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Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

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 You have probably read several posts on this miracle skincare product before. This is nothing new, but oh boy does it deserve the praise. I have suffered from bad skin since a teen and have stuck to the same skincare products in fear others will break me out.

Enter, Liz Earle’s Hot Cloth Cleanser.

There are two phases to this routine. Phase one is applying a pea sized amount of cleanser onto your finger tips and massage it all over your face – that’s right, it even removes the most stubborn mascara! Phase two is to use the soaked muslin cloth (use warm to hot water) to gently polish and clean the makeup off your face, leaving your skin feeling soft and radiant. The eucalyptus and cocoa butter ingredients cause a soothing and relaxing scent that enhances the skincare routine.

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I have repurchased this kit a handful of times since trying it last year for the first time, so you can imagine the joy I felt when a friend of mine gave me this travel sized Christmas edition set a few weeks ago!

The full size kit which comes with two muslin cloths and a full size bottle of the cleanser retails at £14.99 in Boots.

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What are your thoughts on this holy grail product?

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Bill’s restaurant, Cheltenham

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Bill’s has opened in Cheltenham, finally.

I’ve been a massive fan of the UK chain ever since sampling their delicious fish finger sandwich last year in the Bristol branch, so you can probably understand why I got excited when I heard through the grapevine that they were opening one in my home town!

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Myself and Sid donned the latest accessory (a Bill’s freebie before entering the restaurant) before heading in to taste the  food delights.

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We had booked a table as it was still the first week of opening, and within seconds of walking in we were taken to our seats.

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Whilst we were awaiting our food and drinks we noticed there was a real buzz and energy in the room, and the interior is particularly Pinterest worthy . The décor of the restaurant is rustic with a shabby chic style, yet still very modern. I love the large lamp shades and the wine storage cupboard especially.

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Our drinks soon arrived – we both sipped on my favourite Amaretto Sours to start the evening off.

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Then our food arrived!

We shared two starters – a plate of crispy lemon squid, with a gorgeous garlic and lemon mayo sauce to dip, and grilled halloumi and cous cous salad. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the latter at first, but the flavours of the cheese with lemon, pomegranate, mint and parsley together worked really well.

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As it had been an unhealthy day of eating I chose the avocado, bacon and spinach salad which was delicious! I have recently been enjoying swapping lettuce with spinach as a healthier alternative, dare I say that I prefer the swap? The presentation of the dish was also impressive, making a salad look instantly more interesting.

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Sid chose the grilled sea bream which looked amazing, and from a cheeky forkful, also tasted pretty good.

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We ended the evening with cappuccinos instead of pudding, despite the desserts sounding too good to pass up.

The menu is full of variety and I plan on trying everything at some point – especially as I’ve heard that they are most famous for their breakfast/brunch menu…

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If you haven’t been to Bill’s yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to head to the website and find your nearest restaurant.

P.s. I have since discovered that the pink shower cap is actually designed for bicycle seats, oops!

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One Night in Luxury at The Petersham Hotel

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Last Friday night I was lucky to stay in this beautiful hotel in Richmond, perhaps one of the grandest places I have had the pleasure of staying in.

From its impressive exterior to the magnificent interior, The Petersham is without question the perfect escape. Situated less than 10 miles from central London, its beautiful landscape views of the River Thames and surrounding greenery make you feel like you’re in the heart of the English countryside – far, far away from the hustle and bustle of city life. There is something regal about the place, easy to imagine what it would have been like to live in during the mid 1800’s, when the hotel was born. With it’s high ceilings, grand staircase and historic art gracing the walls – honey, I was no longer in Kansas.

Arriving at past midnight, I dragged my dancing feet off to bed, not without admiring the art and impressive décor en route.

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Before I could whip off my clothes and jump into my PJ’s, Nia had already put the TV on and we proceeded to drink tea and share plenty of giggles watching Smack the Pony. Then I fell asleep.

No bed will ever compare to the one at home, but I have to give this one at The Petersham a respectable 7 out of 10. Not the comfiest but by no means the worst that I’ve slept on, I was fast asleep seconds after hitting the pillow. Once we had managed to roll out of bed and change out of our finest jim-jams, it was time to head downstairs for breakfast (not down the fire escape, may I add).

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The views from the dining room were stunning.

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Each of us had a delicious Full English, which cost £14 per head, but with scenic views, lavish surroundings and impeccable service (oh and free pastries, may I add) – it was worth every penny. When in Rome….

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Before we knew it, it was time to leave.

Whether you are planning a weekend away with a loved one, a girls weekend away or just a fancy schmancy stopover en route into the centre of London, I would highly recommend a stay at The Petersham hotel in Richmond.

And if these photos don’t do it for you, I can reveal you even get some cheeky biscuits in your room…

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*I have to say a big thank you to Nia, Sue and Paul for inviting me along – I had a fab time!

Palm & Sole Facial Scrub & Solid Moisturiser | The Review

It’s not often that I receive things in the post that I get excited about (I’ve cut my online spending habits in half, & I’m surprised Amazon even knows who I am anymore…) but when I was sent this beauty bundle last month I knew my skin was about to thank me.

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Palm & Sole is an innovative skincare brand that allow you to adapt each product to your own needs. All of the products in the collection are natural and individually hand made & blended – so no parabens, fragrances or synthetic colouring etc are used in the process here (I wrote a blog post regarding skincare ingredients to avoid here). Even the packaging is Eco-friendly – Designer and drugstore brands, take note.

The ethos behind Palm & Sole is brilliant, putting great emphasis on the consumer’s control over how the products are used. By allowing us to choose how we use each product it makes the whole application process much more interesting and fun, it shouldn’t feel like a chore. I have always linked skincare with nourishment and luxury, the balance of feeling good on the inside and looking healthy and radiant on the outside, and these products do just the job. 

Palm & Sole is about embracing life and raising awareness of how we are connecting skin, body & emotions so we know what will help us feel fabulous in our own skin. Whatever your age, beauty needs or body shape, celebrate all that you are and all you can be with Palm & Sole.

– Kathy Webb, Creator

The lovely Kathy sent me two products, the first one being a freshly blended Honey and Lemon facial scrub.

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I usually swear by Simple’s Clear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub but those days are now long gone – this honey & lemon scrub takes first place. There is something really satisfying about using natural products with no nasty chemicals inside it, almost like eating a slice of chocolate cake without all the artificial colours and preservatives – guilt-free.

When you first take it’s lid off, the sweet scent of honey straight away makes you aware how natural this product is, as with other creams and scrubs there is usually a fragrance to them. The lemon compliments the honey well, balancing out the sweetness to make the scent more ‘fresh’.

I apply the scrub onto damp, clean skin and gently massage it in small, upward motions all over my face. I leave it on for a minute before rinsing it off with warm water. I like to use a light application of moisturiser afterwards too (depending on how dry my skin is that day).

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My skin was really dry and looked lifeless before using the scrub, but within a few hours of application my skin felt smooth and looked more radiant. With the improvement on my complexion already, I’m excited to continue trying this product out.

I’d like to point out that the Honey & Lemon Facial Scrub is not part of the collection and was especially hand blended for my specific requirements as it is an ‘I-Me-Mine’ product, backing up the ethos of making the product unique to each individuals needs. This means that the scrub was tailored to my skin type, great for those like me who have sensitive skin. For more information on this specific product, check out the Palm & Sole website at the end of next month.

The second product Kathy sent over was a solid oil moisturiser, something I haven’t tried before so I was looking forward to testing it out.

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This solid oil can be used to massage hands, feet, arms etc and helps any dry patches you may have – you can even use it on the ends of your hair (I had doubts when I initially tried this out, but it works wonders!). The powerful aroma of the rose oil was the first thing that hit me when I opened the lid, smelling fresh and made me feel relaxed. For those of you who are not a fan of the rose scent and may be put off by this, there is only a subtle smell once applied to the skin and fades fairly quickly.

I was amazed at how it softened so quickly just by holding it, as it reacted to the warmth of the palm of my hands. The solid oil glides over the skin beautifully, and I found a little goes a long way.

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I first applied it to my hands, and as I don’t tend to use hand cream on a regular basis it felt good to give them a bit of nourishment, particularly the cuticle area as I find my skin gets quite dry due to my nail polish addiction (guilty as charged!) I then applied it to areas of my neck, elbows and my heels, as this is where I suffer most with dry patches. 

My favourite thing about this product is how it dries back into a solid after returning it back into the cool pot – perfect for travelling (because nobody wants to have a ‘major shampoo and moisturiser explosion’ like Ross in Friends, right? If you’re not sure what I’m going on about, click here)

If you are interested in the ‘I-Me-Mine’ Facial Scrub or the Solid Oil Moisturiser, or would just like more information about Palm & Sole and their other products, please head over to http://www.palm-and-sole.com for more information 🙂

Have you tried solid oil moisturisers before?

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