Happy Hair Days

Confession time... I am a haircare junkie. I am attracted to haircare products like a bee is to honey, like a magpie to silver. I can never have too many lotions and potions sprawled over my dressing table and bathroom window ledge promising me flowing locks so full, thick, smooth and glossy it will spark hair envy in even the most virtuous of people and have women begging me to know the secret to my heavenly hair. Those promises have never been fulfilled, however, i am not giving up hope that i will one day get my mitts on an elixir that will give me hair so fabulous people will think i sold my soul to the devil himself. Until that day i will spend hours perusing hair aisles like a phantom deciding which product to try next. The latest ones are these

Happy Hair Days Shampoos and Conditioners in Smoothing Blueberry & Pear, Glossing Lemongrass & Basil and Colour Care Marshmallow and Coconut.

During my regular raid through my local Sainsbury's hair aisle my eyes fell upon these Happy Hair Days shampoo and conditioners. I was doubtful about the quality of the products at first, mainly because i'd never heard of the brand and also because the packaging isn't brilliant looking but after reading they contain no nasty parabens or SLS (which ironically are found in most hair products even though they are awful for your hair) i could feel my first impressions changing. I then seen the scents of the products and was reeled in even more. Why wouldn't i want my hair to smell of blueberries and pears or marshmallow and coconut? The lids were popped open faster than a lightening bolt and i waited for their sweet aroma to stimulate my senses. Okay, so maybe i was asking for a bit much from a shampoo but they do smell lovely. Their subtle fragrances seem natural and fresh rather than false and overpowering.

Front of the glossing shampoo bottle.

One characteristic of SLS free shampoos is they don't seem to foam up much which, if your anything like me, is a big no no. I think it's a psychological thing of if it's not foaming up then it's not cleaning my hair (I have the same view on toothpaste. I hate those ones that hardly foam up! Anyway, i digress.) That is not a problem with the Happy Hair Days' shampoos. Their thin, watery consistency is quite deceiving as they foam up really well and leave my hair squeaky clean. Speaking of consistency the creaminess of the conditioner is to die for. It's so thick and makes your hair so easy to de-tangle; i love putting it in my hair. It must be said i didn't find the colour care conditioner did much for my hair but the smoothing one works perfectly for me.


Another thing i like is the company's ethics. On all their products they state"We believe in keeping things natural and are proud to claim our gentle hair care products are free from parabens, sodium laureth sulfates and mineral oils. We aren't perfect but we try to use "good stuff" where we can!" They are not claiming that their products are completely pure and chemical free but they're trying their best to make them as good for your hair as possible. It's honesty like this that instills trust in a brand and encourages me to be a loyal customer. 

Back of the glossing shampoo bottle.

Overall Happy Hair Days really has left me happy. It leaves my hair smelling, feeling and looking fresh and clean and works well in conjunction with the Argan Oil I purchased from Boots. If you're thinking of purchasing Sainsbury's have it down from the regular price of £3.99 for 300ml to £2.66 (though the regular price is pretty reasonable in my opinion!)


Have your tried any of the Happy Hair Days products? Or any other paraben and SLS free shampoos and conditioners? Let me know what you think.

Beauty Bargains at Superdrug and Boots

Popped down to my local shopping centre with my mum earlier on today and thought i'd put up what i purchased.

Nothing special or amazing, apart from the prices which i'll get on to further down, but sometimes it's nice to just see what the shops have in stock and window shop instead of purchasing loads (which i wish i could do and subsequently have to stop myself from doing when i go shopping).

You're probably thinking why I picked up three shower gels, no it's not because i am smelly, but because i am absolutely in love with Original Source Showers Gels; not only do they smell amazing but they use natural fragrances and essential oils so they don't irritate my eczema like most shower gels that smell like Original Source do. I rely on the lemon and tea tree and lime gels to give me an extra early morning boost and the shea butter and honey gel is so soothing and comforting, lovely on a cold day. The best part of the purchase is that these were 99p each. Yep, Superdrug have Original Source discounted from the regular price of £2.29 for a 250ml bottle to just 99p. What a bargain! I am so tempted to pick up more. If you haven't tried them yet go to your local Superdrug and give them a sniff, they smell so good. There is such a variety of scents you're sure to find one you like and for 99p you can hardly go wrong!

My next bargain is a £1 Mascara from Boots. I was pleasantly surprised when i received my monthly Boots Advantage Card Vouchers to see one of the vouchers entitled me to get a 17 Wild Curls Mascara which normally retails for £6.29 for just £1! I love my bargains and this was one i was not going to turn down. I tried the mascara when i got home and i have to say it's not that bad. It's slightly gloopy but it gives good enough coverage and some volume and i'm not going to complain when i got it for a pound. If you haven't got a Boots Advantage Card i highly recommend you get one. They are free to apply for, you can get great deals with the vouchers they send you and the points quickly add up which you can then use to purchase products from Boots.

Which brings me to my last purchase Argania Organic Moroccan Argan Hair Oil. The ends of my hair are in such a state from bleaching them they need a lot of conditioning and treating to keep them from looking and feeling frazzled. I have heard nothing but good things about Argan Oil so it's been on my shopping radar for a while now and when i seen i had enough Advantage Card points to pay for one i sweeped a bottle lovingly into my arms and marched over to the till waving my Advantage Card at the assistant. I was itching to smell it for the duration of my shopping trip and as soon as my foot was through my front door the lid was off. It's has wonderful warm vanilla-ry tones that are so subtle you could easily use it on not only dry hair but on your skin too. I say this as some hair treatments such as Ojon tend to have a strong, almost overwhelming fragrance which can be off putting to some but you can use this without feeling like your smelling whole rooms up.

Now i'm off to get my makeup kit sorted and relax for the evening as i've got to be up bright and early, 6.30 am to be precise, to assist at a wedding.

Have you tried any of these products? Got any great bargains over the past few weeks? Have you got a Boots card? Let me know your thoughts and opinions!

Time Flies...

After reading through this i've really just how long this post is. Sorry!

Can you believe it's been four months since i last blogged. Where does the time go?! I have had a pretty busy past few months. Full of make up courses, acting classes and now driving lessons (eep!).

Also found a love for cooking food so i'm always in the kitchen when i can rustling something up. Absolutely loving Chinese cuisine at the moment especially now that I have Gok Wan's cook book which is full of simple but tasty dishes. I have stocked up on all the main sauces and seasonings used for oriental cuisine which are Light Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Fish Sauce, Sesame Oil, Groundnut Oil,  Shaoxing Rice Wine and Rice Vinegar according to Gok. If you are interested in cooking then Chinese is a good cuisine to start with as most recipes share similar ingredients and they don't take long to make. The hardest part is finding a good shop to purchase your ingredients. If you live in SE London i suggested you try FLK Chinese Groceries in Catford, a small but well stocked shop run by a lovely lady named Lai.

Been on a bit of a health kick recently which i think was triggered since quite a few family and friends have taken ill. I've always been kind of aware of  health, good food and exercise but for the first time i've really thought about my body and how i treat it. I am trying to drink more water (i have been known to go a whole day without it) and I try to eat as much fruit and vegetables possible and make them my main source of nutrition and then add on things like meats, nuts, noodles, rice, cous cous and quinoa as 'extras' or 'sides'. I'm not super strict with what i eat as i'll end up rebelling so i just make sure to eat 'good foods' 80% of the time and the other 20% i'll eat whatever i feel like eating.

A great way of introducing more fruit and veg into your diet is making smoothies and juices. I use the magic bullet to blend my fruit and veg to make smoothies. The great thing is you can really go to town and blend whatever you want together. I love mixing apple, carrot and fresh ginger to make a refreshing, zingy drink and you can't go wrong with mixing berries.

Exercise wise i try to get 30 - 45 minutes of cardio/strength a day to get my blood pumping and my muscles moving. I don't follow one specific plan as i get bored and demotivated really quick when it comes to exercising so i switch it up everyday. I have some workout dvds by Jillian Michaels and Davina McCall which kick butt literally and figuratively. Youtube is an amazing source of workout videos; some of my fav channels are Tone It Up, Blogilates, Fitness Blender, Tiffany Rothe, Be Fit and Spark People.  They offer a wide range of exercises for all levels of fitness so check them out!

Been thinking a lot about my future recently and what i want to do with my life and haven't got too far really haha. But on a serious note i feel like it's something many people struggle with and can be a source of great stress and confusion (it is for me at least!) I've always been interested in a wide range of things so i never really know what career path to follow. One day i'll wake up and want to be an actress, or a make up artist, then a fashion designer, interior designer, a writer, maybe an artist and even a scientist! So you can see my dilemma. After being out of education for a few years my want to learn has come back with some force. I've been thinking about doing an undergraduate degree with The Open University. This is not a decision to rush and i want to be sure i choose something that i love and will be of relevance. There are a few degrees that have caught my eye so have sent off for the prospectus and will be researching further. Hopefully i'll have a lightbulb moment and will know exactly what to do.

Phew, that was a lot of writing. But in my defence i did have four months to catch up on. If you got this far thank you for sticking with the post!

What foods do you love? Do you exercise? Is health and fitness something you're interested in? How do you feel about 'the future'? Have you studied with or know someone who's studied with Open Uni? What degree did you do at uni? I would love to know your thoughts and opinions so please feel free to leave a comment.

(Mc)Queen of my Heart

Vogue UK

McQueen showcased their McQ A/W collection yesterday at London Fashion Week. One thing to note about me is that i am completely obsessed with Alexander McQueen and think they can do no wrong so am probably biased. I have always loved the creativity and detail behind McQueen's creations and love how the shows are more like an art exhibition than a regular catwalk show.

 The Huffington Post

My Daily

As you can see by the pictures the main colours are deep greens, navys and reds and blacks. The collection starts off very military with khaki greens and uniform like shoulders and pockets and ends up feminine gothic with velvet jackets and velvet floral detailing on tulle skirts. I think the flower dresses are beautiful. You can zoom in to the photos on Vogue's website and see how amazing the colours and detailing are. Love the shade of red used; very rich and luxurious. And it wouldn't be McQueen without a bit of kilt and tartan!

I think the collection is gorgeous and actually very wearable. I can't wait for the Alexander McQueen A/W collection showing at Paris Fashion Week. It's the last show so i'm hoping they are leaving the best till last.

Nail Rock Rocks?

When i was out shopping a couple of days ago i seen packets of Nail Rock Nail Wraps in quite a few shops. Nail wraps have become very popular recently mainly as it means you can have colourful designs on your nails in a few minutes without the hassle of using nail polish or nail art pens. I remember i got a nail foil kit years ago for my birthday but it wasn't very good. Or maybe i was just doing it wrong! Whatever it was i'm now curious to get my hands on some of these nail wraps to see if they've improved. I'm liking the look of these two packs.

'Tattoo' pack. This pack is so cute. Love the pastels and retro designs.

'Spots and Stripes' pack. These would look very impressive on anyone's hands. I like how there is so much detail on each design.

I also seen on Nail Rock's website that they do eye and lip 'tattoos'. Would love to try out these eye ones. Think would look great if done right.

Going to keep an eye out, excuse the pun, for the eye liner pack (they photo at the end) as that has four designs in it!

They are reasonably priced with the nail wrap packs selling for £6.65 on the Nail Rocks website and the eye tattoos from £5.99.

Have you tried any of these or something similar? What did you think? I'd love to know :)

Room Cleaning

Spent most of the day tidying my room. It never stays neat for long and no doubt it will return to it's usual messiness by next weekend. Best part was finding £70 in an envelope from my birthday. I feel rich now! I actually found cleaning really relaxing. The rain was taping at the windows and Rebecca Ferguson and Lana Del Rey were playing in the background (both albums are great  and if you haven't listened to them yet do so.)

How have you spent your saturday?

Materials, Fabrics and Textures at London Fashion Week Day One

Done a bit of a different type of fashion week post. I've put together an image board of close ups of clothing so you can get an idea of what colours, textures and fabrics were used. There were lots of sequins, beads and glitter to add sparkle. Bright prints showed up on quite a few catwalks. The prints were very graphic with flowing white lines cutting through bleeding oranges, greens and purples. Rough tweed suits and big knits on jumpers appeared on several catwalks too. Liked the use of ruffles and feathers to give a bit of volume and texture. As you can see the main colours were navy, black, purple with splashes of oranges and reds.

I think this type of post is an easier way to get an idea of what is on the runways. Let me know if you like it and i'll do more!


All images from Vogue.

Shopping Trip

Went to my local shopping centre to do a bit of retail therapy. Only got to a few shops but seen tons of clothes i could've bought. This lottery win needs to happen asap! Anywho here's what i picked up:

Sesame Street Top and Star Shorts Pyjama Set - Primark
Leopard Print and Roses Knot Top - Primark
Grey Jogging Bottoms - H&M
Beige Mac - Vero Moda
Silver Bracelets - Market Stall
Black Jeans - H&M
Suede Shorts - H&M
British Flag Sweater - Primark
Cream and Black Cardigans - H&M

• The suede shorts from H&M were too nice to pass up. They feel lovely and can be worn all seasons; with brown tights or leggings in the winter then bare legs in the summer. They will go perfectly with a pair of leopard print wedges i have!
• I am such an Anglophile i can never resist anything to do with Britain or London and this sweater i found in the mens section of Primark is a mix of both. The union flag filled in with images of London landmarks. Really like the neutral colours.
• Been looking for a cream cardigan for ages that was the right shade and size and today i finally found it in H&M. I liked it so much i picked it up in black too. I rely on cardigans during the spring for that little bit of cover when it's still a bit chilly but not cold enough for a jacket.
• As much as i love clothes and fashion i can be a right slob at home and like a lot of girls i love lazing around with my hair in a bun, no make up on wearing a sweater and jogging bottoms. These are a lovely grey colour but the photo doesn't really do them justice. I got these from the boy's section at H&M. I'm a size 10 and i have quite wide hips, these are age 14+ and fit perfectly. They are also cheaper than the adult section as these were only £5.99. I know where i'm going for my joggers from now on!

• I am praying for the warm weather to come soon so i've already started buying clothes for summer. Picked this lovely floaty knot top from Primark for a fiver. The colours are lovely and when i tried it on at home i realised that when paired with black jeans the black and pink in the top really stand out and when paired with creams and beiges the browns and creams in the top come through and make for a subtle outfit. You would honestly think i had a different top on.
• The black jeans peeking out from the top are from H&M. They have a lovely wet look to them and are super flattering. Don't have a pair like them so they'll sit well in my forever growing jeans collection.

• Time for my novelty purchase. I always go for wacky/fun pyjamas and this sesame street pyjama set from Primark tick all the boxes. Childhood, colourful, fun it's all there.

• Got these two silver bracelets from the market. I am obsessed with roses so i was sold on that bracelet straight away and when i seen the deal of two for £10 i searched for another one to go with it and found the butterfly bracelet.

•  Now for my super duper bargain. I've been meaning to get a mac for so long now and when i seen this one in Vero Moda on sale for £12 i couldn't say no. It fits just right and is good for when the weather starts getting a bit milder. Vero Moda do some amazing deals/sales so if you have one near you it's good to pop in every now and then.

• Serious pick of me haha. Please excuse my awful ghost face. Tried out some of the eyeshadows from the Bobbi Brown Nude Palette i got. The colours are lovely and there's a good mix of shimmers and mattes meaning you can create a lot of different looks. Might do a proper post on it soon. 

Hope you all have a lovely weekend :)