What's New In My Beauty Stash
As I've finally whittled down my beauty stash to a somewhat reasonable amount of product for one human to possess. I've been able to work my way through some new things and this time I've got organised, you know this obviously means I've been writing a list and keeping track of everything that I don't believe has ever had airtime on this blog. I've got some real gems to share with you today, it's kinda haircare heavy as I'm really into my hair at the moment after going over to the blonde side.
pureplex revolutionary hair repair system*
Like I mentioned my hair has been bleached a couple of times recently and whilst it still feels very healthy something I'm very conscious of is keeping it looking as healthy as possible. And Olaplex is something that I've heard about time and time again but it's ridiculously expensive. Having bought it for my sister a couple of times I've felt the sting of the purse strings first hand. So anything that can deliver similar results for 1/8 of the price is going to interest me and I got my Olaplex obsessed sister to try this product out too and she said there is little difference between this and the real thing which is pretty incredible if you ask me. When I used this my hair felt incredible, so hydrated and silky smooth so much so that even though it dried naturally I then didn't need to straighten it to get rid of any kinks etc. Blonde isn't the easiest to achieve shine in but even my ends looked awesome and they didn't feel weighed down either. As my hair is short I only needed a tiny amount of product so I'll get about 3 or 4 more uses out of this and it's probably something I'll reach for a couple of weeks after my hair has been coloured to really get the most of it and keep my hair looking and feeling healthy.
kevin murphy angel masque*
A brand that I've always seen people across the pond talk highly of is Kevin Murphy and I was excited to give some of their items a go. Particularly the Angel Masque which promises to strengthen and thicken the hair and that is something we all know I need. A couple of months or so I ago I really fell out of love with conditioner, I'm not sure what happened but it was making my hair feel pretty greasy and rank so I decided to skip it and use a tiny drop of oil instead and that kept my hair nourished without the grease. I've been slowly working conditioner back into my routine and this has been a lovely addition to my conditioning routine. It's not the most amazing life changing product ever but it's certainly nice, it smells absolutely divine and does linger in the hair which some might hate but it's something I do enjoy. It simply thickens out the ends of my tresses a little whilst adding moisture and nourishment and even though I've been having my hair coloured and using a lot more heat my hair doesn't feel over processed or dried out at all.
bioderma non deterGEnt fluid shampoo*
I promise I'll stop bringing this up but like I said, my hair has been coloured which did mean I had to say goodbye to my beloved clarifying shampoos. But one I have to be able to use that is safe for coloured hair is this product from Bioderma. I can't say it's a brand that I'd think to go for hair care but this is a great product and pretty inexpensive too as so often clarifying shampoos can be very expensive. It gets rids of any product build-up which I do struggle with, especially when I style my hair more and use an obscene amount of texture spray. And this doesn't leave my hair feeling dry or stripped of any nutrients which can easily be the case with clarifying products. It's a very watery consistency due to it not containing any SLS which takes a little while to get used to but it's still as effective as something that does foam. If you want a no-frills shampoo that really does clean your hair which subsequently boosts shine then this is a wonderful affordable hair product.
SILKE HAIR TIES*
I don't really tie my hair up too much anymore due to its length but when I do then I always use these hair ties from Silke. There isn't a crazy amount to say about them as it's a hair tie but they're so good for holding the hair in place without leaving any kinks and because they're silk they're incredibly kind to your tresses too. They also don't lose their elasticity or slip out of the hair which you might expect. They're expensive for a hair tie but they're really, really good.
CLOUD 9 DEEP NOURISHING SLEEP MASK*
Something I've always been a little fearful of is sleep masks, we can all probably remember that one from Origins that either gave your skin a huge moisture boost or a huge breakout. And for me, it was the latter. So I've always been cautious and one I do really love is this product from Cloud 9. Something that's only been in rotation for a good few weeks but I've had it in my skincare draw for a while, it really would have been great in winter with the arctic winds. I use this every few days just to top up my skins moisture levels, especially when I've been a little lazy with my skincare routine or water intake as it certainly makes things look a little plumper. Its second ingredient is avocado oil which isn't something I've come across before but it's a nice change to the obvious shea butter which can be problematic for so many. It sinks in exactly like a moisturiser does too so you don't have to worry about it making a huge mess all over your pillows which is an issue when it comes to overnight masks.
VICHY DERMABLEND GREEN CORRECTOR*
If you've not noticed, I'm very into these colour correctors this year and another one to my beauty arsenal is this option from base connoisseurs Vichy. I was worried it being in pot form might mean the product was a little chalky and drying but as soon as you warm it up it turns into a comforting cream formulation. It helps to distinguish any redness without being too obvious and you only need a tiny amount for it to be effective which is ideal for pinpoint concealing. It wears really well throughout the day, it never cakes up or makes your base wear unevenly as if it did it would be incredibly unsightly. Products like this aren't something that can work without any base products over the top otherwise you will be able to see the green tinge but to really help hide redness they're incredible and well worth the extra step.
VICHY dermablend compact powder foundation*
I've said this before but something I'm not crazy about is compact or just powder foundations. So anything in this same vein is what I use to set lighter bases down and I really love this product from Vichy. It gives a beautiful level of coverage without feeling heavy or cakey which is so important for any powder I use, I cannot stand to apply a product only for it to make my skin and base feel tight afterward. It glides over the skin providing coverage whilst still maintaining a very skin-like finish, I don't find it to be matte at all. In combination with a lighter base this is absolutely perfect, it reminds me of the MAC MSF but slightly better in my opinion. Interestingly it also has SPF and contains salicylic acid which is a known spot fighting ingredient so a great pick if you're prone to breakouts and want a makeup item that can help rather than cause more issues.
KENZO world PERFUME*
When this arrived through the post I was instantly drawn to its unique packaging. Weirdly, I love anything eye shaped and was interesting to try another peony based perfume as I love my Acqua Di Parma so much. But I actually think this is better, it's not quite as intense but still hits those floral notes perfectly. And it's certainly not as expensive either which is great for the purse strings.
- Top Note: Pear
- Heart Notes - Peony and Almond Blossom
- Base Note - Orris
As you can see it's a very unique flavour combination and I can't say I've got anything with pear in my collection already and you can definitely detect the sharpness of it. But of course, it's the peony and almond blossom which really makes this perfume a love of mine and it's going to be the perfect summer scent with those dreamy notes.
ORLY IN A SNAP TOP COAT
I'm giving my nails a break from acrylics at the moment so they can get back to full strength which means I'm giving myself a manicure. I have definitely been enjoying reaching for my favourite shades but that also means that I needed a new top coat as all my existing options had dried out. I picked up this product from Orly when wandering around TK Maxx and it's not a brand I'm overly familiar with. This is nowhere near as quick drying or glossy as the likes of Seche Vite but it does do the job, I can't say it's my favourite but it dries my nails quickly and gives them a reasonable level of shine and don't find my nails chip anymore when using this which can often happen with quick drying topcoats.
