Friday Focus: Aussie

My love affair with Aussie products has been going on for countless years now. I love everything about them ranging from how nourished they make my hair feel all the way to how they write cute things on the backs of their bottles. It's safe to say I always have at least one of their products in rotation, and whilst I may stray to other brands occasionally (the seaweed is always greener, right?) I always end up coming back to this brand, and mainly, these products.

Miricale Hair Insurance Leave in Conditioner- This is the product that is always in rotation. After every hair wash I spritz this all over my damp hair and either blow dry or let it dry naturally. When I use this product I just know that my hair will feel nourished and soft. This is the 'if you get one product from this post' product!

3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner - Everyone needs a good ol' deep condition every now and again don't they? This is my favourite one (closely followed by the Loreal Ever Riche one) just because it's thick without being overpowering on my thin yet greasy hair, and smells amazing. I like to use this once a week after giving my hair a deep clean to restore some moisture in my ends for the week ahead! For a while I couldn't find it and I got really panicky, but it looks to be back now, so we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

Mega Instant Shampoo and Conditioner - These are the bees knees of shampoos and conditioners. I have quite an irritable scalp (boo) and quite a lot of shampoos and conditioners can build up and aggravate it. This is when I always end up coming back to these two products. They cleanse my hair really well, without stripping it or irritating my hair; and for someone who hates washing my hair, I can stretch my greasy hair 2-3 (sometimes 4 if I'm not leaving the house) days.

Do you like Aussie? What are your favourite products?

Laura xoxo

Am I Missing Something?

Texturising sprays seem to be a massive craze at the moment, and when something promises to add volume and texture to my hair, I knew I wanted to try it. However, I've hit a slight snag in the road. I just don't like them.

I began my journey with the Lee Stafford Messed Up Light Spray Wax, which was ok. It was more of a sea salt spray kind of product without the sea salt. It does a good job of making my ends more voluminous, but after a while it falls flat again, and my big hair dreams fall flat (pun intended) again.

I then decided I'd give the Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray a go, with many calling it a dupe to the illustrious Orbie. Now, for me, this product is just plain weird. It smells like the Loreal Elnett Hairspray, and makes my hair feel crunchy too. Yes I get a bit of volume from this, but the crunchy, dry and product feeling hair I get in my hair after is just not worth it.

I thought I'd give these sprays one more go and purchased the Loreal Studio Line Volume Supersizing Spray after seeing it in someones video. Now this is more along the line of something I like. It has the powder particles of a dry shampoo and gives my hair a lot of volume. After my first use I did end up saying a 'wow' out loud, to myself... But again, the feeling in my hair afterwards just didn't seem worth it.

So, I turn to you, oh lovely readers. Am I doing something wrong? Am I using too much? Is it because I hate washing my hair so products that I can feel just won't be my friend? What's my problem?

Answers on a postcard please.

Laura xoxo

Everyday Items

Ever since blogging my eyes have been opened to a whole array of products that I never would've found if it wasn't for this hobby of mine. Due to that I have collated a rather large amount of products. Whilst I like to chop and change what I use on a daily basis, there are somethings I find myself using everyday without fail. 

As I don't wear make-up daily most of this list is skincare. Although my skin does get oily I try really hard to keep my hydration levels up so I use Hydraluron to keep all my moisturising products locked in. A product I use either as a day moisturiser or as an evening treatment is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. It smells amazing and really does mean your skin is fully hydrated after use. When I'm not using the mask I like to use the Origins Make A Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment under what ever other moisturiser I'm using. It really has helped clear my skin up. At least once a day I like using the Origins Make A Difference Cleansing Milk as it is soft enough to sooth my skin whilst also harsh enough to rid blemishes too.

The final two products I reach for daily are the Batiste Dry Shampoo which helps me eek out the number of washes I have to take part in, and my deodorant of choice from Mitchum. 

So that completes my daily products. What do you use daily?

Laura xoxo

Throwback Thursday: The Archives #2

I thought it was about time I delve into my archives and have a bit of 'cringe-fest' (is it just me or does the work 'cringe' make you want to cringe?) Here is a few I found for you all to have a giggle at.

Babyliss Waving Wand:

I haven't used this tool in a very  long time. It's quite shameful really, but I just have so much more of a preference for the Totem Styler or Enrapture Rollers. Also, I very rarely use heat tools on my hair, I much prefer letting it do its own thing. However, I feel like I need to dust this off and give it some love and attention.

Soap and Glory Breakfast Scrub

This stuff seriously smells good enough to eat. It really is a lovely scrub that makes you feel incredibly hungry. The only reason this isn't in my current rotation is because I love Flake Away which is one pound cheaper and a more vigorous scrub which is needed for my delightful chicken skin. 

No 17 All About the Sass Lipstick

As much as I love the colour in the bullet, and the formulation of this lipstick, it just really doesn't suit me. I've since learnt that me and pink lips are a no go. Shame as it's such a lovely lipstick.

Laura xoxo

Top Three Masks

I've always had a soft spot for face masks, but now that I've really gotten into skincare I find myself applying one two-three times a week. Today I thought I'd share with you my top three that I really rate.

Super Facialist by Une Brennan - Intense Moisture Mask - This is quite a recent purchase for me but it has already been given the Laura Love status (that's a thing, yes!) and I think it is a great product. You put it on for five minutes and instantly gives you an intense blast of moisture. It's one of those things that does what it says on the tube.

Intensive Moisture Mask - James Brown London - This is my favourite hair mask of all time. What I love about it is that you can just put it on ten minutes before a shower and still reap all the benefits of the overnight masks I have. 

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask - I've stopped using this overnight now, just because I have an array of other products to use. However, I love this for mornings where I'm not going out, or evenings after a shower when it's too early for my full evening regime and it just adds the moisture back into your skin.

What are your favoruite masks?

Laura xoxo

Review: Lee Stafford 'Messed Up'

I definitely prefer the slightly messed up/just go out of bed look when it comes to my hair. I love the Bumble and Bumble surf spray, but I do find it dries my hair out at times, so I picked this up in the hope that I would get the same effect but without the drying feeling.

This is my hair with nothing in it. As you can see it has a wave to it, and isn't the worst, but for me it feels a bit flat.

So this is my hair after a good spritz of the 'messed up' bottle. It's not earth shattering is it?

What I like about this is that you can't feel it in your hair. What I feel it does is emphasise the curl in my hair rather than 'mess up' my hair. Some may prefer this, but it doesn't do what it says on the tin.

I've only used this a handful of times, and the bottle is already feeling pretty empty.

Whilst I don't hate this product, it hasn't blown me away. Maybe my hair is a bit too long for it, or maybe it's just not compatible with my hair. I do like the effect it gives, but it definitely was not what I wanted from it, so I'm not going to be repurchasing it, but it won't be a hardship using it up.

Have you tried this? What do you think?

Laura xoxo

Video: A Hairy Tale

Just a quick post letting you know that I've posted a new video! It's all about my hair.




Why not check it out?

Laura xoxo

2012 Favourites: Hair

Hello, I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and a great evening celebrating the New Year last night. I decided to have a little blogging break over Christmas hence the lack of comments and zero posts, but now I'm back, and I thought I'd start with my 2012 favourites. First up, haircare.

Superdrug Coconut Oil - This little guy has been a savior this year. I use it on damp hair on the ends, and also cover dry hair in it for an overnight mask. I swear it has really made such a difference to the condition of my hair. And it's only £3.

Tangle Teezer - I think I've raved about this a lot this year, but it seriously is amazing.

L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil - I love using this as a finishing oil and it really smooths fly aways and makes my hair look so soft and silky. It also smells gorgeous.

Aussi Miracle Hair Insurance Leave-in- Conditioner - I've been using this for years and still love it, from the smell to the way it makes my hair smell, it's just gorgeous!

And not pictured, but I've also been lucky enough to get both the Enrapture Totem Styler, and the Rollers for Christmas, and they are both a-mazing. I've obviously had the styler longer, but they are both amazing!

What have your hair faves been?

Laura xoxo

How I Add Volume to My Hair

Although my hair has gotten quite long over the past year, it is still quite fine, and there isn't much of it. So every now and then (read, most of the time) I like to use products that fake the fact that I haven't got a lot up there.

First up I like to wash my hair with a thickening or volumising shampoo and conditioner  At the moment I'm using these two by John Frieda.* They have a lovely watermelon scent to them, and really lather up my hair, which itself makes my hair feel volumised, please tell me I'm not alone in this. They also don't make my hair greasy, which a lot of products tend to, nor do they irritate my scalp, which I also have a problem with.

After the shower, I like to spritz in some of this Bumble and Bumble thickening tonic.

I then like to scrunch it into my roots. And make a funny face....

I then flip my hair upside down, and dry it until it's around 80% dry-ish.

If I'm taking my time, I like to take a big round brush, and blow dry the ends (see above picture.) If not, I like to just take some salt/texturising spray, and leave it through the ends (see below picture.)

'Scuse the stupid face, but that is how it usually looks when finished.

I would love to hear some of your volumising tips, so if you have any, leave them as a comment, pretty please.

Laura xoxo

P.S This was my attempt at a hair swish; I tried three times, then gave myself a headache. I am a cool cookie!!!

*I was given these products for consideraton, I am not being compensated to post about them. All opinions are mine and my scalps!
They have however asked me to link to their Brilliant Brunette products, which I would fully recommend checking out :)

Things that I've Repurchased #2

With the amount of different products there are out there I think if you re-purchase something, that product needs a shout out, as it must be something special.  I know that although I like a lot of products I try, I'm always left thinking that there may be better out there, so buy different things. So I thought I would do another post on the things that I have re-purchased.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - Now I haven't actually ran out of this foundation and bought another, but I did pick one up in a shade slightly too dark, and have bought another which suits me better. I think the fact that I bought another though, still speaks highly, and I really do love and recommend this foundation

Real Techniques Core Collection - The brushes were being washed when I was doing this post, so had to show the box instead, but yes, I re-bought the Core Collection as quite a while back my Buffing Brush died a sad death, and I just decided the other day, that I needed another. So I really did pay the £20, just for the one brush!

Loreal Super Liner - I love Loreal Liners, and ended up getting this one to replace my one that ran out, it isn't completely the same, but it is still a Super Liner, that's close enough right?

Avene Cleanance Gel - This is my evening cleanser and I really like using it, so I re-purchased it. Umm, that's it really!

Origins Super Spot Treatment - I love this for clearing up and treating spots. This little tube lasted me six months before I had to replace it. It is a product I can't see me not re-purchasing.

Soap and Glory Flake Away - My favourite body scrub of all time, and I've tried a few. I have really annoying skin on my arms, think red and bobbly (nice right?) And this really helps smooth and soften the skin.

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Now this isn't actually my favourite dry shampoo, but I can't find that anymore, so this is a close second, and every girl needs dry shampoo, right?

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Re-constructor - Best intensive treatment I've tried and great value for money. I love it.

What do you always re-purchase?

Laura xoxo


Previous post - here!

Things that I've repurchased!

I'm sure this won't shock anyone, but I love trying new things. Reading blog posts and watching videos shows just how many different products there are out there, and I'm always up for trying them, it's my bank account that stops me. I find that I tend to blog a lot about new products I try and love, or maybe even don't love, but I think sometimes we need to give a little attention to the products that are always there. The ones that without fail we can reach for knowing time and time again, they will work for us.

Skincare:

Clean and Clear Morning Energy: I really like using this after washing my face in the morning. I find it really helps stop any oil making a sneaky appearance in the day and stops the shine showing throughout the day.

Garnier Youthful Radiance Night Cream: I bought this cream, then used another, and I missed this so much. It has a nice smell and is just so refreshing. It is nice and thick too, in the way that makes your skin still feel soft and moisturised in the morning.

Garnier Intensive Seven Day Moisturiser: I love this moisturiser. This is my third bottle of the stuff. I wouldn't say that it lasts the seven days, but a good couple. It is quite nice and light weight too, and doesn't transfer onto clothes.

Coconut Milk Hand wash: When on holiday in December I went to the toilets and they had the hand lotion of this in the toilets, and oh my goodness, the smell is amazing. It lasts for ages. I just had to find it. I then found it in Marks and Spencer's for a pound. ONE POUND! So of course I picked up the hand wash too, and this is my second bottle.

Boots Botanics Eye Make Up Remover: Best eye make up remover, ever! Enough said! 

Haircare:

I am rather fickle with hair care and switch things up quite a lot, but these two, and my Paul Mitchell Shampoo Two have been bought numerous times. (Stupid me forgot to picture the shampoo, but I have babbled about it quite a lot, here!) I also don't feel these need much more description. They are both amazing!

Make-up:

Max Factor High Definition Mascara: Holy grail mascara. Lengthens, defines and volumenises. What else could you want?

Maybelline Lumi Touch Concealer: Used to use this and then bought something else to try instead. This beat it hands down. I love this concealer for under eyes and my nose. I find it just completely brightens up my face. 

Rimmel Match Perfect Cream Gel Foundation: My go to foundation for the few nights out I find myself going on. It has no spf so no dreaded flashback in pictures and is rather thick too. Nice one Rimmel.

Rimmel Pro Coral Romance: I love it. See the story behind it and a dupe in this post.

Real Techniques Blush Brush: I have two of these, one for blush and one for my mineral foundation. I love the shape, I love the size and they are just so darn soft.

No 17 Blending Brush: I have three of these. They are so inexpensive and come in so handy for, yes you guessed it, blending out eye make-up.

I've also, since scheduling this post, re-purchased the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri. Can't imagine not suing it now!

What are your favourite re-purchased items?

Laura xoxo

Hair Care Holy Grail's

It's not very often that I will re-purchase a product, not because I dislike it, but I feel there could be something better out there. Therefore if I do re-purchase something, it is because, I feel, it is GOOD!

So here are the hair care items that I do, and will continue to purchase.

Aussie Leave In Conditioner:

I love, love, love this. It smells fantastic for a starters. I spray it liberally over my wet hair and I can just feel my hair get softer. I find Aussie to be one of the best hair care brands. They are easily affordable and really do work. This product makes hair easier to comb through, and I really do feel like it protects my mop!

Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo Two:

When I was going through my hormanl teenage years, I washed my hair, dried it, and it was greasy again. Literally.Not cool right? So when my mom went to the hair dressers, they suggested this, and oh my goodness, I've been using this ever since. I don't use it every day, only on a Sunday to rid my hair of all the product build up of the week, and it is just so re-freshing for my hair. This bottle cost me £8.50 which I don't think is something to grumble at. It lasts ages, as I only use it once a week, I probably buy two, maximum three bottles a year. I love it. It has a fresh lemony scent and is suitable for coloured hair too!

Tangle Teezser:

I love my little Tangle Teezer. Not only does it look cute on my little shelf, the tub it comes with is so handy. This really does gently remove all tangles from my hair. I use it in the shower, after the shower, on wet hair, dry hair, anytime my hair feels a bit knotty, and this just sorts it all out. I recommend everyone getting one of these little guys. Your hair will love you for it!

Aussie Three Minute Miracle:

I normally use the reconstructer one, but thought I would give the Frizz Remedy one a go this time. However, I absolutely love their three minute miracle conditioner's I use them every time I wash my hair, after normal conditioner and it leaves my hair soo soft and lovely. Again it smells nice, and Aussie write such funny things on their bottles you will be left chuckling in the shower.

What are your hair Holy grail's? Do you use any of these?

Laura xoxo

PS. I've guest posted on the lovely Lucy's blog, check it out here!

PPS. Big Congratulations to my Step Mom who just had a baby girl!!! Excited is an understatement!