"Why are you so skinny?"

This isn't the typical type of post from me today, It's a somewhat controversial post, that I hope plenty of you can sink your teeth into (do not bite too hard, this is not a debate).

Let me start by saying that I am 5ft4" and weigh 7st5lb (if you are unsure of these measurments, by all means convert them yourself) and have been the same height and weight for 2 years. Before I hit puberty, I'm pretty sure you would have taken one look at me and said "She is WAY too thin", and let me tell you, I was. I was 5ft4" before I even sprouted boobies, hips and bottom and I looked HIDEOUS. I would look in the mirror and despise what I saw.

"why don't I have boobs like my friends do?" "why do all my bones poke out at every angle?" "where are my hips?" "why am I so skinny?"

I absolutely HATED it. I'd also like to point out, I in no way, shape, or form have ever had an eating disorder, those of you who know me, will know I eat whenever I like and whatever I like. Even then, I ate like a normal 14/15 year old girl. Pizzas, Burgers, Chips, Mcdonalds, Fizzy drinks. I ate no less than the average kid...yet why was I so incredibly skinny? The answer here is simply "Metabolism". My metabolism is what i'd like to call "super metabolism". For those of you who don't know what metabolism is, it's basically a chemical reaction that happens in all your living organisms to help maintain life, in non scientific forms, the rate at which your body burns calories and breaks down fat. Having a high metabolism means that it is impossible for me to put on weight, and maintain it. My body breaks down fat and burns calories at a stupidly fast rate. Now I know for a fact, that many of you will be reading this thinking "Shut up Nagiiba, I'd absolutely LOVE to have a high metabolism"..but let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Whilst going through my teen stages of being a skinny bean pole, it had serious affect on the way I saw myself and the way others saw me. It's pretty steriotypical that the fat kid in class doesn't want to get into a swimming costume or be seen getting undressed for P.E, or get bullied or called names. I felt exactly the same way. I hated having to go swimming as people would point and stare at me for being so skinny, I'd hate having to get undressed and I did get called things and when I tried to put on weight, it was absolutely impossible. It also made me feel like crap. Think the reverse of a diet. I was essentially eating shit, crap, fatty foods to try and put weight on, therefore feeling groggy, tired and miserble.

You always hear about larger people going through a tough time trying to lose weight, slim people can go through just as much of a tough time trying to put it on, but nobody ever really thinks of that.

"Are you anorexic", "you need to put some weight on", "You are a bag of bones", "why are you so boney", "why are you so skinny", "get some meat on your bones", "are you okay?"

All this you would kind of expect from curious school children, but what astonishes me, is that people still ask me these things. People I don't know. Quite strange as I now have boobs (of a generous size), hips, and wobbly bottom (yes, it wobbles...Just being honest haha) and I have filled out quite noticeably. Yet people still think it's okay to say these things? Would you say these things to someone who was noticeably larger than the average person?

"Are you obese?", "You need to lose weight", "You are a big bag of fat", "why are you so fat?", "You need to get some meat off those bones of yours", "Are you..okay?"

No. You just wouldn't would you. So why is it acceptable to ask a skinny person questions of the same criteria? Do you think it doesn't affect them the same way it would someone who was fat?

I was at the doctors 2 days ago, getting my prescription contraceptive pill, and as a standard procedure every few years, they weigh me, and check my height; just so they have the most recent details as possible. I had a different nurse than I normally do, and she made me feel really awkward and a bit, down. She measured me fine,

"Oh, 5ft4, yep, you're exactly the same height".

But when it came to weighing me, she made me feel very uncomfortable.

"When was the last time you weighed yourself? Recently?"
"No, I never weigh myself" 
"Okay, well, if it's okay with you, I'm going to weigh you, you don't have to look"

Now I felt confused. Why wouldn't I want to look? I don't care what I weigh, but this nurse clearly thought I did.

"No, it's fine, I don't care about looking"
"Okay great...just step on then...hmmm"
"What?"
"You're the same weight exactly"
"Oh really! Okay"
"Yeh...are both your parents very skinny?" 
"er..yeh they are actually"

She was now looking at me with concern.

"Okay, well, your BMI is lower than it should be"
"I know, it always has been"
"Oh okay...well, keep your eye on that"

I then walked away thinking, "had this been someone with a BMI that was slightly over average, would she have asked the same questions?", would she have asked "Are both your parents fat?"

I hate that we have a BODY MASS INDEX, that we must all live by? Who decides what BMI we should be anyway? Who cares if i'm "slightly" below average, who cares if you're slightly above it? As long as you feel happy in the skin you are in, is that not all that matters? Yes, I may seem smaller and skinnier than the average person, but I'm happy at the moment. If I put on any weight (which is impossible for me to do anyway) I'm almost sure it would all just go on my face and bottom. If I was to exercise, I'd be even skinnier, which as a result, means I'm incredibly unfit. Seriously, I'll run up a flight of stairs and need to down a litre of water and catch my breath for 5 minutes. How bad is that?

There are still things I absolutely hate about my body, and they won't change. I hate my hands. Who wants boney, old lady, veiny hands? haha. I also hate my legs, It's pretty impossible for me to put on weight, but for some reason, any weight I do carry, is everywhere BUT my legs. Skinny little ankles and shapeless legs anyone? I am however, much more content with the way I am at the moment. I still wish I could be a little bigger, but I have the joy of being able to scoff a whole tub of ben and jerrys and not have to worry. Trust me though, my skin and organs probabaly do not appreciate this, and I'm very unhealthy. You won't ever catch me eating a bowl of salad or nuts & raisins. I am almost sure my metabolism will not stay this way forever, it will all catch up with me, and then my decade of eating rubbish food, and having little exercise will probabaly result in me waking up and being 10x bigger. Think "Shallow Hal".

I recently got upset by someone I hardly know, in fact they may aswell have been a stranger, approaching me and saying "Nagiiba, you are SO skinny". For a start...how the hell do you even respond to something like that? I think I just stood with my mouth open, wondering what on earth made it okay to say something like that? What was going on in this persons mind? I eventually just walked away. Sometimes saying nothing is the best thing to do. This person then returned to say "You need to put some weight on..no seriously". C'mon? Really? I was firstly very embarassed, and secondly gutted. Would this person have said the same thing to a fat person? Nope. Because calling someone fat is seen as an insult, but calling someone out to be too skinny...is apparently acceptable? I think commenting on anybodies weight is unnaceptable. Who are you to judge someone by the size of them?

"That person is fat, they must eat nothing but mcdonalds and sit on their arse all day"
"That person is skinny, she probably has an eating disorder and needs help"

It's really not fair. Nobody ever takes into account genes, metabolism, bone structure, medical problems. There are thousands or reasons people are how they are, and why people are the size they are. The above statements may be true in some cases, but for the majority, it's probabaly not.

So, is calling someone skinny really acceptable? Or, do you agree with me that it's just as insensitive as calling someone fat? As as naturally skinny person, I can tell you that it's not very nice being called out for being "too skinny", especially as i tried so hard to put weight on, and wanted so desperately to be "of average size" as I was growing up. It's a bit of a touchy subject but one I wanted to address. I get a weird amount of people asking me my height and weight, and a part of me thinks they are trying to suss out if im underweight in a very sly and kinda creepy way. So now at least i've answered that for you...weirdos. ;)

Moral of the story here though, is that I don't really think it's ever acceptable to comment on anybody's weight, skinny or fat. Why should you ever be allowed an opinion on someone else's body or way of life? You can think it in your head, but the minute you open your mouth it becomes very dangerous, that is of course unless you are opening your mouth to give a compliment, by all means do this. haha. If YOU are happy with the way you look, that's all that matters, and if you aren't, chances are you are doing something about it and working towards something you know you will make you happy.

Everybody is different, and nobody is perfect. It would be a very boring place if this wasn't the case.

Ask me anything...

I figured now i have so many new followers, you might all like to get to know me a little better & i think this could be fun.

So ive devised an idea which means you can ask me ANY questions you like,
they can be about makeup, personal life, hobbies..absolutely anything. (within reason haha)
I will give you a week to get your questions in & i will answer them in a blogpost.

Get creative guys, i wanna see some good questions!

And because i couldn't leave the blogpost bare with no pictures, have this one.Email me your questions guys at nagiibageorgioua@gmail.com or tweet me at @nagiibaabdulah

Land of Soap & Glory.

I am ever a fan of gimmicky/pretty packaging...and yes..shallowly..it sucks me right in.

This is what happened to me & my mum (She is now a super fan of Soap & Glory).
In Boots at the moment, there is an offer on with all Soap & Glory products, so if you haven't tried anything from this fabulous range, i suggest now would be the perfect time to!
I was in a smaller local boots when i came across alot more of the range i hadn't ever seen before (Alot only stock the the more general items such as the shower gels..body lotions and the more popular things like the hand food)
So...of course i thought i had to try some.

First is the Wipes. Honestly, i just got these because they are adorable. & claim to tighten pores, cleanse & tone and remove makeup. Thumbs up!
They also smell AMAZING!
I will definitely be getting some more of these. They look pretty on my dressing table :)

The Eye Gel

This claims to immediately tighten and heighten the skin under the eyes, and leave it nicely moisturised.
It includes depuffing caffeine, pro- vitamin panthenol & soothing aloe vera juice!

If you look at it in the light, it has purpley/pink/green reflexs in it. And looks SO pretty. It also feels so nice under your eyes, not your usual cooling effect but more a tingly warming one. I really cant say anything more than that as i havent been using it for long. But so i far i really like it.

Glow Job (snigger)

Yes..im immature, this name is bordering rude...thankfully it's not. :)
The box says : Squeeze a pea sized measure of glow job onto your fingerstips, then rub together to release the bronze from inside the beads and blend. Apply to your face in upward circular motions then just get up and glow!

Freshly squeezed...

You can see the bronze beads here..

You can see the final result here. A nice faux tan effect. It's also nice and dewy. I don't own any face products to give a "washable tan effect". And this one has fab results, good for nights out and on days were you're feeling particularly pale and pasty. Which is most days for me...as i find it almost impossible to tan my face...must be because i have dry skin!? who knows. :)

The Fab Pore Intense Action Pore-Refining Facial Peel
[Mouthful much?]

This stuff smells FAB! That's one thing i truly love about all Soap & Glory products and its the way they smell. My HG body scrub is from Soap & Glory...and to be honest..i have attempted to eat some. It smelt good but i wouldnt advise munching any. :)

I think even the fact it's called "facial peel" is exciting as you truley imagine it to peel off the layers of skin which are no good. I have yet to try this mask, but i can tell you that the consistency on my hand was just as a facemask should be, and when i washed it off, the skin on my hand felt SO soft.
I don't have very visible pores on my face, but i do have a few. So i can report back for those of you who are self conscious about pores, and are looking for a solution for minimizing them.

Heel Genius Soak-In Foot Mask

Now i don't know about you, but my favourite foot mask's are those that you slather all over your tootsies before bed, whack on some cotton socks, let it do it's magic, wake up to reveal soft feet?
Let's be honest, it is the easier option to getting the footspa out.
Again, a massive thumbs up for the scent. It has a sortof sunlotion smell. & i do love that, reminds me of summer. (not that we're really experiencing any summer at the moment)
It's also got a really silky consitency and melts into the skin so easily. When i washed this off my hand i was shocked at how soft it was. *Smoothes back of hand over cheek*
Can't wait to treat my feet with this :)

I really can't reccommend Soap & Glory products highly enough. The packaging is genius & they apply a sense of humour to their products aswell.
Gimmicky names, FAB scents, Amazing packaging (i can't really bring myself to throw the boxes away) & they even put beauty tips on the boxes too...
I like this one..
"Wear sunscreen on your face everyday, or in 20 years you could be wearing it as a belt"

Give Soap & Glory a go! I have yet to be let down by any of their products.
www.soapandglorycosmetics.com

2000 Followers & Blog Contest

Oh my goodness.

I have 2000 blog followers.
This is madness i tell thee.
I only started this for a bit of fun & i'm so so greatful so many of you enjoy reading the things i have to say or like looking at my ugly mug once in a while. :)

So, i always said, if i ever reached 2000 blog followers, i would hold a contest..and to be honest, it's a very good time to have it.

I'd been thinking for a while what i could do to involve everyone & to get all your creative juices flowing.
As some of you may know, (or may not), Moulin Rouge is one of my favourite films.
I love the costumes, the glamour and more importantly, all the sparkly bits and diamonds.
So, for this reason..my blog contest is simply called...

"Diamonds are a girl's best friend"

Because, lets put it this way...they are.

Now, i know some of you may be scratching your heads like "seriously Nagiiba..how i am supposed to create a makeup look around diamonds"
well i'll give you some ideas i had come up with myself...

• You could quite literally just do a vampy Satine-esq look - Go all out with hair, makeup costumes..what ever you fancied.
• Use sequins on your face/around eyes
• Encorporate Diamonte's on eyelashes or around eyes
• Glitter & lots of it..or, if you want to be more subtle, then thats fine :)
• Or, even get geometric with the shaping and cut of diamonds
• Use of the reflective colours in a diamond

These are just a few examples.
I know alot of you will read this and think "oh well i cannot be arsed to do this"
Please don't think that you need to do any of this above, just show me something sparkly & pretty or moulin rouge themed. You dont need to go all out with wigs and dresses but i want to see some creativity. All my A Levels are in Photography, Art & Textiles, so i'd like to see how everyone can produce something different as i am a very creative person myself.

But most importantly, just have fun with it.

The rules are as follows:

• Produce a look based on the title of the contest
• Send me images by E-mail with the subject "Diamonds are a girls best friend" and include a very brief description of why you chose to do what you did.
• You do not have to do the makeup on yourself if you don't wish to, plaster your friend in glitter instead :)
• Contest will end in a months time, so that will be the 21st of August 2013 at midnight GMT (woop)
• Please don't be stingy & get someone else to do it for you, it ruins the fun & is betrayal. haha
• I will be judging the contest entries, along with my friends & family

• There will be a first prize for those who live in the UK, and a first prize for those who live overseas & one runner up who can live anywhere in the world. :)

That's all you need to know folks.
What better time of the year to get your sparkly makeup out? AND, if you're like me, and you always want to glam yourself up with reams of glitter, but never feel you can as it will be too O.T.T, this gives you the perfect excuse.

Review: Liz Earle - Skincare Miracle

I want to start off by saying that I know there are a good few Liz Earle reviews floating about on the Internet, but if you know me, and you know my blog, then anything I choose to rave about, I really love or desperately want to share my opinions of with you, so I hope this helps a lot of you.

I was actually sent the cleanse & polish, along with the toner and moisturiser in December. You could say this review is long overdue, but I wanted to get full use of the products in order to review them properly. I don't know if its just me, but I don't particularly want to read an opinion on a product that someone has used for a week. When I was sent the products, I hadn't heard too much about Liz Earle & I hadn't ever used a muslin cloth in conjunction with a cleanser. Nor had I ever applied cleanser to a dry face, so it was all a very new experience. One which I shall now be using for the rest of my life.

I was also sent this cute little travel pack, which includes: Superbalm, Moisturiser, Toner & Hand cream. I have also used all this up.

The Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I'll start by talking about the first, and most important step in the Liz Earle regime, and that's cleansing. For a start, the bottle is genius. You just pump out as much as you need, which then ensures there's no mess, and no squeezing necessary (something you really do appreciate when you are coming to the end of the tube - How annoying is it when you have to start squeezing product within an inch of your life like a toothpaste tube). You then apply the cleanser (which I'd also like to add, smells absolutely divine - really natural) to a dry face or full face of makeup. At first, I found this odd and hard to get used to, but after a while it became such a lovely treat. I don't know about you, but I hate having to splash my face with water as it mostly ruins my hair and me being the absolute clutz that I am, will more than likely splash it all over myself, so not having to do this, made cleansing so much easier, and it actually became something I looked forward to at the end of the day and in the morning, rather than a messy chore. After applying the cleanser all over your face and neck, and creating what I'd like to call "coal face" (the after effect of cleanser + black eye makeup then smeared all over your face), you run your muslin cloth (2 provided when bought with the cleanser pack) under warm/hot water, and use this to remove the makeup and cleanser. It's a lot more controlled than splashing your face, and the muslin cloth works as an exfoliator on the skin, which in turn helps to leave your skin feeling refreshed and revitalised alongside the cleanser.
The cleanser I used was 100ml, and this lasted me a good 7 months, used both at night and in the morning, but obviously this depends on how much you need to remove a face of makeup. For the drag queens out there, I wouldn't expect it to last as long ;)

The results of using this cleanser were seriously amazing. My skin has never been terribly bad, but I have dry/combination skin which was a nightmare to control, and I'd still get the occasional breakouts and uneven skin tone mostly. A problem that I tend to have more than any other person, is that were I'd have a spot, it would scar, and the redness left behind would take weeks or even months to disappear, and one of the things i noticed when using Liz Earle was that my skin not only started to co operate, but the redness and scaring caused by spots, would disappear almost instantly, and then spots weren't even an issue anymore, as the cleanser prevented them from rearing their ugly heads anyway. My skin was more even, much healthier and I definitely noticed a massive difference that no other cleanser has even come close to. It was a very sad day recently when my beloved Liz Earle cleanser ran out, and my skin is definitely punishing me for it!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

I use this toner on a cotton wool pad after every time I cleanse my face. I know that a few of you don't use toner, or feel it a necessary step in your face regime, but personally, I don't think I could live without it. It ensures that you have removed every last trace of makeup, or cleanser from your face before moisturising. This toner is by far the best one I have ever used. It's extremely refreshing and I feel like my face literally soaked up all the goodness, which in turn, left my face looking so much more radiant and feeling squeaky clean. I still have the smallest bit left and I'm trying to use is sparingly as I just don't want it to end. haha.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser - Dry/Sensitive

The last step to the routine, is of course, the moisturiser. I hadn't heard many people raving about this, but in fact, it's the best moisturiser I have EVER used. Yes, dramatic but in absolutely no way an overexageration. I have dry/combination skin, which means there are parts of my face in need of a damn good thirst quench, and others that I could probabaly fry an egg on. (I'll leave you with this splendid imagery of my face for a few moments). I have never, in a good 8 years since wearing moisturiser, found anything that can combat both these problems, and still have the ability to make me look glowy and fresh. That was of course until I used this (I don't want to come across like a cheesy person on an infomercial but it's true). I used every little last bit up of this. There wasn't one day where I went without it. I think I even went through a phase where this was in my handbag because I just couldn't part with it, and the thought of not having it there when i needed it was truely horrifying...I'm aware that i'm now coming across like a crazy Liz Earle addict. Is there a rehab center for this? I don't think I ever want to use another moisturiser and I dont ever feel like need to keep buying and trying. I literally scraped the jar clean. There is nothing left, nada. Have I ever done this before? No. Normally, I won't even finish a moisturiser because I haven't gotten on with it.

I do appologise for my quite rambly, long review, but I really think it deserves all the praise it's getting. Not only do I love Liz Earle for creating these products but my skin also love love loves her, and I know that I won't be able to use anything else now. I am terribly terribly sad my products have now run out, and I will definitely be saving to buy more. Not that Liz Earle is expensive, in fact it's very reasonably priced. I do urge any of you who are stuck in a rut with your skincare to pop along to any of the stockists or get yourself online (here) or even just to talk to one of the consultants and see what it can do for your skin type. Obviously it won't be for everyone & some of you may have already tried it and not liked it, but personally I don't ever want to use anything else if i can help it.

It's only on reflection of the year, when you really sit down and think about it, that you realise it may have possibly been the worst and best year of your life. I know that is hard to get your head around, "how could it have possibly been the best AND worst?", but it really was, and that's the only way I can describe it. The start of the year is a bit of a blur for me. (I could completely side step the reasons, but I am a normal person, and my life isn't perfect, and you are all my friends). Come September last year,I came out of a relationship that consumed me and took control over many aspects of my life. My anxiety at this point had spiralled completely out of control and I was a very broken person, pretending to be happy and continuing to smile on the outside. I tried with everything I had in me to make something toxic work, to be perfect for someone who didn't care about me. It's only once you a free from the situation, that you realise how messed up the situation really was, and that's exactly what happened to me. I won't go into mammoth detail, and there are things only a handful of my closest friends and family know, but it was a very hard time for me. All I hope is that if you are unhappy with something in your life, and you are being completely clouded by negativity and loosing sight of who you are because of how someone else treats you, please have a long hard think. We only get one chance at life, and you deserve nothing but happiness and to be surrounded by people who bring out the best in you. From September onwards, this is exactly what I did.

I feel as though I am cheating somewhat by starting my year from September instead of January, but really, that is where my year began, and everything turned around for me, and I became Nagiiba again (as cheesy as that sounds, I was beginning to get my spark back).  Bad part of the year now out the way, let's get onto the good things that made it the best year ever...

Late September I went to London Fashion Week (on my own - WOAH THERE) and spent the day snapping away at pretty people with amazing hair, faces and clothes. I also met up with my fellow blogging chum Lily (What I Heart Today) where we took London Fashion Week posing to the next level. P.S. Lily's blog has been one of my 2012 favourite reads so do go over and see for yourself.

Louise turned 18 again this year, and we celebrated in her hometown with Fleur. It was a night filled with girly chatter, pervy men, big fluttery eyelashes, cake and giggles. Although it was very touch and go about whether I'd be able to go into a crowded club and stay there for longer than 5 minutes without dashing to the door, both girls made me feel okay about the situation, and I actually managed to stay out the whole night without a trace of anxiety. Win.

One of my favourite days of the whole year, was when Louise, Tiyana and Darcy came to stay at mine, and we went to Longleat for the day. Longleat is a safari and amusement park here in the South West. The day completely cheered me up and we all has such an amazing time that I forgot what being sad was! 

This year, I feel that although we were already such great friends, our friendship was cemented and Louise and I became the best of friends. You only ever see us larking about in videos together, exchanging banter on twitter and uploading still images on Instagram, but beneath all that, Louise was the one person this year that was there for me no matter what. I never felt alone because I always knew she was just a phone call away at any time, and she was the one who helped me get my spark back, and held my hand through everything. I really don't know what I would have done without her. She knows how much I love her and value her as a friend, and that whenever she needs me i'm there for her too. If I could award a "man of the match" in terms of "best person in 2012", that would certainly go to Louise. *makes award*.

Another thing that I have loved about 2012, is seeing Darcy grow into a little lady. I know she is not my child but I care about her a lot, and I feel hugely privileged that I get to share moments of her life growing up. I love the cute little moments Louise shares with her too (like the one pictured below). Darcy now gets excited when I arrive to stay, sad when I leave and looks for me in the dining room (where i sleep on a sofa bed) when I'm not there. It melts my heart. They are both my two favourite ladies, and never cease to put a huge smile on my face. 

At the end of the year, I decided to say yes to more things. This resulted in me going to YouTube parties and more events (like Summer In The City), meeting other youtubers and viewers and really feeling a huge sense of involvement. Through this I also made friends with so many other people who I value very highly in my life now. You know when you just meet people, and spend a lot of time with them, and you instantly all click because you all have so much in common? That's exactly what happened. I never realised genuine, honest, nice people were so easy to find, and this was so refreshing after the horrid start to the year. I was spending time with people that brought out the best in me and made me feel happy!

I also said "yes" to going to Reading Festival for the day. No accomplishment for a lot of you, but for me it was a big deal. I went with my brother and met up with Alfie and had an amazing day/night and i also ended up meeting one of my closest friends George Sampson (BGT winner 2008).I got to to see one my favourite bands Two Door Cinema Club, but most importantly felt a huge sense of accomplishment that i'd managed to go to something like this and not run away in a panic. I stayed, and I enjoyed myself. 

Louise and I took a trip up to Manchester to visit our fellow blogging friend El. I had never ventured that far north in my brum brum before, but the journey up, the day there and the journey back were all so memorable for me. I laughed all day with friends. It's certainly a day that really sticks out for me. El is one of the loveliest people you will ever meet. She is so warm and genuine and such a giggle! (her blog is also one of my all time favourites). Louise and I also had a 2.5 hour singing and bopping session in the car on the way up, where Louise was singing "call me maybe" to fellow lorry drivers as I giggled in the drivers seat. The journey home was also something I will always remember, as we had one of those really deep, meaningful conversations that last 3 hours but feel like you've been talking for 10 minutes. My favourite kind! 

I bit the bullet and uploaded a video surrounding everything anxiety and panic attack related. I was very nervous to upload this video, as writing feelings down is a lot easier than speaking them out loud, and it made me feel very vulnerable and exposed. I think it's easy for people to forget that underneath videos and blogposts, I am a normal girl with problems just like you, I just don't always talk about them. The response I received from the video was so overwhelming that it actually brought many a tear to my eye.  I would even go as far as saying I feel like it was my biggest achievement of the year, because it meant that I got to help so many of you, and that's what really meant the most to me. I knew that if it helped just one of you, it was 100% worth it. Just turns out that I helped a lot more than one person and you will never understand just how much comfort that brings me :)

So there we have it, the best and worst year of my life all rolled into one blog post. Thank you all for joining me on my journey, for leaving me an abundance of amazing comments, messages and emails throughout my entire social networking-dom and for supporting me through the hard times and the good times. I'm so pleased that I get to share the things I get up to with you all, and I wouldn't change that for the world. Massive hugs to those of you who have been here at the beginning when I was running my old blog and also the ones who joined my current blog.I LOVE YOU NIGGLETS 

D.I.Y Ombre Hair.

Unless you've been living under a rock throughout summer (which seems to have swiftly departed) then you will know that "Ombre" hair has been a very "in" style. In very basic terms, it's a look of which it appears your hair has been sunkissed (depending on the strength of the colour) at the ends of your hair. Or that you're hair has grown out, leaving you with darker roots and lighter tips. It appears that the popular choice of colouring is brown to blonde/caramel, although i have seen people doing ombre with many different colours.

All images taken from Google. How hot does Drew Barrymore look right now?

A few months ago, i became very bored of my current hairstyle. I know a lot of you are always bigging up my long, brunette locks, but when you've had the same style for years, it does become a little mundane. I wanted something different, but i didnt know what. For a while i though of chopping it all off Frankie Sandford style, then i decided i would almost definitely miss my long hair. Then i thought of going all over caramel but i wasnt sure if i would suit it. It was then that i discovered "Ombre". I had saved various different images of celebrities sporting the ombre hairdo, in the hope that maybe, if i was feeling brave enough, i could take along a few photos to the hairdresser (who i was assuming would charge a stupid amount of moolah to essentially put some bleach and tin foil at the ends of my hair) After stumbling upon Lily's Blog LLYMLRS (which is amazing so go follow her) and finding her post on"How to DIY Ombre", i thought "This actually doesn't look all that difficult".

I pondered on the idea for a few weeks, went out and bought the dye & kept it until i felt brave enough. Saturday night, i thought "eck, why not", so i mixed the dye and tried out a strand test to see what the colour would be like after 25 minutes. If it was too blonde, it wouldnt have mattered as it was only one piece of hair. After 25 minutes, the colour wasnt really all that different. So, i knew it had to be on for longer.

I applied the dye all over the ends of my hair, making sure i really covered it all. I also put some on the ends of the hair that was closer to my face, as i wanted it to blend and feather a little more. I left that, for approximately 30 minutes. As there was a lot more dye, i think it worked a little quicker than the strand test. After this time, I washed and dried my hair, only to decide it wasn't quite as blonde as i'd hoped. It was more a dull gingery strawberry blonde, and i wanted a little more depth. So i then applied a bit more bleach but this time only to the very ends of my hair, i then put tin foil around it. I did this as i was getting ready to go out, and i didnt want bleach flicking everywhere, although i really think it helped the bleaching process along. I left this for another 20 minutes.

And this is the result. I do like it, considering i did it myself, it could have been a lot worse. I'm not planning on keeping it forever, it definitely fullfilled my longing to change my hair & i think it actually looks really nice. I have noticed it has dried out the ends of my hair pretty badly, which were already very dry anyway, unless it's just making it stand out more haha. Over all though, thumbs up for a bit of Ombre hair.