Autumn Beauty Favourites

Autumn Beauty Favourites

With the weather turning colder, the need for central heating being switched on fast approaches, the nights getting darker and fashion moved towards a more cosy style a lot of women will be changing up their beauty routines and products so I thought I would share some of my favourite autumn beauty products.

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Clockwise from bottom left – Eyebrow Razor, Dr Botanicals Pomegranite Superfood Regenerating Sleep Mask, Pixi Mesmerising Minerals Eyeshadow Palette in Mineral Contour, Lush Ultrabland Cleanser, Pixi Mesmerising Minerals Eyeshadow Palette in Desert Sunset, Revive Micro Needle Facial Roller, Facial Brush, Eyebrow Razor (folded).  Centre – Lush Breath Of Fresh Air Toner.

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These are my Autumn favourite beauty tools.  The top item is my facial brush, which used with a cleanser, can help to brighten the skin by boosting circulation and removing dead skin cells.  At this time of the year, my skin can suffer pretty badly from looking lacklustre and dull so using this can help it to look brighter.

Second down in the picture is my microneedle roller, this tool has lots of super fine needles covering the roller part.  Using this once a fortnight can help to boost collagen which can help to reduce wrinkles, firm the skin and can help to reduce scars.  Another benefit is that it can help products penetrate the skin more easily.

Bottom of the picture is eyebrow razors, which can also be used as dermaplaning blades.  Dermaplaning can help to exfoliate the skin while also removing fine facial hair.  I have found that dermaplaning can help with dry skin and spots as it removes any dead skin cells.

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Lush Ultrabland is my favourite cleanser for the autumn and winter months.  It is a cream that you melt in your hands before rubbing over your face, then using a toner, or damp flannel, to remove the excess.  This cleanser is really oily and moisturising without being harsh or stripping any oils from the skin.  It is also really gentle on the skin.  This product is perfect for my skin which gets really dry when going from the cold outside into centrally heated environments.

Dr Botanicals Pomegranite Superfood Regenerating Sleep Mask is a trial version but I love it so much that once it is empty I will be purchasing the full-size version!  After cleansing my skin before bed, I apply a thin layer of this to my face then go to bed.  In the morning my skin feels soft, less irritated and dry, and looks glowing.  It is definitely some kind of miracle worker in my opinion!

Lush Breath of Fresh Air Facial Toner comes in this handy pump spray bottle and means that just the right amount is dispensed so there is no waste.  It contains rose absolute which is really calming for the skin and patchouli which is an astringent which helps to tackle spots and oil production.  I use this once I have cleansed my skin, just spritz it onto my face and leave to dry.  I have used this in the day when my skin needs a little pick-me-up too.

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I picked both of these Pixi Mesmerising Mineral Eyeshadow Palettes from my local Tk Maxx as I was looking for an earthy, copper palette that could be used for autumn makeup looks.  I couldn’t decide between the 2 palettes and in the end came home with both!  The first palette, on the left, is the Mineral Contour palette, the darkest shade is a charcoal black matte finish powder while the rest of the shades all seem to have a slight shimmer to them.  I was drawn to this one as it has a lovely range of brown colours which can all work on their own or in a combination to produce a fairly neutral coloured eye.  The second palette, on the right, is the Desert Sunset palette which has 4 matte or semi-matte shades (the red at the bottom, orange, brick brown and the darker brown) there are 2 shimmer shades – the bronze and copper shades at the top.  I was drawn to this palette as it was a bit brighter than the other, I really loved the shades of red, orange and copper and they were the shades I had been on the search for.  Both palettes are in shades that I tend to go for in the autumn and I know they will get good use!

Do you have any Autumn Beauty Favourites?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Summer to Autumn Wardrobe Transition

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Considering that it is still August, the weather recently has started to turn more autumnal.  The mornings and evenings are both starting to feel more chilly and I’m starting to think about my Autumn wardrobe.

Dressing in Autumn can be a bit hit or miss, some days it can still get really warm and others may be cooler and rainy and in order to feel comfortable in what I am wearing I need to dress for all sorts of weather.  This is where layers come in really handy!

I like to layer long-sleeved tops under my summer dresses and add a thin cardigan over the top, and should the day warm up I can remove the long top or cardigan and still feel comfortable.

Another thing I like to do is utilise my leggings, wearing them under long skirts or dresses, or beneath thin trousers, or I will don a pair of tights under more summery clothing.

Footwear can be an awkward thing to figure out, it can still be warm enough for sandals but too wet to actually wear them.  I really love lace-up canvas shoes in this transitional period as they are comfy to wear, can be bought in a ton of different colours, are light enough that feet don’t get overly hot but offer some protection from the weather.  Another thing I am a huge fan of is wearing boots with summer dresses and bare legs though this is something that I end up doing when the rain is tipping down or it is particularly chilly.

I pack a small umbrella in my bag that then comes everywhere with me for those times when the rain appears from nowhere.  I have a light mac that I wear over an outfit if the weather is set to be rainy much of the day or I pack a poncho if the day is set to be warm and wet.

How do you dress for the transition between seasons?  I’d love to hear about your outfit choices in the comments!

Love Beauty and Planet – Shampoo and Conditioner Review

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I picked up Love Beauty and Planet Blooming Colour Shampoo and Conditioner in Asda when I went shopping last month. I had been looking for a new shampoo and conditioner to replace the ones that I had just finished using, and while I am a huge lover of Lush Godiva shampoo I knew that I wouldn’t be going anywhere near a Lush store soon.

The shampoo and conditioner by Love Beauty and Planet usually retail for £7.50 each but were on rollback when I spotted them, at £4.00 per bottle. Each bottle holds 400ml which is a fair amount of product even if you were to pay the full amount!

The bottles themselves are straightforward bottles with black push down lids. The label is what caught my eye – the label shows pink roses with a rectangle in the middle where the “Love Beauty and Planet” wording is placed. The rectangle is pink on the shampoo and white on the conditioner, there are a few other differences but I’ll let you try and spot them in the photos!

There are a few different formulas to choose from

· Blooming Colour – Rose and Muru Muru Butter

· Volume and Bounty – Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower

· Happy and Hydrated – Shea Butter and Sandalwood

· Hope and Repair – Coconut Oil and Ylang Ylang

· Delightful Detox – Rosemary and Vetiver

These come as shampoo and conditioner though there are other products in the range, dry shampoo and hair masque in other scents.

I have been making a conscious effort to change my buying habits and become more aware of what I am buying. This product is packaged in 100% recycled and recyclable packaging, the products are vegan, organic, ethically sourced, paraben, silicone, and colourant free, the company is trying to keep its carbon footprint as low as possible…so it ticks a lot of boxes for me.

The shampoo is rich and lathers easily; a little goes a long way and is easy to work through the hair. It rinses out easily. The conditioner is creamy and slightly thicker in viscosity than normal conditioner, which makes it feel luxurious, and a treat to use. It speads through the hair easily and rinses out fast too with no nasty residue feeling.

My hair was soft and easy to manage straight after washing, through the drying process and even in the days after, my hair seemed to be tangle-free and soft feeling!

The scent is lovely, as I had chosen the Blooming Colour shampoo and conditioner, which had extracts of rose and muru muru butter, the scent was full of roses. I would liken the scent to a walk around a rose garden in the evening after a hot summer day, and it lasted until the next wash!

I can say, hand on heart, that these products delivered everything I could have wanted and more! I will definitely be buying these again!

I Heart Revolution Review

Eyeshadow Review

About a month or so ago I was perusing my local Superdrug aisles looking for some inspiration for a new makeup look.  I had decided that, as summer was coming I wanted to freshen up my makeup, the easiest way being through eyeshadow.  My eye was drawn to the I Heart Revolution display – it is a very eye-catching display that is chock full of fun looking makeup in so many different colours!  I spent an age looking at all the different things that they have available (and have added a ton to my wishlist!!!) and finally decided to purchase the Unicorn Eyeshadow Kit.

Take your eye game to the next level. Starring nine dreamy shades from soft lilac to sparkling silver in matte and shimmer finishes, this magical palette is perfect for getting your beauty look down from day to night.

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There are 9 shadows in a white plastic pallet which has a clear, hinged lid.  The shadows are a mix of matte and shimmer finishes, 4 that is shimmer and 4 that are matte and one that looks a bit shimmery but applies more of a matte (the dark purple in the bottom right corner).

I love the packaging, it is nice to have a pallet that uses white as the casing rather than black, the clear lid is printed with metallic (almost mirror finish) pink wording and little stars.

The theme of “Unicorns” is apparent in the shadow which features raised unicorn heads on the shadow.  It all looks very cute.

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The shadow doesn’t come with any names but here is a brief description from my own perspective…

Top Row (L to R)

  • Matte lavender
  • Pearlescent white
  • Matte bright pink

Middle Row (L to R)

  • Metallic bright silver
  • Matte pale baby pink
  • Metallic pale yellow

Bottom Row (L to R)

  • Mattte mid-tone pinkish purple
  • Metallic pale blue toned purple
  • And lastly, the undecided matte/metallic deep purple
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In natural light

I swatched the shadows, using one swipe of each colour (the order is the same as given above) and you can see that the colours are fairly bright and apply evenly.  I did struggle to capture the matte pale baby pink and the metallic pale yellow which is a shame as in person they appear much brighter!

The application, as I said above, is fairly even and all apply with the same consistency.  I have found that they have not creased at all during a days wear (average of 8 hours), they blend easily and remove really well.  In the past, I have had issues with bright pink shadow pigment staining my skin but I am pleased to say that there are no staining issues from these!!!

I have surprised myself with how much I have been reaching for this pallet and that I have used all of the colours, normally with ant pallet I have a tendency to use the same 2 or 3 shades and ignore the rest!

I have used this shadow pallet for work, home and going out looks and some of my favourite looks are to use the matte pale baby pink over my whole lid and then complete the look with a swipe of eyeliner and some mascara.  The bright pink teams well with a silver inner eye and the deep purple used in the socket area.  I have used the metallic pale yellow all over my eye and then the matte bright pink in the outer corners of my eye with the silver on the inner corners.  The metallic pale blue toned lavender tends to get paired with either the silver or pearlescent white to accent the eye.

Have you got any favourite makeup pallets that you use?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

 

 

Product Empties

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I have a really bad habit of opening products and using a bit of them before abandoning them to try the next, latest, fad in the beauty products aisles.  This has meant that I have accumulated a whole host of half used bottles, tubs, jars and containers which are starting to take over storage space in my room.  I decided that I would place myself on a beauty product buying ban and in the last few months, I have been making a concerted effort to use up any products I have laying around open before I purchase any more.  I thought that I would share the product empties with you today, give a brief review and share whether I would purchase these products again.

Just a *little* disclaimer…all products were purchased by myself or given to me as gifts by friends and family.  All opinions are my own and I am not receiving any money from this post in affiliate links or as any form of advertising.

First up is my bath and shower empties…

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Radox Feel Lively 12 Hour Scent with Wild Peony and Lychee.

The packaging of this shower gel is nice, the tube meant that the product was always able to be dispensed easily through the snap shut cap.  I really liked the scent of this product but found it a little on the thick side to distribute very well, that said, when using a shower puff or scrub mitts I had no issues.  I liked the smell of the product but didn’t think that the scent lasted as long as it states on the tube.

While I liked the scent of the product I felt that I needed to use quite a bit of it in order to wash my whole self due to product consistency.  I probably would not purchase this again unless it was to take on holiday as I think the packaging would make this product easy to transport.

NSpa Cherry Shower and Bath Gel.

This product is packed in an eye-catching clear bottle and I really like that the cap colour matches the colour of the product inside.  For the price, you get a lot of product which makes this really good value for money.  The product can be used as a shower gel or bath gel.  In the shower, this gel lathers up really nicely with lots of lovely suds and when used in the bath you get a lot of bubbles.  I liked the scent of this, the cherry scent lingered in the bathroom and on my skin for quite a while afterwards.

This is quite a big bottle so it would be ideal to decant if you were going away and there are lots of other scents in the range.  I am a huge fan of multi-purpose products and this one gets brownie points for being a shower gel and bath gel.  I have bought this product several times in the past, in several different scents, I will definitely be buying this again!

Original Source Mango Shower Gel.

The packaging for this gel is really nice.  I have noticed with some shower gel packaging that the bottle can be a bit hard to squeeze, become slippery in the shower and hard to keep hold of.  The bottle of this shower gel is slightly textured so it is easier to hold on to, and the plastic seems to be a bit softer than other bottles which make dispensing the product really effective.

The product is a good consistency and lathers up really well.  I found that the scent was really fruity and natural but not overpowering.  I also found that the product left my skin feeling cared for and didn’t seem to dry my skin out like other shower products can.

As you can see from the picture, I used another of the Original Source Shower Gels and will definitely be buying their products again!

Calcot Manor The Lazy Evening Sweet Fig and Chamomile Luxury Bath Essence.

I love to relax with a good book in a hot bath that is full of bubbles at the end of a hard week and this bath essence lived up to my expectations!  The scent was lovely and calming, not overly strong but the scent did linger in the bathroom for a day or so and I noticed that I could smell it on my skin the following morning.

The bottle that I used was from a gift set that I received at Christmas and it lasted for a fair few baths, a little bit produced a large number of bubbles so I can see the larger bottle that is available to buy being really good value for money.  This is another yes from me and I will be adding this to my basket when I need bath essence in the future.

Original Source Rhubarb and Raspberry Shower Gel.

I really liked the Mango shower gel from Original Source and was pretty impressed with this version too.  This one smelled exactly like rhubarb with a touch of raspberry scent in the background.  In terms of the actual gel, it was the same consistency as the Mango, lathers well and didn’t dry my skin out.  I would definitely buy this again!

Sure Shower Fresh 48 hr Anti-Perspirant.

This antiperspirant was pretty effective though I really am dubious about the 48hr freshness claim from any product like this as after around 12hrs I did feel that I needed to re-apply.  I wasn’t overly keen on the fragrance, while it smelled fresh and lasted for quite a long time, for me it was a bit powdery smelling which I didn’t really like.  I have used other scents from Sure in the past and have liked them more.

I would buy this product again if other scents were unavailable.

Next up is the hair care products…

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Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Colour Mate.

I bought this product when it was on a 3 for £10 offer in my local supermarket along with the Aussie Colour Mate Shampoo and Conditioner.  I really liked the packaging of this though, without reading the back it took a while to figure that all you needed to do to get to the product was to squeeze.  The base is where the product is dispensed from and all that is needed is to hold the bottle over your hand and gently squeeze away!

The product is creamy in consistency and is neither too thick or thin.  It applied easily to my hair and smelled a bit like peaches.  I do have overly processed hair (I love to change the colour of it on a regular basis and use bleach once every 8 weeks or so) which can be fairly dry and brittle but this product really stood up to its name, it worked a miracle on my hair and left it feeling soft and manageable without fading my hair colour.

I was pretty impressed with this product overall so it will be something that I would buy again.

Jerome Russel Bblonde Cream Peroxide and High Lift Powder Bleach.

I’ve been bleaching my hair for as long as I can remember and this is the only peroxide and powder bleach that I trust after trying a few different hair lightening products in the past  I have found that Jerome Russell bleach works the best for my hair type and provides me with the best base colour for me to work with.  I think, that for as long as I continue to bleach and dye my hair, I will always choose Jerome Russell bleach products.

Bleach London Reincarnation Mask.

This product comes in a metal tube.  To get at the product you need to unscrew the cap and then push the end of the cap into the tube to break the seal before you can dispense the mask.  I find that it is easier to break the seal before washing my hair as trying to do so with soapy hands can be a bit difficult.

The mask is really rich and thick though a little goes a long way and it is really easy to distribute evenly through the hair.  It has a pleasant smell which is reminiscent of lavender which I really like.  The product works really well, is easy to rinse out and leaves my hair feeling soft, easy to brush and is probably the only product that manages to make my hair shine!  I don’t think I would swap this for any other product so is on the list to replace already!

Bleach London White Toner.

I don’t tend to use toners on my hair that often unless I have bleached my hair and want to colour my hair a pale pastel shade.  Using a toner can remove the brassy, yellow tones (you know the one, it always reminds me of fluffy little ducklings…) that bleaching just doesn’t remove.  I used this toner with trepidation, other toners I have used have smelled a bit like a damp dog or some sort of weird chemical but I was pleased with this as I didn’t really find it had much of a smell at all.  The toner also lived up to its name and left my hair super bright and almost white which was the perfect base for the lavender colour I wanted to put on my hair.  I think in the future when I want to dye my hair a pastel shade I will be using this again.

Schwarzkopf Live Ultra Brights in Sea Mermaid.

Hmmm…I am a bit 50/50 with this hair dye, while the product worked in the same way as most other semi-permanent dyes, covered well and, initially, left me with a lovely colour on  my hair I was a bit disappointed to wash my hair the first time after dying it to find that most of the colour washed out and left me with a strange, patchy green and yellow toned hair.  I have never experienced a hair colour wash out in such a way, most dyes that I use have faded down really nicely over a period of weeks but this left my roots yellow, my mid-lengths a weird green and the tips of my hair a blue/green shade.  Because of this, I would not use this colour again though I would be interested to try other colours in the range to see how they fade down.

Tresemme Firm Hold Hairspray.

I’ve used Tresemme products for years but never used a hairspray of theirs before, and in all honesty, I don’t use hairspray a lot unless my hair has been tonged.  This spray was pretty inexpensive and didn’t seem to have that really strong “hairspray” smell to it, instead, it smelled much like most Tresemme products.  That is where my liking of this product ends, unfortunately.  For a firm hold hairspray, I was expecting for it to keep my hair in curls much of the day but by mid-morning, my hair was starting to drop and by the end of the day my style had pretty much gone which was disappointing.  There was one positive for this product, it did make my hair feel thicker which made it the perfect texture for styling the day after it had been washed.

I doubt I will be buying this again and am searching for a better hairspray.

And finally, the miscellaneous items (the ones I didn’t have enough of to make into their own categories!)

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Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 Clay Wash, Scrub, Mask.

I’ve written about this product in two of my previous posts (here and here).  This wash, scrub, mask is one of my favourite face cleaning products.  As I said before, I really like multi-purpose products and this is no exception.  I have the most ridiculous facial skin, parts of it are oily, other parts are drier than the desert, I have eczema, have breakouts, blackheads and my skin likes to change depending on the weather, its sensitive to say the least.  This product, whichever way I use it always leaves my skin looking clear, feeling soft and calms it down.  I have used so many tubes of this now and it is a regular feature in my beauty routine.

Carex Bubble Gum Hand Wash.

Handwash seems like one of those essential items that you need to have near every sink in your home but I have used so many different hand washes, ones that smell weird, take forever to rinse off or leave your hands feeling dry.  I like the Carex range as the scents are good and linger, the wash leaves your hands soft and clean and feeling moisturised, and what better than having a fun scent?  This product gets a thumbs up from me!

Collection Extreme Coloured Lengthening Mascara.

Ahhh, mascara, that one make-up product that makes you feel a bit more dressed up and ready to face the world even when you have no time to apply anything else to your face.  I love the Collection range, it is purse-friendly and does the job.  I fell in love with this mascara, the wand was the right length, the bristles dense and the mascara did exactly what it says.  It is a deep black, lengthened my lashes, didn’t clump or flake and was generally a fab product.  I was unable to find another one in the stores by me so I have bought another from their range which works just as well but when I do find this again I will be sure to buy it!

Barry M Flawless Original Primer.

Since using up this primer I have actually gone out and purchased another one, it was that good!  I have used this primer alone and under make-up, alone it just makes my skin look and feel better, and using as a primer under my make-up has kept it in place all day.  As I said above, my skin is not the best, it’s dry in places and oily in others which can be troublesome for foundation application but this made my skin even all over.  I can’t imagine my make-up kit being devoid of this product.

Ecodenta Whitening Black Charcoal Toothpaste.

I have issues with a lot of toothpaste, they either foam too much or the taste is too strong but this toothpaste is perfect, the foam isn’t too much and it’s minty without feeling like it is burning my mouth.  It contains charcoal which whitens my teeth and leaves my mouth (and teeth) feeling clean all day.

My Favourite Outfit – Summer

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It’s that time of year again, the one where we pack away our winter clothes and make way for all of our lighter summer clothes.  We get to retire the thick sweaters and long sleeve tops in favour of thinner knitted cardigans and vest tops, switch out tights and leggings for bare legs, and darker clothing for brighter coloured garments.  Summer clothing is by far my favourite kind of clothing and today I am sharing my favourite summer outfit!

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If you have been reading my blog for any length of time it will come as no secret that I love all things bright and colourful and this outfit totally embodies my love of colour.  I own an immense amount of harem pants (don’t ask, I counted once and really couldn’t believe how many pairs there were!), they are really comfy and can work for so many different occasions.  This pair I have teamed up with a deep orange ribbed vest top though black, pink, blue, yellow and white work really well too, a pair of flat thong sandals with an ankle strap and a pair of bright sunglasses.  As there is so much pattern on the pants you don’t really need any accessories although a simple bag in a neutral tone works really well.

I like that harem pants are an alternative to dresses and skirts, they still give you freedom of movement and are not restrictive like trousers can be, they look fantastic with flat sandals, barefoot, boots or heeled sandals.

What is your favourite summer outfit?  I’d love to see what you wear for the summer!

Product Review – Alberto Balsam 24hr Fragrance Shampoo and Conditioner

I have been wanting to do more reviews on the blog and today I have decided to give you all a review of Alberto Balsam Energise 24hr Fragrance Shampoo and Conditioner that I bought in the fragrance Tropical Peach and Mango.

I can remember being in secondary school and always using the Sunkissed Raspberry Shampoo and Conditioner to wash my hair, there was something about the price (it was super purse-friendly) and the scent which I always loved but, as I have grown older I have found other products that have suited my hair better but I knew when I saw these on the shelf, and running low on my regular shampoo and conditioner that I should give them a try, if not for the product’s sake but as a trip down memory lane!

I can’t find the product on the Alberto Balsam website itself but have found it on the Asda webpage which is where I bought the shampoo and conditioner from a few months ago which I am assuming is because both the shampoo and conditioner are marked as “New” at the top of the tubes.

A bit about my hair…

My hair is short-ish at the moment, it is bob length and has been bleached far too many times to mention.  On top of the bleaching I also regularly colour my hair with non-permanent hair colours, so as far as hair goes it takes a fair amount of abuse at my own hand.  It is fairly dry due to the bleaching but I do tend to suffer from greasy roots and rely on dry shampoo to get me from one day to the next between washes.

About the Product…

  • The Shampoo

The shampoo is marketed towards “normal to greasy hair” and the packaging states that

24hr Fragrance Gives all day fragrance bursts for touchably soft hair that smells gorgeous too.

Energise is a fruity blend of tropical peach & mango scents to help you feel revived & refreshed, starting with your hair.

For normal to greasy hair.  This gentle formula leaves your hair refreshed and volumised, healthy-looking and beautiful.

  • The Conditioner

The conditioner, being part of the same family of fragrance is also marketed towards “normal to greasy hair.  The packaging states the same as the shampoo.

  • The Packaging

The shampoo and conditioner both come in squeezy tubes which remind me of paint tubes that artists have in their kit.  The black lid features a click lid on a hinge opening with a hole through which to reach the product.  The tubes are a pink and white colour with the brand in a black rectangle, there are silver parts that highlight other text.  On closer inspection of the design, there are peach and mango illustrations on the front as well though these don’t jump out at you on first glance.

  • My thoughts

I have been using this product for the last month and there is still so much of it left, it feels really cliche to say that a little goes a long way when reviewing a product, but I found that this is so true!  The shampoo is almost syrupy in consistency, and from experience with other shampoos of this type of appearance, I really was not expecting it to spread through my hair particularly well.  I was pleasantly surprised!  Not only did I need a small amount of product but it spread and lathered up really nicely.  The scent was really fresh and did smell exactly like freshly cut mango and peach.  I found that it was really easy and quick to rinse out too!  The conditioner was on the runny side, though in all honesty, I had been expecting a much thicker product to come out of the tube.  However, that said, I was again surprised at how little I really needed.  On the back of the tube it says to leave in for 1 – 2 minutes before rinsing though, I did leave it in for a while longer as my hair can always do with as much moisture as it can get!  Sometimes when I buy shampoo and the matching conditioner I am disappointed with the lack of scent that the conditioner has compared to the shampoo however, this did not disappoint!  It smelled exactly the same as the shampoo.  I applied it as I normally do with any conditioner, squeeze a small amount onto my palm and work through from root to tip, comb through with my fingers and assess whether I need to add any more product to my hair.  This spread easily and, just with the shampoo, I only needed a small amount.  After having a five-minute sing in the shower I rinsed, sometimes this can be a bit of a battle as some conditioner seems to cling to my hair and feels like it never wants to leave, this rinsed out fairly easily.

I have left my hair to dry naturally and blow it dry with a hairdryer, which can sometimes strip any scent out of my hair but 2 days later I could still smell this in my hair.  I even got my friend to do a sniff test, albeit begrudgingly after I’d half ran, half skipped down the carpark after work one day screeching “Smell my hair!!!” in my best Alan Partridge voice…and they agreed, my hair, in their words “smells fruity, like yoghurt or something…”

So, that’s my honest opinion of these Alberto Balsam products (which were purchased by me, and I have not received any payment or anything for this review!)  For £2.95 per product, I don’t really think you can go far wrong if you are looking for something cheap that work well!

Question Fun

Today’s post questions are from A Guy Called Bloke‘s blog series called “Question Fun“.  Rory runs lots of interesting little series that I have been meaning to take part in but somehow I always end up missing out.  Rory has posted a series of questions around the theme of “The Fashionistas” and I decided that these were the ones I’d like to take a shot at answering!

Could you cope with buying no clothes for a full year?

When you say New do you mean new new or new to me new?  New new are clothes that are brand spanking new, the kind that is mass produced and then sold in stores, new to me clothes would be anything pre-loved, whether from a charity shop, vintage store or a jumble sale….  I would like to think I could live without new new clothes for a whole year but if I needed to replace something (new new clothes don’t last as well as older clothes as they don’t seem to be made as well…) I’d like to be able to replace it with a pre-loved item.  And, I’m not sure I could ever give up buying pre-loved items.  By buying pre-loved you are not only saving something from landfill, a lot of the time you are buying something that not many others have, something that is unique and has a history, but you are also building your own style and buying something that could last longer than brand new items.

How many pairs of coloured/patterned socks do you possess?

I think all of my socks are coloured or patterned!  Even my black socks have coloured toe and heel pieces to them!

What is YOUR number one fashion rule?

So many times in the past I have liked something and then been dissuaded from wearing it because it’s not in “fashion” and I got pretty fed up with fashion and how quickly things can be in fashion one minute and then not the next.  It’s exhausting and can cost a lot to keep up with all the trends.  My number one rule is…

If you like it, wear it!

What is the quirkiest customised outfit you have ever worn and where and what for did you wear it?

If you could see most of my wardrobe…a lot of it is quirky and I customise things to fit, change hemlines and mix and match most clothing I own!  I do own some very bright patchwork hareem trousers which I love!  They are made from tiny offcuts of material with tons of different prints on, they were made and sold at a festival I went to a few years ago!  I wear them to work sometimes!

In your opinion what are 5 basic but important items of clothing?

Vest tops – brilliant for summer wear, work as a transitional item between seasons, can be worn under dresses that show a bit too much boob and when they are starting to get a bit faded you can wear them as loungewear or as a PJ top!

Long sleeve t-shirts.  These are fab for layering in the cooler months or for wearing under dresses to take them from one season to the next.  I like to wear long sleeve tops under shorter sleeve t-shirt, under dungarees dresses and under hoodies as a base layer!

Leggings.  I have like, a million pairs of leggings!  They are fab to wear with tunic tops, long baggy jumpers, dressing up with heels and something sparkly, wearing around the house, wearing under clothes in the snow and sleeping in!  And while it may be tempting to pick up a load of cheap pairs it really is worth investing in something that is better quality and is less likely to be see-through and show off your pants.

Jeans.  What can go wrong with a pair of jeans?  You can dress them up, dress them down, and they work with so many other items of clothing.

Plain t-shirts.  For the same reasons given above for vest tops and long sleeve tops!

Ok, so Flares? Once popular for the 70’s sure …. but where are they now?

In my wardrobe!  Lol!  I still love a flare or wide leg trousers!  They can look really good if styled properly!

Which are your best three quotes that mean the most to you with regards fashion/clothing/lifestyle?

You obviously have favourite colours you enjoy wearing, we all do – but if you were asked to wear the opposite colours to what you normally wear what would those colours be?

Brown or navy…. not that I don’t have any brown or navy clothes, I do, but brown and navy are not colours I wear much of or really know what to pair them with.

What are the wrong trousers to wear like ever?

I don’t think there is any style that is the wrong trousers but for me, anything that is too short, too long, falls down, is too tight, doesn’t sit right, doesn’t have belt loops (though some styles are ok for no belt loops…) weird zips that never stay shut…anything that makes you feel uncomfortable really…

What is your favourite style of nightwear from the following options?

Baggy T-Shirt, boxers/long Johns

Especially for the spring and autumn months!

Ridiculous looking Pyjamas

A deffo for winter days spent snuggling on the sofa and watching films

Nothing as in bare all over

Sexy attire – you know the naughty stuff

Other

Shorts and vest top, t-shirt and cropped leggings, 80’s style cycle shorts and tops, long sleeve tops…

For you what one single musical track just speaks fashion to you?

The Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You

The celebrity whose style you most identify with from the following?

Melissa McCarthy

Jack Nicholsan

Clarke Gable

Halle Berry

Meryl Streep

Lady Gaga

She does what she wants, doesn’t follow any typical rules and she doesn’t seem to care what anyone else thinks.

Charlie Chaplain

Gene Kelly

Other

Would you wear stripes with squares?

Yes!  I think if done in the right way you can mix any prints that you want!

Which out of the following line up are you most likely to wear?

Heels, Boots, Flats, Loafers, Sneakers, Brogues, Thongs [Flip Flops], Running Shoes, Sandals, Wedges, Slippers, Lace Ups, Decks, Wellingtons, Riding Boots, Mules, Ankle Boots, Boat shoes, Chukkas, Chelsea Boot, Slips ons?

All of the above with the exception of loafers and boat shoes!  I think I have had most styles of shoe on my shoe rack at some point or other!

Are hats your thing? If so which styles?

I wish hats were my thing but, I always seem to look silly in a hat.  the only hats I own are either dress up hats (I have a pirate hat…) or winter bobble hats!

For women; last time you wore a scarf and for men; last time you wore a tie?

I don’t really remember the last time I wore a scarf.  I have a few silk neck scarf things that I have worn with dress and jacket ensembles in the past…maybe a year ago?

Have you ever physically suffered for the sake of a fashion trend?

Yes.  So, so many times.  I have worn shoes that have given me blisters, shoes that are too high for me to walk in properly and badly fitting shoes and I never seem to learn.  I have worn a steel boned corset that rubbed my rib cage raw and has scars there now…long skirts and trousers that have caused me to trip up and dresses that, once on I could barely breathe!  I tend to go for clothes that are comfortable now and that I can move and inhale in easily!  I think when I was younger I suffered more for a fashion trend as I was not as confident in my own style as I am now.  Shoes though, they will forever be my downfall!

My Favorite Outfit – Spring

outfit 1 outfit 2 outfit 3

I love the Spring, the days starting to get warmer and the need for less layers of clothing, but still experiencing the sharp coolness of the morning and the dampness in the air.

My go to outfit for this time of the year is my corduroy dungarees dress that I got from Asda a few years ago.  It is a chunky, brown cauderoy fabric that is perfect for this time of the year and is neither too short or too long.  It is great for wearing on weekends and work days and because of this I get a great deal of wear from it.

I like to pare my dress with a long sleeve t-shirt, sometimes striped, sometimes plain as it is a brilliant way of adding layers to the outfit without creating too much bulk that a jumper would add.  I get my long sleeve t-shirts from Primark as they wash well and come in a huge variety of colours, styles and patterns.

I add a long cardigan in a chunky knit over my outfit, it adds a nice juxtaposition of textures and a cozy feel to the outfit.  I got this cardigan in Asda but most places now seem to do long cardigans in all sorts of knit.

To finish the outfit off I like to add super thick tights (there is nothing worse than cold legs!),  and a pair of cute, flat boots.  I’m really loving this Dr Marten pair that my friend got me for my Birthday last year!

What is your favorite Spring outfit?