Haircare Review: Macadamia | Deep Repair Masque |

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque - 250ml - £26.95

I can't believe that it has taken me this long to write up a review on this pot of joy as I've had it for around a year and was coveting it long before then too. When I first discovered the world of blogging, Macadamia hair products were one of the most talked about products that I fancied giving a go. I've managed to try quite a few of the range now (such as the healing oil spray) because luckily Matt's Mum is a hairdresser and stocks the whole range so is able to to give me trade prices or gives them as gifts.

I received the 250ml tub of the Deep Repair Masque for my 21st birthday last January from Matt after pointing it out to him in TK Maxx and was really happy that he took the hint haha. You can see how much is left after a year of use which shows the Macadamia range is really great value for money. The pot is kind of annoying when in the shower as it can fill up with water when opened but I don't mind that much and I like the addition of a stopper underneath the twist lid to keep the masque well contained.

The formula is a lovely thick consistency which features a strong floral scent that I adore due to a mixture of macadamia, argan, tea tree and chamomile oil. Whether you choose to leave it on for a few minutes or a long time, the results are fabulous. I always comb my hair through with a tangle teezer while conditioner is still in my hair to get out the many knots but when using this masque there is hardly any need for the tangle teezer as they seem to fall out naturally once this has worked its magic. My hair is left ridiculously soft, healthy looking and smelling delicious. This is great for preventing damage before it happens, and is smoothing and nourishing without weighing down my fine hair. It is also meant to prevent fading of colour treated hair and like the oil it provides UV protection (essential for coloured hair) and reduces the time your hair takes to dry.

It is also available in a squeezy 100ml tube and tester sachets. When my hair is need of TLC and I fancy a pamper this is always the product I reach for and is definitely one of my favourite products of 2013.

What is your favourite product from the Macadamia range? xxx

Review: Kerastase | Elixir Ultime |

Kerastase Elixir Ultime for Coloured Hair // £29.35 // 125ml

On my most recent visit to the hairdressers Matt treated me to this hair oil (thank you!) I wanted to test out a new brand of oil as I wasn't completely in love with the Macadamia version and am keen to find one that suits my hair type.

There are 4 versions and upon consultation with my hairdresser we purchased the pink one, which features an added ingredient of imperial tea and is best suited for colour treated hair. I love the pink shiny packaging that includes a lockable pump, however I was disappointed it was made out of plastic rather than glass as for me it is quite pricey and I would have preferred it to feel more luxurious for the money. 

It has quite a strong scent which I really like - quite perfumed and flowery that lasts until the next wash. According to the hairdresser it smells like Marc Jacobs Lola fragrance but I can't vouch for that as I haven't smelt it. One pump is enough for me and I smooth it from the top of my ears through to the lengths of my hair. Oils have a variety of uses: pre-shampoo treatments, after washing and as a finishing touch after styling to name a few. My favourite for this oil is after washing on towel dried hair to keep my hair smooth, soft and smelling lovely (although I don't use it if I've used a hair mask). It works great whether you want to blow dry and style your hair or if you prefer to air dry your hair which I normally do. 

This oil has really shone for me and is definitely worth the price tag. I notice a real difference when I use this and find it nourishing without weighing down my hair. I've been using it for a few months now and it is only showing signs of use so should hopefully last me a very long time. I would really like to compare it to the mythic oil by L'Oreal too to see if the high street version matches up to it.

Do you have any favourite hair oils to recommend? xxx

My Current Skincare Regime

At the moment I'm trailing some new products to mix in with old staples, trying to find the best routine for me. My skin has been a bit up and down recently - blemish prone, scaring and oily some days and really dehydrated the next, it doesn't really know what its supposed to be doing. I'm putting it down to stress and the weather, but while I'm trying to figure it out I've been switching up my skincare to remedy the problems and also try to make my diet more healthy (essays are healthy eating's worst enemy!)

My morning routine is pretty simple. I start by washing my face with Simple's moisturising face wash, which I've had for a while and am trying to use up, followed by Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner that I got for Christmas. It smells lovely but doesn't match up to my favourite Boot's Botanics and I don't think its done much to balance out my skin so far. A full review will be up soon though once I've trailed it a bit further. Then a nice layer of much hyped up La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo to tackle the blemishes is applied as a day serum/moisturiser, followed by a little Neal's Yard Frankincense Hydrating Cream if my skin is feeling really dehydrated. Finally a blob of Clarin's Eye Contour Gel for dark circles and prep the area for make up applied with my ring finger.

The evenings are a bit more complicated but my favourite time for skincare. The majority of my make up is removed with a micellar water and cotton pads, at the moment I'm using one by La Roche Posay. Then the Balancing Lime Blossom Cleanser which came with the matching toner is used to thoroughly cleanse all traces of make up and dirt in conjunction with my new No 7 Cleansing Brush, my first foray into facial brushes. There will be a full review of this at a later date but at the moment my impressions of it are good. After using the aforementioned toner, I mix a few drops of Clarins Lotus Oil in with the Neal's Yard moisturiser for extra hydration. I am in love with this oil and cannot wait to give it a full review! Finally, any blemishes are zapped with Origins Super Spot Remover.

What are your skincare staples? xxx

Review: Macadamia Healing Oil Spray

60ml Spray (Gifted) - £12.65 from Feel Unique

There has been so much buzz around oils in the beauty world recently for body, face and hair. I have been slightly reluctant to jump on the bandwagon for my face as it is on the oily side but since finding out oily skin can still become dehydrated and learning all the benefits oils can bring I may be persuaded by Clarins Lotus Oil. My body and hair is a different matter however - I have dry skin particularly on my legs and my hair is dry from the midlengths to ends due to hair dye. I am really good at looking after my hair though and it is in pretty good condition, especially now I rarely use heat on it, however I am always on the look out for a new product for my hair 'problems'. I've heard a lot of good things about Morrocan Oil for a long time, but recently Macadamia seems to be the new kid on the block, with a range of products made out of Macadamia and Argan oil.

Luckily, my boyfriend's Mum is a hairdresser and when I popped in for a quick trim I saw she was selling an array of Macadamia products. After seeing my interest in trying the oil she suggested the spray as I have fine hair (but lots of it). This is perfect as it is lighter than Moroccan oil so won't weigh my hair down as much and the spray means I can spritz a fine mist onto my ends enabling me to control how much I use, rather than saturate them in a handful of product.

I like the packaging which lends itself to the Moroccan scent that this oil possess, however the smell isn't my favourite as I can find it a bit over powering when I first apply it. I'm glad I got the 60ml as it makes it good for travelling which I seem to be doing a lot of recently, and a little really does go a long way so this should last me ages. You can apply this on either damp or dry hair as a finishing agent - I like it on damp hair as it then feels like a deep treatment and it leaves my hair lovely and soft and smelling lovely for days leading up to my next hairwash.

I love that it includes natural UV protection and extends colour treatment life and I can vouch for the fact it is light-weight. I've also noticed a difference to my hair becoming a lot less tangled and there is less of a need for me to brush it as much. It says it is instantly absorbed, but I don't completely agree with this as I have to wait a while before I can run a brush or my fingers through my hair and not feel any oil residue. It also claims that it provides 'intense nourishment' but although I have noticed my hair is softer I feel like I can get the same level of nourishment from treatments I've tried such as the Aussie 3 minute miracle or VO5 hot oils.

Overall, I enjoy using this product and think it has many noticeable benefits for my hair, although I'm not sure if I prefer leave in oils over wash out ones like the VO5. I think this would be a great choice to take away on holiday and for hair that is over-processed. I'm still really interested in trying other products from the range, particularly the Deep Repair Mask (I'm a sucker for hair masks!) and Nourishing Leave-in Cream as they contain the same benefits but in a different way which may be more suited to my needs.

Have you tried any Macadamia products and what were your thoughts? Are there any other oil products you would recommend? xxx