Lee Stafford My Big Fat Root Boost Mousse Spray Review

When it comes to hair styling products, Lee Stafford make some pretty good ones. Yes a lot of them smell like concentrated, liquid sugar but they work! This one, the My Big Fat Root Boost Mousse Spray, luckily doesn't have a strong scent and I find it's brilliant for adding a bit of volume into the roots.

The spray mousse comes with a targeted spray nozzle, making it really easy to spray the product just where you need it. I spray it into the roots of my hair post serum but pre blow-dry and massage it into the scalp a little. I then blow-dry my hair as normal and it holds a great lift in the roots without making my hair feel sticky or crunchy. It also lasts well, right up until my next hair wash! 

At 6.99 it's really good value because I find it's just as good as some of the high end alternatives, it also often comes on a 3 for 2 offer which makes it even more of a bargain.  Definitely worth a try if your hair needs a little va-va-voom! 

Clarins 'Special' Eye Contour Balm Review

When it comes to eye creams, I'm quite a newbie. I've only really been using them for the last year and so I haven't tried very many. They are definitely the area of skincare that I know the least about! That said, I have found one that  I really love, it's the Clarins 'Special' Eye Contour Balm. So what's special about it? It's a richer version of their regular Eye Contour Balm so it's much better for drier skins in need of an extra moisture boost.

As I've mentioned before, the skin around my eyes often gets really dry, tight and uncomfortable in the colder months and this is the only thing that manages to make them feel normal again. I use a rice sized amount and pat it around the eye area using my ring finger every night and it usually gets rid of any soreness or dryness come morning. If I've been outdoors or my eyes are feeling extra dry then I even use it in the day time, even though it's a super rich formula it still allows concealer to sit nicely on top of it under then eyes. I tend to skip eyeshadow if I'm using it though, mostly because when my eyes are dry and sore the last thing I want to do is put unnecessary products onto them! That said, if you wanted to, a bit of eyeshadow primer would stop any shadow creasing.

All in all, it's a wonderful product that I would recommend to anyone with dry skin or eczema around their eyes. I can't really comment on the 'softens fine lines' claim as I don't have any yet, I'll get back to you on that one in a few years time! The tube is a very generous size for an eye cream and because you use such a tiny amount it last absolutely ages. I've been using the same tube I bought last winter every night since then and I've only used about a quarter of the tube which makes it great value for money! 

Do you use an eye cream in your skin care routine?

Best of the Sales - Clothing & Accessories

Faux Shearling Jacket - River Island 75.00 56.00

Leather Citybag - Zara 119.00 89.99

Sailor Striped Jersey Top - J. Crew 50.00 25.00

Biker Pants - H&M 24.99 15.00

Short Faux Leather Glove - Zara 17.99 9.99

Teddy Lined Collar Biker Jacket - Mango 69.99 52.00

Salt and Pepper Biker Coat - Oasis 100.00 70.00

Icy Morning Mini Dress - Vera Moda 18.00 12.00

Necklace - H&M 9.99 6.00

Top with Cowl - Asos 25.00 17.50

Handshaw Cream Helled Chelsea Boots - Aldo 130.00 52.00

Clutch Bag - H&M 12.99 6.00

Stretch Chinos - Zara 29.99 17.99

Denim Shirt - Primark 10.00 6.00

Best of the Sales - Beauty

Boots Extracts Coco Butter Collection - 10.00 5.00

Korres Shower Gel Trio - 10.00 7.50

Crabtree & Evelyn Deluxe Hand Therapy Collection - 15.00 11.25

Cowshed Moody Cow Balancing Travel Candles - 22.00 17.60

Ren Rose Experience Gift Set - 32.00 16.00

Soap & Glory Once upon a Lime Gift Set - 18.00 9.00

Sanctuary Triple Moisture Bliss - 10.00 5.00 

The Body Shop Chocomania Shower, Scrub & Soften Luxury Gift - 25.00 15.00

Burt's Bees Festive Edition Essentials Kit - 12.99 11.04

Macadamia Flawless Cradle - 25.75 19.31

Nars Guy Bourdin Collection Longwear Eyeliner Set - 35.00 25.00

Caudalie Winter Must Haves Set - 12.00 9.60

Nuxe Cocooning Must Haves Gift Set - 30.00 24.00

Maybelline New York Colour Show Gift Set - 7.99 4.79

EcoTools Fresh & Flawless Brush Set - 11.99 10.19

Elemental Herbology Travel Essentials Kit - 24.00 12.00

Botanics Facial Oil 100% Organic Review

Usually I'd wait at least 6 weeks before reviewing a skincare product, that usually gives it enough time to prove itself. With the Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil I had to make an exception, I just couldn't resist! I've been using it a mere 3 weeks and I'm already seeing such amazing results that I felt them just too good not to share! 

First of all, let me just mention the price, with most high end facial oils costing from 35 upwards and most high street/drugstore versions being laden with mineral oil and therefore not worth the effort. This one seems to contain ingredients good enough to rival the most expensive of facial oils but for a mere 9.99, and as if that's not good enough it's currently on half price at just 4.99! 

So what's in it? Sweet Almond Oil, Argan Oil, Rosehip Oil and Bergamot Fruit Oil as well as lots of other skin loving ingredients. Rosehip oil is particularly good for fading hyper-pigmentation so if you have old spot scars, sun damage or any uneven skin tone this would work very well for you. 

The instructions say to work a couple of drops into the skin morning and night but I find the finish to be a bit too dewy for me in the day time, perhaps that should be reserved for just those with very dry skin. I tend to skip the day dose and double up on the night one, 4 drops massaged into the face and neck until it has completely sunk in, leave it a few minutes (while I brush my teeth), then follow with my usual night time moisturiser. 

In just the 3 weeks that I've been using it, I've noticed an incredible improvement in moisture levels and skin texture, my skin gets very dehydrated during the cold winter months and even has a tendency to turn into eczema if left unattended. This has managed to keep that completely at bay, with not a single dry patch in sight. It has also left my skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth come morning. It has also noticeably faded some relatively new spot scars and I'm hoping with continued use it will start to make an effect on the older ones too. 

All in all it is an incredible product that I would recommend to absolutely everyone! I just can't rave about it enough!  

Nail Rehab

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know I'm very much a nail varnish addict. I repaint my nails once or twice a week and have built up quite the collection over the years. So, it's definitely fair to say that my nails need a break! Seeing as it's the start of a new year, I though what better time to give my nails a bit of a rest, fresh start and all.

My aim is to get through the whole of January polish free, fingers and toes that is. I've removed my nail varnish, trimmed my nails back, filed them and buffed them to within an inch of their life. I'll also be regularly slathering on Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream to keep hands soft and nails strong, and The Body Shop Shea Lip Butter will be used in place of a cuticle balm  (my usual one is packed away in a box somewhere) to keep them soft, pushed back and to ensure healthy nail growth. 

I'll also be keeping my Avon Nail Experts Gel Strength Base Coat to hand to give nails a healthy shine and a bit of strength. Think I'll make it through January?

December Favourites

As most of my beauty goodies are still packed away in boxes, I ended up keeping things pretty simple in december. 

The rainy, windy weather has really been playing havoc on my hair and Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Relax Slim is about the only thing that's been able to keep it in check. A pea sized amount worked into lengths and ends smoothes out frizz and tames excess volume.

Seeing as I ran out of my usual eyebrow pencil and broke my spoolie in quick succession, I decided to pick up this Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown as it has a convenient little brush on the lid. I love a good multifunctional product! 

I know I said I've been keeping things pretty low key lately but what would Christmas and New Year's Eve have been without a little glitter? My weapon of choice was Essie Beyond Cosy, a super sparkly silver and gold glitter hybrid that just screams Christmas. Not sure I'll be able to wait till next december to wear this again!

My skin always takes a turn for the worse during the winter months, especially around my eyes, where skin starts to feel sore and parched. The Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil has been doing wonders to keep it at bay, and it boasts some pretty impressive ingredients, enough to rival some of it's much more expensive alternatives. Expect a rave coming soon!

I've been using the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion Micro-Exfoliant twice a day for a good few weeks now and so far I'm pretty pleased with the results. It's a toner containing chemical exfoliants which you simple swipe on with a cotton pad. Much gentler on the skin than scrubbing away at the skin with a harsh grainy product but delivers the same smooth results.

The Fragrance I've been wearing pretty much exclusively throughout december is Avon Far Away Exotic, it's a warm but fruity fragrance that's very easy to wear. I can definitely see it becoming a long term favourite that I'll be reaching for all year.

What products have you enjoyed using in December?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to 2014! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a well deserved break! 

At this time of year I always like to reflect on the previous year and look forward to the next, setting myself some goals to achieve. One of my aims this year is to write a blog post everyday without fail as well as reading some classic literature and decorating my new home! 

What are your plans for 2014?