Review: OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner

Hello everyone!
So sorry I haven't been writing, I've actually gotten a part time job in a local cafe so I'm working a good few hours every week.
So since I've started working, I'm obviously earning money which is great as I get to splurge on a few products that I've been wanting to try for a while.

I was in boots and I had the idea in my head to buy some OGX shampoo and conditioner. I researched alot about the brand and read some reviews and I was looking forward to giving the products a go. I bought the Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner (I made a mistake, I was meant to buy the Coconut water ones but ah well).

My first impressions when I used the product was that the shampoo doesn't really foam that much when you use it.                              
 The conditioner very thick. The smell is just your typical coconut smell but it is quite nice. The packaging is very simple but attractive and there is a descriptive passage on the front of each product on what the product does.

I really liked these products. They gave my hair a really nice shine, my hair felt soft to touch and just healthy. I do however think the price is pretty steep (9 euros a bottle) and I do think other cheaper products just do the same to your hair (such as Trésemme. It is good that the ingredients in the products are all organic and I guess that's what you're paying for!
As the bottles are quite dear, I like to use the OGX only once a week. I felt when I came back from my holidays that my hair needed a pick-me-up so I used them a good bit then. I bought my shampoo and conditioner back at the end of June and I still have them now, with at least half of the product left!
So yeah I do enjoy using the Organix products but I wouldn't buy them again unless they were half price.

Have you tried Organix? What did you think about the products?
Becca x

The Inversion Method!

Hi everyone!

So recently I've been trying to grow my hair out. Its in that awkward place between my shoulders and chest and I'm mainly just trying to grow out my layers and fringe.
I decided to read up on ways to grow it out and I came across the Inversion Method. The inversion method is something that is kind of unspoken about.
The inversion method is basically where you massage some oil (Coconut oil, Castor oil, etc) into the roots of your hair and then tip your head over for 4 minutes which makes the blood rush to the hair follicles. You do this method for 7 days and once the 7 days are up you don't do it again for at least 3 weeks. The reason for this is because your hair will become too used to it if you do it every week thus giving you no result.
So I've done this 2 months now and the results have been pretty decent for me. When I did it from the 1st of May to the 8th of May I got a result of 3/4 of an inch, which to be fair is pretty decent for a weeks work. I then got my hair cut, just less than an inch so basically all my hard work was wasted but my hair was crying out for a cut. I just did it again from the 1st of June to the 8th and the result was again 3/4 of an inch.
It really doesn't feel like there is any difference to your hair length but I urge you to measure before hand and to take some pictures in order to monitor your hair growth!
This was just a quick blog post and unfortunately I didn't take any pictures before and after but next month I'll update my results!

Becca.x

REVIEW:Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer for Dry Skin

I remember I was having dinner with my mam whilst in Dublin and we were talking about make up when the bar man came over to us. He overheard our discussion and starting giving us tips, I thought he was joking and asked him 'what did he know'. Turns out the bar man was a bar man by night and a make up artist by day...
Bearing in mind this was a good 2 years ago when i was only 14, i always remember him telling my mam and I "If you can take anything away with you today, remember to always wear a primer under your makeup." As I was only in the prime of my adolescent years, I didn't care what he said, but now it really stands to me.
My mam got given a Smashbox primer gift set for Christmas and since then I had been using one of those the odd time that I wore make up, then they ran out.
Don't get me wrong, the Smashbox primers are extremely good but I couldn't justify paying 30 euros for a product that I'd only use an odd time, so I was on the hunt for something cheaper and just as good.

I picked up a primer by Seventeen Make Up- I really didn't like it at all, the liquid was really dark, darker than my actual foundation and it was extremely thick and dried really quickly making it hard to work with.
I then saw that Nivea were doing their own primers. I read some reviews and the majority of people were saying it was a great product. I went down to my local chemist and saw that it was only €4 (In Boots it was roughly €7) and I thought "Ah if its a miss, I'm hardly breaking the bank"
Nivea do two versions, one for dry and sensitive skin (pink lid) and another for normal skin (blue lid). I bought the sensitive kind but from reading reviews, a lot of people were saying there is hardly any difference between them.
When i opened the product, I was a bit confused to see that it looked like a moisturiser than was partially diluted by water. I then realised that its a mixture between moisturiser and primer, so you're skipping a whole step of moisturising!
I love this product, it smells fresh, you're skipping moisturising but your skin is still being moisturised, your make up goes on so smoothly and doesn't have a cakey appearance even after a dew hours of wearing and best of all its cheap!
The only negative thing that I'd have to say is that the container is glass like most Nivea face moisturisers so doesn't have a 'travel friendly' feel to it. Also the box that the container comes in is pretty big compared to the actual container so don't be disappointed once you see the physical jar, its 50ml pot!
So to finish, I love this and I will repurchase as long as there isn't anything better released! I really would love to give the new L'Oreal primer a try though, hmm....
Until next time,

Becca x
(This has not been sponsored and all products mentioned were bought by me)

The Big Bad World of Anxiety

(Image from -http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/374938,
anxiety-gaming-and-me-and-maybe-you.aspx)

All of ye who have anxiety will understand how crappy it makes you feel. Anxiety can make you feel pretty alone and panicky and I just wanted to talk a bit about it as it is something that people experience during exams.

As I'm on my summer holidays now, I'm not seeing any of the people who I'd see on a daily basis and I realise a lot of my "friends" aren't actually friends of mine. When you see things on the social media, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. from the people who you would consider friends, and not being invited it does make you feel pretty sad/anxious/panicky. 

I'm very lucky to not have super bad anxiety where your whole life has to be altered due to how anxious you feel, like my anxiety isn't as bad where I wouldn't be able to go into town by myself or fly in a plane.
As a young girl I was quite popular up until the age of 9 when my parents decided we needed a bigger house so we moved even further down into the country. I'm talking about No Mans land... I was thrown into a Co-Ed school, so both boys and girls were together and as someone who was in a same sex school, it was really difficult for me. I was popular for around a week, I was that something new and then the other kids just got bored and went back to their own things.  Having two brothers, you would think I would be great with talking to lads, I'm going into 5th year and I still struggle with talking to boys.

(https://www.pinterest.com/explore/stealing-quotes/)

I've always had pretty low self esteem where I just didn't feel good about myself,(skin, looks, body, personality) and any friendships that I had that had fallen apart, I always used to blame myself and I guess I just didn't feel like I was worthy of having friends.
Anxiety for me is having super sweaty palms, racing heartbeat, breathing problems and feeling sick to my stomach. I used to just want to go home and climb into my bed and just cry and just eat as much sweet stuff as possible. Its great that in our society, mental health issues are starting to get the attention that it needs and people are no longer afraid to speak about it.
There's a few things that I like to do to calm myself down and bear in mind these aren't the right things to do during an anxiety attack but what I like to do and what I find works!

• I like to just turn off social media such as Facebook- I always seem to be the one who starts conversations between myself and friends and when they don't reply, I panic so I feel this works pretty well.
• I bought a diary from eBay and when I've had a rough day, I like to just vent my feelings and frustrations into the pages. I feel much better after this and it's great for when you don't want to vent to an actual person.
• I feel keeping busy is a great way to just forget about your problems and worries, this could be going for a walk or even watching videos on YouTube.
• As i said above, exercise is a fantastic way to just unwind and calm down. During days where I feel anxious I like to just meet up with my friend and just walk or else bring my dog out for a long walk. Fresh air is great for your mind and I can guarantee you'll feel even a little bit better after.
• Never ever skip meals, I know from experience, it wont solve anything but just make you feel worse.
• I was introduced to meditation during Transition Year and even just doing 10 minutes of it, it makes you feel so much refreshed and I really love it.

Again this is just things that I do when I feel anxious and I hope some might help you. Realistically these are just typical things that are good to do. Again if anyone wanted to talk about anything, I'm always here!
Becca.x 

Product I regret buying- L'Oreal Super Liner Mat-Matic

So I was in Manchester last week and I noticed Boots were doing 3 for 2, so I thought "Why not?"
I picked up some things and I wanted to get a eye liner that looked easy enough to apply and seeing as felt eye liner doesn't really suit my eye shape (I've hooded eyelids) so I wanted a thin gel liner.
I saw the Super Liner Mat-Matic for £8 and I thought it looked great and I read some reviews prior to my trip to the UK and plenty of people were saying it was brilliant product. It looked super easy to apply and the colour (Taupe Gray) was really good. Also it was a gel eye liner in pen form, so what's not to like?.

The first time I used it I was really impressed, it was easy to use, and easy to take off my face. Then I used it again the next day to practise and when I put it against my eyelid, it just snapped off?! I sharpened it with the sharpener that's at the end of the pen, for the same thing to happen and then as I was sharpening it, the sharpener would just get blocked up with product. :(
Overall I am so disappointed in this product and even putting it in the fridge over night to see if it would harden, the same thing was happening.
I used this eye liner roughly twice and I got no use out of it for £8.                                     I do think L'Oreal were on to something when creating this eye liner but unfortunately the formula of the product just wasn't good. 
Seriously I wouldn't recommend this product, maybe it was a faulty product that I bought but ugh, pretty disappointing :(

Becca.x

Collection Gorgeous Glow Review

As someone who doesn't wear makeup that often at all, only really for when I've an occasion, I like to keep things on the face pretty natural. Basically what i use is CC cream, concealer, mascara, maybe eye liner and lip gloss BUT i felt like something was missing, that my face just looked...blegh.
I then tried some bronzer but I'm pretty bad with putting on "minimal make-up" and when i try put a little bit of something on like blusher, i end up looking like a clown.
 I was in boots looking through the make up stands, I had the Bronzer Block by Seventeen which was roughly €7 in my hand when all of a sudden I saw basically the exact same product but less glittery and cheaper! Collection recently brought out Gorgeous Glow which is a bronzing block with 5 different shades. Basically its pink tones with gold all through it and I think there is another version of it in brown tones but I'm not 100% sure on that.

I absolutely love this product! The tones are perfect for my skin tone (which is pale as f**k) and it just gives such a beautiful healthy glow. Not too glittery and pretty subtle but still gives definition to where you want. Just sweep it on your cheekbones whilst smiling, blending out to the hairline and maybe some down the nose and across the forehead. I did use a little bit on my eyelids and it actually works pretty well but you might end up looking like a disco ball...

I cant stop looking at it though, look its just sooo pretty! The damage is €4 and can be bought in the typical places, Boots, Superdrug.

Becca x

Honest review on Benefit's Puff Off

Hi everyone,

So a few months ago I entered a competition on Twitter for the new Benefit Puff Off.
Debenhams tweeted me telling me that I had won and I was delighted as I very rarely win anything.
The packaging is very cute and really attractive. One thing about benefit is that they put an awful lot of effort into their packaging and all of their products are very well presented and super cute looking.
The product retails for 30 euros and the tube is 10mls. The end of the tube is a silver little iron which is great as the product claims to "Iron out puffies" The cream is a light pink colour and it has a good consistency, not too gloopy but not too thick either.

From reading other peoples reviews a lot of people really love this product but honestly if I had paid the money for this I would be pretty disappointed. I don't really feel that the product does much for me. Puff Off claims to soothe your eyes and reduce puffiness and I felt that it kind of had a burning sensation for me. My skin is pretty sensitive so maybe if you have sensitive skin it wouldn't be the best idea to buy this. If you do have skin that isnt as sensitive then this product might work wonders for you but for me it has to be a no.

                                 

Becca.x
Good luck to everyone who has exams!

OCM: The Oil Cleansing Method

Around two weeks ago, I ended up in the dark part of YouTube. C'mon, we've all been there. Anyways I remember I saw a video titled The Oil Cleansing Method and curiosity got the better of me, so watched it. Apparently loads of people in the blogger world has been raving about this!

The concept of OCM, is weird but wonderful. I never would've thought about putting oil onto my skin (where I have an Oily T-Zone but dry everywhere), and was pretty sceptical about doing it. I decided I would read further into it. Basically, oil breaks down oil that is already on your face or something like that, it does sound pretty silly, but there is some science to it all.
 Of the reviews which I had read, most of them were positive with them saying the cleansing had done wonders to their skin. A small percentage were pretty negative and said their skin had reacted dreadfully to the oils.
I really was at a lost, I was just about done with having disgusting blackheads covering my face (exaggeration.),so I decided to throw caution to the wind and just do it.

For the OCM to use Castor Oil(my HG product) and another oil such as Jojoba oil, Sunflower oil, Olive Oil, etc. *From my readings about OCM, don't use Coconut oil as this just blocks pores, due to it turning back into solid form once it has cooled.*
The Castor Oil is a thick oil that can be used orally in order to *ahem* clear you out internally...meaning the oil is incredibly strong. As it is pretty strong, you should only use a small amount of it in your blend. For my blend I use roughly 30% Castor Oil and 70% vegetable oil but you just need to mess around with the properties until you've found one that works well.

(Found of Google images. Belongs to-Hildablue)

HOW TO DO THE OIL CLEANSING METHOD

Mix your oil blend together and using clean hands massage the oil all over your skin for around 5 minutes. Then, place a hot face cloth on your face and leave on for 1 minute. Using the same cloth, wipe all the oil from your face. Alternatively I steam my face with a bowl of hot water just tom loosen the oil and wipe off the oil with cotton pads. You do not need to put moisturiser on your face as there will be some remaining oil on your face.

Your face might go through a bad patch when you start the cleansing, this is down to your skin not being used to having so much oil on it. I swear by this cleansing, my skin is so much smoother and I had very rough skin on my nose due to the amount of blackheads I had. I still have some, but definitely not as many as I had before I started the method. My skin just looks so much more cleaner now than it was two weeks ago.
Give it a try. Its much more healthier than using typical cleansers, just think of them amount of ingredients in those!

Becca.x

REVIEW: Real Techniques Nic's Picks Limited Edition Brush Set

(Photo from Real Techniques official website)

Hello!

So back in November I went to London with my family for my birthday weekend.  It was my first time there and I loved it as much as i thought i would.
 I passed a lot of Superdrugs and Boots and other beauty shops whilst gallivanting around London and as it was the Festive season there was obviously a lot of great deals with gifts and beauty products.
My lovely mam bought the limited edition set of Real Technique brushes for me. The brushes were £20 in Superdrug at the time, so I'm not sure how much they are now. In Boots they're currently €45.

What's included:

A duo-fiber powder brush,
A powder brush (set exclusive)
Angled shadow brush (set exclusive)
Base Shadow brush
Eye-liner brush (set exclusive)

Duo-fiber Face Brush: The brush is used for lightweight application and applying powders. The bristles are super soft and it gives you a really natural, light-washed finish. I really like using this brush compared to say, make-up pads as it gives you that "I'm wearing make-up but it doesn't actually look like I have make-up on" kind of look.
Cheek Brush: This brush is for blusher and contouring. The brush is not as wide as other blusher brushes which means you can define pretty well.
Angled Shadow Brush: The angle of the brush allows you to get in at the crease of your eye lid. Its also good for precise product placement.
Base Shadow Brush: Obviously its for your base eye shadow. Its a nice size and doesn't leave any lines, it applies a smooth and flawless block of colour
Eye-Liner Brush: For use with gel pots, it applies quite a thick line of colour, but its good for getting in at the lash line.

Overall I'm not one for wearing make-up, I just wear it if I'm going out or for work  so I haven't got any other make-up brushes besides these. This pack of brushes literally do everything which needs to be done and that's why I like them. They look attractive and they do the job well, no complaints from me whatsoever. I am genuinely not joking, they have changed my life for the better. ;)

Becca.

REVIEW: Lush Toner Tabs

I recently bought the Tea Tree Oil Toner Tabs from Lush. Steaming your face is a nice treat for your skin after a week of using harsh products throughout the week.

You simply boil some water, pour it into a bowl,drop a tab into the water and it fizzes like a bath bomb for around 30 seconds until you're left with a bowl of light green water. I put a towel over my head and stay over the bowl for around 2-3 minutes each time and then wiped my face in a upwards direction to wipe all the excess dirt out of my pores. It also makes it easier to squeeze at pimples and black heads as your pores are now open.

The smell isn't the greatest in my opinion but these tabs are so good, a real "pick me up" for your skin! They're €1.20 (£1 or $1.95). Once you're done with the water you can put it into a bottle and use it as a tea tree toner water for around two weeks.

I would definitely recommend these to anyone as they're a cheap alternative to actual tea tree oil or cleansers.

REVIEW: L'oréal Paris La Palette Nude in 01 Rose

Hi everyone!

So whilst I was doing my Christmas shopping in December, I was in Boots. Boots were doing some excellent deals with their makeup. The thing that I was most intrigued with was the new L'oréal Paris La Nude Palette ( when you spent over 20 euros on L’oréal you got a box full of makeup products worth 40 euros, that was mainly the reason why I would've been buying it). I decided to buy it for my mam as she's really into makeup and she'd love the colours, having bought her the Naked Palette 2 by Urban Decay, and the colours were quite subtle.

La Palette Nude is quite small and compact so its perfect for travelling. The packaging is attractive with a glossy finish and the case secures well so you don't have to worry about it opening in the end of your handbag. In the palette there are 10 shades: 4 mattes and 6 shimmers. There is a double ended brush which I wouldn’t be fond on as not a lot of powder goes on the brush and the palette has a good sized mirror.

The colours are quite pigmented and butter-y. I really love this palette as the colours are wearable during the day and the night and the colours are really pretty and there's a nice mix of pinks,purples and taupes which actually reminds me of the Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay

The palette is unavailable at the moment in Boots stores but should become available soon. If you go onto the Boots website, you can sign up to be put on the waiting list. The palette is a bit steep at €22 euros (around 15 pounds sterling) which is quite dear for a Drugstore Nude palette but I honestly think its an investment piece as the colours wont ever go out of style and I honestly think there wouldn't be a colour in the palette that wouldn't get used.

Please leave your comments below!

Becca. x

Hello!

Hi, My name is Becca and I've decided I'm going to start a blog.


I have a lot of time on my hands this year due to having no exams so I will try my hardest to upload frequently!  

PS.You can follow my blog with Bloglovin' right here! http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/13435055/?claim=94xqezzupyx"
Becca. x