Detox for your hair in four easy steps - guest blogger Samples Queen

Guest blogger, Eli from Samples Queen

I’m crap at styling my hair but great at finding hair products that will do half the job for me. Dry, frizzy and bristle hair is normally what I had to work with but not anymore since I discovered few hair care products that completely changed my hair game.

Laura Mercier under eye concealer: review

I first discovered Laura Mercier beauty products and how much I loved them in the run up to my wedding a couple of years ago. I was on the look out for a tinted moisturiser that would give me a gorgeous glow on the big day and I stumbled on their illuminating shimmer tinted moisturiser (see the blog review here). 

coverage in a pot! 

Another one of their products I have to have is their "secret concealer" for the under eye area, for me it is shade 03, but they do 12 shades, so there is a shade for everyone.

"No clog allowed" super self-heating deep pore detox mask

I have used a lot of face masks in my time and this has to be one of the best I have used! It is in the mid range of pricing (about £11.50) and well worth it. 

On a damp face, rub in the facemask and you can feel it heating up - it feels lovely and it might be psychological but this makes it feel like it's really working! 

Spiced and sweet pumpkin bread (with cream cheese vanilla frosting)

Not only was this recipe delicious, it was also pretty easy to make and isn’t actually as calorific as it sounds!

This is a great recipe as we approach the autumn months and need a little comfort food but one that isn’t going to completely ruin the diet. I have gone for a little indulgence here and added a rich cream cheese frosting but you could skip this and stick with the bread as the star of the show – I reckon toasting a slice, pared with a slither of butter or dollop of honey, would make for a great breakfast.

Fall make up beauty update - guest blogger Samples Queen

Guest blogger, Eli from Samples Queen

Fashion and beauty trends are great source of inspiration but when it comes to real life, well most of them are quite impractical. 

Flipping through fashion magazines I could not help myself but notice the overwhelming and prominent feature of burgundy and deep red colors. 

Tips on how to incorporate the new shades of color vary from adding something small like a burgundy lip, or going for things that are a bit more extreme like head to toe fashion look. 

Willing to try something new and “appear” more fashion forward I started my quest for something burgundy. On my recent trip to the drugstore I picked up a few season appropriate lipsticks and eye shadows that I thought will help me transition into the new fashion season.

Why working on happiness is like working at your job

When it comes to our work, we know that there are times when it’s going to be tough. As they say (and I truly believe) anything worth having doesn’t comes easy. We know there’ll be ups and downs, but most importantly we know that success comes through determination and working at it. It takes sweat. 

Well I believe that happiness is a lot like aiming towards success at work. It takes mindful effort!

Sometimes hard work, and a lot of mindfulness and conscious.

picture from http://picsportray.com/30-cool-quote-about-happiness/

A delicious and healthy cumin and tahini dressing

This is a short and sweet blog post today but I had to share with you my new favourite dressing! On fish, chicken, vegetable dishes and salads, this dressing is going on everything!!! 

It's simple to make and you can make a batch to last you the week so you always have a tasty dressing at hand. I get it, salad doesn't always get the tastebuds going. I have done it myself - made a huge nutritious salad but not had the appetite for it as it was just so bland!!! 

Eyelash extensions… are they worth it???

With two short European breaks coming up in the space of two weeks, I thought it was the perfect time to try eye lash extensions. False eye lashes are not new territory for me, I pretty much wear them every day. But never had proper extensions.

I like the idea of waking up on holiday having to make minimal fuss to my face before a days sightseeing or chilling in the sun, especially when I’m with the boy who’s quick getting ready time means I can feel his waiting presence with every minute longer I take faffing around with beauty contraptions he doesn’t understand are necessities.

Rome (part 2) - Eating out, where to stay and getting around

Italy is famous for a lot of things - football, the Roman Empire, looking like a boot - but one of their greatest feats has to be their food right?!

So of course, a good proportion of our time in Rome was spent eating! We did do the cultural things too, promise, so for things to see and do in Rome, see part one here. 

Eating out

Here are some of my suggestions where we were eating and drinking...

Vacanze Romane, Piazza Navona
We ate here on the first night, opting for the calamari (a holiday standard for me) and pizza. The food was good, the rose not over sweet and the atmosphere was bubbly, probably helped by the waiter who went around signing and dancing to the music being played by the buskers in the square. This was quite a pricey place thanks to its prime tourist spot.

"Carrot cake" protein balls - raw, vegan and 100% natural

For those of you that follow me on instagram, you might have seen me post a few pictures of my favourite protein ball recipes. This one tastes like carrot cake and is one of my favourites so far!

my new favourite protein balls 

They require no baking and is a simple "bung in a food processor and mix together" recipes so score a "0" on the fuss scale. A tasty blend of protein, nuts, spices and of course, carrots, these protein balls are delicious, moist and fruity. 

naked, before they've been rolled in the coconut