Friday Faves: Conditioners and Treatments for Dry/Damaged Hair

FAVOURITE HAIR TREATMENTS

As I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 times before my hair is dry and brittle. Chemical straightening my hair leaves it dull and lifeless so here are a few things I use to pack some moisture back into it.

Osmo Berber Oil Mask

This smells gorgeous and gives my hair a nice quick burst of moisture. It’s not very intensive so it’s the kind of conditioner that can be used everyday or left on a little longer for a deeper treatment. What’s amazing about this mask though is that it can also be used a pre-shampoo treatment. This comes in very handyhen my ends are feeling particularly crispy. A bargain at just £3.99 for 75ml.

Weleda Rosemary Hair Lotion

I use this on my dry scalp and I’ve noticed a big improvement. My scalp gets dry and flaky and really itchy, especially in the winter so this baby has calmed that down a bit. It’s supposed to also help thicken your hair too, and I can definitely say I’ve seen an improvement on how full my roots are. Definitely recommend for thinning or fine hair, or if you just want fuller, thicker hair. £8.95 for 100ml but it’ll last for a while.

Goldwell DualSenses Rich Repair Leave-in Serum

This was just supposed to a one-use product but I managed to stretch two uses out of it. I don’t know if it was amazing but it definitely added some much needed shine to my lacklustre locks. My hair generally looked a lot healthier after I used it so I’ll definitely be repurchasing. £2.90 for an 18ml bottle is dirt-cheap and I definitely recommend.

John Frieda Full Repair Deep Conditioner

Along with the rest of the John Frieda Full Repair Range this product gives an amazing moisture boost. It’s not over-moisturising and doesn’t weigh my hair down and it’s so effective. At around the £6 mark it’s very affordable and a staple in my hair conditioners.

Osmo Intensive Deep Repair Mask

Again, another amazing smelling Osmo product. Very nourishing and moisturising. It says intensive but I don’t completely agree with that – it’s richer than a normal conditioner but not in the same league as a deep conditioning mask, if you catch my drift? I like it though and will probably buy it again - £2.8 for 100ml tub, er yes please! – but I do prefer the Berber Oil Mask.

So those are my belated Friday Faves.
Have you tried any of these? What are your favourite hair treatments?

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Friday Faves: Mattifiers

This week’s Friday Faves post is all about my favourite mattifying products. My skin isn’t oily – my skin is an oil slick! Some days it’s so bad that you can see little beads of sebum on my nose and the shine - oh, the shine! Unfortunately I still haven’t managed to find a holy grail product that keeps the oil and shine at bay, but this lovely lot make sure it’s not so bad.

  LOTIONS & POTIONS                                                                                                             

  MURAD T-ZONE PORE REFINING GEL*                                                                                                              

I’ve been meaning to review this for quite some time, but I absolutely love this stuff. I apply it underneath my moisturiser and it helps hold the shine off for a few hours. Unfortunately I’ve found that the longer I’ve used it the less effective it has become. However it makes an excellent base for my moisturiser and also my makeup. A tad on the pricey side at £45 though.

  MONU PURE CONTROL MATTIFYING LOTION                                                                                                 

Great lotion, great size. I don’t have anything bad to say about this product. It feels slightly powdery when you apply it and makes my skin feel a little tacky so it’s the perfect base for applying makeup. Again, it doesn’t stop the oil slick but prolongs a matte finish. At £14 it’s very affordable and will last absolutely ages.

  MURAD OIL-CONTROL MATTIFIER SPF15*                                                                                                        

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t usually tend to use SPF daily, I know, I know, no lectures please. I do however use it when I’ve had an abrasive treatment the day/night before to protect my skin from the sun. The awful thing about SPF lotions is that they can be quite heavy, so it’s difficult to find moisturisers containing SPF that don’t make my face look like a deep-fat fryer. It’s not what I’d reach for daily, but perfect for me after microdermabrasion or a glycolic peel. Quite pricey at around the £33 mark but great if you use SPF.

  GOOD THINGS MIRACLE MATTIFIER MOISTURISER                                                                                    

This smells gorgeous! Subtle blackcurrant without being overpowering or sickly. It’s not the best mattifyer, but it’s a lovely light moisturiser so doesn’t send my skin into oil production overdrive. It’s the cheapest lotion of all of them though, coming in at an insanely affordable £8 for a massive 100ml tube.

  BLOTTING PAPERS                                                                                                                 

When my mattifiers can’t hold off the shine I use blotting papers to dab away the excess shine.

  PAUL & JOE BLOTTING PAPER                                                                                                                              

These papers aren’t the best blotting papers, I tend to use them every couple of hours but not if my face is really shiny. They don’t really pick up much oil so they’re better for minor touch ups. The papers are very papery (go figure, haha) – by this I mean not entirely absorbent. I’d say they’re slightly overpriced at £10.50, but the compact packaging is just too cute.

  PRRETI OIL CONTROL FILM*                                                                                                                                

These babies are the daddy of blotting papers. I reviewed them here and they’re still my favourites. They’re not papers, they’re more like plastic sheets that absorb all of the excess oil on my face. The packaging has nothing on the Paul & Joe compact, but the sheets are fantastic. And at $5.99 they're as cheap as chips.

So those are my Friday Faves – have you tried any of these products? 
What do you use to keep the shine and excess oil away?

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Belated Friday Faves: Perfume

Here’s my belated Friday Favourites post. I think it’s very clear that I’m really not good at these weekly tags. However all of my work has been handed in at uni now so I’ve got a lot more time on my hands.

Anyway. Perfume. I love the stuff. When shoes hurt my feet or clothes don’t fit right, perfume is the one item I can splurge on that makes me feel good.

Paco Rabanne Lady Millionaire

I absolutely love this stuff; it’s very feminine but quite strong. I don’t really wear it during the day unless I’m going somewhere special, but it lasts for ages so I never have to re-spray.

Givenchy Play For Her

Play For Men used to be one of my boyfriend’s favourite aftershaves, so my mum got this for to for us to match. It’s quite floral and sweet but in no way sickly at all. And the bottle is girly and blingy!

Versace Pour Femme

This is my favourite handbag perfume. It’s quite fruity, but it’s really light and makes the perfect day fragrance.

Jimmy Choo

This one is empty because I love it so much, but I have a backup. I can’t describe the scent, but it’s lovely. Great for day and night.

Kenzo Amour

The bottle is interesting, but it’s a bit annoying. The scent is gorgeous though. Floral and musky, without being too girly. This is the kind of fragrance I’d wear on date night, although it’s great for during the day too.

Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret

I love the original Ange ou Demon, and Le Secret is nice. I say nice because the original completely rocked my socks and this one doesn’t completely live up to it. But having said that I do love it, and I don’t use it too much because I hate to see it run out! Haha.

Issey Miyake L’eau D’Issey

This is another handbag staple. It’s light and delicate and perfect for topping up other fragrances if I feel they’re starting to wane. Another great day perfume on it’s own too. I’d probably wear it on date night, but it’s not the best evening perfume as it’s so light.

Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola!

Of course I have to love this since Marcy J named this after me personally! I didn’t really like it at first but it really grew on me and as you can see there’s not much left. It’s fruity and florally and very feminine. Great day or night.

Have you tried any of these perfumes? 
Which one is your favourite?

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Friday Faves: Lip Balm

I’m a massive lip balm freak and pretty much buy one whenever I can. Having dry lips is horrible and I try my absolute best to avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately our lips aren’t weatherproof though so as the bitter cold rolls in we need to up the ante with our lip care. These balms are the ones I reach for regularly when my lips are feeling the cold.

Nuxe Reve de Miel – reviewed here. It’s a gorgeous lip balm and creates a lovely barrier whilst hydrating your lips. Quite pricey but definitely worth it.

Dr Lipp Nipple Balm for Lips – reviewed here. Another firm favourite. Made of pure medical grade lanolin, not only is this amazing for during the day but it’s also a fantastic overnight lip treatment. If your lips get really dry, flaky and chapped then you need this baby in your life.

Simple Kind to Lips Intensive Lip Moisturiser* – reviewed here. This gives a lovely glossy finish and creates a nice barrier on your lips, so it’s perfect for days when you’ll be outside braving the cold. It contains paraffinum liquidum (a type of mineral oil) so it’s not exactly hydrating, but a great dry lip preventer nonetheless.

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser – This feels like more of a cream than a balm, but it does wonders on cracked lips. I often pair it under the Dr Lipp at night if my lips are cracked or sore.

Molton Brown Vitamin Lip Saver – I’ve had this for ages so the packaging has changed now, but it’s a fantastic balm. Very thick and very moisturising, if my lips are dry and I apply this I can literally feel them coming back to life.

Carmex – A solid favourite and a lip balm staple. Love the medicated scent and also that you can feel it working. It doesn’t last as long as some of the more dense lip balms, but it never lets me down.

Nivea – Another staple. This is probably my favourite out of all Nivea balms. It’s got a very waxy texture so it’s perfect for sealing lip stains. I love to use it when my lipstick has started to fade and I’ve forgotten to bring it out with me. It freshens up the colour and stops my lips drying out.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner – Although it’s a stick it’s got a very thick texture so it’s another perfect overnight treatment. However I don’t find it as heavy duty as Dr Lipp or Molton Brown. It’s also another balm that’s perfect over stains or underneath lipsticks. Love, love, love.

Elizabeth Arden 8hr Skin Protectant* - reviewed here. I don’t use this on my lips very often, but when I do it’s usually because I don’t have anything else at hand. It’s a great multiuse product, and the mineral oil means it’s a great protector.

  

What’s your favourite lip balm? Have you tried any of these?

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