gifted

Nutri Advanced Magnesium Glycinate Tablets | Review

24 July 2017


I’m always open to anything that will improve my health. After all, good physical and mental health are incredibly important, and both have to be maintained! When I got the opportunity to try Nutri Advanced’s Magnesium Glycinate tablets*, I jumped with excitements because it’s a mineral I’ve never tried before, and experimenting is always fun.

ABOUT MAGNESIUM AND THE TABLETS
I didn’t know much about magnesium before trying the tablets because I didn’t pay much attention in science, and had no idea the body even needed it. But I found out, magnesium is essential for the production of energy within every cell in the body, and it contributes to the electrolyte balance within the body. Shocked? Same. Magnesium is also an essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system, the psychological function and the muscle function.

The tablets I tried were high-strength magnesium glycinate which is a superior form of the mineral that is well absorbed. Plus, it’s very easy on the digestive system and wonderful for those with a magnesium deficiency. Fun fact: almost 100% of people in the UK are not meeting the recommended daily allowance for magnesium, mainly due to poor soil and processed foods, so pretty much the whole UK has a deficiency. Magnesium deficiency can result in poor mood (from anxiety to insomnia), low energy (like fatigue and poor memory), and bad physical performance (such as very low energy and even muscle cramps). I’ve struggled with fatigue and tiredness, as well as anxiety so these tablets could not have arrived at a better time.

MY THOUGHTS ON MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE
I took the tablets for three weeks straight, twice a day (with meals) and continue to take them today. At first, I didn’t notice any different. But that was expected. After a week, I started to feel a difference in my muscles and athletic performance – bear in mind, I am not an athletic person. As I’ve recently started running and jogging multiple times a week, my body is developing and getting a lot stronger. Magnesium itself helps keep calcium within the bones and teeth, and so far, my bones haven’t suffered in the slightest – and I know the tablets have aided this. Similarly, I usually feel drained throughout the day and was worries running would amplify these feelings. Luckily, after a week, the effects of more magnesium began to kick in and I had energy through the day, as well as post-workout.
By week two, I was actually feeling extra energy, not just enough to get me through the day. I also felt an improvement in my sleeping pattern, in the sense that my pattern basically fixed itself. A couple of weeks ago, I used to wake throughout the night, which is incredibly annoying when you’re as lazy as I am. Then I was feeling lethargic and cranky during the day as my sleep was constantly disturbed. Now, after weeks on the tablets, I’m feeling waaaaaaaaay better.

I decided to continue with the tablets after loving the benefits over a fortnight, and even another week before writing a full review. By week three and four, I was feeling a complete difference regarding my “everyday” anxiety. I’m a natural-born worrier, or a “chronic worrier” as Rebecca puts it ;) Stress always triggers some form of anxiety for me, whether it’s social or OCD. I’ve found the tablets have truly helped with day-to-day anxieties. It’s no cure, but things that would usually make me irritable or distressed aren’t that big of a problem anymore, which in turn is helping me on my quest to be more positive. And more, I’m feeling a lot calmer each day.

For example, a customer started effing and jeffing down the phone at work, which would usually result in me feeling like I’m on fire, before wanting to throw-up or cry… whichever comes first. Yet, over the last week (when an incident like this happened), I ended the call thinking “eh, whatever” and continued with my day. It didn’t play on my mind, I wasn’t feeling tense, and I didn’t feel the need to self-combust. A huge improvement for me.  The tablets have helped many others too, check out the results on the product page!

OVERALL
I really like the tablets and found them very soft on my system. My body can be quite sensitive, but these tablets haven’t cause my skin, attitude or muscles to suffer. They also haven’t affected my asthma, which has happened with other supplements. Nutri Advanced’s product came is brilliant time, and arrived with a whole load of information for me to read beforehand. The only downside to the tablets is the size, they’re quite large, but can be broken in half for easier swallowing. I’m very happy I got the chance to try magnesium glycinate and feel even happier with the outcome. I’m so glad I discovered Nutri Advanced! 

Have you ever tried magnesium tablets? How did you find them? 

New In: Happiness Boutique Jewellery

7 October 2016

Ripon, UK
I recently received the Luminous Feather Ear Crawler Asymmetrical Earrings* and the Angelic Feather Crystal Ear Crawlers* from Happiness Boutique and just had to share my opinion of the earrings on my blog. I have a love for earrings because they’re an effortless piece of jewellery. They’re easy and light to wear, and half the time I forget I’m even wearing them. I only have two piercings in my earlobes, so I don’t always get to be experimental with earrings, but I have found that there are earrings out there, like crawlers and cuffs, that can really spice up a look.
Happiness Boutique believes in being happy and spreading happiness every day. They want their store to be a place where people would not only look good but also feel good, which I really like as I also believe confidence is key. When I got the opportunity to browse their store, I was so excited because some of the pieces are perfect for the upcoming season. A lot of the earrings in particular have a charming vintage touch. The company offers free shipping (always a bonus) and a customer reward programme, and a bi-monthly giveaway to win the occasional statement goodies. Now that you know about the company, let’s talk earrings.
The Luminous Feather Ear Crawler Asymmetrical Earrings drew my attention due to the rose gold colour. I have always been more attached to rose gold jewellery, not only because it looks super chic with any outfit, but also because the tone is something different to the regular silver and gold. I have no idea why, but feather have also become a recent obsession of mine, especially for the autumn-time, so I can’t wait to wait these asymmetrical earrings with my new wardrobe. One thing I love, is that the earrings aren’t identical, which is exactly what makes them unique. The bling bling makes them dramatic, but not too over the top.
Similarly, the Angelic Feather Crystal Ear Crawlers are light and elegant, but still hold that bedazzle value. I have long dark hair so I like to have a little shimmer in my ears; the angel-like feather pair are perfect. I tend to stick with silver, white gold and rose gold for jewellery because I feel like it brightens an outfit a lot more than the simple gold. I love the shape of these earrings because they’re unlike anything I’ve worn before and could enhance my already-dull office outfits, or become the perfect accessory to a night out ensemble. I’ve noticed that both earrings are sturdy but light – an essential.
If I had to pick a favourite, I think it would be the Luminous Feather Crawlers, simply because I’m a huge sucker for anything that’s rose gold or copper, and I love that the pieces aren’t identical. I would totally recommend Happiness Boutique as the quality of the products are worth the price and I loved the customer service/ordering process!

Psssssst! You can receive 10% off your order by using my discount code, "anikamay" at the checkout! 

Irresistible Me Remy Clip-In Hair Extensions | Review

4 October 2016

Sheffield, UK
Since wearing full and part weaves, I have always worn remy hair. When I was around fourteen years old, I had my very first weave and I was excited; I would literally parade around school and tell people “my hair is basically going look like BeyoncĂ©’s” because I was under the impression everyone’s weaves look as A-star as hers. Obviously, I didn’t rock up to school with £3,000 extensions, but I did fall in love with them. For a long while, I’ve tried multiple stores for extensions, and often switch between sewn-in and clip-in. Sometimes I even switch the two, just so I had add extra layers if needed. I recently received some remy extensions from Irresistible Me and couldn’t wait to try them out. 

I can be quite sceptical of extensions as I’ve had some sent to me before, and didn’t even bother to review them because they were so bad. I’ve also ordered extensions myself in bundles online, and they ended up being really thin, lighter than the colour I always order (1B), or wavy when I prefer to have my hair straight. Little things like this really put me off online stores, and one bad experience can ruin it all for me. Last year I ordered a closure from Ali Express that was lighter than the site suggested, I still wore the lace closure with my extensions, and after I took it out and washed it thoroughly, it got so matted up, I couldn’t even get a comb into it. 
Irresistible Me is a New York-based brand that specialises in 100% natural Remy clip-in hair extensions, hair accessories and hair tools. After receiving their clip-in extensions, I decided to try them with my own extensions to see if I could make them a little thicker and give my hair more body for an event. I already have a full weave, with a lace closer and bundles of hair that’s a mix of 16” and 18”. The great thing about the ordering process is being able to select exactly what you want, which I was impressed with. You can chose the thickness, colour, length & weight before completing your purchase. 
I got the Silky Touch Natural Black extensions (1B)* and decided to clip them in during the day, and see how well they would attach to my hair as I partied the night away. Delivery-wise, they took a while to get to me, but I wasn’t in any rush to receive them. The hair is very silky, and the shine isn’t oily, nor is the texture too oily. Sometimes with extensions, you find the occasional wire within the hair, or a strand that’s bright blonde which looks very out of place, however all of the hair is 1B – luckily. I found the clips easy to attach to my own hair in between the tracks of my sew-in extensions and they felt very secure throughout the evening. One thing I loved is how ‘flowy’ the hair was, it felt real and not like the Barbie doll hair you can buy online. Check out the before and after above!
The clip-ins fit well with my extensions and matched the colour I already have, plus they are lightweight and only really feel heavy once they’re wet. One of the things I really loved, is that I could wear them with a weave, and they added to the body, not the weight. I did notice the extensions lost a little bit of shine after a wash, but they didn’t matte up or become coarse which is a huge bonus. The only downside to the extensions, is that after a while, they do start to wear. This is something I've found to be quite common with certain remy brands, and few YouTubers have also revealed that the hair can shed over a long period of time or can even become overly tangled. Despite this, I definitely think they're worth a try and work for me as I only wear clip-ins on a temporary basis.

Have you ever tried a product from Irresistible Me? What did you think?

Annika Nail Polish | Review

24 August 2016

Otley, UK
Since I stopped wearing acrylics, it’s my duty to now hunt down as many nail polishes as I can. So far I’ve been doing pretty well, but I do occasionally struggle with polishes that won’t chip within the first two hours, like most I’ve tried. There are plenty of brands out there that provide luxurious quality varnish… that costs more than a bottle of champagne. Barry M and Rimmel are two of my favourite brands from nail polish, but I recently tried the Annika Nail Polish line* by The Edge Nails it’s not just the name I’m obsessed with.
I’m always open to trying new products, especially from brands I’ve never heard of or bought from. When I received the Annika Nail Polishes I was absolutely thrilled to try them out, and finally get some colour on my bare nails. The line includes 30 different colours, from jet black to bright yellow and I received Bella Ballerina, Pretty Pixie and Beauty Queen.
My first impressions of the colours was that they were brighter than I expected and would look great on my nails as long as the formula is strong enough. It’s really common to find nail varnish that’s a stunning colour, but is almost like water when painted on the nails – major disappointment. I get that quite a lot with glitter nail polishes, and hate applying layers on layers, as I’m impatient and it takes too long to dry. With the first layer of Bella Ballerina, the lightest shade, I was actually quite surprised at how visible it was, despite the colour.
Regarding the formula of the Annika Polishes, it’s thick and light without being too watery. The polish is easy to take off and doesn’t stain my nails which is a big yes in my book. I’ve also found that the varnish dries very quickly and doesn’t pool on my nails. I don’t have the biggest and best nailbeds (hence why they’re not splashed all over this post), so to have a polish that takes well to my nails is a colossal advantage.
Luckily, the colours also dry the same shade when they dry, and most importantly – they don’t chip. Overall, I would say Annika varnishes have a lasting power of 7 to 10 days. I usually apply two layers, because the colour is bright and pigmented enough for just two; plus I often find that whenever I put on more than two solid layers on my nails the varnish struggles to dry and ends up getting smudged no matter how long I wait. I wouldn’t go as far as saying Annika Nail Polishes are chip-proof, but they last long enough for me, as I get bored of the same colour quickly.
If I had to pick a favourite colour, it would be Pretty Pixie, simply because I think I could wear it in almost every season and get away with it. Beauty Queen is definitely more wintery, and Bella Ballerina is certainly more summery – whereas Pretty Pixie is a happy medium for me. Overall, I would totally recommend this nail line to anyone who is looking for an affordable line of colourful polishes that are a great quality and so pretty! Plus, I absolutely love the name ;)

*The three Annika Nail Polishes pictures above were gifted to me by The Edge Nails
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