March Favourites 2014! ♥

           Welcome to my March favourites 2014! As showcased in my YouTube video below, I had a decent amount of products to share with you this month, so I thought I would do a mini review here of each, and provide some links for you! 

Watch me showing off my favourites here!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Light & Blonde: Do I ever love this product! It gives off the perfect hint of colour, which can really help camouflage your roots in my opinion. The best thing about a dry shampoo with a hint of colour, is not only does it make your hair look and feel clean, but it provides that brightening effect, so it really can give the allusion of recently dyed hair. I picked this up at Boots when I was in Ireland!

Marc Anthony Hydrating Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Sulfate Free Conditioner: I have been absolutely thrilled with this conditioner this past month. I plan on purchasing all of the products in this series so I can do a proper review on it, as there is also a shampoo and a treatment. But this is amazing for bleached, colour treated and damaged hair. It immediately makes your hair super soft and manageable, and adds shine. I highly recommend this conditioner!

No7 Pore Refining Serum: I have mentioned this multiple times in my blog already, but I have just recently fallen in love with it. I use this more as a light moisturizer than anything else, as I believe that's what it works the best as. It really makes your skin super soft and silky, and does a really great job of diminishing your pores. I will definitely be repurchasing, as I just ran out! :( As far as I know, you can purchase it at Boots, Shopper's Drug Mart and Target. 

Essie Go Ginza: This has been a huge favourite of mine since the moment I picked it up! What a beautiful colour for spring! When you have it on, it looks more mauve than anything. I thought that I wanted to pick up a true lilac colour until I saw this. The website actually defines this colour as a "soft, cherry blossom pink". Hmmm. Either way, gorgeous colour, and I will continue to be wearing it throughout the spring and summer! It has a fantastic staying power as well, like all Essie polishes! 

Bourjois 1 Seconde Nail Polish in Rainbow Apparition 14: This definitely makes my all time favourite nail polish list. It is the most perfect purple, sparkly nail polish you've ever seen. In the photo above, I am actually wearing it combined with Essie's Go Ginza, which has been the most perfect combination this month. You definitely want to wear a pink or a purple underneath, as the colour looks significantly better when it's not just by itself. If you are a Bourjois fan or just a nail polish fan in general, PICK THIS UP.

Tarte Deluxe Marajuca Lip Glosses: I actually got these in the Tarte of Giving Collector's set, which is my favourite makeup gift I have ever recieved! I'll link my full first impression review of the set here, as it really is fantastic. They do finally make lip glosses in regular sizes now (LipSurgence Lip Gloss), which I am dying to try. I have yet to find a more perfect formula than these lip glosses. They're incredibly moisturizing, they plump up your lips, aren't too sticky and smell like mint. What more could you ask for? 

Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in 111 Kiss of Life: This is quite surprisingly my first ever red lipstick, and I think I made an excellant choice! I never really thought I could pull off red lipstick because I'm so pale, but I believe that there is a red lipstick to suit everyone. This colour is not too orangey, and not too deep red, it is just perfect. I also chose this lipstick over others because of the very reasonable price and the consistency. It is moisturizing, and stays put for a decent amount of time. This will not stay tattooed on your lips for the entire day, you will need to touch up in between eating, but that is certainly not a big issue for me. Love it!

Clinique All About Shadow Single in Sunset Glow: This shadow is in their Super Shimmer range, and I am so obsessed with it! This will probably be the only day to day colour I wear on my eyes for a long time, until I find something just as good. It's the perfect bronze colour for my skin tone in my opinion. I've been wearing it every day this month, and I will definitely continue to throughout the rest of the spring and summer! It has a great staying power, and beautiful finish.

Bourjois Little Round Pot Light Eyeshadow in No.03 Brume: I wear this in combination with my Clinique eyeshadow every single day as a highlighter. This is the most amazing highlighter you will ever use. If you like a shimmery, but not too out there brow bone highlight, than this one is for you. I use it in my inner corners as well, and it really helps brighten up my eye area. I am not sure if they have the Light range in Canada yet, as I got this in Ireland, but it is definitely worth ordering. 

Essence Eyebrow Designer Pencil in 04 Blonde: Although it is a pain to have to sharpen anything, this pencil is worth it to me. This is the only pencil I have been able to find in the drug store that is the perfect colour match for my eyebrows. It looks natural, has a great staying power, is under $3.00 and has a little brush at the end. What more could you want? (Besides a retractable pencil of course).There are just two other shades, which are 02 dark brown and 01 black.

PürMinerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup with SPF 15 in Light: I have been using this as a setting powder for my foundation this month, and it works so nicely. I am not a huge fan of wearing mineral foundations just on their own, although this would look amazing over top of a tinted moisturizer. It's extremely natural looking, and really gives your skin a flawless finish. It also controls oil really well! I rarely have to touch up during the day at all when I use this. I got this in the 5-Piece Start Now Kit, which I got an amazing deal on. The Chisel Makeup Brush comes with it, which is a really nice brush for applying bronzer and blush as well!

Indigo Large Pouchette in Red: Ahhhh, this is just the cutest little pouch! I received this as a gift from my boyfriend, and I just think it's the most precious thing. It has a top zip closer with a heart charm, as well as a key ring attached on the inside. The quote in the lining reads: "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew". How does that not brighten anyone's day?! It's still available at Indigo, so go buy it now!

Indigo Compact Mirror With Hearts in Light Pink: How adorable is this compact? I use this every day to check my makeup when I'm on the go. It has one mirror which gives you a close up, and the other is just a regular mirror. It's really sturdy and well made, so I'm thinking this is going to last me a long time! This is currently 34% off on the Indigo website at $9.50, so definitely grab it! This is for sure my favourite purse accessory at the moment. 

And that is all! Hope you enjoyed this post, and please check out my video! xx

My Current Products and Treatments for Bleached/Over Processed Hair

This is a subject I happen to know a lot about, as I've had bleached hair since I was 14! At 22, this is the longest my hair has been in a long time, so I believe the products that I've been using are working. I use products that are targeted at moisturizing, preventing/fusing split ends, putting protein/keratin back into your hair and preventing and reversing heat damage. Here are my current go-to products!

Pantene Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser: I did a review on the Pantene Expert Advanced + Keratin Repair line back in December, so if you're interested in reading that, you can find it here. I did repurchase the Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser in the full size, and I absolutely love it. I apply it only to the ends of my hair by scrunching it in if I'm leaving my hair wavy, or combing it in if I'm heat styling it. It's a super thick conditioning treatment, so two small pumps will definitely do you. The Pantene website claims that this product is mean to fuse and prevent split ends, as well as fight frizziness, dullness and dryness, which is definitely does. I would recommend this to anyone who suffers with split ends, especially due to bleaching or heat damage.

Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner & Anti-Breakage Serum: This is a product line that I  recommend over and over again, as it really is one of the best lines I've ever tried for my type of hair. These are the Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner and the Anti-Breakage Serum. Organix has recently come out with a Coconut Water line, which I'm really excited to try. These products provide everything that damaged hair needs, including egg white proteins to strengthen your hair, and coconut oils to balance and moisturize. The Anti-Breakage Serum is specifically meant to promote longer hair, as it reduces the everyday damage that causes your hair to break off. I prefer to use this on dry hair, especially when I leave my hair wavy. It provides noticeable body and shine, and you can tell my hair is instantly moisturized. I've been using these products for years, and I'll definitely continue to. You can find these at the drug store, so they're super affordable as well.

Pantene Silky Moisture Whip: I actually did not expect to like this as much as I do, as it's so rare that I find a product that works really well for me. This product is not like a mousse, as it does not expand in your hand, but literally comes out like whipped cream. It's meant to condition your hair for up to 48 hours, which is a huge plus for me. It also protects against heat damage, so I use this both when I heat style and when I leave it naturally wavy. I most likely would not have thought to purchase this if my Mom hadn't given me a sample, so I'm really loving sample sized products  for this reason. I have recently run out this, so I will be purchasing more soon!

Lush Curly Wurly Shampoo: This is another amazing coconut related product. Curly Wurly is like a shampoo and conditioner in one, as it leaves your hair so nice and moisturized. You can use this if you have damaged straight hair as well, but I find you get the best results with wavy or straight hair. The reason why coconut related products are so amazing for your hair, is that coconut is one of the only oils that can get right inside your hair shaft, while others tend to just sit on top and coat it. Not only does this shampoo contain coconut oil, but it contains creamed coconut, fresh eggs and avocado butter. This product is a little pricy at $25.95, but it's definitely worth it if you can afford to spend a little extra money. Plus this pot lasts you a long time, as you need really little per wash.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner: If you are into hair care, it's unlikely that you haven't heard of the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. I tend to use the one from the Moist line, but there are a few different kinds. This treatment is super cheap. If you're lucky enough to find it in Canada anymore, it's usually under $5.00. I picked up a new bottle when I was in Ireland, as they seem to be everywhere over there. In my opinion, this is one of the best deep conditioners out there, high end or drug store. It really does transform dry, damaged hair within a few minutes. The only thing about this product, is it should not be used more than once a week. If it's used more than that, it builds up on your hair. This can be fixed by using a purifying shampoo, but it's best to avoid.

Coconut Oil: Last but not least, this has been my go-to treatment/hair mask for the past few weeks. Any kind of coconut oil will do, but try to look for both "organic" and either "virgin" or "extra virgin". Extra virgin is best if you don't mind spending a little more! The one I'm using right now is just the Omega Nutrition Organic Coconut Oil. I've been using this sporadically on my hair for a long time now, and have recently picked it up again. Like I said before, coconut oil really is incredible for your hair. I take a few tablespoons and heat it up for about 30 seconds before applying it to my hair. I either leave it on overnight, or just for an hour or two if I'm staying in for the day. I especially like to apply this on heat styled hair. It does not leave your hair super greasy, so just wash it out with shampoo (no need to repeat) and conditioner, and you're done! I have seen growth in both my hair and nails when this is continuously applied. 

Hope this helped! xx

Review: Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length

It's been awhile since my last blog post, so I wanted to get back on track and do a review on this amazing product I picked up at Boots in Ireland! If you're into watching beauty gurus on YouTube or you're into reading blogs, you've probably heard of the Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length. I first heard of this when Helen aka Melon Lady did a review of it on YouTube (watch her hair growth experiment here!) You could really see the difference in the length of her hair within a short period of time! So when I saw this in Ireland, I picked it up right away.

The Lee Stafford Hair Growth range includes 4 products: shampoo, conditioner, leave in treatment and the wash out treatment. This is the wash out treatment, which you apply after you've shampooed and before applying conditioner. I try to leave this in for as long as possible, but it is recommended that you leave it in for 5 minutes. I really wish I had picked up the rest of this line while I was in Europe!

This treatment is meant to not only encourage hair growth, but reduces hair loss and improves the condition of your hair and scalp. It also smells amazing! It is moderately thick in consistency, so it does well as a nice mask. You're applying a decent amount into your hair at a time (about the size of an egg), so you'll get anywhere from 5-10 uses out of this jar, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. It is recommended that you use this treatment every time you wash your hair until the condition of your hair visibly improves, and then follow up once a week.

There are tons of products that claim they're going to help your hair grow, but does this product work? I am so happy to say it actually does! Although I do not have a before and after photo as of now, I can honestly say I have noticed visible hair growth, and I have used this product about 4 times. While I haven't had time to use this every time I wash my hair, I can honestly say it's done it's job already. As well as making my hair grow, it has definitely improved the overall condition as well. 

I've managed to find this product for sale on amazon.com here, so go check it out! You'll be really surprised.

xx

How I Heat Style My Hair!

          I know, I literally just submitted a post on why you SHOULDN'T heat style your hair. However, after nearly 3 months of no heat I decided my hair could withstand a bit of damage, as I was getting a little bored! However, I still used caution when heat styling to minimize the damage as much as possible. I use the same process whether I`m styling it straight, wavy or curly for the most part. Here is my process below!

I am a big believer in products as we know, and if you use the right ones they WILL prevent a significant amount of damage. It all comes down to what you're using and what you're using it for. I started fresh today by cleansing my hair with Neutrogena's Anti-Residue Shampoo, (not pictured above) which I use every 2-3 weeks to get rid of any buildup from heavy conditioners and styling products. I then followed up with Alba Botanica's Natural Hawaiian Conditioner, Drink It Up Coconut Milk. Alba Botanica is actually a cruelty free, natural, 100% vegetarian Canadian brand that not many people know about. Check out their website here! 

On my freshly cleansed and conditioned hair, I then spray LÒreal Paris' Everstrong Thickening Tonic onto my roots. This is meant to encourage thicker hair growth and promote the hair you already have to appear thicker and fuller. This has a nice minty smell to it, which I love. After massaging it in, I apply 3 pumps of my lovely Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum to the length of my hair, making sure to avoid the roots. Then, I leave my hair to dry naturally as long as I have time to before blow drying!

Right before blow drying, I spray my CHI Keratin Mist just onto my ends, to make sure they are strong and don`t go anywhere! I've had this bottle for a long time, and I`m not sure they even make the same one anymore, but you can still find it at various places online. The blow dryer I use is one of Conair's Ion Shine ones, although this model is definitely discontinued as it is quite old! I use both my John Frieda Full Volume Medium Porcupine Round Brush and my thermal round brush (not sure which brand) to blow dry and smooth out my hair. 

After my hair is completely dry, I spray the length with CHI's 44 Iron Guard to protect it from my flat iron. I generally use my CHI Original 1" Ceramic Hair Styling Iron to straighten and curl my hair. I've actually had this flat iron since I was 14, so it's crazy that it's lasted this long. I have others, but I keep going back to this one! I use a small comb while straightening or curling to get more of a smooth finish, and separate it with a clip so I can work in sections. During this process, I sometimes add Marc Anthony`s 2nd Day Clear Dry Shampoo to my roots, to give them more volume.

And here is a peak at what my hair looked like when I was finished styling today! I decided to go for a slightly wavy look, as I find that it looks much better then when I just do my hair pin straight. I applied 2 more pumps of my Dove Anti-Frizz Serum to the ends, and sprayed my hair with my favourite hairspray, which is Pantene's Satin Hold Hairspray in their Curly Hair Series. I LOVE this stuff, as it really defines and adds shine to waves or curls and lets your hair move. And that`s it!

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT! xx

Over 60 Days of No Heat!

  It's official, the last time I blow dried and styled my hair was August 21st, 2013! Coming from someone who used to heat style my hair every day, this is quite an accomplishment for me. When I made the decision to stop heat styling, I also made the decision to only wash my hair every other day. I really wanted to see what putting effort into taking care of my hair was going to do for me. In addition, I have ONLY used a wide toothed comb during this time to comb out my hair after washing it.

So what have I noticed as a result? First of all, I have really come to realize that my hair looks much better in it's natural state. I find that almost everybody's does. People think that straightening or curling their hair everyday or adding extensions makes it look better. However, unless your hair is a mess on a regular basis, I have never come across someone whose natural texture does not look better, with the help of products of course. 

The condition of my hair has really changed in the past couple months. I would say that I have almost twice the amount of hair that I used to in terms of thickness, as you lose significantly less hair when you are not heat styling, brushing and washing every day. Whether or not my hair is growing faster I don't know, but the growth is a LOT more noticeable than it would otherwise be, as it's not breaking off at the ends. My split ends have been drastically reduced, and my hair is much softer than it's ever been. My colour looks more vibrant, and I feel the need to get it touched up less. My hair unfortunately has not become significantly more shiny, as it's hard to make hair that's been bleached as much as mine shine, but it's coming along. 

I would recommend that everyone give their hair a break and let it be for a while. Especially if you're trying to grow it out, and have no idea why it's not growing. It's frustrating that people don't see that it IS growing, but it's snapping off at the ends due to your heat styling! Find new ways to style it that do not involve heat, and you'll find that they're quicker, and look even better. 

Click here to see what products I use on my hair!

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND! xx

First Impression Review: Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum

         I was recommended the new Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum after my mom received a sample of it, and was extremely impressed at the difference in her hair. She was complimented on the condition of her hair by our hairstylist, who told her to keep using whatever she has been using, as it seemed much less dry. My mom has much curlier hair than I do, and hers tends to be prone to dryness and frizz. Curly hair needs as much moisture as possible, especially when you use colour on top of it like she does. I'm always looking for moisturizing hair products, so I went out and purchased it from the drug store for $8.99.

The package recommends that you dispense 2-3 pumps into your hands, rub them together and then disperse the product evenly into your hair. I used 3 pumps, which isn't very much product, as it's an incredibly light weight oil. It's ingredients include sweet almond oil, hydrogenated coconut oil and argan oil.

Since the texture of my hair is naturally wavy, whenever I apply product I scrunch it in to help form the waves. I let it naturally air dry after I finish scrunching.

And this is the final result! Although it doesn't take care of all of my frizz, it made my hair feel conditioned without weighing it down at all. My waves were so bouncy and light, especially compared to when I use some of my other products. It also smells AMAZING and leaves a lasting scent in your hair. I applied one pump after my hair dried, which made even more of a difference. On dove.ca, they recommend using this product as a pre-blow dry primer or to use after your hair is already dry to tame frizz and flyaways. We'll see if this makes a bigger difference with continued use, but so far I love it!

Growing out Bleached Blonde Hair (Things I wish I had done a long time ago!)

           If you have bleached blonde hair like me, you'll know that it's nearly impossible to grow out long, thick hair. It's no secret that bleach damages your hair, along with heat styling and frequent washing. So if you REALLY want long hair, you're going to have to put in the work. And by put in the work, I really mean significantly reduce the work you're putting into styling your hair, and let it be.

This is easier said than done, and it took forever for me to be willing to stop using heat on my hair and to not wash it every day. The primary reason I was washing my hair every day, is that when I would sleep on it it wouldn't hold it's shape at all no matter what I did to it, and it wouldn't look the same if I tried to restyle it. This was especially true if I slept on my naturally wavy hair.

I decided months ago to take a look at what I was doing to my hair and what I was using on it, and make some serious changes if I really wanted to grow out my hair. Here are 3 tips to get your hair in better condition and start seeing it grow longer!

1) USE PRODUCTS THAT HELP REPAIR YOUR HAIR

From left to right: L'Oreal Everstrong Thickening Tonic, CHI Keratin Mist, Dove Colour Care Leave-On Conditioner, Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum, TIGI Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo, Rusk Sensories Bright Chamomile and Lavender Colour Shampoo, L'Oreal Vitamino Colour Masque, Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Conditioner

Bleached hair needs tons of moisture in order look healthy and shiny, as well as keratin to put protein back into your hair. In it's natural condition, your hair contains about 10% moisture and 90% keratin. When we bleach our hair, it affects both our natural amounts of moisture and keratin, which often results in our hair becoming brittle and breaking off.

Each of the products shown above are products that I alternate using every time I wash my hair. These are all products that benefit bleached blonde hair in some way. In terms of both moisture and protein, the top 3 products I would recommend are the Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum, the TIGI Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo and the L'Oreal Vitamino Colour Masque. However, all of these  products work for me and are definitely work taking a look at. With the exception of the Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Conditioner, these can be found in your local drugstore and occasionally Winners or

TK Maxx 

2) GO LONGER IN BETWEEN BLEACHING

This was hard for me to do in the beginning, as I used to get my hair dyed a solid blonde colour, and then was convinced to start letting some of my natural colour grow through. I'm glad I finally listened, as not only does the colour suit me a million times more, but I can go longer in between getting my hair done. I used to have to get my hair bleached every 5 weeks in order to keep my colour maintained. Now, I go every 3 to 4 months and that works fine for me. Get some headbands to cover up those roots in the last few weeks before you get your hair done, and you'll look fine! Make sure you get the tiniest bit cut off each time you do get it done, as split ends do not work when growing long, thick hair.

3) CUT OUT HEAT STYLING ALTOGETHER

I won't pretend that I NEVER use a curling iron or straightening iron on my hair anymore, but it is very rare. I really don't feel the need to unless it's a special occasion. This is because I have started to realize that my natural wavy hair looks much healthier and nicer than when I heat styled it on a daily basis. Also, I was completely behind on discovering how to do a top knot with my hair, which is now a style I constantly use, especially on second day hair. If you don't think you can cut out heat styling altogether, only use heat tools every other time you wash your hair. Scrunch it with a curling product, use a beach spray or just let your hair completely do it's own thing. Honestly, it probably looks a lot better than you think it does, and it definitely looks healthier. 

My hair after scrunching it with Organix Coconut Anti-Breakage Serum and letting it dry naturally

HAVE A GREAT NIGHT! xx