Love Wings UK: Sugar Skull Bracelet [REVIEW]

Phew! I've received so many items for review lately that it's taken me a while to catch up!

Finally, I can share my verdict on this blue sugar skull bracelet, sent to me by newly launched Etsy-based jewellery business Love Wings UK a few weeks back.

£15, Love Wings UK

Cute, eh?

The bracelet is largely made from red (and two silver-grey) glass 'crackle' beads, while the feature skull bead is constructed from a ceramic-like material. The elastic used to string the beads seems fairly durable, and the accessory sits comfortably on my wrist.

This bracelet reminds me of the more luxurious skull bracelet I reviewed for Lady Lu Jewels in October.

Love Wings UK: The Packaging

I have to commend the effort Love Wings went to with the bracelet's packaging. My item arrived in a black pillow-style gift box, featuring the brand's logo in sticker form. The bracelet was also well protected with plenty of shredded, deep-red paper.

Another branded sticker (below) was also placed on the outside of the padded envelope in which the above was packed for shipping. I appreciate small branding touches like this.

Questioning Price & Final Thoughts 

While I do like this bracelet - and prefer to keep this blog positive when possible - I do think the price tag of £15 is pretty darn steep. £15 appears to be the standard price for all bracelets, regardless of the materials used, at least judging by Love Wings's currently underdeveloped Etsy page.

Although Love Wings UK does make bracelets which include semi-precious beads, this one does not comprise any.

Crackle beads and the increasingly popular skull beads are available for very nominal cost on eBay. (Don't believe me? Search for both on the auction site and select 'price: low to high'!) As such, Love Wing's profit margin is, potentially, extremely high.

Additionally, the skull's flower eyes appear to be made from glued slices of a Fimo rod - another item very inexpensive to source through eBay.

A closer look at the 'eyes'...

I can understand charging more than material cost to cover labour and ensure profit (that's business 101), but £15 indicates a colossal mark-up in my opinion.

As a new business, Love Wings will need to reconsider its prices carefully, in order to ensure potential customers do not end up seeking jewellery elsewhere.

You can follow Love Wings on Twitter here.

/KatSick. 

UPDATE 20:55 28/11/2012: I have just been DM'd by Love Wings UK on Twitter, and have been informed the £15 includes P&P (even though the Etsy site states £2.99 P&P?), and that Love Wing's beads are not sourced from eBay...

HighFlyers Clothing: 'Teddy with a Chainsaw' Tshirt [REVIEW]

Earlier this week I posted about a LushTshirts.co.uk shirt I had been sent to review a few weeks back. Well, when this tee dropped through my letterbox, so did another one from growing West Midlands-based apparel company HighFlyers Clothing.

HighFlyers Clothing (HFC) specialises in simple graphic attire, the likes of which - in my opinion - wouldn't look out of place in streetwear stores such as Size? HFC's striking designs are somewhat reminiscent of those belonging to Trainerspotter, while unique in their own right.

After seeing the brand's call for blogger reviews, I happily volunteered and was sent one of their 'Teddy with a Chainsaw' shirts, which retails for £19.99.

HFC's catalogue pic

My photo

I'm not sure why, but my shirt differs slightly from that shown in the brand's catalogue pic, since it features a white border around the design. This isn't a problem though - in fact, I've only just noticed!

HighFlyers Clothing 'Teddy with a Chainsaw' shirt: Design and quality

No story regarding the chainsaw-wielding bear is provided on the site but that's perfectly fine by me - this means I can make up my own narrative! I like to think its the angrier 'Folie a Deux' bear gone solo ;] (yes, I am both mental and a FOB fan...)

Let's ignore the question of my mental stability for a moment and focus on the shirt's quality. The tee is very comfortable to wear, but what impressed me the most is the print. The motif is almost impossible to rip/peel/damage/distort/etc. I've given the shirt some vigorous tugs (and several machine washes) to test this theory, and it remains as immaculate as the the day I first received it. 

I can only describe the print as being like sticker-like, though this is not accurate in the slightest! Hopefully the close-up pics below will give you a better idea regarding the premium printing method employed by HFC (click to enlarge).

The high quality print, close up (click to enlarge)

If you're looking for a cool 'investment shirt' (i.e. one that will last through years of wear and laundry spins) or three, you should definitely check out the HighFlyers Clothing site.

The shirt also came with a branded HFC tag looped around its size label, pictured below. 

While this shirt is too big for me for everyday wear (it's a men's XL - HFC doesn't currently provide ladies-fit shirts), I plan to wear it to the gym often. What better motivator than seeing a murderous bear in the mirror as I pedal/step/row away? ;]

This wouldn't be a KatSick Tshirt review without an obligatory pic of me wearing said Tshirt, while striking a very vacant pose. Here we are then...

Maybe one day I'll get all 6ft 1" of me in frame :| The perils of living alone & only having a phone camera...

HighFlyers Clothing: New range

HighFlyers Clothing recently added some new designs to its roster, of which I really like these two simple graphic sweatshirts:

£34.99 each, HighFlyers Clothing

I actually don't own a single sweatshirt/sweater currently, but with all the cold weather recently I have started to think such garments are essential!

I would love to get my hands on one of these HFC sweats (who says they're for men only!?) in a really large size, for a relaxed, casual look. An oversized sweat would be ideal for chucking on when deciding what to wear proves a headache too!

Be sure to check out the HighFlyers shop for yourself, by clicking their logo below. You can also follow the brand on Facebook, and on Twitter.

/KatSick.

Stone-Bridge.co.uk Luxury Hair Accessories: Pink 'Wild One' Clamp [REVIEW]

Are you sick of hair elastics which snap after just a couple of uses? Hair clamps with teeth that break too easily? Hair claws too weak to keep long, thick hair immaculately in place? Accessories unkind to wispy hair? Keep reading...

A few weeks ago, a lovely lady from Stone-Bridge.co.uk emailed me, inviting me to review one of the site's luxury hair accessories. Featured in the likes of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and The Guardian, Stone Bridge specialises in attractive, premium hair accessories. The majority of theses are hand-crafted by small companies in France and Italy.

Every item found in the Stone Bridge catalogue has been put through thorough testing to ensure it meets the highest standards, for which the brand has become known. Furthermore  Stone Bridge understands not all hair clamps, clips and bands are suitable for every hair type. Hair of different lengths, textures and weights require very different accessories for secure styling.

I was asked to fill in the 'Tell us about your hair' form, so the company could select an ideal item for me to review. Within, I noted my hair is thick and medium length, and that l am usually drawn to pink and animal print hair accessories (as if my blog background didn't already suggest such!)

Imagine my delight then, when I received  this pink 'France Luxe Wild One' clamp (£42) just two days after submitting my form:

£42, Stone-Bridge.co.uk

Before I give you my verdict on the clip itself, I feel I should show you the packaging in which it arrived...

Stone Bridge Luxury Hair Accessories: The Packaging

I already mentioned the delivery of my item was super speedy, so opening the cardboard box to find tissue paper lovingly tied and bowed was a very pleasing 'cherry on the cake'.

The inclusion of a simple, branded tag on the clamp itself was also a nice touch.

'Wild One' Hair Clamp: Verdict

I really love the pattern on this hair clamp - it's so me! The design is a little paler on the inside where the hair sits. I hope you can see this clearly in the picture below.

Top: external print. Bottom: internal print and spring

The clamp's spring (also pictured above) is of exceptional quality, and won't budge at all from the optimal position in which it is placed. Too often I have found the springs on cheaper clamps eventually 'fall out', rendering the clip completely useless.

The plastic used in the clamp's construction is very durable too, meaning it is resilient against clumsy types like myself. Even trying to break this clamp on purpose would take significant effort! Each of the teeth are neatly rounded off also, to ensure no discomfort is caused when it's in contact with the scalp.

But how well does the clamp keep my thick, medium length hair in place?

VERY! 

I wanted to include a pic to show you, but it turns out photographing the back of your own head is no easy task!

I have to admit £42 is probably a little too rich for my everyday hair accessories budget - in the past I have paid around a fiver for each of my hair clamps. These cheaper solutions though, do tend to quickly break, and/or don't quite grip my hair tightly enough. As such, I can understand Stone Bridge's products are a worthy investment, which save women money in the long run.

While a slightly unkempt hairstyle might be acceptable when on the beach or about town, experiencing such at a special event - such as a wedding or graduation ceremony - is a complete no no. Stricter office environments might also look unkindly on imperfect locks. Stone Bridge can provide ideal, secure styling solutions for all hair types in these instances.

Not all of the products on Stone-Bridge.co.uk are as expensive as this clamp, so don't be put off checking out the site if your budget is a little more modest. Few ladies will fail to find a hair accessory they absolutely love in the brand's catalogue.

/KatSick. 

'No One Reads My Blog' Shirt: LushTshirts.co.uk [REVIEW]

A few weeks ago, I was sent a shirt from funny and offensive slogan shirt company LushTshirts.co.uk, which I have been meaning to review on KatSick since (my blogging has been a little less frequent in the wake of recent life-hassles).

However, this small delay means I have been able to wear my shirt more than a handful of times, which puts me in a great position to give my verdict. How can someone judge the quality of a garment after just one wear, and no cycles in the washing machine?

Lush TShirts sells a vast collection of slogan tees (categories: funny, retro, gay, geek, offensive, TV and gym) and so it took me quite a while to pick one to review.

Since this blog is currently less than two months old and I'm still building up my following, I eventually decided on Lush's 'Nobody reads my blog' shirt. This tee retails for £11.99 and can be found in Lush's 'geek' category.

This conversation starter will provide me ample opportunity to self-promote, I'm sure!

Lush T Shirt: quality and appearance

I noticed how incredibly soft my 'Nobody reads...' tee is as soon as removed it from it's packaging. Cotton tees used by many printing companies have a cheap and rough feel to them (think 'Fruit of the Loom'), so I was pleasantly surprised.

No cracks in the print!

Even better; I've put this shirt through the washing machine twice already and the print has not peeled or cracked in the slightest (an all-too-common problem with printed shirts). The size and shape of the garment has not altered after either of its 40° laundry spins. It even survived a round in Mum's vigorous tumble dryer with no issues whatsoever.

The slogan is also optimally positioned on the shirt too - it's not too high or low.

The inclusion of a branded tag on the collar's size label was a nice, professional touch also.

Lush T Shirt packaging

The shirt arrived well packaged inside a grey polythene mailing bag, in which a 'Thank You' card and two beer mats were also found. Now, most companies include a note of thanks in their delivery packages, but beer mats!?

This marketing move is actually really clever. Given the crass nature of some of the slogan tees available through Lush TShirts - 'You had me at 'I swallow'' and 'Don't be sexist. Bitches hate that', for example - it's safe to assume the site's primary target market is men (though they do stock a range of designs specifically for women too).

Including beer mats detailing 'Top Drinking Slogans' then, is pretty clever marketing. I can imagine two guys enjoying a few beers on the sofa, laughing over classic - read as 'cheesy' - bombs such as:

'Great legs! What time do they open?'

'You are on the top of my to do list.' and

'Instant wanker. Just add beer.'

All of the included slogans are available printed on shirts from Lush. I wouldn't be surprised if a bloke or two have gone on to order one after many at-home bevies in the company of the dude who bought one originally!

I should also point out my shirt arrived just two days after it was ordered. That's great service considering every shirt is printed to order.

Here's a poser-pic of me wearing my 'Nobody reads...' tee. As usual, you can see I've struggled to snap a picture of myself using my HTC One S, while keeping the phone out of shot (mirror shots died with MySpace's popularity!) and looking in the right direction.

'Tom is now your friend...'

Remember to check out Lush Tshirts for yourself. If you're seeking tees for a hen night or stag do, you'll be pleased to hear the company happily accepts custom orders, and can even provide discounts for larger orders. You should contact Lush for more information.

/KatSick.

'Davina' Sparkly Glasses Case from LensCases.co.uk [REVIEW]

£6.99, lenscases.co.uk

While it is useful most high street and online prescription glasses outlets provide a free protective case with each pair sold, it's fair to say the great majority of these are not very attractive. Case (pun intended) in point:

This case was the most attractive, free option available to me at Worthing Specsavers. 

When I saw eyewear accessories retailer lenscases.co.uk looking for bloggers to review their cases on Twitter then (shortly after I acquired new frames for SelectSpecs), I quickly volunteered.

The Nottingham-based Lens Cases stocks everything short and long-sighted individuals could need, including glasses and contact lens cases, lens inserters and removers, chains, cleaning cloths and even a gorgeous range of compact mirrors. Even better; all of these items are available at low prices, and so the site is definitely worth checking out if like me you lack perfect, 20/20 vision.

I was sent the purple version of the Davina Sparkly Glasses Case (£6.99) to review, pictured to the top of this post and below.

Ooooh shiny...

Lens Cases Glasses Case Verdict

I love this glasses case, and I wish the pictures would show exactly just how shiny it is! The pattern has a slightly textured feel too which just adds to the appeal. The noise the case makes when the magnetic closure seals is also quite satisfying (yes...I'm an oddball!)

More importantly though, this case is robust in its construction. This means I know my glasses will remain scratch free, even if I happen to knock the case off my desk or inadvertently tread on it (as well as being an oddity, I'm highly accident prone!)

The case's black, velvet-like inner is also a nice touch, as is the inclusion of a free, promotional cleaning cloth. The case was also lovingly wrapped in tissue plastic and plastic film, to prevent any damage in transit.

I know which case I'd rather have!

Free cleaning cloth

Remember to check out the Lens Cases website for yourself. You can also follow the company on Twitter.

/KatSick.

My First Giveaway: Win 2 x Visionary Soap Gift Sets (Mini Soap Box & Bath Melt Box)

I'm really pleased to announce the wonderful Visionary Soap Company has sent me two of their pampering gift boxes, for my very first blog giveaway.

Visionary Soap craft gorgeous, vegan-friendly and Fairtrade bath and body products which not only smell delicious, but also provide super skin-nourishment. You can learn more about the brand by reading my previous post which reviews a selection of their indulgent products in detail, or by taking a look around the Visionary Soap website.

The Prizes...

One winner (of whom I'm very jealous!) will win two different Visionary Soap gift boxes, as follows:

Inside this Visionary Soap hand-cut mini soap gift box (worth £11.20), you will find...

• 1 x Lavender mini soap
• 1 x Lemongrass mini soap
• 1 x Anise Poppy Seed mini soap
• 1 x Eucalyptus mini soap
• 1 x Cinnamon Orange Clove mini soap
• 1 x Geranium Rose mini soap
• 1 x Tea Tree mini soap
• 1 x Patchouli & Ylang Ylang soap

This Visionary Soap bath melt box (worth £9.99) meanwhile contains:

• 1 x Lemongrass bath melt 
• 1 x Lavender bath melt 
• 1 x Geranium Rose bath melt
• 1 x Patchouli & Ylang Ylang bath melt 

The lovely purple gift boxes in which these items are presented are handmade by Nepal's Get Paper Industry - just one more ethical string to Visionary Soap's bow!

For your chance to win both gift sets, you will need to (please complete these steps via the Rafflecopter widget below):

• Follow Visionary Soap on Twitter
• Follow me (@DeadBoomerang) on Twitter
• Like Visionary Soap on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway

To increase your chances of winning, you should also follow katsick.blogspot.co.uk via Google Friend Connect (GFC).

a Rafflecopter giveaway Good luck to everyone who enters!
/KatSick. 

T&Cs of this giveaway:

• This giveaway is open to UK citizens only (sorry!)
• The giveaway closes at 12.01am EST on Friday 30 November, 2012. 
• This prize will be sent via first class, recorded delivery (this means someone will need to be at home/work to sign for it!)
• I am not responsible for any giveaway prizes lost in transit. 
• I'm covering the cost of sending this prize to the winner, not Visionary Soap. 
• Rafflecopter makes use of random.org to select winners. However, I reserve the right to deny the prize to any Twitter account deemed to be created for the sole purpose of entering competitions. Rafflecopter will be used to select a different winner in this instance.
• The prize is as stated - two Visionary soap gift sets (1 x mini soap box, 1 x bath melt box). No other prizes are available, and there is no cash alternative (why would you want that anyway!?)
• No purchase is necessary to enter this competition. 

Pay Day Booty #2: Rainbow Eyeshadow Palette & Body Shop Lemongrass Leg Gel

I wasn't going to do a Pay Day Booty post this month, since I didn't actually go into town to get any goodies when I was paid over a fortnight ago. I got my hair trimmed (more an essential than a luxury - I couldn't see!) but in an attempt to stay out of the red this month I didn't treat myself to anything.

Earlier this week however, I did allow myself to order two cheap items off eBay. Since they both arrived at the same time, I figured I might as well put a post together about them.

Lijindie Rainbow 72 Eyeshadow Pallet 

I was inspired to buy this rainbow Lijindie eyeshadow pallet after seeing self-taught makeup artist (and complete stunner) Paula Piranha blog about hers on She Said Beauty. Paula said her Lijindie pallet - which is slightly different to mine - is one of her most reliable eyeshadow sets for creative eye looks, since she finds the colours are really easy to build up.

Paula also mentioned she purchased her pallet really cheap from eBay. I was intrigued enough to see if I could find a Lijindie set on the auction site and sure enough, I did. My palette was just £6.99 + £1.40 P&P. Want one? You can get yours here.

I can't wait to start playing around with the colours as part of my Eye Experiments!

Surely there must be a downside to this bargain, rainbow eyeshadow pallet though? Well actually, there's three...

• "72 EYESHADOWS OMG!" This thought was enough to see me click 'BUY NOW' but on closer inspection once it had arrived, I realised there's more than a couple of duplicates. This doubling will be useful though, should I end up really liking some of the hues.

• The box is pretty terrible aesthetically. It gives the impression of "Argos makeup set" as opposed to being a product of decent quality (but hey, for the low price I'll give it a go!)

• You'll see below the two sides of the pallet close in on each other, and are secured using a popper to create a glittery silver, portable case. All that separates each side from the other is a single sheet of plastic film, which is not secured in any way. I imagine this means the pallet could get messy in time if I am not careful.

I've tested a couple of the colours on the back of my hand and it does seem they will build up well. I will have to play with the set further before making a final verdict. For £8.39 (inc. P&P) though, I can't really bitch too much!

The Body Shop Lemongrass Deodorising Leg Gel

The bottle says... "If you happen to be under the weather in East India or Sri Lanka, you might be offered a cup of "fever tea", a blend of lemongrass leaves and herbs. Should your feet feel feverish, this lemongrass treat will perk them right up, without having to trek around the world."

Since trying Visionary Soap's gorgeous vegan and Fairtrade soap a couple of weeks back, lemongrass has become one of my favourite scents. I could resist this leg gel then, which I found on eBay for just £3 including P&P.

While this gel certainly makes my tootsies feel refreshed and smell pleasant  I have to say I am a little disappointed. I was hoping the formula would soak into my feet in the same, quick way antibacterial gel does into hands but this is not so. This gel makes skin feel a little tacky after application, and so I don't apply it "liberally" as the bottle suggests.

I can't really recommend this leg gel, but it isn't so bad that I am going to throw it out.

/KatSick.

Alison Claire's 'So Remarkable' Bio-Natural Beauty: Vanilla & Coconut Body Butter & Lemongrass Foot Cream Review

Alison Claire developed her range of bio-natural body and hair products in response to increasing discussions regarding potential dangers of the chemical-nasties included in many mainstream products.

The four biggest chemical nasties are Laurel/Laureth Sulphate (possible skin irritant), Parabens (possibly harmful to the human reproductive system), Phenoxyethanol (potential nervous and immune system depressor) and PEGs (thought to lead to hair loss).

Considering those ghastly potential side effects, it's no wonder there's a call for beauty formulas composed of natural ingredients! Alison promises her products will never contain the four nasties, fillers, harsh preservatives, or synthetics colours of fragrances.

But aren't unpronounceable chemicals essential to see beauty products do their respective jobs properly? That's what the industry would have us believe...

Alison sent me samples of two lovely products to review on this blog:

Alison Claire So Remarkable Vanilla & Coconut Body Butter

Product tagline: SO beautifully natural...SO rich and nourishing.
Price: £15, 200ml [LINK]

Natural ingredients: Aloe Vera, Coconut oil, Cocoa Butter, Green Tea, Silver Birch, Radish Root, Hibiscus Flower, White Willow Bark and Vanilla Essential Oil.

KatSick Verdict

You can see that I have used around half of the sample pot I was sent already. Not only is this body butter deeply moisturising and quickly absorbed by skin, but I also absolutely adore the smell!

The fragrance is warm and comforting (ah, vanilla!), and I would also describe it as "milky" (a weird choice of adverb, I'm aware!) It's a delicate, subtle scent, in the wake of not being one which has been artificially created, but lingers to skin long enough to cause unavoidable "Mmmmmm"'s when applied.

I like to moisturise my face with this body butter after stepping out of the shower each morning, before applying my makeup (makeup and dry skin never bode well!) I have also been applying the formula after removing my makeup before bed, and have had woken up with a softer, clearer complexion as a result.

I would certainly pay £15 for a full sized pot (200ml) since a little goes a long way. I've applied the butter in my little pot (10ml?) at least 10 times so far. This really is a lovely body butter - highly recommended!

Alison Claire So Remarkable Lemongrass Foot Cream

Product tagline: SO beautifully natural...SO soft and nourishing.

Price: £12, 200ml [LINK]

Natural ingredients: Aloe Vera, Lemon Balm, Shea Butter), Sweet Almond Oil, Radish Root, Jojoba oil, Comfrey, White Willow Bark, Witch Hazel Water), Gingko Biloba, Meadow Sweet, Argan oil and Lemongrass Essential Oil.

KatSick Verdict

Until recently, I haven't given my feet much consideration when it comes to beauty. You can probably tell this from the fact I have not used as much of this foot cream as I have the body butter. Thankfully, I need not worry about neglecting my tootsies when nourishing products like Alison Claire's exist. 

If you're a regular reader of this blog, then you'll already be aware how Visionary Soap recently awakened a love of lemongrass in me - it's fast becoming one of my favourite scents. I was glad to discoverer then, that this foot cream has that natural zing I adore so much which, incidentally, also helps to perk up tired feet effectively.

I've been making the effort to apply this cream to my (clean) feet at least once a week before bed. Wearing a pair of (again, clean) socks on top helps the formula to do it's magic overnight, and softens soles wonderfully. 

£12 is not a bad price to pay at all for soft, revitalised and gorgeous smelling feet! 

.....

Be sure to check out Alison's So Remarkable bio-natural range for yourself by clicking here, or on the logo below - you'll skin will thank you for it! You can also follow the brand on Twitter and Facebook. 

Other bio-natural products available include shower gels, shampoos, body lotions and lip balms (the Mango one sounds amazing!)

/KatSick.

Pink/Purple Kaleidoscope Hair [What Happened After Bblonde?]

This weekend I showed you the results of using Jerome Russell's Bblonde powder bleach and peroxide on my hair, recently dyed permanent blue-black.

I also told you I was going to add some brighter hues back into my lightened locks, and I'd let you know how I got on with such...

As you can see, the resulting colours were a mixed bag. This is because Bblonde did not lighten all of my hair to the same colour, and because I applied three different dyes post bleaching:

FROM LEFT: Special Effects Electric Blue, Special Effects Atomic Pink (UV) and Directions Plum.

The ends of my hair didn't really budge far from the brassy orange the Bblonde sent it, despite applying a good helping of the Atomic Pink dye. The ends of my hair would have turned out as bright as my shaved section if only they had bleached to the same tone (though admittedly, I'm not so keen on the shaved area being pink now...oh well, live and learn!)

Nearer the crown, I used a mix of all three dyes pictured above. I applied quite a lot of the Electric Blue to start, until I became worried my bleached hair was not absorbing it properly (the hair looked pale green). This is when I decided to add some Directions Plum, since I know it's a reliable dye and would - hopefully - cover the apparent blue mishap.

While it is not clear in the collage pic to the begging of this post, some parts of my hair are blue. Special Effects' Electric Blue is such a saturated dye though, that I think it will take a few more washes for the distinction between the blue and purple to become clear.

I will likely get bored and dye my hair again before that has a chance of happening though!

Yes, I still need a decent camera...

The colours become more/less obvious depending on how I wear my hair - sweeping it in different directions gives different colour combos. In the image above you can see the colours aren't immediately noticeable head on, at least not when compared to the shots in the collage.

I'm not overly keen on my current 'do' but I'm going to hold off from further dyeing...at least until the weekend!

/KatSick.

Jerome Russell Bblonde Cream Peroxide & Powder Bleach Review

So last week I decided to finally go and get a well-overdue haircut. Before I did, each day would see someone at work asking "Have you done something different with your hair?", as I would have to find different ways of pinning my once-fringe out of my eyes.

I went to the Worthing Cuts Co store right next door to the office, for convenience and the fact that a cut and blast cost just £14. Considering I simply wanted my tresses neatened a bit I figured this would be an OK place to go. And it was "OK" but I probably won't be returning (my reasons are a whole other blog post...)

Anyway, having my hair cut made my roots more obvious - I had neglected colouring my hair for a while too. As such, I decided to return to an all-over black base (well; cosmic blue-black) with the intention of adding some vibrant colour/s later.

Being asked if I would like to review Jerome Russell's BBlonde hair bleaching products then, couldn't have come at a better time. It really did not take long for me to become bored of my plain black hair, and the intense blue tinge did wash my skin out a bit (so pale....so pale...)

Aware the bleaching kit would probably transform my black-for-less-than-a-week-locks orange, I decided to just go for it and test it out regardless. I am a veteran of lightening unnatural black hair and knew that even a result of brassy tones would be enough to add some brighter hues back into my hair.

It should be noted that jeromerussell.co.uk does states that their bleach is "not recommended" for black hair, but hey, I'm a rebel! Or perhaps stupid. Let's find out...

Jerome Russell Bblonde Hair Bleach Review 

• Jerome Russell Bblonde Cream Peroxide (40% VOL)
• Jerome Russell Bblonde Powder Bleach (for light-dark brown hair)

Following the directions included in the box, I poured one sachet of Jerome Russell powder bleach into a bowl (four sachets are included in the box). 

I then added the cream peroxide and stirred the mixture until even, using an old teaspoon...while wearing fancy blue disposable gloves, of course. 

Then I applied the bleach to the areas of my hair I wanted to lighten, using my gloved fingertips.

I will I could be more specific than that, but my hair dyeing method has always been "slap it on and hope for the best." 

However, I can tell you that I applied the mixture to the ends of my hair dip-dye style, a little to my fringe, a section or two on each side of my head, and to the shaved undercut area on the right side of my head (pictured pre-dye below). After 30 minutes, I washed the bleach out of my hair.

Jerome Russell Bblonde Results

As expected, I was left with some brassy orange tones at the ends of my hair, while the shaved area and  a few strands nearer my scalp ended up blonde (albeit, a yellow-blonde).

Some people might consider the results of this blonding kit to be a disaster, but not me! As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I already knew my freshly dyed black hair would not go perfectly blonde - black is the hardest colour to strip from hair.

Considering how recently I applied the black though, I was very impressed by the amount of colour which did lift.

I have NEVER dared to bare the brassy step of my bright-colouring procedure to the public before, but actually went into town today with my bleached locks! I actually liked some of the resulting tones, and I wanted to pick up a few bits before applying pink and electric blue dye to my lightened sections.

That's what I'm going to do now in fact...I will post a picture of my brighter locks soon!

If you're seeking a hair bleach with high lift - whether your hair is coloured or natural - this is the one for you! The instructions couldn't be easier to follow and I will definitely be using Bblonde again in future.

If you want to purchase Bblonde, you can find the range in all Boots and Superdrug stores (among other chains).

/KatSick.