Beauty, Bargains and Beyond

Sebastian Professional Potion 9 *  is a cross between a cream, a gel and a serum. It's very lightweight and is easy to apply through my hair when damp and a little goes a long way. I have curly hair, so after I applied this product I let my hair air dry as I don't blow dry my hair. The results were super soft loose curls that were shiny and there was no sign of any frizz. The results lasted all day and did not leave my hair feeling sticky or crispy.    Sebastian Professional Potion 9 contains 9 botanicals and helps to restore lost moisture to hair. It can also be applied to dry hair for added texture and control. You can currently buy it at  LookFantastic  for £17.92 the normal RRP is £25.60. Sebastian Professional Whipped Crème *  is a very interesting product and very well named. The first time that I used it I accidentally squirted out too much product and it was like having whipped cream all over my hands. This product is rich and creamy, but when applied to my

I have used various lavender sleep aids in the form of roll-on oils and pillow sprays, but I have never come across a hair spray that helps aid sleep.  I came across This Works Sleep Plus Hair Elixir as I received a sample in a beauty box that I purchased and I was happy to give it a go.  It’s a motion activated 2-in-1 overnight hair treatment that can help to encourage healthy sleep patterns and also help with unruly hair.  It uses 100% natural essential oils which help to give you a good nights sleep with the added plus of softer, shinier hair. I don’t suffer from insomnia, but I do find it hard to relax on a night, so it does take me a while to fall asleep and I also have curly hair, so often wake up looking like I have been dragged through a hedge backwards, so this product seemed well suited to my needs. You spray it directly onto hair just before going to bed (it can be applied to wet or dry hair).  What I like most about this product, is that you spray it around

I first came across Sundari on one of my visits to Serenity Spa at Seaham Hall .  Sundari means a beautiful woman in Sanskrit and the company has created a collection of anti-aging skincare products formulated with organic ingredients wherever possible.  They do not use synthetic fragrances or dyes and Sundari does not test on animals. I have been using the Omega 3 and Mandarin Lip Treatment and I have to say this lip balm has really helped to improve my dry, chapped lips.  The easy-squeeze tube makes it easy to apply on the go and keeps things hygienic.  It doesn’t feel sticky on the lips and almost instantly makes them feel wonderfully moisturised.  The Sundari Omega 3 and Mandarin Lip Treatment is formulated with beeswax and has a subtle scent from the addition of natural mandarin oil.  The Sundari Healing Neem Hand Oil is an alternative to hand creams.  This roll-on dry oil is perfect for keeping in my drawer at work, so that I can pull it out whenever my han

I have recently been trying out the Ever Glaze Extended Wear Nail Polish* from China Glaze and I have to say that I have been impressed with it so far.  I am currently wearing the neon pink Will You Be Mine (which is much brighter than the photo below shows) and aside from absolutely loving the colour which is perfect for summer,  I have been very happy with it in other ways.   First of all it only takes 2 coats for full coverage, with absolutely no streaks and it dries really quickly, which is really important to me as I often find that I can’t sit still long enough to let my nail polish dry properly and inevitably end up smearing at least 1 nail.  It also stays chip free for a good number of days.  The ends of my nails are quite weak and flake all the time, so I usually find most nail polishes chip quite badly even on the first day.  Aside from a few very minor chips, this polish has held up very well on my nails and any chips can be covered very quickly with a new coat of polish.

I am always looking to improve the condition of my nails as they are quite soft and flake all the time.  I would love to have long, strong nails, but it takes a lot of work to achieve that.  I love L’Occitane Shea Nail & Cuticle Nourishing Oil as it’s so easy to use and carry around.  I keep it in my work bag, so that I can apply it every day, no excuses. L’Occitane Shea Nail & Cuticle Nourishing Oil helps to soften cuticles and strengthen nails and contains 30% shea oil.   It comes in a small tube with a brush at the end.  Simply squeeze the tube gently to get some of the product onto the brush and then apply to the nails and massage into your nails and cuticles.  The brush application ensures that you can apply the correct amount of product onto the nail with no wastage.  The ingredients include Sweet Almond Oil,  Shea Butter, Grape Seed Oil and Castor Seed Oil and costs £12 for 7.5ml. Leighlee I bought this product with my own money

I recently participated in a #Kiehlsblogs twitter chat. It was great discussing my skin issues with Kiehl's providing recommendations about which products would be suitable for my skin.  At the end of the chat I was given the chance to have some Kiehl's products sent to me to try out which had been picked based on my answers to questions about my skin that had been asked throughout the chat.  I thought this was really great as they asked relevant questions throughout the chat and gave recommendations, but I certainly wasn't expecting them to give me a chance to try out some of the products. I've always been a fan of Kiehl's and I do love their product range so getting the chance to try these products was great. These are the products I received. Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate * - This is a night treatment which visibly reduces puffiness and diminishes the appearance of fine lines. You just dispense 2 drops of the eye treatment onto your fingertips and

I must admit that I rarely shop in Topshop. It's not that I don't like it, I just don't often get the chance to pop into  one of their stores.  When I visited London a couple of weeks ago I couldn't resist having a look around the Oxford Circus branch as it's massive. There were loads of great items that I was tempted to buy, but I didn't want to carry loads of stuff around London with me as I was only there for the day.  I did buy a few things though as I couldn't resist these rings when I saw them. I really liked these faux gold rings.  I just liked the look of them and I don't have anything like them.  They were only £7 which I thought was a good price.  I loved this ring.  Again I don't have anything like it and I thought it looked way more expensive then £6.   Finally, I bought these 3 silver rings.  I really only wanted the top ring as it reminded me of a ring I had seen in Michael Kors.  These rings cost £10. I was really plea

I have very fair skin, especially on my body and never really get a tan even after 3 weeks in Florida (using SPF30 - 50 I might add), so I am always looking for self tanning products that are easy and foolproof to use whilst giving natural results. I was recently sent Fake Bake Faux Glo Instant Tan Spray* to try out, so I couldn't wait to give it a go.  I generally use gradual tanning moisturisers as I have dry skin, but I have to say that I am usually left disappointed by the subtle tan left behind.  I have never tried an instant tan spray that washes off, so couldn't wait to see the results. The directions for use are to spray 35.6 cm (14") away from your skin and spray in long even strokes. Before dressing, gently buff with a towel.  I have to admit I was a bit heavy handed with the spray at first and it was way too dark for me, but I rubbed it into my skin a little (using the disposable gloves that came in the box) and I ended up with a lovely golden bronze tan,