Ins and outs for June!

Ooh, the 5th of July. It is almost too late to be talking about June so time for me to pour a green tea (an honourary In), find a comfy position and get this post down.

IN

*Phyto or Morrocan Oil or something in my hair routine

I have never known a spell like it. A spell where everyday is almost an ok hair day. Never known it before, too scared to even dream about it but lately my hair has been on its very best behaviour and obviously, I’m loving that.

Please bear in mind, this is relative. My hair is never going to be up there with Cheryl’s or Pixie Lott’s (new hair crush). In other words, it is never going to have a ‘good’ hair day but my barnet currently gets an A* for effort. I haven’t isolated the magic key yet but have narrowed the suspects down to a few products/habits currently dominating my hair routine.

You know that I think the world of Moroccan Oil. There is no doubt that it makes my hair more managable but recent performace seems to go beyond this even.

Admittedly I have got a bit bored with the whole velcro roller flaffing and lazily tend to use just one or two but I do let my hair dry naturally so much more then I used to. Maybe miracles can come from such simple changes in a hair routine?!

Then again maybe the magic lies in the Phyto products that I have been using and loving. I have two standard sized products but have also dabbled in a couple of samples so have used four Phyto products in all on my hair recently and honestly, I love all of them and my hair certainly seems to have no complaints. Obviously, there will be a post soon.

*Boots No 7 Hot Pink Nail Varnish (40)

I brought this earlier in the year and was really disappointed. The colour just looked wrong, too bright, too loud and too girly but now in the summery sunshine, I am surprised by how much more ‘Me’, this vibrant pink is. Bright but ever so slightly more delicate and girly then my Claires Accessories, Neon. This polish is typical of one from the No 7 line, the formulation is good. I always use my little till vouchers for the on a No 7 nail polish. I probably would have explored the other products in this brand a little more if the varnishes were not so good.

*Sigma SS209

I think I finally have a grip on eyeliner. I use any black eyeshadow (Carbon looks better but seems harder to work with) to apply to top lash line with my Sigma 209. This is a perfect brush and I can’t believe that I was using the thicker 219 before. The 209 gives a fine, precise line which can be built up or flicked out. After a series of disastorous flicks, I’m giving them a miss at the moment. I am happy just tracing my natural eyeline with the 209 and powder and then going over this with my Bad Gal pencil and ta dah, my eyes make their presence known without tunelessly taking over the show. Sometimes I line the bottom lash line and I’m liking a Ruby and Miller eye brush to do this. This is a sqarer brush and it keeps the line softer which seems slightly more flattering. I don’t usually pencil over this lower line for a day look.

*L’Oreal Color Riche in Cashemere 232

I have had this a long time but picked it up the other day and was surprised how much I liked it. It is like the ‘Ghost’ of lipsticks. A very, grown up, sensible dark maroon red boardering on brown that reminds me of how make up smelt to me when I was little. Quite sombre (and a little bit drying) but all the same it is very flattering and has an interesting shimmer. Something I can see myself wearing for those more grown up classic occasions. You could look at this on my lips and it would give nothing away about me or my personality but it would look very nice and would probably make me look a bit more organised and on the ball then I am. Yep, that is it. This is the type of lipstick a lady would wear who never gets flustered or trips up. Yeah well . . , that is who I pretend to be when I wear this and just while I have this on, it seems to work.

OUT

*Passion Fruit Body Butter from The Body Shop

I went in for Vanilla or Coconut or Cocoa Butter but none of them were reduced from £12.50 to £5.00 so reluctantly I put them back down and picked up one of the last Body Butters in the reduced section, Passion Fruit.

Eurgh!

Now as usual, I have only praise for the butter itself and it’s moisturising qualities. I adore The Body Shop Body Butters. They do the job but I do not like the normal retail price and in this case nor do I like the scent. In fact, I barely tolerate it. I thought Passion Fruit would be summery but is like a potently stale cocktail. I feel hungover every time I have used it. It smells like the morning after. The irony is that it probably smells a lot worse because I am slapping a lot more on in a bid to hit pan because only when I have none left, can I justify going and buying a more gorgeously scented full priced one. I just know there is a Vanilla one sitting on the shelf waiting for me. . ! Until then headaches await me!!!

*The L’Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara (well, only the smell)

Another one down to scent, I am afraid.

I only brought this today and as soon as I took off the cap, it was like chemicals were in the air. I have never smelt a mascara so strong. Now I’m not adverse to putting chemicals on my lashes to make them grow but I brought this product as a mascara. I have never smelt a mascara smell before. Let alone so strong. I’m hoping that even though I never got used to the Passion Fruit pong, I will get used to the Million Lashes scent because I have quickly swiped this mascara across my lashes and I likey. I actually swiped it over some dried up Max Factor Lash Extension Effect applied earlier in the day and the result was so intense. Most likely too intense for the day but maybe once applied alone, it will come down a notch and be just right. I’ve got a good feeling about this one.

*Clinique

I started using their Anti-Blemish range a few months ago as I had a small cluster of horrible spots around my neck (see neck neglect finally caught up with me) that wouldn’t shift and they still didn’t shift even with the Clinique Anti-Blemish. I am now using Clearasil and this seems to be working. They are disappearing, so soo slowly.

I’ve got to gove it to Clinique, I liked the moisturiser and all the steps seemed to look after the rest of my face fine but the regime costs quite a lot and I can’t help being just a little disappointed that they were not more effective at zapping the demon spots.

*My indecisiveness

Finally me. I can not make decisions about anything. I thought Jazzed was too orange for me but I still had to go and read the reviews and watch the videos and then I decide that maybe it would be nice for me but of course, it is then sold out online and now I can’t decide if I really want to traipse to MAC, about an hour and a half away, where I will probably only change my mind again.

For the umpteenth time in my life, I find myself wishing I had been born with some conviction!!

Hmm, must be time for that Green Tea! Do you have any beauty ins and outs or thoughts for me to ponder (while I sip)?

X

Coconuts, coconuts . . !

So summer should swiftly be on it’s way and I wonder if this is why I have suddenly developed a fetish for coconut.

I have never really took to coconut products in the past. I don’t like or dislike coconut branded/type beauty products. I have never given them enough time to find out.

No because as a child, I hated all things Coconut-tainted to eat.

However, I have recently been embracing all things Coconut-like. I’m trying to keep my mission as organic as possible and the word Coconut in the branding simply makes the product seem more pure, full of goodness and sunnier!

Also, guess what?

The scent of coconut is so much better then the taste. It is sweetly divine and I love it!

Let me share with you my current Coconutty fave.

The Pink Cow Coconut Creme Body Scrub

I use this every other day as recommended and it keeps my skin looking rejuvenated and fresh. It is not a heavy duty exfoliator but if you keep using it regularly then evantually it will easily maintain ‘fresh’ skin.

This product smells as delicious as it looks and actually does seem to be a ‘beauty goodie’. It has not being tested on animals and is paraben (and allergen) free.

There is no doubt that I may well repurchase this product especially as it only costs £2.99 (Boots).

Then as if Coconut is not summery enough to induce purchase then have you read the little blurb on the front?!

1. Take half a coconut and make sail on a lime blue sea.

2. Be peaceful. . . tell your heart a fairy tale.

3. Say hurray for ‘NO PARABENS’

Ha, I love this. A perfect bathtime product at a rock bottom price. Likey!

******

 I have also been enjoying The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter. I love body butters. Love; love; love! However, I’ve only ever used Cocoa Butter, Shea Butter and yummy Vanilla.

Until now.

Yep, I’ve discovered Coconut which has the same beautiful scent as my Pink Cow body scrub and, as usual with the Body Shop butters, that beautiful scent lingers all day. Yay!

This body butter is a lovely alternative to perfume now that summer is approaching but for those perfume fanatics (aherm!), it also works well as a base for perfume scents. I’ve used it layered with Stunning and Flora and this coconut gem has not failed me. I really feel pretty and more inspired to do something when there is a hint of coconut in the air.  

The ultra-moisturising Body Butters from the Body Shop retail from £5 and I believe you can currently get a free one with the June issue of Marie Claire. I’m not sure if Coconut is included in the offer though. . !

And finally as we are talking coconuts, I should mention Coconut Oil. I have Coconut oil which I purchased from Holland and Barrett and I have been using it on my hair after reading a post by Muhsine  http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2009/06/coconut-and-vitamin-e-oil.html.

I have used the oil in a couple of ways.

Firstly, combined with my conditioner/mask and secondly, alone. The first couple of times that I used the Coconut Oil, I My hair shone so much and it needed  little less styling when it is been conditioned with the coconut oil.

However after the first couple of washes with the oil, it seemed to build up and make my hair look greasy even when I had rinsed it out. So I tried shampooing it out too but I still needed to shampoo again the next day. Bear in mind the following: I have a tendency to overuse products; I was using the Naked Shampoo (one which has maybe underwhelmed me a little) and that I was also using Morrocan Oil afterwards on my towel dried hair but I still feel there was some additional build up courtesy of the Coconut Oil. I probably used about one and a half to two tablespoons. I think the suggested amount is a tablespoon but my extended hair is longgg!

Despite the build up, I will be using the coconut oil again but as a more occasional hair treatment maybe once a fortnight or so AND I will only be applying it to the bottom half of my head (ie.all the hair that would be pulled back into a ponytail) as I do not want greasy roots. I’m not sure that there is much of a coconut scent with the oil compared to the other two products that I have discussed but maybe all that rinsing has banished the scent or just maybe, I am always too busy fretting with my hair to notice the amazing aroma that the oil is giving out.

Do you have a favourite flavour when it comes to beauty products? Why not grab something coconut-like and give the summer a little encouragment to make its grand entrance?!

X

A Body Shop bargain!

Hey Girls

I wasn’t going to post today but at the weekend, I got a bargain in The Body Shop.

This . . .

 

. . . for the grand sum of £3! The assistant said that the full price was £10!!!

I can not remember owning any Body Shop make up before but I have to say that could change, this gloss impressed me. A lot!

Isn’t it beautiful and it looks lovely on the lips too. I used it the other day to try and create a Brigitte Bardot look (see Pixi2Woo on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/user/pixi2woo) and I pressed it on to my bare lips with my fingers and was very impressed with the finish on camera.

Anyway, I popped in to The Body Shop today. The sale banners were still in the window and inside, yes, there was still some lip glosses selling for £3. If you happen to be in Body Shop this weekend, you might want to have a poke around to see if you can find a gorgeous gloss for a bargain price destined just for you!

Ooh and while you are in Body Shop, you may want to pick up a little leaflet which tells you which of their lip colours goes with what skin tones. I thought it was quite useful although in the long run, it is going to cost me. I have about three lippies from it on that ever-growing wishlist already.

What do you think of Body Shop make up? Have you picked any bargains up lately? Don’t forget, you have just under two weeks to qualify for my competition so get following and commenting. I love hearing what you have to say!

X