Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Lovesick

With the success of the Lip Butters, Revlon have delved deeper into the lipstick world with this new offering, a lip stain that also acts as a balm. Lip Stains have been around a long time, however many of them tend to come in a liquid form that ends up drying the lips and making them look flaky - not a good look! 

I'm sure those of you that know of this balm stain have also heard the words 'Clinique' and 'Chubby Sticks' thrown around. Unfortunately, I've never tried the Chubby Sticks myself so cannot put in my two cents about the similarity other than the packaging is relatively the same. Both come in crayon form with a silver tip for twisting more lippie out and the colour of the stick is corressponding to that of the product inside.

Lovesick is the colour Emma Stone is wearing in all the promos for this product. It is a pretty, deep pink colour that helps add a pop of colour as well as having a plumping effect. It actually has a subtle minty smell which leads me to believe there may be some plumping properties sneaking in there as well. As this is a balm, it does have a lovely moisturising feel as well as a gorgeous sheen. When it comes to application, the crayon allows ease of use and is very precise, meaning the perfect cupids bow can be created. 

It is very long wearing and I've tested it thoroughly! The colour transfers when the sheen is still noticeable, however this tends to break down after an hour. When lips are stained with colour, they are virtually untouchable. After eating, drinking, kissing and lots of pouting (what an evening!), I found the colour had faded slightly towards the middle of the lips yet the outside outline was still perfect. Don't worry if you can't grab the balm stain for a touch up right away, it doesn't look like a classic lip liner failure. 

Lovesick on the left

 Overall, I think I have fallen in love. Lipsticks are my downfall, unfortunately. I tend to play with my lips quite a lot and end up with colourless lips after an hour! The Revlon Just Bitten Stains have the same quality as a lipstick from application to colour payoff and I cannot wait to get more!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains are available in 7 different shades and you can find them in Boots & Superdrug for an RRP of £7.99. Be quick, however! An introductory offer is still in effect with £2 off!

FOTD - a rather late one

Hello to you lovely bloggers and readers! Just a quick thankyou to everyone that has been supporting this blog recently. I've been very on and off with it since the beginning of the year, trying to find that balance, but it has been the last month that my pageviews have suddenly improved! It's great to know someone out there is actually reading what I have written passionatly about. But let's not get soppy here and move onto the point of this post...a Face Of The Day! Or shall I say yesterday, as this is actually Thursday's face.

Excuse the hair, I had literally just woken up and done my make-up. Bed hair, what a bitch.

 

Lemme break it down for you.

Prep

L'occitane Angelica Hydration Cream

Stila One Step Correct

Revlon Photoready Primer

Face

Bobby Brown Corrector (Bisque)

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Light)

MeMeMe Flawless Finish Cream Foundation (Beige Blush) 

Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder

The Body Shop Bronzer (Golden Bronze)

No. 7 Vital Enlightening Highlighting Powder

Benefit Hervana

Eyes

Accessorize Lovely Day Palette 

MUA Heaven & Earth Palette

Barry M Waterproof Eyeliner (Bold Gold)

L'oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara (Carbon Black)

Mac Eyebrow Pencil (Spiked)

Lips

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (Crush)

Really loving the Accessorize Lovely Day Palette, maybe I will do a night out look with it soon? Reviews to come on the Revlon lip stains but here's a little sneak peek...I LOVE THEM!

Thanks for reading and see you in the next post!

 

Accessorize Lovely Day Palette

I'm going to be honest with you. After years of loving cheap, highstreet makeup and keeping an eye out for the best deals, this palette is my first dabble with Accessorize cosmetics. Although, they have been available for a few years now, it is only recently that the collection has caught my eye due to a massive re brand. The packaging is still cute and sweet, yet doesn't allow a woman to feel embarrassed when picking it out of their bag for a touch up. 

Recently, Accessorize took a big step up in the world of cosmetics and beauty by releasing their very own 32 shade palettes. Such a thing is unheard of in the high street with many palettes accommodating anything between 3 and 15 shades, whilst coastal scents offers their legendary 88 palette. But what if you want a good colour selection without the hefty price tag? That's where Accessorize step in. They've created two 32 palettes boasting gorgeous shimmer and matte shades. The first one, 'You are my everything', has just that, a bit of everything. Shades that are warm, cool, bright and nude, however out of the two it is the bolder palette. The rightly named 'Lovely Day' is the one I picked up from Superdrug and has a gorgeous array of muted colours from a shimmery black to a matte cream.  

For a palette that has such a choice of colours, it is actually a reasonable size and small enough to take on the go. The pans that house the eyeshadows are slightly smaller than your run-of-the-mill eyeshadow, yet easy enough to get the standard eyeshadow brush in. The packaging is wrapped up in an olive-green leopard print along with bright pink roses, something that is fitting with the name of said item. A thin mirror is encased inside that is the perfect size for observing the eye area and a piece of elasticated material holds this palette together. 

The colours are neatly arranged in eight rows, each row of shades complimenting each other. From your darks, to your nudes, to your greens, to your purples and your golds, many different looks can be made. I find the shimmery shades to be incredibly pigmented and very easy to blend, they have a slightly frosty undertone which I dig as well! The matte shades are slightly hit and miss. I did find some of them to be slightly chalky and needed some extra TLC to apply correctly.  

  

But how can I complain when this palette is under a tenner!? I haven't suffered from any fall out from the shadows when applied and, with the use of an eye primer, feel confident the colours will last most of the day. 

Accessorize Lovely Day palette is available at selected Superdrug and Accessorize shops at the price of...wait for it...£8.95! A perfect palette for those on the go!

Summer Lips: Will you go Nude or Colourful?

Summer is (supposedly) here! Whilst I'm sure many of you are changing up your everyday make-up routine to include tinted moisturisers instead of foundations and brightly coloured eyes in favour of dreary nudes, there's a question that I would love to debate. What colour shall I wear on my lips?

Shy Girl by Mac

Whilst I tend to favour a gorgeous nude shade for everyday looks, I feel that they may not necessarily uplift my face and bring out the radiance. However, for those of you that are starting to experiment with colour on the eyes and cheeks, a nude lip will be your best friend in this aspect as it will balance your face and not overdo it. My go to nude is Shy Girl by Mac. A gorgeous peachy beige that shines with moisture and gives my lips some serious sex appeal. I wear it constantly, even when I'm not wearing make-up, it will be a staple on my face. 

 

Poppy by Stila

But Summer is about colour! The flowers have bloomed and the sun is out, up the radiance and add colour to your face! A flash of colour is brilliant for that awake feel and gives you that girly festival-esque look. Some people may think that nothing can beat just adding a pop of colour to the lips, no matter what you are wearing elsewhere on your face, however what if you are going bright on the eyelids? A contrasting lip colour could make or break a look and do you trust yourself that much to be the judge of that? I know I certainly don't have the confidence when it comes to colour sometimes and would just go with the safe option and balance my face with neutral eyes if I felt like a flashy lip.  I tend to wear bright lipsticks on nights out more often, however my favourite day time colour would have to be Stila's Convertible Colour in Poppy.  A creamy product that is great for both lips and cheeks and brilliant to just add that hint of red.

 

So whilst I'm still arguing with myself over what lip colour to choose today (it's 7pm now and I still can't make up my mind), I ask you guys what you think is best? Have a play around with colour this Summer, or just stick to what you know nude? 

Nails: Nude meets glitter

Excuse the messy nail work!

I've got a week off of work! Nails at the ready! Here's something I put together today after seeing a similar offering on Essiebutton's instagram. Who would've thought to put together nude and glitter?  Luckily I already had a nude nail polish and plenty of glitters in my collection, leaving me with Topshop's Sandy Lane and Models Own's Ibiza Mix. I am really loving this look, it's casual meets glam- superb!

Which nail looks are you sporting?

Stila One Step Correct

Something that has been a favourite of mine for the last two/three months now has been Stila's One Step Correct Serum. I'm not going to lie, I originally bought it because IT LOOKED SO AWESOME! The triple-swirled helix of colour really brings this product to life and advertises what the product is truely about. 

                                          

Packaging wise, they couldn't have gone wrong. And yet it's so simple, using just a plastic bottle with a tough lid and a pump to distribute the product. Stila packaging has always been cute, but the factor that sets this apart from other serums is by making the bottle transparent, instantly opening up the consumers eyes to this triple-swirled helix. Another thing to note on the packaging is the use of a 'lift'. By this I mean, when the product rises to the top of the bottle as you use it so you can see how much is left. (Please feel free to let me know the technical name for this!) 

                                         

One Step Correct (OSC) consists of three different coloured serums, each one individually tailored to combat certain skin problems. The green helps to minimise redness, whilst the lavender counteracts sallow undertones and the peach brightens and illuminates tired skin. My skin has always been normal/combination and I am lucky to never have many problems. Saying this, my skin tone just won't settle on one colour! My eyes are pretty deep set, so I suffer from purple tones in that area and then I have some pink flushes around the cheeks. A generous pump of OSC covers my whole face and balances the tone of my skin before applying foundation. It has a very subtle scent to it that fades almost immediately and is also quite thirst-quenching on the skin. I tend to skip moisturiser now and just mix OSC with a bit of my Revlon Photoready Primer to ensure my make-up lasts all day.

Three months worth of everyday use - only half gone.

This serum doesn't just balance the colour of your skin, though. Amongst it's magical wonders, it also minimises pores, hydrates and balances, controls oil and diminishes the look of fine lines and wrinkles. What can it not do?! Besides making you a cuppa in the morning, now that's just asking for too much! I honestly cannot see why this product wouldn't work for those with dry, oily or older skin, it is my miracle product.

You can get Stila One Step Correct from selected Boots stores, Feel Unique, Space NK and Asos. RRP is £24.

L'oreal Paris Color Infallible Eyeshadow - Goldmine

Although this eyeshadow has been around for a few months now, I've only just gotten round to trying it out. I usually just go for eyeshadow palettes as they are better value for money and you get many shades that compliment each other already in one box, easy peasy! However this eyeshadow from L'oreal Paris caught my eye due to it's intense shimmer and array of colours.

 

Color Infallible Eyeshadow comes in a square transparent pot, helping you to spot the particular shade you would like in your make-up bag. As well as this, the tight cap also provides a sticker ontop the same colour as the shade encased. The testers in highstreet shops are a nightmare to use as you have to pull out a draw of different colours and pick out the shade you want without letting go, otherwise they'll retreat back into the stand. It sounds ridiculous, but that put me off them quite a few times as I couldn't be bothered faffing around with them! 

Onto the eyeshadow itself. As you can see from the pictures, this particular shade (Goldmine) has a gorgeous and intense shimmer to it. All of the shades in this range are shimmers and some are also two different colours mixed together, however I have found these hard to come by. Don't let the shimmer put you off though. Somehow L'oreal have formulated this so it is majorly shimmery, yet when coupled together with a contour shade, it can pass for a eye opening daytime look.

 

The eyeshadow scores high on pigmentation, with one sweep doing the job well. It also has a lovely velvety texture that I really appreciate when I get to dip my finger in there! (oo-er!) This isn't an eyeshadow for brushes though, ladies! Fingers work best in this case and I've found it blends and smudges nicely using this method. Synthetic brushes do pick up some of the colour for those that want to create a different look, but natural hair brushes are a no-no! L'oreal claims that Color Infallible eyeshadow lasts for up to 24 hours, however I did feel after 8 hours it had started to fade. 

There are currently 18 shades available in the UK and Color Infallible can be found in Boots, Superdrug and many online retail shops at an RRP of £6.99.

MeMeMe Flawless Finish Foundation

I'm a sucker for foundation. I've got so many different varieties in my make-up collection and yet I go out and buy more! This particular babe of a foundation has been catching my eye for the last few months, however I kept telling myself I didn't need anymore and to save myself for YSL's new offering. I buckled under pressure when I saw it was on offer for a whole £2 less! Wow! Savings! 

                       

MeMeMe are one of those brands that I always browse at and never end up buying, that's not to say they aren't worth it. Their shimmer stacks are gorgeous and I feel like MeMeMe are starting to model themselves as a cheaper Benefit counter Their packaging is querky and cute, whilst many of their products are almost exact dupes for many of Benefit's offerings. The Flawless Finish Foundation (FFF) has quite simple and cheap packaging, being just in a plastic bottle with a firm lid and pump. Although this doesn't bother me too much, it doesn't seem to justify the price of it (RRP is £12.50) and causes me to have higher expectations of the product itself. 

But boy, were those expectations met! FFF is a cream foundation, so is slightly thicker and more moisturising in texture than a run of the mill liquid variety. It blends in so easily and feels incredibly lightweight and smooth on the skin. Blemishes were covered well and the light-absorbing pigments helped my face look healthy and awake. The pump is easy to use and not fiddly at all, providing the consumer with just the right amount of foundation. Coverage wise, I would definitely agree with it being a medium coverage. It doesn't look caked on at all and natural factors of the skin are still able to shine through, which I always prefer in a foundation. However, that's not to say it isn't buildable. This can be layered on for a Saturday night out. 

 

Powder isn't a necessity with this foundation as the resulting look is somewhere between a matte and dewy finish. My cheekbones get a lovely flush of highlight from the product and the rest of my face feels thirst quenched without looking shiny or sheer. 

My only qualm with FFF is that it only comes in four shades. With so many different ethnicities out there, you cannot afford to be ignoring those with fair, olive or dark skin. My own skin is olive, however it is quite pale currently due to the lack of Summer in England and therefore the shade 'Beige Blush' is almost a perfect match.

Notice the burn on my wrist

Burn is practically gone!

A few months ago, I didn't even know that MeMeMe did foundation, I just assumed it was all colour. But now, I'm at a point where I feel this foundation is such great quality that I would be willing to repurchase again and would happily use it on a night out with the girls. Even if it is just a tad too pricey for the high street.

MeMeMe Flawless Finish Cream Foundation is available online and at Superdrug with an RRP of £12.50.

Look Beauty's Primers for Problems

I'm a sucker for a primer. For me, it's all about prepping the face first before putting make-up on. I've had these primers in the back of my mind for a while now and after hearing absolutely nothing about them, I thought it's up to myself to try them out. Look Beauty is a great range of affordable make-up from the team behind Look Magazine - their ethos to keep it cheap and simple. 

Look currently sells three different primers, one for making make-up last longer and then the two that I picked up which are specially formulated to combat certain skin problems. Introducing the Perk Me Up Skin Brightening Primer and the Colour Correct Colour Primer. 

The packaging sticks by Look's ethos, with a plastic bottle and silver lid which is surprisingly very sturdy and stays on tight. It wouldn't exactly turn heads with it's plain face, however it's all about the product inside and not the material housing it. Once the lid is taken off, you are met with a pump, which coordinates in colour to the text on the bottle.

On first application, I realised both products tend to go a heck of a long way. However, I did also find one pump provided me with a lot of waste product. It was enough to do my whole face and more! In future, I will make sure to use it sparingly to get the most out of these items. 

The Perk Me Up Skin Brightening Primer is the pink colour out of the two, and my favourite. It has a very runny consistancy, but blends in very nicely to the skin. Pink/peach coloured products are ideal for brightening and illuminating tired skin and the Look Beauty offering is a pastel pink without any shimmer, resulting in a subtle yet slightly more radiant complexion and without looking overly highlighted. The packaging states to just use it around the eyes, such as the browbone and the corners, however using all over will instantly boost your complexion. I found it very lightweight and dewy on the skin, however did feel my stubborn under eye circles didn't budge. 

The Colour Correct Primer is the mint green colour out of the two. Again, this was also quite runny, yet when rubbed into the skin, I found it to thicken and a lot harder to rub in. Infact, if you'd like to avoid looking like Shrek, I would just use this for precision application and use only the slightest bit to avoid greenface. Green is the best colour for covering up redness, so this should be good for those with acne, red cheeks, or sunburn. I found that it was great at covering minor blemishes, such as a scratch, however I felt my spots looked virtually untouched. 

Slightly rubbed in

VERY RUBBED IN!

To conclude, both products are slightly runny in texture, go a long way, do well in covering up minor blemishes and don't have a noticeable fragrance to them. Their RRP is £12, which I think is a bit steep for Look, however they have been on sale in Superdrug and online for £7! For those who are on a budget, I would definitely recommend, for others that can afford a bit more, these primers won't be your cup of tea. 

Becky's Back...with a FOTD!

Well, hello there bloggeroonies! I have been such a naughty girl recently and haven't posted anything in nearly 2 months! TWO MONTHS! There's no excuse for that so I won't bore you with any. Let's just get cracking onto the good stuff shall we? I've got quite a few posts lined up for you and will be getting back into Youtube as well, so keep your eyes peeled - (never really understood that expression...and now I'm thinking of using a potato peeler on my eyes...away with you, horrible image!)

A lot of new makeup has been bought in the two months I've been absent, but a lot of favourites have stayed. Here's just a simple Face Of The Day for y'all.

 

Prep

Look Beauty Perk Me Up Skin Brightening Primer

Look Beauty Colour Correct Primer

Revlon Photoready Eye Primer & Brightener

 

Face
Bobby Brown Corrector (Bisque)
Vichy Dermablend Foundation Stick (Light - just for blemishes)
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Medium)
MeMeMe Flawless Cream Foundation (Beige Blush)
Urban Decay Razor Sharp Ultra Definition Finishing Powder
Benefit 10 
Nars Blush (Orgasm)
No. 7 Vital Enlightening Highlighting Powder

Eyes
MUA Heaven & Earth Eyeshadow Palette (Lightest shade on the inner corner - Champagne shade all over base)
L'oreal Paris Color Infaillible Eyeshadow (Goldmine - For outer V and under eyes)
Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Eye Liner (100% Black)
L'oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara (Carbon Black) 
Mac Eyebrow Pencil (Spiked)

Lips
Mac Lipstick (Shy Girl)

Woaaaaah! A lot of products there. I've been suffering from the mother of all breakouts, a result of using my Rio Sonicleanse - the purging stage is a b****! The blemishes are going now, therefore I've been slapping on the makeup after a few days of feeling gross with hardly anything on to let my skin breathe. 

There are upcoming posts on the Look Beauty primers and also the MeMeMe foundation, so keep checking back and enjoy the rest of your day!

 

Glossybox April 2012

FINALLY. It has been a long old time since I had received my last Glossybox, and I was desperate after losing out on my precious Carmine box! However this is an exciting one, I present to you, the ethical Glossybox!

Just a quick note on the box. A limited edition, biodegradable cream colour that screams "keep me, I'm too pretty!" Well, lovely little box, you have a permanent home on my shelves!

Let's get cracking onto the box!

Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum (10ml) - A plant based serum with moisturising properties to repair and hydrate dry skin. To be used before moisturising day and night. It has a very watery and runny texture, and two small squirts were enough to cover my face and neck. As well as this, it also smells divine! A tad zesty and fresh.

 

Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner (Purple Minx) - Inika products seem to be popping up in so many beauty boxes recently! A lovely full sized product. The liner comes with an average pigment, however the bold colour I received really allows it to pop. It's a creamy liner that is incredibly easy to blend. 

Ayuuri Natural Body Wash (Coconut - 200ml) - Big fan of coconut over here! A generous bottle received allows for a lot of usage out of this. With fruit and plant extracts, the body wash lathers easily to enhance skin's natural radiance. Also, it smells too good I could eat it.

Figs & Rouge Lip Balm (Rambling Rose - 8ml) - A beautiful tin filled with 100% organic ingredients. A very strange and creamy texture that feels divine on the lips. Quite an overpowering smell of rose that does last quite a while, however it is something I can get used to. Not only can it be used on lips, but also on the rest of the face and body. Hello cracked skin, meet Figs & Rouge. 

Kai Perfume Oil - Most people hate perfume samples, I personally love them! This particular fragrance has many floral notes to it, it smells quite strong however once in contact with the skin, gives off a lighter scent throughout the day. It states on the packaging 'Kai is different on everyone', has anyone gotten a different scent from it?

Incredibly happy with this month's box. Nice to see a few new brands joining the Glossybox club and I'm sure the input from the people over at Carmine has been a huge help. Go Glossybox!

A Love/Hate Relationship

With the beauty market boasting so many varieties of products and brands, you are bound to come across some cosmetics you can't decide on. On first hearing about the Maxfactor Flipstick Colour Effect Lipstick, I was extremely excited to try it out. It was something different. Lipsticks have been the same for a long time and it was well overdue for something to come around and shake it up. The flipstick comes in 6 different shades, however I purchased just the one when it was first released exclusively with Superdrug, allowing me to have £2 off. 

Gipsy Red is the name of the shade, it was also this shade that was used in many of their advertisements. Two different colours are placed at either end of the product allowing you to do what the hell you want with them! Use alone, mix it up or one shade on either lip. The red is a highly pigmented and gorgeous summery colour accompanied by a pink shimmer whilst the gold can make any colour pop.

Unfortunately, I've found it hard coming to grips with said item. The texture is very moisturising and creamy allowing for lips to be hydrated and not be dried out. Yet, this doesn't seem to work in my favour as I find for times when I want the gold shade layered in a certain place, they tend to just mix together within a matter of seconds. Perhaps the gold shade needed to be just that touch more drying, allowing for product not to be easily transferred? 

Bottom swatch with the two mixed together

However, I will not give up. This lipstick is on to something. A brilliant brain child from the artists at Maxfactor and a chance for girls to take their lipstick to a multidimensional level. I will get my Effie Trinkett-esque lips! 

Retailing at £8.49, this can be found in Boots and Superdrug.

The wonder product that tamed my hair

About two weeks ago, I bought a drugstore straightening treatment for my hair after becoming incredibly frustrated with the level of frizz I had to endure. I posted a back story of the run up to deciding which particular product would be best for my hair here.

I can reveal the product in question to be Charles Worthington Straight & Smooth Hair Straightening Kit. After reading up on many reviews of different variations, this one came up top trumps. There is also a version for coloured hair, enabling hair not to be stripped of colour in the process. Retailing at around the £20 mark, it's a reasonable price for those looking to calm their hair down, however is double the price of many other brand's offerings. 

Upon opening the box, you can find three different bottles of concoctions available for the treatment, along with a sheet of instructions plus a pair of black, thick gloves and a comb. It's the small things that impress me, simply by including a comb, the product has already made me happy knowing I don't have to use my own everyday comb with chemicals. 

The treatment consists of a few easy steps.

• Step one - The Straightening Treatment - Hair needs to be clean and wet for this, so ensure it has been shampooed and towel dried, however do not condition. Just like applying a dye to the hair, you need to apply this in sections and ensure it is evenly distributed. It advises to try not to touch the scalp, so apply it as close to the root as possible. Be quick with this as the treatment stays on for 20 minutes from the start of application and you also need to keep the hair as straight and tangle free as possible throughout the treatment, so it's best to keep movement to a minimum and comb through regularly. Once the 20 minutes are up, rinse the hair thoroughly of the product with warm water. 

 My Thoughts: The box has many rules and instructions on it and one of those was that the product has a distinctive smell to it. I was prepared for a very potent sulphur smell that is present in many chemical hair treatments, however it wasn't as bad as I thought. I didn't even gag at the smell, which has happened in the past! The side sheet also states that not all of the product in this tube has to be used up and to only use the amount needed. Considering I have very long and thick hair, I was expecting to use the whole thing, however about a 1/4 of the tube was left which is fantastic!

• Step two - Conditioning Neutraliser - This goes on just like a conditioner. Apply to towel dried hair and leave on for 5 minutes. This not only neutralises the chemical in the straightening treatment and conditions the hair, but also helps the straightening treatment to work so keeping it on for the full time is necessary. Again, keeping your hair straight and tangle free is needed so your comb will come in handy. Rinse out thoroughly afterwards.

My Thoughts: This didn't smell of much, however I did find it slightly enhanced the sulphary smell from the previous treatment. It wasn't incredibly creamy and didn't leave my hair conditioned to it's full potential, however it did do the job. Many other products would just completely forget about any kind of treatment to restore your hair's health.

• Step three - Styling - Once done, all you have to do is then blowdry your hair to a sleeker style. An optional extra is to straighten it to help set the new straight style in place, however it is stated that this is not a necessity.  

My Thoughts: I've never been able to blowdry my hair straight. I couldn't find my barrel brush and thought immediately, this wouldn't work. I got out my comb, pointed the hairdryer downwards, combed through the hair and I was met with straighter and much sleeker locks. Usually when I dry my hair, it is an afro afterwards so this was a huge deal for myself! I opted to straighten my hair afterwards to seal as much of the sleekness as I could in. My hair seemed flatter than usual, which I didn't like, however my natural hair's volume returned when I next washed it.

After doing the treatment, hair has to be left down for 48 hours to allow the style to set, so it is best to do this on a weekend or your lazy days. Even if you wear your hair down for work, I wouldn't suggest applying the treatment at this time due to the fact the 'distinctive smell' does linger in your hair for a while. Continuing on from this, the box did state that this smell would linger for up to two washes. I did find it took a few more washes, however I put this down to the shampoo and conditioner I used not being smelly enough! 

My hair felt nowhere near as bad as I thought it would. I was expecting it to be incredibly dry and although it felt a tad straw-life, I was left without any split ends and shiny hair. The aftercare conditioner that was provided has sorted any problems out. Just pop on for 3 minutes like a mask and my hair is now gorgeous and smooth again. No sign of straw in sight,

So now, it's two weeks since the treatment has been applied. I have washed my hair numerous times and found it so much easier to style. I have blow dried it, left it to dry on it's own and even put it into a bun when wet and I am met with much sleeker locks each time. They are still curly naturally, however I was not looking to get rid of the curl anyway. I have some frizz to my hair, but this tends to only happen when I just move the hairdryer around my head quickly without using any particular technique. The product claims to last up to six weeks, however does state to only use it once every 12 weeks so it is a matter of just waiting and seeing how it goes now. However, I can guess once using it a few times, hair will stay straighter for longer. I know I will definitely be buying it again.
 

Payday wishes...

 It was payday on Monday! Here's what I've got my eye on...

1. Stila One Step Correct 

2. Paul & Joe Cat Collection Blusher Stick in Catfight

3. Models Own Hed Kandi nail polish range

4. Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser

5. Nars Blusher in Orgasm

6. Jemma Kidd Light As Air Foundation

7. ELF Large Brush Holder

8. Topshop Foil Textured Drop Back Vest in Blossom Pink

9. Motel Jordan Jeans

10. Missguided Leapord Panel Studded Denim Shorts

11. Missguided Dorie Cross Print Denim Shorts

12. Missguided Violet Faux Fur Short Jacket

L'Occitane Pivoine Delicate Shimmering Powder

Just look at this little beauty! After a few months of seeing this product pop up in magazines and beauty blogs, I was convinced I wanted it. I was lucky enough to try it out in my local L'Occitane boutique and I was sold! 

"Formulated with natural-origin ingredients and delicately perfumed, this powder sooths, beautifies and illuminates body and hair with subtle iridescent reflections."

As can be seen by the packaging, the product is accompanied by a gorgeous old-fashioned perfume spray pump, something that will look stunning sitting on your dressing table and you can be proud of showing off. Upon application, the powder is reasonably distributed, allowing for the perfect amount to be sprayed on one area. Of course, this can be built upon if you are after an intense sparkling look. A subtle, floral scent sticks with the finely milled powder, it's slightly sweet but not overpowering and suitable for different ages, from teens to the middle-aged. 

Perfect for a night out on the town or a summery day, the shimmers attract light helping you to sparkle!

You won't have long to wait either, now. This beauty comes out TOMORROW on the 26th April, retailing at £22. Get it before it goes!