New John Frieda Products | Tried and Tested!

John Frieda is undoubtedly one of, if not my favourite hair care brand on the market.  I religiously use their 'Blonde' range and I always feel at a bit of a loss if I don't have my trusty 'Volume' shampoo at hand! Whenever people ask me about my hair care routine, I guarantee there's always a John Frieda product or two in there - it's fair to say that my bathroom cabinet houses my very own little JF army!   So, when I had the chance to try some of the new offerings from John Frieda, I was rather chuffed to say the least.  What I love about John Frieda is that there's always something new - the ranges are tailored perfectly for different hair colours and types and the products are almost always of amazing quality and all at a competitive, high street price.  I've been trying these products now for a good few weeks and thought I'd give you my two pennies worth; have they managed to make it into my 'John Frieda Army' or are they just a fleeting member of the 'Not so Sure' crew...? Let us find out, shall we?!

John Frieda | Full Repair | Deep Conditioner 'Hydrate and Rescue' | £6.99*

The John Frieda 'Full Repair' range often finds it's way into my shower! I love the conditioner and often use it if my hair is feeling a little in need of a moisture boost - so I was really intrigued to try the Deep Conditioning version.  This bottle promises to 'restore softness and shine' whilst deeply nourishing the hair strands and repairing the look and feel of any damage.  I found this to work really well on my hair - it left it feeling smooth and silky and easy to comb through and style, and left it looking in good condition with a good bit of shine. Having long hair means that my ends can sometimes lack a little bit of life but this perks it up no end.  It says to leave it on for 2-5 minutes so I always leave it on for as long as I can - the longer you leave it the more beneficial it will be. It's by no means the greatest deep conditioner on the market, and if your hair is considerably dry I'd recommend using this in-between a thicker treatment - but it is without a doubt a very good little deep conditioner that I will definitely repurchase.

John Frieda | Full Repair |  Flyaway Tamer Smoothing Wand | £10.99*

Ok. I'll be honest. Out of everything I thought this would be the one I wasn't going to be too fussed about.  I was intrigued by the wand concept but was unsure if it was going to be more of a gimmick and do nothing more than stir up memories of my 11 year old self getting creative with the blue hair mascara (don't lie, you went there too).  I was wrong.  I actually really like this one! I can only describe it as a serum in handy little tube, that you simply smooth on using the mascara-like wand. It distributes an even amount of product and instantly tames any fly aways.  I get one heck of a load of 'wispy' bits so this has been a little gem of a product for me! It's so simple, and is the perfect handbag friend due to it's size and easy to use concept - no sticky serum hands on the go! It's perfect for going to uni or work, or for events where you might get a little bit of frizz going on (I'll definitely be taking it to my graduation - there's no way that I'm having any 'bird's-nest-barnet' in my photographs!)  The only downside is that it can get a little straw-like if you overdo it.  It's easy to go a bit heavy handed on it (I did simply because I liked the motion of mascara-wanding my hair...) so it's worth using a very light hand and using quick, gentle 'wispy' motions rather than full on combing!

John Frieda | Frizz Ease | Dream Curls Enhancing Oil | £9.99*

This one still holds the 'undecided' status with me.  I have naturally straight hair that I curl or wave using hot tools or rollers - so straight away I wasn't so sure this would work for me what with it being tailored towards naturally curly hair.  However, I gave it a good go.  I noticed it feels more like a cross between a serum and an oil rather than a pure oil - it didn't provide the moisture I usually want from a hair oil.  However, it did seem to work well at defining the curls I went on to style and didn't seem to weigh them down at all - which is great.  I do think it does it's job - I just wasn't blown away by it.  I've taken to using it now as a finishing oil to smooth on once I've styled my hair rather than before - or I mix a drop or two in with my usual oil to give it a bit of 'oomph' which seems to work better for me.  I like it, don't get me wrong, I just don't love it.  Maybe it would work better for people who do have naturally curly hair as I can imagine it would provide a good bit of definition and tame any frizz. 

So, yet again, John Frieda doesn't disappoint! I love that they're always bringing out new things, and for me they still hold a special place in my bathroom cupboard. You can have a nosey at their products on the John Frieda website here, or have a gander at Boot's website - they often have 3 for 2 offers on which is when I tend to replenish my stash - so keep your eyes peeled!

Have you tried any of these products from John Frieda? Have you got a favourite JF product?

Beauteco Box | August

Beauteco Box | Monthly Beauty Box | £10 +p&p* | Link 

Last month, I wrote a little introductory post about the new beauty subscription box in town - 'Beauteco Box'.  I'm sure you've all heard of it by now but just in case you haven't and fancy a read up on the whole concept and why I think it's the bee's knees then you can have a nosey at my last post here. I've been pretty chuffed to say the least, and last month's box actually introduced me to a couple of new favourites of mine - I'm now addicted to Neal & Wolf's conditioning treatment (definitely repurchasing it once I've ran out!) and I've been converted back to a kohl pencil (after using liquid liner for donkey's years) in the form of Art Deco's Soft Kajal Liner. Both products are FULL size which really pleased me - you really do get your money's worth with this box!  I'm sure you'll be seeing those products in my monthly favourites at the beginning of next month...

Anyway, onto this month's Beauteco Box offerings!  Once again, I was really excited about this box. Lord & Berry are one of my favourite brands and I was so excited to see them on the Beauteco Box menus - I definitely think they deserve a more widely known status amongst the blogging world (I've previously reviewed their highlighting 'Luminizer Stick' if you're interested!). Once again, the box contained 3 full size products and 2 generously sized samples for me to get my mitts on - for the price you really cannot grumble and if beauty boxes are your thing then Beauteco will be right up your street.  I'll give you the low-down on what I chose this month...

Lord & Berry Intensity Lipstick in 'Peach Gleam'

This product is the one I was the most excited about.  I've had Lord & Berry Lip Crayons in the past and LOVED them - so was really looking forward to giving one of their lipsticks a whirl.  The shade is just my cup of tea - you know me, anything with a hint of peach or coral and I'm there! I've been using this a lot the past couple of weeks - it's such a lovely muted peach shade - not too bright or too dark - just the perfect colour for an everyday lip.  It seems to perk up my complexion no end and applies really nicely.  The formula isn't so creamy that it applies fully opaque, but the pigmentation is really impressive and on first 'swipe' your lips are coated in peachy-gleamy-goodness.  If you like Mac's 'Shy Girl' or 'Ravishing' - then it's worth looking into this little gem.

Lord & Berry Kissproof Lip Colour Liner in 'Blossom'

I am a big fan of Estee Lauder's Double Wear Lip Liner in 'Spice' - and at £17 a pop (oof...that will send your purse strings running for the hills...) they aren't cheap.  Sadly, I'm almost ran out of my holy-grail favourite so this little addition came just at the right time. It's a little more pink than my usual lip liner but it's without a doubt very similar and it's a colour that I would pair with a load of lipsticks as it's not far off from a natural lip shade.  I can't wait to try this.

Arran Aromatics Lavender & Tea Tree Facial Wash

Again, another full size product!  I always use tea tree products on my skin throughout the month - I find it helps calm any redness and helps prevent blemishes.  This facial wash deep cleanses the skin and gently exfoliates, whilst the lavender in it revitalises and calms.  I haven't used this yet as I'm still getting through a sample size of a Balance Me one, but I will giving this a whirl in the next couple of weeks or so. 

S5 Purity Serum

Of all the products this month, this is the one that really intrigued me.  I don't use serums and oils on my skin that much but am always open to trying them.  I'd love to find one that really suits me.  This one seems really promising - it helps blemish prone skin by controlling breakouts, reducing appearance of pores and generally helping to keep the skin clear.  What I like about this one is that it doesn't feel greasy like other serums I've tried - just smooth, gel-like and almost cooling. 

Melvita Body Milk in 'Rose'

I'm not usually into floral fragranced things but I will certainly be giving this a try in the next week or so.  I really like the fact it's meant to soothe and moisturise the skin whilst providing a calming effect.  

This month's box has been another exciting one for me and I reckon there's at least a couple of gems in there for me.  I love the fact that Beauteco box have introduced me to both new brands and helped me rediscover some favourites too.  I will be sure to report on some of these products in the near future - keep your eyes peeled - some of them may make it into my monthly favourites...

Have you tried Beauteco box? Which product tickles your fancy this month?

Tigi Bed Head | Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff

 Tigi Dumb Blonde | Smoothing Stuff £9.99

I think it's fair to say that I am a marketer's dream. Put something in a shiny pink ball and I will buy it regardless of what's in it, but Tigi's Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff has to be the most beautifully packaged product I've ever laid my eyes on.. Amazing packaging aside, I've been in the market for a new smoothing serum - my hair has been quite dry due to the cold weather we've had just recently and it's been looking a little bit sorry for itself. I needed something not only to smooth any 'birds nest-y bits' but also something that would add a bit more shine and general all round 'oomph'. Blonde hair sometimes needs a little bit of help in the shine department, and I wanted a product that wasn't going to weigh my hair down - I'm a big fan of huge glamorous hair, so heavy serums and glosses are a big no-no for me.

This has to be my new go-to smoothing product. It's light, it's shimmery, and it does the job without weighing down the hair. It doesn't leave it feeling sticky or overloaded with product, and it settles down any dry frizzy bits effortlessly. It has more of a gel-like texture to it that's really light and cooling and a little goes a long way. It smells good enough to eat - very strawberries and cream. In fact, if any of you remember Calpol when you were little? Because it smells ridiculously similar to that (I swear i used to imagine up headaches and sniffles just so I could have a spoonful of Calpol..) It also doesn't dull the hair, making it the perfect smoothing serum for my fellow blondies - it contains tiny iridescent shimmers in it, which help to combat any brassiness and it generally just leaves my hair feeling smoother, softer to the touch and more manageable.

Have you tried Tigi's Dumb Blonde Range?

 ♥