Mane 'n Tail Conditioner

Good morning!

I hope your new year has started off with a bang, I'm going hard at the gym for the next few weeks to kick start my health regime and up my fitness ready for a long list of challenges set out for this year.
Aside from that work has been so quiet I've spent all my time cleaning and moving boxes...full of paper! My shoulders and back were absolutely killing afterwards!

During my shopping trip in Liberty at the beginning of December I picked up a product that has probably made it onto many blogs over the past year but I hadn't managed to get my hands on it.

The Original Mane 'n Tail Moisturizer is a conditioner originally created for horse hair.
That's right..................horses.

Why on earth would you want to use horse conditioner I hear you think?
Well not only is this a horse conditioner but also a conditioner for humans and a leave in conditioner.

It has been recommended by many a woman for its hydrating properties and ability to help keep long hair in good condition and grow longer.

The conditioner is in a white plastic bottle with a yellow and blue label on, not the normal type of packaging for a product that catches the eye of bloggers and beauty journalists.

They claim this is an exclusive thick, rich formula to achieve longer, healthier looking hair by working 5 ways;
1) Conditions and fortifies hair
2) Helps prevent hair breakage and split ends
3) Natural oils to prevent scalp flaking
4) Moisturising against environmental effects
5) Keeps hair tangle free

All this for only £7 for 335ml which is almost 100ml bigger than your average bottle.

Having used the conditioner over the winter months when my hair was feeling rather awful, I can safely say that this product is pretty handy. It does not overload my hair whatsoever and leaves it feeling soft and manageable, it does fight tangles which I suffer with a lot with my very long hair and it is generally in a much better condition.

I would consider repurchasing this again in future once I've worked through some of my stash. I've got rather a lot to be working through for the time being but I'd recommend this to anyone with long hair that needs a boost over the colder months.

Have you tried the Mane 'n Tail range? What did you think of using a horse product?

L xxx

Rimmel Scandaleyes and Scandaleyes Flex Mascara

Morning all!

I've got a double review/comparison review for you today. I picked up both of these Rimmel mascaras over the past few months and thought as they were the same it was easier to review them this way.

The Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara (orange packaging) was free a few months ago when you spent a certain amount on Rimmel in Boots. I picked up my usual Stay Matte Pressed Powder and probably a Kate Moss lipstick to get this as I'm a big fan of Rimmel mascaras.

I'm lucky in that my lashes are long enough as they are, but as they're very straight I do need help with mascara to curl them and create more volume. Because of this I've only ever bought high street mascaras because they work well enough for me and Rimmel is my go to when I need one asap!

So let's talk about the original Scandaleyes mascara. First off I liked that this one came in its own individual wrapping, this is great as it means nobody else has used it or tampered with it.

The orange packaging is bright and funky and easy to find in my endless make up bag!

It's also a chunky product which I prefer, a small skinny tube isn't as easy to grab and handle as a tube like this. The brush is pretty average looking but all the same looks like it will pick up most lashes and distribute product evenly.



I have no other make up on in these photos so please ignore my pale skin and bare brows!

Below shows my lashes with one coat of Scandaleyes:



Below shows 2 coats:



Here are my lashes from above (as you can see they are long but very straight!)




My other purchase was more recent and I picked up the new Scandaleyes Flex mascara which contains Lycra. I'm intrigued as to how Lycra can help in a mascara and change the formula enough to warrant new packaging and a relaunch etc.

The green packaging is vibrant and fits with the bright orange of the original Scandaleyes. The brush is also very similar but possibly a bit fluffier than its original which would help to distribute the product and separate lashes more completely.

The photo below shows 1 coat of the Lycra Scandaleyes Flex:





The photo above shows two coats of the mascara, you can see they are much heavier with product than the first but the lashes are still separated and well defined.

Below is a photo of my lashes from above:



As a last comparison as you look at this picture, the Lycra Scandaleyes Flex is on the left eye (my right) and the original Scandaleyes is on the right eye (my left).



There is minimal difference although possibly the original Scandaleyes brush doesn't carry as much product in one application and so isn't so thick on the lashes.
Both of these are great for every day use and I would definitely recommend them especially for the price!

What do you think of Rimmel mascaras? Have you tried the Scandaleyes range? Do you prefer the mascara with or without Lycra?

L xxx

Sainsbury's Boutique Lip Gloss My Lips Are Sealed*

Hi All

Hope if it was your first day back to work it wasn't too bad.

Lately I've been loving a glossy lip (only when my hair is up though). I'm also a fan of a dark lip so have been looking for a dark gloss with a great pigmentation.

When Sainsbury's launched there make up range I was really keen to try it but not living near to a sainsburys meant I hadn't gotten around to it. I've tried a few polishes from the george make up range so I was interested to see how another supermarket brand make up was.

I really like that the packaging has been kept simple across the line. You can't go wrong with classic black. It's also held up well in my handbag and doesn't look tatty. These photos were taken after it had been in my bag for about 2 months. It has the traditional doe foot applicator which picks up a good amount of product without overloading the lips and making it hard to work with.

My lips are sealed is a gorgeous deep berry toned purple/red. The pigmentation immediately impressed me but I wasn't sure how it would transfer on the lips.

In natural light

with flash 

It gives a great colour on the lips and applies smoothly! It gives a great even coverage.

Something I hate is a sticky gloss. This feel soft and the lips and is really comfortable.

So far I'm impressed with the gloss. It comes in at a reasonable £6. I'll definitely be picking up the lipsticks when I'm in a larger Sainsbury's store.

Love M

Xxx

Review: Elf Studio Eyebrow Kit

Hi 

Hope you all had a great New Years Eve and are feeling ready for the New Year. L and I had a night in with a Chinese, cider and films. We decided to have a chilled one as neither of us our fans of New Years Eve and had drunk a little too much on the weekend.

It was really nice to wake up today and not be hungover and feel positive for what the year brings. I've even been for a run today. Now I just need to keep it up. I'm so excited for this year already. I'm feeling in a much happier place with lots to look forward to including the prospect of buying a house, seeing my brother get married in Cyprus, Glastonbury with some of my closest friends and a few challenges including tough mudder and a half marathon. What plans have you got for the New Year?

Anyway onto today's review. I'm always on the quest for perfect brows. Being pale skinned with lilac/blue/pink (it's a mess) hair at the moment I aim for blonde brows as I think they suit me best. I always like my brows to look well defined with good shape but not too drawn on, powdery or dark for me. Two of my favourite products are BrowZings and New CID I-Groom brow pencil. I love both of these but had heard good things about the ELF brow kit and like the sound of the gel as I thought it would help soften my brows.

With ELF opening up in Cardiff I couldn't resist a sneaky purchase. I tend to not order make up online that I've not been able to look at in person so had been put off until the store opened. I was a little put off by the staff as customers around me seemed to be getting more assistance than me but it did save me money as I only got what I wanted. I'm excited to go back and try the cream bronzer though.

The brow kit has a slight rubberised packaging and comes in an impressive 4 colours. It does get dirty but it is a bargain at £3.50.

I went for the shade light. I'd be keen to see ash in person as I'm not sure which would suit me more. It comes with a brown gel and a light coloured powder. It also comes with a brush which I tend to ignore in kits like these. It had a few stray hairs on it so went straight in the bin.

I was excited to try out the gel. I love that it lightly tints my brows, holds the hairs in place and adds a soft amount of colour that looks natural and not heavy. I then add a small amount of the powder to set the brows and add a bit deeper colour. 

Here are a few photos of my brows done with the elf brow kit.

The kit has really impressed me. The colour is great. It gives light brows without them looking powdery. Below you can see it next to BrowZings. The gel is a light consistency than the wax and the shadow in the ELF is lighter. I still love BrowZings and when I dye my hair on Saturday will probably end up using the gel from the ELF kit and the powder from BrowZings.

Overall I'm really impressed with my first elf purchase and will definitely be repurchasing it though I can see it lasting me a long time. 

Have you tried the Eyebrow kit? Any Elf product recommendations? Are the brushes any good?

Love M

xxx