Family Day Event With Yellow Zebra Safaris

A couple of weeks ago the whole family were invited to a fun event being held by Yellow Zebra Safaris, the luxury travel company. I couldn't let the opportunity pass as my eldest son (about to turn 10) absolutely LOVES animals and I knew he would enjoy the day.

As soon as we entered the brightly decorated hall we knew it was going to be an action packed day and it didn't disappoint.

The children got up close to the animals that Safari Pete had brought along - Gumbo the toad, Juliet the owl, Drake the snake. Two meerkats, a crocodile, a lizard, a tarantula and a scorpion!!

Pete is passionate about his animals and dazzled everyone with amazing facts and information about them too. There was even time to watch some of them being fed! Safari Pete was fun and wonderfully animated - judging by the excitement levels, a good time was had by all.

The highlight was holding a Meerkat - my son still talks about that experience :)

We then enjoyed a delicious lunch platter while the children enjoyed an equally tasty buffet.

After lunch the children got to choose a Safari animal to paint courtesy of the Ceramic Circle.

For my just turned 2 year old this was the first time he had ever painted - which was super exciting. For my 10 year old, well he absolutely loves art and really enjoyed coming away with a gorgeous painted Elephant that has taken pride of place in his bedroom.

Yellow Zebra Safaris is an award-winning luxury and adventure safari company specialising in 'Safari Africa.' All their safari consultants are professional safari guides, camp managers, and/or people who were born and raised in Africa.

After our little taster of getting close to the 'tame-ish!' animals I know my boy was keen to investigate safaris further... and so we took a look at the website to learn a little more. I must admit I didn't really realise that safaris can be for all ages... but Yellow Zebras Safaris cater for families with an opportunity to get close to nature in their natural habitat. For young children - the under fives -  they recommend South Africa - a malaria free zone.

For families with children between the ages of 5 and 10, they would recommend a safari holiday to either South Africa or Kenya. South Africa's parks (both non-malarial, and also malarial areas such as the Kruger) are well set up for children, with a number of lodges offering excellent children's programmes that occupy the middle of the day during safaris. Kenya is also an extremely good destination for family safari holidays. The Masai Mara offers superb big-game viewing, while the Laikipia and Lewa area offers a large range of activities, and also interaction with local cultures.

Once the children are older, more destinations are open to them and there is lots of advice and recommendations for even more adventurous family holidays on the website to places such as Tanzania and Zanzibar.

To find out more about Yellow Zebra Safaris click here -  family safari holidays

Holiday Makeup For Evening With SEVENTEEN

A bit earlier in the month I shared my Holiday Makeup For Day with SEVENTEEN post, I was extremely impressed with the products that I used. This post is no different, the makeup I used for evening was a real eye opener and really showed me that budget products can really perform well.

So for evenings I used the SEVENTEEN CC Cream £6.99 which as mentioned previously was a great base and it lasts.

I used the SEVENTEEN Define & Conquer Kit £5.99 which I have reviewed before & absolutely love. It is such an easy & quick way to create/define cheekbones..

To add warmth in my face I used the beautiful golden toned SEVENTEEN Instant Glow SKINWOW Tan (liquid formula) £5.99 which is warm toned highlighter and adds a beautiful sheen/glow to skin, perfect for Summer evenings. I used it a couple of ways, all over mixed with the CC Cream and just on my cheek bones.

Now this is where I get seriously impressed.... On my eyes I used the SEVENTEEN Falsifeye HD Mascara £6.99 which once again I have reviewed before on BeautySwot. At just £6.99 it is an absolute bargain for stand out, long lashes. I really like this mascara, and later on you will see just how flutter worthy my lashes are using this mascara.

Now for my absolute favourite of this bundle of beauty products.... SEVENTEEN Wet Look Lacquer Eyeliner £3.99. I am always concerned about using liquid liners that are slightly brush like as I tend to make a right mess of my eye makeup using them, I much prefer a pen BUT although this had a scary tiny brush it was just perfect. It was stiff enough to draw a perfect and rich black line AND it didn't transfer to my upper lid or budge once dried all evening. BEST product in my view.

And finally my lips were adorned with SEVENTEEN Berry Crush Lip Stain £4.99 this colouring pen type product puts colour on your lips & it stays there for the evening. I am not sure what shade I was using but it was a really pretty & flattering pink shade.

Here are some pics using the products

Stay tuned for your chance to win some fabulous SEVENTEEN makeup products... coming soon!!

*Sponsored post 

Holiday Makeup By Day With SEVENTEEN

I recently spent a fabulous week holidaying in Ibiza, the week consisted mainly of lounging by the pool, the waterpark and a few brilliant day trips out and of course visits to the beach. I know it is known as the party capital of the world but seriously there is so much more to Ibiza than just the club scene. If you haven't been I highly recommend making a visit.

As a beauty lover I do tend to travel heavy when it comes to make up despite trying very hard to narrow down some faves, I just like to have options!  This time however, I was sent a few bits by the lovely team at SEVENTEEN to try, so I pretty much pushed aside/emptied out my usual faves and those tried and tested to take a leap of faith in these products....

During the day by the pool I like to keep things simple (I have a son aged 7 and we spend A LOT of time in the pool!) so I just went with my really high sun protection, a light coverage of the SEVENTEEN CC Cream which has SPF25 to just even out my skintone and hide those pesky blemishes.. I must say this CC Cream is a fantastic product, a little went a long way and it was the perfect shade for me (medium) but more on this in my next post - Holiday Makeup For Evening. 

I also opted for some highlighting magic from the SEVENTEEN Skin Wow Primer, this gave a beautiful dewy and super healthy appearance to my skin. Described as a 3 way HIGHLIGHTER GLOW & PRIMER, I used it all three ways and loved the way it lit up my skin, blended well so that its cool tone looked completely natural and just gave a wonderful glow and all round pick me up.

The biggest leap of faith by far was the SEVENTEEN Waterproof Mascara which promised the following - Both waterproof and smudge resistant this non clogging mascara lengthens lashes and lasts all day. As I mentioned, I spent a lot of time in the pool and we also had an adjacent water park that featured a HUGE bucket that tips its entire contents of water on to you if you stand under it. My son thought this was hilarious and made me stand directly under it, the cheeky thing!

So was the waterproof mascara up for the water challenge? I can confidently give this a massive thumbs up and resounding yes. It passed the water test with flying colours. Only the teeniest tiniest of smudging and no panda eyes in sight. I wore this mascara all day everyday. As a waterproof mascara this gave great definition and length to my lashes, was light and the formula wasn't thick or gloopy.

SEVENTEEN CC Cream £ 6.99
SEVENTEEN Waterproof Mascara £4.69
SEVENTEEN Skin Wow Primer £5.99

*Sponsored post 

5 Things To Do In Bruges

Bruges is one of those 'must see' places and having wanted to go for what seemed an age, we finally booked a short trip and took our 6yr old son with us too. He absolutely LOVED it, who couldn't resist plenty of chocolate, hot chocolate, ice cream, waffles (foodie heaven). He also loved looking around the city and declared the boat trip the best thing about the holiday...

Of course Belgium is renowned for Beer, Chocolates and Frites (chips) but there is so much more!

Here are five fab things I think you should do when in Bruges.

1. Take a Boat Ride and spend 30 minutes meandering the canals, taking in the sights and wonderful architecture of this great city. 

2. Eat waffles!

There are plenty of outlets but I really rate Chez Albert.  This is a tiny unassuming small kiosk/shop front with no seating but they make the most delicious fresh waffles. Eat one plain or indulge and choose from a multitude of toppings. I had strawberries and caramel sauce (pictured below) but I also had a waffle with Belgian chocolate sauce which was super tasty too.

3. Visit the 'Basilica of the Holy Blood' - 

This Basilica is a gothic architectural masterpiece and holds a phial that is said to contain a cloth with the blood of Jesus. Check times to visit as the phial is not on display at all times.

4. Visit a Tea Room and enjoy delicious coffees and sublime hot chocolate -

I highly recommend De Proeverie - The room is spacious and wonderfully decorated with nice little touches. I loved the roaring fireplace which made it cosy. We enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate, complete with cream and 3 mini chocolates from the chocolate shop across the road. The liquid hot chocolate that you add to warm milk is also from the same chocolate shop. A highlight of our visit to Bruges.

5.  Visit The Belfry Of Bruges 

Featured heavily in the film 'In Bruges', The Belfry (Bell Tower) is situated in the Market Square and is a prominent symbol of Bruges. The medieval Bell Tower has 366 narrow and steep steps that you can (for a fee) climb to the top of and take in the sights of Bruges or perhaps re-enact the film....

Be charmed by the cobbled streets and gentle pace of life and when in Bruges, don't forget to look up!

Bettina x

Holiday Fashion - My Seven Day Wardrobe

I don't know about you but despite reading year after year in magazines how to master the capsule holiday wardrobe, packing smart etc I still haven't quite managed to get it right.

This year I vowed to pack light ..until I heard that we had a 20kg luggage allowance each! Then I thought well a girl needs choices. So in went upteen bottoms and far too many tops. In reality however I did go way over the top and the majority of my day options went unused, I spent most of my time in my tankini, sun hat and sarong as it was just too hot to wear much else.

Evenings however were a different story, I love an excuse to dress up in a cute Summer evening outfit and was really happy with my choices. I am not a fashionista and won't pretend to be, I am a 30 something mum who hopes she hasn't lost it just yet!

Day 1

Dress - Fat Face
Navy Sandals - New Look
Navy Bag - Oasis

Day 2 

Black & White Spotted Playsuit - Miso at USC
Sandals - River Island

Day 3 

Dress - Billie & Blossom at Dorothy Perkins 
Sandals - River Island 

Day 4 

Navy Stripe Dress - Dorothy Perkins 
Red Crop Cardigan - Marks & Spencer
Navy Sandals - New Look

The dress was a last min purchase the day before we flew and it is so, so nice. It clings to my curves and hides all the bad bits. A Summer fave!

Day 5

White Bow Top - Next
1950's Style Skirt - Bay (it's an oldie but I LOVE it)
Plimsolls - Primark 

I went all 1950's inspired for this adorable look. Funnily enough on the same night I wore this TOWIE had a Grease themed party. The 1950's is my favourite era for fashion, just gorgeous, girlie and cute.

Day 6 

Bright Floral Dress - BlueInc
Sandals - River Island 

So flattering on and almost neon, this was the perfect choice for my final full evening in Turkey.

Day 7

Navy Striped Bow Top - Next
Jean Shorts - Next
Red Crop Cardigan - Marks & Spencer
Plimsolls - Primark

This also doubled up as my travelling home outfit as we left the hotel at 9pm. Super comfy and I love the navy, red and white combination.

So there it is, a peek inside my suitcase - my seven days of holiday style. Hope you enjoyed it.

Bettina x

2 Holiday Lipsticks Are All You Need

That's right, you only need to take two lipsticks away with you. On my recent Summer Holiday to Turkey I took just two Summer Brights for the seven days that we were away.

I HAD to take the recently acquired Mandarina from Bellapierre Cosmetics , the fabulous matte orange shade that was included in July's Glossybox.

I also took a red toned pink, again this was another matte shade so very wearable indeed and bright enough to make an impact  - Kiko Rock Idol Lipstick Rossetto 05. The only downside is that Kiko do so many ltd editions, items don't stick around for long!

That was it, all I needed as lippies go...

Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray - Holiday Essential

Turkey was hot, really hot! Most days it was over 35ºC with not a cloud in the sky... luckily for me I had the best cooling companion.. no not an ice cold slushie, but this mist spray from Avene.

Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray, I bought the travel sized 50ml version to try it out and finally find out what all the fuss is about. I am happy to say that it lived up to the hype. I found it indispensable, one of my holiday essentials beside the pool and on the beach.

Avene say 

Essential soothing care product for sensitive, hypersensitive, allergic and irritated skin.
Soothing action, sunburn, after anti-acne treatment, nappy rash, various forms of irritations, razor burn, after hair removal.
Comforting and refreshing action, to complete skin cleansing, to set make-up, after outdoor activity, in summer when travelling.

My thoughts 

As a multi-purpose product I used this as a toner after cleansing, day and night. I also popped it in the fridge overnight so I could use it out and about during the day. On the first day of being in the Sun I could feel the skin on my face feeling tight and this wonder spray sorted it out immediately. One fine mist spritz later (it really is a super fine mist) and my skin felt super soft and comfortable, I was hooked. 

Cooling, soothing and refreshing this works a treat. 

A must have in your travel bag.

Avene Eau Thermale Water Spray is available in 50ml (£3.15), 150ml and 300ml cans. 

Soltan In Shower After Sun Cooling Lotion with Cucumber

Almost 20 years ago my mum bought a fantastic After Sun Shower Gel at the airport just as we were flying to Crete. It was a fantastic product as it smelt so good and did a brilliant job of washing AND being an excellent After Sun.

Sadly I didn't make a note of the brand and we never saw it in the shops again, such a pity as it was a genius idea, especially good for children who don't want to waste time applying After Sun...

Roll on 20 years and whilst I still haven't managed to find a similar product.. the development team at Boots Soltan have come up with the next best thing - Soltan In Shower After Sun Cooling Lotion with Cucumber.

I took this away with me on my recent holiday to Turkey and put it to the test.

Boots Soltan say 

The quick and easy way to moisturise your skin after being out in the sun.

This cooling in shower after sun will leave your skin feeling soft and moisturised up to 11 hours. With extract of cucumber and Aloe Vera to help cool and soothe.

To use

Use your normal shower product and rinse off. Apply Soltan in shower after sun lotion while still in the shower. Rinse off then dry yourself.

My thoughts 

This product works in the same way as the Nivea In Shower Moisturiser but has the added benefit of being an after sun product. The cucumber scent smells amazing and refreshing, so good after a day in the hot sun. I found it soothing, cooling and it certainly did leave my skin feeling incredibly soft. I had to keep stroking my legs as I couldn't believe what a great job of moisturising my legs it did!

The In Shower After Sun is a brilliant idea as you don't have to faff with a lotion after showering and can get dressed straight away. 

However, I would say that you may need a separate cream/lotion at bedtime if you have got a little sunburnt. 

Personally I thought this was an ace product and it is currently half price in Boots so go buy!

Boots Soltan In Shower After Sun Cooling Lotion with Cucumber 200ml costs £6.50 (currently £3.25)

*PR Sample

Poolside Glamour

Three items on my recent holiday helped keep me up there in the glamour stakes by the pool. Now I am not talking about false lashes, heavy foundation and some thick gloopy pale gloss but more subtle tricks that meant that I looked alive whilst sat by the pool and they had the added advantage of containing SPF and being good for my skin!

The first product I popped on after my suncare was the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream . I have waxed lyrical about this product both in a blog post and on twitter and I still think the same.. it is fabulous. A light product that hides imperfections, evens out skin tone and makes skin look so much better and yet so natural, PLUS it contains an SPF30 for additional protection.

The second product was the new(ish) Smashbox Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara, lashes look long and luscious, it comes in a nice rich black and does a great job after a dip in the pool. There were no panda eyes here!

Finally, the third product I used by day was the Lanolips Lip Ointment With Colour SPF15 in shade Apples This conditioned my lips leaving them beautifully soft, protected them from the Sun with the SPF15 and provided a pretty and subtle red glossy hue to my lips. What is there not to love.

Liberty Print Claire Aude Print Tana Lawn Weekend Wash Bag

This gorgeous Liberty Print Weekend Wash Bag is ideal for Summer Holidays. I popped in suncream, aftersun and as there was more room a hair care product and my cooling mist from Avene.

Roomy, light, protective and see through. I found the wash bag indispensable and with its Claire Aude Print in Tana Lawn floral design, pretty to leave in the bathroom too.

Liberty Print Claire Aude Print Tana Lawn Weekend Wash Bag from Liberty London costs £45

*PR Sample

4 Days In Rome - The Eternal City

About 8 years ago I went to Rome with my then boyfriend (now husband). I had heard such good things, it is romantic, you will love it ... so I was very excited to be visiting this legendary city. Sadly it was a huge disappointment, it was November, it was cold and rained the entire time, it seemed dirty and full of graffiti and to top it all off there was a transport strike :-(

However we did manage to see The Trevi Fountain and toss a coin into it (legend has it if you do this you will return) and we visited The Vatican in all its splendour and serenity.

Back to Rome

Well this thing about returning to Rome if you toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain..it must be true as we got an invite to my cousin's wedding to be held in Rome, we were going back! So at the end of July the whole family, and I mean the WHOLE family packed our bags and jetted off to Rome for four days of sightseeing and wedding celebrations.

Rome in the height of Summer is an entirely different place. It is steamy hot, sunny and packed with sightseers. Gelatos (ice cream) are in abundance and it is an altogether friendlier and definitely romantic destination. You cannot help but get swept up and fall  in love with the City.

We stayed in Hotel Quirinale on Via Nazionale. I would highly recommend this hotel for its location and proximity both to the main train station and the main sights, size of rooms and general ambiance. They also had good food and a lovely, peaceful garden area where they served food and drinks.

Kicking off the holiday in style

The hotel garden 

Relaxing on the swing chair

In the hotel garden - pre dinner drinks 

When in Rome - Pizza

The Sights of Rome

Trevi Fountain 

The Spanish Steps

The Colosseum 

The Vatican 

The stunning wedding location at Villa Aurelia 

Yes when in Rome it really is The Sweet Life 

Bettina x