Hair blah

Coconut and almond intensive hair mask, Boots Ingredients.

£1.99 for 350ml

Currently on offer buy 1 get 2nd ingredients product half price
Available at Boots





Background: I have been feeling a bit blah about my hair recently. It is at that annoying stage between long and short and seems awfully boring and dull at the minute. I have been going through my products trying to find something to give it a little lift. Nothing seems to be working and it was getting weighted down with product.  Yesterday I decided to take action and bought myself some scissors (for the fringe) and some Kerastase products to give it a little boost. They are on their way to me as we speak, care of Royal Mail.

Now, today is Friday and is my lazy day before a hectic weekend, so I decided to take a bath – normally I’m a shower girl so a bath is my treat – and read a book. While I was in the bath I spotted my conditioning mask amidst all my products and decided I may as well use it. I don’t often use it as I can’t be bothered waiting around to rinse it out, 5 mins is a long time in a shower.

So today I plonked a generous helping into my hair, and read a few more pages. After what I guessed to be around 10 minutes, I rinsed it out, and happily went off to dry my silky soft hair.

So what is it like? It is a thick, creamy white product and distinctively smells of coconut. This is my favourite scent, although other scents/hair types are available. This one is for normal to dry hair. It feels very rich and nourishing when you apply it. I also really like the container as you can scoop your hand in and get out the right amount of product. I am now almost regretting spending nearly £40 on hair stuff yesterday. My hair is soft, silky and shiny, it is full of volume after my blow dry and the colour looks gorgeous. This product has really lifted my hair spirits and I feel really great.

That’s the thing about my hair, it really affects my mood and confidence if I don’t feel happy with it. Today I feel great and bubbly. Back to my usual self.

Saying that I will be pleased to try the Kerastase. I have never used any of their products before and I can’t wait to see what they are like. I am hoping they give some strength to my hair as well as making it look good. I will let you know! Likewise, I will probably be trying the rest of the Ingredients line from Boots as I am so happy with the results of this conditioner.

What do you think? Are expensive hair products worth it, or do you prefer drugstore?

K x

Water Marbled Nails

Today I decided I would attempt at water marbling on my nails. I had never tried this before, but there is a first time for everything, and with nothing else happening today I thought it would fill up some time. The look I was going for was "romantic swirls" using pinks for a Valentines theme. To do this I used several different colours, a bowl of water and a cocktail stick (also plenty of nail polish remover and cotton wool).

Each nail looks different and it is hard to believe the same colours were used for some of them. Take a look and the finished result.

I really like the effect that is given from this technique. I especially like the variety of looks you can create depending on the colours you use, and in what order you use them. How you swirl the polish, and also where you place the nail in the pattern also affects the result you get. No look is ever the same.

I am going to attempt a few more of these as before I show you, as with each nail I did I picked up little things that helped make it easier. I will make a tips and technique video soon.

Have you ever tried water marbling? What is your favourite colour combination?

K x

The Cheryl hat!

I don’t know if anyone saw the hat Cheryl Cole was sporting over the winter with a HUGE “bobble” on the top. It was so ridiculous I wanted it. I think it was around £70. Whilst I considered this cheap for Cheryl, I wasn’t prepared to pay that. I considered trying to make my own, but that never happened.
Well, I found this yesterday on BooHoo. It is the perfect substitute at only £5.

There are some gorgeous things on the site and I am trying my hardest to resist *must save money*. Haha what are the chances of that.
K x

I ♥ the Postie

Today was a good post day! Today I got a nice little package from Amazon. I had a £15 voucher so decided to pick up a few things.

I ordered 3 books all together but one is not released until February. The two I got today are The Handmade Soap Book, and Cath Kidston’s Sew.

I have been wanting to make my own soaps for a while. I love trying out new things so I thought I would give this book a go. Apparently it is written by a lady from Wales, so hopefully it will be more relevant than the mass market US ones. The Cath Kidston book i saw on a blog and thought it sounded interesting so I figured I may as well pick it up.

I also got this today, a new iPhone.

I’ve been waiting for 3 days as there was a mess up somewhere with them sending it out, but here it is at last! =)

I’m going to have a read/ play around and I’ll let you know what I think of them.

Today was a good day for me! I love getting things in the post it really brightens up my day.

How was your day?

K x

Recipe of the week: Creamy chicken bake

This is a weightwatchers recipe taken from a book of family meals, WeightWatchers Cook Smart Family Food. I picked this up for £2.50 in Tesco at the end of December.

It has some delicious looking recipe’s in and they are all really balanced and can’t wait to try most of them. Sometimes I struggle to make really balanced healthy meals when cooking for one person, but I think for most of the recipe’s in this book my family will eat them too.
This was a really simple recipe, but it turned out to be really filling and tasty. I wish I had taken some pictures or recorded some while I was cooking but it just slipped my mind.

You need:
low fat cooking spray
300g diced chicken
2 courgettes,
175g fusilli pasta
600g passata with herbs (couldn't find this so I just added a few sprinkles of mixed herbs to the passata)
200g low fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs
100ml water

• The first thing I did for this recipe was chop the courgettes into slices and cook it in some fri-light cooking spray with the diced chicken. This should be cooked until the chicken browns (about 5 mins).
• Whilst this is happen the pasta should be cooked for 2 mins, and then drain.
• Add the passata and water to the chicken and courgette mix, and bring to the boil. Then remove from the heat.
• The soft cheese should then be mixed in along with the pasta.
• You can then place the mixture in an oven proof dish. Cover the dish and place it in the oven for about 45mins.

picture taken from the book

Such a simple dish, but so tasty. I do wish the tomato flavour had been a little stronger, and so next time I might add a little tomato puree.
I was a little worried about cooking this after setting fire to my crumpets earlier in the week but I am pleased to say this recipe turned out to be fire free.
So that was my recipe of the week (w/e 17/01/09). There will definitely be more from this Weightwatchers cook book.
Did you try anything new this week?
K x
Note: you can find my recipe of the week posts over at Katie*Could*Cook

SparkleSpots

I did this nail art using China Glaze Liquid Leather and For Audrey,
and Disco Polish by Eyeko

Buy eyeko from www.eyeko.com
use ambassador code E6706 for free delivery and a free gift
I buy my China Glaze from Ebay

K xx

My 2010 to-do list

Some things I’d like to get done in 2010. This is likely to be quite long, at the end of the year lets see how much of this I’ve accomplished.

♥ Make a batch of soap, bathbombs, and some creams

♥ make 1 new recipe a week (I’ll blog about these to prove it, 52 by the end of the year then?)

♥ Become crafty – learn to knit, crochet and sew

♥ Make a blanket or 2 – crochet/patchwork etc.

♥ Have a holiday

♥ Decorate my room

♥ Read the books on my bookshelf

♥ Buy a Macbook (or at least a new laptop)

♥ Loose a few lbs (goal is to be 8st7)

♥ Get a new job

♥ Enrol on some courses at open university

♥ Learn how to wax and manicure

♥ Take my tablets regularly (eek I’ll try)

♥ Wii Fit Everyday… starting NOW ☻

This year is going to be quite expensive, I’m going to love every minute though. Hope you’ll come along for the ride.

Link me up to your to-do lists, I’m ever so nosey.

K xx