I love having braids. I just feel like I have superhero powers with them in. As much as braids are a hairstyle in their own right, I have often had people ask me how to they can style their braids without using the same mundane tactics. It can be quite tricky to create lavish styles on braids if you're not a hair professional but there are quick and easy hairstyles that you can try for everyday. These are some of the hairstyles that I go to when styling my braids up.

Side Swept
Really easy and elegant, sweeping your braids to one side can give you an instant effortless, put-together look. Gather a small section in the front, sweep over your forehead like a fringe then tuck behind the opposite ear. Secure with a hair clip.

Bohemian Plaits
Braids have a natural bohemian vibe to them already so I love creating this look when I want to look extra "boho". Create a middle parting and section off two small sections of braids in the front on either side. Loosely plait the sections into simple 3-part plaits and secure with a hair tie at the ends.

The Top Knot
This is my "long day at work", "chilling in bed", "let's be cool today" or "its too hot to have braids in my face" hairstyle. The top knot is so easy to create and doesn't even take 2 minutes. Grab a section of braids, about one third from the front, and twist. Start to roll the twisted braid section as you would when creating a bun. Use a hair tie to hold in place; if you need more hold, use hair clips at the base of the bun.

The Retro Roll
There are some days that I like to "play pin-up" and this retro, 40s inspired style does just that. Create a side parting and section off one third of hair in the front. Twist the section like you are about to create a bun but roll the twist along the hairline then towards the back. Secure with pins or a hair tie.

Scarf Up
The easiest way to make your braids look interesting? Add accessories. Wrap a printed scarf around your head like a head band and tie. You can secure the band with clips if you like. Try this with embellished head bands, flower crowns or berets depending on the occasion.

My Top Braid Care Tips
1. As much as you love your braids, avoid keeping them in too long. 3 weeks to a month should be the absolute maximum time to have them in. Your actual hair will not love your for leaving them in any longer.
2. Always remember to go to a salon to have your braids washed at least once a week or once every 2 weeks. At the salon, your braids can be properly dried and it stops your braids from collecting debris and oil created from products; which creates knots and breakage in your actual hair.
3. Spritz your moisturizing spray on your scalp and on the actual braids to keep them looking fresh and create a healthy sheen.
4. Always think of the hair underneath the braids so never tug or pull the braids too tightly or do anything that puts extra strain to your hair.

Photography: Londam-Holland
Instagram: @londam_holland_
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I am a fan of quick and easy... love a product that gives great results but will not take out a huge chunk out of my day to use. I was approached by rubybox to review this new, long-awaited product from Garnier. You can also be a part of their reviews by signing up on the website (here) and create your own beauty profile…all for free and easy. The brand has launched their first micellar cleansing water into South Africa designed to remove make-up or act as a cleanser and toner. Now I am one of those girls who get super lazy to remove my make-up at the end of the day (I know...the shame) so to find make-up removal products that actually remove all my make-up and get me to bed in 5 mins makes me really happy. I tested these two micellar waters out for a few weeks; using them alone and incorporated into my normal cleansing routine and this is what I found.

The Formula
Micellar technology uses molecules called micelles that work together to trap dirt, lift up impurities and make-up from the skin without drying out the skin. These micellar waters come in two formulas; a sensitive skin-type solution and a formula for combination to oily skin. The sensitive formula has no perfume and its gentle on the skin. The combination to oily skin formula feels slightly more nourishing on my skin and doesn’t leave the skin feeling dry or “sticky”. What I love about the formula is that you don’t have to scrub your face in order for the water to work. Just in one swipe and already, make-up fills your cotton pad, leaving skin clean and feeling refreshed. The best part is that it is safe to use on your eyes and lips too. Usually, we think that all make-up removers are safe to use on all areas of the face but no... eyes and lips require some TLC, which Garnier now provides.

Efficacy
I do think that these micellar waters are worth a go. They are really convenient and remove dirt really effectively. Cleansing is quite a personal process as everyone likes to cleanse differently and feel different levels of cleanliness in term of facial skin. I really like to double cleanse so start with a milk make-up cleanser as the initial removal, then cleanse again with my normal cleanser and then use the micellar water to sort out any dirt left over from the cleansing. I tested out just using the micellar water to cleanse off a full face of make-up and I must say that I didn’t feel robbed in terms of feeling clean. I needed about 3 cotton pads to properly remove all the make-up, by the third pad, my face was already pretty clean. Since the water is a cleanser and toner in one, I just finished off with my moisturiser.

Cost Effective
These are so affordable. At only R80, these really are “bang for your buck” as they come in 400ml sizes and it doesn’t take a lot to soak a whole cotton pad. I even use both sides of the cotton pad, extending my usage. The only thing is that if you’re a fan of travelling light, the bottle may appear abit bulky for your carry-on. But you can transfer the water into travel size containers or leave your cleanser and toner behind as the micellar water has got you covered in those departments.

Follow updates and news on Garnier Micellar Water using the hashtag #GarnierComeClean on Instagram or Twitter or post your own experiences with the product using the hashtag.
Hashtag: #GarnierComeClean
Photography: Londam-Holland
Instagram: @londam_holland_
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It’s been a while since I did a beauty post and since my life is mainly surrounded with beauty now, it’s become more business than anything else. But I still love the joy of testing out products and discovering a product that actually works! Last month I tested out a new beauty addition to my closet and was so excited to get into this brand as it has such a wide variety of products and cool shades. Sigma Beauty is a make-up brand from the United States that started in 2009. They had their first store in the Mall of America in Minnesota and have since been "innovating beauty" and are famous for their make-up brushes using SigmaTech fibres. For us, Sigma Beauty is mainly an online destination as they are yet to launch a stand-alone store in the country.

I wanted to change the way I did reviews and felt that mixing it up with a bit of fashion rather than just rolling out a set of product images and shade swatches was a better way to engage readers into the product. Reviews just started to feel like it all has been done before and not everyone can sit through a whole post on just a single product. Since I love photography and editorials, what better way than to create “beauty review editorials” where I use the product and it can inspire a specific look or feeling or even outfit. This look was inspired by the Sigma "Smoke Screen" eyeshadow palette. The shades used in this look are “Almost Jet” and “Cinders”. Immediately when I saw these shades, I thought sultry evening look and created a simple yet effective smokey eye with a slight exaggeration on the wing. This paint-splatter print top almost looks like it was smeared with ash or black paint which complimented this black eyeshadow. Had this idea to shoot in a bath tub for a crazy editorial effect. Sometimes editorials can be so bizarre and ingenious at the same time and I wanted to create that feel.

I quite liked the darker shades in the palette as the colour pay off was really great. I did feel that the other more neutral shades in the palette applied on too faint and not as bold as they appeared. Those shades would definitely need a good eyeshadow primer just to bring out the colour more. Be sure to apply a powder or place some tissue under the eye when applying this shadow as its formula is quite fine and particles will settle on your cheeks which means *eek* smudges.

Create this look:
1. Start with “Cinders”, a grey shadow with a semi-shimmer on the inner corner of the eye and work up to the middle of the eye.
2. Apply “Almost Jet”, a black almost matte shadow from the center of the lid to the outer corner and extend as far as you want. You can be quite dramatic with this one.
3.Finish with mascara and liquid liner to add more drama.

Photography: Londam-Holland
Instagram: @londam_holland_ / Bloglovin: Londam-Holland
Outfit Details:
Shirt: Tiger of Sweden/ Pants: Truworths
Beauty Details:
Make-up: Sigma Beauty (@sigmabeauty) using Sigma Smoke Screen eyeshadow palette and Lip Base in “Indulgent”.
available on Sigma Beauty website (here) or Turquoise Studio (here)