Monthly Favourites | May

I've been neglecting this blog, it's true but if nothing else I want to try to always get a monthly favourites post up!
So here is Mays -

I'll start with a few beauty products because I have found, compared to food, this is a much harder area to navigate as a vegan!

Noughty hair products:

Anyone that has tried to purchase 100% vegan hair products will know it can be tricky and expensive... especially if you are looking for it to be specifically aimed at curly/dry hair! I did A LOT of research and compared many companies with price, reviews on quality and also availability without paying extortionate postage!
That's when I saw an advert on Facebook for Noughty. It was a curl creme that was 97% natural and 100% vegan.... this was certainly worth a little look. When I checked the prices I was pleasantly surprised as they average £6.99 a bottle (that's for the cremes, shampoos, conditioners and rescue remedies) which compared to other companies was much cheaper!

I ordered some as the postage also was also very reasonable - I have tried the shampoo, the curl creme and leave in conditioner .... and have since bought the normal wash out conditioner....

My hair feels soft, nourished and it has allowed me to leave my hair to dry naturally without ending up looking like Einstein! They do have products aimed at other hair types as well so it isn't limited to curly ladies!



Say Yes To Cotton micellar water:

Time for me to confess to you .... up until recently I was a person that used make up wipes...
Yes I know how terrible that is for the environment and it's awful that it has taken me so long to find an alternative BUT I now have!
I bought this from Holland and Barratt and it is 95% natural and again 100% vegan. The best part though is that it can be used with a sponge or washcloth instead of disposable tissues! I also find that it is good for sensitive skin and not harsh at all!




Alpro Caffe:

Possibly my best discovery this month is this delicious iced coffee from Alpro, it's hazelnut and coffee so tastes a little like ferrero rocher!
If you're not keen on hazelnut they also have a salted caramel option which is just as yummy! Pour it over some ice and you'll be sorted for the rest of summer minus the Costa or Starbucks price tag!!






Nakd blueberry muffin bars:

Considering there's only a small number of ingredients in these little bars they taste EXACTLY like blueberry muffins but are a hella lot healthier! Win!

Nakd have a huge number of bars that I'm sure will suit every taste so go to your local supermarket and peruse the options available!




Wagamamas Vegatsu curry:
Anyone that has spent any time with me will know my undying love for Wagamamas, who do already have an amazing number of vegan dishes.
However they have recently out done themselves! Before becoming vegan I adored the chicken katsu curry and have really missed being able to order it ... NO MORE!
There is now a vegan alternative that uses seitan but still has the same stunning, crispy, golden coating and mildly spicy curry sauce.

Even meat eaters could enjoy this one! I  think I have found my new favourite dish.

Monthly Favourites | March.

March was a crazy busy month so it's been hard to dedicate as much time to the blog as I would like, however I can still share some of the things that have been my favourite through the month!
There are, as usual, specifically vegan products - however there are also a couple more personal things on the list that although they don't quite fit into my vegan theme I still feel I want to share them!

In March I managed to finish my normal toothpaste and decided to try something different .... and 100% vegan! I was worried that as it isn't mint flavoured I'd struggle to get on with it but it's a subtle and rather tasty flavour! This is a toothpaste aimed at sensitive teeth which I have suffered with in the past, I can honestly say this is the only toothpaste I have notice actually making a difference! My teeth are noticably less sensitive, I don't find myself preparing before sipping cold water or eating ice cream now! I bought mine from Holland and Barratt.

For the first time I'm including a book in my monthly favourites because I was in quite a reading slump that has finally ended thanks to this fabulous read. Anyone that enjoys YA, magical, fantasy novels will adore Poison Study as much as I did so I urge you to pick it up.
Health warning though that this is the first in a trilogy so you might end up needing to purchase more because the writing is beautiful, the story is incredible and I JUST NEED ALL THE BOOKS NOW PLEASE.

This month also led me to getting my third tattoo, all my tattoos have been done at the same parlour and two by the same artist. When it comes to getting something permanently put on your body it's vital you do research and are comfortable with the shop you get it done in .... and then stick with it if you get more!
Let me introduce you to Alfonso. When I was in my first year of university my housemate, in a fit of boredom, doodled on my feet... yeah that's kind of uni in a nutshell. One of the doodles was a little giraffe and at the time I thought it would make a cute tattoo, fast forward almost 8 years and I got the real thing! It is now a reminder of not only my housemates but all my friends that support me, raise me up and help me to stand tall. He's also pretty cute.
If you're ever looking to get some ink and are in Bath go to Northgate Tattoo (formerly Broadstreet Studios) they are professional, friendly and so talented it makes me a little sick.

I couldn't write a favourites post without including some food! This month I discovered Smooze ice lollies from Sainsburys. They are coconut and mango flavour which means they taste like frozen mango smoothie and are perfect on a hot sunny day .... which we had one of in the UK before it got cold again....
Even if the nice weather doesn't stick around these are a worthwhile staple for the freezer when you fancy something fresh, healthy and sweet.

Monthly Favourites | February.

A little late with this post which I apologise for.... work has been a little crazy lately. However I have managed to get sat down at my keyboard and am ready to this months bunch of favourites (this month really meaning last month!)

Firstly (as per usual) is a food item. I have always loved onion ring crisps, yes they stink and you'll be burping onion flavour for weeks afterwards but they are just SO good and I was very sad to loose them when becoming vegan.
Normally the ingredients (like a lot of crisps) contain milk powder ..... UNTIL NOW! Thanks to Sainsburys new and improved formula there's no longer any animal products involved and they're completely vegan, HALLELOO!

The second food item I've been obsessed with this month are Sainsbury's Meatless Meatballs ..... or as I like to call them Balls.
Some people are very skeptical of fake meats (rightly so in some cases) but these are soft, moist, filling and taste suspiciously like stuffing, which in my opinion is no bad thing!
If you are looking for an easy and healthy vegan alternative I can't recommend these enough, they were also omnivore improved.

I wanted to share this next item with you because I could not believe just how incredible it was!
Now a thermos might not seem like the most exciting product, but anyone that enjoys a hot beverage on the go knows the struggle of keeping it at a temperature that doesn't make you cringe when you finally get around to drinking it.
Look no further than the Bestek flask, it isn't too pricey and kept my coffee warm for at least 4 hours and it was still tepid 6 hours after I made it!
I found mine on Amazon  for £7.99!

My final and possibly number one favourite for this month is actually a new online coaching programme I have signed up to. I technically joined in January but wanted to try it for a few weeks before rating and sharing it.
The idea is to sign up to the website to get access to hundreds of at home workout programmes which are of different lengths and intensities (they also come with meal plans if you want to fully commit). This doesn't sound like anything new but what makes this one special is the accountability groups you can join to help you stay motivated. You find a coach (I came across mine on Instagram) and they will set you up in a group using the app which allows you to update the workouts you do and communicate with other people on the journey.... the daily notifications to remind you to workout are also pretty encouraging!
I've always struggled to keep up with my fitness, I'm lazy, busy and hate gyms, but this option takes all of that out of the equation - the workouts are 30 minutes on average and can be done anywhere!!
If you are interested please go and speak to Jen because she is wonderful and can talk you through everything you need to do.
Granted I am not a fan of the name Beachbody on Demand - if you have a body then it's a beach body regardless of shape or size - but the actual product is fantastic!

Monthly Favourites | January.

Each month I want to share some new products that I discover and love, from beauty products to books. Fashion to electrical. And of course, most importantly .... food.
Read on, but be prepared to want to go out and by ALL THE THINGS.

January can be a bit of a rubbish month, Christmas has gone, the weather is gloomy and we all have to pop our holiday bubble and start back at work. So I think it's the perfect time to treat yourself to a little something!



Lets begin with beauty:
I found this conditioner in Tesco and for someone that has very dry hair it was a miracle! You don't need to use much (which is perfect for me as I normally use what seems like half a bottle each time!), it smells glorious and leaves my hair super soft!
It's not tested on animals and is made from ethically sourced products.



Secondly is yet another beauty product ... sort of. It's deodorant! Now stay with me on this. This deodorant is literally one ingredient and that's it. It's also completely vegan and cruelty free so can't be bad right?

It's called Perspi-Rock and I purchased mine from Amazon for £4.50 (it's now reduced) which for a specialist product I thought was reasonable.


Next onto food!! Yes the bit everyone really wants to get to - I have two delicious new finds to share with you this month.

Number one is a chocolate and no word of a lie it reminds me a lot of Ferrero Rocher. Sadly it's a brand that isn't sold in major super markets in the UK but can be found at health food shops like Holland and Barratt.
I also noticed the package says "mini" I am so, so hopeful that there is a massive version available for purchase. If anyone is aware of this please let me know!




The final food piece for this month is "Deli Slices" from Tofurkey - I've never tried anything by this brand before as it's American so like the chocolate it's not easy to find here but Holland and Barratt came to my rescue again!
I try to avoid too much heavily processed, snack food but this spoke to me and I had to try it and it was AMAZING. It reminds me of the cheap turkey ham you can get but healthier and without any chewy bits. Win!



And to complete this monthly wrap up I need to mention a film that genuinely affected me more than I anticipated, destroyed my soul, made me weep uncontrollably and, well you just need to see this film! Coco, the new Disney film is so freaking beautiful!

 

Photo from http://disney.co.uk/

 

The songs, the story, the characters and the animation are enough to warm the coldest of hearts.... but then it is a Disney film.....
If you haven't seen this film I can't urge you strongly enough to go, just make sure you bring a tissue.... or 80.

There you have it, January in a nutshell. As always please let me know what you think of the posts so I know what sort of things are popular!

x