What Time Is It??....'TOOL TIME!!'

Anybody else used to watch Home Improvements when they were a kid?! I loved that show!

So after my last post on hair products I use, I thought I'd do a post on the tools I use too!

I am pretty lazy if I'm honest and drying my hair is the bane of my life because it 'clings to water like a bitch!' as my friend once said.

I pretty much go by 'old hair and yesterdays eyeliner always look better'. Beauty bloggers everywhere are probably cursing that! I do take my make up off but I seriously think yesterdays eyeliner looks wayyy better! Anyway, this isn't about make up! This is about hair!

Right, let's get started, this is what I do when I have freshly washed hair...

First of all I use my magic Gliss spray, when I have wet hair, I use a wide tooth comb to detangle, this helps prevent breaking hair, as hair is weak when it's wet. I then go through it with either my tangle teaser or a paddle brush - whichever is around.

Then to blow dry my ends I'll use whatever round brush is around, but if I am blow drying it properly I use two different brushes, I'll use a large barrel brush for volume, and a medium barrel brush for the ends. I use Head Jog brushes, which you can get online if you can't get to a wholesalers. I tend to buy the sets and then just add any extra brushes I need as I go. I think the sets are good value. I'd definitely get a decent brush if you are a regular blow dryer, you don't want to be snagging your hair or getting it caught in the brush. I could do with some new ones myself right now!

Then I have my prized possession. My hairdryer. I love this thing like a child. I have two. A pink one and a black one. My pink one I've had for about 8 years which is genuinely shocking, but that's the one I use for my own hair and I am dreading the day it packs in. It was my first real pro hairdryer.
My black one was part of my college kit, my mother seems to have adopted this one and this is the one I use on other people.
I use Parlux hairdryers. They're not cheap but I would probably only ever use Parlux now. I want a matte black one or a purple or burgundy one for christmas!
One thing I would stress about hairdryers for blow drying, make sure you have decent nozzles. The nozzle on my hairdryer is so skinny in comparison to my sisters hairdryer, it's so narrow but this is perfect for a nice smooth blow dry, because the air flow is more concentrated and focused. Also getting your wrist at the right angle helps. Try not to touch your hair with the nozzle (you don't want burned hair...it stinks!) and point it down so the air is parallel to the hair so it is blowing your hair poker straight..if that makes sense?
So yes, I believe a decent hairdryer and brush are a great investment.

I don't straighten my hair, ever, I only curl it from time to time, normally I just shove it in a bun or braid it before bed and however it is when I take it out in the morning is how I'm having my hair! But when I do curl it, I use the ol' Enrapture Encode Totem Styler. I like this because it's easy to use, you can adjust the heat settings on the three barrels and create your own curls!

I use the odd roller here and there, but only at the front of my head and around my crown for a bit of bounce and volume. I'm not the full head, walking around town kinda girl! I just shove em in while I'm getting ready to go wherever I'm going!


So, that's my little two part hair post done. I quite enjoyed doing these! It's made me want to blow dry my hair a bit more often!

Hairspray. & Other Stuff...

I thought I'd do a little post on my favourite hair products and what I use most often!

I'll be honest, I'm pretty low maintenance so hair products for me tend to be a special occasion kinda thing.

My most used products definitely have to be;

My absolute FAVOURITE shampoo and conditioner of all time, is strangely enough super cheap and unexpected. Its a Morrison's Soak It Up own brand shampoo and conditioner, blueberry and orchid. Not only does this smell ridiculously amazing (I've had people comment -I'm not sure why people were THAT close to me but hey! I'll take it! ) It is the best I have ever used. I know that is a bold statement to make, but it's true. It's about £1.09 a bottle, and they're not small bottles. This stuff makes my hair super manageable, super soft and smooth. My friend recommended it to me while I was in the process of bleaching my hair and nothing was working to help it. Her hair is really long and thick and super coarse and its an absolute nightmare when she washes it and she got me some to try and I haven't used anything else since. It just works. I thank this stuff for still having a full head of hair after all the bleaching and colouring.

Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair Liquid Silk. Man, that's a long name!

This is a leave in 'express repair conditioner', with liquid keratin. I LOVE this stuff. I have really thick hair and it get's really knotted after I wash it, especially after all the colouring I do. I used to use the Loreal kids de-tangling spray after I had washed my hair just to get a brush through it! But I suppose this is the more grown up version because it makes my hair so easy to brush and so soft, and it really has made a super big difference to the condition of my hair. It's a nightmare when I run out and have to brush my hair without it! Or comb should I say, you should use a wide tooth comb when dealing with wet hair, for less breakage etc. learned that nice little tip in college when my tutor was mortified as she watched me dragging a paddle brush through my wet hair!

Tresemme Volume & Lift Mousse

I have never used mousse really, but my hair refuses to stay curly when I curl it and goes flat as a pancake when I try to blow some volume into it! So I decided to just try some because I used to always see it in college and avoid using it because I just imagine it to make my hair.... crunchy. I found this one on offer in Superdrug a while back and thought I'd just try it for when I can be bothered to actually blow dry my hair properly, which isn't very often at all. I decided to try it a month or two ago but then once I had put it in my hair the thought of actually blowing my hair seemed like a nightmare so I just did my usual and threw my head upside down and blasted all of my roots and mid lengths dry, then parted it and blow dried the ends properly (I am the laziest self hairdresser ever) but it really worked!! I actually had volume and lift, so I haven't even bothered blowing it properly yet, I just throw it on and throw my head upside down and VOILA! Perfect! I also curled it a few times and it held my curl a LOT longer than usual!


Reincarnation Mask by Bleach London

THIS STUFF. UGH. I love it. I don't even know what to say about it. Use it.  It works. Makes my hair feel incredible! And you definitely need a decent hair mask to have a proper top to toe pamper. May as well be one that is magical!

They're the main players in my hair game I guess.

I use other products too, but only when I'm making an actual effort I suppose you could say!

I'm a big fan of dry shampoo. I try not to wash my hair too much, I'm training it at the minute to get down to twice a week, eventually I'll get it down to once a week, I just don't think you should wash your hair every day, but I give in every now and then and just feel like I HAVE to wash it, I need to start wearing my hair up more often, I might get away with it more then! BUT I'm getting distracted now by thinking about how to wear my hair up....back to dry shampoo, I grabbed this from Superdrug the other week super fast, I don't even know why, I didn't need it but I was like 'Better to have more in than none!' I didn't read it or anything and when I got home I realised it's 'Killer Volume' dry shampoo by Superdrug and it's boss!! I did wear my hair up the other week and I don't like my hair slick to my head - I'm a bed head kinda gal, so this was great for a bit of volume and a bit of oomph! I think I'll be sticking to this!!


I also like 'After Party' by Bed Head. I was convinced for years this was called 'Party Girl', because a stylist used it on my hair when I was about 15 and I kept calling it that until I worked in a salon that sold Bed Head and I kept asking if we were getting 'Party Girl' in and then I saw it on the shelf and my manager laughed at me because I was like 'Oh, they must have renamed it.'.... they hadn't, I'd just been wrong for years. But yeah, this is nice for when I have blown my hair and it just smooths it and prevents fly aways! You only need a tiny amount AFTER you've done your hair though! So it lasts an absolute age!!


I don't often hairspray my hair, only if I have it curly or up and I can be fussy about my hairsprays, I do not like crunchy or solid hair! I've been using Wella Performance Hairspray since I left college because that's what we used there, it's not a super strong hold, but that's not what I'm after so I really like this and I like the smell too! Wella products actually smell amazing!


And last but definitely not least!... Wella Flowing Form Smoothing Balm. I LOVE this stuff!!! It smells so good and you feel like you have been in a salon when you blow dry with this balm! You don't need a lot and you just put it on before you blow dry your hair (not throw your head upside down) and it just makes your hair silky and smooth. I always use this on my Mum and sister when I blow dry their hair straight because they both have curly hair and this definitely helps smooth it out!!


What are your favourite products?

Do you use any of the ones I've mentioned and like/dislike them?

My next post will be a post on the hair tools I use!

My Bootea Experience.

Well, hello.

I've been meaning to update for a while after my Bootea post but things have been a bit hectic.

Anyways, as for the Bootea, I was going to do a full review, but I can't really do that because I didn't complete it.

Not through lack of willpower however, I ended up passing it on to my friend.

Just thought I would share with you my experience anyway.

I loved the day time tea, that was tasty! I was dreading it, but it was actually really pleasant!

 I think I only got about 4/5 days in because the night time tea left me in agony...No, not in the way you're thinking, my stomach is pretty sensitive so it just didn't sit right with me.

The night time tea was a little harder for me to drink because it has a peppermint flavour and I cannot stand peppermint tea, but it wasn't too bad! I drank the tea around 10pm and woke up in the middle of the night with really bad cramps and I felt sick, this carried on throughout the night and the next day which I didn't like, obviously. But it didn't do it's actual job which I thought was what the cramping was going to lead to, I had been warned about the night time tea!! -I'm trying not to spell it out here, but you know what I mean! I was a little confused and thought maybe it wasn't the tea and maybe something I had eaten ( I'm gluten intolerant so I thought maybe I had eaten something by mistake. - Bootea is gluten free, I asked them before I bought it!) so I tried the tea again on the 3rd night....same thing. So I decided to stop because I couldn't go through that for 7 nights and the days following.

Seriously gutted because I'm sure it would have worked, I noticed my bloating went down a bit by day 2 so I was pretty impressed with that!

I guess it just wasn't for me! I could have just carried on with the day time tea but at the time I was that wary of the night time one I just didn't want it. I might try just the day time one some time in the future though!

So, yes, there are my thoughts on Bootea. If you can stomach it, which most people can, I say go for it!

Man! I Feel Like A Woman

WELL, let me explain a little here..... I am constantly being moaned at or told I dress like a boy.

I DO NOT CARE.

I've been making effort since Christmas and bought some dresses and stuff for when I go on nights out, but to be completely honest, I feel like a bit of a fake when I wear them.

I DO wear dresses, I like dresses, but I just don't feel right 'dressed up', if you know what I mean?

I can do casual/dressy no problemo, but, I don't know, I'm not the kind of girl who sits around all day with her rollers in getting ready. I do indulge in the odd bit of tan and will occasionally curl my hair or put rollers in my fringe, but that's about it!

I don't ever enjoy myself if I'm dressed up, I'm constantly aware of my dress or shoes or bag or whatever, it's so annoying. I used to wish I was one of those girls, but I really don't care for it, I've tried to be and it's just not me!

I'm so much happier in jeans and a top or a DRESS and tights and boots, and my trusty leather jacket.

I used to dress up because I felt bad because me and one friend in particular go out all the time together and she loves dressing up and all that and because I didn't, she wouldn't.

She says dressing up  makes her feel 'sexy' and I suppose if people are always coming up and chatting you up then I guess that's how you'll feel but I HATE that kind of thing, I'm really awkward and if anyone comes over I automatically just cringe. I hate the word 'sexy' because I don't think I need to feel sexy at all, but I probably have felt my sexiest ever when I have been comfortable, whether that was in pj's or a jumper or I don't know, a onesie?! haha but that's all down to the situation, I don't feel sexy having to constantly pull my dress down or my feet are throbbing. She doesn't get that though. Some people just have 'sexy' about them I guess.

I suppose it does all come back around to boys, the boys I know, well  the ones I would even consider going near, aren't really interested in if I wear heels, or a dress, or make up. The boy's I like have said it doesn't matter what I look like dolled up, I'm better without it all, and that's how I feel too. I told her this and she was like, "Nah, boy's say that but they all love it when a girl has the wow factor. You should look amazing when you next see him!' Now, this specific person we were talking about, if I dressed up all glam and girly would just look at me like 'Why are you doing this? Who are you?!' He has seen me dressed up plenty for special occasions, and has seen me at my worst, first thing in the morning, and he's probably even seen me vomm a few times, but he has told me I'm fine just the way I am, and he always tells me this.  Maybe people don't tell her that and that's why she thinks that, but I've always had people around me , who KNOW me, and like that about me. Maybe I need to be that person? I'll give it a go. I don't like the thought of dressing up for a boy to look at me and ARGH I don't know! haha I'm rambling on here but yeah, I like being comfortable, then I can be myself, if people don't like that then you know, they can fuck off maybe?!

Anyway, I thought I'd share a couple of little posts on my 'comfy clothes' and my 'going out' clothes - not the girly ones, the ME ones.

Then maybe some people will see, I don't actually dress like a boy. I wear skirts, and make up, and dresses and tights and ballet pumps and I enjoy wearing all of it! I just prefer to wear it all with a leather jacket and comfortable shoes!!

:)

I'll write a shoe post next, just didn't want to make this any longer than it already is!!

Washed Up Mermaid. Bleach London Review.

So, 'Washed Up Mermaid' was one of the Bleach London Colours I got for my birthday and I was dying to use it after looking it up!

I saw a girl once at download and she had turquoise hair, it was the prettiest hair I had ever seen and ever since I have been wanting it but been too scared to do it! 

So, when the Bleach London temporary colours were released and they said they were supposed to last 2-10 washes I couldn't have been more excited! 

Now, it's taken me a lot of effort and time to get my hair blonde and in the condition that it's in, so after reading mainly negative reviews on this colour about staining and leaving a green/blue cast on your hair that is near impossible to get rid of, I bottled it a bit I'm not gonna lie, I really did. But my sister was like 'Oh just do it'...so I just did it.

It's weird, I haven't had crazy coloured hair in a long time and this is definitely different for me and when I first did I, I hated it. 

I'll be completely honest in saying my expectations were high, but I was disappointed. It's really pale and wishy washy, completely patchy and I'm a trained hairdresser so I'm pretty aware of how to apply colour correctly. Some of my hair is still blonde, some is blue, some is green :/ (excuse the lack of make up, I was more concerned with my head!)

I noticed it seemed to just slide off my hair as I was applying it and not really taking, but I soldiered on anyway. It said to leave it on for 15 minutes but because I thought it wasn't going to take I left it on for half an hour, I think I should have left it on a lot longer. It didn't damage my hair in any way, smelled pretty pleasant and was quite conditioning. It was really easy to use and you get a fair amount of product and I think it is definitely worth £5 and it's great for a short term/weekend/school holiday change!

 I think I will try other colours (I already have Rose and Blullini waiting to be cracked open!) because I've heard good things and I think that although I was disappointed in this particular one, and I'm not the only one, that maybe it's just this colour and it all depends on your base colour and hair condition at the end of the day so I'm not totally discouraged.

Weird thing is though, I hated it in daylight but at night it looks boss! Really Mermaid-y!

I had to put my flower crown on (obvz) because I think the colour looks so pretty with the colour of the roses!

I'll do an update with the 'Washing Out Liquid' when I try to remove this and le you know how it goes!! 

How do you like the Bleach London Colours??

xx

P.S I still haven't figured out my new Camera so sorry about the phone pics but you get the jist?!