Valentines Day with Hummingbird Bakery

With Valentines Day on the horizon, what better way to spend it than with a great big cake? Show me a cake and I will probably love you forever, especially if it is a cheesecake!  I was lucky enough to work with The Hummingbird Bakery for this post and cheesecake is never going to be the same again!

The Hummingbird Bakery, if you have never heard of them before, is an American-style bakery which was founded in 2004 and its aim was and still is, to bring the authentic taste of American home baking to London. The company opened its first branch here in London on Portobello Road in Notting Hill and since then has launched a further five branches across London in South Kensington, Soho, Spitalfields, Islington and Richmond. It also has a franchise presence in the Middle East with two branches already operating in Dubai.

The Hummingbird Bakery landed in Notting Hill in early 2004 to become the home of quality American baking in London. Today it has six branches in London and Surrey and is famed the world over for its delicious cupcakes and other freshly baked sweet treats and desserts.

For Valentines Day, we all get into the habit of buying a card, a present and if you are anything like my work colleagues, spending hours over the phone and on whatsapp discussing where to take your better half for dinner. For me, well I am just as happy at as I am out and about but the idea of sending or giving someone a cake really appealed to me as something a little bit different but just as amazing.

The Hummingbird Bakery has quite a choice for Valentines Day treats, whether you are wanting cupcakes, a red velvet cake, whoopie pies or a cheesecake, as I opted for, there is something for everyone, every budget and every dietary requirement and prices start at just £3.25.  The Red Velvet Valentines Cheesecake (£19.95) that I chose serves 4-6 people, or just me and was as delicious to eat as it was to look at.

This Cheesecake smells just incredible too, as soon as the bag arrived, the freshly baked scent was wafting out through the box and I couldn't wait to tuck in.  The biscuit base was delicious and crumbling and then with the cheesecake middle itself, not only is it the most beautiful bright red, but my gosh is it creamy and everything a cheesecake should be and should taste of!  On the top we have a butter cream frosting with some crumbs and the sweetness of the frosting with the sharpness of the crumbs and the cheesecake literally is an explosion to your taste buds in the most perfect of ways.  Literally the best cheesecake I have ever tried and now I don't think I could try another and it matching just how perfect this one was!

This cake can also be personalised, but you do need to give at least 48 hours from time of purchase for it to be ready and if you order before 4pm then there is the option of a next day delivery, but you will need to check for delivery in your area first.

The cake almost never survived thanks to one fur ball who noticed the brightly coloured bag and hopped straight in, thankfully, I had removed the cake and its box only seconds earlier!

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Viseart Theory Minx 02 Eyeshadow Palette

The eyeshadows palettes by Viseart are said to be one of the best on the market and said to have attracted a dynamic cult following, admittedly until I was kindly sent two from the range to try, I had seen the palettes in Selfridges but had never tried the brand before, but oh my gosh, they are stunning.  

The first palette is the 02 Minx Theory palette which hosts warmer browns, a cream, cocoa and coffee shades which sit alongside the warm copper and bronze shimmers. Each eyeshadow pan within the palette has a magnetic and can be removed, so if you are lucky enough to have more than one product from Viseart, you could make your perfect palette. 

French beauty powerhouse Viseart utilises plant-based resources and innovative technology to create the most high-performance, organic formulas that enhance your natural beauty – opposed to harmful chemicals that can lead to ageing. Encapsulating the glamour of Paris at night, this compact eyeshadow palette features an alluring array of pigmented hues in matte and shimmer finishes for creating both depth and dimension.

I love my nude/neutral eyeshadow palettes and whilst I don't tend to stray very far from that, on the odd occasions I like something a little warmer and this palette does its very best to do that.

 

The shades shown above are:

• Minx 1- This is a light peach with warm undertones with a really good colour pay off. Not at all powdery, it has a silky texture when applied.
• Minx 2- This is a medium-dark brown with a semi-matte finish. I love the pigmentation of this and whilst there is a slight yellow undertone to it and being a little more powdery than Minx 1, it does have a soft texture and it applies like a dream
• Minx 3 - This is a deep brown, an almost reddish-brown with warm undertones. One of the most pigmented shades on the palette and the one you need to make the least effort with when it comes to blending because it almost does that job for you with a swipe of the brush.
• Minx 4 - This is one of my favourites on the palette, a lovely light golden copper with warm undertones and a metallic sheen, the kind of shade which you could double up to use as a highlighter. The texture for this is a little creamier than the last three shadows, so less is definitely more.
• Minx 5 - This is a medium orange-copper shade with warm undertones and as well as being used as a shadow, it too can be used as an eyeliner. Again incredible pigmentation and less is definitely more when applying.
• Minx 6 - This is a dark rose almost burgundy shade which is probably best described as muted but with warm undertones and a metallic finish. The shade I have used the least if I am honest because it doesn't suit me at all, but it is stunning.

With this palette, because of its size, it fits into my makeup bad with ease and is one of the most study palettes I have had travelled with in a long time. This palette and the rest of the collection can be found on Feelunique, with Minx 02 being priced at £35.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Heliotrope Ear Plugs

Looking after your health, especially your ears is possibly something we don't think too much about, yet it is such an important part of our body. Whilst your ear canals are self-cleaning, it is advised not to use a cotton bud and if you do suffer from too much wax in your ears, then seeking guidance for ear wax removal in London is advised.

When it comes to taking time out, I am usually found in a bath of bubbles with a book for a good hour and a bit on my own, with no interruptions (except the cat who insists on being with me) and it is pure bliss, but do you ever have those moments when you just want to take time out, block out as much of the world as you can and literally zone out? Well, I have been using these Heliotrope Ear Plugs (£20).

These Heliotrope earplugs are inspired by Hildegard von Bingen, a medieval superwoman who had profound insight into the healing effects of nature and the use of gemstones. 

Enjoy the healing effects of natural gemstones with our Heliotrope, also known as Bloodstone, Ear Plugs which are renowned for their power to ground you, relieve anxiety and clear toxins. 

I am all for trying products which help ground you and if they can do other things as well, then even more keen to give them a try.

To look at they do look rather large, but honestly, they are not. Instead, they are not only comfortable to wear, but they are also ergonomically designed making them comfortable to sleep in, should they ground you that much and it has happened to me a few times now. When you place them in your ears, the removal cord should be exposed to help with removal, but once you have put them in your ears, you will notice that they do help to partially reduce the sound which also helps with relaxation.

I loved the sound of these earplugs as soon as I read about them and couldn't wait to give them a try, they made an appearance in my Holistic Silk post (here) and they are such a great investment and definitely worth trying if you are looking to use something a little bit different to help with relaxation.

Do you have any tips for relaxing?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Brushwork Makeup Brushes and Accessories

Only recently I reviewed the Brushworks Precision Eye and Brow Brush set (here) and today I am back with two further products from the range which I have been using. If you have never come across the brand Brushworks before, you might be surprised to learn that they are an award-winning beauty brand who has an extensive range of makeup brushes, beauty tools and accessories, all of which are available from Tesco with prices starting around £5.49.

The first of two products to share is the Brushworks HD Multi-Tasking Sponge, which is a bright Barbie Doll pink is not something you are going to miss within your stash. Described as a latex-free hydrophilic sponge, it has is ultra-soft, non-sensitive, flake resistant and long-wearing. Like similar products, it expands with water to make using it and blending an easier task to complete and it also absorbs less makeup, holding only what is absolutely necessary.

Now the sponge is a slightly different shape and size to other products you might have used and this one has four different edges that can be used:

• The broad rounded side of the sponge is best used for basic application of foundation and liquids.
• The tapered end is better suited to detailing whereas the flat side is great for contouring with creamy products.
• The point is said to be ideal for details & helps blend those hard to reach areas to prevent caking in fine lines and creases.

This sponge retails for around £6 and can be found online with Feelunique, Amazon and Tesco to name just a few.

The second product is the Brushworks HD Multi-tasking brush which features the same colouring as the Eye and Brow set mentioned above.

Suitable for use with both powder and liquids, this brush, which is handcrafted with a domed, flattened head has really densely packed in really soft bristles.  I have been using this brush mainly with my BB and CC creams and it does work really well, leaving a smooth and flawless finish.  

Again, this brush can be found in Tesco and it retails for £7.50 and all the brushes from Brushworks are cruelty-free and Vegan-friendly.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.