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Maple Holistics Winter Blend Conditioner* + GIVEAWAY!

I love winter! The cosy evenings, the knitwear, the cold weather, the hot chocolates with a mountain of cream, the dry, frizzy hair ...
Wait, what?
Okay, so my hair doesn't love Winter as much as I do and its the one thing I don't look forward to when the festive season rolls around. I always take good care of my hair but the Winter seems to just destroy it, leaving it all dry and damaged. Booo :'(

So, I was super excited when Organic and natural company 'Maple Holistics' gave me the chance to try their special seasonal 'Winter Blend' conditioner*!
Maple Hoistics make their products with natural ingredients, free from animal derivatives, artificial colours and fragrances, sulfates, parabens and all those other nasties! They contain 100% pure essential oils, botanical keratin and are hypoallergenic - woohoo!

The 'Winter Blend' conditioner is a special blend of 18 silk amino acids, 5 mint varieties, argan oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, shea butter, green tea and many other nourishing ingredients , and the smell, my goodness the smell!! It is amazing - so minty and refreshing, and it actually lingers in your hair long past blowdrying!

The packaging is beautiful. Each bottle (there are different blends) is made in a bold colour corresponding to the ingredients. I really love the metallic snowflake design on the Winter Blend conditioner and shampoo bottles - it makes them look so appealing and festive.

I cant speak for the shampoo in this range but this conditioner certainly made my hair feel so much more healthy. I usually apply conditioner, then continue to use my bodywash to allow the conditioner time to work its magic, and then rinse the it out. I could feel my scalp tingling from the refreshing mint blends in the conditioner and it really gave my hair life and bounce once blowdried.
I usually wash my hair every 3-4 days but I found that my hair needed washing a day sooner with this conditioner - not that this was any bother, actually, I couldn't wait to use it again as the scent just fills the bathroom and makes me feel so revived!

I really appreciate a company that takes care of their customers and Maple Holistics certainly do that - in fact, they are offering every customer who leaves them an honest Amazon review a free product of their choice. How dreamy! Just click the 'Free Products' tab on their website to discover more!

Giveaway
Okay, so the part you all came here for - the giveaway! I have teamed up with the good people at Maple Holistics and Edumuch to give one of my beautiful readers the chance to win their very own set of the Maple Holistics Winter Blend Shampoo & Conditioner! How lucky are you!
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this blog post telling me your favourite thing about winter!
You'll also get an extra entry for each of ,my social media accounts which you follow; Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, Bloglovin'. (if you are already following you will still get your extra entry - dont worry)

The Conditions
- The Giveaway is open to US & UK residents only.
- The Giveaway will run from Friday 25 September 2015 to Friday 9 October 2015.
- The winner will be announced across all of my social media accounts at 12pm on Friday 9 October 2015
- The winner will need to email there details to emmahobbsie@yahoo.co.uk, which will be sent to the people at Maple Holistics, who will send out the prize.

If you just cant wait, you can shop the entire Maple Holistics Range on their website right here - or check out their Twitter page here!

Acrylic nails | 101

A little while back, one of my beautiful readers asked me to do a post all about acrylic nails. This is a little different from what I usually write, but I like that. Nails and nail art are a big thing in the beauty world and its important to make an informed decision about which style and formula is best for you. After all your nails are not just a fashion accessory so its important to ensure you are caring for them properly.

Acrylic nails have been around for quite some time and are still the most popular form of nail enhancement, but they way in which they are applied has moved on a lot. Most salons will now not use electric and metal tools as they cause a lot of damage to the natural nail, and some salons even apply acrylics with a special gel formula which is easier to remove and, therefore, better for the natural nail underneath.
I am actually trained in the application and maintenance of acrylic nails, so please dont think that I am just rambling about something I know nothing about in this post, I will be combining my experience with acrylics as well as information I received during my training.

The Pro's

.Nails of any length or shape you like - This is a given, but if you grow your natural nails too long, then they are more than likely going to become thin and brittle and will break more often, however, if you are wearing acrylic nails then you wont have this problem no matter the length or shape.
. Strong Nails - If your natural nails are prone to snapping or breaking then acrylic nails may be good for you as they will give strength to the nail. Note that they wont make your natural nails stronger but the acrylic layer, while applied, will give extra strength and support to the nail overall.
.Longer Lasting Polish - Natural nails contain oil which breaks down polish and causes it to chip. Because the acrylic doesn't contain oil it means your polish will last on and on - which is handy if you don't have time to re-paint them every couple of days.

The Con's

. Can be expensive - Cheap acrylics aren't always a good thing. Its better to pay a little more to a fully qualified technician (ask to see their certificates if you are unsure) who will carry out the treatment correctly. This will give you peace of mind but it also means you have to shell out a few more pounds.
. Can Cause nails to be brittle - This is only true if you are having your nails done by a lazy/unqualified technician. If the removal process is done carefully and correctly then your natural nails should be just as before, however, if your technician is rushing through and using electric drills and files then your natural nails will, of course, be left damaged and brittle
. A lot of upkeep - Your natural nails are constantly growing, which means your acrylic nails will eventually grow up and out, leaving a bare patch of natural nail at the bottom, this is the part which needs to be 'filled in' and usually this is to be done every 2-3 weeks which means more cost. If you are prepared for the upkeep of your acrylic nails then this wont worry you, but if you are not keen on spending money on your nails then this is something you should consider before getting your acrylics done.
. Bacteria can grow underneath if not applied properly - once again, the horrors of unqualified technicians. If your acrylic nails are not applied properly then they will begin to 'lift' - this is when you have small gaps or bubbles underneath the acrylic. This is obviously not a good thing as bacteria and dirt can be harboured underneath causing all sorts of problems to your natural nails, I really can't say enough how important it is to check that your nail technician is fully qualified.

Care for your acrylics at home

If you are serious about your acrylics then there are a few things you can do at home to ensure they will last as long as possible and look as good as possible.
. Only use a non-acetone polish remover - If you want to change your nail polish colour on your acrylics before your next appointment then don't panic, you can easily do this at home, just make sure you are using a non-acetone polish remover. Acetone breaks down the acrylic and causes it to thin, so make sure you are using the correct polish remover and you wont have any problems.
. Avoid oil based products - as mentioned, oil can cause the acrylic to lift off of the natural nail, so try to use products (body creams, hair products ect.) which do not contain oil to keep your acrylics in the best shape.
. Keep your cuticles in shape - Good nail technicians will do this for you at each appointment anyway, but it is good to keep your cuticles pushed back as the acrylic doesn't adhere to them, so you could end up with those dreaded gaps and bubbles!

If you are looking for long lasting colour on your nails without lengthening them, then 'Gel nails' may be better for you than acrylic nails (let me know if you would like to see a post about Gel nails, too). In the end it really all comes down to common sense when you are considering having acrylic nails - does the salon environment look clean? Are high quality branded product labels and technicians qualification certificates displayed? Have you heard good reviews? These are all things which can make the difference between a botch job and a professional finish!

I hope that this post has helped you to decide on your next nail treatment or, at least, cleared up some misconceptions you may have about acrylics nails! The only thing left to decide now is, which colour polish will you finish your new set of nails with?