What I Got for my Birthday 2016

Birthday cake from my Dad

Hey!


On the 3rd of April it was my 19th birthday. The day before I had a meal with my friends at Las Iguanas and went out down town with my boyfriend. Then on Sunday I went for a meal with my family and boyfriend (at the same place!) and we all hung out in the garden afterwards playing with my niece. For my birthday I mainly asked for money, however I did get a few presents! 

• Lush The Experimenter Bath Bomb- My friend Emily bought me this which I'm excited to use as I did have one before but it turned out to be a faulty one!

• Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadow 229- Another one from Emily. She just knows me too well! This is a beautiful high-shine, glittery silver which can be used dry or wet. Will definitely have to review this.

• Paddle Hairbrush- I forgot to note down the brand of this paddle brush before I took it out of the packaging but I asked for a paddle hairbrush as mine has gone manky! This is from my Mum and I find them best for keeping my hair straight.

• Diesel Loverdose- My boyfriend bought me this. I hadn't asked for it but damn that boy knows me. He knows I like perfumes that look alternative like this and it's beautiful. I can't wait to try it!

• Essential Amethyst Tear Drop Necklace- My boyfriend also got me this necklace and I love it. It's a beautiful tear drop amethyst which are purple and has a kind of vine-type swirl going over it. 

• Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare- My fellow book lover Ruby got me this one! I didn't know Cassandra Clare had brought out another book but now I am pleasantly surprised. It is a big book which I love and the cover is quite artistic. I'm a fan of Cassandra Clare's books so I'm sure I will enjoy this.

• Denman Large Paddle Brush- My sister Kelly got me this. I don't think Mum and Kelly knew they were both getting me one! Not a problem though, as it means I have a spare brush when the first one goes a bit yucky. 

• Schwarzkopf XXL Live 'Ultra Violet' Hair Dye- My sister Lisa bought me these because this is the hair dye I have been using for years. I'm trying to save money at the moment so this is helpful as it saves me buying my next batch of hair dye.

• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer- Lisa also got me this as again, she knows I use it religiously and it saves me from having to buy my next concealer. Very helpful!

• Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and Buttercream- Kelly bought me these and I love Soap & Glory so I was grateful. Every birthday and Christmas I'm always on the look out for body scrubs, creams and gels to save me from having to buy them through the year. The sugar crush smell is incredible too!

• National Book Tokens Gift Card- I received this from my Mum's ex-boyfriend. Even though he is her ex he was in our lives long enough to still keep in contact with my siblings and I. Anyway, he thought I could use this to buy some books or to help with anything I need for University. 

• Disney Cheshire Cat Cushion- My friend Antonia bought me this. I have an undying love for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. I love the films, the books, the video games, merch..the list goes on. I even want a Cheshire Cat tattoo. But anyway, she bought me this cushion and I love it. It goes well on my bed with my Pikachu!

• Cheshire Cat T-Shirt- Another gift from Antonia, a t-shirt with the Cheshire Cat on. I will never get over the artwork. 

• Osprey Sirrus 26 Purple Backpack- My sister Kimberley and brother Jamie bought me this for when I plan to go interrailing around Europe with Antonia. I'm super thankful for this as I hadn't thought much about how I was going to carry everything and it seems super versatile. Nice colour too!

Birthday cake from my Mum

I'm very thankful to everyone for what they got me and I had a nice birthday. 19 seems like a weird age to me as 18 is big, 20 is out of the teen years but 19 is just a random age in between. Do not feel like I'm going to be 20 next year! To see what I got for my 18th birthday you can click here.

Hair | Empties #9

Hello!


My 9th empties?! But this one is special, because this one is all about my empty hair products. If I had to pick something I liked the most about my appearance, I think I would choose my hair. I dye my hair and use straighteners on it often. So I do like to look after it!

• TRESemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray- This hairspray looks so manky now! A little goes a long way with this big can and I have honestly had it for years. I don't like to use hairspray all over my hair, but only on the baby hairs at the top of my head as they stick up too much for my liking naturally!

• Batiste Dry Shampoo Coconut & Exotic Tropical- My holy grail, my best friend, my saviour on a weekly basis. I can never express my love for Batiste dry shampoo enough. 

• L'Oreal Studio Line Hot & Sleek Heat Protector- I straighten my hair frequently so something to protect my hair from heat is necessary. It is a cream texture and goes on to damp hair with ease. I run it through with my fingers then use a comb to spread it evenly. Works a treat!

• Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Moistuire Kick Beauty Balm- I tried this sample size when it came in my goody bag from Bristol Fashion Week and I really loved it. I liked applying it to the ends of my hair because I suffer from split ends and it really made my hair feel thicker at the ends and looked after it! I also liked using it the front of my hair where I use the straighteners the most because sometimes the baby hairs can look a little frazzled. Great stuff! 

If you would like to read my previous empties post, click here. What are your haircare favourites?

Hair | VO5 Nourish My Shine Bedazzling Oil Heat Protector

Howdy!

I'm not one really for hair products. As someone who dyes their hair, I like to keep my hair routine the same and healthy as possible to make my hair colour last as long as possible. I get afraid that if I change it up, something might go wrong with my hair or something might strip my hair of its colour. Sounds crazy I know, but keeping my hair colour vibrant is the most important thing to me about my hair.


I've used the same heat protector for years. 5 years maybe? 6? I have always used the L'Oreal Studio Line Hot & Smooth Cream. So when my Mum bought me something new instead of that I was nervous, but decided to give it a try.


This is the VO5 Nourish My Shine Bedazzling Oil Heat Protector. It is in a long bottle that claims to 'add intense shine & conditions' with a 'lightweight formula' which 'defends against heat damage'. I straighten my hair so this is important to me. In addition, hair colour can be known to make your hair drier so something that nourishes it is a bonus. The product contains glycerin which is known for moisturising properties. 


Because there is oil in it, the actual product separates inside the bottle. The bottom half is pink and the top half (the oil), sits on top. To use this you need to remember to shake it vigorously so the two halves mix. I then spray it evenly over the entirety of my towelled dry hair from roots to ends, ensuring that I cover it all. I've discovered that I prefer to do this after I have found my parting and brushed my hair, as opposed to before it. I find that if I do it after I have found my parting and brushed it out that it covers more easily and helps to flatten annoying little baby hairs that stick out. 


9/10 times I let my hair completely dry naturally, but occasionally I have to give it a helping hand with a hair-dryer to make sure my hair is dry in time to leave the house. Whether I use a hair-dryer or not, my hair is always left with a shine thanks to this product which I get complimented on frequently. My hair does not feel dry at all and instead feels soft and clean. I was worried that because it was oil that it would weigh my hair down and make it look greasy but fortunately it does not do this. It seems that you can't go wrong with this product and no matter how much you spray on, it will not weigh down your hair! Because I do like to put a lot on seeing as I have long hair. 


Not only does it add shine but I feel like it does protect from heat. I always find that my hair colour fades the most and the quickest at the front of my 'fringe' because I always straighten that part of my hair everyday. However, since I have been using this I have not noticed the annoying faded part at the front of my 'fringe'. 


So overall I really rate this spray. It does everything that it claims to do and is sooooo much easier to use that the cream I used to use before! With the cream it was harder to cover my hair, felt like I used a lot of product and it would get all over my hands. I've been using this bottle for 4 months and it is still nowhere near finishing, whereas with the hair cream I used previous it would run out fairly quickly. I would recommend this to people who use heat on their hair and/or want to add some shine to their hair.


You can buy this 200ml bottle for the bargain price of £3.00 at Boots.

Favourites | The Best Hair Care & Perfume of 2015

So yesterday I posted my 'Favourites | The Best Skincare of 2015' blog post. Today I want to do the same thing, but with hair care and perfume! I'm not massively into hair products and perfume so this is a small post but it certainly deserved to be mentioned. If there is a review on a product I will link the review next to it for you!

HAIR PRODUCTS

• Batiste Dry Shampoo Original. My holy grail dry shampoo I've been using for years!   (review)

• VO5 Nourish My Shine Bedazzling Oil Heat Protector. A new one to my collection this year. I love it to protect my hair from the heat of hairdyers and straighteners and it certainly makes my hair shiny. 

• Schwarzkopf Moisture Kick Beauty Balm. Another new item to my collection after getting a sample at Bristol Fashion Week. I like to put it at the ends of my damp hair to help my split ends and keep the ends of my hair feeling nourished and not dry!

PERFUME

• Paco Rabanna Black XS. I first got this from my friend Antonia for my birthday and since then I have used that up and got another one. I love the packaging as it is quite dark and alternative (which is what I like) and I always get compliments when I wear it. 

What were your hair care and perfume favourites? My ultimate make up favourites will be coming next!