Cheat Day Burgers at Patty & Bun

I'm a big believer in eating clean & working out to keep my body looking & feeling the best it can be, but on the days where nothing but an indulgent cheeseburger will do a cheat day/meal has to come into play. As long as you balance out a calorie-fest like this with an active lifestyle, some sessions in the gym & a healthy diet it won't affect your goals & having a flat stomach the next day. 

A couple of weeks ago I headed to Patty&Bun with a few friends & it was probably the best burger I've EVER had & the perfect use of a cheat day.

And yes I hit the gym hard the next day- fuelled through an amazing workout by the creators of 'the ultimate comfort food'!

All three of us went for the 'Ari Gold' cheeseburger with chips & chicken wings to share, washed down with ice cold San Pellegrino lemonade.

The chicken wings  (smoked confit wings with BBQ sauce & spring onions) were INCREDIBLE I would almost go back just for a portion of wings, the most tender melt in your mouth chicken with an awesome sticky glaze.

The cheeseburger (beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickled onions, ketchup, smokey P&B mayo, brioche) was utterly perfect & decadent.

We got to Patty&Bun pretty late (3pm) after having a wander round the shops on Oxford Street. I would definitely recommend going at a similar time after the lunchtime rush as we were able to walk right in & have our pick of a few tables. Anytime 12-2pm & I gather there can be a pretty long queue waiting outside.

Price wise I was really impressed, the meal cost us just £12 each & the staff were lovely & really helpful.

To balance out this indulgent post I have some guilt-free protein goodies coming up this week, think protein banana bread & peanut butter protein cookies!

Harriet x

Review - Lush Hair Products

What's great about going into Lush is that the staff are so knowledgeable and can really help you find what you're looking for. You will definitely need a spare half an hour or so as they can ramble on a bit! I've been looking for the right shampoo & conditioner for ages so I thought I'd give Lush a whirl. When I went in to talk to someone about hair products I found out that Mark Constantine, the co-founder of Lush actually started out as an herbal Trichologist (Trichology is the study of hair and scalp) and that Lush's hair care range is their most extensive. I literally thought all Lush sold was pretty bath bombs! So I had a chat with a lovely shop assistant and came away with Fair Trade Honey Shampoo and Veganese Conditioner.  

Fair Trade Honey Shampoo

This shampoo was recommended for me on the basis that I have quite damaged hair in need of some moisture but is very fine. As you can expect from Lush products it is all completely natural and paraben free (you can check the ingredients list here) and I was told that it is 50% honey. It smells of turkish delight which is quite overpowering when you smell it just from the bottle but actually has a really nice aroma when used in your hair. Because of it's obviously very natural ingredients it doesn't lather too much which makes it quite difficult to spread all the product through my hair - I ended up sectioning my hair in two and using a fair amount at each application. The shop assistant said it would last me about 3 months which it certainly didn't (I do wash my hair most days). However, negatives aside, this shampoo has left my hair soft, manageable and feeling very nourished. It has definitely smoothed out my wispy bits and flyaways and I can much more easily leave my hair to dry and head out without styling. The best thing about this product is that whilst it is making my hair look good I also know it's doing good as I know there are no nasty chemicals in it! I will definitely repurchase but it's not cheap at £7 for just 110g.

Veganese Conditioner

Again because my hair is fine I was recommended a conditioner that is very light that wouldn't weigh my hair down. This conditioner has a very runny consistency. Because my hair is always dry and damaged I normally go for a thick, creamy conditioner so this was a very new experience for me. But as it's quite thin you don't need to use an awful lot as it spreads through the hair nicely. The smell of this product is of fresh lemon grass which is just delicious! The defining ingredient in this conditioner is the agar agar gel which comes from seaweed which is what helps restore dry or frizzy hair. Yet without the presence of lanolin also makes it Lush's lightest conditioner (check the ingredients here). This conditioner is a bit of a revelation for me as my hair feels so soft and moisturised after washing it yet also with a definite "squeaky clean" feeling. I would absolutely recommend this conditioner to anyone who has fine/thin hair. Again, like the shampoo, my gripe with this product is that it doesn't last very long. This product is obviously great for vegans as it doesn't contain lanolin (oil from sheep's wool) and as it happens I'm allergic to lanolin, not that I think my hair minds but it's nice to know it's not there! A little cheaper at £4.15 for 100g.

I hope you have enjoyed this review. Let me know your thoughts!

Isobel x

Mini beauty haul: Origins, Clinique, Philip Kingsley

Ah! So yesterday I had a spare hour and went on a little impromptu "browse" round John Lewis. Of course I just couldn't help myself and ended up coming away with a few little treats. I'm excited about all these products as I have never tried any of them before and keen to give them a whirl! This is what I bought...

Philip Kingsley Weatherproof Hairspray & Daily Damage Defense - £6.50 each

I've heard good things about Philip Kingsley products and have never tried any before. I was put off by the £20+ price tag on the shapoos and conditioners so thought I would give these small 60ml hair protectants a try. Having rained relentlessly receently I'm quite intrigued to see how the weatherproof hairspray works, I will come back to you with an update!  

Origins Super Spot Remover - £13

After being bitterly disappointed that Le Roche Posey didn't work for me at ridding my skin of spots (see my blog post on it here) I thought I would try this blemish treatment gel from probably my favourite skin care brand, Origins. It's a tiny little pot at just 10ml but obviously you just apply a small amount to the areas that need to be treated. I don't have any major spots at the moment but I tried it last night on a few post spot red marks and it has already seemed to have calmed them down a bit. What's great is that when you buy something from the Origins counter they normally give you some free samples, two of which I gave to my sister and kept Plantscription Anti Aging Cream to try for myself. 

Clinique Even Better Makeup in 03 Ivory - £23

I've been dying to try something from Clinique for ages and I was just having a look round the stand when of course a very knowledgeable sales assistant comes up to me and I just can't resist coming away with something. I'm sure I will get through this tiny 30ml pot in no time but it felt so nice on my skin in the shop and a good colour for me - I might keep this one for special occasions and not as an everyday make up!

Please let me know any of your thoughts on these products if you have tried or are thinking about trying them! Have a lovely day!

Isobel x

Instagram Update #1

A collective update of our instagram pictures since we started using it a couple of months ago. Like our twitter we share an account so pictures are from the both of us, lots of foodie pics, healthy eating, London life, dogs & fitness updates!

1. Amazing latte art at Joe and the Juice on The Kings Road

2. Sushi delivery from The Sushi Chef in Kennington- best Sushi I've had in London & my favourite treat for a night in (the dragon roll is to die for)

3. Burlington Arcade in Mayfair

4. Small things make me happy- standard Tuesday pick me up, Grazia & Jimmy's Skinny Iced Coffee

5. The best breakfast- poached eggs on toast with avocado

6. Ajax when he was a tiny pup

7. Valentines cards

8. Freezing cold selfie on the way to work

9. Yummy cakes at Dee Light Bakery in Balham

10. Early morning dog walk

11. Hitting the weights at The Apex Club

12. Friday night cocktail in Harvey Nichols

13. Taking ab progress shots during my training with Ed at Apex

14. My handsome boy

15. The best green smoothie to go- SaVse broccoli, pear, spinach, kale, kiwi, lemon & banana, delicious & 100% natural!

16. Big Ben in the morning

17. Happy with my new Topshop purchase

18. Mother's Day meal at Lambert's in Balham

19. Waiting for a friend & enjoying the sun

20. Saatchi Gallery in the Spring Sunshine

21. If I'm not having a caffeine hit I always order the AMG juice at Joe and the Juice (apple, mint & ginger)- so refreshing!

22. Avocado & salmon salad at East Dulwich Deli in Harrods

23. Ab progress shot- Week 1!

24. Post workout protein shake

25. Homemade cappuccino with a Laduree pistachio macaron

26. Clean eating

27. Puppy training- recall

If you want to see more of our Instagram and follow our daily goings on find us here!

Harriet & Isobel x

Not Worth The Hype - Effaclar Duo

There has been seriously so much hype about La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo, especially amongst bloggers, so I was really keen to try it out. For those who haven't heard the hype, Effaclar Duo it is a treatment for blemish prone skin that can be used all over the face. Ok, so I don't have acne but I do get hormonal breakouts around my mouth and there are always 1 or 2 stubborn spots in that area at any given time. I would LOVE perfectly clear, blemish free skin and so after reading so many good reviews and with the promise to unclog and purify pores I couldn't wait to start using it!

Having read many of the thousands of rave reviews about this product I'm sure it must work for a lot of people but this one is just not for me.

My first gripe about this product is the smell - it is really unpleasant. To me it literally smells like gone-off cake mixture which is isn't really something I want to I would want to put on my face. I think senses are important when it comes to skin care, if a product looks, feels or smells wrong, I just won't want to use it no matter how good it claims to be for my skin.

Secondly I have a bit of a problem with the feel of the product. It's a very thin liquid and when I put it on it feels sticky and it sits on the skin after I apply which is quite uncomfortable. Also, there is a rather annoying stinging sensation when I put it on. My skin also feels a bit tight after using it which is probably down to it's drying effect on the skin. I can understand why the product would be drying on the skin to combat excess sebum and reduce oiliness which clogs pores. I don't know whether this is the ingredients in the product setting to work on my spots or if my skin is reacting badly to it!

And for the last and probably most important point, it hasn't rid me of my spots! I can honestly say, after having given this product a real good go for a month, I haven't noticed any positive change in my skin whatsoever. I definitely wouldn't buy Effaclar Duo again and I personally wouldn't recommend it.

Would love to hear your comments on this product, let me know if you use it and what you think!

Isobel x

Fast Diet Update #2

As I have mentioned before in this blog, I am trying to follow the Fast Diet (also known as Intermittent Fasting and 5:2). If you haven't heard of this diet before I explain the basic principles here or find more (professional) info on it here. To tell the truth I haven't been sticking to it very religiously recently and I have probably only done 2 fast days in a month - I should have fasted for a total of 8 days in that period. Surprisingly though I haven't put any of the weight that I had previously lost back on which I am very happy about! But I have been back on it this week and I thought I would share with you what I ate on my fast days this week in the hope that it might help or inspire any of you that also follow this diet. I split my meals into 3 - breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm always on the go at work so I normally have to buy my lunches out so the choices I make are important. I'm also not too strict on myself, I don't count every single calorie to the digit and I make rough estimates so some days I may be over or under the 500 calorie allowance.

Day 1.

Breakfast: Small bowl of porridge made with water, a splash of soy milk and some blueberries. (aprox 100 kcals)

Lunch: Large bowl of vegetable soup (200 kcals)

Dinner: Corncake with a spread of light philadelphia, 1/2 a tomato and a tangerine (approx 150 kcals)

Day 2.

Breakfast: Banana and Coffee (80-100 kcals)

Lunch: Tuna Nicoise Salad (170 kcals - less if you skip the dressing, I used half)

Dinner: Poached egg on toast, 1 slice of smoked salmon and half a tomato, green tea (approx 250 kcals)

I'm starting to notice that "fast days" are getting easier. My body must be getting used to not having many calories on certain days. In fact, after a heavy weekend of eating and drinking I find I actually look forward to my fast days now. The only downfall to this is that at the beginning my stomach had shrunk and so I was eating less on my "feast days" too. However, my body getting used to this constant fasting followed by feasting means that on my feast days I have no problem stuffing my face. This week the goal is to be ever so slightly more restricted on my feast days too. I have also taken up swimming on the evening of my fast days. I find this keeps me busy so takes my mind off the hunger and apparently it is perfectly fine to exercise on fast days if you have the energy. I'm hoping to lose another 2lbs to add to the 4lbs I have already lost by the end of this week. I will let you know how this goes.

I plan to blog about this again as taking pictures of everything I've eaten has really spurred me on to be inventive with my meals and stick to the calorie limit! Wish me luck for this week.

Isobel x

One Line a Day, Memory Book

My latest Amazon find is this a five year 'one line a day' memory book. I instantly fell in love with the idea of it whilst browsing through sketchbooks & stationary online. I've never been the type of person who's been able to keep a diary so the idea of summarising my day into an individual sentence is perfect for me. It's going to live on my bedside table, something constructive i.e. not twitter, to add my night-time routine. One line is feasible enough to keep up with (even for me) & I'm looking forward to having a record of memories that might otherwise slip away from me.

I love the layout of the pages, each date is set out on one page & has space below for you to fill in the present year. When it's finished you can see what happened on the same calendar date over the course of five years.

If you're interested in checking out the memory book its currently on sale from Chronicle Books at Amazon for £8 with free UK delivery link! They also stock a 'one sketch a day' visual journal which I love the concept of, but I'm too much of a perfectionist when it comes to drawing to commit to one every evening!

Harriet x

Fitness Tip, Kettlebells

Up until now my experience with kettlebells has been limited to a few upper body exercises. I've never got to grips with the wealth of exercises you can do with them or trained with someone who uses them for full body strength & conditioning.

As of last week I started working out with a friend who has just set up a Personal Training studio & after feeling a major lull in my workouts & generally being quite unmotivated, in just a week I feel hugely re-energised & can feel my endurance returning. The exercises he has incorporated into my workouts have been a mixture of some I'm already familiar with & some that are completely new. The ones that have made the biggest impression have been the full body kettlebell moves. Kettlebell swings, alternating swings, the kettlebell clean & (the amazing but leg destroying) burpee-deadlift.

In just a week I can notice a big difference in my lower body tone & will definitely be using these moves in the run up to summer! Looking for toned lean legs & a pert bum? Try kettlebells! A lot of gyms will offer a kettlebells workshop or class (something I explicably missed out on during 3 years at Virgin Active) so if you're stuck in a workout rut I'd take full advantage of them!

If you are based in South London & looking to kickstart your fitness regime definitely check out Ed's boutique training studio the Apex Club! The full website will be up & running soon but there's currently a online booking system that you can use to book in your first free session. Ed has a wealth of fitness experience & know-how & has kitted out the beautiful space with everything you need to get a killer workout. Paired with brand new bathrooms & shower facilities it really is a bit of a fitness gem in the Vauxhall/ Stockwell area. Ed is now on twitter as of today so if you have any fitness/ health questions pop over and say hi!

Harriet x

Valentine's Glossy Box

Yay, another lovely little treat waiting on my doorstep when I got home from my long weekend in Newcastle - a Glossy Box. This time it was a Valentines edition - supposedly everything in this month's box is to help you have "the night of your life".

So, what did I get? Much to my delight this box was a lot more makeup orientated that my last one. Inside was a mini Micabella Cosmetics mineral eye shadow in the shade Deep Secrets which is a shimmery brown colour. I did a little swatch on my hand and it's really heavily pigmented so I'm excited to test this one out properly. There was also a Balance Me Rose Otto Body Cream which smells beautiful and a MeMeMe Beat The Blues highlighter in "Pearl Pink" which I hear is a great dupe for Benefit High Beam. As well as these there were two lip products - Figs & Rouge "Rambling Rose" Lip Balm which seems nice and moisturising so far and a Miners "Cinamon" Lip Colour which I will probably get the least use out of as it is not a great colour for me (an in between dusty pink and brown shade) and it doesn't seem to apply very well. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you would like full reviews of any of these products.

Isobel x

Liebster Award

We were very kindly nominated for the Liebster Award by Charlotte from The Beauty Board. Thank you very much and we would love to take part!

Liebster is a German word meaning kindest, nicest, beloved, endearing and welcoming. It's a word which has a positive meaning towards people. This award is given to bloggers by other bloggers. And the most important thing about this award is to share and grow the network and encourage new bloggers. The blogger who has been nominated should have less than 200 followers.

How it works...
Each person must post 11 things about themselves
Answer the questions that the nominator set for you, then set 11 more questions for the blogs you nominate
Chose blogs to nominate, then link them to your blog
Go to their page and let them know.

11 things about us:
1. We have known each other since we were 7 but only really became friends when we were 15 and bonded on a school trip to Germany.
2. When we were about 18 we got obsessed with Example (before he was famous) and followed his gigs around London.
3. We've been talking about starting a blog for years but only got round to doing it at the beginning of this year.
4. We live really close to each other in South London, have lived here our whole lives and will probably both never leave. 
5. We used to spend a lot of summers together in Crantock, North Cornwall which is Harriet's family holiday destination.
6. We both had our first job working in a bar when when we were 18. 
7. Our favourite drink is a gin & tonic with lots of fresh lime... preferably on a warm summers evening!
8. We both have a bit of an unhealthy obsession with coffee...especially from Starbucks (eek).
9. Isobel has a Canon 450D DSLR and that's what we take most of the pictures for our blog with.
10. We've both been traveling and would love to do more!
11. We're really enjoying blogging and hope we can carry on for as long as possible.

Questions for us:
1. What is your favourite make-up brand?
Bobbi Brown! Each time I walk past the Bobbi Brown stand at the moment something else finds its way into my makeup bag. I love their concept that everything should revolve around really great skin, & adore their colour range of lipsticks & blushes - lots & lots of pinks. (Harriet)
2. What is your favourite TV Show?
At the moment it's Peep Show. British comedy, 8 series and still going strong! (Isobel)
3. Are you planning on going on holiday this year? Where?
My Uni friends and I were flirting with the idea of spending a week in Spain this Summer and taking a cheeky little trip across to Ibiza for one night. This probably won't eventuate though as we suck at organisation! (Isobel)
4. What was the last gig/concert you went to?
In the summer I went to "SW4" a 2 day festival on Clapham Common in South London. Chase & Status headlined the 1st day and Skrillex headlined on the 2nd. A friend works in music so I managed to go backstage which was so much fun. (Isobel)
5. Who do you think is the most beautiful Celebrity?
Monica Bellucci, Marion Cotillard & Bar Refaeli- I couldn't decide between the three of these naturally gorgeous women! (Harriet)
6. What's your favourite Take-Away?
Such an easy one for me: Noodles! And my favourite place to get them from is Noodle Express which you should definitely try if you live in the South London area. (Isobel)
7. What do you do? Studying/Working? 
We both work! Isobel studied Graphic Design at Uni and would love to pursue it, at the moment she is working as a Nanny. Harriet has worked in retail for years and now is making the transition into fitness & nutrition.
8. Handbags or Shoes?
Handbags. I definitely have a bit of a handbag addiction, there might be a new naughty purchase coming up on the blog soon... I love shoes as well but feel like I get so much less wear out of them so they're harder to justify. (Harriet)
9. What is your worst beauty habit?
I definitely don't clean my makeup brushes enough. It's a terrible habit and in fact I feel so bad thinking about them all dirty I'm off to clean them right now! (Isobel)
10. What is your holy grail beauty product?
Following on from the first question; the Bobbi Brown corrector, I have repurchased this countless times. It completely erases dark circles & discolouration & has a great consistency that makes it invisible on the skin. (Harriet)
11. Favourite Junk Food/ Comfort Food?
CHOCOLATE! Not a favourite, rather an addiction! (Isobel) 

Questions for you:

1. Do you have a pet? What is it? Name?
2. What's your favourite City?
3. What's the one beauty product you couldn't live without?
4. If you had to leave the house with only ONE part of your makeup done, what would it be? Eyebrows/Lips/Foundation...etc?
5. Apart from being a blogger, what do you do?
6. What's your favourite High Street Fashion Store?
7. What's your favourite form of exercise?
8. Who's your favourite celeb & why?
9. What's the last restaurant you went to?
10. If you could only wear either rings, necklaces or bracelets, which one would you chose?
11. What do you consider your best quality?

We nominate:
Ou est la discotheque?
nihilarian
Comely Cobber
Samya Says
Charlotte Jackson