Candyflossoverkill in 2016: Blogging goals revisited and 2017 goals

2016 was a great year for my blog: I feel like the quality has gone up so much in such a short time. I learned tonnes about photography, I got a design and a URL, and I managed to up my posting schedule too. I also got a couple new readers too (hey <3) and my page views are up too. Nothing crazy, and I'm not aiming for anything crazy, but it's quite nice to have people reading what you're putting out there, you know? On the other hand, I'm glad I didn't get crazy growth just based on posts about Japan, because I'm not there anymore. I mean I'm sure I'll go back soon, but I didn't want to set myself up as a "Japan blogger" because I'm not... Jblogging is suuuper over saturated anyway. (although saying that, so is fashion/lifestyle blogging....)

So anyway, let's have a look at how I did with my 2016 blogging goals:

Did I achieve my New Years Resolutions for 2016?

2016 was such a crazy year! Along with huge political events like Brexit etc, (which still needs to get out asap) it was also a really big year for me. The first 8 months was in Japan- I blogged all about it and you can find more on my adventures in the Japan tag. (I'm still blogging about it because I got a little behind... whoops.). Then once I was back in the UK, I've had a bit more chill time, getting back into the routine of *actually studying* things like history and international relations along with Japanese. It's been a bit weird, and I definitely miss Japan and had a healthy dose of reverse culture shock, but I think I'm settled back in now. I blogged about my 2016 new years resolutions last December, so I thought I'd take a look back at whether or not I achieved them.

Anyway, these were my New Years resolutions for 2016:

Silver toners reviewed: Wella T18 versus Colour Freedom's white blonde

In my hair update post a few days ago, I told y'all how yellow my roots had gone, and that I was going pink for a little bit to hide the contrast... Well, I really liked the pink on me, but I wanted to have silver hair for the Christmas party I had the other week. I don't usually use silver toners in my hair- I just leave in my regular silver shampoo (Bleach London) in my hair for a few more minutes when I want to get it more silvery. But this time my roots were quite yellow, so I decided to try out some toners.I thought I'd do a mini review on the two different toners I used: Wella's T18  and Colour Freedom's white blonde toner. I know it's not entirely fair to compare these two products- they are completely different- one is professional and permanent, and the other is non permanent and designed for use at home. Still, I thought that reviewing them might be useful, so here goes!

Colour Freedom White blonde

This toner is the one I bought first, as it's easily available from Superdrug. It's non permanent, smells pretty nice and is really moisturising. It made my hair feel absolutely amazing. At £7 for 150ml, it's easily the cheaper option too. You don't need a developer and I got two uses out of it. However, although it toned the lengths of my hair fairly well, it wasn't that good at at tackling the dark yellow patches in my roots, even when I used clarifying shampoo beforehand and left it on for the full 30 minutes. I'd advise using this only on really pale blonde hair.

Before:

 After:

You can see it didn't make that much of a difference, but it did tone the lengths of my hair a little. Unfortunately, it was the roots I really wanted to tone...

Wella T18 Lightest Ash Blonde 

This one is a permanent toner, and it is a professional product, so it's more expensive and more difficult to get your hands on. The bottle mine came is was teeny- £5.82 for 42ml- and there was only enough for one whole head application, or maybe two if you were just doing the roots. Definitely use a different brand of developer- the Wella one was £8 on amazon (!). I think it is more damaging on your hair than a temporary colour like Colour Freedom, but I conditioned my hair after I toned it and it feels ok. I'm not going to mince my words here, it smells disgusting! It did tone my roots better though :I left it on for almost the full 30 minutes, and they were almost totally silver. If you're just trying to tone your hair white, or if your roots are less yellow then I'd leave the colour on for less time though. Obviously my roots are still darker than the rest of my hair, but at least they were silvery- toned. Even though it is a permanent toner, after a couple of washes (using Lush's Daddy O silver shampoo) I do kind of feel like it's washing out from my roots a bit. I think it's common for even permanent grey colours to fade easily, but I'm kind of sad considering that this one was quite pricey. Lastly, I want to say that I am not a hair dresser and please don't use professional products like this if you're not experienced with colouring your hair! They are not idiot- proof, so please be careful ok :)

My hair was this pastel pink before:


And this was what my hair looked like after I'd toned it.

Most of my hair was this lovely silvery lilac colour, but some of the roots were just too dark yellow to take to even the Wella toner.

Since then, I've just been washing my hair with my usual Bleach London Silver Shampoo, and it's looking like this lately:






So honestly, a cheaper way to get my roots looking better might have been to just wait it out and keep shampooing my hair with silver shampoo.

Next time I bleach my roots, I'm going to make sure I get them light enough first, and then I want to try Colour Freedom's permanent silver toner, or Bleach London's white toner. Also Schwarzkopf's Blond Me has some products which bleach and tone your hair at the same time, which sounds pretty good.

Do you guys have any silver toner product recommendations?
Thanks for reading! -Amy xoxo

Colour Freedom Misty Grey review and before and after// Treat yo'self haul: Lush and T2// Kare Sansui and maple leaves at Tofukuji, Kyoto

Gig report: SuG tour 2016 SLVS at Umeda Akaso, 10/4/16

Picture from SuG's official website
So this live was a while ago, but I didn't blog about it for a while... I was actually too emotional about it. I've been a SuG fan for a long time now, and this live was the culmination of my little fangirl existence!!! SuG are amazing live, that's for sure. (P.S. this post is v fangirly, I apologise in advance)

SuG are definitely one of all time favourite bands, and actually getting to see them live... it was so amazing. I was also absolutely terrified, because I was at peak anxiety last year and going to a gig on my own wasn't the easiest thing to do. Worth it though!

So, without further ado, let's get into the live report:

The gig was at Umeda Akaso, which was pretty easy to find- it's quite close to Hep 5.

Ticketing was a little confusing: There was no line beforehand, because you lined up in order of the number on your ticket: Fan club first, and then it depended on how early you bought your ticket.
The line was also v scary- I was one of the only foreigners there so I felt extra stared at. Also Japanee gigs start early- this one started at 5pm, with doors at 4:15.

Merch was sold outside the venue: I got a wristband and a T shirt (YESS SUG SHIRT)
Although, I should have got a towel, because you need it for some of the Furitsuke. Actually, the Furitsuke was something I'd been worried about, as I hadn't learned them beforehand, but they were quite easy to pick up so it was ok :) There was also a box near the entrance of Akaso for letters and presents (I was too scared to write a letter and I regret it dearly).

There were lockers at Akaso, but not that many, so I stashed all my bag and stuff in a coin locker at Osaka Station. You had to buy a drink ticket on the door for 500 yen (I think this is pretty common) so before the live started, I grabbed a lil dutch courage, downed it and secured my place in the crowd.

It was a small-ish venue so I had a good view :)

Unfortunately, taking photos isn't allowed in Japanese gigs, so I have no pictures of the boys. So sad. 

When SuG came onstage, something inside me honestyly just broke. I was so happy, I couldn't stop crying. Sorry for being lame, ahahah. SuG played so many songs! And quite a lot of their new stuff too, which was awesome~

Song list

Gimme Gimme
Fukanzen Beautyfool Days
Madship
Jun Fujun Isei Kouryuu
Teenage Dream
Smells Like Virgin Spirit
Sakura Ame
Heavy+Electro+Dance+Punk
Dead or Dead
Teenage Dream
Mugen Styles
Friday
Toki Doki Sutekina Kono Sekai
Hellyeah
Sick's
B.A.B.Y.
Cry Out

I'm pretty sure that was it, but I can't find it online so I'm not 100%- they might have played even more songs than that!

Also in the breaks, Takeru was talking about things like how the Osaka crowd were louder than usual, and how he felt 'we could understand each others' feelings' which didn't help my poor heart.

There was also a handshake meet afterwards, I'd got a ticket for the meet when I bought Virgin
It was quick, and the security were literally pushing us along, which was so sad, but I got to say thank you to everyone... Embarrassingly, I was still absolutely crying my eyes out, but I told them to come to come to the UK again <3 (they came in December 2015 while I was in Japan... typical...)

Also can I just reiterate: I TOUCHED THE ACTUAL MEMBERS OF SUG!!
I think Yuji gave the best handshake, but they all like actually squeezed my hand and looked me in the eye and like they actually appreciated us coming. And I got to speak to Takeru-Sama! (My first love. hehe).

This gig meant so much to me guys... I never thought I'd be able to see SuG when I first started liking them way back when. But I did! In Japan~ It's made me more determined to go to more gigs next year! Come on, me! I know the amazing Crossfaith are going to be back in the UK next year, and I'm determined to get to see them again (I saw them in first year but I don't think I blogged about it).

This picture accurately represents me after the gig walking through Umeda crying my eyes out...

If you don't know SuG, check out their latest video "Kill Kill" :)
Also, if you ever get the chance to go to a SuG gig, DEFINITELY go omg! I'm ordering their latest Album, Shaddup,  for a sneaky Christmas present to myself and I couldn't be more excited~

Thanks for reading! What bands do you guys like? If you have any recommendations, let me know :3
-Amy xoxo

I finally visited a cat cafe! Hogo Neko Kissa Kagishippo in Ibaraki, Osaka// Kare Sansui and Maple Leaves at Tofukuji, Kyoto// My Christmas Wishlist

Being Enlightened (?) at Unryuuin and Sennyuji, Kyoto

After the Inari Shrines, I walked on to Unryuuin, to see the famous Satori no Mado- the window of enlightenment. It's a little out of the way, but I think it's definitely worth the visit. Because it's out of the way, Unryuuin and Sennyuji are a lot quieter and more reflective than some other temples. They are definitely hidden gems!

Things I've done recently to make life a little better

So I had a teeny bit of a breakdown recently. Part reverse culture shock, part general uni stress and part not taking care of myself I guess, but I was so down and in a little bit of a bad place. Luckily, I'm doing better now (apart from a looming essay crisis), and I thought I'd share with you guys a few ways I've been making things a little bit better for myself :) I wrote about in my Basic Self Care post a while back, and I thought it was time to take my own advice.

Things I've done to make life a little better

Having breakfast each morning// Especially porridge. I know it's a bit basic, but just having breakfast in the morning

Having a cleaning routine// Washing my sheets, giving my room a dust and a whip round with the hoover on the regular makes me feel like a functioning human.

Going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day// Getting a bedtime and morning routine established makes everything easier. I'm still not totally there yet- I tend to roll around on instagram

Drink more water// Helps your skin, your mood, helps you feel more awake... water is great. You guys knew that already

Make time for your friends// Even if it's scary. I am trying to say "yes" to things more- I used to reflexively say no because I was scared, and then I'd miss out on what would probably have been a fun time.

Cook more// Cooking is fun! When you take the time to cook properly, you'll save money and encourage yourself to look after yourself a little more. I made an apple crumble the other day and I shared it with the flat which was really fun.

Cut down on caffeine// Now I could never go cold turkey, but limiting tea and coffee to only a few cups a day is great, guys. Caffeine can actually make you feel more jittery and anxious, and caffeine addiction is also super real. At the moment I'm trying to only have a few cups a day, and stop drinking caffeine at all after 5 or 6pm.  Fruit teas and decaffeinated coffee have been slight game changers.

Paint your nails// This makes me feel so 'together'

Buying plants// I am still absolutely plant obsessed. My basil plant makes the room smell amazing, my little succulents seem to be doing all right, and having plant friends is just great ok?

Sort out your uni work/ any papers lying around// This is a tad boring, but filing my papers away instead of leaving them just lying around is just prettier, you know?

Do things you love! Like blogging :) I'm relieved to say that I'm back with some new blogging plans. I'm not quite up to daily posting yet, but I have a few really good posts lined up :) I still have a little bit of Japan content left too.

And some things I still need to work on:

Cut down on screen time// I think everyone is a little guilty of this, but I spend way too long on my phone. Too much screen time has been linked with depression, and I definitely don't want any of that!

Be intentional with the media you consume// I want to watch more stuff in Japanese (which I am doing~) but I also want to avoid randomly clicking around on Youtube. I go to Youtube when I want to be entertained, inspired or to learn something. So,I unsubscribed from some of the more negative accounts I used to follow (bitchiness will only get you down really) and some of the ones that weren't *that* fun and made me feel like I had wasted my time. Sounds brutal, but even though I didn't unfollow many channels, I feel better for it.

Listen to podcasts// I'm so late on the podcast train, I know, but better late than never right? If anyone has some recommendations, please let me know!

Be more intentional when shopping// I'm halfway there, but I need to save money more! I am going to re-start saving my 50p coins, and just generally try and avoid town a bit more...

Learn Korean// I've started learning Hangeul, so now I need to get myself a proper textbook with a CD- I don't want to learn it wrong!

Get some more exercise// yeah.....

Get some more motivation for Japanese// I'm ok with everyday conversation, but I want to be able to use Keigo without dying of nerves, and I want to be able to write all the general use Kanji soon(ish). I've been working hard for my history modules, but I've been somewhat coasting in Japanese recently. I mean I'm glad I'm doing ok, but ever since I got N2 I've been lacking motivation, and I need to get some back sharpish...

Anyway, I hope you guys are doing well! December and Christmas are great, but they can get a bit hectic, can't they. If you have any self care tips, or podcast recommendations, let me know <3
-Amy xoxo

20 ways to look after yourself: Basic self care// Kare Sansui and Maple Leaves at Tofukuji, Kyoto// New in Beauty// What to do in Kamakura

Exploring Kyoto: Abandoned Inari Shrine and a secret waterfall

On the way from Tofukuji to Unryuu-in, I found an abandoned Inari Shrine. I was walking along a path on the outskirts of Kyoto, and I saw a Torii in the middle of overgrown trees. When I got to the other side, there was an entrance with a sign on the Torii saying 倒壊する危険あり 通行注意 -(danger of collapse, be careful when passing through). It didn't say 立ち入り禁止 (do not enter) though, so I went in and had a look around. It was definitely worth going in!

Kare Sansui and Maple leaves at Tofukuji, Kyoto

Travelling and exploring places on your own is nerve wracking, but it can be so cool. You can go to wherever you like without anyone complaining, and sometimes you get to experience things that you wouldn't have got the chance to otherwise. There were so many places in Kyoto that I was desperate to explore, so one hot summer Saturday in June I took myself off exploring. First up on my agenda was Tofukuji. It's famous for it's autumn leaves, but there's a tonne to do in any season~ Like Toji, I think Tofukuji is a little less well known among international tourists, and certainly it was less busy than super famous places like Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kinkakuji or Kiyomizudera.

I finally visited a Cat Cafe! Hogo Neko Cafe Kagishippo in Ibaraki, Osaka

One of the things that Japan is pretty famous for is their cat cafes, but it took me until May to actually go to one! The cat cafe of choice was called Hogo Neko Cafe Kagishippo (保護猫カフェかぎしっぽ) in Ibaraki-shi, Osaka. It was so nice! They took in cats temporarily and got them more socialised and re-homed them, which I thought was lovely. It's a really small place, and the owner was so kind! You can tell he really loved cats. They even have their own blog introducing the cats: http://ameblo.jp/kagi-shippo-hogo/

The cafe a pretty small and cute place. You could sit on the floor or the sofa and play with (or just watch) the cats. There were some areas high up near the ceiling where the cats could go to avoid the customers, but over half were on the floor and said hi.We were lucky when we went because there was also a super sociable kitten called Yuki there for a few days when we were there.

Me and Yuki <3

Thanks for finding this place, Emily! Even though I'm not a cat person, I loved the cat cafe. The owner was kind, and I loved the fact that they were helping rehome the kitties. 

I'd definitely recommend visiting a cat cafe while you're in Japan! But make sure you find a cute small one like Kagishippo. :)

-Amy xoxo

Kitty heaven at Gohtokuji, Tokyo //New in Beauty: Hair Dye, Makeup and Nail varnish Collective haul// Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku, Tokyo

Hair update: Pink again (with Bleach London's Rosé)

So I was loving my silver hair, but a few things happened, and so I have pink hair again for a little while. When I say "a few things", I mean I didn't leave the bleach on my roots long enough last time. So I have vaguely yellow roots, and I have done my hair pink so it contrasts less with the yellow. (I'm going to leave my hair to recover for a bit before I bleach it again.) So here is my recent hair saga:

New in Beauty// Hair dye, nail varnish and makeup collective haul

There's a Superdrug right round the corner from me, and it's so dangerous! Although I try and resist as much as possible, I have picked up a few new things over the past couple of months. Treat yo' self and all that, right?

Kyoto day- Aoi Matsuri, Kinkakuji and peeking at Daitokuji

In May, my friend Anna and I went to Kyoto Imperial Palace grounds to see the Aoi Matsuri procession start. It was a super hot day, but the procession was really cool- everyone was dressed up in Heian style clothes. If you're in Kyoto around the time of the Aoi Matsuri I think it's worth a visit, although other festivals like the Tenjin Matsuri are probably more exciting (they've got fireworks guys).

Nagaoka Tenmangu shrine, Kyoto

In history class in Osaka Uni, one of my teachers told me that after Nara, Nagaoka was actually the capital of Japan, but for only 10 years. It was abandoned due to famine, disease and floods supposedly caused by a curse (!) so they decided to move the capital to Kyoto. I thought that was super interesting, so I grabbed Emily and we had a really chill day visiting Nagaoka Tenmangu. 

Our aim wasn't really to sightsee though, it was just to "ぶらぶら" (to hang around and do nothing in particular).

My Christmas Wishlist

How weird that it's nearly Christmas already! I'm really excited to spend Christmas at home in the UK this year- although my Christmas in Japan was great, it just wasn't the same. I've already started wearing my Christmas jumpers, and to be honest I'll probably start decorating my room this week too. I mentioned some of the things I wanna do this autumn/winter already, and now here's my Christmas wishlist. Because nothing gets you in the festive spirit like a healthy dose of consumerism ;) This year I don't have one 'big' present I'm after, but there are a lot of things for my room, and a couple of beauty bits and clothes too.


Globe lights// I think this would be the perfect finishing touch to my room at uni- make it look all cozy, and big bulbs would look attractive even if they weren't on.

My fashion inspiration- UK fashion bloggers

When it comes to fashion, I have so many bloggers that inspire me a tonne! I've never done that many 'favourites' type posts, but today I wanted to share the love! I'm always really curious to see who everyone else is following, so maybe this will be cool and y'all can find some new favourites? Obviously, the images I'm using are not mine, they are from each person's blog, so please do click on the links and check them out :)


Zoe London
Zoe is one of my all time favourite bloggers at zoelondon.me. Her writing style is funny and informative, and her hair and make up skills are on point. While she's been bit more focused on her youtubelately, I still love reading her posts and find myself getting lost in her archives constantly. Although she started as a beauty blogger, the posts I always love are her fashion and lifestyle posts. So jelly of her America posts! (I also love Zoe's youtube channel- it's so creative and her editing is on point!)

Current favourites: Autumn 2016

I've never done a favourites post before, but I love reading them, so I thought I'd join in the party. This time round is mostly beauty because I've just bought a tonne of new products, but there's a few fashion and lifestyle things thrown in too~

Colour Freedom Misty grey: review and before and after

I've had my hair whitish silver on and off for a few months now, and I love it, but I wanted to try a bit of a darker grey for winter.

I couldn't find that many reviews of grey dyes from brands I already know, so I decided to take the plunge and try out Colour freedom. It's quite a new brand, so there are only a few reviews of it around, but there were a couple of really good reviews for the silver blonde (which is a permanent toner), which gave me the confidence to take the plunge and buy Misty Grey. This one is semi permanent as I didn't want to stain my hair.

I've seen it on offer a few times recently, but in the end I bought it full price for £6.99 from Superdrug. In the box was the standard gloves, instructions and tube of colour. They boast of the product being "extra large" but it's 150ml- same as Bleach London (£7). You do get more product than crazy colour (100ml) and directions(88ml) though.

I started with a bleached silvery/white hair, which would supposedly be ideal. Application was simple enough- it's one tube of product so you don't have to mix anything, just squeeze the product out on to your hair and massage it through the roots (back of the head first) to the tips. It's supposed to be enough for a few applications but I used almost all of it and my hair isn't particularly long or thick.

I also hate the smell, but it's not chemical-y or anything, it just reminds me of baby wipes.

How does it look?
The colour in the tube was pretty purpley blue, which made me slightly worried it would stain my hair. I left it in for 25 minutes, which is more than the 15 recommended for 'subtle results' but less than the full 30 minute limit. My wet hair in the shower looked actually blue, and I was panicking so much when I was washing the dye out. When it was dry, however, it looked exactly the same whitish-silver to usual... only with a slight blueish tint in some lights. My hair feels quite soft after using it though, which is good.


So this is the result:

It's really pretty...but it also looks exactly the same as my colour before:

How well did it take to my hair: 
It might have taken to my hair, but I definitely didn't see much of a change. It definitely didn't do much to my blonde-ish roots or my ends, but considering my ends are so processed, I wasn't expecting much to happen there. Maybe you'd see more of a difference if you had platinum blonde hair, but considering it didn't really take to my blonder roots, I don't know.

Fade time: Sadly I can't really say about fade time because it didn't really look different to usual, but it's non permanent and supposed to last 6-10 washes. It's so light that I doubt it would last that long though.

Overall: I'm not really impressed, sorry ^^;  My hair looks a nice silvery grey, but it looks almost exactly the same as before I used this and nowhere near as dark as the swatches would lead you to believe.  One complaint I have is that on the website and on the box, the swatches were obviously computer generated- and this made me think the colour would come out darker than it did. The fake swatches make me feel a bit like I've been mis-sold. I think you'd be able to get a darker grey using one of their permanent colours, but I am not about to settle down to just one colour, so I'll give them a miss.

Would I repurchase? considering I could have the same result by just leaving my silver shampoo on a little longer than usual, I don't think I'd bother with this again. Next time I might try a real silver toner- I might use the permanent silver grey from Colour Freedom- as Emily from A Fickle Fox seemed to get on well with it, and apparently it does fade out. Or maybe I'll try a different brand like Wella or Schwarzkopf.. If I do, I'll be sure to blog about it :)

TL:DR If you've already got whitish silver hair, I don't think this product is worth getting.

Have you guys tried colour freedom? If so, what did you think? Do you have any recommendations for a semi permanent darker grey dye or toner?

-Amy xoxo

Manic Panic Virgin snow white toner review and before and after// DIY silver shampoo// Packing tips: what I packed for my year abroad in Japan// Kawaii Monster Café in Harajuku, Tokyo //Bleach London's Violet skies: mini review and hair update

Nakano Broadway, Tokyo: Otaku Paradise

After Gohtokuji, we headed off to another place I'd been dying to visit- Nakano Broadway. If you don't know, Akihabara, Ikebukuro's Otome Road and Nakano Broadway are all pretty good for otaku, but Akiba is a lot more guy-centric (I definitely felt a little out of place when I went there), Otome Road apparently has more girl-oriented stuff, and Nakano broadway is really good for collecting old toys, merchandise etc. I didn't get to Ikebukuro (cry) but I definitely preferred Nakano broadway to Akiba, although I do think you should pick Akiba if you only have time to visit one place. (Or head to Den Den Town in Osaka. #Osakaforever) I'm no hardcore otaku, and I think even people that don't like anime at all should go visit somewhere like this to get a glimpse into nerd culture in Japan. There's plenty to see!

Sparkly Jfashion haul: American Apparel, SPINNS and WEGO

This is the last 'Jfashion' haul you'll be seeing for a while, but oh gosh, I'm so in love with the things from this haul! Most of the items are from SPINNS and WEGO, two cheap (for Japan, anyway) and very stylish shops that I've raved about all year. I also picked up a gorgeous black pleated skirt from American Apparel and thought I should include it here as well~

Kitty heaven at Gohtokuji, Tokyo

Another Tokyo recap post today, and this time it's of somewhere I'd been dying to go to for ages- Gohtokuji.  Its supposedly where the manuki neko (lucky waving cat) originated from, and it has an area filled with tonnes of little cat statues! Pinterest perfect :) 

I actually found out about Gohtokuji from Pinterest, and I definitely wouldn't have found out about it otherwise as it was a little out of the way in Setagaya, so definitely do a quick search on instagram and pinterest when you're planning a trip. 

Asos haul: glittery dinosaurs and Grace Neutral

Recently I've dabbled in clothes shopping online, and I thought I'd show some of the pieces I bought from ASOS while I was in Japan. I'm always a tad wary of shopping online, but I really wanted some over the knee socks, and I wouldn't get anything that was long enough in Japan. So I bought the socks... along with a couple of other pieces too :)