Hair and Hair Loss: Making The Most Of What We Have

I recently wrote a post called My Top 5 Beauty Finds For At Home Pampering, if you haven't already read it - head over before reading on.  My absolute favourite from that list still has to be the Babyliss Big-Hair. You see, my hair is what hairdressers call annoying! It's fine hair and there's loads of it, which makes it really difficult to hold a style. Aside from styling it though, it sheds a LOT. I'm forever being moaned at by the husband (like it's my fault?!) because nobody can't move without picking my stray locks off of their clothes. Oops!

Seriously though, I do wonder where it all comes from because trying to get a thick looking barnet is almost an impossibility. Just washing my hair is a momentary cause for concern but once I've dried it and realise there's still most of it left, I often think of those who genuinely do suffer hair loss. I mean, if I panic when what seems like fists full shed, what on earth goes through their mind? Do I really have a right to whine about how I can hardly ever wear my hair down or that doing something other than a top know makes me look VERY thin on top?

Trying to do something different to the usual top-knot!

From Wayne Rooney with his bold move in having a hair transplant at a relatively young age to Gail Porter with her well-suited embracing of alopecia instead, every little bit of publicity it gets is bound to help at least one person out there.  A quick search online brings you to the likes of the Online Doctor LloydsPharmacy, where you can find prescription-only privately available medication to stop or slow hair loss. Another thing I didn't realise was even a thing is hair thickening spray, something that was recently alleged that Rooney has been using to further help his hair troubles. Oh, and what about that beauty who wowed us all when she took off her wig on Channel 4's First Dates a few weeks back?!

Absolutely GORGEOUS!

Losing hair is a huge thing that affects both male and female sufferers. Until it starts to go, I guess we all take it for granted. So I'm going to continue using my Big Hair and be thankful that I still have something to work with instead of moaning... I can't say my husband will stop his whinging though next time he finds my strands in his cornflakes or whatever other exaggerations he comes out with haha!

Is hair loss anything that concerns you at the moment?

Leave a Comment Tags: hair, hair care, hair loss

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The final stretch! Contains #TMI

Urgh.

Uh Urgh.

Bleeeuuurrrgggghhhh.

That pretty much sums it up right now @ 37 weeks and 2 days.

I've been losing my plug for the last week, and only just discovered that it regenerates (what?!) so is unlikely to stop globbin' out now until birth - or at least until it comes out in its' entirity, very near birth.

Yup... Classy, as ever.

Had my final growth scan yesterday, baby currently weighs around 7lb and is lying very low down (sonographer advised that this is a good sign - yiss!) and asked if I was feeling the difference in pressure.

Yes.
YES I AM!
It feels like something's trying to escape, on a daily basis, using hammers and electrodes, thanks very much!

It was pointed out that baby has hair - It looked like a little fuzz ball, honestly, like wire wool.

Defo made it feel real. Not that the pain and jabbing and dripping and general grossness hasn't already made it feel real. You know what I mean.

Had a small trace of protein in my urine - which we all know is a classic sign of pre-eclampsia, but luckily, my swelling hasn't been too bad and my vision along with BP is fine. So the Doc advised me to 'maybe get my BP checked again in a few days' - clearly no great worry going on here.

Which is good!

With Carson, I was under house arrest towards the end with a possible pre-eclampsia scare - had a midwife coming to check my BP and wee every 4 hours over a period of 2 days before she was satisfied that I should just rest to keep edema and high BP to a minimum. Cannot be doing with that again, not with a 5yo still on Easter hols for another week!

I'm allowed a sweep at 39 weeks, the doc said. So fingers crossed I won't be going over this time round!

A sweep was very beneficial for me last time actually. Had it at 11am when I was 2 days over and my contractions started at 4.37am the next morning. I know that time is specific, given that it was nearly 6 years ago. But the difference between a Braxton Hicks and an ACTUAL contraction was a mega shock. Woke me up and I knew straight away... THIS is it!

Sadly, it went on for 23 bloomin' hours.

Urgh.

Uh Urgghhhh.

Bleeeeuuurrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh.

Oh... and if you're unsure of what pre-eclampsia is... please do visit www.preeclampsia.org - it's super important that all mums-to-be know what this is!!

Nuuurrrgggghhhhhhhhhh pleeeuuurrrrhhhhhhh bleurgh nurh *hmph*

14 comments Tags: 37 weeks, growth, hair, pre eclampsia, pregnancy, pregnant, SCAN, TMI

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*REVIEW* Stone Bridge Hair Accessories #2

As a reader of Coming from Carsonsmummy you have probably already read my previous review of www.stone-bridge.co.uk Stone Bridge Hair Accessories, from back in September 2012.  If not click here to read the first review before reading on!

Ok... so now you know how I felt first time round, was second time round going to be any different?

PACKAGING

My package arrived in neat, crisp, brown paper sealed with a label. Which, by the way, is purely intended to excite the living kahuhna's out of you. I was like "OMG It's here!!"

On opening the package, I was greeted with the same delicate tissue, tied with red ribbon, just as I had done previously.

The product in question was HEEERE!!!

And, more to the point, it was specially chosen in line with my features, from hair colour to hair type. Stone Bridge is not just an online shop. They offer bespoke guidance as to what would suit you best within your budget.

My item was this....

PRODUCT SPEC

The stunningly striking  Galaxy Swarovski Crystal Large Barrette in  Purple Andromeda, perfect for medium to thick hair or, in my case, long fine hair (but a lot of it!).

I need to tell you that this barrette is not cheap. Far from it.

Carefully handmade, inclusive of 105 swarovski crystals and an exceptionally strong clasp. It's currently retailing at £147.

APPLICATION

I held my hair as if to place it in a pony tail, but twisted the hair whilst lifting upwards. I then folded the twist back down on itself so it fanned out slightly and allowed 'messy' layers to fall out of the twist.

I grabbed the barrette, slid the clasp's arm under the fold and popped the shell down in place.

Wallah! 

My boring 30 second up 'do' has been transformed immediately with a classy sparkle and a strong hold. With a little tug here and there to make it truly an 'effortless' hair-up style, I end up with this...

OVERALL OPINION.

We've all had those cheap plastic-clasped barrettes from the local discount store/market stall and you've probably had great use out of it's £5-odd price tag, but ask yourself the following:
1. Did your hair feel defiantly held in place?
2. Were you confident in it's ability to do the job, given your thick/long hair?
3. Did you have a sparkle to your hair that wasn't just glitter or diamante's?
My guess to all of the above is no, because I certainly haven't and I have tried something rotten let me tell you. If you did - how long did it last before breaking?

It is available in other colours, Deep Space (a kind of charcoal blue colour) and Orion Nebula Pink (a more coral-like colour to my Purple Andromeda) so whether brunette, blonde, ginger or red... whatever colour really, any of these options should suit.

This special item leaves you feeling confident in the hold and style of your hair, and do it in ruddy style! From the product performance right down to the packaging, you know that you're getting what you're paying for. I know that the £147 price tag is not small. It's not something I could afford, that's for sure, but wow... If I could, I would. In my own honest opinion...  the quality, quite simply, speaks for itself. It truly does.

What's the best best hair accessory you've ever had?

4 comments Tags: accessories, hair, review, stone bridge, up do

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Pregnancy: It's not all sweetness and light (Contains TMI!)

Through puberty I always suffered with acne, greasy hair, dark hair regrowth etc. Never in my life have I been the 'seamless' kinda girl during transitional periods. I always end up with the embarrassing symptoms. I wouldn't be me without them!

So, why, the barnacles, did I think pregnancy would mean all glowing skin, healthy hair and strong nails this time around? 

Nope. Not 'lucky' enough for that!!

Instead, cue: 

• Greasy hair - Dry shampoo aint saving this barnet, let me tell you.

• BOILS - On my back, my face, my neck, my arms, my inner thighs for figs sake. Oh the shame 

• Hair - Always had to maintain my upper lip anyway, I've never had a problem with that, but actual long hairs sprouting from my chin, and even my nipple, are terrifying. And, is it just me, or do they appear from nowhere at an extraordinary length?

• Toothache - bad sensitivity has arisen from nowhere. Trip to the dentist is definitely required.

• Leaking nipples - with Carson, it started at around 16 weeks and didn't stop 'til he was born. This time round it started at 20 weeks - and still going. If you could freeze breast milk, I'd get a pump right now and start storing it, I really would. I can seriously milk these babies right now - not just the odd drip!

• Bleeding - I bled with Carson at around 24 weeks, this time it happened yesterday - 22 weeks. Although everything is fine, it's still very very scary.

• Wind - pumps, farts, trumps... oh and burps, belches etc whatever you call them in your house - I just can't help it recently. Dear God. Although I will say that they don't smell haha! It's just air from all the compression inside. *Honest*

I've also had the return of the dreaded SPD and I've already told you about the need for glasses now too, but it's the small things like the above that get me down sometimes. I'm starting to enjoy pregnancy now, at 22 weeks, but it's the small every day embarrassments that wallop you in the mush, bringing you back down to miserable earth with an on-par-with-your-own-fat bump.

I'm just having a moan really. I totally appreciate that some poor souls go through ACTUAL complications. So, in reality, I'm thankful. Of course I am. 

...I'm still allowed to have an off day!

Anything else that you suffered with and *want* to share? 

I feel like an advert for Embarrassing Bodies right now! Lotsa love, Jo xx

16 comments Tags: 22 Weeks, acne, bleeding, boils, embarrassing, hair, nipples, pregnancy, spd, TMI, wind

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*Review* Stone Bridge Hair Accessories

I received an exciting email a couple of weeks ago from a company I currently 'like' on Facebook and follow on Twitter called Stone Bridge. They saw my hair handling hoo-hahs that I often write about and offered to send me a couple of items for the purpose of reviewing on my blog. 

Arrived beautifully packaged 

First a little something about the company itself, Stone Bridge offers something a little more different than the average hair accessory. They are made to suit your precise hair type, which should mean no more loose and useless clamps or overly tight claws giving you an unnatural facelift (c'mon, we've all been there!)

I was a little sceptical firstly as although my hair is fine, there is a lot of it, so it makes for difficult styling in that any 'up do' will usually fall due to the weight and a 'down do' is often flyaway with volume being an impossibility without heavy back-combing and a cemented still with hairspray.

Up first was the Super Comfy Half Inch Headband in Pale Plum (rrp £25) suitable for all hair types.

When I saw how much these retail at I was wondering why, or rather who, would pay so much money for a hair band. But I didn't let this stand in my way of reviewing this product fairly. It is way out of my usual price range for items such as these.

You can see from the pictures that the band has a very smooth finish in a kind of marble/pearlised design. There are no rough edges that will catch in your hair at all, and although it has a stiffness, it is flexible to your head shape - no manipulating the band hoping it doesn't snap whilst you do it!

The colour is one I wouldn't usually have chosen but the good people at Stone Bridge advised it would suit my hair colour and skin tone, which I actually do agree with having worn it on several occasions and received a great deal of compliments.

The comfort of this item is true to it's namesake. It is super duper comfy. You know when you wear a cheap headband and you get those pain behind the backs of your ears from the pressure of the band? This doesn't happen whatsoever with this product. You simply cannot feel it!

I have a wispy fringe, I usually have to use a kirby grip to slide it to by my ears. You can see from my pictures that once you put the band in place, any hair under it holds like a dream, just ease as much or as little out as you like using a fishtail comb or your fingers.

Next up I had this beautiful Cadre Rectangle Tortoiseshell Claw in Silver Shell.(rrp £33) suitable for fine to medium weight hair.

Again, a bit pricey compared to what I would usually look at, but you have to appreciate the workmanship that's gone into creating this item. It is stunning.
One thing I noticed was how tight this claw closes, I under-estimated how much force you needed to open this at first. I thought 'uh-oh... it's going to give me a face lift!'

I twisted my hair and clamped it up, expecting it to be far too tight, but wow! You just can't feel it in! Honestly, it was weightless and held my style just as I wanted it to - not too tight and not too loose.

It has a sort of 'window' on either side so you can still see the majority of your style, as well as the beautiful hair accessory itself. I hate it when people have a large claw clamp just stuck to the back of their head and you can't see any hair - just get a short back and sides if that's the look you want! (Quite nasty of me really, actually just surprised myself there - but it's true!)

Okay, so honest opinions now:
> Beautifully made
> Comfort to the maximum
> Holds styles perfectly
> Stunningly gorgeous!
>Tad pricey but you really do get what you pay for here.

10/10!

Have you guys found the ultimate when it comes to hair accessories?  

What are your thoughts on Stone Bridge Range?

WIN SET OF 2 SUPER COMFY HEAD BANDS 

AS FEATURED IN THIS POST.

Ensure all entries are completed via the rafflecopter in order for them to be registered.
All entries are optional however if you complete all entries, you'll unlock a free daily bonus entry. The more entries you do, the more chance of winning. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

T&C's

Closes 17/12/2014 at 11.59pm

Any entries deemed false will be removed prior to the random draw.

Winner agrees to details being passed on to StoneBridge Hair in order for prize to be fulfilled.

Whilst we endeavour to get your prize to you for Christmas,  we ask that you allow up to 28 days for any eventualities such as postal delays, weather etc. Good Luck!

44 comments Tags: accessories, fashion, hair, hair care, review, stone bridge, win

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