Ojon Instant Restorative Hair Serum

After being left extremely disappointed with Avon's Moroccan Oil offering, I turned to my hair stylist for advice whilst I was getting my roots done.  I wanted something light that would help dry my hair just as quick as Moroccan Oil and would also leave it as soft and shiny.  I was recommended Ojon's Instant Restorative Hair Serum from their Damage Reverse collection.  Ojon is a brand I've heard a lot about but hadn't tried because it wasn't that easy for me to get hold of. They now stock the brand in larger Boots stores, including my favourite so I made a special trip to pick some up.  

Ojon is part of the Estée Lauder brand and uses the oil in ojon nuts in their products, rather than the infamous Argan Oil.  Ojon claim that their must have ingredient, Rouge Oleifera, helps to strengthen weak hair as well as soften the hair too. I've road tested it for about a month now and I'm pleased with the results so far.  The product directions advises you to use two drops per application and warm between the hands before running through your hair.  I use between 3-4 drops as my hairs quite thick.  It smooths through my hair, sucking up the moisture allowing it to dry much quicker than if I hadn't used it.  When my locks are dry they feel silky soft and have the shine to match.  It's also a great frizz tamer on dry hair.  

The packaging is nice and simple, although I would have liked their to have been a space in the label to see how much product I had used.  It comes with a dropper applicator, which is different from what I was used to, but it means I don't use an unnecessary amount as it's controllable.  I have hardly touched the product, although I've used it every single time I've washed my hair. It has a musky smell to it with a hint of Terry's Chocolate Orange.  At £22 for a 50ml bottle, it's the most expensive oil/serum I've used, but if you've got the extra pennies to splurge (or perhaps throw it on your Christmas wish list) it's definitely worth it and you'll get your monies worth too. 

Have you tried any Ojon products?

Disappointing Products #1 | Avon Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave in Treatment

It's not very often that I find products I'm truly disappointed in but sometimes they are unavoidable.  After the extremely popular MoroccanOil burst onto the beauty scene, it seems like every high street brand jumped on the bandwagon and brought out their own hair oil.  This is not a bad thing, as the original product is quite pricey and I'm always on the look out for alternatives.  Avon brought out their Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil range which included a shampoo, conditioner, mask and of course a hair oil.  I've tried most of the products and found them to be okay but the oil in particular really didn't work for my hair. 

First of all, it's very yellow in colour.  I've been used to oils which have a very slight tint and I didn't want to use a product which may bring out the brassy tones in my hair.  Secondly, it's quite thick in consistency, which is great for very thick, course hair but for my damaged, coloured hair, it was just too much and I felt like I needed to wash my hair after a day.  It definitely reduces the time it takes to dry my hair but it's still quite heavy on my locks.  

At £5.50 it hasn't left me too disappointed about wasting money and I know that my mum likes it, so I will pass my bottle onto her.  If you have thick and/or course hair, I'd recommend this product to you but for colour treated, damaged or fine hair I would go for something lighter.  As for the rest of the range, I found that the shampoo is excellent for washing your make up brushes.  My Sigma F80 has never been so clean since I first purchased it and they also smell nice too! 

Which products have left you disappointed?

Macadamia Healing Oil vs. Moroccanoil Light

About a year ago, everyone had gone mad for Argan oil and what it could do for their hair. The most popular brand on the market was Moroccanoil but it wasn't long before other brands, both high street and high end jumped on the bandwagon. Rival brand Macadamia Hair came out with an oil product which claims to heal your tired ends as well as leave you with soft and shiny tresses.  Famous for making your locks shiny and more manageable, this product also helps speed up the length of time it takes to dry your hair.  So, what's the difference in the products?

I picked up the 25ml bottle of Moroccanoil last September to try. I was recommended by a hairstylist to try the light one as my hair is bleach blonde.  As you can see above it's a lot thinner in consistency than Macadamia and therefore lighter in my hair.  A lot of people dislike the smell of Moroccanoil, although I don't mind it.  If you're in a rush in the morning, as well as making your hair appear shinier it also reduces drying time which is brilliant for those of us who use too much heat on our locks as it is.  As the product is a light formulation, I also use it on dry hair sometimes if I want a more sleek, maintained look.  At £12.85 for 25ml and £30.45 for 100ml it's a more pricier option but I find that it lasts forever (I still have about 5-10ml left).  

I was first introduced to Macadamia Healing Oil through Elle Fowler on YouTube. Macadamia Hair products contain both Argan oil and Macadamia nut oil and they say the combination of the two leads to "ultimate rejuvenation and maintenance".  It's thicker in consistency but I don't find this product any heavier on my hair.  It smells quite fruity in comparison to Moroccanoil which some people may prefer.  Just like the Moroccanoil, this oil really helps in cutting down the time it takes to blow dry my hair. As for the healing part, I'm not so sure if this product does help my hair other than make it more manageable and shiny.  I have tried their Deep Repair Masque (review here) and found that, that did help my dry and broken ends a lot.  At £11.00 for 30ml and £25.45 for 125ml, it is certainly better value for money and I really enjoy using this product.  

If you have fine or bleached hair and you're looking for a product that you can use everyday to help manage your hair when it's both wet and dry and don't mind spending a few extra pennies, Moroccanoil is the oil for you. If you prefer a fruitier smelling, thicker oil best for wet hair than Macadamia Healing oil is the perfect option.  

Have you tired either product or do you have another hair oil you prefer?

- Today is Non Optional's 2nd birthday! Thank you all so much for your continued support -

Bleach Blonde Haircare

With bleach blonde hair, I can't afford to be sloppy when it comes to my haircare routine.  I use products both in and out of the shower that help to keep my tresses in the best condition possible after the strain I put it through with heat styling and regular bleaching.  Here's how I keep my goldilocks healthy, with a few tips and tricks thrown in for good measure.  

I wash my hair every two to three days as it's quite porous and will become dry and frazzled if I wash it everyday, plus I find that thanks to the bleach my mane doesn't get greasy too fast. Before washing, I always brush through my hair to get rid of any tangles.  I have a choice of two shampoo's depending on what my locks needs.  The first is L'Oreal's EverPure Colour Care and Moisture shampoo which helps to lock in moisture and prep my hair for conditioner.  The second is a tone correcting purple shampoo by John Freida, which helps to keep brassy yellow tones at bay.  I only use the John Frieda once a week as overuse can end up leaving a purple tinge to the hair.  I then follow up with a slathering of conditioner, which I comb through before washing out, to ensure the product is evenly distributed.  My favourite at the moment is also from the EverPure range.  Once a week I will go ahead and apply the EverPure Reinforcing Intense Mask, concentrating on my mid-lengths and most importantly, my ends.  It says to leave on for 3-5 minutes but for an intense treatment I leave it on for about an hour.  This is a great time to have a bath and read a good book.  

Fresh out of the shower I then brush through my tresses with a Tangle Teezer.  I think I would have a lot less hair if I hadn't had invested in this product.  It glides through my hair effortlessly, even without a detangling spray and it doesn't pull or snag, creating unwanted breakages.  If I'm going to blow dry my hair I will then go ahead and spritz some heat protection spray throughout, right now I'm using the EverSleek spray but I also like the TreSemme one too.  Another heat protection treatment I use is Kerastase Ciment Thermique, which actually requires heat to work.  This treatment helps reconstruct damaged hair and also acts as a heat protectant that needs to be replenished every five days.  Most times that I wash my locks, I like to leave them to dry naturally, so I will just use Moroccan Oil Light and get on with whatever I'm doing.  

Before I go to bed, I'll brush my hair and plait (braid) it, as it prevents any tangles forming through the night. Plus, if you're feeling lazy the next day, it's an easy, heat free way to get soft waves.  I hope some of you found this post helpful and picked up a few tips. My hair stylist is happy with the condition of my hair, so I must be doing something right! 

What's your holy grail haircare product or tip?

Full product reviews: L'Oreal Ever Pure Colour Care and Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner; L'Oreal Ever Pure Reinforcing Intense Mask

August 2012 Favourites

It's that time again and without sounding cliched - just where has this year gone?! Not long to go until I start my third and final (eek) year of university but that's a whole other post.  I don't religiously blog about my favourite products as some months I can't come up with an amount I deem suitable.  This month, as the weather got warmer, I kept tabs on just what I was using so much.  The majority of products I have reviewed in depth and I will leave links for those at the end of the post.  

When I've worn make up this month, I've kept it fairly simple and natural.  I've re-discovered my love for Bourjois' Healthy Mix Serum foundation, which is my cheaper equivalent of Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua.  Under the eyes and along the bridge of my nose, I've been loving YSL's infamous Touche Eclat.  Another Bourjois favourite is my Little Round Pot blusher in #16 which both smells and looks amazing on my cheeks.  When it comes to lips it's either been Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream and a lip balm or one of the two pictured above.  Topshop's Innocent is a lovely rose colour which looks good both straight on or patted into the lip - if I fancied an injection of colour I reached for Jemma Kidd's Hi-Shine Hydrating Glosstick in #4 Hibiscus (bit of a mouthful).  On my nails, I've been loving Essie's Watermelon - a gorgeous hot pinky red shade which looks equally amazing on toes.  

My two skincare standouts have both been from Origins. After having a horrible time with my skin at the beginning of the month I started using the Out of Trouble face mask which has helped clear up active breakouts and reduce the amount of oil, especially around my T-Zone.  When I bought the face mask I was also given two samples.  I've really been enjoying using Modern Friction (which I keep calling Micro Friction - #fail) which has helped get rid of any redness or scarring that breakouts have left behind. Definitely thinking about a full size purchase! 

L'Oreal's Ever Pure hair care range has really stuck out for me, for at least six weeks now.  I use the Colour Care and Moisture system which leaves my hair feeling like silk - plus they smell heavenly.  Once a week I will slather on the Reinforcing Intense Mask and leave in my locks for about an hour before washing out.  As I have bleach blonde hair, it can be quite porous and it's important to give it a good soak to help better its condition.  I've come back to my Moroccan Oil Light, which is nearly all gone (sob).  I prefer the light formulation as it doesn't weight my hair down but still does the job.  

What have been your favourite products this month?

Full product reviews: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation; Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush; Essie Nail Polish; Jemma Kidd Hi-Shine Hydrating Glosstick in #4 Hibiscus; L'Oreal Ever Pure Colour Care and Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner; L'Oreal Ever Pure Reinforcing Intense Mask; Origins Out of Trouble Face Mask

L'Oreal Paris Hair Expertise EverPure Reinforcing Intense Mask

Last week, I spoke of my new found love for the L'Oreal Paris EverPure range (here).  Continuing that love, I picked up the hair mask, as I needed something to replace my Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque.  The first thing I noticed was the smell, it's the same of the regular conditioner, which I can forgive because it smells extremely good.  The second is how thick the product is.  When I picked up the pot it looked a lot smaller than what I was used to and I wondered how long it would last, but because the product is quite thick, you don't need as much to cover the entirety of your hair.  

I use this once a week, when my hair needs a bit of TLC. I leave it in my hair for around an hour, although the instructions say 10 minutes. I think anyone who has over-processed, heat damaged hair should leave it in for longer, to better help put back in what straighteners and colour takes out. After washing the product out, my hair felt soft and nourished, but it didn't feel as silky as it would if the mask was filled with silicons.  At £6.99 for a 200ml it's certainly not as expensive as that of the Moroccan Oil and Macadamia Oil masks.  

What hair products have you been loving lately?

Beauty Round Up: 2011

Over the past year I discovered YouTube and several beauty guru's who I follow religiously, including FleurDeForce, ThePersianBabe and Pixi2woo (to name a few).  Thanks to them, 2011 was definitely a year when I went beauty crazy and began trying more and more products, as well as becoming interested in writing more beauty based posts.  I have gone through my collection of hair, make up and skin care products and compiled what I guess will be my 2011 favourites.  

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

1. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish; £12.75 -  No surprises here, I've banged on about this product for months.  I've just passed my first anniversary with using this product and I don't think I'll ever not buy it now.  It had dramatically cleared my skin up and I can't rave enough about it.  

2.  Moroccanoil Light; £12.85 - £30.45 - After hearing so many reviews I decided to give this a go.  I bought the 25ml light version as my hair is extremely blonde at the minute.  It is honestly an extremely good product. You need only a small amount through your mid-lengths and ends which will decrease drying time as well as give it a healthy shine.  I will be re-purchasing this in full size (100ml) when I run out.

3.  MAC Prep and Prime; £18.00 - I've used this primer for years, it's always the one I come back to when trying others, as for me, it's the best.  It smoothes out any fine lines and pores I have before applying foundation and it has never caused any issues for my skin.  

4.  John Frieda Colour Renew Shampoo; £5.49 - After taking the plunge and dying my hair a serious shade of blonde, I invested in a bottle of this shampoo to counteract the brassy tones.  It has worked wonders and leaves my hair feeling soft.  

5. Chanel Nail Lacquer in Particuliere; £17.50 - I got this last Christmas and it has been one of my go to shades ever since.  I wear it a lot more during Autumn/Winter seasons and find it looks very sophisticated.  

6.  Clinique High Impact Mascara; £15.00 - Another product I have used for years.  Originally I'd only ever use the sample sizes of it when my mum, sister or auntie bought from Clinique.  This year I picked myself up a full size and I have never looked back.  I get so many compliments when I wear it, people even ask if they can have my eyelashes! I'm currently trying out Benefit's 'They're Real!' so we'll see if this still stays number 1!

7.  Barry M Nail Colour in Vivid Purple; £2.99 - A cheaper alternative to my Chanel.  This is another shade I wear all the time.  I've re-purchased a gazillion times.  I think it looks lovely on the nails, and even better with a tan! A good colour to wear on a night out.

8. Urban Decay Naked Palette; £35 - This is pretty much the only palette I ever reach for when I want to create a smokey eye or an everyday look.  For everyday I used Naked all over the lid, Buck to deepen my crease and then a liquid liner to create a winged look.  It is definitely a good investment palette and I'm already eyeing up the Naked Palette 2 out this month (anyone know what date?)  

9.  MAC Penultimate Liner; £13.50 - Speaking of liner, I have been using this pen over a year now and it is the best liquid liner I've used.  The felt tip pen application makes it incredibly easy to do even winged liner.  A great product overall!

10. Benefit PowdaWowzer; £19.50 £9.00 - Hoola Bronzer in particular.  This trio was a limited edition set that I picked up as I'd always wanted to try Benefit's boxed blushes/bronzers.  I now used Hoola everyday to contour and bronze my face.  I also use Coralista a lot too.  It is currently £9.00 in the ASOS sale (click link no. 10 above), but be quick as they will be gone!

So that is it for my 2011 favourites! What have been your favourite beauty products of 2011? If you've already done a beauty round up post, leave it below - I'd love to read about new products! 

Oops I Did it Again: Collective Haul

So over the past month life has gone back to normal.  I started University up again and am now juggling Push PR and my hectic student schedule.  The beginning of a new University year means one thing, student loan.  You may have read my student loan lust list here, and will already know the kinds of things I wanted to get my hands on.  So, without further adieu, here's what I bought!

FASHION

Topshop; £75.00

O.M.G. I cannot tell you how much I LOVE these heeled chelsea boots.  I had spied them instore a while back during the summer but never had the money to get them, so I made a bid that once my student loan came in, they'd be mine. You can wear them with everything and the outfit just looks 10x better.  I now want some flat chelsea boots so that i'm fully prepared for the winter months.  

18 AND EAST; £38.00

You all know it by now, I'm addicted to 18 AND EAST.  I recently bought this shirt in berry which is gorgeous and so I had to get the bird/floral print one too.  The delivery is super-duper quick as well which is always a bonus.  I'm now after some of their galaxy print bits!

That's it for fashion, I did buy a new pleather black jacket and a new bag but I haven't got round to photographing them as yet.  I'll put them in an outfit of the day soon! 

BEAUTY

Clinique High Impact Mascara and Clinique Airbrush Concealer

I got sucked into House of Fraser last week when they were offering 10% off all beauty so I thought I'd buy my favourite mascara.  The Clinique lady then talked me into getting the concealer, but i'm now glad I did as it's the best liquid concealer I've ever used!

Benefit Powder Wowza

I've always wanted to try the Benefit powders but could never justify the £23.00 price tag.  Walking around I happened to notice this limited edition powder palette for £19.50 - bargain!  It has Coralista, Bella Bamba 3D and Hoola.  

Confessions of a Concealaholic

This boxset has been around for a couple of years now but I like the fact you get a lot of product for the price. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua

I took the plunge and bought this foundation and I'm so happy I did.  It's medium coverage which is buildable so if you want to try it and you prefer a full coverage foundation, get a tester first.  The only thing I dislike it that their isn't a huge colour range yet and they all have a hint of yellow in.  

MAC Prep and Prime

This is probably my holy grail primer as I've repurchased it 3 or 4 times now.  It just does its job well!

(L-R)

Rimmel Hide the Blemish Concealer,

Topshop Lipstick in Innocent,

Revlon Photo Ready Foundation,

Revlon Nail Varnish in Facets of Fuschia and

L'Oreal True Match Powder

A little high street beauty haul.  I love the rimmel concealer, it may well be the first one I ever bought when I first started out with make up.  The Topshop lipstick is a nice bright baby pink colour which looks nice with my bleach blonde locks.  I wanted to buy a cheaper foundation to rotate between my Chanel as it was so expensive I don't want to use it all up at once. The nail varnish was a bit of a whim as I saw it on an advert and loved it - it's an absolute bitch to take off though. I needed a new powder that didn't turn me orange.  

Moroccan Oil for Fine and Light-Coloured Hair

I can't get enough of this product, it makes my hair feel so soft and lovely and it smells great too.  I got the small size to try but it's perfect to put in your make up bag to top up during the day.  

MISCELLANEOUS

I Don't Know How She Does It

A Discovery of Witches

I wanted to a couple of new books to read after finishing One Day (it ruined me).  I wanted Water for Elephants but once I saw the buy one get one for £1 offer, I couldn't resist.  I've heard good things about both books - have you read any of them?

That's it for my haul.  If you'd like to see any in-depth reviews or some outfits of the days, leave your suggestions in the comment box below!