!Pink and leopard prints- A UK Beauty, Makeup & Transitioning/Natural Hair Care Blog

♥ John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Conditioner, Shampoo and Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner

2013-05-17T19:00:00.000+01:00

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Conditioner, Shampoo and Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner

Hi Everyone! I am officially back blogging after quite a few weeks (I think, I don't even want to count the days). As I am still going through the process of transitioning to natural hair (read my posts on that here), trying out some new hair products for curly hair can be very exciting! I have of course heard of John Frieda, but I have never got around to trying their products. I was even more excited to read the ingredient lists of these (you know all by know I love doing that) to discover no mineral oil & no parabens.

Here are my first thoughts on the:

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Conditioner: Well to start off, I do wish there was more conditioner than shampoo as I use a considerably bigger amount of conditioner than shampoo. Ingredient wise I am very please with this as it contains Behentrimonium Chloride quite far up which is a gentle detangler and ingredients like Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil further down.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Shampoo: This is a sulfate shampoo containing both Sodium Laureth and Lauryl Sulfate (the latter being the harsher of the two). It also contains Vitamin E and Jojoba Oil.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Miraculous Recovery Intensive Masque: So excited to try a "proper" deep conditioner. I am saying that because I've only been doing DIY Deep Conditioners Lately (check them all out here). Again, I wish it contain more product as I tend to need quite a lot of product for my half afro/half relaxed hair. This also contains Behentrimonium Chloride followed by oils, silicones, vitamin E and hydrolysed silk!

Have you tried this brand?
What do you think of these products?

xx

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♥ La Colors Purple Lipstick Review

2013-05-09T17:06:00.000+01:00

La Colors Purple Lipstick Review

Today I just wanted to do a quick review of this LA Colors lipstick that I bought a while ago when I was out shopping with Nicole from Nicole's Beauty. I had been searching for a proper purple lipstick, that doesn't look like a plum shade for quite a while so when I found this for only £1, I thought why not?

The lipstick itself has that nice vanilla scent, a bit like MAC lipsticks. The ingredients are listed on the side, unfortunately I don't have a picture of the ingredient list but it does contain mineral oil and parabens too I am sure. However, I think that is justifiable for a £1 product.

Application? As you can see in the picture above, even though the lipstick itself if pretty pigmented, it applies quite unevenly. It has that waxy feel that sometimes doesn't want to stick to your lips.

I would definitely buy more of these lipsticks anyway because I think the result is great and it looks like any other £1+ lipstick. I believe they had loads of shades so I'll definitely go back to get more.

La Colors is available in most afro hair care stores, but they mostly sell the nail polishes only. Thr makeup is available at Beauty Base at Westfield.

Check out my soft smokey eye EOTD using a La Colors eyeshadow palette here.

Have you tried this brand?

Xx

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♥ Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish Shade Dragon Fruit

2013-04-29T14:30:00.000+01:00

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish Shade Dragon Fruit

No this isn't another review of the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine nail polishes, simply just a NOTD I wore a while ago. When I first started seeing these in blogs, as with every hyped item- it didn't cross my mind to try them out. But when I saw lovely Ondo Lady wear I believe an orangy shade at the DHC blogger event, I thought I'd give them a go!

Her nails looked really shiny and she had worn it for a few days. I have to be honest and say that I don't really think this shade came out any shinier than my other nail polishes, don't get me wrong, it's shiny- but most of my nail polishes are, "gel" or not.

I would still definitely buy these again though as I think they have some great spring/summer shades.

What do you think of this NOTD & Gel nail polishes in general?

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♥ DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection Review

2013-04-28T21:02:00.000+01:00

DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection Review
Also see my review on the DHC Moisture Care Lipstick Shade PK04 Sweetpea.-a super pretty neutral light pink lipstick.

"Our long-lasting mascara stays on until you decide to take it off. Utilising tubing technology, this professional-caliber formula encapsulates lashes in polymer tubes that wear all day and night long. This means no flaking, smearing, smudging or need for make-up removers. When you’re ready to remove your mascara, simply splash your face with warm water and gently slide the tubes right off."- from DHC website, here

I am a person who never ever changes mascara, at least no "voluntarily". I've been using Loreal Telescopic since I was like 13-14 or whenever I started using mascara and I think it is great. Sometimes I use the Natural Collection one from Boots which is super cheap, but for some reason I don't find it that great anymore and I realised it contains cheap ingredients like mineral oil.

Now to the DHC Perfect Pro Double Protection Mascara, I got it at the DHC blogger event that I attended roughly a month ago, read about it here.

Random fact: You can wash this mascara off using warm water only- it will slide off and leave no residue at all (in case you didn't read the description ;) ). It really works!

I definitely didn't have any particularly great expectations when I first tried this mascara simply because of what I mentioned before, I hardly ever change mascaras or like new ones. The first time I tried it was randomly, the same evening that I got back from the event I suspect. It seemed pretty basic to me. But bare in mind I tried one coat, on one I with out building it up or anything.

Now I absolutely love it and although I had just bought a new Loreal Telescopic and tried to "save" this new found favourite, I couldn't! I have been using it daily.

Application: So you might have noticed the tiny, tiny mascara wand. However it is pretty great as it allows you to reach every single lash without being clumpy o giving you thick lashes. The formula is great for layering the mascara, which allows you to build it up, making your lashes longer and longer. And you definitely won't need a separate lower lash mascara (yeah they have those, personally I think thats ridiculous) with this tiny wand.

How long does it last? I haven't noticed this wearing off so I think it's fair to say it stays put all day. At the end off the day you can just wash it off using warm water- and you won't need to worry about black residue around your eyes.

Ingredient check & top ingredients, read FULL ingredient list here

water/eau, ammonium acrylates copolymer, kaolin, copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax/cire de carnauba, PEG-15 glyceryl stearate, beeswax/cire d’abeille

Mineral Oil (/)
Silicones (√)
Parabens (/)
Butylene/Propylene Glycol (√)

I also wanted to show a fotd picture just to show you what it looks like from a far as well.

What do you think of the results when wearing this?

What is your favourite mascara?

Also see my review on the DHC Moisture Care Lipstick Shade PK04 Sweetpea.-a super pretty neutral light pink lipstick.

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♥ Natural Skin Care & Makeup Brands

2013-04-22T10:16:00.000+01:00

As today is Earthday (read more about it here), lovely LaaLaa from Dolce Vanity had the idea to do a blog collaboration sharing our favourite natural skincare brands. There are quite a few natural brands out there, so we have included brands of different price ranges, natural/organic, non organic and so on. I know we all use natural brands for different reasons, allergies, against animal cruelty, for "safety", or whatever it might be so we have made sure we have stated what type of brands these are. All the brands below are brands I have tried or am currently using myself. I purposely chose pictures which I have taken, so that you can see that these are brands I really like! Here are the other ladies doing the blog collaboration (links to their posts will be up once all post are publishes)

Sarirah – Pretty Not Included, Grace – All That Slap, Jayne – Jayne’s Kitschen

Lavera (Skin Care, Hair Care & Makeup)

Organic √ Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

"Natural cosmetics that you know under the brand name lavera - a name carefully chosen for its meaning: in Latin lavera means "the truth" - a beautiful translation for the dedication of both philosophy and commitment. We use raw plant materials, as much as possible from certified organic agriculture, our products are 100% free from synthetic perfumes, colourants and preservatives. And of course, we ensure skin compatibility - exclusively through tests with volunteers, together with skin specialists and allergists"

This is one of the first natural skin care brands I used, you can find it in every health store and their prices are quite affordable. Their "Basic Sensitivity" hand cream was a staple of mine for so long. Although £4.45 is a fairly decent price for the 75ml tube of hand cream- I wen't through them way too quickly because I enjoyed them too much. Their products are fragranced, but not heavily and would probably suit sensitive skin.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Lavera here

Burt's Bees (Skin Care)

Organic (some) Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

"Your well-being is affected every single day by the personal care products you use. Our goal is to create and educate people on truly natural products that have a positive effect on both you and the world you live in for the good of your well-being, for the good of the environment and for The Greater Good. Simply put, we strive to make people's lives better every day — naturally."

I'd say this is the second natural skin care brand I tried out. Of course, I'd seen it around in shop but as they are quite expensive I just never tried them. That was until my friend recommended their orange facial cleanser. It is amazing! It is completely natural, with a gel/serum formula with a lot of nourishing oils but it doesn't leave any residue on your skin.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Burt's Bees here

Neal's Yard Remedies (Skin Care, Hair Care & Makeup)

Organic (√) Natural √ Vegan (some) Animal Cruelty Free (√)

At Neal's Yard Remedies, we're driven by the passionate belief that health and beauty should be more natural, less synthetic. This passion, and our firm belief that it's down to all of us to protect our precious planet, is at the heart of everything we do.

Okey but now you've probably figured out that I subconsciously listed the brands in the order I discovered or tried them out. Next up is NYR. I love this brand because their products are completely natural, and they focus on aromatherapy and essentials oils a lot. Another good thing about them is that they are a UK brand and all their oils and a lot of their products are stored in dark glass bottles which preserves the benefits of the ingredients they contain.

Find their website here Find my posts about Neal's Yard Remedies here

Earthnicity (Makeup)

Free from: Bismuth oxychloride, Talc, Preservatives, Parabens, Mineral oil or any petroleum-derived products, Perfumes, Oils and Fragrances, Alcohol, Dyes, Animal-derived ingredients such as carmine or silk, nano particles.

Earthnicity Minerals is pure mineral makeup - we don't use corn starch or rice powder in our products either. We use a minimal amount of ingredients so as not to irritate sensitive skin and block pores, without sacrificing on the look and quality of the makeup.

This is a UK mineral makeup brand free from all those nasty ingredients mentioned above. I included that list from the website as I cannot find any info regarding it being organic/natural/vegan or not. Their makeup is very good quality and I've been using their mineral foundation every day since I got it. They've got a great deal on their website where you can get samples of makeup for only £5.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Earthnicity makeup here

Crazy Natural Inc (Skin Care and Hair Care)

Organic (√) Natural √ Vegan (unsure) Animal Cruelty Free (√ I believe so)

Sade Perkins, Founder: "I make 100% all natural and organic products. I pride myself on making multifunctional affordable natural hair and body care products. My target audience is all natural sisters but more specifically new naturals. Women who dont want to be product junkies but want to have a few staple products they can use to create a simple regiment they can easley do everyday. Ive been in business for 9 months now and my top sellers are my Shea coconut deep conditioner, african black soap shampoo. Shea body butter and African black soap beauty bars. I've gotten an overwhelming amount of positive reports on my products. I believe i have a recognizable brand that most naturals naturally gravitate to. I plan to capitalize on my brand recognition, awesome products and affordable prices to make crazy natural inc a house hold name."

This is a brand I recently discovered, through Instagram actually. The founder is a lovely lady from the US who makes these products herself. If you wan't 100% natural products, this is the brand to try out. Her hair care products are aimed at people of afro textured hair "naturals" but anyone can use them. I've tried her African black soap, Shea body butter and Hair and Body oil.

Find their website here. Find my posts about Crazy Natural Inc here

Have you tried any of these brands?
& what is your favourite natural brand?

xx

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♥ Crazy Natural Inc Shea Butter Body Butter

2013-04-18T09:30:00.000+01:00

Crazy Natural Inc Shea Body Butter

"This creamy rich Shea Butter is by far my favorite all purpose product. Made with raw African shea butter, almond oil, olive oil, Apricot oil, Jojoba oil, Vitamin E and a slew of other natural ingredients. Great for dry hair, skin, and scalp this product will leave you feeling moisturised, silky smooth and smelling good." Get it here. ($8/£5)

See my Crazy Natural Inc Hair, Bath & Body Oil here.

Today I will be reviewing my second product from natural skin and hair care brand Crazy Natural Inc. See my first review of their hair and body oil here as well as all of the products I was sent.

This is the Crazy Natural Inc Shea Body Butter. The ingredients are completely natural and preservative free, so this is not a product to just dump in a box and use a year later (but why would you, it is great!). With preservative free products- keep water out of the jar (otherwise it'll spoil immediately), and use within a few months.

So far I have used about 2/3rds and I am really enjoying it. As this is a homemade and fully natural product I was interested to see how this would be different from "any Shea Butter mix" that I can put together myself. However I am happy (or not) to say that this super smooth and creamy and sweet smelling Shea Butter body cream is something I could not have made myself. I believe the quality of Shea Butter is very good.

So initially I just assumed this was for the hair (apparently completely ignoring the label which clearly states the opposite). And it worked, but it was not amazing. The recipe has clearly been made to work on your skin very well- and it does.

How I use it; So of course this is a thick cream. I still recommend it for everyone but if your skin normally isn't very dry- I'd recommend to use it on your feet, knees, elbows or other drier areas. Omg it made my feet so soft? Contrary to ther heavy creams it spreads out so evenly and gets absorbed without being greasy.

Crazy Natural Inc: Online Store | Twitter | Instagram

Have you heard about or tried Crazy Natural Inc products?

See my Crazy Natural Inc Hair, Bath & Body Oil here.

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♥ All Of My Spring and Summer Nail Polishes

2013-04-16T16:00:00.000+01:00

All Of My Spring and Summer Nail Polishes

A lot of the nail polishes listed below are linked to a NOTD :)

So I guess I wasn't alone in having the idea to show my spring nail polishes in a blog post. However, hope this is a little different as I threw in two pictures of my favourite nail polish storage (of ourse, they all don't fit in there) and I am showing you All of my bright, or light polishes that I think would look nice in the spring or summer. I also divided them into two categories, the £1-ers (lol) and the "normal" ones. I like cheap nail polish because how often do you really finish a nail polish?

First up: The £1-ers

The linked polishes, have a link to a NOTD wearing it! :)

From the top left: MUA Love Hearts U ROK, Gabrini 348 (Notd when I had SUPER long nails), Gabrini 304, Rapsody 134, Beauty Forever 22 (here I also have SUPER long nails), Gabrini M114, Beauty Forever 1067, La Colors Treasure Island NP444, Gabrini 107.

The "Normals"

Models Own Indian Ocean NP133, Catherine Arley Silky Touch 670, INGLOT Flake Polish 205, Nails Inc Basil Street, Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Dragon 308, Max Factor 29 Mellow Yellow, Max Factor 27 Cool Jade, Max Factor 34 Juicy Plum, Depend Bright Yellow Nail Polish, KIKO 281, KIKO 356

Which one of these is your favourite, and do you have any of these?

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♥ La Colors Brown Smokey Eye Using EP24 Unforgettable Palette

2013-04-15T14:30:00.000+01:00

Here is a nice either subtle going out smokey eye, or a everyday look if you like wearing eyeshadows daily. This was my first time trying the eyeshadow palette from LA Colors (EP24 Unforgettable) that I won in lovely Akilah's (from Perfectly Random Blog) giveaway.

So far I am really liking the quality of La Colors Palettes, they are smooth, creamy, pigmented and easy to blend. As far as ingredients they are what you would expect from an affordable brand like these (their palettes are £1).

Eyeliner: 2 True
Mascara: DHC Pro Makeup
Eyebrows: Viva La Diva Eyebrow Pencil

Just before I won this I also purchased my first La Colors palette, which was a colourful one, check it out here, and check out the look I created here.

Have you tried this brand,

and what do you think of this look?

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♥ Today's Killer Bum and Thighs Work Out || Squats, Lunges & Donkey Kicks

2013-04-14T13:15:00.000+01:00

I am very happy to share a very over due fitness post! Even though I don't post them as frequently any more, I have a good few fitness post in my archives. Check out all my fitness posts here. Today's (well it was two days ago) exercises included my boyfriends dumbbells, a lot of squats and lunges.

Killer bum and leg work out:

20 kg dumbbells- 30x3 Squats
10 kg dumbbells- 30, 25, 25 Lunges (thought 30 was a bit much)
60 Donkey Kicks/Glute Kick Backs (30 for each leg)
60 Straight Leg Kicks (same position as donkey kicks, but with a straight leg, backwards)
60 Sideways, Straight Leg Kicks (Same as above but leg going sideways)

Then we did Abs: (Click the names, for a link to a picture of the exercise)

Pilates Roll Ups- 2 min (You gotta try this for your abs! Do it for at least 2 minutes it takes a while for it to start "hurting").
Side oblique crunch: 25x2 (One set of 25 for each side)
Knee Crunches- 25x2
Bicycle Crunches: 25

The ab exercises weren't planned so I didn't keep track of what I did, so this is roughly what I did.

Healthy and easy to do post dinner work out (inspired by an Instagram pic from this fitness blogger)

Beef (Steak, chop, don't know what it is lol)
Green Beans/Mango Tout looking vegetables
1 medium sizes sweet potatoe and one small normal potatoe chopped into cubes
The best part- Tzatsiki! This is so nice, I didn't make it myself but the ingredients are: Greek yoghurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, mint, olive oil

What was your last work out like?

& What are your favourite bum and ab exercises?

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♥ First Twist Out and Every Day Makeup FOTD

2013-04-11T21:00:00.000+01:00

First Twist Out and Every Day Makeup FOTD
Here is my every day makeup look when I don't wear lipstick or eyeliner. Mascara, eyebrows & bronzer. What's your every day makeup?

This is how I've been wearing my hair lately. Okey, I know I always wear my hair with my fringe curly but this time I did my first Flat Twist- Out. My back is flat twisted (see tutorial here) and so was my fringe at night as you can see in the picture below. All I used in my hair was Aloe Vera Gel & a bit of oil.

Compared to a braid out, I prefer this so much more, omg! Why? The definition is amazing- see above. It's almost too much and it almost looks too curly. Anyway, I still just moisturised my hair, pulled it slightly to elongate and picked the roots to separate the sections. Now, three days later- it still looks nice and super stretched. This is a keeper lol! Can't wait to do a full flat twist out when I am fully natural. Oh btw, I am 2 & a half week from being a year post relaxer. Time flies!

See all my transitioning posts here.

What do you think of this hair style?

Any tips on natural hair or transitioning hair?

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♥ La Colors EP42 Wildflowers Palette EOTD

2013-04-10T19:30:00.000+01:00

La Colors EP42 Wildflowers Palette EOTD

I showed this in my most recent beauty shopping post, read it here. For those who don't know LA Colors is a brand where everything is £1, and in London you can find it in Afro hair shops as well as most perfume stores in shopping centres. I got this one from the shopping centre Westfield (the real Westfield, not the Stratford one ;) )

This look was so much prettier in real life, but oh well- it's so hard to take nice pictures of makeup. I love the shades in this palette and they are creamy any pigmented. If you care about good ingredients (which I do lol, but I don't care as much anymore), then you should know that this contains both Parabens & Mineral Oil.

What do you think of this look?

& if you've done a makeup look or post on LA Colors makeup, link it.

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♥ DHC Moisture Care Lipstick PK04 Sweetpea Review

2013-04-09T17:30:00.000+01:00

DHC Moisture Care Lipstick PK04 Sweetpea Perfect Prop Makeup Range

Today I will be reviewing this DHC Moisture Care Lipstick Shade PK04 Sweetpea. It was in the goodie bag of the DHC event that I wrote about here. DHC is a brand which I am fairly new to, I had not tried their products until I tried their Cleansing Oil from the #bbloggersxmas event. It's amazing! You guys know I love oils for everything.

This is how it is described on the web site "Enriched with plumping collagen and moisture-retaining sodium hyaluronate, these nourishing lip colours provide beautiful shine and long-lasting coverage. Our special formula glides across your lips to hydrate and flatter – for a more lustrous pout. Choose from four chic shades."

The packaging of this lipstick is very different to the ones you usually see, I like it! As you can see in the picture, this is definitely a neutral shade (it's not red, or coral even though it might look like it in the picture). It has some slight shimmers in it and gives a wash of colour. I agree that is has a slight plumping effect, it could be because it is a light shade and pretty glossy. You definitely don't need a lip gloss on top of this.

I think overall the ingredients are good, it's not all natural ingredients or anything but nothing that particularly worries me.

Ingredient check:

Mineral Oil (/)
Silicones (/)
Parabens (/)
Propylene Glycol (/)

Have you tried DHC's makeup?

What do you think of this lip stick?

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♥ Lovarni High Neck Midi Dress Sleeveless Grey

2013-04-08T12:30:00.000+01:00

Outfit: Lovarni High Neck Midi Dress Sleeveless Grey

Finally I've got an outfit post for you! I just realised that I should have taken pictures of the whole outfit (which was only a big furr cardigan on top of this, but still). I'm so excited to share this as this is the first time I've got the chance to wear my midi dress from Lovarni (direct link). As you could read in this post, I love the turtle neck trend and I've been wanting a crop top or midi dress with a turtle neck for really long. So when I got the chance to "review" and item from www.lovarni.com I did not hesitate when I chose this one.

"Lovarni is an independent online womens fashion retailer." .."Lovarni has all their latest styles and with next day delivery you really can make sure you are the first to be wearing them!"- Info from their website & facebook. Their: Twitter & Facebook.

This dress is super stretchy, but it was super tight the first time I tried it. However after a while it was very comfortable. It is definitely fitted, but I feel like it's just a tad too long for my liking, hence the crease. Plus I am quite tall (5'7 or 8) so I'm just thinking that it might be a little too tall if you are super short. I am wearing a size 10 I think.

What do you think of this outfit & dress?

Have you got a similar one :)

If so, link your blog post.

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(*)

♥ FOTD: Wet & Wild & Curly Fringe W/ Flat Twist

2013-04-07T15:30:00.000+01:00

FOTD: Wet & Wild & Curly Fringe W/ Flat Twist

Something I recently realised is that I don't do many FOTD's anymore. Don't worry- I still snap the pictures strangely enough, but sometimes I just don't get around to posting them.

I actually don't remember exactly what I used for this FOTD but it is definitely:

Eyeliner: 2True

Mascara: DHC

Lipstick: Wet & Wild

This is a typical every day look for me, in fact it's my most make up'd every day look lol.

What is your every day look?

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♥ Beautiful Textures Moisture Butter Whipped Curl Creme First Thoughts & Ingredients

2013-04-06T20:09:00.002+01:00

Beautiful Textures Moisture Butter Whipped Curl Creme First Thoughts & Ingredients

I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect leave in conditioner, moisturiser, curl butter- whatever you want to call it. In the past I've tried Jamaican Mango & Lime No More Relaxer, Curls Curl Souffle & Cantu Shea Butter Leave in. The two first I really really like and have repurchased plently of times. For me, the Cantu Shea Butter was terrible. Problem is that I want three things in a leave in conditioner:
-Affordable
-Good Ingredients
-A big jar (So I don't have to repurchase that often).

Anyway, I went to the hair shop today and found this, which I had never seen before. It says new, and I have seen it around in hair blogs, youtube etcetera, so I am guessing it is fairly new to the UK- but not to the US. They had two leave in kind of products for curls, both had good ingredients, but the other one was a lot bigger for the same price. However, I had a look inside and the formula just looked so strange- it was grey like mud and the consistency looked gelly like. So yeah, I chose this. It smells amazing!

I have so far only tried it on a tiny piece of my hair, the formula feels super moisturising, not too thin and not too thick. You can see the ingredients below.

Ingredient Check:

Mineral Oil (/)
Silicones (x)
Parabens (/)
Propylene Glycol (/)

Have you tried this brand or this products?

What's your favourite hair- leave in?

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♥ Gold Chain Necklace & Peplum Top

2013-04-02T20:58:00.000+01:00

New Look Gold Chain Necklace & Peplum Top

I had forgotten to show these pieces of clothing that I got when I met lovely Nicole from Nicole's Beauty & also got some beauty goodies like the Garnier Scrub, Purple La Colors lipstick & eyeshadows from the same brand, see this post here. Lately I had become a little obsessed with finding a chunky gold necklace like the one above, I really wanted the "plasticy" chunkier one. But after finding so many options in New Look I settled for this as it was a little different, with the tiger, I was about to say- I suppose it's a leopard or something.

My blog was definitely never a fashion blog, nor was it intended to be but let's just say when I started blogging, I posted more outfits than beauty items. Only reason I don't is because I just don't shop a lot anymore. Can you believe that lol, I have to force myself to go shopping more.

About a year late on the peplum top trend but I thought this was a great every day top (and it was cheap). Same goes for the jeggings.

What are your most recent fashion purchases? :)

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♥ Short Video Tutorial: Blue Eyeliner Using an Eyeshadow Stick

2013-03-29T17:56:00.002Z

Short Video Tutorial: Blue Eyeliner Using an Eyeshadow Stick

Just wanted to share a really short and easy makeup tutorial of how to get a colourful winged eyeliner using only an eyeshadow stick/cream eyeshadow and a thin eyeliner brush. I was inspired by this lovely look by Nicoles Beauty. Her look is absolutely flawless though, but let's just say mine is a tutorial for beginners hey :)

I used:

What do you think of this tutorial?

If you do makeup videos, link you channel & I'll check it out :)

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♥ EOTD Purple & Orange Mineral Eyeshadows

2013-03-26T22:19:00.000Z

EOTD Purple & Orange Mineral Eyeshadows, Winged Liner

Check out my post on my 1st thoughs on my Earthnicity mineral eyeshadows here

Here is the look I created the first time I played around with my Earthnicity mineral eyeshadows, see in this post. As I mentioned, I had been wanting a shade like this orange ones for ages and could not wait to try it out. So far I am really happy with the eyeshadows, hardly any fall out, and great pigmentation.

What I've used for this look:

Earthnicity Mineral Eyeshadow, shade orange pop
Earthnicity Mineral Eyeshadow, shade indigo gleam
Wet & Wild Palette, black eyeshadow
2 True: Liquid eyeliner
NYC: White eyeliner

Check out my post on my 1st thoughs on my Earthnicity mineral eyeshadows here

What do you think of this look?

If you've created a look using mineral eyeshadows, please link it :)

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♥ Earthnicity Mineral Makeup, Eyeshadows & Mineral Foundation

2013-03-26T00:10:00.000Z

Earthnicity Mineral Makeup First Thoughts

"The Earthnicity mineral makeup line consists of 100% pure minerals - our mineral makeup contains no preservatives, fragrances, alcohols, oils and synthetic dyes - our makeup is very skin-friendly while simultaneously making you look your best. Our products are also vegan-friendly and are not tested on animals.

Our mission is to produce all-natural mineral makeup for all ethnicities in accordance with our motto: "Beauty For All The Colours of The World" - bringing you a wide range of colours to suit every complexion." - http://www.earthnicity.co.uk/

I've got sent these gorgeous samples from a UK brand called Earthnicity. So far I am very impressed. I haven't tried a lot of mineral makeup before, only eyeshadows. I've liked them but thought they were a bit messy. This is definitely not the case with these! I will post a look I created using some of the eyeshadows tomorrow.

Eyeshadows: As I said below, I've only tried a couple so far but as you can see on the swatches below, these have great pigmentation! One thing that surprised me was that the consistency of the eyeshadow "powder" was very creamy, I believe it is because it is a very fine powder. It has surprisingly little fall out (less than my solid eyeshadows) which is a huge plus.

Mineral Foundation, shade: warm caramel: Let me start of by saying that I have been wanting to try a mineral/powder foundation forever! Only reason I haven't tried is because I do know that they tend to be quite price (Earthnicity however, offer samples on the website). Now the problem was my shade, I never find my shade of foundation, nor powder- probably why I don't use either. But with the description: "For lightly tanned skin with warm undertones...light mixed-race African Caribbeans. For those with lighter skin..." (I've shortened this quote), I thought hey, that's me. And it turns out the shade was a perfect match. Oh I tried wearing this today to work and my supervisor said that my skin looked great, for someone to observe that the result must have been pretty good.

Please note that this is not a review, I always like to do a first thoughts post with a lot of pictures and how I've been getting on so far. Also, I was soo excited about this orange shade below. As with the mineral foundation- this is another random makeup item I've been yearning (lol) for forever! That exact orange shade I mean..

Do you use mineral makeup?

Have you heard of this brand, and what do you think of the shades?

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♥ DHC Blogger Party Goodie Bag & Event Pics

2013-03-24T17:51:00.000Z

DHC Blogger Party Goodie Bag & Event Pics

Hi Guys :) I wen't to the DHC blogger party event a few days ago and just wanted to show what was in the goodie bag and a few pics of the event. I was so happy to see a full size deep cleansing oil- as this was already my favourite face cleanser (review).

|| DHC Deep Cleansing Oil My review here || DHC Pore Lotion (Toner) || DHC Pore Milk (Moisturiser)

|| DHC Pore Essence || DHC Velvet Skin Coat (Primer) || DHC Mascara Perfect Pro Double Protection || DHC Liquid Eyeliner EX || DHC Moisture Care Lipstick

We got treated to loads of drinks, and canapés which I happily accepted every time the waiter offered (lol). I absolutely love smoked salmon and I eat it daily, champagne is another favourite too. Yeah I love food..

I will be back with reviews soon :)

Have u tried DHC products, and how do u like them?

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♥ Youtube Tutorial: Super Easy To Do Smokey Eyes

2013-03-23T23:35:00.003Z

Youtube Tutorial: Super Easy To Do Smokey Eyes

Ha-ha, my talking in the video is sooo awkwards, forgive me guys ! :)

I won't go into details of what I used and how, because you can see that in the video :)

Eyeshadows: Sleek Sparkle 2 Palette
Lips: Calvin Klein light pink lipstick
Lips: BodyShop Coconut Lip Gloss
Eyebrows & Transitioning shades: Wet & Wild Palette

What do you think of this look?

Please share & subscribe to my channel if u liked it

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♥ New Beauty Products from Garnier, Loreal & LA Colors

2013-03-22T21:56:00.003Z

Beauty Products from Garnier, Loreal & LA Colors

Just wanted to show you guys these products I picked up at Westfield when I met up with lovely Nicole from Nicole's Beauty. It's quite funny because she is also Swedish/Nigerian like myself, except plus Finish as well :) . The scrub and mascara were things that I needed because my previous ones had finished, and the LA Colour stuff was just something I wanted to try out because they were cheap and I hadn't tried them before.

So this palette has got such nice shades! Now that I think of it, it sort of looks like a dupe from this INGLOT palette that I put in a recent makeup wish list. It was so odd because the shades of the untouched palettes looked completely different to the tester ones in some cases, which caused a lot of confusion to me, to say the least lol. In the end I skeptically settled for the explanation "the top layer of the shadows have a slightly different colour". Turns out it was true.

Oh my god, I've been wanting a purple lipstick for soo long guys. I did want a darker one, but since this was only £1 I thought it might be fun to try it out. Love the shade and pigmentation is good as well, however the formula is a bit strange. It's that kind of formula that sometimes doesn't want to "stick" to your lips, especially not in the inner/middle parts of your lips. It is still great for a pound though.

Oh yeah and speaking of LA Colors and purple lipsticks, I can't believe I won Akilah's (from http://perfectlyrandomblog.blogspot.co.uk/) giveaway!! :) (the price was a purple lippy, la colour shadows etc)

Have you tried LA colours?

Do u know any other bargain purple lipstick?

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♥ ST Patricks Day Themed Green, Turquoise & Leopard Print Nails

2013-03-22T08:04:00.000Z

ST Patricks Day Themed NOTD

Yeah guys I know this is a little late, I actually DID it on St Patricks day. However it is not a day I celebrate so I thought I would just post it anytime :)

I just saw it as a theme for some nail art. Here is what I used:

Did you do any St Patricks day themes nails & makeup?

PLEASE link if so?

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♥ Crazy Natural Inc Hair, Bath & Body Oil Review

2013-03-17T19:30:00.000Z

Crazy Natural Inc Hair, Bath & Body Oil Review

I must say that now that I am transitioning to natural hair (read about that here), I spend a lot of time on Instagram searching for hashtags for inspiration, hair products & tips. Crazy Natural Inc is a brand I discovered on follow there and I love seeing her new products and also pics of her gorgeous hair. You might know I am very much into hair care DIY's so home made and natural hair products really interest me. Anyway, she was kind enough to send me some samples which I was very happy to try out.

Crazy Natural Inc Hair, Bath & Body Oil
I always like to have an "all round oil" that I use after showering, in my hair and scalp if it is light enough. So the timing was perfect for me to try this out. I love that it comes in an applicator bottle like this, and I am so re using it when it is finished. Top ingredient is Coconut Oil which is my favourite oil (read my post on it here), followed by oils such as Olive Oil and Vitamin E at the bottom. What really amazes me is that not only is the oil very light (I'd say lighter than Olive/Almond Oil), but a little heaver than Coconut/Jojoba Oil- which is probably due to the Coconut Oil in there. But despite Coconut Oil being at the top, the oil mix is completely liquid and even though it is super cold in my room, it has never gone cloudy or started to solidify.

For Hair & Scalp: A great every day sealant (to use after moisturising hair). Will get absorbed by your hair very well, as the top ingredient is Coconut Oil (which penetrates the hair cuticle). A big plus is that it is light enough to use on your scalp and I really recommend applying it to your scalp a few times per week and giving your self a scalp massage to promote growth. Coconut Oil is amazing to maintain and healthy scalp, and Vitamin E is great if your scalp is dry, or itchy as it can help heal it.

For body: I've mainly used this oil for my body, every day after I showered, I just apply it while my skin is wet. The applicator bottles is a big plus when doing so and by the time I am out of the shower, and brush my teeth- the oil has been absorbed into my skin. For parts of my body that are more prone to getting dry like knees, feet and elbows, I use the Crazy Natural Inc Shea Body Butter which you can see below.

Crazy Natural Inc: Online Store | Twitter | Instagram

Look out for my review on the items above! :)

Will you try this brand, and do you prefer all natural brands?

Check out my 1st Youtube makeup tutorial here & let me know what you think please.

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♥ Health Store Beauty and Hair Staples- Aloe Vera Gel, Cold PressedCoconut Oil & Peppermint Oil

2013-03-16T23:07:00.001Z

Health Store Beauty and Hair Staples- Aloe Vera Gel, Cold Pressed Coconut Oil & Peppermint Oil

Check out my post on the amazing benefits of Coconut Oil here

Biona Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Virgin Oil, Raw

Feel free to read about my love for cold pressed Coconut Oil here. I like the cheap refined one to, it's still amazing for hair and scalp. But oh my god, the virgin one smells so amazing- if you like Coconut that is. It smells like your smelling the cake mix of that Coconut cake whatever it is called. Mixing this with peppermint oil is amazing on your scalp. I have really been trying my best to not buy this as it is "expensive" (£5.99), well expensive for how much I use it anyway.

Pure Aloe Vera Gel from Random Aloe Pura

Well I usually buy the pure one from the same brand but it looks like I picked up the one with added vitamins this time. I love Aloe Vera gel in the summer on my skin because it is soo soothing after staying out for too long in the sun. Anywho it is clearly not summer in the UK atm so I am buying it to use in my hair, it's great as a moisturiser when you don't want to add any water and also as a soft hold gel. For me it doesn't leave any residue.

Angel's Garden Peppermint Essential Oil

I found this in my local health store shop and it was pretty cheap for £4. However I do think it is slightly less potent so next time I will just stick to my Holland & Baretts Peppermint Essential Oil. As I mentioned below, I love Peppermint for scalp massages- it is great for stimulating your scalp, thereby stimulating growth. The cool sensation that Peppermint Oil leaves is great for itchy scalps as well.

What are your beauty & hair favourites from the health store?

Check out my post on the amazing benefits of Coconut Oil here

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