Mane n Tail #shareyourhair

Back in April Mane n Tail otherwise known as 'the horse shampoo people' were tweeting about hair selfies under the #shareyourhair. The idea was that you sent them a tweet of a hair selfie and a brief description of your hair type and they would very promptly reply to you with a personal product recommendation. I'm always looking for anything to make my hair look good as it can be a bit wild!
so I tweeted my pic along with my description and I short while later I received my recommendation.

I was advised to use Herbal essence shampoo along with deep moisturising conditioner.
I was originally a bit hesitant at the idea of using the herbal essence shampoo which I had read was great for oily roots on my already dry scalp but I was assured that the shampoo contains olive oil and so would balance the PH in my scalp meaning that it would not dry out my roots.
And so the trial began!

so before I started my hair was frizzy, dry, pretty damaged on bottom because I had been growing it forever for my wedding.
I love the smell (I have a thing about smells!) of the shampoo, and the consistency of both products is good and you can tell instantly you don't need to use as much as with other products which instantly makes it better value for money speaking of they set me back just 8.95 each.
It took about two weeks of me using the product before I saw a difference in my hair but wow what a difference it was.
My hair wasn't a big frizz ball anymore it was definitely a lot sleeker than what id been living with and was getting healthier looking with every wash, it also developed a really nice shine :)

I love how clean my hair feels from using this shampoo and I really cant get over how healthy it was looking!
one of my favourite things about this shampoo is the way it actually thickens your hair and helps with growth ( I'm trying to convince my hubby to use it on his bald patches!!)
the deep moisturising conditioner that I use can also double as a hair masque, you just put it in and wrap your hair in a towel and leave for about 20 minutes, it really works and is as good as any luxury hair masque I've ever used.

So in conclusion after a total of 3 months only 2 bottles of shampoo & conditioner a haircut and a week in the sun and sea my hair is the healthiest I've ever had it :) its soft, frizz free clean, thick and most important really healthy. I have found my perfect shampoo & conditioner and will be sticking with these ones.
I'd recommend for everyone to #shareyourhair and find your perfect match.

RELAX AND DE-STRESS

After having an extremely hectic few months that included a wedding (my own!) a honeymoon a house move and another trip to the sun. My body and especially my skin are stressed, dried out and a little neglected in general. So i've decided its time to pull myself together in an attempt to fix this.  Ive got a few products to mention in this post NIP + FAB GLYCOLIC FIX PADS, DERMALOGICA MULTIVITAMIN POWER RECOVERY MASQUE, SANCTUARY SPA SLEEP RANGE BODY BUTTER and finally ANATOMICALS SLEEP BALM.


Up first I am going to tackle my face.
I am mixing in my old reliable products with some new ones that I am trying out (very excitedly)

So after all of the changes in weather my skin has been dried out and dull and i obviously wanted to change this so im starting by using NIP + FAB GLYCOLIC FIX exfoliating pads. First off I like the packaging its simple and unfussy and i like how strong the plastic is as a lot of this type can be very flimsy. On opening the smell is definately a chemical type one but isnt that overwhelming well once you dont stick your nose in too close like i did oops! I was excited to start using this as it claims to "unveil younger looking skin, resurface & retexture skin helps to tone and reveal brighter and smoother skin" to me this sounds amazing and exactly what im in need of.
The pack contains 60 pads and reccomends to use once or twice daily. 
the first few days i used this in morning and found my skin to be a little shinier than i wanted for daytime so i switched to night use this greatly helped. i really liked using this product I was a little scared at the start as i dont relish the thought of putting anything with the word 'acid' on my face but the pads are so gentle. I definitely noticed a big change in my skin after using I wouldnt go as far as to say younger looking but it was brighter and healthier looking. all in all I will be continuing to use this.

Next up Dermalogica multivitamin power recovery masque. This claims to rescue stressed and aging skin, ahem exactly what im needing right now so I crossed my fingers hoping for the best!
the packaging is really sleek and definitely feels luxurious and expensive.
The smell reminds me of something from my childhood that I cant put my finger on but I definitely don't like it, its quite chemical and I wasn't mad about having to put it on my face.
I didnt need to use a huge amount so I think the tube would last quite a while which makes it good value for a masque. I think i paid 35.00 for a 75ml tube. 
The mask is a nice consistency and glides on easily, after about 5 minutes your whole face turns a luminous yellow, which is very funny if your husband comes home in the middle of it :) 
the upside is my skin retained some of the luminosity after I washed the mask off and my skin looked a lot fresher than It had before and so in turn my skin did look less stressed and younger. Its a nice masque to take 20 minutes out for yourself to relax with and in spite of the smell I did use again and will continue to as it really does work.

Anatomicals sleep balm cruisin' for a snoozin'  comes in a little blue tin a bit like a tin of vaseline, anatomicals packaging in general is quirky and fun , there is a little poem on the tin relating to the product that makes it feel extra special. inside is a hard balm that you rub on your pulse points to help you to sleep. the smell (having a problem with smells) is probably lovely to most people but I hate ....and yes hate is a strong word but exactly the one I want to use, I hate Lavender yuck!!!!!
so this product smells of Lavender which turned me off instantly but most normal folk probably would be ok with!
I rubbed in on my wrists going to bed and I slept all night although Im not entirely sure that the balm really did help? I was slightly disappointed with it as I love anatomicals headache balm and was so excited to try this. I wont repurchase this but im pretty sure its the lavender that killed this one for me.
Finally sanctuary sleep range comforting night butter this claims to reduce tension & stress helping to prepare for a restful nights sleep.The packaging is simple clear pot with a purple lid, its very recognizable as sanctuary brand immediately. This product for the last few months has been my 'I cant live without it, desert island must have' forget about just before bedtime I use this for everything, the smell of this cream is divine, its the smell of pure relaxation! its a really rich cream and it definitely reduces tension & stress. I use this to help relax my muscles if im sore, if im stressed I rub some on the back of my neck and shoulders to soothe me and of course at bedtime, it makes me feel so cosy going to sleep. I highly recommend this product as my top product for relaxing and de-stressing, Im so obsessed with this i now have the mini version which comes with 'sleep in a box' and it lives in my handbag, which you can see in my handbag essentials post.

hope you all enjoyed this blog post I went on a little make-up shopping spree recently and am waiting for my goodies to arrive so next post will be all about that haul.
follow me on twitter @clareken86

would you rather #bloggerchallenge

just for fun im taking part in the @beautycrowd #bloggerchallenge would you rather!!

here are my answers........

1. Would you rather be able to apply eyeliner perfectly or be able to contour like Kim Kardashian?

definitely the contour one!

2. Would you rather wear foundation which is two shades lighter or two shades darker?

id prefer neither but im thinking lighter

3. Would you rather wear no lipstick ever again or no eyeliner ever again?

eyeliner love the lipstick :)

4. Would you rather give up your foundation or your mascara?

foundation i look so so weird without mascara

5. Would you rather apply your makeup yourself with no mirror whilst on a bumpy car journey or ask a 5 year old child to do it?

5 yr old! at least then its a funny story rather than a disaster ;)

6. Would you rather wear exactly the same makeup every single day for the rest of your life or drastically change your makeup every single day for the rest of your life (even if it doesn’t suit you!)?

change i would get so bored without it.

7. Would rather have dodgy brows or have patchy fake tan?

fake tan 

8. Would you rather have perfectly white teeth or have your perfect hairstyle?

perfect hairstyle 

9. Would you rather wear the same colour nail varnish for the rest of your life or be able to change the colours of your varnish whenever you like but it’s always a little bit smudged?

same colour id get bored but the smudges would drive me insane

10. Would you rather have lots of scented body and perfume products that smell amazing to you but to everyone else you smell like pine tree car air freshener or have products that smell average to you but smell incredible to those around you?

i think the average one id hate for people to think i smelled weird!

Handbag Beauty

I was cleaning out my handbag earlier and I decided to do a quick post about its contents, I always think these kind of posts are the most honest for a blogger as its an insight into the products you actually use day to day.

First up sun cream its a Nivea one that i picked up on a recent trip to Portugal, not much to say it does its job and no nasty qualities.
I have Garnier BB cream in light a lot of people don't like this but i love it, its what i wear everyday to take the naked look off my skin.
I have NARS blush in orgasm love love this, its probably a little bit too shimmery to be in my handbag day to day but hasn't stopped me yet!
benefit they're real mascara I swear by this as i have short straight eyelashes and was never able to find mascara to make them look even vaguely normal before this little gem came along.
ELF studio brow kit has a wax and a powder, i use the powder daily but have only used the wax a handful of times. also have ELF mineral booster powder for when i get a little shiny!
Anatomicals headache relief balm, this is a fab little product you rub a little on your temples to as it says relieve your headache.
MAC cremesheen glass this was the lipgloss that i wore at my wedding in march a gift from my make-up artist who also happens to be my bestie :)
and last but definitely not least the Sanctuary comforting night butter, i have a more detailed post coming up on this so ill just say this is my most favorite body lotion ever and its so much more than that its like a warm cosy blanket in a jar makes me feel so relaxed and safe ( if that makes sense) from the moment i open the jar its a sense of pure luxury.

leave me a comment to let me know whats in your handbag.

WELCOME

Hi and welcome to my new blog sparkle blossom beauty!
Ill start by telling you just a little about me.
 
My name is Clare I am 28 (since last week) and recently married and have a gorgeous golden labrador that completes the family. I love beauty products of any kind when I am around them I am like a magpie to a shiny thing! I'm constantly buying new stuff so i definitely have a good stock to get me started on the reviews.
along with beauty products i have two more weaknesses, earrings and wool! i know its slightly random but im completely addicted to knitting and will constantly have a project going at the moment its a patchwork blanket for the winter. my other love earrings i think depending on type it can completely change a look e.g. the same outfit and make up will look completely different worn with pearl studs compared to beaded statement earrings!

I will be giving my honest review of products on this blog and all opinions are my own.
my first review will be up very soon and will be a post on de-stressing (face + body) and will include these products.

 one of which is my desert island must have product, can you guess which one it is?
follow me on twitter and watch this space for the first review.
https://twitter.com/Clareken86

clare xx