bloomzy /

New Hair, Don’t Care!

After literally months of debating it, I have changed my hair colour.
I went back to Bleach, as they’re the only hair colourists I trust now.
If you don’t remember (shame on you!) my hair was a vibrant red before.
I wanted to go darker, back to my natural colour, so they matched up my roots.
My natural colour is a very dark brown (almost black), so it was a big change!
As they matched my roots, it means there’s pretty much no maintenance involved.
I wanted it a bit different though so I asked for an ombré dip-dye on the ends.
I’m hoping to go back soon and get the ends bleached/lightened a bit more.
Bleach may like using bleach, but they know how much and when to do it.
I’m so happy to have darker hair again, it’s been forever!
I was genuinely shocked when they matched my roots up and I realised how dark they were.
It’s been a long time since I saw my natural colour properly, but I think I’m gonna like it.
bloomzy /

How I Fight My Eczema – Eczema Remedies

Korres Fig Showergel & Fig Body Butter, and Avène Rich Skin Recovery Cream
I suffered from eczema a lot as a child. 
It would often cause me a lot of pain and discomfort, and I would usually bleed due to the severity of it. I remember my parents trying all sorts of remedies to get rid of it, but nothing really worked, until one day…it just disappeared. 
I had pretty much forgotten about it until September 2011, when I saw my eczema return, with a vengeance. I had returned from my holiday to Provence and suddenly my whole stomach, leg and breast area was covered in dry, sore, itchy spots. I visited the doctor and they confirmed it was eczema. I was given an emollient cream to help, but it didn’t work. I was then given a steroid cream that I could only use for 2 weeks. My eczema disappeared…then it came back a week or so later. The doctor didn’t know what to do and told me to relax (as it can be caused by stress) and continue using a moisturiser and the original cream. I would have a shower and then look down at my body and burst into tears. I felt embarrassed and grossed out by my own skin. My fiancé tried to console me time after time but it had worn me down. I’d had enough. None of the medications worked well enough to solve the problem so I decided to try out something a little more natural and sensitive. Surprisingly they worked a lot better and even got rid of most of my eczema.
My eczema remedies are:

Korres’s Fig Showergel (90.4% natural content) & Fig Body Butter (93.5% natural content).
These products have been my saviour and I 100% believe they are the reason for the eczema on my stomach, legs and breasts disappearing. I had heard from a friend that these were great at combatting eczema and even psoriasis! She wasn’t wrong because I now use these daily to help keep my skin hydrated and to combat my eczema. I first used these until I ran out, then my eczema came back and Anna bought me some more. Now it’s slowly going away again. 
I swear by these products.

Avène Rich Skin Recovery Cream.
You all know I am a big Avène fan and use it in my daily skincare routine. Well when my eczema started appearing on my face for the first time I didn’t know what to do. It actually coincided with my trip to Chamonix, so I figured that since I was in France I’d try out a cream by one of my favourite French skincare brands – since they recommend it for those with eczema. I used it for a week on my face, and by the end of my holiday my eczema had cleared up. This is free of parabens, fragrance and colouring agents – and they’ve used as few ingredients as possible, making it perfect for sensitive skin. 
This is now my daily moisturiser for face & neck.

Eczema can be a very uncomfortable, painful and sometimes embarrassing illness.
I don’t want anyone else to suffer so I’m hoping these remedies might help others also.
Let me know your own personal remedies in the comments!
bloomzy /

Little Mix by Collection Make-up Line


Lipstick, eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow palette: Little Mix by Collection Make-up Line*

Remember when I bought that infamous One Direction lipstick?
Well that didn’t give me much faith in band-related make-up lines.
Thankfully Little Mix were round the corner to bring back my hope.
Whenever I see the Little Mix ladies their make-up is always on point.
So I was pleased to hear that they had a lot of personal influence in the collection.
Whether you like them or not you’ve got to appreciate their hard work and personal styles.
Jade, Jesy, Leigh-Anne & Perrie each created products based on their favourite items, colours etc.
So if you ever had a favourite Little Mix(er?) and fancied imitating their make-up look, now you can!
All of the products are different from the next, and together represent styles from natural to sultry.
Products include: mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, palettes, lipstick, bronzer, lipgloss and nail polish.
Each Little Mix lady has a different colour for each item – meaning you have plenty of options.
Of course you can mix up styles and products, but it’s always helpful to have some inspiration.
My personal favourite looks have to be Leigh-Anne’s and Jesy’s though – they’re gorgeous!
I was sent a few items from the collection:
Jesy’s Trio Palette
Jade’s Lipstick & Rock It Liner
Perrie’s Lengthening Full On Mascara
I was also sent Perrie’s Rock It Liner but forgot to take it out of my bag for the photo (bad blogger).

I’m quite excited by all of the colours and the quality feels and looks good.
I think I’ll be picking up Jesy’s Lipstick and Leigh-Anne’s Trio Palette.
Prices start at £1.49 and you can purchase the collection in Superdrug & Boots.
bloomzy /

Review: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Just before New Year a friend recommended a brand to me that I hadn’t tried before.
That brand was Liz Earle, and her argument was pretty solid, as she has perfect skin.
She’s been using the brand for years and swore by their products, especially their cleanser.
I’ve never really been a fan of hot cloth cleansers but I decided to give this a go, considering the evidence.
I had also actually just run out of my micellar water so I went to my local Boots to check it out.
The woman on the counter had perfect skin and also told me she used the product.
I really didn’t need anymore persuading than that and I picked up this special gift version.
It comes with 2 x muslin cloths and a small travel bag, to keep everything together.
It’s the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, and here is my review:
Pros:
+ Love the set
+ Cloths can be machine washed
+ Packaging is simple but cute
+ Lovely smell
+ Removes make-up well
+ Good for sensitive skin
+ Leaves my skin smooth & supple
 
Cons:
– Cloths need to dry naturally after (and before) each use
– Price point is slightly high
– 100ml lasted only a few weeks
 
Notes:
I have no massive complaints about this product, more like a few niggles. Maybe I was looking for something to complain about because the whole cloth drying thing sounds silly now I’ve written it down. Of course they need to dry Emma! The set does come with 2 cloths though so if the one you’re currently using hasn’t dried in time you can always alternate, which is also a plus. I won’t repeat the majority of what I wrote above, but I really like this product. It smells good and leaves my skin feeling good – that’s all you can ask for really. I’m hoping that after a month (I’ve been using it for almost 2 weeks) I’ll start to see some results on my long-term skin pangs. At £15 this isn’t a product you would pick up without considering. I do think it’s worth the money, but I’d like to maybe see some offers or different sets to add more value.
You can buy Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser at John Lewis and in Boots stores.
bloomzy /

Wish List: It’s (gonna be) My Birthday!

birthday wish list

Here it is, the inevitable birthday wishlist.
Yep, it’s my birthday on the 29th Jan – hooray!
I think I managed to keep it pretty minimal, right?
I didn’t do it on purpose but it ended up feeling quite clean.

Lately I’ve really been thinking more and more about quality items.
I’ve always loved high-end designer items, but I’m still quite practical.
I know I (and those around me) can’t always afford that kind of price.
With that said, I still think they are a good investment for most people.
I tend to use a handbag or watch etc for a few years if it’s good quality.
I also use my eyeshadow palettes until they either run out or go out of date.
I think it’s important, especially now as I think about getting older.
Wow, that got a bit too serious a bit too quick. Sorry!

I choose items that I will get a lot of use and wear out of.
I always take such care in the things I own, and I show them a lotta love.
I also appreciate the things I own and I don’t take them for granted.
I’m mega in love with all of these pieces and I hope you like them too.
Wanna know what they are, and where to buy them?

1. Moschino Letter Wrap Bracelet
2. Iseey Miyake Bao Bao Tote Bag
3. Marc by Marc Jacobs Truman Watch
4. Original Minerals ‘Maintain The Main’ Giftset
5. Jo Malone Sweet Almond & Macaroon Candle
6. Bobbi Brown Nude Eyeshadow Palette  (bought)
7. Deborah Lippmann Exfoliating Cuticle Remover Treatment
8. Trish Mcevoy Power of Brushes Collection

Source: 1
bloomzy /

Sale Finds Series: Nuxe

I’ve decided to do a small series on some of my online sale finds this month.
That means I’ll be posting mini-wishlists or recommendations from various online stores.
It’s quite simple really, if I find an amazing sale I want to be able to share it with everyone!
This seems like the easiest and also best (I enjoy making wishlists too much) way to do it.
You can find the series here.

Who? Nuxe
What? French Beauty/Skincare products
How much off? Up to 50% off
Running until? Whilst stocks last
Nuxe are one of the few beauty brands I have an email subscription to.
That might seem like an odd thing to say, but I hate newsletters, so maybe that helps explain?
So when I received an email mentioning they had an ‘up to 50% off sale’, I was pretty excited.
They’ve recently worked their way into my heart and bathroom cabinet, to become one of my favourite brands.
The sale is pretty varied and offers products from most of their ranges, as well as including gift sets.
The deals are pretty good, especially if you would usually be put off by Nuxe products due to the price.
So it’s a great opportunity to pick up some old favourites, or to try something new from the brand.
You can view the full Nuxe sale here.

Source: 1
bloomzy /

Review: Inside the Ciate Advent Calendar 2013

Why am I talking about advent calendars in January?
No I’m not trying to make a head start, and no I’m not a bit slow either.
I’m not someone who is bothered by Advent calendars, so I never get myself one.
Even so I still wanted the Ciate advent calendar last year but didn’t like the price tag.
Don’t get me wrong, you get a lot for your money, but £42 was a bit too steep for me.
So I decided to wait and see what would happen after Christmas and if it would be reduced.
Well luckily for me I managed to grab the last one in the Selfridges in-store sale on Boxing Day.
I’d been thinking about it for ages and as a nail polish addict I figured it would be worth it.
I even used it as an excuse to throw out all of my old nail polishes.
The Calendar contains:
19 x 5ml Mini Ciate Polishes
1 x 13.5ml Ciate Polish
2 x 10g Ciate Caviar Pearls
1 x Ciate Caviar Pearl Funnel
2 x 5g Ciate Sequin/Glitter Pots
– With a total value of £119 –

I removed them all from the calendar, which was still fun even after Advent by the way.
And looking at them all together made me realise that they are actually great value for money.
Even though the majority of the polishes are mini pots, you’re going to get plenty of uses from them.
I liked the inclusion of Ciate’s famous caviar pearls, even if they are slightly off-trend right now.
They’re still a fun item to play with and are still sold in stores for full price, so it’s not bad value.
The sequin and glitter pots excited me immensely, as did the amount of glitter polishes – I live for glitter!
The full size polish wasn’t exactly to my taste but I thought it was a good colour to include.
The majority of the polishes are inoffensive and would suit most tastes and styles.
There are a couple of shades I’ll be giving away but I’m pretty happy with the rest.
You can purchase the Ciate Advent Calendar 2013 at Ciate for £21.
In case it sells out, it’s also available on ASOS for £33.50.