Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara Waterproof - Review

Bonjour!

I bought the Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara in the Waterproof option back in July - in   preparation for my daughter's end of term school concert/assembly ...

Bourjois say their Volume 1 Seconde gives your lashes 'clump free 360 deg volume', due to this unique brush which is made of both spherical and straight bristles -  it's basically a load balls and spikes! Apparently, the balls are meant to do the coating and the spikes take care of the separation bit.  The formula is quite thick and creamy with a good black pigment and it has an 'internal scraper thingy' at the top of the tube which means you don't get too much product on the brush. You're meant to apply in a zig-zag motion to top and bottom lashes to create an 'instant eye-opening look'. The brush is quite large and fat - which means I have to be careful not to coat my lids when applying at the base of lashes. That said it's not too bad to work with after a bit of practise, although I have to keep up with the zig-zagging to avoid clumps - if any do arise a quick comb through is all that's needed.  I tend to apply two coats straight off as it dries pretty quickly - it is possible to add extra coats later on but can clump if used in this way (whether or not this is due to the waterproof formula I'm not sure, not having tried the standard).  Although I haven't immersed my head in water, I literally bawled my eyes out at the leaver assembly in July, the Volume 1 Seconde did good and literally did not move despite almost constant saturation for about an hour or so!   You do have to use a decent eye make-up remover and although it takes a bit longer than a standard mascara it's not too bad to remove after you've broken down the formula, by holding your eye-makeup pad over your eyes for a minute or so rather than rubbing!


A before and after with a couple of coats on ... apologies - I have no other make-up on  apart from under-eye concealer - how  did I not do my brows!

Although it obviously take me longer than 1 second (or thereabouts!) to achieve decent results, all in all I think this is a pretty good mascara, it volumises (as promised) but also curls, lengthens and defines well and basically doesn't shift all day.   Bit more pricey than some high-street brands at £9.99 but I'd be interested to try the standard version to see how it holds up on the non- waterproof front!

Have you tried the Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara? Which waterproof mascara have you been using this Summer?


Jen x

Mostly Haircare Haul ... !

Bonjour!

I need help ... it's true, my obsession with hair products knows no bounds.  Don't get me wrong, I love clothes, shoes and bags too,  but I can generally walk out of a shop having told myself  I don't 'need' a certain item ... doesn't seem to work so much with hair products!  In my defence though these items have been bought over a few weeks and not all in one go and everything you see is, as usual, on offer. I think our Chaka (Khan) hit the nail on the head with the lyrics "Baby, baby when I look at you, I get a warm feeling inside ...!"  - yep that's how I feel about buying new haircare products - sad ...!

Tresemme 7 Day Keratin Smooth and Deep Treatment Masque - both half price.  As soon as I've slept on my hair (what else would I sleep on actually!) it goes crazy curly at the bottom so ends up being tied up, I'm curious to see if the 7 Day Smooth keeps things on the straight and narrow and a hair masque will always come in handy.

Dove Hair Therapy Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner - half price in Tesco so it ended up in the shopping trolley - story of my life!

Dove Youthful Vitality Thickening Essence - definitely need some of that thang - the middle three words to be exact! Got it on 3 for 2 at Boots just before going on holiday (can't remember what the other two were - it'll come to me at some stage!).

Herbal Essences Dry Shampoos - Clearly Naked and Uplifting Volume - £1.50 each in Superdrug. I use dry shampoo mostly every other day and need shed-loads of the stuff so I'm always on the look-out for a cheaper alternative to ol' faithful Batiste!.

L'Oreal Studio Line Volume Supersizing Spray - actually my second bottle of this spray - works well to volumise - blaming Sam at Honey Go Lightly for this one when she did her 5 Texture Sprays series!


Well ... that's the hair stuff ... I did say 'mostly' haircare - this is the 'non-mostly' make up stuff. Believe it or not this is all I've bought in the way of cosmetics over recent weeks ... (I think!) ...

Make-Up Revolution Blush and Contour in Hot Spice and Romantic Smoked Eyeshadow Palette - finally gave into the hype which is all over the 'beauty blogging' place. At a tenner for the both you can hardly blame me can you?

Soap & Glory Super-Colour Fabulipstick in Perfect Day and a couple of  'No7ers' - Stay Perfect Superlight Foundation in Warm Beige and BB Lips in Blush Pink - reviews to follow.


So that's it for now - at this rate I'll have to grow another couple of heads of hair to use up my stash ...!  What's your shopping weakness -  what gives you a warm feeling inside'?

Jen x

All In My Grill ...!

Bonjour!

I've had the 'face-ache' all week ... literally my face has been aching! You know when you get one of those cold type things which never actually gets to the snotty stage (sorry!) but just stays within giving you headache, toothache, cheekbone ache, and ear-ache - well yes one of those! I usually try to resist the painkillers for as long as possible, no idea why, but have had to resort to dosing myself with paracetamol and dragging myself up and about ... as you do!  Luckily ... it seemed to have abated a little last night (otherwise I'd have been tempted to try that Sudafed stuff!) so I popped down to the gym and sweated buckets (again ... sorry!) - think it did me good though!   How very apt that Missy was playing on the car stereo on the way down  ...

Missy Elliott - All In My Grill ...

From 1999 ... I'm a bit partial to our Missy and always wanted to sing the 'guest piece' in this track and practised it over and over back in the day ... and at the time I was unaware that 'grill' sort of meant 'face' ... this has now been rectified ...

Is it just me that was a bit late to the party on the whole 'grill' thing?  Maybe I should have been blogging about my 'Grill of the Day' or my favourite 'grill mask' ... in any case I must say Missy certainly brought a smile to my 'grill' yesterday!

Looking forward to stuffing my 'grill' with a big pasta bake tonight!  How's your week been?

Jen x

OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Dry Styling Oil - Review

Bonjour!

I tried for ages to shorten the title of this post but it was not to be so you have the full shebang!   Picked up this trio from the OGX/Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil range (on offer of course!) specifically to take away.  Think it must have been the 'drench your strands' and 'hydrate and smooth parched, dry hair' bits that made me think it would be ideal for holiday. I went down the non-sulphate route as my daughter would be using it too so reckoned I do both our hairs' and scalps' a favour.  There was no problem with taking full sizes this year as we were driving, so everything got chucked in the boot of the car ... luckily it's a fairly big boot!

Both the shampoo and conditioner have quite a creamy but not heavy texture, the shampoo lathers well and both rinse out easily.  Your barnet is left with a silken feeling as you rinse - it feels mighty good I have to say!!  Must be quite a concentrated formula because you don't need to use too much of either the shampoo or conditioner - even on my daughter's giant mane of hair! Hence we still have a good amount left after using on holiday and on and off since returning approx a month ago!

The Dry Styling Oil can be used as a styling aid and also as a finishing product.  The oil itself is quite heavy so the trick is to find the correct amount for your own barnet.  I only need to use the smallest amount (tiny ... actually for my pathetic head of hair!), make sure you rub between your palms so you're only left with a thin film and then apply to mid-lengths and ends and dry as usual - or apply as above after styling (I use a mere droplet in this case!).  I still need to use a volumising product on the top half of my barnet but used correctly it does leave hair smooth and shiny and doesn't weigh it down - unless of course you do use too much (which I have done) and then you'll know about it!

And the aroma! ... Honestly they smell absolutely wonderful ... like ripe, sweet, watermelons - not sickly but really clean, juicy fresh watermelons! Pop into Boots and have a sniff and see what you think! Of course if you don't like watermelons you may have an issue!

So ... yes ... myself and my daughter are impressed with the OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Dry Styling Oil - lovely products to use at home or abroad to keep hair soft, shiny and silky.  I would repurchase ... but then I also want to try another range - just look at all this lot on the OGX site here - it's total hair product heaven! Of course if you're a 'normal' person this won't excite you ... but I'm not normal!

Have you tried any products from the OGX/Organix range? Which ones would you recommend?

Jen x

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash - Review

Bonjour!

The Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash is a product I've dipped in and out of for a few years now as a troubleshooter ... it's not a make-up remover, but can be slotted into an existing routine morning and/or evening in-between cleansing and toning, or on it's own as a morning face wash.  It helps to get my skin back on track when it starts playing up and keep it on the straight and narrow!

Here's what Elemis have to say about it ...

"As we get older, our skins ability to rejuvenate our skin cells slows down. These dynamic formulations contain a trio of revolutionary enzymes that stimulate biological cell renewal to help decrease the appearance of fine lines, acne and uneven skin tone."  source

It's meant to slough away those dead skin cells and help with imperfections, spots, bumps, rough bits, and breakouts, leaving skin smoother and more refined and radiant.  You do have to remember to 'up the ante' with the SPF though as you're exposing all those new skin cells to the world - so I don't tend to use so much at the height of Summer or run-up to/during holiday (there's a little warning about this on the back of the bottle!).

I dug my Tri-Enzyme Wash out a few weeks ago when I returned from holiday,  although I had used some lovely products whilst away, I don't think I drank enough water, didn't eat a very healthy diet (does anybody when they're on holiday?) and definitely didn't get enough sleep (the bed was ridiculously uncomfortable and gave me back-ache!) - not painting a good picture am I?   My skin looked a bit dull, bumpy and uneven with a spot or two here and there!  I've been using since then every morning as a face wash - (once a day is enough for me as my skin can be prone to sensitivity).  It has a pleasant lotion like texture with delicate creamy scent, just mix with water, apply to one's kite and rinse or wipe off with a damp face cloth and proceed as normal.

After a week or so it had worked it's magic, I'm not saying my skin is perfect but it feels smoother, cleaner (I'm talking pores here!), more even, brighter and less bumpy.  I've used a few products from the Elemis Tri-Enzyme range over the years and this is the one I always come back to as it does what it says on the tin and works without stripping or burning my skin (sorry Liquid Gold!).

It comes in at around £29/200 ml (I have the mini size) which may seem expensive but it lasts for ages and I've usually picked up mine in some kit or other on QVC (old habits die hard!) so it's something which I'll continue to use for my dose of 'cell renewal' as and when!

Have you tried the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash or any similar products? Which is your favourite?

Jen x

Cigarettes and Alcohol ... !

Bonjour!

I haven't done a music post for a while but the hubby recently reminded me that it was 20 years (at the end of August) since Oasis released Definitely Maybe - and it got the musical cogs going!  20 years though ...!  Where has the time gone ...?!

Cigarettes and Alcohol is my favourite tune from the album ... it's laid back, raw and earthy and reminds me of many a night out back in the 90s, staggering around on a smoke filled dance floor ... bet we've all done that at some stage or other ... well  ... the older ones will remember the smoke at any rate!

Remember the Blur/Oasis thing back then?  The hubby and I were always on the Oasis side - just appealed to our taste in music and only Song 2 later on from Blur came anywhere close (for us anyway!) to hitting the spot!

I do miss those hazy days of cigarettes and alcohol sometimes! Which tune brings back hazy memories (of staggering around) for you? And which side did you sway towards - Blur or Oasis?

Jen x

Summer Loving ... !

Bonjour!

I haven't managed a monthly 'favourites' post for while but couldn't let the warm weather finally come to a close ... (sob!) ... without a brief mention of the some of the products I've been 'into' over the Summertime ...

La Roche Posay Anthelios Melt-in Cream SPF 30 - used on face, neck and decolletage - it's great for holiday, can be worn under make-up, non-sticky, non greasy and suits my sensitive areas!

M&S Formula Aloe Vera Aftersun Gel - I've bought this aftersun gel for a couple of years now - usually when M&S have their summer offers on making it a ridiculous £2 per tube! Cooling and hydrating after a day in the sun - unfortunately we didn't have as many of 'those days' on holiday as I'd have liked this year hence I have some left!

Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion (Medium to Dark) - I'm rather lazy with the whole 'self-tan thing' and so use gradual tanners instead. This one has been my favourite for a while, subtle colour which can be built up over time, pleasant smell, moisturises well, quick and easy to use - job done for lazy girls!

Treacle Moon 'One Ginger Morning' Bath and Shower Gel - still hanging on in there, one of my favourite zingy bath/shower products ever!

Lee Stafford Poker Straight Dehumidifier Spray -  found this at the back of the bathroom storage cabinet (must have forgotten about it - it's a big cabinet!) - gave it a whirl and I'm hooked! A quick spray keeps any frizzies at bay really well so I'll be repurchasing and keeping at the front of the bathroom cabinet in future!

CK One Summer - I have a bit of a soft spot for CK smellies and this one is my everyday Summertime spritz. I usually pick one up on offer in some sale or other. Love the clean, refreshing scent - just smells of summer - always a good thing in my book!

Bare Minerals Warmth All-Over Face Colour - a favourite for bronzing, gives a warm healthy glow (which is actually appreciated all year round!) - full review here.

Top Shop Stage Dive - I just love orange tones and this one is a real sizzler, brilliant for the summer months, wore it on holiday this year - here.

Emma Hardie Soothing Moisture Mask - a lovely cooling mask which feels fantastic on after a hot day (or even not so hot!).  I've been using this twice a week in the evening after removing my make-up and exfoliating (after all what's the point in slathering something on over a load of dead skin cells!). I then usually warn the hubby that I look like a ghost (he doesn't mind - he's used to it!), watch a bit of tv to relax and go to bed! It sinks in overnight and leaves skin hydrated and plumped in the morning.  Another lazy girl's winner! I am so lazy!

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte 110 - I think this is one of my all time favourite lippies. I can use as a stain with lip balm or slap it on good and proper for a more full on look if needs be. A lovely vibrant summertime colour and seems to go with virtually everything - you can see it on here.

Bourjois Cream Blush in Pink Sunwear and Sweet Cherry - last but by no means least my Bourjois cream blushes. Love em to bits - have used them on holiday and at home. I want another! Full reviews here and here.

I'm still hoping that this Indian type summer thing will continue for a while - fingers crossed - I'm not quite ready to wrap up yet!

What have been your favourites this Summer?


Jen x

A Golden Anniversary!

Bonjour!

Today is Mum and Dad's Golden Wedding Anniversary - 50 years - absolutely amazing!!  Here they are looking over the moon and giddy on their wedding day ... one of my favourite photos ...!

I'm over the moon myself that we're all able to share this special time with them - lots of flowers, cake, food and celebration on the cards for this weekend then - mum's not one for loads of fuss but we've told her this is one of those occasions that doesn't come along very often so we'll be fussing good style!!

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad - with loads and loads of love!

Jen xx

Cherry and Ginger Loaf - Recipe

Bonjour!

From one sweet cherry to another (if you have no idea what I'm taking about see previous post!). The other morning I had an hour or so to spare (actually - read that as 'I chose to ignore the huge ironing pile') so decided to try out my new Breville hand mixer (£11.99 on offer at Sainsburys - which I thought was a bargain!) ... I had some cherries and ginger to use up (don't we all on occasion) so made a Cherry and Ginger Loaf type thing  ...

6oz/180g self raising flour
4oz/125g butter/marg
1 egg
3oz/90g sugar
3oz/90g cherries
2 oz/60g crystallised ginger (chopped fairly finely)
a few tablespoons of milk

I mixed up the flour, butter, egg and sugar with enough milk to give me a good 'cake' consistency, added the cherries and ginger, piled it all into my ceramic loaf dish (which measures 21cm/13cm) ...

... and baked on 180 deg (conventional oven - the fan in ours has broken) - think this is Gas 4 (but don't quote me on that!) for 55 minutes - you could get away with 50 mins if you don't like too crusty a top  ...

Then all you have to do is make a huge cuppa and dig in! Unfortunately it's very moreish so some restraint has to be exercised ... good  luck with that!


Jen x