Tuesday 19 February 2013

My Hair Essentials

Hi Guys!
This is going to be quite a long post (be warned) about the hair products I see as essential and some that you should also be using!
Hollie xo
[Left to Right]
Tangle Teaser - This brush is AMAZING. It is great for longer hair as it removes knots easily and quickly, minimising pain or discomfort. A definite must have if you're having trouble with knotty locks! Available from most beauty retailers and stores such as Boots, or Superdrug.
Loreal Paris Studio Hot Curl Thermo Curling Spray - This is a spray on serum for when you're curling heavy hair- it makes life much easier! A couple of squirts on each section of hair will guarantee longer lasting bouncier curls.
Tesco Hair Spray - Okay, its not fancy, but it does the job for a fraction of the price. It smooths and secures those annoying whispy bits you always seem to get after blowdrying your hair!
V05 Heat Protect Styling Spray - I see this as an essential for when you're using ANY type of hair styling device that involves heat. It prevents heat damaged hair fantastically well and makes the hair smooth and shiny without it looking greasy. It finishes any style perfectly. You won't regret purchasing this product!
Tesco Hair Mousse - Smoothing this onto wet hair and blowdrying or allowing it to dry naturally gives a sleek and salon like finish everytime and also keeps hairs in place well. As I do a lot of dance shows and performances, I always make sure I use this before either ponytailing or bunning my hair because it keeps, literally, every single strand in its place. 
Bristle brush - This brush is the most effective at backcombing or adding volume to the hair because the bristles aren't long enough to deknot the hair thoroughly enoug for my liking, but not so short as to not have an effect when using it. Quite the happy median.
[Left to Right]
Babyliss Pro Curl Barrel Tongs - These were my first pair of curlers and unless turned up to full heat (which I don't like doing because I'll end up burning my hair, or setting something on fire, or both) they don't give tight curls. I tend to use these for the back sections of my hair when I dont have the time to do them properly. They add a nice barrel curl to the hair, but tend to drop out very easily unless you coat them in a LOT of hairspray. I recommend these to those with slightly thinner or shorter hair.
Babyliss Pro Curl Stylists Wand - This curling wand is heaven sent. It gives tight, longlasting curls, with plenty of volume without backcombing or a lot of hairspray. A definite must have.
Bendy Rollers - These are useful for giving a little bit of wave/curl to wet hair if they are slept in overnight. However, they are not effective enough to give proper ringlets to long thick hair- even with hairspray.
[Top row, left to right, bottom row, left to right]

Body Shop Paddle Brush - Essential for brushing out wet hair. It removes knots quickly but doesn't rip clumps of hair out of your head.

Crocodile Clips - These are very useful for holding sections of haair out of the way when your straightening, curling or crimping. I couldn't do it without them!

Remington Stylists Blow Dryer - This is a god send. Drying the hair in minimal time, it allows you to change dry speed and temperature. The cool setting is perfect for setting the style and reducing static whisps.

Nicky Clarke Pro Straighteners - These guarantee poker straight hair that will last for hours. Perfect for everyday usage. These also have heat adjust settings that will need to be used depending on how straight your hair normally is.

Opia Round Brush - Perfect for use when drying or straightening and also great for just slipping into your bag to ensure fabulously smooth, straight hair at all times!

 [Pink to Green]
Herbal Essences Seductively Straight Shampoo and Conditioner - This is a must have for everyday use, as when it comes to straightening your hair, it makes life a whole lot easier. The superb scent will have people drawn to your hair, and removes grease and frizz everytime. This has extra minerals in for people with Normal or Dry Hair - there are other products in this range to suit your hair type.

Herbal Essences Dazzling Shine Shampoo and Conditioner - Adds gloss and shine to your hair with or without drying. Combined with the Herbal Essences products above, it will guarantee the perfect swishy hair like off of those adverts - and you thought it was impossible!

[Left to Right]

Loreal Paris Studio Silk and Gloss Hot Straight Cream - the equivalent of the Hot Curl serum, just for straightening hair! This ensures maximum protection against heat damage, and makes the hair as smooth as silk.

Frizz Free Styling Serum - Just a little of this worked into the fingertips and applied to the roots makes all the difference - reducing frazzled side strands and giving the hair a shine when blow dried. I certainly recommend this.

Superdrug Colour Effects Temporary Hair Colour - Choose a shade of this close to your natural one to give darker and lighter highlights. Sadly it doesn't do the whole head - but it gives some nice highlights here and there. I don't recommend this if you're looking for a definite change in shade or tone.
Phew. That took me forever. I may have to go and lie down.
Hollie xo
PS. More tutorials coming soon - let me know if you have any style requests of you have any questions or need more information on any one the above products. Thank you Darlings!


Saturday 16 February 2013

How To Create A Messy Bun

This look is good for the mornings before you shower (not my finest hour) when you've only just woken up and you have a bad case of bed head. Or alternatively, if you're just having a lazy day, this style also looks cute.
 
 
 
1). Take untamed bed hair, or messy unbrushed hair (this works as well).
 
 
2). Tip your head upside down and twist your hair tightly where you want your bun to be positioned (I normally do mine just below the crown). Only twist enough hair to create a base for your bun - its really just to create an alternative for a donut to make for good structure.
 
 
3). Wrap the rest of your hair around the 'donut' you have created. Don't worry about lumps, bumps or loose strands at this point.
 
 
4). Add a hair band (preferably hair coloured, as it looks much better and is concealed better in the hair). Try to use minimal amout of bun pins and hair grips- tuck them right into the bun.
 
 
 
5). Get a small handful of hair in each hand and pull them outwards slightly. This will create a bigger, and better volumed bun. If any tendrils come loose, wrap them loosely around the bun and pin them using hair coloured kirby grips. You can leave this style as it is pictured for a neater look.
 
 
6). For a messier, more natural 'just tumbled out of bed' look, pull on the front section of hair that is pulled back into the bun so it is only lightly loosened. Twist the section nearest to the bun and 'poof' it up into a miniature quiff. Grip this in place (it stays in better if you grip it, and then cross over it with another one). Pull down some  shortish whispy bits of hair either side of the quiff for a sweet, simple style.
 
I apologise for my awful face in these pictures- I have only just gotten up! Let me know what you think of it and whether I should continue with these 'tutorials'!
 
Hollie xo
 


Hi Everyone!

Hey!
I've been thinking (this can be dangerous when you're me) and I have decided that I am going to do a series of 'How To's for hair and sometimes make up. My hair is my pride and joy and in the posts I will show you how to create various styles, care for your hair and how to accessorise it. I will shortly post my first practise at this! I apologise if it is a load of rubbish, I am new to all this! Theres a first time for everything, right?
Hollie xo

Friday 15 February 2013

My Favourites~ Makeup


So just another post about me and my favourites! It's Friday, which means the weekend and a well awaited week off school (I dont know about you but I count down the days till our next holiday)
This post will include some smashing photography and some lovely reviews from moi (haha, no)

Amazing photography, i know

My beautiful makeup bag is from Ted Baker and I absolutely adore it, its a tardis, it can fit loads in but isnt too big for travelling etc.



Up first is No7 Lash Adapt Mascara! When I first started wearing makeup this was my first proper mascara and I loved it, but now after mixing and matching with another mascara im not so sure if my love for this mascara is still alive. If you're having a good eyelash day then this mascara is fabulous, it will keep your lashes curled (with curlers for best results) and define them brilliantly, other days it clumps and flakes after a few hours has completely worn off.

Bare Escentuals Flawless definition mascara: This mascara only arrived when i got home from school so I cant really give a proper review, but i used it on one eye and compared it with my old mascara (No7 Lash Adapt and No7 Exsquisite Curl) and this mascara is a god send. In one coat my eye lashes were curled (without using curlers),defined and there were zero clumps. I've had it on for three and a half hours now and there has been no flaking and my lashes are still curled.

No7 Eyelash curlers: (sorry they are so grubby) I use these every single day and I couldnt live without my eyelashes being curled. These are good curlers, they curl your eylashes into a neat arc rather than just a straight line. I do use my curlers when i have mascara on (naughty, naughty) but they have a cushion, which I like to think excuses me for almost snapping my eyelashes everyday!

Bare Escentuals correct and conceal: This concealer is super soft and does what it says on the tin, all though it doesn't cover redness to best standard. Used with primer this blends really well and doesn't leave any smudgey marks or lines. Sometimes when I don't use primer it can go a bit orange but it's probably just because of my skin.

Bare Escentuals mineral foundation: Blends really well especially with primer, you need so little which means money is well spent because it lasts sooo long! I have used it for a long while and it feels so fresh on your skin, never feels cakey even on the days when you might put too much on!

Bare Escentuals heavenly face brush: Blends foundation brilliantly and doesn't loose loads of powder either, the only annoying thing is, is that the bristles fall out and snap (not badly) but this could be because the brush is getting quite old.




Bare Escentuals bare radiance: It's called all over face colour but personally I wouldn't use this colour all over my skin because I'm not the right skin tone. It's a quite deep berry colour (not midnight purple) with a pretty shimmer and gives a lovely glow to your cheeks!!


Bare Escentuals Flawless application face brush: I use this for blusher and it does a lovely job and is so so soft.

Bare Escentuals maximum coverage concealer brush: Lovely brush and again super soft and applies the concealer brilliantly.

Mac 266 brush small angled brush: I use this with my gel eyeliner and I love both to bits. This brush does sometimes need re shaping because it does go a bit fat to use for eyeliner but it literally just needs a few pinches to be perfect again.

Mac fluidliner: Really soft and lasts for a long while, easy to work with and lasts absolutely ages!


No7 Antique Rose eyeshadow: Really lovely pink colour, I sometimes use this as a blush because it just gives you a lovely glow and shimmer, but it works just as well as a eyeshadow.

No7 Truffle eyeshadow: Beautiful colour and looks super classy, I blend this eyeshadow from the corner towards the middle of my eyelid so it doesn't look too ott because dark colour eyeshadows don't suit me very well , but this one I just love!

No7 Tender eyeshadow: This is a lovely soft colour for the days when you just want a tiny bit of shimmer to dress up an outfit, I think it's simple and really classy.

Mac eyebrow crayon: Really easy to use and has a buildable colour, the only problems are that it sometimes goes on a bit blotchy or waxy ( I can't really describe it) and doesn't last very long, within less than a year I'd used two of these crayons and they aren't particularly cheap.


And finally the Bare Escentuals Prime Time Primer: (I completely forgot to take a picture) I could not live without a primer, I have a combination skin tone so my skin can sometimes be oily or dry. The primer makes my skin really soft and gives me a lovely "blank canvas" to work with. It means my foundation lasts longer which saves money and my makeup stays on longer.



Sorry, I feel like ive told you my life story!
Please send feedback!
Lauren xo


Thursday 14 February 2013

Muddy Days

Just a quick post showing that wellies can be cool. :-)
Hollie xo

Sunday 10 February 2013

Favourite Jewellery

So in this post i wanted to show you all my favourite jewellery, i hope you like it!
Just to stress what Hollie said earlier, please please please send us feedback, we'd love to hear from you and  dont be afraid to give us some ideas for future posts!
 
(from top to bottom, left to right)
 
Red ring~ vintage
Blue ring~ vintage
Gold band and pink stone~ vintage
Amber ring~ Small jewellers in my town
Clear stone gold band~ vintage
pearl bow ring~ boots
purple flower ring~ pandora
v band ring~ vintage
 
(just listing the wrist wear and the earrings on the palm of my hand)
 
Black band and siler beads~ present
Gold watch~ vintage
Silver and white flower watch~ Mantaray/ present
Green cross earrings~ topshop
Pink bead earrings~ accessorize/ present
 
(my fingers look really weird. top to bottom, left to right)
 
Black cross earrings~ river island
Rabbit earrings~ claire's
Butterfly earrings~ boots
Blue stone earrings~ H. samuel/ present
Elephant earrings~ Claire's
Ying yang earrings~ river island
 
(forgot to ut these in the last picture)
 
White pearl earrings~ present
Brown/ purpley colour pearl earrings~ present
 
(left to right, top to bottom)
 
Blue/green necklace~ vintage
Gold Swallow necklace~ present
Friendship key necklace~ river island/ present
Pearl cameo necklace~ river island
Brown bead necklace~ present
Blue pendant~ vintage
Purple bee~ primark
Bird with silver stones~ primark
Friendship necklace~ present
 
 
Thank you for reading! i hope you like it!
 
Lauren xo
p.s. sorry about quality and my awful hands!! :)
 
 

Feedback!

Hi Everyone!
We hope you are enjoyng viewing our blog and like the photographs we have posted so far. The time has come where we need to recieve some feedback to tell us what you like/dislike about our blog, and how to improve it. You could also include some advice if you wish. We don't bite- please send us any comments and feedback you have, it'll really make our day!
Hollie and Lauren. xo

Photo Of The Day

The beautiful Lauren practising her photography skills!

Shoes

[From left]
 
Riding Boots ~ Faith @ Debenhams £60
Brogues ~ New Look £15
Converse Hi-Tops ~ New Look £6
Vans ~ Schuh £40
Shoe Boots ~ Tu £16

Sunday 3 February 2013

OOTD

So this outfit of the day only features Hollie, but contains 2 pictures. The first photo is a better shot of the outfit, but the second is a better picture of Hollie herself.
 
Shirt~Primark £8
Blazer~Primark £28
Jeans~Sophie for Internacionale £15
Shoe Boots~ Tu £16
Necklaces~ Unknown £6
Ice Watch~ Amazon £60
Bracelets~ Internacionale £1.99 each.
 
This was a better picture but the outfit can be seen
better in the other photograph.