Empties #28 The Inkey list, Glossier, Bleach, Mary Quant etc

 

Hiii gang! Last empties of 2021, you know the drill, let's go!

Skincare/ Bodycare// 

Glossier priming balance moisturiser// I haated the cream version of this cos it broke me out but this oil free gel one really agreed with my skin. I've got another one of this that I'm currently using in the morning before makeup.

No7 Hydraluminous gel cream // I adore this moisturiser too, it makes my skin feel calm and doesn't break me out. I've bought another one of this too- the only thing is I wish it was in a tube because I feel like I get through tubs of cream so quickly.

Mary Quant Misty Jet// I used this soooo often and I really do think it calmed my skin, which is a shame cos we don't have this version any more. I will probably pick up the limited Tropical Pop scent

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturiser// this was in my Clinique advent calendar last year! I liked it a lot. It's a teeny bit out of my price range, but I'd get this moisturiser again as a treat maybe.

Estée Lauder Eye Cream// This was a present from my mum and it was super luxe!

The Inkey List Niacinimide// Everyone was raving about this brand so I picked up this and the vitamin c... this was fine, but I'm not mad on the packaging. I think I'll be sticking with The Ordinary for stuff like this. 

Lush Mask of Magnaminty// I love this mask! It's a refreshing minty clay mask with little scrubby bits in. I think this size is too big for me to get through in good time though so I'll be buying the smaller pot next time. 

Lush Dirty Springwater// This is a menthol-y minty scent which is gorgeous in summer. I have the body spray of dirty so I liked having a shower gel in the same scent.

Elemis shower gel// This was a mini from a hotel, really interesting botanical scent and felt really luxe. 

Hair//

Bleach Pearlescent Conditioner// You guys know I'm obsessed with this shade. I've been really into the pearlescent shampoo as well- it's slightly less blue toned than the silver shampoo and it leaves my hair a lovely creamy pearly blonde. 

Bleach Hair Elixir// I love this, this was my 3rd or 4th bottle and I've got another one lined up. It's so nice and not too expensive so I see no reason to try anything else tbh.

Bleach Beer mask// Again, this is a repeat-buy and I've got a new one on the go already. I love this.

Mark Hill UV protection spray // Sun exposure is suuper bad for bleached or damaged hair! I had to stand outside in the midday summer sun one day last year with no hat for about 20 minutes because we had a fire alarm go off, and when I got home my hair was so dry and fragile. I've bought a new sun spray for my hair for next summer/ any rare British winter sunny days.

Makeup/ Nail Polish//

I got this Mary Quant sparkly pink in July 2020, and I was so obsessed with it! I ended up actually finishing the whole thing without necessarily focussing on using it up. We don't sell this shade any more so I'm a bit sad to see it go. 

My sister also gave me a couple of older nail polishes she had lying about including this French one (the little gold one) unfortunately this was ridiculously gloopy and there was only a teeny bit left so I used it once and then that was that.

Autograph palette// This was one of my oldest palettes, the actual shadows still performed fine so I've taken the remaining 3 shadows out of the palette and put them in my magnetic palette so I can try and use them up. I'm going to take this empty palette to a Terracycle spot to recycle it. 

That's it for now, I wanted to keep it short and sweet today. Most importantly: Happy new year guys! Stay safe and I hope everyone has a restful and healthy 2022! 

-Thanks for reading, see you in 2022! Amy xoxo

Things I wish I'd known when I started uni // Empties #27: Clinique, Mary Quant, Bleach // Having unnatural hair in Japan part 2: Bleached blonde hair at work 

My Work Capsule Wardrobe ♡ Preparing for work wear

Normally I'm not a huge fan of the 'capsule wardrobe' trend. It seems a good idea, but like a lot of 'minimalism', it seems to have been co-opted into just another excuse for people to chuck out all their current clothes and buy loads more new things. 

But the concept of capsule wardrobe was actually really useful for getting together work clothes for the first time a couple of years ago, and I thought it might be useful to do a quick run down of how I prepared (on the bare minimum budget as I was saving money to go out to Japan and to live on before I got my first pay cheque!)

I had a couple of wearable bits left over from Sixth Form, but longtime readers (from 2012-13) will know that I didn't exactly dress the smartest in sixth form... I really wanted to find a way to look smart but still have fun with clothes.

My plan was to buy the bare bones before I started, and then fill in other things if I need them/ when I get paid, and it mostly panned out!

Here's what I bought with me and what I ended up buying:

For Smart (i.e. matching suit set, looking 'polished') 

Blazers// I bought a houndstooth blazer from a vintage shop in Leeds, but it was deemed too "loud" so I wasn't actually allowed to wear it...  and my Mum gave me a black one ♡ I later bought the grey check skirt and blazer set up which was deemed more appropriate. 

Tops// I actually had a lot of men's collared shirts and turtleneck jumpers, so I didn't buy any new tops for work. But my advice here is: plain clothes look more "professional", so a couple of black or white shirts would have been good here.

Coat// I didn't have a proper posh coat, so I planned to buy a posh one in Japan. (TBH I didn't need a posh work coat as we changed before we started our shift.) I have one now though and I do love it a lot. 

Trousers// - I got new grey printed trousers from Zara- the fit is great and I love the check. I bought another black pair now I'm back home cos they're classic. The best thing was that the print matched my grey blazer so I had more options.

Skirts// I had a couple of short-ish but serviceable skirts, and I bought 2 more skirts (a black pencil skirt and a grey print skirt) that were a bit more work-appropriate once I'd been paid.

Work Shoes//  I went for Dr Martens 1416- I got the vegan leather which I slightly regretted because they were soo hard to break in ;-; But they look really cute and I could wear them for work and on my days off. 

Accessories// Small and simple jewellery can really make things look more put together, as can a nice belt! I also used to wear fake glasses quite a lot. I had short hair so I didn't need to tie it up, but sometimes a low ponytail really makes you look more "polished". 

Makeup// light makeup that wears well will never go wrong- although it depends on where you're working as to how fashionable you can be. I'll need to make sure I carry around a spare powder for touch ups.

Bag// I bought a plain black rucksack in Japan- the same black rucksack I used to have was still being sold by WEGO, and it's the perfect bag- it works for day and night, juust about fits A4 and can look smart or chill depending on how you style it. It was also an absolute steal at like 3000 yen (under £20).

Underwear/ tights// make sure your underwear isn't visible and maybe have a spare pair of tights in case of ladders.

So what I'd recommend to buy/ collect together for work:

• 2 x matching suits- blazer and skirt or trousers
• 6-7 x shirts or tops - a mix of plain, collared shirts (which are workwear staples that you can never go wrong with) and things like printed shirts and turtlenecks which can be slightly more casual
• 1x pair of smart leather (or vegan leather etc.) shoes
• 1x bag- plain, preferably weather resistant and large enough to hold your things
• You probably have well fitting underwear, plain tights and socks etc. already, but if you don't I think these thing really help make you look more professional 
• Depending on where you work: smart coat! 
• A couple of small, plain accessories like a watch, belt etc. can also help you look more put together. 

My advice is to err on the smart side when you start work, and you can always dress things down once you learn more about the dress code and about what people actually wear.

Which is why it can also be a good idea to start with the bare minimum, so you don't end up with loads of too-smart clothes you don't actually wear.

For smart casual: 

At my current job, we're doing smart-casual because of coronavirus, so I usually wear jeans and a turtleneck. I tend to outfit repeat a lot tbh (decision fatigue is realll...) The only thing I *needed* to buy was some nicer fitting jeans because I didn't own any.

I will say that I started off smart and have gradually got more casual after seeing what my co-workers wore. This does help give a good first impression by making you seem like you're taking the job seriously. You can always wear a jacket/blazer and take it off.

I hope this helped, thanks for reading! What's your favourite thing to wear for work? And where do you get your workwear style inspiration- I'd love to know!
-Amy xoxo

Things I wish I'd known when I started uni // Empties #27: Clinique, Mary Quant, Bleach // Having unnatural hair in Japan part 2: Bleached blonde hair at work 

I have seven different shampoos and they're ALL DIFFERENT OK?// My bleached hair care routine 2021

Hello gang, I am really pleased with the condition my hair is in atm- it's almost completely recovered from the state it was in (lots of breakage and general sadness circa 2019-2020) , and so I thought I'd share what I'm doing to keep it in tip-top shape. There's lot's of Bleach London because I am obsessed.

My everyday hair care routine for bleached hair// 

Shampoos (I have six, and they are All Different, I promise...)

Tresémme Colour Protect shampoo// this is my everyday shampoo- does what it says on the tin and it's a huge bottle. Also pictured is the Bleach Live Forever shampoo which I think has been discontinued? Which I am sad about and have bought a couple as a little stash cos I really liked it...

Coloured Shampoos

I have too many of these and it's a problem... but I do use them all... 

Bleach London's Silver shampoo/ Smoky Shampoo/ Rosé shampoo/ Pearlescent Shampoo (they are all different and I use them all so...) Coloured shampoos are essential for me for removing brassiness or changing the tone of my hair. Just a reminder: don't over use these every time you wash as silver shampoos are often drying! 

I also have this clarifying shampoo from Toni and Guy- I don't use it very often, but if my hair has product build up or if I'm trying to fade out a colour, I like this.

Conditioner

I have this Pearlescent Conditioner, and Awkward Peach (both Bleach London)- they're a nice way to deposit colour without damaging or drying out your hair.

I also often just use a hair mask as a conditioner- at the moment I'm using the Beer Mask and Reincarnation Mask from Bleach London. I also have Philip Kingsley Elasticizer which I love but am being careful with because too much protein is bad for your hair. I also have this Tresémme mask which is fine, but again I'm being a bit cautious with. 

Heat styling//

I blow dry my hair about 80% dry (because it's bleached and porous and it's easier to damage when it's wet.) and do my fringe 100% dry. 

Sometimes if I want extra curls, I'll twirl it into one or two little buns and dry it like that- this actually works really well if you practice. 

My hair dryer is an old one from Nicky Clarke, but it's still really good! I use medium heat, because max is damaging but life is too short to dry it on cold.. 

I have a round brush from Denman which I use to add volume to my fringe while I'm drying it, removing the need for straighteners too! I do have a pair of super old straighteners from Nicky Clarke which work well but I am really trying not to use them.

Tangle Teezer// My old faithful, I adore this. Gentle on your hair which is a complete must for me.

Tresémme Heat Defence// this heat protectant smells great, seems to work and the spray nozzle is really nice- it makes the perfect fine mist.

Bleach Hair Elixir// this smells lovely and makes my hair super soft without feeling greasy. As I have bleached hair I use quite a lot of this. 

Once a month (every 4-6 weeks)

I bleach the roots, I used to get a big box of bleach powder and developer but at the moment I'm getting a box of either Schwarzkopf or Bleach London's bleach. I sometimes use Alex Plex (Bleach London's plex treatment) to prevent damage to my hair when bleaching. 

After it's bleached, I sometimes use a toner (Bleach's Champagne Supertoner or White Toner) or a colour if I'm feeling fancy, but I'm currently staying blondeish. 

After colouring it, I'll usually do a hair mask and leave it in for as long as possible. Sometimes I'll do a protein treatment like Old Blue Last or Philip Kingsley's Elasticiser, but only if I haven't used a plex treatment or other protein thing. Too much protein actually makes your hair go really brittle, so I'm a bit wary of protein atm.

General haircare notes// 

You can have too much protein in your hair- so I avoid using too many protein shampoos, conditioners, extra protein treatments etc. 

Silver shampoo is drying as heck// so don't use it more than you need to- try a purple conditioner or hair mask, or mix a pigmented shampoo with a non- pigmented one

The less heat styling, the better// I've recently bought a round ceramic brush so I can style my fringe as I blow dry it, so at the moment I rarely use straighteners at all. I used to curl my hair all the time (like every day!!) , but now I'm going for more of a natural wave which means less straighteners and less damage.

I don't need to tell you to use a heat protectant (do I???) 

Wash it less// I've gone from every 2 days to every 3 days. 

No hairspray//  hairspray is drying and damaging and gunks up your hair. Need I say more? 

Trim split ends// if your hair is looking sad, cut a couple of inches off and it will instantly look healthier. 

Use a sun defence product or wear a hat when it's sunny// Just like you need to wear sunscreen, strong sun dries out your hair and instantly makes it feel sad. I've got this Mark Hill leave in spray, but a hat is your best option if you're going to be out in the sun for ages.

So that's that! Look after your hair gang- it will thank you for it!

I'd love to hear your hair care tips too!

-Amy

I finally got my bleached hair to grow back by doing the thing everyone says to do // Having unnatural hair in Japan part 2:  Bleached blonde hair at work // Bleach London Champagne Supertoner Review and Before and After// 

Things I wish I'd known when I started uni

When I finished first year of uni ages ago, I wrote a series of advice posts to new students. Now that I've officially graduated and survived 4 whole years of uni... and a few years have passed and I've had some time to reflect on it all, I thought I'd make an updated post. I definitely learnt a lot in uni- all the stereotypical stuff about getting more independent (although I have no idea what I'm doing with my life, I sure as heck know how to change a light bulb or make a call to the landlord when the washing machine breaks) and of course, I learnt Japanese. So here is my advice, and all the things I wish I could say to baby first year Amy, but am instead saying to any readers who are going to uni!

££££//

• Experiences over things! If it's the choice of going out or buying things, I think experiences are way more valuable
• The saying 'buy cheap, buy twice' is true sometimes. Especially with shoes. 
• Track your money!!! Use an app or go old school and write everything down.
• Have a budget for food, rent, bills and then for fun things
• Stay in cheap uni accomodation- a lot of people I spoke to opted for expensive accomodation because they didn't want to share a bathroom. But, you likely already share a bathroom at home anyway, and the £20+ a week you'll save buy not getting the posh accommodation with an ensuite will really notice. (I spent mine on G and Ts and vintage jumpers, as any good student should)
• predrinking. Just saying, it will save you a lot of money.
• Use your student discount! A student card or the unidays app will get you many discounts
• Get a rail card if you use the train! £30 will pay for itself pretty quickly if you live far away from home.
• Work out if the bus pass is good value for money- sometimes the student bus pass is crazily good value, but sometimes the student single tickets are just as cheap!
• Shop around for phone contracts
• Get secondhand text books/ sell on your old ones once you're done
• Secondhand things are just good in general!
• Save some of your student loan for summer if you won't/ can't get a summer job

socialising//

• say yes to things! especially at the start when there's a lot of trial events going on
• talk to everyone
• Unis have loads of events on all the time- check facebook, eventbrite, your uni's social media
• Join societies! There are chill ones and creative ones and exercise ones aaand crazy party ones- something for everyone. 
• Join your course's society- will be an opportunity to get to know your classmates better and people in the other years.
• Join facebook groups- just check in occasionally, but lots of societies/ your course/ your accommodation will put loads of information about classwork and events on there and sometimes people sell their old books etc. via the course facebook groups (or follow the uni's / societies' social media)
• *you don't have to drink. Most people will be fine with it! (And if they're not, they're not worth it)
• Ditto clubbing. Although, try a couple of different places- not everywhere is sticky-floored and play mr brightside and all star on repeat......
• If you find yourself turning down certain friends' invitations a lot (drinking stuff) try inviting them to daytime things- like brunch. Brunch is underestimated by first years and also lots of places serve brunch until like 4 so it doesn't have to be v early
• go to free/ cheap gigs, you never know, they might be amazing.

Living with other people//

• keep your own stuff tidy-  even if no one else seems to... 
• Try a chart system- chore chart/ chart of who has bought what for the flat
• bulk buy loo roll etc online or from costco at the start of the year- then you can save money and avoid arguments when you run out

Studying//

• Studying is what you're there to do~
• ask older students which modules/teachers are their faves, but take their advice with a pinch of salt 
• DO THE WORK. It's set for a reason, and if you do the work/ reading/ show up to class, you shouldn't have too many problems when it comes to the exam. And if you've already done the set reading, it helps with essays too.
• Study/ read a bit every day. Even just 10 minutes
• Try studying with pals, but be honest- does it actually work well for you? Personally I found discussing content modules and comparing essay plans a couple of days before exams helpful, and practising oral exams, but big hours long "group study" often just turned into chatting.
• Get your sleep if you want to do better in tests and stuff!
• Ditto drinking water and staying hydrated. 
• Talk to your lecturers if you're having problems
• get rid of netflix (yes, really)
• keep busy and it will force you to use your time productively. Basically, make sure that you never 'study' while half watching a film and scrolling your instagram feed. Lots of people do it, but it will just waste time because you won't be able to study effectively.
• use the do not disturb mode on your phone
• keep to deadlines- a lot of places will drop marks for being late, and it's just not worth it.
• keep your notes organised (they don't have to be neat, just so you know where to find them when exams and essay time rolls round)

Health//

• SLEEP-It will hold your life together. Just make sure you get your 8 hours
• clean your room/ bits of your house little and often- it will save the huge nightmare mouldy clean
• exercise, even just a walk in the fresh air. You've heard all this before but it's a thing for a reason.
• Get a dehumidifier if there's mould
• most unis have free counselling- USE IT. go talk to someone before it gets too overwhelming.
• FRIENDS are actually really important for mental health too <3 

Food//

• Learn how to cook omg
• prepare batch meals and freeze it into individual portions- saves time and money and is flexible.
• try shopping around- a bigger supermarket (building wise) will have more products and more 'basics'
• try shopping online- you can split the cost of delivery with your flatmates and supermarkets have free delivery or special offers for your first time shopping online 
• compare prices per 100g or per 100ml to see what's the best deal
• try your local market <3

Dissertation!!

• Get started thinking about potential topics asap! (before final year) you can change topics too
• do something you're interested in!
• If you have someone you want to be your supervisor, go ask! Also, you can talk to other academics at your uni for advice too! Most of them will be really happy to talk with you as long as you schedule in advance 
• Talk about your dissertation to people- get excited and it will keep the ideas percolating around

Job hunting

• use your uni's careers service- you can have a look as soon as you start uni, just to see what's out there
• go to networking events/ talks
• maybe get an internship one summer/ do *something* with your holidays to make yourself stand out
• get linkedin 

To anyone that's in uni, best of luck!! You got this <3 <3 

I'd also love to hear you guys' advice or things you wish you'd known at uni!
Thanks for reading! -Amy xoxo

How I passed the JLPT N1 // How to settle in/ back to uni asap // my uni room tour //

Empties #27 Mary Quant// Clinique // Bleach London // Lush

 

It's that time again.. It's empties o clock!

Hair// 

Bleach London Total Bleach x 2// I'm having good results with this recently so I keep using it. Nothing else to say : )

Bleach London White Toner// I think I left it on too long for *my* hair- I left it the full processing time and ended up with some greenish bluish tones (that washed out thankfully). I think I needed to do just the roots with this cos they were the yellow bits. TBH I just want to go to the hairdresser for a colour corrector.

Bleach Beer Hair Mask// Love this- atm I'm alternating between this and reincarnation mask instead of conditioner, and my hair seems pretty happy :)

Bleach Live Forever Shampoo// I like this a lot! I'm back on the Tresemmé at the moment because you get a lot more shampoo for your money, but I'd pick this up again for sure. I think this was actually my third or fourth bottle of this shampoo. 

Skincare// 

Mary Quant Misty Jet// I've always thought facial sprays were a bit of an extravagance, but I do get staff discount on MQ products (Disclosure: I do work at Mary Quant- I haven't been paid/told to write this blog post but obviously I *am* paid by MQ to do my job...) So I tried it, and I really liked it! This one's super moisturising and really makes my skin look and feel nice. I am already halfway through another bottle of this. Sadly it's been discontinued but we have a nice tropical scented one that I want to try next time :)

Mary Quant Block & Block Perfect Protection// I'm super pale and need a super high SPF or I burn. Block & Block was renewed this year which is exciting- it's still nice and moisturising and sinks into the skin well, but it might be a little thicker than the old formula. B&B also blocks pollution and pollen from irritating your face, and calms inflammation which is a big plus! My skin definitely looks better when I commit to wearing SPF every day.

Lush Don't look at Me mask// I got this because, it's blue and I thought it'd be fun but I did really like it :) I wouldn't run to get this one again because the use by date for the lush fresh face masks slightly stresses me out, but I love lush's self-preserving masks like Magnaminty. 

Glossier Priming Moisturiser// This was meh to the point of bad for me- it didn't agree with the skin on my face (too heavy). I LOVED the priming moisturizer balance though- that one's more of a gel moisturiser. I actually used this to moisturise my body instead to use it up because it was making my face unhappy.

Bioré Aqua Rich Sunscreen// This was one of my go-to Japanese drugstore sunscreens, but I think I'd kept this too long- it had quite a strong alcohol scent... I still used it up on my arms and legs. When I've tried this before it's nice- I prefer Kosé suncut (or the MQ Block and Block if we're being fancy...) though but this is reasonable and a nice texture usually. I'd recommend trying Japanese sunscreen if all you're used to is drugstore brands from the UK. 

Clinique moisture surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate// This was nice and made my skin feel good like the normal moisture surge, but it had little bits in it (almost like little popping boba?) so I prefer the normal moisture surge. 

Muji Highly Moisturising Toner// I looove this and I think my skin does too! I know the opinion's divided on toners, but I like using it tbh. 

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly// Whichever lip balms I try, I always end up preferring Vaseline. A classic for a reason tbh. 

Germolene// I put this on spots etc. And I still have distressingly many spots despite being in my mid twenties now......

Body//

Boots Royal Jelly bath and shower creme// this was fairly cheap but it was soo moisturising! I'm usually a Lush gal but I'd get this again for sure.

Clinique hand cream// I got this in the advent calender, and it was nice! I wouldn't not get it again, but for now I'm happier with cheaper hand creams 

Zuqqun hand cream// My friend Lizzie got this for me from Japan, thank you! It was cute and light and had a nice scent :)

Lush Karma Solid Perfume// I love the Lush solid perfumes- great for travel or popping in your bag! Karma is my fave lush scent- this was my second solid perfume of Karma and I'll definitely pick up another because they're so reasonable and convenient!

Nails// 

Models Own Nail Polish in Toxic Apple// I've finally finished this after about 8 years... the colour was amazing neon green, but you needed a million coats and it chipped off so fast. I am told that neons are hard to formulate though.

Thanks for reading! I hope you guys are all taking care, and for those in the northern hemisphere, HAPPY AUTUMN! I am very excited for jumper weather again! 

-Love Amy xoxo

Empties #26// Happy Quantaversary to me!// I got my hair done at Bleach and it was great //

I did it again I missed my blogaversary but it's officially been NINE YEARS of Candyflossoverkill I feel old help

Heyy gang! Just a short and sweet post to say that yes, as per the title, it's been over nine years since I started this blog in August 2012... 

This blog has actually been such a big part of my life, even though it's just me rambling along about makeup and music and occasionally travel photos... 

But the experience of writing content and making something and having a no-pressure creative outlet has been so good for me.

Plus! Everyone who has read and commented has mostly been suuper nice! I'm lucky.

Obviously it's all about video content nowadays and I'm much less active on my social media than I used to- work is taking all my creative energy tbh.

But I still want to keep posting sporadically on here, cos it's special to me and I still have things I want to make, plus some things work better as blog content in my opinion.

I had an amaaazing and long overdue couple of days in Leeds last weekend, so I definitely want to post that, and I also have another empties post due, among other things- let me know if there's anything you want me to post! 

As always, thank you so much for reading! I really appreciate it <3

-Amy xoxo

Happy Quantaversary to me!// I got my hair done at Bleach and it was great //
8 years / over 600 posts of Candyflossoverkill 

Happy Quantaversary to me!

Soo just a quick little post saying that it's been over 1 year since I started working at Mary Quant's London office! I haven't posted a tonne about it, mostly because all my creative energy has been going towards work so I've barely been active on my own social media...

 But yes I work at MQ at the moment, as day jobs go, it's pretty great!

Yes- Mary Quant is still active as a brand- mostly in Japan, but we do ship worldwide so if you're interested, please check out Mary Quant Europe's online store here:  https://store.maryquant.co.uk/

(disclaimer- work haven't paid me to post this blog post but I do work at Mary Quant so...) 

I've still got a tonne to learn but I'm really enjoying it, plus I get staff discount on cosmetics yesss :D 

I hope you guys are doing ok! Stay safe gang!!

-Amy xoxo

Empties #26: Mary Quant, Clinique, The Ordinary // Bleach London Champagne Super Toner review and before and after// 

25 things I want to do now I'm 25

This post is a yearly tradition for me, I write a list of things I want to achieve in the next year. Unfortunately, due to *the current situation*, I didn't really get to tick off many things last year, but hey, here's hoping this year can be a bit better. (Also is it just me or does 25 seem hecking old aaaarghhhhh)

Last year's goals: 

1 Put myself first//   I definitely managed this! :^) I am v lucky in that I have tonnes of amazing friends and family, and I'm sooo hyped we're allowed to meet up irl soon

2 Get my film cameras developed//  I have a whole other camera full I need to get developed now... 

3 Get a new job// Tick!!! I'm currently working for Mary Quant's London office, and I couldn't be happier honestly. (Check Mary Quant out here https://store.maryquant.co.uk/  pls and thx) 

4 Get another piercing// I mean the shops were shut, so nope

5 Try a new hair colour// DONE

6 Go on holiday!! // I mean, my family went on a little British beach getaway, and it was great

7 Go back to Leeds <3 // Didn't make it to Leeds, and I'm extremely gutted about it :'(

8 TEFL course// 

9 Start some savings// I'm really proud of this, and lucky that I have a job and money coming in.

10 Learn how to drive// (I absolutely hate driving)

11 Visit Amsterdam// we have to stay at home innit.

12 Have a cute picnic with my friends// Luckily I did manage to sneak in some 

13 Learn how to cook a posh new thing// 

14 Go to a music festival// Do virtual festivals count? I'm going to count this. 

15 go 'out out' with my girls// Do virtual drinks count? I'm going to count this. 

16 Go to some more gigs//  Do virtual gigs count? I'm going to count this. 

17 Try dating apps// Yep :^) Hinge was my fave, although I'm not on them any more because I'm seeing someone!

18 Go and see The Room// Another post-rona thing

19 Visit Hastings// I haven't visited this cute UK seaside town since I was a small child

20 Visit Canterbury// Another bucket list place for me, it's so close to me yet I've never been

21 Do some pottery// because yolo. I want to make some aesthetic plates

22 Do something with my photos from Japan// I did nothing with them, classique

23 Get a polaroid camera// I just think they seem really fun. I want to try and either get a second hand instax or a proper polaroid (should have got it in Japan regrets are real)

24 Visit Berlin// Another travel thing eek... 

Soo, all things considered, I think I did ok?

Here are my 25 goals for being 25:

1 Go back to Leeds// this is booked aaaaaahh

2 Go on holiday// 

3 Go to a festival// I've got one booked!

4 Go to a gig// tick! I went to see Louisa and the Bad Girls in Hoxton last month

5 Get another piercing// 

6 Hot girl summer!!// and by this I mean have a picnic and go to the beach

7 visit Amsterdam// 

8 Keep learning// I've read soo much marketing things lately so I'm going to tick this

9 learn how to drive// I keep writing it as a goal but I haate it so much

10 learn how to cook another posh new thing// Like something that's effort but v impressive and fancy

11 Go out out with the girls // Cannot wait to HIT THE CLUB, not sure if I will remember how long it all works but...

12 Go see The Room// me and my pals were going to go to soho to see it before lockdown so

13 Go to Hastings// 

14 Go to Canterbury//

15 Do some pottery//

16 get an instax//

17 Go to Berlin//

18 Go to Bristol//

19 Go back to Margate//

20 Read for pleasure// I'm sooo guilty of only reading marketing/ informative things at the moment

21 get another haircut// last time I got my hair cut (two lockdowns ago) it was sooo nice 

22 get better at taking photos outside// work has meant I've massively improved my photography/ editing (especially product photos) but I want to take more photos outside and push myself a bit. Considering how much I love ugly architecture

23 get jabbed// halfway there!!!

24 save money// well yep so far! 

25 Go out for a fancy meal// got this planned too :D

What are your post-lockdown goals? 

Thanks for reading! Stay safe gang, and hopefully we can all be having adventures again soon!

-Amy xoxo

24 things I want to do when I'm 24// I finally got my bleached hair to grow by doing the thing everyone says to do// All 41 hair dye posts I've written in 7 years of blogging // 

I got my hair done at Bleach and it was great

Hey kids, just a quick hair update... from ages ago but it was cute ok? 

For the first time in over a year, (last September, 2 lockdowns ago...) I got a pro to cut and colour my hair <3 (2 lockdowns ago) As I'm back in the UK and have a proper job, I thought I'd treat myself and go to Bleach. As longtime readers will know, I'm sliightly obsessed. 

The main reason though was that some of my hair was falling out (and not in a like bleached damaged breaking off halfway down way, in a 'it's falling out at the root' way... I think it might have been stress... but whatever it's stopped now ahah) but basically I was too scared to do my roots again in case all my hair fell out so I paid a pro and I couldn't be happier with it honestly. 

Jayne ( https://www.instagram.com/nosebleedsaresexy/?hl=en ) did my hair and it was really lovely <3 

I paid: £239 for cut, bleach roots, toner and dye - You have to put down a £100 deposit beforehand, which then goes towards the cost of the appointment.

Bleach have apparently just changed their pricing so all prices include the extras like plex bleach and special treatments. You can check out Bleach's prices here:  https://bleachlondon.com/salons

Time: It took a good few hours- I got my roots bleached and then a peachy toner and then a sandy blonde toner over that.

(I had an orange band from some super stubborn orange dye that wouldn't fade, next time I go in Jayne is going to try and get rid of it for me.)

In the end I decided on a dark, more natural looking blonde- Jayne called it 'sand blonde' 

Before: 

After: 

(ignore the noodles and look at my hair pls)

I really liked it!! (although I will be going back to platinum next time I think... )

And I had hours to grill Jayne for styling/care tips too, which was lovely!

It felt very covid-safe, everyone was wearing masks and there was a limit on numbers of customers and staff in the shop. Staff also were only working on one client at a time to whereas normally I think they would get quite busy, with stylists working on multiple clients at once. 

Bleach are back open as of the 12th April- definitely check them out and book an appointment if you're in London- I think it was well worth it, personally.

I'm so pleased with it and I can't recommend it more- obviously it's really pricy but in my opinion it was worth it :) I think I'll still carry on doing my hair myself for the most part because £££ but I'd love to go back as the occasional treat.

The sand blonde toner eventually faded out (really nicely) to a lighter blonde, which I really enjoyed :)

Do you guys do your hair yourself? Or do you prefer to leave it to the pros? 

Thanks for reading!-Amy xoxo

Bleach London Champagne Supertoner Review and before and after// Having unnatural hair in Japan part 2: Bleached blonde hair at work // Bleach London Fade to Grey toner review and before and after// 

Empties #26 Mary Quant, Clinique, The Ordinary and Bleach London

 

Hello gang, I hope you're all hanging in there! I still haven't done much that's particularly blog- worthy lately- I've barely even updated my instagram in 2021... Anyone else feeling super burnt out creatively? Most of my energy has been going into work tbh. I hope you're all taking care of yourselves and being gentle with yourselves, you know? <3 Anyway, on to the empties! 

Skincare// 

The Ordinary Buffet, Niacinimide and Ascorbyl Glucoseide 12%// I used these every day, I am trying the vitamin C and niacinimide from The Inkey List, but tbh I think I'll be switching back to The Ordinary after I'm finished. The Inkey List's Niacinimide is teeny tiny so I'm sure that won't take long to finish.

No7 Cream Cleanser// This was lovely, it agreed with my skin and got rid of most makeup apart from stubborn mascara or lipstick- perfect for everyday and I'm definitely going to pick this up again. It seems like cream cleansers aren't that fashionable right now, but I love them, they're often gentle and not overly drying.

Clinique Dramatically Different moisturiser// my friend kindly gave this to me after it didn't agree with her skin (it's got vitamin e in it), but this really made my skin look great. I'll definitely be picking this up again. 

Clinique Take The Day Off Eye Makeup Remover// This was really effective at removing makeup, but it left my eyes feeling pretty oily and sticky. For now I'll be sticking with the classic Garnier Micellar Water for taking off mascara and lipstick.

Clinique Moisture Surge Eye Cream// (I got the clinique advent calender for myself last year, so there will probably be a fair few clinique minis in my empties post for a little while... ) I liked this fine, but I'm not too big a fan of the little blobs of different texture in this.

Clinique Superdefense SPF 40// This was cool to try, but it was a bit thick for in the morning before makeup, which was when I wanted to use it.

Biore Sunscreen// I ordered this from Japan, but when I opened it it smelt really alcohol-y.... I think the one I was using might have gone off in transit or something because it did not smell this weird last time I used it. (I did actually use it all up anyway though, and my skin didn't seem fussed.)  I do have another bottle of this, fingers crossed this one is normal... 

Mary Quant Block & Block Perfect Protection Sunscreen// this is suuuch a nice sunscreen- it's smooth and watery on application, and it calms inflammation in your skin- my skin looked noticably nicer once I committed to putting sunscreen on every day again (sunscreen is so important guys!!). It's definitely my favourite Mary Quant product I've tried. 

The formula just got updated this year, so I've bought one of the new ones :)

 https://store.maryquant.co.uk/block-block-perfect-protection/ (again, to be fully transparent, it's not sponsored or an ad, but I do work at Mary Quant and I bought this using my staff discount)

Makeup// 

Maybelline Collossal Waterproof Mascara// I love this, this is a forever repeat for me. It makes the perfect huge clumpy lashes.

Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Lashes sample // This was my first Charlotte Tilbury product I've ever tried (it was a free sample from Cult Beauty) and while the mascara looked amazing on, I did get some transfer onto my brow bone throughout the day.

Hair//

Bleach London Plex Bleach x 2// You all know I'm obsessed with Bleach London, and my hair is looking pretty thick and healthy since I started using Plex Bleach to do my roots. I do still use Total Bleach sometimes too.

Bleach London White Toner// This is quite strong, and left a sort of green tinge to my hair last time I used it, which is not the beautiful white I wanted. I'd keep a super close eye on it while it's processing, and maybe don't leave it on for the whole 25 minutes? 

Bleach London Champagne Super Toner// I love this- I did a full review on this here: Champagne Super Toner Review and before and after

Bleach London Pearlescent Conditioner// I've been using the pearlescent shampoo and conditioner for a little while, I really love how it makes my hair look! I've already picked up another of these. It makes my hair feel super smooth too. 

That's it for now, thanks for reading! 

I hope you guys are all staying safe and taking care of yourselves! 

-Amy xoxo

Bleach London Champagne Super Toner Review and before and after // First empties in a while: Empties #25 Including The Ordinary, Bleach London and some of my ride or die faves // Sustainability and Beauty 

First empties in a while/ Empties #25 including The Ordinary, Bleach London and some of my ride or die faves

Hello gang how are we all? I love a good empties post, and I've not done one in like 6 months, so let's get into it. Lots of these are like the third or fourth time I've repeat-bought this, so you know I'm pretty obsessed. Here are my empties and little mini reviews from all the beauty products I've used up in the last few months:

Hair Dyes/ 

Bleach London Bold as Brass// I wasn't suuper blown away by this tbh- full review here: Bleach London Bold as Brass: Review and Before and After

Bleach London Rosé// On the other hand, this is one of my faves for a reason- it's reliably pretty and doesn't stick around for too long- perfect when I wanted to have pink hair for xmas! I miiight actually do an updated review on this, becuase the review I did write was 7 years ago now! (Seven!!!) Here's one from 5 years ago of me comparing Bleach Rosé to Directions Carnation Pink 

Hair Care//

Bleach London Beer Mask// I'm obsessed with this- I've already got another one on the go. Makes your hair smooth and silky, and tbh I'm paranoid after some of my hair was falling out last year (which I think might have been stress????) so I'm not really looking to change up my current routine as it seems to be working. 

Bleach London Live forever Shampoo (x2)// These were my second and third bottles of this- it's more expensive than tresemmé but I like it and it smells good. I'm actually on my fourth one of this now.. 

Bleach London Rosé shampoo// Perfect for changing up your hair colour with even less commitment, or for neutralising greenish tones that you sometimess end up with from other dyes. I've got another one on the go now, it's just nice having one in case.

The Ordinary Moroccan Argan Oil// I've been using argan oil on my hair for years and I liked this a lot- I think it's convenient that you can use it to moisturise your body too in a pinch, and apparently it makes your hair dry faster too. I've finished it for now, but I definitely might pick it up again in the future.

Bleach London Hair Elixir// After finishing the argan oil up, I tried this, and it smells amazing and I think it makes my hair feel so super smooth. Only minus point is it leaves hands feeling a bit sticky- I tend to rub it in to my hands because it's mostly a mixture of oils, but argan oil definitely absorbed faster. I do think my hair likes this better though, I got a free bottle with a cult beauty offer recently so I'm going to stick with this. (Also it's cheaper than The Ordinary's argan oil...)

Hand/ body care// 

Envoque Hand & Body Lotion// freebie from a hotel, did the job but it wasn't the most moisturising thing, it was quite light. 

Lush Charity Pot// Love this, I always pick it up when I'm in need of a little treat. The little £1 tins are perfect for travelling, too. The scent is quite sickly sweet, so I'd smell it first if you're sensitive to strong smells.

E45 Moisturising Hand Cream// Anyone else's hands usually get suuper scaly in the winter? Especially at the moment when we're all washing our hands a thousand times a day. Well I love this- it's reasonably priced and does the job.

Norwegian Formula Hand Cream// This is another staple hand cream- can't go wrong with it. I love how teeny this one was- perfect for putting in your handbag on the go. 

Skin Care//

Simple Smoothing Facial Scrub// I think this was quite old, but I used it and it did the job fine- I think physical scrubs have sort of gone out of fashion now, but something about them is quite satisfying isn't it. Also you can see I used every last dreg of this- I always cut tubes in half to get the last teeny bit of product out. I'll do that to the rest of the tubes in these photos too :) 

Simple Soothing Eye Balm// I'm starting to get a couple of wrinkles around my eyes, so in the last two years or so I've been using an eye cream. I liked this one a lot and for the price you cannot complain at all.

The Ordinary Natural Hydrating Factors + HA// I've been having a bit of a bad skin year tbh (aren't we all with all the stress about), so I tried this which is very raved about but I think it was a leetle too heavy for me unfortunately. 

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glocoside Solution 12%// Vitamin C has become really trendy over here in the last few years and I really like this- I definitely feel like my skin looks brighter I think I'm on my fourth or fifth one of this now? I want to try some of their other formats of vitamin c products though- there's a Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid mix that's ALWAYS sold out. Always. 

The Ordinary Buffet// Always. I think I'm on my third one of this now?  

Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate// I bought this as a treat for myself after my first payday from my current job (yay!)- I like it, but not as much as the 'proper' Moisture Surge because I'm not a huge fan of the little jelly bobbles (idk how to describe them) I would definitely prefer a smooth texture, so I prefer the smooth original Moisture Surge though. I actually went all out and bought myself a Clinique advent calender last year, so next empties will probably be full of Clinique Minis. 

Primark Bi-Phase Eye Make Up Remover// This was a present, and it does remove eye makeup really well, but it leaves an oily feeling behind which is the problem with a lot of oil based eye makeup removers. 

Clinique Moisture Surge Lip// I liked this well enough, but I am just a big fan of good old Vaseline.... This was good for on the go though. 

Vaseline// This was a limited Edition tin which is way cuter than the normal one and I'm sad it's all gone. But honestly, Vaseline is a classic for a reason- it's cheap but moisturises your lips/ dry skin on your elbows etc. like nothing else. 

Make Up

Miscellaneous Primark red nail polish from like 2011// Does anyone else have makeup from their childhood still hanging around? This was still good (ish... it took a little while to dry and was definitely at the end of it's rope but I wanted to use it up) so I finished it :)

Rimmel Clear Complexion Pressed Powder in 021 Transparent// This is a classic, I think I prefer it to Stay Matte. I hate the packaging though- it always breaks before I'm done even though I don't usually carry it around with me. But, it's so good so I'll probably get it again. 

Miscellaneous Primark Lip Liner from like 2011// this was.... I probably should have just chucked it, but I tried to use it up :') 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 010 Light// One of these was from Donki in Japan, and one was from the UK. I really liked this and will probably get it again. I'm trying the new The Ordinary concealer atm though. 

Rimmel Eye Pencil in White// I use this every day for my water line, I love it and will definitely get it again- this was like my second or third one I think. 

Clinique quickliner in 09 Ebony// I keep getting these in like Christmas Presents- I like it and it's all you could want in a black pencil liner :)

Dolly Wink Brush Pen Liner in Black// I'm obsessed with this for doing a nice winged eyeliner- if you haven't tried a brush pen liner, it's a game changer. This was like my 3rd one, and I've already got another one on the go. 

In terms of how I'm going to dispose of these: The things that can be recycled in the normal recycling, I will clean out and put in recycling (the hard plastic bottles). The Lush and Bleach things are black plastic, which isn't recycled in my area. But I will be taking the Lush things in to the shop (when it's safe) to recycle (Lush free face mask, here I come!). I think I remember reading you can do the same with Bleach's things at their salons, but I'm not sure... I'll hang onto them for now. And the makeup items that are eligible I'm going to put in a Maybelline Terra Cycle  thing (again, when it's safe). The glass nail polish bottle will be cleaned and recycled. 

So that's it for now! I hope you guys are doing ok <3 <3 Sending all my love and thanks for reading! 

-Amy xoxo

My last empties:  It's been a little while life update/ empties 24 // Bleach London Champagne Supertoner: Review and Before and after

Bleach London Champagne Supertoner// Review and before and after

Now I've got a proper job that pays proper money, I have slightly more disposable income so could justify buying this toner from Bleach London (by no means is it expensive, I was just super broke last year....) TLDR I really liked it even though it's only a subtle difference to my usual colour. 

I tried it a couple of months ago, and I've tried it again this month so I thought I'd do a good old mini review: 

PRICE// 

This is £9, so it's not breaking the bank but it is another expense on top of buying bleach.

Before//

I had pretty much white hair, with some light yellowish roots (and a band of orange staining from Directions tangerine......)

Application// 

I applied it to the roots and then smooshed it all over my hair- it's quite a runny consistency so fairly easy to apply and rub into the hair- no complaints here. 

After//

This is the result- a creamy blonde that's slightly warmer than what I usually go for. My hair felt really soft and nice too :)

Longevity// 

This was such a subtle colour I'm not entirely sure how long it lasted, but it seemed to be gone after a few washes. This pic below is from the week later, maybe 3 washes later (?) and it's already faded a bit (but also it looks even lighter in the morning light...)

Here is my hair a month later and it's definitely all faded:

(It was just after Dorian Electra's Gentleman/M'lady had come out if you're wondering.

Did it stain my hair//

No- it was so light and pretty sure it washed out after a few washes. (?) 

In conclusion//

It is a little bit pricy for a subtle change in tone, but I did get a lot of compliments and have actually bought this again so I obviously liked it. So, safe to say I liked it. I do think you need really light bleached hair to start with though!

Thanks for reading! -Amy xoxo

Check out some of my other hair dye reviews here: 

Directions Tangerine review and before and after

Directions Daffodil Review and Before and After

Bleach London Fade to Grey vs Makki Colouring mask in grey vs Schwarzkopf 098 Steel Silver: Which is the best hair dye? 

Directions Tangerine// Review and Before and After

Back with another hair dye review- I can't not post a review when I try a new colour! I mean, this is from 2020 but better late than never eh? The long story short on this one is that the colour looked amazing but it definitely stained my bleached hair.

PRICE// 

I bought this on grindstore for £4.99 whereas sellers on amazon were selling it for double that during the first lockdown- shout out to grindstore <3 You get 88ml, which was just enough for my medium length hair and for a little top up- if you have long or thick hair I'd definitely recommend getting more than one pot.

Before//

I had pretty much white hair, with some yellowish roots that I was desperate to cover up to be honest 

Application// 

I applied it to the roots and then smooshed it all over my hair and it came out sooo vibrant and nice!! I haven't had that many hair compliments in a while to be honest! Directions' creamy consistancy makes it pretty easy to apply without getting dye everywhere. I left it on for about 30 minutes for maximum brightness.

After//

It was so so bright!! The water was bright orange when I rinsed my hair and I was a bit paranoid that orange would come off on my bed sheets, towels etc. but I used all dark towels so I don't know if that actually happened (it really did when I used crazy color back in the day, but I might not have rinsed that off properly.. who knows... I'd be a little careful and don't use white bed sheets just in case.
But yeah, the colour was amazing, perfect for my goal of finally having Hayley Williams' hair ;)
My hair also felt really soft- another advantage of using directions is it doesn't damage your hair at all.

Longevity// 

Some of the brightness toned down slightly after a couple of washes, although it was definitely still bright orange. After a couple of washes I used up the remaining half of the dye and topped up my hair, mostly my roots so it would fade in a gradient.

After four more washes my ends started to go peachier:

I think this peach colour is dead cute and wasn't mad at it at all tbh

After another couple of washes I had a job interview and was slightly anxious about having peach hair for it, so I bleached my roots and did a quick bleach bath on the orangier patches to try and knock some of the orange out buuut it didn't do much and my hair became slightly cronchy so I decided to try and wait for it to fade by itself and also bleach baths are scary and I don't normally touch my hair with bleach apart from the roots after a slight disaster two years ago (Vol 40... need I say more?)

Did it stain my hair//

Definitely can't recommend this to people without saying that yes it definitely stained my white hair and I was still slightly peachy/ creamy blonde over three weeks later. Most of it eventually washed out but I had a band of orange which really clung to my yellow-blonde roots.

In conclusion//

I am used to doing pastel hair colours/ grey, which is the lowest level of commitment possible, basically. So the fact that my hair is kind of stained peach still almost a month later was a little bit of a shock- I tried to fade the last peach bits out slowly with silver shampoo, dandruff shampoo and cleansing shampoo. But it is a banging colour and it made my hair really soft and for the price I can't complain because staining is what bright colours do tbh.

I hope you guys are all saying safe!
Thanks for reading!

-Amy xoxo

Check out some of my other hair dye review posts here: 

Directions Bright Daffodil: Review and before and after// Bleach London Grey Toner: Review and before and after // Schwarzkopf Live Steel Silver 098 Review and before and after