Ambience volumizing dry shampoo

How I have survived without dry shampoo in my life is a complete and total mystery to me, infact it was only a few years ago that I did discover it and one brand or another has remained a staple product within my bathroom cupboard. So when I sent some Ambience volumizing dry shampoo in blonde, I was really keen to try it.

Arriving in its black box, everything you need to know about the product is clearly displayed for you to read. It states that it is 100& natural, instantly cleans and refreshes hair without water, is both Paraben and preservative free, not tested on animals, contains no alcohol, is non-flammable and is sulfate free - wow!

This product is quite unlike any that I have used before, for example it isn't in an aerosol can and it has an applicator brush that you use to apply the product to you hair, as you can see in the photos shown below. Like many dry shampoos it states that it will:

• Lift roots to add body and fullness to hair
• Cleans hair and absorbs excess oil, leaving hair looking, feeling and smelling freshly shampooed
• Tinted powder blends with hair colour, does not leave white residue, which can cause the hair to look grey

The applicator brush is found inside a protected lid to keep the brushes shape and a retractable sleeve, as soon as you remove the lid the brush comes to life and to use you simply tilt the brush and having sectioned your hair, use the brush in circular motions to distribute the powder, which was much easier than I was anticipating and it doesn't create any mess, then I used my Tangle Teezer to brush my hair through once I had finished and voila, those greasy looking oily roots were no longer. If you are someone who has their hair highlighted or coloured regularly, this dry shampoo also works to conceal those roots which is an added bonus.

So how did it fair? Well it did leave my hair looking as though it has just been washed and feeling clean, my oily roots had disappeared and there was no white residue or stickiness, so it ticks all of those boxes for me. Did it add some volume, yes it did, once I ran my fingers through my hair there was a bit of a lift round the roots so my hair was no flat against my head and it saved me having to get my hair dryer out and add any further products, so again another ticked box. The only thing I would change is to get a darker shade, as my hair is dark blonde, I think a darker shade would be more suitable, though this one did work really well.

Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo has a RRP of £26.98 though if you look around you can find it priced a little cheaper around £14.99 HERE , however as it is more than just a dry shampoo it is something I would recommend people who do highlight and colour their hair regularly to try because it does conceal those roots, which is brilliant for those inbetween hairdresser appointments. I have been using my dry shampoo for a good few weeks now and it shows no sign of running out anytime soon.

The Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo is available in Blonde, Black, Brunette, Grey and Red the box I was sent did contain a refill which is one of those limited time offers, so it is worth hunting it down until the offer is rescinded.

Have you tried the Ambiance Volumizing Dry Shampoo?

Introducing MadeCloser

When you buy a product whether on the High Street or online, do you ever wonder where it has really come from?  Would you like to know more about the item you are buying?  Well let me introduce you to Madecloser a place where you, the customer can buy any goods that are originally manufactured within your own continent and they are sorted by area - in order of local, regional, national or continental location.

The brain child of  John Palaguta-Iles, MadeCloser came to being in February 2011 when he spent quite some time searching for locally, ethically produced products for his new home, products that he could trace the origin of its manufacture and could get from a retailer that was closer to him.  Having found it quite a difficult task, he came up with MadeCloser, an online marketplace where ethically and locally manufactured goods, literally made closer, could be more readily found and purchased by like-minded people.

MadeCloser state that they are:

“Uniquely for an online marketplace, shoppers who care about local economies, sustainable commerce, helping the planet and helping fellow citizens, can choose products from a wide-ranging catalogue of goods - all Made Closer!”

So how does it work? Manufacturers register their products with MadeCloser to sell them on the their marketplace, as a customer we can then sort those products from continental to regional levels to find a product that we want from the closest manufacturer to you.

There are so many products that I liked from this website and from a choice of twelve different categories such as Jewellery, Health and Beauty, Home and garden and Animals and pets to name just a few, the choice is quite literally endless when looking for that perfect item or gift and here are some of my favourite items:

For those of you who are interested in ethics first, and economic and environmental sustainability, MadeCloser is a site you will like because whilst reading about MadeCloser, I was encouraged to find that it gives two thirds of its' net profit, to charities that comply with at least one of its charitable pre-requisites:

• ŸSupporting the preservation and evolution of indigenous and endangered cultures and species
• ŸActive involvement in local, national & continental self sustainability
• ŸThe education of free will and self governance
• ŸWorking with nature to fight disease

Out of this donated money, half of the funds go to causes and projects in the actual region of the individual customer. Whether you are a retailer, someone who is crafty or like me, someone who often wonders where products actually come from and wants to find something that has been made by a person, with a lot of love, rather than factory made in their millions, then MadeCloser is the place you should definitely come to look at.  

**SP

Heaven Skincare Bee Venom Face Mask

At the beginning of the year I did a post featuring some of the products I wanted to try in 2014, many of which pricked an interest due to some odd ingredient.

I was lucky enough to be sent some of the Heaven Skincare Bee Venom Face Mask**, a product favourite of some of our Royal Family Members, which is how I became fascinated by it – I am a huge Royalist and if it is good enough for the Duchess of Cambridge, it is good enough for me right?

Well once I had it in my grasp, the whole idea then became much scarier, I mean actual bee venom on my face, why on earth would I want to do that?  Well this is why:

“Heaven's Bee Venom range is the only Bee Venom range that contains the special ingredient abeetoxin™..  It softens lines and wrinkles whilst plumping and firming. It is a luxurious cream that you will see and feel working instantly, leaving your skin looking its youthful and radiant best.

If that isn’t enough to capture your interest it also contains Manuka Honey which is renowned for its soothing and healing properties as well as softening and calming Shea Butter which also has moisturising properties and finally Rose and Lavender essential oils which are also both hydrating and moisturising when on the skin.

As mentioned it does contain Bee Venom which claims to control the facial muscles for immediate lifting, tightening and firming, whilst getting to work on frown lines and wrinkles which is something I am always looking for, paranoid that I am getting old before my time.

The actual cream itself is not overly thick but you only need a small amount to cover your face.  So having cleaned and cleansed my face I took a few deep breaths and applied the mask as instructed to do so. There is a slight scent to it, definitely honey was the ingredient that I detected over and above anything else, but it glides onto your skin effortlessly and gradually sinks in.  Once your whole face is covered, you leave it on for 20 minutes before washing it off.  Once it was applied, I was sat on my bed relaxing and after about 6 minutes I felt my face start to tingle; it wasn’t unpleasant in any way, infact it was a relief to know that something was happening, I wanted those 20 minutes to hurry up so I can have a look at my face to see what the affect was going to be.  As soon as my time was up, I grabbed my Washi cloth and duly removed the cream or what was left of it, from my face and this is where I was so impressed.

Before using the cream, I had slight dryness on both cheeks and on my forehead between my eyebrows, it is a constant problem when the weather changes from cold to warm, no matter how much cream I apply, it always comes back.  So, having used this mask, not only did my skin feel smoother than it ever had before, softer than I have ever known it to be, but it was free from dry skin, I had a natural glow and even though I have hardly wrinkles, there was no sign of those that had been there, my skin felt tight and the puffiness under my eyes from lack of sleep had also gone. I was quite literally astounded by how good this was after one use.  

Now two days on, my skin is still soft and smooth and there is no sign of the dryness on either cheek or on my forehead, no wonder it is such a big hit with members of the Royal Family and now me!

As well as using this product as a mask, you can also use it both in the morning and in the evening by applying a small amount on top of your moisturiser.  I am yet to do this, but I intend too because I really want to see what the difference in my skin will be like.

This product for me is wonderful, now I have it in my grasp I am not willing to let it go, I have never tried a product like it nor been so impressed by its results, they more than live up to the claims and it is no wonder that Deborah Mitchell, CEO and founder of Heaven Skincare has won awards for the abeetoxin™ ingredient. 

Prices start from £25.30 and more information is available on the website which you can find here www.heavenskincare.com

Emmy Twenty – Fashionably Flat Shoes

There are very few amongst us that don’t own at least one pair of trusty ballet pumps. The reliability and versatility of this style means it has stood the test of time (heroines like Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot were big fans), so it’s no surprise that in 2014 we’re still besotted.

I recently discovered Emmy Twenty – a newly launched company that designs “fashionably flat shoes”. Its founder Sharon Sunners, had originally set out on a quest to find leather ballet pumps for work (many will know that London’s pavements and tube escalators can make wearing heels a daily battle). What she found both on the high street and online though was that a lot of the shoes were made from cheap materials like PU and the ones that were leather would cost well over £100. There seemed to be no middle ground. Speaking to friends, family and even surveying other shoppers they all agreed. It was then that she decided that if she couldn’t find it, she would make it and began sketching out designs. 

Given her direct experience as a consumer, Sharon paid particular attention to detail during the sampling process. For example knowing how unforgiving pavements are, a heel cushion was added to lessen the impact of the ground when walking and provide extra comfort. The colourful range is designed to be stylish and fun but also practical for the busy, modern and yet on-trend woman.

On another note, in support of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month this March, Emmy Twenty has teamed up with the charity Ovarian Cancer Action (www.ovarian.org.uk) to raise funds for research. For every pair sold of the limited edition Danson Teal shoe, £5.00 will be donated to the cause. The gorgeous teal colour is just the ticket for Spring! 

You can view the full collection at www.emmytwenty.com and if you’re tempted to treat yourself, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s free UK delivery.