Review: Neal & Wolf Guard Heat Protection

I always find heat protectants to be a very tricky product to review. How do you know it's doing its job? How do you know for sure that it's doing its job? Yes, my hair isn't particularly frazzled, but is that the heat protectant doing its job or is it my conditioner or maybe some styling product I'm applying? How am I ever supposed to know?

I guess what I'd like to focus on with this review are a few things that become obvious right from the second you use this. For instance, I find that a lot of heat protectants leave a sticky residue on the hair. Fortunately, this doesn't (as long as you're not showering yourself in the stuff), so there's a big thumbs up for that. Use it on wet hair or dry hair, there's no sticky crispiness left behind.

The scent is another big bonus. It has this light salon smell that lingers just long enough to make you go "oooh", but then doesn't interfere with the rest of your day.

The other thing I really like about this - and I know this is really, really random - is the product size. I think it's just spot on - big enough to last a fair bit, but small enough to be travel friendly and not to still be there lurking in a corner years after you bought it.

I have really enjoyed pretty much everything I've tried from Neal & Wolf ever. I just think it's such a shame they're not more widely available, as I'm a bit of an impulse shopper and don't tend to go out of my way to look for a certain brand or product.

As for the heat protection spray, all I can say is that I like it. Whether or not it really benefits my hair in the long run - who will ever know?

Review: V05 Beyond Blonde Shampoo

This isn't something I thought I'd ever think, never mind write or say out loud, but I feel like I owe this shampoo an apology. I have been dragging out this review for absolute ages, scrolling past the images and thinking, "What the hell are you going to say? It's just shampoo....". But then I started thinking about it. And thought about it some more. And the more I thought, the more I realised, that this is one of the best drugstore shampoos I have used in a long time. So, here we go, V05: I'm sorry for not appreciating you enough.

See, this is a shampoo that works quietly. On the outside it seems just like any cheap and cheerful shampoo: it's got that typical fruity drugstore scent (nothing wrong with that, but it's not exactly luxurious), extremely girly packaging and a very serious lather that means business (but also tons of SLS, so not one if you're avoiding that ingredient!). I wouldn't say it does any of that brightening or colour correcting stuff specifically for blonde hair, so again, if that's something you're after, you need to look elsewhere.

I use this every other wash and usually apply something like a hair mask or deep conditioner afterwards and while I've had various results with the latter, it's the shampoo that's always been consistent. It gets my hair really, really clean, so that it can perfectly absorb whatever's coming afterwards, but even if I just pop on any regular old conditioner, my hair is left feeling soft and smooth and in no way dry or frizzy.

I think haircare is probably the one area where investing in luxury products will get you luxury results (in my experience, at least), but if you don't have upwards of £50 to spend on shampoo and conditioner every month, you still don't have to let your hair suffer. For the price, this works an absolute treat and I couldn't ask for anything else. I bought this huge 500ml bottle about six months ago and I'm only just beginning to scrape the bottom, so it lasts for ages as well! (Though bear in mind that I've only been using it every other wash, as mentioned above)

Review: Bleach London Silver Conditioner

When it comes to purple shampoo and conditioner or any other products that promise to keep bleached blonde hair from going brassy I thought I'd tried them all. So imagine my excitement when I discovered this in my local Boots! I'd heard good things about Bleach London, so was hoping it would do a good job at keeping my hair looking naturally blonde and not Simpsons-yellow.

As far as purple conditioners go it's one of the better ones, pretty much on par with my beloved Pro:Voke (which is somehow still the cheapest and the best of all the ones I've tried). The purple tint is strong enough to cover up brassiness, but subtle enough to stop your hair getting an unwanted lavender tinge. It's also nourishing enough to leave hair soft and silky, but in no way greasy or weighed down.

The only downside I can find is the packaging. Don't get me wrong, it looks really cool and edgy on the bathroom shelf, but once you're about halfway through the bottle, the thick plastic combined with the small screwtop makes it incredibly difficult to get enough product out. I would much prefer a squeezy tube! Seeing as it works just as well for me as the Pro:Voke one, but is ever so slightly more expensive, I don't think it's going to be a repurchase for me, but if you find that you don't get on with that one too well, this is well worth a shot!

Review: Pro:Voke Touch of Silver Twice A Week Brightening Shampoo

I can't remember what made me pick this shampoo up originally. It's far removed from the kind of products I usually buy: A brand I've never heard of and packaging that's anything but glamorous. That red "As seen on TV" label alone is enough to send me running for the hills. I think this was literally the only purple shampoo I could find in the shop at the time and I probably thought something like "Well, how bad can it be?"

I haven't looked back since and not purchased any other purple shampoo either. All those of you with bleached blonde hair will know how easily it can get a brassy, yellow undertone and how important it is to regularly use purple shampoo to keep your colour looking natural. I've tried quite a few so far, including the one by John Frieda (rubbish), Bleach London (decent) and Lee Stafford (also pretty decent), but this one beats them all hands down. And the best bit? Out of all of them this is also the cheapest and the easiest to get, as it's stocked in most big supermarkets!

As you can see from the picture above, this really has some deep, purple pigment in it, which means that you can really see the transformation in your hair straight away. Depending on the levels of brassiness in your hair you can leave it on a bit longer than the recommended five minutes, but personally I find it to be just enough time. I also tend to use it just once a week rather than twice, unless my hair is looking particularly worse for wear. This stuff is potent!

What really sets it apart from all the other brands, however, is that it doesn't only tint, it also makes my hair feel incredibly soft and smooth every time I use it. I'm not sure if it's the shampoo that's so conditioning, or if it somehow makes my conditioner work better, but either way, the results are really rather spectacular. I think I'm on my fourth bottle now and I can't see myself ever straying from this product again. This is an absolute must have for bleached blondes like me!

This little gem will set you back a mere £3.09 for a 150ml bottle.

My Ultimate Beauty Wishlist

It's so easy to get carried away by all the new releases and fresh launches when shopping for beauty products. There are so many products I've wanted to buy for ages, but never got round to it, as something new and shiny caught my eye instead. So, as a kind of aid when I'm out shopping next, I've compiled this list of beauty products that I really, really want to try, so I can focus on what I really want, rather than what I just fancy in the moment.

It's no coincidence that most of the products on this list are high end. I find it really difficult to part with a larger sum for just one beauty product when I could have several cheaper things for the same amount of money. I've actually set out to buy some of these, but then bottled it and returned home empty-handed. Hopefully having them all in one place will help me save up some cash and splurge on things that I really want rather than waste money here and there on things I get bored of after a few days!

SKINCARE

• Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm // £36
• Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Recovery Complex II // £65
• Elemis Papaya Enzyme Skin Peel // £31
• Caudalie Beauty Elixir // £11.50

HAIRCARE

• Tangle Teezer Compact Styler // £11.99
• Kerastase Elixir Ultime Cataplasme Mask // £23.60

MAKE-UP

• MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural // £22
• Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz // £15.50
• Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette // £37
• Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer // £21
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush // £28
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder // £38
• Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner // £13
• The Body Shop // Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder // £13
• Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush // £16

ACCESSORIES AND FRAGRANCE

• Real Techniques Core Collection // £21.99
• Neom Organic Treatment Candle Happiness // £39.50
• Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne // £78 (or any other fragrance Jo Malone has ever created, really)

Review: TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot

Even though TRESemme is not normally a brand I gravitate towards, I love the idea behind this little one pop hair mask. There are times when your hair just needs a little extra boost, but you don't necessarily want to invest into a whole big tub of hair treatments and for those times this is just ideal. It's like a face mask in a sachet, just applied to haircare.
The little mini tube has a lid that snaps off, so once it's opened you've got to use the whole thing, but I found the amount to be absolutely perfect for my shoulder length hair. If you've got short hair you would probably be able to get two applications out of it, although it might go a bit dry and crusty at the top if left opened for a long time.

I love a product that does exactly what it says on the tin and that's what this is. I smoothed the silky cream over my hair at the start of my shower, did all my other showery bits, stood under the water aimlessly for a bit (I can't be the only person doing that) and then rinsed it off. The results were smooth and nourished tresses and my hair ends in particular had really benefitted from the extra TLC.
I think this would be a brilliant product to pop into your suitcase when going on holiday and every last millimetre of luggage space is valuable.

The TRESemme Platinum Strength Instant Rescue Shot is an absolute bargain at £1.99 each.

Review: Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo

Remember when years ago Moroccanoil suddenly came onto the beauty scene and revolutionised hair care? Before that I would have never dreamed of using oil on my hair, but these days I cannot imagine living without it! Anyway, that's not what this review is about. It's about Moroccanoil's lesser known other products, in particular the hydrating shampoo.

There are some people who might argue that buying a high end shampoo is literally money down the drain, but I do beg to differ. A good shampoo can make a hell of a difference to the condition of your hair and also make any conditioners and/or treatments that you apply afterwards work a lot more effectively.
Unfortunately, it seems like I got my hopes up a little too high in this particular case.

It provided a rather mediocre lather at best and it also doesn't live up to its "hydrating" promises. As a matter of fact, I'd say that there are a lot of products that work way better at less than half the price. Sorry, Moroccanoil. Thanks for bringing us argan oil, but I think I'll pass on your shampoo.

Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo retails at £16.55 per bottle.

Review: John Frieda Sheer Blonde Conditioning Treatment

As a (quite heavily) bleached blonde using a deep conditioner or hair mask every other wash isn't just an option - it's an absolute must. I got this John Frieda hair treatment as part of a 3 for 2 offer when I was stocking up on shampoo and conditioner. To be honest with you I didn't expect a lot - just another high street hair mask that has way too much silicone in it to even stay on the hair long enough. But as it turns out, I was mistaken and ended up pleasantly surprised with the results.

Upon first inspection it really doesn't seem that different from every other hair mask you'll find in the beauty aisles of a supermarket. The texture is very smooth and slippy, albeit slightly on the thicker side and it's got that typical sweet haircare scent that you get in so many products.
But when it comes to results I really couldn't have asked for anything else from this. My hair was visibly nourished, dried a lot quicker and felt soft and smooth. On the other hand it also managed to be light enough not to weigh down my strands or make them feel greasy. It didn't wane in efficiency, either - it was just as good the day I opened it as it was when I feverishly scraped the last bits out of the bottom of the tub.

It says to leave this on the hair for 15 minutes and to be honest I don't think I ever hit that target time. I'd just apply it as I got into the shower, left it on while I did all my other shower-related stuff (including just standing there for a few minutes because hot water in the morning just feels SO GOOD) and then washed it off - probably after 10 minutes at the most. I still got great results, however, so I'm not complaining!

The John Frieda Sheer Blonde Conditioning Treatment is available for £5.99.

Monthly Favourites: March 2014

1) Sally Hansen Insta-Dri

I don't know how I used to paint my nails without a quick dry topcoat - oh yeah, I didn't, cause I never had the patience to wait around for hours waiting for it to dry. After my OPI Rapidry turned into a thick, gloopy mess it was time to get a new one and this topcoat by Sally Hansen turns out to be a lot better than the OPI one. Nails are dry within about 10 minutes and rather than make the polish peel off like the OPI topcoat does, I feel like my polish lasts longer with it rather than without. Now with this in my stash I'm happy to paint my nails all the time!

2) Percy & Reed Dry Conditioner

The lid of this product keeps falling off, so I eventually just gave up and got rid of it altogether. Packaging fail aside, this is exactly what it claims to be - basically softness in a can when you don't feel like getting under the shower to wash your hair. It works great after a spritz of dry shampoo when you get that feeling that your hair's got a tad too much texture. You can read a bit more of what I thought of it in this post here.

3) Melvita Rose Extraordinary Water

This is only a little sample, but I've been loving using this on a daily basis. I've been using it in place of a serum and just tapping it into my face with my fingers - and as soon as I do it's like my skin sighs a huge sigh of relief. It's extremely moisturising without being sticky or greasy. I'm guessing it's the hyaluronic acid in it that's doing all the miracles, but no matter what it is, I can see myself purchasing the full size as soon as my sample runs out.

4) Rimmel Colour Rush Balm

I've got two of these at the moment and you may have heard me go on about them on my blog before. The colour pay-off of these lip crayons is just spot on and it leaves a lovely stain on the lips that lasts for hours, even through eating and drinking. What I also really like about these is that the colours are glossy and balmy, but don't contain any glitter unlike similar products from other brands. The packaging could be a touch better, as the writing wears off really quickly, but apart from that these are pretty much the perfect lip product.

5) Murad Pore & Line Minimizing Hydrator

Even though I've been using this product for months it's never made it into my favourites. It's a bit of a quiet, modest worker in that you don't notice what good it's doing to your skin until you stop using it for a few days. It's hydrating, but feels incredibly light and layers well with any other skincare product I might throw at it. While it's not exactly on the cheap end of the spectrum a little goes a long way. I've been using this particular tube for about six months and I'm not even halfway through it yet. Click here to read a full review.

Review: Neal & Wolf Silk Smoothing Blow-dry Balm

I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but over the course of the last year or so I've gone from owning about three hair products (shampoo, conditioner and hair mask) to a whole big drawer full of them. Today I'm talking you through my thoughts on the Neal & Wolf Silk Smoothing Blow-dry Balm.

I can't say I ever thought of getting myself a balm for blow drying my hair before. I'd use heat protectant spray from time to time, just because of the damaging effects heat styling has on hair, but even that hasn't ever made a noticeable difference.

This is different. The balm actually has a light, creamy texture and I'd say about a grape-sized amount is enough for all of my shoulder-length hair.

While I wouldn't class this as an absolute necessity, it does make a difference to the condition of my hair which is visible to the naked eye. Hair is just a touch softer, smoother and there are fewer fly-aways after blow drying. I don't always remember to use it, but if I'm trying to really look after my hair, this is an extra step I'm happy to take.

The Neal & Wolf Silk Smoothing Blow-dry Balm retails at £12.50.

Review: Percy & Reed Finishing Polish

I think it's been about a year and a half since I got a tube of this with a copy of Glamour magazine and it's verging on scandalous that I've only sat down now to dedicate an entire blog post to a product I could barely imagine living without.

Put quite simply, this is one of the best hair products I've ever come across. My hair is thick, dry and wavy. Not sexy California beach girl wavy, but crumpled up ball of yarn wavy. So for years and years my routine would look like this: Shampoo to get my hair clean, condition or deep condition to get it soft, then blow dry it and straighten it to get rid of those unruly curls. Only problem being that my hair dryer and my straightening irons undid most of the hard work I put into making my hair soft and manageable with all that deep conditioner and instead left me with a frizzy mess. A straight frizzy mess, but a frizzy mess nonetheless (rhyme was completely unintentional).

Then along comes this and with a tiny amount rubbed into the tips of my hair and any random flyaways, my hair suddenly looks just how I wanted it to look after spending hours washing and nurturing and styling it.

The thing is, it doesn't really do that much. It's certainly not sticky or slimy or crispy in any way, but all it does is just put hair in it's place. It doesn't even add any shine to my hair, but by smoothing out broken off strands it lets my hair's natural shine come through.

And you literally only need the tiniest amount. I use about a pea-sized blob each time and it's enough for my entire head, but as I said before I only use it on the tips and on random flyaways - but that's all it takes! Using such small amounts makes it weightless in my hair and also means that even after a year of continuous use I've barely made a dent in my tube. I swear I'm not even halfway through.

When (IF?) this ever runs out I'm going to be incredibly sad and rushing out to get a new tube as soon as I can. It's not often that I say this, but this product, ladies and gentlemen, is truly a game changer.

Best of all, it most definitely falls into the affordable price range at £10 per tube over on Beautybay.

Sample Summary #11

I've been rubbing, spreading and smothering my way through an array of samples again, so it's about time I gave you another run down of mini sample summaries to see what's gone straight on the wish list (or straight in the bin).

1) Kerastase | Elixir Ultime

Full size: £34.50

Rating: 4.5/5

The Kerastase Elixir Ultime is hailed as the mother of all hair oils, so I was expecting nothing short of miracles for my hair. After the first application, I have to admit that I do see where the hype is coming from. Despite being an oil, this doesn't really feel oily - it's more sticky in texture and my hair literally drank it up like there was no tomorrow. It did everything I look for in a good hair oil: It gave my hair a little extra kick of moisture, smoothed away flyaways, added a bit of shine, but without making the hair seem greasy and limp. It wasn't quite mindblowing enough for me to rush out and spend £30 on a full sized bottle, but if you're in the market for a hair oil and don't mind spending a bit extra, then you really can't go wrong with this.

2) Clarins | Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

Full size: £20

Rating: 4/5

I remember getting my Mum one of these as a present, as it was highly recommended to me by the shop assistant for somebody who uses their hands a lot. It's hailed to be a fast-acting hand cream that takes no time at all to sink into the skin, but at the same time repair some serious damage both from ageing and harsh environments. As far as sinking in goes, this is right up there with my favourites and one of the few hand creams I could apply during the day. As far as damage control goes, it did leave my hands nice and soft, but it didn't work quite as well as my beloved Yes! Nurse hand cream (which is also a lot cheaper). I don't think it's quite heavy duty enough for what my poor hands have to withstand in the winter.

3) Clinique | 7 Day Scrub

Full size: £18.50

Rating: 3/5

I'm a bit lost here with the 7 day claim on this scrub. What is it supposed to mean? Are you meant to use it every day for 7 days? Does it take 7 days to see results? Does an application last for 7 days? I don't know!! What I do know is that this performed like a pretty average facial exfoliator. The grains were a good size, the texture firm enough not to end up down the sink, but soft enough to not tug skin when you spread it. A decent product, but at that price point I would expect something to really wow me to justify spending that extra bit of money. As it stands, you can find pretty good drugstore alternatives at no more than half the price.

4) Weleda | Millet Nourishing Shampoo

Full size: £8.95

Rating: 1/5

Oh my.... is it possible for a shampoo to leave your hair even dirtier than it was before the wash? This is an all natural product free from SLS and other foaming agents, so I wasn't expecting a rich lather anyway, but this just left my hair heavy, tangled and slightly on the oily side. Such a shame, as it has a zesty scent that is simply to die for under the shower.

5) Shiseido | Ibuki Refining Moisturizer Enriched

Full size: £42

Rating: 4.5/5

Eugh, how I miss this little pot. This was pretty much the perfect moisturiser for me. It was rich, yet lightweight and an absolute pleasure to apply. Even from this little sample size I could tell the difference it was making to my skin, which seemed clearer and just a little bit more alive. Good enough, in fact, to run errands and go shopping completely make-up free. The only downside is the price. At £42 a pop, it really ain't cheap, but I'm still hovering over the buy button, as this might just be worth a little extra splurge.

6) Louis Widmer | Skin Appeal Peeling

Full size: £11.20

Rating: 4/5

I can't say I've ever heard of a brand called Louis Widmer, but judging from the writing on the sample it seems to be a Dutch brand. The Skin Appeal series in particular is targeted at young, breakout-prone skin and while that's not exactly me (my skin is more on the combination side and my teenage years are well and truly a thing of the past), I really enjoyed using this product. It's definitely one of the harsher products I've ever had the pleasure of using, so not one for those with sensitive skin. But on the plus side, it left my skin feeling really squeaky clean, as if it literally got into every single pore to get rid of all of the rubbish that has accumulated there over time.

7) Eucerin | Dermo Densifyer Day

Full size: £24.42

Rating: 3/5

Another name that leaves me a bit baffled. I've heard of many different skin concerns, but does anyone really want their skin to be... denser...? Opening this sample I didn't think I'd get on with it at all, as it's just the type of heavy, thick cream that usually leaves me looking like I've been in an oil wrestling match, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway. Turns out it wasn't quite as bad. As it's so thick a little goes a long way on my skin type and you can definitely feel that there's something on your skin, but it's been working pretty well in the cold winter months at creating a barrier on my skin that has kept the occasional redness or dry patches completely at bay. As far as samples go it's huge and even though I've been using it for 3 months I've only just started getting to the bottom of it. I feel that while it's good on my skin, it would perform absolutely exceptional on dry to very dry skin types.

8) Rodial | 5 Minute Facial

Full size: £35

Rating: 5/5

This stuff is flippin amazing! I'd never tried anything from Rodial before and I'd highly questioned their approach to beauty with names such as "Size Zero" cream and rather dodgy looking meal replacement sticks. But, I've got to give it to them, as far as face masks go, this might just be the best that I've ever tried. It applies as a smooth cream, then dries and hardens, just like a mud mask would. You're then meant to rub off the hardened product, but I found that only about half of it came off by rubbing and I had to rinse the remainder off with water. (It also made a right mess of my bathroom sink, let me tell you that!) What I was left with was skin that was (sorry, there is no other word for it) radiant and just... just, wow. Absolutely worth the £35 - although I found it £10 cheaper on Allbeauty (see link above) and will be purchasing a full sized tube soon!

Monthly Favourites: September 2013

1) L'Oreal SkinPerfection Serum and Moisturiser

I'm writing this post on yet another make-up free day - granted I'm not working today, but I've been out and about without feeling the slightest bit self-conscious about not wearing any foundation or bb cream. You can find my full review of these products here, so I won't be waffling on too long about these, but there's something about them that my skin just really loves. They hydrate without being sticky or greasy and just leave my skin in nice, peachy condition. I've actually got quite a bit of other skincare to try, but I'm scared of putting these away just in case my skin stops looking the way it does at the moment.

2) Percy and Reed Finishing Polish

I got this as a freebie with a magazine months ago and it's just been sitting in my drawer for ages. Now that I've started using it, however, I just can't get enough of this stuff! My hair is really dry and quite coarse, so after blow-drying and even after straightening I still get quite a bit of frizz and random strands of hair that just stick up. This stuff is perfect for smoothing my hair into a glossy mane where products like oil or wax would be too heavy. And a little goes a long way, so this tube is going to last me forever!

3) Nip+Fab Dry Leg Fix

When I received this in my last Love Me Beauty box I mentioned that I had quite a problem with stupidly dry skin just on my legs and nowhere else on the body - up to a point where the skin got itchy and flaky and I couldn't stop scratching it! I was a tad sceptical at first, but this stuff has really worked miracles on my legs. They're now back to being smooth and flake and bump free. As odd as it seems to have a special cream just for your legs, my regular oils and moisturisers have completely failed in that area, while this has given me some much needed relief.

4) Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch

After these were sold out in practically every drugstore I ever went to, I finally managed to jump on the Baby Lips bandwagon! This is an absolute joy to apply, it's such a buttery soft balm that instantly softens the lips and this shade in particular leaves a gorgeous hint of pink on the lips that looks incredibly flattering. I can now see how these can get pretty addictive!

Sample Summary #10

I've had the pleasure to sample lots of pretty awesome products lately, which unfortunately also means that my beauty wish list has expanded by about thirty feet. Oh well. You ready for it?

1) L'Oreal EverRiche Shampoo

Full size: £5.99

I had a feeling that my hair might like this shampoo and I wasn't wrong at all. My hair was always pretty dry, but ever since it's been bleached it needs a lot of intensive care and moisture. A lot of shampoos won't make a difference in the state of my hair - it's something I remedy with conditioners, oils and intensive masques - but this one genuinely made my hair a lot smoother and more manageable without weighing it down at all. And it's only about £6 per bottle, while there's usually some sort of 3 for 2 deal on at Boots or Superdrug, so it's definitely going to be something I plan on purchasing soon!

2) Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation

Full size: £27.50

The shade of my sample above is 03 and I knew before even squeezing anything out of the tube, that it wouldn't match my colouring one bit - and I was right. It looked disasterously orange on me, so I waited till I had a day off to try this one on. And it's such a shame that the colour is so far off, as the texture of this foundation is absolutely lovely. It's very runny out of the tube, but dries to a perfect matte finish on the skin, lasts all day and feels lightweight throughout. Unfortunately I gave this one more go trying to match it to my skin with some lighter powder, but eventually had to give up and just bin the sample.

3) Kerastase Elixir Ultime Masque

Full size: £23.95

I was going to treat myself to a pot of this a while ago, but eventually decided to go for a more budget friendly alternative and spend my money on... erhm... can't remember. Seems like that might have been a bad decision, because this stuff is AMAZING. Seriously. Best hair masque I've ever used in my life. My hair was soft, swishy, smooth but still voluminous - I'm running out of adjectives to describe this stuff, but it's just awesome and I've decided I need it in my life.

4) Dermalogica Ultracalming Relief Masque

Full size: £39.10

Next stop on the rave train! Dermalogica have never let me down in all fairness and I've loved every single product I've ever tried. This sachet couldn't have come at a better time - I've been battling a nasty cold for what seems like forever now and the area around my nose and my mouth is red raw from excessive tissue use. This applied smoothly, didn't sting even on the sore areas and soothed and calmed my skin instantly. Admittedly, the price tag on this is very steep, so if I ever did purchase the full size, it would be more of a special occasion treat rather than an everyday skincare staple.

5) Kerastase Homme Capital Force Shampoo

Full size: £12.24

Not much I can say on this one, really. I'm not a man, so I gave this sample to my boyfriend and his comments were as enlightening as "Well, it washed my hair". Thanks. This is aimed at densifying hair with everyday use, so there isn't really much to observe after just one use. Other than that it got my boyfriend's hair clean.

6) Melvita Rose Body Milk

Full size: £16

After so much excitement to finally sample something from Melvita, this body milk was a bit of a let down. The smell was very pleasant - rosy, but not too strong or obvious. The texture, however, was a bit too runny and thin for me, providing my skin with almost no moisture. Then again, it's no secret that I'm no fan of runny body lotions or milks, so maybe if you prefer something lighter on the skin than a heavy duty body butter, then this is for you.

7) S5 Purity Serum

Full size: £44

I was a tad worried originally that this might be a little too harsh for my skin, as I don't really suffer from any breakouts, just a bit of oiliness around my T-Zone. Turns out that my fears were unfounded and this has seriously transformed my skin. I'm trialling quite a lot of new skincare at the moment, so it's a bit tricky to be able to put my finger at which product is doing exactly what, but I'm pretty sure this has helped immensely in getting my skin to the state it's at right now. Ever since I started using this serum I've not had a single blackhead and the oiliness on my T-Zone has gone down significantly - all without irritating the more delicate skin on my cheeks. 

Review: Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo and Conditioner

Last December I changed my hair colour from natural dark brown to a light blonde and I haven't looked back since. I love the way it lifts my skin tone and lets me get away with wearing much brighter colours. Hell, it sounds like a cliche, but people even treat you differently depending on your hair colour.

But, to be completely honest here, it is a right pain up the backside to maintain bleached hair. It gets dry, frazzled and occasionally turns into a shade of Simpson yellow. It's certainly not a hair colour to go for if you prefer something low-maintenance!

One thing that's literally been a lifesaver when it comes to my bleached hair turning nasty, has been purple shampoo. And as far as purple shampoos are concerned, this one from Lee Stafford is among the strongest you can find. Even when my hair basically turned orange (hard water can make this a lot worse), this baby turned it into a beautiful shade of gold.

In fact, as it's so strong I would only recommend this to medium to dark blondes. When I had some highlights put into my hair it actually turned a light shade of purple, even though I rinsed it out immediately after applying it. Even then you only really need to use it once a week, or perhaps even every other week.

As for the conditioner, I only bought it to go with the shampoo, but to be honest, you may as well leave it on the shelf. It doesn't add any colour-correcting properties and the shampoo is strong enough anyway, so you don't really need to add any more purple for the conditioner. Considering it's a conditioner aimed at bleached (read dry and frazzled) hair, it could do with being a lot richer and more nourishing than it is.

For any bleaching accidents or hair that just doesn't want to stay that lovely shade of blonde, the shampoo gets both of my thumbs up, however.

Review: Alberto Balsam Sunkissed Raspberry Shampoo and Conditioner

When I was at uni, loads of girls raved about Alberto Balsam - for cash strapped students it seemed to be the go-to shampoo and conditioner brand that promised good results at ridiculously low prices. Ironically, it was only recently that I decided to give them a go (hey, living in London is bloody expensive!) to see if they really were worth the student hype.
I picked up a bottle of the Sunkissed Raspberry shampoo and conditioner at £1 each from Poundworld, as that range promised to moisturise dry hair.

Both products come packaged in a squeezy tube and while they certainly don't look luxurious or expensive, it could be much worse at £1 per bottle. The smell is fairly artificial, but as it's pretty mild I find it rather inoffensive.
The shampoo is a tad sticky upon application (imagine squeezing out semi-set jelly), but gives an excellent lather and gets my hair nice and clean. The conditioner on the other hand is a tad slippy, so you have to use quite a lot, as it tends to just slip down the hair shaft.

I used this duo before bleaching my hair, so my tresses were in fairly good shape, apart from their natural dryness and a fair bit of frizz. Both the shampoo and the conditioner did alright. They sort of did the job of getting my hair clean and soft, but that's about it. No silky tresses, no bouncy locks. Just... clean hair. I know for a fact that if I used this due on my now pretty frazzled hair I would end up looking like a hay bale.

In the end, I suppose it comes down to personal priorities. If you're quite happy with the natural condition of your hair then these will do just fine, but personally, I'd rather invest in more expensive hair products that I know will look after my hair rather than just clean it. In a crunch, I'd say go for the cheap shampoo, but splurge a little on a conditioner from a more expensive brand for better results.