June's Secrets Magablog ( WE HAVE MOVED TO WWW.JUNESSECRETS.COM) : 2017

Sunday, 26 February 2017

Your relationship status does not define you ........

For all my awesome peeps out there single, married, "its complicated" and in-between

Ladies, meet the underwear that lets you wear whatever you want

Ever wondered how celebrities pull off sheer dresses? I always just assumed that they weren’t wearing any underwear and perhaps wore tampons to catch any, erm “leaks”. Well it turns out not all wearing sheer dresses go commando some do wear underwear just a different kind.

Meet the Shibue, a no-line strapless panty that allows us ladies to wear whatever we want without showing any underwear lines or bulges.

The Shibue is held in place by a washable and re-usable soft silicone gel adhesive across the top front and top back of the panty leaving nothing but a smooth, clean silhouette on your sides. It twists underneath your private parts and promises to leave a 'clean, smooth silhouette'.

So if you’re brave enough to wear sheer dresses but draw the line at going panty-free, this snazzy discreet device is for you. Or even if you just want to spice up the end of date night (wink wink).

They are available on amazon. Let us know how you get on.

The battle is fought and won in the mind first.......

Sunday, 15 January 2017

Understanding Women ... 5 deadly terms used by women.

Did you know that .....

A one minute kiss burns 26 calories. (another good reason to kiss your boo!!!)

Did you know that ......

You burn more calories sleeping than watching TV.

Did you know that .......

Ralph Lauren’s original name was Ralph Lifshitz

( Yeah don’t blame him for changing that one, I would too.)

Tanzanian Style Mussel Curry

In this Tanzanian seafood curry, mussels are cooked in a sauce spiced with cloves, cardamom and ginger and enriched with creamy coconut milk.

Prep and cook time: 40mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

· 2 tbsp vegetable oil

· 1 large onion, finely chopped

· 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

· 4 cloves

· 2 tsp minced ginger

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 ½ tsp ground coriander

· 1 ½ tsp ground cumin

· ¾ tsp cardamom

· ¼ tsp turmeric

· ¼ tsp dried chillies flakes

· 1 Tin of chopped tomatoes

· 400ml hot chicken stock

· 1 tin of coconut milk

· 1 kg mussels, cleaned

· Lime juice to taste

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, pepper and cloves and fry for about 8 mins until soft.

2. Stir in the ginger, garlic and spices and fry for 30 secs until fragrant.

3. Then mix in the chopped tomatoes, followed by the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 mins.

4. Add in the coconut milk, bring to the boil, reduce heat add in the mussels, and simmer for about 6 mins until all the mussels are open.

5. Add tamarind and salt to taste.

6. Discard any unopened mussels and serve with rice and coriander.

Bon appetit!

Wednesday, 11 January 2017

Keto Diet: What is it?

The keto diet short for ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and other low-carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fat. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

Ketosis is a metabolic process that occurs when the body does not have enough glucose for energy.

So it breaks down stored fats, resulting in a build-up of acids called ketones within the body.

So what sort of food can you eat on a keto diet? Well .........

Basically lots of fat and protein but good fat. To find out which fats are good and which are classed as bad see http://junesecrets.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/does-eating-fat-make-you-fat.html

MEN BE LIKE ........

Sunday, 8 January 2017

Don't Settle For 'Almost Right'!!! You Can Get The Right Shade For you.

So if you're like me its very difficult to get foundation that exactly matches your skin tone. I end up having to buy two shades of foundation and mixing them to together to get my perfect shade. I never manage to get it just right but I get it almost right.

I tried many different brands from House of Tara to MAC to Bobbi Brown to Nars to Sleek and even some whose names I struggle to pronounce. I do try the product out at shop and even have it put on my face but somehow somewhere when I get home they suddenly don't match.

Anyways back in October I went to a makeup class by Urban Decay to learn how to apply smoke eye makeup. The teacher was great but after 3 failed attempts I just respected myself and accepted that applying my black eyeshadow and then my eye pencil in one shade was not so bad. But the journey and my money wasn't wasted as I was introduced to something called a foundation adjuster that has literally transformed my makeup and ,I am not even exaggerating, set me free.

A foundation adjuster is a pigmented liquid than can adjust the colour or shade of your foundation. They come in various colours although why anyone would need a red, purple or green colour adjuster is beyond me. Personally I think all you need is white, to make foundation lighter and dark brown to make it darker. That's just my humble opinion.

To my surprise though most of the big makeup brands don't offer foundation adjusters, I called them all, talk about missing a trick. Anyway after much research I narrowed it down to two main brands that I would trust....

Illamasqua £36 per 30ml

The first one is the Ilamasqua skin base mixer (this is the brand I used in the makeup class). It's a little pricey at about £36 (approx. 14,000 Naira) per 30ml, but as you only used a drop or two each time it should last a long time. It comes in a variety of colours including white, amber, terracotta and chestnut.

The different shades available

The second one and my personal favourite and one I use daily is the Body shop shade adjusting drops. These come in only 2 shades lightening and darkening (simple!). The price of this one is recession conscious at £10 (approx. 3,900 Naira) per 15ml. I just use one drop in my foundation and 'hello perfect foundation shade'. I have been using mine for about 4 months now and still have a quarter of the bottle left. I got the 2 shades but only very occasionally need the darkening shade when I get over zealous with the lightening shade. I find its easier to lighten the foundation that darken it. In other words

Body Shop adjusting drops £10 per 15ml

if you're between two shades of foundation get the darker one and then lighten it. The more drops you add the lighter it gets and a little goes a very long way so use very sparingly. It should not change the quality of your foundation. Mine doesn't changed the quality of my MAC matchmaster. My friend has used it with her NARS but I haven't tried any other brands. Please let me know if you do.

I should say that foundation adjusters are just that, they adjust your foundation and are not meant to substitute it. They should not be used on their own but always mixed with your foundation.
If you would like to get your hands on of these see www.nuerasshoppingmall.com

Editor's Pick: African print on jeans

Warning!!!! This does not work if your belly tends to sit in your lap when you sit or lies down next to you when you lie down so just respect yourself .

Editor's Pick: Best Courts

I love court shoes. They are versatile and can transform an outfit from casual to smasual. They can be worn with any outfit from Aso Oke to your favourite jeans and t shirt. But there are court shoes and there are court shoes. My favourite designer is Ted Baker. There's always something about his court shoes. They have that certain, as they say in French je na sais quoi. They never fail to give your outfit that last bit of vavavoom. These are my favourite Ted baker courts....

1. The Savenni - This leather upper pointed toe 110mm stiletto heel with a metallic bow detail is a cut above ordinary cuts. It was originally £140 but is now on sale at £84 but hurry it won't be on the shelves for much longer.

2. The Savei- This printed patent leather court is pointed and has a 90mm heel with a metallic bow stud at the back and ortholite padding for that extra bit of comfort. This beautifully crafted court will make a perfect addition to your after-dark look. It comes in Jet and black and for a sale price of £84 (approximately 33,000 Naira)down from £140, it's a steal.

3. The last but by no means the least is the Peetch court - This brooch detailed pointed toe 100mm metallic heeled court with micro bow detailing will make a wonderful addition to your shoe collection. It comes in a variety of colours including baby pink, blue, black, fuchsia, oxblood, red and grey. My favourite is the grey because it's makes the effect really pop.

Saturday, 7 January 2017

Brazillian Chicken Stir Fry.

This stir fry is quick and easy to prepare. For those days when you just don’t have time to make a three-course meal.

Preparation time: 15mins

Cooking time: 20mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
·  1 tsp ground pepper
·   ½ tsp cayenne pepper
·   1/3 cup soy sauce
·   ¼ cup coconut milk
·  1 tbsp tomato puree
·   4 tbsp olive oil
·   4 boneless chicken breast, diced
·   2 medium red bell peppers, sliced
·   1 scotch bonnet, diced
·   2 jalapeno peppers, diced
·   1 medium pineapple, diced
·   1 tbsp grated ginger
·   2 cloves of garlic, grated
·   1 cup cooked black beans, if from can then rinsed and drained
·   1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

1. In a small bowl mix together the ground pepper and cayenne. In a medium bowl mix together the soy sauce, coconut milk and tomato puree.

2. Toss the diced chicken with a drizzle of soy sauce.

3. Heat a large wok over high heat and add two tablespoons of oil and once hot, add the chicken. Stir fry the chicken for about 5 minutes or until cooked through and browned all over. Then remove and set aside.

4. Return the wok to high heat, add another tablespoon of oil and the bell peppers, scotch bonnet and jalapeno peppers. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the pineapple, ginger and garlic. Continue to cook the veggies for another 3 minutes or until the pineapple is just beginning to caramelize.

5. Sprinkle your spices over the veggies and cook 1 minute. Pour in the soy sauce mixture and return the chicken to the wok. Continue cooking the stir fry for about 3 minutes or until the sauce coats the chicken. Stir in the black beans and remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the stir fry over coconut rice if possible but white rice is fine too.