Product review: Schwarzkopf LIVE Color XXL Ultra Brights Shocking Pink

So my hair was fading really badly recently. Pastel pink can be a chore and I had no dye left, so last minute before a party I took a trip to Boots and decided to try shocking pink which was a part of the XXL live range. I hate box dyes a lot because they never work correctly. I decided to water down the mixture with conditioner because it looked crazy bright and initially that wasn't what I wanted. I am never too fussy about hair colours though as I like to experiment.

The mixture in the tube is really thick and like the directions crazy colours, you don't have to mix anything yourself. It smells nice, a lot like fruit mixed with play doh? Strange but not a horrible smell. You get hardly any in the tube which is partly why I wanted to mix it with a LOT of conditioner. Conditioner not only waters down the colours of some semi permanent dyes but it can make them last longer too!

After I put it on I knew it was going to go quite bright but by then I was kind of excited for a change. I googled some photos of people in the colour and it looked lovely and a lot like directions flamingo pink which I have had before.

When it was ready to wash off I was really taken back by how bright it was! It really is shocking pink. I will be honest, I don't want to keep this colour as it doesn't suit me as much as others do but it is great for those who love bright pink shades. If you do not want to be dying it as much, then this is perfect.This pink is not budging at all!

Here is a picture of my hair before the party:

And here is a photo of my hair today:

Sorry to hide my face but my skin isn't looking great today! As you can see 5 washes later this pink is staying put, and it is still very bright! In some lights it is almost purpley pink.

Overall I would give this dye a straight 10/10 for staying power and my hair is so shiny. The conditioner you get with it smells great too. All I would say is do not get 2 boxes of this stuff, mix it with conditioner instead. You do not get enough in one tube for half my head without diluting, which I think is not worth the price. However, as you can see, diluting with conditioner will not effect your colour and you will save yourself some cash.

Winter Boots!

Everyone loves a new pair of boots and when I took a trip to a Liverpool market recently there were so many amazing styles to choose from. The boots it seems everyone is loving at the moment are the ones with the cut out sides. I had always noticed them on models and in Topshop but had wondered if they were worth the cash. At around £70, boots from Topshop weren't ever affordable enough for my student budget, so I decided to wait. When I recently saw a pair of cut out boots at the market for just £35, I couldn't help myself.

Now they do look super pretty! You can't see the cut out much here since I am wearing black socks underneath. Otherwise, I love the hole because it means I can show off all my cute socks in the winter months. I am absolutely addicted to buying socks.

In my honest opinion, even though I love these boots to bits, I wish I had waited and gotten some from Topshop! At half the price of Topshop boots they are a bargain, but it's totally not worth the pain. All the boots I have had from Topshop have been AMAZING comfort wise. These boots would be great for wearing once or twice but they are not a shoe made for walking a lot. My toes hurt at the front and the soles are very uncomfortable.

I know it sounds crazy but despite the pain, I am dying to wear them again. I might have to put them on whilst wearing a couple pairs of socks to baggy them out a little. If anyone has any other tips then please do write them to me. In future, I will probably just stick to paying out a little extra for my boots, it is super worth it and they last months.

Since I am such a fan of Topshop boots, here is my current lust list:

ARABEL2 Cut Out Boots, £70

Astrix Chunky Lace Up Boots, £42

Argo Heavy Strap Boots, £92

(These look insane but trust me in real life the holographic look makes you fall in love!)

Arvey Double Buckle Boots, £78

What boots are you lusting after this Winter? Let me know in the comments!