Saturday 1 December 2012

Me and My Once Upon a Time Super Duper Long Hair! Micro Ring Extensions Review!

Hi guys!


Sorry I haven't been blogging lately.. or shall I say for MONTHS! O_O" Arghh!

Just been terribly busy with Uni and all the other stuff that comes packaged with being a student haha! ;DD

So this is gonna be a random (and awfully late) post that I should have done a longgg time ago ;))

Just looking back at past photo's and I came across some when I had my micro ring extensions in. They lasted for 4 months before I had to remove them all as it got terribly matted at the back of my head :PP Not bad, not bad!

These piccies were taken last year around the winter season :DD Thought I share my thoughts and experience with micro ring extensions with you guys :))


What are micro ring extensions? 


"Micro ring extensions are generally considered as being the safest strand-by-strand extension method on the market today. There is no glue, sewing or braiding involved so this means that there is no damage to your natural hair!
This method attaches strands of extensions hair to your own hair by use of a small ring, known as a micro ring. The rings are clamped in place and provide a secure bond that can withstand vigorous activity!  Micro rings are comfortable to wear and won’t slip out! The rings come in different colours to match your hair and are coated with silicon for extra comfort. This method is easy to apply and remove.
Micro rings should last for about 3 months before having to be removed and reused or replaced. Maintenance appointments to tighten the rings will be needed every 4-6 weeks.
This method is suitable for use with ALL HAIR TYPES!"
You can read the full description here.

Where did I go to get them?
I had mine done at Louise Pierre Salon in London, Euston.
31 Chalton Street
London
Euston
NW1 1JD



What did I have and How much did it cost?

They was having an offer currently at the time and I jumped the wagon and went in for the kill as I had always worn my clip-in extensions (as seen in my previous post) which was time consuming and tedious every morning.
spent around £450 if I can remember correctly (with £20 deducted as I waited for over an hour as she was applying them with another customer). I chose to have a full head of Brazilian hair at 28" in length. This was the priciest type and longest length in the salon. I actually had to get 2 colours mixed in together to match my hair colour at the time as I had multi-highlighted hair of warm and cool tones :// weird I know.



Full price listing and details can be found here :DDD


Piccie time!! v^___^v


Having luxurious long hair was a joy for a while but became extremely high maintenance!
I chose the Brazilian quality hair as they were the thickest out of European, Indian and Chinese types available. I did the full head (around 150-200) of 180 rings at 28" - boy, it was so damn HEAVY!! Haha!
VOILA! In about 3 hours and £470 later, my thin medium length hair transformed into Long Thick Luscious Strong Healthy locks!! *____* oOoOohh aAaAahhh.


At around this time, I went to the hairdressers to layer and cut the extensions to mix in with my real hair. I had 3" cut off as I realised that it was far too long for my liking after a while haha! Arghhh what a waste of money, I would've saved more £££ if I had opted for a shorter length!
The extensions looked SO REAL and NATURAL! Nobody and I mean NOBODY could tell it was fake ;PP


 My hair was a Light Ash Brown with Golden Blonde Undertones at the time. This made my Neutral-Warm complexion appear a lot cooler and lighter!
The long hair made me feel even more of a girly girl and elongated my face - slimming down my chubby cheeks :))


Teehee, was just getting ready to go out and above is just a before make up free face look and an after made up face look :PP
I only ever rarely go out of the house without some sort sort of makeup on my face but it seems that with the addition of gorgeous long shiny locks - it don't seem as bad! OMG, did I just say that?! I love my beauty products too much!! Kekeke!!


Sorry, I've lost my other photo's so have to use one from the web >__< DOH! 
It should look something like this when applied!


My final thoughts on having micro-ring extensions:

Pro's of Micro-ring extensions:
- Least damaging to your natural hair compared to other methods of bonding such as glue as it requires No Heat or No Glue :))
- Quite long lasting
- Looks extremely naturaaaal! ;)) Beautiful results!
- Expect loads of compliments kekeke! ;DD
- Easy to style


Con's of having micro-ring extensions:

- Rather pricey if no offers are available
- Expect to lose a few bonds within the first week due to brushing and washing hair
- Uncomfortable weight applied to your natural hair (but will soon get used to it hehe)
- Very high maintenance (only applicable to the longer hair lengths)! It took me over an hour to wash, blow-dry and style just my hair!
- The extra weight tugged on my hair and once removed my hair looked thinner and flatter than before >__< (any type of extensions are more suitable for those with stronger hair)
- Will get matted and tangled if you don't attend monthly maintenance T__T


Would I get this done again? 

As lovely as it looks.. Most likely NOT as it is rather expensive, also the cost of maintenance every 4 weeks is £50 for me to move the rings up more to the crown as they will slide down due to hair growth, gravity, washing etc.


Final verdict:

This was a great experience but sadly not one I would repeat. After removal of the extensions my hair was in a complete state (looks very thin and dry) as my hair was probably damaged to begin with :'(( But if you have strong healthy hair, can afford+maintain it £££ and want longer hair - by all means go for it and try it out! ;)) 

If you live in London and are interested in Micro ring extensions, weaves, wigs etc I definately recommend checking out Louise Pierre Salon. She is so talented, professional and friendly.

But for me, I think i'll just let time do all the growing!! And spend my money on other things ;PP Teehee!! 



Until Next Time

xoxoxox


Monday 22 October 2012

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Colour Blend Foam 5G Medium Golden Brown *PIC HEAVY*

Before Hair Colour:

Before colour: Previously had bleached blonde highlights with a light ash brown base then dyed it all with a golden light apricot in London China Town before going away on holiday to Hong Kong (and it was a Summer colour ;PP). Hair dressers recommendation as she says: "it brightens up my face!" - Errrrm.. did it tho? ://
 Mega root growth (evident in sister pics). Hair was terribly fried by the sizzling hot summer sun of HK (also the dye. No bleach my ass! That stuff BURNED like nothing i've ever felt before!) :(( and I swear I was en route to becoming a ginger! ://


 xsofeex and moi :)) The "weird" one. This one creates a hell lot of random-ass noises i've ever heard come out from one person - Period! :// Also her comedic faces are the BEST ;)) Visit my baby sisters blog here if you may :DD


Taken in natural lighting. Look how the brassiness of my hair drowned out the colour of my face - looks SO pinkish and white? I guess that was "The Look" my hair dresser was going for. Wouldn't mind it too much if it didn't me look tired all the time. Unflattering. (Bare in mind, I was TANNED a few shades here yet I still look paleish?!).


This is my youngest baby sister. Awhh she's cute right? NAWWWT! This one's the "Annoying" one ;PP She was born with too much lip! All talk talk talk!! Frequent phrases you may hear coming from her mouth: "You Jelly Bro..?", "Trolololol", "Yeah boy!". Me: "Arghhh!!" >__< Too much TOWIE and Internet slang me thinks! o__O"

OK enough of straying! Back to the topic of HAIR! Haha! 

[Review] The Hair Dye:
I was in Tesco's (approx £6.49 at the time per box I think) and spontaneously reached for this particular colour and it was a foam! Which means an easier and mess-free application right compared to traditional dyes right? :PP 

I was determined to go a chocolate brown in time for Winter and to add more red tones into my hair as my undertones were now blonde -___- from the countless dye jobs to get a to my dream BRONDE (blonde/brown mix) stage. My wish was fulfilled after multiple subtle bleaches in the hair dyes, It looked so pretty in the first week but because of uni I didn't have the time and energy to condition and care for it properly and eventually turned into a dry frizzy mess! (Think: HAY!) T___T Totally regret it now - dye after dye actually thinned my hair a bit >_< I mean, I'm all for being slim but who wants skinny hair?? O__O NUH-UH!

So, I thought by bringing in warmer tones to my hair I should be able to restore the shine and lustre my hair once had many years ago :PP I came came across this shade (probably the model on the box sold me as well. It looked sooo good on her haha!).

On the box it shows a rich medium milk chocolate colour with a hint of maroon. Soo prettyyy!!

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of the dye on my new phone :(( So, as the best alternative - I've found some on the internet instead ^___^


(Image taken from courtesy of clairol.co.uk)

Here's the shade chart located at the back of the box on approx how the dye would turn out like after application (Looks totally different from the front of box tbh).

After Hair Colour:
(Following pics were enlarged to show as much of the colour as possible. Please note: Colours differ on different screens)
After 2 days: My hair looks practically near natural black with a splash of deep wine.
Don't think I suit very dark colours well - makes my features more harsh ahaha DD:
Here is me with Lanomche (don't worry if you can't pronounce her name. I can't either!). Visit her blog if you like here :)) The "Dark horse". She can appear shy and timid. Be warned - all hell can break loose with this one hahaha! xDD

After 5 days: The colour seems to have lightened quite noticeably :)) After 5 days, there seems to be a very subtle purply/red tinge to my hair - lightened to quite a nice deep chocolate brown ^_^

After 2 weeks:  The red undertones are definitely pushing its way through now. I'm starting to see red highlights :)) I totally adore this colour :DD

 Haha, ignore my "Yea, W.E" goofy semi-serious face on the second pic here :PP I didn't have any others unfortunately. (I don't take nearly as many pics many other bloggers do :(( Maybe I should start to do that!) 
After 3 weeks: Oh what happened?
Taken in artificial lighting in my room. This seems to cancel out any redness in my hair :// Looks more ash to me now. 
4 weeks later: Phew, the warmth is still there :)) Guess my hair was so dry from all the rain and wind we've been getting lately in London. Brrr. Wrap up!
My hair is noticeably drying up - split ends?
(Oh Gawdddd. Why must my face show up so pinky here? Haha!).
5 weeks after: Look at that shine! *__* Ohh how I missed you!
This was taken in bright artificial lighting. Red tones are nicely visible but less red now. It's more golden! Brightens up my complexion? ;))
Used my GHD's my boyffie bought me last Xmas - this year has flown by! :OO

Super current pic in indoor lighting. Wearing just mascara and tried out DiorSkin Nude Natural Glow Radiant Fluid Foundation in 020 Light Beige (That's a mouthful!). My Super Lazy makeup day! Hehe!!
3 days ago: As you can see, my blondish undertones are slowly creeping through again 5 weeks later :(( don't think i'm gonna stay dark-haired much longer with a few more washes.
Used the Banana Shampoo and Banana Conditioner from The Body Shop. (It's so moisturising and clarifies the hair at the same time. Try them out!).

Overall Verdict:
I know with my camera skillage, its very difficult to make out the actual colour of my hair due to the difference in lighting and just the cruddy quality of the images. I should invest in a proper camera (I actually do have one but it makes all my images slightly warmer than normal o__O). 

And the amount of hair washing is inconsistent per week, which does not give a reliable test on the durability of colour of the product. 

The colour probably did not turn out as expected due to my base colour being a light orangey brown colour hence why this shade is coming through right now. Would probably be a beautiful colour on those with you with neutral brown hair. 

Pro's:
- It's relatively cheap and easily available in most health+beauty stores and supermarkets. 
- Fuss free easy foam application
- Comes out darker when freshly applied but lightens after a few washes. Nearly comparable to the box shade - Yaaay! ^__^
- Hair seems more healthier and shinier after :))  
- It is rather gentle on your hair :DD *Thumbs up* - Does not irritate scalp
- Has a strong chemical smell to this dye =__=" Must apply in a well ventilated room! 
- One bottle is enough to cover my whole head - medium/long coarse hair.

Con's:
- Un-exciting shade selection (for me that is hehe)
- Outcome colour is always much darker than box colour on my asian hair when using European brands compared Asian brands in the beginning. Dye was only left on for 20mins.

Would I repurchase? 
Probably in a different colour. It's actually not that bad. 
I would most likely go for an Asian foam dye in the future (more suited for my asian hair). Such as the Liese Bubble Hair Color Dye (Korean brand) or Palty Foam Hair Color Dye (Japanese brand).

Would I recommend?
Yes, if you want a cheap, quick and easy DIY dye job :)) 
This 5G Medium Golden Brown shade brings more warmth and life to my complexion - I look less dead now than I did before. A lovely Winter shade :DD



What do you guys think? 

Do you prefer lighter or darker hair? :))

Have you tried Clairol's Nice 'n Easy Colour Blend Foam dye? 

Let me know :DD

Until next time :))
xoxox

Sunday 21 October 2012

Choize Collagen White Plus+ 2 in 1 Aqua Hydration Gel Review

Hello, to all my beautiful ladies out there :))

Boy, have I got a product to share with you today!

It's not well known and it may be quite a rare find ;PP

One word: A-MA-ZING!!! *Light shines down with the sound of angels and bells*

I have never found a hydrating gel as good as this one before! Because I have combination skin leaning more towards the dry side (especially now its Winter), not many "gel" moisturisers have worked for me in the past as they weren't hydrating enough and my skin would begin to feel tight after 1 hour of use :((

Then comes along this baby :DD

Frosted glass packaging. Has a luxurious and expensive feel to it . The picture does it no justice at all!
This miracle gel has restored the smoothness and suppleness of my cheeks after having my eczema outbreak 2 years ago as I could not get rid of my dry rough cheeks as a result of that  >_< This took time and with continuous use day and night my dehydrated cheeks were back to normal once again :)) This took me around 2 months and is totally HG quality! It also contains a spatula (not shown in pics) therefore is very hygienic ^___^

Description:

Choize Collagen White Plus+ 2 in 1 Aqua Hydration Gel 50g

This 2 in 1 Aqua Hydration Gel can be used as an overnight mask. With a high penetration Aqua ingredients formula, this product is similar to Natural Moisture Factor “NMF”of human body. Associated with hyaluronic acid, it retains hydration of skin for 24 hours.  It immediately soothes the skin and restores damaged hydrolipid film.  Amino Acids and VIT C helps skin elasticity and activates collagen.  With continuous use, skin with roughness, dryness and dehydration conditions will be improved.

Directions
For Basic Care:  Before applying lotion, take appropriate amount over face and neck with gentle massage until absorbed. Use daily in the morning and evening.For Intensive Night Care: Apply adequate amount over face and leave it overnight and rinse on next day morning.  This treatment is ideal for extremely dry and dehydration skin. Use once or twice a week.
Skin Type
For all skin types including sensitive skin type


Size: 50g / 1.7 FLOZ


Ingredients:
Unfortunately, I long threw away the box it came with and cannot seem to find the ingredients list online T___T So sorry about that guys! 

Comes with an inner lid - keeps it fresher for longer
[My Verdict]

Texture, Sensation, Scent and Appearance:
Texture? This gel formula is very light and but quite firm in the jar. Once touched to the heat of your skin it transforms into a watery consistency and liquefies. It is very soft and smooth and glides on effortlessly. It absorbs rather quickly as well ^_^ Gives a soft-focus finish and a very slightly dewy look :))

Sensation? Once applied on the skin, it feels very cooling (just like water). This is a very comfortable sensation for me as it helps calm down my heated red cheeks after cleansing :PP

Scent? It has a nice fresh relaxing scent and reminds me of the ocean for some reason o__O..? I don't know whether this is natural or not.

Appearance? The product comes in a frosted glass jar with a silver lid. It feels rather luxurious and expensive in hand. The gel is milky translucent white in colour with a hint of baby blue. Once again, I don't know if this is natural or not as silly me threw away the box >_< DOH! 

I loved it so much. Not much product left :(( Took me so long to do a review :PP The colour of the gel looks more intense in pictures. In real life it is milky translucent white with a a tinge of baby blue.
Hydration:
Due to its lightness, I was sceptical whether it would provide enough hydration for my eczematic skin. It certainly does! This product can also be used as an intensive night mask - just slather it on generously over your night moisturiser before going to sleep and wake up to baby butt smooth, firm, plumped up skin in the morning :))

For extra hydration for times when I need it. I top up using the Sky Lake Green Essence (reviewed here). When I get a really bad eczema flare up, I just use an emollient such as E45 for these areas only --> SLATHER THAT STUFF ON >:PP

Quality and Results:
This product was developed in France - says something already hmm? ;)) The French creates some of the most  beautiful skin care products around without sacrificing skin sensitivity. Think Clarins, Chanel, Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, Avene etc.. :DD

From the ingredients list you can see there are only a handful used in creating this product. From this, you can ensure that even the most sensitive skins are able to use this (especially mine! whoop!). The less ingredients put into the product, the less likely you are to react to it! :))

Choize 2 in 1 Aqua Hydration Gel was actually recommended to me by a sales assistant as she noticed I had  slightly red irritated skin with little surface bumps on my cheeks at the time (not a pretty sight!) and nothing I used could restore the smoothness of my cheeks I once had before my eczema outbreak 2 years ago! >__<
She told me because it is such a gentle product it is able to repair the damaged barrier of my skin. She was right! Fast forward 2 months, my skin has never looked so good, so smooth, so pinchably soft! :DD

Whitening? I think the moisturiser evened out my skin tone a bit as it contains a mild whitening agent. I'm surprised that I didn't react to that as I usually react to any product that claims to whiten. 

Collagen? As for the collagen bit to it. Umm I don't think I see a dramatic difference because I suppose my skin is still young and don't experience a lack of elasticity just yet? *Touch Wood* Just losing my baby fat hehe! But a lil prevention from ageing doesn't hurt now does it at my age of 22? ;PP I think it tightens my cheeks a little bit making them look firmer - could this be the result of the collagen working? xDD

Soft jelly-like texture. 
Turns into water once smoothed and  heated up on the skin
Non-sticky and non-oily once smoothed in. Gives a cooling sensation that lasts - me likey! 
Fully absorbed. Instantaneous softness and super smooth skin ^___^ Doesn't feel like you have anything on apart from the slight cooling sensation hehe (Eww look at my veins! bleugh!)
Gives a soft-focus velvety finish with a hint of dewy-ness - Love love LOVEE!!
Price:
I bought this whilst holidaying in Hong Kong in a beauty shop called Aster. This retails at HK$ 245.00 (approx £19.74) but was on offer at HK$ 196.00 (approx £15.80) for 50g worth of product. Total Steal (if I must say so) for something that works and repairs and restores damaged skin. I cannot stress the amount of money I have spent on products that claim to work the same way as this product does with no prevail >:((

Where to Buy:
If your in HK you can find this in beauty supply shops such as Aster, and possibly Colormix.
Can be found online here at Aster.

If your living in the UK like me, I believe that they only seem to sell this in Asia? I can't seem to find any online stores/sellers that is willing to ship to the UK :'(( Nooo! *Heart Broken*


Overall:
FINALLY, I FOUND A PRODUCT WITH POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE CLAIMS! As you can see, I am most satisfied with this and cannot rave about this enough! 

Pros:
- Repairs and restores damaged skin
- Maintains healthy skin
- Non oily and hydrating
- Makes skin soft, smooth and supple
- Quick and easy absorption - provides a good base for make up
- Does not cause break outs
- Reasonably priced
- Spreads easily therefore a jar can last you quite a long time.
- Can be used as an intensive night mask
- Can be used in conjunction with other creams if you need extra hydration
- Cooling sensation on skin 
- Elegant packaging
- SUITABLE FOR ALL SKIN TYPES INCLUDING SENSITIVE SKINS (eczema-prone, irritable, acne-prone) :))
- Has a little spatula to scoop out the product - super hygienic! 

Cons:
- Very difficult to find for those not living in HK
- Does not contain SPF (This does not bother me as I am quite sensitive to SPF) for all you guys who prefer having a bit of sun protection with your moisturisers
- Has a scent (fresh and slightly floral)
- Has a bit of colouring (though this could be natural)

Would I Repurchase?
A solid YES (if I can get my hands on this again though) *sob sob*

But I suppose I have to look for an equivalent seeing I wont be going back to HK to repurchase for a while :'(( UNLESS any of you guys are able to purchase this and is able to sell me this beautiful product - I'll LOVE you forever! Haha! 


Thanks for reading beautiful's, 
Until next time, Kayleigh xoxo

Sunday 16 September 2012

-MAKE UP TAG-

It's always fun and interesting to read tags and I saw this popular tag circling around the beauty blogging community, so I decided to do one myself ^_^... So yeah! Hope you enjoy my very first tag ;PP

Here goes!

How old were you when you started wearing makeup?
I think I was 12 years old during year 8 in comprehensive school. I remember going into my local Superdrug, all confused whilst looking at the makeup products. It was all intimidating - there were sooo many different items, brands, and colours.. I didn't know where to start! :PP In the end, I just settled for a black kohl liner from Rimmel in hope to enlarge my eyes haha. From then on, I rimmed only the bottom of my eyes day after day (bad look ughh) - then along came mascara and foundation xDD 

How did you get into makeup?
Through friends. They were all quite early into make up. I remember my best friend at the time would rim her eyes with black liner and coat on mascara to define and emphasize her eyes. I did the same eventually, but little did I know makeup techniques differ according to eye shape. Her eyes were round, mine were almond. Yups, beauty mishap! Instead of enhancing my eye shape by making it appear brighter and larger etc.. It had quite the opposite effect  T___T

What are some of your favorite brands?
Drugstore: L'oreal, Maybelline, Revlon and possibly a dash of bourjois.

High-end: Dior, YSL, Lancome (I would love to buy more but given given my current situation - seems unlikely anytime soon *sobs*).

Foreign brands: Etude House, Laneige, Lioele, Shiseido, Kanebo Kate, Jill  Stuart, Canmake.

Ultimate favourite brand would have to be ETUDE HOUSE as their makeup is high quality at very affordable prices and they have a humongous range of different products - there is always something for someone. 

What does makeup mean to you?
I believe make up is used as a tool to enhance the beauty each one of us possess and not as a means of a disguise. When too much is applied, it subtracts you from this beauty. 

If you could only wear 4 products on your face what would they be?
Mascara, Liquid Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, and Lipbalm. My usual everyday items really ;PP I only emphasize the eyes. 

What is your favorite thing about makeup?
Make up is able to bring out your best features and minimize any flaws. It is such a powerful tool that brings out the best in us females, giving us confidence and making us feel beautiful and content with the person looking back at us in our reflection.

What do you think about drugstore makeup VS. high end makeup?
High end make up = you get what you paid for - the quality. In my perfect world, I would have an unlimited supply of money to afford to buy from the high end only hehehe ;PP

There are many drugstore products that perform very well for the price and if the product is good, the brand does not matter :)) I am a very skin conscience person, so I tend to only buy high end foundation as I believe it contains better quality ingredients :PP

What is one tip of advice you can give to a beginner?
There is always beauty in something natural - be light on the makeup, your skin would thank you in the future :DD

What is one makeup trend you never understood?

Ganguro!



Ganguro is literally the term for "Black Face". It originated from Japan and the ganguro style consists of heavily tanned skin, bleached orange-blonde hair or even silver grey known as "High-Bleached". The eyes are heavily lined using black ink and a white concealer is used as lipstick and eyeshadow.  Fake eyelashes, plastic facial gems, and pearl powder are often added to this. Platform shoes and brightly coloured outfits complete the ganguro look. Also typical ofganguro fashion are tie dyed sarongs, miniskirts, stickers on the face, and many bracelets, rings, and necklaces

What do you think about the beauty community on YouTube?
I love it. There are so many excellent make up gurus out there sharing their tips, techniques, applications and knowledge for us all. It's so inspiring. 
Hopefully, I would be able to bring myself to post up a video on YouTube one day. But for now, product blogging will do :DD 


Go on, Tag yourselves! v(o^__^o)v

Until next time xoxo

Friday 7 September 2012

For baby sissy! Haha! ;DD


Rilakkuma.

N'wahhh.

He's cute.
He's soft.
He's cuddly.
He's honey coloured.
He's a baby bear.
Children and young adults alike both love him.
Including you.
Especially you.
What's not to love?

But, have you realised...
.
.
.
.
.

gif maker

...IT'S ACTUALLY PEDOBEAR, IN DISGUISE!

His master plan = SUCCESS!!








(Ps. I actually thought they were the same bear in the past hahaha) o___O