Beauty Things I Suck At

The lovely Lucy from http://xlaxx.blogspot.co.uk/ has kindly tagged me to do the 'Beauty Things I Suck At' tag. I could literally sit here all day if I could but here's a few of my worst!

001- Top Eye-Liner

I envy anyone that can perfectly line the top of their lid with pencil or liquid liner! I always attempt to do it for nights out and end up with big black messy eyes which I usually end up converting into a smokey eye. And don't even get me started on winged liner. I've not attempted that since my college leavers prom when I poked myself in the eye and had to cover a bloodshot eye with my fringe! I feel like applying top eye-liner is one of those Marmite beauty tasks - you can either do it or you can't and unfortunately I was cursed with the can't-do-it gene. *sad face*

002- Applying Liquid Fake Tan

Liquid fake tan is the absolute bane of my life. It makes me feel sticky and sweaty and rubs off at the slight touch of anything leaving me with patches of tanless skin. I find that it's very messy to apply and rubs onto absolutely everything! My best advice is to not apply liquid tan and then put a white shirt on - worst mistake of my life! I much prefer mousse fake tan that comes out of a pump. It's so much easier to work with and I find that it rubs into the skin a lot quicker and has a lot more staying power.  I currently use the St Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse and I am completely obsessed with it! If you're looking for a new fake tan then I'd definitely give it a try. 

003- Plucking my eyebrows

I just literally can't bring myself to pluck my eyebrows - ever! No matter how many times I've done it, I can still never get used to the pain. My eyebrows are quite thick to begin with so it's a lot of effort to keep them in shape. I always end up going to a salon to get them waxed because my mind just won't let me cause my body pain! I find that waxing is a lot quicker so the pain isn't prolonged :) 

004- Moisturising everyday

I find moisturising a bit of a chore as I hate just standing there waiting for it to sink into my skin. I've never liked doing it and I don't think I ever will. I've recently purchased the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream as I LOVE the scent so I've found that this is encouraging me to moisturise a bit more. Although there are some days when I still 'forget'...

I tag

http://www.blogthiswithhannah.blogspot.co.uk

http://laurasrantsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mariajoyceli.blogspot.co.uk/

http://lauralovesthat.blogspot.co.uk/

And anybody else who would like to do the tag! :)

Boots Beauty Haul

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation (Repurchase)

I’ve used this foundation for quite some time now after swapping and changing my foundations for a while. It’s definitely my favourite high street foundation as it blends really well on my skin and isn’t cakey at all.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (Repurchase)

Before I discovered this concealer, I only ever used stick concealers as I found them quick and easy. I then went on try the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer as I’d heard SO many people rave about it. I found it great for hiding blemishes but found it quite stiff when applying under my eye. It was then that I discovered the Maybelline Fit Me range and thought I’d give the concealer a go- I love it! It’s light and creamy and really does give my under eyes that boost that they need in the mornings!

Nivea Lip Butter in Caramel Cream
If you’ve recently read my Weight Watchers blog post then you’ll know that I’m avoiding chocolate and all things sweet at all costs! So, I thought purchasing this lip butter in the flavour Caramel Cream was an absolute genius idea! It means I can still taste caramel but don’t have to ingest it and therefore no harm will be done to my thighs – savvy! I also love buying lip butters for the colder months too so it’s a win, win :)

Cosmetics Bag

I was looking for a new small make-up bag to put bits of makeup in to put in my bag for the day. I thought this was just the right size and had such a cute little design and for £6, you can’t really go wrong!

Models Own Nail Varnish Duo’s

I really fancied getting some new wintery nail polishes as all my current ones were brights and pastels for the summer. I discovered these two little beauties and instantly fell in love with them. I thought the glitter would look gorgeous painted over my ring fingers for a subtle but glam look.

Toni & Guy Texturising Sea Salt Spray (Repurchase) 
I firstly purchased this sea salt spray in a miniature form as I’d never used a sea salt spray and thought I’d play it safe. I absolutely love using it especially now that my hair is ombre as it makes my hair looks so much more voluminous and full. It give it about 3 or 4 sprays on each end of my hair and then scrunch with my hands. Avoid overspraying and spraying anywhere near your roots as it can cause your hair to go hard and look greasy.

Toni & Guy Volume Plumping Mousse
3 for 2 in Boots is my absolute weakness so buying two hair products I obviously HAD to get a third! I’ve never used this mousse before but I’m pretty much already sold to anything that has the world ‘Volume’ in it. My hair is very thick and heavy so it does tend to go quite flat throughout the day. I’m eager to try this out as all Toni & Guy products I’ve used, I’ve been really impressed with.

Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Toning Shampoo (Repurchase)

This is my go-to shampoo for when I have my hair ombre. I love the way that it leaves my hair feeling and smelling and I always have to buy a new one before my old one runs out! I’ve already done a review on this product on my Ombre Hair Care Routine which you can find by clicking here :)

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Moisturiser

I’ve loved using the Sugar Crush Body Wash in the bath and shower as the scent is absolutely out of this world! I am not a massive fan of moisturising my body and find it quite a chore. So, I figured if I love the smell of my moisturiser then I might get a little bit more excited when it comes to that dreaded routine!         * gets tub and sniffs *

Review: Borjouis Bronzing Primer

I first discovered the Borjouis Bronzing Primer whilst scrolling through Instagram. I was drawn to it straight away as I’d never heard of a ‘bronzing’ primer before. Now, I’m somebody that LOVES to be tanned so anything with the word ‘bronzing’ in the name I am instantly magnetised to. So, I finally gave in and bought it after I’d read a review on Essie Button’s blog. I definitely don’t regret buying it as I have used it every day since. 

I firstly started applying it to just my cheeks and up to my temples (which is where I usually apply a bronzer), rubbed it in with my fingers and then applied my concealer and foundation on top. I found that this left my face looking very two toned and quite orange! I then decided to try and apply it to my whole face only this time buffing it in with my Bare Minerals Full Flawless Face brush. The results were great. I was really scared that applying it to my whole face would make me look even more orange but I think buffing it in really made a difference. It gives fantastic coverage and when I’m having a good skin day – I won’t even apply any foundation! I find that the rest of my make-up stays on a lot longer than it usually does and I can hang on to that ‘just got back from two weeks in Majorca’ sun-kissed look for a bit longer! The only thing I would say is that to treat the product as an actual primer and not a bronzer or foundation. Apply the same amount as you would apply a primer to your face. 

Enjoy!

X

My Top 5 iPhone/iPad Apps

Vine  – I’m one of those people who don’t tend to upload vines personally but can sit for hours just scrolling and scrolling and laughing and scrolling. It’s mad how something can make you literally laugh out loud in the space of 6 tiny seconds. My faves are definitely the cats and dogs – I can be heard for miles sat in my room literally howling with the laughter at the majority of them. Great app to try when you’re bored!

Mail Online – This is my favourite app to use when I’m on the bus or train. I can quickly check out all the latest news and gossip at my fingertips and I usually find myself drawn to the ‘UK Showbiz’ section first. It’s gets updated a lot throughout the day too. Great app for on-the-go news and it’s free!

Minion Rush – This is, without a doubt, the most used app on my iPad/iPhone. If you’re like me (which is absolutely clinically addicted) then you’ll understand where I’m coming from. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then firstly – WHY?! And secondly, I’ll explain. It’s very much similar to Temple Run (but better) and based around the little yellow minions from the movie Despicable Me. You have to collect bananas, dodge obstacles and complete tasks whilst on your run. Warning: you may start to see the game when you shut your eyes if you play a little bit too much.

TV Catch Up – I mostly use this app on my iPad because of the bigger screen, but it’s basically like having Freeview on your tablet/phone. It lets you watch live television at the touch of a button and streams channels such as, E4, Dave, Film 4, Viva & ITV+1. It’s great when there isn’t a television around and you literally CAN’T miss something. I usually feel this about 90210.

Instasize ­– I believe this is quite a new app so I’m not sure how many of you will be able to relate. If you have Instagram then you’ll understand how annoying it is when your picture is zoomed in to fit the standard square box size. Instasize lets you upload the photo at its exact size so if you want to show off the full outfit that you wore at the weekend, then you don’t have to stand a mile away from the camera to get a full head-to-toe shot. My prayers have finally been answered! 

What have your favourite apps been recently?

The Liebster Award

Yesterday, I was sat looking through my e-mails and discovered that somebody had left a new comment on one of my blog posts. The lovely Hannah Burrows had nominated me for 'The Liebster Award'. At first I had no idea what this was about but reading Hannah's blog post about it, I quickly understood. It was soo lovely of her to even consider me for this as I've only been running my blog for a couple 

The award is basically about discovering new bloggers and learning more about them. As part of the tag you have to answer ten questions provided by the person that nominated you and answer them in the blog post. You then have to create ten questions of your own and tag ten new bloggers to answer them.

The Rules:

• The tagged/nominated blogs must have under 200 followers
• You must tag the blog that nominated you
• Make sure that you let the people know you tagged them so that they can respond

The questions left for me;
1) What's your favourite quote?

“Good things fall apart so better things can fall into place”
2) What are some of your favourite songs at the moment?

Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus

Roar – Katy Perry

Talk Dirty To Me – Jason Derulo

Burn – Ellie Goulding

Dance For You – Beyonce
3) What is your top beauty tip?

Your eyebrows are meant to be sisters not twins. I definitely learnt that after suffering the aftermath of over-plucking!!
4) In 5 years time, where do you want to see yourself?

Anyone else sing Noah and the Whale in their head when they read this haha?

Well, I’ll be 24 years old in 5 years time – wow, scary! Hopefully I’ll be working as a successful PR/Marketing officer and fingers crossed I’ll still be working with the same company that I do now. That would be perfect!
6) If you are running out the door and don't have time to do your usual make-up and only have time to apply 3 things, what would you apply?

I didn’t even have to think about this one – Borjouis Bronzing Primer (review coming soon!), Maybelline Fit Me Concealer and Benefit They’re Real Mascara.  
7) What's your favourite skincare product?

I’m loving using my Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser at the moment. I use it twice a week to give my skin a nice treat J
8) What is your guilty pleasure?

One Direction.
9) What's one weird and random fact about yourself?

I used to make ‘Ice Cream Soup’ when I was little by mashing and mixing up a bowl of ice cream until it was literally a liquid. I also used to dip prawn crackers in it too! I don’t make it as much anymore but have to fight the urge whenever I have ice cream. Please don’t judge me!
10) Finally, why did you start blogging, and what is your favourite part of blogging?

I feel like the blogging world is an escape from the real world with different bloggers to discover everyday. It’s your own little place on the internet for you to share your thoughts, passions and snippets of your life. I can utilise my love for writing and learn about new products or styles that I probably wouldn’t have even known about! My favourite part of blogging is definitely the feeling of satisfaction you get when somebody leaves a really positive comment on your post - I love talking to new people!   

People I tag:

http://mariajoyceli.blogspot.co.uk/

http://kirstymaynard.blogspot.co.uk/

http://stylecastle.blogspot.co.uk/

http://loveclad.blogspot.co.uk/

http://hmmmmmaybe.blogspot.co.uk/

http://saidacanephotography.blogspot.co.uk/

http://how-lovelyblog.blogspot.co.uk/

http://uhhelsyeah.blogspot.co.uk/

http://laurathinksabout.blogspot.co.uk/

http://maddyshares.blogspot.co.uk/

My questions for you;

1) High street or high end make-up?

2) Do you have any pets?

3) Name the beauty product that you have re-purchased the most.

4) What is your dream job?

5) Shower or bath?

6) What is a typical day in your life?

7) What has been the best year of your life so far and why?

8) Have you ever thought about dramatically changing your hair colour/style?

9) How often do you use fake tan?

10) Do you have a role-model? If so, who and why?

I've started Weight Watchers!

Yesterday, on Monday 9th September I joined Weight Watchers. If you’re not sure what Weight Watchers is, it’s a monthly membership to classes, online tracks and apps that help you to lose weight. It costs £12.95 to join but I got a discounted rate for my first month as I joined by being recommended by a friend. 

I haven’t been happy with my weight for quite some time now and have started a diet on countless Mondays (it always has to be a Monday!). I’ve noticed that I can’t fit into certain clothes anymore and feel really uncomfortable on nights out. So, I figured that it was time to seriously do something about it! 

The problem is, is that I don’t have any self-discipline. If I have a biscuit at work then I’ll usually then think to myself ‘Oh I’ve had one biscuit, I might aswell have five more, and a Chinese takeaway for tea and then some cake afterwards!” It just doesn’t work for me. I need someone or something to work for so, from my point of view, Weight Watchers is perfect for me! 

You get weighed once a week and it is recorded down on your tracking card so you can see how much weight you’re losing or gaining each week. You can choose which day a week that you want to get weighed and then they tell you your nearest class for that day. I chose a Monday as I feel like Mondays are a fresh start to the week and you’ll feel great and motivated for the rest of the week if you reach a target weight. I received a pack on my first day with lots of different handy booklets to show what foods are best to eat and what to avoid and also some low fat recipes to try. I was also introduced to the Weight Watchers app where you can track the food you’ve eaten that day. Each food is classed with a different number of Pro Points and on your very first class you are given a daily allowance of Points depending on your height, weight, age and gender. For example; a jacket potato with tuna is 7 points and a packet of Quavers are 2 points. The less points the better. Some foods are even worth 0 points! They worked out that I am allowed 29 Pro Points a day in order to lose weight and the app really helps me to keep track of this. All you do is type in the food that you’ve eaten and the app will tell you how many Pro Points that it’s worth and take it off your daily allowance. It really is as easy as that. The best bit is that you’re also given an extra 49 points for the whole week (standard for everyone) if you really fancy that cake in the bakery or if you go out on a Saturday night (a diet vodka and coke is only 2 points!). It is then your choice if you use these 49 points in the week or not. 

So, that is everything that I learnt on my first day at Weight Watchers. I’ll do a monthly update to share with you how much weight I’ve lost (fingers crossed!) and how I’m finding the whole process. I’ve managed two whole days so far so things are looking good haha! 

Instagram Roll

(From left to right)

001: Discovered my favourite ice lollies hidden in the depths of our freezer

002: Family camping trip to Wales - full English breakfast outside in the great outdoors 

003: Drunken foot photo 

004: Indian takeaway with my bestest chums

005: Sunbathing in Corfu

006: Slobbery kisses from Ollie

007: You definitely cannot beat a family BBQ!

008: Two of my most favourite things in the world - Supernoodles and Gavin & Stacey

009: Cutie pie!!!

010: My birthday night out - cocktails!

011: Pay day splurging

012: Beer garden flowers

013: 3 for 2 Miss Sporty nail polishes - couldn't resist

014: Meeting Pluto in Disneyland age 9

015: Excited Snapchat

016: Humid day in Warrington - "IT'S THE HUMIDITY!"

017: Family time is my fave :-)

018: Wine o'clock

Long Distance Friendship

Saying goodbye to one of my best friend’s was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Knowing that I wasn't going to see her, hug her or go out with her anymore was devastating and knowing that she wouldn't be back for a whole year was even worse.

We all have that one member of our friendship group that says the stupidest/dumbest/funniest things in the world and has everyone in stitches laughing at them. Katie was that friend. Hang on. Why am I talking about her as if she’s died? Let me rephrase that - Katie still IS that friend – only in much smaller doses now.

Katie moved to Perth, Australia on 26^th May 2013 to work as an Au Pair (posh word for Nanny). It doesn't sound that long ago but it sure does seem it! She is currently living with an Australian family – Mum, Dad and two gorgeous young children who are so lovely and seem very happy to have her. I honestly don’t know how she plucked up the courage to go to a foreign country, on her own, to live with a family who she’d never met before and only spoken to a few times over Skype.

Skype has become our new best friend but because of the time difference (7 hours) I’m only able to speak to her on weekends. We usually speak on a Sunday morning when most of the girls are together after a night out. We keep her up to date on what’s gone on in the week and most importantly – what’s gone on the night before!

A (very, VERY) long-distance friendship is a true test of real friendship. Not having Katie around is something that I am slowly getting used to. I’ve only just stopped texting her to ask what she’s doing at weekend or if she fancy's a Nando’s (luckily for her, there are Nando’s in Australia!) I miss her a lot and can't wait for her to come home. I am so proud of her that she's done something different with her life and was actually brave enough to follow through with it - although I did think she was going to back out during the goodbyes at the airport. Katie is the loveliest person you could ever wish to meet and I am so glad that I get to call her my best friend. 

Although - I wish she would stop sending me pictures like this whilst I'm sat at my desk in work!

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Packing was a very traumatic experience

Pay Day Picks #1

Images sourced from Google

001 - Topshop Fur Hooded Swing Coat: 

From the moment I laid eyes on this beauty I have been dreaming about it ever since. I love the swing coat style at moment as I think it's so flattering on so many different body shapes. The fact that it has a removable hood is great as I can wear it for work (without the fur hood) and also for casual.

002 - Topshop Midi Initial Ring:

Sticking with the Topshop theme, I think this midi initial ring is SO cute! I'm loving midi rings at the moment and the initial just makes it something that little bit different. I will definitely be purchasing this on pay day!

003 - Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub:

I've loved using the S&G Sugar Crush Body Wash for a while now as I'm such a big fan of the scent so I am surprised that I've never dove into the world of Sugar Crush Body Scrubs! The mix of brown sugar, lime and almond oil smells absolutely incredible and even my Dad has asked me if he can start using my body wash! 

004 - Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hr Gel-Cream Eyeshadow in Eternal Gold

I'm a little late on the band wagon with these little treasures as I'm loving using my Urban Decay Naked Palette for neutrals.  However, I'm really interested in trying gel-cream eyeshadows and testing whether they live up to their 24 hour lasting claim. The Eternal Gold shade looks perfect for casual wear or to build up for a special occasion.

005 - Cath Kidston iPhone 5 case

I know it's coming to the end of summer here in the UK but the gorgeous Cath Kidston floral prints are an all-year-rounder. I've wanted a Cath Kidston case for a while but had never been able to justify spending around £20-£25 for one. However, I've recently looked on Amazon and some are as cheap as £7-£10. Even if they are fake, nobody will know except me ... well, and now you. ;)

What have you got your eye on this month? 

My Ombré Hair Care Routine & Results

I absolutely love having ombré hair. I find that it adds so much more texture to my hair especially when I curl it and can add that little extra boost to any outfit. However, having ombré hair comes at a cost as you are technically applying peroxide to your hair which is as bad as it sounds. So, here is my go-to hair routine to make sure that my hair stays in great condition and avoids turning brassy and yellow.

Step 1: Lush – Marilyn

I have used this product for quite some time now and feel that I can finally say that I’ve found my Holy Grail pre-wash treatment for my ombré hair! Marilyn is designed to make your hair lighter whilst also strengthening and adding protein to your hair. In all honesty, I don’t really use Marilyn to condition my hair - I’ll get onto that product later. I use it for the noticeable difference it makes to the colour of my hair. Having really dark hair naturally, it was really hard to achieve a true blonde at first without it looking brassy and orange. However, using Marilyn I’ve noticed that my blonde is a lot lighter and brighter. The product itself is a yoghurt type consistency and doesn’t drip off when you apply it to your hair. The smell isn’t great but it’s bearable and most importantly, the smell doesn’t linger on your hair after you’ve washed it.  I apply the product around 20 minutes before I wash my hair (as instructed). Usually, I will apply it, clip my hair up into a bun and then run my bath which usually takes around 20 minutes with the amount of water I have in there! I then wash it out before I apply my shampoo. I use it around 2-3 times a week depending on how happy I am with my blonde at the time. A tub costs £8.95 and I find that it lasts me around a month which is perfect for each pay day. Give it a try if your nostrils aren’t too sensitive!

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Step 2: Lee Stafford – Bleach Blondes Shampoo & Conditioner

I discovered this shampoo and conditioner when a friend of the family who has bleached blonde hair herself had recommended them to me. I have enjoyed using them for over a year now and noticed a considerable change to the tone of my hair from the first wash. As the shampoo is a toning shampoo I only tend to use it once or twice a week mixed with any other colour boosting shampoo. At the moment I’m alternating between Lee Stafford shampoo and Loreal Elvive Colour Protect shampoo to avoid over toning. The conditioner, however, I use each time I wash my hair. The shampoo is a very deep thick purple colour, (feels as though I am applying poster paint to my hair!) whereas the conditioner is a very light pinky purple colour. In my opinion, both the shampoo and conditioner smell great and the pink and purple packaging looks great sat on the ledge of my bath next to my Soap & Glory bath products! The only thing I’d warn you about is that, with any other purple toning shampoo, don’t fall into the trap of leaving it on for too long because you think it’ll make your hair even brighter. Leaving the shampoo on for too long can cause your hair to go purple, especially if you have naturally light hair to begin with. Luckily, I haven’t faced this problem with my dark hair…yet.

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Step 3: Aussie – Three Minute Miracle Deep Treatment

I’ve only been using this product for around a month now and I am already completely obsessed with it. I’ve heard a lot of people raving about the Aussie products but had always found myself sticking to my Tresemmé hair mask each time I shopped around for a new one. Bleaching your hair doesn’t exactly leave it in the best condition so when I find a great hair treatment that actually works straight away, I tend to loyally stick to it. I find that I apply treatments to my hair a lot more often when I have my hair ombré as any sort of bleaching to your hair isn’t great for it. The Three Minute Miracle treatment leaves me with tangle-free, luscious, great smelling hair and I always find myself running my fingers through my hair and casually having a quick sniff at work when nobody is watching! As far as I am concerned the product does exactly what it says on the tin (well, bottle) – a three minute miracle! I usually apply this when I’m in the bath and clip my hair up to avoid the ends dipping into the water – whilst I’m waiting for the three minutes to be up, I’ll wash with my Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash (my current fave), shave my legs etc - the usual bath routine. I’ll usually time the three minutes by playing a 3 minute long-ish song (usually Beyoncé) on my phone as I’m rubbish at timing! Finally, I’ll rinse it out and I’m doneJ. Unlike other treatments, I noticed a difference in my hair from the first wash and think it works really well alongside my Lush Marilyn lightening treatment. For the great price and great result, I will definitely being repurchasing!

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Step 4: Redken Extreme Anti-Snap

The second time I got my hair ombre'd I was complaining to my hairdresser how much hard work it is keeping my hair in good condition. She recommended that I use the Redken Extreme Anti-Snap treatment after I’d towel-dried my hair. Compared to the first time I had my hair ombre, I have noticed a complete transformation in the ends of my hair. The first time I had bleached hair I used to DREAD attempting to get a brush through it. Even my beloved Tangle Teezer had trouble sometimes! The split ends looked absolutely dreadful and I always found myself popping into the hairdressers for a quick trim. However, using the anti-snap treatment has worked wonders on my split ends. I’m not saying that they have completely disappeared but they are a lot, lot less noticeable now. I only use about a 20p size amount each time I use it, I apply it directly to the ends of my hair and brush it through. I paid £16.50 for a regular size bottle but Feel Unique sell it for a lot cheaper. I completely recommend it if you’re struggling with split ends or your hair is in need of a pick-me-up.

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Step 5: Lee Stafford Sun Kissed Lightening Spray

I received this lightening spray last year as part of a Lee Stafford Christmas goody bag that my Mum put together for me. I’d never heard of it before but was keen to give it a try. That was Christmas last year and I am still using it now. I love this product and feel like my hair care routine isn’t complete without using it. I spray it onto the lower ends of my hair (obviously) and rub it in the with my hands. Despite my love for this product, I am still not quite used to the smell. It doesn't smell like your typical Lee Stafford hair product scent - I find it to smell quite chemically (if that's a word?). I'd only avoid using this if your hair is naturally quite dry. I find that if I spray too much on my hair at once, my hair can become quite dry and brittle. To avoid this I only spray around 4 or 5 times on each side of my hair. Other than that, I find it to be a great product to give my hair that extra 'sun-kissed' boost!

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Links for each product

Lush Marilyn

Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo & Conditioner

Aussie Three Minute Miracle Deep Treatment

Redken Extreme Anti-Snap

Lee Stafford Sun Kissed Lightening Spray

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