REVIEW: LOREAL DE-TANGLING SPRAY

I have very thick hair so trying to keep it tangle free is a nightmare. What I was originally looking for was a leave in conditioner but I struggled to find one that suited my hair, so I settled for this de tangling spray.

I decided to try this one as it was very affordable and I've liked Loreal products in the past. I use this when my hair is still wet, I towel dry my hair for a few minutes and then spritz it through, concentrating on the ends. I then brush the product through my hair using my tangle teezer.

Usually I will then blowdry my hair, but even if I leave my hair to dry naturally it still feels weightless. It gives a nice silky smooth feel to my hair without making it feel or look oily. Although it makes my hair nice and soft it doesn't make it too hard to manage and it still holds style well.

Best of all for me, it helps keep the tangles at bay. Despite the fact it says that its for fine to normal hair on the bottle, it does the trick for me. Obviously keeping thick hair tangle free all day is impossible but it does a good job in between brushes. An added bonus is that it also has a gorgeous scent that lasts.

MY MAKE-UP STORAGE

When it comes to storage I'm an organisation freak. I store my make-up in the top drawer of a chest of drawers. I like it here as it's really easy to access & makes life simpler when getting ready.

The best way I've found to store my make-up is in different sections. Instead of going out and buying fancy make-up drawers I kept hold of empty boxes and have used them for easy storage.

First  of all I have all of my eye shadow palettes together along with a few random loose eye shadows, these are in an old Glossybox. Next I have a few random bits, I have the make-up brushes I use everyday in the pot in the middle, I also have a little dish containing all of my hair clips & bobbles. I then have my daily & night moisturiser and some tea tree gel which works wonders on angry breakouts.

At the back of this middle section I keep all of my lip products in a little box. I prefer to keep these standing up so that I can easily see what's what. 

Next along I have all of my mascaras and eye liners, I also keep concealers and blushers here, I did buy the tray that these are in, but it was super cheap from a place called Clas Ohlson. Finally at the end I have my foundations, bronzers and highlighters, these are in an empty gift set box.

All of the boxes are in a cute tray I bought from Home Sense, it was still cheap however having the boxes on this tray stops them from sliding around and is also handy if I ever want to take all of my make-up out.

MY FIRST TWO PIECE

This week I was offered the opportunity to blog with Boutique of Molly, of course I said yes. Browsing through their website there were many items that caught my eye. As I don't actually own a two piece I thought I'd jump straight in and try one.

I chose this as it's something different for me but I also like the contrast between the patterns. I also like the combination of colours as when it comes to going out outfits, I don't get very adventurous.

I have styled this for a going out look. I paired my good old faithful patent black clutch and my favourite lime green heels with this. The shoes are incredibly comfy and the colour brings some life into any outfit.

I kept accessories simple and just wore a silver layered chain necklace from H&M, I've been loving this lately as it's simple yet still adds a nice touch to any outfit. 

I kept my hair & make-up simple too, but went for a red lip to add some colour. I always get a little nervous when wearing red lipstick as I'm naturally ginger & very pale, however I like the way that the red lip makes my hair and eyes pop. To achieve this look with my hair, I straightened it then twisted the straightners towards the end of my hair to make a curl.

Make sure you check out the Bouique of Molly website, there's new items being added all the time ans there's already some lovely pieces on there.

*Photos taken by Hugh*

LITTLE WAYS TO RELAX

I often find it hard to switch off & relax, particularly during the working week. Lately I've been focusing on finding little ways to help myself relax. So far it's working so I thought I'd share some of my relaxing habits with you.

01. Music

Lately I've been finding that music has helped me to relax. I've signed up to Spotify, it's a great app and I have a playlist for pretty much every mood. Recently I've been loving Hozier.

02. Doodling

Some may see this as a waste of time but I find it quite relaxing. If I'm watching TV of an evening, instead of scrolling through my phone with my mind ticking over about this and that, I take a paper & pen and doodle. It's strangely relaxing and helps to drift my mind away from the stresses and strains of life.

03. Baking

I'm really into baking and I find it very therapeutic & also rewarding. I like to research & find new recipes. It's rewarding when something I've never baked before is a success. Again, it's another thing to take my mind of life & go into my own little world.

04. Walking

I've always been a huge walker, I live in a pretty remote village so I'm never stuck for places to take a stroll. I love being out in the fresh air and there's nothing that takes my mind of things more than a long peaceful walk. I always enjoy a walk when it's windy, it's so refreshing to have the wind blow in my face. It makes the saying 'blow the cobwebs away' feel real.

What do you do to relax? 

BARRY M SPRING NAIL POLISH PICKS

can't bare having unpolished nails so I have a very big collection of polishes. Recently I've bought lots of natural shades as I can only wear natural colours for work. Today I've picked my favourite polishes and if you can't already tell, I'm a big fan of Barry M!

Barry M Gelly in lychee

The way I describe this colour is like skin . It's the perfect nude and it's really natural. It gives a nice natural finish to nails of any length and has an amazing shine. It tends to last around 4-5 days on my nails, but I'm not the best at being careful that they don't chip!




Barry M Gelly in almond

This colour is probably my favourite, it's very natural but has a hint of lilac in it. It looks lovely on the nail and is a nice twist on a natural polish. Again, as its part of the gelly family it has a lovely shine and lasts relatively well. 




Barry M in blue moon

Although this colour isn't exactly natural I like to wear it on my toes. It adds a nice pop of colour for spring and it also matches my work uniform as we wear grey and turquoise. Although it's not part of the gelly range it still has a nice shine. Polish lasts a while on my toes so I can get a good weeks wear out of it before it chips. 

What's your favourite spring polish?

MY NIGHT IN ROUTINE

We all enjoy a cosy night in and a good pamper every now and again. I usually like to do this on a Sunday evening as it's a good time to relax and a perfect way to set you up for the week ahead.

First of all I run a bath, I like to use the Radox muscle soak bubble bath along with the Radox muscle soak crystals, these two combined with hot water make the perfect DIY muscle relief. 

Whilst my bath runs I remove my make up using Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, followed by the Elemis Rehydrating Ginsing toner. 

Next I exfoliate, depending on how my skin feels I use either Elemis gentle rose exfoliator or Sanctuary purifying exfoliator. They both have very different consistency's, recently I have been using the Elemis Gentle Rose as the weather has warmed up so my skin isn't as dry. The Sanctuary Exfoliator is great throughout th Winter when my skin is really dry. 

Once my skin has been exfoliated and patted dry, I apply a mask. I like the dead sea cleansing one by Superdrug. They are super cheap but have really good benefits to the skin. The dead sea ingredients in this give the skin a really good deep cleanse to draw out any impurities, whilst the lavender helps to soothe any redness, lavender is also a very relaxing scent so it's perfect  when you want to unwind. 

After I've finished in the bath, I will put my pyjamas on, and catch up on any Youtube videos or blog posts I've missed throughout the week! I will usually light a candle too, recently my favourite has been the Shea butter one by Yankee candle. It has such a comforting and relaxing scent its perfect for a cosy night in. 

THINGS THAT MADE ME HAPPY #1

Inspired by the very well known Louise, from Sprinkle of Glitter I decided to try and start to see the happy side of life more. Recently Louise has been posting her happy things on Facebook which has been lovely to read, so here's a few happy things from my week.

Improving my diet.

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to improve my diet by cutting down on my dairy, sugar and saturated fat intake. I've also been trying to cut down on bread and meat as it doesn't help with a digestive condition that I have. I've really enjoyed exprimenting with different recepies, and it's worked wonders for me in all aspects of health!

Spring!

Although the first week of May hasn't been so nice, on the whole Aprils weather was gorgeous! Like most, I was becoming so fed up of Winter so it was so good to wake up to blue skies and feel a little warmth from the sun on my skin. Plants & trees have all started to blossom which is a certain sign that Summer is well on it's way - yay!

Blogging

This week I have made a start on my blog. It's something I''ve been wanting to do for a while but I lacked confidence and also found it hard to find the time to post regularly. However I've planned ahead and I'm exited to enter the world of blogging!

Retail therapy

I am a big believer of the saying 'the best things in life are free' but I think we can all say it's nice to splurge and treat ourselves every once in a while. This week I went shopping and for once it was a successful trip. I didn't go crazy but I've brought my Spring wardrobe up to date which is something I've been wanting to do for a while.

What has made you happy this week?

EASIEST EVER TRIPLE CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Today was dull & horrible rainy day so I decided to do some baking. I used my family favourite recipe but tweaked it a little bit so that the muffins were triple chocolate. This is the perfect recipe if you're a beginner at baking! 

The recipe makes approximately 16 muffins but you may get more or less depending on the size of your tin. 

What you'll need:

200g dark chocolate (to melt)

100g white chocolate

100g milk chocolate

65g cocoa powder

325g self raising flour

125g brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

365ml milk

100ml veg oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract 

A large & small mixing bowl

Scales

Wooden spoon

Preheated oven at 180°C/Gas mark 4

A muffin tray lined with muffin cases

Here's what to do:

01. Melt the 200g of dark chocolate, I did mine in the microwave for about 1 minute. If you're not using chocolate chips, break up the milk & white chocolate into small chunks. Set the melted chocolate aside to cool.

02. Sieve all of the dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Leave the chocolate chunks out for now.

03. Beat the eggs in a small mixing bowl and then add the oil, milk & vanilla extract. 

04. Gradually add the eggs, oil, milk & vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon inbetween. 

05. Once the mixture is thoroughly combined, stir in the cooled melted chocolate. Stir well with a wooden spoon then add the chocolate chunks. Give the mixture a final thorough stir to make sure everything is combined well and that the chocolate chunks are evenly distributed. 

06. Finally, divide the mixture between your cases and put them in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

MY NIGHT OUT MAKE-UP ESSENTIALS

We all love a good night out every now & again. I for one love getting ready, I think I look forward to getting ready just as much as I look forward to actually going out. Todays post is all about my essentials when getting ready for a night out. 

MAC Studio Fix Foundation

Although I find this too heavy for everyday wear, it provides perfect coverage for a night out. It smooths over any imperfections and gives a nice dewy finish. The colour is just right despite me being the palest person on earth. 

Urban Decay Eye shadow Primer 

I first began using this about 3 years ago and I don't think I've applied eye shadow without it since. It literally acts like glue for your eye shadow, and keeps it in place all night long. It also really shows the pigments in the eye shadow so you get maximum shimmer.

Naked 2 Palette

This is an essential for me, daytime or night time I can always create an appropriate eye look with it. If I'm going out I will usually go for a smoky look so the shimmery shades in this palette are perfect. 

MAC Gel Eyeliner

No evening look of mine is complete without this. It effortlessly glides onto the eyes to give the perfect finish. It's a really deep black colour so it really makes my blue eyes stand out.

Benefit They're Real Mascara

This speaks for itself really. It gives amazing length and definition to the lashes, and is simply the best mascara I've ever tried.

MAC Satin Lipstick in MAC Red

I was always afraid to wear red lipstick as I'm a natural ginger with very pale skin & blue eyes. However when I went to the MAC counter one day the lady changed my mind. I'm not yet brave enough to wear it in the daytime, however I love it for an evening look as it really brings a look together. MAC lipsticks are really easy to apply and last really well. 

Origins Mineral Finishing Powder

This is a great product as it can be applied with or without make-up underneath. It gives the perfect finish over foundation, offering good coverage but without looking too 'caked on', As it's mineral base, it's like a miracle in a pot and has fantastic benefits for your skin. 

APRIL FAVOURITES

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel*

This exfoliator is perfect for skin that is usually irritated by a grainy exfoliator, unlike many this has a nice creamy texture. When applied to the skin, papaya and pineapple enzymes get to work to remove dead skin cells and purify tired skin. It also contains vitamin E so it provides anti oxidant protection and helps to repair skin cells. It's different to your usual exfoliator but the results for me are much better than a grainy exfoliator.

Balm Balm calm all over Balm

This balm is great for any dry, stressed or irritated skin. It contains a luxurious blend of natural ingredients that help to soothe and hydrate the skin. It doesn't create the best base for make-up as it has quite an oily texture so I use this as a night moisturiser. It works wonders over night and zaps any redness out of angry blemishes, and also helps to smooth out any dry patches that make-up clings to.

Rimmel 9 in 1 BB Cream

I've always been reluctant to use BB creams as they've never had the coverage that I like, however this one has changed my mind. It still doesn't have 100% coverage, but you never will get that with a BB cream. This is perfect for everyday wear and it has a nice light feel to it. I can happily use this alone without a primer underneath knowing that it will last. The colour is a great match and it also has an SPF of 25 which is great now that the weather is warming up.

Barry M Gelly in Almond

I'm a huge lover of gel nails but having them done every 2-3 weeks gets expensive. Barry M Gelly polishes are a great alternative. For me they don't last as well as gel polish but they're the closest I've found. The shine is amazing and looks exactly like gel polish, this range also comes in a huge range of colours. Recently my favourite has been Almond, it's a lovely neutral colour with a hint of lilac, so it's perfect for sunny Spring weather.

Yankee Candle: Shea Butter

I could have done a happy dance in the Yankee shop when I saw that they had brought out a Shea Butter candle. This is definitely my favourite scent, I really can't get enough of it! I only bought a tea light when I saw it as I wanted to see what it smelt  like when burning but I will most definitely be buying a big one as it smells divine. It's a perfect candle to burn after a long, stressful day as it has a comforting and relaxing scent.

What have you loved during April?