The best hair products to keep your hair fresh and healthy

Not only do you want your hair to look good and smell good, you want it to be healthy. You want it to shine, look radiant, and look clean. Whether you are the type of person who works out every day and needs something to give your hair that “fresh, just washed look/feel”, or are looking for the best scalp care treatment available, there are hundreds of hair-care products out there. So, how do you choose the right one for your needs? Consider a few of these products for hair care, to not only keep your hair looking and smelling great, but also keep it healthy. 

Restorative shampoo – Yes, just as the name states, it will restore natural oils and restore healthy, shiny hair. It helps improve scalp itching, it will penetrate the fibres of your hair, touch on the roots, and generally restore dingy, dirty, or damaged hair strands. It will keep your hair looking oily and shiny. You can use this in between washes, and go back and forth with your traditional shampoo, when you notice your hair is in need of a “pick me up”. 

(Super) Absorbent towel – A microfiber towel will dry your hair quickly; and, it will dry it completely, unlike the towel you use after a bath. It will do so softly and will not damage, or pull at your hair’s roots either. It won’t do damage to your hair, won’t cause your hair to frizz, or cause it to have that static-connection, as is typical after you wash and dry with your bath towel. Choose a dedicated towel for hair drying, and look for a thick, super-absorbing, microfiber material if possible. 

Conditioning mask – A conditioning mask will do just that: Mask your hair! Like the restorative shampoo, this will mask the imperfections of your hair. It helps to promote hydration, helps the hair grow quicker and stronger, restores shine, brilliance, and seals the cuticles of your hair. It also has UV protection, to help protect from sun damage. 

UV & Heat protectant – Even if you do not come into direct contact with sunlight often, UV and heat damage fry your hair (literally). So, it is going to look frail, it is going to tear, the roots are going to deteriorate over time. The end results? Your hair looks dull, lacks shine, and feels heavy. This will naturally give it that bounce, light feel, and restore your hair and scalp which has been damaged by sun rays and light. The right product helps treat dehydration and restores hair cuticle growth. If you would like to see some reviews on some of the products mentioned then productscorer.com can provide you with an insight into the best products available.

Whether you work all day in the hot sun, wash your hair daily, or exercise daily, your hair and scalp need to be treated with care. The right hair care products can work wonders on damaged, frail hair. For women (and men), who want to ensure the healthy shine and vibrancy, and want their hair to grow in longer, thicker, and fuller, these are some products to consider investing in, for your routine haircare regimen each day. 

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer

I think absolutely everyone has their opinion on the Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer, it was released and media both social media and print media exploded and not just in the UK. Over the pond in the States we have US Bloggers and Vloggers alongside those here in the UK excitedly proclaiming that this is 'The Best Concealer Ever' and 'An Incredible £4 Dupe' - But is it?

Without question Makeup Revolution is one of the UK's biggest drugstore brands and it is one that is not slowing down for anyone when it comes to new product releases.  One thing that always impresses me is the ability to stay on trend and keep makeup affordable, reachable and wanted.  Friends of mine tried in vain to find this concealer in their local Superdrug store, but it disappeared off the shelves so quickly, there was only seldom shades available and this is not a bad thing.  This concealer was released with an impressive 18 shade line up with some incredible thoughts behind it, soon to be 25 and all for just £4.

I tried the palest shade C1 on my hand instore but the tester was a little too light for me and it wasn't in stock. Instead I opted to purchase shade C2 which is said to be for fair skin tones with a yellow undertone. 

I am actually possibly between C1 and C2 to find the correct shade for my skin, but I am impressed with is how much thought has gone into creating a product for different skin tones and their undertones. 

“The concealer for everyone. 18 shades ranging from fair to deep, in cool, neutral and warm undertones. Lightweight yet full coverage concealer to cover blemishes, even skin tone and counteract dark circles, with a matte finish that won’t settle or accentuate fine lines and pores. Long wearing intense pigment that can also be used to contour and add definition. Our large doe foot applicator allows for smooth application that won’t drag on the delicate skin under your eyes.“

The full listing being:

• C1 – For fair skin tones with neutral undertone
• C2 – For fair skin tones with yellow undertone
• C3 – For fair skin tones with pink undertone
• C4 – For light skin tones with neutral undertone
• C5 – For light skin tones with pink undertone
• C6 – For light/medium skin tones with yellow undertone
• C7 – For medium skin tones with peach undertone
• C8 – For medium skin tones with yellow undertone
• C9 – For medium skin tones with a peach undertone
• C10- For medium skin tones with a golden undertone
• C11 – For medium/dark skin tones with a beige undertone 
• C12 – For medium/dark skin tones with a neutral undertone
• C13 – For dark skin tones with a warm undertone
• C14 – for dark skin tones with a cool undertone
• C15 – for dark skin tones with a neutral undertone
• C16 – for dark skin tones with a warm undertone
• C17 – for dark skin tones with a neutral undertone
• C18 – for dark skin tones with a warm undertone

I use concealer daily and my current favourite is from Urban Decay with their Naked Skin Concealer which is available in 14 shades, but I was lucky enough to be colour matched at a blogger event and I have stuck with this particular concealer ever since. So I was excited to see if a £4 Makeup Revolution product could live up to my £19 version (a post I might do later). I am well aware that there is some excitement over the Makeup Revolution Concealer being a Dupe for Tarte Shape Tape, but having never tried it, I can't make a comparison but at this stage I am still saving £15, but is it really as amazing as people are claiming it is?

Firstly I love the packaging which is a clear plastic tube, with a rose gold metallic lid and rose gold metallic sticker and I like how it looks, how easily it fits into my make up bag and it contains 3.4ml (Naked Skin is 5ml). It has a large doe foot applicator which picks up a fair amount of product making the application really easy, whether you dot it or swipe it onto your face and when you do so, the sponge is really soft.  I don't use the applicator to blend in the concealer, I use my beauty blender for that and it works really well.  Now I really like the formula, it is lightweight but creamy and it sets to a matte finish, but when I use it I need to set it otherwise it will crease, but for me that is the only downside to the product and it is one I have with other concealers including Naked Skin, so it isn't something that comes as a surprise to me and it is something Makeup Revolution advise you to do in any case.

So for me, other than a slight shade issue, as I need something between C1 and C2 or I could mix them, I like the Concealer, it does what I want it to do and it is a great back up to my Naked Skin.  The only thing you won't find me doing in this post is calling it a dupe because for me it isn't it a dupe for anything I have ever used or tried and I often think people are too quick to hope on the dupe bandwagon before giving a product a chance to shine on its own merit.

Have you tried the Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here

Julep It's Whipped v's It's Balm

It might not have escaped your notice that I am a bit of a fan of K-Beauty, it has just got me right now and it started with skincare and has moved on to makeup.  Recently launched onto QVC is Julep, a brand who has me obsessed with THIS Cleansing stick.  Whilst I am still just writing a few posts on the rest of the skincare I have been lucky enough to try from Julep, I am today switching to makeup.

For the last few months I have been incredibly lucky to have 7 lip products to try from the It's Whipped and the It's Balm range. The It's Whipped range was born after some extensive market research with Julep fans (known as Mavens) who help develop and shape the concept from the applicator to the shades and even the name itself.  It's Whipped is described as being "A weightless matte lip colour that lasts all day and never feels dry" and  what Julep have managed to create is a hydrating liquid lipstick that dries down matte whilst at the same time, being comfortable on the lips. Julep promise that It's Whipped will give a vibrant, lasting colour that smooths the appearance of the lips and it does so thank to the use of a blend of light-diffusing pigments and formula also contains Julep's exclusive Power Cell Complex, a blend of powerful plant oils and extracts to soothe, repair, and nourish.   

The packaging is nice and weighty with a metallic lid and I love the bulkiness to the tube, it makes it easy to find in your makeup bag because I certainly have nothing similar in there.  However, nice packaging aside, for me what makes this product amazing is the applicator, it is almost like an hourglass shape which almost hugs your lips as you apply the product and it always manages to have just the right amount of product loaded on for the application.  I should also add that I absolutely love the formula too, it is lightweight and definitely has a mousse like texture to it and on the lips it is nourishing and I like how the colour sits once it has dried down.

There shades I have the nudes which are called Bisou which is a Modern Mauve and Ooh la la which is a Sepia Taupe Matte plus the pinks which are called Pillow Talk which is a Victorian Pink Matte and Amore which is a Vivid Rose Matte. They are currently on QVC and they retail for £24 for a duo pack.  The swatches above show Pillow Talk, Ooh La La, Amore and Bisou from left to right,

Then we have It's Balm which is described as being "A full-coverage lip crayon with extra-finely milled pigments provide full coverage with a semi-gloss finish". I love a good lip crayon, they are easy to use, easy to carry and don't ever seem to make as much mess rolling around my bag as lipsticks do. It's Balm has a really hydrating feel to it and I like that that the formula glides onto the lips with no dragging and because it is enriched with sunflower butter and vitamin E as well as and nourishing botanical extracts.

Packaged inside a gun metal case, each crayon applies really smoothly and I really like that the white centre that you can see within the colour is referred to as the super-hydrating treatment core which is where you will find those nourishing ingredients. Texture wise, it definitely has that lip balm feel to it and whilst it isn't as pigmented as It's Whipped, what you do get is a slight colour pay off. I have three of the shades available which are Blossom Pink which is a Cool Rose Crème, Vintage Mauve Crème which is a Muted Mauve Crème and finally Nectar Pink Crème which is a Peach Coral Crème and all three shades are incredibly wearable. These crayons are yet to be available here in the UK but over the water in the States they are sold for $20 each.

Overall, I am really impressed with both of these offerings from Julep.  I really like It's Whipped and think the shades available are stunning and I like how even when they have dried down, my lips don't feel as though I have dipped them into cement. It's Balm offers something different altogether and I like that there is a product that looks after my lips as well as giving them a hint of colour.

Have you tried anything from Julep?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here