Capital Hair and Beauty

 I am all for championing UK grown businesses on my blog and indeed I have featured one or two in my time. Today's honour is bestowed upon Capital Hair and Beauty who began their journey some 60 years ago as a scissor sharpening company based in Brighton, East Sussex.  Today they have gone on to became the UK's largest independent supplier to Hairdressers, Beauty Therapists and Nail Technicians with over 34 cash & carry stores throughout the UK and Ireland.

The company for me has a really fascinating history, back in 1954, the scissor sharpening service used push bikes to deliver their service, not using a courier service as you might use today or indeed a Boris bike for those of you who live in London.  Throughout the 60s and 70s the business grew and self-service trade counters began to appear, then fast forward to the 1980s and there is the very first cash and carry wholesale outlet in Hayes, Middlesex.  Today with stores and distribution warehouses expanding rapidly, we hit the year 2004 to see Capital’s first eCommerce website which was later launched and in 2005.  It was at this point they started providing training courses to encourage customers to pick up new skills and broaden expertise, plus give them a chance to meet new people in the business and share tips!  Now the website has a mobile version of the website and most interestingly of all, a blog and a step into the ever growing and rapidly changing universe of social media.

I know a few of my readers are beauticians in many different forms and this website has everything I can think of for running your own business.  Whether you need a barbers chair, styling units or even a nail station, which look super handy for make-up storage, this site covers it all and at amazing prices, I somehow expected to see chairs costing a lot more than they do, my own office chair is three times the price of one of these and it isn't that comfortable - I wonder if I can trade!

Furniture aside and there is a huge lost of products for sale with every brand you can think of from Tigi, American Crew, Babyliss, Fudge, L'Oreal and Schwarzkopf to name just a few of them.  As this is a wholesale site you can only imagine some of the bargains to be had and if you do run your own company, are just starting out or have been thinking about starting out, then Capital Hair and Beauty is more than worth checking out.


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Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm

MeruMaya is a brand I have read a lot about and not tried until I selected it as one of my choices in my January You Beauty Discovery Box.  Since then, I have pretty much used it every day, if not every other day, that is how much I love it.  Cleansing Balms are something new to me, I know a lot of people rave about Emma Hardie and it is on my wishlist, but it has to be seriously amazing to replace this product.

The tube I have is 30ml, so it has lasted over a month which is quite impressive and I still have just under half a tube left to use before it runs out.  The claims are at "The Melting Cleansing Balm claims to efficaciously removes all traces of make up and grime and leaves the skin feeling velvety soft".  I am delighted this balm comes in a tube too, makes it much easier to use.

Merumaya recommends that you massage the balm on to dry skin and you really only need a small blob because as sayings go, a little goes a long way. In the tube, the balm looks every bit like you would expect a balm to look, it is thicker than your average Micellar water and thinner in texture than a face mask.  Once you begin to massage the balm onto your face, it immediately begins to melt and as you massage it in, you can see your mascara, foundation and other products on your face simply melt along with dirt and grime from your day.  After massaging, you add water and for a another minute or two, further massage your face and you will notice that the balm now becomes like a cleansing milk, it is at this point that I grab a clean Muslin cloth to wipe my face clean.  Afterwards my skin feels absolutely amazing, soft and smooth to the touch, clean and incredibly moisturised, all in what is effectively less than 5 minutes of my time. 

I absolutely love the scent of this balm which adds to the number of reasons why I love it already. It has three main active ingredients which are:

• RevitElix™ is Echium oil providing Omega 3, 6 & 9 to reduce lines and wrinkles, improve elasticity and participate in barrier repair. It helps rebuild the hydro lipid film as the skins surface and is also anti-irritant.
• Sucragel™ which contains Sweet Almond Oil and acts as a ‘wash on’ moisturiser and leaves a velvety finish while thoroughly cleansing
• Mangosteen Fruit Extract which is rich in vitamins and polyphenols providing anti-oxidant protection

All of those ingredients, plus a few others come together to leave your skin feeling soft, clean, hydrated and as though it can breathe. As you can see, not only is this a great budget friendly cleansing balm that doesn't strip the skin, it feels luxurious and works so effectively at what it is meant to do, what more could you want? I would happily try everything else in the range.

If you are looking for a new Cleansing Balm and haven't yet tried this one, I cannot recommend Merumaya enough, it is a complete bargain at £15.50 for 100ml. 

Look Fantastic Beauty Box - February Edition

I have been getting the Look Fantastic box for the last few months and it has all been detailed on my blog if you would like to see previous boxes. For just £15 a month you get such great quality products that for me, this is one of the best subscription boxes that there is out there. The January Box last month was amazing, there was nothing I disliked or wouldn't use, so for me February had a lot to live up to! 

This is what I found in my box:

The first product nestled inside the February is a 25ml bottle of the Moroccanoil Treatment which is worth £13.45.  I am a huge fan of these products because it is great at eliminating any frizz and detangling any knots especially when you are on holiday.  Whenever I go away, I always ensure I have a bottle of this in my bag because it is just amazing and you only need to use such a small amount. This oil also helps to provide long-term conditioning and added shine.

Next up is this cute little 10ml sample tube of the Dr. PawPaw Multipurpose Soothing Balm worth around £2.50. The balm is a multipurpose balm which means it can be used on your lips, hair and skin and it is made in the UK from a variety of natural ingredients including Pawpaw, Olive Oil and Aloe Vera Oil which, blended together, create a multi-purpose formula for you to carry around at all times thanks to the handy little tube.

The next product is a 50ml bottle of Korres Citrus Little Body Milk which has a value of around £2.50. I am a huge fan of Korres products but have never tried a moisturising body milk, so I am really delighted to see this in my box.  This Body Milk is enriched with vitamins, trace elements and essential skin energy boosting agents along with a combination of almond oil, active aloe, b5 and shea butter for long-lasting hydration. This citrus scent smells quite fresh and because the milk is such a lightweight consistency it absorbs really quickly leaving behind soft moistursed skin.

The next product is this tiny 17g Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Deep Cleansing Bar which has a value of around £5.50. It is described as being 'Iconic' it is a cleansing bar that removes impurities and exfoliates the skin for soft, smooth skin. The soap is 97% natural and contains therapeutic dead sea mud to dramatically improve the overall quality of your skin.  It has three different roles - exfoliates to remove dead skin cells for more radiant skin, it stimulates to improve circulation and motivate natural skin regeneration and finally it cleanses to makeup and grime without stripping the skin of natural oils. I love the sound of this soap and wish the sample was much bigger so I could give it a really good try.  That said, I am going away for a long weekend in a few weeks and will take it with me to try.

My next item is a 20ml bottle of MONU Illuminating Primer which is worth £11. This Primer has an SPF of 15 and has a paraben free formula that acts as a base for makeup. It is said to smooth the skin and reduce the appearance of blemishes to create a lasting radiant glow.  I have used tis product before and was sat on the fence as to whether or not I liked it, the consistency is really nice though to me it is more of a moisturiser than a primer because it is so hydrating, so I am more than willing to try it again to see if my opinion changes.

The last product in the box is a full sized Bellapiere Cosmetics Lip Liner in shade Cinnamon worth £16. Sadly this isn't a shade I would use as it is too dark and too brown for me which is a shame because when I swatched it on my hand, it simply glided onto my skin with no effort and is so smooth.  Bellapierre lip liner pencils provide a finished look for a beautiful pout. Available in 4 shades (Natural, Nude, Cinnamon and Truly Red) they are made from 100% pure mineral pigments, all natural botanical waxes such as jojoba, safflower, and vitamin E creating waterproof wear so you never have to worry about re-applying after eating or drinking.

So that was the February Box.  I don't think it is as good as the January Bo which I absolutely loved, but I do think this box was full of great products that I am going to really enjoy using. I love that these boxes include a nice range of products from well known and high end brands and that the sizes are really generous on the whole, especially when it only costs £15!  If you like the look of this box you can purchase your own here.

Purrfect Box - January

For those of you who are regular readers of my blog, will know that I (and the mister) have three cats, my fur kids and they have become big fans of the Purrfectbox, it is as though they know that the bright pink box is for them as soon as it arrives.

The Purrfect box costs £19 inc. delivery and is a monthly subscription box.  Each month there is a different theme and in each box you get a selection of top quality toys, treats, grooming tools, food and training products for your cat.  Furthermore, your box is custom made just for your pet(s) because you complete a short proforma detailing your pet's age, breed and fur type. 

So in my posession is the January box and the cats have already been in it and helped themselves, but the contents are amazing and they include:

• 1x Clean wipes from sanicat - Sanicat Cat Cleaning Wipes are a convenient way of cleaning your cat without having to get them in the bath. This also comes in handy for those kittens who haven’t quite got the hang of cleaning themselves yet, however cannot stand the bath. The wipes include a moisturising and antiseptic extract of aloe vera & they also contain lanolin for rapid absorption and conditioning effect. Cat wipes are hypoallergenic & pH neutral (5.5) making them ideal for the most sensitive parts of the skin. So never fear again for a mucky kitty.

• 1x Fish &1x horse toy - My cats always go totally crazy for products like this within the box.  This feathery fishy with its elastic band will have your pet cat chasing for hours on end. Accompanied with the horse toy, which, best of all for your pussycat, makes a rustling sound, which kitties seem to go mad for! 

• 1x 100% Natural foods from scheshir (tin and pouch) - The 100% natural foods from Schesir does exactly what it says on the tin (literally) – featuring in our January monthly subscription box in Tuna flavour, this seems to go down a treat with the kitties of the UK. Schesir Natural Cat Dinners are a nutritious complete food for cats, containing all the vitamins and minerals required for a long and healthy life, as it is filled with carefully selected ingredients making it a refined and delicate speciality food for cats. They are extremely palatable and contain only the highest quality ingredients – of course, as your pussycat only deserves the best! 

• 1x Scratching post from wasabycat - The cat needs to scratch and it’s better to do it on a scratching post than on a tablecloth! If there is a must-have item when you have a cat at home, it is the scratching post! To prevent your kitty from damaging the cloth during a picnic in the countryside, we suggest the scratching post manufactured by Wasabycat in France. It is made entirely from natural materials and wood support is PEFC certified. Sheet set with sisal scratch on wood planks are extremely strong to withstand the claws of your cat! 

• 1x Kitty treats from zolux - These treats are great for reducing your cats hair balls, including the necessary amounts of fibre to stimulate intestinal transit and reduces the amount of fur ball shedding 

The box also contained a mini magazine called Purr notes and inside you can read about the box itself to a cute DIY tutorial for giving treats to your cat which I actually want to try and Purrfectbox contributes financial aid towards the protection of these animals by supporting associations who provide these dogs with better living conditions, you can see more about that right here:

My cats have absolutely loved this box especially all of those toys and treats and they also love playing with the box once it had been emptied the contents, so it is like double the fun for them, though only one of then can fit in it at any one time.

What do you think of the Purrfectbox?