If you are like me and feel like your hair has lost its shine and beauty, then this guide could help you obtain the gorgeous healthy looking hair you desire. I have recently moved from overseas and I have noticed there must be something in the water in New Zealand that has transformed my hair into a lifeless, dull, damaged mane. Below are a few solutions.

Shower Head Filter Like I said, ‘there must be something in the water’ and there is! A great number of New Zealand water pipes contain chlorine and heavy metals that can result in some serious hair damage. I suggest getting a filter for your shower head. They range in price from $70 to $280. Some filters even help eliminate chlorine, calcium build-up, heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and sediment.

Dietary Supplement My hair is not only damaged but it also seems to have stopped growing. Taking a dietary supplement containing silica, horsetail, and zinc will help. Horsetail facilitates the body’s absorption of calcium, which in turn helps the body to nourish nails, skin, hair, and bones. Silica is believed to make individual hair strands stronger, thicker and more resilient as well as helping to manage excessive oily skin and hair. Zinc has proven to be involved in hair growth and clearing skin.

Find it on Lasoo:
• Nutralife Silicaplex 5000 Plus Capsules 50
Silicaplex 5000 Plus is a high-potency organic silica formula designed to promote healthy hair and skin and strengthen soft, brittle or splitting nails.

Hair products Besides the New Zealand water, heat from blow dryers, hair straightners (yes even GHDs) and curling irons can wreck your hair. There are thermal hair protection products out there designed to defend your hair from heat and to improve its strength.

Find it on Lasoo:
• Redken - Real Control by Redken Real Control Thermal Resist Inner Hair Repair (For Dense/ Dry/ Sensitized Hair)
A weightless leave-in spray treatment. . Developed with patented Interbond Conditioning System & potent Care-Adjust Complex. Immediately detangles, repairs & nurtures heat-damaged hair. Protects hair against extra thermal damage. Reveals smoother, stronger & revitalized hair in a healthy lustre.

• Nioxin - Hair Care by Nioxin Volumizing Reflectives Bliss Thermal Protector
A lightweight leave-in conditioner & detangler for fine hair. Features a triple-action formula to offer thermal, mechanical & environmental protection. Contains BioAmpT to increase dimension of cuticle from within & reinforce hair shaft. Immediately repairs cuticle damage & enhances tensile strength. Recovers & preserves natural hydration balance of hair. Boosts manageability for frizzy or rebellious hair.

• Keratin Complex - Hair Care by Keratin Complex Nano Technology Ceramic & Ionic Thermal Round Large Brush (2 1/2 Inch)
Helps minimize blow-drying time, purify & invigorate hair. Boasts a weightless design, thermal fast drying vent, cushion rubber handle. Features a 2 1/2″ metal brush barrel. Helps diffuse heat evenly & speed up shaping of all types of hair. With a specially designed thermal round brush. Helps deliver more heat to hair shaft to lessen drying & styling time.

My hair used to shine and be full of life and I have faith that these products will get it back to its original state. I have already seen changes and I have only been using a few of these products for one week! Your hair is too important to be taken for granted so follow my advice and protect it against those various factors. Obtaining fabulous hair is not a one time thing, it’s a lifestyle!

If you’re a New Zealand fashion lover, come help celebrate New Zealand Fashion Festival 2012 on Saturday, 3 March. Fashion in the Big little City and Resene are bringing a series of Fashion shows and events to town. Saturday’s events include a Designer Garage Sale, 8 Free Fashion Shows, and your chance to win a $1000 prize for a Best Dressed Competition or a $10,000 Ultimate Weekend for 2.

The New Zealand Fashion Festival which takes place from 24 February to 4 March has been successfully bringing you New Zealand Fashion Week for over a decade (held this year from 3 September to 9 September). The Festival’s objective is to display New Zealand’s top designers and retailers through an array of fashion events, seminars, parties and other interesting events which you do not want to miss!

One of Saturday’s Fashion Shows includes the High Street District Fashion Show which is held in Auckland’s ‘hottest’ and ‘freshest’ shopping streets. It is a free event and will be showcasing collections from designers Moochi, TK Store, Storm, and Andrea Moore. This show will be hosted in part by DJ Thane Kirby from George FM.

Also on Saturday, 105 of Auckland’s retailers will be giving 1-day-only offers. Some of these exciting deals included lucky dip with purchase, great discounts on new-season collections and reductions of up to 80% off clearance, samples, and seconds. So get ready to shop ‘til you drop!

I’m a sucker for beauty products, especially nail polish. It’s one of those small investment items that make such a difference. You can add a pop of unexpected colour to any outfit and change it up every time. No trip to the pharmacy or department store is complete without taking a visit to the nail polish isle. Hence my continuously expanding collection.

If you’re like me and change your nail polish every week, you’ll be excited to hear about a great new brand I’ve stumbled across called Nabi Magnetic Nail Polish from ivycoveboutique.com.

Nabi Magnetic polish is incredibly easy to apply, dries lightening fast and gives you a cool finish with the help of the little magnet on the top of the bottle. The polish dries so quickly in fact, that you need to hold the magnet over each nail as you paint it to get the desired effect.

Another great thing about this polish is that it gives you a different result every time – depending on how long you hold the magnet over your nail during the drying process. The longer you do, the deeper the design will be. Or if you decide you just want the straight metallic finish without the design, you can do that too.

It comes highly recommended from Rowan Trezise who said:

“I had previously tried a different brand of magnetic polish from Trademe, after having heard a lot about it and getting quite excited; but was dissappointed that it didn’t have the effect I thought it would. Then I tried [Nabi Magnetic Nail Polish] and it was amazing,.far better quality, effect and finish. Suggests to me that Ivy Cove Boutique only stocks the best ;)”

At the fantastic price of $10.50 you can even afford to get 2 bottles for the price of many other nail polish brands.

Check out Ivy Cove Boutique to get your hands on this unique nail polish today!

www.ivycoveboutique.com
www.facebook.com/ivycoveboutique
http://tinyurl.com/ivycoveboutiquetrademe

Do you have a little addiction to sugar? Diabetes and obesity are major health issues faced by the Western world and it is partly due to sugar. Natvia is a 100% natural sweetener and is a healthy alternative to sugar.

There are so many ill health affects associated with the overconsumption of sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sugar causes rollercoaster emotions and energy levels. Natvia is produced from a natural sugar like substance from the Stevia plant. The stevia is then blended with a naturally occurring nectar which is found in melon and grapes. It is completely free from anything artificial.

Natvia is a low calorie alternative to sugar and contains no aspartame or saccharin. With only 0.6 calories per serve, (that’s 95% less calories than sugar) this is the perfect alternative. It has been especially crafted for coffee so even if you just change your sugar in your coffee it will still make a difference to your overall health and well-being. It has a low glycemic index blend which may help with the management of blood sugar levels and it doesn’t promote tooth decay.

With a clean sweet taste, Natvia is the way to go to.

Want to watch some great movies screened on the biggest outdoor screen in New Zealand? Openair cinemas are back and are in their 9th successful summer. This is a great summer night activity. Grab your friends and family, a blanket, some yummy treats and get ready to watch a movie outdoors.

The first big open air cinemas in NZ was at Auckland Viaduct in 2004. Each year the outdoor cinemas are very popular and they are also free which is an added bonus. The films are screened about 30 minutes after sunset and I recommend showing up early to find a spot as it packs out rather quickly.

This year it is made up of two series of screenings: Mercury Energy Movies by Moonlight, which is a selection of blockbusters from the past few years and A Taste of Kiwi, which is some of our best homegrown films.

You can also hire your own for a special event. The screens are 16m x 8m with a 35mm projector, including sound system, wireless microphone and CD/DVD player. This would be great if you had a large bunch of friends to enjoy a movie night with.

This is a definite must do if in Auckland during the summer months. Check out here to find one near you.

Are you about to have your first baby or looking for a pushchair? While this is one of the most exciting times in your life, it is also filled with a lot of planning and purchasing the right pushchair can help your days run more smoothly. It is probably one of the most considered purchases you will make for your baby/child. Whether you’re expecting your first child or want to upgrade to a better model, our guide can help you choose the perfect pushchair for your child.

What’s your lifestyle? You need to think about where you will be taking your purchases. Modern pushchairs are made with sturdy lights frames. These are great for urban living. If you are driving around in your car a lot then you want to find one that it easy to fold up and fit into your car. However, if you are walking or jogging along country path and hills then you may need a more weighty design. Do you walk to your supermarket and need to storage to carry everything. Once you have thought about your lifestyle it will help you determine which pushchair will be suitable.

What does my baby need? An important consideration is the age of the baby/child. Some pushchairs are only suitable for babies of 3, 6 or 12months+ so it’s important to look at age recommendations before your purchase. Newborns need to lie back so you’ll need a pushchair with a reclining option. Some models allow your baby to face you while others face the direction of the travel.

Pushchair types

1. Forward facing pushchair: This is when the seat unit faces the parent. These are great if you want to interact and keep an eye on your little one. It has four wheels and is lightweight and manoeuvrable. Means the seat unit faces the parent.

2. Strollers: strollers are generally very lightweight and compact. They tend to have a fixed seat unit.

3. Three wheeler: There is a single front wheels which makes it easy to push in more difficult places. They are great if you live near countryside or the beach or like to job. These types of pushchairs are not usually recommended from birth and may be too bulky for some car boots.

4. Buggy: These are lightweight and robust. The best ones have easy one-hand fold mechanisms. They are the most popular every day option but some of them don’t have shopping baskets and are not that comfortable for your child/baby.

Strollers have made it easier to bring your baby along with you. There are a range of pushchair options and it is important to take into consideration all aspects of your and your child’s life to choose the appropriate pushchair. Many parents also find it helpful to have a couple of pushchairs to accommodate the different activities.

Are you one of those people that kill time by playing on your iPhone? Below are five apps that everyone can use on their iPhone.

Lasoo App: Our very own app. Make sure that you download it today. It will let you search across catalogues, products and offers from your favourite local retailers. You can also use the store locator to find the local store which is handy in those huge shopping malls.

Fitness Builder: It has all kinds of fitness works, as well as a live personal trainer, fitness calculators, tracking and heaps more. Whether you are a beginner or a fitness enthusiast it is a great application to help you improve your fitness and well-being.

Aging Booth: Want to see what you or your friends will look like when you’re old? This is a hilarious app and you can share the photos via email, MMS, Facebook and twitter. This app will definitely have you laughing.

Instagram: Snap a photo with your phone, apply filters to the photo and share. It’s simple and a great way to document your favourite memories in your life. Follow your friends photos

Angry Birds: Simply load up a chicken in your slingshot, set your angle and pull back the sling and let it go. This will start the destruction of the blocks. It is easy to understand and is very addictive. It is one of the world’s most successful applications. Warning: This application may be addictive.

Let us know what you think of these applications. What is your favourite application?

Do you constantly get frustrated trying to think of what to cook for your next meal? Are you sick and tired of eating the same thing every day? Annabel Langbein has your solution. Her cookbook, Great Food for Busy Lives, is often nicknamed The Bible. It never stops selling and is packed full of tasty and healthy recipes.

Celebrity chef Annabel Langbein is one of my biggest cooking inspirations. Annabel has written twelve cookbooks, selling over a million copies and winning numerous awards. Her book The Best of Annabel Langbein - Great Food for Busy Lives won the 1999 NZ Guild of Foodwriters ‘Recipe Book of the Year’. Her recipes are simple to follow and result in mouth watering meals. I get so many compliments when I cook her recipes – of course I always tell them it’s my own secret recipe.

The books twelve chapters cover everything from breakfast to desert. The cookbook is scattered with helpful hints and tips and it is everything that you need. The meals are fast and simple with most preparation times for the meals around 20 minutes.

The Best of Annabel Langbein - Great Food for Busy Lives contains so many interesting meals that can be prepared with minimal effort. If you want some cooking inspiration make sure that you buy this book today.

Do you love cooking and making mouth watering meals? Annabel Langbein’s cookbook, Great Food for Busy Lives, is your essential cookbook.

It is often nicknamed, The Bible, and is packed with 320 pages of delicious recipes to make and serve to your family and friends.

To be in to win this the Great Food for Busy Lives cookbook, simply tell us what your favourite recipe is.

Competition closes Tuesday 21st February at 5pm.

Congratulations to Helena Dinnissen who is the lucky winner of this amazing cookbook. Please contact us at lasoonz1@gmail.com

Do you ever find yourself getting lost on those dark streets in the middle of no-where? Invest in a GPS and never miss a turn. The TomTom VIA 220 GPS is the entry-level Via-branded unit.

Design: It has a 4.3 inch touch screen. The widescreen is crystal clear with a minimalist matte black bezel. The screen has a day and night mode to ensure optimum viewing with minimum glare regardless of the lighting. It is sturdy and the built in speaker can go up to a decent volume. The design is simple and easy to read on the go.

Features: It has a lower price which means that it does have fewer features. It also doesn’t include traffic messaging, FM transmission, music playback and 3D landmarks. The speed limit is supplied for most roads and warnings come up for red lights and speed cameras. It has text-to-speech technology which means that it speaks the names of the streets as you approach them. It includes all the necessary features that you require for a GPS.

Performance: After selecting a destination it will find the fastest route possible. It does take awhile to acquire the initial GPS location. However once it knows where it is then the route calculation times are quick. It can also be a little slow when recalculating a route if you take the wrong turn. The battery life is about three hours so be sure to buy a charger if you are heading away on a long road-trip.

The TomTom VIA 220 GPS provides a clear finish to an entry level by skimping on a few of the GPS luxuries. It is an excellent value device that is simple to use and provides a user friendly browsing experience.