Milk and Blush Hair Extensions!

As I'm sure some of you noticed I chopped off a lot of my locks earlier this year; my hair was very long but I was going to Thailand and knew upkeep in a hot hot country would be difficult while travelling, so I decided to get it cut shorter! I really missed my long hair so I reached out to Milk and Blush and after speaking with Sammy they very kindly sent me out a set of hair extensions to try!

The extensions I got were the 24-26" (180g) Full Head Classic Set in "Oh my Gwen Stefani", these extensions come with 10 wefts which includes a quad weft which I absolutely love! The extensions arrived very quickly and I was actually super impressed with the packaging they come in. With previous companies I've used the hair extensions have come in a plastic sleeve with a piece of cardboard backing giving details of the product, but with the Milk and Blush extensions they came in a very pale pink box with a separate care guide and other small cards giving information  (and they sent me a personalised note which I thought was lovely!).

The colour 'Oh my Gwen Stefani' is the palest blonde shade they produce, when I opened them I thought they were much more yellow toned in real life than they looked on the website so I would definitely recommend using their shade matching service rather than guessing from the site!

I didn't mind the yellow tone of blonde that much as I knew I was going to be custom dyeing them all different colours, but I wanted to check and make sure they could be toned to a whiter bright blonde. Mainly so they would match my actual hair as closely as possible, but also just to test out how well the colours would take to the hair.

I managed to tone them to this more ashy blonde which I was happy with, they have several different tones in them which make them look more natural! I did this with just a home made toner (extremely diluted purple dye), but I'm sure you could push the colour to a white/silver colour with a better one.

When I open new extensions I do like to check through the hairs to check the colour consistency; in the past I've bought extensions that have quite a lot of darker strands in the wefts to 'pad out' the set, but with this set I checked very very carefully and only found around 4 darker strands which is obviously not noticeable at all so I was quite pleased about that!

In terms of quality I feel this set is a solid product, the hair is 100% Remy human hair so it feels beautifully silky smooth and the clips on the wefts are fab, they're metal and have a silicone strip on the inside to prevent slipping! Extensions I used to use a few years back didn't have silicone so I was super happy that I didn't have to backcomb my hair with this set! On my tester weft one of the clips broke when I first opened it but I didn't find this much of an issue as I had spare clips and was happy to sew a new clip on. However I am confident Sammy and the Milk and Blush team would have done whatever they could to fix the issue if I had notified them as they were always very lovely and helpful! ❤

I'm really impressed with how well they took up colour when I custom dyed them, I feel they look stunning how I currently have them but I will attempt to strip them and do something different later on. So far I'm really surprised with how little hair has shed from them! I've noticed far more of my own hairs floating around which is (not great for my hair) amazing!

Over all I'm stoked with the extensions! I'm loving styling and playing around with them and would recommend to anyone looking for some!

❤

Full Head Hair Extensions - Classic Set provided for review by Milk and Blush. Though these items were received free of charge, this is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are the author’s own.

OCC skin conceal R0: First Impressions

Today's post is a little different from things I've written in the past. Since becoming vegan i'm slowly transforming my (small) makeup collection to vegan and cruelty free. When my collection concealer was running out I started to scour the web to try and find a really good vegan and cruelty free concealer that came in very pale shades as every concealer I had used previously was slightly too dark/ orange. I came across the skin conceal by Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics and saw they did a very pale red toned shade and started trying to find a UK site to order it from, I came across the Beauty Bay where the shade R0 was on offer for £12.40 so I quickly ordered it and it arrived three days later! 

It comes in quite simplistic plastic packaging. The front has the brand name and '100% vegan and cruelty free' written on it, Then the back just has some more information including the shade colour and ingredients. One thing I was happy to see was that this pot has 8.5 grams of product inside, which I think is quite a lot for the price.

I didn't want to get any germs, dirt or fingerprints into the product pot, so I decided I would apply it to the skin with a clean brush. If you do this make sure you clean the brushes regularly, otherwise germs from your face will get dipped back into the concealer!

I applied it under my eyes, on the red areas around my nose, and a little way down my nose also. The consistency of the concealer feels really nice, it's really creamy and doesn't feel oily at all. I didn't use very much of it but I think if you wanted full cover with this it would be easy to do so.

I blended it out with a dampened beauty blender and noticed it blended easily, again probably due to how creamy it is. I checked the ingredients to see which I think might be down to and saw it has a lot of natural ingredients including Castor Oil, Aloe Extract, Cocoa Extract, and Vitamin E so it seems like it would nourish the skin rather than irritate it! 

It seems to match my skin tone beautifully, which is something I've never found in a concealer before. The above photo is the concealer with no foundation or powder; it seemed to cover the redness around my nose really well, and brightened under my eyes quite nicely.

This is some basic make up, again without foundation as I don't need it for every day wear. I used a little bit of loose powder to set the concealer in place and I think it looks pretty good, it doesn't feel heavy on the skin either. When I was taking my makeup off I did notice there was creasing under my eyes - but this was 13 hours after I had put it on so I can't really complain about that. Over all I'm really pleased with this concealer and glad I purchased it! 

Though I'm not a make up artist, if you'd like me to give my opinions on other vegan beauty products let me know 😘😘

❤

Festivals with Filthy Fox

Earlier this year I was contacted Filthy Fox, which is a website that offers a huge range of festival gear from camping equipment to glow sticks. As I was going to Download Festival this year they asked if I'd like to try out a product from their website, and after a little browse I decided I wanted to test out the X- ray Sleeping Bag Suit.

I  mainly chose this item because of the design, I have a lot of sleeping bags already but the x-ray image on this one really caught my eye and I loved the fact you can wear it; It seemed like the perfect thing to wear once the bands had finished so I would be able to sit under the gazebo at night without freezing to death.

The sleeping bag comes in a fairly basic black stuff sack with an orange drawstring and handle and the easy camp logo printed on the side to match. I've found it quite easy to get the sleeping bag back into the sack which is fab; with some of my other sleeping bags getting them back into their storage bags seems nearly impossible.

It has zipped arm holes and foot area so you can wear it and walk around staying snug. It has a drawstring around the neck so it can be more fitted (and won't fall down), and also a drawstring around the bottom so if you're shorter it won't trip you up. It also has a zip down the front for ease of putting it on/ taking off if the drawstrings are done up tightly.

Unless you're at a very dry festival or you're really tall I don't think you'll be able to walk around with the bottom loose. I tried to tighten the bottom around my legs so it wouldn't drag along the floor - but obviously then I couldn't walk properly! I discovered it worked best to have the bottom pull cords tightened around my waist so I could walk around; but then as the sleeping bag is folded over itself so it came down to just above my knees. 

The quality of the materials feels pretty good, so far I haven't had any troubles with zips getting stuck and the lining on the inside is really soft and felt nice against the skin. The only issue I could find with it was that it has a few loose threads (you can see them in the close up of the top of the sleeping bag), but they can easily be cut off and as it's not a high end product it's not a big deal.

Unfortunately (but not surprisingly) it was another Drownload and I didn't want to get my new sleeping bag caked with mud so I didn't get to wear it outside of my tent, but it did keep me lovely and toasty at night which I honestly wasn't expecting as I had just gotten back from Thailand.

Overall I'm really happy with the sleeping bag and glad I now have this as part of my camping collection, I'll definitely be using it again as it's so cool and toasty. If you're after anything for a festival I'd recommend you check out the website as they have such a huge variety of things I'm sure everyone would find something they'd be interested in 😘😘

❤

X - ray sleeping bag suit provided for review from Filthy Fox. Though this item was received free of charge, this is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are the author’s own.

Mermaid / Unicorn Split Dye

I recently started to get urges to have beautiful multicoloured pastel hair again, though I was unsure how I wanted to do it. I've had pretty much every pastel colour alone, multiple ombres and split dyes so coming up with something different was a fun task.

I decided I wanted to combine two types of styles that I've had before, my mermaid ombre paired with my unicorn meld - but of course slightly altered. I also figured as my hair is shorter, now would be the perfect time to custom dye the Milk and Blush extensions the team had kindly sent to me!

As usual I used La Riche Directions dyes (Cerise, Plum, Midnight Blue, Lagoon Blue, Alpine Green, Apple Green, Spring Green, and Bright Daffodil) but I mixed the dyes into custom pastel shades using some white conditioner from Tesco (I used theirs as I knew it was definitely cruelty free).

I am absolutely in love with it!! 😍😍😍 

If you want to see how I did this see the video below 👇👇👇

❤

Update

So I seem to have disappeared from my blog/ YouTube again for a while. Although I've never really uploaded consistently I've always had the intentions of doing so, unfortunately my mental health always seems to get in the way. I get really motivated and inspired and write huge lists of video ideas, then I manage to create one or two and suddenly become really really ill again.

For those of you who don't know I have BPD, PTSD, Depression and Anxiety. So with these different disorders I suffer a very wide variety of symptoms; the worst thing for me is usually my BPD, when my moods become incredibly erratic I can't stay in one mood long enough to do anything and I become very self destructive. 

Whenever I'm handling my illnesses well I tend to take huge leaps instead of steps. I spent the whole of May in Thailand (I was planning on making a video of my time there but my CPU on my laptop can't deal with the quality of the video clips I took on my GoPro 👎), I dealt with being there quite well, I had some days where I felt I couldn't go on and was considering suicide again but luckily I met some lovely people there that brightened my days. The main person being the beautiful soul Celiah, she was volunteering at the same sanctuary as me so I met her 3 days after I got to Thailand and ended up staying with her until my very last day. ❤ 

I made one video when I got back and was feeling pretty ok, I then got offered a dance contract in Zante for the next 4 months and jumped at the opportunity as it's something I've always wanted to do. Unfortunately only a few days after I got there I started spiralling again, I had the worst panic attack of my life and was taken into hospital as I couldn't speak and had the most awful treatment I could ever imagine. Then after that I became incredibly unstable, depressed and once again suicidal. I only managed to stay there for two weeks before myself and my family were so worried about my well-being that I had to return home.

Since I've been back I've been very up and down. One thing that has had a positive impact on me is the fact that I started to have pole dancing lessons - something I've wanted to do for years but all the studios were far away and I didn't have the time or a way of getting to them. Through a friend I discovered a relatively new studio in a town near to me and after a few weeks started a 6 week beginner course, I've now done 8 weeks and am really proud of how I'm coming along with it. 

I've had some extremely difficult times, some I didn't think I would pull through. Some weeks ago I was so unstable one minute I was crying hysterically, the next raging uncontrollably then bouncing off the walls. I relapsed with my eating (I also used to be anorexic), so for a few of my pole lessons half way through I'd start shaking violently and felt like I was about to collapse, my vision would black out and I felt incredibly weak. I also relapsed with self harm after being clean for 6 months, so I felt like a complete failure; but in hindsight at that moment that was the lesser of the things my mind was screaming at me to do, so I guess it was a good thing. My Mother became extremely worried and was encouraging me to consider going back into a ward or respite house before things got too bad, but luckily a little while later I started to even out a little; I started eating again and my moods started changing at a more normal (for me) rate, of course they're still very difficult for me to deal with but I don't feel like an eternal erupting volcano anymore.

The past week or so I've been really working on my self care, I've started reading my spirituality books again, writing in my journal every day, colouring, doing extra yoga stretches and going on walks. I'm managing a lot better at the moment and I'm really hoping I manage to stay at this level or improve further. So, while I'm doing ok I'm going to once again try to work more on creating and writing on here - earlier in the year a few companies sent me items so my priorities are to get those posts finished, but I have a lot of ideas whirling around my head.

❤

Lush Hair Extensions Review

As you may already know I have very long hair, but often I find myself saddened with it's natural state; it's very thin and fine and doesn't tend to hold styles very well because of this. I used to use extensions a few years back when my hair was short from extreme damage, but I hadn't really thought too much about using them just for volume/thickness. 

In January I was in contact with Anna from Lush Hair Extensions, I described how my hair currently was and what I'd want to get out of a set of extensions and she was very helpful. I sent her a photo of how my hair was at that time and she suggested I try out the 24" Clip In Human Hair Extensions Ultimate Full Head Set in #90 (Platinum Blonde) which they then very kindly sent out to me for review purposes. 

I'd like to add their delivery is absolutely fantastic! They currently offer free next day delivery on all UK orders placed Monday - Friday before 3PM, but orders after that may take a little bit longer.

They also do a free colour matching service to make sure you get the best set suited to you! I think it's a good idea to do this even if you think you know which set you're going to go for. I noticed the photo  of the colour #90 (Platinum blonde) looked a lot more white/silver on the website than the set I received.

When the extensions arrived they came in a big pink parcel with 'Lush Hair Extensions' logo taped over it, upon unwrapping there was a long cardboard box inside, then within the box was the plastic packaging with the hair inside. So a lot of packaging! But at least you know they're packaged well and shouldn't get damaged on the shipment out to you.

As I previously mentioned, when I first opened up the extensions I noticed the colour wasn't exactly how it looked on the website; but it didn't bother me too much as I was custom dyeing them anyway!

Some extensions I've used in the past have had much darker strands added into the platinum sets (I imagine to fill the set out more), so I like to carefully look through new sets to check the consistency of the colour; and I'm happy to say in this set all the strands were practically the same shade!

My hair without extensions

I noticed the clips had a silicone strip on the inside of them, which I think is a fantastic idea. It keeps the clips in place all day and negates the need to back comb at the roots, HURRAY! As for the quality of the hair they felt super soft and didn't appear to have much coating on them! After washing them several times they still feel just as smooth and soft as when I first received them.

I haven't noticed very much shedding with these extensions although, I am quite gentle with them; so if you have a heavy hand and wash/style them roughly you might notice more hairs come out. As far as custom dyeing them goes the colours took incredibly well (more so than my actual hair), so I think having my hair curled makes the difference in brightness less obvious (as you may see below).

My hair with the extensions

Overall I am absolutely thrilled with these extensions and would definitely recommend them to anyone wanting some. 

❤

24" ULTIMATE FULL HEAD Hair Extensions provided for review by Lush Hair Extensions. Though these items were received free of charge, this is not a sponsored post, and all opinions are the author’s own.

Deep Sunset Ombre Hair

The universe fascinates me. I often find myself staring like a hopelessly curious toddler; in awe of nature, photographs, and all the small things we take for granted. Inspiration can be drawn from every particle of our existence.

I came across this stunning photograph here, but unfortunately couldn't see a photographer to credit.

For a while I've been wanting to shy away from pastel hair but didn't want a bright block colour (as I'm sure I've had them all before). I'd been thinking perhaps a red as the main focus considering the last time I had red hair I was 15! As soon as I found this photograph I knew exactly what my next hair endeavour would be. 

I wanted mostly deep red and orange but with a flash of purple at the roots. I selected the colours Plum, Poppy Red, Mandarin, and Bright Daffodil from La Riche Directions. I also was sent some lovely extensions from Lush Hair Extensions to dye (which I will be reviewing very soon).

I love how it turned out and how much thicker the extensions make my hair look! If you're interested in seeing exactly how I achieved this look then click through to my tutorial on YouTube!

♥

Seeking Silver: Koleston Perfect 0/81

To see all my Seeking Silver posts click the label 'seeking silver' at the bottom of the post. If you have any hair dye/ toner requests please leave them in the comments and I'll try my best to get ahold of them.

The second dye I am testing out in my Seeking Silver series is the Koleston Perfect Special Mix in 0/81. I purchased this from Ebay for around the £7 mark, but you also need a developer for this to work. I have generic 3% (10 vol) creme peroxide as I'm just depositing colour and not lightening my hair. 

Below is the state my hair was in before applying the dye. I had just bleached my roots a few days before (without toning) so my roots were an extremely pale yellow, with the rest of my hair being virtually white.

To mix up the dye I emptied the contents of the Koleston tube of colour (60ml) into a tint bowl and then measured out 120ml of creme peroxide (as it requires a ratio of 1:2) and mixed well. 

When applying the dye I split my hair into 4 sections, apply with a tint brush at the roots first, then pull and massage the dye through the lengths of my hair afterwards.

After I had applied the dye I noticed it was developing an extremely blue tone, so I cut the developing time short and rinsed it off after 15 minutes, then proceeded to do my usual deep condition afterwards (OSMO intensive deep repair mask) for 5 minutes.

  After my hair had dried my results were as above. The colour came out a very metallic icy grey-blue which I personally think is absolutely stunning, but may not be what you're after. It's definitely an extremely blue based dye which I understand will not be to everyone's taste when looking for a silver/grey colour. In terms of the condition of my hair it felt identical to before I dyed it, which is great!

 I decided to wash it once and check to see how much the colour changes. It did fade a bit and some of the blue tone did wash out, but you can tell it's still a blue toned silver (although I'm sure you will agree it's much more silver than when it was first dyed). 

After the initial wash the colour noticeably faded, but during the next 3 weeks of hair washing the colour stayed virtually the same as in the photo above!

Please remember that to get silver/ grey hair you need to have very very pale blonde hair beforehand, so bleaching will be necessary. I personally wouldn't recommend trying this dye on hair much darker than mine as the blue tones will probably make the hair look murky.

Overall I'm actually really pleased with this dye. I would 100% recommend it if you like a blue based silver/ grey, but if you would prefer a purple or neutral based silver/grey then you may want to skip out on this one. As I previously mentioned I found this dye on Ebay but you can also find it in Sally's or other beauty supply stores!

Thanks for reading!

♥