Beauty | John Frieda Sheer Blonde and Frizz-Ease

Sheer Blonde: Everlasting Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner 250ml*

Frizz-Ease Miraculous Recovery Intensive Masque 150ml*

Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum 50ml*

For a long time I have wanted a hair care routine as I've never really had one other than washing my hair. My hair has always been really funny when it comes to heat protectors and serums and I've never incorporated hair masks into my routine. That is until now, where I see the benefits of them and the difference it makes to my hair using them.

My natural hair colour is a very dark blonde/ash colour. Other than a spell of a few years where I was a brunette I have always been blonde and since the age of around 13 have always used bleach to highlight my hair and make it almost white blonde. To give my hair some kind of care I have cut down on how often I get it bleached. It used to be every month and it is now every other month, sometimes I'll even go two months. I've also gone from a full head of highlights to a half head (which I'm not complaining about due to the costs too!). As we're well into winter now I find that the cold, bitter air mixed with central heating can also be a killer for my locks making them quite dry, and finally due to a serious lack of sunshine my hair isn't keeping it's blondness due to the natural sunlight bleach and I start to notice a few more yellow-ey tones to my hair, which I can't stand. however, since using the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Everlasting Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner for blonde hair I've noticed that it has delayed this process, which to me is amazing. I use colour protecting shampoo and conditioners all the time, but none seem to prevent the discolouring as much as this shampoo and conditioner. However, the only downside which I find to the shampoo and conditioner is that if I use them often, everyday for a week or so, they begin to make my hair go slightly limp and look a little greasy much sooner than normal.

The John Frieda Intensive Masque and Hair Serum have also been added to my new routine. I've been using the Hair Masque once a week after shampooing my hair, and I cannot get over how soft my hair feels. Even my Mum who suffers from particularly frizzy hair has even commented on how well this product works for her. I have to say though, I can't choose what my favourite thing about the product is. If it's the way it leaves your hair so soft or the incredible fragrance it has as it uses Avocado Oil. The hair serum has also been brilliant for when I've had those unruly bed-hair days. All that's required is a small amount of product, the size of a pea, which is then put into the wet ends of your hair to give you that perfectly smooth, soft and shiny blow-dry.

These products have definitely kick-started my haircare routine and I can't wait to start trying more of the John Frieda range!

The Birthday Post: What I Got For My Birthday.

Good afternoon lovelies! After a lovely birthday weekend I have come back down to earth! My birthday weekend has been one incredible weekend and I'm so thankful to all my family, friends and wonderful boyfriend who well and truly spoilt me. On Friday 10th January, I turned 20 years old which was kinda scary, there's no going back to being a teenager any more and responsibilities and adulthood seem to come hurling at me!

On the Friday my Mum and I went to Bicester Village which is a designer outlet and all the items in the shops are a lot cheaper than what they cost in the regular shops. Mum and I shopped and ate until our bodies hurt! In the evening my boyfriend, Tyler, took me to my favourite Chinese where we had a lovely meal and spent the rest of the evening together. Saturday was Tyler's Mums birthday and his family and I went to our local Cosmos restaurant. If you haven't been to a Cosmos near you, you NEED to! It's an all you can buffet with nearly 300 dishes including dessert! And it's all different types of cuisine from Chinese to your typical English Roast Dinner and Thai, it's incredible! Finally, on the Sunday, I had a large family meal at Prezzos followed by an open house for tea, wine and birthday cake in the evening! It literally was such an incredible weekend and I was also spoilt and showered in gifts!

Firstly, perfume, bath and body and girly bits! Everyone knows how much I love bath smellies so I wasn't short of any this birthday followed by my favourite perfume at the moment, the Lady Gaga Fame perfume which smells divine! Candles and nail polish are also a big hit with me. I'm basically just a lover of anything girly!

Miscellaneous presents included my favourite TV show cook book from The Great British Bake Off, I can't wait for the new series to start again in the summer after watching the Sport Relief episodes! Katie Piper is also one of my idols and I'm beginning to learn so much from her, especially when it comes to positivity.

My Mum chose well when she picked the gold chunky chain for me from Accessorize! I've never been one for watches, partially because I feel that they just don't suit my small wrists, however, I just fell in love with this one and my Granny brought it for me.

Clothes are always essential at any birthday or Christmas!

The remainder of the Alcohol left! I can't wait to try the cocktails! When I'm out I'm not really adventurous with trying new cocktails as I feel as though if I don't like it I've wasted that money - I can be quite tight, haha!

Whilst shopping I treated myself to a gorgeous Ted Baker purse and Vivienne Westwood bracelet which I couldn't resist, I think we all need a little bit of something special in our lives!

Other presents which I didn't photograph were things like money and vouchers. There were also presents which I couldn't photograph such as Tyler surprised me with a trip to London to go one the London Eye, followed by the London Zoo and lastly a stop off at the Ice Bar, all things which I've talked about in the past and said I wanted to do, and it shall all be taking place this coming Saturday, I'm so excited, it feels like it'll be my birthday all over again! And finally, my Dad and Step Mum have paid to put Tyler and I up in the Marriot Hotel by Gatwick airport the night before we fly to Corfu as our flight is at 6 o'clock in the morning we were worrying about what to do and the costs of it all. Teamed up with my Mum there's also dinner and breakfast too! Which is hugely generous of them all. In fact all my friends and family have been so generous, I actually can't believe how lucky I am to be surrounded by such lovely people in my life and hopefully I'll have many more birthdays to celebrate with them all!

I'M 20! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

GOOD MORNING LOVELIES! Today I'm up bright and early and in the best mood ever because today is my birthday! I love celebrating birthdays and today I'm off to Bicester Village with my Mum to do some shopping followed by being taken out to dinner by my boyfriend in the evening at my favourite Chinese restaurant! Such a lucky girl! The whole weekend is filled with celebrations and I can't wait! Although I'm not sure how I feel about the being 20 bit! Now there's no return to being a teenager!

I'll be back to posting again after the weekend and may even do a post on my birthday and maybe even a 'what I got for my birthday' post if you'd like to see one?

Hope you all have a brilliant weekend!

Beauty | Soap & Glory: The Yule Monty

This Christmas one of my favourite presents was the Soap & Glory Yule Monty gift set. If you don't know by now, I am a massive Soap & Glory fan and the huge gift set just satisfies all my S&G needs!! The carry-case in which it all came in was also designed by Jonathan Saunders this year, and each year the case is designed differently, but this one will sure be a keeper to store all my products in!

Although you can no longer buy the gift set from Boots, all the products are individually available to buy and for what you pay, I consider them to be very worth when you also look at the quantity of the product. Each Christmas Soap & Glory also bring out a large gift set just like this one for around £60. However, just before Christmas there is always a period of time where the gift set goes down to less than half price, and when you think that about 3 of the products can individually cost £10 each, then that's a complete bargain, so it's always worth waiting for that offer!

As well as skin and body care Soap and Glory also do cosmetics. I'm yet to try any of their other products as I've only used the Thick & Fast Mascara which I adore, and am ever so near to running out, so this arrived just in time!

Some of the products here are dupes of what I already own, but personally I think you can never have enough Soap & Glory, although my boyfriend seems to think differently...

Full reviews on some of the products will be coming soon!

Fashion | What I Brought In The Sales

Everybody loves a good bargain, especially in the sales and to me it has become more apparent that the Christmas Sales are a part of my Christmas, sort of routine, if you like. Working at Next is brilliant when it comes to the sales, not so much so with the 6am start on Boxing Day but it does mean that working there we get first picks of what's going into the sale and I can't resist a few bargains! So here is what I picked up from Next in the sale and a few bits from various other places!

The shoes if I can recall are probably the most expensive thing I picked up with one pair costing £16, but that's still so cheap for such pretty shoes! The Jeggings were a great bargain at £12 once I find a style of Jean which I like I then have to have them in every colour and I haven't these yet, so what a bargain! Snuggly jumpers are always a must when it comes to winter shopping, the blue and gold cost £10 and the grey £14. Baring in mind that knickers and bras have individual costs I was able to pick up two complete sets for around £10 each! What a bargain?! Finally, the cream Gillet was £14, I brought it before the sale in brown but chose not to get the cream as it would probably always end up being dirty, but I couldn't resist it at that price!

Finally the faux leather skater style skirt from New Look was £10. I've wanted one for ages so was chuffed and the white bra and knicker set was brought in the Ann Summers sale. The Ann Summers sale makes buying bras so much more affordable! I'm really pleased with all my sale buys and can't wait to wear them all!

What did you buy in the sale?!

Lifestyle | What I Got For Christmas

This post isn't a post about me bragging about what I received for Christmas, because to be honest, I found the generosity of my family, boyfriend and friends slightly overwhelming! No, I am writing this post because I enjoy reading others posts on what they received for Christmas or even birthdays, and I know I'm not the only one!

I received lots of lovely girly bits and pieces for my room. It's currently in the process of having new licks of paint on it and a few new bits of furniture, but I take so much pride in how my room looks and I'm always looking for more bits and pieces to make it look even more beautiful. The Katie Piper books were one of my favourites, I love Katie, and she truly is my inspiration. I think I may do posts on these especially the Start Your Day With Katie, I'm gaining my own positivity from her little quotes each day. And I've fallen head over heels for my onesie. It's from Next, and so incredibly soft, Mum couldn't resist getting it for me!

 

Again, I was a lucky girl and got the Kindle Paperwhite. I'd had the original kindle for just over a year before the screen broke, and I'm lucky enough to get a new one this Christmas, and I can't believe just how much better the Paperwhite is to the original. It means no more reading in bed and falling asleep with the light on! And of course, no Christmas is complete without lots of bath smellies!

 

The Soap and Glory Yule Tide Monty set was a favourite this year, I now have even more to add to my collection! Somehow Mum always manages to source pretty undies sets for Christmas which I love to bits. But it's always a bit awkward opening up a set of silk lacy underwear in front of your boyfriend and then the rest of your family, I think they knew what he was thinking just from the look on his face! The above picture are the presents which my gorgeous boyfriend spoiled me with. He has truly been incredible this year and I can't believe how lucky I was. The ring also came as a bit of a surprise as I had given many hints to which he said there was no way I was getting it on this earth. So after everyone had opened their presents he then finally presented me with it. There was a slight heart stopping moment where I did think he was going to propose, and so did the rest of my family! Haha.

Sadly, it's really hard to get a good picture of just how beautiful the ring is, it's silver with a diamond set in gold, and I absolutely love it and haven't stopped wearing it since!

Even now, reminiscing over Christmas I'm almost having to stop myself from welling up! Christmas 2013 has just been breathtaking. I spent the day with all my loved ones including my family, and Tyler's family. I ate tonnes of incredible food, although I didn't get merry due to being a responsible driver! Now more than ever so, I am incredibly grateful and in love with all the wonderful people in my life!

What did you get for Christmas?!

Lifestyle | 2014

Image taken from WeHeartIt

For those of you reading this post I want to wish you a very Happy New Year and welcome back to Glitter and Sparkle for 2014. Honestly, just where did 2013 go? I know towards to end of the year I stopped blogging quite a lot but that was due to starting university and settling into a new routine and also, technology has seriously been failing on me recently when it comes to my Laptop and the internet! However, I'm back and I have lots planned!

2013 was a brilliant year for me which at the beginning of the year saw me turn 19 and be whisked away for a lovely weekend in Paris by my boyfriend. Throughout the year I accomplished many things such as passing my driving test, doing well at college and receiving an A*AA in my college course which then led to me starting University in Oxford which has been the highlight of my year and most probably one of the best things I have ever done as I've met the best people and friends ever through it. I've also fallen head over heels in love with my course and can't wait to become a primary school teacher! All in all I've had such great year in 2013 and have had so much fun and made so many incredible memories. There's also so much to look forward to for 2014 starting with my 20th birthday next week and celebrating our two year anniversary with Tyler. How exciting?!

I'm not going to set any goals for 2014 other than to remain always happy and positive!

Hope you all had a good Christmas and new year, a late What I Got for Christmas post will be coming soon!

Just a quick photo of Tyler and I just after midnight on New Years Eve!