Palmers Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Tan Lotion - Review

I've always been a huge Palmers fan and absolutely love their body butter products and have been using them for years! I've even got my boyfriend hooked on their good old cocoa butter.

 Cocoa butter is without a doubt one of my favourite scents when looking for new products and definitely one I am always drawn too.

I am also a serial fake tanner!! Being a natural redhead (but my hair has darkened somewhat over the years) I obviously have your typical ginger skin - annoyingly freckly and pale. There is nothing I love more than laying out in the sun for 2 weeks solid, somewhere exotic and hot on our summer holidays trying to tan, but I really do just have to accept that even though I love the sun....it DEFINITELY does not love me back!! *sniffsniff*.

There probably aren't many brands of fake tan I haven't tried and tested over the years and I do 100% have my favourites (Fake Bake & Laurens Way I'm looking at you!!) but every now and then I like to mix it up a bit.

I've got to be honest gradual tanners aren't a product I am usually a fan of. I definitely started out with them at the beginning of my tanning experience (to ease myself in gently...or so I thought at the time!) but I'm often left thinking why bother tanning at all if you're not going to tan properly! I like it to be noticeable not barely there. However loving Palmers like I do I thought I'd pick up Natural Bronze Tan Lotion when I saw it on offer in Boots.

Image: Superdrug

I have to say I am really really impressed. Sometimes when I'm not planning any nights out in a while, or getting my legs out and generally being a bit lazy, I can't be bothered to properly fake tan - yes you heard it hear first, never thought id be saying that - so a gradual tan lotion is perfect for maintaining a slight glow but also only needs minimal effort.
Natural Bronze Glow is a moisturiser that develops into a subtle tan and can be built up over x number of days. Firstly unlike actual fake tan products gradual tanner tends to be white in colour, which makes it seem much more like a regular moisturiser. It also doesn't have your typical fake tan smell. Natural Bronze Glow does have a slight scent to it, certainly more than the regular cocoa butter product but equally its not unpleasant in the slightest. My boyfriend kept telling me i smelt like chocolate if that makes you feel better about the smell? ha! And you can definitely smell the cocoa butter running through it which also leaves a really pleasant smell.
Now I've just been slapping this on willy nilly after my daily showers, not thinking too much about it. I can't remember exactly how long I've been using it now, maybe a fortnight on and off but not once have i had any sort of streak. Each day I notice I am getting browner and browner, subtly and naturally. The colour is long lasting and fades very evenly. I've only needed to exfoliate a little around my ankles and elbows.

The top picture is after using Natural Bronze for a couple of days and the bottom picture is after a week. I think you can build up a really nice and natural, but definitely worthwhile, tan with little effort or maintenance. Maybe a winner?

Palmers Natural Bronze Tan Lotion retails at £5.35

Have any of you tried Natural Bronze Tan? I'd love to hear your opinion on it?

XOXO

** this post first appeared on my original blog Sparkle Bug which you can read here **

Youngsies Monkey Onesie - Review

Last week we received a little pre-Christmas treat from the lovely people at Youngsies, one of their baby monkey onesie costumes* for Brooke to try out.

Youngsies are a company specialising in animal onesies and towels for babies and toddlers. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from 0-36 months.

We absolutely love the monkey onesie! Is is so cute, cheeky and totally unisex.

- It is hand & footless

- Has an attached hood

- Is costume style

- Very soft & fluffy

- Thickly padded

- Has both zip & popper openings

- Machine washable

This honestly is one of the thickest, most snuggly and padded onesies that Brooke has, and she has quite a few! We've found 0-3 months to be an awkward stage where shops don't really offer coats yet for babies so small, so onesies and pramsuits are our go to outfit on a cold day.

The monkey onesie is size 0-6 months so as Brooke is coming up 4 months there was still plenty of room for her to grow further and I expect it will fit her for a good while yet. Being handless and footless in a romper style (if you chose to open the poppers) definitely means the onesie will fit for longer because often clothes become too short in the leg for Brooke before they're too small in the body.

Everytime Brooke has worn the onesie she has seemed really comfortable. She's had it on for hours at a time if we've been out in her pram and has fallen asleep all cosy everytime so it's definitely a hit with her.
A lot of all-in-one snowsuit type outfits we've used make her too hot and she's gets all upset and sweaty, especially considering how warm winter has been so far. Somehow the monkey onesie doesn't have the same effect. Brooke has never seemed uncomfortable or too hot, which surprised me considering how warm and thick the onesie is.

We've already washed the monkey onesie and it came back out of the machine just as soft and cosy as when it went in. No bobbles or loose threads, it's honestly such great quality.

The only negative I can think of is that Brooke probably wouldn't be able to wear it as the weather starts to get warmer because it is really thick and padded but that definitely isn't a concern at the moment. The monkey onesie is going to be perfect for the next few months and lets be honest you probably wouldn't be looking to buy onesies in the summer anyway would you?

We absolutely love our monkey onesie and will definitely be purchasing some more of the animal onesie range. Now I've seen how soft the onesie's are I'm dying to try out one of Youngsie's baby towels!

The baby monkey costume onesie retails at £17.99 and you can find it on Youngsies website here, along with plenty of other fab animal styles to chose from (the duck onesie is just tooo cute!)

Does your baby have any animal outfits? We'd love to see pictures!
If you're enjoying our updates I'd love you to follow our story either here or on Bloglovin'

XOXO

Optimalprint Birth Announcement Cards - Review

Before B was born we decided we'd like to get some birth announcement cards printed. A friend of mine did something similar when her little boy was born last year and I thought they were brilliant.

I actually came across the company Optimalprint on Facebook originally during the early stage of my pregnancy. I bookmarked the page & forgot all about it until after Brooke was born and we were looking for a way to tell all our friends and family that our little madam was finally here.

I know these days everybody texts or uses Facebook to announce their baby being born, which don't get me wrong we did as well, but I think birth announcement cards just add a special touch. They're a lovely keepsake and I know older members of family, like my grandparents for example really cherish their card and don't use Facebook or anything like that.

We actually combined a birth announcement and thank you card in one as we were lucky enough to receive lots and lots of amazing presents for Brooke so thought this would kill two birds with one stone.

We left the back of the card blank so we could write our own personal message to everyone but you had the option to have anything you liked printed on any side of the.card.

I am over the moon with how the cards turned out. We got 20 printed for around £27 which I don't think is too bad at all. The quality was amazing, the photo just can't do them justice. The cards were printed on thick, high quality card and were lovely & gloss. The photos we chose to include came out beautifully and they were only iPhone snaps.

Postage was incredibly quick, I think our cards arrived the day after next once I ordered them - and I ordered at about 11pm!

Optimalprint had tonnes of different templates and styles of birth announcement cards to chose from along with plenty of other types of card - Christmas cards, birthday invitations, wedding invitations, thank you cards , party invitations. 

We would highly highly recommend Optimalprint for any personalised cards you may need. We will definitely be using them for Brooke's christening and first birthday invitations next year.

How did you announce your baby's birth?

XOXO

Benefit "They're Real" mascara - Review

I know there are a million reviews for this product already out there but as it's probably my absolute favourite and most used product in my make up bag I couldn't not do it! Plus it's been a while since I've done a beauty review.

Benefit's "They're Real" Mascara was a total game changer in the beauty industry. I honestly don't think there has ever been such a big hype around a mascara. Everybody has either tried this mascara or knows somebody who uses it. 

Even the advertising on the packaging speaks for itself. 

- 94% of people saw dramatic length and volume 

- 90% of people saw base to tip curl

- 94% of people saw visible lift

- 100% of people saw long wearing results (100%!!!.... That is crazy!)

I completely and utterly adore this mascara and wouldn't dream of using anything else now.

I completely agree with every claim Benefit make. When I use They're Real my lashes are longer, more curled, lifted and this mascara really does last all day. If it can handle one of my 13hr flights at work then it's a winner in my opinion.

Even though it's super long lasting They're Real is still really easy to remove and a light swipe with a make up remover wipe will remove all traces.

The tube is gun metal colour and even though it contains 8.5g of product it still appears quite compact and delicate. The mascara just looks so stylish and sleek and would fit perfectly into any makeup bag. 

The wand is also perfect for the type of application I like. It is flexible enough but not too bendy. It has short spokes in a comb style, perfect for applying the product to the length of your lashes and then the sphere shape at the end means you can reach even the teeniest smallest lashes in each and every corner of the eye.

I've always used They're Real in the shade Beyond Black which is very very black which I love but it is now available in Beyond Brown and Beyond Blue aswell.

Above is my left eye with no makeup and the bottom picture is my right eye with just one coat of mascara.

They're Real mascara retails at £19.50 which is obviously a little pricier than your average high street mascara but I definitely think it is worth the extra spend. Benefit products are amazing quality and They're Real in particular lasts forever. 

If you haven't already tried this life changer of a mascara I highly recommend you do. It can be found at any Benefit counter or online here

I'd love to know what you thought of They're Real?

XOXO

Baby by Chad Valley Deluxe Swing - Review

Before B was born I was pretty adamant that I wanted to buy a baby swing. It was one of my must haves! I wasn't fussed by a bouncy chair or playmat but I thought a swing would be a really useful product to have.

They seem to vary in price a lot ranging from around £50 right up to £200+ so being on a budget I was after a bargain. 

I decided on the Baby by Chad Valley Deluxe Swing at Argos.

The swing has 3 different speeds, 7 different songs, is lockable whilst you get baby in and out, folds down smaller so it can be stored more easily, has a 5-point harness strap, has a head hugger for smaller babies and has a detachable toy bar complete with three animal toys.

Pretty much all the features that you could look for in a swing - in my opinion.

Pros:

- It comes in turquoise green or cream so is unisex and perfect to keep for anymore babies

- the toys are really cute & detachable so can go on a pram/car seat if you want them to

- it folds down for smaller storage. Great if you don't have much space like us!

- secure 5 point harness

- it's the cheapest baby swing on the market which was a big plus for us

- simple controls

- swing motions are gentle but strong enough at the same time

Cons:

- the green/turquoise colour is probably a little more on the blue side if you're looking for something truly unisex but it doesn't bother us

- even at their largest the arms straps seem quite tight. Brooke has to sit in an unnatural position for them to fit her comfortably so I don't strap her in very often.

Brooke says:

Brooke has a love hate relationship with her swing. Sometimes she loves it and sometimes she hates it.

I was hoping that the swinging motion would help to soothe her when she was upset but this isn't the case. She definitely just screams more if we put her in when she is already upset. 

BUT when she is already happy and content which is 90% of the time - we are very lucky - then she absolutely loves it. She will happily swing for ages and ages and it will quite often send her to sleep.

We've found it particularly useful for when we are eating dinner or both busy with something else and need to put B down awake for a little while.

I was more than prepared to pay full price of £43.99 for the swing but I actually really luckily came across the exact swing we wanted second hand on my local Facebook buying site for the bargain price of £15. Unfortunately this meant that the music has never worked but that's not necessarily a bad thing! Haha

Our rating: 9/10

Would we recommend it: YES

Pawsomebox Review

A couple of months ago I came across the Pawsomebox online. It is basically a monthly subscription box...think Glossybox, Birchbox...but for your pets!

The Pawsomebox is created with dogs and puppies in mind and the Puuurfectbox is for cats or kittens. You simply sign up to the subscription service and each month your pet receives a box full of goodies in the post. Each box contains 5 or 6 items specially suited to your pets age and size worth over £30.

Marley is our King Charles spaniel puppy...well I say puppy, he'll be 2 in December but definitely still acts like a puppy. He literally sees this box come through from the postman in the morning and gets SO excited! It's near on impossible to get a photo of him with the products in tact because he wants to get his nose into everything and try all his new treats.

This months box was the July "Hello Summer" box and Marley got 6 items.

- multi vitamin dog paste

- a Georplast bone toy

- a travel pop-up bowl

- a Petbland cuddly plush toy

- crunchy chicken treats

- Mutt & Jeff treats

To be honest none of those are brands I am familiar with but we love every single product and will be using them all the time. I think the variety of different items in each box is good and there's plenty to keep Marley entertained and out of trouble for a little while at least!

We actually managed to take advantage of a free trial period that Pawsome were offering back in May meaning that our first box was free to try and we only paid £2.95 postage so without a doubt we got a bargain! We did however have some problems with the postage and our box took much longer to reach us than it should have resulting in the lovely people at Pawsome gifting us another box for free....but sadly again this one went awol in the post and took a long time and me chasing it up to reach us which is a shame.

Monthly subscription to the Pawsomebox is £19.90, but if you commit for a longer period of time you get discounts. I do definitely think the products that you receive each month are worth the amount you pay and I think we will look into signing Marley up in the future but unfortunately, along with many other things, we just can't justify an extra expense while I'm on maternity at the moment.

For more information head over to www.pawsomebox.co.uk

Do you have any pets? I'd love to hear all about them and see some cute pictures

XOXO

Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter - Review

One of the products I've been trying out recently is Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter.

I didn't actually pick this up myself, it was a little gift from my mum but as I've recently developed a couple of late arriving stretchmarks on the under side of my bump - actually a little bit devastated - I was more than happy to give a new lotion a try.

I honestly never thought getting stretchmarks would bother me like it has. I think was always expecting them and was quite happy to accept that they just come along with being pregnant and I honestly wasn't that phased but I think as time has gone on and because I've managed to avoid any for this long I naively thought I may have escaped and was definitely disappointed to see them show up at 36 weeks! But hey-ho I know once a little girl is here stretchmarks will be the absolute last thing on my mind and one million percent worth it!

To be honest Burt's Bees aren't a company I am hugely familiar with. I have used and been impressed with their raved about lip balms but that's about it. I certainly never realised that they had any sort of pregnancy or baby friendly products.

I love that the belly butter is 99% natural and full of shea butter and vitamin E goodness. Being pregnant I am definitely more conscious of what I am putting on my skin, especially the precious bump!

For a belly butter I was expecting the lotion itself to be thicker and richer but it's actually quite a light consistency. This is definitely a good thing when it comes to quick absorbency, which is a god send when I apply the product before bed time but I think generally I do prefer any moisturising product to be thicker in order to get that deep moisturising feeling.

One thing I'm really not a fan of is the scent of this lotion. It is so so hard to describe but it's quite pharmaceutical and 'bees waxy' I guess and I'm really not a fan which surprised me because normally I love anything containing even a teensy trace of shea butter.

Mama Bee belly butter is definitely keeping my bump well moisturised and at no point have I struggled with dry or itchy skin thankfully but I'm not entirely sure it has effected my stretchmarks in any way, for the better or worse.

I'm still going to be slathering it on for the remainder of my pregnancy because it's honestly not going to hurt is it? But I do think I prefer the consistency and definitely the scent of my Palmers Stretchmark Lotion.

Burt's Bees Mama Bee range can be found in larger Boots stores or online and the belly butter retails at £13.99 which I do think is quite expensive compared to other similar products.

Have you tried any of the Mama Bee or Baby Bee range? I'd love to hear what you thought?

XOXO

MUA Matte Perfect Shine Control Foundation - Review

Since finding out we were expecting a baby back in December G and I have definitely been looking for ways to cut back and make savings. Sadly that seems to have hit my wardrobe and beauty purchases the most!

On the plus side though it has encouraged me to try new cheaper products and brands that I wouldn't necessarily have looked twice at before.

MUA are a makeup brand that I have been really impressed with in the past. They are without a doubt the cheapest brand on the high street with plenty of items for just £1 each. I own so many of their products, nail polishes, lipsticks, blushers, eyeshadow, mascara and have always been really pleased with the quality - especially for the price! You can read my previous product reviews on my old blog Sparkle Bug here.

Funnily enough their foundation is probably one of the only products I haven't tried.

I'll admit, I am a bit of a foundation snob! I love my MAC Studio Fix fluid, especially as I can usually pick it up in America a lot cheaper but after I finished my last bottle, with saving pennies on my mind, I thought it was time to try a budget foundation.

I went for MUA Matte Perfect Foundation.  I generally like pretty high coverage foundation and definitely prefer a matte finish over the dewey/glow look so the description sounded pretty spot on for me.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Baring in mind that this foundation costs a 10th of the price of my usual MAC one it certainly wasn't the worst product I've ever used. I picked up the shade natural which is the lighter of the two shades available (the other is Almond). So obviously the selection of shades isn't very good and I do think it's important for a brand to offer a decent number of foundation shades to chose from. Women's skin tones definitely cannot be categorised into just two different colours!

That being said natural is actually a great colour match for me. I've found it easy to layer under bronzer on a pale day, or over fake tan on a darker skin day and it's super blendable. A little of this product really does go a long way, I'd say I've been using it regularly for at least 3-4 months now and it's only just beginning to run out.

The consistency of the foundation is better than I would expect for the price. It is quite thick and good coverage which can often be a problem with cheap foundation and I've often found products too runny for my liking. The only downside to Matte Perfect foundation I would say is the longevity. Throughout the day you do need to touch up your makeup so it's not ideal for nights out where you may be looking for a product that is more long lasting.

To be totally honest I haven't noticed any particular mattifying qualities about this foundation, and that is supposed to be the main selling point....but it definitely doesn't leave me looking greasy or shiny which is always a good thing.

For the absolute bargain price of £2....yes you did read that right!! This foundation is definitely worth a try and probably something I will be repurchasing while on maternity leave and watching the spending.

MUA products are available in Supersrug or online at www.muastore.co.uk

Have you tried any MUA products?

XOXO

The Low-Down on Birth Choices

So as I'm now in the third and final trimester of my pregnancy, naturally I am beginning to think about the big event.....LABOUR! Eeeeeeeek!

Alarmingly in a recent Which? survey 34% of mothers said they knew nothing or not much about their choices on where to give birth and this is something that absolutely has to change.

I think it is so so important for expectant mothers, whether having your first or fifth child, to be provided with the knowledge to make a personal decision on where they would like to have their baby. Of course every pregnancy and mother-to-be is different and while a traditional birth in the labour ward of a hospital may be perfect for one woman it may be the absolute last thing another lady would want so to feel like you have no or little choice in the matter must be awful.

To be honest although I am quite aware that other birthing options are out there, until this week I hadn't really given much thought to any option other than having Squishy in a hospital setting.

The lovely people over at Which? very kindly sent me three birthing boxes* in the post last week each designed to help me with my decision on where I would like to give birth. The boxes I received were: Hospital Birth, Birth Centre Birth and Home Birth, each one full of various products that may be useful in each setting.

The first box I opened was the Hospital Birth box which contained the following:

- iTunes gift card

With Squishy being our first baby it's possible that labour could go on for a long long time and be slow to start so it's definitely a great idea to load the iPad up with films & music to keep us entertained during that inevitable waiting period.

- Eye mask & ear plug set

Again this may be useful if I am in labour for a long time and need to try & get some rest. Particularly in the muddle of the day or on a busy labour ward.

- Charging cables

Inevitably we will be sure to take cameras, phones and iPads galore to the hospital to capture Squishy's first moments and let everybody know once she has arrived so a multi-charger device like this will come in super handy.
- Lip balm
I've heard that using the gas & air during labour dries out your lips like crazy so this is something I actually meant to pick up for my hospital bag anyway.

- Battery operated fan

I'm so so happy to have received a battery operated fan. I was looking out for a small handheld one to pop in my bag but this one has so much more power to it. I've heard lots of stories from friends where the hospital has been "unable to find" a fan when they really really would have appreciated one during labour so this will definitely been coming along with us.

- Healthy snacks & beverages

- Water bottle

Again if I'm in for a long labour healthy snacks and plenty of water will hopefully keep me going. Nevermind keep G occupied as well. I'm actually really looking forward to stocking up on one of my favourite drinks Pink Lemonade Lucazade for labour because I'm trying to be good and have avoided it during my pregnancy as it has a lot of caffeine.
- Flipflops

Something I'm sure a lot of people forget to pack in their hospital bags. These Haviana flipflops will be ideal for showering after I've had the baby. Or just as something easy to slip on and have a wander round the hospital to get things moving along - as Squishy is due in August I am expecting hot weather and swollen feet so these may be the only things that feet on my feet by then!

Next up was the Birth Centre Birth box which contained the following:

- Hair ties

Very practical, essential in labour when you have as much hair as I do and something every girl needs more of right?

- Thermal spring water spray

I have heard amazing things about this La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water Spray so cannot wait to try this out when I need cooling down.

- Hot water bottle

I use a hot water bottle a lot for my gallstone pains at the moment so I'm hoping it will help me in early labour while I'm still at home.

- Dressing gown

- Slippers

Both essential in my opinion for a bit of comfort & dignity after the event. This dressing gown is also lovely & light so won't take up too much space in my bag like my big fluffy ones at home.

And last but certainly not least the Home Birth box which contained:

- Plastic sheeting

This is an item I hadn't really given much thought to until a friend recently mentioned them. Should I chose a home birth I would honestly imagine keeping things clean and tidy is the last thing on your mind but if I don't then a waterproof sheet would certainly be useful to protect our mattress from any waters breaking anyway.

- Aromotherapy room spray

- Receiving blanket

This blanket is gorgeous and so so soft. Perfect for Squishy's first cuddles.

- Birthing ball

All of my friends highly recommend birthing balls during the later stage of pregnancy and labour so I am definitely keen to give this a try.

 

If you are still feeling like you don't know much about your birth choices and options I can highly recommend the Which? Birth Choice website. They have gathered so much information into one space I really have learned a lot even in just a short amout of browsing time.

The website has a handy birth choice tool which asks you a few questions about your expectations and hopes for your labour and then recommends the best place for you to give birth based on your answers.

For me personally the birth choice tool recommended a labour ward or a birth centre alongside which hasn't surprised me. A birth centre birth definitely does appeal to me and I like the idea of the whole labour being more relaxed and calming than perhaps a hospital environment would be but the 

hypochondriac can't help but want the medical side of things in place should I need it. I think if I have a positive experience with labour this time round I would certainly be more open to a birth centre birth if we decide to have any more children after Squishy.

Once the birth choice tool has given you your results it also lists the details and addresses of your local birth options based on your post code which is so so helpful. It details the distance of the birthing centre or hospital from your house, the size of the unit, how many times it has been closed in the last year, who can give birth there, how you will be looked after there and lots more great information.

There are also other parts of the website where you can get expert advice, a frequently asked questions areas and much further detail on all aspects of labour whether that be pain relief options, more about the birthing pool or the pros and cons of each birth choice.

After weighing up the pros and cons of each type of birth choice I still think we will be going with a Hospital Birth. Im not keen on the idea of being transferred to a hospital during labour, should should need arise, and for me & G it's important to know we are in the best place and in the safest hands should something medically go wrong. Before falling pregnant with me my mum had a stillborn baby full term so subconsciously this is something that is at the back of my mind and along with my gallstone problems we definitely feel a hospital is the best place for me to give birth.

The hospital birth box seemed to contain lots of practical items to be used both during and after labour which I like. There are also plenty of items that seem geared towards a long labour which, as I mentioned, as a first time mum is something I am conscious may be quite likely. For that reason I actually think all of these items will be assisting me during labour at some point. Both the birth centre box and the home birth box also contained items that I think we will still use in a hospital environment but they definitely lean more towards providing comfort rather than practicality.

So it seems like all is left for us to do now is get packing mine & Squishy's hospital bags!

Eeeeeeek!

Where will you be giving birth to your little ones? I'd love to hear about your choice and the reason behind it?

If you're enjoying our pregnancy updates I'd love you to follow our story either here or on Bloglovin'

Are you around the 29 week mark? I'd love to hear from fellow August mummy-to-be's

XOXO

Nutrimum Pregnancy Cereal Bars - Review

For the last couple of weeks I've been trying a new product so I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts with you.

The Nutrimum Pregnancy Cereal Bars are  relatively new to the market and just came onto our shelves earlier this year I believe. The idea behind them is basically that each bar contains the 5 main nutrients that are important during pregnancy: Folic Acid, Vitamin D, Omega 3, Iron and Iodine. So by eating one of these bars everyday you would ensure that both baby and mum get all the nutritional goodness that the professionals recommend and you don't need to take any other supplements.

The bars also contain a great source of fibre, are low in salt, have no added artificial colours or flavourings and are suitable for vegetarians.

Since finding out I was pregnant taking pregnancy recommended vitamins is definitely something that I have made a conscious effort to stick to, especially in the first 12 weeks when folic acid is particularly important - even if I do forget more days than I should, yes baby brain is already kicking in - so it would have been great to find out about these cereal bars sooner. I think Nutrimum are really on to something here and these bars are such a great idea. There was definitely a big gap in the market for an alternate vitamin option. 

I love having another choice in cereal bar form which lets face it is always going to be more appealing than your traditional tablet type vitamins.

The fact that these come in raisin and chocolate flavour is an added bonus for the crazy chocoholic in me.

Taste wise I wouldn't say they are the absolute scrummiest thing I've ever come across but they are pleasant. You can definitely taste the chocolate and they are pretty sweet, which if you have a sweet tooth like me is a good thing but I can understand pregnant women may be surprised to get such a sweet taste from supplements. I've found the bars pretty filling, I have been eating them as my breakfast on more than one occasion and not finding myself hungry again until at least lunchtime which is quite unusual for a cereal bar.

The only downside I have found to the Nutrimum Pregnancy Cereal Bars is perhaps the price. At £4.99 for just 5 bars they aren't cheap but then again traditional pregnancy supplements in tablet form aren't exactly cheap either. I probably won't continue to eat them every day for the rest of my pregnancy because it would work out quite expensive and we're really trying hard to save money but I am definitely going to pick up a few more boxes to keep in the cupboard because they are such a super easy product to grab on the go and keep in my handbag.

I've also found the Nutrimum bars pretty hard to come across. The only place I've found to really stock them is larger Boots stores, which isn't a problem for me as I can get there quite easily but if you like to regularly do all your food shopping in the supermarket or don't have a large Boots store locally this could be annoying.

Nutrimum pregnancy cereal bars also come in summer fruits flavour which I can't wait to try.

Also in the range Nutrimum have pregnancy muesli, breastfeeding cereal bars and breastfeeding muesli all in a variety of flavours.

All Nutrimum products are currently 3 for 2 online at Boots.com so it's a perfect time to stock up or try these for the first time.

Have you been taking pregnancy supplements? I'd love to hear from you

XOXO

Juice to U 3-day detox - Review

Keeping fit and healthy while staying in shape is definitely something that is important to me. The thought of my figure changing forever really does terrify me whilst being pregnant and I'll definitely be making a conscious effort to lose my baby weight as soon as is healthy for me and baby.
The Juice to U detox was something I thoroughly enjoyed doing and will definitely be reaching out for once Squishy has been born so I thought I'd post my original review up again for any other mummys or mummy-to-be's who might be interested.

For a while now I have been looking into Juice to U's 3-day detox*

They are a company that I have found through twitter and have been super impressed with all the rave reviews and testimonials they are getting from both regular people and celebrities. They offer a range of plans but the basic detox only lasts 3 days and they send all the juices to you already made up!! What's not to love right?

Last week I saw they were looking for bloggers to review their product, very quickly responded to show my interest and was thrilled when they picked me to do a review.

 

So a little bit about the product: Juice to U is a totally natural and fantastic pre-prepared juice detox service using fresh local produce delivered to your door. The detox consists of 4 juices to drink throughout the day with a 3 hour period between each juice. No other food is allowed, 2 litres of water is recommended and only fruit tea can be consumed (no green tea!). All juices are gluten, wheat and nut free and also suitable for vegetarians.

 

Juice to U claim that each detox will "leave you feeling fully revitalised, refreshed, rejuvenated and invigorated with smoother skin and your mind clear. Not forgetting the weight loss!"

Feelings of tiredness, nausea and headaches are to be expected when following a detox. This is due to your body getting rid of all the toxins that are in your system.

 

The lovely people at Juice 2 U made sure my juices were delivered on Tuesday morning as promised (all juices arrive on either Tues or Weds and you begin your detox the next day - very important as everything is fresh and would need to be frozen if you wanted to wait any longer to start). My juices were packed very securely in a cardboard box, complete with ice packs and fresh lemons to be used in hot water to speed up metabolism. The little juices are so so cute, all in their own little individual bottles with ingredients and time that they need to be drunk written on the side of the bottle so the plan really is dummy-proof. Straight away I put them in the fridge excited to start the next day.

 

 

Each day on the detox is made up of the same 4 juices:

9am: Clean Green (Spinach, Celery, Cucumber, Apple & Lime) - contains more nutrients than most people get in a week

To be honest even though I was excited to get started I was definitely dreading Clean Green and assuming would be my least favourite as I have a very sweet tooth. I was right...it is my least favourite but it really isn't awful. Not as bad as I was expecting anyway. You really can taste all 5 ingredients in the juice, which sounds like a bizarre claim but it's true! I would say the cucumber and celery come through strongly but there is definitely a refreshing after taste of lime which is really quite pleasant. The juice isn't blended entirely so there are very very small pieces of fruit and veg to swallow so i can understand that the texture might be off putting for some people but this wasn't an issue for me at all. I like chunky smoothies and soups so the texture of all the juices was similar to this.

 

Midday: Let's Glow (Orange, Apple, Kiwi, Grapes & Strawberries) - to cleanse the digestive system and radiate your skin

Let's Glow is definitely my favourite out of the three different juices. To me this just tastes like watered down strawberries and you can clearly taste the grapes as well. Really lush, refreshing, sweet fruity and goes down super easy, whereas Clean Green is taking me a bit longer to finish.

 

3pm: Clean Green (same ingredients as above)

 

6pm: Berry Good (Pineapple, Blueberries, Strawberries, Apples & Raspberries) - contains anti-oxidants to keep your cardiovascular system in tip top shape

I was definitely expecting this juice to be my favourite, I usually love all things berry and eat all these fruits like they're going out of fashion but surprisingly it wasn't. Don't get me wrong, it is really nice tasting, enjoyable to drink and I did really like it - much more than Clean Green! - but for some reason i just prefer the taste flavour of Let's Glow. Berry Good tastes like ever every so slightly over ripe Raspberries, you know when they don't taste at their absolute peak and sweet but they haven't gone off yet, that in between period? Well they taste like that. Pretty scrummy any how. Berry Good does definitely seem to be the gas-iest juice and I was upset to see that my Day 3 juice had exploded slightly.....see below for more details on that

 

Day 1

 

Thoughts: Excited to get started, anxious about what to expect and what the juices will taste like.

 

Side effects: Mild headache just before 3pm but this quickly went away after my 3pm juice. I also felt groggy and had a headache for a little while later in the evening. Nothing huge that really bothered me and an early night sorted it out.

 

Feeling hungry: Surprisingly not at all, i thought i would be missing food more than this.

 

Enjoying juices: Not mad on Clean Green but it is definitely okay, love Let's Glow and definitely like Berry Good but i was expecting it to be my favourite and it's not.

 

Noticing changes: I feel more energetic and definitely less bloated. My mind seemed clearer this evening and I was definitely aware of a situation where i may usually have picked a fight with my boyfriend but had the control not to.

 

Overnight Weight loss: I know you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday bla bla bla...but i'm afraid i can't resist! I weigh in while i'm getting ready for work each morning at around 7:30am......Weight loss from Tuesday 10th September 7:30am to Wednesday 11th September 7:30am is.......-2.4lbs. I'm thrilled that i can be losing weight already!!

 

Day 2

 

Thoughts: Thinking about food but i think that's to be expected on any detox. No food at all is hard!!

 

Side effects: Nothing noticeable today, just tummy grumbles.

 

Feeling hungry: Yes today was much more difficult than yesterday. Come mid afternoon/early evening i am definitely hungry and watching my boyfriend eat dinner is painful. haha

 

Enjoying juices: Yes i really am. Clean Green is much more bearable, even slightly more enjoyable than yesterday and i like the taste of all three juices now.

 

Noticing changes: I still feel full of energy and am noticing my skin is full of life. Normally i would have some dry patches on my cheeks and a slightly oily t-zone but this all seems to have evened out and my skin feels plump and fresh. My concentration has also been much better at work today.

Overnight Weight loss: -3.1lbs

 

Total Weight loss so far: -5.5lbs

 

Day 3

 

Thoughts: I have throughly enjoyed taking part in the detox but am excited to eat a proper meal again tomorrow.

 

Side effects: Constantly needing to wee but i think that's a given considering all the liquid i am consuming! (should have included this in Days 1 & 2 also!)

 

Feeling hungry: This morning i woke up hungry but the pangs definitely died down 2 juices into the day. It comes and goes and i find myself hungry just before a juice is due and once i have finished it my belly seems satisfied for a few hours more. It seems 3 hours between juices is the perfect amount

 

Enjoying juices: Again all juices have been enjoyable today, Clean Green still the least and Let's Glow still my favourite. Stupidly i left my Berry Good juice underneath my desk at work last night, so 6pm came and i had to drink my day 3 juice on day 2 (if that makes sense) but all the Berry Good juices are exactly the same so i was hoping it wouldnt matter too much. However i got to work this morning and day 2's Berry Good had exploded all over its cool bag and ice packs and i've probably lost a third of the juice. Obviously this may all be to do with me leaving it unrefridgerated all night but this does seem to be a common problem with the Berry Good juices, but it didn't happen the first 2 days.

 

Noticing changes: My clothes are feeling looser today, i still feel less bloated, my skin is clear and glowing, my hair seems shinier and all in all i feel great in myself. Full of beans and energetic....and this is coming from somebody who is notoriously a sleeper and take forever to wake up everyday. These last three days it certainly seems easier.

 

Overnight Weight loss: -3.2lbs

 

Total Weight loss: -8.7lbs

 

My opinion of the Juice 2 U 3-day detox plan really couldn't be any higher. Yes it is difficult to not eat for any significant period of time but your body adapts really quickly and soon realises it is still getting all the goodness and nutrients that it needs through the juices. I did find myself missing food but that is definitely just out of habit as the hunger went away as soon as i got my juice fix.

I feel happier, healthier, have more energy, more confidence and fresh (if that makes sense!). This detox would be perfect repeated a few times a year to rejuvenate and refresh the body.

The weight loss is really an added bonus so again this would be perfect for quickly dropping a few pounds before a holiday and ensuring you would feel great before you went.

 

So does the 3-day detox do what it claims?

 

Lose weight? YES

 

Improve energy levels & feel less slugish? YES

 

Gain greater vitality, mental clarity & concentration? YES

 

Improve complexion? YES

 

Healthy hair & nails? YES

 

Stronger immune system? Not noticeably but that's not to say it hasn't improved. I wouldn't be getting sick so this is a hard one to measure

 

Boost your metabolism? Again hard to measure in the long term but i would assume my metabolism has increased from the weight loss

 

Change of mentality towards nutrition? My feelings haven't changed hugely. I'm pretty clued up on what is good for me and what isn't i'm just very bad at practising what i preach! *easier said than done eh girls?* The detox has opened my eyes to the qualities that certain combinations of fruit and veg have and the particular area of the body that they are working on which is useful.

 

Will i be recommending the detox and using Juice 2 U's services again? ABSOLUTELY!

 

You can find out more about Juice to U on their website here

Currently a 3-day, 5-day and Yummy Mummy detox are available.

 

Get juicing dolls!!

 

XOXO

 

** This post first appeared on my original blog Sparkle Bug which you can read here **