Review of COLAB Dry Shampoo

Ruth Crilly from 'A Model Recommends' launched her set of COLAB dry shampoo's each named after iconic cities with a scent that describes them without any words spoken I felt it was somewhat just me getting the 'London' one and it's my favourite scent. The fragrance of deep musk with a slight floral scent underlaying had me sold I wanted my hair to smell this good along with the sleek packaging that would make for a great handbag essential for on the go hair emergencies. This dry shampoo claims a sheer invisible formula which interested my as all other dry shampoos I have tried have left a white or grey residue in my hair and I have found myself just not finding one that works well enough for me to continue using.

I had left my hair for two days without washing and decided to try this out to see if it could pass the test and parted my hair at the roots and sprayed 20cm away from my hair then rubbed it in with my fingers.

After leaving my hair for about 5 hours I can safely say that my hair feels clean, lightweight there was no residue left and the product added volume to my hair along with a wonderful scent that matches my perfume I think I may have found my perfect dry shampoo!

Origins GinZeng Eye Cream Review

I was on the hunt for an eye cream as I couldn't take how dehydrated my under eyes were becoming and I'd heard that the Origins GinZeng eye cream had good reviews so I picked this up in Boots retailed at £23 it may seem quite expensive but as you only use a tiny amount each day this pot will last me for ages. 

This product is described as an eye cream that will 'depuff and brighten' your eyes and a 'complex of caffeine from the coffee bean, panax ginseng, magnolia extract and natural optic brighteners rapidly wakes up, refreshes and restores radiance to tired eyes'. I have been using this for four weeks as I wanted to really test it out and see if I had noticed any actual changes in my under eyes and to give the product some time to work it's magic.

I can say that this eye cream soothes my under eyes quickly and depuffs them although I didn't think that it reduced my dark circles I wouldn't say that this is a miracle product that you will get rid of your dark circles but if anyone knows of a product that does that please let me know! 

Although this eye cream depuffs my eyes I'm not sure it quite has the 'zing factor' I feel like it's missing something but maybe my under eye circles are too dark for any magic cream to fix, if anyone has any recommendations let me know in the comments.

Soap & Glory's Scrubatomic Review

Are you looking for the perfect daily face scrub? Well have a read of my review and see if this one is something what you're looking for!

After trying the St Ives Apricot Face Scrub and hating it I picked up the Soap & Glory Scrubatomic in Boots as I have really enjoyed most of S&G's products they have a pleasant smell and don't break my skin out. This scrub has a thin consistency which is great for the face as it isn't as harsh on the skin and has small micropeel beads so that you can really scrub your face to clean it but it won't scratch the skin. I have been using this scrub three times a week in the shower I wash my face with water then squeeze a grape-sized amount of scrub onto my fingers then gently rub in circular motions around my face, wash my hands then using water wipe the scrub off. I have definitely noticed an improvement in my skin along with generally feeling that my skin is cleansed more thoroughly also the scrub has a lovely peach scent that isn't too overpowering that's my favourite thing about it. You can read about my review of the St Ives scrub here but the smell of that was too overwhelming whereas this scrub smells of peach scented sun cream and is really light and fresh.

I would definitely recommend this scrub if you're looking for a new face scrub, let me know what your favourite Soap & Glory products!

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PORTER - Against the Current

When I was in Morrison's last month to get a salad for lunch I passed through the magazine isle and usually I can never expect a great deal from Hartlepool's offer of magazines but I saw a new glossy called 'Porter' so I picked it up and had a flick through. I sat and ate my salad reading this magazine then I picked it up to read through every so often in the past month, here is what I thought of it. 

Now with high fashion glossy's they all seem the same to me, the same advertisements, editorials, wealthy women telling me I need to buy the latest Celine bag but this one was unlike any high fashion magazine I've ever read it was packed with exotic, luxurious editorials, stories of strong women and questions that made me challenge whether this was a fashion magazine or a therapist. 

The magazine is called 'Porter' and is powered by the website 'Net-A-Porter' I believe this is a game changer for women's magazines drop your Vogues right now because Porter is going to question your global view on art, social standing, fashion, beauty and what is means to really be a woman. 

I have personally never been so affected by a woman's magazine in my life this magazine presents to me women who I aspire to be, this isn't about hiding your femininity it's about exploring your ideas about the world and then letting you decide on who you want to be. 

Porter doesn't give you a bible that you should live by, it hands you questions that you must go an answer yourself.

The article that caught my eye at first was by Molly Ringwald who'll you will probably recognise from 'The Breakfast Club' which is one of my favourite movies, the article is about the changing faces of heroines and as I was reading through I felt as though she was was answering my thoughts as I was nodding along saying 'Yes! Me too!'. Ringwald talks of how she longed to be a 'Louise Brooks, Jean Seberg and Zelda Fitzgerald' not a sweet teen icon instead she admired the heroines who 'burned brightly and then burned out'. The longing to be an 'F. Scott Fitzgerald heroine, Daisy Buchanan or the infinitely glamorous but emotionally unstable Nicole Diver' I felt the same I saw these explosive, alluring women who were unapologetically themselves. I didn't care for America's sweethearts I wanted to be with the interesting women who were a firework of emotions, always glamorous but dressed for themselves not for any man, women who are their own person.

Beautiful shot of a Valentino playsuit with the caption 'In a shade close to your skin tone, keep the shape fluid, never tight'.

This article is about 'The Rules of Modern Femininity' by Chloe's Clare Waight Kellar is explains to you the mood of the brand 'Chloe' and all the influences that make Chloe a feminine brand but not necessarily ladylike or modest.

It explains to you the effortless Parisian style, how women's lives influence the clothes and what goes into creating the palette for Chloe.

"It isn't about decorating a woman; it is about amplifying an aspect of her beauty."

I fell back in love with art (not that I ever really fell out of love with it, it just disappeared under my radar) thanks to Porter I saw this beautiful painting by Brazilian artist 'Adriana Varejao' called 'Drunken Mermaids' (2009). The vibrancy of the fruit, combined with the calming water flowing around it as the mermaid lets her hand fall through the water the entire atmosphere calms and relaxes me I'd really love a print of this.

This editorial called 'Sheltering Sky' has inspired me the most in fashion to try a new way to dress each image from this editorial I saw something that I dreamed to wear it presents a woman effortlessly glamorous, relaxed in her clothing and displays the silhouette of a confident woman who knows herself. Set in the beautiful Marrakech creating a desert fantasy with a woman who is adorned in opulent fashion but with loose waved hair and a carefree spirit doesn't showcase designer brands but is more focused on textured, well-made pieces that show a love for the feel of fabric on the skin.

Another enchanting editorial focused on the appeal of the Pre-Raphaelite period which presents a rich colour palette influenced by the surrounding nature, hair adorned as a crown on the head.

Porter must have read my mind because just as I was thinking about introducing blue into my wardrobe so that it could be my 'summer colour' I turned the page to the new colour of fashion, the vibrant Fendi ensemble presents a harmony to your eyes while questioning your confidence. 

The article 'Modern Family' is about Sophie Matisse (great granddaughter of Henri Matisse) it interested me to learn more about what a descendant of Matisse thought of his art and how Sophie's relation to him affected her own creativity and career. It was particularly inspiring to see Sophie's own work (pictured above) in the article such as 'Little George' (2005) the vibrancy and colour as well as the intertwining of two worlds interested me greatly. I'm a self-confessed day dreamer who spends the majority of my time thinking about dreamt up places in my mind, it was comforting to see someone else's world and how captivating they are. I could look at Sophie's work for hours and get completely lost in them and think about what story, characters and message she is trying to convey, Sophie is a great artist by her own right.

I really hope this review of Porter magazine has inspired you to go and pick up a copy, I know that this magazine can be read in a few months or years and you'll find a new question to wonder about as Porter has helped me on my way to self discovery. 

It pushes your boat against the current when on your journey but really it's taking you in the right direction so put your oars down, let go, follow the moon and be surprised at your end destination.

Steph Greenwood

Face Serums - What You Need To Know

A year ago I wouldn't have even considered face serums as a part of my skincare but now they're a vital part of my routine, the first serum that I tried was Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skin tone Illuminator I put this on my face after my moisturizer (you can put it on before moisturizing as well i don't find it makes a huge difference). When I finished up my make up I found that my face seemed to be rid of those horrid dark circles that no matter how much concealer I apply never seem to go away. This particular serum was supposed to be helpful against 'hyperpigmentation' which is when your skin is darker or lighter in parts of your face and this serum evens your skintone out I noticed this considerably when I applied my concealer as i barely had to apply foundation on top of that. 

Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone 

Illuminator

Above you can see the Estee Lauder serum which is a luxe gold colour and has a thick, creamy texture it applies easily to your face although if you suffer with oily skin this may not be the right serum for you as it can give your skin a dewy look. The next serum I tried was the Yves Saint Laurent Forever Light Creator Serum as I heard so much buzz about this product and with my new love for face serums I had a feeling this serum was a game changer for skincare. I was given some samples to try it at the YSL counter and i applied this serum as I did the other one this texture was much lighter compared to the other one and was a shimmered pearly colour. This serum seemed to melt into my skin as i applied it which was much preferred to the other one as it seemed to take a bit longer for it to dry. I enjoyed using this serum before i applied my make up on a night out as since it was so light it didn't feel as though I was piling on another product. 

YSL Forever Light Creator Serum

Overall I have found that serums have massively improved my skincare routine as they've helped against hyperpigmentation, spot reduction, red patches and dry skin surely a good face serum is an essential to any make up bag. Estee Lauder Serum 3/5  YSL Serum 5/5

Aveda Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner

I tested out the 'Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner' as i received samples of them as I'm always welcoming to testing out new hair products my first impression was that the packaging that these were presented in were quite spa-like and seemed to have the 'organic' and inviting colours.

Here are the samples

Surprisingly the texture of the shampoo was a thin liquid and i felt that as i was massaging it into my scalp there seemed to be little foam being created so it was difficult to try and get my hair fully coated in the product. I also felt that the texture was drying on my hair compared to many other shampoo brands that I've used on the other hand the conditioner was a much thicker texture and coated my hair wonderfully. 

Texture of the conditioner

Texture of the shampoo

The product had a more subdued smell to it and smelled of earth spa treatments (if that makes any sense) it wasn't a smell that I would rave about so i was glad that it was less noticeable as i prefer sweeter smelling hair products. After i finished my normal hair routine (and spraying some Aussie leave in conditioner as I was worried that my hair might be on the dryer side after the shampoo) i found that my hair looked (colour-wise) a lot lighter and heavier in weight although it was still in a really good conditioner and as i curled my hair it made my curls stand out much more I think the conditioner is to thank here. 3/5 stars review