Haircare for a Special Occasion

October 10, 2016January 28, 2018 - Vicki

I went to my brothers’ wedding last weekend and I don’t really do the whole dressing up all glam, I’m 100% more comfortable in a casual setting, so when it came to styling my hair I knew I was going to go for a look that was simple. My Mum, Bride & a few other girls went to the salon to have their hair put up or styled but I like to do my own, that way you get exactly what you want. I thought I would share a few of the products I used on the day.

Pureology Fullfyl Shampoo & Conditioner

This duo is so good at giving your hair a really good clean but leaving it with a little volume and a gorgeous healthy shine. It is more for colour treated hair but I always think haircare that is formulated for that is gentle and less striping and this range is perfect for that. It also leaves my hair with fewer flyaways and gives it a nice texture once styled. I have the full sized versions but how could I resist taking these minis away with me. Pureology is 100% vegan and sulphate free so your hair is in good hands.

Shea Moisture 10 in 1 Multi-Benefit Hair Masque*

If I am honest when it comes to hair masks I am a little lazy and more often than not it is a step I skip. I do have my favourites that I use when my hair is looking lacklustre or when I need my hair to look its best for a special occasions. This Shea Moisture SuperFruit Complex one is one that never lets me down, its rich formula gives your hair a boost of hydration and just leaves it feeling silky soft. I leave this on for as long as I can, generally about 45 minutes, it contains so many lovely ingredients and the positive results are not only visible immediately but also long-term.

Superfruit–a blend of red raspberry, ketones, goji, acai and guava extracts rich in anti-aging antioxidants
Marula oil–contains natural plant peptides that help support hair’s elasticity
Biotin–nourishes individual strands for thicker, stronger hair
Shea butter–deeply moisturises while conditioning hair and scalp

OGX Moroccan Curling Perfection

My hair is naturally wavy so when it comes to styling it for special occasions I like to wear it as natural as possible. If I try and straighten it I know that a few hours later it will have kinks in it & if it gets wet its pretty much a frizzy mess & game over. If I add a little curl to it I find it holds really well and looks better throughout the night. I love OGX haircare and this Curling Perfection Cream is fantastic to help my waves/curls look natural and doesn’t weight them down. It’s not going to leave your hair crusty or heavy with product, so if you like more of a natural effortless wave to your hair this product is for you.

**Nicky Clarke Supershine Iconic Steam Conditioning Tong* £39.99**

As I said my hair is naturally wavy but to ensure it looked a little more polished and like I’d made an effort I used this pretty swish black & rose gold curling tong from Nicky Clarke. I like that this tong is super lightweight, the barrel is 25mm which is perfect for creating subtle, natural curls and you can vary the temperature to suit your hair type from 130c to 210c.

Ceramic finish barrel gives fast, even heat and smooth, snag-free styling for soft, silky styles
Ionic conditioning locks in moisture to keep hair healthy and frizz-free
Automatic safety shut-off after 60 minutes.
30 seconds heat-up time.
5 settings up to a maximum of 210ºC, with digital controls and LED display

There is a little reservoir at the tip of the tongs which you fill with water so you can release a little steam to lock in moisture and help your curls have a little more structure to them. I also run my fringe through these to give it that slight curl under. All in all, this is a great quality styling wand and it looks very luxurious too, my hair kept its curl all day and night. There is also a hairdryer and straighteners in this Supershine range & if like me you often forget to turn them off this range has an auto shut-off after 60 minutes for safety, such a great safety feature.

I didn’t take many photos from the Wedding of my hair but I do have this one of me & my husband towards the end of the night.

*PR Sample

Five Under £5 for October

October 6, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 8 Comments

October is my favourite month, mostly because it is my Birthday month and this year to celebrate turning 38 we are heading to Amsterdam for a week. I am so excited to be heading back to my all time favourite city. I have missed a couple of months of Five Under £5 posts but I am back with a bang this month & I think I have a pretty good selection of things for you.

If you want to get involved and link up your monthly 5 Under £5 finds then head over to Julia’s blog at Rainbeaubelle and join in.

Primark LED Lights £1.50

I have a few of these string fairy lights from Primark – they’re battery powered which I like otherwise I tend to go out & leave them all turned on and panic I’m going to burn the house down. I use these all over the house just to make it feel more cosy and they look so pretty. I can’t go into Primark without buying at least one box.

YOGI Tea – Classic £2.99

Yes, yes I know that almost every month I include a tea, but what can I say I am a tea addict. This Yogi Tea is my latest obsession. I spotted it in TK Maxx and its actually a tea tin full of delicious Yogi Tea Bags, all individually wrapped. It reminds me of Chai Tea because its full of spices & cloves – its a great tea to welcome Autumn in (my favourite season).

YOGI TEA Classic is the tea that Yogi Bhajan originally served to his yoga students. This unique blend is a combination of the traditional Ayurvedic spices cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves and black pepper. Heart-warming, relaxing, delicious, spicy and wonderful. Best enjoyed in the Indian tradition: sweetened and with a little milk or milk substitute. The essence of this tea is: ‘Comfort and abundance’.

Vaseline ltd edition LULU Guinness £2.99

These Vaseline tins are great to throw in your handbag, they’re so durable and stand the test of time. I have used up so many over the years and love it when they release their limited edition lip therapy tins. This October Vaseline have teamed up with British designer Lulu Guinness to release this super cute LuLu Doll Face tin. Now that we are heading into the colder months my lips get so dry & Vaseline is a great way to keep my lips looking their best and Its such a great affordable option.

B&M Marshmallow Fireside Candle

B&M is like Aladdin’s cave, you just never know what you are going to come out with, I saw quite a few bloggers talking about their new Autumnal candles being great dupes for the popular (and very hard to get) Bath & Body Works ones. I think there are 6 scents in total and they have always been sold out when I visit, but I did manage to get my hands on the Marshmallow Fireside one which smells so damn good. Its perfect for the darker nights and has such a cosy but sweet scent. It seems to burn quite clean and for a £2.99 candle it kicks out a good amount of scent. I am still on the hunt for the other scents & really want the Radiant Red Maple and Pumpkin Pecan Waffle.

The Vegan Kitchen E Book £5.00

You might not be aware but in my house we eat a plant based diet and have done so for 3 years now. I knew that Gemma from Hello Gemma had been busy writing her E Book for quite a few months and so I was super excited to finally be able to purchase it a couple of months ago. Gemma is a fellow Vegan and is a bit of a wizz in the kitchen so it’s no surprise that her E Book is nothing short of fantastic. Its so well written and the accompanying photographs are beautiful. You get a 40 delicious plant based recipes as discussing some of the ethical and environmental reasons for adopting Veganism The Vegan Kitchen also gives an insight into why Veganism is so important, dispelling myths and misconceptions along the way. Even if you’re not Vegan but like to eat healthy this is a great E Book and its always lovely to support a fellow blogger.

QVC Tili Beauty Box Second Edition

October 4, 2016March 2, 2025 - Vicki 4 Comments

This is the Try it Love it (Tili) Beauty Box from QVC, and before you ask if there is really room for another beauty box on the market – just have a look at the contents! Its jam-packed full of luxurious, current, must have beauty products.

So October saw the release of the Tili Beauty Box Second Edition and once again they’ve managed to include some big name brands like Tarte, NIOD, OPI and Caudalie. The contents have a value of £99 but retails at £20 including p&p, so you’re getting a fantastic deal. I thought their first box was going to be hard to follow-up, but they have knocked it out of the park, these Tili boxes feel like they’ve been carefully curated, and I’m very excited to try everything.

In your box:

1 x Percy & Reed Abundantly Bouncy Volumising Mousse (200ml) – with a formula created to stay light and feel natural thanks to its creamy moisturising texture, this mousse is designed to give your hair extreme, lasting volume, without a sticky or stiff feel
1 x NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex (15ml) – this advanced serum combines 12 forms of hyaluronic compounds in a peptide-charged delivery system to offer visible hydration, helping to plump and even out the appearance of your complexion and leave it feeling comfortable and smooth
1 x Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara (7ml) – helps separate and lift lashes, while painting on glossy, ultra-black definition with a patented soft bristle brush that saturates even the tiniest lashes to increase lash volume instantly
1 x Amazing Grace shower gel (30ml) – a three-in-one shower gel, bath foam and shampoo, with an amazingly clean, beautifully feminine scent
1 x OPI Nail Lacquer in Russian Navy (15ml) – a richly-pigmented inky blue shimmer
1 x Laura Geller Spackle Tinted Under Make-Up Primer (59ml) – a lightweight formula with a sheer bronze tint designed to even out the look and feel of your skin tone, creating a smoother canvas on which to apply your make-up, and giving a soft, luminescent glow
1 x Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen (0.8g) – in Black Noir (intense black). This water-resistant, long-wear eye pen glides on smoothly in a single sweeping motion, and is designed to be smudge and budge-resistant
1 x Caudalie Resveratrol Lift Moisturizer SPF20 (15ml) – this rich formula features soft-focus mattifying powders that instantly prime and blur the look of your skin, while helping to smooth and re-contour the look of your complexion. Combines micro hyaluronic acids with Vine Resveratrol, plus peptides

You get 8 products in this month’s box, and they’re a good mix of skincare, haircare and make-up and I have to say I’m really impressed with the contents. I’m particularly excited to try the Tarte Mascara, NIOD Multi-Molecular Hyaluronic Complex and the beautiful OPI Nail Polish. Quite often with beauty boxes there are a few dud products or foil packets, but it seems with Tili you get top named, good quality brands and a mix of full size products and generous deluxe samples.

These boxes sell out quite quickly so don’t hang about!

Tili Beauty Box : £20 including P&P

BIBA Vanity Case from House of Fraser

October 3, 2016April 20, 2025 - Vicki 2 Comments

BIBA Vanity Case*

If you are into luxury luggage and like me have always wanted a swish vanity case for all your cosmetics, then I think you are going to fall in love with this BIBA Vanity Case. BIBA are a luxe luggage brand, they have an extensive selection of beautiful suitcases and handbags. They’re also celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, so it’s safe to say they know a thing or two about travelling in style.

I’ve been trying out the stunning purple Vanity Case which is moulded with the iconic BIBA jacquard design on a beautiful high shine finish, with metallic gold detailing. It’s incredible quality and although it’s lightweight (which is what you want when it comes to luggage) it feels very strong and durable so you know all your treasures are going to travel safely inside this. It’s functional whilst looking stylish, of course.

The interior is divided thoughtfully with zipped, meshed and elasticated pockets to make this the perfect compact organiser. You get two very good-sized compartments on each side, these are deep and allow you to pack the bulk of your toiletries in here, knowing they’re protected by the hard case. They zip closed so they are secure, and I managed to fit full sized toiletries inside with room to spare.

You also get a zipped mesh pouch, which is ideal for items that you may need to reach for before you get to your destination. There are also handy elasticated pockets which you can slide in things like makeup brushes, sunglasses and hair tools. So you have lots of options and for someone that loves organising their makeup and skincare it’s perfect.

Hard sided case
5 year guarantee
Capacity 21 L
Depth 18 cm
Height 32 cm
Luggage Weight 1.2 kg
Width 36 cm

This case keeps everything organised and neat and because its a hard case it ensures you get to your destination with all your makeup / products intact. It has a few carry options, one being a sturdy detachable over the shoulder strap, the second is a great handle on the top and the third being the rear strap which allows for it to perch securely on top of your suitcase. I am heading to Amsterdam next week for a Birthday Celebration & I can’t wait to take this with me, I will be able to pack all my favourite cosmetics and not worry about them getting damaged.

BIBA Vanity Case