Beauty: How to maintain a fringe

As someone who has had the same haircut for the past 22 years - why fix what isn't broken?! - I reckon I have a pretty good idea of how to keep a fringe in check. It can be high maintenance but really you just have to know the tricks of the trade. I wouldn't be without mine. After all, the world doesn't need to see my forehead. Ever.

1. Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo will be your best friend. My fringe always gets greasy ten times quicker then the rest of my hair so this bad boy will help keep it looking fresh. That way if you're a lazy kid like me, you won't have to wash your hair every single day. Nobody has time for that. It also helps to keep it from looking as flat as a pancake.

2. Regular trims
My fringe grows like wildfire and need to be trimmed practically every two weeks. If it's left any longer than that it starts to resemble a shaggy haired dog. I splashed out on a pair of hairdressing scissors from Boots for when I'm in desperate need and can't make it to my hairdressers. I don't recommend trimming it yourself all the time but in emergencies these will be your best friend.

3. A barrel brush
In order to keep your fringe looking smooth, a barrel brush will be a lifesaver. Dry it in sections. Never dry your fringe flat as it'll look limp and lifeless. Always blow-dry it under so it has some oomph. You want it to look fierce right?

4. Hairdryer
A hairdryer is the bane of my life. I cannot wash my hair without one. If I let it dry naturally, it will go frizzy and limp. Even if the rest of my hair is left to dry naturally, my fringe must always be given a blow-dry. It's a bit of a diva like that.

5. Hairspray
The final step in keeping your fringe in shape is hairspray. Give it a quick spritz to help keep it in one piece. That way you don't get the dreaded curtains scenario. Only David Beckham could pull that off in 1993.

So there you have it. My foolproof tricks to help keep your fringe looking pretty good. Does anyone else have anything to add to the list?

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December empties

Toni & Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hairspray c/o
I picked this up when I was kindly invited to a Boots pick and mix style press day through work - I can't get over how amazing it was! My mum and I both picked one up and can't stop singing it's praises. It is quite expensive and will work out to be a costly habit if you use hairspray like my mum every day. But it's perfect as a little treat! It keeps every hair in place without being crusty and isn't a pain to brush out at night. Overall it's a pretty good buy! I'd buy this again as it's offers great support for nights out.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
Review here

Prada Perfumed Bath Salts
These were a gift from a while ago and only just gotten round to using them all up! They were the ideal remedy for a relaxing weekend bath with the sweet aromas wafting around the bathroom. I don't really know what the deal is with bath salts. They just seem to make the room smell nice! Therefore I'm going to judge these on that basis and they get a thumbs up from me!

Jurlique Hyrda Control Ultra Rich Body Lotion c/o
Admittedly Jurlique was not a brand I was familiar with until I was invited along to a press day but boy am I glad I finally became wiser! I usually prefer body butters to lotions as they're thicker and feel more luxurious. This lotion however proved to be a corker. It was non-greasy - something essential when you apply post shower - and worked wonders for dry skin. It kept my skin supple and soft throughout the day. The pump proved very handy indeed!

Tommy Guns Bergamot and Inula Shampoo and Conditioner to protect and prolong colour treated hair c/o
These were including in a goodie bag and initially I was a bit hesitant about using them as I didn't have coloured hair. The beautiful citrus smell hit me as soon as I squeezed a blob in my hands - the perfect wake up call in a morning shower. It's quite expensive for only 250ml of product and I do think there's better value haircare out there. But it had a good impact on my hair and who can say no to pretty, shiny locks? I noticed it felt visibly softer too.

No7 Protect & Prefect Night Cream
I picked this up when I had a no7 voucher a few moths back. I've found it's a good quality moisturiser for a very reasonable price - well worth picking up. It doesn't make your skin feel greasy and sinks in more or less straight away without leaving any residue behind. It smells like the rest of the No7 skin range which isn't overpowering. Nothing worse than constantly smelling the same smell as you're trying to slip away to the land of nod.

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November empties

Soap and Glory Righteous Butter - c/o Elodie Russo
One of the perks of having blogger friends is when they pass along their unwanted beauty products to you. Obviously I never have enough... I've gone through numerous tubs of this body butter and it's one I come back to time and time again. It's the perfect thickness so it feel luxurious and sinks in fairly quickly which is a god send in the morning when you're in a rush to get dressed. The shea butter ingredient works wonders on dry winter skin.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray c/o
Review here.

Batiste original Dry Shampoo
Review here.

Charles Worthington Front-row Rough and Tousled Salt Spray
Although I'm not as much of a fan as this as I am off the Bumble surf spray I do still think it does an ok job. I find it works better on bone dry hair, Pop it up in a topknot while you get ready and by the time you're ready to go out, you should have beachy waves. It works the best on hair with layers cut in.

Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado
This was brought on a recommendation from Michelle and I feel like it's made a hell of a lot of difference. I pop it on twice a day, once before bed time when I've removed my make up and then in the morning once I've moisturised. A little goes a long way! I find gently dabbing it works best. It takes a little while to sink in before you can put your make up on top. Now I just need a eye brightening cream to get rid of these dark circles. Any ideas?

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium
Review here.

George Lash X Trend Mascara c/o
I got this in a goodie bag from an Asda event a little while ago. I wasn't holding out much hope at first as the brush isn't my favourite - I like them to be big and busy rather than plastic as it hurts my eyes. Apart from being a little wet to apply I thought this mascara was a good budget buy. Complete bargain at £3.50!  It improved my lashes and didn't give me spider eyes which is one of my pet hates!

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser Normal/Combination c/o
I am a sucker for Liz Earle. It's one of my favourite beauty brands and one that I can imagine staying loyal to the brand for a very long time. I'm already about to buy my third pot of this. Thanks to the thickness it doesn't feel greasy once it's applied and it sinks in almost straight away which is always a winner in the morning! My skin hardly ever breaks out anymore and doesn't feel as dry around my nose. The only thing that can improve the cream would be to add an spf in the formula. I'm getting worried about aging!

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October empties

October over already? Just where is this year going?!

Fudge Dry Shampoo mini
I think I received this in a goodie bag at an event. Mini toiletries are always life savers when you go away or to pop in your bag when you're going out after work. I didn't really feel like this was an amazing product. It took a lot of product to do the job to my satisfaction. It's not really in the same league as Batiste and I wouldn't buy this out of my own money.

Batiste Blush Dry Shampoo mini
I don't really think I can add anything about Batiste that hasn't already been said. It's good so buy it. Not this one though as the smell is very overpowering and I wasn't a fan.

Bioderma Cleansing Water
I gave into the blogger hype with this product and haven't been disappointed.  The lovely Elodie picked some up for me when she went home and the stuff lasts for an absolute age. I use it at night to take off my eye make up. It all comes off with such ease and feels very gentle on my face. I know it's going to be a staple in my skincare regime.

No7 Soft and Soothed Gentle Cleanser
I think I stole this off my mother when I'd run out of cleanser and my bank account was empty - it had around half a bottle left. It was a joint effort to finish this! It does the job nicely and feels lovely on your skin when it tales the grime away. I like the pump as it makes life a hell of a lot easier.

Daisy Marc Jacobs Bubbly Shower Gel
Daisy is one of my favourite day time perfumes and I got this in a gift set last Christmas. It's perfect for the evening when you want a longer lasting smell. It lathers up perfectly and of course smells gorgeous. Winner all round!

Ponds Institute Nourishing Anti-wrinkle Day Cream c/o
This is my first step into Ponds products. They've recently had a re-brand and you can buy them in Boots. It still has quite an old fashion smell but it doesn't tend to linger and it does actually smell quite nice. It glides onto your skin making it feel nice and refreshed. It a great thickness without feeling too greasy.

Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream
Review here

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May/June Empties

A joint month this time as I ran out of time in May and only used two products up!

Soap and Glory Calm One Calm All bubble bath
My family and friends all know me inside out and always buy me a batch of Soap and Glory products for Christmas and birthdays. This is one of my favourite products. It creates an amazing set of bubbles in such a little amount and has such a gorgeous sweet smell. It has the added bonus of having a built-in moisturiser so you come out feeling silky smooth. It really is the perfect for a long soak on a Sunday night before the working week starts again.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture Match

I swiped this out of the beauty cupboard at work when I was running out of my No7 faithful. It really doesn't seem to last very long but I don't know if that's because I'm over generous. This particular one is suitable for normal to dry skin and I'm not really sure it's made a difference. It didn't make me break out - always a plus - but it didn't leave my skin feel brilliantly hydrated. It is a good size though to keep in your handbag should you require an emergency touch up when the dreaded dry skin appears.

Soap and Glory Girlgo Body Moisturising Mist

Yet another Soap and Glory gift. I use this straight after a shower on my arms to help keep them feeling soft. It works amazingly well and I really do notice the difference if I get lazy and don't apply it for a few days, It soaks in almost immediately and feels very lightweight on your skin. It's definitely a keeper!

Mark Hill Get Gorgeous Quick Fix Dry Shampoo

I received this in a goody bag when I popped along to a Boots event at the beginning of the year. All I can say is I'm very glad I didn't pay for it! It's very overpriced in my opinion and doesn't do nowhere near as good a job as Batiste does. It needs a lot of product to make a difference and towards the end of the day your hair is feeling greasy again. It was such a disappointment.


Sanctuary Body Butter

I much prefer butters over lotions and this one didn't disappoint. The lovely thick texture glides onto your skin and doesn't take an age to sink in. It's brilliant on dry patches such as knees and heels. The cocoa butter smell completely won me over and it'll definitely be something I'll be buying again.

Have you used any of these products?

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Holiday essentials

If you're anything like me, it can be a nightmare trying to condense your beauty products down to try and fit them in a suitcase when you go on holiday. They always seem to weigh an awful lot! These are just a few essentials that I believe are perfect for a trip away!

001. Toni and Guy Casual Sea Salt Texturising Spray
Hot weather can play havoc with your hair. I give up straightening my hair in the humidity as it just goes frizzy again anyway! I really can't be bothered to do anything fancy because let's face it, stuffing your face at dinner is much more important! This is where salt spray works wonders! I found this mini bottle worked a treat.

004. Caudalie Lip Conditioner
I've got to admit i'm a bit of a lip balm sell out, I carry so many around with me at once time and am constantly changing but this Caudalie product has a special place in my heart. I love the lipstick shape as it makes it so easy to apply and it doesn't go sticky nor does it melt in the heat. It works wonders on my lips, keeping them perfectly moisturised throughout the day ready for some lipstick in the evenings.

003. Etat Pur Biomimetique Micellar Cleansing Water c/o AX Paris goodie bag
I don't like to use cleansing water to take my make up off everyday - it's purely reserved for drunk and lazy nights. But a bottle of it is perfect for a holiday. It does everything so you don't need to carry around eye make up remover and a cleanser. I got this bottle in a goody bag from the Ax Paris event and it's doing it's job very nicely indeed.

004.Batiste original dry shampoo
Well i've spouted off enough rave reviews for this product so I really don't need to say anything other than make sure you pack it. It's a lifesaver to give your hair a bit of spring clean before you march down to the pool in the evening.

005. Ted Baker Rose, Vanilla, Sandalwood and Raspberry Body Spray
Sometimes perfume can feel to heavy in the daytime on holiday so I like to use a few spritzs of a body spray to keep me smelling fresh. They come in handy sized bottles and as they're made of plastic it helps to save a few kilos on your luggage allowance. Glass bottles can weigh a ton! This one was part of a Christmas gift set.

006. No 7 Protect and Prefect Night Cream
I have to use a cream at night otherwise my skin has a tantrum. This works great with the moisturiser below and helps to regenerate your sin overnight as it recovers from a day in the sun. I find the sun can be very drying!

007. No 7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream  Dry/Very Dry
I have to use a moisturising cream during the day and this one is perfect for taking on holiday. It had added spf so it doesn't matter too much if you forget to put suncream on your face first thing. Anyone else completely bypass their face too by accident?

008. Perfume samples
Like I mentioned earlier lugging a full size bottle of perfume on holiday can take up unnecessary weight. I tend to take a couple of perfume samples with me. That way you can have a different scent every night!

What are your holiday essentials?

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December empties

001. Original Batiste Dry Shampoo
I've been having a love affair with this product since I was 14. I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread when I discovered I no longer had to wash my hair everyday - anyone else find hair washing a chore? It's a complete god send for girls with fringes as I find this is the first part of my hair to go greasy. All you need is to rigerously massage the product in and voila perfectly style hair. It's also a winner to help add more volume.

002. Nivea Firming Body Oil
This was first brought on a whim as it was on special offer. I liked it so much that this is the third bottle. I'm going to put this out there and say I suffer from stretch marks on my legs thanks to an unwanted growth spurt at the age of 11. Oh woe is me! Therefore i'm always after a wonder product to help make them fade. This along with Palmers Cocoa Butter does them a world of good. It will probably work better if I used it twice a day - i'm just too lazy!

003. Boots Essentials Cucumber Cleansing Wipes
After being warned against using facewipes to remove make up - such a novice - i've switched over to make up remover. But these come in very handy for when i've had a few too many drinks and can't be bothered to go through the motions. They are nearly always on offer and if you keep them upside down they stay very moist. Nothing worse than a dry facewipe!

004.Nivea Visage Daily Essentials Refeshing Cleansing Lotion
My all time favourite cleanser is Caudalie but at £15 it's not always affordable so i'm always on the look out for other alternatives. This cleanser glides effortless on the skin and doesn't leave the area looking greasy. A little goes a long way so the bottles lasts for a very long time - making it great value for money.

005.Caudalie Fleur De Vigne
I went along to a Caudalie evening hosted by Glossybox and because I spent an absolute fortune - easily swayed - I was given this perfume as a free gift. It has a lovely fresh smell and is perfect for everyday when you don't want a overpowering scent.

006. GreenPeople Fruitful Nights night cream for younger looking skin
I recieved this in a Glossybox a little while ago. You can never tell how well a product works - in my opinon - from just using a sample. I can't tell you if it's a wonder product but I can tell you that it feels lovely on your skin! It does have a very clinical smell though which I wasn't over keen on.

Have you tried any of these products?

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