Twenty Six

Last Saturday I turned the grand old age of twenty six. It's quite weird entering the latter half of your twenties. Now I'm only four years away from turning 30! It doesn't mean I'm any closer to growing up though. I awoke to a room filled with balloons and a Disney Princess cake for breakfast. Chloe picked it all out herself haha. For my birthday celebrations Andy took me & Chloe on a day trip to Blackpool. Obviously as I hail from Kent there's many places up north that I still haven't explored yet - Blackpool being one of them so off we went. It was probably the worst day to go as it was so incredibly windy & I decided to wear one of the shortest thinnest dresses I own. I'm pretty sure I flashed everyone around me until I could get to H&M for some emergency leggings!

Despite the awful weather I had still had an amazing time. We walked all the way up the promenade & took part in all the usual seaside tourist attractions. I really wanted to go up the tower but it was closed due to the wind so we went on the big ferris wheel instead. When we had finally worn ourselves out we went for a delicious meal at Mandarin which is apparently the 3rd best Chinese restaurant in the UK. We had chicken satay & crispy chilli beef with egg fried rice. It was so good, best meal I've had in ages! We used to go out for dim sum all the time when I lived at home but we only have crappy takeaways round where I live now so it was really nice to get some proper Chinese food for once. I wish we could've stayed longer in Blackpool as Chloe really wanted to go to Nickelodeon Land so hopefully we'll go back sometime soon. Then on Monday my family came up to Manchester for a day out with us. We had lunch at I Am Pho and then went shopping & I got lots of treats! Before it was time for them to go back to London we went to Home Sweet Home for some cake. I ordered a Dead Elvis milkshake but what I didn't realise is that it comes with a whole doughnut on top! So I gobbled up a huge peanut butter milkshake, a doughnut & a slice of one of their crazy cakes. It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't followed it up with a deep fried mac 'n' cheese burger when I went out with my friends the next day... Oh well if you can't pig out on your birthday, when can you?!








I got some truly lovely presents this year & I'm so grateful for everything I received! I've had my eye on the Roses de Chloe perfume for ages. The original Chloe is my signature scent but I fancied something a little softer & this was perfect. I didn't get along with the GlamGlow Youthmud mask but the Supermud is right up my street. I tried a little sample sachet & my skin has been craving it ever since. It's a clay mask that basically contains all the acids and is absolutely amazing for blemished skin. It came with a cute GlamGlow brush to apply it with too. I also got a fresh tube of HealGel Eye and the new Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer. The original Hairdresser's Oil is one of the best hair products ever so this new addition to the line looked rather exciting. My favourite present has to be this gorgeous Whistles Rivington chain croc clutch bag that Andy got for me. I've wanted a Whistles clutch for so long! They're such a chic & luxurious addition to any outfit. It took me forever to decide which colour I wanted but the black crocodile one won out in the end. I'm totally in love with it! I can feel a clutch bag addiction coming on...

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British Summer Essentials

There's nothing quite as unpredictable as the Great British Summer. One day the sun will be shining brighter than ever before... then the next day we'll get non-stop wind & rain. If you're having a UK staycation this year then it's best to be prepared for every eventuality. I've teamed up with luxury accessories brand Folli Follie to give you a few ideas of which things to take with you, whatever the weather. Last month they sent me the most amazing selection of goodies & I'm over the moon with everything I received. Here are my British Summer Essentials...





First of all you'll need a bag to carry around all of your belongings. You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful one than the Heart4Heart Shoulder Bag*. I was so excited when this arrived in the post, this bag is just incredibly stunning! It is available in five different colours but I think the red looks best. It's so bright & Summery but will look stylish all year round. I love pairing monochrome outfits with colourful accessories like this. I adore the rose gold hardware, especially that clover shaped lock. Everything about the bag just screams quality. Not only does it look gorgeous but there is tons of room inside & plenty of compartments to keep everything organised. It feels sturdy yet lightweight so it's a brilliant choice for your travels.






I was also sent these awesome tortoiseshell effect wayfarer sunglasses. How cute is the little orange case they came with?! The attention to detail is phenomenal. I really like how the four leaf clover theme is carried through their designs. The glasses feel very comfortable to wear & the lenses offer 100% UV ray protection. The wayfarer style is a classic & again the quality is top notch. Something else I've loved wearing this Summer is my black straw fedora hat from River Island. It's helped to protect my bleached hair from the sun & provide some shade for my face. I think it finishes off an outfit rather nicely too!



BRONZE
Although the UK weather is capable of doling out some wicked sunburn, we often don't see enough sun to develop a real tan. Even if you want to catch some rays you still need to wear some form of protection. Shiseido make some truly lovely sun protection products. I really like their Protective Tanning Cream N SPF 10*. It offers light protection & imparts a beautiful glow to the skin. The formula is very lightweight so it absorbs quickly & the tanner gives you a healthy looking natural golden colour. In a similar vein the Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze Spray SPF 10 contains a natural plant extract which helps support the production of melanin. Using this spray lotion will help to protect your skin & boost your ability to get a tan. If you're too busy for sunbathing then you can't beat a bit of fake tan. Admittedly I'm not a self tanning connoisseur but I've been very impressed with Lauren's Way Glam Tan*. The thought of tanning my whole body is quite scary to me but I've been using it on my legs to give them a bit of colour. The spray makes it very easy to apply & the colour is deep yet natural looking - not orange!



PROTECT
If you're incredibly pale like me then you should probably stick to using products with a high SPF. Most people seem to forget that your lips can actually get sunburned so it's important to use a lip balm that can protect your lips. I love this strawberry lip balm from EOS*. This flavour doesn't have sun protection but their lemon drop lip balm boasts SPF 15 so make sure you get that one! The formula is deeply hydrating & feels lovely on the lips. My favourite facial sunscreen is Soap & Glory's Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50. I use chemical exfoliants all year round so I always wear SPF 50 but it's especially important to protect your face during the Summer. I like this one because it doesn't leave a white cast, it doesn't feel greasy & it doesn't break me out. Check out my full review here. I always use this Nivea Sun Protect & Refresh Spray on my body. It offers SPF 50 & the spray is invisible so it won't leave horrid marks all over your clothes. It's easy to apply & feels cooling on the skin. I highly recommend it!



REFRESH
I love spending time in the sun but sometimes the heat can make you feel gross & uncomfortable. To make things a little more bearable during the recent heatwave I relied on these few products. The most important thing to carry with you is a bottle of water. It'll keep you hydrated and stocking up on them at home will save you a few pennies when you're out & about. It's a good idea to carry a dry shampoo with you during the Summer months. Sweaty hair is never a good look. I always buy Batiste products because they're cheap & get the job done. I hadn't tried their Pretty & Delicate Floral Dry Shampoo* before but the scent is really sweet & feminine - a new fave! I love the packaging too. I couldn't live without a bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir in my handbag. It's the perfect facial refresher with an addictive herbal scent. I use it throughout the day to perk up my skin & clear my mind. After a few hours in the sun my body starts to feel overly hot & sticky. Arran Aromatics have come up with the best solution for this short of taking a cold shower. Their Aloe Vera Energising Gel* is a wonderful quick reinvigorator for the body. It instantly cools down the skin & works well on sunburn. I always carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with me. If you're eating on the go or having a picnic then you don't want mucky hands. I really like the ones from The Body Shop. They come in loads of different scents but I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit Hand Cleanse Gel. It smells so nice! A little pocket fan like this one can feel terrific when you're getting hot & bothered. Spray the Beauty Elixir or rub on some of the body gel first then use the fan on those areas. Say hello to instantly cooler skin.



Of course if everything goes wrong & the rest of the Summer is a washout then you'll need a good umbrella. I really like cute bubble ones like this as they seem to keep the rain out much better than your average brolly. Even if it doesn't rain then an umbrella can double up as a parasol so you can chill out in the shade no matter where you are.

What are your British Summer essentials?

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Free From Frizz 6 Week Blowout Kit

Free From Frizz 6 Week Blowout Kit* - £26.97

Although my hair is naturally straight, I suffer from frizzy locks. My penchant for bleach certainly doesn't help matters & I rely on heavy duty conditioning treatments to keep it from looking damaged. A lot of my strengthening products contain keratin which is a protein that your hair is actually made of. By adding more keratin to your hair you can smooth out the surface of the follicles which boosts shine, prevents breakage & fights frizz. I've always wanted to go and have a keratin treatment in my hair salon but they are very expensive & can take hours. God knows I spend long enough there getting my roots done! Not only that but traditional keratin treatments are known to be carcinogenic due to the use of formaldehyde. So the idea of an at-home keratin treatment was a lot more appealing to me. Free From Frizz have produced a safe & easy to use treatment that can keep your hair de-frizzed for up to six weeks. It is suitable for all hair types including coloured hair. You can even use it on hair extensions! They have a mango scented kit available for thick/coarse hair but as I have normal/fine hair I've been testing out their watermelon set.





Free From Frizz have the cutest packaging! I love how the box is designed to look like a milk carton. The Blowout Kit comes with a pre-cleanser, a Denman brush & the active keratin treatment. You also get a pair of gloves & an instruction leaflet. The process is quite simple but there are still some parts which can make the treatment unpleasant to use. To start off you simply wash your hair twice using the pre-cleanser & comb through using the brush provided. Then you towel-dry the hair before dividing it into three sections. The next step is to apply the active keratin treatment using the nozzle to cover your hair evenly & brush it through again. You then leave the treatment on for about 40 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. The treatment has the worst stench, kinda like rotten eggs. Be prepared to smell even after washing it off. Despite the awful smell, all of that was incredibly easy to do. However the next part is where things become a little less pleasant...

It's always been drilled into me over the years to never straighten my hair when it's wet so for the Blowout Kit to tell me to do the exact opposite felt really wrong. After rinsing the treatment out you then have to dry your hair again but still leave it a bit damp. Then you grab your hair straighteners, section off your hair & straighten each section six times! I hardly ever use straighteners or curlers because I know how much they can damage my already damaged hair so I was really worried about wrecking my hair. Nonetheless I proceeded with the treatment & went to town with the straighteners. It took ages to make sure all my hair had been straightened properly. This process left my hair feeling really dry with a horrible chemical scent. The real kicker is that you have to leave your hair like this for the next 48 hours to allow the product to 'fix'. The 48 hour wait is definitely the worst part of the treatment. During this time you can't wash or tie up your hair. You just have to smell a bit gross until you can finally get in the shower again. I'd suggest doing the treatment on a Friday night & hibernating all weekend. Then you can wash your hair on Monday morning & spend the rest of the day with your new beautiful glossy locks.




If you purchase the full treatment set you will also receive the Free From Frizz Blowout Shampoo & Conditioner. These frizz busting aftercare products will keep to keep your hair soft & healthy after the treatment. You can use these separately but their effects will be maximised if you combine them with the Blowout Kit. The watermelon products smell absolutely incredible! They're a welcome respite from the horrible eggy smell of the treatment. I love their packaging too. I remember spotting these in Boots & thinking they were drinks. They'll impart a delicious fruity scent to your locks & keep frizz under control. They're great for dealing with humidity even if you haven't used the kit beforehand. When the 48 hours of hell were finally up I washed my hair using this duo. Even when I was just washing my hair I could immediately tell how much silkier it felt. Blowdrying my hair afterwards was quicker & easier than usual as I didn't have to use a rounded brush to work out all the kinks. Drying my hair is the bane of my life but after the treatment everything was left perfectly sleek & bouncy with minimal effort.



And here are my results! I took these photos about a week after the treatment. I'm very happy with the appearance of my hair yet I still feel slightly conflicted about using the Blowout Kit. The treatment made my hair really soft & shiny. I don't think it's ever looked quite so glossy before. It definitely reduces the signs of damage & left my hair frizz-free for ages. I wouldn't say it lasted the full six weeks, more like three but I still think that's pretty good! The ends were left feeling rather dry though, probably from having to straighten my hair so much. As my hair is already quite damaged from bleaching I don't think I would use the kit again. The excessive straightening really wasn't good for the overall condition of my hair even though the keratin treatment made it look healthier. However if I had natural hair I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again. The shampoo & conditioner are really lovely so I'll continue to use them to reduce frizz & for that utterly gorgeous watermelon scent. Have you tried any Free From Frizz products yet?

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