L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil

I couldn't quite wait for pay day so I picked up a bottle of L'Oreal's Extraordinary Oil (for coloured hair) from my local Boots store. At £9.99 this seemed quite steep for a L'Oreal hair product but I know how transforming oil can be on the hair so I thought I would give this a try.

They recommend that you can use this oil in three different ways. 1. Before shampooing to protect the colour. 2. Before styling to protect your hair or 3. As a finishing touch for shine.

I chose to use the product on my wet hair before blow-drying it. You only need to use two squirts of the oil and rub it between your palms before distributing it through your roots and the ends of your hair. The oil was surprisingly light weight and didn't make my hair feel greasy when I applied it. After blow-drying my hair felt a lot softer than it usually does, although it didn't improve any of the dryness that I usually get at the ends of my hair. It also gave my hair a nice shine which a few people commented on.

All in all, I think that this product will over time improve the condition of my hair and at a fraction of the price that I could have paid for other brands of hair oil. I have been using the oil for a few days now and from the looks of it, the 100ml bottle is going to last me a good few months. If your hair is looking a bit dull and lifeless then this is definitely a must-have!

September Wishlist

I haven't indulged in any decent new beauty products in a while now and my make up/products shelf is starting to look like pretty slim pickings! I've had a browse on some other blogs and magazines and thought about what I personally need/want and I've come up with a mini wish list for September....

I've been reading about L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil in magazines like Grazia and Cosmopolitan this month and it sounds like a cheaper alternative to Keratese products. I suffer from split ends from time to time and often my hair gets 'dull' after frequent dying sessions! This oil spray boasts that it can add shine in seconds and can be used as a treatment or as a quick finish. At £9.99 a bottle it seems like this could potentially be a bargain when you put it next to the £30.00+ Keratese sprays.

I hate to say it but I am a virgin when it comes to using Clinique products. I have had friends and relatives rave about the quality and results that the skincare range gives and when I saw this under eye cream I thought that this was probably the best product to begin with as I suffer from dark circles in the mornings. It is a little more expensive in the price range at £28.00 so I will do some more research before committing to buy. I don't think I will be disappointed.

Moving on to the Studio Fix MAC foundation. Although this isn't a 'new' product I felt it needed to be mentioned as I have used MAC products in the past and so far I haven't found the perfect foundation. I wrote a post earlier in the year about the Studio Sculpt range and although this gave a full coverage I find that after a while my foundation appeared to look cakey and 'slapped on'. I have also used a compact foundation of MAC's before but this was the opposite and gave me hardly any coverage at all. I am hoping if I purchase the Studio Fix foundation this will be the perfect balance of coverage as it is a liquid and it wont feel too 'heavy'. If anybody has used different types of MAC foundation please do not hesitate to comment and let me know which you think is best!

Lastly is Daisy by Marc Jacobs. My Mum has this perfume and is probably wondering why the bottle goes down everyday when she only uses it for special occasions. This scent is gorgeous, girly, fun and summery and it isn't too overpowering. I haven't heard a single person say that they don't like this perfume so I definitely need to stop stealing Mums and get a bottle for myself!

I've also signed up to receive a Glossybox each month...for those who dont know what this is its a box of five new beauty treats that get sent to your doorstep every month. Prices start at £10 a month for a box which is a steal when you receive five high-branded miniature products to test and review. Watch this space for Glossybox posts!

I'm back!

Long time no blog it seems! 

Life without a laptop charger is difficult at the best of time but throw in finishing university, graduating, moving house and starting a new job...blogging got caught up in all of that somewhere!

Anyway I'm back and ready to go again!

Since I'm back on-line I will be having a browse around the internet this evening to make a 'wishlist' of products that I think will be worth buying this month.

More posts to come.....

 

Thank you Body Shop!

Wow. 


Today The Body Shop provided me with 100 samples of 20 different products!
I am so excited to get trying these out and reviewing them for my readers! 


A massive thank you to The Body Shop for providing me with these goodies for my blog.

Total Moisture Facial Cream

The lovely lady from Benefit gave me some mini samples of their skin care range for me to test for my blog!
I have been using Total Moisture Facial Cream before I go to bed as the cream is quite thick. The cream smells amazing and a little goes a long, long way. You only need the tiniest blob on your fingers to cover your whole face.

This is a great moisturiser to apply after removing make-up as it soothes the skin and makes it feel soft and refreshed. Although I haven't used it in the morning yet, I can imagine this would be a good base to apply make-up onto as it isn't too oily.

Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream comes in an attractive glass pot and is £26.50 for 48.2g.

Oatifix Face Mask

I went into my local Lush store at the weekend for a treat and picked up a sample of their Oatifix face mask. I have quite sensitive skin so I like to try out products for my face before I buy, just in case.


This face mask has a lovely banana and oat scent and smells good enough to eat! It has to be kept refrigerated which is a little inconvenient however when the mask is on it feels cool and refreshing. The mask looks slightly unappealing on the face which is a bit off putting although it does sit nicely and didn't irritate my skin at all.


Lush recommends to keep Oatifix on for between five and ten minutes before washing off with warm water. The mask sets over that time but not so much that you can't move your face in fear of cracking it. It also wasn't hard to scrub off after the required time. My skin felt refreshed and looked clear with no blemishes.
Oatifix is £5.75 for a full sized pot. The sample they gave me was in a very small tub and I will get at least two more applications from this, making it a long lasting product for the price range.

Hello Flawless!

I was so excited to get my hands on a sample of Benefit's new 'Hello Flawless' foundation!

This is Benefit's first liquid foundation which is quite surprising for a brand so big. It doesn't matter though because this foundation more than makes up for the wait!
'Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow' is packed with vitamin C and D to prevent signs of ageing and you only need the tiniest amount of this oil-free foundation to cover your whole face. I applied with a foundation brush and the liquid glided on smoothly and although the shade was a little darker than I would usually wear, it almost colour matched to my skin. The foundation feels lightweight and smooth, as if you aren't wearing any at all and gives you a medium to full coverage. It also doesn't give that sticky feeling that some foundations do and my skin feels soft to touch.


With a little bronzer, this gave me a sun-kissed look, one that will be perfect for my cousins wedding tomorrow!
Here is a picture of me with the foundation on (not edited at all). I will leave it up to you to decide what you think!!!

I will definitely be buying this brand when it hit stores on the 31st March.The price will be £24.00 and believe me this foundation will last you for a very long time! Perfect for the Summer months.
Five out of five stars from me :)

What I am wearing today

I thought I would share my outfit with you all today as I am feeling that Spring is in the air and it is time to crack out the shorts (with tights for the time being!)


Today I am wearing:


Topshop Plain White Jersey top- £10
Topshop Floral Shorts- £35 (although I bought these on eBay for £5!)
Accessorize Heart Necklace

I really recommend eBay at the moment for skint students.
I have found so many bargains on here from great brands like Topshop and French Connection for a fraction of the price. I will upload a picture on Saturday of me in my French Connection outfit for my cousins wedding...I managed to get this gorgeous dress for £100 cheaper than the original price!!!


Enjoy :)

Free Glamour Gift

I got this hair mask free with this months Glamour magazine which was an absolute bargain considering the magazine only cost me £2!


I was a little sceptical about the product seeing as it was a free gift, but I decided to use it after dying my hair as it would be slightly brittle (I colour my hair A LOT).


The mask was easy to spread through my hair and de-tangled it in the process which was a plus. The smell was slightly off-putting, although it advertised as smelling of marshmallows personally I don't think that is a very appealing scent! 


The directions advised me to wrap my hair up in a towel for 10 minutes before washing out. I left it on for fifteen just to make sure I got the maximum results.
The product washed out of my hair easily, sometimes it can take a while to feel like your hair is completely product free. This was a relief as I was washing my hair over the bath!


The overall outcome was brilliant, my hair still feels silky soft over a day later and my house mate commented on how shiny my hair looks.


Grab yours whilst stocks last! Percy and Reed Hydrating Mask £2 with Glamour Magazine.

Aussie- Heat Protection

I use this heat protection spray as part of my daily hair routine.

The spray is lightweight and has a gorgeous summery smell :) It is best to spray this on towel-dried hair before brushing through, as it de-tangles knots and you can brush your hair through afterwards with no problems.

This product doesn't weigh the hair down and doesn't leave that sticky greasy feeling that some sprays can do.

Available from most beauty stores from £4.69

St Moriz

This really is tannings best kept secret!


St Moriz is a self-tanning foam that gives you a deep golden tan from the first application.


I apply all over with a tanning mit, making sure that I blend it in well. The foam is brown in colour which is handy to be able to see which areas have been covered. I recommend using this foam just before bed, as it can make your skin appear a 'dirty' shade just after application, and if you suffer from dry skin like me this is quite noticeable. Once you have showered in the morning, you are left with a gorgeous glow.
For a deeper tan, use again after two days.


It is the only tanning product that I have ever used where people have commented on my colour the day after use.

And the best bit? St Moriz is only £2.99!!! Available now at Tesco's and Bodycare stores.

Instagram

I am also using Instagram for all of my pictures, so follow @sophiefryer for more beauty bites :)

Today's Nails!!!

Dotty nails for Friday!!!


Today's nails were achieved with two coats of Barry M Nail Paint in purple followed by a Nails Inc topcoat, then the dots were applied with my Stargazer Nail Art pen (see previous posts for details)


Spring is in the air!!!

Cath Kidston SS12 Collection

I had a look through Cath Kidston's SS12 collection this morning online...and here are a few pieces on my wish list:


1) Hampton Rose Ballet Pumps £18- I love these cute little pumps! These will be gorgeous for the Summer with a play suit or dress and usually I would spend £20+ on shoes like these so at £18 pounds these pumps are a bargain!


2) Oil Rose Make-up Case £10- My last make-up case from Cath Kidston was probably bought in 2010, so I really need to update it (plus it has gotten so grubby inside!). I prefer the cloth cases to the shiny ones, I think the patterns look prettier on that material.


3) Pinny Flowers Folded Zip Wallet £26- Again, I am long overdue on updating my Cath Kidston purse! My boyfriend's younger sister is going to be in for a treat when I update my collection! I love this design because its simple, there isn't too much going on and it has quite a neutral background colour that would go with many other shades. Plus the zip wallets are great if you have a lot of cards because they hold about 10 pockets for them, along with a section for coins and notes.


I think I may have to wait until my next student loan comes in before I think about buying any of these things but a girl can dream for a little bit!

MAC foundation- Studio Sculpt

So I ran out of my Dior foundation today (which for the record was amazing and lasted over 3 months) but times are hard and I needed a foundation that was a little cheaper. 


MAC recommended studio sculpt for me as I am prone to dry skin and wanted a foundation that would give me a full coverage. 


What is great about MAC is that you only need to use a tiny blob on your hand that you can blend with a brush and use for your whole face. The liquid feels moisturising and light on the skin but covers all blemishes to give you that flawless look. :)


Studio Sculpt MAC- £23.00

Barry M Instant Nail Effects- Gold

Barry M Instant Nail Effect in Gold £3.99.


I am a massive fan of Barry M nail varnish, having bought their glitter and crackle nail shades at the end of last year. 


This nail paint gives the illusion of nail foils and gives your nails a nice shiny smooth finish. I love the gold colour too. 


The only downside would be that my Nails Inc topcoat didn't seem to agree with this polish and I had to redo a nail due to the topcoat taking off the polish underneath. 


For this look I applied 3 coats to ensure I had a nice even finish.

Mud Therapy

This face mask is a real bargain at only £2.59 from Superdrug. 


After cleansing, I slapped this all over my face, making sure it was thoroughly covered and left it to set for 15 minutes. 


The rosemary smelt lovely, though it does set quite hard so be careful not to move your face!!!


After washing this off (and it comes off nice and easily with warm water) my skin feels so silky smooth and soft. 


It feels so refreshing as a night-time pamper and I am hoping my soft skin will last throughout the night and into tomorrow!!!

Lush Facial Cleanser

I got this cleanser today that was  recommended by the ladies at Lush as I can suffer from eczema on my face in the cold weather. 


You only need to use a pea sized amount mixed with water to create a paste that you can scrub into your face, getting rid of all those dead skin cells.


My face felt silky smooth afterwards and I definitely had a glow for the rest of the day! A must have to add to my skin care routine now :)

Milkshake Nails!!!

I saw this design on a friends blog yesterday and HAD to try this myself!


I've used two coats of No7 French Pink followed by the dripping effect with a Stargazer nail art pen (from Just Beauty in Bath). These pens are great, just like the Models Own ones however at £2.99 they are half the price!


 I finished off the look with my amazing fast drying Nails Inc topcoat. :)

First products

So...I had a bit of a splurge today on beauty products. I will review some of the new ones that I haven't tried.
For those unsure of what these are:


1. Mud therapy by Superdrug £2.59 (Face Mask)
2. Batiste XXL Dry Shampoo £3.99
3. Angels on Bare Skin Facial Cleanser by Lush £5.95
4. Sure Deodorant £1.00
5. Boots Toner £1.42
6. Stargazer Nail Art Pen in White £2.99
7. Gold Nail Paint by Barry M £3.99

Blog Post Pilot

Hey everyone :)


I am starting this beauty and fashion blog as a way to show students out there that you can afford to look good but not pay the earth to do it! Granted, I am only a student for another four months, however I intend to carry on this blog beyond my personal student journey so others can keep up to date with what beauty and fashion bargains you can grab!


So first of all....this is me....

I am a 21 year old Creative Writing and Drama Studies student at Bath Spa University aspiring to go into journalism. (I always think its handy to be able to picture a writer!!!)


I hope you enjoy my blog and if you have any questions feel free to comment!