May Empties ...

Bonjour!

I'm cheating a little with the title as these are really April and May empties! I didn't get round to last month's empties post so thought I'd lump them all together.  There are therefore quite a few here - there would have been even more but the hubby ended up throwing some - despite several reminders that I wanted them for this post ... men!

Superdrug Cocoa Brownie Dry Shampoo for Brunettes - I've gotten through quite a few of these cans in my time. You can read about it here as Part of my Dry Shampooing post. I'll definitely repurchase.

Dermalogica Microfoliant - needs no introduction does it? I'm sure it's loved by many as a super gentle but effective facial exfoliator.  This travel size has lasted ages and luckily I have one more from an old beauty box to use. Even though I'm a fan I'm not sure I could repurchase at the full price of £41.75/75ml.  Any dupes out there please feel free to share!

Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Water and Reve de Miel Handcream - I've recently started to use a micellar every evening to remove my make-up before going onto a deeper cleanse.  The Nuxe micellar is really gentle and non-drying so I've used these two up (in the interest of shopping my stash and all!) and I'm now the proud owner of a full size and another mini for holiday. The handcream is lovely with a gentle honey scent, nourishing, non stingy and absorbs in no time on my hands. I have another travel size to use ready for holiday!

Clarins BB Skin Perfecting Cream - I didn't want to like this as I already have  a tonne of BBs and CCs and a DD to use up! Unfortunately, it has a dewy finish with light to medium cover and quite a rich tone to it (considering it's the shade Medium) so gives a bit of a 'summer bronzed' look - which all adds up to the fact that it would be great for this time of year and I want a full size but will resist for the moment.  Maybe next summer! (Patting myself on the back here!).

Soap & Glory Endless Glove 2 in 1 Moisture Mask and Hand Cream - I love this -it feels like a real treat for your hands with a non-greasy, silky texture, leaves them feeling conditioned and smelling like tropical holidays - what's not to love! Slather a decent amount on before bedtime and wake up with soft hands - I've already repurchased!

L'Occitane Lip Balm, Cherry and Lavender Shower Gels and Sweet Almond Liquid Soap -  a few L'Occitane goodies here - all presents from my mum at some stage! I did like the lip balm - it's more of a waxy crayon type, feels very nourishing, a good one to use under a matte lippie. Unfortunately there wasn't much at all in this tube so I used it up faster than I'd have liked! The shower gels (my daughter mostly used the cherry flavour) and handwash all smell wonderful and are gentle on your skin as you would expect.  If I spy any offers on QVC I'd love to repurchase!

Original Source Lavender and Tea Tree Shower Gel - as you can see I have a thing for lavender! Love the clean scent of this, a little seems to go a long way and the bathroom smells amazing after I've used it! I tend to pick up Original Source products when they're on offer and will definitely repurchase this one!

Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Bath Milk and Shower Gel  -  I think this is my favourite scent from this range. As the name suggests it smells of flowers, and lots of  them in full bloom! It's a really 'happy' scent and one I'll continue to indulge in - especially when on offer!

Phew! That'll teach me to do two months in one go - felt like a proper marathon! Have you used any of these products?


Jen x

Can you ... Jack Your Body?

Bonjour!

I wasn't planning on writing a musical post today but ended up listening to Jack Your Body last night on my IPod whilst on the treadmill and it brought back such memories - my mind tends to wander on the treadmill whilst I'm hiking uphill!

I was actually 'jacking my body', if you can call it that, back in 1986 when this tune was first released!   It was the start of nightclubbing for me and it coincided with the onset of  the House Music era in our clubs.  I distinctly remember my friend and I trying out the new style of dance after watching a video on TOTP and then putting it into practise at Romeo and Juliets every Thursday night (dance and soul night!). Just to clarify, Romeo and Juliets consisted of two separate rooms.  Romeos was blue, fairly well lit with a square dance floor like a boxing ring and focused mainly on pop music.   Juliets was deep purple with a curvy dance floor, it was a lot darker and moodier in here and this was where the latest dance music happened!  This was 'our room' and we were always one of the first on the dance floor showing off our latest shapes ... sounds so corny but it was bloomin' fantastic! If you get chance have a listen/refresh your memory but turn it up so you get the full effect of the bass and hi-hat doing their signature 'House Music' thing!!

Steve Silk Hurley ... Jack Your Body ...!

Ok  ... the dance ...  hips tilt one way, arms tilt the other at waist height or sometimes in the air if you're really feeling it.  I recall a lot of walking around the dance floor during this move (think groovy penguin - it honestly looks a lot better than it sounds!).  Just to put everyone's mind at rest ... I still have the knack (relief!) ... I know this because I have just performed 'the moves' up and down the length of the hallway to Jack Your Body ... my husband is feigning interest as I try to explain the technique to him but is wrapped up in the Yorkshire v Lancashire cricket match on TV so you get the picture! 

Jack Your Body is one of the tracks on my Pete Tong CD which is regularly played in the car ... sometimes on school runs in the morning.  I think my daughter will be fairly interested in the whole dance music thing as she grows up ... but try explaining to your grumpy teenage son (who clearly did not get to bed early enough,despite endless reminders) that you used to 'jack your body' in 1986 and see what the reaction (if any) is!

Do you remember Jacking Your Body and more importantly can you still do it? Which was your favourite dance move back in the day? And which was your favourite night-club?


Jen x

A Random Wishlist ...!

So this is my random wishlist ... it's a bit of a mixture of bits as you can see. Once I started I could have just kept going and going (as you do!) ... it's the old snowball effect isn't it ...?

A Random Wishlist! by beautyandthebiryani featuring 80s t shirts

First up a couple of products for my poor old hair (I want them both!) ... the Aveda Thickening Tonic is expensive at around £19/100ml but is apparently meant to 'thicken hair instantly with just one use' ... need I say more?  By contrast the OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Intensive Moisture Mask is only £6.99 and I loved the shampoo and conditioner from this range, review here - so definitely want to try the mask.

I'll be after a new under-eye concealer quite soon and can't decide whether to spend up or save between Clarins Creamy Concealer or Rimmel Wake Me Up (can I just get them both?) and anyone who's into nude lippies wants to get their hands (or lips) on MAC Velvet Teddy .... right?

I need a Casio Retro Digital Watch ... don't ask me why I just do ... I've been dithering over the exact size and style but am swaying towards 'the bigger the better' vibe (not huge but big!) so may end up with a 'mansize' version (need to try a few on I think!).

Brown Leather Tote Bag ... it doesn't have to be/cannot be as expensive at this one, gorgeous though it is at £180 (if I win the lottery then yes!) but it has to be brown and leather - you know the sort that will go with everything?

Now for my 'randoms' Frankie Says Relax T-Shirt (apparently the original version said 'Frankie Say Relax') ...  my love for logo t-shirts is not diminishing with age (unlike my hair) and as a first time round Frankie Goes to Hollywood Fan (I have the 12" singles on vinyl) I'm amazed I haven't plumped for this one years ago - better late than never!  And last but not least ... whilst pinning to my Pinterest 'throwback' board (it gets so addictive once you start doesn't it?) I realised my need to revisit some of my old TV favourites - I was a little obsessed with Jaime Sommers so may start off with The Bionic Woman - although I've just realised I should begin with The Six Million Dollar Man after all he went through it all first right?  'Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man.' -  I reckon many young people have now no idea what I'm talking about here!

OMG (I never say OMG!) that has taken me all the way back, my brother wanted 'to be' The Six Million Dollar Man  pretty sure he had the doll and everything!

Fingers crossed I can tick some of these off soon! What's on your 'random wishlist'?


Jen x

(What's the Story) Morning Glory ...!

Bonjour!

So ... last day of half term today ... a week is not long enough is it?  Had a (much needed) lie in this morning -  when you have to stick to a rigid routine during 'school weeks' it's good to not have to drag the kids out of bed, just potter and do nothing in your own time - I don't very often 'do nothing' - in fact I've never had one of those 'duvet days' I hear others talking about - too much to get done! Sometimes though, you just need a little time out from rushing around like a blue-bottomed fly ...! Then you have to stop yourself from trying to cram everything into the rest of the day just to ease the guilt!  The only thing that finally got me going mid-morning was when my girl switched MTV on over her extremely late breakfast and these familiar dudes popped up!

Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory ...

My daughter's first reaction was 'Why do they all look weird and have no expression on their faces?'  I assured her that this is actually pretty standard practice for Oasis!

'Need a little time to wake up ... need a little time to rest your mind ...you know you should so I guess you might as well!'

'Morning Glory' was always my favourite from the album - in fact one of my all time fave Oasis tracks - released in September 1995 - nearly 20 years ago ... 20 years ago folks ... what's going on? Makes me feel so old and young all at the same time! 

What's your favourite  Oasis track?  What tune gets you up and running in the morning?

Jen x

Almond and Raisin Tea Loaf - Recipe

Bonjour!

The other day I discovered a packet of (almost out of date) flaked almonds lurking at the back of the kitchen cupboard ... I also had a stray egg that was a couple of days old hanging about in the fridge ... good excuse as any to throw something together then ...

6oz/180g Self Raising Flour
4oz/125g butter/marg
1 egg
3oz/80g sugar (I used Demerara)
1 1/2oz/40g raisins
1 1/2oz/40g flaked almonds
A few drops vanilla essence
4-5 tbsps milk (approx)

Nothing new here (there rarely is with my cooking!) - mix up the flour, butter, egg, sugar  and vanilla essence with the milk to give a good consistency (add more milk if you think the mixture is too stiff - I'm sorry ... I can't say the work 'stiff' without thinking 'mistress to bishop'!). Stir in the raisins and almonds. Place in your desired loaf tin - mine's approx 21cm/13cm.  Bake on 180 deg conventional - I guess that would be 160 deg fan (I don't have this luxury at the moment as our fan oven is broken - we've had it fixed once and it's gone again so have given up for the moment!) or Gas No4 (but I've never used a gas oven so you'd have to double check!) for 45-50 minutes.

It's not overly sweet as I've tried to lessen the sugar (although the raisins compensate for this) and does have a slightly firmer (ooh matron!) consistency than a standard cake type thing (must be just the one egg) but tastes lovely sliced up and spread with a bit of butter with a good strong cuppa!

What's been lurking at the back of your kitchen cupboard lately?


Jen x


PS. Apologies ... I appear to have had a 'Carry On' moment or two there!