Product Review: Garnier Ultimate Blends Marvellous Transformer Shampoo & Conditioner

So I received a free sample of this Shampoo and Conditioner and as I'd ran out of my Aussie Shampoo I'd thought I'd give this a go..



Photograph(s) Source: Superdrug.com

Description, Packaging and Price
Description on Superdrug.com:
'Tailor-made for Dry, Dull hair Signature blend with Argan & Camellia Oils. Our opulent Ultimate Blends Marvellous Transformer Shampoo blended with Moroccan Argan Oil and time-honoured Japanese indulgence Camellia Oil, leaves hair squeaky clean and feeling soft to the touch. Use with the Ultimate Blends Marvellous Transformer Conditioner for beautifully nourished, supple feeling hair with a glowing shine. RESULT: Up to 48 hours glowing shine, incredible suppleness.'

Packaging and Price:
The packaging is pretty standard for Shampoo and Conditioner. Nothing exciting to me. The colours are orange and gold, I think they're going for a Moroccany, oils and aroma look which reflects the product. The bottles sizes are 250ml and 400ml. The 250ml bottles retail for £2.79 and 400ml with RRP of £3.99 but Superdrug.com have them currently on offer for £1.92!!

The product
Overall, I have to say I liked both. The shampoo however does not lather well, it just feels like oil so I was a bit sceptical about my hair looking greasy as it applied all over my scalp. Luckily The conditioner was the perfect consistency. The smell of both was fresh, floral and sweet (almost like honey).

My hair feels clean, light and hydrated so pretty much job done. I suffer from dry ends and this has definitely helped to eliminate the 'dry 'hay/straw-like' ends so I would definitely recommend if you're looking to give your hair a fresh boost. Thumbs up from me!


Thanks for reading and please comment any feedback you have :) 
CS xx

What I've been loving throughout summer

Since Summer is almost over *crying face* I thought I'd sum up what I've been loving this summer.

Make Up
So starting with the most important (I think anyway!), make up!


Photograph Source: Avon.com


I've recently tried a new Avon foundation and I've been very impressed with it. It is light but buildable coverage and feels light and refreshing on the skin. It seems more like a BB cream than a foundation to me as it is moisturising on the skin and is filled with vitamins and antioxidants. There is a good shade range available. I'm used to a foundation with medium to full coverage so was sceptical about this but it was perfect for the summer months. It has an SPF of 15. RRP £10.00 although I purchased promotional price of £5.50.

If you don't have an Avon rep local I suggest the Garnier BB Cream as it does pretty much the same job. Only two downsides 1) It is a very light coverage so if you're wanting a flawless complexion this maybe isn't for you, unless you were blessed with perfect skin already. 2) The shade range is only Light, Medium and Dark. As this is a BB cream and not foundation it's not designed to match your skin perfectly so can be too orange so I'd suggest going a shade lighter.

Haircare
Omg, I've fallen in love with Aussie hair care again. 

Photograph Source: Boots.com

I just love the smell! For anyone who hadn't tried Aussie hair products yet, they smell like bubblegum. Everyone likes bubblegum, right!? I've been using the Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo. I didn't buy the condition as I stocked up on Tresemme 900ml bottles when they were on offer. I seem to use more shampoo than conditioner somehow? But anyway, getting back to Aussie, I just love it purely for the smell. I haven't noticed my hair to be any shiner than usual, although I always thought it was condition that added shine not shampoo!? Let me know in the comments if I'm wrong about that. So overall it's nothing special other than it smells gorgeous and leaves my hair feeling fresh and clean. Job done! RRP £3.99

Skin Care
I pretty much love everything from Soap &Glory but this summer two products have stood out for me. 
1) Orangeasm Body Wash.

First of all I love he name! Very clever and grown up I think. Most women like that kind of clever humour I think, do that was a cheeky marketing trick to get people intrigued enough to indulge this product. I like the smell of This body wash, it smells fresh and zesty but not over powering at all. (Could maybe have been a bit stronger I think). It lathers well and definitely makes you clean and moisturised after use. RRP £6.50

Photograph Source: Boots.com







2) S&G Sugar Crush Body Scrub.







Photograph Source: Boots.com

I've never really been one for body scrubs as they can be a bit rough on my dry sensitive skin but this one seems to work okay. I use it on them days where I want a good cleanse and exfoliate to feel squeaky clean. I also use it before I fake tan to ensure I start with a nice clean canvas. The reason why I particularly liked this for summer is the smell. It contains lime and brown sugar. Sounds odd but it they make a good combination. RRP £8.00

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Body Lotion

Photograph Source: Boots.com 

This has been my go to product everyday throughout summer! Mainly because I was heavily pregnant this summer and wanted to keep those dreaded pesky stretch marks at bay and it worked! It just melts into the skin so you're not sitting there for half an hour trying to dry it into your skin. The smell is amazing! It smells so yummy, almost good enough to want to eat. (Or was that just my weird pregnancy hormones!? I'm not sure. *confused face*). Many brands sell shea coco butters so don't think you have to rush out and buy this brand. I know Vaseline also do this so if you're just looking for an everyday moisturiser and aren't looking to scare away stretch marks in sure any brand will do. RRP £4.15

Food

This is a difficult one as I love my food! I would say throughout summer I've enjoyed ice cream and ice pops the most. Swaying more towards ice pops as it was kind of a pregnancy craving of mine. They satisfied my need for something crunchy to get my teeth sunk into whilst keeping me hydrating on hot days where I felt like I was growing a baby whale inside of me *laughing face*. I also enjoyed  a good BBQ in the garden with a nice light salads or wrap. Bit of alfresco dining pretending I'm holiday somewhere.



Drink
As I was pregnant for most of summer fruit juice was the only drink I could enjoy. Its like 5 for £3 so I went a bit crazy with it. Since giving birth in June I have had the occasional alcoholic beverage, this been either a Archers Peach Schnapps and Lemonade or a Kopparberg Mixed Fruits.



Clothing
Clothing wise I have loved shift tops and skater dresses. My saviour this summer has been sandals. My feet swelled so bad in the heat that I couldn't fit my feet into any else!




I hope you've enjoyed this post. I'd love to hear what you have loved this summer. Are any of your favourites the same as mine? Let me know as I love to hear from you.
CS xx

Cleaning My Makeup Brushes

Hi Everyone!

As it's Saturday and my day off work I thought I'd get some cleaning done, don't worry I'm not going to bore you with my cleaning chores but what I am going to talk about is cleaning makeup brushes.

I'm not going to lie, I find it a bit of a chore and hate doing it but it's got to be done. I try to clean mine every weekend if possible. Cleaning your brushes regularly will eliminate bits of makeup, oil, dirt, and nasty bacteria that gets trapped in the bristles. This causes clogged pores and bad breakouts which nobody wants! Cleaning also prolongs the life and quality of your brushes so if you've invested in expensive high end brushes, you'll want them to last you!

I've broke this down into 5 easy steps, so here we go..

What you need:

• An old towel - I have a towel that I use to colour my hair so I don't mind it getting covered!

• Baby shampoo or Baby bath products. - I would normally use baby shampoo but I'm all out so have used baby bath instead. There are specially formulated brush shampoos out there but I think baby shampoo works just fine and definitely more budget-friendly!

• Sink with running water
• Wash dish

What to do:

1. Begin by running your brushes under lukewarm water, rinsing out all of the residual makeup from your brushes. 

Top trick: Never let the water go beyond where the handle meets the head of your brush (basically, don't let the handle get wet). Focus on the actual bristles only as going beyond that point can loosen the glue over time which causes brushes to shed, not what we want!

2. Squirt shampoo or other cleaning product into your wash dish at the side/just above your sink, and gently swirl your brush tip in the soapy substance. If you need to, you can also swirl the brush in the palm of your hand to work up a lather - I find this works best!

3. Rinse the brush tip under running water once again. Repeat steps one and two until the water runs clear from the brush.

4. Use a cloth to wipe your brush clean, reshaping the bristles as you go.

5. Lay your brushes flat on a cloth to dry.

And thats it! Your makeup brushes will be nice and clean!

One quick point to mention is that it takes a good couple of hours for brushes to dry so would recommend doing it after you've applied your makeup for that day.

I hope you found this interesting and useful and if you have anything to add or recommend please comment and let me know, I love to hear from you!

CS xx