The Body Shop - Reading, England

Growing up I had a huge thing for lip balms. In fact I had a whole caboodle full of them! So, when I think of The Body Shop the first thing that comes to mind is lip balms. 

After my visit to my local branch last week (for a blogger event) there is a lot more to think of when thinking of The Body Shop. 

Firstly of their campaign against animal testing. 

They still need help to reach their goal of 8 million signatures on their petition to ban Animal Testing.  You don't have to visit a branch to sign, you can do it online via their website. 

Secondly, although I will never not think of their lip balms, I now have a bigger range of products to consider when shopping there. 

Starting with their new body yogurts and face mists! I love a body butter, probably the second thing I think of after lip balms when thinking of The Body Shop, but I find them too buttery and thick for the summer. The body yogurts are smooth and go on so easily and smell delicious. Banana is the scent of the season (also limited edition), but it also comes in almond, mango, strawberry, rose, and moringa 'flavors'. 

The face mists come in varying scents and do slightly different things, but in this heat wave they are essential in helping keeping your face cool and collected. They would be good for anytime of the year really; especially if you work in an office where your co-workers are constantly messing with the thermostat, ahem, and one minute you are hot and the next cool.

Both of these products are worth checking out on your next visit to their store or online. There is also a new extended men's range and of course all the products in scents you've come to love are still available. The beloved body butters can now be personalised for yourself or as a great gift! 

Not only do The Body Shop provide some great products you can use them knowing they aren't tested on animals. 

I was particularly drawn to the satsuma scent and bought a few things for my hand bag! It was a fun night with fellow bloggers and friends, it's always nice to be invited somewhere you already love and admire. Also, on the night Wagamama's provided us with food! Full meals that were delicious along with some samples of their starters! 

*I was invited to visit my local branch of The Body Shop as a blogger for the #gobananas launch, I was not asked to write a review nor was I compensated financially, I was provided with a gift bag with a few products to try out. 

Visit The Body Shop - Reading 

The Oracle, Unit 24, Broad St, Reading RG1 2AG

(Wagamama's is also located in the Oracle on the Riverside!)

Adventures in the Kitchen - with Panasonic!

If you had invited me over for a meal and told me that you were going to cook all of it in a microwave I would have assumed you were cooking me beans on toast.

And if you only owned a basic microwave I am sure that is exactly what I would have gotten, but there are so many different kinds of microwaves these days! Maybe they always existed and I have just been enlightened by the existence of the variety of microwaves out there? It now is clear of why they are sometimes called microwave ovens.

Either way I went for lunch at the Panasonic Ideas Kitchen and I was served a meal prepped by us and cooked in microwaves.

We had roast beef, focaccia, chopped salad, lemon drizzle cake, dulce de leche brownies and freshly juiced juice all cooked in microwaves except the juice and salad of course.

I was pleasantly surprised at how good the beef turned out. To be completely honest I was extremely skeptical of the beef. I needn't have been because it was perfectly cooked and tasted great! The bread dough was proved in a bread machine and then rolled out and proved a second time in a microwave oven at a low heat before being baked in the same microwave oven.

Salad was chopped using a food processor and had a gorgeous basic dressing of olive oil, mustard, and seasoning. The juice was very experimentally made and had a bit too much ginger. We whipped up the lemon drizzle cake and chocolate brownies and both were cooked in the microwave ovens as we had lunch.

Especially in England where space is crucial I wouldn't mind having a multi functioning microwave ovens. It would be nice for no thinking cooking after a busy day and it would especially be useful when making a big meal like Christmas dinner.

Learn more about the products here!
Microwave Oven: NN-DS596B
Food Processor: MK-F800SXE
Slow Juicer: MJ-L500
Hair Dryer: EH-NA65
Hair Straightener: EH-HS95

I listed two none foodie gadgets because before we went into the kitchen I had my hair washed and blow dried in the salon across the hall .... I know right? This place is amazing. Think I might just move in! My hair always looks great when someone else straightens it. I have sort of given up on straightening my hair, but now I remember how great it looks!

And a last last note before I go, we were given goodie bags and mine contained my very own slow juicer!! So, stay tuned for more on that as I get my juice on!

*I was invited out for the day, all opinions are my own!

Your 5 Must Haves this Season with The Oracle {Reading, Berkshire}

I read somewhere that we only wear 20% of our wardrobes and it got me to thinking about what I wear out of my wardrobe and I would have to say that it's a probably fairly accurate percentage. I wear the same two or three pairs of jeans and the same handful of t-shirts and/or sweat shirts that depends on the season. The rest sits there and I keep saying yeah I'll wear that one day.

Therefore it's very important to take the time to pick out those items that one can and will wear over and over again. This is the idea behind The Oracle's "Your 5" campaign. I was invited along as a blogger guest to check out what it was all about. 

One of the professional stylist's took me through the must have coats, knitwear, trousers, boots, and skirts before having a quick makeover with MAC makeup.

At each station we discussed the different looks and colours of the season and I couldn't resist the military style coats especially the black one pictured above in my 5 must haves! Knitwear is always a must when the weather starts to change! Sweaters are my favorite because they can be dressed up  and down depending on where you are going.

One can never go wrong with a great pair of black wide legged trousers. It's a must for any and every occasion. Because it's such an important piece of clothing it's in my general opinion to pay a bit more for them. I have bought many of cheap pairs that only ever made it through a few wears.

Boots. I personally have been in search for a pair of boots for ages and I found a pair from New Look that I just had to have! As seen in the picture below. The heal is a bit taller then I'm used too so I will have to practice walking in them.... but I am in love with them!

Last must have item was a skirt, but I am not a big skirt person. I did fall in love with this long black leather skirt and I have been thinking about it since yesterday. It might be that item I go back to buy sooner then later! I will keep you posted!

And before I left I had a quick stop at the make-up counter and had a mini-makeover! She asked what colour I wanted to go with for my lips and I said lets go crazy! Crazy for me anyway! Lately all over histogram I have been seeing people with purple lips so that's what we went for! It was MAC Instigator! I had compliments on it all night!

Today is the last day they will be in The Oracle so if you have moment go see them! Everyone was super nice and informative!!

notes: I was invited along to the event and was compensated for my time. I was not asked to give a positive review. Please see my contact/policy page for more information. 

My New Adventure with Jamberry Nail Wraps UK

I'm about to embark on a new adventure. I have slowly been adding more lifestyle things to my blog like days out and beauty tips/products and stuff. This will probably be a one off post about this as it's a separate thing, but as is this is my longest running space in the world wide web I wanted to share it!

For the last couple of years I have been seeing my friends back home post pictures of their fun manicures. Manicures of nail wraps that go by the name of Jamberry. My sister even bought some for my nieces and they are super cute and I totally wanted some! Unless my friends sent some to me I didn't have anyone to buy them off of here.

That all changed when I started to see things on Instagram and Facebook about Jamberry launching in the UK! I started reading up on it and how I could get involved. I then sent out for my free sample and joined some great Facebook groups before deciding on becoming a prospective consultant myself!

In the past I have always been skeptical of these sorts of selling schemes, because they seem to be too good to be true. But with minimal commitment it's for me to make what I want out of it! There is a minimal yearly target not a monthly one, which allows me the freedom to space it out as I choose fitting it around my life more easily.

Before I got involved I needed to know and understand how it all worked and was relived to know it did not function as a pyramid scheme. Instead it uses a multi-level marketing business model. Which in a nut shell means it focuses on selling the product aka nail wraps, not on recruiting more sales people. However, that doesn't mean you can't recruit people to sell under you. In this type of business model if you want to progress or get promoted so to speak you need to recruit new people.

Saying that if this post has inspired you to become a consultant please don't hesitate to contact me!

You can contact me by 

or by email lisa.smoothjam@gmail.com

on Facebook,
Instagram,

or on Twitter

On to the product! The nail wraps are really easy to use and are applied with tools you probably already have in your house. All you need is alcohol wipes/liquid, nail scissors, cuticle pusher/orange stick, nail file, and hair dryer/mini heater. They last up to two weeks, are vegan friendly, and come in 300 different colors, patterns, and styles! At £15 a sheet and the 4 for the price of 3 offer you can't go wrong! Each sheet will give you 2 manicures and 2 pedicure - that's a pretty good deal!

I made a wish list that is way too long to share in full on here, but here are my top 12 I can't wait to get my hands on! Make your own wish list on the website linked below and see what sort of patterns and styles there are!!

Don't worry my blog isn't going to turn into a Jamberry sales point! It's a one off post telling you about my new adventure! Although I might have an occasional update, but if you'd like to know more follow any of the links above where there is a wealth of more information! If you'd like to make an order be sure to follow the link to my page here!

notes: All opinions are my own - I wrote it to promote myself and is in no way associated directly with Jamberry. This article is very useful when it comes to telling the difference between Multi-level Marketing and Pyramid schemes. Visit the official Jamberry website for more information. All the images are mine or branded images I'm allowed to use for promotional purposes.

Makeover! with Urban Decay & The Oracle

A couple of Friday's ago I was invited to The Oracle for a Valentine's event. I know it's been a couple of weeks, but the event is relevant Valentine's Day or not!

This particular night we went to House of Fraser and were greeted with a glass of prosecco and three very lovely makeup artists! They were friendly, bubbly, and know everything there is to know about Urban Decay.

There were four of us and we did a sort of speed dating makeover. So, one of us started with either face, eyes, or lips and the fourth wondered around taking photos!

What I learned: 

Lips - that lip liner isn't just for lining your lips! It's best to fill your whole lip(s) in with the liner before applying the lipstick. 

Eyes - if you wet an Urban Decay eyeshadow it gives you a bold and shinier color! Which can help create a different look. 

Face - it's better to match your foundation to the color of your neck then your face so it doesn't look like you're wearing a mask. 

Urban Decay was started in the mid-90's, when Wende Zomnir was tired of boring lipsticks and nail enamels and with her co-conspirators created their own! Influenced by the decaying urban landscape they filled a void that no one knew existed - products that gave beauty with an edge. The brand has exploded since the 90's and includes all sorts of high-performance cosmetics and skin products.

My Top 3 Urban Decay Products (that I use): 

1. Naked Palette - Smokey
2. Perversion Mascara
3. B6 Vitamin-infused Complexion Prep Spray

3 Urban Decay Products I want in my life: 

1. Revolution Lipstick 
2. Naked Flushed - Bronze, Glow, Blush pressed powders
3. Eyeshadow Primer Potions

If this blog post hasn't convinced you to check out more products by Urban Decay then I suggest you hit up the counter in House of Fraser and meet one of the lovely assistants and ask them anything! Maybe even get a little makeover while you're there!

What we got in our goodie bag to try at home: 

• Little Perversions bag: 
• perversion mascara - black
• ink for eyes precision eye pen - black
• all nighter eyeliner - black
• subversion lash primer
• 24/7 glide-on eye pencil -black 
• Afterglow 8-hour powder blush - Quiver 
• Eyeshadow - Bust 
• 24/7 glide-on eye pencil - Deep End & Goldmine 
• Browbeater (pencil and brush) - Taupe
• Sheer Revolution Lipstick - Sheer Walk of Shame 

House of Fraser - Urban Decay Counter 

The Oracle Shopping Centre,

Reading,

RG1 2AG

Oh and I forgot we also got a treat from Hotel Chocolate - also located in the Upper Mall at The Oracle!
Don't Forget to Check out Alyssia Rose's post over on her blog here! 

note: I was invited to the event by Frank PR - all opinions are my own and there was no other compensation besides the goodie bags. If you haven't noticed The Oracle is my "local" shopping mall and I love promoting local businesses and events - if you need an event covered in Berkshire please see my contact page and give me a shout! 

Lush Christmas 2015 {event & product review}

When I first started blogging I imagined my blog as a magazine. One where you’d find some of this and that but it always coming back to food.

In the early days I would talk about cupcake related clothes, cards, and jewellery. There were also posts from my sister, who used to be a shregular contributor, every weekend. I used to even post every dessert and/or sweet treat I had when I went out. 



All that changed when I discovered Twitter and Instagram. Now all that sort of stuff appears on those social media outlets without me having to write a post about it. It’s about priorities, like everything in life.


The reason this is all being brought up is because I am going to go back for a moment and share with you my fun night at Lush in Reading.

They had a local bloggers event the other night and allowed us to check out all the new products. There are so many I couldn’t even begin to go through them all, but I will share with you what I bought and some of the things I couldn't stop smelling.

Before I get into fun bath stuff I have to just mention that it's funny how most of these scents are in fact food smells. Or more specific seasonings and herbs that make food smell and taste good. However, I don't recommend eating anything unless of course it says it's edible. Lush stuff is all natural and stuff.

Oh and one more thing! There is no bag charge at Lush because their bags are already recycled and can be recycled again! Bonus!

If you like my photo video please give it a like on YouTube, I don't upload or use You Tube much, but if you like it I will try to do more! Possibly even getting brave enough to do a vlog! But any feed back is welcome!

I couldn't resist a chunk of the Reindeer Rock soap, it's an anti-flammatory soap and smells of lingonberries and sweetness. It's sitting in the bathroom and you can smell it as you walk it! Love it! the Yog Nog was a close second along with Father Time all three were amazing, but the hieroglyphics  on the Reindeer Rock sold me.

I also bought the Soft Coeur massage bar and Fairy Dust to go with it. The massage bar has a cocoa scent and makes your skins feel amazing. The dusting powder is to matte it out a little and together makes you smell amazing!! The massage bar is more of a rich smooth smell and the Fairy Dust is sweet.

I also picked up Santa's Lip Scrub which is exactly that a lip scrub to help keep your lips silky smooth this winter! It's very cherry like. I love the lip scrubs all year round so super excited to see a Christmasy one!

Then I picked up Fun! It's a Play-Doh like substances that can be used to play with, wash or shampoo with! They have fun Christmas themed ones like Snowman that comes with white, orange, and black.  There was also a Santa one too! But I went with the gold one that's limited edition and smells like their popular Honey I Washed the Kids soap (caramel and honey). I am debating on keeping it for myself or putting it in my girls Christmas Eve box.

Then last but not least a new cinnamon shampoo bar. I love their shampoo bars and it's been ages since I actually bought one! Haven't used it yet because I am a dirty bum. Not really, but really I only wash my hair every other day or so.

There were so many new bath bombs and I feel a little bad not going into them, but I just don't take baths. Our bath tub is not deep enough or comfortable enough for me to take a bath without feeling annoyed and frustrated. A few I couldn't stop smelling was Cinders which smelt like a hot fruit punch. I also couldn't stop picking up the Magic of Christmas which is a star shaped reusable Bubble Bar that smells of cloves and almond with a cinnamon stick it smells like Christmas should!

Lush makes a great Christmas present and they have lots of already boxed gift boxes. Some locations even do spa days, check out their website or catalog for more information. This is not a hint for my family and friends...but it might be!

Thank you to Lush Reading for inviting me along to your blogger event! You can find them in the Oracle: 90 The Oracle Shopping Centre, The Oracle Shopping Centre, City Centre, Reading RG1 2AG or Follow them on Instagram and Twitter for information about events and going ons at their store!

Like wise if you're interested in seeing products and foodie stuff that I no longer post on here check me out on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

note: I was invited to the event, but I was not given anything in exchange for review or this post. Products mentioned are ones I bought for myself and I am sharing them with you because I like them.