The Products I've Used Up #1

Does anyone else ever find themselves questioning whether all their beauty products conspire to conveniently run out at the same time? I found myself wondering this as within a week my beloved haircare, skincare and makeup products reached the end of their life. With payday not yet here, rather than mourn the loss of my beauty items I decided to take the opportunity to write my first empty products post. As someone who loves putting new products to the test and so often ends up with drawers filled with half used items; I am excited to share those that I loved enough to reach the bottom. 

1. Haircare

As someone that prioritises looking after their locks, I have managed to work my way through two leave-in treatments, two hair oils and my favourite shampoo and conditioner. I am sad to see both my Lee Stafford Hair Growth Leave-In Treatment and Label M Protein Spray reach the end of their life. I have frizzy, weak hair that is constantly tangled up in knots and so a leave-in spray is an essential part of my routine. I will feel at a lost without either of these when I am battling a brush through my freshly washed locks. 

I am a huge advocate that a hair oil is essential for keeping your hair in the best condition. I always run an oil through the mid-length and ends of my hair after I have washed it and before any styling takes place. This protects against heat, prevents split ends and leaves your hair feeling soft, thick and looking healthy. A good hair oil doesn’t have to break the bank and two favourites of mine are the Organix Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil and dr. organic Hair Treatment Serum. Both of these are purse friendly and last forever as only a sparing amount is needed to restore shine and achieve silky soft ends. 

A more recent yet permanent addition to my haircare routine are the L’Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Shampoo and Conditioner. I simply cannot rave about this duo enough and I have already repurchased the pair. They smell amazing and leave my hair noticeably soft and incredibly nourished. Unlike most products aimed at conditioning dry hair, my hair is not left feeling weighed down and limp but is volumised with a lustrous shine. For anyone else struggling with lifeless hair then read my 5 Steps to Luscious Locks.

2. Skincare

Anyone that has been reading my blog will know by now that I recently discovered and fell in love with Tropic Skincare; a 100% natural, vegan and cruelty free line of products that you can read a full review on here. Sadly my Tropic Vitamin Toner has been the first of my collection to reach the end of its life, perhaps because I have been seriously over spritizing. I use it not only after I moisturise but whenever my skin needs a refreshing pick me up throughout the day.

I am also on the final dregs of My Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water and will without a doubt be repurchasing this. The massive 400ml bottle lasts forever and a few drops on a cotton wool pad will instantly dissolve all traces of eye makeup without irritating my sensitive skin. This is a great more affordable and accessible alternative to the coveted Bioderma. 

3. Makeup

I am sad to see my Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara completely finished off and my collection feels incomplete without it. This is the perfect daytime mascara as it creates amazing length and volume without clumping and looking unnatural. This is one of my favourite drugstore brands and one that I will be running out very soon to replace.

My final empty product is the L’Oreal Paris Nude Magique Blur Cream and sadly this is one that I don’t think I will be repurchasing. I was hoping that this would be a great dupe for the Benefit Porefessional however, whilst the appearance is the same, performance wise it failed to meet my expectations. The consistency is not as smooth as the Porefessional and I am suspicious that this pretty lilac tube is only half filled. I was disappointed with the speed at which it ran out especially considering that I only use a pea-sized amount at a time. I would rather pay more for the Benefit primer that performs better, applies seamlessly and lasts five-times longer.

That’s it for my first ever and rather lengthy empty products post. I would love to hear what you all think in the comments below as well as the products that you have recently used up. You can also message me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. In the mean time I will be planning a rather needed and expensive trip to my nearest Boots!

Devon

xoxo

Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13599149/?claim=hxw5eqfq2ba">Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Haircare : 5 Steps to Luscious Locks

As a girl that has always dreamed of a ponytail worthy of Disney Princess status, I am constantly trying to keep my locks in the best condition possible. I struggle with fragile hair that seems to be constantly shedding; however I have a few tricks that I use to keep my hair nourished, thick and looking healthy.

1. Clean and Condition

Good hair all starts with a good shampoo and conditioner. I am currently obsessed with the L’Oreal Paris Elvive Triple Resist; specifically made to strengthen weak hair from root to tip. This is an amazing duo, not only is my hair left smelling amazing but it is soft and thoroughly nourished without feeling weighed down. I would recommend these to anyone with limp hair looking to add thickness and strength as this is the perfect starting point for improving the condition. 

2. Detangle and Protect

I leave my hair up in towel after I’ve washed it and instead of rubbing, I gently squeeze sections at a time. I then always use a conditioning and protecting spray. A long-time favourite of mine is the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Leave In Treatment; a leave-in conditioner to strengthen and encourage growth by feeding your hair a powerhouse of follicle-fuelling proteins. It is a lightweight spray and leaves my hair feeling incredibly soft and thick.

3. Tangle Teaser

I never brush my hair when in the shower as this is when it is is at its weakest and most prone to falling out. I simply smooth the conditioner through with my hands. I then use my Tangle Teaser Aqua Splash to brush my towel dried hair after I have sprayed it with a leave-in treatment. This brush helps to gently detangle without ripping my hair out; like I often find when battling with a normal brush through my unruly mane. 

4. Nourish with Oil

I have always been an advocate that the secret to good hair is a good oil. This doesn't have to break the bank, the Organix Extra Strength Moroccan Argan Oil has been a constant favourite of mine and is entirely affordable at just £6.99. I love adding this through the mid length and ends of my hair after I have brushed it. This leaves them feeling soft, protects against damage and I now have thick rather than split ends. 

5. No Heat

The final step I take in protecting my hair, is using as little heat on it as possible. I allow the majority of my hair to air dry and then use a hairdryer on the lowest setting to style around my face. I rarely use my straighteners these days and if I do it is only on small sections where my hair has dried in its signature awkward wave. I do not need to worry too much whenever I do use heat as the conditioning spray and oil work wonders as a protectant. 

I hope this handful of hair care tips help anyone else struggling with unruly locks. I would love to hear how you care for your hair in the comments below. You can also get in touch over Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for reading!

Devon

xoxo


Follow">http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13599149/?claim=hxw5eqfq2ba">Follow my blog with Bloglovin