It's that time of year where bad hair days are totally inevitable. Here are some products that I've been trying out to help combat the frizz.
Schwarzkopf Got2B All Star 10-in1 Styling Treatment
This product boasts that it can do TEN things for your hair. What are they? Shine, fullness, strength, thickness, smoothness, suppleness, protection, anti-frizz, anti-humidity, and shape.
It costs just under a fiver, which is pretty good for what it claims to offer. I'm pretty happy with this, it does make my hair sleeker and slightly less frizzy, but it doesn't tame it completely. (I'm yet to find anything that really does though!)
It's worth trying out if you're on a budget and looking for something to help combat those bad hair days though.
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Shine Deep Treatment
This is probably the best conditioning treatment I've used. It's the only product that consistently makes my hair softer, shinier and more manageable. And, at less than a fiver, it's really pretty cheap too.
I always re-purchase this, because I can't bear to run out of it. So it probably goes without saying that I'd definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Give it a try, it's really good!
I always re-purchase this, because I can't bear to run out of it. So it probably goes without saying that I'd definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone. Give it a try, it's really good!
Toni & Guy Prep Heat Protection Mist
I like Toni & Guy hair stuff. (Especially seeing as this was only a couple of quid.) I'm trying to give my hair as much of a break as possible each week from heat styling, but sometimes only GHDs will do to tame my hair, and that's where this product comes into play.
The scent is lovely and subtle, and it seems to ease frizz slightly too. Plus it's always nice to be reassured that I'm protecting my poor hair from all the heat I subject it to.
John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Creme Serum
Ahhh, Frizz Ease. I picked this up in Boots the other week by chance, having not used anything from the range for years. I've mainly been using this to try and tame frizz after I've finished styling my hair, but you can use this before blow drying. It's pretty good at taming flyaways and calming down the frizziness that's inevitable at this time of year.
It's slightly pricier than all of the other products on my list, but it's pretty flippin' good, so it's probably worth it.
Co Lab Dry Shampoo - Paris
This is part of Ruth Crilly's range of dry shampoos. Now, I'll be honest, I'm really not a fan of dry shampoo at all. I've never found one that I would consider using on a regular basis, or as an alternative to washing my hair if the option to wash it properly wasn't there.
Co Lab is probably the nicest one I've found, for a couple of reasons: It doesn't make my hair look grey/white (so people don't mistake me for an old lady), and it doesn't make my hair too much frizzier.
There are an array of different scents (all named after different cities) in the range, but I picked up Paris, in the hope that it would make me feel more cosmopolitan and Parisian. (It didn't.)
There are an array of different scents (all named after different cities) in the range, but I picked up Paris, in the hope that it would make me feel more cosmopolitan and Parisian. (It didn't.)
This would probably be the dry shampoo brand that I'd opt for first, but it's not something I'd ordinarily pick up and use unless I really had to.
Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?
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VERY Belated Favourites time!
Sleek Blush in Rose Gold
I did feature this quite recently in my latest YouTube video (which you can watch here.) I bought it a while back as it's a dupe for a certain NARS blush. The NARS one is £23, whilst the Sleek version is £4.49 and they're really pretty similar!
It's lovely, with a little bit of gold shimmer in it to make you look a little more radiant. It looks quite dark in my photos, but it doesn't look remarkably red once applied. It's actually quite a pink colour when on your cheeks. It's highly pigmented, so you don't even have to apply loads to get a good coverage.
You can buy this online for £4.49 from Superdrug by clicking here.
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Crosswires
I've been using this lipstick quite a lot lately! It's been described by MAC as "clean pinky orange". Because it's Cremesheen, it's quite moisturising, which is great for this time of year when it's still pretty cold outside!
You can buy this from any MAC store or online for £15.50 by clicking here.
Benefit Roller Lash Mascara
This is an exciting new mascara from Benefit, which I'm sure everybody's already heard of! It came free in a recent edition of Elle Magazine and I'm really happy with it! I prefer it to They're Real and Bad Gal to be honest!
As usual with Benefit mascaras, it's going to cost £19.50 and if you fancy trying it, you can get it directly from Benefit's website by clicking here.
La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo
Yes, I know I keep banging on about this, but it's been a bit of a skincare saviour of late. I've been suffering from horrible spots and has been my go-to moisturiser to deal with the zits. I wrote a full review of this last summer, which you can read here, so I won't go into too much detail here.
You can buy this from Boots for £15.50 by clicking here.
Vo5 Smoothly Does It Serum
I'm not normally a big fan of using serums on my hair, but I love this! I picked it up a few months ago when it was on offer in Boots, but only started using it recently. I'm really pleased with how smooth and sleek my hair looks with this.
Seriously, taming my hair is usually a big job... It's normally an arduous battle with the frizz, but it's nowhere near as bad with this. And it's relatively cheap too!
You can pick this up from Boots for £4.19 by clicking here.
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Now, I haven't done a favourites post for quite a while, ashamedly. So here are my favourites from November!
Costa Coffee Orange Hot Chocolate
I'm not normally a regular drinker of hot chocolate, but this is amazing! When you first take a sip of this, it's just like normal hot chocolate but after a couple of seconds you get this whopping orange kick!
So, at just over £3, it's quite expensive... But it's a gorgeous wintery treat!! And it's nearly Christmas, so you're well within your rights to: A.) eat and drink as much chocolate as possible and B.) treat yourself. So there.
You can pick this lovely drink up at Costa Coffee. You can't order it to be delivered to your house, unfortunately...
Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in 110
I am really getting into my lipsticks at the moment and this is one that I recently picked up in Boots. I was looking for shade 111, because I read somewhere that it's a fantastic Mac Ruby Woo dupe, but they didn't have it, so I picked this one up instead.
For saying it's a matte lipstick, it's not drying, which makes it perfect for this time of year! It's also so much cheaper than Mac Ruby Woo (about £10 cheaper...) so I would definitely recommend this one for those of you on a budget!
Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick costs £5.49 from Boots; which you can buy by clicking here.
VO5 Nourish My Shine Bedazzling Oil Heat Protector
Oh my goodness, why have I only just discovered this?! It's brilliant! I bought it a few weeks ago and I've used it pretty much every day since. It was a lifesaver when I was on my BBC work placement because I spent quite a lot of time outside, and this stopped my hair from descending into a frizzy mess.
You spray it on your hair before blow drying and it adds shine, but also conditions as well as being a heat protector! It's a jack of all trades, this one.
You spray it on your hair before blow drying and it adds shine, but also conditions as well as being a heat protector! It's a jack of all trades, this one.
This costs £4.99 and you can buy it from Boots by clicking here.
Zoella Beauty Body Lotion
Everybody's been raving about the Zoella Beauty range since it came out in September, and I must admit that I bought a couple of goodies on the day they were released (yes, I'm a saddo, I know...)
I've been meaning to write about them for ages. Literally. Sorry.
I love this body lotion. For starters, it smells wonderful. Secondly, it lasts all day on your skin. It's not overbearing or greasy; but it's still really moisturising. This would also make a brilliant stocking filler for someone!
I've been meaning to write about them for ages. Literally. Sorry.
I love this body lotion. For starters, it smells wonderful. Secondly, it lasts all day on your skin. It's not overbearing or greasy; but it's still really moisturising. This would also make a brilliant stocking filler for someone!
It costs £5 and you can buy it from Feel Unique by clicking here.
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara
I must admit that I didn't like this to begin with (back in those halcyon days where I shunned natural-looking lashes and went around with ones like spider legs instead...) but recently I've been using this as my every day mascara.
It's perfect for creating a fantastic day look. It's not over the top, but it's definitely enough to give your lashes lift and volume. It's nothing too showy, but it's just a great 'traditional' mascara.
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara costs £7.99 from Boots, which you can buy by clicking here!
I am going to be writing about my top 2014 favourites very soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
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Whatever you say about Lee Stafford, you know he loves his Caps lock.
Yes, he may be inconsistent with his capitals, which grates on me a little, but these hair sprays aren't bad.
(These are the travel size ones, because they're cheaper and I'm tight.)
Shine Head is a shine spray, which is supposed to make your locks glisten and Dehumidifier spray is supposed to help your hair to stay straight whilst also keeping frizz at bay.
With both these sprays, it's very hard to get the balance between using the right amount and using too much; which is enough to make your hair greasy in an instant. They are quite good, except for the whole 'potential greasy hair thing'. I normally save them for those days where my hair's looking very lacklustre or if it's chucking it down outside.
(If you do get it wrong and overdo it, a little spritz of dry shampoo seems to do the trick.)
The full sized tins of these products cost £5.99 each from Boots, which you can buy here: Shine Head & Dehumidifier.
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I received this in my August Glossybox and promised to write about it properly! So here you are...
It's worth noting, before I start rambling, that I only received a sample size tube. The full-sized tub is much bigger than the tube in my pictures!
This is a pre-conditioning treatment; so you pop it on your hair before you shampoo. It's specifically designed for damaged hair; to rejuvenate it and give your locks more bounce and elasticity. (Hence the name...) It's packed full of oils, silicone and Elastin to keep your barnet in better condition.
Apparently this was made especially for Audrey Hepburn; so surely it's good? She asked Philip Kingsley to make a product that would keep her hair looking healthy and shiny after it was coloured regularly during her film career.
This product seems to receive universal positive reviews, but you know how critical I can be... My hair did feel much softer after using it and it was definitely less frizzy; but it didn't do much in the way of detangling - My mane can be hard to tame at the best of times, so it would literally be a miracle product if it detangled too!
As an aside, something that surprised me was that there was no scent to the product. I'm so used to haircare products having various different scents, that it was a bit weird at first... And, apparently, Elasticizer also gives your locks UV protection, which is great if you're basking in the sun on your holidays or live in warmer climes! (Lucky you...)
As an aside, something that surprised me was that there was no scent to the product. I'm so used to haircare products having various different scents, that it was a bit weird at first... And, apparently, Elasticizer also gives your locks UV protection, which is great if you're basking in the sun on your holidays or live in warmer climes! (Lucky you...)
It costs £28 for a full-size (150ml) tub, which is quite expensive, isn't it? I'm not sure that I could justify spending that much money on a pre-conditioning treatment regularly. This was the original product of its type, but there are a range of alternatives out there; many of which are cheaper if you're on a budget...
To apply: You wet your hair, apply evenly, work it into your hair, then cover your head with a shower cap (or cling film) and leave it for 10 to 20 minutes before washing out and washing your hair as normal.
Adding another step to your haircare routine isn't ideal if you're always in a morning rush like me. However, you can also use this as an overnight hair mask too. To do that: damp your hair slightly, apply a blob of Elasticizer through your hair and wash out in the morning.
It's recommended that you use the product a minimum of once a week to give it the maximum effect. Twice a week if you've got processed curly or frizzy hair.
Yes, it's that time of the month again. (No, not that one...)
Belatedly, here are my favourite products from August 2014!
Tangle Teezer
I was only introduced to this quite recently, when I had my hair cut. The hairdresser suggested that I'd benefit from one... I don't know quite how to take that...? Anyway, I was put off by the hefty price (£10.99) but ever since I caved and bought one, I seriously haven't regretted it.
I've been using this every day and I even took it to London with me last month. It's great! Mine's bright pink and literally glides through my hair. As an aside, you can't actually use this while you're drying your hair. It's made of plastic and obviously it would just melt...
I would definitely recommend this to those of us with lovely long locks, which are also prone to getting knotted! It's a Godsend!
You can buy Tangle Teezer from Boots for £10.99 by clicking here.
I would definitely recommend this to those of us with lovely long locks, which are also prone to getting knotted! It's a Godsend!
You can buy Tangle Teezer from Boots for £10.99 by clicking here.
Coconut Oil
I've found myself asking over the past few weeks why I've never stumbled across this before? It's amazing!
You can use it as: A hair mask, face mask, face wash, eye cream and goodness knows what else. It's so versatile! One 125ml pot of this cost me £2.25 and a little goes a really long way.
I've mainly been using it as a hair mask overnight. You just scoop some out of the tub, rub it together between your palms to warm it slightly and smear it over the lengths and ends of your hair. By the time you wash it out in the morning, your hair will feel beautifully soft and more manageable.
You can buy Coconut Oil from Superdrug here.
The Zapper contains salicylic acid, which is proven to kill those horrid zits. A little goes really far and it's got a rollerball so it's incredibly easy to apply. At £1.95, you really can't complain!
You can buy this wonderful product for £1.95 by clicking here!
I've mainly been using it as a hair mask overnight. You just scoop some out of the tub, rub it together between your palms to warm it slightly and smear it over the lengths and ends of your hair. By the time you wash it out in the morning, your hair will feel beautifully soft and more manageable.
You can buy Coconut Oil from Superdrug here.
ELF Zit Zapper
For the millionth time, I'll remind you of the fact that I've recently had an awful breakout... (Yawn). I've been using this in my bedtime spot-zapping routine. At £1.95, it's so cheap, but definitely worth its weight in gold!The Zapper contains salicylic acid, which is proven to kill those horrid zits. A little goes really far and it's got a rollerball so it's incredibly easy to apply. At £1.95, you really can't complain!
You can buy this wonderful product for £1.95 by clicking here!
Garnier Micellar Water
I know that there's a lot of controversy surrounding micellar waters and whether they're actually good for your skin... But I've tried a few and I like this one. It seems to glide over my skin, readily taking my makeup off at the end of the day. This particular product is also designed for sensitive skin, so it doesn't irritate those delicate parts of your face.A 400ml bottle normally costs £4.99, but it's on offer at both Boots and Superdrug at the moment - So get it while it's on offer! Garnier claim that 400ml equates to 200 uses; I'm not sure whether that's true, but it's quite impressive if it is.
It washes your skin really gently and this is one of the better micellar waters that I've tried.
Garnier Micellar Water is now £3.33 at Boots, click here to get it now!
Rimmel Wonder'Full Mascara
This is a brand new mascara from Rimmel. I've actually written a full review of this, which is coming very soon, so I won't go into too much detail.You know how picky I can be about mascaras, but this isn't bad.
It retails for £7.99, but I bought it on offer a couple of weeks ago. It contains argon oil, which is everywhere at the moment; and is designed to condition your lashes while you're wearing it.
It gives my lashes nice length, but doesn't go overboard on definition and volume. I would recommend this as a great daytime mascara, but you might want something with a bit more 'oomph' for nights out.
You can get this new mascara from Boots by clicking here.
It's Glossybox's third birthday this month, so to celebrate, they were giving their recipients an extra little gift. My 'birthday bonus' was a little Yves Rocher Nail Varnish. I bought this box with my Glossydots, which makes it even better, because all of the products were technically free!
Yves Rocher Pink Nail Varnish
This retails for £3.60. I received a beautiful pinky-coloured varnish; which is great because I tend to stick to reds/pinks regarding my nails.I've not got round to using this product yet, but as you can see from this picture it's a lovely shade; but it is rather on the tiny side - A 3ml bottle.
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer
This product was specifically made for Audrey Hepburn, so surely it's got to be impressive? At £38 a pop for a full sized tube, it's very far out of my price range; but I'm delighted to give it a try......Having said that, I've not actually had a chance to try this yet because it involves: Applying it on wet hair, wrapping your hair in a towel for 10-20 minutes, then rinsing and washing your hair as normal afterwards. I'm one of those people who's always in a rush when getting ready, so I've seldom got time to add an extra step to my morning routine! However, I promise that I'll talk about it in depth once I've had the chance to try it!
Figs & Rouge Mini Hand Cream
This smells AMAZING. So fruity. A full-sized tube of this costs £6.95, so I'm probably going to use it as a 'treat' - Sticking to cheaper hand creams for daily use...* My little booklet tells me that this is readily available from Feel Unique.The smell actually reminds me of Parma Violets. You know the random purple sweets? A bit like them.
After using this (quite sparingly) my hands feel much softer. It soaks in really quickly and there's not a lot of residue that's left behind - So hopefully no greasy fingerprints everywhere and things sliding out of your hands, like you get with some hand creams...
I've learned the hard way not to try and handwrite stuff after using hand cream. It never goes well.
The packaging's really bright and ensures that it stands out. It reminds me of L'Occitane Rose Tenderness Shea Butter Hand Cream, but it's about half the price! The packaging is similar in style (but not colour), the quality of the product feels just as high to me... The only thing that's different is the aroma.
*I'm really tight with my money...
Kryolan for Glossybox - Highlighter Cashmere
I'm really getting into my highlighter at the moment, so I'm pleased to try a new one. I've always used liquid highlighters (like Me Me Me's Beat the Blues, Benefit's High Beam or ELF's Radiance Enhancer) or powders (like Sleek's), so I was intrigued to try a cream-based highlighter for the first time.My initial thoughts? A little seems to go a really long way. It's easy to apply and looks great. It's quite a shimmery golden finish but looks subtle at the same time, which is something I always look for in a highlighter. You don't want people guessing that you're wearing it from ridiculously shiny cheekbones/browbones/noses etc.
This product costs £12.95 for a 4.5g pot.
Lalique L'Amour
I'm sure I've mentioned before that I'm a cheapskate, especially when it comes to perfumes. If you receive beauty boxes yourself, you'll be aware that you only receive small samples of perfumes. A full size bottle of this is a whopping £67, so definitely out of my price range.It smells lovely. That's about all I have to say about all perfumes, to be honest. I'm hardly a connoisseur.
Normally perfume samples (of which I've had quite a few from Glossybox over the past few months) come with an atomiser, but this is literally a tube with a removable lid, which then reveals a top with holes in it that you have to shake over yourself to get it out! So, as you can imagine, I looked like a complete idiot in order to smell impressive. (Maybe I was doing it wrong?)
It's described as: 'A sensuous floral fragrance, a love potion for absolute seduction'. Ooooh. So if you're looking to seduce someone, this is the perfume to wear... Apparently.
I've not tried doing that myself. Nor have I attracted shedloads of men (or any men at all, actually) whilst wearing this perfume.
Essence - I Love Extreme - Crazy Volume Mascara
I'm a mascara junkie. I well and truly hold my hands up. I'm also incredibly picky when it comes to mascara, so it takes a really good product to please me.This costs £2.79. It's wonderfully cheap and cheery. The packaging is bright and eye-catching. You can't miss the bright pink tube with bold black lettering across it.
I really like the brush; it's longer than your average mascara applicator and bristles are made of plastic. One thing that I wasn't keen on was how clumpy it can get. I really can't bear clumpy mascara... The first time I used it, it was fine. The second time, however, it did cake my eyelashes in mascara a little too much. I had to use an old (clean) Max Factor False Lash Effect brush to try and save my eyes from looking like the legs of a fat spider. I'm undecided as to whether I'd use this mascara on a regular basis.
I've never tried anything from the Essence range before, but I always enjoy discovering new and cheaper brands from Glossybox.
After visiting their website, I'm reliably informed that they're a relatively new company and my nearest Essence stocker is actually Wilkos. Seeing as they're everywhere up and down the UK, I'm sure that this product is really easy to get your hands on! (I've not been to Wilkos for ages, which is probably why I've not seen it!)
Thanks for reading!
Katie
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Ooooh. How exciting is this? Not very, you could argue... But please don't. I'm going to take you through my top five all time favourite products! Surely you're at least a little excited now...?
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
I buy the lightest shade which is 1 Fair. I mainly use it to conceal the dark circles under my eyes, and I'll let you into a secret: The older I get, the more of this I seem to get through. It's quite depressing really.
This miracle product retails for £4.19, but Boots have it on offer every now and again. The fact that it's quite often out of stock is a testament to how good this is (and how much everybody already knows about it...)
It also covers up spots wonderfully and seems to last pretty much all day. I don't know where I'd be without it.
Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara
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| I'm getting better at balancing mascara, aren't I? |
I know it's not to everyone's taste, but I love this mascara. It gives my eyelashes a dramatic lift and volume to make my eyes noticeable, without making them look too 'spidery'. I normally use Black/Brown because I have blue eyes and I don't want to emphasise them too much for daytime wear. However, the Black is great too.
Granted, at £10.99, it's quite expensive for a high street mascara. However, I'll also let you into another secret, Fragrance Direct are selling it for £7.99... You can thank me later...
Max Factor also offer waterproof and 24 hour versions* of this mascara, but I still tend to opt for the bog-standard one.
*Who's wearing mascara for 24 hours in one go anyway?
Vitapointe Leave-In Conditioner
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| I really need to buy some more, don't I? |
It costs £2.09 or £2.29, depending on where you shop. You can use this during the day, but I prefer to use it at night as a 'hair mask'. It's a white cream that smells quite 'soapy' to me and it just makes your hair look a lot healthier whilst making it feel softer too.
If you suffer from frizzy hair, this is such a great product to tame it with! It's so understated, but it's honestly a brilliant product and it won't break the bank either!
Palmer's Cocoa Butter Body Lotion
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| Yellow, gooey bliss in a bottle. |
It's bright yellow, super-nourishing and smells gorgeous; quite chocolatey. As someone who's quite picky when it comes to body lotion, I'm always after a good all-round product and this is probably my favourite 'cheaper' one. One problem is that it's quite difficult to get out of the bottle towards the end, because it's just so gloopy.
It's also supposed to be quite good at reducing the appearance of stretch marks and it's much cheaper than other alternatives which boast about having mark-reducing qualities.
The price normally ranges from about £4-£6, depending on what size bottle you buy.
Anatomicals Body Washes
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| Sud the Lot of You... |
I'm a huge fan of Anatomicals. With their tagline: 'We only want you for your body', they're a comical brand who don't really take themselves too seriously.
I have a bit of an obsession with their body washes, which I use every day. I've built up quite a collection of them over the past year or so, from 'Sud the Lot of You' and 'You Should Be So Mucky (Mucky, Mucky, Mucky)' to 'Shower to the People'.
They put a great deal of effort in to ensure that the names are funny and the packaging is littered with jokes too. All of the body washes that I've tried smell amazing and they also lather up really well too.
A little goes a long way and a bottle costs between £2 and £3. You can buy them from ASOS, Superdrug and selected Morrisons stores, I believe.
Have you tried any of the above products? Do you love them as much as I do?
Thanks for reading!
Katie
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