What's new with you? No.2

I haven't had my hair cut off or anything it's just tucked over my shoulders. I'm going for a cut and colour in a week or two and I'm stuck on what to do. I fancy a bit of a change but don't want to go bright blonde or red. I'm thinking maybe golden honey brown, à la Mille Mackintosh, what do you all think? 

I'm going to Paris for a few days at the end of May. It seems to be the 'blogger thing to-do' as of late and I have inadvertently jumped on that bandwagon. I've only been to Paris once when I was a kid and I don't remember it so I'm really excited. I'm also going to DisneyLand Paris.. YAY! Any must see's in Paris?

I love this baking book. I made this chocolate cake for my friends last day at work. I love baking for other people... all the fun, less of the calories.

My new favourite skincare product ever! I 'discovered' it through A Model Recommends, who I'm sure you all know. Anyway, it may be a tiny bit pricey but I really do love it. Full Review will be up in a couple of weeks one I've tested it more thoroughly. 

x Onna x

How I Grew Long Hair...

First things first, every person has an individual hair growth rate which cannot be sped up. Some people are lucky and have fast growing hair, others like me, not so much. All we can do is help our hair to reach it's maximum growth rate by eating a balanced diet, reducing stress and looking after our hair. Another important step is to keep the ends of our hair nourished. As soon as ends become dry and brittle, they break, leaving the hair strand shorter. Preventing these breakages will help to keep hair looking as long as possible. 

• Semi-Permanent Hair Dye

I used to bleach my hair a lot, getting regular foil highlights dried out my hair so much. Going brunette instantly speeded up the growth of my hair as my ends stopped snapping off. I now use Casting Creme Gloss in Dark Brown, which keeps my hair healthy and shiny. 

• Regular Trims

When I say trim, I mean TRIM. I literally get like two cm off at a time, usually every two months but I just tend to go look at my hair and see when it needs it. When your hair grows as slowly as mine, you can't afford to lose a lot of hair. 

• Dont Over Wash

I wash my hair twice a week. Sometimes three times if I have an event/birthday/night out. I'm lazy with my hair, and I like it to be low maintenance. Luckily my hair doesn't get greasy very easily but in between washes I do throw on a bit of batiste. Again this just helps to prevent breakages and keeps my hair healthy. 

• Hair Oil Treatments

Any hair oil will help. I've use Moroccan oil, L'oreal... and now I use Argon Oil Hair Treatment. I use them every time I wash my hair. After towel drying I apply it on the lengths and ends so help prevent breakages, reduce damage from styling and generally nourish  my hair. 

• Dont Over Brush 

I rarely brush my hair, we all know over-brushing is damaging. Most of all, brushing my hair just makes it frizzy so I avoid it. After washing it and applying my leave-in-conditioner and Argon Oil I'll brush my hair with my tangle teezer. The tangle teezer is designed to reduce breakages caused by brushing. 

• Go Au Naturale 

I know it's hard for some girls not to heat style their hair but again, I'm pretty lazy so I'm ok with it. Unless it's for a certain occasion. Also I never brow dry my hair unless it's an emergency. If the natural texture of my hair isn't looking too pretty i'll french plait my fringe and put it in a messy bun.

x Onna x

Beachy Waves: Enrapture Amplify Jumbo Waver

I was recently sent the Enrapture Amplify Jumbo Waver to review. I'm sure you've already seen it, Enrapture products have been doing the rounds on the blogosphere as of late. Here's just a quick review and demo of how I use it. People seem to like my speeded up videos so I hope its helpful. Any questions... just ask :)

How Easy Is It to Use?

This styler takes a little time to get used to. It's much heavier than my straighteners and conical wand and I've never used a waver, so at first I found it a little difficult. I also burned myself because I wasn't careful enough. As soon as I practised a little, and kept the tool flat side up, I found it easy enough and had no more problems. 

How Long Does It Take?

In my demo it took me 25 minutes from start to finish. This is quite a while but I have very thick long hair. If you don't have a ridiculous amount of hair, like me, you should be able to get it done in 10 to 15 minutes. It also looks great as 'second day hair', in fact I prefer the look of the waves after they have been slept on. They become more beachy and natural, so taking time to style it once and having it last three days is not a problem for me. I just add a little dry shampoo on days two and three. 

             Before          After          With French Plaits

How Much is it, and where can you buy it?

It retails for around £74.99 and you can buy it at the usual places like Boots, John Lewis and Argos. A little pricey but if you're going to use it a lot, worth the investment as the quality is great. Also the packaging is really chic and simple, which I like. 

Is it for you? 

It should work well on most hair types but to get the best effects you need a little length in your hair. If you wear clip-in extensions a lot this would look amazing with them. It also adds A LOT of volume, so If you love big hair or your hair tends to look flat this is perfect. 

                           x Onna x

FOTD: A New Year Giveaway, Best Friends & Dominos Pizza

It's a new year and hopefully a new start. I know everyone makes resolutions at this time of year but after a very bad month I'm in need of a change. I've been wanting to get this post up for ages but I've have technical problems, family problems, guy problems, work problems. It all went a bit wrong in December if I'm honest. Here's to a fresh start and a year full of blogging, video making, laughs and happiness. 

Just a quick outfit for you. Sorry my bras showing in the OOTD, was just the flash I promise. This coat is from New Look and its definitely a love it or absolutely HATE IT kind of piece. Personally I love it, its so warm and snug and I don't care what anyone thinks, because I'm going to keep wearing it. In case you were wondering the apple pendant is from accessorize. 

This is me and one of my best friends Keara on a night out at Christmas. I'm loving wearing my hair curly at the moment and I've actually got a bit of fake tan on in this picture, so I don't look so hideously white. 

She came round for a girly sleepover about a month ago and it was so much fun. We put on face masks, watched chick flicks and stuffed our face with dominos. We had one of the meal deal pizza offers and it was amazing. Dominos is the kind of food that, even when I'm full I keep eating because it tastes so good! In fact I'm really hungry as I write this and am meant to be starting a January Diet! P.S Sorry about the stock photo, my pizza pictures got deleted off my computer then my phone got nicked :S 

Lastly I just wanted to say hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and Happy & Safe New Years. Just to spread the Christmas joy I thought I'd do a quick giveaway of the Barry M Vivid Purple Nail Polish. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and live in the UK. Simples. 

My Everyday Makeup Routine...

 

Sorry about the crap photos, the lighting was awful with the weather outside today.. I'll try and take some pictures when its sunny! These ones kept going blurry too :S 

I filmed my "Everyday Makeup Routine" today and uploaded it to YouTube, I'm sure you will all be very excited to find out what I slap on my face on a regular basis. 

Also I dyed my hair, do you like it? A Video on the dye I used, and tips etc will be uploaded within the next couple of days :) This Raspberry Nail Paint from Barry M is my new favourite winter polish. I love anything with a reddish tone at the moment, hence why I'm basically living in this T-Shirt from New Look. Although in real life it's almost purple. 

Hope you are all doing well,

Onna x

Work, Wardrobes and weirdness

This picture looks a bit weird to me, but I didn’t have time to faff about! My makeup is minimal as usual – loving my Maybelline Black Gel Liner atm!

Wanted to do an OOTD post today but this is what they made me wear to work! New Look can be such a fail sometimes!

Ombering my hair has totally wreaked it! Needs a cut and colour pronto but not sure what to do next? Any more bleach and my hair might fall off! Got an appointment booked for early November... Ideas anyone?

I love my wardrobe! I think it’s the thing I’ll miss the most when I finally move out of my parents house… somehow I doubt my budget will stretch to having a handbag wall :S Still saving and job searching...

Anyway hope you are all well!

Love,

Onna

VOGUE Fashion's Night Out 2011

So next week is Vogue Fashion's Night Out... I first heard about the event, or shopping experience on twitter last year but was too busy to go and London is so far away for a little country girl like myself :) Literally by coincidence, this year I shall be in London all weekend to visit a friend so I have decided to go up a day early to see what all the fuss is about. Now, if like myself earlier self, are not quite sure what these frivolities include I shall explain...


Think of VFNO as a late night shopping experience, combined with celebrities, models, champagne and cocktails, nibbles, competitions and goody bags. The best part is, because you are essentially there to make the stores money, entry is free and does not require a ticket (bar a few exceptions like some PR parties.

I would seriously recommend coming along to take in the great atmosphere, find some bargains (most shops are offering around 20% discount on the night)and meet to lovely people, including lots of gorgeous beauty and fashion bloggers! It takes place on Thursday 9th September in and around Soho, mainly of Oxford and Regents street I think. 


I shall provide links for all the information you require and I hope to see some of your there. If you have an iPhone I recommend downloading the VFNO App to help find your way around. If you do intend to go please let me know so I can say hello! I shall be tweeting prior to, and throughout the evening to let you know where I am heading. I shall also vlog and blog the event for anyone who is curious, now I just need to decide what to wear...

www.fashions-night-out.vogue.co.uk

Vogue Article

Sarah's Guide to VFNO

P.S Apologies for the website pictures, I'm recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed and I'm not feeling up to getting the camera out, sorry!


Much Love,
Onna

Chezza Hair

After watching Sara's Youtube Video on how to use velcro rollers, it reminded me how much I used to love mine, so on Saturday night I go out my straighteners and my rollers and created some massive hair! I straightened each piece before I put the rollers in so they would cool into a nice shape. I left them in for about an hour and my god did I get a lot of volume. I sometimes forget how thick my hair is.

If you're stuck for 'evening hair' ideas I'd definitely recommend velco rollers, they are so easy and they give you plenty of time to do your makeup and have a cheeky drink :)

Just a quick twitpic of how I place the rollers in my hair.

Hope you all had a good weekend,

Onna

My Brazilian Wax Experience

Source Apologies for the lack of pictures but lets face it, I wasn't going to take before & after pictures of my va-jay-jay to post on my blog :)


Preparation:
For me, this is the worst bit. YES you do have to grow your hair back. You need about 1/4 inch of hair, minimum for waxing. I let it grow for around a month, but usually 3 weeks will be more than enough. 


Price:
I paid £22 for the Brazilian and £28 for a full leg wax. When you add that up its pretty expensive to pay every month or so. If you live near London I'm sure you will pay a lot more. If I were  to continue waxing I think I'd skip the legs to cut the cost. 


Pain Level:
I would describe the pain as uncomfortable but bearable. It does hurt but its not so bad that you run away crying :)I've also been told the pain subsides the more you get it done, a bit like plucking your eyebrows I guess.


Process: 
The whole process took around 50 minutes and the girl who did my wax made me feel really comfortable so I didn't find it awkward or embarrassed. The leg wax was standard, she started at the front, worked her way up, then finished the wax with a soothing oil. The Brazilian was a little more complicated. You get to wear some snazzy disposable knickers (sexy) and you have to bend your leg in lots of weird positions (not difficult ones) in order to tense your skin. Its undignified but it helps to reduce the pain. If you didn't already know, a Brazilian is where you wax everything off apart from a little 'landing strip' and bare in mind, some bits hurt more than others... the tweezing to finish was the worst!


Results:
I'm so happy with the results of the Brazilian. At the time it bled the tiniest amount and looked a little red, but that goes away after about 12-24 hours. You also can't have hot baths or apply any products for 24 hours. After the leg wax there are still a few missed hairs, which is disappointing but they weren't long enough to be waxed off. I guess thats the only downside for me. I've been told the wax should last around 4-6 weeks but with some leg hair missed I'm sure they won't last that long.

Hope someone found this post useful,

Much Love,

Onna x

Hair Care Routine: FAQ's

I've been getting questions about my hair through email, youtube formspring & twitter and a there were few in my most recent post so I thought I'd stop procrastinating and cover everything you need to know about my hair (Bloody Hell this post feels vein!)

Cut & Colour

What is your Natural Hair Colour?

It's dark blonde/light brown, but it gets blonde very easily in the sunshine, especially when I'm at the beach.

Is your hair Ombre backwards?

I get asked this a lot, my hair is lighter at the top from bleached highlights and the sunshine.

How did you get your hair that colour?

It was an accident. My hair was DARK brown. I used colourB4 (something I would never recommend)which lightened it a few shades and made it a lot more red. I then highlighted it myself with bleach foils (again, don't try this at home) and covered with a light caramel brown shade. Now my hair has faded to this colour. 

Would you ever go blonde again?

A lot of people tell me I SHOULD be 'this and that' colour and while I appreciate honestly/advice I tend to just colour my hair to however I fancy at the time. I have no fear when it comes to hair colour and I love to experiment. I have an appointment booked for a couple of weeks time to go a little lighter with more caramel tones. I shall post pictures on my new colour once its done.

Have you ever used blonde home hair dyes?

YES! If you are not already blonde/very light mousey brown or a professional I would NOT recommend going anywhere near them.

Do you cut your own hair?

Occasionally yes I trim it, but now I'm working a lot more I'm trying to stick to getting it done professionally. 

What do you ask for at the hairdressers?

I usually get max 1/2 inch cut off the lengths (I'm growing it out)then get soft layers put in (about 4 inches shorter than the lengths) and feathering layers at the front. I don't have a fringe/bangs right now. To finish I get it blow dried with LOTS of volume.

Hair Care & Products

Do you use an Olive Oil treatment?

Yes, if my hair is particularly dry BEFORE shampooing I will warm up oil CAREFULLY in the microwave and apply it to dry hair. I wrap it in cling film then a towel and leave for 30 minutes.

What Shampoo and Conditioner do you use? 

Right now I'm using Charles Worthington Full Volume Shampoo and Moisture Seal Conditioner. I wash my hair 2 times a week (occasionally 3) At least once a week I shampoo it twice, very thoroughly. Once with a cheap anti-dandruff shampoo as my scalp gets tight and irritated, then my with regular shampoo. When I get out of the shower I apply my hair treatment. Currently I'm using the Umberto Giannini Silky Curls Intensive mask. I also love the John Frieda Miraculous Recovery Strengthening Creme Masque. I leave it on for at least 30 minutes, wrapped up in a towel and then rinse out. After washing I apply Charles Worthington Hair Healer Leave in Conditioner.

How is your hair to shiny?

I'm not entirely sure. Not bleaching my hair to death any more helped a lot. Alway intensively conditioning and protecting my hair helps. I use heat on my hair twice a week, tops and ALWAYS use a heat protectant. Currently I use Charles Worthington Front Row Heat Defence Spritz. I've tured the volume down and all my hot tools. Also not washing my hair much helps a lot! In between washes I use Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fresh.

Finally some of my favourite styling products...

For blow-drying I like the Umberto Giannini Enviable Blow Dry Spray.

For Shine I like the John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Finishing Creme.

For texture I like the Charles Worthing Front Row Salt Spray.

I hope this post has helped answer any of your questions. These are all products I've purchased at boots and I've put in links wherever possible. Let me know if you would like more 'styling' posts or videos. 

Much Love,

Onna

My Everyday Hair

WARNING: PHOTO HEAVY POST

After the #bbloggers chat on twitter last night (arranged by the lovely Fee) I felt inspired not only to blog, but to do something slightly different so here is my everyday hair. What makes it 'everyday' for me (its quite a lot of effort) is that it lasts for three days in my hair making it incredibly low maintenance. If your thinking of recreating this look bare in mind, my hair is dry to normal and very rarely gets greasy. Its medium to long length and VERY thick. I also recently had it cut so its a little shorter, with soft layers :) Loves it!

Before

Step 1:

Wash hair thoroughly. I like to shampoo twice and I only wash my hair 2/3 times per week. I also put my Umberto Giannini Curl Friends Silky Curls Intensive Mask on for 30 minutes. After rinsing I apply Charles Worthington Hair Healer Leave in Condition. Leave to dry naturally. 

Step 2: 

Generously apply heat protection. I use Charles Worthington Front Row Heat Defence Spritz. I use loads to make sure my hair stays shiny. Brush Through and leave to dry. I like to add a zig zag parting with a rat tail comb. Just pull the hair back, away from the face, make a zig zag motion with your comb.

Step 3:

Divide hair into sections. I also like to turn down the heat on my straighteners (babyliss ones) to give a softer look and hopefully preserve my hair! Start to curl hair by wrapping sections around the straighteners, I'd say about 2 inch sections,(yes thats a lot)and pull the straighteners through the hair. My sections tend to get smaller at the top but I dont curl the fringe area, I just flick it out. 

Step 4:

Once all your hair is curled gently brush through, to create a softer look. Tease the roots at the crown to add more volume. If you like the messy look you can also tease the lengths of the hair, but your style won't last as long. Use John Frieda Stain Shine Finishing Creme to tame frizz and fly aways. Finish with Hairspray. I use Vo5 Strong Hold. 

After

I'm back on twitter if you didn't already know, so feel free to follow me. Also just incase your wondering, I bought all of these products. Let me know if you like these types of hair posts. 

Much Love, 

Onna