Simply Bare 1 Year Anniversary Deals

Hey All

Last year I wrote about a new salon that had opened in the arcades of Cardiff (you can read about it here!) Simply Bare is now a year old. It's such a great salon and at the moment they are running some great birthday deals. Such as if you get a bikini wax you can get half price massage or facials. What better way to get the essentials done and give yourself a treat too.

Waxing is such a great way to control hair removal. I'm not a fan of shaving as I find it needs doing too often and I just don't get on with it for the bikini area so always opt for waxing or epliating. I do find epilating such a chore though. It's so much nicer to just have someone else do it.

Simply bare is a great professional salon easily located in the city centre and it opens till 6 Mon-Sat with later night opening on a Thurs which is a great for people who work. It's a bug bear on mine when things are only 9-5

The Salon still uses Lycon waxes which is a great waxing system you can read more about in my original post. Plus who doesn't love the novelty of a great smelling product that also works really well!

So if you're looking for a great salon in Cardiff for waxing, massages or facials go check out the ladies at Simply Bare. It's also number 1 on trip adviser at the moment with some really great reviews so don't just take my word for it!

Love M

xxx

Lush Pumice Power

Hey All

First all apologies for the photos of this I was too excited to use it and had to take photos in my bathroom at night! Bad blogger in me. I've mentioned a lot on her the Lush Event we went to. I love going to the store after hours and can never resist buying myself some treat. I'm really bad at neglecting my feet. In all honestly I'm lazy and I have ticklish feet so don't like doing it. Foot maintance for me would usually involve me bribing my mum when I was visiting every few months to ped egg my feet. Something about a pumice stone grosses me out so when I saw pumice power I had to buy it. 

I'd used stepping stone a bit but didn't like how quickly it was used up and how crumbly it was. Pumice power has now replaced it but if you were a fan of stepping stone I think you'll love this even more. This is a lot harder than stepping stone so lasts a lot longer.

It's kind of a mix between a soap and a scrub (and contains pumice powder so you are getting a scrub like using a pumice stone). It really lathers up when wet but has enough grit to smooth out the tough skin on feet. I've been using mine everyday in the shower since I got it a few weeks ago. It's been easy to fit into my shower routine (I know clever me, look after my feet once flip flop season is coming to an end!) It has a lovely orange scent to it too. I am a fan of the minty fragrance of stepping stone but citrus scents can always win me over instead. 

Do you take care of your feet or are yours a little neglected like mine? 

Love M

xxx

Snacking Organic

Hey All

We were recently sent some snacks to try as part of a Organic September. Both L and I try to eat healthy as much as possible and organic is something my other half and I have been recently trying to buy. We recently made the decision to start up Riverford veg boxes which is a company that delivers in season organic fruit and veg! We are loving these so far and it definitely seems to taste better.  We also had a lot of hello fresh boxes which some of the products were organic (I'm not sure if it all was or not, you can read about those here).

Organic snacking isn't something I've really thought to look into, especially not teas. I love teapigs and some of them are organic but not all. 

As soon as the parcel arrived I couldn't wait to taste everything. I'm a fan of different teas and rooibos is a favourite. I've had the oatcakes a lot before as my mum was wheatfree for a while.

Kromland Farm Organic Rooibos Caramel Tea* retails for £2.49 for 40. For herbal teas I think it's a pretty standard price and not much more than normal herbal teas. For me I will definitely be repurchasing this. For a while I've been trying to reduce my caffeine intake. I have one of the giant sports direct mugs (tacky I know but as a tea lover the bigger the better, size matters!!) in work and I was drinking about 5 mugs of tea , green tea or coffee and more at home. Rooibos is naturally caffeine free and the natural caramel flavours adds a touch of sweetness to a rich tea. I like to drink this without milk. I've been swapping out about 3 of my massive mugs of tea for this instead so hopefully I'll be weaned off caffeine again soon except for my morning cuppa! I'm pretty evil without that! 

Next up is the Ombar Buttons Coco Mylk * which retail for £1.49. I was really dubious about these. I instantly assumed dairy free would then be some sort of fake chocolate and just not taste good or it would taste overly sweet. I was so pleasantly surprised by them. They get there flavour from Raw Cacao and coconut palm sugar. These are so good, they have a great natural chocolate flavour which is still creamy and not excessively sweet and a perfect taste of coconut that isn't overly fake. I also love that the ingredient list is pretty small, when I know most of the ingredients on something it does make me more intrigued to eat it. As well as being dairy free they are suitable for vegans!

Not the healthiest of snacks but both L and I would rather get out sweet treats in this way then a normal bar of chocolate.

Clearspring Snack Organic Tamari Roasted Sicilian Almonds* retail for £1.49. These were the clear winner in the snack we got to try. L is much better at snacking on nuts than I am. I don't tend to buy them much and I really should as they are a great source of fat and protein. To me unless I fancy it nuts seems a bit boring but these have got a great taste to them. It's hard to explain, slightly sweet, sour and just good really! (there is a reason I'll never be a food blogger I struggle beyond it tastes good, it tastes bad!!). I loved these so much I've already ordered more. They are great to keep at my desk for when I want a savoury snack.

Nairns Organic Oatcakes* retail for £1.09. I've had these a lot before as I mentioned above my mum used to follow a wheatfree diet so got these instead of bread. I'll start with what annoys me with them. I wish they came in 6 packs of 4 oatcakes rather than 4 pack of 6. When there is 6 in a pack I eat them all but would have been satisfied at 4. I really like these and always have. I find them pretty tasty and snack on them dry as they are most of the time. Or if I'm having them for lunch will have something like tuna or avocado and salmon. They do seem to go with everything and are a great way to start to introduce organic foods into your diet. I would have normally picked up non organic without thinking but would always grab the organic ones instead now.

Do you purchase any organic food? Would you now consider it?

Love M

xxx

Laguna Health and Spa*

Hey All

As I write this L is on her way to Paris for a work trip lucky lady! Last week we were lucky enough to be invited to the Park Plaza hotel in Cardiff for some treatments in the Laguna Health and Spa. I actually used to be a member of the gym there so have used the pool many times but never had treatments.

We were treated to a 25 minute treatment each. L chose a massage and I choose a facial! A facial is always the treatment I choose for a spa day. I find them relaxing. The reception area had a great display of Elemis products and little ornaments and candles around. It was comfortable to sit whilst waiting for treatments. For spa days there is a dining room and relaxing room so you don't have to leave the spa to eat lunch (I do prefer this for spa days as once I've got my robe on I don't want to have to get dressed mid way through!).

The rooms we were in were clean, neutral and felt calming. There were little tealights around the sink area and a chair to put your things on. The beds were comfortable and the towels big enough to cover you. I do find sometimes It can be cold having a facial as the towel is a bit short but here it was fine and the rooms were a comfortable temperature.

My facial was amazing!! I think I had a cleanse, exfoliation, mask, eye mask, tone and moisturise. It was so relaxing. While the mask was on the therapist gave me a head massage that was so relaxing! I also really like that the eyes were given attention as I've found usually during a facial nothing was put on the eyes except cotton pads so it was nice product was put on them. I couldn't fault the therapist. The only suggestion I would give is to give clients a sheet with the products that have been used or tell them as I like to know what's been used as sometimes like to purchase them after a treatment!

L also liked her massage. She said it was really relaxing and a great massage.

It involved not only a full massage from neck to shoulders and lower back, but also a scrub which was lovely and unexpected. Her skin has been feeling so soft since then! 

Both treatments were great and I'll defintely look to go back when me and my mum look for our next spa day!

Park plaza also do amazing afternoon teas which L and I have been for before. I recently went for the Gin Afternoon tea with friends. Some spa packages include the afternoon teas so I thought I'd show you some photos of them. L and I went a while ago for the normal one but I think it's pretty similar offerings still.

Love M

xxx