Cancer is happening right now, which is why I'm taking part in a Race for Life 10k to raise money and save lives.1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Every single pound you donate makes a difference to Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking work, so please sponsor me now.Donating through my page is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with Cancer Research UK.
Cancer Research Race for Life - Milton Keynes 10k Run
6 May 2017
Cancer is happening right now, which is why I'm taking part in a Race for Life 10k to raise money and save lives.1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Every single pound you donate makes a difference to Cancer Research UK’s groundbreaking work, so please sponsor me now.Donating through my page is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with Cancer Research UK.
You will need:
6oz caster sugar
6oz self raising flour
6oz softened butter
3 Eggs
A slow cooker
Pyrex bowl
Grease proof Paper
Elastic Band
Caramel
Maltesers
Chocolate icing
Method:
- Start by coating the inside of your Pyrex bowl with butter to make sure the cake does not stick when it is cooked, use either a pastry brush or a piece of kitchen roll to apply.
- Using a hand whisk, or electric whisk, Combine the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Using a spatula, fold in the flour making sure everything is thoroughly mixed together.
- Crack in your 3 eggs and mix until fully combined.
- At this point, add 3 tea spoons of Cocoa powder, and a drizzle of caramel, I used this one.
- Transfer your mixture into your butter coated bowl, smooth out and add more caramel sauce on top.
- Cut your grease proof paper big enough to fit around the bowl, and create a pleat in the paper like so. You pleat the paper so it leaves room for the cake to expand.
- Place paper on top of the bowl and tie an elastic band around the bowl to keep everything secure.
- Turn on your slow cooker, place the bowl in the centre and half fill the slow cooker with water.
- Place on a high heat for 2-3 hours, or until cooked completely, you can poke a skewer in the centre of the cake to check if it is cooked through.
- Once cooked, carefully remove from the slow cooker, loosen the grease proof paper and flip out onto a plate.
- Leave the cake to completely cool overnight.
- Once cooled, you can add more of the caramel, but it's down to personal preference. I added more because I have a huge sweet tooth! Poke your cake a few times with a skewer and pour over your caramel making sure it soaks right through.
- Once you've added your caramel (which you don't have too), you can cover your cake in icing. Seen as we just made ours this morning we was in a bit of a rush needing it for this afternoon so we used this, which worked just as well.
- Smooth the icing as best as you can. but you don't have to worry too much about it being perfect as it will be covered in Maltesers.
- Once coated in icing you can add the Maltesers. Start by making a cross on the cake, and then fill in the sides, this makes it much easier and has a neater finish and everything is symmetrical.
- To finish lightly dust icing sugar over the cake, and add a sprig of holly to decorate.
I hope you like this post and if you do recreate this, please send me a tweet or tag me on Instagram, I would love to see how they came out! Lastly thank you for being here another year and for sticking around. I wouldn't be where I am without my readers, new and loyal. I hope you all have a lovely lovely Christmas and I can't wait to see what everybody received and to read all your Christmas posts!
Love always,
Kimberley x
Christmas Baking: Caramel Malteser Bomb
24 December 2016
You will need:
6oz caster sugar
6oz self raising flour
6oz softened butter
3 Eggs
A slow cooker
Pyrex bowl
Grease proof Paper
Elastic Band
Caramel
Maltesers
Chocolate icing
Method:
- Start by coating the inside of your Pyrex bowl with butter to make sure the cake does not stick when it is cooked, use either a pastry brush or a piece of kitchen roll to apply.
- Using a hand whisk, or electric whisk, Combine the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Using a spatula, fold in the flour making sure everything is thoroughly mixed together.
- Crack in your 3 eggs and mix until fully combined.
- At this point, add 3 tea spoons of Cocoa powder, and a drizzle of caramel, I used this one.
- Transfer your mixture into your butter coated bowl, smooth out and add more caramel sauce on top.
- Cut your grease proof paper big enough to fit around the bowl, and create a pleat in the paper like so. You pleat the paper so it leaves room for the cake to expand.
- Place paper on top of the bowl and tie an elastic band around the bowl to keep everything secure.
- Turn on your slow cooker, place the bowl in the centre and half fill the slow cooker with water.
- Place on a high heat for 2-3 hours, or until cooked completely, you can poke a skewer in the centre of the cake to check if it is cooked through.
- Once cooked, carefully remove from the slow cooker, loosen the grease proof paper and flip out onto a plate.
- Leave the cake to completely cool overnight.
- Once cooled, you can add more of the caramel, but it's down to personal preference. I added more because I have a huge sweet tooth! Poke your cake a few times with a skewer and pour over your caramel making sure it soaks right through.
- Once you've added your caramel (which you don't have too), you can cover your cake in icing. Seen as we just made ours this morning we was in a bit of a rush needing it for this afternoon so we used this, which worked just as well.
- Smooth the icing as best as you can. but you don't have to worry too much about it being perfect as it will be covered in Maltesers.
- Once coated in icing you can add the Maltesers. Start by making a cross on the cake, and then fill in the sides, this makes it much easier and has a neater finish and everything is symmetrical.
- To finish lightly dust icing sugar over the cake, and add a sprig of holly to decorate.
I hope you like this post and if you do recreate this, please send me a tweet or tag me on Instagram, I would love to see how they came out! Lastly thank you for being here another year and for sticking around. I wouldn't be where I am without my readers, new and loyal. I hope you all have a lovely lovely Christmas and I can't wait to see what everybody received and to read all your Christmas posts!
Love always,
Kimberley x
It has taken me a while to get myself back into the swing of things here on the blog, but after my blog transformation, I'm feeling rather inspired/motivated to be back here. I wanted to try do 'blogmas' this year but honestly, I've had so much going on the last month or so I feel like the content would've been awful, plus working full time and trying to even find the time to blog is difficult. On that note, I'm here today after spending the last 4 and a half hours spring cleaning and rearranging my bedroom/office area, I'm feeling very content. With Christmas just a few more days away (can you believe it?) it's always a good idea to clean and organise your space, not only does this take away some of the Christmas stress, but also makes space for more new things!
A few days ago myself, my sister, my mother and my nephew took a trip to our local garden centre to have a look around. There is nothing more festive that a garden centre; with all the real Christmas trees and the decorations. If you have never been to a garden centre near Christmas I fully recommend that you do. It has become a mini tradition in my household to go there near Christmas time and you just get such a sense of the 'magic of Christmas' and you forget you're in your twenty's and you get taken back to a time when Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year and you was excited to see Santa.
There is nothing I enjoy more than looking at decorations. Decorating the house for Christmas is my favourite thing to do. We always go with red and gold colour scheme in our house and tinsel is banned! Does anybody else's mum have a real pet hate for tinsel or 'tacky' Christmas decor? If i had enough room in my house to have a giant Christmas tree I really would, I just love them so much and I adore how comforting it makes a room feel.
Of course being in a garden centre on a quite afternoon, I had to get in some outfit shots...
I've hunted high and low for the online links for my outfit, but all I can find is my jeans. The boots and the gilet are actually from last year, the gilet is from New Look and the boots are from Brantano. I love how comfortable and wintry I felt in this outfit, If my hair was down I would have paired this outfit with a black woolly hat..
I actually have some time off for Christmas now and I go back to work on the 27th December, I'm going to try my hardest to get some more posts up this week and there will be blog posts up on Christmas!
What are your Christmas plans this week? Are you doing anything festive?
Always,
Kimberley xx
A festive day out & a catchup
19 December 2016
It has taken me a while to get myself back into the swing of things here on the blog, but after my blog transformation, I'm feeling rather inspired/motivated to be back here. I wanted to try do 'blogmas' this year but honestly, I've had so much going on the last month or so I feel like the content would've been awful, plus working full time and trying to even find the time to blog is difficult. On that note, I'm here today after spending the last 4 and a half hours spring cleaning and rearranging my bedroom/office area, I'm feeling very content. With Christmas just a few more days away (can you believe it?) it's always a good idea to clean and organise your space, not only does this take away some of the Christmas stress, but also makes space for more new things!
A few days ago myself, my sister, my mother and my nephew took a trip to our local garden centre to have a look around. There is nothing more festive that a garden centre; with all the real Christmas trees and the decorations. If you have never been to a garden centre near Christmas I fully recommend that you do. It has become a mini tradition in my household to go there near Christmas time and you just get such a sense of the 'magic of Christmas' and you forget you're in your twenty's and you get taken back to a time when Christmas was the most wonderful time of the year and you was excited to see Santa.
There is nothing I enjoy more than looking at decorations. Decorating the house for Christmas is my favourite thing to do. We always go with red and gold colour scheme in our house and tinsel is banned! Does anybody else's mum have a real pet hate for tinsel or 'tacky' Christmas decor? If i had enough room in my house to have a giant Christmas tree I really would, I just love them so much and I adore how comforting it makes a room feel.
Of course being in a garden centre on a quite afternoon, I had to get in some outfit shots...
I've hunted high and low for the online links for my outfit, but all I can find is my jeans. The boots and the gilet are actually from last year, the gilet is from New Look and the boots are from Brantano. I love how comfortable and wintry I felt in this outfit, If my hair was down I would have paired this outfit with a black woolly hat..
I actually have some time off for Christmas now and I go back to work on the 27th December, I'm going to try my hardest to get some more posts up this week and there will be blog posts up on Christmas!
What are your Christmas plans this week? Are you doing anything festive?
Always,
Kimberley xx
Good Evening,
Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of blog posts the last few weeks. Life has been a bit hectic in my personal and work life the last little while and it's meant that I haven't had a lot of time to really do anything recently. That's why my post today seems a little lazy, but I'd rather put up a lazy 'welcome back' as such, than nothing at all. I have a few hours spare tonight which means I'm going to try write as many posts as I can. I'm fuelled up with tea and chocolates and eager to go, But I can't promise anything.
Winter Wonderland - Hyde Park 2016
- This was my first time visiting winter wonderland and It was such a lovely experience. I had so much fun looking at the stalls and I felt like a little child at Christmas. There was so much to do there and I wish I had a lot more time to look around.
Putting up the Christmas Tree
- Putting up the tree is my favourite part of Christmas, I love how it can completely transform a house into a home and it just makes everything look 10x more cosy. Of course I had to wrap some presents to put underneath so it didn't look so bare.
"Enjoy the little things"
- I've spent a lot of time the last little while, trying to find myself as such. A lot has gone on with my personal life and my mental health, which is something I don't want to go into because I don't feel like this is the right time, but it's made me realise you can't take much for granted. This mug is the perfect quote to sum up my evening this night, A nice cup of tea, some family time and a nice Christmas movie...perfect.
The Bullring Shopping Centre - Birmingham
- On Friday night me and the boyfriend decided it would be lovely to travel down to Birmingham, stay in a nice hotel and do a spot of Christmas shopping this weekend. I had such a lovely weekend spending quality time with him, although the shops were sooooo busy, I did manage to do some shopping and have a lovely little trip away with him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What made you happy this week or the last couple of weeks?
Let me know in the comments!
The Sunday Post #2
11 December 2016
Good Evening,
Firstly I would like to apologise for the lack of blog posts the last few weeks. Life has been a bit hectic in my personal and work life the last little while and it's meant that I haven't had a lot of time to really do anything recently. That's why my post today seems a little lazy, but I'd rather put up a lazy 'welcome back' as such, than nothing at all. I have a few hours spare tonight which means I'm going to try write as many posts as I can. I'm fuelled up with tea and chocolates and eager to go, But I can't promise anything.
Winter Wonderland - Hyde Park 2016
- This was my first time visiting winter wonderland and It was such a lovely experience. I had so much fun looking at the stalls and I felt like a little child at Christmas. There was so much to do there and I wish I had a lot more time to look around.
Putting up the Christmas Tree
- Putting up the tree is my favourite part of Christmas, I love how it can completely transform a house into a home and it just makes everything look 10x more cosy. Of course I had to wrap some presents to put underneath so it didn't look so bare.
"Enjoy the little things"
- I've spent a lot of time the last little while, trying to find myself as such. A lot has gone on with my personal life and my mental health, which is something I don't want to go into because I don't feel like this is the right time, but it's made me realise you can't take much for granted. This mug is the perfect quote to sum up my evening this night, A nice cup of tea, some family time and a nice Christmas movie...perfect.
The Bullring Shopping Centre - Birmingham
- On Friday night me and the boyfriend decided it would be lovely to travel down to Birmingham, stay in a nice hotel and do a spot of Christmas shopping this weekend. I had such a lovely weekend spending quality time with him, although the shops were sooooo busy, I did manage to do some shopping and have a lovely little trip away with him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What made you happy this week or the last couple of weeks?
Let me know in the comments!
Payday weekend means one thing... shopping for makeup. I usually stick to the brands that I know work for me when I am buying makeup online, but after reading good things about the brand Morphe, I was very eager to give them a try. I was browsing Cult beauty, which for all the people in the UK, it is a website where we are able to get worldwide makeup brands shipped fast and easy to us.
After hours of browsing cult beauty, I decided on what I was going to buy. Along with a lot of Morphe brushes (which are absolutely amazing) I decided to get my hands on the Morphe 12NB Natural Beauty Palette. I was very torn between this and the 35 Colour Fall into Frost Palette (35F) which is a much bigger palette containing 35 shadows and retails for £21.75. I went with the smaller Palette, as I have never tried anything from Morphe before I didn't want to dive straight in with one of the larger palettes just in case I didn't like their eye shadows.
The Morphe 12NB Natural Beauty Palette retails for £13.25 (Cult Beauty) and it has 12 square eye shadows ranging from nudes to deep rust tones and you get a mixture of shimmer, mattes and satin eye shadows ,which make it very easy to transition from day to night time looks.
I do have to mention, one of the first things I noticed about this palette upon opening was the smell. Does anybody else remember having makeup as a kid and that cheap smell that came along with those kind of products? That was the first thing that came into my mind when opening this. I think if you're going to write a review on a product you need to be honest, everybody isn't going to love every product and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. The packaging of this product is compact, matte black and actually seems although I do wish that It contained a mirror. It's already the perfect size for travelling, but it would be an extra perk if I didn't have to bring another mirror with me.
Upon swatching this palette, I was actually quite impressed with the pigmentation of the shadows. I do suggest using a primer with these though as some of the lighter tones do need a bit of extra work to make them as visible and primer will also extend the longevity of these. I do love this palette for the shades and it has been my go-to palette for my everyday looks.
Here are the swatches of the shadows and they are just one swipe so you can see the true pigmentation without me building them up.
(I swatched the shadows in reverse compared to the palette, so please bear that in mind. I am working from my swatches, so shade 1 is technically shade 12 in the palette.)
Shade 1 - A matte burgundy shade. This has to be one of my favourite shadows in the whole palette, it is perfect for using in the outer V and lower lash line to really deepen the look.
Shade 2 - A cool tone matte brown, I've found myself using this as a transition colour on darker makeup looks and actually used it in my brows before! I did find this shade extremely chalky feeling, It does apply quite patchy but with a little time it does blend out smoothly.
Shade 3 - A warm tone matte brown. This shadow feels so silky and buttery compared to some of the others. It is a perfect everyday all over lid colour, or can be used in the crease.
Shade 4 - A matte chocolate brown. This shadow contains quite a lot of fall out, but does apply on the lid very pigmented. Build-able for maximum pigmentation.
Shade 5 - A metallic brown shimmer. Does need to be applied wet or with some kind of Fix + as you can't really see the metallic that well, it is quite subtle without. Would use all over the lid for a stronger makeup look or use on the bottom lash line to add some dimension to a simple look.
Shade 6 - This shade has a satin finish as is a warm brown but has some copper/orange tones to it. Can be worn all over the lid or use a tiny amount in the crease to create some definition.
Shade 7 - A pink/brown shimmer. This shadow does contain tiny gold flecks so bear that in mind. This one does apply quite easy but again, this one will leave you with a fair amount of fall out on your cheeks.
Shade 8 - A Soft brown with pink undertones, a really nice brown shade with with a hint of pink pigment that gives a really nice look as a transition shade, would be better for paler skin tones.
Shade 9 - A shimmer gold colour. I love this it is the perfect gold shade and is really shimmery so looks perfect with the rest of the eye matte. Use on the middle of the eyelid or on the lower lash line.
Shade 10 - Pale peach shade. Quite buttery and applies nicely, looks amazing on the eye lid or as an under brow highlight.
Shade 11 - A cool pink/white shade - A perfect highlight. I adore this I use this in the inner corner or under the brow. I have even used it as a face highlight.
Shade 12 - This is just a white matte eye shadow, Quite disappointing as the pigment isn't that great and you can't really see it on the swatch or on the eye unless you had a deeper skin tone.
Overall I am quite pleased with the Palette and I am intrigued to try some more shadows from the brand. Have you tried the Morphe shadows? If so do all palettes have the weird smell?
I'm keen to find out...
Shade 9 - A shimmer gold colour. I love this it is the perfect gold shade and is really shimmery so looks perfect with the rest of the eye matte. Use on the middle of the eyelid or on the lower lash line.
Shade 10 - Pale peach shade. Quite buttery and applies nicely, looks amazing on the eye lid or as an under brow highlight.
Shade 11 - A cool pink/white shade - A perfect highlight. I adore this I use this in the inner corner or under the brow. I have even used it as a face highlight.
Shade 12 - This is just a white matte eye shadow, Quite disappointing as the pigment isn't that great and you can't really see it on the swatch or on the eye unless you had a deeper skin tone.
Overall I am quite pleased with the Palette and I am intrigued to try some more shadows from the brand. Have you tried the Morphe shadows? If so do all palettes have the weird smell?
I'm keen to find out...
Morphe 12NB Swatches/Review
7 October 2016
Payday weekend means one thing... shopping for makeup. I usually stick to the brands that I know work for me when I am buying makeup online, but after reading good things about the brand Morphe, I was very eager to give them a try. I was browsing Cult beauty, which for all the people in the UK, it is a website where we are able to get worldwide makeup brands shipped fast and easy to us.
After hours of browsing cult beauty, I decided on what I was going to buy. Along with a lot of Morphe brushes (which are absolutely amazing) I decided to get my hands on the Morphe 12NB Natural Beauty Palette. I was very torn between this and the 35 Colour Fall into Frost Palette (35F) which is a much bigger palette containing 35 shadows and retails for £21.75. I went with the smaller Palette, as I have never tried anything from Morphe before I didn't want to dive straight in with one of the larger palettes just in case I didn't like their eye shadows.
The Morphe 12NB Natural Beauty Palette retails for £13.25 (Cult Beauty) and it has 12 square eye shadows ranging from nudes to deep rust tones and you get a mixture of shimmer, mattes and satin eye shadows ,which make it very easy to transition from day to night time looks.
I do have to mention, one of the first things I noticed about this palette upon opening was the smell. Does anybody else remember having makeup as a kid and that cheap smell that came along with those kind of products? That was the first thing that came into my mind when opening this. I think if you're going to write a review on a product you need to be honest, everybody isn't going to love every product and everybody is entitled to their own opinion. The packaging of this product is compact, matte black and actually seems although I do wish that It contained a mirror. It's already the perfect size for travelling, but it would be an extra perk if I didn't have to bring another mirror with me.
Upon swatching this palette, I was actually quite impressed with the pigmentation of the shadows. I do suggest using a primer with these though as some of the lighter tones do need a bit of extra work to make them as visible and primer will also extend the longevity of these. I do love this palette for the shades and it has been my go-to palette for my everyday looks.
Here are the swatches of the shadows and they are just one swipe so you can see the true pigmentation without me building them up.
(I swatched the shadows in reverse compared to the palette, so please bear that in mind. I am working from my swatches, so shade 1 is technically shade 12 in the palette.)
Shade 1 - A matte burgundy shade. This has to be one of my favourite shadows in the whole palette, it is perfect for using in the outer V and lower lash line to really deepen the look.
Shade 2 - A cool tone matte brown, I've found myself using this as a transition colour on darker makeup looks and actually used it in my brows before! I did find this shade extremely chalky feeling, It does apply quite patchy but with a little time it does blend out smoothly.
Shade 3 - A warm tone matte brown. This shadow feels so silky and buttery compared to some of the others. It is a perfect everyday all over lid colour, or can be used in the crease.
Shade 4 - A matte chocolate brown. This shadow contains quite a lot of fall out, but does apply on the lid very pigmented. Build-able for maximum pigmentation.
Shade 5 - A metallic brown shimmer. Does need to be applied wet or with some kind of Fix + as you can't really see the metallic that well, it is quite subtle without. Would use all over the lid for a stronger makeup look or use on the bottom lash line to add some dimension to a simple look.
Shade 6 - This shade has a satin finish as is a warm brown but has some copper/orange tones to it. Can be worn all over the lid or use a tiny amount in the crease to create some definition.
Shade 7 - A pink/brown shimmer. This shadow does contain tiny gold flecks so bear that in mind. This one does apply quite easy but again, this one will leave you with a fair amount of fall out on your cheeks.
Shade 8 - A Soft brown with pink undertones, a really nice brown shade with with a hint of pink pigment that gives a really nice look as a transition shade, would be better for paler skin tones.
Shade 9 - A shimmer gold colour. I love this it is the perfect gold shade and is really shimmery so looks perfect with the rest of the eye matte. Use on the middle of the eyelid or on the lower lash line.
Shade 10 - Pale peach shade. Quite buttery and applies nicely, looks amazing on the eye lid or as an under brow highlight.
Shade 11 - A cool pink/white shade - A perfect highlight. I adore this I use this in the inner corner or under the brow. I have even used it as a face highlight.
Shade 12 - This is just a white matte eye shadow, Quite disappointing as the pigment isn't that great and you can't really see it on the swatch or on the eye unless you had a deeper skin tone.
Overall I am quite pleased with the Palette and I am intrigued to try some more shadows from the brand. Have you tried the Morphe shadows? If so do all palettes have the weird smell?
I'm keen to find out...
Shade 9 - A shimmer gold colour. I love this it is the perfect gold shade and is really shimmery so looks perfect with the rest of the eye matte. Use on the middle of the eyelid or on the lower lash line.
Shade 10 - Pale peach shade. Quite buttery and applies nicely, looks amazing on the eye lid or as an under brow highlight.
Shade 11 - A cool pink/white shade - A perfect highlight. I adore this I use this in the inner corner or under the brow. I have even used it as a face highlight.
Shade 12 - This is just a white matte eye shadow, Quite disappointing as the pigment isn't that great and you can't really see it on the swatch or on the eye unless you had a deeper skin tone.
Overall I am quite pleased with the Palette and I am intrigued to try some more shadows from the brand. Have you tried the Morphe shadows? If so do all palettes have the weird smell?
I'm keen to find out...
With Christmas only being three months away, the excitement is starting to kick in. Christmas is my favourite time of the year and this year I'm not actually working, I have Christmas week off, and if you work in retail you will understand how much of a blessing this is! I wanted to do something different this year, something I have never done before and that's why I have decided to get involved in the Christmas Blogger Gift Swap!
The project, #apovgiftswap is open to UK Bloggers only, it doesn't matter how big or small your blog is, how many readers you get, the type of blog you write etc, it really doesn't matter. I want all my readers to get involved in this opportunity because I think it's such a nice way to send some joy, not only will you be receiving presents yourself, I love gifting presents. I very much enjoy buying Christmas presents a lot more than I do receiving. I think this is a fantastic chance to make some new friends, find new blogs to read and even meet new people!
The swap isn't about spending a lot of money, you decide on a budget with your partner who you get paired with, so the good thing about this is that it's all down to you and your pair so anybody on any budget can get involved!
And here's some important dates for you to remember, if you get involved;
- November 1st: Deadline for completing the submission form.
- November 6th (or earlier!): Find out your blogger pair!
- By December 17th: Send off gifts to your blogger pair!
To get involved, you must...
- Fill in the Google form document – here’s the link.
- Write a blog post about this event within five days of receiving confirmation.
- Send a couple of nice gifts to your paired blogger by December 17th.
- Write a post about your gifts (must include photos) after you have received them.
- Send Viola links to all of your blog posts so I can see how the event has gone!
If you do get involved don't forget to get talking to your potential partner by using the #apovgiftswap on Twitter and Instagram!
How Exciting!
Christmas Blogger Gift Swap! - #apovgiftswap
28 September 2016
With Christmas only being three months away, the excitement is starting to kick in. Christmas is my favourite time of the year and this year I'm not actually working, I have Christmas week off, and if you work in retail you will understand how much of a blessing this is! I wanted to do something different this year, something I have never done before and that's why I have decided to get involved in the Christmas Blogger Gift Swap!
The project, #apovgiftswap is open to UK Bloggers only, it doesn't matter how big or small your blog is, how many readers you get, the type of blog you write etc, it really doesn't matter. I want all my readers to get involved in this opportunity because I think it's such a nice way to send some joy, not only will you be receiving presents yourself, I love gifting presents. I very much enjoy buying Christmas presents a lot more than I do receiving. I think this is a fantastic chance to make some new friends, find new blogs to read and even meet new people!
The swap isn't about spending a lot of money, you decide on a budget with your partner who you get paired with, so the good thing about this is that it's all down to you and your pair so anybody on any budget can get involved!
And here's some important dates for you to remember, if you get involved;
- November 1st: Deadline for completing the submission form.
- November 6th (or earlier!): Find out your blogger pair!
- By December 17th: Send off gifts to your blogger pair!
To get involved, you must...
- Fill in the Google form document – here’s the link.
- Write a blog post about this event within five days of receiving confirmation.
- Send a couple of nice gifts to your paired blogger by December 17th.
- Write a post about your gifts (must include photos) after you have received them.
- Send Viola links to all of your blog posts so I can see how the event has gone!
If you do get involved don't forget to get talking to your potential partner by using the #apovgiftswap on Twitter and Instagram!
How Exciting!
Everybody has bad days, we're only human. I had a bad day yesterday but I knew it was just 'one of those days'. Sometimes you have to mope around in bed and cry because you know what, sometimes you need it. You don't have to pretend to be happy all the time, you're allowed to have down days, you are allowed to be upset, you are allowed to have 'fat days', cheat days, shouldn't of eaten that much food days. I thought I would share a few things that could make you that little bit happier, either after a bad day or to avoid having the bad days...
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
- Accept the things you can't change. Accept the fact you have something on your body you don't like, a scar, a birth mark etc. It's a part of you. A beautiful little speck on a butterfly wing. If you can change something, do it.
- Blast your favourite songs. Weather it's a club/dance album, or a Disney soundtrack. Play that shit loud. Sing your heart out and dance your booty off.
- Smile at your reflection in the mirror, smile at people you don't know, smile at people you hate, smile at the cute elderly couple crossing the road, smile at nature and the tree's if you like...just smile.
- Watch the sunset. I think modern day now, we forget how pretty the world is, we would rather stay in bed for the few extra moments and check our social media like it's the newspaper. Get out of bed, open the window, take a breath of fresh air and look at what's around you.
- Ignore people who think they know more about you than you do. You are you, nobody knows you better than you know yourself. You have your own thoughts, opinions, your own likes and dislikes, your own hobbies, things you love, things that you hate and that is something that nobody can take away from you. ever.
- Keep a happy list. If you had a nice day or somebody said something lovely, write it down. When you are feeling down, it's nice to look back and remember all the lovely things.
- Be happy with what you have, be grateful for what you have, but never stop working for what you want.
- Read a good bloody book, turn off your tv, put your phone on silent, light some candles, put your hair on top of your head, tuck up in bed and even if you read a chapter or two, just read.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
8 Simple ways to be that little bit happier
25 September 2016
Everybody has bad days, we're only human. I had a bad day yesterday but I knew it was just 'one of those days'. Sometimes you have to mope around in bed and cry because you know what, sometimes you need it. You don't have to pretend to be happy all the time, you're allowed to have down days, you are allowed to be upset, you are allowed to have 'fat days', cheat days, shouldn't of eaten that much food days. I thought I would share a few things that could make you that little bit happier, either after a bad day or to avoid having the bad days...
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
- Accept the things you can't change. Accept the fact you have something on your body you don't like, a scar, a birth mark etc. It's a part of you. A beautiful little speck on a butterfly wing. If you can change something, do it.
- Blast your favourite songs. Weather it's a club/dance album, or a Disney soundtrack. Play that shit loud. Sing your heart out and dance your booty off.
- Smile at your reflection in the mirror, smile at people you don't know, smile at people you hate, smile at the cute elderly couple crossing the road, smile at nature and the tree's if you like...just smile.
- Watch the sunset. I think modern day now, we forget how pretty the world is, we would rather stay in bed for the few extra moments and check our social media like it's the newspaper. Get out of bed, open the window, take a breath of fresh air and look at what's around you.
- Ignore people who think they know more about you than you do. You are you, nobody knows you better than you know yourself. You have your own thoughts, opinions, your own likes and dislikes, your own hobbies, things you love, things that you hate and that is something that nobody can take away from you. ever.
- Keep a happy list. If you had a nice day or somebody said something lovely, write it down. When you are feeling down, it's nice to look back and remember all the lovely things.
- Be happy with what you have, be grateful for what you have, but never stop working for what you want.
- Read a good bloody book, turn off your tv, put your phone on silent, light some candles, put your hair on top of your head, tuck up in bed and even if you read a chapter or two, just read.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
As the days are getting colder, its becoming knitwear season. I absolutely adore knitwear and I find Zara is one of the places I always lean towards when I want something a little bit different for the colder season. Not only are their clothes amazing, their website is just a thing of beauty and I could browse it for hours just looking at all the photography! Here are my top picks...
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I love this dusty/cool pink tone that is everywhere recently. I really like how comfy this looks and it's defiantly something I could see myself just throwing on to run down to the shops, or to even go to the gym in.
Pair With: Ripped black jeans, Basic white tee, ankle boots or converse.
I never usually go for 'coloured' items in my wardrobe as I feel like black/white and grey are safe options but I really like this. I think this would be perfect for Christmas time with a silver statement necklace.
Pair with: Black culottes, ankle boots or heels, statement necklace.
Again this is a colourful item that really stood out for me. I would usually accosicate the brighter colours with the warmer weather but I think this would be a statement peice you could really get some wear out of in the winter.
Pair with: Black skinny jeans, ankle boots and a leather jacket.
I've never been a fan of culottes much as being 5ft1" they aren't really the right length for me, but after learning a few tricks about shortening/hemming trousers I would love to start wearing these more! I love how these are not tailored and are a ribbed soft material so could be worn casual or dressed up for a smarter occasion.
Pair with: White turtleneck, trainers or converse or black long sleeve top, statement necklace and black heels.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
What did you think of my picks of the zara knitwear? Is there anything you would purchase, if so how would you style it?
MY PICKS: ZARA KNITWEAR.
23 September 2016
As the days are getting colder, its becoming knitwear season. I absolutely adore knitwear and I find Zara is one of the places I always lean towards when I want something a little bit different for the colder season. Not only are their clothes amazing, their website is just a thing of beauty and I could browse it for hours just looking at all the photography! Here are my top picks...
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
I love this dusty/cool pink tone that is everywhere recently. I really like how comfy this looks and it's defiantly something I could see myself just throwing on to run down to the shops, or to even go to the gym in.
Pair With: Ripped black jeans, Basic white tee, ankle boots or converse.
I never usually go for 'coloured' items in my wardrobe as I feel like black/white and grey are safe options but I really like this. I think this would be perfect for Christmas time with a silver statement necklace.
Pair with: Black culottes, ankle boots or heels, statement necklace.
Again this is a colourful item that really stood out for me. I would usually accosicate the brighter colours with the warmer weather but I think this would be a statement peice you could really get some wear out of in the winter.
Pair with: Black skinny jeans, ankle boots and a leather jacket.
I've never been a fan of culottes much as being 5ft1" they aren't really the right length for me, but after learning a few tricks about shortening/hemming trousers I would love to start wearing these more! I love how these are not tailored and are a ribbed soft material so could be worn casual or dressed up for a smarter occasion.
Pair with: White turtleneck, trainers or converse or black long sleeve top, statement necklace and black heels.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
What did you think of my picks of the zara knitwear? Is there anything you would purchase, if so how would you style it?
I don’t know about anybody else, but working full time can really take it's toll on you. Recently I am coming home from work Exhausted. I work in a warehouse so it's constant, always on your feet busy. This never used to bother me before, but recently it really has been. I think my brain is just in constant work mode since I got promoted, I feel like I have more responsibility but that also means I don't really 'switch off' and before you know it I'm back at work again. The last few weeks I have been making a conscious effort to 'relax' not just physically but mentally as well. Finding that balance with being lazy and relaxing yet being productive is something i'm still trying to figure out. I get home and think about too many things I need to do weather that is; washing, writing blog posts, editing photos, cleaning etc and I think I just need to stop. Stop thinking and just take some time for me.
CHANGE INTO COMFY CLOTHES
There’s no better feeling than getting home from work and changing into a comfy pair of pyjamas or just a baggy t-shirt and some leggings. Changing out of my work uniform is the first thing I do as soon as I am home and I think Its a great way of letting yourself know that, actually now you're in your home and you can chill out!
UNPLUG FOR A WHILE
Although this is something I should do more often, It really is great. Turn off the phone, the iPad, the computer and just relax. Find yourself a good series on Netflix or an easy-watch movie where you don't have to think too much about it and just take some time for yourself.
TAKE A BUBBLE BATH
Since having a shower put in a few months back, I feel like I never just have a nice bubble bath anymore as showers are always just a bit more convenient. I brought a few new bath products the other days and now I just want to stay in a nice bath forever (if that means I wouldn't go prune-y!) After a busy day at work in my steel toe cap boots, there’s nothing like sliding into a nice hot bubble bath. Drop in some essential oils, a lavender scented bath cream and light a few candles and you're all set for a nice little pamper.
MUSIC
Music is a great way to help you relax, weather its your favourite pop songs you want to sing and dance around too, or nice classical music. I am a huge fan of Spotify and I love the fact that you can browse different music depending on your mood. I am a huge fan of the 'Chill' category and a great tip, if you are ever having trouble sleeping there is a category called 'Sleep' and a playlist called 'The most beautiful songs in the world' and it will change your life. It is the most relaxing/beautiful way to wind down at the end of the day or to fall asleep too.
DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE
If you're a bit like me and you can't fully wind down if you know you have things you need to do, then these are some great tips. Before you start to wind down (turning off technology/bath, etc..) This is the time to get them last minute emails,blog posts written. You want to do it while your brain is still in work/concentration mode as this is the best time to do it. Then continue with the rest of your evening. Give yourself 45 minutes-1 hour of computer time (unless you have more time to spare!) and try to be as productive as possible, there is nothing worse than having a nice bath and a cup of tea in bed then shooting up realising you never did publish that blog post that needed to be up 2 hours ago!
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These are my suggestions for winding down after a long day. Do you have any other suggestions? How do you relax after a long day? Let me know in the comments.
Kimberley
xx
How To: Relax after a long days work...
20 September 2016
I don’t know about anybody else, but working full time can really take it's toll on you. Recently I am coming home from work Exhausted. I work in a warehouse so it's constant, always on your feet busy. This never used to bother me before, but recently it really has been. I think my brain is just in constant work mode since I got promoted, I feel like I have more responsibility but that also means I don't really 'switch off' and before you know it I'm back at work again. The last few weeks I have been making a conscious effort to 'relax' not just physically but mentally as well. Finding that balance with being lazy and relaxing yet being productive is something i'm still trying to figure out. I get home and think about too many things I need to do weather that is; washing, writing blog posts, editing photos, cleaning etc and I think I just need to stop. Stop thinking and just take some time for me.
CHANGE INTO COMFY CLOTHES
There’s no better feeling than getting home from work and changing into a comfy pair of pyjamas or just a baggy t-shirt and some leggings. Changing out of my work uniform is the first thing I do as soon as I am home and I think Its a great way of letting yourself know that, actually now you're in your home and you can chill out!
UNPLUG FOR A WHILE
Although this is something I should do more often, It really is great. Turn off the phone, the iPad, the computer and just relax. Find yourself a good series on Netflix or an easy-watch movie where you don't have to think too much about it and just take some time for yourself.
TAKE A BUBBLE BATH
Since having a shower put in a few months back, I feel like I never just have a nice bubble bath anymore as showers are always just a bit more convenient. I brought a few new bath products the other days and now I just want to stay in a nice bath forever (if that means I wouldn't go prune-y!) After a busy day at work in my steel toe cap boots, there’s nothing like sliding into a nice hot bubble bath. Drop in some essential oils, a lavender scented bath cream and light a few candles and you're all set for a nice little pamper.
MUSIC
Music is a great way to help you relax, weather its your favourite pop songs you want to sing and dance around too, or nice classical music. I am a huge fan of Spotify and I love the fact that you can browse different music depending on your mood. I am a huge fan of the 'Chill' category and a great tip, if you are ever having trouble sleeping there is a category called 'Sleep' and a playlist called 'The most beautiful songs in the world' and it will change your life. It is the most relaxing/beautiful way to wind down at the end of the day or to fall asleep too.
DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE
If you're a bit like me and you can't fully wind down if you know you have things you need to do, then these are some great tips. Before you start to wind down (turning off technology/bath, etc..) This is the time to get them last minute emails,blog posts written. You want to do it while your brain is still in work/concentration mode as this is the best time to do it. Then continue with the rest of your evening. Give yourself 45 minutes-1 hour of computer time (unless you have more time to spare!) and try to be as productive as possible, there is nothing worse than having a nice bath and a cup of tea in bed then shooting up realising you never did publish that blog post that needed to be up 2 hours ago!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These are my suggestions for winding down after a long day. Do you have any other suggestions? How do you relax after a long day? Let me know in the comments.
Kimberley
xx
Hello Again, I hope you are all well and have had a lovely (very hot..too hot) week. I've not been feeling so great the last few days, having a cold in 30 degree heat has to possibly be one of the worst things to deal with! A light and easy post today all about my first impressions/review of the L'oreal True Match foundation!
THEY SAY:
The new vision of skin matching technology. With the finest pigments, invisible to the naked eye and a creamy ultra-gliding texture for a unique silky touch. Giving you a natural finish. The new technology captures the undertones from warm, neutral to cool.
NEW FEATURES:
- New true match, super blendable foundation
- The new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision
- Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gliding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish
- Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before
- Even longer wear and better comfort
- All you see is your skin at it's best
The formula of this foundation is quite thick compared to other foundations I have used in the past but easily blend-able. I found the best way to apply was with a Beauty Sponge. I did try to apply with a foundation brush but I found it was just moving around my face not sinking in and applying smooth like it would with a sponge.
The finish on this foundation is kind of semi-matte, it has a bit of a glow so that you look healthy, but not in a oily or greasy kind of way. I always apply a face powder to set my foundation, I always have done, so the finish doesn't really bother me. I would personally say I think this would suit combination skin better than oily skin as I've read a few reviews of people feeling like the foundation is "slipping off their face" having oily skin, I personally couldn't comment as my skin is combination.
I do really like the staying power of this foundation. I usually get 6+ hours out of foundation before It starts to look patchy and shiny, but I had this on for 10 hours on the day I tested it out, and other than needing to touch up my nose and forehead, it still looked really good!
In terms of coverage this foundation is up there with one of the best. I don't have 'problematic skin' a few uneven patches and discolouration, but no obvious blemishes. Although my skin is fairly good I still prefer to have a full coverage base (personal preference). I would say this is a medium to full coverage foundation which I found to be build-able on area's where I wanted a bit more coverage.
I think the most amazing thing about this foundation is that in the UK they have an amazing 23 shades to choose from! I don't tend to have a problem finding a colour to match my skin, but they are so many skin tones that this foundation has you covered! It has neutrals for pink undertones and yellows, and has warm and cool toned deeper shades. Currently retails for £7-£10 in the UK.
Have you tried out this foundation? If so, what did you think of it?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: L'OREAL PARIS TRUE MATCH FOUNDATION
18 September 2016
Hello Again, I hope you are all well and have had a lovely (very hot..too hot) week. I've not been feeling so great the last few days, having a cold in 30 degree heat has to possibly be one of the worst things to deal with! A light and easy post today all about my first impressions/review of the L'oreal True Match foundation!
THEY SAY:
The new vision of skin matching technology. With the finest pigments, invisible to the naked eye and a creamy ultra-gliding texture for a unique silky touch. Giving you a natural finish. The new technology captures the undertones from warm, neutral to cool.
NEW FEATURES:
- New true match, super blendable foundation
- The new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision
- Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gliding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish
- Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before
- Even longer wear and better comfort
- All you see is your skin at it's best
The formula of this foundation is quite thick compared to other foundations I have used in the past but easily blend-able. I found the best way to apply was with a Beauty Sponge. I did try to apply with a foundation brush but I found it was just moving around my face not sinking in and applying smooth like it would with a sponge.
The finish on this foundation is kind of semi-matte, it has a bit of a glow so that you look healthy, but not in a oily or greasy kind of way. I always apply a face powder to set my foundation, I always have done, so the finish doesn't really bother me. I would personally say I think this would suit combination skin better than oily skin as I've read a few reviews of people feeling like the foundation is "slipping off their face" having oily skin, I personally couldn't comment as my skin is combination.
I do really like the staying power of this foundation. I usually get 6+ hours out of foundation before It starts to look patchy and shiny, but I had this on for 10 hours on the day I tested it out, and other than needing to touch up my nose and forehead, it still looked really good!
In terms of coverage this foundation is up there with one of the best. I don't have 'problematic skin' a few uneven patches and discolouration, but no obvious blemishes. Although my skin is fairly good I still prefer to have a full coverage base (personal preference). I would say this is a medium to full coverage foundation which I found to be build-able on area's where I wanted a bit more coverage.
I think the most amazing thing about this foundation is that in the UK they have an amazing 23 shades to choose from! I don't tend to have a problem finding a colour to match my skin, but they are so many skin tones that this foundation has you covered! It has neutrals for pink undertones and yellows, and has warm and cool toned deeper shades. Currently retails for £7-£10 in the UK.
Have you tried out this foundation? If so, what did you think of it?
Lets take this back to Sunday 11th September 2016. Just a quick post and a quick OOTD. I never really post these as I struggle with body confidence but this is a new start at blogging again for me and this time I want to do things different.
It was a weekend full of rest and relaxation. I worked on Saturday so does that really count? But I had a suprise phone call from my boyfriend saturday evening who asked to join me watching x factor and for a good ol'fashioned sleepover which I very much enjoyed. Sunday is always a day of rest in my mind and I did exactly that. I'm now sitting at home at my desk, happy to have finished work and looking forward to my pre-booked 5 days off. lovely.
x
OOTD #1
15 September 2016
Lets take this back to Sunday 11th September 2016. Just a quick post and a quick OOTD. I never really post these as I struggle with body confidence but this is a new start at blogging again for me and this time I want to do things different.
It was a weekend full of rest and relaxation. I worked on Saturday so does that really count? But I had a suprise phone call from my boyfriend saturday evening who asked to join me watching x factor and for a good ol'fashioned sleepover which I very much enjoyed. Sunday is always a day of rest in my mind and I did exactly that. I'm now sitting at home at my desk, happy to have finished work and looking forward to my pre-booked 5 days off. lovely.
x
I was never the type to write about hair as it was never a subject of interest to me, but about a year and a half ago I dove into the world of hair extensions and now I am hooked. I will be the first to admit, I didn't look after my hair very well. If any of you may remember on here I had very short hair and although I kept it trimmed and coloured, I never used to use any products and I used a lot of heat.
After months of waiting, my hair didn't seem to be growing, not that I could see anyway. I was so interested in having princess hair and watching videos of all the amazing hair tutorials online, I was so fascinated, I wanted it. I was bored of short hair. Although I will always have a love for shorter hairstyles they get very tedious. The constant styling of it, there is no 'I'm having a bad hair day, lets shove it up!" kind of deals, its a constant thing having short hair and although people say its so much easier, actually I disagree.
The journey begins with the first picture, short and red. I had this hair for roughly 3/4 years and I had a love hate relationship with it. I first saw hair extensions when a local hair extensions specialist in my area had a sponsored advert on Facebook and I was looking through some of the photos, the before and afters were incredible. I booked in for my consultation and 4 weeks later, photo number two happened.
I chose to have keratin bonded hair extensions put in, and used the hair by 'Beauty Works'. I wish I had my first set longer but having 'long' hair for the first time in years was a drastic change for me. Everything you thought you knew about your hair..gone. From brushing it to washing it and everything in between, the difference is drastic. I did experience a few days with a sore scalp and trouble sleeping, but I'm sure that was just from the extra weight and the bonds on my head, as I never experienced this with the second set. Hair extensions are a huge investment costing hundreds of pounds so the aftercare is key!
I can't stress enough the importance of a Tangle Teezer, this changed my life. Bonded extensions are very fragile and you have to use specialist products on them or they can get ruined very quick. The longevity is roughly 3-4 months, after this time I would recommend getting them reapplied. I made a huge mistake with my first set, because they were so expensive I wanted to keep them in for as long as I possibly could before I had to get them redone and the thought of being without them after all this time, I couldn't bear it. I kept mine in for much longer than I really should and looking back now I wish I didn't. Although I had long hair, the longer you keep it in, the harder it will become to maintain. Its inevitable that matting will occur in your hair as your hair grows the bonds move down and the new hair between the bond and your scalp just gets knotted. It took the hairdresser two hours to get through the matting in my hair after removing my first set and It was probably one of the most painful experiences of my life, but it was my own fault so who was I to moan?
I had my second set put in on the 26th July and I am absolutely in love with them. I went to a lady who does them from home and although this can be very risky as not everybody is honest with their skills, it was one of the best choices that I made. They are long,dark,smooth and soft... and I adore them.
Aftercare is essential and you have to use sulphate-free hair products as the chemicals in your normal shampoo and conditioner break down the bonds in the extensions and will ruin them, which isn't worth doing after spending so much money on them. Your natural hair creates its own oils so has the tendency to get greasy and of course the hair extensions do not, which means sometimes you end up unnecessarily washing your hair when really you only need to do your roots. (top wash!)
I found the brand OGX in boots when they had a deal on for 3 for £15 so I got the shampoo,conditioner and the oil. My hair has a tendency to get very dry and frizzy on the ends, its something I'm still working on. The scent of these is gorgeous! Usually shampoos without the chemicals have a really plain scent and you end up with hair smelling of nothing, when there's nothing I love more than the smell of coconut or fruit after washing my hair. After the first use of the shampoo and conditioner I noticed a huge difference with the condition of my hair and how shiny it looked!
I used to use hair oil previously but found it made my hair greasy extremely quick which is why I went for the dry oil which I had never heard of before. Its a real game changer because it seems no matter how much I use my hair doesn't get greasy any quicker than usual and it leaves you hair with the most amazing shine. The Beauty works 10 in 1 Miracle Spray is essential to me as it keeps my hair in such good condition and has so many amazing benefits to it, including protecting your hair from heat, and is created especially for use on extensions, although you can still use it on natural hair.
I will be getting my hair redone roughly about Christmas time/new year and already I'm browsing the transformation photos online, its so crazy how you can make such a huge difference in the space of a few hours, it truly blows my mind. Have any of you guys got hair extensions? If so, if you have any recommendations for products for maintaining them please list them below as I would love to try some more!
ALL ABOUT: MY HAIR
12 September 2016
I was never the type to write about hair as it was never a subject of interest to me, but about a year and a half ago I dove into the world of hair extensions and now I am hooked. I will be the first to admit, I didn't look after my hair very well. If any of you may remember on here I had very short hair and although I kept it trimmed and coloured, I never used to use any products and I used a lot of heat.
After months of waiting, my hair didn't seem to be growing, not that I could see anyway. I was so interested in having princess hair and watching videos of all the amazing hair tutorials online, I was so fascinated, I wanted it. I was bored of short hair. Although I will always have a love for shorter hairstyles they get very tedious. The constant styling of it, there is no 'I'm having a bad hair day, lets shove it up!" kind of deals, its a constant thing having short hair and although people say its so much easier, actually I disagree.
The journey begins with the first picture, short and red. I had this hair for roughly 3/4 years and I had a love hate relationship with it. I first saw hair extensions when a local hair extensions specialist in my area had a sponsored advert on Facebook and I was looking through some of the photos, the before and afters were incredible. I booked in for my consultation and 4 weeks later, photo number two happened.
I chose to have keratin bonded hair extensions put in, and used the hair by 'Beauty Works'. I wish I had my first set longer but having 'long' hair for the first time in years was a drastic change for me. Everything you thought you knew about your hair..gone. From brushing it to washing it and everything in between, the difference is drastic. I did experience a few days with a sore scalp and trouble sleeping, but I'm sure that was just from the extra weight and the bonds on my head, as I never experienced this with the second set. Hair extensions are a huge investment costing hundreds of pounds so the aftercare is key!
I can't stress enough the importance of a Tangle Teezer, this changed my life. Bonded extensions are very fragile and you have to use specialist products on them or they can get ruined very quick. The longevity is roughly 3-4 months, after this time I would recommend getting them reapplied. I made a huge mistake with my first set, because they were so expensive I wanted to keep them in for as long as I possibly could before I had to get them redone and the thought of being without them after all this time, I couldn't bear it. I kept mine in for much longer than I really should and looking back now I wish I didn't. Although I had long hair, the longer you keep it in, the harder it will become to maintain. Its inevitable that matting will occur in your hair as your hair grows the bonds move down and the new hair between the bond and your scalp just gets knotted. It took the hairdresser two hours to get through the matting in my hair after removing my first set and It was probably one of the most painful experiences of my life, but it was my own fault so who was I to moan?
I had my second set put in on the 26th July and I am absolutely in love with them. I went to a lady who does them from home and although this can be very risky as not everybody is honest with their skills, it was one of the best choices that I made. They are long,dark,smooth and soft... and I adore them.
Aftercare is essential and you have to use sulphate-free hair products as the chemicals in your normal shampoo and conditioner break down the bonds in the extensions and will ruin them, which isn't worth doing after spending so much money on them. Your natural hair creates its own oils so has the tendency to get greasy and of course the hair extensions do not, which means sometimes you end up unnecessarily washing your hair when really you only need to do your roots. (top wash!)
I found the brand OGX in boots when they had a deal on for 3 for £15 so I got the shampoo,conditioner and the oil. My hair has a tendency to get very dry and frizzy on the ends, its something I'm still working on. The scent of these is gorgeous! Usually shampoos without the chemicals have a really plain scent and you end up with hair smelling of nothing, when there's nothing I love more than the smell of coconut or fruit after washing my hair. After the first use of the shampoo and conditioner I noticed a huge difference with the condition of my hair and how shiny it looked!
I used to use hair oil previously but found it made my hair greasy extremely quick which is why I went for the dry oil which I had never heard of before. Its a real game changer because it seems no matter how much I use my hair doesn't get greasy any quicker than usual and it leaves you hair with the most amazing shine. The Beauty works 10 in 1 Miracle Spray is essential to me as it keeps my hair in such good condition and has so many amazing benefits to it, including protecting your hair from heat, and is created especially for use on extensions, although you can still use it on natural hair.
I will be getting my hair redone roughly about Christmas time/new year and already I'm browsing the transformation photos online, its so crazy how you can make such a huge difference in the space of a few hours, it truly blows my mind. Have any of you guys got hair extensions? If so, if you have any recommendations for products for maintaining them please list them below as I would love to try some more!
Its the beginning of September and I've been waiting since June for this time of year. I love autumn and I feel like this segment of the year is always so joyful and festive. The nights are slowly becoming darker, which only means its harder to get up in the morning. I would mention about the days getting colder but the UK has had some very strange weather this summer. I would expect the weather to start getting chillier so I can wear a coat and some boots, but the forecast for next week is 27-29 degrees. As everybody else from the UK knows, our weather system is very unreliable.
So now it's the perfect time of year for me to get back into blogging after being away for a very long time, What started as blogger block has ended up spending months away from here. I am turning over a new leaf and ready for what life throws at me with open arms. So as I sit here with my dressing gown and my caramel latte, this is me done.
Autumn is coming
9 September 2016
Its the beginning of September and I've been waiting since June for this time of year. I love autumn and I feel like this segment of the year is always so joyful and festive. The nights are slowly becoming darker, which only means its harder to get up in the morning. I would mention about the days getting colder but the UK has had some very strange weather this summer. I would expect the weather to start getting chillier so I can wear a coat and some boots, but the forecast for next week is 27-29 degrees. As everybody else from the UK knows, our weather system is very unreliable.
So now it's the perfect time of year for me to get back into blogging after being away for a very long time, What started as blogger block has ended up spending months away from here. I am turning over a new leaf and ready for what life throws at me with open arms. So as I sit here with my dressing gown and my caramel latte, this is me done.
It's currently 8pm on a Monday morning and I'm curled up on the sofa in a Minnie Mouse onesie which is 2 sizes to big and to say I'm cosy would be an understatement. I am beyond happy October is here, I love Autumn. The big coats, scarves, gingerbread lattes, the leaves on the ground etc. One thing I can't get used to is the dark morning and dark evenings. A few times a week I do early mornings at work and it is extremely difficult to bring yourself to get out of bed at 5am when it looks like the middle of the night outside and you are freezing! Then even worse having to walk outside to your car and shiver inside it for at least 10 minutes till its heated up enough to even consider driving?! Anybody else do this?
Monday Blues
12 October 2015
It's currently 8pm on a Monday morning and I'm curled up on the sofa in a Minnie Mouse onesie which is 2 sizes to big and to say I'm cosy would be an understatement. I am beyond happy October is here, I love Autumn. The big coats, scarves, gingerbread lattes, the leaves on the ground etc. One thing I can't get used to is the dark morning and dark evenings. A few times a week I do early mornings at work and it is extremely difficult to bring yourself to get out of bed at 5am when it looks like the middle of the night outside and you are freezing! Then even worse having to walk outside to your car and shiver inside it for at least 10 minutes till its heated up enough to even consider driving?! Anybody else do this?
It's currently 4pm on a miserable Sunday afternoon. It is pouring down with rain outside, and after having a productive morning, this is now the perfect time to sit down, have a write, sip a hot drink and listen to acoustic music. Does the bad weather turn anybody else lazy? I mean it's practically still afternoon, coming onto evening and I'm in a dressing gown, had the most amazing shower, done my night time skin routine and all ready to settle down for the night. Although it is a Sunday... so that's my excuse.
Sunday Thoughts
26 July 2015
It's currently 4pm on a miserable Sunday afternoon. It is pouring down with rain outside, and after having a productive morning, this is now the perfect time to sit down, have a write, sip a hot drink and listen to acoustic music. Does the bad weather turn anybody else lazy? I mean it's practically still afternoon, coming onto evening and I'm in a dressing gown, had the most amazing shower, done my night time skin routine and all ready to settle down for the night. Although it is a Sunday... so that's my excuse.
Today I am posting about New Look's new makeup up collection. When Topshop came out with their cosmetic collection everybody was Obsessed! New look have revealed they have created a 100 piece collection which is now available online and in stores. It is a very inexpensive range but has a huge variety. Prices start at £1.99 and range up to £5.99 for the foundations.
New Look | Pure Colour
14 May 2015
Today I am posting about New Look's new makeup up collection. When Topshop came out with their cosmetic collection everybody was Obsessed! New look have revealed they have created a 100 piece collection which is now available online and in stores. It is a very inexpensive range but has a huge variety. Prices start at £1.99 and range up to £5.99 for the foundations.
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