Invisibobble

Invisibobbles have been on the market for a while now, and have been said to be a hair band that causes no damage to the hair, stops annoying kinks in your hair after long use, and to not pull or create split ends. They cost £3.75 in boots, and I tried them because I often get headaches when wearing my hair up as my hair is very thick and heavy so can cause real strain on my scalp.

I am unsure how the spiral design prevents tangles, because you'd think it would cause more, but it claims to be compatible with all hair types.

I found when wearing my Invisibobble, there were no tracesn of kinks afterwards at all, however I still had the same problems I usually do with normal hair bands unfortunately. As its a plastic material, I found I still got headaches, if not slightly worse ones due to the strong hold of the bands. 

I also find they get tangled in my hair very easily, but this could be due to my damaged hair as it hasn't been cut in. Long time so my split ends are very much there reeking havoc! 

I think they are a great idea though, and they come in a range of colours so are good for children. I will carry on using my invisibobbles but maybe not have them so tight, as the hold is really strong! If you have thinner hair I think invisibobbles would be good for you, as they should glide easier through your hair. 

One last thing I will say is, if you have them in your wrist, be prepared for people to ask why you have an old fashioned telephone wire round your arm! 

New Zealand Forest and Bird Hair Care

Whilst in my travels in New Zealand, I saw these little travel shampoo and conditioners in a posh hotel. I noticed they were made from natural ingredients,  which im a real sucker for when it comes to cosmetics, so I snapped them up to use at a later date. 

As you may know, one of New Zealand's biggest produce is Manuka honey. The bees go to the Manuka plants to feed and it makes then produce this incredibly Rich honey which is great for the body and has healing properties. These Forest and Bird hair washes contain Manuka honey oil, and the smell is very floral, but also has a hint of the honey which is really sweet and pretty.

As I'm a poor traveller, I have been using really cheap hair care, and I've noticed a difference dramatically from my higher end shampoos I was using before. My scalp is really dry and was suffering from a severe case of dandruff a few weeks ago, but since using these, the oil in my hair has balanced out, and just after two uses I could see a difference in my scalp.

The conditioner has been equally as good to smooth out my ends.

What I absolutely love the most about these products, is that Forest and Bird aren't a cosmetics company at all, they are a conservation group who focus on conserving the New Zealand wildlife, such as the rare kiwi which is pictured on the bottle. A percentage of the money goes straight to helping New Zealand's animals, land and oceans

I think at the moment you can only find them in hotels, but if you go to healthpak.com you can see the procure there. This was a really exciting find for me, and I hope you are just as inspired and liked reading about it!

Dove Hair Oil

So I have a bit of a confession with this product, as you know I am travelling Australia, and I have taken up a housekeeping job to work for accommodation. It isn't the most glamorous job, however sometimes you find some real gems when cleaning out empty rooms, that you get to keep for yourself. It's embarrassing and a bit skanky I know, but when you find gems such as this new Dove Hair oil, who is really the one laughing??

 

This Dove oil is selling itself slightly short by advertising itself just as a hair oil. As it is a dry oil, this can be used on the skin as well, and I have done so and it works nicely! The oil is made from African Macadamia oil, so obviously not to be used if you have a nut allergy. The smell is actually very sweet, and almost has a slight baby wipes smell to it (before use obviously). I have tried other hair dry oils which I am in love with, if you haven't heard me rave about Caudalie's Divine oil then you have clearly never read my blog before, but I would say that this is still nice.

 

Compared to Caudalie's oil which is a natural brand, I have a feeling from the texture, Dove is a slightly more synthetic oil compared to the natural oil in Caudalie. I think the Dove oil is slightly cheaper in the sense that it leaves more of a shine to the hair, so I wouldn't go over board when using it however I don't have a box so can't read the ingredients., so don't quote me on that.

 

Having found this, I have absolutely no idea how much it retails for, and the internet has given me about 14 different price points. I am glad I found it however, as Dove isn't a brand I would go searching for hair products in. As it is known for its classic white curved soap with the cut out dove, I associate this brand with soap and soap only, the idea of using their products before would have made me feel like I was rubbing a bar on me no matter what form it came in. I think like many high street brands now though, Dove have realised they need to up their game and come out with more products, and I think they have done well with this one. They're website isn't hugely informative about what it in the product and it gives a brief description of what it should do, so take it from me that if your trying hair oil for the first time, this is a nice one to leave at the ends of your hair for a little bit of hydration.

 

Hair Plopping

Hair plopping is something I have only heard of recently, but apparently it has been a thing for a while now. Designed to give you bouncy rolling waves, hair plopping accentuates the natural curl to your hair without using heat or styling.

That said, to get this effect you have to prepare to look like a bit of an arse for at least 8 hours.

In order to plop your hair, you must wash as you usually would, and then squeeze out the excess water. From here, you brush your hair to untangle, then must find an old t shirt, and flip your hair forward and lower your head into the towel, hence the 'plopping'. Fold back the long part of the tshirt and tie the sleeves round to the back of your head to secure your Tshirt Turban, and you should look a little something like this. My boyfriend kindly told me I looked like a pirate!

I washed my hair in the morning and left my hair to dry in this turban for about 8 hours. When I unravelled, this was the effect.

My natural wave was definitly more obvious, and my curls were untangled and bouncy and not artificial looking or frizzy. It was still slightly wet so I blowdried my hair which ruined the look a bit, so I would advise putting in some product in your hair to keep the hold.

I tried plopping my hair overnight but found it didn't actually work as well even though most people advise to do it overnight. I found I just woke up with my hair still wet, my t shirt turban hanging off my head and having bags under my eyes from a restless sleep!

As I said before, plopping is designed to accentuate natural curls, so if you have naturally very straight hair, you may need to use some kind of product to help add some curl. I've tried FrizzEase dream curls styling spray before which leaves a wavy finish and also has a good hold.

I think using product in general will always help hair achieve a more curled look. Next time I 'plop' my hair (it sounds so funny) I'll probably use product. Although the effects haven't been too dramatic in my hair, I have seen it work wonders with some videos on YouTube. My hair is very thick so it never fully dries properly in the T shirt which is why I often have to resort to using heat. I will continue to use the plopping technique, but may invest in some products to help add some oomph.

Lush "Shine So Bright"

Hi everyone, if you have my Instagram you will have seen that this week I am starting hair week. Although in my last post I said I had nothing to review product wise, I have managed to accumulate lots of hair products over the last few weeks so thought it would be a good event!

One product I have had for the duration of my travels however, is this Lush 'Shine so Bright' pot which was a leaving gift from a lovely little friend. She said it would help smooth down and prevent my inevitable split ends for when I can't get my hair cut.

Being a Lush product, it is all natural and smelling lovely. The scent is Neroli which is one of my favourite smells, and it lasts in your hair all day. The grapefruit mixed with orange flower makes your hair feel zesty and fresh. 

The balm comes in a little tin and to be honest, I have been using this product wrong for a very long time! Before, I would rub the balm with a finger, and smooth down the ends of my hair at a very slow pace, but after a bit of research, I found this video on YouTube made by Erica Vega -a sassy Lush lover- ,which revolutionized the ability of this product!

As she says in the video, the balm contains coconut oil (my favourite oil from the nut world!), Shea butter and Olive Oil.

By rubbing the balm onto the hands, you can work the product into the whole of your hair, and as you rub the balm on your warm skin, it melts and becomes easier to work with. As Erica also points out, it is great for taming flyaways so I regularly use this on the fluffy baby hair I have around my face if I am wearing my hair up, as it is a non greasy way to stick down any hair.

This little balm is great to throw in your handbag and is only for £4.00. It will be a great product to carry around in the summer when the humidity starts to rise and take over your hair!

Sophie's Cohorted Beauty Box

Hi everyone! You may have seen the other day on my Facebook and Twitter page that I was going to do something a little different on my blog... well this is it!

As you know I have been travelling for a little while now and am currently in Australia trying to recuperate some money! That said, finding new and exciting beauty products to try, is a little difficult at the moment as I can't actually afford to try an new ones, cry. I haven't forgotten about my little blog though, so I've been thinking of ways to keep it exciting.

The other day, I was catching up with my best friend and fellow beauty lover Sophie, and she messaged me about a new beauty box she tried. The message itself was like a review, so I've invited her to do a post on my blog as I thought it was something you guys would definitely like to hear about!

Sophie is that friend that the Gretchin Weiners was talking about when she said "you wouldn't buy a skirt without asking your friend first if it looked good on you". Sophie extends her expertise to makeup and nail varnishes too, so I don't buy any beauty products without her approval first!

Sophie is also getting married next year and I am going to be her bridesmaid, so expect her to feature a lot more in my blog in the future!

So now you know a little bit about her, I present to you without further ado... Sophie!

Wearing the 'Wicked Queen' lipstick

Well fellow beauty addicts, I know I am not alone in the search for a beauty box that offers real excitement and proper products - not just samples and miniature bits and bobs that seem to collect dust under the bed - but real products. So I am so happy and relieved to be able to say - I have found it!! 

Cohorted still seem to be fairly new to the beauty world (but maybe that's why they're so good!) but in my opinion I would not be able to go back to the others (that will remain nameless) now I have discovered this black bowed box that was delivered to my front door this month..

It appears that you need to be ready to click that order button as soon as the boxes become available as there are only a limited number each month. Luckily, there is a specific date and time so you can get yourself prepared for the big day - I've just managed to order myself the August box! Of course, I must mention, it does come at a slightly higher price point. You will find you are paying double the price to the others on the market but when they're worth at least triple the £20 price point - you will not be disappointed. So let's have a look at my July box..

Let me begin by explaining that I wasn't crazy about all of the four products I received - however, this is only because I already own one of them. This is the Nails Inc Matte polish in 'Gatwick'. I am a fan of Nails Inc polishes and I particularly love their Kensington top coat but red mattes just don't do it for me. That's not to say others wouldn't enjoy it but I do think it's one I will pass on to a friend as I wouldn't get much use out of it.

The second product I like but, as its only a 50ml and not full size, it didn't wow me. What I would say is that I am a fan of Gucci fragrances so being able to try the 'Black' variation of Gucci Guilty did make me put it straight in the shower! I love a shower gel and this filled the bathroom with a gorgeous oriental scent with notes of violet and amber. I feel like a luxurious shower gel can be well spent money and even better if you layer it with your perfume for a longer lasting scent.

On to the best bits! I was thrilled to receive this next product - I'm not a tanning expert nor am I one of those lucky beings who manages to pick up a natural bronzed glow! However - a gradual tan seems pretty perfect for me as it isn't too scary! Not only does St Tropez's Gradual Tan offer me a 'beautiful radiant glow' but its 4 in 1 technology also promises to tone, firm & moisturise. What more can I ask for - a beach-perfect body all year round? I wish! Retailing at £20.00, this was so worth it!

The final 'piece de resistance' was the beautiful Snow White & The Huntsman collection by Diego Dalla Palma. Now I've heard about this brand through various beauty blogs but haven't yet managed to get my hands on anything! The collection offers six gorgeous eyeshadow shades with a mixture of mattes and shimmers, a Dark Night eye pencil and stunning Wicked Queen red lipstick. A fan of all things glamorous and Snow White, I dipped straight in. The lipstick is beautiful, it's the perfect red and glides on with fantastic pigment and a really light, non-sticky feel - it's gone straight in my handbag! (pictured above) The eye pencil also has a good pigment to it and I found it really easy to apply with precision. The shadows are all very easy to use and blend really nicely with each other - with six different shades you can achieve many looks. Win-win all around!

All in all I am one happy beauty bunny! I am so excited for my next box and look forward to Cohorted setting up a subscription option which is apparently coming soon!

Clarins Sun Care

I may be wrong, but from the multiple Facebook updates, sunny snap chats and hashtags about how sweaty it is to sleep, I think it may be hot in England??!?

Now I'm happy for you all, really I am, it's not like I saved up for two years to travel around the world chasing the sun, when it is just as hot at home. Really, I'm not full of resent at all...

However, with great heat comes great responsibility, and with days at the park or on the beach with minimal clothing, we must remember to apply our SPFs, as red skin is not red hot sexy. Enter, Clarins sun care

I did a post on a Clarins face mask I recived in my leaving box from work which you may have read. In the post, I explained how I had never been drawn to Clarins as a brand, and was pleasantly surprised by the hydrating face mask I received. I don't know why I say 'pleasantly surprised' about Clarins, when it is one of the biggest beauty houses in the world, I have just always assumed their products are a little clinical.

Similarly with these products, I also got these in my leaving box made by the lovely people at work, as they knew my  pale English skin would take a battering from all the foreign heat I would get.

The Clarins sun care once again gaveme a pleasant experience, with the most amazing smell and light weight cream. I had to wrestle it off my boyfriend, who many a time would apply it just for the creamy summer smell!

I used most of this in Fiji, where the days where spend mostly lazing on the beach, under the scorching sun. I applied as soon as I got onto the beach, as the cream didn't stick to the sand and sunk into my skin almost instantly. I think spending more on your suncare is well worth doing, as no one likes applying it if we are all honest with ourselves. The Clarins sun care took the chore out of doing the mandatory regime, and made it far more enjoyable.

By spending more you also gain added benefits with suncare. For example, the Clarins sun care uses the technology it uses in its other skincare, to help reduce ageing skin, which is almost crazy to think when you are lying there in the sun, skins worst enemy! It contains aloe vera which cools the skin, and baobab extract, which is from the tree of life, named aptly because it can repair any damage to itself, and the extract will do the same for your skin. It's formula makes sure you get an even golden tan, however this will only be achieved if you reapply throughout the day.

I would highly recommend the Clarins sun care, as it feels like a moisturiser for your skin and takes the effort out of applying sun cream. It also has an added bonus of not stinging if you get it in your eyes, so is great option for kids too.

Enjoy the sun everyone, but remember to do so safely! Drink lots of water and stay out of the sun around midday.

Ren Hot Cloth Cleanser

The Ren Hot Cloth Cleanser has been out for a while now, however it is still one of the newest cleansers to be launched (I think?!) from Ren. This comes from their Rosa Centifolia range, so contains hydrating rose. It also comes with a soft cloth, which is really gentle on the skin unlike muslin, which a lot of hot cloth cleansers are paired with.

The cleanser itself is really creamy, and removes all traces of makeup including mascara. The smell is a light powdery rose scent, that is really pleasant. This has lasted me ages, and I would certainly buy it again, due to it being priced at only £16.00. It was a really nice luxury product to remove my makeup with at the end of each day. What I liked about it was that I could use it with the cloth in the evening as more of a treatment, but also use the product on it's own in the morning for a gentle cleanse. I find some cleansers can be quite thick, and need the cloth to remove residual product, whereas this one left my skin feeling clean and moisturised, without needing to go through the process of using the cloth.

 The best known hot cloth cleanser on the market, is definetly Liz Earle's. If were going to be brutal and get straight to the point, then we want to know which is the best.

Well first of, Liz Earle's hot cloth cleanser is £26.00 for a 200ml bottle, so Ren's is better value for money.
 The Liz Earle one has the distinctive eucalyptus scent, which is a love or hate kind of smell. I personally find the smell a little overpowering, so I would choose the Ren cleanser again. I also found the Eucalyptus made the product slightly stingy on the eyes when I have used the Liz Earle cleanser a few times.

 I also prefer the softer flannel material in the Ren cleanser than the muslin Liz Earle provide.

I sound like I have really bashed the Liz Earle cleanser which I don't want to do at all. When I used it, I did really like it, and found my skin really cleared up and felt soft after the buffing process. I have done a couple of reviews on the cleanser before which I urge you to read if you are thinking about purchasing it.

The Liz Earle cleanser was the first hot cloth cleasner I had tried, and looking back, I was maybe a little blinded by the hype perhaps! Having tried the Ren cleasner afterwards, I have found this is much better suited to my skin type. Eucalyptus is an anti bacterial ingredient, so really good for clarifying skin, so I think the Liz Earle is great for someone with a slightly more oily complexion. Ren's cleanser has been designed to be softer on more sensitive skins such as my own, as rose is a hydrating, healing ingredient.

The only thing I will go back on in my previous post, is about muslin being gentle! I can't stand using muslin on my face anymore, as I find it scratchy and far to abrasive to be used everyday. If, like me, you have more sensitive skin, I'd say try either cleanser, but with a softer flannel. I'd recommend either the one in this post, or the Emma Hardie micro fibre cloths.

Muslin is the devil for sensitive skin!