Bloggers Hangout Fashion Week | My Modelling Debut.

Morning. 

Happy Easter Weekend y'all (that's if you celebrate it and all that). 

It's taken me all freaking day to take and edit pictures for this post so I hope you all like it. :) 

Monday just gone was the Bloggers Hangout Fashion Week Event in Shoreditch, London. I had only gone down there last month for another one of their events and I wasn't actually going to attend this one (saving money, as you know). However, I had a tweet from Da Silva London saying that I was modelling for them in their runway show. 

I was literally SO excited and then I got the email to confirm I was booked as a model for 4 brands on the night event. The pang of anxiety then hit me because I had agreed and then realised "crap, I am not a model and I have never modelled in my life". 

At the moment I am trying to do things to push my anxiety out of the way and I never let it get in the way. Granted I get REALLY nervous before I do a lot of things but I just breathe and carry on. 

Okay, so I was watching YouTube vids of Kendall Jenner on the runway so I could try and master the 'model strut', walk up and down in the biggest heels ever to ensure I wouldn't fall on the night and then suddenly the day came around so quickly. 

It's a 7 hour round trip for me, so Papa Hutt took me and Brother Hutt came along to take my pics for me as I couldn't obviously take them myself. 

I arrive and I go into the back room to be greeted by the other models, now this is what caused me to panic. I thought the other girls were blogger's like me. Nope, they were all professional models, who had done that kind of thing before and I was clueless. I really started to doubt myself but they were all bloody lovely and took me under their wing. Really nice girls. 

We each had to wear 2-3 outfits for each brand and it is literally how you see it on the TV, you put the first outfit on, strut your stuff and then rush back in undressing as you go, to meet an army of people to get you into the next outfit before your back on in a matter of seconds. Forget dignity, everything is out, bums, boobs, vajayjay's and to be honest it didn't bother me at all. I actually really enjoyed myself, as soon as I walked once (and didn't fall I may add) I was fine, you don't have time to worry. You do your thang and move on. I had a couple of people say to me that they didn't realise I wasn't a model and seemed natural up there. To me, I felt like I was walking like John Wayne with a constipated face. :D Apparently not. Phewwww. 

I loved this outfit by Sarvin <3 font="">

Unfortunately for me, I didn't have chance to show my brother how to adjust the lighting settings on my DSLR so 90% of my photo's were blur. :( I tried to salvage what I could and some more are being sent over on Monday, so if they are nice I will post them to my social media outlets. 

The Brands I modelled were, Da Silva London, Jones & Jones, Sarvin & Xsazia. 

I LOVED Jones & Jone's dresses a lot!! 

Completely channelled my inner Kendall Jenner. Ha. 

 I wore some awesome clothes, the massive dresses at the end of the runway show were a little too big for me but I worked it.

I did say I wouldn't do it again but now I have done it and know what to expect, I really would do it again. It was so fun. I felt privileged to be asked. 

These events are always amazing and one of the best. I love travelling to this one as you always meet amazing brands and bloggers. 

Because I was in the show from 6.45 pm to around 8.30 pm I didn't have much time to get round all of the brands. Obviously I am a blogger so needed to speak to some of them before I left. I had a massive goody bag from the fashion show, and left with some other cool bits from the brands. 

I am also being sent something from Jones & Jones (one of the brands I modelled for) their clothing is GORGEOUS, you need to check them out. And I am being sent a gel nail kit from United Beauty. I am so excited for those. 

 I apologise now for the lengthy post, but it's mainly pictures so I am hoping it's not too painful for you. 

Now to the bit that most people want to know...

What beautiful things did I take home with me? 

Lets GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

 I got so much freaking cool stuff!! Some of it I didn't have a clue about because it was in the massive bag I was given at the end of the runway show. 

And I didn't even get round to seeing some of the other brands. 

Lucky. :) 

Stvdio5 are a "London based company that produce 100% vegan beauty products. They are cruelty free, eco-friendly and completely British sourced". I had this in my goody bag and they smell amazing and look so damn freaking cute. You know me I love anything that doesn't harm animals, so I can't wait to use these. 

I have heard about TTMasks before and I had these beauties in my bag too. I have never used them at all as I rarely use beauty masks. These sound so cool though as they are eye masks. They use new bio technology to ensure you have the best results possible and are definitely a luxury item.   

I actually met the lady at the Thumbs Up Nails stand and she was lovely, she did a demonstration within seconds on one of my nails whilst I was there and I really liked the results. They sell nail wraps and not just any nails wraps, super funky ones. They have a wide range of designs as well as finishes. They gifted me the above and I can't wait to try them. I have bought wraps before and have never worked. The demo is still on my nail as I type. 

Another brand within my goody bag was Leighton Denny's range. Now I thought the brand was called 'Light and Dark' which it is not. I have never heard of this brand before but I was shocked at whar I was gifted. The perfume is literally to die for, it has masculine over tone but a feminine undertone. If that makes sense. I also received some instant tan and a lipstick & gloss. And I have just looked and the perfume itself is over £40. :O - Thank you very much. 

The lovely owner of Purepotions actually sent me these through the post as they were one of the brands I missed seeing. Her brand is 100% natural and is that great it can be used on babies. She does different sets to suit different needs. I chose the one for dry skin and these products are great for really dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis. It's going to come in really handy. Thank you so much.    

I met the lovely lady at this stand too and she gave me and my brother a taster of this drink. It was really nice. I hadn't drank anything all day (naughty) and I was SO thirsty, I tried the 'Red Berry' flavour ad it was so nice. I am not a fan of peach and grapefruit so I will give this to my brother, Zeo prides itself on being 98% natural spring water, infused with naturally extracted fruits and botanicals. Basically it's way better for you than most of the other drinks out there. I like this drink a lot. 

I have met with Berrywhite before at one of these events and I love their drinks, this one is my favourite, they are an organic drink brand. I find 99.9% of the time at these events the only brands present are those who are natural, animal friendly and body helpful, try them out guys!  

Ioma. I have never heard of this brand before and this was also in my bag, they are a French company that specialise in skincare that is actually tailored to your own skin. Obviously this sample isn't but they sound really interesting and I would like to see what this product is like. 

I think most people have heard of L.A.B2, I have but never tried them. They are a beauty company who aims to provide MUA's high quality products at an affordable price. Their brushes are synthetic but of high quality which means "yay" no animal testing and contain the Fibreluxe technology which gives you "flawless, professional results". The girl I spoke to was really nice and informative and she offered me either the face or eye kit to try. Obviously I went for the eyes as that's what I like experimenting with. I got these other two products too. I am really grateful for these gifts. 

Everyone has heard of Sensationail they are an awesome beauty brand for all you nail fanatics out there. I have their gel kit as I asked my brother to get it me a couple of Christmases ago. Their brand provides you with salon worthy nails from the comfort of your own home. They were at the event and I spoke to the same girl at L.A.B2 about their new 'polish to gel transformer'. I only needed this product as I have the lamp but they were actually gifting the whole kit with the lamp too which was really generous. I cannot wait to try this and see the results!! Again thank you for this lovelies.  

I stopped by Dolly's Bling Shop because it caught my eye. It was full of silver jewellery and it was these rings that grabbed my attention, they are so god damn cute and there was loads of different charms. I couldn't decided between the two and the lovely lady let me have both. I can't find their website for me to link you but I did read on the card that their jewellery is sterling silver. If so, I am actually even more in love as that's all I wear. They are super cute and unique. LOVE. 

I stopped by Paul Mitchell on my way out as I do love hair product and experimenting. They are a salon brand so you can only get these products at your nearest stockist. I was gifted these products to try out and they sound amazing. They obviously knew I needed the extra-body products. ;) 

I have heard of 'skin food' but not the brand Weleda but the lady was super nice and gifted me and my brother these creams, they smell amazing and have such a nice formula that will for sure defeat dry skin. They are another vegan brand with an 'earthy' vibe. I like this vibe.  

Jurlique's Rose Body Oil was also another in my bag. I have never tried their products but I smelt this and it actually smelt like I was in a garden full of roses. A true rose scent. Their ingredients are produced on their farm which is certified biodynamic, where they work in tangent with nature and the environment. I am loving that this product is environment and nature friendly. It makes it even more appealing.  

Bravura London are another company that don't test on animals. Love it. I haven't tried these yet but they claim to provide "excellent quality products at lower prices". These products contain Hyaluronic Acid which helps skin stay hydrated. Good shout. 

YAS, another non-animal testing product. These look awesome. I love skincare products at the moment and I cannot wait to try these either. Mono are a natural skincare range, there are no damaging chemicals, perfumes or synthetic colours. 

 I have never heard of this brand but they are a tanning company and currently I am loving a bit of fake tan. 

LDN: Skins "combines elite professional salon treatments with easy home-use products". They claim a streak free tan. I am so going to test this theory. 

AND... 

That's the end of my very long post. All links to brands are on their names and I will be doing a separate post on the Jones & Jones & United Beauty gifts when they arrive so keep a look out. 

I hope my mini first impressions intrigue you into checking all of these brands out because they all seem amazing. I can't wait to try it all out. 

Now I need some sleep as it's 02.47 and I cannot stay awake any longer.

Dedication. :) 

P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to my blog on Bloglovin'. 

Love

L 

X 

   

Damaged Hair | 10 Hair Care Tips To Get Healthier Locks.

"Hello... It's me... I've been wondering if after all these years, my hair would grow to my feet".

The answer to that is simply a no. 

"why is that" you ask? 

The only logical answer to that is, if you have damaged hair it's going to take a while to fix it, before you even think of it growing longer.  

Sounds like a horror story right? Have no fear though because I am here to help you lovely lot on how you can transform your damaged locks to healthy strands of goodness that will grow before your eyes. 

I talk from experience and this is why I am writing this post to help those who have over processed their hair either through, heat damage, colour damage and the dreaded back-combing. 

I have done it all, bleached the hell out of hair, full on blasted it with a lot of heat that could rival the sun and back-combed my hair to an inch of its life. All these things are super bad for your tresses and if you think about it, deep down you KNOW it's bad news but we all still do it. 

I have worked at hairdressers for many years and I have learnt A LOT about hair, I have learnt my lessons and I have advised others. 

Blonde hair especially needs extra care when it comes to keeping it in healthy condition due to the bleach/peroxide being used and brunettes... Well you can see damage easily - particularly split ends.  

I had my hair stripped a year ago, it was almost black in colour and to lift it I needed a bleach bath (hardcore) full head of highlights & tint... And then the worst was yet to come. 8 Inches off my hair. 

I was almost sick in my mouth, my hair disintegrated in the foils and I had to have a lot cut off. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Since that day I have taken my own advice to look after my hair properly, to let it grow healthier and longer. 

I do not want to experience that again. 

So, if you are like me and want longer hair, follow my tips and you will be on your way to permanently removing those extensions. 



Tip 1: Use The Correct Shampoo & Conditioner.
 

It is really important to use the correct shampoo and conditioner (separate bottles not a 2 in 1) for your hair type. Obviously you are reading this so your hair is currently damaged in some form or another. You need to cater to this. I am currently using the Garnier Ultimate Blends 'Honey Treasures' Shampoo & their 'Nourishing Repairer' Conditioner. These are specifically for those who have dry, damaged or brittle hair. 

Do not wash daily as it strips your hair and scalp of essential natural oils. It causes more harm than good. 

The importance of getting this basic step correct is ten fold because these types of shampoo and conditioner's will be adding and replacing essential nutrients, proteins & repairing the hair shaft. This in turn helps prevent those ghastly split ends which causes the hair to snap and lose length.

Tip 2: Coconut Oil. 

This is one of the most inexpensive items you can buy that is super good for your hair. You can also use coconut oil for your skin, cooking and teeth. It's multi beneficial. 

It stimulate hair growth especially if you massage your scalp too as it increases the blood circulation to the hair follicles. Coconut oil also promotes a healthy scalp, it also helps prevent split ends & breakage which as mentioned before contributes to hair length.  

With this product, I store it in the fridge to ensure that it doesn't go all weird in the heat. It's easy as hell to use. Scrape out an amount onto your hands, rub around until the solid has turned into an oil and then deposit on to the roots, length and ends. 

Done and dusted, kippers and custard. :) 

TIP 3: Lay Off The Heat Tools.

It's in the bible of hair care that using heat tools on your strands is going to fry them to an inch of their lives. Some of us gals' will use a hair dryer, straighteners and curlers on our hair in one go. 

STOP FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. 

Leave your hair alone, lay off the straighteners and curlers, they are killing your hair. Don't forget the length and ends are actually dead so applying heat is going to make it brittle and snap off.   

If you are wanting healthier looking hair which actually grows this is main tip that I would give you because if you cut down or stop completely your hair will grow. 

I haven't used hardly any heat on my hair bar a hair dryer now and then, for over a year and my hair has grown loads and feels great. 

TIP 4: Don't Back Comb Your Hair Or Brush When Wet.

 I used to back comb the crap out of my hair when it was bleached and it all snapped off and fell out. 

As a general rule, back combing your hair is really damaging. I mean you are forcing the hair shaft backwards creating breaks in the strands which again encourages it to snap and break. 

Equally DO NOT use a brush to get your knots out of your wet hair. Use a wide tooth comb to untangle as it is less likely to snag and pull your hair. Hair is fragile when it's wet, remember that. 

TIP 5: Use Hair Products That Protect and Promote Growth.

The products that you put in your hair can really aid growth, such as oils and heat protection spray. 

I SWEAR by Moroccan Oil and use it every time I wash my hair before I dry it. 

I find that if you have fine hair but a lot of it and it just goes limp after a while, using a product to increase volume will sort that issue for you. DO NOT BACK COMB!!!

A must have to help your damaged hair is to use a heat protection spray before blow drying and also afterwards if you do have to use straighteners. 

You can see the products I use in the pics above. 

TIP 6: Blow Dry Your Hair Upside Down. 

By blow drying your hair upside down, not only does it help create volume in your hair but it also brings the blood rushing to your scalp which again aids growth. I also find that by massaging your hair again whilst doing this really helps with the lengthening process. 

TIP 7: Don't Always Wear Your Hair Tied the Same Way.

If your hair is particularly damaged you would think that by tying your hair up would benefit you growth wise. 

It actually doesn't. 

If you tie your hair up in the same way every day, the area that the hair band is sitting on will eventually break the hair strands underneath as it's under continual stress. 

The same goes for tight plaits, hair extensions and wearing your parting the same way every day. 

The more stress the hair is under the less likely it will grow. Switch your style up. 

TIP 8: Regular Trims.

  

I hate it when my hairdresser tells me that I need to have my hair cut. It makes me want to vom violently. Ha. 

So what I do now is actually trim it myself. PLEASE NOTE - if you are a very young reader, DO NOT & I repeat DO NOT CUT YOUR OWN HAIR!! 

I trim it because I roughly know what I am doing and I can control how much I cut off. I haven't had my hair cut professionally for over a year now and I just trim the ends and the split ends if any. 

By getting regular trims (which I will be doing when I get a job) cuts off the dead ends, split ends and allows your hair to grow in a fuller, healthier state. 

Having a blunt cut helps too. Just a side note.  

TIP 9: Sort Your Diet Out. 

Eating the right foods will provide your body with a great lot of vitamins and minerals that will help promote hair growth. If you find that your skin is looking gross, your nails are breaking and your hair is snapping off it could be aided by your diet. I know because this has happened to me. 

If you are lacking, take some multivitamins daily to boost your system and make you feel more human. 

Foods that help your hair grow can be; Nuts, Olives, Eggs, Salmon, Seeds, Sweet Potatoes & Avocado. 

Tip 10: Don't Dry Your Hair With a Towel. 

I have learnt never to towel dry your hair, it's just as bad as back combing it when it's wet. 

It rubs the hair up the wrong way, encourages knots and contributes to breakage. This happens because the hair gets caught in the woven fibres. Try using a silky fabric instead (as told by a fellow blogger, great tip) or even better let it dry naturally. 

These tips are fool proof, easy to conduct and fail safe. My hair is in a lot better condition now and it's growing. Remember there is no miracle cure but these tips will ensure that your hair will grow healthier, less prone to breaking and as a result you will see positive movements. 

Love 

L 

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