DIY Lush inspired H'suan Wen Hua hair mask

Having fairly recently gone from a brunette to blonde, getting highlights can begin to take it's toll on your hair and blonde hair in particular can have a tendency to become dry.  I have therefore been on the look out for a rich deep conditioning treatment, to help reduce any damage to my hair, helping it to retain moisture and stay healthy for longer.

After shopping around, and reading numerous different reviews, one that seemed to stand out, with a lot of good comments was Lush's H'suan Wen Hua hair mask, so I decided to give it a go. The hair mask claims to be 'full of protein-rich, nourishing ingredients to revive your hair and improve its condition'.  You apply this conditioner to dry hair and leave it for approximately 20 mins before shampooing and conditioning your hair as normal. 

Although it has quite an unusual scent which some people may not like (I personally didn't mind it) after just one use I completely fell in love with the product and how soft, nourished and glossy it left my hair. It was just what I'd been looking for and as it contains fresh, organic ingredients the mask really did feel like it had improved the condition of my hair, rather than just coating it in silicones which many conditioners seem to do.  

The only downside of the H'suan Wen Hua hair treatment was the price...considering you are meant to use between 1/2 - 1 full tub for long hair, (I used less) at £8.95 it's definitely not the cheapest mask if your looking for something to use on a regular basis.  As a result I thought I would have a go at making it myself...working out at a fraction of the cost!

You will need the following ingredients:

1/2 free range egg

1 small banana

1/2 ripe avocado

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp rosemary oil

1 tsp cinnamon leaf oil

2 tsp bay leaf infusion

Step 1:

For the first step, I started by making the bay leaf infusion. Pour a small amount of boiling water over a few dried or fresh bay leaves (fresh is best, but I had to make do with what was in the cupboard) cover and set aside to soak.  Use as little water as possible...just enough to cover the leaves, as the more you add the more diluted the solution will become.

Step 2: 

Use a sharp knife to cut an avocado in half and remove the stone.  Next use a teaspoon to scoop the avocado out of the skin and place in a small bowl before mashing to a smooth consistency.  

Containing over 25 vital minerals, including vitamins A,B,C,E and K avocados offer many health benefits. However for the hair in particular it's the oils in the avocado which help to moisturise and rejuvenate the scalp.  Avocados are also a rich source of proteins and amino acids, helping to deeply condition and revitalize dry, damaged hair and promote the growth of healthier hair.

Step 3:

At this stage, although it wasn't listed in Lush's ingredients, I decided to add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice as it helps to prevent the avocado from turning brown, helping to keep the vibrant green colour, for longer. The cleansing and stimulating properties of lemon juice also make it an ideal ingredient for hair products, helping to fight against dandruff, strengthen and promote hair growth, make it more resistant to breakage and reduces the effects from the use of chemical hair products and pollution to name but a few. What's more lemon juice can also be used as a natural bleach to assist in brightening blonde or fair hair.

Step 4:

For the next step I broke up a small banana and added this to the avocado. I then mashed the ingredients together, once again.

Bananas are another completely natural ingredient, again offering many health and beauty benefits.  As they are rich in potassium, natural oils, carbohydrates and vitamins they help to soften and protect the hair's elasticity, preventing breakage and split ends. They are also known to promote growth, and enhance the hair's natural shine.

Step 5:

Next I cracked a free range egg into a cup and lightly whisked it before adding this to the rest of the ingredients.

Eggs are an excellent source of rich protein and are known to strengthen the hair follicle, enhancing the resistance of hair breakage and split ends, resulting in thicker, healthier hair.  Eggs also help to condition the hair and add shine by maintaining the natural oils, which are often striped away by shampoos. 

Step 6:

To the mixture I also added 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar and mixed well.

You may think of olive oil as a typical ingredient for cooking, but it also has a number of benefits for skin and hair care.  Being rich in antioxidants and vitamins A and E, olive oil helps to seal in moisture and protects the hairs natural keratin and assist in hair growth.  The balsamic vinegar helps to add extra shine.

step 7:

Next add 1 teaspoon rosemary oil and 1 teaspoon cinnamon leaf oil.

Both rosemary and cinnamon leaf oil are used to stimulate healthy hair growth and increase circulation to the scalp.  They also add a nice warming, woody and relaxing fragrance to the hair mask.

Step 8:

For the final step add 2 teaspoons of the Bay leaf infusion you made earlier and add it to the mixture.  Use an electric blender to remove any remaining lumps...no one wants chunks of avocado left in their hair!

Pour the mask into an airtight container, add a label and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. After a couple of days the mask will start to lose its vibrant colour and turn a more unappealing brown, the oils may also start to separate from the mixture, so make sure to stir it well before use.

Although the mask does feel quite an unusual texture to apply,and the results weren't immediately obvious, after drying my hair it really did feel like it had done some good, leaving my hair super soft and shiny.  

As with the H'suan Wen Hua mask, I applied this to dry hair and left it on for about half an hour. Depending on your hair type and condition you can increase or reduce the time accordingly. Make sure to apply this over the bath as it can get a little messy!  I then went ahead and shampooed and conditioned my hair as normal. 

The ingredients of this mask are essentially food for your hair. Just as your body needs food in order to function properly and stay healthy, I feel we should also treat our hair in a similar way, providing essential proteins, vitamins and minerals for growth and healthy locks.

         

The Perfect Cleanser?

 I don't know about you, but as the day draws to an end, my thoughts of cozying up in pyjamas with a fluffy blanket, cup of tea and totally de-stressing with a film, magazine or book are soon scuppered by the realization... I still have to take my makeup off! While I love the feeling of a fresh, clean face, after a busy day, I'm usually so tired it's the last thing I feel like doing. As a result and up until now, I often chose the lazy route of using face wipes...an option which really offered no skincare benefits at all.

And then I discovered a hidden treasure, concealed at the back of a shelf in my mum's bedroom...'Boots Rose Cold Cream' and I can honestly say it's one of the best discoveries I ever made! 

I absolutely love the simple, yet chic blue and white box which when opened,  reveals a classic little glass jar with a black lid. Being one of Boots original beauty formulas, I could just imagine it, carefully placed on the shelf in an old fashioned chemist, when the massive array of skincare products we have today would have been far more limited and somewhat of a luxury!

The formulation of this product though, is what I love the most, it's super quick to use and a little really does go a long way! Smoothing over the face in small circular motions, the rich and creamy consistency, melts instantly into the skin.  You can then use a damp flannel or muslin to cleanse away all traces of make-up and impurities to reveal skin that feels super soft, fresh and clear!

Now I don't usually like Rose as a scent, except for the flowers themselves that is, as I often associate it with a fragrance for more mature women.  For this however, it's a completely different story! Described as 'A deep cleansing cream, infused with calming rose oil and enriched with beeswax' the cream smells less granny and much more Spa like.  Although this is such a simple, classic formula, the calming and revitalizing properties of the cream, really do make me feel like I've just stepped out of a Spa, having had a luxury facial.

I wanted to use this product for a few weeks before I gave it a full review, so I could really give my honest opinion. I would say I have normal to combination skin and since using it I have seen a noticeable improvement.  My skin has felt moisturised without being oily.  It has also been a lot clearer and looks and feels softer and more radiant.

I have finally found a cleanser that I truly love, it's quick and easy to remove and at only £8.95 for 3 jars, it definitely won't be leaving my bathroom any time soon!

I was unable to find the rose scented Cold Cream in my local Boots store, so I purchased it from an Ebay seller here and was really impressed at how quickly it came!

  

Are there any new products you've tried out recently or really love?

Coffee, Cake and Catching up

This week saw what seemed to be the start of Spring, and the beginning of my one week's holiday! I planned to jam pack it with everything I'd been meaning to do, but never had the time and also a few fun days out. The sun was shining, the flowers were out and it was actually warm outside...the perfect excuse to get out of the house and catch up with a couple of friends, who I've know since school!  This is something I love to do, but unfortunately is becoming increasingly difficult to arrange, what with everyone's lives taking different directions.

Rather than go to the typical Costa or Starbucks, we decided to go somewhere a little different and chose to visit the beautiful Hestercombe Gardens in Taunton. 

This was a childhood favourite, where my mum and I used to meet up with friends regularly, but up until now, I'd not been in years!

Over the years the cafe has been updated dramatically, from what was essentially a large wooden hut to a more open and modern outside area, which also has some inside seating.  Although I do like what they've done, I have to say I do kind of miss the more rustic charm of the old teashop.

Hestercombe also has a pretty walk you can go on, but on this occasion my friends and I just decided to visit the tea room, where they had a lovely selection of different cakes, cold and hot drinks.

I chose to have a slice of white chocolate and strawberry shortbread and a frothy hot chocolate...a real teatime treat and something I probably shouldn't make too much of a habit of having!!

As the sun was out, we chose to make the most of it and perched ourselves on a nice little table outside.  I loved the way each one had a cute little pot of flowers, adding a real touch of spring!

Finally we finished off by having a quick browse in the gift shop and then a wander in the nearby fields.

Bath Collective Shopping Haul

If a little late, but nevertheless as promised...the time has come for me to share the items I bought, on my shopping trip to Bath. If you've not already done so, you can read all about the trip here.

The first shop we visited, was one of my favourite clothes stores...H&M. It’s one of those shops, that offers clothes which are on trend and also reasonably priced, so no matter how hard I try, I always end up coming away with something! On this occasion, I also had a gift card to use up, so it was almost inevitable that I would not be leaving empty handed!

The first thing I picked up, was this lovely charcoal grey jumper.  The slightly more unusual colour and zip detailing on the back added a nice touch and convinced me to try it on. As you can hopefully see from the picture, it’s a soft knitted design, which is quite loose fitting and made from 100% cotton. I bought it in a size S for £14.99 and think it will be perfect, paired with a pair of skinny jeans/jeggings for a casual daytime look.

Next I clocked eyes on this pair of super slim navy blue jeggings. I’d been after another pair for a while, as they’re just so comfy yet really versatile! These ones felt really nice quality, made from lovely soft, figure hugging fabric with gold hardware, and they fit perfectly! I was even more shocked when I saw the price tag of £12.99...an absolute steal!

The final clothing item I got in H&M was this top for £12.99. The main body is made from opaque black material, with a sweetheart neckline, while the sleeves are sheer with velvety polka dots.  Again I thought this top was quite versatile, as it could be combined with a pair of jeans for the daytime or tucked into a skirt, for a more dressed up evening look.

I also picked up this silver stacked necklace for £5.99.  I love the delicate tiered design of the 3 chains, each with a different symbol.

The Next place we visited was Topshop.  Again, another of my favourite clothes shops, although sometimes a little pricey!

The first thing I spotted was this little gem! A small and enchanting teal coloured handbag with gold hardware.  The bag is fairly matte and feels really well made.  It has an embossed snake skin pattern with a long detachable shoulder strap, meaning it can also be used as a clutch bag.  But the best bit…it had been reduced from £28 down to £10...what’s not to love!

I’d had my eye on this playsuit for quite a while but at £48 it was definitely not the cheapest item.  However after much deliberation, I finally caved and bought it. It’s made from a silky light weight black fabric,with large pink and coral flowers, making it perfect for the summer months, especially if you’re going abroad!  In fact it would also be great in slightly cooler weather, teamed with tights, boots and a leather jacket.

The black lace detailing on the back also makes it a great evening piece which could be worn with heels. I'm sure I will be getting a lot of wear out of this, over the coming months!

Last but by no means least, we had to pop into Cath Kidston with the intention of just having a browse! However this soon turned into another purchase, this time a beautiful makeup/wash bag.  The bag is from the Nottinghill Rose collection, a pretty baby blue colour, scattered with pink, blue and yellow roses.  I also got a little key ring with a white background and multi-coloured flowers.  The bag was £12 and the keyring £4.99.

And there we have it…a collective haul of all my purchases in Bath!

Although it seems like I spent a fair amount of money, I did have a couple of gift cards, which definitely helped! 

I should probably be trying to save, but you know what they say ‘we only live once’, so we might as well enjoy it…right? Well that’s my excuse anyway!

What are you’re favourite places to shop?

Have you bought anything nice recently?

xxx

Shopping in Bath

Having spent much of last year travelling around England and Wales for work, I've really developed a love for visiting different places, and last weekend I did just that!

On Saturday my mum and I decided to make a day of it and visit the city of Bath, South West England. As it's relatively close to where I live, I've been a couple of times before, although I'd forgotten just how nice a city it really is!

Home to quaint Georgian buildings and a lovely selection of my favourite high street shops, such as Urban Outfitters, Newlook and Topshop as well as smaller Boutiques, Restaurants, Caffe's and specialist independent and designer shops such as Cath Kidston, Rossiters and Jo Malone. Bath really does have something for everyone and as the city centre itself is fairly small, all the shops are close by and easily walkable, meaning you have extra time to shop!

The first shop we visited, was one of my favourite clothes stores...H&M, where I managed to pick up a lovely top, jumper, pair of jeans and a few accessories.  I also bought a playsuit I'd had my eye on in Topshop and a little bag in the sale.  Rather than show what I bought here, I thought I would do a shopping haul, as a seperate blog post.

We could have chosen a nicer day to go, what with the horrendous weather we have recently been experiencing in England.  Especially in Somerset, where weeks of wind and rain, have resulted in a multitude of problems, including severe flooding!  Luckily for us, although a little dismal, the weather did seem to hold off, for the majority  of the day, with only a few showers here and there.

When ever I visit a different city, I always like to try and find somewhere new to eat, that I don't have the luxury of having in my own town.  On this occasion, my mum and I decided to try Carluccios, a lovely modern restaurant, serving authentic Italian food, which changes depending on the season!

The restaurant was lovely and bright, and was nicely decorated with a real Italian vibe. The true sign of a good restaurant is one that is busy and this one certainly was, so I'd recommend booking a table in advance if you were to visit.  Just by chance as we arrived, a cosy little table tucked away in the corner had just become free, so we were fortunate enough not to have to wait.

There was a nice selection of different dishes on the menu, but unlike most Italian's, Pizza was not one of them!  My mum and I both opted for the seasonal special risotto.  Mum chose the seafood one, while I went for the chicken and spinach, I've got to say although they don't look like the most appetising dish they tasted delicious.

Within the restaurant was also a Deli and Food shop selling a variety of products sourced from specialist producers all over Italy, allowing you to take a little bit of Italy home with you.

I thought the meringues looked amazing!

After lunch we popped in to Cath Kidston which was just around the corner and it had to be one of the nicest Cath Kidston stores I've been in!

The upstairs was a beautiful shabby chic room, with white painted wooden floors and exposed brick walls, stocking everything from bedding, pyjamas, & makeup bags through to bathroom accessories and cosmetics all laid out perfectly.  Downstairs displayed handbags, purses, crockery, cutlery and a kids section.

I really had to restrain myself from buying the whole shop...but left feeling quite content with a beautiful wash bag and keyring, carefully wrapped in tissue paper and topped off with a signature bow!

As we strolled back down the street, we clocked eyes on the notorious Jo Malone shop and just couldn't pass up on the opportunity to pop in and sample some of their luxurious perfumes.  I'd never actually been in a Jo Malone shop before, but had heard so many good things about it.  The fragrances are quite unusual and definitely an acquired taste, but I really did enjoy having a browse. I'd definitely recommend popping in if you ever have the chance, however I don't think I could quite bring myself to splash out that much money, unless it was for a very special occasion.

Eventually we decided we should start to make our way back home, but had just enough time to pop into Waitrose and pick up a freshly baked Pecan Danish Swirl from their in store Patisserie.

 I am wearing: Jumper - H&M, Leggings - Zara, Scarf - Primark, Coat - Newlook, Boots - Newlook, Bag - Topshop.

I had such a good day, the nicest I've had in a long time and although I didn't have time to look in all of the shops, it just goes to show that you don't have to spend masses of money to have a great time!