Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

Having been dealt the life card of frizzy and thick hair, I’m always on the market for a product that is going to make my hair feel and look silkier and more nourished. Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer is a hair product that I’ve had my eye on for a while, as it’s such a cult product that I’ve read many a rave review about over the years.

As well as being well known for its hair softening qualities, Elasticizer is notorious for being a pricey addition to any hair care routine. 150ml of this product will usually set you back around £28, however I managed to snap it up when it was on offer to celebrate 40 years of sales and I also had a £5 discount code to use. The limited edition gift set I bought included a 250ml tube of Elasticizer and a towelling wrap to cover the hair while the treatment is on.

The product itself is a thick white cream with no scent that is to be used as a pre-shampoo treatment for dry or heat damaged hair. This cream is to be applied to damp hair, so I wet all my hair in the shower, towel dry it and then comb it through before applying a generous layer all over, from root to tips. I then wrap my hair in the towel provided and leave it on for anything from 30 minutes to a few hours and I like to use this time as a pamper session on a Sunday (I’m talking nail painting, fake tanning, eyebrow plucking, the works).

After the treatment has been on my hair for as long as possible, I wash it out and then shampoo and condition my hair as normal. Whilst washing out the cream, my hair doesn’t immediately feel any softer or silkier, however, as I wash it, the texture changes and my hair feels much softer and less thick and coarse. When I move on to drying, my hair does feel significantly more moisturised and more bouncy and light in texture. I was slightly disappointed that Elasticizer made little difference to the frizziness of my hair, as I expected that the flyaway frizz would have been more smooth after the treatment, however I didn’t notice it to be any less frizzy than when I use my regular conditioner.

Overall, I have enjoyed using Elasticizer, and definitely felt a difference to my hair after use, however I’m on the fence as to whether I would repurchase it at full price, as it didn’t make quite as much difference to the appearance of my hair as I’d hoped.

What are your thoughts on this cult hair treatment? Can you recommend any hair masks to calm frizz and add moisture?

Origins Super Spot Remover Review

This tiny bottle of spot treatment has got a lot of attention over the past few years, and, having taken the plunge a few months ago, I thought it was high time to review Origins’ answer to blemishes. This tiny 10ml bottle costs £15, which, considering it looks small enough to be a sample, felt like a very extravagant buy (especially considering it was £12 just two years ago!)

Anyway, the gel itself is clear and quite thick, which means that very little is needed, and for each blemish I just use a tiny dab. Because of the salicylic acid in this treatment, when the gel is applied, the spot stings for a few seconds until the gel sets in. Oddly enough, I actually like that there is a sensation on application, as it feels as though the gel is actually doing something and contains active and effective ingredients to tackle the blemish.

If I put the treatment on before bed, when I wake up in the morning, there is the usual dryness that is associated with blemish treatment, due to the ingredients drying out the spots. However, the dryness can be easily remedied by a layer of moisturiser before applying makeup. I do find that if I use this product regularly and target a breakout, spots do appear much less red and smaller in size after repeated use.

In general, I don’t think that there is a miracle gel or cream out there that is going to truly banish blemishes, however there are products that will minimise the redness and size more quickly than Mother Nature, and the Origins spot treatment is certainly one of them.

Have you tried the Origins spot treatment? What do you find the best treatment for blemishes to be?

Peach Cheeks

Having always gone for the same pink toned blushers, I felt it was high time to try a more peachy shade, so when I spotted this little number I had to add it to my basket. The blush in question is one of the Bourjois Little Round Pot Blushers in the shade ‘Healthy Mix'.

The colour of the blush is a warm peachy coral and I would describe the finish as satin, as it contains no shimmer or glitter, but gives a subtle glow to the skin. The finish and shade of the blush mean that it creates a really healthy look (as the name would suggest), because it looks very natural, but adds warmth to the complexion.

The blush itself has a floral, fresh scent which can be detected in the pan, but this doesn’t linger on the skin for long, which I consider to be a good thing. Although this isn’t the most pigmented of products, it gives a natural flush which will suit all skin tones, perhaps aside from very dark skins, as it may not show up too well without needing to pile on multiple layers.

I love the packaging of the Bourjois Pot Blushes, as the casing is the exact shade of the blush inside, and there is also a tiny mirror in the lid, which could be used in desperate mirror-less situations. Although the pot is quite small, Bourjois have managed to sneak a tiny applicator inside, but does anyone find any use for these teeny doll sized brushes?

Which peach toned blushes would you recommend?

Back to Basics

Recently, I have found myself reaching daily for my battered, or to put it nicely, ‘well loved’ Naked Palette. Although it may not be the shiny, pristine beauty it used to be, it remains a palette of complementary shadows, meaning that any makeup beginner can create a successful smokey eye or natural look by combining any of the 12 shades.

When the hype for this palette first emerged, I disregarded the concept as a gimmick, however, I quickly changed my opinion when I found that, rather than being simply a palette of ‘naked’ shadows, it actually contained a variety of rich and pigmented shades. The most attractive aspect of this palette to me is that a ‘barely there’ look can be created, but, due to the range of shades, so can a dramatic smoky eye, meaning that many looks can be created for your £37.

Since every blogger and their mum has reviewed one of the 3 ‘Naked’ offerings, I won’t bore you with a detailed description of each shade, but just put in my tuppence that I do rate them. Because of the quality and wearable nature of these shades, you’d have to try pretty hard to create a disastrous look when using these shadows!

The time that I am most thankful for the existence of this palette is holiday or travelling situations, as it really does contain all you could possibly need for your eye makeup (minus mascara). The shimmery shades are perfect all over lid, the darker shades can be used as eye liner with an angled brush, and the matte shades (‘Naked’ and ‘Buck’) can be used through the eyebrows. I will certainly be taking this palette along to T in the Park festival when I head there next week (but whether I fit in using it amidst the fun and festivities will be a different matter).

Which is your favourite eye shadow palette?

Review: Butter London 'Knackered'

Butter London has always been a brand that I have had my eye on, even back when it was only sold in the U.S and I envied the shades I saw featured in countless American NOTDs. So when I spied a Butter London stand in my local Boots, I couldn't resist picking up one of the most unique shades they have to offer. Knackered was the obvious first choice for me, as any iridescent, chameleon-like shade that surprises me with a different colour when the lighting changes has my name written all over it.

This choice definitely didn’t disappoint, with the colours visible ranging from silver to teal to lilac, always with pretty micro glitter running through. The only single negative to this is how difficult it was to photograph! However, the effect is beautiful and has a galaxy look about it, with the tiny glitter particles and metallic shine.

The application of this polish is a dream, with a chunky brush meaning effortless nail painting. The only slight drawback is that around 3 coats are needed for full opacity, however, because of the streak free application, this takes no time at all and is definitely worth it. To create a more dramatic look, Knackered can be used as an iridescent topcoat over darker polishes, however, for the summer months, I love the look of a sheer iridescent hue.

Do you own any Butter London polishes that I should add to my wish list?

Favourite Summer Scents

Perfume is, for me, a luxury limited to Birthday and Christmas presents because of the extravagant price tags they come with. However, it is the rarity of owning a new perfume that makes them one of my favourite things to lust after and consequently make me incapable of walking through a beauty hall without spraying myself with so many that I can longer differentiate between them (we’ve all been there).

Out of my small collection, I find that I reach for different perfumes according to the season, and in summer, I tend to reach for girly, yet sophisticated scents that aren't too overpowering. Chanel’s ‘Chance’ in ‘Eau Fraiche’ and Stella McCartney’s classic ‘Stella’ certainly fit the category of light, yet feminine.

‘Chance Eau Fraiche’ by Chanel: This delicate green perfume is the perfect refreshing scent on a hot summers day as the name 'Eau Fraiche' would suggest. I am no fragrance expert, however, I can detect the topnotes described by Chanel as lemon and cedar, and the basenotes of amber and patchouli. When first spritzed, the scent is rather sharp and citrus-y, however, when it has been sat on the skin for a few hours, the more woody basenotes really begin to come through. For this reason, this perfume is perfect for a summers day, as by the time evening comes around, the fragrance has more of a demure and heady feel. This perfume is around the £55 mark for 50ml, so definitely one for a Birthday list or a student loan day splurge.

‘Stella’ by Stella McCartney: The first thing that attracted me to this perfume (after the hundreds of blogposts I’d read) was the bottle design. These little 30ml bottles are known for their pretty prints, which are updated annually with new themes and motifs. As well as looking eye-catching on my dressing table, the perfume within the quirky packaging is my idea of the most beautiful summer scent. The fragrance is a blend of florals, with topnotes of rose, mandarin and peony and with basenotes of amber. It is the amber and the mandarin tones that set this perfume apart from any other simple floral scent as a sophisticated and multi layered fragrance. This perfume is fairly priced at £40 for 30ml, and is a great choice to throw into the handbag for those long summer days out.

What are your favourite summer scents?

'They're Real': Worth the Hype?

The search for the perfect mascara is a seemingly never ending one, however, having finally given into the hype, Benefit's 'They're Real' comes close to providing everything that a mascara should.  I often feel that Benefit products are rather 'style over substance' and the high price labels reflect the ornate and frivolous packaging rather than the product that is hidden deep within it. However, 'They're Real' seems to be the exception to the rule, with a pretty (and still practical) tube packaging, but with the effective and no-nonsense product within.

Throughout the years, I have tried and tested countless mascaras, all claiming to have the perfect formula and brush type, but they nearly all fail at one requirement. 'They're Real' delivers on what I consider to be the three requirements of a mascara: length, volume and curl. The formulation is quite wet which means avoidance of the clumpy, dry lashes that many mascaras unfortunately give. The brush is medium sized and plastic and has bristles on the tip as well as the top which is effective in catching the very outer eyelashes. The photo above shows the effects of one coat of They're Real, and I'm sure you'll agree that they do not look fake (as the name suggests), but definitely longer and more luscious than when they were makeup free.

The price of this mascara is quite a step up from the usual £7-£10 drug-store mascaras, however, if you have a little extra cash after pay-day/ student loan, I'd definitely recommend giving it a go!

Which is your all time favourite mascara?