The April Degustabox

Confession: I’ve actually lost the leaflet that came with the April Degustabox (gifted) with all of the product info and prices, and this is probably the most hurried post I will ever write for them as somehow there just aren’t enough hours in the day this week, but if I leave it any longer then the next box will be here and I’ll still have written nothing! I really need to get myself better organised, I seem to be constantly chasing my tail at the moment and getting nowhere fast.

These Pacha Mama bars were right up my street, especially as I’m trying to snack healthier at the moment. I love how transportable bars like this are, perfect for keeping in your handbag, providing a much needed, delicious burst of energy on the go. The cocao and cashew flavour especially was a hit and I’ll be keeping my eye on this brand for sure.

Bob and I are very particular when it comes to tea and for the most part stick to one brand. Typhoo is a British institution though, and we were won over by the charming packaging and refreshing taste. We made short work of this box.
I’m going through a real cereal kick at the moment and Cheerios are a long-time favourite of mine. I’m currently addicted to the peanut butter and chocolate variety fresh from the USA by way of B&M (guess what I’ll be bringing back from my holiday?) but for something a bit more nutritious these oat cheerios are delicious. Did anyone else get a look in on this box? Err, nope!

I’m a big fan of the Candy Kittens brand when it comes to sweets. They really deliver on flavour, and these wild strawberry are so good. They are also vegan friendly (not that you could tell from the texture, win!) and are shaped like little kitties- what’s not to love?

His ‘n hers savoury snacking – Bob loved these sticky ribs flavoured crisps from London Flavours, and I very much enjoyed the smoked bbq corn snack from Love Corn- I have been wanting to try this brand for ages and it didn’t let me down- they are dangerously addictive.

These were my product of the month! White and milk chocolate crispies from the Skinny Food Co. I’ve been eyeing this brand up on Instagram, and whilst I’d probably give their calorie free syrups a miss (because I have worked so hard to move away from that) these protein bites are a perfect little snack coming in at 99 calories per bag. The white chocolate are particularly good and I am going to be stocking myself up ASAP.
Bob’s eyes lit up when he saw this steak house sauce in the box. We haven’t had time to try it yet but we will report back in due course. Bring on the beef!

Elderflower is one of my favourite flavours, and this drink is beautifully light and refreshing. It’s a great grown up alternative to squash- Vimto is fab but not very sophisticated! A real hit from cult brand Robinsons.

As I mentioned earlier, I try and avoid products like this as I’ve moved so far away from relying on them that I’d really rather not go back. A great idea though, for anyone who is looking for a low cal filling lunch idea.
A true British classic- Heinz tomato soup, in a handy pot that goes straight in the microwave. Sadly mine arrived damaged (leaking!) so I haven’t tested how good this is, but it’s a good idea and ideal for work day lunches when I’m feeling lazy.

I’ve always loved Cracker Drinks Co and Bob might have fallen a bit in love having tried this mango and passionfruit juice drink. I love the cute little carton and jazzy packaging too.

Finally another classic from Heinz, with an organic twist. The same great taste but all natural- perfect for a comforting tea of beans on toast with lots of cheese!

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments.
If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.
If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £5.00 off of your first box (making it just £7.99!) by entering the code 6HZJ8 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.

I’ll try and be a bit more on-it with next month’s post, although I have a feeling that timing wise I’m going to be even more pushed as we prepare for our USA road trip holiday!

The Caviar Collection from skinCHEMISTS

Items gifted by skinCHEMISTS for blog consideration

So, I turned 32 on Sunday and I still don’t have a decent skin care routine under my belt. Sure I cleanse and moisturise, but that’s as far as it goes!

I’ve noticed a fair few sneaky extra wrinkles creeping in lately, so when skinCHEMISTS sent me some products from their super luxe sounding Caviar Collection it was like someone had be spying on my lazy-girl routine.

The Caviar Collection is one of the brands best sellers and I was both intrigued by it’s name, and slightly scared as my associations of caviar tend to err on the lumpy and fishy side of things. Still, I got stuck in and you can read my thoughts below.

Anti-Ageing facial serum £49.99

So it turns out that the Caviar element of these products is a super nutritious marine extract that aims to improve how firm your skin looks as well as reduce the appearance of fine lines.

My first impression was how light this felt when I applied it. I’ve actually been using it under my makeup in the mornings and it just glides on and sinks in well. I did initially wonder if it was worth an almost £50 price tag, and after ten days of solid use I can say yes, yes it is. You only need the smallest amount at a time so it will last for ages, and my skin looks instantly better when I apply it.

Anti-Ageing caviar eye serum £39

Eye products are the one thing I never think to buy, and the one area that really needs all of the help it can get when it comes to my face.

My first impression of this product was how chic it looked (shallow I know!) . It has a real luxe feel that makes me want to keep it on display, which in turn reminds me to use it! Almost two weeks in and I reckon the fine lines around my eyes look less pronounced than they did; I would ask Bob for his opinion but I’m not sure I’m quite ready for his brutal honesty (I’m still smarting from his remark on my grey hairs!)

Anti-Ageing caviar day moisturiser £39

This is another fancy looking product from the brand, and whilst I was a little aback by the price tag (compared to my usual under a fiver moisturiser) I have to say that after a few days of using this I began to understand why people invest in their skincare.

This is another incredibly light product that sinks in like a dream. I actually tend to use this after I’ve taken my makeup off at night; such a rebel! As I find it soothes my skin after a day in the office and I often find night creams a bit too heavy and sticky feeling.

I’m suitably impressed by all three of these products and would recommend anyone who’s looking to pick up some anti-ageing products to give these a whirl. I’m curious as to what else skinCHEMISTS can offer, and as budgets allow I will definitely be seeking out more products from the brand, both in this range and some of their others.

Does anyone have any tips for sticking to a skincare regime? Now I’ve started (again) I really could do with not stopping!

Review: In The Book

[Ad: post contains gifted item]

Book c/o In The Book

I’m always looking for unique gift ideas and was recently stumped when it came to finding something to get Bob for our second anniversary (where has that time gone?). So, it was important the gift was something sensible and useful, not more money to be wasted at sites such as WizardSlots.
In the end I lucked out as I was contacted by In The Book to see if I was interested in reviewing one of their products just as I was beginning to think I’d never find a cool enough gift.
Ok, so technically as this was a gift to me, it wasn’t quite a gift to Bob, but it was a great opportunity and the resulting product blew us both away.

In The Book are book specialists who take well loved stories; be it a childhood favourite or a classic work of fiction and give it a personalised touch. What better gift to give than make someone a part of their favourite book? I was given something very much like this when I was a small child and it remains one of my favourite possessions to this day.

When it came to picking out a product to review I actually skipped past the story books and straight to the newspaper style pictorial books. Bob and I both share a love of wartime history, especially World War 2 and The Battle of Britain, so this beautifully bound Battle of Britain 75th Anniversary Pictorial Edition Newspaper Book, £79.99 was an obvious choice.

You may balk a little at the price tag, I did at first, but the second this book arrived and I presented it to Bob we could see why it was priced this way. This is a work of art and beautifully presented. It really does make for a special gift and we immediately spent a good couple of hours exploring the pages.

The pages of this book are crammed full of actual newspaper articles from 1940 onwards. It’s not the kind of book you can sit and devour in one sitting and this will provide us entertainment, and enlightenment for ages.

In The Book has many of these newspaper style books covering all interests, as well as classic novels, children’s favourites and some very tongue in cheek humour titles. I cannot recommend this company enough for gift ideas for book lovers and for those eager to learn. These will make for true keepsake gifts that will be treasured for years to come.

What title would you most like to see yourself transported in to?

Working with Henryka Jewellery

This post contains gifted items.

Items c/o Henryka Jewellery

If you’ve seen my Instagram lately then you’ll have seen that I have been working as a brand ambassador with the wonderful Henryka Jewellery. This has been an absolute honour for me as I’ve long admired the brand and the gorgeous pieces that they sell.

Henryka is a British Brand inspired by nature. Each piece is unique and is made from sterling silver and a wide array of natural gemstones; from their signature amber through to turquoise, amethyst and rose quartz. I was given the chance to pick out some pieces from the range to share across my instagram, but I’m so in love with them I wanted to pop them up on the blog as well.

It’s going to be no great surprise to anyone that I managed to find a cat themed piece of jewellery to add to my collection. This sterling silver miniature cat necklace may be dainty but it’s earned me several compliments whenever I wear it. I’ve got it on a 16” chain, but it also comes in 18”-22” (prices starting at £20).

I fell in love with this silver and blue lace agate ring the second I saw it. It’s an absolutely stunning piece that has found itself a new place as my favourite every day ring. I’ve never seen blue lace agate before and it’s just so pretty. This ring is £45 and worth every penny.

I used to own so many pairs of stud earrings, but discovered a few months ago that they have been misplaced somewhere along the way. Since then I have been searching high and low for replacements with very little success. That was until I was given the chance to work with Henryka and found these silver star burst studs. I absolutely adore these earrings and I haven’t taken them out since they have arrived. Henryka have a huge array of stud earrings on their website, all around the £20 mark and I have several more pairs of studs on my wish list…as well as somewhere safe to store them!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my picks. If I’ve tempted you by any of these pieces or anything else on the website catches your eye then Henryka are offering my readers a generous 15% off their orders when they use the code DAISY15 at the checkout. Let me know if you treat yourself, I’d love to see your haul.

3 steps to taking your career in a new direction*

unsplash-logo
Brooke Lark

Making the decision to take your career in a new direction can be a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there are certain steps you can take that will help make the process that little bit easier. If you’ve decided it’s time to make a change, but you need extra confidence to commit to overhauling your career, you can start by asking yourself the following questions; Why exactly are you looking for a change? What other occupations are you considering exploring? Will you need any additional skills or training to get there? Once you’ve got your answers, you’re ready to start taking the steps to starting your new career.

Sell your skills 

Whether you’re looking to transfer to a new department or keen to overhaul your work life entirely, you need to work out where your strengths and transferrable skills lie. This is what you can offer your new employer. You also need to asses your values, key personality traits and interests so that potential employers can get the best idea of who you are and where you might fit in their existing team. At this point, it’s vital to be honest with yourself and acknowledge that while you may have the drive to succeed on your new career path, you might not stand out to employers on paper just yet. That’s where the Bologna Business School can help. With over 40 courses aimed at inspiring both personal and professional development, there’s never been a better time to study. With a BBS Master in Data Science, for example, you’ll not only learn how to manage big business data, but how to apply innovative analysis methodologies that will give you the expertise to apply tactical or strategic decision making to resolve company issues. 

Do your research 

If you’re not entirely sure where you want to go next then this step is vital. Doing research is key to working out exactly where you want to be and will save you the hassle of taking the wrong career path yet again. A great place to start is by making a list of possible careers you’d consider exploring. Write down which aspects of each you find appealing and any areas you’re not sure would be a good fit for you. This will help you to narrow it down to just a handful of options ready for you to give some serious thought to. Key things to look over at this point are salary ranges and training as these may require a compromise or more energy and time that you’re willing to commit to the cause. 

Outline a goal 

Once you’ve decided where it is you want to be, it’s time to set yourself a goal. What steps will you have to take to land that dream job? Is there a timeframe within which you’d like to be settled in your ideal role? Write yourself a career action plan including any training or time you’ll need to build up the desired skills for your chosen occupation. Stick to your devised plan and you’ll be back on the right career path in no time.