Lou's Reviews :: GHD Cherry Blossom Styler

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

In the past few months, I have received a great many questions about my hair, what it's like, how it is styled, favourite products to achieve certain looks, the list goes on.

I plan on getting round to answering these queries in good time, but today I'm going to talk about a brand of products that I have been happily using and trusting for about 7 years now. GHD aka Good Hair Day.

Unless you have been living under bald rock, you will have heard of GHD's. The British run company sell hair electrical hair tools as well as styling products to achieve every look you can think of. Initially selling products in salons (for the first two years of their business -2001 - 2003- they did no advertising and relied solely on excellent recommendations), they now have a full range of products on a beautifully laid out website and regularly bring out limited edition merchandise.

One such product is the GHD Cherry Blossom Styler* which retails for £129.00, with £10 going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a cause very close to my heart. 

Just as much as I love my set of GHD Straighteners from 2004 (yes, still going strong, touch wood), I love these too. They have an array of lovely features, both cosmetic and functional. As a lover of all things pink and girly I am thrilled with the pretty pink blades, floral designed box and cherry blossom heat-resistant bag, which had enough space for hot blades and a divide to keep the wire safe- nobody wants melted electrics in their beauty kit! Yikes! I also like that you when the styler is on (indicated by the lit up GHD motto), it will automatically turn itself off after 30 minutes, so there is no acute panic when you're half way down the road and wondering if you remembered to turn them off. Zoe and I once had to turn a taxi to the station around to go back and check on mine, we hadn't turned them off! Uh oh! 

Other little features that make all the difference are the swivel cord which allows you to twist and turn the tool without being restricted or becoming tangled and the rounded barrel which allows you to create beautiful curls, waves and flicks. 

The reason I love my GHD's (this lovely new pair and my older pair) so very much, aside from their reliability and ability to tame my insanely thick hair like non-other, is because you can create so many looks with them. They really can do everything! Hmmmm except crimp, but really, who wants to crimp their own hair? I had mine done once and it was NOT a good look haha!

I've put together a little 'hair collage' from pictures I had floating about of different styles I've had in my hair created by GHD's. Do excuse the posey faces and picture quality, some of these are instagram snaps or video screenshots. I'm pretty boring and usually go for the same kind of thing - wavy/curly/volumised/straight with a flick, but even when I'm having a 'hair up' sort of day, I will use my GHD's to tame little frizzy bits at the front or remove any annoying kinks.

In summary, I have nothing bad to say about GHD Stylers. I've loved them for years and hope I will continue doing so until I'm old and grey and my grandchildren are telling me that I look like mutton dressed as lamb with my big shmexy hair! Hahaha!

Are you a GHD lover like me?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS-

Told you I didn't look great crimped! Haha xx

Date Night FOTD

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Since last fortnight was our second wedding anniversary, Matt was a little gem and organised a lovely night for us.

Naturally I made a bit of an effort seeing as it was a romantic occasion and whatnot and as the dedicated blogger I am, I made sure to get a quick snap or two. I must say though, this was hours after I applied my makeup and had eaten a lovely meal, so it's not as picture perfect as I would like, but that's why this is a blog and not an editorial magazine.

Face

MAC Studio Sculpt -NW20

MUFE HD Concealer -5

MAC Bronzing Pressed Powder

MAC MSF -Soft and Gentle

Lips

MAC Lipliner -Cherry (all over the lip)

Nars Larger Than Life Lipgloss -Norma

Eyes

A concoction of eyeshadow shades ranging from black on the outer corner to gold on the inner with violet in between. I have a lot of palettes so I just dipped around happily haphazardly. 

Topshop Kohl -Coal

YSL Shocking Mascara -Blackest Black (Good grief I love this product! haha)

FasionistA Brow Kit (review coming soon).

And that's it.

I kept my hair simple in a top knot with 40's fringe, silver heart oversized studs (£2 from River Island- what a steal) and a swish new outfit that I will do an OOTD for if you would like it?

I am currently just LOVING red lips. I have been sporting them most days and is a look I think I will wear a lot this Autumn.

What are you loving this September?

Toodlepip!

xx

Happy Third Birthday, Blog!

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Today my blog is 3. On this day, three years ago, I sat on the very same sofa, in the very same room that I am in now and decided to start a blog.

Last year on it's second birthday I wrote this ::

"Happy Birthday little blog, what a journey we've been on! First year a wedding, second year a baby, third year a ....?"

(Image : Pinterest)

Well it is the third year now and time to fill in a blank. 

I think this year the new thing has been 'business'. After 2 years I was finally fortunate enough to be able to call Blogging (and making YouTube videos) my job. My actual proper job. It's like a dream!

Blogging is something I enjoy every aspect of. I enjoy buying and trying new products, I enjoy taking pictures and playing with editing software, I enjoy thinking up new features or lifey posts and tags, I enjoy tiptapping away on my keyboard and letting words flow out, I enjoy seeing it all in one post all put together, I enjoy reading your comments and tweets, I enjoy tweeting back, I enjoy reading other people's blogs, I enjoy all of it. Every single bit. 

To say that something you enjoy a million percent is actually your job is fantastic because it never feels like work. It feels like I am allowed to spend time having fun and it helps to pay our bills. What more can a gal ask for??

I must say though, before anyone with a blog goes handing their notice in based on this blog post, that I wouldn't be able to call this my job without my YouTube channel as the two really do go hand in hand. 

With all that aside, I am grateful to this blog for far, far more than the financial help it brings our household. It really truly has steered my life down a brilliantly sparkly path.

Firstly, because of the financial help, it allows me to stay at home with Baby Glitter instead of putting her in daycare and returning to the office. This is something that I am so thankful for as these are days I will cherish forever.  I really am treasuring every little moment of her babyhood and am glad I am able to be her full time carer.

Secondly, I haven't felt alone in 3 years. I know that whatever time or day or night, because of this blog I will always have someone to chat to or interact with. I will always be able to to tweet or read comments or return emails, because you Sprinklerinos are so kind and have taken a little moment out of your day to talk to me. I'm sadly not able to reply to everything but if you were really keen to chat, twitter is your best bet. 

Thirdly, I have inadvertently documented three years of my life. Three of the best! The run up to my wedding, newlywedness (real word there), pregnancy and mummyhood. Sometimes I go back and read older posts and remember all the little things I've done or made or reviewed or experienced and feel incredibly enriched.

Thank you to every single sparkly one of you who has read, followed, commented or joined in with this blog. I'm sure to most it is a blog like any other, but to me it is much, much more. It's magical.

So, like last year, Happy Birthday little blog. What a journey we've been on! First year a wedding, second year a baby, third year a business, fourth year a ...... . Who knows where we'll go next? I hope you will come with me. 

Toodlepip!

xx