Hair Care: Long, Straight & Fine.

As you can see, I have pretty long and super straight hair. Above is my hair not straightened, that is just how it is naturally. I, 90% (what is it they say about 72% of statistics being made up on the spot!) of the time, wear my hair curled or wavy. I just want big hair! I get asked a lot what I do with my hair though, so I figured I'd put it on the internet. 

Shower products

I try to use a volumising shampoo or conditioner. Sometimes, in cases of running out in an emergency, I have to pick up something else but overall lack of volume is my biggest hair problem. Currently I am using Luxurious Volume by John Frieda. When I have conditioner in my hair, I comb through the ends (from about my ear downward) and leave it in there for a few minutes. From time to time, I use the Umberto Giannini Plump Up Volumising Mask for Big Hair. I do find that my hair both looks and feels thicker after I use this mask. 

I have balayage, though it's not noticeable in a lot of my pictures. I use Bleach London Silver Shampoo maybe once every two weeks to stop it becoming brassy. I've seen some reviews where people have said that this turns their hair blue but I've never had that happen to me. I guess I would advise caution if you have really light blonde hair.

After shower products

I have been using hair brushes by Denman since forever! Not much to say about it really, it does what I need a hair brush to do and I don't find it tugs on my hair or causes breakage. Two to three times a week, I spray some Umberto Giannini Instant Beauty Leave-In Conditioner into my damp hair before blow drying. I do wash and dry my hair every day (every week day at least and yes, I know that's bad!) so I figure some extra moisture can't hurt. 

On to the good stuff - texture! I use VO5 Plump It Up essentially every day. I have such flat, lifeless hair. This gives it a little ooomph! I lift sections of my hair, give this a good ol' spray and then ruffle things up with my fingers. If I've curled my hair, I always spray it liberally through the curls to mess them up a bit. I like bedhead hair.

Finally, I use Bb Texture Hair (Un)dressing Creme sometimes. This is a product that I use on damp hair. In all honesty, it can make your hair feel a little gross but it sure does make it bigger. If you like squeaky clean, swishy just washed hair, I'd avoid this. If, like me, you're fine with mussed up hair, buy this! I think it makes my hair look at least twice bigger than it really is!

If you have any recommendations of products for BIG hair, please leave them below.

High End Versus High Street: Blusher.

In the spotlight today, I have two blush palettes - one which is high end and one which is high street i.e. freely available from the drugstore. My high end choice is Foreplay, by Nars (on the right). As you may be able to tell from the picture above, this is a well loved product of mine. I probably should have attempted to clean it up a bit! My high street choice is Lace, by Sleek (on the left).
Both of these palettes contain three blusher shades (one which is very similar) and Foreplay has the added benefit of having a super pretty highlighter included.

As you can see, both palettes are packaged nicely. Some people have a gripe with NARS and the rubbery texture of their packaging but personally I like it a lot. It can get a little grubby but wipe it down with damp cloth and it is fine. For the price, the Sleek palette also looks rather nice. I find it a teeny bit awkward to open but that is nit-picking!

Colour wise (from left to right), the three shades in Lace are Crochet, Guipure and Chantilly. Foreplay features colours based on their infamous blush Orgasm. Orgasm is contained within the palette, and along with it there is a gold highligher, a peach matte and a pink matte shade.

I have always had a soft spot for NARS blushers, for as long as I have been buying my own make up but I have to say, the quality of Sleek is comparable. The three of the Sleek shades contained within Lace are extremely pigmented. The application is beautiful and really long-lasting on the skin.

NARS Orgasm (left) - Sleek Guipure (right)

NARS matte peach (left) - Sleek Crochet (right)

NARS matte pink (left) - Sleek Chantilly (right)

Orgasm and Guipure really do look so unbelievably alike. Guipure is such a good dupe for Orgasm, perhaps just slightly more shimmery. I like a little shimmer so it isn't a problem for me. The other two shades look crazy orange but I can assure you that they are wearable, you just need to use a light hand. 

What I really love about the Sleek palette is that the pans are very wide so it is easy to dip your brush in one shade and not accidentally hit another. With NARS Foreplay, because the pans are smaller, unless you use a small brush, you are pretty much guaranteed to have a mixture of two (or more!) colours at one time. 

I can't give an opinion on which I'd pick over the other but I will hold my hands up here and admit that even as a NARS fiend, I love Sleek. In fact, I imagine I will invest in more of their Blush X3.

Review: Origins Clear Improvement.

As the packaging suggests, Clear Improvement by Origins is an active charcoal mask used to clear pores. Apparently charcoal acts as a magnet and works to draw out any impurities lodged under the skins' surface. This mask hardens very quickly on the skin and once it has dried, it can be washed off. I find that I have this mask on for less than five minutes each time I use it. I tend to apply it once a week.

After using this mask, my skin is squeaky clean, as in it actually squeaks. I do have some visible pores on my forehead between my eyebrows but after using this product, they definitely do appear to be reduced. Unlike with some masks, I do not find that I suffer from break-outs post use. For that reason, this is the only mask I have been relying on for some time now (other than my beloved moisture masks, of course!).

I have recently repurchased Clear Improvement as part of a gift set.

Great Gift Alert!

This set, along with the aforementioned mask, contains a 75ml Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask and a 75ml Drink Up 10 Minute mask. I would definitely pick this trio up for any girl who is into her skincare. I know that I would love to receive it! I bought mine in John Lewis but I have also seen it available at Origins counters elsewhere (in Ireland too!). I paid £22.50. This is an absolute bargain considering a 100ml tube of Clear Improvement alone retails for almost £20.

Travel sized versions of the above Origins products are also available for anybody who might like to dabble and not just take my word that these are incredible.

NOTD: Russian Roulette by Essie.

I bought three new Essie nail polishes last weekend and this is one of them - Russian Roulette. I have been looking for a classic red shade for quite a while now and I am content that this is The One. It is a striking bright red and I would say that it has an orange undertone. It looks quite warm against my skin and I like that.

I, as always, did two coats but this is one particular nail varnish that I was happy with after only one coat. For that reason, it is highly recommended to anybody who wants opaque colour with little effort or those who don''t have a lot of time to do a manicure. I know I am going to be relying on it in the future.

I would say that this is an Essie 'must-have'.

I topped it with Insta-Dri by Sally Hansen. I think chips are super noticeable on a red nail but I'm hoping to get at least five days out of this. Fingers crossed!