Glazed Apple Tin Of Treasures - Christmas Gift Review

Christmas is just around the corner, a time full of fun, festivities and family, but every single year without fail you end up having no idea what to buy for some of your relatives and friends... This is where I come in! I'll be buying and reviewing an assortment of Christmas gifts so you get a better idea of what - and not - to buy!

★★★

The first product I am reviewing is the Glazed Apple Tin of Treasures from The Body Shop!

It costs £17 normally but there are currently lots of offers and discount codes which allow you to get it much cheaper (I got it for £12). For this £17, you get 5 Glazed Apple themed products:

    ★ Glazed Apple shower gel 60ml

    ★ Glazed Apple body polish 75ml

    ★ Glazed Apple body shimmer lotion 60ml

    ★ Glazed Apple body butter 50ml

    ★ Green mini crinkle bath lily

Tin: 

  When this product arrived the first thing I noticed was the tin/packaging which, like all Body Shop packaging, was super pretty and really high quality.

It's designed in the shape of an apple and although this packaging choice would seem obvious for an apple themed set I think it is a really cute and clever idea!

My favourite part is that it's really useful; you can store pretty much anything in it or even just use it as a cute decoration in your room, because honestly it is adorable!

10/10 for packaging/ presentation!

Shower Gel:

  I'm super fussy about shower gels, and by that I mean I physically can't bring myself to use one if I don't like something about it. Luckily though, this shower gel is SO GOOD. It smells exactly like a sweet sugar coated apple and after a shower the scent lingers on your skin for hours - which for a lover of sweet scents is amazing! I sometimes just smell my arms or the bottle because oh my gosh the smell is just fab.

Finally, the gel lathers up really well so you don't need to use a lot each time (unless you want to of course!)

The only disappointing part is that it's absolutely tiny. 60ml of this gel won't last me long at all, especially as it is so good. Although, I do understand why they've only put in a small bottle; it is in a gift set after all!

9/10

Body Polish:

  Just like the gel, the body polish leaves your skin smelling like sweet sugar apples, (or as I like to call it, absolute deliciousness) and is also a great exfoliator. All you have to do is rub it in to your skin in circular motions whilst in the shower and then rinse for silky smooth skin!

This is one of the best polishes I've used. It's lovely and really good if you have any quite rough patches of skin you want to get rid of.

8/10

Body Shimmer Lotion:

  This body lotion can be used at any time but is especially effective when your skin is damp. (eg. after a shower or bath) It's a light moisturiser which, like the polish, makes your skin softer and smoother.

As it is only a light-weight moisturiser it won't be super effective on dry skin but if you feel like your skin is lacking a little bit of smoothness, this'll do the trick.

My favourite thing about this is that after application it gives your skin a slight shimmer which is super festive!

8/10

Body Butter:

  This is probably my least favourite product in the gift set as it doesn't quite smell like the others. It still smells mainly of glazed apple but also smells quite strongly of shea butter which - although nice - doesn't really go with the apple scent.

Other than that this butter is lovely and softening to the skin!

7/10

Overall:
  This is a perfect Christmas gift for family members who are lovers of pampering and sweet festive scents. As it is quite expensive I would  recommend buying it for family rather than friends, but it's completely up to you.

★★★

Hope this makes buying Christmas gifts a little bit easier!

Stay golden

Claire
x

Change!

WOAH! Where are you? This isn't Sprinkle Of Claire!

Well my friend, welcome to the new and improved Sprinkle of Claire... A Glint of Gold! (I basically got bored of the old name and design so I thought I'd reinvent this blog!)

Look out for new and unique posts, and maybe a video or two on occasion!

I hope you like the new name and layout as much as I do but it's not quite finished yet so just bare with me :)

Stay golden!

- Claire x

Wishlist Wednesday - Dresses

Hello my sprinkles!

During summer I usually stick to wearing boring old shorts and I'm definitely guilty of not being adventurous with my clothing, so I have set myself a goal to wear more dresses this year. To help me along with finding dresses I love, this will be a themed wishlist! I will definitely be doing more these in the future so look out for them.

1. New look cap sleeve floral lace skater dress - ASOS, £22.99
This dress caught my eye as it's a very floaty and light; perfect for summer! I would definitely wear it during warm summer days with a pair of gladiator sandals.

2. Mandi mint green crochet contrast floral print skater dress - New Look, £24
As soon as I saw this dress I loved it. The contrast of the block colour of the top half and the floral pattern of the skirt works perfectly and it just screams summer. The black belt which separates the two contrasts also compliments the dress brilliantly!

3. Peekaboo scuba skater dress by Jovanna - Topshop, £50
This dress is definitely more of a party dress than anything. I love the shape of it and although it's a pastel shade I think it would still look really pretty during summer.

4. Mini sundress with scoop back - ASOS £20
This is such a gorgeous day dress; it's basic and casual but I love it. There's not much else to say about it other than if I buy this, I have to get the flower crown the model is wearing to go with it!

5. Felicity contrast collar skater dress - Boohoo, £15
A Wishlist Wednesday isn't complete without at least one collared item and today I chose this one! The contrast of the vibrant pink with the white collar is so effective and overall I just love it. There were lots of other colours this dress came in but I decided for the bright pink as it was the most summery.

6. Light blue palm tree print denim pinafore dress - New Look, £22.99
I've never been big on pinafores, yet alone pinafore dresses, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that they are actually really pretty! I think this one would look lovely with just a plain white tee underneath and is great for everyday summer wear.

7. Yumi lace belted dress - Next, £45
I don't know why but I just really love laced dresses at the moment so that's why this has managed to sneak in here as well as number 1! Although this dress is rather dark for summer I think it would still look really pretty on a warm day.

 8. Wide striped flared dress - Zara, £35.99
I'm not really a big fan of how this looks on this model but when looking at the other pictures of the dress on the Zara website I decided I liked it. It isn't very summery but not all of the dresses on this wishlist have to be for summer, right?

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I hope you enjoyed this quick dresses wishlist! Don't forget to comment and follow if you enjoyed :)

DIY Face Scrub

Hello sprinkles!

I've been absolutely loving face scrubs and masks the past month but instead of going out and spending lots of money on them, I've been making them myself using recipes my mum told me about! The ingredients for all the scrubs and masks can be found in your kitchen cupboards and they all leave your face feeling silky smooth and refreshed!

Today I will be showing you one of the recipes I found out about, it's a natural face scrub made of banana and sugar that re-nourishes, hydrates and exfoliates your face!

You will need:
-1 Ripe Banana
-50g Brown Sugar
-50g Granulated Sugar

Method:

1. Measure out 50g of brown sugar and 50g of granulated sugar using weighing scales. Put a food bag inside the bowl so that you don't have to wash up the scales when finished.

2. Peel the banana and place on a chopping board. Using a knife, (doesn't have to be a sharp one) cut the banana into smaller pieces so they are easier to mash.

3. Put the chopped banana into a mixing bowl.

4. Using a fork, mash the banana up until it's smooth. Make sure that there are no big lumps as when applied to your face lumps are not pleasant!

It doesn't look very nice right now xD

5. Add all the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the mixing bowl and mix until they have blended into a paste

6. Apply the scrub by massaging the paste onto your face using two fingers.

7. Leave the scrub on your face for 15 minutes and once done rinse it off using warm water

This is one of my favourite scrubs to use because even though it can be a bit sticky it leaves your face feeling silky soft, hydrated and just plain re-nourished for ages afterwards!

...

I hope you enjoyed this DIY face scrub tutorial, I will definitely be doing more of these in the future.

Baby Lips Review

Hello sprinkles!

My baby lips addiction is pretty much as big as addictions can get and I'm at the point where I can't leave my house without at least one on me, I just can't - it usually ends up with me bringing 2 or 3 with me just for good measure! So who better to review the collection than an addict who knows pretty much everything there is to know about them?

Incase you didn't already know, baby lips are a collection of tinted and flavoured lip balms from Maybelline that specialise in rehydrating your lips so they feel (and look) softer. Currently there are 6 different balms available in England and they range from fresh flavours to fruity flavours to just plain hydration; hopefully there will be more released shortly to fuel my addiction! All 6 of the balms offer SPF 20 which will be very handy in the summer months when it will *hopefully* be sunny and warm!

Cherry me

Cherry me tastes and smells exactly like delicious cherries and shares the beautiful red colour of a ripe cherry too. When applied, cherry me gives you a gorgeous glossy sheer red tint, which is ideal if you are not a fan of wearing bold reds on your lips, but you can build it up with a couple of quick coats to get a deep red. It also gives very good moisture (similar to the Nivea lip balms) and definitely leaves my lips feeling softer for a good few hours.

Intense care

Intense care is a colourless balm that has a very light tropical scent which I absolutely love. Unfortunately the scent only sticks around for a few minutes after the balm is applied.

Contrary to the name, this balm actually doesn't have any extra hydrating qualities compared to the others, which is rather disappointing. You would have expected a balm named 'Intense care' to offer intense care and hydration but apparently not; it even shares the exact same ingredients as baby lips hydration! (Although I definitely prefer this)

Pink punch

Pinky punch is an extremely vibrant balm, both in colour and in taste. By that I mean it is exploding with different fruity flavours (just like fruit punch) and is just so so yummy! The colour is a bright pink which has a lovely sheen when applied and is also very pigmented.

Minty fresh

Minty fresh is a colourless balm that tastes almost exactly like polos. (I've previously conducted an experiment to prove this) It is very refreshing and is definitely my go to balm for everyday hydration. You can even feel it working as you get a slight tingling sensation on your lips!

Hydration

Hydration is definitely my least favourite out of all the balms; although it's name is hydration I feel that it only gives you a light surface moisture and hydration which wears off very quickly. I'm not a fan of the scent either, I think it was meant to be berry (which I can very lightly smell) but the sun screen in it is too overpowering and you loose the original scent. You can also taste the sun screen in this one which is not nice.

Peach kiss

I'm not going to bother telling you what this tastes like because I'm pretty sure you can work it out for yourself. (hint: its peach) When applied to your lips this balm has a pretty nude tint with a slightly shimmered finish. It's a very subtle balm but I find that it actually compliments my skin tone wonderfully!

April empties

Hello sprinkles!

April has been and gone in a flash, so I thought it was only appropriate to do a April empties post! I was originally going to do an April favourites but it seems that everyone has decided to do that and I have finished a lot of products this month anyway!

Let's get started!

1. Soap and Glory Sugar Crush body wash

I'm notoriously choosy when it comes to body washes and for some reason I can never bring myself to use one if I don't like something about it. That means it can be very risky for me to buy a reasonably expensive body wash like this because if I don't like it, it doesn't matter that it cost me a lot, I. Just. Won't. Use. It.

Fortunately I love everything about this wash and without a doubt will repurchase it; the scent of the wash is light and citrusy, and for me was just so delicious and refreshing! It's also a very thick and creamy body wash which lathers up extremely well.

I've found that after showers this leaves my skin feeling so soft, silky and moisturised that I often skip moisturising my skin altogether! (This is also down to my laziness, but shush you!)

2. Impulse Love Puzzle body spray

Like pretty much everyone else in the world I love the impulse sprays, they're all really good quality but are cheap too! My most recent run out (there have been alot this month) is this lovely 

fragrance, Love Puzzle. Love Puzzle is a limited edition spray and is one of my favourites; it's got a very fruity scent but also smells like fresh flowers, so I guess it has a floral scent. (Can a smell be floral? I don't know, but it can be now!)

Finally, lets all take a moment to appreciate the absolutely gorgeous packaging...  Have you appreciated the packaging yet? Good, moving on!

3. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has been my saviour for over a year now. I have trouble getting to sleep so I put a drop of this onto my temples and under my nose, it helps me to relax and fall into a peaceful sleep! If you find it takes you ages to drop off, I would definitely recommend you get your hands on this stuff. Plus, if you like baths you can add one or two drops of this into your tub to have an even more relaxing bath!

4. Collection Lasting Perfection concealer

*Surprise surprise* the collection concealer made it's way into another of my posts, although, you can hardly tell that's what it is because all the labelling has rubbed off!

I don't really have anything else to say other than that this is the best concealer I have ever used; it provides really good coverage and I will definitely be rebuying it!

5. Perfume testers!

This is a bit of a weird one, but I have been loving perfume testers this past month. (blame my sister for giving me loads) I have particularly being loving the above three, which is why they're in my empties post! They are all rather fruity and 'floral' scents, and I'm extremely tempted to buy the actual perfumes!

What I love most about testers is that you can just pop them in your pocket or bag and spray them whenever you feel like you need to; convenience is key!

♥ ♥ ♥ 

And there you have it, my April Empties!

Creme Egg Easter Bunny | Tutorial!

Hello my sprinkles!

A few days ago I showed you how to make cute Creme Egg Easter Chicks and I promised that I would show you how to make the Easter Bunny too, and as I am one not to disappoint, here you are! Like I said in my last post I hope you enjoy reading, making and eating!

Click here to read the tutorial to make the Easter Chick

You will need:
-Cadbury Creme Eggs
-125g Marzipan (for each treat)
-Rich Tea Biscuits
-Yellow Food Colouring
-Chocolate Sprinkles
-White and Milk Chocolate Balls

Method:

1. Cut approximately 125g marzipan from the packet and then split it unevenly into three; the largest piece (which will make the body) should be about 2/4 of the marzipan and the other two pieces should be 1/4. The other two bits are for the head and for the 'details' eg. ears, paws and a carrot'

I used too much marzipan for the body and head so
that's why there isn't a carrot and paws yet :)

2. Squish the largest ball flat so that it can easily wrap around the creme egg, if you need guidence for this step just put the egg in the middle and flatten from there!

3. Place the now marzipan wrapped creme egg on top of the rich tea biscuit, and then place the small ball on top of that to make the head.

4. Now, if you haven't already, mould two ears to place on the rabbits head! Make sure that they aren't too tall because if they are they'll just fall off.

5. Push the ears slightly into the rabbits head until they are secured.

6. Your creation is now starting to look like a bunny so you will need to mould two small paws to go on the front of the rabbit. They need to be the shape of small ovals:

Now lightly push them into the front of the body until they stay.

7. Mould two larger ovals for the feet, one foot should roughly be about the size of the two paws. Now attach them to the bottom of the body and biscuit.

8. What's the rabbit missing now? That's right! A carrot! For the carrot you will need to pour 2 drops of yellow food colouring into a bowl, mould a carrot shape and then dip it into the colouring. Roll the carrot around in your palms until the carrot has equal coverage.

If you have any green food colouring (I didn't) you can pour 1 drop into a small bowl and dye the carrot top!

9. Attach the carrot to your Easter bunny! There's two places where you could put the carrot, in between its paws to make it look like it's holding it or resting on one of it's feet.

10. Grab 2 milk chocolate balls and push them lightly into the rabbits head, these are it's eyes!

11. Next take 1 white chocolate ball and push it into the middle of the face. This is the rabbits nose!

12. Finally, take some chocolate sprinkles and make the rabbits mouth and whiskers.

♥ ♥ ♥ 

Step 13. is to tuck in! Hope you have a Happy Easter; don't eat too much chocolate :)