charmarie.

Stuck In My Comfort Zone

2017-05-15T22:00:00.000+01:00

I have a confession: When it comes to the weekends, I'd happily pass the hours by indoors, binge watching Netflix. Even though, I love doing this, I decided I needed a change and 2017 is the year that I wanted to finally push myself out of my comfort zone and try to experience new things.

Recently my friend Phoebe contacted me about an opportunity with a company called Arbonne, due to wanting to experience new things, I was super intrigued to find out more. I soon discovered that the role I would be taking on would involve network marketing and being a business student, I thought that this would be great for me. I would also be hosting several product parties each month and so far, this has given me the chance to gain more confidence, as I am meeting new people as well as having the opportunity to experience new things.

In the past, I have always turned down opportunities and experiences that have come up and then I have been left with that awful "what if?" thought in my head. That is why I'm so glad I gave Arbonne a chance!

Right, you're probably thinking "What is Arbonne?". So Arbonne is a company that has been established for over 37 years!! Meaning that they have had plenty of time to perfect their products. They sell products ranging from beauty & skincare to nutrition. AND to top it all off, every product is botanically based, paraben free, cruelty free and vegan! Which is just amazing, right?

So the moral of this story (well.. blogpost) is to take risks and say yes to more things. What's the worst that can happen?

Thank you for reading!

Char x

Tips For New Vegans | VocalVegan

2016-12-28T17:30:00.000+00:00

"Don't wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always has been. You may even find the solution at the end of your fork" - Kalyn Nicholson

After getting a lot of questions about veganism from close family and friends, I decided to write this post on my top 6 tips for anyone that is planning to transition to veganism or for someone that may have recently gone vegan. These tips are all my personal opinion but I hope they help you in some way.

Tip #1 - Educate Yourself - Educating yourself before going vegan is one of the biggest tips I can give you. You can watch documentaries, YouTube videos and films or you could even read a book on veganism. Before doing research, you need to think about why you're going vegan and then decide on what you need to research about. The first video I watched after discovering veganism was '101 reasons to go vegan'. This video completely opened my eyes to what goes on everyday and made me realise that I was supporting the abuse of innocent animals. I would highly suggest this video as well as being informative, it was also quite entertaining to watch.

My suggestions -

Documentaries:

Environmental effects - Cowspiracy (Netflix and YouTube)

Health benefits - Forks over Knives (YouTube)

The animals - Earthlings (YouTube)

YouTube Videos/YouTube accounts:

101 Reasons To Go Vegan

Gary Yourofsky - Best Speech Ever

Stella Rae

Sonia Elsie

Sorsha Morava

Books:

The China Study

But You Kill Ants

Tip #2 - What works for you? - There are several types of veganism including HCLF, Raw till 4 and fully raw. Personally, I wouldn't worry about this to begin with. I'd suggest focusing on eating what you want, as long as it is vegan and once you are use to that, you can decide whether you want to eat differently. You also need to think about if veganism is something you can do overnight or if you need to do it in steps. I went cold turkey and completely cut out all animals products the second I discovered veganism, this worked really well for me and it has also worked for many others. Although, some people prefer to make the transition longer by cutting out a product at a time. Just do you!! If cold turkey will work for you, do it and if not, take your time with the transition.

Tip #3 - Eating enough - Eating enough is one of the most important tips I can give you. Animal product foods are very saturated in fat and extra calories which means you need to eat less of them to feel full. Plant based foods are very caloric dilute so you need to be eating a larger amount. Within time, your body will adjust to the caloric density of the foods you're eating and you will get use to the amount that you will need to eat to feel satisfied.

Tip #4 - Other people - When you go vegan you realise that not everyone around understands and realises what is going on. It is so easy to get angry and frustrated at the world but you just have to remember, you were in their position. Don't judge other people, especially if you were in their shoes before going vegan. If someone around you is genuinely interested in this lifestyle, educated them. You can show them YouTube videos, documentaries or even educate them from what you have learned. Keep in mind that not everyone understands veganism, people may judge you or make fun of you. If this happens, just remember that you are making a huge difference and deep down you know that what you're doing is right.

Tip #5 - Social media - If you're feeling distant and like you're alone on your vegan journey just have a look on social media. The vegan community on social media is huge!! There is Facebook pages, group chats, twitter accounts and lots more! You can also use social media to spread the message about veganism and make people around you aware of what is going on.

Tip #6 - The transition - When transitioning from eating animal products to going plant based, you can feel very sluggish and sick. This is because your body is detoxing and it is trying to get rid of all of the bad foods that you have been consuming. You may break out and this is a way of your body clearing out your system. This feeling usually doesn't last longer than a few weeks and to stop yourself from feeling sluggish, consume lots of water, fruit and greens! Once your body has got use to the changes, you will feel incredible and you will start to notice a lot of benefits!

You might also have strong cravings for things like cheese and other dairy products, this is due to dairy products containing traces of the chemical called morphine which is a highly addictive opiate. If you are struggling with any cravings, eat lots of good foods to keep you full and satisfied. Also keep in mind that there is vegan substitutes for almost everything! Including milk, cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, ice cream and chocolate.

That's all tips done for this post! I hope this helped you and if you have anymore questions, comment below or message me on twitter (@chardinerx). If you know anyone that's interested in veganism or is considering going vegan, please share this post with them as it might be helpful.

Thanks for reading

Char x

Saying Goodbye To Mase

2016-11-24T16:00:00.000+00:00

Almost 11 years ago my family and I met a little white puppy named Maisie that changed our lives forever. My uncle had recently bought her but had to go away for a few weeks so we agreed to dog sit. We spent those few weeks getting to know the gorgeous little girl and she soon became part of the family. After the two weeks were over, my Uncle came to pick her up but we were too in love to let her go. After a lot of begging, he agreed to let us keep her and Maisie, who we decided to call Mase became part of the family.

Just over a year ago Mase started losing a lot of her fur, we didn't find this at all worrying as it was normal for her to lose fur during the hot seasons. A few weeks after she started having a lot of accidents in the house and was drinking a lot more than usual. This concerned us extremely as she had never had any health issues and hadn't had accidents in the house since she was a puppy. We assumed that it might be diabetes so we booked a vets appointment and headed over a couple of days later for some tests and to our relieve, our vets couldn't find anything wrong with her and confirmed that it wasn't diabetes. A few months went by and Mase was still excessively drinking and having accidents so we had to head back to the vets. We went back and forth to the vets more times than I could count on one hand, just to be sent back home and told that there is nothing wrong with our dog.

After all of the failed vets trip, we went on with our day to day lives and Mase still seemed like the healthy happy dog she has always been (minus the excessive drinking and peeing). Then around 7 months ago, Mase's hunger increased, she had strange marks coming up on her skin, her muscles were weakening and she didn't seem like her usual self. Knowing that our vets would just turn us away with no diagnosis, we decided to research her symptoms online and discovered an illness called cushings disease. Mase had every symptom that was listed and we were more than certain that this was one of the issues. We booked an appointment with my sisters vet with hope that they could help us and our dog. On the first appointment, we found out that she indeed had diabetes which is exactly what our old vets told us she didn't have and we also found out that we were right, she had an illness called cushings disease. There were only two options, medication or an operation but because of Mase's age there was a high chance that she wouldn't make it through the operation. Due to this, we opted for the medication with high hopes that it would help her and she would continue living a long happy life.

Around two months ago she had finished all of her medicine and it didn't help one bit. We rang our new vet straight away and he made us aware that there is nothing else that could be done. Although, she wasn't in any pain so we chose to wait it out. Whether that meant we got a few months or years with her. Then a few weeks ago a lump come up under her armpit and it was very sore. We cleaned it up and decide to see how she went. To our relieve it healed up but she wasn't herself anymore. She started to struggle with her breathing and could barely get off of her bed. On the 11th of November 2016, she was really struggling so we made the heart breaking decision to take her into the vets to get put to sleep at 5.30pm. Mase spent the whole day having cuddles from all of her family members that came to visit her and she had the biggest smile on her face for the whole day. As it started nearing to half five, we got her into the car for her last drive which would be the journey to the vets. Mase decided that she wanted to go in our arms and started passing away on my dads lap, we wrapped her up in her favourite blanket and took her into the vets to be by her side as she took her last breath.

As a seventeen year old, this is hands down one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with and I have cried everyday since. Seeing Mase grow from a tiny nervous puppy into a loving family dog was a pleasure and it is something that I will never forget. She had the best life she possibly could of had with us and her best four legged companion, Tyson.

Goodbye Mase, you will forever be in our hearts xxx
23.01.2006-11.11.2016

Char x

5.11.16

2016-11-06T11:00:00.000+00:00

Since the 5th of November is a day to remember, I decided to share some of the photos I took last night on my blog. My dad done an amazing fireworks display for my family and we all messed around with sparklers. It is times like this that I cherish forever, seeing all of my loved ones happy is honestly heart warming. I hope you enjoy these pictures and I hope you enjoyed your night.

I apologise for the quality of these photos, I wasn't planning on turning this into a blogpost.

Char x

Real Techniques Travel Set Review

2016-09-15T16:00:00.000+01:00

I am pretty sure Real Techniques Brushes are one of the most popular and affordable makeup brushes. Even though they are completely ancient now, I only got my hands on a few sets for the first time a couple of months ago. I have always been a MASSIVE lover of the Miracle Complexion Sponge, which is also by Real Techniques. It has been an amazing part of my every day make up routine for over a year now but, I thought it was about time to purchase some actual brushes. I chose Real Techniques as they're both cruelty free and vegan, I have also heard amazing things about them and I'm so glad I've finally purchased them, they have made an amazing difference to my every day make up routine and as lame as it sounds, I can't imagine my life without them. Even though I purchased three different sets, the travel set is by far my favourite. It is perfect for travelling but also ideal for everyday use.

The Real Techniques Travel Set includes:

The Essential foundation brush: This brush is perfect for both concealer and foundation, it makes application so effortless whilst also leaving you with a flawless finish. I use this brush on a day-to-day basis to apply my foundation and I am always happy with the final result. Although, I do like to blend out any harsh lines with a Real Techniques buffing brush.

Domed shadow brush: I love using this brush to blend out both powder and cream shadows, which it does a fantastic job at! But I personally think it is too big for shadow application and I end up making a bit of a mess.

Multi task brush: Lastly, but certainty not least is my favourite brush in the set. It definitely lives up to its name and works wonders as a multi task brush. I use this to apply powder AND bronzer! However, I think it is slightly too big for applying blush and I'd suggest using the Real Techniques blush brush. I mainly use this brush for powder and I am always happy with the result, I find that it distributes my powder very well and I'm never left with a cakey finish.

Overall, I LOVE this set and if you are looking for a new set of brushes, I'd highly recommend you look into purchasing these. It makes it so much easier to only have to take three make up brushes on a trip away without having to worry about not being able to create your favourite make up look. Although, if I had to change anything about this set, I would add the buffing brush and the deluxe crease brush to make life a little easier.

Thanks for reading

Char x

Jumpers & Jeans | OOTD

2016-09-09T16:00:00.000+01:00

With Autumn on it's way, I have updated my wardrobe and added a few oversized jumpers which makes me extremely happy. But unfortunately we're now at that awkward time of the year where it is too cold to wear a t-shirt but it is too hot to chuck on your favourite winter coat. So of course I had to settle for a cosy jumper (I'm not complaining) and a pair of jeans for a stroll through the park.

Jumper - The Boutique Of Molly

Jeans - Topshop

Scarf -Zara (no longer available)

Shoes - Tesco (no longer available)

Necklace - H.Samuel

A few things weren't available anymore so I linked a shop that currently sells them, I hope you don't mind.

Thanks for reading

Char x

Twitter Q&A

2016-09-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

Since I never properly introduced myself to you guys, I thought I'd do a little Q&A and answer any questions that you may have. Of course I headed over to Twitter and asked my followers to ask me any questions they had in mind and this is what I got:

1. What are your two favourite songs at the moment? Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber - Cold Water and M.O - Who Do You Think Of?

2. What is your favourite colour? -Turquoise

3. If you could move to anywhere in the world, where would it be? If I could move to anywhere in the world, I would choose Brighton. It is such a beautiful city and everyone there seems so friendly. I am also a big lover of the rain so I wouldn't ever be able to move to a hot country permanently.

4. What inspired you to start blogging? I got inspired by so many people irl and on Twitter but mainly by Zoe Sugg. I've read her blog for nearly 6 years now and I have always loved the idea of starting up my own blog. For years, I have been too worried to start my own blog but after finally plucking up enough courage, here I am!

5. Any good internet friend experiences? Wow where to start?! I have been in so many different group chats and made so many amazing friends because of twitter, including my best friend! That in itself is an amazing internet friend experience. There is a lot of mixed views on having friends online but I think as long as you are safe, it is completely fine!

6. How old are you? I am 17.

7. What is your dream job? I'd love to work with animals and maybe one day have my own animal rescue centre.

8. Do you want to travel the world? YES!! As soon as I leave college, I am travelling to lots of amazing places.

9. If you had 1 hour left to live, what would you do in that time? Since this isn't enough time to travel to any of my favourite places, I'd invite my whole family and my closest friends to a big park near mine. Sounds pretty boring haha but I would just want to say goodbye to people that mean a lot to me.

10. What is your favourite memory? My favourite memory is probably eating at a vegan restaurant for the first time.

11. Who do you look up to the most? My older sister, she is just so strong and has done so much with her life in such a short amount of time. I am so proud of her and she inspires me to work hard for what I want.

Thanks for reading

Char x

Oreo Milkshake

2016-09-01T15:00:00.000+01:00

Vegan, Dairy-free, Delicious!

Everyone had that one treat as a child that their parents only allowed them to have in moderation and for me, that was this scrumptious Oreo milkshake. I still to this day LOVE this milkshake and Oreos of course! I mean, who doesn't? Now if you've read previous posts, you will be aware that I am vegan so obviously I had to veganize my favourite childhood treat and share that with you all.

You will need:

5 scoops of Dairy-free Ice-cream - I used Coconut Vanilla Dairy-free Ice-cream
200ml of Dairy-free milk - I used Unsweetened Soya Milk
10 Oreos
A food blender

Time to get blending...

Method:

Step 1 - Measure 200ml of dairy free milk and crush 8 Oreos to the size of your choice (this won't matter once blended).

Step 2 - Place 5 scoops of dairy free ice-cream and your crushed Oreos into the blender along with 200ml of milk.

Step 3 - Now this is the time to add in any ingredients of your choice i.e. Ice, Sweeteners, Chocolate sauce, different ice-cream flavours.

Step 4 - Time to get blending! Pop your lid on and slowly blend until your milkshake is thick and creamy.

Step 5 - Lastly, pour into your favourite glass and crush your 2 spare Oreos on top.

That is your milkshake complete! I hope you enjoy.

Thanks for reading

Char x

WishList: My Bomber Obsession

2016-08-24T12:49:00.002+01:00

As a lover of bomber jackets, I am always keeping an eye out for any new jackets in my local shops. Sooo of course I had to share my recent finds with you!

Cruelty Free Brands

2016-08-13T16:00:00.000+01:00

I've recently noticed that not many people are aware of the amount of animal testing that STILL goes on and I wasn't for long time. So I thought I'd write a little post and share with you what brands are cruelty free. I will also list cruelty free brands that are owned by parent companies who still test on animals, I choose not to buy from these brands as I feel as if I am still giving money to that industry. However, I'd rather people chose to buy products from cruelty free brands instead of brands that test on animals.

Cruelty Free Brands

Original Source

Lush

The Balm

Two Faced

Gosh

Wet and Wild

Barry M

Makeup Geek

Colourpop

Charlotte Tilbury

Soap and Glory

Illamasqua

Hourglass

ELF

BH Cosmetics

Sleek

Zoeva

Yes To

Dr Organic

PIXI

Paul Mitchell

Lime Crime

Becca

Cover FX

Kevin Murphy

100% Pure

Anastasia Beverly Hills

Owned By Parent Companies That Test On Animals

Body Shop - Owned by Loreal

NYX - Owned by Loreal

Nars - Owned by Shiseido

Tarte - Owned by KOSE

Urban Decay - Owned by Loreal

All of the above information is from July 2016, if you are aware of any changes, I'd appreciate you letting myself and others know in the comments. Also let me know what your opinion on animal testing is!

Thanks for reading

Char x

Body Confidence

2016-08-08T16:00:00.000+01:00

Let's face it, there isn't many people out there, including myself that can straight up say that they are happy with their body and honestly that is upsetting. We seem to think that it is okay to compare ourselves to other people and this is because we are growing up in a society that is obsessed with peoples appearances, the sizes of our bodies, our facial features and the way we choose to dress. Imagine walking down the street and every single person looked the same, that would be a bit boring, wouldn't it? I'm definitely guilty of comparing myself to anyone I come across and pointing out the things I think are bad about myself. But we need to remember that everyone is different and everyone's body is different but that doesn't make you any less beautiful, each and every person is beautiful in their own way.

I remember walking down the stairs on the day of my prom and being absolutely petrified to leave my house. I just wanted to stay at home and avoid going to event where I would be surrounded by everyone I went to school with, parents and teachers. All I was thinking about was what people would think of me, what people would think of my dress, what people would think of my make up, what people would think of how I had my hair and I remember my sister turning round and saying "Char, no one is going to be worrying about what you look like. They will all be too busy worrying about themselves". At the time, I just brushed it off and continued to go on about how people will judge how I look. But since then, I have realised that my sister was right. Do you walk down the street and judge everyone that walks past? No. You walk down the street thinking that every single person is judging you and that isn't the case. We need to learn to love ourselves and stop focusing on what other people might think of us, it is only YOUR opinion that matters.

Now that I've finished rambling, I am going to give you a few tips which may or may not help you to feel slightly more confident with your body.

1. Point out something you like about yourself each day - Yes, this does sound extremely scary because who ever speaks about the positive things about themselves? A few weeks ago, a friend and I decided that each day we would share something that we liked about ourselves hoping that it would result in us being more positive. Which indeed it did, I use to look in the mirror and point out everything I disliked but I can now proudly say that I have started pointing out the things I like about myself.

2. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy doing! - Exercise is something that a lot of people dread but it doesn't have to be boring! You could do yoga, hiking, weight training, dancing, running, swimming or any other physical activity you enjoy. If you find the exercise you enjoy, I can guarantee that you will look forward to doing it and it will make you feel so much better.

3. Eat a balanced diet - I can assure you that if you put good foods into your body, you will feel good. This doesn't mean that you need to follow a strict diet, that is definitely not what I'm saying. All of our bodies are different, find a diet that works for you. For me personally, going plant based worked wonders and I feel healthier than I ever have before. Just make you are getting a range of fruit, vegetables, healthy fats, protein and whole grains. This doesn't mean you cut out all of your goodies, of course it is okay to demolish a packet of Oreos every now and then (lmao). Don't be strict on yourself!

Thanks for reading

Char x

LookFantastic Subscription Box Review #1 | July

2016-08-03T16:59:00.001+01:00

After seeing so many other Bloggers sharing their love for subscription boxes, I've been very fond on the idea of having lots of goodies arriving at my house each month. So of course I signed up to one! I discovered LookFantastic whilst searching online and it stood out to me the most, it was full of amazing beauty products and was a reasonable price too, which was definitely a bonus. You are able to decide whether you receive the subscription box for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or even 12 months. No matter how long you sign up for, you receive 6 products in every box. I went with the 12 month with the price of £11.25 per month, I thought this would give me more than enough time to make a fair judgement on the company and the box itself. I am very pleased with what arrived in July's box so I thought I'd give you a quick sneak peak.

The products in this months box were:

This Works - In transit camera close up

This is a product I didn't expect to work, especially since it is a mask, moisturiser and primer in one! My opinion soon changed when I tried it for the first time, it left my skin feeling great and I looked so much more awake than usual. That alone was amazing and then I discovered that it worked wonders as a primer! Usually my foundation starts to disappear by lunch time and this keeps it in place all day. It also leaves you with a matte finish, which is great for me as I have oily skin. If you have dry skin, I'd suggest using your normal moisturiser before applying this otherwise it will dry out your skin.

Bellapierre - Cheek and lip stain

When I saw that this product was CRUELTY FREE, I was overly excited to try it and it was the first product I used from this months box. After using it, I wasn't too keen on the shade of pink as it didn't suit my skin tone at all. I still kept it on all day, mainly to see if it was a good product in general and to my surprise, it was! Usually when I use a cheek stain, I'm left with a sticky feeling on my face but with Bellapierre, I can't even feel the product! I will be purchasing this again but in a more suitable shade for my skin tone and if you are looking for a new cheek/lip stain, I'd suggest trying this.

Mi Salon Series - Hair bands

Let's talk about the hair bands that everyone is raving about. I wasn't fussed about receiving these, hair bands are just hair bands, right? But they are so much more, they were designed to meet the crucial hair up needs. Now for someone who straightens their often, finding out that these hair bands don't leave an indent is amazing, I hate spending a whole hour straightening my hair and then as soon as I want my hair out of my face, it's no longer straight due to using an ordinary hair band. These bands can be used on all hair types, are great to use when you go to sleep and prevent head stress. Again, this is something that I was happy to hear. I have the struggle of wanting to keep my hair out of my face but after a few hours, I'm left with a headache due to having my hair up for too long. Now that I've switched to these, I can have my hair up for a longer period of time without worrying I'm going to be left with a headache afterwards.

Nuxe - Multi purpose dry oil

This was definitely the product that I thought I'd dislike the most, the thought of putting a glittery oil on face, body and hair didn't interest me one bit. Especially since I am prone to oily skin. But it absorbs quickly and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all. It is definitely suppose to be used around this time of year, it looks great with a tan and smells divine. It does have a gritty feeling when you first apply it, due to the glitter but as soon as you rub it into your skin that feeling goes away and you are left with a golden glow on your skin. It can also be used on your hair, this came as a shock but after applying a small amount through my hair, I had healthy looking hair and all of my split ends disappeared into thin air.

Kebelo - Anti-Frizz cream

Now this was a product I was extremely excited to receive. I struggle with taming my mane on a day to day basis and no frizz creams seem to help. I wasn't expecting this to help either but I was in shock when it tamed my frizz ALL DAY! After washing and towel drying my hair, I applied a pea size amount through the ends of my hair and a tiny amount towards the roots (I tend to use less product near my scalp to prevent grease). I then left my hair to naturally dry and was left stunned once it had, my hair was a whole lot less frizzier than usual and easier to manage. I will definitely be re-purchasing this when I run out and I suggest it to anyone that struggles with taming their frizzy hair.

Benefit - Goof Proof Brow Pencil

Brows have never been something I've been overly fussed about, I'd just apply a little bit of powder and occasionally brow gel to keep them in place for the day. Although, I was never happy with my brows I didn't think to branch out and try new products. I had always heard good things about Benefit products in general and never got round to purchasing or trying anything myself. That was until this month when I received a life changing product (slightly over the top?). I am currently growing my brows out and this has been so helpful. I can use the tiniest amount of product and my eyebrows look so much fuller and have such a nice shape to them. I read a lot of reviews before trying it myself and most of them said the product was rock hard and difficult to use. Personally, it's the best eyebrow product I've EVER used and it glides on so nicely. I will definitely be trying the other products from their new collection in the near future.

I think subscription boxes are a great, easy and affordable way to discover new brands and products. Not only for beauty products but also for healthy snacks and you can EVEN subscribe to boxes for your pets (yes, you read that correctly). The thought of a box also arriving for my dogs each month fascinates me extremely, and there is a slight possibility that I will be signing up to one!

Overall, I was very impressed with the products I received this month and to my surprise, I liked all of them. I can't wait to see what is in store for next month. As I mentioned before, I signed up for 12 months so if you want me to review future boxes, please let me know! Also, leave any suggestions of other subscription boxes that you love. I'd love to hear about your favourites and possibly sign up to more.

Thanks for reading

Char x

Delicious Doughnuts

2016-07-26T16:04:00.000+01:00

One of my favourite things to do is try new vegan foods, so I thought why not try making my own? I decided that doughnuts would be the best bet because who doesn't enjoy a sweet treat? Well, I definitely do anyway. These cute mini doughnuts are great for parties, picnics, movie days with friends and just for a treat every now and then. To some extent, I know vegan foods can often scare non-vegans, if this is the case, why not head over to Alice's blog as she has a great recipe for non-vegan doughnuts.

You will need:

50g Vegan Butter

120ml Soya Milk

2 tbsp Sunflower Oil - For the doughnuts

500ml Sunflower Oil - To fry the doughnuts in

250g Plain Flour

50g Caster Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

Method:

Step 1 - Melt the butter on a low-medium heat. Add the milk and two tablespoons of sunflower oil and then mix together. Once you've done that, take off of the heat and set aside.

Step 2 - Next, you will need to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. You can then mix in the butter mixture and stir the ingredients together until it forms into a thick dough.

Step 3 - Now it is time for the messy part, forming the doughnuts! You will need to roll the dough into balls and create a hole in the middle using your thumb. You can use extra flour if the dough is a bit too sticky for your liking.

Step 4 - Heat up the 500ml of oil in a frying pan, you may need more or less depending on the size of your pan. You want the oil to be around 350° F, this can be tested by using a thermometer. If you haven't got one at hand, place a doughnut into the pan and if it sizzles, you can start frying.

Step 5 - Using a spatula, gently place the doughnuts into the frying pan. I'd suggest frying around 3-4 at a time so you have full control over all of them. Fry the doughnuts for around 2-3 minutes on each side, depending on the size you have made them or until they are golden brown.

Step 6 - Finally, transfer the doughnuts onto some kitchen roll to soak up the excess oil. Once you've done that, roll the doughnuts in the bowl of caster sugar and then your they are complete! Feel free to use any toppings of your choice, I just chose to keep it simple.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Char x