helped the appearance of my hair.

Nugget and Mallow
When I headed to Birmingham for the West Midlands Blogger Meet a few Weeks ago, we were given an amazing goody bag to take home with us; which included these uh-mazing sweet mallow treats from the brand Nugget and Mallow*. How awesome is the personalised pinwheel lollipop?!. I also adore an afternoon tea and I think these afternoon tea inspired mini mallows are adorable! I mean, they almost look too pretty to eat! The mallows taste sweet and delicious - yum!

Wearing My Sunglasses
I have never been a huge wearer of sunglasses, but ever since I picked up this pair from Claire's Accessories a couple of Months ago, I have just loved having them in my bag. Although the sun has almost gone and Winter is near, I've still been popping these in my bag. I just love the colour of these and for once, they actually suit me!

My Blogging Mug
I love a good cup or coffee or tea, it is my favourite drink especially at this time of Year and what's better than tapping away at the computer, blogging away than with my very own personalised blogging mug?* Mr Nutcase are a company that sells personalised phone-cases, and have recently widened their range to personalised mugs. I think this mug is brilliant and it is such good quality. I love personalised gifts, and am planning to buy some of these personalised mugs as Christmas gifts for my family this Year. The website is so easy to navigate around and use. To create your mug, you simply add your design or pictures, and then you can choose which size and type of mug you would like. It is super quick and easy and I absolutely love the outcome! The mug looks brilliant - I love it!

*Post includes PR samples*

The Best Eye Cream I've Tried This Year

It isn't often I find an eye cream that I completely fall in love with. To be honest, eye creams are something that I struggle with as the majority of eye creams I have tried in the past don't achieve everything I want from them. I want an eye cream to help to reduce my puffy eyes and dark circles. I want an eye cream to help hide the lines underneath my eyes.
I've tried a variety of eye creams, from budget brands to high end, and none of them have been able to do all of this. That was until I tried the Benefit Its Potent Eye Cream.
I have never really been a huge believer that eye creams can transform your eyes from looking puffy to flawless, but this one does a pretty good job at hiding my tired eyes and making my skin underneath my eyes look clear and really helps to reduce lines and dark circles. I have been using this solely for around 3 or 4 Months now and I have noticed on photographs of myself since using this, that my eyes look less tired and my dark circles have dramatically reduced. I struggle with my sleeping routine and this has always been visible under my eyes, but since I have been using this product it seems to have reduced those pesky dark circles almost completely.

*PR sample*

5 Reasons I Love Writing a Blog

When I started my blog in 2011 I never thought I would stick at it for this long so I must enjoy it, right?! There are a lot of reasons I enjoy writing a blog. I wanted to share a few of them with you as I think it is so interesting hearing the different reasons why people write a blog. Please do let me know in the comments the reasons that you began writing your blog and why you enjoy it.

Being able to share your thoughts with others

I have always had a passion for reading and writing since I was a child, but often struggled with finding an outlet to meet this interest of mine. Blogging has combined my interests of reading and writing with my other interests in life, such as beauty. I love having my own little space where I can tap away, sharing my thoughts, to my hearts content. 

There is always someone to talk to

If I am unsure on which lipstick to buy or wanted suggestions on where to eat, I know that by reaching out to readers and other bloggers that there is always someone to chat to. My friends and family don't share my interests, so it is great to be able to connect with others that do. Be it through the comments on blogs, email or social media - the blogging community is always on hand for a chat!

Making friends

I have made quite a few friends that I wouldn't know if it wasn't for this blog. I am so grateful for the friends I have made through blogging; it is so heart-warming to know that because of the blogging community so many friendships have formed.

Documenting your ideas and your life and your interests

I love having the opportunity to write my thoughts down on a blog to be able to look back at Years later. My blog is a little like having my own online diary.

Being able to learn and express myself

If it wasn't for my blog and for reading other blogs, I wouldn't know a lot that I know now! I read a lot more online since I started writing a blog myself and I have learnt so much not just about my interests, but other topics too. I am able to express my thoughts on my blog and communicate with others on their thoughts and learn from them too.

Degustabox September 2015

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Degustabox; the surprise food and drink Monthly subscription service - they have proved to be incredibly popular in the UK and I can see why. This Month I have an amazing discount code for you all to receive an extremely generous £6 off your order - which means your next box will cost just £6.99! Simply enter the code BLDEG15 at the checkout!

As always, I will give a run down of each product in the box and what I thought of them.

Db's Discoveries

The Olive Shop Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This Extra Virgin Olive Oil looks super posh, doesn't it? We use extra virgin olive oil a lot at home for salads, so it is always handy to have an extra bottle of olive oil in the cupboard. 

Kent's Kitchen Spicy Szechuan Posh Noodle

I have tried these Posh Noodles from Kent's Kitchen before and they are really tasty and surprisingly full of flavour. I love that these are so quick and easy for a quick lunch but are still low in calories.

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

I absolutely LOVE peanut butter and these are so, so good! Chocolate and peanut butter are perfect for each other, and noone does it better than Resse! They didn't last long...

Mallow & Marsh Mini Box of Raspberry Marshmallows

This was a lovely addition to the box, and very yummy! They tasted lovely and were a perfect accompanied with a hot chocolate. 

Maynards Wine Gums Red and Blacks

My Dad loves sweets and his eyes lit up when he saw these as they are his favourite. I didn't actually try these myself but I have been told they were lovely! 

Bassets Jelly Babies Berry Mix

These are another family favourite - they are definitely the best jelly babies flavours, so a bag dedicated to them are just brilliant. These tasted good and were shared amongst the family.

The Good Cider of San Sebastian in Apple and Pear

My Dad tried the apple cider and I tried the pear cider; we both enjoyed them and they are so refreshing. Cider isn't a tipple we have in our house very often, and we were both surprised at how smooth this was.

Up & Go Breakfast Drinks in Chocolate and Vanilla

Drinks like this are always a winner in our household. These were very tasty and I would recommend giving these a try with your breakfast on a Morning - really good.

Compete Energy Bites in Mocha Flavour 

This product really intrugued me - anything promising energy I am always interested in giving a go and seeing if it works. They are aimed to give energy and help alertness. These were surprisingly tasty.

Sweet Sally Spiced Tea

I love it when  tea is included in the Degustabox - I really like flavoured tea but don't tend to try many flavours so it is good to be able to try new ones to see if we like them. I really enjoyed this tea and will be looking for it in the supermarket on the next grocery shopping trip.

I really liked this Months box - it is nice to have some sweet treats ready for Autumn. I love the variety of products too, it is always great to be able to try something new.

Degustabox Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter 

*PR sample*