Avon Night Cream Review

Avon Solutions p.m. Total Radiance Night Cream 50ml

£6.00

They Say: “Light non-greasy cream provides hydration all through the night, giving your skin a dewy glow.”

I Say: “The skin on my face, which is usually quite oily, has been so dry recently. I blame having a cold, the cold weather and the unbearably hot showers I love so much. My cheeks are the worst, they have starting to sting after I take my makeup off. Usually I try not to moisturize my face which I know is a bad idea, but it just makes my skin even oilier.

A few months ago I purchased this cream from Avon because my skin went through a dull period and I wanted something to pep it up. I've been slathering it all over my face at night, and when I wake up, it has all absorbed into my skin without creating an all over shine that I would get from a regular moisteriser. The cream looks quite thick in the photo, but it is really very light, and I would use maybe just under half of what you can see on my hand to cover my whole face generously.

It is definitely making a difference as my makeup is going on easier and is looking less cakey - this got to be a problem and even my boyfriend was noticing my poor dry skin.

The pot may not look very pretty, but the cream has a lovely scent, and for only £6, it is a total bargain and such a great product; I will definitely be re-purchasing when I run out. A well deserved 4 monkeys!”

Back To The Gym!

After over two weeks away from the gym for various reasons I finally went back tonight. There’s nothing worse than being surrounded by thin, beautiful people while feeling heavy and unhealthy – by this, I of course mean the cast of the Hills, who never fail to make to feel pale, unglamorous, and generally completely under par! I love the gym. I’ve missed it so much over Christmas, and I’m so glad to be back. I love nothing more than a good long run, or a session on the cross trainer; it definitely makes me feel so much better about my self, and it’s not just about staying slim – my skin looks better for going and I am more energized.

I won't lie though - tonight was an epic struggle. I think this was partly because the gym was so full of people, which made it unbearably hot before I'd even started and I only managed 50 minutes which I know is better than nothing, but I can do better. I'm hoping that everyone who has joined this month will quit within a few weeks and it will be quiet again!

As well as going to the gym, to help along with toning my stomach, I have a hula hoop!

I bought this off Amazon for around £20 last year and it works wonders! It’s a weighted hoop, and let me tell you, after swinging it round for half and hour or so you can feel the effects. When I first got it, I couldn’t manage 30 seconds and I kept laughing and losing my concentration, however it didn’t take long to work up to 40 minute sessions. I like to clear the living room and do it while I’m watching ANTM on a Saturday morning. If anyone wants a toned tummy and hips I can’t recommend a weighted hoop enough!

Now that I'm back at the gym, and getting back to a normal, healthy eating routine, I can start using my new

Soap and Glory SlimWear Slenderising Body Balm 200ml

£9.00

I received this for Christmas - maybe I should have been offended, but honestly, it just saves me from splashing out on it! At £9.00 it's quite a lot cheaper than Soap and Glory Sit Tight, which I've also used.

The directions on the bottle specify that 'users who control their diets and get regular exercise will see the combined consequences more quickly'.

Now, I'm not completely daft. I know that a lotion is not going to get rid of any cellulite and firm up my thighs by itself, but I'm willing to give it a try! I'm going to use this every morning for a month to see what difference, if any it makes.

The lotion is green and has a slightly menthol flavour, which is actually quite nice I thought.

Look out for a monkey rating review in a few weeks time!

The Weekend Round Up

false nails; glossy magazines; gossip magazines; new lipstick; bird cage earings; kenzo perfume; homemade pizza; jaffa cakes; rosé wine; take me out; snuggles; cuddles; ladylike blouses; watching football in the pub; diet coke; festive biscuits; lounge pants.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! I'm going now to snuggle into my duvet and read my new Cosmo with a cup of tea J

Eucryl Tooth Powder

This dropped through my postbox this morning - Eucryl Tooth Powder, I'm very excited!

To be honest, my teeth have never really been that bad - I don't smoke and I don't drink coffee or red wine so they're not stained but I've always wanted whiter teeth!

For 99p from Ebay I have received 50g of 'powerful stain removal powder', which is a complete bargain, and even if it doesn't work I've only lost 99p! The directions specify to only use once or twice a week, so I can see this tub lasting for a long time.

I'm going to use it twice a week for 3 or 4 weeks and then come back and do a review, complete with before and after photos to see if it has made any difference!

I'm pretty sure this can be picked up in most chemists; I was just lazy and purchased it online.

Let It Snow!

This was the view from my window today - I do love the snow but I'm more than ready for the warm weather now please!

I took this photo using my new wide angle lense which I love, however I really need to get out more with it, I haven't really had a chance to use it properly yet.

Hope you're enjoying the snow if you've got it!

Let's Bake A Cake!

A cake with a difference...these cupcakes are made using sweet potato! Don't be put off, they are fantastic!

I baked these cakes a while ago, but came across my photos yesterday so I thought I would post about them. The recipe is from this book – not my recipe unfortunately – but it is too good to keep to myself, so enjoy J

Makes 12

For the cakes:

2 medium free range eggs

160g caster sugar

200g peeled and finely grated sweet potato

100g white rice flour

100g ground almonds

2tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

3tbsp coffee essence

For the icing:

50g unsalted butter

200g icing sugar, sieved

50g mascarpone

2tsp coffee essence

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Line the cake tray with paper cases.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowel for 5 minutes until pale and quadrupled in volume. Add the grated sweet potato and whisk again. Whisk in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt, as well as the coffee essence until they are well introduced.

Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, aiming for it to come four fifths of the way up each case. Place in the oven for 20 minutes until the cakes are risen and cooked. Don’t be alarmed if they are flat on top rather than dome shaped.

Whilst the cupcakes are cooking, make the icing. Whisk the butter with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Next, add 100g of the icing sugar and whisk together to create a paste. Beat for an extra 10 seconds at this stage to stabilize and appease the butter.

Add the mascarpone and coffee essence, along with the rest of the icing sugar, and mix by hand with a wooden spoon until all are combined in a happy and unified mixture. Refrigerate until the cupcakes are ready.

Once cooked, remove the cakes from the oven and cool them in the tin for 15 minutes. Ice the cakes, using about 1 tablespoon of icing for each one.

282 calories per cupcake.

This book is a lifesaver for anyone who can’t eat gluten, or is on a diet! My boyfriend bought it for me for my birthday and it’s the nicest cookbook I’ve ever seen! The author uses a vegetable or two in every recipe and until I tried it for myself I never really believed it would work or taste very good – but the cakes are absolutely divine. They are light, fluffy, and tasty and you would never guess what has gone into them. Taking cakes from this book to a party creates a brilliant talking point and I love seeing peoples reactions when I say ‘oh it’s made out of courgette – do you like it?!” I can’t recommend it enough, and I’m sure I’ll post more recipes from it because I do love to bake!

Lip Gloss Review

I thought I’d review my various lip glosses, but instead of giving them star ratings, to tie in with my blog title I’m giving out monkeys!

L’Oreal Paris Glam Shine 6hr Lip Gloss 6ml in Oriental Fuchsia

£8.19

They Say: “L’Oreal Paris’ first lips gloss that shines for up to 6 hours! L’Oreal Paris Glam Shine 6 Hours Lip Gloss offers a perfect balance between shine and staying power; just one sweep is enough to achieve plump, gloss looking lips”.

I Say: “I received this as part of a free gift in a L’Oreal offer, and I’m really pleased I’ve got it. The tube, colour and raspberry smell of this lip gloss are just lovely! I can’t comment on whether it really does last for 6 hours because I keep licking it off and re-applying, oops! The heart shaped applicator is a really pretty touch, but I find it just a little bit flimsy, especially when applying the gloss to my top lip and for this it gets four monkeys!"

Rimmel Volume Booster Lip Plump Gloss 6ml in Allure

99p from Fragrance Direct

They Say: “Plump it up! Up to 40% fuller looking lips with Collagen and Hyaluronic spheres. Immediate shine. Lasts up to 6 hours. Feel the lip plumping sensation!”

I Say: “I’ve had this lip gloss for ages; I bought it when I went brunette, before I was brave enough to wear lipstick, but I still wear it on the odd occasion now. The colour is a lovely red and tints my lips enough to make a noticable diffence in colour, and it is definitely shiny. There is a slight tingling sensation on my lips when I apply it, sort of like when you get toothpaste on your lips; not an unpleasent feeling. I used to wear this quite often, but I can’t say that my lips got any plumper from it and for this I’m only giving 3 monkeys!"

Benefit Lip Gloss 5ml in Friends in High Places

£14.50

They Say: “Look like a dream! Benefit’s luscious new lip glosses glide on with a dazzling shine that would never dream of being sticky!”

I Say: “I’ve never quite understood all the fuss about Benefit makeup. I have a few of their products, but for the prices they charge, they are really nothing special. I purchased this lip gloss at a discounted price – and I’m glad I didn’t pay the full price for it. It’s a lovely colour, but its pretty gloopy and sticky on my lips and the smell/taste of it is just so off-putting I don’t want to reapply it! An expensive brand doesn’t always mean superior quality, so I would defiantly recommend testing products out in store before you commit to buying something because of the label. The only positive comment I have is that the packaging looks lovely and for this it gets one monkey!”

Avon Glazewear Sparkle Lip Gloss 6ml in Cotton Candy

£5.50

They Say: “Dazzling formula gives lips an incredible glossy high sparkle finish that doesn't feel sticky. Sheer to medium coverage that's comfortable to wear, and won't bleed or feather.”

I Say: “This is a pretty good lip gloss. The tube is quite tiny, but you get 6ml in there, so definite value for money. The colour is lovely and pink, with flecks of sparkles that you can see on your lips in the light – the perfect night out lip gloss I think as the tube is so pretty too. On the photo the applicator looks quite ‘dry’ compared to the other, but I find I only need to dip it in the tube once to get a good covering. I’m taking half a monkey away because of the sparklies – it makes it less of a day lip gloss – but apart from that I really recommend this!"

Bourjois Paris Effect 3D Lip Gloss 7.5ml in Rose Lyric

£6.99

They Say: “Pout your way to the top! 3 dimensional shine, super glossy pumped up lips. A formula enriched with micro crystalline wax for a deep, voluminous and ultra-shiny result. The specially designed brush applicator delivers ultra-glossy precise results with ease.”

I Say: “I bought this in a rush because I needed another product to complete a 3 for 2 offer, but it has become my favourite lip gloss – the tube is pretty, the colour is gorgeous and the smell is lovely! The pink colour really shows up on my lips, and it’s so shiny that it really does have a 3d effect. The tiny brush applicator allows precision, and one coat is all it takes to get super glossy lips. All in all I can’t fault this lip gloss and I give it 5 monkeys!" 



In order of the reviews from the top - L'Oreal, Rimmel, Benefit, Avon, Bourjois

I hope you enjoyed the monkey review!