A soppy little thank you note

HI LAYDEEEZ!

I cannot believe I have hit 300 followers...how did this happen?!

I want to say thank you to each and every one of you - you have no idea how happy it makes me when I gain a new follower..honestly, thank you from the bottom of my heart ♥

Currently:

* Chilling in my pyjamas and poring over Morven's blog -

 http://morven-catsandrockingchairs.blogspot.com/ 

Seriously - she is a complete and utter babe..

*Listening to Rihanna and Drake - What's my name and Rihanna and Eminem - Love the way you lie part 2 (I do love a bit of Rihanna if you couldn't tell..!)

*Looking forward to next Tuesday - I will be turning the ripe old age of 22 and celebrating with my favourite people

*Generally happy and chilled but putting off looking at my bank balance - I shop too much -haul soon I promise!

I hope you are all having an amazing weekend!

Lots of love,

George

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The Foundation Trial: Estée Lauder Double Wear

As I'm sure most of us are, I am always on the quest for the perfect, 'holy grail' foundation that will make my face look as flawless as possible.  On this quest, through a combination of reading numerous blogs and spending hours in department stores, I have compiled a list of 30+ foundations that I want to try - either for the first time or for a second round.

So please welcome my new project:

The Foundation Trial

Every week or so I will be obtaining a new foundation to try out and put it through its paces in the hope that I will find my perfect skin perfecting miracle; toss aside the flaky, patchy and generally useless; and hopefully help others along the way!

First up..

Estée Lauder Double Wear 

Availability: Estée Lauder have counters in pretty much all department stores and Boots.  At £25 a bottle it is quite pricey but you can get one of these nifty 10 day pot samples - the perfect way to try it out.

Colour: Double Wear comes in around 20 shades.  I was matched - whilst wearing fake tan - to Desert Beige (2N1) which is absolutely spot-on. 

Consistency and Application:  

[For all these trials I will be using my fingers to apply, instead of a brush, as it is a basic method that everyone can relate to.] 

This foundation runs a little bit thinner to Colorstay which I personally love as it glides onto the skin, blends easily and doesn't feel heavy at all.  It was slightly harder to blend around my nose though which is slightly dry and on top of a primer it is a disaster. 

Coverage: In short - truly amazing!  One light coat provides a medium coverage which I can then build on to cover any redness in my cheeks.

Finish: 

- Over a primer: AWFUL.  I found it just stuck to the primer, dragged on my skin and just looked streaky and cakey.  

- On its own: Truly amazing!  As long as you apply moisturiser before, it looks fantastic - a semi-matte, natural finish as the website describes.  With a light layer and topped up with some highlighter such as Revlon Skinlights you really can get the effect of flawless skin.

- With powder:  Very flat and obvious that you are wearing heavy make up.  I felt like a doll/chav - really not a great look..!

Lasting Power:  I honestly cannot fault it.  The website promises 15 hours and I think that it lives up to that promise.  I also found it made my blusher/bronzer stay in place too - a real issue that I have with Colorstay.  After a long day at University or a night out in a hot club my make up looked as fresh as it did when I first applied it.

Overall best usage:  For a normal to combination/oily skin applied over moisturiser and with limited powder for a long day or night on the tiles.

Purchase? 100% YES!

Hair Growth

I have been on the quest for gorgeous long and thick hair since I first saw Laura/Lollipop26 discussing hair extensions about 18 months/2 years ago.  Since then I have purchased numerous packs of other people's hair but only a year or so ago did it click that if I grew my own hair, I could kick my expensive habit.

I now invest in intensive conditioning treatments, leave in products and heat protectants.  I do forget sometimes and I do have a set of extensions for nights out but we're all human...

Here is my hair in April, looking a little bit sorry for itself:

And 7 months on:

So, 7 months of growth should = 3.5 inches of growth?

Probably about right!  But my hair is also thicker and just generally in a much better condition which for totally abused hair like mine, is an amazing improvment.  

HOW I DID IT

Products

• Shampoos and conditioners for heat damaged hair.  They don't need to be expensive - I love TRESemmé...
• Intensive conditioners as often and for as long as possible.  If I am not going out for a day I will just leave one on all day.  My current favourite is the Lee Stafford Growth Treatment as previously mentioned - makes your hair feel like silk and smells truly amazing!
• Leave in conditioners such as the Aussie Sprays, Redken Anti-Snap or my new favourite, Tigi Ego Boost.  I apply these to the lower half my hair to avoid greasy roots.

• Heat protectant - just cover your hair in the stuff!

Styling

• The main point is, only use heat when truly necessary.  Seems obvious but I was guilty of curling or straightening even if I wasn't going anywhere.  I find when I make no effort and just tie my hair up wet, it can look amazing when I take it down.
• If I do need heat, I only use it on the days I wash it.  The curls I put in it usually last for the next day too or I just tie it up.
• Experiment with tools that require no heat such as velcro rollers - I'm sure I helped my hair by being addicted to bendy rollers for a few months.
• Heated rollers damage your hair less than a curling tong.  Or at least I like to think so...
• Use the time you sleep to dry your hair/put it in rollers etc.  Uses less heat and allows you to have an extra half an hour in bed - and who doesn't want that?!

xoxo

Weather Appropriate NOTD: China Glaze - Recycle

In an attempt to succumb to the season I shoved my lilacs, greens and all other happy colours to the back of my nail varnish drawers and pulled out all the autumnal colours I could find including this recently purchased bottle from the grey family.

Overall opinion?  

Just. Not. Sure

I really, really want to like this...I want to look down at my nails and think "Wow, aren't I chic!"  

In reality, I just think they look a little bit drab...  

I wouldn't mind this so much but it is also a streaky mess to apply and it doesn't last well - in the pictures which are taken just after 24 hours after application you can see some tip wear. 

In general - Definitely not a repurchase but is it OK enough to wear on a regularly basis? 

What do you think??  It just doesn't fill me with happiness...