Free Sanitary Products on Campus

Female students at The University of Birmingham will have access to free sanitary products after a successful campaign by a student union officer.

Daisy Lindlar, the sabbatical Guild representation and resources officer, who has since been crowned the ‘Queen of Tampons’ decided to take action in her own hands following the Parliamentary ‘tampon tax’ debate this week. Which rejected the proposed reduction in the current five per cent VAT rate by MPs 305 to 287 votes.

Writing in a blog post for The Huffington Post, Lindlar described how Parliament is "dominated by people without wombs."

According to Lindlar one of the most frustrating aspects of the "tampon tax" is the fact that it classess sanitary products as "non-essential, luxury items" she says, "This puts them in the same tax bracket as alcoholic jellies, crocodile meat and edible sugar flowers."

Most women would agree that periods are most definitely not a luxury or something you have any choice at all with.

The university’s Guild of Students took to Facebook to describe how periods can be ‘expensive’, adding: “To start with, there’s the cost of tampons or towels. On top of this, anyone with a uterus will also be familiar with the associated cost of paracetamol, pyjamas, underwear, bed sheets and the odd sweet treat to get you through the month. Sometimes there's even the loss of work-time and class or lecture attendance to add to the bill.”

Encouraging open dialogue over a topic which, she said, is still taboo, Lindlar added: “They're seen as an embarrassment, a source of shame, and something we should keep quiet about. This needs to stop.”

Now, in order to ease the financial burden on female students, which Lindlar said for someone earning minimum wage, means spending roughly 38 full working days of earnings on tampons and towels alone. The Guild officer has managed to order hundreds of sanitary items which are now available free of charge for University of Birmingham students.

Lindlar added in the blog post: “I urge other unions to follow suit and provide free sanitary products to their students.”

Other universities have started their own initiatives for example the University of Sussex Students’ Union hands out free sanitary products every Wednesday and, last year, the University of East Anglia Students’ Union announced it was going ‘profit free’ on the ‘essential’ and ‘crucial’ products by selling them at cost price.

The forgotten hero's of WW1

Last month a two minute silence held in Centenary Square honoured the lost lives of servicemen and women killed while fighting for our country and freedom.

But how many people thought about the Hindu, Sikh and 40,000 Muslim soldiers from the Indian subcontinent who fought for the freedom of the west during WW1.

According to research by think-tank British Future, only 1 in 5 people are aware of this significant Muslim contribution and only 2% are aware of its scale.

It is growing concern that this has caused public misconceptions of a lack of Muslim involvement in the First World War.

A Birmingham descendant of a Muslim soldier who fought for the British Army in 1915, has said: “It is frustrating to live in a society were my ancestors efforts go unnoticed and unappreciated.”

“When the British called on brave soldiers to fight for the Crown and Empire. My great great grand-father was one of the many Muslim soldiers to step forward and fight for a country he had no moral compulsion to fight for.”

The Perry Barr resident went on to say: “He fought with integrity and courage and after the War he returned home having seen atrocities and having lost friends. He kept souvenirs and coins from countries he had fought in that are still part of our family history.”

It is no secret that Islamophobia has swept through the western world in recent times, but it is a tragedy that the participation of Muslim soldiers fighting to defend the freedom of the west has long been forgotten.

The Heritage Lottery Fund, has announced they will be supporting a major national project called “An Unknown and Untold Story – The Muslim Contribution to The First World War.”

This aims to address the public appetite for information about the contribution of soldiers from the Commonwealth during WW1.

Dilwar Hussain, Chair of New Horizons in British Islam, says: “The story of Muslim contribution to the British Army of the First World War is little-known among the public. Many British Muslims themselves don’t realise the relevance of the WW1 centenary to their own history.”

A moment of reflection is important to the memory of the soldiers who past, but the real tribute is to live in a world rid of judgement and racial hatred.

To truly honour their lives we must lives ours well.

Charlotte Tilbury WONDERGLOW PRIMER Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash REVIEW

I’m a huge fan of make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury so I was beyond excited when my cousins bought me the hugely popular Wonder Glow Illuminator for my birthday this year.

Unlike other illuminators such as my now-neglected Mac Prep and Prime, this won’t sit on your skin or mess up any existing foundation you have applied. I found it melted into my skin and gave me a subtle glow all day.

I have worn this a number of ways over the past few months – as a primer before my foundation (YSL Le-Teint-Touche-Eclat  in BD50), mixed with BB Cream (Bodyshop in no.2), and as a highlighter on cheeks over my foundation. It all worked beautifully. If you’re having a really good skin day it is good enough to get away with worn alone.

I should add that Wonder Glow smells divine with floral accents of rose hip and camellia oil. I really loved this stuff and can’t wait to extend my Charlotte Tilbury collection. 

Peak - How beautiful it can make your skin look and feel, especially in photo's!

Pit - The price tag can be a little steep (R.R.P £38.50)

http://www.charlottetilbury.com/uk/wonderglow.html

What not to do ... Top 10 Skin Myths

As we grow up we pick up through no fault of our own beauty myths that are neither questioned nor doubted. Over the years we find ourselves believing countless beauty habits just because someone’s aunts’ sisters’ daughters’ friends’ mum said it worked for them!

In order to set the record straight I’ve put together a list of the top ten most commonly believed skin myths … How many did you deem true? 

1. Myth: You need to wash your face twice a day

Truth: Actually, washing your face just once a day is sufficient. Cleansing at the end of the day is most important to wash away make-up and dirt from the day. Unless you slept with your make up on or were digging in your sleep, cleansing in the morning is unnecessary. Gentle exfoliation with a muslin is better for your skin than rougher creams.

2. Myth: Toothpaste gets rid of spots

Truth: Although toothpaste will often dry spots out the irritation it can cause to the skin can make them stick around much longer than they would have if you'd left them alone.

3. Myth: Always splash out on expensive products

Truth: If you really are interested in taking good care of your skin, you should look at the ingredients rather than the price. Good quality ingredients are most important. But that doesn't mean that you should regularly be dishing out £100s on products. Good ingredients are widely available at reasonable prices.

Look for vitamin A as its retinyl palmitate form, Vitamin C as Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, and Linseed and Kiwi Seed, which are incredible sources of Omega 3. These ingredients all help the functions of the skin which in turn makes it look good.

4. Myth: You need separate creams for around your eyes

Truth: In most cases, if you are using good quality skin care, you can simply massage that product closer to the eye area. That being said, if you have a particular concern only associated with eyes for example, dark circles, puffiness, or thinning, then a specially formulated cream for the area may be advised.

5. Myth: You need to wear sun cream at all times all year round.

Truth: This all depends on where you live. In the UK, we are not exposed to such high levels of UV exposure in our winter months, like countries such as Australia, South Africa. There is no UVB exposure in the winter months in the UK but there might be some exposure to UVA.  The need to apply a SPF just to protect us from the chance of some UVA exposure is quite unnecessary in the UK in the winter months. It would be safer for the skin to use skin care ingredients that are known to have UVA protection such as vitamin A.

In the summer, aim to include skin care with vitamin A, C or green tea in as these ingredients prevent UV damage in the skin cells whilst you’re SPF prevents absorption of the rays.

6. Myth: You should exfoliate at least once a week

Truth: A new and deeper understanding of how the skin sheds naturally shows us that certain abrasives can be detrimental to the skin in the long run. It is better for the skin to use muslin cloths and soft face towels after cleansing as well as massage to aid skin desquamation. This can be incorporated into your daily cleanse. The days of scrubbing our face are long gone. 

7. Myth: ‘Natural’ means gentle and hypoallergenic

Truth: Natural is such a widely used term now, it's difficult to decide on an explanation. I like to describe a 'natural' product as something that helps to promote the skin's natural processes. These products are gentle on the skin and do not include irritating ingredients.

But 'natural' ingredient can be strong so just because they're not synthetic doesn't necessarily mean that they'll be the best option for sensitive skin. Sunbathing may give you temporarily better skin, but long-term it's a bad idea.

8. Myth: The cleaner skin the better

Truth: Skin has a natural barrier of oils, fats and water to protect it against the elements like bacteria and environmental pollutants.

Washing with soap based products strips away that protection, and it can take up to eight hours for this barrier to rebuild!

9. Myth: Use the same line of products for best results

Truth: Companies would love this to be true, but in truth different products will always act differently so there's no reason to think that every product from one brand will work best for you.

10. Myth: Junk food leads to acne

Truth: Although it's not good for you, there's no serious medical evidence to prove that this is true.

So basically from now on we'll be throwing away our eye cream, washing our faces LESS and keeping an eye on those ingredients.

Hope this helped clear up any misconceptions :)

Back to basics ... Coconut oil beauty benefits

Recently I've been doing some research into going back to basics on beauty.  One product that I've come across time and time again is coconut oil … I call it the magic substance! It’s packed with anti-bacterial qualities, SPF, and a whole lot of vitamins and minerals! It really does seem to be the one stop shop for all things health and beauty.

My Grandma is a firm believer in the powers of this oil and is convinced that her flawless skin and luscious locks have been sustained over the years because of her religious use! She’s always telling me to steer clear of all the ‘chemicals’ we put on our face and warns me that they’ll  ruin me one day … GOD FORBID! Now I know  grans words are a little extreme, but I thought there’s no harm in giving it a go and I am so glad that I did … after some trial and error I've comprised a list of what I believe to be the oils best uses. Of course I still use many of my cult skin products but switching them up for a vegan natural alternative once in a while is really healthy. I’d definitely recommend giving it a go too!

So here's a list of my favorite coconut oil uses 

On the skin as a basic lotion

 melts from
 the heat of your hands instantly!

As an eye-makeup remover

To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin

To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy

To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning

As a naturally SPF 4 sunscreen

In homemade lotion recipes

As a massage oil

A tiny dab rubbed on your hands and then through hair will help get rid of friz

As an intensive night time facial moisturizer

Mixed with equal parts sugar for a smoothing body scrub (use in the shower)

Rubbed on lips as a natural chap stick

As an incredibly intensive natural conditioner- Rub into dry hair, put a shower cap on and leave for several hours

Can help sooth eczema

As a naturally antibacterial skin cream

As a natural shave cream and after shave lotion

When used consistently on skin it can help get rid of cellulite

Can reduce the itch of mosquito bites

Can help resolve acne when used regularly

Can be rubbed into scalp daily to stimulate hair growth

On split ends to de-frizz

On hands after doing dishes to avoid dry skin

Many use it as an anti-aging facial moisturizer

On cuticles to help nails grow

Rub into elbows daily to help alleviate dry, flaky elbows

I find this to be extra useful in these cold winter months! Sometimes moisturizers are just not enough, coconut oil helps to replenish and nourish the skin to help lock in the moisture.

Peak- Packed with natural goodness and really helps with dry skin.

Pit - Can get a little messy to use.

I bought this jar from Holland and Barret for £11.99 but I'd recommend a super-market as they sell them a lot cheaper!
(Asda -£4!)

Battle of the body Moisturizers!

Baby oil - The old classic, kind to skin and easy to apply. But sometime it can be a little too oily and doesn't really have a amazing scent.

Peak - Skin feels beautifully hydrated and soft

Pit - The spray bottle in this is awful the formula itself isn't as effective as the normal bottle so stay away!

Body Shop Body Butter in Papaya - Oh myyyy this body butter smells DIvine, It’s seriously the best smelling butter that the body shop do, miles better then strawberry and even mango. It makes you wanna eat it, it smells that good! So ofcourse I had to buy it for this reason alone, however the actual moisturiser is disappointing. As a general rule Body Shop Body butters don't have a great consistency for applying it all over the body especially after a shower. Its not easy to apply as it doesn't sink it to the skin well. It works better as a hand or foot lotion and the smell lingers for absolutely ages! YUM

Peak - Yeap you guessed it the smell!

Pit - Takes ages to soak into skin and you need a lot of it to achieve smooth skin.

Soap and Glory spice - I'm not a massive fan of the smell of this body butter, its pleasant but its a little too sweet for me. However the consistency of this lotion is excellent. It soaks into the skin beautifully and dries pretty much straight away so your not sitting around waiting to dry before you can put your clothes on. This is one of my pet peeves I must admit. The S&G formula works really well and is very effective, but for the price I wouldn't expect any less.

Peak - Its effectiveness

Pit - Price (a problem I have with all the S&G shower range)

Nivea in shower Body moisturizer - What a revolution! This saves times and energy. There is nothing worse then standing a steamy bathroom boiling hot trying to moisturize your skin before putting your clothes on. Nivea's creation means that you can save both time and energy perfect for in the mornings. Although skin does feel hydrated it still is not as effective as a moisturizer or body butter would be. However its enough to not make you feel dry and itchy so for a rushed Monday morning that is more than good enough for me.

Peak - Makes life that tiny bit easier.

Pit - Its convenience not luxury.

I hope this quick guide to a few after shower moisturizers I've been using recently helps you pick one that works well for you! xx

The best way to wear a Saree when your 5ft 2 or under!

My Five Golden rules to Rock a Saree ...

I'm about to celebrate my twenty second birthday very soon and I had never worn a Saree before this summer. I'd always been told I'm too small and you need a full lady figure to carry one off. But this time I was determined to wear one and look like a women in it .. so I did some research (basically searched petite famous women who have worn Saree's) to see how I could style one to suit my body shape and this is what I found.

Rule no.1 - Keep it simple.

The heavier the saree the more you'll look like your being drowned with a whole lot of embroidery that your struggling to carry off. Instead opt for a simple design that looks elegant. Remember you want to wear the Saree you don't want the Saree to wear you!

Rule no. 2 - Opt for darker colours.

As a rule darker colours slim and elongate a woman's silhouette so use this to your advantage. I myself wore a black saree but if you want a bit more colour go for a navy or dark green. These colours look really sophisticated and really easy to accessorise and have beautiful smoky eyed make up to compliment it.

Rule no.3- Blouse

Make sure your blouse is fitted to your size properly. A well fitted blouse can make all the difference so take out that extra time to visit the tailor to get it perfect. I bought my blouse from Lipsy the crop top trend at the moment is perfect for finding saree blouses and the fit is so comfortable! 

 Rule no.4- Hair

If they suit you try an elegant updo with big statement earrings the hair helps to elongate your body and the earrings add that extra bit of sparkle.

Rule no.5 Heels

Ofcourse we should all embrace our natural heights and wear it well but a little boost never hurt nobody. I wore pretty big heels myself but I know that a lot of women struggle with this, so I'd recommended wearing the highest that you can manage. But don't forget no matter what size the heel you need good body posture and nothing beats natural confidence. So shoulders back and massive smile before you walk in ... you'll instantly feel inches taller!

Most importantly you need to feel beautiful in what you wear, don't doubt yourself no matter what your size! I hope these tips help you to achieve the perfect wedding or special occasion look xxx

Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation - Review

So recently I decided I was officially bored of my staple YSL Touche eclat foundation, I can't say there was anything wrong with it and can't fault that it has served me well but I felt like I needed a change. So after a fair few trips wondering from counter to counter in Selfridges I stumbled across the  Estée Lauder Double wear range. Priced at £28.50 It is reasonable for a high end foundation and contains SPF 10 which for me is really important as I'm rubbish at applying a sun screen separately.

My first impression was one of pure joy, the coverage was amazing and best of all it didn't dry out my skin like most foundations. It had a more polished look then the YSL but this also meant I could feel it on my skin a lot more too.

I bought it in the colour 'Tawny' which is a good match (although I'm pretty tan at the moment so I don't know if it will bode well during the winter months) and so far I'm liking the coverage and the way it shows up in pictures however unlike the YSL it is a lot more cakey. I can really tell that I have make up on and it tends to crease around the area between my nose and lips which really isn't a pretty look.

I love the way it looks when I initially put it on but throughout the day it does become slightly crumbly which is annoying as it is called 'double wear'! Having said this however I have found a solution; mix it with my day moisturiser. This gives it a much more natural finish for more day to day wear and also feels a lot lighter on the skin but this means a lot less coverage :(

I do enjoy using this product, but I think its more for use on special occasions. So I may repurchase the YSL for the winter months and use double wear only when I'm going for the ultimate flawless look ... maybe even plastic - as I must admit I do like the plastic look on special occasions who doesn't though right ;)

Peak - The flawless finish as long as you prime skin properly (this helps avoid lines). :)

Pit - The heaviness on the skin and the cakey look it develops throughout the course of the day. :(

Long Time No Blog ...

First off I want to apologise for my lack of posts these past few months. Lets just say its been a crazy two months what with the end of Ramadan, Eid, Holidaying and lots of weddings! But I promise it shan't happen again :)

I thought I should give a little beauty update as over the past few months I've picked up some amazing new products that I'm really loving, and here's my ultimate top three ..

I call this my magic mist!

First and foremost welcome to my 'Simple' world! I have officially gone simple mad this summer. A Tesco near me has a whole counter dedicated to Simple products on a 3 for 2 offer lets just say I was in my element! I kinda felt that after using lots of luxury brands on my skin I needed to try something well ... simple. My skin is usually pretty well behaved so when I noticed that breakouts were becoming more and more frequent I knew I had to change things up a little and I haven't looked back since. I'll be posting a simple specific post over the next few days so I'll go into more detail about the products I've been loving then. But I will say the hydro mist is now a handbag must
.

Peak - The fact that its free from harsh chemicals.

Pit - I don't know if it'll be enough food for my skin when winter kicks back in. helloo dryness :(

My next favourite has been a product that's a bit like marmite you either love it or hate it. The much raved about Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer. I opted for the colour Galaxy (which looks really dark online but is a lovely pinky purple colour) and I absolutely love it! I wore it to a wedding recently and it wore well all night and compliments olive skin tones beautifully. However a few of my friends aren't impressed as it can feel a little heavy on the lips. If you don't mind that feeling then I would definitely recommend them as there highly pigmented and are so easy to apply even on the go. My only problem is that I don't like most of the colours they do so can't really experiment with different shades.

Peak - The pigmentation is incredible and the shimmer is perfect for all occasions.

Pit - Can feel a little sticky.

My last but by no means least favourite is Mac eye shadows! Oh em gee I've finally jumped on this much raved about bandwagon and it is a good place to be! I've never been much of an eye shadow kinda girl but recently I started experimenting with my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette and through a lot of trial and error (there were times I looked like I had been in a fight) I started to love the looks I was creating. Then by mere fate I stumbled upon my cousins Mac eye shadows and realised that they are amazing! 

Front to back - All That Glitters, Mulch and Woodwinked

The Naked2 Palette  is great but the pigmentations and ease of the mac eye shadows is unbeatable. So I went out and bought the colours 'Mulch' 'Wood Winked' and 'All that Glitters' there all in the bronzy brown category which are very similar to the colours I already had but I instantly fell in love with these shades as I knew I'd use them the most. I'm still not convinced about having bold bright colours on your lids as I've always preferred the more natural shimmery glowy look myself (However this could be subject to change, I'm going through a eye shadow revelation at the moment!)

Peak - The versatility of the shadows - you can achieve so many different looks.

Pit - The fact that I bought very similar colours lol!

So basically, I've gone back to basics with my skin care regime and discovered new products that have become my make up bag staples. If you haven't tried them yourself I would definitely recommend doing so!

Thank you for reading guys see ya'll very soon! 

P.S  Before I go I thought I'd share a non beauty favourite ... The Halal Confectionery sweet shop In Birmingham (https://www.facebook.com/HalalConfectionery)! This is a Gem of a store not too far from Birmingham City Centre, it does all the British sweet shop classics from strawberry pips to cola bottles and even sells some American sweets for very reasonable prices. I love this store it really brings out the inner child in you, I've taken lots of my friends from out of town to visit and we've walked out with bags and bags of sweeties! If you live local I would highly recommend a visit .. Your welcome ;) xx

Make sure you go with a fair amount of time because you want to be able to take your time choosing the best ones!

Memoirs of a Geisha Review

“The world was hers for the reading.” 
- B. Smith

50 Books to read before you die.  1/50

As part of my 2013 new years resolutions (most of which are have been long forgotten) I promised myself I would read more classic literature, so a good place to start would be the 50 books to read before you die series. Most of the books sounded familiar and a lot were on my own personal 'I would love to read that someday' list so I decided to give it a go.

The first book - Memoirs of Geisha.
Like a lot of people I was intrigued by the majestic and oh so secret world of a Geisha I was acutely aware of the controversy surrounding the book. The author Arthur Golden thanked Mineko Iwasaki (the Geisha upon whom the book is loosely based) for her help in creating the story, after promising to keep her identity a secret. She was understandably enraged by this and sued him for a healthy sum. She later went on to write a book called Geisha of Gion which apparently straightens out Golden's misconceptions. Knowing this only made me want to read the book more, lets face it who doesn't love a good old scandal.

The novel is written from the first person perspective of a child called Chiyo Chan. She is sold to a Geisha house where she is to train and become a successful Geisha. Ofcourse she is presented with many trials and tribulations along the way, but it is the sureness with which Golden writes that I find most enthralling. Chiyo has a fascination with much older men, and this is depicted as being a natural emotion. The phrase age is nothing but a number has never been truer then within the context of this book. Being part of the western idealism of what is acceptable many of us would feel very uncomfortable with such a plot, but the way Golden deals with this sensitive issue works well. Once you've accepted the idea that this was normal in  mid 20th Century Japan one can come to appreciate Chiyo's quest to find and love the man of her dreams. Underneath the complicated exterior the story is essentially one about love, and coming of age set within a dramatic theatre of world war conflicts.

Golden's style of writing has received ample criticism, accused of being too flowery. I can appreciate that there is at times an overkill of metaphors and similes which are a little too in your face trying to be oriental. For example -

 

"I felt as a dam must feel when it's holding back an entire river."

"I felt as sore as a rock must feel when the waterfall has pounded on it all day long."

"My poor scalp felt the way clay must feel after the potter has scored it with a sharp stick."

"Like the crisp skin of a grilled fish."

I must admit this isn't really a very 'natural' way of thinking but you can't say it doesn't lead you to picture this alternative universe that Golden is trying to create. Perhaps the superficiality of the story is intentional, and that the book, in a way is supposed to resembles a geisha. Beautiful and eager to please, yet too distant to really learn much from and ultimately little more than a beautiful, well-crafted object to be appreciated. If that's the case, Arthur Golden is remarkably clever. If it's not the case, I still think he does enough for the reader to feel invested in the plot and characters.

The first half of the book is far better crafted then the latter half. With the dawn of the second world war Golden falls into the trap of an American author writing from the perspective of the occupied state. At times the glamorous depiction of the American soldiers is rather snort worthy. Sayuri (Chiyo) ends up happy but not on the soil that she was born and raised, instead all her dreams come true on American soil. Which considering the hatred felt towards the Americans by the Japanese seems rather far fetched.  I'm hoping Golden portrayed this because Mineko felt this way, in which case it is understandable.

All in all if your looking for a captivating story which has the ability to transport you to a mystical world then I would highly recommend this book. As long as you read it with an open mind and regard it as a fictional story I don't see any reason not to enjoy it.

Peak - The development of Chiyo as a character and her relationship with Mameha (her mentor).

Pit - Golden's rather crass depiction of the role of Americans in post war Japan.

“Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.” 
― H.D Thoreau 

Shake it up for Ramadan!

Ramadan Kareem to all those celebrating this beautiful month! In the UK our fasts our 19 hours long and with temperatures reaching 32 degrees this isn't an easy fate (especially as us Brits are complete light weights when it comes to the heat).  Nonetheless we need to ensure that were doing all we can to make sure our bodies are well fuelled and full of the essential nutrients we need. I know this is easier said then done, when all you want to do is gauge on all the bad but oh so tasty foods. To combat the temptation I began searching for some quick and easy options for sehri/suhoor (meal before the sun rises) as I didn't want to eat anything to heavy before bed but I don't want to wake up staaarving either.

Luckily I found this nifty little recipe which has quiet literally been a God send. I've made it everyday since I first tried it and now my entire family is hooked! It's full of healthy foods that will keep you going throughout the day without making you feel like you've eaten a horse. (no pun intended!)  

For this recipe you will need the following (to make one glassful)

Roughly chop the dates to around this size.

1 glass semi skimmed milk

1 ripe banana

3 tablespoons of oats

2 chopped dates

4 almonds

Squirt of honey or agave nectar (which ever you prefer)

Basically what you do is pour the milk into the blender followed by the banana, oats, dates, almonds and honey. Once everything's in blend for around a minute before checking consistency. Blend a little longer if you prefer the smoothie to be very smooth (I prefer mine with a bit more texture).

Once your happy with it, poor into a glass and enjoy!

Tip - Once you've poured most of the smoothie into your glass, give it a further thirty second spin because dates tend to sink to the bottom and I've found this helps keep them afloat.

You can even try switch it up a little by using Almond or soy milk so that its even healthier! 

PUMP up the Volume? My everyday hair routine - How to create volume for fine hair

Eight products later ... I give you BIG hair! 

Were all looking for the perfect way to create beautiful volume in our hair. But some of us aren't blessed with naturally thick luscious locks so after much trial and error I've found some effective and affordable products that can help you create voluminous hair without damaging it. As I have fairly fine hair I'm always looking for natural products bursting with

vitamins that will help  to promote healthy hair and make my hair stronger and

look thicker!

To make things a little easier I've split my daily haircare routine into three sections wash, dry and style. So here goes ..

WASH -  When I was in America a few months back I stumbled across the

Aveda Invati range and fell in love instantly as it sounded right up my street. I wasted no time in carrying out some research, because if like me you have fine hair you'll know that we take no risks in this department. The invati system contains three products all containing Densiplex which is an invigorating mix of ayurvedic naturally derived ingredients. I bought the  Exfoliating shampoo (£20.50) and Thickening conditioner (£22.50)  as these products received the most positive reviews. Aveda also recommends using the 'Scalp Revitaliser' which comes in at £43 I found that this product has the least amount of reviews and the ones it did have were pretty negative hence I wasn't prepared to part with such a big amount before trying out the shampoo and conditioner first.

The Holy Grail for fine hair!

I have been using the two products for around a month now and I've definitely felt

a difference, my hair feels and looks thicker and fuller, but the best part is that my

friends have noticed (yay!) I've even gotten one of  them to start using it herself.

Although the shampoo doesn't feel luxurious and it doesn't lather up like most

shampoo's it leaves your hair feeling clean and fresh which is the most important thing right?!

DRY -  I'll towel dry and spray in some Tresseme heat defence spray all over my hair to protect it from harmful heat nasties. I'll then go in with the Aveda Voluminous tonic which works really well in fine to medium hair, (if you have thicker hair I'd recommend using something a little heavier). I'll spray the tonic straight into the roots then massage it in for a few seconds. Before flipping over my hair to blow-dry upside down. I find this gives my hair a bit of a lift and gives creates Volume that lasts all day.

STYLE - Once my hair is dry I'll brush through it with Michel Mercier Detangling Brush For Fine Hair (reduced on beautybay.com at the moment). I totally recommend buying this brush as I've found significantly less hair breakage and it also separates the hairs to give a fuller and  thicker look. DO NOT use this brush with your hair dryer as I did because it burns really easily and you'll be left with lopsided bristles :(  

Apparently the bristles are precisely placed to cause minimum breakage #fancy

Once I've brushed through, I'll use my Remington Pro Volume Styling brush which I bought from wowcher.com for £19,  sadly this deal is over but you can get it easily from boots for around £25. I tend to use the heated styling brush as this tames any fly-aways but maintains much more volume then a straightner does. It also doesn't get as hot as a straightener so its a little more kinder to your hair! But you have a frizzier mane I would recommend using a straightener instead as you won't get that same sleek finish. I'll then tease the hair using my Babylis teasing comb to secure volume around the crown and top parts of the head. My final step is to squirt  a little Aussie Dual personality Aussome Volume and Gloss hairspray (this isn't the one in the picture as I've run out, but Aussie hair-sprays in general are pretty awesome) to secure all the hard work you've just done and to ensure that volume lasts all day. (the good news is It usually does!) Tip here would be to spray it into the air and walk through it to keep hair looking bouncy and natural!

Do's and Dont's

Do Carry the teasing comb with you during the day to top up any flattened jushz (you know what I mean right?!)

Do invest in Aveda's Invati range (can't vouch for revitaliser just yet)

Don't use too much Aveda Voluminising Tonic it can make your hair look greasy (one to two squirts)

Don't use too much hair sprayer as this is the 'ultimate Volume slayer'

Really hope this helps you achieve that effortless Volume, trust me I know how difficult it is to achieve.

Lets Get Lippy!

Lips are a focal part of the face so its natural to want yours looking great all the time!

Hence the importance of a perfect lip balm can not be under estimated ...  So  as a service to the world of soft lips I've compiled a list of my six all time favourites.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for lips

Not the prettiest but oh so effective!

Now I know the name of this one is a bit of a mouthful and lets face it a bit bizarre but trust me when I say this lip balm has changed my life! Its unlike anything I've used before, 100% natural hypoallergenic, this tasteless and odourless balm works wonders. I've found that putting a layer on before bed leaves my lips moisturised and ready for the next day, sometimes I actually wake up with it still on my lips! This formula is very thick and doesn't look very pretty,  but leaves a nice glossy finish. Although it claims to be tasteless I sometimes get this weird taste which I can't describe other then calling it earthy maybe even grassy (this could just be me) But aside from this I really can't fault this product it really is the one for problem lips.

Peak - Made without Parabens, Sulfates and Phthalates in other words all the nasties

Pit - The price and the size (although it does last forever)

Perfect for - Super dry Chapped Lips

Value for money - At £11.99 for a 0.507 oz it can seem a little steep but I would definitely repurchase this as I don't think I could do without

Burts bee's Lip shimmer in fig -

This lip balm adds a hint of glamour and shine to your lips aswell as ample nourishing nourishment as its formula contains sunflower oil, tonnes of vitamin E and natural beeswax (sounds gross but does wonders) along with other natural ingredients. I'm pretty certain it contains some kind of menthol because it leaves a tingly cool sensation on your lips which I really like. However I think this particular formula is more about the colour then the nourishment of your lips, its softens but doesn''t eradicate dry skin. Having said this its beautiful for more warmer months and the packaging is so handy!

Peak - level of pigmentation and the cooling sensation it leaves.

Pit - not super effective on chapped lips

Value for Money ... Averaging around £4 this product is decently priced but I wish it would last a little longer then it does.

Perfect for ... Adding a touch of nourishing shimmer

Korres Lip butter in Plum

The Korres Lip butters are formulated with Shea butter and Rice wax which provide a lasting and deep hydration to the lips aswell as a lovely matt tint. Shea butter originates from Africa were it was used by locals as a protection from the harsh climates and this is exactly what this lip butter does, it works well in summer winter and everything in between!  This Lip butter helps even the most chapped lips and actually feels buttery on the lips! The only negative about the Korres range is the packaging, I find that the tub is too small and you tend to get product all over the place. Its also not shatterproof so if your a bit of a cluts like me and forever dropping things then its best to leave this one at home!

Peak - protects the skin against UV aggression and is excellent for moisture.

Pit - The packaging really isn't ideal.

Value for money ... at £8 this lip balm can seem a little steep but the sheer butter in this product is worth the price and it really does work. If your a student you can get an extra 10% off by buying from Oliver Bonas (link below)

http://www.oliverbonas.com/homeware/brands_1/korres/korres_plum_lip_butter.htm

Perfect for ... dry lips in need of some TLC and is perfect on for a natural finish

Favourites! ps. sorry there a little worn

Good ol' Vaseline

I'm sure you don't need me to go into too much detail over this one. Good old petroleum jelly has helped us all out of our driest moments. A perfect 'always keep in your bag' item. Come rain or shine its always good to have this one around.

Value for money ... £1.89 cheap and cheerful and gets the job done

Perfect for .... creates a soft workable base for lipstick

Sleek Pout Palette in Pink Cadillac

 Besides this beautiful summery shade this lip balm isn't sticky and stays on for absolutely ages. Once it stayed on for an entire night even through dinner! It smells lovely like a vanilla pod and is very easily buildable to create a glamorous look whilst keeping lips hydrated and smooth.

Peak - Contains SPF 15 and is long lasting

Pit - More of a summer product as it tends to stick to drier areas.

Perfect for ... Glamming up lipsticks.

Value for money ... £4.49  decent but I like it more for the colour then its effects as a balm.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

This is a perfect get up and go kinda product offersing colour and moisture wrapped into a clever little package. The retractable chubby crayon much like Clinique chubby stick is so handy when your on the go. It leaves lips moisturised and with the same menthol feel as the burts bees formula which I adore.

Peak - The easy to use packaging

Pit - Not pigmented enough for my liking

Perfect for ... on the go

Value for money ...  £7.99 Works just as well as the Clinique Chubby Stick for half the price!

(I find that a white background helps to see the colour more clearly!)

Hope this helps you all in your quest to find the perfect lip balm, please comment below if there's any other fab lip products out there which I could explore :)

I'm wearing a little Nipple balm with Korres lip butter in Plum to achieve this glossy  finish