Review: Foxy Locks Clip In Hair Extensions

 

Hair extensions. They can be a hit or a major miss. They can either make you feel like a glorious mermaid or leave you looking like Mrs Twit. For a while, I was beginning to feel like the latter so I decided it was time to invest in a new set. I have been wearing clip in extensions for about eight years. I don't wear them every day (ain't nobody got time for that) but I love having extensions to wear on nights out or special occasions as they can make such a big difference to your look. I have seen my fair share, both good and bad, but Foxy Locks are a brand that I always come back to. There are four different types of extensions on the Foxy Locks website. Regular, deluxe, superior and luxurious. I bought the deluxe set which are 165g and contain eight wefts of 20 inch hair. Previously, I had been using the regular set but I decided to opt for the deluxe this time as my hair is quite thick even though its short. You can choose your set depending on how much volume you want but just bare in mind that the prices differ depending on the weight of the hair. The prices on the website are in British Sterling but my deluxe set worked out at €132.15, including postage. I know, this is an awful lot of money to spend on hair but good quality extensions are going to be expensive no matter where you go. These extensions took about four days to arrive after I ordered them. Although I love this brand, my only criticism is that the packaging looks pretty cheap. When it arrived I was thinking 'I did not spend over 100 quid for some rolled up Barbie doll hair!' I would prefer if they came in a box or packet that could be used for storing your extensions after you've worn them.

I have bought extensions from Foxy Locks about three or four times and I have always been delighted with them. Because I have brightly coloured hair, it's almost impossible for me to find a set of extensions to match my own colour. Usually I have to dye them myself so synthetic hair is out of the question. This is what drew me to Foxy Locks in the first place. Their extensions are made from 100% human hair so they can be dyed and styled using heated tools. I chose the shade Hollywood Blonde as I wanted a light blonde colour which would easily take to the red hair dye. If you have natural coloured hair then you should be able to easily find a shade to match as there are plenty to choose from on the website.

Dying hair extensions can be a stressful and messy task but unfortunately it has to be done. To dye my extensions I used the Revlon Nutri Color Creme in the shade 600 (Fire Red). This is the same colour that I use on my own hair and I can't recommend it enough. This hair colour acts as a deep conditioning treatment so it makes your hair feel so soft and smooth as well as giving a vibrant shine. I usually get mine from a local salon but you can also pick them up from most beauty supply stores or online on www.beautybay.com. The dye is meant to be used on damp hair so I washed my extensions with shampoo before applying the colour.

When dying my extensions, I lay them out on sheets of tinfoil and literally just paint the colour onto them. It's a messy process but this is what works for me. I would advise wearing gloves and old clothes while doing this as red hair dye just seems to go everywhere! After washing the shampoo out of my extensions, I brush them to get rid of any knots or tangles. I dye each weft separately so it can be quite time consuming but I find that it gives the best results and it ensures that the colour is evenly distributed. After laying down each weft on a sheet of tinfoil, I pour the dye into an old mixing bowl and start brushing the colour onto the hair using a root touch-up brush. (You can pick these up from Boots or Deals) Once I've completely covered one side of the weft, I flip it over and do the same on the other side. It's a good idea to separate the hair to make sure you haven't missed any strands of blonde hair. When the entire weft is evenly dyed, I then cover it with another sheet of tinfoil and set it aside. I then continue this process with each individual weft until they're all done.

I usually leave the dye in my extensions for about an hour to an hour and a half. You can wash it out earlier if you want but this is just my personal preference as I think it gives a more vibrant result. Once you've washed out the dye, you can either dry them with a hairdryer or leave them to dry naturally. I didn't have time to let mine dry naturally as I wanted to wear them later that day so I chose to blow dry them myself. If you are using heated tools on your hair, its always a good idea to use some sort of heat protection spray. I use the John Frieda Frizz Ease Heat Defence spray and to be honest I'm not sure if it actually works but I suppose it's better than nothing!

 

After my extensions were completely dry, I then clipped them in and styled them with my own hair. You can style them separately if you like but I prefer to do it with my natural hair as I think it makes it a bit easier to blend them together. Clipping in the extensions is fairly easy and even though they are quite heavy I didn't feel like the clips were pulling on my natural hair and weighing it down. When clipping in the extensions I usually section my hair and start with the longest wefts at the bottom and the shorter ones more closer to the top. It's pretty hard to explain in writing but there are some great YouTube tutorials which show how to clip them in properly. (Because I'm probably clipping them in arseways to be completely honest!) When I first put these extensions in I was genuinely amazed by how thick and soft they were. I had previously worn the deluxe extensions from Foxy Locks but they definitely weren't as thick as this. These extensions are on another level! To style them, I just added a few loose curls using a one inch curling iron and brushed them out with my fingers.

Overall, I am absolutely delighted with these hair extensions. The quality is amazing and they feel so thick and full and really gave my hair a new lease of life. I may have to bring them to a hairdresser to have them trimmed a bit to match my own hair but other than that they are perfect. I know, they are pretty expensive but I definitely think that they are well worth the money and, when it comes to extensions, you get what you pay for. I would highly recommend Foxy Locks to anyone interested in buying clip in extensions. I know, some people might think that they're a bit much but I personally love having the option to have long hair and change it up a bit whenever the mood strikes me. Whether you plan to wear them every day or just save them for special occasions, there is so much that you can do with these extensions and they really add an extra bit of glamour to your look. See more information at www.foxylocks.com

A Day in Dublin: The Guinness Storehouse Tour

 

I suppose no matter where you live, you're not very inclined to visit tourist attractions. Whether it's an old dilapidated church in the middle of a field or the Empire State Building, the wonder and novelty begin to wear off when you're passing them every day on your daily commute. For ages, my boyfriend had been saying that he'd love to visit the Guinness Storehouse and I, in typical Irish fashion, thought 'Ah sure why would you want to go there? Sure that's only for American tourists!' I didn't think that I'd be that interested in it at all. (For one, I don't even drink Guinness!) However, when I finally got over my whinging, I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised.

The Guinness Storehouse is located at St James's Gate in Dublin's inner city. It's easily accessible by bus or Luas or, if you're in the mood for a stroll, you can walk to it from the city centre. (Although it may be difficult to navigate your way back after a few pints!) Standard admission for adults is €20 and students is €18. I thought this was a bit pricey but it is a really enjoyable tour and if you're interested in brewing then you'll definitely get you're moneys worth.

 

 

The Guinness Storehouse has seven floors so there's plenty to see and do during the tour. There is no official tour guide leading the group so you're free to walk around at your own pace and look at whatever you want. The beginning of the tour focuses on the brewing process and the ingredients that go into creating Guinness. There is also lots of information on the history of Guinness and the man behind it all, Arthur Guinness. This may sound a bit boring but the layout and visual aspects of this section made it really interesting and easy to follow.

Throughout the tour there are some really cool art pieces and historical artefacts which really liven up the whole experience. One of my favourite pieces was a large sculpture of a Guinness glass which was beautifully decorated with carvings and designs representing Irish culture and the history of Guinness. There was also a seating area and information video that you could watch to learn how the sculpture was created.

 

 

My favourite part of the tour was the area which focused on advertising and branding. Guinness are well known for their advertising and the storehouse has an entire floor dedicated to advertisements, both past and present. Maybe I've watched too many episodes of Mad Men but I love looking at old advertisements so I found this incredibly interesting. There was a whole section designed to look like a zoo which was dedicated to the work of John Gilroy, the man who came up with the idea of using animals in the Guinness ads. This included lots of Guinness memorabilia and the iconic 'My Goodness My Guinness' ads.

At one point, while walking through this part of the tour, I heard a really strange whistling sound which led me to a small stage where a mechanical oyster was whistling the tune 'Whistle While You Work' from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. I have no idea what this was about but I still loved it and I would have probably spent the whole day looking at it if I could have!

Some of my favourite features on this floor were the tablets which allowed you to look at all the Guinness advertisements from the 1930s onwards. There was an option to select video or print advertisements and you could easily scroll through and see the different advertising techniques and how the brand has changed and progressed over the years.

Ok, so you're probably wishing I would stop rambling on about art and whistling oysters and get to the good part. Drinking pints. The tasting experience is definitely one of the most enjoyable parts of the tour. The tasting room is like something out of a sci-fi film. From the outside it looks like you're walking into a brothel in the red-light district but the inside is like a space ship. Its all white and there's big steaming vats which release scents of the different ingredients used to make Guinness. The only way I can describe the smell is like a mixture of an old man pub, coffee and chocolate. In the tasting room, they explain the whole process of how Guinness is made and how it gets it's unique taste.

Everyone is given a sample of fresh Guinness in a super cute mini pint glass. For the actual tasting part, we were brought into a room which is designed to look like a replica of Arthur Guinness's home. There the tour guide explained the technique of tasting Guinness in order to release all the flavours etc. Of course, my thirsty ass had already downed my mini pint at this stage and it was definitely the most refreshing beer I'd ever tasted! I'd only ever had a sip of Guinness once before and I thought that it tasted like licking the ground on O'Connell Street but this one was delish!

Tickets to the Guinness Storehouse also come with a token which can be exchanged for one pint of Guinness. You have the option to either pull your own pint or buy one from the bar so we opted for the latter. (I wasn't wasting my twenty quid on some self-created foamy mess!) Of course, one of the biggest attractions of the tour is the Gravity Bar which offers panoramic views over Dublin city. We got our pints in the bar and headed upstairs to the Gravity Bar to take some photos but the weather was very dull and overcast so it was hard to get any decent ones. (The only photo that I got makes Dublin look like some grey, industrial city from a Charles Dickens novel.)

 

 

The Gravity Bar is a great opportunity to get a great view of Dublin and I'm sure it would be a lot better on a nice clear day. The bar was really packed when we were there and we couldn't get a seat so we didn't stay for too long but it was a nice way to end the tour.

 

 

Overall, I really enjoyed the tour of the Guinness Storehouse. The tour is incredibly interesting and there's so much to see and do while you're there. Even if you don't drink Guinness I would still recommend this tour because there is something for everyone. I've only ever been to one other tour like this before which was the Heineken experience in Amsterdam and, not being biased because I'm Irish, I ended up enjoying this a lot more. Whether you're visiting from abroad or being a tourist in your own country, the Guinness storehouse is the perfect way to spend a rainy afternoon in Dublin. For more information visit www.guinness-storehouse.com


Photos by Conor Heavey

My First Trip to Liverpool

 

 

 

So, I'm just back from Liverpool and I have to talk about how good it was. I had always been interested in going there as I'd heard so many good things about it from family and friends. This trip came about because my boyfriend wanted to go to a Liverpool match and I, being the great girlfriend that I am, agreed to go with him (even though I know feck all about football). Despite my initial thoughts of 'ugh, football', I actually ended up having a really good time and saw what a great place Liverpool is!

Getting there

When travelling around the time of a football match, the price of everything will sky rocket. From flights to accommodation, you will find yourself paying more than usual. However, at any other time, the prices are fairly reasonable and you can often get some super cheap deals on Ryanair. The flight is only about twenty five minutes so getting there is so handy. Your arse has barely touched the seat by the time you arrive!

 

 

Where to stay

Accommodation is pretty much the same as the flights. The prices will go up around the time of the matches but apart from that, they aren't too expensive. We stayed in the Travelodge on Exchange Street which was fine. The room was pretty basic but it was clean and comfortable and the hotel itself is in a great central location which is in walking distance to bars, shops and the Albert Dock. My only criticism is that there was no free Wi-Fi in the hotel. This might not be a problem for some people but if you're like me, a social media addict with a phone bill the length of O'Connell Street, then you certainly don't want to use your mobile data while abroad. There is a huge selection of hotels in Liverpool so do your research and you're bound to find something that suits what you're after.

 

Sport

The main purpose of our trip was to see the Liverpool v Bournemouth on April 5th. Although I have no interest in football (apart from my love of Jürgen Klopp) I did end up enjoying the match and it was something to tick off the bucket list. I'd never been to a football match and I thought that I would be bored out of my mind but it was actually a lot of fun. The atmosphere was great and we were seated in the new stand just beside The Kop so we had a decent view of the game. It sounds stupid but I couldn't get over how different it all looks in real life. I mean, on TV they make it look so epic with slow-motion shots and replays but when you're there, it's literally just a bunch of lads kicking a ball around! I wish I had more to say about it but I'd be bullshitting if I rambled on about football so I'll just say it was good and leave it at that!

 

Museums & Attractions

Liverpool is such a vibrant, cultural city and there is so much to see and do. The Albert Dock is a great place to walk around and take in some of the city's history. There are some great museums around here too such as the Museum of Liverpool, The Beatles Story, Tate Liverpool, the International Slavery museum and loads more. These museums give a great insight into the history of Liverpool and are a must-see for any sport or music lovers. Checking out the museums is a great way to spend an afternoon and, if I haven't convinced you already, it's worth noting that the majority of them offer free entry so you can save your money for pints!

 

Nightlife

Speaking of pints, if you are looking for somewhere to go for a wild weekend then Liverpool is the place for you. The city is renowned for it's fantastic nightlife and it definitely lives up to it's reputation. From live music to night clubs, there is something for everyone and you are bound to have a good time wherever you end up. While in Liverpool, you have to check out Matthews Street which is home to some great shops, bars and of course, the famous Cavern Club. The Cavern Club is a well-known music venue which has hosted many musicians over the years, most notably Liverpool's golden boys, The Beatles.

 

No trip to Liverpool would be complete without a trip to the Cavern Club. It's a must-see for any Beatles fan and offers live music every night of the week. As it's a huge tourist trap, it's always very busy but it's definitely worth a look as the music is good and there's always a bit of craic to be had. As we were there on a Tuesday night, we just had a few drinks in a couple of the pubs along Matthew Street and although they weren't packed, there was still a good atmosphere. I've been told that on the weekends the place is absolutely mental so if you're looking for a mad night out then you'd probably be better of coming on a weekend.

 

Shopping

As well as the nightlife, Liverpool is also amazing for shopping. The Liverpool One area has all the shops you could want, from Primark, Topshop and H&M to more high-end designer stores. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I'm not that big into shopping. I mean, I like shopping but I get a bit overwhelmed when there's too much choice. I especially dislike trawling through clustered streets to check out different shops but I have to say, shopping in Liverpool is very easy and convenient. All the shops are together in one large open area so you don't have to walk for miles to get to everything. There's a great buzz around the streets with all the buskers and performers and we even saw Irish band Keywest busking outside Primark. (Proving that you really can't go anywhere without bumping into someone from home!) Check out all that Liverpool ONE has to offer: https://www.liverpool-one.com/shopping/

Food

There are also some decent restaurants such as Jamie's Italian and Pizza Express if you want to grab a bite to eat while your out shopping. Another great place for food is Red's True Barbeque on Hanover Street. It's an American-style barbeque restaurant with a great selection on the menu. If you love meat then you'll love this place. I had the pulled pork and slaw with chips and refried beans and it was divine!) There is also a Krispy Kreme kiosk right in the centre of Liverpool One which basically made the whole trip worthwhile for me. Seriously, if you haven't tried a Krispy Kreme doughnut then you definitely should if you ever get the chance. There are so delicious and you will be genuinely saddened by the fact that we are deprived of them here in Ireland. (I even brought some home in my hand luggage!)

One of my favourite places that we ate was Cosy Club, which is located on the main high street. It's a nice spacious restaurant with a cool vintage feel and they offer a great lunch and dinner menu. I had pancakes with bacon, egg and maple syrup and, although it didn't photograph well, it was sooo good. (I know, it looks like an eggy mess plopped in the middle of a pool of grease!)

 

I would highly recommend Liverpool to anyone looking for a fun city break. It's a fantastic place with so much to offer and there really is something for everyone. From museums and shopping to music and sport, there is so much to do and you definitely won't be disappointed. Getting around Liverpool is super easy as most of the attractions and shopping are within walking distance so you don't have to worry about catching buses or trains which is always a plus. The city is buzzing with atmosphere and the people are extremely friendly and helpful which made me love it even more. A trip to Liverpool really is what you make it. It can be as chilled out or as high energy as you want, depending on what you choose to do. As we were only there for a short time, there was a lot that we didn't see but I definitely plan on going back again so hopefully I will get to experience a lot more of this wonderful city! (Krispy Kreme, we will meet again...)

Executuve Ariel Cosplay

 

 

 

I have always loved dressing up. I love creating costumes and I live for Halloween, fancy-dress parties and any other excuse to dress up like my favourite characters. For a long time, I have been really interested in cosplay and have followed lots of different cosplayers on social media. I was blown away by their skills and creativity and I always thought that I would love to do it myself. I suppose my main worry was always the amount of money it would cost to buy and make costumes. It goes without saying that some of the materials and wigs can be pretty pricey. However, cosplay doesn't always have to be expensive and some of the best cosplay ideas that I've seen have actually been quite simple looks. I decided that there was no point in holding back anymore and I may as well give it a try and see what I could come up with.

 

There are so many characters from films and TV that I love and I'm always looking out for new costume ideas. For this look, I chose my go-to Disney gal, Ariel. I suppose my initial interest in doing this look stemmed from the fact that I wouldn't have to wear a wig as my hair is already red! However, I have seen so many unique Ariel cosplay looks and I think she is a character that you can really have a lot of fun with. Disney princesses are so well-known and I always love when cosplayers take these traditional looks and put their own unique spin on them. One of my favourite cosplayers Ashlynne Dae has done a whole collection of Disney princess/Princess Leia crossovers which have been absolutely fantastic. (Check her out on Instagram @ashlynnedae)

 

For this look, I was inspired by my love of vintage style. I had initially planned on doing a pin-up style Ariel but decided to try something a bit different and go for a more sophisticated business look as it's something I had never seen before. The style of clothing for this look was heavily inspired by the character Joan Holloway in the TV series Mad Men. I love Joan's office looks and I thought it would be really fun to mix this up with Ariel's purple/green colour scheme.

 

 

The outfit itself is pretty simple but I think the colours really make it stand out. It was so hard to find a green pencil skirt so I had to settle for a jersey midi-skirt which works just as well. For the top half, I went for a purple peplum-style blazer with a purple vest top underneath. I really like the peplum look as it looks a bit like mermaid fins! I wore nude heels with this but seeing as Ariel doesn't wear shoes, you don't have to stick to one colour and you could wear any shoes that you like!

 

For my accessories, I kept it pretty simple again and tried to stay in keeping with the whole office theme. My glasses are retro cat-eye glasses that I got on Ebay a few years ago and I thought these gave the outfit a quirky touch. I didn't want to go over the top with jewellery, as Ariel doesn't wear any in the film, but I did throw on a fake pearl necklace that I found in one of my old jewellery boxes. To complete the look, I added my beloved holographic shell bag as well as Ariel's trusty dinglehopper!

I am not skilled in the styling department but Ariel's look is fairly easy to recreate. For the hair, I loosely curled the ends and then swept my hair over to the side to create Ariel's signature side fringe. (I wear clip-in hair extensions but they were not co-operating with me on this occasion!) For eye makeup, I kept it simple as the main focus of this look is the red lip colour. I wore a coral colour on my lids with a very slight cat-eye liner and a highlight on my brow bone. The eye shadow wasn't really that important as I ended up wearing massive false lashes so you could barely see it anyway! For the lips, I used Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in the shade Santa Sangre to achieve a vibrant red pout. This look is super simple and there are no specific products or materials that you need to create it. There are lots of great makeup tutorials on YouTube that can give you some inspiration but this look is open to interpretation so use whatever you have and whatever you think looks good on you!

What I Wore:

Blazer: Ebay
Vest: Boohoo
Skirt: Boohoo
Glasses: Ebay
Bag: Skinnydip London



 

The Five Emotional Stages of Clearing out Your Wardrobe

 

 

 

 

Ah March, that time of the year when New Year's resolutions already seem like a distant memory. When all those hopes you had of going for runs every day and drinking green smoothies have been tossed in favour of spice bags and cans. If you're like me and have accepted the fact that you have no willpower when it comes to dieting, you begin to look at other areas of your life and wonder what you can do to feel less shit (with absolutely minimal effort). Of course! A spring clean. A new outlook on life, out with the old and in with the new, a healthy space leads to a healthy mind...and all those other 'feel good' slogans that you see printed on Pennys workout gear. What better place to start than your wardrobe. They say that a wardrobe clear out can do wonders. You throw out all your old crap and suddenly find your true sense of self as you're free from all the bad stuff that's cluttering up your life. Sounds like a wonderful, spiritual experience right? WRONG! Maybe I'm not a mindful person. Or maybe I'm just the human equivalent of Oscar the Grouch. Either way, I think we can all agree that clearing out your wardrobe can be an extremely stressful task. Here are the five emotional stages one goes through when attempting a wardrobe clear out...

 

Determination

You start of with the best intentions. You're sick of looking at a messy wardrobe and you want a fresh, new start. You have your roll of bin bags on hand and you're ready to get ruthless. You're going to get rid of every piece of crap you haven't worn in the last six months. One bag for the bin and anything that doesn't have tan or any other unidentifiable stain on it will be sent to the charity shop (because you're new-found Zen has made you care about the human race). You're ready to get stuck in and not stop until every peplum top from 2010 is out of your sight for good.

 

Confusion

About mid-way through (when your organisation technique is slowly beginning to wear thin) you're hit with that nagging confusion and begin to wonder how the hell you managed to accumulate so many clothes. Where did they all come from?! And how, despite this mass cultivation of crap, do you never seem to have anything to wear? This question is later answered as you delve deeper into the abyss and discover things which make you question your own mental stability. A metallic wrap dress with a Boohoo tag still attached to it. Purple jeans that have zips going down the side of the legs. When were these ever a thing and why on earth did you pay money for them?!

 

 

Nostalgia

After the determination has worn off and you become buried under a mountain of polyester, you begin to dig out some old gems that briefly distract you from the horror at hand. That string top you wore every day in summer 2007, your first pair of converse, numerous items of clothing that you 'borrowed' from your friends. Each one reminds you of a different period of your life, both good and band, which makes it hard to ever get rid of them. This nostalgia usually leads to you wasting at least thirty minutes trying to squeeze back into your old bodycon dresses and convincing yourself that you can't throw out those diamanté cowboy boots. Sure if you throw them away then there's no doubt you'll be invited to a Western-themed birthday party next week and you'll be absolutely raging.

 

 

 

Regret

After the nostalgia has worn away, and you finally accept the fact that you're just not fitting into those old disco pants, you begin to wonder why the hell you started this in the first place. Sitting on your bedroom floor, as mountains of clothes pile up around you, you cast your mind back to a few hours previous when you had such high hopes of getting your life together. You were so determined to get this done and, like a fool, you believed in yourself! As you look around the room, surveying the chaos that you created, you start to imagine how big the crane will be when they have to rip off the roof and lift you out after you become consumed by the mess in your cesspit of a bedroom.

 

 

Acceptance

After numerous mini-meltdowns you eventually pull yourself together and decide to power through so you can finally be rid of this horrible task. You're filling up bin bags left, right and centre and you finally start to see the mess subside. Your wardrobe becomes visible again and you start hanging and folding every item of clothing neatly and precisely. You promise yourself that you will continue doing this from now on and you will never let your wardrobe get that bad again. As you stand back and look at your newly organised wardrobe, you feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment. You remind yourself how good it feels when things are neat and in order. But who are you kidding? Although this provides you with a mild sense of satisfaction, you know deep down that you have no real intentions of keeping things tidy and those bin bags full of clothes will probably sit on the landing for the next two months until you finally get rid of them...