Travel Beauty Bag!

So this is a really random thing to write about, so I'm sorry I'll keep it short, but this was just too cute!

Hanging Wash Bag, Primark £4.

See, cute right?
I saw this and couldn't stop myself from picking it up for my holiday to Greece (that's now only 3 weeks away!!). It's a folding wash bag that hangs on the back of doors, sounds boring but it would seem if you put a cute pattern on the front it turns into the best thing ever.

The hearts are like lattice cut outs with the pink material underneath showing through!

So I'll tell you about how very practical it is and what a sensible buy it was. It's great to keep things organised with four zip pockets including one that's removable. It hangs on the back of doors.. which is handy? Okay! Okay, so I bought it because it was pretty. 

 To make this post vaguely more interesting (for all of you who came to my blog hungry for a make-up post) I thought I'd include some travel size beauty products that I plan to take with me on my holiday.

So from top to bottom:

- MAC lipstick in Girl About Town
- NARS, Laguna Bronzer
- Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser, 40ml
- Soap & Glory, Flake Away 50ml

- Aveda Botanical Kinetics Exfoliant, 50ml

- Piz Buin Transparent Sun Spray SPF 30
- Phil Smith Colour Illuminating Conditioner, 50ml
- TRESemme Heat Defence, 60ml
TRESemme Extra Hold Hairspray 100ml

Let me know if you liked this post and what you take away with you for holidays!

Beauty Haul

Gosh, and now it's April!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter and, like me, have glorious food babies from all the chocolate!

In between scoffing Easter eggs (actually, my mum bought me an Easter caterpillar!?) I've been spending all my pennies. Here's a little haul on all the beauty products I've picked up recently!

Who else went completely mental over the boots 3 for 2 Mix and Match?

Hair products!

Firstly, I picked up this Dry Shampoo by Toni&Guy. Recently I've been experimenting with dry shampoo's to find something other than Batiste. I'd heard lots of good things about the TRESemmé one and, for reasons I can't describe, I don't really like it.
I really like this Toni&Guy range (I also stocked up on my shampoo's and conditioners, from my Haircare Favoruites) so I'm hopefull this will be it!

Also from Toni&Guy I picked up their Sea Salt Texturising Spray. I love sea salt sprays, especially in the summer. My last one had run out and probably because it was a cheaper brand, it dried out my hair more than it should. So far I'm really enjoying this.

You know that I love using coconut oil and rave about how good it is as a hair mask, but this sat on the shelf, softly calling my name and I had to go buy it.So far, so good. I use one pump just over my ends so that they're smoother when dry and it's a really good product. 

Skincare!

Picked up this intense moisturiser from Vichy. I'm fairly sure the product name is "Vichy Nutrilogie 1 Intensive for Dry Skin". Wow, catchy right?

I think it's too soon to say if this is a life changing product, I'm trying lots of intensive moisturisers at the moment because my dry skin is just not improving. Any recommendations?

So this is a little weird but I thought I'd include it anyway. I absolutely love Piz Buin sun screens but they are pricey! They're currently under half price at Superdrug though so I stocked up for my Summer holiday.  I'm an extremely pale English rose, and these definitely help me tan. They also feel nice on the skin and have a nice smell to them.
I was tempted to pick up a spray one too but had never tried them - anyone know if they're better?

Make-up! 

I picked up the new Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquers, the red in 400 Big Bang and the other 301 Galaxy. I can't quite make up my mind on these. I was expecting them to be like the Maybelline Superstay 24hour Lip Colour (which I love love love). In ways they are, they're quite a good stain but I don't think they last as long as the Maybelline ones. I really like the finish as it's a gloss but not sticky. I also really like the shade Big Bang, I love my reds and this is a lovely colour. Hmmm, I'm just not sure.

Lastly, I picked up the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation. I don't think this is a life changing product, but I do like it. I'm a girl where if I don't have fancy plans, I will happily not wear foundation. This is a good, light product for those days when wearing my expensive high end foundation would be a waste. It's like a your skin but better product and it's just nice really.
S'nice is the word.

So there you have it! Is it bad I don't consider that to be a lot?
What have you been trying lately, let me know!

Haircare Favourites

Alongside being more ambitious, one of my New Years Resolutions was to look after my hair more. Last month was the first time I had my hair cut in 6 months (don't look at me that way) and in 2012 my hair took quite a battering going from brown to orange, to red, to pink back to dark brown. Therefore I set myself a more generous budget for hair care products.

So, here are a few of my favourite things!

(not involving warm woollen mittens)

SHAMPOOS & CONDITIONERS

This past month, I've been LOVING the Toni & Guy Cleanse and Nourish Shampoo's and Conditioners (mine are for brunette hair)! I bought them on the 3 for 2 offer at boots which is still currently running so you can snap them up, along with all Toni & Guy products, here.

They leave my hair incredibly soft but still light! Some products that add high shine I feel weigh my hair down and can sometimes still feel like I have product in. I was so glad that these don't. They do exactly what the name suggests, cleanse and nourish.
I think the bottles will last me a long time too as you need a small amount and it will lather. They are without a doubt worth the price and I will be repurchasing.
After using these once I fell in love with my hair again. 

On the 3 for 2 offer I also purchased the Cleanse Shampoo for Fine Hair promising volume.
I do not in anyway have fine hair. However recently my hair has started to get greasy in-between washes, which has never been a problem for me. As I don't like washing my hair daily, I sometimes use shampoos designed for fine hair as they are very light weight and find them to really help.
This just simply does the trick, it leaves me with light fluffy hair that lasts.
The added volume is a cheeky bonus.

STYLING

It would seem in an attempt to destroy my hair, the majority of last year I don't think I used a heat protector. I know I should, in fact I should know better than most as I have a 2 hour hair styling lesson each week.
But because I stopped straightening my hair, I stopped caring.

Over Christmas I gained myself two heat protectors that I now use all the time!

Phil Smith SOS Rescue Heat Protection Cream.

I got this in a gift set for Christmas and although I'm used to using Heat Protection Sprays, I've really liked using this. I use a small amount on my hair when damp before blow drying. My hair still feels great afterwards and also I can't feel any trace of product in it.
I'm definitely going to buy this in a bigger size when it runs out!

Aussie Take The Heat Leave-in Spray, get it here.

I also this as an alternative to my cream as a spray can just be quicker! Slightly don't like that it's more of a direct spray than a mist so that I come it through afterwards so that all my hair is covered. It's very different to the cream and I can feel the finish it leaves in my hair. But it's really great to use when I want a smooth straight blow dry. Leaves my air smooth and soft.
I also love the smell of Aussie products, mmmm!

Treatments

Superdrug coconut oil, get it here.

As I mentioned in my Sister Suggestions post, I really love using Coconut oil as a conditioning mask! 

I take a small amount in the palms of my hands, run it through my hair (mostly the ends) and leave for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse off.

It works incredibly well at treating my damaged hair and it's just a miracle! I haven't yet found a reason to look for another product and for the price this is I highly recommend it.

What I didn't mention in my last post is that for £2.99 this will last you forever. It's 125ml tub and you need the smallest amount!

What are your favourite haircare products? Any recommendations for a recovering hair dye addict?
Let me know!