Wednesday 17 June 2015

From straw to silk...

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Hair Treatment



It's been a month since I have become super blonde, and even though I look after my hair fairly well by using good products and minimal styling tools (I blast it with a hair dryer, until its damp, then air dry) it still needs a major treatment once a month.

Every four weeks, I treat my locks to a little R&R (I like to call it hair rehab) by feeding it with the Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Hair Treatment.  This creamy bronze liquid is fortified with a rare and powerful natural ingredient - pure Ojon oil (from the Ojon nut) which is known as nature's powerful golden elixir, rich in essential lipids similar to those found in healthy hair.



This cocoa and chocolate smelling product has a similar consistency to coconut oil, which is really hard at room temperature, but super oily and slippery with added heat.  To activate the treatment, place in your palms and rub it until it melts.  You only need a small amount because its very concentrated.  If your hair is like mine, double the dose!  Massage though unwashed and dry hair, and leave it for 15-20 minutes.  You only need to treat the ends, so a good tip is to tie your hair in a ponytail and massage through.  I would not recommend massaging this into your roots or scalp.  It would be difficult to wash out.  Sometimes I use it in the sauna at the gym, or in the bath to help it work faster.  The heat really does help penetrate into the hair.



After one treatment my hair is always so soft and healthy.  The colour is noticeably more vibrant, and its so silky and smooth - not a dull brittle, frizzy strand in sight!  It really does magic hair from straw to silk.


My hair after the treatment

£34.50
Available from Ojon and Boots

Monday 15 June 2015

New Makeup brand Bagsy launches today

NEW MAKEUP BRAND BAGSY LAUNCHES IN THE UK


Last week I went to the launch of an exciting new makeup brand called Bagsy which is a capsule collection of beautiful and practical makeup essentials perfectly designed to fit inside your handbag.

After spending many years creating products for some of the top luxury beauty brands in the world, British born Bagsy have decided to do it for themselves and create a collection that is small, beautifully designed, and easy to use.  Great news for someone like me whose bottomless pit of a handbag contains the entire beauty section of a department store.  I carry everything I wear on a daily basis.  Just in case... I carry powder, foundation in small pots, extra lipstick, perfume, eyeliner, pretty much doubles of everything I own.  My bag weighs a ton.  The great thing about these products is that they are small, light and designed to suit all skin tones.

Bagsy Launch at the Hamyard Hotel

Each product has been crafted with attention to detail and the packaging is colourful and quirky.  In particular, I like the blusher box that opens up like a panetonne box, as well as the slogans on the bronzer and eyeliner (all below).  I was told at the launch by its founders that they wanted to steer away from the black packaging (their current clients who they cannot name) found on most beauty counters and create something vibrant and fun.

The makeup is pretty luxurious and high in quality as they do already manufacture for the leading luxury brands they have the insights into formulating the best products.  A few of my favourites are below.  The Pretty Cheeks blusher is not as vibrant as it looks and contains gold shimmer which comes through once it has been blended.  The Wow lips is a high impact glossy lipstick containing nylon and sperical powders which stays on the lips and hydrates.  The Kabuki brush is perfect to blend, comes in a little pouch and can be throw into the handbag.  The delicious smelling Lip Cacoon does what the bottle suggests by nourishing and protecting using ingredients such as beeswax, and shea butter.

Pretty Cheeks (£16) Wow Lips  (£12) Kabuki Brush (£15) Lip Cacoon (£7)


Also, the Pretty Eyes eyeshadow can be easily blended, lasts all day and comes in four colours.

 Beautiful Eyes in Caffeine Fix (£14)

Ray of Sunshine is perfect for the summer.  The packaging is super cute, which kind of makes me want to never use it.  It creates a matt look which is a natural glow to any skin colour.  It is available in a lighter and darker shade.

Ray of Sunshine (£18)

I have my eye on the double sided highlight and concealer Wonder Wand below.  Use one side of this dual-sided highlighting and concealing crayon to cover blemishes and dark circles and the other to illuminate the top of cheekbones.

(£18)

Available from feelunique.com



Thursday 4 June 2015

Fifty Shades of Clay

KIEHLS RARE EARTH DEEP PORE CLEANSING MASQUE



As I lather my face with this beautiful and creamy clay mask by Kiehl's, I realise I need to tell you all about how great it is.  I have been using this Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque twice a week for years now - Sunday night for a detox and deep clean (after a busy and hectic week/and fun weekend) and Wednesday night as a boost to keep up radiance.  Its incredible, and does what most face masks do which is to detox the skin of surface impurities, such as excess oil and dirt and minimises pores, but unlike other clay masks, it's really gentle and nourishing.  Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque contains Amazonian White Clay, Oatmeal and Aloe Vera which makes it gentle on the skin.


The container is huge, so a small amount goes a really long way.  The clay itself has no fragrance, which makes it seem more natural, and the texture is super creamy.  Once the mask has been applied to the skin, it quickly absorbs (but not too quickly) and continues to stay in the skin without flaking and crumbling.  I would recommend this product to every skin type, but in particular, for people with sensitive, combination, and oily skin - its a powerful product which is equally really kind.  After the first couple of uses, the results are really visible.  People with large pores, blackheads and those who breakout frequently will see a huge difference.  This clay mask really does refresh skin, making it look bright, more refined, clean, and radiant.

£21.50
Available from Kiehls, Selfridges, Liberty, and Space NK