Beauty Haul November 2014

Don't you just love it when you sell some unwanted things on eBay and can do some guilt-free shopping with the money you made? I do; it's the best kind of shopping!

I managed to do a little guilt free shopping last week, when I popped in to town with my sister. Well, almost. I was planning to buy Christmas presents with the extra cash, but we only visited four shops before I had to give in to the pain and go home. (It spoils all my fun)! I only bought one present, but I did manage to treat myself to a few bits from Lush and Boots before we left. I figured it would of been rude not to! I only feel slightly guilty.

Would you like to see what I bought?

I bought a dozen beauty products, from Boots, Lush, and Morrisons and ten of them are completely new to me.

First up are these three make up items from Rimmel, which were on 3 for 2 in Boots. I went in looking for a new foundation to try, as I still haven't found the right one for me. My skin is so pale most foundations are too dark for me, and it's even harder to get it right with a face full of tan freckles to complicate things. I swatched the Rimmel 9-in-1 Skin Perfecting Super Make Up Matte BB Cream in Very Light, and it was a surprisingly good match, so I decided to give it a try. I've worn it a few times already and so far, so good!

I also picked up the Brow This Way Brow Styling Gel in Dark Brown 003. I've wanted to learn how to do my brows for years, but I never have. Most of the time I just hide the awful things under my fringe! I first heard of brow gels earlier this year when Benefit brought out Gimme Brow, but as much as I wanted to try it, I couldn't afford the price tag. Then I heard of Rimmel's dupe, and at just £3.99 it was a far more appealing product to try out and learn from. I've used it once so far, and I'm impressed with the results already.

The free product I picked up on the 3 for 2 deal was the Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder in Transparent 001. I haven't used Rimmel's powders since secondary school, so it's like a blast from the past!

In Boots, I used my Advantage Card points to treat myself to the Original Source Pineapple and Moringa Skin Quench Moisturising Body lotion. I'm obsessed with pineapple scents, and this body lotion has the most gorgeous pineapple fragrance ever. I wish there were more pineapple beauty products out there and that they all smelt as good as this one.

Before I left, I couldn't resist popping in to Lush for a couple of things. Lush is one of my very favourite beauty brands, but it's a rare treat for me now. 

I bought six items, mostly from the Christmas range, including Mask of Magnaminty, my favourite face mask; the Dashing Santa Bath Bomb; a Christmas Hedgehog Bubble Bar; Yog Nog Soap; Baked Alaska Snowball Soap; and the First Snow Sparkling Dusting Powder. I love them all. I'm not going to write about each of them individually now, but check back later in the week for my Lush Christmas post when I'll give them all a proper review.

And finally, I was in Morrisons last week when I spotted these two new dry shampoos.

The Herbal Essences Uplifting Volume Dry Shampoo (Citrus Fragrance) is one I first heard of on a beauty blog a couple of weeks ago, and I knew I had to try it. I've loved Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners since the nineties. This shampoo has a lovely citrus fragrance, and unlike Batiste, it doesn't leave white or grey residue in the hair. It was only £1.00 for a 65ml bottle, and so far I'm impressed.

I also picked up the Aussie Mega Instant Miracle Dry Shampoo. I had no idea that Aussie also made dry shampoos, and I'm presuming it's another newcomer. It was £1.50 for a 65ml bottle, so I couldn't resist that one, either. Aussie make the best hair products. If you can't get to Morrisons, it's £2.29 on Boots here.

What beauty products have you bought lately? Do any of these spark your interest?

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Conditioner Review

I enjoy reviewing beauty products from time to time and I want to start sharing more of my favourite products with you guys. I don't know why I haven't been talking more about my established favourites, but I plan to start rectifying that. 

Today, I'm going to start with a review of Aussie's Miracle Hair Insurance, which is a light, leave in conditioner spray which I have been using religiously for more than a decade, and first discovered at the age of twelve. 

Miracle Hair Insurance is infused with Australian jojoba seed oil, which is designed to detangle the hair and protect it from everyday wear-and-tear, and as it says on the bottle, it's "a saviour for weak, distressed hair." 

This is one product that actually lives up to what it promises.

I don't have weak or distressed hair, but this conditioner spray has always helped to keep my hair in good condition. For most of the years I've been using the product, I've had very long hair (obviously, not now!), which needed to be looked after to keep it looking healthy, as long hair usually does. I've never had to splash out on expensive magical elixirs to get the results my hair needs; a simple leave in conditioner has always been all I've needed, no matter the length of my hair! (Seriously! All I do with my hair is shampoo and condition it, and spray this fantastic leave in conditioner in to my hair after a shower or a swim)! 

I actually remember using a Salon Selectives leave in conditioner when I was a tween, but it was later discontinued, and on my hunt for a replacement, I discovered Aussie's Miracle Hair Insurance. I was about twelve when I started using it, and I haven't looked back in seventeen years!

Why, you ask? Well, the conditioner is perfect for so many situations, and it works wonders on my hair. Here's why I love it so much:

♥ The conditioner keeps my hair looking strong, shiny, and healthy, and helps to revive it when it's not looking its best. 

♥ It detangles my hair and makes brushing any tangles out a breeze.

♥ It's ideal for spraying in to wet hair after a swim in the sea or pool, as it instantly hydrates the hair and protects it after it's been exposed to salt water and pool chemicals, while making it easy to run a brush through your hair when it's become knotted from your swim. (Have you tried brushing long hair after a swim in the sea? It's a nightmare)! I never go to the beach or pool without it! 

♥ It's useful if you've over-slept, can't be bothered to condition your hair in the shower, or find it difficult to shower for long due to illness or injury. Just shampoo your hair in the shower, and then spray the Miracle Hair Insurance in once you're out of the water! It's been invaluable for me with my back injuries since I struggle to stand up long enough to wash my hair, and it means I can skip a step if I'm not feeling great. It's also come to the rescue so many times when I've been running late for work. 

It's basically a miracle spray, and it really does deserve the name!

It's a light spray, with a consistency just a little thicker than water, and all you need to do is spray it in to wet hair, and brush through to make sure it gets to every lock. You can then blow dry your hair or let it dry naturally, and wait for it to work its magic! Simple as that! You can also use it on dry hair, although in all the years I've been using it, I've never tried it on anything but wet hair.

It really is that easy to use, and it only takes ten seconds of your time, so no commitment is needed to fit it in to your hair care routine. It's great for busy and lazy girls alike!

The good news is, it's a purse-friendly conditioner spray, generally retailing somewhere between £4.50- £5.00 for a 250ml bottle, but you often find Aussie products on 3 for £10 offers in most supermarkets in the UK, or on 3 for 2 at Boots and Superdrug etc. I usually get a couple of months use out of one bottle, so it's fairly priced.

I personally think it's more than worth it's price tag, and I would happily buy it if it cost £4.50 or £15.00. I couldn't live without it! If I was stranded on a desert island, it's the one product I would hope to be stranded with.

Aussie also have several other conditioner sprays in the range, designed for a variety of hair types and needs, although the Miracle Hair Insurance has always been my favourite because the scent is so fresh and pleasant, without being over-baring. I love the Miracle Recharge Shine and have used the Long Luscious Hair and Miracle Recharge Colour sprays before, which all work equally brilliantly, but I always return to this one because it's my particular favourite.

It can't be bad if I've been using it for seventeen years, right?

Have you used Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance yet? Do you use any of the other conditioner sprays in the collection?