Huge Holiday Hair Help

In the last few months, Edinburgh has become just about one of my favourite places in the whole world. But there is something that Scotland is a bit lacking in: vitamin D. I’ve had such sun withdrawal, I forgot what it was like to walk outside and feel warmth on your face! Luckily, this was remedied with a holiday with friends to Greece over Easter break! Ever since getting back last week I’ve been thinking of two things: “I miss the beaches” and “I should write a blog post on it.”

I think my body knew that I needed to be back in the sun, because I felt so healthy while we were there. Sleeping was great (which is a big problem for an insomniac like me) and I noticed another big change too: my hair. And when I mean big, I mean literally: my hair got huge! 

I have problems with losing extra hair when I get stressed, and as it was around finals time, my rather sad ponytail suffered. I’m always looking for a good volumising product, as I’ve learned to fully embrace the crazy that is my hair. But I think the combination of sun, sleep, and a few new products that I’m devoting this post to really helped. 

Of course, holidays are the perfect opportunity to have a browse/splurge around the travel-sized products in drugstores. I like them anyways, because such small packaging is really good for trying things out. The small lotions and hair products are especially good for tossing into a purse, which is probably how I end up with about six little bottles in a bag! However, I actually did need to purchase a shampoo, and I ended up picking the Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Shampoo. I’d heard about the brand in other blogs, and I use the line’s Texturising Spray (which I mentioned here). 

New favourite shampoo (plus a bit of my holiday hair!)

The shampoo is - simply - amazing. Most volumising shampoos don’t really do much more than advertise, in my experience, but this actually works. My hair really feels thicker.  Since coming home I’ve continued to use the travel-size bottle, but I’m going to get another one, as it is running out. It leaves your hair so much fuller and thicker, and I absolutely love it. I would recommend it 100% to anyone who wants to give their hair a bit of a boost: with one wash I noticed a difference in the fullness, and it didn’t go away after repeatedly using it.

Once I was done washing my hair, I put in a (generous) amount of another one of my mentioned favorites: Tony&Guy Sea Salt Spray. The result was tons and tons of wavy curls. With this combination at first, I was a bit unsure of what to do with all the hair! So I took two bobby pins and took bits of hair from the front of my face and fastened them back loosely on either side. The messy look was very beach-y and it was my go-to look for Greece.

My last favourite product also came from the travel-size section, and it was the Sanctuary Spa Body Moisture Spray. It’s an oil spray that you’re supposed to use for hydrating your skin when it’s in the sun. I knew when I got it that it probably wouldn’t noticeably work, but it smells absolutely amazing. I used it a few times before going into the sun, but the best use of it was pouring a bit into the bath: it smelled amazing and was a good substitute for bath bombs or salts. After hectic days of ferry rides and flights, it was nice to pour a bit in and have a nice, relaxing soak.  

So, those were my favourite hair (and body) products for a warm holiday! What are your current favourites? What do you always bring on a trip? How do you handle your hair? 

Top Products in Scotland

Oh my, it has been a shockingly long time since I have posted anything! I was trying to think last night of the best way to sum up the months (yes, months, I'm terrible!) I've been absent. and it seems as though one long and ramble-y blog post would be a nightmare to read and write, so I fell back into my default: lists! I love my lists, and I'm a big believer in the to-do list when I need to be productive. So, I thought I'd make a list of my top products/favorite things in Scotland. I guess this is like a monthly favorite post, but its been a few months, so the task is a bit daunting! Anyway, here is my list of top Scotland products, things I've been loving overseas! 

1. Toni & Guy Dry Shampoo: I actually had this before I came to Edinburgh, but I use it so often that my massive can is nearly out, and I'm going to need to purchase a new one soon! This is probably the best dry shampoo I've ever used, and I use it lots! When I was traveling a few weeks ago, I bought the tiny Batiste one to stick in my purse, and I was excited because everyone seems to use it! However, I was slightly disappointed. It turned my hair white, which the Toni & Guy one actually doesn't, and the smell just wasn't the same. I absolutely love this produced because a quick spray at the temples will make your hair look so fresh, and it smells as though you've just walked out of a salon!

2. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (in Light 1): This was a beauty blogger favorite that I couldn't wait to use when I got to the UK, having heard so much about it. And all of the reviews were right; this is probably the best concealer ever! Again, it's something I use every day, and on lazy days where I'm doing a quick makeup look, I will just apply this and not bother with foundation. The product has such good coverage that you don't need anything else! Not only is the coverage amazing, but the way it blends into yours skin makes your skin look perfect! I've been using the one tube and constantly switching it from my makeup table to my book bag to my purse, because it's something I literally can't go without having on hand! I need to stock-pile a dozen and just have them everywhere!

3. Primark Super Cosy tights: These have been an actual godsend in the chilly Edinburgh mornings and late-nights, especially for a girl whose wardrobe consists of mainly skirts and dresses! These tights have been keeping my legs nice and warm, and even for all of the wear I get out of them, they are still in really good condition! I am used to buying a pair of tights, wearing them once or twice and then crossing my legs under a rough table or catching them with a nail: I cannot keep tights for more than  a week! But these (and all of the Primark tights, I've noticed) last so long, considering I got them back in January! And the best part is the fleecy lining! They help keep your legs warm without being bulky or uncomfortable to wear under little dresses. I wish they had something like these in the states, because I can't picture a winter without them!

4. Kate Moss for Rimmel in 107: Again, this is a well-known and loved product by many, and it is also something that I came her with, and then repurchased because of my love for it. The lipstick color is such a beautiful dark red, and it has the best staying power. The only problem I have is that it leaves my lips a little dry, so I have to make sure to apply lots of chapstick before. But the color is so wonderful and rich, and I will unfailingly get compliments on it whenever I wear it, so I had to put it down as my top products! Although I am so, so excited for spring, I am slightly sad that all of the beautiful dark lipsticks will have to go. Even though I've been adding beautiful corals and pinks to my collection in anticipation for the warmer months…I am sad to see the dark colors go! Can you wear dark red lipstick in July…please?!

5. Soap and Glory Mist You Madly: Call it a weird habit of mine, but I love spraying scents in my room. It's like the quick version of a candle but without the ambiance! I usually buy some of the Bath and Body Works mists, but I forgot to bring anything over, so it was a perfect excuse to once again look at Soap & Glory. I love their scents (and there are more of their products further down this list) because they're fresh and feminine without being overpowering. And it helps that they have about the cutest packages and product names ever! So when I was looking for a spray, I immediately turned to Soap & Glory's "Mist You Madly", which I've been using like air! It is "a flirty floral body spray" and I guess that's as good as any description of it! It has the slightly powered smell that I feel all of their products have, which is nice and reminds me of old-fashioned makeup, as well as a but of a sweet and fruity smell. It's nice and fresh and I can't leave my room without spraying it…is that weird?! 

6. The Daily Smooth: Body lotion is something that I very often neglect; it's annoying to get all slippery, and I hate the feeling that you can't touch anything or put on clothes because of the feeling of lotion! However, I know I need to take better care of my skin, especially in the winter months. So, I told myself that if I got a nice lotion that I would be excited to use, then I would be more likely to use it. Soap & Glory is one of the brands that I automatically look for whenever I'm in a shop: even if I don't know what I'm looking for, something in their product descriptions will jump out at me. Everything there sounds and smells so appealing! So, I decided on the Soap & Glory The Daily Sooth body lotion. I know its one that isn't talked about very often (I've heard loads about the body butter, which I very nearly bought) but this one just smelled so amazing, I couldn't leave it! I don't know how well smells well come across on the page, but I will try: it smells kind of sweet and citrus-y. The bottle says that it contains "mango peel extract, rose hop seed oil and shea butter with fragrant notes of bergamot, blackcurrent, magnolia, freesia, vanilla, and musk." It smells amazing, and even though I am still not great at always using lotion, I will definitely use it more often now!

7. Sleek Contour Kit (in Light): To be very honest, I am not the best at contouring. I usually go for a color that is too dark for my skin and end up with a streak of brown down my face which is unattractive and not the look i am going for! But the Sleek Contour kit has been amazing! Sleek is another company I was dying to try in the UK, and along with Soap & Glory, I am always looking at their products when I don't have something in particular in mind. The contour kit has been wonderful because the brown is light and blends easily, which gives an amazing effect on your cheekbones. The highlight that comes with it is a nice shimmer (not sparkle!) and it definitely helps the effect of more-defined cheekbones! I use this practically every day, and it will hopefully last forever, especially since the pigmentation is so good, you literally only need to touch your brush to the product to get the amount you need! I usually pair this with the Sleek blush in rose gold, and it looks (I think) amazing!

8. Charles Worthington Dry Texturising Spray: I heard about this when I watched Fleur's top high street products, and when Boots does a 3 for 2 promotion on pretty much anything in the store I would buy, I couldn't not pick it up! I was so interested because I've wanted to try Oribe, but the price is a bit much for a student, and this one was about six pounds. I'm usually dependent on my Toni & Guy sea salt spray, but as it's a small bottle I keep in my purse, I was looking for another product, I picked this up a week ago, so it's a product that I don't have quite as much experience with as I do with some of the others on this list, but by my first use I knew it was something I would love. it instantly gives texture to your hair, which is so important as the ends of my hair are bleached, and can sometimes look like they need a bit of life put in them! A few sprays at the end through your roots gives the look of beach-y tousled hair, which is basically the daily look I go for!

9. Sleek Palette (Original): Sleek already appeared on this list, and it's a company I know I will be missing when I get back home, because the products are so wonderful. This was one of the first makeup items I bought here, and I use it all the time. I want to build up my collection of their palettes, because they have such pretty colors, but for now my original one has been doing me good! The colors I am usually drawn to are the pink and rose gold, mainly because I'm not so adventurous with my eyeshadows so blues and greens scare me! But the pinks look so good for a daily look, either on their own or with a bit of a darker color in the crease. The other day I started with the Maybelline color tattoo in the color Metallic Pomegranate over the lid and crease, then lightened it with the Sleek pink and it was so pretty. The Palette makes my list because i will usually  use at least one of the colors in some way in a daily makeup look. The quality and pigmentation is amazing, and they stay all day. 

10. Sainsbury's shortbread: I thought the last thing I mentioned should be a deviation from the norm of all the beauty products, and this is definitely different! I hope it's okay to throw in something so random, but it's another Scotland favorite. I love Sainsbury's: it's where I do all of my food shopping, and whenever I go, I usually pick up shortbread. It's less than a pound and it's so yummy! I had never had shortbread before coming here but it tastes so nice! It's good with coffee or tea, and I just have to be careful I don't go through a package while sipping tea!

Well, that was a monster of a post, and I hope that this has been nice to read without being too long! I could talk forever about the products I love! What have you been loving this winter? Is there something I should try, or is there something I mentioned that you love/hate? 

Also, please find me on twitter (@uv-rae), instagram (uv_rae), or tumblr (uv-rae.tumblr.com) and say hi! 

Hello from Scotland

Once again, I feel like I should preface this with the fact that it is not an all-beauty post, despite my desire to have a blog simply devoted to this! However, hang in there through the rambling and there will be shiny packages to come...

So I will blame my more-than-a-month-long absence on the fact that the semester was wrapping up, and there were exams to take and an astonishing amount of thrift store sweaters that had accumulated over the semester to pack into suitcases. Somewhere in that mess I resolved to write blog posts more often, though that promise got packed with the sweaters, it seems! Despite the hectic-ness, I cleaned out my dorm room,  headed home for a few weeks (spent mostly sleeping and on tumblr, no shame) and then off to Scotland!

I was terrified at first - I never been to a foreign country on my own. And even though I knew that there would be no language barrier, and that I would be faring far better than some of my friends scattered around Europe this semester, I had several weeks of anxiety and little sleep. Mostly, the idea of being away from home for so long scared me, as well as not making new friends! Typical worries I think, but I didn't have much head space for chatting online!

The famous Edinburgh Castle - from the hotel at orientation. 

However, I have been here a little over a week and I absolutely love it! Not only does my inner-Harry Potter fan do a little happy dance at all of the massive stone buildings (I pass a school on the way to my lectures that is partially based on the castle in the films, I've heard) but the history is amazing, the people are so wonderfully friendly, and I have met some lovely new friends! I honestly sometimes walk around the streets with my headphones in and smile because I feel so lucky and happy!

I have loads and loads of travel stories to tell, and I could certainly do so if anyone would be interested. Again, I am kind of held back on the fear that no one would want to read it! 

And now for the beauty. Back home, I follow several bloggers and feel so frustrated when the products they use aren't available in the states. But now that I am on the other side of the pond, I have been enthusiastically looking for everything I've been practically pining over for months (with some restrain - I am here for five months, and the goal is not to go broke in the first week!) However, I have been to a massive Boots and picked up the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. And it is just as amazing as everyone who raved about it said it was! I have to go and pick up a few of them, because it is constantly moving around from my purse to my book bag to my dresser - I cary it just about everywhere I go. It has the best coverage I have ever seen, and it makes you feel so good about your skin! I also picked up the Maybelline Color Tattoo in the color Metallic Pomegranate, which I know are sold back home, but I just couldn't find the color anywhere! It was in stock at Superdrug and I picked one up. Lastly was the Bourjois chocolate bronzer, which I was so excited about. Unfortunately, I got a shade a bit too dark for my complexion (blame it on the excitement and the shoddy lighting in pharmacies) so I'll have to go back and find one a bit lighter. That's the haul so far, as I usually am in pharmacies with a group of people and don't want to hold everyone up as I swatch lipsticks! So, I'm planning on taking a nice long trip on my own one day next week to give myself a bit of time to walk around and explore. 

The view from my bedroom window - so beautiful!

Next on my list is a thorough investigation of the Sleek counter, as well as the Barry M nail polishes (all of mine got left sadly at home, as nail polish - I was told - is flammable). If anyone has any more brands to try out, let me know! 

I also did a (relatively) controlled Primark shopping trip, and the details of those purchases can certainly be shared for anyone and everyone who would like to have a peek in my  new closet (that sounds very naughty!) I have a growing, dangerous obsession with Primark and they're cute dresses and sweaters! 

Thanks for reading anyone! If you would like to follow this blog it would make me ever so happy! I can also be found on twitter and instagram (both under the name uv_rae)