I Wouldn't Dry My Hair Without This Product

I've been wanting to rave about this product for a while now, so I'm glad I've finally sat down to write about it and share my opinion with you. Being a frequent user of curling irons, straighteners and dryers I've tried many heat-protecting products, however I've never found anything I've stuck with purely because none of them were that good. They either felt too heavy, or left my hair looking greasy and feeling straw-like. Sound familiar?

I first came across Percy & Reed Smooth Sealed & Sensational Volumising No Oil Oil (RRP £14) when it came free inside a magazine I picked up (Elle? Vogue? Cosmo? Can't remember). It was a small tester bottle, but as soon as I had used it all I bought a new, full-sized one from M&S.

I simply separate my hair into two parts, clipping one of them up on the top of my head and put two drops of the No Oil Oil on the other section (the one I'm going to dry first). I then brush it through with a Tangle Teezer, dry that section, then do exactly the same with the other part of my hair. 

This product is my holy grail. Like I said in the title; I wouldn't dry my hair without it. It's my perfect hair product as it does all the positive things that a hair oil would do without causing greasiness, which is what a lot of oil-products that I've tried have done. It makes my hair feel super soft, and stops it from turning frizzy once it's all dried (it contains "frizz-fighting pomegranate seed oil"). Also, its wheat proteins protect your hair from heat.

It's difficult to describe the formula of this product; I'd say it's a matte oil... Does that even make sense? I don't have particularly fine hair but I opted for the "for fine hair" version because I knew it would be more sensitive, whereas "for thick hair" is likely to be heavier, to cater for all the hair. So, if you have thick hair, your new favourite hair product is right here: Percy & Reed Smooth Sealed & Sensational No Oil Oil for Thick Hair.

What Percy & Reed products have you tried? Let me know down below because I'd love to try some more!

Libby

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The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation

I think everybody has a few beauty items that they never want to stop using because they know it does a good job and they're scared to try something new. Mine was foundation. I've been using Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum for 3 or 4 years now and my last bottle recently ran out so i needed to buy a new one, but I thought I'd stray from my comfort zone and try out a new foundation. The Body Shop's Fresh Nude Foundation was recommended to me when I was thinking of buying Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, because they're apparently very similar and Fresh Nude is less than half the price.

The lovely girl that works at The Body Shop colour matched this foundation to my skin, although I didn't have my concealer with me to check that it was lighter than the shade I was about to purchase, but I bought it anyway and was relieved when I got home to discover my concealer is, in fact, lighter. I bought the shade Bora Bora Tiare 012.

First of all let's talk about the shade range. This product comes in '16 nature-inspired shades' which are all so different. Some have yellow undertones, some pink, and their names are so unique. I've said before on this blog how much I love the words that The Body Shop uses, I mean, "Hawaii Macadamia", "Fiji Sand" and "Seychelles Cinnamon". These names definitely portray a sense of allurement.

My skin-type is combination. I begin the day with some normal and some dry patches on my face, and after several hours my t-zone begins to appear slightly oily, and my old foundation was able to keep this all under control and slightly even it out. 

Left: applied 

Right: slightly blended

Bora Bora Tiare 012 has yellow undertones which is what most suits me when it comes to foundation shades. It is light and slightly watery, although not completely runny. As you can see on the right swatch, when blended, this foundation gives more of a medium coverage as opposed to a light coverage (the product claims to give a light coverage) and it is definitely buildable without looking cakey.

This foundation claims to leave "skin feeling beautifully fresh and comfortable all day" with a "semi-matte finish". It does leave a fresh and flawless finish that can either give you a beautiful, healthy glow if left, but a velvety, smooth surface if set with powder. It doesn't feel harsh on your skin, perhaps due to the calming and hydrating Aloe Vera and English Rose Water (which also gives it a lovely smell!). This foundation is also parabens free and suitable for sensitive skin, and it has an SPF of 15, so we're looking great and not harming our faces in the meantime!

The only negative thing I have to say about this product is that it does begin to fade away after 6 hours or so, but I'm sure this time will be extended if you apply more than 1 layer to your skin!

Fresh Nude is a beautifully impressive foundation for only £15. Plus, sign up to their Love Your Body Card and E-mail service and you'll have offers coming out of your ears... I'm not joking, hehe.

The internet is lacking in reviews for this foundation so I'd love to hear how you got on with it with your skin type. Let me know in the comments below!

Libby

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Effaclar Duo+ - Does It Work?

Around two years ago, I went through the process of trying to be prescribed Roaccutane and I finally succeeded. During this time, La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo+ was recommended to me, and although I doubt it could've solved my intense skin problems that I had back then, it definitely does a good job of maintaining the healthy skin I have now.

La Roche-Posay is popular among dermatologists and I can definitely see why. For such a small price (£15.50, Boots), I can imagine it is rare to find a skincare product that does as good of a job as this does. On the La Roche-Posay website, Effaclar Duo claims to correct the appearance of blemishes, help pores look less clogged, make skin texture feel smoother, help reduce the appearance of red and brown marks and provide 24-hour hydration... And MY GOD does it do this. I apply it to my face and the top of my neck before bed, after cleansing and moisturising, and I wake up the next morning with smooth, even-toned skin. Even after washing it off with water and then moisturising, I have a perfect base to apply primer and foundation. If I go a few days without using this cream, I definitely notice a negative change in my skin - it looks dull, red marks reappear, and I start breaking out; so I know this product definitely aids in preventing breakouts. Also, if I do get a few spots as a result of stress or my period, I can apply a tiny amount of this to the area and the next day it is visibly clearer. This tube also lasts a really long time as I use less than a pea-sized amount for my whole face each time I apply.

This product definitely does do what it says it does, and I would recommend it to anybody - whether you've got spot-prone skin, a bit of redness, over-oily or over-dry skin. It is such a good buy and definitely makes beautiful and clarified skin seem easily achieved.

Have you tried Effaclar Duo or any other La Roche-Posay products? What do you think of them? Let me know below!

Libby

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