Mum to Be Monday #5 - My Baby Shower

Mammy bubbles, myself and bump. xxx

Girls! I'm officially on maternity leave and I'm sitting down to blog for the first time in four months! Hallelujah!!

At the beginning of my pregnancy I had a vision of what the following months of pregnant life would involve and it turned out being noting like what I expected. Taking it easy, saving and exhaustion meant very little time for hanging out with friends so I thought having a baby shower would be the perfect opportunity to catch up with my family and friends before baby arrives. 

I had an absolutely brilliant day and would recommend having one to any expectant mum. It was a great distraction full of laughter and lots of yummy cake. 

You can't have a celebration without cake and boy did I have some cake! My good friends Sarah and Katie who I have known since the age of twelve graciously made me the spectacular cake creations you can see in the pictures above. The cake actually stole the show on the day. The three tier cake was jaffa-cake flavour on top, lemon in the middle and chocolate on the bottom. There was also a separate cake which was carrot cake. Yes, I tried them all! Sarah used the front of the shower invitations as inspiration for her design which turned out beautifully. 

I wanted to treat my family and friends on the day so I had Katie from Nails by Katie & Suzie on hand to do nails. Trying to stay away from the traditional baby shower games that not everyone would be interested in I set up a few cute activities instead. I had a table with plain baby grows and sleep suits with some fabric markers and everyone got to design one for Poppy. They turned out great and will make a lovely keepsake. I got the baby grows from Penneys and fabric pens from the Art & Hobby shop.

Nearly all my friends have children and I wanted them to come along and join in the celebrations too. Seriously who else would help eat all that cake?! There was about ten children as well as a few babies there on the day. To entertain them I purposely had my baby shower in the pre-school I work in so they had many toys to distract them. Teresa, a friend from work also did face painting on the day. I think the kids had fun and some even made new friends! 

I also had a table with a photo album of baby scans from the last eight months. On the same table I had a white tree borrowed from my friend Lorna who used it at her wedding recently. I used it on the day for pink prediction cards I bought on ebay. Everyone had fun filling them out guessing weight, due date of baby and giving messages of advice. I will treasure them forever in a special keepsake box. I also can't wait to see if anyone was close in guessing her due date. 

For fun party favours I had little pink baby bottles filled with tasty treats. They were also personalised using stickers thanking my guests for coming. For food we just had sandwiches, lots of finger food and a sweet table....it was a day of gluttony really.

I was really spoiled on the day and I'm delighted I got to see my friends before baby arrives as I have no idea what to expect once she is here! 

Love,

Sarah & Bump

Mum to be Monday - My Pregnancy Journey

• Pregnancy announcement & 18 week pregnancy update
• Gender Reveal
• 21 Weeks Pregnancy Update
• Baby Bump Painting - My sister-in-law

Waxperts Beautiful Body Oil

Waxperts Beautiful Body Oil, €9.99 100ml

I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity to try out the latest product from the Irish brand Waxperts before it hits the shelves in February. 

If you haven't heard about Waxperts Wax check out my experience post here. The same brand brought us Waxperts Ingrown Hair pads which have been a huge success with women all over the country. The pads are great for preventing and treating ingrown hairs on any area of your body. As well as that they are fantastic for eliminating those unsightly lumps and bumps. They cost €9.99 for forty pads. I personally couldn't live without them, especially during the summer months. Anyone else counting down to summer?! 

Back to the fabulous product as pictured above! After the winter months your skin will be calling out for this product. Its formulated with lavender which will aid in nourishing and replenishing your skin after the cold weather. 

The packaging says Heavenly lavender based body oil. Nourishes, soothes and hydrates. Suitable for after waxing. Divine after bathing. I've personally been loving it for my bump as I've just popped recently hitting twenty five weeks and I want to do as much as I can to reduce stretch marks. I have also loved the effect it has had on my legs. Before they were dry as I totally neglected them recently and now they are soft and silky smooth. 

It's also light and absorbs fast so you aren't left with an oily residue. It instantly hydrates your skin and leaves you with a lovely lavender scent, perfect for use at night time to aid sleep. It also claims to help heal irritated or sun scorched skin during the summer months. 

I think Waxperts have created another must have product. I really like the fact that it saves your bacon all year round. Hydrating during the winter and soothing during the summer. 

You'll be able to order online on their website www.waxperts.ie and salons nationwide will also be stocking the Beautiful Body Oil. 

Love,

Sarah

**WIN** Cocoa Brown Tan - My Party Season Must Have

It's officially party season girls and I'm going to tell you why Cocoa Brown should be on your shopping list when you dash out the door to buy a new dress for that all important Christmas work party or girls night out. 

I have three simple reasons why you should include Cocoa Brown on your must have's list. 

Affordability - From the first moment CB came on the scene I was surprised and delighted at just how affordable the tanning range was. With prices ranging from €2.99 to €7.99 it's very easy to understand why this has become the fastest selling tan in Ireland.

Quality - I would not be one for regular tanning but when an event does arise I always reach for Cocoa Brown. I love Tough Stuff and Chocolate Whip for preparing my skin prior to applying the 1 Hour Tan. You can see instantly where you have applied the tan and washing off the excess tan after your desired time leaves little room for error. I also love the colour and scent.

Improved Confidence - I don't wear tan to give off the impression that I've been sunning myself in the Bahamas. I wear tan because like most of the female population in Ireland I have pale skin and Pale skin does not go too well with that perfect little black dress (unless you're Nicole Kidman...damn you!). Wearing tan gives me the confidence to get dolled up and enjoy my night out. If I can do that with a product at a fraction of the price of other tanning products and get results that I'm happy with then you can bet your bottom dollar that this brand will be in my life for a very long time! 

 Cocoa Brown also have a range of Tanning sets on the market that would make perfect gifts for friends and family. There's the Be Bronzed & Beautiful gift set for €9.95. The set contains Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan that Delivers a radiant, bronzed glow in just 1 HOUR. Cocoa Brown Tough Stuff Body Scrub 50ml which Exfoliates your skin in preparation for the tan, plus it also removes your tan when you’re done! And lastly the Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Gradual Tanner.

Also available this Christmas season is the Luxury Gift Set for €19.99 and currently on special offer on Feelunique.com for €12.80 or in Tesco for €13.33 until the 24th of December. This set includes the 1 Hour tan, Tough Stuff Scrub, Chocolate whip moisturiser and a pink tanning mitt. 

My favourite set is the Ultimate Travel Set. It costs just €10 in Penneys and is perfect for travelling obviously but it's also handy if you're getting ready for a night out at your friends and don't want to be arriving with a heap of products. It contains a cute 100ml 1 Hour tan, 75ml Chocolate Whip body moisturiser and 75ml Tough Stuff body scrub. 

Win yourself an Ultimate Travel Set and a 200ml of Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze by heading on over to my Facebook page.

Also head on over to the Cocoa Brown Facebook page to stay up to date with new products and offers.

Love,

Sarah

Dream Dots For Spots - Over Night Spot Treatment

Dream Dots is a relatively new product to hit the Irish market and has been backed by Miss World 2003 winner Rosanna Davison and many popular Irish bloggers. I was offered the chance to try Dream Dots out for review myself and snapped up the chance as I do occasionally suffer from break outs around the time of important events or if I haven't been eating healthy my skin tends to suffer and break outs ensue!  

When I shared a picture of the product over on my instagram with the caption "You know you're a blogger when you're waiting for a spot so you can test out @DreamDotsHQ" I received a comment from Michelle who is one of my followers. She said "Ugh pass them over some of us don't need to wait". Her comment got me thinking about how products work on different people with different skin types. We all know some people suffer from spots far more than others so I sent her a packet of Dream dots to review and she graciously accepted the challenge of trying out Dream Dots with me so we could compare how we got on. 

Dream dots are overnight treatment patches for spots. Twenty four dots cost €14.95 and forty eight cost €24.95 over on their website. The patch contains a gel forming agent within an adhesive compound which when applied to your spot overnight creates a moist healing environment which enhances healing by reducing redness, pain and inflammation. 

How do they work?

After cleansing your face apply the patch making sure the area you want to apply it is dry. Simply remove the patch from the backing paper and attach the centre of the Dream Dot to the area of spotsville. Press down for a few seconds and then leave on overnight. 

My Experience

I found the instructions very easy to read and follow. Very straight forward, pop on patch and wait for spot to heal. I really liked how the patch became almost invisible when placed onto my skin. I know nobody apart from my partner is going to see me at night but he's seen me trial out many a strange product and I'm happy to report that he never even noticed the patches on my skin when I was wearing them. 

The next morning I went straight to the mirror to peel off the patch and reveal the results. As I peeled off the patch it also removed the white head of the spot which had not been there when I applied the patch. I went and cleaned my face and applied my usual morning skincare products and went about my day. Even though I had read the instructions and it did say use over 3-4 days I was somehow magically expecting the spot to be gone. Too good to be true, I know! I tried it again on the second night and the same thing happened again with the white-head being removed with the patch. I was beginning to get a little worried about scarring as I usually leave my spots alone. I never pop them for fear of scarring and also it's just disgusting! 

After the third night I noticed my spot had calmed down considerably and by the fifth day it had healed with no scarring. My spots can sometimes last over a week so I was happy to see them gone in a shorter amount of time but I was expecting much faster results with Dream Dots. I have to say I did experience less painful spots when using the patches. The didn't feel as sore during the day as they usually do. 

Michelle's Experience

Well I gave them a good use, went through the whole box! I wanted to be sure that I gave them a proper chance. During the first few nights I used Dream Dots I didn't have particularly bad spots. They are really easy to use and the packaging and instructions are very clear. I have to say they are good in the sense that they're not really obvious on your face, you'd barely notice them! Having them on was quite good as it stopped me scratching or touching my face, and spots, especially in my sleep.

The first few days I have to say I saw absolutely no change or benefit. I was consistent and put them in the same place every time. But for the sake if the review I kept using them just to see. So then a new couple of spots inevitably arrived and it did help to bring them out (sorry if that's a bit disgusting!) but that's as far as it went... Overnight they came to a head and then that just meant the next day you had a manky and much more obvious spot! So that was not good.

The one thing that has really put me off is the mark. They are only the size of one circle of bubble wrap but whatever is in the adhesive it leaves a mark on your skin for DAYS! I can't even cover it with makeup! It's like the mark you'd have after a plaster. Didn't bother me too much really but it was said to me so they must be obvious. I have fairly average skin, wouldn't get too many spots and it's definitely not sensitive, so I was quite surprised to be left with the little circle mark. All in all I have to admit I was a little disappointed with the results but the idea is a great one. Maybe if they had some tea tree or something else that heals spots in them it'd be more effective... But for now I think I'll stick with the sudocrem!

Overall thoughts

I seem to have had more luck with Dream Dots than Michelle even if seeing results took longer than I had hoped. I think this is a good product for people who suffer from spots occasionally and need an emergency fix to reduce redness before a big event. Michelle said she had a problem with the patch leaving behind a sticky mark from the adhesive where as I was left with no mark. Another example how products effect people differently. If you work it out with a box of twenty four patches then you're really only looking at treating around seven spots if you wear them over a number of nights so again useful for someone who only suffers from acne occasional but more expensive if you have more problematic skin like Michelle.

Dream Dots are worth trying out but do so with an open mind. Also remember that you must treat skin problems from within by drinking lots of water and eating the right foods.

Let me know what you think in the comments below, I would love to hear what you think about Dream Dots.

Love,

Sarah

Ziaja'a New Manuka Range - Face Care Products for Oily/Combination Skin

Ziaja have very recently launched a new skincare range called Manuka. The Manuka Tree Purifying range like all their other lines of skincare is incredibly affordable with products ranging from €4.49 up to €6.99.

The new range is targeted for people with oily/combination skin who suffer from an oily t-zone, dilated pores, blackheads, minor spots, acne breakouts and shine control. The new face care products get their name from the star ingredient, Manuka leaf extract. It's contains powerful antibacterial properties which make it perfect for soothing irritation, eliminating bacteria and cleansing the skin.

The range consists of a Normalising day cream €6.99, a gently exfoliating night cream €6.99, a deeply cleansing peeling paste €4.49, a Astringent face toner €4.49 and a normalising cleansing gel €4.49. I myself have dry skin so taking that on bored I tested out the cleansing peeling paste and the face toner.

 

Ziaja Manuka Tree Purifying Deeply Cleansing Peeling Paste €4.99

Despite what the name might suggest this is essentially a ex-foliating facial wash. 

Directions: Massage onto damp face and rinse off. Use once a week.

A little goes a long way with this product. I found the exfoliating beads to be absolutely perfect for my face. Not too abrasive, just the right amount to unblock my pores and leave my skin feeling fresh. Perfect for removing dead skin cells and perfect preparation before you complete the rest of your daily skincare routine. As it is directed for oily/combination skin and I have dry skin I feel it's worth mentioning that this product didn't dry my skin out. Make sure to apply a suitable moisturiser directly after applying products like this to your face. 

Pleas note that this is not a peel off mask. They mention Peeling paste in the title because this product removes dead skin cells and it also resembles the consistency of toothpaste. 

Ziaja Manuka Tree Purifying Astringent Face Toner €4.49

The purpose of this face toner is to reduce the appearance of porous areas, sooth acne breakouts and also improve blemishes. 

Directions: Apply with cotton pad over cleansed skin. Use daily.

Firstly I just want to say this product worked best for me when I spritzed the solution straight onto my face and then used a cotton pad to lightly dab around the different areas of my face. I enjoyed this product because the mist was so gentle and it felt nice and light on my skin. Great skin preparation for your favourite daily moisturiser. 

All the products in this range smell the same and the scent is nice and refreshing. It's the kind of scent you would associate with a freshly cleaned face if that makes any sense. 

I would recommend this range to teenagers suffering from breakouts and women of all ages who have oily/combination skin. If like me and you have dry skin and love a good facial exfoliant please try out the Deeply Cleansing Peeling Paste. I haven't tried anything like it since Soap & Glory's No Clogs Allowed and that costs €15. Great quality for an even better price.

Have you tried out any of the Ziaja skincare ranges yet? 

Love,

Sarah

Winner Winner Turkey Dinner! - Christmas Giveaway Winners!

Happy Christmas everyone.

I've exchanged presents with my boyfriend (he did good!), the fry up is on and I have Santa's (Barrys) Tea in my favourite mug beside me. I'm looking forward to heading out to my parents house around lunch time today. Before I can continue to soak up every bit of Christmas cheer possible I must announce the winners to my latest Christmas giveaway's kindly sponsored by The Body Shop, Pixy and NIMA.

***Drum roll please***

1. The Body Shop Lightening touch radiance highlighter - Debbie Cleary-Sewell

2. The body Shop White Musk Smoky perfume set - Darlene Morris

3. Pixy Skincare - Edel Hennessy

4. NIMA make-up remover mitt - Karen Scammell

Congratulations to everybody who won. Don't be too disheartened if you don't see your name. I've taken on board what everybody told me they were hoping to get for Christmas and I have some fun New Years giveaway's coming soon!

Have a lovely day everybody. Thinking of you all and of how happy you have made me this year by supporting my blog.

Hugs & Kisses,

Sarah

Have a Pixy Christmas - Gift Guide and Giveaway *International*

Pixy Natural Skincare is a brand I have mentioned many times here in Adoreabubbles blog land. You can check out previous reviews by checking out my Product Review Directory. Born and reared in Co. Cork you really are supporting Irish by purchasing Pixy this Christmas. Pixy was developed to be a fun and fragrant skincare range using pure natural ingredients, I think they have succeeded in their mission. I also like that they are continuously coming up with new fun products for the Irish market.

They have made shopping for Christmas a little easier by making gift sets for all price ranges. Above I have the Red teddy Tutti Fruity bath bomb which costs €9.95 and the newest member to the Shower Mousse family, Coconut Ice Shower Mousse which costs €12.95. You can also pick up a Teddy bath bomb with a strawberry, citrus, lavender, honey and limelight bath bomb. These guys are so cute and make perfect stocking fillers. If like me and you're more of a shower person than a bath person you can pick up the Pixy Mousse in Pineapple, Cocoa, strawberry, spa fresh and lemon sorbet. 

Brown Cow Beauty Boutique in Carrickmines retail Park are just one of the stockists in Co, Dublin where you can purchase Pixy. They are currently selling these beautifully packaged gift sets. You can check out the Pixy Stockist list on their website HERE. Pixy also do free shipping on orders over €10 within Ireland. You can also save 10% off your next order by signing up to the Pixy newsletter on their website.  

To win yourself some Irish natural made Pixy products follow the steps below. Best of Luck and have yourself a Pixy Christmas. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vintage Make-up and Handbags galore with Bernie's Bags this Christmas

Have you ever walk into a shop and thought WOW!, my friend would love this? Or OH MY GOD!, my mam would really love this piece. Well that happened to me recently when I went to the home of Bernies Bags. Bernies bags is a vintage shop owned by a lady in Co Meath. She sells vintage items through her Facebook page and also attends vintage and craft fairs regularly in the area. She also does repairs and hires out a number of her really special pieces.

She has some absolute gorgeous pieces and an unreal amount of vintage make-up I thought you might all be interested in. The fact that I got to see and hold theses pieces was a real delight for me. Just think about who owned them previously and the sights they might have seen.

 Irish Made sandalwood Leather Beverly Bag from the 1970's

Bernie has a small number of Beverly bags in her collection. Beverly was very populary in the 60's and 70's around the world for making handmade leather bags right here in Ireland. Fans at the time included Grace Kelly and Jackie O. If you are lucky enough you might be able to grab yourself one from Bernies Bags, the company went out of business in the 90's which is a real shame. The quality of their work is very hard to come by today.

I love this quirky clutch bag she also had in her collection when I went to visit, I've never seen an opening like that before. And the beading is gorgeous. Her pieces are in really great condition and deserve to be loved again!

Bernie's bags also has a wonderful collection of vintage make-up which includes compacts and lipsticks with the original make-up still contained. She also has vintage manicure sets which might appeal to collectors and any ladies who are interested in nails.

I really would recommend checking out Bernie's Bags out, you are sure to find a real gem for yourself or a friend this Christmas.

Check out her Facebook page for photos and you can contact her through her page also. She is currently show casing her pieces at the Christmas Craft fair in The Central Pub in Navan, Co Meath on Trimgate street. You can also contact her by email at handbagsforhire@hotmail.com.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Are you a fan of vintage? 

Love,

Sarah

The Body Shop Luxury Advent Calender - The Best of The Body Shop Christmas 2013

Ding Dong..If I wasn't already excited enough about Christmas you should have seen my face when I seen The Body Shop Christmas advent calender in their Grafton street store in Dublin this week. I was invited along to see their new Christmas Ginger, Cranberry and Vanilla collections but the advent calender stole the show for me on the night.

With twenty four amazing products for €99 (Contents worth €126.30) I just could not contain my excitement. The packaging, the Gingerbread house, all the little doors and the shear size of it. Oh momma!

If you want to know what's behind each door keep reading on, otherwise tell me in the comments below how excited you would be to have this in your possession in the comments below!!

This Advent Calender contains:

Almond Hand & Nail Cream 30ml

Vitamin E Moisture Cream 15ml

Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask 6ml

Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream 15ml

White Musk Smooth Satin Body Lotion 60ml

Japanese Cherry Blossom Body Lotion 60ml

Lip & cheek Stain: 02 Bronze Glimmer 8ml

Born Lippy Raspberry Lip Balm 10ml

Coconut Shower Cream 60ml

Mango Body Whip 60ml

Moringa Body Milk 60ml

Shea Body Butter 50ml

Chocomania Soap 25g

Cranberry Joy Soap 25g

Ginger Sparkle Soap 25g

Honeymania Lip Balm 10ml

Satsuma Body Puree 60ml

Moringa Shower Gel 60ml

Born Lippy Strawberry Lip Balm 10ml

Strawberry Shower Gel 60ml

Shea Shower Cream 60ml

Shea Lip Butter 10ml

Bath Lily White

Eyeshadow Brush

Isn't she a beaut! Probably the best advent calender I have seen in a long time! The advent Calender is also available in stores in the UK for £55 (contents worth £80). It might be worth mentioning too that there is also three version available. This is the Luxury edition, there is also a Deluxe edition which comes in a green box and an Ultimate version which comes in a gold box and cost more but unfortunately (for greedy people like me) they are not available in Ireland (Thank god says my bank balance!).

Love, 

Sarah

Bumble Bliss - Natural Irish Skincare

I love natural and I love Irish, put the two together and you get a wonderful brand called Bumble Bliss. Síle McDonald the owner of Bumble Bliss is inspired by nature around her and by putting her studies of natural science to good use she has created some zingy, smelltastic natural products for us all to enjoy. She is based in Co Kilkenny and hand makes all her wonderful products at home on her farm sourcing ingredients locally. Love that!

You can check out her product range for yourself by visiting her website http://www.bumblebliss.ie/.

Some of my personal favourites are the Lavender and rose petal bath bomb (€3.50), Tea tree and eucalyptus soap (€4.50) and the Germanium hand balm for gardeners (€7.50).

The lavender essential oil in the bath bomb really sooths my worries away. The Tea tree and eucalypus soap leaves my hands feeling clean, fresh and moisturised. And even though I don’t have green fingers and haven’t done any garden work in a while the Germanium hand balm is perfect for me because the combination of beeswax and sweet almond oil really is a treat for my dry hands.

Sile also explains on her website why we should go natural and updates her blog on products she makes for her family and of course for her customers.

Bumble Bliss....Yes please! 

Love,

Sarah

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Cocoa Brown Tan Collection - Self tan Mousse - Scrub and Mitt Review - Before & After Photos

Personally before I discovered Cocoa Brown I was never a huge fan of fake tan. The hassle, the disasters and the down right unnaturalness of the tans I had tried before just turned me off the whole process. My prayers were answered when Cocoa Brown 1 hour tan was brought onto the Irish market last year. A tan that I tell all my friends is "practically perfect in every way" and leaves little room for error. I've done a review on the Cocoa Brown 1 hour tan if you would like to read about it HERE. You're getting 150ml of product for €6.90 in Penneys and €7.99 on-line. I used it throughout the Christmas party season and love the one, two and three hour leave on options before washing it off depending on how dark you want to go.

Before and after photos of Cocoa Brown's 1 hour tan left on for three hours.

Then early this year after much demand for an even darker tan Cocoa Brown Night & Day was presented to the tanning maidens of Ireland. We couldn't get enough of the stuff, it was flying off the shelves in pharmacies nationwide and recently became available in Penneys €6.90 and on-line at Cloud10Beauty €7.99 and FeelUnique £7.99/€9.99. We asked for darker tan and that's exactly what we got. An instant darker tan which can be applied right before you head out the door and the next day after washing you are left with a subtle natural glowing tan.

Cocoa Brown Night and Day tan applied to my right arm.

My photos do not do the Cocoa Brown Night & Day tan the justice it deserves. The tan itself goes on so effortlessly and leaves you with what can only be described as an exotic natural looking tan from a far away land!!  It's fast drying, without making my skin feel dry and also has the signature CB scent.Cocoa Brown tanning mousse should be applied with a tanning mitt and can also be purchased in Penneys and pharmacies nationwide. I'm going on a big night out for my birthday at the end of the month, I have my outfit planned and a new bottle of Night & Day ready, too excited! I find when I have applied Cocoa Brown tan I feel more confident in sexier clothes when going out. Is that mad?! I don't feel the need to hide my skin as much.

Cocoa Brown by Marissa Carter, the brand that keeps on giving! It looks pretty but don't let "Tough Stuff" fool you, it's a no nonsense scrub for rough areas. It was only recently launched and I have no doubt it will also be flying off the shelves. It comes in a 50ml sachet and costs €2.99 or €5.63/£4.50 for 100ml on-line at feelunique.com. 

I was not surprised to see Tough Stuff following in it's sister products footsteps when I opened to sachet to discover just like the packaging that the scrub was also pink. I've used Tough stuff to prepare my skin before applying tan (the day before, not on the same day as this isn't recommended) and found it excellent for removing dead skin and leaving my skin so smooth. It feels nice when applied and doesn't cut the skin off you like other scrubs! It also claims to be perfect for removing stubborn tan but I have yet to have a problem with Cocoa Brown tanning mousse as it washes off completely within a few days. It suggest using it on areas such as feet, ankles, knees, elbows, hands and can be used 3-4 times a week.

I'd love to see Tough Stuff in a tub like packaging with more product as I wouldn't use a whole sachet in one go and don't like the idea of it sitting opened to the elements. If you could sort that out for me Marissa that would be great, thanks!! I wouldn't mind paying more if it meant more product and packaging that opened and closed to make using it in the shower a bit handier. 

There you have it ladies, the Cocoa Brown collection in it's entirety. Well, at least for the time being. I can't wait to see what Marissa has up her sleeve for us next. 

Love,

Sarah 

For more information visit www.cocoabrown.ie

*All products mentioned have been sent to me to review and have been purchased many times since with my own money. All opinions are my own. 

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Current Product Favourites

Hello lovlies,

I decided today was the day to get back into making YouTube videos. I just wanted to say a quick hello to everyone and thought it would be a good opportunity to let you all know what my everyday current favourite products are. It's been so long since I made one I was a bit tongue tide and possibly talked a bit of nonsense! Never the less, here it is...

• Bioderma Crealine H2O: Not available in Ireland and Uk, can be purchased online. http://www.leguidesante.co.uk/279/purchase/crealine-cleansing-solution-perfume-free/
• Avene Cleanance gel: Boots and Paramacies €15.25c.
• Garnier Pure Active Exfo Brush Wash:Boots €10.69c. http://adoreabubbles.blogspot.ie/2013/07/garnier-pure-active-exfo-brusher-wash.html
• Tibolli Moisture Lust: Peter Marks €23
• L’Oreal Paris Studio Silk & Gloss: Boots €4.79c.
• Pixy Aloe Rescue Gel : Online €7.95c. http://www.pixy.ie/lotions-potions/body/aloe-rescue-gel.html

Just a few products I am loving at the moment. Let me know in the comments below if you have tried any of them yourself and let me know how you got on.

Love,

Sarah

Change is hard but worth it - Focusing on Health and Fitness

It's never too late to make changes in you life, I say this all the time to people and I've only recently
started taking my own advice. I think that no matter the reason, if you're not happy only YOU can make the changes. You may have noticed I have been absent on YouTube and my blog posts have become sparse over the past couple of months. I've made some big colossal changes in my life recently and I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel now. I walked out of a long relationship, left an amazing job and moved. While I had my reasons it doesn't make it any easier but I'm glad I had the strength to realise that I wasn't happy and that I had to start doing things differently. 

I've been focusing a lot on myself, which might sound selfish but I have to put myself first now. Health and fitness has taken over my life at the moment. I've developed a real thirst for it. I'm excited about the opportunities that await for me and I've all sorts of plans for what I want to accomplish. For now anyway I've been focusing on getting fit and feeling great. I wanted to share some of the activities I've been doing with you in the hope that it might encourage even just one person to get up, get out there and start making the changes they want too.

Zumba Classes

Zumba is great if you go on your own or with a group of friends. Zumba is a dance fitness programme, I know what you're thinking but don't worry because I can't dance to save my life and I really enjoy it. I like that it has variety, in any given class I can find myself doing salsa, martial arts, belly dance moves, squats and lunges. The music is great and most instructors make the classes really fun and enjoyable. You don't feel like you're at the gym anyway!

TRX Suspension Training Classes

Now what the hell is TRX Suspension Training you might be thinking to yourself! I didn't have a clue up until two weeks ago. I had never heard of it before. It stands for Total body Resistance Exercise and involves preforming a number of body weight exercises while holding or placing your feet onto ropes. Now, when it comes to trying new things the first time is always the hardest but it gets better. My arms and legs were in bits the day after the first time but it was worth it. I keep telling myself that, ha!

Bum, Tums and Thighs Classes

Tone, tone tone! I'm not actually interested in focusing much on weight loss. I'm a curvy girl and I always will be but there are a few areas I would like to not jiggle so much and that's why I do bum, tums and thighs classes. The class combines standing and floor aerobic exercises with the use of weights and a step. It can be a shock to the system and I look a bit of a fool when trying to co-ordinate myself on the step but I feel great afterwards and feel like I get a full body workout. 

Spinning Classes

I am quite lucky that my brother is a professional gym instructor and he calls me occasionally  daily, yes daily to go to his classes! I couldn't ask for any more encouragement really! After I went to his first spinning class I didn't want to talk to him for at least a week, it was the first class I went too and it made me realise how unfit I was and spurred me on to try all the other classes. I did one of his classes last week and felt bloomin marvellous afterwards! "PICK UP YOUR RESISTANCE" he would shout, and I didn't even want to hit him once! Success. I always thought spinning was for the really physically fit people but I've seen people of all shapes, sizes and ages in my gym doing the spinning classes.

Indoor Climbing

I've only had the chance so far to try this once but boy I can't wait to go again. I went along to Awesome Walls in Dublin not knowing what to expect and honestly a little nervous! I was going with someone who has done climbing many times but I was more worried about looking like a fool and was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it at all. How wrong was I! Again with the spinning I was so surprised to see people of all shapes and sizes, even children as young as six climbing. If you are not a fan of gyms and love to try something different I could not recommend this enough. I didn't have to worry about heights because they have walls of all different heights to start you off. I didn't have to worry about safety because they have equipment you can hire and the most amazing, friendly, helpful experienced staff you could ever meet to guide you if you need help. 

I said before, I'm not on a mission to lose a tonne of weight, I want to tone up, wake up with a spring in my step and have the energy to follow my dreams. At first it was hard but now it's so much easier and I'm....eh...enjoying it. Gah I must be going mad! I've received lots of lovely messages over on YouTube about when I'll be returning to making videos again and that won't be for another while I'm afraid but I will be back. 

Do you do anything that I haven't mentioned above that you think I would enjoy doing. I really want to try everything! I hope this isn't just a phase and that I can adopt this fitness buzz as a new way of living. Wish me luck girls.

Love,

Sarah

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