"How to" do a Halo Braid

This hairstyle is simple yet effective in creating a soft look and being rather efficient to do. I originally learned how to do this from the lovely Zoella whose video can be found in the link below at the end of my post. I do believe that this particular hairstyle is more suitable for those with longer hair, but one could probably adapt it to their own length. Let me know in the comments if you like the style and if it worked for you or not. In this post I will outline the steps to creating a Halo Braid and hopefully with some extra tips from Zoella's video on hair products, you will be able achieve it (it took me a few tries to get it right).

 

Items you will need:
Hair grips/ bobby pins, two small elastics, a clip (to hold hair out of the way) and a curler is optional.

1. Separate two small sections of hair from both sides of your head (near your ears).

2. Tie the rest of your hair up into a loose ponytail or clip it out of the way until you are done. Whichever you prefer.

3. Holding one of the sectioned off parts, plait it normally and tie a thin elastic band at the end. Do the same with the other section.

4. Get your hair grips or bobby pins and take one plait over your head to the other side (the end of it should rest just above or behind your ear) and pin it in place.

5. Do the same with the other plait, making sure it overlaps the end to hide the hair grips/ bobby pins.

6. Let the rest of your hair loose and if you prefer, curl the ends to give it a nice finish. 

How to: Halo Braid (Zoella) 

I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if you want me to do more hairstyles. I'm thinking of eventually starting my own Youtube channel to compliment these kind of posts (along with makeup tutorials).

Much love,


lyshxx

Photo diary - capturing beautiful moments of nature

These are some pictures of mine that I have accumulated over time and I thought I'd share them with you today. Enjoy :)

A magical sunset full of wonder

Autumn debris

Bulli Beach

Pink flowers in a backyard

A grey sunset

They say dandelions give us the chance to make a wish come true. Well when I took this photo I made a wish, knowing someday it will come true. This dandelion was a reminder to not loose hope. So you too, can make a wish.

I love the sight of sunlight filtering through trees and bushes.

Something as simple as flower petals on grass can look so pretty

Sunlight on a cool afternoon is always so comforting

Until next time,

lyshxx

"Places to Go" in Newtown

So not too long ago I had a reunion with some high school friends of mine in Newtown where we window-shopped, had coffee and dined together for a late lunch. It was quite the experience and I can definitely say that Newtown is worth visiting, if not for the quirky little cafes scattered all over the place, then simply to experience the diversity of cultures, vintage shops and overall unique atmosphere. Today, as you've probably inferred from the blog post title, I am recommending two places to try in Newtown for the purposes of dining or a simple coffee break.

Hoochie Mamma Cafe

Aptly named, it is a rather large European/Italian cafe located at 156 Missenden Road in Newtown. Service is efficient and staff were pleasant, greeting customers as they entered. Admittedly there are many mixed reviews on this place with approximately 70% people loving it, but from my one experience I believe it's worth trying out. Prices are relative to each person's preferences but in comparison to other cafes (particularly in the city) I found it to be rather reasonable. Below is a picture of the late lunch I had with my friends, including the Tomato Casarecce, Soup of the day with crusted bread and a toasted Chicken breast baguette. Let me know which one you would like to try.

Black Star Pastry and Cafe

This quaint place lies on 277 Australia Street in Newtown and is open Monday to Sunday from 7am-5pm. Its reputation preceded my first "in person" visit to the place, so I did have high expectations. One thing for certain, is that it was overall pretty amazing. Service was regular despite the place being quite busy -always a good sign if the place is popular- and cakes were disappearing fast. I appreciated the overall decor of the cafe: there was a children's corner and some tables outside to sit down and eat. After a little bit of research on Black Star Pastry, I found that there is another one situated in Rosebery so feel free to check that one out through my link to their website in the title. The hot chocolates are divine and prices reasonable for the beverages. The cakes are unique and thus more expensive, but totally worth it for a special occasion (see picture below).

Strawberry and Watermelon cake - one of their finest.

I hope you enjoyed my recommendations/ review and let me know what you thought: whether you agreed or disagreed, if you want more of these posts or even to recommend some places for me to review. For now at least, it's bed time for me so I will bid you goodnight.

Sweet dreams,

lyshxx

(ps. I originally wrote this about 2 weeks ago before bed, just in case you were all confused :P)