Showing posts with label conditioner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conditioner. Show all posts

Sunday, 6 December 2015

Quick Pick: Ojon Rare Blend Moisture Therapy Conditioner


I've somehow been through a number of tubes of Ojon's Rare Blend Moisture Therapy conditioner without writing about it - a mistake, as it's one of my favourite intensive conditioners.  A thick, almost clay-like cream, it distributes easily through wet hair and helps to detangle immediately.  Left on for two minutes, hair is left feeling very smooth and silky - you know that feeling when you rinse out a really good conditioner, and your hair feels so silky smooth as the water runs through it, that it's almost like you're in a shampoo commercial?  Yeah, that.

Combined with Ojon's Rare Blend Cleansing Conditioner, this stuff makes for incredibly silky, well hydrated hair - a treat if your hair is dry, coloured, or in need of a bit of TLC.  I sometimes leave it on for fifteen minutes for an extra shot of hydration, and sometimes I mix a bit of it in with my Directions hair colour to guarantee amazingly shiny results.  Sometimes I also use a tiny bit as a leave-in conditioner after washing, too, which works beautifully so long as I don't use too much.

Overall, then, a lovely product for dry hair - and a pretty adaptable one at that.  At £23 for 150ml, it's not cheap, but thanks to the thickness of the product you don't need a lot, and you can easily stretch out the tube for a few months if you're careful.  Find it now at Boots.

Disclosure:  The one photographed is a PR sample, but the one currently in my bathroom was bought by me.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Surprisingly Good: L'Oreal Elvive Rich Nourishing Leave-In Cream




I took Elvive's Extraordinary Oil-in-Cream Rich Nourishing Leave-In Cream (phew) to the USA with me a few weeks back, risking that it'd be a good enough multi-tasker to be a leave in styling product on wet hair and an emergency frizz-tamer on dry hair.

I was pleasantly surprised - despite being a thick, slippy cream, it's light enough that you can apply a dab to dry hair and smooth down flyaways or serious frizz, with the hair looking well hydrated and sleek rather than fuzzy afterwards.  I also tried a squidge distributed through the midlengths and ends just after washing and conditioning, and rather fabulously, my hair dried into soft waves and curls with a lot less fuzz than usual.

Beware - using too much will leave your hair looking a bit overladen, but starting with a small dab and working up will help control frizz, add moisture and generally leave your hair looking much smoother.  Despite using it pretty constantly for two weeks, I didn't get any build up, either - it washes away nicely even with sulphate-free shampoo.  All this for only £6.99!  Bargain, particularly given that the product I used to use for between-wash moisturising, Phyto 7, costs £15.50 for a tube a third of the size.

Disclosure:  PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Friday, 15 May 2015

BUY THIS NOW: Bleach London Reincarnation Mask


As you've probably noticed, I have brightly coloured hair.  It's been red, flourescent pink, deeper pink, and is now a wonderful shade which looks like a raspberry red until the sun hits it, whereupon it glows fuschia.  My hair has been bleached quite a bit, and I regularly have my roots bleached to keep up the brightness - which results in dull, tired hair, and worst still, has left me with incredibly porous hair where it's been bleached over a couple of times.

I tried Reincarnation Mask because Kellie, a fellow lover of bleach, recommended it, and I'm very very glad I did.  It's a rich, thick mask best left on for a long old while, and it leaves my hair feeling remarkably soft and supple.  It's also a bloody good base for a colour conditioner - I often mix up some of this with some Directions pink hair colour and leave it on for an hour to inject both moisture and colour into my hair.

If your hair is super dry, or you're a bit of a slave to the bleach, I'd highly recommend trying this.  Try to look past the very shower unfriendly packaging, though, as screwing that little cap back on is a bitch when your hands are slippery with conditioner.  Find it now at Boots, where it costs a very reasonable £6.

Disclosure:  Purchased by me.  Twice, actually.  That's how good it is.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Friday, 16 January 2015

Quick Pick: Ojon Colour Sustain PRO Shampoo & Conditioner


Ojon's Colour Sustain PRO range is everything colour-treated hair needs:  sulphate free, gentle, and moisturising without being heavy.  I've been using them for the last couple of weeks and I'm seriously impressed - to the extent that I've unconsciously reached for them every time I wash my hair.  The shampoo lathers up pretty well for something without sulphates, leaving even my bleached hair tangle free and soft rather than a bit Velcro like.  The conditioner is surprisingly moisturising for something with a light, fluid texture - I apply it to the mid-lengths and ends of my hair only, and it leaves my hair feeling supple and silky without any added weight or heaviness.

The only slight downside is that these products are pretty pricey - £18.50 for 250ml of shampoo, and £20.50 for 250ml of conditioner.  A cheaper alternative is L'Oreal Hair Expertise range, which costs under £5 per product, although the Ojon versions are more luxurious and leave the hair feeling slightly lighter.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Friday, 2 January 2015

KMS Curl Up Perfecting Lotion and Leave-In Conditioner


There are a myriad of products for curly hair on the market.  Most claim to define and moisturise curls - and these two new products from KMS, part of their Curl Up range, claim the same thing - moisturised, defined curls which aren't crispy and retain movement and bounce.

The Perfecting Lotion provides definition and also claims to allow re-definition during the day with a bit of scrunching.  The formula is a fairly thin but still rich and slippy liquid which distributes evenly throughout the hair.  My normal curl routine is to apply product and then scrunch gently before leaving my hair alone to encourage curls.  I found that the Perfecting Lotion did reduce frizz, but didn't really encourage my curl very much - the end result was more wavy than curly.  I suspect that this is partially down to the lack of ingredients which pull up the curl and set it in place - this definitely avoids crunch, but means the curl enhancement isn't quite as impressive as other products which do leave a bit of residue behind.

On the other hand, the Leave-In Conditioner delivers brilliantly on its promises - which are to simply add moisture and reduce frizz without weighing the hair down.  The light feeling cream is also silky in texture, and the ends of my hair were definitely less fuzzy after use.  Avoid applying on the root area unless your hair is super dry, though - this stuff may feel light, but it's very moisturising, and over application will leave your hair feeling a bit overcoated.

Unfortunately neither of these products rocked my curls - but I will continue to use the leave in conditioner for well moisturised, less fuzzy hair.

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Monday, 29 December 2014

A year in review: 2014's Killer Products

2014 has been a great year for beauty.  We've seen millions of variations on tubby pencils, micellar waters continue to be a big thing on the high street as well as from high end brands, and cleansing conditioners became king.

Over the year, I've declared a few truly excellent products BUY THIS NOW items, which conveniently makes it much easier for me to compile a review of them, and to reflect on whether they're still favourites.



The first stand out of the year, and the only nail polish to truly knock my socks off, was the rather beautiful Into the Night by Girlie Bits, an indie brand which makes the most stunning holographic and duochrome polishes.  I still wear it, and I still stare at my nails when I do.



On the hair side, I fell firmly in love with L'Oreal Elvive's Fibrology hair care, which promises and delivers thicker feeling hair.  I don't use the shampoo (it contains the dreaded colour-dulling sulphates) but the conditioner, serum and mask have all earned permanent places in my bathroom.  Perhaps the highest praise is that my husband uses them too, and chooses to repurchase the shampoo every time he runs out.



More recently, I tried out Bumble and Bumble's Blow Dry creams, and found that they really do help you get a smooth blow dry with minimal effort.  You only need a little bit, they make the hair super shiny, and they smell neutral to boot.  I'll be repurchasing the original Straight version when my sample is finished.



Macadamia's Flawless Cleansing Conditioner was one of the first widely available cleansing conditioners, and it's lightweight yet still nourishing formula cleans the hair beautifully, reduces blow dry time, and leaves the hair smooth and shiny.  Lovely it is, but it's perhaps telling that I've not repurchased it.


One product I completely failed to write about, but absolutely adore, is the Babyliss Big Hair.  The first couple of times I used it I managed to tangle my hair up rather impressively, but with a little practice this rotating brush has become my favourite way to style my hair.  Used on damp hair, it gives a shiny, bouncy blow dry which almost looks like a professional has done it.


These recently released Bourjois Mega Liner and Volume 1 Seconde mascara are still getting used virtually every day.  Intense black pigment, easy to use packaging and very reasonable pricing make this eye pairing a winner.


On the other end of the price scale, I found my Holy Grail waterproof mascara.  Clarins Truly Waterproof mascara stays put, wears like iron, and gives a very defined, voluminous look.  I've been through three repurchases since my sample ran out earlier this year.



Eyeshadow wise, there have been a lot of beautiful palettes I've fallen in love with this year, but this small, super-cheap palette from Makeup Revolution combines flattering shades, good pigmentation and excellent blendability with a teeny tiny price.


I'd heard of Amazing Concealer before, but hadn't quite appreciated the power of the tiny tube until I tried it.  The pigmentation is intense, and you only need the tiniest bit to erase dark circles and blemishes.  It's economical too - my tiny sample tube is still going strong.


Unsurprisingly, I found a handful of really good lip products this year.  My absolute favourite is this Sephora Give Me More Lip sampler, which contains seventeen products in mini sizes and a variety of shades and formats.  I still carry around a number of products from it at all times, and I really love the cute little lipsticks as well as the huge variety I got to try out from a single set.


Kiko's Unlimited Stylo lipsticks were a revelation in long-lasting matte at a budget price - at least 8 hours of wear combined with intense pigmentation made these gorgeous lipsticks an absolute winner for me.  Hibiscus Red, a pink-toned red, still lives in my makeup bag, and I get it out every time I want a power matte red which will last with no maintenance.


At the other end of the price scale, there's no doubt that Estee Lauder's Pure Color Sculpting Lipsticks are expensive at £24 a pop, but they're so beautiful.  Creamy in texture and with incredible pigmentation and impressive wear, they're luxurious, functional, and come in a very wide array of colours.


When Bourjois entered the fray with a matte liquid lipstick, the world sat up and took notice.  Rouge Edition Velvet are a range of easy to apply, beautifully soft matte liquid lipsticks which last well and are very easy on the wallet.  My favourite shade, Frambourjoise, has earned me many a compliment this year.

So that's it!  The cream of the products I've tried this year.  What have been your favourites?  Let me know in the comments!

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Monday, 14 April 2014

BUY THIS NOW: Macadamia Flawless 6 in 1 Cleansing Conditioner


Cleansing conditioners are starting to gain a bit of momentum in the mainstream beauty market.  I used to exclusively co-wash my hair, with any old conditioner free from silicone, and I'm pleased to see sulphate free cleansing conditioners coming onto the market.

One of the new breed of cleansing conditioners is this very prettily packaged Flawless 6 in 1 Cleansing Conditioner from Macadamia.  It claims to cleanse, condition, and detangle the hair, whilst also adding volume, reducing blow drying time, and eliminating frizz.

Does it deliver?  Surprisingly, yes.  On my colour treated, dryish hair, it leaves my hair feeling soft, hydrated and completely clean, and when I blow dry my hair after use, my hair does dry more quickly, has plenty of volume, and is pretty smooth.  When I leave my hair to dry naturally, it's not perfectly smooth, but it is smoother than usual without additional product.

In short, I'm seriously impressed by this cleansing conditioner.  It's not cheap, but it's not overpriced, either - the 90ml bottle, which is good for around 5 or 6 washes, costs around £7, not bad for something which fulfils so many functions.  I'll definitely be buying the larger 250ml can, which costs £22, and keeping my 90ml sample for travel.  You'll find Macadamia Flawless 6 in 1 Cleansing Conditioner at BeautyBay.com.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

BUY THIS NOW: L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Haircare Collection


The release of L'Oreal's new Fibrology thickening range has been a bit of a throwback to the olden days, pre blogging - any hype I saw just after the launch wasn't as a result of press releases or samples, but genuine excitement from people who bought it, decided it really works, and expressed their opinions online.

Naturally I had to rush out and buy it too.  I picked up the thickening shampoo, thickening conditioner, and thickness creation serum, which are very reasonably priced - a super-large 400ml bottle of shampoo or conditioner costs a mere £4, and whilst the serum may be the most expensive product in the range, but it's still well priced for a serum at £6.99.

The question is, though, whether it actually works.  And I'm genuinely excited by the fact that it definitely, definitely does - my hair felt thicker and more substantial after the first use, and definitely more so after the next couple of uses.  A word of warning, though - the shampoo is pretty heavy on SLS, and I found it caused my colour to fade very fast, so if you have very curly or coloured hair, I'd recommend skipping the shampoo and using the conditioner and serum alone.

At such reasonable prices, these products are brilliant - even if you have doubts that they'll work for you, the cost of trying them out is so reasonable you really can't say no!  Find them at Boots now.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Monday, 17 February 2014

Quick Pick: Garnier Ultimate Blends The Marvellous Transformer Haircare


Garnier's latest hair launch gives us a staggering six new lines of hair products, targeted at different hair concerns.  I've been trialling The Marvellous Transformer (nothing related to Bumblebee, my favourite Transformer, sadly) for a couple of weeks now, and I'm pretty impressed.  The Marvellous Transformer line is designed to add shine and depth to dry, lifeless hair, and although my hair isn't really lifeless (in fact, it has a life of its own), this stuff really does add a glorious shine and a much appreciated softness.

The shampoo is surprisingly gentle and hydrating for something that's a) clear and b) chock full of SLS.  I don't think I'd switch to it permanently as it does pull more colour from my hair than my SLS-free favourites, though.  The conditioners are in the form of a light yet still quenching daily conditioner, and a more intensive one minute treatment.  Both contain silicone, and I've found the one minute treatment almost too rich for my hair, which is unusual.  If your hair is coarse and in need of serious conditioning, it's definitely worth a shot.

My favourite is the Marvellous Glow Oil.  It's relatively inexpensive for an oil, at £9.99, and unlike the Tresemme oil I tried a few months back, it doesn't seem to build up in the hair.  It's also very concentrated - a single pump is plenty for treating the ends of my shoulder length, thick hair, and it's an effective heat protector as well as a nice finishing product.

My only criticism of this range is that the packaging - whilst cheerful - is a little bit 1980s-Timoeti for my liking, but the products within are very good, particularly for a high street range which costs between £3.50 and £9.99 a pop.  Well worth a try next time you're browsing the haircare aisle at Boots.

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Wednesday, 4 December 2013

Quick Pick: Yes To Tomatoes Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner


I've tried Yes To products before, including their Yes To Carrots Pampering Shampoo and Conditioner, which I found decent but not quite hydrating enough.  The giant 500ml bottles make for a very reasonably priced way to keep your hair clean, and the Yes To Tomatoes variety promises lightness and plenty of volume.

The shampoo is free of SLS and other sulphates, making it gentle (and less likely to fade my hair colour) - it still manages to foam well enough to give you that really clean feeling.  The conditioner is hydrating but still light, and it doesn't weigh down my roots at all.  After use my hair feel clean, swingy and light.

One criticism - the bottles are a little difficult to operate.  There are tiny, almost invisible stickers holding the caps shut which I failed to notice in the shower the first time I used them, and even now they're off, the cap is stiff to click open.

You'll find the shampoo and conditioner at BeautyBay, where they cost a mere £8.99 each.  Bargain!

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Friday, 8 November 2013

Tommyguns Blueberry, Ginseng and Honey Volumising Shampoo & Conditioner


I'd seen Tommyguns haircare at Waitrose in the past, but I'd never quite made the leap into trying it.  So when I was sent these rather pretty little bottles of volumising goodness, I was very, very pleasantly surprised by the results.  The shampoo is light, foams up well (thanks to the inclusion of SLS) and leaves the hair feeling super-clean without drying it out.  The conditioner adds moisture, even to my dry ends, without heaviness.  After airdrying, my hair is bouncy and light from root to tip.

And bloody hell, they smell amazing.  The scent is a sweet berry concoction which is fresh and juicy, with a slightly synthetic edge which isn't at all offensive.  The scent lingers on my hair as it dries, and I can't really help sniffing myself until the scent dissipates entirely.

Add to this a very reasonable price point of £5.50 for the shampoo, and £5.50 for the conditioner, and you're left with a very impressive product indeed.  I'll definitely repurchase.  Not least for the scent, which also means I can smell when my husband is stealing my haircare in the shower.

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Thursday, 22 August 2013

Surprisingly Good: L'Oreal Ever Riche Perfect Elixir Spray Masque Spray


When this golden bottle arrived on my doorstep, I was pretty cynical about it.  Why, I wondered, would you want a spray hair mask, when it's so easy to just pick up a dollop in your fingers and smoosh it into your midlengths and ends?  Surely this is just a gimmick?

Turns out that it's not a gimmick, and it has an advantage over dolloping masks willy nilly on your noggin.  It's virtually impossible to overapply, thanks to the light yet still hydrating mist produced by the spray nozzle.  Spritzed into the hair after shampoo and conditioner (or just shampoo if the hair is fine or oily), it makes detangling a doddle and hydrates the hair beautifully without weighing it down.  Easy to rinse out too.  It's gone from being a product I didn't really see the point in to being a bit of a staple in the shower for when I want some lovely moisture without heaviness.

Find it at Boots for a mere £6.99.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Sunday, 11 August 2013

HER Haircare Rituals: Volumising Travel Set


HER Haircare Rituals is a new haircare brand, with roots in the Veneto region of Italy.  Before I talk about the products themselves, I have to report that I discovered that this range is actually the work of John Barrowman.  Who, according to the HER website, has seen first hand what a woman's hair has to go through on a daily basis.  Being a performer gives you a unique insight into women's hair, apparently.  Part of me wants to dislike these products just because of the Barrowman association - he's one of those people who I just instantly dislike.  Overly saccarine, giant smile, all ego and terrible cheesiness.  BAH.

Anyway.  Barrowman aside, these haircare products are actually pretty good.  The Volumising Shampoo cleanses deeply and leaves the hair feeling soft, bouncy and light without drying it out.  The Volumising Conditioner is surprisingly rich and hydrating, but still has a light texture which doesn't weigh the hair down.  And the Trecento Treatment is very unusual - it has the texture of room temperature butter mixed with clay, and it hydrates the hair without coating it.  I personally prefer good old Batiste to the Volumising Powder, but it definitely does it's job, absorbing oil and adding volume at the roots.

The system as a whole is surprisingly good for a volumising range which adds hydration to the hair.  My hair has been bouncy, full and light since I started using the shampoo, conditioner and treatment, and rather impressively remains bouncy beyond the first day after a wash.

All four products are available as a mini-travel set, which is reasonably priced at £24.  The shampoo and conditioner, which are the stand out products for me, are £15 and £17 respectively for decent sized 250ml bottles.  I'm definitely investing when my mini bottles run out, Barrowman regardless.

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Tuesday, 23 July 2013

Quick Pick: Tresemme Keratin Smooth Treatment Shot


This little tube contains one of Tresemme's latest products - a concentrated conditioning treatment which aims to reduce frizz and smooth the hair.  You apply it to freshly washed hair, leave it on for sixty seconds - and voila, smooth hair.

I was wondering whether the 15ml tube would contain enough product to coat my shoulder length, reasonably thick hair, but the product itself is pretty silky and distributes easily through the hair - I had plenty of product to cover my whole head, with a little extra to concentrate on the ends.

After sixty seconds, I rinsed out and let my hair dry naturally - and I was pleasantly surprised to find that my hair was indeed smoother, with less flyaways and frizz.  It also felt very soft and well conditioned.

At a mere £1.49, Tresemme's Keratin Smooth Treatment Shot is a bit of a bargain - it's cheap, it works, and it comes in a format which is perfect for packing a conditioning punch whilst you're travelling.  Find it from the end of July at the usual Tresemme stockists.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Saturday, 13 July 2013

This One... shampoo and conditioner


These nearly-empty bottles are the result of several happy weeks of hair-washing. This One... is fairly new in Superdrug. I know pretty much nothing about the brand and picked up this shampoo and conditioner on a whim, mainly due to the richly purple packaging.

They're not a matching pair - the shampoo a daily-use one for normal hair, while the conditioner is an intensive one (although it says it's suitable for all hair types, including coloured).

Both do their jobs very well, leaving hair feeling light, very clean and smooth/glossy. However, the main reason I've enjoyed using them is the scents. The shampoo has a beautiful and surprisingly complex floral smell, a little bit like Narcisco Rodriguez For Her or Philosophy Inner Grace. The conditioner smells spicy and Christmassy, very warming and sweet.

I was surprised to find two very different but equally impressive scents in a drugstore line. I will be purchasing more products from the brand to sniff out what other scents they have up their sleeves.

Both are 250ml and cost £4.99 each at Superdrug.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Sunday, 2 June 2013

Quick Pick: L'Oreal Ever Riche Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask


L'Oreal's foray into the no-sulphates haircare market has been a pretty damn impressive, with the Hair Expertise range providing a plethora of products for different hair types.  The latest addition is EverRiche, designed for dry and ultra dry hair.  I received the Nourishing and Flowing shampoo and conditioner, which are for dry and fine hair, and the Nourishing Intense Mask, which is for any kind of dry hair type.

First and foremost, it's great to see a product designed to add serious amounts of moisture to fine hair.  My hair is relatively thick, but I've lost a lot of it, and as such really don't need conditioners which weigh down what little hair I have left.  The Nourishing and Flowing shampoo and conditioner are gloriously light - my hair feels smooth and silky after use, but still bouncy and fluffy.

The Nourishing Intense Mask is a wonderful deep treatment which injects plenty of hydration and leaves the hair feeling very, very soft after use - it does require a fair bit of rinsing out to avoid weighing down fine or thinning hair, but it's still totally usable.  Thicker, coarser hair can simply leave it in for longer and rinse less.

As if these products weren't impressive enough, they're also easily available in most high streets, and they're only £5.99 each for the shampoo and conditioner, and £6.99 for the mask.  Gorgeous and highly recommended.

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Saturday, 1 June 2013

LBR giveaway! 10 sets of Sheer Blonde John Frieda shampoo and conditioner




We've been given 10 sets of John Frieda's Sheer Blonde shampoo and conditioner to share with our readers. Hooray for blondes!

10 readers will each be sent a 250ml Everlasting Blonde Colour Preserving Shampoo and a 250ml Everlasting Blonde Colour Preserving conditioner.

The products are designed to preserve the look and feel of newly coloured blonde hair - so they're best for bottle blondes. Hand on heart, I can't vouch for them myself, being a brunette, but I have 2 bottles of my own here and they both smell delightful and look very nice. They retail for around £6 each.

How to enter:

  • Please leave a comment before 00.00 GMT on 15 June 2013
  • In the comment, tell us how many bottles of shampoo and conditioner you currently have on the go. (Mine is about 5 sets, which makes cleaning the bath a hassle.)
  • Include a way for us to get in touch with you (this is so we can find out your address to send the products. They'll be sent direct from John Frieda's PR company. It can be your email, blog link, Twitter handle, whatever you will be checking regularly.)
  • We'll choose 10 responses at random after the giveaway closes. (NB your answer is just for fun. This is not a competition for how many products you use in parallel. If it was we'd probably win it ourselves.)

Good luck!

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Friday, 3 May 2013

Review: Aveda Invati System


The Aveda Invati system is designed for thinning hair, and aims to promote growth and health by treating the scalp with a selection of herbs and spices.  I tried it out as my hair has been slowly recovering from six months of thinning brought about by the contraceptive implant.  

The Exfoliating Shampoo cleanses and renews the scalp, removing dead skin and oils which can interfere with hair growth.  Unlike some exfoliating shampoos I've tried in the past, it doesn't contain any scrubby bits, rather relying on salicylic acid.  I've found that shampooing twice gives the best effects - after two washes, my scalp feels incredibly clean and light, and my roots remain clean for a good day or so longer than with other shampoos.

Followed up with the Thickening Conditioner, my hair has incredible body and lightness.  The conditioner is surprisingly moisturising for something so thin - it puddles in the hand rather than holding its shape.  While it is moisturising, it's not at all heavy, and if your hair is super dry you might need something a little stronger on the ends.

The Scalp Revitaliser is a slightly odd thing - it's a squirty-spray which you apply to the roots by parting the hair across the scalp.  Massaged in before blow drying, I'm not sure it does anything to the hair immediately - but used with the other products, it's definitely helping my hair to look and feel thicker, and my hair seems to be growing faster - my roots have grown in a lot longer since I last had my hair coloured!

Overall I've been impressed with the Invati system, as my hair looks and feels thicker, and seems to be growing more quickly than it was before.  The whole system costs £84, which is a very high price to pay, particularly considering that it lasts only a month.  That said, thinning hair has knocked my confidence so much that I'd pay that kind of money if I thought it would help - I might be tempted to focus my cash on the shampoo and conditioner though, as they definitely have the most noticeable effect.  

Disclosure: PR samples

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating our copyright.

Friday, 8 March 2013

Quick Pick: Morrocanoil




I'm just about to order my third bottle of Moroccanoil, so I figure it deserves a bit of a shout-out. This much-copied oil for hair turbo-charged the trend for all things Argan and Morocco-related a few years back, and is still a popular player, appearing in a many a hairdressers' window. I use the original version, rather than the "light" one, and I like it...

a) because of its smell, which is sweetly fruity, zesty and refreshing - nothing like actual argan oil (which smells kind of nutty and stale, like weird peanut butter)

b) because it significantly cuts down blowdrying time. My hair isn't especially thick, but anything that can reduce the amount of time I have to spend blasting hot air at it is good stuff in my book

Moroccanoil is not cheap, costing around £30 for 100ml, but you use it like a hair serum, adding just a couple of drops to damp hair after washing. So it lasts a decent amount of time.

I bought my last bottle from Feelunique, where it costs £30.45 including delivery

Thursday, 14 February 2013

Review: Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo & Conditioner


I recently bought this Aveda shampoo and conditioner duo in an effort to reduce the amount I have to wash my hair; at the moment, I wash it every two to three days (with lots of Batiste in the last day).  Given that it's been falling out at an alarming rate, I want to avoid causing lots of shedding by washing it frequently.

Anyway, back to the products: I was recommended these by a lovely Aveda sales assistant at Peter Jones in Sloane Square.  The Rosemary Mint range is one of Aveda's long running, classic scents, and it's so popular that you can also get it in a hand & body wash or body lotion.  The mint aspect of the fragrance is very fresh, and is very powerful and refreshing when lathering the shampoo up in the hair.  The rosemary isn't particularly strong, but does temper the mint down so it's not smacking you in the face every time you use it.

The shampoo lathers easily despite the absence of SLS, although you do need a little more than you do with a "regular" shampoo.  I wouldn't say that it's harsh, but it does give a very deep clean, and if your hair is dry at the roots this definitely isn't a good fit for you.  For those with fine/normal/slightly oily hair, it's pretty damn good - the hair feels cleansed, light, and soft.  The conditioner and I don't really get along, unfortunately - like the shampoo, it's light and refreshing, and just isn't moisturising enough for my dry mid lengths and ends.

I'll definitely be buying the shampoo again.  It's seriously refreshing and it does keep my hair light and clean for longer.  The conditioner will be handed off to my husband, whose fine, flyaway hair needs minimal conditioning.

You'll find Rosemary Mint shampoo and conditioner at the Aveda website, where this 250ml bottle of shampoo costs £12, and the 250ml bottle of conditioner costs £13.50.
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