Bye bye 2013, Hello 2014

I read the other day, every blogger should write a new year post. 
It's been a long time since my last post but my god how my life has changed since then. 
I've:-

• Moved across the country
• Moved out of my parents house for the first time
• Been promoted to a graduate stylist
• Ran my first 5k

The thing is now I've done all these things I'm slightly worried 2014 just won't live up to the last year. In my head I'm trying to come up with new challenges and targets for myself so that when the clock strikes 12 and rolls in 2015 I won't look back and think, oh I've done nothing to push myself this year. 

Back to the main subject of the blog tho, hair and beauty! 

New Years resolutions can be seen in 2 ways, a kick start to a new life or something that we can do for a few days or weeks and then we can go back to normal.

This year I'm determined to stick to some beauty resolutions which I hope won't just help my outer appearance but will help me to feel better inside too. So here they are my 2014 beauty resolutions.

1. Remove makeup before going to bed, I know it's the cliché resolution but sleeping in something that is going to clog up your pores when your skin should be regenerating itself seems silly. 
2. Drink more water, again cliché, but I really don't drink enough, I can go till 4 in the afternoon and realise I haven't drank a drop of liquid all day. I've read all the symptoms of chronic dehydration and I think drinking just a few more glasses a day would change my overall health. 
3. Use heat protector on my hair every time I blow dry or straighten it. This has become much easier after I started using Kerastase Ciment Thermique. Just put a small amount in towel dried hair after shampooing and containing and it protectors your hair from heat styling until your hair is next shampooed. Perfect if your the kind of person that forgets to use products every time you style your hair. 
4. Healthy eating/ exercise again cliché but in thus case I don't mean dieting, I mean putting the things my body needs in. Fresh fruit and vegetables mainly and starting more regular exercise. This should hopefully help boost the look of my skin hair and nails. 

And my not so beauty related resolutions

1. Run a 5k in less than 30 minutes, run a 10k and run a half marathon (I know I'm crazy)
2. Get more of a social life, moving to a completely new area last year has meant finding new friends, which to be honest I'm not the best at but this year I'm going to come out of my comfort zone and make an effort to do new things to meet new people. 
3.  Push myself at work, my first Christmas as an actual working hairdresser not just an assistant, proved to be either sink or swim and I believe I swam. It has given my the confidence to push myself a bit more, learn new things and become better at every aspect of hairdressing. 

If any of you out there have any resolutions beauty or non beauty related I would love to hear them, maybe we can help each other succeed this year. 

Until next time

Happy New Year

Charlie x

The Fear!

I can't believe that it's been over 6 weeks since I wrote my last post, I can only apologise for my absence but the same week I wrote that last post everything in my life began to change.

As I had written previously I had been to Venice and had written the post in London, the week before this I had applied for a job, just the one since my mum had seen it and thought it would be good for me. I applied thinking nothing would come of it. When I got back from Venice I checked my email and to my surprise I had an interview. 2 days later I went to my interview, which must have gone well since I was invited for 2 trial days 2 weeks later. After these 2 days amazingly I got the job and a promotion from my previous role.

But it wasn't as simple as starting a new job, which in its self can be pretty life changing, but for this job I had to move over 200 miles away from my family home. I have never lived away from home, not even when I went to uni.

2 weeks after my move, here I am living in the picturesque Surrey, having to get use to a new job, living away from family and friends, sharing a house with my god mother and trying to meet new people.

It's all very strange, I think most things seem to be working out so far, but meeting new people is always difficult when your new to an area, but I'm determined to make things work for me.

Sorry if the blog has been a bit life based but its kind of the focus of everything for me at the moment, I should be returning to the usual content soon.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to meet new people when moving to a new town please don't hesitate to get in touch I would love to here from you.

Until next time

Charlie x

Green Green Tea!

How fast is this year going, February already! I'm writing this from the big city of London, I was slightly disappointed that I have missed London fashion week by 24 hours but its still nice to be here after spending a few days in venice with the boyfriend.

Todays post is a little different as its not a hair post or particularly a beauty post but i thought i should share with you something that a have found out by accident over the last few weeks. This won't apply to all of you out there, but everyone with Psoriasis this could seriously help.

I will just give you a bit of the back ground story, last September I was bitten by a dog, don't worry it wasn't very serious but I was put on antibiotics. After this I came down with a really bad sore throat infection. I think a combination of these things lead to what is known as guttate psoriasis. It comes up as little round red patches of dry skin and unfortunately for me I had it on my face. I went to the walk in centre who just said moisturise. Then after months of this not working I went to the doctors again the same advice moisturise and don't use perfumed soaps.

Then about 2 weeks ago me and my mum started a diet, nothing silly but just eating healthily and trying to get a bit more active. She bought some green tea for its anti oxidant properties and to my surprise I actually liked it. Then after just a few days strangely my face began to be clearer, the red patches and dryness basically disappeared.

Now I didn't think this was possible, I had also started using a new combination of moisturisers but after a bit of online research I found that others have found the same result from drinking green tea.

I'm not a doctor or a dietician so my advice has no medical backing but if you have psoriasis you might as well give it a go for what the price of a box of green tea bags cost, it could be the thing that changes your skin completely.

Until next time

Charlie x

Happy New Year!

I dont know about everyone else but I find new year a very reflective time, looking over the last year and either being happy with what has happened or looking back with regret.

I did so many things last year that at the begining of 2012 I didnt think I could do. Mainly going to Italy to work for 2 weeks. For some people this doesn't seem like much but to me, someone who hated doing things alone this was a massive challenge. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I made some great friends and gained the cofidence to realise I can do anything and go anywhere I want.

This is me on the far left with the people I worked with at Claudio Erre in Como, Italy.

 

Some of the people I went to Italy with.

The last night dancing on the tables.

 

 

It seems so long ago now, but I am determined to make 2013 even better, do things I haven't done before, go places I haven't been and meet new people.

 

As for new years resolutions I have been given one by my boyfriend, this July I have to cycle from Manchester to Blackpool a 60 mile ride. I currently do no exercise so this is going to be a massive challenge. But the best part of this is if I complete it then he is going to pay for my ticket to a festival. This is why im going to do it because I havent been to a festival and I have been saying for years I want to go so a chance for a free ticket is a big insentive.

 

I have other big plans for this year when my college course finishes, I will let you know all about them as they happen.

 

Im also determined to start blogging more regularly this year too, so fingers crossed that works out for me and I have the time to do that.

 

I hope your 2012 was a good one? but remember this is the perfect time to start again and to change the things that you want to, you just have to beleive that you can do it.

 

 

Until next time

 

Charlie x





Vintage Vixen!

At college we sometimes take part in different events to promote the services we offer at the college salon. Today we took part in a college event which I really looked forward to doing, a mend don't spend fair, where the fashion and textile students and different stalls sell vintage and upcycled products. Not only was there that but there was a tea party and my class were offering the vintage hair styles to match.

I think I possibly was one of the only excited people in my class, and got called a geek when I said I might go a bit earlier than my shift to go and have a look around. But this is what I sometimes do on a weekend anyway, look around vintage and craft fairs finding bargains and one off treasures so to me it was just another chance to shop and in college time which was a definite perk. 

I love vintage hair too, I don't really do much on myself to be honest I feel a bit like I am dressing up when I have tried it before, even tho I think I kinda suit the look. What do you think? That's me in the middle.

This was such an easy look to create,

1. Firstly I curled my hair with my ghd's to create a tight curl. leaving out a triangular section where my fringe (bangs) are.

2.  I took this front section and curled it backwards.

3. I gently brushed out the curls to bring them together to create a vintage glamour wave.
4. The front section was lightly back combed to give lift and to shape the quiff look.

Here are some more pictures from today.

This is the Auntysocial stall, their mission is to create a vibrant, active and diverse community in the Fylde Coast area through positive, sustainable arts and cultural activities, tea and cake. At the mend don't spend event they were selling some of the things they had created.

You might be seeing more of this room in pictures soon, for my level 3 course we have to complete a show. I have put myself forward to be one of the coordinators which means I have to help organize everything including venue, fundraising, music and marketing. We were struggling to find a room which would be suitable and that was in the price bracket we were after, but after spending the day here I think we all decided it would be perfect.

Until next time

Charlie x

Mirror Ball

Today is my first full day off in nearly 3 weeks and I am making the most of it by still being in bed with a sleepy Edgar next to me.

This is my beautiful baby, Ed

Thought I would just do a quick update of things that have been happening in my life recently, I have not done this before so I hope you like it.

It was my work Christmas night out on Saturday, this is a picture of me (middle) and the other juniors gem (left) and Luke (right).

My friend Tasha got a new job so naturally we had to go out and celebrate, Muzzi and Fiona shown in the picture came out too. Fiona has a blog too where she writes about her life (Just Fi) she thinks and looks at things in completely different way to anyone I know, she has a very positive view of life so go give it a read.

This is me and Tasha, I think she is possibly on the phone to my drunk boyfriend while this photo is being taken. 

My best friend's sister got married a couple of weeks ago, they looked so happy.

We had a Parkinsons event at college, we went to a hotel in Blackpool and styled peoples hair that either suffer from Parkinsons or their carers. It felt good to give something back.

So that is my last couple of weeks in pictures, I hope that my life isn't too boring for you. My plan for later today is to go find some interesting hair products to review. I suppose now I had actually get up and get ready to go out.

Until next time

Charlie x

Wishlist #1

Hi everyone, so its not too long till Christmas, just over 4 weeks! and I thought I would do a little wish list post to show you some of the cute things out there I have my eye on that I thought some of you may also like to put onto your wish lists to Santa too.

 

1. Teddy Robe (Topshop)

How cute is this with its little ears, it looks perfect for snuggling up on the sofa watching Home Alone, Love actually or Elf. Oh how I love Christmas films.

 

2. Ipad case (rabbitdream, etsy)

This one all depends on if my parents are really really kind this Christmas and get me an Ipad. This case is from etsy so is homemade, I like the simple and classic design.

 

 3. Delaware Fur Lined Boots (Topshop)

Ive been looking for the perfect pair of knee high boots for so long. I have one pair of suede boots from next that I have worn winter after winter but they are looking very worse for wear and the hole in the sole doesn't help to keep my feet warm. These could be a nice new replacement. Plus they are fur lined for that extra warmth for the freezing northern winter.

 4. Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo & Conditioner (Amazon)

After using Moroccan Oil for over a year now I am keen to try the shampoo and conditioner out. They are sulphate and paraben free which are the new buzz words in the industry at the moment, and hopefully these can tame my frizzy locks.

5. Emily Reindeer Soft Touch Jumper

So I am totally Jumping on the Christmas Jumper band wagon. I think the cheesier the better, plus you don't want to spend too much on one because come the 26th December your not likely to wear it for another year. This one looks nice since its soft touch and slightly over sized for that cosy winter feel, but I think instead of ordering online I might just nip to good old Primark for a cheap and cheerful alternative.

This post is quickly going on my Facebook for family and friends to see, to give them a couple of hints. I really should be up and ready to carry on with my Christmas shopping today but after my works Christmas night out last night I'm still in bed and I cant see that changing for at least an hour. 

In the last week I've had confirmation for the theme of the level 3 hair show at college its...(drum roll please)... Past, Present and Future! from that I have chosen the future. The hair show is taking place at the end of January, in about 8 weeks, my mission before Christmas is to create a mood board for my look. You would think that wouldn't be too difficult but finding images which show your own personal view of the future is actually quite difficult. I think Pinterest could  become my new best friend.

I hope this has given some of you a little inspiration and that your day is more productive than mine. 

Until next time

Charlie x