I Heart a Boyfriend Jean

Boyfriend jeans are not a new trend. In fact they have been a key look for quite some time now. Unfortunately I am ashamed to admit it has taken me THIS long , to finally figure out how to wear these bad boys. As a long time devotee of the skinny jeans club, I could not get my head around a baggy jean. See skinny jeans can be dressed up and dressed down. They elongate the leg and if in the correct size, I think can be flattering on many body types. To me, a boyfriend jean just felt, well, daggy. I purchased a pair and returned said pair many times before I finally committed. I would stand in front of the mirror, feeling like Brenda from 90210, (in a bad way) and really struggled to find the cute factor in this fashion trend. The best way to describe how I felt is pure frump. I finally resigned myself with the thinking of that maybe they are not for me.

Fast forward several months and I was performing my ritual of buying a boyfriend jean and returning it, when something happened. I finally got it. The fuss, the obsession, it all became clear to me, it was as if the penny had just dropped. Ahh Boyfriend Jeans! I find it hilarious that after all of that anguish and uncertainty, I now own two pairs because they are on such a high rotation in my wardrobe, one just wasn't cutting it. Now that I am finally seeing the light, I wanted to share some tips on styling a boyfriend jean, because they really are that good and this trend is not going anywhere in a hurry.

1. Don't listen to anything a boyfriend, brother or any man in general may say to you. This is one of those man repelling trends and they just don't get it. Maybe don't wear them on a first date...

2. ALWAYS roll the cuff. Boyfriend jeans completely unrolled is an express ticket to Frumpster Town. Do yourself a favour and show some ankle.

3. Pretty much any top goes. This is one situation where wearing the opposite volumes on your top and bottom half need not apply. A flowy top will work with a boyfriend jean. I love pairing my boyfriend jeans with a silk tee or tank for an easy take on luxe casual chic.

4. Heels are perfect with this look. The juxtaposition of something so pretty and delicate with something so distressed and baggy just works. I like strappy sandals or a pointed tow shoe in particular. A clog also works well here.

5. Flats can also work for a pared back look. Think volleys rather than ballet flats.

I think it is also worth noting that the boyfriend jean I am loving is from Dotti. They are the right amount of distressed and baggy without being too OTT. Cameo also do a great one.

I hope the above was somewhat helpful. Trust me when I say, once you discover the magic of a boyfriend jean you will wonder where they have been all of your life. ....really! For more inspiration on how to wear a boyfriend jean, Ashley from Ring My Bell has some great posts, as does Tash and Elle from They All Hate Us. Check them out.


Jen xox

Dealing With Hair Loss

So something amazing has been happening lately: I have been receiving compliments on my hair! Now this may seem like a superficial and boring thing to be excited over, and maybe I am superficial and boring. Who knows? One thing is for certain however, and I have always, as long as I can remember as a little girl, been on the crusade for perfect hair. My limp, fine, sometimes frizzy, flyaway hair has always been a source of anxiety for me, and anytime it is less than its best, my confidence drops right down. I know a lot of you right now are rolling their eyes and thinking how pathetic this mentality may seem, but we all have our issues. This is mine.

Part of the reason for my extreme elation over the hair compliments however, is because two years ago, I experienced something terrifying for many women. My hair started inexplicably falling out- at a rapid rate. Now, I understand that on a scale of 0-fatal illness, this experience is hardly cancer, however anyone who has experienced it, can vouch it to be traumatic in its own right. I have really hesitated writing this post as these experiences are so individualised that there is no one magical treatment to cure all. Some cases are stress related, some are a side effect of an illness, nutrition may be a cause, and countless other various scenarios where hair loss may occur. I am not a doctor, nor am I qualified in any way shape or form in the health, wellness realm of professions. I am merely somebody who had an experience and is sharing her story in hope that it may help someone, or make others feel like they are not alone. Lord knows how many blogs I trawled looking for answers.

After I realised my hair was actually falling out beyond the normal amount, I rushed to the doctor searching for answers. "You are probably stressed" I was told, and infuriatingly sent on my merry way. After two more weeks of hair loss bringing my tally up to 6 weeks, my hair was noticeably thin on top and my confidence was at an all time low having read countless terrifying articles on alopecia. Desperate for a solution, a colleague of mine suggested I visit a naturopath. To cut a loooooooong story short, the naturopath SAVED MY LIFE! Well perhaps that was a little dramatic. She saved my hair. For those of you who have never delved in natural medicine, the conclusions wellness practitioners draw are nothing short of amazing. Basically for my case, the naturopath explained to be that due to a severe life threatening illness I had suffered a few months earlier, my body had shut down non vital functions in order to heal itself. Non vital functions being hair, skin, nails. I was promptly prescribed an extreme cocktail of vitamins (around 20 pills a day!) and a fatty, clean diet, which I was extremely skeptical about. Low and behold within a month my hair stopped falling out. Within another month I had a fine crown on baby hair sticking up all over my head. I couldn't have been happier! Just a side note, I really wish that SOMEBODY had told me that a common side effect of the extreme case of Dengue Fever I contracted (Dengue Hemmorhagic Fever) is toxic alopecia. I find it so hard to believe that with the array of doctors visiting my room every hour, nobody thought to ever mention that "oh by the way, you might lose your hair".

Fast forward a year, and I was still unconfident with my hair. Obviously hair is slow growing at best, so while the hair was filling in at the roots, the lengths were still quite raggy and thin. I decided to experiment with hair extensions to help bulk it up. When I visited my stylist, he mentioned a product that was apparently creating quite the buzz for making hair grow. The Redken Intraforce System consists of a three step process that must be done every single day for 4-6 weeks, and then as per your normal shampoo routine after that. Is is a specially formulated shampoo, toner (but really a conditioner, come on Redken, just call a spade a spade), and a spray that is to be massaged into the roots post shower that apparently stimulates hair growth. Now, does this sound like a gimmick or what? Skeptical as I was, I handed over the staggering one hundred ish dollars for the treatment and decided to try it. I told you I am obsessive about perfection with my hair! I used this product exactly as it was intended to the letter, and low and behold, my scalp was full of baby hairs once again! Fast forward twelve months on this treatment shampoo and conditioner and my hair has never been in better shape. I couldn't recommend this treatment higher! The treatment also comes in a version 1 or 2. Be sure to pick Version 2 if you have colour treated hair.

So as you can see there was no one cure for me, but a combination of treatments and time. I highly recommend the Redken program as well as natural wellness if you are experiencing hair loss, as well as hair extensions for confidence, though I understand that these are expensive an not an option for many.

Feel free to ask me any further questions if you would like to.


Jen xox

Lush Christmas Collection- My Picks

Christmas is seriously my favourite time of year. I love the lights, the holiday gift sets, the vibe, and best of all, I love the Lush Christmas releases. Every year I eagerly await the moment when Lush unveil the cinnamony, spiced, glittery, Candy Mountain-esque scents and flavours which beckon me with the promise of many a premium, luxe scented bath/shower experience. I know, I know, I am SUCH a sucker for this stuff. Alas, the sucker I am was again tempted by an array of products this year, only one of which I have tried in the past (that Golden Wonder Ballistic gets me every time!). While I haven't tried any of these goodies yet (obviously, how many baths can one person have?), I thought I would share the scents etc of my selection in case you might want to pick up some for yourself.

Starting Left from the top

The Golden Wonder bath Ballistic
For those of you unfamiliar with Lush products (for shame!), ballistics are basically just a bath bomb, but they usually have a surprise hidden inside. In the Golden Wonder's case this is an array of stars which erupt from the effervescing gift. As this is the only one I have personally tried, I can say from experience, the stars make for the prettiest of bath waters and the water itself turns a vibrant turquoise colour. I love the citrusy scent of this ballistic, I find it very uplifting.

Secret Santa Bath Ballistic
This ballistic is emulated from the first Lush store apparently and it is heavily scented to smell just like you are inside a Lush. The main scents are sandalwood, floral oils and lime zest so it is quite the eclectic mix. According to the girl at Lush, apparently there is a Santa inside the ballistic? I am very intrigued about this and may or may not be most of the reason I purchased this one **shifty eyes**.

Cinders Bath Ballistic
Cinamon leaf oil, orange oil. This warming bath ballistic also contains popping candy which goes off while the product is dissolving, apparently supposed to emulate the crackling of a fireside. Adorable no?

Bombardino Bath Ballistic
I love this little guy with the pointy hat. Bombardino is very citrusy scented, Lush claim the official scent as Lemon Cheesecake,. This guy also contains Vanilla Absolute, and Sicilian lemon Oil., as well as super moisturising cocoa butter.

Luxury Lush Pud Bath Ballistic
I can't wait to try this. Lush say that it creates polka dots on the surface of your bath (!!). Another reason I am excited for this one, is that it is Twilight scented. Calming ylang ylang and lavender make for a super calming bathing experience. Perfect for a Sunday night wind down.

Sandy Santa Body Scrub
I have already broken a piece of this to test out in the shower and I was pleased with the results. This is quite a gritty exfoliator, but the coconut oils and butters leave the skin super soft. Sandy Santa isn't overly scented but I enjoyed using this. I think I will most likely get four uses out of this. Hot tip: keep this guy out of the shower or he will melt away. Break off the piece you intend to use and take that into the shower with you. Sandy Santa will thank you for it.

Father Christmas Bath Ballistic
This bath ballistic sounds fun, apparently tuning the bath water from a festive red to green (I freaking LOVE Lush!) The essential oils it contains are very citrusy and uplifting, according to Lush they are supposed to induce a feeling of "goodwill to all".

The Melting Snowman
This guy! Look at him! Seriously, I can't handle it. Bath melts are gooey when they are in your hand, but they turn your bath water super silky and soft, which obviously turns your skins super silky and soft. I usually like to break these up to use over two to three baths but by all means use the entire melt if you feel so inclined. This melt is very spicy scented with cloves and cinnamon, which is perfect for the festive season. This also contains moisturising almond and cinnamon oils.

Star Light, Star Bright Bath Melt
This melt is an absolute mess. Its glittery and leave shimmer on all that cross it's path. But being a total glitter bug, I cannot wait to get this in my tub! Full of moisturising coconut oil, cocoa and shea butter, you can bet my skin will be as that of a baby when I am finished with this product.

Snow Fairy Shower Gel (Not pictured, LINK)
This is a Christmas cult classic, and I will admit I have not been a fan in the past. Seriously, I remember having a specific conversation with my Mum in Lush last year, discussing how is smelled like cherry cough syrup. Wellllllllll, people change OKAY? Now I finally get the hype. While I am not usually one for a sweet scent (Lush Olive Branch is my HG of shower gel scents), I am enjoying the over the top red lolly scent of this product surprisingly. Honestly, that is the only way I can describe this is pure red lolly explosion. Oh, and its pink, so it looks pretty in my shower.

So basically I have enough bath products to last me until next Christmas at this rate. Lush really does their best work at Christmas time, so I definitely recommend checking it out. I may or may not have to go back to pick up the Christmas Penguin Bubble Bar.... I know, I know, but I just loves me a bubble bath!


Jen xox

My New Brush Obsessions

 Step aside Sigma, I have a new brush obsession! Seriously why did nobody ever tell me about how freaking amazing the Mac 217 and 242 are? What? Everybody is talking about them? Duhhhhhhhh yes I was well aware of the hyped up nature of these brushes. I'm not THAT far under my rock. However with everybody raving about the wonder of Sigma, I just kind of bypassed Mac on the way to Mr Bunnyville and MISSED THE TWO MOST AMAZING BRUSHES I HAVE EVER USED! I promise you, I may have a dramatic nature but I am not dramatising about these babies! Thank god for Jaclyn Hill for finally making me realise is all I can say about that.

BM (Before Mac), I had some SERIOUS blending issues. It would be time consuming and tiresome, and I could never understand how the girls on Youtube made it look so damn effortless. While I do like my Sigma E40, it is no match for the 217! I find the 217 is slightly less fluffy and has a smaller head lending it well to a more precise blend. Every day I am amazed at how well blended my eye look is with such minimal time spent on it. (I have some SERIOUS issues getting out of my bed in the morning). I constantly found that my E40 was really blowing out my eye look, which sometimes is great but not for the most part. I will definitely be hightailing it to Mac sometime soon to pick up a spare or two of this guy. I think I could go as far as to say it is my Holy Grail Brush! Yeah I went there!

The 242 is a really flat eye shader brush which is great for packing on that colour. Once again the head of this brush is much smaller than the Sigma E60 (which I will admit is marketed as a large shader brush anyway). The small nature of the 242 means it applies the shadow precisely to the crease. It is the perfect fit for my eye at least. I would love to know what the actual "Sigma Dupe" for this brush is because clearly that E60 Large Shader isn't working for me.

242 and 217 are my ultimate eye brush power couple! A force to be reckoned with! It really makes me wonder what else I have been missing out on in Mac Land. If anyone has any hot Mac brush tips please let me know in the comments. I am well in the market to experiment!


Jen xox