I straightened my hair properly for the first in months last week, and I was a little bit worried about it not reverting, especially as I have been working so hard to get a good routine going! Luckily it bounced back (literally) bigger and better than ever so I thought I would blog about what I used to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

STEP ONE

So first of all, before i washed my hair I made sure it was fully combed out, free from any grips, because they tend to get lost in there, and I sprayed it with some water to get the process going. 

STEP TWO 

I then washed it with my ALL TIME FAVOURITE shampoo, the Aphogee Shampoo for Damaged Hair. I think this shampoo is around £5.99 but it lasts quite a long time and is great at clarifying my hair, defining curls and reducing frizz. 

You can see my wash routine here. However I am probably going to update it again soon! 

STEP THREE

I then made sure that was rinsed out and then, if I am honest I then shampoo'd it AGAIN with Keracare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo. I find that this one adds a lot more moisture and adds a bit of 'juiciness'. 

STEP FOUR 

Then whilst it was damp, I separated it into four sections using clips and used the Shea Moisture Strength & Restore Treatment Masque throughout the sections from root to end. I then wrapped my hair in a plastic bag and then used the hairdryer on a warm setting over the top for about 20 minutes. This is to restore my hair after all the heat I used last week, I was a little sceptical about buying it as that little tub was £12.99 but all the reviews convinced me! I definitely think it is a good product, my hair is much curlier and springy and the shrinkage was more than usual! 

STEP FIVE 

I then washed this out and blotted the water out with a t-shirt. Then I applied a mixture of argon oil and coconut oil to the damp hair all over. I would usually added castor oil but I didn't have it with me this time. I then split my hair into four sections and made sure it was moisturised. I used the Keracare Hair Milk, Daily Hair Sustainer after that to lock the moisture in. 

STEP SIX

I then got my Creme of Nature Argon Oil Twirling Custard and did a medium sized twist out. I slept on this in a pineapple style wrapped in a silk scarf. 

THE NEXT DAY.... 

The next day may hair looked a bit flat, I still haven't mastered the twist out, so whilst I was in the shower I flashed some water on my hair to add some life back in and that worked a treat. I then got out the shower and shook it thoroughly and used the blowdryer on a cool setting to make sure it was fully dry.

THE DAY AFTER THAT....

I applied more oil each day and slept with it in a pineapple wrapped in a scarf. I took this picture 2 days after washing and as soon as I woke up so nothing is on my hair at this stage. 


Disclaimer - I am not a professional and I am still learning, everyone's hair is different so things that work for me might not work for you and vice/versa. :) 






In my world, the colour of my nails is a pretty good indication of my mood. So I was in a pretty good mood when I bought this! I picked it up in Boots.

Spring is on its way and its time to step away from dull neutral colours, and opt for something bright. This shade is Tangerine Tent and it is part of the Rita Ora collection for Rimmel. 

I wear a lot of neutral clothes , khaki, grey, black, so my nails are a way for me to bring some brightness into an outfit. 




I would definitely recommend this nail varnish, its affordable, super pigmented ; it is bright with just one stroke, and its a great pick-me-up if you are tied to your desk all day doing assignments or work!





As you can probably tell, I couldn't think of a short title for this post! I have been styling my hair without heat for about 6 weeks now and I cannot believe the progress it has made, and I thought it would also be a good idea to start documenting it. 

Both pictures were taking straight after washing. The white residue you can see is my leave in conditioner, I use the Cantu Shea Butter Leave in which is so easy and quick to use. I have also been trying the Aphogee Pro Vitamin conditioner, I thought I would prefer it because it is in a spray bottle, but I totally prefer the creamy texture of the Cantu one.

As you can see in the top picture my hair is quite limp and is practically straight on the ends due to heat damage. I never thought I would be able to do a wash and go style like below without doing a huge chop, but with time and patience I have learnt that your hair will love you if you love it back! I 






The main thing that I think has brought the body, fullness and curl back into my hair is of course cutting down on using heat. Secondly, I have been washing it about twice a week with non sulphate shampoo and using products that emphasise having lots of protein in them and stating that they are for damaged hair. 

(I am hoping to start making my own protein masks but I haven't got round to it yet) 

In-between washes I have been using the LOC method as a way of keeping the moisture in, and spraying it with water constantly because there really is no better way to moisture your hair than H20! 

I have stopped using towels to dry my hair as this just causes frizz, and the texture of towels will rub against the curls in your hair. Instead I use an old t-shirt and just wrap it round to stop it dripping. I know it is best to air dry it but my hair takes ages to dry and I hate feeling it drip down my neck. EW! 


So, for now I think I have perfected my wash routine. I use the Aphogee Shampoo for damaged hair. Then I put loads of the Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioning repair cream and let it air dry for about 20 minutes, then put a t-shirt on it (whilst I do my makeup). After that, whilst it is still damp i put coconut oil onto my hair by sectioning it and making sure it is mostly on the roots. Sometimes If I have somewhere I need to be I will use my hairdryer on the cool setting to speed it up a bit! 

The creamy set product is my new favourite, it sets curls just like eco styler gel but without the stiffness, and like all these products it is available in your local hair shop. I didn't buy any of these things online.

I get quite a few people asking me what I use, so I hope that helps. 

If you have any suggestions for products feel free to comment below! 


It's that time of the academic year where organisation is everything. I truly believe that sometimes being organised outweighs actually being smart 'clever' so all these notebooks better help me out! 

Also, that is just another one of my excuses to have a pretty bookshelf.
Most of these things were gifts but they are definitely things I couldn't live without now

First of all my MacBook Pro is actually my life. Until recently I hadn't been into using an electronic/online calendar but it now I like to use both for practicalities, as it can be quite heavy to carry my laptop AND diary to uni (First World Problems) and because I get a reminder on my phone and on my laptop. 

To the right is my week planner, this is great to write down shifts at work or blog posts or your gym schedule! This was a gift from John Lewis, you can find it here

Next up is my Cath Kidston Pencil Case. All the Cath Kinston stuff you can see here my boyfriend bought me for my birthday, I can't believe he spent that long in there! I guess you could say a pencil case is a bit childish, but a lost memory stick is no laughing matter, so I like carrying around my essentials in this. I also keep lip balm, earphones etc in there. This is the 'Billie Goes to Town' Pencil Case.

My Pen came in a box which makes for a great gift and is so pretty... too nice to use for scribbling notes at uni! I couldn't find the exact one but here is a similar version .

The notebook is great to use as a diary. It is hardback and doesn't have any dividers so not the best for university, but great for blog ideas or just general life notes! Here is a similar one. 

I don't quite know how I coped without a wall calendar before this! It's so handy if someone asks you if you are available last minute, and you can just glance at the wall. Also, it's great for me to see when my deadlines are due so I can see how close together they are and cry plan accordingly.
I couldn't find a link to where this was available online as you can imagine (It is February!). 
But you could probably get one discounted now which is even better! 

Last but not least is my 'Life Book' it says that is for organised mums ha! But it is actually so helpful, there are pages for you to write down your budget, and just about  anything you can think of. 

So I have a bit of a stationery addiction and it seems like everyone knows it!
What are your favourite ways to stay organised? 








This is the Aunt Jackie's Curls and Coils Curl La La Defining Custard. 
I had read lots of amazing reviews of this product online and it was one of the more affordable curl creams available in my local hair shop at just £5.99. I bought this because I wanted to find a cream that would help define my curls with adding frizz or leaving residue. I


I always look for reviews online of products I am intending to buy, so here is another one out there for people like me.  I thought I would keep this review simple by just doing a list of the Pros and Cons! 



Pros 

First of all, this is the BEST smelling product I have used probably ever. It smells so fruity and the smell lasts all day!

It is affordable and is widely available on the high street

The packaging is cute and the tub can definitely be re-used

It is very moisturising and has a nice texture. I would say it is better as a moisturiser than a curl definer as it isn't sticky and it prevented my hair from drying out after being in the cold and wind!

My ends did stay curled!


Cons 

I think the texture is too 'liquid-y' (if that makes sense) to keep my hair from frizzing, it isn't heavy enough for my 4C hair 

It did define the curls but as my hair is so thick, once I had un-sectioned all of my hair it was just a big damp mess, therefore I think it would only work for me in a half up half down hairsyle.

Overall....

It's not something I would rely on if I was going on a big night out or for a special occasion. I think it would let me down! 

I would rate this a 4.5 out of 10 


I prefer....

Eco Styler Argon Oil Styling Gel.
This is the best for me to define curls and for around £3.50 you can get a huge tub! The only issue I have with this is that you do get quite a lot of build up, but if you wet your hair under the shower it will bounce back to life and you can add more! 

Remember....

Not everything that works on other people will work on you and things that work on you won't work on other people...