Cocoa Brown Tan One Hour Tan

Morning All

L and I are probably very hungover!! We were out last night to celebrate her birthday! One thing that is essential for our nights is a good tan! We are both naturally pale so tanning for a night out usually begins a week prior with prepping the skin and getting a base colour from Dove!

We are always after the next amazing tan (I think the hunt is the same as foundation. You always think there is better!), the one to give you an amazing colour, no streaks, develops in one coat, no smell and fades easily. It's a lot to ask for in a tan.

After both hearing loads of amazing things about Cocoa Brown we decided we had to get our hands on it so headed to Primark where I'm sure it was £6. The price does seem to vary a bit in different shops.

Cocoa Brown tan is a mousse formula so it's easy to apply to the skin without streaking and dries quickly so you don't have to wait around feeling sticky!

It's also paraben free which is a big thing for L and I.

It does claim to have a Tahitian Gardinia Scent and when applied it smells fresh on the skin and not like fake tan. As it develops though and is washed off I do notice a slight fake tan smell. Not as bad as some but it is definitely there.

One thing that got our attention was the fact it is a 1 hour tan. Anything that can give a glow after an hour sounds amazing to me. In the pictures below you can see the tan line from where I've applied it. The colour here is after an hour. The first photo is without flash (this doesn't show the difference very well!) the second with. After an hour a soft glow is there. For me I found it isn't enough of a colour for my preference so I prefer to apply the tan the night before or first thing in the morning.

Once developed fully it gives a gorgeous brown colour. Not at all orange. One of my favourite things about the tan is how well it fades. It fades without patchiness on me and doesn't leave marks behind. It just seems to naturally disappear!

I do really like the colour this gives on my skin but I do find it needs longer to develop. It does give a colour after an hour but if I needed a tan that instantly I would prefer to use instant. It gives a great colour that fades naturally and is a great price!

Have you tried Cocoa Brown?

Love M

xxx

Hi all!

As M has mentioned already....I'm probably an absolute state as you read this! It's my birthday on Wednesday and we're going out for a *few* cocktails. Not only that but were planning on an early morning run too (9am) as we're in training and that doesn't stop for anything!

We definitely are both massive fans of the tan but being so pale we do need one that really works. I've applied many famous tans previously and found they did absolutely nothing for my skin whatsoever. Cheap ones can go green and lets not even go there with the streaks. It is an endless hunt for the perfect tan!

Using Cocoa Brown for the last couple of weeks I've been quite impressed. I'm a fan of the mousse application and the pink bottle is so pretty on my desk and makes me think of summer, ideal when you're trying to be bronzed!

I found application quite easy due to the brown colour of the product and the smell was nice and floral without being overwhelming. I always use a mitt to apply my tan and this mousse went on quite easily though there were a few patches where I missed as the tan didn't go as far as I thought it would. This did mean I used more but hey, it's £6 a bottle I'm sure I can cope.

I liked the fact it was coloured as it meant I already had a 'glow' after application. 1 hour after application I was definitely slightly darker in skin tone but it most definitely continued to deepen over time and for me I don't think 1 hour would have been enough.

By the time I woke up the next day I had a nice, relatively even tan and would definitely buy this again as it was easy to use and works well. I'd need to leave it longer than 1 hour and definitely would reapply for a weekend like this weekend. I just need to have a personal tanner at all times!

One of the best things about this tan was how easily it faded. I'm not one to constantly scrub and moiturise AFTER the tan has been applied so normally end up with some lovely scaly patches if I'm not reapplying for the next weekend. But this one surprised me as it wore off throughout the week really well and i didn't look scaly at all! Hands down the best tanning product for the wearing off stage that I have EVER tried.


Have you tried Cocoa Brown 1 hour tan? What did you think of the colour?


L xxx

Glasto Wishlist

Hey lovelies!

I hope you're having a lovely start to the weekend. Unfortunately for me not only is it a working day (day 6 eek!) but I've got the worst toothache ever.
I've obviously not been eating enough as when I was drunk last weekend I decided to bite my own cheek so badly that I haven't been able to eat or sleep properly since! My dentist said 'it doesn't get much worse than that' as I've bitten it right at the back on my bite line so it's not going to heal unless I stop eating and talking. WHAT ON EARTH AM I GOING TO DO!!!

Well ladies and gents I am one for a PMA - that's a positive mental attitude if you didn't know.....I will instead be living off a liquid diet for the forseeable future, perfectly timed with my birthday weekend. Looks like its cocktails all the way! And an early night on an empty stomach probably eek!

Anyway what I'm really looking forward to is Glastonbury and is the main reason for posting. Both me and M have never been to a festival before so instead of testing the waters with an overnight one, we thought we'd 'go hard or go home' and go for the full 5 days of Glastonbury delights.

They've so far announced that Dolly Parton, Lily Allen and Arcade Fire are playing, none of whom I'm particularly big fans of so I'm hoping they start confirming the other rumours PRONTO. I mean, Kanye West (for the lols), the Eagles (legends!) and a bit of Disclosure, Skrillex and Example would be lovely!


The next most important thing....the wardrobe.

What on earth do you wear to a 5 day long event that you can't shower at?

I've already got myself a pair of navy Hunters wellies and I'm sure I've got an old pair of flip flops and pumps to take so the footwear is done. Aside from that? I've got some denim shorts I can rock and that's where it ends....so here's the start of my probably endless wishlist!


I'd really like this gorgeous white shirt from Next at £22. Not only is it really versatile to be worn with anything but its also going to be great for covering up in sun (fingers crossed!) and if it gets a bit chilly. I'll just have to remember to wear this at the beginning when I'm still clean!

I think that simple tea dresses and skater dresses are also going to be the best things to stick to as they're an outfit in themselves and don't require much fuss.


All of the above are from New Look and range from £18 to £23 so are absolute bargains really!
I'm a lover of a nipped in waist and polka dots so wouldn't be able to refuse any of these, in fact I might just accidentally add them to my basket now!

I imagine I am going to need to accessorize the bejeesus out of my hair as it will only stay looking good enough to leave it down for about 2 days, 3 if its not raining or particularly sweaty. So then it's going to be time to rock some of these. I am in LOVE:

This first one is from Prairie Charms and costs £15:

How pretty! i think its a simple design that will go with a lot and the price is perfect.

These are from Crown and Glory:

The purple one is again only £15 and I surprised myself by liking it as it's not normally a colour I would go for but its just so beautiful!

The coral coloured one definitely has larger flowers and comes in at £20 because of it but it's worth the upgrade for the added drama!

So pretty much that's my plan for my wardrobe. I'm probably missing some key pieces like a hoody, joggers and an umbrella but in my head its going to be fabulously sunny and feel like I'm abroad....if only!


Let me know what I'm missing because I need a serious reality check, a girl can dream but I need to know what to take so I don't get hypothermia too.

What did you take to a festival to wear? Have you been to one before and have some must have tips?

Please get involved!

L xxx

Fitness Friday: GoNutrition Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

Hello folks!

I missed a Fitness Friday post last week so apologies for that, I didn't get chance to write and schedule it in time before I went away to stay at a friends for the very last Six Nations rugby match....and what a win it was for Wales! If only we'd played that well against England eh? (I'm sure M wouldn't be anywhere near so smug then...!) It was all good fun though and I can't wait for the Autumn Internationals now.

Me and my brother have been checking out a lot of products from Go Nutrition over the last couple of months since their launch. We've made a few orders between us and one of our favourite products so far is this beauty: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil.

I'm sure you've all heard a lot about it recently as it seems to be a bit of a craze but it's definitely one to try. I've bought myself a cheaper non-organic coconut oil for beauty uses, i.e. slathering over my hair and face for a hydrating treat but I'd definitely prefer to go with the organic versions when it comes to using it on food.


One of the main plus points to using coconut oil is that it is extremely heat stable, meaning when you use it to cook food with it doesn't damage as easily and so you don't get such a smoky experience as you do when using other oils such as olive oil. Not only is it great for cooking but it can be added to almost anything, including smoothies, to add extra flavour and 'good for you' fats.

So what are the health benefits?
Well its free from cholesterol and those dreadful trans fatty acids and is rich in lauric acid and medium chain triglycerides (MCT's for those in the know...) meaning it will help keep your heart healthy, improve your fat loss, cognitive function and immune system and provide you with an energy boost. All this from an oil! Who'd have thought it.


With regards to the MCTs (thanks to GoNutrition website I sound like a pro!), they say that they are taken straight to the liver for immediate energy and are treated by the body more like a carb. This is great news, as it means your body doesn't store it around your middle like other fats, hurrah!


You can see from the picture above of the tub itself that Go Nutrition's product is 100% organic from palm trees in Sri Lanka and holds Soil Association and EU certification to prove it. Not only that but it has not been hydrogenated, bleached, refined or deodorised, exactly as all food products should be!

I'm not going to lie and say that I fully understand the above table of nutritional info, but I do know that I'm glad there's 100g of fat in 100g of the oil. It means there's no hidden nasties and added chemicals into the product that you don't want to be putting into your body. Also again, no cholesterol or trans fatty acids.


As for the product itself here's a pretty rubbish picture from my phone:

It looks as you would expect and is a solid white substance that goes greasy when you touch it. It does smell of coconut but isn't overpowering, I personally love the smell of it. The taste is exactly the same, so natural and although when cooking it is a subtle flavour when you eat it on its own (I had to try it!) it's a lot stronger.


My brother is a huge fan and regularly cooks his food in it, his favourite thing to do with it is slap it on a piece of toast before going to his MMA/wrestling classes as it gives a great energy boost to keep him going.

My favourite thing? When my mum makes flapjacks with it. It's a pretty simple recipe; oats, coconut oil, and whatever dried fruits, nuts and seeds you want to add to it. She melts the oil in a saucepan, adds the oats and whatever other ingredients and mixes it all together. Then you transfer it to a tray and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or so and then leave to cool. I've honestly never tried anything so delicious! And they're the perfect 'treat' for a pre workout or just generally when you're feeling naughty and need a sweet treat, we all have those days.

You can pick up the Go Nutrition Coconut Oil for £9.99 here for 460g and this should last you a good while, probably 2 months or so but depends how much you use it.

There are a lot of things I'd like to try from their website including the nut butters, Cocopure powder and Burnmax capsules. You should definitely check out their range of protein rich foods too. They include crisps, cookies and the newly released protein pancake mix! Needless to say we grabbed that in time for pancake day and I'm sure a review will follow!


What do you think of coconut oil? Are you a recent convert?

I'm slowly changing bits of my diet now that I'm learning so much more!

L xxx

Real Techniques Sam's Picks

Hello lovelies!

Hope your week is going well! 

I'm sure everyone knows about Real Techniques brushes, collections and sets and we are definitely huge fans of everything we have ever tried, and not to mention their customer service is phenomenal.

This set is called Sam's Picks:

It contains three different types of brushes, who's colours match the general colour coded scheme of Real Techniques brushes
Pink - Finish
Orange - Base
Purple - Eyes

This set is a combination of the three different types of brushes. I already own three of these brushes and absolutely love 2 of them (buffing brush and setting brush). The third (pointed foundation brush) I don't find as useful for me as the buffing brush covers everything I need during my 6am morning rush!

I'm always excited to try new face brushes and set with a bit of everything is a bonus.

I've separated the brushes into colour groups to make it easier.
But firstly....how much do you love the packaging?? The foam casing was so lovely and sturdy let alone beautifully coloured with a gradient it was hard to throw it out (seriously). 

First up are the Finish brushes; the multi task brush and the setting brush.
The setting brush is great for me in the morning when I've applied my base and concealer and need some powder to set it. I find my under eye area creases easily so it needs some extra attention. The setting brush is perfect for this! It's so soft and fluffy that its perfect for the eye area.

The multi task brush is one of my new favourites. I tend to use it as a powder brush to set my make up in the morning, but its smaller than the RT powder brush and could be used for many things including blusher, bronzer and highlighter. It's the ultimate brush for a powder product and if you couldn't afford blusher and powder brushes, this is the one you should choose!


The buffing brush has been raved about by almost everyone and both me and M ar eno exception. It is both a massive inconvenience yet a brilliant business plan that it can only be found in collections and not to buy individually. In short, they must be raking it in and I am unsurprisingly the owner of  a great 'set' of brushes that i didn't know I needed!

I won't waffle on about it too much as we've previously posted about the Core Collection here, but basically if a collection has got this in, it's a winner! Snap it up and bathe in its glory, your face will thank you for it.

The pointed foundation brush is definitely for someone who is a little more skilled and patient in the face department. I cannot be bothered in the morning to do more than apply my foundation with the buffing brush as it just works so easily at getting every bit of product evenly on my face. But if you are patient this brush is ideal for applying product around your nose and eye area as it is tapered especially.

The essential crease brush (shown below) was a welcome addition to my eyeshadow brush collection. Truth is, seeing as I've got the eye brush set from RT I wasn't sure I needed more (apart from another set out of laziness with washing) but I can assure I did and was proved wrong again.
I went looking for this brush specifically the other day and couldnt find it due to it blending in so seamlessly with the rest of the eyeshadow set that I had to look up the names to be sure!

It definitely suits its name and I use it to apply a darker shade to my eye every morning and I;m not sure how i managed to cope before owning it! So soft, fluffy and gentle on the eyes as well.

The fine liner brush has come in handy many a time I've attempted to line my eyes at 6am. It's not an easy task whilst you're still half asleep, trying to drink your tea, eat your porridge and put your socks on all at once. This beauty does help very much and fine lines is what you will get with it.
The only downside to this one is that it needs washing ASAP after using it as any product seems to dry out and make it hard which isn't nice to use on the eye area one little bit.

So there we have a quick run down of Sam's Picks, and i have to agree she made some pretty good choices! The only one that I wouldn't use is probably the pointed foundation brush and that's probably because I'm utterly clueless how to use it and not very patient either.

You can pick up this set for £29.99. I was lucky enough to get mine whilst it was on sale over the festive period and it was down to £20. A quick google search tells me it's still available on Escentual for £24.50 so pop on over, I didn't realise but it seems this set is limited edition too and is sold out everywhere else!

What do you think of the set as a whole? Do you have a particular favourite? What do you hope they bring out next??

L xxx