A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

…and she really, really does.

I rarely get really excited about haircare – it’s happened 3 times so far this year.  First, with Pantene’s new Aqualight which I’d still be using now if my sensitive scalp hadn’t kicked up a fuss about it.  Secondly with my mysterious high street deep conditioner (don’t get too excited, it’s only mysterious ‘cos I haven’t written the review yet) and thirdly, with this fabulous offering from Liz Earle.

If you’re a regular beauty blog reader, I know that you will have read at least 10 other reviews on these products seeing as they’ve done the ‘blog rounds’ in recent months and I wish I could bring something new and exciting to the table.  But really, all I can do is offer up another rave on how lovely these products are.

Whilst I may not be sold on the powers of the original Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (I prefer my Cleansing Oil routines), I have always been impressed with the philosophy behind it of finding a gentle but effective product to suit all skintones.  The same philosophy has been applied to the Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo (only for hairtypes) and for mine?  It works like a dream.

On a completely superficial level, I adore the scent.  I think it’s easy to underestimate just how big an influence scent plays in our bathing products.  In my bathroom, it’s right up there with performance… my haircare needs to smell divine, or I’m just not interested.  This smells… divine.  It’s understated, fruity and most importantly… clean-smelling and non-artificial.  It leaves my locks delicately scented without being overpowering.

The texture of the shampoo is almost slightly gel-like and the quantity shown above is about the amount I use to wash my hair.  Adding just a small amount of water, I lather the mixture up between my hands before applying to the roots of my hair.  Considering this is a SLS/SLES shampoo, I’m impressed with the amount of lather I can achieve.  My hair rinses clean in under a minute and actually feels clean (though not squeaky).  I only need one wash… none of that rinse and repeat stuff.  It cleanses my hair effectively and leaves my scalp happy and calm.

I was also sent the conditioner for dry or damaged hair (one of the three varieties available) and it’s a very thick, almost masque-like opaque cream.  Rich with shea butter and yangu oil (known for it’s inherent uv protection), the conditioner offers a deeply moisturising experience.  I tend to keep this away from my roots and concentrate instead on the ends and main hair shaft.  It lacks the tell-tale silicone slip that if I’m honest… I still miss but does prevent my hair from taking on a straw-like appearance once dry.

The scent of the conditioner is heavier than the shampoo and to my nose, I smell licorice which I’m putting down to the Rose-Scented Geranium essential oil… a scent that has always reminded me more of anise and licorice than roses!  Love it.

Both shampoo and conditioner come in two sizes (50ml and 200ml) and are priced at £4/£7.50 respectively.  Despite a full month’s use… I’ve only used half a bottle of the shampoo and will absolutely be repurchasing.  The conditioner tube is nearly empty and I’m not quite in love with it enough to repurchase.

Liz Earle’s new haircare ranges can be purchased online.  I’m not sure if they’re available from John Lewis, which would be my preferred source (I know the candles/bath oils aren’t) – I’ll check and get back to you on that one.

My hair is pretty dry at the best of times but now the outside temperature is beginning to drop and we’re cranking up the central heating in response, it’s time to start paying close attention to maintaining our moisture levels.  And I’m not talking about the amount of vodka in our blood-streams.

Guy Kremer‘s salon in Winchester (my nearest town – I wish that made me posh by association) is a rather lovely place.  I once had the pleasure of visiting when they miraculously managed to transform my Aunt’s rather horrible NHS cancer wig into something that actually resembled natural hair.  I’ve been a fan ever since.

Here’s some tips from the celebrity stylist himself on how to combat dull, dry, limp and lifeless Winter hair.

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1. Book an appointment for a trim to get rid of those split ends and prevent further damage to your hair.

2. Take quick remedial action by using a deeply penetrating hair repair treatment, which will deliver a dramatic improvement in condition and shine.  After shampooing and rinsing hair thoroughly, blot dry with a towel and work conditioner into your hair, distributing evenly.  Massage gently, using circular movements of the fingers then leave for 3-5 minutes so the nourishing ingredients can penetrate the hair shaft infusing it with moisture and nutrients.  Comb through using a wide toothcomb before rinsing and styling as normal.

3. Blot dry with a towel, do not rub or you will ruffle the cuticle, which depletes shine. Smooth and nourish hair with a styling product, for straight hair using Straightening Balm for curly, Curl Cream. After drying smooth on a few drops of serum which coats each hair with a fine film of silicone that smoothes the cuticle, eliminates frizz, creates texture and adds shine. It also stops hair absorbing moisture from the atmosphere which can make your style drop.

4. Help restore the natural moisture balance in your hair by using specialist shampoos and conditioners for dry, frizzy hair.  These help restore natural vitality that has been lost by the damaging UV rays.  Tinted hair will be suffering from fade caused by the sun.  Refresh colour by asking your hairdresser for a semi-permanent in the same shade as normal.  It will add instant lustre and enrich the colour.

5. Bleached or highlighted hair will have soaked up minerals and chemicals from swimming pools and may well be showing signs of a green tinge.  Use a deep cleansing shampoo to strip away deposits and restore natural lustre.

6. Natural curls or permed tresses could be suffering from damaged or lifted cuticles which, makes hair look dull and be prone to tangle.  Boost curls using an energising spray which will add life.  Follow by warming a few drops of serum in palms and work through outer layers of hair to give instant shine and suppleness.

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In other news, I’ve just discovered a (new-to-me) high street MIRACLE that’s proving to be more than worth it’s weight in gold this Autumn…. more to come on that soon…

What are your winter hair tips?

Considering that it’s something I’ve been doing since the age of 15, I’m a bit embarrassed to come to the realisation that I know practically nothing about the actual process of hair colouring.

I started going grey when I was 17 and I’ve now reached the point where unless I’m happy to embrace a more natural look (I’m not), I need to dye my hair every 6-8 weeks.

Thankfully, home hair dye technology has reached a stage where it’s pretty darn fantastic.  We can all go to our local chemist and pick up Salon quality products to take home with us at a fraction of the price.

Tints of Nature, based in the New Forest are a local brand to me.  Well, compared to many brands, they’re local to all of us as their products are manufactured within the UK.  Their niche is in the natural hair market where they provide colourants, shampoos and treatments designed to be as gentle on your hair as possible.

The colourants contain no ammonia, sulfates or resorcinol and are paraben free.

Divided into two clear groups: The Natural Colours & The Fashion Colours, both offer permanent coverage.  Sadly, only the Natural Colours are recommended for covering grey hair which for someone like me, rules out the more adventurous shades as I cannot compromise on complete coverage.

I was sent a pack of the Natural Colour permanent dye in shade 2N Natural Darkest Brown for review consideration and I was curious to see how well it would blend with the colour already present once my roots got to that “Oh my god, you ARE NOT leaving the house looking like that” stage.

Perhaps not the most stylish or eye-catching packaging design, what the product lacks in kerb appeal it makes up for in eco-credentials as all components are recycled and recyclable.

You apply as you would any other dye, so it thankfully wasn’t too much for my puny brain to cope with on a Monday evening.

The results were good, natural and all grey was covered well as promised.  I’m not the neatest home hair-dyer in the world and one thing this product excelled at was the oh-so-important “will it come off your ear lobes” test!  It was also  less fumey than my usual Superdrug dye.

At £8.99 a pack, it’s also heading towards being twice the price of my regular product.  I think it’s something I would make the effort to pick up whenever I felt that my hair needed a break from the harsher products on the market.  Do you ever get hair dyers guilt?  When you know that your ends are feeling a bit frazzled but you HAVE to fix those roots?  This is when I’d call on the Tints of Nature range to help me out of a jam.

Tints of Nature products are available to buy online and in certain stockists.  Check the website for details.

I think it’s about time for an update to this post.

It’s been a month and I’ve been sticking to the new routine, using The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare.  Infact, I’ve finished the bottles that I was given at their blogger event in the Summer.

I know it’s taken me a while to review, but not only did my hair need to get used to the new products, I needed to get used to the new routine too.  It’s a big difference going from normal detergents and condtioners and it takes a while to adjust.

So, I’ve been trialling The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture variety which is aimed at dry hair types.  My hair is coloured (frequently) and as a result, a little over-processed and dry.  It needs something that isn’t stripping.

My first impressions of this weren’t positive.  Within the 3rd use, my hair felt like straw.  It was unmanageable and bushy… rough and knotty.  I tried using more conditioner, but didn’t experience any improvements.  I nearly gave up on it completely.

Instead, I tried using it in conjunction with my normal conditioner.  I was worried that by using a normal conditioner, I’d be giving the sls-free shampoo too tough a job to clear my hair of build-up… but for me?  This is working well.

The shampoo takes a little getting used to, it doesn’t lather very well on the hair.  It’s recommended to rub it between your palms to build up a small amount of lather before applying to your hair and this does make a difference.

I simply found that the condtioner didn’t do enough to smooth the hair shaft.  Whilst I’m not in love with either of these products, I would purchase the shampoo again.  It left my hair feeling clean and since getting rid of my scalp issues (thanks Nizoral!) it hasn’t caused any further irritations.

Priced at £4 for 250ml, I think the range is pretty good value for money considering the natural and eco-friendly ingredients, but I’d need to see more moisture from the conditioner before I’d purchase again.

You can buy The Body Shop’s Rainforest Haircare range online or instore.

Any of you bright-eyed sparks noticed the MASSIVE bargain you can bag in Superdrug at the moment?

In my 2 nearest stores, there’s a huge basket near the tills… full to the brim of Batiste Dry Shampoo Sprays.

Choose between: Original, Blush and Tropical (possibly Boho too – can’t remember!).  Sadly no coloured varients or I would have cleared the lot!

I wonder if they’re repackaging?  Curious!

When my hair was long, I craved for hair that could carry off a distinct style… a sharp bob or an angled, chiseled look that would accentuate my non-existent facial bone structure.

Or maybe a pixie cut… channel my inner Jean Seberg, coax her out from inside me kicking and screaming…

Once I opted for a basic razored bob, I was in heaven.  For about 3 weeks.

And then it started to grow out and I never really fell in love with it again.

A year and many, many trims later… I’m at that awkward teenage hair stage.  It’s almost on my shoulders.  It’s unruly and it’s disobedient.

I’m completely jonesing these:

I want waves… soft, fluffy bedhead hair.  It’s getting cold and I want hair that keeps the back of my neck toasty warm.

What haircuts are you ladies desiring?  Link me up to some pics – I wanna be inspired!

Holy hairballs Batman.

This is the new Jessica Simpson Bob Wig from the HairDo range created by Ken Paves.

Nothing shouts “I’m wearing a big wiggy wig!” like a wig with this amount of hair in it.  Who has hair that is WIDER than their face?  Seriously… I reckon I could sleep under that.

It would probably look great thinned out… but you’d need a dumper truck to carry away what’s left on the salon floor.

By the way, this is an excellent opportunity to plug the charity My New Hair, founded and inspired by Trevor Sorbie MBE.

My New Hair offer a specialist wig styling service for people suffering from cancer or medical hair loss.  I had the opportunity to see one of their clever stylists in action a couple of years ago at Guy Kremer’s salon in Winchester and there ain’t nothing those wig wizards can’t do to make a NHS wig sparkle!

I went to LUSH last week and one of the things that I came out with was this unattractive looking lump.

Looks like something I’d need a poopa scoopa for to be quite honest.

It smells foul too… whenever I have this anywhere near me, I keep getting flashbacks of when I used to empty my ashtrays.  I’m really selling it to you aren’t I?

I can forgive it all this though if it helps my scalp as it claims…

[stextbox id=”custom” bcolor=”b0c4de” bgcolor=”e6e6fa”]Snake Oil treats dandruff and it smells like it means business. Melt it on to your fingertips, then massage it right into your scalp. Leave the lavender, tea tree and peppermint oils to do their work for twenty minutes or so, and then wash it off with Soak and Float shampoo.[/stextbox]

My hair is coloured, if it strips the colour… it’s going in the bin.  I was told in the store that it would be fine with coloured hair… but the SA was a male student with dreads and a vacant expression.  I’m trying really hard not to discriminate.

Have any of you guys tried the LUSH Snake Oil Scalp Massage Bar?  I’m usually a bit rubbish with anything that I need to put on my scalp.  When you have hair longer than a buzz cut, how the hell do you actually get the product onto your scalp and not just all over your hair?

You can buy the LUSH Snake Oil Scalp Massage bar instore or online.  I paid £4.15.

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By the way, I’m on the 4th wash with the Body Shop SLS Free shampoo/conditioner combo and I’ve promised myself 7 washes minimum with each new brand to give it a fair trial.  So far, it’s not looking that amazing…

TommyGuns haircare range is currently 25% off until the 21st September exclusively at Waitrose.

I can never see this brand’s name without getting this song stuck in my head the rest of the day:

Incidentally, my fav band ever (you don’t really care do you?)

Moving swiftly on…

Go forth and lather up (unless you’re SLS sensitive of course) 😉

I thought up that title while I was in the shower the other morning. D’ya like it?  I’ve always been a bit ‘speshul’.

On a more serious note…. I’ve HAD IT, I’m fed up.  My scalp has been getting steadily worse since the beginning of the year and it’s recently reached the point where I can’t wear black tops anymore.  Nice.

*scratch*

You’ll be pleased to hear I’m not incorporating photographic evidence this time round.

The simple fact is that I don’t know what’s causing it, but having done a little research and listened to some of your fab advice… I’m gonna go SLS free.

I’m not gonna go all OMGSLSWILLGIVEYOUCANCERDONTCHAKNOW? on you – SLS is fine for many, many people.  But it is a known irritant, and I’m gonna simply try elminating it from my hair products to see if it makes a difference for me.

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SLS stands for Sodium Laureth Sulphate/Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, an effective detergent and foaming agent.  It dissolves grime and grease easily and is cheap to product in mass quantities.

Sounds great!  So, what’s the problem?

Well… as it is such an effective detergent… it can be quite harsh and drying on sensitive skins.  I’ve never had a problem using SLS in my body washes, but I’m starting to wonder if my scalp is having sensitivity issues with it.

I’m not an expert… infact… I’m learning as I go along here, so please feel free to add your own knowledge into the comments.

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One of the lovely thing about SLS (yes, there are lovely things) that I’m sure to miss, is it’s exceptional ability to create lovely, lathery bubbles.  I like a product to foam… it makes me feel like it’s really working.  I know that over the years I’ve been conditioned to think that… but I can’t help it!

Also, forgetting the scalp issues for a minute and concentrating just on my hair.  It’s quite fine… I may find that my hair needs the extra clarifying that SLS shampoos offer to stop it looking lank after a while.  I think I’m going to have to try different combinations to find a solution that pleases both my scalp and my hair.

It’s also quite dry from frequent colouring… I wonder what effects going SLS free will have on the dryness?

Confused much?  I am…

*scratch scratch*

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Commonly used alternatives to SLS include ALS (Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate), generally considered to cause less irritation and therefore used by companies such as Neal’s Yard and Sodium Coco-Sulfate which is used by Green People as their detergent of choice.  From what I understand, these surfactants may all still cause irritation in the same way as SLS does…  The difference is that the irritating ‘qualities’ are diluted by comparison.

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There are so many great haircare products on the market nowadays that offer an alternative to SLS and I’m gonna go investigating!  I always assumed that I’d have to part with a small fortune to enjoy an alternative, but brands like the The Body Shop and Naked are already proving otherwise with their high street offerings.  Though, if you do like a bit of luxe in your haircare, then there are some beautifully presented high-end alternatives aswell!

Has anyone else gone SLS-Free?  I feel like it’s such a minefield of misinformation and contradictory opinions!

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge, I could do with the company!

There’s something about textured hair.  I wants it.  Once my hair is washed and dried… it’s a fluffball.  A flat fluffball.  No volume at the roots… fluffy at the ends.  A.K.A – uncool.

I get scared of hair products though, I mean… I’ve just spent 30 minutes washing and blow-drying my hair and I’m hyper aware that whatever I’m gonna apply has the potential of making me look like I need a bloody good hair wash again.

I was sent Schwarzkopf’s OSiS Mess Up Texture Matt Gum which is bizarrely packaged to look somewhat like a sardine can.

Odd packaging aside, it smells delicious.  A bit of a cross between a mango and a bag of opal fruits starburst.  I’d be tempted to spread it on my toast if it didn’t look quite so unappetizing.

An off-white putty greets you when you peel back the protective foil.  The gum is solid in the box, if you turned it upside down (d’ya dare me?) nothing comes out… you could even give it a little shake… *holds breath* no really, you can!

I like the texture, I can run my finger over the surface without actually digging my nail into the gum and I pick up enough product to start working into my hair.  As someone with that morbid fear of using too much product, this is a selling point.  For other, more competent souls… you may wonder why the hell I’ve just wasted the last paragraph.  Tough, it’s my review.

Ultimately, there’s not much more to say… it is indeed matte, and it does indeed texture.  It calms the fluffiness and coats the hair giving each strand greater definition.  My hair doesn’t clump together so much… it just looks… better.

Schwarzkopf OSiS Mess Up Texture Gum is priced at £11.70, though you can currently purchase it from Feel Unique – £9.95 with free delivery.

I don’t get much time to spend on my ‘beauty’ routine, not half as much as I’d like… so any product that promises to multi-task captures my attention quickly!

Davines Authentic Nourishing Oil (£29.20/140ml) is designed to be used on face, hair and body.  A truly multi-tasking masterpiece?  Formulated with 100% natural ingredients, these include organic Carthame Oil, Jojoba, Sunflower and Sesame oils.

They say:

After a shower, while your skin is still wet, massage on your body, face and décolleté. (For additional moisturising power, add a few drops to your face and body cream at night, when your skin is repairing itself).  Smooth a few drops through the ends of the hair to get rid of split ends and don’t forget your hands – they must be protected against the external aggressors.  Massage your hands and cuticles daily.

I already use a body oil which I apply to damp skin – but I’m a total sucker for oils and I can’t stop adding to my collection.  At £29.20, the Davines Authentic Nourishing Oil is a little more than I’d like to pay… although 140ml would last a very long time.

What are your favourite multi-tasking products?