Different types of braiding

Hi everyone,

This weeks post is about different types of braiding. This is going to range from the basics to the more funky styles. I will be including a brief description about them and a picture. If you would be interested in a step-by-step for any, leave me a comment below. I personally love braiding as I think it is such a creative way of styling your hair and is very simple but can look very elegant. I hope that you enjoy this post and find out about some new braiding techniques you would like to try. Please bare in mind that I have shown the styles on a training block the result would be better on real hair.

1. The three strand braid

The three strand braid is the basic braid that we all had when we were younger. It includes three sections of hair being braided. If you are new to braiding this is a great one to start with.

 

2. The fishtail braid

This braid is very easy to recreate. Also it looks stunning and can be worn in a rush or to a big event. You can either wear the fishtail braid neat and tidy or 'pancaked' to give it a messy/ruffled finish.

3. The French braid

The French braid is another three strand braid but this one starts at the crown. This is another one where you have to add to the sections. If your looking for a braiding technique for everyday/school this one is perfect.

 

4. The upside down braid

This braid is for people who are interested in more of a challenge. The braid itself starts at the nape of the neck and tends to finish with a bun at the top. This is a stunning look which will look amazing in the summer and is guaranteed to keep all your hair off your skin. So if you dare to try, I defiantly recommend it.   

5. The Dutch braid

A Dutch braid in simple is the reverse of a French braid. The technique is the same but you take your sections underneath instead of over. This makes the braid stand on top of the hair, so it almost looks 3D.

6. The milkmaid braid

The milkmaid braid is a beautiful way to style your hair. It is very simple to do and can look very stunning. This would be incredible for a wedding hair. This style looks like it has taken you while to do but the truth is, it didn't. Please excuse my picture as the training block doesn't have long enough hair to fully create this style

7. The four strand braid

The four strand braid is very unique. It looks so stunning (please excuse my picture as the training block doesn't have long enough hair to fully create this style) when its done. I would recommend this for only long hair as it will work best with longer hair.

So there's 7 types of braiding. Have you tried any of these? Have you tried any different ones? If so let me know in the comments below.

Love

Zoe x

My top 5 beauty products

Hi everyone,

Back in November I wrote a blog post called 'My top 5 hair products' (check it out if you haven't seen it). So I thought I would write about my top 5 beauty products as well. I personally love these types of posts because you can checkout products you may have not used before. So here they are.

1. Garnier micellar cleansing water:  

I love this product, it is one of my go to products. I have been using this now for about 1 year and I can't imagine using anything else to remove my make-up. To use this I just apply it to cotton wool discs and wipe them over my eyes and skin. This micellar water soaks into the skin well and doesn't leave it feeling sticky. This one, unlike others is unscented and doesn't contain perfumes. This makes it perfect for sensitive skin. Garnier has made this formula so it is gentle enough to use everyday. It comes in a 125ml or 400ml bottle, priced at around £1.99-£4.99. It can be purchased at Boots.com.  

 2. Neal's Yard Remedies rose facial wash: 

 This face wash smells incredible, you can tell straight away its rose. This is another product that is great for everyday use. As this is non-drying to your skin and is recommended for a normal skin type. I use this in the morning and the evening by using 2-3 pumps on my Clarisonic Mia 2. The consistency of this product is just right, not too runny and not too thick. It also lathers (bubbles up) very well. You can buy this at Neal's Yard Remedies for £16.00.

 3. Vaseline:

Now this one is back to the basics. I personally swear by this product during the winter. I literally have to use it everyday to stop my lips from getting dry. This product is petroleum jelly so it is very oily, so you just have to be careful that you don't apply to much. This does come in different scents and they are all nice. I personally like the rose and almond oil one. You can buy this from Boots.com for £1.95.

4. Bareminerals correcting concealer SPF 20:

This is one of the best concealers I have ever used. I use it in the shade "light 2". This concealer has amazing coverage and covers blemishes like no other concealer I have ever used before. The consistency is very thick in the pot but it is very light on the skin. To apply this I either apply it with my finger or I use a brush. Either of the techniques work and it blends very well. You can buy this from Bareminerals for £21.00.

5. Soap and glory sugar crush body scrub:

This scrub is my holy grail product. Everything about it is incredible. The smell is strong, fresh and fruity. It contains scents such as lime, lemon, sweet vanilla musk and almond oil. And boy do you know it as soon as you open the tub. This scrub also contains sea salt and brown sugar, which is probably why its the best scrub I have ever used. Also this makes it incredible for getting fake tan off, which I love to wear. It also contains oils which help to leave your skin feeling silky soft, what more could you want? You can purchase this product at Boots.com for £8.00.

So they are my top 5 beauty products. What are yours? Leave me a comment below. I would love to know. Also is there any products you would recommend me to try? As I am always on the look out for something new to try. I hope that you enjoyed reading this post and hopefully you found some new products you would like to try.

Love

Zoe x 

TRESemme heat defence styling spray review

Hi everyone,

This weeks blog post is a review for the TRESemme heat defence styling spray. I mentioned this product in last weeks post (December favourites) and thought I would review it for you. I hope you find this post helpful and hopefully it will give you an idea if this is a product you would like to purchase in the future.

What does this product do?

This is a heat defence spray so it helps to protect the hair when you are using heated styling tools. It protects the hair up to 230 degrees Celsius and seals in shine.

How do you use this product?

You can spray this onto damp hair and then follow by styling your hair as you wish. I personally only use this on dry hair. To do this I take a section of my hair and spray it a couple of times. I then either straighten or curl this section and then do the same through the rest of my hair.

What does this product do that is different to other heat defence sprays?

TRESemme use an amazing formula, to which the spray protects the hair up to temperatures of 230 degrees Celsius. Which I think is incredible as most hair tools reach this temperature at their highest setting. Also it contains a heat activated complex which helps to stop your hair becoming brittle, dull and can reduce breakages up to 82%.

What is good about this product?

- It comes in a 300ml bottle, which is great for travelling as its not too big.

- Sprays evenly.

- Protects up to 230 degrees Celsius.

- Has a UV filter.

- Smells amazing.

What is bad about this product?

- I have had bottles with this type of spray top on them in the past and they have broken.

Who is this product aimed at?

I would defiantly say this product can be used by everyone. Though I would say people who use heat on their hair and colour their hair a lot should defiantly invest in this product. To help minimise damage to their hair.

Where can you buy this product?

Some places you can buy this product from are:

- Boots.com- £5.25

- Tesco.com- £4.98

- Superdrug.com- £5.25

So there is my review for the TRESemme heat defence styling spray. I really do love this product. I can see myself buying this again in the future for defiant. What heat defence spray do you use? Let me know in the comments below. If you have anymore questions about this product or if I have not covered something you wish to know. Please leave me a comment and I will answer any questions you have.

Love

Zoe x 



December favourites

Hi everyone,

So over December, there was a lot of stuff that I loved. So I thought, as I did with November I would write a post about them. Here they are, I hope that you find something that you like the looks of.

 Hair:

- TRESemme care and protect heat defence styling spray:

I purchased this product at the beginning of December and started using it right away. I love this product so much. It has been brilliant when I have been straightening my hair, which I have been doing a lot recently. This spray also smells incredible and doesn't leave your hair feeling sticky like some I have used in the past. I highly recommend this product, it is a must have. 

- John Frieda beach blonde kelp help deep conditioning masque:

This product is incredible. I use it once a week on the lengths and ends of my hair and I leave it on for about 5 minutes. As I have bleach on my hair it does get very dry. This has been my saviour. It also smells very fresh and feels cool on your head. This masque is very thick in consistency and spreads well through your hair.

Beauty:

- Neal's Yard Remedies aromatherapy blend- night time:

I saw this product online and thought why not give it a go. I was hoping I could put a few drops onto my pillow and it would help me to relax and sleep better. And boy does it work. I sleep like a baby if I use this, its amazing. It contains ingredients like lavender, rose and bergamot. All of which are known to calm you. All of these put together make this blend smell incredible. I will defiantly be using this for a very long time. 

- Neal's Yard Remedies rose formula hydrating eye cream:

This smells insane. The rose collection from NYR Organics is my favourite range and this product was not a let down. The packaging, flawless as always. The product, smells incredible and the consistency, is light and easily absorbed. I can't imagine doing my skincare routine without this product. I will defiantly be repurchasing when its empty. 

- The body shop pink grapefruit hand cream:

My sister actually bought this for me and oh my god I don't think I have ever used a hand cream so much. The packaging is lovely and it fits easily in to a handbag. The product itself smells fruity and fresh, which is what I love in a hand cream. The consistency is not to thick and not to runny it is just in the middle. A hand cream to me is a vital product as I am always walking in the cold weather and washing clients hair, so my hands suffer. I do find they get very dry this time of year but this has defiantly helped. If your looking for a new hand cream I would totally recommend this one.

Food:

- Chocolates:

Now this is no particular chocolates but this time of the year its all I seem to be eating. Their all over the shops, family are buying them for you and clients at work bring in plenty for us to munch on. So through December I feel all I really done was work my way through several boxes of chocolates (I am going to be healthy from now on) which yes I did enjoy but there is only so many you can eat. My favourites are Heroes, what are yours?

Other:

- Yankee candle- gingerbread:

This candle has been constantly burning I my room throughout December. To me gingerbread scream Christmas. I love this candle so much I could burn it all year round. But I do tend to only burn it at Christmas as it makes it extra special when I get to get it out. This is my all time favourite Christmas Yankee candle, what is your? If you haven't tried this one defiantly go out and give it a smell, if you like sweet candles you will love this.

- Youtuber- Jack Maynard:

Jacks videos have been on replay over December for me. They always make me laugh and he delivers amazing content. I defiantly look forward to seeing what content he uploads in the future. His snapchat is also brilliant. I highly recommend you check him out.

Albums: Justin Bieber- Purpose and Adele- 25:

Both these albums are incredible in their own way. Which is why I was constantly playing them throughout December. Justin's music when I hear it on the radio I just want to dance and sing (both I'm not any good at). Adele's on the other hand is extremely powerful and she has had an amazing come back. My favourite songs of the albums are Love yourself (Justin Bieber) and Hello(Adele). Both of which I can't get out of my head. Are there any new albums you recommend?

So this is what I was loving in December. What was you loving? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear.

Love

Zoe x

New years resolutions

Hi everyone,

Happy new year. I know I am a little late getting this out. But every year I make new years resolutions and every year I don't manage to keep them. This year is going to be different. I am hoping by writing them in this blog post that it will encourage me to work to achieve them. So here is a list of 9 things I would like to achieve this year.

1. Clean my makeup brushes everyday after using them.

2. Eat more healthily.

3. Drink more water.

4. Do more exercise.

5. Pass my driving test.

6. Get a group of followers on my blog.

7. Start YouTube.

8. Live everyday like its my last.

9. Say 'yes' more.

I know some of these are silly small things and others not so. But its about making a change and enjoying life while your at it. What are your new years resolutions, let me know in the comments. I would love to hear.

Love

Zoe x