Hair detox

PR samples

From all the detoxes, I think a hair one is probably one I could take and for two weeks I went organic with Innersense. I used their shampoo, hair mask, styling spray and dry shampoo and nothing else on my hair.

I really like that every instruction for use comes with a calming ritual – seemed a bit odd when I first read, but actually makes the simple act of caring for your hair a little self care, self-centering routine, and I am there for it.

The most used product was the shampoo which is probably my favourite. The Color Awakening Hairbath (£26/ smells fresh, lathers well and leaves hair feeling clean and fresh.

It contains coconut and rice bran, shea butter, pumpkin seed oil and rooibos tea extract for that extra antioxidant punch and a little goes a long way.

Sadly I didn’t get a conditioner so ended up treating myself to using the Hydrating Hair Masque (£28) as one to really get into those drier ends. And I very much enjoyed it.

The mask delivers a great hydration, hair feels soft and nourised – not a surprise when it packs flaxseed, shea butter, monoi coconut and tamanu oils, as well as quinoa and sage + vanilla essential oils.

The Refresh Dry Shampoo (£22) is – lo and behold – not dry. It has a foam consistency that

During lockdown I’ve been washing my hair less and have really tested this one, mainly for those last minute video calls (or that time I had space buns and had to get my hair into profesh mode to interview someone).

I used a couple pumps massaged to roots, then let it dry and brushed. I found that it really refreshes hair and makes it look presentable but it doesn’t quite soak up all the grease, like powder ones, as expected.

However, that also means there is no horrible scalp build up, so I find an ok trade, especially if you don’t have oily hair. Oh, and it does not have that “odour neutralising” small that most powder sprays do – if you know what I mean (or is it just me?).

I rarely style my hair – when I do, it is mermaid waves with little or most of the times no product. I did get the I Create Finish hair spray (£24) and found it, overall, a good hair spray. Now, I don’t use hair sprays in general (more a mousse person for extra flexible waves) but can say the hold was better than I though, although I did find it a bit crunchy.

If hair sprays are your thing, this contains aloe vera, rooibos, honey and lavender. It smells lovely!

At the end of the two weeks my hair felt strong, shiny, overall quite happy, pretty much as their 14-day detox tells you it should, restored from artificial build ups.

I’ll definitely put the shampoo on the rotation, keep using the mask once a week on rotation too and use the dry shampoo to refresh maybe a day old hair, but not longer – I know I should really wash 3 times a week at least as my hair is fine and prone to oily roots.

Oh, and btw, that in the pic is my real hair – no extensions shown: a first for this blog!

You can get Innersense on their website and various retailers like Naturismo and Selfridges.

They have a great range that cater for other hair types with a good selection of shampoos, conditioners, leave-in conditioners and styling products, including curly hair.

And while you’re at it, it’s also worth reading about their ethos and passion for clean, pure beauty products and living.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples as products were sent to me free of charge, with no obligation to post. Opinions are honest and my own.

A caffeine (beauty) hit

Coffee addiction: who’s guilty?

To fuel my daily fix, Hello Jo, a British born – Korean developed brand, brings caffeine as an active ingredient to my beauty regime. And I love it.

We know (some better than others) how great a stimulant caffeine in, so it sounds quite sensible to harvest its benefits in beauty. I also love the look of the branding and packaging!

Hard to pick a favourite from the products I tried. I’ll start with the amazing Bright Eyes Jelly Masks (£20). What’s amazing about them? Glad you asked.

First, it comes in a pot with 30 pairs. Yes, you heard it right: 30 pearlescent pink pairs swimming lovingly in an amazing caffeine, aloe vera and pomegranate serum which stimulates skin in the area to reduce puffiness, brighten dark circles, re-energise and revitalise. It also contains Acmella oleracea (toothache plant) to help soften lines. 

It is cooling, soothing and super moisturising. The 15 minute-ritual is even more delightful if you keep the jar in the fridge.

I’ll move on to hair as I absolutely love the Stay Strong Volumising Caffeinated shampoo (RRP £12.50/200ml), which on top of caffeine, also contains walnut seed extract for growth stimulation and coix seed for scalp exfoliation.

The shampoo is so fresh and slightly tingly on application (which I love), foams well and leaves hair feeling squeaky clean and soft. Maybe the jar is come from needs to be made of slightly softer plastic and be more squeezable.

Follow up with the Stay Strong Volumising Caffeinated Conditioner (£12.50/200ml), with hydrating coconut oil to ensure smoothness. The conditioner is light but effective, making hair feel soft on application and after rinse, with no weight.

A new way of using hair masks was presented to me: a practical wrap for the length. This ensure the hair mask goes where it is needed and not on the roots, where it can actually cause damage.

The Pack of Power Hair Mask (£15 for 3) has active caffeine, of course, as well as argan, olive and moringa oils. Just make a ponytail and pop it in the mask bag for half an hour or even overnight for added support to hair growth and reduced damage, as well hydration and nourishment. So soft. 

Moving on to lips. Kissable, right? No? No problem! The Speak Up Bubble Lip Mask (£12.50/30ml) is full of fruit enzymes and caffeine for super exfoliation.

Rub the gel formula, which also has vitamins A and C, on lips and watch it bubble up into foam to help remove dead skin to reveal smoother, more plumped and nourished lips. Really fun and quick to use! 

All products are free of parabens and never tested on animals.

Hello Jo ethos is set on women supporting women, seen mainly through their partnership with Rosa, the UK-wide Fund for Women and Girls, where they donate 50p from each product to help the fund’s mission to mobilise resources for women equality.

Rosa does that by raising money and investing in grassroots women’s movements by offering grants, mentor-matching, training and networking. Makes me love them even more. 

Hello Jo is available exclusively at FeelUnique – get in there! 

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains GIFTED PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Get that bounce back

Probably the most know and widely used Philip Kingsley product, the fabulous Elasticizer has received the special edition treatment and is now available in Coconut Breeze.

The Elasticizer is a pre-wash treatment suitable for all hair types that adds manageability, elasticity, bounce and shine.

The formula remains the same but infused with notes of coconut, jasmine, almond and vanilla, it seems to become more luxurious. It is really a delight to use.

It contains hydrolized elastin, which works on body and elasticity. It improves the tensile strength and moisture retention on strands; castor oil, which helps lock in moisture, vitamin E rich olive oil and glycerin.

As it is a pre-wash treatment, it should be applied generously to damp hair and left to work for 10-20 minutes, covered with a plastic cap (one comes in the box) or a towel.

You then shampoo and condition as normal. I had it on for the whole night and when I washed my hair in the morning, it was soft and dried beautifully; it had some extra weight to it without being heavy.

Also, I lost a fair amount of hair a while back and have tons of baby hairs that have reached a very unmanageable length and I feel the treatment also helps manage the frizz.

The Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Coconut Breeze costs £33 (150ml) and is available online on the Philip Kingsley website, M&S, QVC. You can buy the smaller 75ml version for £19.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains some PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

No weight, hydrate!

andrew-barton-no-weight-hydrate-haircare-review-1Fine hair in desperate need of hydration, but worried about heavier products? Try the new Andrew Barton No Weight, Hydrate coconut hair range.

Especially designed for hair with oily roots and dry ends, the shampoo, conditioner, shine spray and treatment mask do a fabulous job of keeping the hair clean and soft. And with a delicious coconut smell that lingers in your locks.

andrew-barton-no-weight-hydrate-haircare-review-5The Shampoo lathers well and leaves hair feeling pretty clean. The Conditioner feels a bit too light for me as I just use conditioner on the ends of my hair, but after rinsing hair feels soft and brushes well.

andrew-barton-no-weight-hydrate-haircare-review-4Combined with the Shine Spray, it delivers a great finish to hair dried naturally or blow-dried.

Once or twice a week, the Treatment Mask is a fabulous treat. it is rich and hydrating, but again, not heavy and  hair feels soft and nourished after use.

andrew-barton-no-weight-hydrate-haircare-review-3As the lovely Andrew Barton (I mean, he is too lovely and fun!) explained, the whole range has Moroccan argan oil as well as coconut milk in a light balancing formula to deliver hydration to dry ends and purification to oily scalps.

The Andrew Barton No Weight Hydrate range is available from Asda exclusively, so you can count on the super affordable price: each item costs only £3.20 each.

And at the moment, you can get 2 for £4, which means you can get the whole treatment range for under £10. Now, that’s a deal!

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Garnier launches: Ultimate Blends and Miracle Skin and Eye Cream

Don’t you just love beauty launches – the idea of a brand new product you never tried before is sooooo exciting!

Garnier has loads of news on that front and we were invited into their British garden – inclusive of wind, thunder and all – to get a sneaky peek at their new products hitting the shelves in the next couple of months.

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