Are you like most people and buy your beauty products without too much thought of what's inside. Maybe you've read about the chemicals that's in most products these days. You want to change and use more organic products. But you're not sure what to do next. Do not fret. I know it's a scary world out there and it's not easy to venture out in the unknown. I've put together a guide to to hopefully make it a little easier.

1. Don't change everything over one night

Be realistic. First of all we don't want more waste. Changing all your beauty  products in one go will just be expensive. Instead, for each product you finish swap it with a green alternative. Little by little you'll soon have a majority of green/organic beauty products.

2. Keep a list of ingredients to avoid

In the beginning it's hard to know what to avoid in a product. I keep a card that I picked up from Well People that lists ingredients to avoid. Another easy rule to follow is the lesser ingredients the better.

3. Use think dirty app

This is a great app for your phone. It helps you finding clean, natural and good for you products. You scan the product and it tells you how clean or dirty the product is from scale 0-10. You should avoid any product with a high number. It lists the ingredients and highlights them red if they're bad. It also gives you alternative products.

4. Tell your friends and family

Let the people around you know that you're choosing a different lifestyle. It can be frustrating when trying to change all your old habits and only buy organic. Then it's your birthday or Christmas and you're stuck with toxic products all over again.

5.Do your research

When you'll seek you'll find. It can be hard to even know where to look. Some areas are easy to forget when changing to an organic lifestyle. Maybe it's time to look for a new hairdresser that uses less chemicals and more gentle products. What about your waxing or your nails. There is places that uses organic and natural products and polish but they're a lot harder to find.

6. Don't be afraid to bring your own products

If you can't find anywhere near where you live. Don't be afraid to bring in your own products when getting your hair or nails done. It might be worth checking with them first. But most of the time they're fine with it.

7. Embrace online shopping

Online is where you'll find most of your products. Especially if you live in a smaller town. There's so many great products out there, but again do your research. Read reviews by green beauty bloggers. Sometimes it can take time to find the products that works for you.

8. Many products are easy to do yourself

Follow the hype with coconut oil and you'll save yourself a fortune on beauty products and hair treatments. Making your own bath salts, soaps and body scrubs are easy and so much fun. You'll know exactly what's in it and you can make a big batch and give as presents to all your friends.

9. Justify the cost

Cleaner beauty products can be a bit pricey compared to what you're used to paying. That's because they contain far more superior ingredients than the cheap synthetics that many products contain. Your health is worth it.

10. Let your skin get used to it

Another reason why it's good to start small is for your skin to get used to better products. See it like the detox effect. When you flush out all the toxins in your body, your skin and organ reacts. The same when your skin is used to lots of chemicals. You might experience break outs, dry, oily unbalanced skin, greasy hair, excessive perspiration (using natural deodorants you finally letting your body breathe). Do not worry. Your body will recalibrate and begin to function how nature intended it to again. To ease symptoms slowly wean yourself off products you're chemically dependant upon.

Ingredients to avoid:

1. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
2. Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES
3. Parabens
4. Propylene Glycol
5. Coal Tar
6. Phthalates
7. Silicone
8. Dimethicone
9. Polyethylene
10. Glycol (PEG)
11. Synthetic fragrances
12. Diethanolamine (DEA)
13. Monoethanolamine (MEA)
14. Triethanolamine (TEA)
15. Formaldehyde
16. Petrolatum
17. Mineral oil
18. Resorcinol

Other post's I've written that can be helpful: 

• Where do I buy my organic beauty products
• Why should I use organic beauty products?

Green beauty bloggers worthy to check out:

http://www.theglowgetter.co.uk

http://www.ambersbeautytalk.com

http://www.curiouslyconscious.com

http://www.thegreenproductjunkie.com


I hope this was helpful.

Are you trying to go more green? What do you find hard/easy? 

How I became a hairdresser

It wasn't my dream when I was younger to become a hairdresser. I wanted to be a journalist or a greenpeace activist. Then I went to a language school studying too many languages for my own sanity. So how did I end up as a hairdresser you wonder?

I always played with different hairstyles as a teenager and ended up always colouring my friends hair.

It wasn't until I finished school and I was worrying about what to do with my life my friend suggested hairdressing. First I thought it absurd but after a while I started to like the thought of it. My worst nightmare was to work in an office. I wanted to do something creative and have a steady income at the same time. I guess hairdressing was it. But how do you become a hairdresser?

In Sweden I was too late to go the usual way choosing hairdressing at gymnasium as I already was 18 and finished all my languages that I chosen instead. So the only other way was to pay a fortune for hairdressing school and I didn't have that money.

After a while I found a add for a salon who needed a trainee so I took my chance and went for an interview. They loved me and thought I would be perfect for the job. Until I was writing down my details and they realised I was left handed. Apparently left handed can't be hairdressers I was told (that is a lie).

I put the thoughts about hairdressing behind me and decided to go to London. I was meant to as the most stay for the summer, 11 years later I'm still here.

First I just got random jobs in a bar and then in a record shop, where I met my now husband. But eventually the thoughts of hairdressing started to come back. I remember talking to my neighbours.  They told me to go to this funky hairdressers in Spitalfields market because they thought it would suit me. So I did. I went in and told them I wanted to become a hairdresser but didn't know how to go about it. I was in luck as they needed a trainee so I could start the same week.

I started with sweeping the floor and washing hair. For anyone who wants to become a hairdresser. That will more or less be your life for the next couple of years adding one thing at the time. I remember spending hours practising parting the hair in a straight line down the middle. Practising blow drying on anyone I knew every spare half hour I had.

After a bit of time I started to go to college part time and still working in a salon. I've moved to the salon I'm still working in now. I was lucky with a great teacher who is a talented hairdresser with a big heart. He helped me with anything hair way beyond the curriculum. I have a lot to thank John for.

Also my two bosses Bradley and Scott pushing me to get better and improve my skills.

Our salon ( Natural Colour Works ) specialises in natural colour and we focus on colours. So it is important to have a strong colour knowledge and do good highlights. We do cutting as well so I have to be good in all areas.

After a while my bosses allowed me to colour clients hair as a graduate stylist and was soon promoted to stylist.

I love hair and I love my job. Even though I never dreamt about it as a young girl. It's something I  enjoy and I get such a satisfaction out of making other people happy.

I also love styling hair. Especially wedding hair. Being part of someone's special day is such an honour and I just love it so much. I love creating something beautiful and hair is definitely a piece of art you can shape in so many wonderful ways.

10 years down the line I'm now a senior stylist and I still love my job just as much. I'm looking forward to the wonderful people I will meet on a daily basis. Without the friendly and loving people that are my clients my job would not be what it is.

Don't take me wrong there's some horrible sides to hairdressing as well.

• Like you never have a break, you might not have time to pee for 3 hrs even though you need to go. 
• People can be horrible and shout at you. 
• Or when people turn up late for their appointments and get mad at you for not be able to do everything they ask  
• Everything hurts and you got someone else's hair inside your bra and you cut your fingers. 
• Not to mention all your clothes got colour stains on them

Yet I still love my job and I happily do it. Even when people ask me on my day off. But that's all part of the fun right?

Hairdressing is hard work and you have to be passionate about it or it won't be worth it.

I'm so happy someone many years ago suggested me to try hairdressing. From the day I started I loved it.

Review | c/o Gerd B2 Hair SERUM

I bought the c/o Gerd serum a while back and I thought it's time to do a review. I bought it back in Sweden and there's few reasons why I bought it.

1. It's organic
2. It's made in Lapland and I lived there before and I love everything about it.
3. It's made from blueberries and blueberries are amazing.

If you, like me, never heard of c/o Gerd it's because it's a small Swedish brand. Owned by two siblings, named after their mum. It's based in northern Sweden using raw ingredients from Swedish Lapland.

At first glance the product look like a medicine bottle with it's dark tinted bottle and bright blue label. Being in a health food store didn't help. But reading on the bottle and the information about the company next to the products made me intrigued. (See all the reasons why I I bought it.) After sampling all their products I decided to buy the Serum.

The serum smells more of citrus than blueberries, but it still smells great.

The serum is a light creamy liquid and easy to apply. Most of the time I apply it on wet hair after I washed my hair, but sometimes I apply it on dry hair to give it a shine, especially for my dry ends.

The serum makes my hair feeling soft and gives it a nice shine. It absorbs in to the hair and doesn't feel greasy or sticky after. I think it's almost more like a leave in conditioner.

I'm pleased with this product and will definitely look in to other products in their range.

For more information www.careofgerd.se

What hair products are you loving at the moment? 

How To: Quick & Easy Double Dutch Plait

In this video I will show you how to do a double dutch plait with a knotted bun in the back.

Enjoy!❤

Click here to watch my last vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9jISmMYd5k
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Previous Hairstyle Tutorials

How To: Dutch Plait/Braid | Sara Steele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVPwdcHv8h0

How To... Do A Messy Bun | Sara Steele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoeQba-TiFQ
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Thank you so much for watching! ❤

Music from www.bensound.com

Review | Jåsön sun sport

We are slowly moving into summer, sunshine and it is time to find a sunscreen. It's not only for when you go on sun holiday but also needed in England. It's important to protect your skin from dangerous UV lights. When you spend time in the sun it increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin ageing. So protecting yourself is crucial.

I use Jåsön sun sport SPF 45 as I use it when I'm out running and need a stronger and water resistant lotion as I want it to protect me even when I sweat and also perfect for beach holiday when jumping in the sea as well. Hopefully, there'll be a holiday sometime this year.

Jåsön is like the dinosaur of natural hair and skin care. They've been around for a long time. Long before it got popular to be natural and organic and they are a well-established brand, so compared to the dinosaurs I don't think Jåsön is going anywhere.

Jåsön sunscreen is free from parabens, SLS, petrolatum, artificial colours and phthalates. So not only protecting your skin on the outside but is not dangerous for your inside either. As the skin is our biggest organ and absorbs anything you put on it, it's so important to stay away from products full of toxins.

The first things I noticed about the sun lotion was the bright orange packaging and the smell. It smells so nice. I think it smells a bit of coconut and holiday. I have tried many different types of sunscreens in my days and no other smells as good as this one. It feels nice on the skin as well.

I've used it for many of my runs lately and hopefully will bring it on holiday soon.

Do you use sunscreen? Which one do you like?

My FIRST Vlog.

For my first vlog a listed my top 10 hair essentials for everyday use. Hope you enjoy ❤

My Top Ten Hair Essentials ❤
1. O'rights Recoffee - Shampoo & Conditioner
2. Kevin Murphy - Fresh Hair
3. Tangle Teezer
4. O'right Curl Enhancing Cream
5. Hair Tools - Booby Pins
6. Hair Bobble
7. Lotus Pintail Comb
8. Parlux Blowdryer & Lotus Brush
9. MOP C-System Hairspray
10. Giovanni smooth as silk extreme hair treatment
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Thank you so much for watching! ❤

How To Care For Your Hair (9 Tips)

I want to share some top tips for every day hair care to look after your hair at home. Some of these tips are pretty basic, but you'll be surprised that many doesn't know how to care for their hair. And as this time of the year it's extra important to give it a little extra tender loving care.

1. Shampoo and conditioner
In the winter, it can be good to change to more moisturising shampoo and conditioner as the hair gets really dry  in the cold weather and central heating.
 Make sure you’re focusing it on your scalp when shampooing, because that’s where strong hair comes from. No need to shampoo the ends — it’ll just dry them out even more. And do it gently.
The conditioner is mainly for the ends and mid-length of your hair.  If you have very fine hair try to put conditioner on only your ends. Comb your hair whilst the conditioner is still in your hair and  it will condition evenly all over.
Use a deep conditioning treatment every week especially in the winter.

2. Don't Over Wash It
A lot of people wash their hair every day, this is not really necessary and you can train your hair to not need to be washed as often. Start with every other day, but if you can leave it longer then do. It's good to let your hair have some time with it's natural oils

3. Cold water
Unpleasant as it may be, I swear by this if you want to give your hair an extra boost of shine. Just before stepping out of the shower, rinse your hair with super cold water. It seals the cuticle, which helps prevent frizz and adds a bit of lustre.
Cold water is also good to keep your colour lasting longer and more vibrant.

4. Brushing/combing
Using your regular brush on wet hair is just asking for breakage. Since the hair is more flexible when it’s wet, it’s more prone to damage. To detangle after you hop out of the shower, use a wide-tooth comb or even better a tangle teaser. Best is to wait until it's dry. Start from ends first working yourself up the hair.

5. Take a break from the dryer.
I know that seems like asking for a lot, but I promise you, your hair will thank you. Heat styling your hair every day does major damage, so try cutting down on heat styling as much as possible. Personally, I try and let my hair air dry as often as possible.

6. The "cold" button
When blow-drying, don't forget the cold button. After blow-drying your hair, hit your hair with a wave of cold air to seal the cuticle and add shine, much like the cold water technique. It only takes an extra 30 seconds, and it’s totally worth it.

7. Regular trims
When your hair is getting split ends there is only one solution. Cut them off.
You should be getting your hair cut every 3-4months to keep it healthy and every 6-8 weeks to maintain a style.

8.Avoid Hairbands With Metal Cuffs
They are awful to your hair, the metal bit cuts your hair. Most ponytail lovers that use these end up with split ends right in the middle of their head.

9. Healthy Diet
Many people doesn't know this, but your diet has a big impact on your hair. Lots of green vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits will help your hair looking strong and healthy and also the follow

• Vitamin C keeps your hair strong and rich in colour
• Potassium keeps your scalp healthy and helps prevent hair loss.
• Iron keeps your hair follicles healthy  and hair oils circulating.
• Zinc helps with hair growth and repairing damaged hair.
• Vitamin A antioxidant helps with cell growth and healthy sebum in the scalp. 
• Biotin helps to strengthen hair and prevent breakage.

I hope this has been helpful. Please share some of your hair tips for healthier hair.

REVIEW | H2o Water Colour

Working in an organic hair salon (Natural Colour Works) using natural ingredient colours, I thought I will tell you more about the products that I use every day. My first product I want to look at is the H2o Water Colour.

At Natural Colour Works, we believe in caring for the condition of your hair and it's important to keep it healthy and shiny looking, which the H2o Water Colour does. Why compromise on your hair's health just to accomplish the colour you want?


What is H2o Water Colour?
H2o Water Colour is a 95% water-based natural hair colour with no peroxide, ammonia or resorcinol in the mix making it completely odourless. It is the closest to a vegetable dye you can get and still get the result as of a hair dye. It gives 100% grey coverage and as it gently absorbs into the cuticle using hot water and natural body heat, adding perfect shine and reducing stress on your hair. It's ideal for clients with sensitive scalps or skin conditions.

Before and after photos of the H2o Water Colour covering grey hair (above)

How does it work?
It's easy to use. Mixing the powder with warm water, then shake the bottle and it is ready to use. There's no root glow or line between old and new colour as the H2o Water Colour doesn't give a defined regrowth line when growing out. As there's no peroxide in H2o Water Colour you can only use it to darken or match the same colour this is perfect for grey hair. (For lightening hair we use soya colour and seaweed lightener but I'll talk about them another time. )

H2o Water Colour is a perfect colour correction product for your hair as there is no need to pre-pigmentate and prevents any further damage being done to the hair shaft.

We have over 32 subtle colours available so if you want to start looking for your hair and scalp, be nicer to environment and animals why don't you try H2o next time your colour needs refreshing and take the first step to healthy looking hair.

Price
Go to www.naturalcolourworks.com for more information.