One for the "Meh" Files.

You know when you really want to like something, like really want to.

This was one of those times. Whilst browsing the hallowed halls of asda I came across the asda own brand of skin system products. ( To be honest I wanted to find their version of a Tesco  clear skin facial wash which was fantastic but I think has now been discontinued well my local crappy store has decided not to stock it anymore)

Anyway i love cream textured facial washes and so my eye was drawn to this. I read the ingredients and was even more enamoured.  It has gentle detergents.  Only £1.73 too. A bargain!

Anyway here is what Asda have to say:

With active ingredients pro-vitamin B5, aloe vera and natural lipids. Suitable for sensitive skin. ABOUT THIS PRODUCT: This face wash has been specially formulated for all skin types including sensitive skin. It is free from harsh chemicals, artificial colour and fragrance, and contains aloe vera, sugar beet extract and Pro-Vitamin B5 to soothe and condition whilst cleansing to leave silky smooth radiant skin. Dermatologically tested.

IngredientsAqua , Coco-Glucoside , Aloe Barbadensis Gel , Glycerin , Polyquaternium-37 , Glyceryl Oleate , Cetearyl Alcohol , Cetearyl Glucoside , Phenoxyethanol , Citric Acid , Betaine , Sodium Hydroxide , Ethylhexylglycerin , Panthenol , Disodium EDTA , Tocopherol , Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate , Potassium Sorbate



Then came my actual experience.  I don't know. I really don't. It's an OK cleanser, it does its job. I think it made my skin feel a little dry though, but I'm not sure if that is die to Autumn settling in anyway. My skin becomes very dry in the autumn/winter months and i have to use a different routine.

It's not really a creamy wash either. Its more like a gooey gel consistency. I can't really describe the smell it isn't heavily fragranced though. Maybe it would be better for someone with more oily skin? My skin is very dry and sensitive.

I mean my summary is its ok. For under 2 pounds i do think it is great value for money so there is no harm in trying.  I am a little disappointed though, I wanted to find a staple. Oh well onwards and upwards.

Urghhhhhhhhh

My hair is soo fustrating at the moment. It takes a lot of work to get it clean. I mean why is it so hard to have a clean scalp?????? Why? Why? Why?

Dear hair: No no no, you don't love me and i know now

Lashes of Fun

The   Snuffleupagus look.

If you live in South London you have spotted many of its adherents.

Have you seen it?  Its not a subtle look, nor one for the faint of heart. It involves no form of foundation, concealer,  blush or lipstick. It is a one ingredient look.

A pair of Big bold Lashes.  Preferably strip. Usually held together by black glue.

Packed tightly and dense. The lashes are all the same uniform length. There is no graduation in length.

Have you tried this look?

The Good, The Bad and the Buildup.

For  along time now, i have seen Cantu Shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream( yes the full title is that long) being recommended on the Internet. I finally relented and dug into my pocket for the fiver to purchase it. I am on a quest to find a leave in conditioner/moisturiser that doesn't leave my hair both greasy and dry at the same time, as the majority do.

First things first. It comes in a 473mL tub. The smell is very artificial and smells like fragranced talcum powder.  It looks quite thick, but the consistency is actually quite thin.

I began using this over a month ago and wore my hair in single plaits/box braids. After taking them down after around two weeks, i noticed buildup at the base of the braids, but i thought nothing of it. I then saw little gingery brown flakes in the front of my hair. Well i just thought my hair must be extra dirty then!

I washed my hair. Now i wash my hair in sections, twice and with a sulphate  shampoo. I have a dry/sensitive scalp and although i avoided sulphates for many years, i now find myself using them again with absolutely no adverse effect on my hair.

Well what do you know. I go into my bedroom and start plaiting my hair and the flakes are STILL THERE. At that point it had taken my hair so long to wash, i just couldn't. Not today. I was not going to wash my hair again, i just figured i'd brush the flakes out when my hair was fully dried.

I managed to get all the flakes out, but me and cantu shea butter are on a break. I still have half a tub sitting on my table, but who knows what i'm going to do with it. I am sticking to my rosewater/Glycerine mix  and bought Darbur Vatika Natural Hair fall control styling cream ( yes another long name, and this one don't even make no sense!) so i will be reviewing that later.

Two thumbs down Cantu! And i had heard so many good things about you! Boooooooo!

ETA: Would this work better on relaxed hair? I don't know. Maybe

Ingredients: Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium 37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG 1 Trideceth 6, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearalkonium Chloride, Trimethylsilylamodimethicone, Panthenol, PPG 1-PPG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Lanolin Oil, Cinnamidopropyl Trimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzophenone 3, BHA, BHT, Zea Mays Oil (Corn), Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

I purchased this at a PAKS cosmetics store so go to their website if you can't find it.

Its been Magical........but i'm leaving

To the cherished few that read my blog, i am moving. Yes i am moving on.




To wordpress.
I've had a fantastic time on blogspot, but i just needed a change. New name, new focus



Come and see me on the other side!!!

https://swallowsandglamazons.wordpress.com/ 

The conditioner Chronicles- Herbal Essences Hello Hydration

Staples, staples, staples. Everyone should have a core group of products to fall back on in haircare. One of the most important elements to that especially for Kinky/Curly/Afro hair whether relaxed or natural is conditioner.
Here is one of my and many other people's- Herbal Essences Hello hydration. ( Formerly Herbal essences fruit fusions- Deep nourishment and shine). The old formulation had slightly different ingredients and is still knocking about pounds shops.

What can i say, it never disappoints me. I have fine natural type 4 hair and it leaves my hair so soft and moisturised. Its a thick conditioner and its also blue- blue is always good. If you google it, its used by loads of people and i will continue to buy until reformulated or discontinued. It is a moisturising conditioner

What the instructions say:
Massage me in. Soak for  as long as you like, then rinse and say hello to luscious hydrated locks.

There you have it, do as you like!
WARNING= .If you do follow a no silicone routine, it does have Dimethicone. Sowwwy

Ingredients:
Aqua, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl, Dimethylamine, Glutamic acid, Bis- Aminopropyl Dimethicone, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, EDTA, Hexyl Cinnamal, Sodium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linaloo ( everytime i see this ingredient it cracks me up linalooooool), Magnesium Nitrate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, CI 42090, Magnesium Chloride, Methylisothiazolinone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Old Bottle

New Bottle

Doris Michaels Eyeshadow Palette

I reviewed the DM bronzer below and love it. Now to my next favourite product is the Doris Michaels 18 eyeshadow palette. There are 18 miniature shades that look like this

There are no individual names but the shadows or "eyepolish" as my two year old nephew calls them, are numbered from 1 to 18, in the first row the pale pink is No1, the yellow No2, the bronze No3 and so on.

My swatches didn't turn out the best. ( Camera Phone + No skills) I did however swatch my favourite colours and the ones that i think are worth purchasing the palette for. There are some chalky colours that don't go on well and are very faint. These are mainly the frosty white, orange, yellow and frosty pale pink. The best colours are the brown- which is a true dark brown and it is very hard to get a matte dark brown that looks good for a cheap price. The two bronze golds(they are above each other in the picture), the golden rose colour and the sea green are my favourites.

All of the colours in this swatch go on well, are pigmented enough to show up on dark skin and they do last.

Also two  looks  i did. I apologise again for camera quality.

 

L.A Confidential

Pastel/ Candy and coral shades are supposed to be "in" this Spring/summer.
Well I've been searching for a really nice mint green since i was thoroughly disappointed by Collection 2000's Button moon shade. Its a lovely colour, but it goes on streaky, the brush is bizarre its gloopy and just awful. I love the colour though. I have been looking for an affordable version, still haven't found it, but decided on these two polishes.

Turntable is the dark mint green and the coral orange is Dance Craze
L.A Girl nail polishes are in a lot of Afro hair shops and they have a massive range of colours and every polish is priced at £1.99 or around it. I bought these two from the "Disco Brites" collection, which are colours that apparently glow in UV light and they have cute 70s music orientated names.

The polishes are not too watery but you do need as you do with every nail polish to use a base and a top coat. A base coat will protect your nails from discolouration and make sure your nails last longer. Also when doing house work etc try and wear rubber or latex gloves to cut down on chipping.

L.A Girl polishes are available online and I'm not sure whether they are related to the L.A Colors brand. L.A girl has a website and the colour swatches are quite close to the real thing
http://www.lagirlusa.com/

Its been 3 days and no chipping. I applied two or three coats(oh my i can't remember)
What do you think of the colours? I did each hand, i say coral my sister says green.

Doris Michaels Cosmetics Review- Bronzer

For around two maybe three years a brand has popped up in my local Afro hair shops( or BSS's in the USA) Doris Micheals. Although the name to me springs to mind a romantic novelist( i can just imagine Doris Micheals like Barbara Cartland reclining on a chaise lounge chair ordering her minions to make makeup) she is actually a real lady not a random brand name.

This is a three part review i will be reviewing her bronzer, terracotta blush and her eyeshadow pallette. Firstly the Bronzer

Okayy thennnn first off. I love this bronzer. I use it on top of any blusher i use or alone as a blusher. It is shimmery without looking glittery or sparkly like most cheap bronzers do. It really warms up my face and I've had it sitting in my room for, maybe a year and never used it. It comes in two shades light and dark, and i bought light. Its a semi matte shade in my opinion, i just love it. My camera phone has broken and this is a photo i took in the umm Asda changing rooms( don't judge me!!!) I'm really sorry for the poor quality photos, i promise to take a swatch on my inner arm tonight and post it up.

The bad. The packaging is fine for me but i think for most people it would seem quite 70s. I find the looks on the website and some of the product colours to be quite dated. Very 90s ( check my 90s makeup post) a lot of purples, browny reds and just general darkness( said in rick James on Dave Chappelles show voice).

Her website has good makeup tips also, although i don't agree that you always have to wear foundation to me its not essential to me. I have seen a wide array of foundations although i have never used them myself. I mean i see a lot of women buying the products but i have seen nothing online. My bronzer cost £3.99 although i think i got it cheaper because it was like a new deal thing, but i will be repurchasing again for sure

(PS. I know you love my cossack hat)

Perfume Power!

Hey all, this is kind of a random post, but perfume is a part of all things beautiful so I'll chuck it in.
Now, like everyone i do enjoy smelling nice, however I've never been a perfume fiend. I get perfume as a gift and pilfer perfume from other people. If it runs out, i usually don't bother getting another one, i just continue to steal from siblings and my mother and friends.

But i thought its time to shape up, and have always liked the perfume oils i would get as gifts from family abroad. It lasts longer and because they usually come in these dinky bottles, very handbag friendly ( especially for clutch and other wee bags on a night out).

So i had read up about perfume oils a while back but had seen only American sites. Being the fool i was i hadn't even thought to check for a UK one ( Duh!). Anyway i don't remember how, but i stumbled across this site, perfume Parlour

http://www.perfume-parlour.co.uk/12ml-perfume-oils/cat_4.php

They sell identikit versions of designer fragrances. At like more than half price. They also sell original fragrance oils and Arabian oils.

I ordered 3, 3ml roll on perfume bottles. Now the only perfume that i could recall off of the top of my head was YSL Cinema,which i adored so i bought the i also bought Tommy girl, as i recalled that was the "one" when i was 11. I also bought Miss Cherie by Dior. Well the smellalikes.

Big Plus, free shipping within the UK.
So they come in these really nice pouches, which are really nice and great for gifts.
Only downside they took exactly a week to come, but there was no dispatch email or anything so i was a bit like hmmmm.( with free shipping i can't complain too much)

Down to the smell.
The cinema-like, smelt spot on a very close if not exact
Tommy Girl- very very close

Now i must confess, i had never smelt miss Cherie before. Why had I not? The smell is just not for me at all. ( I think it should be renamed Mr Cherie, nothing feminine about it) I mean if you like that sort of thing its an exact match, seriously email me if you want to take it off my hands. I don't want it!

Performance

They last, I've been wearing the cinemaesque for 8 hours now and i can still smell it on me. The Miss Cherie lasted until the next day no lie( urrrghhh).

Overall, i am going to buy loads and get myself a little collection, they are well worth the money, great quality pure oils with no alcohol. I am just really thrilled actually! Big thumbs up.

Its been a long time shouldn't have left you without a ..........

Name that song! Answers on a postcard, winners get a button.

Anyhew it has been ages, a new year, a new day a new dawn!
Where have i been, just mooching around. Blog writing is haaaaaard.
Anyway i now make a solemn promise to post regularly.

Now i'll ease in with quite a short simple post.
An ode to soap.

Now i have *extra extra this just in! Dry skin* and i try and keep an eye on natural ingredients( sometimes) so i found a soap that doesn't cost an arm and a leg and works great and has few ingredients - Saponified olive oil, water and mineral salts. Thats it.

Oliva olive oil soap


It is not drying to my skin( i use it on my body only)
has a very faint smell. I can't really desribe it( i asked my brother- according to him it smells like oily chalk). It lathers up quite well, which is usually a concern for some people.
Having used this for over a year it has become a staple, its quite readily available( Holland and Barretts on the high street) and online. It seems it is something of a cult classic- I'm late.

Green box, rectangle slab, no frills but a great product.


For 89p (i've seen it at up to £1.15) usually, its not outrageously priced like the majority of natural products. So if you have dry or sensitive skin give it a try.