ELF Baked Blush in Rich Rose - Review

Bonjour!

The Elf Baked Blush is one of the products from my recent Elf Haul which you can see here.  It comes in four colours, the two which grabbed me the most were Passion Pink and Rich Rose - after some deliberation  (I am a deliberator!) I went for Rich Rose ...

Now, granted, it does look like the surface of a dark planet from the outer regions in the pan but do not be alarmed!  It's a warm burnished rose shade with a golden shimmer to it but not in a 'big chunks of glitter' type of way.  I wouldn't say this is the most pigmented of products I've used but it's a lovely combination of blush and highlighter which lasts surprising well - I've applied first thing before work over foundation (Bare Minerals) and it's lasted pretty much all day. Lasts a little less over a BB but I'm not complaining.  It's really easy to apply - a quick swirl around the pan gives a gleaming (but not sweaty looking!) healthy glow and it can be built up a little if you want a bit more colour. However, the more you apply the more highlighter comes along so unless you want to look like an extra from Goldfinger then maybe don't overdo it!

Swatched above and blended below ...

Spot the gleaming cheek!

Rich Rose is a lovely product which I seem to be grabbing most mornings as it gives the old kite a bit of a lift which is so welcome at this time of year!  At the usual price of £3.75 it would have been a bargain - mine was half price! Going to have to try Passion Pink now! You can check out the Elf  Baked Blushes on their website here.

Have you tried the Elf Baked Blush - which colour is your favourite?

Jen x

George Benson - Lady Love Me (One More Time) ...

Bonjour!

Well I don't know about you lot but I cannot wait until Saturday for a lie-in - these early mornings are so not welcome! Christmas is now a sweet and fuzzy distant memory - this first week back is always pants don't you think?  Not helped by the fact that I've felt a bit fluish with almost constant headaches (darn hormonal activity) all week.  I suppose dragging myself into work wasn't such a bad thing as I got to sit down for several hours - even the dog looks wasted this week!

Anyways ... my little girl has gone for a sleepover tonight (I think she had sneaked several random bricks into her overnight bag - it weighed a tonne!) so I'm left at home with smelly boys!  It's an easy meal of pizza and pasta (which will please my boy immensely - he lives for his blessed pizza) and easy music on Spotify ... come on down George ...!

George Benson - Lady Love Me (One More Time) ...

Released in 1983 from the album In Your Eyes - I knew this album back to front during my time at Top Shop as they played the tape (yes tape!) constantly whilst we were busy serving customers sporting our turquoise jumpsuits (uniform of the day), stilletoes and big hair!

You know when you want to wind down to something laid back and smooth, well George hits the spot with this tune every time ... !  Have a great weekend and hope you find something to hit your spot!

Jen x

L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo/Conditioner/Masque - Review

Bonjour!

For a time back in November my hair felt like a pile of pants - seemed lifeless, limp, thinner than usual and was falling and breaking off.  I therefore decided to try out a few new products in order to try to improve the overall condition of my hair and sanity...! (Being a complete haircare junkie this didn't seem too painful!).

Kicking off with the L'Oreal Elvive Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo, Conditioner and Masque which I picked up from Sainsburys (in desperation!) whilst it was on offer.  I've been using all three for a couple of months so thought I'd sort out a quick review.

Aimed at 'fragile hair with a tendency to fall' (that's me!) the range is enriched with amino acid Arginine and Protein and is said to provide nourishment, strength and restructure from root to tip enabling the hair to become more resilient to breakage - sounds like a dream eh? You can check out further info about the range from L'Oreal's own website here.

So - I've used the shampoo and conditioner since November now and again with my Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (which worked well) and also using the Elvive Triple Resist Masque at least once a week. The products have a pleasant fruity smell, the shampoo lathers well and all three have a nice creamy consistency (the masque being slightly thicker), they rinse out easily and don't leave any noticeable residue.  The instructions say to leave the masque on for 3-5 minutes, I've gone for probably 5 minutes plus and have had decent results.

Now I will just say that I have also started using a lovely new heat protectant which I reckon is also helping with the state of mid lengths/ends (more on that later) but I do think my hair likes this range of products.  I do have to use a volumising product when styling, as although my hair feels very soft, shiny and in overall better condition than before (even more so after using the masque) - sometimes it's a bit too soft (but not lank) to do much with - but not a bad 'soft', just that freshly washed first day feeling!  Also, I don't know whether this is just a fluke but I don't think I'm losing as much hair - I say this because the drain hasn't become blocked with my barnet (a previous regular occurrence) for a good few weeks ... sorry if that's too much info!  Also well worth a mention is that although we're not looking at a sulphate-free range, my scalp has not been irritated or flaky whilst I've been using Triple Resist. I mean it all starts at the scalp - right - so if my scalp is happy it follows that my hair has a better chance?

This is the first time I've used anything from the L'Oreal Elvive range of shampoo/conditioners and in a nutshell I am really pleased with these products. As an inexpensive drugstore range (plus they were on offer when I bought them so worked out at around a ridiculous £2 each for the 400ml shampoo and conditioner and something like £3.50 for the masque) they have performed really well.  I've already repurchased to put away for a rainy day and there is also a reinforcing spray in the range which I'm interested to try out at some stage - told you I was a haircare junkie!

Are you a fan of L'Oreal Elvive? Have you tried the Triple Resist range?

Jen x

2013 Favourites ...

Bonjour!

Can it really be a whole year since I did a round up of annual favourites - time flies when you're having 'blogging' fun! I've used quite a few worthwhile products last year but these are the ones that stand out for me ...

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray - a magazine freebie which has become a firm (not literally!) favourite for volume. I tend to save for special occasions and as soon as I finish my existing plethora of hair products I will repurchase. Review here.
Gatineau Radiance Gommage - this has become my favourite exfoliating product, brightening, smoothing yet gentle - review here.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil - I first used a travel size on holiday and liked it so much I decided to get the full size. Great cleanser, very effective - review here.
Vichy Aqualia Serum (review here), Vichy Idealia BB Cream (review here) and Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light (review here) - I know this must seem like a 'Vichy' tribute but these products really suit my skin, combination/sensitive/dehydrated with eczema prone areas, I'm on my 3rd serum and 2nd pot of cream and will repurchase the BB when it finishes.
Soap & Glory Super-Colour FabuLipstick in Naked Beige - my perfect nude,  it's so easy to wear. Review here.
Mally Evercolour Waterproof Eyeliners in Midnight and Black Violet - although I only reviewed this duo at the start of December I've been using them for months and love them to bits, remember the line 'Only the 'crumbliest, flakiest chocolate - tastes like chocolate never tasted before ...' - well substitute the words silkiest, creamiest, eyeliner and application in the appropriate places and you should get the picture! Review here. 
Liz Earle Superskin Concentrate - a product I've been using for the past few months - a proper plumper! My skin loves it a few times a week under moisturiser. Review will follow.

And lastly, a firm favourite I've gotten back into last year ...

Nice lemons! Yes, the humble yet mighty lemon - I drink a cup of hot boiled water with a few squeezes of lemon juice, first thing, most mornings and I think it really helps to keep skin clear as well as a multitude of other benefits. You get used to the early morning 'zing' (I'm not being rude here!) and I actually miss it when I don't have time to have my lemon water!

So those are my favourites from 2013 that I'm taking into 2014 - have you used any of them?

Jen x

Feeling Good With Barry White and Beethoven...!

Bonjour!

It's been a bit of a mixed up week in these parts! You know that period when Christmas is over, New Year's Eve comes and then goes, the kids are still off school and the tree still up but holiday adverts are all over the box. Then there is the joy of having to go into work leaving the rest of family at home (ok so the hubby was working from home but still!) and it nearly kills you to get out of bed at what seems like the crack of dawn after sleeping in for over a week! And of course you keep doing that thing (well I do anyway) of 'this time last week I was at the cinema/eating a lovely meal/drinking alcohol/sitting around watching Christmas TV/enjoying myself etc etc! It's all a bit of a 'come down' don't you think?

See what I mean about lovely meals (she sighs) - mum cooked meatball curry and coconut rice for New Year's Day dinner - here it is served with dhal and garnished with fried onions and curry leaves - there was also a mountain of poppadoms lurking out of shot!

So I was trying to think of a feel good track to play today and here's where Barry steps in - I was reminded of this tune (from way back when in 1974) whilst we were watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer last week (Willow was trying to seduce Oz!), it's a real 'feel good' tune and always brings a smile to my face! We need 'feel good' at this time of year don't you think?

Barry White - Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe...

Big Chinese tonight with the family, the last of the big suppers for a while as both brothers are off home this weekend - in fact as I finish typing this post my brother Mike is practising Beethoven Moonlight Sonata from one of my old books - see below ...!

What are you up to this weekend? What's your post Christmas 'feel good' track?



Jen x