Monday, 12 November 2012

NOTD: Black Cherries




I am absolutely loving dark, berry shades on my nails lately. I picked up Black Cherries in Boots last week and there was an offer on so I picked up Black Cab too as I couldn't find a black polish in my collection. I originally was going to use Black Cherries alone but I found it to be missing something on its own. I decided to layer it over Black Cab and got this much deeper, richer finish. Under a good light or sunlight this has a beautiful ruby shimmer to it which I love. Its not quite up there with my love for Barry M's Gelly Polish in Blackcurrant but that's a story for another post :) Stay tuned!

Products Used

Illamasqua Base Coat
Rimmel Lasting Finish Black Cab
Rimmel Lasting Finish Black Cherries
Illamasqua Top Coat

♥ ♥ ♥

Are you loving berry shades on your nails for A/W 2012? What are your polishes of choice?

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Friday, 9 November 2012

Winter Hair Care

Just as you think your hair is finally getting over the summer months, winter starts to roll in. So with
a new season comes a new hair care regime. The ravages of winter such as cold winds, pouring rain,
icy snaps and central heating can all wreak havoc on your tresses. So here are some top tips to keep
your hair looking healthy during the cold winter months!


Don't over wash your hair - Shampoo your hair less frequently during the winter months and make
sure to condition after each wash. Frizz is a result of dry, broken strands of hair aka lack of moisture
so to combat frizz wash your hair every third day or every other day if you must. Also avoid washing
your hair in excessively hot water as it can be very drying and to lock in moisture rinse with cold
water (eek!)

Deep condition more often - During the winter months your hair tends to become dryer, so once
a week treat your hair to a deep conditioning treatment to keep it soft and silky smooth. Deep
conditioning your hair will also will give your hair more protection and prevent damage. My absolute favourite conditioning treatment is the VO5 Treat Me Right Rinse Out Deep Conditioning Treatment. It smells lovely and leaves my hair super soft and silky!

Cut back on heat - Avoid using heated appliances as much as possible. Over using your blow dryer,
curling iron or flat iron will all contribute to dry damaged hair. Since I had my fringe cut in recently, I've been whipping my GHDs out frequently but I'm trying to limit the number of uses in a week. And I haven't turned into a haystack yet!


Wrap up - Wear a scarf, hat or cap which will protect your hair from the cold and from getting
tangled in the wind. Personally I'm all over this. Wearing a hat helps to keep my hair in place when it's chilly and windy. And if I do get caught out, my handy Tangle Teezer saves the day without damaging my hair.

Tie your hair up - Tying your hair up as much as possible will limit your hair’s exposure to the harsh
winter elements that can cause frizzy, static hair. Why not choose a topknot or fishtail braid; both of
these hairstyles are bang on trend this winter.

Haircuts - Make sure to go for a trim every 6 to 8 weeks to eliminate any split ends which will keep
your hair looking healthy and shiny.


I've had a fringe cut in :D

Avoid leaving the house with wet hair - Make sure to dry your hair completely before going
outside, the cold weather can cause your hair to freeze at the cuticle and cause it to break resulting
in frizzy damaged looking hair. Nobody wants to look like a frizzy Fiona do they? I'll admit I used to do this a lot (hope my hairdresser doesn't read this!), but if I give myself an extra 20 minutes or so in the morning I can ensure my hair is nice and dry before braving the chilly temperatures.

Avoid static hair/wind struck hair - Spray a small amount of hairspray onto your hair brush and
brush through. Use a good leave in conditioner to avoid tangling and breakage from windy weather. Static hair is driving me insane lately and I've recently rediscovered a hair saviour to help. I've also found a good hair serum can be a god send! My favourites are the Biosilk Silk Therapy serum to use on wet hair, and the VO5 Smoothly Does It serum on dry hair.

Eat a good balanced diet - Make sure to eat protein rich foods and to drink plenty of water. Protein
is essential for growth and repair and water will rehydrate your hair and scalp. I really must try to drink more water, I'm terrible especially at work when I get so carried away I forget to stop and rehydrate.

Don’t succumb to dry frizzy unmanageable hair this winter by booking a treatment or haircut at one
of SalonAddict’s member salons. Salon Addict takes the headache out of desperately telephoning around salons to book an appointment. The online salon booking service is perfect for those who need a last minute hair or beauty appointment. Perfect for the upcoming party season!

♥ ♥ ♥

How will you be styling your hair this winter?

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Wednesday, 7 November 2012

These are a few of my favourite things

October saw a flurry of new products quickly becoming my new favourites but in a bid to cut down my stash, I've rediscovered a couple of old favourites too!


♥ Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation
Lately the weather is up and down and my skin with it. What better to use than a reliable foundation. I'd forgotten I had Light As Air to be honest, despite me raving about it when I first discovered it. What a fickle Fiona! On my not so good skin days or when I feel like I've needed extra coverage, I've been reaching for this foundation. It's a shame about the Jemma Kidd range, but I hope she finds new investors soon so we can all get our mitts on this foundation again.

♥ Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint in Blackberry
Oh girls, I'm in love. With this polish. I can't stop applying it. I've used this in consecutive manis lately. And trust me, this never happens. It is unheard of. Well, I did say I was a fickle Fiona. Blackberry is a beautiful dark purple with incredible staying power. My first mani lasted 6 days without chipping. For me that is amazing. And the colour goes with everything. Absolutely everything. Its my A/W polish of choice.

♥ GOSH Boombastic Mascara
I hadn't used a GOSH mascara in quite some time until Leanne gave me this. I was a bit sceptical when I saw the chunky tube because this usually means humongous brush that clumsy Claudia here will poke her eye out with. Just for the record, I don't recommend it. It freaking hurts. If any of you have tried the Avon Supershock Mascara, then the brush is similar to that. The mascara itself is quite good. It coats all of my lashes defining and adding volume and length. The one thing that niggles me a teeny bit is the consistency. It reminds me of Urban Decay Curling Mascara as its quite sort of 'wet' for want of a better word. I always manage to get it everywhere. What a messy pup.


♥ Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato
This is my go to lip product. Simple make up, slick of black liner and this on the lips has become my usual look lately. It's a lipstick/lip balm hybrid with a fabulous staying power. It applies easily, is well pigmented and has a great texture. There are quite a few more that I'm eyeing up too! And with the Chubby Stick Intense range launching this month, I suspect a few of those will end up in my collection too.

♥ VO5 Ultimate Hold Weather Resistant Hairspray
I've always had a love/hate relationship with hairspray. I'd hate the smell, the way it left my hair feeling, the way it covered everything in a film and that it would never survive inclement weather. But I loved the way it'd tame my hair and keep my style looking good. I picked this up on a whim after I saw a fellow blogger mention how good this was. I'm a fan of brand in general so I had no hesitation in dropping it into my shopping basket. I'm pleased to say, the scent is not offensive, it doesn't leave my hair feeling horrible and my hair survives this wintery weather. Hurrah!


♥ NYX Cream Blush in Glow
Cream blushes are the one thing that I can rely on when I'm in a rush. They give a lovely effortless finish to my cheeks and I can never over do it thanks to easy way they blend into the skin. I remember when I first bought this, I barely used anything else. I tidied up my make up drawer a few weeks ago and I found this lingering at the back. I've fallen back in love. The teeniest dab of this gives me such a natural flush of colour that really perks me up. I'm holding out for the Cherry Culture sale in late November when I can pick up some more NYX products.

♥ GOSH Intense Eyeliner Pen in Black
This is another item that I must thank Leanne for. I was a bit of a wary Wanda when I opened it. I've never gotten on with these marker pen type liners. I pushed my doubts aside to give this a try. I'm so glad I did. This liner is a true black, easy to apply and very long lasting. I've actually found it a lot easier to do my eye liner using this lately!

♥ ♥ ♥

Are any of your favourites here? Tell me which items you've been loving this month :)

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Monday, 5 November 2012

Things I learnt in October 2012

Source

001. Lazy Mondays are the best

002. If you want something doing properly, do it yourself.

003. I need a PA.

004. I'm too much of a perfectionist for my own good.

005. Going to work when you're ill sucks. But free coffee and cake helps.

006. Do not underestimate the power of Night Nurse!

007. Nickelback are AMAZING live!!!


008. You can't buy CDs anywhere these days.

009. Unexpected traffic jams suck.

010. Midweek PJ and DVD days are the best

011. You can't beat old school comedy for cheering you up

012. Cooking for one is just boring

013. Barry M's Gelly polishes are amazing!

014. Simple make up with a statement lip is pure perfection.

015. You can get Hersheys in Asda!

Source

016. I have a thing for guys with accents.

017. Live TV drama is always a buzz!

018. Bingo is a bit of a bore off sometimes.

019. Sleek Rose Gold Blush is my holy grail blush. There, I said it.

020. Planes amaze me.

021. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is brilliant!

022. I'm always too concerned about what other people think.

023. I love being an organised Olivia.

Source

024. Nights out with the girls are always a perfect pick me up :)

025. Its surprising how good a new hair cut feels!

026. I hate being messed around.

027. Winter is most definitely here.

028. Mother Nature is scary.

029. Homemade soup is the best.

030. CBeebies is surprisingly addictive...

031. Halloween is always a laugh at work!

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How was October for you? Did you learn anything new?

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Friday, 26 October 2012

Product Rave: Tangle Teezer

Hello, my name is sceptical Sarah. Or at least it was. You see, I thought these Tangle Teezers were a bit of a con. "You can't beat a good old hair brush" was what I used to say. Yes, that's right ladies - past tense! I had a hair appointment yesterday at a new salon. I was surprised when after my quite frankly brilliant hair wash, the stylist picked up a Tangle Teezer to tame my locks. 'Brilliant' I thought - a chance to see it in action!


After washing my hair, I find it to be a little bit unmanageable because of the length. The thing that's so great about Tangle Teezers is that the're designed to detangle wet or dry hair without causing discomfort and without breaking your hair, unlike a normal brush would. I was beyond surprised when the Tangle Teezer glided through my hair pain-free without pulling.

Luckily, the salon sell them and I picked up this super cute Compact Styler in leopard print for £12. This is slightly different to the normal Tangle Teezer as this is a bit smaller than the regular version. It fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, and has a cover for the bristles which is great for carrying around in your bag for those windy days when you need to style your hair on the go. 

♥ ♥ ♥

Tangle Teezers start from £10.99 in Boots

Have you tried a Tangle Teezer? I'm actually looking forward to washing my hair again to use mine!

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