Hairtrade

A little hair update as I've not done one for a while, featuring a favourite product of mine from Hairtrade, who's online shop is the ideal place to get all your hair essentials. From GHD tools, to hair extensions, and shampoo, the choice is enormous and they have products and accessories suitable for all hair types and styles! They also stock the big brands like Moroccan Oil, Redken and Paul Mitchell, if you're after something a bit more luxurious. I've been using this light spray oil by Wella Salon Professionals for a few months, and had recently ran out so rejoiced when Hairtrade offered to send me another bottle. I find thick oils weigh my hair down and make it quite greasy, so this is a great alternative - you spray the fine mist over your hair, smooth, and comb through and you're good to go. I find it makes my hair shiny, leaves it feeling softer, and makes it smell so good! Enriched with keratin, argan, jojoba and almond oil, the texture is really light, and leaves a non sticky, non greasy finish. Also a little goes a long way, and my previous bottle lasted a good few months, priced at £11.49 I think it's decent value for money, and can be used all year round! I've also been picking up cute scrunchies and bows recently from Claire's Accessories, just what I need to keep my hair out of my face when I'm having a lazy day!
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 *c/o Hairtrade Wella Luxe Oil, here*

The Monday Piece - Selfridges Birmingham Beauty Hall

This week's Monday Piece is on the fantastic new Beauty Hall at Selfridges Birmingham. Selfridges have recently launched a huge beauty campaign across their stores, named The Beauty Project, it's all about how people define beauty, what being beautiful is all about, and how to find beauty in everyone! You can find lots of beauty related things going on in your local Selfridges, from talks with professional make up artists, to skin care workshops, google hangouts and limited edition products - you can see the full timetable here.

On Wednesday night we were invited to a party at Selfridges Birmingham, to celebrate the launch of the new Beauty Hall in connection with The Beauty Project. We started with champagne on the balcony, and chatting with other guests, then were led downstairs to a staged area where we were told to wait for an important guest performance! The ladies told us all about The Beauty Hall and how it's the biggest luxury beauty department outside of London - you could instantly tell so much work had gone into it, and the staff were so positive, excited and proud to show it off. The performance then started and we were open mouth shocked when Kelis came out and started singing - dressed in a multicolour dress and big high heels, she looked incredible and sounded amazing! Strutting around the stage and being a general goddess, it was such a special performance - thank you Selfridges!

Following the beautiful Kelis, we were given time to browse the beauty hall and test out the products with some more champagne and yummy food - it's absolutely massive, and very glossy and new - featuring brands including Chanel, Illamasqua, Mac, Charlotte Tilbury and Jo Malone (and many more) it's a beauty lovers paradise. There's a dedicated area to perfume too, where you can find rare, exclusive brands as well as other well known fragrances. The Beauty Hall environment looks and feels so luxurious, plus there are lots of staff on hand to assist with any purchases or treatments. As well as beauty and fragrance, there are also hair and skin care stations, again with lots of exclusive products and treatments!

It was such an exciting evening, with surprises and treats to take away, The Beauty Hall at Selfridges Birmingham is not to be missed, and the Beauty Project is running nationwide until June 12th - please do check it out!
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Francesco Group Bloggers Event

Last Thursday i popped over to Birmingham to The Francesco Group Academy hairdressers for a bloggers evening, and had so much fun! Upon entering i was greeted with drinks and yummy strawberries, and introduced to the team, which was great as i'd got lost in the city wearing inappropriate footwear so couldn't wait to relax and get started - the salon smelt so good and was really smart and well laid out, with fresh flowers and an abundance of high end hair tools. I'd had my hair cut earlier that day, but it was fairly messy and hadn't been washed (lazy girl problems), so was excited when the organisers told me that i could have a treatment of my choice - hooray! I had the talented Melvin styling my hair, he washed it with some amazing smelling products, then gave me their new 'sleek blowdry', then finished the style by straightening my hair and making it super shiny and glossy. I loved it, my hair felt like silk and was the sleekest it's ever been!

We were also given the opportunity to have a colour consultation, something i'd not had before, where we were told what skin type we were (i'm cool), and what colour clothes and accessories work best with our skin tone - it was so interesting and i learned a lot about what colours are good and bad for me, and what hair and make up colours are most suited to us. It was fab to have such a personal experience, and might have opened my eyes to a few more colours other than black! Before leaving i was given some Wella Professional products to try out, including a leave in conditioner, misting spray oil that i now can't live without, and a detangler for my knotty tresses - i've been using the products for the last week and have seen some great results. It was an awesome evening and i definitely recommend Francesco Group salons, if only i could have Melvin every day to work his magic! I've added some pictures below, Chloe had her hair cut and styled, and Hayley had her fringe trimmed, they both looked amazing!
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All Francesco Group details can be found, here.

Hairtrade

I'm fairly lazy when it comes to hair and skin care, as i usually stick to what i know and try to keep it simple, so i can get up and ready as fast as possible and get on with my day. I've made a mood board full of no nonsense hair and beauty items from Hairtrade that work and are easy to use for girls like me who don't have lots of time in the mornings and evenings! I started with the cute lounging around outfit and eye mask as i thought it was cute and girly, if i'm chilling out at home i like to be comfy so this is just right for that. Tangle Teezers are ideal for my long hair as it knots and mattes ridiculously easily, i definitely recommend getting one if you don't already have one -  i also use hair oils to keep my hair smooth, shiny and more manageable. I've always wanted a pair of GHD hair straighteners, the new pastel colours are so pretty so i think i might have to take the plunge and invest in some! A decent moisturiser is an important part of my regime as i have weird combination skin, so something like Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream is a great all round product for morning and night time. A slick of lip balm and a spray of perfume keep me smelling nice, and of course lots of water to keep my body and skin hydrated!
Do you have any favourite products?
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*Night time top here, shorts here*
*All beauty products available here*

 

Spring Hair and Beauty Ideas

I'm loving all the new season pastel colours that are popping up at the moment, especially light blues, pinks and purples. I don't wear too much make up as i like to keep it quite natural, so the nude Nars blush would be ideal for a natural glow. The kitty head band is so cute and would look great with a shimmery, pink lip. If you're after a new look for your hair, Paul's Hair World has a vast range of  highest quality Brazilian hair extensions as well as sleep in rollers, hair brushes and products. It's important not to forget the little things, hair extensions clips are essential for keeping everything in place! I've been looking for a new make up bag for ages and spotted this Marc Jacobs case online, the soft fabric and printed design is just the right shape and size for all of my make up essentials!
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*Sponsored post

Summer hair tips

Today is a hair post, and how to keep your hair in good condition during the warmer and humid weather. Obviously I have fairly long natural hair, and it's not that easy to maintain, so here are my tips to maintain healthy hair, and growth tips too!

- Keep hair fresh and clean by washing every other day, if it gets a little greasy in between washes use a dry shampoo on the roots
- I shampoo twice, and then leave conditioner on for a few minutes whilst showering, i use the VO5 Nourish Me Truly range as it keeps my hair moisturised and frizz free, the humidity at this time of year can result in crazy massive hair but this is something i try to avoid!
- I do blow dry but try not to use heated hair tools too often, my hair is finer at the ends due to the length so try not to over frazzle it!
- Serums and oils are great to use when hair is slightly damp, a little goes a long way as it's good for smoothing flyaways and keeping the finish sleek. Headmasters serums and Macademia oils are really good
- Hair growth is individual and not everyone's hair grows as much as others, but limiting heat and keeping hair in good condition helps growth. I cut my own hair with normal scissors, and snip the very ends of every 2 months or so - but going to a hairdresser is more adviseable! Try not to over style hair, i tend to stay away from sticky products, and hairspray too
- If your natural hair doesn't grow as quick as you would like it too, you can always experiment with a great selection of human hair wigs and hair extensions, long luscious locks are available to everyone!
- Wigs and extensions are also good if you want a temporary change from your normal style or colour, you can shop different styles online at at Pauls Hair World - i love the idea of trying something instead of a permanent drastic change!

Do you have any tips for keeping hair sleek in Summer?
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*sponsored post, all words and opinions my own

Neal and Wolf Harmony hair treatment review

As you know I don't like using much on my hair, I try to keep it simple with shampoo, conditioner and a good hair mask or something similar.
I've heard lots of good things about Neal and Wolf products  so was looking forward to giving this a try. 'Harmony' is an intensive care treatment designed to repair damaged hair through moisturising conditioners that delivers an instant transformation.

It's easy to use as you can put it on wet hair whilst in the shower, massage in then leave for 3-5 minutes and wash off - simple. The consistency is creamy and doesn't feel wet like a conditioner so a little goes a long way, it's very smooth and glides onto hair easily, it also smells really good and not too overpowering. It washes out quickly and leaves no residue so hair feels clean and fresh.

This is perfect for me and my long hair as it can get dry and unmaneagable easily - I love how it can be used in the shower so it's a faff free approach to hair cair. The treatment left my hair lovely and soft, very lightweight, frizz free, with plenty of shine. It's definitely something I'll be using regularly!
So it's a big thumbs up from me, have you tried any Neal and Wolf products?
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*c/o Neal and Wolf Harmony hair treatment here*

Review - Enrapture Encode Totem Hair Styler

Having coveted one of these hair tools for what seems like forever, I can finally say I own one. There has been so much hype surrounding Enrapture hair tools, from celebrities and make up artists to bloggers, are they really as good as they say? Well...YES they are, I received the Enrapture Encode Totem Hair Styler which is a barrel shaped hair tong/wand/curler - the barrel is separated into 3 segments, each segment can be heated to a different temperature, either 1-2-3, the higher the number the hotter it gets. As you can alter the heat of each segment it creates a different curl or wave, so by mixing and matching the numbers different styles can be created. For example if 3-3-3 was used it would create a tight ringlet, I've had a play around and my favourite so far is 1-2-1 as this creates a loose curl/wave (pictured).
So many different styles can be created using this clever hair tool, so I think it's really unique compared to other curling tongs on the market which tend to be a one trick pony. I've not had to use any product on my hair, as the Encode Totem Styler has left my hair feeling and looking soft and shiny, the waves hold really well and I love how natural they look.

I often wear my hair up in a bun, or straighten it and leave it down, but i always struggle with adding volume and shape, until now...I've added a before and after picture, as you can see the styler has made my hair look a million times better - i love the volume it gives as I'm forever trying to create that sexy 'big hair' look. The style pictured took me less than 10 minutes as the styler is super easy to use, and heats up in seconds. I wrapped around chunky sections of hair from half way down my head and held for roughly 10 seconds each, then loosened - its as easy as that, promise. Say goodbye to bad hair days with this genius hair tool. 

"Enrapture, when everyday hair just isn't enough"
You can buy the Totem Styler from lots of stores including Boots, and also Amazon where it's on sale right now! The RRP is £74.99 and is definitely worth it, it also comes with a 3 year guarantee which is reassuring.

*c/o Enrapture Totem Styler*

Hair update - more ombré!

Sorry it's another hair post after yesterday's bombardment! The ends have been lightened so the ombré is brighter and stands out more, I'm really happy now it's all finally finished and I think I'll be keeping this hair do for a while :)
Do any of you have ombré hair? If you do send me a link in the comments box, I'd love to check it out xx

New hair! Blonde - ombré

Hello! So today I had my bleached and highlighted hair dyed back to brown and had the mid to end lengths ombred/dip dyed. I'd nearly forgotten what my dark hair looked like and was slightly apprehensive about it, but I'm SO glad I did it, it's going to be much less maintenance and should be in better condition! I think the dark suits me better than when it was light. The ombré is very subtle and has been balayaged (I think that's what it's called), so I'm going to get used to this and then possibly lighten the ends even more.
I've also posted what I wore today - my new neon zebra print body con midi dress from Primark, with Primark sandals and H&M jewellery.

So the before shot of the hair is on the left, and the after shot is on the right.

Do you like my hair? Hope so! Xx