Nutribullet Pro 900 Vs Nutri Ninja Auto IQ

In September 2016 I made the decision to take the plunge and buy a smoothie blender, after doing my research I settled on a Nutribullet pro 900. What's more that model was on offer, down from £129.99 to £89.00, that sounds like a great deal right?

The description of the blender was all singing and all dancing, and it even claimed that the device could blend ice with ease. This isn't something I tried, however I did try a few times with frozen fruit which according to the instructions was what the machine is designed for. 

So you can imagine my surprise when 7 months down the line I decide to make a morning smoothie using soft fruit, strawberries, raspberries, banana and some cashew milk to blend. I clipped the blade into place, it starts rotating and then seconds in I hear a horrible crunch. It being early, I nearly jumped out of my skin. It wasn't a great morning, I was left with a half blended smoothie, a mess and an irreparable machine on which the plastic component of the blade had shattered. Not what you need just before work.

I must stress that the machine hadn't been overused, perhaps once or twice a week. And I had been very careful to look after it. 

The search began for the receipt, seriously, I am very good at keeping these things, where was it? Finally, I came across it in a drawer for safekeeping. 

I waited for the weekend and returned to curry's with the blender and my receipt in hand. I made a beeline for the smoothie makers to see what my options where. The Nutribullet was now back up to £129.99. Within a few seconds of looking at the blenders I was approached by a sales assistant who greeted me and couldn't recommend the Ninja enough and had nothing nice to say about the Nutribullet. even referring to it as 'that muck'.

When you return something the expectation is that you can have like for like, yes the product was on offer when I bought it, however it wasn't my fault it had broken, At the returns desk I was advised I would most likely have to put the difference towards the cost of the product which had shot back up. This I can understand if I exchanged for a different like a more expensive model, but not for the same item, so I think that policy stinks if that really is the case.

I went over for another look at the blenders, this time with no salesmen. We had a good look at the blade and its components in each the Nutribullet and the Nutrininja. The plastic component in the Ninja did seem better quality and less brittle. I then looked at the Nutribullet Rx NBLRX, which is the upgraded model and retails for £169.00, low and behold the plastic component in this new machine has been upgraded and is now the same as those found in the Nutrininja, in addition the pro 900's are no longer boasting on the tickets that they blend ice. That gives me a very strong feeling that this plastic component has a habit of breaking, otherwise why else would it have been changed in the newer model. 

I asked the staff in the store if they see them break a lot due to the plastic piece, the salesmen didn't say yes, but he also didn't say no. He said yes with his expressions and body language however. 

The lady on the refund desk said mine was the first one that had been returned, however I struggle to believe this. 

Bearing in mind all of my findings within the store, I decided to give the Nutrininja (straight swap as it was the same price I paid for the Nutribullet initially) a go and so far I am getting on well with it. There are some features which really outshine all of the Nutribullets, even their newest model. 

When you click the blade into place it doesn't automatically set off, which the nutribullets do, meaning if its not clicked into place quite right this would be detrimental. The Nutrininja clicks into place and then you have options to pulse, blend, or use an ultra blend setting for ice and harder stuff. There are timed settings or you can blend ad hoc and the timer counts upwards to give you an indication of how long your taking which is great for future reference. 

Having researched both machines now in much more detail it is evident that these types of blender aren't built to last, perhaps a couple of years. 

In which case it may be worth sampling the cheaper alternatives out there. but for the moment I am really loving my Nutrininja.

I found a really helpful comparison on the 2 machines here if you are considering one of these. 

Also I found they are cheaper on Amazon than curry's.

The one I have is £74.99 on amazon, there is also a large one designed for couples and families, which is only £94.99 and the one that the salesman in the shop said he had and worked for him is the cheaper Nutrininja, coming in at only £39.95! 

Perhaps due to the nature of these and the expected lifespan it's worth considering options and going for something a little cheaper? I have heard good things about the Breville's, and they are some of the most reasonably priced smoothie makers I have seen on the market at just £19.50 for the standard blender and £25.00 for the VBL096





I hope you found this interesting, I just wanted to share my experience with you. 

Please let me know in the comments if you have tried any of the products mentioned and what you thought?

Cookie x

I'm Back!

Hi Guys,

So. I have been away for a little while now. I'm sorry it's been so long. 

Several reasons have kept me away, but I do miss writing a lot so I am determined to make a come back.

I'm not going to say I'll blog every week but I'll certainly be making more of an effort. 

The main reason I've not been writing is technical, and has been ongoing for some time. My laptop keyboard doesn't work normally. I cant use the space bar, enter and several other keys.. it's a nightmare!

And what's new for me you ask?

• I have signed up for an American express card to get some avios points

• I've taken on a Saturday job, which gives me extra income and some great benefits, plus it's fun and I'm really enjoying it

• I have stared looking at bargains on Aliexpress and I have to say I'm hooked, I've bought makeup brushes, stationery, kitchen accessories and other small home wares and they have got so much to choose from!

• My mortgage is nearly up for review, so I am starting to look at the rates and keep an eye on them.

• I have started a new day job

What's coming up? I have tried lots of new products and I have been desperately been trying to get through products and use things up so I have lots to talk about on that front and I really want to start doing some reviews. 

If you have anything you would like me to write about, please let me know either in the comments or email me on: rebellious_cookie@hotmail.com 

Thanks for reading xox

EGYPTIAN MAGIC CREAM | REVIEW

As someone on a budget and also someone who prides themselves on organisation I LOVE anything that has more than one use. I am a lover of anything that is efficient and can help save space and also money.

This product has some pretty bold claims, first off it's called 'MAGIC' cream, so it does have a lot to live up to. 

Here's a little information about this cream and the brand before I give you my opinions.

Background

This cream has been on the market since 1991, it has a built a solid reputation over the years and their mission has been to continually provide a professional skin care product, that offers multiple purposes whilst being made from 100% natural ingredients. 

This cream is said to have healing properties which is attributed to the natural ingredients which include Honey, Olive Oil, Bees Wax, Bee Pollen, Bee Propolis, Royal Jelly and Divine Love.

It doesn't contain any additives, added preservatives, parabens or GMO ingredients, it is also not tested on animals. 

Because of natural yet effective formula it has increased popularity and has grown by word of mouth to be one of the most popular and widely endorsed skin creams in the world. It has become a beauty favourite among celebrities such as Madonna, Gisele Bündchen, Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes, and loads more. 

Uses

There is a very comprehensive list of 20 fantastic uses for this cream, this can be found here - http://egyptianmagic.com/best-uses/

The uses that are most relevant to me are as follows:

• Moisturiser
• For burns, cuts and scrapes
• Fading scars
• Eczema 
• Conditioner
• Lip Balm
• Aftershave
• Makeup remover
• Hand and cuticle cream
• Makeup Primer
• Face mask
• Cracked heels and elbows

My thoughts 

I wanted to use this for as many things as possible before posting up my final review, however there are just so many uses that it would mean a great delay in providing you with my opinions, 

This is a really thick oil based cream, I have been using a small plastic spatula to get this out, I just scrape a little bit out and then rub it between my fingers which melts this into a rich, thick cream. 

So far I have used this as a general body moisturiser and on my elbows, it wasn't long before I noticed an improvement there.

As a lip balm this is very oily and doesn't have any added scents or flavours so it is a very basic lip balm. It's great for deep conditioning and leaves lips kissably soft, the pot would last me for years if I was to just use it for this one purpose.

I've tried this on scars, so far it has made the skin in those areas feel very soft and more supple, however as they are quite old I am not expecting miracles in terms of them fading. However it has certainly made them feel a little softer and flatter. 

One use I have tried which isn't listed above was to tame my eyebrows, usually I use a brow gel, but this worked a treat, I filled them in and then popped a little of this cream on a spoolie and worked this through to tidy them up. 

All in all I can agree that this cream is very multi use and I have it on standby for any skin emergencies in the future. What's great is it's suitable for sensitive and delicate skin so it's ideal,

Have you tried this amazing cream? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Cookie x

*PR Sample

COCOFINA | COCO AVOCADO BROWNIES

This has got to be my favourite use of coconut to date, a simply delicious, indulgent and gooey brownie. 

I took the recipe from here and I did make some amendments to the ingredients, for instance I didn't add any icing or frosting as I really didn't think it was necessary, I also replaced the almond flour with coconut flour, so below are the ingredients that I used. 

• 120g dark chocolate (no dairy), chopped
• 2 ripe avocados, pitted + skins removed (I used frozen ones which I defrosted - they're cheaper and convenient)
• 3/4 cup cocofina coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cocofina coconut flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Sprinkle of desiccated coconut

The mixture was much thicker than my usual brownies which are made from standard ingredients so upon placing this in the oven I didn't know what to expect but I was in for a great surprise.

And here is the finished item, and I have to say for a gluten and dairy free cake with natural sugar. 

I don't feel to naughty eating this from time to time and I have loved cooking with the cocofina ingredients and taking myself out of my comfort food, there are so many coconut based products that I am planning to try!

Cocofina kindly sent me of their fantastic ingredients to try, so huge thanks go out to them! 

Have you ever tried coconut flour? It's similar to almond meal but finer and so so versatile. Perfect for pancakes and well, brownies!

Cookie x

COCOFINA SNACK BARS | REVIEW

I was recently in contact with cocofina,  who specialize in coconut based products and I must say offer an extensive range of products that have really opened up my eyes to the possibilities. 

In among the fabulous bounty (sorry, I couldn't resist) of goodies they sent me where these pre workout snack bars. Don't let the name put you off, I snacked on these and forgot to do a work out and I'm OK. I got these in 3 different flavours and they are lush!

Coconut Macaroon Bar 3 for £4.47

These are quite possibly my favourite out of all 3 bars, they are so dreamy. If you like ferrero rafaelo's then these bars are right up your street. 

Coconut and Cocoa Snack Bar 3 for £4,47

The cocoa in these has a lovely sharpness and is perfect for those of you who like butter dark chocolate. 

Coconut and Date Snack Bar 3 for £4.47

This flavour was my other half's favourite and I must admit its also pretty damn delicious. the dates add a sticky sweetness.

I have absolutely loved trying these and will most definitely be purchasing these in the future. They sell these in my local holland and barrett which is great for on the go or alternatively they sell them on www.cocofina.com in batches of 3.

They are a great portable snack, ideal for your bag, your drawer, the glove compartment and travelling. 

What's more these are made from completely natural ingredients and contain no added sugar, artificial ingredients or additives making the perfect guilt free snack - they also clock in at 162 calories or less per bar which is amazing!

So, if you are looking for something that tastes very naughty but is infact nice I would recommend these to you.

Have you tried these? I'd love to know what you think!

Cookie x

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO REVIEW

I'll be the first to admit I don't wash my hair everyday so when I got the opportunity to try Batiste products I was pretty excited. 

I've always known of Batiste for their dry shampoo range, however I have discovered that they also sell hair sprays, texturising sprays and plumping powder.

First things first, I think the packaging is so gorgeous, I particularly like the colours and patterns on the Moroccan themed dry shampoo.

I was lucky enough to be sent a style spray and a dry shampoo to try.

I used a dry shampoo about 10 years ago and didn't rate it at the time, it made my hair white and full of a greasy residue. 

My hair is long and I don't wash it every day, I wash it 3 times a week max as I don't have the time and it dries out if I wash it too much. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo | Marrakech 200ml for £3.29

The first thing I tried was the dry shampoo, I'll be completely honest here. The first time I tried this I did end up it grey hair and yes that did put me off a little. I built up the courage to try this again a couple of weeks after. My hair as at a point then that if I the spray didn't work it would need a wash anyway and I was in a position to do that there and then. I thought back to my previous experience and thought i'd take a different approach to using this product so I held the bottle at arms length, tipped my head over and really focused on the roots and a little on the lengths of my hair, and the results? Much better! I had a much better experience this time and managed to retain my natural brunette locks, whilst also managing to make my hair feel a little cleaner. I managed to leave the house that day without washing my hair, this product isn't something I am going to use on a daily basis, however as a mid week pep or even when my hair looks a little worse for ware and I just don't have the time. 

I think this product will last me a long time meaning that it's fairly good value for money, I also do really love the scent, however there are so many other to choose from I feel I do need to pick another one up to try, especially tropical with coconut or cherry!

Batiste Stylist | XXL Volume spray 200ml for £4.29

This spray has a very similar consistency to the dry shampoo. 

My hair doesn't really lack in volume too much, however sometimes a little lift at the roots is a good thing. I was excited to use this product and yes it does work, its got a fairly dry texture meaning that the hair goes a little stiffer and therefore creating volume. 

For me, I had similar results using the dry shampoo in the same way, so I think I only really need the one bottle of product as for me it does it all. 

This smells really pleasant, however again the scent of the dry shampoo was really lovely also, so for me the unique selling point of this (volume) isn't really there because I achieve that with the dry shampoo. That's not to say I didn't like this product, it's just that they are very similar so I feel I only need one or the other. 

Have you tried these products? Please share your thoughts below! I would really love recommendations on what scent to pick up next.

Cookie x