Go Naturel!

Hello all, this post is going to focus on the unruly possession all women have- HAIR! I think it's safe to assume all women are on a quest for healthy hair. And as I began my voyage into the unknown two years ago I have learnt one valuable lesson, GO NATURAL! I once was a product junkie who would buy anything that promised me Rapunzel Locks! (Not actually checking if it was working for me but believing it was.) However eventually the cloud passed and I began to obsessively notice that my hair was not growing at all (of course this is impossible - hair always grows) but when it is in an unhealthy state the ends just break off; leaving you with the same length, if not shorter, that you started with. So I began to consider my options and I thought back to when my hair was at its healthiest and it was courtesy of Mamma who used to nurture it with natural products! So, sold on the idea natural products would give me a long, healthy mane I began my quest. I am now going to share with you the products I have used along the way...

 Coconut Oil:
You can use any variation of this really, mine is the hair conditioner but if you can’t get your hands on that, you could use coconut oil that you cook with. The only difference is the cooking oil is more solid, so you have to rub it in your hands longer before applying, and the hair conditioner has a more pleasing smell. But both do the job just as well. It can be used as part of a treatment that you rinse out but I just leave mine in (I am however very sparing when applying as it can be quite greasy!) targeting the ends of my hair. Coconut oil is also known to penetrate the hair shaft whereas other products simply coat it.

  

Castor Oil:
Just like Coconut Oil, Castor Oil is widely used for strengthening hair. It is also known to promote hair growth, I can vouch for this as I use mine simply to flatten flyaway hair, (usually the edges) which is where the hair is the shortest and I have noticed a significant difference in growth on my edges (which is were where my hair had broken most from over straightening) since using Castor Oil. There is also a liquid form of this, which I want to try as I feel it will seep into my hair better, as the wax version is far to greasy to use all over my head.

 Olive Oil Heat Protection Serum:
Before using this I was using TRESemme’s heat protection spray and although it smells lovely, I do not feel it protected my hair enough. When I would use my straighteners after spraying it, my hair would sizzle and the liquid would get hot and burn me. However that is not to say it doesn’t work for all hair types, just not mine personally. Since opting to Olive Oil, my hair glides better through the straighteners, it doesn’t sizzle and it leaves my hair with a nice healthy shine afterwards. Also a little goes a long way with this; two squirts are enough to cover all my ends.

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Serum:
Alongside my Coconut Oil I use this serum as I can apply it daily without feeling like my hair is getting too greasy. It also smells lovely! I use the regular Coconut Oil just after I’ve washed my hair, as I feel that is when my hair most needs oils restored, and the serum I use only when my ends are feeling dry or as part of styling as it leaves a lovely glossy shine!

Moroccan Oil:
Aside from all the hype this product really does work!  It smells wonderful, it absorbs into the hair quickly and it does make a significant difference when you use it on dry areas – my only issue is the hefty price tag! My bottle is almost finished, so I only use it in extreme circumstances or when I feel like treating my hair. I have tried alternatives like the VO5 Miracle Concentrate Elixir and although my hair does feel nicer when I apply it, I still believe in original Moroccan Oil as it penetrates the hair follicles and does not dry out as quickly.

Apologies for this being quite a lengthy post (just shows my commitment to hair care!) One thing you will find about all the products I mentioned... They don’t contain ALCOHOL! Alcohol is NOT good for your skin and it definitely NOT good for your hair! So as a tip I would suggest checking the ingredients of all products you are buying so you do not end up disappointed.

I would also suggest checking out the following web page as it's enough to make anyone change their current hair care regime!
Hair... Technically Speaking

Thank you so much for reading!

And remember ladies, alcohol doesn’t belong on your hair, it belongs in a glass ;-)

Until next time x x x

Chanel Doesn’t Feature in This

First official post! - This is exciting. I've noticed that a lot of love and adoration is centred around 'high end' products, which is fair enough - when things are priced so highly you expect them to be good! However I don't believe people should rule out drugstore products entirely! It's as if people forget that the advertisements on television and the large ad campaigns you see on the underground and in magazines ARE the drugstore products... Be it: L'Oreal, Rimmel, Maybelline, Maxfactor, Revlon etc. These are the brands investing millions if not billions into brand launches featuring superstars like Beyonce, Zooey Deschanel and Kate Moss! Therefore the company must be doing well if they're spending all this money. So I thought I'd kick things off with my favourite drugstore lip products in order of preference...

Lipsticks:

1.(L-R) ASTOR Shine Deluxe in shade 030 ‘Nudie’
The perfect consistency! It is moisturising but at the same time very pigmented when you build it up. In my opinion the perfect nude and very similar to MAC ‘Hug Me’.

2. RIMMEL 011 ‘Pink Champagne’
The first kind of pink I tried and fell in love with! It’s a pale pink but would suit most skin tones as it’s creamy as opposed to sheer, so blends nicely on the lips. It is also quite moisturising and has a lovely sweet scent.

3. MAYBELLINE 112 ‘Amber Rose’
A gorgeous, glittery pinkish nude. This lipstick does require a few layers to show up on the lips, however if you’re looking for a subtle pop of colour, one coat is perfect. It’s my go to lipstick when I’m going out as it goes nicely with a smoky eye.

4. MUA Shade 13
My favourite red lipstick. It’s soft, it’s pigmented, it lasts for ages! I also like it as it is not just a dull red, it has a pink tinge to it and I would liken it to MAC Cherry Lip-liner. And it is also £1 so no excuse not to try it for yourself!

Lip Liners:

1.(L-R) RIMMEL Exaggerate Full Colour Lip Liner 063 ‘Eastend Snob’
A lovely, natural looking pink. I wanted a pink liner that would be a good base for my pink lipsticks and this little gem turned out to be a beautiful shade on its own! You can layer a pink lipstick over it or you could just top it off with Vaseline or lip gloss for shine.

2.RIMMEL Lasting Finish Lip Liner 011 ‘Spice’
A brownish nude that also works lovely as an all over colour, but to jazz it up a bit I add a sparkly glossy lipgloss in a similar shade. I do find it to be quite drying so I make sure I always apply Vaseline as a base!

3. L.A. COLOURS Lip Pencil P506 ‘Forever Red’
A great deep red that is highly pigmented, and I usually wear it alone as a lip shade. It is quite matte, so I add a tiny bit of Vaseline to stop it drying out, but overall the colour applies smoothy and doesn’t dry out as much as other lipliners.

4. L.A. COLOURS Lip Pencil P511 ‘Smooth Plum’
A daring, darkish purple. I don’t usually wear dark colours on my lips as I usually have a dramatic eye, but not so long ago dark lips were the trend, so I picked this up to experiment (as it was only 99p) and I actually like the colour! I haven’t been brave enough to cover the entire lip but I have blended it with a purple gloss for a more wearable colour.

Lip Glosses:

1.(L-R) REVLON Super Lustrous ‘Peachy Sheen’
I layer this over almost any shade! It is my go to gloss as the colour matches nicely with my skin tone. I use this in conjunction with Rimmel ‘Spice’ or on its own if I don’t want my face to look bare, but fancy a pop of colour.

2. MEMEME Light Me Up High Shine Lip gloss ‘Show’
A bright Barbie pink, but it’s key feature is that it has a mirror on the side and a light when you open it. So these things make it perfect for precision application when on the go or in a dimly lit area. It does have a strong menthol smell/taste which I’m not sure if I like or not. But usually when lip products have that, it’s for lip plumping purposes – so no complaints here!

3. COLLECTION 2000 Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream ‘Cotton Candy’
Does what it says! A beautiful natural pink shade that is like velvet on the lips. It also has a yummy candy scent (hence the name) and an even matte finish. This lip cream does not require a base, you can even forget about Vaseline with this one.

4. REVLON Colourburst 002 ‘Crystal Lilac’
A shimmery, pinkish lilac. I rarely use this lipgloss on its own, I’ll usually layer it on top of nudes and pinks. My favourite combination is over Maybelline’s ‘Amber Rose’ as they both have shimmery finishes. It is quite drying, but otherwise a handy gloss to blend with more neutral colours.

So, this turned into a lengthy post (sorry!) But I just wanted to give as much detail as possible. I hope I gave good examples of finding great lip shades on a budget! That is not to say I don’t appreciate higher end products, but if you are like me and have a gazillion lip products so don’t want to keep splurging, or want to experiment with new colours, I would suggest trying the drugstore first and save the splurging for colours you’re more likely to wear every day.

Thank you so much for reading!

Until next time x x x 

A Brief Intro...

Hello world!

As an avid viewer of the YouTube Beauty Community, I have been inspired to impart some of my own knowledge; some of which I have learnt through tutorials and others through own experience (usually trial and error!) Makeup and Haircare are the two things I am most passionate about, so from the get go I can safely assume my blog will be centred around those things.

However there might be the occasional Fashion&Style post when I'm feeling experimental ;-)

I am also passionate about writing so having this blog allows me to combine my two loves.

Thank you so much for reading!
 
Until next time x x x