McDonalds Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the brand new Katsu Curry Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds 

These McNuggets are a part of their brand new promotional menu that is around via stores, drive thru and delivery, from the 30th December and is available for six weeks only. 

I love Katsu Curry and I love fast food. So, when I saw that the two had combined in the format of McNuggets, I had to try them. I was out running some errands with Luke earlier today and remembered that it was the day of their release, and as a McDonalds location was in our reach, I decided to drag Luke along to try some. 

The texture of these McNuggets were amazing. Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of their original Nuggers because there isn't much of a textural difference and it puts me off a bit. These Katsu ones are different. They contain a spicy Panko coating. When I popped one of these Nuggets into my mouth, a crispy crunch enveloped my mouth making me want to pop another one into my mouth instantly. I loved popping these into my mouth. After the crispness came a wave of succulent Chicken. I'm always a bit dubious of Fast Food based Chicken because it normally ends up being on the dry side. This definitely wasn't the case with these Nuggets. The Chicken was tender and succulent and I loved it. It was such a pleasant surprise!

The taste of these were different. The Panko contained a wonderful blend of spices that danced upon my tastebuds. The spices were warm but not spicy and left me wanting more. I loved these warming spices as they contrasted beautifully against the coolness of the Chicken that lied within. Sadly, I wasn't fully a fan of the Curry Sauce and Nugget combination as the Curry Sauce that was provided had such bold fruity notes, that it, overwhelmed the flavour of the Nuggets themselves. The Sweet and Sour Sauce was a better match for these as it still added a note of fruitiness that you would get within a Katsu Sauce (S&B Katsu sauces contain Apple which gives a fruity roundness to their sauces) but still allowed the palette to grab onto the warming spices. I think that McDonalds should've created a separate Katsu sauce for these Nuggets instead of relying on the Dips that they already have for other products. 

Would I buy these again? Yes I would! I loved the uniqueness of these. I loved the warm notes that were provided by the spices and the Panko coating made me want to go back for more and more. I think that these are a great addition to the McDonalds UK menu, even if they are only available for a short time. 

Have you tried them? Let me know down below! 

Check out McDonalds UK here.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

(This isn't a sponsored post. I just like food a lot and thought I should discuss my opinion on this brand new product to you. I paid for these out of my own money and were not paid for in exchange for a blog post.) 

Five Things I've Loved From The Yorkshire Soap Company This Winter

Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post. With Christmas coming up, even during this peculiar and tiresome year. I thought I would talk to you all about some of the products that I have been loving from one of my favourite places this year. 

Note: This isn't a sponsored post. I just thought it would be good to share some light on a small business that create amazing products and could do with support going into 2021. The guys and staff at The Yorkshire Soap Company are amazing. Check out their products if you can. 

Cola Hand Sanitiser 

Hand Sanitiser may seem a bit of a weird product to give as a gift. However, gifts are great when they are practical and I mean, who doesn't need sanitiser during these tough times? I always love drinking some Cola especially with ice and a slice of Lemon, and I love the fact that my hands can smell of Cola too. I love how this particular Sanitiser stands out against the many that are in the world right now, by having a clip. The reason that I love this, is because, I have a mediocre memory and having this product clipped to me means that I don't have to worry when it comes to trying to remember the location of the sanitiser that I am loving at the moment. 

Gingerbread Person Soap 

I love this because well who doesn't love a good Gingerbread Person? Who knows, they may talk to you about their friend who lives on Drury Lane? Yorkshire Soap have released these for the past couple of years and I have always loved them. Is it really Winter if there isn't something Gingerbread based wafting their scent throughout the house? Soap is something that we all need right now, and honestly, this is one of my most favourite Soaps when it comes to the Winter season to use. This soap contains amazing ingrediens such as, Cinnamon and some other spicy and fresh items. If anyone knows me, then they will know that I adore Cinnamon to the point that I will try and incoporate it in as many entities as possible at this time of year. This soap is amazing as a gift for someone special or yourself. Just remember to not touch the gumdrop buttons! 

Yorkshire Christmas Candle 

Candles and Winter just go together, right? I always love a good Candle during the colder months as it just makes you feel warm. Whether that be warmer on the inside or outside. I always love spicy scented Candles as they just make me feel cosy and comforted. This one is no exception but does have something unique to offer. This Candle contains Cinnamon and Orange. Not only do I love Cinnamon (check above), but I think that Cinnamon and Orange give a sort of spicy freshness that is hard to achieve in fragrances and Candles. Not only that, but Cinnamon and Orange give me a big festive feel as Oranges always remind me of the holiday season! 

Reindeer Poo Bath Bon Bons 

I know that Reindeer Poo doesn't sound like the greatest of names for a product. However, this jar of 'Reindeer Poo' is an amazing product. It contains a mixture of bath bon bons that consist of Chocolate Orange, Parma Violet, and, Musk. Chocolate Orange is always a Winter treat to me, whether that be in the form of a body based product or a food product. This product also comes in a gorgeous glass jar that can be used again and again as something to hold some amazing goodies in the future. I always love a product that can be used for multiple purposes. 

Night Night Sweetheart Perfume 

I know that this may sound abstract, but, I love fresh and fruity scents during Winter. I love how the sharpness of fruit can make you feel awake and ready to do anything whilst still feeling soothed at the same time. I love how Night Night Sweetheart contains Plum which creates this sort of sharp yet soothing feeling. This fragrance lasts for ages which I love because well its great when you can still smell the fragrance at the end of the day. I could just smell this fragrance all day long. 

Have you tried anything from Yorkshire Soap Company? Have you tried any of the products mentioned in this post? 

Check out Yorkshire Soap Company. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Beauty Sleep Face Mask Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I recently got to try some of the new Beauty Sleep mask from Lush, and, I thought that today, I would talk to you all about it. 

List Of Ingredents: 

Lemon Verbena and Valerian Root Extracted in Honey Glycerine Mullein Leaf and Linseed Decoction Kaolin Talc Ground Organic Aduki Beans Orange Blossom Honey Water Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Bentone gel Orange Flower Absolute Neroli Oil Myrrh Resinoid Lavender Oil Benzoin Resinoid Tonka Absolute Ylang Ylang Oil Organic Jojoba Oil Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil Fresh Coconut Illipe butter Organic Avocado Oil Organic Cold Pressed Evening Primrose Oil Evening Primrose Seeds Wheatgerm oil Fresh Lemon Juice Fresh Pineapple Juice Fresh Orange Juice Organic Cold Pressed Grapeseed Oil Water (Aqua) Titanium Dioxide Synthetic Fluorphlogopite Tin Oxide Stearic Acid Triethanolamine Cetearyl Alcohol *Benzyl Benzoate *Benzyl Cinnamate *Cinnamal *Coumarin *Farnesol *Geraniol Hydroxycitronellal *Limonene *Linalool Perfume Colour 17200 Colour 42090.

Directions To Use: 

Run a warm bath, put on some relaxing music and apply this beautiful face mask to clean skin. Sit back and relax. Inhale the neroli and let the valerian and lemon verbena get to work. Once you’re feeling relaxed and ready for bed, rinse away with warm water.

The texture of this mask was a complex one for me. When I grabbed some of this mask out of the tub, it was quite creamy, but when I applied it to my skin it became quite scrubbing and matte. I haven't experienced this much with a Face Mask before, as normally scrubbing/matte based products don't tend to be as creamy as Beauty Sleep was when I applied it. 

When I was washing it off, I adored the tiny scrubbing sensation that I got from removing the Aduki Beans from my face. Due to lactose based spots my skin can have a nasty reaction to abrasive scrubbing so I loved that it wasn't a harsh scrub. I also adored the softness that this product gave my face, due to the dollop of 'Gorgeous' Moisturiser that is in Beauty Sleep. 

The smell of this product, was a peculiar one for me. Even though there is a few citrus based ingredients in this product, Beauty Sleep had an overwhelming smell of Lavender to me. Beauty Sleep smelt like the Lush product 'Twilight' to me. After five minutes of leaving the mask on, the product changed slightly from full on Lavender to me, to a mixture of deep Orange Flower and Lavender to me. I think if the same formula based mask came out with a more Citrus scent that was called something like I Woke Up Like This, then I would absolutely adore that. I'm just not the biggest fan of Lavender. 

Would I buy this again? I'm not sure. I think I'd buy it every once in a while because I love the more softening formula to it. However, if I want a scrub based mask, I would probably stick to the ones that are already a part of my beauty routine. I think that I would use this every so often but its not a mask that, personally, I would instantly go to when I want a pamper. As I said above, if it was more citrus scented I would gravitate to it a bit more. 

What are your thoughts on Beauty Sleep? Let me know down below! 

Check out Lush. 

Check out my last post here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Jammie Dodgers Gooey Apple Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I saw some new Jammie Dodgers, so I thought that I would get some, try them and tell you what I thought about them, so that's what I am doing today. 

Gooey apple flavour filing sandwiched between two shortcake biscuits. - Tesco. 

I have always loved Jammie Dodgers. They were definitely a biscuit that was the centre of my childhood, along with BN's, Blue Ribands, and, Golds. I love the texture of the biscuits. The slightly crisp yet crumbly shortcake biscuit goes well against the smooth filling which slowly melts into a pool of deliciousness on your tongue. I think due to their texture alone, they are one of those biscuit products where you can say that you're only going to have one, and then five minutes later, you've finished the whole packet without even realising what you have done due to the fact that they are sinfully delicious. 

I know what you're thinking... An Apple flavoured biscuit, what a weird product to release into the world! Whilst I hear your worries and questions, the mixture of Apple and buttery Biscuit is not only amazing in this product, but a flavour combination that us Brits, and, probably most people internationally are used to.  We all know this combination via the amazing Apple Pie. When I first bit into this product, my mouth was hit with a beautiful blast of buttery biscuit. Not too rich, but not too oily tasting either. (I've had some biscuits before that taste quite oily). After the blast of biscuit calms down, the amazing avalanche of Apple  hit my tastebuds. After about a minute or so, this Sharp flavour died down and mixed with the background note of sweet bakery products to create an interesting Apple Pie flavour. I adore Apple Pie.

Would I buy these again? Yes, I definitely would. I am sad that they are a limited edition. I believe that they are, even, a Halloween limited edition product so I am going to have go on the hunt and get some before they disappear from the shelves. I love these. They fit into the Autumn aesthetic of life quite well via being Apple Pie flavoured and actually deliver on flavour unlike some biscuit products that I've recently tried. I hope that this product comes back next year. If I was to give them a rating, I would give them a 9.5/10. 

Have you tried these? Let me know down below! 

Check put my last post here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Serving Face, Face, Face For Christmas Dinner This Year | Lush Christmas 2020 Range: Face, Fragrances and Other Products

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to the final post in the mini series about Lush Christmas 2020. In this post, I'll be talking to you all about the new face, hair, and fragrance products that are a part of the new Lush Christmas 2020 range. 

Face Care:

Buche De Noel Cleanser 

This has been a staple at Lush for years. It was in a Naked format last year. This cleanser may seem soft and gentle on the eyes, but boy, does it pack a punch! This product contains a plethora of incredible ingredients, such as, Kaolin Clay, Fresh Cranberries, Brandy, and many other goodies. I love this as its a bit gentler compared to other cleansers and contains some Butters to keep the skin feeling hydrated. My only problem with this product, is that, the fresh fruits can get into the nooks and crannies of your face and body including any sort of hair which can make it a bit of a pain when removing the product. 

Candy Cane Lip Scrub 

Christmas is made for licking all that minty goodness off your lips! This product contains, Extra Fine Sea Salt, Caster Sugar, Peppermint Oil, and, Shea Butter. The Salt and Sugar ensure that your lips are primed for kissing that special person under the mistletoe, whilst the Peppermint gives a slightly fresh yet warm taste to the product. The Shea Butter ensures that your lips stay soft. I'm not going to lie, I'm not sold on this one. I think due to using Mint Juleps for many years, I prefer that one. This one is different and I think that if I use it for a while then I will come to love it but I just can't drift away from the good old faithful which is Mint Juleps Lip Scrub. 

Fragrances:

Frangipani

I do love a good new fragrance! This fragrance contains, Guaiacwood Oil, Sandalwood Oil, Almond Essential Oil, Tuberose Absolute. This fragrance does have sort of festive element to it. I'm not the biggest fan of Almond, so when the Almond hit me as soon as I smelt this, I was a bit unsure on how to feel. When it settled down, it turned into a sort of slightly resinous creamy Almond smell. I think that this would be great during the colder months.

Fresh As 

This is another brand new perfume. I wasn't fully sure on this when I was able to smell it... This product contains, Siberian Fir Needle Oil, Fir Needle Absolute, Benxoin Resinoid, Orris Oil, and, Tagetes Oil. Honestly, I'm not sure if it was because it was the first time I was smelling it, but I didn't get the hit of Pine that I was expecting. I thought that the Orris and Tagetes took over to create a sort of fresh and slightly floral scent. I think that this is one that I need to go back to before the Christmas range disappears. 

Body Sprays:

Snow Fairy 

Snow Fairy Body Spray is back! This spray will either have people wondering what you're wearing, for either good or bad reasons (again going back to that love or loathe situation with Snow Fairy). or it will have people asking you if you're wearing 'that sweet pink Christmas scent from Lush'. The scent of this spray is a mixture of Pear Drops and Cotton Candy to me. (This spray will forever be engrained into my mind due to my friend who buys as many bottles of it as humanly possible, every year). 

Celebrate

The festive times are always made for celebrating! This Spray shares the same scent as Golden Wonder, so imagine Cognac, Lime and Orange in a sprayable form. I love this for when its cold as the sprightly fragrance just wakes me up throughout the day. 

Once Upon A Tine

Once upon a time, in a far away land, people were spraying Apple scented body spray onto themselves so that they could be happy during a worldwide pandemic... Some may know this spray as the So White Body Spray, but it has been changed into Once Upon A Time and has been re-released for the holiday times. This scent contains, Rose Absolute, Bergamot Oil, Orange Flower Absolute, Brazilian Orange Oil, and, Neroli Oil which mingle together to create a fresh crisp Apple scent. This spray is best described as the scent of fresh Apples falling onto crisp snow. 

Hair Care: 

Snow Fairy Shampoo Bar 

You can now smell of Snow Fairy from head to toe, via this glittery pink Shampoo Bar! This Shampoo Bar, has all the great qualities of making your hair feel super clean whilst containing the famous slightly sweet and fruity scent of Snow Fairy! I haven't tried this due to my hair being peculiar with hair products due to it being damaged from making it Pink and naturally quite dry, but, let me know if you have tried it. 

So that's it. That's my three posts containing all, or pretty much all, of the Lush Christmas range for 2020. What are your favourite products from the range? Have you tried any of the range? Let me know down below! 

Check out the other Lush Christmas 2020 range posts that are on my blog and click here to check out my last post. 

Click here to check out Lush. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Terry's Chocolate Orange White Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I recently popped into my local Morrisons and found the new Terry's Chocolate Orange White, so I thought that it was worth giving it a review and telling you all what I thought about it. 

Just before I properly review the blog post, there's a little story that I need to tell you. I heard about this product coming out via other food bloggers. I was very intrigued as I know that this product has been out before, but I don't remember them. Luke, my brother, had tried them before and loved them as he loves White Chocolate and Orange flavoured products. With the pandemic being a thing, it is hard to pop out just for a food item to review, so I decided to check the supermarket (Morrisons) as I had heard that it would be available there when I was doing a medium sized shop. I checked for weeks and weeks... Nothing. I honestly thought that these spherical shaped sweet products were rarer to find than an Unicorn. Then, as I was going in before my face to face Masters Induction, I saw a big sparkly white light. It was the product that was rarer than any other product in the land. It was the Terry's Chocolate Orange White. I  snapped them up, took them home, gave one to my brother and my mum and decided to have some with Mean Girls and review it at the same time. 

The description is quite vague, It just says, 'Made with real orange oil, Suitable For Vegetarians.' - Morrisons. 

The texture of the chocolate. was average. I'm one of those people who likes to chill their Chocolate products to get a sort of crisper texture. I think that the crispness of the Chocolate, post chilling, makes for a greater experience with the Chocolate Orange. Not only, do you get to hear a more pronounced snap when you bite into the product, but you also get to have a bit more fun trying to 'tap it' instead of 'whacking it'. If you remember the adverts and slogan, then you will grasp what I am getting at. I also find it very gratifying when I am finally able to get into a Terry's Chocolate Orange post doing the above. 

The main feature of this post, is reviewing the taste of this product, which is what I will focus on within this paragraph. When I bit into the White Chocolate Orange, my tastebuds were hit with a wave of sharp and seductive Orange. After a few moments of the Orange blasting onto my tongue, I was slowly hit with a tumbling tidal wave of White Chocolate. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate normally, because, I find it too sickly and strong. However, this wasn't the case for this product. The White Chocolate added a bit of creaminess to the Orange, instead of taking over the taste of Orange. It was more a Terry's Chocolate Orange with White Chocolate, rather than a White Chocolate Terry's Chocolate Orange. 

Would I buy it again? I think that I would. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate, but this has changed me. I really like this product and I think that I would get it again and again. I would probably get it for either gifts towards the festive period, or, get it as something to enjoy as a treat with a film or two. 

Have you tried the Terry's Chocolate Orange White? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post here. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Christmas 2020 Range: Body

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today, I would carry on my little series of blog posts all about the new Lush Christmas 2020 range. If you haven't checked out the first one, then click here to read it. This one is all about the body, including shower products, body lotions and much more. 

Shower Gels: 

Roasting Chestnuts On An Open Fire 

Let's start off with a brand new product for 2020. This Shower Gel has been made for the Winter Months. Not only does the products name fit the vibes of Christmas, but also so does the scent! This product contains, Chestnut Puree, Almond Essemtial Oil, Cassia Oil, Clary Sage Oil, and, Cedarwood Oil. As this product contains the ingredients listed, it gives the product, a sort of sweet yet spicy sort of Marzipan or Christmas Cake scent. I realise that what I just said barely makes sense, but if you imagine a Christmas Cake cooling on the side mixed with some nuts toasted and some wood that has just been chopped, blended it all up and then put in a bottle then you would get what this Shower Gel smells like. If you have tried Cinders from a few years ago at Lush, then you will adore this as it is slightly like that but more mature. I absolutely adore this product and I hope that it's back next year. If not, I may have to stock up as it's a great sort of scent that Lush don't do in other products that often anymore. 

Yog Nog 

Yog Nog is back and I can't be happier! If you haven't tried Yog Nog before, then imagine a caramel custard like scent with a touch of spice but in superb Shower Gel form and you will have Yog Nog. I love this when it comes out every year in it's many forms as I just love how the Clove Bud Oil that is in this product just takes over your skin and makes you smell like the beginning of the Holiday season. Apparently, the formula of the Shower Gel for 2020 has changed, I haven't tried it yet, but if you have then let me know down below! 

Snow Fairy 

Halleloo, they're back for 2020! This scent is a cult classic at Lush for Christmas. This is the Marmite of Lush, people either love it, or, loathe it. The best way to describe the scent of this product is if you combine the scents of Candy Floss and Pear Drops into one homogenous Shower Gel, then you will have Snow Fairy. I don't mind the scent every now and again, but it's not one that I have to have all the time, unlike other people that I know, who stock up on Snow Fairy every Christmas to use throughout the following year. 

Shower Bombs: 

Rudolph Nose 

We all need a good Shower before we go outside, especially if you're going out to help guide someone whilst they're riding a sleigh... If you haven't heard or used a Shower Bomb before, then think of it as a mini sort of solid Shower Foam. The best way to use this, is to put a little water from the shower head onto the product which will then create foam for you to use on yourself in the Shower. This product contains, Cedarwood, Ho Wood, Sicilian Lemon and Almond Essential Oils. The mixture of these four Oils help to give the product a sort of an intense woodsy yet uplifting sweet Almond scent. If you love anything that has a deep scent to it or anything that smells of Almond then you will adore this. I liked this last year, but my only problem with Shower Bombs, is that they are delicate when getting from the store, to home and can crumble during the journey. 

Sugar Plum 

This product is a brand new one for 2020. This product contains, Sicilian Red Mandarin Oil, Aniseed Oil, Tagetes Oil, Osmanthus Absolute and Fresh Plum Juice. This has a slightly citrus yet slightly floral scent to it. Honestly, I was expecting this to smell like Plum Rain, so I was a bit disappointed when I got it home and realised it wasn't. I am intrigued on how it performs in the shower though. 

Shower Jellies: 

Santa's Belly 

Watch Santa's Belly wibble wobble whilst you're in the shower! This Shower Jelly looks adorable and smells sensational. This Jelly contains, Fresh Apple Juice, Orange Flower Absolute, Rose Absolute, and, Neroli Oil. These ingredients together, give the product a sort of crisp floral Apple scent. I love using this in the Winter time as it just makes me feel refreshed every time I use it. 

Scrubs: 

Orange 

I would definitely put this product in anyones stocking this year. Everyone needs a scrub during the cold months, as we all need to make sure that our skin doesn't become chapped or dry. This scrub definitely packs a punch when it comes to both the texture and scent of this product. This product contains, Tangerine Oil, Fresh Orange Peel, Fresh Orange Juice, Red Mandarin Oil and Bergamot Oil. This gives a product a punchy citrus scent which reminds me of a well known Orange fizzy drink that is available in other flavours such as Lemon, and, Fruit Twist. There is also Fine Sea Salt in this which gives an intense cleanse to the skin. 

Body Conditioners:

Snow Fairy 

I have reviewed this last year, so if you want to check that out. This product smells like Pear Drops mixed with Candy Floss and contains a lot of butters and oils to ensure that the skin stays soft and supple for when the colder months wreak havoc on our skin. 

Naked Snow Fairy 

This is the same as the above, but is available in a handy portable solid version. It contains the same scent and butters to ensure that the skin stays soft. 

Body Lotions: 

Once Upon A Time 

This lotion is a great one for Winter. This product contains, Apple Infusion, Jojoba Oil and Almond Oil which gives the product a slightly floral yet light Apple scent and keeps the body super duper soft. I'm not the biggest fan of this product scent wise but I do like to use it every now and again. 

Naked Once Upon A Time 

This is the same product as above but in a portable solid version that you can take with you anywhere. 

Body Milks: 

Yog Nog 

This is an amazing product that has been brought out for the first time this year. It contains the gorgeous sweet yet comforting scent of Yog Nog, which I've mentioned earlier in the post, but with amazing nourishing properties from ingredients such as Almond Oil. I tried this earlier in the week, and it sinks into the skin quite quickly. I could also smell it on top of the fragrance that I had sprayed earlier in the day and I could still smell it when I went to bed that night. 

Dusting Powders: 

Fairy Dust 

Fairy Dust has been gone for a few years, but its back in full form for 2020. If you love the scent of Snow Fairy but want it in a sort of Talc format then you will adore this. I think that its a great product for when skin starts to chafe on those frosty Winter mornings. I do like the idea of Dusting Powders but I have found them to be troublesome when I've used them in the past. 

That's all the Body products of the new Lush Christmas 2020 range. Have you tried any? Let me know down below! 

Check out my previous post about the Bath section of the new Lush Christmas 2020 Range. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Christmas 2020 Range: Bath

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I went to Lush recently to check out their new Christmas 2020 range with Luke. As there is a lot of products within this range, I thought that it would be best to separate it into three different posts. I was kindly allowed to safely smell and see what some of the products do when in action. I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the new Christmas Bath and Soap products! 

Bath Bombs:

Golden Wonder 

I have created a blog post before about this product. This bath bomb is amazing. It contains Lime, Cognac and Orange which gives an uplifting zingy yet boozy scent. It creates a lovely mixture of blue and gold within the bath and is a great product to use when you need a pick me up, especially in those cold dark mornings of Winter. 

Shoot For The Stars 

I have also written a blog post about this product before. I have always loved this brilliant bath bomb. The product smells of sweet toffee with a citrus kick. Not only does this product contain gorgeous glittering stars, but it also contains Cocoa Butter which helps you to stay soft and hydrated in the Winter months. 

Snow Fairy Bath Bomb 

if you love the creamy scent of Snow Fairy that makes its appearance throughout the festive time of the year, then you will enjoy this product. It also helps you to enjoy your pamper time that little bit more by having glitter in. 

Snow Fairy Wonderball 

What's a Wonderball?. I hear you say? A Wonderball is a 3 in 1 bath product from Lush. The way that it works, is that the product contains a big bath bomb, sugar crystals and powder that can be used as a bubble bar product and a small bath bomb which not only locks the powder in the middle of the big bomb which ensures that the powder doesn't come out. The stopper can also be used as a single bath bomb too. If you love the Snow Fairy range, then you will definitely adore this. 

Luxury Lush Pud 

I have written a post about this before. This product has a brilliant Blackcurrant scent to it, which is similar to The Comforter from Lush and has different coloured spots all over which create bursts of colour in your bath. It's definitely a great product to have when you need something to help you relax. 

Tick Tock 

This a brand new product for 2020. This product contains Sweet Wild Orange Oil and Popping Candy. Due to this, the product makes for an uplifting bath. I always love bath products that contain Popping Candy as they make my bath experience feel that little bit more special. I can't wait to use this in the bath. 

Angels Delight 

This product contains Tangerine and Orange Oil. However, when I smelt this one in store, I didn't get a powerful Orange scent which was slightly disappointing to me. I got a more creamy scent with an Orange kick to it so I am hoping the citrus notes come out a little more when I use this product. This product also shares it's scent and name with an old Soap that was sold at Lush some time ago. 

Butterbear 

This is a great product for children and adults alike. Not only is it cute but it is very softening due to the amount of Cocoa Butter that is in this product. I have also had the opportunity of making one of this beautiful bears before. If you love creamy scents that help you relax then you will definitely love this one. 

Holly Golightly Wonderball 

Again, this product can be used as three different bath products. This product was out last year, but it was in a different scent. Last year, this product had a spicy scent to it, but this year this product has a citrusy scent to it. If you love Avobath then you will definitely love this product. 

I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas 

I kind of love shouting this product's name out loud as it just has such a whimsical feel to it. This product is also really cute as it is shaped as a Hippo. I guess a Hippo shaped Bath product also has some ethical problems to it but hey ho. If you love the Very Very Frightening Shower Gel, or the old Space Girl Bath Bomb, then you will love this product as this product has a similar scent to it with a Raspberry kick to it. 

Jingle Bells 

Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell Rock! This product looks amazing and smells amazing. If you love anything with Orange and Patchouli in it then you will adore this! Not only does this smell great, but this product also has an amazing feature to it. If you shake the Bath Bomb, it actually jingles! 

Snowman Dreaming 

Winter always makes me daydream about Snowmen and walking in the air! Lush have created a plethora of animal shaped products this year, which include this super little Snowman. This Snowman has a soothing scent of Lavender and creates a rainbow in the bath which I think is amazing. I'm not the biggest fan of Lavender but I do quite like this product just due to the Snowman itself and the fact that it creates such lovely things in the bath. 

Winter Garden 

Honesty I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw that Winter Garden was going the Christmas range for the first time this year. I think I was expecting a faint sort of floral scent with nothing else to it, but that is definitely not what Winter Garden is. Winter Garden contains loads of little treats, which include Ylang Ylang and Blue Cornflowers. When you smell this product, you will be left wondering what the scent is yet believing that you know exactly what the scent is at the same time. This product reminds me of Odango which Lush created at their Oxford Street store many moons ago. If you like deep, resinous, slightly floral scents then you will enjoy this one. 

Bubble Bars: 

Candy Cane Reusable Bubble Bar 

Four for you, Glen Coco! You go, Glen Coco! This product is a reusable Bubble Bar, that you put under the tap to make bubbles. The best part about these types of bars, is that you can use them again and again! This product contains, Sicilian Lemon and Bergamot Oils, which gives the product a sweet citrus scent. I smelt this last year but I don't know if it was the level of scent, or being around other products, but I couldn't smell this much when I was in the store at the time. \

Elfie Stick Bubble Stick 

This product is adorable and kind of funny. This product combines the good old buddies of Christmas with  that good old stick that helps us take photos of a group of faces when we need to. This product looks like an Elf's leg and foot. This product is also a Bubble Stick. The best way to use a Bubble Stick is to, put it in the bottom of your bath tub, turn the tap on, watch the bubbles appear, and when you have as many as you want take it out and let it dry. This product contains Labdanum Resinoid, Sicilian Lemon Oil, Vetivert Oil and Tapioca Pearls. I'm a bit confused on what the Tapioca Pearls will do in this product, but nevertheless, I can't wait to use it. 

Kinky Boots 

Put those Red Stiletto Boots on, and party during the festive season! I was a bit unsure on what this product would be when I heard about it, as I was expecting it to be have a connection to the film/musical, but it doesn't. Instead, this is a 2 in 1 product that resembles Santa being stuck in a Chimney with his Boots sticking out. The Boots are a Bath Oil that contains, Cocoa Buter to keep you soft in the cold months, which can be snapped off and used on their own, and, a bubble bar that can be used for when you want some beautiful bubbles in your bath. 

Polar Bear Plunge 

We all need a chilly Polar Bear that will cuddle up to us in Winter. This cute little Bubble Bar is a wonderful product that is back for 2020. This beautiful bear contains Spearmint Oil, so if you are in need of something that helps to relax your muscles, or, something that is Mint based then you will adore this. I absolutely loved this bar last year, so I am pleased that it is back for 2020. 

Snow Fairy Roll 

If you love Snow Fairy and love Bubble Baths, then this product is definitely for you! If you have never smelt Snow Fairy before, then imagine the smell of Candy Floss mixed with Pear Drops mixed together to create a sweet fruity scent. Most people do either love or loathe this scent. This product resembles The Comforter Bubble Bar, but instead of the comforting Purple colour that The Comforter provides, this has a Pink sparkly colour to it. 

Soaps:

Baked Alaska

This was one of the first products that I ever bought from Lush. This product has been revamped this year to fit the new Soap design that Lush has changed to this year. This product has a design that looks like snow on top which I think is quite cute. In past years, the snow on top of the snow has always fallen off when using it which has always made me think of Dandruff, but this year it stays on. This product contains, Lemon Myrtle, Ylang Ylang and Grapefruit Oils which give off a beautifully rounded citrus scent. This Soap also contains Popping Candy... I'm not really sure why Popping Candy is in a Soap but I am intrigued to see what it brings to the experience of using this Soap. 

Polar Bear 

A brand new soap for 2020! This Soap is another amazing Animal creation! This product contains, Cocoa Butter and Coconut Milk Powder, which ensure that your little paws will be super soft after washing for 20 seconds. This Soap also contains, Brazilian Orange Oil, Peppermint Oil and Benzoin Resinoid, which create a refreshing scent with a citrus kick. I didn't smell it much when in store, but again, it may be one of those that I need to use to really experience the scent of this product. 

Golden Pear 

Golden Pear has been revamped this year to fit the new Soap shape that Lush are using for their Soaps. Last year, Golden Pear came in a pear shape, but this year it is in a block. If you have never smelt Golden Pear, then imagine a sort of fresh pear scent mixed with a resinous spicy scent that comes from the addition of Cardamom Oil, Brazilian Orange Oil and Sandalwood Oil. It is a great scent to use when Autumn is changing into Winter as it still has the woodsy notes you want in Autumn from Sandalwood but has that spicy hit thanks to the Cardamom. I adore this scent! 

Shooting Stars 

I'm definitely wishing for 2021 to be a lot better than 2020 when I use this Shooting Star! This product contains Star Fruit Extract, Lime Oil, Sicilian Lemon Oil and Bergamot Oil which gives this product a fresh citrus scent. This is definitely an amazing product when you need a pick me up in those cold, cold months! 

Snowcake 

Cake and Snow always go together! This product has been out many times during the Winter months in many forms. Whether that be, Perle De Sel, Snow Angel Bath Oil, or, Snowcake Shower Gel. This Soap contains, Soy Yoghurt and Oat Milk which ensures that your hands are forever moisturised when washing with this Soap. This product contains Rose Absolute, Almond Essential Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, and, Cassie Absolute, which give off a very big Marzipan scent to this product. I'm not the biggest fan of Marzipan but I do like this scent every now and again when I want something decadent on my hands.

Have you tried any of the products from Lush Christmas 2020? Let me know down below! 

Thanks for reading!

Jamie x

Lush IRL Bath Bomb Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! Recently, my friend, Alex picked me up a limited edition IRL Bath Bomb that Lush recently released for Digital Detox Day, so I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the product. 

Lush recently partnered up with Zoella and Digital Detox Day to create the IRL Bath Bomb. Digital Detox Day was to promote how taking a day away from social media can help your mental wellbeing. This was then emulated into IRL Bath Bomb in a number of ways, including, the relaxing scent, the colours that this product creates in the water and the name of the bath bomb itself. IRL is well known internet slang for In Real Life. 

List Of Ingredients: 

Sodium Bicarbonate Citric Acid Organic Illipe Butter Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate Titanium Dioxide Rose Absolute Ylang Ylang Oil Mimosa Absolute Lavender Oil Lebanese Neroli Oil  Orange Flower Absolute Cornstarch Water (Aqua) Gardenia Extract PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Dipropylene Glycol Propylene Glycol Synthetic Fluorphlogopite Tin Oxide Amyl Cinnamal Butylphenyl Methylpropional *Citronellol Geraniol Hydroxycitronellal *Limonene *Linalool Perfume Colour 45410:2 Colour 42090:2 Colour 42090 Colour 45410:1 Colour 45410 Colour 77491 Colour 15850:1

When I dropped this into the bath, the first scent that I got was Orange Flower Absolute. I have smelt this before within other products, thus I was able to detect the smoky scent as soon as the scent drew itself towards my nose. After a while, the Orange Flower Absolute blended together with the Neroli to create a sort of floral, resinous citrus scent. Neroli is known to boost serotonin levels which in turn helps us be a little bit happier which we all need during these hard times. The Rose slightly made the scent a slightly sweeter within the waters, but after a few moments, the Rose mingled together with the Ylang Ylang and Lavender to create a sort of light floral sea water scent. I know that this description doesn't sound that attractive on screen, but trust me it smells great. This product would be amazing for those who like clean or citrus scents.

This product produced a lot of bubbles, but once the bubbles from the Bath Bomb disappeared, a lovely layer of softness appeared from the Illipe Butter which made my skin feel amazing. I loved how my skin drank up all of the lovely butter to ensure my skin was hydrated whilst I stared at the lovely colourful waters that were produced from the product fizzing and foaming. 

Sadly this product is limited edition but do let me know if you have tried it. 

Check out Lush. 

Check out my Instagram, where there are pictures of what this product does in the water. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme Chocolate Bar Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I thought that today, I would talk to you about a Chocolate Bar that I found at B&M. 

I recently found a new bar from Dairy Milk when I was in B&M. Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme. I have never tried it before, so I thought that I would pick up a bar to try because I love anything that is Mint Chocolate flavoured. 

'Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispy Mint Creme with mint flavoured creme & crispy mint pieces.' - Cadhury Australia. 

The texture of this product was very interesting. The beginning of the texture journey started off with the smooth feeling of the Milk Chocolate. After the smooth Milk Chocolate melted on my tongue, a blast of thick cream hit my tongue, unlike the melting chocolate, this coated my tongue a bit more compared to the smooth liquid like melted Chocolate. Finally, once the cream had left my tongue, bursts of crispy mint pieces came through. I liked these pieces, as they were a much needed contrast against the two quite smooth components of the bar. However, after eating a bit of a bar, crunching on so many tiny little sharp shards of mint honeycomb started to hurt my teeth. Yes, they were quite sharp. It was slightly intense and after a while did put me off the bar a tad. 

Even though the texture put me off a bit, the refreshing taste of this bar made me want to go back to it again and again. The richness of the Chocolate instantly hit my tongue like a grenade, ensuring me that I knew that I had bit into a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk, after a few moments, a wave of sweet Vanilla coated my tastebuds. I love how it cut through all the richness of the rich Chocolate. I'm sometimes a bit finicky when it comes to Vanilla flavoured products but I loved how this cream tasted. Finally, a brilliant burst of cooling mint pierced my palette. I love how the Mint mixed with the Vanilla to ensure that the Mint wasn't too much of an intense flavour on my tongue. 

Would I try it again? Honestly, maybe. The price of this bar was £3 at B&M, and even though I can see why it's priced at that price, due to the bar being from Australia and having three different components which normally makes a chocolate product more expensive. Saying that, I don't think its worth the price to an extent. I think if it was in a slightly smaller bar then I would get it every now and again, but only being able to get it in a big bar for £3 puts me off a bit especially as I know I'd be paying to end up having mint shards trying to break my teeth. There are very similar products on the market that deliver a similar textural and flavour sensation. If I saw this and was in the mood for a luxury Mint Chocolate bar, which sometimes I am then I would probably pick a bar of it up as a treat. 

Have you tried this product? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post all about the Lush Halloween 2020 Range. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Halloween 2020 Range

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! Lush recently released their Halloween range for 2020. I thought that today, I would talk to you all about the new range and the products that are included in this years Halloween range. 

Lush have decided that, after a rollercoaster of a year, they would only release treats for this Halloween range, thus removing the chance of any tricks happening as we have had enough tricks for a lifetime this year. I decided to pick up three products from this years range which I will talk about below. Even though, I haven't bought the rest of the range, I thought that it would be best to still include the other products in the range within this blog post, so if you like the sound of any of them, you can go and try them for yourselves. 

For 2020, Lush have released a plethora of spooky special treats. If you are a big fan of the slightly spicy Lord of Misrule, that includes Patchouli, Black Pepper and Vanilla, then you will look no further this Halloween. Lush have released their well known Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb which goes from green to red within the waters. This bomb also contains Popping Candy which creates a cool comforting feeling in the bath. Lush have also released their Boo! Shower Slime which has had an update in consistency and scent. This superb shower slime now has the same scent as the Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb and contains Coconut Shell which gives a slightly scrubby feeling to the product. 

If you love anything that is animal themed, then you will love the Bewitched Bubble Bar which is returning this year at Lush. This Bubble Bar is shaped like a beautiful black Cat. If you love anything that has a fruity kick to it, then you will love this product as it contains, Olibanum and Bergamot, which give off a Blackberry scent to the product. If you have tried the new Abracadabra Bubble Stick or Sultana Of Soap from Lush then you will love this bar! 

What's Halloween without a few Monsters? Lush have brought back their marvellous little Monster in the form of Monsters Ball Bath Bomb. Not only is this product cute, but it smells amazing too. This Bath Bomb contains Lime, Neroli and Olibanum which gives off a sort of creamy citrus scent. If you have melt Calacas from Lush then you will love this. I have always adored this product as it reminds me of Mike from Monsters Inc! If you're a fan of citrus scents, then the soap from this years Halloween range is definitely for you! Ghost In The Dark contains Bergamot and Lemongrass which gives off a slightly grassy citrus kick when you use the soap. It also glows in the dark which makes even more amazing in my eyes. 

Finally Punk's not dead at Lush, as they have brought back their Punkin Pumpkin Bath Bomb this year. This product contains, Cinnamon Leaf, Lime, Sweet Wild Orange and Sicilian Red Mandarin. This product has a slightly uplifting but mainly spicy scent to it which is perfect in the slightly colder times that will be approaching us soon in the UK. 

I decided to pick up a Bat Art, a bottle of Very Very Frightening and a tub of Toffee Apple Lip Scrub mainly because they are new things from Lush that are in the new range that I haven't tried before. 

The first product that I decided to get was Bat Art. Honestly, the design of this product was enough to make me buy it. Halloween is normally associated with Bats and after a year of Bats having some nasty connotations, I'm glad that Lush are making them spooky and cute again and not a symbol of a world wide pandemic. The slightly dark purple colour of the product is so enticing, and well I love anything that is coated in glitter. Glitter makes everything better! This product creates a mixture of swirling Purples in the water. The product also creates a lake of silver shimmer in the waters which I absolutely adore. I loved just staring at this one whilst in the bath. The scent of this Bath Bomb is very interesting. It contains, Green Mandarin, Sicilian Lemon, Rosemary and Sage. These four ingredients together create a sort of herbal Blackcurrant scent that I absolutely love. It reminds me of sort of hot Blackcurrant you sometimes have in the colder weathers to ensure that you don't end up sick. I just love how the herbs work well together with the sweetness of the Blackcurrant. If you have ever smelt the Junk range from Lush, imagine that scent in a Bath Bomb. 

The next product that I got is the brand new Very Very Frightening Shower Gel. I bought this in the 240g bottle size. Whenever I see or type out this product name, I just want to start singing Bohemian Rhapsody. This product looks so cool just from the bottle as it has a neon Yellow colour to it. If you have tried the Space Girl Bath Bomb that Lush did many moons ago, then imagine that scent but in a Shower Gel format. If you haven't then, this product contains, Plantain Extract, Fine Sea Salt, Grapefruit, Bergamot, Almond Essential Oil and Lemon Juice. Imagine a sort of zingy take on a handful of Parma Violet sweets been crushed into a big jug of Blackcurrant Juice. When I used this, the first note that I got was the uplifting Lemon but when I applied water and lathered it on my hands and body, I got a big hit of the sort of the fruity floral notes which make up the Space Girl scent. The texture of this product is quite intriguing. Its not as thick as a cream, but its also not as thick as a gel per se. When I applied it to myself, the first thing that came into my mind about the texture was Serum. You know the sort of slightly watery but still slightly gel like Serums that you can buy for your skin? This Shower Gel has the same consistency as those. It doesn't foam up and lather loads, but Very Very Frightening does have a good medium sort of lather to it and it doesn't take ages to lather up unlike some other Shower Gels that have been produced by Lush in the past. 

The final product that I decided to grab was the Toffee Apple Lip Scrub. I have a Lip Piercing so I always like to try out new Lip Scrubs from Lush as I love the natural ingredients that are in them, but also I love to see how they work when it comes to using the product near my piercing, as I have tried some in the past that haven't gotten along with it. This product evokes memories of Bonfire Night to me. Cold dark evenings, the sound of fireworks erupting the world around me and the feeling of eating a terrific Toffee Apple whilst the night sky illuminates with a rainbow of colour. This product contains, Caster Sugar, Extra Fine Sea Salt, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Bergamot, Geranium and Sandalwood. I had a problem when trying this out. It wasn't a big problem, it was more to do with the aesthetic of the product. Online, the product looks like it is meant to be half red and half green side by side, whereas the batch that I received seemed to have the red and green on top of each other instead. I kind of got Apples with a hint of Salted Toffee more than Toffee Apple, nevertheless I love the taste of this Scrub and I will use it throughout the Autumn season. I loved what this product did for my lips. There was a good amount of scrubbing power, which ensured that my lips felt cleansed and amazing, but also the oil stopped it from feeling like I had gone over my lips with Sandpaper. Some scrubs that I have used have felt like this before and have actually irritated my lips which has lowered my self confidence in the past. 

I think that I may have to pick up a Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb and maybe some Boo! when I next pop in, as I enjoy the scent more when it's a bit colder. 

Have you tried any of the Lush Halloween 2020 Range? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post here. 

Check out Lush.

Thanks for reading my post!

Jamie x

S&B Foods & Hyper Japan Virtual Japanese Dinner Party Event

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post! I was invited to a virtual Dinner Party by the wonderful guys over at S&B Foods and Hyper Japan, so I thought that today, I would talk to you all about it. 

Since 1923, S&B Foods has been producing a marvellous mixture of food products including, curry sauce mixes and much more. You may know S&B for their gorgeous Golden Curry Mixes and their terrific Tube Wasabi products that have made the brilliant brand become world-wide. Personally, I believe that if it wasn't for S&B and their amazing products, the majority of the UK's population, would be scared and confused when it came to cooking Japanese food at home. 

Before the Virtual Dinner Party, Hyper Japan kindly sent me a box of the S&B Golden Curry Japanese Curry Mix In Block in Medium Hot to cook with to make my own personal Japanese Curry, so I had something to bring and talk about to the Dinner Party. I followed the recipe on the back of the box, which I will include below this paragraph, but I added a few extra things, including, Chilli Paste and some Garlic to garnish the dish with. 

Golden Curry Recipe: 

This recipe makes 5 servings, but you can always make more or less. 

Ingredients: 

Protein (This could be Beef (or Chicken, Tofu etc, chopped - 450 g

Medium Onions, minced - 1 3/4 (350 g)

Medium Carrot, chopped - 1/2 (100 g)

Potato, chopped - 1 (150 g)

Vegetable Oil - 1 Tbsp

Water - 540 ml

S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix - 1 pack

Directions:

Stir-fry meat and vegetables with oil in a large skillet on medium heat for approx. 5 min.

Add water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until ingredients are tender, approx. 15min.

Turn the heat off, break S&B Golden Curry Sauce Mix into pieces and add them to the skillet. Stir until sauce mixes are completely melted. Simmer approx. 5 min., stirring constantly.

Serve hot over rice or noodles.

I cooked my food and waited for the Zoom call to start up. After a few minutes, we all joined and said hi. The Party was about to begin! We all talked about how we made our Curries and presented them to the camera. A fair few members of the group, said that the sauce itself needed a bit more heat for their liking, and, I agree. If you like your curries on the slightly mild sweet side then this block will definitely suit you. I love Japanese Curries, so this block was an easy way for me to get my fix, but I have started to like a touch of heat with my Curry which is why I added a touch of Chilli Paste to my dish. Other members of the party talked about using a Rice Cooker, I have been meaning to invest in one for a while and hearing how easy this appliance makes cooking for some of the members of the party has made me want one that little bit more! 

After we talked about how we had personalised our dishes, we were introduced to Avinash Shashidhara. They talked to us about three different recipes that can be made with the S&B Golden Curry Block. I loved this, as I never end up using a whole block in one go if I'm making a Japanese Curry just for myself. The dishes that he made with the block include, a Lentil and Vegetable Curry, Mixed Vegetable Puffs, and,  Monkfish Curry but other Fish or Seafood could be used. I thought that I would include the recipes below. I know that I will be making the Lentil and Vegetable Curry as it sounds amazing to have on those cold Autumn nights, or for me, after a virtual day at University. 

Lentil and Vegetable Curry: 

Pigeon Peas/Any Lentils - 150g

 Carrots (diced) - 2

 Potatoes (diced) - 2

 Tomatoes (diced) - 2

 Green beans - 100g

Turmeric - 0.5 tsp

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block

Tamarind juice - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Tempering:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - ripped up

Method: 

Wash the lentils.

In a heavy bottom pan, add the lentils (pigeon peas) and tomatoes. Cover with water about 1 inch above level. Add turmeric and start cooking over medium heat.

Cook until lentils are really soft (top up hot water if needed), keep stirring occasionally. This should take about 25-30 mins.

Once lentils are nearly ready, add the rest of the vegetables, tamarind juice and half a block of the curry mix. Cook until the vegetables are ready. Keep on low heat and get ready to temper.

For the tempering, heat oil in a small frying pan, add mustard seeds, once they crackle, add the curry leaves and dry red chilli and toss lightly. Once fried, add the tempering to the lentils, stir it in and turn heat off

Serve hot with steamed rice. 

Mixed Vegetable Puffs: 

Filling:

Cabbage - 0.25 chopped fine 

Onions - 1 finely chopped 

Green Chilli - 2 finely chopped 

Potatoes - 1 peeled and chopped 

Carrots - 1 peeled and chopped 

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block 

Oil - 2 tsp 

Salt to taste

Pastry:

Ready to roll puff pastry sheet - 2

Egg - 1 for coating/wash 

Method: 

Prepare the filling by frying onions in the oil, followed by chilli, once fried, add the vegetables – potatoes and carrots first followed by cabbage. Season with salt and the S&B golden curry mix. Allow the vegetable to cook until soft and ensure the mix is dry. Allow this mix to cool. 

Prepare the pastry sheets by rolling them out on a dry and cool surface, divide each sheet into 6 rectangles.

Prepare a tray lined with greaseproof paper and lay one of the rectangles on it. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C for fan assisted)/425°F/Gas Mark 7). 

 

In each rectangle, add a tablespoonful of the cooled down mix on one half, leaving a little space on the sides to be able to fold over the second half and seal three sides. Use a bit of egg wash if needed to glue the two sides together.

Leave enough gaps between the puffs and prepare the trays. Brush the tops of the puffs with egg wash.

Place the trays in oven f and bake or approx. 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry is risen and golden brown.

Monkfish Curry: 

S&B Golden curry mix - 0.5 block 

Monkfish fillet(cut into cubes) - 1 fillet 

 Tomato ripe chopped - 3

Onion chopped - 1

Tamarind Paste - 2 tbsp 

Turmeric - 0.5 tsp 

Coconut milk - 250ml

Fish/shellfish - 500g 

Sunflower oil - 2 tbsp 

chopped ginger garlic - 2 tsp 

Method: 

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions, and ginger garlic and cook till light brown

Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes till it turns into a smooth sauce

Add the curry block and the tamarind paste and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes Add a tin of coconut milk and cook till the sauce thickens

After watching these recipes being made, we asked questions that we all had about the dishes that had been created. These questions included adjusting certain ingredients to adapt the dishes to our needs and dietary requirements. 

After this, we watched an amazing video about S&B and then we said our goodbyes. 

I had such a wonderful time, creating my Curry and hearing other peoples thoughts and ideas on how to make the dish that little bit more delicious for when I cook it again in the near future. 

What's your favourite Japanese dish? Have you cooked Japanese Curry before? Let me know down below!

Thanks to the wonderful staff at Hyper Japan, S&B and Avinash Shashidhara for inviting me to the Dinner Party and holding the event.  

Check out S&B Foods. 

Check out Hyper Japan. 

Check out Avinash Shashidhara. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x 

Thanks to S&B Foods and Hyper Japan for inviting me to this event. This post was created in exchange for an invitation to the event. All views and opinions are my own. 

A Little Celebratory Socially Distanced Photoshoot

 Hey everyone!

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that I would change stuff up and talk a bit about what has been going in my life lately and talk about a little phptpshoot that I did to celebrate finishing a Undergraduate Degree at University. 

As I have just mentioned, I recently finished a Degree at Leeds Beckett University. 2020 has definitely challenged me in every way possible and I'm pretty proud of myself that I was able to finish a three year University course which included writing a ten thousand word dissertation during a worldwide pandemic. 

My dissertation was about the representation of visually impaired people within the film and television industry and how basing a character on three main tropes can make society perceive an image of the visually impaired community which isn't completely true and how these industries forget to actually include real visually impaired people or their real life stories, compared to things such as blogs and YouTube videos which do. 

At the beginning of this year, I was figuring out whether I wanted to stay in Leeds for another year and if I wanted to carry on with my student story via enrolling in a Masters Degree, as I think that we need to discuss how the representation of disabled and LGBTQIAP+ people within the media needs to be changed to showcase a more true representation of the marginalised groups. I also think that the media needs to showcase some form of good representation of invisible disabilities as well as visible disabilities as I  still think that the world isn't as educated on invisible disabilities as much as we should be and seeing a true representation of them within the media would help us to be more educated on the matter. I have decided to not stay in Leeds for another year due to how the lockdown this year has affected me mentally and I believe that I need to prioritise my mental health more than anything else this year. Even though I am not living in Leeds for another year, I have decided to pursue a Masters Degree within Media and Culture. 

To celebrate graduating, as graduations have been postponed during 2020, I decided to have a mini socially distanced adventure whilst I was in Leeds. This included a great meal at Blue Sakura. If you haven't checked out my post about Blue Sakura, then click here. I love eating Japanese food and getting to eat it to my hearts content at Blue Sakura is forever a beautiful blessing. Once I had filled my boots with food, I went to a little photoshoot within a park that is located in Leeds City Centre to take some photos as I liked the way that I looked and I wanted to show the world via social media that I had graduated University. 

Here is one of the photos from the photoshoot. Thanks to Alex that took these at a 2 metre distance. 

The mask is from RedBubble. The Shirt is from Jacamo, which I have included in a blog post before, which I will link here. The Jeans are from Primark. The Jacket is from Next and the shoes that I absolutely adore are from Boohoo. 

I love this slightly smart, slightly casual look and I love the hint of shimmer from the shoes. I also love the Blazer/Jacket and honestly, I need to invest in a couple more as they just jazz up an outfit when you want the outfit to feel that little bit more special. 

Have you been to Blue Sakura? Do you like the outfit? Let me know down below.

Read my last post all about the Lidl White Chocolate, Coconut and Cornflakes Bar. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lidl's Fin Carre White Chocolate, Coconut & Cornflakes Bar Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I went to Lidl recently and saw a Chocolate Bar that sounded intriguing so I thought that I would talk to you all about it today. 

I couldn't find a description online. The product is a White Chocolate bar that contains pieces of Dessicated Coconut and Cornflake pieces. 

The texture of this product is amazing. When I popped a couple of pieces into my mouth, the smoothness of the creamy White Chocolate coated my tongue like a blanket. After the blanket of pale Chocolate coated my mouth, a flood of Dessicated Coconut flew onto my tastebuds making me figure out which bits were melted Chocolate and which bits were Coconut. I love Coconut as a textural ingredient in food products as it gives a little body to the product. I think it's why I love Bounty's so much. I had forgot that this bar contained Cornflake pieces when I tried some so I was surprised to then have an explosion of texture burst on my palette via the Cornflakes. It added another dimension to the bar, as the Coconut added more of a chew, whereas the Cornflake pieces added a cheerful crunch to the bar. 

The taste of this product was very interesting. I'm not the biggest fan of White Chocolate. I just kind of think its a bit too rich and sickly for me. However, when I tried a piece of this product, the White Chocolate was rich and creamy but had a slight kick of Vanilla to it which cut through the taste of the Chocolate. After a few minutes, a flavour wave of Coconut flooded my tastebuds. I love Coconut so I was pleased that this was the next stop on the flavour train. I love Coconut in anything and it made me feel like I was laying on a beach somewhere forgetting all of the things that are going on at the moment. The final stop on the taste train was the Cornflakes. Sadly, these were more for texture than taste, but they still added a touch of slight savouriness to the product which I always love as I am a big fan of sweet and salty food. 

Would I buy this again? It is rare that I buy White Chocolate based products again, but I would buy this again and again. If you're not the biggest fan of White Chocolate then I urge you to try this as I think that it will win you over. I think that this would be great to enjoy on a night in whilst watching something. I think that it would also be great enjoyed with a drink when you need a bit of a pick me up. 

Have you tried this product? Is there any great products that I should try from Lidl? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post about Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Cadbury Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I recently saw that Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons have been making their rounds on the Internet so I had to get some so I could try them and tell you all about them. 

'Classic Cadbury Dairy Milk infused with real orange oil.' - Tesco. 

The texture of these were pretty great. Slightly crisp on the outer edges of the buttons mixed with the melting middle of the button. I love the contrast especially when you have a handful as you get a mixture of both textures. 

These Giant Buttons tasted amazing. I was unsure on what this product was going to taste like. When I popped a few of these gorgeous Giant Buttons into my mouth, I experienced a wave of sweet and creamy chocolate on my tastebuds. The taste that exploded on my tongue was a familiar taste. I've tasted Dairy Milk many times during my lifetime. A few moments later, the uplifting taste of Orange popped on my palette. I loved the mixture of Orange and Chocolate together within food products. When I was enjoying some of these Buttons, I realised that they have a similar flavour tp the very well known Terry's Chocolate Orange. 

Would I buy these again? Definitely. I loved these. I think that these would be great to enjoy with a  Coffee. If I see these in any supermarkets or on offer then I will be getting the Giant Buttons again and again. 

Available to purchase from  Tesco's and will slowly available to purchase from all good retailers soon. 

Have you tried these? Let me know down below. 

Check out my last post all about the Lush Honey I Washed The Kids Body Spray. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Lush Honey I Washed The Kids Body Spray Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I thought that today I would talk to you all about the Honey I Washed The Kids Body Spray from Lush. 

Before I talk about the Body Spray itself, there is a bit of a backstory to the Honey I Washed The Kids for me. When I was studying at College, I used to wear the sweet scent quite a bit, via using the Soap and Shower Gel that is sold at Lush. For the first few months of meeting Michelle and getting to know her, I wore this scent quite a lot. This slowly meant that Michelle associated me with the scent therefore I have forever waited for a Body Spray to come out to evoke the nostalgic memories of when I was first starting out at College. 

List Of Ingredients: 

DRF Alcohol Water (Aqua) Perfume Glycerine Bergamot Oil Brazilian Orange Oil Amyl Cinnamal Butylphenyl Methylpropional Citronellol *Limonene *Linalool

The spray bottle itself had a medium sort of spray strength to it. When I have tried other Body Sprays in the past, I have sometimes noticed that some have a very strong spray strength which means that your arm gets coated in one spray of fragrances and other times not. 

The smell of this product is gorgeous. If you haven't tried anything from the Honey I Washed The Kids range, then, the best way to describe this fragrance is that it is a slightly bright yet creamy toffee fragrance. Yes I know, it's weird that Orange and Bergamot make up a toffee like fragrance but weirdly it works. I think the Orange notes comes through as a more deep Orange compared to an Orange scent that dominates the fragrance and the Bergamot brings the sweetness to create this divinely dessert like fragrance. 

The fragrance was super strong when I first sprayed it onto my skin. Surprisingly, it settled down quite quickly and left a light citrus and creamy scent in the air. I checked on the scent all day whilst out and about. I came to the conclusion that, this product keeps it's signature toffee like scent going on all day but once it has initially kicked you in the face via the strength it settles and reminds you that it is still there in short bursts of scent instead of kicking you in the face with fragrance for an hour and then disappearing into thin air. 

Would I buy it again? I think that I would. I love the scent and I love that it is strong but not overly strong to the point that you get sick of wearing it as soon as you've sprayed it. I also think its a great one to wear on maybe the colder nights. I just love that its a cosy scent but still has the ability to uplift and cheer you up at the same time. 

Have you tried this Body Spray? Let me know down below! 

Check out my last post all about Fry's Lemon Turkish delights.

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Fry's Lemon Turkish Delight Review

 Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I recently picked up some Lemon Turkish delights from B&M so I thought that I would tell you all about them today. 

'Lemon flavour Turkish delight covered in milk chocolate.' - GB Gifts. 

Before I start the review of this product, I should admit something. I think I've had a Fry's Turkish delight once in my life, therefore, I won't be comparing this against the original Fry's Turkish delight. 

The texture of this product is an interesting one for me. The product contains a smooth yet slightly wobbly gelatinous interior and a crisp exterior from the Milk Chocolate coating. When I first bit into this product, I was surprised and left feeling intrigued as I have never tried any chocolate product outside of Fry's that has the same type of texture going on in their products. 

I know that Turkish Delight has many different flavours to it. I've tried some in the past that are Pistachio and Orange flavoured, but I know that the traditional flavourings of Turkish delight are Lemon and Rosewater, therefore I was expecting the bar to be that particular flavour and it was. When I bit into the bar, I got a blast of sharp Lemon mixed with a calming sweet wave of Milk Chocolate. After a while though, a heavy hit of Rose hit my tastebuds, and, I was a bit unsure on how to feel about the mixture of Rose, mixed with sharp Lemon, mixed with meltingly marvellous Milk Chocolate. However, I think that the mixture works together in small doses, but, after a while it became a bit of a weird combination by the end of enjoying the product. 

Would I buy it again? I think that I would get it every now and again, but its not something that I would go out hunting for them. I think they are something to be enjoyed every now and again.

Have you tried these? Let me know down below. 

Check out my last blog post all about Allure By Jorlaska. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

Allure By Jorlaska FM 837 Review

Hey everyone! 

Welcome to a brand new blog post. I was kindly gifted a fragrance by the wonderful Jorlaska over at Allure By Jorlaska. 

Allure By Jorlaska is a wonderful small business that is ran by the wonderful Jorlaska. They specialise in creating inspired fragrances, and Vegan and Cruelty Free fragrances. They also even donate a percentage of their profits to amazing charities that help those that are less fortunate as the majority of society. 

I was kindly sent the FM837 Fragrance which has taken inspiration from the Bad Boy fragrance by Carolina Herrera. 

List Of Notes Within The Fragrance:

Top: bergamot, black pepper, white pepper

Mid: cedarwood, sage

Base: tonka bean, amberwood, cocoa.

The packaging of this product is amazing. The fragrance comes in a sleek yet elegant rectangular box with metallic details that glimmer and twinkle in any form of lighting. The fragrance itself is presented in a rectangular glass bottle that screams style. This is definitely a bottle that would look great on a shelf that is able to be viewed by all. 

I have used this a few times to ensure that my opinion is consistent, as sometimes fragrances can smell slightly different when using it more than once on the skin. 

When I first sprayed this onto my skin, the first sort of scent I got was a sweet yet musky citrus hit. I believe that this is due to the Bergamot in the top notes of the fragrance. The Bergamot came out of the scent a lot more than the Peppers that are included in the top notes. In my opinion, the Peppers add a touch of spice to the Bergamot, instead of taking over the citrus notes of the Bergamot. When I think of Pepper in any form of fragrance, I end up expecting it to be the main note which can be great in some fragrances, but can be off putting in other fragrances. I loved how it slightly complimented the Bergamot and weirdly amplified the citrus elements of this product. 

The mid notes of this fragrance were interesting to me. I love Cedarwood in fragrances, as they add another dimension to the fragrance. I also think that Cedarwood goes great with anything that has a spicy or warming element to it, so I wasn't surprised that when the mid notes kicked in, that I picked up on the intoxicating scent of Cedarwood and Black Pepper. I was surprised that Sage was included in the mid notes of this fragrance. The main reason is that, normally, Sage, like Pepper has a tendency to overtake other notes within fragrances and sometimes Sage ends up making the fragrance have a predominately herbal scent to it. 

The base notes were the most interesting to me within this fragrance. I love Tonka Bean. It gives anything that it touches a kiss of sweetness. As I have smelt this quite often in other products, the Tonka Bean hit me like a ton of bricks and I loved it. Especially as it blended with the Amberwood and Sandalwood to create a sort of sweet, less abrasive woody scent to me. The Tonka Bean also mixed with the Cocoa note to create a sweet earthy scent which I really enjoyed. I was intrigued by the Cocoa, as I haven't really ever noticed a Cocoa note in fragrances before. I was expecting the Cocoa to make everything chocolate like, but instead it added an earthy rich hit to the fragrance. 

Would I buy it again? Yes I think that I would. I love trying new fragrances and if I find one that I like then I know that I am going to buy it again within the future. I think that this is best worn in either the Summer or Autumn season in my opinion. It also had a great lasting power to it so I would love to try other fragrances by Allure by Jorlasks to see if they have the same lasting power. I think that this is a great scent to wear when going on socially distanced adventures with others. I haven't tried the Bad Boy fragrance, so I think that post COVID, I may have to try it and compare it against this fragrance. 

Have you tried this product or the Bad Boy fragrance by Carolina Herrera? Let me know down below. 

Check out my last post about Lush Crash Shower Jelly. 

Follow Allure By Jorlaska. 

Thanks for reading! 

Jamie x

The product by Allure By Jorlaska was gifted to me in return for a blog post. All opinions, and, ramblings are my own.