LAHENDO2016 PART ONE

I have been so excited about posting this post, as this will no doubt have everyone jumping up and down. The time is almost upon us (in 9 days to be exact), and I am here to share some great moments with you from my Hen Party weekend extravaganza! LAHENDO2016 Part One will cover the theme, the journey, the place and also some amazing surprises too for the party. I invited along 15 girls (one of which I have to mention was very missed ๐Ÿ™ ) for the #LAHENDO2016.ย  So for those who don’t know, my mother owns a motorhome. This was decked out- much to my surprise- with designs on the back and sides to let the whole world know of course that we were having a hen party. My sister Evie was inย  charge of the whole thing from start to finish as she’s my maid of honour and the one with the design skills! She expertly took the colour scheme of the wedding (dark red, white and light grey) to decorate the motorhome and used a font very recognisable to those Twilight fans out there. The wedding will be based around Twilight in certain areas (I’m not giving away too much) as Paul and I met at a Twilight event, so very fitting! lahendo2016_ lahendo2016_-2

So we set off from Ipswich and were headed to Manchester. We had booked a luxury stay in a gorgeous house through Celebration Cottages. The house we stayed in sleeps up to 20 people and was ideal for the kind of thing I was looking for in a hen do. I am not a party goer nor a fan of excessive drinking and so I opted for the girly sleepover sort of vibe instead which I wouldn’t change for the world. lahendo2016_-137

This shot was taken on the last day but it shows the artwork from the sides so you can see. Plus some more hens too!

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We stayed in a house called The White House, and as soon as we pulled up after our 6 hour journey I knew that we were going to love it. The front of the house was made of glass (similar to the Cullen’s house in Twilight) so that made me very happy! The house itself was beautiful. It had a stunning design, more of which you will see later, and it had everything we could possibly need from the marble kitchen to the cinema room. Now I had been working very hard on something for all the hens involoved. As a blogger I wanted to make the most of this beautiful location and this special occasion, and so I had a little help from some of my favourite brands.

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Each hen was presented with a bag full of a variety of things for the weekend and they loved it!lahendo2016_-13 lahendo2016_-14

So in their gift pack they found:

Premier Estates Wine

I love the Prosecco from Premier Estates. It is crisp and so light and delightful. We all enjoyed this Prosecco throughout the weekend and you can see more of them in Part Two! The bottles fit right in with the designer kitchen and our glasses were at the ready!lahendo2016_-61

Mr Stanley’s

Mr Stanley’s went above and beyond for the hen. Each hen had a glorious selection on confectionary from chocolate moustaches to fudge and lemon fizzies. This was so perfect for the hen party as we had vegetarians, coeliacs and lactose free requirements so there were treats for everyone. lahendo2016_-63

Amie Skincare

I took advantage of using the master bathroom for this shot! Equipped with television et al, we really enjoyed a selection of treats from Amie Skincare who I am a big fan of. We had the best micellar water for our makeup removing needs, moisturiser and a selection of their new face masks which I will be reviewing separately on the blog.

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Sass and Belle

Sass and Belle are one of my go-to brands for gifts and homeware. They provided us with the cutest notebooks for our games and quizes which I shall be talking more about in Part Two! Their designs were loved by the hen party as each couldn’t wait to open these up and take a peek inside! lahendo2016_-66

KIND Snacks

KIND Snacks are the perfect snack for a big sleepover weekend, especially when you have a lot of guests with different diets. KIND snacks kindly sent us a range of flavours for the weekend which are all gluten and dairy free. My favourite was the dark chocolate and cherry bar- so delicious!

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So the first day/evening of the hen was fairly chilled. We explored every inch of our quarters, chose our bedrooms and took a lot of silly photos as we waited for the whole party to arrive. I have to give 3 hens a massive applause who came from Wales, and the journey took them 9 hours in a small car! Every hour or so we would receive an update from them in the form of a dubsmash song ๐Ÿ™‚ lahendo2016_-20

Here we are having fun with our chocolate moustaches!

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Stay Tuned for LAHENDO Part Two, there’s so much more to see including games, knickers and jacuzzi fun!

Saharasplash x Bride to be

 

SAHARASPLASH visits Bea’s Cakes London

It is a truth universally acknowledged that an English lady cannot resist a good old-fashioned afternoon tea. So here is where Bea’s London comes in! This month I had the pleasure to venture across to the London borough of Marylebone to one of the splendid little cafes in the Bea’s chain. SAHARASPLASH visits Bea’s Cakes London!Beas London Cafe-16Beas London Cafe

An afternoon tea is such a great idea at this time of the year. It’s something fun to do in the city if you are hungry but you find yourself not wanting to indulge in a hot meal. Bea’s London provides an amazing atmosphere for a lovely afternoon spent with your best friend or your partner as you natter and nom away. I started things off with an apple and cinnamon tea.

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Layer One- The Savoury Sarnies

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Okay so they were more of a roll, but these four flavours were delicious! Naturally I ordered the gluten free option, and I had avocado with dukkha spiced yoghurt and pistachio – parma ham, mascarpone cream with honey and fig relish – goats cheese curd with beetroot and toasted walnuts and then smoked salmon with cream fraiche. The beetroot and goats cheese was to die for! Such creativity and not a cucumber in sight!

Layer Two- Scrumptious Scones

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It was so wonderful to see a full-sized scone on my second layer. So many times I am left dissapointed by the size of gluten free cakes and pastries, but not at Bea’s! The gluten free scone came with the best serving of clotted cream and a choice of raspberry or strawberry jam. It was delightful.

Layer Three- Cakes, sweets, and more!

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I really was not prepared for the amount of goodness on the third layer. This included a gluten free cupcake, the best chocolate brownie ever, a macaron, a homemade marshmallow cube, a meringue and some loaf cake. Needless to say I tried everything but did not finish everything. It was so nice to have a wide selection to browse through and taste. It’s the perfect thing for those indecisive eaters when it comes to choosing your dessert!

I want to thank Bea’s London for the very sophisticated experience, it was such a great way to start September and I hope that you will all go find a Bea’s London close to you if you live in London, or plan an afternoon tea with them on your next visit!

Outfit details: I wore a metallic crop, pleated skirt and zebra print jacket all from Motel Rocks.

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Saharasplash x

Thanks for reading SAHARASPLASH visits Bea’s Cakes London, go back to the home page to see what else is trending!

Foodie Heaven from BoroughBox

I had the pleasure of meeting the BoroughBox team at the Big Blogger Expo last month. They had such a fab display that I was immediately drawn to them being such a foodie- it all looked so incredible!ย I got talking to the team who told me all about how it is their passion to connect foodies with the best producers (over 250 of them). So if you’re anything like me, I know you will enjoy the Foodie Heaven from BoroughBox too…

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They have a wonderful subscription service called the Discovery Club and you can also purchase individual items and gifts via the BoroughBox Marketplace here. But before you go and explore, I want to show you what you can expect from your BoroughBox delivery:
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It comes in a well-designed box with a rustic feel, and inside you have all your goodies nestled in a straw bed- it’s definitely got a hamper theme but in a modern way.
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My box was tailor-made to my gluten free diet, and I had a great time experimenting with some of the ingredients. BoroughBox have such a wide variety of products which cater for any allergy or diet:

Lamb stew using the Basil infused Olive Oil

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This made the perfect start to my dish as I splashed the oil in with some green peppers and onions

Mint choc chip sundae using the Pink Himalayan Salt and melted Mint Raw Chocolate Bar

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Baked chia seed loaf using Rana’s Artisan Bread Mix

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This crusted loaf went perfectly with some mature cheddar, alternatively dip into camembert!

 

My BoroughBox also contained a few more things which I cannot wait to try out and use to create something very soon!
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I love to help celebrate the independent food and drink businesses that BoroughBox offers, see what new things you can discover to create your own piece of Foodie Heaven from BoroughBox!
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Saharasplash x

I received this product for free for my honest opinion and review

BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert

I’m going to take you back a few weeks now, as this is something I have been working on reviewing for a while. Not only are you going to read about a fantastic place called the Ivy London, but you’re also going to learn about some top quality brands which you can get all in one place at the click of a button. This is my BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert.

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It was one of those impossibly hot July days in London as I made my way into the centre of the city to Covent Garden. There I was greeted by the team from Beauty Expert as well as some of the brands launching with Beauty Expert’s new collection- The Rose Edition.
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I saw some familiar bloggers at the event and met with some new faces too which is always nice. The tables were set out for all the bloggers with personalised place names and we each had a lovely rose waiting for us too accompanied by some Ren Skincare goodies.

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The Ivy London took such great care of us, and were happy to provide me with gluten free rolls and modify the dessert to make it coeliac friendly. We had the most amazing salmon starter, followed by chicken and corn purรฉe, then strawberry sorbet and fruit to finish.

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It was lovely to be sat amongst other bloggers and representatives from the brands. After lunch, we had presentations from each of the brands involved to tell us a bit more about their key products and why they were included in this first collection inspired by roses.
Here’s what you can expect when you purchase the Rose Edition from Beauty Expert, which I must add here that it’s collectively worth ยฃ134 but is priced at just ยฃ50 for the whole collection!
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Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (30ml)

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This BioRegenerate oil will help keep your skin looking so radiant. It is vegan and cruelty free which I just love to hear and it can help to cleanse and repair skin prone to irritation. I love using this twice a week in the evenings and I always wake up to brighter skin when I’ve used it.

Monu Gentle Cleanser (180ml)

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Ths cleanser contains Geranium, Rose and Aloe Vera to make one perfect gentle product. Also cruelty free, Monu are an inspiring brand which I cannot wait to discover more of their range. The lotion glides on smoothly with a cotton pad and I like to remove with a hot cloth so that it really opens my pores up for a deep cleanse.

Ark Body Beautiful Conditioning Oil (250ml)

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This conditioning oil is such a great all rounder. It comes in a very genrous size of 250ml so you will get a lot of use from this product which can be applied to your bath, body or hair. I love massaging this into my legs, hands and feet after a bath as it helps to destress and detox.

Balance Me Rose Otto Body Cream (200ml)

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The first thing I picked up when using this body cream was the scent of heady violets. It took me right back to my childhood and when I used to share a packet of parma violets with my nan, so I just love this product! I’d recommend only using small amounts as it is quite rich so again, it will last you a good while. It’s also 99% natural and made in the UK.

Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel (250ml)

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Although this contains hydrolysed wheat gluten, don’t be deterred if you have a gluten allergy. A lot of coeliacs tend to stay away from cosmetics and beauty products which contain gluten but there’s no need. Unless ingested, you are completely safe to use this japanese rose shower gel, and believe me it’s so worth it.

REN Keep Young and Beautiful Instant Brightening Beauty Shot Eye Lift (15ml)

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This is by far my favourite product from the range. I have recently featured this wonder shot in my latest YouTube video- my August favourites. It has worked wonders around my eye areas in the past 3 weeks and the product gets to work instantly for immediate results.

 

The first collection from Beauty Expert couldn’t have been better in my opinion, it has a lustful range that will be coveted by most beauty addicts I am sure. Get yours today right here and let me know what is your favourite from the Rose Edition. I cannot wait to see what’s coming next, thanks ever so much for reading all about my BeBeautiful Lunch with Beauty Expert!

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Saharasplash x
If you liked my Bebeautiful lunch with Beauty Expert, you will love my gluten free afternoon tea!

Elemis is Everything

Usually when I am sent products such as clothes, makeup and hair products, I use them immediately and form an instant opinion for my reviews. However, when Beauty Expert got in touch with their Elemis Biotec regime, I knew that this wouldn’t be just your average review. Over the past 6 weeks I have been using the Biotec range and now I want to tell you why Elemis is everything.
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Elemis is a longstanding British brand and I’ve always seen their products used in spas and salons. Before now, I had tried some of their body moisturisers and so I knew that it was a brand I got along well with. Beauty Expert kindly sent me 3 products from the Biotec range:
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This range is predominantly an anti-ageing regime. There wasn’t a better time to try it out since I have recently been feeling more concerned about my skin and wanting to maintain its youthfulness (now that I’m closer to 30 than I am 20!). The cleanser contains electrolytes and minerals which help to energise the skin. It has a very earthy scent and contains nutmeg along with multiple fruit oils for an amazing smell. I apply 2 pumps to my face and add water to create a lather-
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This helps to cleanse, get rid of impurities and oils as well as rebalance my skin.
Now I’m prepped and ready for the day cream!
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The day and night cream have one pump but two different compartments. They contain zinc and copper which help keep everything vitalised- just what I have been looking for! I tried out a brand new technique and took some shots underwater, I think they came out pretty well!
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I absolutely love the Elemis Biotech range. It’s so soft on my sensitive skin and I have really noticed a difference in my complexion. It’s definitely more balanced and always feels nourished after my Elemis routine.
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So that’s why Elemis is everything right now, it’s my go-to choice for a cleanser, moisturiser and skin booster all in these three products. You should definitely have a go yourself and these are available to buy from Beauty Expert!

 

Saharasplash X

 

If you enjoyed Elemis is everything, why not take a look at my post on Dove here
PR Samples

My Mintycoco Experience!

Over the past 2 weeks I have been trialling a new product. Once every day for 14 days, I have been oil pulling! What is oil pulling you ask? It involves Sri Lankan coconuts, swilling and smiling! I’m here to share with you my Mintycoco experience…

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Using Mintycoco is a great way to a natural detox for a happier, healthy mouth. I have always been a little conscious that I don’t have the whitest teeth and so I really jumped at the chance to give Mintycoco a whirl and a swirl! This works just like a mouthwash essentially, only the texture is a bit different. I don’t suppose you’ve ever held 2 spoonfuls of oil in your mouth before, so it is a very weird sensation to begin with…

My Mintycoco package came with 14 sachets of oil. At room temperature the coconut oil is a solid state. You warm them up in some warm water or in your hands to liquify them before you tear the top off and suck out the insides like a frube. Remember frubes? They were good! You don’t swallow the oil, you just keep it in your mouth for 5-15 minutes and let the oil get to work! I had my Mintycoco experience as a part of my bedtime routine, but you can use it in the mornings too just before you brush your teeth.

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So here’s my smile, day 1!

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Here’s my smile 7 days in:

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Here’s my smile 14 days in:

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And to show you the clear difference, here are the photos close up and side by side- I really noticed a difference after just 14 days, plus my teeth felt super smooth and my breath was super fresh after each use…

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I absolutely loved my Mintycoco experience, check out their website here to order your sachets and watch my YouTube video below to see the product in action!


Saharasplash x

To get more amazing content, find out all about my bottomless brunch from the Hard Rock Cafe!

I received this product for free for my honest opinion and review