'Sunset'

These red, orange and yellow beads are currently waiting for a new home. There are six etched pairs here that are graduated in colour.  They're on the Freshly Baked Beads page as I type .....

More Snow

I got stuck in a snowdrift; I really enjoyed the last lot of snowy beads that I made so I've made even more.  If you missed out on these last time you might be pleased to know that there are a couple of sets waiting for new homes on the Freshly Baked Beads page.

'Snow Queen'

These pretty, icy-looking clear and white 'Snow Queen' beads are for sale on my Freshly Baked Beads page right now.  A smaller set of these is also available.  I reckon these would make some lovely wedding jewellery.

Oh, Lush Henna!

(Just so you know, I sang that title to the tune of Ultravox's Vienna.)

A couple of weeks ago I asked Twitter for shampoo and conditioner recommendations and two lovelies, Sarah and Deepa, who makes beautiful jewellery, told me to try Lush.  I'll be honest here, I'd always avoided Lush because the smell that wafted out of its shop door always made me wrinkle my nose up and the one time I went inside a Lush store I found the smell so overpowering I had to leave. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.  So to avoid smell trauma I placed an order on the Lush website and I got myself some Curly Wurly shampoo and some Coolaulin conditioner.  

I am so very glad I did.

Curly Wurly is without a doubt the best shampoo I've ever used.  It smells of vanilla and coconut, detangles my curls and leaves my hair soft and bouncy.  The Coolaulin is also coconutty, works like a dream and leaves a really nice shine.

I popped to town in the week and while I was there I thought I'd brave Lush. Yes, the smell was strong but I think my love for their wonderful shampoo and conditioner cancelled that right out and I mooched around the place smelling this and sniffing that and I left with a pot of Rub Rub Rub shower scrub which is fabulous!  The girl in the shop gave me a copy of the Lush Times and there was a whole page in there about their henna.  

I've been dyeing my hair for about ten years now.  I started to get greys when I was about twenty-three and by the time I was twenty-seven they were really annoying me and the semi-permanent dyes I had been using just didn't work so I switched to permanent colours.  Every time I dyed my hair I hated it; hair dye smells so chemical and it would sting my scalp, make my eyes hurt and it would make my hair dry.  After a dye job my hair would be dull and dead-looking.

The Lush henna article and reviews convinced me to give it a go and yesterday I bought a block of Caca Brun henna.  I grated the entire block into a glass bowl, added just-boiled water and stirred it into a green paste. The green of the mix was a bit worrying;  it was a very nice shade of green but so very different to 'normal' hair dye.  I had a lot of fun slapping the mud-like concoction all over my locks and I was pleased that I put newspaper down as it did make a mess.  I then wrapped my hair in clingfilm, much to Chris' amusement (he said I looked like a Mutoid from Blake's 7), for two hours and then I removed the clingfilm for a further two hours.  Then the massive washing out process took place.  I washed it out with some Karma Komba shampoo and Jungle conditioner and was delighted to see that all my greys had blended away.  I applied a little R&B hair moisturiser and let my hair air dry - I didn't use any mousse, serum or other styling products.  This morning I woke up with shiny, soft, bouncy curls that smell fantastic.  My hair is now a rich dark chocolate brown that shines ever-so-slightly red in the light.

Yes, the henna made a mess, and yes, it's way more time consuming than chemical dye application but it feels so much nicer and the effects are so much better.  The colour is more natural-looking and my hair feels brilliant.  I really can't see myself going back to chemical dyes now.

But I'll tell you what I can see; lots more Lush purchases!  I am really impressed with their products, customer service and ethics.  I've even become immune to the shop smell.

Thank you, Lush.  You've totally transformed my hair!

NOTE: I am not affiliated with Lush in any way (other brands are available) and I'm not being paid or rewarded to write about their wonderful products. I'm just a very impressed customer and newly-converted Lush addict. 

'Mr.Blue Sky' & 'Classic'

The  blue beads above and the classic black and white polka dotty ones below are for sale on the Freshly Baked Beads page of my website now.

I'm currently sat here with my head wrapped in clingfilm; I'm trying henna for the first time.  Who knows what will happen?  I'm a little bit nervous but you've got to try these things, haven't you?  I will let you know how it goes, that's if I'm not sat in the bathroom crying because my locks have turned some awful colour .....