Recent Empties: Shower.

Hair:

L'Oreal Elvive Nutrigloss Sparkling Conditioner: I was sucked in by the new product advertising and purchased the matching shampoo which I am yet to finish. The shampoo is so pretty- a pink jelly with sparkles! The conditioner however is not so pretty, just a plain creamy milky pink in colour, and to be honest it made my hair feel soft like any conditioner would, but also quite heavy and weighed down even though I had rinsed it all out. I didn't like it, and won't be buying it again. 

John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner: This I bought after using it back in September (full review here), it softened my hair and made it easier to comb through. As deep conditioners go, it is a good one, but as always the tub size doesn't last me that long!

Charles Worthington Mineral Hair Rescue: I loved this. This was really effective in what it did, it wasn't as heavy as other conditioners and a little seemed to go a long way. I noticed good results with this and will buy it again.


Body:

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil: (Full review here) This is a wonderful, luxury product. It smells like almonds in a nutty way, rather than an amaretto way. It lathers nicely, though not greatly, leaves skin feeling clean and soft and best of all is is paraben and SLS-free.

Original Source Vanilla Milk and Raspberry Shower Gel: I adore the smell and consistency of this. It is so foamy, yet it still feels gentle on the skin. I try not to buy this often, but it is on offer quite a lot and I can't always justify splashing out on the more expensive, kind to skin shower gels.

Burt's Bees Fabulously Fresh Peppermint and Rosemary Body Wash: (Full Review here) This is a good value for money shower gel, it's free from nasty ingredients and it's 350ml lasts a long time. The scent is fresh and herby, and it lathers and foams really well. The scent lingers on your skin for a little while too, I love that fresh feeling.

Original Source Lemon and Tea Tree Shower Gel: Just a small travel size shower gel I took with me when I was staying in London for a week. It's so so, not as nice as the vanilla milk and raspberry one, and again, I do try and avoid SLS as much as I can. 

Thanks for reading,

E.

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment, £3.40 for 10ml from Hairtrade.com.

I have never used an oil specifically designed for hair before so I am just a wee bit late to the party. My hairdresser has used Morroccan Oil on me with every visit but I have never taken the plunge so when I had the opportunity to try this Macadamia Oil I jumped at it! They're similar in consistency- a fairly thick oil that doesn't weigh down the hair or make it greasy- which I think is always a concern when dabbling in hair products, especially something oily. It absorbs into wet hair and makes drying time quicker too.

I have been impressed by this. It keeps the ends of my hair feeling soft and nourished rather than frazzled after a blow dry and the ends remain silky soft until I wash my hair next. It doesn't leave behind an icky residue and is so easy to use! It does contain silicone which is my only gripe with this product (thanks to Fran for pointing that out). Similarly to Moroccan oil I feel they are branded and marketed as natural products, and while they do contain natural products, they're not 100% one ingredient. It can be a little misleading but I imagine wouldn't bother most people, hell it doesn't bother me as long as it does the job, I just think something called 'Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment' sounds a little more pure or organic than it probably is.

You can buy it for only £3.40 for a 10ml sample, a size like that is an excellent way to try out hair oils without spending around the £30 mark for something I wasn't sure I would really like or take to using. P.S. don't assume that this is only for over processed, frazzled or heat damaged hair. Hair oil is suitable for all hair types (including oily) and will help maintain a soft and polished finish!

This product was sent for me to review. Hairtrade.com is one of the UK's leading online retailers of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products. You can order this product by clicking here

Empty Products- The November Edition.

I'm baack! Time to show you what I finished last month, what I thought of 'em, and whether I'll buy it again! Any questions you have about any of the products leave me a comment below and I'll get back to you.

Boots 'Smooth Care' Facial Hair Removal Cream- Oh yeah, I'm going there. It may be TMI for some people but I love this product way more than the Veet option. It's a hair removal cream especially designed for hair on the face, I use it on my upper lip as I don't like getting it waxed (the upkeep is too much/the hair will grow back uneven or coarse/I don't really want to walk around town with a red strip above my lip) nor do I like getting it threaded when I could save a whole lot of money and do it myself. The tube has lasted me a long time (let's say a year because it has a 12month expiry) and I think it is effective at what it does and a good price too. I don't experience any irritation or sensitivity after using this and it is a bargain.
Will I buy this again?
Already have!

Emma Hardie 'Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm'- This was a free sample, it was 15ml and came with an Emma Hardie facecloth. The sample lasted me approximately a week being used twice a day which is pretty good. I absolutely loved it, the whole process of using a balm to cleanse with feels so luxurious and this product really seems to pamper the skin, plus I experienced no negative side effects. See a more indepth review by clicking here.
Will I buy this?
Oh fo' sho'

REN Hydra-Calm Cleansing Milk- Luckily I didn't pay for this as it was a 30ml sample. I first noticed how strong it's scent was, it was so intense and not particularly pleasent and for review purposes I tried it removing a full face of makeup. It removed makeup really well but three days after using this twice a day my skin broke out like I have never experienced in my life. I have never had a big problem with spots and at the age of 23 I never expected to have such a break out, my diet or liestyle hadn't changed and that was the only new face product I was using that week. I don't want to blame the cleanser but I don't know what else it could be. For empties sake I used it to the end, I wanted to prove myself wrong but my skin worsened. It has put me off the brand completely. Has anyone else experienced this?
Will I buy this?
No. Even if it didn't cause the breakout, I hated the smell. Too strong.

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic- This was a 50ml sample that came with a cleanse and polish that I ordered online. I adore the smell, it smells a bit like baby products. In a good way, haha. It contains some gorgeous ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin e, and cucumber and is alcohol free which is a must have in a skin toner, too many contain harsh alcohols ready to strip your skin! This really soothes the skin after cleansing or exfoliating and makes the skin feel healthy and supple.
Will I buy this?
Yes, I treated myself.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream- I do think this is worth the £36 price tag, as it seems to have done wonders for my partner. He now uses it religiously! In texture this is a thick balm, which is a consistency I prefer in eye cream than to a thin lotion. My fiance has suffered with eczema for years and developed dry, flaky skin all around his eyes which is heightened in the colder months. Since using this every night he has experieced no flakiness or flare ups around his eyes and I do think it is due to this product. I enjoy using it too, though I can't see a huge difference on me.
Will I buy this again?
Yes, we both use it and it seems to help maintain his skin in a good condition.

Clinique 'All About Eyes' Eye Cream- This was a sample in a recent GWP. I'm always a bit wary of Clinique skincare, it is so laden with chemicals. The number 2 clarifying toner is an amazing stain remover....therefore it's not going anywhere near my face.
We had run out of the eye cream mentioned above so thought we'd use this in the mean time. It's a light consistency that feels like a lotion or moisturiser, it absorbs well and leaves the under eyes feeling a bit fresher. This didn't last us long so I can't comment on whether it improved my under eyes, but it didn't seem to do anything for Ben and his sore skin!
Will I buy this again?
No.

Estee Lauder DayWear Moisturiser- This was a sample pot in the most recent Gift With Purchase. I like the cucumber scent this has but I would definitely recommend the oil free version over this one, it never seems to absorb like I want it to, always leaving a slight film on the skin! I never notice any benefits or bad points when using this, it is just average. I have used up a 50ml tub in the past but I can't say I love this or would want to use it again.
Will I buy this again?
No.

John Frieda Full Repair 'Perfect Ends Sheer Mist'- This is similar to most heat protection products I have used in the past and seemed to do it's job well, it helped maintain a smooth feeling to my hair. I did notice it held the blowdry well too, which is a huge bonus. I think the bottle is too small though...
Will I buy this?
I don't think so.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Cherry'- It's in my empties every month. I think it does a good job for the price, and I like the cherry scent the best.
Will I buy this again?
Already have!

Soap and Glory Hand Maid Gel-  Antibacterial Hand Gel is an absolute must have for me and this one by Soap and Glory is my favourite. While it removes any nasties your hands may have picked up, anitbacterial hand gel is self absorbing so you don't have to worry about rubbing it off afterwards as you would with normal soap. This one has a really nice scent which completely counteracts the high intensity smell of alcohol present in other hand gels. I really hate having dirty hands or feeling like they might be dirty, so this is a definite repurchase for me.
Will I buy this again?
Already have!

As always, let me know if you use any of these and what you think and link me to your empties posts because I lurrve reading them!

Clynol Sealed Ends Fluid Review.

Clynol Repair Caress Sealed Ends Fluid, £8.37 for 75ml here.

After just three uses of this product I was in awe of the difference I could feel on my hair, it's not often you can feel almost instant results with a hair product. I've since been using it daily and my experiences with it so far have been positive, I've been looking forward to sharing it with you all!

I was attracted to Clynol because of it's dedication to creating salon quality hair at an affordable price. The ingredients in this Sealed Ends Fluid excite me; it contains macadamia and olive oil, marula and argan oils along with sweet almond and and apricot kernal. These active ingredients help restore and protect the ends of hair against further damage.

Sealed Ends Fluid is a gooey white serum that you massage into the ends of your hair to help combat dryness and split ends. The packaging states it can be used on wet or dry hair, and while I am normally dubious to put wet products on dry hair it was actually absorbed fairly quickly and was weightless afterwards. The ends of my hair look glossier and they feel nourished. 
Though it is hard to comment on it's long term benefits as I have only been using it for three weeks, I am impressed so far and will continue to use this to see how much the condition of my hair improves.

In times where money is short for many, a product like this could help prolong the time inbetween haircuts as it helps prevents the ends of the hair from looking shabby and uncared for. I do get my hair cut every 2-3 months, so while the ends of my hair aren't in a particularly unkempt condition, they do split quickly due to dryness from long term hair dye and constant straightening.
I would recommend this product for you girls out there who have dry ends from dye or bleach, or overstyled hair which suffers from heat damage. I've been using this product after washing my hair with The Body Shop's banana shampoo and conditioner which are really gentle and soften my hair, and this Clynol fluid seems to work with them well as it helps prolong the softness and works on repair inbetween washes.
  

Have you tried any products from Clynol? Would you be tempted to try this?

This product was sent for me to review. Hairtrade.com is one of the UK's leading online retailers of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products. You can order this product by clicking here.

Mini haul- The Body Shop.

 
I've not bought from The Body Shop in ages so was well due a visit. I got a 50% off code to use online but it expired before payday which was a huge shame as I had quite a few things in my basket. I decided what I really wanted to try and just went and got them, thankfully I've not been disappointed!

Banana Shampoo £4.50 for 250ml- While this doesn't lather particularly well (only on the second wash) it does cleanse the hair and rinses easily. I love the sweet banana smell but it isn't overpowering or too heavy.

Banana Conditioner £4.50 for 250ml - This creamy product feels good on my hair and keeps it really soft. Unfortunately it doesn't help with my knotty hair (anyone have any tips for knotty hair? The tangle teezer does nowt for me.) It is like banana puree in consistency, I always feel like I should be feeding it to a baby, not putting it on my hair! This is light and gentle enough to put all over the hair should you wish to.

While this shampoo and conditioner duo don't particularly brighten or make my hair glossier, it is the softest I have felt it in a very long time. And I'm talking baby soft, people! The natural ingredients must be nourishing it nicely and both wash out well, there's no heavy feeling to my hair (which I hate!) and no residue left behind, they both seem very gentle and for this reason I give them a thumbs up and would definitely recommend them to people who may suffer with a sensitive scalp.

Beautifying Oil in Coconut £9 for 100ml- Yes, so far so good with this one! I'm not sure it has done much for my hair, but it makes my skin feel smooth and soft and doesn't take too long to soak in so is great to whip on after a morning shower. I absolutely adore the smell this leaves on my skin; it's feminine, warm and tropical so is great used on it's own but it also doesn't react to any perfumes I've applied afterwards. The skin loving ingredient of marula oil also contains anti oxidents which is a bonus! I imagine this would be lovely to take on a summer holiday to top up that 'holiday smell' and keep the skin looking supple. 

Do you use any of these? Are you a fan of The Body Shop?

 

Midweek Post: Goe Oil

Jao 'Goe Oil', £30 for 85g.

Jao are a company committed to producing 100% natural, multipurpose products. When I saw Goe Oil on a stand in London Liberty's with the words 'oil' 'multipurpose' and 'natural' I knew I had to have it. A quick whiff of it's Tahitian Monoi scent (to me this smells like sweet lemon) and it was sold!

The ingredients:

Goe Oil contains 28 different natural plant oils and butters including Jojoba, Avocado, Chamomile, Rose Hip and Mango butter. It's completely free from any naughties such as parabenns, mineral oils/petroleum and artifical perfumes.
It contains a very high concentration of Jojoba Oil which is likened to human sebum. Sebum naturally protects our skin and hair, so by including a natural equivelant this product actually replaces the oils and sebum that we lose through age and environmental stressors, keeping our skin healthy and plump!

The uses:

Jao describe their product as a 'lifesaver'. Here are some of the uses that they believe Goe Oil is perfect for-  softening cuticles and rough skin such as elbows and feet, hair styling, to soften freshly shaved legs, eye makeup remover (this I am yet to try). chapped skin and to make bald heads shiny (again, not one I can comment on.)

I can't use this every day because the absorbing process is lengthly, I have to allow around 40 minutes for this to soak in to a point where I can then get on with my day without feeling oily or sticky! It's thicker than other oils I have used, it comes out of the tube a solid butter but melts to oil when it is warmed on the skin. Once it has soaked in, my skin feels unbelievably soft and the beneficial effects can be felt days later. I'm currently using this once a week, and topping my skin up with lighter oils inbetween (at the moment I am using The Body Shop Coconut Beautifying Oil)

So far so good?

So far, so completely good. I love the feeling of applying this product to my skin. I love the smell and it's softening, nourishing effects. I'm going to continue using it and I think I'll do an update post in about three months time to let you know how I am finding it and if my skin has improved.

If you're interested in Jao's story you can read about it here. If you wanted to buy Goe Oil but aren't local to Liberty then I have seen this available on Amazon.

Do you use Goe Oil, or would you be tempted to by this? What are your favourite oils?

John Frieda Full Repair x2 Review

John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner, £6.29 for 150ml. 
John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Sheer Mist, £6.99 for 75ml

I have dyed my hair since I was 13, when I had my first set of highlights put in. Since then I have had white/lilac hair, yellow (don't ask), brown hair, black hair, ginger hair, and I've gone back full circle recently and opted for blonde highlights run through with my natural hair colour. We'll see how long this lasts...

10 whole years of hair abuse has seen my locks loose most of it's vitality, it's certainly had a time of it. Sorry hair!

I only started taking a proper interest in hair products when I placed a Bumble&Bumble and Ojon order in the spring. While I got on with the Ojon dry recovery range, I can't help but feel it doesn't quite justify that exortionate price tag and I have an on/off relationship with BB Salt Spray.

When I was offered to try two products from the John Frieda Full Recovery range I gladly accepted, I hoped that I'd see positive results so that I'd be able to repurchase in the future as they are reasonably priced and easily accessible. 

The Deep Conditioner is something my hair obviously needed. A scoop of this from the tub and massaged into the ends of my hair and left for a few minutes has made my hair smooth and soft, and also reduces the knots in my hair that I, annoyingly, always have after washing. It's scented with a fruity salon smell and it doesn't create that icky product build up that some conditioners can leave behind (no matter how long you rinse), resulting in an intensive mask that feels lightweight on the hair. I will continue to use this and will definitely buy this one again, I just wish it wasn't packaged in a tub- they're so awkward when you're in the shower and have wet hands!

The Perfect Ends Sheer Mist is an after wash treatment, that sprayed into towel dry hair maintains the smooth feel that the conditioner created and also offers protection against heat treatments. Similarly to the conditioner, there's no residue left behind that products in the same price range do, in my experience. As heat protection sprays go, this is a nice one, it seems to hold the blow dry well- my hair stays straighter for longer after using this.

I've been more than impressed with the Full Repair range and am thankful to have been sent them as they have helped my hair maintain a good condition and are within the price range that I am comfortable with spending on hair products. (I'm running really low on the Deep Conditioner already!)

I'd be really interested to try the Perfect Ends Deep Infusion Serum when I'm next in Boots or Superdrug, as I think it would accompany the Sheer Mist well by optimising protection and perhaps helping condition and smooth out my knots.

What hair repair products do you use? Will you be picking any of these Full Repair products up in the future?

If you want to watch some helpful how-to videos created to promote the John Frieda repair range, see my post here with a link to the videos. They've since added more for you to check out so it is worth subscribing to the channel. I'm off to learn how to do a hair bow now, laters!

1960's beehive with John Frieda

I've recently been alerted to this set of videos presented by John Frieda hair stylists Jake Davis and Giles Robinson to help simplify hairstyles (including the ever popular top knot) and blow drys whilst promoting the John Frieda Full Repair range which has been available for a few months now.

Today I just thought I'd show you the videos and tell you how I got on with trying their 1960s beehive look.

Are these videos really hairstying made easy? 
I've said here how I'm not exactly skilled when it comes to hair, always opting for easy styles each day so it was nice to give something new a go for a change.

I found the step by step video very informative and it did actually break the hairstyle down into manageable chunks that even a hairstyling dummie like me could manage.
Overall, I was quite pleased with my effort, opting for a more modern take on the beehive by wearing it a bit messy. I chose to pair it with sixties inspired makeup too! I would really recommend the videos if you were looking for a bit of help with a hair dilemma or wanted to try something new. Make more please, John Frieda!

1960's Beehive: click
TopKnot: click
Full Body Blow Dry: click
Perfectly Straight Blow Dry: click

Check back soon as I'll have a review post on two of the Full Repair products within the next couple of weeks.

Please note: I was contacted to post about the videos on my blog so that you guys can watch them, however it was my choice  to try the beehive hairstyle myself so that I could give my own opinion of how easy I found the tutorial in the video, therefore my positive feedback is my own opinion, as always!

P.S. I'm moving house today so I may be absent for a little while, as soon as we have t'internetz connected I'll be back! :-)

Bumble&Bumble 'BB Prep' Review

Bumble&Bumble 'BB Prep' £15 for 250ml.

This is one of my favourite Bumble and Bumble products that I use (I just can't get on with their salt spray, but I'll save that for another time ;) )

It's name states exactly it's use; 'prep'- think priming and preperation.
My hair is always a little tangled after washing and generous spritzes of this helps make the combing process a lot easier. It's a thin milk-coloured liquid that helps detangle and it supposed to help 'enhance the performance' of other styling products (Bumble and Bumble website.) It's also a refresher spray- it can be used to refresh hair and it's products between washes, though I haven't used it for this purpose yet.

One thing that impresses me is that although I always end up feeling like I've sprayed a lot of the product, it doesn't seem to decrease in the container much, which means this product will last a very long time (hellooo value for money!)

It's got a fresh and fruity smell that's quite distinctive and nice to use after a bath or shower. The issue I often have with after wash hair products is that feeling that my hair is being weighed down. I really dislike that feeling that my hair is full of 'stuff' yet 'BB Prep' doesn't do this. It contains great ingredients to help hairs condition such as Vitamin A, H and Sea Kelp amongst many others.

A downside to the packaging is actually the pump spray. It doesn't seem to have much control and the product sprays out at wide angles, so although it covers the entire hair, it can also spray into the face...which is not so pleasent! This aside, the packaging is nice and practical, with a semi-opaque container so you're able to keep an eye on product useage.

Although I like this product, I'm all for experimentation with hair products until I find one that is super-duper fantastic (yeah!) so I don't think I'll be repurchasing straight away when it runs out unless I am ultra disappointed with my next endeavour. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this product or any tips...I'm the first to admit I'm not very skillful or knowledgeable with hair styling.

Ojon Dry Recovery, worth the hype?

Ojon Dry Recovry Shampoo £18 for 250ml and Conditioner, £19.50 for 250ml.

I was very excited to try these products, luxury hair products always excite me a little and using the Ojon oil ingredient they're famous for I was hoping the treatments would work for me.

The smell of these is absolutely divine! It may sound silly to some, but the scent just reminds me of what I imagine it would be like to be in a middle Eastern spa! It's quite undescribable to be honest, but I am a sucker for a good smelling shower product and I always look forward to cracking these open!

I may have chosen the wrong treatment for my hair by choosing the Dry Recovery range,  but I almost feel the moisture within the shampoo has almost over compensated and my hair has become overly nourished (I'd be interested to know if others may have found this too). By this I mean I've found that my hair feels greasier a day quicker than it used to when I was using a Tigi shampoo and conditioner, which means I've in turn had to use more dry shampoo in those days between washes.  However, a plus side of this point would be to say that the range really does do what it says on the tin, and if you do suffer from severely dry hair then definitely give this a shot, if I'm honest I don't think my hair was in as bad condition as I assumed it would be.

I've been using Ojon for about 5 weeks now, aside from the vast restoration of moisture into my hair, I haven't noticed a vast difference in the condition of my hair in terms of split ends or colour protection. I love that it does feel light and clean after washing and I've never had any product residue remaining- it washes out very easily. I think I would purchase from Ojon again however I would probably choose a different treatment next time!

VO5 Hot Oil Review #1

VO5 Hot Oil Nourish Me Truly, about £4 for 4x15ml

My friend at University introduced me to V05 Hot Oil when I was complaining about my bleached hair (it was in AWFUL condition) snapping, being uncontrollable and dry. She used Hot Oil herself and swore by it. So I bought some and along with some other hair treatments, my hair was pretty much transformed as best it could be in a matter of weeks. I had bleached, white hair for a couple of years and used V05 Hot Oils weekly until I (stupidly) dyed my hair jet black in 2009 (but that's a story for another time...)

Bleached;

This past year I have focussed on recuperating my hair after years and years of complete abuse. I get it cut regularly, and am now proud to say not a touch of dye has touched my scalp in 10 months (you may have seen in my pictures a slight unintentional dip dye going on, it's because I'm simply growing the black out and letting my natural hair come through). I now use heat protection products, and try to use my GHDs a lot less, and I'm careful to let my hair do it's own thing a couple of times a week, I'll either hide it up in a bun or wear it wavy so that I can give it a 'rest'.

Until lately my hair was in quite good condition, but I noticed it was becoming quite dry again. I remembered, VO5 HOT OILS! The next time I was in Boots I picked some up.

The packet comes with 4x15ml treatments. I use one weekly. I place the tube under hot running water in the shower until it heats up and apply to wet hair before shampooing. Massage it into the hair and leave it on for one minute only, any longer can lead to irritation because it is an intense treatment. I wash it out as normal and commence my usual shampooing and conditioning routine.

Like I have mentioned, this benefited my bleached hair so much and was affordable on a limited student budget. I have been using the Hot Oils again for 2 weeks (2 treatments) and this is what I think so far;

• The first time I used them, the hair felt soft and healthy again after washing. It made my hair easier to handle after washing, and smoother when styling (I used my usual heat protection products). I noticed that it made my hair so silky and soft that it looked quite flat/sleek. However, by the next day my hair had gone greasy. My hair felt quite heavy and like I had used too much product in it.
• The second time I decided to apply the hot oil just to my ends, as this is where the dryness was occurring and I was hoping to avoid greasiness the next day. Bearing in mind I had been to get my hair cut inbetween treatments so the ends weren't as bad as they were, but after I washed my hair (cue soppy moment) my boyfriend was stroking my head and commented on how soft it was. He normally comments that my hair smells nice, or that it feels good after a cut but I think this comment shows that it works (I hadn't told him I'd used Hot Oil, cos let's face it, what kinda man cares?!) The next day it felt soft, and nourished, but not greasy or flat like the time before, result :-)

If you have seriously damaged hair, then I cannot praise this product enough. It works wonders on dry hair, but be prepared that it might be so nourishing that your hair might feel greasy the next day. Plus if you're a busy gal, this only adds on a couple of minutes to shower time and you're done. If you think of it as a pound a week spent on nourishing and restoring your hair, then I think it is a price worth paying. If your hair is healthy. naturally quite oily, then you do not need to use this product. I believe it benefited me mostly when I had bleached hair, but now I'm happy to continue using Hot Oil because it is without a doubt doing my hair good.

If you're interested in hair related reviews, then I'll be reviewing some Lee Stafford products in a couple of weeks, once I've had the chance to use them!

Have you ever used VO5 Hot Oils, did they work for you?