Candy Japan

"I like Candy! I like Candy!" So goes the popular song I will inevitably start singing when an envelope filled with Japanese Candy is handed to me by my post man. I have previously tried Graze boxes, which are lovely in themselves but nothing quite compares to the quirky, fun & colourful packaging of candy from Japan.

I came across the Candy Japan website via a youtube video where a couple were showing what they had received in their latest order. One of the sweets required them to mix bits up and cook them in the microwave. It was like a science experiment. You don't get cool stuff like that with UK sweets. I instantly became obsessed with trying it for myself. I've never been to Japan so I've never had the chance to try any of their sweet treats before. I needed to know what I was missing!

Candy Japan is run by Bemmu, a Finnish expat in Japan. The idea is that he chooses interesting candies that are difficult to come by outside Japan, you pay $25 a month and he sends you the package of happy!

This is what he says on the website: 

  "Each month we will send at least as much candy as can fit in two standard Japanese envelopes. Expect to get at least 2 and up to 6 different candies each month. Some months we may send larger boxes. "

When my envelope arrived, I uploaded a picture of it to Instagram and Facebook. Instantly I had people oohing and ahhing and some telling me they had tried some of it and it was amazing. Another friend who is currently in Japan with work had seen the candy in the stores but not tried it yet. I was to report back on if it was any good.

Later on that day I got an email from Candy Japan telling me all about each candy, which was really helpful as I can't read Japanese and had no idea what the candy was aside from guessing by the taste, so I shall share that info and imagery here too and then give my opinion on each one...

 

 

 

Super Mario Gummy

Super Mario is a video game character loved by people all over the world. There are many products based on this popular character and candy is no exception. The taste is cola. If the package contains other shapes than just Mario, consider yourself lucky. For example you can find gummies shaped like power up stars, coins, mushrooms or question mark mystery cubes. "Mario became a gummy!" proclaims the packaging.



My Opinion: Tasted like cola bottles with a little sugar on them. I loved these, my daughter didn't.  I have sent my friend who is living in Japan off to try these for himself.

Honey Kumquat Jelly

What is a kumquat? They are a type of citrus fruit that is cultivated in Japan among other places and used to make jelly. The outer layer of the candy is sweet and sour, with kumquat syrup inside. If you look at the character in the wrapping, you can see that the bear with a green hat actually resembles a kumquat fruit. The candies have a very soft texture.


 
My opinion: Yum! They tasted exactly as described and were very morish! I was pretty sad when the pack was empty, not gonna lie.

Salt Milk Caramel

Even though the name contains the word "salt", these are actually not all that salty. They are made from cream that comes from Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. The rock salt used in this is made in Lorraine, which is an area in France. The candies are chewy in texture and as is common in Japan, individually wrapped.





My Opinion: My absolute fav of the lot. One of my friends had tried these before and commented on my picture how gorgeous they were and he was right. Creamy, chewy caramel. Absolutely divine.

In conclusion I think this is an amazing idea - as a gift for someone who enjoys candy or just a treat for yourself. If you enjoy candy and trying new things, then trot along to the Candy Japan website and get yourself signed up.

I shall continue to sing "I like Candy! I like Candy!"  because I do. Like Candy. Yum.

Have you tried any Japanese Candy? Which is your favorite?

Happy New Year 2014 & Art

Happy New Year everyone!

I'm so excited for this coming year. I was excited for 2013 too and it didn't let me down. I met people I admired, I spent quality time with friends new & old and I finally made a huge decision which gives me space to go after what I really want.

2013 wasn't perfect of course. There were some serious and stressful events but all in all it did lead me and my beautiful little family on to a new path, and I truly believe it's a good one for all of us.

The biggest change was me leaving my job. I didn't have a choice due to family stuff and I felt like my world was falling apart. It wasn't the job I didn't want to lose though - it was my sense of self I had through working there. To be honest I didn't like the place. It was full of people I had nothing in common with who aspired to be like "The only way is Essex" or The Kardashians. I loved working with clients and I loved beauty therapy but that place...ugh.

Enough about that. I chose my family over money, and we haven't looked back.

So 2014 for me is about working for myself an art. I want to lose myself in creativity.

With that said I decided to sign up and do a year long art class online called "LifeBook" It's been running for a few years now and the feedback is amazing. I spent months deciding if I could justify buying the course and finally caved 2 days before the new year. I'm so glad I did.

I am now waiting on all my art supplies arriving so I can get started. I have watched the video's and am so excited to dive in. I am a little nervous because I can't draw as far as I'm aware but heck - practice makes perfect, right? RIGHT!

I'll be posting updates as I go on here along with the rest of my adventures in 2014.

What are you taking up/giving up in the new year? Share with me :)

Changing it up...

Hello all,

Well you've probably given up on this blog long ago but as the pace of life has changed somewhat and my direction is also changing, I've decided to return to the land of blog.

I think I'm going to make this more of a lfestyle blog than it was before as I am interested in so many different things that sticking to only a few leaves me feeling a little suffocated.

So what to expect from Marshmalototast of the future;

Filofax
Law Of Attraction, Spirituality and Positivity
Beauty (of course)
Life in general
Shopping (hey, I'm a girl. It's in my genes)
Nails & Stamping
Music

That's a small selection of what I'm considering but I will likely change it up until I find a format that suits me. So stay tuned!

Hope you are well

Adele x

BLOG SALE (MAC including HELLO KITTY & LE products)

I am selling some mac makeup, including some ltd edition stuff, as I don't use it. :) I hope someone else can enjoy it! If you wish to see pictures, please ask me and I will make them available to you.

Feedback

Ebay   MUA

Shipping

PAYPAL only

*Postage to UK/Europe is £1.50 for 1st item (add £1.00 for each additional item)
*Postage internationally is £3.00 for 1st item (add £1.00 for each additional item)
*If you require recorded delivery, let me know and you can pay the extra cost incurred.
*I will post within 1/2 working days, however I am not responsible for items lost in the post. I will keep receipts, and send to you so you can claim from the post office if this happens though.

Payment is required within 48 hours of invoice, or the item goes back on sale.

Also if paying by paypal - please follow my instructions in the invoice to avoid paypal fee's, or I will have to add them to your end sale price.

ASOS Haul

I'm so naughty, but it feels so good.

Laid up in bed feeling miserable, I could only dream of being outside in the gorgeous sunshine.

Stupidly I decided to have a look on ASOS.com. Now usually I will look, perhaps add some stuff to my shopping cart, and merrily get dstracted and forget to check out.


Not today.

I will soon be receiving the following (keeping is another question of course. Will they fit, will they suit me?)

ASOS Drop Armhole Slouch Waistcoat - I ordered this in black although the pink one is also pretty. I love the idea of having something slouchy, but light to wear over t-shirts. This whole shape in cardi's and jackets...it really appeals to me for some reason.

Mango Belted Trench Coat - I've been wanting a trench coat for the last year or so, thanks to Anna of the style diet labelling it a must have wardrobe essential. Of course she is correct, and the trench coat is a classic wardrobe staple that I did not have. I seem to have ordered the last one, which makes me feel quite special - even if it is expensive from my point of view.

Vintage Indigo Boyfriend Jeans - The size I wear was sold out, so I ordered a size up. Will likely not fit and have to go back, but they were so lovely I wanted to try them anyway.

Ripped Boyfriend Jeans - these are in my size and a back up for the indigo ones. I need new jeans, and I love the ripped look. Takes me back to the 80's....

A pretty impressive haul for me - I also ordered a bra but you really don't need to see that ;)
Now how much will end up going back?

How often do you end up returning your clothing purchases?

REVIEW: Mac Greaspaint Stick in Dirty

Hello all,

I know I've been away for oh so long, but once again I find myself ill in bed, and once again my desire to blog all things beauty comes into the forefront of my mind. This may or may not coincide with my looking at the pale, snotty mess that stares out from my mirror each time I pass by...

So today I bring you my review of the greasepaint stick, from the art supplies collection, named "dirty". The name in itself made it a must have for this wannabe rock chick.

As usual I was completely uninterested in this collection until it was sold out online, and through mail order. I happened upon a video by belledujournyc on youtube (one of my new obsessions!), in which she used the navy one to create a simple, messy, understated and completely gorgeous smokey eye. I was sold, alas so were all the greaepaint sticks...

A trip into belfast city centre to exchange a mac 187 I recieved as a gift and didn't need (already have one baby!), and lo and behold...the woman of belfast had not seen belle's video and my counter had 3 dirty greasepaint sticks left. I decided not to enquire on the other colours for fear of bankrupcy..

Home I came, armed with my greasepaint (doesn't the name sound so...just...ughhhh - why would I want grease on my eyelid??). I put it on immediately. Now by this point it was dark and my lighting is clearly rubbish. Trying it against my NYX jumbo pencil in blackbean I thought they were identical. I was most upset....but the story does not end there!

Let's begin with the formula: creamy, easy to apply and once on it will not budge. You have to be super fast to blend it if you wish to use it as an all over colour, or a base. It can also be used as a liner, and there is a small sharpener you can pull out at the base.

The colour: On using this the next day it became clear that the colour was entirely different, and inherently more beautiful than black bean. It is a dirty greyed taupe with small sparkles in it. I will add a picture here at some point with a swatch.

Application - like I stated earlier...you need to be fast blending this. Once on the color does not move. My normal makeup remover (dermalogica calming cleanser) wouldn't budge it at all. I ened up using the oil based dermalogica precleanse (great for conditioning your eyelashes!!) to get it off.

My fav current way to wear this is smudged all over my upper lid, and lower lash line, with urban decay zero liner in my waterline, a little femme fi as an inner highlight, and woodwinked blended into the crease. It looks really really nice.

Did you get any of the art supplies collection? What did you think? How do you wear them?

REVIEW: Smoke and diamonds by MAC

OH.MY.GOD!!!

I had to have this based on the looks I'd seen done with it, but to be honest I'm well used to being dissappointed when i give in to hype.

Not so with this eyeshadow.

Today I wore it VERY simply: base of soft ochre, s&d patted on my lid and blended softly over crease...and a touch of signed sealed to add dimension to the outer crease. I then lined with zero from ud.

The shadow blends like a dream. It is hands down the easiest to blend shadow I ever had. People had raved about the starflash formula and I happily join in, and beg mac to make it permanent. Everyone should experience this.

It is the most delicious smokey taupe grey...I LOVED how it looked, and it made my eyes look glassy which i also loved. It's a multidemensional colour on the lid...on my inner lids it looked more taupey gold and outer more grey smokey.

Oh man - I'm so so happy to add this to my kit. If you don't have it yet - and it ever becomes available again: GRAB IT!!!