Review: Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

Max Factor False Lash Effect is, quite simply, the best mascara I have ever used. It does what it says on the tin - provides a false lash effect, doubling the length of your lashes and providing a generous volume boost for bold, eye catching lashes. Since using this mascara, I've had several friends asking where I had my eyelash extensions done!

I found the finished result very similar to NYX's Doll Eye Mascara, another wonderful lengthening mascara. However, while Doll Eye dried up within a month of purchase, False Lash Effect is only now beginning to run low, after 3 months of almost daily use.

Despite the impressive results, this mascara does come with one small annoyance - the brush. Although Max Factor raves about their 'Big Brush', it seems no more unique than any other mascara brush and I had a lot of trouble reaching the lashes on the inner and outer corners of my eyes. Personally, I think a curved brush would have been a much better fit.

Even with the disappointing brush, False Lash Effect is pretty hard to beat - I really would recommend it to anyone. If you have very short eyelashes and want a more subtle alternative to strip lashes or extensions, you will be very happy with this.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara is available from Boots for £10.99.

Review: 17 BB Cream

 

I am hooked on BB creams at the moment - they provide good coverage and illuminate the skin, but are moisturising enough to glide over dry patches. After a somewhat bad experience with Garnier's BB Cream, I decided to give 17's version a try.

 Before & after

The coverage with this is a little lighter than expected - if you have problem skin, you'll probably want something with fuller coverage. It's light reflecting and illuminates skin beautifully, without making it look excessively oily (are you taking notes, Garnier?). This is definitely one for the pale skinned girls out there, the light shade matched my skin perfectly (no more struggled with 'light' orange shades, hurrah!). This also lasts really well on me. It usually wears down a little through the day, but come bedtime I still have decent coverage.

This handled dry skin well until the last couple of days - it's been perfect in the morning but then I've arrived at work, looked in the mirror and seen a stupid amount of dry, flaking patches. However, I'm hoping this is purely down to the sudden extreme change of temperature here at the moment (20 degrees last week, 4 yesterday, sob) but it's still disappointing.

 17 BB Cream is available from Boots for £6.99.

Spring Trends: Bright Coloured Hair

Katy Perry for Adidas
 
A pop of bright, bold colour is my absolute favourite hair trend right now. A surprisingly wearable look, you could go for a couple of subtle streaks or be brave and choose a full wash of neon. Dye, wash off hair spray, extensions and wigs - there are so many options, depending on how permanent you want your colour to be! To inspire you, here's some of my favourite looks:

Thakoon

Wella

Allure

Thakoon

Nicki Minaj

Have any of you gone bright for 2012?

Review: Noa by Cacharel Eau de Toilette

Noa, while not my usual style, is simply beautiful. It's a light, floral musk - quite an elegant fragrance, very clean and perfect for summer. For an eau de toilette this has excellent lasting power, so rarely do I find a perfume that lasts all day on me! Still, this manages not to be too overpowering, unlike many modern 'feminine' (read: sickly sweet) fragrances. Ideal for day wear, though you may want something a little bolder for evenings.

This is currently on sale at Boots - £13.80 for the 30ml bottle (usually £23) and £28.20 for 100ml (usually £47). Pick it up while it's cheap!

Review: Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation

I have lusted after Chanel's make up range for years, so when I got my hands on a sample of Perfection Lumiere it was like Christmas morning!

So here's the facts: this is a fluid foundation with SPF 10, promising lightweight, long lasting coverage. It's non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types. There is a huge range of shades available (in the photos below I'm wearing 30 Beige - unfortunately, slightly too dark for me and has a bit of an orange tint).

The first thing I noticed is this product's gorgeous smell - not a major factor when choosing foundation, but a nice addition! It has a very liquid consistency and absorbs into skin quickly, so you do need to work fast when applying and blending.

Major entry in the pro column - this didn't sink in to fine lines & dry patches, at all. These days I usually try to stay away from liquid foundations as I find they always sink into dry patches that I didn't even know I had - not a pretty effect. But this foundation perfectly glided over any unsightly areas.

So here's my before and afters:

Before

After

This gives a lovely luminous, radiant finish, not matte but not overly shiny either. Coverage is light to medium and lasting power is pretty good (although I haven't quite given it the 15 hour test!).

This is a nice foundation - but it didn't blow me away. I expected something a little more fabulous from Chanel! Again, it's not bad, I like the foundation, but for the price I'd expect something extra spectacular.

Chanel Perfection Lumiere is available from House Of Fraser for £36.00.

Review: Suddenly Madame Glamour EDP - Lidl's £3.99 Perfume

 

Photo courtesy of lidl.co.uk

This one's been around for a while (I recently finished my first bottle) - the big hype with this perfume is a blind smell test run by John Bailey, head of the Perfumers Guild. In a group of 150 women, 90% preferred Lidl's Suddenly Madame Glamour (£3.99) to Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle (£61). Big praise! 

John Bailey describes this as having "fresh citrus and floral notes merging to an alluring, exotic oriental accord". Now, I've tried a lot of cheap perfumes, and generally I find that in perfume vocabulary, oriental means a cheap alcohol smell - and that's true of Suddenly when first sprayed. However, I find it does mellow, bringing out a rich, glamorous scent. Despite being an eau de parfum, I did have to reapply throughout the day as the fragrance faded fast.

 I'll be honest - overall, this scent is just okay. I personally would never choose it over Chanel! But for £3.99, you are not going to find better. Worth trying out next time you do a food shopping!

Review: No7 Beautifully Balanced Purifying Toner

This is my absolute favourite toner, from the No7 Beautifully Balanced skin care range, ideal for oily/combination skin (although definitely not for dry skin). It's gentle enough to avoid drying out skin but still leaves you with that clean, fresh feeling some 'gentle toners' just don't provide. This is a wipe on skin toner with a pump dispenser so you can avoid applying too much product. It retails at £8 but I always stock up when Boots are handing out their £5 No7 beauty vouchers, making it quite a bargain!

I've heard some whispers this is being discontinued and at the moment it's out of stock online. I really hope this isn't true - my skin can't live without this toner!

Review: Clearasil Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts Wash and Mask

Like many people, I tend to associate Clearasil with the harsh acne treatments I used in my teens - not a brand that I would really consider these days. However, their new Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts range claims to use only mild cleansers, gently clearing blemished, oily skin without over-drying - so with that in mind, I decided to let Clearasil back into my skin care routine.

This product can be used as a face wash or as a 3 minute mask and is ideal for oily/combination skin. Ingredients include pomegranate extract, a wonderful antioxidant, and Vitamin E and avocado extracts, both great for nourishing skin.

As a face wash, it's slightly creamier than I expected and doesn't really foam much. The downside to this also being a quick mask is that the cleanser begins setting if you spend more than about 30 seconds massaging it in, making it a pain to remove. Of course, if you prefer a quick cleanse, this won't be problem for you! When first removed, I found this made my skin feel very tight and a bit dry. After a couple of minutes though, my skin felt a lot softer and very smooth, although it still felt tight - so I'm not entirely convinced by Clearasil's 'non-drying' claims.

As a mask, I found it a little too wet and sloppy to apply well - the texture and consistency definitely works better as a wash. For a quick mask, it gives quite impressive results - immediately after removing the mask my skin felt soft and plump and looked brighter. In the hours after using it I also noticed that the breakout of angry spots around my chin was visibly calmer with less redness.

Clearasil Daily Clear Vitamins & Extracts Wash and Mask is available from Boots for the purse-friendly price of £4.99.

Review: Elemis Eyes Awake Recovery Gel

Products from Elemis - the spa and beauty brand, used in thousands of day spas worldwide - are the ultimate in luxury skin care for me. This particular product was a birthday splurge.

Eyes Awake Recovery Gel is a life saver for tired, strained eyes. It does exactly what it says on the tin - pat it around the eyes and the refreshing gel instantly perks you up, moisturising the area and waking eyes up, whilst stopping puffiness in it's tracks. I can't begin to describe how much I love this eye gel - I've been known to carry this in my handbag on days I know will be exhausting!

The only downside to this is the price tag - retailing at £36.80 for 10ml, it is not cheap. But if your eyes are in need of refreshment and you have the cash, buy it, I promise you won't be disappointed. It's also worth shopping around - the main Elemis stockists are, of course, Elemis spas & salons (take a peek round your locals), the Time To Spa website, feelunique.com and Debenhams. Debenhams have a sale on at the moment, so you can currently buy Eyes Awake for £33.12 there - not much of a discount, but it helps!

Review: Barry M Clear Mascara & Eyebrow Definer

Barry M's Clear Mascara and Eyebrow Definer provides lashes and brows with subtle definition. I'll admit - I used this on my eyelashes once and I didn't love it, I just didn't see any difference (clear mascara - why??). Eyebrow definer, however, has always been an essential in my make up routine. It smooths over any unruly hairs, giving eyebrows a smoother, more polished, 'just waxed' look. A perfect quick fix when your brows are in desperate need of a tweeze!

But there is a major downside to this product - a few hours after application it dries out and begins to flake, horribly. It's not a pretty sight - almost like dandruff! And be wary if applying after your foundation. My gel has slowly adopted a yellow-beige tint. Not cute!

I haven't seen this in Boots or Superdrug lately (possibly a sign of impending discontinuation product?) but it's still available on the Barry M Cosmetics website for £4.19.

Review: Soap & Glory You Won't Believe Your Eyes

I bought this eye cream as part of my neverending search for those miracle products that will effectively reduce the appearance of dark circles. That's exactly what this serum claims to do, along with reducing the appearance of fine lines, tackling puffy eyes and, of course, being a great moisturiser for the undereye area.

First off: I used this everyday for 6+ months and I saw no long term improvement with my dark circles and my fine lines, if anything, are getting more obvious (sob). So no miracle product here. In the short term however, it has some good points.

The serum itself has a very slight lilac tint, which, if you didn't know already, is commonly used in cosmetics for it's fantastic ability to conceal dark circles. If you've never used lilac around your eyes before, don't let it scare you off! It blends in perfectly and is perfect underneath your concealer to give it an extra boost.

The applicator consists of 3 small metal roller balls (much like the Garnier Eye Roll On) - if you suffer from tired, puffy eyes these are essential for you! You Won't Believe Your Eyes is great for instantly refreshing eyes - you can even use this over make up, making it a handbag essential for those mornings you just don't want to wake up.

Personally, I don't think I'll be buying this again - it's a nice pick me up in the mornings, but overall, it's not very impressive, it's not cheap and there's better out there.

Soap and Glory You Won't Believe Your Eyes is available from Boots for £10.50.

Reviews: Boots Vitamin E Skin Care Range

You'll all know by now that I love a bargain - and, generally speaking, Boots own brand ranges are the perfect balance of high quality/low cost. The Vitamin E range has become a regular in my skin care routine - currently I'm using the night cream, eye cream and toner. I've also been using the facial oil, but as far as I can tell this has now been discontinued.

Vitamin E, when used in skin care, is known for it's antioxidant and anti-ageing benefits, for aiding in sun protection and for it's hydrating properties - making it ideal for dry and mature skin types. This range, however, is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin (although, not having sensitive skin myself, I'm having to take their word for it!).

The toner is very gentle and is marketed as a hydrating product - a big change if you're used to high alcohol astringents, like me. However, I didn't really feel like this product did much for me. Even worse, I've been getting a lot of breakouts lately, and this toner could be the cause (I've got it narrowed down to either the toner or the oil - I stopped using the oil a couple of weeks ago but I've not seen much improvement).

Another thing to mention is that the products in this range have a somewhat light, almost floral fragrance. A lot of people have said they love it, but I'm personally not a fan and, for some reason, I really hate it in the toner. So if you dislike scented products, you might want to skip this range.

Boots Vitamin E Toner is available for £2.54.

The eye cream is by far my favourite of this line. It has a light but nourishing, non-greasy formula with SPF 15 - making it perfect for day wear. This claims to help with fine lines, dark circles and puffiness, it even claims to visibly reduce them within 4 weeks. Personally, I can't say that I've seen any long-term results and I don't think it does much for puffy eyes. This does seem to have some light-reflecting elements though, and maybe even a slight pinkish tint, which instantly conceals shadows under eyes - and makes it an instant favourite for me. Be careful when applying this - it's all too easy to squeeze out a dab too much.

Boots Vitamin E SPF15 Eye Cream is available for £2.54.

The night cream is just lovely - it's actually the first night cream I've ever used, being utterly paranoid a night cream would be too heavy for my oily/combination skin. So wrong! This cream is heavy enough to work as a great evening moisturiser, but light enough that it doesn't feel heavy or greasy on your skin. I find this leaves me with brighter, more radiant skin - immediately after application and when I wake up in the morning. Absolutely fantastic for dull, dehydrated skin.

Boots Vitamin E Night Cream is available for £3.05.





This is by no means the full list of products - also available in the range are face wash, day moisturisers, face wipes, hand cream, cleansers and body butter. Of course, all are available from Boots!

Review: Garnier Caffeine 2-in-1 Tinted Eye Roll On

Continuing the theme of products I can't believe I haven't reviewed yet - Garnier's famous anti-dark circles tinted eye roller. This has been a staple in my make up bag for months and has lasted so long I don't know what I'll do when it finally runs out!

My absolute favourite thing about this product is the metal roller ball applicator - it cools and refreshes the under eye area, an absolute lifesaver for tired eyes. However, I'm placing this firmly in the 'make up' rather than 'skin care' category. This is often marketed as a skin care product and I strongly disagree - this is essentially a liquid concealer, with some nice ingredients. This is not going to do anything for your dark circles in the long term.

I bought this in the 'Fair' shade. Boots' website tells me there are now four colours available, including an Extra Fair, but Fair was the lightest I could find at the time and unfortunately is not quite light enough for my skin, having a bit of an orange tint. It provides medium to full coverage and illuminates the eyes beautifully. Downside - I have noticed this occasionally sinking into the fine lines around my eyes, which I definitely do not want highlighted! This isn't glaring obvious for a few tiny lines, but I dread to think of the effect on deeper wrinkles or crow's feet.

Garnier Caffeine Anti-Dark Circles 2-in-1 Eye Roll On is available from Boots for £10.20.

Review: Soap & Glory Hand Food

A good hand cream is an absolute essential for me - I have extremely dry, flaking (hard working!) hands. I wash and sanitise my hands regularly and work with some very harsh chemicals which - as some of you will know all too well - leaves skin dry and damaged. I've tried too many hand creams to keep count of and you can always find a tube of something in my handbag - for the last few months it's been Soap & Glory's Hand Food.

First off, like many Soap & Glory products, this is scented with their Original Pink fragrance which smells just lovely, the first few times I used it I couldn't stop sniffing my hands afterwards - which earned me a few odd looks! This also markets itself as non-greasy - I've found this to be true but only if you use exactly the right amount. Too little and your hands are still dry, just a pinch too much and they're noticeably greasy.

But does this actually provide enough moisture for dry hands? If you've got normal to mildly dry skin, I think this will work for you. For extremely dry skin, like mine, try something else. I really wanted to love this cream, and it did provide decent hydration when first applied, but it faded fast. About an hour after application my hands were dry and tight again. Despite using this several times a day, every day, for several months, my hands are in no better condition. Overall, very disappointing!

I've spoken to a lot of people who have used this and loved it, so if you're still curious and in need of a good hand moisturiser, give it a go - at just a fiver, it's cheap enough to be guilt-free (and it does smell delish).

Soap & Glory Hand Food is available from Boots for £5.00.

Review: Naked Bounce Curl Defining Shampoo

I have very dry, naturally curly hair - I bought this shampoo to counteract all the heavy, moisturising conditioners that had been weighing my hair down and leaving me with some odd looking waves. Plus, I was intrigued by the brand - Naked pride themselves on being natural and ethical. Their products are completely paraben free, SLS free and petrochemical free, are never tested on animals, their bottles are made from 50 - 100% recycled plastic and most products are vegan friendly.

The first thing that hit me when using this shampoo was the divine scent - a very clean smell, it reminded me of fresh summer air and the beach. I would repurchase for the scent alone! As you may expect with a 'natural' shampoo, it took a lot of work to lather. For a good clean I make sure my hair is dripping wet and use a little more product than I usually would.

The end result was wonderfully defined curls with a bit of bounce - so this definitely does what it says on the tin (or bottle). I'm not sure if this was really hydrating enough for my dry hair, so I would probably recommend this more for normal hair. However, if you have dry, curly hair and want a natural shampoo, this isn't overly drying, so give it a whirl and see what it does for you.

Naked Bounce Curl Defining Shampoo is available from Boots for £4.07.

Review: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

You've probably all seen the advert for this foundation (with Rimmel model Kate Moss looking utterly flawless and making me want to buy the whole Rimmel cosmetics range!) - it makes some pretty amazing claims, so of course I had to try it out for myself!

The claims: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation promises "beauty sleep in a bottle" - giving you wide awake, illuminated, flawless skin. It also claims to minimise signs of premature aging and to last up to 10 hours. Big promises! So here's my before and after photos:

 

Before

After

I have to say, I was really impressed by this foundation! It gives great coverage (I had a few angry, red spots around my chin/jaw area and this covered them perfectly) and my skin looked warmer and brighter, and my skin tone more even. I'm always weary of foundation that promises a 'radiant glow' - this almost always translates to 'oil slick' - but that wasn't the case with this. Yes, there's some shine, but it really does look like a glow rather than grease. However - this has glitter/shimmer in it. Why?! I don't know anyone who actually wears glitter all over their face. This is a major annoyance for me, but at least when applied to the face it's very subtle and almost unnoticable.

This lasted okay for me, though not quite the quoted 10 hours - it started to wearing off after 5-6 hours. I also noticed around this time that it had sunk into a few dry patches, leaving that dreaded orange tinted flaking - not so perfect.

Wake Me Up Foundation is available in 6 shades (in the photos I'm wearing Soft Beige - surprisingly flattering on my paler than pale skin) online and in-store from Boots - currently on sale at £5.99, but RRP is £8.99. Let me know if you try it!

Beauty Trends To Wear This Valentine's Day

If you're searching for the perfect look for that big date this Valentine's Day, this is for you: my rundown of the hottest, freshest looks for 2012, straight from the runway. Feminine, flirty looks have been a big hit this season and what better day to try it out than Valentine's Day?

Dewy skin

 Alberta Ferreti

Glowing, dewy and even wet look skin has been a big hit on the runway - so moisturise well and skip the powder. Achieve this look using pearly highlighters and a tinted moisturiser - try Benefit's High Beam  for sculpted supermodel skin.

Tip: No tinted moisturiser? No problem. Mix your usual moisturiser and foundation together in your palm for a customised skin glow.

Red statement lips

Jason Wu

From dark, sultry reds to daring orange hues - whatever the shade, bold, red lips are back. There was a huge range of styles on the catwalks, but statement matte lips were among the most impressive.

Tip: Lip tints and stains are great for this look as they allow you to build up colour, blot and blend to a long lasting matte finish.

Nude nails

 Versace

This season we're taking a break from loud, intricate nail art and going back to basics - nude polish tones supply your nails with a touch of sophisticated glamour. This style looks gorgeous with shorter, natural, rounded nails.

 Tip: For those of you with very pale skin and/or poor circulation, choose a polish with peachy tones for a healthier, brightening look.

The kitten flick

  Valentino

Make up artists have been pretty liberal with the eyeliner in recent months - the kitten flick is a more subtle look than the traditional cat eye, with a thin line starting from the center of the eye.

Tip: For a clean, smudge-free line, ditch the kohl and use liquid or gel eyeliner.

Babydoll lashes

Betsey Johnson

Full, fluttering lashes are perfect for Valentine's Day and are right on trend - get the look with a rich black volumising mascara (NYX Doll Eye Mascara works great for this style) or fake it with strip lashes.

Tip: For super customised beautiful lashes, try individual extensions - many salons offer these for a professional application, or, if you've got a steady hand, do it yourself with Eylure.

What trends will you be wearing this Valentine's Day?

Review: Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask

We all need a bit of pampering every now and then, and if you can't make it to the world famous Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden, I highly recommend their range of indulgent products, available from Boots stores nationwide. My current favourite is the 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask - a great winter warmer for oily/combination skin.

The key ingredient in this mask is kaolin clay - if you have oily skin this is great for you, it absorbs excess oil and is fantastic for battling spots. I used to struggle a lot with breakouts and although my skin is in much better condition these days, I still get zits popping up here and there. When I see a bad breakout coming on, I treat myself to an at-home mini facial using this mask and it keeps them at bay. My skin sometimes feels a little dry or tight after using it - although it's nowhere near as drying as some products on the market - but using a good moisturiser afterwards sorts that out easily.

Of course, my favourite part of this mask is the thermal action - it gently heats up as you apply it, which is just a wonderful skin treat for chilly winter nights! The heat, unfortunately, doesn't last very long, but it's still has a lovely, luxurious feel.

Sanctuary Spa's 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask is available from Boots for £10.20.

Reviews: Dermalogica Skin Care

 

 As I mentioned earlier, last month I was lucky enough to attend a day of training with world renowned professional skin care brand Dermalogica and left with a few product samples to try out. As a beauty therapist, I've used Dermalogica on my clients and I've treated myself to a few Dermalogica facials as well, but I've never had the opportunity to use their products at home, on my own skin.

I was given three products to try out - Special Cleansing Gel, a foaming cleanser that's ideal for combination skin but suitable for most skin types, Daily Microfoliant, a gentle everyday exfoliator, and Skin Smoothing Cream, a moisturiser created mainly for dry or sensitive skin. Personally, I have combination skin (specifically, dehydrated with an oily T-zone and dry cheeks) so I was interested to see how I got on with these products.

The Special Cleansing Gel was wonderfully easy to use - I've tried out a lot of cleansers that label themselves as a 'foaming face wash' that require a lot of hard work to get a tiny bit of foam, but this worked beautifully. This is a very gentle soap-free cleanser, it didn't dry out my skin or leave it feeling uncomfortably tight. However (and this may just be because I'm too used to harsh, cheap cleansers) it didn't really give me that 'clean face' feeling.

 

Left to right: Special Cleansing Gel, Daily Microfoliant, Skin Smoothing Cream

Daily Microfoliant is a very different type of exfoliator - instead of squeezing a cream from a tube, you have a powder that you rub between very wet hands to create a creamy scrub. Again, this is very gentle, and is suitable even for sensitive skin. But...this is designed to be used daily and I just can't get on board with exfoliating every single day! Maybe I've had my traditional beauty training drummed into my head too well, maybe I've heard too many over-exfoliating horror stories (tearing skin, yikes!) but I will always advise clients to exfoliate twice a week if they have oily skin, once a week for all other skin types. I know a lot of people will disagree, and I have heard 99% good things about Daily Microfoliant, but it will never be for me.

The first thing I will say about Skin Smoothing Cream is if you have oily/combination skin, try something else (if you want Dermalogica, I'd recommend Active Moist). As I mentioned, I have an oily T-zone and I decided to give this a try anyway but it's really better suited for sensitive, dry and mature skin. It is a thick cream moisturiser and it felt very heavy on my skin, almost like it wasn't going to absorb properly. Of course, my face felt soft and plump, but I could never use this on a daily basis.

I checked my skin regularly throughout the day and I immediately noticed my skin was looking brighter and more even. However, it looked slightly oilier, even on my cheeks. I would consider purchasing the Special Cleansing Gel and if I could get over my daily exfoliating fear I'd try Daily Microfoliant again, but the moisturiser is definitely not for me.

If you're considering Dermalogica for your skin care regime, I'd highly recommend Face Mapping - this is a service provided by Dermalogica therapists to analyze your skin and determine your ideal products. Many salons offer this as a free service, hoping you will purchase the products recommended to you, but you're under no obligation to do so (use the Dermalogica website to find your nearest location). Be warned, though - Dermalogica is not cheap. Prices (RRP) for the products mentioned are - Special Cleansing Gel, £25, Daily Microfoliant, £38, Skin Smoothing Cream, £43.50.

Review: Pantene Pro V Protect and Smooth Range

I'm sure most of you have now seen or heard of Pantene's reformulated hair care range. These new products fall into 3 main categories - those for fine hair, thick hair and coloured hair - and each contain products to target specific hair needs, such as volume, frizz and shine.

Pantene used to be my everyday hair range - these days they don't really cut it for me, but whenever they come out with a new product I just have to try it! So I got kind of excited when I received a selection of samples from the new Protect and Smooth range - designed specially for coloured or highlighted hair to protect from styling damage and leave hair feeling silky smooth.

So, on to the verdict! I used the shampoo, conditioner and mask from this range, in one wash. The shampoo has a texture halfway between a cream and a gel, with a light, fruity scent. I found it quite hard to get a good lather with it and I needed a lot of it to get right through my hair (I have very thick, below the shoulder length hair). The conditioner however, I didn't need a lot of - it made for an interesting change, usually I can get through a bottle of conditioner in a couple of weeks! After washing off the conditioner, my hair felt instantly super smooth (always a good sign!). The mask, on application, didn't really seem like anything special - it just felt like a slightly heavier version of the conditioner.

After getting out the shower, I spritzed my hair with some of Tresemme's heat protection spray and gave it a quick blow dry until it was about 80% dry. At this point it was feeling extremely crunchy and not at all smooth - I, of course, decided I had found yet another dud hair range and went off to weep into my morning coffee. However, after it had fully dried, the results were so much better than I had expected. My hair had beautiful volume and my split ends looked as if they had disappeared. My hair felt softer, and while it wasn't shampoo ad smooth, it was damn good for a (relatively) cheap brand. I should stress though, I used the conditioner and the mask together - so I doubt the results will be quite as good using the conditioner only.

If you're wondering which of the new products are for you, Pantene have a cute little gadget on their website to diagnose your hair type and recommend the best products for your hair. And if you've tried any of the new Pantene products yourself, I'd love to hear how you got on, so let me know in the comments!

These products were provided to me by a third party. All opinions are my own. Pictures courtesy of Pantene.co.uk.

3 Things I Learned From My Dermalogica Training

As most of you will already know, when I'm not here gushing about the latest products, I'm working full time in a salon and attending college to become a qualified beauty therapist. Well, last month I was lucky enough to do some training with skin care geniuses Dermalogica - we had a full day learning about the history of the brand, the products on the market, their techniques and approaches. For a skin geek like myself, it was just so much fun and I really did learn a lot - here are the top three things that really stood out during my Dermalogica training:

The Amazing Precleanse

Precleanse is designed to be used prior to your usual cleanser to break down oils and make up and ensure a thorough cleanse. I have to admit - before my training I really didn't see what the fuss was about but I have officially been converted. As our lovely trainer explained, a lot of us these days are wearing heavy, long lasting, wax based make up, which can be incredibly resistant to our usual cleansers. So to demonstrate the power of Precleanse, she put it to the test against (wait for it...) black boot polish. Eek! She put two swatches of boot polish on her arm - on the first she used a regular Dermalogica cleanser (I believe it was Special Cleansing Gel). She cleansed once and, as you can expect, the polish barely budged. A second cleanse removed a little more, but she was still left with a great black smudge. On the second swatch however, she used Precleanse and it was gone (and I mean completely gone) in one cleanse. Amazing!

The Dermalogica Girls Really Know Their Stuff

This one might be a little obvious, and maybe a little more interesting to budding beauty therapists, but during the demonstration of a Prescriptive Facial I was just completely in awe. From the little unique touches in her treatment - such as wrapping her client in a large sheet, almost like a cocoon, rather than using a blanket - to the basic, practical, 'Oh-my-god-how-did-we-never-think-of-that' additions, we were all pretty envious of her techniques and skills. The part that really stood out to me was when she started her blackhead extractions. Now, if you're training in beauty, you'll understand how awkward it can be to get your extractions technique just right - even the more experienced girls in my salon have trouble with them from time to time. But this girl did it so quickly and made it look so easy, we all ended up getting out of our seats and crowding around her saying "How the hell are you doing this so quickly?". With that in mind, if you ever have the opportunity to get a treatment at one of Dermalogica's flagship spas, go!

 joinFITE

Maybe I was a bit dim to have not known this before, but Dermalogica are partnered with non-profit organisation joinFITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) - a wonderful organisation that helps women finance their own business through microloans in countries where it may not be the norm for women to to be entrepreneurs and may face discrimination when attempting to fund their business through traditional methods, such as bank loans. Dermalogica products with a FITE logo on the box contain a code for you to use on the joinFITE website to contribute $1 to a microloan - you can choose the country and the type of business you want it to go to and they'll send you an e-mail when the loan is financed, introducing you to the woman and the business that you've helped. Fantastic products and a fantastic cause.

Before we finished our training we all got a handful of samples as well, so keep your eyes peeled for some Dermalogica reviews in the near future!

Review: Barry M Foil Effects

So I bought this back in October and I'm finally getting around to reviewing it! Barry M Foil Effects are part of their amazing Nail Effects range - every girl I know is obsessed with them! When I saw the gold shade it immediately brought to mind my favourite Trendy Nail Wraps style so I just had to pick up a bottle.

To state the obvious: Foil Effects mimic the effect of nail foils (duh) and give a gorgeous metallic nail colour. This is great if (like me) you've spent years looking for a good, affordable true gold nail colour. I've tried this out once before and got quite a few air bubbles so I would be extra vigilant in your application of this - make sure your nails are clean first and don't shake the bottle, just roll it between your hands. The lasting power was good, it lasted a few days before I got so sick of the air bubbles I had to take it off. I've been super careful in applying it tonight, so if any air bubbles appear this time around you will definitely be hearing about it!

Barry M Foil Effects are available in 3 shades - Gold (shown here), Lilac and Silver (my friend loves to layer the silver foil with Crackle Effect in Purple Rain and I have to say, it looks gorgeous!). All available from Superdrug for £3.99.

The Best Products For Your New Year's Detox

Well, we are officially into the second week of January, and I'm betting plenty of you are ready to leave your New Year's resoloutions at the door! If you're trying to detox, tone or slim down this year, this is for you - the best products and treatments available to help you on your way. Hopefully it will inspire you to keep up the good work!

Caudalie's Detoxing Treats

 I've mentioned Caudalie's Spa In A Bag: Body of Your Dreams briefly before, but it's definitely worth mentioning again. This bag of goodies contains their Crushed Cabernet Scrub, a body scrub containing 6 essential oils to fight cellulite and drain toxins, Caudalie's Contouring Concentrate, which can be used neat or mixed with your body lotion to tone skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite, and organic herbal tea, to eliminate toxins. Who says you can't enjoy detoxing?

Caudalie Spa In A Bag: Body of Your Dreams is available from Boots for £39.00.

Wrap Yourself Thin

Slimming and contouring body wraps (available from most spas and some salons - phone your locals and see what they have to offer) are great quick fixes for special occasions, but if you get regular treatments and combine them with a healthy diet and exercise, you can achieve lasting results. For most slimming wraps, your therapist will measure you before and after your treatment and tell you how much you've lost. Many also have a guarantee of how many inches you'll lose in total (such as the Universal Contour Wrap). There are so many options out there, so do a bit of research and decide what's best for you.

Spa treatments can get pricey though, so if you're on a budget, why not try Sanctuary's Trim and Tone Wrap? This DIY wrap is great for toning and eliminating toxins and in clinical trials, women lost an average of 5cm after one application. 

Sanctuary Trim and Tone Body Wrap is available from Debenhams for £25.50.

Tone Up With Soap & Glory

 If your main problem area is your thighs, this will make a great addition to your regime. Sit Tight improves circulation which speeds up the elimination of toxins and leaves you with firmer, toned thighs. Apply daily, sit down and leave it for 30 - 60 seconds - you'll feel a brief tingly, heating sensation (some have said they found this uncomfortable, but I love products like this - it lets you know it's working!). So quick and easy, it'll make a valuable contribution to your diet.

Soap & Glory Sit Tight is available from Boots for £14.30.

Take A Break

If you've got a larger budget to work with, why not consider a detoxing spa break? There are so many options out there, from a weekend to several weeks, most including healthy meals, an exercise regime and detoxing spa treatments, among plenty of other things. A great boost to your diet and a little bit of luxury, all in one. Checkout the Wellbeing Breaks offered by Champneys Spas to give you some inspiration.

If you're still looking for ideas, ASOS have a wonderful selection of detoxing products from their beauty ranges - I've spent all week lusting after them! And if you've got any great tips or HG detox products, share them in the comments!

All opinions expressed in this article are my own - I am not associated with any of the brands mentioned.

Bargain Hunting: January Sales Edition!

January - rubbish weather, lack of cash and Christmas weight gain. The only good thing about January is the sales! Here's my rundown of the best beauty offers and discounts out there at the moment, with January sales featuring heavily...

•  Too Faced, Soap & Glory, Elemis & £5 OPI - Up to 70% off in the ASOS sale - I want everything!
• Shed the Christmas pounds! - Sign up for their 3 month plan and Weight Watchers Online will waive their sign-up fee, saving you £29.95.
• Benefit, Aveda, Bliss, Lancome & more - Up to 70% off in House of Fraser's winter sale.
• Up to 50% off Fake Bake - Fake Bake's online store have up to 50% off - including Flawless tanning liquid (constantly sold out in my salon!) for just £16.00.
• Cheap perfume gift sets - Diesel Loverdose, Boss Orange and Britney Spears Fantasy, all featured in The Perfume Shop's January sale. 
• Lots of Body Shop deals - Up to 60% off body butter and up to 50% off gifts and winter essentials, in-store and online.
• Mega make up palettes & bejewelled compacts - Up to 50% off in the ELF sale.

Think I missed something? Let me know in the comments!

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Quick Reviews: MeMeMe, The Body Shop & Rimmel

Clockwise: MeMeMe Blush Me! in Pink, MeMeMe Beat The Blues in Moonbeam, Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish in Purple Pulse and The Body Shop Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules.

 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New Year! I'm back at work tomorrow so I'm using today for some last minute pampering & relaxation before the chaos returns! Just thought I'd take a few minutes to give you some 'mini reviews' on some of my Christmas gifts.

 A while back, I got a sample of these from a Body Shop at Home consultant and fell in love. Vitamin C Facial Radiance Capsules are filled with orange scented serum. Each capsule is exactly the right amount you need, so no risk of not getting the full benefits by applying too much or too little. As you apply the serum, the texture changes to a sort of light oil (but don't worry to much if you have combo skin like me, I haven't seen any negative effects from it). This stuff is great for dull, dehydrated skin - I saw a difference right away, my skin was beautifully bright and soft. Downside - the tiny jar contains just 28 capsules, so it'll only last you around a month if you use it everyday.

Rimmel's Lasting Finish nail polish in Purple Pulse is a gorgeous dark purple shade - I have to apologise as you can't really tell by the quality of this picture! I was a little disappointed with this, it looks like a bright, bold purple in the bottle but on my nails it's much darker, even like a red wine colour in some lights. I'm wearing this with a layer of sheer glitter over it, but the actual polish is a block colour. As for lasting power, combined with a base and top coat, it's lasting okay - I applied this on New Year's Eve and as of today I have a couple of tiny chips but nothing noticable.

MeMeMe Blush Me! in Pink is a sheer and shimmery baby pink shade. Packaging look familiar to you? Yep, once again, MeMeMe are taking some inspiration from Benefit, this time in the form of their famous blush boxes. As far as I know, Pink isn't a direct shade dupe but I've heard Blush Me! in Rouge is very similair to Benefit's Coralista. Anyway, this shade gives a subtle, girly glow and has decent lasting power, but isn't much to write home about.

If you're a regular reader, you'll know I've been coveting this for some time - again, MeMeMe pull it out of the bag with Beat The Blues in Moonbeam, a spot on dupe of Benefit's pricey but delightful High Beam. This pearly pink highlighter is great for illuminating pale, dull skin (like mine!). Compared to Benefit, this is a little watery and the brush is definitely much lower quality, but still usable. The shade, I think, is a little 'harder' (if that makes sense) and less pearly than High Beam, but once it's blended you can't really see the difference. I forgot to get a photo of Moonbeam and High Beam side-by-side but here's a swatch of Moonbeam alone:

(Click to enlarge) Left: MeMeMe's Moonbeam, unblended. Right: Moonbeam, blended in.

And that's everything! What Christmas goodies did you all get this year?