Dying My Hair Pink At Home | Adore 'Pink Rose' Review

I've wanted to have pink hair for the longest time, but no matter how much I've talked about it and researched dye's I never actually did it. I was always kind of nervous about having unnatural coloured hair - I didn't want it to turn out bad or ruin my hair. However for ages now I've been sick of my balayage and wanted a change. Around this time last year I went brunette again to cover up old balayage, and as usual it was too dark for me (my hair is naturally a light mousey brown nowadays and I was blonde as a kid so I've always suited medium to light hair best).

I didn't want to make the same mistake this time around, and I'm wanting to grow out my natural hair colour for the first time in probably 10 years. So I figured while I've got the blonde and I'm not in any job that restricts hair to natural colours, now was the time to go pink - and I'm so glad I did because I absolutely love it!

This was my first time putting a bright/unnatural colour in my hair, so on my first attempt I actually used Adore Petal Pink, which is more of a light pink/almost pastel pink colour. It did take to my hair but wasn't very noticeable or what I was going for, so I decided to take the plunge and go for a deeper and more vibrant pink - Adore Pink Rose.

First attempt with 'Adore Petal Pink'.

Adore was recommended to me by the girl working at Price Attack when I went in originally to buy a Manic Panic dye. I hadn't researched it before but I figured I'd give it a go, especially as it was $10 cheaper than Manic Panic at $16.95. 

The dye process was super easy and straight-forward, I just had to give the bottle a shake and then squeeze it into my hands and apply it directly to my hair - the hairdresser recommended applying it to recently washed and dry hair so I followed her instructions. I had some plastic gloves already from past box dye kits which I wore during application. I left it on for about an hour, which is longer than what the bottle says but I wanted to make sure the colour really took - and it did!

It came out as a super vibrant somewhat purple-toned pink or fuchsia kinda colour, and I love it! I wash my hair every 2 or 3 days, and it looks good for the first 2 washes before fading - however when re-applying more dye I found that I actually used way more than necessary initially (half the bottle nearly), as on my length to cover my balayage I only really needed maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the bottle. So, that means that with at least 3 applications - once weekly if you don't want the fade - one bottle of this stuff can last me three weeks. That's pretty decent for a temporary fun colour, although I'm still gonna look into brands like Manic Panic and Brite which I've heard last longer as I'm loving having coloured hair!

Let me know if you've tried Adore's dye before, and what you think of this colour!

x Chontelle

Guess who's back... back again.

So... it's been a bit over a year since the last time I posted on this blog. I actually can't believe it's been this long. I'll be honest, I kinda lost my motivation for a while there. I was still uploading videos over on Youtube semi-regularly last year but it felt like a chore for me and so for the last 6 months I've pretty much done nothing with blogging/vlogging. Not that I haven't wanted to - I've had blog and video ideas, I've started putting together content etc only to lose motivation quickly and never end up actually doing anything.

In all honesty, I've been struggling a lot with my mental health lately. My anxiety has gotten a lot worse - despite the fact that I've been pushing myself to get out and have a social life again (and have made some amazing, supportive friends in the process). I've felt pretty down as well and have just been getting stuck in my own head which is not what I should be doing at all. However I have been slowly working on myself, trying to be more comfortable in myself, not being so worried about others and just focusing on what's important to me.

Which brings me to this blog - I've always had some kind of a creative outlet to keep myself occupied and I've really missed having that, so I'm pretty keen to get back into posting on here and also on my Youtube channel. I think I'm probably more interested in blogging than continuing with videos, but I'd still love to upload travel vlogs and other stuff if I really find it interesting - hauls and grwm's honestly just don't interest me anymore and if I'm gonna be doing something I need to actually want to do it, y'know? But yeah, anyway. I don't have a schedule planned, I just want to start posting and get back into the swing of things at the moment, but I'm hoping to post pretty regularly! Content wise, of course I'm still gonna be posting about makeup and fashion but I also want to post more music, life and mental health related content, so hopefully that's something you'll enjoy!

So to those of you who are still here (no idea why but thankyou!) and those of you who have just stumbled upon this seemingly abandoned blog - thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy what's to come!

xx Chontelle

90's Vibes

It's been a long time since I last posted an outfit on the blog, hasn't it? I've really been all over the place lately (which you may know if you've seen my Life Update video over on my YouTube channel *hint hint*). From a huge pipe burst/flooding in my old place, moving house, packing & unpacking, going back to uni, a lack of motivation, and some personal stuff too - it's been overwhelming to say the least.

However, there's good news! Things have settled down and while I've got quite a busy schedule ahead of me, it's more organised than 'all over the place', which means I can set aside time to work on these side projects. Those of you who have been around for a while might have noticed my blog has had a bit of an overhaul - I purchased a new, more sleek & professional looking blog template that I'm absolutely loving, along with a few other updates. I hit 1,000 subscribers over on my YouTube channel back in December as well which was a milestone I'd been hoping to reach for a while! I'm planning to upload 1-2 times a week over there and 1-2 time a fortnight here on the blog - so make sure you're subscribed and following me because there's a lot of content coming your way!

Anyway, on to the outfit!

Outfit Details:

Scrunchie - Supre

Choker - Bardot

Off Shoulder Crop - Melrose Avenue

Mom Jeans - ASOS (farleigh)

Boots - Famous Footwear

Let's be honest, was I really going to make a comeback outfit post that wasn't black and denim? No, no I was not. I love this outfit, it's super cute yet simple and casual which is what I'm all about. I really love that trends from the 90's (and 80's and 70's) are in again which is evident in this outfit. An off the shoulder crop, a tie up choker, scrunchies (!!! my childhood obsession !!!) and a pair of light wash mom jeans from ASOS (seriously, these are the best mom jeans I've found), albeit a slim fitting pair because I just find them much more flattering. Keeping with the 90's vibes I've gone for one of my newer favourite lipsticks, MAC's Whirl, which is the ultimate 90's rosy brown lipstick that despite my initial reservations, actually looks amazing on paler skin.

Let me know what you've been up to lately, and if you're loving the popularity of 90's inspired fashion right now as much as I am!

x Chontelle

My Go-To Lipsticks This Summer

You can count on me to wear lipstick pretty much everyday - or at least every time that I wear makeup. I only really started wearing it back in late 2015, but since then it's been one of my favourite parts of my makeup routine. I love how it can pull together and complete or change a look so easily, and there are always so many fab colours to choose from (too many, really, but I'm not complaining). 

While I wear all of my lipsticks regardless of the time of year, there are definitely a few that are getting some special attention this summer, which I've rounded up and listed below!

L-R: KVD Cathedral, MAC Amorous, MAC Faux, Stila Patina.

Kat Von D Studded Kiss Lipstick in 'Cathedral'

This is my absolute favourite lipstick at the moment, and it's the perfect shade to wear with any neutral or warm toned summer look. Cathedral is described as a 'matte coco rose', which is pretty much accurate although I've found that on me at least it has a bit more of a reddish undertone also which I absolutely love. It looks great paired with bronze or warm brown eyeshadows in particular, which has become my signature look this summer - I'm obsessed. I'm pretty sure this shade is universally flattering, so you can't go wrong!

MAC Satin Lipstick in 'Amorous'
Another MAC lipstick I've been loving for summer, Amorous is a gorgeous shade described as a 'lovestruck cranberry', though I see it as more of a berry toned deeper pink. I find this colour super flattering on my pale cool toned skin, and if you have brown eyes then I definitely think it really makes them pop!

MAC Satin Lipstick in 'Faux'

Faux will always hold a special place in my makeup collection as my first ever high end lipstick. It's the perfect 'my lips but butter' shade for me, a soft pink neutral lipstick that can be worn with any look. The satin formula is super comfortable especially in this Queensland summer heat, and while it reapplies nicely, because it's a 'MLBB' shade you don't need to worry about constant reapplication - low maintenance, perfect!

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in 'Patina'

This was the first liquid lipstick I ever bought and actually liked. I can be pretty picky with liquid lips because I find a lot of them bleed, crack, go patchy, and just feel awful on the lips, but Patina is none of those things. It's a lovely dusty rose pink that is so flattering on my pale cool-neutral skin - deep enough to remain in my comfort zone but still bright enough to 'pop', and it just screams 'Spring/Summer' to me. If you're looking for liquid lipstick in an understated shade that's comfortable and cute, then this is the one for you!

What are your favourite lipsticks to wear over summer? Let me know in the comments below!

x Chontelle

Optically Prescription Lens Sunglasses | Review

Hey guys! Today I've got a special product that I want to talk to you guys about, and as you'll have already figured out from the title, it's these prescription lens sunglasses* from Optically Glasses Australia! I'll be honest, maybe I've been living under a rock, but until I checked out Optically, I had no idea that you could get prescription sunglasses! I was definitely glad to discover you could though, and for such a great price as well - the pair I selected retails for just $47! Of course, the glasses can be purchased as is, but for the glasses-wearers of the world like myself, the prescription lens option is a lifesaver!

The pair I went with were the Opium OP1409 C02 Glasses*, which have both a black frame and blackened lenses - perfect for my monochromatic aesthetic! On picking these up out of their case for the first time, it's obvious that they are really nice quality. These glasses are also so comfortable to wear - I love that they don't give me a headache from long-wear either, unlike many others - and they frame my face perfectly - I almost went with one of the more 'on-trend' rounder shaped pairs of sunglasses, but since my face is quite oblong-oval shaped I find sharper shapes and smaller frames flatter me best (but if you prefer the round glasses you'll be spoiled for choice with Optically, they have an awesome selection of womens glasses to choose from).

For those of you with a bit more money to spend or a taste for 'luxury', you can also pick up some lovely designer glasses from Optically. There's a wide selection of glasses in different styles, colours, and price ranges making it easy to find your perfect pair!

If you don't need prescription lenses then you can go ahead and purchase your glasses and they'll reach you pretty quickly, but of course if you need prescription lenses like me then there will be a short wait between ordering and having the glasses ready and sent out to you. In saying that, I received mine in just 10 days - by comparison, when I usually get new glasses after a visit to the optometrist, I'm looking at 2-3 weeks, so this was a happy surprise!

Honestly guys, if you're looking for some new sunglassess or eyeglasses, I'd highly recommend checking Optically out for some of the best value glasses online!

x Chontelle