Mini Haul

Whenever I go shopping I can never help myself popping into Boots or looking down the beauty aisles in the supermarket which means I always end up spending money that I don't have!

Today I'm going to share a few products that I have recently purchased that I am excited to try out!

(Taken with Canon A3300is)

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment 200ml £7.99

I have used this treatment mask a few times but I still am yet to finish this tub!

This is one of my favourite hair treatment masks but I always end up forgetting I have it and end up using my other ones as I have lots and lots of hair treatment masks because I use heat on my hair quite often and anyway you can never have to many in my opinion!
I'm thinking of doing a full review on this product, if you would be interested in a reading a review then let me know!

VO5 Give Me Moisture Conditioner (Dry Hair) 250ml £1.00 on offer

I have heard many positive things about this range of VO5 hair products so I thought I would purchase a smaller bottle to try out. I am really excited to see what all the fuss is about!

Clean & Clear Morning Energy Shine Control Daily Scrub 150ml £3.99

I don't often use Clean & Clear products the only products I have tried before are from the Morning Energy range is the Skin Energising Scrub and the Brightening Scrub, many people like these two facial scrubs so I thought I would try out the Shine Control one to see if it lives up to the others! Fingers crossed!

Clean & Clear Fast Action Spot Treatment Gel 15ml £2.00 on offer

I am a sucker for purchasing products that claim to be 'fast acting spot removers' whenever I see a label that states my spots will be gone overnight I have to buy it!! (I am still waiting for that product to come along) maybe this could be the answer to my prayers?!

Nivea Oil-free Moisturising Day Cream 50ml £3.99

I know a lot of people who use this moisturiser as part of their everyday skincare routine! I purchased this after seeing it in one of Leanne Woodfull's YouTube videos. Hopefully this works well for me it would definitely be a cheaper alternative to the Liz Earle Light Moisturiser! 

Please share your thoughts! Have you tried any of these products? 

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Dove Overnight Intensive Repair Creme - Review

Hello everyone, I hope you are well!

Today I want to share my love of Dove's Overnight Intensive Repair Creme. I have been using this for quite a while now and feel it is time to rave about this product! I featured it in my July Favourites and today I want to tell you why I like it so much! I purchased this for £4.99, it is now on offer in Superdrug (take a look here).

I bought this product after my holiday, the chlorine from the pool and being in the sun for prolonged periods of time had taken its toll on my hair and I was in desperate need of an intensive hair treatment!

Dove Overnight Intensive Repair Creme 120ml (more info)

This product is so easy to use, it glides onto my hair really well! I like the fact that I don't need to use too much of the product even though my hair is thick and curly!

After one use the texture of my hair felt so much smoother and less dry, I have to say I don't think it's a miracle worker on it's own! I cut my hair to get rid of split ends and to help improve the appearance of my hair as well as using repairing shampoo and conditioners such as the split end remedy from Herbal Essences. All of these things in conjunction with one another have helped my hair dramatically over a matter of weeks!

Packaging

This product has a pump application which helps to disperse an even amount of the cream, which allows you to control how much you use so you're not wasting any product by over-using.

Directions

 (Taken with Fujifilm HS10)

The directions say to apply 2-4 pumps of the product onto damp hair, I actually apply a little bit more than that as my hair is quite long and thick! I usually use about 6 pumps instead! Depending on your hair type you might use less, it's down to personal preference and what is right for your hair type.

I apply this product to my ends and mid sections of clean towel dried hair, I have to say I concentrate more on the ends of my hair as I feel that is where most of the damage occurs. I leave it on overnight and when I wake up my hair is glossy and soft!

You can wash it of the the next morning or style as usual. I usually use the product on freshly washed hair so instead of washing it off the next day I just apply curling serum and style my hair as normal. As my hair is curly I think I can get away with not washing the product out, my hair appears to have absorbed everything by the next morning. 

You don't have to worry about your pillowcases getting ruined when leaving this product on as it doesn't stain! 

I use this product twice a week as I feel that is what works best for my hair.

Pros

• Non-greasy
• Cheap
• Smells great
• Easy application
• Doesn't stain your pillow

Cons

• None that I can think of!

Have you tried this repair creme or anything similar? Let me know!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

July Favourites

Hello everyone, hope you are well!

Here are my July Favourites, apologies for being a tad late but better late than never!

Most of the products are hair products as I have been working on getting my hair healthier.

 (Taken with Canon A3300is)

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream 150ml

I use this after I've washed my hair and after using my Aussie Leave-in Conditioner. It helps to make my hair soft and more manageable. I have also noticed that it stops my hair from looking so frizzy too! This product has raspberry and silk extracts and smells incredible!!

It retails at around £4.79 but it is currently on offer in Boots (view offer)

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Intensive Mask 200ml

Along with the other Spit End Protection products by Herbal Essences, I started using this Intensive Mask at the beginning of July and have to say my hair has improved so much! I have mentioned to you before that I prefer to use masks as I feel my hair needs more of a deep condition than what I get with a regular conditioner. I think this product is a must have! It is one of my top favourite hair masks! This product retails at £3.49 but is currently on offer in Superdrug (view offer)

Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Overnight Creme 120ml

I bought this at the end of June and since then I haven't stopped using it! It works really well on my hair and makes it feel really soft. I apply the product onto towel dried hair and leave it on my hair for the night, when I wake up the next morning my hair is so much more manageable and doesn't get knotted together as easily as it usually does! I will be doing a full review on this product so I don't really want to say too much about it here! This Overnight Creme retails at £4.99 but is currently on offer at Superdrug (view offer)

OXY Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash 150ml

You have probably been expecting this to be in my favourites since I did a full review on it which you can read here. I like how clean my skin feels after I've used it, the tiny microbeads help to work deep into the skin. This product is high quality and really inexpensive, for £5.99 you can't go wrong!

Soap & Glory Hand Food 125ml

I have been trying to grow my nails recently so as well as trying out hardening polishes I have been using hand cream more often to see if that helps them to grow. I love the smell of all Soap & Glory products and this is definitely no exception. The smell is amazing! This hand cream costs £5.00 which to me is very reasonable! I will definitely be repurchasing this!

Primark 'Tangle Teezer'

This 'Tangle Teezer' is brilliant, it cost me £1.50 and does a really great job of getting out knots in my hair without tearing. It is suitable to use on both wet and dry hair, I have been using this instead of a wide tooth comb since I got it. I think it works so much better than a comb. You can read my full review here.

I would love to know what products you were enjoying last month! Let me know in a comment!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

OXY Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash - Review

Hello everyone,

Today I am going to be sharing my views on the OXY Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash. 

I have been using it for most of this month and have to say I have instantly taken a liking to it!

The OXY skin care range is available from stores such as Boots and Tesco and costs £5.99.

OXY Seaweed Power Fresh Skin Wash (more info)

(Taken with iPhone 4s)

'OXY has been a trusted and effective brand in the fight against blackheads, spots and oily skin for over 20 years.'

'Spot prone skin needs a powerful yet gentle approach. That's why the dermatoligists at OXY have undertaken ground breaking research into the power of nature.'

What I like about this product the most is that it contains jojoba micro beads that work deep into the skin to help fight spot-causing bacteria and reduce redness. This product dissolves oil which I find helps to keep shine under control. For me is what I look for when purchasing a new face product as I have quite oily skin. I love how clean my skin feels after using this product and the micro beads feel like they are really working to get rid of any dead skin cells on my face, leaving it feeling extremely clean! This product has a similar texture to an exfoliator and gives a powerful deep cleanse without being too harsh on your skin.

This product is gentle enough to be used everyday, even for people who have sensitive skin.

After using this product I have noticed that my skin has become a lot clearer and looks brighter too!

The OXY face wash is said to work best alongside the OXY Deep Calm Balm moisturiser. 

I have been using it with my Liz Earle light moisturiser and I think this combination works well. I think any oil-free moisturiser would be suitable to use with this product however I am going to try out the calm balm to see if that makes any more of a difference in how clear my skin looks. 

Pros

• Clean, fresh smell
• No alcohol
• No parabens
• No SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate)
• Contains provitamin B5
• Suitable for sensitive skin
• Reduces redness
• Controls shine
• Can be used everyday

Cons

• I haven't had any bad experiences with this product as of yet and at this moment in time, I can't think of anything negative to say.

Have you tried this product before? Let me know what your experience was like whether it was good or bad!

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Quick update & hello to my new followers!

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well!

This is a just a quick update to say thank you to all of you who have been entering my giveaway! You have just over a week to enter if you haven't already! Also I want to say hello to my new followers! Welcome to my blog, I hope you enjoy reading and feel free to send me any requests for any upcoming posts that you would like to see! I always love to hear your feedback too, so feel free to leave any comments or suggestions.

I haven't been blogging as much as I usually do, but I promise by next week I will be blogging to my usual standard! :)

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

300 Followers Giveaway!

Hello everyone!

I am running a giveaway to say thank you to my readers! I recently reached 300 followers! Which is a big deal to me, when I started blogging I didn't expect to get so many followers so as a thank you I am giving you a chance to win 6 beauty goodies shown below! :)

(Taken with iPhone 4s)

• Soap & Glory Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Shampoo 250ml
• Soap & Glory Glad Hair Day Intensive Conditioner 250ml
• Clean & Clear Morning Energy Skin Brightening Daily Facial Scrub 150ml
• The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser 200ml
• Montagne Jeunesse Anti-Stress Sauna Masque

This giveaway is open to the UK (sorry to those of you outside of the UK!)
You must be a follower of my blog. New followers welcome of course!! (Please don't follow just to enter the giveaway and then un-follow as that isn't fair on everyone else.)
Leave your name, blog link and contact email address in a comment, so I can contact you if you win.

Make sure to complete each section within Rafflecopter for more entries! You can increase your chances of winning by tweeting about my giveaway once every day right up until the giveaway ends!
Please make sure to read the terms and conditions within the Rafflecopter widget also!
Thank you and good luck! :)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Natasha Carly x
 Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton

Make Believe Self Tan Mousse - Review

Hello everyone!

Today I'm going to be sharing my views on the Make Believe Tanning Mousse 200ml*

The Make Believe self tanners work with all skin types and tones, they are split into 5 zones. So depending on how how dark you want your tan to be you can pick between a more natural subtle glow or a deep bronzed look. I think this is a brilliant idea as it make it easier for you to identify which category you fit into best and gives you some indication of how dark you should expect your tan to be.

I received mine in Zone 3 - Medium tan, which for me is a perfect colour match and doesn't make me look too dark!

Colour Zone Guide

Zone 1 Provides a subtle glow. A tonal lift to your natural skin tone.

Zone 2 For a warm glowing look. Gives you that weekend-in-the-sun radiance.

Zone 3 For a medium tanned look. That classic summer holiday tan.

Zone 4 Provides a golden tanned look. Delivers a deep and luscious skin tone.

Zone 5 That very dark tanned look. Delivers a deep and luscious skin tone.

The product

For me this product was very easy to apply and took around 4 hours for the colour to develop however I decided to leave the product on overnight and the colour had deepened more by the time I woke up which I was very happy with! AND no stains on my sheets which again is a huge bonus! 

The product is described as super-light and non-sticky as well as having a lasting exotic fragrance in which I have to disagree! Personally, I found the mousse was quite sticky and it took a while to dry after application. I didn't mind waiting too much though!
I am not overly keen on the scent of the product and within an hour or so after applying the mousse, that classic 'self-tan' smell started to appear. Though I have to say it definitely isn't as strong smelling as some other self-tanning products out there! I would also like to mention that when I showered the next morning the 'biscuity smell' had completely disappeared so don't be put off from trying out this product!

Despite the negative points, the product itself does have many plus points! You really don't need to use a whole lot of product, a little goes a very long way! I like the pump applicator as it is easy to get an even looking tan as you can disperse even amounts of product on each part of your body. For example 2 pumps for your lower left arm and 2 pumps for your lower right arm and so on!

The colour pay off is also fantastic, it is extremely natural looking and doesn't leave you looking orange!

I like that the colour develops quickly, it takes between 2-4 hours for the colour to become noticeable.

The tanner is free from parabens, contains fruit extracts and has has a 'Lipo Care Complex' containing;

1. Caffeine - helps to stimulate cellulite breakdown.
2. Co-enzyme A - helps to reduce fatty acids.
3. Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract - helps to tighten the skin with firming and toning benefits.

Directions:

Dispense a palm-sized amount of mousse into your hand and smooth onto clean dry skin. Blend carefully over dryer areas of the body. Can be used for both the face and body and will wear off naturally in a week.

Wash hands after application.

- The directions state to use your hand to apply the product but I always think it's better to use a tanning mitt as it gives easier application and helps to spread the product more evenly than if you used your hands and I don't know about you but I would rather steer clear of patchy hands!

 (Taken with Nikon D3100) more info

 

Summary

Pros: 

• Paraben free
• Moisturising blend of rainforest oils
• Contain anti-oxidants & fruit extracts
• Lovely packaging, easy pump application
• A little goes a long way
• Natural colour
• Develops quickly
• Doesn't stain bed sheets etc
• The fake tan smell disappears after you wash it off the next day 

Cons:

• Doesn't smell great and classic 'fake tan' smell starts to seep through as product is developing
  
• Quite sticky
• Takes a good few minutes to dry
  
• No colour guard
• Pricey! Retails at £29.50

Overall my experience with the product was great! I would definitely say it is better than many self-tanning products that I have tried. 

There are a few things that I would change about this product, the smell and the drying time and I also prefer self tanning products to have a colour guard, just because I find it easier to see where the product has been applied. I do think it all comes down to personal preference though, what some people like about this product others might dislike and vice versa!

For me this product is slightly on the pricey side but if you are wanting to treat yourself to a natural looking sun-kissed glow it is definitely worth a try, you won't be disappointed!

*Disclaimer PR sample - My opinions are still 100% honest

Natasha Carly x

Pretty Little Lives on Facebook / Twitter / Hellocotton