Styling Spring Refresh

Winter can be hard on your hair and skin, and I'm so ready for spring. Once Christmas has passed, winter seems to drag a bit until we get to the warmer days and with the little flurries of snow it seems even longer away. Your might notice your hair may be dull and lifeless, your skin dry, so what better way to shake off the winter blues than a little style freshen up. Freshening up your look is a great way to make yourself feel better, boost your confidence, and make even the greyest of winter days seem brighter. However, many of us lead very busy lifestyles, trying to earn money, or catching up with work and studying. As a result, we don’t always have time for a big make over.

Colouring your hair is an easy way to change your look completely. Do some research and get some inspiration from Instagram and Pinterest so you can confidently let your salon stylist know what you want. If you are happy to home colour, there are so many products available now to get the look you want, maybe try out a semi permanent colour change before you take the plunge. Even just a trim can freshen up your hair massively. It’ll look and feel healthier and lighter. Healthy hair is easier to work with, so use this as a chance to try some great new styles. Fringes range in styles, from a thick, dramatic line, to longer parted more casual take. This is a great way of highlighting your face shape, by literally framing it. Find your faceshape by outlining it with an eyeliner when looking in a mirror.

It’s easy to get into the habit of going for a fail-safe make up look. Many of us are almost scared to try different shades of lipstick. Try something different, either a deep red, or a romantic pink, which you might not normally wear in winter. Do you always wear the same eyeliner shade, with the same shape line? Most of us do what we are comfortable with. Swap your dramatic black for a softer brown or add a flick. Your eyebrows shape your face. So, if you been guilty of over-plucking (Yup, 90’s killed my brows) let them grow in, and then reshape. Mine are just about getting to the shape I want. Finally!

Finally the most important advice I always try and remember is to look after your skin and hair. Exfoliate, drink water, get lots of sleep and moisturise to give your body a spring clean!

If you feel you might have a flare for adding some fun to winter style, why not consider going into business? The beauty industry is ever evolving and growing, and this is a great time to join it. You can study online and fit courses and the work that goes with it into your schedule so you can still work whilst learning. There are lots of colleges and universities that offer online degrees and courses now, which can make studying a new skill a lot easier.

Got any more great tips? Let me know in the comments!

Travel: Adventures in Iceland

Christmas this year was very white indeed, and involved a relaxing soak in the Secret Lagoon Christmas Day morning. We spent five days in Iceland, flying out Christmas Eve. It was somewhere we'd always wanted to visit and it was a fun, but relaxing festive time celebrating with friends. So we packed up the thermals and bobble hats and off we went!

We used Airbnb to book a cottage that was around a two hour drive from Reykjavik - which in our Cars Iceland 4x4 rental wasn't a problem. There had been a lot of snow but the main roads on the whole were really good! Luckily we didn't have to use any of the mountain roads as a lot of these are closed for winter (probably for the best the amount of rentals we saw in the ditch!) Renting a car is a great way to get around Iceland and whilst you can go on organised tours if you stay in Reykjavik, having a car means you can mooch about in your own time, and stay a little further out of town. Everything is well signposted and sat navs can pick up locations easily.

During the winter months, daylight is at the shortest, with approximately four hours of light. We planned our time and set off in darkness to get to our destination and make the most of the daylight. Luckily our cottage was on the Golden Circle route so travelling to the Geysir site with the most active Stokkur exploding around every three to seven minutes wasn't an issue. The Gullfoss waterfall was breathtakingly beautiful with the roar of water falling, surrounded by snow and ice.

Because the weather had been quite bad with a storm passing over the island, we decided to spend the last night in Reykjavik, booking a last minute hotel. Which turned out to be a great idea as the drive back to Reykjavik threw strong winds, blizzards and hail at us.
Iceland isn't cheap, but there are a few ways you can save a little money and still have a great time. Look for happy hours in Reykjavik bars. Alcohol is a weird one over in Iceland, you can't pick up high alcohol beer and spirits in the supermarkets and you'll pay around £20+ for a couple of pints (dependent on the volume of alcohol) We grabbed some Einstok beer from duty free, along with a bottle of vodka to get festive in our cottage in the snow. Also, some restaurants offer a set lunch menu which is great to try out some local dishes. We had lunch in Apotek and tried some minke whale on the two course lunch offer that cost around £20. Food was very tasty, and the interior was inspiring. A great snack on the go, is the famous hot dogs served up by Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. Cheap, fast and delicious, go for one loaded with everything. So good Tom immediately joined the queue for another.

Sadly because it was stormy and snowy, cloud coverage was high meaning the Northern Lights didn't make an appearance. Whilst I was disappointed as I'd love to see them, I wouldn't take back the fact we had so much snow, which as we waited in the airport watching people get off the plane to rain made me appreciate the magic of snow. Of course, it does give another reason to return to Iceland!

Golden Globes 2017: The Hair

Happy New Year, happy new Golden Globes red carpet hair to swoon over! This year the Golden Globes had all the usual glamour and gowns, combined with some great GIF-worthy moments. Hello Ryan Reynolds grabbing Andrew for a consolation smooch.

This year I really fell for the up do’s and shorter styles worn by celebs. From the perfectly polished Hollywood glamour of Blake Lively’s chignon to the ice cool blonde crop Michelle Williams that has me reaching for the scissors. Oh, and of course the lady of the evening Emma Stone. Just perfect.

Maisie Williams and Goldie Hawn both went for textured top knots. This is a great hair style to elongate the neck and show of décolletage or a pretty neckline. Love how Maisie has accessorised with a metallic barrette clip. Goldie as always has the perfect Cali beach babe hair – always looks so undone in a sexy Bardot way. My absolute favourite style of the evening was Lily Collins’ beautiful fishtail bun which showcased her features and was a really lovely balance against her red carpet gown.

Janelle Monae and Issa Rae both wore their hair in incredibly up do’s. I love the natural texture of Janelle’s with the small pearls dotted through, and Issa’s twisted almost rope lengths worn in a faux Mohawk style just looked so striking. Special mention also to Sarah Jessica Parker who’s up do, apparently inspired by the late Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia, showed off her caramel colouring and was an unusual red carpet style which worked so well with her white Vera Wang gown (which has seen her on the worst dressed lists, I personally liked the dramatic shape and style)

Let’s talk about Emma. Winner of Best Actress award and all round stone-cold babe (see what I did there) Her outfit – as described by the lady herself, was pink and had stars on it, was perfect and her hair looked so effortless chic. Full of shine and softly pinned into a low twisted chignon, Emma’s auburn hair was softly parted to leave a sweeping fringe and few pieces to frame to the face. A mix of a faux bob with an up do it worked so well.

Also, cannot wait to see La-La-Land – a combination of Stone and Gosling, plus music. Yes please!

Studying & Style...

If you are at university, studying, working full time to get those extra Christmas pennies or taking care of little ones, your haircare routine may not be a priority. With Christmas coming, and lots of parties and nights out, you may start to struggle keeping hair looking healthy after heat styling, and general day-to-day neglect (we've all chucked our hair up with an elastic band at some point in a hectic day or dodged a brush when busy)These tips are quick and easy, but will keep your hair healthy and looking great all year round, and won't break the bank! More money left for mince pies...(or anything else in case, like me, you aren't a fan of mince pies)

You should get your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks. Trimming off split ends leaves your hair looking great, but also reduces the risk of further breakage. If you want to save money, consider getting these trims done at a college/training salon. Save the more expensive salons for a complete restyle.
Shorter hair styles are fantastic if you just don't have time to devote to hair care. Pixie styles are very on trend, and there's a surprising amount of variation in how you can style shorter hair. Just make sure your hair type will suit for low maintenance easy styling!
If you can avoid washing hair every day do it! Washing your hair every day can do more harm in some cases. You're wasting your time, as well as wasting money on shampoo, when all it's doing is stripping hair of it's natural oils. Washing it two or three times a week should be fine, but it does depend on your hair type, so find a routine that works for you. Heat can be one of the most damaging things to hair. Especially at close range. Try to wash it in warm, not hot, water, and it you can bare it, a quick rinse with cold water is a great way to boost shine. When drying, use a cooler setting, hold the hairdryer at least 30cm from your hair, and be sure to keep moving your hair around so the heat isn't concentrated on the same section for too long. If you style with straightners or tongs, use a heat protectant spray and pamper your hair with regular treatments.
We all wash our make-up brushes, to keep them bacteria free, but when was the last time you washed your hair brush? Don't just remove old hair. Soak your brush in some warm water, with a little anitbacterial hand soap. Do this about once a month to keep your brush, and so hair, free from bacteria.
Pamper hair fortnightly with hair masks. Just like you would a face mask to give your skin a refresh. They restore moisture and can be really relaxing. You can even make your own! Raid the cupboards for ingredients that are great for using, such as avocado and egg.
Try to create an easy haircare routine, and follow it. This will easily save you time as well as money. Always remember to use products suited to your hair type. If you're not sure what that is, speak to your hairdresser, and look out for products that suit. Even better if you can find them on a 3 for 2 deal.

*this post contains sponsored content, but the advice is free!

Introducing: Puppy Pablo, French Bulldog

So things have changed a little round here. Nope, I'm not one of the many bloggers who are busy having babies. Unless by babies you mean little furry puppies with giant ears and a penchant for nibbling ankles. Tom and I have got a dog. A little French Bulldog puppy we've called Pablo.
First things first, puppies are HARD. I've had dogs before, but after a six year break, I'd forgotten just how much hard work they are. We spent the first three weeks taking it in turns to sleep with him downstairs as he cried and cried when left. French Bulldogs have the strangest cry I've ever heard. It's like a cross between a newborn, and strangled parrot. I didn't want to scare him or make him feel unsettled so it took some time but now we simply flip the light off and go to bed. Thankfully! Neither Tom or I are any good if we are sleep deprived so I'm glad he's got the idea of bedtime. Tom found it hard to adjust and we had a very stressful few weeks before he bonded and decided he was 'alright'
TOP TIP: Get a babygate if you have any areas you want to block off or restrict access. Life saver.

He is a brindle male, and we've made sure he's chipped (a legal requirement these days) and has had all his jabs. Puppy classes have been passed (he's got a certificate and rosette - so proud) They were however absolute chaos! But it was great to do some socialising and get some advice. Pablo is doing well with the toilet training and general commands but has hit the 'brat stage' so is being quite stubborn, along with chewy as he's teething.

We researched French Bulldogs before we decided on the breed and they were one of the best to fit in with our lifestyle. Basically a lazy little piglet. They love human contact and being part of the family. He's our little shadow and loves any fuss shown. And he's spoilt rotten!

Pablo really has settled into the family and I couldn't imagine him not being here now. He's got a lovely little character and makes me laugh daily. Tom has become quite fond of him and I think forgiven him for being an absolute little git for the first three weeks.
If you'd like to keep up to date with Pablo and his giant ears, I've set up an Instagram account PABLOTHEFRENCHY - was wary of the fact my KLGHAIR account is more about hair and the blog and thought my puppy spam would be better in one place. Plus it's a lovely way for me to see progress of how he grows and changes.

Jewellery & Me...

I’m a huge jewellery fan, and my fingers are often filled with rings and my ears adorned with jeweled studs. I love looking at others jewellery and often comment on the rings they wear or necklaces layered with an outfit. Whether it’s a simple chain with a small tag or sparkling diamond or more bohemian looking pieces the jewellery you wear gives away a lot about your personality and style.

I don’t tend to change my jewellery to match an outfit when it comes to my watch and rings, but I will mix up the style of necklace based on what I’m wearing. I sometimes wear glasses rather than my contacts and find big statement necklaces can make me feel a bit too bulky. This is when I’d go for a thin chain or delicate long pendant. Over the years I’ve invested in some more expensive jewellery and have been given some beautiful rings for special birthdays and passed some family pieces that I will cherish.
If I ever get married, I like to think my fiance will pick out something suited to my style and personality. I want something a little different from the standard square cut, on a white gold band. I always thought I’d wear something that was antique and perhaps held my birthstone Topaz or another precious gem. Don’t get me wrong though, I LOVE looking at beautiful sparkling diamonds and have spent ages perusing the websites of jewelers like Ascot Diamonds. The classic cuts, and simple designs are beautiful and I suppose a purchase in the shop would mean a trip to New York so that’s fine by me! It’s nice to par things down and wear some delicate items that are simple and classy. For a very special occasion I would love to wear some very fine diamond rings and necklaces where it’s almost like the gems are floating and the overall look is beautifully classic.

I do own a lot of costume jewellery and wear on certain occasions where I want to add a little drama to an all black outfit. They always grab attention and I was picking up a coffee the other morning and the guy serving me commented on my jewellery.
I have a lot of piercings, with five in one ear, three in the other and my nose pierced. Keeping things simple I tend to wear small studs in my ears and a stud, or sometimes small loop in my nose. I think a lot has changed with how people are perceived with piercings with even Liberty having a Maria Tash studio in store. It seems to be more noticeable if someone only has one hole in their ears these days!