The Brightening Shampoo | ProVoke

So this is the first set of blog photos I've taken with my 700D and as you can see i haven't quite got it right yet but I'm still trying and I'm hoping to get it right soon! Anyway, this is the latest product in my haircare collection and i picked it up based on the recommendation by a friend who used this to go from having yellow-blonde hair to bright white with just a bit of toning.

I ombre'd my hair, and maybe one day ill be brave enough to post a photo of it, but for now I'm not going to. The ends are fairly light but they still have a bit of a yellowish tinge to them and i wanted to use this in an attempt to remove that colour. When you pour this out of the bottle it feels like you're pouring out food colouring, its thin, its runny, it stains everything and its bright purple. The purple is what counteracts the yellow pigment, i just wish it wasn't so messy to use! 

The bottle says to use this twice a week and leave it on your hair for five minutes each time, however i found this works best if you leave it on a lot longer and it removes the yellow so much quicker if you leave it on longer. Short story, this really works. If you want brighter, lighter, whiter hair then use this product. It takes out all of the horrible yellow/orange tones and leaves you with a fresher colour! 

DIY DIP DYE | Bleach London

I love Bleach London, there i said it. No but seriously, this brand has just produced so many winning product and every single one of them have been brilliant including this dip dye kit. If you follow my blog then you might of seen my first attempt at dip dying my hair (LINK) and that it didn't go particularly well, so i picked up this kit in an attempt to lighten the ends of my hair and give it a more graduated/ombre effect!

The kit itself was really easy to use and self explanatory; also i love the fact that you put the mixture into a little tub instead of into a bottle as it makes it so much easier to paint the bleach on your hair and also to see when its completely mixed. This comes with a blending lotion which you apply to wherever you want your dip dye to end, and then you just paint the bleach on downward from that, it made it so easy to understand and it works so well!

This did dry my hair out a lot, leaving it feeling very brittle but it also comes with a tube of Bleach Londons Reincarnation Mask which is possibly one of the best conditioners I've ever tried. Sure, it's not actually fixing my hair, only a good trim and a lot of oils and deep conditioning masks will do that, but it certainly makes it feel a lot nicer! If i were going to redo my dip dye i would definitely be using this kit as it works so well and gives me such a nice effect and is so simple to use. Hats off to Bleach London though, i haven't found a product by them that i don't like yet. 

10 Facts About Me | Week 1 | #teenblogseries

Teen Bloggers Anouska Millar and Beth have decided to start a project called #TeenBlogSeries. Its aim is to bring together lots of the teens/young adults in the blogging community. For the next ten consecutive weeks, over 80 bloggers will be writing every Monday at 6:30pm about many different things, all beauty, lifestyle or fashion related. You can view everyones posts by going to the hashtag on twitter "TeenBlogSeries". If you would like to supply products for the giveaway, get involved, or have any questions, please email: anouskateenblogger@googlemail.com. 

Hiya everyone, as you can see from the post above, I've decided to take part in the #teenblogseries and the first post is 10 facts about me. Ive tried to think of some different facts for you but at the end of the day most of my life is already on the blog so you might know this all already. Anyway, i hope you enjoy this post, its a bit different from normal but hopefully it adds a bit of diversity to my blog! 

10 Facts About Me

One | I have a pony which I ride and compete, he's a chestnut arab and possibly one of the best things thats happened to me.

Two | My hairs been pretty much every colour under the sun, but since i got a job I've settled with my natural hair as pink and green aren't really workplace appropriate.

Three | My eyebrows used to be atrocious, and even now they're still not that great.

Four | I study are at college, but i haven't got enough patience to finish anything that i start. 

Five | I have two jobs, my life is pretty hectic. 

Six |  I really want to study Video Games Art & Design at university but i really dont think I'm going to get in. 

Seven | I have a love hate relationship with my nails, i love painting them but as soon as they chip i end up scratching it all off. The same applies to my actual nails, if one breaks i file all of them down. 

Eight | I really want to take a gap year in Thailand, it looks like the most beautiful place to go. 

Nine | My favourite shops are probably Forever 21, H&M and Paperchase. 

Ten | Joining a gym was simultaneously the best and worst decision I've ever made. 

Hope you've enjoyed this post, check back next Monday for the next instalment!

Save The Nail | Repair & Rescue

My nails are about as strong as paper, and even thats a bit of an exaggeration. My lifestyle is very rough on my hands and nails and as a result i have ridiculously short nails which are horrible to look and even more horrible to paint. I previously used Sally Hansens Hard As Nails clear polish to use as a basecoat which helps them to feel a little stinger and grow a little longer but when my second bottle of that ran out i thought id try something else. I'd had my eyes on the Save The Nail Nail Rescue polish for a while due to the super cute packaging but after finding out it was also made by Nails Inc made it an absolute winner for me so i had to buy it. 

I use this as a base-coat and then i tend to put on a coloured polish as i hate the appearance of bare nails. The formula for this is incredibly runny which is a godsend as it allows you to coat the entire nail with only a small amount so you don't end up with thick layer of polish that has a tendency to peel. The brush is thing and long and works really well with no shedding notice like you can find on some of the unnamed brands. This dries relatively quickly too, you only have to wait a minute and you're ready to go! 

Overall I've notice that this helps the longevity of my nail polish, as it doesn't appear to chip as easily, as well as strengthening my nails. Working 5 days in retail tends to wreak havoc on the nails and i tend not to have any left at the end of my week but this has allowed them t be strong enough to grow and has even prevented breaks incredibly well! This has such a brilliant formula and although i doubt the effect of this polish will last while I'm not wearing it, it does a very good job at strengthening my nails and allowing them to grow! 

I Got A New Camera! | Canon 700D

For the better part of the last couple of years I've had a huge interest in photography and videography. I frequently would pick up either my Dads or Brothers camera and would go out all day taking photos of anything and everything i would come across. Last September i started doing an art course at the local university and this is when my interest for photography really kicked off but my brothers Sony A55 (which i love) just wasn't really an option anymore so i started my hunt for the new camera in my life.

After doing a lot of extensive research into cameras online id narrowed it down to a Nikon D5200 and the Canon 700D. I knew that a lot of people in the online world favoured the Canons over Nikons  but for some reason i still wanted the Nikon, that was until i went into my local camera shop and actually had a play around with them all and the Canon just felt so much more rounded, robust and like a better put together camera. It basically has all the same features as the 650D and comes with a very lovely 18-55mm kit lens which doesn't feel at all cheap or flimsy like some of the other kit lenses can!

On the initial startup i thought the autofocus was rather sluggish and temperamental but after a bit of fiddling around i managed to sort it out, but anyway, who actually wants to use the autofocus on a camera like this? The photo quality on this is outstanding, even on the auto mode which i tend not to be a fan of! Im just super excited to have my own camera to play around with now!

I also picked up a Canon 70 - 300mm lens as i do a lot of wildlife photography and this allows me to get closer shots without actually having to be as close to the subject! This lens actually helps the camera and produces clearer, sharper images even at the full zoom. Ive only had this camera for a few days but I'm already loving it and it's definitely a worth while investment! 

Give Me Moisture Treatment Mask | VO5

When i first used this I was bitterly disappointed, fair enough i hadn't spent too much on it but the results weren't that different from my normal, everyday conditioner.  It was only a few weeks after when I'd bleached and destroyed my hair that i noticed my normal conditioner wasn't working as well as it used to and my hair was feeling a little drier and more brittle than id wanted. Cue me retrying the Give Me Moisture Treatment Mask by VO5 and falling in love.

Give Me Moisture Treatment Mask comes in a generous sized tub with a useful 300ml of product inside which is more than enough for a good few uses. The texture of this is rather weird however, is not completely viscose and smooth like a shampoo but has more of an appearance of double cream. To use this i just scoop out little bits on my finger and apply it liberally to the ends of my hair up to about ear height and making sure i don't get too much on my roots. I then leave it on for 15+ minutes (the label says less but i find it feels so much nicer if i leave it on longer) and then thoroughly was it out with warm water.

I generally leave my hair to dry naturally after using this as i feel its pointless to use a conditioning mask to then go and damage it with heat, and find my hair feeling so soft, light, fluffy and damage free. Ive tried a lot of hair masks in my time and this has definitely got to be one of my more preferred ones as although my hair is fluffy and soft; its no where near being frizzy and unmanageable like it normally is. This also leaves my hair smelling so fresh and clean and its just such a lovely feeling!

Overall i do love this product, it works so well on dry or damaged hair, just don't expect it to work wonders if your hair is already in good condition! Its such a budget friendly but and I'm definitely going to make sure i purchase it again! Have you tried any hair masks? Which was you're favourite?

The Split Fix Serum | Bleach London

Bleach London, to me, were always just the brand that did all the fancy hair colours but was sold in a drugstore; that was until I ventured into my local Boots store and found this on offer in the clearance section. If I'm honest, i wouldn't normally have taken much notice of it but because i had a bottle of bleach in my hand i figured it would be better to tame the ends of my hair with this than to just leave them alone.

                                                                            

I’ve used this a fair few times now and its become quite a regular in my hair routine. I alternate this with the VO5 Oil (review) i posted about the other week, although this is probably my favourite of the two. I apply this to dry, clean hair every morning using about a half of a pump on each section of my hair, i then run it up to about ear height and leave it to dry naturally on my hair. First of all i have to note that this make my hair feel so incredibly silky and smooth, and instantly tames any split ends or flyways!

Overall i think this is a really useful product for people who's hair tends to be a bit frizz and all over the place, as well as being incredibly affordable and in such a handy size so you're able to carry it anywhere! I really do love this product and i am eager to check out some of Bleach London’s other offerings!

Makeup Brushes From Barry M?

Makeup brushes aren't a huge necessity for me, I have my Real Techniques sets and that was enough, or so I thought. I love Barry M and when I heard they were releasing a range of makeup brushes I knew I had to have them and luckily, much to my surprise, they’ve turned into staples in my everyday routine. I picked up the Powder Brush and the Concealer Brush and they’re honestly so soft and fluffy if just want to sit there playing with them all day! They feel so light and gentle and apply the makeup evenly onto the skin; there is really nowhere they go wrong! Ive washed these a couple of times and so far they bristles have all held up and stayed within the brush which is always good, also they wash out to a very clean crisp white which doesn't always happen with some of the cheaper brushes. 

Overall these are really lovely brushes that are a great cheaper alternative to some of the more established and expensive makeup brushes out there! I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking for alternative brushes as they have work brilliantly for me! Have to tried any of the Barry My makeup brushes yet? Which brand of brushes are your favourites?

Kate's Rockin' Curves Macara for Rimmel London

Rimmel London mascaras have never appealed to me, that is until i saw this one. Encased in the shiny gun metal grey with the signature 'Kate' displayed in red i was draw in like a moth to a flame. I’m a sucker for pretty packaging and this was no exception, I'm just glad the product lives up to its outside appearance!

The Rockin' Curves Mascara has become a firm favorite within my collection and is the one mascara i find myself reaching for over and over again. It can be worn for and everyday look or layered up to create bold lashes for a more dramatic nighttime effect. The mascara applied beautifully, adding volume, lengthening and fanning out the lashes to give and almost 'flash lash effect' and certainly isn't too overpowering for everyday wear. The formula for this is fairly wet but this isn't a disadvantage as it just means it applied evenly and with no clumps.

However, with so many good points there has to be some bad, and although they're minor i feel like they must be mentioned. If there’s even a tiny bit of this mascara on my bottom lashes then i have to be prepared to check my face in the mirror so often as it tends to rub off onto my under eye and leave me with panda eye. That being said, if you even want to touch your eye be prepared to come out with black fingers as this has one of the most easily spread formulas I've ever used, meaning that unless you have a super makeup remover prepare to push it around your face for a little while before you can completely remove it. I’m not selling this very well am i? Anyway, if you have a good micellar water or cleansing wipes then you'll be fine, I'm just a little lazy and forget to take it of and end up covered in black mascara but i guess that’s my own fault.

Rockin' Curves really does have a brilliant effect on my eyelashes and it’s a firm favorite within my collection, its definitely got to be one of the best mascaras I've tried for the price! Have you tried any of Rimmel London’s Mascaras? 

Nourish My Shine Hair Oil by VO5

When i lightened the ends of my hair i was vary cautious about them becoming very dry and brittle as i have only just restored them to feeling soft and hair like instead of like straw. Once i bleached my hair to a white blonde with a toner and this completely destroyed it, making it feel limp, lifeless and left it incredibly damaged and hard to manage, over the past year i have been restoring back to a manageable state but with bleaching it again i wanted something that would speed up the restoration process and this is where the VO5 Nourish My Shine Hair Oil came in. 

At only £5.19 its an incredibly budget friendly product and comes with a generous 50ml of oil; anyone who has used a hair oil before knows that this is more than enough to get your moneys work. The bottle is small and make of plastic with a twist off top and a pipette attaché to it to pick up the oil and allow you to get the right amount. This is a really handy addition and definitely an improvement on some of the bottles where you just have to pour the oil out. The pipette, although it isn't the best, allows you to gauge how much product you need without pouring it all out and you can keep track of how much you need to use and dispense with it much easier than with either a pump or a spray nozzle. 

I apply this to the ends of my hair and work my way up to about ear height. I have fairly thick hair and find using a small amount about the size of a 20 pence piece works best for my hair while taming it and covering as much as is required. I then leave it for a couple of minutes and gently brush through my hair using a Tangle Teezer, this leaves my hair feeling so soft, silky, and shiny which is brilliant for such a cheap product! It tames my ends and stops them from looking so frizzy and feeling so dead and leaves me sleek looking hair. 

Overall, i do really love this product and it has definitely inspired me to try more hair oils as the results that this product has leaves so much to be desired! This is such a budget friendly product and is something i would love to repurchase when it runs out.