Review - Garnier Ultimate Blends Shampoo

Since the summer my hair has been all over the place. I'm still in the process of lightening it using a few products to get a lighter colour over all but this means my hair is really dry and splitting all over the place.

So I set off to Boots and stocked up on a few different lotions and potions. One of the ones I picked up was the new Ultimate Blends shampoo from Garnier. I picked the Sleek Restorer as it contained coconut oil and cocoa butter to help smooth dry hair.

The smell is amazing, its lovely and coconutty and smells like it should be really nourishing and do wonderful things to my hair but in reality it doesn't live up to the smell!

When I wash my hair with this it feels amazing, really nourishing and my hair feels smooth and silky and looks great whilst its wet but as soon as it starts drying it feels coarse and rough. I can't get it to feel sleek without a serious amount of Morrocan oil or other products which then leave my hair feeling weighed down and rubbish.

Overall its an ok Shampoo, it does the job and cleans my hair but anything more then that it's not one I would pick up again. The only positive I can pull from it is the smell is amazing!

Have you tried any of the ultimate blends range? xx

Review - Bleach Reincarnation Mask

Boots - £6

 Never before have I fallen in love with a product on the first use, not until I used the Reincarnation Mask from Bleach. I've been trying to get my hair into decent condition, I've got lazy with using conditioner, over straightening it, just generally abusing it. After reading countless reviews, I popped down to Boots and picked up a tube, along with a couple of other bits from Bleach, but more on those later.

The Reincarnation Mask is a pre-shampoo treatment, a thick and creamy product that aims to rehydrate stressed out and over processed hair. I wet my hair, whacked a good handful on all over my hair, wrapped it in a towel and left it on for 20mins whilst I got on with the washing up. After a quick rinse and shampoo I left my hair to dry naturally and I was left with with soft, not weighed down hair - this is literally amazing! I naturally have wavy, frizzy hair which becomes massive when I normally air dry my hair, but after using the Reincarnation mask, I have naturally beachy waves without the need for salt spray.

I cannot rave about this enough! For £6 you get a huge tube of product that will last for ages, plus the packaging means you can really squeeze out every last drop. This really is a must for anyone who has over processed or over dyed their hair, I need to go and pick up more of these!

Have you tried anything from the Bleach range? xx

February Empties

I've been on a mad mission in February to use up as much as I could, I will not move all this with us when the time comes! 

- Crazy Colour Semi Permanent Lavender - This wasn't finished this month but it's been laying around and needs getting rid of!

- Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo - Budget version of the Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo, I did enjoy this for a long time, it took ages to use up!

- Lush Olive Branch - Kinda cheating here, this is the boy's favourite, a new bottle every Xmas lasts him nearly a year!

- Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes - Having ombre hair means keeping the blonde non brassy, this is perfect for that.

- VO5 Give Me Texture Shampoo - A good shampoo, that's all I can say.

- Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo - I love this, a double wash with this and my hair is gorgeously soft.

- Soap & Glory Righteous Butter - A lovely tub of loveliness, great for the winter months and  great for keeping skin soft.

- Boots Extract Cocoa Butter - Another one of the boys bits, he likes this a lot because its thick and helps with his skin condition.

- Dove Summer Body - I need some colour at the minute so this is being used! I cut it up to get every last bit out of it.

- Privita Shower Gel - think this came from a hotel, its just a little bottle that the boy used so no idea if its any good or not.

- Soap & Glory Clean Girls - From my Advent calendar, loved this a lot, made my skin so soft after a shower.

- Garnier Moisture Match - A lovely moisturiser, kept my skin soft and clear. I would recommend this to everyone looking for an oil controlling moisturiser that leaves the skin matte.

- Nivea Stress Protect Anti-Perspirant - It does its job, what more can I say.

- Benefit You're Buffing - A really old product (oops) but it cancels out redness on the skin.

- Benefit Total Moisture - Lovely night cream, my skin has never been so soft, tempted by the full size.

- Caudalie SOS Serum - For really dry skin, this really has made the difference between waking up like a lizard, or with peachy soft skin - this is on the list.

- Vichy Norma Derm - A two in one mask/scrub, this was nice, not something I would repurchase but still a nice product.

- Boots Tea Tree & Witch Hazel Pore Strips - I love these, could used them weekly and stare at them for hours! They do the job and wont break the bank

- Tesco Cotton Wool - Need I say more?

- Asda Fish Oil - One a day and I thought I wouldnt notice any differences, but now I've stopped taking them I can tell, my skin is a lot drier.

- Lush Bubble Beard Wand - Working through my Xmas stash, lots of bubbles and loved using it, thankfully I stocked up

- Lush Candy Mountain - 3 baths of loveliness, another one from the stash :)

So there we go, 22 products used up in 28 days, its so nice to have a clear out, however I've already started the March bag! 

What bits have you used up this month? xx

Advent Door 18 - Review GHD Straight & Tame Cream

3 days today, today we have Xmas dinner at school; it’s always a highlight of the festive season! 

So I always seem to have an  on-going battle with my hair, its naturally very wavy, as my kids describe it, it’s a bit like mermaid hair when its curly, so when I straighten it, the battle of the curl is an ever present threat - a single drop of moisture and I represent Monica from Friends on Holiday in Barbados! However I think I have found something that helps!

ghd Style Straight & Tame Cream calms and smoothes frizz prone hair, helping you to bring curly and unmanageable hair under control. As well as taming your locks, this luxurious cream also offers protection against heat styling.

I tried it out last week for my work Xmas do, which was on a typical, rainy night, so straight hair was a massive risk for me. I put the recommended 5 pumps into my hands and then worked it through damp hair before blow drying. This resulted in massive hair, but it was all fairly straight. As this has heat protection within it, I then brushed through and used my straighteners, and I had straight hair.

I put this to the test that night, and even the rain didn't affect it! My hair didn't get tangly or start to curl, plus it didn't feel weighed down with product! It lasted really well, 3 days later; I still had straight hair, with no new damage which was great! 

I think this will become a new, firm favourite, I think straight hair will be happening a lot more during the week for work! 

You can pick this up from www.hqhair.com for the grand sum of £14.95, I can't fault it really - what do you think? What do you use to keep your hair tamed but protected? Xx

Review - L'Oreal Elnett Heat Protect Spray (Volume)

L'Oreal Elnett Heat Protect Spray Volume £3.99

I seem to be using a lot of hair products at the moment, and my poor hair is really taking a beating so I'm trying to find a way to protect it and still wear my hair in the way I want! I've always used heat protection spray - loved the Lee Stafford one but after a while the smell is a bit much.

A while a go I picked up some heat styling spray from L'Oreal, what drew me to it was the fact it was supposed to help styles last 3 days and give volume. I have a lot of hair and if I don't dry it upside down then it can be very flat.

A fine mist that smells lovely, this spray evenly across the hair. I focus this all over, but with a little more on the ends to protect them. I love the spray function on this, its so nice to have a proper sprayer rather than a push down thingy (technical terminology!), I can never get that sprayed carefully enough.

It does protect my hair quite well, I haven't noticed any extra damage which is good. The claims of 3 days volume doesn't last on my hair, but thats because I wear it up at night due to being at the gym, but the volume does last all day.

For £5.99 this is well priced, it does last a really long time, I've had mine a couple of months and still have half the bottle left. Currently it's on offer at Boots for £3.99 which is reason enough to just stock up, hoping this will still be the case next weekend! 

What do you think? Have you tried this or the other ones before? Did you have the Lee Stafford one? xx

Half Term Haul

So half term has now whizzed by too quickly (booo!) Back to school on Monday. No half term wouldn't be complete without a little shopping trip with my mum. We headed to Springfields Shopping  Outlet at Spalding, a medium sized outlet store of lower end shops, like the poorer brother to Bicester Village but still good nonetheless.

I knew I wanted to head to the Beauty Outlet store as a must, but we also stopped off in Marks & Spencers and Hallmark Outlet. 


I didn't expect to find anything in M&S, as far as I was concerned its not a shop I normally go into, but I was surprised to pick up two pairs of jeggings, one dotty and one berry coloured, for under £30! My mum also bought me the highlighter pink jumper, it was down from £39 to £8.99, it's so comfy and snuggly. I'm really impressed with how the jumper and jeggings fit, I can see me getting a lot of wear out of them!

Next stop was Beauty Outlet Store. Think poor mans CCO, there were lots of beauty items, but the first stand I headed to was OPI. I picked up two bottles as they were  £6.99 each, 'I Brake for Manicures' and 'French Quartet for your thoughts' both from the Touring America collection back in 2011. I also picked up a W7 Dotting Tool Nail Art set for £2.99, my favourite Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover for £2.99 and a bottle of Korres Conditioner for £1.99 - thought I would give it a try!



Finally I spent ages smelling all the Yankee Candles in the Hallmark Outlet store. For 90p each I thought the samplers were a bargain so picked up 3! Autumn Blooms and Warm Spice smell amazing, all warming and cosy - can't wait to burn these!

Not pictured is a baby grow from Babygap for my friend, Gap had 30% off most of their items, so a fleecy babygrow for under £10 was something I couldn't resist!

So there we have it, the last haul of November - I'm hoping this will tide me over until December - if not then I think I need a sponsor! 

What have you been buying recently? What other Yankee Candles do I need? xx

Review: L'Oreal Ever Riche Perfect Elixir

L'Oreal Ever Riche Perfect Elixir

The last time I went to the hairdressers I got a massive telling off, my poor ombre ends were in a very sorry state and I know its my own fault, dying it purple over the summer and abusing it with heat had made it look awful!

So after getting the chop I went in search of treatments to help heal and maintain the health of my hair. I'd heard a lot about the Ever Riche Range, Alix from I Covet Thee swears by the Shampoos & Conditioners from the range so they must be worth a check out.

I'm pretty content with my Shampoo/Conditioner routine so I opted for the treatments. I picked up the Perfect Elixir Masque Sprat because its designed for over processed, damaged hair - which my hair most certainly is! I liked the spray design of the bottle as there's less mess and fuss.

I use this twice a week, after washing & conditioning my hair I spray this on just the ends, leave for 10 - 15 mins and then rinse off. I'm left with lovely silky smooth ends, any split ends are not obvious and whats best is that when my hair is straightened, it doesn't look as awful!

This is my second bottle as this is a truly awesome masque, plus its sulphate free so hair and the environment are ten times happier! Boots normally have this on offer, currently its 3 for £12 on the whole range! 

Right, I'm off to swoosh my lovely hair around a bit more, any other recommendations from the Ever Riche Range? xx

August Favourites '13

Another month down, head back to school on Monday, 6 weeks always feels forever but flys so fast, luckily I have lots prepared so it will be a bit easier when we get back! 

Ahywhoo, as September starts I've picked my favourites for August. In August I worked out lots, did lots of work for school and went on holiday and all the bits I've picked are bits which really stood out, especially on holiday.

- Benefit Hoola Bronzer - Love this, topping up the tan, contouring, bronzing, there's nothing I don't like about this, apart from the fact I've hit pan.

- Rimmel Scandal Eyes Retro Glam mascara - In the evenings this is what I reached for, great to give really full lashes and it didn't flake in the evening heat!

- Maybelline Great Lash - This is the waterproof version and its perfect for the bottom lashes as the brush is really dinky.

- Pantene Repair & Protect Conditioner - Bought this in Spain and it was amazing! Left my hair soft and reduced the appearance of split ends, I will be trying more from this range.

- Dove Summer Glow - Used on holiday to help top up a bit more to bring out the colour, I'm still using it to keep everything even, especially on my legs.

- Nintendo DS - In the drawer with the travel plugs, much neglected but I've re-kindled my love for it, have spent
 way too many hours playing games on it!

- Books - I packed these two for holiday and loved just having time to read a book, switching off from blogs.

- Tangle Teezer - Its love, could not have been on holiday without it, even my niece who squeals if you walk near with a brush let me style her hair every night! 

Overall a good month, what favourites have you had this month? xx

Review - Tangle Teezer

Sometimes there's a product which you don't buy for ages and then you cave and wonder what took you so long and how you ever lived without it! Well this is said product.

Having long hair, one of the banes of my life is how knotty it gets, especially with how dry it is at the moment - damn purple hair dye! So I thought this was the time to invest in the rather oddly shaped, orange coloured, strangley wonderful device.

The Tangle Teezer is supposed to fit perfectly in the hand due to the design, it does. The spindles on the brush are longer then most brushes and they do make a big difference to how much pulling there is - I've notice a lot less breakage when I brush my hair wet and brushing through it when dry.

Over the course of the last few weeks, I've noticed my hair is a lot less knotty, I can get a brush through much easier without the painful pulling, I think I'm converted and next on my list is the travel size, however if you can explain why a smaller brush is more expensive then I would really appreciate it!

Have you used the Tangle Teezer? Thoughts please xx

Insta-Review - L'Oreal Ever Riche Shampoo

I thought I would start doing Instant reviews of samples as I seem to collect them but use them & never review as its such a small amount! So a short review is what I need!

First up I have a Ever Riche Shampoo from L'Oreal. Advertised for very dry hair,  to help nourish and protect against further dryness & damage.

It was a nice, thick consistency which was a treat, plus it foamed up well - a surprise as its sulphate free!

It left my hair feeling & smelling very soft and shiny.

+ Foamed up well, smelt awesome, my hair felt great

- None in the little amount I used

Purchase? Yup, I will when my stash runs out. 

£5.99 for 250ml

Have you tried this? What do you think of my Insta-Review series? Xx

Lee Stafford Breaking Hair Treatment - Review

Ever since I ombred my hair, I've been on a mission to protect my hair, especially the ends. So when I accidentally picked up a pot of this treatment I thought I would give it a try.

Now, I love the Lee Stafford hair growth treatment - and always stock up when it's on offer,so I had high hopes for this little pot of loveliness and I was not let down

'Lee Stafford Breaking Hair Treatment for damaged, over – processed hair caused by styling and colouring! A super strength saviour to get deep down into the cortex to help build, repair and rehydrate breaking hair. ' it does all of this without a doubt.

I've used it in two ways - first as an in shower or bath treatment, washing my hair first and then slapping a dollop on the ends and leaving for 5-10mins. This give good results as the ends feel silly smooth after and do look better. The second way I use this is by damning the end of my hair, putting an eg sized blob through the ends and then putting up in a bun over night before shampooing out in the morning - this leaves me with easy to style locks in the morning that don't look so frazzled!

I adore this more then I did the Phillip Kingsley elasticizer and the price tag is much more friendly! For £10.99 you get 200ml of product that last ages of you only use this twice a week. Currently Boots have it on offer on a 3 for 2 along with the rest of the breaking hair range, which I might need to pick up.

Any recommendations for hair treatments? Have you tried anything from the Breaking Hair range? Xx

GHD Air Hairdryer - Review

Hi I'm Sarah and I'm a recovering hair abuser.

There, I finally admit it, I have abused my poor locks for a number of years, through bleaching, dying, stripping and everything in between. For years I would wear my naturally curly hair straightened to within an inch of its life - never drying it properly first, jut whacking up the heat to get it straight.

It's taken years for me to embrace my natural curl, but that doesn't mean I've turned my back on my love of getting rid of the kink.

With my old hair dryer starting to fade, I asked Santa for a new one, and Santa did his research and under the Xmas tree at my parents house I found the GHD Air Hairdryer. Now I'm sure everyone and their mums either owns, or have used the GHD straightener and as a member of the Club, I adore mine, no other straighteners have worked as well as these, so I had high hopes for the dryer.

GHD Air comes is this gorgeous box which is now its new home. Inside you get two concentrator nozzles (love that word!) which I haven't yet used, but are handy to have. The cable is similar to that of the straighteners, it's nice and long so I could move about without tripping myself up - I guess it's ideal for professional use.

Considering the amount of features crammed it, the dryer is surprisingly light weight, no arm ache for me! It comes with 3 heat settings, two speeds and a cool air blast function - all are so easy to use whilst drying my hair.

Now the question - does it really live up to the hype? In a word...Yes!! With my fossil of a Hairdryer it could take up to 40mins just to get dry but not smooth, yet 9mins in I realised that not only was my hair fully dry but not the usual birds nest - a quick whizz through with the straighteners and I'm good to rock and roll.

For me this is a real investment item, I adore it having been let down by cheaper items in the past so for me it's well worth the £99 price tag. If you want it then you can it it up from over at Feelunique and get free delivery as well!!

Yes, I know its expensive but it's well worth the investment.

Have you tired this? If you have any questions, or tips for using the nozzles (hehehe!) then let me know? What products do you use with it? Xx

Ombre Hair Care

Hello!

So I've had a couple of discussions with people about how to look after ombré hair in the winter. I've had my hair ombré since September and in all honesty, I love it but it’s really damaged my hair. It's dry and brittle, the slightest puff of wind and it’s knotted up and I try to ignore the split ends!

I don't want to get rid of it, so I try and really care for my hair. To do this I have a whole range of products I love.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - before beauty blogging, I would never have considered higher priced product, however receiving this in a Glossy box has changed my mind. This is the second mini I've used up and I use this only on the ends when it's really dry - just wet the hair, pop this on and leave for 25mins before rinsing off leaving hair silky soft - split ends not mended but a lot better than before.

Lee Stafford Bleach Blonde Shampoo Conditioner - I picked this up after Zoe over at Zoella recommended it for keeping brassy tones away. The purple toned shampoo removes brassy tones, keeping it blonde. The shampoo is quite strong so I only use this once a week but the conditioner is used twice a week. I've noticed since using them that my hair is a lot blonder afterwards, and it stops it going too gingery.

John Frieda Full Repair Deep conditioner - this is my overnight treatment of choice, just wetting the end of my hair, cover it with this conditioner and then plaiting it in, leaving it over night before washing it out in the morning. It leaves my hair soft and silky, looking a lot better.

L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil - this is my most used product, I even carry it in my bag to work. I put this on after washing, after drying, during the day and then just before bed. It leaves the hair nourished and smoothed, making split ends look almost invisible. Obviously I only use this on the ends of my hair, any higher and my hair would need washing more often.

Finally, there is no quick fix for this, it damages your hair because you've used bleach and no amount of treatment will cure split ends, only a good trim will sort that. I try to avoid heat too often, washing my hair using much cooler water, wearing it curly rather than straight and letting it dry naturally, overall it's manageable but I really need to look after it.

Do you have any tips for looking after ombré hair? XX

Tresemme Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque - Review

Evening lovelies,


A while a go, I mentioned that I was planning to get an ombre effect on my hair - well this happened about 6 weeks ago now, and I'm now on a mission to heal and prevent any further damage, with lots of hair masks. So when I heard about the new Keratin range, I knew I would have to investigate if it would work on my curly, damaged hair.

Keratin is a protein substance that is the key building block in our hair and nails. It helps create strength in hair, and strong hair is shiny and healthy. My hair is naturally curly, if a tad frizzy, especially in the current rain, so I was dubious if it would help restore any smoothness to my hair.

The product is quite a thin mixture, that means it makes a right mess getting it out of the pot. It spreads quite well through wet hair, I tend to use it through the mid-lengths of my hair and the ends to really treat them.

Did it make a difference? Well it does make my hair easier to style after I use it - the ends are smoother and stay smooth for the day. However I do find it can leave a very tricky residue which builds up and leaves it greasy after a day, I can't work out if I need to rinse it for longer, or comb it through better!

The next day, I do need to wash my hair again after using this which is frustrating but the overall condition of my hair has improved really. You do get a massive 300ml pot for £5.50, but I don't think I will buy this again, just because its not really that special.

How have your experiences been with this? Are there any other masques I should try?

L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil

Afternoon lovelies.

There's been a lot of hype about hair oils recently, with lots of companies bringing out their own version of the infamous Moroccan oils. I've been looking for a less expensive dupe for Moroccan oil and was recommended the Extraordinary Oil from L'Oreal.

The oil comes in a chunky glass bottle with a pump dispenser, and each pump dispenses just the right amount of product for my long hair.

The oil is really lightweight, and spreads really well through Both wet and dry hair, I apply one pump before I dry my hair to help protect and then another pump after I've straightened it to add shine. Although its lightweight, I don't add it towards my roots as I don't want greasy roots.

This leaves my hair smooth and shiny, and helps my split ends appear less obvious.

Boots £9.99

I think for the price, you get 100ml of product that lasts ages for £9.99, this is a great product that is a lot more affordable, but still offers all the benefits of a higher end product.

What do you think - have you tried this before? Xx

John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner

Afternoon lovelies,

I've been dying my hair for nearly 8 years now, and it's been a multitude of colours. Coupled with this, I like to swim quite a lot, and so all of this has left me with dry, damaged hair.

Ever since I stripped the colour from my hair I've been on a quest to restore it to health, as well as grow it back out to the length I had it as a kid. So I've been stocking up on deep conditioning treatments, without spending too much!

My current favourite product is the John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner. A few months ago, John Frieda launched the full repair range, and reading lots of blog reviews, this was one of the stand out products, so off I popped to Asda and picked up a tub.

The conditioner has a creamy consistency, bordering on the runny side, but it spreads easily through the hair. I tend to use this on the mid-lengths to the ends of my hair, after I've washed it and then leave it for 10-15 mins, you could use this as a quick fix, but I like this as a treat.

The smell of the product is amazing - and it transfers to the hair,not over powering, but enough so you catch it over the rest of the day.This leaves my hair so soft and silky, without weighing it down and it's helped improve the health of my hair.

The packaging is sleek and professional looking, if a touch deceptive as the product is held inside a red pot inside a thicker, translucent pot, but you do get 150ml of product, which is enough for a once weekly treat.

If all of that wasn't good enough, they are currently on offer at Asda, where you can get 3 for £10 across the full repair range, so I've stocked up on these!

So, what do you think, do I need to try anything else in the range? Xx

Feel Unique Sale Picks

Afternoon lovelies.

When the e-mail popped into my inbox advertising the Feel Unique sale, I knew I had to head over and have a look. 

1) Philip Kingsley Elasticizer 150ml - RRP £26.25 - Sale £20.07. I remember reading Lily's review of this and then recieved a sample of this in a beauty box. I cannot believe how this has helped my hair - its so much healthier since I started using this so when I saw this in the Sale, I did make a cheeky order :) 

2)Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush - RRP £14.50 - Sale £11.60.
I've seen the lovely ladies over on Pixiwoo use this product in quite a few videos, it always leaves a very subtle colour on the skin, without being overly shiny. I think the colour range is great and I did pick this up - will review it as soon as I can :)

3)Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor - RRP £14.95 - Sale £12.71. My poor hair has been through the mill recently, and I'm planning on adding ombre colour to it at some point, but before that, I'm on a mission to get into really good condition. Joico is a brand that my hairdresser has used on my hair and I loved the results it left me with. 

4)FAB 5 in 1 Eye Cream - RRP £22.00 - Sale £17.60
I picked up a sample of this at my local Boots and instantly fell in love with it. This is something I loved so much that I have recommended it so many people and am now on my second tube, but a little goes a long way!

5)Jemma Kidd Light as Air Liquid Foundation - RRP £25.00 - Sale Price £20.00. I love this foundation, it bought my last tube back at Christmas and don't always use it as I find it to be one I save when I'm have a good skin day as the coverage is light to medium for my oily skin. I love the feel of this on my skin, and its great that it has SPF in it. 

All of these come with free delivery, I love that as I hate when you shop in a sale, think your making a good saving and then stung with a massive shipping cost - so not fair!

There are my picks, link me in the comments or let me know what your picks would be from the sales?!

xx