My hair

Bit of a random post this one, but I thought I'd give you a little update as I have recently had a bit of a change to my hair...

I have always been a die-hard fan of blonde hair.  I was blonde as a child but it slowly darkened, and then years of highlighting means I'm not really 100% sure what my natural colour is now.  I went for a year with really dark brown hair, following a spontaneous decision in a hair salon, and that year made it clear to me that I just do not have the face to pull off brunette hair.  Here's the evidence....oh. my.

So I've been blonde ever since, and recently it was getting blonder and blonder, following my obsession with wanting white-blonde hair.

My decision to go from half a head of woven highlights to full-on bleach was one that wasn't exactly celebrated by my hairdresser, but she did say my hair was generally quite resilient and thick, so it could take the bleach for a while.

So for the last year or so, this is how my hair has been....

I managed to get it pretty white, with regular bleaching and lots of purple shampoo and toner (!) but you can see from the photo that I only bleached the top of my head.  The underneath is all my natural colour and (in my daft little mind anyway) it felt like I wasn't ruining my hair quite as much by keeping the underneath untouched.

By the way, if you want to read any of my reviews on the purple shampoos I used when I was white blonde, then please see here, as I trialled a fair few!!

Anyway...back in October when I had my last bleaching sesh, I noticed my hair generally didn't seem too happy when I left the salon.  My head felt sore, my hair seemed really squeaky and 'doll-like' and it was knotting and breaking off so easily.  I panicked a bit as I love my hair long and was worried I'd need to cut it all off, so when I next went to the hairdressers (last week) I asked her if I could go back to the highlights.

To cut a long story short, my regular hairdresser is on maternity leave so I had a new one.  She was really lovely, but she did say my hair was breaking off quite a bit, and that when it came to bleaching it was the case that your hair will suddenly give and then it will start breaking majorly.  So she managed to persuade me to take my colour a bit darker (uh oh...).  She recommended the new Wella Illumina range, which is an innovative new hair colour product which gives multi tonal highlights without needing to actually weave in different hair dyes.  So no cap, no foils and no 3 hours in the salon chair. It is also meant to protect the cuticle and be gentle on your hair, which I was obviously in desperate need of.

So she persuaded me (mainly by holding up my iddy-biddy bits of broken hair for effect.  Poor little hair).  And an hour later I left the salon looking like this.....

OK, at this point I'll be honest with you.  I cried.  I reckon about 90% of you will look at that photo and think "it literally barely looks any different".  But that little 10% of you die-hard blondies out there will probably give a little gasp.  The white blonde was most definitely gone.

With regard to the Illumina colour though, I was SO impressed by this.  My hairdresser literally painted it over my entire hair (including my virginal hair underneath) twisted it into little plaits and left it to develop.  I had barely read half of my first magazine and she was back to wash it off!?  SO quick.  And considerably cheaper too!!  My bleaching normally costs me over £100 but this was a snip at £80 and my roots are only going to be £30 next time apparently.

The colour has left my hair really soft already, and you can definitely see the multi tonal highlights.  It doesn't show up brilliantly on the photo above, but that's because I had to kill the flash as it wasn't giving a true reflection of the colour.

So genuinely, if you are looking for soft, natural highlights then I 100% recommend the Illumina range.

Also on an aside, both myself and one of my best friends started bleaching our hair at a similar time. She doesn't use straighteners so her hair has coped a lot better with the bleach, but both of us were a bit concerned about how we would 'get our hair back' from the white-ness. I was adamant we'd have to go red-brown like I had to before, but obviously not! So if you were thinking of dabbling in a bit of bleach but were worried about how you come back from it, be heartened that it is actually wayyyy easier than I thought, and you can just take it down to a more natural, darker blonde.

As for my hair...it is still taking a LOT of getting used to.  I think some of the problem is my hairdresser used a very warm dark blonde and I'm so used to seeing myself with cold, white blonde hair that it just doesn't seem to go with anything I wear or any of my make-up.

I'm going to see how it lasts but at the moment I'm leaning towards asking her to run some white highlights through at the next appointment.  I just want the blonde lifted a bit as it seems a bit drab at the moment.  Having said that, my hair is loving the break from the bleach.  We'll just have to see what happens when I go on 29th Jan for my next appointment.

Micellar Waters: Bioderma Sensibio vs. Superdrug B-Pure Micellar Water

I'll be completely honest, when it comes to an evening skin care routine, I am one lazy little lady.  Anything that requires a trip to the bathroom, flannels or muslin cloths, and rinsing or steaming or 'patting dry' just doesn't work for me.  I love using them for the first week or so  but once the novelty has worn off I always end up discarding them.

Weird thing is, even 'good' products fail to make the cut.  By 'good' products I mean the kind that actually improve my skin texture/appearance.  For example the Una Brennan Facial Oil (see full review here) I LOVE this cleansing oil, but it just involves too much work on my part, and as a result I've been slipping out of using it lately (by slipping I mean hardly using it at all.  Ok.  Not at all).

My evening skin care routine basically has one key requirement.  I need to be able to use it from my bedside table.  Therefore water cannot be involved.  I need to be able to remove my make-up and cleanse and moisturise from my cosy little bed.  Lazy?  Absolutely.  But with skincare I think you sometimes just have to embrace your own routine-limitations.

So...massive intro to basically tell you that my laziness led me to start researching micellar waters.  These first popped onto my radar when Bioderma Sensibio H20 launched in the UK and it was literally EVERYWHERE in the blogging world. 

Seeing as I was getting increasingly uncommitted to my Una Brennan facial oil, my little ears pricked up after reading that this product was just a 'cotton-wool swipe' type jobby. 

I then got further sucked in by the following information:- it is ideal for sensitive skin as it is a light but effective way of cleansing (tick); it is actually oil based which means it is good for dry skin (tick); it is used backstage at fashion shows on real-life models (tick!) and it is a one-stop easy way of removing make-up, cleansing and toning in one go (literally, get me involved).

Bioderma is no doubt the leader in the micellar water world, so I bought a 100ml bottle online (I got mine from escentual.com for £4.50) and gave it a go.

When it arrived, the first thing that struck me was how teeny tiny the bottle was.  It is perfect for travel, but seeing as you have to "drench" your cotton wool pad, it didnt look like the bottle would go very far.  And I was right.  A couple of weeks of evening-only useage and my bottle was nearing on empty.  In my opinion, this makes it a tad expensive on a cost-per-use basis.

I know some people might find this a bit mean, but I spend a fortune on cosmetics and haircare products as it is, so I am always looking to shave a few pounds off where I can.

The price issue aside though, I can completely see why this product has so much hype. 

Bioderma Sensibio H20 Micellar water

By the way there is literally no reason for the random Christmas tree ornament....other than it's Christmassss!!!

The product comes in a clear plastic bottle, and I'll be honest, whoever designed the packaging totally hit the nail on the head in my opinion.  It looks clean and fresh, with an ever so slight medical hint (and medical stuff always works better, right?).  And then the pink lid and accents keep it girlie enough that you want to keep it on your dressing table.  I'll be honest, the packaging made me excited to use it.  Bit sad?  Definitely, but oh well.

The product itself is literally like water in consistency and appearance.  You drench your cotton wool pad with it, and then simply wipe all over your face.  I like that the bottle has a 'dropper' type dispenser in the screw lid to stop spillage or 'over-drenching.'

When it comes to make-up removal, this does remove like a dream.  **Slight disclaimer at this point** I do not use this to remove my eye make up.  I'm a die-hard devotee to my Simple Nourishing Eye Make-up Remover and nothing will drag me away from this.  But I wanted something that would really cut through my face make-up and this definitely does it.

It's one of those products where you wipe it over your face, look at the cotton pad and go "woah, did I actually have THAT much make-up on!?"  There's something really satisfying about seeing so much coming off in my opinion.  You feel like you're really getting every last inch off.

It does leave my face a little wet after using it, and I generally have to wait a few minutes before applying my Hydraluron and moisturiser otherwise I find my moisturiser doesn't sink in as well. 

Results-wise, I only used this for a couple of weeks before it ran out (I've repurchased a bigger 500ml bottle) but it didn't break my skin out and it also didn't irritate which I was impressed by, as my skin is very sensitive, especially in winter.  I also didn't find it too drying which surprised me given the type of product it is.  I didn't get that horrible feeling where your skin feels too tight for your face, and normally I find non-cream based products leave me with that sensation.  So it was definitely a pleasant surprise.



Superdrug B-Pure Micellar Water

Ooo, there's the sneaky Christmas tree again...

So after my interest in micellar waters had been peaked by the Bioderma product, I did a bit of research and went in search of a high-street alternative.  A lot of bloggers seemed to be doing comparisons between the Bioderma and Superdrug's own micellar water, and there definitely seemed a lot more hype around the Superdrug product than any other high-street micellar waters.  Superdrug's version was on offer at half price (£2.49 but normally £4.99 for 150ml) so I decided to give it a go.

The product comes in a tall, slim, clear plastic bottle and runs along a similar theme to the Bioderma in that it looks very fresh and minimal. However it does lack the girly twist.  It looks a bit more functional than the Bioderma, however it has a dropper-type dispenser which is largely similar to the Bioderma.  So functionality-wise there is barely any difference.

The consistency is, again, just like water although it bubbles up a bit more in the bottle than the Bioderma Sensibio does.  It also has a slightly more chemical smell and (I know this is a really random point) it tastes a bit nail-varnish remover-ish on your lips once you've used it.

Having said that, it removes my make-up really really well, and in my opinion, pretty much on a par with the Bioderma. 

I've been using this for over a month and am about halfway through the bottle (so it lasts really well) and I have also repurchased another 2 bottles when they were on buy one get one free.  Results-wise, my skin hasn't reacted or broken out and I've had no problems with dryness or sore patches.  In my opinion, my skin has actually been really good since using this.  It has looked clearer and I've been getting fewer annoying little random spots. 


Comparing the two.....

When it comes to a direct comparison, I honestly don't think there's much between these two products other than price, and bottle design.  Although there is something just a bit more 'refined' about the Bioderma one.  I don't know if it is the nicer bottle, or the slightly less chemical smell, but either way the Bioderma one just feels a bit softer and gentler than the Superdrug one.  I've not had any soreness or reaction with the Superdrug one to suggest it is harsher to use, it is just a general 'experience' when using it.

As I said, I've bought a big bottle of the Bioderma to see how it lasts compared to the Superdrug one and I think my repurchasing future of these will depend on my bank balance at the time I run out.  The Bioderma product is a joy to use, and if money isn't a concern then I'd say go for that one for definite.  There's something that is just more enjoyable about using it, although I can't put my finger on what that is.  But if you are hunting for a cheaper alternative, I genuinely found the Superdrug offering to be a really good dupe.  It's effective, it's gentle and it's such a good bargain.

I only hope Superdrug don't discontinue it as high-street drug stores tend to have a habit if relaunching their stuff to keep their product lines fresh. 

On a more general note, if you suffer from dry or sensitive skin and have previously found cleansing to be a bit of an issue then don't be put off by the micellar waters.  They're so good at removing face make-up and leave your skin feeling amazingly clean and fresh.  I'm definitely interested to see if they're a bit of a 'hype' product or whether they last as a skincare staple.  I guess only time will tell..!

 

 

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat

I had to do a quick mini blog post to share a little wonder product I came across recently (by recently I mean literally yesterday...talk about real-time blogging).

I'm terrible when it comes to nail varnish.  I get bored of colours SO quickly, and I bite my nail varnish off (terrible habit) and I often change the colour of my nails depending on my outfit (ahem...high maintenance).  As a result, it feels like I am always painting my nails, or more accurately, waiting for my nails to dry.

I literally hate it.  I have a really short attention span, and having to sit still and not use my hands for a few minutes is way too difficult for me.  I always end up thinking "oo, I'll just check my phone"...or..."I'll just pop my make-up on" and then I aaaalways end up with a bloody great smudge down my nail.  Every time.  Without fail.  Absolutely no patience.

So when my mother dearest suggested I purchase some Sally Hansen Insta-Dri top coat, I was cynical but intrigued enough to give it a go.

And oh my god, I love it.

I used it for the first time last night and it seriously does what it says on the bottle.  The only "quick-dry" product I have used in the past was a No.7 nail oil which you dripped onto your nails using a little glass dropper, and it miraculously dried them instantly.  It was a really good product but I've never been able to find it again in Boots, plus it was on the pricey side at about £8-9 I think.  It also made my whole finger really oily and was quite messy to use.

I know OPI do a similar thing with their "Quick Dry Drops", as I've had a salon manicure which used it before, and it works on a similar basis.  But again it is about £12, which is a bit ouchie for a product I imagine you go through quite quickly.

You may be reading this thinking "wow, bit late on the bandwagon".  Or this Sally Hansen product might be a) really well-known or b) heavily replicated ...but in case there are any other Insta-Dri virgins out there I thought I'd do a post on it.  (I do realise my 'mini' post has, as usual, got rather long.  Wayy too much excitement.)

So the product itself retails at around £5.99 but I had a 25% off voucher and Boots are always running deals on their nail products.  It comes in a standard nail varnish pot with a glass bottle base and standard plastic lid with in-built nailpolish brush.

The bottle is red, but the product inside is completely clear.

The instructions said to paint my nails as normal, and then when I've applied my final coat (you don't need top coat), wait for 2 minutes then apply the Insta-Dri and your nails will be instantly dry.  And they literally are.  Completely, instantly dry.  And no annoying oily fingers!

And possibly my favourite thing about this product is the finish...it is SO shiny!  And it has stayed shiny ALL day (sometimes I find top coats can dull off over time).  It has made my nail varnish look SO glossy.  (I wore it over Essie Luxedo, a review of which is here).

For just over a fiver, I would strongly recommend this for anyone who (like me) is impatient about painting their nails.  It honestly does dry the nails instantly and it leaves such a glossy finish.  You don't need a top coat, so I can stop wasting money on those, and it means I dont have to sit around for ages blowing on my nails, or blasting them with a hairdryer, or flapping them around.  Next time this is on 3 for 2 I am going to seriously stock up.  Love it, love it, love it. 

Right. Mini post (ahem) done. xx