Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup

Mini Marshmallows

125g of Unsalted Butter 

300g of Milk Chocolate/White Chocolate

4 Digestive Biscuits 

I am no baker, I love eating cakes but quite frankly I can never get it quite right myself. For a quick sweet treat that is easy and fun to make without even needing to turn the oven on , I would definitely recommend whipping up a homemade Rocky Road! 

All of these ingredients I got from Tesco and altogether I spent around £9 (face palm). Next time I make this I will probably get cooking chocolate and you could even get a cheap non branded chocolate, however this rocky road tasted really creamy and went down a treat! Most people add nuts or raisins to their Rocky Road but I left those out. 

First of all I preheated the pan on a low heat as I was scared to burn it! You will be surprised how easily it melts. I put all of the butter in and melted that down, then added all of the chocolate. When all of that was melted I took out half of the chocolate and put it in a mug and put that aside. 

I then added 3 Tablespoons of Golden Syrup. Next up, I put the biscuits into a bag, a clean plastic bag will do just fine if you don't have any freezer bags, then I just bashed that around until there was a mixture of crumbs and bigger chunks of biscuits. 

I then added the biscuits to the mix. Next I added a large handful of mini marshmallows. If you can't find mini ones, Im pretty sure you could cut up some bigger ones and sprinkle them in, as they all get melted anyway! 

I then mixed it all, but don't let it go to mushy as you still want some biscuit pieces. I then turned off the heat and put it all into a medium size pyrex dish. 

I then poured the rest of the chocolate that was in the mug on top.

To finish, I put it in the fridge for 2 hours. 

The best thing about this recipe is that you can choose whichever chocolate you like and add as many or as few marshmallows and biscuits as you like. 

I straightened my hair properly for the first in months last week, and I was a little bit worried about it not reverting, especially as I have been working so hard to get a good routine going! Luckily it bounced back (literally) bigger and better than ever so I thought I would blog about what I used to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

STEP ONE

So first of all, before i washed my hair I made sure it was fully combed out, free from any grips, because they tend to get lost in there, and I sprayed it with some water to get the process going. 

STEP TWO 

I then washed it with my ALL TIME FAVOURITE shampoo, the Aphogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair. I think this shampoo is around £5.99 but it lasts quite a long time and is great at clarifying my hair, defining curls and reducing frizz. 

You can see my wash routine here. However I am probably going to update it again soon! 

STEP THREE

I then made sure that was rinsed out and then, if I am honest I then shampoo'd it AGAIN with Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo. I find that this one adds a lot more moisture and adds a bit of 'juiciness'. 

STEP FOUR 

Then whilst it was damp, I separated it into four sections using clips and used the Shea Moisture Strength & Restore Treatment Masque throughout the sections from root to end. I then wrapped my hair in a plastic bag and then used the hairdryer on a warm setting over the top for about 20 minutes. This is to restore my hair after all the heat I used last week, I was a little sceptical about buying it as that little tub was £12.99 but all the reviews convinced me! I definitely think it is a good product, my hair is much curlier and springy and the shrinkage was more than usual! 

STEP FIVE 

I then washed this out and blotted the water out with a t-shirt. Then I applied a mixture of argon oil and coconut oil to the damp hair all over. I would usually added castor oil but I didn't have it with me this time. I then split my hair into four sections and made sure it was moisturised. I used the Keracare Hair Milk, Daily Hair Sustainer after that to lock the moisture in. 

STEP SIX

I then got my Creme of Nature Argon Oil Twirling Custard and did a medium sized twist out. I slept on this in a pineapple style wrapped in a silk scarf. 

THE NEXT DAY.... 

The next day may hair looked a bit flat, I still haven't mastered the twist out, so whilst I was in the shower I flashed some water on my hair to add some life back in and that worked a treat. I then got out the shower and shook it thoroughly and used the blowdryer on a cool setting to make sure it was fully dry.

THE DAY AFTER THAT....

I applied more oil each day and slept with it in a pineapple wrapped in a scarf. I took this picture 2 days after washing and as soon as I woke up so nothing is on my hair at this stage. 

Disclaimer - I am not a professional and I am still learning, everyone's hair is different so things that work for me might not work for you and vice/versa. :) 

It's that time of the academic year where organisation is everything. I truly believe that sometimes being organised outweighs actually being smart 'clever' so all these notebooks better help me out! 

Also, that is just another one of my excuses to have a pretty bookshelf.

Most of these things were gifts but they are definitely things I couldn't live without now

First of all my MacBook Pro is actually my life. Until recently I hadn't been into using an electronic/online calendar but it now I like to use both for practicalities, as it can be quite heavy to carry my laptop AND diary to uni (First World Problems) and because I get a reminder on my phone and on my laptop. 

To the right is my week planner, this is great to write down shifts at work or blog posts or your gym schedule! This was a gift from John Lewis, you can find it here. 

Next up is my Cath Kidston Pencil Case. All the Cath Kinston stuff you can see here my boyfriend bought me for my birthday, I can't believe he spent that long in there! I guess you could say a pencil case is a bit childish, but a lost memory stick is no laughing matter, so I like carrying around my essentials in this. I also keep lip balm, earphones etc in there. This is the 'Billie Goes to Town' Pencil Case.

My Pen came in a box which makes for a great gift and is so pretty... too nice to use for scribbling notes at uni! I couldn't find the exact one but here is a similar version .

The notebook is great to use as a diary. It is hardback and doesn't have any dividers so not the best for university, but great for blog ideas or just general life notes! Here is a similar one. 

I don't quite know how I coped without a wall calendar before this! It's so handy if someone asks you if you are available last minute, and you can just glance at the wall. Also, it's great for me to see when my deadlines are due so I can see how close together they are and cry plan accordingly.

I couldn't find a link to where this was available online as you can imagine (It is February!). 

But you could probably get one discounted now which is even better! 

Last but not least is my 'Life Book' it says that is for organised mums ha! But it is actually so helpful, there are pages for you to write down your budget, and just about  anything you can think of. 

It is available at John Lewis here.

So I have a bit of a stationery addiction and it seems like everyone knows it!

What are your favourite ways to stay organised? 

December was strangely warm, so it seems that Winter has come back with a vengeance and is punishing us with 1 degree temperatures and now snow *screams*. So here are the moisturising products that I have been using to stay hydrated, smooth and chap- free during winter. I dabble in different moisturisers a lot but these are the products that have really stood out and are now my go-to favourites. 

The Righteous Butter, Soap & Glory - £10.

I have used this before (but in the pump bottle) and it smells amazing. You can see more about the hygiene products that accompany it in the Whole She Bang kit here. This cream is much more of a butter, and it's consistency makes it feel like a high end product. It's like a coconut butter but without the horrible smell!

Clinique Turnaround Daytime & Turnaround Overnight - In the Clinique Bonus Time Gift Set.

I received the Clinique Bonus Time Gift Set and it is the most handy thing ever if you travel a lot. The full sized versions of these products are around £30 each, so it is definitely handy trying out the sample sizes before you invest. 

Both of the products are so effective. They are unscented, I only wear unscented creams on my face  because I am scared I will break out! The day cream is silky and doesn't feel too heavy, which is perfect for a day cream as you don't want it to be too cloggy underneath your makeup! 

The night cream is my favourite as it is quite thick and makes your skin feel like it has an extra layer on. I use it in the day sometimes also, especially if I'm not wearing makeup that day.

Clinique Baby Tint - In the Clinique Bonus Time Gift Set.

This lip balm is great because it lasts a long time and it also slightly tints your lips, so if you don't feel like wearing lipstick you will still look fresh and ready to go! Also if you have long nails like me it is much more practical than using vaseline. It comes with a lid but I took it off so you can see the lip balm properly. 

L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream - £8, Debenhams

I received this in a gift set from L'Occitane and it is the best hand cream I have ever used! I used to swear by Soap and Glory Hand Food, yet this one contains Shea Butter which is just good for everything. It smells really strong which is nice when you aren't wearing much perfume, but can be a little bit overbearing when wearing other perfumes. No matter how cold it is, wear this and you will have amazingly soft hands. 

What are your essentials for the winter months?