Tresemme Platinum Strength Leave-in Cream

I am always intrigued when Tresemme release new products, and the 'Platinum Strength' range is no exception. It claims to visibly repair 2 years of damage, within only a few uses and as much as that seems like a pretty hefty idea, I was willing to give it ago.

I have used this post-wash around five times, slicking about 3 pumps through my towel-dried hair, focusing primarily on my rough, damaged areas.

And... it works. Am I totally spilt-end free? No. But my really (quite horrifically) damaged areas are by far more controllable and soft. I really went to town destroying my hair over the years, bleaching, curling, straightening...the list goes on. So, I was almost resigned to the 'crispy', breaking locks I'd created, but since going back to my natural colour, and leaving my hair to dry naturally, the condition has vastly improved.

Although going more 'au natural' with my mane definitely helped, I still needed a helping hand with condition, and this is just the ticket for fighting frizz, and sealing moisture into my parched strands. A real thumbs up. 

I am now tempted to try the intense mask from this range, (my sister loves it)... Bye Bye crazy hair!

Fade to Chocolate - NOTD

Just because it's lent at the moment, doesn't mean you can't indulge your fingers in a chocolately treat of their own. Plus it's fat-free... winner.

This mani is sort of like an ombre carried across your fingers, and you can obviously use any colour palette of your choice, simply go from light to dark or vice versa, for a fading out effect. I chose brown because it's nearly Easter, and it's the healthiest way I could pop a bit of chocolate in my life. *Sob*

The polishes I used were (left to right): Revlon's "Hot to Chocolate", Model's Own "Pray", BarryM "Mushroom", Model's Own "Concrete Mixer" and Revlon's "Elegant".

Hmm I now really fancy some chocolate, but these bad boys will have to do...

Do you think these nails look good enough to eat too?

M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid in C4.5

I popped into the M.A.C counter at the Bullring a few days ago, with the aim to be matched with my perfect summer shade. Ironically it is now colder and more snowy than it was at Christmas here in the UK, but hey, it's never too chilly to tan!

So, after being matched and matched again, my perfect summer shade appeared to be the Studio Fix Fluid in C4.5. There are so many types of foundation available at M.A.C, let alone shades, so getting them properly matched to your skin is a real must.

I have more olive (yellow) based skin, and despite the fact the foundation looks pretty dark in the bottle, it blends seamlessly with my skin, post a good Xen Tan application. For winter, or less tanned days, i'm definitely going to be purchasing the C3.5 too!

The great thing about the Studio Fix, is the lack of oil. It is still creamy and dewy, but it doesn't sit on my skin like a layer of tanning oil, like oil-based liquid foundations. If you have drier skin, there are definitely plenty of much more hydrating options available, but for my oily/combo face - this is the dream.

No Flash

With Flash

Blended

What do you guys think to MAC foundations? Which is your favourite?

FOTD - Chilled Sunday

Today I just went for a simple, fresh complexion, using MAC's studio fix foundation, bronzer and blush.

I popped a violet gel flick on my eye and slid some shiny coral on my lips in the form of my beloved apocalips by Rimmel.

Chilled, natural and relaxed.. With a subtle pop of colour. Perfect for a laid-back Sunday brunch. Yum.

Lauren xx

Nails of the Day - Ombré

This is just a quick post about my DIY ombré nails I tested out today. I think they turned out pretty well (considering I had no idea what I was doing)...

I simply got a lighter and darker counterpart for each colour, put a coat of the lighter on first, then once dry applied a line of the darker on the tip and blended with a cue tip!

I have heard sponges (think cheap foundation ones) work well too, and probably involve a lot less fluff factor. But for a quick way to test out ombré, this works just fine!

Let me know what you think!

Nails Inc Leather Effect in Shoreditch Lane

I have previously posted - link, about the Nails Inc Leather effect nails in Black and Nude, and I am such a fan of the leather texture, I just had to try this oxblood variety.

Basically, it dries like leather. It is slightly matte, with a distinctive leather finish, and like all Nails Inc. polishes, it is both high quality and long wearing. Perfect for a night out or to glam up a work look.

The textured trend for talons is going nowhere; with the rest of 2013 to house many more weird and wonderful concepts (look out for Denim by Nails Inc, coming soon...), but these Leather look polishes are perfect for those who want to get involved, without having to foil, bead or velvet up your nails.

The product is quick, easy to use and extremely flattering. It's that perfect shade, which brings out the warmness of your skin, despite being a darker hue, and goes with pretty much any look!

Nails Inc have nailed it again (sorry!)...

LUSH Karma Bubble Bar, aka The Dream

Getting my bath on

I tried the LUSH Karma Bubble Bar for the first time tonight, and it is absolutely amazing. You simply hold under the hot running water and its crumbles into bountiful, bright bubbles, which smell amazing. It is such a relaxing treat, perfect to slap on a mask and bring out the candles, I couldn't leave for so long, I ended up looking like the world's largest prune. But so worth it...

This bubble bar is vegan, hand made and created with all natural ingredients, as is the theme with all of the products provided by LUSH. It contains gorgeous scented natural oils such as sweet orange and pine, and my skin still feels and smells amazing now, as well as being super soft.

And...if you are after a vast supply of bubbly goodness, then this is for you. Its like a beautiful hippie foam fight, quite literally lush.

What do you think of LUSH products? Have you tried any of the bubble bars? I'd love to test another, so let me know your faves!!

Lovely LUSH Haul

Yumm! I love LUSH so much, and I haven't been for a while so I decided to buy a few bits today when I passed (the phenomenal smelling) doorway. Ah yes, I cannot wait to chill out with a mask and a bath bomb - ideal Tuesday evening.

I bought the Mint Julips Lip Scrub (amazing for keeping your lips soft and kissable, and not to mention lipstick ready), the Karma Bubble bar, Ceridwen's Cauldron, Sex Bomb bath bomb (oi oi), Mask of Maganminty face mask and Ocean Salt face scrub.

If you would like to see pictures of the bombs in action (minus me in the bath obviously), drop me a comment and I will review any of the products separately once I have used them all, face masks n' all!

My room smells like a heavenly scented meadow, and I am seriously craving a big bubble bath. Ah yes and yum. Exciting!

Mask of Magnaminty

Mint Julips

Ceridwen's Cauldron

Sex Bomb

Ocean Salt

Karma Bubble Bar

What are your fave LUSH products? I want to try loads more, so let me know and i'll definitely give them a go,

Have a lovely Tuesday evening, and make time to relax ladies!

Quick Post - FAST Shampoo and Conditioner

This is not a review, as I definitely have not been using this product long enough to justify giving any sort of useful opinion. As you may or may not know, I have been using 3 More Inches by Michael Van Clarke for the past few months, and my hair has undoubtedly and visibly improved in condition and strength, (i'm talking a real shine factor ladies), but in terms of rapid growth - not much.

I know the key to long hair, is normally strong hair. So, I have taken it upon myself to abstain from excessive use of heat tools of any kind, made sure I take my supplements and condition the hell out of it. But, it just does not want to seem to grow.

I know everyone is searching for a miracle cure, and I would love for my hair to be a few inches longer, but predominantly I would love to grow out a terrible layer incident which has occurred on one side of my hair (yes, it's even painful to type..), and so I have decided to lay down the Van Clarke gauntlet for now, in hopes that FAST will give me the magnificent mane (in quick time), that I am drooling and lusting after.

FAST stands for Fortified Amino Scalp Therapy, and was created in Canada for patients recovering from chemotherapy, with hair loss. It claims to really boost hair's growing power, as well as injecting it with strength and gorgeousness to boot.

As I have said, I can't say now whether this actually works (for me), but in a few weeks, or when the bottles are empty, I will give a fully fledged and honest review about the growing power of this supposed miracle worker.

Well, here's hoping!

Steam Cream Review

Steam cream uses fresh, vegan and organic ingredients that are fused together by a revolutionary shot of steam. Because of this steamy method of creation, the cream is super light and perfect for facial skincare. You can also use it on your hands, (think cuticles and winter days), and all over your body, for a lovely, natural and gorgeous smelling moisturiser.

I absolutely love this cream, it smells like the loveliest essential oils, which is soothing and calming, and despite my combo/oily skin, it really does sink straight into my skin and doesn't cause a break out. I only use it once or twice a week as a treat, as I love to use my light simple moisturiser on a daily basis.

Not only does it smell and feel amazing, it looks beyond beautiful. There are an array of delicately designed tins, one to suit every personality! I will definitely be using mine to store trinkets when it's gone, and repurchasing another beautiful tin once this has all been lovingly used.

I love it! Have any of you tried steam cream before?

Textured Nails - Nails Inc Vs Barry M

Textured Trio - Barry M Vs Nails Inc

Now, I have had the Nails Inc. Concrete polish in Monument, for a good few months - link, and I absolutely love it. The quality is fantastic, and the finish is just as rough and abrasive as you'd want for a polish aptly named 'Concrete'. However at £12 a bottle, it isn't the most purse friendly polish to ever grace my finger tips.

So, when BarryM recently introduced their 'textured' polishes, for £3.99 a pot, I just HAD to buy some and check the results...

In my opinion the BarryM pots are just fantastic value for money. They may not have quite the same intensity in roughness, as the Nails Inc polish, but they create a very very similar effect, and for literally a third of the price it almost seems like a no brainer.

Having said that, you may need to apply more than one coat to get the intensity you desire from the BarryM polishes, whereas the Nails Inc needs one coat, and it does not budge. 

I think the BarryMs are definitely a fantastic, purse friendly dupe for the Nails Inc, and I highly recommend trying one of the mouth-watering pastel shades, as the trend for textured nails is going nowhere. However, if you want to splash out on, yes, a slightly better quality, more intense polish, then the nails inc are for you. But the differences are really, so so minimal.

The Polishes themselves are - Mint Green is 'Ridley Road' by BarryM, Pastel Pink is Kingsland Road, also a BarryM number, and the Lime is Monument by Nails Inc.

What do you think to these polishes? Would you go Nails Inc. or BarryM?