Vatika Garlic Hair Oil

I mentioned in a recent post that I have an overriding worry that my hair is going to thin/fall out, and I take quite a few precautions to stop it from doing so. I've gone into detail about what that means for my hair care routine, and why I think it might be in the post, which you can read here, so I won't be chatting about that in this post. However, I've mentioned it because it is the main reason why I do oil my hair.
Hair oiling is a bit of a weird thing, but it does absolute wonders for me. I've dyed and stripped my hair. It's also pretty long and thick at the moment. All of these things means it needs a little bit more TLC to keep it, well, somewhat restrained. 
In the past I've used a whole range of hair oils to do an array of different things. Olive oil is fab if I want my hair to look shiny and feel smooth. Coconut oil on the other hand is better if I'm suffering with dandruff because it's brilliant at moisturing your scalp. I've used a few other shop bought oils, but mostly come back to argan oil if I'm using something that isn't a household product.
When I went to the Bloggers Ball way back in June (yes, this post has been on the back burner since then), and was offered Vatika's garlic hair oil to try I was pretty intrigued. I mean, I LOVE garlic, but do I want my hair to smell like it? Er, na. 
Of course I had to give it a good whiff then and there because I haven't yet learnt that curiosity killed the cat and all that jazz. It actually smells lemony rather than garlicky, which means my hair smells nice and fresh when I have it on. Two of the main ingredients other than garlic are lemon and rosemary, so this makes a lot of sense. It did *slightly* remind me of lemon scented cleaning products however, which isn't brilliant.
I spent a good while giving my hair a much needed coating of this oil last week. I've been so busy moving house in the past month (we STILL have at least one box looking neglected and sad in the living room), that I've not had a chance to oil my hair as regularly as I would do. As I've stripped the ends of my hair, I paid particular attention to them and the results were actually a little startling. I've since washed my hair three times and the ends still feel soft. 
I've used this a few times now, and with my hair being so long the bottle has only lasted me three goes, and I've only got about enough left to cover half of my hair. But, this is about as long as some other (much more expensive) oils have lasted me in the past, so I'm counting it as a win!
Here's a video I filmed all about how to oil your hair:

What do you use to oil your hair? I need to get something soon and I don't think this will be a repurchase
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L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Range

It's no secret that I've been colouring my hair for about a year now. Originally my hair was a very dark brown (almost black) colour, but now the top two-thirds are a deep red and it fades down to a gingery blonde. It looks nicer than I'm making it sound, and definitely makes me feel Autumnal.
I went through several shades, none of them extreme, during this past year, and whilst I was very concerned about making sure I didn't have bad roots, I kept finding that my colour was actually fading before the roots had a chance to show through.
To be honest, I thought that shampoos for coloured hair were a bit of a gimmick. So, I stuck to my guns of normal shampoo. But, one day I decided I was sick and tired of my hair just not looking bright enough, and having to spend extra money on hair dye because everything was fading. The L'Oreal Elvive colour protect range was something that so many people recommended to me. I had no idea where to start with shampoos for coloured hair, so reached out to everyone on Twitter and this is what most people said I should try.
I have to say that I have become a convert to shampoos that protect your colour. I was a little bowled over by the impact of this on my hair. The blonde/ginger ends no longer look dull, and my hair hasn't needed any kind of touch up in what feels like forever now. 
I picked up their hair masque as well as a bottle of shampoo and conditioner because let's face it, long, thick, coloured hair is hardly known for keeping its moisture. I love doing hair masks for a bit of a pamper, but this is one of only two that I've ever tried that you can just do in the shower. Usually you're recommended to keep them on for around an hour, and often I like to just keep it in overnight to really give my hair a boost. However, this one from L'Oreal just needs to be popped on for two minutes after you condition your hair to give it an extra little bit of moisture lock-in. My one word of warning is that you really need to make sure you wash it all out, otherwise your hair starts to look very greasy very quickly.
I loved this range, and these will definitely prove to be a repurchase in the future!

What's your fave hair care range at the moment?

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Toppik Hair Building Shampoo and Conditioner

No one wants to suffer from hair loss, and I'm sure we all worry about it from time to time, but in the past few years this worry has reached a stage of paranoia for me. There are a whole host of things I do, and have done, to make sure that I don't lose any of my locks, including: doing a weekly hair mask, keeping washing to only twice a week, not using heat products on it, switching to natural shampoos, never brushing it when wet and even not tying my hair up for a while to put less pressure on it. Ridiculous I know. I spend an unhealthy amount of time examining the front of my head to see if my hairline is receding, or to see if the front portion of my hair is thinning. This winds my sister and mum up endless amounts as they both suffer from having fine hair, whilst I inherited thicker locks from my dad. But, even though I have thick hair at the moment, I'm always stressing about this thin front section and the potential for it all starting to thin (lord help me if I ever have a baby because Christ a breakdown will ensue). 
I have absolutely no real idea where this obsession comes from, but I imagine it may have something to do with the fact that my sister lost her hair as a child. So, anyhow, when Toppik approached me and asked if I would like to try any of their products, you can bet that I jumped at the opportunity to give their hair building shampoo and conditioner* a go. Toppik's hair building products contain keratin, amongst other ingredients, to encourage hair follicles to grow, and to become thicker.
I have to admit that I was very skeptical when I started out. Despite trying everything under the sun to get them to grow, and having a really long main body of hair, I have masses of baby hairs that give me a little inch long headband of fluff everytime I put my hair back into a ponytail. And despite the name, my baby hairs are not cute at all. But, having tried out Toppik's set for almost a month (and focusing on making sure the front of my head gets a nice portion of the shampoo and conditioner), I'm actually ecstatic to say that the majority of them are between 2 and 3 inches! I cannot even express how happy it's made me to be able to pin them back, even if it is a really vain thing to announce. I was definitely not expecting results anywhere near this, so if you've got thin hair, I would definitely recommend giving it a go to see what it can do for you. 
*Although these products were gifted to me for the purpose of this review, all opinions and thoughts are my own. 
What do you do to keep your hair thick and healthy?
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LUSH Solid Shampoo and Conditioner Myth Busting + VIDEO

We all know I'm a bit of a LUSH-oholic (am I ticking all of the blogger stereotype boxes yet in this post?), and their hair care products are something that I really believe in. If you've had a peek at my hair care tips post for people with long, thick hair, then you'll know that LUSH is pretty much my go-to if my hair needs a little bit of TLC.
I know most of you guys aren't fans of solid shampoos and conditioners, which is why I've dedicated this post to a little myth busting and information about them. I'm currently using their Jason and the Argan Oil shampoo bar (which is targeted at making your hair softer and shinier) and their Jungle solid conditioner (which is all about helping keep your wild, tangled hair under control). 
Myth #1: They're obviously going to break up instantly. I've never had one break on me, unless it had reached the stage where it was about a millimetre thick. I'm pretty heavy handed too, so you don't need to worry about it suddenly splintering into a million pieces if you're not uber delicate with putting it on your hair. I've even dropped mine in the bath a couple of times (not recommended) and it hasn't broken up, so they're fairly sturdy. Myth = busted.
Myth #2: Solid conditioner is never going to hydrate my hair as much as liquid conditioner. I've found that this isn't quite as hydrating as my normal liquid shampoo, so this one sort of sticks. However, if you've ever done a coconut/avocado face mask you'll know that solid beauty products can be hydrating. I've stripped the ends of my hair and generally don't use any post-shower hair care products, and my hair is still soft to the touch, so it's by no means drying. Myth = true (in my experience).
Myth #3: I'm never going to understand how to use solid shampoo and conditioner. I'm not going to lie to you guys, I'm a bit of a klutz, but even I can deal with using these. With the shampoo I tend to rub it all over my hair, then lather some up in my hands to apply. The conditioner does feel a little bit weird at first, but I basically rub it over my hair in long strokes, paying careful attention to my roots. Honestly after a couple of tries you'll have perfected your method. Myth = busted.
Myth #4: They're only going to last a couple of washes - they're not going to be worth the price. This one is seriously untrue. I expected this at first, and was pleasantly surprised to realise that my shampoo bars last a good two or three months (I only wash my hair twice a week, but as I have mentioned it's pretty darn long). I even do two rounds of shampooing in each wash. You end up using less than you would from a bottle because it's pretty hard to over shampoo when you're applying it directly to your hair. They last me way longer than a standard bottle of shampoo does, and I feel happy knowing that they're impacting the environment less negatively. 
Finally, here's the video:

What do you think of solid shampoos and conditioners?
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Review of The Body Shop's Ginger Anti Dandruff Shampoo | Nourish My Hair

Today's post is all a bit TMI, so bear with me. For about as long as I can remember, I've suffered from dandruff. At some times it was more severe than at others, but I finally seem to have it under a good level of control. I used Head & Shoulders shampoos for YEARS and had absolutely no idea how harsh these products were on my hair or scalp. If you don't know what I'm talking about and still use it, then google it (some of their products are so harsh that people use them to strip dye from their hair!). 
Anyway, moving on from the negatives, I now do an overnight hair oil mask once a week and opt for more natural shampoos to keep dandruff and a sore scalp at bay. The oil ensures that my scalp gets a deep moistening, so it is less likely to flake, and the fewer nasties that are in my shampoos makes it less likely for my scalp to get irritated. 
So, this brings us on to The Body Shop's Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that The Body Shop features quite frequently on my beauty posts, as I love a few of their fruity scents, and their skincare products are often spot-on. Annoyingly, this shampoo is one of my least favourite products in terms of scent. Give me an apple-y shampoo, or even a magnolia one (mmmmm) any day over this one. If you've ever tried lemon and ginger tea, or even smelt raw ginger, then you'll have an idea of exactly what this shampoo smells like. The main way to get around this, I've found, is to use a pleasanter smelling conditioner - it totally masks the scent so that you can't smell it post-wash. However, if, unlike me, you find the scent of ginger pleasing and stimulating, then you'll have no problem!
Now on to how this shampoo actually works. Unlike some other more natural shampoos I've tried in the past, this one lathers up perfectly fine. Whilst using it I've been utterly flake free, and I haven't even found any pesky little flakes floating around after a couple of days of not washing it. Although it clearly worked well in nourishing my scalp, it was a little drying, so I found that combining it with a fair amount of conditioner (I use the V05 Revive Me Daily one) was necessary to stop my dyed hair from drying out.
So there we have it: if you're struggling with dandruff definitely give this a whirl. This is the first shampoo from The Body Shop that I've actually tried, so I'm really tempted to pick up another soon.
Have you tried any of The Body Shop's shampoos? What did you think?

March Favourites | Beauty, Lifestyle and more

Seriously how did March slip away so quickly?! 2016 has been the first year that I've not been in education that I can remember, and it has been absolutely whizzing by. Each month seems to get better and better, especially with March heralding the start of Spring. I'm SO in love with everything Spring at the moment - long walks in the sunshine (a rarity here in the UK), pretty flowers everywhere and joy of joys not having the heating on. As you guys all seemed to love my February favourites post, I thought I'd do another round up for this month. Here we go:
Tulips and my Easter cactus Flowers have SUCH a positive impact on my mood, and are the perfect blog prop AND make my blogging area look pretty, so they're a win, win, win in my mind. 
Clear Lipstick Holder I'm going to hold up my hands and admit it - before this month I owned no makeup storage and just shoved everything into a drawer. I picked this cheap beauty up alongside a brush holder and my chest of drawers looks SO much prettier now. 
The Body Shop's Seaweed Face Mask I've actually got an entire post dedicated to this here.
Nip + Fab Glycolic Cleanser My pores have been truly awful this year and I'm really working on making them smaller and my skin brighter. After using this for a couple of days I noticed that my skin actually looked a lot more radiant and glowy - I can't wait to keep this look throughout Spring. 
Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo* I feel like I've been endlessly banging on about this to you guys this month but c'mon it's shampoo that's vegan and smells like lavender. I'm in heaven *drools*.
Aloe Dent Triple Action Toothpaste I know I know, toothpaste aka snore, but fluoride is really REALLY bad for you, and this fluoride free one actually tastes minty (unlike other ones I've tried, *shudder* - licorice toothpaste is just NASTY).
Simple Hydrating Moisturiser Every blogger and their dog has raved about this, but honestly it is an absolute godsend for combination skin that needs a little pep up to avoid becoming dry.
Coconut Lane Mermaid Case This is another one that I've already blogged about - you can check the post out here. You can also get 20% off with the code 'nourishme20'.
Disney Puzzle You can grab this on my depop, but puzzles have been my favourite thing to do in March to help me chill out in the evening.
Alice in Wonderland Colouring Book Have I saved the best till last? Yes, yes I have. When I went home for Easter my mum greeted me with this and it was the best Easter present! 
What were your favourites this month? 
Here's my March favourites Youtube video!

Shower Shelfie | Nourish My Skin

This was very almost an actual shower shelfie (sorry for misleading y'alls), and it would have been had my bathroom not been decorated in some kind of lurid GREEN. Yep, green. Who wants a green toilet? Anyhoo, let's move on from the woes of student housing to talk about my obsession with shower products. 
Although I was going to show you everything on my shower shelf/windowsill of chaos, I realised that adding all of my hair products, body lotions and bath products would probably mean I was well over the 50 product mark. It's probably time to admit that I have a beauty product hoarding problem. Oddly enough, showering is one of my least favourite things to do - it's such a chore and my student house is so cold. Owning pretty smellies is one way that I encourage myself out of bed in the morning and into the water, eurgh. 
So, here's what you can find on my shower shelf. These are all things that I LOVE and use often:
Avalon Organics Lemon Shower Gel*. This is totally vegan, organic and GMO free as well as hosting a whole load of other benefits. I'm not the greatest fan of citrus scents, but it does its job in waking me up in the morning.
The Body Shop's Frosted Plum Shower Gel. I'm a sucker for hoarding Christmas gifts, and this is one of them. It's got such a sweet and subtle scent - I always go for this if I want the ultimate pamper.
Korres Guava Shower Gel*. Here's another one if you're looking for a natural product. It's completely suitable for vegans and smells like sweets!
Champneys Enlivening Daily Scrub. I was actually lucky enough to pick this up at the Champneys new look launch event I went to a couple of months ago. This is definitely my favourite body scrub I've ever used - it smells like lemonade (*squeals*) and the particles are so fine that it's perfect for my sensitive skin. 
Nip + Fab Detox Blend Body Scrub. Okay so earlier I may have minced my words a little - this is the only thing I haven't used yet, but I'm so excited about it I had to share it with you! My sister bought me the detox blend set and I'm waiting for a chance to use all three parts together and I'm going to dedicate a whole post to my thoughts on them.
Bleach London Reincarnation Mask. We all know I love a good hair mask, but this is the only in-shower one I own. I'm currently in the process of doing something really exciting to my hair (and actually look like some kind of lion right now because of it, which I LOVE - check out my Instagram if you want a sneak peek) and I'm taking extra good care of it. This has worked miracles in keeping my hair soft and smooth whilst I attack it.
LUSH Happy Hippy Shower Gel. I'm actually shocked at how many citrus scents I own! This shower gel smells of grapefruit, and although it's not my favourite smell in the world, its zing perks me right up before some morning yoga. 
LUSH Rose Jam Shower Gel. This was one of LUSH's Valentines Limited Edition products, and surprise surprise smells of roses. Sometimes I find that rose scents can be quite musky, but this one is nice and sweet, so I've given you a link to their gorgeous bubbleroon version of it!
The Body Shop African Ximenia Scrub. Although I mentioned above that the Champney's scrub was my all time favourite, this comes a very close second. It has a consistency like buttercream and has a very delicate sweet scent. Again, the scrub is not too harsh, so it's great on my skin! I've written a whole post on the Body Shop's Spa of the World range here.
So, here's what you can find on my shower shelf - what are your current go-tos?

Hair Care Tips | New Video

I've really been getting into Youtube recently, and I hope that even a couple of you have been keeping up with my bits and bobs of videos! This week I've got a hair care tips video for you that's all about looking after long and thick hair, making sure you keep it healthy and nourished. 

These are the products I've spoken about in the video:

Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo

LUSH Karma Komba Shampoo Bar

V05 Revive Me Daily Conditioner

LUSH H'Suan Wen Sua Treatment

John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum

What are your favourites? 

New Look Homeware Haul | Latest Blog Props

If you've been catching up with my latest stationary post, you'll know that I've been on the hunt for some pretty blog props for Instagram posts and to improve my blogging photo game. To my joy I've discovered New Look's home range amongst the depths of my local store. I was pretty much Aladdin in the Cave of Wonders, gazing around at all the beautiful treasure surrounding me. So, after a lengthy decision making time (much to the despair of my boyfriend who was so done with being forced to sniff every candle in the store), and a realisation that my budget didn't stretch to buy everything that smelled or looked pretty, these were what I settled on as necessary to improving my life, obvs: Prosecco and elder flower tealights.  These smell INSANE. I'm a bit of a candle addict, and my house is a bit of a Yankee candle/pretty tealight treasure trove, but this is possibly the best smelling candle I've ever come across. And that includes candy cane AND vanilla cupcake ones. Elder flower and prosecco are some of my favourite things anyway, and this combination is subtle, floral and a little sweet. I cannot get enough! Butterfly Lantern What use are tealights without a pretty holder? This is such an awesome blog prop, and fits perfectly in the back of my white-themed Instagram photos. Mini Poster Pack I have spent SO long trying to find these on their website to no avail (literally tried everything, kill me). Inspirational posters are something I really need to keep me motivated at the moment, and I can't wait to use these in a college over my actual desk when I move house in June *squeals*.  Pure Colour Blue Hairbrush (similar here) Okay so this isn't exactly home ware, but I bought it in my home ware haul and I'm far too excited about it to leave it out of this post. I've been debating about getting a tangle teaser for SO LONG, but they always seem overpriced for basically a handle-less hairbrush. This one was really affordable and pretty - I haven't turned back since buying it and there'll be a whole post about why I've fallen in love with it soon! Have you bought anything from their home ware section recently?

Best of 2015 | My Beauty Picks

2015 was a massive year in beauty for me. From discovering the importance of organic skincare. to finally getting my hands on some decent brushes, to learning how to contour(ish - I'm still a beginner!), I developed so much in my understanding of the beauty world. So, I thought I'd share with you my favourite skincare, hair care and makeup goodies that helped transform my style in 2015. and that I'm looking forward to continue using in 2016.
Haircare:
1.) LUSH H'Suan Wen Hua Hair Treatment. This is my go-to deep treatment for my long and rather unruly hair. It keeps my hair soft and glossy for weeks after I use it and it's my favourite little hair treat. 2.) V05 Plump It Up Amplifying Blow Dry Lotion. This works miracles with my thick but flat hair. Pre-brush I look a little cavewoman-esque, but after I've run a comb through it it gives my hair that extra bit of life it's missing. 3.)John Frieda Frizz Ease Moisture Barrier Intense Hold Hairspray. This saved me during a humid trip to Tenerife this year. I have that problem that seems to come with Irish genes (thanks Mum) where baby hairs stick out at the front of your head at any sign of potential moisture. This generally means goodbye Blake Lively aka Serena Van Der Woodsen high pony tails and hello being the 'before' Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries. But, this actually keeps my hair under control in a way that no other hair sprays have don. 4.) John Frieda Extra Strength 6 Effects Serum. This combined with the hairspray above is what dreams are made of. You basically whack a tiny bit onto your hands (which means it lasts forever, unless you accidentally spill half a bottle all over your bed, ffs) and comb it through wet hair from root to tip and voila you have hair that is actually manageable and protected when it comes to drying it!
Skincare:
1.) Benefit's Foamingly Clean Facial Wash. This was probably my all time favourite beauty product of the entire year, so much so that I've dedicated a whole post to reviewing it here. This product smells so good and is something that I always reach for, especially when I'm breaking out. It seems to hold the perfect middle balance between being light enough for every day use, and strong enough to clear up and avoid any breakouts. 2.) Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. This has a firm spot in the heart of a lot of bloggers. My combination skin often breaks out if I moisturise, but when it's a little on the dry side a dab of this before bed time balances my skin out perfectly and leaves me feeling refreshed. 3.) LUSH Brazened Honey Face Mask. Usually I only buy LUSH face masks once. i get the opportunity to head in there so rarely that I like to try out different things, but Brazened Honey had me bowled over so much that I repurchased it (madness!) 4.) LUSH Snow Fairy Shower gel. Now this is something that pretty much every blogger and her mother picks up at Christmas time. A limited edition LUSH product, it's only released in the couple of months preceding Christmas, and sells out uber-quickly. This basically makes me smell like a fairy and is one of the few super pink and shimmery girly things you'll catch me indulging myself in. 5.) The Body Shop Frosted Cranberry Body Butter. This is one of The Body Shop's three key Christmas scents and I always make sure I grab a tub in the sales. I love using it all year round for a sent that's not overly sweet or too musky. Plus it keeps my skin super soft. 6.) The Body Shop Spa of the World African Ximenia Scrub. This entire range was incredible - a spa at home is something (my) dreams are made of, and this scrub was my favourite of the lot. I have very sensitive skin, so often scrubs are simply too harsh and painful for me, but the particles in this were fine enough to soften my skin without marring it. 
Makeup (face):
1.)  Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. This brush was my first foray into the world of proper beauty brushes. Don't get me wrong, I owned them, but they were incredibly cheap and simply incomparable to this. Now my foundation could be spread evenly and blended into my skin effortlessly. If you're a beginner in the world of decent makeup brushes this is definitely the first step I'd advise taking. 2.) Ecotools Mattifying Finish Brush. Not only does this look SO pretty, but it's also the perfect highlighter brush. It allows me to sweep a cheeky bit of shimmer across my cheeks, allowing me to feel confident enough to face everything that the day throws at me. 3.) Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. This is massively popular with a lot of beauty bloggers out there and I can definitely see why. My contour game was upped massively due to the incredible blending abilities it offers (no more streaky bronzing!). 4.) Makeup Revolution Pressed Powder in porcelain soft pink. This goes on post foundation and pre contour and effectively smooths and mattifies my foundation. For £2 it's definitely a must buy in my books. 5.) MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder - Iridescent Gold. Even the name of this makes my beauty blogger senses tingle. It was the perfect highlighter for the Christmas period and is great for adding a little subtle shimmer to an evening party. 6.) Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit. As I've mentioned before, I'm hardly the queen of contour, and I was advised that this was a fab product for beginners, and I have to say my advisers weren't lying. There are three shades in the product, a white powder, a light brown and a deep brown. i only tend to use the latter two as I prefer my MUA highlighter, but the two products combined have a crazy effect - I mean, it actually looks as though I have cheekbones underneath my hamster cheeks!
Makeup (eyes):
7.) Rimmel Wonder'full Mascara with Argan Oil. This both softens and lengthens my eyelashes, making sure that they stay in good condition. 8.) Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara. I'm pretty much too much of a wimp/inaccurate with my hands to put fake lashes on, so this is the second best thing. I've been a big fan of Benefit's They're Real mascara, but I'd say the benefits (get it?) of this one almost equal it for under half the price tag. 9.) Maybelline Eye Studio Master Precise Ink Pen Eyeliner in Black. I think everybody goes through a transition of eyeliners, usually starting with a pencil and ending up at either liquid or gel. I've been a massive fan of gel eyeliner for the past couple of years, but a slightly shaky hand, a laziness for washing my brush frequently and a small variance in my eye shape meant that 90% of the time my eyeliner didn't match on both eyes. At all. However, Maybelline stepped in with a miracle product - thank god for over browsing in Superdrug. This pen is almost effortless and allows you to create the tiniest of cat flicks and the most dramatic wings. 10.) Makeup Revolution Ultra Flawless Eyeshadow Palette. This has allowed me to be more adventurous with my makeup than ever before. A combination of day and night shades means you've pretty much got all of your go-to looks in one simple palette!
Makeup (lips):
1.) Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Timeless All (08). I'm not usually the greatest lippy fan, preferring to go for bold eyes over bold lips, but this is the perfect shade for everyday use for me. This lets me get the confidence boosting kick from wearing some sass on my lips without it being too obvious and blatantly smearing everywhere when I decide to chow down. 2.) LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub. We all know that a lot of 'saviours' for our lips actually contain drying ingredients, making us feel the need to wear more lip balm and therefore buy more product. Most people bite their nails, but I chew my lips (disgusting but true), meaning I'm always in need of a saviour for my lips. LUSH have here provided an answer to my prayers. their mint julips lip scrub not only tastes exactly like a sugary mint chocolate chip ice cream, but also contains natural softening, but not drying ingredients. 3.) KORRES Jasmine Lip Butter. This is a bit of a 2 in 1. Not only does it keep your lips softened with natural organic ingredients, but it also provides a subtle feminine lip tint to your smackers. What were your favourites last year?

The Magic Ingredient | Why I Love Raw, Organic Honey

Most of us know that honey has been used for eons as an antibacterial agent and ingredient in cooking, yet we often overlook its potential to aid our health. And so, we either neglect to use it or use cheap pasteurised honey, which unfortunately has had many of its positive active agents killed off by the process of pasteurization. 
So, I teamed up with Hilltop Honey to give you guys some ideas about what you can use your raw organic honey to create. So, here are my favourite honey filled snacks:  - Honey and banana topped rice cakes - Honey topped smoothies - Homemade jam, sweetened with honey - Blueberry and honey topped porridge
Now, I was fortunate enough to try out Hilltop Honey's lime wildflower honey, which had such a deliciously unique flavour that I loved using it in all of my recipes. 
Hilltop Honey actually offers another lovely service, in that you can adopt a bee for simply £10. you get to name the bee, receive a certificate and get updates on the progress of Hilltop  Honey's bees for a year. I naturally had to name mine Barry after the hero of the Bee Movie (something that always tugs on my heart strings).
Anyway, back to why I always love having honey in the house: hair masks. I have fairly long and very thick hair that can be quite unruly, so I try to treat it in some way on a weekly basis. One of my favourite deep treatments is to make a hair mask with honey, olive oil and egg. This softens your hair, moisturises it, encourages root growth and gives it a lovely shine. I try to avoid smothering my hair in chemicals as much as possible, so i find this a great natural alternative to a mask from a sachet or bottle.
What's your favourite way to use honey?