Shiny, Shiny Hair.

Recently my hair has had enough and well and truly given up the ghost. After having it cut, I couldn't believe how lovely it felt and how soft and healthy. Ooft. It was amazing. At that time I was dying it from my natural blonde to brown so I knew that I would be redying every 6 weeks or so. And then I got bored of brown and wanted to go ginger. So off to Tesco I went and brought me some ginger dye and ... it didn't work. The brown was too dark and the colour just didn't take. Way to waste money, Megan. But the next day my friend and I had the brilliant idea of bleaching it to make it dip dyed! Yay. Smart move. Only the ends of my hair turned, what, the blonde that I now wanted? Nope. The ginger that I had wanted the previous day. But I looked like some kind of ginger/brunette crossbreed which was not attractive. So with the rest of the bleach that we had, we dyed the top half of my hair and, although effectively turned it ginger, managed to kill it. My newly alive hair wasn't so alive anymore. Weep. Sob. 

So I've been using different products in an attempt to revive my hair but alas, to no avail. 

(This is where I get to the point of this blog post. I'm just setting the scene. Megan. Dead hair. Got it? Good) 

Wandering around my local little (and I mean tiny) pharmacy the other day, I was on the hunt for a hair mask or treatment of some kind and came across V05 Hot Oil Give Me Moisture. I had a vague memory of my mum using it in the past and so at £3.50 for four treatments, I brought it.

 Each treatment comes in an individual soft plastic tube with a twist top. Before opening, you just drop it in some warm water for a couple of minutes (or you can drop it in the bath with you or run it under your shower water) and then take the top off and whack it one your hair. The instructions say to only leave it on for one minute because it's strong and can cause damage if used for longer. I'm not too sure about that because companies say all kinds of things to cover their own backs if anything goes wrong, but I left it on for a minute none-the-less and then washed it off. I have to say, my hair didn't feel much different at that time but  you know, you have to give these things a chance. I've read a couple of people saying that the smell is a bit too strong for them but I could barely smell it at all. You then wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner as usual. 

When I blow dried my hair with my usual heat defense, I noticed immediately that it felt softer. It almost feels how it did before I bleached it which, let me tell you, was bloody unexpected. It also look so shiny! Yay! The stray hairs that were sticking up all over the place and really grinding my gears before stayed down and in place which, with my current bob, is an absolute must. Random hair sticking out really doesn't look good but this oil seemed to help tame my hair a little. I'm absolutely thrilled. 

For the price, this is a must have product. It says that you should use it once weekly or more if necessary and seeing as that would only be £3.50 a month, I'll definitely be investing. My hair looks and feels so much healthier and it's surprising how much better you feel about yourself when your hair is in good condition. 

 

I would highly recommend this product to anyone in need of a hair boost and seeing as the pharmacist I got it in was a very small town one, I'm sure that you can pick it up in any Boots, Superdrug or drugstore. 

What're you waiting for?! 

M x 

Just What I Didn't Need....Another Obsession.

At this very moment, I have an essay and a piece of coursework that are screaming at me to be written. One is due tomorrow and the other is needed to be handed in tomorrow for review. So what do I do? Neither. 

Time to update my beloved blog. 

I noticed that I've gone from several updates per month to one or two and that makes me sad. I don't want it to get neglected so I am going to try and update more regularly! I promise! 

Months and months ago, my darling sister told me that there is a show that I should really watch. Apparently it was really funny and glittery and amazing and "it has the woman from Will and Grace in". Now, I love Will&Grace and Karen was a bit of an idol of mine when I was younger - who doesn't love that drunk, pill-popping bitch? - but it turns out that she didn't mean Karen, she meant Grace. And that show was called SMASH. 

SMASH is now my life. 

As is Debra Messing. 

SMASH isn't very popular in the UK and I'm not sure if it's even shown here because I have been watching it online, but the very brief idea of it is an ensemble of people are trying to put together a broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe. And it is incredible. We're introduced to the producer, director, lyricist, composer, dancers and the two girls that are battling it out to get the main role of Marilyn. The show has a bit of Glee about it in the way it has full musical numbers, but they're (mainly) from the musical and so I think blend into the show in a far more natural way than the songs from Glee do. Plus they're all original songs that are written by a team that have worked on musicals such as Chicago. It's all pretty top notch stuff. 

So far there have been two series of SMASH and it's looking like there won't be a third which is such a shame, but there will never be a time that the soundtrack from the show won't be on my Ipod from now on. I love musicals and broadway and the soundtrack is perfect. The two ladies that are competing to be Marilyn (Katherine McFee as Karen Cartwright and Megan Hilty as Ivy Lynn) are both amazing singers in completely different ways. Katherine - who made her name on American Idol - is a kind of homely singer with a beautiful voice, suiting the more poppy side of the show whereas Megan can pull of the big broadway numbers and ballads like no other. She's done a stint in Wicked on the real broadway so, you know. Girl's got pipes. The songs are pretty fun and the production of them all are often big and bold, including sequences that, when in rehershals, give the viewer an idea of the production on stage which is a lovely touch. 

One of my favourite songs from the series with Megan and Katherine both singing. I adore it! 

So anyway. Debra Messing is in this show and because of it, I have added her to my list of obsessions. Yup. Very much so. Her tag is now tracked on Tumblr. That's the sign. 

I absolutely adore Debra in Will&Grace and have seen her in a couple of other bits and bobs including a film called The Wedding Date which I absolutely loved and a series called The Starter Wife which again, although a little cheesy and strange at times, was brilliant. 

Also, can we just take a moment to marvel at that hair?! 

Errr Helloo? Why can't I have a hairdresser on hand that makes my hair look like that 24/7?? 

Oh yeah. Because I'm not loaded. 

God damn you, Life. Such a bitch. 

M x 

A Book is a Megans' Best Friend

"Books can be dangerous.  The best ones should be labeled "This could change your life.""  ~Helen Exley

The other night I went to a friends house and came back with a pile of books that I am absolutely dying to read. I honestly feel rich right now because I've not had a collection of books to read for a while and now I do and it's the best feeling in the world because there are a whole load of stories that I can be part of soon; worlds that I've yet to explore and people I've yet to meet. In short, I am one of those people that love books. 

Sweeney Todd The String of Pearls - James Malcolm Rymer

Nineteen Eighty-Four - George Orwell

Selected Poems - Sylvia Plath

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

A Room with a View - E. M. Foster

Dracula - Bram Stoker

To me, there really is nothing like a good book. I was brought up surrounded by shelves and shelves and shelves of them and have an extensive collection myself. When you find someone that has similar tastes to you, it's an amazing thing because it not only means that you have something in common, but you can really find out something about them; your taste in books really does say a lot about you. What someone recommends can tell you not only about them, but can be a hint as to what kind of person they perceive you as and that's something I find really interesting.

Which leads me on to those people that don't read. Now, I don't have a problem with those people that genuinely don't like reading because they don't have time, don't like books, weren't brought up that way. Whatever. Whatever the reason said person doesn't like reading is down to them and their choice. I'm not going to bash them for that. Personally, I don't understand how they don't like books, but I'm sure that they don't understand how I do. I don't go on about it and neither do they. What really irks me, however, is when people make a point of not liking books and then go on to either boast to me that they "haven't read a book since I was 5" or "think they're all crap". No. You know what, if you're going to talk to me and expect me to be impressed that you have not read something since you were *blank* years old, then I really don't have much time for you. And I'm supposed to, what, admire you for that? Act as if you're the only person I've met that is ridiculously pleased with themselves for not reading? I don't sit here and think that I'm superior to you because I've never seen you pick up a book and I certainly don't think that reading is something to be super proud of. It's something I like doing and is pretty damn normal, as is not reading. You're not alone in not reading, you're not the first and you won't be the last. It's something that I just cannot get my head around. Okay, sure. You don't like reading? Fine. Cool. I don't like tomatoes. You think it's something that is unique and admirable to have not read a book in 10/20 years? Wowzer. Gold star to you and here's a medal to top it off.  You people aggravate me. 

Then there are those that slam other people for reading books. Being branded a "geek" or "loser" or "weirdo" for liking books is just... I don't even have words for it. Because really, what is your problem? I don't impose my "weird" ways on you. I don't force you to hear about the latest book that I'm reading or make you read it or even mention it. So when you see a book in my bag or see me reading, then why try and put me down because of it? What's your logic behind that? 

I know that it may seem I am slamming people that don't read and am therefore being quite hypocritical because I have then gone on to get annoyed at those who don't like the fact that I do read, but I'd like to point out that I really don't have a problem with people that don't read. It's their choice. My problem lies with those that a) think it's something to boast about to me and b) keep on and on at me that I'm a "geek" because I do read. Do excuse me for being who I am. 

Also, I'd like to make the brief point that if you're doing an English Literature course, it may help you to have actually read a book recently and to have a basic knowledge of authors and poets that are, you know, pretty famous. Oscar Wilde, for example. But don't get me wrong, I love my English class. I really do. 

So yes. I like book. Books are our friends. 

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man that can't read them" - Mark Twain

And in other news, I recently got a little bored, spied a pair of scissors and cut my own fringe. It's really annoying having to trim it every couple of days, but I quite like it. 

Before...

....After 

And then I discovered that I'm pretty bloody good at shadow puppets. This was a Llama. Ohhh yeah. 

M x