Review: L'oreal Professionel Mythic Oil Hair Masque

I'd heard lots of good things about the L'oreal Mythic Oil, and being a fan of the very similar Extraordinary Oil, which I use on my damp locks every time after I've washed my hair to help tame frizz and keep them looking smooth, I was excited to try the L'oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Hair Masque.

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The masque, which is suitable for all hair types, aims to transform the condition of the hair in just three minutes, leaving it glossy, nourished and soft to the touch. With an enriched formula of argan, avocado, cottonseed and grapeseed oil blends, it does its best to replenish tired, dull and lifeless hair and get it looking back to its best.

Personally, I've suffered quite a lot with dry and damaged hair since originally having it ombred early last year, so I was really looking for a treatment that would help to soften up my ends and put some oomph back into my locks. So far, nothing I'd tried had made a major impact, and any improvements I had noticed were short-lived, as my ends were soon back to looking pretty dry and frazzled.

The treatment comes in a plastic tub with a screw top, making it easily accessible when in the shower or bath (and no worries about any product getting stuck in the bottom and going to waste). It's a thick, creamy and dense in consistency, making it feel quite luxurious, and it spreads easily and distributes evenly when combed through the hair or run through with the fingers.

While wet, the hair feels like silk, and while it did leave my hair feeling in better condition after the first use, I couldn't help but think that three minutes wasn't enough time for a deep-conditioning product to really do its work. After playing around with it a little bit and experimenting with leaving it on for longer and using it more often, I've found that I get the best results when I stick to roughly the recommended three minutes, but use it more regularly as a normal conditioner rather than just once or twice a week. It's definitely made my hair softer and more manageable, and along with a couple of other hair products I've been using it has really helped to combat that dryness. I'd say that the effect has been cumulative, as it does seem to have improved over time.

The L'oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil Hair costs £17.95 for 200ml, and is available from Look Fantastic.

Have you tried this hair mask, or do you have another favourite you'd recommend for dry, colour-treated hair? I'm always open to suggestions and am currently on the look-out for a new leave-in conditioner too...any thoughts?

Hope everyone's enjoying their week so far.

xx

Review: Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir

I'm sure I've mentioned countless times before on this blog how dark circles and under-eye puffiness are pretty much the bane of my life. Up until about a year ago I was more or less problem free in that respect, then all of a sudden, I woke up one day and everything had changed. It's not that I have particularly bad dark circles, but they are certainly noticeable, so since it all started I've tried out a number of different eye creams, all to no avail. Origins Gin Zing did help a little bit, but nothing to write home about - in fact, I only realised it had been doing some sort of good when I stopped using it for a time.

As if dark circles and puffiness aren't enough, I then began to realise that I have developed some under-eye creases and crinkles, so I embarked upon a split routine, trying to attack the former with my morning eye cream and the latter in the evenings, but it was all a bit of a disappointment.

So, when I stumbled upon the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir, which promises to fight dark circles, puffiness and fine lines all in one go, I was straight online hunting for the best bargain I could find! It really is a rarity to find an eye product that can combat all three, and with eye creams not exactly coming cheap this seemed like the perfect solution. An added bonus was that I was eager to try out some more products from Elemental Herbology, so it was pretty much a win-win.

So, onto the review.

Elemental Herbology pride themselves on their nutritious, indulgent and high-performing products, using patented bio-active ingredients and sophisticated technologies to produce visible results. Rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants and essential fatty acids, all products feed and nurture the skin with everything it needs to restore vibrance and vitality, as well as helping to keep individual skin complaints under control. Not only do these ingredients help to counteract the effects of the environment, but they also help to fight against the damage done by ageing and lifestyle.

Packed with lots of lovely, natural ingredients, Elemental Herbology was always going to be right up my street, so I couldn't wait to add the Eye Elixir to both my morning and evening routines. 100% free of mineral oils, synthetic fragrances and colours, sulphates and paraben preservatives, this is something that always sits well with me, as I like to know exactly what I'm putting on my skin and try my best to avoid unnecessary chemicals or comedogenic (pore clogging) ingredients where possible. Even better, Elemental Herbology never test on animals, which again I think is something really important, and it's nice to see some brands still holding their own on this one.

The main active ingredients in the Eye Elixir are plant peptides, hematite and blue algae, all of which contribute to the firming, tightening, lifting and nourishing properties. It comes in a little glass bottle with a pump dispenser - something that really appeals to me as it's so much more hygienic than repeatedly dipping your fingers in the same pot time and again.

The Elixir is an off-white cream of lotion consistency, and has the most wonderful herbal scent (all natural, of course). I do find that the pump dispenses a little bit more product than I would personally choose, but luckily my under-eye area drinks it right up regardless. Half a pump is all that's required, and I dot it around the inner aspect of my orbital bone before gently tapping it in with my ring fingers.

So, the burning question. Does it really work?

You all know how much of a skeptic I am when it comes to eye creams, having been disappointed by them time and again in the past. But I have to say, the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir has somewhat changed my stance on the matter! It does a great job of hydrating my under-eye area and leaving it silky smooth and soft, but even better - and more astonishingly, in my eyes - it really, genuinely has helped to diminish my dark circles and puffiness quite noticeably. How can I be so sure? Well, one day I just looked in the mirror and was shocked to find that I barely had any signs of darkness under my eyes, and since then I have found that I've almost completely forgotten about such woes. I used to feel like crying in the mornings, when no amount of concealer could disguise anything, but this stuff really has made a big difference. Sadly - and there's always a but, isn't there? - I can't say that I've noticed any difference whatsoever when it comes to fine lines, but taking into consideration my past experience, two out of three certainly isn't bad!

I'm definitely going to be repurchasing this when I run out, which hopefully won't be any time soon. At £40 for 15ml this most certainly doesn't come cheap, so while I got mine on special offer at half that price, I'm going to find it really difficult to part with the cash when I reach the bottom of my bottle. In fact, I'll definitely be waiting until I can get it on sale! Still, at least I know that it does do the job, and on that basis it's worth it

You can find the Elemental Herbology Eye Elixir on their website, and also at Feel Unique.

Have you tried anything from Elemental Herbology?

Would you recommend any of their other products? I can't wait to try more, and already have their Weekend Facial gift set to tell you all about before long.

xx

Sunday Catch-Up

This week has consisted mostly of receiving belated birthday goodies in the post, and then wearing/using them! 

I finally received a package my mum had sent over pushing five weeks ago - if that's not ridiculously slow then I don't know what is, especially since it was outside the UK within the first few days. It seems that as soon as packages arrive in Brazil, they are just tossed to the bottom of some big old pile and forgotten about for a few weeks before eventually being sent onwards - most annoying when you are in dire need of replacement of skincare etc. and were led to believe you had planned far enough in advance, as you can imagine. I'm still waiting on a new cleanser that my mother also sent over in a different package, but that one hasn't shown up yet, so goodness knows where it is. On the upside thought, all these sporadic arrivals mean that most weeks I get something to brighten things up a bit, rather than getting it all in one go and being done with it!

This weekend has been a bit of a mix. On Friday, I was off, and started off feeling so motivated that I was able to get loads of stuff done, including boring housework, more enjoyable blog posts and Youtube videos, and the Jillian Michaels Fat Boost Metabolism Work Out. I do my own interval training anyway, but I do like to follow videos on those days where I feel less motivated or, in this case am lacking a bit of inspiration, as it can get quite boring when you do the same routines all the time, and in turn that tends to make me more prone to taking days off from it. I've done the 30 Day Shred videos a few times, mainly because they've been so talked about that I was intrigued as to what they were all about, but this time I felt like doing some high-intensity cardio and mixing it up a bit.

So it started off well, but then we popped out for a couple of cocktails in the evening, so I wasn't feeling my best the next day. I don't really drink very often any more, so when I do I'm a bit of a light-weight and it doesn't take much! Ha. All I really managed to do on Saturday was make tacos for dinner, which were pretty darn good if I do say so myself! Actually, I picked up a kit containing the shells and a spice mix at the supermarket, which was a first - usually it's near-on impossible to find any sort of international food where I am at the moment, so it was a bit of a treat. I pretty much just ate and watched Youtube videos after that, so not the most productive of days! I did, however, manage a bit of a pamper session with my two current favourite face masks - the Elemental Herbology Facial Glow Radiance Peel and the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask - both absolute treats.

I woke up feeling a bit lazy on Sunday too, so didn't do much in the morning, but later on I found some energy and since then have written up four blog posts and done the Jillian Michael's video again, so I've finished just as well as I started. Fingers crossed I can keep it up.

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.

xx

Weekend Wishlist

Crop Tee, Topshop  //  Light Optimising Primer Broad Spectrum SPF15, Nars  //  Ombre Bracelets, New Look  //  Boots, Office  //  Lip Bullet in Covet, Topshop  //  Bracelet, Topshop  //  Pierre Hardy for Nars Blush Palette in Boys Don't Cry, Nars  //  Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi, Nars  //   Nails in Aurora, Topshop

Why hello, hope everyone is having an awesome weekend so far! I don't work on Fridays, so mine started yesterday, but I'll save that for tomorrow's round-up post.

I'm feeling quite satisfied at the moment in terms of beauty products, clothes and accessories, as within the last month or so I have acquired quite the selection of goodies. As you probably know by now, I did do a liiittle bit of shopping for my birthday, and obviously I was lucky enough to receive some presents as well, so I'm pretty much sorted for the time being. That said, there are certain websites that will always have something that will tickle my pickle, so of course when browsing on the Nars website earlier in the week there were one or two things that caught my eye. I'm missing a primer in my makeup routine, and the Light Optimising Primer Broad Spectrum SPF15 sounds like just my cup of tea, as I'm a sucker for anything that aids or promotes radiance, which this one promises to. I've also quite fancied trying out the Satin Lip Pencils since they came out, and Lodhi seems to be the perfect spring peach shade. Last but not least, I couldn't help but notice the selection of blushes by Pierre Hardy. It's not that I need another one, but there's just something so appealing about Nars blushes, especially when they come in such pretty designs.

I would really love to add some new boots to my wardrobe for spring, preferably something a bit more in-keeping with the season and the colour palette I'm most likely to be embracing, which is mainly made up of pastels. These gorgeous crochet boots from Office are just the ticket, and I think they're so unique.

Other than that, I was bound to be tempted by a few bits from Topshop - mainly the gorgeous multi-tonal Aurora nail polish - and New Look. I've spent so much time admiring statement necklaces of late that arm attire seems to have taken a back seat, so I don't currently have much in the way of bracelets and feel the need for a bit of an update.

I hope everyone's been enjoying the warmer weather - if that'snot the perfect excuse to crack out the spring wardrobe then I don't know what is!

What's on your wishlist this week?

Have a lovely weekend.

xx

Review: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Play Peach

I'm usually more of a Mac or Topshop girl when it comes to lipsticks, but a month or two ago I was browsing a bit more locally, in search of the perfect Spring peach lipstick, when I stumbled upon the Maybelline Moisture Extreme Matte Lipstick in the shade Peach Play. Obviously with Maybelline's reasonable prices I didn't hesitate to pick it up, and having already tried and enjoyed one of the normal Moisture Extreme formulations in Sugar Plum (a lovely warm nude) I was intrigued to see how this one would measure up.

From the very first application it was love. Although I'd originally been after more of a pastel, nudey peach, the moment I swiped this on my lips I knew that it would become one of my most reached for lipsticks as we head into Spring and Summer. It's a bright, vibrant peach, quite orange but with a hint of pinky red which makes it far more wearable for those of you with paler skin, or anyone who is a little bit nervous about going for anything too full-on. It's just such a flattering colour and really warms up my face when I have it on. It makes me think of juicy fruit and refreshing summery cocktails,and in my eyes that can only be a good thing!

Wear-wise, it definitely stays put a bit longer than the normal formulation, and was still going strong after I'd had my morning cuppa today. Obviously it does start to fade a bit more if you're a constant water-guzzler like me, but it does so pretty evenly so you're not left with any patchiness. Saying that, being matte it's not the most forgiving when it comes to dry patches on the lips, so a good exfoliation beforehand is definitely in order.

Over all, a really lovely lip colour that's perfect for sunny days, and one that has firmly secured it's place in my makeup bag.

What are your must-haves lip products for Spring?

xx

Thoughts on Life: Looking on the Bright Side

I can be a bit of a Negative Nancy at times. It's not that I'm defeatist by nature - definitely not. I'm always looking to the future and hoping and working for the best. But when certain situations just keep cropping up and getting you down, or you keep getting knocked back instead of moving forward, I think it's only natural for patience to wear a bit thin and to start assuming the worst or feeling like giving up. I've often looked at people who seem to be able to just let things wash over them, and wonder how on earth they do it. Those people who don't seem to get annoyed by anything, or anyone. Personally, if I'm feeling on edge in the first place then it doesn't take much - noise, rudeness and long queues have all been known to set me off into a bit of a disproportionate grumble or, dare I say it, even rage. Sometimes I just end up stressing myself out about the little things in life (as I'm sure we all do at times), and last week I stumbled upon a quote that said something along the lines of: "The only one who suffers when you sweat the small stuff is you", or words to that effect. It really made me stop and think, because really it is just so true. If someone is rude to you and doesn't say please or thank you, the chances are that afterwards, they will simply carry on with their day and think no more about it, while you are the one sitting there stewing about it. Why should this person - this rude person - get to dictate your day? Why give them the power to turn you into a walking storm cloud for the rest of the day? This is just one example, but it fits with so many situations.

Another quote I came across, around the same time said, more or less, that the only person responsible for the way you feel is yourself, and at the time I found it really hard to get my head around. Surely if someone is winding you up or being deliberately uncooperative then they are the ones to blame? How could they not be? The thing is though, the quote was right, and I've read books on psychology which have said the same thing. It's not just a nice philosophy, it's actually fact. Yep, someone can absolutely irritate the hell out of us, should they choose to do so. But is it really necessary to take the bait, and to react? If you know full well that someone's intention is to get to you, then why allow yourself to be drawn into their plan? I'm a terrible one for this, and I fall for it every single time. I'm not trying to say that nothing anyone does to you has any effect - I wouldn't believe that for a second myself. But in all honesty, we do have some control over it, and what we choose to do with whatever it is we're faced with. And we know it.

On Monday, I decided it was time to take action. I don't want to feel unnecessarily stressed out all the time, and I don't want to feel negative about things when there is no need. In fact, I don't even want to feel that way when there is need, because where there's a will there's a way. If we don't get somewhere the way we originally planned, it doesn't mean that we won't get there. Sometimes you just have to take a different route.

I've actually downloaded a couple of apps for my phone, so that now, whenever I can feel myself starting to feel stressed, upset or negative, I can just crack them out and bombard myself with a bit of positivity. It's been really effective so far, and I'm enjoying finding out how infectious a good rosy outlook can be. Maybe it's just the distraction, but either way, it does the job.

Another thing I'm trying to do is to mull things over before reacting. If I receive some bad news, or someone says something unkind or hurtful, instead of immediately saying exactly how I feel about it, I'm keeping quiet, thinking about it rationally and deciding what to do about it. It's easier said than done at first, I'll give you that. But again, it works, because if you give it half an hour then quite often it won't seem all that important any more. Of course, there will be some occasions where expressing yourself will be unavoidable, and that's fine. But more often than not, it can wait.

So, that's my little plan of action towards being more of a Positive Polly in the face of adversity! I shall let you know how it goes.

What do you do to stay looking on the bright side of life?

xx

Review: Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask

Ever since I first heard about this face mask, I knew it would be right up my street. I had been eager to try natural and organic New Zealand skincare brand Antipodes for such a long time, but due to other skincare needs, adding to my face mask collection got bumped down the list in favour of replacing cleansers (my first foray into Antipodes was with their Grapeseed Butter Cleanser - review here), serums and other daily necessities. So, when my birthday rolled around at the beginning of the month, I already knew what was top of my list, and I finally received the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask.

Antipodes products are vegetarian approved and cruelty free, as well as containing a high level of certified organic ingredients (in order for an entire product to be certified organic it must contain 70-95% organic ingredients, so while only a selection of Antipodes products are able to bear this stamp, the others are not far off at all).

What really drew me in when it comes to the brand is the list of delicious-sounding ingredients their products boast, such as manuka honey, avocado oil and vinanza grape extract - don't they just sound good enough to eat? 

The Aura Manuka Honey Mask is no exception, with the main ingredient being, unsurprisingly, manuka honey. A traditional remedy of New Zealand Maori people, it really packs a punch, drawing moisture to the skin which in turn aids hydration, as well as having powerful anti-bacterial properties which are just what the doctor ordered when it comes to stopping blemishes in their tracks. Also packed with nutrient-rich avocado oil and ruby red pohutukawa bloom, one of nature's finest antioxidants, this multi-tasking marvel promises to cover all the bases. 

The instructions advise smoothing on a thick layer at sunset at least twice a week, although it's gentle enough to be used on a daily basis. You leave it on for fifteen minutes before rinsing with warm water.

Personally, I tend to use this 2-3 times a week, as while I do like to keep my face masks as a treat, this one is just so divine I can't seem to leave it alone, and I really look forward to taking off my makeup, cleansing and popping a layer on when I get home from work. The smell is absolutely incredible, with fragrance of vanilla pod and mandarin, and while quite thick and creamy, a light layer is all that's required to give the skin that much-needed boost. It appears transparent on the skin, and I have to say that the very first time I tried it I was absolutely amazed by its calming, relaxing properties. Antipodes do say that the scent brings peace and balance to the aura, and I couldn't agree more. There is a very slight tingle that lets me know the mask is getting to work, and I really do mean it when I say that the fifteen minutes I leave this on are fifteen minutes of pleasure. It's definitely not one of those masks that has you watching the clock until it's time to take it off, and if anything I find myself leaving it on for longer.

When I remove the mask, my skin feels silky-soft and hydrated, and this has definitely been playing a part in soothing my blemishes and keeping them a bit more under control. I tend to use it straight after the Elemental Herbology Facial Detox Mask, and together they have made a world of difference to my recently un-cooperative skin. Afterwards, my skin looks glowing and healthy, and any redness has been greatly diminished.

 What can I say? This is the most delightful addition to my skincare collection in quite some time, and has shot straight to the top of my list of most-loved face-masks. It's a pleasure to use, and a great multi-tasker. Having only used a  fraction of the tube up, I'm already thinking about re-ordering, as it's quickly become one of those go-to products I don't ever want to find myself without! I absolutely love it, and every application is a real experience for the senses as well as the skin.

The Antipodes Aura Manuka Mask is available from Feel Unique at £21.50 for 75ml.

Have you tried anything from Antipodes? If so, what were your thoughts?

Are you a fan of natural skincare brands?

xx