A step-by-step on how I bleach my roots.

Hello everyone! So I'm pleased to be finally writing this post, as it was my main inspiration/motivation to get this blog up and running.

I think the sheer amount of people sharing their methods, tips and tricks is brilliant for those of us who are venturing into unknown territory when it comes to DIY bleaching; it can definitely pay off to read reviews from others when considering what products might work for you. Having said that, I know the products I use might not work for everybody, but currently they work for me :) 

Bearing in mind that I'm still new to DIY bleaching, I'm always on the lookout for different toners and I haven't looked for other bleaching products as for now the ones I'm using are working for me. Before I begin I have to say that I'm not, nor ever will be a trained hairdresser so if you don't feel confident to DIY please go to a professional! :)

Products used from L-R: Tint bowl and slim/wide tint brush, Wella Koleston Perfect Rich Naturals 10/8, Welloxon Perfect Pastel, Trulites RAPID BLUE Powder Bleach, Truzone Cream Peroxide 6% 20 Vol, hairclips, hairbands and gloves. Don't forget an extra pair of hands if you need some help and an old t-shirt! (optional)

Firstly, I made sure I had everything ready and set up before beginning, that way I didn't faff about whilst in the middle of putting the mixture on my hair! Also, I always leave my hair to get as greasy as possible before I bleach it, as the natural oils help to protect the hair as much as possible from potential damage. I mixed the powder and cream developer together using (quite strangely) a disposable fork! (Instructions call for 2 scoops of powder bleach & between 45ml-70ml of cream developer, depending on the consistency you like)

It may seem a bit strange, but by using a brush I always found it quite difficult to mix together. In comparison, the fork's sharp points helped to emulsify everything together and leave the mixture smooth instead of gritty. A bonus with using something disposable is you can obviously just throw it away after use :)

Next, I part my hair from ear to ear and tie the front part of my hair up. My mum always bleaches the back part of my hair as I always have trouble doing so, even when using a mirror to see. It's just more useful to have someone who can actually see what's going on back there!

As my hair tends to take more time to process at the back of my head, we completed the bleaching on that part first to give it a longer processing time. My mum is a fearful woman when it comes to helping me with my hair, so by doing the part of the hair which takes longest it gives her some extra time to put it on and also helps me out in the long run!

By the time she had finished it, you can see just how much it lightened already! This is why I would recommend this brand of bleach, purely because of the amount of lift it gives in a short amount of time :) Taking into account that I use a 20 vol developer, I think it is pretty impressive.

I tend to go from R-L when doing the front section, firstly sectioning down the middle and tying a side off. Then, using the tip of the tint brush, taking 1cm-1inch sections and coating them with the mixture. After completing one side, I then untied the other and used the same technique. Once I had finished it looked something like this, and again you can see the difference in development from completing the first half to the next :)

I left this on for about 90 minutes altogether (from the start of bleaching to the time of washing everything off), by this point it had reached a pale yellow colour which is what I was looking for. I didn't want it to be too brassy in case the toner couldn't neutralise it completely. As processing time is completely dependent on the natural colour of your hair, just keep checking how your hair is getting on by scraping off some of the mixture to expose the hair underneath, and then you can make the judgement as to when you wash it off. If like me, you do not use a shower cap or plastic bag to put on your hair (this helps to keep the moisture and heat in), then you might have to re-apply in places as the bleach mixture will stiffen and dry and therefore, stop processing. Make sure when you are washing bleach off, that you only shampoo your hair if you are planning on using a toner afterwards. Conditioner creates a barrier preventing any colour getting absorbed, so if you applied toner it wouldn't penetrate the hair shaft.

Once I washed it off, I was a little bit disappointed as it seemed a bit darker than what I thought it would be :( Undeterred, I continued on with toning. The toner I use can actually be used as a hair colour if mixed with developer, but I use it by combining it with the Welloxon Perfect Pastel (1:2 ratio - 1 part colour, 2 parts developer). Some toners, such as the Proclere Herbal Toner (which I have previously reviewed) do not need mixing with anything else, but what toner you use, if any, is completely up to you!

This shade of toner is 'Lightest Pearl Blonde'; I previously used the Lightest Ash Blonde and was happy with the result, but I thought I would try this shade just to see if there was any difference in subtlety. Mixing it up it looked a slightly peachy shade, and unlike the ash blonde which looked slightly pinkish when I put it on my hair, this shade came out more silvery when applied. I left it on for 30 minutes even though the instructions say to leave it on for 20 - TIP: be careful with how long you leave toners on for, as your hair is porous once you have washed the bleach off and depending on what base colour your toner is (purple, blue, green), you could be at risk of it turning a colour you never asked for! When you wash toner off, use cool water to help close the cuticle and seal in your new colour :)

The finished product, yay!

So all in all, this process took me just over 2 hours to complete, cost me less than £20 ($30 for all you American viewers!) and left me with some lovely renewed blonde hair! I think that I still have a bit of a journey to get my hair 100% in terms of an even colour and corrected (there are still parts of my hair that are just a smidge darker than what I would like, but maybe that's just because I'm very conscious when it comes to my hair!).

I hope this step-by-step can help anyone who is thinking of DIY'ing, I would definitely suggest using a 20 vol developer and to take your time when considering what products you decide to use, as it will make a massive difference :)

xx

Finally! After two weeks..

..My hair is lovely and blonde once more! After what seemed like forever, my toner FINALLY turned up so I could crack on with bleaching my roots. Once I have finished work over the weekend, I will be posting a step-by-step on how I bleach my roots (pictures included!)

Before and after :)
Toner used was Wella Koleston Perfect Rich Naturals 10/8 (Lightest Pearl Blonde)

For now, I'm a happy bunny!

Three cheese on toast? Why not!

I get it. That feeling of eating something you know will probably cause you to gain a billion lbs. But then I say to myself 'what the heck, I'm hungry!'.

There's not really a 'recipe' so to speak, but this is a yummy treat to eat whatever the time of day. For my cheese on toast I used:

Bread (Obviously! Lightly toasted on both sides)

Mild Cheese

Grated Mozarella

Grana Padano (You can use Parmesan if you wish)

A few dashings of worcester sauce

Just toast the bread, and on one side add a sprinkling of grana padano, then layer on the mild cheese and finally, scatter the grated mozarella. This comes in handy when there might be little gaps of bread untouched by cheese - you can just fill them in! :) After that, add however much worcester sauce you like and grill until melted, bubbly and golden brown.. and hey presto!

(And yes, I had four bits because I am a little piggy!)

Waxing? Cheap as chips!

I knew it was that time again. I mean, no woman can ever say it is a pleasant experience, right? That's right, it's waxing time! :/

Luckily I have quite a high pain threshold, so it doesn't really bother me pain-wise. I can't remember how I started using wax pots, but I have found them to be the most effective way for me to get rid of unwanted hair. Wax strips have always proved fruitless for me as you need far more than one box, and because of my sensitive skin hair removal creams are a no-no.

So after finishing work today, I popped along to Superdrug to purchase my 'regular' product of choice; Veet Warm Wax Pot, and prepared myself to begrudgingly part with £10 of my hard earned money. To my surprise (and complete joy!), I found that at the moment in Superdrug you can save up to 1/2 price on all Veet products! Instead of the usual £9.89 I would pay for the product, it was near enough half price at £4.92! In my usual hoarder mode, I ended up stockpiling as many as I could in my hands and waddled up to the till.

Along with a 250ml pot of wax, the product also comes with a heat-indicator spatula and 12 fabric strips. In all honesty, depending on what area you are 'working' on you might need more strips, but as they can be washed with water and re-used you will never technically 'run out'.

If the product is too hot, you will be able to tell through the indicator on the spatula. I find this to be very helpful as well as being a protective tool for the consumer to use. The wax smells lovely - as it is the oriental version, it contains essential oils and has a floral vanilla fragrance. If you end up with any residual product on your skin, it can be easily removed by water.

Overall this product is easy to use, value for money and easy on the skin - that is if you can handle it! :)
You can find the product here, and it is worth filling your boots even if you cannot get into a store as they are offering free delivery until the 30th July :) - http://www.superdrug.com/veet-warm-wax-jar-essential-oils-250ml/invt/595173?source=179_75

xx

Mug Cake!

Sooo I fancied a cake but didn't want to spend lots of time making one (the weather is hot for a change!), as I would've probably only eaten a slice! I subscribe to a channel called CookingwithKarma, and this week she has been making mug cake recipes. As soon as I saw the recipe 'CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CREAM MUG CAKE' pop up, I knew I had to make it! 

(You can find the video and recipe here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TczobpivouA) 

(L-R: Ingredients, the basic cake mixture, the peanut butter cream and the finished cake!)

The recipe is super easy, and I managed to fill my belly in no time! If you are looking for a tasty, quick and cheap alternative to making a full blown cake, then this is definitely it!

Ta-Da!

eBay.. where's my toner?!

So I had been hoping to do a little step-by-step guide on how I bleach and tone my roots this week, but alas for the first time in a long while I have been let down by an eBay seller and my hair is currently looking like this: a big puffy grown-out greasy mess! :(

Needless to say I am not very happy, as I was hoping it would at least come by midweek. The previous toner I bought for use on my friend's hair came literally the next day after I had ordered it! When there is no toner in sight, my plans for lovely blonde roots have ground to a halt for now! I leave my hair to get as greasy as possible before bleaching, as they say it helps to have the build up of natural oils in your hair to help 'protect' it. Also, if you bleach when your hair is freshly washed some people have said the bleach can make your scalp itchy because you have washed away the natural oils. 

With any luck, it will come tomorrow so I can do it on Sunday, otherwise I'm looking at midweek as I will be working! :( Has anyone got any recommendations of different toners, and if so what did you think of them? At the moment I am using Wella Koleston Perfect Rich Naturals shades :)

xx

Argan Oil.. Problem?

I'd seen plenty of videos floating around on YouTube regarding Argan Oil, and more importantly the benefits associated with it. I knew I needed something to try and prevent dead/split ends, as I am trying to grow my hair beyond the length it seems to stop to a dead halt at, and am very stubborn (who isn't?) when it comes to getting a haircut.

After perusing the web for a product which would be cost effective and had positive reviews, I purchased the Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil from Boots for £6.99. I was excited to try it, as it seemed that it had the preventative benefits I was looking for, so with any luck I could leave it longer than normal before encountering the dreaded hairdresser's scissors of doom.

Now, the instructions state to use 'a small amount' of the product and apply it to damp, towel dried hair. In all honesty the first time I used it I think I used an amount that might of been slightly too much, as upon drying my hair I could feel the greasiness of my hair. Simply mistake, or so I thought. The second time I used the product, I used an amount equivalent to the size of a five pence piece and ran it sparingly through my hair, focusing on my ends. Again, as I dried my hair.. it felt greasy! What was I doing wrong?!

Frustration has led me to using it the only way that it doesn't seem to affect my hair negatively - by mixing the same amount into my conditioner and leaving it on like a mask. I know it's probably not the 'right' way to use it, but for now I have no idea how else I can avoid the trappings of faux greasy hair!

I'm not going to label this a bad product, I just think I'm obviously doing something wrong with the application. If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please feel free to leave me a comment. If I can get any closer to a resolve then I will be happy! :)

xx

Morning Skincare Routine For Problematic Skin

I don't have the best skin in the world, although I think if you asked a lot of young women they would probably say the exact same thing. Having been born with excema, finding creams, moisturisers and other beauty products which don't flare up my skin has been a bit of a pain! However, this past year I have FINALLY found some products which don't aggravate my morning skincare routine (yay!).

The first product which I have been using for around two years now is the Vaseline Intensive Rescue Repair & Protect Lotion. Whenever I used to tell people about my skin and how difficult it was to find a moisturiser which didn't soak into my skin like a sponge, it was frustrating to hear the same products (albeit the most common ones) being mentioned, such as e45. For me, it was just another failed product which when used, didn't keep my skin hydrated, but rather thirsty and dry!

I vaguely remember browsing the shelves in Superdrug and Boots to see what new products there was for difficult skin types. If I'm honest, I wasn't optimistic as even creams that were prescribed by my doctors failed to keep my skin hydrated! I was delighted when I came across this moisturiser, and to this day is the only one I will use as for me, it is the only one that works. There is no need to put it on more than once a day, as continually keeps my skin feeling lovely and soft with no occurrences of dry patchiness or irritation. I only need to use a small amount also, probably the size of a 10 pence piece to cover my entire face, so a 200ml bottle will last me a good 6 months. It retails for around £5 or so, so it is great value for money! 

My second product is the Good Things Deep Clean Blackhead Exfoliator. From experience, most face washes I have used in the past have generally irritated my skin and left it quite sore, so I was on the hunt! After considering the products I had used previously, I knew I needed to find one which was as chemically exempt as possible; my conclusions were that the harsh ingredients in most of the face washes I had used to prevent acne were to blame for my flare-ups. After spending a good few hours on the net, I found the Good Things brand. Being free from parabens and seemingly harsh chemicals, I thought this would be a great product to check out. It is gentle on my skin, leaves no irritation and smells lovely! I purchased mine from Boots for £4.99, so another product which doesn't break the bank considering its benefits!

The final product of my morning routine is one which I had researched a lot about, and was very excited to try, as it seemed like it was developed especially for people with skin conditions such as excema and dermatitis, and psoriasis. I purchased Cetaphil at Boots for £8.99, which at first I thought was a little bit pricey for a cleanser, but then again it's probably due to the face that I am a bit of a prude when it comes to money! Lol. 

The thing that was most important to me was after cleansing my skin, would it dry my skin out or leave it feeling lovely? This has always been a persistent problem for me, as I would begrudgingly finish using a harsh product on my skin, only for it to have absorbed all the natural oils on my face and leave my skin scratchy and extremely dry. Using the product for the first time I had my reservations, but to my surprise post-cleansing, my skin felt super soft and nourished.

Overall this product is worth its weight in gold; it does exactly what it says on the bottle, and I have found the right cleanser for my face.

I know everybody's skin type is different, and it can be incredibly hard to find products that will not irritate your skin.  There probably are tons of other alternatives on the market, but I will always be on the hunt for new products which can be helpful as I know sometimes products can become useless as the skin gets more used to them. However, for those of you find it difficult or cannot use things specifically designed for the prevention of acne, such as clearasil (that stuff BURNS!) or neutrogena, I would definitely check these products out :)

xx

Trulites Rapid Blue Powder Bleach & Developer - Review

I cannot say I'm an expert of different bleaches and developers, but as a first time user of this brand I was truly impressed. The thought of going it alone and potentially frying my hair was scary enough, let alone putting my trust into a product I had never used before.

My hunt to find a 'good' powdered bleach and developer was relatively easy; albeit because I forget how I came to my decision! Before I started I made sure I knew exactly what I would be looking for, and specifically a 20 volume developer. Why? I knew I didn't need a higher lift (my natural shade is a mousy brown), but at the same time through my research I knew it wasn't necessarily a wise idea to put a high strength developer on my hair, especially as I was doing it myself and for the first time.

Eventually I found these products; the Trulites rapid blue powder bleach, and the accompanying 20 volume developer. I generally found positive reviews for these everywhere, so I purchased the 500g bucket of powder bleach, and a litre of the developer.. the way I saw it - go big or go home! Lol. The powder bleach is available in white also, but the general consensus was that blue was good for checking the amount of lift to your hair, but also for tone correction. I purchased both on Amazon.co.uk for around £15 altogether, which if you think about it in the long term, if you are able to do this process yourself you will be saving yourself a heck of a lot of money!

The bucket of powder bleach comes with a handy little scoop to measure out what you will need; it says to use 2 scoops of powder bleach with between 45-70ml of developer, depending on how thick or runny you like your mixture to be. I tend to use the scoop as a guide for the amount of cream developer to use, as the scoop measures 15ml. 

I will be touching up my roots this week and hopefully will compile a step-by-step process for you, so I will be able to show the amount of lift I am able to achieve with this product. When I used it, I was completely stoked - my roots were literally the same shade of blonde as the rest of my hair in 45 minutes! Even though I have not used any other products of the same nature, I will be sticking with this as it is really a nice product. 

Would recommend it to anyone who is thinking of a good powder bleach to use :) Although as I always say, please consult a professional if you are not confident in bleaching your hair yourself!

xx

Proclère Herbal Toner - Review

I have been blonde now for almost two years, and had never considered colouring my hair for fear of the brassy ginger monster rearing its ugly head. Part of me had always wanted to, but I never amassed the confidence to do it.. until recently.

After my hairdresser went AWOL and a nightmare experience as a hair model, I finally snapped - I came home, sat down and thought 'why don't I just take the plunge and do it myself?' My hair history has been very wide and varied in terms of cuts, colours and styles, and this was quite literally the final DIY job I had left to do. 

This was the beginning of my journey with bleach and developer (I shall do a review later of the products I use). However, this review is regarding the toner I used the first time I bleached my roots.

As I didn't feel confident at the time with using toners which you had to combine with developer, I eventually found Proclère Herbal Toner. It appealed to me as it is peroxide and ammonia free - after all that bleaching I thought it would be nice to give my hair a bit of a rest. After trawling the internet trying to find some substantial reviews on this product, I unfortunately amassed hardly anything worth taking into consideration. In all honesty this did frustrate me, but at the same time gave me an idea to make a review of it to help anyone in the future who wished to use it.

The toner itself comes in a 60ml bottle, along with a sachet of anti-oxy crystals that you pop into the bottle. It is recommended you use these if you have freshly bleached your hair or you have pre-lightened hair. The more I perused the instructions, I also found that if you use the product without the crystals, it acts as a 'colour refresher' in between bleaching, which I thought sounded quite good!

When I mixed it altogether, I became a  bit dubious because of the orangey/brown colour that was visible in the bottle. However, I pushed my fears aside and smothered it over my towel dried hair and waited for 30 minutes. I'm not going to lie; I was quite scared as it looked a nasty shade of yellow - exactly what I didn't want my hair colour to turn out like. Even so, I convinced myself that it wasn't going to be the case, and it wasn't!

I was left with a lovely even shade throughout almost all of my hair (my main aim for DIY'ing was to try and colour correct my hair) and it was SUPER and I mean SUPER soft! This feeling lasted for a good week or two, and I couldn't believe how nice of a condition it left my hair in, as I understand the 'rough' feeling we can all experience when bleaching.

I would definitely recommend Proclère to anyone who is looking for a toner which is nice to your hair and provides even coverage. It is available in five shades (see above picture for details) and retails between £5-£8 depending on where you look. I purchased mine from Amazon.co.uk for around £7 inc. delivery :)

I have also done a quick review of this product on YouTube as I couldn't find anything on there about Proclère!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGW-EDccKQo

N.B - I am not, nor ever will be a trained hairdresser, and this is only my experience with the product! If you do not feel confident to do this process yourself, then I highly recommend visiting a professional :)

If you aren't sure of the porosity of your hair, then it is recommended that you do a strand test of the product on your hair before continuing with a whole head application. If you have highly porous ends, then apply to the roots first and then apply to the ends when there is only 10 minutes left of development time.

xx

Starting over.

So I'm going to be honest here; I'm pretty new to this whole concept of 'blogging'. 

My name is Jackie and I'm 23¾ . I have always been interested in hair and beauty, although my problematic skin and ever-changing hair meant that I never really took an avid interest until recently. My real passion is for hair colouring - I treasure my blonde locks!

Aside from this, I am also in love with cooking, so be prepared to see random posts to do with whatever I attempt to whip up next! I've recently graduated from University with a degree in English Language & Communication, so I reckon I'm putting it to good use by starting this blog! 

I hope you enjoy reading, feel free to leave any comments and such! :)

xx