Over the years I have learnt many techniques and tips to boost my hairs health as well as growth and I thought I would share them with you. I'm the type of person who gets bored of their hair cut or colour really easily so it is essential for me to take extra care of my hair. Luckily my father is a hairdresser so I am able to change up my hair and not spend a fortune.

DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend or encourage colouring your hair too often as it is damaging!

To kick off this post I just wanted to include a few pictures of hair colours and cuts that I have had in the past 2 to 3 years.

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Lets jump straight into the tips I have for growing your hair healthier and more effectively.
1. Your hair doesn't grow overnight - the average persons hair grows 1/4 of an inch every month so patience is important. This is something I had to accept after every haircut and now I just tell myself no matter what it is going to grow back. For those of you who want to speed up the process or just want healthier hair keep reading my other tips!

2. Massaging your scalp actually can increase hair growth as it creates extra blood flow to the scalp. This is also really relaxing and what I do every time I have a headache. A scalp massage benefits both you and your hair.

3. Hot oil hair masks weekly. When I started doing this I started to actually notice a massive difference in how my hair felt and looked. By heating the oils prior to massaging it throughout your hair allows it to penetrate into the pores and helps strengthen hair follicles. It also has been said to help with hair growth and prevents greys!
I use coconut oil for this.

4. Wash hair no more than two to three times a week. I know everyone has different type of hair situations whether it gets oily really quickly or it is super dry however washing your hair too often strips it of it's natural oils. Try delaying it by using dry shampoo or put your hair up in a messy bun or loose ponytails.

5. Tie your hair up less - this can cause strain and breakage to your hair if done often. If you do need to tie it daily try position it at the nape of your neck and not too tight.

6. Try a satin or silk pillow case - around April this year I switched to a satin pillow case after reading the countless benefits it has for your skin and hair. It prevents tangles and has less friction. Another benefit is that it keeps your hair softer and curls in longer + tangle free!

7. Brush your hair - again like massaging your scalp this increases blood flow and hair growth. As well as keeping it tangle free.

8. Cut back on heat - heat damages hair and can prevent the speed of growth. If you want your hair to grow more effectively it needs to be in good condition. I love straightening my hair but lately I embrace my natural waves and the quality of my hair has improved a lot.

Some vitamins that assist with hair growth:

• Protein/Iron
• Vitamin A
• B vitamins
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Zinc

Foods that can help:

• Banana
• Blueberries
• Eggs
• Salmon
• Vegetables rich in iron
• Yoghurt
• Nuts

Hopefully this has given you some tips on how to improve your hair's health and encourage growth!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and my next post will be up on Wednesday :)

 

I don't own many L'Oreal products however over the years I have tried quite a few.

I remember my first ever L'Oreal purchase was two years ago. It was the true match foundation that everybody raved about! Unfortunately it did not work for me, I think it was mainly due to the colour being slightly off and it would go oily looking on me. My skin type has changed now so maybe it would work out better for me.

Anyway, the products I now own are the Infallible 24H-Matte foundation, Nude Magique Foundation, Telescopic mascara which the logo has completely rubbed off and an old quad.

Firstly I'll address the quad which I'm pretty sure they would not sell no more. It's in the shade wood rose and I found it in my mums collection. I loved the all matte colours so I took it for myself. Since it is old I don't really use it but I'm a makeup hoarder so I'm not going to throw it away, haha. Here's a close up of the shades: 

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Above I mentioned true match did not work for me however these two foundations are more loved by me. They still have some faults but are still good foundations. I personally prefer the Infallible 24H-Matte over Nude Magique.

Nude Magique 

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I find that this foundation transfers however it is so lightweight and thin in consistency that I still enjoy wearing it. For such a liquidy foundation it gives medium/buildable coverage and you literally feel like you have nothing on your skin. If I'm just going to the shops or if have a short shift at work I generally reach for this foundation. It has SPF 18 so it does flash back. I recommend this for day to day wear.

Infallible 24H-Matte

(Top swatch is Infallible) 

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I've been trialling this foundation for a few months now and it is one of my favourites. Mainly because of the full coverage it gives with such a small amount of product. I have acne scarring and one thing that annoys me most is having to wear layers of makeup just to cover it and keep it covered. This foundation covers it in one to two layers plus the coverage lasts all day!

I've worn this foundation for 8 hours at work (I work in fast-food) and it did not budge. The only downfall with this foundation is that it can sometimes look cakey in my dryer areas.

L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
Last but not least their Telescopic mascara. Hands down this is my favourite mascara! You could probably tell by the way the packaging looks. It separates and lengthens my lashes like a dream.

At first I thought the wand was too thin but I've gotten used to it and struggle to use a normal mascara wand now. It's currently on its last legs and I will definitely be repurchasing this even though I have others open. It's one of those mascaras you know will never disappoint you.

That concludes my brand of the week post, I hope you enjoyed it! Have a lovely day :)

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Since today is Halloween I thought it would be fitting to sneak in a beauty/skincare tricks post to celebrate! When you hear the words trick or treat you'd choose treat however these are some tricks you will want to know about.

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TRICK#1

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Everyone and their mum has heard of the "baking" trend. You can do it to help define your contour as well as amp up your highlighted areas.

I do not "bake" all over because I'm not really into it and it seems too time consuming, although I do make time to "bake" my undereyes. I have always, and I mean since I started wearing makeup, had creased concealer under my eyes as well as them looking powdery, dry and cakey. I have found that applying translucent powder generously under there with a cosmetic sponge for roughly two minutes eliminates any creasing and cakey/dull looking undereyes. You would think that by applying so much powder it would look worse but you wipe it off and you're left with 100% set undereyes that will last you all day!

If you suffer from undereye creasing try out this method, it does not disappoint. It has not creased on me once!

TRICK #2

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I am probably the WORST person at eyeliner. I have hooded eyes so it's really hard for me to make sure my eyeliner is even and even the same angles.

To help myself out I use any brown eyeshadow with a pointed brush to map out my wings. This is really helpful because if I mess it up it is so much easier to blend away a light brown eyeshadow line over liquid or gel eyeliner. Once I'm happy with my blueprint I've created I then go over it with my eyeliner of choice. This is honestly the biggest lifesaver whenever I want my liner to be on #fleek.

TRICK #3

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Ever get large, painful, under the skin pimples? I get those little friends nearly every month! I've tried toothpaste and tea tree which both work well for me but can sometimes be a little too drying so I have found another secret weapon to combat them pesky zits.

A clay face mask. Applying this before bed just on the spot and leaving it over night helps to bring it to the surface quicker resulting in your pimple to have a shorter life span. Us = 1, pimple = 0. Clay masks also assist with drying up the acne, if you notice your skin gets too dry when you leave this over night leave it on for an hour or so (till it dries).

TRICK #4

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Last but not least is matte lips without having to buy another lipstick. I use this trick especially for my bright lipsticks because sometimes I enjoy having a glossy finish but other times I want it to be bright and matte.

All you need to do is apply your shade of choice as per normal then place toilet paper (separate it into a single sheet) and dust translucent powder over your lips. When you remove the sheet of toilet paper your lipstick formula will be transformed into a matte finish that will last you all night long. This technique is a money saving tip as well because you can transform any lipstick into a matte finish with products you already own!

Thank you for reading today's post and Happy Halloween.

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P.S. I will be starting to upload on set days after next week is over as I have exams now. I will let you know soon what my uploading schedule will be, for now keep up to date with me on my instagram @thedailycatchup.

WELCOME BACK GUYS :)

If you follow me on Instagram you're aware that my Colourpop order arrived yesterday! I posted lip swatches of all the colours I got on my Instagram, if you want to see check that out. Some of you may be from Instagram already and are here to read my opinion so hello to you! Since I was super dooper excited to get this order I thought I'd do a first impression on the Ultra Matte Lip in the shade Beeper.

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11:10AM

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First things first (I'm the realest), lets talk packaging. I love how it has clear casing so you can see exactly what colour it is, unlike my lipsticks which I need to store upside down to see the names. This is going to make my life so much easier, thank you Colourpop! Now for the actual application. When I was applying it I saw the colour going on but it felt like nothing. The formula is the most lightweight liquid lip I have ever applied. Another positive is how fast it dried, it took roughly 30 seconds and then I had zero transfer. I kissed a tissue, the back of my hand and drank from a glass and nothing came off! I've never worn anything on my lips that does not transfer before so immediately I was so impressed. People warned me prior to receiving my order that they can be drying however I soldiered on and tried it without any lip balm and I did not find it to be drying at all.

1:30PM

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Between now and when I first applied it I had a late breakfast, teas and lunch. None of the food I ate removed any of the liquid lip or dulled the colour. I did accidentally brush my teeth because I completely forgot I had it on. That's a good thing right?! Luckily this endured my teeth brushing journey and none wore off. In the updated photo you can notice some toothpaste on my bottom lip, oops. Anyway even though this happened I continued wearing it without touching up since it still looked good.

4PM

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It has been roughly 5 hours (just under) since I first applied this. This is the last update on how it has been going because I'm going to take a shower and study for my exams.

If you compare this photo to when I first applied it the pigmentation is pretty much identical. The only difference I noticed is now the edges are less neat, this could probably be fixed with applying lip liner when wearing this. It could also be because silly me forgot it was on and brushed my teeth.

I just wanted to say this is the best liquid lip I have tried so far and I am really impressed with it. I can relate to the raves it has been getting on YouTube and by other beauty lovers that have tried it! I'll definitely be making another order soon because it lasts well and is something I can apply and not have to worry about for hours.

Thank you for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day!

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Welcome back to my blog and welcome to my first ever fashion post! Today is all about outfit ideas and tips for parties and events.

All my outfits I've put together (and have worn out) incorporate heels. Being 5 foot 4 means I need that extra height so I don't get lost in the crowd, haha.

Outfit one - Black, Gold & White

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I'm the type of person that feels the most comfortable in pants/jumpsuits. For any special occasion I gravitate towards this jumpsuit because it's so comfortable but not too plain or baggy. The belt pulls in the waist creating shape and the neckline allows for a nice necklace to be added. To slightly brighten up the outfit I added white pointed heels to act as a contrast and really stand out. Any heels and necklace could be paired with this as black clothing is very versatile and easy to style! I also think it would look really nice with bright coloured heels.

Get my look!

Jumpsuit: Dotti
Shoes: Windsor Smith
Blazer: Ally Fashion,
Necklace: a department store in Italy - Colette sell similar necklaces!

Outfit two - Fresh and Bright

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This is a recent outfit I have put together and not yet worn out. I'm thinking of wearing it for my birthday. I love how bright it is and when I look at it I instantly think of Spring! Bright skirts are an easy way to introduce colour into your outfit and can be paired with white or black tops and heels. I chose white because it looks more fresh and girly, which was the look I was going for. Personally I think this sort of high neckline really suits these midi skirts or one of those tops with a deep V neckline look nice as well!

Get my look!
Top: Unable to find the exact top as it was purchased at an Asian clothing boutique. Misguided and other online boutiques may have something similar.
Skirt: Bardot - unable to find the exact one but browse theiconic.com.au as well as the Bardot site for similar skirts!
Heels - Lipstik Shoes

Outfit three: Co-Ords
This is more of a tip as co-ordinates are a great idea to prevent you from tirelessly searching for bottoms or a top to match. It makes sense to opt for a two piece right?

This is one I fell in love with from Boohoo. A lot of online stores have a section dedicated to co-ords and it is worth checking out!

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Some of my favourite places to get co-ords:
Boohoo - sells it together at affordable prices
Missguided - have to purchase top and bottom separately
ASOS - variety of prices to suit your budget

Outfit four: My personal go-to when I do not know what to wear

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Hands down my favourite of them all. This is the most easiest option that I do not need to think about too much. If I have been invited out last minute I will always, always wear this! I just switch out the top and heels.

Get my look!
Pants - Boohoo
Top - Valleygirl
Heels - eBay

Which outfit was your favourite and what are your favourite things to wear for special events? Let me know in the comments!

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​A skincare routine is very important, especially at nighttime. By the end of the day we have a build up of makeup, dirt, oils and other germs. It is vital to go to bed with a clean face and to apply products that can penetrate our skin during the night so it is nice and prepped for the following day.

The best way I could think of to do this is to state the day of the week and what I do. I have problematic skin; hormonal acne, teenage acne scarring and sometimes dehydrated dry skin. Keep reading if you're interested to see what I do to combat this and help my skin be the best it can be.

Every single night that I wear makeup: 
I use the Byphasse micellar water with cotton round pads. Usually I need to use 3-4 to remove my makeup completely.

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Every night
I alternate between these two cleansers however The Body Shop one is on its last legs. Some people use the Clarisonic every two days however I use it nightly as it cleans my skin completely and removes any traces of remaining makeup.

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Monday/Wednesday/Friday
On these three nights I use Skinstitut Retinol Serum. This repairs damaged skin as well as improving skins appearance and texture. I have noticed since using this product, and the other Skinstitut product I will mention, my skin has improved in texture so much! I follow this product with the Skinstitut Moisturise Defence Normal Skin and my Goji berry Eye Cream.

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Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday
On these nights I alternate and use the Skinstitut Enzymatic Micro Peel which works over night to exfoliate any dead skin away so I can wake up with smooth soft skin. I use the same eye cream as mentioned above. I purposely chose these nights as I was recommended to do it every three nights and wanted it to fall on a Saturday. Saturday nights are usually when I would wear the most makeup.

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Sunday
Sunday nights are kind of my rest nights. After a week of exfoliators/peels and serums I just cleanse my face with my Clarisonic and apply a generous amount of Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil. Also by this time of the week I am usually lazy with skincare.

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Masks/Shower
Lastly I wanted to mention the masks I use and what skincare I do when I'm in the shower. I know this is probably a lot of products and steps already but I have had this routine for a year and it is working for me.

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These two products are what I use in the shower. I do sometimes use my Clarisonic but on the nights I do face masks I will usually use St Ives Blemish Control Green Tea Scrub to remove dead skin prior to it. Palmer's Creamy Cleanser & Makeup Remover removes my makeup really well when I am in the shower and leaves my skin so soft!

This blog post is almost over, I know its kind of like a book now, haha. 

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On Wednesday nights I try to use Andalou Gylcolic mask to brighten my skin mid week and on Sunday's to pamper my skin and deep clean I use Kiss my Face Deep Cleansing mask. The Deep Cleansing mask does give me breakouts sometimes as it brings all the gunk to the surface.

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Last but not least on the nights where I feel like my skin is really congested and icky I use Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I use this product very rarely as it is an intense mask which always brings my breakouts to the surface, however it does dry any current ones up making them fade quicker. It also clears my blackheads. I wanted to include images of where I usually apply it (my problem areas) and how it looks after removal. Keep in mind the redness goes down after half an hour to 40 minutes so I do not recommend using this mask before having to go out. Also if you have sensitive skin this may be too harsh.

To those of you who have read this entire blogpost, thank you so much!
I hope this was helpful and may you all have wonderful skin days :)

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