Windy weather ruined your ‘do?

It’s always the way. You spend ages sorting your hair in the morning, straightening, curling, styling… to get out of the house, and to work, uni or college, only for the weather to get between you and a reasonably looking hairstyle. Then you’re left with messed up locks, making you wish you’d spent that half hour in bed, keeping warm…

So, next time you see bad weather predicted (or simply want an extra 5 minutes tucked up) take a second to learn these pretty easy up-do’s. They’re relatively simple, look effortless, and don’t mean you have to limit your style just because Mother Nature decided to chuck it down. Up-do’s can be glamorous and easy, allowing you to look fab and worry about more important things, like avoiding puddles and catching your bus on time.

Style number 1: The messy bun

Save the perfected top knots for ballerinas, and turn bed head locks into effortless style. Even if you have shorter hair, there’s nothing a little back combing and pinning can’t fake. Even with a shorter bob, I would tip my head up, pull my hair into a hairband, backcomb and pin into a bun. The messier the better – feel free to loosen the bun, and let a few straggles free. If you do have longer hair, try curling the very ends, and let them loose out of your bun. Curls can also add definition to your top knot, rather than a perfectly coiffed ballerina-esque style.

Style number 2: The side plait

More easy going than a bridesmaid-esque french plait, and less headache-y than a fishtail style. All that’s required is the ability to plait 3 sections of hair, and a tie. If the weather is really rubbish the aim is to keep your style pretty loose and un-perfected, because if you do end up looking windswept, it hasn’t completely ruined your look – simply added character to it 😉 

Style number 3: The low pony

Seeing a pattern emerge here? All pretty low maintenance styles, which don’t rely on several hours of prep, and don’t require perfectly straightened or meticulously curled hair…? 🙂 The low pony might sound low impact style-wise, but styled correctly can really add to your outfit – what ever the weather. Bangs or no bangs, a low pony looks best with a slightly backcombed at the crown, and tied at the nape of your neck. If you want to add extra volume, try adding extra pins just above the hair tye, or hairspray to keep the look in place. If you want to disguise a hair tye, try wrapping a cm of hair around the pony, and securing with a pin below the pony, above the nape of your neck.

So there you have it! 3 relatively easy up-do’s to save your locks in rubbish weather. Let me know if you try any out, and link to your blogs below if you’ve got any more tips, or alternative ‘bad weather styles’.

You can find me on Twitter and bloglovin’

Happy blogmas!

Alice x

Ps. I don’t own these images. There are available on Pinterest, and each image is directly linked to the pin on Pinterest.

Fashion for a fiver: The top 5 fashion sites when you’re on a budget

Summer was great, wasn’t it? Us Brits are always thought of as moaners when it comes to the weather (UK Storm, helloooo?!), but this summer some pretty glorious weather graced our shores for a good few weeks. Yes, I know, …

Welcome to Blogmas!

 

As you may have read in yesterdays blog post, this December I’m setting out to write a blog post per day, all linking to the festive season!

Now if you’re anything like me, you see the days getting shorter, temperatures getting colder and then BAM. Rubbish hair and crappy complexion.

It sucks, I KNOW.

But why in winter? Well, extreme sun exposure burns our skin in the summer, but changes in temperature also affect the composure of your skin. According to WEB Md and Allure (http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2013/10/how-to-treat-chapped-lips.html) (THE beauty bible), changes in your skin and hair in winter are actually due to lower levels of humidity, leading to dehydration – which can be reversed if you treat it with the right products.

The plus side? The solutions don’t have to be medical, they won’t break your bank, and can easily be found in a high street beauty store. So, breath a sigh of relief, and read on to save your hair and skin this Winter.

Butter moisturisers. Creamier products will apply deeper moisture to the skin, but can often block pores and lead to outbreaks during summer months. However, during Winter they can help your skin recover after periods of exposure to cold weather, by protecting your skin with additional hydration. Try Body Shop’s Cocoa Butter range for great results, as well as a great smell. If you don’t want to wear a heavier moisturiser during the day, save your skin whilst you snooze with a night cream. They are traditionally ‘creamier’ (no, really?!) and can help your skin without blocking pores during the day. A personal favourite is Boot’s No7 Restore and Renew Night Cream. It’s normally a bit pricey, but it’s currently on 3 for 2 in Boots!

Leave in conditioners. It’s hard to get out of bed as it is, without throwing dark Monday mornings in to the mix. Seriously, who decided that was ok?! When you’re rushing to get out of the house, and a quick blow dry and straighten will just have to do. This, coupled with icy wind and pollution aren’t great for your ‘do, so it’s a great idea to chuck a leave in conditioner into your shower routine. Try Lee Staffords Argan Oil Deep Nourishing Treatment. Leave it in for 5-10mins, or my trick is sleeping in it over night and washing it out the next morning. Now, it’s an understatement to say ‘I sometimes dye my hair’, so I use this regularly, but my friends with natural hair colours love this in Winter. Maybe try adding a small wash of your normal conditioner, just on the tips if you want an extra rinse with a fresher smell in the morning.

Lip balm. Sleep in it! It might seem massively obvious, but applying it and then having 40 winks means you wake up with smooth lips and less cracks. You don’t even need to invest in a new product, just continue using your favourites! Another tip is to drink more water than normal. 2litres a day is the national suggested average, it’s not a guideline for everyone. For example, toddlers don’t need that much, and 6ft7″ rugby players will need more. Just add an extra glass or two to keep chapped lips and dry skin at bay. You’ll thank me later

Do you use anything else to keep rubbish winter skin at bay? Is there anything you think I should’ve added, or any tips you want to share? Feel free to share them below in the comments, or tweet me with your tips.

Find me on Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin’

Happy blogmas!

Alice x

App: Beautylish

Hi!

I’ve just been looking for new apps (I use an iPhone) and came across a great app I think you’re gonna love!

Beautylish have a fantastic app with loads of great tips on how to make the most of your make up, nail art, hair style…

And…the app i free! (I downloaded it today – 2nd September 2012)
Just search ‘Beautylish’ to find it. They don’t have apps available for other platforms yet, but they do have Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook 🙂

Happy downloading!

A x

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Image taken from Beautylish website.