MAYBELLINE LASH SENSATIONAL MASCARA

A couple of weeks back my mascara ran out and I was on the hunt for a new option, and wanted to try out something I hadn't tried before. I stumbled across the Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara in Boots on offer and thought I would give it a go to see how it worked, and I actually really like it.

I was using the Falsies (waterproof - as I choose with most mascaras if I have the option) but found that the formula dried out really quickly and I just didn't like it much, woah an unpopular opinion there. But this one is just the right formula and I love the wand. It is a plastic one (unlike some people I don't really have a preference, both a bristle and plastic ones work for me), and they call it the 'lash multiplying brush'. It has longer bristles on one side of the slightly curved wand, and then very short ones on the other that really hug and coat the lashes.

I could be wrong but this seems like a tubing mascara, as when I remove it it seems to come off in kind of chunks rather than a big panda eye mess which I quite like, and because it is waterproof, although harder to remove it really holds the curl and keeps my lashes look as long and defined as when I first applied all day long. Seriously, if you are on the hunt for a new mascara, definitely give this one a go, both length and volume combined in one tube with a serious hold to the finish.

BOUFFE DRY SPRAY

My hair can sometimes look a little lacklustre and I'm always looking for products and ways to add a little volume to my roots to keep things looking decent throughout the day, and when the Bouffe Dry Spray* came through my door I was pretty excited, hoping it would be the new Oribe Dry Texturising Spray. 

On the can, it holds a lot of promises - mainly for thicker and bigger looking hair, thanks to the 'revolutionary formula' set to recreate the high styles of Marie Antoinette in the 18th Century - I mean you can't argue with that. I got the dark brown hair one, and it seems to blend pretty well with my hair anyway, and I think it might be down to this tinted formula that actually creates the effect of thicker strands all the way from the area of growth. However, what I don't like is the texture. I put this in my hair (I had it down and felt like a bit of volume) and it just felt really gross in my roots, and I just wanted to go home and rinse my hair. I mean, there was definitely a lot more volume there than before but I just didn't like the way it felt.

It's not all bad though - for work we are all required to have long hair tied back, and when I have my hair up it's very easy to slip into an egg looking style with a few flyaway chick tufts - however this kept things looking smooth the entire day, as well as maintaining volume. I think it's safe to say this works better with updo styles etc. as it kind of brushes out any gross feeling build up in the process of styling. To be honest I think this product would be best for stage work, like theatre and dance as it really does create a long lasting statement effect and you don't need to be touching the hair anyway.

The verdict? Not for me unless I'm scraping my locks back for work every Saturday, but I could definitely see a lot of uses for this one elsewhere...

SHORT HAIR SAVIOURS

Since getting 'the chop' a few months back, I've come to notice that for me my shorter hair takes more work on a daily basis, and with a strict weekly school routine I don't have the time for curling and I don't own any straighteners, so I have to have a good group of products to fall back on.

The Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Volume Spray is a good one for spraying on damp hair before blow drying to get some extra volume. I find this works especially well if you blow dry it upside down and you get a lot more root volume that way, and it seems to hold rather well too. This is only a mini but it's lasting well as only a few spritzes does the job.

For some hold on any hairstyle I opt for, I tend to use the Bumble and Bumble Classic Hairspray. if you can get over the fusty smell, this does a decent job at holding the hair in place without being crispy, but due to the smell I am hunting for an alternative.

As my roots lack volume but I have quite thick hair, it tends to resemble some kind of triangle where the ends are much bushier and the top almost sticks to my head. To combat this I have recruited the VO5 Give me Texture Dry Texturising Spray that I spray at the roots and give a good ruffle and it seems to do the job. To add a little more texture and also some hold, I use the L'oréal #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray and scrunch up the hair in my hands a little for a bit of gritty-ness.

Finally, after years of using it and a love-hate relationship throughout, it's Batiste Dry Shampoo. This is the Oriental one, but I recon I've tried most of the range and get the same effects from them all. If you use it properly you avoid that powdery feeling and white roots dreaded combo and instead have fresh looking hair with added volume, a doublet of effects everyone loves.

What have you been reaching for to spritz on your hair recently?

TRYING OUT LASH FIBRES

I took photos for this post a long long time ago anticipating talking about lash fibres a lot sooner than this. I never got round to actually using them as the idea of basically combing fluff onto my lashes scared me off a touch and everything seemed like it'd be uncomfortable.

The other week, whilst experimenting with my orange and pink eye looks, I thought it'd be a good time to try them out as mascara alone wasn't cutting it. I tried it with a range of mascaras, but this is how I've been finding the Sheer Cover Lash Extending Fibers*. On first use, it can feel a little odd and a fibre going in your eye (especially then landing on your contact lens) can be a bit off putting.

I start by curling the lashes with my cheap and cheerful Tiger offering, then applied a coat or two of the Sheer Cover Lengthening Mascara*, which does add serious length, and beforehand when I always found it never to dry down properly and ended up sticking my lashes together, layering is the way to go to combat this. Then a brief coating of the lash fibres (basically white fluff) followed up by another mascara, which for me at the moment is either the Too Faced Lashgasm or Soap & Glory Thick & Fast - steering away from my usual waterproof security blanket.

These really do give me some serious length and volume, and compared to my normal lashes that are a pretty good length but struggle to hold a curl and often aren't very full/thick looking you could be mistaken that I had a pair of false lashes glued on. I will definitely be getting my use out of these in the next few weeks...

TRESEMMÉ 24 HOUR BODY BLOW DRY LOTION

I have thick hair, that is often unruly or frizzy that I rant about more than enough times on here, but when scouring the beauty hall in Tesco and seeing this Tresemmé 25 Hour Body Blow Dry Lotion for something under 50p, (although it is a mini), I ran to the tills and took it home with me.

It's not a 'lotion' its more of a spray, but think slightly thicker/heavier in consistency than your average heat protect spray and you have the right sot of idea. It does spray in quite concentrated bursts so I tend to wave my head frantically when applying this to coat the hair without wasting too much.

In terms of volume, I definitely did see some body in the roots and midlengths of my hair that I was lacking in beforehand, and I really enjoyed using it, and will do in the future. I think one thing they could do is incorporate some kind of heat protecting element in this so that I can just this as a multipurpose one rather than having to go in with a separate heat defense spray.

The scent is very similar to the smell of the majority of Tresemmé's shampoo/conditioners and I quite like it as it smells very fresh, although it doesn't linger too much once you have blow dried.

I think if I can find a full size of this if I continue loving it I may have to buy it, but I can assure that this handy mini will be joining me on my upcoming Madrid trip...

BAD HAIR DAY SAVIOURS

Bad hair days - we all have them, and most likely loathe them and as a result try and combat them in every way possible (when I was 10, this would be to soak my hairbrush under the tap and brush it through my hair with little success), but I think I have finally found a trio of products to solve my array of bad hair problems.

Dry Ends: Most mornings I will be greeted with the ends of my hair feeling a little dry or not bringing the glossiness I was hoping for. One product that diminishes the dryness in minutes is the Schwarzkopf Got2b Oil-licious Tame & Shine Styling Oil - a lightweight oil that does a good job of nourishing ends without feeling heavy.

Oily Roots: This is the other extreme I will face in the mornings, greasy roots with little or no time to wash my hair. Recently I got the Batiste Cherry and have been using this on my roots if they ever look oily and it adds a little texture there too. I have a love/hate relationship with Batiste as it does a great job at getting rid of greasy roots, but sometimes I find myself with a white hairline or a powdery feeling every time I touch my hair (which may I add is very frequently)

Lacking in volume: Flat hair was something I had a few issues with in the past, especially at the top area, but since purchasing the L'Oreal Studio Line #txt Volume Supersizing Spray I have been waving goodbye to my lackustre locks. My favourite way to use this is to either flip my head upside down and have a good spritz or to spray it all over and give my hair a little scrunch - texture in a bottle.

I seem to have found my trio to attack all my hair foes, meaning I will no longer have hairbrushes filled with water or be pulling it back so tight I had a botox effect as my primary school days encountered...

THE HAIRCARE REVAMP

As I have recently been getting more and more into hair care, I thought it'd be a good time as the seasons are changing to show what has been making the cut (excuse the pun) for my locks recently.

The first thing isn't exactly a product, but these hair bands have been reached for quite regularly. I don't know what they are called, but basically they are designed to keep your hair secure in a ponytail, without leaving any kinks or damage once removed. They make having my hair up look a little nicer too, as the tied ends style seems to make my hair look quite cute and sweet.

My hair had a rather dry phase recently so I was itching to get my hands on a hair mask that would add in some moisture again. The Wen Pomegranate Re-Moist Intensive Hair Treatment* is literally the thickest hair mask I have laid eyes on, and it definitely adds some sort of nourishment there.

For days that I need to blow dry my hair, of course I don't want to add to the dryness, so I have been opting for the Toni & Guy Prep Heat Protection Mist in order to keep my hair protected from the heat from the hair dryer. Before drying (whether this is naturally or with a hair dryer too), I like to use the Wen Sweet Almond Mint Replenishing Treatment Mist* from the mid-lengths to the ends of my hair as I really like using this as a de-tangler. My only issue is the extremely minty smell but it goes away after a few minutes.

Finally, I have been really enjoying twisting my hair up to create heatless curls overnight, which Megan explains well here,  and so on the days that I want them looking a little more beachy and wavy, I have been spritzing the L'Oreal TXT Volume Supersizing Spray to the curls and scrunching them a little until I have the desired effect.

The real question is though, will I finally cave for the bloggers' shoulder length cut?

POST-SPENDING BAN BUYS

As my spending ban came to a close, I was browsing the aisles like no other. Luckily my ban ended just before the Boots 3 for 2 came to an end so I managed to get in on the deals, which I can't complain about. I definitely enjoyed spending some money on what I love after having such a break.

In the clearance of my local Boots, I spotted the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Timeless Black for £2 and I thought it would be a good choice for a gel liner-esque product. For another small £2 I found the Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Bellini which is a milky peach-nude. The other 2 items on the makeup front were a repurchase of the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, and a Rimmel Lasting Finish Blush in Santa Rose as a lot of people rave about this guy, and the colour is stunning and natural, perhaps a new everyday favourite?

Onto skincare, I got another Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser as it was on offer for £2.98 and I love this as my go-to cleanser. To prove my love for it, how about I tell you that this is my third bottle of the stuff. On the radiance path, I got 2 items from the Boots Botanics All Bright range. The first was the Cleansing Toner, as the whole 'chemical exfoliant' thang interested me and I thought I would start at the budget side of things. As well as this I got the Night Cream, and on first impressions this looks to me really hydrating as it is so thick, so I cannot wait to incorporate this into my routine properly.

Finally, I got the L'Oréal Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray, as I am practically begging for some texture and volume in my hair, and from the first use I really like this, and for a budget price of £3.79 I don't think I could choose any better way to start getting into these products.

It's typical for me to have only just gotten off my spending ban and have a nice shop/splurge in Boots. Well... there isn't much that can separate a blogger from buying products...