Lee Stafford Treatment for Hair That Never Grows Past A Certain Length

I think every blogger and their dog has reviewed this but never mind!  I'm sure I've tried this before I started blogging but I can't remember liking it as much as I do now?  I bought it again after seeing it on a blog, and realising that I haven't used any intensive conditioning products for ages, which probably explains why my hair is looking a bit frazzled at the moment.

The packaging is typical Lee Stafford, bright pink.  The product is also pink, but much lighter, and smells amazing - as most Lee Stafford stuff does.  It comes it a tub that you scoop the product out of to use it, which is fine but can get a bit awkward in the shower, especially if you're clumsy like I am.

The instructions recommend applying product about "the size of an egg to your hair which seems a lot.  I used this all over my hair from root to tip (normally I just apply conditioner to the ends) and massaged it in.  My hair didn't feel overloaded in any way after use and looked shiny, felt really soft and was actually a bit more manageable.  I felt like it hung better when I straightened it and stayed straight for longer.

This doesn't make my hair feel greasy on the second day (I usually wash my hair every other day) and didn't do anything weird to my light blonde hair.  I'm really pleased with this and will be repurchasing, even though at £7.99 it is a bit pricey for something you buy from Boots, compared to higher end products it's a bargain!

BlanX Intensive Stain Removal Toothpaste and Advanced Whitening Mouthwash

 

You must know by now how mad I am about having white teeth so when I was asked to review these products I was totally up for it!  I've tried these products for 2-3 weeks.

The toothpaste is good, I like the packaging on it (which I stupidly didn't take a photo of), it's one of those bottles that stands upright on its own and has a pump action dispenser.  I prefer this as it looks better and I think it's a bit easier.  The mouthwash comes in a standard bottle.

The toothpaste tastes fine to me and the texture is just normal too - no gritty bits or strange foaming going on.  Even though the mouthwash is alcohol-free, the taste of it reminds me of an aniseed-based shot (like sambuca) which is a bit weird but that might just be my weird sensitivities to taste.

Overall, I liked the toothpaste but probably not the mouthwash, it just wasn't for me.  I can't honestly say that I noticed a huge difference in my tooth colour but I didn't really have any staining on my teeth anyway.  My teeth felt clean after use so I was happy with it in that respect.

I think that for the level of whiteness I want, I'm going to have to get my teeth whitened again.  I've been looking at the Enlighten system, which is the only system in the world to guarantee VITA Shade B1 (the lightest tooth shade on the UK scale...I think the American one goes lighter), has anyone got any experience with this?

BlanX is stocked at ASDA, Boots, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Superdrug, Wilkinson and online, priced at Intensive Stain Removal toothpaste RRP £7.49 and Advanced Whitening mouthwash RRP £5.49

For more information about BlanX, you can find them at http://www.blanxuk.com/, www.facebook.com/BlanXuk or www.twitter.com/BlanXuk 

Primark False Nails

 

My right index finger nail ripped to the point where it was so short it hurt.  I tried in vain to hold it together with polish for about a week or so but it got annoying so I just cut all my nails down.  They're so short, I hate it!  They look really ropey at the minute so I want to cover them up until they've grown a bit more, I can't even paint them without getting polish everywhere at the moment...more ends up on my skin than what nails I have left.  I came across some of my old nail pics and my nails are so much longer than I seem to be able to get them lately...might have to look into gel overlays or Shellac/Gelicure again.

These come in a range of colours and designs, including metallic cheetah, gold, union jack, french and of course, this red and they're only 99p a box, which includes glue and 24 nails.  I always have a stash of these kind of glue on nails at home (just in case), is that really vain?

In terms of sizing they were actually ok for me, I tend to find that with stick on nails anyway. They're mid length and square.  I did have to file these at the top as they were a little bit jagged, which wasn't ideal as it removed a little bit of the colour from the tips but nothing noticeable - at least not to the normal, everyday non-nail-obsessed person (I am not this person).  The glue was your standard nail glue and worked fine, actually I quite liked the glue, it was strong, I had these on from Sunday to Tuesday before I pinged one off and that was doing some particularly strenuous lifting and carrying at work.  The rest of my nails stayed in place until I removed them on Thursday.

All in all, I'd say if you're looking for a set of false nails for a night out, or a few days to tide you over like me then these would be fine but if you want something long lasting or hard wearing, you might be better trying something else.  These would probably be pretty good if you wanted to practice at nail art or something on longer nails or you were doing a fashion show on a bit of a budget too.  For 99p and wearing them to cover up my own shoddy nails I really can't complain.

Models Own Hed Kandi Ibiza Mix Nail Polish

I know these have been around for a little while now but since I'm currently in Ibiza - I've probably just touched down on the White Isle at the time of posting - for a long weekend I thought it'd be appropriate to show you Ibiza Mix.

It's definitely a layering polish for me, but it's a really interesting mix of different colours and sizes of glitter.  For some reason I thought it was black in the bottle - it's not, it's glitter in clear polish.  So, anyway, here's some pictures of a quick and dirty nail look I did with Ibiza Mix over Models Own Snow White.  I love it, it reminds me of those giant gobstoppers you used to (and probably still can) get.

 

People noticed this nail look and commented on them, even my boyfriend who generally remains fairly oblivious to my nails (he's used to it all by now) said that he liked it and it was unusual, in  good way.

I love the different colours and sizes of glitters in this, it makes it just a little bit different to other glitter polishes and topcoats around.  It's a fun polish and looks like confetti.  In terms of application, it was fine, what's in the pictures is just one coat of Ibiza Mix, it's quite runny and if you apply it sort of thickly (compared to a normal application for me anyway) you get a lot of glitter out.  I found that thinner coats didn't really work as glitter was applied quite sparsly so you still ended up layering more on.  I'm impatient, I just want my nails dry once their done.  My Seche Vite has gone all gloopy and strange though so I just had to wait.

I'm pleased I bought this and if you like glitter then I'd say get this as it's another string to your glitter bow, if that makes ANY sense at all.

Stila Love at First Blush Palette

I admit it, I kind of just bought this for the packaging.  Then I realised it's ok as I love pink blushes and I don't think I own any Stila products so it's a good opportunity to try something new.  It's so pretty I almost didn't want to use it and disturb its prettiness!

It's more pigmented than I imagined so I needed to be careful not to go overboard with application, especially with the darkest colour.  It also has a bit of glitter in it, not OTT but it definitely shimmers - if glittery face products aren't for you, then this will probably be too glittery.  With the different pinks and hint of glitter, this actually reminds me of one of my favourite blushers (which I think has been discontinued), so quite glad I bought it and found a replacement.

 

It actually looks a bit more subtle in these photos than I feel it looks on my face.  Please forgive the bumpy skin, I'm trying a new cleanser at the moment and I'm not quite sure if we're friends yet.  I bought this from ASOS for £10 (not including my much-loved NUS discount), which is slightly cheaper than some other websites it's available on.

MAC Mouth Monday - Speak Louder

I wanted this one for a while but haven't been able to pick it up in store and it was actually sold out on the MAC website for a bit.  It's a mid pink that leans towards red which (on me at least) is pretty neutral and easily wearable throughout the day. It's a cremesheen finish which probably accounts for a bit of its neutrality.

All in all I'm happy I bought this as it's quite a wearable everyday shade (and I hate being lipstick free!) though it's not that longlasting or unique.  Unlike some other MAC counterparts, this is a colour that I think you could replicate quite easily in a cheaper brand.

 

So that's in from MAC Mouth Mondays for the time being - I'm sure I'll be purchasing some new MAC lipsticks in the not too distant future.  What's your MAC lipstick favourite or are there any you would like to see swatched/reviewed?

Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo & Conditioner and Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment Plus

 

As a fake blonde with an aversion to haircuts and a love of heat styling, it's safe to say my hair isn't in the best shape and it somewhat damaged.  I haven't had the best experience with Ojon shampoos/conditioners previously, I tried the Ojon Hydrating Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner last year and didn't really like it so when I was asked if I wanted to review some Ojon products I was a little bit hesitant.  I was sent the Damage Reverse Restorative Shampoo & Conditioner and Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment to review.

The packaging of the Damage Reverse range is pretty typically Ojon and personally if I saw it on a shelf and didn't know what it was, it wouldn't catch my eye but that's just me, I like bright colours!  They both smell really nice too, kind of a faint hint of citrus and just quite fresh. 
 
The shampoo is really rich and creamy and lathers well, the conditioner just feels like a normal conditioner.  Unlike the last Ojon shampoo/conditioner I tried I could actually get a brush through my hair after use, which is always a bonus - however I will say that when I only applied conditioner to the ends of my hair and not more through my hair it was hard to brush at the roots afterwards.  After using this and drying my hair, my hair does seem to behave and hang better, rather than frizzing out; though in fairness I did just recently get my hair trimmed (for the first time in months) so there's less frizz anyway, and more volume as I had shorter layers cut in.  I found I had to wash my hair a bit more often than before as my roots got greasy more quickly than normal, but it did moisturise my hair well and this was probably why.  The products did rinse properly out of my hair.

I used to use an Ojon treatment similar to this (Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Treatment Plus) regularly a few years ago but I don't any more and I'm not sure why.  As my hair's pretty long now (even with the recent trim), the hair at the ends is old and has a tendency to frizz out so a treatment like this is a pretty good idea once a week.

It's solid in the pot and you take a teaspoon sized amount, warm it in your hands to make it an oil and then apply to your hair, leave for at least 20 minutes (or overnight if your hair's really damaged) and then wash out.  It is a little bit messy and you'll have to wash your hands afterwards, but you'll survive, honest.  I usually just apply it from the middle of my hair down as I don't really like applying moisturising products to my roots in case I end up in grease city, then tie my hair up until I go in the shower.  This has a lighter scent than previous Ojon treatments - thank god, because I never really liked the smell of the older one.

 

Overall I liked these products, would purchase them in future and recommend them if you have damaged hair - I don't think it will repair your hair but will make it look better and appear less fuzzy.  They are expensive but if you're someone who spends on haircare anyway - I tend to kind of flit between buying standard products and higher end stuff, there's everything from Batiste to Kerastase in my collection -  then these are worth a try, available from http://www.ojon.co.uk/.

MAC Mouth Monday - Impassioned

Impassioned is a bright pink that leans towards coral on the lips.  It's an amplified finish so it is actually pretty bright - I would only wear this with a tan.  Again, I think it would really suit a darker skintone than mine.

MAC Penultimate Eyeliner in Rapidblack and Eye Kohl in Smolder

 

The Eye Kohl in Smolder is a repurchase for the one that I stupidly lost.  This is my fave pencil for a smoky eye or a night out as it's pretty dark, really soft and very much blendable/smudgeable.  I really like it and would definitely recommend trying it out - it's lovely and well worth it.  I don't normally wear coloured eyeliners but I'm quite tempted to try it out, though who knows what colour!  I literally haven't even worn eyeshadow since I was about 16 except for about two nights out I can think of.  It lasts well despite its smudginess, even on the waterline (though you need to be careful not to rub your eyes when wearing as it kind of goes everywhere).

Penultimate Eyeliner was a bit of an impulse purchase.  I usually use a Rimmel pen eyeliner - I prefer this type of liner as I think it's easier to get a crisp line, for me anyway, and to apply anywhere - and find that this does the job perfectly fine.  In comparison, this liner is a bit chunkier to hold, blacker and has a "sharper", finer nib so it makes it easy to get a really thin line or apply with precision .  It doesn't really pull and lasts well without smudging.  I'm pretty happy with this and do actually prefer it to the cheaper Bourjois or Rimmel ones I've been using, simply because it's easier to apply really defined or thin (so better for work, for me anyway), so I'd buy it again even though it's around £10 more than the ones I'm currently using.  Unfortunately I might have to buy it again since the lid came off it in my bag and it's totally dried out!