If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that I adore green tea and have been drinking it for the past few years; not just because I like it, but because it's supposed to have quite a few health and skincare benefits too.
The other week I wrote about Twinings Double Mint Sensation and jovially remarked that Twinings were welcome to send me free tea to write about in the future. (Tea Fans, you can read that post here)...
...Well, Twinings happened to stumble across that post and very, very kindly sent out some samples out to me! So, today I'll be writing about three different flavours of Twinings Sweet Green Teas!
All three of these teas were released in Feburary this year, specifically aimed at those who disliked drinking green tea purely because of the bitter taste. So if you've ever tried green tea before and didn't like the bitterness, these new flavours are definitely for you!
Gingerbread*
My initial reaction upon opening the sachet was: 'Oooh!', because it smells AMAZING! Just like proper gingerbread.
Upon drinking, the ginger notes became quite subtle but also wonderfully sweet and spicy. I genuinely kept on sniffing the tea whilst I was drinking it - it smelled that nice - It was like the smell you get when you've opened the oven after baking heaps of gingerbread men!
It's made with real ginger pieces and golden syrup flavouring... So the taste is gentle, spicy and sweet all in one. It's lovely!
Salted Caramel*
This was a tad too sweet for me, but don't let that put you off trying it...It's still a lovely tea!
It's seriously sweet, but also with a slight salty kick to it... This is perfect for those who have a super-sweet tooth, because this tea will really satisfy that!
It's seriously sweet, but also with a slight salty kick to it... This is perfect for those who have a super-sweet tooth, because this tea will really satisfy that!
Caramelised Apple*
This is definitely my favourite of the three. As soon as I poured the water into my mug, the overwhelming smell of apple hit me. It reminded me so much of the gorgeous aroma of toffee apples that you get at fairs.
It tasted a little like Twinings Apple and Pear green tea (which I can sadly never find in shops anymore...) but with a lovely sweet kick to it. There's also a trace of cinnamon; which adds a little hint of spice to the lovely apple-y notes of the tea!
As an aside, Twinings state that all three of these teas should only be brewed for a maximum of two minutes, so that the delicate flavours aren't lost... (That's after you spend ages smelling the teabags like I did, because they smell so nice and I'm a bit odd).
You can buy these teas for £2.49 a box, or if you want to try before you buy a full box, you can purchase an individual envelope of the tea for the mere price of 25p... Which is frankly a bargain!
So if you fancy giving any of these tasty teas a try, you can buy them directly from Twinings Online Shop by clicking here. Go on, you know you want to!
I received this in my August Glossybox and promised to write about it properly! So here you are...
It's worth noting, before I start rambling, that I only received a sample size tube. The full-sized tub is much bigger than the tube in my pictures!
This is a pre-conditioning treatment; so you pop it on your hair before you shampoo. It's specifically designed for damaged hair; to rejuvenate it and give your locks more bounce and elasticity. (Hence the name...) It's packed full of oils, silicone and Elastin to keep your barnet in better condition.
Apparently this was made especially for Audrey Hepburn; so surely it's good? She asked Philip Kingsley to make a product that would keep her hair looking healthy and shiny after it was coloured regularly during her film career.
This product seems to receive universal positive reviews, but you know how critical I can be... My hair did feel much softer after using it and it was definitely less frizzy; but it didn't do much in the way of detangling - My mane can be hard to tame at the best of times, so it would literally be a miracle product if it detangled too!
As an aside, something that surprised me was that there was no scent to the product. I'm so used to haircare products having various different scents, that it was a bit weird at first... And, apparently, Elasticizer also gives your locks UV protection, which is great if you're basking in the sun on your holidays or live in warmer climes! (Lucky you...)
As an aside, something that surprised me was that there was no scent to the product. I'm so used to haircare products having various different scents, that it was a bit weird at first... And, apparently, Elasticizer also gives your locks UV protection, which is great if you're basking in the sun on your holidays or live in warmer climes! (Lucky you...)
It costs £28 for a full-size (150ml) tub, which is quite expensive, isn't it? I'm not sure that I could justify spending that much money on a pre-conditioning treatment regularly. This was the original product of its type, but there are a range of alternatives out there; many of which are cheaper if you're on a budget...
To apply: You wet your hair, apply evenly, work it into your hair, then cover your head with a shower cap (or cling film) and leave it for 10 to 20 minutes before washing out and washing your hair as normal.
Adding another step to your haircare routine isn't ideal if you're always in a morning rush like me. However, you can also use this as an overnight hair mask too. To do that: damp your hair slightly, apply a blob of Elasticizer through your hair and wash out in the morning.
It's recommended that you use the product a minimum of once a week to give it the maximum effect. Twice a week if you've got processed curly or frizzy hair.
If you read yesterday's post, you'll probably understand what on earth I'm about to talk about. If you didn't, click here to catch up!
Sam Pepper is in deep trouble. His latest three videos have led to an abysmal decline in popularity and reputation. Firstly, he groped some girls. Secondly, he got a girl to grope some boys. Thirdly, he came out and said: 'It was all a social experiment, guys!'
Whether or not he's saying that just to cover his back, I don't know... However, he didn't apologise, he didn't elaborate and he certainly failed to acknowledge everything that was kicking off; instead choosing to tweet several times about pizza... Maybe if he'd have posted the second and third videos earlier, before things had a chance to escalate, none of this would've happened?
I think what he was trying to prove is that people would be less outraged at a man being sexually assaulted. Who would be less outraged? It's still abhorrent to grope anybody you don't know.
Irrespective of gender, groping a stranger is totally unacceptable.
We can only speculate as to whether he was caught out and thought that he'd better try and cover his tracks by claiming it's all an experiment, or whether he'd planned all three videos far in advance.
Essentially this is just one huge ill-judged mess. What's important is that it has highlighted the need to take a stand against both male and female sexual assault. I'll repeat: Irrespective of gender, groping a stranger is totally unacceptable. I'm just not sure that Sam Pepper's done this in the right way; which is why there's understandably such a massive backlash...
I'll be back tomorrow with something a little less serious! I promise!
Unless you spent your weekend in a wi-fi free cave, you've probably heard of the whole debacle involving the YouTuber, Sam Pepper's, latest 'prank'...
It's worth noting that the video has since been deleted from YouTube, however, it's already caused a significant amount of damage to Sam's reputation.
The hashtag 'ReportSamPepper' has been trending at the weekend on an international scale. YouTubers from across the world have also been vocal in opposing this video. Pepper's even been banned from the huge YouTube event VidCon as a result.
Now, don't get me wrong, Pepper may have made a stupid mistake, but he's in the public eye and any mistake is going to be magnified significantly. The fact that he seemingly uses his position as someone who's 'Internet famous' to force himself on random women is a serious issue that needs to be addressed. There's a sense of entitlement that emanates from his videos: That he gets what he wants because he's Sam Pepper of YouTube.
Maybe Sam has totally misjudged this whole situation and genuinely never meant to cause any harm, but the silence that has since prevailed has spoken volumes. He has completely failed to acknowledge anything or, despite a huge Internet backlash, apologise.
In a self-appointed position of fame like he's in, he needs to stand up and be a responsible role-model. What kind of example is he setting to his viewers? 'It's okay to grope women, as long as you say it's a joke!'
I'll be honest, I'd never even heard of him until quite recently. I saw him as a guest on an E4 panel show and they showed a clip of one of his other videos: The one where he wanders the streets kissing random girls. I was a little perplexed by that and I'm not going to lie, I thought it was a little bit iffy.
We shouldn't be living in a world where it's okay to grope random people in the street under the guise of 'comedy'.
It's not funny that at least one of those women featured in the video was visibly distressed. She uttered more than once that she didn't like it... Yet Pepper still uploaded this footage. Why? I've no idea...
...If this video is deemed socially acceptable then it perpetuates the patriarchal myth that women are nothing but sex objects.
Thankfully, the consequent backlash proves that it's not a respectable thing to do and that it definitely won't be tolerated.
To the people who think this is just a harmless joke, imagine it's your mother, sister, girlfriend or daughter that's getting groped by a random stranger. You'd be furious wouldn't you? So why should it be alright if it's in the name of 'comedy'?
I'll calm down now. I promise.
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