How To: Fake Shiny Hair ...

Regularly chemically straightening my hair leaves it looking rather dull and lifeless, so I rely on certain products to give it a healthy shine. Lee Stafford Shine Head Spray* is perfect when you’re out and about – a quick spritz and a ‘zjoosh’ and you’re good to go. It’s the kind of product you can keep in your desk to use if you’re going out after work. Coming in a just over a fiver it doesn’t break the bank and will last you ages.

As well as adding shine Nuxe Multi-Use Dry Oil nourishes my hair and leaves it feeling soft smooth. I usually apply it to my ends when they’re feeling a tad dry, but a spray or two on my hands warmed up and run through my hair adds some life and also brings out my brown undertones too. It’s pricey at £29.50 but well worth the dosh.

Tara Smith Shining Moments Glosser doesn’t give the glossy shine I’d hoped it would but it really perks my hair up and refreshes it. It’s the product that I’m most likely to reach for on a daily basis to stop my hair looking like a bale of hay. At £12 it’s still very budget friendly – and vegan friendly too!

How do you fake shiny hair?

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What I Bought: Collective Beauty Haul

I know that a lot of bloggers are on a spending ban right now but most certainly am not, so here’s what I’ve picked up recently.

TOPSHOP

Louise Gray for Topshop Brush Set - £32

I was instantly drawn to these when I hit the makeup section in Topshop. I can’t find the link for them as I think they’ve sold out, but the set contains powder, blush, foundation, eyeliner and eye shadow brushes.

Lips in Rumour Has it - £8

I’ve been wanting to try Topshop lipsticks for a while as everyone raves about them and I’ve finally come across a colour that’s flattering for my skin tone. Rumour Has It is a dusty rose with a velvet finish.

THE BODY SHOP

Foundation Brush - £12

I picked up this foundation brush as I wanted something to apply facemasks with. I have a few TBS brushes already and they’re really good quality.

Lip Care Translucent - £8.50

I’ve been looking at this online for a while now and even though I don’t need to add another balm to my collection I couldn’t help but grab it.

 

Vineyard Peach Body Scrub - £6.50

This smells edible really nice. As I’ve said before I love scrubs and since this was half price in the sale it would have been rude of me not to pick it up!

JOHN LEWIS

bareMinerals Original Foundation - £24

My foundation is getting a bit low so I decided it was time to pick up a replacement. #bbloggerxmas girls will know that this is my Holy Grail foundation – I absolutely love it. The price is pretty average for a premium/high-end brand, and an 8g tub lasts me about a year so it’s really cost effective.

bareMinerals Tinted Mineral Veil - £24

I’ve wanted to try this for absolutely ages, and got the girl at the counter to try some on me and it’s even better than I expected. I think £24 is a little steep since it’s the same price as the foundation, but since I’ll only need a small amount I can see it lasting even longer than a year.

MARKS & SPENCER BEAUTY

Philip Kingsley Body & Shine Trial Pack - £15

Everyone always raves about the elasticizer so I picked up this kit so I could give it a go. I stupidly didn’t read the part that says ‘body & shine’ so this isn’t exactly for my hair type, but I’ll use it all anyway.

Tara Smith Feed The Root Shampoo & Conditioner - £10 each. Shining Moment Glosser - £12

Last month I attended a Tara Smith Blogger Event and was given some samples of her shampoo and conditioner (review to follow!). I’ve fallen in love with the sulphate-free formula and had to get some more. They’re a bit more than I’d usually pay but definitely worth it.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi Usage Dry Oil - £29.50

Multi-use = Lola loves. I swapped with someone for the sample that came in a Glossybox last year and my hair was literally addicted. It smells amazing and applies like a dream.

REN Invisible Pore Detox Mask - £18

It was a big toss up between this and the Glycolatic Radiance Renewal Mask, but I think I prefer this. I’d tried both but I have a few enzyme masks already and this one is perfect for my oily skin.

Pure Instant Radiance Skin Exfoliator - £6

I’ve read some good reviews on the Marks & Spencer beauty range and a girl can never have too many exfoliators, so for just £6 this definitely had to accompany me to the till.

Perlier Honey Silk Effect Body Oil - £17.50

Yes, another body oil. It's a cruel, cruel addiction. It smells and feels amazing!

ESCENTUAL

Avene Cleanance K Cream-Gel - £8.40 (Sale price)

I love the Avene Cleanance range and had to get this during the Escentual sale.

Avene TriAcneal - £18.40 (Sale price)

I’ve got a post coming up about this so I won’t go into too much detail, but this stuff is amazing for spot/acne-prone skin.

L’Occitane Skin Supple Oil - £23.20 (Sale price)

This is one of my most favourite body oils. In fact I kept the empty bottle when I ran out of the last one because I was too upset to chuck it in the bin – sad, but true. You can read my review of it here.

Lanolips

I actually bought this on a FB swapping group. A girl had two, sealed, original tubes and was selling them for less than the price of one tube in Boots so it would have been rude not to buy!

Jemma Kidd Lipstick Duo in Eve - £2.50

I have another one of these and I adore it so picked up another one since it was such a bargain. I accidentally put the wrong colour in my basket but I think this is quite cute anyway.

So that’s how I’ve bankrupted treated myself this month so expect some reviews very soon!

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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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