Electric Hair Straightening Brush: Update + FAQ’s…

Every once in a while an exciting new product hits the interwebs & literally sweeps us of our virtual feet with curiosity… well, this certainly seemed the case when I purchased this unusual looking gadget:

Yep, it’s the Electric Hair Straightening Brush. Of course, little did I know that within a space of a few months my initial first impressions video (which you can *Click Here* to watch) would be racing towards 400000 views!!!!!!!! I know, I know… I’m probably just as gob-smacked as you are reading this 😮

Yet whether you love or loathe the concept of such an appliance, there’s no denying it’s caused quite a mighty stir. Naturally with such a high volume of views came a heap of questions – along with many of you eager to know if I still use it & if it really was worth the hype. So as promised (and well overdue I may add) today’s chatter is basically revisiting my thoughts on the Electric Hair Straightening Brush along with (attempting) to answer some of your most frequently asked questions about it.

Ready to find out if I’ve ditched my hair straighteners for the new kid on the block? Then make yourself comfy & click the play button!

Have you tried the Electric Hair Straightening Brush? Has it been something you’ve been considering treating yourself too? Or are does your loyalties still lie with your beloved straight plates? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello 🙂

Cheerio chums…

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I’ve Hit 100’000!!!

Something extra special happened yesterday… something that I never ever expected, yet it feels like warranting the clinking of champagne flutes & igniting of fireworks in celebration!!

Yesterday one of my YouTube videos that was uploaded only a few weeks ago titled: Beautiful Star Electric Straightening Brush reached the grand total of a maaaaaaaahoooosive 100’000 views!! *Sound of chin hitting floor* If you originally missed it and fancy taking a peek just *click here* to be virtually transported to my YouTube channel… were you can also hit that subscribe button if you’re feeling extra generous 😉

I’m totally agast as to how the heck it’s warranted the amazing response that it has, but from the bottom of my heart a huge THANK YOU to every single one of you who took the time out to watch, hit the thumbs up & leave such supportive comments. You’re one heck of an awesome bunch!

Okay, off to raise a glass in celebration (or at the very least a tea cup) *clink*

Wishing y’all a fabulous Saturday & thanks again for your incredible support chums…

Beautiful Star Electric Straightening Brush….

As most of you know my Achilles heel lies in finding a great bargain… specifically one that promises to banish any of my many flaws; frizzy hair included. So when my darling little sister (aka the enabler) introduced me to the Beautiful Star Electric Hair Straightening Brush that’s currently available from MAKS Blowdry Bar in Lisburn for just under £35 *gasps of disbelief* I was more than intrigued. Of course like any mortal being I simply couldn’t resist the temptation – and at the grand old age of 8, my current straighteners are indeed appliance pensioners & well beyond their hay day.

So in today’s video I thought I’d introduce y’all to my latest ‘me spree’ treat as I test out the highly acclaimed straightening brush on my own follicles. Fingers crossed the results reflect just how in demand this hair care appliance seems to be!

How often do you use your hair straighteners? Is switching to an electric brush something you’d consider? Whatever your thoughts do let me know in the comments below. Hope you enjoy the video chums…

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(Please note: this is not a sponsored post. This appliance is a personal purchase. All views are my own)

Keeping Up With Karen…

Happy Sunday lovelies…

 To think we’re almost half way through the month of September already… is it just me or do the days seem to be mulling into one?! However, this next few weeks is going to be a huge dose of fun here at Confetti & Curves HQ as I plan & prep some fabulous features for ya’ll to feast your eyes on… including a few little crafty projects to keep you busy over the next few months too. Make-up looks, fall fashion, hauls, tips & DIY crafts are just a few of the things I have in store chums so keep your eyes peeled for these super exciting posts appearing very soon!

Talking of fun features; as usual, I’ve rounded up the weekly low down on what’s been happening here on Confetti & Curves this past few days! Don’t forget you’re more than welcome to leave a link to any of your blog posts that you’d like us to to check out too!

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Simple Design Layout Tips For Your Beauty Blog

Creating great content is one thing but putting your mind to design & layout can be super challenging, especially for new bloggers and us terrified techie’s! No need to fret blog buddies, as this week my sprinkling of tips focuses on getting the best out of your blog layout. Avoid readers hitting that back button by bringing out the best in your online haven.

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Behind The Blog featuring Two Little Owls

It’s double the trouble today as I’m joined by this talented duo of gorgeous gals who happen to be best friends & budding bloggers via their very own little corner of the interweb Two Little Owls. Pretty cute name, huh? If you haven’t already check it out then get yourself over pronto & hit that follow button, I’m pretty sure you’ll adore it (& the girls) every bit as much as I do!

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My Top 5 Beauty Finds Under £5

Yep, it’s that time of the month (yet again) where I share a delectable little stash of drug store beauty goodies that I’ve picked up for mere pocket money! Fancy getting your hands on a few affordable little treasures for fall? Then look no further! Don’t forget to like & subscribe, you’ll make my day 😉

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Behind The Blog featuring Tay’s Life Unscripted

Joining me on the virtual sofa on Thursday for a quick chatter was the gorgeous Tay from Tay’s Life Unscripted. If you’re a cosmetic craver who’s obsessed with red lippies then look no further as you just might have found your online soul mate…

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New Season, New Hair: L’Oreal Prodigy Review

As summer draws to an end I eagerly step into autumn with the hope of creating a sassy new look for the season. My mission: goodbye greys & sun dried ends… hello warm, rich, vibrant auburn tones! Well, that was the plan ladies… I guess you’ll just  have to check out Fridays review to see how I got on!

As always, thank y’all so very much for the abundance of support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out otherwise don’t forget to say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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New Season, New Hair: L’Oreal Prodigy Review…

Hey Beauty Buddies…

It’s Friday, fall is on the way & I’m ready for the weekend *excited air punch* 😀 Yes, bit of a cheery chappy today chums as I’ve spruced up my follicles and banished those pesky greys back to where they belong. With the turn of every new season I seem to break out a new hair style or colour… my own way of welcoming change I guess! Of course with autumn virtually on our door steps it was time for me to browse the shelves in search of a sassy new hair look that would (hopefully) compliment the rich vibrant tones this time of year brings.

After what seemed like an eternity mulling through a sea of DIY hair colourant kits, I finally set my sights on L’Oreal Prodigy shade 5.30 Tan. A rich warm brown with a hint of auburn, just the ticket for new fall follicles don’t you agree?

Wanna know how I got on? Then grab your cuppa & let’s get started…

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Price:

£7.99

Where purchased:

Boots (local store) – click for direct link to product

Unique Selling Points: 

L’Oréal Paris introduces the latest technology in permanent, home hair colour: micro-oil technology. Our micro-oil system perfectly diffuses a blend of colour revealing ultra-fine colour full of highs & lows. Each shade is made of a luxurious blend of multiple tones for an extraordinary natural-looking colour, all without ammonia.

Beautiful, lively, multi-tonal colour – the colour particles are diffused from root to tip, reflecting light to reveal an extraordinary natural-looking colour. Improved hair texture & radiant shine – the micro-oil technology leaves each strand feeling smoother and cared for. Hair looks enhanced: improved visible condition, with healthy radiant shine. All this without ammonia. Up to 100% grey coverage – strand by strand up to 100% grey coverage that always looks natural.

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1) Extraordinary Colour Cream

2) Developer Cream Emulsion

3) Conditioner

4) Two part mixing bottle

5) Instructions

6) Mixing stick & Gloves

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The Box Contents: Contrary to the usually cheap gloves and flimsy instruction manuals included in home colour kits, the quality of the content was pretty impressive. I was rather taken by the handy little mixing stick and black stretchy gloves that somehow gave a much more professional feel to the preparation.

 The Formula: Most dyes I’ve used in the past have been pretty runny & messy when squeezed from the bottle – this one however was so easy to apply and didn’t drip or splatter. As for quantity there was more than enough in the bottle my thick mass of shoulder length hair. However if you do have longer locks then I would suggest investing in two boxes – just to be on the safe side. Better to have a little too much than too little right?

The smell:  Now you girls all know how utterly sensitive I am to smells. Most hair dyes tend to leave my eyes streaming however this wasn’t the case with this one. No nasty chemical filled boudoir or half an hour of wheezing whatsoever – very impressed!

 The Conditioner: If any of you are familiar with a 90’s teens perfume called Tribe then you might very well be in for a treat as the smell reminded of it so much… it is gorgeous! It’s quite fruity/florally – refreshingly different to many of the conditioners that are usually included in home hair dye kits. More importantly though; it left my hair feeling soft, bouncy and super healthy with an amazing shine.

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If you’re in a mad rush then the half an hour developing time might leave you tapping your impatient foot. Yep, there’s faster developing hair dyes available, however on reflection, I’m pretty sure this isn’t going to be something many tackle whilst racing the clock! If you’re anything like me then you’ll actually enjoy taking your time with any beauty process – it’s all about enjoying a pamper.  Catching up with your favourite YouTubers *Confetti & Curves – ahh hmm* 😉  & a nice hot cuppa will pass the time quicker than you realise!

Okay, it may not be the cheapest option on the shelves but in my experience spending that little bit more on decent colourants goes a loooong way in gaining a much better result. Like most home colours, it did turn out a little deeper than the picture suggested on the box, however the shade usually this lightens after a few washes so it’s not something I’d grumble over too much.

One thing I did find a bit off-putting was the sizing of the gloves. They are incredibly neat fitting with very little stretch –  might be a bit of an issue for those with slightly wider hands or long fingers!

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Before: Looking a tad washed out and in need of some oomf!

After colouring (and a little sprucing up)

Much better… wouldn’t you agree chums?

As you can see it’s really lifted my rather dull looking dark brown hair by added a little more warm & depth. There’s a slight red tone to the shade which is perfect for me considering that my natural hair colour is actually quite auburn – it brings out the vibrancy just a little bit more. Personally I think it’s the ideal shade for autumn: not too dark, but not too red for constantly maintaining an exhaustive upkeep of re-growth on the roots. Perfect!

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Most definitely. If you’re looking for an easy to follow hair colourant that leaves your follicles looking & feeling fabulous then I’d urge you to give the L’Oreal Prodigy range a go. The colour is beautifully rich & left my hair feeling silky smooth & smelling divine! For the price tag it’s well worth the investment ladies.

Have you tried L’Oreal Prodigy? What’s your thoughts on DIY home-hair dyes? Do you have a favourite brand or are you sworn to your salon? Whatever your thoughts do let me know in the comments below!

Wishing y’all a fun filled weekend…

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Buying A Beauty Box?

Hey Beauty Buddies

I don’t know about you, but finding nooks, crannies, gadgets and bags to store all beauty bits in is always a challenge for me as I seem to be consistently outgrowing whatever little cosmetic carriers I invest in. Makeup bags are great but I’ve noticed that a lot of them are of limited size and can often get battered, bruised and zip torn. Determined to find something a little sturdier to stash my beauty belongings in, my ever empathic hubby thought I’d benefit from a Beauty Box. Let’s see if his creative spending holds up to the idea….

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The Beauty Box

 

Made of sturdy aluminium this sizeable cosmetic carrier was bought from www.beauty-boxes.com. If you haven’t visited the site yet, it’s an online store selling a range of high quality beauty boxes, trolley’s, cases, makeup brushes & accessories… and when I say high quality, I really do mean it. Comparing this box to a few smaller similar styles I’ve had in past years it’s pretty much leagues ahead in the reliability stakes.

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Who’s it for?

Ideally, this would be the perfect beginners case for a budding MUA, a professional that carries a limited amount of beauty/hair products or someone who travels considerably and wants to keep their lotions and potions safe from being unnecessarily battered in transit. Admittedly I’m not any of those three but it does make a great case if you like to keep a select amount of regular use items in the one handy dandy place!

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The Opposition?

 

Okay, so here’s the current opposition… my pretty little Ikea cosmetic bag that I adore in every shape, way and fashion. It’s strong, has a metal frame that stays open when you’re vigourisly plundering through the contents. Has a zip that’s tough as nails, is under £5 (or somewhere around that region) and *most importantly* it’s the most gorgeous shade of raspberry. Yes, that’s right ladies – not pink, raspberry 😉 If you wanna take a trip down memory lane and check out a 2014 post of me rambling about it in all it’s glory just *click here* to be digitally redirected!

One of the reasons I l-o-v-e this makeup bag is simply because of the ability to contain everything in one roomy place and (unlike other bags I’ve used in the past) doesn’t faint into a pathetic mass of material on opening. I’ll admit, I had my doubts before transferring everything over to the Beauty Box if it would all fit, but ever the optimist I kept hopefull it wouldn’t end in a finger pointing rage of fury at the chubbiness of my Clinique Chubby Stick or saucer sized Rimmel Sun Shimmer compact. After all beauty comes in all shapes and sizes… isn’t that right ladies? 😉

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Lets Talk Organisation…

Setting everything out before my very eyes put into context the vastness of products my make-up bag has been hoarding. This of course was the perfect opportunity for a damn good clear out & wipe down (hence the baby wipes)

 

Everything slotted neatly into place and looked great once it was finished. One handy little advantage of the beauty box is that it eliminates the mass of mess that often accumulates at the bottom of a makeup bag as everything is divided into small compartments which saves times rummaging around for the smaller items such as liquid liner or stubby little lip pencils. One glance and you know where it’s at. However a slight drawback is that the compartments aren’t overly big and they can’t be altered to fit, which in my humble opinion is a much overlooked design drawback. The top row of smaller individual ones may be ideal for tipping a mass of bobby pins into on a whim, but area is limited for lippies and most certainly larger glosses; and with me being a gloss-hoarder it won’t be long before I’m reaching maximum capacity with this lot (and to be fair my stash doesn’t exactly rival that of Carli Bybel) just *click here* to check out her video & you’ll understand why this gal needs an entire room to house her obsession with make-up!!

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Overall Verdict:

All in all the Beauty Box is a great way to organise a small collection of beauty essentials especially if your collection isn’t overly extensive or if you’re on the road and need a sturdy little companion to travel along with. Okay, the compartments aren’t huge but there are other shapes and sizes available if you do decide to upgrade to something a little roomier. Alternatively you could just buy a portable pink potting shed and be done with the hassle of finding extra space, genius huh?

For me this cute little case means no more messy makeup bag, no digging through masses of powder dusted mascara tubes or crumbling eyeshadow palettes… just mess free makeup at a glance!

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Do you have a beauty box or is it something you’re thinking of investing in? What’s your favourite makeup storage solution? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello!

Cheerio chums…

 

New week, New Hair…

Hey beauty buddies,

Hope you all had a fun filled weekend?! I sure did undertaking a mini transformation trying out a sassy new hair colour! Oh yes, my follicles have been transformed, my bonce bedazzled and most importantly all my greys are gone for good (well, a few months at least!)

You see, last summer I took a nifty notion to treat my mane to an all over light brown colour with shimmering blonde highlights. I’m not gonna lie, it took a few weeks to get used to the final result compared to my naturally dark tresses, however fast forward nine months later & I’d gotten a tad tired of the washed out tones and *almost* unintentional ombre ends… if you haven’t already guessed, I’m not one for monthly maintenance malarkey so considering I didn’t want to change to something that requires multiple trips to the local salon, on Friday afternoon I set sail for one of my favourite stores (Superdrug) in hope I could uncover the perfect DIY colour companion.

Sitting comfy? Here’s what happened…

After scanning the shelves packed with MANY hair dyes (both permanent and semi-permanent) I was visually reeled in by a pocket friendly special offer (2 for £6) on Superdrug’s own colour system, Colour Performance *click here to check it out for yourself*

 I must admit the selection of tones available was rather impressive, however after much dye debating and pigment pondering I settled for 6.37 Natural Light Golden Brown. Seeing as this was the first time colouring my hair post blonde highlights, I wanted to keep the new shade as close to my natural colour as possible. Thankfully this tone looked an incredibly warm and natural shade that wouldn’t be too much of a disaster to repair should I make an utter hash of it.

Once I stocked my basket with two boxes of hair colour it was time to take a dander past the ever confusing ‘hair styling products’ section, to pick out a little treat to help tame my frightful head of frizz.

Of course as most of you are well aware by now, scent has a MAJOR impact on my purchasing decisions so when I took a whiff of this Fudge Urban Miracle Ends the ‘Iced Tropical Cocktail’ scent was too tantalising for me to resist… as was funky packaging! Isn’t it so darn pwwetty?! 😉

 

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Okay so what’s in the box?

Come Friday night I couldn’t resist getting stuck into creating my new look. Always a stickler for nestling down to carefully read the instructions ten times over (yes, I’ll admit I’m one of those weirdos who get a kick out of reading instruction guides) I was super excited to have a good plunder at the rest of the goodies inside the box. Here’s what I unearthed…

 

Considering I paid a mere £6 for two boxes of colour I wasn’t exactly expecting my own personal stylist to burst out of the lid, however all in all the contents were pretty standard to most other home dye kits:

1 x Easy to follow instruction guide

A pair of plastic gloves (the kind you see deli counter workers wearing – non rubbery)

1 x Tube of Permanent Crème Colour

1 x Bottle of Crème Developer

1 x Impressive Tube of Intensive Colour Conditioner

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The Application Process…

If you’re expecting super fast colour processing then this probably isn’t your ideal match as it takes at least 30 minutes of development time for the colour to fully take… lengthy compared to some of the other mega-speedy dyes that are available for the extra investment. Personally I found the minutes whizzed by particularly as I was armed with a copy of Glamour mag and a hot cup of tea to keep me entertained 😉

Applying the product alone is surprisingly tricky, simply because it’s so darn runny… it’s most certainly not of the ‘anti-drip’ technology that other hair colour systems rant & rave about. If you’re thinking of applying this anywhere near a carpeted area – don’t! In fact you’re much better perched in an empty bath tub just to be on the safe side… yes it really is that runny!

Another point to note is the intoxicating smell. I’m not normally adverse to strong chemical scents when it comes to hair colours however this was eye wateringly strong. Thankfully the stench didn’t last for too long before it faded. Ten minutes after application and the worst was most definitely over so hang in there.

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The Finishing Touches…

 I must admit I was remarkably impressed with the Intensive Colour Conditioner. As stated on the instructions (that I read at least a dozen times for fear of turning my hair into gloop) I kept it on for at least 3/5 minutes. After rinsing my hair felt amazingly soft, nourished and in tip top condition.

Once lightly towel dried and blasted with my usual heat sources (drier & straighteners) I applied a small amount of the Fudge Urban Miracle Ends which left it looking ultra glossy and smelling oh so glorious. Best of all, not so much as a hint of frizz in sight ladies *happy dance*

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Final Verdict…

Superdrug Colour Performance Pros:

Great packaging, very informative.

Impressive range of shades.

Aaaamazing value.

Easy to follow instructions.

Generous tube of Conditioner.

Left my hair looking and feeling very well nourished.

Fantastic even coverage & not a strand of grey in sight! *yiiiiipeee*

Cons:

Not the easiest application process when you’re flying solo.

Long development time compared to other hair colour systems.

Incredibly intense chemical smell.

Colour tends appeared darker than the illustration on the box.

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Fudge Urban Miracle Ends Pros:

Adorable tube, brightly coloured, very fun & funky design.

Smells indescribably yummy.

Can be applied on damp or dry hair.

Didn’t leave a waxy or greasy residue.

Excellent value for money.

Left my hair feeling nourished & completely frizz free.

Cons:

Nope, nada, not a one!

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Tada…

       

So there it is ladies, the final result. Even though the colour is a good bit darker than I anticipated, thankfully I still really like it! I’m placing my bets that after a few washes it will more than likely lighten up considerably, who knows? I guess we’ll have to wait another few weeks to find out.

 

Are you tempted to treat your tresses to a mini makeover? What’s your favourite brand of hair dye or do you play it safe and stick to your local salon? Whatever your feedback I’d love to know, so do say a quick hello in the comments below 🙂

Til next time, cheerio chums…