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How is everyone's Friday? I know it's pay weekend for a lot of people so I hope you're celebrating wisely. Personally I've ordered a range of new books and supported the Scottish fashion scene with a sneaky new ring purchase. Living the rock and roll lifestyle.

I had my final trapeze lesson of this block last Sunday so will be having my first weekend in a while where I'm not hanging upside down. I'm also heading to the #ScotBlogMeet on Sunday which I am sooooo excited about and you should give me a holla if you are also going.

Much love x

Feminism & Equality

It took a Reddit user (of all people) to explain why you shouldn't say "all lives matter" in response to Black Lives Matter.

I was very relieved that the foxhunting ban was kept in place. Here's a blog post on foxhunting, the SNP, the badger cull and a vegan cookbook.

How the rainbow flag became the symbol of LGBT pride.

I wasn't actively Googling for James Bond articles but I came across this list of eight actors who turned down the role, and this list of four gay actors who would make a fantastic 007.

A vegan article which has went viral this week The Myth of Vegan Progress in Israel, comes from a blog which includes a category on the topic of Veganism in Occupied Territories which is intersectional food for thought.

Let's talk about something serious: more women regret having kids than having abortions.

For my parent readers, what to do if your kid comes out as transgender?

How Sea Shepherd chased down Poachers across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Scotland

A cute as hell Scottish Etsy shop I found this week.

Remember when I moved to Glasgow and paid £6 a day taking public transport to work and then realised I could walk there in the same time without spending anything? Here's 25 ways to save money on your commute so you not be as stupid as me.

I love love love wedding p***, especially from couples who do their own thing. Like this Autumn wedding outside Tullibole Castle.

Going for a picnic in Glasgow? Possible not, given the summer Scotland has been having. But maybe hold onto this article on 10 ways to up your picnic game in Glasgow until next summer.

You might know that I used to be perform as a (totally amateur) dancer. Whilst my stage was usually something in a village hall or student centre, these picture of famous European theatres from the stage gave me that nostalgic feeling.

17 of the funniest Doric expressions. Really need to start using these in Glasgow...

Heading to the Edinburgh Book Festival? Here's some tips on what to see.

Etc.

I like a bit of positive thinking as much as the next 21st Century internet gal. But this post on Conscious optimism versus lazy, pseudo-spiritual optimism is right on.

Clueless is 20 years old (!!!) here's 25 facts about one of the 90's greatest films.

A shed is not just for storing gardening shears. It's also a place to make a girl den!

I know I keep sharing posts from Lauren's blog, but here's another one I liked on what she really watches on Netflix.

I also share a lot of posts from Hayley's blog. Here's her recent book review, which sounds right up my feminist street!

If you're planning on downloading Windows 10, here's some privacy issues to be aware of.

Yep! 20 things that happens when you start working full-time.

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RECIPE: Banana and Coconut Cake Smoothie

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If there's one type of food or drink that I've loved consistently throughout my life, it's the smoothie. If there's one thing I've been quite bad at throughout my life, it's naming things. Banana and Coconut Cake Smoothie? It's probably makes you think of those cake in a mug recipes, this is probably nothing of the sort. However, it's the name I'm going with.

Something the title does imply correctly is that this a pretty sweet recipe full of sugar. So probably not one for anyone on a diet. It also correctly implies that there's a some banana and coconut in their too.

So anyway let's get out the ActiveBlend and get to it...

Ingredients:

One banana sliced

two dessert spoons peanut butter

two dessert spoons butterscotch syrup

sprinkle of cinnamon

200ml Alpro Coconut Almond Milk*

Blend it all together and you should have a sweet and thick smoothie to sip away to at your hearts content! Possibly you should have a slice of cake with it too....

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beauty skincare

Introducing Agronauti Vegan Organic Cosmetics

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It's no secret that I'm always on the hunt for the newest vegan beauty product. Whilst I love to shop local and support small Scottish businesses I'm always excited to discover a product from an exotic location. So when Argonauti, a vegan cosmetics company from Italy, got in contact asking if I wanted to try some of their range I was more than happy to add this to my beauty collection.

Argaunati are based out of Milan and have a range of skin and body products which are free from mineral oils, silicones, parabens, wheat/gluten and any animal ingredients. Whilst I'm still personally researching the science of these ingredients (and the jury still seems very much out if consumers should be avoiding them) if you are in the market for high end but natural this company seems like a good bet.

First off I received a full sample of their Sedna body cream*, which I have been loving. It's gorgeously thick which has been perfect for my feet which have been taking a bit of a battering since starting my trapeze lessons. It's however a bit thick for the rest of my body as my skin is naturally soft. The packaging, as you can tell from the picture, is also gorgeous.

Secondly I received a full product of the Talia face wash*. Skincare can be very objective and difficult to review, however for my skin type I would say this was a very average product. It didn't make my skin worse, but I didn't see any improvements either (even on my chest and back where I also test out cleansers). It's a foam and you only need one pump of it, however my skin also lacked that 'clean' feeling you get after cleansing. The jury's a little bit out on this one.

I was also sent a collection of their cream and cleanser samples*, and whilst it's difficult to write a review on something I could only get one sachet of use from, one product Iwant to mention is the Jason Eco Mousse Body Cleanser. For me personally I love a smelly shower gel and I've always got my eyes (or nose?) open for something a bit different that I can use to shake up my morning routine. The was a perfect addition as it gave me a new scent - which reminded me of a forest. Standing on my shower whilst using this reminded me of being outside in a pine forest.

Sedna ingredients: Aqua, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Sterate Citrate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pursea Grattissma Oil, Argania Spinosa Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Phytic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium PCA, Sdium Lactate, Moringa Pterygosperms Seed Extract, Lecithin, Mannitol, Maltodextrin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Citronellol, Linalool

Talia ingredients: Aqua, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Gluconate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutaate, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Panax Ginseng Extract, Magnesium Sulfate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Phytate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Lecithin, Mannitol, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Parfum, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Citric Acid.

I'd recommend this for you if: you like to avoid certain ingredients such as parabens and silicons, you have dry skin on your feet (for the body cream) or you have normal skin with no major complaints facially (for the cleanser).

I wouldn't recommend this for you if: you have skin concerns or complaints on your face.

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July Playlist

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Two Year Plan - Such Gold

Beautiful to Me - Olly Murs

Love Shy - Platnum

Blew my Mind - Dresses

Still Be Here - Hundred Reasons

5 years time - Noah and the Whale

Already Over - Orson

Open on Spotify

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The Linkables

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Happy Friday guys! Nothing of particular interest happened this week. I have new bruises from trapeze and I finally managed to finish Lolita (thank you and good night). My brain was feeling a bit frazzled from the sophisticated prose found in classic literature so my bedtime reading is now one of Ann M. Martin's classic pieces Dawn and The Impossible Three (it's a Babysitter's Club book - erm, yes?).

Let's just move on...

Veganism & Food

The voting is now open for VegFest 2015.

Sunflower seed risotto? Sounds like my cuppa tea.

The Newcastle Vegan Festival was just last week. And it looked delicious.

Wondering where to eat vegan in Eastbourne? Sarah has you covered.

And Bristol vegans are going to be lucky noming away at these new establishments.

There's a cafe coming to London that only sells fries. With different flavours. Including Marmite.

Home & Garden

I'm still trying to master to art of growing herbs, so I'm possibly not quite ready for indoors trees. But if you'e looking for a new garden project, here's a guide to growing indoor trees.

One learning to adult trend I'm well on-board with is the grown-up kitchen and I'm always looking for inspiration, so I love having a nosey at other people's grown up additions.

If you're taking your first step into adulthood and moving into halls after the summer, here's Hayley's tips on creating a nice halls set-up.

Your bedroom decor is not completed until you've decorated your wardrobe. For real.

Feminism & Equality

Siri is having none of your transphobia.

There's a new intersectional feminist-friendly animal rights book coming in October.

What happens when you realise you're bisexual....when you're already dating someone?

If you live in a Labour constituency, did your MP betray the working class which the Labour party are meant to protect?

Can we just, like, get over the way women speak already?

Etc.

If you make handmade crafts and are unsure of what to charge, here's a handy calculator.

The actors who were almost James Bond.

If you're the owner of generously-sized breasts and are considering reducing the size, here's Brianna West's story.

Want to name your baby something uncommon? Here's the least popular baby names in America.

You know LinkedIn is a professional networking site and not a dating site? These people don't.

If you're planning an American road trip soon, you could go Route 66 or follow this ultimate geek road trip?

I have a blog post in the works on my experience of doing a non-specific/liberal arts/open degree/whatever you call it, but here's an article on why liberal arts degrees are a good way into the PR field.

I loved Brownies, but it was a bit weird in hindsight.

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food glasgow

Another trip to the Flying Duck Vegan Fete

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If you're a vegan living in the Glasgow area you'll probably be already familiar with The Flying Duck vegan restaurant/nightclub and their every-now-and-then Vegan Fete. Even if you've been a reader of mo'adore for a while you'll be familiar with this event as I've blogged about it before (and a second time after that). I recently popped by to their most recently installment and, yes, I am blogging about it again cause I have a host of new vegan brands to share with you guys! And you can never blog about the same thing too often, right? (Said as I ignore the two page list of blog post ideas in my Filofax).

This was my first visit for a while, as I had been put off because the first and second time I attended it was roughly the same brands present, and I'm allll about finding new brands. However, I was free the afternoon of the most recent fete and would be in town anyway for the Comic and Craft Fair, plus the Duck has had a bit of a make-over/new menu so I thought I would/should check it out.

I was presently surprised to find that the brands available were not the same as the last time I attended, and there was only one brand present that I had been previously aware of. So my vegan heart was in a bit of a flutter (my bank balance, however, was not so much).

I took an Instagram of my purchases when I got home (including some Batgirl). The companies I bought from were natural cleaning product company Humble Stuff Scotland, a macaroni pie from vegan street food vendor Cool Jerk, a soya candle and nail varnish from The Wild Witchery, and two of the hottest hot sauces I've ever tried from Heathen Hawt Sauces (my mouth was on fire, you guys!).

And if that doesn't do it for you maybe pressed juice, vegan cupcakes (if you're not a weirdo like me who prefers savoury foods) or, erm, healing crystals.

Were you at the recent Flying Duck Fete? What were you picks from the event?

Morag x

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REVIEW: Conscious Skincare Neutralize Facewash

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You know when you've been wanting to try a brand for ages and finally feel the joy of getting round to purchasing something? This is how I felt about buying something from Conscious Skincare. They came onto my radar in 2013 when they achieved Leaping Bunny certification, and in June I finally got round to looking at their range properly and settled on their Neutralize Facewash.

The Neutralize Facewash is designed to combat spots and excess oil without drying the skin out. The formula contains lavender as an anti-inflammatory and lemongrass as an astringent, and the company is certified by Leaping Bunny, The Vegetarian Society and PETA.

I started using this about a month ago as my daily cleanser, and whilst my skin did feel like the perfect balance between cleansed and softened I didn't notice any long term changes to my skin. However, my skin didn't get any worse either - stayed the same. In positive news, like all cleansers I buy, I also tried out on my back and chest (as the skin is thicker and different there) and found it worked a charm on my pimply back (I'm not putting pictures up cause my back is so naturally spotty that I don't wear dress/tops with a low back - just take my word for it that it improved whilst using this).

Another big plus about this product is the sheer size of it. It foams up nicely too so you only require a little bit each time. Will do me a while.

I was also sent a free sample of their make-up melt, but it stung my eyes. Not recommended...

I'd recommend this for you if: you have a spotty back or chest, or have skin that is only mildly oily.

I wouldn't recommend this for you if: you have skin that is very spot-prone.

Ingredients: aqua, potassium sunflowerate*, potassium cocoate*, glycerin*, potassium chloride, potassium citrate, cymbopogon citratus*, lavandula angustifolia*, citrus grandis seed extract.

* denotes organic

Morag x

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The Linkables

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This week has been a bit more relaxed than usual. Aside from completing my third trapeze lesson (finally getting somewhere with climbing the rope) I've been having a chilled week, which has included working my way through Lolita, making a delicious vegan pizza and selecting the winner for my first giveaway.

And, obviously, reading a lot of stuff on the internet!

Veganism & Food

One of my favourite new speciality food blog finds this week is Gluten Free Cuppa Tea.

I was invited to the Happy Food Launch in Edinburgh but life got in the way of food. Here's Jen's blog of how the night went.

Making me drool: Butter Bean and Root Vegetable Stew with Herby Dumplings.

If you're vegan and in the Essex area Sarah is hosting a meet-up!

Feminism & Equality

Given my passion for sociology and my obsession with American, I still didn't know the difference between Hispanic, Spanish and Latino was until I watched this video.

Survey shows that even teenage boys think women are over-sexualised in games. Funny that.

20 reminders every feminist needs.

I agree with cutting obnoxious and toxic people out your life. But have a bit of compassion for people with mental health problems.

On a similar note: managing my spoons apparently makes me a shitty friend. (Article SFW, but the site it's written on is NSFW)

If any women I care about goes ahead with pregnancy which was caused by rape I'd stand by her, but some woman have felt stigmatised in this situation.

Gardening

17 clever ways to use mason jars in your backyard.

My homewares wishlist is getting slowly larger thanks to Louise sharing her garden party wishlist.

Happenings in Scotland

The nominees for the Scottish Fashion Awards is out now. Did you favourite brand make the cut?

I currently work on the Finnieston Strip, and I agree that it has a lot of local talent to offer.

I can't get across to Dundee this weekend but if I could I'd totally be visiting the Artificial Womb craft fair.

If you're looking to get your nails done (especially if you want nails with broccolis and a rogue carrot - and why would you not?) look no further than the new NAF! Salon.

Mimmi took her first trip to my home town of Aberdeen recently, here's her photos and thoughts (the word grey is used, ha!).

Glasgow will soon be getting another geek café!

Blogging & Marketing

Helga - who's blog I've been reading for close to a decade - shares how much money she's spent on her blog.

The sweetheart Hayley shares her five ways of sharing the blogging love.

Technology required for a simple sales funnel.

If you're wanting to be more proactive in developing brand partnerships but feel a bit icky 'pitching' a brand, I discovered Bloggers Required and got selected for the first project I threw my name in the hat for.

Whilst I've never had a job that involves hosting a stall at a craft fayre, I do regularly attend them and as a consumer I agree with these mistake to avoid.

Etc

Ayden has a lovely new blog post up on how to get a good night's sleep.

One of the biggest barries I faced entering 'geek culture' when I was a student was that I was studying a non-geek subject in the business school. This 29 Photos of Cosplayers Revealing their Day Job is a reminder that you don't have to be geeky by trade to be a geek.

If you're travelling to California anytime soon, $200 to swim with river otters would be money very well spent.

10 retro games you can play on your smart phone (including snake).

If you're thinking about getting your nose pierced, here's some advice some recent nose-piercee Lauren.

How Manouk has dealt with ethical dilemmas whilst travelling the world was interesting and eye-opening.

And a reminder that it's okay to change your mind.

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Making vegan pizza at home

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As may all know I love myself a good pizza, and have excitedly shared the vegan options available at Project Pie in Dundee and UK-wide at Pizza Express. However, I do occasionally like to create my own pizza at home. The very first pizza recipe I followed was one in my Standard Grade Home Economics recipe book which was very basic and my pizzas since then have remained so.

However the most recent issue of Vegan Life Magazine* was the pizza special and in it they had a range of pizza recipes ranging from basic to the sophisticated. Confident I already had the basic recipe down, I decided to attempted a slightly adventurous pizza. So I recreated the front cover recipe - the Pizza Veganiano.

Whilst the base was your standard thick New York base, what made this pizza stand out was the 'cheese' sauce made from carrots and potatoes. Yep, you read that right. The cheese you see on the pizza was actually a sauce made from puréed carrots and potatoes along with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, olive oil and cayenne pepper. This pizza was honestly one of the most beautiful I've eaten and the leftover sauce worked well as part of a cauliflower cheese recipe.

Whilst I've become quite adept at pizza making over the years it isn't the easiest food to make yourself and I've made a few blunders over the years. Here's some of my tips for making vegan pizza for yourself:

Give yourself a good chunk of the afternoon to put it together - even basic pizza recipes can take an hour plus to prepare
If you're looking for a thick crust add dried yeast, if you're looking for a thin crust leave this ingredient out
Making the base is just like baking, which means you need exact measurements as it's a chemical reaction (much like a cake)
Practice, practice, practice. Your first time making pizza shouldn't be when you have a dinner party looming; create your first few for a date with yourself
Build your confidence by buying a few pre-made bases to practice choosing toppings first
Use the correct flour for the job - plain flour works fine, but if you want it to be up a notch buy in some bread flour.
Vegan pizza tastes better sans cheese. But that's maybe just my own opinion ;)
Season it! This pizza was on the salty side (which I loved, but I realise my affection for salt - a la the salt vampire - is higher than most people's) but remember to throw some herbs on at least

If you have a copy of this issue of Vegan Life Magazine I highly recommend you try this recipe as it was beyond gorgeous, and I'd quite happy receive something of this quality in a restaurant. If this really doesn't sound up your street the other pizza recipes include a crust based on flax seeds and walnuts, a different crust based on oats and quinoa, mini pizzas and a cheese sauce based on cashews. Then there's the article about what vegan beers to pair with what pizza. Pretty much everything you would need!

Have you tried any of the pizzas from the newest issue? Or did a different article catch your eye?

P.S. If you liked this you might like my post on making your own vegan sushi at home.

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REVIEW: Pure Chimp Super Shampoo and Super Soap

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Just a month back you might remember that American vegan beauty blog Logical Harmony hosted a UK exclusive giveaway to win some Purechimp goodies. Well, guys I was one of those lucky winners. I got one of four runner-up prizes which consisted of the Super Shampoo Bar and a bar of Super Soap (the top prize of the tea and skincare set went to the very lucky Kelly of The Vegan Taff). It's been a while since I received these products and I thought I'd give a round-up of what I thought.

The Super Soap bar was the first product I began using. Initially I took it into the bath with me but later discovered it was better as a shower soap, as it doesn't foam up as well (does anyone else feel there's a difference between a soap you might use in the bath versus the shower? Maybe just me). But being a natural product I did realise it wouldn't lather up much. It takes the forms of a lovely thin cream that you can easily spread across your body. It also smells delicious and reminds me of a banana hair mask I had when I was 14 (think it was Boots own brand, and was aimed at teenagers). A little bit also goes a long way.

The shampoo bar was something I waited until the weekend to try as I've never had much luck with natural shampoos and didn't want to risk going to work with oily hair. But thankfully this worked just fine. It also has a lovely banana smell to it but included beer in the ingredients so it formed a nice lather in the shower. It cleansed my hair well and got rid of any grease however I did find it a bit drying. I do double-wash my hair each day using two different shampoos and I've been using this consistently for my first shampoo (second shampoo is a volumising one) so this prevented it from drying out my hair too much. However, while this shampoo got rid of oil, I did find that it didn't add any extra volume, shine or oomph to my hair. Which is something I personally really want from a shampoo. Also like the soap, a little bit goes a long way.

I'd recommend this for you if: using natural products is important to you or you just like to use soap for cleanliness reasons and aren't bothered if it provides fancy beautifying extras. Also if you like banana smells.

I wouldn't recommend this if: you like top-notch shampoo and soap which doesn't just clean but adds oomph and volume et al.

Super Shampoo Bar ingredients: Coconut Oil (Coco Nucifera), Olive Oil (Olea Europaea), Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima), Beer, Natural Banana Flavour.

Super Soap ingredients: Olive Oil (Olea Europaea), Water (Aqua), Coconut Oil (Cocus Nucifera), Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii) Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Banana Powder (Musa Sapientum), Natural Banana Flavour..

P.S. My three year cruelty-free giveaway is ending in two days.

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Cruelty-free Cleaning: EcoEgg in Orange Blossom

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Remember in January when I turned into my mother and began raving about a cleaning product called the Laundry Egg?

Well, the blogging gods clearly listened as Ecoegg sent me over their newest kit* to try some more of their range. Inside of it was their Antibacterial Laundry Egg (a world first!), 2 Laundry Egg Holders, a Double Size Stain Remover, and an Ultimate Detox Tablet. I was also sent their newest fragrance, Orange Blossom to try out to see how it compared to the Soft Cotton fragrance I already have.

Naturally, I was excited (I actually received make-up samples the same day, but was more excited about my newest egg) and grabbed what was currently in laundry basket to try it out (like the secret forty year old that I am).

Each of the eggs are filled with tiny balls that act like a detergent. In each egg there are mineral pellets and tourmaline pellets which acts together to clean your clothes without the use of chemicals. The Orange Blossom box came with several packets of laundry refills, some of which were suitable for whites and some for coloured laundry. EcoEgg has also sent me over a second antibacterial egg so I've created an egg for my coloured clothes and one for my white clothes (so I now have three eggs in total making me weirdly organised).

In my first review I said I would need to see how long it lasts me. I can now report that my original egg is still going strong and in use despite having used it every week since January. So now I have two scents to switch up and change as need be. The quality of both are exactly the same so it will be down to personal choice which scent works best for who (there are other scents on the EcoEgg website too).

Also included in the package was their Double Sized Stain Remover. The Batman top I wear to bed and to get ready in the morning (or just generally laze around my flat in) was getting pretty worse for wear with make-up and toothpaste stains so was the perfect place to start. Obviously these aren't exactly the crème de la crème of stains so I can't vouch for whether it will work on anything more stainy (like...car oil? kids finger paint?) but I can vouch it removed my (probably) one month old toothpaste stains (and random bronzer marks).

On top of all this they also sent me over an Ultimate Detox Tablet to clean my washing machine with. I’m going to admit that cleaning the machine I clean my clothes in is one of those adult things I haven’t quite ticked off my list yet. So…my washing machine was probably in dire need of a detox. To use it, you place it in your empty washing machine and send it for a wash on your hottest setting to get the drum and all those pipes cleaned out. It’s one of those products that are hard to determine the effectiveness of as I’m not really sure how one check’s their laundry pipes, but my machine definitely had a fresh clean smell to it afterwords (for the sake of a review I did pop my head at the entrance of my machine washing and had a sniff...).

This is quite a lot of products to absorb in one go, however if you do want to try this out for yourself, QVC UK will be doing a special deal on everything I've mentioned for better than half the price of buying each product individually on the EcoEgg website. This coming Monday this kit will be the Today's Special Value on QVC so if you do fancy buying it, hop on over on Monday!

The full kit contains:
- The Orange Blossom EcoEgg with refills
- A spare antibacterial Laundry Egg
- Two laundry egg holders
- An Ultimate Detox Tablet
- A double sized stain remover

This deal and the Orange Blossom fragrance is exclusive to QVC as well.

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The Linkables

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Is everyone having a good Friday? I'm currently chilling after what has been a busy week. I was at Glasgow City Comic Con last weekend where I bought some indie comics and increased my Batgirl New 52 collection to more than 50% completion. I also had my second ever trapeze lesson on Wednesday so my muscle are still tender from that. And then I had the important adult task of completing Season 1 of Once Upon a Time.

Now onto links!

Feminism & Equality

Guys and gals, learn proper condom etiquette.

Nicki Minaj has something to say about the orgasm gap. Bravo!

Wonder what it's like to accidentally take magic mushrooms? Here's what happened to Jayne.

Ariana Grande reminds us that she is not a possession.

Getting your period is never fun. Even worse when you're in an American prison.

Girl Scouts turn down a $100,000 donation in order to stand by trans girls.

Whilst this is a very sensitive topic and requires more than one article to talk through it, it reminds me a situation myself and others have been in. 4 Ways to Find Out if Your Partner is Using Depression as an Excuse for Abusive Behaviour.

Whilst I've never been a Playboy fan and I'm not surprised by it, my heart was breaking reading about Holly Madison's experience of the Playboy Mansion.

How about we stop asking female celebrities if they are feminist and ask them about the issues instead?

Blogging & Marketing

RuPaul's Drag List is still hanging about on my 'to-watch' list but even I know the loyalty its fans display. Here's what marketers can learn from that.

Woah! 200 essential resources for start-ups.

I used to love Pinterest but fell out of love as I didn't feel it was doing much for my blog traffic. With Olivia's tips I might resurrect it and give it a face-lift (maybe I just haven't been using it properly?).

Personal Development, Relationships & Life

I'm an introvert who was raised by extroverts, which got draining (probably for my parents as well). Here's Susan Cain's guide for parents who have a small introvert in the house.

Increasing my assertiveness is something I've been actively working on for years. Here's another article to add to my inspiration pile.

On a similar note, how to improve your emotional intelligence.

Mel has been sharing publicly on her blog her battle with her eating disorder and her posts have been eye-openers. Here's her letter to her ED.

Which London tube station to pop into if you're a single commuter looking for love.

Even if your love life is peachy, don't forget about your pooch's. If your four legged friend hasn't found the one yet then get them on TinDog (this is exactly what you think this is...).

If you're in a relationship, you probably aren't feeling as much financial strain as single Brits.

Etc

Liz Earl are a cruelty-free company who have been owned by a testing parent company for a while. But they've now been bought by a different parent company. We'll need to see what this means for their cruelty-free status.

Growing up in North-East Scotland means I've seen my fair share of the Aurora Borealis. But up until now I had no idea that Aurora Australis existed.

Later this month will see another instalment of the Flying Duck's Vegan Fate.

To add to my list of reasons I don't read VICE Magazine: their partnership with one of my least favourite brands, Unilever.

It's petty American but here's a list of where to buy ethical underwear.

7 free things everyone should be taking advantage of on the internet.

And finally, brutally honest wine labels. Ha!

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Vegan burger at Handmade Burger Co

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Within the past year we have seen a number of UK chain restaurants make vegan additions to their menus from Jamie's Italian to Pizza Express. Very recently I discovered that Handmade Burger Co have also listened to consumers and now include four vegan burgers on their menu (as well three other burgers which are just vegetarian). Naturally I took myself and my tastebuds along to their Glasgow branch to give one of them a taste test.

Now, I love a veggie burger and I'm not sick of them despite them being the default option on so many menus (you can still be a burger person even if you don't eat the meat kind). But it was nice to sit there and actually debate which option to have. In the end I went for the sweet potato & bean burger which came with a mango salsa.

This burger was very well made. The bun was of the perfect crispy balance. And the mango salsa that accompanied it wasn't some off the shelf sauce they bought in - it consisted of chopped up fresh mango. However, the actual flavour of the burger was lacking and I really felt they could have thrown in some extra herbs. I was there with Alan who chose the hot chilli beef burger and made similar comments to my own. The bulk of my non-meat eating readers might want to turn their eyes away, but he said the beef itself was some of the best he's ever tasted however the overall burger wasn't remotely spicy.

I'm extremely grateful that another chain restaurant has added some vegan options to their menus. It makes it easier for vegans across the UK to eat out and also means that if I'm in a British city I've never been to before I already have on-hand knowledge of where I can eat instead of frantically Googling where the nearest vegan cafe is.

Have you ever been to Handmade Burger Co.? Do you know somewhere else I should try to get a vegan burger fix?

.S. I'm currently hosting a giveaway to win a box of cruelty-free beauty products.

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beauty make-up

Tan Organic Duo Bronzer

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A bronzer is such a simple yet great addition to a daily make-up routine. Whether it's to add a sunkissed glow or a bit of definition to the cheekbones, a bit of bronzer always comes recommend. However being a pale girl finding a great bronzer can be difficult as many of them can leave me looking a bit tangoed or with a tan that is obviously fake. I have for a long time loved The Body Shop light bronzer however since the whole Chinese airport situation I've not felt comfortable purchasing from them and have been on the hunt for a replacement (you read my recent review of the Dusty Girls Bronzer here).

So when the online store NaturalCollection.com got in contact asking if I wanted to try something from their beauty and wellness range I was drawn to the duo bronzer from TanOrganic*. One half the of the product is a matt bronzer whilst the other half is a shimmery bronze with a touch of gold. The packaging is also nice but in a very subdue way. A great look on a grown-up dressing table.

I was disappointed by the bronzer side, as it really lacks pigment. I'm not super pale but fair enough that I have to be very careful applying bronzer, but I had to apply a lot of this product for it to be noticeable. However I loved the shimmer side of the bronzer and found it perfect for highlighting. It's a very light shimmer when applied so it's great to perk up the skin on a 'no make-up day'. If you're familiar with the Pacifica Alight BB Cream then I found it gave a similar effect. The staying power was also perfect and there was still shimmer on my skin when I got home from a day in the office.

I'd recommend this product if: you're in the market for a product that gently adds shimmer to the face and are as pale as me, or paler.

I wouldn't buy this if: you're after a pigmented bronzer or have a darker skintone than myself.

Ingredients: Mica, Zea Mays Stahc/Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Zinc Stearate, Octylodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Simmondisia Chinensis Oil/Simmondisia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil/Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil. (+/-) May Contain: CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide).

And for clarification I only noticed reading the ingredients after receiving this product that it contains beeswax. It was listed as vegan on the website so I'll have the brand clarify if this is artificial beeswax.

Have you tried anything from the Tan Organic range? What did you think?

P.S. I'm currently hosting a giveaway to win a box of cruelty-free beauty products.

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the linkables

The Linkables

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From here.

Happy Friday internet! How has everyone's week been? I took my very first trapeze class last Sunday and have been spending most of my evenings this week in bed feeling sorry for my sore limbs. However I've also developed a cold so my second trapeze class has been put off for a while. I'll instead be heading to Glasgow City Comic Con this weekend.

I've also given my Linkables a new format. It's been two years since my first Linkables post and I thought it was time to spruce it up a bit. So hello intro paragraph about my week and fancy new sections so you can quickly find the kind of links that interest you. I did have to debate which section to put some links in so remember to nosey through them all anyway.

Let me know what you think!

Veganism & Food

Something tasty: chocolate raspberry brownies.

Also: creating dishes from your favourite books, films and tv.

My parents are heading to South East Asia next year (and I'm not, boo!) but here's an article on vegan restaurants I'm going to send them anyway.

It's finally beginning to feel like the UK is getting some summer, so the perfect time to check out Lauren's post on her favourite vegetarian BBQ ideas.

SPCA release an appeal after fox found in gin trap.

Blogging and marketing

Blogging advice: how to set blogging goals you can actually achieve.

Becky wrote an excellent post asking if bloggers really need a niche?

A new (to me) lifestyle blog which has been keeping me busy with their archives: Skinned Cartree.

And my new favourite beauty blog which has introduced me to loads of new brands that I'll need to contact for my cruelty-free list: Bow Tied Beauty.

Feminism and Equality

If you've ever said "all lives matter" in response to Black Live Matter, then this post is for you.

Learn more about an interesting career path: what it's really like to be a female prison guard.

Rebecca was ill for most of her life with a life-threatening disease. But it never got treated because doctors kept telling her it was because she was fat. Here's her story of how fat-shaming almost killed her.

Dominic Utton on what's he's learnt watching the Women's World Cup.

Some well written words on inclusion in the geek world.

Some sexy blogging news I missed last year: the top 100 sex blogging superheroes of 2014.

And in very good news Clare's Law is going to be extended to the rest of Scotland making it easier to find out if a romantic partner has a history of abuse.

Geek and pop culture

My current TV show of choice is Once Upon a Time which I discovered through Lynsey. Here's her top 5 reasons why everyone should be watching it.

Geek Girl Brunch is something I stumbled upon this week (and immediately signed up for). If you live in Glasgow or Nottingham there's already a meet-up group organised in your city! And there's many more meet-up groups across the globe.

If like me you enjoy exploring the intersection between pop culture and feminism, Her Story Arc is a relatively new website to add to your RSS feed.

I'm always in the market for a new female geek blog to read, but I always struggle to find British ones. Luckily I stumbled upon The North East Nerd this week.

Etc

The reason I stopped my monthly playlists is because I got lazy. But go check out AbbeyLauren's post if you're after some new tunes.

I don't buy from many of these brands anyway because they're on my animal testing list, however a bunch of big players in the cosmetic industry have been fined for price fixing.

The world's first electric double-decker bus is coming to the UK.

What it feels like to fall in love with the idea of a person.

A piece of advice I would have given my younger self is: it's easier to make friends when you're a student so go meet as many people as possible. But here's a post on how to make friends as an adult anyway.

And finally, how to pick what work opportunities to work on and which opportunities need to be shown the door.

P.S. Remember to enter my giveaway to win a box of cruelty-free beauty products.

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beauty cruelty-free

Three year cruelty-free anniversary & GIVEAWAY!

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Today is an important day (to myself at least) that I mark every year. It is the anniversary of my decision to go cruelty-free. On the 1st of July 2012 I made some mid-year resolutions right after my university graduation (it's been three years since I've graduated?!?!) which included the decision to boycott animal tested cosmetics.

The only difference this year is, for the first time, I'm not going to ramble on but I am instead running a giveaway to mark it.

I've made up a box containing some of my favourite cruelty-free beauty brands to give away to one lucky winner. Inside it is an assortment of goodies that I hope will appeal to a wide range of people and will help you discover some new favourites!

The box contains:

Bulldog shower Gel
White Rabbit Skincare Comfort Cleansing Balm
Gosh Lipstick in Divine
Aromatree goody bag containing Relax Foot Cream, Repair Foot Cream and their Foot Scrub.

Also a big thank you to the fabulous Aromatree and White Rabbit Scotland who donated products.

All the information on entering is below and good luck!

Terms and Conditions

This giveaway is open to UK entrants only
One winner will be chosen at random via the Rafflecopter widget
Entry is via the Rafflecopter widget below and the winner will receive one box containing the products mentioned and pictured above
Entrants under 18 must seek parental permission before entering
No purchase necessary
All brands involved have already sent their products to me and I will be the person responsible for sending the prize and will keep the winner's address confidential.
I will send it second class signed for on delivery.
Once drawn, the winner will be contacted via the email provided and have 28 days to respond
All entries will be moderated and duplicate, false or incomplete entries will be deleted
The giveaway will run from 1st of July 2015 to 15th of July 2015.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to everyone who has read my blog over these past three years (and hello to anyone who is new) and also a shout out to anyone who read my blog before my cruelty-free days. It's been exciting to see the cruelty-free blogging community grow so much in the past 12 months and I can't wait to see where it takes us.

Love and stuff!

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