3/26/2015

Polly & Sam Make Up Liverpool | Just Add Ginger

Polly & Sam Make Up liverpool
Photo Credit: c/o Polly & Sam Make Up
There is nothing that makes me feel the most pampered than having my hair and make up done. It's one of my life's little luxuries that I absolutely love. It's a time when it can just be all about me, and I can zone out of life's little stresses and completely relax. 

So when I heard that there was a new make up team in town, I jumped at the chance to get in line and book myself an appointment. And one Saturday afternoon at the start of March, I headed on down for some quality pamper-time. 

Polly and Sam Make Up are make up artists based in Liverpool. They offer make up services for nights out, weddings, proms, special occasions...the list goes on. Polly's skills in particular had come highly recommended to me by a mutual friend. With such a vast variety of looks, each a complete complement to everyone's complexions I knew I was going to be in good hands. 

As soon as I got to my appointment I was put completely at ease. Polly was all set up and ready to go. After a quick consultation with me, she suggested to me the sort of look she was thinking of going for. She took in to full account the things that I don't feel comfortable wearing (a full on dark smokey eye being the biggest one,) and talked me through each product she was using. At no stage did I feel like my ideas hadn't been listened to. She even trimmed down a pair of false lashes for me to take in to account that I wear glasses when I drive and didn't want something that was going to brush against my lenses. It was so lovely to sit and chat to someone who is passionate about make up too. It didn't feel like I was talking to somebody I had just met. It was like talking to a friend! 

full face of makeup on redhead
Instagram: @GingerJaxx 
full face of makeup on redhead girl

Polly used make up that she really believed in, and used products that worked alongside my complexion and skin undertones. Her collection was vast and varied, and I have to say that I was envious of it all. I felt so happy and confident with the finished look. A flawless base, seamless shadow, doll-like eyes that made me feel like a movie star. I honestly felt all kinds of sexy. 

Boyfriend was the main test. He is very honest with his opinions and if there is something he doesn't like, he will tell me straight away. He loved the look too. It fell hand in hand with the kind of make up looks I normally do on myself, and was in keeping with the neutral/golden brown hues of eyeshadow that fill up my make up drawers. 

I honestly cannot recommend Polly and Sam Make Up enough. For flawless finishes, and make up artists who really work to capture your visions, they are your go-to girls. And just by going on their Facebook page you can see I'm not just the only one of that opinion. Polly's passion really comes through when she works, and to be around somebody with so much dedication and drive to what she is doing you can't help but feel you are in the best hands. The hands of a true professional. 

And yes, before you ask, they will be doing my wedding make up. After finding this dynamic duo, I know that me, MG and all my maids will be in the best hands!

3/22/2015

Guest Post Sundays | GlitZeeGlam: Flamingo Candles Review | Chocolate Orange


Just Add Ginger

Blogging brings me so much joy. It has brought me so far in so many different ways. Without this little space where I can express my creativity and show the world who I really am I honestly don't think I would be the same.

I reached out on Twitter to other bloggers who would like to guest post on Just Add Ginger. For the next few Sundays (hopefully,) there will be a Guest Post Sundays feature on my blog. First up is the lovely Zee from GlitZeeGlam. All her links are down below so make sure you go and say "Hi." 


Ps: If you are interested in being a part of Guest Post Sundays, drop me an email or get in touch on Twitter
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Hi Lovelies, my name’s Zee and I blog over at GlitZeeGlam. When Jackie asked on Twitter if anyone would like to guest post on her blog I jumped at the chance, I’ve actually brushed shoulders with Jackie at a Blogger event last year and we’ve stayed in contact through social media ever since. As you can tell from the title today’s post is all about a candle from Flamingo Candles.

GlitZeeGlam

GlitZeeGlam



Flamingo Candles is a British brand who manufactures exciting and innovative candles using natural soybeans and natural cotton for their wicks. All their candles are hand-poured into quirky contemporary jars with their trade mark of a Florrie Flamingo on the front.

I’m a massive candle lover and have at least one candle lit in my living room each evening; it just helps me to relax after a long day at work and of course keeps my home smelling lush.  Ever since Flamingo Candles launched they have taken social media by storm and most bloggers have bought copious amounts of candles (or been sent them) from this brand. I was lucky enough to have won a blogger giveaway recently which included a Flamingo Candle.

For those people who know me well they’ll tell you just how obsessed I am with Terry’s Chocolate Orange it’s without a doubt my favourite chocolate, I just love it! However, it wouldn’t be a scent that I would usually opt for in a candle as I usually go for fresh citrusy scents but the thought of my home smelling like my favourite chocolate is just amazing!

This little jar of goodness actually burns for up to 50 hours which is insane and the scent is just sublime, usually when you smell candles in a jar they smell really strong and when lit they hardly fragrant the room. You definitely won’t get that with Flamingo Candles their scents are just as powerful when lit. These candles would be perfect to light when entertaining guests or to buy as gifts, they retail for £12 which some may find quite steep but for someone who has bought candles for well over £20 I think it’s pretty reasonable for 200g of wax which smells so incredible. 

If you fancy checking out the full range of products then head over to the Flamingo Candles website. I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, if you would like to find out a little more about me then head over to GlitZeeGlam alternatively you can follow me on my social network sites:


Lots of Love
Zee

3/11/2015

Mother's Day Gift Guide 2015 | Just Add Ginger

Mother's Day Gift Guide


If you live in the UK, you will know that Mother's Day is fast approaching (it's on Sunday 15th March - just in case anyone had forgotten!) Now, if you're like me, and find it particularly difficult to buy a gift for your mum, I have put together a last-minute gift guide to hopefully give us all (me included) some well needed inspiration.

A present that pampers is always a good place to start. And if you have been following my blog lately, you will know just how much I love ESPA. I have loved everything I have tried from the brand and think something from the range would make for a gorgeous gift. My top two recommendations are the ESPA Bergamot & Jasmine Foam Bath, or one of the ESPA candles. I am a huge advocate of the foam bath (you can check out my review of it here,) and the candles just exude opulence and luxury. I have one from the winter collection, and once lit, it fills the room with the most gorgeous scent. Even though the one that I have isn't available any more, it's definitely worth checking out the rest of the collection. ESPA is on the more high-end side of beauty products, but it is well worth the investment, and I wouldn't ever sing the praises of a brand I didn't believe in.

Mum not a bath or candle fan? Not to worry. How about indulging her in a brand new perfume? You can either be brave and guess on a new scent for her to try, or you could go for a perfume you know she already loves. Either way, with so many pretty packaged perfumes and so many different scents, you can't go wrong.

For a twist on a perfume-y gift, why not go for a reed diffuser instead? There are so many different scents to choose from that - like with the perfume - you can't really go wrong. And some come in really pretty bottles too! I've tried one from The Body Shop before (a Christmas-sy Gingerbread one) and it made the room smell absolutely delicious. For a more opulent, luxurious option, I'd have no hesitation in heading to Jo Malone. The Peony and Blush Suede cologne scent is one of my all-time favourite fragrances. So long-lasting and yummy-smelling that I can only imagine how amazing the diffusers are!

Say it with chocolate. MG and I share the biggest sweet tooth, and I know she would love to tuck in to her own box of luxury chocolates. The Charbonnel et Walker chocolate truffles are always the first place I look if I'm in need of a chocolate-y gift to give to somebody. There are a lot of different flavours of truffle on offer, but my favourites are the Strawberry and the Pink Marc de Champagne, but I am gradually going to sample my way through the rest (for gift research purposes of course!)

What goes well with chocolate? A nice cup of steaming hot tea. If your mum is a big tea drinker, how about adding a "tea for one" set or beautiful teacup to her collection? I found a gorgeous Tea for One set on the Tesco website and I think it's just beautiful. So understated and chic, and the perfect addition to any tea-lover's collection.

And whilst your mum is settling down over a cup of tea, why not give her a new book to read? This could be a book that is new to your mum, that has sentimental value, or that you think your mum would like. As a big fan of Philippa Gregory, I would pick a book that MG has not read with a Tudor-based storyline. The Tudors is my favourite period in history, and something that I like to share with my friends and family. Gregory makes for a brilliant author as well and depicts Tudor life to perfection.

I am totally in love with my Chanel lipstick. By far the most expensive make up item I own, wearing it just makes me so happy and feel so beautiful. If I was going to treat MG to a beauty gift, it would be something high end. If your mum doesn't wear a lot of make up, then a high end piece would be a real investment, and something that would bring a little luxury in to her beauty regime - an exciting branch out from drugstore brands. If your mum is a make up lover, I'm sure there is a product out there that she has been itching to get her hands on. Why not treat her to something she loves from a favourite brand?

Last but by no means least, we can't forget about jewellery. Whether it's an investment piece or just something you think your mum will love, jewellery can be the perfect way to say "I love you."  Jewellery can hold a lot of sentimental meaning, and a piece carefully chosen by you means that every time your mum wears it, she will think of you.

3/04/2015

When Indian Cuisine Met Scouse | Just Add Ginger


Yukti Liverpool - Just Add Ginger

Yukti Liverpool - Just Add Ginger

Yukti Liverpool - Just Add Ginger


Yukti Liverpool - Just Add Ginger


Yukti Liverpool - Just Add Ginger

It was about a week or so ago that Boyfriend and I discovered that one of our favourite restaurants, Yukti, was putting on a menu to celebrate Global Scouse Day. Well, of course we had to book ourselves in for a little date night and see what it was all about didn't we? Now I've only ever had a bowl of Scouse once, so my mind was completely open about what to expect, but Boyfriend is a bit of a Scouse fiend, so both of us waited with baited breath to see what Yukti had to offer us. 

We knew that it was going to be a bit of a feast, so made sure we ate only little during the day. When it comes to our visits to Yukti, we don't hold back on ordering food because it is all so delicious. We knew instantly that we would be ordering the Global Scouse Day menu, but couldn't help ourselves and ordered a non-vegetarian platter to share as well 

After diving in to our poppadoms and pre-starter (which was a little bite-sized piece of heaven,) we tucked in to our platter. I could not fault anything! The chicken was soft and succulent, the lamb was meaty and beautifully spiced, and the salmon - which was by far my favourite - just melted when I touched it with my fork. It was the perfect way to whet our appetites, and the accompanying sauces worked brilliantly. The purple sauce - which I think may have been beetroot - married sublimely with the meat and the fish. It was the perfect size starter for the both of us, and after we'd cleared the plate, we couldn't wait for our mains to arrive.

When our mains arrived, Boyfriend's eyes lit up with excitement. This was the moment we had been waiting for....when Indian food met Scouse....was it going to work? Would the balance be right? Whereas these excitement-fuelled questions filled my head, Boyfriend just dived in to the dishes. I followed, my stomach growling. 

And oh. My. Goodness was it beautiful. Beautiful, but - at least for me - hot! Which wasn't unwelcome. My pallet is nowhere near the spice-tolerance level of Boyfriend's but it is getting there, and the main Scouse-fusion dish was just on the comfortable side of hot for me. It just meant I had to take my time. If you are not used to spicy food, or do not like it, then it may have been too much to handle. But for us, it was perfect. The chunks of beef was tender and melt-in-the-mouth, and the tomato sauce was hearty, and jam-packed full of vegetables. I knew that the chef had been nursing the curry for hours beforehand, and you could tell. All of the flavours came together and were absolutely beautiful. And the beetroot side dish with its subtle sweetness complemented the spice of the curry to perfection. The garlic naan bread was great to have as something to dip in to the curry sauce. Ooo... just thinking about it all now my mouth is watering! 

I'm going to be honest...All the dishes combined were a little big for me. I think its because Boyfriend and I are in to such a good "three square meals" a day routine now. But I had to leave some of the curry and side dishes. Boyfriend gobbled up ever last mouthful with relish, and was so excited about the meal that it was all he could talk about. Even though I couldn't finish it all, the Scouse curry was a big hit with both of us! 

I have to give a mention of the wine we chose as well. Because the meat in the curry was beef, Boyfriend picked out a bottle of red for us to have with the meal. Now I am rubbish with describing wine notes, but believe me when I tell you that this one was absolutely delicious. It had a great balance of spice, with a little hit of sweetness as an after-taste that really reminded me of chocolate (almost similar to the wine we had at Bistro Jacques on Valentine's Day.)

Even though I was ready to burst, I just had to order my favourite dessert...I always go for the same thing every time because I just love it. The dark chocolate and raspberry hits all the right spots for me, and after a hot curry, was the most amazing way to calm my taste buds down. It was so chocolate-y and rich and delicious that I think it lasted all of ten seconds before I devoured it, leaving only one small bit on my plate because no matter how much I wanted to, I just couldn't fit any more food in. 

Our Global Scouse Day meal at Yukti was a fantastic success, and both Boyfriend and I loved everything that was on the menu. Yukti worked really hard to blend two different dishes and that hard work really paid off. Boyfriend could not sing the food's praises enough to the staff, and I really, really hope that the menu is back next year! 

Click here to read my first review of Yukti.

And to find out more about Yukti, or to book a table, head to: 

3/01/2015

A Pamper At Poize* | Just Add Ginger



Poize Salon - Just Add Ginger

Poize Salon - Just Add Ginger


Poize Salon - Just Add Ginger

Poize Salon - Just Add Ginger

I am a sucker for a good pamper. It's a time that I can focus completely on myself, forget all of my worries, and let waves of tranquillity and calm wash over me. So when I received an invitation to head down to Poize - a hair and beauty salon recently opened on West Derby Road in Liverpool - I was really excited. 

Stepping into Poize is like stepping in to a girlie wonderland. Adorned in pink and black décor, the salon immediately promises that escapism in to a place of total pamper-time away from the outside world that I'm sure a lot of us crave. It is a hub of all things hair and beauty, and I think it's absolutely fabulous. 

The staff welcomed me so warmly, and chatted to me as I handed over my coat and filled out a contact card. I'd decided to go for a back/neck/shoulder massage, so was led by my masseuse Steph up a set of stairs that led to an upstairs area.  

I was delighted by the décor upstairs just as much as I had been downstairs. The pink and black theme continued, with flickering candles dotted around the room. A wall mounted fire was placed directed opposite the massage table, keeping the room toasty warm but not sweltering, and a gentle hum of music played in the background. Although Poize is directly on a main road, upstairs, you couldn't hear any of it.

Steph made me feel completely comfortable and at ease, taking in to account my skin sensitivities and being wholly accommodating when I spoke to her about comfort issues concerning my left arm. Her attentiveness put me completely at ease, and as she let me get ready for the massage and I clambered on to the bed, I breathed a huge sigh of contentment, and completely relaxed. 

Now, I'm not going to lie to you, since some of my experiences of massages in the past (one in particular,) I can be incredibly critical, fussy and picky. So believe me when I tell you this..... that the massage I received at Poize was one of the most relaxing, beneficial and enjoyable massages I have ever had. And that's saying something. The massage was choreographed to perfection to the music, and ebbed and flowed over my skin without a break in the relaxing spell it had cast upon me. Once or twice I could sense myself dozing off and had to stop myself for fear of snoring. 

When the massage was over, Steph let me get ready in my own time and offered me a glass of water. I felt so relaxed I was nearly floating on a cloud. I got changed, and sipped my water through a pink straw as Steph explained how important it was to ensure I drank lots more water during the day. My skin felt sensational from the grapefruit oil she had used on me, and the stubborn area on my right shoulder which is so susceptible to knots felt incredibly loose. After a quick chat with the staff downstairs I floated back to my car in a bit of a daze. 

Poize offer a wide variety of treatments. From massages to spray tans to nails to hair to make up there is something for everyone's hair and beauty needs. The salon is just a short distance out of the city centre too so very handy to get to. 

Would I go back to Poize again? Oh yes

* I was kindly invited down to Poize to enjoy a treatment free of charge. All thoughts and opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own.