Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray

Charles Worthington Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray Boots £6.99

Having long hair means volume can be a tricky thing to achieve as it's weighed down and flat. The past few months I've been using dry shampoos to achieve volume at my roots but they leave my hair feeling tacky and dirty quite quickly. From my previous post you'll probably be aware of how much I've been loving Charles Worthington Moisture Seal range and how it's worked wonders on my damaged, dry hair. However, more raved about lately has been this little gem, The Volume & Bounce Texurising Spray.

To use the product you spray it into the roots of dry hair (with some distance obviously) to achieve volume, and to add some texture to your hair, spray it sparingly throughout the lengths. Once you've done this, go to town on messing up your hair with your fingers. Don't worry about being too messy, you can also gently brush over it after.

It dispenses as a very fine mist, finer than a hairspray. It gives the roots great volume and dries very matte an strong like a hairspray so it holds that volume unlike other volume sprays where it goes limp after a while. On the lengths of you hair, it gives great texture and helps hold anyway beachy waves or curls you create perfectly, but it does leave the hair a little dry and crispy and you can definitely feel the product in it. It does tug a little when you go to brush it out which is a pain. It also gives a more natural textured look so curls and keeps the hold all day. However, it has a gorgeous scent, although a little on the strong side, it doubles up nicely as a hair perfume.

I'm a little on the fence with this spray, but as I have silky hair that I wash daily, it helps add volume without damaging the hair as I wash it out the next day, it isn't a problem.

What's In My Bag: Ted Baker HARPEL

I've be dying to show you this bag since I day I got it, but I thought I'd wear it in a bit first so you're all aware of how well loved and in love I am with it. I spontaneous decided I needed a new bag, something more lovely, beautiful and expensive than I have ever been willing to splurge on before. I originally wanted a Michael Kors bag but seeing as they were becoming the 'norm', I decided to go in a different direction. Whilst picking up a present for my fiancé, I found myself in the women's section in Ted Baker. I then spotted this absolute beauty and had to have it there and then (matching purse also obviously).

Ted Baker HARPEL Metallic Bar Tote Bag £249

Absolutely stunning isn't it? Well it is to me anyway. The tan leather and rose gold hardware is to die for and compeltely unique to anything else I've seen on the high street recently. The streamlined bag is super classy and elgeant, it's the perfect mix of contemporary and classic. I can see myself using this bag for years as it's such a timeless piece. As well as being beautiful it's also super practical. it features adjustable hand straps allowing it to be carried in your hand, on your arm or shoulder. What I love the most is no matter how full or empty the bag is, it remains the same shape and doesn't sag or bulge.

I'm not ignorant to the fact this bag cost a bomb, it's not on a Mulberry level but for a student with no job, it's damn pricey. This in mind, I'm careful to how I handle it and what I put in it. I don't clutter it at all and it's cleaned out daily to get rid of any crap I don't need. However, what I keep in my bag is pretty general and doesn't change much daily.

Most important thing in my bag is my Ted Baker Janit Purse, I brought it to match the bag as it felt a little more luxurious (and I have terrible OCD). In there I stash my unruly amount of store loyalty cards, bank and ID cards along with cash, obviously. Then I have my trusty Apple iPhone 5 with Cath Kidston Little Birds Phone Case, not quite ready for an upgrade anytime soon unfortunately. Then I have my keys on my Ted Baker Didler Leather Key Chain, on here I have my house key, university flat fob, mailbox key and a keyring from the Eiffel Tower. I keep this Paperchase Zebra A6 Journal and Zanzibar Mechanical Pen to keep any notes and idea I have for the blog and channel. I also have the matching Zanzibar Umbrella as you can never predict the weather here in England! I have a hand sanitizier and my favourite hand cream Clinique Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticile Cream. I have a Umberto Giannini Tail Comb for wind swept hair.

Then I have another little bag inside my bag which is this Ted Baker Floral Make Up Bag. In here I keep my Apple EarPods and my PowerBank Portable Charger for long train journeys. I also have a little pack of Kleenex tissues which are super cute, a hair band (or two) and some grips should I need to put my hair up or pin it away from my face. I have a Travalo Atomzier where I keep whatever perfume I'm currently wearing to top up throughout the day. And lastly, I then have any make-up bits and bobs I may need for the day. These are just a few that are in here permanently; Clinique High Impact Mascara, Clinique Long Last Glosswear and Burt's Bees Beeswax Lipblam.

Hope you enjoyed this little insight into my handbag, this is one of my favourite posts to read from other bloggers.

Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer

If you're like me and suffer from dreaded acne or terrible under eye bags, concealer will be something necessary in your make-up routine. I'm not a massive fan of concealer, I always find it either doesn't give enough coverage, looks cakey, is never the right shades or wears off too quickly. On a recent 3 for 2 binge, I spotted the Soap & Glory Kick Ass Concealer. After hearing so many positive comments and comparisons to the Laura Mercier Undercover Pot, I had to give it a try. I've been using this for a good few weeks now and I'm pleased to report back positive findings!

The handy sized compact contains 3 products - two concealers and a setting powder. The first concealer is a cool, pink toned colour is targeted at under eye use to correct dark circles. The second concealer is a cool, yellow toned colour which is for use on any areas of redness or blemishes which your foundation alone may not do the trick of covering. The last product is very transparent fine pressed powder which can be used to set any concealer to improve the longevity of staying power. The compact also hots a little mirror handy for on the go applications and a powder puff to apply the powder. I got the light version although there is also a medium if you have deeper skin tones.

 The first step is to apply the pink toned concealer under your eyes, the concealer is a very creamy and blends well. It has very good coverage and the pink tones help eliminate any dark circles I have. I really do like the colour of the concealer but I find it slightly heavy and it does tend to separate and show lines after a few hours and draws attention to the problem more which I don't like. For that reason I actually rarely use this anymore which is a shame. However, the second step is to use the yellow toned concealer on any redness and blemish. This, I love. It has the same consistency but as this is used on areas of the face where the skin is thicker where there are no creases, it sits a lot better. It covers up blemishes and after scars effortlessly and doesn't look cakey. It stays around for hours and I rarely ever had to reapply throughout the day which is great. It seems to stay put even with my oily skin and hot, humid weather where I expected it to melt being a creamy consistency and all.

The last step is to use the transparent powder to set your concealer. This is a great little setting powder and is very fine and doesn't build up easily like other powders. For this reason it's also handy for using as a general finish powder to set your face or just to touch up if your t zone becomes oily throughout the day. I have found the powder has been running down a lot quicker than my concealers as the quantity is no where near equal which is a shame.

Overall, this is an excellent little kit for £10 as you are essentially getting 3 products in one. The packaging makes it super handy to carry around in your handbag or to travel with in a small make-up bag. The quality of the concealer is great, the colour, coverage and staying power is equal to other high end concealers. Other people have commented that the packaging isn't great and that is breaks easily which can get messy, however, I haven't had a problem with mine and as long as you're not careless with the product and drop it often and knock it around in your bag, I don't see how it would break. I would definitely pick up another when I eventually run out of this which I don't see being any time soon which is great for my pennies!

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Foam vs. Cleansing Bar

I've been using Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions skincare for a few months now and their cleanser is an absolute staple in my skincare routine. However, it never occurred to me before that there is another option. Clinique will generally recommend you the cleansing foam but there is a cleansing bar too. They both do pretty much the same job obviously, they just come in different forms. I haven't found a blog post which compares the two of them. I've used both for quite a while now so I thought I'd share my views on the pros and cons to each and which one is better.

Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Foam Clinique £15.50

The cleansing foam is a liquid solution in a bottle with a pump, it comes out directly as a foam when pumped. two to three pumps of this is enough to cleanse the whole face. The smell does smell quite strong and clinical like an acne treatment but I actually love the smell of this. It feels strange cleansing with such a fluffy foam and it does disappear quickly when worked into the skin. It cleansing well and removes make-up, it doesn't leave my face feeling dry, irritated or tight afterwards. The only problem I have with the product is that the bottle doesn't seem to go very far. Within a month or sometimes sooner it's completely gone.

Anti-Blemish Solutions Cleansing Bar Clinique £14.50

The cleansing bar is a solid soap which when used with water and massaged with hands, creates a soapy lather in your hands. It comes with it's own soap tray which stores it and allows for convenience whilst traveling. It doesn't smell as strong as the foam, it has a slight scent but nothing more unusual as other mild soaps. I tend to use the product quite generously and work into my skin thoroughly. When worked into the skin it doesn't disappear like the foam and a little goes a long way. I feel like I've cleansed better using the bar as I've had more product to work with, mainly due to the formation of the bar. It cleanses deeply, however like other soaps, it can make your face feel squeaky when washing off but not tight or uncomfortable when dried. You can also use this for other areas of your body where you experience acne such as your chest and back. The bar just goes on and on forever, I've been using mine for a month now and it hardly shrunk in size. The only downside if that the bar is a lot messier and soggy than the foam for storage as the bar has the dry but nothing inconvenient.

So which ones the winner? Overall, I think they are both great cleansers. I like them both for different reasons. I like the packaging and smell of the cleansing foam. But I like the deeper cleanse and longevity of the bar. I would probably say the bar is a better option as it is multipurpose and is better value for money. They both are great for blemish prone skin no matter what your skin type is and I highly recommend the whole Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions range.

Soap & Glory Solar Powder

Soap & Glory Solar Powder Boots £11

Soap & Glory are a brand I've seen crop up more and more lately with bloggers and after falling in love with their Thick & Fast mascara; I decided to pick up a few things whilst Boots were offering 3 for 2 on all cosmetics. On the hunt for a new bronzer as mine had ran out, I decided to pick up the Solar Powder on a whim. I generally go for matte bronzers as I use them to contour and lightly add some colour to my face.

The packaging is super quirky as always. It comes in a cardboard compact with a mirror which is perfect to keep in your bag for touching up your face throughout the day. The compact has 2 different colours - a cool toned brown for bronzing and contouring and a light slightly shimmery brown for highlighting. Personally the highlighter is far too dark for me to use as a highlight so I swirl my brush to use a mix of the two for general bronzing instead.

All the bronzers I've tried previously have been been orange and dark on me and noticeable if I try to contour with them. I was pleasantly surprised. This is the perfect bronzer for you paler gals, it isn't too highly pigmented and blends perfectly into paler complexions so you don't have obvious lines across your face. Although you can also build it up should you want a stronger colour pay off. The texture it quite silky and I don't tend to get much fall out which is great (who hates wasting product this way?) It stays put fairly well and I probably only need to touch this up if I need to touch up my powder too. I really do love this bronzer but it is a little more on the natural side for giving the face a touch of colour and a slight glow.

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast™ Super Volume Mascara Boots £10 

Among my hamper of goodies I received in my Yule Monty gift set for Christmas was this mascara. Soap & Glory are a brand I usually go to for body skincare and bathing products, not cosmetics. Their pretty recent on the cosmetics scent but have quickly built up a positive reputation for themselves and their products have become staples in many people's collections. Mascaras are probably my favourite piece of make-up and therefore I love to try anything new.

Soap & Glory claim that 'this super volume mascara creates amazingly, longer, fuller, fabulous lashes, feathering Superfill™ false lash fillers, shine amplifiers and NoFlake24 technology'. I'll start with the brush. The wand itself if super big and has the usual hair bristles, usually my least favourite type of mascara wands. I did find it quite messy to work with at first and it does get the odd bit of product on your eyelid which is not attractive. Can also get a little messy on the lower lashes due to the size of the brush. However, it is super quick and easy to swoop onto lashes, it coats the lashes nicely although the formula itself is quite wet and thin. It seperates the lashes well and applies evenly. I must add the formula is super black, which I absolutely love from a mascara.

As you can see, two coats is enough for day time wear just to give the lashes a little lift, length and volume. It isn't flaky throughout the day and doesn't smudge (even on the bottom lashes) either which is perfect for long days where make-up maintenance is the last thing on your mind.

This is a great drugstore mascara and although not the cheapest of picks, it's fairly budget friendly. I love using this mascara for in the daytime although it can be a little messy, nothing a cotton bud and some eye make-up remover won't quickly fix. I will probably repurchase when I've ran out or try one of the other variations of this mascara.

Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Haircare Range

In a bid for better hair I've been on the look out for a shampoo and conditioner that would keep my hair nice and nourished without leaving it feeling greasy hours later. I have difficult hair; it is fairly fine and long in length, I suffer from an oily scalp yet the ends are very dry and damaged from constant washing and heat styling tools used on a daily basis. I used to opt for volume boosting haircare as my hair can be quite flat due to it's length but this would cause the ends to be become even more damaged leading to having quite a few inches chopped off last year.

Charles Worthington is a brand of haircare I have dabbled in during my teens. None of their products have really worked miracles but were a nice treat as more of a luxurious quality of haircare. However I saw these in Boots and at first thought they were new products, in fact Charles Worthington have revamped their packaging which makes it look a lot more fancy. I feel the design of the bottle is more practical and allows you to get more of the product out. The Moisture Seal range has a shampoo, conditioner, rescue masque and a leave in conditioner.

The range is targeted as ideal for dry hair, apart from my ends I wouldn't consider my hair dry at all. It claims to give your hair luscious moisturisation, intense nourishment and manageability improvement. The whole range is enriched with Argan Oil which helps ensure hair is in a healthy condition and easier to manage and style. It is also safe to use on colour treated hair and is animal cruelty free and paraben free, perfect right?

Shampoo: The shampoo is very thick in texture and doesn't go very far at first but with the aid of a little water it soon does the trick. It seems incredible, just like a hair salon. When massaged into wet hair and rinsed thoroughly, it doesn't leave my hair feeling stripped and dry like other shampoos do. A little pricey at £5.99 for 250ml but I usually get around 3 weeks worth when washing my hair everyday.

Conditioner: The conditioner has a very creamy consistency and in texture and appearance isn't far from what I was expecting. Again, it smells incredible, just like the shampoo. I apply throughout the mid length to ends of my hair combing through with my fingers to ensure good application. I then leave on for a minute or two and rinse out. My hair although wet feels incredibly soft and nourished. The pricing and size is the same as the conditioner.

Mineral Hair Rescue Masque: I use this once a week instead of my conditioner and apply generously to my entire head of hair from the roots down. It's very thick in texture and I scoop out a large dollop. I leave it on for a good 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly. It's a great pick me up but I don't see a massive difference from the regular conditioner as it's just so nourishing. Priced the same as the previous items but in a 160ml tub which lasts me around 2 months.

I have nothing but good things to say about this range. I did worry about it leaving my hair flat and greasy as I have oily roots but I haven't seen any difference at all. Instead it just left my hair feeling super nourished, thicker, it was a lot more manageable and didn't break off as much. It leaves my hair smelling great all day and it just looks a whole lot healthier. I've gone through several bottles of this stuff and I don't think I'll change any time soon. I'm really glad I discovered these products as they're the best thing I've ever used on my hair. The condition of my hair has drastically improved and I don't get half as many split ends as I did before. Although the products are a little pricey, they are definitely worth every penny and is noticeably better quality than other high end haircare products.