Monday 27 January 2014

L'Oreal: Eversleek Shampoo & Conditioner Review

L'Oreal_Eversleek_Shampoo_Conditioner


Hello my lovlies! Today I have for you review of the L'Oreal Eversleek shampoo and conditioner. :)
Now, I ran oout of my beloved Tresemme Platinum Strength and I thought, might as well try something new! And this was I think half price in Sainsbury's? I was pretty excited because I've seen about that sulphates are bad for your hair and stuff so I thought, why not?  

I've used this combo for about a month now, and it's got to the point where I just couldn't carry on using it. The first thing you notice is that they smell amazing, and the smell really stays in your hair, but really, and the top of my hair would be shiny on the first day, but that's about all the good points I can find. I noticed my hair would be sort of greasy looking on the second day, so that 'shine' I was having on the first day just made it look greasy by the next day. Now normally, I can go 3 days without washing my hair, maybe 4 with a little help from dry shampoo!
It also made my ends so so so dry, it became unbearable. Even with the help of hair serum, it would just look awful, and I normally have my hair down for work so it made me very conscious! At first I thought, 'maybe it's because I'm putting some of the shampoo in the ends, I wont do that next time!' Did it help? Nope! It still looked dry, and my ends became split, frizzy and I was getting A LOT of breakages.
This duo is supposed to be for 'frizzy, overworked hair' but it just made my hair in more of a worse condition, when I was finally starting to be quite pleased with how my hair was looking condition wise! Even other people were noticing how dry my hair looked. I tried my intensive conditioners, I tried a argan oil hair mask, but it still looked dry! 
So, I'm a bit bewildered really, if this is a sulphate free shampoo and conditioner, then why is it so drying?! Considering it's supposed to be the sulphates that dry out your hair! :( 
I've now had to revert back to my Tresemme, and after two washes I can already see an improvement, although my hair is still suffering! 
So lets try and some this up;

L'Oreal_Eversleek_Shampoo_Conditioner
Pros:
-Smells AMAZING.
-Leaves and amazing shine on freshly washed hair.

Cons:
-Very drying
-The 'shine' from the first day becomes more greasy on the second day.
-Does NOT do what it says it does; there is no way that it's nourishing, or smooths.

All in all, I hate giving a bad review, but there's not really anything else I can say that's positive, unfortunately! Perhaps if I had thicker hair I would get a better result? I don't know, it's supposed to be good for even 'delicate' hair and mine is very fine, so I would of thought it would be classed as delicate? 
I think I'll just mix the conditioner with another one to not waste it, I don't think I'll risk the shampoo again though. Maybe I got a bad batch? Who knows.

You can find them pretty much anywhere for from about £3.99 to £5.99

Have you tried this product? If so how did you get on with it?

Until next time! 
xoxoxo.





The Fragrance Shop: Discovery Club 5th Edition Box Review

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Hello my lovlies! 
Today I have for you a little review of the Discovery club box by the Fragrance shop.
Now this is like one of those monthly beauty box subscriptions but instead you get fragrance samples :)
It's also quarterly (every 3 months) and £5 a time.
I came across this on a blog, but I can't remember who it was! If I rememver I'll link them :)


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It comes nicely presented :)

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And you also get £5 off vouchers for all the perfumes in the booklet that comes with it.

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Inside the 5th edition box is 9 samples of perfume in total, 6 female and 3 male, which are (in order of how they are pictured, descriptions are from The Fragrance Shop website):

Nina Ricci, Nina; 'A magical scent captured inside a glass apple. Nina offers charm and enchantment with a dash of seduction in what is a fresh floral fruity fragrance.'
Givenchy, Very Irrésistible; 'A very dynamic sensual fragrance possessing the elegant floral top notes of rose and the exotic daring combination of peony and rose fantasia. A very appealing feminine scent by Givenchy.'
Hugo Boss, Hugo Man; 'Fresh, sharp and extremely masculine, HUGO is about living life on your own terms with a certain irreverence. It is created not for those who go with the trend of the moment, but for those who seek a style of their own. The chunky glass bottled is topped off with a masculine metal topper, capturing a fresh, lively scent.'
Thierry Mugler, Angel; 'Angel, the first fragrance by Thierry Mugler, is a voluptuous oriental gourmand with a truly beautiful bottle resembling dazzling stars cut from a night blue sky.'
Gucci, Gucci Guilty; 'Gucci takes as a catalyst its iconic entwined G’s and brings us a heroine who regards this emblem as an incitement to subvert. For this most contemporary of rebels, Gucci is the brand of sex and power. In Gucci Guilty, this woman discovers the very scent of defiance.'
HUGO BOSS, BOSS BOTTLED; 'A true male iconic fragrance that remains as popular now as its launch in 1994. The juice is fresh and sharp with a warm woody base whilst the bottle offers a sleek, uncomplicated but very masculine look.'
Issey Miyake, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme; 'Since 1994, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme has become a hallmark of sophistication in the world of fragrances. It awakens the senses with its blend of citrus, precious woods and spices. The pure, energising scent is perfect for a modern, independent man.'
Jean Paul Gaultier ''Classique''; 'Launched in 1993, Classique has become a true icon in the fragrance world. The supremely seductive oriental floral fragrance pays homage to the beauty of women with its corset inspired design. A sweet and bold EDT.'
Thierry Mugler, Alien; 'Distinctive and mysterious, yet comforting and soft. The EDT conveys passion, sensuality and the essence of absolute femininity with a rich floral woody with a magical trail for a fragrance that is truly out of this world.'

For me, the idea of this is great, having sensitive skin makes me a bit weary of trying new perfumes in case I break out into a rash, so by having a samples I can try new perfumes to see if they suit me, and see how they react with me :)
These are also great for travel as most of them do have them are in like spray things!
I've already got Classique, but I've never tried the rest, I think I'll give the mens samples to the Fiance!
My favourites are probably Alien or Gucci Guilty, or Nina. I am currently writing this in my leopard print onesie I got for Christmas which now has a different perfume practically everywhere! I just like to smell them as I write, haha! I smell like a tarts handbag ;) 
Will I buy this again? I think so! 
Have you tried The Discovery Club before? Or do you own any of these perfumes? I'd love to know! 
xoxo


Monday 20 January 2014

Models Own: Yet another haul!

Hello my lovlies! 
I know, not another haul right?! I think I need to get my spending under control! However when the sales lady says, 'did you know if you buy 6 polishes you'll get them for £15?' And then you think wow! That's a bargain! Walk round pick your polishes and then she says 'You've got one nail treatment there, you can get another colour and then get another nail treatment, then you'll get 2 nail treatments for £5' how could I say no?

Here is Sardonyx from the Velvet Goth collection, I love this colour! So so stunning, I wore this on New Years :) 

Here is Absinthe from the Velvet Goth collection. Now I must admit, This is a colour I'm not sure I'll wear, I bought this to complete the Velvet Goth collection and because the boyfriend picked it as green his is favourite colour! However, when swatched, it's pretty stunning!

Amethyst from the Velvet Goth collection. My birthstone, and a super beautiful purple! 

Here is Magenta Divine from the Glitter collection, one word, LOVE! 

Northern Lights from the Wonderland collection. This is so stunning on! I might just have to complete the Wonderland collection now... I think I'm addicted! 

Scarlet Sparkle. Now Jake chose this, and I said 'I don't think red really suits me' to which he replied 'Mary, if you're not wear black, grey or white, you wear red, or a variation of red like burgundy, your favourite colour is red and you have a red car' Sometimes I do make myself wonder! 

I chose the 5 in 1 base and top coat and the express dry, as I find some of the glitter polishes from Models own to be pretty thick and they take forever to dry, this should come in handy! 

Swatches and reviews will be up soon :)
Do you have a favourite Models Own polish I should check out? 
Until next time 
xoxoxo


Monday 13 January 2014

L'Oreal: False Lash Flutter Mascara Review

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Hello my lovlies!
I have a little review today of the L'Oreal False Lash Flutter Mascara in Black.
Now this mascara has been about for a little under a year I think? But I never really noticed it before, which seems strange as I'm normally like a magpie when it comes to shiny things! 
Now this mascara is supposed to be based around a butterfly, by it being called 'flutter' and the wing shaped brush and L'Oreal says it has 'butterfly fibres'. Which is a posh way of saying it's a fibre mascara ;) With all the butterfly references, it was hard to not buy it! I've never tried a L'Oreal mascara before, but I've always admired the fancy packaging and was quite excited to try this one! 

L'OREAL_FALSE_LASH_FLUTTER_MASCARA_BLACK

L'OREAL_FALSE_LASH_FLUTTER_MASCARA_BLACK
Look! I've never seen a mascara brush like it! 

Now, normally, I go for a waterproof formula as my eyes can get quite watery, from allergies, and the wind, plus I'm a bit of am emotional person :P However, when I got caught it 1 minute-ish of torrential rain going from car to workplace, it didn't stream my face at all! Only a bit of a transfer onto my finger when trying to tidy myself up in the loos! I found that pretty impressive! As for wear throughout the day, I can't really complain, I get 1 or 2 specs on my face during the day but it's barely noticeable, it doesn't smudge, and despite being a bit of a wetter constancy than I normally prefer, it dries super quick. 
Time for photos! 

Here are my naked lashes, that have been curled and I tightlined my waterline. They aren't the shortest of lashes, but then again not really the longest.

L'OREAL_FALSE_LASH_FLUTTER_MASCARA_BLACK_SWATCH
Here are my lashes with one coat, I so so so love this mascara! Look how fab they look! So long and it nicely wings out my outer lashes to make them more.. fluttery I guess!


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Here are my lashes with 2 coats, they don't look too different, just a bit thicker :) I prefer only to use one coat really! The formula dries so quick and look perfectly fine with one coat so I just apply it then go! 

So to round it up;
Pros: 
-Lengthens and thickens without looking clumpy
-Dries quickly
-Doesn't smudge
-Seems waterproof
-Lasts well throughout the day

Cons:
-The formula is quite wet, which might not be for everyone
-The price, it's £10.99 which I deem as quite a bit for a 'drugstore' mascara!

Overall, would I repurchase? I do love this mascara, but I'm not sure about the price, if it was on offer, I'd buy it straight away! So I may carry on the search for the perfect mascara that's a little cheaper, and wait for this one to be at a nicer price ;) It's such a shame though, this would be my perfect mascara if it weren't for the price :( 

It is available in four different colours, Black, Midnight Blacks Extra Black, Blue and 
Purple, and you can get them at Boots and Superdrug for £10.99
I hope you found this helpful :) 
Have you tried this mascara? What is your perfect mascara?
Until next time! 
xoxox.


Tuesday 7 January 2014

Lush: 50% off Sale Haul!

Hello my lovlies :)
Today I have for you a little Lush Haul I ordered on Boxing day, and arrived on the 3rd. I couldn't say no, despite getting a Lush gift set for Christmas ;) You can never have enough, and a sale is always a good excuse to try new things, am I right? ;) 

First off, I love the box, is that strange? Inside it tell you how to recycle the packaging, I didn't even realise them wotsit type things are actually made of potato starch and can be put in compost or plant post.. Who knew that?! 


Firstly, I got theTea Tree Water Toner, my skin has been a little crazy these past couple months, so I thought it was worth a try! I bought the big size, because...Why not?! Which retails at £7.50, I paid £3.75, which is cheaper than the 100g! 

Next is Grease Lightening Spot Treatment, I got this for the above reason ^ I've gone from having no more than about 3 spots at a time, to having god knows how many, and they are very painful! Anything is worth a go to get rid! This retails at £5.95, and I paid £2.97. Not a bad price! Lets hope it works.. I've been using it a couple of days, I think I'll review it in a few weeks. 

Does this really need an introduction?! I was after the big size but they were bought up whilst I was picking my other products :( I paid £1.75 so I think it was £3.50 at full price? I love the smell of this so much, it just makes me happy! Yum.

 
Next is Cinders Bath Bomb, I love love loveee the smell of this! Although it seems smaller this year? These were retailed at £2.45 and I paid £1.22. Woooop! 

Next is the Shoot For The Stars Ballistic. Isn't this pretty? I saw a picture of this in someone bath on youtube, maybe? And it made it such a pretty colour I couldn't resist it! It retails at £3.35 and I paid £1.62.

Here is the So White Bath Bomb, I saw that this is one of Zoe AKA Zoella favourite's from Lush so I though it was worth a buy! It retailed at £3.25 and I bought it for £1.62.

Next is the Bombardino, how cute?! He looks like he should be in a Mario game :) This retails at £2.50 and cost me £1.25

Here is my beloved Ma Bar. I haven't been able to find it anywhere, yet when I was scrolling through the sale items, there it was! Can I find it again of the Lush website? No! It's unavailable again :( I should of bought more! I paid £1.75, so I guess it was  £3.50 full price, if you can get it? :( 

I think I may prefer buying Lush products online? I mean, yes you have to pay £3.95 postage (so part of what I saved doesn't exactly count, I will be reusing the box and Ecoflo though!) but I like that they come individually wrapped in the 'Cellulose' packaging to help them keep fresh, even though there's a split in my Shoot For The Stars one! Plus it saves me getting stuck in hours of traffic to get 15mins down the road and then not be able to buy anything!  Although I also like smelling literally everything, until I get a headache :) 

I hope you enjoyed this post! What did you get in the sales? 
Until next time 
xoxox









Thursday 2 January 2014

Happy New Year! 2013 Review and New Years Resolutions for 2014

Image from www.dailystar.co.uk of the London's 2014 New Years Eve firework display.

Happy New Year everybody (and Merry Christmas)  Hope you all had a wonderful night and didn't get too merry ;)
This is going to be a little reflection post reviewing last years resolutions and to make some new ones.

So last years resolutions were:
1. Blog more: One of my new year resolutions last year was to blog more. In 2011 I blogged 15 times, but in 2012 I blogged 88 times. Not bad going I think! I would like to improve this though.Did I keep to it? No :( I blogged 38 times last year, bad Mary! 

2. Exercise!: Throughout the year I have put on a little bit of weight, (I got boobs!) But would like to try and loose a bit for my holiday in May. Even if it means I walk the dogs more that will do :)Did I keep to it? Not really.. I bought a fitness DVD at the beginning of the year, did it once and was put off! My job that I started in the summer is a lot more active and I dash about everywhere! So in theory I am excercising ;) I didn't lose that much weight before my holiday, but then I don't think I've really gained that much either (I did get more boobage though! Muahaha :P)

3. Drink more water: We all know the health benefits of drinking water! I have drunk more water this year, albeit the flavoured sparkling type! Where I live the tap water tastes chalky and bleurgh. I must drink more!
Did I keep to it? I have been doing this! Woooop!


4. Be courageous: I tend to do a lot of things that are 'safe' as I hate being out of my comfort zone (who doesn't?) and get panicky. Last year I've done a lot more things I wouldn't of dreamed of doing (I passed my driving test, just! Drove to North Hertfordshire and back 4 times in a week!) I want to progress more :).Did I keep to it? I got a new job so tick! My new job involves me going to different stores and talking to new managers and people so tick! Admittedly I am hesitant sometimes but I am pushing myself!
I've driven to a lot of places on my own and even got petrol on my own, so tick!


5. Be more positive: I'm not the most down hearted of people, I like to see the best in people and situations, but sometimes it's hard to keep that sort of morale. So, I'm going to buy a jar and write down all the good things that have happened, so I can look back and remember them when I'm down. Hopefully this will all aid me in becoming more positive. (I was taught at college that positive things happen to positive people, it's nice to keep it in practice, you don't know what might happen. )Did I keep to it? This year has been a little hard to keep positive, but I've tried my damn hardest! I never got round to buying a jar, but sure wish I had of done! I think I've achieved a lot for myself this year.

So all in all, I've not failed that hard at last years resolutions, 3ish out of 5 is not bad! Pretty proud of myself!

So time, for this years resolutions!

1. Blog more: I am seriously going to try beating last year, maybe even the year before at least! This brings me onto my next resolution.

2. Be more organised: This is both with my time and with my mess. I am a messy person, my room is a tip, however, I'm pretty particular about certain things like cleanliness, things being exact, etc. Which is a little weird, I know!
I bought a diary so I can organise my time, like making a blog schedule, schedule for work things, schedule for tidying my shizz! My Fiance ;) and I really hoping to move out this year so I need to get it together! I AM DETERMINED.

3. Carry on being positive and more courageous: I think I did pretty well at this last year, so I want to build on it and do even more good things! AND BUY THAT JAR.

I think that's about it this year for resolutions! I think last year I was a bit optimistic last year ;)
What are your resolutions I would love to know!

I hope this year is prosperous and happy and loving and all that good stuff for you!

Until next time
xoxoxoxo