Deep Conditioning Treatments

My hair has been somewhat damaged over the years. From the age of 16 I straightened the life out of it. I blame Avril Lavigne, I also blame her for letting me think wearing a tie with a vest top was a good idea...

It wasn't long after that I discovered that blondes do have more fun -and more split ends. Oh my poor hair! It became so brittle as I backcombed it, dyed it a different colour every fortnight, Sometimes curled it only to straighten it again right after for no reason what-so-ever. How did I ever I have so much time on my hands?! My hair has only just started to recover and that is down to a combination of velcro rollers, regular trims and some lovely oils and treatments to give my hair the much needed nourishment it deserves.

Once or twice a week I give my hair a deep conditioning treatment. I think a weekly treatment is needed for blonde hair, especially if heated products are used regularly.  It really has helped the condition of my hair and it's the longest it's ever been. I thought I'd share a few of my favourites.

L'Oreal Professional Intense repair masque
 £11.90 for 200ml 

This is the treatment that made me think of writing this post. It's thick and creamy yet it feels light on the hair. My hair feels so soft and bouncy after using this and I feel great once I've used it. It doesn't need to be left on for long for it to do its job either. So it can be a quick treatment in the shower if you don't have the time to treat yourself to a bath with your hair wrapped in a warm towel. The only negative thing I can say about this is the fact that it made my shower really slippery when I was washing it out. I have to be very careful I don't fall over. It won't stop me using it though, the things we out ourselves through for beauty huh?!

Neal and Wolf Harmony Intensive Care Treatment
£13.50 for 200ml

The paging of this just screams luxury. The pearly effect on the cream and brown design is lovely. The beauty doesn't stop there, the smell is incredible. It’s a nice creamy conditioner that's not too thick and doesn’t weigh your hair down like a lot can. When I've used this it really makes my hair feel amazing afterwards. I know I'm going to like a treatment when I feel it has worked right away. With this I could feel how soft my hair was from the moment I started rinsing it out. My hair was left glossy with no frizz and I dint need to use any heat to smooth it out which adds extra brownie points as anything that means I don't use heat on my hair means I will be damaging it less and it gives me one less thing to do each day! 

Boots Coconut and almond intensive hair mask 

£1.99 for 350ml

Coconut oil is being raved about lately. It's super nourishing and anything this natural has to be good for you. It's such a great price as you get a really big tub for less than £2.  Although this is the cheapest of the lot don't assume it's not going to do the job. I'm really pleased with this mask and it's great to fall back on when I'm saving the pennies. It's smooth consistency means it isn't too heavy and not only does it leave my hair really soft, it smells lovely too.

Tigi S Factor Serious Conditioner 

£9.99 for 150ml

This mask gives an ultimate conditioning treatment. I use this less often but I leave it on for longer to really sink in. I find leaving it for about 10mins when hair is wrapped in a towel is when it does it's job best. The thickness does leave my hair feeling a bit weighed down but it's still really conditioned so swings and roundabouts hey?!

What's your favourite hair treatment? I hear Aussie and Lee Stafford have a couple of good ones.

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Ways to Reduce Anxiety

It's been a while since I posted a lifestyle post and I thought I'd write something I feel strongly about.  There's been a lot of talk about Mental Health lately and I think it's great that it's becoming less of a taboo. The Time to Talk campaign has really helped. I'm noticing more and more people are speaking out about their anxiety and that's definitely the first step to getting help. I've found a few ways to help reduce anxiety and I wanted to share them with you. They might not work but give one or two a try and see how you get on.

Understand your Triggers 

I know I'm at my worst when I'm out of control and when I'm not prepared for a situation. I need to know who is going to be somewhere, and what it will be like and what we'll be doing. If I don't know what to expect I can get very anxious. Only recently I had a panic attack in the que for a club I'd never been to with no idea of what was inside. Sometimes being around people I don't expect can set me off too. In the past I found a certain few people made me feel incredibly uncomfortable and my anxiety was extremely hard to control.I would get heart palpitations and feel short of breath out of nowhere, sometimes without even realising that I was feeling uncomfortable with the situation.

Once you have identified what sets you off you can try to control it, if social media gets you down for example then don't read it. Either eliminate by deleting the acount or check it less often or at a time when you know you can cope with it.

If you're not sure what causes it then write down each time you have an anxiety attack and you can try and work out if there is a pattern of some sort.

Change Your Perspective

One of the reasons anxiety and stress gets to us is that they cause physiological changes that can feel frightening in the moment. When I’m anxious, I get a shortness of breath and my chest feels tight, I even struggle to get words out at times. This makes me more stressed as I start to worry how bad it's going to get or if people are noticing "Will I pass out..? Are people looking..?". Studies have proven that changing our minds can change our body’s response to stress. So something that scares you needs to be seen as a positive. Instead of seeing your heart beating faster as something to fear, look at it as your bodies way of getting more oxygen to the brain to help overcome what’s troubling you. It sounds strange but try it, next time you start to feel the symptoms of stress and anxiety, try to flip the switch. Stop for a sec and see your body’s response as a way to help you through the feelings you're going through.

Breathe

I wake up in the morning one of two ways, (1.) Quickly. I check my phone, rush to the shower, get ready while I sort out Mason or (2.) Calmly. I slowly adjust, reading my phone in bed, get up, put the kettle on then try and do a million things at once. The calmness soon goes out of the window as the to-do list grows. It’s easy to get caught up in the things that need doing that you feel you can’t even think of taking a break, but a break is exactly what you need.

It's really common to feel that you can’t turn off or let go of your thoughts but you can help control your anxiety rough meditating. I know, I raised an eyebrow at this when I heard about it too, but if you sit and switch off for five minutes a day and breathe you can reduce the anxiety.

I always picture meditating as sitting on the floor cross legged and chanting, which makes me feel silly. But meditating is about witnessing your thoughts as they come in and out, seeing and acknowledging them but not attaching to them. The moment you notice yourself dwelling on a topic, just label the experience “thinking,” let the thought go, and come back to your breath. You can just take a few breaths while standing still and exhale the anxiety out of your body. Try to mentally replace negative emotions with an image that makes you smile. This one really works for me. It gives you a different state of mind.

Watch Your Words

I constantly fret over what needs doing. When I stress out I list things to my partner and often add in things that aren't even necessary. "I need to put the washing on, wash up, decide what to wear, sort my hair out, clean the bathroom, get Mason's lunch ready, hoover the bedroom...."  It's when I keep saying over and over again that I’m swamped, all I’m doing is confirming these things to myself. The more I tell myself there’s no way I’ll be able to get everything done the more I’m basically telling myself that I will fail. I may not notice it but how I talk does affect my stress level. Telling myself ' I've got this and this and this to do...' Will just make me feel more overwhelmed.

We attract busy-ness and the feeling of being overwhelmed into our lives, studies show that if you think positively it enables recovery from depression and helps to get over upsetting events. We need to pay attention to what words we're using to describe our day. When someone asks you how things are going, what do you say? If you notice you’re answering with anxiety-inducing statements, change them up a bit. Tell yourself you can do it, take things a step at a time. I talk to my son that way, I need to give myself the same words of encouragement. When I add '...and I have to wash the shower curtain' I need to really think if it needs to be done today, why add things to the list that aren't vital? It's only adding more stress. Sometimes things can wait.

Affirmations are a great way to shift away from the negative things we think everyday. Write down what you're insecure about. If it's "I'll never trust friends again" turn it into a positive statement like "not everyone breaks trust and you know so many wonderful people" Imagine you are listening to a friend pouring out their feelings and you are making them feel better, you wouldn't be so negative to someone else, give yourself the same treatment.

Get Moving

I think exercise is the answer to almost everything. I find anxiety seems to make an appearance when I'm still. I guess I'm overthinking a situation and I start to panic. It's very rare that I have an attack when I'm moving about. 
 I’ve noticed that regularly moving my body helps reduce my anxiety to begin with. I don't know the exact science behind it but I can only assume it gives the brain something else to focus on.
Exercise has always been a great antidote for depression so getting out and moving, and taking in your surroundings can only be a good thing.

Maybe take up a new hobby, join the gym, go running, take a class. You get a boost in confidence from trying something new and a lot of these things can result in the stress release from the activity itself. Getting your blood pumping makes you feel a whole lot healthier too.

I hope a few of these can help just one person. Have you got anything that helps your anxiety? I'd love to hear your thoughts.


You can read more about my anxiety experiences in my Moments that Mattered post and my Time To Talk post.

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Beauty UK Posh Pout Lip Crayons

Well the lip crayon has hit the beauty world by storm, pretty much every brand has released their own version from high street to high end. 

What I love is that you don't have to spend a fortune on these little lovelies. The likes of MUA and Beauty UK have been very popular in the last year proving that less (money) sometimes does mean more! You only have to spend a couple of quid to get some great little treats to add to your make-up bag, which is always good for those days where you want a little pick-me-up!

I'm a huge lover of the Beauty UK lipsticks and I was very excited to give their 'Posh Pout' crayons a try. They're available in 6 great colours which are all pinky tones. There's something for everyone, if you want something subtle for day wear or a bit more striking to brighten up an outfit, they really are great. The names are brilliant, there's Sugar Plum Fairy(a deep red), Power To The Purple (despite the name, more of a magenta) Corally Incorrect (a ready-coral), Big Pinkin' (a bold Barbie pink) How Nude! (a pale pastel pink)and Would I Lilac To You? (a blue toned pink). I can just imagine the people at Beauty UK all gathered around a big table coming up with these names and walking out of that meeting thinking they were geniuses!

It's easy to know what colour you are picking up as the packaging is coloured all over, no checking the label on the ends or accidentally putting the wrong shade in your bag (just me!?) I would say the packaging is why they are so cheap, they feel a little plastic-y but I'd rather that than them scrimp on the quality of the product inside. They have the typical twist up bottom which does the job just fine. 

The fact that they are a lip balm means they are really hydrating and give a great colour to your lips at the same time.They do feel really moisturising and are such a creamy formula, they are lovely to apply. 

 One thing that impressed me was how good the colour pay off was for a lip balm. I really only expected a wash of colour, especially with the lighter shades but it was actually those that came out the strongest. 

  

My favourite of the bunch has to be 'Big Pinkin' but I'd also get a lot of wear out of 'Power to the Purple' and 'Would I Lilac to You?'

 I must say I was most disappointed by 'Sugar Plum Fairy' as I really do love the deeper colours but the pay off just wasn't that good no matter how much I built it up. I suppose for a deeper colour you just have to go for a lip stick rather than a lip balm. 

These are a complete steal at £2.99 each! So If you want a tinted lip balm on a budget head down to Superdrug.

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My Mother's Day Wish List

Mother's Day is coming up. And while I always make a fuss of my amazing  Mum, since 2012 it has been a day for me too! Very exciting! While Mason is still a bit young to understand what's going on and why exactly he's scribbling inside a card it's nice to do something together. The presents are nice too!

The tradition is that I get shoes from Mason, even though that tradition only started last year we're sticking to it! As with most Spring/Summers I'm absolutely loving the pastel shades that are about. I'm always in some sort of pastel top and my nails are often mint/lilac/pale blue. I thought it was time this colour obsession moved this on to my footwear! You all know how crazy I am about my shoes *must do another shoe post soon* I love these court shoes from Office, they are available in a few new shades so I'm not 100% which colour I'll opt for but the pale blue is definitely a big contender.

While I don't have a massive sweet tooth I bloody love cookies! I've been craving Millies Cookies for months now and what I really want is one of those massive iced ones. Fingers crossed!

Nothing makes me happier than good hair days, they can really change everything (shallow? me?) but having bouncy hair gives me a spring in my step -BOUNCINESS ALL ROUND! With my hair being quite fine I find that new hair extensions really help and I get mine from hair trade. There's a great selection of colours and I love that they don't cost a fortune. For a long time everyone thought my hair was a lot longer than it was, that's how natural they look. I prefer clip-ins as I can take them out at the end of the day and they are easier to look after too.

To add to my new full hair I'd love this 'Full of Secrets' hair clip. for those who don't know (and have possibly been living under a rock) It's a Mean Girls thing. There are so many "Mean Girls things" aren't there? The other day my boyfriend turned to me and said 'Jenn, Who's Glenn Coco?' ...anyway, I digress. It's a little pricey for a hair clip but it is gold plated and looks really cute which is a good enough excuse for me! ...And my hair is full of secrets after all.

My lipstick obsession is constantly growing and I've wanted to treat myself to a YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick for a while. I admit it's the packaging that as got me (well done YSL) but the shade Corail Intuitive is something I would get a lot of wear out of too. It's such a luxury product it makes the perfect gift!

It's not Mother's Day without a bunch of flowers. Do you know that Mother's Day is actually the busiest time of year for florists? I always thought it was Valentines Day but Mothers Day actually beats it to the post -a little fact for you there! I'd love my favourite pink lilies to brighten up the house. They smell incredible too!

I'm loving slogan tee's at the moment. I have a few but I feel like the 'I woke up like this' t-shirt from Lauren Pope's range needs to be added to my collection. It works on 2 levels, of course there is the ever so slightly arrogant 'what? I just wake up beautiful' thing but I often wake up with a mood that sticks with me all day. So I'm really bouncy and happy for no apparent reason... 'I woke up like this' or "I hate everyone and everything, don't talk to me" it's just that 'I woke up like this' ....see?

 I'm a massive Disney freak. I have a big box of collectibles that I have saved up over the years and my kitchen has all sorts of Disney themed items. Even Mason watches more Disney films than he does anything else, I'm making sure he is being brought up right! I had a little browse through the Disney Store website the other day and I fell in love with this tea cup. It's such a subtle Disney design so it's actually a little more grown up. I love that there is a coaster that doubles up as a lid too, very handy with Mason running about who has now taken to putting things in my drinks when I'm not looking! (not in a drink-spiking kind of way, more in a Buzz Lightyear wants to go for a swim kind of way!)

More than any of the materialistic things I just want to spend some proper time with my little family in the city that I adore. So a day in London in the sunshine would be the ultimate way to spend Mothers Day in my eyes. Maybe we'll stop for a coffee while Mason has a nap. Perfect.

Any Mother's Day plans?

Are you a Mum?

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GOSH Forever Eyeshadow Stick

When I attended the GOSH Spring/Summer Event the product that really stood out to me was the Forever Eye Shadow Sticks. I love make-up in stick or crayon form, it's much more compact and easy to travel with. You don't even need a brush for these, blending with your finger works brilliantly. GOSH have brought out a lovely range of colours for 2014.

The colours I received are perfect for me. I love golden shades, and I can see why GOSH have gone for these as they are so wearable and there's at least a couple of shades to suit everyone. There's also a silver, plum, blue and green if you want to move away from the golden tones.

I swatched them on my hand as soon as I saw them and I was so impressed with how they felt. They are not your usual eye crayon, they set so there is no movement. They don't crease or flake at all yet they still feel creamy when applying and are easily blended before they set into place. These are going to be a must for Summer as they are also waterproof! GOSH have thought of everything, perfect for a sun-kissed look and it will stay put all day too!

02 Beige,  03 Light Copper,  04 Brown, 05 Grey

 Honestly, the swatches didn't budge at all and when I got home I was getting my boyfriend to 'touch it, just touch it!' -He rubbed his finger over my hand and they stayed put and didn't even transfer onto his finger! He was actually a little impressed!

These are great to keep in your bag or your desk at work for a last minute make-up switch up so take your day make up to night very easily.

 There's no sharpening involved as the bottom twists up and I can see these lasting a really long time too.

02 Beige,  03 Light Copper,  04 Brown, 05 Grey

These retail at £5.99 each and GOSH Have a great offer on at the moment, buy 1 get 2nd half price.

I can see these being a big hit this Summer so I recommend you snap up a couple! 

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New Pastel Barry M Gelly Hi Shine - Huckleberry and Sugar Apple

Lots of brands have gone down the gel nail polish route an I have to say Barry M Gelly Hi shine are my favourite of the bunch.

I think they are one of the cheapest but that doesn't mean that they lack quality.  I find them really long lasting and the glossy shine they give is so luxurious you would think you'd been to a salon. It's certainly not what you would expect from a £3.99 nail polish from the high street.

Along with my love of Gelly Hi shine, I make no secret of the fact that I'm a big fan of pastel nails. I think they look amazing with a tan and really give that Spring feeling.

When I heard there were some new shades being launched for 2014 I was hoping that some pastels would be in there. They had a great selection the first time round so to me it seemed like the next step, especially as we move in to the warmer months.

An e-mail dropped in my inbox announcing the 3 new colours were 'Rose Hip' a creamy pale pink, 'Huckleberry' (Though my bottle has Huckleburry on the bottom -anyone else?!) a gorgeous pale blue and my favourite, 'Sugar Apple' a soft mint shade. Mint is probably my favourite nail colour and Greenberry was my favourite shade in the original Gelly Hi shine line up so a cooler version was right up my street.

 Sugar Apple

Like before, they are really long lasting and I think they look fab. I like that the bottle has the silver lid too, it makes them stand out from the normal Barry M nail paints.

Huckleberry

The consistency is pretty good for a pale polish, I often find they can be a bit wishy-washy but these are opaque in 2 coats.

I resisted buying the third Shade 'Rose Hip' which is such a lovely pale pink and don't get me wrong, I love it. But I was wearing my Essie 'Fiji' at the time of swatching it in Boots and it's almost identical. So I didn't need it but if you want a dupe for Fiji, 'Rose Hip' is pretty close!

If I were you I'd snap up all 3 while Boots still have their 3 for 2 offer on!

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Bobble Bottle Review

I'm so terrible at drinking enough water. For a while I used to have a plastic cup that I would mark each hour to ensure that on the hour it had to be empty and then was refilled to the top again for me to drink before the next hour was up. This actually made me drink a bit more. I'm such a child, it seems like if I made it into a game I'll stick to it better! After having Mason I got out of that habit. I guess time just flies by and you forget to even eat, let alone drink enough glasses of water!

It doesn't help that the water in my area is terrible. Sometimes it is white as it comes out of the tap! The chalk just makes it horrible and in turn is far less appealing to drink! 

I know how important it is to drink water. Not only to stop me snacking, flush out toxins from the body strengthen the immune system, but to make me look and feel healthier too. 

It's easy to say I'll carry a drink with me but shop bought bottles can be expensive and refilling a bottle could mean you end up with horrible water, especially if you live in my area anyway! 

When I was offered the chance to try out the Bobble bottle I thought this would be just what I needed to keep me hydrated. The bottle comes with a carbon filter to make sure your water is nice and pure before it gets to your lips -perfect. It looks pretty cute too, I love the bright  pink cap!

I keep it at my desk in the day and have it chilling in the fridge overnight so the first drink of the morning is lovely and cold. Carrying it around with me is great too as I know where ever I fill it up the water will be filtered. The carry cap keeps the spout clean and it can be looped around a buckle or backpack so it's easy to transport if needed.

 It's really lightweight too so it doesn't weight my bag down like a lot of water bottles can. It's easier for me to have a bottle of water around rather than glasses as I know that if Mason gets hold of it there won't be a big mess from knocking it over. If you have kids or pets running around you'll understand!

The filter lasts long enough for 300 refills! And you can just buy a new one for about a fiver when you need to. It's saving you loads of money and doing your bit for the planet too!

The bottle itself is £9.99 and comes in a range of colours. If your New Years Resolution to drink more water has slipped a bit I suggest you get yourself one of these.

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GOSH Frosted Nail Lacquer - Rose and Soft Coral

I have to admit, GOSH is one brand I forget to check out when looking for a nail polish, I'm not sure why, I suppose I'm always heading straight for Barry M, Models Own or Rimmel, their bright colours just stand out to me. GOSH's nail polishes have always kind of gone under the radar for me and I don't often see much about them in the blogosphere (not a fan of that word -not sure how else to put it though!).

But at the GOSH Spring/Summer event I received these two little lovelies in my gift box and I'm very impressed! The Frosted Nail Lacquers are quite similar to the Barry M Textured Nail Paints, a textured glitter with a matt finish to them. They are extremely pigmented and only need one coat to cover the nail perfectly. You don't need to apply any sort of colour underneath, they do just fine on their own. They basically look like a glittery sand! 

The rose gold shade '05 Frosted Rose' is beautiful and I can see it being used all year round, for adding some sparkle to a sunkissed look right through to the Christmas party season. I love rose gold at the moment so this is already a big favourite of mine and I've got a few designs planned using this beauty!

05 Frosted Rose

'07 Frosted Soft Coral' is a peachy-coral glitter. It's a little more subtle but still a great shade to add something a special to a girly look. The flecks of glitter really catch the light and I think this would look great as an accent nail alongside a pastel shade.

07 Frosted Soft Coral 

They are £3.99 which is a great price and they currently have a buy one get 2nd half price offer on too -BARGAIN! BY THEM ALL!

GOSH will be releasing 3 more shades in April for Superdrug's 50th anniversary so keep a look out for those. There's a lovely pale blue which I already have my eye on! 

I will remember to check out the GOSH stand when I'm looking for a new nail colour in the future as these are really great value for money.

Have you tried GOSH nail polishes before?

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A personalised Canvas from Canvas Design

I've always taken loads of pictures. I'm that annoying person on nights out that shouts 'get together' for a big group selfie - my friends will vouch for this! When I became a Mum this habit hit over-drive! I must have taken about 30 pictures day in the first few months after Mason was born!

I printed a few of them but some were just a bit more special and needed displaying. I had a spare half hour one day and I used this time to get creative and made a picture focusing on different parts of Mason's body. The pictures are all from his first month so they are really special to me.

When I was sent a code to have a personalised canvas printed from canvas design I knew this was the perfect picture to use. It's made for an excellent screen saver but I knew it would look better hanging on the wall! 

They are really affordable, with prices starting at £7.99 you can create lovely pieces for your home with no trouble at all. They are 100% cotton canvas on a thick pine frame which are all stretched by hand. 

Ordering the canvas is easy. You just upload the image and choose the size you're after. They offer square canvases as well as the standard rectangular options so you can have a little play around and see what you like best.  You can view how it will fit and decide whether you want the image to wrap around the sides or leave them white. You can even add effects if you want to. Sizes range from 6" to 72" and it's recommended that you use the highest resolution as possible so your image isn't distorted at all when the size is increased. 

Once the order was placed I received my canvas 3 days later. It was extremely well packaged so there is no worry of it getting damaged in transit. This is really impressive considering the delivery is free! 

I am over the moon with how this looks! The quality is incredible and they even included the fixings to hang it on the wall. It's made my living room much brighter and I'm now reminded of how small my little boy was every day! 

The lovely people at canvas design have also given me a code for my readers. If you place an order just enter BLOG15 at the checkout and you'll get 15% off your order. With Mother's Day coming up one of these would make a lovely present! I completely recommend this company and I'll definitely  be ordering a few more as I continue to keep snapping away with my camera!

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