How Pinteresting!

I’m sending my sincerest apologies for not having posted sooner! There is no excuse apart from the obligatory ‘didn’t have time’ ‘couldn’t find a minute’ I didn’t start a blog to then ignore it. Everyday that I don’t write a post I feel a bit of guilt rushing through my non-typing fingertips. So to apologize, I’m going to impart to you a little discovery, which has the potential to change your web life for the foreseeable future.

Pinterest.com, Pinterest is a virtual pin board where you can find inspiration or collate your findings. Many people use Pinterest to plan home interiors, weddings, find their personal style, keep recipes or even create travel logs. Pinterest is only limited by your own imagination.

I discovered Pinterest just before Christmas after I got engaged and have decided to create a wedding ideas board and a wedding dress board, thus creating a visual mood board of what I envisage the big day could/will/may look like. It has proved to actually be very inspiring and I hope enable to me to add those devilish details and hidden touches to the big day. It has also helped me get across my ideas for my BF to relate to, otherwise, if I were to say I want pink and my theme colour, he’ll see Barbie, whereas I mean soft, antique pink and cream lace. Get it?

Wedding Ideas Pin board

As I mentioned Pinterest is also great for those looking for style inspiration or even beauty ideas. Pinterest is split into a number of subject categories, such as arts, fashion, travel, lifestyle, photography, craft etc. etc. so if you want to search nail colour trends SS12 it will come up with a plethora of images under that category.

Travel Pin board

How does it work - you can upload your own images onto Pinterest through your computer or you can Repin other peoples images. If you are a Facebook user its very similar to tagging yourself into someone’s photo and you can actually like someone’s images. You can also follow other peoples pin boards too, so you are updates on their images selections automatically.

Please, please, please, please take a look at Pinterest.com, you will not regret it, well you might as you may find yourself losing hours to it, but trust me it is worth it.

If you want to take a look at my Pinterest you can find me at AshleyVanBaalen Happy Pinning!

Ax

MOA – The Green Balm

Ever needed a cream that would do everything from moisturize, soothe sore, cracked skin, hydrate lips, soften cuticles and treat psoriasis or cold sores? Well at last, someone has made one and it works!

Crammed with organic yarrow and lots of other lovely, natural stuff; this handy little pot of Móa balm has many weird and wonderful uses.

Móa is a natural skin care balm with miraculous healing powers to soothe, nourish and renew dry, itchy skin conditions, bumps, bites, grazes and minor burns. Móa even works wonders after shaving and as a facial cleansing balm.

Móa contains 100% natural and organic herbs. Each pot of Móa The Green Balm is crammed with organic Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) a herb renowned for its nourishing and healing properties. Combined with tea tree oil, nature's powerful antiseptic, yarrow creates a miraculous healing synergy with endless therapeutic properties. Finally beeswax, coconut, sweet almond and soya bean oils help to soften, nourish and protect the skin, so you will be soft as a baby's bottom!

Móa has a magnitude of uses including...

• Soothe dry and itchy skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
• Treat cold sores and chapped lips
• Apply to sore, red nostrils when you have the sniffles
• Mix with a little hot water and gargle to soothe a sore throat
• Calm sun-burnt or weathered skin ailments; even mild frostbite, so they say
• Help heal minor cuts, sores, bruises and burns
• Use on minor burns from the camp fire
• Use on rope burns and blisters and avoid scarring
• Zap those pesky insect bites and stings
• Use between the toes to help combat athlete's foot; it's a ramblers dream-cream!

 

Móa has many beautifying remedies too; ideal for taking on holidays and festivals when space is precious.

• Calm inflamed skin after shaving, waxing or threading
• Condition eyelashes and help them grow longer; apply moa everyday!
• Help fade stretch marks after pregnancy
• Soothe your new tattoos or piercings, whilst avoiding infection with anti-bacterial tea-tree
• Moisturise and nourish dry hands, nails and cuticles
• Revive dry ends; apply before shampooing
• Soften dry bits like knees, elbows, feet and heels
• Rub it into dandruff and leave overnight before shampooing
• Magic at removing eye-make-up; safe to use around the eyes
• Kiss goodbye to the dreaded coldsore

You have got to try the Móa cleansing ritual; give your skin a balancing deep cleanse‚ it's a bit like treating yourself to a daily facial!

• Take a small amount of moa and melt it between the fingertips to create an oil
• Smear the oil over your eye make-up, smudging it away from the eyes
• Massage your face with a little more moa to encourage better lymph circulation and tone the facial muscles
• Dip a cotton face cloth in hot water (not too hot), wring it out, and press it to your face; steaming away the oil, along with all the grime and impurities, whilst sealing in the essential oil goodness
• Finish off with a cold compress to tone and close the pores. Coo err!

I adore this tub of goodness, i hate carrying a hand cream, a lip balm, a cuticle oil, a coldsore cream, etc, etc, etc, so this is literally my new go-to beauty all rounder!

Ax

Foamless Cleansing Conditioner - WEN

So over the past few weeks I have swapped my recent obsession for nails and nail colour for haircare. And this new hair care range WEN is a real mind bender! You may have read my previous post on WEN Volumizing Treatment Spray. WEN has been developed by top US stylist Chaz Dean, and is a unique hair care system consisting of a single step cleansing conditioner that cleanses and conditioners your hair simultaneously; sound weird? Let me explain more…

The cleansers are made from a blend of herbs, botanicals and provitamin B.  Uniquely, WEN doesn’t lather but creates a smooth foam when mixed with water. Still sounds weird? Here’s a bit more…

Chaz Dean created WEN following his belief that some shampoos can be harmful to hair. The concept of not using regular shampoo is something Dean began to implement in 1993 and now, no longer uses ordinary shampoo on himself, or his clients.

WEN Haircare

WEN has been designed to gently cleanse and moisturise your hair, leaving it with more sheen, lustre, moisture and better colour retention.  OK, so now it’s time for me to try it. The concept to me is still rather odd. I have a short bob, and my hair is fine and blonde so will look dirty or greasy if I simply step outside for 5 minutes, so I was very dubious to even try this product. I decided to give it a whirl on a weekend where I didn’t have plans to go out or do anything glam in case my hair ends up looking like a ropey mop end.

BUT I wasn’t being fair; this system was quite a pleasure. It saved me time, as I didn’t have to go through a ‘wash, rinse and repeat’ process followed by conditioner. The range smells very invigorating and quite herbal, but not in a stuffy way, more uplifting. So in all I was happy with the end result, but as some one who pretty much feels manky and dirty if I don’t wash my hair at least once in 24 hours, I think WEN would be best suit to those who can go a few days without washing their hair. In fact, this system would be ideal for K, whose hair seems to look better the longer she doesn’t wash it for! (I’m utterly jealous of that fact!).

Ax

Beever Haircare – another big hair review

Beever is a salon styling range created by stylists and hairdressers and developed through trial and error. Steve Beever who has been working in the hairdressing industry since he was 16 founded Beever. He and his team of developers use the products in salons daily to make sure each product is just right for us, the amateur to use with ease to create our favorite looks.

I have been using the Sculpting Lotion, which is a bit of an all rounder. Designed for all hair types this product offers medium to strong hold, enabling you to create the looks you really want, that last. Sculpting Lotion is great for creating the on trend wet look by applying 5-6 pumps to dry hair, and combing hair into place. Your wet look with shine and look positively chic and slick.

I have been using Sculpting Lotion for the volume benefits. As you may have read previously, I am a big fan of big hair. I thoroughly believe in the saying ‘the higher the hair, the closer to God’. So I have been using 1–2 pumps on wet hair and then blow drying my style with a large round barrel brush to really help lift the root. The results have been very impressive. I was rather apprehensive as to how this product would work, as the formula is like an oily serum and from past experience, you don’t put those types of products on fine hair, any hair even if you are looking for volume. However, this is actually so light in formulation that it simply blows out. Leaving your hair feeling soft, manageable, and big!

Beever Sculpting Lotion

The product is a please to use and smells lovely, I would highly recommend trying the Sculpting Lotion.  Also, the packaging is quite cool too! I’m a sucker for design and the Beever range is a winner.

Ax

Beautiful long lashes at your fingertips!

Long, thick, luscious eyelashes are every girl’s dream – and although false eyelashes are a great solution, it’s not always ideal to have to apply them everyday.  Firstly, it can damage your eyelashes, and secondly, if you’re anything like me, you just don’t have time in the morning.

Well you can imagine my delight when I discovered an alternative to false eyelashes; Jica Lash Extension Treatment.

Jica Lash Extension is made up of natural lash fibres which add length, thickness and beauty to your lashes. This exclusive treatment gives the illusion of long, strong voluminous lashes instantly.  You only need to use a small amount so it should last you quite a while.

 
Application could not be easier;

• Apply mascara to lashes.
• Whilst the mascara is still wet, apply lash fibres with a rolling motion of the brush.
• Apply a second coat of mascara to complete

And just to ensure my lashes are perfect, I always curl my lashes before applying the first layer of mascara.

So have fabulous eyelashes everyday of the week!

K x

SUPER Skin At Last!

Confession time! I have been absolutely awful with my skin over the last few months and it has really started to show. Breakouts, dry patches, fine lines, and general sensitivity has arisen. I am in absolute turmoil! I have no excuse at all apart from firstly, being a bit lazy and secondly, I have an oily t-zone so in my head, do not need to moisturise. BIG MISTAKE!! Something needed to be fixed and fast.

You may have read my previous post on the new brand from the US, SUPER by Dr Nicholas Perricone and thought I would give some of their products a go. I decided to try O-Mega Moisture (based on the powerful properties of Chia seeds) and 3 Minute-Facial (based on ginger to help stimulate the skin).

O-Mega Moisture, based on the Superfood of Chia, this light and deeply hydrating cream helps restore and replenish the skin. O-Mega Moisture mimics the skin’s natural lipids to keep moisture in and toxins out. This anti-oxidant packed cream absorbs quickly to leave skin feeling calm and dewy.

FEATURES AND KEY NUTRIENTS

Chia, containing unparalleled levels of omega-3, is a water-loving seed that helps the skin retain moisture while delivering essential nutrients and antioxidants.

 

Shea Butter moisturizes and helps skin retain elasticity while protecting against and repairing degeneration.

DMAE lifts, tones and firms skin instantly.
 

Squalane, an unhydrogenated oil from olives, mimics skin’s lipids to create a protective, moisture-retaining barrier that feel natural and does not congest pores.

O-Mega Moisture

3 Minute-Facial as I mentioned is based on ginger, and is a thick and highly moistursing mask, that helps brighten the skin, giving it a healthy glow, while nourishing the skins cells.

 

FEATURES AND KEY NUTRIENTS

Ginger Root Extract, the warming, stimulating constituent found in the golden root increases circulation for healthy glowing skin.

Capsicum Frutescens Extract, the protective antioxidant found in hot peppers, act as a topical astringent, revealing radiant, luminous skin

Phosphatidylcholine encourages rapid penetration of key nutrients while nourishing and softening the skin.

Mineral Complex, including zinc, magnesium and copper, increases cellular energy and helps tighten and firm the skin.

3 Minute-Facial

I have been using O-Mega Moisture for a few weeks now, morning and night and 3 –Minute Facial every other evening as a pick-me-up. So far, I have seen a huge difference in my skin. It is much more hydrated and less sensitive. My complexion looks clearer and does not feel tight, even after washing my face and before applying more products. I prefer using the 3 Minute-Facial out of the two, it gives quite a strange sensation on the skin while it is working its magic and after your skin feels zingy!

 

I highly recommend giving this range a go, available from Boots or www.getsuper.co.uk this range will not only leave you feeling and looking amazing, it also looks rather flash sitting on your bathroom shelf!

Ax