New Banner - Pretty Birds & Shush Banners

So last night you may have noticed a little change to my blog, I have a lovely new banner thanks to Shush Banners. You can find her on twitter or facebook  if you want any type of blog overhaul and their prices are ridiculously good value! I happened to get mine free as the winner of a competition, so lucky!

I wanted something quite minimal but pretty to go with my style and the rest of my blog however now I am having a few doubts. A couple of people on twitter have mentioned the banner and floral background together look a bit busy? I love it but wanted my readers opinions. What do you think?

Also look at the cute little footer she made me too! 

Tuesday To Do List

One of my exhibition pieces.

Finding out I do not have work tonight was the best feeling every however I am the worst person at frittering away time, if that is even possible? Time just flies and I feel like I have done nothing, so I am going to try and have a productive evening.

- Unpack everything from the weekend
- Tidy room
- Post the my giveaway prize (I’m so sorry for the delay, I’ve been so busy)
- Post eBay items
- Wash hair
- Start my evaluation
- Reply to emails

Instagram; ourcharr

So I have been rubbish at keeping up with posts, this is an instagram update from a week or so ago. There are lots more to come, oh god! As usual the newest are at the top, hope you don’t get too bored.

Helping out at Bristol Festival of Photography

Bunny and pony print dress

Pale child 

Look what a friend lent me :)

Blogging on the balcony

Deciding on exhibition pieces

Pretty evening light 

Street art, aw 

Tourists in Amsterdam

My pre festival outfits 

Zed Nelson exhibition

New make up bag :)

The best contact lens case ever !!

Exhibition time

Vintage bags in Clifton

Vintage shopping in Clifton village

Vain outfit post

New top from New Look sale

Fish eye iPhone

Someone from college lent me this beaut !

Holga 120N 35mm

Ambiguity Within Photography

Pearls Necklaces, Patterned Collars & Granddad Jumpers

Jumper; Market in Bristol, Blouse; Charity Shop, Leggings & Pearl Necklace; H&M

My Hair Won’t Grow - Help !?

Extensions vs Natural 

I have had a constant struggle with my hair, it always felt like it would never grow past a certain length and then I had the realisation that I was probably making it so much worse. You cannot force your hair to grow but there are a few things you can do to help it on its way. 

Extensions
As with acrylic nails, hair extensions are a quick fix. They look great for a while but need to be replaced regularly if you want to avoid the ratty look. They are also really bad for your natural hair. Wearing extensions constantly puts pressure on your roots which causes hair to fall out and restricts growth. I found as soon as I stopped wearing my extensions my hair became so much healthier and has already started growing a lot more! If you feel you are not ready to stop wearing you extensions, try to reduce the amount of time you keep them in and take extra measures to keep your natural hair in good condition.

Brush & Massage
I think a lot of people have a real thing against brushing their hair, me included. There was the phase where the ‘bed hair look’ was very in and brushing just ruins this. I often feel mine goes frizzy and flat if I brush it too much. A lot of these issues can be down to the actual brush rather than the idea of brushing in general. For my birthday last year my two little brothers bought me a Denman brush and I suddenly noticed a huge difference. There is a lot of debate about whether brushing too much will damage you hair but I believe it is a good thing.  Brushing stimulates the scalp and the production of sebum aswell as sharing the oils from the scalp with the rest of your hair. Hair dressers always say you should wash your hair as infrequently as possible, this is because washing strips your hair of the natural oils which keep it in good condition.

Similar to brushing, massaging your scalp is important. This will stimulate the hair follicles resulting in growth and the production of oil which keeps your hair healthy. You do not have to sit for hours just rubbing your scalp even something as similar as taking an extra minute to shampoo. Lee Stafford also has a Hair Growth Product. You are recommended to massage the product into your scalp after shampooing and leave for about 5 minutes. This reiterates the point about massaging your scalp. The product itself may not directly cause growth, however the combination of a product which keeps your hair in great condition and the stimulation of the scalp will together increase hair growth. Are you beginning to see the pattern here?

Products & Treatments

My hair dressers always asks about this and I have to admit I am not good at using a regular product. There are a few masks and deep conditioning treatments I have spotted so I think I may have to invest.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Along with everyone and there mothers I use Moroccan oil on the ends of my hair and as all the reviews say it is amazing. I have nearly finished my sample sized bottle and am dreading having to pay for the larger size. Even though it is amazing it is still incredibly expensive. Has anyone found anything just as amazing but for a student budget? 
Another product which I use is the VO5 Moisture Soak Hot Oil  I have gone through a few variations of this product over the years and this is also great for keeping your ends in good condition. You heat up the tube with boiling water and then apply to your hair before shampooing. One word of warning, never ever get this in your eyes, it is the most painful thing I have ever experienced!

You Are What You Eat
My mums hairdresser swears by vitamins and the principle of ‘you are what you ear’. On her recommendation we tried the Perfectil Triple Active vitamins, the only downside is they are expensive unless you manage to find them on a 3 for 2 offer or something similar. I have recently found these vitamins in Holland & Barretts which seem to be a cheaper alternative. You take 3 tablets a day and they should improve your skin, nails and hair. I never really know how you are supposed to tell if they work or not but as they are 100% of all your vitamins need for healthy hair I do believe they work. 

Hairdressers
This seems ironic that cutting your hair shorter with make it grow longer. Having your hair cut does not directly effect the amount it grows but having the tinyest trim will keep it in good condition. Once you get a split ends there isn’t anything you can do other than trim them off so regular cuts will avoid this. 

 If any one has any other tips and tricks to growing your hair I would love to know! None of these are really a fast fix, patience is needed I am afraid.

Rifke, Blog Headers & Pretty Graphics

There are going to be a few exciting changes to my blog in the next couple of weeks. If you have not already noticed I have finally added an ‘About Me’ page to my sidebar and hopeful should have a new header and logo soon thanks to the lovely Rifke. You can take a look at her artwork below, they are pretty with just enough edge. I think I am in love!

rifke-s.tumblr.com

Sigur Rós - Hoppípolla

Getting in the mood for Besitval, I cannot wait, it is going to be all glitter, neon paint and false unicorn tattoos. The festival also has the cutest website I have ever see.

Go to the Bestival website. 

Snippets of Amsterdam

Confronted with blue haired punks as soon as we got off the plane

I have never seen so many bikes in all my life (even more than in Oxford)

Everything is either pretty & traditional or cool & urban

I took an awful lot of photographs on various different films and cameras while we were visiting Holland however here are just a couple from a cheap disposable one. Amsterdam is such a beautiful city as well as being rather odd and like nothing I have ever experienced, I would highly recommend taking a visit, it is such an amazing place!

Lush ‘Buffy’ Body Butter

Lush Buffy Body Butter 90g £5.50

'Buffs your backside and slays dead skin, leaving you angel soft’

When I write a review I want it to be about something I truly love and not an item I have been sent or I have bought specifically to write about. I think it is really important that people express their true opinions however always be careful your opinions do not ere on the side of rudeness. I have come very close to this line at a few points in my life.

I have been debating about buying the Lush Buffy body butter for a while now and finally caved in. I found this item so intriguing, the bar which supposedly exfoliates and moisturises at the same time, it sounds like magic?! The main thing I love about Lush products is that they use completely natural ingredients, their packaging is recycled and that the products are so gentle and lovely but still work!

The Buffy bar contains ground rice, almonds and aduki beans to rid dead skin and dry bits. 'They are tough enough to polish away the dead, without being too harsh on your skin.’ The bar also contains cocoa butter and shea butter to moisturise aswell as lavender oil for calming the skin and mind.

I do not know why I am always surprised when their products work, maybe because it seems too good to be true but the Buffy bar is another of those Lush must haves. It works best in the shower, it almost reminds me of a bar of soap  and you just scrub all over. It is amazing for smooth legs after shaving. What I found incredible is after you wash off all the little exfoliating bits how your skin feels so smooth, there is an almost oily residue which does not wash off in the shower so by the time you get out  your skin is extra smooth and moisturised.

Good Points
- Long lasting
- Multi purpose product that actually works; exfoliates and moisturises at the same time
- Completely natural and good for the environment 
- Smells lovely

Bad Points
- A little expensive
- Hard to store if you have not bought a Lush tin 

You can catch up with my other Lush review here.

Sunday To Do List

*weheartit

I have the whole day to do as I please so my plan is to have a lie in but get up as soon as I wake and then be as productive as possible.

- Wash hair, fake tan & do nails
- Apply for Brighton halls !
- Check student finance
- Reply & sort emails
- Fish Eye Shoot
- Finish B&W 35mm film
- Organise & annotate college diary
- Annotate sketchbook
- Finish editing photographs

Within Me A Lunatic Sings

Top; New Look, Cardigan; H&M, Shorts; Hand made - Charity Shop, Necklace; Charity Shop, Belt & Headband, Primark 

I found this top in New Look a couple of days ago in the sale for £5, I rarely buy things on the high street now days and was having a debate for ages about whether to buy it. It is a size 18 however tucked into shorts, leggings or a skirt I don’t think you can tell. If I am half hearted about buying something I always think to myself would I buy this if I found it in a charity shop, if I hundred percent would then what is all the consideration about!? I often feel guilty about buying things, especially from high street retailers. I am not too sure why, I guess I am not the stereotypical blogger whose main reason for buying clothes and makeup is to write about them. I have a weird thing about owning too much stuff, I like to have minimal things around me and to love everything I own instead of having lots and lots of mediocre not so pretty things. Oh god I sound so weird now, does any one else ever feel like this?

I’ve spent the afternoon and evening with my mother today, it was so lovely to have a catch up as I don’t see her as often as I would like too and this always make me realise how much I’m going to miss her and my sister when I go to university. I cannot wait to finish college now, I booked my Bestival ticket this morning and am so excited for the summer and all the exciting upcoming events. I’m also 20 this year which is ridiculously scary, it is like the start of a new chapter! 

I really want a new blog design but am rubbish with html and all that malarky, does anyone have any suggestions or know anyone who is great at that sort of thing? Or even somebody to just design me a new logo or header! Thank you in advance, I would be eternally grateful :)

Aust

Holga 120N Colour Medium Format Film

Instagram; ourcharr (in Amsterdam)

I’m undecided whether this makes sense with the newest photographs at the top, it follows how a blog works but still feels a little backwards, hmmm? I also took a couple of rolls of 35mm film over the course of the weekend which I need to develop asap. 

Craving fruit after a chaotic weekend

Presents from Holland

Pretty sky views from the plane

Apparently the new way to spell Charlotte ‘Chalet'

In the Foam Photography Museum, Diana Mini

Cocktails before entering the Ice Bar, -10 !?

Smokey Joes bar

Oops bit of a height difference 

Anne Franks house

We found the biggest vintage store ever, my new / old purse

Being a tourist at Anne Franks House

5am flight, ewwwww 

Thursday was the boyfs sisters birthday, naw

My new shoes came before the weekend :)

Packing is the hardest thing ever