How To: highlights at home | Ombre hair | dye your hair at home

My promised hair pictures <3

I started dyeing my hair in 2010 and continued coloring it ever since, apart from 2 times where I decided to go to a hairdresser because I was bored of my color, and wanted something new.

Those two times, I've been the most disappointed I have been in these last 4 years. 

I will tell you a bit about it now, and then I will explain to you step by step what technique you could use to avoid having to spend money while you can do the exact same (or better) at home. 

To start, I would like to admit that there are really awesome hairdressers out there, but to find them is a real quest and it is very rare you will bump into one that does exactly what you asked for, and even more. 

I once had the pleasure to work with someone called Sandrine who worked at Tony & Guy, and she was the best colorist I have ever met. I wanted J Lo meets Jen Aniston hair with a lighter color at the end of my hair points, something I had naturally, but I wanted to exaggerate that look. Maybe a little bit of a semi ombre "avant la lettre".

I showed her some pictures, and to me, it is even more important to stress what you don't want. 

I went with my best friend, and, even though we were both kind of demanding customers (I want this this not that definitely not that, and I do not want to walk out of here with a bill exceeding 200 dollars kind of customer) we really got a great customer service.

We both got about 10 minutes to talk to her, and she was super lovely, she explained the process, she spoke about the color range, showed us several hair samples, explained how we could reach that hair color, you know, something where you normally hear:

"that is not possible miss, your hair is too dark for that, the only way to go blond is to put in highlights, and this way you will come back every 2 to 4 weeks and after a while you will get blond".

MAC DAZZLEGLASS Rags To Riches

Hey! 

Happy 2014! Yay :) 

I hope everyone started it out great. 

I went shopping this weekend and was trying to find a Chanel gloss number 139 for EVER (seriously, I did I think about 15 stores and the product was just gone). 

Apparently, it has been deleted out of the makeup line and will no longer be made. 

Why, Chanel, why? I don't understand this. About 10 years ago I was obsessed with this blush called "tea rose" and "be pop" I think. And then, out of the blue, Chanel decided to stop producing it. Why? I have no clue. So many people got upset over that and now, the only perfect color range in their glossy lippies is again cancelled! Agr. So frustrating. 

If you know what color I am talking about and you have it at home, you are one lucky person, if not, just forget about my rant here or go get this (much cheaper, but not so cheap) gloss by Mac. 

It is called Rag To Riches and it is this reaaaaally pretty pinkish glittery gloss. 

Plus sides: 

A fresh start

Happy New Year! :) 

I hope everyone has had a great time celebrating going from the old in to the new year and I hope you all have food babies just like me haha

I chose this picture to go with my title "A fresh start" because I feel like a new year, as cheesy as it sounds, is a perfect way to start all over. At least, if you feel like some parts of 2013 could have been different:

hair color update

A month or two after my last color session, I decided I wanted something new. 

I've always colored it in the 7 - 8 range with a 20 developer. 

About a year or so ago, I used this L'oreal Preference Ombre kit in number 3, which is the girl on the right of you (the one with the long hair and the lightest blond). This is the color I initially used, because I have natural blondish hair and my ends have always been lighter than my roots. So no need for me to go for the kit for darkest hair to begin with. 

However, before I will continue, I will quickly say that, last time I used this kit, I was SUPER happy about it: no brassy hair color, really pretty ombre effect going from a dark blond/brown to a warm toned mid blond and then lighter blond ends. I cannot exactly remember what technique I used to apply the color, but I wanted to avoid the two colored chopped hair, so I used a technique to gradually get the hair lighter, which, at the time, really worked out for me. 

Now comes the however part :) 

Get a glimpse of my interior

This is my latest furniture: two really pretty desk lamps that I put next to the fire place, and a holder that says News for newspapers :) 

I was on the hunt for these kind of lamps to have next to my couch but I only found really expensive ones. These are a good alternative: they still have a similar interior deco effect without being overly expensive. I think I paid about 20 dollars for them. 

The news stand cost me 15 dollars. 

As the theme in my house is rather "white" based, I really like to always grab similar light colors. I just get bored very easily with colors.. Sometimes, I wish I liked it, because then I could go wild and crazy with what I pick for my interior, but... It seems to stress me out more than be beautiful to the eye :D

They give a very decent amount of light, and in the evenings, I prefer this lighting instead of my ceiling lights, it just gives that extra cozy vibe I absolutely LOVE! 

Here, you can see my table I transformed when I talked about 4 months ago about re inventing an old coffee table. I scratched off all the old paint and dust and started from the bottom up. I decided to paint a striped foot piece with the help of some tape and verrrryyyy pretty golden bronzed paint. I did not want to make it too messy and aggressive, so I chose not to paint the same pattern on the sides. There, I decided to go for egg white / ivory paint that is suitable for wood. And voila, my table is done :) 

I think this is a 40 year old table btw... 

On top of that is an Ikea plate, I absolutely love black and white stripes. It feels a little colonial to me.

I placed a Zara home vase with some fake flowers for Christmas, and next to that I put a Zara home Christmas candle which has the same color as the flowers, and in real life, also as the paint on the table.

Behind that you will be able to see my couch. You can guess my colors are basically grey and white, with some hints of gold :) I like to make my couch extra comfy by placing a million cushions. I can then also alternate between several pillow fabrics to change up the mood in my apartment.

It is a great and very affordable way to spice up your deco. Pillows can be found at Ikea for about 6 dollars, and the textile, you can even make yourself! It is really not that hard..

Merry Christmas everyone!

If you are into vlogs, maybe you will like my Vlogmas video I will put up on my Youtube channel later on today.. You will have a sneak peek of what my life looks like :) 

XXX

OOTD December 2013

I bought these pants in River Island, and I fell in love with how the sequin is not too much out there. Every girl loves shiny things, and that's why I just needed to have these pants in my life haha :)

I paired them with Zara boots, which you can barely see on this picture.. A white tee from Topshop, my cardigan with leather sleeves from Maje and my new necklace from Zara. 

Today was Christmas shopping day, so we went out to the city for some good old fashioned Christmas gifts. However, once we arrived in the city, I think the whole country had the same idea.. There were queues EVERYWHERE. Nevertheless, we took it upon us to just go with the flow and buy the gifts we had in mind. 

I also purchased new tea and coffee, because if there is anything I can get equally excited about as make up, it has to be tea :D or fake coffee (coffee with LOADS of milk and foam Njum!) 

I bought rose tea, which I am obsessed with atm. Rose infusion tea, rose earl grey tea, you name it, I have it or have to buy it :) 

Speaking of tea, today is Sunday, and I am about to put the kettle on for a cup of tea with a biscuit and watch The Heat. I started watching it a couple of days ago but never got around to watch it to the end, but I laughed out loud on my own several times, which means it is a good movie! 

Lots of love x

Next post will be a collective haul of what I bought in Rotterdam!

XL

Christmas time!!!

 Look what I bought today! :) We went quickly for breakfast and in the shop my eye fell on this little fellow. How cute is he? It came with a set to make a hot cocoa with marshmallows, njum! I think I will make myself a cup of that now. 

This morning, I already felt better (I explained this in my last video:

And so, because Ikea is having a special sale on their Christmas trees (1 for 5 euros!!) we went quickly to Ikea to get our Christmas tree. There were already a lot of people in front of us... We were sure to be the first ones coming up very early to the store, but I guess we were wrong :D 

I already pulled out all my Christmas deco to decorate the tree tomorrow or on Sunday! 

My colors will be red, white and golden. I love it! 

Now, I am going to drink my hot cocoa, because a storm is coming and I just want to curl up in my blanket and rest some more. 

Talk to you soon! 

Xl