Chocolate, Chia and Almond Cakes

These chocolate, chia and almond cakes are gluten free, lactose free and low FODMAP. They are also so delicious and easy to make!
 

I found this recipe online which used walnuts, but I altered it to almonds, along with adjusting a few other ingredients to make these yummy treats! My mother is gluten intolerant and also has to follow a low FODMAP diet so finding things simple that I can bake for us to eat all together is tricky. BUT I FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING, AND IT'S SO GOOD!

 

 

 

*some of these steps don't look very appetising, but I promise it turns out very well*

Rimmel London Make Up Review

The other day I went shopping and felt like treating myself to some new makeup products! Some I've been using for a while now, some are new for me.

I went into Boots to intentionally purchase 3 of these products, the fourth was just an extra for me. All of the products are Rimmel London (which was unintentional). Guess that says something about Rimmel London products already.

The products in this review include: Match Perfection Foundation, Fix & Perfect Pro Primer, Stay Matte Powder and Wake Me Up Concealer.

 



REVIEW: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

Lately, I have seen loads of blog posts reviewing Garnier's new Micellar Cleansing Water and the ones I've read have all been positive. So I thought I'd jump on the band wagon and see what all the fuss was about.

My first point will be that when it comes to cleansers, toners, moisturisers, anything with a lot of chemicals in, my skin can become very sensitive. That's one thing that drew me to try this product. It states on the bottle it is suitable for sensitive skin which is ideal for me.

I went into Boots the other day to look for it, only to find the 'normal' sized bottles had sold out! Fortunately, there were a few mini format bottles left (125ml for £1.99) so I picked one up. I guess this was ideal really just for a tester as I wasn't sure if it would work for me.

To use this product, I just apply a few drops to a cotton pad and rub it on my face where I want to cleanse. I have been using it at night to remove my make up and sometimes in the morning if I don't use my cleansing scrub.

Clothing Haul!

I love the changing of seasons as it gives me an excuse to buy new clothes (not that an excuse is needed). Yesterday, me and my boyfriend decided to take an afternoon off revision and coursework and go on a little shopping trip. We were only shopping for about 3 hours but I did pretty well in that time.

I'm going to share my clothing items that I purchased, and I will be writing another blog post within the week of the beauty products I bought. This way I have a few days to try them out and let you guys know what I think when I share them (so keep a look out for that).

Firstly, one of my main aims on the shopping trip was to buy some new Topshop Joni jeans. I bought a pair of light blue ones last spring and practically lived in them! However, the elasticity started to go in them so they have lost a lot of the shape that I love. When we went into Topshop yesterday, I couldn't find any that were as pale blue as the ones I previous had, so instead I bought them in black for £36 (well £32.40 with student discount). I love the Joni jeans, the fit is lovely and they are so comfortable. For those of you who are unfamiliar with them, they are simply super high waist skinny jeans and are super soft.

Peanut Butter and Banana Smoothie

A smoothie is a great way to start the day, or to consume between meals. This peanut butter and banana smoothie is filling, contains much needed antioxidants and one of your five a day.

I love tasting different flavours of food and drink, and in the past I've loved buying innocent smoothies or something alike. However, this was until I realised how much sugar is packed into them! Making your own smoothies is a great way to know exactly what you're putting into your body.

 

For this smoothie, you will need:

 

 

 

- 1 Banana (chopped)

- 2tbsp Reduced Fat Peanut Butter

- 2tbsp Desiccated Coconut

- 1tbsp Flax, Sunflower, Pumpkin, Seasame Seeds and Goji Berries Mix (alternatives: any of the listed seeds on their own, Chia Seeds or something similar)

- 500ml Unsweetened Almond Milk

- 1tbsp Golden Syrup (optional for a sweeter taste)

Motivational Monday - Fitness

Summer is coming and the hype of getting that beach body has begun! I am one of those really knuckling down on my diet and most of all, exercise.

I want to share my top tips for doing and sticking to running schedules:

- Firstly, attire. Make sure you have an outfit that you are comfortable in and that you love being in. I recently bought a new running top and trainers as I now run more, therefore wanted a longer top and nicer looking trainers (I like to look good even when exercising). I actually bought these from Primark and to make the trainers more comfortable I put memory foam shoe inserts in which help loads. I thought this top was hilarious too considering I'll be running and looking terrible :P

- Secondly, support. Personally, I have quite bad leg joints (hips, knees and ankles) but when I'm running my ankles hurt from time to time. To help this I use ankle supports as I wont let a small joint pain stop me.

Beauty on a Budget

When I'm having a casual day I don't like to go overboard with my make up or waste my more expensive make up so I like to keep it simple with my key budget make up items.

I like to use simple, inexpensive products on my more casual days and save my best items for events or certain occasions. I've tried many high street brands and thought I'd share my current extras that I use over my base; lip liner, lipstick, eyebrow pencil and mascaras.

These products are great and so cheap too.

Journalism Ball Outfit

Last night I had my final ever University ball with my course. It was held at the Angel Hotel in Cardiff, which was such a beautiful location for it.

I had a great time spending it with all my friends, and the event was put on so well. The venue was stunning and the whole evening was amazing.

For this occasion, it was formal wear therefore I wanted a dress that looked just right for this. There were a variety of gorgeous dresses on show last night, everything from short, midi and maxi, all different styles and colours too.

3 Products I'm Loving Right Now!

A lot of girls try out so many products in their lifetime, whether they're recommended or just stand out on the shop shelf. I'm the same. I've tried loads and because of this, my favourite products change all the time. 

These products I'm sharing today are 3 that I use every day and really like right now! They are too good not to share.

Little Black Dress

Tuesday night me and some of the girls went out in Cardiff to celebrate my friend's 21st birthday. We went to Revolution (Revs), which tends to be smart/casual dress.

When I go to Revs, I like to style an outfit to go with a pair of heels. Tuesday night was the same. I have a pair of black block heels which I wear a lot, so wanted an outfit to go with my pink heels - ones I haven't worn out in ages! They are quite a bright pink, so I didn't want an outfit that would distract too much or overpower my look.

After scanning through my wardrobe I thought it would be nice to have a plain-ish outfit with the shoes being used for a pop of colour.

Spring Fashion Haul

My wardrobe always varies from season to season, like many others. So with the weather brightening and Spring on the horizon I felt it was time to add a few Spring items to my wardrobe :)

Yesterday my friend visited me in Cardiff and we went for a well-needed shopping trip. These were my purchases:

Perfect Perfumes For Different Occasions

For any occasion, any time of day, it is always nice to smell great! The trick is to use the right perfumes for the right occasions.

 

I would like to share my 3 favourite perfumes for 3 different occasions: Casual, Smart-casual and Smart.

Skincare Sunday

My skincare routine alters a lot. I like to try new products all the time and see what works best for my skin. However, like most girls, I do have my essentials that I cannot live without!

Skin type:

Face - Slightly Oily
Body - Sensitive

Firstly, I will mention my face products. In my early teens my face used to be prone to spots. I never knew what to do about them, I'd cleanse, tone, use different spot creams but they were a nightmare. I kept on with my daily skincare routine and accepted it was something that just happened at that age with all the bodily changes. Now if I get them there is no excuse. They are embarrassing, annoying and ugly - I hate them! However, a few months ago I found a spot cream that works absolute miracles.

My Shangri-La Outfit

On Wednesday night (25th Feb) me and some friends went to Shangri-La at Glam, Cardiff. Shangri-La, in their own words, is Cardiff and Liverpool's finest student night hosting only the best house DJs.

This one was host to Secondcity, best-known for 'I Wanna Feel', along with other DJs. They gave us all an amazing night of brilliant house music along with such a great atmosphere! I thoroughly enjoyed it.

For this post, I would like to share my chosen outfit for this event. During the day (Wed), me and the girls I went with popped to town. I took this as an opportunity to pick up some new pieces for the night. It's such a nice feeling getting ready for a night out and putting on brand new clothes:

 

 

Firstly, I decided that because it was a house night and girls don't tend to wear heels, that I'd dress in more of a nice, casual (ish) style. I knew I wanted to wear my converse so my outfit was designed around them really.

Outfit of the Day

There is a famous quote by Coco Chanel that I love (pictured). When I'm not in the mood to make an effort, I remember this quote and it makes me think, you could meet anyone, anywhere and at anytime and you might just want to look great. There are always reasons to make an effort <3
 

 

Be it smart or casual, daytime or evening, everyone has their own style that looks nice and suits them.

How To: Nandos Chicken Wraps

For those of you who love Nandos, but cannot justify eating there often, I have the solution.

Nandos flavoured chicken wraps!

I am a lover of good food and enjoy cooking so when I learn something new that works, I like to share it. Me and my boyfriend love Nandos, but being students on a budget, we don't go too often.

We decided a while ago to try the Nandos sauce range in the supermarkets and, although it isn't the same when we cook with them, it still always tastes great.
The other day my boyfriend wanted to try wraps to see if he'd like them, and what better to try them with than chicken marinated in Nandos sauce! The wraps turned out to be so delicious, and even he - the fussiest eater ever - enjoyed them and we've had them again since. Result!

Here are the steps to take to create these easy but yummy wraps for yourself:

1) Chop a chicken breast into small chunks or strips and marinade in your flavour choice of Nandos marinades (we use medium). Cover with cling film and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours. It may be best to chop and marinade your chicken the night before and leave in the fridge overnight until ready to use the next day.

Valentine's Day: The Glee Comedy Club, Cardiff

[apologies for the bad quality images, the glee club lighting is awful for taking photos]

Me and my boyfriend have been together for 5 years now and we usually do the stereotypical Valentine's Day activities - Cinema, Restaurant, Home-cooked meal. This year, for our 6th Valentine's Day we wanted to change it up and try something new.

We are living together in Cardiff so started looking at what's on in and around the area on the 14th. Something that we thought about was The Glee Comedy Club, Cardiff.

We had never been before but both of us love comedy, and we both also love eating out. The Glee Club offered food and entertainment under one roof so we thought it would be a perfect way to spend Valentine's evening; and it was!

When we arrived the queue was out the door, but I heard one man say he'd never seen it so busy so I assumed from this that it is usually straight up the stairs and into the venue.

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Quick and Easy Hair Style

When getting ready for a night out, my hair usually takes ages. I like to curl my hair to give it more volume and bounce as it is quite thin and hard to get a full effect.

 Last night, I went on a casual night out and didn't want to be getting ready for ages. Instead of my usual routine for curling, I decided I would go for a beachy wave effect. It is quick, easy and looks nice for a casual night or even for the day.

To get this same effect, here

Time to Unwind

Every girl needs her down time, especially after a long or busy day. Here are a few tips for the perfect way to chill out and completely unwind.

Being in my final year of university, I know how it feels to be constantly stressed and feeling like the work load is never ending! Also, the stress of worrying what I'll be doing when I've finally graduated haunts me on a daily basis at the moment.
So after a hectic day I love to carry out my little routine to wind down, clear my mind and just have time to myself.

The first thing I like to do is light my candles. I absolutely love scented candles, and over time I've found that
many of them smell lovely in the shop but as soon as they're lit, they don't let off much scent. However, a while ago I was introduced to Yankee candles, and I'm glad I tried them! I know they can be quite pricey for the size, but they smell gorgeous on the shop shelf and continue to smell gorgeous once they are home and lit!

My favourite scent at the moment is

Beauty in Pink

A few of the best pink products Avon has to offer <3

Winter is known for the burgundies, dark blues, browns, and on the odd occasion white like the glistening snow. However, with spring just around the corner I thought I'd share what Avon has to offer in one of the best colours of all - Pink!
 

Pink is such a warm yet brightening colour and we all know most of you girls love a bit of pink.

So here are some options to brighten up your beauty box:


Firstly, I must mention Avon's Gel nail varnishes. They are brilliant! Now, I know as much as the next girl how annoying it is when