Review: L'Oreal | EverPure No Sulphates | Shampoo & Conditioner |

L'Oreal Paris - Hair Expertise - EverPure Colour Care & Moisture - Shampoo & Conditioner - £6.29 each - 250ml

It takes me ages to use up shampoo & conditioner, so when I get the opportunity to try a new one I get really excited to choose something new. I was going to buy something expensive to treat myself, but on a whim I picked up this super affordable duo in Superdrug, as I adore the mask from the range.

I've rarely found a shampoo that cleans my hair without stripping it, but the Dazzling Colour and Moisture Shampoo is fantastic at cleansing properly while still nourishing every strand. The formula is quite thick, so I was worried it would weigh my hair down or cause it to become greasy more quickly, but this hasn't been an issue. In fact, my hair feels lightweight and lifted, while still moisturised. The conditioner is also a thick creamy consistency, enriched with rosemary and mint oils, which I apply from the mid lengths through to the end. It helps to detangle easily, and leaves hair soft and manageable. These are great at reviving old colour too and both products also have the same soft spa like scent as the mask that I adore. 

These encompass everything I look for in a shampoo & conditioner - colour protection, moisture and body. The range has most definitely won me round to sulphate free haircare and I would highly recommend for all hair types. 

Have you tried any sulphate free hair products? xxx

Review: OGX | Coconut Water Shampoo & Coconut Milk Conditioner

OGX - Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Shampoo £6.99 for 385ml - Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner £6.99 for 385ml

Over the past year or so I had heard good things about the brand OGX and so when looking for a new budget shampoo and conditioner at the end of last year I picked up two products from the Coconut range which sounded like they would be perfect for me. This was before my pledge to use more natural hair care products so these do contain sulfates.

Lets start with the Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Shampoo, which I'm afraid to say ruined my hair. For a few weeks now my hair has been looking and feeling really dry, frizzy and unmanageable and the colour has been looking very lack lustre and dull. I had no idea what was going on until I realised that the only thing I had changed in my hair routine was these products. 

I had high hopes for this shampoo because it sounded perfect -  coconut water appealed to me as it sounded hydrating yet light and it promised to transform 'dry and parched hair into silky shiny perfection.' When using this shampoo my hair felt very stripped and I had to use a lot of the conditioner to make up for this. However the conditioner couldn't do much to rectify it as whether I left it to dry naturally or blow dried my hair it would look so frizzy and dry and it actually started to make me feel really self concious! Due to this I have had to use a lot more heat styling when before I could leave my hair natural 90% of the time, which in turn creates even more damage. It did nothing whatsoever to hydrate or nourish my hair and actually made it more dry and parched than it was before. After switching to a much more nourishing shampoo, even after the first wash my hair was looking better. 

The Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner was again quite bog standard and was definitely not 'luxuriously creamy'. It smells good, although the scent doesn't linger on your hair, and it made my hair feel more soft after use in the shower but like I said above the effects didn't really last as soon as my hair was dry. 

Overall I think it's pretty safe to say that I wouldn't repurchase these and advise you not to waste your money either. It has put me off the brand and I'm not sure I would be willing to try any other products from the company. I am putting in an order to get this amazing duo from Paul Mitchell right now instead!

I would love to know if you have had a similar experience to me or have loved another range by OGX - let me know in the comments! xxx

Review: Paul Mitchell | Forever Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner |

Forever Blonde Shampoo* // £14.95 // 250ml // Forever Blonde Conditioner* // £14.95 // 200ml

My first encounter with Paul Mitchell was years ago as a teenager, when I got my first set of highlights at Stephen Way located on New Bond Street (a fab salon that I really recommend!) They used a few products from the brand on me which I then promptly bought myself, but after years of being a product junkie and testing out lots of different hair care I forgot about how much I liked Paul Mitchell. Luckily for me I got sent a few items after attending a fab event they held, two of which were the Forever Blonde Shampoo* and Conditioner*. Normally I can only really tell a difference between conditioners and styling products but after using these for around 2 months now I can tell you that both of these products have really impressed me. I wash my hair every 3-4 days and have used this particular duo every time, bar the time I use a purple shampoo with a deep conditioner which is normally once every two weeks. 

I love the packaging and the smell of both products, both of which have a slight purple tinge to them to help keep brassiness at bay without leaving a colour cast. The Forever Blonde Shampoo is actually really nourishing while lathering and cleansing effectively even though it is sulfate free, which surprised me as most shampoos leave my hair feeling quite stripped and I need a good load of conditioner afterwards to counteract this. I use this twice before moving onto the Forever Blonde Conditioner that is also sulfate free. I really love the consistency of the conditioner as it is quite thick but not heavy - kind of like a hybrid between a standard conditioner and a treatment. It makes it easy to brush out any knots and you don't have to leave it on for ages for it to leave your hair silky soft and smooth.

Both these products have been great at combating problems that traditionally come with having lifted or bleached blonde hair: colour fading, brassiness, weakness and moisture - by the addition of KerActive protein that binds to the hair to aid damage repair and safflower which delivers moisture and seals the cuticle of hair. Once these run out I would 100% repurchase them as they are the only every day shampoo and conditioner I've found so far that really make a difference to the quality of my hair. If you have blonde hair I highly recommend these!

What are your favourite Paul Mitchell products? xxx

Review: Provoke Touch of Silver Shampoo

£3.09 for 150ml at Boots

As I highlight my hair, over time the blonde can begin to fade and look a bit more yellow and brassy. A purple shampoo used once a week can aid in lifting the hair colour and banishing brassy tones. You might remember that in my first empties post I featured John Frieda's purple shampoo which had lasted me ages and was my first type of toning shampoo. I liked it but the effect it gave only lasted a day and I wanted to try some other options. This search for a new toning shampoo led to 'Touch of Silver' by Provoke, which I picked up in a haul a while ago.

Although it looks like a relatively small bottle compared to other shampoos, you only need a little and considering I use it around once a week it will last me a really long time. The size also means it is great for travel. It states it is for use with grey, white or platinum hair but its been great for my hair too. I have a range of three colours in my hair which are close to my natural colour meaning my hair is lifted but still very natural. Because the colour of this shampoo is so intense I choose to mix it with my regular shampoo and leave it in for a few minutes - you need to be wary of leaving it on too long as you can end up with purple tinges! It really depends on how blonde you are. The John Frieda shampoo in comparison was a light purple where as this is properly violet, almost blue in colour. It also says it is for twice weekly use but to be honest I don't wash my hair enough to do this (I was it around every 3 days) so once a week is a maximum for me. The formula lathers up nicely even though it is quite thin and also smells floral. You need to make sure you don't use this product too often as it can lead to colour build up of purple, therefore it is better to rotate it with your regular shampoo.

The effects of this shampoo are evident as soon as I take the towel off my head. My hair when wet looks the same as when I've just had it coloured - you can really see the blonde tones coming through. This shampoo lifts my hair colour and definitely banishes yellow tones, which is great if you want to stretch out the time you next get your hair bleached at the salon to renew the colour. When using this I'm also sure to follow up with an intensive conditioner as toners aren't the kindest thing for your hair.

I've been really happy with the results of this shampoo and would recommend it for all shades of blonde - you just need to be aware with how long you want to leave it etc to get the best results for you. It does the job of more expensive brands for a much lower price, so if you are looking for a purple shampoo at a budget price but not sure what to choose I urge you to try this! xxx

Review: Wen Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner

£24.95 for 480ml

I received this in a beauty box and although I've heard Wen is a lovely brand which I would love to try, because it is meant to be cleansing I made the decision it wouldn't be the best thing to use on my colour treated hair. I've read that you can use it on coloured hair but I didn't really want to risk it. So instead I gave it to my boyfriend Matt to test out for me :) He has short coarse hair that needs moisturising but also uses a styling product called Dax Wax which is an absolute nightmare to get out properly, so I thought he would be a pretty good tester for this product!

Wen states that this is a 5-in-1 formula by replacing both shampoo and conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave in conditioner. I love that it has no sulphates or detergents so they don't lather but instead clean your hair naturally. Here's what Matt had to say about it:

"So, to give you a little bit of background, I’m not the kind of guy who knows a lot about ‘products.’ I can’t really say that I used them on a daily (or even weekly) basis or even really knew the vast enormity of variety surrounding them until I met my girlfriend. I guess I’ve become something of a guinea pig, as a few weeks ago she gave me a shampoo/conditioner to try out. Wen by Chaz Dean,  (sweet almond mint) is described as a cleansing conditioner, eliminating that annoying halftime process of switching the shampoo bottle for a conditioner. Any product that reduces the amount of other products I have to buy and use gets a big plus in my books.

In terms of the product in general, I can honestly say this is the best shampoo I’ve ever used. My hair felt thoroughly cleansed afterwards, a great deal softer and most importantly became more manageable when I styled it afterwards. You don’t need much for it to have a real effect, and although it is fairly annoying waiting 3 minutes before rinsing off (especially if like me you’re not in the habit of taking a stopwatch into the shower with you), it scores very highly indeed. I can’t really compare it to much I’m afraid and as such attempting to rate it out of ten might seem a little pointless... but I’m going to do it anyway. With the double whammy of convenience and effectiveness on its side, I give Chaz’s Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner an 8.5 out of 10. A definite rebuy."

Have you tried this product before? xxx

All Used Up

This is my first 'empties' post and they will probably be few and far between as I am rubbish at using my products up and usually just buy more than I need! However, I'm going to try and cut down on the spending so these posts will (hopefully) become more of a regular thing than I am anticipating.

Witch Foaming Face Wash: I bought this ages ago when I was in Home Bargains at uni (an absolute gem of a shop!) as I needed a new face wash and have been using it again recently to get rid of it! There was nothing special that stood out about this and to be honest, it never really made much difference to my skin. As it is a foam, it did feel gentle when I washed my face but I never saw any positive changes to my skin in regards to blemishes, skin tone etc. It was a perfectly  nice face wash but I wouldn't buy it again as it didn't do much for me.

Sally Hansen Nail Polish Remover for Normal Nails: There isn't much to say about a nail varnish remover to be honest! As this was for normal nails I didn't see any amazing effects from using this, but as far as nail polish removers go it was pretty effective.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Tone-Refreshing Shampoo: This has lasted me a really long time as I don't use it with every wash like it states due to the fact using a toner on your hair often can damage it quite a lot. I liked the smell and the consistency of the formula, but its effects didn't last long after I used it. On the first day my hair was noticeably more vibrant in colour, however this did wear off the next day. I have bought a new purple shampoo in my recent haul (see that post here) which was cheaper so it will be interesting to compare the two. If I don't get on with my most recent version of purple shampoo I will probably repurchase, but I would like to find something a little more effective.

Garnier Pure Facial Moisturiser: This product also lasted me ages, even when using morning and night. I used to use it in conjunction with the face scrub and toner and found it effective with that, but after they ran out, it showed me the moisturiser wasn't that much of a miracle product. It claims to 'treat imperfections while leaving the skin smooth', however I don't think it did much for blemishes or oil control and actually left my skin feeling a bit tacky. I have since bought the Clean and Clear oil free moisturiser and I already prefer it (expect a blog post on that soon). Overall, there was no noticeable benefits from using this product and I wouldn't repurchase. I would rather pay more money for a really enjoyable moisturiser than less for a sub-standard one.

Have you used any of your products? What are your thoughts on them? Are there any products you would recommend to use instead of these? xxx

Holiday Heroes

Summer is upon us...or maybe not if British weather is anything to go by! Therefore, many of us seem to be jetting away to exotic far away places in order to enjoy some hot weather and a bit of sun. As you will all know from previous posts, I have just had a wonderful week away in Turkey and thought I would share some of heroic products I took on holiday that saved and protected my skin and hair. I am quite fair and have highlighted hair, so products that really help maintain the condition of both my skin and hair as well as protect it are really important to me.

L'Oreal expert Soar Sublime UV Protect Spray: I am in loooove with this product! I am so glad I invested in this as bleaching my hair means I have to take so much care to keep the shine and colour vibrant as well as maintain the softness and condition of my hair. Luckily, this product seems to do all of these jobs at once! It coats the hair in a 'light protective film' and left my hair feeling so soft and shiny, while still feeling like I hadn't got any product in at all. I used it on dry hair before I went out in the sun and then every time I came out the pool or felt I needed to use some more. It also has a beautiful summer scent of peaches - all around this is a must have if you have coloured hair and are going somewhere sunny! 

Sudocrem: This may seem a bit of a weird one and not essentially a 'beauty' item, however I think it is a bit of an unsung hero! It really helped with some sunburn by moisturising it effectively and healing it much quicker than with just a bit of aftersun. It is also good for if you get a few pesky blemishes that you want to banish!

Clinique Moisture Surge: I really love Clinique skin care but naturally have quite oily skin, so when I received this as part of a gift I didn't think I would get much use out of it apart from maybe winter when skin can get a bit dry. However, this was really great on  holiday when I got a bit sunburnt on my nose and forehead and this helped to stop it feeling tight and sore, as well as stave off the flakyness!

Aussie Miracle Colour Insurance Leave in Conditioner: Again, i loooove this product!! I normally use this in my standard hair routine on towel dried hair after washing, mainly because of the gorgeous scent of peaches (again! You can tell the scent of a product is a big deal to me!) However, I noticed it made a real difference on holiday because I was spritzing it on when I was in the sun on my wet hair every time after the pool. I think because I was using it a lot more than I normally would, my hair has become noticeably softer. To be honest my hair is in pretty good condition anyway considering I bleach it, but normally after shampooing I can feel it needs the conditioner. However, after using this every day it has left my hair feeling really nourished even after shampooing and so I think it is making a real difference to the quality of my hair. Overall, I think its just a really good product and will continue to use this every day to see if it lives up to what I've claimed!

L'Oreal expert Solar Sublime Aftersun Shampoo: This shampoo was amazing and I am so pleased I bought it! Again it had the peachy holiday smell (can you see a theme?!) and it made my hair soft and nourished. This product had it all really, the scent, the UV protection and I loved the fact it was formulated to get out salt and chlorine completely while still nourishing my hair so I felt like it was really clean without it being stripped. A definite must for holiday, especially because it was in a smaller bottle for travelling too.

Garnier Intensive 7 days Replenishing Lotion: This product was actually used after my holiday as I took a travel sized moisturiser with me to Turkey. I really love this for summer as it is light weight but really moisturising at the same time, so I didn't need a heavy body butter like I do in the winter as I get dry skin, especially on my legs. I also really like the scent, but I would like to try the one for very dry skin to see if it is an even better match for me.

L'Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Caring Conditioner: Another product from L'Oreal! This is my normal conditioner I use the majority of time I wash my hair and I really like it in conjunction with the shampoo to prolong my colour and I love the added UVA/B filters. I won't go into too much detail as I have already reviewed the shampoo which you can read here.

Have you used any of these products and what do you think of them? Are there any others you would recommend? xxx