Dear John Frieda....

Dear John Frieda...

As I am a long time admirer of your lovely hair products, it is with regret that I find myself today feeling a little...cheated? 

I absolutely adore the Full Repair range and used t use it all the time. Not long ago I decided to pick up some more of the shampoo and conditioner to use again. 

As much as I love the products themselves, I have a bone to pick. 

On the left, the lovely Hydrate & Rescue Shampoo. 250ml. 

On the right, Hydrate and Rescue Conditioner. 150ml. 

The cost of the shampoo? £5.89. 

The cost of the conditioner? £6.99. 

Maybe I'm being really thick.... but I really have no idea why I'm paying MORE for LESS product in the conditioner. 

As someone who has very long hair, this bottle of conditioner is almost all used up, whilst the shampoo is still going strong. 

Even with hair not as long as mine, surely most people would use just as much (if not more?) conditioner as shampoo when they wash their hair? 

Why, in all that is good and holy, am I paying more money for a bottle that at most would last a week, and would only last that long if I used a pea sized amount?

When I used to buy these products I used to get the same amount in both bottles and now I just feel cheated. 

I don't think I'll find myself buying these again...I wondered perhaps if the conditioner was something SO incredible that it would justify spending more money for less, but honestly there was no difference between it and the old bottles of conditioner that used to be sold. 

Maybe next time I'll stroll over to another brand when I'm buying hair products because at this rate I'd have to buy two conditioners for every shampoo I bought and if I did that I'd be bankrupt by now. 

I'm sorry Mr Frieda. You've lost a fan. 

Libby x

Beauty Empties #5

Hi!

 

 

I have another "empties" post for you today; these are a few makeup, hair and skincare products that I've completely used up in the past couple of weeks!

 

 

1) Batiste Dry Shampoo (Tropical scent)

 

This is probably my favourite dry shampoo and I've already got another one of these on the go!

This is inexpensive, freshens up my hair and smells great.

I plan to keep on buying this over and over again!

 

2) Sure Clear Pure Crystal Deodorant

 

This is my favourite scent and I've used up so many of these now! I don't really have anything bad to say about it and again, I've got another one on the go now.

 

3) Simple Kind To Skin Soothing Facial Toner

 

I really like this because it genuinely is soothing and is very gentle on my skin.

I planned on repurchasing this but it was out of stock in my local Boots so I picked up the Tea Tree & Witch Hazel toner instead, but I think I prefer this one simply because it seems less harsh. This also doesn't have alcohol in it which I prefer.

 

4) Simple Kind To Skin Refreshing Facial Gel

 

I've gone through a couple of these in the past and whilst I do like it I do like trying different things now and again. I like to switch up my facial wash to try new ones but I'm sure at some point I'll get this one again because its inexpensive and does the job!

This also isn't overly drying or harsh on my skin.

 

5) Clairol Colourseal Conditioning Gloss

 

I decided that this counts as an "empty".

This came with my hair dye last time I dyed it and I do like it.

The smell is to die for but this claims to have 6 weeks worth of product, providing you use it once a week.

Unless you have about 3 hairs on your head this won't last anywhere near 6 weeks. I got about 3 uses out of this but then I do have pretty long hair.

I'll probably buy this/the hair dye again at some point.

 

6) Primark Beauty 4 in 1 Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes

 

I got two of these last time I went into Primark because I was curious. They were ridiculously cheap, something like £1 for a twin pack.

I wanted them for cleaning brushes and that was about it; I feel these are too rough to use just for cleansing my face but that's ok because I predicted that. They work well for cleaning brushes though because I don't like buying expensive wipes for this purpose because any ones will do.

 

7) Simpe Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes

 

I do like these but considering how fast I go through them they are a little pricey.

They are soft and cleanse my skin really well but because I go through face wipes so quickly I prefer to buy ones that are less expensive. I do like buying these occasionally though.

 

8) E.L.F Eyeshadow Primer

 

This is the second one of these I've used up completely and I love this product!

These are only £1.50 from www.eyeslipsface.co.uk and for a basic, everyday eye primer they are great.

Next time I get an order with E.L.F I'll definitely throw one of these into my online shopping bag.

 

9) Rimmel London Match Perfection 2-in-1 Highlighter & Concealer

 

Again, I've gone through 2 of these now. I LOVE this for a touch up concealer or to brighten up my under eye area.

Already repurchased! This is one of those products that I'll keep going back to I think.

I've done a review HERE if you want to read more.

 

 

So there you have it! There are my beauty empties - I hope you enjoyed my post!

Thank you so much for reading.

Libby x

 

General Skincare/Haircare/Makeup Haul!

Hi!

 

Today I just have a quick haul of a few products I picked up recently, most of them are skincare or hair care with a few extras :)
This was actually two separate shopping trips so that's why the photos are separate!

 

 

 

 

1) Boots Tea Tree & Witchhazel Cleansing And Toning Lotion

 

I got this because my local boots was out of the Simple toner that I normally use...but I've generally liked the Tea Tree & Witch Hazel products before from Boots so I thought I'd try this out...

Generally liking it so far although it has a strong smell...

This was around £4 which is slightly more expensive than my normal one but I do like it so far.

 

2) Simple Kind To Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes

 

I got these for cleansing in the morning because I'm famous for not having enough time to properly wash with a facial wash and so I end up just not doing it...hopefully at least I'll remember to use these!

I like these wipes, I've used them before and although I only got one pack I plan on getting some more to stock up!

These are about £3.85

 

3) Sure Clear Pure Crystal Deodorant

 

I got the pink one of these as this has one of my favourite scents and I was running out so this was just a boring general basic item that I needed to get! :)

 

4) Clairol Nice n Easy Hair Dye (104)

 

Despite being naturally blonde my shade of blonde is quite dark especially at the roots so I dye my hair a slightly lighter blonde than my natural colour.

I hadn't used this brand before (usually I use the Belle Colour one) but my boots didn't have them so I got this one instead...used it today and really pleased with the finished result!

It looks like a pretty warm coloured blonde but that's ok because generally the slightly "carroty" colour goes when you dry your hair after dying and then it fades even more as you wash it.

This was I think £5.99.

 

5) Boots Double Sided Cotton Pads

 

I get these pads because I love the double sides; there is a smooth side for things like facial toner and then a slightly rough side which is great for removing nail varnish.

These are only around £1.89 and I always get these!

 

 And then today I went out again and got a few things...mainly makeup based!

 

 

6) Real Techniques Stippling Brush

 

I REALLY wanted to try some of the brushes from Real Techniques and I was tempted to get a set but decided it seemed a lot for brushes that I might not use as much so I got a stippling brush that I really needed! :)

This was £10.99 and so far I really like it; it's densely packed and small enough to get into all the nooks and crannies of my face!

 

7) Rimmel London Match Perfection 2-in-1 Concealer & Highlighter

 

This is a favourite for me, and this is my third tube of it!

I'm running out of my current one so I decided to pick up another, this just highlights my under eye area so beautifully.

My shade is Ivory and I got this for only £5.99.

 

8) Garnier Simply Essentials Facial Cleansing Wipes

 

These were on 3 for £5 so I got loads of these!

Boots was out of my usual Cumber Face Wipes so I got these instead to try out.

I used one a minute ago and while I like it I found it very slightly drying but that's not much of a problem because a spot of moisturiser fixed it straight away.

 

9) Benefit Erase Paste

 

This was kind of a splurge for me...Basically I have this already but in a shade that is too dark so I got this in the lightest shade and I'm looking forward to using it!

I love the formula of the Erase Paste so hopefully this will be better for me than the sample size I originally that is a too dark shade.

 

10) Sleek Ultra Mattes V1 Palette (Brights)

 

I originally wanted the Acid palette (And I still do) but my Superdrug doesn't have it :( I'll have to order it online or something.

But to satisfy my need for some bright matte shades I got this palette instead which looks pretty good!

I'm looking forward to trying this out!

 

 

Well that's it!

Thanks for reading, I'll have reviews of some of these products coming soon!

Libby x

Beauty Empties! #4

Hi!

I have another "empties" post for you today...I've decided to do these in smaller intervals so that the number of products isn't so many. This way the empties posts will be more often and shorter which makes it easier for me instead of typing an essay for loads of products! :)

 

 

I only have 5 products for this post that I've used up, however I have a lot of products that I've nearly used up so there will be another empties post pretty soon! :)

 

From left to right:

 

 

1) The Colour Workshop Extra Strength Base Coat

 

This is a pretty standard product for me really!

I got this a long time ago in a kit that came with a load of other nail polishes but this is the one I've used the most and consequently have used up!

There isn't a huge amount to say about it: It stopped the nail colours from staining my nails and so in my eyes it worked as base coat! Not much to complain about really!

I wouldn't necessarily buy this again though because it's not easy to get hold of as I had this first in a kit.

 

 

2) Catwalk TIGI Headshot Reconstructive Intense Conditioner

 

I bought this a couple of weeks ago from TK Maxx...I love going there to find new hair products for a much lower price!

I picked this one up because it reminded me of the Bed Head Dumb Blonde Reconstructor...and it was similar. I do prefer the Bed Head one as I much preferred the scent...this one had a pretty strong strawberry scent that smelt kind of...sugary? :P

This was very thick but did help my hair and made it softer and shinier.

It was originally supposed to be somewhere in the region of £10/12 but I got this for £7.

I might get this again if I see it...although I do prefer the Bed Head Dumb Blonde Reconstructor instead.

 

3) Boots Vitamin E Moisture Lotion

 

I bought this aaaggggeesss ago and I've only just used it up!

This is pretty cheap and easy to find which is definitely a plus. I originally got this to use as a face moisturiser after my other one ran out, however I found this to be pretty heavily fragranced and because I don't like using fragranced products on my face I used it as a body moisturiser instead.

I used this after a shower on my legs and arms, particularly after a shave to stop my skin being dry.

I would pick this up again if I see it, but I have SO many moisturisers at the moment I don't think I'll need to get another for quite some time! 

 

4) L'Oreal Paris Lash Architect 4D Mascara

 

I didn't actually buy this...my mum gave it to me after she started using it and found it irritated her eyes, possibly due to her contact lenses. If you were contacts maybe I'd be careful with this as she did say this interfered with them and was quite annoying.

I however didn't mind it, it provided decent volume, length and separation although the brush did start to clump somewhat as the mascara had been open for a couple of weeks.

I will NOT be buying this again however as I am aware that L'Oreal test their products on animals, and I don't buy from companies that do this. I used this up because I had it and it would be a waste, but I won't get it again.

 

5) Simple Kind To Skin Replenishing Rich Moisturiser

 

I have actually already repurchased this!

In the winter this is great for a day moisturiser and in the summer when I want something lighter as a night cream this works well for that too!

It's cheap and makes my skin very soft after using it.

It also provides enough moisture for my very dry skin!

 

So that's it! Stay tuned for another empties post coming pretty soon.

Thank you for reading!

 I hope you enjoyed my post :)

Libby x

 

Hair & Skincare Empties! #2

Hi!
I have another empties post for you today...they are hair and skincare but I do have some actual makeup empties waiting to show you; I just want to finish up a few more makeup products so that I can do a whole post on just makeup empties!

I had a lot of skin/hair products that were nearly finished just hanging around and I decided it was about time I finished them up! I'm one of those people who will stop using a product (or use very little) when its running out, dash out to buy another one at the first chance...use the new product and Then completely forget to finish up the old one completely.

 

1)

So okay technically this is cheating because I have the tiniest smidge of this left in the pot...but I'm going to use it tonight and I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to do this post! :P

This is the Simple Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Night Cream, which I actually repurchased again today! This is £5.60 and I really liked it. I use this after cleansing my face at night and it is really moisturising. It feels pretty heavy and takes a long while to sink in which makes it feel slightly greasy on the skin but this doesn't matter to me because I'm busy sleeping so its not a problem! :P

I find that when I wake up in the morning my skin looks soft, smooth, clear and moisturised. I must confess I never used a night cream before this one, but I wouldn't want to go back to not having one!

 

2)

This is the Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner.

I already use and love the argan oil from this line and brand (which you can read a review of HERE) and so I decided to try the shampoo and conditioner that went along with it.

They were about £6 each and they did not disappoint! These made my hair feel much softer and added a lot of shine. I also loved the way these smelt, and while I haven't repurchased them again yet I think I will in the future.

 

3)

These go along a similar line...before I tried the Organix shampoo and conditioner I found these online which I decided to give a go. They are from a brand called Hollywood Beauty and are called the Argan Shampoo + Conditioner.

These were around £5 each and what attracted me to them was the fact that they were sulphate free (which I know is good for your hair) and also had argan oil in them. As my hair is fragile and naturally dry I love having hair products with argan oil in them.

I did really like these, despite taking a while to finish them because I got distracted with other shampoos...they definitely made my hair shinier all over.

For some reason due to the packaging I was worried they would smell a bit...olive-y? Like when you get hand creams that have olive extract in them. Maybe that was just me reading the packaging wrong.

Anyway...they don't smell like olive. Thank god. ever since I went on a plane where someone had an olive smelling hand cream I cant stand the smell and this would've seriously put me off. I cant put my finger on the smell of these but its nice whatever it is.

I preferred the Organix shampoo and conditioner duo but I would still buy these if I needed too.

 

 

 

4)

I won't lie...it took me ages to get through this bottle.

This is called the Clean & Clear Exfoliating Daily Wash.

I think Clean & Clear just doesn't agree with my skin too well and it always feels a little bit harsh and acidic. This dried my skin out something awful but it did do the job of exfoliating. I didn't use it that often but my skin was soft after it - albeit dry.

I probably wouldn't buy this again because I've found better products for exfoliating my skin, like the Simple Spotless Skin Deep Clean Cleansing Pads. 

5)

I seem to remember this being free with Glamour magazine a while back.

It is the Balance Me Extra Care Wonder Eye Cream. It claims to soothe, brighten and lift

 and while it did moisturise well for my eye area, that's about all it did. It did feel nice and soothing to put it on but i'm not sure this warrants the £20 price tag for a full size tube.

It was nice but nothing special and to be honest a normal moisturiser under the eye felt exactly the same to me.

6)

I think in all honesty this must be my...tenth packet of these? Since I discovered them I go through them very quickly. They are cheap & cheerful. They are the Boots Essentials Cucumber Cleansing Wipes and they are often on offer at 3 for £3! :)

There are also fragrance free ones available but I love the refreshing cucumber scent of these.

I use these to clean makeup brushes, remove makeup or just give my face a quick cleanse.

I've tried wipes that are much more expensive than this which were rough and scratchy but these are moisturising and cleansing enough for me and I will buy them time and time again.

 

7)

And finally...the Simple Kind To Skin Vital Vitamin Foaming Cleanser.

After trying all of Simple's cleansers I now switch between this one and the Refreshing Face Wash which I also like. They do the same in terms of cleansing but its nice to have little changes every now and then.
I love the pump on this as it means you never use too much. It's very refreshing to put on and it cleanses well without drying out my skin. I think this is around £3/£4.

At the moment I'm using the Simple Refreshing Facial Wash but when that's done I'll switch to this...and then back again. It's nice to have variety.

 

So there you go! :) There are the last hair and skin products I've used up over the past couple of weeks, which is nice as I have some more space on my shelf...for me to buy more things.

 

I hope you enjoyed my empties post! Thank you for reading :)

Libby x

*REVIEW* Organix Argan Oil

Hi! :)
I have a slightly different type of review for you today as this time its a hair product!
I thought I'd show you one of the hair products I LOVE most.

Just in case you can't read it:
"A unique, precious blend of Moroccan argan oil which helps to rapidly penetrate the hair shaft, restoring shine and softness while helping to strengthen and create soft, seductive, silky perfection."

Also on the back it says "This exotic precious blend of Moroccan argan oil helps to moisturize, revive and create softness and strength while helping protect your hair from harmful styling heat and UV damage as t gives you smooth, sexy tresses."

You can get this in both Boots and Superdrug and its £6.99 for 100ml. I also recently showed this in my latest haul post, which you can see HERE.

TEXTURE:
This is quite a thick oil, so you have to be careful not to apply too much or it could weigh your hair down. I use an amount that is kind of the size of maybe a 5p or 10 coin on my palm, rub my hands together and then work it into the hair, making sure I get it on the ends. I don't ever put this directly onto my scalp or the hair near the roots as this would make it greasy, but when I've finished putting it on the ends of my hair I often use my hands again to massage the remaining *TINY* bit onto my scalp. I definitely would never put any onto my scalp properly as that would make it go greasy quickly but I use what's left on my hands :) This is quite thick and has sort of a golden colour.


RESULT:
Wow. This makes my hair SUPER shiny. I notice when I first rub my hands together that my hands look really shiny with oil, and that shininess definitely translates onto the hair. This is my miracle hair savoir! :) I put this on most of the time after I wash my hair (unless I've used a deep conditioner or hair mask as I think it might weigh it down if I put any on after that, plus my hairs usually had all the conditioning it needs!) . This also makes my hair a lot softer and has improved the quality of my ends. I just love the shiny effect it gives my hair and also the bottle seems to last AGES! My last bottle lasted about 7 months and I'm only just coming to the end of it! I've already gone out and bought another one :) I would've taken before and after pictures but the lighting today is so bad I just couldn't... (yay for our non-existent British spring...)

OVERALL:
I feel that this does everything it claims to...it adds shine, softness and I've found it also strengthens my hair. I cant comment on where it protects your hair from heat that well as I no longer use any heat on my hair at all (I don't even blow dry my hair) but I love the results it gives. I wouldn't want to be without this product!
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed my review :)
Libby x