Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo

Now.... if you haven't yet heard of or tried dry shampoo you must have been living under a rock for the last 5-7 years. I'm sure plenty of you will correct me and say it's been around longer or that the idea of applying talc to your hair to dry it out has been around for donkeys years! But I would estimate that it was 5-7 years ago that I first found the wonder that is dry shampoo! 

Since then it's fair to say that the dry shampoo market has gone craaaazy! With pretty much all brands now offering one.

As my hair is fine, I do suffer from greasy roots - so for me dry shampoo is a life saver - my first bottle was a Lee Stafford one and I think I ended up paying around £5-6 for it! Them I found out there was this wonderful green bottle called Batiste (there was only one type back then) and it was only £1.99!!

I saw the Aussie one on offer recently and so decided to give it a go, especially as my next "dry shampoo day" is never too far away!

                     

          

This is a tricky one for me.... I am going to tell you my verdict before I tell you about the product. The reason!? I am not sure that I love it as much as I should. For that reason I am going to break it down to a simple pro's and con's list. 

Pro's

Smells lovely

Doesn't leave a heavy chalky residue

I am able to leave my hair down once I've used it rather than having to put it up

Doesn't dry hair out

Con's

I feel as though I have to use more than I would traditionally to get rid of the oil

Now. I know what you're thinking there's a few more pro's there than there is con's and that's because this is a lovely product. But is it cost effective? Having to use more for the same purpose? I'm not convinced. So I'm sticking to my Batiste for every standard dry shampoo day where I throw my hair back in a bobble and keeping the Aussie for refreshing styles and adding volume. 

Aussie is available in most supermarkets and stores like Boots and Superdrug. But I would keep an eye out for when it's on offer before making a purchase. 

What's your favourite dry shampoo?

Rhian x

Hair Extensions....

Hair is a funny old thing. 

People are never happy with their own. I think that's partly because celebrities create this false reality that hair can be perfect every day. 

I'm well aware that mine isn't and I'm sure they are privy to countless blow dries and extensions to make their tresses look amazing everyday. 

For many years I've toyed with the idea of extensions... It's an expensive habit and so had never felt comfortable or willing to commit to getting some. Instead I picked up some beauty works hair pieces and it's these that made me commit to having extensions. I had gotten to the point that I couldn't bear a selfie without the additional hair which had given me more confidence. But it want natural and they were synthetic and so with time and wear they become tatty. They are also not suitable for every day wear. 

Now. 

I googled every which kind of extension.. I googled places to have them.. What was recommended for my hair but I had never plucked up the courage to take my fine, thin head of hair in to a salon to have a consultation. 

That was until I met Nicola while having my hair cut at Studio 15. 

I mention this Salon a lot. And that's because it's friendly, approachable and for anyone with any insecurities you can feel completely at ease here. 

Nicola has been doing Hair Extensions for over 5 years. So has a lot of experience. 

We talked through what look we wanted. How many we would put in... And where. 

It was more thickness that I wanted do I had them cut just an inch longer than my actual hair. 

I had around 60 extensions applied - I went for the pre bonded option. 

It's key to point out that Nicola only uses top quality human hair. 

It is AAAA Remy Hair. 

Now... Let's be clear here. I didn't have extensions to look like a mermaid.. Or Disney princess. I had them to make me feel better about myself. My hair was thin, putting it bluntly it was crap. I was finding myself getting fed up and just putting it up in a bobble as I wasn't happy with how it looked. 

Nicola, and my hair extensions have made me feel completely different about my hair and myself. I now enjoy styling my hair... And wearing it down. The bonds are hardly noticeable and I'm constantly told how natural it looks. 

Consultations for hair extensions with Nicola are free and are available at Studio 15. Prices vary and so a consultation is needed. 

I had mine done in early July. I've not lost one extension as yet and it's now the middle of September. 

I couldn't be more pleased. I am looking to move to Nano Rings next month when I have them refreshed but I've been happy with my bonds - don't get me wrong at the start it feels incredibly bizarre but after a few washes they feel like your own hair. 

I urge anyone who feels like I did about their hair or even anyone looking for extensions in general to contact Nicola. 

Here's a few pics of her work so you can see for yourself. 

To book a consultation with Nicki call Studio 15 on 01443 315151. 

If you have any questions please ask

Thanks

Rhian Xx

Sculpted Acrylic Nails at Studio 15, Talbot Green

Now... Let me tell you about my bestie... Bethan and how she bites her nails! 

And I don't mean the odd nibble. There is pretty much nothing there. 

She always likes the idea of nails and having them but any acrylics, tips etc that she has had done before always fall off after a day as do false nails she applies herself. Not good! 

So when the lovely Angela told me about how she was qualified in "sculpting" the acrylic rather than applying the tip - I thought about Bethan and her "stumps" 

Both Bethan and I had the acrylic applied. 

Bethan's nails were so short that Angela had to build a nail before building a top. 

This is a highly skilled application of acrylic. One that not many nail technicians can offer you. 

After the nails were "built" a little French manicure and voila! Tres Chic nails for Bethan. 

You can see the difference instantly. It makes a huge difference. 

It also made a huge difference to self confidence. 

The application of sculpted acrylics limits the damage to your nail surface. Well! There's no damage. 

Ladies I urge you to call the salon and book an appointment. Please do not continue to visit the Chinese nail salons. They use chemicals on your nails. They wear masks for gods sake! 

No nail application should feel painful. 

The nails require infills after 2-3 weeks as do normal acrylics but there is no chance of the tip snapping away from your nails. 

You can call Studio Fifteen on 01443 315151 

Here's a quick shot of mine. 

I had French too but I've also had nude. You can also paint over them. 

I even got complimented on my nails in Boots by the sales assistant. :) 

Rhian Xx

BLEACH London - Hair Crayon

AIt's been ages since I actually blogged. But while sat on a National Express Bus to London, it seems like the perfect thing to do. 

Whilst randomly visiting Boots in Pontypridd a range from Bleach London caught my eye. There was a mix of hair crayons and temporary hair colours in lovely vibrant and pastel shades. This kind of hair seems very on trend at the moment. I'm seeing lots of it on Instagram. 

I picked up two hair crayons. One in "Washed up Mermaid" which is a sort of muted pastel turquoise and one in "Rosé" a pastel pink. 

The hair crayons retail for £4 each. They also each some with a sharpener which is a great idea. 

Obviously these colours work best on blonde or light hair... I gave it a go on the lighter bits of my hair but they don't really stand out as well as I would have hoped. 

That said I am optimistic that my friend Bethan will let me give them a go on her hair. 

You can see subtle hints in my hair here. The camera couldn't really pick it up. 

The crayons state they could last 4-10 washes but I'm pretty sure mine come out after one. 

Lovely idea for lighter hair :) will update you when Bethan lets me have a go at her hair. 

Rhian Xx

Milani Baked Blusher

I picked up this pretty little beauty in a new make up store in the Royal Arcade - Cardiff, it's called Beauty Crowd and its where elf used to be (for those that knew it) the shop now offers a variety of brands from the likes of Milani, elf, LA Girl and also a new London based brand - Freedom. 

I'd not really heard of Milani before, I'd seen a few bloggers like @lookamillion posting a few bits recently so I picked up the baked blush. The shade I got was 03. Berry Amore. 

 

It's a pinky, peach shade with gold hints and was around £5.99. A bargain considering the compact also includes a small brush and a mirror. The brush isn't great but they rarely are in this sort of product. It is however ideal for top ups of needs be. 

It's really pigmented and gives a lovely finish. 

Great value for money. 

Apologies for the lack of glamorous makeup. I'm on my way to get it done but wanted to share this with you guys first cause I was so impressed. 

Rhian Xx