Is having Relaxed Hair a good thing? Well for me it is..

Relaxed Hair 

Afro Hair 

As many of you know in the past couple of years there has been a Natural Hair revolution many ladies have chopped their relaxed or permed hair  or ditched the wigs and weaves in order to stay true to their roots and not conform to society standards of beauty. "Big hair don't care, ". Many African American women and Black Women have decided to opt for their Natural curly Afros.

I'm happy that those women have decided to make that change and have found it in some way liberating for themselves. But what about those of us that what to keep our hair permed, relaxed or straightened? Are we not proud of our roots and backgrounds? Are we trying to fit in with society because we decide to perm it?

Well everyone has their own personal reasons of why they decided to relax their hair. I made the decision to perm my hair at 11 because I had very thick coarse Afro hair which was difficult to manage.  My mother used to relax my hair for  me. Relaxing it made it easier for me to mange and to be honest I liked the relaxed look better.
However me relaxing my hair so young I didn't know how to look after it properly to it eventually got damaged over time and began to break.
When I turned 21 I  made the decision to go and get my hair professionally done at a hairdressers so I have been getting my hair relaxed and gone for hair treatments ever since.
I used to be afraid to let anyone else but my mother do my hair, but now I have been more open to try a couple of hairdressers.

I also don't just leave my hair to the hairdressers to take care of, I have developed a routine of taking care of my hair myself in between hair appointments in order to make sure that my hair stays in good condition.

I am no hair expert trust me but I have learnt the following hair tips that keep my hair healthy:

1. Use a relaxer that is not too harsh on your hair to avoid hair loss and breakage
2. Wrap your hair in a satin scarf or a hair net to avoid breakage
3. Trim your hair the how often you do it will depend on how healthy the ends of your hair are. It could be anything from  every 6-8 weeks or every 3 months.
4. Use a hair serum or heat protectant to protect your hair from styling damage before using a hair dryer or flat iron.
5. at least once a month using a conditioning treatment to keep your hair nourished.
6. Moisturise the ends of your hair from roots to ends to avoid it getting dry and brittle and then breaking off.

Vampy Lip: YSL Rouge Pur Couture no.39 and Collection Gothic Glam in Revenge

Inspired by the Vampy lip look I decided to find one that I would be bold enough to wear.
Here is YSL Rouge Pur Couture in no:39.

Well with this being a YSL lipstick expectations are high as always. Retailing  at £25.00 its pricy to be honest. But I immediately feel in love with this lipstick.

This is a deep Purple which is perfect on a night out the purple is highly pigmented withe satiny finish so lips stay velvety, smooth and soft all day long.
This would look nice with a black eye pencil or a eye liner with a cat eye flick.
You could instead as and alternative pair the lips with a gold eyeshadow apply some to the inner corners of the tear duct to brighten up your eyes.

You can also pull off this bold look during the day depends on what look you feel you want. This is definitely  what  I would call a statement lip colour. Its a show shopping look that would definitely make you stand out from the crowd!

Ysl Rouge Pur Couture 39.

Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick in Revenge

This lipstick is a deep red berry shade with hints of maroon in it. At only £2.99 Thats a bargain! This colour is great for for the winter season. The colour is long lasting and anyone from a light complexion to someone my complexion or even a darker tone can even pull this off.

Gothic Glam in Revenge

Beauty lip trend: The Vampy lip

Currently the Vampy lip is this seasons most popular look. It has been rocked on catwalks, in fashion magazines photo shoots and editorials. It has also emerged on many social platforms such as Instagram.
This look has also been showcased by celebrities such as Beyonce, Lorde, Jessica Alba Jourdan Dunn and many more.

Its a a bold sophisticated look that anyone can pull off. Please note if you do wear a vampy lip make sure the rest of your make is subtle. Play down the eyes so the main focus is on your lips.
Here are a few vampy lip looks. It is usually depicted as either a deep plum or purple or a wine red lip.

Mac Matte lip lipstick Nouvelle vogue

Ive been trying to find a nice subtle baby pink lipstick to suit my skin tone. I found it difficult to find one that flatters  my complexion. One that would wash me out or make me look like  a clown.
I just happened to be browsing around the Mac counter and I came across a matte lipstick called Nouvelle Vogue in Mac's matte lip collection i tried it on and loved it.

It was a limited edition lipstick and was unfortunately sold out in the Mac store I visited. When i arrived home I eagerly went on the Mac website hoping to purchase it on line, but much to my dismay….

SOLD OUT.

I then decided to keep looking on other websites in order to puchase it online. I luckily was able to find it on sale on the Selfridges and Co website for 15.50.

Establishing your skin type

In order to give your skin the best treatment it needs, you need to establish your skin your skin type. This way you can give your skin the right products it needs to stay healthy, clean and clear.

There are  a number of various skin types:
-Normal
-Dry
-Oily
-Sensitive
Some people however have a combination of these skin types.

A normal skin type tends to have balanced oils on the skin. Usually it would have invisible pores and  no dry areas on the skin.

Dry skin on the other hand usually feels tight and has a patchy surface.
Dry skin requires moisture. Use a soap free facial wash to avoid drying out the skin even more . Also use a toner that rebalances the moisture levels on the skin.
Useful products for dry skin include: Nivea dry and sensitive skincare range, Garnier Soft essentials skincare range, Montagne Jeunesse Creamy Coconut Face Mask.

Oily skin consists of shiny and enlarged pores. Oily skin may be prone to breakouts.  Products needed are ones that control the excess oil produced from the skin and minimise shine without stripping the skin of natural oils.
A facial wash and astringent that refines the pores and gets rid of blemishes is essential.
An oil free moisturiser  and a deep pore cleansing mud mask on a skin  type such as this would be useful.
Useful products Garnier Pure Active Fruit Energy Gel wash, Spa Sanctuary Fresh Faced Purifying Face Wash and Toner , Botanics Shine Away Mattifying Gel Cream and Ionic Clay Mask

Sensitive Skin tends to be easily irritated and may consist of areas of redness. A gentle cream cleanser and soothing toner are required. Once again the products shown above for the dry skin type may also be used for the sensitive skin type.

Basic skincare tips

We all want to have clear skin. But how do we attain good skin? Its not just from having good genetics we have to adopt a good skincare routine in order to ensure our skin stays clear. Clear skin shows good health and makes one look youthful.
Here are a few tips that are useful:

-Get a good nights sleep. 7 to 8 hours a night is  recommended.
-Always wear sunscreen its best to use a daily moisturiser that already has sunscreen it. A sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15 is ideal.  Wearing sunscreen protects your skin from UV rays and prevents the risk of skin cancer. It  also prevents facial brown spots and skin discolourations.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Drinking water replaces the fluids lost in the body and helps you stay hydrated.
-Exfoliate once or twice a week. Exfoliation gets rid of dead skin cells revealing brighter glowing skin.
Exfoliation can also aid in attaining a more even skin tone and can help address areas of skin discolouration.

Welcome

Welcome to my blog on skincare and beauty.
I will be giving regular updates on the latest skincare products beauty trends and fashion items that I have tested or have  just been launched.  I will also give review of my new purchases and give details of where you can get them also.
I am very interested in beauty skincare and fashion so would love to share my hobby with you all.
Stay tuned and enjoy!