H&M Lace Frock and Alexander O'Neal ...!

Happy Friday!

I think this is my 300th post! Good grief, doesn't seem like I've done this 300 times...! Anyway...last night on the treadmill, our Alexander popped up on my IPod and I got myself all hyped up - as you do - you know when you don't want to turn the music off cos you're proper feelin' it so you practically dance yourself into the changing room?  Yep - one of those moments...!

Alexander O'Neal -  Criticize ...

Released in 1987 from the album Hearsay (what an album), Criticize always reminds me of the run up to Christmas when myself and the girls from Top Shop (where I worked at the time) went out clubbing with our huge (and I mean huge) hair and lycra mini dresses - mine was black velvet - loved that dress!

The hubby and myself are off out tonight - just meeting old friends for drinks and then a curry.  I'm really trying to use what I have in my wardrobe and not buy any new items for the couple of nights out planned - so am wearing last years's black (yep black again) lacy H&M dress and black wedge ankle boots! That is the plan anyway!

Right must crack on - have various domestic chores still to complete,  need to wash my hair, paint my nails and decide whether I'm going heavy on the eyes or lips tonight - decisions!

Do you remember Criticize first time round? (I guess the  majority of answers will be no!)


Jen x

Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence - Review

Bonjour!

We're talking hair again - 'oh no not again!' I hear you say ... yep sorry -it's my obsession of the moment!  I bought this duo of Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence (from QVC) back in August just before holiday (seems so long ago now).  It's not cheap at approx £20/250ml but I'm a big fan of the iconic Philip Kingsley Elasticizer and so was certainly intrigued to try the Daily Damage Defence.  For those who aren't aware my hair is super-fine, curly, frizzy and thinning - good (not) combination eh...?

It contains ingredients to help smooth, strengthen and provide more elasticity together with heat and UV protection, and aids anti-breakage, frizz fighting and general manageability.  I took the mini bottle on holiday and have been using the larger one for the past few months.  The spray is easy to use with a super-fine mist and you don't need to use much, hence there is still loads left in each bottle. It doesn't cling to the hair or weigh it down and is not sticky or crispy. Plus - it smells lovely!

On holiday - I found this a brilliant product for enabling me to wear my hair curly, helped with the frizz whilst leaving my hair to dry naturally (something I don't often do - trust me it's frightening!), sprayed lightly after washing and also in the mornings to help tame and define curls which had succumbed to my usual overnight holiday hair madness! Yes - I do remember reaching for this most mornings!

Back home - again, sprayed lightly through mid-length/ends and layered with whichever other styling product I happen to be using -it does (usually) leave my hair softer and fairly frizz free - however I do still have bad hair days (when nothing I use seems to work!).  What I have found is that the Daily Damage Defence doesn't so much stop hair from becoming frizzy if I'm caught out (hat and hood-less) say on a damp school run but is great at rectifying the matter to a degree. I just spray lightly over the affected areas, which will have curled and frizzed up.  It renders the curls much less frizzy, softer and wearable.

Unfortunately - my hair is still prone to breakage in places,  maybe due to missing my haircut appointment?  I do think, sometimes, no matter how lovely the product you are using, if you let yourself get run down and stressed (as I have done recently) then it shows in the state of your hair (and skin) - well it does in mine anyway.

For me the Daily Damage Defence is a brilliant product for fighting established frizz. Not sure about the long term effects as Phil the hairdresser says he didn't see a vast improvement in the condition of my hair but then again it wasn't in as bad condition as I thought it was anyway - confusing!  I'm not sure I'll re-purchase immediately as there are similar products I want to try but it will be interesting to see what happens once it runs out - although I'll be saving the travel size to take away on holiday again next year...!

Have you tried the Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence? Which leave-in conditioning spray do you use?

Jen x

School Disco Days - Blondie - Heart of Glass

Bonjour and a Happy Friday!

This week the hubby very kindly decided to give me a bit of the throat virus he's been nurturing so been a bit under the weather - thank goodness for painkillers that's all I can say! Feeling a bit better today - just in time to get my hair sorted - still not made a final decision yet (see Wednesdays post) ...

Anyway ... last Friday my little girl (not so little anymore - growing far too fast) went to her first school disco - it was all she and her friends could talk about for weeks before - planning outfits etc - ah I remember those days! It was only for a couple of hours after school but she came back home buzzing, singing Katie Perry 'Roar' and complaining that her feet were hurting from dancing ... again I remember those days well (apart from the Katie Perry bit!) ...

Here's the little outfit she put together for the evening ...

Got me thinking of my own school disco days - so without further ado ....

Blondie - Heart of Glass 

Released early 1979 - what an effortlessly cool and timeless track - it will never date ... I'm well proud to have bopped along to this at many a school disco ...

Speaking of effortlessly cool just look at our Debbie - she looks bloody fantastic - no wonder all the boys were head over heels in love with her. I'm in love with her laid back groovy hair (there's a surprise)!

So what was your ultimate school disco track?

Jen x

Another Great Hair Dilemma ...

Bonjour!

As you may have guessed I'm having another hair dilemma - well I have them all the time to be honest (my friends are laughing)!  It's like I can sort of manage my skin (more or less) but my mop is a different and an 'oh so unpredictable' kettle of fish!

I tried to skip a cut (well I went about 12 weeks) but it simply does not work for my hair - as it's so fine it just thins out and splits on the bottom - so lesson no 1 learnt (you'd think I know this at my age) regular trims are a must have. Lesson no 2 is that longer hair is a thing of the past - although it grows quite quickly - again - splitting and thinning are an issue - so... I've recently been bobbed off again and I think this is the shape of things to come - had a few layers cut back in (after growing them all out) as I didn't want to look like a monk!

So - I'm booked in with Phil (hairdresser) to have a colour this week and herein lies the dilemma! Highlights or semi, highlights or semi...can't decide in the slightest. So I'm looking at hair colour here and trying to imagine it on a bobbed head!

Every weekend I see Claudia's hair on Strictly and lust after the richness and shine of a semi-permanent colour which will cover the greys (there aren't loads but they stick out like a sore thumb)  and perk everything up a bit - shimmering and multi-tonal - that's what they say isn't it?

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And of course Alexa's hair is always on my mind! So do we go for darker Alexa ....

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or lighter Alexa ... in which case I'd need lots of fine highlights (instead of a semi) - which will also add texture and give the hair a thicker look?

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or all over chunkier slices of colour and sod the growing out phase ...

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...and then just to confuse matters I go and notice this gorgeous glossy colour and am now swaying back to dark again...?

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or am I ...? I think I need some help! You think I'm mad don't you?

Which do you prefer - would you choose highlights over a semi?  How often do you have your hair cut and what do you do with your hair colour in Autumn/Winter?

Jen x

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light - Review

Bonjour!

Hope everyone's had a good weekend! I spent most of Friday evening asleep on the settee whilst the rest of the family watched Monsters' University - think I've got sleeping sickness - anyway ... here's my pot of Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light ...

I bought the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light back in June - but have only been using it since mid September - initially just in the mornings,  more recently also in the evening (since I finished my Emma Hardie). It is aimed at normal/combination to sensitive skin prone to de-hydration (yep that's me), is concentrated with Vichy Thermal spa water, enriched with hyaluronic acid and is paraben free.

I did wonder whether I should be using something more potent/anti-ageing (especially at this time of year) - but layered with serum AM and a facial oil PM - the Vichy Thermal Light seems to work well, plus, I use far less product in this way.  It's great under make-up as it's easily absorbed, has no greasy or sticky residue and keeps my skin comfortable and hydrated all day without clogging pores or causing any breakouts. I can actually see it being a favourite during the summer months as it's light, refreshing and soothing on the skin with a subtle fresh scent - it's definitely got that 'thermal spa water' thing going on - know what I mean? I've probably got approx a third of the jar left after a couple of months use so pretty standard on that front.

I have, so far, been impressed with the Vichy products I've tried (still loving the Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum - review here) as they deliver hydration and don't upset my sensitive skin/eczema prone areas (which seem to be getting worse with age!).  At £16/50ml it's not too bad a price (especially if you can get a 3 for 2 offer) so I will repurchase at some stage.

Have you tried anything from the Vichy Aqualia Thermal range? What moisturiser are you using at the moment?

Jen x