Empties 04.

I have never, ever been happier to bin a bunch of empties than I have with this lot. Not because I didn't adore many of the products above, but because it was a long hard road to use them up. In the case of the Umberto Giannini & the Toni & Guy Shampoo, they didn't take much and I liked them both but as with many beauty bloggers you'll know there is always something more exciting around the corner. 

What really took time and commitment was the Vera Wang Rock Princess, believe it or not I actually included it in the last empties post believing it was done and dusted, but the little sucker carried on spritzing for at least a few more times. Tarrah Vera, it's been fun but it's time to go! 

The Sally Hansen nail polish remover isn't anything ground breaking, it's a complete staple of mine and I already have a new one in my drawer. 

My MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural took an age (I'm talking nearly 2 years...) to use up, and I can't believe I finally used it up. Can I actually call this an achievement?! 

Finally, I was sad to use the last scrapings of my Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm, especially as it's turned to gold dust online! I need it back in my life but refuse to pay P&P, I am the eternal delivery scrooge. 

So, to the bin!

xx

Current Hair Favourites.

I will admit, I've never been one to get particularly obsessive about my haircare routine. If my hair isn't greasy or frizzy and reasonably manageable, I'm A-OK. 

But recently I've noticed that my hair felt very weighed down and didn't feel fresh even after I had washed it. There is nothing worse than forging on with lank hair if you're in a rush. Yuck. Considering I am an incessant  hair fiddler/tosser (rude)/flipper having lightweight, bouncy hair was leaving a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. 

So, behold, my current hair favourites that have saved the day. 

I used to be a big fan of Toni & Guy hair products, but they really slipped off my radar over the last few years. I decided to pick up the Cleanse and Nourish for Fine Hair Shampoo & Conditioner as I really just wanted a very lightweight formula. It's a pleasant S&C to use and the Shampoo gives insane amounts of lather. The Conditioner also delivers a punch of moisture without being too heavy. Winners. 

I've been using Berber Oil for an age and It's still going strong, I far prefer it to it's Moroccan cousin. I know I've talked about not weighing hair down, but this is absolutely fine used on the ends of my hair for heat protection and then the remnants are just swept through the rest of my barnet. Glossy not greasy my friend. 

I do altenernate with the Umberto Giannini Frizzi Miracle Worker* but I do use this sparingly on the ends. 

As I previously mentioned I like my hair to be touchable, but a little bit of control is always nice especially in the current blustery weather we're experiencing...

I've been plumping for the Toni & Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hairspray as A) it smells delicious and B) provides a nice hold without being too crispy (blurgh). The little mini wonder from Umberto Giannini is the Rock 'n' Roll Extreme Hairspray*, it also smells amazing and it perfect to pop in my handbag.  

With the power of these products, my hair has returned to it's preferred state. It's about time! 

xx

Product Rave: Umberto Giannini Frizzi Range.

I admit it, I've been in a bit of a haircare rut. Berber Oil is still my first love, but when I was pleasantly surprised with the new Frizzi range from Umberto Giannini, I was more than ready to give it a whirl. 

The range landed on my doorstep at the perfect time, and was about to undergo the ultimate acid test. It just so happens that I decided to test this on one of the busiest working weekends of the year, with 12 hour days  (mostly spent in the drizzle) whilst running around like a mad thing. I think you'll find these are the perfect conditions for a giant fluffy mane. 

So why is this a product rave? Well, it put in a bloody good effort. It dealt with the 6am mist, 10am drizzle, hat hair and running around. Instead of hair befitting a Neanderthal, I got away with mild waves. Thumbs up. 

Product by product, the Shampoo & Conditioner are pleasant to use, smell fresh but don't lather particularly quickly, I'll continue to use them but will have to see if they actually make a proper difference. 

On this occasion the rave lies with the styling products. I was fairly dubious when I clocked the Day After Day After Day After Day Taming Spray. I've used the original John Freida version and it left my hair feeling flat and lifeless. I've done a quick ingredients check and the UG version appears to have less silicones  whereas the JF lists Polysilcone-9 as it's second ingredient. I'm not a scientist, I just know it left my hair feeling sleek and frizz free without feeling weighed down. 

The Miracle Worker Oil is also a lovely little product. It's evidently not as natural as the Berber but used sparingly after styling it definitely fought the frizz.

Overall, I'm really happy with the range. The true acid test has to be that I had to retrieve most of these products from the shower/bathroom cabinet to take a few snaps. They've already fallen right into my daily routine! 

Stars of the range? The Miracle Worker Oil & Extreme Taming Spray

Take it or leave it? If I had to go without, I'd probably sacrifice the S&C.They're lovely but I've used others with the same styling products and noticed no real difference. 

Hopefully the brown paper bag won't be needed from now on...

Laura xx

Painted Lady Textured Nail Wraps.

You all know I'm a sucker for a bit of nail art, so I was pretty excited to give the Painted Lady Talons by Umberto Giannini a whirl. 

One of my favourite things right now is very simple colours but with a little edge, so these textured nail wraps tick all the right boxes. As far as sizing go I think they give you a fair range, although I would have liked one more medium nail size.

But here is my problem, as much as I tried, I just couldn't get the nail wraps to well...wrap. 

The instructions sound simple enough and I've used wraps before without much difficulty but these just wouldn't stay on my nails. I have a feeling it's because they're slightly thicker than regular wraps to give you the texture. 

I'm disappointed as I love the actual concept and design. 

Better luck next time! 

RRP £7.00 

Laura xx

*PR Sample.

Vintage Styling by Umberto Giannini.

I appear to be on an endless quest to achieve Lana Del Ray hair recently, big bouffant waves will be mine. 

Umberto Giannini obviously heard my plea as they've conveniently creating a kit with everything you could need to rock a vintage 'do' in a few simple steps. 

The kit contains: 

Hair Pins

Large Hair Pins

2 x Hair Roly

Pin Tail Comb

Lace Hair Band

Rollers ( 4 x Large, Medium & Small) 

What makes this kit just so darn cute is (apart from the gorgeous lace headband) is the foolproof step by step guide on the back. If you're complete hair novice, your prayers have been answered. It even has a handy QR code on the back that will lead you to a step by step video. 

I decided to rock some big rollers and I'm really pleased with the results. I'm one step closer to achieving the dream! 

For £12.00 I think you're getting a nice set, that would make an excellent gift.

My own slight criticism, Personally, to make this a complete styling kit, I would have loved to have seen a travel sized finishing spray included, just so it really does take you from start to finish. 

What do you think? 

Laura xx

*pr sample, but straight up as always.

The Quest for Bouncy Hair.

I've caught the bug: bigger is definitely better. 

I've dabbled in the odd bit of back combing or occasionally put a few curls in with straighteners, but it general I tend to wear my hair straight. Ironically, if I left my hair alone, I'd have a head of the tightest corkscrew curls you've ever seen...I'll leave you to work that one out. 

It all started when I decided to use my friends curling wand before we were went out for a impromptu drink, it was love at first curl. Far less uniform and 'prom' than curling with a straightening iron, not forgetting it is so much easier. 

I went out the next day and bought one...

The Bellazza 1 inch Curling Wand to be exact. 

It's not fancy, it was from TKMaxx for £19.99 but it works wonders. 

Add the Umberto Giannini Incredible Body line into the mix, and I'm left with bouncy hair to rival Kate Middleton. 

I simply run some Old School Setting Lotion* through my hair on a brush before blow drying, then again spraying some on the brush and running it through my hair before curling. 

After I've curled my hair, I then spray a liberal amount of the Root Boost Volume Spray* through my hair in the roots and through the curls for good measure. FYI: this is incredibly similar to the infamous 'Backcomb in a Bottle', the ingredients list is almost identical...

The Results? 

I think we're on the right path... 

Laura x