REVIEW: Moroccanoil Extra Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

Hi everyone! In today's post, I'll be bringing you a review on two products that I have recently tried from the brand Moroccanoil. As you may know in a previous post, I showed you a mini set that I purchased from the brand that contained samples of various different products. Within that set was their Extra Volume Shampoo and Conditioner and that's what I'll be reviewing for you today.

So, the shampoo and conditioner themselves are specifically designed to increase volume in fine hair. The troubles of fine hair is something I am all too familiar with  - my thin hair finds it really difficult to hold volume as well as certain styles so I always need the help of styling products. 

Moroccanoil describe their shampoo and conditioner as products that contain the antioxidant Argan oil as well as several nutrients that together help to clean, detangle and bring back body to the hair. They also promise that the duo will bring shine to the hair as well as provide it with manageability and movement. The formulas of the shampoo and conditioner are free of any sulfates, phosphates and parabens.

First Impressions:

One of the main reasons I wanted to try products from Moroccanoil is because of their well known reputation for products that hydrate and bring back life to dry, damaged hair. As a person who heat styles and colours their hair, this is an important factor for me as these things can really take their toll. Argan oil is well known for it's moisturising and nourishing properties and the products' lack of parabens and sulfates is another element that made me want to go ahead and give them a go. 

- Sulfates, phosphates and parabens are known to dry out the hair in the long term and can also strip and fade colour so I was pleased to see that these ingredients were not contained within both the shampoo and conditioner. -

Upon inspecting the products initially, one of my first thoughts was that I liked their packaging. It's simplistic and looks sophisticated in my mind and really has that air of luxury to it. I like the contrast of white and teal, too and overall I think it's nicely designed. 

The smell of these products isn't overpowering and is actually very pleasant to the senses - while I can't quite place what the scent is that I'm smelling (it could be the oils), I can safely say that it is nice.

Use and Results:

Starting with the Shampoo, the first thing I noticed was that it didn't really lather as much as I expected or would have liked it to. I like a shampoo to really lather up on my scalp because I feel it's easier to apply and to know that I'm getting it all over my hair. I had to use essentially two 'pumps' of this shampoo for the top and bottom of my hair as I found it hard to apply everywhere because of this factor. Usually, I need one pump - especially considering I have short, thin hair so for those with thicker and longer hair, this could mean you'd need even more. Despite this however, my hair did feel clarified and cleansed well so I think the shampoo did a very good job at it's overall purpose.

Now on to the Conditioner - and to be honest... I absolutely loved it! 

Instantly upon application, it detangled my hair as if by magic. Once applied, I could easily run my fingers through my hair with ease and I really felt an instant burst of moisture. When I washed it out, my hair was silky soft - more so than with any other conditioner I've probably ever tried - as if I was using an intensive mask. 

My hair was not greasy at all and once dried looked shinier, felt utterly smooth and soft and definitely had some added volume. The ends of my hair (which I have the most trouble with) were noticeably softer, too. I don't think I can praise this conditioner enough - I'm definitely in love with it! So much so in fact, that I promptly went out a bought a bigger size of it from Selfridges.

Conclusions:

So, overall I am very pleased with these products - though definitely more so the conditioner out of the two. I probably wouldn't repurchase the shampoo because I feel as if there are cheaper alternatives that do the same job. However, I have the highest praises for the conditioner and would definitely recommend it especially if you have dry or damaged and / or thin hair and find some conditioners too heavy or greasy. 

It is pricey at around £19.35 (HQ Hair) for 250ml - but if you wash your hair 2-3 times a week anyway like me, it doesn't work out as that bad. If you still think it's a bit of splurge (which yeah, it kind of is) I'd suggest perhaps buying the mini set that I bought to see if it's worth it for you first. You can purchase the Volume Mini Set from Selfridges stores for £25.00 and you get to try out 4 products in total - (one of which is worth over £13 alone).

Have you ever tried any Moroccanoil products? 

REVIEW: Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Anarchy!

Hey guys! I hope you're all well, today I have a review for you on Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick in the shade Anarchy.

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick - £15.00

Higher end lipsticks are something I can be very picky about and so far there are a few brands I feel are worth that higher price tag. After trying the lipstick from their Pulp Fiction collection, I pretty much fell in love and knew I wanted to try more lipsticks from Urban Decay. I spotted the shade Anarchy and thought it looked amazing so I picked it up one day whilst browsing through the makeup stands in Debenhams!

 About the Product:

Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks are described as rich pigmented, with 23 shades to choose from - something for every skin tone. They are also described as being nourishing, long lasting and hydrating on the lips.

Packaging and Colour:

First off, I adore the packing of UD lipsticks. I think they just ooze high end - they are exactly what higher end products should look like. The packaging looks and feels expensive and for the price, that's exactly what you want and should expect. It's sleek and modern and something you'd therefore really enjoy having on display if that's what you're into! Thumbs up for the packing, then.

 I bought my lipstick in the shade Anarchy which is a gorgeous, rich and bright pink shade.

Formula and Finish:

The formula of this lipstick is intensively creamy and it has that appearance in it's finish. So, it's not matte but it's definite not glossy either. It has a really nice sheen to it that I personally really like. It's not overpowering but really helps to make the lips look plumper as well as steer away from a dry look which is never wanted - especially in colder months.

This lipstick is definitely highly pigmented and in one swatch you will easily have your lips covered and opaque. I'm very impressed by the pigmentation and I think it's one of the reasons this product can justify it's price tag.

Application and Wear:

Being so creamy, this lipstick can smudge but the colour does last. I've worn this for a whole day on a few occasions now and this is something I can definitely vouch for. Being so creamy, it will naturally transfer if you touch your lips but from my experience, it doesn't come completely off or start looking like you only applied it to the rim of your lips (we've all been there).

As I said, the wear time is really good and it stays feeling creamy on the lips throughout. I'd definitely recommend a lip liner or good primer to be applied before application because it can bleed a little bit. It does feel extremely comfortable on the lips and it's hydrating and moisturing feel is one of the reasons I really wanted to try more UD lipsticks.

Overall, I love this lipstick and can't really think of anything bad to say about it. Yeah, it does transfer a bit and can bleed but that's what you get with creamier lipsticks. Personally, this doesn't really bother me but if you hate the sound of that, perhaps sticking to matte lipsticks is better for you. However, for the sheer pigmentation, comfortable feel and long lasting wear of this lipstick, I'd definitely recommend you try one.

Have you ever tried Urban Decay lipsticks? What are your thoughts?
Thanks for reading!

REVIEW: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow and Powder Duo

Hi guys! In this post, I bring you a review on two products from Anastasia Beverley Hills. This brand has seemed to blow up in the beauty community recently - with pretty much everyone talking about their brow products in particular. Talking of their brow products, these are what I will be reviewing in this post!

Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Powder Duo - £17.00
&
Dipbrow Pomade - £15.00

About the Products:

So, firstly I'll be starting with the DipBrow Pomade, this product is basically described as a waterproof brow colour that helps to sculpt and define your brows. It's said to be smudge proof and perfect for oily skin and humid weather. It can also be used as an eyeliner and comes in a whole variety of shades and undertones so you can find the perfect shade for you.

Next, we have the Brow Powder Duo which is of course a powder formula as the name suggests. It's described as lightweight in formula and as with the DipBrow, this product is meant to help define your brows but provide you with more of a natural look. Again, this product is available in a whole range of colours to suit you and is enriched with Vitamin C and E to also nourish your brows.

Appearance and Colour:

Both product have really nice, rose gold and black packaging. The combination of the two makes for a really sophisticated, more higher feel in my opinion. The packaging feels sturdy and like high quality as well, which is always a nice thing considering the price you're paying for them.

For the DipBrow, I chose the colour 'Chocolate' which for me looked like the best shade for my hair colour and skin tone. I had previously looked at swatches on the internet and found that 'Chocolate' had the right amount of warmth to it for my liking. 

The Brow Powder duo has slightly different shades compared to the Dipbrow from what I can see and so I once again used the internet to help me out a little bit. In the end, I picked up the shade 'Medium Brown'. 

Formula and Finish:

The formulas of both eyebrow products are of course quite different. Starting with the Dipbrow, I think it's probably best compared to that of a gel liner. When I first got mine, the formula and consistency of it was very creamy but as time has gone by, it has become a lot drier in consistency which for me makes it easier to use. In terms of finish, it's definitely creamy but isn't in any way shiny  - it's also waterproof so there's no need to worry about smudging. As a product, it is highly pigmented which made it particularly difficult to use when I first got it because of how creamy it was. Of course though, once you get the hang of it, the pigmentation of Dipbrow is one of the things that makes it such an effective product.

The Brow Powder Duo on the other hand, is obviously a powder formula. However, the powder isn't chalky and is soft upon application. The pigmentation in this product is not intense - but then again it isn't meant to be. The product provides you with a natural looking sheer to medium coverage and this is why it's great for a simply, stripped back brow look without too much intensity.

Application and Wear:

Both products require use with a brush - with both, I like to use a thin, angled liner brush. For the Dipbrow however, it is definitely best used with a synthetic brush just because of how creamy the product is and the fact that synthetic brushes with this kind of formula definitely makes it easier. Any angled brush is fine for use with the powder  - although I find a fluffier, slightly less dense brush gives a nicer application.

The Dipbrow and Powder Duo are really easy to manipulate and they both blend well. You do however need to work a little faster with the Dipbrow before it sets. Due to it's higher pigmentation, the Dipbrow is great for creating definition in the brow - particularly at the tail. I like to then use the Powder Duo in the front of my brow as that's wear I like the least product and strong definition to be. For me, these products work really well together and make a for a defined yet still natural brow look. I also think the Powder Duo sets the Dipbrow nicely to make sure everything stays where it needs to be. 

Overall, I really do like these brow product - especially the DipBrow. In terms of value for money, though I like the Powder Duo I am not sure if it's as good a deal as I think the Dipbrow is. You really need a tiny amount of product from the Dipbrow to fill in the whole brow - less is definitely more here. It glides on the brow beautifully and in my opinion looks natural yet can be manipulated to look more intense and defined as you wish. You get so much product in the pot and I can't see myself finishing it anytime soon - (I bought this back in July and still have loads left).

To conclude. the Dipbrow for me is definitely worth the money and I would 100% recommend it whereas you can probably skip the Powder Duo and go for a less expensive product. However, Anastasia Beverly Hills is a great brand for those of us who stubble finding the right shades in our brow products so this may actually be an ideal solution to that problem. 

You can purchase these products in the UK from BeautyBay!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favourite brow products?

Face of the Day #15: Anarchy

Products Used:

Benefit That Gal Primer | £22.50

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC20 | £21.50

Maybelline The Eraser Concealer in Light | £7.99

Rimmel Brow Pencil in Dark Brown | £2.99

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Black | £5.99

MAC Blush in DollyMix | £18.00

Benefit Hoola Bronzer | £23.50

Urban Decay Lipstick in Anarchy | £15.00

Beauty and Fashion Haul!

Hey guys, today I have another haul post for you all - this time, it's all beauty and fashion related. I got a couple of things on sales and them some things were just items I'd been eyeing for some time and finally decided to get! Let's dive in, shall we? 

Urban Outfitters Scarf - £24.00
Forever21 Cream Gloves - £7.99

It's cold in the UK, really cold. Therefore, scarfs and gloves are pretty much a necessity in this country. This scarf is SO thick and warm, let me tell you! It's also really big so you could probably use it as a kind of shawl / wrap type thing if you wanted to as well!

Moroccanoil Volume Set - £25 @ Selfridges

I picked up this Moroccanoil set after spending some time debating about whether or not to purchase the oil that this set comes with. I'd heard a lot of good things about it but of course, a £25 bottle of oil is a purchase I needed to give some thought. When I spotted this one day in Selfridges for the same price I thought it was a win-win; I get to try the oil and 3 other products from the same brand too! Look out for a review on these items soon.

Vera Wang Princess Gift Set - £20 @ Debenhams

Vera Wang Princess is one my all time favourite scents. It does look a little, childish in terms of packaging the older you get, but I really love the scent and personally think that the smell itself isn't. Although I currently have a big bottle of this already, I spotted this set on sale in Debenhams for £20. The savvy shopper I am, I checked the perfume isle for the 30ml to check it's price and to my surprise, it was £40 on it's own! Therefore, I considered this too good an offer to miss and popped it straight in my basket!

Dr Martens - £110

Ah, I think these beauties speak for themselves - just look at them. I'd spotted this gorgeous pair of Dr Martens a while back and ever since I've been debating with myself whether or not to buy them. Finally, after standing around in the Dr Martens store looking awkward for quite a few minutes, I decided to just bite the bullet and buy them. The outcome? I LOVE them! Come on, LOOK AT THEM.

Okay, yes more shoes. I may have a huge teeny bit of a problem. However, in my defence these were on sale so I think my purchase was quite justified. Okay, so maybe I didn't need them but there were just £20.80 so I think for a pair of Converse, that's hard to walk away from. At least for me, anyway...

Collection Liners - £2.79
Rimmel Exaggerate Liners - £3.99
Rimmel Moisture Renew Liner - £3.99

Recently, I've been noticing that some of my lip products are bleeding a little and are not as long lasting as they could or should be. So, I decided to try out lip liners - which are something I'm not really a huge fan of. I tried to get some 'basic' colours so that I could use them with multiple lipsticks. I also got a clear one that I plan to compare to my clear liner from OCC!

MAC Lipstick in Violetta - £15.00
Urban Decay Lipstick in Anarchy - £15.00

 I picked up two lipstick from MAC and Urban Decay whilst browsing in Debenhams. I'm not crazy on MAC lipstick like I know a lot of people are, but I have a few shades which I think are something special and worth the price. This is one of them, it's a bright, pinky-purple shade that in the tube reminded me of Heroine a little bit - also from MAC. As well as that, I picked up my second Urban Decay lipstick - my first one, from the Pulp Fiction collection had the most the amazing formula and feel on the lips and I knew I wanted to try more.

OCC Lip Tar in Strumpet - £11.95

As you guys probably know, I'm a major OCC Lip Tar fan - I think they're amazing value for money and they're superb quality. I picked up this lovely, Winter appropriate colour from Selfridges and I really like it!

So, that's about it for this haul - I know it was a pretty long one. I hope you enjoyed this post and as always, thank you so much for reading!

Face of the Day #14: Violetta

Products Used:

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in 'NC20' - £21.50

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Light' - £4.19

Pixi Peach Corrector - £10.95

Urban Decay Naked Palette - £37.99

Maybelline Falsies Mascara - £7.99

Sleek Blush By 3 Palette in Pink Sprint - £10.00

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - £23.50

MAC Amplified Lipstick in Violetta -£15.00

Anastasia Beverley Hills DipBrow - in Chocolate - £15.00

Random Haul: Yankee Candle, Waterstones and More!

Hey guys! 

Today I have a bit of random haul to share with you all - enjoy!

Yankee Candles (Medium Jar)
Candy Cane Lane, Snowflake Cookie and Christmas Cookie
ON SALE @ HOUSE OF FRASER 

I'm a huge fan of Yankee Candles and for me, the sweet Christmas scents are the best by far. So, I was pleased to find out that in House of Fraser, all the Christmas candles are now over half price! As you can see, I stocked up on them and will probably be making a few more trips... 

I picked up my favourite 3 scents in 'Candy Cane Lane', 'Snowflake Cookie' and 'Christmas Cookie'.

Starbucks Thermos Mug - £10.95
From Starbucks stores.

Next off, I got a thermos mug from Starbucks. I'm always drinking either tea or coffee and wanted something I could travel with as well as just something that kept my drink warmer for longer. This is perfect for just that and I quite like the design, too!

Funko Pop! Buffy - £9.99
Funko Pop! The Flash - £9.99

I am a proud nerd and I love the Funko Pop figurines. I have quite a few in my collection now and these two are the latest additions. I was WAY too happy when I spotted Buffy and knew I had to have her.

Digital SLR Handbook - £13.59
Edgar Allan Poe: The Best of His Macabre Tales - £12.99

Reading is one of my first loves and it's something I've been trying to make more time for lately. Life can be so busy but it's amazing how relaxing and enriching sitting down with a good book is. As a horror fan, I thought it a must to purchase some works by the infamous author and poet that is Edgar Allan Poe - this book has a large collection of some of his most famous works. 

I also picked up a photography book - this is basically a book that explains the basics of the digital photography from the inside of a DSLR to Photoshop. I first started practising photography in my first year of University and I've loved it ever since. For this reason, I'm always trying to learn more and I figured this book would be a good place to start!

Outfit of the Day: 18/01/15

Hey! I hope you're all well - today I bring you an outfit of the day post featuring a few new buys...

So err yeah, I kind of gave in to temptation come student loan day and got those Dr Martens I'd be eyeing up and placed on my wish list. I LOVE them, by the way and I am very happy with my purchase though it was a little naughty.

What I'm Wearing:

Miss Selfridge Parka | £59.00

Newlook Cream Jumper | £14.99

ASOS Soft Casual Blouse | £28.00

Miss Selfridge Jeans | £34.00

Dr Martens | £110.00

Face of the Day #13: Peaches and Pink

Hey! On the blog today is going to be a face of the day. Today I was feeling the peach and pink tones which is a look I haven't gone for in a while. I think this look is really flattering - especially on blue eyes and I find the more orange tones really make my eyes pop!

Products Used:

Maybelline's Baby Skin Primer | £7.99

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 'Ivory' | £7.99

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Light' | £4.19

Anastasia Beverley Hills DipBrow in 'Chocolate' | £15.00

Sugarpill's Sparkle Baby Palette | £24.95

Urban Decay's Naked 3 Palette | £37.00

Milani Blush in 'Luminoso' | £9.60

Collection Soft Matte Lip Cream in 'Cotton Candy' | £2.99

TheBalm Mary-LouManizer | £16.00

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder | £8.99

OOTD: 15/01/15

Hey guys! Today I bring you an outfit post. As you can see, in this look I'm wearing my beloved Dr Marten boots in their 'Serena' style. These are soft leather boots with a gorgeous fur lining that makes them so warm and comfortable.

What I'm Wearing:

ASOS Coat | £80.00

Missguided Jumper Dress | £25.00

ASOS Fitted Shirt | £25.00

Dr Martens 'Serena' Boot | £110.00

My Top Beauty Tips and Tricks!

Every day, I'm learning more and more about makeup application and finding techniques and tricks that help me apply it the way I want to! In this post, I thought I'd share with you my personal favourite tips that I use every time I apply makeup - enjoy!

Long Lasting Curled Eyelashes!

As a girl with long yet straight-as-an-arrow eyelashes, it's so frustrating trying to get a curl in them to last for more than half an hour. I'm not a fan of fake eyelashes and I certainly don't want to be wearing them everyday. When I first discovered this trick however, I actually saw results that lasted! The trick to this is the waterproof mascara - it's oil based rather than water based so it's going to help hold your curl for longer prior to your application of non-waterproof mascara.

How To: 

• Curl your lashes without any product on them as you normally would. (Curl inwards for more dramatic results)
• Apply one THIN (very, very thin) layer of waterproof mascara to your lashes. Wait for this to dry.
• Curl your lashes once again (don't worry, the amount of mascara you've applied should be so minimal that your lashes will not stick to the curler - especially if you wait till you're sure it's dry!)
• Apply your normal mascara as usual.

Concealer Clean Up Tip:

Concealer does wonders for blemishes and imperfections but one thing I didn't realise was how good it actually is for cleaning up your makeup mistakes, too.

How To:

• Yep, just grab a thin detail brush with a bit of your concealer on it and you easily clean up your lip line, eyeliner and eyeshadow for a clean, crisp finish. Be sure to blend afterwards and you're good to go!

Make Any Lipstick Colour Matte:

Love a lipstick colour but hate it's glossy finish? Not to worry!

How To:

• Apply your lipstick colour as usual
• Using a small, fluffy brush apply a small amount of translucent face powder to the lips in a gentle, dusting motion. (You can also do this over a thin piece of tissue place over the lips but I do it this way and get the same results!)
• Blend the powder by gentle pressing the lips together and you're done!

Cream and Liquid Contouring:

I love a matte contour in the form of powder but sometimes it can look a bit obvious or perhaps be a little difficult to blend especially on a liquid foundation base. When I tried cream and liquid contouring for the first time, I really liked the subtle effect it gave and I felt as if it looked really quite natural too.

How To:

• Grab a concealer or liquid foundation of your choice that is a few shades darker than your own skin tone.
• Apply the product using a brush or it's applicator in the areas you'd usually contour (cheek bones, down the side of the nose etc...)
• Blend the product evenly in the area of application - you can apply the brush you'd previously used for foundation that still has product over it to help blend out the two colours more evenly as well.

Bye Bye Under Eyes!

Dark circles or bags under those eyes? Peach concealer works wonders to cancel out those dark, uneven tones under your eyes! As you know, different concealer colours are better suited for cancelling out various shades of discolouration in the skin and peach concealer is my favourite of the bunch for brighter, even under eyes.

How To:

• Simply apply your concealer under the eyes in a gentle dabbing motion and blend out with your fingers or brush of choice!
• 
  
• Layer with your normal concealer on the top and set with powder!

Make Those Eyes Look Bigger!

I have pretty big eyes as it is, but I love the effect that this tip gives to brighter up my eyes in general.

How To:

• Simply apply a nude coloured eyeliner to the waterline for a brighter, bigger eyed effect!

Well, there you have my favourite beauty hacks - I hope you liked this post and that maybe it came in helpful! What are your top beauty tips? I'd love to know!