John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo, Conditioner and Deep Conditioner Review

It's been a really busy week and I'm really sorry I hadn't been able to write a post for Wednesday like I normally do. I'm afraid this is going to be the case for the next month or so. I have exams coming up and after that I'll be going overseas (on holiday). So please bear with me! I promise I do have some awesome tutorials planned, they just require a lot of time to make so they won't be up on this blog anytime soon. And yes, this also means that majority of my posts for the next month will be mainly reviews.

So, until I return from my trip around mid December, I'll only schedule posts for once a week. But after that, it'll be back to the normal schedule of twice a week (Wed and Sat). I also promise I will make it up to you guys. *hint hint* Giveaway to come! 

Anyway, let's dive into this review!

John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo
Claims: "Targets short, broken hairs, flyaways, and damaged ends. The shampoo is formulated with inca inchi oil, a micro-oil rich in Omega-3, which penetrates dry, damaged hair and repairs the look and feel of overworked hair."
RRP: AUD15.99
Packaging: 5 out of 5

John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Conditioner
Claims: "Penetrates dry, damaged hair and smoothes and detangles hair, reducing the risk of breakage."
RRP: AUD15.99
Packaging: 5 out of 5

John Frieda Full Repair Hydrate + Rescue Deep Conditioner 
Claims:  "Infuses the hair with moisture to improve the look and feel of damaged hair.The conditioner deeply replenishes and restores softness and shine, targeting hair in its most damaged areas."
RRP: AUD16.99
Packaging: 5 out of 5

Review: My hair has been feeling a bit dry lately. Perhaps it's due to the change in weather but it's really unhappy. I rarely get breakage and split-ends up they've suddenly popped up. I keep trimming them off for "damage control" but I know that I'd need a more long-term solution. Introducing...! Nah, I better stop sounding like an advert. So, I was sent the Full Repair range to try out. Although I have yet to see a reduction in breakage and split-ends, I do have positive findings to report.

Most hydration/repair type of hair care products weigh the hair down so we tend to lose body and volume as a compromise for soft silky strands. With this trio, I noticed that volume is retained and it adds moisture back into my hair. This is particularly true with the Deep Conditioner. I love how soft my hair feels after using it. All three products have similar scents. I'm happy to announce that it's pleasant and non-irritating to my sensitive nose. The formula is slightly "gel-like" and the shampoo lathers up relatively easily.

Word of warning, once you've used the Deep Conditioner, you'll find that the Conditioner is not as "powerful" in comparison and will be tempted to just stick to the Deep Conditioner. Too much of a good thing is never good, you should use it in moderation. Plus it'll be quite costly to use it as your everyday conditioner. Just make sure you cover all of your hair with Shampoo, not just your scalp. Rinse off. Apply Conditioner. WAIT for a minute. Rinse off. If you're in a hurry to wash the conditioner off, it will not get the chance to work its magic. I've been guilty of this crime before.

I hope that with continued use, the next time I post an updated review, my hair will be damage-free!

Do you suffer from split-ends and breakage like I do? Do share your hair woes! 

OPI Drip Dry Review

OPI Drip Dry
Claims: "These lacquer drying drops touch dry nails in 60 seconds. OPI Drip Dry dries nails completely in five minutes."
RRP: AUD23.95
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review: I hate the process of painting my nails. I'm impatient and sloppy. I usually get nail polish all over my fingers and have to painstakingly clean up with a cotton tip dipped in polish remover.  After waiting for half an hour for my nails to dry, I smudge the polish by accident. Then I have to start all over with that nail. Garh!! @#%^$!!

I recently received a bottle of OPI Drip Dry and I'm in love! This little magic potion guarantees that I don't smudge my nails by accident because it dries my manicure within 60 seconds! Literally! Okay, maybe it's not 100% dry... but it's touch dry. So still means no smudging. Yay! This product is very easy to use. After applying, your top coat, just squeeze one or two drops onto your nail.

I know you might say that it's very expensive for such a small bottle of product. Trust me, it'll last you quite a while because you're only using drops at a time. Okay, well what about fast-drying nail polish? Yes, there are plenty of those on the market but I find a lot of them gluggy. They'll either dry in "patches" or I still end up smudging my manicure because they don't dry fast enough.

Maybe I'm just being melodramatic but I seriously feel like this has been the life-changing product of the year for me! I'll definitely be buying a new bottle once this one runs out.


Do you struggling with at-home manicures like I do? Please do share! 

Blog Wonderful - An E-Book for Bloggers {A Review}

Source: http://wonderforest.storenvy.com

Blog Wonderful is a guide to blogging. It's written by Dana Fox, the brain behind the magnificent blog, The Wonder Forest. I've been following Dana's blog for a while now and it's one of the most informative and inspiring blogs out there. She shares really awesome blogging tips, especially when it comes to tech-related issues. So, I suggest you quickly zip over and follow her blog (before you forget), come back and read this review, okay? 

I wish I had found and read this e-book when I first started blogging! Okay, I lie. This e-book hadn't been written yet when I first started. Drat! It would have saved me a couple years' worth of trial and error. Dana had taken the liberty of documenting what worked/did not work for her during her first year of blogging. She then compiled everything into this neat little book. If you've just started blogging or are thinking of doing so, I highly recommend you read this guide. It'll take a lot of the guesswork out for you. 

You might think, "What if this is all a trick? A con?" I can vouch for Dana. I am not a pro, nor am I a beginner. What I do know is that I find myself agreeing with 99% of the advice that Dana gives in Blog Wonderful. Sorry, I can't remember what that 1% was. I found that the things she mentioned that are "must-do's" for blogging, are things that I'd already worked out myself and am currently practising. 

So, what if you've been blogging for a while now? Is this e-book still worth buying and reading? My answer is: it depends. If you've got well over 500 followers, chances are you know what works for you and you're on the right track. If you're like me, still struggling and in need of a bit of help, then give this e-book a try. Even though many of the nuggets of wisdom weren't new to me, it was reassuring to find out that I'm doing a few things right. 

I won't say anymore about Blog Wonderful because it'll ruin the fun of reading it. Once you start reading it, you won't put your iPod/iPad/iPhone/etc down until you've finished it. It's a very light and easy read. Dana writes in a very casual yet logical way. I felt like she was actually talking to me and teaching me in person. Blog Wonderful costs a reasonable USD6.99. If you're interested in getting yourself a copy, you can purchase it here. 

And just in case you're wondering, this is not a sponsored post. 

Do you know of any other blogging guides/e-books? Do share!

Birthday Party Makeup Look

I threw a birthday party recently. And of course it was another opportunity for me to play with makeup. Unfortunately, the damned helium balloons took up a lot of my time and I had to do my hair and makeup as guests arrived. I achieved it all in approximately 45 minutes. I am definitely not trying to show off here. I actually forgot to put on my press-on manicure and perfume. Any how, it did not matter; no one noticed. My party didn't go exactly the way I planned it but ultimately, it was still a success! Everyone had a blast and I was really pleased. I guess the fun things in life are usually spontaneous.

Because I was in a hurry, I kept my makeup as simple as possible. Here's a list of products that I used. I'm really glad I chose them because they lasted all day.

1. YSL Touche Eclat Foundation BR30
2. hedkandi lashes by Eylure - Twisted Disco 
3. MAC blush in Dame 
4. Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder in Cashmere 
5. Rimmel London Waterproof Gel Liner in Black
6. Rimmel London Scandaleyes Mascara in Extreme Black 
7. Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Celestial 
8. Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Colour in Alloy
9. NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Charcoal and Dark Brown  
10. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer 

I decided against doing a makeup tutorial for this look because it's simple and easy. I forgot to take a close-up of my face so the photo above is as close as it gets. Sorry, everyone! 

Ever had a party that didn't go according to plan but still turned out awesome? Please do share! 

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Sticks Review & Swatches

Top to bottom: Bad Girl Bronze, Blamed Blue, Bulletproof Beige, Guilty Grey, Paranoid Purple, Witness White, Blackmail, Tempting Turquoise, and Gossip Green 

Rimmel London Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Sticks 
Claims: "Designed to provide rich colour in one easy stroke. Creamy, crease-proof, and waterproof colour."
RRP: AUD12.95
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review: Rimmel London has been churning out a lot of good products lately. I'll keep this simple and sweet since there are many other raving reviews out there. These eyeshadow pencils/crayons are very creamy and smooth. They are long-lasting and do not crease. This invention is a lazy/time-poor girl's dream. Application is so quick and easy. I usually apply a colour all over my lids and then apply a dark colour on the outer corners of my eyes. Then, using my clean ring finger, I blend all the colours to make it look cohesive. And Ta-da! You're done!

Going from left to right: Witness White, Blackmail, Guilty Grey, Paranoid Purple, Blamed Blue, Tempting Turquoise, Gossip Green, Bulletproof Beige, and Bad Girl Bronze 

I love how pigmented these eyeshadow sticks are. My favourite combination is the Beige and Bronze. Yes, I know it's safe and kinda boring. But I love the Blue too. It's such a beautiful and daring colour. There's only one thing that I must warn you about; because the pencils are so soft and creamy, they break quite easily. So there's no point in making them mega sharp. Keep it blunt. If you want more precision, just swipe some colour off the stick with a brush.

Please let me know if you'd like to see a tutorial of me using a couple of these eyeshadow sticks.


Do you use eyeshadow sticks? What do you think of them? 

HG Search: Pimple Buster - Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Claims: "Excellent spot treatment made with a blend of Calamine and Salicylic Acid to clear up and soothe unsightly whiteheads overnight."
RRP: AUD26.95
Packaging: 5 out of 5
Review: As much as I love my La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Acne Treatment, lately I've found that it does not get rid of my pimples as quickly as it used to. Besides that, the product contains benzoyl peroxide, which means it leaves a "burn" mark on my skin once the pimple is gone. I needed something more efficient, effective and causes minimal "side effects".

I'd known about the Drying Lotion for quite a while but I was reluctant to purchase it because there was so much hype around this product. I finally caved when Jen from frmheadtotoe on Youtube convinced me that this product is amazing. I am happy to announce that I've found the perfect pimple buster for my skin! Thank you Jen!

This is an overnight treatment. My pimples literally shrink to nothingness by the time I wake up the next morning. And if the pimple is still there, it's very tiny, no longer hurts or looks red. All I then have to do is apply my Effaclar Duo to get rid of what's left. The best part is it does not leave a burn mark on my skin.

I hope you can discern from the photo above that this product has two layers. There's some pink solid at the bottom and yellow liquid over it. To use it, all you have to do is dip your cotton tip vertically down. Make sure it picks up some of the pink stuff as well. Dab the product over your pimple/acne and then get a good nights rest. Seriously, it's almost like magic!

The only reason I said it's "almost" perfect is because it's not ideal for travelling. The bottle is made of glass so there's a chance of breakage and it's slightly heavier (though, I do prefer glass bottles over plastic ones). And if the two layers get mixed because the bottle has been lying on its side in your bag, you have to set it up right and let it resettle into two separate layers. It takes a while (we're talking about hours here) for the pink stuff to settle so you can't use it immediately.

I really love this stuff and I definitely will repurchase it once it runs out. Holy Grail search completed.


Have you ever tried this product before? What's your HG pimple buster? 


Follow me on Facebook
Follow me on Bloglovin'