Saturday 22 June 2013

Small Boots Haul

So I went to Boots today as there is a mammoth 'Buy one get one half price' offer on and I couldn't resist it. I went in to buy some more of the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment as this has made such a difference to my hair both length-wise and condition-wise over the past few months, but then I saw the offer and what went from a "I'm just nipping in" soon turned into me spending forever browsing all of the aisles. Having spent ages browsing my haul turned out to actually be tiny, but I am pleased with my 'select few' items.


So like I said, I bought the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment which you put on in between shampooing and conditioning your hair and leave it on for 5 minutes, massaging it into the roots and then through the lengths. I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. The smell, the texture and most importantly the results are all perfect. It honestly has made such a difference to my hair since I have been using it. I previously had a graduated bob which has taken over a year to reach below shoulder length, however since using this product it has started growing so quickly and the hair feels much stronger (which is important for me as my hair has been bleached blonde).


The next thing I picked up was a bottle of Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil. I knew I wanted to get some kind of oil to put in my hair to make it softer and shinier however I had no clue which one to purchase. This was a relatively cheap one compared to the others (£6.99) but had a good write up online so I thought I would try it. The pump at the top is perfect as it spritzes the product out quite widely so you can get good coverage of the hair with only a couple of pumps. The bottle explains that the product can be used on dry hair or towel-dried hair. It certainly makes my hair look shiny, however I have not noticed any difference in how soft it makes my hair feel when I spray it onto dry hair which is what I really was hoping this product would achieve. When sprayed onto towel-dried hair I think it does make my hair feel softer however not to the extent I was hoping for. I think I might have to just bite the bullet and save up for the real Moroccan Oil.


The final 2 items are picked up were a couple of the Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Varnishes. I have been looking for a reddy orange summer colour for a while now and when I saw the 'Summer Orange' I knew I HAD to have it. It is the perfect summer shade with the ideal blend of red and orange. I love this range of nail varnishes and usually find them to have great colour pay-off. This colour however required at least 2 coats to make it a block of colour and I am tempted to put on a third coat. The colour is beautiful though and just what I have been looking for.


The last product is the Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Varnish in 'Navy Seal'. I LOVE THIS COLOUR. It is the perfect navy blue colour with a slight hint of purple in. What makes this varnish even better was I only needed one coat to achieve the desired coverage. I have a number of nail varnishes from this range and they are all lovely. They give a glossy, almost gel-look finish, and last for a long time without needing touching up, fading, or chipping.

Have you tried any of these products? Have you ever tried a hair oil? If so, which would you recommend?
x

Saturday 15 June 2013

Pro:Voke Touch of Silver vs. Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Purple Shampoo Review

Having dyed my hair from light brown to light blonde in one stage at home using a packet dye, I quickly realised that maintaining the freshly dyed look was going to prove a bit more of a challenge than I first anticipated. After reading up about blonde hair care on the internet I decided that I needed a purple toning shampoo to keep my blonde hair the white blonde that I was lusting after, banishing away any yellowness that was creeping in.

I decided to try Touch of Silver by Pro:Voke which seemed to be a popular brand on the internet whilst also being an incredibly cheap alternative to the more high end brands on the market. Retailing at around £3.09 a bottle in Boots, I decided to try this twice a week brightening shampoo. You simply massage a small amount of product into wet hair and leave it for 5 minutes before washing out. The water turns a bright purple colour after washing out however for me this product made little difference to the colour of my hair. The shampoo does not lather up a great deal and left my hair feeling extremely dry after use.
I decided to try another brand to see if I could see any improvement so plumped for the Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo. This is a more expensive alternative however the bottle is bigger and I thoroughly recommend splashing out the extra £3.50 or so to see results and it is often on special offer in Boots. This shampoo has the traditional Lee Stafford product smell whilst also lathering up into a nice consistency and leaving your hair feeling soft. You do not need to leave this product on for a specific amount of time which also makes it the easier option and it has the added benefit of actually achieving what it states on the bottle, claiming to “lightly tone, refresh, and restore your blonde hair to salon beautiful colour”. I tend to use this shampoo once a week and use a normal conditioner after applying it. There is a Lee Stafford conditioner from this range however I believe the shampoo alone gives me the effect I want and therefore I cannot justify spending a further £6.49 or so on a conditioner.

I know that the Touch of Silver shampoo seems to be very popular with a lot of people. Have you tried either? What did you think of them?

x

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I started using this shampoo and conditioner with the hope that it would turn my then, lack lustre light brown highlighted hair, the lighter blonde shade that I was striving for. The packaging promises to “gradually lighten” whilst also claiming it to be suitable “for all blondes”.
My somewhat eager dream was a little far-fetched however what the Go Blonder shampoo and conditioner did provide, was a brightening effect on the little blonde that I already had. I decided that the only option to achieve the blonde hair I was striving for was to dye the full head. This shampoo and conditioner combination now maintains my newly blonde locks and you can certainly see a difference when it has been used. It does not work miracles however does brighten the blonde hair. The smell of the product is quite artificial however does not linger once the hair is dry. After prolonged use it does tend to dry out the hair so I recommend using it in conjunction with other more gentle shampoos, however this John Frieda set has been repurchased many times and will continue to remain part of my staple blonde hair care routine. It is often discounted so I recommend checking the latest prices here as they show the current prices in some of our favourite high street shops.

Have you tried the Go Blonder range? What were your thoughts?
x