Tuesday, 31 December 2013

To 2014.

As the new year is tomorrow, I thought I'd share this. I found it on Tumblr a few weeks ago and I just love it. A new year is really just a new day, but what you choose to do with your year is your decision. I hope it's a good one!

1. When your friends ask you to hangout, and you don’t feel like it, don’t go. Don’t ever do things halfway or do something that makes you uncomfortable. With everything, give all of yourself, even the pieces you never knew existed. 

2. It is okay to not know. Everyone always despises the phrase, “I don’t know” but no one tells you that it is okay to not know. The becoming is more important than the being, anyways. 

3. If someone ever makes you feel less, in any way, you have every right to walk away. You have every right to cut out toxic people in your life. To close the door on people who make you feel bad about who you are or what you stand for. Friends don’t tear down, they build up.

 4. Loss is always going to happen. Just like paint will always chip and rain will always fall, loss will always be part of life. No matter how much I don’t like it, or avoid it, it is going to walk my way at several times in my life. Learn to embrace it and learn to get closure. 

5. Give yourself a chance. Stop saying, “I don’t think I can” or “But what if I am not able to?” and give yourself a chance. This may be cliche, but try to believe in yourself. When you get older, your knees won’t work the same and you won’t have the best memory, and you are going to wish you’d given yourself a chance years sooner.

 6. Fall in love. Don’t be guarded before you fall in love. You could fall in love three times and still not find the right one, but none of it is going to make “the one” matter less. Don’t fall into that idea that your first love has to be your best love. Fall in love as many times as it naturally happens. 

7. Firsts are going to be messy. First loves, first kisses, first dates, first failed tests, first college class, first time you drive a car, first time you ride a plane - first times were made to be imperfect. Just because it’s messy and all over the place, doesn’t mean it can’t be good or worthwhile. 

8. You want another scoop of ice-cream? Go get it. Get three more scoops of ice-cream if that is what you want. “Fat” is not the opposite of beautiful and it is not the opposite of happy. Don’t let anyone tell you that your body type isn’t beautiful. Beauty is a social construct, create your own, become your own.

 9. Let yourself be alone. Loneliness is not a bad thing. It is healthy and normal. Everyone needs to spend a good portion of their life alone. We learn who we are when we are alone; life is less crowded and more clear when we are alone. 

10. If you aren’t happy where you are, change it. Quit your job, move, become a vegetarian, get a new hobby, pick up an old hobby, whatever you do - make sure it benefits you. Life is too short to not be alive, to not be passionate, and overflowing. 

"Ten things I learned before I turned twenty." - Amanda Helm 

Sunday, 29 December 2013

Flat hair?!


I have always had exceptionally thin hair, and as it grows longer; it becomes thinner. I envy people with really thick hair, and so I have set out to try and achieve this.

I had been speaking to a hair stylist for Bumble & Bumble in work about my attempt to thicken my locks. I just recently purchased the John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Shampoo and although it had been working, my hair was becoming greasy after just one day. I had mentioned this to the hair stylist and she asked if I conditioned my hair. Honestly, I condition my hair when I can be bothered. I have so much hair that just washing it alone takes 10-15 minutes. I said that I would condition the ends of my hair from time to time and her face was a picture!!



John Frieda Luxurious Volume Thickening Shampoo (£5.99 at Boots)

She explained that shampoo is an alkali that opens up the cuticles in your hair, while conditioner is an acid that closes the cuticles. If you don't condition the roots, you are leaving the cuticles open; leaving all of the natural oils to come pouring out. 

(But wait... I had always been told not to condition my roots because it would make my hair greasy?!)

She also asked if I blow-dry my hair. Majority of the time I do, but it really makes no difference if I leave it to dry naturally. She told me that without drying the hair, any access shampoo/conditioner will lay in the hair and cause it to become greasy. Even if you only have time to blow-dry the roots, she said it makes all the difference!

Anyway, hair lesson over; I'm going to stick at the John Frieda for now, but I'm going to try out the new L'Oreal Paris Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray and see what difference that makes. Allegedly, it's a spray that instantly creates volume. For only £3.29 I'm certainly going to try it out!


If John Frieda fails, the girl had recommended Bumble & Bumble's thickening shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo at £18.50 and conditioner at £20, they are quite pricey; however I am willing to try them in the future! 




Saturday, 28 December 2013

What I got for Christmas

Hello lovelies! I can't believe Christmas is over again for another year!! 2013 seemed to fly by and it's actually quite scary that this time next week we will be in a new year.. Anyho, this year my Christmas presents were very beauty orientated. The photo below is a combination of what I bought myself, and what was bought as a gift for me. 




Brushes:
Real Techniques brush sets - core collection & eyes starter set.

Eyeshadows:
Urban Decay Dangerous palette.

Benefit Most Glamorous Nudes Ever eyeshadow kit.

MAC pigment in "Naked."

Rimmel London quad in "003 Smokey Purple."





Mascaras:
Soap & Glory; Thick & Fast.

Rimmel London Lash Accelerator. 

Benefit They're Real.

Lips:
Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Extreme Plump lipgloss in "Pink Out Loud."

Lush lip scrub in "Bubblegum."

Bourjous Rouge Edition lipstick in "02 Beige Trench."

Nail Polish:
Rimmel London Lasting Finish in "300 Pop your pink" and "405 Loafer love for you!"

Skincare:
Origins Merry Moisturisers kit:
•Make a difference plus + Rejuvenating moisturiser.
• Make a difference plus + Rejuvenating treatment lotion.
•Make a difference plus + Rejuvenating hand treatment.
•Drink Up intensive overnight mask.

Clinique Take The Day Off cleansing milk.

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish with muslin cloth.



Brows: 
Benefit Brow Zings in "Dark."

Concealer:
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiant Touch in "02."

Primer:
Benefit Porefessional.

Powder:
Benefit Porefessional Agent Zero Shine, Shine-vanishing powder. (New)

Highlighter:
Benefit Watts Up!

Blusher:
Benefit Rockateur.

I'm really excited to try the new Porefessional powder from Benefit! As well as my new cleansing milk. 

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and I hope that 2014 will be a brilliant year for you :)

Hannah x