THOUGHTS ON LASER HAIR REMOVAL | COMPARING HAIR REMOVAL AT HOME WITH LASER METHODS

IMAGE: HUDA BEAUTY

I don't know if I have shared this before but I have strongly been considering IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) Hair Removal for a long time. I have many reasons for why I haven't done it yet, and honestly the strongest for me is pure embarrassment. Hair removal isn't as openly discussed as it should be, in my opinion. It's just an unspoken rule that somehow all girls are magically hairless and no one likes to talk about it. When it comes to hair removal, we all know the drawbacks of doing it ourselves. For me, I use a razor at home which produces short-term results and tends to leave me with several cuts. The hair quickly grows back and itches like crazy. I have tried waxing at too, I purchased some ready-to-use wax strips that you heat between your hands with friction. Total disaster. I had wax stuck to my leg that I had to vigorously scrub off for 2 hours in the shower. Last but not least, I have tried various forms of hair removal cream which are time-consuming and can smell quite off-putting. I have tried Nair (£6.19) which works well for small areas and can sting quite a bit, I used Veet In-Shower Hair Removal cream (£6.50) on my legs which was great except I had to leave it on for over 45 minutes for it to actually work. I hope this post is helpful for anyone who hates the hair removal process as much as me. 

GIF: HUDA BEAUTY

Home methods of hair removal

There are quite a few methods of removing hair at home. You've most likely heard of all of them and may even have tried all of them:

Shaving - to cover a large area, a razor blade is used to shave hair from the skin. Unfortunately, hair grows back quickly. It requires daily shaving to maintain the look. I always end up with cuts and scrapes, it looks like I got into a brawl with a particularly long-clawed cat. Personally, I like to use something viscous and conditioning to shave my legs as shower gel doesn't provide enough of a barrier. I like to use hair conditioners, body butters or even baby oil mixed with a shower gel to shave. Leaves your skin extra smooth and moisturised too and I highly recommend razors with gel bars/comfort bars that help them to glide easier on the skin. 

Depilatory creams - This method applies an ointment to an area such as the upper lip, which is left on for several minutes. It is then scraped off. It isn't unusual for the skin to blister afterwards. One time, I left it on for just one extra minute and my skin was flaming red for hours. For this reason, don't do this before an important event. I always use such creams in the evening and then my skin has the whole night to recover just in case something does go wrong. I really like the Veet cream, I mentioned earlier, it is good, doesn't smell as bad as Nair and just washes off in the shower. The effects of that cream lasted over a week for me, but it is fiddly to apply (it comes with a sponge) and again it took almost an hour for it to actual remove any hair not 10 minutes as stated in the directions. 

Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream for Normal Skin

Wax strips - For small patches of skin, cold wax strips are applied, then torn off. Painful at best, this method is not entirely effective as the cold wax does not grab all the thicker hairs on the first application. You may need to follow up with tweezing. My friend uses hot wax and it works really well for her, I think it is a case of trial and error. I definitely would suggest hot wax over cold wax because it is very difficult to remove cold wax from the skin. Trust me. It hurts like hell and the panic that you will have wax forever on your body is so real. 

Hot wax - By first applying hot wax to the skin, strips of cloth are then pressed on top of the wax, then pulled off abruptly to yank the hairs from the skin. This method is both painful and risky, but effective and popular. I know my Mum used this method religiously when she was married and now she has barely any hair on her legs at all. The continuous damage to the hair follicle with this method does effect the rate of re-growth but it will take years, decades even, to see this result.

Tweezing - Using tweezers to pull individual hairs from the body is best reserved for the eyebrows. It is not an effective way to remove hair for larger areas and it hurts a lot. I get my eyebrows waxed because it is quicker and less painful for me and then she cleans them up with threading and tweezers if appropriate. 
Threading - Another method best reserved for facial hair, usually the eyebrows and upper lip, threading is a technique where stray hairs are removed through the twisting of a cotton thread. It is an amazing skill but being on the receiving end can be quite painful. It all depends on personal preference, I prefer waxing for my eyebrows as it takes longer for them to grow back but others prefer threading as it can give a better shape. When I used to get my eyebrows threaded, the area would be red for a long time and I would get tiny white spots all over the area. In a day or two it would completely clear up, but with waxing it takes less time for my brows to recover.

The safety factors

Home methods leave many things to chance. An old, dull razor blade can cut the skin and cause infections (my life). Wax removal can cause both second and third degree burns. Fortunately, this has never happened to me and I do believe is rare but nevertheless it is important to be aware of the dangers and act cautiously when using such methods. Depilatory creams can cause allergic reactions or chemical burns on the skin's surface, therefore it is imperative to do a patch test first! If using these methods then it is crucial to take extra precautions where possible to avoid any unpleasant situations. 

Professional laser treatments are performed by specially trained technicians. They know what injuries can occur if they are not careful and they take extra steps to prevent them. By using the correct settings for each individual, they provide personalised treatments according to each client's needs. While you might find laser hair removal machines* on the internet, it is important to ensure you are using them correctly. Ask a professional for advice if needed. Doing your research is an important factor too, I don't think all professionals can be trusted but this is my personal opinion. Comparing, reading reviews and finding out about the types of lasers can be beneficial in ensuring that your money is spent wisely and that you are getting the treatment you deserve. After all, you are paying for a service and you want to see results. If you feel like you're not seeing any progress, don't hesitate to look into other options, other practitioners. 

Philips Lumea At Home Laser Hair Removal Device

Lasers leave lasting results

The major USP of Lasers and IPL devices are the length of time between sessions. My sister has been seeing a professional for over a year now and she goes once every two months. While it may take quite a few sessions to catch all the hair (for Indian girls like myself usually up to 8), you can be free of unwanted hair for long periods of time. What hair does grow back will be finer and much easier to manage, which is definitely what appeals to me. I want to link a video below from Kaushal Beauty who discussed her Laser Hair Removal experience in detail. I found it to be very informative and this gave me the push to strongly consider whether it would be worth it in the long term for me or not. I have heard mixed things about laser hair removal, on a podcast (Fat Mascara) a dermatologist said that the use of a laser on skin effects the body's ability to produce collagen having a detrimental effect to the elasticity in the skin. I haven't heard this anywhere else, but she seemed to know her stuff.

Comparing time and costs

Spending about an hour or three, depending on what areas, at a cosmetic clinic for a hair removal treatment, may seem like a lot of time. When you consider it only occurs once a month or so, that's not a lot of time. Think about how often you shave at home or use wax treatments and total that over a week, a month, or a year. The amount of time spent can be staggering. While it is more expensive to get a professional treatment, you need to also factor in how much your time is worth and how much money you spend on razors, waxing etc. I know I constantly splurge on razors because the ones with gel bars cost more and they feel so much better. 

If you can't tell. I am most likely going to do IPL after doing some more research. I am just waiting for a more secure time in my life to take the plunge where I know I can be consistent with it, as consistency breeds results. I would love to know your thoughts and what methods of hair removal you prefer as well as what annoys you about it? Please leave your thoughts and answers in the comments as I would love to know about any funny stories you may have. Thank you so much for reading as always and please follow me on Bloglovin' if you would like to. It means a lot to me. This is a sponsored post and I was paid to include a link but all links to specific products are not sponsored or affiliated at all. I hope that is okay with you guys, let me know if you have any strong feelings about sponsoring as I value your opinion. This post was written by me and I hope you know I would never lie or sell something to you without giving you the facts I know. Hope you are having a wonderful week. Take care.

What hair removal methods have you tried?

Love ❤

Kiran

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NB: Any sponsored or affiliate links are marked with an asterisk(*)

LUSH HAUL AND REVIEW | LOVE LETTUCE MASK OF MAGNAMINTY FRENCH KISS LAVENDER BUBBLE BAR AND NEVER MIND THE BALLISTICS BATH BOMB

I know Lush is very popular amongst bloggers and although I have long since been a fan of their Mask of Magnaminty Self-Preserving mask (£6.25) I have had difficulty considering their other products worthwhile. In particular, their bath products. I do adore the shop and the alluring scent that beckons me in whenever I walk past. The staff are always fun, colourful, helpful and patient, very few shops boast such attentive staff. Even when the store is rammed, they are calm and unhurried but still efficient and manage to take the time with individual customers. I was in the shop before Christmas and decided to grab a few things for myself and my family. I bought 2 French Kiss Lavender Bubble Bars as they are supposed to be fragrant, bubbly and incredibly relaxing. One for me and one for my mother. I also grabbed a Never Mind The Ballistics Bath Bomb, a Christmas product, which is supposedly moisturising and in addition to my favourite minty mask I picked up a small tub of Love Lettuce (£6.25) which requires refrigeration unlike the mint mask. 

So as you already know the Mask of Magnaminty is a winner, in my opinion, the best mask they offer. It is refreshing and provides the perfect pick me up to all skin types. Perfect for when you return from travelling and mourn the loss of all your favourite skincare products. This will help your skin bounce back to its usual state. Onto the other mask, Love Lettuce, I was pleasantly impressed with this mask. It is slightly grittier and more exfoliating than Mask of Magnaminty because of its time spent in the fridge it is cold on application. It contains seaweed gel and is a great option for those with combination skin like me. It also contains French Lavender which helps balance the skin's sebum production. I have an oily T-zone so love using it there and then the Mask of Magnaminty on my cheeks and chin. Multi-masking is a great way to take care of problem areas. 

Finally, the two bath products I picked up. I am not impressed with either. The French Kiss Bubble Bar smelt nice but didn't bubble nearly enough. The only good thing about it is that you can break bits of it off so you get more than one use out of it unlike the bath bomb which you have a maximum of 2 uses. I didn't like the bath bomb, I prefer bubbles to colours and this pink and yellow Never Mind The Ballistics bath bomb that claims to be very moisturising as it is full of oils etc. I still needed to moisturise post-bath and the water turned a bright orange. I will admit seeing the bomb fizz and expel different swirls of colours was nice and relaxing and the scent wasn't unpleasant but all in all I think I will stick to my Radox Bubble Bath. You just can't go wrong. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. I would love to hear what your favourite Lush products are. I like the idea of spoiling myself once in a while and grabbing a bath bomb that really is a treat to the senses. I love taking baths so any suggestions you have are welcome. I promise I have an open mind. Thank you for reading, please follow me on Bloglovin' if you aren't already. Take care. 

What Lush products do you love?

Love ❤

Kiran

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US SEPHORA & DRUGSTORE BEAUTY HAUL & FIRST IMPRESSIONS | FT. KAT VON D TARTE COSMETICS COVERGIRL DR BRANDT IT COSMETICS L'ANCOME

US Sephora Beauty Haul: CoverGirl Super Fibers mascara, Dr Brandt Pores No More Refining Primer, L'ancome Teint idole Foundation Stick, Tartelette in Bloom, It Cosmetics CC+ SPF Cream and Kat Von D Lock It Setting Powder

As you all know, I went to the US a few weeks ago and amassed a few beauty products on the way. I will admit that this post won't be that impressive considering so many of these are now available in the UK, but I couldn't resist walking into every Sephora we ventured past and always ended up getting something. I will give you my thoughts so far on each product as well - a first impressions if you will - so it won't just be a boring haul but more of a mini review post of these fun products. I am still struggling with this flat lay business and the natural light was non-existent when I took these photos, so please forgive the shoddy quality for now. I promise to get outside this weekend and take some decent photos because this is just embarrassing. Enough about that, lets dive in to all of this. 

US Sephora Beauty Haul: CoverGirl Super Fibers mascara, Dr Brandt Pores No More Refining Primer, L'ancome Teint idole Foundation Stick, Tartelette in Bloom, It Cosmetics CC+ SPF Cream and Kat Von D Lock It Setting Powder

Dr Brandt Pores No More Refiner Primer (£31) An alleged "life-saver" for oily skin. This primer claims to mattify, absorb oil and conceal pores. I love the packaging of this, it is the only primer I own that dispenses with a pump which feels really chic. It definitely feels like a smooth, silky, pore-filling primer. I can't speak on how well it absorbs oil because I haven't properly paid attention to that yet. I will have a full review soon, but so far I do like how it applies and sits under makeup.

US Sephora Beauty Haul: CoverGirl Super Fibers mascara, Dr Brandt Pores No More Refining Primer and It Cosmetics CC+ SPF Cream 

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Foundation Stick SPF21 ($42) Purchased this purely because of Jackie Aina and hands down I think it is one of the best foundations, period, for oily skins. Definitely the best stick foundation I have tried, it knocks the socks off the Hourglass Vanish foundation for me. If you have oily/combination skin I think you will really appreciate this one. Long-lasting, creamy but matte. Very buildable, lightweight formula that will give you sheer to full coverage. Pigmented, natural looking, all round gorgeous foundation. So good for oily skin. 

Tartelette in Bloom Clay Palette (£36) I considered getting this for so long while I was in America, it was actually the very last item I purchased. It is a beautiful neutral palette that I think works particularly well with brown eyes because although it is neutral it has interesting undertones like purple and some stunning shimmer shadows that look lovely. The colour payoff is good and I think it is one of those staple palettes that always come in handy. It has every shadow you could ever need and you can create a variety of looks from just this one palette and I really appreciate that. 

US Sephora Beauty Haul: CoverGirl Super Fibers mascara, Dr Brandt Pores No More Refining Primer, L'ancome Teint idole Foundation Stick, Tartelette in Bloom, It Cosmetics CC+ SPF Cream and Kat Von D Lock It Setting Powder

Cover Girl Super Fibers Mascara ($7.49) I heard so many YouTubers talk about this mascara that I had to pick it up and see what the hype was. My personal opinion is that I really like the wand, it does grab and extend every single lash but the formula for me is a little wet. Therefore, my favourite way to apply it is to clean the wand free of as much product as possible and then apply it to my lashes. I already have quite dark lashes so I don't need a lot of product just a little help in separating, lengthening and thickening the lashes. It is a good mascara, just make sure you wipe excess product first otherwise the lashes can look a little wet and clumpy. 

Kat Von D Lock It Setting Powder (£20) Kat Von D is finally available in the UK, let's all rejoice, Debenhams have picked up this cult brand and made it accessible to us Brits. There are many products I want to try like their Lock It Foundation, Shade and Light Eye Palette and the Bow N Arrow Liquid Lipstick, but the first product I have purchased was their loose translucent setting powder. I do like this powder, it gives a silky finish to the skin and feels really nice. However, it is very messy if you apply it with a brush. I need to play around with it a bit more to see how it compares to other loose powders I own. I love that you can really cake this on and reapply it and it won't look cakey or strange at all, it doesn't leave a cast on my skin either and seems to be a great powder overall. 

US Sephora Beauty Haul: Kat Von D Lock It Loose Setting Powder First Impressions

It Cosmetics Full Coverage Physical SPF 50 CC+ Cream (£30) Last but not least, I searched high and low for this famous CC Cream. Not all Sephoras stock It Cosmetics and the one I found didn't have the Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer (but fear not because QVC have got your back with that) so I didn't manage to buy that. I have used this numerous times, all whilst still on holiday. I have the shade Tan which I think is a touch too warm for my skin at the moment, I believe it will be my perfect summer shade but right now it's a shade too dark. I think Medium is too light though so Tan will have to do. I haven't fully made up my mind about this, still having an intense love affair with the L'ancome Stick Foundation, but I don't hate it and anything with SPF50 is a game-changer. I know It Cosmetics are releasing a Bye Bye Foundation ($65) which sounds very similar to the CC Cream, maybe a thinner consistency instead, it was advertised heavily while I was in the States but couldn't find it in any stores. I am definitely eager to see how they compare. 

KATHLEEN LIGHTS VIDEO HERE

Thank you so much for reading my haul/first impressions post. I have so many new beauty products to review and talk about with you guys. I am wondering, would you like a Disappointing Products post? Let me know in the comments, there are quite a few products that have pissed me off and I wouldn't mind sharing my honest opinion with you guys. Of course, I will have detailed reviews up for these products too soon. Hope you had a great week, enjoy the weekend. Take care.

What American beauty brands are your favourite?

Love ❤

Kiran

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AMERICAN ADVENTURE | LOS ANGELES IHOP HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME BEVERLY HILLS DOLBY THEATRE CHINESE THEATRE SANTA MONICA PIER AND VENICE BEACH

Los Angeles, The City of Angels, was our last proper stop in this American Adventure and we arrived to gloomy rain. Felt just like England, the streets were quiet and we booked a Super Shuttle from the airport to our hotel: Knotts Berry Farm Hotel. We arrived in the afternoon and the staff at the hotel were helpful. Our room was really nice, spacious with huge beds and a good sized TV. We were really cold in our room so we put the heater on as well, after we figured out how to use it, which warmed the room up nicely. Everything was clean and neat, so impressed with the hotels on this trip. 

KNOTTS BERRY FARM HOTEL

There were leaflets with different tours and unfortunately we were too late to go to the Universal Studios tour on our first day. Which I really wanted to do (cost: $145 including transport and ticket to studios), we did sign up for the sightseeing tour for the next day which starts at 9am and takes us all over LA hitting all the stops that I am most interested in, including Santa Monica pier, Beverly Hills, the Dolby Theatre and Hollywood Walk of Fame etc. That cost $65 each and was the best deal we could find, we even looked online as well. Both knackered, we chilled out at the hotel. Unfortunately, the only downside to our room was that we couldn't figure out how to work the shower. I can't definitively say that it was broken because we didn't ask someone to check, but we both tried figuring it out but no matter what we did no water would spray from the shower head. Water was released from the taps though, so we just washed that way and it was fine as we were only there for 2 nights. 

IHOP

So the first day because it was pouring rain we didn't do much. At around 8pm we got hungry and I really wanted to go to IHOP (I have to fight the urge to spell it iHop, damn you Apple you're taking over the world) because I had seen it in movies and read about it in books. It stands for International House of Pancakes, so obviously we had to go. It took us forever to decide what to eat. There is so much time, so much more than just pancakes and so affordable. I want to live there. I ordered a hot chocolate while we figured out what we wanted to eat and it is one of the best hot chocolates I have ever had in my life. It is so good, to the point where this is one of the happiest memories of America that I have. If you have the chance go to IHOP guys, you will not regret it. Heaven. 

So my sister ordered the breakfast pancake deal (even though it was 8pm, they do 24 hour breakfast!) and had raspberry and white chocolate pancakes. I tried some, they were delicious. I had the Chicken Florentine which was also tasty af. Why do we not have an IHOP in the UK? Sephora and IHOP need to be in England ASAP because it just isn't fair. As it was raining we had to order a taxi back to our hotel and then after watching a little TV we both fell asleep at 10pm, we must have been so tired and then we woke at 5am and slowly started to get ready for our tour. 

SISTER ACT CHURCH

So instead of a coach we got into a minivan and drove around, the tour guide drove us towards East LA which is a low income area and you can really see the difference. The houses were in bad shape, small, everything was cluttered and just kind of hopeless. He wanted to highlight the difference between the well off neighbourhoods and the poorer neighbourhoods and I really appreciated being shown both sides of LA. On the way to the other side of LA we got some great views of downtown LA and passed the church where Sister Act was filmed as you can see above. Great film. 

ELVIS PRESLEY'S CADILLAC 

The first proper stop was near the Dolby Theatre, here we could get a good view of the famous Hollywood sign (apparently put there for the sole purpose of real estate and increasing house prices), the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the famous Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held and you can also see Elvis Presley's actual genuine real baby blue Cadillac car which was pretty cool. 

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Superman. Well, sort of. I took this amazing picture and I am really proud of it. Can you tell? Of course there are people dressed as superheroes and I took a sneaky photo without paying for it because I'm cheap. 

RODEO DRIVE

Next was Rodeo Drive, the same place Julia Roberts shops in Pretty Woman. Although, we didn't shop here we got to see some real fancy cars like the black and yellow Bugatti you see below. 

BEVERLY HILLS

Beverly Hills was interesting, I saw Jim Carey's and Danny DeVito's homes. For some reason, the houses look smaller in the US. I think it is just from the outside but I wasn't bowled over by its opulence. It looked like suburbia to me although I am sure the prices of this homes would make me spit coffee, and I don't even drink coffee. I think I have just realised that this kind of stuff doesn't interest me, looking at large houses that belong to famous people seems like a waste of time. Unfortunately, we didn't see anyone famous just getting into their cars or anything and that's a shame but overall I am glad we didn't spend long in Beverly Hills as although it is lovely and feels very affluent it wasn't all that fascinating. Did you know that if you want to buy property in Beverly Hills you have to enquire via an estate agent's and only after they have done a financial background check and proved you've got the coins will they then let you know what properties are available? There are no For Sale signs in Beverly Hills and hardly any police patrol cars because the area is so well monitored by CCTV. Security is really tight there so it is quite safe and most home owners have their own personal security i.e. cameras, gates and body guards. 

THE GROVE

A stop I more than enjoyed was The Grove and the Farmer's Market. This was our lunch stop but unfortunately we couldn't find a restaurant we liked and got confused as to where everything was.  We suck. Nevertheless, we stepped into Neiman Marcus for the first time ever and spent a ridiculous amount of time trying on sunglasses we can't afford and admiring other shops. Really nice place. 

SANTA MONICA PIER

Santa Monica Pier was a delight, in spite of the grey skies it still managed to be charming and beautiful. None of the rides are hold-your-hat-rollercoasters but we went on one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I imagine this place is crammed in the summer so it was nice to be there when it was not as busy. We watched other pier dwellers on their version of the bumper cars and that was quite funny. There is an arcade with all the usual seaside necessities as well like the Air Hockey and basketball games. We could have easily spent an afternoon here.

VENICE BEACH

Last was Venice Beach our final stop. I remember seeing a scene in Venice Beach on The Hills and wanting to go so badly. The day had brightened up a little by this time and it was lovely seeing everyone skating, roller blading and just having a good time. It was still chilly but we walked up to the water and then went to a bar to get a drink before returning to the minivan which would take us back to our hotels. All in all, a very productive day and I am so glad we got to see as much as we did even though we really only had one full day here. Venice Beach is also known as the Muscle Beach and it is where Arnold Schwarzenegger was "discovered", also called Baywatch Beach. 

When we got back to the hotel we were so tired that we decided to just relax until we got hungry. Instead of going out we ate dinner at our hotel restaurant, Amber Waves, on our first day they gave us a 20% off coupon and I had pasta while my sister ordered 2 appetisers which were both massive. She couldn't finish either of them, their portions are massive and the food was quite good. I wish we had gone back to IHOP because just writing this post ignites this powerful craving for their hot chocolate. LA was a blast and I plan to come back when it is sunnier. 

Woo, we made it. That is the end of our US trip. I have a beauty haul up for you next. Might post it tomorrow depending on how much time I have. Thank you, thank you, thank you for reading and sticking with me through this. I really appreciate it. This was such an incredible experience and everyone we met in the US was kind and gracious which wasn't what I expected at all if I am honest. Definitely want to go back. Please leave a comment for any future posts you would like to see, I always appreciate and listen to your feedback and sincerely want to write the posts you want to read. I do enjoy talking to you guys so if you have any burning questions or requests feel free to send me an email at alittlekiran@gmail.co.uk. Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' if you aren't already, it means a lot and is the easiest way to stay up to date with my posts. Thank you. Take care. 

What future posts do you want to see?

Love ❤

Kiran

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AMERICAN ADVENTURE | VIVA LAS VEGAS STRIP THE GRAND CANYON THE MAFIA AND BRITNEY SPEARS PIECE OF ME SHOW

Vegas was a delight, not at all what I expected. Maybe it was The Hangover or the illicit reputation Las Vegas has of being the unapologetic City of Sin and Hedonism and last-minute weddings. I'll be honest and say there is nothing I hate worse than guys on their stag dos, they are just the worst, aren't they? But I was pleasantly surprised by Vegas, for one apart from a few beeps from passing cars we had very little interaction with assholes (yay!!), I wasn't hounded by promoters and no scandalous acts took place in front of me, regrettably. We explored the glorious Paradise Strip, spent a considerable amount of time in Ceaser's Palace which is huge by the way, saw Britney Spears on stage and even hired a car to drive to see Hoover Dam and The Grand Canyon which was AMAZING.

LAS VEGAS STRIP

We stayed at The Luxor Hotel & Casino, the poshest hotel I have ever stayed in. Upon arrival, we had to pay a reservation fee of $100 which we had no idea about, but boy oh boy is it a nice hotel, located right on the Strip. Each hotel seems to pay homage to global landmarks like New York and The Statue of Liberty as you can see above. Our hotel, Luxor, pays tribute to Egypt with pyramids and pharohs and sphinxes. Below you can see the replica of the Eiffel Tower, there is also the Excalibur Hotel which was my favourite. Literally shaped like a Disney Castle with colourful turrets. Looks like it jumped straight from the pages of a fairy tale. There is also the Venetian with a duplicate of the Rialto Bridge. Vegas is full of palm trees and more than being wild everyone seems relaxed. 

CEASER'S PALACE VEGAS

Ceaser's Palace is evidently based on Rome, you can the Trevi-inspired fountain above. The attention to detail is pretty spectacular and there is so much more to this place, or palace rather, than a hotel. There are shops and restaurants, I watched The Atlantis Show which wasn't very long but awesome to watch. The escalators actually look like winding stairs, how fricking cool is that? We ate at The Cheesecake Factory in the Forum Shops which was incredible. I felt like I was in Big Bang Theory.  

I saw this sign (see pic below) outside the Ceaser's Palace fountain and thought it was quite nice of them to donate all the change to such a good local cause. It is nice when tourism is used for good. Plus, the fountain itself was beautiful. It didn't play music like a lot of the other fountains i.e. The Bellagio Fountain had a great little dance to Bruno Mars Uptown Funk and the Mirage's fountain played and frollicked to some brilliant musical numbers. I love a water feature, so can't complain. 

MOB MUSEUM

The only museum I frequented in the entire time I spent in the US, and I have to say I am happy with my choice. I love The Godfather by Mario Puzzo and all 3 of the popular film franchise. I find it fascinating and wanted to learn more about it, this museum is a good visit. I paid $13 to get in, half price because I am a student. They also talk about motorcycle gangs, to all my fellow Sons of Anarchy fans out there and they have movie memorabilia like the genuine hazmat suit from Breaking Bad and the suit Ben Affleck wears in his new film Live By The Night. I also walked away with a collection of movies that I want to watch. There is so much information here as well as educational films to watch and real genuine pieces of history like the actual reconstructed wall rebuilt with the original bricks from St Valentine's Day masacre (you could see the dried blood!) and court rooms from famous trials. If you have some spare cash and time this would make a great stop. 

THE GRAND CANYON WEST, ARIZONA

This is the last thing I really mention in this post but we did see Hoover Dam, but the pictures weren't nearly as impressive thanks to some inconvenient construction works. We also, after The Grand Canyon which was honestly breathtaking, saw Britney Spears at Planet Hollywood perform her Piece of Me Show which was brilliant. I am a Britney fan and know most of her songs so it was enjoyable and everyone seemed to have a really good time. I never in my life thought I would ever see Britney in concert and I used to pretty much idolise her when I was little so this was a once in a lifetime slightly unbelievable experience. A great way to end our time in Vegas. 

The Canyon is bloody massive, their is a shuttle that takes you to different shops and everyone takes photos and stares and tries to get as close to the edge as possible without dying all for the sake of a good photo. I am so glad we hired a car and got to see this it made everything, all the hassle and tears and drama totally worth it. Definitely something that should be on everyone's Bucket List. I have never seen anything so beautiful that isn't the ocean. I took seventy photos of the same thing because each second it looked more incredible. You almost can't believe your eyes. I took so many videos. 

That is Vegas for you, last is Los Angeles and then we can go back to beauty content. This must be so boring for you guys, I can only apologise but now that I have started I am determined to see it through. I will have LA up tomorrow and will return to ordinary beauty content on Tuesday and go back to my every other day posting schedule. Thank you so much for your patience, for your time and for reading about my trip. I really appreciate it, thank you. Please follow me on Bloglovin' if you aren't already, I promise I am not always this boring and have some great content coming. Take care.

What has been your most memorable holiday experience?

Love ❤

Kiran

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AMERICAN ADVENTURE | WASHINGTON DC THE CAPITOL THE PRE-TRUMP WHITE HOUSE MEMORIALS JANUARY 2017

Washington DC was probably the highlight of my entire trip. I was completely alone in the freezing (-6) cold and walked everywhere. It was eerily quiet with hardly anyone around apart from joggers. What is it with joggers in DC, there are loads and none of them seem bothered by the icy chill. It felt like a dream, I can't remember the last time I was surrounded by so much snow. Standing outside The White House with thick flurries covering me from head to toe I was so happy. Awesome.

THE WHITE HOUSE

The White House was not what I expected. I expected it to be busier for sure. It was so cold I could barely take photos but struggled through it and took as few as possible. What was really funny was two American girls walked past me and said, I kid you not, "This building is so pretty, I wonder what it is...". I laughed so hard. You could not make this shit up, you just couldn't. Obama was still President when I visited, so I am infinitely glad I visited The White House while it belongs to such a greatly respected and admired man. A shame now that it is the home of someone very different. 

The highlights for me were the memorials. The Thomas Jefferson memorial was particularly far to get to and on the way I saw the World War 2 memorial which is huge and beautiful. Seeing the Jefferson memorial was awe-inspiring, it is in such a remote location I felt like I was on the set of The West Wing. I literally walked on ice to get to it and the marble floors of Jefferson and Lincoln's were very slippery. I am proud of my Chelsea boots because I didn't fall once. In total, I went to the Jefferson, Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr and World War 2 Memorial. 

MEMORIALS 

I also saw the Washington monument, I have a ridiculous amount of photos of it because not only did I walk right up to it but I saw it everywhere I went and couldn't stop snapping pictures. In addition, I saw the Smithsonian, Library of Congress, Capitol Building and The Hill (right by Union Station), Supreme Court and many museums including the National Gallery, Air and Space Museum and the African Museum. I wanted to visit Georgetown University but didn't have time. 

Thank you for reading, it is odd sharing trips. I find it difficult to put into words such a unique, important experience. There is something really beautiful about Washington DC and I hope no matter who is the President that this place never loses its impeccable beauty and we continue to see progress and some great change regardless. I listened to a Podcast a few days ago that really opened my eyes as to the reality of America. There is so much that needs to be changed. Did you know that the state of Ohio was pushing to make abortion illegal after 20 weeks even in the case of rape and incest. Did you know many states allow a rapist the right to sue for custody of the child conceived in said rape. Can you imagine something so inhumane? I have no idea what the law is in regards to a rapist's parental rights in the UK but I hope to God it is something along the lines of burn in hell. Sorry to end on such a sour note but there are some serious changes that need to be made and it baffles my mind that such educated, privileged people fail to see how barbaric it is to ask force that from of a rape victim. After their choice was already taken away. I just... What the fuck? Sorry. Take care. 

What has been your favourite holiday destination?

Love ❤

Kiran

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