MISS HOLLY P
A BIT OF ME . A BIT OF FOOD . A BIT OF WINE
beauty

Taking Care in the Sun

Going on holiday and lucky summer heat waves are the best thing ever but the sun is no joke! When you are young without a care in the world it’s so easy to think that you’re invincible and nothing will ever affect you but as someone who is only 30 and was a serious goth for about 10 years so avoided the sun and showing any flesh I still have managed some pretty bad sun damage on my face when I have always thought I have been pretty careful. Working in beauty for almost ten years has given me the fortunate advantage to really understand the importance of sun protection, how it works and what to look for in your products. There’s so many misunderstandings so I’m here to share some easy facts to follow, along with the products that I have grabbed for my upcoming holiday in Mexico! The sun is definitely there to be enjoyed and using some caution, good products and being aware can ensure a beautiful tan and lower risk of sun damage, burning and worst case scenario skin cancer. 

  • First fact- you can not top up an SPF, the highest one takes president and that’s regardless of if it is on top, bottom or alone. So- if you wear an SPF 10 and then put on an SPF 20 you will still have an SPF 20 protection not SPF 30 (SPF10 + 20). Similarly if you have on an SPF 20 then put on top and SPF 10 even though the SPF 10 is on top you’ll still have an SPF 20 protection. Highest number wins.
  • You can still be harmed by the sun through clothing, glass and water. These will all filter and offer some protection from UVA and UVB rays but not completely so you may want to still consider an SPF is exposed for prolonged periods of time. 
  • ‘I tan easily therefore I don’t need an SPF’- wrong tanning is still the sun damaging your skin although it may not be burning it is still exposed to the harmful rays of the sun with no protection. 
  • ‘I wear foundation so I don’t need to protect my face’ – wrong- foundation although providing coverage will not protect you from the suns UVA and UVB rays, wear an SPF under your makeup if you want to wear makeup in the sun

So my advice when looking for skincare products, look for the products with the 5 star protection or PA+++ protection, these are a generally the highest broad spectrum protection and filter the UVA and UVB rays. The easiest way to understand and remember what these rays do is UVA = Aging, UVB = Burning.

I really can’t afford to spend a lot of money on sun cream and I don’t think its necessary if the protection is right, of course on holiday having a nice tan is lovely but safety for the skin is really important too. From my research Asda’s own range came out extremely highly rated and affordable too. I went to the store and grabbed myself a selection of products for me and partner to use on holiday! For the great price of £16 I got everything we’ll need on holiday which I’ll share with you!

 

For the Face

Having products specifically designed for the face can be really helpful to work in harmony with your skin, I always opt for a facial protection as I am prone to breakouts and they tend to be less greasy!

SPF 50 anti-aging Q10 face protect- 5 star protection, dermatalogically tested and UVB tested! £2.50

SPF 50 Lip balm (the only product not from ASDA, £1 from Primark- if you’ve never experienced burnt lips thank me later, it’s the worst thing ever)

For the Body

SPF 50 refreshing clear sun spray £2.39

SPF 30 cooling clear sun mist £3.50

SPF 10 sun oil £2.39

All these products are water resistant, 5 star protection- even the low SPF oil which is really good as these products often don’t have that, UVB tested, dermatologically tested and I think the most 

For After 

There’s nothing more satisfying when your skin has that tight post sun feel to slap on some cooling after sun, but which do you choose? Aloe vera to soothe and cool or tan prolonger to be an even more bronzed goddess? For 2 quid each I went for both!

After sun spray with Aloe Vera £2.00

After sun lotion with tan prolonger £2.00

So all in all it looks like a really promising range! Price- good, reviews- good, product stats- good! Once Im back from my holiday I will update you all on how they worked!

On top of using sun protection products other essentials for staying safe in the sun is obviously staying extremely hydrated, particularly if you are drinking in the sun too and using something to shade your face and head like a good hat or visor. Like I mentioned before the rays of the sun can still harm through clothing and hats. My recommendation for a good hat would be to take a visit over to Wallaroo Hats– they have an amazing selection of UPF 50+ fabric hats which blocks 97.5% of UV Rays, they are approved and recommended by Skin Cancer Foundation, many are scrunchable and packable and the do mens, women’s, child and baby so you can protect the whole family! Protecting your head in the sun can also help prevent the utterly unpleasant sun stroke too on top of all the other sun damaging elements I have already touched on! Here’s a few of my favourites from Wallaroo Hats! 

 

Gorgeous aren’t they! Nearly all of the products come in different colours so there is something for everyone! Head over to their website here to find your next holiday hat!

 

Thanks so much for reading! I hope I have helped prevent some lobster burnt days on the beach and can help you enjoy some lovely summer days with great tans!

Bon voyage!

H x

anxiety

Bimuno Review

I applied for a blogger assignment to test out and give an honest review of Bimuno Daily, IBAID and Travel-aid. After reading numerous studies and articles and seeing the outcome of test results proving that in many cases healthy gut bacteria can be linked to weight and weight loss specifically in how your body can burn fat and its ability to I was very keen to try it! Gut bacteria has many more benefits than just what I have already mentioned, its also linked to a general sense of well being, can reduce anxiety, improve poor sleep patterns too not to mention relieving many symptoms of IBS and digestive discomfort such as bloating, constipation and diarrhoea.

I was sent 3 different products!

First up- Bimuno Daily- Bimuno daily is a sachet which is something that I believe all people could happily fit in to their routine and benefit from. I have many IBS symptoms, regular discomfort after eating certain foods, irregular bowel movement (apologies if TMI) and frequent bloating. I was sent 1 months supply off Bimuno and in this time of taking as religiously as I could (I did miss a few days where I forgot etc) I really noticed a difference in the regularity of my digestive system. In addition to this I have been on a weight loss journey for 4 years now and had recently stagnated my loss. Since starting these my metabolic age significantly dropped (from 39 to 26 FINALLY lower than my actual age) and in addition to my regular calorie controlled diet and regular work outs I shifted the most stubborn half a stone of weight that I had been really holding on to and reached my goal weight. The amount of comments I received about how different my shape looked was unbelievable too considering the lack there of for the first 4 stone it was crazy how many people started commenting. Unfortunately I have no real way of proving that it is solely down to this supplement but it really was the only change that I made to my routine which is and has been quite regimented for some time. I’m 100% going to reorder the daily sachet. Whether it has been responsible or not for the new ease in shifting weight it undoubtedly helped my digestive system which has been a thorn in my side for years. I used it in loads of different ways, by adding it to my overnight oats, by mixing it into my protein shakes, just adding it to water! The only advice they said is to aim to take it around a similar time each day- I opted for morning. Also just a little note these are vegetarian and gluten free however the contain lactose so are not vegan.

 

IBaid- IBaid is a pastille chewy type sweet which specifically target those with more IBS related symptoms and diagnosed IBS. They are easy to administer into your routine being a tasty chew but unfortunately I didn’t notice a huge difference and I was already experiencing the amazing benefits to the daily sachet! My dad suffers really bad from IBS so I’m going to pass them onto him and see how he gets on!

 

Travelaid- Travelaid is also a pastille which is designed to help keep your digestion comfortable when traveling abroad when different ingredients and water PH etc can seriously mess with people. You can start taking 7 days prior to travel or when away if necessary. I have just returned from Turkey and did the 7 days before and carried on with my sachets when I was there. Zero issues to report in the toilet department so this one gets a thumbs up from me and is one to consider if your tummy is sensitive to foreign introductions to the diet.

 

To conclude, Bimuno is a great brand of supplements carefully thought out and although its great the have the IBaid and Travelaid pastilles the daily powder sachet is such a fabulous product that it should cover such a cross section of issues anyone can benefit from it! Find out more on the brand or order yours HERE

 

Has anyone else tried these and got any thoughts?

 

Thanks for reading,

 

H x

 

blog

Travel review: Ikos Olivia

I did a lot of research before booking Ikos Olivia as there’s so much choice out there for all inclusive holidays and hotels and I didn’t wanna be disappointed but I was sold on the 50% discount in the Love Holidays January sale and the 5/5 Trip Advisor rating, not to mention the Trip Advisor list which named it the #1 all inclusive resort in Europe and #2 in the world!! I was not disappointed. Let me start by making a bold statement… This is the BEST place I’ve ever been in my life.

IMG_3883So who’s it for?

I went with Jamie my boyfriend and for couples it was perfect, there was a lot of couples there and young families with babies, a few groups of friends but clearly there to relax. Lets get something straight if you’re looking for somewhere to party this is not it. There is plenty to do for kids if you’re looking to go as a family with various different options of sports activities, learning to dive in the pool, free pedalos, evening theatre entertainment, kids club nights, kids tables in the restaurants so you can have some adult time as well as kids day time activities too and a creche.

My personal favorite things to do are eat, drink and chill (even better when all at the same time) and that is what it was perfect for.

The Hotel 

Upon arriving for our transfer you can tell the quality from the second you approach. The beautiful modern hotel stands tall in its grandeur with a big fountain outside, huge storm lanterns with candles in and lovely potted trees all lined in perfect regiment against the marble. Unlike many 5 start locations in certain countries this certainly rivals any UK hotel in quality. The welcome at reception included glass of fizz and a very warm welcome from the front desk staff. We arrived late so we went straight to our room. We upgraded at the time of booking to a panoramic sea view junior suite. The room was beautiful. Marble floors, high ceilings, mirrored furniture, neutral decor with turquoise blue Greek accent tones, perfectly clean, massive bed, luxurious bed linen, big double balcony, lush bathroom. What more could I need? They even had a snack waiting in our room!!

So whats included in your all inclusive?

Everything! Premium drinks, all food, 24 hour room service, minibar (restocked daily) bottles of wine, cocktails, wine (full on bottles like in a restaurant), dining out at 3 local restaurants in the village too!

The food and Drink

 The hotel has 5 restaurants, 4 of which are A la Carte. There is Provence which is French, Ouzo Greek traditional, Fusco Italian and Anaya which is Asian then also Flavors which is the buffet restaurant. Booking is required for a la carte and the hotel has its own app which you can download to book, I would recommend booking your a la carte dining on the first day for the duration of your stay, you can cancel or change but these do only have limited availability so it’s better to do to avoid disappointment. You can eat a l carte as much as you wish and when you are at the restaurants its hard to believe that it’s all inclusive. Each restaurant has a sommelier, a proper wine list where you can order but the bottle from a selection of wines carefully chosen to pair from worldwide destinations, a full menu and the quality is not skimped in the least. All the staff are so knowledgable and friendly and happy to make recommendations, my 2 favorite restaurants were Ouzo where everything was incredible. I recommend the shrimp starter and the lamb kleftiko and Provence where the mussel starter was divine and I had the most exquisite dessert I’ve ever had- pistachio creme brule! Also to mention each restaurant has a separate vegetarian menu and gluten free menu.

Even Flavors the buffet restaurant was incredible, we ate here almost everyday for breakfast although Provence does breakfast too as a continental buffet with a small made to order menu. The lovely thing about Flavours is they had really put thought into every detail of this to cover all the requirements of the guests such as- vegan butter, soya milk, gluten free bread! The food here too was wonderful and the selection immense. This was very well quality controlled with dishes constantly being rotated to remain fresh. The had dishes to indulge and an incredibly wide selection also if you are watching your weight. We also ate lunch here many days too as its next to the beach but Provence and Ouzo also do a smaller lunch and late afternoon snacks.

If you like a more impromptu dining experience and don’t like to be set to times there is a snack menu which is served all day and gets brought to you on the beach or by the pool and has thing like burgers and sandwiches on which are tasty too.

Drinks wise there is a full cocktail list which gorgeous cocktails served with premium spirits with all the correct glassware- not a disposable plastic cup or parasol in sight!! The bar staff had a great knowledge also and were happy to let me deviate off the menu and made me espresso martinis and classic martinis.

In reception there is a list also of the entertainment in the bars each night and some of the singers we heard were fabulous and definitely worth going to see.

The Spa

The Spa is a beautiful spa, the second you walk in the aroma just hits you and relaxes you straight away, this is where the gym is, sauna, steam room and indoor pool is located as well as where you have any treatments which are booked at additional cost. The treatments are not cheap and off the top of my head the massages start at around 100€, I did opt to have a couple as I think I had drank the entire value of my holiday in cocktails. I had the Exquisite Miracle Eyes which is a treatment solely focus on the rejuvenation of the eye area as my eyes were looking a little weathered which was lovely and had 20% off and the Anti-fatigue Remedy massage which was also beautiful. Although pricey it was a lovely addition to my trip and was the only money I spent all week so I was really happy. Theresa my therapist was very calming and lovely and really tailored the treatments to my needs.

I also used the gym a few times when I was there and it had all the equipment you could need for a basic workout of cardio and weights. There is also a selection of classes included too which include yoga, core and much more!

 

What else is there to do?

There is a daily excursion too available for guests which you can book in reception at Guest Relations. The only one we did was the local market. Please note this is a very rustic market selling local wares to local people and is not in a tourist area at all, the excursion leaves you for about 3 hours and we were done way before that and were a little lost for what to do and got the same impression from other people on the trip too. The mini-mart on site sells many of the same things if you need gifts such as souvenirs, olive oil and spices etc. This was the only trip we did.

Down at the beach there is also the option of hiring equipment for water sports, my boyfriend treated us to a speed boat for 2 hours which you take out completely independently! This was amazing!! A real treat at 200€ for 2 hours but I absolutely loved it and would highly recommend, we sailed all the way across the bay to a completely secluded area overlooking cliffs and forest, it really was exhilarating and great to try driving the boat!!

IMG_3907

Just a couple of final details which I know are important to some of you travelers- wifi is everywhere and so good I could watch Netflix on the beach and there is adult only areas at each pool and on the beach too if you like a little grown up time.

Thanks for reading, I hope this has been a help if you’re considering Ikos Olivia as a holiday destination! Keep your eyes peeled for those deals!

All my love, H x

Cocktails

London Luxury on a budget- Eating and drinking

When going to London there are many different places to go and see and sometimes it can be a real struggle to not end up in a chain or a tourist trap if you aren’t familiar with whats going on around you. The struggle is also real when wanting to live the lifestyle of your fave celebs and stars of instagram with what looks like endless days of wining, dining and living it up.

I’ve popped together a little guide of some tried and tested places that I’ve been that shouldn’t break the bank.

So for me the staple to any day out revolves around eating and with the choice around London making a decision on one place to go can be tricky. It’s amazing how many people that I’ve spoken to even my friends who live there who don’t know about the Book A Table- Star Deals. This is quite literally where I begin to plan my trip for either lunch or dinner. There is something on the for most tastes and price ranges and if you’re a real foodie or have a taste for the finer things Michelin star restaurants are frequently included and lots of beautiful places that are definitely a must see at least once like Aqua Shard and other restaurants in the Shard. If the choice is still too much I have never been disappointed by relying on good old Trip Advisor to find the quality in the quantity.

I have eaten in the Northall restaurant at the Corinthia hotel twice on their 3 course menu including champagne for £35 and more recently ate at Roux at The Landau for the same 3 courses with champagne for £38. Sadly Michel Roux JR was not there but it did excite me as a foodie and film lover geek that it was where Burnt was filmed (loser, I know)  Both are absolutely stunning restaurants in even more stunning hotels, the staff and service is just incredible and you feel like nothing short of royalty. The Artesian bar in the Langham where Roux is was once classed the #1 cocktail bar in the world and is fab if you want something a little different.

 

One deal thats always on there that has amazing reviews is steak, lobster and a cocktail plus a £50 betting chip at the Heliot steakhouse above the Hippodrome casino for £20!! So  you could actually leave full of surf ‘n’ turf better off!!

 

Then there is that most wonderfully relaxing meal that chilled out weekends are made for B R U N C H. For me- someone who definitely enjoys the happy times in life with a drink to go with it- brunch is just breakfast without a glass of fizz! Bottomless brunch hasn’t hit the doors of Norwich yet sadly so is something that I very much look forward to when having a weekend morning in the big smoke. If this sounds right up your street and you wanna research further there is an amazing website which will narrow down all your drinking needs and specifically has a page for boozy brunches- Design My Night so have a browse.

I have tried a couple and they are both opposite ends of the spectrum…

Villandry– Great Portland Street and St.James you get here free flowing prosecco, OJ, 2 rounds of tea and coffee, a brunch meal, a freshly baked pastry and a cake from their in house patisserie and 2 hours to do it in which is definitely long enough to really get your moneys worth on the bubbly. £35. Villandry is a really pretty Parisian style cafe bar and is definitely a lovely one if you’re out with the girls or other prosecco enthusiasts! Served Saturday and Sunday 12-4pm

The Big Easy– This is totally the opposite end of the spectrum and if you hit the name link it will take you to the menu because this one is an absolute gut-buster if you want it to be. If you choose the BBQ option not only are your drinks free flowing (Prosecco, house wine or lager) but the bbq is bottomless too!! Alternatively you can also have a whole lobster and fries and its all for £29.50. This one I went to with my boyfriend and definitely had more of an atmosphere that a lad would enjoy. I happily enjoyed my lobster and fries with a few glasses of Prosecco and Jamie had a feast of unlimited meat and beer so we were both happy and no accusations of getting dragged around ‘girly’ places. Saturday and Sunday 9-5 and kids even eat free too!! I believe this is only available at the Covent Garden and Canary Wharf branches and not Kings road.

 

Then one of my absolute favorite hidden gems.The Wright Brothers Oyster House every day 7 days a week all branches of The Wright Brothers do an oyster happy hour where oysters are £1 each between 3 and 6pm. That it literally a fraction of the price you would pay ANYWHERE else and they are so delicious. I normally go to the Kingly Court branch just off Carnaby and it always has a great buzz if you sit out the back in the court. Our bill came to literally £25 for a dozen oysters, beer and Prosecco which is under half what you would pay up the road at the Selfridges oyster bar!!

 

These are a few of my favorite places to go when I’m in London if I’m looking to feel special and experience something  lovely and not break the bank! I can’t wait to try more book-a-table deals in the future!

 

Do any of you lovely lot have any tips of places to go? Or any of these places your favorites too?

Love H x