Should I Go Vegan and Switching Up My Diet!?

Hey beaut's!

Becoming vegan or being vegan seems to be so popular these days and I must admit I hadn't even heard of the term vegan or veganism until a couple of years back, currently I'm not vegan and as far as I'm aware I'm not gluten free or dairy free either but this is all something I definitely want to look into more, mainly because this year I've had a few problems with my digestion and suffer quite badly with acid reflux! I actually take tablets everyday now for my acid reflux and it's the pain and discomfort of having acid reflux that has really made me want to think about food and what I fuel my body with! I have already made a few changes to my diet - granted their not huge changes - but hey their still changes non the less and it's really made me think about what I want to do going forward!

If you’re in the US and wondering if changing your food ways and becoming vegan would work for you and also be beneficial to your health then you’re in luck because Health Labs can really help a sister (or brother hehe) out! HealthLabs.com* offers fast, private, and affordable lab testing that can be scheduled and ordered online with your results coming back in just a couple of days, theres no need for fasting before hand either and the tests are literally administered in approximately 10 minutes or less which is fab!

 Theres a number of vegan testing panels to choose from on the HealthLabs site that cover a number of different things but the test I'm most drawn too is the 'Should I Be Vegan?' test. This is a basic vegan test that tests you for 18 meat and dairy products, this is great if you've been experiencing or suffering from on going stomach pains, sluggishness, headaches, or an overall feeling of unwellness because if it proves to be a positive result it can pin-point exactly what it is that your intolerant or allergic of! To be honest I'm really interested in the dairy side of things, it's something I've always wondered about because I've noticed I can get quite headachy after eating cheese sometimes so this is definitely something I'm looking into! The vegan tests start at $149 but the 'Should I Be Vegan?' test I'm interested in comes in at $199 but you can get that a little bit cheaper if you use my 25% off code HAY25. I think it's totally worth the price if it's going to make a dramatic improvement to your health. If your already vegan then fear not because HealthLabs also have tests you to take to check for possible nutritional deficiencies that you may have, this will help you know whether you need more or less of a specific vegan friendly food item which again will benefit your health, pretty awesome hey!

I'd love to know if your vegan and how you find it? Has it made a huge difference to your health? Or are you considering it like I am? I'd love to know!  
nopin
*This post is in collaboration with Health Labs, 
all opinions are my own.

August Beauty Favourites!

Hey beaut's!

It's monthly favourites time again....Another month has whizzed past and I'm so ready for it to be September and for things to start turning Autumnal, I'm definitely an Autumn girl through and through! I just cant wait for cosy evenings, fairy lights and candles galore he he!

Anywho firstly this month I've been totally obsessed with my Pixi-Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse, in fact my tub is completely empty because I just finished it a few days ago so I need to treat myself to a new one soon! This stuff is so nice and ensures my face is squeaky clean without feeling dry or tight, I love it and would totally recommend it if your in the market for a new cleanser! For fragrance this month I've gone back to an old favourite - Jimmy Choo Blossom! This is such a lovely perfume that opens up with sweet, juicy notes and then surprisingly it turns into a somewhat floral, fruity mash up which is so nice and very summery, I've nearly finished my bottle of this too! 
MAC's Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara has been on my lashes for most of August because I needed to use it up and my gosh I've been loving the look it achieves, it has a super skinny wand which catches every single lash for a full, fluttery look, it's fabulous for lower lashes too and it's super long lasting which is a bonus. For nails I seem to have been obsessed with Leighton Denny's Just Perfectit's a stunning coral-apricot cream which is so easy to wear, I'm that addicted to it that as soon as this stuff is chipped I remove it and re-paint my nails with it again he he.
For lips I've been reaching for my MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Lip Blush in the shade soft tan, it's just so quick and easy to use, lasts well and the colour is beautiful for everyday wear! Finally this month I've been painting my eyeballs with the Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette, oh isn't she a beauty! It's crammed full of the most stunning warm tones that will see me through the rest of Summer and then the Autumn and the quality is amazing!

What have you been loving this month beaut's? I'd love to know!

nopin

August Degustabox Review + £5 off Discount Code!

Hey beaut's!

I have a subscription box review for you all today but it's a subscription box with a difference.... it contains yummy food and drink, so say hello to Degustabox*. Degustabox works very much like how beauty subscription boxes work, for £12.99 a month (postage included within the £12.99 price) you will receive 10 to 15 surprise food/drink products, many that are completely new to the market! So if your a bit of a foodie like myself and you love subscription boxes your going to love this beaut's!

This month we have a bit of a back to school theme going on so I'm starting off with two Boka Bar's (75p each), I had the Choco Mallow and the Apple Cinnamon flavours and wow these where delish! If your a fan of cereal bars then I'd highly recommend these, their both under 100 calories each and low in sugar, salt and saturated fats, their literally the perfect elevenses snack!

 These packets of LioBites (£1.99 each) are perfect if you want to incorporate some fruit into your day but in a super quick 'snacky' way, I bet kids would love them too because they are lovely a sweet and feel like a such a treat, and they also class as one of your five a day, fab!
I love eating sweets when I settle down to watch a movie or TV shows so this bag of Rowntree's Randoms 30% Less Sugar (£1.29) arrived at the perfect time for my POWER catch up on Netflix he he.

The Maggi Fusion Noodles (£1.39 each) and the Maggi 3 Minute Noodles are perfect to add in with a stir fry or to have as a lunchtime snack, their quick and easy to make and the flavours are super yummy too! 

 Theres a couple of drinks within this months box starting with two cans of Gunna Craft Soft Drinks (£1.09 each)! Gunna is a new range of lower sugar soft drinks that contain no nasty unnatural junk, perfect for popping into the lunch boxes for school, they also wont have your kids bouncing off the walls on a sugar rush either he he! 
This months product of the month is a can of Crooked Alcoholic Soda (£2.00), this stuff is super fruity and doesn't taste like your drinking alcohol at all, I'd highly recommend the Peach and Pomegranate flavour I got too, it was delish!


Finally this month we have a little breakfast club section featuring Illy Instant Smooth Taste Coffee (£5.85), Good Hemp Dairy Free Milk (£1.60) and a box of Dorset Cereals Spectacular Grains (£3.49) all of which are the perfect trio to get your working/school day started right! The Dorset Cereals Spectacular Grains are lovely and filling and keep me going for ages, I like to eat mine with yogurt and fruit but the milk goes perfectly with them too!

If you like the look and sound of Degustabox you can grab your first box for just £7.99 with the code 039DB HERE

nopin

Feral Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks - New Shades Revealed!

Hey beaut's!

Earlier this year I got my first taster of Feral Cosmetics, I tried three of their liquid lipsticks and was totally blown away by the gorgeous formula. If you haven't heard of Feral Cosmetics before their a US based, cruelty free and vegan beauty brand which are sold here in the UK on the Beauty Chamber website. Beauty Chamber have recently added six new Feral Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick shades to their website so of course I couldn't wait to get my hands on them and try them out, theres actually a whopping 14 shades to choose from on the site now, woohoo!
 What I've always loved about the Feral Cosmetics liquid lippies is their amazing formula and the new six shades certainly follow suit, the consistency and texture of these beauties is so lovely and I'd go as far as saying it's one of the best formula's I've tried in terms of liquid lipsticks! The product feels super thin and lightweight during the application process where as a lot of other liquid lipsticks I've tried are much thicker and heavier. Despite being thin in constancy they still pack a pigmented punch and are fully opaque in one quick swipe, you definitely don't need to build up the opacity that's for sure! Once these liquid lipsticks have dried down on the lips they still feel super lightweight and they don't really feel that dry at all thank goodness, they do have an ever so slight tacky feeling when I rub my lips together to begin with but I'd much prefer that than dryness. The liquid lipsticks have a touch proof finish too, I literally pressed and rubbed my finger over my lips once the lippie had completely dried down and it never transferred onto my fingers, the more intense/bright shades are quite a bugger to remove so theres no worries when it comes to lasting power. Ohhh and did I mention they have a lovely light vanilla scent to them too, it's so yummy!
The six new shades are super pretty and right up my street, we have a couple of stunning nudes and some daring brights too, here's the run down...
Rose All Day* - A gorgeous nude that literally goes with everything,  I can see this one being super popular!
Page Me 143* - This is my favourite shade and my most worn out of the six new shades so far, it's the perfect mauve-pink!
Say I Do* - A stunning warm toned nude, again this one is super versatile and goes with everything!
Sex On The Beach* - A super bright coral- pink, I think this one would look perfect with a simple plain eye and winged liner!
Mocha Holic* - A chocolate coloured nude, I think this would be perfect with a bit of Say I Do in the centre to create and nude ombre lip.
Unicorn Poop* - A bright violet shade fit for an unicorn loving queen, this one is super striking and is perfect for the more brave lippie wearer! 
(From left to right, Rose All Day - Page Me 143 - Say I Do - Sex On The Beach - Mocha Holic - Unicorn Poop)
Overall I really cant recommend the Feral liquid lipsticks enough, the quality is just so so good and that's really saying something coming from me because I've always been a bit of a fuss pot when it comes to liquid lipsticks, I'm always put off with the dry/tightness/cracking of liquid lippies but Feral Cosmetics are just so lightweight and lovely! 


You can find the Feral Cosmetics Liquid Lipsticks for £14.95 each HERE.

nopin

Zoella Beauty 'Cosmos' Christmas Collection Revealed!

Hey beaut's!

It's that time of year again.... Yup, dare I say it....Christmas is just a mere few months away and I for one am totally excited, I absolutely adore Autumn/Winter and Christmas and seeing all the pretty gifts in the shops gets me so excited, so when I was browsing the Superdrug website yesterday and came across some Christmas gifts by Zoella I literally had love hearts in my eyes and had to share them with you all today! The collection is called 'COSMOS' and consists of 11 gifts so far, I have no idea if more will be added but there are 11 gifts currently on the Superdrug website to choose from! 

The theme of the collection looks very galactic which I'm totally living for and the scent that seems to be popping up in most products is vanilla and peppermint which is right up my street, I hoping its going to be like the vanilla scent from Yankee Candles Christmas Cookie mixed with a candy cane, that would be dreamy! As far as the gifts go it looks quite similar to last year with the mini perfume set, the roller ball set, then theres the fragrance itself, the hand cream is back and the large mega box with most items in is there too! Prices start from £5.50 up to £40.00 so theres certainly a gift for everyone whether you want something small or big, don't forget though we often see a dip in prices once the collection has been out a month or so - so it's likely the prices will indeed be reduced slightly!

So what do you think of the Zoella Cosmos Christmas Collection beaut's? I'd love to know! I'm certainly looking forward to the reveal of her lifestyle collection in Boots now!

Check out the Zoella Cosmos Collection HERE at Superdrug or HERE at Feel Unique!

nopin

MOR Little Luxuries Body Butter and Hand Cream Reviewed!

Hey beaut's!

Theres something so special about beauty products that come in miniatures isn't there, it just lures me in every time, so when I saw that MOR had a miniatures collection called Little Luxuries I was all over it like a rash!

The MOR Little Luxuries Collection consists of candles, perfumes, soaps and body products all of which are perfectly purse sized making them ideal for travelling and beauty on the go. I've been giving two of their body products a whirl in the Belladonna scent, this particular scent is described as feminine and floral with gorgeous notes of vanilla and musk, I love it when products contain vanilla and musk they seem to just smell soooo good together and make my nose very happy!
The Belladonna Body Butter* (£10.00) comes in the cutest little 50g pot which is packaged up so beautifully that you could honestly give these as gifts in peoples Christmas stockings (dare I say it)! The body butter itself is super creamy and melts into the skin nicely, it contains Shea butter, cocoa butter and avocado oil which all nourish and moisturise the driest of skin and the scent really lingers too which is nice! It's the perfect kind of body  moisturiser to slather on after a nice bath and pamper sesh!
The Belladonna Hand Cream* (£8.00) comes in a 50ml tube which is perfect for my handbag, I'm the sort of gal that needs hand cream in my bag at all times because I really suffer with dry hands all year round! As far as hand creams go this is a nice one, it's not super thick but does do a good job at giving my hands a dose of moisture without feeling greasy, and mt hands feel super soft afterwards too! The only thing I would say is that it's more for an instant hydrating hand cream than one that's going to keep my hands moisturised all day so I do have to keep reapplying as the day goes on! Again just like the body butter the scent really lingers, in fact I would say it's quite a strong scent so if your not keen on a lingering strong scent just bare that in mind!

If you love miniature products as much as I do I really cant recommend the MOR Little Luxuries collection enough, the quality seems really good from what I've tried so far and they look so so cute, and as I said before they are the perfect size for those stocking fillers! I definitely have their mini candles in my sights next, they look adorable!

You can find the MOR Little Luxuries Collection on Feel Unique HERE.

nopin

Summer Favourites 2018!

Hey beaut's!

Whether we like it or not Summer is coming to an end, I have to admit I'm quite happy about this because I'm such an Autumn/Winter gal at heart but I have actually really enjoying this Summer, mostly because of the lush weather we have had in the UK, it's honestly felt like a two month holiday because the temperatures where so high and every day was so bright and sunny! Anyway today I thought I would share a few of my Summer favourites before it gets all autumnal on HaySparkle he he!
Makeup wise theres a clear stand out favourite for me and that's been my Too Faced Sweet Peach Eyeshadow Palette! I've pretty much used this palette on my eyeballs most days this Summer because not only is the quality phenomenal but those peachy vibes are absolutely stunning! I've been using the shades Just Peachy, Candied Peach and Nectar all together to create such a summery peachy look and teamed with winged liner...oh my I just cant cope! 
For skin I fell in love with the Rimmel Breathable Foundation, this has been so nice for the Summer because its sooo lightweight and thin that my skin literally still feels like skin and isn't heavy or cakey in anyway, it's so lovely! Summer makeup wouldn't be right without a good ole bronzer and my bronzer of choice has been the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil, it's laterally the perfect shade of bronzer for me and blends beautifully! When it comes to my Summer pout I know I should be adventurous with corals and peaches but I stuck to my pinky-nudes as per and my favourite recently has been MAC's Faux, it's the perfect pink for the Summer!
If I haven't been faking it with imPRESS nails through the Summer then I've been all about those pinky-coral shades on my nails, two of my favourites are the Barry M Under The Sea Nail Paint in Pinktail and Leighton Denny's Just Perfect, these two work so well together and last really well on my nails. My scent of the Summer has been all over the place really, I've actually been using all different scents this year but a stand out scent for me is my Zoella Gelat'eau Body Mist! It smells slightly floral, fresh and edible (but don't I actually spray it in my mouth he he) it's lush and very lightweight which is key for me during the Summer!

What products have you been loving during the Summer beaut's? I'd love to know! 

  nopin

My Dream Wedding Ideas!

Hey beaut's!

We are still well into the wedding season and even though I'm not getting married any time soon I am in a long-term relationship of 12 years and a girl can dream about the wedding shes always wanted cant she... he he Mike if your reading this you might want to take note!

I think realistically if I got married I'd want something small, intimate and calm with only my very close friends and family there, so sorry Sue at number 40 you might have to sit this one out love lol! I could also see myself doing lots of wedding projects at home and DIY'S too, looking at lots of magazines and website after website for inspiration, but today's post is all about the wedding of dreams, the wedding I'd probably be paying for- for the rest of my life and the wedding that would bind me to the love of my life forever - god help me, jokes!

So lets start with the venue, id probably want a country barn, you know the sort of place with beams and a vintage feel, set in pretty grounds for those wedding shots and Instagrams of course, or if I couldn't have the country barn I'd go for a large marquee that I could decorate myself but I would definitely want a rustic, vintage vibe! Think twinkly fairy lights, cream flowers and wood! I'd also have to have a Instagram photo booth along with props for everyone including myself to play around with! Then there would be a chocolate fondue, this would be an necessity because I'm a chocolate addict, and I'd love one of those vintage looking sweetie carts that has little pic'n'mix sweets on! Of course there would have to be a disco that played loads of the classics I love from the 90's so that we could all dance the night away! 

Then theres the all important dress, I'd love something white or ivory coloured, lacy, quite figure hugging to show off my curves but then getting looser as it goes down! For hair I'd like a wavy half up half down hair style with very delicate makeup, and sod it I'd probably have to rock a winged liner too! Knowing me I'd probably be wearing some converse under mys dress too because heels seem to hate me!

For food I think I'd completely brake the tradition of the sit down meal, my dream wedding would have little areas that served freshly cooked pizza just how you wanted it, Nando's and probably a burger stall, as you can tell not the healthiest of options but definitely better than the awful pea soup you'd probably have as a starter!

And finally you cant forget the honeymoon, the dream would be one of those huts in the Maldives which has been build within the sea where the water is crystal clear and the sand is practically white! Now all we need is a win on the lottery please he he!

What would be your dream wedding? I would love to know.

nopin

* This is a collaborative post.

MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Lip Blush Review

Hey beaut's!

I've finally lost my MAKE UP FOR EVER virginity, I cant quite believe that the makeup addict within me hasn't owned a product by MAKE UP FOR EVER until now, shocking behaviour from miss sparkle over here he he! Never the less I finally have one of their lip blushes sitting pretty on my dresser and of course on my pout and I've gotta admit I love it!
The MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Lip Blushes* have the healthy rosiness and delicious powdery matte finish of a blush… but their for your lips? Um, hell to the yeahhh! The Lip Blushes are available exclusively to Escentual.com where you will find 10 gorgeous shades to choose from ranging from nudes, pinks, corals and reds all in warm and cool tones! I have the shade 100 Soft Tan which is right up my street, it's a soft pinky-nude that has that kind of 'your lips but better' feel to it. It's such a wearable shade for any occasion and if you was to go though all of my favourite lipsticks you will find they are pretty much just like this shade, I'm a pink toned nude girl through and through!
The formula of this little beauty is lovely, it's well pigmented and glides onto my lips with ease without dragging or tugging yet it has an almost suede feeling matte finish that you would expect to feel quite dry but it doesn't feel like that at all! The Lip Blush also has an extremely lightweight feel when it's on the lips, I literally forget I'm wearing it sometimes which usually never happens with a matte lip and it barley transfers at all once its on and set which is a bonus! Something else I love about this Lip Blush is that it doesn't reveal any flaws or dry texture on my lips, matte lipsticks are prone to literally exposing any texture you have on your lips but the addition of three oils, synthetic mica and silica within the formula really helps smooth and blur any dry patches you may! As you can see from my swatch below my pout looks full, healthy and rosy, I also took this picture in front of a window and it really picked up the glow from the sun too! 
As the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Lip Blushes come like a jumbo crayon it makes them so easy to use and super lightweight to pop into your handbag for on the go, you literally twist up from the bottom  for more product (no need for sharpening,thank goodness) and because the product itself is shaped as a crayon too it makes it really easy to fill in your lip area precisely! I'm so glad I've finally got to try something from MAKE UP FOR EVER, I'm super impressed by the quality of these lip blushes and definitely have the shades Flushing Mauve and Blushing Rose on my wish list now!

You can find the MAKE UP FOR EVER Artist Lip Blush Collection exclusively on the Escentual website HERE for £18.00 each!

nopin

Home Improvements I Want To Make + A Few Dream Ones!

Hey beaut's!

Me and my boyfriend have been living in our little home for nearly seven years now and even though we have given all the rooms a lick of paint since living here I feel like my interior style has totally changed over the years and I have a few rooms that I'd love to re-do, so today I thought it would be nice to share the things I have planned and also a few little dream idea's which may have to just stay as dreams for now he he!

Spare Room - One of my favourite rooms in our house is actually our spare room, we completely revamped this last year and changed it from the 'junk room' to an office space! We gave the walls a lick of grey paint and bought all white furniture and it ended up looking incredible! It's made the room look so clean and crisp and somehow it makes the room look much bigger to, the only finishing touches that the room needs is some replacement aluminium windows oooohh or some of those fancy white shutters, they are so dreamy and I'd love to have them in the entire house!


Bedroom - I'm pretty happy with our bedroom, it's cream with a warm cosy vibe going on and we ended up replacing a lot of the furniture in their too last year, the only thing I'd LOVE now is one of those fabric/velvet beds with a huge headboard, I've been wanting one of those for such a long time so I think I'm going to have to sweet talk the boyfriend a bit more for one of those he he!


Kitchen - I think the biggest thing I'd love to change in our house is the kitchen, I would literally love to rip the entire thing out and start from scratch! My kitchen of dreams would have a fancy range cooker because they look epic, one of those American style double fridges which are massive - they look amazing don't they! I'd then love the room to be painted white maybe with some white tiles thrown on the walls with light grey cupboards and marble work tops, I'm talking kicthen goals right now aren't I! To complete my dream kitchen I'd love an island in the middle, I've always loved the look of those islands so I think I'd have to have one of those in my dream kitchen!


Lounge - Our lounge was given a lick of paint earlier this year and we changed our feature wall of wallpaper in their too, we also got the most amazing corner sofa and a new dining table and chairs, the only thing missing for me is a real fireplace or wood burner for the autumn/winter months! We have a fake fireplace and although it's pretty it doesn't beat the rustic look of the real thing, my Mum and Dad actually had a wood burner fitted in their lounge and it looks so nice so that's something I would like to change if I could!


Hallway - The final thing on my to-do list is the downstairs hallway that leads up the stairs and onto the landing! Again I'd love to go for grey walls but I'd love to add a botanical feel with some plants, they would have to be fake plants of course because I've killed every living plant I've ever bought, and I'd go for some prints on the walls leading up the stairs and maybe some copper decor! This is definitely something I plan on doing pretty soon so watch this space hehe! 


What dream home improvements would you make if you could beaut's? I'd love to know!


nopin

* This is a collaborative post.

False Nails In Seconds With imPRESS!

Hey beaut's!

I'm totally and utterly obsessed with false nails, it's crazy to think that I used to hate them, I think it was the whole gluing them on and them damaging my natural nails so badly during the removal process that I hated, but now imPRESS do the handy press-on nails it makes life so much easier and I'm all for a set of falsies now!
imPRESS have soooo many different designs, lengths, shapes and pretty colours to choose from, and what I love is that most packets also feature a few patterned or glitter nails for you to add as accent nails to really jazz up your manicure making them look like you've had them professionally done in a salon! Each packet contains 30 different sized nails to pick and choose from so you can mix and match to get the best fit for your nails and if your lucky you'll be able to get a few applications out of each packet! 
(From left to right, Flash Mob, Shimmer, Bells & Whistles, Rock It, Next Wave) The sets I've been testing this time are...
Flash Mob*- A white set with a duo-chrome shift to them and a selection of white glitter accents in a square shape!
Shimmer*- A mauve set with clear accents that have silver holographic shards on them in a squared off shape!
Bells & Whistles*- A bright turquoise matte set with silver glitter accents in a squared off shape.
Rock It*- A french manicure set with silver glitter accents and a silver glitter stripe on the french tip again in a squared off shape!
Next Wave*- A baby pink set with a mix of rose gold chrome accents and painted flower accents in a classic oval shape.

To apply the imPRESS nails all you have to do is peel back the tab and literally press the false nail firmly onto your natural nail, it literally takes a couple of seconds to apply each nail, it's so quick! Once these babies are stuck on they will last a good couple of days depending on how heavy handed you are. Overall I really cant recommend these nails enough, their super quick an easy to apply, they fit my nails perfectly and are nice and comfortable, their not too long for me either so I can still un-do that top button on my jeans without losing a nail lol and the designs are just stunning!

You can find the imPRESS Press-On nails for £7.99 each HERE.

nopin