How To: Care For Long Hair

Maintaining long and glossy locks is one of my daily tasks, after that second day hair is looking a little drab, there's something resembling a rats nest formed by the hairs at the back of my head and dry ends are starting to show. 

My haircare routine is constantly changing but there are three things that remain constant. My use of heat protector, hair oil and a hair mask. These three firm favourites have been helping my hair repair against damage and have proved to be quite a killer combination.

First up is the newest out of the bunch, L'Oreal Paris Elnett Heat Protect Styling Spray (post here). I'll always make sure my locks are protected from the daily dose of heat and this protects up to 230 degrees while adding that extra hold. There are three formulas that I'll mix depending on what look I'm going for that day, normally I'll lightly mist straight throughout my hair and volume at the roots. As well as protecting my hair they also help tame frizz and fly aways!

The weekly hair mask is a chore I've learnt to love, so many appear in my stash but none will ever compare to Philip Kingsley Elasicizer Extreme. I've got this to thank for my hair, it may not produce the same instant results as others but produces the best over time with constant use. One of my holy grails I will never be without! 

To tame frizz, add shine and gloss I'll douse my hair in hair oil. Not only is Ojon Rare Blend Oil beautiful and smells amazing it does its job and more. After shaking the bottle I'll run it though my ends on damp hair and again once blowdried. Even though I'm nowhere near finishing this I've stocked up on backups just in case. 

When it comes to hairbrushes there is only one that can get through the horendous knots that I come home to is the Michael Mercier Detangling Brush. Unlike the Tangle Teaser this has a handle making trudging through those knots much easier. It gets the job done (and fast) with minimal breakage. 

As hair is most sensitvie to damage when it 's wet I'll be sure to brush it when dry, I'll use a really gentle brush like Mason Pearson as it doesn't tug or pull. I've noticed bad quality hair brushes causing a lot of breakage on my hair so I made sure to invest in a decent hair brush.

How do you look after your hair?

How To: Deal With Puffy Eyes

When it comes to eyes, I'm a firm believer it's all about treating from the inside out. Those extra couple hours of sleep portray a tremendous difference in the appearance of my eyes, in redness, puffiness and brightness. When I find myself trolling home in the early hours of the morning or tearing myself from my bed equally early, my eyes start to suffer and there are a couple of products I pull out...

As soon as my eyes start to open I'll reach over to my bedside table where cotton pads get doused in Liz Earle Soothing Eye Bright Lotion, which I've raved about here, and patted onto my eyes making waking up a little more bearable. 

There are two masks that I keep on rotation if I have an extra 10 minutes, firstly Origins No Puffery Cooling Eye Mask, which I apply a thick layer of around my eyes and wash off. This stuff is seriously refreshing and the wonderfully cooling effect is fantastic wake up call for my eyes! I tend to keep this stashed away in my fridge for extra power. 

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Eye Mask which I wrote about here are my pre-party saviours, that contain cucumber which includes Vitamin K, great for shrinking capillaries which helps reduce dark circles. Now I didn't see anything miraculous in that department but there was definitely some hydrating, less redness and soothing going on. 

If theres minimal time for pampering I'll reach for Coupe Eclat which I picked up from Beauty Mart. I'll break the little capsule and dab the liquid into my skin for some added brightening. My favourite out of the bunch has got to be Clinique Even Better Eyes, purely for the cooling massage tip. I'll apply this like an eye cream squeezing the tube as I run it along my orbital bone. Doing this feels instantly cooling and soothing, especially after a long day of staring at a screen! The actual cream is slightly light reflective which helps aid under my eyes in looking brighter, it has the smoothest almost velvet like texture that concealer applies like a breeze over the top. 

What do you reach for when your eyes a looking a little puffy?

How To: Ballerina Hair Bun

Much easier than it looks, the quick ballerina bun has been a total saviour for me when getting out the enrapture totem styler (post here) as well as sorting out my lifeless bangs seems like a bit of a chore. 

The star of the show is Superdrug's extremely massive doughnut ring, which makes the whole process a breeze - it helps give my bun a perfect shape that remains throughout the day. As my hair is quite thick using regular sized rings don't hold up my long locks, so if you're someone with shorter hair a regular sized ring would probably be best. The only other items I use here is a hairbrush to tuck loose ends into place and a couple of hair ties.

Firstly I pull my hair up into a tight ponytail and secure it with a hair tie 

I then go on to sliding the doughnut ring round my hair and securing it at the top

Separating my pony tail in half and wrapping the hair round the bun so it's completely covered

Lastly I secure the bun with another hair tie

If I want to make it a little messier I'll run my hands backwards through my hair, pulling out loose strands for a messier effect. The final step is spritzing with some hairspray to ensure everything stays in place!

How To: Fake A Real Tan

Baking myself in the sun isn’t really my thing anymore – skincare dangers aside, it’s something I find quite unappealing and dull. I’ll manage to get a little glow on holiday but nothing drastic which is where being able to fake it comes in handy!

Firstly I make sure my skin isn’t dry by moisturizing with Yes To Carrots Body Butter (post here). A day later I’ll exfoliate using a combination of the Dermalogica Buffing Cloth and Soap & Glory Scrub Of Your Life getting rid of dead skin cells and any old fake tan residue. I’ll then go on to apply Xen Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe (post here) with a Soltan Tanning Mit, I tend to really work the fake tan into my skin and the mitt is the perfect tool to do it. Xen tan has a pasty consistency that needs concentrated applying. 

I’ll then take whatever moisturizer I have to hand and rub some into my knees, ankles and my hands to even out the tan and ensure it doesn’t stick to any dry patches. I usually do this before bed, wack on some PJs on and wake up in the morning to wash it all off.

To ensure my fake tan lasts well I’ll moisturize daily using Yes To Carrots Body Butter and make sure to stay clear of using body oils as they break down the DHA fake tan ingredient.

Are you a real or fake tanner?

Getting Beachy With My Hair

I've mentioned my usual high maintenance routine going totally out the window on holiday, that being said the same applies to my hair. The hairdryer is no longer an option as the suns rays dry my hair for me and any sort of straighting or curling is just a no-go zone.

While I'm at the beach and I'm letting my hair dry naturally with the sun I've been spritzing a couple of salt sprays in it to keep it from getting a little dull. I've spoken about the Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray before here, but it's great at providing texture as well as instant lift. Making that whole beach babe hair look a little more easier to achieve for those with straight slightly frizzy hair like myself.

L'Oreal Studio Matt & Messy £3.56 here, Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray £20.50 here

A fantastic dupe is the L'Oreal Matt and Messy, also a salt spray that provides pretty much the same result as Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray! All in all aiding to achieve that perfect imperfect look. Neither of them feel dirty in my hair or make my roots feel greasy although I do get a little gritty feeling, nothing to complain too much about though.

At £3.56 as opposed to £20.50 the L'Oreal Matt & Messy is a fantastic dupe and definitely worth checking out if you've had Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray sitting on your list! 

How To: Big Voluminous Hair

Following my post reviewing my high-end volumzing products (here, low-end to come!) here's a little tutorial on how I go about using them. As it's mainly in the roots of my hair, as that's where I need a bit of lift I tend to mix different sprays and mousses together causing a little concoction in my hair!

After washing my hair I'll start by running a 10p size amount of volumizing mousse through the crown of my head on my scalp, massaging it into damp hair. When it comes to blowdrying I tend to flip my head over and blow-dry upside down for some extra oomph. After I've styled my hair, usually with Enrapture Totem Styler (post here) I'll go in with a volumizing spray. My Favourite being Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray,  which I use in combination with a backcombing brush.

1. Firstly I'll section off pieces of hair and clip them away from my face

2. Using a volumizing spray I'll give my roots a little spritz, making sure the product is focused at my scalp and roots of my hair

3. I'll then backcomb my hair using little forwards and backwards motions causing some messy texture and volume

4. I'll then spray the backcombed hairs to keep them in place and add extra texture

5. I continue doing the above three steps in different sections of my hair, focusing the most product around the front as that's where I desire the most volume

5. On the next section of hair repeat step 2 - spray! 

6. Repeat step 3 - backcomb!

7. Repeat step 4 - spray again!

8. I repeat the three steps on each section until I've reached the top of my hair, which I let fall on top of the volume

I then repeat on the other side!

The same applies to any other spray I use, Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray, Ojon Volume Advance Styling Spray (post here) and the list goes on!

I hope this was helpful! How do you get some volume in your hair?

How To: Put Best Legs Forward

In winter the first part of my body that gets neglected are my legs, this of course is not appreciated when they're on full show throughout the other half of the year. When it does become time to get my pasty pins out they do need a bit of sorting, especially as they are the part of me that takes the longest to tan. I rely on a couple of products to help me achieve semi-decent looking legs, nothing too masking just to naturally enhance.

Firstly, I'll apply some fake tan, my all time favourite being Xen Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe (post here) but if, like in the picture above, I hadn't previously fake tanned then instant one is what I reach for. My lovely friend Johnny at Body Sun Tanning gave me Fake Bake Faux Glow, which is practically like foundation for legs. It's a wash off spray that provides a lovely matt colour, making my legs appear three shades darker. I do have a couple of scars on my legs that it's managed to cover too. It's a really miracle product that just makes my skin looks so airbrushed and flawless! I just wish it came in different colours as the shade is a little too red based for my yellow toned skin.

If I do have a tan that just needs a little enhancing I'll reach for This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle (post here), which is more like a tinted cream that makes skin look a little more alive. It provides a glow so I tend to keep all the product focused down the centre of my legs to help catch the light.

The last step is where my limited knowledge of contouring and highlighting comes in, if I want something to appear thinner, I'll sweep a highlighter down the centre, making the light catch it causing my legs to look thinner. A handy little trick eh? For this a big fluffy brush is handy, I used the Real Technquies Powder Brush as it's absolutely huge, and it's synthetic bristles pick up quite a bit of product. The highlighting product I'm referring to is The Body Shop Puff On Radiance (post here), which provides some serious shimmer. If you were looking for something a little more subtle, Gueralain Meterories (post here) would be my recommendation for you as it's more illuminating than shimmery.

This routine only gets pulled when my pasty limbs are in need of some serious leg SOS, especially for an important event - like weddings and birthdays. Do you have a little routine to get your legs summer ready?

The 411: My Eyebrows

Even though I knew that eyebrows are something that shape your face they were never something I ever really considered 'doing' as mine are naturally quite thick. It was only recently getting ready with some friends when I didn't have my makeup to hand I decided to fill in my brows. After looking through pictures the next morning that I realised how different, in a good way, my face looked. Much more put together and my eyes looked much more defined!

Since then I've really gotten into my brows! I've experimented with liquid pens, powders and pencils, the latter being my favourite purely thanks to this Anastasia Brow Wiz in the shade Brunette (post here) which has such a fine nib it's easy to create fake little hairs. Here's how I go about doing my brows...

Nyx Eyebrow Shaper, Anastasia Brow Duality in Lace, HD Brow Beater, Anastasia Brow Gel in Clear, Anastasia Brow Wiz in Brunette, Suquu Liquid Pen in 01 Green, Spoolie Eyebrow Brush

The main saviour is something that's so cheap and simple, a plain good old spoolie brush, which I use before and after doing my brows. Before to comb everything through as they have the tendency to be quite unruly and following applying the colour to even the it out and blend any harsh lines.

Anastasia Brow Wiz (left) Suquu Liquid Pen (right)

My brows filled in with Anastasia Brow Wiz (left) Suquu Liquid Pen (right)

My two favourite brow items are Anastasia Brow Wiz and Suquu Liquid Pen. Brow Wiz is what I use on a daily basis as the nib is really fine and it's a perfect shade for my brows. Suquu Liquid Pen gets picked up if I'm looking for a slightly more natural effect. I have the shade 01 Green but when applied blends beautifully with my brows and doesn't make them appear filled in at all.

Above - Anastasia Brow Gel
Below - Anastasia Brow Duality

I'll then apply some Brow Gel to keep all the hairs in place. If my eyebrows are growing out a little and need to be threaded then I'll use Anastasia Brow Gel (post here) as it's a little thicker or if I need a lighter layer of gel I'll use the HD Brow Beater. There's always that one pesky hair that won't stay in place and for that I'll reach for NYX Eyebrow Shaper which is what I like to name a Brow Fix - a wax pencil that helps the most unruly hairs behave! 

I love a good eyebrow arch, for some highlighting I'll use Anastasia Brow Duality in Lace which is a double ended pencil - golden shimmer on one side and matt on the other. It looks beautiful when used as a natural highlighter - very similar to Benefit High Brow Glow (post here) 

It's very clear I'm a massive Anastasia convert which is why I let off a little childish squeal when Cult Beauty started stocking them as they were previously unavailable in the UK.

What do you do with your brows? Anything you recommend to a newbie?

How To: Maintain A Tan

Last year I remember spending days of hours soaking up the suns rays with a minimal factor slapped all over myself only for my glowing skin to significantly decrease after stepping onto that heavily air-conditioned plane. Not to mention getting back to the cold weather in london. Being less of a sun junkie this year I've been slapping on a few extra products to help maintain my glow. 

Whilst I was still in Ibiza every evening I'de apply some after sun, Lierac Apres Soleil is my one of choice as it's very cooling, sinks into the skin really easily, smells amazing and hydrates dry skin. I do pick this up in France but have found it on Feel Unique here

Just before I got on the plane I slathered my skin in some good old Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula, Boots do some really handily mini bottles and this being under 100ml means it was perfect for travelling. It kept my skin hydrated throughout the flight as well as had me smelling like a yummy chocolate      

Right so the tricky bit, after a couple of days skin starts peeling, looking a day flakey and dry and just generally looking a tad lifeless. That's where the big guns come in, I've been reaching for Clarins Moisture Rich Body Lotion which was a free gift with purchase but I'm definitely considering buying the full bottle. It feels super luxurious on the skin and the formula is very rich and nourishing. Another product I've been loving is Neal's Yard Wild Rose Body Elixir, which is really wowing me at the moment so be prepared for a product rave coming your way soon! It's unlike anything I've ever tried before but in a nutshell is an intensely hydrating body cream.

If I'm going on I'll apply some St Tropez Skin Illuminator in Rose, which isn't sticky, sinks in immediately and adds a lovely glow to the skin, just to give it that extra bit of colour. 

So that's everything I've been religiously applying to try and maintain my tan before my next holiday! 

What are your favourite products for maintaining a tan?

My Makeup: Purple Smokey Eye

When it comes it eyes a smokey look is one that I favour. I've never been one for dramatic cat liner and red lips, and recently I've been re embracing my Urban Decay Naked Palettes. Here I used the Naked Palette 2, which is their most recent release. In terms of preference I will admit that the Naked is my one of choice, purely for the range of matt and frosty eyeshadows whereas the Naked 2 contains more frosty shades. There were three shades I wanted to make use of, all of which were in the purpley plum tones, the colours weren't a million miles away from the shades I usually go for but out came the blending brushes to create a smokey eye!

I always start my smokey eyes with applying a primer, Mac Painterly Paint Pot being the usual one of choice for its colour correcting abilities as well as helping eyeshadow colours become more vibrant.

1. Packing on the shade YDK all over my lid staying below the crease

2. Taking a fluffy blending brush, Mac 217, with the shade Tease and applying that through my crease for some definition

3 & 4. With a clean blending brush I make sure there were no harsh lines by blending where the eyeshadow met my skin, using winds wiper motions

5. Using a Maxfactor brush dipped in Busted eyeshadow I applied that along the outer half of my eye, again making sure to stay below my crease

6. Followed by blending with a Mac 217 to make all the colours fade into each other

7. With the shade Bootycall on the Urban Decay brush that came with the palette I applied the colour along my brow bone to act as a highlighter

8. Then continued to do the same in my tear duct and inner corner

9. Using a pointed brush dipped in the shade Busted I ran the brush along my lower lash line for some definition

10. Using Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Blackberry I messily lined my eyes making sure to stay close to the lash line

11. Followed by blending the line with the same pointed brush and the shade Busted

Other products used:

Skin

- Estee Lauder Matte Perfecting Primer which has been my primer of choice recently, more to come soon!
- For foundation I've been reaching for YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation for it's illuminating properties and gel like texture
- I didn't want to add any blush, just a light sweep of Bare Minerals Bronzer in The Deep End


Which Naked palette do you prefer?

How To: Easy 'At Work' Hair Tutorial

When time is limited in the morning I've managed to get my routine of looking presentable down to around 10 minutes. Which is really short if you knew how long I normally take! I've got the makeup routine sorted, see here, as well as hair. This routine below usually takes me between 5 and 7 minutes and is super easy!

Using a new tool that I've been loving, the Enrapture Totem Styler, which is fancy wording for a curling wand, but expect a review soon - I'm loving it so far! Apparently you can create 27 styles with it, but here's how I achieve the one I've been doing in the morning for work!

1. Start by clipping my hair half up half down and pulling out the sorter front sections

2. Grabbing random medium sized sections (doesn't have to be neat!) and wrapping them round the curling iron making sure some curls are going away from my face (pictures 1 & 3) and some are going towards my face (pictures 2 & 4)

3. Repeat on the other side making sure to only curl the sections not in the clip

And that's it! That's all I've been doing to get my hair looking presentable for the office! The Enrapture Encode Totem Styler is amazing as it heats up really quickly and has temperature controls for each zone, I used the highest, 3-3-3. It's normally £79.00 but until mid August there's a 1/3 off Enrapture products making it a bargain at £49.99. Available here but like I said, stay tuned for more on it!

What's your usual hair routine?