BEAUTY || Save The Blow Dry ||

Make way for the Queen of shower caps that is Save The Blow Dry! You can say a farewell to the utterly useless, non protective, rip at any moment shower caps (that I'm pretty sure we've all 'picked up' from hotel rooms in the past) and hello to every girls new best friend. 

Save The Blow Dry gives 100% guarantee for the best blowdry protection that can save our hair from the enemies -  humidity and condensation. These two leave hair in the limp and lifeless states which I am sure most of us have experienced when showering and bathing (but not washing our hair) I was instantly impressed by Save The Blow Dry's promise for protection for even the longest and thickest hair - as my hair can be the bane of my life. I've always desired to have long and thick hair, but now I have it I actually see myself envying those with short pixie crops! Worries about washing my hair are now a thing of the past after my discovery of the absolute gem that is Save The Blow Dry. 

Immediately I noticed how feminine and pretty the design of the cap was - it was something I was happy to hang proudly on the back of my bathroom door. The first layer is a pink, soft micro weave towel, specially designed to zap humidity and condensation. This is then covered by a waterproof, protective second layer decorated by an abundance of girly bows in differing shades of pink; personally I loved this design as it felt retro and 'pin-up girl style' which is something I adore. However, do not worry if the whole girly pink is not really your thing, as Save The Blow Dry are bringing out a new turquoise design in the new year - more suited to the less 'pretty in pink girls'. 

The packaging was also really useful in terms of explaining the purpose of the cap and how to get the best results. The important tips for best results were easy to understand and more importantly easy to follow. 

As if that is not enough the cap is actually has a dual usage - you are instructed to turn the hat inside out (so the towelling doesn't get wet and yuckie) and put it over your favourite hair treatment allowing it to work on the hair more effectively. I thought this was perfect especially when in the bath as I could easily apply my hair mask and continue to soak in the bath - without worrying if my hair was falling out of place and into the water!

To summarise the cap makes three key promises to its users:

1. Super roomy - covers even the longest, thickest styles! I have incredibly long and thick hair and always trying to find easier ways to wash/dry/style my hair. Save The Blow dry entirely protected my hair from the gross humidity destroying my hair into a ball of unmanageable mess. 
2. Comfortable fab-flex grip stops strands escaping! My head didn't feel suffocated by a tight grip - nor did it feel to loose and as though my hair was falling out at any given moment. The shower cap was big enough (yet protective enough) to ensure all my hair stayed in one place through the duration of the shower/bath. I never had to re-arrange the cap and it was applied easily. 
3. Really banishes bathroom frizz and squashed hair styles! My hair was honestly the exact same when I left my shower/bath as it was when I entered. I was really impressed with how much protection the cap actually gave and how no water/condensation had gotten through into the cap. 

Although some may be put off by the retail price of £14.95 - this is more of a beauty product then just a simple shower cap. If you like me struggle to keep your hair protected from humidity and condensation then this shower cap will save your hairs life!

www.savetheblowdry.com

@SAVETHEBLOWDRY

FACEBOOK: SAVE THE BLOW DRY

Emily ♥

BEAUTY || Soap & Glory monthly favourites ||

Is it just me or is the '3 for 2' offer that inevitably comes out around Christmas time at Boots, seriously fatal to bank accounts? Honestly, I can never just simply acknowledge the deal and walk away - sometimes it's just to good to miss out on. 

I'd only gone into Boots for a new lip balm the other day and instead walked out with all of this...

And when the devilish '3 for 2' deal was advertised on all Soap & Glory skincare products, I could not resist. I still strongly believe I was hypnotised into spending the ridiculous amount I did in Boots the other day.

I have always been a massive Soap & Glory fan as I think their products are always spot on from their vintage/retro packaging, humorous play on words, luscious, indulgent smells and of course the results!

Glow Job

"Squeeze a pea-sized measure of GLOW JOB onto your fingertips, then rub together to release the bronze from inside the beads and blend. Apply to your face in upward circular motions then just GET UP AND GLOW!"

I do not and will not fake tan - I wish I did and could as I am naturally quite pasty, but whenever I have tried it in the past I have always ended up with streaks and HUGE patches missing. So as a rule I just don't bother. 'Glow Job' however is loaded with bronze bursting beads that when rubbed into your skin release a natural, glowing, temporary tan (that can be easily washed off after use), meaning I can add a slight hint of colour to my ghost like face! I use it as more of a tinted moisturiser if I can't be bothered applying layers of foundation as it adds both colour and radiance to your face. 

For this product I give it a beauty rating of 3 out of 5 stars: ★★★☆☆

Wish Upon a Jar 

"A must-have in the medicine chest. Packed full of actives to regenerate your complexion. Intensive. Exhilarating. With results that are consistently ‘amazing’. A potent anti-aging mix of tetrapeptides, essential fatty acids, antioxidants and oxygen boosters… it brightens, lifts, smoothes away wrinkles, and leaves your face looking radiant. Go ahead, take a wish..."

Okay - so technically this says it's an 'anti-aging night cream' and whilst I know I am only eighteen and perhaps do not need this, it is still one of the best moisturisers I have bought in ages. I have always wanted to use a night cream but whenever I bought one it used to make my face feel sticky and greasy in the morning. I have ALOT of faith in this night cream as my skin has never felt so soft and I am finding that in the morning my makeup is easier to apply to a smoother base. The product promises to lift and smoothen out 'wrinkles', but I have found it has actually done this to my acne scars and marks.

Oh - and the best thing about this product is that it smells like Terry's chocolate oranges!

For this product I give it a beauty rating of 4 out of 5 stars: ★★★★☆

No Clogs Allowed 

"Massage a grape-sized dab of NO CLOGS ALLOWED onto your face, then wet your hands and scrub until it turns blue and you feel heating. After 5 minutes rub it all off with a warm, wet washcloth"

I am a big lover of face masks and when I suffered with acne I found it really difficult to find one that wouldn't react negatively with my skin - i.e. making it sore or just a hundred times worse. 

I had never previously heard of No Clogs Allowed and discovered it by accident the other day when I was originally trying to find a Palmers mud face mask and couldn't. So, I thought I would give my trusted friend Soap & Glory a go and I wasn't disappointed. 

You are meant to use this once a week (sundays nights for me) and massage a grape-sized amount onto your face, as you would with any other facial mask treatment. For me it was the heating of the mask that really stood out, as I could physically feel the difference the mask was making to my skin! After my five minutes were up I washed the contents off with a warm, wet washcloth and my skin felt fresh, cleansed and brand spanking new! And the best bit it hasn't caused any redness or defects to my skin which is an absolute miracle for me considering the state my skin used to be in.

For this product I give it a beauty rating of 5 out of 5 stars: ★★★★★ (if I could give it more I would)

Once again Soap & Glory has not let me down and I know I will be purchasing these items for sure again in the future!

EMILY ♥

| TWITTER | INSTAGRAM |

MUSIC || Mutineers talk music ||

Mutineers have taken social networking by storm - sharing their music through Twitter and Facebook, the band have built up an admirable 93,000+ (and growing) fan base. 

Having released their first album 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals' in late November 2012, the band have returned with their new single 'Tell Me Why' and have embarked on a mini tour visiting Manchester, London and Leeds.

The prior drinking friends met at the beginning of 2010 and decided to blend their genius musical talents together to form Mutineers.   What makes this band stand out from the rest is their hard work and dedication to their music, which has landed them in the position they find themselves in today. The members Nicholas James Mallins, Michael Reed, Iwan Gronow, Charles Salt and Thomas Twemlow managed to make their way into the indie chart with their new single 'Tell Me Why' this year - with no high powered management or label. The band have also had respectable support slots with indie icons Pete Doherty and The View - which opened the band to a wider audience.

Mutineers are the definition of being hardworking and passionate about your music. They show that if you are willing to put the effort in to what you love it does pay off. I asked 1/5 of the band Michael a couple of questions about the new single and their thoughts on the bands social media success.  

What can you tell us about your new single "Tell Me Why"? Is it based on a personal experience from one of the members?

All the lyrics are written by Nick so I couldn't give you the exact meaning behind them. You can hear references to Greek Mythology in there and a lot of the songs deal with relationships and growing up. Nick spent a lot of time working in book shops so there's always an interesting lyric!

Click here to purchase 'Tell Me Why'

Your first album 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals" is relatable to those who have experienced heartbreak and is quite melancholic. Was this the purpose of your album?

I don't think you set out to do anything in particular really lyrically; it just seeps out of you from life experiences. The album was written in our mid 20's and that's quite an important time in most peoples lives; when you realise things haven't exactly turned out how you'd hoped them to. I think that's something that our audience really relates to and probably why we inspire a certain amount of devotion amongst a select group of people!

[Infidelity taken from 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals' click here to buy on iTunes] 

Why did you choose music, was it an industry you always wanted to be in?

I think music is something that chooses you in general and once you get the bug it's hard to give it up. We'd probably all still be doing it now if there was nobody listening, maybe to a lesser degree. I think we'd go mad if there wasn't that creative performance related outlet that music gives you. 

"The album was written in our mid 20's and that's quite an important time in most peoples lives"

Would you say it's hard to gain recognition in the music industry amongst other bands?

We've just been making good music really; our last single got into the indie chart without any press plugging, no booking agent, no label or no high powered management The social networking thing has been really important. We've found that by just being nice to people that love your music and showing them that you really do care (we really do!) you can find your own audience. Albeit at a slower rate compared to a major label band with a 100,000 promo budget!

The 1980's seems to have an impact on your material, what is it about this era that makes you want to incorporate it into your music?

There's a lot of good music from that era and we all grew up in the 80's, so maybe its related to that when people say they can hear echoes of The Cure, Smiths or New Order in what we do. Luckily we haven't been compared to Spandeau Ballet as of yet!

Your lyrics are both poetic and metaphorical - do you ever get compared to Morrissey?

We love what Morrissey does and The Smiths comparisons are never too far away, especially with Iwan being in Johnny Marr's live band. But I think we're original enough to have our own vibe going on. It'd get pretty boring to be copying other peoples music all the time!

"We've found that by just being nice to people that love your music and showing them that you really do care (we really do!) you can find your own audience"

Have you had any interesting experiences whilst preforming?

We had a bra thrown onstage at us during our recent Manchester show! We also did a gig in Cornwall once where about 90% of the audience were wired on plant food! People were invading the stage and having a dance!

What are the Mutineers plans for the remainder of the year?

I think we're probably going to put a few singles out for the time being; and get out on tour a little bit more, really build things and get people vibed for the next album. 

Follow Mutineers for updates on their music and future gigs:

@Mutineers__

Mutineers Facebook

mutineersofficial.tumblr.com

Emily ♥