Autumn/ Fall Hair Trends & Ideas #AD

Hey Everyone!
It seems like all I talk about recently is hair (here and here!), how mine is boring yada yada and how I am constantly trying to find a hairstyle that is simple, quick and looks good. So, instead of having a good old moan today, I thought I'd turn to the A/W 13 fall hair trend reports for a bit of inspiration and give a few styles a go.
There seems to be a whole lot of low pony tails, intricate plaits and tousled down dos. Embracing your own hair seems to be big, rather than straightening or curling- which suits me perfectly! To try these out all I did was wash and blow dry my hair (I don't use heat on it a lot so this was a special day!). I'm currently using a strawberry Avon shampoo and conditioner combination which smells lovely. I also used Umberto Giannini Salt Spray and my tangle teaser as well as a few bobbles and kirbies. 
Instead of going to town with the teasing brush, mousse, hairspray and tongs, I decided to see what I could do with my naturally straight, pretty flat hair. Obviously my hair is pretty long now (yay) and you might struggle to interpret these yourself if you have shorter hair.  A possible solution to this is hair extensions which give you a bit more to work with and are great for instantly long locks without waiting for it to grow. These are available online at http://www.tedhair.com/ . Just always ensure you give your hair breaks from extensions and use a good conditioner. Shiny hair is a sign of health after all. 
The Down Do

Here we have the simplest of the simple: a straight blow dry side parted style. Although I do like the look of this in general, for me its quite impractical as my hair always goes in my eyes/ covers my face and it does my head in. I have lately been considering getting a side fringe but I'm worried the hairdresser would do it 'choppy' rather than 'sweeping' and blending gradually into my hair. Don't you just love the technical terms of hair?

To solve this 'half the face covered' problem, I popped in a little white rose kirby accessory (which Melanie very kindly sent me!). Admittedly, it is more of a summer accessory, but since I'm still a little peeved at how short summer was, I'm hanging onto every last drop of it! I do think it looks really pretty though and although I haven't specifically spotted the likes of this on the A/W catwalk, I think its a good alternative to the complicated mini buns and side plaits. I wear my hair kirbied when its down on an everyday basis so maybe I should switch it up a little and wear a cute accessory like this.

An alternative hair-down style is this swept look. It seems to be everywhere just now but I haven't quite mastered it. If I were to wear it out it would just flop. I'm mind boggled at how people's hair stays in place like this without falling into a shed (defying gravity anyone?). I think I'd need a whole lot more product and back colmbing to have even a chance. Let me know in the comments if you have any tips/ insider info on how to work this style.

The Fishtail Plait

Next up, a side fishtail braid. I've loved this style ever since it surfaced over a year ago and its popping up again everywhere this season. Its an interesting alternative to the run of the mill plait and is so simple to do once you get the hang of it. All you do it divide your hair into two sections and alternatively take small strands from each side and cross them over to the other. (Google a video tutorial if that makes no sense!). For a messier look, I tugged loose the braid and added the white rose kirby. I also like this style as it really highlights my ombre. 

The Up Do

Ok so admittedly, I didn't see one high ponytail while browsing fall hair trends, but I couldn't not include this as it is pretty much my go-to. Its simple, super quick and again, makes the ends of my hair contrast nicely with the top. I have a similar tutorial on it here (excuse the onesie).

This style incorporates two of the big hair trends of the moment: the bun and the braid (that sounds like a film!). Its super simple to achieve: just plait a high pony normally and twist into a bun. Its a versatile style and if you wanted to make it more relaxed and messy just partly pull bits out.

The Low Ponytail

Search 'fall 2013 hair trends' and pretty much every second result will be a sleek low ponytail with some sort of plait incorporated. I went for a simple plait to one side and tied it all at the nape of my neck. I then pushed the pony through itself to create this more intricate looking style. Whilst I like this for being elegant and something different, I probably wouldn't wear it on an everyday basis. I guess I'm scarred by my middle shed low ponys of my childhood haha.

What is your favourite hair style this season?

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The Sunday Post #16

Hey Everyone!
My Life I have been completely non-stop this week- I'm so thankful this is a long weekend (Friday/Monday off school woo!). On Thursday night I went to Nando's for the (kind of) first time. I went in New Zealand a few years ago but can't remember it at all so I've pretty much never been. Now I see what all the fuss is about! It was amazing: the atmosphere and the food were just fab. Friday was pretty productive: my friends and I visited the travel agents about a summer holiday next year, I took lots and lots of pictures for upcoming posts (I like to do them as lots), I planned my english essay (too bad I didn't write it though) and went to a family gathering. I've also worked 19 hours this weekend (yep, safe to say I'm sleeping and typing!) so tomorrow will be a life saver for catching up with everything. 
Update Can you believe that I've managed to stick to my posting schedule this month?! I'm pretty proud, even if I do say so myself, having missed only one sunday post (and let's face it these are just random rambles!). For October I'm going to be posting every Tuesday and Thursday at 5pm and the odd post on a Sunday (probably just if I have anything to share!).
Current Favourite I bought a new bag woop! Its been on the agenda for ages: my old brown one was literally hanging together by a few strands. 

This was £6 and I really like the colour as I think it'll go with pretty much every outfit. I also like the zipped compartments and the fact its slightly bigger than my last so I can fit an umbrella in there.
Last night I also watched The X Factor for the first time this year all the way through and really enjoyed it. They really do make it as dramatic as possible. I wish I had the time to keep up with it but I'll definitely be tuning in when I can. I also love Nicole's hair and makeup- its just perfect!
How has your week been?

Currently Loving... Candles!

Hey Everyone!

I'm getting stuck into my autumn bucket list with something fairly simple- burn my candles! I don't know about you, but I think candles are quite a wintery thing and I hardly use them in summer. Therefore, by this time of year, I'm extremely excited to get back into them.

I currently have a set of tealights from Wilkinson (possibly orange and ginger) which look cute in my little candle holders- but don't have much of a scent- if any. Then, I have this pink Ikea one which smells nice and has lasted ages. I'm actually really picky when it comes to candle scents- I only like about 10% of those I smell when shopping for them. I am also really easily frustrated when candles burn at an angle and leave loads of unused wax around the sides. Enter Copenhagen Candle Company with their three-wick bad boys. I bought the Fig & Herb one from TKMaxx last winter and burned it heaps- and I still have half left for this year. The smell is gorgeous and literally fills the whole house. I was gutted when I went back to TKMaxx and there were none left. Then, during summer, I saw that they had returned and couldn't say no to this Strawberry one- I can't wait to burn it but  I'm saving it till I've finished the others.

What's your favourite brand and scent of candles?

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me Review

Hey Everyone!
Over the time I've been blogging, I have managed to (somewhat) train myself to resist the hype of a product and only purchase it after making myself wait for a few months to make sure I actually want it. But, when I heard that Maybelline Baby Lips had launched in the UK- all of that logic went out the window and I wanted to get one immediately.
After searching quite a few Maybelline counters over the past few weeks, I finally found this at the very bottom of one in a small Boots store. What surprised me most was that they were well stocked and I could actually get my hands on the shade I wanted.

First off, I love the packaging. I think it looks really American and I like the young, bright and bold theme and clashing colours. I would certainly be drawn to these in the drugstore even if I hadn't heard of them. The actual plastic casing is however very light and seems a bit flimsy which I guess is only to be expected from such a reasonably priced product.

Bare lips

Wearing Baby Lips

As soon as you take the lid off, a yummy cherry smell hits you. The product is really silky and glides onto the lips really easily. It leaves a nice rosy colour on the lips which is impressive as mine are very pink anyway and it lasts a couple of hours. It does transfer a little onto cups etc but that's something we'd have to deal with with most other lip products anyway.
What I'm most impressed with is that, unlike Vaseline (my go-to lip balm), your lips don't feel dry when the product has worn off. Instead, they just gave a good, lasting dose of moisture.
For only £2.99- I think this is a great little product and will definitely be my go-to lip balm from now on.
Have you tried it?

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream Review

Hey Everyone!
I actually wasn't sure whether to do a review on this product as I don't get on with it particularly well but I came to the conclusion that if I share with you the products I love, I should also share those which I don't like as much. Also, the fact that I spent the Boots points I'd been saving for ages on this makes me want to get some use out of it, even if that use is a post topic.
I originally bought this at the beginning of the summer because I wanted something light and easy to wear in Africa. I actually got on ok with it there but only used it a few days so that couldn't be justified as a proper test run. I've used it a couple of times since I got back and I just don't like it at all, and I'm annoyed at myself for giving into the hype around it.
First off, the packaging is a bit cheap and cardboard like which is a bit of a step down from my favourite drugstore foundations from Rimmel which come in a class tubes. The shade is "Light" and the product comes out a bit orange looking but it blends into my own, quite pale, skin easily. I use slightly larger than a pea size amount for my entire face. 
Honestly, once applied, I don't notice a whole lot of difference to my bare skin. The cream brightens slightly and evens out skin tone a bit, but basically my skin (and blemishes) are still completely visible. More positively, it does sink into my skin quickly, I don't feel like I'm wearing anything and it doesn't transfer. I do find though that it doesn't last long on my skin and has worn off by the end of the day.  Someone mentioned to me on twitter that it broke them out, and I usually wouldn't blame a product for bad skin as I think it depends on a lot of different factors but I do notice that after a day of wearing this (and it could be a coincidence), my spots are more prominent/ severe.
I'm really disappointed in this product and resent wasting an almost full tube but I won't go on using it. I don't know if I'm expecting too much from a BB Cream because I'm used to a foundation albeit light/medium coverage but this just wasn't sufficient for me. I would only recommend this if you are looking for a very light/ no coverage product and/ or have perfect skin. 
Have you tried this? Did you have a better experience than I did?

The Autumn Bucket List

Hey Everyone!

The first official day of autumn is in 2 days! I actually thought it started in early September at the latest but nope- according to my friend Google- 22nd September is the official date. So, with a new season comes a new bucket list. Admittedly, I've been in an autumn mindset for quite a few weeks now. You can't blame me: summer lasts about 2 weeks in Scotland (if we're lucky!)

I've actually already made a start on some of these! I switched up my wardrobe before school started: saying goodbye to those summer dresses for another year (most still unworn) and bringing out my woolly jumpers. I've also been burning candles I want to use up because I recently bought a new three-wick strawberry one but I won't let myself burn it until I've used up my smaller vanilla one and green tealights. I've also got a job woohoo! And as for the 'get back on track with blogging'- I think I'm doing pretty well.

I'm so into bucket lists at the moment I think they're so productive and a great way to look back on and keep track of your goals.

What do you hope to achieve this Autumn?

Vaseline Essential Moisture Clean Feeling Lotion Review

Hey Everyone!
I'm a fan of any kind of freebies: free perfume samples, free printables, even the occasional free biscuit in M&S. So you can imagine my delight when I found these bad boys in my goodie bag after doing a 5k race. They are very, very generous sizes for samples so I managed to get a lot of use out of them and give them a proper road test.
Firstly, the packaging consists of a pale yellow tube with a squeezy (such technical language) top that gives you some basic product information. I don't think its the nicest packaging in the world and wouldn't be particularly drawn to it if I saw it in Boots but it does the job. The fact that its small does make it a lot cuter though. The lid does get quite messy when you're nearing the end of the product though which is slightly annoying.
The actual cream is light, fresh and has a beautiful scent that make me immediately think of summer. The lotion has a nice consistency, particularly for this time of year- not too thick. It therefore absorbs super quickly which is a big plus for me. It doesn't feel sticky or heavy on the skin which is also lovely. 
Best of all- it does what it says on the tin (or tube) and moisturises skin and keeps it soft. For the price, I think this is a great product and now that I've used up my samples I want to buy the full sized one, and maybe even try other varieties. Let's face it- for £2.99- you can't go wrong!
Have you tried this?

The Sunday Post #16

Hey Everyone!

Here I am back again with another weekly update/ diary entry style/ ramble-athon post!

My Life

This week was quite weird as I was only in school for 3/5 days. On Thursday I had work experience all day (which was actually really good!) and then on Friday I was at an open day thingamabob. I think this week has marked the beginning of autumn as the leaves have started falling (I really want to pick up and press some nice ones before they're all rained on!) and the heating has went on. Is it just me or does anyone else like the smell of the radiator being on? Today will hopefully be a catch up day- though I have a pretty unrealistic to do list (when don't I?!)

Update

I'm doing great with the whole scheduled post malarky- I now need to start working on October's posts! On a separate note, would anyone be interested in a blog button swap if I had one in the sidebar?

Favourites of the week 

Song: Katy Perry Rawr- you have no idea how much I've been singing this this week! Alone in my room? Yep. In school? Yep. Humming it to myself randomly in the street without realising? Of course.

Nail Polish: Topshop Nails in Eclipse - I am so in love with this. I am considering breaking my nail polish spending ban and getting another one in a different shade. I have to take it off for work- but I just repaint them after and its on the rest of the week.

TV: I sat down to watch The X Factor last night and I actually really enjoyed it! I haven't seen any of the arena auditions yet but I'm really enjoying the panel. 

How has your week been?

Wardrobe Staple: Biker Jacket

Hey Everyone!
Ok, so I'm a tad late to the party- but at least I've finally showed up! In truth I've wanted a faux leather biker jacket for ages but kept thinking 'No no its just a phase, they'll go out of style and they're too expensive anyhoo.' But in actual fact this style of jacket has been recurring  in shops for the past year or two and is still going strong. So, when I spotted this one in H&M I tried it on and loved it instantly. I decided to make myself wait a few weeks, just to make sure I definitely wanted it, and then purchased it online recently. 

The jacket is supposed to be £29.99 + P&P but I was extremely lucky and managed to find voucher codes online to get 25% off plus an extra £5 off- result! In the end I paid just over £20 which I think is the bargain of the century.
Since it arrived I've worn it a lot and can definitely see it being my go-to for autumn and winter. I love that it goes with many different outfits (I might actually do a How I Style post!) and is a really nice fit and shape.
This is available at H&M and don't forget to google discount codes!
Hope you're all having a good Friday 13th and haven't walked under any ladders or seen any black cats!

My Nail Polish Collection Part 2

Hey Everyone!

As promised, here is the second instalment of my nail polish collection. 

Read My Nail Polish Collection Part 1 first.

NB: Shades are written from left to right

MUA Nail Polish in shades black "2", blue "9", red "8" , green "13", pink "16", nude "19"and purple "Plum Noir"

Nail Quake Nail Varnish in "Shattered Ice", Love Hearts Nail Varnish in shades "Love U 24/7", "I WANT YOU" and "U ROK"

I absolutely love the MUA basic range because they are such good value, apply really easily and have a good selection of colours. Of course MUA have changed their basic nail polish range up and these are no longer available and I've yet to try the new, essie-esque bottles. My favourites were the red and the nude, both of these bottles are repurchases.

The shatter polish was a good way to try the trend while it was around without wasting money. I got the first two Love Hearts nail polishes free with an order I placed online with MUA but I never really wear them. The third is a lovely lilac colour that I really like.

OPI Nail Lacquer in shades "Make Love" and "?" - sorry I've lost the sticker!

I like how much product you get in these bottles but I personally don't get all the hype around OPI. I don't think nail polish is worth paying a lot for as in my opinion there aren't huge differences regarding quality. These are nice enough though and I will use them- especially the purple which is very pretty.

Avon nailwear pro in shade "viva pink", nail experts french manicure duo, nailwear in shade "cotton" and nailwear pro in shade "vintage blue"

I really like the nailwear pro from Avon as they are good value (2 for £5 I think) and have a nice consistency. I'm not so keen on the others as they apply quite streaky. 

Topshop Nails in shades "eclipse" and "ice crush"

I absolutely love Topshop nail polish. Although they're more expensive than other drugstrore brands, they are my favourite because of the packaging, consistency (so opaque after 2 coats) and they dry very quickly. I've been wearing "eclipse" non stop recently as its the only polish I don't peel off. It stays on for ages and is such a pretty olive green/ vibrant blue colour.

LA Colors in shades "treasure island", "infrared", "jewel tone" and "electric charge"

Although the LA Colors range is very affordable, I don't rate them too highly. The glitters especially are really not up to scratch- not opaque at all.

Claire's Nail Polish - sorry I peeled the sticker with shade names off- my bad!

I absolutely love the glitters from Claire's- they're by far the most opaque I've tried and I would definitely recommend them.

Finger Paints Nail Color in shades "art you kidding me?" and "drawn to this shade"

I actually won these in the lovely Melanie's giveaway this time last year and love the names, packaging and colours.

Evie Mai Nail Polish - no shades names

I really like these polishes! The mini brush makes application really easy and they build up well. I especially like the middle shade which is a just-off-white-light-pink. They're very pearly and pretty.

LA Colors Nail Art Pen, Elegant Touch Nail Art Pens

I absolutely loved this LA Colors nail art pen until I dropped it and it smashed all over my floor (what a mess!) so I'll need to buy another. The others are quite sticky and I don't like them as much.

MUA Nail Polish in shade "17"- I added my own glitter- another failed DIY! BHS Nail Polish, Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition

I like the BHS polish as it proves a really pretty, shimmery top coat. I use the Sally Hansen during my many failed attempts to grow my nails but I don't notice a whole lot of difference with it.

So, finally, there we have it. My entire nail polish collection! Do let me know if you have tried any of these and how you got on with them. I'm currently, and have been for the last few months, on a nail polish buying ban because I have so many and I just peel it off my nails when its on (except Topshop eclipse!).

My Nail Polish Collection Part 1

Hey Everyone!
Months ago now, someone commented requesting a nail polish collection post. I love getting requests from you all and this one took me ages to get around to but here I am finally doing it. I'm splitting it up into two parts so the post isn't too huge. I thought I'd just take pictures and tell you a bit about what I think of each. 
NB: Shades are written from left to right

Barry M Nail Paints in 303 "Bright Purple", 295 "Pure Turqoise", 291 "Cobalt Blue" and 272 "Shocking Pink"

I really like the colour range of the Barry M colours. They have a nice consistency and apply well. I do find though that they 'peel' off really easily especially with more than one coat.

Nails Inc Polish in "denim", "warwick avenue" and "beauchamp place"

I haven't actually paid full price for one of these (as mine have been presents/ came with magazines) but I don't think I would. They're good products and have great lasting power but for me they're not worth the £11 price tag.

H&M Nail Polish in various shades.

I think most of these are limited edition (I bought the sets in Barcelona) but for an alternative to Superdrug's selection these are great and because they're dinky you can get through them without them drying up. Only thing I would say is that application is a little tricky.

Missguided Nail Polishes in "missmatch" and "misstique"

I really like these and should wear them more often. I don't wear orange polish a lot (or ever) but these are a nice consistency, last well and have great colour payoff. 

NYC Nail Varnish in "244B Downtown" and "206 East Village"

These are good value for money but are have a very liquidy consistency meanining it can be difficult to apply wthout streaking and if you're impatient (like me!) there's the risk of smudging if you apply too many coats too soon.

w7 Nail Polish in "86 Metallic Mercury", "87 Metallic Venus" and "88 Metallic Mars"

I really like these polishes, especially the glittery one on the left. w7 is a very reasonably priced brand and I think the quality is great so I want to try more from them. I never thought I'd like brown nail polish but these are amazing- they're different colours in different lights and are really nice for autumn/ winter.

Maybelline Express Finish 50 Second Nail Colour, MAX Factor Nailfinity "704 Disco Pink", Collection Lasting Colour "9 Coral Reef", 

I'm not one for top coats as I don't notice improvements in lasting power of the polish, only a nice shine over it, so these clear polishes are a bit unloved. The others are nice, bold colours but are a bit unloved compared to my other nail polishes.

Miss Cole Flawless Finish Trio

Despite the fact these look a little like kids paints, these polishes are actually really nice! I particularly like the silver on the right for a top coat over colours as it gives a shimmery, frosty look- something different!

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in "1037 Fuchsia Fanatic"

I love love love this! Although it came with a slightly higher price tag than what I usually spend on nail polish, I'd say its worth it. This gorgeous shocking pink comes in a pretty big bottle and is really pretty and lasting.

I hope you enjoyed this 'Show and Tell' style post. Some of these polishes have more in depth reviews which you can view by using the search tool in the right sidebar or by clicking the tag "nails" at the end of this post.

Part 2 will be up on Wednesday!

Bed Head Brunette Goddess Review

Hey Everyone!

Remember in my bumper hair related post a few weeks ago I mentioned that when I got back from Africa my mum had (very kindly) bought me the Bed Head shampoo and conditioner minis I'd been lusting after for ages? Well I have used them a good few times now and I thought I'd let you all know how I got on. 

I originally wanted to try these because of my love for the Bed Head Hairspray (used in my How I Curl/ Wave My Hair Tutorial) which was, to date, the best hairspray I've tried and it smelled amazingly of oranges. I was therefore expecting pretty good things from this shampoo and conditioner duo.

The dinky 60ml bottles immediately get the thumbs up packaging wise as they are just so darn cute. I love the shapes of the bottles (they remind me of potions!) and I like that you can see how much product is left.

The shampoo isn't the most concentrated I've tried, and doesn't lather up very well but the conditioner is very rich and a little goes a long way. Definitely the best thing about these though is the smell. In the shower I wasn't sure if I was washing my hair or eating a toffee/ caramel dessert. They smell so delicious! 

After using these products, my hair is slightly more tangly than usual but when it dries it has a nice amount of volume and is very, very soft. 

I won't be buying the full size of these though as I think they're pretty expensive and the only stand out feature is the smell and other than they're its a pretty standard shampoo and conditioner. Aussie is still my favourite but I'm really glad I got to try these and they'll be fab for travelling or using now and again. 

Have you tried any Bed Head products?

Get Organised with a Life Binder!

Hey Everyone!

I've always been interested in the concept of 'Life Binders' since hearing the term in a school organisation youtube video last year. It seemed to me like a very American, 'mumsy' type thing. A few weeks ago though I stumbled across organisation blogs and blogs offering free printable blog planners. I was immediately drawn in as I desperately needed some way of managing my time and collating the numerous lists I have around my room of,  for example, blog posts to write.

First off, for the month of August, I used this free planner and found it so, so useful. I actually wrote and scheduleded the months posts weeks in advance. However, the layout of the planner wasn't quite exactly what I needed so a last week I set about creating my own Blog Organiser and thought while I was at it I may as well incorporate other aspects of my life which needed a bit of order.

My Life Binder contains the categories: "Blog", "Finance" and "Bucket Lists" and I want to add more as ideas come to me. I designed them on Microsoft Word (you can tell I'm a pro haha!) and printed the pages on photo paper. Although the border didn't print off perfectly (there wasn't supposed to be any white edges), I love how they turned out, especially as I've never done anything like it before. I made the dividers out of purple card and I was a bit afraid they ruined it (yet another Julzy DIY Fail), but for convenience purposes they work well.

It was so fun filling out each page and its great having all my lists in one place. I've also been keeping track of my finances which I think is very useful (and eyeopening) in seeing whats coming in and going out, especially now I'm working. 

I'd love to see how you all organise your ideas! Let me know if you try/ already have something similar.