L'Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil

L'Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil is a lightweight leave-in hair care treatment enriched with a special blend of avocado and grape seed oil. It nourishes all hair types. Suitable for even the finest hair, the formula leaves hair looking shiny, feeling nourished and supple. It moisturises coloured, chemically treated and excessively blow dryed or straightened hair and provides anti-frizz protection.

According to the instructions I found on lorealprofessionnel.co.uk apply Mythic Oil to various sections of the hair before blow-drying, allowing the formula to pamper your tired locks. Then blow-dry hair as usual. You can also apply to dry hair as a finishing touch, to give extra shine.

I have been dying my hair blonde for the last seven years, so I need to make sure to use nourishing products. My hair is also quite fine and easily becomes greasy. Sadly many nourishing and especially moisturising products make this problem worse. Up until now I used hair serums to protect the ends of my hair before blow drying and to prevent split ends. I have been happy with the protection, however was looking for something more lightweight. I used the Avon Advance Techniques Daily Shine Dry Ends Serum for many years and was quite happy with it. Then about a year ago I decided to try something new and got the John Frieda Frizz - Ease Thermal Protection Hair Serum. I was not too happy with this serum, it weighted down my hair and made the ends feel greasy and I didn’t feel like it provided any nourishment.

I am, however very happy with L'Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil. It provides excellent nourishment, while not weighing down my hair at all. My hair feels healthy, moisturized and not at all greasy even though I have been using two pumps of product! I have been using it just like I use moisturiser on my body, applying as much as I feel necessary. I just wish it also had a detangling ingredient and it would be perfect. 

StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate

The first product from my glossybox I have decided to write about is the new StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate. This is the product I was most excited about, so as soon as I got my box I ran to the bathroom to try it out.

I have been working two jobs for the last three months and I was horrified by what I saw in the mirror every morning! I didn’t think my tiredness would be visible so quickly. I probably should be going to bed around 8pm, however that’s not as easy as it sounds. There’s always something to do or watch and before I realise its after 10pm and I’m rushing to bed. You would think eight – nine hours is enough sleep, but sadly my body disagrees. The week before my glossybox came I almost cried one morning when I saw the state of my face in the morning  and anyone who would have seen me then would have thought I had, because my eyes actually looked like I had wept all night long. They were red and puffy and my sleep lines looked like ridges and were not disappearing! So you can see why I was dying to try StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate.

New StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate is a multi-dimensional eye cream targeting crow’s feet, dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. The original StriVectin-SD Eye is now formulated with more peptides, brighteners and soft focus light diffusers. And the formula has beenre-engineered with patented NIA-114 technology, discovered in skin cancer research to accelerate the rebuilding of skin layers. This blend is even more powerful than the original, with four-times more peptides and patented NIA-114 technology. It is clinically proven to visibly diminish lines, creases, dark circles, and puffiness in 2 - 8 weeks.

According to Clinical Results after eight weeks of use, subjects displayed:

- 29% reduction in droopiness.

- 27% improvement in puffiness.

- 25% reduction in deep wrinkles.

As soon as my I opened my glossybox I went straight to the bathroom to wash my face and apply my StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate. It is a white slightly thick cream that absorbs very quickly, which I am very happy about, as I don’t like having anything heavy around my eyes. Its fragrance free, so less chance of irritation and comes in a tube which makes it very easy to dose the right amount. I didn’t feel any tingling or irritation that some people have mentioned, which I must admit I was a bit worried about. I didn’t want a red rash around my eyes. At first I was careful not to use any other products on top just in case, but when I’m rushing about in the morning I don’t always manage to pay attention to this. It seems to be quite delicate though, as I have not had any irritation from products mixing, probably because it absorbs quite quickly.

I have been using it for a week now and I can see some improvements, not as great as I was hoping for, especially taking into consideration that some of the improvement will be due to the fact that I had 3 days off. I definitely see reduced puffiness and the area under my eyes is brighter, although dark circles were never really my problem. My main problem is puffiness and bags under my eyes, which does seem a little better. I will need to stick to the two times a day – morning and evening routine to see more results though. According to the description the results follow the below clinically proven timeline:

Week 2: Increases energy; reduces dark circles and puffiness.

Week 4: Renews natural collagen; increases firmness, improves texture.

Week 8: Reinforces elasticity; visibly diminishes lines and crow’s feet.

They advise to follow these usage directions consistently twice a day to get the significant results you see in the timeline, which I have been doing religiously so I hope to see better and better effects. They also promise that results will keep improving over time, if you keep using the product twice a day.

Glossybox

My very first Glossybox came in the post today and I am extremely excited! I came across glossybox.co.uk online by accident, while bored at work. I had been reading blogs and somehow ended up on glossybox.co.uk and I am so glad I did. I actually wish I had come across them sooner! The concept is great and I have missed a few cool boxes. I was lucky enough to get an amazing first box though, so no regrets.

Glossybox is a monthly subscription service. Register on their website and for a monthly fee of £10 plus £2.95 p&p you’ll receive 5 luxury product miniatures from high-end brands every month. Your Glossybox will be sent directly to your door every month along with product information and money off codes to buy the products online.

Products vary every month and not everyone gets the same box, so I was extremely happy to get the box I really wanted. I had to sit through a very long and boring day at work before I could finally go home and open my beautiful box. Needless to say it felt like the longest Tuesday ever.

My box contains:

1. HD Brows Eye & Brow palette in Foxy

A palette of four matte shadows, that can be used as eye shadow, brow shadow and eyeliner which claims to last 24hrs. I will definitely be using this as eye and brow shadow but I’m not too keen on using shadow as eyeliner, as I prefer the effect I get from liquid eyeliners. However this would definitely come in handy if I was going away for the night or weekend and couldn’t pack a lot. Came with a £5 off code to use on HD Brows products.

2. L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil

A full size product! I’ve always used a serum on the ends of my hair because I dye it blonde which really dries it out, so I am really looking forward to trying this product on my hair. It’s enriched with a blend of avocado and grape seed oil. It claims to be suitable for all hair types and lightweight, leaving hair shiny and supple and I really hope it doesn’t weight down and grease my hair.

3. Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

I have wanted to try this product for a very long time now but as it’s quite expensive I’ve never really been able to justify it and have stuck to using baby oil, but if this really is as good as everyone says I may just be tempted to splurge and use my 20% off code from glossybox. It’s a multi-function  dry oil made of 6 precious oils and 98% natural ingredients. It can be used on your face, body or hair.

4. Plum by Mary Greenwell eau de parfum

Sample size of this signature fragrance from renowned celebrity makeup artist Mary Greenwell. I must say I’m not too excited about this one but it does smell nice. It’s not the kind of smell I would go for but I will either pop it in my bag for one of those days when I run out without my perfume on or give it to my Mum as it seems more like her kind of smell. Included is a 20% off code when purchasing a second product on her website, which I don’t think I’ll be using as I prefer designer fragrances.

5. StriVecin SD eye concentrate

This is the product I was longing for and actually jumped up with excitement when I saw I got the box with it. I have been working two jobs for the last 3 months and the bags under my eyes are huge, so I am really looking forward to using this. This is a new formula for even greater results targeting crow’s feet, dark circles and puffiness and I got a £10 off code for my next purchase!

I will be posting soon with my thoughts on the products. First off will probably be the StriVectin SD Eye Concentrate as I will start using it tonight.

I can’t wait for next month’s box!!! 

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes

“Hypnose Doll Eyes coats every single lash without weighting them down, for a wide-eye look. The cone shaped brush is carefully developed to assure the ideal load on each lash, even in the inner corner of the eye. The exclusive Fibershine formula, enriched with nylon powders, offers perfect load and beautiful curve for seductive fanned out lashes. A must-have mascara for a volumised, extended, lifted lash look.” – lancome.co.uk

I have to be honest this mascara is not what I expected. All the mascaras coming out recently have been mainly false lash effect and I was expecting the same from this one, but think about a doll’s lashes: they’re long, curled and perfectly separated and this is the effect you will get from Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes.

It is a bit tricky to use at first due to the cone shape of the wand but once you get the hang of it the effect is lovely. Genuine doll eyes.

I tend to make a zig zag move when I put on my mascara and usually use the outer end of the wand vertically on my outer lashes to fan them out, so it took a lot of effort to use this one horizontally to make the best use of the specially designed shape. The wand is also slightly too wide to fit in the outer corners of my eyes so it was quite hard for me to coat my outer lashes, which are the most important part to get right to create this wide eyed look. Its ideal for putting mascara on someone else though.

The formula however is perfect. It coats lashes without clumping, separates and lengthens. So, once you get used to using the wand the effects are lovely. A true doll eye effect. I recommend two coats and it’s best to apply the second coat straight away as the mascara does dry quite quickly.

I also love the signature Lancome rose smell, although a few of you may be put off.

I’ve been using this mascara for special occasions, nights out and on days when I need to make myself feel good. Definitely, my favourite mascara right now.

from Facebook Hypnose Doll Eyes App

Garnier BB cream

I thought I’d start my blog off with a post about the new Garnier BB cream as it’s one of my favourite beauty products to come out recently. The reason it is my favourite is because it really is very good quality, especially for the price of £9.99 and it’s a massive time saver in the morning and I would do anything for that extra 5 minutes sleep in the morning.

Firstly, for this price it really is hard to find a good moisturiser and foundation and this product easily does the job of both and more as the product is a 5 in 1: moisturiser, sun protection, primer, concealer and foundation.
Secondly, I am easily convinced by anything that has added “goodness” and this BB cream has mineral pigments and vitamin C.
Thirdly, it smells lovely and has a soft texture which makes it a pure pleasure to put on.

Up until recently my beauty regime had consisted of: moisturiser with SPF 15 in autumn/winter and SPF 30 in spring/summer, primer on days when I wanted my make-up to last longer, foundation, concealer and a finish of powder to set my make-up. This product has cut my regime to two basic products: Garnier BB cream and powder to finish off. I have been sticking to my usual make-up routine after my BB cream and using powder to set it, blusher and bronzer for a healthier look and my usual eye make-up and mascara. I have been using Garnier BB cream for over a month now and am still very happy with the product. It makes my morning routine a lot simpler and cheaper.

I bought the new Garnier BB cream Miracle Skin Perfector as I had finished my moisturiser and was looking around for new one to try, as my foundation was almost finished too I decided to give this a try. I have always been a huge fan of Garnier skincare products and I figured in the worst case I would just use this as a moisturiser/primer. The product description claims it evens skin tone and boosts glow, blurs imperfections, smooths fine lines and provides 24hr hydration and luckily this product does do a lot of what it promises. It has a lovely fruity/floral scent and a dewy finish that is perfect for that summery look and it does last the day if I am not in the office, unfortunately sitting in front of a computer for a couple hours seems to make my skin absorb my make-up, so I do need a touch-up at lunch time. Fortunately this product is perfect for touch-ups. It glides on nicely and doesn’t give that cakey look, so you can touch it up as much as you like throughout the day without looking like you have a ton of make-up on. The product does blur imperfections and even out redness a bit, however I do still need to use concealer if I have a blemish and on my nose – as my nose always turns red. I’m also not sure how it will fare once it starts getting colder, as my skin turns red the moment I am a bit cold and I usually need more coverage during the cold months.
The Garnier BB cream comes in two shades: light and medium. I chose light, as I am quite fair. I must admit I was a bit shocked when I first opened it, as it seems quite dark, but luckily it adapts perfectly. I have also seen the product on a friend of mine, who is much lighter than me and it was invisible. Invisible in a good way - meaning neither one of us has a visible line where the foundation ends.

On garnier.com you can read that you can “use it on its own, use it as a primer, when you get up, after the gym, a post-work touch up, pre-date beautifier... the list is endless. Get radiant, flawless and clear skin in one simple step with the exceptional NEW B.B Balm from Garnier. Garnier B.B cream provides instantly perfected skin with an even tone and boosted glow, for skin that looks healthy and dewy without looking caked or shimmery.” I must say that for the first time I am completely sold on a product it really does deliver and I can definitely see why BB creams have been such a huge hit in Asia and Hollywood.