Winter Warmers

I am someone who loves snow. But more when I don't need to be anywhere or do anything, i.e. over Christmas is a great time to snow for me. When everything seems to grind to a halt and I have to come home it's a little annoying. Today we were finally hit by the snow that has been threatening us, never appearing and seeming to fall everywere else, and it got us pretty good. I made the effort to get into my work only to do half a day because everything was cancelled. I would also enjoy snow a little more as someone I overheard today said "I wish snow was warm." I do too! I will just enjoy it by looking from my window in the warmth and comfort of my flat. Here's a little snippet of south east London just after sunset.My journey to work can take me anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour since I rely on public transport so when it's chilly I need to find ways to keep myself warm. At the weekend I had a little ponder around TK Maxx for a flask, I went there specifically because I wanted a proper design brand that would keep my drink hot, not just one that looks pretty. Thermos is a godsend as far as I'm concerned. I'm also loving cable knit clothing like this assymetric jumper and tri-flower headband I purchased in New Look. Thermal leggings are from Primark, I usually wear these under something when I'm not indoors. The socks are tube socks for skiing purchased from a sports shop. All in all, I'm pretty toasty. "Warm" smells are a huge hit for me this time of year too. Since around Halloween, I can't get enough of anything cinnamon or gingery smelling. I found this candle in TK Maxx by Our Own Candle Company. TK Maxx is a great place for jar candles like this. They don't sell any Yankee candles, but there's a few brands pretty similar, I particularly like this one because they're made from soya, and I love the tankard design. This one has three scents so I shouldn't get bored of it and it really fragrances my room nicely. This one is priced at £6.99 which isn't bad value for a candle of this quality, and there's lots of other lush scents to choose from.

What are your favourite winter warmers?

Beauty Product of the Month: October - Naked Colour Protection Shampoo & Conditioner

There was a gap in the market that I feel Naked products have come along and filled very nicely. Natural beauty products that are effective and affordable. I was looking for a new shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair and attracted to this brand with its 97% natural tag. My hair has become somewhat damaged since summer, with constant washing and sun damage on top of the dying I’ve been subjecting my hair to. My hair is in dire need of some treatments and a good quality shampoo. I’m a big believer that nature knows best, with Lush being one of my favourite shops to buy from. What I like about Naked products compared to Lush is that they come in a conventional form, i.e. liquid form in a bottle. I know this is not great news for the environment, solid shampoos are a lot kinder, but this is what I’m used to and find the easiest method, in terms of storing and using the product. Using the Naked shampoo is different to more conventional, less natural shampoos however, and when applying to my hair, I did wonder where the lather was! I think we’ve become conditioned to believing that SLS’s are necessary for cleaning our hair, clothes, dishes, or whatever other products they can be found in. Whilst SLS’s are effective detergents, the lathering of these products is not responsible for cleaning and there are plenty of alternatives out there which are safer to use. Naked does not contain SLS or any parabens which are responsible for preserving the product, and it does not lather. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t clean effectively and you don’t need to use more of the product to compensate. My hair is naturally quite oily at the roots, so the only disadvantage with this product is I have to work it well into my scalp to remove the oil. I’m more than happy to do this though if it means using a shampoo that doesn’t have any grey areas surrounding the safety of it.

I love the smell of this shampoo, it contains sunflower extract and cinnamon with the latter lingering in your hair after washing. I suppose it’s not for everybody but personally I love this smell, and it’s proven to help preserve the colours in your hair. I use the matching conditioner, which is more sunflower extract based and still smells appealing even if I can’t quite place the scent. After shampooing, your hair can feel a little dry and limp, but the conditioner helps to put back the moisture and volume and after drying, I’m happy with the results. There are a few variations of this shampoo and conditioner for different hair types, and at the bargainous price of £3.91 for a 250ml bottle it’s worth a look at. Often in places like Boots this product is on offer too so there’s another incentive!