Winter and Christmas!!

Hey, sorry I've not posted anything in a really long time; been really busy with work and stuff... 

Anyways, winter is here! I want to just do a super quick blog for this season, and to remind you how important it is to protect yourself from the harsh coldness around us. When I say protect I mean in terms of healthy hair and skin etc.

One way to protect yourself is to use a really good conditioner for your hair. Conditioner is really important as it softens and smooths out your hair. It is particularly important in the winter with all the cold wind against your hair, which effectively dries it out and makes hair more brittle and weak. At the moment, I use a mix between Aussie and Treseme. When I have a shower, I usually shampoo my hair twice, and then condition it afterwards and clip it up for a while, so that the conditioner is on my hair for a sufficient amount of time, and then at the end, I wash it out. I also use Johnson's leave-in conditioner and Aussies leave-in conditioner spray from time to time. If you don't have these or have temporarily run out, what you could so is rub a bit of normal conditioner in my hand until it gets kind of white and stickyish, and rub that into damp hair. I also recommend using minimum heat, so try air-drying your hair more.

Another way to protect yourself is by moisturising your skin. Like your hair, the cold elements dry out your skin, making it rough and scratchy. I recommend using Aveeno Moisturising Creamy Oil. It uses sweet almond oil, which is known for its moisturising properties. It's very much like oil, in the sense that it moisturiser and softens skin cells, however, it's a cream, and so it doesn't have that wet, shiny, greasy texture that you get with oil as dries on your skin faster, but still leaves it feeling smooth. You can get it for £4.76 from Boots.

Also, don't forget to moisturise your face! At the moment I'm using Lancomes' Hydro Zen Neurocalm cream, along with the Hydra Zen Nuit, but Bobbi Brown, No7 and Olay are really good alternatives.

And of course, a way to protect yourself from the inside is to boast your bodies immune system by taking supplements which help prevent getting the dreaded common cold. Just go to your GP for advice on which to get.


Now, for a little Christmas touch

Here's a few make-up hot list items and ideas for last minute Christmas gifts:
Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick £30.50
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat £24.50
Dior Miss Dior Chérie £44 - £85
Dior Backstage makeup brushes - brush kit £75
Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner £14

Urban Decay Book of Shadows IV £36.80

And now, here's a few beauty trends from this season to try for Christmas dinners or parties:
Vamped-Up lips- YSL, Chanel and Dior would be great options for this look. Don't forget to minimilise the rest of your face!
Big False Lashes- Benefit's they're Real is a great gift for this or, for a fab drug store buy, Max factor's false lash effect is still a winner for this as well as Maybelline's
Kohl Liner- just under the waterline and smudge for that sexy 60's look and add a strong line above the eye too.
Muted Metallics- Metallics took our summer by storm and they're presence still has not left us. Try soft metallic eyeshadows with some shimmer in them and try some of those sultry pewter tones or icy blues and violets. Don't forget you can translate some of these colours onto your nails too!
Bold and Defined Brows- Always a strong statement look to wear. I asked for Benefit's Browzings for Christmas, so I can't wait to try out this look- I love the sophisticated boyish look it presents and the whole androgynous aspect.

And a few of fashion trends of the season to help you with your outfits:

Sequins - A cute LBD with large sequins and a pair of tights with killer heals is a rocking trend to try

Red and Green- What's Christmas without these seasonal colours?? If you're having a casual dinner, try some coloured jeans in either forest green or a red or burgundy colour

Jumpers - Again, perfect for those casual dinners. Look out for ones with cute patterns like aztec prints, or fun animals like reindeer.

White- try dressing in white from head to toe with may be a ballerina bun or a messy bun, you'll definitely stand out. 

Dynamic B&W- If dressing in one colour is too much for your taste, try dressing in bold black and white outfits.

Faux Fur Coat - for when you arrive to your party or dinner.

That's all for now, sorry it's really late and kind of rushed, I'll be better after my exams! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!