Review: Lush Caca Marron Henna

I have dark brown hair. The trouble with having dark brown hair is that it really shows any, ahem, silver strands. Now, I’m not particularly vain and have no problem with grey hair per se, but I don’t like it when there’s just a smattering in an otherwise relatively youthful head of hair (I’m 37 in case you’re wondering). It makes me look a bit uncared for.

My usual strategy is to zap it with a chemical-based semi-permanent hair dye in a dark brown colour – quick, easy-ish and does the job of covering those pesky greys, but this time, I fancied a change. I’ve been having a bit of a flirtation with Lush products recently. I got a copy of the ‘Lush Times’ on a recent visit and it was there that I came across their range of hennas. To be honest, I wouldn’t normally have contemplated henna-ing my hair. I did it once when I was younger and I remember it being messy and smelly, but something about the Caca range really appealed to me. I liked the fact that there are different shades and that it contains cocoa butter and something to help with the, er, aroma.

There are four different shades: Brun, Noir, Marron and Rouge. I chose Marron as it claimed to be great for giving brown hair a chestnut tinge whilst covering grey nicely too. It comes in a kind of bar of six blocks and basically, you break off as much as you think you’ll need. (I started off using two thirds of the bar and this was enough for my very thick, shoulder length hair). You can then either grate it or bash it up a bit before placing in a heat proof bowl and covering in boiling water. Next step is to mix to a runny paste (I was told to make it the texture of double cream). If you can keep it warm whilst applying it, so much the better. As with any hair dye, you need to wear old clothes, gloves and use old towels. You should rub some vaseline around your hairline and over your ears too! Dollop the henna paste onto your hair then wrap in cling film and leave for upto four hours. The guy in the shop said that you can leave it for longer but it won’t make any difference to the colour after that amount of time.

I only left mine for two and a half hours as we were going out. Washing it out is a bit of a challenge as it’s VERY thick and grainy. I started with my head over the bath using the shower attachment to get rid of the worst, and then got into the shower and shampooed it three times. I conditioned it too. It probably took half an hour of rinsing, so be warned! Also, be aware that your bath and surrounding area will get incredibly messy, so have something to hand to clean as you go.

So, to the results. Well, I’m impressed. It does what it says on the tin. My previously dull locks now have a lovely, warm reddy-orange tone and the grey bits are a vivid chestnut colour in the light. The condition has improved too, thanks to the cocoa butter. The only downside to Caca is the smell. Even though Lush have added essential oils, there’s still a pretty strong earthy pong, which isn’t unpleasant as such, just a bit overpowering. G and I were going out for the evening and I was a tad conscious of the whiff coming from my head. It was gone by the next day though.

If you’re looking for a natural alternative to your usual hair colour then I can definitely recommend Lush Caca – after all, it’s not every day you dye your hair with poo.

Button Hair Clips

The finished clips

Paraphernalia

Let me begin by telling you how much I adore buttons. I love how they can update a boring cardi or make a pretty birthday card or whatever. A few years ago, I bought a large tin of vintage buttons on Ebay. It’s one of the most exciting things I’ve ever got from there. Somebody was selling them, I’m guessing, as part of a clear out of an old lady’s house and it was a real collection. I can’t imagine ever running out of buttons whilst I’ve got that tin to keep me supplied. Anyway, I digress slightly.

Today’s post is a very simple make for this month’s Pinaddicts Challenge. I saw these gorgeous handmade clips and repinned them immediately. So cute and so do-able.

You’ll literally need nothing more than some flat backed buttons, a few plain hair grips (I used ones I bought from Ebay which have the little round metal disc for attaching findings – cost about £1 for 10) and a hot glue gun. I don’t think I need to tell you much more than that!

The Curly Girl Method

This is a hair post in case you’re wondering and it might get a bit evangelical, so you’ve been warned.

Not sure why I'm wearing the weird expression

Let me start by telling you that I have very thick hair and lots of it. When I go for a trim I always go over the allotted time because it takes the poor stylist AGES to thin it out and then FOREVER to dry it. At home, it used to take me an eternity to blow dry and straighten it too (time which I just didn’t have to spare frankly). Anyway, that was until I discovered the Curly Girl Method (oh, and made the decision to go au naturel and accept that my hair is wavy/curly/coarse, NOT straight/sleek/smooth).

So, what’s the deal? Well, CG, as it shall be known henceforth, is a technique devised by Lorraine Massey which aims to get as much moisture as possible into curly hair and to boost the curl in the process. There’s a whole book about it (which I haven’t bought) and loads of free info online.

You’ll need a few basics before starting this routine, but the beauty of it is that the products are pretty cheap. At the beginning I bought:

1 x microfibre towel/turban thing (but an old t shirt is fine – I just didn’t have one)

1 x bottle sulphate shampoo (this cleanses the hair of any silicone residue which it will almost certainly have)

1 x bottle cheap conditioner (silicone free)

1 x bottle slightly pricier conditioner (silicone free)

1 x tube scrunching jelly

Now, the basic premise of this routine involves doing something called co washing (or conditioner washing) followed by ‘plopping’. You must use silicone free products and never dry your hair with a normal towel. Intrigued?

Apparently wavy or curly hair is usually dry in texture. If you use expensive, silcone based shampoos and conditioners they coat the hair and improve it initially, but in the long run prevent any further moisture from being absorbed.

So, the first step for anyone starting CG is to do one final wash in a sulphate shampoo (this is capable of breaking down the silicone residue). This done,  you can then begin the process of putting moisture back into your locks.

For co washing I use a really cheap, supermarket brand conditioner for the ‘washing’ part and then more creamy one for the conditioning. I comb the second lot of conditioner through and leave for a few mins before washing most, but not all of it out. While still in the shower, I scrunch a handful of gel into my dripping wet hair before tipping my head upside down and wrapping it in a turban (this is the plopping element). It’s best then to leave it like this for a good while, but I generally only manage about ten minutes as I’ve got a life to be getting on with. When you do remove the turban, all you need to do is gently arrange your curls and then LEAVE ALONE. If I’m honest, this bit’s tough for me as I end up doing the school run with very damp/wet hair, but when it’s dry, I have lovely, defined curls, the like of which I never thought possible.

Now, I’ve tried to simplify the process although it’s really not that complicated, there are just a few things to learn and be aware of. Oh, and when you’re shopping for CG friendly products, you’ll find this list is a god send.

If you already do the CG method or if you’re going to give it a try, let me now how it goes. Curl Power!

AW wardrobe (part II)

I say part II, although part I never really existed. Well, it did but half of it disappeared. Anyway, the point is, that I have already written on this subject, but not managed to successfully post it, so I’ll try again. Phew.

There was a definite chill in the air on the school run this morning. In fact there was a force 10 gale blowing across the playground. As soon as September comes around, summer has gone in my mind. I love that autumny feeling not least as it means I get to think about clothes. I wore my new parka for the first time yesterday and it was just right. I’m going to use it as a starting point for the rest of my AW buys (which sounds as though I have a huge budget when I really don’t at all). No, what I need are a few ‘key’ pieces, but I must admit to being a bit confused by the what’s in the shops right now.

As far as I can gather, I need to buy the following:

Jeans – Skinny? Flared? No idea.

Trousers – like the peg/tapered style ones, but can’t get them over my calves and have no clue what the alternatives are.

Casual skirt – like the maxi style (and am tall enough to manage one), but can’t help but feel that a long skirt would drive me bonkers.

Tops – by which I mean everything from t-shirts to cardis. Don’t usually find these too hard to buy, but must be careful.

Above all, I want to buy clothes that go with other clothes, so that when I’m getting dressed in the morning, I can just grab a couple of things from the wardrobe and they will look good, no matter what. I couldn’t do that right now. None of my current clothes are multi taskers, so I regularly find myself in the situation where I have the bottom half sorted (you know, clean and ironed), but the only suitable top half will be in the washing basket (grubby and creased). This has got to stop.

The thing is that I like the idea of certain clothes, but for various reasons they’re not for me. The reasons are usually either that I’m too old or that my lifestyle is not compatible. I’ve come to realise that my wardrobe needs to be about 98% practical, with maybe 2% of glamour. I also want to be stylish without being a fashion victim.

Anyhow, with all of this in mind I intend to do a bit of online research and then perhaps head out for a bit of a spree in the coming weeks. Is it just me or does that sound exhausting?

Wave hello

I have news. The news is that I am no longer enslaved by my GHDs (straighteners in case that stands for anything else) and have decided to let my natural wavy curls see the light of day.

To fill you in a bit, I have VERY thick (some would say coarse) hair and there is LOTS of it. It’s about collar length with a full blunt fringe. It looks brilliant when I leave the hairdressers and it’s been beautifully smoothed and straightened, but I can never get it quite as smooth or straight at home, despite the expensive tools and a range of styling products. I’ve been straightening it for as long as I can remember and just accepting the mediocre results.

Well, since I started running recently, I’m having to wash my hair more than before and the idea of needing to blow dry and flatten it every other day was more than I could bear (nevermind the fact that I just don’t have the time), so about a week ago I decided that  I would just wash it and then leave it (literally, towel dry and put some leave-in conditoner through it – I don’t even comb it). When it’s semi dry I just blast my fringe with the hair dryer (about 30 seconds) then straighten it (another 30 seconds) and the result is pretty damn good if I do say so myself. Nice, natural loose curls with minimal effort. Who would have thought it? It’s been a real revelation to me, I can tell you. I feel liberated.

My next step is to try some of the much raved about argan oil which, if all is to be believed, is akin to liquid gold for the hair. Apparently a few drops is all it takes to turn a thick frizzy mop into a smooth, soft coiffure. Can’t wait. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I shall enjoy the freedom that comes with washing and going.