Buh Bye Brassy Yellow Tones. Hello Beautiful Silver Hair.

So instead of hearing me rant about what is fab and what is bad in the beauty world I thought it was about time I gave a tutorial instead. It's good to mix things up a little. 

 

I get asked quite a bit about how I achieve the silver/ ash blonde tones in my hair so I am going to show you just that! 

 

It's easier than you think and perfectly safe as long as you are super careful (with the bleach in particular) and use the right products. It also saves you a heap of money as it cuts out the need for a hairdresser. 

Please note: I am NOT a qualified hairdresser but I have years and years of experience of colouring my own hair every colour under the sun and I have learnt from my own mistakes (unfortunately) of what you should definitely not do.

 

STEP ONE- BLEACH THAT HAIR

You can spend all the money you want on ash blonde/ silver toners/ dyes and use them again and again but you will not get the ash blond/ silver tone until your hair has been lightened to that fugly yellow shade. Yes it's not pretty but it's what we need for the toner to do its magic. 

So how do we get this lovely colour? I shall tell thee now.

First of all you will need to buy some powder bleach and peroxide developer. Normally
 I grab a sachet from Sally's hair supplies but if you don't have one of these wonderful stores open to the public close by you can grab Jerome Russells bleach from Boots or Superdrug usually which works a treat. 

It looks like this.

Now before I go any further - If you pay attention to anything I say on this post- make it this part. 

This was me four years ago...

 

Alright well no. I lied. It's Britney Spears but I was close. 

 

The lesson I learnt was this: No matter what shade your natural hair colour is, even if it's very dark brown or black, please do not use anything over 20 volume peroxide bleach because it will FRY your hair. Even if your hair survives it will be in horrendous condition and resemble hay. No one wants that. We want hair that bounces like that on the Pantene ads.

 

In short, avoid 30 and 40 volume bleach like the plague because that is what I used years 

ago and I had clumps of hair falling out in the shower. It was REALLY REALLY scary and cost me a heck of a lot in protein rich shampoos and conditioning treatments. I had no money for alcohol. Says it all.

 

ALSO- DO A STRAND TEST BEFORE YOU BLEACH YOUR WHOLE HEAD FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.

The darker your hair is the more difficult it is to achieve the yellow shade we need so it will take a good few sessions of bleach. PLEASE leave at least a week between each bleaching session and use loads of protein rich conditioning treatments in between. You may be ginger for a few weeks but you will still have hair.  Ginger is cool these days anyway. Or wear a hat. It will be well worth the wait.

So moving on, once you have your bleach just follow the instructions in the box. Mix it up in a non metallic bowl and apply it leaving your roots until last because they will take to the bleach much quicker. Check your hair colour every ten minutes and do not leave the bleach on for longer than stated. Normally about 40 minutes.

 

Always wear gloves too. That's very important. You normally get a pair with your bleach but I have my own stock from Sally's. Cost me a fiver for a 100. Sweet.

 

 

STEP TWO- TONE TONE TONE

 

Hoorah! You have bleached your hair to that nasty yellow shade. Well done you. Let the fun begin. 

This is the easy bit. All you need to do is tone your hair to get whatever shade of blonde you desire. I have tried many many toners and the holy grail of all them all I believe is Loreal PO1 Luo Color, from the pastel collection. This will give you ash blond hair if you leave it on for the 20 minutes stated- but if you leave it on for longer (which I do) you can also achieve the silver tone.  PERFECT. 

I pick mine up from Sally's but you can buy this online really easily too for about £10. It's popular in salons for a reason. 

 

 Along with the toner, you also need a developer. Loreal has a developer made specifically for the pastel collection which can also be picked up from Sally's but if you are unable to find one then you can grab another peroxide developer. Just make sure it's not higher than 10% peroxide as this will effect the toner working properly. Grab a non metallic bowl again and your ready to go.

 

As you can see below, I didn't have the Loreal Developer this time so used one from Sally's but I have added a picture so you can see what it normally looks like. I'm nice like that.

  

 

 

Mix the toner and developer as stated in the instructions.

 

 

 

VOILA. You now have a lovely creamy consistency. Wack this on your hair and relax. 

 

Like I said if you just want an ash blond tone then leave this on for the required 20 minutes. If you want silver/grey hair then leave it on for longer but keep an eye on it because it changes fast. I normally leave it on for about 40 minutes. 

 

These are my results. 

 BEFORE

 

 

 

 AFTER

 

 

 

Lovely right?  Thank you.

 

STEP THREE- PURPLE SHAMPOOP

 

I wash my hair every single day and so this normally fades after a month or so. To prolong your colour you need to use a good purple shampoop a couple of times a week. My fave is from the Bleach London range which costs a fiver ( I have wrote a review on this in my July Treats post). A Touch of Silver is cheaper but doesn't work as well in my opinion. You can grab both from Boots or online easily.

  

Now all that's left is to enjoy your lush colour. Enjoy.  ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL- JUST HOLLA.

 

 

 

  

  

September: New Purchases

 

Hallo. So my weekend has been very very eventful and I have only just recovered but it was bloody BRILLIANT and so worth the god of all hangovers I received. I celebrated my hen party with my lovely friends and family and had a fantastic day/night. I am SO excited to finally marry my man! 

 

The night consisted of far too much alcohol in general, a superb cocktail making experience which involved lots of pink jelly shots, games and blind cocktail making. There was also a sit down meal, more games and a night out with a blow up doll as big as myself with my hubby to be's face on. LMAO. Yes I said that. No I am not ashamed.

 

Here are some pictures below for your viewing pleasure. 

 

 

 

So I have also made some new purchases recently and I wanted to share them with you. Happy reading all.

 

LAURENS WAY: BRONZING MOUSSE IN MEDIUM: RRP £17.95

 

 

 

So I have never been a fan of a Lauren Goodger since watching TOWIE. Thought she was a bit of a tw@t to be honest although after watching CBB recently I have changed my mind and I do think she's actually a lovely girl who has been misunderstood in the media. Soz Lauren.

 

 So anyway, when I was browsing Superdrug for a new 'night out' tan this was on offer for £10 so I decided to give it a go. Very pleasantly surprised. It's really really good. 

 

Apply this as always with a decent tanning mit and it glides onto your skin super easy. You do not need to use a lot and it blends really well leaving no streaks. When you first apply this though it looks extremely dark and I did scare my fiancé when I walked in the room afterwards but do not be afraid. You need to leave this on for a minimum of 8 hours so basically over night and then wash it off in the morning in the shower. It goes much much lighter and looks fab for a medium tan and still stays streak free. I don't even exfoliate before I tan because I am a lazy gal. Ain't got time for that. 

It lasts a good week and you can get dressed again after 60 seconds. Still has that slight fake tan biscuit aroma but apart from that it's a great product and I will be trying more from her range in the future. 

 

CRYSTAL COLLAGEN GOLD POWDER EYE MASK: RRP: 10 for £1.49 on Amazon

 

 

These are so so cheap and I really like them. The main purpose of these bad boys is to increase blood circulation around the eye area to reduce bags, get rid of fine lines and to rehydrate and moisturise the under eye area. I don't use these daily so I can't really say how true it is that they combat wrinkles around the eye area after long term use but they are great to put under your eyes when your tired and need to refresh the peepers. 

 

They stick on easily and are really cold and stay moist for the full 20 minutes you are meant to apply them for. After one use your eye area really does feel tighter, smoother, moisturised and refreshed and I swear my bags look much better. Perfect for a girly pamper night!

 

ANTI CELLULITE BODY BRUSH- RRP £5

 

My friend is training as a masseuse and kindly let me in on a great beauty secret to help reduce cellulite. To simply use an anti cellulite body brush like the one above along with some firming cream.

 

These brushes are very very hard when used and some might think quite painful but they need to be to essentially work. Once you have popped out of the shower (after a nice hot shower is the best time to do this) you need to brush this in an upwards direction (anywhere towards the head) and a circular motion for a good five minutes in the areas you want to target as this stimulates the blood to pump around the body and kill that disgusting cellulite. Then apply some firming lotion. Done. 

 

I have been using this at the top of my thighs and I have really started to see the difference. Definitely worth a go girlies! Remember to also drink lots of water throughout the day to get optimal results. 

 

And the final product I purchased recently was...

 

 BENEFIT: THEY'RE REAL PUSH UP LINER: RRP £18.50

 

 

It pains me to say this but I really don't like this product and I am so disappointed as Benefit are one of my favourite brands. Luckily I got this free with the mascara as a promotional offer otherwise I would be really peeved. 

 

Yes it's a lovely jet black and yes it has ridiculous staying power (quite an effort to get off) but my problem is this- the brush and the fact is it a gel liner and not liquid.

 

The tip of the pen is rubber and has a slit at the top where the gel liner is released by twisting a cap at the bottom. The rubber is far too big and thick to get this pen close to the eye line and because this is a gel liner and not liquid... You can't glide this across in one stroke. Instead it is very difficult to use and gets really messy. If you are trying to create a flick prepare to be disappointed and frustrated. 

 I think Benefit have tried to be different because I have never seen a liner like this but practically... It just doesn't work and I think they really need to go back to the drawing board. 

 

 

So there you have it- most purchases I am really pleased with and will buy again. My next post will be on September's beauty boxes. Keep those peepers peeled.

 

Beauty Box Battle: August

 

Well hello there. HOW ARE WE ALL DIDDLIN? It has definitely been a while since I last posted but I have been ever so busy. I have missed blogging so bloody much so this is going to be quite therapeutic for me today.

 

I feel like since its been so long I should give you a quick update on the goings on in my life as I like to do. I have got a new job ( Hip hip HOORAY) for starters which is going to give me lots and lots more pennies to spend on lots and lots of beauty products of course :) .

 

I have spent a lot of time playing with my pooch and staring at her while she sleeps as she is far too cute!

 

 

I have also been a social butterfly- Drank lots and pulled some crazy faces- Standard.

 

 

There was also the theft of a blow up penis and attacking of the owner. (No one was seriously injured)

 

 

I also tend to spend my Sundays watching lots of Come Dine With Me along with lots of pigging out  and I recently came across these monstrosities! I had to share the lashes of doom with you all- And this lady is also a model- no excuse.

 

And I got my nose re-pierced because I missed it. I will make sure not to lose it and let it heal whilst being under the influence of alcohol again. Pinky promise.

 

 

So lets get to it. As you know by now- I have subscribed to three well known beauty boxes and every month I write a review for all you lovely people out there on the products inside. Birchbox has been the current winner month after month but my oh my- the tables have turned this month as I have awarded it with the bronze medal. Ot ohhhhh.

 

THIRD PLACE- BIRCHBOX.

 

I loved loved loved the theme this month being holiday themed once again- 'Away we go' - and I got a lovely snippet read of 'The Proposal' by Tasmina Perry but the products inside just failed to WOW me once used. Simple as that really. 

 

(I am using dollar signs instead of pounds only because my 'on the edge of death' laptop will not let me use the pound sign).

 

1. Dead Sea Spa Magik- Refreshing Bath Shower Gel- $7.15 for full size- Sample Size

 

 

This I like but cannot rave about. What is great is that for a sample you get a lot from it as you do not need to squeeze a lot out of the tube to cover your whole body and I love how it can either be used in the shower or popped into a bubble bath for the same effect. BUT it is described as luxurious and refreshing and I just don't get or believe that- its average. Smells average and leaves your skin feeling average.

 

2. Number 4- Super Comb Prep and Protect- $20 for full size- Sample Size

 

 

I like this product. It is not amazing, amazing so as I feel like I have walked out of a salon after a conditioning treatment but it does the trick. I received a decent sized sample and it does what it says on the tin- or should I say bottle. Spray on damp hair and allow this leave on conditioner to works its magic. It is also great at de-tangling hair and has the added benefit of heat protection- if it can de-tangle my birds nest after rolling about all night then it can de-tangle anyone's.

 

3. Supergoop! Daily Correct SPF 35 CC Cream- $32 for full size- Sample Size

 

 

HATE this stuff guys with a passion and the sample sizes are tiny! Do not be fooled by the photo- Each tube is not even taller than my little finger and I am a very small person. I am always interested in trying CC creams as I hate feeling like I have too much on my face these days which foundation can sometimes do but this is not the one and I am heartbroken.

 

I was sent the light/medium shade which was perfect for my skin tone but the cream does not spread on easily and once applied, it in fact felt very heavy and sticky- like cement. Had to get it off my face straight away. It wasn't too bad for coverage for a CC cream but if you have acne prone skin you will still need to use PLENTY of concealer. It does say you can layer for extra coverage but its far too sticky in texture to do so. Just stay away.

 

4. Vasanti- Brightenup! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator- $26 for full size- Sample Size

 

 

This I really really like and is another Birchbox winner. This is a multi action exfoliator that ensures a renewed and refreshed complexion. It is to be used 3 to 5 times a week and you only need a pea sized amount so this will really last a few months which is great for a sample! It smells really refreshing and feels quite gritty scrubbing away those dirty cells. I would buy this again.

 

5. Wild About Beauty- Powder Eyeshadow in 05 Fern- Full sized item- $13

 

 

Now I have never been a great fan of eye-shadow myself but I love this- the shade is subtle but still noticeable and it glides on ever so smoothly like satin. It is from Louise Redknapp and Kim Jacob's paraben free range and I think its wonderful. Birchbox chose a really lovely warm colour that I think will please a lot of beauty enthusiasts out there.

 

Here is two coats of the shadow.

 

 

Birchbox was too hit and miss this month compared to the next two boxes so I had no choice but to give it last place. Step up your game Birchbox.

 

SECOND PLACE- LOVE ME BEAUTY

 

This was a fabulous box where I chose Edition 2- There was only 4 products inside but ALL FULL SIZED and all excellent with a value of $55 so Love Me Beauty definitely deserved to take the Silver.

 

This is also not the actual Love Me Beauty box in the photo and I know it doesn't look great- But my fiancée threw it away without my knowledge- he's far too keen to clean.

 

1. Marsk- Mineral Eye-shadow in 'Foiled Again'- Full Sized- $14.49

 

 

Once again I am slowly growing to become a lover of eye-shadow thanks to these boxes. This is a mineral eye-shadow that comes in a glitter pot and is 100% natural and cruelty free. It stays put to your lids all night and is fantastic on its own where you can build up the layers or keep it light and it also works great over the top of another shade as it blends perfectly. Foil me up any time Love Me Beauty.

 

Below is a photo without the flash with one layer.

 

 

2. A La Carte- Smudge-proof eyebrow definer in Blonde- Full sized- $23

 

 

Adore this. This eyebrow defining pen is so easy to use and control and came in a light brown shade which is perfect for day to day wear when you are not looking for anything too dramatic although the colour can be built up. It is water based so glides really easily and is great for filling in those pesky gaps. It doesn't come cheap but it is so worth it and a great addition to the make up bag for moi and those brow fanatics I am sure.

 

Below is one coat.

 

 

3. Oriflame- The one eyeliner stylo in 'Black'- Full sized- $8.45

 

 

This could not have come at a better time as I have just finished with my current liquid eye-liner and I love it! I have been using this for a good few weeks now on a daily basis and the product is still fresh and deep in colour unlike some liquid eye liners that can be ever so disappointing and would have started to dry up by now.

 

It is super easy to use and does not lose any product throughout the day in those naughty creases. Great liquid eye-liner. Thank you very much Love Me Beauty!

 

Do you like my tash?

 

 

4. Mirabella- Lip definer in 'Tart'- Full sized- $10.50

 

 

Once again Love Me Beauty read my mind and must have known I was looking around for a sexy new lip liner. The one they sent me is delicious. I have not heard of this brand before but they have definitely not disappointed. Its so smooth to use and such a lovely shade indeed. Its absolute perfection and multi purpose- it can be used as a liner on its own or for full all over coverage as a lip stick.

 

I love how the shade is also called 'Tart'- Filthy.

 

 

Love Me Beauty have definitely stepped up their game this month and proven its all about: Quality- Not quantity. Super excited to choose my next box.

 

So...

FIRST PLACE- GLOSSY BOX

 

Glossy Box never fails to impress me month after month but it has never been able to quite top Birchbox but this month they knocked it out of the park. All products were really good sizes and of really fantastic quality with a great mix. Thoroughly deserved first place.

 

1. Kryolan for Glossybox- Highlighter in 'Cashmere'- Full sized- $12.95

 

 

I am always on the hunt for a great highlighter because I love to contour. conTOUR. CONTOUR. This highlighter is creamy in texture and will last such a long time considering you only need to use a tiny bit each time. Its very lightweight, spreads easily and leaves a lovely fresh glow to your skin. I am very pleased with this product and this will be a daily essential of mine.

 

To highlight, apply this to the top of your cheekbones, on your cupids bow and brow bone. As you can see below: Its a lovely light peachy colour that is glossy which the light loves.

 

2. Figs and Rouge- Mini Hand Cream- Sample Sized- Full sized $6.95 

 

 

As you get older- I am 26 and yes feel old- you start to dream about hand creams. That is what I found anyway. I screamed in delight when I opened my box and found this bad boy. The packaging is awesome and even though this is not full sized, it is once again a great sample and will last at least a month. It is enriched with shea butter and smells divine and spreads very easily and dry's very quickly with no sticky texture in sight.

 

3. Yves Rocher- Pink Nail Polish- Sample Sized- Full sized $3.60

 

 

Lovely shade and for $3.60 is a great nail varnish indeed. Chips a little after 5 days of showering but the colour stayed fresh and glossy. Perfect for day or night and only 2 coats needed.

 

 

4. Philip Kingsley- Elasticizer- Sample Sized- Full sized $38

 

This is why I love these beauty boxes- A wonder product is always thrown in the mix that you wouldn't think twice about trying yourself. This elasticizer was specifically made for the one and only Audrey Hepburn and hey, if she loved it so do I! Its a pre-shampoo treatment that works a treat on your hair when you feel it needs some TLC. Its suitable for all hair textures and really has left my hair feeling great- It hasn't weighed it down and made it feel super bouncy and shiny. I shall be purchasing this again.

 

5. Lalique- L'Amour Perfume- Sample Sized- Full sized $67

 

 

I am definitely a fragrance chick and love getting perfume samples any day of the week! This is gorgeous and has been added to my perfume collection. I doubt I will buy the full sized product because its bloody expensive but I will enjoy it while it lasts.

 

6. Comfort Zone- Essentials Cleansing Milk- Full Sized- $20

 

 

I have also just ran out of cleanser (Why does everything run out at the same friggin time?) so this was a life saver for me and it works perfectly. Its a HUGE full sized product and is great at removing make up and cleansing those poor dirty pores. Its so soft and lovely on the skin. My only gripe is the bottle is not that user friendly- very hard to squeeze out the product.

So a HUGE well done goes to Glossybox- you finally did it! I hope you enjoyed reading my post and feel free to leave any comments.

 

Until next time...