Hair rescue! Herbal Essences Bee Strong Intensive Jar (review)

If you have read my other hair post you will know I have pretty badly damaged hair and am forever trying out new products to try and save it. I came across this new intensive mask from Herbal Essences and thought I would give it a try. At the moment it is half price in Tesco for £2.19, with the original price of £4.39, but prices will vary depending on stores. I have used Herbal Essences intensive masks before and was quite happy with the result but not blown away.

Application: This product instructs you to put it on wet hair and leave for 2 minutes, then rinse. However, today is my year 11 prom (junior prom I think for USA) and wanted my hair to be in the best condition partly because I would be using a lot of heat on it. I put it on wet hair, brushed it through and left it for 6 hours just tied up in a pony tail. It was quite slippery putting it on so I would advise doing it in a bathroom if you are intending to wear it longer than 2 minutes (otherwise you'll be in the shower anyway), however after about 3 hours it dried on my hair. When I washed it out I didn't brush again, just stepped in the shower and rinsed it all out, then used conditioner as usual, wrapped my head in a towel for an hour, brushed through and left it to dry naturally. 

Verdict: This product has actually done a lot of good for my hair, from roots to about half way down the shaft of my hair it is very smooth, sleek and shiny. The end have benefited little from the product but they are very damaged and I am due for a trim so didn't expect much. The sides of my head have a lot of damaged baby hairs and they have al been smoothed into submission so I am very pleased about that! Overall I think it is a great product, however not a miracle one, but what did I expect? Oh plus it smells divine! 

Herbal Essences- Bee Strong Intensive Jar: £2.19 sale price, original price around £5.

Naked Palette substitute! (Review)

I have wanted the Urban Decay Naked Palette for so long, however being a student with little income I can't justify spending £36 on it, it is just too much. Maybe one day I will treat myself but for now I will continue to dream.

However, I did want a naturals palette, I personally find that bright, shimmery colours make me look a bit red eyed (think it is due to the blue of my eyes), so wanted something with more matte textures. I came across this on amazon for £3.99 (+£3 postage) and thought seeing as it is so cheap I would buy it.

The packaging is really nice, shiny black case which itself comes in black box, so very well packaged and make you feel like you have bought something good quality. There are 88 colours and also some a quite similar there is a huge variety from whites, browns, greys, pinks, blacks. The pigment isn't amazing, but then again you're not paying for a high end product so a bit more product is needed on the brush to get the desired effect but overall I am very pleased.

The colours are beautiful and go on easily, and blend very well to create different looks. I was especially impressed with the matte black (3rd in from the left, bottom row), I used it under my eyes and it came out really pigmented, a coal black rather than grey. The colours stayed on my eye lids all evening and I can't wait to try out the other pigments and experiment with different looks. 

Link to palette (price now £6.89 plus postage)

Sarah x

Argan Gold-Hair Vitality Oil review

One day I will make a post about my horrific hair experience over the last 4 years but for now lets just say my hair has been in really bad condition for a long time and is finally starting to look and feel better! I have naturally wavy/curly hair and the more damaged it gets the more frizz prone it is so I am forever searching for softening/anti-frizz/taming products and have had my eye on the infamous Moroccan Oil for years now but could never justify buying it (it is about £30 a bottle), however I came across this in ASDA for only £4 and thought I would try it out, seeing as it wouldn't be much wasted if it wasn't good. 

It comes in a really sweet little box and the product itself is in a bottle with a pump application. It is a clear thick liquid however I'm not sure I would quite call it an oil (as advertised), it is more of a gel in my opinion. I first tried it out on dry hair as I believe you can get more use out of a product when your hair is dry and I have to say it was really good. 

It wasn't stunning and I wasn't blown over by an amazing difference but then again you get what you pay for. However it did calm a lot of frizz and fly aways and also made my hair more manageable to style and more malleable and A LOT softer! I have used it pretty much every day since on dry hair when styling and also after washing my hair and I am already seeing a massive improvement.  

I use one pump on dry hair and run it over the ends of my hair, concentrating on the ends of my layers where I have most breakage. I didn't put it on my roots to avoid grease. When wet I used 2/3 pumps of put it all over and combed it through. I have noticed the most improvements at the top of my head where my hair wasn't so damaged but have noticed a difference in the end also. It also makes styling my hair a lot easier and I can sometimes use it without the need for any heat products to smooth parts. 

So overall I am very pleased and seeing as it is only £4 and a fraction of the price of Moroccan Oil I am a pleased costumer and will probably repurchase, however I am wanting to try out the Lee Strafford Argan Oil also (which is roughly £12 from Boots) so might try that one out next.

Sarah x