Review: Charles Worthington Salon At Home Straight & Smooth Serum

Recently, I've found myself caring a lot more about the state of my hair. I usually don't buy or use a lot of products for my hair other than shampoo and conditioner but I've decided I want to take better care of my hair and take more time styling it.

First things first, the condition of my hair isn't too bad. My hair is quite long and colour treated. I do suffer with occasional outbreaks of split ends (who doesn't, eh?) but I don't think it massively effects the condition or look of my hair, and of course I will chop them off if they do start to effect it. My hair is naturally straight and cut with layers, which can cause my hair to look a bit frizzy after a quick blow dry. I usually run my GHD's through the ends to flatten the frizz. I do find that my hair can be quite knotty but my Tangle Teezer (Review Here) is pretty good at taming the knots but they frequently reform throughout the day. Shamefully, I don't use any heat protection or deep treatments and didn't use any serums until now (I know, what kind of beauty blogger am I?).

First impressions of the Charles Worthington Salon At Home Straight & Smooth Serum is that the tube is pretty small with only 50ml of product inside. The packaging is quite sleek and professional looking, which makes sense as this serum is part of the Charles Worthington Salon At Home range. The paraben free serum is clear and a thick liquid that comes out of a pump at the top of the tube. It's described as a "multi-action serum that tames and protects unruly hair for long lasting control, a glossy finish and a sleek shine. It works to tame flyaways and calm frizz, leaving hair silky and lustrous". I have found that one pump of this serum is enough to apply to the ends of my hair. The texture of this product is thick and sticky at first but after running it through my hands, it turns into more of a silky oil. I quite like the texture and it applies nicely to my hair.

Since using this serum, I have definitely noticed a difference in my hair. It seems to be getting less knotty and holds a nice shine. I agree that it has improved the frizziness of my hair but I still find myself running my GHD's through the ends of my hair, more out of habit I think, but it does keep my hair straighter for longer. I have found that this serum appears to have improved the condition of my hair. It just seems to look healthier. I'm really glad I picked up this serum from Boots for £5.99, which I don't this is a bad price considering the size and how much I like this product. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone with a similar hair type to me.

Have you used any products from the Charles Worthington Salon At Home range? What do you think of them?

Nail Design: Mad About Ombre!

If you've seen my previous post you will see that I am loving ombre nail art this summer. Today, I had a friend come over so I could do her nails for her 21st birthday tomorrow night. She is wearing a gorgeous green dress and nude heels and wanted a nail design look that would compliment her outfit. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I came up with this super cute coral ombre design. To create this look I used Barry M's Coral and Peach Melba as well as Barry M's Matt White for the base colour. The colours blend in really well together to create an even gradient. My friend was really happy with the overall look and can't wait to celebrate her birthday in style.

Nail Design: Summer Ombre

 

Ombre has been a trend that has well and truly hit. You would have seen trends from ombre hair to ombre nails. For this nail design look I used a dark pink colour, an orange and a bright yellow. I think the colours really blend in well with each other.

 

The colours I used for this design are:

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine in Pomegranate

Collection 2000 Hot Looks in Hip Hop

Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint in 326

 

Beauty Haul: Victoria Secret, Boots and Selfridges

It's been a while since I've had a proper beauty haul so I think it was about time I updated my collection with some new pieces. I went for a trip up to London and visited some of my favourite stores to pick up some new make up, hair and beauty products.

First, I popped into Victoria Secret, more for a peruse than for anything specific and found these gorgeous body mists from their Pink collection. I bought the Pretty & Pure scent which is jasmine and pink lemonade and is a really fresh scent and great for the summer. I also bought the Sweet & Flirty scent which is sugar berry and pink grapefruit and is a fresh and fruity scent. I can't choose which is my favourite because they both smell amazing. Their scents aren't too strong which is perfect for warmer weather and they are actually quite refreshing when you spritz them onto your skin.

Next, I popped into my favourite shop ... Boots. Here I bought quite a lot of hair care products starting which the John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo. I wanted to try this out to see if it would really brighten my hair, as I am blonde already but I would love it if it could help my blonde hair be more blonde. I also picked up the Charles Worthington Style Setter Salt Spray which is part of their Salon At Home range. I decided to get this as I thought it would be great to have with me on my holiday for a more natural styling. I also got the Soap & Glory Shower Puff which I love as it is double the size of my regular shower puff. I can't wait to use this because I think it'll be really foamy and soapy. Also from the Charles Worthing Salon At Home range, I got the Sleek and Smooth Serum as my previous smoothing serum ran out and I thought I would try this one out. I also bought the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray as I had used up my old can. The last hair care product I got is the Aussie Beach Mate Conditioner which is meant to be a great holiday conditioner as it helps cleanse and protect your hair from the dullness that it can pick up from the sand, sea salt and chlorine. I bought this specifically for my holiday and can't wait to use it.

Also in Boots, I bought a small handful of make up goodies. Starting with the Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow in the colours Permanent Taupe, which is a matt taupe colour and Pink Gold which is a pale pink colour with gold shimmer. I also got one of the most raved about make up products the Apocalips Lip Lacquer in the colour Steller which is a hot pink colour. I also got another of the Revlon Lip Butters in Tutti Frutti. I originally wanted the shade juicy papaya but they were all sold out so I got the closest looking shade. I picked up another tube of my most favourite concealer which is the Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer in the shade Fair. You can see a short post where I reviewed this product here. I also picked up the Barry M Limited Edition Nail Paint in a bright yellow colour. I'm a massive fan of the Barry M nail paints so I definitely had to pick up this limited edition colour. Next, is the Bourjois Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in the colour Peach On The Beach, which as it says in the title is a gorgeous peach colour. I can't wait to try it out because I have heard so many great reviews on these lipsticks!

Next, I popped into Selfridges and picked up my most favourite moisturiser/primer (it isn't advertised as a primer but it might as well be!) the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel which is actually part of one of their 3-step systems. Because of that, I got the Liquid Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion sample sizes free with my purchase. I don't actually like these two products. I find their toners too high in alcohol and I'm not a fan of their facial soap, so I'm not sure what I'll do with these.

Also in Selfridges, I magically found myself in front of the Nars counter and picked up their blush in the shade Deep Throat, which is a pinky shade with slight shimmer and their lip gloss in Chihuahua which is a gorgeous nudey pink shade. I also picked up two Mac lipsticks. The first is the Amplified Creme Lipstick in Girl About Town which is a deep pink colour with slight hint of purple. The second is a Matt Lipstick in Lady Danger which is a orangey red colour.

And that comes to the end of my beauty haul. I hope you enjoyed seeing everything I bought. There will be A LOT of reviews coming your way soon on most of the products in this haul so keep your eyes peeled.

Review: Benefit Hoola Bronzer

 

Benefit Hoola Bronzer £23.50

Benefit is one of my favourite higher end make up brands. I love a lot of their products and their packaging is so cute and colourful. I've seen and heard great things about Benefit's powder products, although I've never owned one before getting Hoola for my birthday. I decided to ask for Benefit's Hoola Bronzer because I've got a well needed holiday away to Majorca coming up and needed a new bronzer.

When looking for a bronzer there are a few things that I look for. I like my bronzer to be matt with no shimmer whatsoever. This is because I only use bronzer for contouring and I find it looks much nicer with a matt finish. Usually, I struggle to find a bronzer that isn't too dark as I'm naturally quite pale, but as I wanted a bronzer for my holiday, I didn't have to worry about what shade it was because strangely, I tan really well even though I'm pale.

With the weather being so lovely lately, I've caught the sun a little bit, enough for me to be able to start using this bronzer. I apply it with an angled blush brush to my temples and just below my cheek bones. I find that this powder is very buildable depending on how dark you need your bronzer to be and it blends really well to prevent against drag queen style contouring. The powder feels really soft and I love the way it leaves my skin looking natural and smooth. I pair this bronzer with Sleek MakeUp Blush in Rose Gold which is a gorgeous peachy-pink shade with gold shimmer.

Do you have Benefit Hoola Bronzer? What is your favourite bronzer?

Review: Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara

Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara, £15

"It's the most fattening Big Fatty yet. Thicken, lengthen AND enhance curl with this nourishing hemp oil-infused formula. Our fat MOLDED brush even features end bristles to cover corners and tiny bottom lashes, for the LUSHEST fringe imaginable." - Urban Decay.

I've been using Big Fatty since around March and have fallen absolutely in love. I literally started on my second tube this morning which will tell you how long lasting the mascara is. I find that this mascara really helps open my eyes and makes me look more awake. This mascara is definitely a staple piece in my daily make up routine. The formula is great and I rarely find that the mascara turns flaky. I do sometimes find that it can smudge onto my under eye area but that's easily solved with adding some powder to the area, although I'm not sure if that's down to the mascara or my skin type. I would say that this mascara is more lengthening than thickening, but it definitely enhances the natural curl of my lashes. I have a new found love for plastic brushes and I would definitely choose them over other kinds of brushes.

 

What is your favourite mascara? What do you think of Big Fatty mascara?

This Weeks In's and Out's

IN

Blogging in the garden: Depending on where you are in the world, you may have noticed the weather getting a lot warmer (summer is finally here!). Luckily, my garden is a real sun trap so I've been spending a lot of time relaxing in the sun. Contrary to what other bloggers have said, this weather is actually making me want to blog, and what a better way to do it that to sit in the garden with a cold drink and either catch up with the blogs I'm reading or write one. Bliss.

Cloudy lemonade: Speaking of sitting in the garden with cold drinks, I have been loving cloudy lemonade, which is weird seeing as I'm not a fizzy drinker. Give me a glass of Robinson's Orange Squash over a Coke any day. But this cloudy lemonade is to die for! Much nicer that the usual clear lemonade we usually have.

Hair up: Humidity has been on the rise recently which means a lot of grouchy-ness and sweatyness (yes, girls swear too), and the one thing I can't stand in humid conditions is when my hair sticks to my body. Yuck! So up my hair has been going. I've been rocking a high pony and a doughnut bun recently to keep my booby length hair out of my face and off of my skin.

Fans: I'm not sure if this is everyone's opinion on their bedroom or various rooms in their house but my bedroom gets so painfully cold in the winter and painstakingly hot in the summer. So in has come the fan to keep me and my other half cool on these horrible humid nights.

OUT

Hayfever: ARGHHHHH! The most annoying thing about this beautiful weather is the increase of pollen. Itchy eyes, running noses, sneezing uncontrollably over and over again! I suffer with hayfever quite bad and most of the over-the-counter tablets don't work on me so I take prescribed tablets from my GP. They are pretty good but I'm still suffering with running noses and sneezing. So if any of you know of any good hayfever remedies please come forward with your words of wisdom because you could make a very frustrated blogger very happy!

Sleeping in until 11am: I am a part-time worker and on my days off I find myself sleeping in until mid morning. For you full timers I'm sure your reading this with jealousy but to be honest, I'm finding it quite annoying. I feel as if I'm wasting the day and not making the most of my free time, especially with the weather being so nice. I want to spend as much time in it as possible. So hopefully I can say "Good morning early mornings" and start spending my day being more productive.

Nail Art Tutorial: Pastel Daisies

 

 

For this tutorial you will need some dotting tools but if you don't have any, you can use something with a ball point at the end like a slidey clip. I'm using my dotting tools which appeared in my June Favourites, and I'm using 2 different sizes.

 



 

1. First, you will need to cut and shape your nails to your desired shape and length. I decided to go for a short, square nail so I could fit all the daisies on the top of my nail.

2. Next, paint you nail your favourite pastel colour! In this picture I used Barry M's Strawberry Ice Cream.

3. Once the polish is dry, used a white nail polish and your dotting tool to create small flower shaped blobs across the tip of the nail. I think 3 looks best. Again, I used Barry M's Matt White.

4. Next, with your smalled dotting tool, use a yellow colour, I used 17 Lasting Fix in Sherbet Lemon and dot it into the centre of the daisies. Lastly, apply your favourite top coat.

Nail polish used:

Models Own Apple Pie

Barry M Blue Moon

Models Own Grape Juice

Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream

Barry M Peach Melba

Barry M Matt White

17 Lasting Fix Sherbet Lemon

Ootd: Bright lippy and Crop top

Hellooooo! I hope your all doing well on this lovely summer day (Wahoo! Finally it's here). Just thought I'd pop in and show you what I'm wearing today. It's a relatively cheap outfit today mainly consisting of Primark. I think this outfit is great for a summer's day in a pub garden or a smart/casual party.

Lipstick - Sleek Makeup True Colour Lipstick in Loved up
Crop top - Primark
Sunglasses - Primark
Skirt - New Look
Trainers - Converse
Necklace - Primark

What do you guys think of this outfit?

Follow me on Instagram for more pictures of my outfits @jennapoulson

June Favourites

(From Left to Right)
Ted Baker flip flops
Simple Radiance brightening moisturiser SPF10
Sketchers Trainers
Juicy Courture rollerball pen in Viva La Juicy and La Fleur
Revlon lip butter in Pink Lemonade
Collection 2000 Hot looks fast dry nail varnish in hip hop
Cheeky dotting tools

 

 

 

Boohoo.com Haul

If you've never heard of  Boohoo.com it is an "online fashion retailers, offering trend-led clothing at affordable prices". You may have seen their advert on the television. Around the time of my birthday I got a lovely email from the Boohoo team giving me 20% off my next order as a birthday gift. I later visited the website and bought some great clothing for my upcoming holiday.

 

Red Skater Skirt

Yellow Midi Skirt

Green Peplum Shirt

Aztec Print Cut-out Dress

Navy Playsuit

I really enjoyed my experience shopping on Boohoo.com! My order came within a few days and I was able to track my order. The clothing is great quality and true to size. I will definitely be purchasing from Boohoo.com, most likely in the near future. I would definitely recommend!

Nail Design: Watercolours and White Triangles

 

 

This watercolour nail design is right on trend this season, especially with bright colours. The white triangles give it an Aztec-y look which is really big in the fashion world at the moment. This look would be great for any of you festival-goers this summer and I guarantee you'll get your fair share of compliments.

 

Nail varnishes used from left to right:

Barry M Nail Paint in Matt White

Barry M Nail Paint in Peach Melba

Barry M Nail Paint in Bright Pink

Barry M Nail Paint in Pure Turquoise

Barry M Nail Paint in Mint Green

Barry M Nail Paint Base and Top Coat