Adorable Metal Faces Of The Day

Too lazy and horny to make jokes at the expense of others today, so here's some pictures of cute girls with a few extra holes in their faces:

 Just kidding about the last one.  What do ya know, guess I'm not too lazy after all!

Review : Yes To Baby Carrots, featuring a very special guest reviewer

I have made no secret of the fact that I am not ready for children just yet, so when I received a baby shampoo recently I was baffled as to how I could review it properly, without resorting to using it as a brush cleanser. The perfect person people sprang to mind - my lovely friend and blogger Laura and her gorgeous little boy Jamie. Laura emailed me the review yesterday morning, and it really made my day reading it. Enjoy the review - I know I did!

Gentle Foaming Shampoo & Body Wash 300ml

Yes To Baby Carrots

Mummy gave me this big orange bottle when I was busy splashing in the bath and told me we need to tell all of the big boys and girls what we think of it. I told her I just wanted to play with the lid and the bubbles. She let me. I love my Mummy. 

Mummy said this foamy stuff is called shampoo, which made me laugh a little bit, what a funny name. Then she said something really silly...it's made from carrots! Well, she said it's actually packed full of Vitamin E, Organic Melons, which are full of things called antioxidants and vitamins, and it has Organic Pumpkins too, and they are stuffed with nourishing Beta Carotene. If you ask me, that's a lot of big words for a little boy, and she feeds me carrots for dinner, so I don't know why she puts them on my hair too! I tried to rub my dinner that had carrots in on my hair the next day, but she didn't seem very impressed with that!

Mummy said to tell you that you can buy this carrot shampoo, which is all natural and especially formulated for babies delicate skin, for £8.99 from Victoria Health (that is somewhere on the internet, Mummy goes there on her shiny iPhone that she won't let me play with).

I thought you might like to see some pictures of my hair. It's pretty cool. Lot's of people like to touch it because it's so soft and bouncy.

BEFORE:

DURING:

 AFTER:

Me and Mummy like this shampoo. I like it because it's all foamy and feels funny on my hands and tummy, and Mummy likes it because it washes my cool hair really well, and makes it even softer and shinier than before. I have sensitive skin, but this doesn't make it go all red and itchy. It is quite expensive for a baby product, but I don't have to worry about money because Mummy and Daddy pay for everything for me. I think we might be buying it again when it runs out though.

Product provided by PR.

Photographs copyrighted to romanticdreaming.blogspot.com.

How adorable is Jamie?! Almost enough to make me broody hehe. Thank you so much Jamie (and of course Laura!) for the review. Laura is one of the first blogging friends I made and she is still one I can rely on and trust to cheer me up, even if she isn't feeling too grand herself. She is such a lovely, lovely girl and if you haven't read her blog yet, I urge you to. You can find it here. I'm sure this isn't the last you've heard of little Jamie either!

xoxo

John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight

My teenage years were a nightmare where my hair is concerned. As someone who inherited wild, curly, thick, frizzy hair (thanks Mam!), maintaining it and trying to get a straight sleek style was a really daunting task - especially since it was the 1990's and GHD's were nowhere to be found! I had a little gas-cylinder-operated hair straighteners, and some rubbish 'straightening balm' that made my hair lank and greasy. Fast forward 10 years, and thankully the world of hair care has developed significantly, and the newest addition for those of us who have struggled to get locks to rival Jennifer Aniston is John Frieda's innovative 'Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray'.

I was sent this recently and was really excited to trial it - John Frieda is a brand I can rely on to tame my mane, and the product information sounded great!

"Designed to work with your hair straighteners, this weightless spray with heat protection blocks out frizz as you straighten. A revolutionary blend of polymers with keratin protein wraps each strand, sealing in straight style for up to 3 days."

The first time I tried this I sprayed about 10 sprays through my wet, freshly washed hair and blow-dried it. It smelled good and I wasn't met with as much resistance to blow drying as usual. In fact, the blow drying process seemed to have been quicker. However, I run my fingers through my hair and it felt sticky and overloaded with product. My roots weren't greasy or anything, and I still had volume and movement in my hair - it just felt disgusting. I used my straighteners, as instructed, and the sticky feeling seemed to melt away with the heat, and I could tell that my hair had a definite shine. It was sleeker, definitely, and despite being poker straight, I had volume at the roots. It didn't feel like I had any product in anymore - it just felt smooth and soft. Perfect!

So how did it hold up for the 3-day test? I generally wash my hair every 2-3 days anyway, but I purposely left it the full 3 days when I was trialling this. With my regular routine, I have to use my straighteners every single day. Not an awful lot, but particularly at the back of my hair where I've been sleeping, or near the ends. If I've tied my hair up for bed or shower time, the kinks need to be ironed out too. I also tend to have a bit of frizz at the end of the day. With this spray, my hair remained straight throughout Day 1 and it wasn't as frizzy by the end of the day.

I woke up on Day 2 after using this spray and my hair was literally as flat as a pancake. No need to run the straighteners through again - the lengths were perfectly straight - but it was stuck to my head! Not good. I tied it up to go in the shower and the bobble-kinks weren't so prominent that I needed to get out my GHD's. My hair still looked shiny too, so a spritz of Backcomb in a Bottle later, and my hair looked as good as Day 1.

On Day 3, I woke up and immediately wanted to wash my hair. My roots were greasy, my hair looked lank, and it was so much flatter than the day before, but yet again, I didn't need to run the straighteners through. I was determined to see through this experiment, so I dry-shampooed the roots and it looked okay enough for me to leave the house. By the time I got home I was itching to wash my hair! My roots were flat again and the ends of my hair were starting to 'fray'. Had my hair not been in dire need of a wash, it would have been time to whip out the straighteners. So, it definitely keeps my hair straight for 3 days! This is my hair at the end of Day 2:

All in all I am impressed with this spray. I do need to pay extra attention to volumising my roots, but it minimises my use of straighteners, which can only be a good thing. I have used it a couple of times now and I prefer to wash my hair at the end of day 2, which is perfectly acceptable for me. Also, it was windy and rainy one day and my hair did frizz a bit, so it not a weather-proof spray. It does tame significantly though, which is good enough for me. I've also curled my hair with my straighteners at the last minute and it holds the curl brilliantly. I guess it's the 'sealing' theory from the heat.

It retails for £6.99 but John Frieda products are often on offer. Boots are currently selling them for 2 for £7, so stock up while you can!

Have you tried this spray? What do you think?

xoxo

Soap & Glory Hair Supply

I have been on a mission for smooth, sleek hair, so I have been trialling what feels like every deep conditioner in Boots. I picked up Soap & Glory's Hair Supply because my friend uses Soap & Glory hair products and raves about it. Before I start my review, I should point out my hair type. Very long, very thick, very coarse, and naturally very curly. Nightmare is the word I'd use to describe it ;) 

What do Soap & Glory say?

Soap & Glory Hair Supply® is a super gloss-giving radiance & repair mask treatment for all hair types. Leaves hair smooth and shiny; coats and controls split ends. Soap & Glory Hair Supply® has an ultra-light gel formula which nourishes and defrizzes but doesn't weigh hair down. After shampooing, squeeze excess water from your hair and apply a handful of HAIR SUPPLY massaging from roots to tips. Leave on for 60 seconds for a daily smooth, or 3-4 minutes for a more intensive weekly treatment. Soap & Glory® formulas are not tested on animals, only very picky people.

What do I say?

I was really excited to try this one as I am a fan of Soap & Glory products in general. The packaging is very cute and kitsch, they tend to smell fabulous and the products that I've tried so far do the job wonderfully. As expected, the packaging for Hair Supply is of the same standard - very cute and retro, plus it is in a tube. I loathe products designed for use in the bath/shower and not being in a tube. Water just gets into the tub or pot, and is just bleurgh. Tubes FTW!

The consistency of this conditioner is lovely. It reminds me of a gooey, thick, rich custard, though is really plyable and works through the hair with ease. I don't apply it at the roots (only through the lengths) and I did need quite a big dollop, but I do have very long, thick and coarse hair. The best bit is the smell - if you are familiar with The Righteous Butter or Flake Away scrub, you will know this smell. It is a strong, perfumed, floral scent, and though I find it overpowering in the body butter, it is perfect in the scrub and indeed this conditioner. The smell lingers on my hair for days after I use this too, regardless of what styling products I use on top.

So, thumbs up for the packaging, consistency and scent. How about performance? I've used this a fair few times now, and each time I leave it to treat for a different amount of time, depending on how rushed I am. The shortest has been 5 minutes, and the longest has been today, 20 minutes. Each time it has rinsed out easily and doesn't make my hair feel greasy with residue.

Once I dry my hair, it seems a bit shinier and quite sleek, but it doesn't feel like I've used a deep treatment, and it certainly doesn't 'repair'. To be fair, we all know that hair can't be repaired - if you have split ends the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off, so don't be sucked into that hype. My hair feels soft, don't get me wrong, but I get that feeling with my regular John Frieda conditioner. The plus point for this though, is that smell. Mmmm it is lush! It didn't weigh my hair down either, which I have experienced with other conditioning treatments, so yet another plus point.

Overall, I do really like this product. A deep 'repairing' conditioner it ain't, but an everyday conditioner? Yep, I definitely think so!

Price?

Hair Supply costs £6.38 for 200ml and is available in Boots. I don't think this is overpriced at all, as my regular shampoo and conditioner costs around the £6 mark.

Would I repurchase?

I wouldn't repurchase this as a deep conditioner, but I adore the way it made my hair smell. I think I would gladly use this after my regular conditioner, to give it a little extra moisture and of course the scent, but as a stand alone conditioner it isn't good enough for my hair type. I shouldn't imagine people with 'normal' or 'fine' hair having any problems though, and if anything I am intrigued to try other products from the Soap & Glory hair care range :)

Hope you found this review helpful. Have you tried Soap & Glory hair products before?

xoxo

Hair envy - Hilary Duff

My hair has been really annoying me lately. I'm not happy with the colour, I don't really have a 'style' to speak of, and my fringe has got a mind of it's own, as you may know from recent Twitpics. On top of that, it seems to be really dry lately. I've always had dry hair but it's been worse in recent months - despite using a deep conditioner regularly. I only had a trim a couple of weeks ago, so it's not split ends already. It's just crap. Lifeless and unruly. And crap.

I've never been a massive fan of Hilary Duff but I do think she is gorgeous, and she has beautiful hair. I want!

Hmmm looks like I'll be jumping on the ombre bandwagon soon... Any miracle hair products you'd recommend to help me get better hair? Who is your hair icon?

xoxo

September 2010 favourites

Hello cupcakes - hope you are all okay. September seems to have whizzed past in a blur really. It hasn't been a good month, which I won't bore or depress you with, but let's just say I'm glad to see the back of it! I'm looking forward to what the rest of 2010 holds, and dare I say the C-Word? I'm super excited for it! Christmas is my favourite time of the year and from October onwards I'm like a child, and get all excited during the build up to it. Anyway, back to the task at hand, some products that I have enjoyed using during September:

Lush Happy Blooming Bath Melt

I bought my first ever one of these at the beginning of the month and have gone through several more since. It smells beautiful, like sweet cherries, and it makes my skin feel lovely and soft. When I was buying my latest one, the Lush assistant said she uses this a lot and her favourite way to use it is to rub it onto her damp skin before stepping into the bath. I was a bit dubious about trying that method as I once got stained by a pink bath ballistic, but I tried it anyway and she was right - that is the best wat to use it! I dampen it and rub it all over, then sink into a lovely hot bath and watch it all melt away. The pink doesn't stain and my skin feels extra soft afterwards - far more soft than using the melt in the traditional way. This is a firm Lush favourite ever.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

This one had to feature this month. You've all seen it by now so I won't go into too much detail about it. I have used it every single day since I've had it and I am still not bored of it. Everyday I have a new favourite shade, but my most used are definitely Naked, Buck and Toasted. Oh so pretty.

Good Things Dream Cream Night Cream

I reviewed this here. My oh my, this is a gorgeous cream. I love how my skin looks and feels since I've been using this, and I haven't needed as much foundation during the day either. Even the cold weather can't make my skin dry out, and I think it's because this cream nourishes so intensely. I also like to use this as a hydrating mask. I spread a thick layer over my skin and leave it to sink in for about 10-15 minutes, then wipe away the excess with a cotton pad. I love, love, love it.

MAC Stereo Rose MSF

Now, I'm not going to lie, I only bought this because of the hype. When I got it, I thought it was pretty, but I hardly used it. In an attempt to use some of my unloved things, I started wearing it on it's own as a blush, and I have fallen in love. It gives me just the right amount of peachy-coral flush, with a lovely shimmery glow. It's been a lovely contrast to the smokey eyes I've been creating with my Naked palette.

Got2B Guardian Angel Heat Protectant

I'm not usually fussy when it comes to heat protectants for my hair. Don't get me wrong, I use them all the time, but I'm not fussy over brand as I think they do the same thing. My hair has been looking healthier since I've been using this one though, and I don't know whether it's a coincidence, whether it's the combination of hydrating products I've been using, or whether this has been protecting against heat better than the others. It smells lovely, has lasted me ages considering how long and thick my hair is, and only cost about £4, so is definitely my favourite heat protectant by far.

Dior Airflash Foundation

This foundation has a bit of history in my family. My cousin got married 2 years ago, and her skin looked amazing. We later found out that this is the foundation she used, and no word of a lie, every female in my family has used this foundation at some point since. Slowly but surely, we've all bought a can of it, and I can see the attraction. It's a spray foundation but isn't as messy as you'd think. The one I've got is slightly too dark for me now the sun has gone away, so I was sharing my Granny's whilst she stayed with us. It doesn't cake, looks healthy and dewy all day, and I didn't need to set it with a powder afterwards either. I don't tend to have trouble with my blush lasting, but it seemed to last a lot longer when I was wearing this foundation. I'm reluctant to use it everyday since it cost £32, but I couldn't help myself this month and used it a LOT!

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson

This book has gripped me. I've ben enthralled since the first page and it has evoked so many emotions in me. I love Dorothy Koomson books anyway, as her stories are always well written and thought provoking, and this one is no exception. Don't be fooled by the cutesy cover - she tackles really sensitive issues, like sexual abuse, rape and murder, and I couldn't put it down. One of my favourite books of the year!

What have you been loving this month?

xoxo

Latest love: John Frieda Root Awakening shampoo & conditioner

My hair is quite unruly and since I was about 13 years old, the only thing that has been able to keep it under control are products from John Frieda. Don't get me wrong, curiosity does get the better of me and I do experiment with other products and brands, but I always come back to what I know and love best - the stuff that works. For the last couple of months I have been using the new Root Awakening range, and I have to say, it's fabulous - definitely the best shampoo and conditioner from the brand!

I originally bought this thinking that it would be volumising (Root Awakening screams volume to me) but John Frieda markets it as a strength-infusing shampoo and conditioner, that feeds your roots and hydrates your scalp, giving you stronger, healthier and shinier hair. I definitely agree with that! My hair still isn't in the best condition after years and years, and years more of being a bright blonde, but since I've been using this my hair has felt so much softer and looks shinier. Styling my hair isn't as much of an issue because my hair seems a lot sleeker, and it doesn't seem as weighed down or heavy either. I don't have to deal with flyaways or kinks anymore, which has always been something that bothered me immensely. I used to carry a portable, gas-cylinder hair straightener to school with me because it bothered me so much! My only slight criticism is that my roots tend to get greasy a bit quicker, but that could be because I'm using the one for 'dry' hair, which might be a little too nourishing for my roots. It could also be the concoction of styling products I use! All it means is I have to wash my hair a day earlier than I used to. You could even use a bit of dry shampoo to freshen up your roots, so it's not the end of the world.

Another thing I adore about this range is the smell. It has natural eucalyptus, so smells really fresh. I love the tingly, invigorating feeling on my scalp, and I just feel my hair is really refreshed, clean, and hydrated. Love, love, love this stuff, so a huge two thumbs up from me!

Have you tried it? What do you think?

xoxo

Hair obsession

My latest hair infatuation? Plaits. Yep, the hairstyle is normally sported by Barbie-loving schoolgirls under 12... but  I have been obsessed with the sexy, grown up version - messy side plaits. The messier, more tousled and volumised the hair, the sexier I think it looks. And if it's good enough for these gorgeous girls, it's good enough for me!

And my effort - pretty rubbish in comparison but hey ho:

Not as tousled and not as sexy but I liked it anyway. I love fishtail braids. They're really easy and just look a little bit more 'polished' so can be glammed up a little bit should you want to. I can't remember what make up I'm wearing here. I think it might be MAC Softwash Grey pigment and MAC Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow, with Illamasqua Obey lipstick. No idea about the rest, sorry!

Have you been trying out the recent braid trend?

xoxo

New-new hair

I wasn't 100% happy with my recent hair colour change. I liked it, but because I used an ash colour, my whitest of blonde sections turned grey. Eeek! It certainly wasn't a good look on a 26 year old! I decided to colour it a little bit darker, to try and warm up the 'grey' a little bit. This is how it turned out:

The ends look lighter than they are because it's the lighting. It's super-dark in reality. I used L'Oreal's Excell10 in Darkest Natural Blonde and it's less blonde, more brown. I don't know how I feel about it yet, but Mr Lollipop said, "Woah, that's... different. It's really dark and... different", my Mam said, "It's nice, but... some highlights would look lovely", and my friends said, "It's... nice... but you don't look like... you". Hmm that's a really big, enthusiastic thumbs up from those then. My brother really was enthusiastic though, and he said "Ooh you've gone brown! That's really nice, suits you. I like it". Meh... you win some, you lose some.

I can't decide if I like it or not. I need to wash it and style it and have a good old play with it before I make up my mind, but at this rate I'm going to be back to blonde sooner rather than later.

xoxo

Out with the old...

For most of my 26 years, blonde hair is all I've known. I was born with the brightest of blonde hair, and when it started going darker aged 13, I hotfooted it into Superdrug for some light blonde dye. I can count on one hand the number of occasions I haven't been light blonde, but from the three, only one colour I actually liked, and that was dark blonde with light blonde slices. Wild child....

But, for a few months now I've been fed up of the blonde. Not so much the blonde per se, but more so the upkeep of it. Within a fortnight of colouring my hair the roots need a touch up. The time suggested in the kits is never long enough for it, and I often sit with dye on my hair for 90 minutes or more, which I'm sure you can imagine has dried my hair immensely. So I plucked up the courage to buy a darker hair dye. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to...

Medium Ash Blonde. I'm so wild. This is the from Clairol Perfect 10 range, so I'm hoping it'll be kinder to my delicate hair.

My friend told me that it's the wrong time of year to go darker, which normally I'd agree with, but when you're desperate for a change, why should the time of year dictate it? Anyway, before:

Excuse the before pictures - I'd just come back from my run. And after:

I let it develop for 15 minutes, because I didn't realise how quickly 10 minutes would pass! I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it either. I need a bit of time to get used to it I think. My Mam said it's nice, which I suppose is better than her bursting into tears like the chestnut coloured bob escapade. She also said I look older, which isn't really the effect I was going for! In some lights it looks grey though. Eeek! I'm thinking of going a shade darker again, but gradual changes and all that. I still catch my reflection in the mirror and wonder who it is looking back at me. Mr Lollipop hasn't seen it yet, but I know he'll say the generic 'It's nice'.

I think I'll end up going back to light blonde again eventually, but how soon that is I'm not sure.

xoxo

Purple smoke and new(ish) hair

 

Last weekend I went out with the girls from work for an afternoon drink and an evening meal. I ended up driking a huge bottle of vodka to myself, and that's before we even got the restaurant, where I consumed more than I care to remember! To say I suffered on Sunday was an understatement, but I had a blast and luckily didn't embarrass myself. Well, if I did no-one has told me about it yet haha! I'd forgotten I'd taken some photos of my make up until I was looking through my folder yesterday, so that's why it's a little bit late. I've been finding myself in a make up rut, so I fancied glamming myself up a bit with smokey eyes and false lashes. My smokey eye looks normally consist of black, grey or bronze eyeshadows, but because the sun was beaming I wanted to do something a little brighter. I whipped out my purples and came up with this:

I used:

FACE

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation - 51 Light Vanilla

Benefit Erase Paste - No 2 Medium

Benefit Boi-ing - No1 Fair

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural - Light

Benefit Bronzer - Hoola

Collection 2000 Eyebrow Pencil - Blonde

EYES

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Eyeshadow and Concealer Primer

Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow - Flying Down To

MAC Eyeshadows - Lotusland / Nocturnelle / Smoke & Diamonds / Carbon / Nanogold / Blanc Type

MAC Fluidline - Blacktrack

MAC Kohl Power Eyeliner - Feline

Max Factor Masterpiece Mascara - Black

Girls Aloud Eyelashes - They were either Kimberley's or Nadine's

CHEEKS

Benefit Bronzer - Hoola (to contour)

MAC Mineralize Blush - Dainty

Collection 2000 Shimmer & Shade - 3 Just Peachy! (to highlight)

LIPS

MAC Lipglass - Florabundance

YSL Golden Gloss - 18 Golden Lavender

And my hair is new(ish) because I've had a fringe cut in and some choppy layers added to the bottom. It's not a drastic change as I didn't want to lose the length, but there's some definition there now and it gives it a little bit of a lift. I really like it :) I preferred this look when the Feline on my waterline had worn off a little bit. It was a bit more intense than what I'm used to, but overall I loved it. I felt really glam and gorgeous all day. That might've had something to do with the drink though ;)

Hope you all enjoy your long weekend!

xoxo

Hair lust

It's my birthday on March 17th, and my Mam and Dad have decided to pay for me to get my hair done as my birthday present. I'm so excited! I don't go to a salon often because it's so inconvenient. My hair is super long and super thick, and my shortest appointment to date has lasted 4 hours, my longest 6 and a half. It's ridiculous. Imagine that every 6-8 weeks? No thanks! So when I do go to get my hair done, it's a massive treat :)

I've been trying to decide what I want to do to my locks, and the only thing I'm certain of is the colour. I took my inspiration from the gorgeous Jennifer Aniston and Lauren Conrad:

I love their honey and caramel tones, and since I'm naturally dark blonde, the upkeep will be a million times better. Now all I have to do is decide on the cut and style I want... which will take me forever haha!

xoxo

January 2010 favourites

I'm so glad January is over. It is definitely the worst month of the year, with the weather, diet, lack of money and just general misery with the come-down from Christmas. It has flown by though - it seems like only yesterday it I was setting my 2010 resolutions! It's been quite an uneventful January - except for the snow of course - but we only had a day or two where it stuck in our area. Nothing ground to a halt, life carried on, and bread /potatoes/salt didn't sell out. Anyway, onto the favourites!

This month I've been loving:

Bio-Oil

I've been using this to hydrate my face, and to undo the damage that the Vichy skincare range did to my skin. It's really calmed my skin down and even dealt with the added dryness that occurs during Winter. I've used this for years but only really as a bath oil or massage oil, but I have really appreciated it as a facial treatment (a la Zoella) for the last few weeks.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smooting Creme

I did a full review of this here. I'll never straighten my hair without this again. If you want super-sleek hair, then this is your friend.

MAC 209 brush

Perfect eyeliner brush <3 I really struggle with gel eyeliners, but this brush makes it so much easier. I was using Benefit's Hard Angle brush before, but could never get a neat consistent line - nor could I flick it out. This brush has flexibility, and is not too thick so I can do the inner corner perfectly. It's love.

Lush lip balm - Let Them Eat Cake

I had this in one of my Christmas gift sets, and I have to be honest, I pulled a face when I first had a whiff of it. It's a very very strong rum, currant and toffee smell, obviously like some sort of cake. My brother was the same when he sniffed it - he says he was one more sniff away from passing out. Slightly OTT but it is definitely a smell that takes some getting used to. The lip balm itself though is beautiful. My lips feel really soft, and it feels lovely on my lips aswell - not greasy, just smooth.

Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner - Lust

I bought the VIP liner set back last year but never ever used this shade. I underwent a purple challenge recently and I absolutely fell in love with it. I think it looks gorgeous on my waterline and jazzes up a neutral eye without being in your face. So pretty.

Not so many this month. What have you been loving?

xoxo