Organic Surge Sale Haul

Hello beautiful readers!

Some days ago I was browsing Bloglovin and stumbled upon this post by Makeupsavvy and, other than being happy to have found a nice blog to read, I also got tempted and thanks to the huge sale up to 75% off I decided to try some new skincare products by Organic Surge.

With the powerful combination of 75% off sale and the code "NEWDEL" to get free delivery with your first order I paid just £7.24 for four products, saving £16.23; how could I resist such a good chance to try out something new?
Plus, they use organic ingredients and some of their products are certified Eco Cert, which helps feeling good :)

My choices

Gentle Cleansing Lotion

From the bottle it looks like a cleansing milk and smells gorgeous; I like natural, herbal scents so for me it's nice and smells of good :)

I plan to use it as make-up remover and for my evening skincare routine as it doesn't contain any ingredient that needs to be rinsed, so I can treat my skin on the sofa while watching TV after dinner.

Daily Care Face Wash

This one has a flowery scent, of roses and geraniums, and it's indicated to remove make-up from the face and the eye area. It's a foaming cleanser with a gel texture, and I plan to use it in the morning and when I came back home from work.

Blissful Daily Moisturiser

The cream has a subtle citrus and rosemary scent, I was looking for a daily moisturiser which can hydrates my skin without feeling greasy and without making my skin shiny after a couple of hours, hope this will suits me great!

Lemon & Honey Soap

I like soap bars, I used to favour them over body wash / shower gel and I also use them as face cleanser from time to time; so I bought this one to use it in the shower and alternate it with my usual body wash.

I haven't actually tried any of these products yet, but I wanted to let you know of the Sale before it was too late ;)

I'll write a "First Impression" post after 2-3 weeks from starting my skincare routine (I should have bought the toner as well to have a complete set of products), and a proper review when I feel I have experienced them enough and with different skin, lifestyle (during holidays) and weather conditions.

Have you ever tried any product from Organic Surge?

Did you buy something with the Sale?

Do you like your skincare routine products to be from the same brand/range 

or do you mix different brands/ranges?

Summer Lasagne with courgettes and green pesto - vegetarian

Today I want to tempt you with a tasty, quick & easy recipe, perfect for Summer and suitable for vegetarians. It's one of my most appreciated recipes, last time I've made it was for Easter and I received lots of compliments and requests for the actual recipe. It should be ready in 60-80 minutes ;)

Ingredients:

500 gr. lasagne sheets

1 l. Bechamel sauce 

(100 gr. butter, 100 gr. flour, 1 l. milk, salt and nutmeg)

5 medium courgettes

1/2 onion

60 gr. Grana Padano cheese

(in the pics you'll see cheddar because last time I made lasagne I forgot to buy Parmesan cheese)

250 ml. Pesto Sauce 

(1 bag of pine nuts, 2 bunches of basil leaves, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper)

How to make Bechamel Sauce 

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, mix butter and flour with a whisk and cook for two minutes or until slightly brown. Add the milk heated in advance (never cold from the fridge!) little at a time, whisk until it's absorbed and then add some more, continue until the milk is all absorbed, whisking continuously. Let it cook and thicken for some minutes.

How to make Pesto Sauce

Put the pine nuts, the basil leaves and 2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil together and blend them, add more olive oil if too thick, add more pine nuts if too runny; check for the flavour and add salt and pepper accordingly.

How to prepare Summer Lasagne

Cut the onion and fry it until tender, grate and add the courgettes and let them cook until soft; add salt and pepper. Do not cover to prevent them from getting too watery, if necessary remove excess water before adding them to the lasagne.

Start your Lasagne with a layer of Bechamel Sauce, then lay the pasta sheets (check on the packaging if need precooking), cover with the courgettes (roughly 3 spoons), add a spoon of Pesto Sauce and sprinkle some Grana Padano cheese on top; now start again with the bechamel sauce, pasta sheets, courgettes, pesto sauce and grated cheese and repeat until your tray is full of delicious lasagne.

Bake in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (gas mark 4).

Enjoy!

Latest Beauty Buys

My lovely readers,

I apologize for the long absence, hope to make it up with a new post and the promise of becoming a serious and constant blogger.

When I went to Superdrug to buy something for my birthday I had a very precise idea of what I wanted: to buy the Sleek Makeup Lagoon palette before it was too late [it's a limited edition from the Spring Aqua Collection], a coral lipstick and something I really needed like a concealer or an eye primer.

click to enlarge

When leaving the store my small loot consisted of: MUA Pro-Base Conceal and Brighten Kit (nailed it!), MUA Power Pout in Runaway (nailed it?) and a gorgeous blush by Sleek Makeup: Pomegranate (not planned).

Unfortunately the Lagoon palette was not available in store (you can still find it - and the l.e. blush Mirrored Pink as well - on the website) because there was the new limited edition Candy Collection, which palette is lovely and quite similar to the Lagoon one, so now I have to decide which one of them to buy (or if to buy both of them would be a good idea). 

I wanted something from Sleek makeup so badly that I switched my interest to their blushes (always wanted to try one) and I started swatching them on my arms. The limited edition Blush By 3 - Sweet Cheeks has lovely colours, but I'm currently in a more shimmery mood; I was going for their famous Rose Gold blush but it was sold out, so in the end I purchased Pomegranate and even if Rose Gold is on top of my wish list now, its berry brother has already stolen my heart.

lovely, isn't it?

Then I had a quick look at the Rimmel counter, I swatched all the Apocalips and some Kate lipstick but the more interesting shades were missing their testers and if there was a tester, the product was sold out.

click to enlarge

I finally moved to MUA and I bought their Conceal and Brighten kit in the shade porcelain-beige (I was looking for a concealer for some time and I read some good reviews of this one) and their new Power Pout lip tint and balm in the shade Runaway, which looked coral inside the store and turned out a lot less orange on my lips. Love the shade but I'm still looking for my perfect coral lipstick.

Last but not least, I took advantage of a promotional birthday discount on feelunique.com and ordered a Real Techniques Starter Kit and a Rimmel by Kate lipstick n. 19; hope to show you these last buys soon ^^ 

And now I have a question for you, my lovely readers:

what kind of post would you like to read next time?

A review, a look, a food recipe or something else?

Let me know with a comment <3

Sample Reviews: Melvita Moisturizing Rose Nectar ®

I got this cream (ages ago) with my first Latest in Beauty order, along with a Lavera Liposome Intensive Night Cream sample and the Lady Gaga Fame perfume sample.

I chose this product because I was looking for a new face cream, and I was interested in trying natural and organic product, if possible. Melvita is certified EcoCert, plus the review were extremely positive and it was recommended for dry skin, so it seemed just perfect for me.

Brand: Melvita

Product: Moisturising Rose Nectar ® - face moisturizer

Sample: 1x2ml sachet

Price: £25 x 40ml (full size from Melvita website)

Where to Shop: find your nearest stockist here

Benefits 

Ideal for dry and dehydrated skin, this sheer, comfortable cream intensely moisturises the skin for 24 hours. Rose floral water acts as a direct source of hydration, while extract of fresh roses, obtained by enfleurage, helps to hold in the skin's natural moisture by maintaining the hydrolipidic film. To help diffuse this moisture at the heart of epidermal cells, wild rose petal extract (derived from roses that grow at high altitudes) helps to stimulate the synthesis of aquaporins – true "water channels". Rose Nectar is made with 100% organic active ingredients and provides 24-hour hydration.
Perfectly moisturized throughout the day, the skin feels soft and supple again – and the complexion looks beautifully rosy!

My Experience

I tried this cream always after cleansing my face with a soap bar (I find it comfortable to use and it doesn't dehydrate my skin); the cream is rich, highly moisturising without being greasy or feeling heavy, it gets absorbed quickly and easily, leaving the skin feeling soft and hydrated; the scent of rose is really nice and natural but also quite strong so keep that in mind if you don't like strong or flowery perfumes.

This cream seems to have a soothing effect on my sensitive skin, it helps reduce redness and it brightens up my complexion; a big upside is that you need only a tiny bit (and I'm usually generous when applying moisturiser), I also liked that it absorbs easily but allows you enough time to spread and massage it into the skin.

It also works as a perfect makeup base, I have tried it both with e.l.f. Mineral Foundation and Bourjois Healty Mix Foundation (just noticed the new formulation, when I'll finish my old version I'll try it!), and at the end of the day my skin was neither dry nor shiny (it happened to me that some moisturisers made my skin sweat and I got shiny in a couple of hours - too much oils; or that after a couple of hours dry patches started to appear on my T-zone - not enough hydrating ingredients).

I managed to get 8 applications (I used the cream for eight mornings in a row) from a 2ml sachet, but probably I was able to do so because I poured the cream into a mini jar; I usually pour all products that come into sachet into mini jars in order to avoid product wastage, and it's easier than having to squeeze the cream out every morning.

Ingredients

ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER WATER* - GLYCERIN - DICAPRYLYL

ETHER - AQUA/WATER - CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE - OCTYLDODECANOL -

BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER* - ROSA MOSCHATA SEED OIL* -

ISOSTEARYL ALCOHOL - PARFUM/FRAGRANCE - ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL - LAUROYL

LYSINE - SODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE - HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER)

SEED OIL - ROSA DAMASCENA EXTRACT* - CHLORELLA VULGARIS EXTRACT - ROSA

CANINA FLOWER EXTRACT* - ROSA GALLICA FLOWER EXTRACT - ROSA CANINA

FRUIT OIL - ROSA DAMASCENA FLOWER OIL - CETEARYL ALCOHOL - BEHENYL

ALCOHOL - GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE - ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) POWDER - SCLEROTIUM

GUM - ARACHIDYL GLUCOSIDE - TRIBEHENIN - XANTHAN GUM - GLYCERYL

CAPRYLATE - OLEIC/LINOLEIC/LINOLENIC POLYGLYCERIDES - CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE -

BOSWELLIA SERRATA GUM - GALACTARIC ACID - STEARIC ACID - GLYCERYL

BEHENATE - LEVULINIC ACID – BISABOLOL* - SODIUM LEVULINATE - TOCOPHEROL -

LECITHIN - POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE - CINNAMIC ACID - GLYCERYL STEARATE

- SODIUM PHYTATE - SODIUM BENZOATE - POTASSIUM SORBATE - CITRONELLOL** -

GERANIOL** - LINALOOL** - EUGENOL** - FARNESOL** - CITRAL** - LIMONENE**.

*Ingrédients issus de l’Agriculture Biologique / Ingredients from Organic Farming

** Constituants naturels du concentré aromatique / Natural components of fragrance

In addition to the various rose extracts we can also find three active ingredients inside this cream:

• Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
• Bisabolol
• Tocopherol

The first is extracted from an algae and has detoxifying,  anti-aging and firming properties; the second is extracted from chamomile essential oil and has strong soothing properties; while the third is the proper name of Vitamin E, which has strong antioxidant and soothing properties.

It's a really nice cream, with lovely ingredients and a well designed formulation; I struggled to find a cream for my sensitive and dry skin which wasn't heavy or greasy, this one is just perfect because it's formulated to be light and virtually weightless on your skin, while boosting hydration, soothing and protecting it with a synergy of active natural ingredients.

Pros & Cons

+ organic ingredients
+ effectiveness
+ texture

+/- price
+/- scent

The price is quite high, it's not expensive but I usually try to spend less for a face cream, but considering that you only need a tiny bit at a time, it's a fair price as I expect that a full size would last me ages. I also have to say that I liked this cream so much that I will probably buy it full size anyway, or buy a bigger sample of it (you can purchase a 15ml deluxe sample at Naturisimo for £4.50, for me it would last 2 months so it's worth every penny). Anyway we'll hopefully see the temperatures rising now that it's full Spring, so this purchase will be postponed until September, as I fear this cream would a little too much for my skin (which is not extremely dry) during the warm season.


That's all for now, hope you liked my review ^^

Rosy

Mini Beauty Haul @ Poundland

Hi there!

Yesterday I decided to defy wind and snow to go to the grocery store, I swear my intent was to buy only eggs, milk and a little more; surely the decision to go to the shopping centre was hiding a secret desire to buy something else entirely.

I went to Poundland to buy light bulbs and other household items, well aware that you step inside to buy two things and when outside you discover you've spent >£20 (and you do not even know how). I expected to give in to the sweet department, or chips, or buying unnecessary scented candles, but while I was reading quickly the ingredients of the cleansing wipes, this struck my eye:

isn't it lovely?

I usually take a blush with me to use it as a mirror, so I have no proper compact mirrors (well, I had a Nana mirror once ... I wonder were it is now, probably lost), so how could I resist in front of an adorable heart-shaped, vintage style, 50s mirror?

Obviously I could not, and so he went inside my shopping cart together with cleansing wipes, a notebook and various sponges. At that point I had to a look more carefully at the counter (more goodies could be hidden among fake lashes and nails) and the brand Sleek popped out from the others.

quite different from the current paper packaging

I love Sleek make-up  I have two of their famous iDivine palettes (the Oh so Special and the Au Naturel) and I am literally craving for more (i.e. the Ultra Matte V2 and the Lagoon), so I am really interested on trying other products from this brand. At Poundland you can find some of the older shades of their True Colour Lipstick and Sheer Cover Lipstick (which are no more available on their website). 

After rummaging through make-up sponges, Revlon and Maybelline duos and quads, and all kind of beauty stuff all mixed together, I managed to resurface from the chaos with two True Colour lipsticks: Blaze (827) and Fuchsia (833); as it was impossible to open the packaging without damaging the products (and I hate those who do not care about others and open all the products), and there were no testers available (also, it was a very impulsive purchase, so I didn't look for swatches on-line), I could only trust the labels on the bottom... ah ah! How deluded! As if labels have ever been faithful to the real product colour... but for £1 only I was willing to take the chance.

the fuchsia label was truthful

Fuchsia is fuchsia, not a magenta, not a hot pink and I am really happy with this colour; I have never worn this kind of shade as I usually wear blue based red, purplish red and when I was a teen I used to wear a Rimmel lip gloss which came in a small jar and was a nice biscuit colour. I am really looking forward to try it on and experiment with make-up matches (I really don't know how to wear a fuchsia colour on the lips, so it will be fun!).

natural light by the window

Blaze really startled me, while the label suggested an old-rose, purplish shade, the swatch on my hand was a brownish/coppery shade, with a frost finish and a glittery look (don't worry, the glitters don't show up too much when on the lips). I am not sure this kind of colour suits me well, it gives me a sort of "vampy" look, which I really like (I love MAC Dark Side because it's really vampy on me), but I usually wear cool colours and I need to get used to wear brownish/warm colours.

I think that with a well studied make-up, with a good balance of warm tones, this lipstick could be amazing, especially with a little tan that enhances the golden tones on my skin.

I also think that given it frosty and glittery finish it would be perfect for layering with another lipstick and/or lip pencil, lip stain etc.

wearing blaze, no other makup on
taken with mobile, sorry for the crappy quality, better pics coming soon

Last but not least, I bought two products from a brand I was curious about for a long time: Simple, which has great advertising, packaging and all, but when I read the ingredients I always feel somehow disappointed (I guess we have different definitions of "harsh chemicals" and "unnecessary ingredients"), so after a thorough analysis of the INCIs I choose to take home the Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner (really lovely ingredients this one) and the Kind To Skin Moisturising Facial Wash (from the INCI it seems delicate and soothing).

So if you want to buy yourself a little beauty on the budget treat, check your nearest Poundland!

Which brands or products would you like to find at Poundland?

What do Japonesque and Vintage have in common?

They're both behind and inside my first order from Latest in Beauty ^^

But let's start from the beginning.

I was browsing the web, looking for new cosmetics to be tempted with, when I stumbled upon Latest in Beauty website, which offers to us consumers the possibility to try new products samples for a very small price (£1.50 for a "Little Beauty Box" containing 3 samples categories, and 1£ to 15£ for bigger -sometimes full- size "Luxury Samples").

How could I resist?

So I ordered a Little Beauty Box a few weeks ago, and 3 luxury samples a couple of days ago. The three products I chose to be packed into the Little Beauty Box were a Melvita Moisturizing Rose Nectar day cream for dehydrated skin (1x2ml sachet), a Lavera Liposome Intensive Night Cream (4x1ml sachet) and the Lady Gaga Fame Eau de Parfum (1x1.2ml spray). Unfortunately I haven't tried these products yet because I was waiting for my face to come back to normality after a bizarre period full of zits and impurities, as I don't want my trials to be affected by "extraordinary" skin conditions; while the Lady Gaga perfume has been saved for a special occasion.

In my second order I chose to go for the Luxury Samples because it seems to me that they are better value for money, you get a lot more product than the tiny samples inside the Little Beauty Box and this allows you to get a better idea on how the product works for you before buying (or reviewing) it.

This time I chose to stay more on the make-up side and I made a pure rational and thoughtful decision process which led my to an Eyelash Curler, a pack of Make-up Remover Swabs and a Hand Cream; the fact that the Eyelash Curler comes from a company called The Vintage Cosmetics Company and the Make-up Remover comes under the Japonesque brand it's totally irrelevant, I swear U__U

But I have to say that this is my first eyelash curler, that I am a mess with lipstick and mascara so these makeup removers will surely come handy, and it happened that I finished my hand cream (Caudalie Hand&Nail Cream, just love it!) ^__^

Also, the fact that I have paid £10 for two full size products, a generous sample and some tiny tiny samples help me feel less guilty.

While I was shooting some photos for this post another product popped up from the box, it was hidden under the shredded paper so I didn't notice it at first especially because I didn't order it, so I guess it's a gift or just a lucky mistake ^^

The extra product is from The Vintage Cosmetic Company and it's one of their most famous products: the false lashes, called the Girls as each one is identified by a girl name, so call me Betty from now on (if I manage to wear them XD).

I've tried false lashes a couple of times before, and both times I found them to be heavy on my eyelids resulting in a drowsy look rather then fresh and wide open eyes; the Girls eyelashes should be "incredibly light and comfortable to wear" and also suitable for contact lenses wearers, I am so looking forward to try them on!

Stay tuned for some reviews coming soon ^^

Happiness is... a creamy risotto

When I was a little girl my mother sometimes used to ask me for help in the kitchen, and since I was totally helpless in cutting parsley, onion and garlic with the proper shape and thickness, the only task available for me was stirring (my mum is very proud of her almost invisible chopped garlic while I just don't mind to find huge chunks of onion in my plate  ^^). 

So my job was stirring, stirring soups, sauces and almost anything that needed stirring, including the very much hated Crema Particcera (which today I'm still unable to cook due to unpleasant stirring experiences)

[how many times did  I say stirring in one sentence? XD]

The one and only kind of dish I never refused to stir meticulously and diligently but I rather enjoyed to help with was the risotto. I love risotto, I am a huge fan of pasta but I also love rice (in all its versions), and risotto always had a special place in my heart (and tummy); so one of the first dishes I learnt to cook (along with some basic pasta sauces) was the "Risotto alla Milanese" or saffron risotto, which is still one of my favourites.

risotto alla milanese, made and photographed by me

I find cooking risotto extremely relaxing, and very satisfying; plus, it doesn't take so long, in half an hour you can have a (almost) proper risotto. And while the much hated crema pasticcera (no, it's not custard cream) is a nightmare because even if you stir frantically you can be sure that eventually it will burn or turn out full of lumps, the risotto can actually help you develop skills as patience, creativity and self-esteem. 

Patience because you have to stay for 30-40 minutes in front of the pan, stirring continuously, and adding the right amount of stock at the right time, you just can't rush things with risotto U__U

Creativity because once you have learnt the basics of risotto making you can introduce almost whatever ingredients you like, from limes to seafood, all kind of vegetables and more (my winter favourite risotto comes with whole nuts, mushrooms and Gorgonzola cheese).

Self-esteem because a creamy risotto is a great satisfaction, it takes time, care and effort to be made and once it's ready and it's delicious... it makes you proud ^__^

Risotto is generous, risotto repays the attention and care you put in making it, risotto understands (ok, I get carried away XD).

cooking lentils&sausage risotto

I want to share with you some tips I find essential to prepare a perfect, creamy risotto:

• having lightly fried your onion (either thinly or thickly chopped) let your rice toast (yes, we toast the rice, we do not stir fry it) for at least 2 minutes or longer (just make sure your onions do not turn brown), this will help the release of starch and therefore the creaminess of your risotto;
• immediately after toasting the rice and before adding the stock pour 1/2 a glass of wine (white is better) and let evaporate, this will boost the flavour;
• add the stock a little at a time, the rice must not be boiled! You want the rice to absorb all the previous stock before adding more, watch as your rice slowly releases its starch and the thickness start to build up... nice, uh? Just make sure your rice or the onions don't get burned or stick to the pan, if this is happening add a little more stock or add the stock more frequently.
• the final part is the "mantecatura" (= creaming),  i.e. the addition of butter and Parmesan cheese to our almost cooked risotto (it usually takes place 2 minutes before removing the pan from the heat) that allows to obtain a creamy and homogeneous appearance.

Risotto lenticchie e salsiccia
made and photographed by me

I hope you enjoyed my post, share your love for risotto and leave a comment if you want ^^

White Weekend

Every year I wish to have a White Christmas.

This year, like every year, my wish wasn't answered, not a single snowflake was seen in London and even fewer were seen in Sardinia, were I spent my holidays at my parent's house.

However, when the first serious snowfall of the year eventually arrived I was lucky enough to be free to enjoy it, it started during the night between Thursday 17th and  Friday 18th, and it kept falling for most of Friday, even if very light and at times it was just flurry. 

first snow on Friday morning

For me the snow has always been magical and is one of the things that make me feel like a child, full of excitement, simple joy and genuine amazement; just to watch it fall lightly, flakes dancing in the air, following Mother Nature choreography, is almost hypnotising, like watching the flames dancing in a fire, they directly call to some deep and ancestral part of myself.

frozen berries
photo by me

Friday afternoon I dressed (not warm enough, as I was about to discover), I forced my feet into my faithful old boots and forgetting my gloves (why should I need them? it's just snowing after all XD), I went around my neighbourhood under the falling snow to shot some pics and enjoy the maybe too short, maybe first and last of the year snowfall (as Latins used to say: carpe diem). 

Garratt Park

photo by me

I went to the near park which was completely covered by snow and deserted except for a few people: a mum with her enthusiastic child jumping all over the place and another girl of my age wondering about the once green lawn and now white carpet; we exchanged a knowing smile when we crossed and each went on her way, while the swings rattled and whispered to the snow in the playground.

Garratt Park

photo by me

for the make-up addicts: 
I'm wearing MAC lip pencil "vino" under a light coat of red lip pencil;
love the deep cool red I get mixing these shades;
the colour lasted for hours, even after drinking a cup of coffee.

the face of happiness

To complete my snowy wondering I went to the local Starbucks to sip a Vanilla Spice Latte (can I say that neither it tasted of vanilla, nor of spices?) from a china mug, while looking the people in the street doing their errands, hurrying to catch their bus or chatting with their friends under the falling snow.

Vanilla Spice Latte

photo by me

Unfortunately on Saturday we had just a few flurries and the temperatures rose enough to start melting the snow, so I just stayed home to enjoy a quiet day with my boyfriend, occasionally peeking out of a window to see if it had started to snow again.

photo by me

At some point between Saturday and Sunday night the snowfall started again, light but steady; the smallest snowflakes ever seen tried to cover up the melted siblings from the previous day and by the afternoon a fresh layer of snow was waiting to crunch under my feet.

photo by me

photo by me

I really loved this proper winter weekend, I know that lots of people dislike snow, cold and all the inconveniences caused by them, especially if you are working and you can't enjoy the snow you'll see only the problems it comes with, but I wish my winters were more like this weekend and I hope that you had enjoyed this snowfall as much as I did.

PS: please do not look at photos quality, I am not a photographer, my hands shake and all photos are made with my poor mobile camera; so forgive me for the crappy quality, I'm just a girl who likes to take pics.