Out with the old at H&M

 

From February you can get more for your old clothes, if you pop into selected H&M stores and donate a bag of items you no longer want. For each bag of clothes, whatever the brand, you will receive a £5 off voucher redeemable when you spend over £30 in store. 

Once at the store the bags will be collected by H&M's eco-partner iCollect, who will then sort the clothes in order to turn them into new fibres in order to make new clothes. 

H&M is well known for their eco-projects having already produced a number of collections made with ethically sourced cotton and other recycled materials, they also stock a range of basic items made from Fair Trade cotton. 

Last year they became the world's largest user of organic cotton.

Christmas Gift Guide- For the Home

This gift guide is to help you find the perfect gifts for home lovers or perhaps those who have just moved into a new home, Christmas is the perfect time to spruce up the home so treat someone to a special gift that could complete their home.

Bunny Soap on a rope £8- Topshop, Glass Jars £14/£24- Anthropologie, Tube Map shower curtain £35- Urban Outfitters.

Spice up soap on a rope with this bunny version by Emma Cook at Topshop or keep them organised in the bathroom with these glass jars perfect for storing cotton wool pads or cotton buds. This shower curtain is perfect for someone who has just moved to the big smoke, brighten up their bathroom and teach them their way around London whilst you're at it.

Pacman Mug £6- Topshop, T-Rex Mug £7- Topman, Cup and Saucer £16, Bowl Set £16, Monogrammed Mugs £6 each- all from Anthropologie, Recipe Journal £16.50- John Lewis, King Kong Whisk £18- Urban Outfitters.

 Must haves in a house are mugs and a lot of them- give someone a mug with some character so their morning coffee is more fun. This heat changing Pacman mug should brighten any coffee break or you could keep classic with the monogrammed mug.

Single Jar Candle £9- Topshop, Red Panda Cushion £40- Urban Outfitters, Light Bulb Vase £19.75- Not on the High Street, Bed Spread £35- Urban Outfitters, Bird Candle £6- Urban Outfitters, Diptyque Candle Set £60- John Lewis.

These items could either go in a living room or a bedroom, depending on what their living situation allows. Scented candles can make any space feel like home, they are perfect for those living away from home for the first time. You could also help conversations start with this light bulb vase or keep things comfy with this red panda cushion or peacock bed spread. 

Whatever you get them help make their Christmas and their home

Sunday Seven

This week I've been loving..

Asos

.Bringing out my hipster side this week which an extreme loving of beanies, I've bought 3 this week- thanks Primark to add to my ever growing collection and as the weather gets colder by the day a good beanie is needed. 

Strand Hotel

 Doing my Christmas shopping, I'm never organised I tend to get all my shopping done in one day roughly two days before Christmas- yes I'm one of those people. However this year it's only the beginning of December and I'm basically done, so this is why people start shopping so early. 

 Mass eating Bourbons, I have the biggest sweet tooth- it's my downfall health wise but Bourbons are just too good to say no.

TV Fanatic

 As the final season of Gossip Girl comes to end I'm getting hooked on how it'll end, it may not be anywhere near as strong as the earlier seasons but I can't stop watching. It's also been officially announced they will reveal the real Gossip Girl who could it be?

 Sailor Jennie Blogspot, probably one the first blogs I found so I've been a reader a long time and never felt her blog has slacked, sure Jennie has taken time away but all her posts are strong and her little bunny Ralphie is the cutest rabbit ever. I also love how she mentions smaller bloggers and gets them involved with the community.

TheFashionSpot

Getting excited for Girls Season Two, which starts in January, I loved the first season and I can't wait to see what the second one has in store for us. 

TheFashionSpot

Big Designer news, so JW Anderson will be the first designer to work with Versus under their new project and Alexander Wang will go to Balenciaga- I really hoped for Christopher Kane to go to Balenciaga but I'm sure something more exciting is happening with him. I love Alexander Wang as a designer, even though he may not seem like perfect for Balenciaga I'm sure he has more to offer than luxe sportswear so it'll work out.

Christmas Gift Guide- Stylish Gifts

Here's my gift guide to what to get those who want something a bit fashionable or when only style will do. Whatever your budget you should be able to find something here, even for those die hard fashion freaks.

Snowman, Snowman Print and Reindeer socks £3 or 3 for £7-Topman, Shelter Bracelet £2- Topshop, Turtle Notebook £7.99- JW Anderson at Topshop, Robin, Fox and Polar Bear socks £3.50 or 3 for £8- Topshop, Card Holder £8- Asos. 

 Socks are that staple for Christmas, it's not that much fun getting them but they are a staple- liven up the staple with some playful printed socks. You could also keep someones bag organised with this credit card holder or give a gift that gives back with this Shelter tie bracelet, which donates £1 for each one sold to the Shelter charity.

Cufflink and Paisley Tie Set £18- River Island, Parisian Chic Week Planner £12- Topshop, Fox Collar Tips £15- Jewellery by Jaymie, Pug and Kitten Makeup Bags £13- River Island, Brown Belt £14-River Island, Dinosaur T-shirt £14- Asos. 

These little makeup bags are perfect for someone just getting into makeup- you could even pick them up a few bits to pop into it. Collars tips are the easiest way to make an outfit into something special, these fox ones are super cute and won't be seen everywhere. I love this Parisian Chic diary, I'm a sucker for both fashion and stationary so it'd be perfect for anyone who fits that category. 

Floral Underwear Set £26-Topshop, Ralph Lauren Socks £30 for 3 pairs- Asos, Hugo Boss Socks £35 for 3 pairs-Asos, Ted Baker Wallet Set £35- Asos, Watch £39.99- Asos, Dinosaur T-shirt £28- Urban Outfitters. 

Some classic Christmas gifts here, if someone is in the market for a new watch you can't really go wrong with a classic brown strap. This t-shirt from Urban Outfitters is super cute, as is this underwear set from Topshop- the soft cup bra also makes it easier to find the right size. 

Christmas Gift Guide-Secret Santa

Secret Santa is a popular choice for present buying in large groups, often arranged within work groups or students, it means everyone gets a gift without you having to spend a small fortune-easy right? Well not if you end up with someone you don't know very well and a joke present could leave them thinking you're pretty rude- lets face it by the end of Christmas everyone knows who had who.

I usually take part in at least one Secret Santa a year and tend to struggle with finding the perfect gift, so whether you end up with someone you know inside out or someone you've only just become friends with, this gift guide should help you find the gift you need to keep everyone happy.

 

Penguin Cloth wrap £2.50-Lush, Bird Hand Warmer £5-Topshop, London Mirror £4- Cath Kidston, Pacman Post its £3 and Tetris Magnets £5 both Topshop, Sweets-River Island, Mr Grey £3- River Island, Brush Set £5- Elf.

  When you're stuck with getting a secret santa gift under a fiver, it's pretty hard to get something that doesn't end up in the bin within 5 minutes. Make the dreams of a 50 shades lover with their very own Mr Grey or get a retro games fan these Pacman post-it notes or the Tetris Fridge Magnets.

Star Salt & Pepper Shakers £10-Urban Outfitters, Lady GaGa paper doll £7.50 Selfridges, Ryan Gosling Colouring book £7.50- Selfridges, Table Football £7- Urban Outfitters, Money Bank £9-Topshop.

 Under £10 is much easier and the secret santa bracket I'm used to, of course you've got to keep Secret Santa fun and get someone a slightly silly gift- I have a feeling this Ryan Gosling colouring book will be making the Secret Santa rounds this year. These magic wand salt & pepper shakers would be sure to put a smile of anyone's face this Christmas.

Rob Ryan book £14.99-Topshop, I-phone Case £14-Topman, Vice Calender £10.99-Topman, Plectrum Maker £15-Urban Outfitters, Nail Varnish Set £14-Topshop, Lip Palette £12- Soap & Glory, Pacman Cookie Cutters £12- Urban Outfitters

Under £15 makes things a little easier, of course you can get a bundle of items of the £5 and £10 range you can get someone a present which they should keep till at least the next Secret Santa. Get someone the Pacman cookie cutters and you might even end up with an extra treat for yourself.

Sunday Seven

Things I've been loving this past week...

 Knitwear, well I've been loving knitwear for months now but as the weather has taken a windy turn it's the perfect time to layer up. I've built up a strong and varied collection of knitwear this year that will hopefully last me a good while. 

Pic:Asos

 I'm fond of all the LittleBigPlanet games and LBP Karting is no different, my boyfriend got it on rental this week and we've played a fair amount. It's a shame we can't play online due it to being rental but it's still fun to have a play around. 

Pic: G4TV

 Fashion Industry Confessions Tumblr, making like Gossip Girl this week and reading up on fashion gossip, there are some juicy gossip bits on the site including rumours about the next H&M collab. I recommend you check it out. 

Illamasqua Cream Blush in Sob, had this such a long time but this week I've fallen back in love with it. I've been wearing fuller face makeup recently and this adds a perfect creamy texture to what would otherwise become a cakey face. 

Planning festive outfits ready for December. I love dressing up and what better time to do that than the Christmas period? I'm off out on Christmas day for dinner this year so a lot of outfit planning will need to take place. 

Pic:Zara

Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle bloggers facebook group, a lovely bunch of bloggers who support each other and when needed give constructive feedback.

Re-reading The Hobbit in prep for the release of the first film, just booked tickets to see the film so I'm very excited atm. I'm a big LOTR fan so hopefully this will be as good as those were, I have no real worries about it failing to please me. 

Miranda Kerr named as new face of Mango

Miranda Kerr, who's past credits include Victoria Secret's, Maybelline and Levi's has been announced as the new face of high street chain Mango. 

 Kerr will take over from Kate Moss as ambassador of the brand for their Spring/Summer 2013 Campaign

 The campaign was shot by fashion photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, speaking about the contract Kerr expressed her love of the brand, she explained she was fond of shopping in the Spanish based store due to it's ability to have something for every occasion. 

Photo:Elle Magazine

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment Review

 I’ve been using this on and off for about 5 years now, when I first used it, it was an indulgent treat on my uncoloured, largely heat free hair, it was nice but my hair didn’t really need it so I could never justify the price, then whilst at university my hair took a battering from dye, bleach, and heat. 

I tried many a treatment on my hair and lots of homemade remedies but nothing really make a mark till I came home and my mum suggested I tried the Ojon treatment once more, this time overnight and wonders were had. Of course my hair wasn’t perfect but there was a huge difference in just one use, the straw feeling lifted from my hair and it no longer looked damaged. 

 The texture of the treatment is rather strange; it’s not an appealing product to put on your hair due to both the texture and the smell. It's a natural, earthy very slightly nutty scent and is very strong from the moment you open the pot till you wash the treatment out. 

The scent is the only thing I’d change about this, Ojon now offer a lighter scent version, which I’ve not used yet but will be purchasing once my current pot runs out in the hope it makes the overnight treatment more pleasant

Close up of the product

First you need to scoop up about a teaspoon sized blob- less if you have shorter hair then you warm the paste up in your hands to create a rich oil then apply it onto dry unwashed hair largely focusing on the damaged hair, then wash out. Leave the treatment for at least 15 minutes, I try to leave it on overnight as not only does it have the time to properly nourish your hair but it also means you haven’t got to sit around waiting to have a shower. 

I now use this around twice a month as an overnight treatment, sometimes using it three times if I’ve been particularly harsh on my hair.There is still some damage to my hair (I did bleach it from dark red to blonde, so all my fault) but you can only feel the damage when my hair needs washing and it only becomes visible when my hair needs a cut.

Ojon Damage Reverse Treatment costs around £30 (£32.50 on ojon.co.uk)