Manuka Doctor Restoring Night Cream

''The ApiNourish Restoring Night Cream is an intensive anti-ageing night cream that refines, replenishes and hydrates the skin. The ApiNourish Bee Venom Night Cream works by nurturing natural collagen formation and helping skin feel firmer''.

(Manuka Doctor, 2013)

When it comes to skincare creams, I am rather particular as to what I put on my skin. Unfortunately I am not blessed with skin that copes well with 'chop and change' of products without suffering the repurcussions of zits galore! I have used a few of the Manuka Doctor products before, and have had no problems whatsoever, so when I received this I assumed the same. Upon inspection of the product I realised that it's a night cream with anti ageing properties. I have never used an anti ageing product on my skin, as I don't particularly feel it's necessary for the time being. My mum however is always trying new products, and I thought this would be a good opportunity for her to trial for a little while.

First impressions of the product I personally like it; the packaging is lovely with sufficient information for the consumer. My mum also agrees and particularly liked the fact the product came in a glass pot, giving the impression it's a high end brand/product. My mum has been using the product itself for approximately 2 months, and this is what she had to say:

'' . . . I have found this cream is very easy to apply, it sinks well into the skin, smells nice, leaving my skin with a nice finish/glow. I have also noticed that my skin feels incredibly soft and rejuvenated. One thing I have noticed that this cream isn't greasy, which is great as products like that I tend to not get on well with at all. But on the whole my face doesn't feel dry, but does feel very moisturised. I'd like to also point out that a little bit does go an incredibly long way''.

I sampled a little on my hand, and the product does smell incredibly lovely and very moisturising, as my mum said. The RRP* for this product is £24.99/50ml; this may be expensive to some, but after 2months of every night use, my mum said she still has a lot of product left, which to be fair isn't bad at all.

Manuka Doctor Restoring Night Cream is available from the following:

https://miestenapteekki.com/kamagra/

Superdrug

Holland and Barrett

*PR sample

A bit of shopping . . .

 So the sales have started . . I did try to avoid them but the 'shopping bug' got the better of me. With starting a new job next week, I was kinda 'forced' to get new clothing to look smart and fit into my new role. I have also picked up a few 'non work' items which I said to myself were 'treats' (lame excuse, I know), but I couldn't help it. So I thought today I would blog about the items I have recently picked up, so here goes . . 

 Tesco clothing 'Fit and Flare' (Tall) dress £22.00

From time to time many supermarkets have clothing which I think is really nice. They are often reasonably priced and the quality is rather good. I popped into Tesco and saw this dress; a style of dress I have wanted for some time. But as I am quite tall, I often found many of these dresses are far too short. Good ol Tesco have actually produced three versions of this dress; normal, petite and tall. Seeing there was a tall version of this dress, I instantly snapped it up. Got home, tried it on and it fits perfectly and it's just the right length. I am 5ft 9, and the hem line finishes exactly to my knee which is suitable in my opinion for the working environment.

Amy Childs 'Millie Kingfisher' Dress £65.00

 One of my good friends from university is getting married in a few months time. Usually when ever I am going somewhere special, I am always scrambling around trying to find something last minute. I am quite picky so thought I'd start the search early and get my outfit sorted. Amy Childs isn't to everyone's taste, but her clothing line has some gorgeous dresses. I spotted this dress a few months ago and I instantly fell in love with it. The style, cut and the colour (electric blue) I absolutely adore and pretty much ordered it straight away. I am yet to get my handbag and fascinator sorted but at least I have the main thing! 

Polka Dot Bodycon Dress £12.35

 As of late I seem to have developed a 'thing' for polka dots; I don't know why, but I am in 'awe' with it at the moment. The lovely Dawn at 'WhatDawnDidInHeels' always manages to find great items of clothing from eBay; I have always been somewhat a little skeptical in the past, but after seeing Dawn style some great outfits purchased from eBay, I thought I would give it a go. I found this polka dot dress, which was the only one I had seen online that I liked. I measured myself and ordered my size according to the measurements on the eBay listing. 6days later my parcel arrived (from Singapore), and it fits like a glove. I was worrying that being tall it would be too short, but it's just the right length. The material is of good quality and made very well. Even my mum commented on how lovely the dress is, and so reasonably priced. I often struggle with clothing on the high street, but I think from now on, I will take a nosey on eBay a lot more . .as you never know what great bargains are lurking. 

 BHS Black/White Polka dot Dress £30.00

My mum (bless her) popped into town and saw this dress. Knowing I have gone 'dotty' crazy, she kindly picked this up for me. The material is very soft and floaty, and is of reasonable length. The black centre part of the dress has straps, which enables you to tie around your waist. But I intend to remove it as it's somewhat a little annoying. But nevertheless, is a lovely dress.

Debenhams 'The Collection - Black and Blue Ruffle Skirt' RRP £23.00, sale £11.50 each

I tend to wear a lot of pencil skirts as I find they are a style that suits me most. Having a nosey in the Debenhams sale, I spotted these two skirts. Now they are definitely not something I would have instantly chosen, but I figured they are different and make an outfit a bit 'jazzy'.

Matalan Waffle Polka dot Midi Skirt £12.00

Matalan is a store I love to visit every so often, as I always manage to find something which is really nice and reasonably priced. I spotted this skirt and instantly took a liking to it. I have never had a midi skirt before but I figured, I'd go ahead and order anyway. Received the skirt, and it fits absolutely fine. As you are all aware I am tall (5ft 9), and I found this skirt to be of a good length, perhaps a tad too long, which may be a slight issue if you're short in height? But nevertheless, great skirt at a fab price.

Lipsy 'Bow' Jumper RRP £38.00/20% off = £32.30

I very seldom order items of clothing from Lipsy purely because the majority are too short. However I received an email from Next offering existing customers a preview of the new A/W collection, and 20% off the RRP. Of course, it would have been rude not to have taken advantage of this so I took a quick browse. I spotted this jumper from Lipsy and thought it was really cute, although I was a little skeptical about the length of the arms (I have long arms, often difficult to accommodate). Nevertheless, I ordered and patiently waited for the item to arrive. To my surprise the jumper fits me really well; the jumper itself is long in the body and the sleeves are really long. The jumper isn't thick, so I would advise when the colder months start to lurk, perhaps wear a camisole top underneath to keep warm.

Next Cotton Rich Cigarette Trousers RRP £28.00, sale £14.00

The one thing I notice about Next sales is the 'Long' and 'Extra Long' items of clothing are always left on rails/online. This is to my advantage as the Long/Extra Long Next trousers/jeans is all I ever buy in the sales. They're great quality, fit perfectly and last for a very long time. I had a browse on the Next online sales, and I spotted these trousers. They are of a mint green colour, a colour I have never worn out and about before, but they are gorgeous and are different from standard dark colours.

Next Sleeveless Shirt (Blue/White, Birdie, Black/White) £24.00 each

I originally picked up the blue/white sleeveless shirt as at the time I was preparing to head back to Jamaica for my Grandad's funeral. I wanted something light and cool, and I figured this top would do. My only regret was not buying the other 2 tops at the time and taking them with me; incredibly soft and so cool. I wore just my bra underneath and that was absolutely fine, although you can wear a camisole underneath. The length of the shirts are just past my bottom, which make for wearing with leggings just right. I would like to point out however that the shirts are incredibly delicate and snag easy, so treat them with care.

H&M Sleeveless Shirt £12.99

 H&M I find is a haven for finding clothing to wear to work. I pretty much visit the store at least once a week to see what new lines are in. Seeing as I have a 'thing' for the sleeveless shirt, I spotted this top and instantly picked it up. It's very light (as with the Next shirts), although a bit longer in length. The colour is a gorgeous sky blue colour which I thought would go lovely with either beige/black skirt.

H&M 3/4 length sleeve shirt £19.99

I wouldn't normally choose a top like this, but I thought I'd choose something different. The top has gorgeous detailing down the front, etched with stitched pleating. The top is great for the summer months as it's light and 'airy', although I would perhaps wear a camisole underneath to keep the top/outfit more professional and smart.

 Dune 'Calm' shoes RRP £70.00, sale £27.00

Have had my eyes on these shoes for 18months, but I just refused to pay £70.00 for them. When I saw them in the sale, BAM, ordered straight away. I usually hate peep toe shoes as they do nothing but cripple me by the end of a night, but these are completely different. The leather is soft and comfortable making it very easy to mould and nuture to my feet. The shoes are easy to walk in, and as an individual with wide feet, these are surprisingly quite wide.

Dune 'Aleen' shoes RRP £65.00 , sale £32.00 

(price has fluctuated since time of purchase)

Another pair of Dune shoes I have had my eye on for 18months! But again, decided to 'shoe watch' and wait for them to hit sale. I currently have a pair of nude heels but they are fair too high for work, so I opted for these. I figured these shoes are ideal for work; will pretty much go with any outfit. The heel is of reasonable height, and as the proud owner of 'wide feet', these are very spacious on the toe area and aren't pinching my toes. They are patent leather which take a while to mould to the feet, but they are a gorgeous pair of shoes which I sense I will get a lot of wear from.

 Clarks Sandals RRP £49.99, sale £19.99

 Would you believe I have never owned a pair of wedge sandals/shoes? Yep, I know shocking! When my mum heard me whinge about this, she popped into Clarks and spotted these. I have been wearing Clarks since I was a child, as their shoes are very friendly to feet and fit properly, so it is no surprise that I get shoes from Clarks from time to time. However the styles are somewhat hit and miss. When I first saw these I wasn't too sure, but they are in fact really comfortable, fit well and look really nice on. The leather is nice and soft, which instantly puts your mind at ease from getting the dreaded pinch/ouch/hobble along effect!

. . . Phew! Didn't realise I had purchased that much. Hope you enjoyed this blog post.

Equazan Eye Q

A few years ago I got to a point in my life where I was finding it incredibly hard to concentrate, my mind felt fuzzy and I just couldn't settle. I ate well, exercised regularly so couldn't understand what was happening until my mum's friend suggested Equazen Eye Q. I looked into this product but never really bothered with it until now when I started to experience the whole fuzzy spells and etc again. I'm not going to pretend that I'm some amazing scientist and understand in great depth the science behind this product, but what I do know from sampling for the past 12weeks, I have noticed a vast improvement in my concentration spans and general wellbeing.

'''Equazen eye q is a great way to help insure your daily intake of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids play a vital role in almost every part of our bodies, including the brain''.

(Equazan, 2013)

Omega-3 and Omega-6 are mainly found in foods such as fish, nuts, pumpkin seeds to name but a few, all of which I eat quite often. However my daily intake for such foods obviously wasn't enough which saw me introducing the Eye Q to my daily regime. When I first saw this product many moons ago in Boots, first impressions, it appeared far too ''scientific'' with too much information, which after a while I got a little tiresome of reading. In the end I skim read most of it, pulling out the important bits of information. Revisiting the product again this year, the packaging had not changed one bit; silver labelling with slight etching of blues, orange and yellow. The container itself is sturdy, secured well to prevent any tampering. The capsules themselves are standard; with a hint of yellow due to the oil. Upon reading the instructions on how best to take the capsules, it is advised (to start with, or after a long break) to take 2 x capsules 3 times a day with food for the first 12 weeks. This is to build up levels of essential fatty acids.

''Omega-3 and Omega-6 are essential fatty acids that are vital for good health. These ‘good fats’ play a role in almost every cell in your body and make up around 30% of your brain''.

After sampling this product for the past 12 weeks, I can honestly say I have noticed a vast improvement in my brain. People may assume that it's ''placebo'' and that it's my brain tricking me into believing they're working when they're not. But I can genuinely say they really are helping me a lot. Often I had times where my brain just couldn't function right, forgetting parts of my shopping list, unable to concentrate for long periods of time and etc. But having taken this for a 12wks+, I can honestly say there's improvement in terms of my brain concentration levels. In terms of general wellbeing, I do feel good, a lot better than before, but I think it's a gradual thing that will take time to improve.

''As your body cannot produce essential fatty acids, they must come from your diet. Equazen eye q is formulated in such a way that it contains a higher ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6. This is because the balance of these two essential fatty acids ensures that they work together in the most beneficial way''.

However with every positive, there is a slight negative; this product does not come cheap. Eye Q comes in different forms; capsules, smooth, chewables and liquid (for children). Of course the prices vary but they're still quite expensive. For the sake of this blog post (capsules) it is recommended that you purchase the 180s or 360s pot, due to how many capsules is required to take at the beginning. The 180s come in at RRP £22.46 and the 360s RRP £38.80. Now I know what you're thinking ''HOW MUCH?'' Exactly what I thought when I saw the prices however the product works. Will I be purchasing? Although expensive, yes, in fact already have. If it helps to prevent me from getting the fuzzy head and enables me to concentrate properly, I'm all for it! 

 Equazan Eye Q* is available from Chemist Direct and many other leading highstreet retailers.

Do you take any supplements? Or are you not a fan?

*PR sample

Serenity of Beauty got a makeover . .

If you haven't already noticed Serenity of Beauty has had a makeover. If you follow me on twitter you will have probably seen a tweet from me at some point with regards to wanting to redesign my blog. I've searched high and low for the best part of a year for someone to do it but I just couldn't find the right person. I am quite picky and I hate clutter so it was important for me to be able to convey to the designer what I want/didn't want. With the recommendation from a few bloggers, I heard about Steph, from Bonjour Belle Designs. I took a look at her portfolio and was instantly sold. Email correspondence with Steph has been absolutely fantastic; very thorough in gathering information, friendly and polite young lady. And this design has taken a matter of 3days to complete - which is really quick. 

Full Blog redesigns with Bonjour Belle are £35. However . . . for a one month, Bonjour Belle is offering Serenity of Beauty readers £5 off the redesign package. All you have to do is quote 'SERENITY' when you email her. This offer is valid until 16th August 2013. 

www.bonjourbelledesigns.blogspot.co.uk

Hope you all like the new look of Serenity of Beauty.

PS: Still a few days left for your chance to win either the Real Techniques Duo Fiber Brushes, Burts Bees Mini Hamper,or Serenity of Beauty mini hamper. CLICK HERE to enter.

ChapStick Lip Balms | Strawberry and Apple

Style icon and The Hart of Dixie actress, Rachel Bilson has revealed she wouldn’t be without her ChapStick® SPF15.

In a behind the scenes interview, the flawless brunette explained when it comes to her beauty regime she likes to keep things simple.

"My desert island must is ChapStick with SPF in it", she explained

''ChapStick® Flavours, a range of fruity lip balms containing SPF15, are the perfect pocket-sized lip saviours, packed full of moisturisers – ideal for when you’re lounging on the beach. Derived from ChapStick’s original, protective formula including moisture-rich Vitamin E, ChapStick® flavours are the perfect, summer addition to your beach bag for keeping lip perfectly poutable all day long. Slather on some ChapStick® in Apple, Cherry or Strawberry flavour with SPF for gorgeously hydrated lips that are protected from the sun''.

(Press Release, 2013)

*******

Vaguely at some point in my childhood my first lip balm was from ChapStick, Strawberry infact. Of course, I thought I was a big girl parading around with lip balm and applying to my lips every 5 seconds. That was many moons ago, and I hadn't purchased another since. Now in 2013 things appear a little different; the packaging has changed but there are now 2 more flavours - Apple and Cherry. I had the pleasure of sampling Strawberry and Apple, which both smell great. 

 
The Strawberry lip balm was in fact the flavour I had when I was a child. The smell is somewhat a little 'synthetic' but is pleasant enough. The Apple smells lovely, but a bit like the Strawberry a little synthetic. The lip balms are 12g each, have great packaging which are differentiated with colours, ie red = strawberry, deep purple = cherry, apple = green. The lip balms are great for carrying around in your everyday handbag, and as with most lip balms the packaging is your standard twist bottom with manual mechanism to release the lip balm up/down. The Strawberry lip balm contains SPF 10 and the Apple contains SPF 15 which is great for hot sunny days, protect you against the strong UV rays. The ChapStick website claims that both of these lip balms contain ingredients which have been formulated to soothe and nourish whilst preventing moisture from evaporating. However my only grumble with this lip balm is when I looked at the ingredients on the packaging itself, some of the other ingredients aren't nice:

Petrolatum, Paraffin, Paraffinmun Liquidum, EthylhexylMethoxycinnamate, Lanolin . . .to name but a few!

If I am honest, products which contain 'nasties' like this I tend to avoid as they do absolutely nothing for you. They are what I call ''product fillers''; add ingredients which not many people are aware of to bulk out the product, but add a few ingredients which we know are good (ie Vitamin E, Beeswax) and we're none the wiser! I thought seeing as ChapStick have been producing this product for a number of years, the product would have developed and been formulated to be natural. But it appears that it is not the case which is a little disappointing. That said, if you're not at all phased by what ingredients are in ChapStick, then this is for you. If (like me) you check what ingredients are in products before use, then I would suggest perhaps trying another brand.



ChapStick Strawberry* and Apple* RRP is £1.05 and is available from places such as Boots, SuperDrug, Lloyds Pharmacy and many more.

Do you use ChapStick? 

www.chapstick.co.uk



*PR Sample
 

Barry M | Gelly Hi-Shine

From time to time I kept seeing the Barry M nail polishes crop up on blogposts and instagram. To be honest I just thought it was Barry M redesigning their packaging. But when I went into drug stores Boots and Superdrug, I realised that these new polishes from Barry M weren't just any old polish. Barry M have launched nail polishes which give high shine to nails, extra glossy. Now I have seen these type of polishes from some brands years ago, and I never really thought they were that great. But I thought that was years ago and things have since developed. I opted for two shades; Lychee and Papaya.

The 'Lychee' shade I personally chose as it's a neutral, unstated colour which can pretty much go with anything. I figured seeing as I am starting a new job soon this shade would be great for the type of environment I will be in. Whereas 'Papaya' I was drawn to as it's a gorgeous coral summer colour. This colour I thought I would use to paint my toes as it's bright and 'chirpy'.

As with all Barry M nail polishes they come in the standard 10ml bottle with a decent sized brush. The consistency of the nail polish itself is pretty good; not watery, or thick, but glides well onto the nail. I did notice that the polish dried pretty quickly, and of course once dry the nails were left with a high glossy shine. In terms of chip resistance the polish lasted a good few days (5/6days) before I noticed any chipping, which I think for a reasonably priced polish, isn't bad at all. However I often ensure when I do any housework I wear gloves; protects the nails/hands, and preserves nail polish!

 

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine nail paints RRP £3.99 and are available from the following:

Amazon

Barry M

Boots

Superdrug

Have you tried Barry M Gelly Hi Shine nail polish?

Elemis Freshskin | Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash

I have become an avid fan of Elemis and a selection of their products. So far my skin seems to be rather happy and has not *prays* broken out into 'random spot attack'. I recently ran out of my usual exfoliator, so of course was on the hunt for something different. Seeing as I have a good experience with Elemis products, I thought I would give the Freshskin Skin Glow exfoliator a try.

''. . . . With a deep pore cleansing action, this exfoliating facial wash contains cherry powder and jojoba beads to gently polish and help refine skin texture. Enriched with mandarin and aniseed to soften and condition, leaving skin clean, brighter and more radiant.''

(Elemis, 2013)

As with most of the products from the Freshskin range, the packaging is coloured in purple which I love; it's striking and eye catching, and actually helps you to distinguish which range the product comes from. The product comes in a soft squeezable tube, with a flip top lid making it easy to dispense the product. I tend to exfoliate 3 times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), first thing in the shower. I find the steam does wonders for my skin and makes the exfoliator work that little bit better. 

My previous exfoliator was quite 'gritty' and I really did feel I got a good exfoliate. However with the Skin Glow, I do feel like I am getting a good exfoliate but it's not as 'gritty' as I thought. To get that little bit 'extra' I tend to use my little facial brush with the product which gives a deeper exfoliate. The smell of this product is lovely; very fresh and light without being too overpowering. After use my skin feels soft and smooth, and radiant as described in the product description. I did notice however this product didn't produce a lot of lather which I thought was good - no eye burn! (How many of you wash your face and then go running for a towel to rub lather out of your eyes? lol . .). I have noticed since using this product that the black/whiteheads I was getting aren't so bad anymore which is a god send.

The Elemis Freshskin Skin Glow exfoliator is definitely a product for those who are looking for something that gives a radiant, and bright look. If you're looking for an invigorating product this perhaps isn't the one for you. But for those who have sensitive skin and don't like harsh products then this would suit you most. Considering I use this product 3 x times a week I still seem to have a lot of product left which is pretty good. And the best thing about this product/entire range, it's gentle on the skin.

Elemis Freshskin Skin Glow RRP £12.00 and is available is from the following:

FeelUnique

Superdrug

TimetoSpa

Have you used the Elemis Freshskin Skin Glow before?

Lip Care | Balmi

Hello Lovelies,

How are you all? Hope you're all enjoying the sun, which I hear is set to stay for quite a while. Anyway a few days ago I popped into Boots and had a little browse (as you do). Not that I needed a new lip balm product but I found myself amongst the lip balm products, and before I knew it, I was back home in the possession of a Balmi lip balm. I have seen these lip balms for quite sometime but never really got round  to picking one up to try. 

''Fully tested, the Balmi Lip Balm provides SPF 15 and UVA protection making Balmi the essential accessory for your lips; whether you're off to school, out on the piste or just off for a leisurely stroll protect your Lips with Balmi. The Balmi Lip Balm has the perfect blend of ingredients to give your lips long lasting daily care and protection''. 

(Balmi, 2013)

2010 saw the launch of Balmi; originally in the design of a sphere which seemed to grab the attention of many. However due to the shape of the lip balm being patented by another company, Balmi were forced to go back to the drawing board and recreate something else. This in turn saw the reintroduction of Balmi, with lip balms in the shape of a . . .cube! First impressions of the product - its shape is incredibly eye catching, standing out amongst many lip products however its shape is most awkward. I chose 'Coconut' so it was no surprise the colour of this product would be white. This I thought was an ok, eye catching choice of colour, although I do think the outer packaging will get dirty quite quickly. The Balmi products also has a key ring feature should you wish to attach to your keys. This I thought was a nice feature, but at the same time unnecessary due to the awkward shape of the product which may not be to everyone's liking.

The product itself I quite like. I found the lip balm to be quite moisturising, smell great, leaving my lips with a slight shine. The product contains an antioxidant-rich Vitamin E, soothing Shea Butter and Jojoba oil, which is what made my lips feel moisturised , soft and smooth. The product also has SPF 15 and UVA protection which has been fully tested to SPF 15 European standards. The shape of the actual lip balm I thought was quite peculiar but it does in fact make it a lot easier to apply.

Balmi 'Coconut' RRP £4.99. I do feel however that the price for this product is a little steep, but on the other hand a lot of work and creativity has gone into the production of this product to make it unique and different. The Balmi lip products come in 4 flavours; Strawberry, Mint, Coconut and Raspberry, and are available from Boots stores.

Have you tried Balmi products?

Haircare | Neal and Wolf

When it comes to haircare products I am very 'picky'; with Afro Caribbean hair that is processed straight not just any ol product will suffice my haircare needs. When I first heard about Neal & Wolf, I had absolutely no idea who they were or what they offered until I turned to trusty ol Google. Finding out that they specialise in haircare products, I instantly searched to find if the products are suitable for Afro Caribbean hair. Seeing the products labelled with 'suitable for all hair types', I gained some reassurance and decided to try a few of the products.

 

A professional haircare range that combines the ultimate in product excellence with the ultimate in glamour... without the stunning price tag.

(Neal & Wolf, 2013)

As my hair is processed straight, it needs a lot of care and attention so I decided to choose 3 products which I felt would do my hair some good. I opted for:

Harmony - Intensive Care Treatment

Silk - Smoothing Blow-dry Balm

Guard - Heat Protection Spray

I have been trialling these products for 2weeks and I thought I would give you a quick review on all 3 products.

'' . . .Harmony has been specially created to repair damaged hair, using a unique combination of intensive conditioners that deliver an instant transformation''

First impressions of the product - love the packaging; sleek, sophisticated and expensive looking. The product is in a soft easily dispensable tube, which ensures that you're able to use every last bit of product, without any waste. The top/opening is that of a flip top, with a reasonable size hole, allowing you to get an ample amount of product. I kid you not the product itself smells absolutely divine; musky but pleasant . .even my mum was curious as to what the smell was. The conditioner is white with a reasonable consistency. I found using this product to be really nice on my hair; leaving my hair incredibly soft and conditioned. I did find however that I needed quite a bit of product to saturate my hair especially the scalp ensuring that my entire head got a good dose of product. As my hair goes through a harsh process every 12 weeks (getting my roots done), it is important that I do an intensive treatment, to prevent hair breakage and dryness. This product I found to be very good at reducing the breakage, which is a problem I suffer with occasionally.

 ''  . . .Silk puts an end to tangles and frizz. Hydrating wheat protein complex provides moisture, balance and manageability''

There is nothing worse than fighting to dry hair which is tangled, knotted and just takes forever and a day to dry. I often find this is the problem with my hair especially when I have a ridiculous amount of growth (yes when the roots need doing), and I am struggling to pass even a brush/comb through my hair. Even drying my hair with an attachment is a mission! But with this product I found the whole drying process to be a god send. Usually with my hair is takes a good 30minutes to dry, but with this product it only took 10/15mins!

As with the treatment the product looks very expensive in its sleek, funky packaging. It is easily dispensable with an opening which makes it very easy to get product. The smell is very similar to that of the conditioner, although not exactly the same. But still smells absolutely gorgeous and pleasant. I used an ample amount of product, ensuring I evenly distributed from roots to ends, and turned to my trust ol' hair dryer. Within 10/15mins, my hair was dry; it felt incredibly soft, looked sleek and silky, felt moisturised and at last was manageable!

 . . . Guard defends your hair from the dangers of heat damage. Silk protein complex locks i moisture, protection against heat up to 220°c whilst a film-forming polymer guards cuticles from moisture loss during styling, keeping them soft and smooth. Meadowfoam seed oil gives hair a glossy and vibrant finish.''

I hate dry, frazzled hair ends and heat is the no.1 contributor to this. When ever I use a heat appliance on my hair, I always ensure there is some form of heat protector on my hair. The smell of burnt hair really isn't nice!  Anyway I digress. . . the guard heat protector, as with the other two products again lovely packaging, with a clear top and spray pump nozzle ensuring ease of distributing the product. I tend to concentrate on the ends of my hair as this tends to be where the frizz occurs. The smell of this product, again smells very similar to the other two products. I did find after use that the product did leave my hair very shiny and silky. But my hair felt moisturised but not to my satisfaction.

************

Overall, I think the Neal & Wolf range of products are lovely. They are inexpensive, care and condition the hair well, and are really lovely to use. I do believe however that with the 'Intensive Care Treatment', if you have a lot of hair and you like to saturate your hair with product to get a good treatment this product wouldn't last very long. Although that said if you're like me and you only do deep treatments once a month then perhaps the product may last for sometime? But on the whole I will definitely be 'topping' up my haircare products with a few Neal & Wolf items especially the 'blow-dry balm'.

Harmony Intensive Care Treatment* 200ml £12.95

Silk Smoothing Blow-dry Balm* 200ml £11.95

Guard Heat Protection* 150ml £10.95

PS: Still plenty of time to enter giveaway. CLICK HERE.

*PR samples

Monthly Wishlist #3

Hello Lovelies,

How are you all? Hope you're enjoying the glorious weather; it's so nice to be able to actually wear summer clothes and not winter layers. Anyway I am back this month with my monthly wishlist for July so here we go . . 

1. Chanel Perfection Lumiere '94 Ambre' £36.00

I popped into Debenhams a few weeks ago with my mum who wanted to get something. While I was waiting the Chanel counter caught my attention and I thought I'd have a little nosey at the products. The Perfection Lumiere I had heard numerous reviews about in the blogging community, and now that Chanel offered shades for darker skin tones I wanted to see if there was a shade suitable for me. The SA matched me with

 '94 Ambre', which at first I thought was far too light, but in fact it was the perfect match. When applied my skin felt absolutely amazing; the blemishes were subtly covered, I didn't feel any oily residue and my skin pretty much looked flawless. This foundation comes in at £36 which isn't cheap, so to ensure that it's the right foundation/shade I kindly asked for a sample before committing. 

2. Leonor Greyl Soin Naturel Du Cheveu £26.00

I got a sample of this in a beauty box a few years ago and I absolutely loved it. You first apply it to your hair before shampoo'ing for a deep intensive treatment. And then you shampoo/condition as normal thereafter. When I used it my hair felt incredibly soft and smelt absolutely amazing. It looked shiny and so healthy I was amazed at what the product had done for my hair. However at the time it was very difficult to get hold of. Now it seems to be more readily available, and I sure will be picking up a bottle or two.

3. Zara Heeled Strappy Sandals $69.90

Having a browse on the Zara website I spotted these sandals; absolutely love them. However they're only available in the US. But I do hope the sandals make an appearance here in the UK. 

4. Chanel Rouge Coco '51 Ce Soir' £24.00

As part of the testing of the Perfection Lumiere, I also tried out the Rouge Coco lipstick, in the shade '51 Ce Soir'. Now the colour swatch in the above picture doesn't look too appealing but when on the lips, it's a gorgeous brown-plum colour, which I absolutely loved. I didn't think I would like it, but it really did look lovely on the lips. 

Hope you've enjoyed this blog post.

What is on your monthly wishlist?

Blog Sale

So it's that time again . . yep I am having a flash blog sale. As we all do we accumulate bits and bobs which we use once or never use at all, and then push to the back of our cupboards. That's exactly what has happened to me with the following items. So I thought I would give you lovely people the opportunity of perhaps grabbing yourself some bargains.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the below items then please do the following:

*Use the comments box to request what you would like
*Include your email address so I can send an invoice (payments will be through PayPal)
*Everything will be on a first come, first serve basis
*UK blog sale ONLY 

Postage costs:

3 items = £2, plus 50p for each extra item. All items will be posted via Royal Mail 2nd Class. A Certificate of Posting will be obtained as proof of postage.

Ojon Damage Reverse 'Restorative Finishing Spray' (brand new, never used), Ojon Damage Reverse 'Restorative Shampoo' (only half used) 

Spray = £8.00 (RRP £24), Shampoo = £7.50 {SOLD}

From time to time I will be updating this blog post with new items. So if there isn't anything here that takes your fancy today, please do check back from time to time.

Enjoy!

PS: Don't forget to check out the giveaway; Real Techniques Duo Fiber set, Burt's Bees and Mini Hamper up for grabs. CLICK HERE to enter.