The Latest in Beauty box is a little bit different from the better-known boxes. You have the chance to select the products that you want to receive before ordering, and can choose either three, six or nine products for a different set monthly price, all with free postage.
For those who enjoy the surprise element, it's not going to appeal, but if you’ve subbed to others before and grown tired of the duds or the repeat products, it’s a great way to keep it fresh. They also produce limited pre-selected ‘collections’ that can be bought separately, like the Cosmopolitan Party Starter Edit I ordered before Christmas.
I was really happy with my first box in November, and also with the selection of items to choose from in December. That month was so busy I didn’t review the box as I ran out of time, and I’ve just placed my January order. Here’s a look at what came last month…
Another two months have flown by in the blink of an eye. I wonder whether it will ever slow down again or if life is just destined to be on fast-forward from now on? Just the basic stuff of working full-time, blogging and having a very active 2 year old seems to tire me out - when you add on basic adulting, life admin and a little bit of long-game house renovation, things get very hectic indeed!
Its easy at this time of year to feel quite run down and I’m definitely longing for the Christmas break - bring on the festive season! Here’s a little peek at what’s been happening in my world lately…
Are you a gin lover? In my house, we’re huge fans of the stuff (we claim its ‘medicinal’ and with a boisterious 2 year old, its certainly needed a lot of the time).
Gin is my perfect everyday drink – ideal in the bath at the end of a long hard day, sipped in the back garden overlooking the river as the sun goes down or in front of the fire on a winter weekend. There’s no occasion where it doesn’t feel right.
I’ve never stopped much to consider how it was made, so when I landed in invite to go and see the production of Burleigh’s gin in person, I was super excited. The chance to peek behind the doors and see how one of your favourite spirits is actually produced is pretty exciting!
Produced by 45West, a small artisan distillery located on a farm in the Leicestershire countryside, a lot of care goes into this unique product.
Its an on/off relationship I have with beauty subscription boxes. In theory, I love the idea. Who doesn't want a parcel of great products shipped to their door every month? But in practice, you often find yourself falling in and out of love with them, as some months are really great and others can get quite repetitive, or you just receive products you don't like. Having gone back and forth with Glossybox and Birchbox - the two best known monthly beauty sub boxes - I was ready for something a little bit different.
Step forward, Latest In Beauty. This service has been on my radar for a while. It has a slightly different approach, as you select the products that you want to receive. I decided to give it a try, and I've ordered my first standard box - more about that coming soon!
But they also do curated 'collection' boxes and this 'Cosmopolitan Party Starter Kit' really caught my eye. You can see what products are included before you order, similar to Tili box. At £25 its a bit dearer, but the value of the items you receive (around £121) is definitely worth it. You get 15 items from some great brands. I knew I would use everything in the box, so I felt it was well worth the price.
Let's get the party started and take a peek:
Love it or loathe it, Black Friday has spread to the UK over the past five years or so, to the point where it’s now pretty inescapable.
For me, I’m not generally too excited by the idea- mainly because the offers just don’t seem that jaw-dropping. Perhaps I’m too much of a bargain hunter, but 20% off isn’t anything I’d fight other shoppers over, and that seems to be what most retailers offer in the UK, with perhaps one or two bigger loss-leaders.
Still, if you’re going to be buying something anyway, you may as well take notice of any discounts!
So, what did you pick up on Black Friday? I used it as an opportunity to try out a couple of products that had been on my wishlist, and order some items I had my eye on anyway. Here are the deals I found:
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Although Hollywood is almost exclusively peopled by those who are genetically gifted, they are also helped every step of the way to look their best. Attended by an army of professional makeup artists, dieticians, personal trainers, hair stylists and - less openly - cosmetic surgeons, the already high stakes are raised even further, which can leave us mere mortals feeling as though they’re barely real.
While you may not have access to the kinds of budgets that A-listers can work with, there are some simple styling tricks you can use to celebrate your figure:
Latest in Beauty are a monthly subscription box with a twist.
If you’re bored of receiving a random selection of products, some of which are repeats and some of which you’d never use in a million years, it could just be for you, because you select what goes into the box each month.
For some, the whole point of schemes like Glossybox and Birchbox is that you don’t know what’s coming through the post each month, but for me, I’ve been signed up to both for quite a long time and I really found the amount of products I wasn’t really interested in outweighed the gems.
I found I was getting far more excited by boxes like Tili, where you can see the contents beforehand and decide if you want to order. The boxes provided good value and a nice way to try out new products – and if I didn’t like the offering that month, I’d just give it a swerve.
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At this time of year, all things beauty tend to get a little out of hand. There’s just something about the constant cold weather that really throws us off.
And when you’re not prepared for it, it can come as quite the shock. When your skin starts to feel a lot drier and loses its glow, it can be frustrating. But throw into that the idea of your hair getting a little tired too, and it can really start to bring you down.
As much as it might seem hard not too, you’re going to want to make sure that this doesn’t drag you down too much. Instead, you’re going to want to focus on the things you can do to give your hair a winter revival.
Christmas seems to be approaching very suddenly. It’s a fantastic time of year to be enjoyed and celebrated. But, your skin and Christmas are sure to have a complicated relationship. While you want to sparkle with glowing, youthful skin for all the Christmas parties and festive events, cold winds, late nights, unhealthy foods and more alcohol than usual can leave your skin dry, sore and spotty. The very last thing you want in all the Christmas selfies.
But, what can you do about it? With that many products on offer you’d need to take out second charge loans to afford them all, it can be hard to know what to do for the best.
However, the sooner you start your Christmas skin prep, the more chance it’s got of shining bright in time for the big day. Here’s a look at all of the things you can do to ensure your skin looks and feels great this festive season.
And so it begins. The shops are beginning to crank up ‘Santa Baby…’, festive lattes have crept into all the coffee bars, and the floodgates have opened on seasonal tv adverts. Christmas is coming, and I couldn’t be more excited.
Over the last decade I’ve been slowly getting more and more Christmassy, and now that I have an excited 2-year old I think we have officially reached peak Christmas in the house! In the flurry of finding gifts, wrapping, baking mince pies and general chaos, suddenly you stop and think- what do I wear?
Christmas jumpers have become an absolute must do for stylish Brits who love a big dose of irony with their turkey, and I love a festive knit!
For the ultimate desk-to-dancefloor look, it’s all about how you style your jumper, for a party look that’s fun and never tries too hard.
PrettyLittleThing have an amazing collection of Christmas jumpers that are on trend and affordable with their usual dose of chic. Here’s how I’d style up two of my favourites:
What is your personal wellness goal? It could be finding more energy, getting your glow back, sleeping better at night or welcoming more calm into your life.
Often it feels like we’re fighting against nature – our 24/7, always-on society makes it nearly impossible to switch off, and I often feel we cause ourselves harm by moving further away from the natural rhythms in life – from the order of day and night, the march of the seasons and the beat of our own circadian rhythms.
Hello Day believe that too, and its inspired their tailored approach to wellbeing through the seasons. If you’ve noticed your energy levels dropping, your skin and hair becoming dry and dull and a general feeling of sluggishness as the seasons change, you aren’t alone.
Hen ‘do’-s (or ‘bachelorette parties’, if you're American).They are the Marmite of the social occasion world. You either love them or hate them, but either way knowing what to wear for one can be a bit of a tricky decision. But assuming it's not all L-plates and flashing headbands, I'm on board with the whole thing.After all, there's nothing better than a bunch of girlfriends hell-bent on having a good time and sending their friend off into the embraces of matrimony in style!
I could be accused of playing it a little safe when it comes to makeup. Generally, my goal is to look like a better version of myself, so I favour neutral colours and quite a ‘vanilla’ approach in my day to day life. So sometimes it's really fun to go all out and make a big switch up.
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The world has its eyes on South Korean skincare. Just lately, the Asian nation even seems to have overtaken the French as the recognised global authority on all things skin.
The beauty-obsessed country has a cultural emphasis on picture-perfect skin that takes the humble cleanse/tone/moisturise routine to a whole other level, with 40 minute long 10-step regimes being pretty standard there.
Pretty much all of the skincare innovations produced by Western beauty houses in recent years have been copies of Korean imports - BB and CC creams, cushion foundation, ombre lips, essences, sleeping packs and sheet masks; you name it. Packing, ingredients and techniques are all pouring out of the country and onto our shelves.
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If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you know that you have to do something sharpish to give your image a much-needed overhaul.
You want to be spontaneous and surprise people with a whole new look. You could, of course, dye your hair and get a piercing or even a tattoo, but these tend to wreak of mid-life crisis rather than image revival. Take a look at these sensible, albeit, expensive ways to give yourself a whole new look...
What do you get when you put together a bunch of excitable bloggers, some innovative gift ideas, a YouTube star and a wave of prosecco? The answer is the Prezzybox Jingle Mingle event, which I was very hyped to go along to last week.
When you’re a blogger, one of the nicest things is making friends and contacts with others in the blogging world. What can begin as quite a lonely, isolated hobby, typing away in your bedroom, can blossom into some really fabulous times, and events like this are what makes it all happen.
Back when I first started blogging, I was properly in the closet with it – only my boyfriend knew I was doing it. I felt almost as if it was a shameful secret that I didn’t want people closest to me to know! If you want to grow though, you don’t have much option but to be transparent and authentic – and that includes owning up to what you do. A lot of bloggers can probably relate to that.
I had all sorts of worries about not being taken seriously in my career and the judgement of people I knew, but its only through facing those fears (and also being a lot older now, which definitely helps with not caring what other people think so much) that I’ve been able to feel comfortable with my passion project.
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Jeans are a year-round go to in England, but in winter, they really come into their own. Whether you are out shopping, having a casual day or going out on the town, jeans are the ideal way to stay warm. How you wear your jeans can really make a difference to your whole outfit so it’s easy to wear the same pair over and over to different occasions.
Denim has always been something of an enigma in the fashion world. At once casual and formal, this material has been making waves since the 90s when everyone wore double denim. While double denim may have tried to make a few comebacks since, and has even been spotted on a few celebrities this summer, there are all sorts of other trends you could be rocking that don’t need quite so much confidence.
The Iconic jeans for you may not be high-waisted or skinny, but worn with the right silk shirt or comfy jumper, they will be just as versatile. In fact, you should feel encouraged by those celebs who still wear double denim because clearly, fashion doesn’t change that much...
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Sure, you can head out to high-street stores and purchase clothing from their winter collections, but you’re going to look the same as just about everyone else when you go for those girls nights out.
Considering that, there is some advice on that page that will point you in the right direction and ensure you never wear the same dress as other people in the club. Sometimes an original style is the best way to stand out from the crowd.
Ok, that’s it. I am officially done with beauty sub boxes. There’s just way too much unicorn/mermaid nonsense going on in that universe at the moment for my liking.
Following on from Birchbox’s summer mermaid theme box – which at least had some fairly nice products in – Glossybox have leapt on the bandwagon.
Blame my bitter black heart but I am not a fan of ‘cute’ on grown women. I have no desire to be a unicorn, a mermaid or a Disney princess. I’m a grown-ass woman and that is not my vibe whatsoever! I’m not here for all this infantilising nonsense. Save cute for kittens – the campaign starts here!
So when my shiny, purple-green Mermaid emblazoned box landed, I did a huge eye roll. Would the contents be good enough to lure me around to the idea?
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That’s why we love the magic of the makeup and its subtle ways of highlighting our best sides - and covering up what we’d rather not show. Here is a handful of tips to rewind the clock before a big day or a night out for that extra boost of confidence when you need it the most.
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You shouldn’t allow yourself to become trapped in that dull office job if the industry, company, or workload doesn’t excite you. Don’t tell yourself that work is supposed to be a dull chore. It’s supposed to be a challenge, and there’s no denying that, but you should feel motivated and driven to pursue that challenge.
Essentially, if you feel bored and sluggish at work then the problem isn’t that it’s too hard; it’s that it isn’t hard at all. You’re always going to feel elements of stress, tiredness, and confusion at times during any job role but you should, at the very least, feel some sort of passion or drive towards the industry and subject matter involved in your job role.
If you don’t then perhaps it’s time to pave your own path. Here are some ways in which you can enter the self-employed world of freelancing.
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There are some great routines out there that give you exactly the results you want, but some come with very big risks. So let's have a look …
Life should be a balance between indulging in old favourites and making new discoveries. I firmly believe that even if you think something ‘isn’t for you’, sometimes if you just give it a go, you can find something new to love.
This was certainly the case for me when I popped along to a Beer Masterclass at hot new venue Brewhouse and Kitchen on Trent Bridge here in Nottingham.
As a self-confessed ‘Beer Virgin’ I’ll be the first to admit I had a LOT to learn. I’m generally a G&T girl with the odd foray into wine or champagne if I’m feeling flush, and I’m far more likely to reach for the cocktail menu on a night out than to think about having a beer.
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Over time, we may come to see these flaws, marks, and blemishes as just part of the tapestry of our lives, but they can also pose a serious threat to our self-confidence. If you have loved and embraced these reminders of days gone by, then that’s great-- but there are plenty of women who feel their modern life is blighted by problems sustained in childhood. Thankfully, as an adult, you don’t just have to accept these reminders of your childhood; you can do something about them. Here’s how.
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However, before we know it winter will be here, and with that comes the drop in temperatures. The arctic weather conditions that have us turning the heating up higher and higher, and the never ending freezing rain.
All of this takes its toll on our skin. Our face is literally exposed to the elements. Not what we want because let’s not forget that this is party season. We want to be looking our best for all of those office Christmas parties. We do not want to be turning up looking like Rudolph the Reindeer. A red nose is not a good look for the party season!
This means that we need to start investing in our face now. No, I’m not suggesting that we all rush out and book a round of botox. We don’t need botox when there are some amazing moisturisers out there, and these moisturisers will have us looking and feeling fantastic.
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And meeting them in person gives you a chance to really show off your talents and ideas. So why not throw an event at home and invite the people you want to talk to most?
A date night is a chance to amp up your usual style and take a few more risks. That's why it's always been one of my favourite occasions to find an outfit for.
Simply going for a bit more texture, a burst of unexpected colour or some eye-catching accessories can make a big difference - doesn't everyone feel a bit more daring when night falls?
Taking my daytime style a bit further is always an interesting thing to do. It's strange, but it took me a while after having my son to feel like I could express myself again with clothes. It was like there was a part of me that felt I 'should' be dressing in a different way now that I'm a mum. Redefining what I liked to wear and what suited my changed figure was difficult.
You’re a long time working. And it makes up a huge part of what we know as normal life. But that doesn’t always mean that we either get used to it or even like it. But you have to remember, you could be working up to fifty years! So if you’re going to have to spend over half of your life doing something, don’t you want to make sure that you enjoy it?
Not everyone will get to chose their profession. Some fall into a certain career, and others just don’t have the motivation to make a change. But, if you’ve always wanted more, or to be a bit more in control of your own destiny, the life of an entrepreneur could be for you?
If just the idea of being your own boss makes you excited, then you’re going to want to take the plunge. But before you make any rash decisions, let’s take a look at some of the things you should be thinking about first.
When I fall, I fall hard. And that has been the case for me with accessories brand Stella and Dot. The brand personifies edgy elegance – high-quality, wearable pieces with bold design (and FYI, just to be totally clear, this is NOT a collaboration or sponsored in any way. I just really heart the brand!).
After admiring the pieces from afar for a while, I took the plunge and bought a beautiful necklace from them, followed by another few things in quick succession. It wasn’t long before I was back for more!
There were a couple of accessories I had my eye on buying, so I decided to host an online ‘trunk show’- you work with a stylist to create an event on Facebook, where people can ask styling questions, shop the range and join in games.
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Now that fall has arrived, and the sunny days are becoming shorter; you may have lost your bronzed glow and a little bit of self-love in the meantime. Wrapping up warm might make you feel like you’re restricted in your fashion and style choice as the cold weather hits, and there won’t be any hot summer night parties to enjoy for another year.
However, fall brings its own magic; a change in the flavours available for your coffee, new colour and pattern trends in fashion, and the excuse to buy new beauty products (to look after your skin of course). Therefore, there are plenty of ways to strut into the new season feeling excited, happy, and full of confidence.
For me, its the heavyweight of the mascara world. The superstar. The Beyonce. The one beyond all compare. The one to beat.
Too Faced Better Than Sex actually didnt appeal to me when it first came on my beauty radar. At the time, I was completely sold on the idea that only a plastic, comb style brush could give me the volume and definition I craved.
Like any beauty junkie, Id been burnt in the past. Promised the moon and stars and (more importantly) the Disney Princess lashes of my dreams by brushes and formulas that just failed to deliver.
Everything goes in cycles in life. Glossybox lost my interest a while back, but after seeing the September edit popping up on a few of my social feeds, I was really tempted by some of the contents and decided to treat myself (especially as the past two editions of Tili box have been so dire after previous triumphs).
The theme was a fresh look at some grooming staples, which is an interesting take that fits with the September back-to-school vibe (my schooldays may be decades past, but I still have that feeling...)
The changing of the seasons always makes me feel a little restless. I’m not sure why but something about the falling temperatures and shorter days makes me want a new challenge, or something to look forward to.
Thinking about any major changes in my life – changing jobs, moving house, getting pregnant – they’ve always happened around this time of year.I’m happy with all the major elements of my life as they are right now though, so I’m struggling to think how I can remedy this feeling.
Do you ever feel like this? What do you do about it? Answers on a postcard please…
I love the trimmings of autumn – smart coats, digging out my giant scarf collection, taking walks through the falling leaves with a latte….but I am already struggling with it being darker when I get up in the mornings! Here’s a little look at what other things I’ve been up to lately…
A few boxes ago, I thought Birchbox had bombed.
The contents just didnt seem to be inspiring me, and there were quite a few repeat products. I was seriously losing interest. But now things seem to have turned around.
And while, Tili had taken over as the best beauty box for a while, their offering for the past couple of rounds has been lacklustre. Birchbox is back on top!
After loving the summer ‘Mermaid Vibes’ box, what was lying in store for the change of the seasons?
The September box has been produced in collaboration with Oliver Bonas.
This makes me very, very happy as I'm a big Bonas fan, and I was never happier than when one opened in my town. The box itself is one of two exclusive designs, and inside was a voucher for 15% off, which I’ll definitely be using as an excuse to treat myself! But what was inside the box?
When it comes to style, I love pieces that do double duty, don't you? Those wonderful, design-led items that can really hold their own, allowing you to style them up multiple ways and really get the most wear out of them.
So when US-based fashion brand Tobi approached me to collaborate on a post, I was so excited to discover that their site was packed with items that would do exactly that - define a look and hold their stylish own in a variety of combinations.
From showstopper ‘going OUT out’ dresses to pieces suitable for a casual weekend or a day of meetings, it was all there. The design approach is modern classic - clean lines, subtle colours and quality fabrics - that reminds me of my other personal favourites like Reiss and Modern Rarity. I was so impressed with the items when they came, and they were also super-quick to ship out - I had them within a week!
Inspired, I used some of my beloved wardrobe staples to style up each of the Tobi pieces in two different ways. It just shows that when you have stylish, well-made items, they can be dressed up or down with a few accessories…
Before we begin, you should know that, for me, drying my hair is my own personal hell. The dreaded arm ache, the wasted time, the awful noise, and the disappointing results you get when you aren't a whizz with a round brush.
It's so bad, I wash my hair as little as possible - I might be solely responsible for half of Batiste's share price, as my life runs on coffee and dry shampoo, especially since I became a full time working mother of a 1 year old.
But that was before I had an encounter that changed - not my life, let's keep it real here - but certainly my hair for the better. And really, what gives you more of a lift than a good hair day?
What happens when it's not okay to hit the snooze button? How do you cope doing a day's work when you've had absolutely no sleep?
It's not something that seems to be discussed, but there will be occasions in anyone's life when you have to perform on little to zero shut-eye.
As anyone who is parent to a small child and also working knows, or even just those who suffer from the odd sleepless night or over-active social life, sometimes in life, you have to soldier on when all you want to do is crawl under the duvet.
This has happened to me a few times - we're lucky that usually, Theo is a pretty good sleeper now, but there are times when he's ill that we find ourselves heading into the office less than refreshed.
I thought it may be helpful to share the tips, tricks and coping strategies I've evolved!
Note: These tips should not be taken as medical advice - I'm definitely no doctor. What I'm talking about here is the odd night without any sleep. If you are suffering from persistent insomnia, please visit your doctor.
Today’s outfit post is a little unusual, but I wanted to share what I chose to wear to fly.
I’m always fascinated with airport style, because its such a balancing act between comfort and some kinda chic.
Of course you have your Victoria Beckhams and Jennifer Anistons, who always look flawless but go to the hassle of changing outfits on the plane before they emerge looking radiant to flashbulbs in the arrivals hall.
Not quite having that lifestyle, I have to be a bit more practical about what I wear to fly in.
My name is Sarah and I’m a packing addict. In part one of this post, I showed what Im packing for a seven night break to Split in Croatia. I’ve also done posts on what to pack for an overnight trip to London, and a city break in Europe before.
Although I’m a massive fan of packing light, liquids are the only area that I really struggle with when travelling light. So many make-up items count as well as toiletries, even when I’ve gotten down to my bare minimum (why, airport gods, WHY!?!?). My solutions?
Packing is absolutely my thing. There’s something about creating a holiday capsule wardrobe that gives me a thrill (yes, I’m just THAT rock and roll), and I can spend hours reading through posts and watching vlogs on packing tips. It never gets old.
Searching for answers as to where this obsession came from, I asked Google ‘why do I love packing?’. The response was a string of articles from people who, as it turns out, absolutely HATE packing. Apparently, I am in a very small minority here. Oh well. I’m just going to let my freak flag fly on this one.
A very special outfit of the day today, this is what I wore to my mother-in-laws wedding.
Knowing what to wear as a wedding guest can be such a minefield as there are so many factors to take into account – type of service, venue, weather and more.
So whenever I’m lucky enough to be invited to someone’s big day, I always try and share what I decided on, usually after a lot of ideas-gathering on Pinterest and fashion blogs!
How are we almost at the end of August already!? The tell-tale appearance of my not-so-friendly local Hermes courier with the August Birchbox signalled the half-way point of another month.
Summer almost over once again! I never knew a box of bite-size beauty treats could trigger such existential angst…
But summer lived on in the latest box, which was all based around ‘Mermaid Vibes’. I must be one of the only people in the blogosphere not bitten by the mermaid/unicorn obsession. Hands up, I don’t get it.
However, I was intrigued to see what goodies were waiting in the box to keep that summer vibe going…
When it comes to full-on glamour, nowhere in Nottingham does it better than independent beauty boutique CaBella.
A treasure trove of makeup, glitter and all things girlie, it's tucked away off the city’s upmarket Bridlesmith Gate and offers serious pampering. If you’ve always wanted someone to decode the mysteries of that Insta-perfect look, this is the destination.
Whether it’s a special occasion or just a night out, Cabella offers makeovers, beauty treatments including injectables and the chance to shop some great brands that can be harder to get hold of in the UK, such as Milani and LA Girl.
To say I was excited when they invited me along to a Bloggers’ Beauty Masterclass is a bit of an understatement.
Sometimes, a product comes along that’s just such a great idea, you wonder how you managed without it. And for anyone who uses hair extensions, I think I’ve just found one!
Most people are a bit surprised when they find out I wear clip in extensions regularly, mainly because I like them to look subtle. If you don’t know I have them in, that’s the goal!
I have several different sets, and a couple are purely for volume – they’re the same length as my real hair. I also wore very natural clip-in extensions on my wedding day, because I wore my hair in a half-up half-down style with a beehive and plaited sections, and I wanted to have enough hair to do all that and not have the bit that was left down look too thin and scraggly.
As a busy working mum, with very little time or patience for hair styling, it’s a massive advantage to me if I can pre-style some extensions, clip them in and go. But washing, styling and caring for extensions can be a fiddly job.
Luckily, Easiweft has now arrived to help take care of those problems!
Luckily, Easiweft has now arrived to help take care of those problems!
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