Foodie Friday: 5 Ways To Use Habanero Hot Sauce with Memento Mori

If there's one thing that I can't get enough of, it's hot sauce. And I like my hot sauce, really, really hot! Meet my latest obsession which I've been pouring onto almost everything; Memento Mori Habanero Pepper Sauce.

Fellow chili lovers will know that the independent hot sauce scene in the UK is booming right now, and you can find all sorts of homemade fiery delights from every corner of the country. Someone, somewhere, is always experimenting with a new chili sauce recipe, so the best places to find them are generally not in your local Tesco, but online. So much so, that my cupboard and fridge are full of hot sauces from artisan producers that I've found via social media, and my newest discovery is from Memento Mori.

The brand reached out to me and asked if I'd like to try their hot sauce, and when I saw the bottle, I instantly said yes! I mean, how cool does it look?! From the small chunky glass bottle, to the label design and the cork top complete with a red wax seal featuring a skull, Memento Mori immediately grabbed my attention and I couldn't wait to try it when it arrived.

Their Habanero Pepper Hot Sauce is a seriously hot blend of fresh Habanero Peppers, Vinegar, and Spices, and each batch is handmade in Crouch End, North London. This sauce really packs a punch in both the flavour and heat department, and it will certainly add a fiery kick to any meal! I love how fresh it tastes and you only need to use a few drops to liven up your food.

Below, I've shared five ways that I've been recently using Memento Mori Habanero Hot Sauce, but the options are endless as it's such a versatile condiment to have in your cupboard!

 1 - On Avocado Toast

My Superfood Avocado On Sourdough Toast recipe has been one of my most viewed posts this month, so if you're an avo fan and you love hot sauce, why not combine the two?! If only everything in life was this simple to figure out!

 2 - Spicy Baked Beans

Whether you like your beans from Heinz or enjoy making your own version like I have above, a few drops of hot sauce will add some pleasant heat for a super tasty side dish.

3 - Chili Infused Dipping Oil

This Chili Infused Dipping Oil idea was recommended to me by Memento Mori who suggest using two parts Extra Virgin Olive Oil to 1 part Memento Mori Hot Sauce for a delicious dipping oil that you can use with crusty chunks of fresh bread. Yum!

 4 - Over Scrambled Eggs

Spice up your breakfast with a splash of hot sauce over scrambled eggs, or any eggs for that matter - it works just as well with poached and fried - whichever way you like them! 

5 - Aztec/Mexican Hot Chocolate

If you're feeling particularly adventurous, try adding some hot sauce to an Aztec or Mexican Hot Chocolate instead of using chili powder. The sauce will mix even better with the liquid hot chocolate and you'll get that amazing chili and chocolate flavour coming through. Why not try it with my Aztec Hot Chocolate recipe? 

Memento Mori Habanero Pepper Sauce* is available to order via the brand's Facebook here.

Are you a fan of hot sauce?

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New In Beauty: Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches

Urban Decay are bringing the heat this Summer, quite literally, with their brand new Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette. But is it worth the hype? Let's find out!

Urban Decay's latest eyeshadow palette release was 'hotly' anticipated by many makeup junkies and the brand did some clever marketing to get the beauty world talking about it with a handful of pre-sale events. Being the newest addition to UD's much loved Naked range, the Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette was always going to cause a stir and I have to say that I was immediately drawn to it when I first saw it on Instagram. I'll always be a die-hard neutrals fan at heart, but I've been wanting to push myself outside of my comfort zone and try out some new shades for Summer, so this palette arrived at just the right time!

The packaging for the Naked Heat palette is on point as always with anything from Urban Decay, and I love the fun, almost retro-80s vibe on the lid, complete with embossed text that's super satisfying to run your fingers over. This palette contains 12 brand new shades and it's a sizzling mix of warm toned mattes and shimmers featuring an interesting spectrum of browns, reds, coppers, and bronzes. 

As expected, there's a large mirror in the reverse lid and the Naked Heat palette comes with a double-ended eyeshadow brush featuring a flat end for packing on shadow, and a fluffier end for blending it all out. I'm always impressed with the quality of the brushes from Urban Decay as they are by far the best that you can find in a palette like this. 

Here's a rundown of all 12 shades and how they perform on the peepers:-

• Ounce - Super pale, creamy white ivory shade with a touch of shimmer. Perfect to use as an inner corner highlight to make the eyes look wide awake, or as a subtle under-brow highlight. 

• Chaser - A classic 'nude' / flesh-toned matte. I've been using this a lot all over the lids for those easy 'no makeup makeup' days when you want to look like you've made an effort, but really can't be bothered! 

• Sauced - Light brown matte with a reddish undertone. Looks amazing in the crease alongside some neutral shades for a more defined, everyday look. 

• Low Blow - A medium brown matte with a hint of yellow. Richly pigmented and great as a base for a warm smokey eye. 

• Lumbre - Stunning metallic rose-gold with a duo-chrome finish. Adds a lot of warmth and the shimmer reflects beautifully when it's caught in sunlight.

• He Devil - Burnt red matte. This one wasn't the easiest to work with as it's a little dry and you definitely needs a primer underneath to get the most out of this colour.

• Dirty Talk - Bright metallic copper. Beautifully pigmented with a rich gold shimmer running through it. Blends like a dream! 

• Scorched - A pink toned metallic copper, this is my favourite shade in the palette. It's quite similar to Dirty Talk but that extra pink in there makes it even more wearable for me. 

• Cayenne - Warm chocolate matte. This is another great shade to use a base for a warm smokey eye and is a really versatile colour. 

• En Fuego - Dark burgundy matte. A strong shade to use on its own, I've found it works better as a liner colour tucked into the lashline or as a crease shade for a dramatic smokey eye. 

• Ashes - Dark aubergine brown matte - my least favourite colour as it's quite dry and doesn't blend as well as the other matte shades. 

• Ember - A beautiful and very unusual deep metallic brown and copper duo-chrome shade. I don't have a colour like this in the whole of my eyeshadow collection and it's absolutely stunning used wet as a liner for the lower waterline!

Overall thoughts? 

Although there are one or two shades which either aren't my thing or don't blend as well as the rest, the vast majority of the shadows in the Naked Heat palette are typical of the richly pigmented and high-quality formulas that I've come to expect and love from a brand like Urban Decay. This warm toned colourway won't be for everyone, but if you're looking for a new high-end palette to play with this Summer, Naked Heat will provide a lot of creativity and fun, and it certainly does its job of helping me to break out of my neutral-loving comfort zone!

Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette* retails for £39.50 and is available from various stockists including direct from urbandecay.co.uk

What do you think of the new Naked Heat Palette? Yay or nay?

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Health & Wellbeing: PurePharma Synbiotics SB3 review

Pick up any health magazine and you'll find countless features on the benefits of having a healthy gut, and both prebiotics and probiotics are currently enjoying a long overdue welcome in the spotlight.

But this is nothing new. Many ancient civilisations have held the 'gut' in high regard and respect for thousands of years. For example, in Ayurveda, the stomach and the digestive system are seen as the root cause of all ill health, from minor complaints to more serious diseases, and so maintaining a healthy gut is the best way to ensure long and happy years of good health.

In the West though, our digestive system is often under attack from fatty junk food diets and too much-processed foods, a lack of exercise and tons of stress. Conditions like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) are on the rise, but they are frequently treated with medication that doesn't properly address the problem.  

I've had numerous stomach problems myself and was diagnosed with IBS last year, which led me to research more about the subject to try and understand what was causing it. After some diet and lifestyle changes, I found that taking a prebiotic and probiotic supplement has really helped. I still get flare ups every now and then (especially if I fall off the diet and into a plate of pizza...ahem!), but for the most part, it's much better and far more manageable than it was before I was diagnosed.

I've tried a couple of different prebiotic and probiotic supplements from various brands since then, and a new one I've been trying out recently is the Synbiotics SB3 from PurePharma.

What is it?

PurePharma Synbiotics SB3 are a blend of prebiotics and probiotics which help to keep your body and your gut in balance. It's important to find a supplement that has both as they work best when they're together (e.g as a 'synbiotic'). The easiest way to think about them is like an army and the food that the army needs to keep marching on. The Probiotics are the good guys. They're the good, live bacteria that your gut needs to fight off bad bacteria, and they help to support your immune and digestive systems. The Prebiotics are the ingestible fibres that serve as food for the Probiotics - they feed the good bacteria so that it can thrive, grow and keep fighting off the bad bacteria. Thus a happy balance is formed to keep your gut in check and working as it should be.  

What's in it?

This supplement contains a Probiotic blend with 13 billion viable cells featuring Bifidobacterium (BB-12) 3.5 billion CFU and Lactobacillus fermentum (PCC) 9.5 billion CFU. It also contains 200mg of Vitamin C to further support the body, in addition to Fructo-oligosaccharides, Inulin, Pectin and natural Cranberry flavour. It's free from Gluten, GMOs, Nuts and Artificial additives, contains no added sugar, and is suitable for vegans.

How Do I take It and How Often?

Synbiotics SB3 comes in a powder format that you can easily mix with water, juice, milk, yoghurt or you can take it straight from the packet. It has a subtle Cranberry flavour when dissolved in plain water, and I can't really taste it when it's added to juice. The supplements are individually packaged into convenient stick servings (great for popping into your handbag and travelling with), and it's advised that you take one per day, 30 minutes before eating a meal. 

Results?

I've been taking these daily for about a month now and I've seen an improvement in the symptoms of my IBS; most noticeably that I've had a lot less bloating and any stomach cramps and twinges have been much milder or virtually non-existent. I've also found that I'm sleeping a little better too, which is always a bonus as I'm a terrible sleeper! I've already ordered another pack and will continue to take these as part of my daily supplement routine.

PurePharma Synbiotics SB3* (30 daily sticks, £30) are available online from HelloSkinShop.

Do you take any prebiotics and probiotics?

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Introducing: Nakin Natural Anti-Ageing Skincare - Performance Face serum & Matt Formula Face Cream review

Finding effective, natural skincare that makes a real difference to ageing skin can sometimes be difficult, but thankfully, many more 'green' brands are starting to invest in innovative technology and there's a lot more choice out there.

One of the latest skincare brands to emerge onto the market are Nakin; a British company whose products are all made here in the UK. They're cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified) and their skincare is free from Parabens, SLS, Petrochemicals, artificial fragrance and colours, PEGs and Propylene Glycol. Nakin offer high-performance products which feature cutting edging dermal science know-how and advanced formulas which are as natural and clean as possible. 

What I like the most about Nakin is that their skincare has been designed to be gentle and suitable for sensitive skin, which makes a change from many other anti-ageing skincare lines which can be too harsh and too aggressive in the pursuit of a younger and fresher looking complexion. I also love Nakin's clean and simple packaging which looks luxury and very Instagram-friendly, but comes with a surprisingly affordable, mid-market price tag. There are currently eight products in Nakin's essential skincare range and this streamlined approach makes shopping for new skincare so easy and hassle free. I've been trying out two of their products over the past month, so here are my thoughts!

Nakin Natural Anti-Ageing Performance Face Serum* (50ml, 98% natural, £25, link)  

In the evenings, I've been using the Anti-Ageing Performance Face Serum after cleansing and toning, and before applying my regular night cream. This serum is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, and it has a lovely, subtle and fresh scent to it. It's packed full of natural actives such as Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Extract (known as 'natural botox' thanks to its powerful anti-wrinkle properties), Hyaluronic Acid (a fantastic ingredient that helps to boost hydration by locking in moisture), Green Tea (famed for its antioxidants), Pomegranate (helps to reverse damage caused by the sun) and Rosemary Leaf Extract (protects collagen and elastin fibres). 

The consistency of the serum is like a light gel that is easy to massage into the skin, and it absorbs quickly without any stickiness afterwards. I must admit that I didn't see any difference to my skin within the first couple of days of using it, but within two weeks of everyday use, my skin began to feel much softer and smoother, and the drier areas of my face were considerably more balanced and hydrated. I also noticed that some of the fine lines around my eye area were more plumped out and less visible, so I'm looking forward to continuing using this to see if the results get even better.

Nakin Natural Anti-Ageing Matt Formula Face Cream* (50ml, 98% natural, £20, link)

Nakin have two face creams in their range and their Matt Formula Face Cream has been specially formulated for those who have oily, sensitive and normal skin types. Featuring a Glycerin, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil base, this face cream also contains natural ingredients such as Pomegranate Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Baobab Oil, Argan Oil and Olive Oil, resulting in a lovely everyday moisturiser which hydrates, balances and firms the skin. This cream feels very luxurious when you apply it as it has a rich and silky texture, and there's a pleasant light, fresh scent. I was initially concerned that this moisturiser was going to be too heavy for my oily/combination skin, so I was pleased when it absorbed easily and gave me a shine-free finish. It also provides an excellent smooth base for makeup, so I love using it first thing in the morning when I'm getting ready - you can easily skip the primer step when you use this!

Nakin are available online from nakinskincare.com and via selected stockists including Ocado.

Do you like discovering new natural skincare brands?

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