& OTHER STORIES PERFUME

I'm a big fan of & Other Stories; there are stores all over Europe, a handful in London and even some in New York, but if you haven't heard of it, it's kind of the cooler big sister of H&M (it's owned by the same company). If you're into understated, Scandi style and sleek, minimalist accessories then you'll love it. Their cosmetics department has a cult following thanks to ultra-cool packaging, unique scents and grown-up makeup. 

I was in the new Kings Road store at the weekend and I picked up the perfume, Arabesque Wood. The scent is really subtle and while the description calls it an earthy oud - which is usually overpowering - it's actually quite light and strikes the perfect balance between masculine and feminine. The bottle is beautiful too, but what I'm really impressed by is the formula; it's an eau de toilette but it lasts a lot longer than most of my eau de parfums and has the presence of something much more expensive (ahem, Le Labo). Unfortunately, it looks like the eau de toilette is sold out online, but if you find yourself in a store then make sure and go have a sniff!

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR FOR YOUR HAIR

I've read about using apple cider vinegar on your hair on lots of beauty blogs (most notably ohdeardrea), but it wasn't until my friend tried it and raved about the results that I was sold on giving it a go.

WHY If you live somewhere with hard water, like I do in London, chances are it's affecting your hair. Hard water causes the shafts on each strand of hair to stand up, instead of lie flat and smooth. When hair is dry, the soapy deposits in shampoo cling to the shaft and are less easily rinsed out, which means you are likely to get a build up of product that results in limp and lank locks. Using conditioner only masks the problem, using silicone and other chemicals to coat the hair shaft, creating a smoother look. But, as the cycle continues, the product build up will only worsen.

WHAT It might seem illogical to put something acidic like vinegar on your hair, but the results are really surprisingly. I did some research, and it turns out that apple cider vinegar is actually close to the pH of hair, which is naturally acidic, while shampoos and other hair products are strongly alkaline. The apple cider vinegar actually closes the hair shaft, unlike conditioner, resulting in a smoother finish, and it's also a natural detangler. I was sceptical it would get the knots out of my hair like conditioner does but when you rinse it through, it makes it really easy to comb through wet hair.

HOW I'm not ready to go no-poo just yet, so I wash my hair first with a gentle shampoo. To make your own apple cider vinegar rinse, mix 1 part vinegar to about 5 parts water in a jam jar with a secure lid so you can store it in the bathroom. I pour it over both the crown of my head, through the hair at my temples and over the ends, working through any knots with my fingers. Be careful not to get it in your eyes though, it really stings! Once you rinse it out, there is no smell whatsoever left behind. For extra conditioning, you can use it as a leave-in conditioner without rinsing it out. You might smell like a salad for a little while, but my friend assured me that the smell completely goes once hair is dry (and I smelled her hair - it's true!). I dry my hair with a towel using this helpful hair tip and leave it to air dry for a smooth, silky finish.

Would you try it? Let me know how you get on!

THE BODY BRUSH

Lately I've been going back to basics on my beauty regime in a bid to reduce the number of products I use. I'm already trying to take a more natural approach to what I put into my body, so it only makes sense to be more careful about what I put on my body too. Last winter I was having trouble with my skin, and a new regime sorted that out, and just recently I found the holy grail of shampoos (gentle, subtle smelling and cheap!) that reduced London-water build-ups that were leaving my hair lank and stringy. Now it's time to kick my skin into gear!




I've read about the benefits of body brushing in a few different magazines - increased circulation, smoother skin and even decreased cellulite thanks to even distribution of fat cells (if you can believe it..). Especially if you like to fake tan, it's  an amazing way to exfoliate and get rid of all those dead skin cells. For the best results, you're supposed to brush in long strokes up towards your heart for 10 minutes before taking a shower or bath. I've been doing it for a few weeks now and while it feels weird and uncomfortable at first, once you get into the routine it's amazing. I picked up this body brush from The Body Shop and it's served me well so far!

THE BESPOKE BATH

I'm an unapologetic bath person. We've always been this way, my family and I. In fact, I probably didn't have a shower at home until I was about 12 years old! There's something so soothing and comforting about a bath and it's my daily indulgence; some people go to the pub after work, but give me a hot bubble bath and a magazine and I'm not moving for anyone. From bath bombs to salts, oils and foams, I've tried 'em all so when a new one comes along I get just a little bit excited.

The Bathory is a brand spanking new bespoke bath soak service with a fully customisable selection of of salts designed to either bask, soothe or detox thanks to a special blend of ingredients. Choose your mix and then comes the fun part: you can add three different essential oils, from calming chamomile and relaxing lavender to invigorating lemon and sensual sandalwood. Then the bathing wizards at The Bathory's HQ hand-blend your creation and package it in a beautiful violet glass bottle. I chose lavender, rosemary and bergamot and it smells heavenly. 



I'm a total sucker for beautiful packaging and anything customisable, so it was exciting to see the little brown bag stamped with my choice of ingredients. If my name had been on the bottle, I would be buying them left, right and centre for friends, family and special occasions. As it stands, each bottle costs $30/£18 plus p+p (and they suggest using about a quarter per bath) so I'll be restraining myself for now.

THE BUDGET BEAUTY BUY

Lately, my hair has been really bothering me. I've been experiencing a lot of build up (from hard London water, not product build up) that's left it lank and lacklustre even the day after it's been washed. I've even tried that reverse washing routine, where you use your conditioner first and then shampoo (didn't work for me). Last week I went to Boots in search of a clarifying shampoo to deep clean my hair, but I wasn't particularly impressed with the offering. After about 20 minutes, I ended up choosing a surprising shampoo that has worked wonders for my limp locks and is pretty easy on the pursestrings too!

So it turns out Johnson's baby shampoo is not just for babies! Plus, it's cheap as chips and it smells really nice - it was actually the lavender scent that drew me to it as I was on the lookout for some relaxing lavender products. My hair is fairly fine but I have a lot of it - this stuff makes sure my hair is extra clean without weighing it down at all. Plus, baby shampoo can wear all sorts of other uses like cleaning make-up brushes, standing in for shaving gel and even for hand washing delicate items of clothing. Definitely one to try, and if you don't like it on your hair, it will muck in around the house too!

A TIP FOR SMOOTHER HAIR, NATURALLY

Laying off the heat styling has done wonders for the condition of my hair, but I know it’s not realistic to never use straighteners or curling irons again. About a month ago, I discovered a simple trick to make my hair smoother without weighing it down with product and I thought I’d share.  

I’ve always rinsed my hair with cold water as it’s supposed to smooth the hair shaft and seal the follicles for a shinier finish, but the extra discomfort was immediately counteracted as soon as I started towel drying my hair. Rough drying rubs the hair follicle back up the wrong way and can leave hair looking a little lacklustre and feeling dry. Now, I dry my hair in two motions: patting and smoothing the top of my head with a soft towel and then gently squeezing the ends to eke out excess moisture. It seems like such a small change, but since I’ve started doing it, I’ve been reaching for the straighteners less and less. {top, bottom}