VO5 PLUMP IT UP AMPLIFYING BLOW DRY LOTION

VO5 PLUMP IT UP AMPLIFYING BLOW DRY LOTION

My cupboard is absolutely full to bursting of volumising products. Everytime I go to Boots I seem to pick something new up, so as you can imagine, quite often I end up rooting through everything and finding something I used to love. This was one of those products.

This is a spray (it doesn't have any qualities of a lotion whatsoever, so I'm baffled as to why they named it this....) which you spritz through your hair before you blow dry. You can get away with using plenty of it as it literally disappears into your hair with no residue at all. I still feel the need to blow dry my hair upside down when I use this but I find it gives my big hair considerably more hold than blow drying alone. 

I have to say- the results for this are impressive. Okay, so it won't turn you into Bridgette Bardot,  but your hair is left feeling thicker and certainly more bouncy at the roots. I like that it works as a heat defence spray and therefore doesn't really require much extra effort to use. It smells pleasant and just does an all round lovely job.

BALANCE ME CLEANSE AND SMOOTH FACE BALM REVIEW

BALANCE ME CLEANSE AND SMOOTH FACE BALM REVIEW

Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm* - £20

I've been pretty big on skincare recently. Whilst my makeup drawer is overflowing (no joke, it's a good job I live in two places otherwise I wouldn't be able to store it all...) my skincare cabinet is pretty bare in comparison. Balm products seem to be all the rage at the moment (yes i'm talking about the infamous Emma Hardie cleanser) and with winter still taking it's toll on my skin, I jumped at the chance of trying this offering from one of my favourite skincare brands.

The consistency of this product isn't as I expected; it is quite an oily, runny balm which massages beautifully into the skin. After you've done this, you add a bit more water and massage again, before taking a muslin (provided) or flannel to wipe it away with warm water. Although this does require a bit of effort, it certainly gives your skin a treat, leaving it soft and clean. 

Although quite difficult to remove, this product leaves my skin feeling INCREDIBLE. Don't be afraid of it's oily texture as it moisturises your skin beautifully. My skin has a complete mind of it's own so I tend to use this on dry, dull days where my skin needs a bit of livening up. I wouldn't recommend using this as an everyday cleanser if you have oily skin, but for those with normal/dry skin it would be perfect.

I tend to use this at night mostly as it does a thorough job of getting rid of makeup, but the antioxidant ingredients leave my skin feeling so bright and full of life that it would be a perfect morning cleanser too.

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFECLAR K: MY THOUGHTS

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFECLAR K: MY THOUGHTS

Hello!
I know I know, it's been a while....

I'll admit I've taken a bit of a backseat recently. I've almost finished my second year of uni which means work work work. And to top that off I'm coming home every weekend to work as well!

Anyway, onto the review...

I'm definitely one of those people who buys straight into blogger hyped products from the high street. I'm definitely a budget girl at heart (not that I have much choice, being a student and all...) so I love a good bargain. Although i'm not entirely convinced that £13 is a drugstore price, I shelled out for the La Roche Posay Effeclar K regardless. 

 I've been using this for a LONG time now (at least 5 months, hence why it looks very loved in the picture!) and at first I wasn't crazy about it. It didn't clear up my skin, it didn't dry it out, it didn't moisturise it. Essentially, it did a big, fat nothing. I left it for a while and one day I noticed it again in my drawer so I decided to give it another go and I have to say, i'm really impressed. I can't comment that it stops you getting blemishes (although I haven't had any for a long while) but it certainly has improved the condition of my skin. When I use this at night, when I wake up my skin looks a lot clearer and brighter, particularly on my cheeks. Please don't think this is a miracle product; it hasn't helped my pores and hasn't completely cleared my scars up but it has definitely done something right! It is a milky cream which blends into your skin beautifully. The smell puts me off A LOT but I do use this religiously now. 

I tried using this before my makeup but it doesn't do much for me in terms of providing a base and I didn't notice as much a difference to when I use it at night.

Would I recommend this? Yes, totally. Although you need to give it a chance. Most of the reviews I read showed results within the first few days and initially I was disheartened. However, this has become a staple in my skincare routine and i'd definitely suggest you give it a go.

CLARINS INSTANT SMOOTH SELF TANNER

CLARINS INSTANT SMOOTH SELF TANNER

When Anna, one of my favourite bloggers, posted about the Clarins Instant Smooth Self Tanner it went straight to the top of my wishlist. In my head, anything Anna says, goes. (Okay, I just want to be her). 

I've come to terms with the fact that I will always be pale. Always. I don't have the patience for fake tan but I will admit, the fact that I look like another member of the Cullen family does sometimes get me down. The promise of natural, glowy skin sold this product to me and I was excited to finally have it land on my doorstep.

The product is designed to be a base with a hint of self tan. This means that it is used as a primer which subtly tints the skin and leaves a lasting, tanned glow long after you've removed your makeup. It is a velvety gel formula which in the pot does look scarily orange. However, the product disappears into your skin almost instantly- and for me, that's the problem. It disappears.

Now, before I tried this I was haunted with visions of a streaky orange face, so I took care to apply it evenly thinking it would develop throughout the day and i'd go to bed looking as though i've spent a day on the beach. However, this really leaves NO colour on my face whatsoever. It does smooth the skin excellently and works as a lovely primer but for a tanner- the primary reason I picked it up- it leaves me dissatisfied. I use it almost everyday under my makeup but it hasn't developed at all.

Another major flaw is the smell. Although it too disappears after a few seconds it is STRONG. If you open the jar you smell it immediately and it certainly isn't a pleasant or bearable smell.

Although I will be using it up, I can't see me repurchasing this. I'd love to hear your recommendations for a similar product as I love the idea of how effortless this product would be if it actually worked.

BALANCE ME ROSE OTTO HAND CREAM

BALANCE ME ROSE OTTO HAND CREAM

Balance Me Rose Otto Hand Cream* - £14.50

"Protect the precious skin on your hands with our super smoothing and exquisitely fragranced cream to hydrate, plump and keep the visible signs of ageing at bay. We've blended naturally active anti-oxidant rich Arctic cloudberry, soothing camellia and kukui nut oils with super smoothing organic shea butter. Our fragrant rose essential oil blend softens, brightens and treats the skin on your hands to a daily dose of velvet-ifying goodness! Our top tip - Don't just save this cream for your hands, treat parched feet to an extra protective layer of skin-quenching goodness before you go to sleep! Dab onto hands as often as needed day and night, rub in lightly and let your skin benefit from its soothing, plumping and super smoothing goodness."

As we all know, the weather is getting colder (-1 degrees for me today, cry!) and that means dry skin. Every part of my skincare routine has become centered around moisturing moisturing moisturing and my hands are no different. Balance Me is a brand that i've dabbled in a little before and been incredibly impressed, so I was excited to try one of their more recent offerings; the rose otto hand cream.

At £14.50 I was looking for a hand cream that really delivers something special and this certainly does. The main thing that stood out to me about this product is how thick and rich it is, being almost a balm-like consistency. A little goes a long way and it really feels as though it's moisturising deep into your skin. It sinks in really quickly so you are free to chuck it back in your bag and carry on with whatever you are doing. I'm not sure what they mean by the claim 'velvit-ifying' but it leaves my hands feeling soft and smooth.

Personally, the scent isn't for me. I love rose scented products but this is a bit too botanical for my taste and it is, in my opinion, quite strong. This won't put me off using the product but it's certainly worth considering if you are looking to buy.

This would be an excellent gift for someone for Christmas and I've already ordered one to give to my Mum. Balance Me is a brand I can see myself gravitating towards in the future and this product will be a handbag staple from now on

Lipstick Queen Fire Red Sinner

Lipstick Queen Fire Red Sinner

Lipstick Queen introduced ten new shades to their core Sinner/Saint line recently. A £10 N.Dulge voucher at SpaceNK was burning a hole in my purse recently, and this is what I spent it on (with £8 of my own - these are £18 each).

I could also wear Scarlet Red and Hot Rose from the new colours, but I opted for Fire Red as I wanted a slightly orange/yellow red that isn't too orange.

On the lips - the orange tone is not obvious; it just reads as a slightly warm, bright red. I find I do have to be careful with the formula, which is matte and a little drying. I need to use Lanolips underneath it to stop it looking too heavy. I find the Saints too sheer which is why I opt for the Sinner formula, but it is too matte for my taste without something to add a little shine, although it isn't as draggy as the original Sinners could sometimes be. Lipstick Queen has also added vanillin to the formula, giving a vanilla scent to the lipstick.

TECHNIC CARNIVAL NAIL POLISH

TECHNIC CARNIVAL NAIL POLISH

Whilst pursuing the aisles of Bodycare on my way back from uni yesterday I spotted this little beauty on sale for 99p and I have to say, i'm really impressed with it! Supposedly a dupe for OPI's Rainbow Connection from the Muppets collection- which the blogging world went crazy for last year- this is a clear polish full of multi-coloured glitter. The glitter is all different sizes. Although I wasn't overly excited by OPI's offering, I can see myself getting a lot of use out of this one. It's nothing like any other polish I own and is fab for spicing up a relatively neutral and otherwise quite unexciting nail.

It applies quite finely which is perfect for me as I can't imagine myself wearing this as a polish alone. I tend to dab it on rather than brush it on so I can get the glitter in the right places. It could be argued that for 99p it won't be the highest quality polish but as I'll mostly only be wearing this on an accent nail, this really isn't an issue for me!
In these pictures, you can see it paired with Essie's Muchi Muchi, a polish which I love but at the same time can look a bit bland on my pale hands. I can see myself pairing this with darker reds and blues as we get closer to Christmas... how festive!