Hair Update!

HI guys! Long time no see. So recently I decided to have a massive change with my hair. I love blonde hair but the maintenance is annoying (those pesky roots) and a couple of weeks after my hair appointments my colour just wouldn't look as fresh and would become very yellow which I hated. Another massive problem is the damage which comes with having very light bleached blonde hair - not good. 

So I decided that I would go darker and go for ombre hair - just so I could keep some of my beloved blonde with me - lol. I've been darker before and not really liked it but I thought that this time I might prefer the darker hair with an ombre. At the same time I also had around an inch cut from my hair and I had my hair cut really bluntly - and this has made my hair feel loads thicker - before the ends were quite thin and straggly. 

Here you go! My new ombre long bob. I actually really like the colour and I'm loving the fresh cut- however I don't know how long it will be until I have some more lovely extensions applied - I can't resist the princess hair!

Let me know what you think about the change guys - but please be kind!

Shona xxx

Micro Ring Hair Extension Review

Hey guys! So today's post is all about my experience with my micro-ring extensions. As you can probably tell my hair is very light blonde (not natural) so due to this my hair is damaged and isn't able to grow long and luscious like I want it to. In the past I've tried a weave (don't go there!) and used clip in extensions from both Foxy Locks & Dirty Looks. Now these sets of clip in extensions were gorgeous - the hair was great quality but I don't really think that clip ins are the right option for me. Even though the clips were nice and secure I always had this paranoid fear in my head that the hair was going to fall out whilst I was out and about (lol) so after a lot of thought and deliberation I decided to try out micro-ring extensions.
So I went for a consultation and was told that micro-rings would definitely be the right option for me - due to my hair being very fine and light micro-rings would be the easiest extensions to hide in my hair. I have my hair done at the Salon & the hair I have put in is the celebrity choice extensions by Beauty Works - many salon across the UK use this hair for professional extensions due to it being really good quality. The hair will last between 6-12 months so when your micro-rings need re-doing you can have the same hair put back in.

   

These photos above are me directly before and after having my micro-rings re-fitted. As you can see the colour match is perfect and having the extensions blended in with my own hair makes it look much healthier and in better condition. The initial cost of the hair and fitting is around £270 (this gets you 200 bonds of hair) and the cost of re-fitting the extensions is around £70, the price is so worth it though to have lovely long hair.

With these extensions fitted you must use an oil on your hair to keep the extensions nice and moisturised and to stop the hair tangling. You also need to sleep with the hair tied back or plaited to keep the hair in good condition. The first couple of nights you can feel the rings in your head but after this you honestly can't feel the extensions at all.

I've had these extensions since January and I will continue to have micro-ring extensions because I love them!

Shona xx

FOTD & Mermaid Hair

Hey guys! Today I've decided to write a quick post about the make-up I'm wearing today and I thought I'd just inform you about my new hair! As you guys probably know I have very light blonde hair - I was feeling a little bored this morning so I decided to dig through my cupboards for the Bleach London colours which I had bought ages ago. I found 'washed up mermaid' which is a lovely turquoise colour. I used my hands to apply the dye onto the ends of my hair and left it on for 15 minutes. Now, on the bottle of the dye it says to use gloves - I didn't do this and now I have blue hands! So make sure that you wear gloves. Anyway, after washing the dye off and drying my hair I am so impressed with how its gone - the colour is lovely and vibrant and I think I applied it really well. Normally when applying colour at home I have my mum's help but today's colour was a solo endeavour
Anyway, onto today's face...

.
 Okay, so as a base I'm wearing Mac face and body in C1. I always go back to this foundation in the warmer months because it provides a lovely sheer, dewy coverage. Under my eyes & on my chin I applied the Collection concealer in fair. I then applied my Mac cream blush in 'optimistic orange' which looks really daring in the pan but I find that it really brightens up my complexion Then I applied the sleek bronzer from the light contour palette to contour my face and applied Mac's mineralize skinfinish in Porcelain Pink.
On my eyes I'm wearing the 'satin taupe' eyeshadow by Mac, and I've just taken that onto the lower lashline too. I blended a little bit of hustle from the Naked 1 palette in the outer corner of my eye. I also applied Mac's kohl liner in 'teddy' to my waterline. I then finished off the eyes by applying L'oreal's telescopic mascara in 'carbon black.' On my lips I'm wearing Mac's 'rebel'.

Shona xxx

Spring Wishlist 2014

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be talking about my spring wishlist. We all know that the dull dreary UK weather is starting to disappear and the days are becoming light and sunny! Of course all of us know that this is the perfect excuse to go on a splurge in order to brighten up our wardrobes. I don't know if it's just me, but every time the next season comes round I look at my wardrobe and I can hardly find any clothes from the previous year. Like where are my clothes from Spring/Summer 13! Ah well, this is yet another justification for my future spending sprees.

In this post I've picked out six items from the high street that I am seriously lusting over and NEED - yes need - for my spring & summer wardrobe. I've not included any Primark items in this wishlist because Primark doesn't have an option to shop online - so on the website we can't really see all they have to offer. I am pretty sure I will end up wandering into Primark and picking up a few pieces anyway.

1. Light pink mini structured tote bag - I saw this lovely bag when I was in River Island with my mum. The lovely baby pink colour made the bag stand out to me and when I saw it I was instantly sold. The bag is also quite small - but large enough to fit in all of your essentials. For me this is a really nice size, if I'm spending long summer days out and about I don't really want to drag around a massive bag.
Buy Here

2. White all star dainty canvas trainers - I'm pretty sure that we all need a pair of Converse in our lives and these little beauties will be perfect for those casual Spring/Summer outfits, especially if you're like me and prefer to wear comfy footwear. I think the white is a perfect choice of colour because that means that these shoes will go perfectly with all colours including those pretty pastel hues that we all go crazy over during the warmer months!
Buy Here

3. Stand out flower prom dress - This dress is absolutely gorgeous! I think this dress would look amazing dressed up for a special occasion or a nice meal during this season. The mint colour is bang on trend and contrasts perfectly with the grey rose print on the dress. I think this colour would look really nice on my super pale skin but I also think it would probably look pretty fierce on those ladies with very dark skin.
Buy Here

4. Pretty lace vest - During the warmer months I love to wear white on my top half, I think it's because white is super easy to style and can basically be teamed up with almost anything. This lace vest is typically 'me' and I think it's a super cute little top that every girl should have in their wardrobe this Spring.
Buy Here

5. Mint contrast neon print wrap skort - Ok, so when I was little I remember being dressed in Skorts and now they've made a huge come back I just have to have one! I prefer the look of the patterned skorts because I think they look a little more 'fun' and casual than the plain ones. This one is a lovely pastel mint colour with a contrasting floral pattern which I think looks really cute and girly.
Buy Here

6. Green crochet trim ditsy floral cami - In the hot weather camis are the perfect thing to wear due to them being so lightweight. This one has such a pretty print and would look gorgeous paired with some denim shorts and converse. It can also be dressed up if you need to transition your outfit for an evening look.
Buy Here

Okay guys so that's my Spring 2014 wishlist done! Please comment below and tell me what you think of these pieces & also tell me if you've found any amazing buys for Spring.

Shona xxx
One

Happy New Year!

Hey Guys,
I thought I'd write a quick post today about my resolutions for 2014! The picture above is my African Pygmy Hedgehog (Timothy) who I got in late 2013, he's a wonderful new addition to my family and getting him is definitely a highlight of 2013. I just thought I'd share him with you guys since he is so adorable!

2014 Resolutions

• Get into a healthy eating and exercise routine. - This is something that I've always wanted to crack, I've managed to do it for periods of time but always slip back into having spells of 'bad eating' again! It would be great to see if I could incorporate healthy eating and exercise into my everyday life.
• Plan my week - I have a really big problem with spending my days accomplishing less than half of what I needed to do, this isn't really helpful when I have lots of coursework and reading to do for uni. I need to plan my days so that I have time for uni work, blogging and relaxing.
• Don't let anything stop me doing what I want to do - I have BDD and Anxiety which I have been receiving therapy for during 2013. Many times these conditions have stopped me from leaving the house and doing things that I want to do - Even going to uni. 2014 is the year that I am going to take control and do what I want.

Those are my resolutions, I'd really like to achieve them this year because they are three things which are really important for my success and happiness. I Hope all of you have a fantastic year this year, and let me know if you have any resolutions for this year!

Shona xx

Update!

Hey guys, sorry that I've been missing in action for so long. This first year at uni has been kind of hectic, and I've also had some medical issues to deal with. I'm coming back with a new blog name and hopefully lots of new interesting posts on beauty, fashion and lifestyle. I've currently got my end of year exams to revise for, which end on the 13th of June, so until then I won't be able to post super frequently, but I will do the best that I can.
I've included some photos just to show you where I've been at recently. I've dropped down to 8 stone 9, which I am really pleased about, and I'm having my hair coloured a darker blonde in the next two weeks which is exciting (and also needed since my roots have been left for 5 months!.)
The weather has literally been rubbish, we've had 2 hot days so far, and now the weather has returned to rain and wind. Hopefully it will heat up again soon!
Shona xx

My Body Issues?

Okay, so today I'm going to write a post that is very personal to me, and quite hard to write. I've seen a lot of posts recently about weight and size, and how people should be able to be any size that they want without abuse and bullying. I totally agree with this, but in today's society it can be hard to get along in life if you aren't the 'perfect size' advertised by the media.
As far back as I can remember, I was always a 'chubby' child, a bit bigger than the other kids with a round face. When you're young, nobody thinks about size, children don't judge each other based on appearance and how 'beautiful' they are. I felt fine, I was happy in myself. Then in the later years of primary school I got a little bit bigger and started to get bullied for being 'fat.' Obviously this started to affect me, as it isn't nice to be left out or called because of how you look. I don't know how much I weighed back then, as I never weighed myself as a child, but I wasn't what you'd call 'obese' just a little overweight as some children can be.
I went to high school and was also bullied there. My form group was awful, full of horrible, chavvy boys who were complete bullies (just gonna point out that they've now got nowhere in life and I'm doing a Politics degree.) It was always really intimidating to go into the form room and sit there. Now in high school, people start to think about 'girlfriends' and 'boyfriends' and people start to get judged on how they look. I can honestly say that nothing is worse than being the fat, ugly girl. I lost a bit of 'puppy fat' as I got to the later years of high school but I was still 'fat.' What hurt as well was when people thought they could make a casual comment about your weight, but then didn't understand why you got upset. If people who are considered 'fat' want to joke about their weight then they will do it themselves, it's not anybody else's job to comment on their weight. People just do not understand how much weight can affect some peoples lives.

The above picture is my year 10 photograph at school. Looking back, I don't see what all of the fuss was about. I don't look massive. However, at the time, when so many people are telling you that you are 'fat' you start to believe them.

This picture is me at my year 11 prom. Prom is a day when girls are supposed to feel beautiful about themselves, yet I didn't. I was a large size 12/small 14 at this point, which I know isn't a large size however it was slightly too large for my frame. Shortly after prom I started to exercise 5 days a week and go on a diet. I started out at 10 stone 5, at the end of it I became 8 stone 10. It took me a lot of hard work and determination to lose the weight.

This is what I looked like afterwards. I was a size 8. The most sickening thing after losing the weight and also getting contact lenses, was the fact that people who had previously branded me 'fat' now thought that I was fit/attractive. The size of a persons body, does not determine whether that person is beautiful or ugly. I have always been the same person inside and I find it disgusting that all you have to do is lose weight and lose your glasses to become 'attractive.' I lost the weight for me, not for anyone else, and certainly not to become 'attractive' to shallow people. That was 2 years ago.

Right now I weigh about 9 stone 3 and am a size 10. I am currently aiming to lose a couple of pounds as I feel better when I am that bit thinner. However, I am never happy with my size or the way I look. What people don't understand is that when you bully someone for the way they look, it can leave deep scars that can take years to disappear. I may have lost the weight, and no longer be 'fat' but I haven't lost the deep-seated hate for the way I look. Even when I dropped right down to 8 stone 10 I thought that I was still fat. Looking back at the photos now, I can see that I was very slim, but at the time I just could not see it for myself. Bullying is a sickening thing; people do not have to change their size if they do not want to. A persons   body is nobody else's business