Chocolate Cupcakes My Way!

Who can resist a Chocolate Cupcake?

I've been so busy lately and have been promising my little man that we could make cupcakes so after my shout out was answered on twitter from the lovely Sam at Makeup Advice Forum for a recipe and a quick nip to the local shops i was good to go.

It turned out incredibly well so i thought I'd share the recipe in case anyone wanted to try it out.

Ingredients: 100g Plain Flour

20g Cocoa Powder

140g Caster Sugar

11/2 Tsp Baking Powder

40g Butter

120ml Milk

1 Egg 

Vanilla Extract

Now as the title of the post suggests 'My Way'  i didn't follow the instructions. Instead i chucked everything into a big mixing bowl together and whisked away until smooth. (Easy)

Popped into baking cases and into the oven for about 15 Min's or rather until i thought they looked ready :)

Leave to cool and prepare Topping:

Recipe:

300g Icing Sugar

100g Butter

30g Cocoa powder

45ml Milk

Again i didn't really measure very accurately, i just chucked it all in and mixed away till smooth. The trick to get a good topping is to make sure its firm enough. I always add more icing sugar than i need so that the piping holds well.

Ive found the easiest way to make the cupcakes look nice is by using a good piping nozzle. This one is perfect and i picked it up in a set from TK max with a few other nozzles and bags for £9.99

Then after piping decorate and leave in the fridge to set.

They are admittedly a bit sickly but i think they look quite impressive and would make a nice gift if you want to take them to a party or something.

Oh and the cake itself comes out incredibly light and fluffy.

Have a great day xx

Berry Merry Xmas with Sleek Makeup!

Sleek have recently launched this gorgeous box set which is great value for money at just £10 and right on trend with its bold berry shades.

The Berry Collection

The set includes:

Cranberry Lipstick which is a deep vampy matte red shade. 

Fenberry Blush which id describe as a berry plum.

Mossberry Kohl Pencil which is a deep Burgundy shade which can be used on both the eyes and lips.

Swatches from top to bottom: Eyes, Lips & Cheeks

Of course i had to try them out for myself. No Deep red lippy gets past me without a venture onto the lips

The lipstick is a stunning dark red and although its matte i didn't find it drying at all and its not one of those lipsticks that clings and emphasises every tiny line either which is a nice change. I do like matte lips but some are not particularly flattering but I'm pleased to say this one is.

For me the blusher is the stand out product of all three in this box. I am a big fan of the Sleek blushers anyway and this one is a gorgeous colour that seems to warm my complexion up without looking overly flushed or made up. You only need a tiny amount as you do with most of the Sleek blushers.

This would make a lovely stocking filler for a friend or a little pick me up treat for yourself when you are doing the Xmas shopping :)

Are you rocking the deep shades this time of year?

Orly Birds Of A Feather Collection!

Lately i have been going au natural on my nails because they were so short that i just didnt want to draw attention to them but luckily for me they are now back to a decent length and i have been dying to try out some new vivid colours.

Orly's Autumn/Winter collection Birds Of A Feather fits the bill perfectly with its gorgeous array of Irridesent and strong shades which were inspired by the colours and tones of birds such as the peacock.

Sweet Peacock is a stunning glisening blue shade which catches the light beautifully.

Sweet Peacock     Lucky Duck       Peachy Parrot         Nite Owl             Sea Gurl          Fowl Play

For me the stand out shade has to be Fowl Play. It is a multidimentional colour that has chunks of glitter and is beyond gorgeous, take a look:

3 Coats gives a full coverage and dense glitter effect!

 

Another great wear to wear these is to try layering as i did here with the first swatch. 

1 Coat of Sweet Peacock & 2 Coats of Fowl Play. I love the effect and this is the combination i will be wearing the most.

Available from Beautybay  priced at just £6.95 i think these are a complete bargain.

Orly have seriously come up trumps with this collection. Have you tried any of the shades yet?

Marshmallow Blends!

I have named my new business Marshmallow Blends! I thought it suited the foody scented product range well, it conjures up images of sweet delicious sounding treats to me.
I have been very busy perfecting my recipes and mixing lotions and potions. I know some of you are keen to follow whats happening so i have started a Facebook Page where i will update all my new goodies as i go along. I will be doing the odd giveaway there too so please come and take a little look xx


Marshmallow Blends

Promote Your Page Too

For Your Eyes Only!

 I have been going through a bit of a faze of trying out lots of different eye creams and thought i'd share my thoughts on a few of my favourites so far.

At my age i really see the difference if i dont use a good eye cream. My lines appear worse, my eyes feel tight and my dark circles look worse. Therefore i am constantly searching for a perfect eye cream.

Eucerin Aquaporin Active 15ml £13.27 from Boots

The Eucerine Eye Cream was a bit of a slow starter for me but the more i used it the more i liked it. It feels nice and light on the skin and it seems particularly good for dehydrated skins rather than dry.

A very good price and probably the one i would recommend for somebody who is starting out with eyecreams and doesnt want anything too rich.

Yes To Blueberries Eye Repair Cream 15ml £19.99 from Victoria Health

Yes to Blueberries Intensive firming Eye Repair Cream is probably the smoothest feeling cream that i have tried before. It is clinically proven to reduce lines within 28 days.

It does make my skin feel lovely and supple. A great all round product that i would definately buy again.

Packed full of natural ingredients and antioxidents it is really good value for money.

Elemis Absolute Eye Serum 15ml £26.60 from Debenhams

Elemis Absolute Serum is the lightest feeling of all 4 products. It works well on its own but comes into its own when applied on top of another eye cream. I love to use this when i need something a bit extra like when Ive had a lot of late nights or am going somewhere nice. It is a little pricey but a tiny drop is all you need.

 Savar Wonder Lift Eye Cream 30ml £25 from Savar.co.uk

Last but by no means least i have been using the Savar Wonder Lift Eye Cream which contains twice as much as the other creams with a price tag of £25 it is a steal.
Ingredients including organic bilberry and black tea extract help reduce puffiness and encourage firmness in to the area.
Again i would definitely re buy this eyecream.


Do you use an eyecream and if so which is your favourite?

Speciality soaping!

Hi Ladies, today's post is written by a lovely lady who is a bit of a specialist in the subject of soap.
While i have been researching hand made products i have been lucky enough to meet some really creative people who's soap making skills made me look at soap in a different way.
Over to Emma who is the proud owner of Spiralsoaps.com

In the current economic climate it is hard to justify purchasing perceived luxury items such as handmade soap.  Why should you pay £4 for one bar when you can get a whole bottle of shower gel or a multi pack of supermarket soap for £1?
 OK, times may be hard, but is this not false economy? Does your skin appreciate the synthetic detergents and other additives that you find in most mass produced soap & gels? Does your skin feel tight, dry, itchy even after you bathe?
 I think your skin deserves a little TLC, some love and attention, it's your skin, and you have to live in it!.



Many commercial soaps and all shower gels contain synthetic detergents that some people find irritating. These detergents work in a similar way to soap, but may not be as gentle or kind to your skin as handmade soap. 

 Handmade soap recipes  include a small percent (usually 5-10) of it's oils and butters that are not saponified (turned into soap), so that they remain in the bar to help keep your skin soft. Also, the glycerine in each bar adds to the skin softening properties.

 When you shower or bathe with handmade soap it is a completely different experience to commercially produced soaps & gels. Handmade soap makers are passionate about their craft and choose ingredients carefully, mindful of environmental issues, quality & origin. We use luxurious essential oils and premium fragrance oils to scent our soap, so that when you shower or bathe with it, you can enjoy the wonderful aromas, relaxing with lavender & geranium or refreshing with citrus blends for example.

Handmade soap scents are rich and sustained, far from the regular soapy smell you find in lots of supermarket type soap that fades as you use the bar.  The scent in a handmade soap bar endures throughout the bar, so that you experience the same intensity of aroma every time you shower or bathe, right down to the last sliver!

We also choose wonderful vegetable oils and butters to make our soaps with, these are rich and indulgent, and chosen for the specific qualities they bring to each recipe.
 During the soap making process, glycerine, a natural humectant (skin softener) is produced. Mass produced soap usually has the glycerine removed during manufacture, as it is a valuable commodity, and is sold on for use elsewhere, as a baking or lotion making ingredient.

Because handmade soap retains all of the glycerine produced, it is less likely to result in dry, itchy skin, and can help your skin feel soft & supple, enhances the shower or bathing experience and has a lather to die for, so creamy and abundant, you'll never want to wash with anything else, your skin won't let you!

Thanks so much to Emma for this post and please check out some of her amazing work on her website. A few of my favourites are these two stunning looking soaps below:

Snow Baby £4.00

( Made with Cocoa Butter, Olive Oil & Real Snow)

Three Kings Soap £4.00

( Scented with Spicy Frankincense & Myrrh & Dusted With Gold )

Do you buy handmade soap ladies?

Korres Lip Butter Quince & FOTD

As promised here is a little post with some of my other Korres products. After my first encounter with the Korres brand i was eager to try more from the range.

Wild Rose Foundation shade 2, Blusher in purple shade 22 & Lip butter in Quince

The blusher although named purple is a perfect warm rose shade that is nicely pigmented.

The foundation is a gorgeous light /medium coverage which evens out my skin but without being mask like. It has a slight fragrance that i noticed when i first applied it but it disapears once its on the skin. It gives a lovely natural finish and seems a perfect shade on me.

It blends really easily and feels very lightweight too. 

The Blusher is pigmented as i said before but it still looks really natural and blends like a dream. I'm keen to try more of the other shades in this. A pretty pink colour that gives a natural flush to the cheeks.

The lip butter has been talked about by so many people but i'd never got round to trying it before now but it is beautiful on the lips. It feels silky smooth and the raspberry colour is flattering as although its bright its very sheer as well. Packed full of lovely ingredients like Shea butter (my fave) and rice wax it leaves lips soft and nourished.

Lip Butter in Quince

Have you tried any of the lip butters and do you like the look of these products?

Artdeco Rave!

Artdeco create lots of gorgeous makeup collections but i have to give a massive thuimbs up in particular to their nail polishes.

I have a few of them now and every single one applies really smoothly and most importantly lasts for ages on my nails. 

This polish i'm wearing today has been on for 3 days and still going strong which is remarkable for me

Shade 117

I love this pretty taupe, nude shade. It goes with just about everything :)

Just as i was writting this post i had an email pop through showcasing the new Artdeco collection. 

Aptly named Forever Glam.

Have you tried many Artdeco products?

Lush Xmas products!

Hi Ladies! Today i made a short video with a few xmas products from Lush, including The infamous Snow Fairy and these two gorgeous lip tints.

Chilli Tingle & Celebrate

You tube video

You know its nearly xmas once we all start talking about the xmas editions xx

This Week I Have Been!

Hi Everyone, sorry i haven't been doing much blogging, Ive been so busy and my little uns have been poorly as well so its been a bit manic but i thought I'd do a little post telling you what Ive been up.

  So apart from that i have been:

Shopping at matalan and got a few Xmas decorations. I have decided to go for the bright look this year:

 Trying out some new false eyelashes which are not available just yet so keep an eye open for upcoming post if you like the look of these (I Love them)

Showering with Snow Fairy from Lush. I cant get enough of this sweet smelling shower gel

Getting my sugar scrub cubes recipe perfected. This batch is Apple Jack Frost & Amaretto

Finally choosing the packaging for my lip balms

Oh and last but not least i decided to get back on track and start eating healthily again. I weighed myself for the first time in months and i seriously wish i had not. Ignorance is bliss
Hope you are all having a good week xx

Where has Mirror Mirror On The Wall Gone?

Hi Ladies, this is just a quick blog post to let you know that the lovely Sherrie Of Mirror Mirror On The Wall has changed over to Word Press and as a result her blog (Now renamed Beauty in the Mirror) is not showing up on your timelines.

So i know like me, you wont want to miss out on any of her fab posts so just nip over to her new website Beauty in the Mirror which looks amazing, where she tells you how to get her back on your timeline which only takes a minute to do :)

Sherrie is one of my all time favourite bloggers so if you didn't already follower her blog then now is your chance.
xx

Korres FOTD !

Hi there ladies, i hope you are all enjoying the weekend.

I wanted to show you some of the Korres makeup that i was sent to review so i opted for a Full on red lip with a sweeping of silver grey shadow and big lashes to finish the look.

Korres Sunflower & Evening Primrose Eyeshadow shade 51 & Liquid Lipstick in Red 56

 Red 56 liquid lipstick Swatch

The liquid lipstick is a real stand out product for me. The colour is so rich and deep and the texture feels so silky, it literally glides onto the lips leaving a gorgeous glossy finish. It's a beautiful deep real red shade that i simply love.

Korres Eyeshadow RRP £12

Korres Liquid Lipstick RRP £15

Both available from Bath & unwind online here

I have a few more products to show you from korres including foundation, blusher and mascara so keep an eye open for that. Have a lovely weekend xx