Recipe: Drumstick Cupcakes

So a few weeks back I was scrolling through the explore page of Instagram and stumbled across a post that was showing the newly released Drumstick flavoured icing available in supermarkets. And that sparked an idea for a recipe which I've been putting off for weeks, due to immense worries about messing it up when in fact I had nothing to worry about. I made them for the first time on Wednesday and by Friday they were all gone.

Ingredients
100g Caster Sugar
100g Stork, softened
100g Self Raising Flour
2 Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tub Of Drumstick Icing
12 Drumstick Squashie Sweets

Method 
1- Pre heat your oven to 180C. Line a twelve hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2- Place the softened stork and caster sugar into a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. I always use my stand mixer to bake as it takes out a lot of the arm work and is generally quicker than doing it by hand/ However a wooden spoon or silicone spatula would work perfectly as well to cream the two together.
3- Add one egg at a time alongside a tablespoon of flour. Beat until fully incoporated, then repeat. I also took the opportunity to scrap a silicone spatula along the sides to make sure everything gets fully incorporated into the mixture.
4- Fold the rest of the flour into the mix, making sure to not knock any of the air out of the mixture. If you're using a stand mixer, I recommend using the slower settings at the start of the dial to fold the flour in. It'll get the job done and gives you the choice to speed it up or slow it down.
5- Then add the vanilla. You can fold this gently into the mixture if you wish but I personally like to use a faster speed on my mixer to make sure it's fully incorporated into the mixture. A faster speed doesn't knock out any of the air I've put into the mixture but if you prefer to use a slower speed that's just as good. It's all personal preference.
6- Spoon the mixture into your cake cases. You can use a tablespoon to do so or a batter scoop to get a more even amount of mixture in each case. I use a batter scoop just so the mixture is evenly distributed between the cases.
7- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake springs back once touched. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then place onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
8- The icing is already made which is cheating but I would have never been able to produce something that tastes this good. The icing comes in two tubs, one tub raspberry and one tub vanilla. I wanted it to be the two combined and swirled together on top of the cakes so I alternated a tablespoon of each into the piping bag until I had the amount of icing I needed.
9- Then with a steady hand, pipe the icing onto the top of the cakes. You can go with any design you like but because I wanted the two flavours to swirl together I went with a classic swirl design. Once your happy with your design, place a drumstick flavoured squashie on top of each cake and place to one side to set.
10- Once you've done all twelve, place in a airtight container to set and then enjoy whenever you want.

Review: Loreal Les Chocolats Ultra Matte Liquid Lipstick

When I saw Loreal advertising their Les Chocolats Ultra Matte Liquid Lipsticks on Instagram, I wasn't instantly hooked and wanted one of every shade. I waited patiently for them to come into stores and then spent even longer deliberating what colour I wanted. Then I finally had my colour and it was mine to wear whenever I wanted which is where the disappointment set in.

 I got the shade, a deep browny greige shade. There's a backstory to why I went with this shade when there where other shades I could've chosen. A couple of years back Stila released their annual miniature liquid lipstick set and in one there was a limited edition shade called Serenata. It was stunning, a deep greige shade that complimented my fairer complexion perfectly and acted like my perfect nineties grunge brown shade. However with it being limited edition I haven't worn it as much as I'd love to because I don't want it to run out. So I've spent ages looking for a good dupe that'll give me the same shade without being limited edition or hard to repurchase. I thought this was it and whilst it's a beautiful colour match, the formula is the biggest formula let down I've had in ages.

When somethings advertised as ultra matte you know it's going to be long wearing but slightly uncomfortable to wear. We've all worn something similar before and will likely do it again in the future but I for one can tell you, this liquid lipstick will never grace my lips again. It's highly pigmented and opaque in one swipe making it sound perfect but during the drying process it becomes extremely sticky and if you make the mistake of pushing your lips together then it's game over. Thinking it was dry, I pushed my lips together and ended up with a string of product hanging from my top lip, it also removed product from my lips and when I tried to remedy it, it just got worse.

The formula is too thick, the doe foot applicator holds too much product and not enough product at the same time. The product isn' distributed evenly across the lips, meaning you have to dip back into the tube and end up applying even more product where it isn't necessary instead of where you need it. Yet it wasn't all this that put me right off this product. It's the fact that it took several layers of my skin off with it when I removed it. I used an oil based cleanser like I do with all liquid lipsticks and it still took five minutes of me removing it to see even the tiniest bit of my lip underneath. Once I did manage to remove it, my poor lips were sore, red and chapped. No amount of lip balm was saving my lips from this product and if I were you, I wouldn't even give it a second glance in the stores. Sure they have beautiful neutral shades, sure they smell like chocolate but application is more work than I and I'm sure many others are willing to put in and removal both after a mistake and in general is a painful task which will leave your lips so sore you won't be able to wear lipsticks for a good few days afterwards. Want a long lasting lipstick that won't ruin your lips? Try the Maybelline SuperStay Matte Inks or pay a little more for the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipsticks or Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks. 

Review: Garnier Fresh-Mix Tissue Masks

Garnier have recently released some new masks into their range, last week I reviewed their Moisture Bomb Tisue Eye Masks and today I'm back with my review of their new Fresh-Mix Tissue Masks.

The Fresh-Mix Tissue Masks are essentially a DIY style mask. So instead of having a pre soaked tissue mask that you apply straight to skin, this mask requires a little work. Each sachet is divided into two parts. The top half has a dry algae infused tissue mask in it whilst the bottom half contains the serum which you usually find pre soaked into the mask. The instructions are easy to follow, with each packed marked clearly where you're supposed to fold.

There are two masks so far in the range. The first is the Replumping Shot aimed at hydrating and smoothing the skin. It contains Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin and Castor Oil to deeply nourish and hydrate skin for a longer period of time, giving skin a plumper look and feel. This is perfectly suited to all skin types, even oily skins and would make a fantastic hydration both throughout the Summer transitioning through to the colder months of Autumn and Winter.

And the second in the range is the Glow Shot. Enriched with Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C, this mask aims to brigthen and even complexion, giving skin that healthy lit from within glow whilst still leaving skin feeling hydrated and soft to the touch. It's perfect for this time of the year when make up is minimal and a natural glow is appreciated but it would also make the perfect Winter glow boost when skin tends to lose it's lustre and becomes a little uneven and dull looking.

These masks are great fun. They're the perfect thing to get in for a girls' night in as they're just so enjoyable to put together and wear. I was a little worried that the serum would go everywhere when it was being pushed upwards into the mask but it actually turned out fine. The instructions were so easy to follow and the mask so quick to put together. There was just enough serum in the sachet to coat the mask generously without it dripping or pouring excess product everywhere when you applied it. They sat well on the face and didn't slide, drip or drop off once on, even when I was moving about. I haven't tried the Glow Shot yet, I'm saving that for my pamper night this week but I have tried the Re-Plumping Shot and I adored it. It left my skin feeling hydrated, soft and smooth to the touch as well as plump looking, something I never thought I'd say was a good thing when it comes to the appearence of my skin. They slightly more expensive than the original Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks but they are well worth every penny. Garnier again are thinking forward into how the beauty world can and will evolve and their nailing it on their first attempt. If you see these in your local Superdrug or Boots; I highly recommend picking a few up, you won't regret it.

Review: Garnier Moisture Bomb Eye Tissue Masks

I love a good under eye patch and am slowly working my way through every pair available in the beauty industry. And for the longest time I wondered why Garnier hadn't added a under eye patch to their ever growing skincare ranges. That is until recently. I've had these sat in my collection for the last month but didn't use them until I had a back up of each waiting in my eye patch basket.

Their Moisture Bomb Eye Tissue Masks are an extension of their popular Moisture Bomb mask range. There are two under eye masks in the range. One is a pair of conventional looking under eye patches and the other is a mask that sits over the entire eye area. The patches contain Orange Juice and Hyalruonic Acid that work to reduce the appearence of bags and brighten the under eye area. They're a material mask which can sometimes be a pain to work with but these are simple and easy to use, something I put down to their size.

The eye mask on the other hand contains Hyaluronic Acid and Coconut Water to reduce the appearence of fine lines whilst simultaneously hydrating and redefining the under eye area. Both the patches and the mask claim to reduce the skin's temperature by up to four degrees when used but can be more if they are stored in the fridge beforehand. They're also fragrance free so they're very unlikely to irritate anyone's eyes but if they do, taking them off and rinsing your eyes is the obvious solution yet I think that the majority of people would be fine using these.

I like these, I'm a huge fan of Garnier and their Moisture Bomb range anyway, so it was a given that these weren't going to let me down. The patches are absolutely massive which surprised me at first but after wearing them, I see that my skin benefited from them being bigger. My under eye area looked brighter, felt smoother and any puffiness that I had, hadn't gone completely but had reduced significantly and made me look more awake and alert. The eye mask thankfully fit perfectly to the contours of my face and didn't slip or drop off when I moved, even if I did look like a member of the Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles. It was extremely cooling on the skin and left my under eye area feeling smoother and hydrated, pretty much creating the perfect canvas for make up if I had worn any the day I used it. I've tried a variety of different under eye patches/masks and whilst these won't knock my holy grail Rodial under eye masks off the top spot, they come a close second. They don't cost the earth and actually work unlike other high street options that claim to work when in fact they leave the under eye area feeling tighter than it was before you applied the mask. Definitely a new release I'd recommend checking out if you're in the market for some under eye masks or are just a massive fan of Garnier like myself.

GRWM: Day At The Zoo

On Monday me and mum went to Marwell Zoo. We had a fantastic day even if I was asleep before head even hit the pillow that night. And I was going to do a GRWM that showed the minimal make up look I was going to go for but I didn't end up wearing make up and I'm glad considering it got to a good thirty degrees as we walked round there. So instead I'm showing you the things I packed in my backpack as well as a few tips that I found came in handy.

As I didn't wear make up, I thought I'd share my skincare for the day with you. It's all very lightweight and simple at the moment as I don't want to clog my pores and cause unnecessary break outs. Two stand out products I had to use though were my Optimum Glycolic Pads, this just really tighten the skin and leave it feeling soft and smooth to the touch and the Hawaiian Tropic SPF30 for the face. I don't go anywhere without putting a layer of this on and Monday was now different. And I even took a different facial SPF to spray my face with as I walked around Marwell.

My outfit was pretty simple, I went for a white t-shirt and black jeans but both went straight in the wash when I got home, hence the lack of picture. And I paired them with these faux Vans-esque shoe from Primark. And by god were they comfortable. These have a cushioned insole that makes wearing them for hours at a time a dream. My shoulders ached from carrying a backpack all day but my feet felt fine and I put it all down to these shoes. I highly recommend wearing your comfiest shoes when it comes to trips to the zoo. I saw a lot of women in shoes that looked nice but offered little comfort and I just knew they'd be regretting it at the end of the day.

The backpack I took is this rather shapeless looking yet amazingly functional one from Primark. I used it last year when I went to Marwell with Lauren and her childrens and it easily held so much stuff so taking it again this year was a no brainer. This managed to hold my lunch, a 1.5 litre bottle of water as well as the other essentials I packed with me.

If you saw my What's In My Bag then you'll know I carry a rather large purse and for the day out I didn't want to carry that around on top of everything else So I transferred the money I took and any cards I needed over into this Minnie Mouse card holder and Aladdin pouch. It made it a lot more slimline and I could easily slide it down to the bottom of my backpack without creating a bulge or bulking the bag out.

Alongside everything else I packed three essentials that definitely came in handy throughout the day. The first is headache pills, I really needed this as I ended up with a headache from hell. I never go anywhere without the Anadin Actifast Paracetamol Tablets. They work really well at getting rid of a headache in record time. The second is a antibacterial hand gel, mine's the Hand Maid from Soap and Glory but I saw a variety of hand gels as I walked around the zoo. Because toilets were far and few between, this was great at giving my hands a clean feeling without having to double back to the nearest toilet block. And the last was a pack of pocket tissues, I suffer with hayfever so these definitely came in handy as Marwell was quite dry and dusty which made my nose itch quite a bit.

Something I thought would be a necessity was sunglasses and I took my favourite pair from Primark because if I'd lost them I wouldn't have wasted a lot on them. However I barely wore them, firstly because it made it harder to see the pictures I was taking and secondly I didn't really want to get a nice big glasses mark if I did happen to catch the sun. I do wish I'd worn them more though as I think squinting as I walked around gave me the headache that made me feel like utter crap.

And the last thing I took was my iPad Mini. I would have preferred to have taken my new iPad as the picture quality on that is amazing but because it is so new, I decided to take the Mini. It got me the pictures I wanted and managed to last the whole day without dying so I was impressed. I saw a lot of people with massive, professional cameras but unfortunately one of those isn't in my budget so I made do with my Mini.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate and Coconut Cookies

Ever since I made my Double Chocolate Cookies I've been thinking of other combinations that would make a great cookie. It took a while but I managed to think of a few. And the one I decided to try the most was a combination of coconut and dark chocolate. Now I know everyone isn't a big fan of dark chocolate but paired with the coconut, some of the bitter taste is taken away and is a welcomed flavour in the cookie. 

Ingredients 

150g Salted Butter, softened 

80g Light Brown Muscavdo Sugar 

80g Granulated Sugar 

2Tsp Vanilla Extract 

1 Egg

225g Plain Flour 

1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda 

1/4 Tsp Salt 

100g Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies 

50g Desicated Coconut 

Method 

1- Pre heat your oven to 180c. I sometimes do mine at 200c to warm it up as my oven takes a while to warm up and then turn it back down to 180c just before I start creating the balls of dough. 

2- Line several baking trays with greaseproof paper or baking parchment. I always do three trays as I never know what size they’re going to turn out and I like to be prepared. 

3-In your stand mixer place the softened salted butter, granulated and muscavdo sugar and beat until creamy and smooth. You can use a electric hand mixer but I find a stand mixer is a lot quicker.

4- Add the vanilla extract and egg and then beat again. I always take advantage of this step to really scrape around the bowl and make sure everything is incorporated. 

5- Then sieve the salt, bicarbonate of soda and plain flour into the mixture. I advise taking your bowl off the base of your mixer so you don't end up with flour everywhere.

6- Beat briefly until everything is combined and you have the makings of cookie dough in your bowl. 

7- Then it’s time to add the chocolate chips and desicated coconut. I started with the chocolate chips and beat them in, both with my stand mixer and a spatula when I took it off the base. Then I added the desicated coocnut bit by bit so I got the exact amount of coconut I wanted which is something I advise you to do. Not everyone is a fan of coconut so just aff as little as much as you want. 

8- Now it's time to make your balls of cookie dough. Normally I'd just use my hands but I wanted to see if I could make smaller balls and get more out of the mixture. So I used my trusty old ice cream/batter mixture scoop. It creates just the right size ball of dough and you don't have to get your hands dirty and covered in dough. I managed to make around sixteen cookies by using my scoop and I'd highly advise using one if you're wanting to make large amount of cookies from one dough. 

9- Bake in the oven for 10-15mins or until the edges are firm and the centres are still a little wobbly. 

10- Once out of the oven leave them to rest on the tray for a couple of minutes. It just allows the centres to firm up and less likely to stick or fall apart when you transfer them to a cooling rack. 

11- When they’ve firmed up transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely or enjoy whilst they’re still warm. I'd highly advise enjoying them whilst their warm as the chocolate chips are still slightly melted and will make the rest of the cookie just melt in your mouth.

Summer Lip Edit

I'm not the biggest fan of Summer, it's too hot, I have trouble sleeping, my self confidence takes a nose dive at all the crop tops and booty shorts in the shops. The only thing I genuinely enjoy about Summer is that I can pull out some of my bold shades that don't fit in any other time of the year, oh and that it means we're one step closer to Autumn/Winter, my absolute favourite times of the year.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam
This is one of my absolute favourite red shades. It's sits between being a blue toned red and a tomato red and compliments my fair complexion perfectly. The Soft Matte Lip Creams are very mousse like in texture and well wonderfully on the lips. They're not like other powdery matte formulas and wears comfortably on the lips for a good few hours without the need for touch ups.

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso
A holy grail red I wear not just in Summer but all year round is Beso from Stila. Again it's that perfect mix of tomato red and blue toned red. It gives my complexion a perfected appearence but doesn't wash me out or make my skin look flat or lifeless. It's more of a powder matte finish than Amsterdam but still comfortable to wear and can easily be worn for a good few hours before you need to reapply. I would advise not eating anything oily or greasy when wearing this as it could end up everywhere.

Rosie For Autograph in Supermodel Kiss
Whilst we're on the topic of red's, this orange red is one of my absolute holy grail lip products. Supermodel Kiss is bright orange with red undertones that makes it suitable to be worn by all skin tones including those with paler complexions. It's satin finish that lasts all day on the lips comfortably and doesn't require any touch ups, unless you're chowing down on a burger or something equally as greasy.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte in Siren In Scarlet
Let's just get all the reds out the way now. Siren In Scarlet is another matte red shade that leans more towards being a blue toned red than an orange red. It looks gorgeous on a multitude of skintones and won't wash out fairer complexion. It's a very creamy formula that doesn't dry lips out but still has a slightly powdery feeling to it. Because it is creamy, it can bleed or smudge if your not careful but a transparent or red lip line applied beforehand will stop any problems you may run in to.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper
An old favourite that I've rediscovered this Summer is Hot Pepper from Bourjois. It's a stunning orange red that really pops on both fairer and darker skintones, making it the talking point of any look. It's not a real matte but it's also not a satin finish, it's a weird hybrid that doesn't dry lips out but also doesn't budge or bleed. It's definitely one I can see myself adding to a minmal make up look to give it a boost.

Sleek Matte Me Up Liquid Lipstick in Rioja Red
This is a red that I haven't worn a lot but plan on changing this Summer. It's again a more orange based red but doesn't have that much orange that it washes out fairer complexions. It's definitely a lipstick that requires some prep but when done right, it's absolutely gorgeous. I'd highly recommend taking a lip balm with you when you wear this to combat any dryness but it certainly won't budge no matter what you eat or drink.

Make Up Revolution Pro Supreme Matte Pigment in Spiritual 
Now I know you're probably fed up of red's right now but I promise this is the last one. Red is my go to shade all year round but especially during the Summer when the sun's out. And this is the latest addition to my collection. It's again a mixture of an orange based red and a classic blue toned red, which for me is my perfect Summer red shade. This has some staying power but does require a little waiting time as it dries down. I don't advise pressing your lips together as this dries as you'll have to redo it but the wait is worth it. I found this to be a little uncomfortable to wear but a lot of that came down to lack of prep on my side. This does not budge and is a perfect budget dupe of both Stila's Beso and Kat Von D's Outlaw.

 Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Pink Pong
Let's move on to the very small amount of pink shades I'll be wearing this Summer. Pink Pong from Bourjois is the perfect blue toned pink that compliments all skin tones including fairer complexions and doesn't make teeth look yellow. It's a weird formula that sits between a matte and a satin finish without the accompanying powder feeling of a matte finish. I love wearing this with minmal make up and a basic white tee and jeans.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Ole' Flamingo
Another shade from the Rouge Edition range I adore for the Summer is Ole' Flamingo. It's not a blue toned as Pink Pong but still looks stunning on a multiude of skin tones. It's got warmer undertones than Pink Pong which warms up us with fairer complexions and gives our complexions a boost even if we are covered in SPF30.

Rosie For Autograph in Rosie Lips
A deeper pink that I reach for a lot when I'm looking to tone down a look is this one from Rosie For Autograph. It's got a deeper raspberry tone to it that stops it from being too over the top but still allows it to be bold and seen. It's a satin finish that doesn't budge from the lips and easily brightens the complexion, a must have pink for anyone who finds pink a hard lip colour to wear.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Rome
Even though it's Summer and bold lips are the in thing, I still love a good neutral lip every now and again, especially when I'm wearing something more colourful. And that's where this shade from NYX comes in. It's neutral enough to not clash with anything bright but still has enough colour and warmth to make it stand out and compliment the rest of your make up. It's mousse like texture makes it a dream to wear for long periods of time but application can be a little tricky if you don't have enough product on the doe foot applicator. Time and patience is the best way to go with this product, something not all of us have but is well worth it.

 Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina
Another pinky neutral shade I love comes from Stila. Patina may look more brown in the tube but in fact has a deeper pink undertone to it that doesn't really show itself until it's on the lips. More of a traditional matte finish than others I've talked about but with the right prep beforehand this can look gorgeous on the lips for a good few hours without drying, peeling or flaking off.

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in Dash
And finally my last neutral and last lipstick for this edit is another pinky nude shade that is a great budget friendly dupe for Patina. Dash is slightly darer in tone but still has that pink undertone that won't wash out fairer complexions. It again is a traditional matte finish and can feel powdery on the lips if too much is applied. It isn't one to wear out to dinner but is perfect if your nipping out to run errands or nipping to the shops and don't need to worry about reapplication. This is a gorgeous lipstick that I have worn many a time but if I were to chose, I'd have to chose Patina over this down to the wear time and feel on the lips.