Not So Essentials Boots Haul

I went to Boots about three weeks ago for eye makeup remover and I naturally went a little mad. I haven't had a good look around a Boots in the longest time (well over a month - a lifetime for me!) and when I'm in Liffey Valley that has one of the biggest shops, I love to have a proper spend on a few bits. I always feel like that have the best deals with the best selection of things.

First I got some L'oreal pure colour shampoo and conditioners. Being honest these were a little more expensive then my regular always-on-offer Garnier, but I've watch Fleur talk about the brand so often on her channel that I decided to try them. Normally both €7.99, they were on offer for €3.99 each. I'l totally be putting up a post about these in the next few days. 

The Dove leave in conditioner was grabbed on a whim, but I'm so glad I did get it. Normally €4.99 it was down to €2.49 and I definitely think it gives Aussie a run for its money. If your an Aussie lover like myself but see this on offer, do pick it up. It does the job just as well, smells like Doves lovely shampoo and also has a much better spray disperse then Aussie which kind of squirts a load of product on one piece of hair.

I'll admit that I go through make up removing products like no ones business, I just have to make sure that I remove everything. And lets face it, I do cake on a lot of make up. I got my regular Garnier eye make up remover (which I'm almost all out of again) for €2.99 - its always on offer though, but sometimes it can be €4.49. I might have a look out for an eye make up remover thats in a bigger bottle. No point in having a tiny bottle with all the mascara and eyeliner I wear!

Botanics is a lovely brand that I do use when I'm feeling like a treat, but it can take ages to be on offer at times! Garniers micellar water is the best value for money hands down, but I thought I'd pick up Bontanics that was €6.49 down to €3.24 to try out and also the cream cleanser, €5.99 down to €2.99, as I was running out. To be honest I don't think both are anything special, especially the cleanser. I think Ziaja do a much better one for less then €4.99. 

The V05 give me texture spray was a repurchase and its the best thing since sliced bread. It was also on offer from €5.09 down to €3.81 so I couldn't not be happy with that. I'd highly recommend it for anyone who wants to jazz up their hair a bit, but doesn't want to spend ages curling it or putting loads of styling products in. I haven't noticed that white layer on my hair after using it, like some dry shampoos can have. It smells great too. 

I didn't really need to get a hair spray, but the Tresemme salon finish extra hold was on offer from €4.09 to €2.72 so I got it. Have to say that I'm not at all impressed with it though, I don't think it has an amazing hold at all and I have gone back to using my Aussie hair spray instead as it holds the aul curls much longer. Not one I'd recommend picking up if your looking for heavy duty hold.

So Seventeen had a buy one get one half price on. And I think by now we can all agree that I'm a big fan of the brand. I was in need of a new pressed base €5.09 and I've used this one lots before so I got it - since then I have drunkenly broken it after I grabbed my clutch while it was open. So so sad. I got a repurchase of my much loved stay time foundation €8.19 and then a random spend of their flawless poreless primer that was €7.59 which I'm enjoying so much. I've come to the end of my favourite contour kit by Sleek and decided as the offer was on  I would get the offering from Seventeen which was €7.59. I'll be doing a post about it in the near future as well.

Lastly I picked up a lipstick from Sleek in Exaggerate. It the most beautiful matte deep purple and I couldn't love it more. I've been wearing it non stop since getting it and its that loved that I will be picking up another one in a month or two if I keep using it at the same rate. It was only €5.99 which I think is great value for what you get.

My Hair Care Routine

Not everyone has nice things to say about my hair, especially when they see thats its dyed a few shades. But what you might not notice is that there are hardly any split ends and if you feel it, its silky. (I have gotten many a 'oohhh!' when people touch it. Its so satisfying to hear that!) I don't do lots with my hair, I'll admit it. Apart from dying it and washing it daily, I never really bother to style it unless I'm really jazzed about an event. After a few questions of what I use and how I keep my hair in such good condition considering its dyed, I though that I'd do a post on it. Sure why not!

Firstly I am actually a natural blonde and in the summer months when my natural shade is on show, it will turn a strawberry blonde with light highlights from the sun. However this will be the first summer in about 4 that I've had my natural shade on show. I'm letting my hair grow out (although the itch to dye it is crazy!) so I'm not harming my roots with bleach which is a plus. But the ends of my hair are dyed purple every second or third week, depending on how faded its gotten. So if your into changing your hair colour, I'd suggest just the ends. Not as harmful and you can chop it off if you get really sick of it and don't want to take the colour out or redye it!

I like a few brands of shampoo and conditioner, one being Aussie. But I will use basically anything on my hair, I'm not fussy. The only thing that I stay away from is Head and Shoulders as it strips colour very quickly with any colour. Right now I'm really loving Aussies volume shampoo and their wonderful 3 minute conditioner mask. I have limp hair that is continuously knotty - and with the harsh water we have in the house, it doesn't help. But these two, especially the conditioner, always helps to keep my hair less knotty. Next on the list of things to try out is the Ziaja natural olive collection. I hope it works on my hair just as well! If my hair is really sleek and flat after these products, I will sometimes use a Lush hair/face product mid week that contains salt to give it some texture. It always works a treat.

After a bit of a hair cut, done by yours truly (you can see I'm not too bothered about messing up the hair, as it always grows back!) I made sure that my split ends didn't come back with the help of some hair oils. The one I'm using at the moment is a Tresemme one and one pump does perfectly. I use it daily and have noticed a massive difference in my hair, so I'd highly recommend picking up one. It can be hard finding an oil to suit your hair, so you could be on the hunt for a little while. (But for the most part, the ones you pick up in Boots are all under €10, so its not too bad.)

I've also started using a vo5 heat protect spray as I like to blast my hair with the hair dryer in the morning. If you have long hair you'll understand the need for this, or suffer the horrible wet clothes and back for half the day. I really like this and although I've only been using it about a month, I think it might be helping. Less static and frizz after brushing it out anyway!

And for my dye, I love and always highly recommend the Live XXL in purple. I have gone through easily 20 or 30 boxes of this stuff and it has the best colour pay off of all the alternative shades and brands out there. Because I only dye the ends of my hair, I tend to leave this in for a few hours or even overnight for an intense colour. Don't worry, my hair has never been worse for wear, changed shades, gone green or fallen off! Although I wouldn't recommend using it for that length of time if your doing your roots and close to the scalp. 

Lastly if I'm having a shower but want to give my hair the day off, I'll use a dry shampoo and a little Aussie leave in conditioner spray. Right now I'm loving the Herbal Essences dry shampoo, but I do switch it up a lot. This is about my 5th bottle of this particular one. And as everyone is a little obsessed at the moment over hair brushes, I have been a long time lover of my Denman brush. It seems to get out my knots the best and is dead handy to clean. You can pull off the head and out of the teeth by the row to clean them all.

Thats all there is really, just lots of oils, conditioners and protectors! Have you any favourite hair products or maybe something you could suggest for me to try out? I love new hair things!