Bottlepink Review

A few days ago, I showed you the glamorous limited edition Bottlepink drink by Bottlegreen. It comes in their Pomegranate & Elderflower sparkling presse and cordial and 10% of the sales are donated to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. I also promised you a review. So here it is!

So a little info on Bottlegreen first. Bottlegreen drinks are a range of still and sparkling drinks as well as cordials made completely from natural ingredients. So no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. They have very unique flavours such as Green Tea & Elderflower and Lemon & Lime Leaf. A much more grown up and posh version of orange squash.

I have always been curious about their drinks so I was happy to receive their Bottlepink cordial to try.

I'm not usually a fan of cordials mostly because I can never make them properly but also because many of them aren't very healthy and taste too sweet. I experimented with different concentrations of the Bottlepink cordial. The first attempts were either way too sweet and strong or too bland and dry but I eventually found the concentration I like. I add just enough of the cordial to cool water to give it a nice pomegranate flavour and a little sweetness. It also gives the water a pinky peach colour and a lovely light floral smell. It reminds me of water flavoured with flowers like rose or orange blossom, which I love.

Light but oh so yummy!

I love water and drink lots of it but the taste of tap water puts me off so flavouring water with the Pomegranate & Elderflower cordial should get me to drink lots more of the tapped stuff.

So overall, I quite like this cordial. It is a great drink that makes a change from the usual flavours and you can dilute it to suit your taste. I wouldn't drink it at the concentration recommended on the bottle as it is not to my own personal taste and is too strong and sweet for me but at my own preferred concentration it tastes very refreshing. It's also very versatile and can be used in cocktails (or mocktails if, like me, you don't drink) or in homemade ice lollies or pretty much anything you like. I would love to dilute it using sparkling water and pour it in a long glass over vanilla ice cream before the weather gets any colder. Yum!

Would I buy this? Yes! But I would use it to make flavoured water instead.

Bottlepink, as well as the rest of the Bottlegreen range, costs £2.99 (500ml) at most major supermarkets. A great price considering you can make lots out of just one bottle.

xx

Nakd Bars Review

I was sent some Nakd bars recently* to try out. Nakd is a snack bar made entirely from raw fruit, nut and natural flavouring. In addition to the Nudie range, the Oatie range also contains oats. They contain no added sugar or preservatives; they're not processed; they do not contain gluten, wheat or dairy; they're 100% vegan and one of your 5 a day too! Phew!

When I first came across these at Holland & Barrett and read the ingredients (mostly dates with some nuts and raisins) I imagined that it would be like date paste with the added ingredients mixed in... not very interesting. But they are not like that at all...

The bar is a blend of all the contained ingredients rather than a gummy and chewy date paste with chopped fruit and nuts. So the blend of all the ingredients gives it a very lovely soft yet firm texture. I don't normally like raisins in snacks but as the pieces are so tiny, it gives the bar a natural sweetness without the gummy raisin texture.

It's hard to choose but I think my favourite would have to be the Cocoa Orange. The orange taste is very mild but enough to give it a tasty flavour. I just wish there was more cocoa in there. In fact, I wish all the cocoa ones had more cocoa. But overall it is still very delicious.

My least favourite is the Cocoa Mint. I felt that the peppermint taste was a little too overpowering for me that I couldn't taste anything else. If there was a little less mint and a little more cocoa then I might have loved it.

I didn't expect to like Banana Bread since I don't like banana desserts (I love bananas though) and I didn't like the first bite at all. It was certainly a powerful flavour. But I was surprised how much I loved it after that. Definitely one of my favourites!

I also wasn't too sure about Ginger Bread at first as I normally hate ginger but I love it in biscuits and cakes. But I couldn't really taste the ginger in this one. I could probably taste the cinnamon more. It reminded me of the smell of Starbucks at Christmas and yummy sweet spicey cakes.

If you love sweet fruity tastes, then I'm sure you'll love Berry Delight and Apple Pie. Apple Pie tastes just like apple pie and, as it comes from the Oatie range, it's great for breakfast on the go.

I was really surprised how great these bars taste and I would definitely buy Nakd the next time I need a quick pick me up. Dates have a high GI so they're a great alternative to a biscuit or a chocolate bar if you need a quick burst of energy. I get energy slumps during the autumn and winter so these bars are just perfect for me.

So if you get energy slumps or are looking for a healthy or vegan alternative to chocolate or cereal bars, I'd suggest that you try one of these bars. You'd be surprised how yummy they taste.

xx

*100% honest review as always :)

Dr. Hauschka Glamour range review and GIVEAWAY

If you're a big fan of Dr.Hauschka as I am, you'll be happy to know that their Natural Glamour A/W range will be hitting the shelves this week.

The range includes:

• Eyeshadow palette

This looks like a great palette that will take you from Autumn to Winter with its range of earthy and icy colours. With silk and herbs, the skin around your eyes will be cared for in the harsh weather.

(4x1.8g RRP £34.50)

• Kajal eyeliner duo

The blue and grey colours look great for winter. I would use the light grey in the waterline for bigger, brighter eyes. It contains Anthyllis, Witch Hazel and Black Tea, which is soothing for sensitive skin.

(1.64g RRP £15.75)

• Lip gloss in Blackberry and Balancing Teint Powder both of which Dr.Hauschka kindly sent me and I will be reviewing.

• Lip gloss in Blackberry

Blackberry is a lovely reddish-burgundy colour. Very Autumnal. I don't normally go for dark colours at all. I'm not adventurous and tend to stick with nude pinks, and if I'm in a colourful mood, reds. So I was a little scared to try this, wondering if it would clash with my yellow undertones.

But it actually looks really good. It comes out looking exactly like the colour of the packaging so it's a rich and glossy colour and you only need to use a small amount making it more cost-effective. The shade lightens as I spread it on my lips but the colour builds up with more layers. I think I'll be sticking with one layer for the daytime for now but I will definitely be adding more layers as we go further into Autumn and for occasions.

The texture is very light and smooth, thanks to the moisturising oils and butters such as mango butter, without being too thin and translucent. So don't worry about your hair sticking onto your gloss on those windy days.

It comes off if I eat or drink anything, which is normal for most lip glosses, especially those that are completely natural.

The smell of the lipgloss is very mild. I can't work out what it is. It smells a little spicy.. I think. I can pick up a bit of licquorice in there. I don't know whether it's in there or I'm imagining!

(4.5ml RRP £14.95)

• Balancing Teint Powder

The Balancing Teint Powder was a big hit when it first came out the beginning of the year so if you missed out on this you'll be happy to know that it's back!

I don't normally use powders as I have combination skin so it's dry around my nose but as natural foundations contain a lot of oils, my skin has been getting oily with lots of blemishes :( Thankfully, this powder contains no oils and it contains witch hazel (an anti-inflammatory) so I'm hoping this will help my skin to sort itself out.

The powder is very light and silky (it actually contains silk powder!) I love this because powder normally cakes up around dry areas of my face. I only found that it caked up on the tip of my nose.

I find that it lightens any blemishes and inflamed bits on my face very well so it's great for when I'm in a rush/ too lazy to put on more make up or when I want to give my face a break from heavy oily make up. I wouldn't say it covers redness completely but, for me personally, it does minimise them enough for me to confidently go out without foundation. I also found that it got rid of shine.

This is supposed to give a warm finish if you use all three shades but as I already have a warm skin tone it's pretty much the same colour as my skin, which is a bonus for me as it's hard finding a shade that matches my skin tone - they're always too pink. If you're looking for something to give your skin a much warmer tone, I would suggest using the Dr.Hauschka Powder Duo on top. You can also use the shades individually. I'll be using the dark shade for contouring.

So overall, this is a good product for toning down redness in your skin for everyday wear but if your skin needs a lot of coverage I would suggest using this to set your foundation or concealer and to give extra coverage and a matte finish.

(9g RRP £34.75)

GIVEAWAY!!

This giveaway has now ended. A winner will be chosen and notified very soon.

You'll be happy to know that thanks to Dr.Hauschka I have one Balancing Teint Powder to give away!

All you need to do is comment below and name three herbs in the Balancing Teint Powder.

Rules:

You need to follow both myself and Dr.Hauschka on Twitter or Facebook.
Ends Sunday 25th September 11.59 pm

Facebook:
Eden Angels
Dr.Hauschka Skincare UK

Twitter:
@EdenAngels

@LoveHauschka

For extra entries:

• If you follow Eden Angels and Dr.Hauschka on both Facebook and Twitter then you get two entries!
• Tweet about the competition with a link to this blog post using @LoveHauschka and @EdenAngels
• Share the competition on Facebook and tag Eden Angels and Dr.Hauschka Skincare UK (You may have to set the post as public so that I can see it)
• Follow this blog using Google Friends Connect (on the top right. You might have to refresh the page until it appears)

Make sure you comment below telling me what you're doing for the extra entries.

Good luck!

xx

Back to school the green way

(Clockwise from top-left then centre)

Pink A5 packaging notebook (Nigel's Eco Store)

Wrap 'n' Mat (Nigel's Eco Store)

Uni-ball Power Tank Eco pen (Fred Aldous)

Clear Skies Eco Journal (Papernation)

Action Pencils by We Are What We Do

Linex Nature biodegradable ruler (Fred Aldous)

Aladdin Recycled Tumbler (John Lewis)

And, of course, a juicy organic rosy apple for teacher ;)

Real Bodycare giveaway rules update

Just to let you know that the rules for the giveaway have changed. As the Google Friends Connect gadget has been acting dodgy for a while meaning many readers can't follow my blog, you have to follow me on either Facebook or Twitter instead. If you've already entered, don't worry, you will still be entered into the giveaway.

Sorry for any inconvenience! There is still time to enter so please do to win yourself a a large tub of yummy body butter.

xx

Autumn eco-fashion

Whether you're back to school or just want to update your wardrobe this season, keep warm and look cool with these ethical and fashionable pieces.

Hat: Cosy Beret by People Tree
Jacket: Joanie Chambray Jacket by People Tree
Skirt: People Tree Organic Jersey Mini Skirt (Asos)
Boots: Elm Black boots by Po-Zu
Satchel: Large Mfuko Black satchel by Made

Bottlegreen turns pink for charity

How cute is this bottle, right?

Bottlepink is Bottlegreen turned pink! Bottlegreen have teamed up with Breakthrough Breast Cancer and are donating 10% of the sales of bottlepink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. Bottlepink is available in pomegranate & elderflower cordial and pomegranate & elderflower sparkling presse.

So whether you're holding a pink party or have any excuse to party, this limited edition bottle will impress your friends and you'll be contributing to helping Breakthrough Breast Cancer change lives through researching, educating and campaigning.

The fancy bottle

Glass by Cristal d'Arques
Perfect for a pink party!

So keep any eye out for these glam bottles in major supermarkets from £2.39.

I will be reviewing the cordial very soon so keep an eye out for that.

xx