5 simple and easy hairstyle hacks for long hair

Jan 13, 2015

It can be easy to get stuck in a hair rut, but there are plenty of easy and stunning hairstyles you can do before you rush out the door in the morning – we’ve just forgotten about them!

Up your hair game with these cute and simple hairstyles.

1. The ballerina bun
This is so much easier than it seems. Simply turn your head upside down (stay with us here!), gather your hair into a high ponytail and secure with a hair bobbin. Then, twist the ponytail around itself until it resembles Lauren's bun and simply secure with bobby pins. See, we told you it was easy!

2. The cutesy pigtails
No, not just for five-year-olds – you can totally rock these pigtails too, missy! These are pretty self-explanatory, divide your hair evenly and secure with bobbins. You could also experiment with plaits or even fish tail if you have time!

3. The high ponytail
Make like Ariana Grande and gain a couple of inches with the high ponytail. If you don't have long luscious locks like Ariana, we have a hack so you can fake it. Get your hair into a half ponytail, leaving the bottom half of your hair free. When it is secure, go to the bottom half and tie that into a ponytail directly underneath the top one. Then pull the top one over and no one will know the difference!

4. The side plait
While the fishtail braid may be all the rage at the moment, it takes time you just may not have. Never underestimate the simplicity of the regular plait, and bringing it to the side adds an element of glamour too.

5. The half bun
This is the perfect lazy Sunday brunch hair. Still down, but out of your face – our kind of hair! Simply create a half ponytail and then twist it into a bun and secure with bobby pins.

Five of the best, and most simple inventions

Lifestyle

Sep 8, 2014

by Amber Saunders

When we think of inventions, we think of the big things like the light bulb, or the radio – but what about all those little things we use every day? They had to be invented too ye know! Here are five of the simplest inventions that we simply could not live without!

Post-its
These handy sticky bits of paper were invented by a 3M employee Art Fry who got annoyed that his book mark kept slipping out of his hymn book when he was singing in the choir. He decided to create something that would stick to the page but could also be removed without ripping the paper – the post-it! Our lives would be at least 26% less organised if it weren’t for this man!

Door knobs
How did people get through doors without door knobs? We just don’t know, but the humble door knob wasn’t invented until 1878 by Osbourn Dorsey (check out the patent!), which is pretty late!

Before that, people opened doors with these things:

Rubber bands
Teachers everywhere must despise Stephen Perry, who invented the rubber band way back in 1845. He used vulcanized rubber to create the little bands. What would we have used to flick bits of rubber across the classroom if it weren’t for this genius man?

Straws
Imagine a world with no straws – there’d nearly be no point in wearing lipstick at all. It’d be ruined as soon as you take a sip of your drink! Marvin Stone created the straw in 1888 AD. He wrapped a piece of paper around a pencil and glued it, and then he replaced the paper with paraffin-coated Manila paper so that it wouldn’t get soggy. Then he discovered that the best size was 8 inches in length with the diameter just small enough to avoid any seeds getting sucked up. Thanks Marvin!

Shopping bags
A shopping bag seems so obvious to us, but they weren’t invented (or at least patented) until 1952 when Francis Wolle made the first machine for making paper bags. Can you imagine not having any bags to carry all your stuff? It’s bad enough when we forget our reusable bags for one shopping trip – imagine they were all like that!

images via Pinterest

Simple cauliflower pizza base

Jun 4, 2014

by Amber Saunders

This simple cauliflower pizza base is so much healthier for you than the regular kind.

Not only is it gluten-free, but it is also low-fat and carb free for those watching their diet.

Add any toppings you like such as feta cheese, olives, kale, rocket – anything you want!

What you’ll need:

1 cauliflower
4 tbsp. ground almonds
1 egg
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. chilli flakes (optional)

What you’ll need to do:

Grate or pulse the cauliflower head into a rice-like consistency.
Cook in the microwave for 3-4 mins on medium heat.
Allow to cook and using a teacloth or a piece of cheesecloth, drain all of the moisture out of the cauliflower. Your hands will hurt after all that squeezing but a dry consistency is essential.
In a large bowl add the almonds, basil and chilli flakes to the cauliflower. Mix to combine and season well.
Add the egg and bring the dough-like mixture together.
On a baking sheet, spread the mixture out into a pizza shape, making sure to keep it nice and round as well as quite thin. This will ensure a crispy base.
Bake for about 30 mins, flipping over once the top gets golden and is firm enough to turn without breaking.
Add your toppings such as a tomato sauce, cheese, veg, meat and anything else you like.
Return to the oven to melt the cheese and enjoy!

Annoying things we didn’t have to put up with in the ’90s

Uncategorized

May 30, 2014

by Amber Saunders

The ’90s were such as simple decade. While technology may have made our lives a little easier, there are still some very annoying things we have to deal with now that we didn’t way back when.

1. #whatdoesthisevenmean

Hashtags are possibly the most annoying thing to come from smart phones.

2. But first, let me take six selfies

Actually, THIS is the most annoying thing to come from a smart phone!

3. Sorry, can’t talk. On my phone.

People on phones at the cash register have to be the worse people in the world. So. Rude.

4. You have been tagged in seventy photos

That Sunday morning feeling… *shudder*

5. Lov3 Yewww So Much Hunni xoxo

Facebook relationships are the worst relationships.

6. Lost in translation

Text fights are so easily caused because the tone of the message can be lost. Just make a phone call and avoid that long-lasting family fight.

7. Reality television

Okay, so it may be brain dead and we wish it was never invented, but damn it’s addictive.

8. Lack of bacon and cabbage

Bring back the classics! Enough of this nouveau-food crap!

9. RIP light up runners

We would totally still wear these.

10. Rejection central

It was so much easier to take rejection back in the ’90s, obviously they weren’t able to get through because the phone was engaged.

via our content partner CT

Vanilla and almond mug cake

May 8, 2014

by Amber Saunders

This mug cake is so simple to make and has a really light and delicate flavour.

What you’ll need:

3 tbsp. plain flour
3 tbsp. ground almonds
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk or almond milk
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla essence

What you’ll need to do:

In the mug you are using, combine the dry ingredients well.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg with the milk.
Add the wet ingredients into the mug and mix well.
Place the mug into the microwave for 2 minutes.
Enjoy with some fresh berries and Greek yoghurt.

Simple peanut butter and chocolate bites

Apr 10, 2014

by Amber Saunders

These bites combine two of the best flavours in the whole world – peanut butter and chocolate.

They are also so simple and easy to put together and make.

Your friends will love them!

What you’ll need:

200g dark chocolate
150g smooth peanut butter
120g icing sugar

What you’ll need to do:

Melt the dark chocolate and pour half of the mixture individually into cupcake cases, and place in a muffin tin.
Place in the fridge to harden.
In a bowl combine the peanut butter with the icing sugar.
Put a dollop of the peanut butter on top of the hardened chocolate and smooth out.
Pour the remaining chocolate on top and return to the fridge to set completely.

You can also replace the peanut butter with the almond butter and remove the sugar for a slightly healthier treat.

3 ingredient no-bake chocolate and coconut bars

Mar 28, 2014

by Amber Saunders

These coconut-chocolate bars are so easy to make and handy for sweet snacks.

This recipe uses milk chocolate but if you wanted to make it a little healthier you could swap this for darker chocolate.

What you’ll need:

160g dessicated coconut
250ml condensed milk
300g milk chocolate

What you’ll need to do:

Combine the condensed milk and coconut milk, adding more condensed milk if the mixture seems dry.
Flatten into a baking tray and chill for an hour.
Cut into bar shapes.
Melt chocolate and dip the bars into the chocolate, coating.
Chill bars until chocolate has hardened.

Tarka Daal

Feb 7, 2014

by Amber Saunders

It may seem like there are a lot of ingredients in this but these are mostly cupboard essentials like spices that you will have anyway so don’t worry! It is one of the fastest and cheapest curries to throw together and you will find yourself making it again and again after a long day at college or work.

What you’ll need:

100g red lentils, washed and rinsed
1 tbsp butter/olive oil
Vegetable stock
3 garlic cloves
1 med onion, chopped finely
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 red chilli, chopped finely
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon

What you’ll need to do:

In a saucepan, heat the butter or the oil and add the ginger, chilli, onion and garlic.
Allow to soften slightly and all of the spices, heating to release their aroma.
Add the washed lentils and combine with the flavours for about 3-4 mins.
Cover the lentils with the veg stock and place the lid on. Cook over medium heat until the lentils have softened.
For the last 10-15 mins of cooking, remove the lid allow the daal to thicken for a nice curry consistency. Add more stock if the lentils aren’t softening or it seems dry.
Garnish with the fresh coriander and serve with some fluffy rice or naan bread.

Perfect vegetable soup

Jan 24, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Soup is great for bulk-making those weekly lunches – just cook ahead of time and store in the fridge or freezer. Healthy and satisfying, this soup is great with brown bread on those cold winter days.

What you need:

2 carrots
1 onion
2 stalks celery
1 leek
1 parsnip
fresh parsley
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
salt and pepper

What you do:

Chop the onion, carrot, parsnip, leek and celery into pieces; you’ll be blending it anyway so it doesn’t need to be perfect.
Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan and add all the veg. Cook for about 5 minutes and season well.
Add the tbsp of bouillon powder and cover the veg with boiling water.
Cook over low-medium heat until the veg has softened.
Add the chopped fresh parsley.
Allow to cool and use a hand-blender to blend the soup.
Serve with your favourite brown bread.