Review: Schwarzkopf Essensity Intense Repair Mask

My hunt for the perfect hair mask to quench my parched hair's thirst is somewhat of an ongoing adventure, though I gotta admit that this one's a pretty serious contender.

As far as texture goes, this hair mask is absolutely spot-on. It's got enough slip to massage into hair easily, but is also thick and creamy enough not to drip out of the hair while you leave it to sink in.
I used this every other wash instead of conditioner and it worked an absolute treat on my hair.

It does that wonderful thing of being really nourishing but without making the hair feel heavy afterwards. It adds shine and it even seems like my hair didn't take quite as long to blow dry afterwards.

The only downside? The pot is on the smaller side, so it really didn't last that long - about a month of using it 1-2 times a week and it was gone. It's definitely something I'd look to repurchase, though!

Review: Mark Hill Intensive Conditioning Mask

Every other hair wash, I slap on something thick, gooey and nourishing on my hair. A hair mask or deep conditioner is as deeply embedded in my beauty routine as filing my nails when they break off. As my hair is naturally quite dry and bleaching it makes it extra brittle, it's not a step I could ever imagine skipping. As a result, I've tried a lot of products that claim to bring back your hair from the brink of near-death, from budget to high end (but mainly on the budget side of things).

As such, this is one that sits very snugly in the middle. It's got a very satisfying scoopy texture... you know, when you just get a nice feeling scooping it up with your hands...? ...no? I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's neither too runny, so you don't have to worry about it dripping out of your hair, nor so thick that you can't spread it evenly. It's got a sweet and fruity scent but by no means is it overpowering.

One thing I do really like about this is that it only takes a few minutes to get to work. None of that wrapping hair in a towel, waiting for half an hour and then getting back in the shower faff. This I just slap on, then I do my showery-exfoliatey-shavey things and it's ready to be rinsed off again.
It's more of a quick fix, however, than a long term solution. Post shower, my hair is left soft and silky, but without having the ingredients right here in front of me, I can almost swear blindly, that it ought to be down to some silicone magic - so it's not one for you if that's an ingredient you avoid in your hair products!

Personally, while I do try to shake it up a little from time to time, silicones are not an ingredient that I avoid altogether, though I do make an effort to go on silicone breaks to let my hair breathe occasionally. As far as other drugstore masks go, I'd say this is definitely superior to other cheap and cheerful options, such as Herbal Essences, albeit I wouldn't recommend it as a long term solution if your hair is brittle and damaged.

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: 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.

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. 

Neal & Wolf Ritual and Harmony Review

It's been a while since Neal & Wolf sent me a few of their haircare products to try out and review. I'm not entirely sure what took me so long to finally write up this review, as the two products I'd like to talk about today are genuinely brilliant and were an absolute joy to use!

Let's start with the Ritual Daily Cleansing Shampoo. I'll be honest with you right away and admit that I did not use this every day - but that's because I never wash my hair daily for two reasons:
1) It's not that great for my hair type to wash every day.
2) I'm way too lazy for that.

The shampoo has a very pleasant, slightly sweet salon scent (I get a good whiff of almond in there), though the smell does not linger on the hair once it's been washed out. It lathers really well and while there's normally not much I'd say about a shampoo, I do have to admit that this is somehow better than my usual cheap drugstore varieties. While it gets my hair perfectly clean, it doesn't make it feel stripped or straw-like like it often does with other shampoos. My bleached and treated hair wouldn't forgive me, but I reckon that with a normal hair type you could get away with skipping conditioner every once in a while and still end up with soft hair.

As for the Harmony Intensive Care Treatment I've already mentioned it a few times, but I simply cannot sing its praises high enough! I use this deep conditioner once a week, apply it to hair in the shower and let it do its work while I shave, exfoliate, etc...
It leaves me with silky and soft hair that is not greasy or heavy in any way. It does not sit like a film on hair to make it smooth like silicone-heavy hair masks often can. Hair feels really, deeply nourished and I get a lot less frizz, even in this horrible humid weather.

As for the packaging, both products look very elegant and luxurious on my bathroom shelves with their sleek packaging and I'm quite happy to have them both on display.

Personally, I always struggle to justify spending money on high-end hair care, but these two products have really been a bit of an eye-opener for me. I didn't see the benefits straight away - it probably took about 3 to 5 washes until I realised that my hair condition had just improved a lot. I'm already on my second tube of Harmony and I cannot think of any hair types that I would not recommend these to. They restore and they nourish, but without being too heavy even for fine hair - something I'd been looking for and could not find in many other products for a very long time.

The Ritual Daily Cleansing Shampoo retails at £10.95 while the Harmony Intensive Care Treatment goes for £12.95 (but you can also buy a gift set containing both products for £19.95)

Monthly Favourites: June 2013

Last month has been absolutely brilliant for discovering new products that I really, really like, so it was about time to whack em all into one neat little post just in time for the monthly favourites!

1) Neal & Wolf Intensive Care Treatment

For months I was absolutely obsessed with Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle and while I still think it's an absolutely amazing product, I've now found something that's just as good (or perhaps even better?) for my frazzled tresses. It leaves hair silky smooth, soft and easy to work with without making it all sticky or weighed down by heavy ingredients. What's not to love?

2) Bourjois Cream Blush in 03 Rose Tender

For years I used to avoid cream blushes, as they'd leave a shiny, slobby film on my cheeks that would slide off after about half an hour tops. Oh, how times have changed and the latest cream-to-powder formulations cannot be beaten for longevity and workability. On the high street, this new Bourjois formula is my new favourite alongside my beloved Topshop blushes. I'd say the Topshop ones are better for bright, heavily pigmented colour, while those that are after a more natural and easy-to-use colour are best off with Bourjois. You can read my full review here.

3) Models Own Nail Polish in Pink Punch

I bought this shade back in December, but now that the sun's finally out it really comes into its own. I am absolutely obsessed with neons at the moment and this colour just glows in the sun light like there's no tomorrow. It also looks brilliant against tanned skin and makes me happy every time I look at my finger tips. Lasting power is about average and depends heavily on the top coat you use with it.

4) Palmers Cocoa Butter Body Scrub

I'm not a massive fan of the Palmers Body Butter and to be completely honest I only picked up this scrub because that's the only one that wasn't sold out in my local Superdrug. And I'm completely blown away. It's like a rich body butter that dissolves into creamy, gooey deliciousness once on the skin, with loads of little scrubby particles suspended within. It smells absolutely amazing and satisfies my need for proper mechanical exfoliation all the while being soft and gentle on the skin. Cannot possibly recommend this enough.

5) Amie New Leaf Exfoliating Polish

Anyone else notice that face and body scrubs pop up quite a lot on my monthly favourites lists? Admittedly, I do love that stuff quite a lot. This one came in last month's Beautecobox and I loved it from the moment I opened the little tube. It smells like Solero ice cream and really gets my skin squeaky clean, but without causing any irritation. A perfect product for in-the-shower scrubbers who need something a little stronger that won't wash off straight away.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Review

You know something's good when I keep mentioning it whenever talking about other products, or even just about my hair in general. I can't believe it's taken me this long to actually write up a full length review - I'm on my fourth tub so far and it's become a staple, can't-live-without-it product in my hair care regime.

I've always been a big fan of hair masks, as my hair is naturally quite dry, frizzy and prone to breakage and split ends. Unfortunately, many drugstore hair masks will leave me with an instant hit of moisture and softness, but a day later my hair will be brittle and rough again, with each application being less effective than the previous one.

The moment I tried this, I knew it would be different. The texture is thick and gloopy, as you'd expect from a deep conditioner, though it didn't have quite as much slip as some other products I've tried. As a result, it doesn't slide off hair while I let it do its work in the shower, but still washes out easily enough.
I love the fact that 3 minutes is honestly enough for this to work its magic, though you can make it more potent by leaving it in for longer. I tend to use this every other hair wash, washing my hair straight away, then applying some 3 Minute Miracle and then I proceed to do all my other showery bits, like exfoliating and shaving.

The result is some seriously glossy, thick and just healthy hair. It just seems to undo whatever bad things I've thrown at my tresses and turn them into the best possible condition they can be. As a matter of fact, it really came into its own when my hair went through FOUR bleaches (don't try this at home) to get it to the blonde I have right now. I fully expected it to snap off my head entirely, but with diligent use of 3 Minute Miracle it's as if it's never been chemically treated at all. Even my hair dresser couldn't believe how thick and healthy my hair is after everything it's been through.

Now, I can't help but mention the packaging. The product comes in a squeezy tube without a lid - it just sort of has a little, errr... glory hole at the bottom. It comes out easily enough, is easy to dose right and never spills or leaves a mess, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do if I want to take this on holiday with me, as I can just imagine it going everywhere in a suitcase.
On another side note, the smell is gorgeous and I've had quite a few compliments on how good my hair smells after using this.

It's fair to say I'm utterly addicted, but at £4.99 for a 250ml tub which lasts around the two month mark, it's an affordable addiction to have.

L'Oréal Paris EverStrong Nourishing Intense Mask review

It was only at the beginning of the year that I realised that silicones and sulphates in my hair care might be responsible for all of my hair woes. As a result I went on a big hair detox and only gradually re-introduced certain products. And surprisingly, my hair did seem to improve (apart from when I started testing about a million hair products at once, but that's another story)! So imagine my surprise when L'Oréal (of all brands...) decided to launch an affordable hair care range that was free of any petrochemical nasties earlier this year.

Erst gegen Anfang dieses Jahres bin ich darauf aufmerksam geworden, dass Silikone und Sulfate in meinen Haarprodukten für all meine Haarsorgen verantwortlich sein könnten. Im Anschluss darauf habe ich eine große Haar-Entgiftungs-Aktion gestarted und bestimmte Produkte nur nach und nach wieder eingeführt. Überraschenderweise haben sich meine Haare seitdem tatsächlich verbessert (außer als ich angefangen habe, etwas eine Million Haarprodukte auf einmal zu testen, aber das ist eine ganz andere Geschichte)! Ich war also recht überrascht, als (ausgerechnet) L'Oréal vor einiger Zeit mit einer erschwinglichen Haarpflegeserie frei von petrochemischen Bösewichten auf den Markt kam.

I've been using this every other wash (which works out at once to twice a week) and I have to say that it did seem to improve my hair. It didn't make it soft and silky and slippery like your typical drug store hair masks do, but instead it seemed to improve my hair structure and bring it back to its old thickness and strength.

Diese Maske habe ich jede zweite Haarwäsche benutzt (also etwa ein- bis zweimal pro Woche) und ich muss sagen, dass sie meine Haare wirklich verbessert hat. Sie waren danach nicht so weich und seidig und glitschig wie von typischen Drogeriemasken, aber die Haarstruktur war tatsächlich besser und erinnerte an meine dicken und kräftigen Haare von vor Jahren.

The feeling I get after using this and drying my hair is really odd, actually. It doesn't seem to get rid of all the dryness in my hair, so it feels course and smooth at the same time - kind of like a microfiber cloth. It's a very strange sensation and one I also had when I used a sample of the EverPure shampoo. However, I tend to apply a bit of hair oil on top for an extra moisture boost and as a result I get strong, but smooth hair that isn't weighed down - a problem I've had with about 95% of hair care I've tried.

Die Haare fühlen sich nach jeder Anwendung sehr eigenartig an. Es bleibt etwas Trockenheit übrig, also fühlen sich die Haare gleichzeitig rau und weich an - in etwa wie ein Mikrofaser-Tuch. Das Gefühl ist äußerst seltsam und ich hatte es auch, nachdem ich eine Probe mit dem EverPure Shampoo benutzt hatte. Ich benutze jedoch danach ein paar Tropfen Haaröl für einen extra Feuchtigkeitsschub und das Resultat ist kräftiges, aber weiches und unbeschwertes Haar. Bislang hatten nämlich etwa 95% aller Haarpflegeprodukte meine Haare etwas geplättet.

The texture of this is also something special. It's a white, extremely thick and rich cream - think of a very heavy body butter and you're there. Now I know, that you're not supposed to apply hair masks to your roots, but with my dry hair I could always get away with it. With this one however, I'll get super greasy roots straight away, so it's strictly for ends and mid-lengths only. Unfortunately the thick texture also means it will leave a really disgusting, horrible mess in your plug after rinsing out. You've been warned! Thanks to its richness I only need a small amount for every use and the tub has lasted me a long time and is still going strong.

Die Konsistenz ist auch etwas Besonderes: Eine weiche, extrem dicke und reichhaltige Creme - in etwa wie eine schwere Körperbutter. Ich weiß ja, dass man Haarmasken nicht auf den Ansatz auftragen soll, doch bei meiner trockenen Mähne war das bislang kein Problem. Hiermit kriege ich jedoch richtig fettigen Ansatz, also ist es wirklich nur für die Spitzen und die Mittelpartie gedacht. Leider bedeutet die dickflüssige Konsistenz auch, dass nach jedem Ausspülen eine richtig eklige Schicht im Abfluss stecken bleibt. Ich habe euch gewarnt! Dank ihrer Reichhaltigkeit habe ich jedoch immer nur eine kleine Menge benutzen müssen und somit reicht der Tiegel auch für eine lange Zeit.

The scent I'm not a big fan of... it smells very sweet and artificial, like walking into a scented candle shop where you get bludgeoned with the smell of fake vanilla. It's a matter of taste though, and if you only use small amounts it's not too overwhelming.

Den Geruch finde ich nicht so prickelnd.... die Maske riecht sehr süß und künstlich, wie wenn man in ein Geschäft voller Duftkerzen geht und vom chemischen Vanillegeruch erschlagen wird. Das ist natürlich Geschmackssache und wenn man nur kleinere Mengen benutzt, ist der Duft auch nicht allzu überwältigend.

This product has definitely sparked my interest in sulphate free hair care. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to repurchase this one once I run out or try one from a different brand. However, this one didn't disappoint me and did exactly what it said on the tin, so if you're looking for an affordable hair pick-me-up, this might just be it.

Das Produkt hat bei mir definitiv Interesse in sulphatfreier Haarpflege geweckt. Ich weiß noch nicht, ob ich mir noch einen Tiegel kaufe, sobald dieser leer ist, oder eine Maske einer anderen Firma. Diese hier hat mich jedenfalls nicht enttäuscht und tat, was sie versprach. Wenn ihr also auf der Suche nach einem erschwinglichen Produkt, das dem Haar mehr von diesem "gewissen etwas" gibt, könnte sie für euch genau richtig sein.

L'Oréal EverStrong Nourishing Intense Mask retails at £6.99 for 200ml. Unfortunately, only the EverPure range is available for purchase in Germany and not the EverStrong or EverSleek products.

Leider ist nur die EverPure Reihe in Deutschland erhältlich und nicht die EverStrong oder EverSleek - Produkte. Hoffentlich ändert sich das bald!

Lee Stafford Treatment for Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length Review and Blog Update

How ironic that I'm posting about this just a day after having a major portion of my hair chopped off at the hair dresser's. There's also a bit of a personal blurb affecting this blog which I've stuck at the end of this post in case you're interested in reading that.

The name is quite a mouthful - it's never a good sign if it doesn't even fit into the title bar on Blogger! When it comes to the packaging I love the hot pink design, as it stands out nicely among my mostly white shower goodies, but I absolutely hate the mixed upper and lower case writing. I feel it's childish and cheap, but of course the packaging is sturdy enough, so it won't crack if you accidentally drop it in the bath. The lid is a screwtop type of lid, so it's safe to throw into your suitcase and take it on holiday with you.

I was stood in Boots for a while, torn between this and the same brand's Argan oil mask, but seeing as I'd already heard a few good things about this hair treatment this one popped into my basket. It also helped that at £7.99 it cost almost half as much as the other one. For that price you get a decent 200ml tub which will last a fair while. It's slightly more expensive than the likes of Herbal Essences and Pantene, but I'd still place it at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The product inside the tub is of what I would call your typical hair mask consistency. It's fairly thick, creamy and rich. Sticky enough to stick to your hair, but you still need to be careful not to grab a huge amount or the majority will end up down the plug. I expected the scent to match the pink packaging and be something incredibly sweet and sickly, but as a matter of fact it has a quite herbal scent which is not particularly noticable once it's on your hair.

The instructions state that you should use an egg sized amount on your hair every time after shampooing, then leave it on for 5 minutes, rinse off and use conditioner as usual. You're supposed to do this every time you wash your hair until its condition improves and then continue using it just once a week.
Obviously I didn't do that. I found that an egg sized amount of product was way too much, even when my hair was longer, as I mainly used it on my tips and only used a tiny amount on my roots, because I didn't want to make my hair all flat and limp. I also only used it once a week from the start.

Now, about my hair... I tried growing it, but the ideal of a long, thick, luscious mane never came true for me. As soon as my hair gets to "that certain length", it loses all its life and becomes flat and dry. Any products that combat dryness make it even flatter, whereas any products that combat flatness make it even drier. A lose/lose situation.

This treatment seemed to make a difference from the very first time I used it. My hair felt nice and moisturised and though it wasn't as silky smooth as some other treatments make it feel it didn't weigh my hair down either. It seems to provide that perfect middle ground between rich enough to make a difference and grease-inducing.

I feel I need to point out that this treatment does include silicones, but unlike some other drugstore hair masks I tried it didn't seem to cause silicone build up on my hair, despite the fact that I've now used the majority of the tub. Unlike those other masks it also doesn't give you that initial high shine that wears off after a day. Instead my hair literally feels a bit thicker and the results last a few days.

What it didn't do was make my hair grow longer. My tips were simply beyond repair, so I got them cut to just about shoulder-length. I actually have high hopes for this product and I feel that if used regularly it could help hair to stay healthy for longer and as a matter of fact grow past that certain length.



In other news:
Unfortunately this will be the last post for a while from me. I know they've been a bit sparse lately, but that's because I had a small backlog of posts which I wanted to spread out as much as I could. Well, this is the last one I've had as a backup.

You may have heard me moan about an arm injury before, which I've been having trouble with since last summer. It turns out it's a lot worse than anybody thought and the only way I'll ever be able to use my right wrist properly again is to have some major surgery, which I can't get on the NHS. I'm currently in Germany to have it done privately, but even here the first doctor I went to refused to do it and just told me to learn to live without my right arm.
I'm now going to go see someone else and if they go ahead with the operation I'll be off the radar for a couple of weeks. If they don't then I'll probably be back to full time blogging in about two weeks, though I'll obviously be pretty upset.

I hope you can stick with me through these depressing times and I promise I'll be back as soon as this is all over.

Edit: I've now found out I'll be here till mid-April, so towards the end of next month normal blogging shall resume with a few new categories thrown in for good measure!