Lee Stafford My Big Fat Tong

I've never really been one for hair curlers, I've always preferred to just use my straighteners to create a relaxed, wavy look. That is, until I tried these, the 'My Big Fat Tong' by Lee Stafford. It's amazingly ease to use, heats up quickly and is great for creating more of a retro curl look. 

After blowdrying my hair I just divided it into sections and curled it around the barrel, I set the look with a bit of hairspray and the curls lasted a good few days! It's definitely a look I'll go back to again and again when I want to feel a bit dressed up!

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Mini Beauty Haul

I've not been buying a huge amount lately in an attempt to use and make the most out of things I already have. One product aside, I've bought products to replace the ones I've used up recently.

Fushi Organic Sweet Almond Oil

I've always used Coconut Oil for a multitude of beauty tasks, mainly as a hair mask. I've become slightly bored of it so decided to have a bit of a change and give sweet almond oil a go. Fushi make a good selection of organic, cold pressed oils which I'm planning on trying more of in the future. I love the fact that I won't have to melt this oil everytime I want to use it as a hair mask!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme 

I tried a sample of the original Elasticizer a while ago and thought it was brilliant, when I decided to buy a full pot I went for the extreme version instead as it's designed for thick, coarse hair that's quite damaged. I'm desperately trying to get my hair back to a good condition and I hear this is the stuff for the job!

Soap & Glory Archery

I usually fill in any gaps in my brows with powder and an angled brush, it gives the best finish but it's definitely not the quickest method. I also unfortunately lost my spoolie between a crack in the floorboards so an eyebrow pencil with a spoolie on the end was a necessary purchase! I really love this one, the pencil is very thin and so looks very natural it also has a wind up mechanism so it does't need to be sharpened.

Soap & Glory Supercat

I've been wearing winged liner a lot lately so when my Avon SuperExtend liner ran out I needed another one pronto. I had read good reviews on this one and I'm really glad I got it, the pigment it super black, the point stays sharp and the formula stays put.

Nars And God Created the Woman Palette

Late to the party, I know. I finally caved and bought this palette after lusting after it for the longest time. I'm so glad I did because I absolutely love it and have been getting a lot of use out of it. I know it will be my go-to palette for traveling as it's a great edited down selection of every colour I need. 

Have you tried any of these products?

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Current Favourites

As you've probably noticed, I've been a bit late getting together my november favourites. I thought about scrapping the post all together but then decided last minute to rename it 'current favourites' instead! Here's what I've been loving.

I still can't believe it's taken me so long to get a tangle teezer. I got mine about a month ago and it has quickly become an essential. I'm starting to wonder what I ever did without it! 

I've noticed that my skin has become a lot drier in the last few weeks because of the horribly cold weather so I've had to take my skincare up a notch. I've been using The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (full review here) both in the morning and evening rather than just in the evening as I had been doing previously. I've also been using the Time Bomb Youth Juice Secret Oil (full review here) every night and on no makeup days. I've found that using more oil has been amazingly helpful with keeping moisture in my skin and keeping dry patches at bay. 

Another skincare love is the Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Tonic, an amazingly hydrating spritz on 'toner' that I've been using both morning and night post cleanse. It has a lovely subtle scent of roses thanks to the rose water it contains and is a great product to stop skin from getting dehydrated. Full review coming soon! 

I've been keeping things pretty simple on the makeup front recently. I recently bought the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Shadow Paint in Chained and I've been wearing it almost everyday since. It's a great everyday shade that is so quick and easy to apply. 

Another recent purchase is the Smashbox Full Exposer Mascara, I wasn't completely sold on it when I first started using it as it was a bit wet but now that I'm a couple of weeks in and it's dried out a bit I absolutely love it. It adds lots of volume and length and is quickly becoming one of my favourite ever mascaras. 

What beauty products have you been loving recently?

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Beauty Haul!

It's been a while since I shared my beauty purchases here on the blog and over the last couple of months I seem to have accumulated quite a few new things so I thought I'd do a haul post. Here's what I got!

After hearing a lot about the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets I decided to give a tester a try, it lasted all day long without fading so I decided to go back and pick up 3 shades, Ole Flamingo, a warm toned fuscia, hot pepper, a bright, true red and Grand Cru a burgundy shade. They're a matte liquid lipstick formula and I'm completely blown away by them. A full review is in the works! 

I also got a blue and white stripy makeup bag which was only £8 from Boots, I love the stripes and the way they contrast with the bright coral zip, plus it's the perfect size to throw into my handbag for on the go touch ups.

I'm not a huge powder wearer, I only ever have one on the go so when my MAC Studio Fix finished I wanted to get something to replace it. I found Studio Fix far too heavy for my liking so decided to get Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder as I heard it's super lightweight and very finely milled. 

I got a set of mini Estee Lauder fragrances as a gift a while ago and the one that I was instantly drawn to was Beyond Paradise, it's just so different to any fragrances I'd smelt before. I really missed using it when it was finished so it wasn't long before I picked myself up a full sized bottle. 

I've always loved aromatherapy products and had trouble sleeping so I thought I'd finally give a couple of products from This Works a go. This duo contains a mini Deep Calm Pillow Spray and Breathe In rollerball. 

I'd been coveting the Smashbox Full Exposer Palette for the longest time so I finally caved and decided to get it, I thought it was the perfect time of year for it as it contains lots of party friendly shimmery shades as well as a good range of mattes. I also got the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Shadow Paint in Chained, it's a great, easy to use, wear everyday kind of shade. As you can see I've used it quite a bit already and I love it!

I was in need of a new mascara so I decided to give the Smashbox Full Exposer Mascara a go, purely  because I liked the look of the brush and I was already at the counter getting the palette!

I also invested in a couple of new haircare tools, I finally got round to getting a Tangle Teezer and I'm so glad I did, I have no idea why it took me so long to jump onto that bandwagon! My old round blowdrying brush had seen better days, I'd used it for so long that most of the bristles had flattened down and when the handle broke off I knew it was time for a new one! I went for the Remington brush because it seemed to have the firmest bristles of all the brushes in boots. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing my new purchases! I'll be sure to do full reviews once I've been using them a bit longer. Have you bought any new beauty products recently? 

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Empties #10

I know, I know, it's been a while. Things have been super busy but I assure you I've not fallen off the face of the earth! I'm back with a nice long empties post to make up for it! As usual I'll be talking about all the products I've used up, what I thought of them and most importantly, whether or not I'll be repurchasing them!

Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me

This moisturising facial mist was given to me by a friend who wasn't too keen on it. I enjoyed using it as a toner but I definitely still prefer the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. Repurchase? No.

Botanics 82% Organic Softening Cleanser

A lovely cream cleanser that feels a lot more expensive than it's £4 price tag. Equally good to use in the morning as in the evening to remove makeup. Repurchase? Yes.

MAC Studio Fix Powder

I'm not much of a powder wearer anyway but I particularly disliked this one, I found it to be far too heavy and cakey for my liking. It was such a pain to use up! Repurchse? No.

Avon Aero Volume Mascara

Another product I didn't get on too well with. It wasn't terrible but it just didn't do much for my lashes. Repurchase? No.

Rimmel ScandalEyes Mascara 

This mascara on the other hand, was brilliant! It lengthened, volumeised, curled and made my lashes look jet black. By far the best 'drugstore' mascara I've ever used. Repurchase? Definitely.

Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil

Another brilliant budget skincare product from Botanics. I used this a few times a week and loved the results, it plumped up and moisturised skin and helped even out my skin tone. Repurchase? Yes.

Sephora Exfoliating Cream Cleanser

I bought this cleanser quite a while ago and used it more as a mask to allow the exfoliating enzymes time to get to work. I enjoyed using it but have since found other masks that give me better results. Repurchase? No.

Lee Stafford Frizz Off Treatment

It's no secret that I love Lee Stafford products, I rave about them endlessly here on the blog but unfortunately this one wasn't for me. Although it did smooth out my hair a bit it didn't give it enough moisture or nourishment. This one would be great for those who have hair that's slightly unruly but not particularly dry. Repurchase? No.

Lee Stafford Shine Head Spray Shine

I've been using this hair shine spray for years and love it. I've lost count of the amount of times I've repurchased it. I have however recently discovered a similar product I love even more, the Argan Oil Anti Frizz Serum Spray (full review here) that one adds shine too but also moisturises hair, protects it against humidity, reduces frizz and I prefer the scent so I'll be buying it instead! Repurchase? No

Redken All Soft Supple Touch

A lightweight, cream textured, leave in conditioner. The product is lovely, it moisturises hair and controls frizz but the packaging is very annoying. The spray pump kept getting clogged up with product so I had to take it off and pour it into my hand. Not ideal! I'm not sure if this happens to all of them or if it was just mine but either way it meant I ended up using the product less often than I wanted too. Repurchase? No.

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

I loved this hand cream, it was a mini that I got as part of a GWP that quickly became a handbag staple. It did everything a hand cream should do and smelt great too! Repurchse? Yes.

Estee Lauder Beyond Paradise

I was given this mini as a gift, it came in a set with a few other EL fragrances but this was the one that immediately stood out to me. I just love it! I've since bought the full sized version so I'll be doing a full on review soon. Repurchase? Already have!

The Body Shop Aloe Eye Defence

I seem to have used up a lot of budget skincare lately! This was a great sensitive skin friendly, hydrating eye cream that performed just as well as a lot of the high end eye creams I've tried. Repurchase? Yes.

Avon Naturals Lavender and Chamomile Room & Linen Spray

A relaxingly scented spray I spritz onto my pillow before bedtime, it relaxes me and sends me off to sleep. Maybe it's just phycological but who cares if it works! Repurchase? Yes.

What have you used up recently?

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Lee Stafford ArganOil Anti-Frizz Serum Spray

I feel like I'm forever going on about Lee Stafford styling products here on the blog but I just can't help it, they just perform so well compared to other hair brands, high street and high end.

Today I thought I'd shine the spotlight on their ArganOil from Morocco Anti-Frizz Serum Spray, I've mentioned it quickly in a few favourites posts but I've never spoken about it in detail, so here we go. As the name would suggest, it's a hair serum but in spray form, simple yet genius. I don't know why other brands haven't done this. It does everything a regular serum does, moisturises, smooths, calms frizz and adds shine but the spray allows the product to be distributively very evenly and finely. So there's no chance of accidentally adding too much serum in some areas and ending up with hair that looks a bit on the greasy side. Another thing I love about it is that it doesn't 'disrupt' your style, if you've already curled or styled it in someway you can just spritz a bit where needed so there's no need to run your fingers through. It's particularly great for naturally curly girls to use as a touch up product to refresh curls.

You also get a huge 200ml for £9.99 which is great value compared to other hair serums. This is definitely a product that will be going on my 'forever repurchased' list!

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Empties #9

It's empties time again! Where I talk through the products I've used up, what I thought of them and whether or not I'll be repurchasing them. It's been two months since my last post of this kind so I've gathered rather a lot! 

Sanctuary Spa Mande Lular Body Souffle

A light to medium formula body butter which has a nice spa like scent to it. I do really like it but there are other similar products that I like a lot more, like The Body Shop body butters. Repurchase? Maybe

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Shower Gel

Oh how I loved using this shower gel, it smelt like fresh lemonade and really made me feel awake first thing in the morning. I wish it wasn't limited edition! Repurchase? Yes, if they ever bring it back!

Batiste Dry Shampoo XXL Volume 

This is such a cult product but if I'm honest I really dislike it, I just hate how it feels thick, gritty and dirty in my hair! I think there are much better dry shampoos on the market and I'll be sticking to those in future! Repurchase? No

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This is probably my favourite hand cream ever, it's very moisturising, sinks in quickly without leaving any oily residue and isn't too expensive. I bought three of these when they were on offer and I've managed to get to the end of them all at once! Full review here. Repurchase? Definitely

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil

This oil is very good for soothing and moisturising very dry skin, I like to slather it on when I get out of the bath. It sinks in well and leaves my skin feeling so soft the next day. I've also been using it on a post surgery scar in the hope that it will help with the heeling progress! Repurchase? Yes

Botanics Ionic Clay Mask

This one's a really great clay mask on a budget. It tackles congested skin and spotty areas helping to bring it back to normality. I used it 2-3 times a week and was really pleased with the results. Repurchase? Yes, but not straight away, there are a few others I want to try!

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+

I won't go into this one too much as I did a whole post on my skin's progress after using this up, you can see that here. Suffice to say it's been my favourite skincare find of the year! It takes down spots in record time, keeps blackheads and clogged pores at bay and helps to reduce post blemish scarring! Repurchase? Definitely.

Caudalie Grape Water

I love a good hydrating toner/ facial mist and this is one I've repurchased multiple times. It's definitely not as much of a treat as their Beauty Elixir but it does rehydrate skin and is especially great for very sensitive skin helping to calm it down and feel less sore. Repurchase? Yes

The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream

I love this moisturiser, it's another product I've bought time and time again. It's really basic, no-fuss option that doesn't have any wacky claims. It just moisturises your face really well. Sometimes that's all you need! Repurchase? Yes

Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm

I was very excited to try this lip balm when I first bought it for two reasons, firstly it was supposed to be rose scented and secondly it was supposed to be tinted a flattering soft pink shade. Unfortunately it disappointed on both counts as the scent was pretty much non existent and there was no pigmentation what so ever! Repurchase? No

Revlon ColourStay Concealer 

This is the only high street/drugstore concealer I've ever tried and I really liked it. It had a light to medium coverage that was very buildable and looked so natural on the skin. Great for everyday and worked well on blemishes as well as under the eyes. Repurchase? Yes 

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Travel Body & Haircare

In my last post, I mentioned the skincare bits I'm taking away on holiday with me (you can read that one here) so today I thought I'd talk hair and body care! Keep your eyes peeled tomorrow if you fancy finding out what I'm taking makeup wise!

I'm not taking too much away with me body care wise as I'm only going for a week, I'm sticking to the basics! The Boots Extracts Mango Body Wash and Body Butter in miniature. I love the scent of these and the body butter is so moisturising and sinks into the skin really quickly. The Caudalie Divine Oil is a multitasking product that I love using but try not to use everyday. I'd go through it so quick if I did! I'm reserving it for slathering on limbs for evenings out, it gives skin a lovely, healthy, glow. I'm also taking The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter, not a body care product I know, but I couldn't resist including it with all the other mango stuff!

I seem to find haircare a bit more difficult to narrow down! I'm taking the Kerastase Chroma Riche Shampoo and Masque and the Lee Stafford Argan Oil Nourishing Miracle Oil which I spoke more about here. It's great for taming frizz and making everything a bit more managable! I'm also taking their Flat Iron Protection Mist, incase I decided to get the straighteners out, Living Proof Frizz Styling Cream to use pre blow-dry and Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle in case I need some extra volume!

What body and haircare items do you take away on holiday with you?

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July Favourites

I seem to have a huge amount of favourites this month, not sure how that happened! Here's what I've been loving.

Nip+Fab Yoga Blend Body Lotion - Full review here

Smells amazing, sinks in quickly and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth. It's very rare that a body lotion makes a difference to my skin as I use them all the time but this one definitely has!

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil - Full review here

I've been using this on my post surgery scars as often as I remember. I'm not sure wether it's helping fade them or not but no harm in trying! Another product that smells good and leaves my skin feeling soft.

Dior Nail Varnish Tie & Dye - See it on my nails here

A bright orangey red that's been on my nails almost non stop. Plus it has a great glossy, long-lasting formula and an easy to use brush. 

The Body Shop Silky Camomile Cleansing Oil - Full review here

This stuff is amazing at removing makeup quickly and easily. It goes on as an oil, breaks down makeup and completely rises of on contact with water. It also leaves my skin feeling nice and soft, I think I'll be repurchasing this one for years to come!

Lee Stafford ARGANOIL from Morocco Nourishing Miracle Oil - Full review here

Having dry and frizz prone hair means hair oils are my number one styling product. This one moisturises hair making it easier to blow-dry, adds shine and controls frizz. It's also much cheaper than a lot of the others, definitely a winner! 

Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti - See it on me here

I'm a huge fan of the lip butters and this is the shade I've been reaching for the most recently. It's a moisturising lip balm/lipstick hybrid that adds a tint of colour with one layer and can be built up for a stronger look. 

MUA Undressed Palette

I've had this palette for quite a long time but had completely forgotten about it until I rediscovered it recently. I've been particularly loving shade 6 & 7. I'll be doing a full review of this palette soon so make sure you keep an eye out if you're interested!

Rodial Dragon's Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream - Full review here

If I had to pick one favourite to rule all favourites this would be it. By far the best night cream I've ever tried, I've been using it for about 6 weeks and my skin feels softer and looks plumper and more even. It's also quite rich but sinks in really easily, a quality I always love in a product!

What have you been loving this month?

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Lee Stafford ARGANOIL from Morocco Nourishing Miracle Oil

My love of Lee Stafford hair styling products is no secret, I've spoken about many of them here on the blog, in particular the bits I've tried from the ARGANOIL from Morocco range. Most days I've just been leaving my hair in it's natural, curly state with some help from their Curl Creme (full review here), in an attempt to cut back on heat styling, but on days when I do reach for the hairdryer or straighteners, the Nourishing Miracle Oil has been my product of choice.

It's a really, soft and lightweight oil serum that feels weightless in the hair but still nourishes, smoothes and leaves it lovely and shiny. I distribute a few pumps into hair pre blow-dry and it just makes the whole process so much easier, I find my brush just glides through my hair with ease. I also sometimes use a tiny bit as a finishing product, half a pump smoothed onto ends or flyways just pulls the style together making everything look a bit more polished. 

When my hair is feeling particularly dry or lacklustre, I add a pump into my Curl Creme or my hair conditioner, I find this really adds a boost, making them work even harder. It's a great multifunctional product, great value for money and definitely comparable to it's high end equivalents! 

Have you tried any Lee Stafford products?

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Empties #8

It's that time again! Time to share with you what products I've used up lately, what I thought of them and whether or not I'll be repurchasing them.

Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil

I started out loving this one but soon realised it didn't sink in particularly well and left my hair with a bit of a residue. Not ideal for those who like to add more product as and when needed. This one definitely needs to be used sparingly! Repurchase? No.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+

I've been talking about this product non stop recently, you can see the full post here. It's an amazing formula that makes spots disappear super fast, unclogs pores and fades pigmentation. I can honestly say it does all those things, by far my most favourite discovery of the year! Repurchase? Already have!

Charles Worthington Salon at Home Moisture Seal Shampoo and Mineral Hair Rescue Masque

This shampoo and mask duo are great if you need to inject some moisture into your hair. They leave it feeling smooth and silky, and are pretty good for drugstore products. Repurchse? Maybe at some point, I have some other products on the go at the moment! Full review here.

Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk

Whenever my skin gets super sensitive, this is the cleanser I reach for. It's just so gentle and non irritating, it's the only cleanser I can rely on to not aggravate my skin. It also manages to remove all my makeup including stubborn mascara which means I don't have to use any stripping makeup removers on my my skin. Repurchase? Yes.

Botanics All Bright Cleansing Toner

If you're after an exfoliating toner on a budget, this is definitely one to try. I've been using it a while now and I hardly ever feel the need to manually exfoliate using a scrub. It's so much kinder on the skin. It's also gentle at the same time as it doesn't leave the skin feeling at all dry or stripped. You can read my full review on it here. Repurchase? Already have.

Avon Naturals Lavender & Chamomile Fragrance Spritz

This is definitely one of my 'repurchase forever' products! It has such a calming and relaxing scent that I like to spray onto my pillow before bedtime. I'm currently giving one away so make sure you enter here. Repurchase? Yes. 

Sanctuary Spa Body Butter

This one's a good moisturising body butter that smells nice. It's not the best I've tried, I much prefer The Body Shop and Soap & Glory's offerings as they leave the skin lastingly moisturised but this one's good if you prefer something a bit lighter. Repurchase? Maybe.

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Butter

Now here's a body butter that was amazing, much like all of them from The Body Shop. It had a lovely rich formula that was extremely moisturising and it smelt so delicious. It's such a shame this range was limited edition! Repurchase? Yes, if they ever bring it back!

The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub

Another product from the same range that smells equally as good if not better. The scrub wasn't gentle but not the most 'scrubby' either, it sat somewhere in the middle. I usually go for the very scrubby ones but I'll make an exception for this one as it just smells so good! Repurchase? Yes, if they bring it back!

What products have you used up lately?