Beautifully Superfluous: What Does Your Scarf Say About You? (Guest Post)

Hi everyone! I’m Helen from Beautifully Superfluous and Mel has very kindly let me write another post for you all. This time it’s about scarves – because they’re my favourite accessory for this time of year. At last count I had over 50. Eek. I always think you can tell a lot from the kind of scarf that someone wears so here’s what your scarf might say about you...

Traditional Wool

These scarves as the most homely and traditional of all scarves now on the market. They tell me that you like things to be the way they should be, caring more about comfort and warmth than fashion. You probably have a thing for vintage too.

Traditional with a Twist

When I say this I mean that the scarf is probably wool and quite long but it’s got something fashiony about it. It tells me you still have like to be traditional but add that modern twist to things. You’re probably a fan of Cath Kidston and follow the Domestic Sluttery blog.

Fashion

These are widely available from almost any clothing store – mine are mostly from Primark as they’re usually good quality for only a couple of pounds. They’re not very warm though and tell people that you care more about making your outfit ‘work’ than keeping overly warm in cold weather. It says you follow the trends and you probably buy fashion magazines on a regular basis.

Silk Scarves and Neck Ties

Aside from air hostesses and bank cashiers having to wear these types of scarves they are great for adding some sophisticated flair to an outfit. They say that you like classic dressing, probably have a house full of clean lines and spacious areas and a taste for the finer things in life (especially if your scarf is real silk). They say preppy and pretty.

I hope you enjoyed this post. All of the scarves in all of the pictures are my own and as I wear all of them at some point or another I suppose it shows I have a multifaceted attitude towards fashion and my tastes in everything else. It was fun to write so thank you very much Mel for letting me write this! I hope to see you all soon!

Thanks to the lovely Helen for guesting today, check out her fantastic blog over at Beautifully Superfluous or find her on Twitter as @Superfluous_B !

xx

Weekend Wishlist

Geo Print Tee  -   Studded Clutch  -  Heart Studs  - Topshop Nails in Brazil  -   Leopard Print Collar  -   Aztec Onesie  -  Navajo Hi Tops  -   Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer  -   Crochet Blouse  -  Owl Cuff  -  Floral Top  -  Model's Own Mirrorball Gift Set Revlon Cream Blush in Pinched  -   Fairisle Slipper Boots  -  Lancome Blush Highlighter Midnight Roses  

Good day lovelies, hope everyone has had a lovely relaxing weekend. In my case, it seems to have flown by, and I can't believe it's Sunday already. It probably doesn't help that I usually post my wishlists on Saturdays as I think that's been confusing me a little bit!

Today I was planning on doing some baking, but as it turns out, I didn't have a couple of the ingredients I needed for the Nutella cinnamon rolls I wanted to make (find the recipe on the lovely Francesca's blog - On the Bias -  here. So I decided to go ahead and make some cupcakes instead, only to find that the flour was full of weevils! Baking fail. However, I might still pop out and buy some more and do them this evening.

Other than that I've just been chilling with the hubby today, although yesterday involved going for a run, cleaning the house and doing some paperwork, so that wasn't quite as relaxing. I also attempted to DIY ombre my hair as I am feeling really bored with it at the moment, but unfortunately the dye I used didn't lighten my hair at all. To be honest, I was sort of expecting that to be the case, as my hair does already have dye on it. If I really want to go for it then that means going for the full-on bleach, so I think I'm going to give it a miss and keep my hair as it is - in (reasonably) good condition. I have suffered with dry ends for a while and have only recently started to get them into shape again, so I don't want to undo the good work I've done there.
I had been hoping for a bit of a pamper sesh tonight, but my goodies didn't arrive in the post, so all in all, the weekend hasn't gone hugely to plan! But that's ok, at least I've had time to just sit and chill.

What have you been up to this weekend?

What's top of your wishlist this week?

xx

And Relax....

If you read my October Agenda post on Sunday, you'll be aware that I, like many other bloggers, suffer somewhat from anxiety. It's not a constant thing, but at times it can affect me on a daily basis, making it really difficult for me to relax. I'm not necessarily constantly worried or stressed out about specific things (although I am a worrier by nature), but whether or not there is something on my mind, I do still suffer from the physical symptoms of anxiety, and even if I'm supposedly 'chilling out' on the sofa, I often find that both my mind and body refuse to relax. During the week, I long for the weekend, but come Monday I am already pining for another one, as I didn't manage to de-stress at all!

So, for those of you who can identify with what I'm talking about, and also for those of you who just feel a little bit stressed out at times, as everyone does, I thought I'd share with you some of the things that help to get me through and chill me out!

Rescue Remedy is my little secret weapon, and I carry it with me wherever I go. Whenever I start to feel the onset of that jittery, uneasy feeling, a couple of drops of this on the tongue often do the job. Sometimes, I've even forgotten about it after a few minutes. However, it's not a miracle worker, and on those days where the feeling is just too strong - which for me tend to be during the week before THAT time in the month - it doesn't cut the mustard, and on those occasions I have to employ some other tactics to get me through.

Chamomile tea is something else that I always pop in my handbag, just in case, and in fact, I try to drink several cups throughout the day with the idea that prevention is better than cure. I actually used to drink this before bed when I had sleeping problems in the past (it's great for that), but had somehow forgotten I had some in the cupboard until I spoke to @ladyloula on Twitter last week, so thank you for the reminder lovely! Chamomile is nice and calming, and there's something really relaxing about sipping a nice warm cup of it when you are not feeling at your best.

Scented candles are really nice for those evenings when you're able to have a bit of me-time. Your me-time can involve anything that you find pleasurable (oo er, I'm not talking about that!), or that takes your mind off things. For me, that involves slapping on a facemask, making myself a cuppa and sitting down to read some blogs and write some posts of my own, with maybe a few Youtube videos thrown in. Having the aroma of a lovely scented candle wafting around the room while I do so just makes things all the more enjoyable and pleasant, and scents such as sandalwood, bergamot and lavender are all supposed to have calming effects.

I was reluctant to add this one in as I know it's a cliche, and it has taken me until this week to actually give in and give it a try. I did try a yoga class many moons ago, but it wasn't for me at the time. However, having given it a try, I do have to admit that is has calming effects. One thing I will say, though, is that this probably isn't the thing to start doing when you are already feeling jittery or anxious, but rather as a daily exercise, again with the idea that prevention is better than cure.

Exercise is supposed to be the best thing people who suffer from stress or anxiety can do for themselves. Not only does it stimulate the release of feel-good hormones endorphins in the brain, but it also gets your circulation going and leaves you with a general feel-good sensation. I also find that I'm more able to relax after exercise simply because I know I've done it, so it's one less thing to feel guilty about not doing!

Now, if you're like me, you might find that getting yourself all out of breath and having your heart pounding can, at times, only serve to set off the anxiety, so i'd suggest just going for a brisk walk on those days and then trying to step things up a bit whenever you feel better. The thing to remember is that it's normal for your heart to beat that fast when you have been exercising and that actually, it only means you are doing good for your body - and your mind.

Supplements-wise, a daily dose of vitamin B complex and  magnesium are said to help support the nervous system as well as minimising the effects of stress and anxiety (deficiencies in either of these could even be responsible for the onset of your symptoms!).
Omega 3 is also great for this, and if anyone suffers from depression then this is apparently a good one for you, too.

source

A couple of quick 'don'ts' for you.

It may be tempting to turn to wine, chocolate or cake to help you unwind - and I must admit, I am prone to doing this myself! - but actually, both of these can exacerbate your anxiety, thanks to the alcohol and sugar in them. Coffee is another one to steer clear of when you are feeling on edge, and the same goes for energy drinks.

Personally, I won't deprive myself of chocolate and wine completely if I  feel that that is what I want, but I will limit myself to just one glass and a few squares. Anyone who feels anxious on occasion will know what a horrible feeling it is, and how it makes you feel you'd do anything to be rid of it, so I'm not about to knowingly make things worse for myself.

Another one I have got to mention is herbal remedies containing Valerian. Now, I'm aware that this won't be the case for everyone, and for some of you this may even be the answer to your troubles. But in my case, it most definitely was not. I bought myself some Kalms tablets, which are supposed to promote relaxation and natural sleep, and I can tell you that for me, they made things a zillion times worse. They gave me such a horrible, tense feeling in my chest and I just couldn't relax one bit, and I know that I am not the only one as I have heard the same thing from one or two other bloggers. So just a heads up - they might work for you, but be aware that they also might not.

That's about my tuppence worth on relaxation, I think. I am by absolutely no means an expert on this - if I was, then I wouldn't actually need to be trying all these methods in the first place now, would I?

One last thing I will say before I go, though, is: Never forget the importance of me-time. Set aside an evening per week and dedicate it all to yourself. Have a hot bubble bath, read a good book, bake, blog - whatever it is that you love doing. Spoil yourself a bit, because let's be honest, we all deserve it sometimes, don't we?

xx

Lipsticks and Heels: Skincare for Dry Skin (Guest Post)

First of all I would like to thank Mel for letting me write something for the blog!

So basically, my skin is REALLY dry all of the time. On the one hand, this does mean that I don't really get spots which is great. However, flaky skin isn't attractive either. The two main components of my skincare regime are therefore exfoliate and moisturise!

These are my most used products: Morrison's Sensitive Baby wipes, Johnson's Baby Lotion, Nivea Creme, Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream, Vichy Idealia Day Cream and a homemade sugar and oil exfoliator.

I make this scrub using around 2 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of oil. I use olive oil most of the time, but it would work with coconut oil, argan oil, anything! Obviously as this scrub has oil in it I wouldn't recommend it to you if you are prone to spots! I try to use this around every other day: I just prepare the scrub and massage my face, and then rinse! If I do this before bed, I will apply Nivea Creme to my face. I apply a generous layer and by morning it has sunk in and leaves my skin extremely soft. Nivea Creme is very thick so I never use it in the morning as it takes a long time to sink in.

I alternate the Vichy Idealia Day Cream and Johnson's Baby Lotion daily. I find that if you use the same moisturiser too often your skin gets used to it... I don't know if there's any science behind that but that's what I've found! The moisturising effects of both last all day unless it's very cold in which case I may need to reapply moisturiser at some point in the day!

To remove my makeup, I avoid using water and cleansers because the majority leave my skin feeling really tight. I simply use baby wipes. The reason I use baby wipes over makeup wipes is because: a) baby wipes are a lot cheaper, and b) they are a lot more gentle. Sometimes despite the packaging of makeup wipes saying they are fragrance free, a quick look at the ingredients list reveals that they do contain a fragrance! 

Obviously I must add that these products are simply something that work for me, you might be different. If you have dry skin, what products work for you?

Thank you very much to the lovely Alexandra for writing this post. She's new to blogging so do be sure to pop over to Lipstick and Heels and check out her page, where you will find a mix of product reviews, hair tutorials and suchlike. Find her on Twitter at @lipsticks_heels

xx

Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner: Review

After the rip-roaring success of the Caudalie Beauty Elixir, I was really excited to try this spray toner, which I was lucky enough to win in the lovely Product Pixie's fantastic skincare giveaway a couple of months ago.

I had never really seen much point in toners in the past, in that I was never really sure if they were actually doing the job for which they were designed. But I've always enjoyed using them all the same, as I feel that, when applied to cotton wool pads and swiped over the face, they do leave my skin feeling refreshed as well as removing any last traces of grime after cleansing.

But it was when I tried the Caudalie Beauty Elixir that I began to use a toner on a daily basis. I loved the refreshing, invigorating burst it gave my skin on a warm summer's day, and it seemed to help clear up any minor blemishes I was experiencing too, so when I saw that the Suti Peppermint Toner came in a spray bottle too I was already fairly sure that I would like it.

So, onto the product itself.

Suti Peppermint Water Organic Facial Toner comes in a glass bottle, which I really like, and think it looks pretty sitting on my bathroom shelf. I always feel that skincare products in glass bottles and jars have a more sophisticated feel, although the other elements of this one are very minimalistic and pared down. I think this compliments the fact that this is an organic product and so uses minimal, naturally derived ingredients, which for me is a huge bonus, as I often worry about the chemicals I'm putting onto my skin.

Now, as with all spray toners I have tried, I did find that it took a bit of practice to make the most out of the spray mechanism. If you hold it too close to the face then you will need to use five or six sprays to cover the whole face, whereas if you hold it at about half an arm's length then only a couple of spritzes will suffice. This is not the cheapest of products, retailing at around £15, so personally I would like to maximise the number of uses I get out of it.

For me, the product itself and the ritual of using it are just a  phenomenal combination. On a hot day, this will provide a welcome blast of coolness and a real treat for the senses too. The gentle peppermint aroma provides a calming, invigorating effect and I always like to take the opportunity to breath it in upon application to reap the full benefits. If you are someone who suffers from stress, anxiety or headaches then this is a really great product to carry around n your handbag with you, whatever the weather or the season. This is not just for use during your morning and evening skincare routines, but can be spritzed onto the skin at any time during the day. I like to use it to wake myself up a bit when that mid-afternoon slump hits and I'm feeling a bit lethargic and head-achey, as well as to pep up my makeup a bit when it's starting to wane or look a little 'tired'. It's also fantastic for bedtime as peppermint provides a relaxing effect, which is just what you need when preparing to sleep. 

The organic peppermint leaves used to create this lovely revitalising spritz help to calm and sooth irritated, inflamed skin, and to clear up blemishes too.

All in all, I consider this a must-have product for both the body and the mind, and it's not often I find a product I am able to say that about. I will definitely be repurchasing it as it just has so many uses and benefits, and I have really enjoyed using it so far.

Are you a fan of facial toners, and do you enjoy using any organic skincare products?

xx

Top Picks for Big Hair

I don't know about you, but I am forever in pursuit of big hair. I'm not talking enormous beehives, but I can't live without a bit of volume in my hair, whether I'm wearing it curly, wavy or straight. I just find that it suits me a zillion times better, and I will not be embracing the flat-to-the-scalp looks I have been seeing around of late for anyone.

So, without further ado, here are my favourite products for giving my hair that extra bit of oomph.

Batiste Dry Shampoo

Everyone knows about Batiste dry shampoo. Some of you love it, some of you hate it, but there's no denying it gives the hair a boost as well as soaking up excess oil. What's not to love?

Just spray it into the roots of your hair, rub it in and leave it for a couple of minutes before brushing out any white residue. I sometimes spray it beneath the top layer of my hair so that I don't need to brush it out, and that way my hair stays all the more voluminous.

I'm yet to try the XXL version but it's currently at the top of my shopping list, so I'm sure that it will soon be replacing the normal stuff on my shelves.

Tresemme 24 Hour Body Root Boosting Spray

I like to spritz this into my roots before blow drying for some extra lift. This is great for when you want a more subtle look, rather than the enormous hair you might be after for a night out. There is also a mousse version of this, which I haven't got at the moment, but when I do I often scrunch some through my hair before using the spray. The two work together to boost your roots as well as leaving your locks looking well-groomed.

Tresemme 24 Hour Body Sky High Plumping Powder

This stuff really does the job. Sprinkle some into your roots and rub it in and big hair shall be yours. However, the unfortunate thing is that it is really rather sticky, and I do find that after a few hours my hair goes flat again and begins to look a little oily (probably from where I've been touching it and spreading it around). There's no getting away without washing your hair after you've used it, either.

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle

Simply spray this through your roots and tease your hair into place. Personally, I like to give my hair a quick manual back-comb after use, and I find that that the two work really well together. The spray holds the back-comb in place as well as providing some good volume of its own. Again though, you can't go a second day without washing your hair after you've used this.

So there you have it, my top picks for big hair. If any of you have any holy grail root boosting products then do let me know your favourites in the comments below.

Hope you're having a great week!

xx

Beauty SOS: October

Another month, another Beauty SOS post. I'm afraid this one is going up a little bit later than usual, and if you read my October Agenda post then you'll know why, so I won't bore you with the details again!

So, last month, I must have been feeling unusually satisfied with my beauty issues, as I only asked for you lovely ladies to get involved with two little puzzles of mine. Either that, or I had already used all my other ones up the month before!

So, what did I ask you lovelies for your suggestions on last month?

1. A blemish-fighting product.

Last month, I was going through a bit of a skin nightmare, which I now believe was due to my over-zealous testing of a large number of new products in a short space of time. My t-zone became really oily and I found myself with some rather large blemishes popping up one after the other. I did freak out a little bit about this, as I usually have pretty normal skin, so I asked you lovelies to suggest something. Needless to say, several of you piped up with the Origins Spot Removing Gel/Pads. Other ideas were Alpha H Liquid Gold, Quinoderm, Sudocrem and Lavender oil. As I had some lavender oil to hand, I decided to give that one a go on a particularly unsightly spot that had chosen to pop up on my chin. I dabbed some on before bed and in the morning, voila - it had dried right out and diminished considerably in size. After my success with this, I decided to give the more expensive products suggested a miss (but thank you very much to those who suggested them!), as I am currently trying to cut back on my spending, and if something as inexpensive as an essential oil can do the job then I'm happy with that. A second discovery I made is that Propolis works equally well, so if you've got eiher of those in your cupboard at home then give them a go!

2. A good volumising product for hair.

Suggestions on this one were Sexy Hair Big Powder Play and Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle. I was very pleased to hear the latter suggestion as it reminded me that I actually already had a can of this, which had been squirreled away and subsequently lost and forgotten at the back of my cupboard. So I dug this out and gave my hair a good spray, and I must say, it does do the job rather well.

If you would like to hear more about my favourite products for big hair then keep your eyes open tomorrow, as there will be a post going up on precisely that.

So, with what do I require your assistance this month?

1. A great anti-ageing night cream.

I'm looking for something really moisturising but that won't clog my pores overnight. I've had bad luck with these in the past as they have often broken me out by morning!

2. A fantastic skin-balancing moisturiser.

My skin is mostly normal, but sometimes my forehead and chin are a bit oily, and sometimes I get dry patches on my nose. I'm after something to sort it out.

3. A good BB Cream.

I say a good one because all those I've tried have been a huge disappointment. Are there any that have really impressed you?

4. I know I have asked this before and gone on and on about it on Twitter, but.....

I am still on the hunt for something to banish my dark under-eye circles, preferably something to actually treat them but if you know of a phenomenal concealer then I would love to hear about that too. I'm sure you are probably sick of hearing me ask about this but if anyone is going to be able to suggest a solution then it's you lovely beauty bloggers and I refuse to give up hope! Whilst I have received some lovely suggestions so far, sadly, none of them have been able to make a difference, and I don't even consider my dark circles to be THAT dark. So, just throwing this out there. Again.

5. Your favourite pampering session products.

So, this one is not really an SOS as such, but I am looking to change up my weekend pampering routine as I am getting a bit bored with my own. I would LOVE to hear about what you do to spoil yourselves and what products you use in the comments below :)

If anyone would like some suggestions for some of their beauty ailments then let me know in the comments. I'm no guru but I'd be happy to share my findings with you, and perhaps feature them in next month's post so we can get some more ideas on the go!

Have a great week my lovelies!

xx