Category Archives: Reviews

Beauty Barlour – naked

Posted on by
Reply

A while ago I was asked to test and review the skin mousse from ‘Beauty Barlour’. I was allowed to pick a flavour and then I’d receive the product in December. I was having a little break around Christmas, so that’s why I’ll be telling you about it today.

img_5048-3There are 5 flavours: Wild Orange, Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Lavender and Naked. Out of these 5, I picked ‘Naked’. It means that there is no added flavour and I could test the product being as raw as possible. The first thing I thought when I was holding the jar in my hands, was: ‘Wohw! I really like it’. I like that it’s black with modern white letters, but most of all, I really like that it’s made out of glass (apart from the lid). It means that the mousse will not be affected and it’s also much better for the environment. When I opened it, I thought the mousse looked very appealing, with its vanilla colour and mousse structure. You just want to put your fingers in there. Now the smell. I must be honest and tell you that I’m not a big fan of the smell. As it’s the naked version I was expecting a very neutral smell, but it’s quite strong in my opinion. It does smell very natural though and I’d say it mostly smells like shea butter. I do really like the structure. It’s quite a thick mousse, but it melts easily. It mostly reminds me of soft butter.

img_5044-3I tested it on a few areas of my body. My hands, my legs and my elbows. I recommend you to take a warm shower first, to make sure your pores are open and your skin is warm. This way the mousse will melt on your skin and hydrate the dry areas extra well. Also, you only have to use a little bit as the warmth of your skin makes that you can spread the mousse easily. It does take quite a while for the mousse to be absorbed by your skin and your skin is oily for quite a bit. Though once it was absorbed, my skin felt really nice. I could definitely notice a difference. My legs are always a little dry form shaving and stuff, my hands are always very dry in the winter months and elbows are always a bit rough, isn’t it? I could see my skin looking healthier and it felt very soft and hydrated. I think if you would use this mousse even once a week, it would make a difference.

img_5029-3Overall I think it’s a very nice product. I love that most ingredients are organic (cold-pressed), that it’s so natural and 100% vegan. If you have a very dry skin I’d definitely recommend it. In the winter my skin is always a lot dryer (especially my hands) and I think this mousse is really helping with that. If you’d like this lovely product for yourself, CLICK HERE.

Can your skin use some extra care this winter? Are you excited to try this? Please let me know when you are! I’d love to hear your opinion and for you to share your experience. You can leave a comment below, but you can also tag me or use #PlanetManel on Instagram. Thank you! X

Roasters / Mince Pie

Posted on by
Reply

img_0947ROASTERS
At work they got a free product from Ocado, called ‘Roasters’ from Dilly&Wolf. They didn’t like it, so they asked if I wanted to have it. The flavour they got was ‘sea salt and cider vinegar’. Now I don’t like crisp or chips with vinegar on it, so I assumed I wouldn’t like these either. Just because they turned out to be vegan I tried them and I surprisingly liked them. I ate the whole pack in one afternoon. The structure is totally yum and I even liked the flavour. Now that’s a first when it comes to salt&vinegar. I looked them up and they do 4 more flavours: wasabi&horseradish, soy&ginger, coconut&chilli and sweet&salty. Check out their website to see what they look like. They’re all vegan, but as the salt&vinegar only has 4 ingredients I think that one is the healthiest option. They do use good products though and it’s not crap. I’m curious about the other flavours too! I think it’s a perfect snack for in the evening, watching a movie or something.

img_2797MINCE PIE
It’s Christmas time and that means ‘mince pies’! Here in the UK everybody is crazy about them. A lot of them are not vegan, but Cafe Nero does a vegan one. I think they deserve a huge compliment for offering a vegan version, well done them! I never had a mince pie before, so I was very curious about them. Why was everybody so crazy about them? So a while ago, I popped into a Cafe Nero and ordered one. First of all, they look very nice. I really like the star on top. When I took a bite it was kind of what I expected and to be really honest I don’t really like it. It’s just way too sweet for me. I did really like the dough around it, it was perfect. I assume that the middle was tasty too, but it’s just my personal taste what thinks it’s too sweet. I’m happy I tried one and if you like mince pies, try the one in Cafe Nero. It’s a nice size too!

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Would you like me to test and review your product(s) or do you have any suggestions? Please send me a message via CONTACT! It can be anything (food, drinks, beauty..) as long as it’s vegan. Thank you! X

Quorn Fillets / Vegenaise

Posted on by
Reply

QUORN FILLETS
img_0766Such a good move! Quorn decided to do some vegan products. It’s handy because you can get Quorn in basically any supermarket. They use egg in a lot of their products though, so as a vegan it was never an option. It’s great that they make vegan things now. (Veganism is slowly taking over the world!) I don’t eat meat substitutes that often to be honest. I sometimes get them as a treat or for a recipe. I was very curious about the fillets as I used to quite like the chicken-style pieces when I was a vegetarian. So I chose to grill one and ate it with a salad. It was very nice. I liked the structure and the taste itself too. It goes very nicely with salads and very well with the ‘Vegenaise’ below. You just have to make sure you don’t cook them too long as they will go dry then. But overall, I’m very pleased with this. For more of their vegan products and some nice recipes you can visit their website.

VEGENAISE
img_0767One thing I absolutely love is mayonnaise. Must be a Dutch thing. I like to put it with my fries, mix it through salads, put it on sandwiches and burgers, make dip sauce with it for my crisps, mix it with avocado.. it goes with so many things. When I just turned vegan I didn’t even know there was vegan mayonnaise, but I was very happy when I discovered it. After trying a few different brands I definitely like the organic ‘Vegenaise’ from ‘Follow your Heart’ the best. They also have an original one, but whenever you can choose an organic version, I think you should. The taste is just amazing and it’s exactly what I like. ‘Follow your Heart’ has so many good products though and you can all find them on their website. I think it’s a very good brand for new vegans too, as they have so many good substitutes for so many things. I didn’t try everything yet, but what I do know is that this mayonnaise is definitely worth a try!

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Would you like me to test and review your product(s) or do you have any suggestions? Please send me a message via CONTACT! It can be anything (food, drinks, beauty..) as long as it’s vegan. Thank you! X

Raw bars / Burgers

Posted on by
2

img_0387RAW BARS
When me, my sister and my mum were in the train on our way to Rotterdam, we met a really nice girl. The reason we started chatting is because she was reading the same book as me (Vegan for Her). She was vegan too, lived in the Czech Republic and worked for a really cool vegan company called ‘Lifefood’. They sell are sorts of raw food. All ‘Lifefood’ products are raw, organic, vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and there is no added sugar. They sell very cool stuff, like raw sausages, superfood powders, raw crispbread, all sort of treats and lots more. You should really take a look at their img_0386website. The girl happened to carry around the Lifebars and she gave us 3 to try. So kind! The bars don’t only look very nice, but tey’re also delicious. She gave us the ‘Chocolate’, the ‘Brazil Guarana’ and the ‘Carob Hazelnut’. Especially the ‘Brazil Guarana’ was really yummy. Later when hotspot hunting in Rotterdam I found a coconut flavour in a health store called ‘Gimsel’. I really liked the coconut! I didn’t see them in any stores in the UK yet, but in case you can get your hands on them somewhere, I recommend trying them. You can always order them from their website. Though it can’t take long before a good brand like this is also available in stores around the UK.

img_0770BURGERS
When going for a nice burger these ones are really good. They have a nice texture and they taste great. They also taste amazing with some nice mash potato and some veggies on the side. I like these burgers because they taste quite neutral and they go with everything. They’re soy based, so they contain a lot of protein (18,2gr). What makes it very nice for people who go to the gym and want to get some extra protein into their bodies after a work out. Linda McCartney is not all vegan, because they also do some vegetarian things. Though they don’t only have vegan burgers. There is a whole range of vegan products. For all their vegan options you can go to their website. I also really like their sausages. A huge benefit of Linda McCartney sausages is that it’s available in most supermarkets, even some smaller ones. So for a quick meal you just throw them on a nice bun with some ketchup and yum!

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Thank you! X

Cookies / Mac and Cheese

Posted on by
Reply

llCOOKIES
In 1993 Lenny&Larry’s was born. It started with 2 guys loving the gym, but they didn’t want to always eat the same thing to get their protein. They wanted to have tasty things. So they decided to put protein in the things they craved. Today’s biscuits do not only taste home-made and contain 8 or 16 gr of protein, they also contain 8 gr of fibre, they’re vegan and are made with non GMO ingredients. You can’t get these biscuits in the supermarket I’m afraid, at least I’ve never seen them there. I get them from this shop with all sort of treats and snacks next to Westfield. There are 11 flavours and they all look amazing. I tried the ‘White chocolate Macadamia’, the ‘Pumpkin Spice’ and the ‘Double Chocolate’. A few months ago I also tried the ‘Snickerdoodle’. Out of the ones I tried I really like ‘Snickerdoodle’ and ‘Double chocolate’ the best. I do really like to try ‘coconut chocolate chip’ too. So if I bump into those, no doubt I’ll get it! I do like the biscuits, especially because they’re huge. What I think is a shame is that they are not crunchy. It’s probably a matter of taste, but I would have liked them better with a bit of crunch. Lenny&Larry’s don’t only do biscuits, they also do muffins and brownies and they sell a whole range of fun T-shirts and tops. For this you can visit the website.

mcMAC AND CHEESE
By going vegan a lot of people tend to miss cheese the most or they find it hardest to give up. Especially dishes like mac&cheese. Now you could definitely make a nice mac&cheese with a yummy cashew nut sauce, but if you don’t feel like that, then there is always the rice mac&cheeze from Amy’s Kitchen. I always wanted to try this, but I never really got to it. Now that I have this fun new article about testing and reviewing products, I think it was a good idea to finally try it. I was really excited about it and luckily I liked it. It’s a little different from what I expected, but I really liked the taste and the consistency. It’s creamy, but it doesn’t have a very strong taste. Just right I would say. I would like to recommend it, so go and try it for yourself. Also because I quite like the company. They have a lot of other yummy things. I’m a big fan of their soup and I like that they’re using a lot of organic ingredients. On their website it’s easy to see what products are vegan, super handy!

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Thank you! X

Raw bars / Stock

Posted on by
Reply

rbRAW BARS
Originally the ‘Rawbite’ bars come from Denmark, but are now available in more than 30 different countries. When 3 guys met by chance (though they’re sure it was faith) they came up with the idea to create an honest and natural snack for on the go. They come in 8 different flavours: Protein, Spicy lime, Apple cinnamon, Raw cacao, Coconut, Vanilla berries, Cashew and Peanut. I tried them all except the Cashew. They’re all very nice and have a very nice structure. My favourites are ‘Apple Cinnamon’, ‘Coconut’ and ‘Peanut’. That is just really my thing. I mostly use them when I go to the gym as a pre or post work out snack. They work very well for that. The ‘Protein’ bar even has 20 gr of protein and they all give you a boost of energy.I also think it’s super handy to have in your bag for when you’re on the way and it’ll take a while before your next meal. What I really like is the colours and the simplicity of this product. You can get them in a lot of health shops/supermarkets like the ‘Whole Foods Market’ and ‘Portobello Wholefoods’. Check out their website for more information.

stockSTOCK
I sometimes like to use stock as it’s such an easy and quick way to make a sauce or soup. My favourite stock is the ‘yeast free vegetable’ and the ‘garlic and herb’ from Kallø. I like them so much because they are all natural, organic, gluten-free, they don’t add sugar or any other crap and their palm oil is responsibly sourced. I think the ‘yeast free vegetable’ is ideal for making any kind of soup and I like to use the ‘garlic and herb’ to make a yummy pasta sauce. Unfortunately not all supermarkets sell Kallø or they only have a few options (especially the ‘garlic and herb’ can be hard to find). I’m sure they have them in the ‘Whole Foods Market’ in High Street Kensington and sometimes you’re just lucky to bump into the right one. For more information you can visit their website, because Kallø also sells rice/corn cakes, cereals, breadsticks and gravies. PS: Don’t forget to check out the little poems which are written on the back of every product! + ..don’t they have a cool design?

Fruit packs / Soup

Posted on by
Reply

ekFRUIT PACKS
I love baby food. A lot of people think I’m crazy, but I also met a few people who agree with me. I like all sorts of baby food, even the ones with veggies in them. There are so many different brands, but my favourite is definitely Ella’s Kitchen! The taste is just amazing and I like it even more, because it’s organic and there is no crap at all. My favourites are the ones on the picture and then especially the ‘mangoes, pears and papaya’ one. I eat them like a snack, as a healthy dessert, over yogurt or over fruit. They are delicious! For the people who really have babies I’d recommend Ella’s Kitchen too. Though I’m a big believer in making the food for your baby yourself (invest in a good food processor), because you can’t get it any fresher and because it gives less waste. And for all the grown ups who like baby food, go and try these! Ella’s Kitchen is not vegan though, they also have things with meat and dairy. Though they have a big range of vegan things. Yay! Visit their website to have a look at all their products.

soupppSOUP
I never heard of Tideford soup before, until recently. I was at the Whole Foods Market and I saw them in the fridge. It said ‘organic’ and ‘vegan’ and I’m just a sucker for those 2 things, especially combined. When I did my research I’ve found out they decided to go 100% vegan. They have soup, sauces and even pesto and they’re all vegan now. For all the varieties of soup and other products, you can visit their website. They also have a lot of information about why being vegan is so good. I think I just have a new favourite brand! About the soup I tried.. they both have a very strong taste and I liked the ‘minestrone’ a bit better than the ‘miso broth’. What I think is positive, but some people might find it a bit overwhelming. I think you just have to try it and test which one you like best. Did I mention that all their products are also free from gluten, wheat and nuts?! Brands like this are definitely worth supporting.

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Thank you! X

Cheese / Raw Chocolate

Posted on by
3

cheeseCHEESE
Everybody was talking about it: Sainsbury’s vegan cheese! Then there was even a whole hype that everybody started to call it ‘Gary’. I really wanted to try it too, but didn’t know what Sainsbury’s was selling it. Later it turned out they sell it at the big Sainsbury’s, so close to where I live. I was so lucky when I got there and they just refilled all the different kinds. So I chose: grated cheddar-style, cheddar-style, cheddar-style with caramelised onion, greek style, original soft cheese and the garlic&herb soft cheese. I couldn’t wait to try them. I must say I was skeptical as not a lot of vegan cheeses are very good, though a lot of people were so enthusiastic about these. So I tried them all and I actually like it. Quite a lot! The grated cheese and the cheddar-style are melting very nicely over a pasta and they are perfect to make grilled cheese sandwiches. There was not a really good cheese to make those with. I’m happy there is now. You have to make sure not to put too much cheese on it, as they melt almost too well. The soft cheeses are very tasty too, lovely on a cracker or a rice cake with some cucumber and black pepper on top. But if I have to choose I think the ‘greek style’ is definitely the best. It tastes like feta, it crumbles like feta and is amazing in salads. Because not all Sainsbury’s sell it, you can also order it via their website. Way to go Sainsbury’s!

pcRAW CHOCOLATE
My friend Pavla lived in Cornwall for a few months over the summer and when she came to London and stayed with me for a night she brought me this lovely raw chocolate they make right over there. It’s made by ‘The Raw Chocolate Pie company’ (that is a mouthful.. it’s a good thing it’s about chocolate) and they make raw chocolate which is dairy free, gluten free, soya free and it contains no refined sugar. She got me the peppermint one. I’m actually not a big fan of chocolate with a minty or citrus flavour, but I did want to try it and I loved that she brought it for me. It’s best kept in the fridge it say on the label, so when I tried a piece it was quite a firm texture. I really like the texture and you can taste that it’s raw. It’s nice and very filling (I only had a little piece), but I think in a different flavour it would be even better. They have a lot of flavours and you can find them all on their website. Later I also saw they sell a few at Portobello Wholefoods and I’m sure you can get them in other places too. Great chocolate and a lovely healthy snack.

Did you already know these products or are you going to try them after reading this? Please let me know or show me on Instagram by using #PlanetManel. Thank you! X