Why Antique Wedding Jewellery Beats The Highstreet Every Time

Are you tied up with your wedding planning, and wondering how you’re going to make ends meet with your budget? Perhaps you just can’t find the right ring for your partner on the high street. Don’t worry – this article will give you the advice that you need to make an informed antique purchase which won’t cost you the Earth. With an antique wedding or engagement ring, you have a really exciting opportunity to own a unique piece of history. It’s time to relax, absorb and prepare yourself to make a great investment purchase that will delight your other half.

A romantic history

Many women prefer antique rings, believe them to have more character or a romantic history. Technically, antique jewellery must date back 100 years, to 1914 or before. When you make a vintage or antique purchase, it’s likely that that piece has been handed down in many families, and has an interesting history prior to your ownership. The fact that antique items have such a history is considered by some to be mysterious and offers an extra dimension of romance, making them perfect for engagement or wedding rings. This is a quality that you just can’t beat with highstreet pieces.

 

credit: thejewelleryeditor.com

When purchasing any vintage or antique piece of jewellery of high monetary value. you should also receive a Gemological Certification. This document can tell you exactly where the ring has come from, where it was made and how old it is. This document guarantees and reaffirms the value of your piece and, if you ever wanted to sell it, you can prove the item’s value to your buyer.

No obstacles – you can buy online with confidence

credit: berganza

It was once considered a golden rule not to buy jewellery unless you could view it and gauge its quality and true appearance. However, online retailers have made real progress in overcoming this problem.

Online jewellery retailers like the London-based Berganza have got their product images down to a tee. Their detailed 360-degree images of the products allow you to explore them and better anticipate what to expect if you made a purchase. 

The demand for precision and knowledge of gemstones has increased because there has been a recent inflation of antique jewellery prices. People expect to be confident before parting with higher sums of money.

Antique prices can offer bang for your buck

High street jewelry prices are extremely inflated. There are a few reasons for this: many customers seem to prefer brand new jewellery, and dislike the prospect of someone else having used the pieces before them. But, if you can get over this, you could find yourself a true bargain with an antique purchase.

However, some pieces of antique jewellery may be imperfect and worn, requiring a little bit of TLC. There are plenty of services around the UK that can treat and polish rings to make them look good as new. This could be the ultimate choice for those working to a tight budget.

Have I convinced you to swerve the highstreet and make an antique purchase instead? Let us know in the comments.

By Hollie Jones

Hollie is a freelance writer and co-writer for the Hollie and the Ivy blog. She is passionate about upcycling, interior design, crafts and weddings. Hollie enjoys writing about these topics and spreading her knowledge and experience to others.

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The biggest new trends in hairdressing for 2017

Hair trends will change every year as well as every season. A great hairstylist needs to stay up to date with current trends and be on the lookout for the upcoming trends. Even when it seems like hair trends are staying the same or similar to years past, there is always a way to make subtle updates, even to the most classic of cuts. The easiest way to achieve any trendy look is to invest in high-quality tools, such as Kasho hairdressing scissors. 

To help stay up to date with 2017’s hottest hair trends, here are 3 of the top colour and styles for the year.

1. Colour contouring. Hair contouring is inspired by one of the latest make-up trends that aim to define your best facial features. This technique uses the placement of hair colour around the face, which can help accentuate your best features and enhance natural skin tone. With the specific placement of different tones and depths of colour around the face, this colouring technique can highlight and darken areas of the face. Darker colours in the hair create shadows which can narrow the face shape. Lighter tones, on the other hand, elongate the face shape. Hair contouring is a hair trend that can work for anyone, as it is designed to suit everyone’s unique facial features and skin tone.

2. Blunt bob. One of the biggest hair trends for 2017 that is showing up on many fashion runways is the blunt bob. This trendy style contains no layers, A-line shape, texture or undercut. It is simply a classic bob. The best part about this cut is that it is suitable for all hair types. 

Image Credit Brit.co

The right products can make this cut even better. For fine hair, a thickening spray or mousse will provide needed volume so the hair doesn’t simply fall flat. A styling cream can be useful for wavy hair in order to tame frizz. Curly hair will require a curl cream or oil to give hair shine and weight to avoid a major triangle shape that can occur with this cut.

3. Eye length fringe. Bangs are an easy way for anyone to change up their look without making too drastic of a change with a full haircut. One of the best parts of a long bang is that they are versatile in how they can be styled. Using pomade or other styling products, bangs can be made to look piece-y and edgy. They can also be swept to the side for a more conservative, classic look. A fringe can also work with any hair type including curly hair, and with many different hairstyles. Bangs that are cut shorter in the middle and longer on the sides can also work with any face shape, adding to the versatility of this style.

While these hair trends are great, be sure that you go to a professional who has training and expertise in these cuts. That way you can ensure that your cut will come out great and you will look your best.

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BEAUTY ROCKS TOKYO LOVE BEAUTY BOX

I love beauty boxes, not a statement that will surprise those regular readers of mine I am sure, but just sometimes there is a beauty box which really catches your attention because it takes on the beauty box market, shakes it up and spits out something a little bit special - meet Tokyo Love. 

Created by the amazing Jamie from BeautyRocksBlog, Jamie has created her own beauty box taking inspiration from her time spent travelling the world, each product has been hand picked by Jamie herself and she and I have a little bit of a thing for Korean and Japanese beauty and this box definitely reflects that.

Inside the beautifully designed box sits 6 products, some I have come across and used but the majority I haven't and it is this which excited me the most. The two products that I have used come from DHC, one of my favourite brands and one you will have seen featured here on numerous occasions. 

DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara is incredible. Once applied it lasts all day with no flaking, smudging and it doesn't smear, even in the rain. It has a water-resistant tube-technology formula that lengthens the look of your lashes and best of all, you do not need a makeup remover because the tubes slide off with warm water and gentle pressure. 

DHC Liquid Eyeliner EX brush-tip eyeliner pen lets you line and define like an expert. Easy-to-use, it dispenses just the right amount of smudge-proof liner and with the precision tip, it actually makes applying eyeliner quite an easy task, not that I am in any way shape or form an expert at doing it and it is rare I wear eyeliner. One the days that I do, this is my product of choice.  

The rest of the products within the box are all completely new to me and ones that I have never come across or tried before and I have loved using each one.

Yumeguri Hot Spring Bath Powder - The Japanese are famed for their hot springs, known as onsen and it is one of the Japanese women's best kept secrets at keeping your skin looking younger for longer.  

This bath powder is designed to transform your bath into a Japanese Hot Spring and I literally cannot wait to give it a try I am so intrigued.

Majolica Majora - Cherry Kiss.  This is the sister brand to Shiseido and Jamie describes it as being extremely difficult to find outside of Asia. 

Described as being a Honey Pump Gloss which is designed to plump and perfect your pout, it adds a lovely hint of colour to your lips, is non-tacky and does leave my lips feeling really soft and smooth.

Shiseido Senka Perfect Whip Cleansing Foam. I happen to know that foam cleansers are huge in Japan and this particular product is a best seller, so to see it in my box having read so much about it, is quite exciting. 

Using a unique formula of white silkworm cocoon protein to guarantee optimal skin cleansing and hydration it works to dissolve makeup and draw out impurities from the pores. A small blob onto your palm quickly turns into a lather and it leaves my skin feeling incredibly clean. It works well really well on its own or you can use it as a second cleanse.

The final item in this box is the Kokubo Face Lifting Roller and it is a Japanese beauty secret known as Shiatsu. Shiatsu is a pressure point massage which can be done on both the face and body.

Using the roller you hold the handle gently and then make up-and-down strokes with it on the area of concern. I use mine after showering or bathing and I spent a good few minutes rolling this around my face, especially around my chin. The movement of the roller is quite relaxing ad perfect for that few minutes of your time.

If you like the sound of this box you can get the next installment of Jamie’s Beauty Rocks Boxes by simply visiting https://beautyrocks.myvlogbox.com/ to start your subscription and don’t worry they ship worldwide. This is a rolling subscription which can be cancelled at any time. I can not wait to see the next Korean Beauty inspired box and I’m sure you don’t want to miss these beauty discoveries from around the globe in the comfort of your own home.

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Summer in a box with Marks and Spencer

You can never have too many beauty boxes as far as I am concerned and the latest one to catch my attention comes from Marks and Spencer with their - Summer in a Box. 

As you can see with some amazing brands present, within each box you will find:

• Filorga Time-Filler Wrinkles Correction Cream 15ml, 
• Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara 4ml, 
• Leighton Denny Nail Polish 12ml, 
• James Read Gradual Tan Sleep Tan Mask Body 100ml, 
• Philip Kingsley Instant Beach Texturising Spray 25ml, 
• Studio 10 Youth Lift Glow-Plexion Cream 15ml, 
• Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+ 30ml, 
• M&S Sun Smart SPF 30 Lotion 200ml.

Summer beauty in a box will cost just £10 when you spend £40 on clothing, beauty and home and there is more information right HERE on how to grab your box.

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