The One? Tara Smith Working Curls Conditioner

Tara Smith Working Curls Conditioner 

When it comes to conditioners I've never really found The One, nor have I been loyal to any particular brand. I've always been on the search for a conditioner which checks all the boxes, leaves my hair frizz free, manageable, shinier and noticeably softer. I opted for the Tara Smith Working Curls Conditioner, this brand has intrigued me for a while as its vegan and free from 'nasties'. After doing some research I love the story behind this brand and their mission.  Most of the conditioners which I have tried which have been paraben and silicone free have never been anything special. However, this was different from the first wash. I noticed a change in my hair, but that can be said for most hair products you've used for the first time. So I continued to use this and continued to be impressed. My hair was noticeably softer, it was easier to comb through and tangles weren't so knotty. My hair is quite wavy and this product did a great job of keeping the waves without being frizzy. It basically made my hair sleeker than Chad Le Clos' butterfly finish. Did i really just compare a hair product to an Olympian? 

This is my second bottle of this conditioner and I have thoroughly tested it. I've tried it with different shampoos; different leave in products just to see if this was te product which made the difference to my hair. It definitely is! You can buy Tara Smith products from M&S beauty halls which are where I get mine. I'll most definitely be buying more from this brand as I've never been so impressed. Within the blogosphere I haven’t heard much about this brand, but I hope that changes very soon. The packaging is beautiful and stands in a display surrounded by boring white bottles. With all the boxes ticked, this might just be The One!?

Have you tried any Tara Smith products?

How I Stay Positive. Part 1

At the start of the month I wrote a post detailing ways in which I am making 2015 a positive year. I mentioned that I'm not the type of person who makes New Years Resolutions as I believe you don't have to wait for a new year to make a change. You can make a change at any time of your life. So during Autumn last year that's exactly what I did. I made a conscious effort to become more positive.

Isn't this just like real life Tumblr?

I mentioned in various blog posts last year that I was getting quite down, due to many factors but mainly through post graduation job rejection. To be honest I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I read various pieces of literature, spoke to different people and quickly realised that there are many things in life which we cannot control. We can however take control of our thoughts. I was the only person who could help myself. Now, deciding to be more positive is one of the easiest and most difficult changes to make. It's easy as you can quickly decide to do it, and don't really need much outside help as it comes from yourself. However, STAYING positive is a little harder. I really had to retrain my thought process. These are a few things I do to stay positive:

Gratitude.
Thankfulness, gratefulness and appreciation is a feeling of a benefit. No matter how big or small it can have a positive affect on your mood. When I think I have nothing to be thankful for I always go back to my breath. Start from your breath and build from there. I do this in the morning and it really helps my mood throughout the day.

Stop and Think
During work when things aren't going right or even if its just been a busy day. I stop what I'm doing and think for a few moments about how I'm feeling and what thoughts are going on in my mind. By doing so I am instantly aware, and it helps me stay on a positive track. We all lead busy lives and our thoughts can get away from us, just stop for a couple minutes, and think about whats going on in your mind.

Mental Cleansing
This goes hand in hand with the above. Much like how you detox from bad foods this is like a detox of a mind. Getting rid of any mind clutter. Social media plays a big part in mind clutter as we're often bombarded with information which may have a negative effect on our mind. I like to take 10 minutes out of the day to get rid of any thoughts or worries cluttering my mind. Usually mental cleansing takes place in the shower, I guess its the whole symbolic thing of bad thoughts being washed away?

These are a few things I do to stay positive, sometimes I find myself falling back into old ways of thinking. Then I remind myself that I have control of my thoughts and I begin to reprogram again.

How do you stay positive?

Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

It's no secret that I love a good toner. Since Caroline Hirons cleared up a few misconceptions regarding toners I've been hooked. The latest one I've been using is the Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner. Targeted at combination to oily skin I was instantly drawn to this product. I've only ever experienced fabulous things from Ren so I had high hopes for this product.

Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

Clarimatte is an alcohol free exfoliating toner. It does a swell job of removing dead skin cells revealing clearer and much softer skin. I've been using this a lot lately as the cold winter has left my skin looking a bit dull. It doesn't leave skin feeling tight and is very comfortable to use AM/PM. This product has done a good job of balancing my skin, by that I mean it has worked well with my oily t-zone and I notice my skin doesn't get as oily throughout the day. It has also worked well on getting rid of dry patches. The price is quite reasonable at £12 as I know a lot of brands can charge a ridiculous amount for a good exfoliating toner. Overall, another ace product by Ren that I highly recommend.

What's your favourite Ren product?

Nail Detox

Who was guilty of wearing glitter nail polish over Christmas? *raises hand* If you can't wear a little glitter over Christmas then when can you, hey? Glitter polish is so beautiful when on the nails but such a pain to take off! Especially as I'm someone who loves nail polish and can't have bare nails for too long. After a good year of nail polish lovin' and the stint of glitter over the festive season my nails were crying out for a detox.

The word 'detox' seems to be flying around everywhere at the moment. My nails began peeling and were crying out for some TLC. I decided after Christmas to not wear nail polish for a solid few weeks and restore my nails to their former health. That meant no New Years nail art and no subtle nude polishes. The products I used to help strengthen my nails were; Sally Hansen Cuticle and Nail Treatment, this is perfect for parched nails and the pen applicator is very convenient. Sally Hansen Nail Protex Strengthener which helps to strengthen nails and prevent further damage. The Dr Lewinns Renunail Ridge Filler, even though this is a ridge filler you can use it on its own as the avocado oil and vitamin E help hydrate nails.

After a few weeks my nails are definitely looking and feeling better. Now for the big question, which polish do I introduce to my nails first?

'Back' In Style?

Rucksacks, knapsacks, backpacks call them what you like but there's no escaping them right now. Not only are they practical (hello, both my hands are free), they're easy to wear, comfortable and oh so stylish. I've been on the hunt for the perfect backpack for months now and this one caught my eye for many reasons. Firstly, the size is ideal, not too big and not too small. Secondly, it was from TK Maxx so hello bargain! Lastly, and probably the most important is the way this back does up. The clip can be fastened at the top and the bottom either hiding or revealing the zip.

 This one is much more stylish than the purple Rugrats one I had as a kid.


Some stylish backpack inspiration.

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Rucksacks are most definitely back in style, will you be wearing one?

New Newbs - New Balance 620's

New Balance 620 

I finally caved and bought a pair of New Balance! I opted for the 620's and after searching high and low for a pair in black with no avail I eventually settled on a navy pair. I have to confess since these babies came into my life they have been my go-to footwear choice. I think the words "it's like walking on a cloud" came out of my mouth at one point. After following a lot of Scandinavian bloggers and admiring their effortless style I can see why these are so popular. The 620's are narrower and I had to go up in size so bear that in mind if you decide on a pair.

I'm going to ignore what Ryan Goslings character Jacob Palmer says and continue to wear my New Balance erry damn day.

5 Ways To Make 2015 Your Best Year

I'm not someone who makes new years resolutions. I feel you can make a change at any time throughout the year and don't need to wait till the start of January. Towards the end of 2014 I made a change in my life and I continue to take that with me throughout 2015.

1) Think Positive
In the latter months of last year I decided that I needed to change my thought process. I was very much a glass half empty person. Actually it was probably more like 'the glass is half empty so whats the point?' It came after a tough year full of rejection (the joys of being a graduate) and nothing going the right way. I was sick of feeling down and decided to take charge of my thoughts instead of them taking charge of me and how I was feeling. I will continue to take this with me through 2015. It's by no means easy but it's worth it.

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