Category Archives: Review

Beauty, Review

Do or Dye

To be (grey) or not to be (grey), that is the question: (Artwork by Luigi Tarini via Saatchi Art)

Customer Review: Josh Wood Colour DIY

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I’m a not-so-natural Blonde these days. My greys – I say grey, yet they are mostly wiry whites – showed up to my root party early then completely trashed the parting place postpartum. At 35, I’m not there yet when it comes to embracing this latest gift from generous Mother Nature, though I’m noticing a seismic shift in attitudes towards that transition & heartily applaud it; shine on silver sisters!

When it came to my Lockdown locks it was finally time to try Blonde in a box. As a Home Colour hair virgin there was only one man & brand I trusted enough to give my roots a touch up (& remember to pop on protective gloves): Josh Wood Colour. There’s a clue in that synonymous name. You don’t have to take my word for it, but seeing is believing when it comes to his genius in a bottle – take a look!

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Accessories, Home, Kids Fashion, Lifestyle, Review, Womenswear

Top 5 Indie Christmas Shopping in Cambridge: A.K.A Where to send your other half

Indie & Pop Christmas Shopping

Indie & Pop style shopping : Gestuz available at Boudoir Femme. You might get a drink too 😉

A gift should be for life, not just for Christmas.

In the first part of the Indie & Pop Christmas Shopping Edits I’m shining a halo over 5 of my favourite Cambridge independent boutiques; a where to shop not necessarily what to shop because each of these retailers have such an incredible curation of pieces that you simply cannot go wrong.

So much so, it’s where Mr O goes to guarantee gift joy. This post might be one to print off & stick somewhere obvious…

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Beauty, Lifestyle, Mind, Motherhood, Review

Indie & Pop Charts: Top 10 Beauty products to make you feel better

Cowshed Travel Beauty Indie and Pop

Feel good things in small packages

Ah, there’s nothing quite like a Hospital stay to make you appreciate the little things in life &, moreover, LIFE itself. Having spent a vast amount of time at God Bless Hotel NHS, I can speak with a fair bit of authority & experience when it comes to what to take in your Hospital Bag & what stuff to have on standby if, like me, you often end up there via ambulance unexpectedly & leave a bewildered significant other to do the packing for you.

These are things that are guaranteed to make you feel & possibly look a bit better when you’re feeling crappy full stop. They all make excellent gifts & are perfect pick-me-ups for busy Mums or Mums to be especially.

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Beauty, fashion, Food, Home, Lifestyle, Mind, Motherhood, Parenting, Review, Womenswear

The Indie & Pop Charts: A Top 10 of life enhancing stuff

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Making my world a brighter place: Business Cards / Business Card Holder / Cosmetics & similar MakeUp Bag / Neckaces c/o SWYC / Similar Notebook / Pom Pom Bedspread

This is your chance to tune in to the things that have rocked my world recently because they might just rock yours, too. A list of things to make you look good, feel good or that just DO good.

NB: Although it’s a Chart they’e not really in any particular order of preference. You can play D.J with the Mix.

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Accessories, childrenswear, fashion, Home, Kids Fashion, Kids Style, Lifestyle, Review, Womenswear

Getting my Greens at (m)ARKET: My visit to ARKET, London

Arket Store Interior London Merchandising

It’s easy being GREEN at ARKET, the latest store launch from the H&M Group. Photo by Sophie Osborne

I can’t remember the last time I felt this excited about a new chain store launch. Hailing from the stable of one my ultimate High Street heroes, H&M (I still call it Hennes), I’ve been awaiting ARKET‘s arrival to UK shores with excitement; signing up to the Mailing List as soon as I heard the first whispers of the concept online.

I made it down to the shiny new store on Regent Street, London at the first opportunity. It didn’t disappoint. I’m already planning my visit to the newest (& even bigger) Long Acre branch.

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Beauty, Home, Lifestyle, Motherhood, Review

My Soap Box: How a bar of soap can add a bit of luxury to your life

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‘Roll up your sleeves, give your hands a wash with slippy, dippy soap…’ (Damn you CBeebies). Some of the soaps in the mix at our house. (Not Justin’s).

How many times did you wash your hands today? I was almost at half a dozen before Breakfast. I’m going to preach a bit now on prioritising satisfaction over simple sanitation. Yep, soap. Humble stuff & often overlooked. Whether liquid or solid, it’s something we all use & can just see as an essential purchase; perhaps chucked in your basket/trolley/online order without much thought or opting for whichever brand is on offer.

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childrenswear, fashion, Kids Fashion, Kids Style, Lifestyle, Review, Womenswear

Cambs Indie Week 2016

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On Indie & Pop, I strive to highlight my edit of the best in independents as well as the more popular retailers. For me, these businesses keep the British High Street interesting, vibrant & diverse whilst rarely being matched by the bigger players when it comes to Customer Service & community.  Continue reading →

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Beauty, Lifestyle, Review

The mane man

My hair transformation at George Northwood

“Be there, or have bad hair”

Artwork at George Northwood ('Pony Pin Ups' by Julian Wolkenstein @ The Horsebox Gallery )

Artwork at George Northwood: ‘Pony Pin Ups’ by Julian Wolkenstein @ The Horsebox Gallery

The Northwood name is one synonomous with the poster girls of today; his loyal client list reading like an A-list party invitation. George has been the go-to guy for many years for both Rosie Huntington-Whiteley & Alexa Chung. Celebrity endorsements aside, when the in-the-know Editors (see: Lorraine Candy, ELLE & Emma Elwick-Bates, VOGUE) are also making a beeline for a salon, you know it’s the place to go. So when Laura Fantacci of Wearing It Today (formerly of Red) posted an exclusive offer for 20% off* at the newly opened Wells Street premises, I couldn’t resist. Continue reading →

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Books, Mind, Review

Words & Pictures

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My companions in recovery – my Weim & words

On Tuesday morning, as often I do, I tuned in to hear BBC Women’s Hour.  It was especially of interest to me as Rachel Kelly the author of the recently published Black Rainbow & founder of #healingwords was a guest speaker on the show. Continue reading →

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