Vegan tattoo aftercare review... "El Gato Negro"

I recently visited the Liverpool tattoo convention and I was lucky enough to have my sternum tattooed by the incredible Scott Move. I've wanted a dagger on my sternum for about 6 years and I'm so glad that I waited for the perfect artist to do it.
It was extremely painful and even though Scott had the tattoo finished in no time, it was still tough, especially on my ribs and above my belly button!
As much as it sucked, I couldn't be happier and I feel so beautiful.

Whilst I was getting tattooed I sent my boyfriend Mike to buy some Vegan tattoo aftercare from a stand we had seen at the convention. I've become a lot more aware of what I put in my body, on my skin and what products I use in general. The tattoo healing balm is "El Gato Negro" a 100% organic product made with natural ingredients.

Only a small amount of balm is needed to moisturise the fresh tattoo, when rubbed in it will melt and glide in to the skin. The product uses cocoa butter which means that it has an amazing smell like chocolate and it feels extremely moisturising when it becomes a thin layer of oil.
I was washing the tattoo with soap and warm water and then reapplying the balm about three or four times every day. I was bruised and sensitive for over a week of the healing process and so it was great to have a balm that melts so easily, it meant I wasn't pressing too hard as I mousturised. 

"El Gato Negro" is known to speed up the healing process and I certainly experienced that with my tattoo. I was surprised that it was completely healed in two weeks and it looked and felt amazing.

I'm so glad that I found a Vegan, organic product and I definitely reccomend it to anyone who is planning on getting tattooed. Considering my sternum tattoo is fairly large, I have only used about a third of the product, meaning it will last me for several tattoos and be great value for money.

Check out their Instagram and website.

Thanks for reading this quick review and please let me know what method you use when healing your tattoos!

Instagram @wolvesandflames

Crust... Eating Vegan in Liverpool

Sorry that I haven't written a post for the "Eating Vegan in Liverpool" series in a while. I've been getting serious about saving money and that has sadly meant less dining out!

However, I had no choice but to take a trip to Crust when recently they shared that vegan cheese is now available to be added to their amazing pizza's!

Bold Street is fast becoming the hub of world cuisine in Liverpool and I was excited when Crust opened and an authentic Italian restaurant was set to join the offerings.

We visited early in the evening and yet the restaurant was already filled with energy from the diners and there was a steady stream of people coming and going with takeaway boxes of pizza.

The decor is modern and cool, there is an intimate feel in the place with the chefs being on full view in the beautiful open kitchen tucked away in the back.

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We were seated by our bubbly waitress and she was extremely helpful and knowledgeable when we mentioned being Vegan. We were told how most of the menu can be easily adapted to our dietary requirements and considering that mentioning the word Vegan doesn't often go down well, it was a nice relief.

We ordered the classic bruschetta to start, traditionally wood fired bread, topped with cherry tomatoes, oregano, garlic and extra virgin olive oil. Such a simple dish, but so much flavour!

I found the same with all of Crust's dishes, they take simple fresh ingredients and it allows you to experience the flavours with such intensity!

For our main we both ordered the marinara pizza with the addition of vegan cheese. As the name suggests, Crust stands out from other pizza places because of their exciting selection of pizza bases. They have original, five grain, organic and what we opted for, black dough! Our pizza's arrived promptly, fresh from the wood fired oven.
The tomato sauce is seriously incredible and mixed with the garlic and oregano, I was blown away!

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I was so glad that I chose the black dough base, I wasn't expecting it to have so much flavour but it was delicious! Also, it is made from a healthy vegetable charcoal that helps with digestion and detoxifies the body (so it's a win win)!

Having the option for vegan cheese was a nice change, in most restaurants it can feel like you're burdening staff by being vegan, but at Crust they are  passionate about catering for everyone, including gluten free! There are also vegan ice cream options, sadly we were too full so next time I will make sure I have room for dessert! 

I absolutely loved the food and my boyfriend even said that Crust is his new favourite place to eat! Considering how impressive the food is, the prices are reasonable and I highly reccomend visiting Crust to try it for yourself!

I hope you enjoyed the post, let me know if you have any suggestions of places that I should eat at and review next!

Instagram @wolvesandflames

Eating Vegan in Liverpool... The old hardware shop

If you're veggie or vegan living in Liverpool and you haven't visited The old hardware shop yet, you need to go asap! Seriously, this cafe is like a dream come true.

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The cafe is easily found, situated on the right side of the road as you first enter Woolton Village (opposite The Elephant pub). It is surrounded by the picturesque sandstone houses and the huge flower arrangements that colour the street. The cafe itself is beautifully decorated, with bright walls that display a diverse mix of paintings and vintage ornaments. There is a range of large tables and comfy benches both downstairs and up on the pretty mezzanine.

We made our way up the stairs and found a comfy little table on the mezz, overlooking the cafe and the passing traffic of the busy road it's the perfect place for avid people watchers, like myself, to sit and observe. Each table has a unique pair of salt and pepper shakers and the art on the walls is all animal related (what more could you want!). It was hard to decide on what we wanted to eat with such an extensive menu! Everything is vegetarian and almost everything can be veganised, it really is exciting having so much to choose from and I even struggled deciding what flavour milkshake I wanted!

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Mike ordered a soya latte to warm him up and I had the amazing banana milkshake, I felt like a kid again with the cream, sprinkles and even a glace cherry. The service was amazing and our food arrived to the table really quick, I was even teased by the smell of my "meatball" sub cooking as I waited!
Mike was presented with his amazing "pepperoni", pizza hot dog first and I was extremely jealous until my "meatball" sub quickly followed.
The food is heavenly, my sub was filled with a variety of vegan cheeses, a delicious Italian tomato sauce and the most convincing faux "meatballs" I've ever tasted!

Sadly we were way to full to sample the cakes that they had to offer and later on that evening we kicked ourselves for not getting them to take away! They also have a wide selection of chocolates and treats to buy near the till and if I had more money I would have bought everything!

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The old hardware shop is amazing, stunning food and lovely, helpful staff! Now it's my goal to buy one of the pretty houses in the Village and eat here every day, a girl can dream right!

Instagram @wolvesandflames