REVIEW: L'Oreal Dream Lengths | Is It ACTUALLY Any Good?

Let's rewind back to Autumn last year, every beauty guru, blogger, vlogger in the entire social media universe was raving about these new products that claim to be a miracle in a bottle that could stop you from going to the salon as often. Every girls dream right? Because secretly we dread getting that trim when "a couple of inches" turns into a huge chunk of hair on the floor. Well L'Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths collection answered our prayers and created a shampoo and conditioner that detangles and nourishes your long locks but also a "no hair-cut" cream that prevents breakage and split ends.

This was way too good to be true I'm sure you'll all agree so I was so hesitant of buying into their products at first because I find nowadays beauty influencers, as much as they claim to be "100% honest" tend to just promote for that extra little cash in their back pocket and most of them have salon perfect hair anyway so was I really supposed to believe them?

After a few stubborn months and allowing the hype to go down (as usual) I decided to bite the bullet and give these bad boys a try. I've been growing my hair since November, and I invested in the products back in June so my hair had grown alot so it was the perfect opportunity to test the products.

Let me tell you now, even after the first wash, I ate my words. I hadn't felt my hair so soft in years due to bleaching and heat damage. It honestly felt like I had a expensive hair treatment or something, I was strutting around swishing my hair like I was in a bloody L'Oreal advert. Because I'm Worth It!

Since using the Shampoo, Conditioner and Cream trio, I've found myself not needing to wash my hair as frequent either, it's long lasting that's for sure and my hair feels so much more healthy. That added few squirts of no hair-cut cream to the ends of my hair are doing wonders and it seems to be making my hair grow faster, I've been getting so many compliments since June so I 100% recommend if you want to grow your hair without the hassle. Other than the obvious different style, the truth is in the pictures; less frizz, less damaged, more sleek.

Drugstores like Superdrug are always having promotional offers on Dream Lengths so there are always a good excuse for you to try if you're sceptical without losing out on money. Boots actually have a bundle of the trio and also the saviour mask for extra nourishment, for just £12! Dream Lengths have just brought out a heat mask too that I am super excited to try.

Here are some links to save you a trip!

Dream Lengths Bundle

Heat Mask

Katie x

REAL TALK

Judging by the title of this post, you should know generally what the next few paragraphs will consist of. I don't know why it's such a taboo subject for women because essentially it takes two to 'tango' - for want of a better word! You get males thriving off their sex lives and getting continuous praise for being a "lad", a "player", upping his numbers, however if a woman dares to even discuss their bedroom activities we are branded a "whore", a "slut", talk about double standards, eh?

I feel like this isn't communicated enough, there's so much talk of equal rights in the workplace, feminism acts that yes, are just as important, but shouldn't a female feel comfortable in her day to day life without being judged and scrutinised for being single? All this 'independent woman who don't need no man' talk is fine but a girl is allowed to have fun with a guy(s), I mean, there's only so much Ann Summers stock that can satisfy alone.

It's 2018, we have come so far in the progression of the LGBT community and taking pride in who you are and who you love, but what if you enjoy being single with numerous sexual partners? As long as the right precautions are taken, I'm not trying to promote unsafe sex at all, use contraception, whatever form that suits you and do whatever and whoever you like!

We live in a world that we all think it is okay to judge others whether that be on their appearance or life choices because from a young age our minds are drilled with idealities that are simply just unrealistic. It doesn't help that technology and social media has allowed us to share so much more which can create vulnerability because it allows the public to form an opinion of you when in reality, who gives a crap what Doris from Stoke had for breakfast?

Unfortunately, being part of a lifestyle because of where I work, it's similar to a Uni environment where you live on campus and everybody knows your business because we are so close knit, there's always mutual friendships/enemies just around the corner so if I even get spotted with male, it's escalates into a story so extreme I feel like I should be in my own soap opera, and the worst part is, because of our nosey nature and being gossips, people will believe it and spread it further. So what if I am sleeping with the bloke? That's OUR choice, we don't need your 2 pence worth.

What does it really matter to you? Why are you questioning it? If it makes a person happy, makes them feel empowered then we should encourage that not belittle it.

Everybody is different, everybody progresses through life differently, so why don't we all just mind our own business and focus on perfecting our own lives before involving ourselves in others.

The End.

Playsuit: LASULA

Katie x

OPINION: Naj Oleari Make-up *FAIL*

I am always looking for new make-up to try and test out because I just can't stick to one brand for anything, I believe there's always a better one around the corner whether it's foundation, concealer, lipsticks, I just have to try them all. 

Last week I was having a little browse through Fragrance Direct, which is amazing btw, drugstore and big name brands for a fraction of the price! And I came across a brand I genuinely have never seen before; Naj Oleari. Whilst looking through their products it was evident you'd be saving at least £3-£10 purchasing on the site so it much be a bigger well established brand than I thought so I did some digging and bought a few products to try. Turns out they are an Italian fashion brand that create clothing, accessories, homeware, umbrellas and more. Looking through their website their products have such a Cath Kidston vibe about them using fruity and floral prints to make it very cutesy. 

Anyway back to make-up. Let's start with the product I was most hesitant about; The "Perfect Look Kit". This includes a foundation and concealer stick but on the website there was no type of hint as to what shade the foundation was which was worrying, I even asked Customer Service and tried to Google it but it was nowhere to be seen, suspicious. but still, I decided to try it out as I can't really complain at the £2.49 price tag can i?

I had EVERY right to be concerned, just look at the colour! This was horrific. The most depressing thing was that the coverage and foundation itself was so nice against my skin and really easy to blend, but unfortunately, I don't work for Willy Wonka so the colour was a complete disaster and ultimately this is where it ended up.

So, that hasn't given me much faith in the rest of the products I bought! Next was the eyeliner and although I'm not the biggest fan of thicker applicators the precision and outcome was surprisingly good for a gal who can't get her flicks on fleek! This Easy Eyeliner retails for around £6.99 and Fragrance Direct sell it for £2.99, amazing.

So things are starting to look up for this brand. Last but not least were their lipsticks which I had high hopes for because I'm a sucker for a lippy. This one is the Deep Rouge 8hr Totally Matte Lipstick in the shade Orchidea which is a lovely dark dusty pink colour.

What I loved about this too is the packaging. The top and the box it comes in is matte so of course there's no confusion and the lipstick was so lovely to apply it wasn't dry against your lips or sticky and it felt and looks very luxurious. The retail price for the lipstick is £9.95 where I got it for £2.99, what an absolute bargain!

The final product I tested was the Affinity Lipstick which is creamy as opposed to matte which I got in this lovely deep plum shade. The colour looks a little different to the picture on the website but nonetheless I loved it. This is probably my favourite product of Naj Oleari which is different as I love matte lip colours but something about this I really loved! Again, retailing for £9.95 I saved £6.96 paying only £2.99 which is really inexpensive for such a good lipstick. Definitely comparable to MAC I think.

So all in all, not a complete disaster despite the foundation fiasco that I was not happy about, my hairline still has a orange tinge to it! Other than the Affinty Lipstick, I don't think I'd pay full price for any of this personally. The eyeliner you can easily get a cheaper dupe and the matte lipstick was good but didn't have everything to add up to the original price.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the products I'll leave a direct link down below.

Hope you have a lovely day! 

Katie x

Deep Rouge 8HR Totally Matte Lipstick £2.99 RRP £9.95
Affinity Lipstick £2.99 RRP £9.95
Easy Eyeliner £2.99 RRP £6.99  

Why One Tree Hill is SO Under-rated.

Over the years there have been many US TV shows that creep their way into worldwide viewing; Friends, Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars. And the launch of Netflix made these shows so much more accessible especially for UK viewers and have even brought back classics to re-live our teens. One show that has been majorly overlooked however until now is One Tree Hill.

I can guarantee at least a handful of people reading this will have to Google the show to know what I'm on about because for such an iconic and successful series, I mean there were 9 seasons for goodness sake, you can't even say it was rubbish, the demand was clearly there, it is not as readily available to re-watch (Unlike Friends or The Big Bang Theory which are genius yet heavily overplayed!).

Now, here's a little overview of what it's all about. The first 4 seasons were focused on the main character's journeys through their Junior and Senior year of High School. Although this could be categorised as your stereotypical teen series with Nathan being captain of the basketball team who falls for his brainiac tutor Haley, who is best friends with Lucas who is Nathan's half-brother and enemy, who wants to get with Peyton, who is Nathan's girlfriend and her best friend Brooke wants to be with Lucas but i swear, it's so much more than that!

S04 Picture Of You
"People are going to label you, it's how you overcome those labels."

As the seasons progress the gang have to deal with psychos who pretend to be your long lost brother, a hostage held by a fellow student that results in shooting himself and a major whodunnit storyline of 'who killed Keith', a teenage pregnancy, a teenage marriage, multiple affairs, a heart disease and Haley pursuing a career in music. So all in all, not your average few years at school ey? Then season 5 fast forwards 4 years as the group struggle to adapt to adulthood and end up returning to Tree Hill and we then follow their journey for 4 more seasons which again involves psycho nanny's, kidnaps, and Brooke's mother dubbed as "Bitch-toria" so a whole rollercoaster of drama and emotions from the outset and throughout.

Okay, so joking aside. OTH actually helped me alot during my teenage years and every episode had a quote or inspiring message behind it that I know every single viewer took to heart. Whether it was realising what truly matters in life, encouraging you to take your life in your hands and do what YOU want to do, or just accepting that essentially shit happens but it's how you move on from it that counts. One Tree Hill was almost like a friend or supporter you never had. I know it sounds completely corny but if you ask any fan of the show, majority of the time it's the message or quote behind each episode that they will remember, not the drama that made good telly and honestly, I think that's what gave the show longevity.

People invested into these characters lives and although non-fans may have thought 'really another season?' if you took the time to watch it, your opinion will change and you will realise that actually, it ended at the right time before it got too far-fetched and stemmed away from it's true purpose as a series.

Even years after it's final season, North Carolina where it is filmed, host conventions dedicated to One Tree Hill for fans to enjoy and reminisce alongside the actors who make a guest appearance.

Now try and tell me it's not under-rated!

Note: One Tree Hill will be available on Hulu from 1st February 2018, yassss.

Katie x

REVIEW | Lasting Finish 25 Hour Breathable Foundation

I have waited so long to do a review of this but honestly, I've not been near a drugstore to pick it up until I completely ran out of it's sister product Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation. Anyway since this has been my Holy Grail product since about 18 years old (as I've noted a thousand times before) It was time to test this out, finally!

Now, let's get down to what the foundation states:

"Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Breathable Foundation is a lightweight skin perfecting foundation with medium coverage. Breathable skin technology that moisturises for up to 25hr. With SPF 20"

Sounds promising, however as I am such a advocate for full coverage foundation, I was a little apprehensive as to how well I was going to get on with it and whether it will cover to my desire.

I always get Rimmel foundations in 100 Ivory as I am Casper the Ghost's sister and even that is still dark for me! I must admit when I opened the lid I was pleasantly surprised (and a little excited) about the applicator. It's a stick with a sponge end which is the complete contrast to original which is just a pump with no applicator. 

I suppose you can apply this directly to the skin however I decided to dab a few swabs onto my blending sponge and applied it that way and honestly as I first I wasn't convinced. It felt so lightweight like I wasn't covering any blemishes it literally just felt like a moisturiser however when I actually looked at my complexion I was proven wrong. Admittedly it's buildable so I did need to apply more product until I was comfortable but I couldn't fault it and like I said, how it felt against my skin, it didn't feel caked on yet looked almost flawless.

It also worked well with the rest of my make-up routine (you can read about what products I use here) blending together lovely. So, honestly if you're looking for a light-medium coverage more moisturising foundation that doesn't feel caked on your skin, this is an amazing alternative to the original product by Rimmel.

However, I am a sucker for full coverage so it's not a complete replacement just yet!     

Love, Pook x

OPINION: Grease The Musical (2017)

Before I get into this post, I sincerely hope anyone who reads this has watched Grease, and if not, W H Y? Grease is one of THE best musicals ever, long before Zac Efron had even graced this world with his presence, it is basically the 70's version of High School Musical, with an incredible cast of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John where we follow the journey of The Pink Ladies and T-Birds through high school who face tough decisions in their final year and summer lovers Danny and Sandy and whether they will rekindle their romance now Sandy has joined Rydell High. Now, anyone who knows me realise how much I love everything about this musical; the story, the fashion, the songs and even to this day when a DJ goes into his cheesy playlist, I am there on the dancefloor doing my best Sandy impression. 

Just going to casually insert of picture of me and my family as Pink Ladies and T-Birds for my Dad's 60th ...

Even if you haven't watched the film, there is no doubt you know Greased Lightning, You're The One That I Want (ooh ooh ooh honey) or Summer Nights. 

Okay, so I rambled on enough about my love, we can establish my excitement when I found out they were revamping the theatre show and touring this year and coming to Plymouth! Not only that, the teenage love of my life, Tom Parker (from The Wanted if you didn't know) was cast as Danny Zuko so, no brainer right? I HAD to go!

When we got into the theatre I was a little apprehensive, understandably I had very high expectations of the show as I'm sure did the whole audience, there's an enormous amount of pressure to pull off such an iconic musical and ensure it's relevant for this century but I assure you, it didn't disappoint once I got over some of their American accents. 

Alongside Tom, Danielle Hope (who previously played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz) portrayed Sandy amazingly and with an effortless vocal performance to match. Eastenders' Louisa Lytton also joined them as Pink Lady leader Rizzo, bringing to the stage the right amount of sassiness that we all know and love from the character.

From the get-go, the whole theatre was filled with laughter, applause and singing, even when there was an unfortunate technical hitch that brought the show to a halt in the first half, but true to the saying, The Show Must Go On, and it did and the cast were greeted back on stage with a massive reaction from the audience. 

Overall it was a spectacular performance, Tom and Danielle retelling the far-from-perfect love story of Danny and Sandy with ease and powerful chemistry throughout, the whole production of light and sound were outstanding which really brought the show to life, and the whole cast just go together seamlessly with good comedic timing and really engaging with the audience. It really has done the original justice. 

Now I'm off to watch the film for the 1000th time.

Why Why Why?

Guilty, there's only two whys in this post...

Why I miss blogging.

Wow, it's been well over a year since I sat down and wrote out a post to publish. Sure I have a few drafts but honestly, with the lifestyle I've adapted to, I fell out of love of blogging. It became a bit too forced to me like I just had to post anything for the sake of posting but truthfully I just didn't know what I actually felt passionate about writing.

After a year full of constant change and hecticness that surrounded my life, I finally have a few days a week to sit down, relax and reflect on everything and whilst scrolling through Twitter there are so many bloggers that I still follow and their content is amazing and then I began to miss writing down how I felt.

I then started to use a notebook which admittedly helped satisfy my writing needs and it also helped me alot mentally, actually putting pen to paper and just venting for a few pages, really started to put my mind at ease because I find it difficult to express how I feel verbally, (unless of course it's to my mother!) and it was then I thought what if I just resume my blog?

Why I don't understand boys.

How do I even begin to explain my confusion with the opposite sex? As a female, I can put my hands up and admit us girls are hardwork. There's no denying that, especially when we know what we want and as much as we can be indecisive I'd like to think we are consistent with our work, our life and our feelings. Yeah, we have our ups and downs but ultimately we are honest and true to ourselves. I'm not talking on behalf of all guys but so far, all males that have entered my life, initially, seem sure of themselves, what they want and their carefree attitudes but their inconsistency is such a turn off and ultimately frustrating! One day they can act so into you, almost a little bit too clingy and then the next they do a complete 180 degree turn and go cold, distant and leave you feeling like you're the size of a peanut, as worthy as a round £1 coin. And yet, they seem so oblivious to how they actually are making you feel then resume talking to you days later and because we are all suckers for a little bit of attention, we somehow have short-term memory loss until the next time it happens! It's a vicious cycle until the conversation and any kind of relationship you had dies completely. 

Why is this generation's dating system so fucked up and complicated? Surely if you like eachother you like eachother, if you don't you don't. Call me old fashioned but bring back the days where my parents met and 6 weeks later moved in together. Skip forward 34 years and they are still very much inlove. 

Things were alot more consistent back then!

Blog For The Passion, Not For The People.

Recently I've been reading a hell of a lot of posts about how people are panicking about having writers block, not being happy with what they post and how their layout looks. 

My only advice is just STOP.

Stop what you are doing, stop panicking, stop comparing yourself to others and think back to the day you decided to make your blog. What inspired you to communicate your message to this crazy world that is the Internet?

Granted I haven't been blogging properly for very long but I think too many of us are hoping to be the next Zoella overnight that we're forgetting our own identities and we've stopped writing what we're passionate about and more about what we think others want to read. That's when the panic kicks in.

There are thousands of blogs created and it's inevitable you are going to feel drowned in a sea of bloggers all over the world, but this happens in whatever creative field you're in. Music, Dance, Acting. Everything takes time to graft, and make a success and a following comes with it but don't make that the reason you want to blog, blog for YOU not for other people. Think about the likes of Adele; she didn't release an album for 4 years until it was perfect, she didn't release an album every year that she was unhappy with and it was rushed just to make others happy.

Every blogger is wonderful in their own way and I enjoy reading several blogs and the ones I enjoy the most have an identity, it reflects them as a person not just 'lifestyle' 'beauty' 'fashion'.

Basically what I'm trying to say is; it's okay to feel passionate about blogging but stop putting so much pressure on yourself to be perfect overnight, to worry about your stats and your figures. Do it because you love to write, do it because you love to share your voice and opinions. Do it to express yourself. Be yourself.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

Katie X