MY CURLY HAIR ROUTINE

Hello everyone and Happy Halloween, hope your well. So today's post comes highly requested, it's going to be all about my curly hair routine. I have previously blogged about a hair range that goes by the name of Mizani, if you haven't read it you can find it here. My love for the Mizani range has grown even more since using their 'True Textures' collection for my curly hair routine and it may be safe to say I will forever use there range weather my hair is curly or straight. I've used these products for two years now and in that time I've had a lot of people ask what I use and have complimented on the appearance of my hair. Before using these products I used to find it very hard to style and look after my curls and no matter what products I used I couldn't seem to get the frizz under control until I used these products. I hope this post helps any of my curly haired sisters on a missions to get those curls under control as I know first hand that curls can be so demanding! 

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

SCALP CARE SHAMPOO

Description - This creamy and moisturizing anti-dandruff shampoo is designed to help reduce the appearance of visible flakes, scaling and itching containing 1% phrithione zinc content.

TRUE TEXTURES - MOISTURE REPLENISH CONDITIONER

Description - This intense moisturizing conditioner helps retain moisture and maintain the natural curl pattern and is silicone and paraben free. It contains curl complex technology with coconut, marula and olive oils to promote smoother and more hydrated hair. It's rich in antioxidants and fatty acids for healthy, moisturized, defined curls.

TRUE TEXTURES - INTENSE MOISTURE REPLENISH TREATMENT

Description - This weekly treatment is especially designed for natural curls. It helps revitalize, nourish and define curls. Containing the Mizani curl care complex technology that smooths, conditions and hydrates hair along with antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

RATING

The shampoo is very ideal for me as I do suffer with a dry and itchy scalp due to my on going battles with psoriasis. It's also very nice to use as it give a tingly, minty feeling which leaves my scalp feeling cool and clean. The conditioner is so creamy and thick without feeling heavy on my hair, along with a wonderful scent it leaves my hair feeling so smooth and hydrated. The weekly treatment it the perfect pick me up for my hair when I've been styling my hair for a few days in a row and need that extra boost of moisture, I tend to leave it on for about 10 minutes wrapped in a towel to lock in moisture, the results leave my hair silky smooth and hydrated.

STYLING

TRUE TEXTURES - STYLE REFRESHER MILK

Description - This curl refresher spray is a 24-hour, lightweight, nourishing spray containing the Mizani curl care complex technology.

TRUE TEXTURES - CURL DEFINE PUDDING

Description - Designed for coiled to tight typed hair this curl defining pudding helps to define, smooth, loosen and elongate curls containing the Mizani curl care complex technology.

SUPREME OIL

Description - A blend of 8 oils which leave hair feeling smooth, shiny and healthy looking. No mineral oil and over 98% naturally-derived. Suitable for all hair types and can also be used on skin.

RATING

The refresher spray is perfect for re boosting my curls especially the day after I've washed my hair and definitely comes in handy between co-washing. The curl defining pudding is the perfect styling cream as it's really light and non-greasy so it doesn't weigh down my hair or make it look full of product. The supreme oil is very hydrating and it the perfect product to lock in moister before diffusing hair dry (on a low heat). A small amount of each product goes a long way.

CO-WASH

TRUE TEXTURE - CREAM CLEANSING CONDITIONER

Description - Cleanse and condition in one step, helps retain moisture and maintain natural curl, containing the Mizani curl care complex technology.

RATING 

The cleansing conditioner is amazing for co-washing, it saves excessive shampooing which can be very drying for your curls. I use it in place of my shampoo and the continue to use condition hair as normal.

TREATMENT

H20 INTENSE NIGHT-TIME TREATMENT

Description - This overnight treatment is enriched with shea butter and vitamins that help protect against split ends and frizz without weighing down hair.

RATING

This overnight treatment comes in handy between washes when I need a little hydrating boost, a little goes a long way and leave my hair feeling smooth and hydrated the next day.    

So there you have it, these are the products that I use in my curly hair routine. They truly are amazing and are true to description, I high recommend them.

Don't forget to leave comment below, thank you for reading.

Elle 

MOTD | AUTUMN/FALL BURNT ORANGE MAKEUP LOOK

Hi my lovely's, welcome back. I'm very excited about today's post as it's something different; it's going to be all about this burnt orange autumn/fall inspired makeup look I have going on. Autumn/fall is my favorite season, it's not to hot or to cold, big jumpers come out, it gets darker earlier, scented candles fill the air, the cosy nights by the fire begin, the pumpkin spice lattes make a come back and lastly my most favorite thing.. The colors, I love warm earthy tones!  What inspired me to do this look most was the colors of the leaves on a tree outside my house, it was my first sign that autumn/fall had begun and I felt the urge to do a makeup look inspired by that colors I saw. This was the end result and I was very happy with it so I thought why not share it, after all sharing is caring and more importantly maybe I could inspire some of you to try something different. So, to find out more about how I achieved this look please keep on reading. 

PREP

Moisturizer
Benefit - Triple Performing Facial Emulsion
I apply a pea size amount to the tip of my fingers and work it into the skin using circular motions, starting in the center of my face.

Primer
Benefit - POREfessional Face Primer

Again, applying a pea size amount to the tip of my fingers and using circular motions I focus on working this product into my larger pore areas around my nose and under the eyes I then work the product into my T-zone area and whatever is left I work into the rest of the face. 

BROWS

AHB - Dipbrow Pomade in Ebony
ABH - Brow Wiz in Ebony
ABH - 7 Mini Duo Brush
ABH - Clear Brow Gel
To start the brows I first comb them through with the spooley end of the duo brush. I then shape out my brows and fill in the tail using the pomade and the angled brush end of the duo brush. Once I've done this I fill in the front of the brow with the brow wiz using a light hand and also fill in any sparse areas. To bring everything together I go through the brows with the spooley end of the duo brush to blend away any harshness then set them using the brow gel.

EYES

Base
NYX - Conceal, Correct & Contour Palette
NYX - Stay Matte Powder in Warm
Sigma - F75 Concealer Brush
Sigma - E60 Large Shader Brush
To create a base and define the brows I use shade 3 from the palette and a F75 brush. I carve out the brows first then feather the product down onto the eyelid, I then used my ring finger to blend it all together and set with powder using a F60 brush.

Shadows
Morphe - 350 Palette
Morphe - 350 Matte Palette
Sigma - E40 Tapered Blending Brush
Sigma - E35 Tapered Blending Brush
Sigma - E25 Blending Brush
Sigma - E45 Small Tapered Blending Brush
Sigma - F70 Concealer Brush
Sigma - E55 Eye Shading
Sigma - E20 Short Shader Brush 
For my transition shade I mixed shade 1 & 2 and apply this above and in the crease with a E40 brush. I then go over all of it using shade 3 with the same E40 brush to deepen the color. Next I took shade 4 using a E35 brush and applied this into the crease slightly blending it upwards, then going back in with my E40 brush with what ever is left on there and further blend to blow it all out. I then took shade 5 with a E25 brush and concentrated on putting this color in the crease just below shade 4 and on the inner and outer corners of the lids avoiding the center, I really wanted to make this color pop so I kept repeating this step to build the intensity. Once I was happy with the intensity I went back to my E35 brush with no additional product and blended it all in so there was no harsh lines. For my last shade I took shade 6 with a F70 brush and placed it right on the center of the lid, then used a E45 brush to blend it in with shade 5 keeping the sparkle concentrated in the center of the lid. For the lower lash line which I did after concealer I used shade 3 & 4 with a E55 brush not blending it to far down and focusing on the outer corners then used shade 5 with a E20 brush and really focused on getting that as close to the lash line as possible again focusing on the outer corners. Lastly I went back to my E45 brush and blended the lower lash line.

Lashes
Huda Beauty - Giselle Lashes #1
DUO - Strip Lash Adhesive
Benefit - They're Real Mascara
Maybelline - Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner
Sigma - E10 Small Eyeliner Brush
For lashes I first lined them with gel eyeliner and a E10 brush, I then applied my false lashes and used mascara to blend them with my own and to apply to my lower lashes.

FACE

Foundation
Make Up For Ever - Ultra HD in Amber
Real Techniques - Miracle Complexion Sponge
I applied 2-3 pumps of foundation to the back of my hand and use my fingers to dot it all over my face and neck, avoiding my under eye area I then blended using a beauty sponge.

Concealer
MAC - Pro Longwear Concealer in NC42
Urban Decay - Naked Skin Concealer in Med-Light
NYX - Highlight & Contour Pro Palette
Real Techniques - Miracle Complexion Sponge
Mixing concealers, I applied it to my under eyes and sides of nose using my ring finger then blended it all out with a beauty sponge also cleaning up and sharpening the outer corners of my eye shadow. Next I go straight into setting the under eyes so the concealer doesn't settle and crease, to do this I used the color cream to set using a beauty sponge again, while doing this I also set the center of my forehead, center of my chin and the center of my nose to highlight.

Contour
NYX - Matte Bronzer in Deep/Tan
NYX - Conceal, Correct, Contour Palette
Too Faced - Chocolate Soleil Bronzer
Sigma - F60 Foundation Brush
Sigma - F05 Small Contour Brush
Morphe - 458 1in Flat Contour Brush
To start off my contour I use shade 2 & 4 from the palette with a F60 brush to carve out my cheek bones then blended it out with a beauty sponge. I then warmed up the face using a warm toned bronzer and a F05 brush going around the outer sections of my face then lastly deepened the contour and set my cheeks using a cooler toned bronzer and a F05 brush. Using the same cooler toned bronzer I contour my nose using a M458 brush.

Blush
MAC - Powder Blush in Springsheen
Sigma - F40 Large Angled Contour Brush
For blush I applied it mainly on the apples of my cheeks blending it back into the contour using my F40 brush.

Highlight
Benefit - Watt's Up! Cream Highlighter
BECCA X Jaclyn Hill - Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector
Morphe - B8 Fan Brush
To hightlight I first used the cream highlighter on the cheek bones and blended it in using a beauty sponge, I then applied the skin perfector over the top using a B8 brush also applying it to cupids bow and inner corners of my eyes.

LIPS

MAC - Lip Liner in Spice
Gerard Cosmetics - Lipstick in Nude
For my lips, I first lined them to define the shape then applied my lipstick.

FINISH

Set
Makeup Revolution - Pro Fix Spray 
To lock in my makeup I sprayed my whole face with setting spray for longer wear.

And there we have it. 
I hope enjoyed today's post, don't forget to leave comments below. 
Have a great day.

Elle 

SOAP & GLORY'S PEACHES & CLEAN™ DEEP CLEANSING MILK

Hi everyone, hope this blog finds you all well. I know it's been a while but I'm back with today's post which is going to be about the Peaches and Clean Cleansing Milk by Soap and Glory. So I found this product unexpectedly when I received it as a gift at Christmas, for those who aren't very familiar with Soap and Glory they do the BEST Christmas gifts sets, I ask for them every year. When I first saw this product I didn't really have much interest in it as I was battling acne at the time so anything that wasn't salicylic acid based I feared using. However a few months ago I had run out of my normal face wash and remembered I had the Peaches and Clean one so for what was supposed to be a temporary measure I used it and to my surprise I feel in love and decided to keep on using it and even more surprisingly it helped clear my skin! So, to find out more about this bottle of goodness and see my overall review on this product please keep on reading. 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

DESCRIPTION

Want healthier, clearer more radiant skin? Use Peaches and Clean amazing 4-in-1 wash off cleansing milk. It purifies and clarifies, dissolves make-up energizes and smooths. It’s gentle, effective, melts away make-up (even waterproof mascara), and re-energizes your complexion in two minutes. Key ingredients include Oxyginseng technology - an amazingly effective, organic complex that helps increase circulation and cell respiration (which then turns up blood supply and toxin removal), and also speeds oxygen and nutrient delivery to fight aging and re-energize skin. GoJuice peach and goji berry extracts - rich in antioxidants and vitamins A & C. Quillaja Bark a Chilean soap bark tree-derived natural cleansing agent. Suitable for all skin types.

MY SKIN

To help you get a better idea of what type of skin type I'm basing my judgement off I want to tell you a little about mine. My skin type is type #3, I found out this by taking a few skin type tests online and I have previously seen a dermatologist who has told my skin is type #3. Skin type #3 falls in category of oily, combination, sensitive skin prone to acne and clogged pores. I get enlarged pores and produce oil mainly in my t-zone, I'm prone to acne mainly around the outer areas of my face like my forehead, cheeks, chin and jawline; I also suffer with acne scarring in the same areas. Although I am oily in areas my skin is also dehydrated which can sometimes bring my eczema/psoriasis to surface so it can be hard to find the balance sometime as acne fighting products can be to harsh and damage the dryer areas and hydrating products can be to greasy and clog my pores. Who knew skin could be so challenging! 

HOW I USE

Before I use the cleansing milk I like to remove the majority of my make-up if I'm wearing any, I do this by using a gentle cleansing water like Garnier's SkinActive Micellar cleansing water which I'm loving at the moment. I then dampen my skin and apply one and a half pumps of the cleansing milk to my face and neck and proceed to massage into my skin starting in the center of my face working outwards, I then rinse away with very cool/cold water and pat my skin dry with a towel then go onto either my daytime or nighttime skin routine. I do this twice a day, morning and night, I also use it to exfoliate 2-3 times a week, my routine is the same only I use my Magnitone® barefaced cleansing brush on a gentle setting instead of my hands.

OVERALL REVIEW

I will not stop using this product anytime soon. It has definitely cleared up my skin and 100% makes my skin feel and look more radiant. It is very gentle and effective without feeling like its stripping the skin dry. It really gives the skin a hydrated, smooth, plump feeling ready for follow on products like moisturizers and I've noticed my make-up application is a lot smoother. I like to wear a lot of make-up and it really does feel like its melting it away as it has a minty tingly like feeling to it so you can feel it unclogging your pores leaving my skin feeling like it can breathe. As mentioned I do remove the majority of my make-up before using the product but there is always some still leftover before washing my face, once I've washed and dried my face I would normally go over the skin again with the cleansing water to make sure it's clean and to get any leftover traces of make-up until this product; I can safely skip this step and move straight onto moisturizers as there is never a trace of make-up left behind. Also as mentioned my skin is acne prone I do also get eczema/psoriasis so it's defiantly hard to find a balance with my skin care but because this product has Oxyginseng technology my skin is left feeling hydrated and radiant which helps aid my eczema and is rich in vitamins A & C which if you didn't know helps aid acne so it's a win-win. I do still get the odd break out which is unavoidable as they only appear around the time aunt flow comes to visit if you know what I mean  but even then they're not as bad as they once were. This product can be found in the U.K at Boots for £8.00 and if you shop at the right time you may be able to get you hands on it when there is a 3 for 2 offer on or you can treat yourself using your boots points if you have an advantage card. For world wide purchases I believe it can be found in stores/websites that I have listed below along with the boots site.

www.skinstore.com

www.boots.com

www.ulta.com

www.target.com

www.walgreens.com

I hope today's post was helpful, please feel free to leave comments below.

Thank you 

Elle