Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON product review

I have tried several dry shampoo products over the years which I have reviewed on this blog. My favourite is the Batiste Nude dry shampoo powder, (the full review is available here). Batiste Nude is light-weight and quick at absorbing excess oils, the only downside is that it's no longer available to buy (or, if it is I haven't come across it yet). So, cue the Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON which I bought in the hope that it would be my new dsbf (that's dry shampoo best friend). I bought the Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON a while ago, and, although I use it regularly, I've lapsed at updating my blog. Since this time delay, the Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON is another product that is no longer available for sale. Honestly, I am fated for products, especially dry shampoos. Supply seems to be an issue for AVON, I don't know if they trial products and see how successful they are, or, simply rotate their stock, but this happens to me way too often. I buy a lot of AVON products, (I often rave about my AVON purchases with regards to make-up), but sadly I almost always have to find a replacement for their products when they are removed from sale. (With this in mind check out an extensive review of one dry shampoo as an alternative to removed products here. This review specifically focuses on Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk which also incorporates recommendations catered towards a variety of hair types – dark, oily, fine, and coarse/curly hair).

As for the Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON, however, I do really like it despite the lack of availability. The packaging is aesthetically pleasing and non-offensive with its black, orange and pink label. When I use Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON, I separate my hair into sections and spray just before the roots. As with all dry shampoos, you are supposed to brush the shampoo into the hair but that never seems to work for me. I simply rub it into my roots and it absorbs the excess oils with ease. My hair is momentarily restored to its former glory and there's even an added sheen and bounce to my hair. It is of course, temporary and cannot beat shampoo and warm water. Using Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON gives me an extra half a day out of my hair. Regular applications, however, are needed to ensure that the hair remains shiny and perky. As I rarely have time to apply several applications throughout the day, I have to make do with one spritz, but my hair does become frizzy as the day progresses. I really like the Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON as it doesn't leave any white spray residue in my hair that usually comes with dry shampoo. My only problem with Advance Techniques Dry Shampoo Refresh by AVON is that I can't seem to buy it anymore!

Do you have a favourite dry shampoo? If so, I would love to hear about it in the comments below. What do you think of the Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk review? Would you use it? I'd love to know your thoughts xx

T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo product review

It may come as something of a surprise to you all but I suffer from dandruff. Yes the condition known for an itchy, flaky scalp producing little bits of skin flaking into your hair. Yes it's gross and I have tried several things in an attempt to combat it. My hair is my pride and joy after all so when I have noticeable dandruff flakes I do feel self-conscious about it, naturally. Typically, dandruff is often associated with men, (why I don't know but all the men in my life use Head & Shoulders to combat the condition). Head & Shoulders are supposedly the market leaders in dandruff care and have since developed a whole product range of goodies to help prevent a flaky scalp. I have tried Head & Shoulders Classic Clean before and was previously disappointed with it. For me, Head & Shoulders does not clean my hair, nor does it rid my scalp of the noticeable flaky skin. Often when my hair is greasy and I have gone too many days using dry shampoo is when I start to see little flecks of white atop my head. I have even previously tried crushing an aspirin into my favourite Pantene Pro-V shampoo, a beauty trick I learned a long time. I was always fairly skeptical of this trick as I was not sure that it would work and if it did how it worked, and more importantly, I have asthma (quite mild) and worried that applying it to my hair would set off an asthma attack. Luckily, it never did but I tend to steer clear of ingesting it just in case it brings on an attack. After a while I stopped crushing an aspirin into my shampoo, mainly because they expired and I was not entirely sure that I should be applying it to my hair when it was not still in date.

I had heard of T-Gel before but I had never thought to buy it. Usually T-Gel is quite expensive (around £6 on Amazon for a small 250ml bottle) and had the misconception that it was marketed solely for men. I came across the T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo very recently in B&M bargains and paid about £4 for a small 250ml bottle. The instructions state to use it two or three times a week and although it does not mention to use intermittently with your own shampoo, I did choose to do that for a while. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo as it works wonders for my hair. When I apply it to wet hair, it often feels quite greasy and heavy on my head as it does not foam up like a typical shampoo. Initially I did have reservations about this product for that reason as I was not sure that it would properly clean my hair. When my hair dries though my scalp and parting are noticeably flake free and my hair still retains its usual body and volume meaning my curls remain in place all day. I am surprised to say that I absolutely love the T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and although it looks a little clinical and like a medically prescribed product, but if you overlook this it is a really effective product for the treatment of dandruff. I have tried to use it sparingly, using Pantene Pro-V but unfortunately the dandruff comes back when I use my regular shampoo. It may be that I have to switch my shampoo to T-Gel Anti-Dandruff Shampoo from now on or, it may be a temporary fix until the dandruff clears up. That is something that I will have to persevere with and see.

Do you have any beauty secrets or tips to get rid of dandruff? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below Xx

September Glossybox old box - Product Reviews

It's been a very long time since I last reviewed a Glossybox and while my life takes on new challenges and directions, now feels like the right time to clear things out and get rid of my stuff. I went on a cleaning spree splurge very recently and in an attempt to live more minimalistic, I've sold a lot of my things and donated quite a few bags of clothing, make-up, craft supplies, anything really to free up space in my house. Glossyboxes are no exception as I still have a few left over from my subscription that I never got around to reviewing when I received them. So without further ado, here are my thoughts on a September Glossybox many moons ago.

As I have a couple of left over Glossyboxes, I'm going to surmise that this was around the time that I started to lose interest in it as I was receiving a lot of products that I don't like or use (like mascara) or very samey boxes each month. I also figured that the £13 subscription could be better directed elsewhere (like into a savings account so as not to tempt me with more frivolous purchasing). Unfortunately there were two products that I won't be reviewing in this post which were the Hydro Face Mask and the Better Than Sex Mascara. I have very long eye-lashes as it is and put mascara on top of them makes them look spidery and weird. As for the Hydro Face Mask, I've used them before and I don't like them at all (see my December review here of a similar product). I always finds packet face masks to be too big for my face so they end up slipping off and they leave my face feeling wet and slimy. I have quite sensitive skin so engulfing my face in a thin sheet is my skins' worst nightmare as it merely aggravates my sensitive skin.

The items left in the box that I will review however are the Smokey Eye Pen by Rodial retailing at £17 (it's eyeliner!), GOSH Copenhagen Long Lasting Lip Marker in pink (retailing at a respectable £8.50) and Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon which retails at £7.99. I'll start with the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon as my review will be relatively short for this product.

Despite the presentation of the nail varnish in a black bottle, I was mislead to believe that the nail varnish was in fact black. The silver holographic top also alluded to me that the contents of the bottle were dark. I didn't however pick up on the following words 'Diamond' and 'Top Coat' which in hindsight I now realise strongly hints at the colour inside. Although it's summer, I've neglected my make up samples so thought I would try the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon on my toes going for a deep black. When I applied the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon of course it was clear and I immediately realised my error. I'm not an advocate for gel nail varnish by any stretch of the imagination as they often leave my nails weak and brittle. The Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon was especially bulky and cumbersome despite the fact I have a free-standing nail varnish holder to make applications easier. When I realised my error that the 'black nail varnish' was in fact a clear top coat, I tried to wipe it off straight away. The clear varnish did not dry instantly and I had inadvertently smudged it. When I tried to paint over the clear in a terracotta colour, the smudge was noticeable under the colour. I'm sure you could use the Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat by Revlon as a top coat for any nail varnish but I'll be gifting this item away unfortunately.

Next up is the Long Lasting Lip Marker by GOSH Copenhagen. If I'm entirely honest, this product scared me a little. I'd heard of lip crayons before but never lip markers and I had (wrongly) assumed that the marker would resemble something of a crayon. The GOSH Copenhagen Long Lasting Lip Marker that I received had a purple tip so I had assumed that would be the colour of the marker. When I applied it to my lips, it was essentially a giant felt-tip pen in bright pink that I then had to colour my lips with, cue anxious feelings about colouring my skin in with a felt-tip pen. The marker smell is quite pungent which only added to the image of a giant felt-tip pen. When applied the colour was a bright pink that dried to a rich pink colour usually associated with lip tints. Top marks to GOSH for creating a Long Lasting Lip Marker. I attempted to remove the colour from my lips using a make up wipe remover and although a lot of the colour did come off onto the wipe, there remained a noticeable pink hue upon my lips. Long Lasting Lip Marker is definitely long lasting and although I liked the colour the smell and idea of the marker puts me off slightly. It also left my lips feeling tingly at first (as if I'd applied Lipcote) which I'm not sure if it would have worn off had I left the colour on for longer.

Lastly, is one of my favourite eyeliners by far, the Smokey Eye Pen by Rodial. I'm not sure why it's called an eye pen as it is nothing more than eyeliner but I liked it all the same. The black kohl eyeliner glides onto the eye with ease and looks really striking. Like any good eyeliner the Rodial Smokey Eye Pen stays on all day with no colour transference. £17 is a bit steep for an eyeliner considering my usual SuperShock eyeliner by AVON does exactly the same and costs 99p! The Smokey Eye Pen is a definite keeper in my make up bag but I won't rush out to buy a replacement when it's used up.

Let me know what you thought of this Glossybox review. Did you have any favourite products? Let me know in the comments below xx

Rimmel London Super Gel Nail Polish in 071 Guilty Pleasure and Jack Wills Charcoal Nail Polish product reviews

I was in Boots recently, purchasing things that I didn't really need and of course took advantage of a 3 for 2 offer that was on. I had actually ran out of foundation but ever a sucker for an offer, I thought I would take up the offer and get some more nail varnishes, (not that I need anymore of course, I have every colour tenfold). Obviously the new Kate Moss range drew me in and I bought colours 071 Guilty Pleasure 015 Boho-licious which are both fairly similar in colour. 071 Guilty Pleasure is a metallic gold colour whereas 015 Boho-licious appears to be a duller version of the gold. There doesn't seem to be a noticeable difference in the colours but as I have only tried 071 Guilty Pleasure, I can't be sure of this.

I don't typically like gel nail varnishes as they tend to make my nails very brittle and fine. After too many applications or leaving the colour on for too long, my nails start to bend and peel. This happens with non-gel nail varnish but it's more noticeable with the gels. I have quite strong, hard nails as it is (which incidentally are long now which they never used to be as I used to bite them), so it's surprising that my nails react this way to gel nail varnish. I was however looking forward to trying out the 071 Guilty Pleasure by Kate Moss as I really like her Rimmel Collection and I have several items from this range. Not only did I buy 071 Guilty Pleasure for the name, but I mainly bought it as it was the 15th Anniversary range which I thought it was cool that it's been going that long.

I really liked the colour of 071 Guilty Pleasure as it goes on as a dull metallic sheen. Although I have long nails now, it's probably a colour that looks better on shorter nails but I still liked the colour. The brush makes applications really easy and I painted my nails in just two strokes! What I didn't like however, was that the colour chipped straight away. Granted I had only applied a very thin layer to my nails but as 071 Guilty Pleasure provided even coverage, I didn't think I needed to apply another layer. Unfortunately, as soon as I applied 071 Guilty Pleasure I chipped the thumb nail as I was too impatient to let it dry properly. After this it was a downward spiral and the remainder of the nails chipped relatively quickly afterwards. 071 Guilty Pleasure did dry quite quickly despite me chipping it straight away but unfortunately it will not become a firm favourite. Despite this though, I have finally found a gel nail varnish that doesn't chip or peel my nails although the colour doesn't last very long (despite stating 14 days on the bottle).

The Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish however is a different story. Retailing at £4 for the duo pack from Boots, (I actually received it in a gift set for my birthday) it's a perfectly suitable nail varnish. The colour and the bottle is quite deceiving however as it looks like it should be a charcoal colour but when applied it has more of a lilac/grey tone to it. This colour difference didn't particularly bother me but I had wanted to apply a true grey colour rather than a shade. Unlike the 071 Guilty Pleasure nail varnish, the Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish has stayed on my toes far longer and hasn't chipped yet! I realise that my hands are constantly busy and in water etc. and my toes are not but I also think it has something to do with the composition of the nail varnish. Overall, I really like the Jack Wills Charcoal nail varnish and I haven't tried it's counterpart in Crimson which I also received in the gift set. I haven't tried the 015 Boho-licious nail varnish yet either but hopefully I will get around to it and let you know my thoughts.

Let me know what you thought of this review and the colours in the comments below xx

My top 4 make up brushes product review

I celebrated my 25th birthday recently and received a fair few presents to commend my ripe old age. Amongst the presents I received what has since become my favourite foundation brush ever which has since inspired me to write a piece about my favourite make up brushes. If you are a regular reader of The Beauty Blog, you will know that I rarely splurge on make up and prefer to buy high street or online rather than designer brands. This is also true for make up brushes but it does not make them any less suitable than their more expensive counterparts. So without further ado I give you my favourite beauty brushes.

I have a somewhat large collection at home of new foundation brushes still fresh within their packaging. I almost always receive make up brushes as stocking fillers and clearly it has now followed suit on my birthdays. To add to my ever growing collection of make up brushes I received a beautiful one by so eco from Tesco surprisingly. It has fast become my favourite foundation brush, made from wood and synthetic hair, it is a real treat on the eyes. The so eco foundation brush is light and evenly weighted so it even feels feather light in your hands. I especially liked the ergonomic grooves on the brush for the thumb and forefinger to rest easily. The brush head is as soft as a dog's ear (if you can imagine how soft that is) and it works evenly to spread the foundation across the face. I really like this foundation brush as not only is it a perfect accompaniment to my make up bag, but it looks aesthetically pleasing with the light wood and rose gold finish. The so eco foundation brush has an array of credentials to add to its' name. The so eco foundation brush is cruelty free, hand cut and trimmed and vegan friendly. At a mere £5 this was an absolute bargain and I love it!

Next up is the angular rose gold brush that I received many moons ago in a long forgotten Glossybox. When I first reviewed the Luxie 504 Large Angled Pink blusher brush, I was not immediately impressed with the size of the brush head (the original review can be read here). Now however, I absolutely love the Luxie 504 Large Angled Pink blusher brush and it has since replaced my usual Angled blusher brush by AVON. I love the baby pink colour of the Luxie 504 Large Angled Pink blusher brush as well as the softness of the brush head. I really like angled blusher brushes as the shape stops you from overloading the brush with too much product. In my experience however, angled brushes do make it more difficult to tap off excess product. If however, you simply place the blusher brusher into the product rather than dabbing the blusher brush (as is often easier with flat or round head brushes) this limits the amount of excess product. The Luxie 504 Large Angled Pink blusher brush allows me to sweep my St. Moriz bronzer across my cheekbones and help to define them even more. I am so glad angled brushes have made their mark and they are definitely here to stay for me! 

I hardly ever use eyeshadow brushes, but when I do, I like to use either my eyeshading brush by look fantastic feel better or the eyeshadow brush by marsk, (which of course I have previously reviewed). The eyeshading brush by look fantastic feel better is long and thin which makes it really easy to apply powdery eyeshadows. The eyeshading brush looks and feels like a paintbrush and it is because of this design that encourages a more tapered finish.The head of the eyeshading brush is splayed out to allow a fuller coverage on the eyelid. I really like the eyeshading brush as it is both light and soft which makes applications even easier.

Last but not least is the eyeshadow brush by marsk which is shorter in length and fatter than the eyeshading brush. That said however, the marsk brush is not difficult to use as a result of its' size and is quite pleasant to use. The head is soft and fat so you can really load up on product if you wanted to! I like the bamboo finish of the eyeshadow brush as it gives it a more natural luck.

I'd love to know your thoughts and what your favourite make up brushes are, let me know in the comments below! P.S. I have a 5th favourite make up brush which I'll update the post once I've taken a picture! xx

SKINCARE SUNDAY -- Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Extra Gentle Wipes Product Review

As someone who has sensitive skin, I can afford to be a little bit picky about what I put on my skin. I have tried cheaper make-up wipes in the past such as Boots Essentials Fragrance Free Make-up Wipes and even Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes and despite their reassuring names, I have found that they aggravated my sensitive skin. Often the make-up wipes leave my face itchy and tingly despite the make-up wipes being branded for those with sensitive skin.

So cue Garnier Skin Naturals and Skin Active range. Priced between £2 and £4 depending on the retailer, my go to make-up wipes are now the Garnier Skin range. Up until recently I used to only use the Garnier Skin Active Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Wipes as they are very gentle on the skin and remove all traces of lingering make-up. Although there are 25 wipes in both the Garnier Skin Active packet and Garnier Skin Naturals packet, the Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Wipes is a larger and wider packet when compared to its' game changer, the Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Extra-Gentle Cleansing Wipes.


I was previously given the Garnier Skin Naturals Micellar Cleansing Water to try out and, although it was gentle on my skin, my face felt fresher and make-up free, I had to use a lot of cotton pads to fully rid my face of make-up. With this in mind, I much prefer using wipes as often one or two wipes is enough to rid my face entirely of make-up. At first I was unsure about the Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes as it is marketed with the same packaging as the Micellar Water and I wondered if the wipes would succeed in removing all traces of make-up. I am pleased to say, however, that the wipes are even better than the Micellar Water. I love Micellar products as it is gentle on the skin and does not irritate my eyes when I try to remove my heavy eyeliner.

There is a noticeable difference between the Micellar Oil-Infused Cleansing Wipes and the Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes. I have found that the latter is much wetter than the former and seems to release the Micellar water whereas the Oil Infused Cleansing Wipes seemingly retain the Micellar Water and it often feels like the wipe is dry is comparison. The wipes are also made from different materials with the Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes resembling cotton pads rather than wipes. When I first tried the Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes, I thought I preferred the Micellar Oil Infused Cleansing Wipes instead as I was not used to the wet texture that the wipes left on my face. Now however, since using the Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes more often I prefer these instead. The Micellar Extra Gentle Cleansing Wipes leave my face feeling soft, clean and make-up free. I would definitely recommend the Garnier Skin Naturals range to anyone with sensitive skin. In my opinion, it's better to go for something a little bit more expensive than the cheaper alternatives if you have sensitive skin.

Have you used any of the Garnier make-up wipes? What's your thoughts on Micellar Water? Let me know in the comments below xx  

Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London and Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox product reviews

I recently read that toffee lipsticks are the latest craze and will replace brown lipstick this year. Hoorar! I never really took to the brown lippy trend. I bought a dark brown lipstick some time ago from the Color Trend range by AVON which was more of a dark purple/brown blend. I've only ever worn it a handful of times as I'm not sure I could pull it off (I may revisit this lippie paired with the Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London as I think it would be a better match than the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox).

I spent a good while in Boots recently really trying out all of the brown lipsticks available to me. I tried them all on my hand (which, I know, faux pas you're not supposed to do). When I'd decided on a couple of colours only then did I put it near to my face and lips to get a better understanding as to whether or not the colour would match my skin tone. I finally thought I'd settled on a lippie and lip liner combo purchasing Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox (£17.50!) and Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London (£3.50). I most definitely was not prepared for the hefty price tag that came with the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox but it seemed like the best colour match for my skin. I recently tried the two out together and although they seemed to photograph well, I looked washed out as the colour was far too severe for my pale skin tone.

The Lasting Finish Stay on Lip Contouring Pencil 047 Cappuccino by Rimmel London is a dark brown/purple colour so there was a striking colour contrast between my heavily defined lips and the colour of the Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox. I essentially had to colour my lips in and colour over the dark lip liner colour, which of course was pointless applying it in the first place. As for the overly expensive Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox the colour was more a pale greyish mauve colour, definitely not the toffee colour I had expected. Honestly I looked ridiculous with these two paired together and wiped it off the first opportunity I got. Although Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox is a pricey lippie, I would say that it was worth the expenses. Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox was so creamy on my lips, I've never experienced a lipstick like it, it's just a shame that it accentuated my pale skin. I really wanted to like Be Legendary Lipstick Rouge a Levres by Smashbox but I think next time I need to spend a bit longer really figuring out what compliments my skin tone.

Have you jumped on the new toffee lipped trend? If so, what's your favourite shade/colour of lippie? Let me know in the comments below xx