Time for Change: Hair Inspiration

Oh wow. Bad Aya! I’m so bad at this blogging thing…I haven’t written for a while, life gets in the way I guess. Well hopefully this will change…I have a few post ideas I’m working on but honestly lately I’ve not been very inspired. I should really be more organized (I dooo like to make lists..) and come up with a schedule to post, but I don’t tend to follow schedules =/... and I’m late all the time…ask my friends. Anyways I apologise and now we are swiftly moving on as that was a little off topic!

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So to cut the long story short, I think I’m going to chop off my hair (LOL see what I did there…anyone? ooookayy!). I get very easily bored with my hair, and normally I get a short cut then grow it out and enjoy long locks then decide to cut it all off again. Throughout the course of my life I’ve had almost every cut imaginable, from a Pixie cut to knee- length hair (yes..you read that right..sure I was younger and therefore shorter but it was so very Rapunzel like), I’ve had a short crazy curly crop (I like to call it the microphone hair) and the slightly emo choppy multi-layered ‘do which was so in when I was at school (*cringe*).

Right now, my hair has reached my lower back and is not in the best of conditions. The ends have become frail and are 90% split ends…plus I burned off a small end chunk of my hair on curling irons which isn’t ideal. Safe to say I’ve been needing a change, I just wasn’t sure what kind of change. I’ve battled with the idea of a fringe/bangs: pros- looks cute (Zooey Deschanel is responsible for that), you can get away with not doing your brows for longer, cons- I have commitment issues, and get annoyed with hair in my face. Luckily, I won one of the 12 Days of Christmas competitions Teni from Miss Maven was hosting…and what did I win you ask, well…the Bellami Clip-in bangs! Yay..so now I don’t have to commit to them and can change up my look whenever I want.

I’ve been googling hair inspo in my spare time, and I’m loving these collar bone length cuts, so I think that’s what I’m gonna go for! It’s always a sad day when you have to cut your hair (well..for me it is..haha it may sound pathetic but I think hair is a big part of your identity and it’s sort of my comfort blanket). At the very least my hair will look healthier and I may be more inclined to style it (I have been in a hair style rut of messy top knots, high pony tails and beanies the past 3 months), plus what were hair extensions made for?!



What do you think?

Meet Frank.

Frank is my new best friend! Frank is a body scrub, a coffee body scrub to be precise. I came across him on instagram (@frank_bod) and was presented with pictures of gorgeous women with enviable figures and the promise of smooth skin and a revived complexion…SOLD! What can I say, the cheeky captions loaded with innuendos won me over.

About

So, Frank is a dry scrub that is full of minerals, essential oils and oxidants and obviously a high caffeine content. To use this scrub to its full potential you massage onto damp skin in circular motions, concentrating on your problem areas and leave the scrub to dry for 5-10 minutes to let the caffeine get to work, then rinse off the scrub! You only need about two small handfuls of scrub for your whole body or you can choose to scrub problem areas only (about one handful) as this scrub aims to target cellulite. You can also use this on your face too although its not advised if you have sensitive skin as it is quite course.



Ingredients

Roasted and Ground Arabica coffee beans - Target cellulite and stretch marks

Brown Sugar and sea salt - Smooth lumps and bumps

Cold pressed sweet almond oil - Moisturise and improve skintone

Orange essence - Smells nice

Thoughts

I have used this product several times, about 1-2 times a week, and it leaves my skin silky soft and just generally improves the appearance of my skin, I have Keratosis pilaris on my upper arms and although it has improved over the years, I feel this scrub has helped with the stubborn rough areas. The website’s FAQ mentions that they have had positive feedback regarding Frank helping with other skin problems such as eczema and acne, although it will take a good few weeks to see results…patience my friends..patience! On the plus side, soft skin is noticed after your very first scrub!

A word of warning though, as Frank is primarily made of coffee the smell is somewhat overpowering (duh) and if you hate the smell of coffee well then this isn’t for you.

Extra Deets

The company is based in Australia but they ship worldwide (shipping time and costs varies depending on where you are in the world). My Frank got to me about 10 days after I ordered him and cost $21.40 (£12.07) for 200g, which is pretty decent for such a great product. A new Frank is now available for the warmer months (as it is summer in the land of Oz) and is packed with coconut and grapeseed oil. For more info and to buy your very own Frank go to frankbody.com.

Bubbles, Bubbles… My bubbles!

I haven’t been into Lush for aaaagess, so when I popped in the other day for a quick nosy I ended up leaving with an excessive amount of goodies. In fact no, I think I did quite well, I did reign myself in so my bank balance wouldn’t hate me, but I’m likely to go back for more at some point…what can I say I’m a sucker for sweet smelling bath products!


I’m actually more of a shower person than a bath person, I just prefer to wash and go, however I am partial to the odd bath when I’m feeling indulgent or looking for a simple pick me up (more so in Winter)! I’m even more inclined when I have a Lush Bath bomb or Bubble Bar to hand, they just smell so darn good (I sometimes buy the soap just to leave in my room so it smells divine) and they look so amazing. So without further ado…here is what I picked up!





First up is this Snow Fairy Sparkle Bar and HANDS DOWN snow fairy is my favourite lush scent!! If the colour pink was a scent it would smell exactly like this, sweet, candy flossy and so edible…I LOVE it! It may be too much for some, but I don’t think I can get enough of it. This is basically like a massage bar (which I have never actually tried) and when I tried it in the shop it felt so buttery and moisturising. It is glittery which doesn’t make it suitable for a daytime look (unless you’re all for that…then go ahead, no judgement here!) and it is really small for the price, but y’know I’m a sucker for snow fairy!

**I probably should warn you that the majority of what I purchased have the same smell as Snow Fairy…I have an addiction to that scent and I probably need help. If this isn’t for you, you can just admire how pretty they all look, and if you hate pink well then…this is awkward.**



Next up is Cream Candy Bubble Bar, this is something I buy every time I visit a lush store and is a long-time fave. Again, very sugary and sweet and turns the bath water pink! All in all an enjoyable bath that leaves the skin soft and supple and the bathroom delicious smelling.



Candy Mountain Bubble Bar’s shimmery swirliness and (surprise surprise) vanilla sweet scent is what drew me in. I’m excited to use this, however I've heard it’s quite glittery so may be a ‘mare to clean the bath later!



Okay, so last super sweet scent I promise! This Magic Wand Bubble Bar is so pretty and is basically Snow Fairy on a stick finished with a bell…what’s not to love! Just swish this reusable bar in the water to create a bath full of bubbles and enjoy!



The Comforter is really big so you only need a small amount to create the perfect relaxing bath. This smells a little sweet but there is a fruity element to it too, as it contains blackcurrants, and looks like a yummy pink cinnamon swirl, dontcha think? Okay well the one I happened to pick up doesn’t so much..but check them out in stores they totally do!



With the fast approaching Christmas season, there are a bunch of new festive themed bath treats, in fact too many to choose from, but I ended up picking out Snowman Ballistic for now (I will be back for the rest though..no doubt!). This little guy is just adorable, with his orange nose and cute red scarf and he smells like baby powder with a hint of vanilla. This bath bomb contains cocoa butter which will leave skin soft and nourished.



Have you tried any of these bath treats? What’s your favourite product from Lush?                
Pea-ess…Can anyone tell where the title of this post is from?

November Wish List

I like to do a lot of window/online browsing when the weather is rubbish and I am procrastinating, which leads to a (long) wish list including but not limited to fashion items, beauty products, home ware, electrical's and food (yes food…namely something within the sugar department and not sold in your average grocery store…like this.) Anyhoo…this is just a small selection of what I’m currently lusting over this month.

1. Mulberry Animal Jacquard Swing Dress, Topshop £42- Oooh this colour! oooh and the jacquard print. It’s just lovely and perfect for a date night…paired with heels and a statement clutch for a fancy dinner, or with a leather jacket and beanie for a more casual affair with a side of sexy, this dress caters for all.

2. Clutch Bag, H&M £14.99- Aren’t gold and black just gorgeous together? Such a sleek combination and this clutch with it’s statement casing would be the perfect finish to any simple outfit.

3. Purple Geometric Diamond Print Raglan T-Shirt, River Island £25- I have always been intrigued by co-ords/matching sets but never been brave enough to try them out…I think there is a chance of looking less ‘runway chic’ and more ‘frumpy grandma chic’. Anyways something about this combo (3 & 4) just drew me in, perhaps it’s the colours and print or the casual vibe of the two but I really like it and could be the set that lures me into this trend.

4. Pink Geometric Diamond Print Trousers, River Island £38

5. Rose Gold Mulberry Bayswater Bracelet, Selfridges £225- Ahh Mulberry…I will one day own the famous Alexa bag but right now my eye is on this baby. I own a ridiculous amount of rose gold items, I’m have an iffy relationship with gold (yellow old makes me want to vom…seriously!) but rose gold is my best friend, its such just such a pretty colour and I find it very wearable. I love this lock detail of the bracelet too adds a little somethin’ somethin’ to the simple piece.

6. Original Tall Hunter Wellies, Hunter Boot £85- Each winter it snows and each winter I am in a pickle as to what footwear will be most appropriate (flashback: walking to clinics in formal office wear and trainers weren’t my finest fashion moments but more of a ‘sod it, sliding down a black iced hill in heels doesn’t sound like fun’. I have been on the verge of buying these each year but somehow never ended up actually purchasing them…perhaps this will be the year! Pea-ess I ADORE the little socks that you can accessorise the wellies with.

7. Charlotte Olympia Sleeping Kitty Leather Slippers, Selfridges £485-As an absolute cat fanatic the CO kitty slippers have been on my wish list for a while and this sleeping kitty version were made for me (I heart cats..and sleep..go figure). These are the perfect combination of sleek and quirky…definitely need to save my pennies and invest in these bad boys!

8. ‘One Night Stand’ Nars Cheek Palette, Space NK £45- I actually do not own anything from Nars…and it isn’t because nothing appealed to me, oh no…quite the opposite actually. I’m intrigued by SO many items I actually don’t know where to start ( I actually am the worst decision maker in the world). This palette, which is exclusive to Space NK, seems like a good place to start as it includes 3 of Nars’ cult products; Laguna bronzer,Orgasm blush and Deep throat blush. It also includes two other pretty blush shades and a highlighter…I’m sold!

9. Grey My Little Pony Print Dolman Top, River Island £25- Oh my…this just reminds me of my childhood! I love loungewear and this looks so cosy and cute that I feel I must own this. Also seeing Nicole Scherzinger in this has definitely  made me want it more!

10.‘Rebel’ Lipstick, Mac £15-  Described as a ‘midtonal cream plum’ this berry shade is definitely made for fall and just looks beautiful. When is the perfect time to venture into darker shades of lip colour if not now?!

11. Trixette Cross Over Jumpsuit, Missguided.com £24.99- I actually first saw this on BeautyCrush’s lookbook video and she looked so hot in it. It’s classy and sexy at the same time and it only needs minimal accessories to make a hot outfit.

12. Grey Knitted Jumper, H&M £14.99- It’s that time of year again where layering and chunky knits is the way to go. Fling this simple jumper over a white shirt and finish with a statement necklace and you have a stylish casual outfit perfect for Autumn/Winter.