Introducing / O'right Green Hair Care

Hair O'right is an award-winning haircare range from Taiwan and a new launch for 2014, on the UK market. 

They have an innovative eco commitment and the whole philosophy of the brand revolves around sustainability and natural ingredients - without compromising on quality. 

They have a wide selection of shampoos, conditioners and treatments for any hair type, infused with ECOCERT certified ingredients like goji berry, purple rose and ginkgo leaf.

I chose the O'right Green Tea Shampoo* to test out.

It's a damn good shampoo! It's extremely cleansing and with a lovely fruity scent. 

The consistency feels runnier than your regular high street brands, but it foams up nicely and a little goes a long way. 

We normally take in the benefits of green tea, drinking it but its anti-oxidants properties are also beneficial for the hair in this form. It can help eliminate toxins and inhibit the growth of Dihydrotesterone, which can increase hair loss; it also contains vitamins E and C which, make the hair shinier.

It simply feels right (or should I say O'right?) - It's effective and without nasty chemicals for me or the planet!

I love the slim design of the bottle and the bamboo cup - the bottle itself is also biodegradable!
In fact, their 'Tree In A Bottle' design is an award-winner and is the world's only beauty product that from manufacturing to disposal will yield a negative carbon footprint.

It's made from PLA, which is the most eco-friendly material and it's extracted from waste fruits and vegetables.
Once you finish the product, you can bury it into soil and it will turn into compost within a year.
There are also seeds hidden inside the bottom of the bottle that will grow into a tree - How Cool Is That?!
Now I can't wait to finish my shampoo and wait for my cute plant to make an appearance. ;)

Apart from joking, I was well impressed with the actual product and I'm definitely planning on try more from this brand; the green approach is certainly a bonus and I know that many of you also appreciate an environmental commitment in the beauty industry.
Hair O'right will soon be available at leading premium salons and department stores - in the meantime, you can place an order on www.hair-oright.co.uk

Nails 2014 / Q1

I’ve been playing with glitters a lot, lately. 

I’m not a massive fan of glitter polishes, mainly because they are such a pain to remove; but I have a few in my collection so I took them out for a spin, these past few months.

I really like the 'tips dip' look. I feel it looks even better when it’s a couple of days old, uneven and a bit rough around the edges.

Zoya in Rina / Leighton Denny in Honey Trap

I took inspiration for this blue tutorial from Nouvelle Daily… Btw, I need to get my hands on Essie Aruba Blue… *gorgeous!*

Revlon Colorstay in Indigo Night / Essie in On A Silver Platter

Barry M in 354 Amethyst Glitter is so versatile and you can pair it with purples, pinks, blues... a really steal for a few pennies. 

Finally, big shout out to Simply Sarah - a classy lady with great taste and I was lucky enough to win her first Giveaway - Yay Me!!! ;)

... and remember to enter my current Giveaway here too!

Manga Fever!

I’m sure you have noticed the Manga trend in make up, recently.

The imagery accompanying the products are definitely charming, cartoonish and fun. Bigger is better - in some cases - like mascara and brows in this instance.

Neve Cosmetics Manga Brows* - This brow pencil comes in 3 shades: ash blonde & cold brown, warm blonde & soft brown, rich brown & black brown.

The double-ended pencil has 2 different colours, both complementing your colouring and that will let you create a natural, yet  tridimensional and expressive look. You can use the light colour to map the shape of the brows, then add definition, drawing hairs with the darker colour; finally, comb the hair with the spoolie brush that is also included. This technique is really easy, even if you're not an expert.
 The product feels waxy on application and last all day. It's also free from parabens, silicones and petroleum derivatives; suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

L’oreal Paris Mega Volume Mis Manga Mascara - The wand reminds me of the Lancome Hypnose Star mascara: it has the same conical shape but rounder. I don’t feel that the pivot makes that big of a different and I was actually pleasantly surprised that it's not too flexible and easy to manoeuvre.

I quite like it! It does grab even the smallest lashes and it’s the perfect compromise between fibre and plastic wands. 

It's extremely lengthening and works well on lower lashes too; it does tend to clump after few coats but that helps achieving the 'promised' Manga look. 

The product itself is also easy to remove, it’s not the wettest formula - although still too wet for my liking (but I’m sure that that will improve in a matter of weeks). All in all, I would recommend it.

Empties / March 2014

Dirty Works Coconut Caress Body Scrub: this scrub was pretty perfect. First of all, love the tube for practicality in the shower. Perfect consistency too, easy to spread. Lovely coconut scent and fantastic price! Definitely a worthy budget alternative.

Repurchase: yes!

Steamcream: I really really want to love the Steamcream… but I have grown to only like it. I like the fresh, light consistency, velvety feel and it aborbs quickly but I don’t think it is an exceptionally good moisturizer, to be honest (especially on rough, very dry skin). I’m also not a fan of the lavender scent but it’s not too strong so I’ve learnt to live with it. Their tins are always so pretty tho ;)

Repurchase: maybe.

Liz Earle Foot Repair Moisturiser: It has a typical minty scent like other foot creams, it’s fast absorbing and refreshing. Don't get me wrong: it's a lovely cream but pretty ordinary and far too expensive for what it is.

Repurchase: no.

Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash: I really enjoyed using this face wash. It feels nourishing but still deeply cleansing and fresh. It has some exfoliating beads but it’s not too harsh and could be used on a daily basis, I reckon. The bubblegum scent is nice too and a change from the usual herbal smell of products nowadays.

Repurchase: yeah.

Murad Renewing Eye Cream: not too impressed with this sample. I found it quite oily and took a bit too long to sink in; consequently, my concealer didn’t apply uniformily. The sample is far too small to notice any difference obviously, but I can safely say that I don't feel the need to further investigate/invest in this item.

Repurchase: nope.

Review / Redken Nature's Rescue Refining Sea Polish

Today's review is about the Redken Nature's Rescue Refining Sea Polish*.

I was surprised - maybe like you - when I first saw this product: it's basically a scrub for your locks and I have never heard of anything like this before. Surprised and apprehensive, I must admit - but I  HAD to give it a try!

It contains pumice that removes impurities and smooths hair surface; it's suitable for coloured hair and also big plus because it's silicone and paraben free.

It can be used both on the scalp and the length of the hair; you massage it in from roots to ends after shampooing and you're not supposed to use a conditioner afterwards (which makes sense, since you're deep cleansing and you don't just want to add a thick layer of product).

If you don't feel comfortable about leaving the conditioner out, I suggest to use a 2-in-1 shampoo or a leave-in detlanger.

I got to say that I didn't miss the conditions step, tho: my hair were left super-soft and bouncy, once blow-dried. 

I was a bit worried on the rinsing part, but the product was surprisingly easy to remove and I didn't spend any extra time in the shower than when I do my regular shampoo/conditioner routine.

It is a gentle exfoliant, non-damaging and it has a discreet, fresh scent; it does't foam up but it's easy to spread and work into the hair.

All round a fantastic discovery! I just wish I'd come in a bigger size too because it will now firmly be part of my hair regime as a weekly detox treatment. You can pick up a tube on Hairtrade.com, the Uk's leading online retailer of hair extensions, hair care and beauty products.

Haul / Boots pt.2

Second part of the Boots haul - you can check the 1st part here!

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder - yet another setting powder, you guessed it (see the Bourjois here) but this was kinda of a spur of the moment purchase. I was browsing in store and swatched it randomly; it has such a weird slippery/silicony texture. It looks yellow in the pan but it’s pretty translucent on the skin. I think it could be good to set undereye concealer. What’s everyone opinion on this product?

I’ve been eyeing the Rimmel  London Glam'Eyes HD 5 Colour Eye Shadow palette in 022 Brixton Brown for a while; it doesn’t appear to be anything special but... oh boy, it is. For £6.99 you get 5 pretty and versatile colours and quality is good too; as you can see in the pic above, the centre shade is a revelation: it pulls quite orangy/copper in the swatch and it looks beautiful when layered on top of one of the browns. 

I ran out of my trusty Rimmel London 5in1 Base & Top Coat and went for the Revlon Colorstay Gel-Smooth Base Coat this time. I love the Colourstay range: it’s formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free, too.

I had a Soap & Glory Bath Pillow years ago from a Xmas giftset but sadly broke; I’ve been looking into replacing it and decided to pick up another S&G one. This one is huge!! Too big, actually and it's kinda of awkward to attach to the bath so I cannot recommend it, unfortunately. :(

Boots Essentials Eye Make-Up Remover Pads - I used these years ago; they are cheap as chips (£1.50 for 40 disks) and the wee container keeps them wet until the very last one. I went back to them to deal with stubborn mascara (yep, I’m talking about you Benefit They’re Real). They are very oily, tho – which doesn’t bother me because the product rinses easily – but be aware if you don’t like the feeling of it. They are also great for travelling and fragrance free.

I picked up the A-Derma Sensifluid Cleansing Lotion (to use in conjunction with a toner in the morning) and Garnier Cleansing Wipes Start Afresh (for the gym). The cleansing milk is thicker than others that I used before so I find that half a pump is enough for the whole face; the wipes have a gentle texturised surface, a lovely scent but I'd like them to be a tad bit wetter. 

I'm been wanting to try Una Brennan line for few months and I decided to start with this Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Brighten Dark Circles Eye Cream; definitely interested to check if it delivers with the brightening claims (and that will probably swing me in trying other products or not). I didn't think it was that cheap (12.99GBP) and so far, I'm not a fan of the flowery scent.

Finally for the body:
Garnier Ultimate Anti-Cellulite Oil - they've just come out with 3/4 different types; I chose the anti-cellulite, naturally. I already love it! The grapefruit scent is divine and it's definitely a great budget product for everyday hydration.
Argan 5 + Body Sculpting Serum is a firming body cream and Bionsen Dermoprotective Roll-On Deodorant which is aluminium and paraben free.

*** Have you entered the Spring Giveaway yet??! ***