I Giardini di Sorrento

Morning everyone!

I love going out and finding new restaurants in Cardiff and although not all of them are 'new' to Cardiff they are new to me. I've heard of I Giardini di Sorrento on City Road and my family chose to go there for a birthday meal recently.

Beauty: Too Faced Natural Matte Palette

Hey All

Last week I shared a post with you on the Peach Perfect Matte Setting powder which you can read here. This week I wanted to share the palette I bought at the same event.

I couldn’t resist picking up the Too Faced Natural Matte palette. I was instantly drawn to it, not only does it smell amazing and have the most beautiful packaging details but it also has an amazing range of colours and I also find myself wanting more matte colours.

Warner Edwards Victoria's Rhubarb Gin from The Spirit Store

Well I'm going to be truly British and start by talking about the weather....what on earth is going on?!

One minute it's the longest heatwave and now w're back to rain, wind and storms. It's hard to keep up and I've taken to carrying sunglasses, a waterproof, sun cream and a cardigan with me at all times just to make sure!

Over the last few weeks of glorious sunshine we've been indulging in a few new drinks, gin has been a fast growing favourite for the last few years but I think we might have found 'the one'.

Meet the Warner Edwards Victoria's Rhubarb Gin:

Thirty Nine Desserts Cardiff

Happy Sunday everyone!

We've got some great pictures to share today, who doesn't absolutely love dessert??

Beauty: Too Faced Peach Perfect Mattifying Loose Setting Powder

Hey All

A few weeks ago L and I headed to a Too Faced event at our local Debenhams with the Fab Ant Gorgeous (you can find his instagram here) and of course we couldn't resist a few purchases.

I've wanted a new cruelty free powder for a while and as soon I felt this I knew I had to purchase it.

King's Ginger

Hey all!

We don't know about you but we love a good cocktail. We're regulars in our local cocktail bars and love spending evenings in with a few drinks catching up with the latest Netflix series.

We were recently sent the most amazing package from King's Ginger to try out their ginger liqueur, and who were we to say no??

Crumbs Kitchen Cardiff

Hi all!

As usual we've been eating our way around the capital and one of our favourite lunches comes from Crumbs. We've been there quite a few times now, we know exactly what we're getting and would keep going back again and again!

Charlotte Tilbury - Brow Lift 3 Way Shape Tool

Morning all!

It's been a crazy busy few months for us that we didn't anticipate at all, we've both been super busy at work, with our houses and also battling internet/PC issues so hopefully now we can begin to catch up as we've got so much to share with you!

In March I finally got round to adding some Charlotte Tilbury into my make up bag. I genuinely haven't looked back and plan on picking up a few more soon.

The first item I wanted to share with you is the Brow Lift 3 Way Shape Tool.

Beauty: Neuro CTRL Hair Care

Hey All

If you're a regular follower of ours you'll know we are lucky enough to be part of the Styling Society and get to try out some of the amazing Paul Mitchell products. You can see the beautiful marble straighteners we're in love with and our favourite range the Marula Oil range reviews here.

We've both been meaning to share out thoughts on this range for the past month but if you've seen on twitter lately we've both been super busy this past month.

Beauty: Antipodes Lipstick in West Coast Sunset

Hey All

If you've followed us for a while you'll know L and I are both big Antipodes fan, their skincare is some of my favourite and I usually use at least one item a day, I'm currently hooked on the Manuka Honey Eye Cream (you can see all of our Antipodes reviews here)

So when some of my friends gave me a lipstick last year I couldn't wait to try it, in true blogger fashion I kept it in a box until I had photographed it and forgot about it until a few weeks ago and the weather brightened up. What I love about make up gifts from other people is you can discover new things you wouldn't have tried.

LQ Liquid Health Digestive Care

Morning everyone!

If you're a follower of our Instagram (@thecsigirls) then you will have seen one of our recent posts was about the LQ Liquid Health Digestive Care supplements. LQ Liquid Health are a brand we have tried before (the Skin, Hair and Nails formula is much loved by the likes of Michelle Keegan so who were we to argue??)

Summer Fruits and Berries Rasul at Bryn Meadows

Morning all!

A spa day is always a welcome treat but after the last few weeks I was so excited to have been invited to Bryn Meadows Spa to try out their Summer Fruits and Berries Rasul offer.

This included the Rasul Mud Room Ceremony with a geranium and grapefruit scrub and a choice of mud, use of the poolside and leisure facilities for 3 hours with the usual robe, towel and slippers, followed by the Summer Berries afternoon tea with unlimited tea or coffee and a glass of Pimms.

To say I was excited was an understatement, I was looking forward to forgetting the world outside of the spa for a few hours and embracing the relaxation.

Travel: Nandini Jungle Resort and Spa Luxury Stay

Hey All

When I wrote my Ubud Travel Guide (you can find it here) I mentioned we headed out into the Jungle to stay somewhere a bit special for our Anniversary. All the accommodation whilst we were in Bali was under £50 a night (usually a lot under!) but for our anniversary we decided we wanted something a bit more special and that's when I found Nandini Jungle Resort and knew it had to be here.

Lacura Charcoal Clearing Mud Mask

Morning all!

Recently I shared my thoughts on the Lacura Charcoal Mud to Foam Cleanser so today's post is about the face mask in the same range, the Charcoal Clearing Mud Mask.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Styling Range

Hello there!

Posts have been a little thin on the ground recently so big apologies for not being able to keep up. We've both had so much on the last few weeks/months, if you don't follow us on social media you should as you can see what we have been getting up to more easily but we will hopefully catch up with things and get more time soon!

Today's review is of some hair styling products from the Awapuhi Wild Ginger range from Paul Mitchell.

If you're a long term reader you will know we are part of the Styling Society so these products were gifted to us, but after using them the last few weeks I wanted to share my thoughts on them. As always they are honest and not influenced by the fact these were given to me.

Lacura Charcoal Mud to Foam Cleanser

Hi all!

As you all know we're huge skincare fans and even bigger bargain fans. So finding the limited edition skincare in Aldi when it comes around is pretty high on my list.

Charcoal is having a bit of a moment and I don't see it going anywhere any time soon. As soon as I saw the charcoal products on offer I couldn't resist but try them out, even though I haven't really been convinced about them so far...

Life Lately - New Home, Making a Project House a Home

Hey All

I mentioned at the beginning of the year that C and I had bought our first home, property by us has been rising in price and we were getting to the point we were about to be priced out, as we started to look more at properties we decided a fully done up house wasn't for us. We knew we wanted traditional features still in the house, we wanted a bay and we wanted something we could make our own.

We've been in the house for over 6 months and I can't believe how much time flies so I thought I'd shared some of our progress, we've essentially lived in a building site for the last 3 months with our bedroom being our only sanctuary and because of all the work the rabbits were also in our room so it's been stressful!

Beauty: Make up Revolution Newtrals 2 Palette

Hey All

Long time no post, L and I have lots going on at the moment but hopefully we'll be back to posting regularly soon. 

Today I wanted to share my new favourite palette, if you're a long term reader you'll know I had a big love for Mac Cranberry eyeshadow which I lost after I'd gone cruelty free and I've been looking for a dupe ever since and Make up Revolution pulled this beauty of a palette out of the bag.

My 30th Birthday Week

Well guys it finally happened. I reached the ripe old age of 30 and there was nothing I could do to stop it!

To celebrate I went away with my family to Snowdon and we visited Zip World for the Titan zip line, stayed in a cottage and went on a quick hike most of the way up Snowdon (we didn't have enough time to go all the way up but it was so icy we would have needed extra kit to get there anyway!)

Marula Oil Light Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Hey all

Sorry so long for a post, L and I have both been super busy with L having her bathroom done and I'm six weeks into a massive change in my house which essentially leaves me living in a building site regularly trying to do work on the house and sometimes left without electric etc!

Anyway today's post is a review I've been wanted to share for weeks, the new Marula Oil Light range (we first shared the original range here which we both loved and shared the styling range here, the hairspray has been a total game changer for us both!) The Marula Oil range is so good at leaving my hair feeling in such good condition.

Beauty : The Body Shop Fuji Green Tea Hair Scrub Review

Hey All

When I first saw that The Body Shop was selling a hair scrub I knew I had to have it. I love The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Conditioner and have raved about that here.

Girl Power: The Rise in Inspirational Female Heroes

Recently I've been trying to make sure I get some down time throughout the week - by this I mean the occasional 15-60 minutes to read, watch TV, paint my nails and listen to podcasts. I used to love doing all of these things and being a real adult now with real responsibilities means you never seem to find the time!

How to get the best out of 48 hours in Ubud

Hey All

Here is the third post about my Bali and Kuala Lumpur Trip (you can find out what we did in Kuala Lumpur here) but today it's all about Ubud, this was the first town we stayed in and our favourite, we loved everything about Ubud, the people, the feel, the food and what to do.

Pixi Glow Tonic Review

Skincare is one of my favourite topics, I always loved it when Caroline Hirons says:

If you would spend more on shoes, handbags, lipstick, jeans or fashion in general than you would on high quality skincare – you will be a sixty year old woman (and man) with a vintage wardrobe and a face like an alligator

And I absolutely agree. Ever since reading this way back when it was first published in 2012 I've been putting skincare at the top of my list but sadly my budget isn't the same (nor do we get the same PR packages!) as Caroline so it's taken me a little longer to get round to trying everything she recommends. The Pixi Glow Tonic has been on my list for such a long time,

The Body Shop Vitamin C Range

If you know anything about us you'll know we're skincare addicts - we've been huge fans of the Body Shop and love their products as well as everything they stand for.

A few months ago I decided to try a few things from a different range. I've heard lots of things about the Vitamin C range from various friends and bloggers including Caroline Hirons so I obviously picked up a few things on one of their offers!

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation Review

Looking for a new foundation can be difficult, do you agree?

Finding one that fits my criteria can be a chore. It has the right consistency, the right finish, is buildable, lasts at least 12 hours and has the perfect skin colour in the range. I like buying new foundations when they turn out right, but otherwise it feels like such a waste of money especially when you don't have it to waste.

Spending £20+ on something that turns out to be rubbish is not for me, but I couldn't resist trying Too Faced's Born This Way foundation. It has some great reviews and some friends recommended it too, so I thought it might be a good one to try next.

Naissance 246 Organic Rosehip Oil

Hello!

If you're long term readers you will know how much we love skincare and love supporting local. When we heard about Naissance we had to learn more, and were super lucky to receive some of their organic rosehip oil.

Beauty: Barry M Flawless Original Primer

Hey All

This is a post I've been meaning to share for a while now, I bought this a while ago when I was hunting out other products for a 3 for 2 deal and knew Barry M was cruelty free but apart from their liquid liner and nail varnishes I haven't tried many products.

Life Update - 2018 so far!

Hello everyone! It's been quite a long time since my last blog post, I'm normally pretty on the ball with scheduling posts, tweets and having my images edited and ready to go bit the last few weeks have been so busy I haven't even had time to think straight!

My last post was 3 weeks ago, so I thought I'd share some of the things I've been up to recently and share some snaps. I love seeing pictures of things that other people have been up to so I hope you like seeing mine too!

Paul Mitchell Modern Marble Collection Review

Hey All

Paul Mitchell have absolutely smashed it out again this year, last year they had the amazing Rose Gold collection which we reviewed here, L and I both still use this on a weekly basis and have ditched our other curlers!

This year they've bought out the Modern Marble collection and it's absolutely beautiful.

Top Five Things to do in Cardiff

Hey All

As we live in Cardiff I thought it was time to share the top things to do, I find when you live in a city you don't always appreciate the things around you so this is a great tick list of things to do if you're visiting or a resident!

The Mulberry Bar at the Celtic Manor Resort

Have you heard about the fabulous new bar in the Celtic Manor?

The new Mulberry Bar opened recently and we were invited to go and check it out. Having visited Celtic Manor previously for afternoon tea and spa weekends we couldn't wait to see the new bar and see what it had to offer.

Image from the Celtic Manor

Travel: Best of Kuala Lumpur - Food, Accomodation and What To Do

Hey All

Last week I shared my how I planned my Kuala Lumpur and Bali Trip (you can read that here) so my plan over the next few weeks is to share the specifics of what we did and where we stayed.

Where we stayed

Faces Suites

I booked this hotel/apartment with our flights onExpediaa as it worked out a good deal. It was really reasonably priced, we stayed here for two nights. We arrived early in the morning but after a bite to eat we were able to check in a bit early. This was a relief as we had been travelling for around 24 hours. As we were determined to make the most of our time and not get dragged down by jetlag we headed straight out and left the exploring till the afternoon.

The suite was amazing and perfect for short or longer stays, it included a kitchen with everything you'd need to cook, living area, office, bedroom and bed. Everything was clean, tidy and well furnished.

The best bit of it all was the pool!! WOW check out the views from the rooftop infinity pool, it was just amazing. We enjoyed a few dips in here.

The only downside was the lack of a bar in the evenings, as it was part hotel/part apartment block there wasn't a bar, we found a few local hotels and went there instead but it's a shame it didn't have one for ease! It was in a great location though, and easy to get around, it was near to a metro station if you needed it but we mostly walked around.

Fun Ways to Stay Motivated on your Fitness Journey

So it's coming to the end of February and if you're anything like me you are probably wondering what on earth you can do to keep your motivation going!

You've made it through January and got passed the part where a lot of people normally give up. So what can you do to make sure you don't lose your focus??

Recently I've been looking into new ways to keep myself on track, so I've been taking part in lots of new activities in Cardiff to make sure I don't get too comfortable on the sofa too often.

Top Cruelty Free Glycolic Acid Peel Results

Hey All

As you know, we love skincare and trying anything to help with ageing. We've been loving trying out the Bravura range which we were lucky enough to be sent to try. You can see the other products we've already reviewed here.

We couldn't wait to try the Bravura Glycolic Acid 10%. We've had great results from chemical peels in the past and had been looking for more which was how we originally came to find Bravura. Chemical peels sound and can be scary but by using 10% it's a safer way for people to use at home and get the great benefits of a chemical peel.

Travelling Croatia - Wine Tasting on the Peljesac Peninsula

Over the last few months I've been sharing the many wonderful places I visited during my adventure to Croatia. I've written about the sights and views in Split, and let's not forget What to Eat whilst .you're there, I've shared the paradise that is Plitvice Lakes and the absolute gem that was Dubrovnik and the charming Old Town. Most recently I shared a post on my island hopping and the beautiful islands I visited whilst sailing along the coast and this is the final place that I am yet to share with you.

We'd had some pretty bad weather over a few days and when we docked at our latest stop we couldn't wait to get off the boat onto steady land! We actually couldn't dock properly because the weather was so windy it took multiple attempts and we had to attach our yacht to another boat, to get off we had to leap off the side and hope for the best when landing!

How I Planned Our Bali and Kuala Lumpur Adventure and Top Tips

Hi All

This is a post I've been meaning to share for a while, I love holiday planning and finding great deals and Bali was the first long holiday adventure I've planned. (Iceland was my first big holiday I planned, you can read all about that trip here)

Beauty: NYX Vinyl Matte Liner in Black Noir and Vivid Brights Liner in Vivid Fire

Hey all

I love liquid liner and finding a great one always takes time, I finally found the one I love so I thought I'd share it with you.

I first grabbed the Nyx Vinyl Liquid Liner a while ago as I loved how fine the tip was on it and it was really easy to apply, since then I've grabbed the matte and the amazing vivid fire shade.

Top 10 Tourist Things to do in London

Hey All

In November my other half and I took a week off work and decided to be tourists in London so I thought I'd share our trip and top picks to explore.

1. Watch Harry Potter and the Curse Child and Visit House of MinaLima

Beauty: W7 Absolute Lashes Mascara

Hey All

Since going cruelty free I've been needing to find alternatives for some of my favourite non cruelty free products. I've always been a big fan of Benefit They're Real (and many of they're other products) and not being able to repurchase is a shame but I've actually started to find some good alternatives.

Beauty : The Body Shop Matte Clay Foundation Review

Hey All

A few months ago whilst shopping with my brother we popped into The Body Shop and I couldn't resist grabbing they're new matte clay foundation. For my oily/combination skin it seemed like the perfect foundation for me and there was a great range of colours and even though I'm pretty pale I wasn't the lightest shade.

Travelling Croatia - Island Hopping

Since September I've been drip feeding posts of my trip to Croatia and I can't wait to share more.

I've shared where I went in Split, and what I ate whilst I was there, plus my time in paradise aka Plitvice Lakes, and lastly wandering the walls of the old town in Dubrovnik

Today's post is all about Island Hopping! As part of my trip I sailed from Split to Dubrovnik and visited many islands on the way, so make a cup of tea and settle down to see what's on each island and why you should visit!

Lush Happy Hippy Shower Gel

What's your favourite scent??

Mine has to be citrus, and the day I found the Lush Happy Hippy shower gel was a good one! I thought the dreary January weather was the perfect time for me to share a bright and zesty way to start your day.

Bottomless Lunch, Cocktails and Cider in Bristol

Back in October we finally (and I mean FINALLY) met up with the lovely Sophie (Sophie Rose) and Laura (previously Lola and Behold, now Laura Kate Life)

We've known these ladies from the very beginning of The CSI Girls, which is actually 6 years old this week - Happy Bloggerversary to us! We've spoken regularly on Instagram and Twitter with these ladies for the entire duration of this and we all thought it was about time we met up as rarely a day goes by without some kind of social interaction. So we picked a day in October and it happened!!

Easy Ways to Switch to an Eco Friendly Cruelty Free Home

Hey All

So you'll have heard us mention many times on the blog now that I'm totally cruelty free in all I use and L is moving that way too. I initally started with make up and it took me a while to even think about all the products in the home and find suitable alternatives for these too!

2017: The Highs and Lows

I always like writing round up posts, especially when you're coming to the end of something. It feels like you can summarise it together and like a good essay, finish it with a conclusion. Looking back can be a reminder of how far you have come and also be a reminder of things you have conquered both good and bad.

2017 wasn't the best year, but it also could have been a lot worse. I was going to gloss over the bad but I feel like that wouldn't be an accurate representation of my year and how difficult it has been at times.

In the interest of being as honest as possible and not pretending everything is ok, here's my year in a summary with all the good and the bad mixed in - I'm hoping it will act like therapy and make me feel ready for 2018 and a whole new chance at change! Make yourself a cup of tea as this is a bit of a long one...

Lush Haul

I'm never sure what to think when others put up haul posts, sometimes I think it's an excuse to show how much money you have to spend on things you don't need...but then why shouldn't you buy what YOU want with YOUR money?! Maybe that question is a whole post in itself!

I realised I'd bought a few things from Lush in the last few weeks and what other word was there to call it but a haul? I've really been enjoying using them all as they aren't products or scents I have tried before so I wanted to share my thoughts.

Life Update

Hey all

So it's been a long time since I wrote a blog post and even longer since I did a life lately post. A lot has been going on lately and life has been hectic!! C and I have just bought our first home and it's a total project renovation house so life has been busy moving, and starting working on it and Christmas thrown into the mix.