72 Hair Product Review

Hi Chickies,

Well, my life has been insanely epic of late... In the space of about 2 months I started a new job which I absolutely love, I turned the fantastic age of 28, I went on an incredible trip to Bali and the Gili Islands and... I got ENGAGED!!

Get a sneak peak of my engagement ring over on my Insta account

Wedding planning has well and truly begun and, as a beauty & fashion blogger, that means hair, make-up and dress planning heaven :)

With all this in mind the lovely goodies that the fab lot at 72 Hair sent me recently have been going down a treat (BTW I'm obsessed with their blow dry cream).

New Brand on the Block: 72 Hair

72 Hair are a cool new brand creating premium hair care products for salon across the UK. I was lucky enough to be sent some cheeky samples of their products before they'd even got their packaging sorted and fell in love then. So I'm super excited now to see and test the final products.

Keeping your hair in good condition is so important pre-wedding day but if your like me finding time to go to the salon for a treatment can be painful so I like to make sure my hair-care products are salon standard. I think with hair care you really can tell the difference.

I was sent three products; the 72 hair Intense Moisture Shampoo, the Hydrating Conditioner and the Blow Dry Cream which all retail on their website at £14.99 with free delivery.

Sustainability, science and totally nourished locks

So, if you read my blog often then you know what's coming next, yep it's my packaging obsession! I just think that packaging is so so important and I love the cool slick product styling that 72 Hair have gone with. The soft muted tones of their brand are gorgeous and I love their tag line 'For the Love of Hair'. What I also particularly love is that their a brand that goes more than skin deep. Their bottles and packaging are recyclable, they use certified ingredients and encourage 'green' tech. 

As you'd expect from their names these products are all about nourishing your hair. All three products contain Hydrolysed Keratin which 'revitalizes the hair and helps rebuild strength. Increases hair elasticity and reduces breakage' as well as Hydrolysed Collagen which 'creates a protective shield against irritation and exposure to chemical treatments; adds body, manageability and increased tensile strength'. 

I was particularly impressed with the deliciously creamy texture of the Hydrating Conditioner. So often conditioners are watered down and they feel watered down. However, 72 Hair's conditioner felt luxuriously creamy and hydrating. 

Long hair don't care. Scrunching in @72hair Blowdry cream this morning ♡ #beautyblogger #beautyblog #beauty #hair #haircare #bblogger #bbloggersuk #bblog #bbloggers #bloggersuk #blogging #blowdry #longhair

A video posted by Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger (@laura_claire88) on Sep 25, 2016 at 10:53am PDT

After toweling dry my hair after my last few washes using 72 Hair products I've been applying their Blow Dry Cream before drying. I always use some form of heat protector before drying or heat styling my hair so I've tried out a fair few now. Unlike some I've tried it isn't horridly sticky, something I hate with a passion. However, neither is it too watered down so that you feel like you have to towel dry your hair all over again after applying it. It's the perfect consistency that is quick and easy to scrunch into my locks and away we go!

Blow Dry Cream, Nourishing Shampoo & Hydrating Conditioner

My Thoughts on 72 Hair... 

For me, hair care should be all about moisture and nourishment and 72 Hair have smashed it where that is considered. Having long and thick hair my only query would be how long the products will last as I'm used to buying larger bottles and 250ml won't always get me that far.  Yet their trio of hair care products has left my hair super shiny and I've loved the luxurious smell and texture that comes with using professional salon brands. Certainly a brand I'd use again, check out their full range.
Now I just need to sneak a budget line for 72 hair products into the Wedding spend!

Love 
LauraClaire

Indeed Labs retinol reface™ retinol skin resurfacer Review

Hi beauts

As part of my ‘New Year, New You’ plans (which, yes I do make and tend to fail at every year!... who else is with me?!) I have decided to up my skin care routine. When I say ‘up’ I also mean start… I kinda don’t have one. Eeek I’m sorry, I know, I know, a beauty blogger with no skin care regime.. sacrilege! But I’ve always been a little lax in truth.. I do remove my make-up, cleanse, tone and moisturise. Unfortunately though, often not all one after another or even on the same day!  

I’m also lacking in the right kit and so I started researching on what products I want to try out to help motivate me into skin care health! A big buzz word I noticed when scouring Google was Retinol. Retinol is one of the animal forms of vitamin A which signals your body to produce collagen and new cells for firmer and smoother skin while also reducing hyperpigmentation. All sounding good so far. My research sounded promising so I searched for a fairly priced product that came up top in customer reviews…. Indeed Labs retinol reface™ retinol skin resurfacer

The Low Down…

Night serum

Contains 3 forms of Retinol

Pump dispenser tube container

30ML

Best for oily/combination skin – dry skin will get dryer with this serum

RRP: £19.99 (but you can grab it for £13.33 on offer at Boots if you’re quick!)

Swayed by the stunning reviews on Boots.com I opted to try out this one. It has so far received an impressive average of 4.5 stars from 123 reviews. All of the reviews comment on the improved softness and smoothness of their skin after using Retinol Reface so I was keen to see the effects for myself.

The packaging and container are all very scientifically branded (no pretty pretty here) but do the job. The pump dispenses a perfect amount of serum to use on your whole face.. I was surprised how little I needed. The serum to silky soft to touch and lovely to apply. It absorbs into the skin beautifully without being clammy.

So the results. I was really surprised at the softness and smoothness of my skin! Definitely after using it after a few days I noticed a difference in the feel of my skin. As my skin is quite oily I haven’t yet suffered from any dryness or peeling but that was a common negative from some of the reviews I read. I am really quite impressed with this serum and would happily recommend it if you’re looking for silk-smooth skin.

Improvements: A treat for my nose as well as my skin

The only improvement I thought of, which a few of the boots reviews also brought up, was smell. We all like something that smells nice when you’re applying it. The product is sold as fragrance-free and the smell of the serum is far from bad but is a little odd I thought. A natural oil scent added to the serum would really help I think and finish off an overall great product!

Tip: Works best when paired with a moisturiser for added hydration

Love 
LC

KMS California Sea Salt Spray Review

Heya Chickies,

This is my latest LOVE product. I asked for the KMS Sea Salt Spray for Christmas from my lovely boyf and was lucky enough to get it. yay!

So I've spent the last couple of months testing in out and I really do love it. It's a light weight spritz spray that pretty much does what it says on the tin. I personally love a sea salt spray as I am always in search of the perfect 'beach curl' (I have poker straight locks so, of course... I love curly hair! never happy hehe)

The spray works best on dry hair. I always brush my hair after drying it and found that when spritzing on the spray before brushing caused tangling. I usually use it just after I've curled my locks to give them a less perfected look.. a bit more untamed!

Love

LauraClaire

Loreal Revita Lift Moisturiser Review

Hi chickies

Hope the January blues aren't kicking in too bad? Not too long till payday right?! eek!

I love a gimmick and so was kinda sold when I saw Loreal's Rivita Lift Pro Contouring System moisturiser. It boasts dual action treatment; massage and concentrated care. It even claims to show noticable results within a week... a big claim to stake in writing in my opinion. However, the best bit is obviously the strange and painful looking massage tool.. that was what sold it for me! I get aggrevated with big bold and stupid claims with products.

Firstly you use the massager in an upwards motion on your cheek bones, forehead and neck. It feel quite nice I suppose but nothing splendid. Next the pump gives you two different lotions to apply. One is cream coloured whilst the other is a clear gel. I'm not sure which one does what but one has Pro Retinol A which it apparently proven to fight wrinkles. Using two creams does seem fairly luxurious but the bottle doesn't give you much moisturiser and this bottle ran out far too quickly for me.

After a Week's Testing...
Well, I tested the product for a whole week and sadly I can't really claim that my skin is fair more tones than it was before nor are the contours of my face more defined. My wrinkles do appear less visible.. however that might be due to the lack of them in the first place hehe. OK jokes aside, it's a fun product, it works and does moisturise well but I wouldn't say it does all it claims. Bit of a gimmick but, like all L'oreal products, you know you're getting a good quality moisturiser all the same.

Overall a 5/10

Love

LC

MAC Lipstick Haul: Diva and Morange

Yay!

Colour: Diva (Matte)

Colour: Morange (amplified)

Hi lovies, 

Aggesss ago I went out on a hunt in MAC for lipsticks.. no big suprise there I know! I saw the Diva colour on the make up artist in store and thought 'I need that colour in my life!'. She had quite a dark skin tone and the colour look gorgeously deep and warm. Diva is quite an intense dark colour when not applied which I would never have even thought to pick out so it was great I saw it being worn. 

However, I love it! I've been using it constantly and it's my new winter lipstick.The only downside of having a matte lipstick is it can isn't the smoothest to apply and can dry out my lips if they're not well moisturized.

Morange I spotted afterwards and got on a whim without even trying on. It's beautifully creamy and glossy. The bright pop of red has a lovely orange colour to it.. just as it's name suggests. I use it on nights out mostly but will occasionally use it during the day. Again, a favourite this winter.

Love

LauraClaire

HAUL: Dorothy Perkins, River Island and Babyliss

Hi Lovelies!

Hope you're enjoying the weekend :)

As it's nearly Christmas I've been treating myself ways too much! I went out on a little present-finding trip and came back with more goodies for myself than for anyone else... oops!

What I bought was a golden shimmery 3/4 length peplum top and some black Eden jean leggings from Dorothy Perkins. I'm in LOVE with DottyP's Eden Leggings. They are super soft and soo comfy. Bestie introduced me to em.

I also got yet another peplum from River Island. It cost £25. I liked it because of its long sleeves and pannelled tweed front and back. Peplum obsessed I know: Check out my other peplum tops at my Youtube Channel.

I also ordered a Babyliss Pro 38mm large barrelled curling iron which came through the post at the same time.. eekk! so much new stuff! Check out my Youtube video of my initial thoughts on the curling iron.

What have you bought recently? Please send me links to your haul posts below!!

Love

LauraClaire

Keeping my Cosmetics Tidy

Hiya Chickee-dees! :)

I have so so so much make up and so, to try and keep in in some form of order I bought myself this gorgeous Ruby and Millie Travel Vanity Case in Cream aggeess ago. Sadly it seems Ruby and Millie were discontinued at Boots in February this year after 13 years of great products. So I think if you want to pick one of these up it might have to be through eBay.

I'm one of those people who gets a kick out of organisation though, oh and I love a bit of stationery (everyone does secretly right?!) so this fairly chunky bag of tricks is a dream to me. As you can see it folds open neatly to reveal one long clear fronted zip bag and two smaller cream coloured zip bags. Both are attached by magnets. So if you need one bag for a night away you can just grab it and go which I love. Though, one downfall - if you stuff the bags too full they become too heavy for the magnetic connection. The mirror is also detachable but that's held on with a strip of velcro. It has its own stand so you can avoid applying your foundation whilst juggling the mirror! And to top in off, in the middle is a space specifically for brushes.

At the moment it sits in the second draw of my dressing table all organised and neat. Not much can be said for the top draw though...

Think the top draw may still need a bit of organising don't you? 

How do you organise your dressing table? Would love to see your videos and posts! 

Love

LauraClaire

Beautiful BearPaw Boots!

Heya lovelies,

After getting caught in the rain in pumps four times in the last two weeks I new it was high time for some new boots. I threw out last year a pair of disgustingly muddy faded Uggs and so new I needed to buy a fresh new pair. Finally, some retail therapy that I actually NEED to buy! hehehe

I was browsing uggs online but, on a little trip to TKMAXX I found these gorgeous 'pretend your an Eskimo' boots from brand BearPaw. I recognised the brand but really didn't know too much about them. Apparently BearPaw is an american brand who make beautiful quality boots.

When I tried this pair of brown boots with fur trim on I literally melted with how comfortable they were. They retail at around £85 but I got mine for a thrifty £35! Bargain! (there may still be some left in TKMAXX near Mooregate so nip in if you're near by). The sole is also extremely thick and hard wearing with deep grooves in so you'll never do the 'Ugg slip up'.

I think I'm converted to BearPaw now, so so pleased with my purchase. Is anyone else the same? What's your favourite boot brand?

P.S. Christmas is coming.. eeek!

Love

LauraClaire

L’Oreal Lumi Magique Foundation Review

I finally ran out of foundation! That doesn’t happen too often you see.  I’m not big on foundation, usually reserving it for special occasions or extra ugly days. The best bit about running out of foundation, as every girl knows, is the fun of buying a new one. I generally find great joy in buying anything! hehe  I was lucky this time around as I had already been swayed by a tester of L’Oreal’s Lumi Magique foundation in a magazine (I think it was Cosmo? It’s usually Cosmo for me).

Normally when you get those little tester you get all excited to get a freebie – or is that just me? – but then are upset when the colour is stupidly pale or makes you look like you’ve just been varnished. However this colour on me fit perfectly. I was, of course, nicely surprised. I didn’t yet have the glamour of a beautiful glass bottle, just a little tester but was already impressed with the silky texture of the liquid and how easy it was to apply.

Boots review reads: L'Oreal Lumi Magique is a Light Infusing foundation which gives luminosity to the skin. A luminous looking complexion as if lit from within. It has a very light, silky soft formula which provides 24 hours of hydration.

Although I can't say I look or feel 'lit from within' I do think the review is pretty fair. I always use a primer before applying foundation but even without I think the foundation does brighten my skin. It evens and tones well without needing to be painted on which is also great. The liquid is light and easy to apply whilst the pump bottle deposits just the right amount so you're not left with tonnes of foundation on you're hands afterwards. 

I think it retails for around £10 in the shops so about a medium price range and you get a decent sized glass bottle for your money. All in all a good foundation that sits nicely on the skin :) Thumbs up

Love

LC 

Neom 'Scent With Love' Body Care Gift Set Review

 

Hay Sweets, hope you're all well and beaming after a lovely weekend?

Mine was extra lovely after receiving this beautiful Neom 'Scent With Love' Body Care Gift Set from the lovely guys and gals at Amara.co.uk on Friday. As you can see the Gift set came well packaged with care which made it extra special.

So let's start with Amara.co.uk. I'd not really heard of them until they contacted me but the second I glanced around their gorgeous website I was in love. Amara was created to 'showcase some of the World's finest luxury gift suggestions' and they really do: from Cath Kidston (you know how much I love Cath Kidston), Ralph Lauren Home to Orla Keily, they seem to have everything I would want to buy!

Being sent the Neom Gift Set was such a treat and so sweet of them, I was thrilled. Neom are all about the benefits of beautiful quality organic products. A figure on their website really stood out at me. It reads 'New studies show that the average woman is using over 250 chemicals on her skin every day'. That's just crazy and can't be healthy? Neom promises 100% natural essential oils and waxes and its lack of chemicals and amazing fragrances make it a favourite with Kate Moss, Sienna, Kylie and Gwyenth.

The Gift set comprises of a Complete Bliss Moroccan Blush Rose Hand Cream, a sensuous Ylang Ylang, Frankincense and Patchouli Body Wash and Lotion and also a Tranquility English Lavender, Sweet Basil and Jasmine Bath and Shower Oil. As you can see there is such number of different scents and I can't as yet decide which one is my favourite! I'm smelling as I type so I decide at the end!

The hand cream is gorgeous; suprisingly creamy yet light and non-greasy - it's fragrance is beautifully soft and subtle but with an invigorating undertone. It's been straight in my handbag since Saturday morning and even boyfriend has looked up from Halo4 and commented on it's smell!

The body lotion and body wash come as a matched scent and oh my do they smell amazing. They're both beautifully sweet, full and fruity but each different with the lotion hinting at more of a creamy smell too. They really are bliss for your senses. But my absolute favourite I've decided is the bath and shower oil. It comes in a sweet glass bottle and smells deep, spicy and smooth. I added one capful to my bath tonight and had the most relaxing bath ever. My whole body smelt lovely afterwards and my skin was silky soft. This oil is seriously my new heaven in a bottle.

I usually try to think critically when I review any product but so far I'm so impressed I haven't found anything to grumble about. All I can say is a big thank you to Amara.co.uk for sending me over such great quality goodies. <3

Have you every tried or bought any Neom products? I really would recommend them just for the unbelievably good frangrances, they really are special.

Love

LauraClaire

L'oreal Elvive Damage Care Serum Review

 

Hi Girlies, Happy Friday!!

I’ve always had long hair (apart from an awful period at University when I decided to cut it all off and literally shave one side of it – very bad look for me!) so I’ve always tried to keep it looking in good condition and shiny. Since dying it red I’ve of course noticed that it’s vital I keep it extra nourished to avoid that awful straw like look and feel.  After running out of an old serum in capsule form that I’d had for years I went in search of a new serum to match it.

There were too many to mention in Boots so I stuck to a brand I know well: L'oreals Elvive Damage Care Serum. I really notice the benefits of a serum and will always massage it into the tips of my hair after a shower and before blow drying. I’ve consistently used serum for over two years now and feel it is the reason why I get complemented about the lack of split ends I have.

I’ve been using L’oreals serum for over a month and I feel it is doing just as good a job as any other serum and would recommend it. The bottle is fairly small, made of glass and clear. I like the fact that it’s clear as you can easily tell how much you are using, sad I know but I like to be prepared and fully restocked for when I run out! The pump action of the bottle isn’t the best and I often have to pump 5 or 6 times before any serum comes out each time I go to use it. However, I would say this is the only down side. It has a subtle sweet fragrance which isn't too overpowering and does leave your hair smelling lovely. 

I'm not too sure I buy into the 'Ceramide-Cement Technology' but whatever L'oreal's oily serum is doing to my hair I have to say I like it :) 

Love 

LC 

MAC Lipstick: Cyber

Hi Girlies :) sooooo, yep I pretty much dropped off the earth for a little while eeekk sorry about that. But I'm back and bringing with me yet another trusty MAC lipstick review.

So this lil dark colour is called Cyber and is part of MACs Satin Lipstick collection. I saw it on one of the makeup artists instore the other day and absolutely loved it on her. She had gorgeous dark skin and had used Cyber on the outside of her lips and a lighter pink on the inside subtly merging the two which looked swell.

The colour is a very deep dark and mysterious purple. So deep it almost looks black which is quite intimidating when you first think you'll have to apply it to your lips! After topping up with some fake tan I braved it though and I love the colour. Definitely a dark plum I'll be wearing in Autumn this year. What do you think?

Love LC

7 day Challenge for Clean&Clear

In a previous post I blogged about my disappointment with Witch blemish stick, though a lovely fellow blogger commented on how great she found the product. It made me ponder about our different opinions and finally decide that I would venture out to find a blemish control product as good for me as Witch Stick was for her.

I chose Clean and Clear to try first. I decided to use both their spot treatment gel and their Dual Action Oil Free moisturising cream for full blemish coverage. I gave the products 7 days, with consistent use as per the instructions, to give visible results.

Look, Feel and Application

Clean and Clear have been around for ages and have a good rep I think. They’re packaging isn’t cute or girlie; its blues and silver tones say this is a serious product which I hoped would provide serious results! Both the gel and moisturiser are lovely and smooth to apply, odourless and fab for sensitive skin. They give a tingly fresh feeling on application.

Day 4 Results

After day 4 I had most definitely noticed a change. Boyf had even commented too which is a good sign. My skin wasn’t half as blotchy and, because I was conscious of helping my blemishes clear up I made a point of not touching my face. This made me realise how much I touch my face at work! I’d also not had any other break outs which I think was key. The precision gel was dealing with the current blemishes whilst the moisturiser kept new ones at bay.

Day 7 Results

After seven days my skin had actually started to slip back and I had a couple of blemishes coming through. However, overall I was shocked at how fast I had noticed results. I think using the moisturiser and gel treatment together really helped and my skin was benefiting. 

Since the 7 days have ended I've kept using both Clean&Clear products and I've noticed my skin has been consistantly clearer. I'd definitely recommend Clean&Clear products in the future.

Love LC