Dove - Pure Care Dry Oil Review

Good Evening :)

Today's post is about a fairly recent addition to the Dove Haircare range. The products I'm talking about are The Dove Advanced Hair Series - Pure Care Dry Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and the Dry Oil itself.

I went to Boots a few weeks ago on the lookout for something that would caring on my bleach blonde hair during the cold weather. 

I'd been reading up on hair oils as I had never actually used any before, and I needed one that wouldn't weigh down my barnet, as although my hair looks thick - it's not, it's fine, but there's just a lot of it!

The Dove Dry Oil for all hair types had some pretty good reviews, so I thought I would give that a shot, I also picked up the matching Shampoo and Conditioner as well.

I've now been using these products for about 4 weeks and here are my thoughts.

Packaging and Price

The Shampoo and Conditioner come in 250 ml bottles with the classic Dove logo, but with white and Gold as the main colours. I'll be honest and say that I do prefer to be able to see how much product I have left in the bottles, but thats just my silly personal preference.
The Shampoo and Conditioner were £5.99 each when I bought them.

The Dry Oil comes in a 100ml glass bottle with a pump that you need to twist to open. This bottle makes the product look more expensive than it actually was. The bottle cost me £9.99

Products and Use

The Dry Oil range is described as a 'Luxurious range of products created to nourish flat and dull hair. With unique dry oil technology, the lightweight, rich formula is deeply absorbed for sublimely soft hair'

My hair often needs a moisture boost, but gets very weighed down if I use heavy duty products, so I was quite hopeful that this wouldn't happen with this range. 

The 3 products all have the same scent. The Macadamia Oil gives them a sweet, luxurious smell, but not an overpowering one.

I used the Shampoo and Conditioner and then I quickly towel dried my hair, brushed it, and then used 3 pumps of the Dry Oil and ran it through the mid-ends of my hair.
My hair currently sits just below my shoulders, so anyone with longer hair may want to use an extra pump of product.

When I blow dried my hair I immediately noticed how soft it felt. It felt so silky I couldnt stop touching it! I usually get a lot of flyways, and by using the Dry Oil range I noticed that these had been dramatically reduced and my hair looked much smoother and shinier than usual.

However, I did feel that my hair looked a little flat at the roots, my fringe felt quite weighed down and I found it difficult to get it to sit right that day.

I usually wash my hair every other day, it doesn't get very greasy, only a little bit at the roots. The next day after using this range my hair looked very flat and a bit more greasy than usual. Using a bit of dry shampoo sorted it out though.

Overall Thoughts

I really like this range, but I think the Shampoo and Conditioner are a bit heavy going for my hair, which is a shame. I also found that after a few uses the Shampoo didn't seem to be cleaning my hair as well as others that I have, so I haven't been using the Shampoo and Conditioner on every wash. I'll finish up the bottles, but probably won't re-purchase.

The Dry Oil however is the product I have loved! I use it nearly every wash and my hair feels so soft and smooth and looks in better condition.
It was definitely worth the money. In my photo I'd used this product for about 4 weeks, so that's probably about 20 uses, and there's so much left! This I will definitely re-purchase when it eventually runs out!

I would recommend the Dry Oil for someone who has dyed or slightly damaged hair, but that is also quite fine. It doesn't weigh it down at all, and people have complimented me on how shiny my hair looks when I've used it.

You can buy this range in most Boots, Superdrug and larger Supermarkets. There are often offers on too. I got these on a 3 for 2 deal that Boots had on at the time.

I have seen the Dove Oxygen and Moisture range, so I'm quite tempted to give that a try next time. Has anyone used these? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for reading :)

Sal x

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - Sweet Orange & Mint

Good Evening :)

Todays post is all about the new Limited Edition Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish that has been bought out this winter.

I am already a HUGE fan of Liz Earle products. I use the Cleanse, Tone and Moisturise method every day, and I also use the Masks, Exfoliator, Shampoo and Conditioner, and I have a post about my skincare routine using their products on my blog already.

Every now and then Liz Earle bring out a Limited Edition version of their famous Cleanse & Polish. I had the one from the summer which was Orange flower and Camomile, and they have now bought out one for the winter which is Sweet Orange and Mint.

When I made an order online I also popped this into my basket and I am so glad I did!

Packaging

I was pleasantly surprised when my delivery arrived and I saw this Cleanser packaged inside this lovely box. Inside the box was the 150ml of C&P, 2 Gold trimmed Muslin cloths, and a useful cleansing guide.

The bottle itself is very eye catching with the Orange and Green flowers on the White background. It is also a larger size of 150ml rather than the standard 100ml C&P bottle. I think this is well worth the £19.75 I paid for it.

Product

Most people have heard of the famous Cleanse & Polish, so I won't go into too much detail about how to use it. Basically, you pump some of the product onto your hands, and then massage it straight onto your face. You can even use it on your eye makeup and it doesn't make your eyes sting!
You then run the Muslin cloth under hot water, wring it out, and gently massage across your face in a circular motion to remove all of your makeup and any daily grime.
Lastly just splash your face with a bit of cold water and your good to go!

This product is used in the exact same way. I did find that the consistency is ever so slightly thinner than the regular C&P, which made it easier to melt into your skin.

The smell itself is what I love the most about it. When I first put some onto my hands, I could only smell the Orange scent. This itself is a delicious fresh orange scent, not an artificial one.
But when I started massaging the cleanser into my skin I could smell the mint. It's a lovely fresh mint smell, like mint leaves from the garden. The two scents combined really work well together, aren't overpowering, and personally do remind me of the festive season.

Overall Thoughts

I knew I would love this Cleanser as I'm such a fan of the original, but I know I'm going to have to stock up on another bottle or two before they disappear from the shelves.

I think this would make a great Christmas present for somebody, whether they already use Liz Earle or not. The packaging makes it looks so special, and the product itself is very luxurious, so I can imagine that anyone interested in Beauty or skincare would be very happy to receive this.

The cleanser is available on the Liz Earle website and also in some John Lewis and larger Boots stores.

Thanks for reading :)

Sal x

Winter Wardrobe Haul

Good Afternoon! :)

Last week I went on a shopping trip for some new items for my Winter wardrobe. I was badly in need of a couple more warm jumpers, a smart coat and a scarf.

I managed to pick up everything I needed (and more) so I thought I would show you what I bought.

River Island Camel Oversized Coat - £80, New Look Reversible Tartan Scarf - £14.99

I went into town originally to buy the Blue coat featured in my wishlist post. However, when I tried it on in store I wasn't so keen. I also realised that a Blue coat wouldn't go with everything, so going for a more neutral colour might be a better choice.

I saw this coat in River Island and loved it! I wasn't sure too if it swamped me as it's an oversized coat and I'm quite petite but I've had lots of compliments on it so far!

The scarf from New Look really goes with the coat. I love that it's reversible. I didn't realise how big the scarf was until I got home - it's HUGE, but I know that once it gets really cold outside I'll be very grateful for it.

River Island Collar Bib - £15	River Island Navy Blue Large Satchel - £30
H&M L.O.G.G Jumper - £24.99	H&M Black Jumper - £12.99

I don't shop in River Island that much, but I bought quite a lot from there this time! The Navy satchel bag looks really smart with the coat, is very roomy and feels really good quality.

The Embellished Collar Bib is something I've been wanting for a while. I love wearing jumpers with a collar, and having this means I don't have to squeeze an actual blouse underneath - I find that can sometimes get uncomfortable. I love the jewelled collar on this one as it can turn a plain outfit into something a little more special.

The Burgundy jumper from H&M is from their L.O.G.G range (Label Of Graded Goods) I've bought a few items now with this label and even though they are a little more expensive than the regular clothes in store, they are a lot better quality. There's a big H&M where I live, and there is a whole section for this label. If you have a larger store near you, I really recommend checking out the L.O.G.G section.

The Black jumper is from the usual range in H&M. It's slightly cropped and loose fit so would look great with some high waisted trousers/jeans.

The last items I picked up were some tights in Primark. The 40 denier ones I've been wearing to work just aren't cutting it now it's getting chilly. The Super Cosy ones are a Winter must have and are only £3.50 a pair!

I'm pretty pleased with my purchases, they are all quite versatile so I can mix and match my outfits. I still need to pick up a hat and gloves and I'll be all set for the cold!

What are your Winter Wardrobe essentials?

Thanks for reading :)

Sal x

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review

Hello there! :)

Todays post is going to be a review of a foundation I have been using over the last couple of weeks.

The foundation in question is one from a more 'high-end' brand which is NARS.

I was given a Space-NK gift card a while ago, and even though I had often lusted after the products they sold, I had never actually gone into the store near me.

I was in need of a new foundation as my usual Estee Lauder Double Wear Light only had a couple of uses left, and after reading so many great reviews on the NARS Sheer Glow I thought I would give this a try!

When I went into the store I asked to be colour matched, and I was matched with shade 'Mont Blanc'

The assistant applied a little to my jawline and I left the store and went about my day to see how it looked and felt on my skin before actually parting with my voucher for the foundation. I went back in later the next day to pick up a bottle.

I've now been using this foundation for a while, so I now can give it a proper review.

Packaging:

The bottle is rectangle shaped glass with the NARS branding on the side. It has a screw top lid, but the bottle doesn't come with a pump.

You can buy the pump separately (£3 in Space-NK). I found this a little disappointing, but it was something that I could overlook and I have found that you just need to be careful not to pour out too much product as it's a very runny formula.

Finish: 

The foundation comes in a wide choice of colours, 20 to be exact! So finding a shade to suit my skin tone was easy. I am shade 'Light 2 - Mont Blanc' This was a perfect match for me.

This product is described as a 'Glowing, natural radiant foundation, with Sheer and buildable coverage'

For me it definitely does give a 'glow' that my regular foundation doesn't. This is one of the main reasons I bought it. My skin can look very dull in the winter months, and I felt I needed something to give it a boost.

Personally, I haven't found the foundation to be that Sheer. It's a lot lighter on the skin than I'm used to, but it's certainly buildable. When I've applied it, it really gives me a very natural but radiant look which I love. It doesn't look cakey and it's great for daytime makeup.

I apply it with one of my Real Techniques brushes, either the Stippling brush, or the Foundation brush. 

Staying Power:

This is the only downside to this foundation for me. My skin type is normal, but I do get a slightly oily t-zone half way through the day. Usually my Estee Lauder foundation and Rimmel Stay matte pressed powder work really well together and my makeup doesn't melt off during the day. Sometimes I do apply a little powder just on my t-zone in the afternoon if needed, but not often.

With the Sheer Glow touching up at lunch time was a must. I found that on my nose and chin the product wold really start to slide, and this was with me applying pressed powder to set the foundation in the mornings. 

I wouldn't wear this foundation on a night out as I can imagine it disappearing completely when in hot bars and clubs.

I think it would be more suited to somebody with dryer skin.

Overall Thoughts:

I really like this foundation for a daytime look, but for £31 I would want a foundation that wouldn't start disappearing on me after a few hours. Also the foundation doesn't contain any SPF which I found a bit disappointing.

Would I buy this again? Maybe. I loved that it made my skin look so radiant and alive. You don't need to use much product either so the 30ml bottle will last me a while.

I'll certainly finish up the bottle and see how I get on, but I have seen the NARS Sheer Matte foundation on the Space-NK website so I might ask for a sample of that next time as it could be more suited to me.

Has anyone tried the NARS Foundations? If so, what did you think?

Thanks for reading

Sal x