Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Blistex Lip Brilliance review

Lip balm is one of my handbag essentials, I feel lost if I haven’t got one on the go with me. During the winter I used the Blistex Relief Cream and was impressed so I thought I'd give the balm a go. Inside the goodie bag from the Gorkana Beauty event I got a Blistex Lip Brilliance* chapstick. Over the past two weeks I’ve been using the balm to keep my lips soft. Here are my thoughts...


Blistex Lip Brilliance aims to condition dry lips using replenishing qualities including vitamin E, grape seed oil and silk extracts. It also features SPF 15 to protect against sun damage and hyaluronic filling spheres that penetrate the skin to fill in wrinkles and plump the lips.

I wore Lip Brilliance on its own, without anything else underneath. It can be used instead of a lipstick or with to boost your pout if you like. I used it for two weeks applying when my lips felt dry or before leaving the house. I found myself becoming addicted to putting it on because it smells and tastes like the red sweet, you know the one that is always the favourite one in a packet. I think the smell makes this balm attractive that’s probably why I couldn’t put it down.


Upon application the lip balm glides across the lips smoothly and feels light rather than heavy. I thought I’d have felt the glittery pieces in the stick as a part of the texture but I didn’t, which I liked. When I applied the balm indoors and outdoors, it kept my lips moist for a long time and didn’t dry up straight away - that was a good sign - I only reapplied when the pink tint faded.

What does it look like?


My GIF shows a before and after. In the after picture you'll notice the balm is deep pink on my lips, it is a tinted balm with a rosy tone and has a shimmering effect in the light.

Blistex Lip Brilliance (£2.49, Superdrug) is a great alternative to the plain balms on the market. If you want a balm for conditioning your lips and making them stand out at the same time, this is ideal for you.

Have you tried Blistex Lip Brilliance yet? Tell me your thoughts?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr - Pinterest 

*Disclaimer: Any items marked with an asterix (*) are sent to me for reviewing purposes, but this does not influence my overall opinion. All of the companies/brands/products on my blog are those that I recommend and would buy/use in the future unless stated otherwise.

Thursday, 25 April 2013

Coconut oil hair shine from The Body Shop

My Mum and I had previously used coconut oil for hair, but I gave up on using after a while because constantly having to melt in down before using it was a lengthy process.

I've used almond and argan oil in my hair too and they were great for hair stands but I needed something to treat my scalp.

I've heard good things about using coconut oil on dry scalp so after washing, drying and styling I applied small amounts onto my finger and then rubbed the oil into spots across my head.

 
Coconut oil hair shine is £5.50 at The Body Shop, I got 20% with my loyalty card.


Once you've swirled the oil around and onto your finger it transforms from a wax-like texture to a soft oily substance. Compared to other coconut oils I've used, this is easier to control as it is hydrogenated. Most are really hard at room temperature and need to be melted but this is perfect for immediate use. It hasn't completely prevented dry and flaky scalp but it has helped to clear some trouble areas. I'd say it's good for smoothening hair and adding shine.

What it says on the tin: This solid oil turns into a balm in your fingertips. It smoothes hair and adds shine.
- Conditions
- Smoothes
- Adds shine
- Washes out easily



PROS:

It can be applied to the hair before you wash it as a treatment or to smoothen rough and dry edges after styling.

A small amount goes a long way. I thought the tin was too small but there more than enough inside to at least a year.

If I am going natural and curly it tames curls and defines.

It penetrates the hair shaft to treat dry and flaky scalp.

CONS:

In hot weather it could melt and turn gooey.

It's not completely pure coconut oil. If you are trying to reap the benefits pure oils this isn't the one, it also contains parbens which some people try to avoid.

Be careful how much you apply because it can make you hair look greasy.

Have you tried coconut oil for your hair? What do you recommend for dry scalp?

Bianca x

Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr 

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Birthday outfit post

On Monday it was my 24th birthday!!! I had a really lovely day with my family and received some sweet well wishes from friends.

In the afternoon I went to Frankie & Benny's to have lunch with my sis and niece and then had to dash home to get ready for dinner with the rest of the family.

My brother booked us a table at the Dover Street Restaurant in Mayfair for dinner. I'll do another post on that so you read a bit about what it was like.


I haven't done an outfit post in forever so I thought this special occasion would be a good time to share my latest style with you. Last week I bought a new aztec-style printed vest top from New Look using the rest of my gift card. I have previously purchased two tops in the same style, they are great to wear dressed up or down and are perfect for holidays. 


Yesterday's weather was typical for the UK with sun, rain and clouds all making an appearance. In great timing it poured down with rain as we left for the restaurant, so I paired my aztec top with black skinny trousers from River Island and my new Primark heels plus a massive envelope clutch which carried all my necessities.

Top - New Look £14.99
Trousers - River Island £30
Shoes - Primark £12
Clutch - Primark £8

Bianca x


Bloglovin - Twitter - Tumblr 

Friday, 18 January 2013

Trying out deep conditioning treatments for afro hair


In between hairdressing appointments I’ve been treating my hair to deep conditions to maintain moisture and stop it from drying out.

As there are various deep conditioning treatments on the market I thought it would be good to try a few and to see which gives the best nourishment and shine.

My hair curly and straight

My hair texture is natural I can wear it curly or straight at its best it’s silky and soft but from time to time it gets frizzy, dry and needs some love. That’s where the treatments come in handy.

I got all my treatmeant packets at my local hair and beauty shop Shaba Hair & Cosmetics for 99p each.

 

Olive Oil Replenishing Pak

How it works – After shampooing apply a generous amount to hair and comb through apply to sections of hair to make sure it’s distributed. Place a plastic cap over the hair and sit under a warm dryer for 10-15 minutes or leave on the hair for 45 minutes to 1 hour without heat.

What I thought - I tried the Olive Oil treatment two different ways with and without heat. I found results were better when sitting under a warm dryer for 30 minutes, my hair was softer after setting and not so frizzy when using heat.

This is a thick and creamy lotion that blends into the hair easily there is a generous amount inside one sachet which is perfect if you have thick and long hair. The sweet citrus scent is slightly overpowering it’s one your either will like or not but once it’s on the hair it smells pleasant.

This was first deep conditioning treatment I used and after a fair amount of time applying it I felt my hair become too used to it.

I think if your hair really dry and damaged, this deep conditioner is ideal for use for several weeks to start with. It will replenish your hair and bring back moisture but after then I’d switch to something else.

Rating 3/5.

Crème of Nature Argan Oil

I decided to try out Crème of Nature’s deep conditioning treatment after hearing all about the hype of argan oil.

How it works – After shampooing apply a generous amount to hair and comb through from root to ends apply to sections of hair to make sure it’s distributed. Place a plastic cap over the hair and sit under a warm dryer for 10-15 minutes or leave on the hair for 30 minutes to 1 hour without heat.

This treatment is infused with certified organic argan oil from Morocco. The presence of vitamin E in makes it a great agent for hair treatment. I am guilty of using too much heat on my hair and over styling so I felt hopeful that the vitamin E in the argan oil would restore and repair my hair.

What I thought - The conditioner can be applied very easily the lotion is light and sweet smelling. I used this treatment with and without heat and found better results sitting under a warm dryer for 20 minutes. Once my hair had been rinsed I found my hair to be soft and frizz free which would be great if I wanted to air dry my hair to keep it curly.

After setting I found my hair to be soft at the roots but frizzy at the ends, I think this could be as this product acts like a protein treatment and benefits the scalp and roots more than the hair.

Rating 3/5

Dr. Miracle’s Feel It Formula Tingling Intensive

How it works – After shampooing apply a generous amount to hair and comb through from root to ends apply to sections of hair to make sure it’s distributed. Place a plastic cap over the hair and sit under a warm dryer for 10-15 minutes or leave on the hair for 30 minutes to 1 hour without heat.

What I thought – The formula is like a breath of fresh air for your hair the tingling sensation on the scalp is enjoyable. It also contains good oils like avocado and almond, along with vitamins A and E to improve hair health. Once I worked the lotion into my hair, I put a plastic cap on for 30 minutes without heat.

After using this packet a couple of times I noticed how my hair was soft and shiny after setting and it felt smoother compared with the results using the Olive Oil treatment.

I think this would be too for fine hair as it produces an oily texture after application but it would be ideal for very dry and heat damaged hair.

Rating 4/5

Soft n’ Free Milk & Protein Olive Oil

How it works – After shampooing, use the entire peacket to condition hair and scalp. Comb through with a large toothed comb. Cover hair with a plastic cap and sit under a warm dryer for 10 to 15 minutes, or keep hair covered for 30 to 45 minutes without heat. Rinse well and towel dry.

On a regular trip to my local hair shop the Soft n’ Free conditioning treatment packet caught my eye. This was something I hadn’t tried before and I hadn’t used Soft n’ Free products since I was in primary school but I thought I’d give it a go.

What I thought – I was impressed with the light and creamy texture of the lotion. This was easily applied to my hair and didn’t feel too heavy in consistency.

I placed a plastic cap on for 30 minutes without heat and after rinsing set my hair as usual with the hair dryer then straightners. I really like how this treatment left my hair feeling bouncy, smooth and fresh. I didn’t feel dry the next day or frizzy in texture, this was by far my favourite treatment to use I even went back to the store and bought four more packets!

Rating 5/5


What conditioning hair treatments are you using?


Bianca x