Month / January 2018

by jo

Vegan Friendly Cosmetics

I’m vegetarian. I have been since around 1983 when I declared to my mum that I would never eat meat again while looking at the turkey on Christmas Day. I can’t go vegan. Mainly as I don’t like the alternatives – and I’ve tried. I’m not at the right place to try.
However, one thing I can do is to look at what I’m putting on my body, and improve that. So I’ve been looking at vegan friendly cosmetics.

Vegan friendly cosmetics are the simplest way of finding what I’m looking for. I want brands that don’t test on animals, a long-standing EU regulation anyway – but there’s a catch.
I’ve spent a lot of time reading on PETA to find brands which are cruelty-free and struggled. A lot of brands sell their cosmetics worldwide – and there are countries who insist on exported cosmetics being tested on animals. They’re off my list – and sadly these include a few brands I’ve always thought were okay – Clarins is one. (sob) Benefit too. The only way they can control this is by not selling their cosmetics in those countries – which of course they’re not going to do as it’s all about the money. So I will no longer be buying any of their products.
Fortunately, some old favourites have brought up favourable results – back in the day I used to buy Eyes Lips Face cosmetics – they make vegan friendly cosmetics. You can buy some of their range in larger Superdrug stores. Superdrug’s own range also carries the PETA bunny – always a good sign.
I’ve recently discovered Fairypants who have a great line in perfume. I bought myself a lipbalm, some dry skin cream and some perfume to see how I got on with it. Already it has made a difference – H had dry skin patches, they always come up each winter. We’d normally rely on Aveeno, but they’re not cruelty free – they sell in China, disappointingly. The Fairypants Vegan Dry Skin Balm has had two applications over two weeks and the dry skin has gone! I’m quite amazed by it. The perfume is lovely too!
Fairypants Vegan cosmetics

I didn’t spent enough time thinking about it before – but this year I’m going to be shopping far more conscientiously. After all, if I haven’t (knowingly) eaten meat for this long, I should be looking at the products I use.

Fortunately Sanex seem to be okay which is good as they have one of the few deodorants that works for me. I am ditching my phosphate-free L’Oreal shampoo and have switched to Kind Natured shampoo – they helpfully have a vegan section on their website too. Boots stock Kind Natured and they’re a reasonable price too. H uses their kids shampoo after she has been swimming – it works a treat.
Finding vegan friendly cosmetics doesn’t seem too difficult, so let’s see how we get on…

by jo

Hogwarts in the Snow

It’s New Year’s Eve and what are you going to do? Sit at home, relax, have a lie in, right? Or go to Hogwarts in the Snow at 9am that morning? Well of course we did the latter.

Hogwarts in the Snow

Hogwarts in the Snow is on at the moment at the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in Leavesden. We visited a year and a half ago and I felt like this was a big enough gap between visits. H has now seen all the films, with the Cursed Child play being the thing we haven’t seen.

Hogwarts in the Snow runs until late January and has the set decorated to look festive. There is also a chance to feel the different kinds of snow that was used when it was needed – as well as how fire and ice was made.

Hogwarts in the Snow Fire and Ice stall

This consisted of boxes of the three different types of snow used in the films, the special effects used for ice, and how to recreate fire (which was slightly hot but not fire-hot). One type of snow was like grains of sand, whereas the more gloopy kind was the sort which you could make snowballs from. It’s another one of those things you wouldn’t think about when watching a film. A small part of Diagon Alley also had snow on it, showing some disappearing footprints.

Hogwarts in the Snow, Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express

Diagon Alley – Gringotts footprints in the snow (which disappear), Shaun and H chatting, and the Hogwarts Express

For the first time, the set of the Main Hall is decorated like the Yule Ball, complete with Professor Flitwick and an orchestra.

The great thing about the Warner Brothers Studio Tour is how things change. The sets have been moved around to accommodate the Forbidden Forest since we last visited. It wouldn’t surprise me if things are changed around regularly, and indeed on chatting with a staffmember at the end, he confirmed that items from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movies will be joining the Potter Universe. There’s an extension being built which will house it.

Newt & Porpentia costumes - Warner Brothers Studio Tour

In the main ticket area there’s a Fantastic Beasts area – soon to be part of the main studio tour – hurrah! Here’s Newt and Porpentia.

Let’s stop for a minute here. The last film was completed in 2011. Okay, so that’s only seven years ago – but everyone there was enjoying being there. Even Shaun! There is so much to take in that it’s impossible in one visit. There ware different exhibitions and features being added all the time.

The fact that something finished so long ago that still lives on, finding new fans all the time, well, that’s a great achievement.

I noticed changes from the last time we visited – just little tweaks but changes. H read absolutely everything again. Which took a long time – again! I’d love it if there was a guide you could buy at the end with all the information in there.

Hufflepuff in action at Warner Brothers Studio Tour

There were queues, but we were prepared for it after our last visit. I’d say we got through quicker in some areas too. We stopped for lunch at the Backlot Cafe whose only vegetarian burger option was a mushroom one (sob, not all vegetarians like mushrooms!). Fortunately there are sandwiches too.

Warner Brothers Studio Tour Night Bus, JK Rowling Quote and around a table

The Knight Bus, us around a table and a JK Rowling quote.

As before, H got her passport to look for Golden Snitches and stamp each page when she had spotted them, and even though they were in the same places it still took a while to find them (another good reason to leave a gap between visits!).

The Forbidden Forest was great – and a welcome addition to the tour. Inside is a moving Hippogriff (of course) and several moving Acromantula. Not one for arachnophobics – fortunately we’re not!

Forbidden Forest at WB Studios Tour

One of the smaller spiders in the Forbidden Forest and Buckbeak – a brand new model which moves too!

Over in the second part of the studio tour was a section where it showed the different stages where Dobby was animated. I don’t remember from last time – and it was brilliant. Cue loads of happy kids getting Dobby to Dab. Try saying that quickly…

Dabbing with Dobby at the Warner Brothers Studio tour

There was an interactive Dobby section where you could control him. Cue lots of kids making Dobby Dab.

H got Dobby to do the Macarena. Or maybe it’s the locomotion. I have no idea which song was in her head at the time…

We managed to spend six hours at Hogwarts in the Snow in the end. The model of Hogwarts at the end all decorated in one of the types of snow used in the films was as ever, impressive.

Two Dumbledores at the WB Harry Potter Studio Tour. Will there be three soon?

Two Dumbledores at the WB Harry Potter Studio Tour. Will there be three when Fantastic Beasts joins the Harry Potter world?

If you plan to visit and haven’t been for a while, then I think you’ll get a lot from seeing Hogwarts in the Snow. I know we’ll be visiting again once the Fantastic Beasts ephemera has been added, and I can’t wait to see it!

Hogwarts in the Snow Great Hall and Gryffindor common room

by jo

Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker and Rosaria Costa

Have you ever wondered where swifts go when the seasons change, and they fly away? In Bill and the Little Red Plane, Bill wonders just that. We have been sent a copy of the book to review.

Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker

Bill and the Little Red Plane tells the story of Bill who is playing outside watching the swifts fly away. He’s wondering where they go, when he sees a little red plane in the sky which does a loop the loop.

He’s taken to an airfield, where he gets to ride the little red plane. The pilot, Edward, wants to know one thing – where would Bill like to go? Bill says he’d like to follow the swifts.

So Bill and Edward keep flying, following the swifts and seeing the different countries they fly over from their plane. Eventually the swifts end their journey in a rainforest in Africa, and it’s time for Bill and Edward to head home.

Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker illustrations

Bill and the Little Red Plane is a lovely book for nature lovers, written by Jonathan Walker and illustrated by Rosaria Costa. This is a great way to introduce children to birds. There are lots of facts about swifts once the story has finished too.

I would put this book at Reception-age children upwards. It’s one which can be read aloud easily but is also good for a first longer reading book as well.

Bill and the Little Red Plane by Jonathan Walker swift facts

Bill and the Little Red Plane also has a Story Monsters Approved patch and a five star badge from Readers Favourites. Both awards are voted for by children.

You can find out more here, Bill and the Little Red Plane is published by Chirpy Stories and is available now!

We were sent a copy of Bill and the Little Red Plane for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own. 

by jo

Mazuri Kids Haircare Range

We have been trying some Mazuri Kids Haircare products – a shampoo, conditioner and detangler.

bottles of mazuri kids haircare

Mazuri Kids Haircare products are organic. This is important as I’ve often found that what goes onto H’s head isn’t always the best. Shampoos that contain sulfates make my head itch, so I like to keep things as natural as possible for H too.

We don’t use conditioner as often as we should so were delighted to try the Mazuri Kids Olive Oil Sweetie Pie Detangling Conditioner. I loved the waves that came back to her hair; as a baby she had lovely curly ringlets. While the ringlets didn’t reappear, it definitely helped her hair’s appearance.

Wavy hair using Mazuri Kids Haircare natural products

Mazuri Kids Olive Oil Sweetie Pie Softening Detangling Conditioner, has a blend of olive oil, blueberry extracts and silk protein which forms a softening,
detangling conditioner. Considering H’s hair is pretty tangly every day, this has definitely helped.

The Olive Oil Shampoozie Detangling shampoo is really gentle, has olive oil in it and I feel has really improved her hair. It’s always looking nice and shiny and healthy.  Made from hydrating olive oil, honey and aloe vera extracts, it’s very soft and mild and helps her tangly hair. You only need a small amount too!

mazuri kids haircare curls in hair
One thing we have big issues with is how tangly her hair gets. You can often find her screaming at me in the morning if I brush her hair with all the tangles. Add a bit of the Mazuri Kids Snookums 3 in 1 detangler to her hair and I have a happy girl.

Mazuri Kids haircare products are organic and made by mums for kids. They cost £2.97 each and a bottle lasts for ages. Given H washes her hair three times a week, we still have a lot left in our bottles!

We were sent the Mazuri Kids haircare products for the purpose of review. All opinions are our own. You can buy the products now from Morrisons and Tesco stores.