Messy side bun, curly hair up-do

I've always worn my hair loose because I feel it suits me better but I really love nothing more than to have it in a high bun or a pony tail and out of my face.

So I decided to play with more up-dos, trying to achieve a style that includes my curls, suits my face shape, makes me feel feminine and at the same time is out of my face!

Essentially this is a side messy bun look. After using the Toni and Guy waver to get defined waves, I put in a side parting and brought my hair to one side twisting it loosely into a bun and letting the hair fall naturally.

Some spin pins and hair pins later and I was done.

I was really pleased with the outcome. With a bit more care the look could be much for polished looking for a formal event and I think the addition of a flower or other hair accessory would also make the look that much more fun. 

What is your go to hairstyle, up or down?

Birchbox September 2013

My Birchbox arrived late this month after it seemed I was forgotten with the initial dispatch. Birchbox did deal with it promptly though and my box arrived today.

I stayed away from any spoilers and had no idea what the theme was this month. That said having opened the box it wasn’t too clear, the magazine mentioned London Fashion Week so I’m going with that.

He Shi Express Liquid Tan

I dipped into the world of self-tanning earlier in the year and when the sun started shining I wanted my skin to have a little more colour as I dusted off my summer dresses.

I received He-Shi Express Liquid Tan after attending a blogger event and was advised that from the range of products this was the best for me since I’m a bit paranoid about streaky application.

The Express Liquid Tan is a self tanning bronzer, which can be used on the body and the face. The tan should be applied with the He-Shi Self Tanning Mitt, pouring the solution into the mitt and applying by wiping over the skin in circular motions.

Because it has a tinted formula, you can see exactly where you have applied and it prevents any streaks or patches from developing. It also means that you have a tan immediately, which then develops into a deeper colour over the next few hours — and I’m happy to say, no streaks! It is also worth noting that I didn’t exfoliate before applying the tan and I didn’t have any problems with too much colour building up at my knees, ankles etc as you might expect.

The colour that develops is very natural looking. You can build it up by applying a second layer immediately after the first or do it more slowly by reapplying the next day.

On the right you can see where the tan has been applied, leaving a light tint of colour

Apart from the easy application the drying time is very fast, two-minutes fast. I usually apply at night and I haven’t had any transfer of colour onto my clothes or my sheets.

The colour has lasted over 5 days and I plan on reapplying once a week just to maintain it and I will definitely be repurchasing when I do run out. It is hard to say how long a bottle will last, at the moment I am using it all over but in the winter I may only do my face and neck. I would advise that you only pour out a small amount of liquid at a time to avoid waste — it is quite easy for the liquid to pour straight off the mitt and onto the floor, so it’s best to do this over the sink.

The He-Shi Express Liquid Tan costs £20.00 for 150ml, but there are also smaller and larger bottle sizes too and all can be found on the He-Shi website.