November 2014

Posted on November 29, 2014

Christmas gifts for him

If you still haven’t decided on what to get the men in your life for Christmas then worry not, because I’m here to help! From your forgetful father to your football loving boyfriend, Enhance What’s Yours has pretty much got you covered for this – well, sort of…..

Here are some of my lovely gift suggestions for him:

FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND

When it comes to men, you can never go wrong with boxers or aftershave, and since it’s Black Friday Weekend, searching through high end brands to find them doesn’t sound like much of a bad idea. Here are some ideal gifts for that special someone in your life – aren’t the pillows just the cutest thing ever?

Ted Baker 3 Pack Luton Boxers, PRICE: €45.00, Arnotts

My Side Your Side Pillowcase, PRICE: €39.17, Not On The Highstreet

Armani Diamond Rocks Christmas Gift Set, PRICE: €50.00, Arnotts

FOR YOUR FATHER

As much as we’d love to give our fathers the world, it isn’t very realistic! Here are some gifts that will surely put a smile on daddy’s face – or in this case, his feet!

Mel & Co. Bonded Leather 10 Watch Storage Box, PRICE: €78.98, Not On The HighStreet

Guinness World Records 2015, PRICE: €19.99, Eason

RJR. John Rocha – Designer Tan Suede Slippers, PRICE: €52.50, Debenhams

FOR YOUR BROTHER/FRIEND

You can complain about your siblings all you like, but we all know that deep down it’s all just love! These suggestions will keep your brother(s) warm and giggling throughout the Christmas period – he probably wouldn’t want it any other way!

The Big Bang Theory, Season 1 -7 (DVD), PRICE: €49.99, HMV

Hugo Boss, 3 Pack Socks Gift set Multicolour, PRICE: €32.00, Arnotts

Jack & Jones, Mens PRM Cardigan, PRICE: £34.99, Mandmdirect.com

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 27, 2014

3 home remedies for spilt ends

D.I.Y

In this day and age, too many women are overly focused on making their weave and extensions look perfect that they neglect and mistreat their natural hair.

I’m not pointing any fingers here, because I was once on the same ship. Overtime, I have learned to treat the natural kinks in my hair and the more I do so, the more I love it!

D.I.Y hair masks have become a norm in my household, and while I will at some stage share the recipe we use for hair growth, I thought I’d first start off with a problem that women of many ages and races have to deal with on a regular basis: split ends.

There are different reasons why people get split ends: over washing, a lack of moisture, excessive hair styling tools, sun exposure…..the list goes on really! But the important thing is that it can easily be fixed.

Here are some simple remedies for treating split ends at home:

Egg mask

Crack an egg into a clean bowl and then add 1 tbsp of olive oil. Mix it up and then apply it onto your hair. Leave it on for 30 – 45 minutes and then wash your hair as you normally would.

Avocado trick

Mash an avocado and then massage it in your hair. Be sure to get a good coat on your split ends. Leave it in for about 25 minutes and then wash your hair as you normally would.

Honey rinse

Mix 2 spoonfuls of honey with a spoonful of curd and then massage it into your hair. Pay particular attention to the split ends. Leave the mixture on for about 25 minutes and then rinse it out water.

If you try one or two of these methods once every 2 weeks you will begin to see a difference, all it takes is a bit of discipline! Your hair is your glory, remember? 🙂

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 25, 2014

Healthy Chai Latte (Vegan & Sugar-free)

recipes

Since I’m slowly getting into the holiday spirit, I thought I’d be the perfect time for me to share a warming recipe that might get you to jump into the bandwagon as well – sorry, to all the Grinches out there!

This Chai latte is comforting, festive and you can even experiment with your favourite spices. Although it doesn’t have much nutritional value, your body won’t hate you for having one or two – especially since most Chai’s are saturated with sugar, dairy and calories.

So if you’re a Chai lover or a Chai-virgin, then do give this recipe a try! It doesn’t take very long to make, it’s pretty tasty and apparently Chai lattes are meant to be an aphrodisiac (do as you please with this information) J

Here’s what you need to get started:

8 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground cardamom
Fresh ginger, peeled and grated
720ml water
240ml almond milk
2 English tea bags
1 tbsp raw honey

Directions:

Put the water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.
Add in the grated ginger, along with all the spices and stir while heating up.
Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to steep for about 15 minutes or until the liquid takes on the flavour of the spices.
Return the saucepan to the head and boil.
Add the tea bags, stir and then remove from the heat.
Allow to brew for about 6 minutes (or longer, if you want the tea flavour to be strong).
Use a sieve to strain the tea into a separate saucepan and then discard the tea bags and any spice residue.
Mix in the honey and almond milk and then return to a medium heat.
Serve after 5 – 6 minutes.

Notes: If you have a milk frother, froth the milk before putting adding it in. Let the tea cool down before putting into an airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 6 days.

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 24, 2014

Top 6 concealers under €10

Christmas Blog Party 2014

Events

Over the past couple of weeks, myself and my buddy Nirina joined forces with Aoibhe Devlin of The Secret Obsession Blog to plan a little festive party for our fellow blogger friends – there are just so many of us out there!

After a lot of venue hunting and trying to get the right sponsors for the event, it finally took place on Thursday 20th November in the upstairs lounge of The Opium on Wexford Street, Dublin.

We were absolutely spoilt for whole night: they treated us with a lovely selection of dessert platters and there wasn’t a single blogger who wasn’t holding a glass of wine in their hand – not that I’m encouraging alcoholism here or anything, but their wine just tasted so good!

As well as that, we got a very generous sponsorship from the KOH Coconut team and OKF Ireland, who kindly shared with us some very interesting flavours of their coconut water as well as their infamous aloe vera water – it is absolutely to die for!

Some other sponsors included reputable brands such as Cocoa Brown, Dream Dots for Spots, Sizers, Beverly Hills Formula, Nivea and Popchips. The girls were very lucky to each go home with a goodie bag filled with products from all these brands so I’m really looking forward to getting some feedback from them.

Dream Dots Dream Dots for Spots
Beverly Hills Formula Perfect White Black Toothpaste
Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser, Invisible Deodorant, Fruity Shine Cherry Lip balm
Sizers Orange & Purple
Cocoa Brown iPhone Case
Koh Coconut Coconut Water & Pineapple and Coconut Water & Mango
Aloe Vera King Natural drink
Popchips Original and Sour Cream & Onion

The fun didn’t end there! There was also a spot prize for one lucky blogger and the gorgeous Agata of Style Gamblers, who is still very new to the blogging scene, went home with the prize for the best dressed. She looked as festive as ever and I’m really glad she – and the rest of the clan – made such an effort for the event!

Thanks for everyone who attended the #XmasBlogParty, it was so lovely to meet all the bloggers and I hope we’ll be seeing more of each other from here on out! Here’s a list of the beautiful girls who attended. Feel free to send me links to your Instagram ladies (I guess I wasn’t as organised as I looked ha!)

Aoibhe Devlin – The Secret Obsession

Zita Kelly – Zee-railed

Nirina Plunkett – Killer Fashion

Lorna Duffy – Fashion Boss

Jessika Banaghan – Chaos Wearing Lipgloss

Amy O’Sullivan – The Secret Obsession

Megan Daly – Blondes Love Cupcakes

Agata & Veronika – Style Gamblers

Nadine – The Parma Violet

Katie Brennan – Okaybee

AJ – Ajmakeup

Again, a huge thank you to the brands that got on board for this event, it honestly wouldn’t have been the same without your contribution, we really appreciate it. Be sure to #XmasBlogParty on Twitter to get a better look at all the fun that was had!

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 18, 2014

Would you have sex with an STD carrier?

Health

Apparently having an STD doesn’t put everyone off having sex……

I came across an article on The Daily Mail about research conducted on young adults who admitted to having sex with someone with an STD – wait, it gets worse.

The research was commissioned by pharmacy www.UKMedix.com. They asked over 1,200 people whether or not they’d have sex with someone they knew had an STI and around 19% answered ‘yes’ while up to a quarter said it would depend on the STI – I know, how gross!

What grossed me out more is the fact that 39% of those questioned have willingly jumped into bed with an STD carrier and didn’t even use a rubber! Most of them didn’t think that dealing with the consequences of having unprotected sex with an STD carrier was a big issue (because having an STI is soooooo normal!).

According to one of the representatives of UK Medix,

“Exposing yourself to the risk of contracting an STI is never advisable. Even though condoms can offer a certain level of protection, this isn’t the case for some sexually transmitted infections – and certainly shouldn’t be put to the test. If you really like a person, wait until their condition is treated properly before venturing into a sexual relationship with them. That way, you can ensure your intimacy is safe from risk of infection. There is never any excuse for knowingly exposing your body to potential harm in this way, particularly those who claim that they’d happily jump into bed with someone unprotected despite knowing they had an STI.”

Sarah Bailey

I totally agree with Sarah on this one. Safety first, fun later – your health is your wealth, people!

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 17, 2014

10 signs you’re a hopeless romantic

Dating

I’ve often been told that I’m a hopeless romantic. Although I don’t think I’m one, I do have a fair idea of why someone might call me that. For starters, I am a bit of dreamer: whether it’s to do with my career or my relationships, my mind often wanders to places where most people’s minds don’t.

Secondly, I find it hard to let go. Now, I don’t mean that in the psycho ex kind of way. What I mean by that is I am someone who is very keen (to put it nicely) on getting to the bottom of things and I usually don’t rest until I do.

Lastly, I expect people to go out of their way for me – I know, this is starting to sound bad. But hear me out before you judge: the only reason I would expect that from anyone is because I’d be willing to do the same for them – see, I’m not that crazy after all! 🙂

So in a way, I understand why someone would translate those things into me being a hopeless romantic – even though I disagree – there could be some truth in it. I guess it all comes down to what you actually define as a ‘hopeless romantic.’

Is it someone who is simply in love with the idea of being in love? (definitely not me) or someone who’s always open-minded about the next relationship even though the previous one went disastrously? (again, not me!)

I think it goes a lot deeper than that. For me, it is a combination of different attitudes and behaviours that make someone a hopeless romantic, not just one or two things.

And if you tick more than just a few of these boxes, then you’re probably not far off from being one yourself:

1. You expect grand gestures: After a fight, you expect to see the words ‘I’m sorry’ written in the sky (but a bouquet of flowers followed by a beautifully wrapped gift as an apology is a close second).

2. You compare your relationship to Allie and Noah: For some reason, you think your love life is comparable to the bickering love birds in The Notebook.

3. You’re in love with the idea of being in love: You admire teens who think they’re in love, you reminisce on the days when YOU were in love and you just adore couples who have been together for years.

4. You strongly believe that PDA: In your eyes, it isn’t official until you’ve practiced PDA regularly.

5. There isn’t a single romcom you haven’t watched: Your capacity for watching romantic comedies is beyond human, can you even think of a romcom you haven’t seen?

6. You think the Eiffel tower and Big Ben make a perfect couple: The more you think of it, the more it makes sense – right?

7. You fantasise about being in a long term relationship with your crush: Sometimes you get more joy in daydreaming about being with your crush than actually spending time in your waking life – sad, but true.

8. You know every single word to ‘I will always love you’ – backwards: This is pretty much says it all.

9. You believe in ‘The One’: Although there is no evidence of it in the present, you feel strangely positive about you and your friends ending up with that perfect somebody.

10. More thought has gone into your wedding day than your career: At this stage, you probably won’t even need a wedding planner for your big day. You’ve been dreaming about being a blushing bride since the day you could pick out your favourite dress.

Have you ever been called a hopeless romantic? If so, I’d love to hear why! 🙂

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 16, 2014

Top tips for moisturising the skin

Beauty/ Skincare

Moisturisers do more than simply keep your skin hydrated; they are the true foundation of youth. The right one will enhance your skin by making it look brighter, smoother and healthier. As well as that, they keep your skin protected from the weather and all the nasty chemicals polluting the air.

Whether you have dry skin, normal skin, combination skin or oily skin, it will benefit from you using some sort of moisturiser.

Here are some pro tips for moisturising the skin:

Wash hands thoroughly and dry them properly before applying moisturiser.
Use a nickel-size amount on the face.
Warm the moisturiser between your hands before usage.
Always apply moisturiser while the skin is slightly damped.
Use firm upward strokes during application.
Gently press the product on the skin until it’s been completely absorbed.
Use an oil control around our T-zone if you have oily skin.
Use a balm with ingredients such as shea butter or glycerine, if you have dry skin.
Always use a separate balm formulated specifically for lips.
Mix a few different textures of moisturisers to get the best results i.e cream with natural oils.
A fast-absorbing eye cream under concealer will help the skin under the eyes look smooth.
Always use an SPF.

Hope you found these tips useful, if you have anything to add, then feel free to share!

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 12, 2014

Flourless Chocolate Cake

recipes

Since my homemade Nutella recipe did so well, I decided to share another healthy chocolate treat for you. This flourless chocolate cake is rich, fudgy and free from refined sugars and flour . It only takes 5-ingredients to make and it’s definitely more decent than most cakes out there!

So here’s what you need…

Ingredients:

110g baking chocolate
3 whole eggs
105g coconut oil, melted
20g cocoa powder
255g of honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 190C and then grease a 8″ pan with coconut oil.
Put the chocolate in a safe-oven bowl and melt in the microwave until completely smooth.
Combine the melted chocolate with the cocoa powder, honey and eggs and then whisk well until you have a smooth batter forms.
Pour the batter into the greased pan, and then smoothen the top of it with a spatula.
Bake at 190C for 20-25 minutes. Once the centre looks firm, remove it from the oven and then allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Remove the sides and allow to cool completely before serving.
Enjoy!

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 10, 2014

9 ways to eat healthy on a budget

fitness/ health benefits

Since eating healthy can be a bit costly at times, a lot of people think it’s more trouble than it’s worth. However, healthy eating doesn’t always have to cost you so much money – especially when you shop smart.

With the right attitude and the a little bit of planning ahead, you can eat quite healthily at an affordable price. So before you decide to pay the chippy around the corner a little visit, think about how much more you can save if you follow these simple tips:

1. Write it down: Sound like a no brainer? Not to all! Decide on what you’ll need for the week ahead and write it down. When you’re shopping for food, stick to your list and don’t be tempted by all those products marketers keep at eye-level to catch your attention.

2. Meal plan: If you take anything from this article, take this: meal planning is key when it comes to staying on top of your healthy eating game. Cook in bulk, have your din dins and then freeze the rest. This way you can avoid ordering a takeout and just eat what you’ve already made.

3. Look out for special offers: When there’s a special offer on, it’s a good idea to stock up and buy in bulk. You’ll be saving more money this way, and if you’re worried about your food going off, keep it in the freezer. Some foods have to be frozen in a special way, so be sure to research how to freeze certain types of foods.

4. Go to the market: You’d be surprised by how much cheaper fruit and vegetable are at the market. Dedicate one of your mornings to buying a load of fruit/veg at the market – your body will thank you for it!

5. Ignore the brands: If you’re on a tight budget then forget the fancy packaging and the overrated brands. Just because a brand is popular it doesn’t necessarily make it better. Focus on the content not the brand.

6. Shop seasonally: Fresh products that are in season are generally cheaper than non seasonal products. So if you can, try to shop seasonally.

7. Shop around: I know grocery shopping isn’t as fun as shopping for shoes, handbags or clothes. But if you look around before you shop, you will find the best deals and maybe even come across reduced items.

8. Don’t forget coupons: I’m awfully bad at keeping coupons. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder how much more money I could have saved had I kept them all. Be sure to keep your coupons and collect your points, this can help you in more ways than just one.

9. Keep a diary: If you keep track of everything you eat on a daily basis it will help you stay on top of things. In just a few days you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come and it will be more motivate you to keep going.

Stay positive people! 🙂

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 6, 2014

10 things to know before going on a Tinder date

Dating

In today’s world, waking up to Facebook like it’s a daily newspaper has become the norm. With trendy apps such as Instagram and Snapchat, engaging in social media has becoming increasingly popular and people are using dating sites a lot more now than ever before. So when the mating app Tinder first came out, I wasn’t surprised by how many of my friends were using it.

I’m not going to lie, I did download it myself – but that was only because I was curious to see what all the hype was about (not to mention, I was also in London at the time). I got bored of it fairly quickly and no offense to anyone, but when I got back to Ireland, there was a lot of swiping left – not a lot of talent going on here.

Anyways, anyone who knows me knows I can be pretty paranoid about things like this (and everything else), but do I know a few girls who have happily gone on dates with guys they’ve met on Tinder and while I make no judgment on their decisions, I do feel that there are a few things that need to be considered before agreeing to go on what is widely known as ‘a Tinder date.’

If you don’t know what he actually does with himself, then you might want to wait a while before agreeing to meet up.
Surprises are good, but not in situations like this. Make sure you send a screenshot to a trusted friend, so that they’ll know what he looks like – ‘Girl Goes Missing After Tinder Date With Stranger’ is never a nice headline to see.
Some people go through lengths to set up fake profiles, so it could be anyone behind the screen. It won’t hurt to let someone know where you’re going – better safe than sorry, right?
You could be talking to the same person as your friend – always a good idea to check in with the girls, you don’t want to end up “falling” for the same guy now, do you?
He could – or should I say – he probably just wants you for the one night. So make sure you’re both on the same page.
It’s quite likely he isn’t looking for something too serious (otherwise, he wouldn’t be on Tinder).Again, know what you’re getting yourself into.
There’s a 99.9% chance that you aren’t the only person he is talking to or planning to take on a date.
He might not show up at all – yes, this does happen.
You may attract a stalker (I use the world ‘stalker,’ very loosely here).
Once you delete him from your chat, he’s gone on TINDER forever but it doesn’t stop him from finding you on other social media sites.

Have you ever been on a Tinder date? If so, feel free to share your story below! 🙂

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Posted on November 5, 2014

Homemade Nutella

How To/ recipes

All you Nutella fans are probably reading this with disgust and thinking ‘How could any homemade chocolate spread compare to the one you buy in the shop – especially to Nutella.‘

Believe it or not, it is possible to find a good recipe for a homemade chocolate spread that tastes even remotely like the store-bought stuff. If you ever dared to search for a recipe online, you’d find that there are more than just a few floating around the net that don’t quite cut it.

This recipe however, is probably the closest you’d get to the real stuff and best of all, it is dairy-free and refined sugar-free too!

What you’ll need:

225g hazelnuts
120g coconut sugar
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp cocoa powder
6 – 8 tbsp water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 150C, then arrange the hazelnuts on a lined and rimmed baking tray.
Toast the nuts for about 20 minutes and once the skins begin to crack, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Remove as much skin from the nuts by rubbing them in a clean kitchen towel – don’t worry if you don’t manage to get it all off!
Put the peeled nuts in a food processor and then process until creamy. You can stop to scrape down the sides if needs be.
Once you have a smooth butter (usually takes about 5 – 6 minutes with a decent food processor), add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, coconut oil and 3 tbsp of water and blend, blend, blend!
Taste the mixture once it is well combined and add tbsp of pure maple syrup if it isn’t sweet enough for your taste buds. It will also give your chocolate spread that glossy look Nutella has (as if it isn’t irresistible enough as it is, right?)
Keep processing the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thick, add one tbsp of water at a time (5 tbsp are usually enough).
Store the finished spread in a sealed container in the fridge for no more than a week.
Enjoy!

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Healthy homemade Nutella
73
Today was a very productive day: I made my very own Nutella.That's right, I made a thick and gooey hazelnut spread with a touch of cocoa that tastes very much like the much-loved 'breakfast' spread, Nutella itself. Now I know it doesn't look like the most appetising chocolate spread out…
Tags: tbsp, spread, coconut, hazelnuts, blend, add, cocoa, water, sugar, remove
Healthy peanut butter cups
49
This 3-ingredient peanut butter cup recipe is to die for! These chocolatey treats are thick and gooey (in a good way) and just melts in your mouth at every bite. They also taste much better than the store bought versions and as always, they’re much healthier too! Ingredients: 2 tbsp natural…
Tags: butter, tbsp, add, smooth, oil, powder, coconut, taste, mixture, minutes
Dairy-free Maple Pecan Glaze
42
Most seasonal baked goods call for processed dairy, white sugar and all those things we try our best to avoid over the holidays, but fail –every single year. This maple pecan glaze isn’t something that will make you feel bad for enjoying: pecans are full of vitamin E and maple…
Tags: water, tbsp, coconut, oil, add, mixture, smooth, sugar, dairy, homemade
Egg-free protein pancakes
34
A few months back I got a food intolerance test done for my skin. I was told I needed to avoid eggs, wheat and yeast to prevent my breakouts. It came as such a shock to me because there was a time in my life where I couldn't imagine going…
Tags: oil, coconut, tbsp, mixture, add, powder, water, spread, butter, food

Older Entries

Christmas gifts for him

Like this:

3 home remedies for spilt ends

Like this:

Healthy Chai Latte (Vegan & Sugar-free)

Like this:

Top 6 concealers under €10

Like this:

Christmas Blog Party 2014

Like this:

Would you have sex with an STD carrier?

Like this:

10 signs you’re a hopeless romantic

Like this:

Top tips for moisturising the skin

Like this:

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Like this:

9 ways to eat healthy on a budget

Like this:

10 things to know before going on a Tinder date

Like this:

Homemade Nutella

Like this:

Related Posts

November 2014
M	T	W	T	F	S	S
« Oct				Dec »
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30

November 2014

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Share this on social media:

Like this:

Related Posts