Ziaja Haul

The other week I went to a really wonderful event hosted by the lovely Emma from Mastering Your Makeup. I'm a massive Ziaja fan as some of you will know from past posts and monthly favourites, so I was delighted to get to hear more about the brand and try out brand new things from the range. I was kindly given some things to try out in a jam packed goodie bag, but I also picked up a bag full of things that I thought sounded interesting or that I had run out of. Its a serious downer when you run out of your favourite things!

I came away with a lot of the olive leaf range by accident, but everything just looked and smelled really good. In my goodie bag I got a lovely olive leaf regenerating face mask (that I've seen lots of bloggers really love, so I'm excited to try it out!) and a olive leaf micellar water. If you saw my Boots haul you'll know that all my skin care make up removing products ran out at the same time, so I was delighted to get this in my bag. I've had my big 400ml Garnier water for less then a month and I'm almost finished it (!) so this will be next on the list to try.  

I also got my most sought after product from Ziaja in my goodie bag. Their shower scrubs are so cheap and amazing quality, so they are always sold out when I try to get them. I felt extra lucky to see them floating in our bags! Lastly from the goodie bags was a mens shower gel (that smells really good) that I've passed on to himself. And not pictured is a goats milk face cream that my mammy got more then attached to when I was showing her the things, so its living with her now! 

I had to pick up two face products that I buy time and time again. The manka tree purifying toner (that I've talked about in my skin care routine) is one of the best toners that I've tried out in a long time. It also smells clean and it could be a placebo, but I think it cleans my face better because it smells of tea tree!

I also got my all time favourite face scrub, the rose butter micro peeling face scrub. This has to be my 4th easily, I can't do without it. I ran out of this a few months ago and didn't manage to get into the shop to pick it up for about 3 weeks. In this time I tried out some scrubs that I got in Boots but none were as good. This makes my skin so soft and gets rid of the dry pieces of skin that tends to appear around spots. I use this about 3 times a week and always notice how much better my make up goes on afterwards.

After talking to one of the girls from Ziaja she recommended that I try out the olive shampoo and conditioner from them, so I got them. I'm not really sure why the conditioner is so much smaller then the shampoo, so I must tweet them and ask! I was done with buying half the shop until I smelled the olive body balm and knew I had to try it out. It sinks into the skin so quickly and makes me feel lovely and soft without being sticky or weighted down for the day. I can see this becoming a regular buy for me.

Then as I hadn't seen that there was a mask in the goodie bag, I decided to pick up another that was only 70 cent! As I remembered how well they were reviewed by bloggers before. All in all I think I did really well with my little haul and will be steadily making my way through them all in the next few weeks! Make sure to follow Ziaja and Emma on twitter as I've heard that they will be doing lots more events like the one I was at. You might be able to sign up for one soon!

March Favourites

Look at me putting up a favourties post in the actual month its from! You swear there was an air of organisation about the place. This month I've been using and loving much of what I talked about in my last monthly favourties post, so theres only a few beauty related things to get through today. March is now lovely and bright with the clocks gone forward an hour so that makes me happy. Although its still so feckin' cold out, I'm a right aul one giving out about having to put the heat on still. 

This was the month of lots of Instagram postings (if your not a follower I'd suggest having a look at me over here and maybe sticking around!). I bought lots of make up, clothes and took many many pictures of my cats. Basically the perfect month! Blogger friend Emma from Mastering Your Makeup did her first Ziaja event and it was an uber proud moment, oh isn't she just fab! You have to take a look at her blog and tell her hello! Other then that, Netflix has been binged watched so much too. Books will win in April, fingers crossed.

Blousey banana shampoo from Lush is now all used up and gone to the empties pile, but I wanted to just mention how much I've enjoyed using it this past month. It always left me with soft hair and it smells so great. Nothing surprisingly like the scent of bananas thank goodness, as I'm not a fan! I got it on sale at Christmas and doubt I'll be picking it up as its over €20 normally. But if your in the market for a lovely shampoo and don't mind it being spendy, then try out that one!

 As I mentioned in my last post this month I ran out of all of my make up removing skincare at the same time and had a day or two of panic. Since then I've been seriously stocking up so that doesn't happen again any time soon. And one of the things I found when I the hunt for a remover was a mini No7 cleansing lotion for normal/dry skin. It feels utterly amazing and I was going to pick up a full size even though I have combination skin. I said this to my sister on skype one night and she pulled out her bottle that was half used and said I could have the rest. Happy days! I know I'll be picking up my own bottle though, its just lovely. Might do a review of it to rave some more!

A total bargain this month was Revlons colour burst in 001 Honey Douce. This was reduced to €2.50 one day in Boots so I nabbed it. Its the most lovely shade that isn't too dark on the lips and I've done nothing but slather it all over my face every chance I get. These are normally a ridiculous €11 but after trying them out, I think I'd actually fork out the money for more of them. Not sure whats come over me! Do have a swatch of them if you've not already tried them out by now. So worth it.

I wont natter on too much about Fuschia and their amazingly beautiful eye shadows too much, but I did do a full review of a lot of them along with a few blushers over here. These four are my most used this month and I'm loving the bright orange especially. I want, no wait - need more of them! They are so pigmented, easy to apply, buttery and have next to no fall out. Nothing makes me more happy then these beauts.

In non beauty things, Once Upon A Time is my show of the month. I've watched it on and off over the past few months, but really got back into it since February. I even have gone so far as to find more up to date episodes of it online instead of waiting for the Irish Netflix to catch up. Season 4 still has caption Hook and I swear I watch it half the time just to drool at him. I'd also highly recommend Peaky Blinders on Netflix. My future husband Cillian Murphy is in it. Thats all you need to know. 

Keeping on Netflix for a second, they don't have Avengers anymore so I bought myself the dvd and I couldn't be happier. Its my go to film when I'm happy or sad (is that weird?) and I'd say I've watched it 30+ times by now. Best film ever! I picked up a cute little SheHulk statue the week, which you can see over on my Instagram. She is the bomb! 

Have you any non beauty faves this month?

Lush, Rub Rub Rub

I think by now we can all safely agree that Lush is a way of life for me. I'm not in love with all things Lush, so when I bang on about something and say its just as good as sliced bread, its worth giving it a sniff/poke/slathering on yourself next time you pass by a shop. Today its all about Rub Rub Rub, or Rub as he likes to be called for short (little sexy devil that he is!). This is a shower scrub that can be used for body and hair. Its a bright blue salty goo in a tub of love. 

Theres nothing I don't think is just great about this, even the fact that its a total dupe for Lush's more pricey Big Shampoo. I am a long time fan of Big, but at €15 I can't be shalping it all over my hair daily and have been paying close attention to Rub for the past few months, intrigued to see if it might be as good as the shampoo, while being a little easier on the purse! Normally when I go to Lush its to pick up another bath melt or a face mask, so branching out to something else can take a bit of building up to. I'm sorry that I waited so long though, as Rub is just as lovely as Big shampoo with the added bonus of it being a multi use product.

Rub is mainly marketed as a shower scrub, and what a wonder it is to have in the shower with you. This is stuffed with mineral rich sea salt - a great antiseptic as well as an exfoliater. It has lemon juice and that will add shine to your hair and has jasmine and orange flower that will leave you smelling divine. I think this is the perfect all in one product to have during the cold months as it not only scrubs away all the nasty dry skin and goo while being oh-so-gentle, but I feel it also moisturises in the process. I'm not saying that its better then putting on a cream if you have very dry skin, but you can get away with it when your skin only needs a touch of hydration. In short, it means no freezing your arse off when you get out of a warm shower and have to rub in cold moisturiser, then wait for it to soak into your skin. All the bonus points in the world, right!? Its saved me from many cold naked dances. 

And if you fancy a little bit more of a good aul hard scrub, don't wet your skin before using it and when your done wash it off in the shower. I find that I rotate the wet and dry skin routine depending on if I have been using thick creams. I would say this would be a great one for taking off fake tans as well, while keeping your skin lovely and soft. So if your in the market for a unisex multi tasking product that lasts surprisingly well, then Rub is the guy for you at €10.50 for a 330g tub.

New Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Collection

I'm a long time fan of Herbal Essence, I remember when I was in primary school I would always insist that my mom bought me the purple 2in1 bottle with the dark green lid. I must admit, I still prefer the old bottles to the fancy looking new ones, I don't seem to like change very much! But change and new things are the way to go which brings me to Herbal Essences newest edition to the family, the *Clearly Naked Collection.

There are three different categories in the collection; Volume, Shine and Moisture. Each has a shampoo and conditioner but Volume also includes a dry shampoo and Shine has a shine mist spray. Whatever style your hair is looking for, it seems that HS has you covered. I tried out the shine range that is meant to give you sleek and shiny hair that you want everyone to admire and touch. Its something that every girl and guy will crave at some point! Not only does it do the job of washing and cleaning your hair, but this range has zero parabens, silicones or dyes so you know that your hair isn't going to be damaged or stripped from use. 

Personally I've not noticed my hair being stripped of its colour, something thats very easy to see as I have bright colours through it. Unfortunately I can't use many shampoos or conditioners as they strip all the colour with only a few uses, so it was lovely to be able to try something new on my hair safe in the knowledge that I wouldn't be running out to buy more dye after washing my hair. The scent of this range is a mixture of grapefruit, green tea and mint, although the only smell I can detect is mint thats a little overpowering in the shower as your hair is still wet. Once its dry, the scent isn't as strong but pleasantly lingers all day so you feel like you've only stepped from the shower. 

I have been using these for the past few weeks and have noticed that my hair is in really good condition, being shiny and soft to the touch. However I'm not so sure about the shine mist spray. I'm not a fan of using these in general as I see them being a bit pointless and my bias opinion carried to this product. However I think someone with curly or unruly hair would really love this product as it tames frizz and helps to detangle, while still giving the supposed shine. My straight hair just didn't like this, nor did it really have a purpose other then to add in an extra product to make me feel a little fancier.

You can find these in Boots or all good chemists. Boots stock the 200ml shampoo and conditioner for €3.19 each and a lot of the HS products are on offer at the moment too, so it would be rude not to go in for a nosy at the offers!

*I did not pay for this item, it was a PR gift.  Please see my disclaimer here. 

Mini Lush (Halloween) Haul

You know me, when it comes to Christmas and Halloween I just can't help myself at Lush (not that I can help myself when I go in any other time either!) I was due a visit as I had counted down to the 3rd when they put all their exciting new stock out. While I was there I picked up a few other bits too. Everything smells extra lovely and is extra covered in glitter too. Mmm, perfection!

First off i pick up a a shampoo for my blonde/purple mop. I love Daddy-O and have used it lots of times in the past. This has a strong smell of violets so it can take some getting used to. This is meant to add volume and shine to your hair while also getting rid of the brassy tones in blonde and grey hair that can happen when dyed or just if your looking to brighten up your hair a little, This is packed with seaweed, lemon and lime juice, sea salt and coconut oil. I use this about 3 times a week just to keep my hair looking less dull and to even out the blonde tones. Its not one I would just daily as its €6.95 for 100g which is the smallest bottle. Something to look out for if you have your hair dyed and want a little boost. 

Next I had seen Grease Lightening popping up in lots of videos and favourites posts, so I decided to try it out. I have lots of face uglies to try it out on after all! This spot treatment is a see through gel that has antibacterial and antiseptic tea tree, rosemary and thyeme, grape juice, aloe vera and witch hazel. All help with inflammations, redness and reducing spots. You can really smell the antiseptic tea tree, which I like because it makes me feel like everything is extra clean. I'm not sure after appilying it for only a few days if I can see much of a difference, but I'll keep having a go and maybe do a review. This is €7.50 for 45g.

bath bomb and a bubble bar. Northern Lights is a lovely big bath bomb thats covered in stars, a little glitter and is my favourite colour, purple. When I bought this the girl replaced the first one for me as it had broken, and when I got home my second one had broken too. So if you want yours in one piece keep a special eye on it in the bag. Since picking this up I've used it in the bath and it makes the most lovely purple and pink bath water. Theres lots of colours in between when its dissolving in the bath, greens, blues and more. It has jasmine and ylang-ylang scents mixed into it to make a really relaxing soak. Its a nice bath bomb but for €4.50 I think I'll try something else next time. 

Lastly I picked up the really cute and over the top glittery Halloween Sparkly Pumpkin. This was €4.50 and I have yet to use it but I am expecting great things from it. It has a lovely slightly citrus  smell  and I'm sure I'll be covered in head to toe bubbles and glitter. I might do a little post on this too with some photos. Now all thats left is to start having a browse at all the lovely Christmas things!

Empties #6

Looking back, I can't believe it was August when I did my last empties post. Madness! I've naturally loads to write about now, some samples and new things that I don't normally talk about either. First all the body things, I have my much loved Vaseline spray that I talk a lot about. Most recently I mentioned it in my September favourites as a really long lasting tin that moisturises well but doesn't feel sticky or heavy. Perfect for a quick use before jumping into clothes in these cold mornings.

I blogged in detail about the Ziaja cocoa butter shower body scrub over here. Cheap, works well and I'll be on the hunt for more of these tubs in the coming weeks. The same goes for the Soap&Glory sugar crush body butter cream, the in depth review is over here, along with other things in this range. I love using this before bed when it can soak in and work, without me rubbing it off or feeling like its a little too heavy on my skin during the day.

Last in this pile is the Bia Beauty detox body scrub. I won this at a blogger event last year and it was half used in the back of a drawer. In my cull of using all left over products, I decided to finish this off. It doesn't wow me at all and I think its far too expensive for what it is. There are so many other more worth while products that this Irish brand offer. Although the packaging is eye catching and something lovely to display, I wouldn't be buying this myself.

Two micellar waters, a Nivea one and my very first one, L'oreal. Both of these were got on offer when there was a big blogger buzz around them. They both seem to work just the same, nothing better or worse. They are so handy for taking off your make up if your not bothered to go the entire nine yards with different cleansers, toners and all that jazz. One bottle does all and gets off all your make up. I did a review of the L'oreal one here and a Garnier one too. I'd pick up any of them again, they all do the same thing!

Lush tea tree water is another product that I liked but I'm not too pushed to run out and buy it again. I've since gotten a new tea tree water thats cheaper and a bigger ml so I might stick with that one. I'll be blogging about it some time soon I'm sure. 

Lastly a total wow product, Waxperts pads. These things are so amazing and multipurpose too. I can't get enough of them and already have another tub of them. Again, I'll be blogging about them soon enough, but I'll save you the hassle of waiting for that post. Just order some right now!

Lots of Soap&Glory lovin' it seems I've got through in the past few months! More of the sugar crush line that I blogged about in detail before, and I would go so far as to say this line is my favourite from the brand. I'm totally gone off their signature scent. The same goes for my love of almond smells, oh mammy this rich and foamous body wash was just so lovely. Both of these I'd pick up again in a heart beat.

The Body Shop has all the most lovely things, but they are so madly expensive! I picked up this almond body wash when it was on sale for €5 and loved it so much that I went back before the sale was over to get another. If I won the lotto I would have nothing but Body Shop stuff, but for now I'll just keep an eye out for the sales. Lastly in the body wash line is an imperil leather that my friend picked up for me after I gushed over it. (I have the bestest friends!) I really liked this bergamot and sea minerals. Its not my normal scent as I prefer sweeter and more floral scents, but this has turned me. I'll be on the look out to try more of these.

Random ones now, as always I have an Impulse. I have started to throw out all of these and my Nivea deodorants to, as there a bit boring to always have come up in these posts. One thing that I didn't blog about and wouldn't get again was the Lush volcano foot mask. I'm not a fan of feet to start with and when I got this as a present I was intrigued to try it out. Its got a mint base that makes your feet a strange hot-cold and is quite hard to apply. Not something I'd recommend, even for those who take amazing care of their toes!

Another Soap&Glory now, this time its the fab pore hot cloth cleanser. This is my second one of these, I just love how easy it is to remove make up after rubbing this into my skin. It a little pricey but man does it work well. I like to use this in the shower sometimes too as it really perks up and freshens my skin. You get a lovely little muslin cloth with this but I rarely use it. You could use this for a little pamper too if you were feeling it. Something I'll pick up again.

Oh man, I go through so many hair things its crazy! In short I am always trying out new conditioners so I always have loads. A must have and repurchases for me again will be the Herbal Essence mask, the John Freda conditioner and the gorgeous smelling Dove conditioner for coloured hair. Also I enjoyed the Herbal essence bee strong shampoo and the 2in1 Dove. I buy them on and off all the time, they make my hair smell lovely and leave it shiny. I wont be picking up the Fruit Essence conditioner as its not worth wasting the money. It does nothing for my hair and is left limp and full of tangles. Big thumbs down from me. The same goes for the horribly awful (and colour stripping) Bleach London hair mask. I did a review of it over here and just grrr. I can't get over how bad this product is considering how hyped the brand is! I also love to pick up the cheap Boots own brand stuff when I'm looking for a way to save some pennies to spend on make up or dye.

Lastly a bundle of make up empties. I have a Catrice and a NYC concealer that were both really cheap and I'd buy again in a heart beat. The coverage they gave was amazing and it was like I barely had spots! My Wet'n'Wild coverall pressed powder was grand and I'm sure I will pick up many more, but I am currently using a Seventeen one that I forked out a little extra for. Its not an amazing one for keeping shine at bay, but for the colder months I'm sure it will work a lot better.

Two tiny samples that I got was a Dior hydra life that I would genuinely consider forking out the major euros for. My god that stuff is sex for your skin. And then a lovely but not as wowing Vichy life serum. I'd recommend asking for little samples of both, especially the Dior one. A girl can dream.

And my most loved and ranted about foundation is the new Seventeen stay time. I've wanted to blog about this for ages but I just never got around to it for some reason. Its like the best kept secret in the 'drug store' brand or something, it just has to be. This is the most full coverage and long lasting foundation I've tried in such a long time. And to top it all off, the lightest shade is the perfect match for a pale ghost like myself. No orange foundation neck lines for me, oh no sir. I already have another one and think I'll pick up 3 more while Seventeen have a 3for2 offer on. Its got to be one of my top 2014 products this year. Yeah, I did just go there. 

I Only Went In For Hair Dye! Haul Post

I genuinely only went into Boots the other day for hair dye. I've decided to try go all the way back to my natural blonde colour and instead of having 12 shades of different roots, I picked up a colour closer to my own. Normally Boots has a massive range of dyes, brands and offers so I got the John Frieda moose. Partly because it was on offer from €13.99 down to €6.99, partly because I had never tried it before and partly because its a fancy pants brand! Oh and the most important thing of it matching my natural hair colour the closest. Nearly forget that bit. 

But once hair was thought about, I noticed that the John Frieda intense after colour conditioner was only €3.49 down from €6.99 and it would have been truly rude not to pick it up. The same went for the big bottle of Herbal Essences that was only €2.74 down from €5.49. But in my defense, I was running low on the shampoo..

After the hair care incidents I was on my way to the check out when I spotted that it was 3 for 2 on all the Simple range. I've been after the eye roller for mad bin bag under your eye balls (the technical advertising terms, of course) for ages since seeing Sprinkle of Glitter get it in a haul. It was €6.99 but then I did get the face mask free once I picked up the face scrub.. Both were €4.99 each. And I had to get them. Cos', cos' of the offer!!

After that total fail I said fuck it and headed to the make up. Collection had all their nail varnishes for only €2 each and I had about 12 in my basket, but decided against crying when I had to hand over all my money at the till. So instead I just picked up the one. Isn't it just gorgeous? I've tried it since getting home and its a perfect Autumn shade. 

I have been on the hunt for a particular eye shadow from Seventeen for myself and the sister, but its the hardest one to come by! Its always sold out everywhere. So to console myself after not finding it yet again I picked up these two lovely shades from Collection for €2.99 each. 

Well, I tried. But I did get the hair dye I went in for.

Damn bargains!

Tesco, Lidi And Essence Haul

I know, whats with all the haul posts you ask! Well I have been picking things up in the past few weeks and instead of doing loads of little hauls I thought one or two big ones is the way to go! I got a few essentials and then just a few things that I couldn't leave behind. 25% off make up? Half price on shampoo? Who am I do say no to things that good.

First off I toddled round Tesco last weekend and found half price things like they were going out of fashion. Some Timotei conditioner for blondes and holy moly - did anyone else know that Timotei did dry shampoo?! I've never seen it before and with it being half price I naturally grabbed it and ran before they changed their minds! I also got a Pantene shampoo for fine hair as mine is lacking that va-va-voom lately. Lastly I might have been sucked into an offer on Yorkie 3 pack. Can't remember the last time I had one and with 3, they are made to share (if you have a choice or not - sneaky boyfriends!)

I was also in Lidi and couldn't be more delighted to find that my local was stocking cotton pads again all for only 45cent. I go through cotton pads like a mad woman between removing make up and nail varnish, so I got two packs. What a feckin' bargain! I got a load of baking ingredients too for some birthday cakes when I spotted they had a stand full of seeds. Naturally I had to pick up the hardest thing to grow, some pumpkin seeds! I got a pack for my friend too, she loves growing things and I'd say we'll have a little competition on who can grow the best ones! (were mad like that.) 

And lastly *pauses to drool* my local chemist had 25% off all Essence make up. My knickers were in a right twist trying to choose what to get, but like a trooper I managed! I picked up an eyeliner, lip stick, eye shadow concealer base, express drying nail varnish drops and a gorgeous light blusher. All this for under €10, it pays to have a look in your local.

Thats all from me for now. As always I hope everyone is having a great day and week. Keep your eyes peeled for bargains going and you might still be able to pick up some of these bits in the shops!

The Best Of Beauty Challenge: Hair Heroes

Yet again theres like 15 minutes until 7pm and here I am again frantically typing away at the aul computer. (As you can see by the crappy phone pictures I can't find my camera. Little fecker knows I'm in a hurry!) Some of us (me) just never learn huh? This is week 2 of the lovely Samantha from All The Buzz's bloggers challenge. If you haven't seen week one its here and explains it all! Now lets get crackin' that clock wont stop for me!

I didn't even need to pause to think about this weeks topic of hair heroes, they are so good they Immediately come to mind. I'm a wash and go kind of girl, leaving the mousses, sprays and goop for the pros. Me, I'm a big lover of good smelling shampoo and wonder working conditioner.

Aussie Conditioner:

Yes, I literally mean all Aussie conditioners. Oh mammy that is my idea of pure heaven. I bang on about it a lot over here.  I love their coloured one at the moment, but give me a leave in mask, a quick 3 minute and rinse, even a nice spray in, leave in type. They make your hair feel like silk and the smell. Ugh, the smell! Its all too good to be true, but it honestly is. My hair regularly gets brushed to an inch of its life, split ends everywhere like its the next big fashion statement. It has to deal with a blast of the harsh hair dryer and yet, its soft and not too bad - if I do say so myself. Aussie ore on offer in Boots right now, 3 for €13. Promise me you'll leave me some too?

Batiste:

I'll be shocked if no one has this in their hero lists, its the only thing that can make a bad day a little better. I like batiste the way I like my arms, they do a good job and I couldn't live/do much without them. Need I say more? Oh well, if you insist! They smell gorgeous, make your hair look more socially acceptable (!) come in a variety of scents and for each hair colour. Sigh, its true love.

Hair Ties:

I know it sounds a bit stupid but you can never have enough of a good thing and those hair ties that don't have little pieces of metal holding them together are my go-to kind of things! You can get a big bunch again in Boots for less then €2.40 ish in lots of colours. Lovely!

Really thats it from me, I have yet to find the perfect shampoo, I'm ashamed to say. But really if it looks like it will lather in my hair, I will use it. (dog shampoo included, but that was a once off, didn't read the label kind of experience. I can report that my friends dogs are the most pampered girls out there!) I'm a little in love with my Denman brush, but thats only because I have had the misfortune to use a tangle teaser. Oh well! See you lovely people next week! You can follow the fun on Twitter with the hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge.

Big Boots Haul

You would think I spend my youth in Boots and I would like to say your right but sadly its not true at all. Le sigh, oh well! I went this time on a mission to get something to help with my hair as its recently gone like straw and also I wanted to find a few new things to help with my spots and breakouts. That and I needed one or two repurchase of some much loved make up. Whats a girl to do but go shopping!

Ugh I can't say one bad thing about Aussie if you paid me. And at 3 for €13 how could I say no? Almost out of shampoo, another bottle of conditioner to try help my poor hair and if that doesn't work then some extra love with my spray leave in conditioner might just do the trick! And all aimed at coloured hair to top it off, lovely stuff!

I went looking for a Garnier face wash for blemishes and spots after being recommended it on Twitter and reading about it on a blog post but do you think I could find it! So I settled on Neutongena that had an offer of any two for €7, now you couldn't go wrong there! I got a 3 in 1 cleansing lotion to help with spots and a spot treatment gel. I can't wait to see if they work or not, blog post up at some point.

Next I got the essentials of Veet hair removal cream, Nivea deodorant and some Boots own brand razors. Not the most exciting things in the world but we all need them!

I had a No7 voucher for €6.50 and I have had my eye on their rapid spot reduce treatment for ages so I couldn't pass up the offer! Only left me paying €6.45 which was brilliant. I can't wait to break this out and bathe in the stuff to see if it works at all! I'll report back once I have had a good test run of it.

I also was cheeky and got Vaseline spray and go body moisturiser that was reduced from €6.15 down to €4.15. Again, I have read reviews on it and wanted to try it for myself for ages now so this was perfect. 

Lastly I got a natural collection black eyeliner and seventeen pressed powder that I had run out of and really needed as I like my pale panda look. As you do like! 

Thats all from me for now. Any sneaky purchases that you have made in recent times or something that you have had your eye on for ages and want to get soon? As always keep happy and have a fab day!

Provoke Touch Of Silver Sensations And Aussie

I have been colouring my hair on and off for years now, from deep plums, blues, pinks to my current slightly peroxide blonde. Now (and I have the pictures to prove it!) I am naturally a blonde, dirty blonde if yo will but I love the light look right now. When I dye my hair I never give it much love at all. I throw in some shade of blonde that I got in a bottle in Boots, not even bothering with a particular brand , just whatever is on offer or what colour looks like it might suit my mood that hour. Its a good way to pick permanent hair dye, right? I think so too. Just before the bloggers Christmas dinner back in December I decided I would dye the top half of my head in the same Cat just whatever falls in to my basket passing way that I do. But after it going a brassy white blonde from not being cared for, I went on the hunt.

Que Provoke touch of silver sensations shampoo and conditioner for gray, blonde and white hair. It protects from fading, dullness and gives it back a slightly softer and nicer shade. What I really like about this besides it working, is the smell. It doesn't have the normal fruit or floral scent that nearly all hair products have, it has a more high end just-went-to-the-hairdressers kind of smell. And bonus points for the salon look and smell but the next to nothing price! The fancy eye catching bottles and the purple colour of the product itself. Thanks, I'll just take the shelf full and be on my way.

 Anyway it really does work, I have the proof on my head after all! After only about 4 days using this I could visibly see a difference in how my hair looked. The grayish-green hue that had once been was gone and a softer, but still very white blonde look, was left. I also used the conditioner every second day as my hairs condition was less then loved from getting blow dryed and violently brushed (thanks tangle teaser) all over the place. However I noticed while the colour of my hair was looking better, the texture and general health of my hair was still downhill and the conditioner wasn't working.

I would highly recommend the shampoo for anyone who has coloured hair and wants to keep it looking amazing, but the conditioner in my opinion did nothing at all and was a waste of money. Instead I ran to Tesco and nabbed my life saver, go to hair care range, Aussie. I like to change up my shampoos and conditioners, trying new things is great fun! But really Aussie has my heart and I would think it would take a very special product to change my mind on that. Get the 3 minute miracle colour conditioner to go with this shampoo or even go the extra mile and get Aussie recharge colour leave-in conditioner. 

As always hope your all having a great day and week! Loved writing a review for this as it was an amazing thing to find that worked so quick for me, hope I find more to share with you all soon! x

The Body Shop Travel Exclusive Review

Major fail here, this post is going up really late because one; the natural light today has been too dark and horrible so photo taking got a back seat and then two; once I tried uploading the wind picked up and played havoc with the internet connection. Clearly I'm just not meant to blog today.

 But anyway I'm ignoring all that and battling on to tell you about this fancy Body Shop travel exclusive that Stephen got for me after he went off to England to see ManU play. This was £20 in the duty free and I can't seem to find a link to it online or the price in euros, but I'm sure you can find something similar in their shops. 

The bath and body box contains mini travel size:

shea lip butter 10ml

shea sugar body scrub 50ml
shea body butter 50ml
moringa shower gel 60ml
rainforest shine shampoo 60ml
rainforest shine conditioner 60ml
and a free bath lily

I've had a good go of all these and can say I'm glad theres set like these to test and try out lots of things without forking out for one full sized product. Lets start off with the hair. The rainforest shine shampoo and conditioner for normal to dry hair has no silicones, sulphates, colourants or parabens. Not too shabby considering I have coloured hair that I have been treating quite poorly recently. After using it for a few washes I've noticed my hair is soft, shiny and smells lovely but the one downfall is that I need to use quite a lot to get a lather in the shampoo. I'd be tempted to get full size bottles of this stuff none the less.

Next is the moringa shower gel. I don't have much to say on this, just that it has a nice sweet/floral scent and gives a good lather but it has no long lasting smell on your skin like some shower gels I've used. Not something I'm going to get again.

 Out of the three jars, I am in love with the shea lip butter. Once I use this all up I'll be going off to get another and maybe try out their other lip products. Its so moisturizing and smells really lovely, just like the body butter. Its thick, creamy and the scent clings to your skin just making you want to smell yourself continuously - which I wouldn't recommend to do in public or company in general. 

Lastly the sugar body scrub, hmm. This has a nice consistency and is easy to apply but the little sugar isn't scrubby enough to properly exfoliate or even make a difference to how clean your skin is. If you wanted just a quick soft scrub or had skin that was easily irritated then this would be great for you. But for me I want something that has big scrubby bits that really gets my skin clean. 

Overall a good 4/6 of the products from the box that I would go and buy after I've finished these ones. The smell of these and how soft they leave me feeling are so winning!

Have you tired anything from The Body Shop? What did you think of them?

As always, hope everyone is doing well and keep being fab!

Stupidly Big Pennys, Boots And Lush Haul

I know right? I have nothing to say, I can only declare that it wasn't my fault and eh.. The fact that I have come to hide Boots and Pennys under my bed in shame means something is seriously wrong, that or I'm just cleaning the lazy way. Yeah? Now just to clear it up before you think I've money coming out my ears, I bought these things over time and just haven't done a haul on them so there getting all squashed together into one. I have a few fashion bits that I've picked up too but will do another post on those so you can see them better. So, here we go!

First lets start in the cheap and cheerful Pennys. From L-R, a purple owl mug I got as a Christmas present (the seasons started!) for my sister €2 (you can't go wrong!) before you think I'm uber mean, I have forked out a lot more for her but it's nice to have a few other bits to open on the day. / Also some lovely coloured ribbons for €2.50 / €6 batttery operated lights that you can see all lit up in the next photo. So in love with them! Might get a few more sets.. 

Then in another visit a while ago I got €1.50 tweezers / €3.75(?) Cartrice camouflage concealer in ivory that I'm dying to try out / a pair of black leggings / a €1.50 sticky flint roller with an extra roll. The floral pattern is so cute and the added bonus of a plastic holder so the sticky part isn't ruined. Handy or what?

Now Boots thats again L-R, I should have shares in this shop by now. It was 3 for 2 on make up so I got a repurchase of 17 Phwoarr Paint eye concealer in fair €6.99 / 17 Miracle Matte pressed powder in Ivory €6.09 / 17 Supreme Shine in pinking shear €5.09 / I also got a buy one get one free Pantene ProV shampoo and conditioner €4.79 for my mom / Lastly I picked up a repurchase of Jerome Russel Bblonde lift cream peroxide and a cheap as chips Nivea roll on deodorant for €1.49.

I also got a repurchase of Boots own brand cotton pads that I use all the time, they are buy one get one half price / Collection hot looks in shimmey shake €4.99 /Picked up a buy one get one free on Impluse white musk - can't remember the price / Jerome Russel Bblonde powder bleach that was like €6 / a few handy hand wipes €1.75(?) / a bottle of nail varnish remover as mines not that good and I wanted something else to try that was less then €3. 

Lastly I picked up an amazing offer in Tesco. A box of Cadburys milk tray for only €4. I went into SuperValue later and saw the same box for €11, super buy!! / My three favourite buys from the day that I can't wait to use! / Umhumm, Lush shopping again! This time I picked up 2 of their Christmas things, bath melt star light, star bright €4.50, a bubble bar of Christmas penguin €3.85 and a chunk of rock star soap €8.23 for Stephen who loves using it. I was also given some samples of celebrate body lotion. / Lastly 2 magazines for €2 each - reading bargain of the year!  

So yeah, stupidly big haul but I didn't want to do loads one after the other as thats just a boring and repetitive reading! Hope everyone is keeping happy and well. Stay fab x

Box of Samples #1: Ojon Shampoo, Conditioner and Rare Blend Oil Total Hair Therapy

Sometimes I get samples of products that I throw into my little colourdy box and then I forget about them. But when I was having a clean out of my wardrobe a few weeks ago I came across the box of treasures and decided I would try them all out, then give you guys some mini reviews of them! I guess it will be done in a once in a while way, so no one gets sick of the same type of posts!

My hair has been in quite poor condition recently, I wash it everyday, rarely condition it and I've also started to blow dry it with the colder weather coming in. All in all my hair is dry, has split ends and is full of static crazyness. So when I saw I had 'dry recovery' shampoo and conditioner I popped it in the shower immediately. I've nearly got to the end of these too 30ml tubes that I've been using for just over a week now and I'm not really taken with them if I'm totally honest. Ojon is a high end pricey brand that claim all sorts of wonderful things and hair solutions, but I'm not so sure all their claims hold true. It says on the shampoo bottle that ''instead of stripping away natural oils this gentle coconut-derived cleanser actually preserves them. Pure Ojon oil, nature’s golden elixir helps repair hair in the shower while our Blue Agave Nectar, Macadamia Oil, Jojoba Oil and Babassu Oil complex helps restore moisture and smooth roughed-up cuticles to keep hydration sealed in. Straw-like strands become soft and smooth as silk.'' Hmm, not for me sadly. The full 250ml bottles retail for about €23 each. But for me they are far too expensive and considering I saw no results, a waste of money. 

However its a totally different story when it comes to the Ojon rare blend hair oil. This stuff smells great, a little goes a very long way and best of all you can see results straight after applying it. As you can see from the picture it looks like theres harly a dent been made in the oil, but I have used it about every second day for 2 weeks now, amazing! It claims that it ''protects,  nourishes, softens and boosts shine''. Guys it does exactly what it says on the tin. I'm so taken with this stuff and my hair defienlty feels softer and isn't as dry when I've been using the hair dryer on it once I add a little oil to my hair. But unfortunately I know that when this sample is all gone I wont be repurchasing it as its a very purse pinching €34 for a 45ml bottle. You can buy it in boots here.

 For a full product range you can go here.

Things I've Used Up #1

These posts are all over the place and I also love watching them on YouTube. There is something so satisfying about finishing a product and being able to replace it with new and exciting things. I have been trying to be very good and not buy anything until I have used up bits of half used products and bottles of fun. So now that I am going use-up-old-things mad, expect more of these types of posts in the near future! You'll have noticed I went a bit wild with taking photos outside while the few days of sun shine graced us, unlike the rain I'm looking out at now..

First off is my new favourite cleanser, Botanics All Bright Gentle Cleansing Cream. It smells wonderful and is really soft and gentle on my skin without drying it out at the same time. It has hibiscus which is a brightness booster and natural AHA's from the flower act as mild exfoiliators that leave your skin feeling very loved. It has no nasty parabens, basically does what it says in the bottle! I will definitely be repurchasing this little beauty again really soon once I finish using up one or two half bottles of cleansers I have floating about. Normally it costs a little over €6 but right now Boots is having a 3 for 2 1/3 off sale, so grab one for a bargain! 

My lovely 500ml bottle of Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo for dry and damaged hair that has lasted me nearly 3 months! I wash my hair everyday and I really loved the smell of this shampoo, so I picked it up just to try it out. I have used Aussies conditioners before and have always noticed how shiny and soft they left my hair. This shampoo was no different. Its €7.59 but sometimes you can get these on offer, right now in Boots they are doing a 3 for €13 on selected Aussie products. I'll get this again for sure, but first I want to try out some other brands to see if they are as good.

I think its fair to say I am a lover of Nivea deodorants in general (see here) so I got a massive 250ml Nivea Invisible Black and White Pure 48hr Anti-Perspiration . It smells nice, works well and the best part is that there are no marks left on clothes at all. I always have a little bottle of this kept in my handbag too for when I'm out and about just in case. Nivea can do no wrong in my books.

Picture on the right is not my own. Source: lush.co.uk

Hmm, LUSH's The Joy Of Jelly shower jelly. I wasn't mad about this scent by the end of the pot, but it did make an amazing bubbly bath for me several times and was fun to play with and poke at too! It kind of reminds me of the sex bomb bath bomb smell, but a little stronger. Its a lovely purple colour that has rose, jasmine and ylang ylang packed into it. Like all shower jellies can be broken up and frozen or used all at once. You can use this in the shower on your body and hair or in the bath. Not sure if I will be getting this again and it doesn't seem available on their site anymore. Here are some other jellies instead. At least its one more pot to add to my pile of pots to return and get a free face mask from! Read my Love Lettuce Face Mask review if you don't know about the LUSH recycle programme. 

Next comes Rimmels Hide The Blemish Concealer in Ivory. I have gone through tonnes of these little sticks and still think they are the best long lasting concealer out there. It has such amazing coverage that really hides both blemishes and dark circles. I couldn't ask for more. This costs just over €5. You can find it on the Rimmel stand in Boots, but they don't seem to have it online. Oh dear. You can also see it here in my whats in my makeup bag post.

And lastly my go to colour of the summer was Barry M's Blueberry. Its a gorgeous light blue that just screams sunshine and ice cream! Its all used up and you wont be seeing that colour on my nails again this year since were now in Autum, but you can be sure I will be getting this again in time for next summer. You can read my full NOTD review here.

Soap&Glory's Glad Hair Day

If anyone saw how many Soap and Glory products I have in my bathroom they would most certainly point and laugh. For a very long time. Really. Only in the past few months have I started to explore the S&G world in great depth, and I have to say, I'm finding new favourites and a few never agains too. I could be wrong but I think Stephen got me this shampoo and conditioner for valentines day (he listens to my beauty related rants, bless his socks) I had waited to finish off my other hair products before I treated myself to the luxury that is S&G Glad Hair Day shampoo and conditioner. And might I just point out that the packaging is, as always, something to drool over being so funky and retro! I'd love to look like one of the S&G pin up girls!

Google Images

These products are for all hair types and claim to have a no build up formula, so you wont have to go chopping and changing shampoos if you really like this one. First off the smell of these are not that strong in their bottles with raspberry fruit vinegar, but once in my hair I wasn't very happy. Its hard to explain right but it just didn't do much for my nose. The shampoo is meant 'to gloss, smooth repair and strengthen', while the conditioner is 'to help detangle, gloss, protect and strengthen'.

 I have what looks like loads of thick hair, but my hair is medium to fine and not that strong at all. I wash it every single day - I know, awful for it, but I try to give it some love back with intensive hair treatments and condition it lots to make up for the fact. After a week of using both of these I noticed my hair started to feel greasy when I dried it just after the shower. First I thought it was me being a dope not washing it all out but  after washing it the next day the same thing happened. So I was back straight away to a herbal essence shampoo instead, as I hate the feeling of unwashed hair. 

These products didn't suit my hair type at all and I was very unimpressed as they had been advertised for 'all hair types', back to the drawing board for your hair products Soap and Glory! However, no posh products go near the bin with me, they are now off to be used by my mother who has totally different hair to me, and there are some very good reports coming back from her! I also didn't think to take a quick picture of them before I gave them to her, hence the little help of google images in case anyone was wondering.

I wont be going near S&G's hair products again, not just because they didn't suit my hair type but also because I didn't like the smell of them and they are a bit pricey at about €6.50 each. Oh well, lots more shampoo/fish? in the sea... 

Friday Favourites #5

How is everyone today? Hope you had a quiet and peaceful week? I know I didn't! Ever get one of those crazy non-stop weeks? Umhumm, that was me! I am going to make some serious plans of action over the weekend and get all my Valentines Day posts up for you next week. Until then, here is some of the things I have been loving the past few days.

 Thing: Night Time Relaxing

I have had a stressful and go-go-go! week, so bed time is my wind down and relax time. A nice cup of tea, a hot water bottle and a book or magazine is just what the doctor ordered. I got my copy of the March Cosmo (British edition) which I have yet to even open. However I practically absorbed Kill Marsell's 'Take a chance on me'. I will (fingers crossed) have a review for you guys soon.

Site: Instagram

Now let me be totally honest, I was not a fan of the whole 'expand your blog' business with twitter (-which I am still afraid of) and the likes. But oh how could I have left it so long to make an Instagram account? I use it everyday and tend to put up a photo or two, just to show everyone whats popped into my life without having to blog or Facebook about it. Apart from that its amazing to share and see some true works of art (and a lot of glitter!) I would recommend making an account and becoming part of the community - its amazing. And of course you can follow me at http://instagram.com/bigblondegirl/ or just have a nose at my pictures.

Product: Collection (2000) Fix Me Up

I had been eyeing this 'long lasting make-up fixer' since the start of January wondering if it was worth almost €10 for a small bottle that had some very mixed reviews. But Boots are having a sale 3 for 2 at the moment and I had to have it as it was just over €6. I am glad I did because I am now in love with it. I will do a proper review once I have used it a little more and see if its just the honey moon phase I'm in with this product.

Music: Sandi Thom Wish I Was A Punk Rocker
All the way back in 2006 this song was released and this week for some unknown reason it popped into my head and has been there since! A nice bit of nostalgia for you all if you want to listen to it here . I clap along completely off beat to this day still, but wow its such a good song!

Product: Boots Camomile And Lemon Balm

For under €3 each I could not say no to the lovely summery smelling shampoo and conditioner as I badly needed one. - I had washed my hair with body wash that morning. Not sure if I should be ashamed or not? Its cheap and cheerful, not to mention smelling really lovely in the bottle and lasting all day in your hair. It also makes my hair soft and the condition is fine but not as good as something like my herbal essence hair mask. I will pick up the shampoo again, just to catch the smell of my summery hair!

Thing: A Notebook And Pen

I would have been a headless chicken this week if I didn't keep handy my trusty notebook and a pen. Meetings, shopping list, errands, recipes, blog posts... The list goes on. All I had to do was scribble things down as they came to me or if I needed to remember something, a quick root through my bag and chaos subsides. Yes, a permanent addition to any handbag. 

So my lovely guys and girls thats what has been occupying my week, keeping me happy. I also can not believe it is now the 1st of February! Finally some hints of Spring and perhaps if were lucky even Summer? Who knows! As always have a fab weekend and I will see you soon!