Do you wanna look like Elsa? WE DO!

With the amazing success of Disney's Frozen, we felt our first hair tutorial needed to be inspired by a character from the film...so we chose Queen Elsa!

We had a LOT of fun filming this, and decided (just for giggles) to let you guys see the bloopers at the end of our YouTube video... Here's a glimpse of what to expect...

This is a great look for all of the fellow hippies out there! It's simple and can be completed in minutes; it's especially a really handy hairstyle for festivals as it requires minimum effort and simply a headband with the addition of a lickle elasticated band!

We hope you like this hairstyle...there will be more videos to come!!

Okay, bye... (Sung as in Frozen!)

Amy and Laura x

First YouTube Video: Life Q&A

Helloooo!

We decided to have go at making a YouTube video; a Q&A with L&A... Get it? ;)

We felt that by being able to talk on a video, it would be a more personal approach and also nice for us to look back on in the future. Expect to see a new video each week covering a variety of topics: grieving, cancer, studying, hairstyles, popular challenges etc... If you have any suggestions for video ideas, please let us know, no matter how far fetched they may be!

YouTube will also hopefully be an outlet for us and reach out to people with our story - who knows who it could help!

Watch our first YouTube video :)

Thanks!

Laura & Amy x

Spot The Difference

Spots. They're there through your teenage years and then, for some, carry on popping up every so often in our adult years. Whether they're caused by hormones or diet - they're a right pain! Granted, they may not phase some people, but for most, they can make you very self-conscious. Always remember though, that everyone gets spots at some point and they are not the worst thing in the world. Statistics actually show that when we look in the mirror, we imagine ourselves to look 20% worse than we actually do (or, you know, don't have mirrors).

Over the past six months, we've been trying to find a remedy that gets rid of them. From spot creams and washes to herbal remedies - nothing seemed to be making much difference...
However, whilst in Superdrug one day, we bought a tub of Sudocrem (think it's about £2.55 for the big tub, which should last you about a year to be honest! It's cheaper than all the other spot creams). The cream is notorious for treating nappy rash, but it's also for eczema, sunburn, acne etc., so it is great for spots. It's classified as an 'antiseptic healing cream' and it has lavender in it (really good for clearing up spots).

So if anyone is struggling, definitely look into Sudocrem, alongside drinking lots of water/antioxidant herbal teas and generally eating a healthy, balanced diet. As long as you're wearing suntan cream, vitamin D in small amounts can do wonders for your skin.

If this doesn't work for you, here's a few other things you might like to try:

• Toothpaste 
• Antihistamine/Steroid cream (you can actually get these from places like Home Bargains) 
• An ice pack (takes down the swelling!) 
• Pharmacy creams 
• Lavender gel
• Tea tree oil
• Mashed-up banana 
• Aftershave/Perfume (prepare for the sting, like on Home Alone and hold back those naughty words!!!) 
• Drop of TCP (read instructions first!!) or some salt in your bath 
• Combined-pill (see a GP; it should balance your hormone levels and therefore reduce the amount of spots) 

Also, there's a lot of controversy over wearing make-up. Some say it clogs your pores, but to be honest a dermatologist told us that so long as you apply it correctly and wash it off properly (you can't beat Simple soap and water) it is usually not a problem. Truthfully, girls typically have it easier in this area; we can hide a blemish with a touch of concealer or foundation. Boys could do this, but the majority don't. Remember that spots are just as common with boys and girls, and most celebrities too. (Lorde posted this photo with her acne cream on; web article here about some celebs you wouldn't expect or even guess suffered with their skin.)  

We hope our suggested remedies work for you if you're struggling with spots too. Always remember it is not the end of the world and though it may feel like a volcano to you, others who really care about you probably wouldn't even notice it. *Inserts cliche comment* Beauty comes from within!!!! 

Let us know if any of you spot the difference (get it????) after using any of the suggestions. 

Laura and Amy x 

(Disclosure: we are definitely not skin experts; this is just what works for us!) 

Ware What You Want

Laura and I aren’t your average girls...we are different! We’ve never really followed the ‘fashion trends’ that the media tell us to; who wants to look like everybody else? With experience of attending an ‘all-girls’ school we’ve seen how the pressure of fitting in can lead many to dress like clones or how they think they’re supposed to dress, not how they want to dress. A prime example is that well-known chick flick – Mean Girls...

We’ve decided to construct this blog post through the encouragement of our Mum and Dad telling us that you don’t have to ‘spend to look quality’ and Dad always told us ‘you can look good in a bin bag mate, if you work it right’.

Once you find your style you’ll actually feel more comfortable wearing the clothes that you want to, in comparison to trying to work an outfit that isn’t necessarily ‘your’ fashion. If somebody is looking at an outfit you are wearing, don’t feel intimidated – the fact that they have looked shows that you’ve stood out (obviously if you’re wearing just your underwear, there may be a bigger issue you need to address!).

As you mature you’ll slowly start to realise what types of clothes you like and feel more confident in yourself when wearing them. You don’t always have to shop at the biggest brands, after all who sees the label anyway? Make ‘getting dressed’ in the morning something you enjoy and look forward to – not dread. Perhaps plan what you are going to wear the night before, or whilst you are falling asleep. Getting dressed is like art...you design the product and wear the outcome!

It’s a cliché saying but it really is so important just to be yourself...and most importantly, be as unique as can be...it makes you more interesting, more memorable. Think about it this way – if you dress differently – you’ll never have to worry that you’re going to bump into someone who’s wearing the same outfit as you... Awkward!

We’re not trying to enforce that you go out and buy a bright green feather boa, orange mankini nor a leather mini skirt, just have confidence to WARE WHAT YOU WANT.

Amy & Laura x

Dancing Pigeons

Let’s go back to 2003, the year Black Eyed Peas released ‘Where Is The Love’ and evidently the year that hair braids were all the rage! I remember on various occasions when the sun was out, slapping on the sun cream in between the braids to avoid getting a burnt scalp. Mum spent hours plaiting and we loved them. The above photo was taken when the four of us (Mum, Dad, Amy and I) were staying in a static caravan somewhere in Scotland. I can’t remember the name of the place – all I can recall is that we visited Scotland twice and it rained the entire holiday for both of those times. Despite the downpour, we thoroughly enjoyed both stays.

In the static, I recollect there was a little TV and ‘Titanic’ was on one of the channels. Neither Amy or I had seen the movie before and snuggled up on the sofa with Mum and Dad to watch it. It was raining (surprise, The Wares were in Scotland) outside and it felt like we were on the boat too!!! (I had my lifeboat at the ready.) Myself and Amy still think Jack could have fit onto that piece of driftwood… I also can’t bring myself to watch Titanic now as it’s just too distressing and upsetting!

 

Later that night before went to sleep, Dad was telling us bedtime stories, the three of us lying side by side. Suddenly, we heard a tapping. “Did you hear that?” Dad said, feigning surprise. Amy and I looked at him with wide eyes, “What is it?” we both asked. “It’s those pigeons,” he said. “They must be dancing on the roof again.” Amy and I, only being little, were amazed. “Listen,” Dad said, “They’re dancing again!” We were fascinated, thinking there were pigeons tap dancing on our static’s roof! (It was actually Dad tapping his feet on the static’s wall at the end of the bed!) It’s funny what you believe as a child – Dad would tell us when he was driving and watching us in the rear-view mirror that if we blinked, the volume of the music would increase. We sat there blinking like crazy in the back of the car as Dad increased the volume with the steering wheel controls! We still laugh about it now.

Recently we rooted out boxes and boxes of old photos and they brought back a lot of funny and lovely memories. I know that we can no longer make memories with our Dad, but we treasure the all of the times we did spend with him growing up. He was the best Dad to Ams and I, and the best husband to Mum. I would encourage any of you reading this to always capture the memories - take a photo (even if you're having a bad hair day or woke up with a massive spot) because when you look back that memory will be there and make you feel happy. There are still lots of memories for all of us to create, with Dad watching down on us. He might not be there in person, but I hope he smiles and laughs along with us, sharing the memories. Our very own guardian angel.

Hope you enjoyed the story, Dad was always a cheeky chappy. We have lots of funny memories to share. For those of you who have read our book about Dad’s journey with brain cancer, you’ll have read a few funny family memories in there.

Have a lovely weekend,

Laura x