Detangling Hair Brushes| Wet Brush, Tangle Teazer, TK Maxx

Most of us use a hair bush on a daily basis, but do any of you like to use a different type of hair brush for certain occasions? Well I do do! If you have long hair like me you will know how annoying and frustrating tangles and knots can be (let's just say they aren't your best friends). But let's not forget to mention the laborious task of brushing my hair when it is wet because it is honestly the worst thing ever. There have been many of times where I have thought that brushing the knots out of my tangled mane wouldn't be possible, but after a good conditioning routine and selecting the right weapon (or hair brush) for the occasion, has helped reduce this difficulty. Although using the right hair brush can be very personal to some people, I thought that judging on my rather healthy collection on brushes that claim to detangle your hair without any damage, I would give you a little overview on them. So avoid dry shampooing your hair tomorrow morning and give one of these hairbrushes a test run! 

If the Wet Hair Brush could have a human profession it would be a gymnast- its bristles are super thin, strong and flexible which makes this hair brush perfect for wet hair. Wet hair is more vulnerable when it is wet because it becomes more elastic which inevitably causes each hair strand to be even more prone to breakage. The bristles' flexibility on this brush is just amazing as it allows for pain free detangling whilst its soft tips also massages the scalp to stimulate circulation to the follicle (which means hair growth ladies!). I just love how gentle but tough this brush can be and it certainly has made my 'wet hair horror' into more of a detangling dream. This hair brush is available in a vast amount of colours and you can pick one up for £11.99 by clicking here.

The Tangle Teazer is a classic and yes before you ask, I do have two in different colours! The Tangle Teazer has got to be my 'go to' hair brush on a daily basis- it brushes through dry hair like a dream and it generally does detangle knots out of your hair. This hair brush has won a numerous amounts of awards and it tends to also be the 'go to' hair brush for a lot of hair dressers (and it's also famous didn't you know?). What I particularly like about this hair brush is that it is very kind to coloured hair. Most of you will probably know that I recently added ombre to my hair and as you can probably imagine my hair has been slightly vulnerable to breakage recently. However with all honesty this hair brush has been very kind and gentle to my brittle ends which has allowed my hair to return to good health again (phew). I have had my orange Tangle Teazer (above) for 4 years now and it's still in really good condition (despite dropping it onto the floor like a thousand times). Overall it is great use on wet, dry, and styled hair and you can pick on up for £10.60 by clicking here.

I picked up this paddle brush up from TK Maxx and lets be honest you really cannot deny its beauty, I mean check out them gems! Not only was I drawn to how pretty it looked, but its wide spread bristles really appealed to me (and as they say, the more apart the bristles are the less it hurts detangling). Personally I didn't really like this hair brush for detangling, I mean, it worked nicely on detangled hair but hurt a lot on wet and knotty hair. It's bristles aren't very flexible nor are they very soft (they are in fact quite stiff and hard). However this brush is extremely useful for styling as you can scoop up a lot of hair and its handle comes very handy. This hair brush cost around £10.00 (I can't remember its exact price) and you can pick one up by clicking here.

Which detangling hair brush do you like to use? Any that you can recommend to battle tangled knots?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Clarins Summer Collection

Judging from my blog posts recently, Summer really must be here in the Eltoria world and it wouldn't be right if I didn't introduce you to some of my Summer make up favourites. Over the wintry months I have been a major fan of a berry lip and a golden eye, but this Summer I think that I am going to go ultra vibrant (and we're talking about bright orange lipstick being on the menu). So with my future makeup plans looking rather bright, it is firstly important to get my base make up right. Recently I have been fake tanning on a weekly basis so my skin colour has been a little darker. Clarins' new Summer collection is perfect if you have a tan which is either real or fake, and they are also made to last when your body becomes a 'Sweaty Betty' through the dreaded sweat fest (ew, apologies for the image!). Not only are these Clarins products perfect before and during the Summer period, but they are also good in maintaining your tan (fake or real). So with these products catering for all Summer needs, isn't it just satisfying when you don't have to buy more than one product for multiple purposes? I think so (raises hand).

Instant Light is a radiance boosting completion base which you can use on its own or mixed in with foundation. I have been using this product on its own after applying concealer to my blemishes, and I have to say that it's coverage is almost like applying a BB Cream (but slightly thicker). I have this product in Golden Brown and it looks the perfect colour on top of my fake tan (and I imagine that it is going to look amazing on top of a real one too). What I also like about this product is that it is incredibly hydrating, so if you do have slightly oily skin I would recommend applying a bit of powder on top to keep the shine away. Overall this product makes my skin tone look even and sun kissed (all what I woman wants!). You can pick up this product for only £26.50 by clicking here.

Fix' Make Up Refreshing Mist is rose scented spray which smells glorious after every spritz onto the face after doing a normal makeup routine. Now ladies we all know what happens when a face of makeup meets the sun... a melted snowman come to mind? So the trick this Summer is to keep your make up in place with this amazing Clarins holding spray. Since the weather has gotten slightly hotter here in the UK I have been using this product everyday and I have to say that I have seen an improvement in my makeup's endurance. What makes this product extra special is the fact that it contains Rose in it. Rose is a incredibly soothing and hydrating property which helps to soothe sun burn and other skin troubles like eczema (another 'two in one' selling point there). You can pick up a bottle for £23.00 by clicking here.

After Sun Shimmer Oil is the perfect product to pop onto your skin after a good tanning session. Although this product is primarily hazelnut oil (which does look a little scary before applying) it is ever so light and it helps to protect the skin from dehydration which inevitably provides comfort after sun exposure. As you can see in the photo below, this beauty enhancing product has helped to illuminate my skin and it looks so gorgeous in the day light (even on top of fake tan!). This product is the perfect tan enhancer this Summer (and not to mention it also smells divine). You can pick up this product for £32.00 by clicking here (which is a bargain seeing that this product will last you the whole of Summer and more).

What Clarins product would you like to use this Summer?
Much Love
Eltoria x

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Life, Blog, Dolphin Diaries & Mary-Kate & Ashley

You could say that I am having one of those moments where all I want to do is just write. I mean, it's a Saturday night, I've enjoyed my weekly dose of Britain's Got Talent, I'm meant to be going out but I just can't seem to budge off behind this screen? One could turn around and say 'shut that screen down and go and enjoy yourself' but sometimes I consider writing and being creative on this blog as a major stress relief... does that even make sense? Although running this blog does take a lot of my time, but writing and having a lot of 'me time' has been something that I have been doing for years. I wasn't someone who grew up in the city or in a busy housing estate where popping to a mates house was a common occurrence, I was bought up on a farm where my friends were at least half an hour away from me- so being dropped off at a friends house wasn't all that easy. When I was younger I remember having a dolphin padlocked diary where I would write for a good evening- I would get out my 'smelly' gel pens and carefully write about my day occurrences. My twin sister also had one of these padlocked dolphin diaries and I remember that we used to hide them in really secretive places so that our brothers wouldn't find them. Writing and even having those diaries are really fond memories for my sister and I, and I guess writing a blog like this is just a new and modern way of having the same memories of that dolphin diary that I care about so much (and I get to write about beauty and fashion too... yey!).

Click Here to check out some of my beauty posts

Another thing that I used to do is write songs. Now I wouldn't even consider myself to be a musical person (I can't even play an instrument) but the whole thing of sitting down and being expressive on paper was just ever relieving for me. I think what this all comes down to is that I would consider myself to be an extremely private person and I very rarely show any negative emotion. Even when I was a kid and was being bullied, there was no way that I could tell my parents or let anyone see that something was bothering me. Although when I was 10 I used to be bullied by a teacher- she used to make comments about my weight (I used to very slim) and generally pick on me in front of the whole class. And as you can imagine, being a 10 year and keeping this in for a very long time led to some health problems. I got really skinny to the point where people were questioning whether I had an eating disorder and I had to take a lot of time off school for anxiety and panic attacks- I remember that I couldn't breathe for a lot of the time and I was just ever so petrified to go back to school. Luckily I did tell my parents and it all got sorted, but writing these emotions out on black pieces of paper helped to crease out the huge lump that I constantly had in my throat. Although most of those pieces of paper did get ripped up, sometimes taking the time to figure out your feelings on paper can be extremely worthwhile. So I guess what I am trying to say is that if you are having troubles in sharing anything that is upsetting you, try expressing yourself out on paper or through a blog/journal. Whilst it is always best to share/talk to others, it's amazing how writing can straighten out any worries (and it's also a great tool for venting may I add). But as they say, the best pieces of work come from real situations and feelings- so you better get started on writing your best selling novel!

Click Here to check out some of my fashion posts

Another inspiration to write was the good ol' Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen biography (I used to love them so much as a kid). I loved how their bibliography 'Our Story 'pretty much documented their whole lives and doing the same just felt so right in my little dolphin diary. I also loved how they always did a little 'vlog' styled 'behind the scenes' at the end of their movies and their books were always written in a diary style (do any of you remember those?). I think that it was around this age that I wrote a whole story line for Coronation Street and sent it in to Granada Studio for the attention of Steve Frost who was the Producer at that time (I know what a ballsy kid). Although the story line never got published at least I got a letter back acknowledging my ideas (a proud young writer's moment there!).

I know that this post seems to be a little over the place and random, but I had the urge just to share with you all on why I like to write. I do not write this blog in order to gain recognition, sympathy, or attention, but I write this blog because it's what I have been doing for my whole life. Many fear of being judged when writing a blog but I can honestly say that it's an amazing thing to do so never feel put off. If you always care about what others think then it will always be a barrier in achieving your dreams and wants. Life's too short, so live life freely but legally (ha!).

What inspires you to write?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Yves Rocher Summer Essentials

Things are sure getting a bit 'Summer lovin' here in the Eltoria world but who can blame me? The weather is still gorgeous here in UK (and don't you worry, I've had a cheeky glass of Pimms or two). If you have hung around this tiny space on the internet for quite a while, you will know that I am in complete love with Yves Rocher products. Yves Rocher is France's no.1 selling makeup and skincare brand which is used by 30 million women everyday. What I particularly like about Yves Rocher products is that they smell amazing and that they contain the best botanical ingredients (and you all know how fussy I am when it comes to ingredients!). So with Summer fast approaching and a holiday to South Africa planned (did I mention? *sarcasm intended*) reviewing these Yves Rocher products couldn't come at a more convenient time. What I must say about these products is that they are perfect if you are wanting to try something new whilst on holiday or just for the Summer period. If you are like me and love to have that one fragrance that reminds you of a certain holiday/occasion (yes Loreal's orange kids shampoo used to be personal favourite of mine at one time) then these products are just perfect. They are all also extremely versatile which makes it even better if you plan to travel!

Lagoon Hair & Body Wash: close your eyes, breathe in, you're currently sat on a Caribbean beach. Sound good? Well it's even better when you are using this best selling product in the shower after a long and hot stuffy day at the office. So drive all of your work worries away by indulging yourself into the turquoise waters of the Polynesian lagoons, and surrender your hair and body to some well deserved vacation time (sounds appealing for a shower don't you think?). After just using this product once, I am completely hooked on its scent as it smells ever so holiday like. Overall my hair felt and smelt great and my skin was restored back to full hydration. As this product is enriched with Monoi de Tahiti, its formula transforms into a delicate lather which removes sand and sun cream (so I will most definitely be taking this product to South Africa). You can pick it up for just £1.95 (which is 50% off) by clicking here. 

Precious Dry Oil: at first I thought that this product looked a little scary as I had never used anything like it before but oh my goodness, this product is a must try! This precious dry oil is enriched with shimmering pigments which helps to enhance a tan and make your hair glow in the sunlight. Like Lagoon Hair & Body Wash, this product smells incredible and after applying this oil over my body after fake tanning made all of the difference. My skin didn't have that hint of fake tan smell and my tan was really enhanced. I also like to use this product in the ombre part of my hair because it really enhances the blonde and makes my hair look super healthy (and surprisingly non greasy). You can pick up a bottle for just £8.50 (which is 47% off) by clicking here.

Rinsing Vinegar: eww vinegar did I hear you say? But I have to say that this raspberry vinegar has become my favourite hair product to use ever. Whilst its bottle does look a little strange (left in the picture above) using it is not a problem at all. Raspberry vinegar is particularly known for its smoothing properties and applying this product onto your hair after shampooing and conditioning makes all the difference (emphasis added). We all know that the water in the UK can be particularly hard and harsh on the hair, so this product helps to prevent mineral build up which consequently causes the hair to feel ever so soft (and it really does!). You can pick up my favourite product in the whole entire world for just £5.65 (which is 50% off) by clicking here.

Delicate Cleansing Cream Shampoo: using a shampoo that doesn't lather up that much can be off putting to many, but please, don't knock it until you've tried it! This non foaming formula helps to protect the integrity of your hair fiber by maintaining the strength and PH balance of your hair. For instance this hair shampoo is so healthy that is only has 0% colouring, sulfate, silicone, and parabens in it. The scent of this product is quite floral but it's lasting smell has lasted 3 days and my hair feels just as clean if I were to use a foaming shampoo. You can pick up this shampoo for £3.45 (which is 50% off) by clicking here.

Which Yves Rocher product will you be taking on your Summer holiday?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Malkota| Blue Semi- Precious Gemstone Ring

Writing this post is quite special to me and here's why. Some of you will know that last year I graduated from University and that I took a module called the 'Entrepreneurship Project' so that I could take a little break from my strenuous law modules. In that project I wanted to explore the digital world and see it from a young entrepreneurs view (if that makes sense), and what do you know, with a bit exploration this little blog was born and I have never looked back since. In many ways I would say that taking that module changed my life- I was able to find myself again and I could really learn about something that I was really interested in (and as you can imagine it was rather colourful compared to the grey and dingy law books that I was learning from). Not only could I write about beauty, fashion, and about my life, I was able to learn invaluable skills and work with some really amazing people. This module wasn't something that the uni told me to do, it ended up being my own little project that I was in complete control of. I was able to spread my wings and show off my talents in a non academic way, and this is what Sema Zaghloul has also done.

Sema is the owner of Malkota and she too is taking the Entrepreneurship Project and she my friends is one inspirational lady. Sema grew up in Egypt and was always a massive fan of Arabic and Islamic jewellery designs, and from what you can see throughout the Malkota (click here) jewellery range, this love is executed very well. Sema buys her stock from small local vendors in unprivileged areas of Egypt who work out of small workshops or from their homes. These craftsman use local resources from this third world country to create these pieces, and Sema believes that this is a great way of generating income for these individuals whilst being able to preserve the art of hand made jewellery. And as you can see from this Blue Semi-Precious Gemstone Ring this hand made ring is simply just stunning (talk about hand porn!). This marquise shaped ring is made from many small turquoise/blue semi-precious stones and the gold band is made of copper. This ring is just perfect for Spring and Summer and I have coupled it with some rings/midi rings from Primark. Sema is very kindly giving Eltoria readers a huge 20% off all of her products from her Etsy shop and all you need to use is the code: ELTORIASECRETS20. So do go and check out her range by clicking here.

I guess what I am also trying to say that we need to embrace entrepreneurial development. We still live in a world where a few think that women shouldn't be entrepreneurial and sticking to these old ways is incredibly damaging. Everyone (and not only women) should be encouraged to embrace their talents and explore their creativity in any way that they wish to. Whilst any discouragement or acts of jealousy should literally be ignored, you can always use those negative remarks to fuel yourself to be even better (a way to turn it into a positive!). As Taylor Swift says 'haters are gunna hate'.

What piece of jewellery would you buy from Malkota's range? Click here to discover!

Much Love 

Eltoria x

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Primark Haul| Spring & Summer 2015

So with the sun shining here in the UK (yes still) all of this hot weather meant a bit of a wardrobe change. Over the Easter and bank holiday weekend, I took a trip to Cabot Circus (Bristol) to do a spot of shopping (when I say spot I should really say splurge). Whenever the sun comes out or when the typical English person books a holiday to somewhere hot, Primark is the first port of call. Not only is Primark really affordable but their clothes are also extremely fashionable and easy to wear (and you don't mind if something breaks or rips). So with a holiday to South Africa booked and the weather being glorious on this small island, I needed a major style update (especially for work!). So in this Primark Haul Video you will expect to see new casual wear, work clothes, dresses (most priced for only £10 each!), and bits and bobs like sports bras and backless and strapless bras. You can take a little sneak peak on what I bought above.

Click on the thumbnail above to watch my Primark Haul Video

I was most impressed with Primark's expansion into their Disney and film clothing (from what I remember this range used to be rather limited?). My favourite pieces had to be my new Barbie and Mean Girl top (yes they do a Mean Girl Top!) and the two pairs of jean shorts that I bought. What I love about Primark is that you can find pieces of clothing which are being sold in other shops (like New Look and River Island) for fraction of the price- I swear those jean shorts would have been £28.00 each in another high street store. I was however a little disappointed in their sandal and flip flop range as there wasn't much choice and I swear that last year's stock was much better. You can watch my Primark Haul Spring & Summer 2015 edition by clicking here.

Have you bought anything nice in Primark recently?
Don't forget to please link, like, and subscribe (click here).
Much Love
Eltoria x

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Nail Treatments For Damaged Nails

Since having acrylic nails almost 2 years ago my nails have never been the same- they are more cracked and brittle than ever before. It's not that they grow nicely and then crack, it has been impossible ever since to grow my nails without them looking like I've hacked away at them with some sort of chisel. I mean it mustn't of helped using my nails to remove staples out of paper at work (slapped wrists), but nevertheless it has been quite the nail catastrophe here in the Eltoria world. So with Summer on its way I now have, let's say, a 'nail goal' which is to grow my nails naturally long. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love how acrylic nails look and my aim is to get my nails looking like I do have acrylics, but I think that keeping healthier nails is much more important than hiding away the cracks with acrylics (or recently with nail varnish in my case). And as you can see below my nails (putting it bluntly) look extremely brittle and damaged so something needed to happen. So in order to rehabilitate my nails, I have put Jica's Nail Magic and Sally Hansen's Miracle Cure to a 2.5 week test. Check out how I got on:

Jica Nail Magic: My first impressions of this nail hardener was pretty good, I mean, I love how dainty the bottle looks and how the actual varnish matches its lid (I'm funny like that). It also applies with that ever so slight purple tinge to it (love) but it drys like a clear matte. So I would say that this nail hardener would be perfect to put under a nail colour or doubling up the coat would create an amazing natural look (oh the choices). Jica Nail Magic is perfect for treating: thin, splitting, peeling, damaged and chipping nails, and it guarantees stronger nails in just six week (the brand even has a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied). You can't go wrong here ladies and gentleman. Now I started using this product properly around 2.5/3 weeks ago and as you can see in the far image below, my nails look so much more healthier and non chipped for once (hooray!). I just think the results after just 2.5/3 weeks is just amazing and I am excited to continue using this product (I will most definitely be giving you all an update in a few months time). You can pick up a bottle for £10.45 from the Jica (click here) website.

Tip: apply twice a week until nails get stronger (then once a week will suffice)

Sally Hansen's Miracle Cure: After glaring at my nails in horror one day in the beauty section at Boots, I picked up this product thinking that it was some sort of antidote to a poisonousness snake bite (a little bit of exaggeration but hey ho). Like Jica's Nail Magic, Sally Hansen's Miracle Cure also stops nails from peeling, breaking and splitting, but the product claims to build 50% stronger nails in just 3 days... yeah I'd like to disagree here. After 3 days of using this product I wouldn't say that my nails were 50% stronger but I would say that they looked and felt much more hydrated- which I thought for three days was pretty impressive. Now I must comment on its finishing touch because it really is stunning. Unlike Jica's Nail Magic, I would say that this nail hardener looks more like a clear finishing nail varnish rather than a nail treatment because of its glossiness, which makes it perfect for base and top coats. As you can see in the image far below, my nails look much more healthier. It is amazing how both of these product's results are almost identical, so overall I was extremely chuffed with this product's results. You can pick up a bottle from Boots (click here) for £9.99.

Do you have a great nail product to recommend?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Drugstore Hair Conditioning Masks

I think it's that time of year where getting thirsty doesn't only happen in our mouths. Having dry and brittle ends during the warmer months is quite common amongst most us ladies, but you can overcome those 'parched ends' by ensuring that you hydrate your hair much more regularly. Now I had an excuse to kick start mission 'no drought' because I ombre'd my hair for the first time a few months ago and we all know what happens when you apply bleached based hair dyes to your ends... yep I would call it a drought alright! I wouldn't say that my hair was so brittle that it was snapping off, but I would say that my hair was feeling extremely dry for a while (you know when it gets that slight straw feeling). So the only way to sort this little problem out was to put my hair on a strict rehabilitation programme prescribing three different hair medicines (or should I be less dramatic and say three deep hair conditioners). Now there are three ingredients that I mainly look out for in deep hair conditioners and they are the following: Argan Oil, Keratin, Protein, and Biotin. These ingredients are highly moisturising and strengthening to the hair, and I need to mention that I have been known to use egg based products (or eggs themselves) to add more protein into my hair... yep the lengths I go for beauty. Eggs aside, here are the three drug store deep hair conditioners that I have been using recently:

Deep Hair Conditioners: Apply for up to 20 minutes before shampooing and conditioning your hair

Loreal Elvive Full Restore: This was the first hair mask that I used to kick off my 'hair rehab' programme, and I must say that this product sure does make your hair feel and look a lot more soft and shiny. Now I must be honest with you all, I wasn't too crazy on this products ingredients (except for the Keratin) and nor was I too in love on it's general fix, I mean, I wouldn't say that this product did wonders for my hair but I would say that this product is perfect for that temporary 'quick fix'. So nevertheless, if you need your hair to look on point for a special occasion then this is your product. You can pick up Loreal's Elvive Full Restore for £5.09 from Boots.

Keratin Plus Hydrating Hair Mask: I picked up this product up for £9.00 in TK Maxx as it as reduced from £23.00 and I must say that I wasn't overly too impressed with it. This mask is enriched with Keratin, Protein, and Argain Oil (so all of my bonus hair ingredients) but it just didn't shine for me. I mean, I think that this product would show amazing results if it was used for a very long time (mind you I did use it for 3 months) but it didn't leave that soft and glossy finish like most other deep hair conditioners do. I know I'm kind of comparing here but I do think that this product would work if you didn't have very dry/damaged hair (so it's kind of good for a booster). You can pick this product up for £9.00 at TK Maxx.

Tip: I like to deep condition my hair 3-4 times a week but this is wholly hair dependant. Try and get that happy balance. 

Bead Head Tigi Urban Antidotes Energize Treatment Mask: This deep conditioner is the kiss of life for hair, it is INCREDIBLE. To be honest I hadn't used a Bed Head product before using this one and I have to say, I now want my next shampoo and conditioner to come from them. Not only did this product make my hair feel and look soft and glossy (just like Loreal Elvive Full Restore did) but it also strengthened and rehydrated my hair. I have been using this product for a good month now and I can already say that I can feel and see a huge improvement. It's thick cream is infused with mineral oil and it also contains reflection injectors which kicks dull hair to the kurb (hooray). I like to use this product three times a week (leaving it in for 20 minutes at a time) and it doesn't make my hair feel greasy at all (which is amazing). You can buy this product for £8.99 from Hairtrade.

Drug store hair conditioners you have done me proud! What deep hair conditioners will you be using to treat your thirsty ends?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Beauty Tricks & Hacks

It's a Sunday which means YOUTUBE VIDEO TIME! This week I got a little creative on the editing front (do you like?) and I decided to film a beauty tricks and hacks video. Beauty tricks and hacks are basically ways that will make your beauty routine a little easier or are new ways to help certain products stay on/in for longer (trust me you will most definitely learn a thing or two!). So check out the video by clicking here or the thumbnail below! I would also be grateful if you could subscribe to my channel (I'm almost at 1,000) and doing so will automatically enter you into my Mega Makeup Prize giveaway (click here to see that). Just a quick one today guys but enjoy your Sunday and of course the sunshine too.

Do you have any beauty tricks/hacks that I should know about? Comment below.

Much Love

Eltoria x

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DIY Cut Out Knot Dress

With the sun currently shining on good ol' (usually) miserable England, I started to get a little that Summer feelin' and started to tart up my wardrobe. Now not only did I go a little mad in Primark the other day (post and video haul to come) I also decided to get a little creative on some old t-shirts. This DIY Cut Out Knot Dress is ever so easy to create and it only took around 10 minutes to make. Although my dress ended up being a little too short, I still thought that this 'dress' looked great paired with some denim jeans, a black oversized hair, and some plain black boots (what do you reckon?). So with my 'pimped out' t-shirt and accessories in tow, me and the boy went outside in the sunshine to take some summery snaps... in a dusty old car park (giggle).

Top tip before you start: firstly I would select an oversized top or a dress that has a little length to it (that way you don't make the same mistake as me) or if you like my combination, then go with something a little shorter. The top and shorts that I have selected are from New Look (around a year old), and the hat, rings, and boots are from Primark (so quite the budget Spring/Summer outfit). Now you are all probably wondering on how to make this dress and to make things a lot easier, I have created a step by step video for you all to follow (see below or click here to watch). Please do comment below on what you think of this little tutorial, I am planning on doing a little mini series on how to pimp up your clothes this Spring/Summer so do let me know in the comments (I would be very grateful!).

Click here to watch how to make this dress

Will you be making your own Knotted Cut Out Dress this Spring/Summer?

Please also don't forget to link, like, and subscribe!

Much Love

Eltoria x

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South Beach Bikini

Since booking a holiday to South Africa this June, I have not stopped gazing and browsing at bikinis on the internet (just to mention I will be doing a bit of a cheeky Safari so do keep your eyes open for that). So with an eager eye searching for that perfect buy, I was absolutely chuffed when South Beach gave me the opportunity to review one of their bikinis! I have been a fan of South Beach since a friend introduced them to me over a year ago, and it has been really lovely to see such a well reputable brand grow so much within a short time period. If you have never heard of South Beach before I can tell you this, their style is almost like the 'fashionable edgy sister' version to Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch (well I think so) and they stock some really gorgeous stuff. The brand has quickly become renowned for its distinctive designs with vibrant colours and on trend prints- and I really think that my little number really illustrates this quite well don't you think?

The bikini I chose was the Brianne Neon Red & White Structured Bikini Top with the Brianne Neon Red & White Side Tie Brief and isn't it just fabulous? I must firstly comment on its quality because it truly is stunning- it definitely feels like a high quality bikini and its affordable price makes this bikini send extra tingles around my body (we all love a good deal don't we). What I mainly love about this bikini is its extra padding, now ladies I am not ashamed to share with you all that I am not particularly 'busty' around the chest area (my twin sister decided to hog all of that gene) so having that extra lift really does help. I also really love this pink, white, and black pattern-it looks so good against a tan (now all I need is a leopard print one for South Africa!). You can pick up the Brianne Bikini Top for £16.00 and the Brianne Side Tie Brief for £12.00. South Beach are also expanding on their clothing, fitness, and accessory range so go ahead and take a peek!

Will you be buying your Summer bikinis from South Beach (click here) this year?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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Mega Beauty Haul

Happy Easter Sunday everyone! I hope you all got spoilt with lots of chocolate eggs and Easter goodies (I'm sure I'll be in some sort chocolate egg coma later). Instead of posting a YouTube video post like I do most Sundays, this week I thought that it would be nice to share some of the beauty products that I have been trying out recently (this weeks YouTube video will be posted sometime throughout the week). As you can see from the image above I have been trying out a number of things: mascara fibres, toners, perfumes, leg wax, creams, and more face masks and fake tan. I love doing these kind of posts because I am able to stir away from my everyday products that I tend to use on a daily basis, and become more brave in trying something a little more different (I think most of us are guilty of the latter). So with a variety of beauty products ready to be auditioned, I almost feel like Simon Cowell judging this year's Britain's Got Talent (I promise that I won't be that brutal). So here I go, will I stick with my usual or will I change to one of the above? Hmmm.

Anatomicals Face mask: firstly I must comment on this face mask's simple yet genius packaging (I love a bit of a Grease reference). So I will tell you more (get it?). When I first look at any face mask I always look at the ingredients (I am a little anal like that) and I can tell you now that this mask has all of the right ones to help manage greasy skin. Talc, Kaolin, Bentonite (a type of clay) and Oat Protein are all ingredients that help to absorb excess grease from the skin, and the Glycerin and Mineral Oil helps to cure pimples and congested pores because it adds oxygen and hydrogen into the skin. This face mask made my skin feel ever so soft and my pores stayed oil free for the rest of the day. You can pick up this face mask for £2.24.

Nair Argan Oil: if I have to be honest with you all, waxing scares the hell out of me. All you have to do is watch my Different Methods of Hair Removal video (click here) to see that. Overall I would say that I was a shaving kind of girl but as mentioned above, the whole point of this post is to try out new and different things. Whilst opening the box to this product I was half expecting it to look quite scary but as you can see above, it couldn't look any more simpler. What I love above this product is that all you have to do is pop it into the micro wave and leave it until the wax is at a acceptable temperature, apply with the applicator in direction of hair growth, and then remove in one quick movement (and the tub is big enough for at least 3 uses!). As we all know that waxing has the stigma of  'hurting quite a lot', but to my amazement this product didn't hurt as much as I thought it would (that bye bye pain formula sure must have worked!). This product does come with full directions and guidance so don't feel as though you'd be completely left on your own. Would I use this product again? Yes I would but only on special occasions (shaving just seems to be so much more quicker). You can pick this product up for £11.99.

Jica Lash Extension Treatment- Personally I am usually the sort of girl who just whacks on thickening and lengthening mascara on a daily basis, and puts on fake eyelashes on a night out, so using fibres is still a little new to me. I have been using this product for a number of weeks now and I can say that this product does make a difference (talk about va va va voom eyelashes!). I wouldn't say that this product does give the same result as 'eyelashes on a night out look' but it sure does add a lot more definition and thickness to my everyday make up. I however do note that my eyelashes look extra thick when I use this product before applying my mascara and again after (so I guess double application double the thickness right?). Would I use this product again? I would, but the price of it does seem a little dear to me! You can pick up this product for £13.95.

The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club: And you too can get your very own box sent straight to your door step! If you are someone like me who loves trying out new fragrances and goes through perfume like there's no tomorrow, having your own VIP box sent to you may be the answer to all of your troubles. For me I think that fragrance is something very personal and trying out new ones can be as troubling as dying your hair to a completely new colour (well it is for me anyway). Since trying these samples out I have walked away with three new favourites: Dolce & Gabbana's Floral Drops, Versace's Eros Pour Femme, and Givenchy's Very Irresistable and the best thing about this box is that you can save mega bucks with the discount vouchers that are contained inside (and there's one for each one too!). This box only costs £5 per quarter and you can cancel it at any time (plus there are other sized boxes that you can check out by clicking here). Even if you only ever get one box, at least I have 7 sample sizes that will last you a little while (a new scent for each day of the week, result!). You can check out and join the Discovery Club by clicking here.

Salcura's Face Hydrator: I first fell in love with this brand around Christmas time when I reviewed their Acne Range (click here) and I would highly recommend anyone with sensitive skin to go and check out their range (their products are just very honest and full of Vitamins, Natural Oils, and Minerals). This product is 99% natural which is perfect for very dry, sensitive, or prone to inflammation skin. Now I don't have either eczema or dermatitis, but my skin does get very dry and irritable over the wintry months and only thanks to this hydrator has my skin revived back to good health again. What I like about this product is that it is very similar to LUSH's Ultrabland which is also very good for dry and sensitive skin (and not to mention great at removing makeup). As I naturally have a oily t-zone you would think that this product would be too heavy on my skin, but its Omega rich and non greasy formula restores the skin's moisture levels helping it to protect and strengthen the skin (and I do vouch for that). You can pick up this product for £13.99. 

Tantruth Tan- now you all know that Baby B Browne is the love of my life when it comes to fake tan (click here) but being sent another body lotion tan which is similar to Baby B Browne was too hard to turn down (it's like a fake tan love affair). In comparison to Baby B Browne, the consistency of the tan isn't as thick and it smells more like Aloe Vera, but it's colour is exactly the same. As you can see from the results below, there is no difference in colour and the tan looks exactly the same- I used Baby B Browne on the left leg and Tantruth Tan on the right leg. I too love this tan and would definitely use it again! You can pick up a bottle for £8.49 (bargain!).

La Roche-Posay's Serozinc Toning Spray (below): now you all know that I am rather particular when it comes to my skincare products so trying out a new toner was a somewhat a little, I don't know, different? This product is a versatile product where you can use it as a toner between cleansing and moisturising, or at any time of the day to refresh your skin. Now I personally didn't like using this product as a toner because I felt as though it didn't deep clean my skin as well as other products however, it is amazing as a refresher. I love using this product on my skin after a workout and I could imagine this product being very handy when holidaying in hot countries (I'll be able to test run this in South Africa later this year). Overall it is a great solution to mattifying oily skin. You can pick up this product for £7.20.

Swatches

Above Left: Salcura's Face Hydrator Above Right: Tantruth

Above: Anatomicals Face Mask

So to conclude my little experiment there are a few products that I would most definitely use again (especially Tantruth, The Discovery Box, and Anatomicals face mask). Which one of these products tempts you to make a change?

Much Love

Eltoria x

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