Purezza. I’m sure many of you have heard of it. Cult vegan pizza company based in Brighton and more recently in London.
So last year, Tom and I stayed in London for the NFL and on our way back home, we stopped off in Camden for a trip to Purezza. I’d never been before but Tom had been to their Brighton store before and raved about their food.
The Camden store was quite small but we got there at opening time so we were first through the door and got a table. It got busy fairly quickly so if you’re gunna make a visit, I recommend booking or getting there early.
The menu is extensive and isn’t just pizza. We ordered a Telling Porkies pizza, a side of mac and cheese, and cheesy dough balls.
Telling Porkies
Mac & Cheese and Dough Balls
The Telling Porkies pizza includes: White base with melted cheddar, mixed wild forest mushrooms, marinated pulled BBQ pieces and sundried tomatoes.
Everything was amazing and delicious. The cheese is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before and was quite possibly the best vegan cheese I’ve ever tasted. The mac and cheese was nice and mild, and the dough balls were so melty!
As I mentioned, we visited last year so things may have changed, but the service at the time was slow when the restaurant filled up. We waited a long time for someone to come to clear our table so we could ask for the bill. I appeared that they were under staffed to me.
All of this in mind, I still highly recommend a visit to Purezza. The food is so delicious and the pizza is outstanding. They really are the Plant Pioneers that they say they are.
I love a good manicure. I cannot stand to have bare nails. I have normally done my own nails and before turning vegan, doing my own gel nails. I bought an LED lamp online and various gel nail polishes from my local Sally Beauty store. Sadly, the brands I’ve bought historically aren’t vegan, but I think it’s worse to waste them so I’m making them way through them before I replace them.
My mobile beautician, Rebecca, solves my problem by using The Gel Bottle. She’s been giving me my vegan mani fix every now and then when I fancy a treat! Here is the statement on The Gel Bottle website about their products being vegan.
So for the wedding I attended the other day, I treated myself to a mani and a pedi in colours to match my bridesmaid dress. I let my nails grow offensively long so that I could benefit from my manicure (and also the laziness got to me).
Rebecca’s most recent colour selection from The Gel Bottle
The colour range that The Gel Bottle provides is incredibly extensive. Rebecca has so many colours to choose from, there were plenty for me to pick from to match with my dress.
Diva
Coffee Diamond
The colours I chose were to fit in with the dress and shoes, so I went with Diva and Coffee Diamond. I loved them both on the swatches, and I loved them even more on me.
Make sure you keep a look out for beauticians and salons that use The Gel Bottle. My nails last for weeks (the only thing that makes me change them is the growth!) so it’s definitely worth the investment into a good manicure.
I recently had the pleasure of being Maid of Honour at my best friend, Sarah’s, wedding. As the bride is my best friend, she is fully aware of my veganism and did her best to ensure that I was catered for.
As the title states, this is simply Issue 1. 2019 is an incredibly busy year and I have 3 more wedding ceremonies to attend, with an additional wedding reception in between!
The day was spectacular. The venue was gorgeous and has some incredibly stunning views. The ceremony and reception were held at The Barn at West Farm in Southerndown.
The Bride and I
The wedding breakfast was well catered, even if there was only 1 option, but I guess that’s standard in most places. Guests were able to choose from a menu in advance, but our vegan option was vague. It ended up being:
Starter: Houmous
Main Course: Butternut Squash Risotto
Dessert: Vegan Cheesecake
The food was lovely enough and very well presented. The houmous starter was rather boring but the houmous tasted lovely. I really enjoyed the butternut squash risotto; the added balsamic vinegar on top really enhanced it. And finally, the vegan cheesecake was lovely. The groom tried mine to compare with his non-vegan cheesecake and he claimed the flavour was the same and that the only difference was the texture. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In the evening, we were provided with a vegan pizza option which made Tom really happy. It wasn’t put out on the buffet table to ensure that no one else casually picked up our food, but we were able to ask for it from the kitchen when we were ready for it.
Additionally, they had a sweets table and made sure there were vegan sweet options there too! We could choose from flying saucers, jelly tots and various Swizzels refresher bars which were recently made vegan too.
This was the first wedding I’d attended as a vegan. Tom had attended one of my other friend’s wedding a few years ago as a vegan and he wasn’t particularly impressed. He only had a stack of grilled vegetables for dinner and a fruit platter for dinner.
Tom and I
Sarah and Liam did a wonderful job of catering for us and I’m so pleased that they did. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and we wish them all the best in their future together.
Thank you for catering for your only vegan friends!
For those of you that don’t know, Fenty Beauty is Rihanna’s own cosmetics range and they have recently dropped at Boots! Available online and in selected stores. Fortunately for me, Cardiff was one of them.
My sister had raved about the Fenty Beauty Flyliner, but I’m so loyal to the Kat Von D Beauty Tattoo Liner that I had never got around to trying it. Also, my mum didn’t rate it, and we all know mother knows best!
After a little light internet research on the best foundations for oily skin, the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation came out on top from most websites and reviews so I thought I’d take the plunge!
The box packaging
There are SO many different shades to choose from which I think is a good sign from a company. It means they’ve put a lot of effort in and acknowledge that people are different! There’s even a shade finder online which, based on my answers, was entirely accurate.
I personally wouldn’t buy foundation without trying it on. I’ve been bitten before and I’ve learnt from my mistakes. (That’s a subtle note to all the companies that don’t have stands in the usual department stores around the UK!).
Bottle packaging
Standard pump
My shade was 230 (FOR LIGHT TO MEDIUM SKIN WITH NEUTRAL UNDERTONES – as described on their website), which is the shade that came out on the shade finder on the website, but I also spent 5 minutes in Boots applying it to my face to make sure! I also tried 235 which was more of a golden colour, too warm for me.
Fenty Beauty are cruelty free, but are not completely vegan. They have some vegan products which they list on their website, which includes their Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Foundation.
Honestly, I was so impressed with this foundation. After a full days wear, I wasn’t completely shine free but I wasn’t anywhere as shiny as I’d usually be, and coverage was still full and not cakey! I highly recommend it. I’ve used other brands in the past such as Estee Lauder’s Double Wear and Kat Von D’s Lock It Foundation and this is by far the best I’ve ever used. The shade match is perfect and it doesn’t even feel like I’m wearing foundation at all.
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I have plenty of older beauty box items that I still need to get through. It’s about time to start trying all the products I’ve been storing for no good reason and writing about them for you!
These 2 products have been hanging around in my samples box for a while now and I thought I’d treat myself to a pamper evening before an episode of Love Island so here we go!
Natura Herb Infused Sheet Mask
I’ve always loved a sheet mask. My mum always used to get them from SKII when she used their skin care so sheet masks are not unusual territory for me. The description on the back is as follows:
Packed with a variety of Herbs and Vitamins, this multi-tasking mask rebalances skin time, reduces enlarged pores, brightens complexion while offering deep hydration and nourishment.
Sounds great, right?! I ripped the mask open and put it on straight away. The smell of the mask was amazing. It was subtly fragrant and incredibly moisturising. I relaxed for 15 minutes while I waited for my skin to absorb in all the goodness. Once time was up, I patted my skin down to remove excess product. I’ve read that washing your face after a face mask will just negate all the good work it’s done!
Pre-face mask
Post-face mask
Even though my skin might not look like it’s improved at all, it felt amazing on and as described, nourishing! It sounds silly but my skin feels lighter and much more refreshed. If nothing else, it was a nice treat to relax!
I provided a link to the product from The Cruelty Free Beauty Box but after a quick Google search, they’re available on many other websites and in so many different infusions so make sure you have a good read, but I fully recommend their product.
Lue by Jean Seo Balance Serum
After using the Lue by Jean Seo Clear spot treatment which I also received in one of my Cruelty Free Beauty Boxes, I had high hopes. The Clear spot treatment is absolutely amazing so I definitely recommend that!
I didn’t expect much from the serum. I’m not sure why but I was never huge on serum. I always found most serums quite tacky and not particularly absorbent. This serum really surprised me.
The pump released quite a lot of product which I wasn’t expecting, but also came out much more watery than I expected too. All that aside though, I wasn’t disappointed by the product.
It promises to firm, tone and control oil and shine to minimise pores. I haven’t been using it for long enough to confirm it’s firming and toning promises, but it has definitely improved my oil and shine! I’ve been using it only in the evenings after I’ve cleansed, but it does recommend to use it morning and night.
At the rate I’m going with products, I will be oil free in no time and there’ll be no need for all these mattifying products anymore!
So that ties up my June sample trials. I’ll try some more products next month and let you know how they go too!
I’m so excited to write this post! I used to subscribe to The Cruelty Free Beauty Box before I had too many and couldn’t use enough of the products before the next one arrived. It all got a bit overwhelming so I regrettably cancelled my subscription (I’m still making my way through some of the old products!)
When I cancelled, they contacted me to find out why and asked for my feedback. I let them know that the make up colours weren’t suited to me, the products were often too similar, and that I would prefer to have a box every other month instead of every month. To resolve the colours, they amended my account to change my make up preferences so the next time I subscribed I’d get different colours.
A few months later, they were offering new boxes, sent every other month with more options. It was as if all my prayers had been answered! In reality, the team listened to customer feedback and made those changes. I subscribed to the Deluxe Beauty Box pretty much as soon as I could! This version of the box includes Lifestyle and Snacks which I didn’t even know I wanted but now it is, I want it! The monthly price is a tad expensive at £39.95, but as this blog post will describe, I think it’s worth every penny.
So, let’s start with the very First Edition of this box! It arrived on Wednesday just gone, in a nice big cardboard box and had some serious weight to it. I was so excited! The classic stamp was on the box, and stickers made of sugar can were used to keep the box closed during delivery.
Inside, the leaflet on top describes all the products inside, and also includes a description of the changes that the new boxes include! To summarise, the packaging is more eco-friendly now with things being recyclable, compostable and bio-degradable. Additionally, that specific piece of paper is seed paper which you can grow! I think I’ll give the growth a go and see what turns out.
Product List
Bumi Face Polish in Juniperberry, Saga, Hemp & Volcanic Ash (15ml) – RRP £9
PHB Ethical Beauty Bio Gel ‘Skin Brightener (Full size) – RRP £25
Bain and Savon Peony Salt Scrub Foot Bar (Full size) – RRP £1.50
Phase Zero Lip Gloss in Dark Burgundy (Full size) – RRP £12
A handmade Turkish towel – RRP £14.95
Soffle’s Pitta Chips in Rosemary & Thyme – RRP £1
Ananda’s Round Up’s Wagon Wheel – RRP £3
As you can see from the image of the haul above, the box comes with so many goodies. As it only arrived a few days ago, I haven’t been able to make use of everything yet, but I will be soon! And totalling the RRP values of each item comes to just under £95!
The beauty products smell amazing, and the snacks look great. All of the products seem like great quality, and the smaller sized products are perfect for travelling and keeping in your handbag.
I’ve seen Ananda’s at vegan events before but I’d never tried them before. I tucked straight into the wagon wheel and it really hit the spot! Thank you Ananda Foods!
My favourite product has to be the towel! I know it’s not a beauty product, but it’s beautiful and I can’t wait to take it on holiday to use at the beach.
I am absolutely thrilled with this box and I highly recommend those who are interested in subscribing to take a look at what The Cruelty Free Beauty Box has to offer. This box won’t be perfect for everyone, but there’ll be a subscription more suitable for you!
And let’s importantly not forget that everything in these boxes are vegan and cruelty free!
My sister, @vgnnatalie, moved to Bristol from our family home in Cardiff and has ever since, always been recommending all of the glorious vegan independents in Bristol. They put Cardiff to shame!
But seriously, give my sister a follow on insta because you will get serious vegan food envy and inspiration!
Oowee diner aren’t actually a vegan company and have various branches around Bristol. However, more importantly, they opened a vegan branch! Their Oowee vegan diner is, as labelled, completely vegan and has a great range of vegan junk food.
You will not be disappointed. They have a replacement meat for everything imaginable and the flavours are great. Who doesn’t love options?!
Admittedly, the last time I went was December 2018 so I’m catching up on blog posts and making sure you guys are all fully aware of your vegan options out there. Plus, I don’t think I’m blogging enough about food!
Interior of the restaurant
The food is fantastic, and my only criticism of the place was that the floors were super greasy and my boots were slipping everywhere.
I ordered The Sneaky Clucker burger and the Cluckin Fries. My eyes were certainly too big for my belly and I took plenty of it back home to eat later. Both were delicious, but I specifically recommend the Cluckin Fries. The gravy is a great addition to the dish and makes it really interesting and flavourful.
To drink, I ordered myself a milkshake. I cannot for the life of me remember what flavour it was but it was sweet and thick. It was made with their soft serve ice cream which they have a machine for in the shop and you could tell. Highly recommend.
Cluckin Fries, The Sneaky Clucker burger and a milkshake
Those of you looking for somewhere vegan to eat around Bristol, I highly recommend a visit to Oowee Vegan. They may not be a fully vegan company but the specific branch is exclusively vegan. Give it a try!
Before I turned vegan, I never really put any thought into my cosmetics and even when I started to transition into cruelty free, hair products and perfumes were the ones I easily forgot about.
Perfumes are things that most people are likely to forget about, and people are generally very scent loyal. I know I definitely was!
My current perfume collection is small but consists of some gorgeous fragrances, as well as some minis that I’ve been sent through from my Cruelty Free Beauty Box subscriptions in the past.
My favourite of the set is my Eden Perfume in 67. It’s the cruelty-free equivalent of Prada’s Candy and it smells exactly the same. Eden Perfumes are based in Brighton and have a gorgeous store there. I had the luxury of visiting on a hen weekend in February and there are so many options. Their replicas are fantastic and I believe they have their own fragrances too.
I have a mini Saint perfume by Kat Von D Beauty which I received as a sample when I bought some other products. Again, all vegan and cruelty-free and it smells lovely.
The 2 that I received from the Cruelty Free Beauty Box are the xoxo perfume oil by Medusa’s Make Up and Tisserand’s Happy Vibes Roller Ball. Both have very different smells but both are roll on perfumes which I love and find easy to apply. I actually find they last longer than a spray perfume but I can’t say whether that’s because of the quality of the product or the application.
There are plenty of vegan and cruelty-free fragrance options out there so make sure you do your research and more importantly smell test them!
I recently came to end of my trusty KVD primer so I decided to mix it up and go for a more accessible high-street brand. It didn’t take long to find Revolution Beauty as they are everywhere! In fact, I even managed to get their products on ASOS.
Revolution Beauty are PETA Cruelty-Free approved and have an extensive vegan range of products. There has been some speculation over the PETA Cruelty-Free stamping due to some controversy over the brand, Wet ‘n’ Wild. Read about it here on the Ethical Elephant.
Moving on…
As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts before, I have very oily skin and as a secondary point, the pores on my nose are very prominent. I decided to purchase 2 primers, Mattify and Pore Blur. At £6 each, they were a bargain. Additional bonus points for ASOS having 20% off at the time too.
I thought the Mattify and Pore Blur would be the best options for my skin but they have a huge range of different primers, found here, so I recommend doing some research.
I used Mattify first and was really impressed. The product reminded me a lot of the bareMinerals primer which is much pricier. It comes out clear and has a silicon based style texture. It applies well across the face but doesn’t absorb as well as other primers I’ve used. The only other comment I feel I should make here is that I had to use more product than I first thought as it didn’t spread as far as I’d hoped.
I then used Pore Blur the next day and had a very similar experience. Pore Blur has a slight tint to it but not enough to be heavily noticeable across the skin so I still need to apply foundation on top.
Mattify and Pore Blur side by side
Blended in
Both had great staying power and really lived up to their names. The Pore Blur primer did a great job of covering up my pores and my skin didn’t feel clogged up. The Mattify primer really, really did keep my skin matte all day. I was so impressed with it and I highly recommend it for those with oily skin. And at those prices, you really can’t go wrong.
As much as I love Kat Von D beauty, I’m definitely going to be making room for these 2 Revolution Beauty primers in my permanent collection!
Have you always struggled to find a cosmetics case that carried everything you needed in a small compact bag that will fit into suitcases and back packs?
I was the same. I have bought so many cosmetics cases in so many different shapes and sizes in an attempt to travel with my cosmetics more efficiently and in a more compact manner.
Thankfully for the glorious internet, I saw adverts and photos of what I can only describe as the amazing Flat Lay Co. Make Up Bag. I purchased one with high hopes from Amazon and I was not disappointed.
The concept of the bag is exactly as described. When opened up fully, the cosmetics case lays out flat. The main selling point of this is that when you’re travelling around the world, you simply lay your case flat to open up and pull the drawstring to close it up again. Essentially, there is no real need to take things ‘out’ of the case, meaning you never leave anything behind! A concept that I really love.
Not only this, there are also pockets and bands all over it for your bits and bobs and brushes. Pockets are featured on the outside of the bag, and also 1 on the inside of the bag. There are 8 bands for your brushes and other cosmetics. I usually squeeze a mascara or a lipgloss in there.
For the regular travellers out there, I really recommend The Flat Lay Co make up bag. You can put plenty of cosmetics in there and it does fold up well and keeps everything together. And the bonus of not needing to take things ‘out’ of the bag means that you shouldn’t ever leave anything in your AirBnb or hotel.
This Vegan Mum 