VO5 Create A New Style Challenge

 I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.

Having the same hair style day after day can get you down so when I had the chance to glam up my do with VO5 I jumped at the chance!

Naturally my hair is quite flat and lacks volume so for my chosen hairstyle I wanted to go for a voluptulous, volumised do with free flowing waves. To achieve this I decided to go for a quiff which would give me amazing volume on the front of my hair and ringlets to give the lengths some movement.

VO5 have a fantastic range of products that are designed to create a large range of hair styles, including adding volume, defining layers or protecting the hair from heat damage.

VO5 Give Me Texture Instant Oomph powder (Superdrug price £4.05) is a white powder that is used on the roots to build up volume. The bottle is quite small but you only need to use a little bit of powder at a time. I rubbed the powder in after applying and it disappeared almost immediately so there was no need to worry about people thinking I had dandruff!


The powder did make my hair look like it had more life almost instantly but it did leave quite a grimy feel on my hair which wasn't that pleasant.

VO5 Plump it Up Dry Backcomb Spray (Superdrug price £3.69) is a spray designed to take the work out of backcombing your hair. I noticed there was definitely a lift in my hair after spraying Plump It Up on which gives the perfect foundation for backcombing the front of my hair into a quiff. Whilst the product does say there is less need for backcombing, I felt for the ultimate lift I would use a comb to give my hair a little more life.

With the front of my hair backcombed and full of volume I inserted a volume insert near the back of my head and secured the front of my hair over it. With the quiff achieved it was time to give the length of my hair some life with some feminine ringlets.

 

I used GHDs to add curls to my hair and slowly went down each plane of hair to achieve soft, loose curls.

VO5 Smoothly Does It Heat Protect Serum (Superdrug Price £4.05) is a dual use product that can be used on wet or dry hair. As I finished curling my hair I wanted to add extra shine which would really finish my look. I applied VO5 Smoothly does it serum to the sides of my hair and the quiff where I wanted the most shine. 

The serum initally looks quite wet on applying but dries to a smooth finish. I did notice however the serum didn't really leave much of a shine on my hair.

Once I had achieved the look I was going for I wanted to make sure it would last as long as I wanted it to. VO5 Strong Hold Hairspray (Superdrug price £3.05) has 5 vital benefits including:

• All day hold that brushes out easily
• Weather protection providing a shield against humidity for 24 hours which prevents frizz
• Ultrafine fast drying spray with no sticky residue
• Healthy shine to finish your style
• UV filter to help protect against environmental damage

The hairspray dried quickly but did leave some of my hair feeling a little bit crispy (never a good thing). I love how the spray is strong yet still has protection from the weather so my hair isn't destroyed with the onset of rain.

Each of the VO5 products I used had their own merits and were efficeint in helping me create my super volumised style. With a great fragrance they don't leave your hair smelling funny and give you the tools you need to make your hair go from drab to glam.

If you want a bit of glimmer in your makeup bag Rimmel Coral Gold lipstick is for you

Rimmel lipstick in Coral Gold is a delightful combination of a light red and gold shades.

The lipstick comes in fairly standard Rimmel packaging and the stick itself has the appearance of a light coral shade.

I had no problems applying the lipstick although I did feel the colour seemed quite faint on first glance. I would say Coral Gold is perfect for those who want to advance to red lipsticks but don't want to begin with a shade that is too bold.

I liked how the lipstick seemed quite subtle yet there is a glow to it that is gained from the gold pigments in the lipstick.

A great little lipstick for the casual user but may be too light for some.

I give it 3/5

Before applying Rimmel Coral Gold

After using Rimmel in Coral Gold

Advantages

• Is quite subtle which is good for those who don't use lipstick regularly
• Has a nice gold glow

Disadvantages

• Might be too faint for some people

Create a Green Goddess look with MyFace eyeshadow in Crystalline Green

The colour green isn't on everyone's top lists but if you take one key item in that colour you can create a very tasteful makeup style.

By using MyFace eyeshadow in Crystalline Green I created a centre point which I complimented with other more toned down makeup products.

MyFace eyeshadow has a foil like effect that sparkles and really draws attention to the eye area. YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat creates a natural glow which is complimented with the MyFace blusher in Paridisio that sculpts the cheeks. To ensure the eyes are a talking point I used Avon Irresistibly Sexy mascara which adds curve and length to lashes and MyFace slinky eyeliner which creates a really fantastic eye flick.

Green Goddess 

Glossy Box June contents revealed - find out what cult makeup products are inside!

June's edition of Glossybox is all about Summer and bringing out the best of your Inner goddess with their Summer inspired treats. Grab a look at my reaction as I open the box for the first time.

Figs and Rouge Cherry Blossom lip balm is 100% natural, packed with antioxidants and comes tinted in a handy little tube. The great thing about this lip balm is that you don't have to apply it with your fingers, so whether you're at a festival or you've just come off the train you can still keep things hygienic. This versatile product can also be used on your elbows, knees, for your face when you've forgotten to moisturise and if you really want to push the boat out - on your eyebrows.

GlossyBox have supplied a full size product of Figs and Rouge balm.

Find more great products like this at Feel Unique 

Monu Moisturiser contains a Oxide SPF which provides a broad spectrum of UVA and UVB protection against the suns damaging rays.  Vitamin E fights free radicals and the soft focus technology helps to blur imperfections and correct skin tone. It's a multi fuction product that aims to fight skin ageing and keep your skin looking as young as possible for many years to come. Win win!

Glossy Box have supplied a fairly large sample size of Monu Moisturiser. 

Visit Monu Shop to receive 10% off your next order when entering Glossy1 (expires 1/10/2013)

MeMeMe Long lasting gloss in Graceful represents the inherent qualities of many a free spirit. The varnishes have a lovely glossy finish and their maxi-brush makes for the perfect application.

GlossyBox MeMeMe nail varnish is full size. 

Visit MeMeMe Cosmetics  to receive 15% off your next order when entering GBUK15

Nuxe's latest cult product Huile Prodigieuse OR is a multi tasking desert island must. The dry oil contains 6 precious plaint oils and Vitamin E that are easily absorbed and perfect for illuminating all skin and hair types. Your skin will be transformed with a subtle golden shimmer that looks like it's come from within. No matter what season it is one sniff of this bottle will transform you to the deck of a yacht in the Mediterranean, carefree and glowing. The spray can be used on the face, hair or body.

GlossyBox have supplied a rather small 10ml sample in comparison to the 100ml full size product. 

Visit Nuxe to receive 15% off your next purchase when entering Glossyboxdisc (expires 30/06/2013)

Helen E Shimmer eye powder can be used for both night and day looks with a little layering perfect for going from desk to bar.

Glossy Box have supplied a full size Helen E eyeshadow. 

Visit Helen E to receive £10 off your next order when entering code PR13 (min spend £25 before discount,expires 31/07/2013)

This was my GlossyBox what was in yours? I'd love to see your pictures and thoughts!

Dainty Doll Eyeshadow base makeup review

If you're a eyeshadow fan it can often be a pain when your eyeshadow fails to last the whole day.

There are many eyeshadow bases out there that are designed to prolong the life of your eyeshadow and often intensify the colour.

Dainty Doll eyeshadow base is a eyeshadow base designed with longevity in mind. It has Vitamins A, E and C to help reduce wrinkles and age spots, Shea butter to help protect and restore and Rice bran to condition and protect the eyes. It is designed for longer lasting crease proof eyeshadow and can be used with or without eyeshadow.

The base comes in a cute little box with a quirky picture of a pale ginger girl on the front. As the range is designed by Nicola Robert's of Girls Aloud fame it has characteristics that are very quirky and imitable of the singer.

I applied the eyeshadow base on one eye and left the other bare to test the strength of the base. After applying the eyeshadow I compared the two and did feel there was slightly more glow to the eyeshadow on the eye with the base. By the end of the day however I felt that there was very little difference between the two, probably around 1% at the most.

I felt it was a cute little product but didn't seem to have much of a effect on sustaining the life of a general matte eyeshadow. With its added vitamin products and added glow it has some benefits but may have more use on glitter or cream eyeshadows that are more suspectible to fading quickly.

Dainty Doll eyeshadow base is on the right eye

Dainty Doll base with eyeshadow applied

Later on in the evening

I give it 3/5

Advantages

• Quirky packaging
• Has added vitamins A, E and C, Shea butter and Rice bran
• Adds a slight glow to the eyeshadow

Disadvantages

• I didn't feel it had much of a effect on the shelf life of the eyeshadow once it's applied 

For more reviews of Dainty Doll products click here

Dainty Doll blusher makeup review

Nicola Roberts has come a long way since the early days of Girls Aloud. Emerging from the shadow of other girls she's become a Ambassador, embraced her natural hair and skin colour and launched her own range of make up Dainty Doll.

Specifically designed for pale skinned girls the makeup is designed to highlight and emphasise the beauty of pale skin.



Advantages

• Comes with a handy compact mirror so it's perfect for travelling
• Strong pigmented colour
• Really highlights and emphasises the cheeks 
• A little really does go a long way

Disadvantages

• The powder seems quite messy after one use which you don't often see

Cybher 2013 uniting makeup, mummy and lifestyle bloggers all over the UK

On 1st June 2013 female bloggers from all over the UK and further afield came together for the 2013 blogging conference Cybher.

The conference which is now in its second year united mummy bloggers, beauty writers, lifestyle and more with a joint connection; they were all independent women linked by a desire to write and share their opinions through a blog.

The day began by signing in at reception and being given a Cybher 2013 goody bag and a leather satchel in the choice of four colours.

Inside the grand ballroom of 8 Northumberland everyone sat and listened as Sian, the founder of Cybher introduced the event and what was to come. This was followed by a great speech from the author of A girl with A One Track Mind, telling her inspirational tale of how she started her blog anonymously and what happened when that was taken away.

There was a varied schedule with topics such as viral marketing, how to make your blog better, learning about Edge rank and more. With three seminars opposite each other at every interval it was difficult deciding which one to attend.

Lunch was provided with a choice of mini fish and chips, little burgers with sweet potato chips, Dim Sum and other dishes available all finished off with a chocolate mousse coated with Oreo cookie crumb. Amongst the refreshment hall were Cybher's sponsors including Freya, Betty&Walter, Leather Satchel and more. There was the chance to enter a few competitions, browse some of Freya's underwear, get your nails done or have your brows threaded. There were refreshments on tap which was nice and perfect to quench the thirst.

By the end of the day I had lots of notes and had learnt some interesting facts, most notably how to position a photo, ways to improve my blog and things to avoid.

Ticket prices started at £80 and rose to £120 near the end of ticket sales. I bought my ticket for £100 which I did feel was slightly steep, however for a central London location, refreshments and lunch I guess the value was fair.

Inside the goody bag we all got given was  a Caramel recipe book

Caramel biscuits

Dodo pad wall

A smaller Dodo pad

I did feel it was a shame that we were given 2013 editions as we're halfway through the year now so half the book is wasted. A 2014 editionw ould have bene much appreciated!

Betty&Walter note pad

Cybher Leather Satchel

The leather satchels came in a selection of colours with a exclusive 'This Cybher bag belongs to' tag attached. Designed by the small independent family company Leather Satchel Co, which has been producing traditional leather bags since the 1960's.

As the conference drew to a close cocktails and mocktails were the next thing on the agenda as everyone slipped into the Collective Bias sponsored after party.