April Favourites and Empties ...

Bonjour!

Better late than never... some empties, some favourites ...

Ojon Damage Reverse Shampoo and Conditioner - a duo I've been using on and off for a while (nicked it from my mum!). Tend to save it as a treat for my poor old hair - full review to follow.

Marks & Spencer Essential Extracts Coconut Hand and Body Lotion and Shower Gel - £1 each for pity's sake - you just can't go wrong - brilliant every-day shower gel. Body lotion sinks in really easily - both do their job and smell great - will re-purchase without a doubt. Did I mention that they're only £1 each?!

Impulse Loving Words Body Fragrance - I usually pick up a couple of cans of Impulse whenever they're on offer at £1 and always carry one in my handbag for a quick spritz! I'd like to say it's an ideal fragrance now that Spring has arrived as it fresh and fruity - but of course we've had our 2-3 days of sun and warmth ... (not that I'm bitter or anything!)

Revlon 'Just Bitten Kissable' Balm Stain in Honey - been a favourite for a while and is always in my handbag, so much so that the writing has worn off the tube. Really want to try out another lip stain - you can see my full review of this particular shade here.

17 Va Va Voom Mascara - great volumising mascara - full review here. Unfortunately it's been used for a while and dried up so will have to chuck. Would re-purchase as it's really well priced at £6.29 only I don't need any more un-opened mascaras just yet! Am I getting sensible in my old age?

Avon Glimmerstick Eyeliner in Cosmic Brown - this is a re-purchase and is coming to an end. It gets used most days if I'm honest for definition on the upper lid whether on it's own or mixed with another colour. It glides on dead easy, doesn't drag the skin and stays put all day. Had this in 'Blackest Black' as well (and seem to have lost it - very mysterious!).  Great price at around £6 (but usually on offer for less) so will re-purchase again.

Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream - kept this at work in my desk drawer to use as a hand-cream. Smells good, hydrates and softens. Will re-purchase but only when I've used up some of the other myriads of hand creams dotted around our house!

This is a favourite with me and the kids (and the girls at work too!) - hot bubbly chocolate - what more could you want?

So that's this month's lot - do you reckon by next month's Favourites/Empties we may have actually have had some decent weather for more than a few days?

Jen x

Holiday Haircare!

Bonjour!

Holiday haircare eh? My hair is difficult to manage at the best of times, on holiday it's a nightmare! Remember that episode of 'Friends' when Monica's hair went wild and frizzy on holiday (in Barbados?) - imagine that but with much much less hair!

So here are my holiday haircare products.  There ain't 'a bag' I'm afraid because they'll be split up and chucked into a couple of suitcases!

From left to right (again sort of) -

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner (dry or damaged hair) - I'm a big fan of this shampoo and all three of Liz's conditioners actually.  I suffer from an itchy, flaky scalp on and off and this gentle shampoo really seems to sort it out every time!  It's almost like a detox treatment and just calms everything down, leaves my hair cleansed and soft but still with volume.  I'm taking the dry/damaged conditioner option because I've had my hair coloured recently which always dries it out a tad. 


Lee Stafford Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist - Boots had 3 for 2 on selected travel minis so I got this as one of the 3. I've used it before and really like it, you only seem to need a little and it leaves hair soft and silky (and smells good as well!) .

Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield - last years bottle but plenty left for hols, you only need a tiny bit before blow drying (although I don't blow dry my hair on holiday I just put this on and blast off with the hairdryer) and it helps to 'block' the humidity from frizzing everything up! I'll put a mini blob on after as well just to be on the safe side!

Charles Worthington Front Row Brunette Dry Shampoo - I'm a big fan of dry shampoos for extra texture and volume, so treated myself to this for hols. I try not to wash my hair every single day on holiday so this is great for maybe non beach/pool days( I'm not a 'head submerger' where water's concerned anyway as I wear contacts!). Not used this particular one before so will see how it fares.


John Frieda Full Repair 'Full Body' Shampoo and Conditioner - the rest of the 3 for 2 goodies.  These are meant to 'revive overstyled hair' and 'weightlessly repair' damage from heat and colour. This sounds exactly what my hair needs. I do have colour in my hair and use straighteners, (even on holiday) so my hair's going to need all the help it can get! Let see what happens!


Aussie 3 Minute Miracle 'Colour' Deep Treatment - this is 'for coloured hair in need of love', sounds like my hair. Sachets come in so handy for holiday and take up no space in the suitcase!  

Ojon wide tooth comb - this comes in the pot with the famous Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment which I've used on and off for a while. Useful little compact comb!

A couple of  products to decant -

Philip Kinglsey Elasticiser - I love pre-shampoo treatments and this is one of my faves. Just so easy to pop on dampened hair and just get on with stuff (or sit around in the sun if you're on holiday!) while it does it's work.  I take this every year and put it on in the afternoon so that when I wash my hair in the evening it feels the benefit of the deep conditioning.

Lee Stafford Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray - this stuff is great for beachy waves and texture and you only need a couple of squirts! Using this encourages me to not straighten my hair and just rough it up a bit!

So that's that then.  Just a few bobbles, clips and my trusty old hat to throw in!

Very Old Hat but I love it! 

What are your holiday haircare secrets?

Jen x

Holiday Skincare Bag! (What's In It?)

Bonjour!

With summer holidays looming I'm having to think about what I need to take away with me for (hopefully) a couple of weeks of sun!

I always pack too many products which don't always get used so I'm going to make an effort to 'pare down' this year and only take (what I consider to be) essentials! I've bought a few travel minis but also have several products which are half used so need take as many of these as I can to finish off!

So here are my holiday skincare products -

From left to right (sort of) -

Sanctuary Spa Fresh-Faced Purifying Wash - this remains one of my favourite face washes/cleansers, so I've bought the travel size again for hols.  Refreshing in the morning and removes make-up (including eye make-up) at night with my Liz Earle muslin cloth. Full write-up here.

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer - my favourite toner, refreshing, hydrating, soothing - the works! The spritzer is perfect for hols.


Liz Earle Skin Repair Light - I've used this on and off (just over a third of a tube left), it's light and easily absorbed and should be ideal under my sunscreen which I'm hoping to have to wear every day!

Liz Earle Smoothing Line Serum - again I've used this on and off for years now, great for smoothing round the eye area at night. Tiny tube so very travel friendly!


Gatineau Aquamemory Moisture Replenish Roll-On - one of my favourite eye products so hydrating and cooling, another holiday must have.  Again you can see my full write up here. 


Avon Sun SPF 30 Anti-Ageing Face Cream - Last year's tube but plenty left so should be able to finish off. It provides good sun protection and is suitable for sensitive skin.   


Liz Earle Superbalm - the famous balm, ideal for night-time lips and nails/cuticles, and smoothing onto dry, split ends!  


Boots Essentials Lipsalve SPF 15 - daytime everyday lip salve but with essential SPF.


A few sample sachets to throw in - these were given to me by the lovely assistant at the Biotherm counter in Boots last year as my skin was showing as de-hydrated on their 'skin test monitor'.  

Biotherm Aquasource Gel -  I've not found this to be a great base for make up as it does seem to form a sort of 'hydrating shield' over the skin but it will be perfect for night-time usage as it's soothing, cooling and hydrating, just what your skin needs after a day in the sun!

Biotherm Source Therapie 7 Skin Perfecting Serum - I used this a year or so ago when my skin was de-hydrated. A lovely product and ideal for use under my moisturiser at night.  It has '7 benefits concentrated in one serum' - you can check out the full details here.

I'll also decant some of my Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator into a little pot for a gentle holiday scrub!

So there you have it, my holiday skincare regime. I don't think I've done too bad this year!  Plenty of room in the travel bag to shove my make up bag in as well!

Holiday haircare to follow shortly, now there's a challenge!

What's in your holiday skincare bag this year?

Jen x