Oh, Christmas Tree!

Hello everyone,

Hope you're all well! Seeing as it's only a week until the big day, I decided to take a few snaps of my Christmas Tree this year to let you in on how it's decorated. I would be fancy and title this 'Decor of the Masses', but to be honest, its just the family Christmas Tree.

I'd love to take credit and say it was me, but truth be told - its all my Mum's doing. She's fab at the arty kind of thing, unlike me who can't even draw a stick man and doesn't have an artistic bone in my body. 

Moving on to Christmas jumpers - I decided to be laughable and purchase one this year. This is the first year me and my family have done this kind of thing, but I'd like to think maybe it will turn into a tradition which will be cute. My jumper this year was from Primark at only £9, which is a bargain! I've seen some fab ones from Topshop, but no way could I justify spending £30+ on a jumper I'd wear once a year, so decided to settle on this adorable gingerbread man from good old Primark.

So this post is pretty irrelevant, and I'm running out of things to say, just wanted to give a little insight to Christmas in my household - probably should stop typing now....

I hope you all have an amazing Christmas, get to spend it with the people you love and get everything you wish for.

Questions of the post: What are your family's Christmas traditions?
What is on your wishlist this year?

Thank you for reading,

Hair Growth Products: Do they really work?

Growing my hair has been important to be since about a year ago when I stupidly decided to cut it to my shoulders, from the length of around below my chest. I've spent hours upon hours researching what is the best thing to 'speed up' hair growth and am sure I have tried and tested nearly everything.

If you've watched any videos on hair growth, I'm sure you would have heard about Main 'n Tail. Its a tried and trusted shampoo & conditioner that was origianlly used for horses. Yep, I thought it sounded weird too, but with all the hype these products were getting for hair strengthening and growth, I decided to give them a go. They're relatively cheap too at £6.00 for both the shampoo & conditioner from eBay, which is a bargain to me. 

The first time I used these products I fell in love. The shampoo is both clarifying and moisturising, and leaves my hair feeling great after I've used it. The conditioner is great for an everyday conditioner, however it isn't super moisturising, but I still absolutely love it.

Another product that would come up often is hair growth vitamins, specifically Biotin. I've tried many types of Biotin from Holland & Barrett's 1,000mcg Biotin to the Natrol Biotin 10,000mcg. Biotin does not claim to make hair grow, however claims to promote healthy hair. I find that the Biotin I'm using definitely does this. Most 'hair growth' products will never actually make your hair grow, unfortunately that product doesn't exist yet. However, hair growth products will keep your hair looking and feeling healthier so that when it does grow, it will ultimately be prestige.

The Biotin I'm currently using is by Natrol, which I got from Amazon. You get 100 tablets and are advised to take 1 a day. I've been taking Biotin for a few months now and although I don't really see that much of a difference in the rate my hair grows (it grows about the same rate as before), I definitely feel like my hair is stronger because of this.

In terms of the Main 'n Tail shampoo & conditioner, once again I'd say that although I haven't seen a massive difference in my hair growth, it appears healthier and stronger which would mean I would not need to have it cut, thus growing longer.

I'd say Biotin is the first step to growing hair, as its nourishing from the inside - along with nourishing from the outside with a good shampoo and conditioner like Mane 'n Tail. I'll continue to use these products to see if it changes my results and update you all in the near future!

Do you have any tips or products that aid hair growth? Let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Mini Lush Haul!

The other day my Dad decided to surprise me with some Lush goodies, which is lovely as I haven't really been to Lush in a while! (My obsession has sadly faded a little, oops.) Both products I received I have never actually tried before, which is even better. 

(I'm not too sure if this counts as a haul, but I'll call it that anyway!)

The first thing I got was The Olive Branch shower gel - going to be a typical blogger/vlogger and just say 'THIS SMELLS AMAZING!!!' because it really does. The scent is to me is the typical Lush scent (You know when you walk into a Lush store and are taken over by that scent? Yep, its that one!), mixed with a herbal fragrance. This to me just smells like heaven and I absolutely love it! 

As you can see from the picture, there are two layers which Lush advises to be shaken together to get the best out of the shower gel.

I always love Lush shower gels and have tried many over the years, so can't wait to try this one and see how it goes, especially with all the gorgeous ingredients that are in this bottle of goodness!

The next product is a bath bomb called Granny Takes a Dip! The reasoning behind my Dad getting this one for me is a boutique that was opened in the 60's. With my Dad being a total hippy, he clearly loved the idea of this and bought it! I'm so happy he did because wow, this smells amazing. The smell to me is on the side of citrus, however has an element of a powdery scent too!

I've browsed online for pictures of the bath bomb in action as I haven't used it yet, and it looks amazing! Might even be a contender to my favourite Twilight bath bomb!

I'm so happy I have some new Lush products to try, its been a while and I always love trying new things!

Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?
Do you have an all time favourite Lush product? Let me know, because I'd love to get back into Lush and give it a go!

Thanks for reading,

 

My 18th Birthday!

So as you might've figured out, I had a week off from blogging as finally my 18th birthday came around! (Nope, still dont feel any different I'm afraid.) As I said, I had a week off as lets just say I spent a few nights out clubbing....oops. 

Unfortunately, I dont have too many pictures from my birthday itself (except for terrible quality iPhone snaps), so thought I'd tell you about it instead

My birthday itself consisted at clubbing from 12am on the Wednesday 13th (I'm sneaky, I had this figured out!), along with an amazing buffet in the evening. I wish I brung my camera and had good quality pictures of the buffet, it was perfect and included delicious little M&S nibbles.

The day after my birthday I went to a spa with my Auntie, and oh my goodness - best experience ever. It was a hotel spa and it was just fabulous. Sauna, steam room, pool and more - so so amazing! After that we went for a facial, which was my first ever and wow. I need a facial everyday after that. Literally the best experience ever, resulting to me nearly falling asleep in the process. Decleor products were used which made the process even more relaxing from the gorgeous herbal scent of the products.

In terms of what I recieved, I just asked for money and that is what I got! (Along with a few novelty 18 gifts which I have to love.) With the money I recieved, I decided to upgrade my laptop. I previously had a Chromebook, which although I love, is quite limited so decided I needed to switch back to Windows and I'm so glad that I did! I finally have all of my editing software back so I'm considering making videos again. I stopped due to the fact my previous laptop broke (so unlike me, I'm always so careful but that time I was extremely unlucky), where I was able to edit and always be happy with my videos, but since my laptop broke before all my videos were kind of 'meh' to me. However, like I said I'm considering making videos again but thats not a promise!

That is all for this post, hope I gave you all an insight to my 18th birthday, it was fab!

Thanks for reading, 

       

All Time Favourite Lush Product

Lush has been my favourite bath and body brand for years now - ever since the beginning of my Lush journey in around 2009/10 with the Honey Bee bath bomb. 

However, my love for Lush was extended even more when Twilight was released.
Lush bath bombs are known for their strong scents and patterns in the bath tub -  Twilight is different though. I believe Twilight is the only bath bomb with a bubble bar that is also inside, meaning not only does it give a gorgeous colour and effect that all Lush bath bombs give, but fills your tub with a crazy amount of bubbles too!

When fully fizzed, this bath bomb gives a gorgeous effect (sadly I don't have a picture!) of a pink, blue and  purple galaxy sky which looks simply amazing and makes the bath water a gorgeous consistency, full of oils and fab ingredients. This itself makes it hands down my favourite bath bomb.

 However, we have to talk about the scent. To me, this smells a mix of lavender and vanilla, which is definitely one of my favourite scents. The scent makes the joys of bathtime even more relaxing and is great to use just before bed to wind down and relax.

I'd definitely recommend this for any Lush virgins (I had to say that) or even any experienced Lushies to try out if you haven't before! The smell is one thing, but just see how amazing it'll make your bath water and you'll thank me! At the price of £3.25, this is a real treat.

What is YOUR favourite Lush product? Is there anything you think I should try out? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Thanks for reading,

 

Summer Days

Here is a little unexpected mid-week post from me! Today me and my bestie Charlotte ventured out to the park to film her Summer Lookbook for her channel (go give it a visit here).

(Shameless self promo: I filmed & edited this video, very proud, very freaking proud). 

Thought I'd share this all with you as Lottie needs a hell of a lot more views because her videos are amazing (not just saying that because she's my friend but yes.)

If you go and give Charlotte's channel a peek, I'll give you a macaroon for your troubles.
P.S. There will be a post on Friday - my post schedule is Monday & Friday now, so consistency could be a thing for me.........

Thanks for reading,

 

Top 4: Hair Oils

Over the last couple of years, a number of brands have created hair oils which are now a staple in a lot of people's hair care routines. Hair oils can provide nourishment to your hair, giving the appearance of healthy and shiny locks in a bottle!

Since the hair oil craze has came about, I have tried a number of them and due to that, found my favourites - narrowing it down to four that I am going to share with you today.

Just a little bit of background on my hair - it is short to medium length, medium thickness and has been dyed and bleached far too much, but overall relatively healthy. 

To keep this post short and to the point, I'm going to answer a couple of points for each of the four products, but just know I absolutely love all of these hair oils!

L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil:
Consistency: Light, great for applying to both wet and dry hair.
My use: I use this oil on both wet and dry hair, which is a plus because there are some oils I have tried that I feel like I can only use on wet hair for example. I feel like this oil is great for all types of hair, thin or thick. Although for a drugstore hair oil it is on the higher end at around £9.99 in Boots & Superdurg (as of August 2014), it is an amazing oil and nowhere near the price of Moroccan Oil for example.

Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment:
Consistency: Thick, in a sense quite heavy but very moisturising.
My use and thoughts: This oil has been all over the blogosphere in the last couple of years, and I can see why! Its an amazing oil that I use on wet hair as its heavier than any other oil I have tried, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a great oil for wet hair as that is when it will be absorbed best. With having fine-ish hair, this oil is definitely not too heavy for my hair, just make sure you use a minimal amount! Although the price is about £20, this is an amazing oil that will definitely moisturise hair and give an amazing finish to the ends especially.

TRESemme Liquid Gold Oil:
Consistency: Thin, amazing for wet and dry hair.
My use and thoughts: I used to use this oil on both wet and dry hair (until I found the L'Oreal oil), but now I just use it on dry to finish a style and keep ends looking fresh and moisturised. This is a great oil as it is light so amazing for what I use it for of finishing a style on dry hair. Another thing that's a pro of this product is the price - with it being a TRESemme product, you'll be able to find it in drugstores and supermarkets. A lot of the times I've seen it, it has been on offer which is even better!

got2be Oil-Licious Styling Oil:
Consistency: Thin to medium.
My use and thoughts: I personally use this oil on dry hair to finish a style and this is one of my favourites to that. When my hair has flyaways or is looking particularly dry, I use this to finish the style and it adds moisture back into my hair making it look incredibly healthy again. This is another of the budget hair oils again, only being around £3.99 in drugstores and supermarkets. A little goes a long way with this hair oil so will definitely last you a while!

What is your favourite hair oil? Have you tried any of my favourites? Let me know in a comment below!

Thank you for reading,

 

Lily Flame Candles - Daisy Dip

Lily Flame candles have been popular for years now, but to my dismay, I have only recently got my hands on one when seeing it for the first time in a little interior boutique in a seaside town I was visiting. With Daisy Dip being one of four of the scents the shop had, I decided to pick it up.

Smelling all four of the Lily Flame candles in the shop, I was close to caving and buying all four of them, but had to restrain myself and decided it was best to purchase one initially, try it out and then decide. 

Trying it out, I've decided I definitely want to purchase some more! I'm not really a candle person, this is the first ever candle I've bought for myself, but the Lily Flame candles have completely converted me! 

Daisy Dip specifically smells floral as you would expect - it is quite sweet but not overwhelming and a gorgeous fragrance for Spring/Summer as it is very uplifting and fills the whole room with a beautiful smell. 

If you want to try a Lily Flame candle (I'll most definitely be trying a whole lot more!), they're available from the official Lily Flame website, John Lewis Online, Debenhams Online (most likely in-store too), along with the a few boutiques out and about. 

Have you tried Lily Flame candles? What is your favourite scent? Leave a comment below and let me know!

Thank you for reading,