Gym Time | Five Things Nobody Tells You About Going To The Gym

Back at you again today with another gym time, fitness and health post and this time I thought instead of telling you about how my classes are going or how I'm finding fitness recently I would share a few nuggets of information I have accumulated about the gym and some things I never realized before actually going. This isn't as a means to put you off of going to the gym so you guys balloon up with my homemade brownie recipe as a way to make myself look slimmer.... really it isn't, these are just some of the things that since going to my local gym have made me laugh, cry and overall cringe!

#1 Machine Rivalry is a thing

If you're a competitive person this will fit right into your category, I remember one instance a while ago when I was very into cardio and going on the treadmill etc that this man on the machine next to me kept 'casually' glancing over at my screen to see how fast I was increasing my speed to and funnily enough if I was at 9KM/PH he would increase his to 9.5KM/PH and so it went on and on until eventually he almost popped a blood vessel! And that ladies and gentleman is machine rivalry, and it's a more common thing than you realise.

#2 You will encounter excessive body fluids (of strangers)
You know those rules and guidelines you get when first attending the gym? The ones people very rarely read or take notice of? Well you'll find that nobody takes notice of them or carries a towel around with them for that matter, so unfortunately you will encounter far more bodily fluids of strangers than you would care to (ever in your life!) Really it's on the windows on the windows, on the walls on the walls and sweat drips down their... (you get the drift)

#3 Personal Space will be a much coveted commodity (and a thing of the past)
If you attend classes you'll hear the personal trainer ask everybody to find a space, which you will but give it about 30 seconds and you'll have a sweaty stranger at your shoulder attempting their jump lunges - my solution stand with your legs spread for more space!

#4 Weight hoarding is also a thing and it will be the bane of your fitness life

There's always one isn't there? Every time I go to my kettlebell classes I find it incredibly difficult to even locate the weights and some people have even started coming half an hour early just to hoard the weight by their side on the treadmill until they think they might use it.

#5 How awesome going to the gym actually is

There ain't nothing like endorphins to end the day or begin the day depending on when you go to the gym. It feels terrible at the time but there is nothing like the afterglow of a good work out / sweating session, it's true what they say, you'll never regret going to the gym but you'll regret not going.

So guys I hope you have enjoyed reading today's musings about the gym and the world of fitness, I'd love to hear any of your funny stories from the gym or perhaps just working out at home, be sure to leave them in the comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or of course if you'd just like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts you can find me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, coveting my sweaty, personal space.

 

H.Elizabeth x

Garnier | 2 in 1 Eye Make up Remover Review

Back at you with another beauty review and today's product (in my opinion at least) is an incredibly useful one for you ladies who may be a little too generous when it comes to eye products, specifically mascara and lash glue or perhaps even for those of you looking for something a bit gentler to help remove your make up generally, and surprise surprise it comes from one of my personal skincare saviours, Garnier.

It all really started when I was taking off my make up at the gym, you ladies will know how it is, when you're in a rush for a class, you're trying desperately to clean off the (what feels like cemented on) make up of the day and your mascara just won't budge. You end up panicking due to your late state and vigorously rub your eyes until they're a lovely shade of scarlet, and not to mention you've yanked the majority of your lashes our along with it, well given that I felt I was down to my final three lashes per eye, I had enough and went on the hunt for something a bit kinder to my skin (and for my sanity!) As fate would have it I then happened upon Garnier's Skin Naturals Fresh Eye Make Up Remover as part of a 2 for 1 offer, and today I wouldn't be without it!

The cleanser itself is a liquid consistency and as you can imagine I was quite nervous about it all spilling out at me and essentially wasting my money, but thankfully Garnier have created a sturdy bottle that doesn't allow for leakages. What really drew me to this product was their supposed 'biphase' double action forumla which says it will clear stubborn make up (even waterproof) without the need for vigorous rubbing (it even says 'protects' eyelashes on front so double bonus!) I was quite skeptical to begin with but I'm one for giving anything a go once so in I jumped.

The scent wasn't overwhelming or chemical, which is a big no no for me as these types of cleansers and removers tend to dry out my skin something chronic, this is actually a lovely fresh and clean scent that reminds me of the 'Clean Cotton' Yankee Candle (which I could sniff until the cows come home!) but I'm a terrible judge of how things smell so perhaps you should give it a whiff yourself before committing to the product. The day I tested this out, just to clarify, I was wearing eyeliner pen and pencil, eyeshadow, Benefit's Roller Lash mascara and a set of Eyelure false lashes, so it isn't as if I was simply swiping of a slick of liner, and all I can really say is wow. As well as removing all of my make up, even mascara and remnants of glue from my lashes, with no trace of panda or red eye I only had to use 2 cotton pads (a refreshing change from the usual 4 or 5) The forumla didn't sting my eyes or leave my skin greasy like my facial cleanser sometimes does and it was just a genuinely pleasant product to use.

If you're looking for something that just does a damn good job of make up removal than you can stop your search right here, and you'll be saving a tonne of money on cleansing pads to boot! Of course now that I am a self confessed convert from cream to liquid make up remover I'm looking for micellar recommendations. Be sure to leave your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, rubbing my eyes pretty.

H.Elizabeth x

Domestic Goddess | Nar Nar Bread

Hello everyone, I pleased to report to you today that since New Year there have been no more baking disasters or kitchen mishaps, I'm sure we all remember when I melted my gravy lid on to my cooker top, not one of my finest moments, and that my resolution to bake and cook a bit more this year remains firmly in tact (hold for applause) So today, given my success, I thought I would share one of my newest culinary creations and sweetie successes that I have seriously loved munching on through the last week.

Usually when people hear the word 'bread' in a recipe title they shy away from it as it can be such a sticky and awkward mess, and (as my partner says) 'You can buy one from the shop' but let's face it, you and I both know there's nothing like homemade. Banana bread is different in that it is so much sweeter and most importantly it's so simple to make it's unbelievable.



Equipment

Small loaf tin

Large mixing bowl

Cup for measuring
Small saucepan
Teaspoon
Wooden spoon

Ingredients

2/3 Ripe bananas
1/3 cup of butter
1 ½ cup of sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½  cups of all purpose flour
1 tsp  ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C and butter your loaf tin (ooh sounds rude) 
2. Melt your butter in a saucepan but be sure not to let it boil. 
3. In your mixing bowl mash your bananas with a fork until smooth and then stir in your melted butter.    
4. Mix in the baking soda then stir in the sugar, beaten egg, vanilla extract and then flavour with cinnamon. Following this mix in your flour (don't panic, at this point it will seem like there is a lot of flour but persevere and keep mixing)
5. Pour the batter into your buttered loaf tin and pop into the oven for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes (yours may need a little longer, make sure you keep an eye on it) 
6. Before removing the loaf tin from the oven do the good old knife test and make sure it comes out clean before leaving to cool on a rack.

Serving suggestion:

Have a slice along with a chopped banana with some cream / ice cream for a dessert and enjoy.

If you guys do happen to give this a go (which I highly recommend) please let me know in the comments below I would love to see how yours turn out so be sure to Tweet any pictures you have at me, or of course if you have another similar recipe (or any banana based recipe for that matter) do let me know as I always love a baking challenge. I hope you have enjoyed this 'Domestic Goddess' post, if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl bakes, reviews and ramblings be sure to give me a follow on Bloglovin.
 

Until next time folks, baking mad over here.

H.Elizabeth xx

Happy Valentines | A love letter to my freckles

 

Oh no, not ANOTHER Valentines post! Is it a gift guide? Perhaps a post to show off my gifts and wonderful love life? Well ladies and gentlemen you're in luck, because today's post contains none of those things, because I plan on spreading the love this Valentines in a different way this year because lets face it this day of love doesn't necessarily have to mean the love we share with a spouse or boyfriend and it doesn't even have to mean the love we share with our cats (just me?) Today I instead challenge you to take the time to think about the relationship you have with yourself, your supposed flaws, kinks and quirks and embrace them for all they are. In light of this I would like to share with you  love letter to my very own 'flawed' freckly face, and just what it is I love about the skin I am in.

As you guys will probably know I am a ginger, which living in the North East of Scotland suits me just fine, we get little sun, you're more likely to get scrutinized by your face being ginger if anything and finally my legs are never out of place on a dance floor considering the sunshine epidemic, in many ways I suppose it is like living like a vampire. Of course abroad this puts me at a distinct disadvantage with sporadic sprouting freckles, unfathomable sunburn and such a thick layer of SPF 50 I'm destined to slide right off of any deck chair or sun lounger I deem fit, but don't worry I'm not about to go on a lengthy rant about genetics, because as we have just established such negativity today shall not be tolerated. So without further ado here is my very own take on the perks of being pale:

Never needing to worry about streaky/melting limbs

The only thing I want is streaky bacon thank you very much, in the past I have had friends who loved a good tan, and quite frequently I see people moping and moaning about their fake tans being ruined due to movement or rain or sweating and really that's just quite a lot of upkeep for someone like me. I won't lie and say I have always felt this way, in fact I went and got myself a tan just last year at a local salon and I have to say never again, sitting down was a chore, moving was difficult and streaks were simply unavoidable. Did I also mention that tanning with a sun bed can cause skin cancer and wrinkles? I think from now on I'll keep to the pale and interesting look!

Foundation? Does it come in Casper? Skincare products are super easy to find

Is porcelain on the menu? If yes then that's me, palest one you've got, no questions asked, and did I mention my tone is consistent come rain or shine (in our case lack thereof) I often see people sharing their latest skincare secrets or make up must haves that alter foundation wise season on season but something I pride myself upon is I will forever own the fairest foundation of them all, it is both a money and time saver!

No freckle pencil necessary

Freckles in fashion again?! As ridiculous as I do find the notion of penciling freckles on I must say when they did grace the catwalk as an aesthetic choice I beamed a little and wore mine with pride, and I didn't even have to buy a freckle pencil!

Colour clashing? I don't think so!

Being pale opens a lot of fashion and style doors too, since nothing clashes with white the only thing I really have to consider clashing with is my hair (so orange, red and yellow are mainly out of the question)

Forever the fairest of them all

Have you ever seen the pin up ladies of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Audrey Hepburn or dare I say the fairest herself Snow White? We can rock a bold red lip flawlessly, create a brilliant cheekbone with a flawless contour and even boldly go where no tan brow has gone before.

Now I know being pale comes with disadvantages the sun being one of them, but today is not a day for dwelling on the negatives and this Valentines (and you know every other day before and after) I challenge you, whether you’re a single pringle, in a new relationship or even married, try to embrace the skin you're in freckles, warts, birth marks and all. Too often do we see negativity in our midst, whether it be on the news, on social media, or even ranting in our everyday lives, it's time for a little positivity.

I know this is something a little bit different to what you might be used to seeing on Granite City Girl or you know any other blog this Valentines but I do hope you have enjoyed it. I invite you to comment below what it is you enjoy about being pale or even what you like about your tan, freckles, birth mark, body shape, personality, anything, it'd be great to share the love. Be sure to come Tweet at me to share your own perks or if you'd like to see more of my pale mug be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be the one without the freckle pencil.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Girl's Digital Detox | Switching Off and Winding Down

Hello everyone, today I'm going to be talking a bit about a phenomenon sweeping the nation, particularly the Twitter and blogging world of late, it's an epidemic of sleep sprays, fluffy pillows and bedtime bliss, yes ladies and gentleman I'm talking about relaxation! It is true that since the New Year dawned on us everyone has kept up their side making an effort to eat a bit better, exercise more and perhaps most importantly get a few more hours or in my case minutes of shut eye every night. Not even I have been able to escape this inevitable eventuality that is the digital detox and this year have made a vow to get more sleep, relaxation and reading time by attempting to get into bed to wind down an hour earlier every night.

Switching off an hour earlier every night can be difficult if you have been conditioned to be switched on for what feels like 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and it can be particularly difficult if you're a writer, blogger or if your career lives online (or perhaps of course you're a serial procrastinator) but I would really urge you to give it a go even if just for a week to see what all of the fuss is about! Of course winding down means something a bit different for everyone, winding down for you could mean anything from taking your Nintendo into bed or listening to whale music when you're trying to drift off, but today I'm going to tell you what it has meant for me, how I've been staying grounded and finally the differences I have noticed both physically and mentally.

As silly as this may sound it has been a challenge moving from the sofa with an iPad to bed with a book has been a stretch for me, I am constantly wired, switched on and most importantly logged on, as I'm sure some of you have come to realise given my over active Twitter feed, and I think one of the biggest things for me was making bed time and wind down time something to look forward to, which in my case began with an inspirational book. Choosing a book in Waterstones has got to be the highlight at this point, there have been a great many highly coveted fashion, style and beauty books on the market right now but I chose the inspirational DVF biography, 'The woman I wanted to be' (which is brilliant and I highly recommend by the way)

To kick of my digital detox, I dedicated myself to an entire week of an hour early to bed, switching from switched on at 11.30pm to winding down at 10.30pm with an hours reading in bed, baby steps you know? The first night was easy I was actually in bed by 10pm and shifted through a fair chunk of my book, and so it went for pretty much my first week, by which time I had finished my book! Now given my first week went by in a tizzy of restful evenings, inspirational woman power and endless cups of lemon water and tea I'd say it went incredibly well, but how have I found it to have benefited my health?

First of all, I am so awake! I am having the best sleep that I have in years and I rarely wake up through the night anymore (which was quite frequent these past few months due to a disrupted routine) I drift off so much easier when I read before bed rather than surfing the net. In fact in addition to making sure I have no tech on before bedtime I have even began putting the TV in the living room off so there is complete silence in the house (you know other than the other half and the cat) Since getting more rest I have been able to go to the gym much more and am being able to put my new-found energy to good use, which in turn works wonders for my health. Oh and did I mention I'm much less of a Grinch to live with now?!

I really do recommend if you can to try and have an hour or maybe even half an hour of peace, quiet and relaxation before bed and get yourself into a routine to improve your overall health, energy and just your general mood if I'm honest. I'm going to aim to continue on this path and try to read a book every couple of weeks (especially if they revolve around female empowerment - any suggestions are welcome!) and I have even become so obsessed with relaxation I'm thinking of investing in a deep sleep spray. Have you guys become part of the digital detox generation of these past few weeks? Let me know how you have found it in the comments below or come share your tips for relaxation with me on Twitter. Of course as always you can keep up with the latest Granite City posts on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks, I'll be catching some zzzs

H.Elizabeth xx

Ooh La La | New Look Parisian Haul

This month I have been on a bit of a spending ban, well when I say spending ban I mean I tried my best, failed spectacularly and today I am justifying my splurgey tendencies with this blog post. One day we may delve a little deeper into my psyche and determine why I have such a terrible spending habit and shopaholic tendencies but today I think it would just be that bit more fun to share my recent work wear haul and purchases from New Look (which in actual fact only came to around £55!)

Looking at my wardrobe, as I'm sure we all do, I felt as if I've been in a bit of a clothing rut. Dressing mainly in a midi skirt and a floaty tee, or being really lazy and throwing on jeggings and a shirt, my working wardrobe has left much to be desired. So when the brand new New Look Parisian inspired collection came into stores earlier this month I just couldn't help myself and of course I was able to fully justify these purchases by telling myself they will come in handy for our holidays later on in the year too and of course I get to share my finds with you guys.

Monochrome Tunic Dress £14.99

This was actually something I spotted in New Looks window display, and usually I don't get along with shift / tunic style dresses or horizontal stripes for that matter (I have the fear of looking like a fashionable but chubby zebra) But this is such a lovely fit and the material is so flattering and falls just right, it doesn't exaggerate my hips as some of these dresses often do and I'm looking forward to wearing this little number to work in the colder months with some wooly tights and then taking this to Paris with me in the summer and baring all! (legs)

Striped Baggy Shirt £17.99

This isn't something I would usually go for but the softness of the material drew me in! Since buying this I have barely had it off my back and it is totally worth the price just for the comfiness and wearability of the material. I can wear this shirt with so many things, dress trousers, jeggings or even tucked into a high waisted skirt. Statement pieces you can wear with a multitude of things have got to be my favourites, which is why I almost cried when I ruined my faux leather skirt a few weeks ago!

High Neck Ribbed Crop Top £12.99

I was scared to make this purchase if I'm honest, high necked and cropped are two words which are generally not in my vocabulary, I have the uni-boob fear you see! But feeling like a daring devil I tried this on, and I was pleasantly surprised. Of course I won't be dawning this with my belly on show or with anything too risque, instead I think I'll pair this with a pair of high waisted jeans or a skirt if I'm going dressy.

Grid Check Leggings £7.00

These were on sale, and I remember eyeing them up when they were full price and thinking I just wouldn't wear them enough to jusfity their price. But now I have them I can barely get them off (and no, funny people, it's not because of my big bum!) I wear them to work, around the house, out shopping and like the shirt I love how versatile they are! Usually patterend items scare me a little bit and I only have one item that goes with them, but in this case I have been very creative with my wardrobe and lucky!

 

Given that this has been my one and only haul this month I think my loose spending ban has done me some good, but I am pleased that I was able to find such fashion gems which are all so versatile! Now all I need to do is look for some great fashion accessories to go along with them and my life will be complete (until the next haul)

 

Of course as always I'd love to hear your styling suggestions, have I perhaps missed a trick or maybe you want to point me in the direction of some similar looking items which could dessicate my bank balance even further, either way I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments and suggestions below. Of course as always you can find me loitering about on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date with my latests you can always find me on Bloglovin

 

Until next time folks, I'll be nursing my bank balance back to health.

 

H.Elizabeth xx

 

Granite City Fitness | Aberdeen's Reebok FitHub

Hello everyone I hope you’re all well and not too bummed out by my last slightly ranty post, I promise today brings a bit more excitement and positivity! Today, as I'm sure you'll notice is not a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday but I just wanted to give you a quick little life update on an exciting event coming to Aberdeen this weekend that was brought to my attention by Reebok only a few days ago and as a newly bona fide fitness freak I’m really looking forward to attending.

 

This Saturday (the 31^stof January) Reebok are launching their first ever FitHub at Aberdeen’s DW Sports centre at the beach boulevard, where they will be hosting fitness challenges (to win yourself a goody bag), fitness demonstrations, advice on training and nutrition and an exclusive competition to win a pair of Reebok trainers. As well as all of the exciting fitness events of the day Reebok will be showcasing their SS15 collection specifically designed with the new generation of fitness bunnies in mind. Thankfully I have once again been able to press gang my friend, Jade to join me in this event and we are both very excited to get our fit on!

 

The FitHubs are part of Reebok’s overall aim to empower more people to live fuller fitter lives, whether your thing is running, CrossFit or Yoga Reebok are looking to bring as many gym bunnies as possible together to experience fitness in a way that is different, challenging and rewarding.

I’m really looking forward to sharing how the day goes with all of you, so be sure to watch this space for what I experience, learn and hopefully take away from the day (both physically and mentally) If you have ever taken part in anything similar to this be sure to share your experiences with me in the comments below or of course if you’d just like a catch up to see how it is going or has gone you can catch me on Twitter and as always you can follow me on Bloglovin.

 

 

Until next time folks, off to get sweaty!

H.Elizabeth xx

Having and Giving and Sharing and Recieving | Lush Recyling Scheme

It finally happened! Throughout the last year I have been loving Lush and since losing my Lush virginity all the way back in February last year with my 'Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser' and I'm pleased to today report that I have accumulated enough empty Lush pots to take part in their recycling scheme. I say I have only just managed this, truth be told I actually have 8 pots at home!

For those of you who have never been or are unfamiliar with the Lush recycling scheme (where have you been one may ask?!) it is basically a 'you scratch our backs, we'll scratch yours' which has economical (for Lush), environmental (for the world, obviously) and of course consumer (us) benefits. Lush ask that you collect and wash out any of your little black pots which have the wee recycling symbol on them and when you have 5 of them, take them back to your local store where they will exchange them for a free fresh face mask. The pots are then transported back to their production warehouse in Poole I believe, where they are then cleaned out thoroughly and reused for the next person to take home and love. Lush are working towards a closed loop system whereby they no longer have to produce their little black pots due to their durability and re-usability and of course by relying on the loyalty of their customers - and honestly who wouldn't be opting into their scheme?

Anyway, moving along from the techy techy environmentalist side of things, today I thought I would share with you which 5 pots I shall be trading in, alongside a mini review of what I thought of each product and finally what I shall be trading them in for.

Enzymion Moisturiser (x2)
My skincare savior! Following a horrendous experience with a rather thick (such as concrete) MAC foundation I wanted to use something a bit more natural and less chemically on my skin, and my usual moisturiser (Nivea) just wasn't cutting it! The consistency of this moisturiser is quite runny and can drip off your face if you use too much, but it smells lovely. I wouldn't say it leaves your skin feeling amazing or soft right away but give it a week and your dry, dull skin will have cleared entirely! You can read my full review for the Enzymion Moisturiser here.

Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser
You can see my full review of this cleanser here, but as you'll know if you've already read it, this helped to soften my skin and clear any and all blemishes I had. Although I had originally gone in the day I bought this for a cleanser that would also remove eye make-up (which this obviously doesn't and wouldn't) I still fell in love with it. The smell is lovely (if like me you are a fan of lavender) and the consistency is great too. A little of this goes a long way, it'll last you for weeks as long as you use it sparingly which I do!

Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask
I had a bit of a love hate relationship with this mask, while I loved the scent and the feeling it left on my skin it was incredibly flaky and the chunks of berry kept falling off of my face and into my tea! Because this was kept in the fridge it was quite hard to get out of the tub and onto my face and often flaked while it was drying so messy messy! I totally agree with the synopsis on their site however it is a very calming and soothing mask but I would not recommend if you are looking for something low maintenance!

Love Lettuce Face Mask
Fresh, fresh, fresh, is all I can say about this face mask. What I love about Lush's Fresh Face Masks is that because they are kept in the fridge to prolong their goodness, every time you put them on your face it is like getting a huge breath of fresh air, but maybe that's just me who enjoys a cold compress. Another thing I loved about this mask was the grainy quality meant you were not only moisturising (and cooling) your skin, but when you wash it off you're exfoliating too, which is why I would only recommend you use this one once or twice a week max. The smell is divine too, I believe it's a mix between honey, almond and lavender all of which I love. This is one I'll definitely be repurchasing in the future.

For all of these empty pots I can treat myself to one of their fresh face masks again, and I'm going to try and go for something different this time which of course is still good for dry skin as I'm still a bit of a sufferer, especially with Aberdeen having now joined the rest of the UK in the cold weather slump! At the moment I have been swithering between their Oatifix mask which sounds like a dream for dry skin or their BB Seaweed, because it looks and sounds so fresh. Do let me know your thoughts on what I should treat myself to in the comments below or of course any Lush products you yourself have been loving lately, I'd love to hear from you! As always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more reviews, ramblings and rambunctious goings on you can follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin

Until next time folks, getting fresh!

H.Elizabeth xx

Domestic Goddess | Apple and Cinnamon Flapjacks

With my healthy eating going relatively well (for three weeks in a row, what an achievement) I thought it was high time I got back into my kitchen and began to experiment with some healthier snacks and sweet treats to stave off any hunger pangs, cravings and general sweet toothiness I get throughout my days and I thought what better way than some sweet and fruity flapjacks?

Following a general flapjack recipe I altered it slightly to make it a bit healthier and Granite City Girl friendly (by simply adding honey, apple and cinnamon) and with it having become my new health friendly snack I thought I would share it with you guys as part of my year of health and well-being. 

Equipment

Scales 

Shallow tin

Baking Parchment

Wooden Spoon

Grater

Ingredients

115g Margarine 

75g Brown Sugar

250g Rolled Oats

4 tbsp Honey (add or take away depending on how gooey you like them)

1.5 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 Apples

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C, grease and line your shallow tin with baking parchment ready for your mixture.
2. Add the butter, sugar and honey to a pan and place over medium heat until melted. Remove from the heat and add your rolled oats and ground cinnamon. Grate your apples, skin on or off, entirely your choice and add this to the mixture too.
3. Spoon your mixture into the shallow tin and press into corners of the tin with a fork, bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. Once golden brown remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes then cut into squares (or any shape you so choose)
4. For decoration you can add a few slices of apple to the top or you can drizzle over some honey.

These are really fun to make and you can even substitute the apples for pears, bananas or even chocolate, they're so versatile and you can always make them that little bit healthier... you know if you really want to mess with the masters recipe! Of course I'm not saying if you eat these everyday you'll lose a great deal of weight or that its a miraculous hidden health gem, but it's a damn sight better than eating a massive cake or chocolate bar on a daily basis.

So now that I'm back to baking I'd love to hear what you've been doing in the kitchen, especially if your home bakes are relatively healthy, and of course if you do give these flapjacks a go be sure to leave me a comment below and let me know how it goes. As always I love hearing from you be sure to catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more from the Granite City you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time, I'll be baking.

H.Elizabeth xx

Zest of my life | Lemon water for health

If you guys have been keeping up with me on social media and of course on here (with my recent gym rant - apologies) you'll know that I have been making a bit more of an effort to look after myself. From sorting out a proper skincare routine to cooking a bit more healthily (or rather just cooking full stop), cutting down takeaways and exercising regularly I'd say it has been going pretty well so far. But fear not today is not just another 'weight loss goal' post which have been bogging us down since the New Year hit, instead I'm going to chat to you about something that I have implemented into my daily routine that has worked wonders for my health, skin, immune system and maybe most noticeably energy levels and that ladies and gents is lemon water.

Lemon water first came into my life the day before my wedding. Sheer fluke and luck helped me discover this wee gem of a health holy grail as I opted for this as my 'refreshing beverage' over a peppermint tea (how very dare I!) and I honestly felt so alert and refreshed, far more so than if I had went for a latte that I decided to take it all the way home from Cornwall with me (metaphorically speaking)

Since coming home and getting back into somewhat of a routine I decided to look into this a little bit more, and even asked a few people in my work their thoughts on drinking lemon water every day, and having been given the health and nutritional approval I decided I had nothing to lose and began drinking a hot lemon water every day instead of a mid-morning coffee (I did not replace my morning coffee though - I'm not mental!). Now don't worry, I'm not going to sit here and list the benefits of drinking lemon water which you could quite easily google yourself, instead I'm going to explain to you what I have personally noticed in upping my zesty intake.

The first thing I noticed was how awake the beverage makes me feel, perhaps this is due to the fact that the sour quality of the water shocks you into waking up a bit more (probably a point best left to the scientists if I'm honest) I was really chuffed to find an alternative to caffeine, especially for when I'm at work, it stops me reaching for a bottle of fizz, or (and I'm ashamed it got this bad) reaching for 5 strong coffees a day. Lemon, as you'll possibly know, is known to be great for curbing hunger pangs or cravings which has been perfect for my mid-morning biscuit cravings. Despite my best intentions and eating something filling and sensible for breakfast, seeing my colleagues reaching for elevenses always leaves me feeling peckish, so it was at this time of day I decided would be best to squeeze in my lemons. As well as the practical benefits to drinking lemon water, like waking up and not gorging on EVERYTHING in sight. In addition I have noticed such an improvement in the quality of my skin. I do think this is part and parcel with my updated skincare routine (which I promise I will share with you soon) but since updating my beverage choices my skin is brighter and I've had far less breakouts. In fact I would go as far as to say I have had one nasty spot since drinking lemon water every day and that's the gospel truth.

So in short I suppose what I'm trying to say is if you are thinking of putting one thing into your diet this year for an all-round health benefit I would recommend lemon water, ditch the shakes, juices and protein packed nonsense and go for something a bit more natural. Of course I do recommend (as silly as it may sound) that you drink your lemon water through a straw as the acid could erode the enamel in your teeth which won't be a good look no matter how lovely your skin is or even how awake you are! Oh and be sure to attend the dentist regularly - health lesson and advice of the day.

I hope you've enjoyed having a wee read of this, I know it's a bit different to what I would usually share with you guys but this year I'd really like to give you more of a sense of my daily life (I will stop if you tell me you hate it of course!) Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below, have you added anything to your lifestyle to improve your health? Share your health tips and endeavours with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with life in the Granite City be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time, I'll be here feeling zesty.

H.Elizabeth xx

Benefit Brow Bar Experience | Bene Wow!

Attack of the caterpillars!!! Which to you may not sound like much of a horror movie, but when they're on your face, trust me every day turns into a nightmare. It started with one... one unruly hair sprouting just below my perfectly formed brows courtesy of a Dundee salon a couple of months ago, plucked and on with my life, only to be replaced with two unruly hairs, much like Hydra, cut off one head and two will take its place, and so on and so forth... Okay so I may be getting a little dramatic in my ripe old age but would you really want to read any other type of introduction to my first ever Benefit Brow Bar experience?! 

It was actually the day before New Year's Eve (the eve of New Year's Eve if you will) I decided to try and get my brows tamed at the Benefit Brow Bar, because the night before I had noticed how out of control I had allowed them to get and since we had a family party  for New Year I really just needed to regain some order on my face. Of course being a Benefit Brow virgin I had no idea whether or not it was based on a first come first serve deal or if it was an appointment in advance system, so I did panic a little bit and thought I was destined to welcome the New Year with neanderthal brow!

Alas, the stars aligned, the odds were in my favour, basically it was meant to be and I was able to get booked in as soon as I finished work which was great. I chose to visit their Boots Brow Bar as I have unfortunately heard a few horror stories about the one in our local Debenhams and I wasn't altogether keen to undertake damage control so close to our party date, sorry Debenhams! 



Brand new brows - Bene Wow indeed

The store was really quiet when I went in which was a relief as I've never fancied feeling like a zoo animal getting my brows waxed etc. but the area the Boots Bon Accord brow bar is actually in a nice spot away from crowds. The girl who was doing my brows that evening was so lovely and I'm really sad I didn't get her name as we had a nice little chin wag while I was there. First obviously I had my brow filler from the day removed, cleaned, prepped and primed all ready for the tint to go on. Every time I have my brows done I really just ask for the same colour as my hair is at the time, which at the moment is a rich auburn colour, so really I only ask for a medium brown, this was all over and done in 3 minutes, which we were alerted of being fished by an alarm, courtesy of a very cute little benefit brow alarm clock, so on with the waxing!

I'm not sure why, but this time I felt a bit more sensitive to the waxing process and I'm pretty sure I let out a couple of winces, but really I think they were just a bit more thorough at Benefit than the salon I visited in Dundee, which can only really be a good thing. I would say the entire process took about 10 - 15 minutes, given I was being a bit yappy and chatty with the Benefit girly and I have to say I have never been more chuffed with my eyebrow shape! To cover the redness I was offered some of the 'Boing' concealer to cover up the freshly waxed areas, which I was told has sort of clean, antiseptic qualities and that's why you can use that to cover up straight after a fresh wax, but unfortunately this meant going around sans filled in brows which I dislike, however the shape and tint made it all worth it.

The cost was £18.00 for the tint and wax, and I was given a little card from them which means if I continue to go and get my brows done with them and collect, I think 8 or 10 stamps I get a free tint and wax, yay! So I will definitely be going back, in fact I was so excited and happy with my brows that I text my brow buddy, Lisa, straight away to tell her to go get hers done there too! (Eyebrows are kind of our 'thing')

I was so excited to debut my new brows at our New Year's Eve party and play about with my little brow palette at home that it was actually my favourite part of my New Year's Eve party routine! Have you guys ever had an experience like this with Benefit or even another company that you just couldn't wait to share? Be sure to share your thoughts, experiences and comments below, or of course I'd love for you to come chat with me about them on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more from me, myself and I, be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Oh my god, look at her buns | Philosophy Cinnamon Buns

Hello everyone and welcome to the first blog post of 2015 on Granite City Girl! Instead of having another festive, New Yearsy post I thought I would just get stuck right in and share with you one of my recent purchases (with my Christmas money so it is probably a little festive) which I have been lusting after since time began! Well since I bought my last one. May I present the Philosophy Cinnamon Buns shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath!

If you've read my previous Philosophy review which revolved around Granny's Apple Pie shower gel all the way back in March 2014, then you'll already know how I feel about Philosophy and I have to be honest I've become a bit of a Philosophy groupie, which has been both an enriching and money draining experience but I of course have found a way to rationalize my little obsession as always (excuses like it's for the blog have since become a staple in our house!)

This gel was not on offer and I feel a bit crazy for having paid £14.50 for it, but as a post holiday treat this is how I was able to reason with myself into actually buying it. Unlike the Christmas specials Philosophy annually come out with, this one doesn't come in a fancy wee box but has the usual luxe packaging with a recipe for cinnamon buns on the front, which I love. Just as a little note of how long these shower gels actually last, I still have the Granny's Apple Pie shower gel which I bought back at the end of February in 2014! This one, like the last one, feels very silky, sumptuous and rich, it's very creamy and it's easily worked up into a foamy lathery delight which as you'll know I love! The scent is very very sweet so if you like fresh smelling scents then this one isn't for you, and because of the white, silvery colour along with the smell it feels like you're washing with the icing off a cinnamon bun which is amazing, but may not help any healthy eating or food cravings for a post shower snack! Another aspect of the Philosophy gels which I love is the fact that when you do shower and you're bathroom is all steamy the smell lingers and travels through your house (which isn't difficult for our tiny one bedroom) but it's so lovely and it smells beautiful all day!

Even though thinking about the price of course still hurts me a little bit, I can simply wash all of my cares and woes of the price tag away as soon as I step into the shower, and being able to walk around all day smelling like a cina bun helps too!

Have you guys ever spent this much on a guilty pleasure? I'd love to hear what your thoughts are on the Philosophy shower gel range! Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments below or if you've found any Philosophy dupes be sure to come Tweet them at me or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City buys, adventures, antics and reviews you can follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks, I'll be the one smelling like a cina bun!

H.Elizabeth x

Christmas Gifting | DIY Festive Lip Scrub

Recently I have been experimenting with various scents, flavours, food stuffs and colours in my kitchen, and as odd and potion like and, well, Breaking Bad as that sounds, don't worry it's all in the name of a cost effective Christmas. From a failed attempt at a gingerbread house, too embarrassing to share, to eventually ending with flour, sugar and all matter of ingredients all over my kitchen, living room and my cat, I accepted defeat at the hands of Baking Mad and moved on to something more my speed.

And so with the incredible success (if I do say so myself) of my own little DIY lip scrubs I thought I would share some of  my more festive scrubs with you so you don't have to go along and shell out £5.50 at Lush for Santa's Cola Lip Scrub (not that I am claiming mine are ANY better than Lush but they are tasty!) This is a super easy DIY and I bet you can find most of the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard, the only thing you may have to go on a little hunt for are small plastic containers to hold you lusciously lovely scrubs in.

Christmassy Lip Scrubs

What you will need

3 Tablespoons of caster sugar

3 Tablespoons of conditioning oil (you can use coconut oil, jojoba oil or extra virgin olive oil)

Flavouring of your choice (make sure it won't irritate your face!)

Small amount of food colouring of your choice (optional and remember your face!)

Small pots or containers (depending on how much you make add a bow for decoration)

What you need to do

 Measure out your oil into a small bowl

Add the sugar and mix well

Add the flavouring and colouring (if you have chosen to do so)

Scoop your finished creation into clean containers and you're ready to scrub!

As you can see I opted for the ever so traditional Red and Green, I had pondered going for a yellow food colouring to go for a gold ish scrub... but then I remembered yellow snow is not such a good look especially not for something to rub across your face day to day (good one if you want to give someone a slightly rubbish gift)

If you are looking to make it a little bit more Christmassy I would suggest adding the juice of some cranberries, which will enhance the taste of your scrub and may even give your lips a little bit of a glow (you will just have to add a bit more sugar to get the correct consistency) Flavour wise I chose vanilla (playing it safe following the gingerbread incident) but you could always go for something a little more festive like cinnamon, or dare I say ginger! And if you're feeling a bit more brave you could add some face friendly glitter or dazzle dust into the mix for added sparkle!

I hope you guys have enjoyed this beauty DIY which will hopefully save you some pennies and of course save you from the chaos that is Christmas shopping. I'd love to see your efforts if you decide to tackle this tasty lip scrub or anything that you have been making this holiday season, have you successfully erected a gingerbread house? Of course as you know I love to hear from you so be sure to drop me a comment below, tweet your photos at me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City antics come find me on Bloglovin

Happy gifting folks.

H.Elizabeth x

Rituals | Foaming Body Wash Review

So as you may know from a previous post a fee months back I bought Glamours latest and greatest beauty box and I was so over the moon, intensely excited to try out all of the new products. Now I find myself needing to use an invisibobble over a regular hair tie, I am in love with the lush lashes Miss Manga has continued to give me and I wouldn't be without my minty Burt's bees!

However there was a wee surprise product which I did not expect to love even half as much as I do and that is the Rituals Zensation Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom Foaming shower gel sensation... Quite a mouthful I know! 

Usually unless there is a fantastically amazing sounding scent such as my Philosophy Apple pie gel, a wildly luxe brand like Molten Brown or even something a bit different from Lush, shower gel doesn't tend to enthuse me. So upon throwing this into my gym bag only last week I didn't think twice about what I had in store!

Scent

First of all the smell, my goodness the smell! Mouthwatering, sweet and positively luxurious. I tend to get confused hearing things like 'cherry blossom' or 'rice milk' unless it's spelled out for me like apples or strawberries I am pretty clueless. But such a gel deserves a beautiful name, top marks for my refreshing and femininely scented body after using this foamy delight.

Sensation

The feeling of the gel wasn't like the traditional foamburst you would expect from the likes of imperial leather, instead the gel is just that quite a runny gel like consistency much like a shaving gel rather than a shower gel... If you understand what I mean. It doesn't take too much to work the gel into a foamy lather of sweet smelling goodness and glides off your skin as smoothly as it leaves it.

My one and only criticism of this gel is that a little doesn't really go a long way, I was given a travel size in my beauty box and that really only did for two and a half washes, so I would say this is more a once in a while luxury product, no use for daily washes. Definitely recommend for those of you looking to add a bit of luxe to your shower routine.

RRP £8.50 (200ml, From Bath & Unwind)

Criticisms

If you guys would like me to review anything else which was included in this specific beauty box drop me a comment below, and if you guys have any recommendations for me for other beauty boxes you may have tried let me know and I will definitely check them out! As always you can catch me on Twitter and of course if you want to see more of my latest and greatest follow me on Bloglovin. Stay tuned folks.

H.Elizabeth xx

Beauty Staples | Lifes Little Must Haves

It came to my attention recently that I have shamefully enough not yet shared the beauty bloggers ritual of ritual post, sharing with you my beauty staples! So today I have got off my lazy hind and decided to share with you a few of my favourite products I simply could not be without!

Since January I have aimed to try something new every month and I have introduced a few new products into my daily routine and they have become my little life must haves and they get me through my day, as sad as that may sound!

Beginning with my absolute and 100% must have, my L'Oreal Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation in Porcelain. I struggled for a very long time to find my perfect foundation which didn't dry out my skin, look too cakey or worse still give the dreaded oompa loompa effect! As you might have guessed 'Porcelain' is the lightest colour the foundation comes in, perfect for me really and thankfully it doesn't dry out my skin!

My eyes are my favourite feature so there are a couple of things I feel I must must do everyday in order to enhance them. I recently bought a brand new eyeliner in the form of L'Oreal's Colour Riche eyeliner pencil in Midnight Black and it is so so much better than my previous eyeliner brands. First of all the pencil doesn't break very easily, the colour glides in so smoothly and doesn't come off in clumps on my eye (I have use some terrible eyeliners!) and lastly it is such a gorgeous black colour and doesn't come off grey.

Next I have my Burts Bees Lip Balm, which some of you may know I got as part of Glamour's Beauty Box last month. I suffer from incredibly dry lips and needed something as a miracle base for my lipstick/gloss to glide smoothly over and by jove I have found it. The beauty box gave me the mint Burts Bees balm but they come in all kinds of flavours from pink grapefruit and honey to blueberry & dark chocolate.

Lastly and very simply my staple face moisturizer, which I have been using for years and years is the trusty old Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream. I use this in the morning after my face scrub and in the evening after removing my make up and I have had a fairly clear skin complexion throughout the years as well as silky smooth skin.

And those are my current staple, must, must haves of the month, do share what you've been loving in the comments below or even if you share the same staples as me I'd love to hear from you. Otherwise you can catch me on Twitter or keep up to date with the latest Granite City posts on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth

Size Doesn't Matter | Something a Little Different

Hello everyone so today I thought I would do something that little bit different and share with you something that is quite personal to me and perhaps inspire at least one of you to get on board with my new life outlook / mantra / goal in life.

Recently I was clearing out my wardrobe looking for clothes to donate to my friends latest charity endeavour and I came across a very old size 6 dress from a couple of years ago, and in all honesty the size shocked me. Today I am a well rounded size 10 and cannot imagine fitting my entire body into something which quite frankly is the size of one of my thighs!

Unfortunately I have always battled with my weight, facing the stigmas I'm sure every teen girl faces in life I was always fighting to be skinnier, change my shape and tone my body which  I've only now realized I shouldn't have had to. I wasted the entirety of my teen years battling with food and exercise to achieve some sort of twisted version of an 'ideal body' which does not exist, and let me tell you those were the unhappiest days of my life so far. I spent so much time focusing on how much I hated my shape, what I wanted to change about myself and who was better looking than me and today I really don't know what I was striving towards, I looked fine.

Before you all turn away, don't worry this is not another media rant, I personally believe we all have the inner strength to say no to any 'ideal' we have either in our heads, in magazines or even pressures from our peers, and today I have decided to say no.

All I want now is to be happy and healthy so this year I endeavour to take care of and love my body, eat well, exercise right and not be driven by the stigmas of weight, shape or trends. And I challenge all of you, size 2 to 24's and everything in between to learn to love your body the way it is before you waste away your years chasing an elusive dream of the 'perfect body'

As you can see this has been a slightly different pace to what I usually natter to you about but this is something that really matters to me personally and my eyes have been well and truly opened recently. As you know I love hearing from you, have you been changing your ways recently or have you previously struggled with body issues? Drop me a comment, come chat with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date with the latest Granite City posts follow me on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth