Benefits of Beetroot

Illustration by my very talented sister (instagram: mollymole9)

Recently there's been so much hype on super foods like kale (which I'm still trying to condition myself to actually like), spinach and chia seeds but where's the emphasis on beetroot?? Well here is all you need to know on why you should incorporate this vegetable into your diet.

Whilst touring the nutrition department at the University of Reading on an open day, I saw an article on how eating beetroot can increase vasodilation (the widening of a blood vessel) and therefore decrease diastolic blood pressure. This is due to beetroots high nitric oxide levels and this lowered blood pressure in turn decreases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. 

Furthermore, beetroot is full of antioxidants and soluble fibre reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (the 'bad' type of cholesterol) which helps to protect the artery walls. This protection lowers the risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and also decreases the likelihood of having a heart attack.

The silica in beetroot helps the body utilise calcium which is well known for it's role in bone strength. It therefore aids skeletal health and decreases the risk of developing osteoporosis. It also has a high iron content and is therefore essential in the diet of someone who is anaemic or even a vegetarian.
Even the leaves of a beetroot are beneficial to health as they aid digestion.

Follow my blog for a future post on how I like to incorporate beetroot into my diet!

You can find me on instagram @alicebethanyy

Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments of any foods that you want to know the nutritional benefits of!

Alice x

Spot Saviour

There had been so many mornings where I'd woken up and thought "today will be no make-up day" and then I would look in the mirror and see that my colony of spots on my chin were still yet to make an exit from my face. And said colony of spots had long stayed their welcome. It had be months and my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream was just not cutting it. "Today" would then turn out to be a 10-layers-of-concealer kind of day.

And then I discovered Sudocrem.

Sudocrem is most commonly used for nappy rash and I had never even thought about applying it to my face until I watched beautycrush's drugstore skincare video. I bought the mini size pot as I was unsure on how good it would be but now I am 100% sure that I will be going back for the bigger tub. 

When I say I that I'd had these spots for months, I mean real, literal, actual months. However after about a week to two weeks of applying Sudocrem daily, my spots had vanished and I could finally get round to having my no make-up day. Hallelujah. 

It is a creamy consistency and it helps with not only getting ridding of spot scars, but also with bringing under-skin spots out quicker and then rapidly getting rid of them. 

Click here for a link to buy the product (which I highly recommend you do!) which to my delight, is ridiculously inexpensive. 

Let me know of any of your spot saviours in the comments!

Alice x

Current Lush Products

It was only within the last year that I started using Lush products and I can't believe that I spent 17 years of my life without them. I love everything about the brand, the unique bath bombs, the smell of the products and most of all that fact that they promote not testing on animals.

Here are just 3 of the products I have been using recently from Lush...

First up is "Ro's Argan Body Coditioner" which is a lovely, in shower, moisturiser. As suggested by the name it smells of roses and leaves your skin feeling really hydrated.

Secondly is the "Oatifix Fresh Face Mask". This face mask is specially designed to nourish and exfoliate dry skin and after every use my face feels extra fresh and clean. As it is from the 'fresh face mask' range, it has to be kept in the fridge which I really enjoy as it feels soothing upon application. I use the mask once or twice a fortnight and it's lasted me several months.

Last up is the "Prince Charming Shower Gel" which was put of this years Valentines Day range. This is honestly the best smelling shower gel I have ever owned and thankfully it has lasted me ages! I have used it every day since the end of January and it's still going. Definitely one worth trying to get your hands on if it's in next years Valentines range!

Let me know in the comments what your lush recommendations are!

Alice x 

The Cheap Nude Lip

I feel like I'm about a whole year too late on the the nude lip craze but then, when doesn't a nude lip look good? I feel like it can go with any make up look and it just adds that finishing touch to the face when a bold lip would be one step too far.

For a  l o n g  time I was scared of trying out a nude lip pencil or lipstick because I feared I would look like I had the dreaded foundation lips which I am proud to say, I have never been a fan of and never tried out on myself. But then Kylie Jenner lips became a thing and I caved in and decided it was time to try it out.

When it came to to actually choosing and buying a nude product, I knew I just wanted to get one from Boots or Superdrug as I wasn't sure on how great the look was going to be on me and didn't want to spend too much.  Obviously there is the notoriously known nude by Mac called 'Velvet Teddy' but on a Saturday job budget and postage on top of the lipstick itself, this sadly wasn't a choice for me.

I decided on L'Oreal Paris Lip Liner Couture by Colour Riche in the shade Bois De Rose. 

I really like the colour of this lip liner as it is quite a dark shade of nude with mauve pigments, meaning there is no sign of foundation lips.

It also has a very creamy consistency so application is smooth and extremely easy as it glides across the lip instead of dragging like some cheaper products do.

I also love the packaging of the lip liner as it has this cool snake/crocodile effect (??) texture which makes the product look more expensive than it really is.

At only £3.99 per pencil, I highly recommend this product to anyone who loves a neutral lip!

Thanks for reading and let me know in the comments of what nude lip products you recommend!

Alice x

New Products

This post is just a small review on the 3 makeup items I bought this month. I will do an updated post with my opinions on each of the items after I have used them more as I feel I haven't used them enough to write a developed post on them just yet!

The first thing I purchased was the Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighter. I half purchased this on a whim as initially I was buying a top on asos and needed to buy something else in order to qualify for free delivery. When I realised asos sold theBalm, I had to to have it! It seemed that this was the highlighter that every youtuber and beauty blogger seemed to be using at the moment. I checked the internet to see if anywhere had it cheaper and I found that feelunique had a discount for new members, so I managed to purchase it for just £12.96. I am loving the product so far, it leaves a beautiful glow/sheen on the cheeks. You can purchase it here.

Secondly, I bought the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink. I had never used a gel liner before but after borrowing a friends, I found that it was much easier to get a fine line and this is crucial for me as I have very hooded eyes. So I purchased this one and so far so good! It lasts all day and I am able to get it right up to my lash line using a thin angled brush (I purchased mine from ebay for just under £2 and it's brilliant!!!)

The final product I bought was the Kevyn Aucoin Precision Brown Pencil. I purchased this in SpaceNK as I had been given a gift voucher for Christmas and wanted to buy something that I wouldn't normally get myself. This woman working there recommended this as she said it was like one of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz, though being one of the few yet to try it, I cannot make any comparisons! However it has a lovely fine nib which allows you to make small hair like strokes and a spoolie on the other end to comb through brows, what more can you want?

Let me know in the comments what products you have bought this month and if you have tried any of the above!

alice x

The First Small Change - Green Tea

Okay so I am over a month late on the whole new years resolutions thing but one thing I wanted to do was to make lots of little changes to my lifestyle every now and again as opposed to setting myself several massive, unobtainable challenges at the beginning of the year.

And of course, like every other person in the world, one of the changes I wanted to make was to my diet, however, I wanted to go about it in a sustainable way. Instead of drastically cutting out every sugary and fatty (and delicious) food in my diet, I wanted to change one thing every two or three weeks.

The first change? Swapping hot chocolate for green tea.

Every day when I get home from college after spending 45 minutes on a freezing cold bus, I would find myself reaching for the hot chocolate. Now I am a massive lover of hot chocolates and I am not about to completely deprive myself of something I feel so passionately about, but I do always find myself feeling sluggish instead of refreshed after indulging in it. Hence the swap. The plan is to turn hot chocolate into a treat, drinking it just once a week as opposed to 5 or 6 times!

The Benefits of Green Tea

1. It boosts the metabolism and increases fat burning... of course the extent to which this works is dependent on the individuals lifestyle (diet and exercise) but never say no to a helping hand!
2. It contains an outstanding amount of antioxidants (flavonoids and catechins) which reduce the number of free radicals in the body and therefore can help to reduce the chance of cancer
3. It contains just the right  amount of caffeine to boosts your energy levels yet maintain them at a stable rate and the caffeine works with a special amino acid to boost brain function too
4. It lowers the risk of type II diabetes by improving insulin levels and reducing blood sugar levels
5. It kills certain types of bacteria, giving it the ability to lower the risk of infections

These are just 5 of the reasons as to why green tea is so beneficial to your body and I highly recommend trying it if you are yet to do so. 

I am currently trying out Tetley Green Tea, a trusted and basic brand, though there are so many others to try! Please leave any recommendations down below on the teas you have been loving!

alice x 

Rouge Edition Velvet in 07 Matte Finish

I'd recently watched one of ViviannaDoesMakeup's videos and I saw her use one of the Rouge Edition Velvet Lipsticks featured and I instantly had to have it. When I was next in my local Boots store I picked it up in a matte finish in 07.

Rouge Edition Velvet in 07

T-shirt - Topshop

I absolutely love the consistency of this lipstick, I think it's very similar to that of the Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Kiss and Blush Lips & Cheeks Stain (is that a long name or is that a long name??)! It applies extremely smoothly and it isn't drying at all which is great in a matte lipstick. The colour is quite neutral and you can intensify the colour by applying it solidly or calm it down by applying a little bit and blending it out, either way it looks great!!

Definitely worth a buy and I highly recommend it for such a bargain price!!!

alice x