Tag Archives: Beauty

Everyday Strategies for Healthier, Shinier Locks

Hair is more than just a style statement—it’s a reflection of your health, habits, and how you treat yourself. Over time, our hair can begin to look tired: lacking shine, brittle to the touch, or thinning from stress, styling, or environmental exposure. While the beauty industry is packed with quick fixes and trend-driven treatments, true hair revival comes from consistent, thoughtful care. If your hair feels dry, dull, or generally lifeless, there are sustainable ways to bring it back to life.

One of the most common causes of tired hair is over-washing. While it might feel refreshing to shampoo daily, this can strip your scalp of its natural oils, leading to dryness and an overproduction of sebum to compensate. For most hair types, washing two to three times a week is enough. In between, dry shampoo or gentle rinsing with water can help keep your hair fresh without disrupting its natural balance.

In addition to how often you wash your hair, the products you use matter just as much. Sulphate-free shampoos, for instance, cleanse without being overly harsh, while silicone-free conditioners prevent buildup that can weigh hair down. If you colour your hair, it’s essential to use products specifically designed for colour protection, as these maintain the vibrancy and health of dyed strands.

Another culprit behind lacklustre hair? Neglecting the scalp. A healthy scalp is the foundation of healthy hair. Regularly massaging your scalp stimulates blood flow, which in turn encourages hair growth. You can do this with your fingers or use a scalp brush for gentle exfoliation. Adding a weekly scalp treatment—whether it’s a detox mask or nourishing oil—can also help to remove buildup and restore balance.

health

Heat styling is a common part of many people’s routines, but frequent use of hot tools can take a major toll on your hair. This is where quality equipment makes a big difference. The BLOW dryer by mdlondon offers a powerful yet gentle drying experience that protects the hair’s natural moisture. Its ionic technology reduces frizz, while its lightweight, ergonomic design makes it easy to use on a daily basis. With multiple heat and speed settings, it’s ideal for adapting to your specific hair needs—providing a polished finish without unnecessary damage.

Bring back hair health

Beyond tools and products, nutrition plays a key role in hair health. Hair is made primarily of keratin, a protein, so ensuring you get enough protein in your diet is vital. Vitamins like B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids all contribute to the strength, shine, and thickness of your hair. If you notice your hair thinning or breaking easily, it may be worth evaluating your diet or speaking to a healthcare professional about supplements.

Protective styling is another smart way to reduce damage and revive tired hair. Loose buns, plaits, and silk scrunchies minimise tension on the hair shaft and reduce breakage. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is a small change that can yield big results—it reduces friction overnight and helps preserve your hair’s natural oils.

For hair that’s especially dry or brittle, deep conditioning treatments can be a game changer. Weekly masks, leave-in conditioners, or even a few drops of hair oil applied to damp ends can dramatically improve texture and hydration over time. Look for ingredients like shea butter, argan oil, and keratin for deep repair.

And finally, be patient. Hair grows at an average rate of about half an inch per month, and true revival doesn’t happen overnight. Consistency is the key. Build a routine that works for your lifestyle and hair type, and stick to it. Avoid constantly switching products or jumping on the latest fads—healthier hair responds best to stability.

In a world where hair is so often styled to perfection, it’s easy to forget that its health matters more than its appearance. But when you prioritise care over cover-up, your hair doesn’t just look better—it is better. With the right balance of gentle styling, nourishing ingredients, and protective habits, even the most tired hair can be revived to full, radiant health.

Day to night face; Simple steps.

After a long day at work, the prospect of heading straight to an evening event can be daunting, especially when it comes to your makeup. The makeup that carried you through morning meetings and afternoon deadlines might not hold up under the dim lights and vibrant atmosphere of a night out. Refreshing and enhancing your daytime look is essential to ensure you appear polished and ready for whatever the evening holds. This transformation doesn’t require starting from scratch; with a few strategic adjustments, you can seamlessly transition your look, maintaining the foundation of your daytime makeup while adding elements of glamour and sophistication.

Transforming your makeup look from day to night is an essential skill for those with busy lifestyles, social commitments, or spontaneous plans. The ability to seamlessly transition your appearance ensures you’re always ready for any occasion, be it a professional setting or an evening out. The key lies in understanding how to enhance and adapt your daytime makeup into a more dramatic and glamorous evening look with minimal effort and time.

Going from day to night the easy way

Daytime makeup typically focuses on a fresh, natural appearance—light foundation, subtle eyeshadow, and a hint of blush for a polished yet understated look. Building on your existing daytime makeup without adding more foundation or concealer is a smart strategy to prevent a cakey appearance while achieving a seamless transition to a nighttime look.
Lightly dusting a loose powder to set your face should have ensured it stayed in place from its initial application and extended its wear without the need for extra layers. Opting for a tinted powder would offer you additional coverage if desired for the evening, providing a seamless transition without the risk of a heavy overdone finish.

As the day progresses into night, these elements can be intensified to add sophistication and allure. For instance, swapping a nude lipstick for a bold, vibrant colour instantly elevates your look. Adding a bolder lip colour can transform your daytime makeup into an evening-appropriate look, instantly adding sophistication and drama. Use a lip brush for more precision to ensure clean lines and a flawless finish, enhancing the overall impact of your bold lip.

day to night

To take a simple eye look from day to night, start by intensifying the existing makeup. Begin by darkening the crease with a deeper eyeshadow shade, such as a rich brown or charcoal, to add depth and dimension. Blend well to avoid harsh lines and ensure a seamless transition. Next, introduce a pop of colour to create a striking evening look. Vibrant blue eyeliner is an excellent choice for this purpose, adding a bold and trendy element to your makeup. Layering on mascara or adding falsies can also transform your eyes from subtle to striking. 

Highlighting and contouring also play crucial roles in this transition, providing depth and dimension under different lighting conditions. A touch of shimmer on the cheekbones, brow bones, and inner corners of the eyes can create a radiant, evening-appropriate glow. 

day brushes

Once your makeup is complete, mist your face with a setting spray to lock everything in place and keep your makeup looking fresh throughout the night. By following these steps, you can build on your existing daytime makeup while avoiding a cakey appearance, ensuring you look effortlessly glamorous. By mastering these techniques, you can effortlessly take your makeup from day to night, ensuring you look and feel your best no matter where your evening takes you.

Why A Smile Is All You Need

There is something that is life-affirming about smiling. It is such a simple thing but has the power to change how we feel and how people around us feel too. A smile can put people at ease, make them feel better, or be a short way to engage. 

There are many studies on how smiling impacts how we perceive people and how they perceive us too.

In a study, 88% of people polled said that they would remember someone who had an attractive smile, and 92% of them said that an attractive smile is one of the most important social assets.

You can never underestimate the power of a great smile, how powerful it can be in everyday life and your working environment.

The great thing about smiling is, your smile doesn’t need to be perfect; you just have to love it. Most people wish their smile was a little whiter, brighter and straighter! Luckily all those things are possible – you can get great whitening toothpaste and check out ALIGNERCO results

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Photo by Wyron A on Unsplash

But what are the benefits of having a great smile?

Contagious 

As we go about our daily lives, we never know what other people are going through. For a few passing moments, you can give a smile to a stranger and usually, they will provide you with a smile in return. 

That simple act of sharing a small smile between strangers can pass on for the rest of the day. Not everyone will automatically smile when you smile at them, but most people do.

And then, more than likely, they’ll smile at someone and someone else while at someone else. And it will carry on throughout the day. And that smile started with you.

Typically when you’re around positive, happy people, you tend also to take that mindset on yourself. Although we can’t be positive, happy and smiling all the time, the more often you do it, the more contagious it becomes.

Stress reduction

The most significant benefits of smiling are that when we smile, our body releases a massive amount of endorphins, and the more you do it, the more you get. These endorphins, when you smile, even if it’s a fake smile, can help your mood become better by reducing your stress levels.

It’s not just about your stress levels either; once your body becomes flooded by these happy hormones, including serotonin, this can also help reduce your blood pressure. Both of those things combined can help you to feel happier and healthier.

Real beauty

Beauty is about how we feel about ourselves; although there are societal versions of love, beauty is they are now changing. One study showed that people found a simple smile more attractive than having a full face of makeup.

Of course, it is up to you to decide how you feel beautiful but whatever you do, make sure your smile is part of it.

A smile is part of our arsenal of things that can help us feel great; here are some others: Boost Your Confidence: Tips to Help You Feel Good About Yourself | U Can’t Wear That! 

 

Make Your Beauty Regime More Eco-Friendly

We’d all like to reduce our ecological footprint, whether it’s increasing the number of recyclable products we use to making a conscious effort to cycle, walk or use public transport to get around. We want to ensure our planet remains green and healthy for future generations and prevent further damage already caused to delicate eco-systems across the globe.

You don’t have to make massive lifestyle changes to support the planet. Instead, you could create a bigger impact by making lots of smaller tweaks that you don’t notice as much. Encouraging these changes in your personal and family life is the first step to a brighter future.

So, don’t rush to throw out your disposable tableware or plastic cups. Swap them out for an eco-friendly alternative and look at bio-degradable options in your local party supply store. Likewise, tossing your plastic bags out now means they are likely to spend years decomposing in a landfill or (more horrifyingly) end up in the ocean. Reuse the plastic bags you have lying around until they can function no more, small changes like this could mean big improvements for the planet.

While there are plenty of things we can do in our day-to-day life to become eco-friendlier. Have you considered how you can reduce the waste and become more environmentally-friendly in your beauty regime?

In the Shower

Have you got a shampoo or conditioner you always use and are constantly having to buy? Consider looking for a bulk-size bottle alternative or contact the manufacturer to see if they can offer one. This can cut down on a tremendous amount of plastic waste. Alternatively, swap to a shampoo bar – no plastic, just product and you use it just the way you’d normally use shampoo, rub the bar on your hair and rinse away.

Make Your Beauty Regime More Eco-Friendly 1

This also applies to shower gels and liquid dispensers – stop using plastic packaged solutions and instead switch to a bar of soap. There are plenty of companies that offer everything from organic to hypoallergenic soap, without drastically harming your bank balance.

At the Sink

Did you know 50 million pounds of plastic waste is generated every year in the United States by…toothbrushes? Amazing, when you think about it. That’s an estimated 850 million to over a billion toothbrushes and it’s only one country (Although quite a big one). The eco-friendlier option is to use a bamboo toothbrush, a recent market development that is becoming more popular in the UK.

Toothpaste becomes a bit difficult, aside from the obvious – switch to larger packs of your favourite brand, there isn’t a lot of choice for ditching the plastic. Recently, some eco-friendly cosmetic companies have offered “chewable toothpaste” – a solid toothpaste tablet that you chew on to release the cleaning foam. These are great alternative to normal toothpaste and won’t cost you the earth either.

Make Your Beauty Regime More Eco-Friendly 2

Out the Door

Have you ever considered skipping your daily or alternate day shower? I know what you’re thinking but hear me out. There IS an eco-friendly alternative and it’s not going to leave you the unpopular one. Several water-free body washes have been popping up on the market and they’ve been taking the world a little bit by surprise with the quality. Cleansers that foam up as you pump so there’s even less wet mess and many of them can be simply towelled off once you have refreshed.

Combined with a solid bar deodorant that acts as a roll-on and you’ll not only smell great and feel fresh, but you could be saving as much as 45litres of water. Wow.

 

Like we mentioned before, you don’t need to make big changes to have a big impact. All these little adjustments to your day routine will quickly add up over the long-term. It also won’t cost you a fortune to be eco-friendlier, buying bigger packages will eventually save you money. While the package-less alternatives aren’t unreasonably expensive like they have been in the past. So, what are you waiting for? Make a small change to your regime today and start saving the world for tomorrow!

 

Beauty for me in 2017

Having been a beauty/makeup influencer on YouTube years ago and working as a makeup artist in London and just loving to paint my face in general, beauty has been a big part of my life for many years now.

I have started to lose inspiration as I haven’t been working in makeup since I moved away from London so I really want to incorporate makeup and beauty into my blog to get me excited again and also to make more use of the abundance of beauty products and makeup that I own lol

2016 was a very quiet makeup year for me, I pretty much did the same natural makeup look each time I had to put a face on and I want to make 2017 much more exciting and experiment so much more.

With my blog being named ucantwearthat I love to dispel myths about what fat people/black people etc can and can’t wear. I have recently posted pics and a video on Instagram of myself playing around with pink and green makeup highlighters by Radioactive Unicorn to show that when used correctly they can be brown girl friendly.

I realise beauty products are much more than just makeup and skin care however. A large chunk of the population use spray tanning and self tan products as party of their beauty regime. I personally have only used a self tan lotion once just to see if it made any difference, the skin tone on my legs is very fair so I used self tan to see if it would even up my skintone to match the rest of my body, it didn’t, but it did give me a beautiful golden glow to my skin which was really pretty. As not all of my readers are my skintone I still wanted to mention tanning products as part of my post for popular beauty trends Ellison supply spray tanning kits has a tonne of products to help create that gorgeous summer tan without having to go on a holiday. Tanning products are definitely something I would use again but most likely on my face this time as I really like the health glow it gave my skin.

Something else I want to play around with more this year is unusual lip colours, again just to show people that no matter your skintone all areas of beauty are open to us.

Look forward to more beauty related posts from me this year as well as more make up of the day and tutorials. I intend to revisit my beauty YouTuber days and play around with a lot more beauty products and trends.