Afro Hair & Beauty Live May 25th 2015

 

Afro Hair & Beauty Live took place on the last Bank Holiday in May and I was fortunate to be gifted tickets to attend this years offering.  I was interested to see how the event had changed since my last visit many moons ago where, despite having permed hair at the time, the focus on weave and extensions put me off.  I was interested in learning about my hair, caring for it and having the chance to interact with creators of products. Fortunately this year ticked all of my requirements and more. 

Quick tube sefie

Based in Islington’s Design Centre, I began my journey on the tube and was positively bouncing in my seat as we got closer to Angel and more people en route boarded. There was definitely a buzz in the air and I quickly made my way to the venue where I was pleased to see that much thought had been given to the layout and a balance had been struck in securing both large and small vendors.  

 

Of the smaller vendors I was impressed by FroSister (haircare) and EbonyPink (makeup) who were holding their own amongst the larger companies. 

Pleased to see smaller vendors were in attendence

Some of the big brands showing

I really appreciated being able to speak to the brands representatives and learn more about their products.  The standout speaker had to be Felicia Leatherwood / Beautiful Textures  who shut it down in her corner!  Her passion for her craft and the products definitely resonated with the attendees who asked a mixture of questions regarding permed / natural / weaves / baby / child haircare. Her engaging live demonstrations, plucking members of the audience to demonstrate on their own hair textures, coupled with tips on how to manage the varying issues many raised in the audience meant that there was a scramble for space to listen. My friends and I spent nearly two hours straight just listening, absorbing, and asking questions – all of us leaving impressed.  

Felicia Leatherwood / Beautiful Textures

Overall I was impressed by the amount of sheer information on offer, mixture of brands and the chance to engage with others interested in Afro Hair & Beauty. The pace was correct and in keeping with the relaxed, professional vibe of the day. 

Good job Afro hair & Beauty 2015!

My thanks to Avlon for gifting me with complementary tickets to the event

MUA MakeUp Academy Pout Prime Soothing Lip Primer

MakeUp Academy's (MUA) Pout Prime Soothing Lip Primer completely surpassed my expectations and warranted a mention. 

I'm always on the look out for a good primer -be it face, lip or eyelid - as I believe firmly in laying a good (adhesive) foundation for any loo.  I hate touching up my makeup when out.

I noticed the new addition to the MUA line whilst scanning their online store and was keen to try it but was confused as to whether or not it was going to be available online only. Whilst shopping in a Superdrug I did a dance of joy when I discovered a tube in the MUA stand, needless to say I snatched up the tube and skipped home as I couldn't wait to open it. At £3 I was suspicious as to how lasting the product would be. I promptly decided to try it out on a night out to a boxing match where I was sure I would give it a run for its money regarding smearing. Whilst the boxing match didn't work out I'm pleased to say that the lip primer stayed put throughout the night until the whee hours in the morning when I eventually rolled home.

What MUA say

A soft and soothing balm that creates a smooth base allowing your lip colour to apply evenly and last longer.A soft and soothing balm that creates a smooth base allowing your lip colour to apply evenly and last longer.

What I say

Excellent value. Does what is says on the tube. Comes out transparent with a slight white sheen if pasted on too thick. I buff my lips before applying, add some lip salve and add this primer. Lipstick stays put.


Well worth a purchase !

The internet made me do it! - Real Techniques Core Collection Brushes

The Real Techniques Core collection had been on my radar since its creator, Samantha and Nicola Chapman of YouTube's Pixiwoo,  launched their brushes. I cannot justify spending £45 on one make up brush so always seek to gain optimum value when purchasing an item, far too many other priorities (Housing, Council Tax, life..) these brushes drew my attention as they had a decent price point, were created by professionals who seemly had taken their years of 'on the job experience' and put it to use.

What made me eventually go out and purchase these brushes? It was the swathes of online reviews and comments recommending the set and begging for more items.

Whilst today's post isn't really a review of the brushes - there are enough out there in the blogsphere - I wanted to take time out to acknowledge how much I value the post of others online, be it bloggers, YouTubers or someone commenting on a post etc.. when it comes to recommendations for products / goods. 

Ultimately I wanted to take a post to say a big thank you to the Internet. I am far too discerning with my money to throw it away and so value the honesty and time that many have taken to upload their pictures, thoughts and opinions on the huge range of products doing the rounds. 

This week I listened (eavesdropped) on a conversation between two women on the bus as one described how she tried out a product that a had been touted as a 'must have product'  but had found it to be crap on her. Her friend admonished her apparent stupidity at purchasing this item without looking online to see what others of a similar skin tone thought and if there was a cheaper alternative. It was at this point that I acknowledged that I no longer had to rush to find out what is in fashion / on trend as I have access to all this information, and better -real consumers opinions,  at the click of a button and a decent Wi-Fi connection.

So a big thank you to all of you who comment on articles or posts; create blog entries or videos; Tweet, Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat or just spread the word over your new found product of choice over the phone. I value your opinions and the time you have taken to do so. 

What products have you purchased as the result of internet recommendations?

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo (Sulfate Free)

Co-wash, no -poo, pre-poo - it can all get a bit confusing when embarking on your hair journey. When it comes to my routine I'm a firm believer in shampooing. With the amount of oil, cream and general pollution in London (did you see the Smog last week?) I feel that I need help to remove dirt and refresh my hair. So, knowing that some shampoos can leave hair stripped due to the amount of pesky sulphates they may contain, I embarked upon a quest to find a decent shampoo that didn't reduce my hair to straw and left it clean. 

My hair is quite fine, super fragile and prone to dry periods due to transitioning. This shampoo allowed me to wash and massage my scalp without any tangles or clumping.  In January I was reduced to tears, having to cut out a section of tangled hair due to the dryness and subsequent matting from a shampoo I tried leaving my hair a mess. Returning to this shampoo was a god-send as it always leaves me with plenty of slip and a feeling of being moisturised.  The low price point gained it another other tick in the plus column. I wash my hair every one to two weeks and use a small, 10p size amount for each wash (usually no more than three max per session) and have repurchased this shampoo three times in the last 18 months- hubby likes it too methinks!

Where do you fall on shampoo or no poo line?

As long as Creme of Nature keep this shampoo, I know I will not be abandoning this part of my wash day routine.