W7 Christmas Product Launch Event!

A few weeks ago I attended a W7 event with the lovely Kimberley from Kimberleys beauty blog and as soon as we arrived the lovely PR girls were on hand to show us around, introduce us to new products, answer all our questions and let us swatch as much as we wanted too.  The range of products we got to see was huge, there was every kind of make-up product you could think of, nail polishes, hair dye and some new products in the skincare range.

I am quite a fan of W7 especially their In The Buff palette which you can see HERE, it is quite a good dupe of a well known brand!  The products from W7 are high street based making them affordable and the quality is really good, I am lucky that in my local shopping centre there is a W7 cart, so I can get my hands on quite a few products.

The first items we looked at was the new skin care range first which includes six products at some really amazing prices, so we have:

• Dream Clean Cleanser which has an RRP of £3.95 -  If you like a hint of Lavender in your products, then you will like this, it is quite a subtle hint and not too over the top.
• Wakey Wakey Day Dream Cream with an RRP of £3.95 - This is like a balm rather than a cream and it absorbs itself really quickly into the skin leaving no trace it was ever there behind. Instead you have soft, smooth skin.
• Nighty Night Dream Cream with an RRP £3.95- The night cream isn't as thick as your usual eye creams, I often find that some high street brands have quite a thick formula which are quite heavy on the skin, this one doesn't and again it absorbs quickly.
• Love Your Hands with an RRP of £3.95 - This is a citrus scented hand cream that leaves your hands feeling soft and smooth.
• Eye Love It with an RRP of £3.95 - This eye cream has a very light texture so it absorbs quickly and doesn't feel as though it is clinging to your skin.

What I loved about all of these products was the firstly their names, quite quirky and fun and for me they stand out because of the bright pink packaging, put alongside other products in stores like Boots.

One of the best products of the night for me, which I featured on my Instagram, was the Christmas Advent Calendar! Oh yes, it is a good one and it is only £12!! Having had the chance to have a look at it, see the products inside it, I can only tell you that it is brilliant value for money, not to mention a little bit of fun and much cheaper than some of the alternatives which are about to hit all of our inboxes I am sure!

For those of you who have never comes across W7 products before, if you look closely enough you will see a slight resemblance to some other brands which I mentioned on the night and what I like about this is that they are giving said brands a real run for their money, would you pay £20+ for a mascara if a £4.99 does a better job? No, I thought not.  W7 have a huge range of products such as eyelashes, mascaras, blushers, bronzers, foundations, lip crayons, chubby sticks, lip and cheek sticks and a chubby bronzer which I was quite taken with, quite a novel concept which works really well and is on my list of products to try.

After swatching everything to death, always the fun part, it was time to relax with some bubbles and play with an enormous number of nail polishes.  I found it quite relaxing sitting there, choosing which colours I liked the look of, apply them to my nail wheel and if it took my fancy add a bit or glitter or some other polishes to it.

You can view the entire W7 range of products on their website here and purchase them online via other sites, all of which you can see listed on their website.

Have you ever tried any of the products from W7? Do you like any of the ones ive shown here?

Old Wives Tail SOS Organic Anti-Hair Loss Oil Treatment

Every now and again a brand name pricks my interest and none more so than one called Old Wives Tail, I am sure after all, we all know a few!. When offered the chance to try one of their organic hair oil treatments, I jumped at the chance. The story behind the brand can be found HERE and it is one I found quite fascinating.

I was very kindly sent the SOS Organic Anti-Hair Loss Oil Treatment which is a 100% organic oil and it contains ingredients such as natural anti-bacterial agents that soothe and heal scalp infections and remove dead skin cells. SOS has stimulating properties that increase circulation and encourage healthy hair growth. So ingredients such as peppermint, lavender, almond oil and avocado oil and I should also mention that it is free from sulfates and parabens, as well as being gluten free, not tested on animals and suitable for both vegetarians and vegans - pretty impressive right?

My hair is always described to me as being particularly fine but lots of it, hair loss isn't something I suffer from (unless you look too closely at my hairbrush) but my scalp can be a right nightmare. If I am ill and stressed it turns into a snow storm and flakes quite badly not to mention becomes very itchy.  As it is, I have greasy roots and dry ends (if only someone would make that perfect shampoo) so I am very careful about which products I use on which parts of my hair, too much conditioner and you could fry an egg on it, not enough and I look like a scarecrow!  So To use the oil, you are directed to massage it deeply into the scalp, paying particular interest to the most dry areas.  Once you have applied the oil to your hair, ensure your whole head is covered, right to the end and leave it on your hair for an hour, or for the best results, leave the treatment on over night and wrap your head in a warm towel.  

Once your allotted hour is over, you need to rinse your hair with fresh water and shampoo it, repeat the process if necessary until your hair feels clean and product free and then dry and style your hair as normal.

I decided to try this oil overnight, using my Save The Blow Dry shower cap in place of the warm towel over my head, but I did have a towel over my pillow to protect it from any leakages.  As I did so, the one thing you would expect to find with a product like this, is the amazing scent, the peppermint and lavender being the two most dominant scents and two that I am a huge fan of.  

The following morning, I was straight in the shower, hair washed and was surprised to find it was really easy to remove the oil from my hair, I had expected to have to wash it a fair few times, but once was enough and then after finishing I allowed my hair to part dry and then finished with the hairdryer.  Usually I get a bit of static when I dry my hair with the hairdryer, but I did notice there was slightly less of it this time round, the peppermint scent was also still noticeable on my hair and once completely dry, my hair looked really shiny and was a pleasure to style.  

For me, this treatment is something I will continue to use weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how my hair and scalp feel, it is such a pleasure to use, more so knowing there are no nasties within it or that a poor little bunny hasn't been used to test it.  For 100ml it costs just £13.99 which is a complete bargain!

If this Old Wives Tales is something you think you would like to try, you can find more information on all of their products on the website and they also offer free worldwide delivery on any order. There is also a competition to win a hair mask of your choice and it ends on 1st November 2014.

The Five Minute At Home Facial by Superdrug

I love having facials and I love face masks, the nearest I get to having a regular facial. There is something quite relaxing about covering your face in lotions, potions, gels and fabrics to cleanse and clean your face.

Superdrug have just launched 'The Five Minute At Home Facial' in the form of fabric masks and I have very kindly been sent the set to try out.  Designed to give your skin an indulgent boost, these masks have been inspired by Asian beauty trends.  The fabric sheet which forms the mask has been soaked with effective b;ends to give the skin an almost instantaneous boost.  The five minute home facial title caught my eye because as someone who always feels like they are on the go Monday to Friday, I find it hard to find long enough to stick on a face mask to give it time to work, with this, 5 minutes is all you need, perfect.

I have been more than impressed with Superdrug products lately and not too long ago reviewed the Overnight Glycolic Peel which to me rivals Origins Overnight mask, you can read all about it here.

The collection contains four masks which have been created to address the most common skin problems Dull and Blemished skin, Parched and Rough Skin, Stressed and overworked Skin and Clogged and Tired Skin and the masks are packaged like this:

Working from left to right:

Hydrating Facial Mask is designed for parched and rough skin.  Using a rich complex of Plant Collagen and Glycerin along with Pelvetiane seaweed, this mask infuses the skin with goodness to leave it ultra-smooth and supple.

Calming Facial Mask is for those people who have stressed and overworked skin.  Using a herbal blend of Green Tea, Cucumber Fruit and Aloe Vera Juice, this mask is said to provide a soothing sensation whilst reviving the skins radiance, leaving it beautifully supple.

Deep Cleansing Face Mask is for people with clogged and tired skin and is designed to cleanse away impurities and detoxify the skin.  Using Dead Sea Salt, Menthol and Seaweed this mask cleanses and renews the complexions radiance to leave your skin silky smooth and reinvigorated.

Purifying Facial Mask is for those with dull and blemished skin.  Using a blend of Green Tea and Spearmint Oils, this mask cleanses the skin of any blemishes and refreshes it with cooling spearmint to leave the skin soft and supple.

I am looking forward to putting all of these masks to the test, so look out for reviews on each of them.  They retail for just £1.29 which is an absolute bargain and you can find them in your local Superdrug.

Do you like using facemasks? Do you like the sound of these?

Keeping fresh and flawless skin through the seasons

The changing seasons can play havoc with skin – dry, cold, hot, sweating – it all affects skin in different ways. Luckily, there are lots of different skin care routines you can do to keep it looking healthy, no matter what the climate or weather!

Here’s how to keep your skin looking fresh and radiant throughout the different seasons.

Smooth the wrinkles away

If you’re noticing a few unsightly marks around your face such as crow’s feet, frown lines or forehead lines, why not take a quick trip to a business like Cosmos Clinic, found here, which will have them smoothed out in no time. Anti-wrinkle injections are quick and efficient, as they slow down muscle movement in the areas where wrinkles are most problematic. In approximately five days, your face will be smooth and fresh, and you’ll have shaved years off your appearance! 

Cutting down baths and hot water showers

If you’re a regular bath buddy, or love your piping hot showers in winter, your skin may be suffering. Unfortunately, hot water strips your body of its natural oils, which can cause very dry skin. If you’re having baths or really hot showers multiple times a week, then your body is probably struggling to keep up producing enough moisturizing oils for your skin to stay soft and supple! 

Instead of using hot water, try lowering the temperature to warm. Try to limit your time in the bath to around 15 minutes – it might be hard, but your skin will thank you for it! Using a soap designed for delicate skin is also recommended, as this is another product that strips the natural oils.

Knowing the right time to moisturise

Dry skin sufferers can’t live without their moisturiser, and knowing when to apply it makes a world of difference to its effectiveness! Apply right after you get out of the bath or shower, after softly patting yourself dry. Also, applying just before bedtime will give you noticeable results. 

Summertime sunscreen

It seems obvious, but sunscreen is crucial to keeping your skin fresh, healthy and burn free during the summertime months. A great tip that most people don’t realize is that you can help protect your skin even more by applying it before you hit the beach. If you pop a bit on every night before the next beach vacation, your body builds up ‘stratum corneum’ – which stops your skin from burning! A great way to prevent the dreaded beetroot look, and to stop your skin frying and becoming damaged.

Exfoliate your skin to keep it fresh and vibrant

Skin sheds at a ridiculously fast rate. If they’re not exfoliated off, they’ll sit on top of your healthy new skin, making it look dry and sullen. There are lots of great body scrubs on the market perfect for exfoliating the old skin away, and ensuring that the new skin gets its time to shine! 

Exfoliating 2-3 times per week is optimal for lovely, luscious skin.
Changing your skin care to suit the seasons is important, and luckily, very easy to do!

What are some of your favourite ways to keep your skin fresh and healthy through the seasons

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