Creightons Keratin Pro Professional Haircare Shampoo and Condition review

The Gloss
Natural Keratin helps to provide hair with strength and structure. This natural protein is  often effected by styling, colouring, ageing, UV rays and urban pollution that can leave hair damaged, dull and frizzy. Keratin Pro Shampoo and conditioner are designed to help boost hairs natural


Keratin levels providing protection against heat styling and pollution. The products help to repair damage and stressed hair cells and over time hair strength is rebuilt and elasticity restored helping to reduce frizziness and tame fly aways. Your hair is left looking smoother and more manageable.

The Lowdown
When I was asked to test these I was surprised by how premium they look considering they retail in Poundland for the grand price of £1.00. The packaging is silky and polished and the wording really stands out in gold lettering against the red background.

They both have a lovely scent that isn't overpowering and lingers on the hair for a long time after it has dried. After applying the shampoo and washing it out I felt my hair was slightly knotty but soon took on a smooth feel after applying the conditioner.

Once my hair had dried my hair felt really smooth and soft and it was really easy to manage. When styling my hair I didn't use any extra product and my hair had a really nice natural shine.

A great set of products that are really cheap but perform really well considering their price. I give it 4/5

Available at Poundland stores

*after is on the right in case you weren't sure.

Advantages

• Amazing budget buy at £2.00 for the pair!
• Leaves hair soft, shine and easy to manage
• Helps to repair hair and restore its natural elasticity 

Disadvantages

• None that I could see!

Dead Sea Body Scrub with Frankincense Oil Review and Giveaway

With Winter behind us it's time to embrace Spring and get your skin prepared for the Summer. Malki Dead Sea minerals are sourced directly from the Dead Sea and help to revitalise your skin and uplift your spirit. Whilst you may not be able to take a trip to the Dead Sea every time your skin needs some TLC you can certainly capture the experience in your own bathroom.

Natural Dead Sea Skincare Bodyscrub is enriched with Frankincense, a oil that is so precious it was given as a gift by one of the wise men. The oil has a rich spicy aroma and helps to calm the mind, soothe the body and rejuvenate the skin.

To use simply massage a handful of the scrub over the body helping to exfoliate dead skin cells and encourage new ones to form. The scrub moisturises the skin and leaves it smooth, soft and hydrated. You can get the Bodyscrub for £7.99 at Boots stores and Boots online.

If you'd rather try your luck at trying the scrub I'm currently running a competition where you could win one of these amazing products. To enter simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions.

The competition is open for a month and will end on the 28 April 2015 at 12am.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Easter gifts for females with Lipsy Caged collection

Are you struggling to find a suitable Easter present for the female in your life this Easter?

Chocolate may be the key to every girls heart but with eggs and bars everywhere you look why not aim for something a little different this Easter.

Lipsy have launched their new Caged fragrance which combines top notes of Pink Peppercorns, Grapefruit, Gardenia, Tuberose and Freesia through to a core of Lily, Patchouli, Vanilla and Sandalwood. The scent is completed with undertones of Amber, Musk and Insense.

The sophisticated fragrance encompasses a dark colour palette of black with gold, rich textures and jewels giving the feeling of luxury which is perfect for the fashion conscious woman.

My Thoughts
The Caged Wash bag consists of a 100ml shower gel, 100ml body spray and 100ml body lotion. The set has a very sophisticated design and at £15.00 is good value for a branded product. Once you've finished with the products the bag can be recycled and used as a travel or makeup bag.

The bodywash I have to say is very disappointing. I couldn't detect much of a smell at all which is disappointing considering this is a set that is marketed on its distinctive smell.

The body lotion has a very subtle scent which is slightly noticeable but not massively. It was difficult to apply as there was no pump and the product was slow to come out.

I did however save the best to last and really like how strong the scent is in the body spray. The scent really lingers on my clothing and is as strong as a perfume.  It is a lovely mature scent that is a perfect mix of floral and sweet notes.

Other products in the Caged collection include Caged EDT 30ml Spray £18.00, Caged EDT 10ml Spray £7.00 and Caged Coffret EDT set (30ml spray, 100ml shower gel, 100ml body lotion £21.00)

Grab the Washbag at Next

All other products are avilable to buy at Lipsy stores, Next and other retailers including Superdrug and Freemans.

Some of the best loyalty card schemes that reward you for shopping

I love a bit of retail therapy and I love being rewarded just as much. To surpass the guilty feeling of losing all those hard earned pounds I like to make sure I'm taking full advantage of the various loyalty schemes. How would you feel if you could be rewarded for buying the latest mascara or perfume? Fantastic I bet!

It's actually a lot easier then you think and you're probably already doing it. A lot of retailers want your business and they want you to return which is why they come up with loyalty schemes.

Points mean prizes after all. Here's some of the best:

Boots Advantage Card
You get 4 points for every £1 you spend in-store or online with frequent bonus point offers. Every 100 points equals £1.00 to redeem.

The Advantage Card weekly email is very similar to its postal counterpart and offers deals and coupons to earn extra points.

Boots Parenting Club  and More Treats for Over 60s Club  send out mail outs giving offers on relevant goods allowing you to earn extra points. The Parenting Club gives a extra 10 points for every £1 spent on baby products.

Don't forget the Extra Offer Kiosks that you'll find in store. The kiosk is really easy to use, simply insert your Advantage Card and check out the offers available to you. Sometimes there will be vouchers available allowing you to earn extra points or discounts.

Apply online 

Superdrug Beautycard
One of the newest contenders on the loyalty card table, the Beautycard offers you one point for every £1 spent in-store and online. There are frequent bonus point offers and every 100 points equals £1 to redeem.

Pick up a card in-store and register online 

Debenhams Beauty Club Card
You get three points for every £1 spent in-store and online over £25, or one point for every £1 otherwise with frequent bonus point offers. There are also the opportunity for free gifts and consultation appointments.  If you shop through the Beauty club app there is the chance to grab 5 points for every £1. Every 100 points equals £1 to redeem. Be warned points expire if not used and you will lose everything that you've earnt.

Pick up your card in-store and register online 

House of Fraser Recognition Reward Card
The House of Fraser card gives you 1 point for every £1 spent in-store and online with frequent bonus point offers. Twice a year they run Beauty Confidential where if you spend £50 within the allocated dates you'll receive £10 off one of the stores top 30 must have products. Every 100 points equals £1 to redeem.

Pick up a card in-store and register online 

Space NK N.Dulge Card
One point for every £1 spent in-store or online. For every 100 points you'll receive a £5 reward and a gift on your birthday.

Apply online 

The Body Shop Love Your Body Membership
Simply pay £5 and you'll get 10% off purchases for a year in-store and online. Collect stamps every time you make a purchase and receive a free product on your fourth and eighth stamps.

Apply online 

Marks and Spencers Beauty Discovery Event
It's not a loyalty card but Mark and Spencers hold a two week beauty event twice a year where all the brands offer a gift with purchase.

Nectar Card
One of the oldest and well known loyalty cards on the block, the Nectar card has been around for a fair few years. Unfortunately their points per pound are dropping from 2 points to 1 in April but there's still some good deals to be had. You can boost your point balance at BP, British Gas, Expedia, Homebase amongst others. From Wednesday 18 March 2015 there's currently a deal available to double your point balance allowing you to get vouchers worth twice the value. For example £10 worth of points will get you a voucher worth £20 (valid up to £40).

Register online

Tesco Clubcard
Tesco Clubcard points can be earned at in-store at Tesco or via partners such as Eon. Points are also offered for completing surveys at their Product research panel The Orchard

Each clubcard point is worth a penny if used for instore shopping and vouchers are sent out every 3 months if you've earned at least 150 points (£1.50).

Clubcard boost allows you to get more for your money including a RAC membership for £18, an adult cinema ticket for £4.50 or a years Merlin theme park pass for £50. Head to Clubcard Deals for more information.

Apply online

Morrisons Match and More card
Launched in October last year the Morrisons Match and More card combines its price match policy with a loyalty scheme. Morrisons compare the cost of your shopping to Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Lidl and Aldi and if you could have got it cheaper elsewhere they add points to your account. For every 10p difference you'll get 100 points which will earn you a £5 voucher once you've reached 5000 points (easier then it may seem). You do need to spend a minimum of £15 however and at least one product needs to be eligible for the price match. you can boost your points through bonus offers and buying fuel.

Pick up a card in-store and register online

The Co-Operative Membership
The Co-Operative membership card is a little different in that all the points you earn through shopping in The Co-Op are put towards shares. Your points will get converted into cash twice a year in June and November and the value of points is linked to the amount of profit The Co-Op made that year.

Apply here

Odeon Premiere Club
Like movies? The Odeon Premiere Club may be worth joining if you'd like to be rewarded for watching your favourite films. You'll earn 10 points for every £1 you spend and that can be put towards popcorn, sweets, snacks and even tickets. Not only do you get points you'll also get the opportunity to participate in offers, discounts and competitions.

Unfortunately the Odeon Club isn't free to join but you do get points when you sign up.There are three memberships you can join, Classic for £1.99 which will earn you 100 points, Deluxe for £4.99 which will earn you 500 points and finally Ultimate at £9.99 which will earn you 1000 points, plus you get double points for the first month.

Apply here 

My Subcard
Everyone loves a bit of Subway. The yummy sub sandwiches also offer a loyalty card which will earn you some free food over time. With a Subcard it's important to register your card or you'll only earn half the points. Unregistered cards earn 5 points for every £1 spent in the UK. Registered cards will earn 10 points for every £1 spent and only registered cards can redeem points. The point value of items varies with 200 points for a snack, 500 for a 6" sub and 1000 points for a 12" sub or flatbread. From 4 March 2015 the point scheme has changed and is now even more valuable! You'll now earn 20 points for every £1 spent in-store.

To apply pick up a card in-store and register your card online 

What do you think of loyalty schemes? Would you shop as much if you didn't get rewarded for it? As always I love hearing your views!

Astral beauty cream is favoured by celebrities as the best hydrating cream

The Hype
Astral original moisturising cream is a beauty product with a formula that has remained  unchanged since its creation in the 1950s. The cream is extremely versatile in its uses and is loved by many including celebrity fans Joanna Lumley, Patsy Kensit and Kate Beckinsale.

The cream is a true beauty bargain starting at only £1.52 and is perfect for your Spring/Summer essentials.

The Lowdown
On first impressions I found the cream was thick but quite smooth and easily manipulated. Initially after application the cream left a slight greasy looking sheen but any dry areas were left well moisturised. The product quickly sunk into my skin and the greasiness disappeared leaving the area super soft with a slight glow.

I love how versatile the product is and how whatever your needs, the cream can be used without any issues. Some uses include:

• Face moisturiser 
• Body moisturiser 
• Night cream
• Aftersun
• Makeup Remover

The product comes in three sizes, 50ml (£1.52), 200ml (£4.28) and 500ml (£8.16) and is available in Superdrug, Boots and Tesco.

The 50ml is super compact but it still has lots of product and it's under £2.00. It leaves skin silky, smooth and well hydrated and fares well when compared with other face firmers and wrinkle creams.
I give it 4/5

Get a 200ml pot at Boots 

Advantages

• Comes in three sizes including 50ml so it can easily be stored in your handbag
• Multitude of uses 
• Keeps skin moisturised and hydrated - perfect for keeping skin supple after a heavy night
• Budget friendly

Disadvantages

• Leaves a slight greasy sheen initially after applying

*this was sent to me to test

My Spring beauty haul | Superdrug and Boots

So I went on a bit of a beauty shopping spree the other weekend and found a few new lip colours, foundation and other bits to try out. Have a butchers at what I bought and do let me know what you think if you've tried the products yourself.


Here's where you can find the products I bought:
Maxfactor Skin Luminizer foundation £11.99 at Boots 
Maxfactor Mastertouch Concealer £7.99 at Boots 
Revlon Photoready Primer Antishine balm £9.99 at Boots 
MUA Lip Switch Crimson Ruby £3.00 at Superdrug 
MUA Lip Switch Coral Pink £3.00 at Superdrug  (can't find Hot Fuschia online but you can find it in all good Superdrug stores.)
MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet Blush in Hedonic £3.00 at Superdrug
MUA Mascara Brow Fair £2.00 at Superdrug 

How to make banana flavoured cupcakes with chocolate cornflake nests

With Easter coming up I wanted to get creative and create a culinary delight. I decided to go with banana flavoured cupcakes with chocolate cornflake nests with mini eggs. Initially it was just going to be plain cupcakes but with only one egg (the recipe needed 2) I had to improvise, hence the banana addition. I have to say though the cake base tasted amazing.

So without further ado here's what's required to create these little beauties.

A Budget Highlighter that Makes Your Skin Glow for Only £3.00!

I have found a highlighter that really works, and it's only £3.00!

Find out how MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighter in Pink Shimmer really helps to illuminate your skin and make it look fabulous.

Get yours for £3.00 at MUA 

NYC Individual eyes Smokin for Blue Eyes

The Hype
NYC has launched a range of eyeshadow palettes that are designed to suit different eye colours. The individual palettes take the guess work out of maximising your eye appeal and gives beautiful results.

Whether your eyes are blue or green, NYC Individual Eyes has a look designed perfectly to suit you.

The Lowdown
The eyeshadow palettes are great in that it has everything you need to create a smokey eye look suitable for your eye colour in one place. You don't have to hunt around trying to find different eyeshadows that work together and it's great for travelling light.

Whilst the NYC website advertises at least 7 shades (it doesn't say which is designed for which eye colour) unfortunately not all these shades have translated into Superdrug where NYC is sold. Superdrug has three palettes; Smokey Browns 941, Green Eyes 943 and Smokey Blues 942 so it has pretty much all eye colours covered.

For the purpose of the review I am reviewing NYC Individual eyes in Smokey Blues 942.

The palette is sectioned into four eyeshadows each with specific uses; highlighter, all over lid and two crease/contour shades.There is also a primer to set the eyshadow and a illuminator.

I found that the primer and illuminator started to sweat after a while which was quite unappealing, and not something I see that often.

It has a really handy look guide on the back which I always find useful for inspiration.

The palette is really versatile and if you don't fancy using all the shades together you can use them on a individual or piece by piece basis.

When swatched the shades were quite similar to how they appear in the palette, although the dark purple actually appears more brown. I found the gold shade was quite pigmented and the khaki grey shade had some shimmer in it. The purple and brown were very matte and quite flat shades.

Initially I was not impressed with the palette. The colours seemed hard and they didn't blend well together. I also felt they weren't matched that closely. Once I had applied some liner and mascara however I felt the look was better, albeit not my most favourite eyeshadow look.

The palettes are fantastic value, especially considering the amount of kit you get and it really does save a lot of time and money.

I give it 3/5

Get the Green eyes palette here 
Get the Blue eyes palette here 
Get the Brown eyes palette here

Advantages

• Everything you need to create a look designed for your eye colour in one palette
• Amazing budget price of £3.99

Disadvantages

• The primer and illuminator start to sweat
• Colours look slightly harsh when applied 
• Can be hard to blend together

My four favourite Highstreet Lip products all under £10.00

What could be better then gorgeous bright lipsticks perfect for brightening up the complexion? Discover my four favourite Highstreet lip products in my latest video. Some of them are so cheap you can probably get 2 for under £10.00!


In the video are:
George Asda in Careless (at all good Asda stores) £3.50
Miners Kiss Me Quick £3.83 at Amazon
Maxfactor Colour Elixir in Vibrant Pink £6.99 at Boots
Rimmel Apocalips in Apocalyptic £6.49 at Boots

Birchbox collaborate with Habitat in March Birchbox: Watch the reveal here

Birchbox have celebrated the coming of spring with a collaboration with Habitat for their March box. So was it a good collaboration or did they fall flat?

Find out what I thought in my March unboxing.

Subscribe for £10.00 a month (Plus £2.95 postage and packaging) here  

What did you think of this months box? Did it impress?

Embrace Spring with Glamour Spring Edit Beauty Box

March is here and that means it's time for the bright colours to come out of the closet!

Embrace the colour with Glamour's Spring Edit and find out how you can get £99.00 worth of products for just £16.99 in my latest beauty box reveal.



Get yours here

Get natural looking glowy skin with Au Naturale Blusher

The Hype
Au Naturale Blushers are unique in that they are made entirely with 100% pure pigment. There are no fillers and the blushers are designed to give a polish, air brushed finish.

The formula consists of mica, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and are free of any skin harming products such as preservatives, parabens, additives and fragrances.Available in 8 shades from the peachy pink Pixie shade to the rich pink Pomegranate.

The Lowdown
As part of this review I am testing the Pomegranate shade. I've tried a few mineral products now but I have to say I'd never heard of Au Naturale.

The brand was founded by Ashley Prange who felt there was a need for a modern, organic cosmetic range that did not contain any toxic ingredients. The brand still encompasses products that are rich in colour, purity and texture without harming your skin or animals in the process.

For those with problem skin that is affected by the ingredients in most high street brands, mineral makeup may help in relieving breakouts or redness.

The rosy pink blusher has a intense glitter pigmentation that looks perfect to give a natural glow. Once I had opened the product I found it had a unique feature which allows you to open and shut the holes on the product. This little feature is perfect for preventing unnecessary spillages and ensuring you get more wear out of your product.

There's no more freaking out if you knock the blusher on the floor if you haven't put the lid on first (as long as you've closed the holes of course!)

As the product is quite rich I applied only a small amount. The finish is quite light and natural and the product blends in well with my skin. The glitter in the formula works really well in highlighting my cheek bones without the need for a separate highlighter.

Overall a lovely rich shade that gives a lovely casual look, albeit a little expensive.

Advantages

• Available in 8 shades
• Organic formula that is free of any nasty ingredients
• Suitable for problem skin
• Has a feature that effectively stops the blusher from coming out whilst the lid is off
• Highlights the skin

Disadvantages

• As far as I'm aware it's only available online in the UK
• Bit pricier then most high street brands

Get it for $24 at Au Naturale Glow 

Find original personalised gifts for special occasions at Gettingpersonal

Birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas present buying can be stressful, especially as you want to find a gift that is original and unique. Gettingpersonal offer a range of goods from jewellery to photo frames and cushions.

Whether you want to engrave a special message on a necklace or a treasured family photo on a cushion Gettingpersonal will help you create that gift that they'll treasure forever. The website is amazingly easy to use and you can even find gifts by searching for the occasion or the person you are buying for. Whether it's a personalised star of fame for your fame hungry niece or a engraved golf club for your father, Gettingpersonal
have it covered. The options for products and customisation really is endless and you could spend hours trying to find something that will make them go 'wow'.

Gettingpersonal gave me the chance to try one of their products and I chose to engrave a gorgeous pearl heart bracelet. The bracelet which retails for £24.99 comes sealed in a plastic bag in a lovely little velvet bag. Engraved on a silver heart are the words 'Keep on smiling Kathy' (a personal message to me to keep my head up when things are tough). For the jewellery you can engrave with whatever you want but you are of course limited have a number of options when it comes to engraving but you are limited to twelve characters for the name, 12 characters for the first sentence in your message and 10 characters for your second. The bracelet is quite simple but the engraved heart gives it that little extra that makes it stand out.

When you're loved ones special occasion comes up don't resort to the age old chocolates and wine, head over to Gettingpersonal and create a memory.

Discover something new with Frankie Rose Raven Red Lipstick

The Hype
Frankie Rose lipstick is available in 14 creamy hydrating shades. The smooth formula is enriched with Jojoba oil and Canolin oils to seal in moisture. Whether you prefer a matte, pearly shine or shimmer finish there's a shade that is suitable for any mood or skin tone. You can use the shades or alone or even mix them for a endless series of combinations.

The Lowdown
I first discovered the Frankie Rose Raven lipstick in the Wantable beauty box. I instantly thought the packaging was very posh and the rich red shade was absolutely gorgeous.

Unlike a lot of lipstick I've tried this one doesn't have much of a smell at all, if anything it has a slightly 'waxy' smell.The lipstick doesn't disappoint in how it applies and felt soft and moisturising. The colour is quite striking on initially but I did feel it had more of a pinky tone to it when it's actually on the lip as compared to the stick. Unfortunately it didn't fare so well with eating and drinking and I found it did start to slip off on my bottom lip. A few hours later and it had pretty much disappeared.

A lovely shade but it is let down by slipping off soon after applying. I have tried cheaper lipsticks that fare better after eating and drinking so that does let it down slightly.

I give it 3/5

Grab it for $16 at Frankie Rose

Advantages

• Available in fourteen fabulous shades
• Has various finishes from matte, to shimmer so you're bound to find a lipstick to suit the occasion
• Raven is a gorgeous bright red shade

Disadvantages

• I would prefer it if it had some sort of scent
• The colour is slightly more muted on then it is in the stick
• Slips off after eating and drinking