MANICURE MONDAYS - 049

Details

Manicure: Pride & Joy Salon, Lekki Phase 1

Price: N1,500 (change of polish)

Polish: Essie 'Aruba Blue'

Laters,

Ez xxX

ANNE ELISE REAL HAIR | HAIR REVIEW - FilipinoCambodian Blend

Hey Guys!

A big THANK YOU to all the ladies that left a comment on my last post! I honestly didn't really expect anyone to enter the competition, don't ask me why. But I have picked a winner and I will be contacting you via the email address you provided!

So on to this post, Anne Elise Real Hair (AERH) isn't a newbie to BiL. I actually did my first ever review of their extensions last year here and I am delighted to say they have not slacked one bit in terms of quality. My last review was more in-depth than this, so you can read that one as well.

This is the only hair extensions brand which when I go to the salon for an instal or blowdry the stylist always compliments the quality of it. These are the best hair extensions I have tried out so far. But it's all about variety, we want to have options when it comes to pricing but don't want to scrimp on the quality. Never fear, I am on the case for extensions that come up to par with AERH and I will be sure to share. They sent over a new blend just released at the time, Filipino & Cambodian. Now I know zilch about the different sorts of hair on the market, I just want to know if it's good quality, doesn't tangle easily and whether it is versatile.


I decided to go red with the extensions this time and I wanted to get them done professionally. I asked around for good colourists in Lagos and came up with nothing, so decided to send my hair to a fantastic hairstylist based in Amsterdam. Yup, you read that right, I went international with it! When I want something done right, there's no stopping me. I shared details of my colourist via my instagram page (@BeautyInLagos), so you can get all the information on that over there.

I LOVED the results. The hair took to the colour really well and there was no patchiness of any sort. Just nice even tones all through. This is the hair in its near natural state. I had gone in for a blowdry the day before, but attended a party in the evening so that completely obliterated my fresh blowdry. And this was the state, the day after. I had just brushed it through with a paddle brush. The bit of hair you can see at the top that's a little frizzy is a closure I got from a different vendor. You can see that the AERH underneath still has a bit of curl to it.

In the picture above I curled the hair myself using a curling wand (the brand of the wand is Remington). These curls last literally a week! The versatility of this hair is second to none. It can be worn straight or curled.

So would I recommend this hair? Absolutely!

For details on how to order check out their listing on The BiL Directory or my last post about AERH.

Laters,

Ez xxX

SAVVY & CHIC MAG GARDEN PARTY | With One Lucky BiL Reader

Hiya Everyone,

So Savvy & Chic Magazine are having a garden party this Sunday for Bloggers, and we are all allowed to bring, as our plus-1, one of our readers!

Not going to make this post a wordy one. All the information is in the invite above.

Just comment below with your email address if you would like to come along with me to the party, and I will choose a winner at random.

The reason I blog is to share information with everyone and by 'everyone' I mean you guys. I do meet some of you at events and stuff, but it will be nice to spend an afternoon with one of you!

Best of Luck,

Ez xxX

FIRST LOOK | BAHIYAH ORGANICS - Hair Care

Hello my lovelies!

Another brand introduction for you today, because you know I'm all about sharing. But first, I have got a little rant...

This Healthy Hair Journey (HHJ) is a real pain in the backside for me, honestly. I look at Dabs' hair and think "I hate you, how do you do it". But one this she always says is, it takes a lot of patience and mine is wearing thin at the moment. I am just not seeing the results I want, I can't figure out what I am doing wrong and I am close to giving up! You know how hair-bloggers say "Find out what your hair likes as you go along and stick to it", well my hair don't know what she like :s. No but seriously, I am frustrated and I may have tried everything... Don't get me started on the Hairfinity debacle. And then past couple of weeks, my hair started breaking for no reason so I thought I would up my 'moisturisize and seal' frequency to once every other day and I think it's helping. Ok, now that I have let it all out, I shall not quit this journey.... yet. People say they hate the saying 'HHJ' but duuuude, better believe it is VERY appropriate, as this is a journey.

Staying in line with the theme of this post I'd like to share with you some products that I tried out last month.

BAHIYAH ORGANICS

Bahiyah Organics is a new organic haircare line that just hit the Nigerian market. Everything is made from scratch with 100% natural ingredients and all the contents are clearly displayed. I was sent a hair mask treatment and a shampoo bar. I absolutely adore the packaging, the tin case and that sack are just very original, love it!

Bahiyah Organics 'Deep Moisture Hair Mask' - N4000*

Not sure if this image grosses you guys out a bit, but I wanted to capture the texture of the product, so I ran my finger through it and I believe I failed... woefully lol. It's almost like a sold consistency, would not describe it as creamy. To use this I warmed it up in a microwave just to get some 'movement' and added in a little bit of my ORS replenishing conditioner just to get even more 'movement' and to aid easy application. You could even add half a teaspoon size to any other mask you may have, as a booster. I LOVE how my hair feels after using this. It's packed full of oils, including Shea Butter, which leaves your hair very moisturised for days after. Good for your hair, not so good for your bathtub and drains lol. So I will advise putting this in your hair and then heading to the salon, let them deal with it. At least that's what I did the second time I used it lol. And it might seem like it's not a lot of product in the can, but I got 3 uses out of this and it also comes in a 'Large' which is triple the size.

Bahiyah Organics 'Neem & Tea Tree Shampoo & Body Bar' - N4000*

This, I advise you use to get the mask out of your hair. Actually you must use this to get it out, as the conditioner is very concentrated.So yeah, take this along with you to the salon lol. I had never used a shampoo bar prior to this one and I think every shampoo should come in this form! It makes the precision of application so much easier, I love it! It is slightly drying so I will advice you use it once if you are just using it as a shampoo to cleanse your scalp/hair. But if you use it after the mask, once or twice is enough, depending on the amount of moisture you want to retain. You don't want to strip your hair of all the mask's benefits, but you do want to get all it out. So strike a balance with this one. I also love that it leaves a cooling sensation on your scalp, that's that tea-tree in there. It can also be used on the body.

Prices
Deep Moisture Hair Mask Small - N4000 (size I was sent)
Deep Moisture Hair Mask Large - N6000
Neem and TeaTree Shampoo - N4000
Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar - N3800

Where to buy
GTB SME Market Hub
The Nail Bar
Savvy & Chic Beauty Hub

DISCOUNT OFFER: Bahiyah Organics currently have a promo running from now till the end of October, 2014. N1000 off all products!

Hope you enjoyed this review and feel free to ask any more questions you may have in the comment box below.

Who else is on a FRUSTRATING Healthy Hair Journey?

Laters,

Ez xxX

MANICURE MONDAYS - 048

Details
Manicure: Done Myself
Polish: Topshop Nail Polish in 'Sweet Nothings'

Laters,

Ez xxX

COMING TO NIGERIA | INGLOT COSMETICS & GUERLAIN

Hey Guys!

I am so pleased that international brands are FINALLY starting to realize there is a thriving market for their products here in Nigeria. Honestly, I  get so so excited when I receive news about international brands heading our way. This will only cause even more brands to come into the market. And what this does in turn for us, is create more jobs and opportunities! And don't forget we will be buying these products at the exact same price we would if we were to buy them abroad... bye-bye ridiculous markups! *two-hand wave*

I always share such news on my Instagram, twitter and facebook pages just because it's much easier and I expect most of you to already be following at least one of those (and if you aren't you really should Twitter/Instagram: @BeautyInLagos. Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeautyInLagos).

So two exciting new brands are set to launch in Nigeria this month!

INGLOT COSMETICS

Inglot Cosmetics is one of the world's leading manufacturers in colour cosmetics, dedicated to providing products and services of the highest quality. Originating from Poland over 30 years ago, this exciting and fast rising Brand has soared to international status with over 450 stores and presence in nearly 60 countries including all the major fashion cities and is now in Nigeria! I love Inglot and I am so so excited they are coming to Nigeria. PS: There gel liner is THE best gel eyeliner you will ever try. It's the blackest black and does not budge! Inglot is also looking for people to join their team, all the information is in the picture below

Inglot Job Vacancies

GUERLAIN

How INSANE is this???? THE Guerlain brand is coming to Nigeria!! Guerlain is a brand synonymous with Luxury and Unapologetic French Refinement & Elegance. Since 1828, Guerlain has always been dedicated to beauty, from creating luxury fragrances for Royalty and growing into an Iconic Beauty Power House. Every brand offering is truly luxury and sheer perfection in a bottle.

Invite to Guerlain Launch Event

I was absolutely blown away when I received my invite for the launch event, scheduled for the end of September. It's a private event, so not sure if I am allowed to say when and where it's happening. But guys, this was hands-down THE best invite I had ever received and I honestly felt so special. Along with the invitation card they generously sent across a bronzer, lipgloss and mascara. The packaging, the pack-a-ging!! You already know how I feel about those... This just oozes luxury. And the products smell AMAZING like they've got perfume infused, even the mascara smells like perfume! I will be sharing first-look images of the products I received very soon, so keep an eye out for that.

So yeah, those are the two latest brands set to come in to the Nigerian market, I am just so excited to be able to witness and share in all the changes and progress the Nigerian beauty market is currently experiencing.

I'm sure you can all tell how I feel about international brands coming in, but I want to know how you guys feel..

What do you think about International Brands setting up shop in Nigeria?

Laters,

Ez xxX

Instagram: @BeautyInLagos | Twitter: @BeautyInLagos | Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeautyInLagos

BEAUTY AFRICA EXHIBITION | BUSINESS TALKS

Hiya Everyone!

Back with more juicy details about the Beauty Africa Exhibition happening in 4weeks, time is seriously flying by! 

The Beauty Africa event is not just about the vendors and exhibition during the 3-day event, there will be business talks, workshops, live demonstrations and hands-on training led by some of the biggest names in beauty, haircare, skincare, spa and wellness such as: Khuraira Musa, Tara Fela-Durotoye, Teniolami Adejuwon, Eryca Freemantle, Lola Maja-Okojevoh, Funmi Odegbam, Dionne Smith, Fatmi Mamza, Pamela Olatunji Bello, Ugo Igbokwe and many more.

The business talks event schedule is as follows:

•    Day 1: 7th October: Beauty and Makeup Day

•    Day 2: 8th October: Haircare Day

•    Day 3: 9th October: Skincare and Spa day

Each of these days will have 2hour business talk sessions in the morning followed by workshops and live demonstrations.

I am pretty sure we all have our preferred areas of interest when it comes to beauty, so you can pick and choose whichever you'd like to attend. Being the all-round beauty junkie that I am, you can bet I will be at all 3! So make sure to join global and regional beauty, hair care, skin care and spa experts for in-depth discussions on how to become a world-class make-up artist, own your own hair salon, or build your skincare and spa brand. 

Business Talks

During these dedicated business talks you will have the opportunity to meet and network with celebrity makeup artists, celebrity hairstylists and top skincare gurus. From training, to marketing and finance – make sure you get your most burning questions answered by these top specialists.

Hosted by Teniolami Adejuwon, Executive Director, Beauty By Nature Inc

Click here to view the agenda and register

Workshops
During these live demonstrations, you will learn the skills and approaches to take away with you and apply to your everyday beauty work. From airbrushing to hair extensions to treating problematic skin, the experts will demonstrate on models best practices in dealing with West African skin and hair. Do not miss out on these action-packed LIVE demonstrations; you may even get the opportunity to have a go on the model yourself!

Registration is now open and it’s FREE to attend with limited spaces, so hurry up and register now. Click here to register

Don't wait until the last minute to register, just do it now and then you can forget all about it until the event comes round :)

Visit Beauty Africa for more details.

Laters,

Ez xxX

MAYBELLINE NY NIGERIA | Bimpe In New York!

Hey Guys, hope you are all well!

When I was contacted by Maybelline New York Nigeria to take part in a project, of course I was intrigued. And then when they sent across even more information, that sealed it for me!

After eight seasons of iconic runway looks, Maybelline New York returns for its 9th season as the Official Cosmetics Sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2014. The New York Fashion Week kicked off yesterday and from today through to September 11th 2014, BeautyInLagos will be working with Maybelline to bring you closer to the runway than ever!

I want to believe most of you know that the Artistic Director for Maybelline New York Nigeria is the awesome, Bimpe Onakoya. Aunty Bimps, as I like to call her, is truly one of the most genuine and down-to-earth people you would ever meet. With all the years she's been in the industry and accolades she's received, her humility is a breath of fresh air.

This year, Bimpe Onakoya, will be the first Black African Makeup Artist (MUA) to work backstage glamming up runaway models side by side with co-world class MUAs and Fashion designers at the New York Fashion week 2014.

The event of this trip, themed “Bimpe In New York”, will be covered live on all Maybelline New York Nigeria online platforms and with exclusive snippets from the event. So, you’ll be getting an up close and personal encounter with Bimpe’s exciting journey and virtual backstage access to your favourite designers and makeup artists.

During this exciting week, there will be giveaways and Bimpe Onakoya will return with special gifts for ardent fans. Will you be one of them? Be sure to follow Maybelline online, so you don’t miss any of the fun!

Instagram: @MaYbellineNYNG
Twitter: @maybellinenyng
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MaybellineNewYorkNigeria

Laters,

Ez xxX

MANICURE MONDAYS - 047

Details
Manicure: Done Myself
Polish: Dali Le Maquillage 'Sugar Honey'
Where to Buy: Prince Ebeano Supermarket Lekki
Price: N500

Laters,

Ez xxX