A few weeks ago my bump buddy, Kelly, and I went on our usual
monthly shopping trip to Cambridge. We were full of intentions of buying baby
bits but after spending hours gossiping we came home with nothing for the
babies and a few cheeky bits for us!
We were wandering about in John Lewis and Kelly mentioned
she wasn’t getting on with her usual Clinique foundation. Seeing as we were in John Lewis beauty hall I
said why not visit a few counters and see if they can match her up to a new
foundation. The Chanel counter was our first – and final! - port of call. I’d recently tried a little
sample of Chanel Perfection Lumiere and loved it, but the Chanel lady explained
that was a medium-heavy coverage foundation and as Kelly was after something
light she suggested Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. She said it was a light coverage
foundation that she felt was between a foundation and a tinted moisturiser.
She found the shade to match Kelly’s skintone and tested a
patch near her ear; the colour was perfect and the coverage so light, it looked
fab. So I asked the Chanel lady to match me up too! I turned out to be shade
40. I don’t often wear foundation, usually only if my skin is looking a bit
grotty or if I am going on a night out, but when I do use it I like a light
coverage. I think it looks dreadful when you can tell someone is wearing
foundation. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua
evens out my skintone but doesn’t make me feel like I’m wearing mask. It just
makes me look like I naturally have lovely skin! It’s long lasting too; I wore
it when I went to a friend’s BBQ and it was still perfect when I got home which must have been a good 10 hours wear on a very warm day.
What made it even better was that John Lewis had a 10% off
day so I got it for £27.90 instead of £31.00 and then the Chanel lady gave us
each a cute miniature Intense Radiance Lipgloss in 166 Amour – a juicy watermelon
shade with a hint of shimmer – as well as a moisturiser sample. I was given Hydra Beauty Gel Creme as my skin
is crazy combination at the moment. I never know what it’s going to do from one
day to the next!
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation
A few weeks ago my bump buddy, Kelly, and I went on our usual
monthly shopping trip to Cambridge. We were full of intentions of buying baby
bits but after spending hours gossiping we came home with nothing for the
babies and a few cheeky bits for us!
We were wandering about in John Lewis and Kelly mentioned
she wasn’t getting on with her usual Clinique foundation. Seeing as we were in John Lewis beauty hall I
said why not visit a few counters and see if they can match her up to a new
foundation. The Chanel counter was our first – and final! - port of call. I’d recently tried a little
sample of Chanel Perfection Lumiere and loved it, but the Chanel lady explained
that was a medium-heavy coverage foundation and as Kelly was after something
light she suggested Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. She said it was a light coverage
foundation that she felt was between a foundation and a tinted moisturiser.
She found the shade to match Kelly’s skintone and tested a
patch near her ear; the colour was perfect and the coverage so light, it looked
fab. So I asked the Chanel lady to match me up too! I turned out to be shade
40. I don’t often wear foundation, usually only if my skin is looking a bit
grotty or if I am going on a night out, but when I do use it I like a light
coverage. I think it looks dreadful when you can tell someone is wearing
foundation. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua
evens out my skintone but doesn’t make me feel like I’m wearing mask. It just
makes me look like I naturally have lovely skin! It’s long lasting too; I wore
it when I went to a friend’s BBQ and it was still perfect when I got home which must have been a good 10 hours wear on a very warm day.
What made it even better was that John Lewis had a 10% off
day so I got it for £27.90 instead of £31.00 and then the Chanel lady gave us
each a cute miniature Intense Radiance Lipgloss in 166 Amour – a juicy watermelon
shade with a hint of shimmer – as well as a moisturiser sample. I was given Hydra Beauty Gel Creme as my skin
is crazy combination at the moment. I never know what it’s going to do from one
day to the next!
I got this lipstick a few months ago after reading about it on Kym's blog - Topshop had a special Facebook offer after reaching 2 million fans; the offer was a free lipstick with any purchase. You didn't need to tell me twice!
All About Me is a satin matte finish lipstick which is a beautifully rich bright pink, it gives a real POP! of colour to your lips and brightens your whole look. I don't normally go for bold lip colours as I don't think I have the confidence to pull them off, plus with my skintone it's hard to find strong colours that suit, but this one I love.
Applied straight from the tube it's big, bold an bright but I think it also works dabbed on with a finger over the top of some lip balm for more of a "just sucked a lollipop" look. The finish is velvety smooth and the colour is so long-lasting; I had trouble getting it off after doing these swatches!
At £8.00 it's not too bad a price for a high street brand, and since I got it for free with the Facebook offer, even better!
Have you tried any Topshop lipsticks?
Topshop All About Me Lipstick
I got this lipstick a few months ago after reading about it on Kym's blog - Topshop had a special Facebook offer after reaching 2 million fans; the offer was a free lipstick with any purchase. You didn't need to tell me twice!
All About Me is a satin matte finish lipstick which is a beautifully rich bright pink, it gives a real POP! of colour to your lips and brightens your whole look. I don't normally go for bold lip colours as I don't think I have the confidence to pull them off, plus with my skintone it's hard to find strong colours that suit, but this one I love.
Applied straight from the tube it's big, bold an bright but I think it also works dabbed on with a finger over the top of some lip balm for more of a "just sucked a lollipop" look. The finish is velvety smooth and the colour is so long-lasting; I had trouble getting it off after doing these swatches!
At £8.00 it's not too bad a price for a high street brand, and since I got it for free with the Facebook offer, even better!
Have you tried any Topshop lipsticks?
I was stocking up on some essentials in Boots a few weeks ago when I picked up a bottle of Max Factor Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in Fantasy Fire. I wasn’t looking for it in particular, I just spotted it on the shelf and thought I’d try it seeing as it seemed to have been causing a bit of a stir amongst other bloggers, plus it was only £3.99. Bargain.
I then promptly forgot about it as I tend to do with most nail polishes I buy. Saturday evening however I was messing about with water marbling and was rummaging through my collection for my freshest polishes when I spotted it. Water marbling is messy and fiddly, so I thought “feck it” and decided to do my nails with Fantasy Fire.
In the bottle it looks so beautiful. It’s a rich metallic purple polish with absolutely loads of iridescent pink, gold, green and blue seemingly running through it depending on how the light hits it. Applied to the nails, you can create an array of looks as different tones come through depending on the base coat used. I’ve seen it on other blogs applied over a nude base colour which makes it look a more blue-lilac colour and over a dark base colour it deepens the purple and more of the blue-green shimmer is highlighted.
I simply applied it over a clear base coat and have to admit I was pretty peeved that it took three coats to get this look. It’s a very sheer polish and I actually think that a fourth coat is needed really; on closer inspection the next day I could still see the white tips of my nails through the polish! Any polish that needs two of more coats quickly loses favour with me. No patience!
I applied the polish on Saturday night and have only just managed to chip it today as I was talking to someone quick boring on the phone and fiddling with a pen which caught the edge of my nail. I’m sure it would last longer if I hadn’t have done that.
Overall I think it’s a lovely colour, very eye-catching. It’s just a shame that so many coats are needed! It’s certainly worth buying if, unlike me, you're patient when doing your nails!
NOTD: Max Factor Max Effect Fantasy Fire
I was stocking up on some essentials in Boots a few weeks ago when I picked up a bottle of Max Factor Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in Fantasy Fire. I wasn’t looking for it in particular, I just spotted it on the shelf and thought I’d try it seeing as it seemed to have been causing a bit of a stir amongst other bloggers, plus it was only £3.99. Bargain.
I then promptly forgot about it as I tend to do with most nail polishes I buy. Saturday evening however I was messing about with water marbling and was rummaging through my collection for my freshest polishes when I spotted it. Water marbling is messy and fiddly, so I thought “feck it” and decided to do my nails with Fantasy Fire.
In the bottle it looks so beautiful. It’s a rich metallic purple polish with absolutely loads of iridescent pink, gold, green and blue seemingly running through it depending on how the light hits it. Applied to the nails, you can create an array of looks as different tones come through depending on the base coat used. I’ve seen it on other blogs applied over a nude base colour which makes it look a more blue-lilac colour and over a dark base colour it deepens the purple and more of the blue-green shimmer is highlighted.
I simply applied it over a clear base coat and have to admit I was pretty peeved that it took three coats to get this look. It’s a very sheer polish and I actually think that a fourth coat is needed really; on closer inspection the next day I could still see the white tips of my nails through the polish! Any polish that needs two of more coats quickly loses favour with me. No patience!
I applied the polish on Saturday night and have only just managed to chip it today as I was talking to someone quick boring on the phone and fiddling with a pen which caught the edge of my nail. I’m sure it would last longer if I hadn’t have done that.
Overall I think it’s a lovely colour, very eye-catching. It’s just a shame that so many coats are needed! It’s certainly worth buying if, unlike me, you're patient when doing your nails!
A beauty box with ENTIRELY full-sized products? No way! Really?! Yes really! The March beauty box from JolieBox (now called Birchbox) genuinely does contain four full-sized products! I know, unheard of!
First up is a 200ml tube of Yardley Peony Luxury Body Wash. I don’t know – isn’t Yardley a brand that your Nan buys in Boots?! It smells gorgeous though, I’m really loving floral scents at the moment so I’m happy enough, though I imagine there may be some grumbles from other subscribers.
Next is the product I am most excited about: Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm. This 75ml tube contains a totally versatile balm that can be used on your face, hair and body. You can apply it to your face with a cotton pad to remove make up; you can apply to the ends of your hair as a rinse-off hair treatment; and you can apply to damp skin as a moisturising treat – but you need to rinse it off. Intriguing eh! The writing is really tiny, but it looks like it contains safflower , sesame, jojoba and shea seed oils. As you can imagine it’s got that all-natural, slightly herbal kind of smell. I’m super excited to try this out and will report back!
A familiar sight among the various beauty box brands, the third product is a Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Powder Pink. I probably wouldn’t use a shade like this as eyeliner, but I’d use it in the inner corners of my eyes to brighten them and make me look a bit more awake. I have a similar product from Benefit that I use in this way and it does work!
The final product is a LCN nail polish from the Free Your Mind 2012 collection. I can’t see on the bottle what shade this is, but it is a super pale pastel blue-grey with a gorgeous blue-green shimmer running through it. It’s really pretty and a perfect spring shade. There are four shades in the collection so I’m interested to see what shade other subscribers received.
Often in these beauty boxes you get a brucey bonus and this box is no exception; they have included a little compact mirror. There’s not much you can say about a mirror, but it’s certainly useful! There is also a copy of the new JolieMag which features an interview with Therese, the Director at JolieBox UK, a guide on how to do a home manicure, shopping tips and product reviews. There’s also a little card with a 20% discount code for Love Hearts and Crosses Jewellery!
All in all I think this is another great box from JolieBox. Their boxes are consistently good and always absolutely fall in love with at least one of the products (I think it will be the Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm this time)!
JolieBox - March Beauty Box
A beauty box with ENTIRELY full-sized products? No way! Really?! Yes really! The March beauty box from JolieBox (now called Birchbox) genuinely does contain four full-sized products! I know, unheard of!
First up is a 200ml tube of Yardley Peony Luxury Body Wash. I don’t know – isn’t Yardley a brand that your Nan buys in Boots?! It smells gorgeous though, I’m really loving floral scents at the moment so I’m happy enough, though I imagine there may be some grumbles from other subscribers.
Next is the product I am most excited about: Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm. This 75ml tube contains a totally versatile balm that can be used on your face, hair and body. You can apply it to your face with a cotton pad to remove make up; you can apply to the ends of your hair as a rinse-off hair treatment; and you can apply to damp skin as a moisturising treat – but you need to rinse it off. Intriguing eh! The writing is really tiny, but it looks like it contains safflower , sesame, jojoba and shea seed oils. As you can imagine it’s got that all-natural, slightly herbal kind of smell. I’m super excited to try this out and will report back!
A familiar sight among the various beauty box brands, the third product is a Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Powder Pink. I probably wouldn’t use a shade like this as eyeliner, but I’d use it in the inner corners of my eyes to brighten them and make me look a bit more awake. I have a similar product from Benefit that I use in this way and it does work!
The final product is a LCN nail polish from the Free Your Mind 2012 collection. I can’t see on the bottle what shade this is, but it is a super pale pastel blue-grey with a gorgeous blue-green shimmer running through it. It’s really pretty and a perfect spring shade. There are four shades in the collection so I’m interested to see what shade other subscribers received.
Often in these beauty boxes you get a brucey bonus and this box is no exception; they have included a little compact mirror. There’s not much you can say about a mirror, but it’s certainly useful! There is also a copy of the new JolieMag which features an interview with Therese, the Director at JolieBox UK, a guide on how to do a home manicure, shopping tips and product reviews. There’s also a little card with a 20% discount code for Love Hearts and Crosses Jewellery!
All in all I think this is another great box from JolieBox. Their boxes are consistently good and always absolutely fall in love with at least one of the products (I think it will be the Davines Authentic Moisturising Balm this time)!
If you follow me on twitter you would have seen me mention last week that I received my first beauty box from She Said Beauty. I very nearly resisted the temptation to sign up but after seeing their “25% off first box” offer I crumbled. I just have no willpower!
I really like the colours of this box; it’s a pale mint coloured box with bright pink tissue paper and ribbon and plain straw cushioning all the goodies inside. I think the team at She Said Beauty have done pretty well for their first box; it contains good variety of products covering make-up, haircare, skincare and even your afternoon tea, but they’ve not gone mad with grand sizes or out-there brands.
I really like the colours of this box; it’s a pale mint coloured box with bright pink tissue paper and ribbon and plain straw cushioning all the goodies inside. I think the team at She Said Beauty have done pretty well for their first box; it contains good variety of products covering make-up, haircare, skincare and even your afternoon tea, but they’ve not gone mad with grand sizes or out-there brands.
In my box I received an Orly Manicure Miniature nail polish (5.3ml) in the shade Black Out along with a 180 grit nail file. I love Orly – I don’t love black polish though! If anyone wants to swap with me let me know! I am forever buying new nail files; I have them in my handbag, bathroom, bedroom, everywhere! So this was a great little bonus.
I also received an Aveda Smooth Infusion Trio pack which contains 10ml tubes of Shampoo, Conditioner and Style-Prep Smoother. I took this pack to Center Parcs at the weekend. I like the shampoo and conditioner, but not particularly impressed with the Style-Prep Smoother. I can’t stand how it smells – kind of like aniseed – but not only that it didn’t really do much for my hair. My hair didn’t really shine after blow-drying but the packet does mention using their Glossing Straightener (not included) as a finishing step. Perhaps if I used that as well my hair would look a lot better, if that’s the case I think it would have been a good idea for Aveda to include that in the pack too.
I was really pleased to see a tube of Collection 2000 Cream Puff 5ml in my box – I received shade Fairy Cake. I already own a Cream Puff in another shade, I love it! It's a lip cream with a matt, velvety finish. They leave your lips looking so soft and smooth with a wicked pop of colour. I haven’t bought anything from Collection 2000 since I was a teen until buying Cream Puff a couple of months ago. Now I’m hooked, it gets a total thumbs up from me.
Premae Harmony Face Balm is another product I took to Center Parcs and I love it. I used it instead of a moisturiser and it’s fab. It’s a solid balm which softens to an almost oil-like consistency. I was worried that it might make me look or feel a bit greasy but actually it absorbs super fast! It smells amazing – mango and lemongrass, mmm mmmmm! I was in the swimming pool a lot at the weekend and this stuff was a skin saviour afterwards. I also used it on the kids’ faces as they had a bit of dry skin and it worked wonders on them too. I might buy a tin of this to take on holiday. Great product!
The last product in my box was Comfort Zone Good Night Kit. This contains a 6ml tub of Renight Recover Cream and a 4ml bottle of Renight Recover Complex. I haven’t tried these out yet but I am looking forward to giving them a go. It says “after cleansing apply the cream and/or the complex”. I’m guessing the Complex is a serum-type of product so I’ll use that and then the cream on top. It also included a little fold-out leaflet with information about other products in the Comfort Zone brand. That’s always handy!
Finally the box contained a bonus item, a Jing Flowering Dragon Eye tea. “A light and fragrant flowering tea made by hand with green tea buds, golden marigold, a chain of white jasmine blossoms and a red amaranth flower.” I know it’s a novelty but I can’t wait to try this! I’ve seen these flowering teas before and they look so beautiful. I do love tea anyway, particularly jasmine white monkey tea, so I imagine I will like this. Coincidentally I have a Jing tea infuser so I’ll be able to see the pretty flower unfurling.
So there you have it, the first beauty box from She Said Beauty. I am impressed with it, I know some people were expecting bigger sizes but I think this box is good as it is. The products are decent sizes and of a good variety. Sadly I am not going to continue my subscription but this is purely down to a money-saving mission rather than anything to do with the box itself. If I could afford to I would carry on!
Have you signed up to She Said Beauty? What did you think?
She Said Beauty - March Beauty Box
If you follow me on twitter you would have seen me mention last week that I received my first beauty box from She Said Beauty. I very nearly resisted the temptation to sign up but after seeing their “25% off first box” offer I crumbled. I just have no willpower!
I really like the colours of this box; it’s a pale mint coloured box with bright pink tissue paper and ribbon and plain straw cushioning all the goodies inside. I think the team at She Said Beauty have done pretty well for their first box; it contains good variety of products covering make-up, haircare, skincare and even your afternoon tea, but they’ve not gone mad with grand sizes or out-there brands.
I really like the colours of this box; it’s a pale mint coloured box with bright pink tissue paper and ribbon and plain straw cushioning all the goodies inside. I think the team at She Said Beauty have done pretty well for their first box; it contains good variety of products covering make-up, haircare, skincare and even your afternoon tea, but they’ve not gone mad with grand sizes or out-there brands.
In my box I received an Orly Manicure Miniature nail polish (5.3ml) in the shade Black Out along with a 180 grit nail file. I love Orly – I don’t love black polish though! If anyone wants to swap with me let me know! I am forever buying new nail files; I have them in my handbag, bathroom, bedroom, everywhere! So this was a great little bonus.
I also received an Aveda Smooth Infusion Trio pack which contains 10ml tubes of Shampoo, Conditioner and Style-Prep Smoother. I took this pack to Center Parcs at the weekend. I like the shampoo and conditioner, but not particularly impressed with the Style-Prep Smoother. I can’t stand how it smells – kind of like aniseed – but not only that it didn’t really do much for my hair. My hair didn’t really shine after blow-drying but the packet does mention using their Glossing Straightener (not included) as a finishing step. Perhaps if I used that as well my hair would look a lot better, if that’s the case I think it would have been a good idea for Aveda to include that in the pack too.
I was really pleased to see a tube of Collection 2000 Cream Puff 5ml in my box – I received shade Fairy Cake. I already own a Cream Puff in another shade, I love it! It's a lip cream with a matt, velvety finish. They leave your lips looking so soft and smooth with a wicked pop of colour. I haven’t bought anything from Collection 2000 since I was a teen until buying Cream Puff a couple of months ago. Now I’m hooked, it gets a total thumbs up from me.
Premae Harmony Face Balm is another product I took to Center Parcs and I love it. I used it instead of a moisturiser and it’s fab. It’s a solid balm which softens to an almost oil-like consistency. I was worried that it might make me look or feel a bit greasy but actually it absorbs super fast! It smells amazing – mango and lemongrass, mmm mmmmm! I was in the swimming pool a lot at the weekend and this stuff was a skin saviour afterwards. I also used it on the kids’ faces as they had a bit of dry skin and it worked wonders on them too. I might buy a tin of this to take on holiday. Great product!
The last product in my box was Comfort Zone Good Night Kit. This contains a 6ml tub of Renight Recover Cream and a 4ml bottle of Renight Recover Complex. I haven’t tried these out yet but I am looking forward to giving them a go. It says “after cleansing apply the cream and/or the complex”. I’m guessing the Complex is a serum-type of product so I’ll use that and then the cream on top. It also included a little fold-out leaflet with information about other products in the Comfort Zone brand. That’s always handy!
Finally the box contained a bonus item, a Jing Flowering Dragon Eye tea. “A light and fragrant flowering tea made by hand with green tea buds, golden marigold, a chain of white jasmine blossoms and a red amaranth flower.” I know it’s a novelty but I can’t wait to try this! I’ve seen these flowering teas before and they look so beautiful. I do love tea anyway, particularly jasmine white monkey tea, so I imagine I will like this. Coincidentally I have a Jing tea infuser so I’ll be able to see the pretty flower unfurling.
So there you have it, the first beauty box from She Said Beauty. I am impressed with it, I know some people were expecting bigger sizes but I think this box is good as it is. The products are decent sizes and of a good variety. Sadly I am not going to continue my subscription but this is purely down to a money-saving mission rather than anything to do with the box itself. If I could afford to I would carry on!
Have you signed up to She Said Beauty? What did you think?
I recently wrote about how impressed I was by the Phyto PhytobaumeColour Protect Express Conditioner sample that came in the January Feel Unique Beauty Box. I loved this hair hero so much that I purchased a full-sized bottle of Phyto Phytobaume Hydration Express Conditioner as well as a bottle of Phyto Phytovolume Volumizing Shampoo. I absolutely love both of these products!
 |
| Phytovolume shampoo 200ml £8.95 & Phytobaume Hydration conditioner 150ml £10.20 from feelunique.com |
I have long, fine, uncoloured hair that is thickened with natural extensions – my hair stylist tells me to use a volumising shampoo for body but use a moisturising conditioner to combat heat damage and the dryness that comes with having longer hair.
Phytobaume Hydration Express Conditioner contains jojoba oil, castor oil and angelica seed extract. Much like the Colour Protect version, it’s fantastic. It’s a hydrating conditioner but it’s not at all heavy on my hair, it rinses out easily and cleanly. There’s nothing worse than standing in the shower for ages trying to rinse your hair clean – luckily not a problem with Phyto! I’ve also found that despite having all this hair, I don’t actually need a huge amount of this conditioner; a blob about the size of a ten pence piece is enough. The conditioner has a very subtle fragrance; it reminds me of unscented body lotion. Imagine smelling shea butter from far away; that’s what it’s like.
Phytovolume Volumizing Shampoo contains yarrow and tormentil extract to add bounce and chitin extract to help the shaft of the hair retain moisture. It comes in a metal bottle which is quite unusual and rather noisy when you drop it. What I wish I had known before using this shampoo for the first time is how runny it is – look, it’s like water!
A LOT went down the plug hole the first time I used it. I’ve tried shaking the bottle first to try to thicken it up but that doesn’t really help, so now I’ve got a technique of cupping my hand to pour a little out, rubbing my hands together and then rubbing my hands over my hair. It has this earthy, sweet kind of smell which I’m guessing is from the natural extracts. Don’t expect a load of lather from this shampoo because you won’t get it. I know well enough by now that foam doesn’t equal clean but a lot of people don’t feel clean without lots of bubbles. My hair rinses clean with just one shampoo which is fab because I use quite a bit of product in my hair.
This shampoo and conditioner combination is really working for me; my hair feels so soft, shiny and light since I’ve been using Phyto with absolutely no hint of build-up. It has body and bounce and looks super healthy. I’m definitely going to keep using this shampoo and conditioner – even if the shampoo is a bit annoying to use – and I really want to try out one of the Phyto Day Creams next.
Do you use Phyto? Have you got any tips to make shampooing easier?!
Phyto Haircare
I recently wrote about how impressed I was by the Phyto PhytobaumeColour Protect Express Conditioner sample that came in the January Feel Unique Beauty Box. I loved this hair hero so much that I purchased a full-sized bottle of Phyto Phytobaume Hydration Express Conditioner as well as a bottle of Phyto Phytovolume Volumizing Shampoo. I absolutely love both of these products!
|
| Phytovolume shampoo 200ml £8.95 & Phytobaume Hydration conditioner 150ml £10.20 from feelunique.com |
I have long, fine, uncoloured hair that is thickened with natural extensions – my hair stylist tells me to use a volumising shampoo for body but use a moisturising conditioner to combat heat damage and the dryness that comes with having longer hair.
Phytobaume Hydration Express Conditioner contains jojoba oil, castor oil and angelica seed extract. Much like the Colour Protect version, it’s fantastic. It’s a hydrating conditioner but it’s not at all heavy on my hair, it rinses out easily and cleanly. There’s nothing worse than standing in the shower for ages trying to rinse your hair clean – luckily not a problem with Phyto! I’ve also found that despite having all this hair, I don’t actually need a huge amount of this conditioner; a blob about the size of a ten pence piece is enough. The conditioner has a very subtle fragrance; it reminds me of unscented body lotion. Imagine smelling shea butter from far away; that’s what it’s like.
Phytovolume Volumizing Shampoo contains yarrow and tormentil extract to add bounce and chitin extract to help the shaft of the hair retain moisture. It comes in a metal bottle which is quite unusual and rather noisy when you drop it. What I wish I had known before using this shampoo for the first time is how runny it is – look, it’s like water!
A LOT went down the plug hole the first time I used it. I’ve tried shaking the bottle first to try to thicken it up but that doesn’t really help, so now I’ve got a technique of cupping my hand to pour a little out, rubbing my hands together and then rubbing my hands over my hair. It has this earthy, sweet kind of smell which I’m guessing is from the natural extracts. Don’t expect a load of lather from this shampoo because you won’t get it. I know well enough by now that foam doesn’t equal clean but a lot of people don’t feel clean without lots of bubbles. My hair rinses clean with just one shampoo which is fab because I use quite a bit of product in my hair.
This shampoo and conditioner combination is really working for me; my hair feels so soft, shiny and light since I’ve been using Phyto with absolutely no hint of build-up. It has body and bounce and looks super healthy. I’m definitely going to keep using this shampoo and conditioner – even if the shampoo is a bit annoying to use – and I really want to try out one of the Phyto Day Creams next.
Do you use Phyto? Have you got any tips to make shampooing easier?!
In the February Feel Unique Beauty Box I received a bottle of Leighton Denny Nail Colour in the shade “Steel Appeal”, which is a dark, inky grey with a slight shimmer. It’s quite an extreme colour for me as I’m used to wearing pinks and reds; whenever I do venture over the dark side I tend to still play it safe with purples.
Still, I decided to give it a go to see if my mind would change once I had actually applied it. I have to say I dont really like the brush with this polish; it's a little too floppy and the shape is all wrong. The consistency on the other hand (no pun intended) is superb, it goes on evenly and gloop-free and dries to a perfectly smooth finish. I've applied two coats and the colour has come out really dark and deep.
To be honest I still wasn't really feeling this colour, it seems kind of corporate! I remembered that I had a bottle of OPI Gold Shatter Nail Laquer which I had received in the December Joliebox Beauty Box.
At the time I received it, I had been wearing a pale pink nail polish so just applied the gold shatter over the top - it looked dreadful. I remember thinking at the time that it would look so much better over a darker shade of nail polish but I never got round to trying it. Time to test the theory...
Sadly artificial light doesn't show the shatter effect as well as it looks in real life, but the lack of decent daylight in these winter months is beating me and my daylight photos didn't turn out too well. On the plus side though the artificial light really highlights the glistening gleam of the glitter in the gold polish.
I really like the effect of the gold shatter over this inky dark shade, it's a real statement look. It's clearly not the sort of look I can wear to work, but I think it will look really good for a night out. I've been taking to wearing a lot of head to toe black and styling it up with gold accessories, so really I've just extended my favourite look to my nails.
What do you think?
I really like the effect of the gold shatter over this inky dark shade, it's a real statement look. It's clearly not the sort of look I can wear to work, but I think it will look really good for a night out. I've been taking to wearing a lot of head to toe black and styling it up with gold accessories, so really I've just extended my favourite look to my nails.
What do you think?
NOTD: Black and Gold
In the February Feel Unique Beauty Box I received a bottle of Leighton Denny Nail Colour in the shade “Steel Appeal”, which is a dark, inky grey with a slight shimmer. It’s quite an extreme colour for me as I’m used to wearing pinks and reds; whenever I do venture over the dark side I tend to still play it safe with purples.
Still, I decided to give it a go to see if my mind would change once I had actually applied it. I have to say I dont really like the brush with this polish; it's a little too floppy and the shape is all wrong. The consistency on the other hand (no pun intended) is superb, it goes on evenly and gloop-free and dries to a perfectly smooth finish. I've applied two coats and the colour has come out really dark and deep.
To be honest I still wasn't really feeling this colour, it seems kind of corporate! I remembered that I had a bottle of OPI Gold Shatter Nail Laquer which I had received in the December Joliebox Beauty Box.
At the time I received it, I had been wearing a pale pink nail polish so just applied the gold shatter over the top - it looked dreadful. I remember thinking at the time that it would look so much better over a darker shade of nail polish but I never got round to trying it. Time to test the theory...
Sadly artificial light doesn't show the shatter effect as well as it looks in real life, but the lack of decent daylight in these winter months is beating me and my daylight photos didn't turn out too well. On the plus side though the artificial light really highlights the glistening gleam of the glitter in the gold polish.
I really like the effect of the gold shatter over this inky dark shade, it's a real statement look. It's clearly not the sort of look I can wear to work, but I think it will look really good for a night out. I've been taking to wearing a lot of head to toe black and styling it up with gold accessories, so really I've just extended my favourite look to my nails.
What do you think?
I really like the effect of the gold shatter over this inky dark shade, it's a real statement look. It's clearly not the sort of look I can wear to work, but I think it will look really good for a night out. I've been taking to wearing a lot of head to toe black and styling it up with gold accessories, so really I've just extended my favourite look to my nails.
What do you think?
I’ve not done a post on any beauty boxes for a while, but the February Feel Unique Beauty Box (£9.95) has blown me away so I just had to tell you about it. The theme is “Fall In Love...” and it’s a real head to toe package full of scrummy, high-end brands.
Elemis Exotic Lime and Ginger Hand and Body Wash (100ml)
I adore Elemis products, love love love them, yet generally find them too expensive to buy for everyday use. This stuff normally costs £18.40 for 300ml. It’s a gorgeous fresh scent; I expected it to smell quite zingy since its lime and ginger, but it’s much more subtle than that. In a nutshell, it smells like a spa. I can’t wait to use this - I won’t want to get out of the shower!
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (40ml)
I have tried and loved this product before; it’s a fantastic treatment and makes such a difference to the condition of my hair but at £22.30 for 150ml it’s another one of those products that I can’t really afford on a regular basis. So you can imagine my delight at seeing this in the box! You put it on your hair for 15-20 minutes and then shampoo and condition as normal. Trust me, it’s brilliant.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (10ml)
Another product for me to get excited about as I seem to be getting a little bit obsessed with oils recently! I’m thinking about saving this multi-tasking gem to take on holiday with me as it can be used on the face, body and hair, it can also be used on kiddies AND it smells beautiful! It has that holiday smell, the scent of warm sandy skin and evening blossoms. Heaven! At £17.00 for 50ml I can see myself buying a full sized bottle.
Decleor Phytopeel Natural Exfoliating Cream (15ml)
This is a smooth creamy exfoliator rather than the “gritty” kind that I am used to. Thinking about it, I’m not sure if I have ever used any Decleor products before. It smells similar to Elemis skincare – that slightly floral, slightly herbal sort of smell. I’m a bit of a fan of exfoliation so I’m really looking forward to trying this. The usual price is £23.40 for 50ml so it’s another high end product.
Leighton Denny High Performance Nail Colour in Steel Appeal (4.6ml)
This isn’t the sort of colour I would normally go for, but that’s what I love about these beauty boxes, they force you to broaden your horizons. The shade is an shimmering, inky grey-black and applies like a dream. I’ve applied 2 coats in the photo, and whilst I’d need to wear it a few days to be able to form a proper opinion, so far I’m impressed. The price for a 12ml full size bottle is £11.00.
With these beauty boxes you’ll often find a perfume sample, and this month it was Kokorico by Jean-Paul Gaultier. An interesting move by Feel Unique, as I was sure this was a men’s fragrance as I’d read about it on The Chap Blog. Oh well, the boyfriend likes it!
I think this may just be Feel Unique’s best box yet. There was no hype (that I saw) leading up to this box which made it all the more special when I opened it, I was truly surprised and pleased with what I received this month.
Did you receive this month’s box? What colour nail polish did you get?
Feel Unique - February Beauty Box
I’ve not done a post on any beauty boxes for a while, but the February Feel Unique Beauty Box (£9.95) has blown me away so I just had to tell you about it. The theme is “Fall In Love...” and it’s a real head to toe package full of scrummy, high-end brands.
Elemis Exotic Lime and Ginger Hand and Body Wash (100ml)
I adore Elemis products, love love love them, yet generally find them too expensive to buy for everyday use. This stuff normally costs £18.40 for 300ml. It’s a gorgeous fresh scent; I expected it to smell quite zingy since its lime and ginger, but it’s much more subtle than that. In a nutshell, it smells like a spa. I can’t wait to use this - I won’t want to get out of the shower!
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (40ml)
I have tried and loved this product before; it’s a fantastic treatment and makes such a difference to the condition of my hair but at £22.30 for 150ml it’s another one of those products that I can’t really afford on a regular basis. So you can imagine my delight at seeing this in the box! You put it on your hair for 15-20 minutes and then shampoo and condition as normal. Trust me, it’s brilliant.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse (10ml)
Another product for me to get excited about as I seem to be getting a little bit obsessed with oils recently! I’m thinking about saving this multi-tasking gem to take on holiday with me as it can be used on the face, body and hair, it can also be used on kiddies AND it smells beautiful! It has that holiday smell, the scent of warm sandy skin and evening blossoms. Heaven! At £17.00 for 50ml I can see myself buying a full sized bottle.
Decleor Phytopeel Natural Exfoliating Cream (15ml)
This is a smooth creamy exfoliator rather than the “gritty” kind that I am used to. Thinking about it, I’m not sure if I have ever used any Decleor products before. It smells similar to Elemis skincare – that slightly floral, slightly herbal sort of smell. I’m a bit of a fan of exfoliation so I’m really looking forward to trying this. The usual price is £23.40 for 50ml so it’s another high end product.
Leighton Denny High Performance Nail Colour in Steel Appeal (4.6ml)
This isn’t the sort of colour I would normally go for, but that’s what I love about these beauty boxes, they force you to broaden your horizons. The shade is an shimmering, inky grey-black and applies like a dream. I’ve applied 2 coats in the photo, and whilst I’d need to wear it a few days to be able to form a proper opinion, so far I’m impressed. The price for a 12ml full size bottle is £11.00.
With these beauty boxes you’ll often find a perfume sample, and this month it was Kokorico by Jean-Paul Gaultier. An interesting move by Feel Unique, as I was sure this was a men’s fragrance as I’d read about it on The Chap Blog. Oh well, the boyfriend likes it!
I think this may just be Feel Unique’s best box yet. There was no hype (that I saw) leading up to this box which made it all the more special when I opened it, I was truly surprised and pleased with what I received this month.
Did you receive this month’s box? What colour nail polish did you get?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
