Tooth Brushing Revolution with the ISSA Mini from Foreo

Oral hygiene is something that we're both pretty hot on in our house. Having spent time as a dental nurse I am oh so familiar with the importance of looking after your teeth and gums so when I heard about the revolutionary ISSA mini* from Foreo I was really interested in giving it a go.

The design of the ISSA mini* is completely different to any other toothbrush due to its silicone bristles.
Not only do the bristles help to give an effective, thorough clean, but they also mean that the brush holds up to 10,000 times less bacteria than your average toothbrush. The head also only needs changing once a year as it is more hard wearing.
The soft silicone head is flexible, allowing you to reach all of the harder to get to areas of the mouth and is gentle enough to use on gums to help build up their protection and help to prevent gum disease.
The ISSA Mini* is targeted at adults with smaller mouths, young adults and teenagers so it has a small, compact size which makes it nice and easy to handle, unlike some other electric brushes.
One thing that I really like about the brush is that after two minutes of brushing, the brush pulses three times to let you know that you have reached the recommended minimum brushing time. There is also a smiling face light which glows after two minutes but this is more targeted at younger brushers!

I've really enjoyed using this toothbrush. It id take me a few days to get used to how gentle it feels when in use (I'm quite a vigorous brusher!) but once I had got used to it, I fell in love. It is incredibly effective, and when combined with my favourite Oral B Pro toothpaste, leaves my teeth and gums feeling lovely and clean and fresh. The battery life is great too, lasting 200 brushes before needing to be charged.
It isn't by any means cheap at £89, however, I definitely think it's a worthwhile purchase, especially for anyone who prefers a softer brush or has sensitivity issues as it allows you to be thorough without being too harsh.

Possibly my favourite product of the year so far.

Annie xx

In my Graze Box This Week #3

Another week and another yummy Graze box delivered straight to me at home :)
This week was a really good one as well, there wasn't anything in there that I wasn't keen on and all four snacks were put on my "like" list on the website.
So what did I get this week?

What really struck me first about this box is that it was nice and balanced with two sweet snacks and two savoury. One thing to note when you sign up to Graze is that there is definitely more sweet snacks than savoury so a quick look at what is on offer is a good idea if you're more of a savoury fan.

Basil and Garlic Pitted Beldi Olives- First up I had a pot of fresh basil and garlic marinaded olives which came complete with a little olive pick. I love love love green olives and the flavour of these was lovely. There were a good amount and they also weren't drowned in oil. Very yummy :)

Pina Colada- One of my favourite cocktails in snack form! This simple snack is a mix of dried coconut, dried mango and coconut flakes. I'm not the biggest fan of dried fruit usually, but I think I may now become hooked on dried pineapple, its so tasty and not too sweet either. The different components tasted really good together and because of the softness to the fruit, the coconut didn't leave the mouth all dry.

Nacho Libre- The other savoury snack in this weeks box, Nacho Libre is a mixture of salsa almonds, cheesy sombreros and jumbo chilli corn. Oh my goodness this one was good, I love a bit of flavour to my food so the little chilli and salsa hit from this snack is right up my street. There isn't enough chilli to make it "hot" but there is a little warmth. This snack is also rich in vitamins and minerals and super low calorie so all round yay!

Cookies and Cream- Last up and this weeks favourite, was the Cookies and Cream snack. This box contained a mix of sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, white chocolate buttons and mini chocolate cookies. I'm a big savoury fan but boy am I a sucker for a chocolate cookie haha. I'm not keen on sunflower seeds but when mixed with the other components they were actually pretty yummy, but the highlight of the litle box was the cookies which were nice and sweet and really yummy when eaten with the hazelnuts.

So over all this box was a really good one and left me excited to see what comes next time. Because I'm on holiday this friday I was able to tell Graze and cancel this weeks box so the next one arrives when I'm home again, definitely a good feature! If you'd like to try a box for free then there is a link in my sidebar that takes you to the Graze website :)
What do you think of this weeks box? Doesn't the cookies and cream snack look good?
Annie x
*ps, I'm away until 17th and this post is scheduled so if you comment and don't get a reply, I promise it's not that I'm ignoring you! <3*

In my Graze Box this Week #2

I was amazed how much of a response there was to last weeks Graze Box post, it seems a lot of you are interested in Graze and what they have to offer so I thought I'd show you for the next few weeks what I get so you can get a good idea of the variety of snacks on offer.

This week my box arrived a day late unfortunately, but to be honest, I'd be tempted to blame the post rather than Graze since I got my dispatch email on the thursday as is normal.
This week was a really good box, and I enjoyed all four of the snacks on offer. So what did I get?

Pear Tatin- First came a mix of pear, almonds, raspberry infused cranberries and yoghurt coated seeds. I was a little apprehensive of this mix because I don't usually like pear when its in its non-dried form but I actually really enjoyed this. Pear is so much nicer dried! But the highlight of this snack was definitely the raspberry infused cranberries, they tasted like sweeties but didn't make me feel like a fattie after eating them. Score!

Yaki Soba- The only savoury snack in this weeks box, which was a slight shame because I love savoury things. The mix was soba peanuts, edamame beans, noodles and chilli flavoured broad beans, so its packed with fibre. The obvious comparison to this snack is bombay mix, but I prefered the seasoning of the yaki soba because I love japanese seasoning and there was also a nice selection of textures to this snack and it kept me nice and full because of the beans and noodles.

Honeycomb Crunch- Oh my goodness this was a good one! A simple mix of almonds, raisins and chocolate coated honeycomb pieces, this did not taste like a healthy choice at all, and more like a treat. I love Crunchie from Cadbury so it was nice to be eating something so similar and knowing I was allowed to haha. The raisins were nice and plump too, not small and seedy so it really felt they were nice quality.

Toffee Apple- This weeks favourite! A very simple snack which is slices of dried granny smith apple with a delicious toffee sauce. The granny smith apple is lovely and sharp and the contrast with the toffee sauce is amazing. And this snack is super low calorie too at just 68! Can't complain about that.

Another good week for Graze, and I was super happy with my box. If you'd be interested in taking a look at Graze and trying a box completely free there is a link on my side bar that will take you straight to their website and hook you up with a free box :)

Do you like the look of this weeks box? Which snack do you think you would have enjoyed the most?
Annie x

Beauty Baking: An Introduction

Beauty baking may seem like a strange idea, and nope, I'm not making my own beauty products. What I mean by beauty baking is ingredients used for effect.
When putting a product together, any company worth its salt will pack it full of ingredients that will be beneficial to the skin/hair/nails or wherever it is being used.
When I buy a product, especially for my skin which is very sensitive, I always check the ingredients to make sure that it uses ingredients that I know are going to work well for me.

However, unfortunately, a lot of people don't really have much of an idea about what ingredients will be the most beneficial to them when dealing with a skin complaint or their super dry sore scalp. So what I want to do is break things down a bit and help spread the ingredients love by focusing a few posts on how they're used and why they are so fab for you.

I haven't 100% decided yet how to group these posts but I'm thinking of splitting them down into hair, dry skin, oily skin and combination skin. I can also do posts on a particular skin complaint such as eczema or psoriasis if people would find that beneficial, just let me know :)

But for now I will just leave you with the number one rule.

When choosing a product for use on your skin or hair, always choose something using as many natural ingredients as possible. You are far less likely to have a nasty reaction, the product will have more benefit to you and more of the money you are paying out will have been used sourcing these fab, natural ingredients than making the nasty chemicals that fill some beauty products.

Annie x

A Guide to Clear, Radiant Skin- Guest Post by Catherine

I have had such an amazing day today. I was given the chance to work with the Top Banana team who are Lush staff who specialise in selling the Gorilla perfume range. They are currently touring the country in the fab perfume bus showcasing the new collection and I was lucky enough to join them and work on the bus today in Oxford. It was such a great experience and I learnt so much, but it has left me super tired so its probably a good thing that I had this guest post lined up by Catherine. If you would like to guest post for Three Little Buhos then just pop me an email at threelittlebuhos@hotmail.co.uk
Annie x 
A guide to having clear and radiant skin
Similar to our eyes, our skin is one of the first things people notice about us. Having flawless radiant skin that exudes health, youthfulness and vitality, is the key to looking and feeling great. Whilst much of our skin’s appearance stems from our genes, a huge percentage of our skin’s condition is controlled by external factors.
The good news is that by taking a few simple steps the overall look and feel of your skin can be significantly enhanced – here’s how:
Drink plenty of water Body care is not just surface deep and what we put inside our body is equally as important as the products we apply to the outside.
One of the best ways to achieve clear and radiant skin is to drink plenty of water. Water clears the body of harmful toxins which can have damaging effects on your skin. Whilst it won’t happen overnight, many people insist that after spending a few days drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day their skin appears clearer and more radiant.
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Consuming the recommended five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day can help ensure you have clear and radiant skin. This is because fruit and vegetables are packed with antioxidants which fight against free radicals, help control acne and prevent the onset of fine lines and wrinkles.
Give up smoking
Smoking plays havoc with your skin and can mean smokers as young as 30 have a ravaged complexion that is well beyond its years. In reducing the blood flow to the lower layer of skin, smoking means less oxygen is delivered to the skin and the result is a sallow and unhealthy complexion.
The good news is that as soon as you give up smoking your skin will start to repair itself and begin to look clearer and more radiant – just another incentive to kick this bad habit.
Cleanse, tone and moisturise
For a great complexion and flawless skin, it’s important that you cleanse, tone and moisturise daily. Ensure you choose cosmetic products that are specifically designed for your skin type. Johnson’s Beauty has a wide range of products which cater for every type of skin and are a good place to begin your search.
To begin your routine, cleanse your face thoroughly to remove any traces of dirt. After cleansing, use a toner to remove any excess grease and create a more even skin tone. Finally, moisturise your skin with a moisturiser containing sunscreen of at least SPF15 as this will protect your skin from the damaging effects of UV rays.