Vita Coco Coconut Oil

Hey Everyone!

Happy Halloween :)

Two years ago I bought my first ever tub of coconut oil and I haven't looked back since. Initially I used it for cooking as a replacement for olive oil but fast forward six months and I had a tub stored in my bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and in my handbag too. The more I looked into coconut oil, the more I discovered just how many benefits and uses it actually had so I decided to put them to the test. I've lost track of how many tubs I've went through and how many different brands I've used over the last couple of years but the two I've always went back to are the Biona Organic Coconut Oil and the KTC 100% Pure Coconut Oil from Tesco. Recently however, I came across the Vita Coco Coconut Oil and the tubs I had been using have now taken a back seat.

Vita Coco claims their coconut oil is a natural multitasker. 

"From baking to beauty it can do it all!"

That is most certainly the case, with all coconut oils. The difference between the Vita Coco coconut oil and other brands I have used is that the Vita Coco one smells of coconuts. Hardly ground breaking Eimear, you might think but actually none of the coconut oils that I have tried out so far smell of coconuts, they don't really have a scent to them at all. However, Vita Coco's Coconut Oil smells exactly like a bounty bar its absolutely delicious!

Last year I compiled a post on how I like to use coconut oil so I won't go into detail. If you want to read up on that you can click here. To give you a brief idea, here are some ways in which I get great use out of coconut oil:

• Hair Treatment
• Lip Balm
• Sooth Skin Irritation
• Moisturiser
• Cooking
• Body Scrub
• Shaving Cream
• Ease an Upset Stomach

Its a wonderful little product and i'll most certainly buy the full size tub of the Vita Coco brand of coconut oil once my little pot runs out. Vita Coco Coconut Oil retails at €12.99 for 500ml, which is dearer than other brands but I think its well worth the money!

Are you a fan of coconut oil? If so, what do you use it for?

Chat soon!

Eimear x

Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil Review

Hey Everyone!
Hope you all are well :)

Back in August I attended the IBY (Irish Beauty YouTuber) Meetup organised by the lovely Dale from MonsterMakeupXx. I'll link her YouTube channel here, go check her out she's an absolute scream! Dale organised such a fantastic day for us all, it was filled with laughter and chats about all things beauty. On the day we had speakers from different brands come in to talk to us about their products and there were also demo's throughout the day too. One of those speakers was Noelle O'Connor, founder and creator of the Irish brand Tan Organic! It was extremely interesting to hear about her story, her time spent on Dragons Den, her rise to success and the struggles she has encountered along the way.

I had never tried any products from the Tan Organic range before so when we were presented with a goodie bag filled with some bits and pieces to try, I was over the moon! One of the first products I decided to try out was the Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil. I decided to reach for this product first because I had never tried out a dry oil before, I was curious as I really didn't know what to expect from it.

Starting with the packaging, the oil itself is housed within a 100ml thick glass bottle. There is a tonne of information printed on the bottle in relation to the ingredients and the products uses, to name a couple. The wooden lid twists off to reveal the opening which is just a small hole in the top of the bottle. Usually I wouldn't like an opening like this, generally I prefer a pump with products. However, the hole isn't large enough for you to accidentally pour out more product than you need so no oil goes to waste. I'm pleased with the packaging its high quality and exactly what I would expect considering the price.

As I've said previously, I have never tried a dry oil before but I was intrigued when I heard Noelle talk about this products multiple uses. I really enjoy multipurpose products and in this case it helps me justify the price. The oil contains a cocktail of fantastic ingredients, some of which include; 

• Argan Oil
• Borage Seed Oil 
• Rosehip Oil
• Macadamia Oil
• Orange Peel Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Jojoba Seed Oil
• Hemp Seed Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil

The Moisturising Dry Oil can be used in the bath, as a cuticle oil, in your hair as a treatment, as a face and body moisturiser and more. I like to add a few drops to my bath water the aroma it gives is just gorgeous and it also leaves my skin feeling silky soft. In terms of a hair treatment, the way I use the product is I apply a few drops to the ends of my hair around half an hour prior to washing, then I wash and dry my hair as normal. I find it helps soften the ends of my hair and also keeps the frizz at bay. Finally, I use the oil to give a sheen to my skin and also as an all over body moisturiser after my shower. I decided not to chance the oil on my face but I really enjoy how it leaves my skin feeling. I've very dry skin and I also suffer from eczema and I find the oil has helped to soften my skin without irritating the patches of eczema that I have.

The oil gives a lovely sheen to the skin which I find very flattering especially for nights out or for special occasions. I don't think it absorbs into the skin that quickly, it takes a few minutes but it doesn't leave a greasy/slippery/oily residue on the skin afterwards. What I also like is that the smell lingers on the skin after the oil has been absorbed by the skin. It has a lovely citrus scent which I really enjoy!

A bottle of the Tan Organic Moisturising Dry Oil will set you back €24.99. Initially I thought it was quite dear however, taking into consideration it's a multipurpose product and that a little goes a very long way, I can justify spending that amount of money on it. When it does eventually run out I will be picking myself up another bottle.

If you are interested in picking up some of the Tan Organic range, their products can be purchased online or in selected pharmacies around the country. For more information about stockists, click here.

Have you tried the Tan Organic Dry Oil or a dry oil from another brand? I'd be interested to hear your thoughts :)

Until next time,

Eimear x

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Waaaay back in August when I was coming home from Leeds Festival I had around a 6 hour wait in the airport for my flight home. 

We had to leave the camping arena quite early so we were up and packed by around 11am. By the time we got the bus back into Leeds and then actually got into the airport it was 1 o clock, the flight wasn't until 7 -_-

I didn't mind so much purely due to the fact I was absolutely wrecked, chilling in the airport suited me down to the ground!

To make the wait a little easier I went to the shop, picked up some playing cards and a magazine. While I was browsing through the magazines I spotted Septembers issue of Elle magazine which had a free Bumble and Bumble spray included.

I had heard of the company before and knew they were a more high end hair care brand so I decided this buy was a bit of a steal!

Now, there is a reason why I am only reviewing this nearly 5 months after I purchased the magazine. I simply could not think of one positive thing to say about the spray. I have been using it on and off the last few months trying my best to get the product to work with my hair but for me it is just no use!

My hair is quite fine, straight and lacks volume altogether. The fact that my hair is quite long probably doesn't help with the volume side of things!

As you can imagine I was hoping that this little spray would be the answer to all my problems.

Bumble and Bumble claim that

 This spray lifts and holds all hair types (thin, thick, or otherwise). Use it for for blow-drying, setting, protecting from heat, adding volume, lifting, controlling, and finishing any style.

After I got out of the shower I towel dried my hair and sprayed the product throughout the roots where I wanted some volume.

I blowed dried my hair while waiting for the magic to happen…

nothing happened haha!

Firstly, I cannot stand the smell of the spray.

I can't put my finger on what the scent actually is, maybe an off coconut smell?…either way it isn't pleasant.

Once I had finished blow drying my hair I noticed the texture was a little different, my hair looked as if it was weighed down with product.

 I had the furthest thing from voluminous hair to my disappointment.

I generally have to wash my hair daily, I could go a second day without washing it if I wanted to by applying some dry shampoo..but most of the time I'd rather have it looking and feeling fresh!

I most certainly could not go a second day after using the thickening spray, not even with some dry shampoo. You could make a fry on my head haha!

I had tried using this product in many different ways but unfortunately it just doesn't work for me. I'm glad I only picked it up free in a magazine because to my knowledge Bumble and Bumble products do not come cheap!

A 250ml bottle of this bad boy will set you €26 over on Boots.ie

Eeeek!

Have you tried any of the range, what are your thoughts? :)

Eimear x

Mane 'n Tail Gentle Clarifying Shampoo and Herbal Essentials Conditioner Review

 Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

Hair, hair, hair.

 If we aren't straightening it, we are curling it.

Beehive, Big Hair, Beachy Hair, Blunt Hair..Bob!

Hair...its almost every girls obsession.

So many different textures, so many different styles!

If I am honest..I find hair mind boggling.

With regard to my own hair, I'm quite the plain Jane.

I have had the same hairstyle for years, I have never dyed my hair..ever and I avoid the hair dressers like the plague.

However, in spite of this I still receive tonnes and tonnes of questions about my hair nearly on a daily basis!

What products do you use?

Is your hair real?

How long did it take to grow out?

How do you get it so soft?

The questions are endless...endless I tell you!

Even though I don't do a lot with my hair style and colour wise, I do like to take good care of it. Like skincare, I don't mind spending that bit extra on products and treatments which are known to be good for the hair.

I like to try my best to keep it in tip top condition! :)

To date, my favourite shampoo and conditioner range to use is the Alberto Balsam range. Its cheap and cheerful and its smells absolutely fantastic!

I love how soft and silky my hair feels with the use of this range, for €1.49 a bottle I have never really seen a reason to stray away from it.

The odd time I am curious about different shampoo's and conditioners and I will try out some other ranges but I always find myself going back to Alberto Balsam.

Recently I received some Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner to use, to say I was excited was an understatement. I had heard so much about this range in college but I never knew where to pick some up, so when I received mine in the post I was extremely delighted. I couldn't wait to hop in the shower and put these bad boys to the test! I received the 'Gentle Clarifying Shampoo' and the 'Herbal Essentials Conditioner' based on my hair type.

My hair is very long, fine and can tend to be on the dry side..in particular my ends. I think this is almost every girls nightmare, dry and brittle ends..ugh!

I have been using the Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner for almost 2 months now and over all I have to say I am quite pleased with it :)

I am just coming to the end of my shampoo and I have just under half of the bottle of conditioner left. This is extremely good going for me as my hair is so long and it takes more product to wash! I mentioned above about how my hair can be quite dry on the ends, this isn't the case with regards to the roots..unfortunately. I generally have to wash my hair everyday as the roots of my hair are quite oily. I could leave it for 2 days without washing as long as I use some dry shampoo, but to be honest for me, nothing looks and feels better than freshly washed hair. Since using this range I found that I could in fact go for 2 days without washing my hair and I could even push to a third if I used dry shampoo.

I have tried high end ranges such as 'Ojon' and 'Bedhead' but I found I had to use a lot more product to get a lather going which isn't practical for me due to the length of my hair..especially not at over €20 a bottle for some ranges!

I love the smell of this shampoo and conditioner combination. The conditioner reminds me of those little coconut mushroom sweets you used to be able to buy years ago..delish! I particularly love how the scent remains on my hair after the shower which is quite a nice plus.

When I am applying conditioner to my hair I only ever focus the product on the ends of my hair. However, after reading the back of the conditioner packaging it recommends to rub into the roots too. Anytime I have applied conditioner to the roots of my hair my hair has blow dried greasy..not what you want by any means! But I said hey, lets give it a go! I nourish the ends of my hair in the conditioner and with the excess conditioner left on my hands I massage it into the roots of my hair. I leave it there to work its magic for a couple of minutes then rinse. My hair feels like silk after the conditioner has been applied and thankfully feels the same when I have blow dried my hair. 

Aside from sleek, shiny hair I have noticed a slight difference in volume..my hair definitely has a little more lift to it.

I have no complaints with regard to this shampoo and conditioner.

The only slight problem I found is that if you leave excess conditioner at the mouth of the lid, it will harden and the conditioner will be slightly difficult to squeeze out. This is just due to the type of lid that is on the bottle, just ensure to wipe away any excess and you are good to go!

Price wise it is a bit more expensive than my go-to shampoo range, but at €6.95 it doesn't break the bank. I was over joyed to see that my local pharmacy stocks the range as I am extremely eager to get my hands on another bottle of the shampoo! I have found that the price of this range varies from shop to shop but the cheapest I have seen it retail at is €6.95 :)

So the burning question is...will I stick to this range or go back to Mr Balsam?

To be honest I would rather spend that little bit extra on this range to maintain the results I am currently getting. But if I run out I always have Alberto Balsam at hand :) I'll to-and-fro between the two!

Have you tried any shampoo's from the range?

Let me know what other formula's are worth trying :)

Thanks for tuning in guys!

Eimear x