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Have you tried Booja Booja ice cream? It’s heaven in a tub, actual divine deliciousness on your tastebuds, but, it’s £6 a tub. Six freaking quid and it’s never on offer, I should know because I check all the time, and now we’ve moved 20 miles away from a Waitrose it’s probably a thing of the past… no, I’m not weeping, YOU are.

So anyway, the ingredients list of Booja Booja chocolate ice cream is pretty simple; water, cashews, agave nectar and cacao powder. Easy to replicate, right? So off I went to buy some agave nectar to make my own. I don’t own an ice cream maker (yet, it’s definitely on the list now) but if you do, yay for you because tastebud heaven is right around the corner. If not, prepare yourself for many treks to the freezer to stir, but I promise, it’s worth it, because GUYS, guys, guys! this. is. it.

Ingredients.

A blender
3/4 cup cashews, soaked for 3 hours
1 cup water
1 cup ice
3 tbsp cacao powder
3-4 tbsp agave nectar

Method

Soak your cashews in water for a minimum of 3 hours and a maximum of 6 hours (so that they don’t go slimy).
Then drain and pour your softened cashew nuts into a blender with 1 cup of water and blend for 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth milk. Then add the ice, cacao and agave nectar and blend again, taste and adjust the sweetness or chocolate taste to your liking before pouring into your ice cream maker or a suitable bowl for the freezer!
Then it’s just a case of following your ice cream makers’ instructions or stirring up your ice cream in the freezer every 20 minutes or so until almost completely frozen to break up the ice crystals, the texture without an ice cream maker won’t be quite as smooth as Booja Booja, but the taste is there. That agave nectar is the secret ingredient and the taste is spot on when compared to BB, so make sure you have it.

All in all, buying the cashews is about £2.50 for a bag, £2.50 for the agave and £5 for a big bag of cacao powder. Roughly it works out to be about £1 for the cashews, 50p for the agave and 20p for the cacao per batch. That’s £1.70 for around 400ml of deliciousness, you’re welcome. *sassy emoji*

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John Masters just gets me, y’know?

My scalp is always playing up and just when I think I’ve gotten it under control with a great product, it starts flaring up again. When I got my hair bleached a couple of months back I specifically went for a look that was an ombre sort of style (I don’t have a clue what I’m talking about with hair styles so please bare with), so that the bleach wouldn’t touch my scalp. I would LOVE to bleach my hair all over and dye it purple, but alas, I know the weeks after with a seriously irritated scalp would make me cry. Just the process of having to have my hair bleached and then coloured, brushed, pulled at, blow dried and washed several times in about 5 hours left me with a really, really sore scalp for days afterwards.

About a month after having my hair done I decided to order some John Masters products for some scalp TLC. I’ve used the ‘Bare’ Shampoo in the past and loved it, but decided to specifically go for the scalp care shampoo this time to see if something more targeted would help. I also picked up a hair rinse and smaller sizes of conditioner and a scalp treatment to trial before committing to a full size. It’s been just under 3 months now, and having nearly used everything up I thought a review was in order!

Organic Spearmint & Meadowsweet Scalp Stimulating Shampoo (£19)
I was dubious how long this 230ml bottle would last, but 3 months with 2 people using it is pretty good going, right? There’s even about an inch left to go yet. This minty fresh shampoo leaves my hair feeling clean without being too squeaky. It contains a host of astringent, anti-inflammatory, soothing and strengthening ingredients. My hair feels soft, shiny and still in great condition after being abused. My scalp is still a little flaky but it has improved a lot, and hasn’t been itchy or sore since introducing this bunch of products.

Lavender & Avocado Intensive Conditioner (Mini £8)
Nobody ever finishes their conditioner at the same time as their shampoo, surely? So im glad for this mini size, as I might just run out at the same time as the shampoo.
This is one of those conditioners that has an immediate effect on the hair, as soon as you apply it your hair turns silky soft and detangles immediatly, and the effects continue after you rinse it out too. The ends of my hair have felt so soft and conditioned since using this, it’s really, really good, guys. I was going to repurchase as I thought it was vegan after reading the ingredients on the Love Lula website, but they seem to be wrong as my bottle and everywhere else lists honey as an ingredient. Beauty products are the one thing I keep forgetting about and slipping up on in this whole new vegan world!

Herbal Cider Hair Rinse Clarifier (£17)
An every-other-wash sort of deal, I was sold when I read that this helps restore the PH of the scalp. It cleans away buildup and environmental residue, including lime from hard water, leaving hair super shiny, with apple cider vinegar, lemon oil, flower and herbal extracts.

• apple cider vinegar – removes sebum and product buildup on hair shaft
• lemon oil – alleviates oily scalp; antioxidant; antibacterial; antiseptic
• nettle – makes hair shiny and thick
• rosemary – stimulates hair growth; adds volume and shine

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In celebration of V-Day I thought I would write a quick roundup of all the red lip colours in my collection. I was actually supposed to write this up yesterday but I started reading a new book and it completely consumed my day, in fact I read the whole thing. It was Night Owls by Jenn Bennett if you’re wondering, a cute young adult romance type of thing. It sucked me in because the protagonist is an artist and I could totally *relate*, to that part, at least. It wasn’t moving or revolutionary, but it made me smile and was a good read. Similar in style to Rainbow Rowell & John Green. ANYWAY, back to makeup.

I didn’t realise I had 6 red lip colours in my collection, but there you go. I don’t wear them often but when I do I have a few particular faves that I reach for.

1. RMS Sacred Lip Shine. (Working from top to bottom in the image.) I love the formula of the lip shines from RMS, super glossy, moisturising and bright, but not, however, the longest lasting. This colour is a bright poppy, pinky red and easy to apply in a rush, no effort required.

2. Kjaer Weis Lovers Choice. I think this might be my new favourite of the bunch. I wore it on date night to go and see Deadpool and I was totally digging the colour, it kinda matched Deadpool’s suit too. It’s described as a warm, rich red that’s inspired by the velvety petals of a red rose and I think that fits. It’s dramatic and beautiful all at once.

3. Gressa Aux Rouge. I have only worn this about twice in the year I’ve had it because it’s so difficult to apply. The formula is hard and waxy so it’s tricky to use a brush with and applying it with fingers is messy as you have to really warm it up. It might be the most pigmented of the bunch and it’s a stunning, true red but I just don’t like the formula.

4. The Organic Pharmacy Organic Glam Red. This is a similar shade to Lovers Choice but a little more burgundy. It’s easier to apply since it’s in a tube, and has a nice finish but it’s a tad too dark for me.

5. RMS Lip2Cheek Beloved. This is one of my faves too, though I did forget about it for awhile so it’s a bit dried up now. I love the bright true red, it actually works really well on the cheeks too for a pretty flush. The formula is long lasting and it can be worn sheer or built up for a full on red lip.

6. ILIA Lip Conditioner Arabian Knights. Now this little gem used to be my favourite, but it’s so, so old now that I don’t want to use it, there’s only a little bit left though so I don’t feel like I wasted it. I have mentioned this a hell of a lot on the blog in the past, I really adore the lip conditioner formula from ILIA and really recommend you pick a colour to try asap, you won’t regret it! Arabian Knights is a sheer berry red, it’s more berry than red to be fair but I had to include it 😉

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Banana Bread? Yes, love it. Superfoods? Yep! Love them too. Combining them to create some deliciously healthy cake? Count me in.

The lovely folks over at VITL recently sent me a cute parcel to celebrate the launch of their newest product; VITL Greens, handy sachets of superfoods and nutrients to boost your inner health. What makes them more unique, however, is that these sachets actually taste good. Like, really, really good. Sweet, vanilla-ry, fruity and with no green aftertaste. I’d have no problems adding these to plain water or porridge instead of trying to conceal the taste in a smoothie, though I did actually add mine to smoothies because they improved the taste so much! ha.

Each 6g sachet is made up of 19 super ingredients. It’s protein rich, contains greens to alkalise and contains a host of minerals and vitamins. I haven’t taken a superfood blend like VITL Greens before, preferring to stick to just one or two powders (I like maca and wheatgrass) in my smoothies. I’m wary of how beneficial these ingredients could really be when you are consuming just 6g (about a heaped teaspoon) at a time of so many ingredients. There must only be micro amounts of the ingredients listed at the bottom of the ingredients list. Are they really beneficial?

Then again, there are studies that show we don’t get enough trace minerals these days thanks to gmo crops, pesticides, processed foods and the depletion of natural minerals in our soil, so I see how having a handy nutritional boost like this every day can really help keep everything ticking over nicely. It may only be a subtle change, like not waking up feeling so sluggish or realising you haven’t had a headache in awhile, but hey those are good things and signs your body is working just great. There certainly isn’t anything bad for you in these sachets so even if you are only consuming tiny amounts of the good stuff, at least you’re getting something. What do you think?

Ingredients: Organic Whole Spirulina, Flaxseed, Maca Root, Coconut Sugar, Date Fruit, Organic Wheatgrass, Barley Grass, Organic Broken Cell Wall Chlorella, Dried Goji Berry, Natural Vanilla Flavouring , Strawberry, Blueberry, Kale Leaf, Broccoli, Florets and Stalk, Seagreens® Arctic Seaweed, Beetroot Juice, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Turmeric Root Powder, Corn Maltodextrin

Now onto a lovely recipe. My parcel from VITL contained the ingredients needed to make their Supergreens Protein Banana Bread and I couldn’t wait to get baking. I decided to make mine as mini muffins though, as I’ve never had good luck when baking anything in a loaf tin.

Ingredients:

• 100g Ground almonds
• 50g Hemp protein
• 50g Ground oats
• 1tsp Cinnamon
• 4 Sachets VITL Greens
• 1 & 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 4 Eggs
• 3 Ripe Bananas (mashed)

Method:

Blend together the mashed banana and eggs. Mix all the dry ingredients separately. Then combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Pour into bread tin (or muffin cases!) lined with baking paper and greased with coconut oil. Bake at 180 for 40-45 minutes for bread and 20-25 for muffins until cooked right through. Allow to cool and enjoy!

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At the end of January I began a two-month-long clear skin experiment with Viridian Nutrition. As you will probably know (because I simply never shut up about it) I’ve been battling with quite severe hormonal cystic acne for over a year and a half now. My skin has been a real sore point for me both emotionally and physically and I’ve tried countless methods looking for help to battle the acne beast, from antibiotics and avoiding dairy to holistic methods, juicing and taking every superfood possible.

Someday soon I’m going to sit and write down my full acne journey for you, because I really feel like this spotty chapter of my life is coming to an end now, and I have a lot to share about what has and what hasn’t worked for me. For now though, let’s get back to Viridian!

I’ve been taking the Clear Skin Complex capsules and Clear Skin Omega Oil for over two months now and the results have been amazing. I’ve been taking pictures of my skin for the past year and I really wanted to show a before and after from taking these, but I’m not ready to show them yet (sorry!), they make me cringe so badly because they’re just so awful, and even though I can see the major improvement, my cheeks are peppered in scars from the war zone it’s having to recover from.

I take two Clear Skin Complex capsules every morning with breakfast, these capsules are described as ‘a specially formulated blend of targeted minerals, botanicals and fat-soluble carotenoids in a base of probiotics’.

The capsules contain:

• Probiotics
• Burdock Root
• Gotu Kola
• Lutein
• Natural Beta-Carotene/Carotenoid complex
• Zinc
• Astaxanthin
• Selenium
• Lycopene.

“There are numerous research papers indicating the use of nutrition in skin health and consistent through this research are three factors: Inflammation, Free radical damage and Digestion. Organic Clear Skin Omega Oil provides a reliable source of omegas 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids. Dominant in omega 3, this oil also contains a range of fat-soluble antioxidants including vitamin E and carotenoids plus phytosterols and flavonoids.”

The oil contains:

• Organic Golden Flaxseed Oil 79%
• Organic Perilla Seed Oil 7%
• Organic Avocado Oil 4%
• Organic Pumpkin Seed Oil 3%
• Organic Argan Oil 2%
• Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil 1%
• Organic Pomegranate Seed Oil 1%
• Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil 0.5%
• Organic Elderberry Seed Oil 0.5%

This oil is beneficial in two major ways, firstly the essential fatty acids improve skin health with hydration and healing leaving it looking calmer, plumper, more hydrated and smoother. The EFA’s also encourage thinning of the sebum in clogged pores, and redness, itchiness and painful acne all responds well to the anti-inflammatory benefits. Omega-3 is also amazing for healthy hair and nail growth.
Secondly, flaxseed oil contains phytoestrogens which help stabilise our estrogen-progesterone ratio that can have beneficial effects on the menstrual cycle and hormonal acne (yes!).

To take this oil I’ve simply been adding 2-3 teaspoons into my smoothies. It adds a slightly nutty/earthy taste but it’s nothing major and I barely notice it now.

So what about results?

By the end of month one my skin was so much softer and calmer, it was smoother and looked brighter. I had a huge cyst on my cheek just as I started taking the supplements which was just starting to heal and has left a quite a large, deep scar but other than that I noticed nothing but steady improvement, especially on my perioral dermatitis and the overall texture of my skin.

By month two things were really starting to look up. I haven’t had any cystic acne since month two. That time of the month has just been, which is usually the worst and when I get my worst cysts, but this month I experienced only one spot on my chin and what felt like a tiny cyst on my cheek that never came to be anything and disappeared after a couple of days without leaving any red mark!!
My boyfriend even commented on how much better my skin is looking lately, so the changes must be noticeable and not just in my head 😉

My scars are finally healing without new additions every month and my left cheek which is the better less heavily scarred cheek almost look normal these days. I’m still working on the texture and indentations left behind which will take much, much longer to correct but it’s progress. My skin is nowhere near perfect, I still have little spots popping up here and there and quite oily skin but hey, rome wasn’t built in a day.
I’m now starting month 3 and I’m hoping by month 4 I can start taking just one capsule a day to make it more economical and just maintain the benefits, as well as purchasing Viridians’ Organic Flaxseed oil instead which is cheaper than the Omega Oil.

Do you take any supplements for your skin? if so which?

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