Pastel Rainbow Hair Extensions! Aliexpress haul & review ♡

Pastel hair has been a major trend these past few years, and the army of pink haired lovelies does not seem to be diminishing. To a girl who dreamt of having the lightest pink hair ever since I was a just a little one, this is a fantastic thing! I love seeing lavender, powder blue, silver and light turquoise heads all over Instagram and in my bloglovin' feed - it makes me feel like the world is a bit more magical, inhabited by all these fairies!

 
  Being a tan skinned brunette with Indian and African heritage I knew I was fighting a losing battle when I decided to finally go for it and achieve this look for myself. After already dying my hair to the frazzled blonde point-of-no-return I realised that my work would never permit me to wear any 'unnatural colours.' Finally, I decided that perhaps I should stop playing with chemicals (and fighting The Man) and just get a temporary solution.

Ruining my hair at Hue on Balmoral Rd Auckland - They're actually a really nice salon and offer 'perfect tea,' a very elusive substance outside of one's own home :)

So I scoured the internets for 'pastel ombre clip-in hair extensions' and found myself on good old Chinese exporters, Aliexpress:

It's a little confusing to navigate, but they offer 76 different colours of hair extensions at varying lengths. I was drawn to the ombre colours because I find them easier to blend into my hair. I chose the colours I wanted and added the number codes and how many of each I wanted in the message to seller. My order of 42 individual 28'' extensions came to US$37.80 with free shipping. You can see the listing and my order details below (the new listing has changed to 2pcs lot, so I showed 21 lots of 28'' hair extensions):

Amazing result: they had all the colours that I had chosen in stock, posted to me really fast, and didn't get any wrong except for erring in my favour by giving me an extra piece of the dark pink/ light pink ombre! You can find the seller Eagle Fashion Ltd Company here or the link to this re-listing here

And here are the beauties:

In case you're interested, the colours that I requested were 45, 47, 57, 64, 66 , 70, 76 and I only got six pieces of each. This is due to me being unable to commit to any particular colour and wanting to see them in person before buying a proper amount of any.

Because my hair has now grown out into the obligatory ombre, the best I can achive with these extensions is a 'my little pony' gradient. Now that I am no longer employed by a large hotel company I constantly dye the blonde part of my hair light pink, so am mainly drawn to the pink extensions.

 

Also from Aliexpress I picked up a five-clip extension in the same colour as the pink ombre above:

This larger clip-in helps to tie the whole look together. I bought it from here. ..and this is a quick sequence which shows me putting the hair extensions in:

 I put the larger piece in right at the bottom over a thin layer of hair, and then let down layers adding smaller pieces as I go (do you like my awesome makeshift comb-over in pic '1'?). There being only seven pieces, this does not take very long :)

Although ideally I would grow super long naturally pastel pink hair, I like the effect of these extensions. I think that already having an ombre to pink helps to blend the extensions in to my hair a little bit.  As the extensions are longer than my severely layered hair, they add to the effect that my hair goes from brown to a very light pink.
And this is the result:

 My little ragdoll Chloe doing some stretches while her mummy appears to be hypnotised by the wall:

Verdict: Highly recommended if you want to have colourful hair but are unable to dye it!

I hope you enjoyed this review! Please let me know what you think and link me to your blogs with  coloured hair extension posts, I would love to see how you achieve My Little Pony hair without dying it!
❤

OOTD ft. Topshop Ombre Fringe Coord - Fringe Benefits

Topshop ombre fringe jacket £75 - Pic from Lyst

 

Topshop ombre fringe shorts £35 - Pic from Lyst

Peach Leaf Charm - The Little Mew Etsy

Flourite mini crystal point NZ$11.52 - Lilly's Offering here

When I first saw this co-ord outfit on Topshop.com I promised myself that when I had the money I would buy it. Topshop is pretty expensive, especially for a little bargain hunter like me, and It was quite a big deal for me to buy this set at full price - But I did! Unfortunately the fringe tassles are the 'loop' kind which snag on absolutely everything! The jacket has a hook at the top to close it cape-style and the sleaves are 3/4 length. The shorts have a zip at the back and they are a regular fit. This set is no longer available on the Topshop website, but you can buy it on Ebay if you look around a bit.

Ribcage sweater Sz Free US$12.99 - Aliexpress here

Dora Ribbed Wool Over The Knee Socks Trasparenze £9.50 - The Sock Shop here

Texas Boot Rubi Shoes NZ$59.00-  Cotton On here

It's good to have a few 'special' pieces in your wardrobe, even if they are high maintenance! Link me to your own in the comments below.

OOTD ft. Asos Sequin Tunic - Madam, You Appear to be Missing a Heart

 

This Asos sequin heart tunic is a beautiful wardrobe statement piece. I paired it with a simple black velvet skater skirt and gold platfroms for a schoolgirl-glam look. Despite how much love I have for backless numbers, for those of us belonging to the Somewhat Large Bosom clan tops like this are just not our friends. Even with the mightiest wizardry of crossover-back bra straps, magical tape, and an item that I only know as 'chicken fillets' we really need genuine support if we're going to be doing any activity at all... and (God forbid) if a bra or bikini strap does so happen to cross the open back it sort of ruins the effect. What I do love about this top is that it's a flashy glamorous item cut in a very casual way (at least from the front), like an oversized chainmail T-shirt :)

ASOS Sequin Tunic With Heart Cutout Back - Out of stock on ASOS

Gold platform shoes - Rubi shoes

Westwood flip skirt AUD14.95- Factorie here
Gold Platforms Rubi Shoes - Cotton On

Body Shop Haul - Early Harvest Raspberry, Vineyard Peach & Camomile

Dammit  -   You know I cannot resist your pretty smells!!

      I'm just going to say it: The Body Shop (henceforth shortened to TBS cause it's quite a keyboardful) has got the best fruity scents around. They are subtle and have a natural sort of fragrance, as if you're smelling the real fruit. My favourite has been the Vineyard Peach range for over a year, but I think TBS have knocked it out of the park with the newly released Early Harvest Raspberry products. I bought these goodies on The Body Shop UK and my darling mother was kind enough to send them to me all the way from old blighty!! In NZ TBS products are pretty expensive, they have no online store, and their promotions are *KINDALAME* Shopping on the UK website they had a deal which was 'Get £25 off with a £50 Spend ' which allowed me to get everything my little heart desired at what equated to 50% off.

 

LOTIONS:

Early Harvest Raspberry and Vinyard Peach Body Lotions

 Early Harvest Raspberry:

 This body lotion is the exact consistency that I want lotion to be: thick enough not to run everywhere but thin enough to get absorbed immideately and not leave me with a greasy feeling. The fragrance is subtle which I appreciate as I am a bit oversensitive to smells. I prefer to wear something like this than perfume.

Link here

Vinyard Peach:

 Aaaah the original favorite! I can never get sick of this smell, it is so gentle and makes me think of nectarines. Side by side with the Rasberry lotion, I noticed that the Peach formula is a bit more thin and runny. Still, it's a small negative to such a yummy product! (Sorry I cannot remain faithful! You are still my first love!!)

The lotions are in the same type of bottle with a really great pump-style cap that distributes the product perfectly.

 Link here

BODY MIST:

Vineyard Peach Body Mist

This body mist smell just as good as the other peach products: if you like one, you will like them all! I prefer to lightly layer fragrances because I get sick of one individual smell. I already own the Vanilla Body Mist from TBS, which is also gorgeous. I think the two layer really well together. A lot of other reviewers will confirm that the smell dissapears quite quickly but for someone like me, that is a good thing haha!

Link here

BODY BUTTER:

Early Harvest Raspberry Body Butter

This body butter is rich and delicious - perfect for areas that need more hydration and for colder months. The smell is like raspberry froyo. With the thick consistency and the edible fragrance it feels a little like you're using a dessert as a moisturiser!

 Link here

CLEANSING OIL:

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

When I wear make-up I usually use baby oil to get it off so I'm used to using oil as a remover. The best thing about cleansing oil is that it does not irritate my fragile skin. They have all these instructions about how you should use your ring finger for putting on cream around the eyes to be as gentle as possible, but then if you use mascara you end up tugging at that same tender skin with cotton pads - it just doesn't feel right! This cleansing oil gets all my makeup off and leaves my face feeling silky smooth as well. The fragrance is very mild and pleasing - but I have to say that it does not smell like camomile at all!

Link here

Almond Hand & Nail Cream

I truely needed this cream for my poor little hands. They do so much for me and put up with such hardships like accidental contact with superglue, acetone and other things that skin does not like. The almond hand cream goes on so smooth and smells faintly of almond blossoms. The only issue I had with this product is the packaging. The lid doesn't fit back on the tube easily, and as you might be able to see from the picture I managed activate the dreaded continuous-flow-of-product even with the most gently of squeezes! After a few uses I realised that this must have been caused from the pressure of the flight over here, as the product has stayed where it belongs since :)

Link here

All in all I am really happy with this haul. TBS is normally a bit overpriced, but their sales and promotions (in the US and UK at least) make up for it and allow grubbs like me to get our mitts on these delicious products. I spent £26.50 on this whole haul which is pretty good considering I could spend that amount on a single item from TBS in NZ. I am not knowledgeable enough to say whether TBS is truly a socially responsible company, especially since I know that they got bought by L'oreal, but I really, really like the idea that they are a good company.

One does not simply put away the Sparkly Hotpants...

When I lived in Germany, I remember reading an article on how to wear a summer dress in winter. Years later and armed with that wisdom, I refuse to acknowledge the temperatures that would restrict my wardrobe. Instead I pull out my arsenal of thick tights, warm thigh high socks, and cosy cardigans. These wardrobe weapons allow me to stay cosy and comfortable throughout the colder seasons without putting my favorite clothes into hibernation.

More Pictures & Links:

Longline fluffy cardigan - Sz 'M' Glassons here

Deer jumper - Sz 'OS' Aliexpress here
One black suede pumps, Soul Princess - Wildpair
Sequin front denim shorts - Ally Fashion
Top handle bag with quilted flap - Asos here
Angora rib over the kee socks, Jonathan Aston - The Sock Shop UK here

...Aaand you can find this look on my Lookbook page here ❤

Collective Knitwear Haul - Glassons, Factorie & Cotton On

 I have a little (ish) haul for you today from Glassons, Factorie & Cotton On. I don't know if I'm growing up or getting old, but this year my clothes shopping has been less about pretty dresses and more about comfy cardigans: I can't get enough of them! I feel like you can wear them over anything, even hotpants or a party dress, and they just make everything more comfortable, relaxed and daytime appropriate. - I'm really late with this haul due to snowboard trip without The Internets so some things are not available online anymore - I've given alternatives where I could, though, and if you're in AU or NZ pop in-store, you may find that they're still there dejectedly lurking in the sale section :)

 GLASSONS:

Longline fluffy cardigan, Pale pink, Sz 'M' NZ$39.99 - here

Longline fluffy cardigan, Black Sz 'S' NZ$39.99 here

 These two cardigans are my favorite. They have pockets, are long, warm and soooo soft! I got the pink on first in a size 'M' which is just a little bit big for me as I have narrow shoulders (I got a bit over-excited when I saw them in store and bought the wrong size as it was the last pink one there, and I have been dying to get my grubby mitts on some fluffy knits for a long time - I have since seen that they have the whole array of sizes and colours available from their online store). The black in an 'S' fits perfectly. I have seen online that they have some new colours and am seriously coveting the Taupe Grey & Sea Foam!

Light blue trapeze dress Sz 'L' alternative here & here - if you're willing to look elsewhere Missguided has the perfect floral trapeze dress here (the only reason I do not yet own it is that I have had to severly cull my basket when hauling from there as EVERYthing is so gorgeous)

I grabbed this little trapeze dress because I loved the colour and wanted a no-fuss dress that I could layer up for winter. It's really sheer which makes it an ideal layering piece. I cleverly got it in a size 'L' which is huge and a bit unflattering on me, but I still love it. I know the alternatives are not that similar, but they would serve the same purpose, especially the white lace top dress which is so pretty :) I always find it funny how they try to come up with new words for colours. 'Moonshadow' & 'Milk' are just so much more marketable than grey and white.

FACTORIE

Suzy cropped sweater AU$19.95 'S' - alternative with numbers here

 

Fluffy crop AU$9.95 - black one here

Westwood flip skirt, Black Sz S AU$14.95 - here

The black 'Oops' fluffy crop is just perfect (and sums me up particularly well). It is just the right 'cropped' length to cover my short torso and I love the warmth and quality. The baby blue fluffy crop is a bit thin and shed all over the place when I first pulled it out of the box. It has stopped shedding after being given a vigorous shake (while yelling at it, 'you just stop it, ok?' Haha no I'm joking, I would never talk aggressively to my clothes). The little velvet skater skirt is a wardrobe staple that I snatched up when I saw the price, and ideal for winter in NZ with some warm tights. I love Factorie, their sales are proper sales, not like the pretend ones you see sometimes :)COTTON ON

Liana coatigan, Grey Sz 'S' - AU$20.00 alternative colour here

Love this cardigan, it is long, soft and semi lightweight while still being surprisingly warm. The grey colour is a versatile neutral, and if you can fit an 'L' they have a lovely 'Cookies & cream' colour that I actually prefer.

Chunky knit oversized cardigan, Army green Sz 'S' - alternative here

This one is a bit itchy if it's directly on the skin, but is toasty and chunky. If you do find it don't size up too much as they have purposely made it oversized and you will be wading through miles of acrylic knit. They should have added pockets, it's practically begging for them!I hope you find some things you like! Cotton On has a 30% off your first purchase discount code on signup & Glassons has a 20% one - If it's your first time buying from Cotton On, check out their Typo & Foundation sections, you won't be disappointed. I love fluffy knits and just can't have enough of them, so I'm so happy to see the local retailers stocking them up in beautiful colours and styles!

Fat Totoro Owl Creature (oh it's a cat, sorry)

I will leave you with this picture of my grumpy faced cat, Okami, who watched through the window with disdain as his mummy took photos of herself.

Jewelry Haul - South India

When I was in India this year I decided to get my grubby paws on some of the beautiful handcrafted silver and gemstone jewelry that my hometown (Auroville) makes so well. Although I LOVE the styles and modern quirky ideas that chain stores in NZ & AU come up with (Diva, Lovisa etc.), I get a tiny bit heartbroken when their plated surfaces tarnish so fast >.< ...So I jumped at the opportunity to replenish my long-term jewerly box during my travels!

 I ended up finding some of lovely stuff, including several pearl pieces. I must express some well deserved gratitude to my good friend Lissi who acted as a facilitator (read: enabler) in the pearl-shop-hunting process and quite literally showed me the nacreous light. Although these items are often one of a kind and their online outlets are limited, links & alternatives are included where I could find them. Prices are in Indian Rupees - In a google conversion just now Rs 1000 = US $16.60:

These six rings are from the Tibetan Shop in Pondicherry, India. If you're ever travelling through you can check them out here:

 

Four Tibetan silver toe rings (worn as knuckle rings in the above photo) Rs 250 ea (L-R bottom photo first three and last ring) a big sterling silver turquoise ring Rs 450 and a petite pearl ring Rs 400 (bought for me by my darling Mother)

I particularly Love the pearl ring because it is so thin and fits my scrawny fingers perfectly. I often wear toe rings as knuckle rings because of the fact that my feet are usually covered

 These pretty ones are from Auroville Boutique, Auro Sunshine Gems and Jewelry and Women's Co-op Handicrafts:

Pearl bracelet (Women's Co-op Rs 250) with clear quartz heart Rs 50 Auro Sunshine, pink pearl & sterling silver anklets Rs 1717 Auro Sunshine here

long pearl necklace Rs 850 Women's Co-op, mint crystal point pendant Rs 505 Auro Sunshine here (it could be chyroprase or chalcedony - I'm not sure!)

 All from Auro Sunshine

Yellow fluorite Pendant Rs 150, petite mint earrings Rs 200 (couldn't find the same ones, but they had some similar fluorite ones here), 2 heart pendants amethyst & fluorite? - Rs 50 ea

These little pearl earrings were also from Auro Sunshine:

Pink pearl earrings Rs 250 - couldn't find the exact same ones, but these little white drops are also so pretty!

Of course you can see that the jewelry I bought is incredibly cheap when you convert the prices to dollars or pounds, and I just want to add that the people making these things really are wonderful artists so it is great to support them - I only wish the Women's Co-op also had an online store because those ladies work really hard too and deserve an opportunity to sell to the whole world! I have just had a look and Auro Sunshine does offer international shipping. I have never ordered from them online, but I'm pretty sure it would be reasonably priced as well.

I couldn't be happier with everything I recieved and hope to spend many years gazing covetously at them. Wait, can you gaze covetously at something you already own?? Please let me know your favorites, and if you do make your own hauls, either online or on your own adventures through South India, I would love to hear about them too!