Showing posts with label Hair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hair. Show all posts

Phyto Phytosquam Intense


It's been quite a while since I promised some of you that I'll review this and honestly, I've been avoiding it. The reasons are that first it's a hair care item, which not a lot of people are interested in and the second that this just didn't do its job. It's a new dandruff treatment by Phyto that is quite unique as far as my experiences with anti-dandruff products go. I've tried most of Phyto anti-dandruff treatments before and so far they were the best ones, however, didn't completely help me get rid of the problem, just alleviated it. Funnily enough I had a sample of Phytosquam and it was very, very promising, but the full size product didn't deliver. 


I love the idea of this - it's a product that you apply on dry scalp, section by section, massage it in and leave it on for 5-7 minutes. It's only then that you add water and use it as a normal shampoo. The product has a handy nozzle applicator that makes it easy to apply the product on the scalp, the only problem is that it leaks, so I added a cap from a different product to avoid losing product. Unlike their anti-dandruff shampoos, which are very liquid, Phytosquam is an actual gel, so it feels closer to a normal shampoo. It has a strange scent that reminds me of burnt rubber, but it's not hard to put up with it. When it is on my scalp, I don't feel anything, so no tingling or anything similar. Once I add water, it emulsifies well, like a normal shampoo, which is surprising since Phyto's shampoos, don't foam well and when I rinse it off, it leaves my hair squeaky clean, which is not something I'm terribly fond off, but how else should it remove all the dandruff. Though it worked ok from the start, meaning that it removed most of the dandruff if I applied a thick coat of it, it started losing its effect on my scalp. What's more, not only did that coat of dandruff reappear the next day, now that I'm nearing the end of the tube, it doesn't even remove the dandruff any more. The only thing that I do notice a difference is that there is less itching going on, but it's not gone. 


I did exactly as the instructions said - used it for about two weeks every other day, which was a lot of washing for me since I have dry hair, but after I saw that the treatment didn't work, I started using it only every few washes so I'll use it up. I even started leaving it on for a lot longer than those 5 minutes and it still didn't work as expected. The tube has only 100 ml of product in it and it's almost gone now, but it did last those two weeks of thick applications, which I actually was worried that it won't. 


I liked the other Phyto anti-dandruff shampoos and loved the Phytopolleine, which unfortunately stopped working on me, but it was awesome while it lasted. However, I'm not a fan of Phytosquam. It started out well, but quickly stopped working the way it should and this was a very expensive product, so of course I'm disappointed. Still, if you're as desperate as me and in search of the remedy that will finally cure your dandruff, it's worth a shot, as it might work for you. But perhaps try first the other products for dandruff by Phyto.

I bough mine in Leposana (E.Leclerc Ljubljana) for 20.50 €.

Have a great day!
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Alpstories Bath Salt, Organic Shampoo and Damask Rose Floral Water

Besedilo v slovenščini je na koncu objave.

Alpstories is a Slovene brand that found inspiration for their product in the Alps and they offer a range of products that are free of parabens, mineral oil, articifical colours, sythetic fragrance, silicones and aren't tested on animals. 


Bath Salt
400 g
When I saw that you can customize your own product on Alpstories, I got really excited. I just love the idea so much, though I would prefer if they also had an option of mixing very gourmand scents of products, but classic essential oils are just fine. I needed and wanted a bath salt, so that's the product I decided on, but you can also mix your own shower gel, body milk, liquid soap, massage oil and oil. There are two ways to get the right mix for you, one is by finishing a little quiz that asks you about your skin and habits, and the second way is to decide on the mix of the ingredients yourself. I did the quiz and I got a mix of pelargonium, lavender and ylang yang. I decided to add a bit of camomile in it, since you can add your ingredients later as well, but now I saw that they must have recently added the option of coconut scent, which I'd pick in a heartbeat (and cherry too). Then you proceed to the label part, which to me was terribly exciting. You can pick any colour you want for logo and then also add your own text as well as pictures that you can upload yourself if you wish. I decided on a very simple lavender theme with my blog's logo. I enjoyed making the label so much and next time I might make a mint green version.

The bath salt is sea salt with added essential oils. It takes some time to dissolve due to the size and the scent is very intense - mine turned out to be a relaxing herbal scent. It says you should put a lot of the salt in the bath and one pot contains 400 g of it.

I think this would make an excellent personalized gift. My mix cost 10.38 €, but it all depends on the ingredients and the quantity of them. Ingredients in mine here, also the other side of the label here.

  

12.80 eur, 200 ml
I genuinely did not expect to like this. This was a surprise part of the package sent kindly by Alpstories and I was concerned because I have a bad track record with natural/organic shampoos and I tend to be a bit more brutal in my hair reviews (nothing makes me angrier than a product that ruins my hair). Nonetheless I gave it a try and I honestly haven't tried a SLS/SLES/silicone free shampoo that would actually behave like a normal shampoo - but this one does. It foams well, it cleans well and it doesn't leave my hair a dried up, tangly mess. It's not nourishing, nonetheless I really appreciate that it's not stripping. It has sort of a pharmacy shampoo scent that is a bit more bitter and herbal, but it's not annoying. It's quite a basic shampoo that would probably suit many hair types, though I can't assess how well it would perform on very greasy hair. I don't like sulphate free shampoo in general because they don't clean well enough, but this is really good one, though I would prefer if were a bit more nourishing. It also doesn't irritate my scalp, though it didn't help to fix my dandruff problem at all. Ingredients here.



10.20 eur, 250 ml
There is this hype about rose waters in the beauty community, particularly about the Melvita one and you have to admit that this one and Melvita's share some similarities when it comes to the packaging, but Alpstories one is more affordable. I was excited to give a try due to all the benefits I heard such waters bring. It's a toner in a spray that you apply after cleansing to refresh the skin and you can also use it liberally during the day or even over makeup. The spray pump isn't the best. I've bought some very inexpensive products with a better pump, so price shouldn't be an excuse. The mist isn't fine enough and the product lands on one part of the skin, so it feels too wet and not well distributed. But I can get past that because I actually prefer to spray this on a cotton pad and apply it like that, especially in the mornings before moisturiser and foundation. I do have a problem with the scent. For one I'm not a fan of rose scented products in general, but this one is to my nose even worse because it has this strong sour/vinegar note to it and I can't bear it. I literally stop breathing when I apply this to avoid smelling it, but thankfully it dissipates very quickly. As far as long term result go, I can't say I noticed anything special. The skin feels refreshed right after application and that's it. I notice no particular hydration or other skin benefits and at times I even feel it might be a bit irritating on damaged skin (it definitely doesn't soothe at all). As I said I use this in the morning for a quick refreshment, but I wouldn't miss it in my care. 


They sell their products in Slovenia and Croatia, but they have an international online shop as well.
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Alpstories je slovenska znamka, ki je našla navdih v Alpah in ponujajo izdelke, ki so brez parabenov, mineralnega olja, umetnih ter sintentičnih barvil, silikonov, poleg tega pa ne testirajo na živalih.

Kopalna sol
400 g
Že ko sem gledala Youtube videe nekaterih Britank, ki so govorile o kopalnih soleh Bathory, slednje namreč lahko namešaš kakor si želiš, me je ideja zelo pritegnila, ampak sem enostavno predvidevala, da kaj takega zagotovo ni pri nas. Pa sem se motila. Alpstories mi je sprva izgledala kot vsaka povprečna spletna trgovina z naravno kozmetiko, nato pa sem opazila možnost ustvarjanja lastnega izdelka. Pohvalno. In ne ponujajo le kopalne soli, ampak tudi mleko za telo, masažno olje, tuš gel, tekoče milo in olje. Da namešaš izdelek se lahko odločiš za eno izmed dve poti - začneš sam od začetka ali pa rešiš kratek kviz, ki te sprašuje za osnovne stvari o koži in navadah. Jaz sem se odločila za slednje in mi je ponudilo mešanico pelargonije, ylang ylanga in sivke. Sama sem se odločila še dodati kamilico za vonj, zdaj pa sem videla, da so dodali možnost vonja kokosa, ki bi ga seveda izbrala takoj, zanimiva pa mi je še češnja. Da lahko ustvariš še svojo nalepko me je čisto presenetilo in takoj sem začela delati razne kombinacije barv ter slik. Slike lahko naložiš tudi sam in tudi jaz sem naložila sliko "mojega logotipa". Končna kombinacija je sivkino inspirirana, naslednja pa bo zagotovo mentolno zelena.

Sama sol je navadna groba morska sol kateri so dodana eterična olja, zelišča in parfumi. Sol se počasi topi v vodi in ima kar močen vonj - moja kombinacija je zelo sproščujoča mešanica pelargonije, ylang ylang, sivke in kamilice. Sol je na voljo v velikosti 400 g, embalaža pa je plastična z kovinskim pokrovčkom.

Meni se zdi ideja individualno namešanih izdelkov z nalepkami zelo primerna za kakšno posebno darilo. Moja mešanica je stala 10,38 €, je pa znesek popolnoma odvisen od sestavin in količin le-teh. Sestavine moje soli tukaj, ter še druga stran nalepke tukaj.

12,80 eur, 200 ml
Nisem pričakovala, da mi bo ta šampon všeč. Na splošno nisem ljubiteljica "naravnih" šamponov ali pa takih brez SLS in SLES ter silikonov, ker se v preteklosti niso kaj pretirano izkazali, pa čeprav imam prhljaj in naj bi menjava na take šampone pomagala, je bil končni efekt skupaj ničen. Še bolj me pa moti, da so taki šamponi ponavadi enostavno čudni, se ne penijo in ne očistijo dobro, ampak tale je pa očitno izjema. Sploh ne bi verjela, da je brez sulfatov, saj se obnaša čisto kot normalen šampon, ki se dobro peni in očisti lase. Celo ne diši tipično močno zeliščno, česar res ne maram, ampak diši bolj kot kakšen šampon iz lekarne z dodatkom grenkega zeliščnega vonja. Učinkek je nad pričakovanji, saj mi las ne pusti izsušenih in zavozlanih, čeprav ni pretirano negovalen, pa vseeno cenim, da nimam občutka, da bo potrebno uporabiti ogromno balzama. Zdi se mi primeren za večino tipov las, ker je kar osnovni šampon, čeprav ne znam povedati kako bi se obnesel na zelo mastnih laseh. Glede prhljaja nisem opazila nobenih sprememb, pač pri mojem sulfati in silikoni očitno niso problem, mi pa šampon ni iritiral lasišča, kot nekateri naravni šamponi (Lavera). Kar se tiče naravnih šamponov, je med temi, ki sem jih preizkusila do zdaj, ta najboljši, bi si pa glede na moj tip las želela, da bi bil morda malo bolj negovalen. Sestavine tukaj.

100% organska cvetna vodica damaščanske vrtnice
10,20 eur, 250 ml
Rožne vodice so dosegle najvišjo raven popularnosti v zadnjih letih z Melvitino rožno vodico v centru dogajanja in ne morem si pomagati, da ne bi opazila kako podobni sta si s tole od Alpstories, predvsem vizualno, seveda pa je slednja cenejša. Melvitine verzije nisem nikoli preizkusila, ampak sem slišala, da naj bi imela zelo pozitivne učinke in seveda me je zelo zanimalo kako se bo ta od Alpstories obnesla na moji mešani koži. Je pravzaprav tonik v spreju, ki ga naneseš po čiščenju ali pa kadarkoli, lahko tudi čez ličila, da se znebiš preveč očitnega pudrastega videza. Sam sprej ni pretirano dober, ker ne naredi dovolj razpršene in fine meglice, zato vodica pristane samo na enem delu obraza in pusti moker občutek. Sama se znajdem tako, da tonik raje nanašam z vatko, še posebej zjutraj namesto micelarne vode in pred nanosom kreme, za namene hitrega čiščenja in osvežitve. Me pa zelo moti vonj. Že tako in tako nisem ljubiteljica vrtničnih vonjev v kozmetiki, ker sploh niso podobni pravi stvari, ampak tale ima še dodatno kislo noto, ki jo težko prenašam. Dejansko neham dihati, ko špricam ta tonik, da se izognem vonju, ampak se vsaj zelo hitro razdiši. Glede dolgotrajnih učinkov ne vem če sem res opazila kakšne pomembnejše rezultate. Koža je bolj osvežena po nanosu, ampak to je vse. Kakšne dodatne navlaženosti nisem opazila, mi pa občasno, če je kje kakšna ranica kožo celo malo iritira, saj malenkost peče, pa sploh nima alkohola. Uporabljam jo zjutraj za hitro osvežitev, ampak jo ne bi pogrešala v svoji negi. Sestavine tukaj (pod ingredients)

Alpstories izdelke lahko dobite v trgovinah Misli Zdravo in nekaterih lekarnah. Seznam lahko najdete tukaj, poleg tega pa imajo še spletno trgovino.

Have a great day!

*Products were sent to me.
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Drugstore Recommendations for Dry Hair


PRE-WASH TREATMENTS

Coconut Oil
If your hair is really dry or at least your ends desperately need some extra care, oils are your best bet. Particularly coconut oil has proven to be excellent for hair because it's the only one that has the ability to penetrate into the cortex and also helps prevent protein loss. You simply apply it on dry hair before washing and leave it on as long you like, but the longer the better and leaving it overnight yields best results. Then you simply wash it off (you'll notice how much sleeker your hair is when rinsing off the shampoo) and continue with conditioner as well as the rest of the care. You can also heat the oil first in the microwave or use a hair dryer to warm it up as warm oil performs even better. People often ask me if putting a lot of oil on their hair will make it greasy - you'll wash it off. Unless you have a rubbish shampoo, all the oil simply washes off by shampooing twice. Coconut oil is sold in any bigger grocery store and drugstores (it's usually where the healthy food is), but beware of varying prices as I've seen some insane price tags and if you're paying over 10 €, it's too much.
Read more about coconut oil here on this genius blog, The Natural Haven Bloom, here and here. 

I found this quite randomly in E.Leclerc and though we have this brand just about everywhere here, for some reason I could only find this oil there. I think it's even better than coconut oil and it's my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". They decided to fit the bottle with a spray applicator, which was a bad move, since the oil is too thick and there is no way it could spray it into a mist, but you just spray it in the hands and apply it like that. I'm always very generous when applying it and I use it all over the hair since my entire length is dry, but you can easily just apply it on the ends if that is your only problematic area. I tend to leave it on overnight or all day if I'm at home and put my hair in a tight bun, then wash my hair in the morning or evening and let me tell you this oil has fantastic results. It deeply hydrates and nourishes the hair like nothing I've tried. My hair feels like it's transformed. But it doesn't work on dry hair after washing if you plan to use it as a leave-in as it is very greasy and heavy. 
E. Leclerc, 5-6 €

Other recommendations:
Macadamia Oil
Argan Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil

SHAMPOOS

I have tried many, many shampoos in my life, a large majority of them were from the drugstore and these two from L'Oreal win hands down. Performance-wise they are both about the same with the main difference being the scent. Extraordinary oil one has an oriental cinnamon-ish scent, while Glatt-Intense has a typical clean scent. The latter seems to have disappeared from our shelves, perhaps in order to be replaced by Extraordinary oil, but regardless, as I said they are so similar. The formula reminds me a lot of the much more expensive and utterly brilliant Oleo-Relax, so it's like a bit of conditioner was added to the shampoo, but it doesn't weight the hair down, just smooths it a bit. When I'm rinsing it off, there is none of that annoying squeaky clean, dry, my-hair-I'll-be-a-tangly-mess feeling and the hair can be combed a lot easier than at a lot of other shampoos. Best of all, these are on offer very often and you can get 400 ml at a bargain price of a few euros just about everywhere.

Other recommendations:

CONDITIONERS, MASKS AND TREATMENTS

Just as shampoos, I've tried my fair share of drugstore conditioners and though a large majority were disappointing (I just tried three new ones last month and all did not perform satisfactory), there are a few drugstore gems that I've been loyal to for years. They of course don't work as well as salon brands, especially when it comes to dry hair (I would suggest you still invest in one high-end one if your hair is really dry), but they still do their work admirably. Brilliant Brunette has been in my conditioners stash for so many years and when one runs out, a new one promptly takes its place. It feels quite light, yet it is moisturising enough for my dry hair and it leaves the hair feeling silky when I rinse it off, but there are two other things that it excels at and that is shine and scent. The scent is divine, it's like a mix of coconut and caramel in a more sophisticated way and this is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smells nice for at least a day if not longer. I currently own a salon size 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, while the regular sizes comes in a squeeze tube.
Price: 8.49 € for 250 ml in Müller and DM.

Things were shaky the first few weeks when I got my first Aussie Reconstructor, but it turned out to be one of my ultimate favourites. It's one of the rare conditioners that I consider being almost as good as some more expensive ones because the effects last a day or two longer on my hair, in particular when it comes to how long my hair stays moisturised. It has a gel-cream hybrid texture that is easy to apply on the hair and it smells just like Hubba-Bubba fruit fantasy bubble gum tape. I leave it on for longer than 3 minutes, usually about 20 minutes, but you can just leave for as long as you want to. It finally became available in Slovenia (can I get a hallelujah for that?), though it is quite pricey compared to the USA. 
Price: 8 € in Müller.

Elvital Total Repair 5 Intensiv Maske mit Reparatűr Serum 
Elvive Full Restore 5
This caught my eye when I saw it on Allure's list of best drugstore treatments, though it's has several different names and packaging, but I think mine is the right one. This is my first pot and though I liked it straight away, I'm more and more impressed by it with every use. Compared to most masks available on our market, this one performs really well on dry hair, it nourishes it and just does all the basic things I expect from a hair mask. The pudding-jelly cream consistency reminds me of Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Epais-Thick, thought L'Oreal's version of course isn't as impressive as the Kérastase's, but it's certainly lovely for the price. I also tried the newest Extraordinary Oil version and it performs badly compared to this one, so I actually much prefer the combination of Extraordinary shampoo with Total Repair 5 mask. There is also another version of Total Repair in a violet packaging, but I haven't tried it yet. 
Müller, 6.39 €. I've seen only the violet version in DM.

Other recommendations:

HEAT PROTECTION

L'OREAL Studio Line Hot & Smooth Hot Straight Cream
Studio Line Hot&Glatt Thermo-Glättungs-Balm
I will be completely honest at this category and say that none of the drugstore heat protectors blew me away, also a lot of them contain alcohol, which is completely unnecessary for dry hair. However, I have been using L'Oreal's Studio Line Hot & Smooth (previously Silk & Gloss) for at least ten years, first on my hair and now on others. There are a few versions of heat protectors in this line - I have two, the lotion version and the aerosol one. I wouldn't recommend the latter for dry hair because it contains alcohol and it does feel a bit drying on the hair, however, the lotion is another story. It's a very basic, light heat protection that doesn't weight down the hair and does its job of protecting from heat. My bottle is very old and it has been repackaged, so I put the newest aerosol version next to it, which comes in the new design.
About 5 € in Műller.

Possibly interesting alternatives that I haven't tried yet, but heard good things about:

LEAVE-INS

I have exactly the same opinion about silicone oils as about heat protections - there aren't many that are actually good or comparable to salon brands ones. Yes, essentially they are all just good-old silicone serums with some oils. Big deal, right? However, most drugstore ones again have alcohol in it or even if they have nice ingredients, they don't work as well, mostly because they are too light (like for example the Garnier Fructis one). And since they are so light, dry hair just drinks them up in minutes and then it's like you didn't use anything, so you end up using so much oil for any effect. But Petra showed me one exception and it's brilliant. You can tell from the bottle, I've been loving this for the past months. The texture is comparable to salon brands "oils" in a sense that's it's thick, but it's not as thick as Orofluido or Macadamia Natural Oil's one, still it's much better than most drugstore oils. I don't tend to use it on damp hair, but rather after blow-drying to tame the frizz, give the hair a bit of nourishment and shine. It smells nice as well and the scent is like a mix of their "regular" green serum, which smells a bit like apples but in a hair salon way, plus some deep oriental note. I'm also a big fan of the pump, but I do mind that there is only 30 ml of it in the bottle because when you compare the prices per ml, Orofluido is not that more expensive if you know where to get the lowest price.
Avon, regular price 6.90€, but it's often on offer.


Öl-La-La Styling Öl-Spray 
This is basically just a very light silicone-oil in an aerosol form, which is wonderful for dry hair that needs a bit of a boots and even for those who find most liquid silicone-oils too heavy for their hair. It gives tons of shine, helps fight frizz and doesn't weight down the hair, which makes it a great choice to use when you wear your hair curly and you fear your curls will drop if you apply a proper hair oil. It's more of a styling/shine product, since the argan oil content is minimal and it doesn't actually nourish the hair much, however, it's much better than your average shine spray because most of those have a high content of alcohol. This spray is actually just cheating healthy, shiny hair in a can. I can spray a ton of it on my hair and it doesn't weigh it down one bit, build up or make it oily, however, my hair is dry and thick. 
I've seen Fructis does the same thing, but they obviously had to put alcohol in it, what else.
6.99 € in Müller.


I will sneakily add this leave-in as well because you can get it for as little as 12.70 € on Beauty Bay and one bottle lasts me well over a year. A good leave-in conditioner makes all the change when you have dry hair. It injects an additional boots of moisture, it helps the hair stay hydrated longer and this one also helps fight frizz. Using this, I can easily use a drugstore conditioner without having my hair dry by the end of second day after washing it. I don't even have to resort to using oil every day on my ends. It's hands down the best leave-in conditioner I've tried and if you're worried it's heavy, it's actually just a very light liquid.

Other recommendations:
JOHN FRIEDA Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner - recommended by Živa from Nothin' Fancy. Really.

Have a great day!
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Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 1


As far as hair care goes, I'm aware that I am very fussy and demanding, but I want only the best for my hair and that's because my hair isn't the easiest to deal with due to the dry, coarse and fizzy condition of it, so it requires a lot more care than average hair. Kérastase Nutrive line contains some of the by far best hair products I've tried so far, with Oleo-Relax shampoo being my favourite shampoo of all time. Bain Satin 1 is another shampoo in that line, but one designed for normal to slightly dry hair. There is also Bain Satin 2 which is meant for dry, sensitized hair.

Bain Satin 1 has a creamy formula and not a gel one like Oleo Relax. Despite that I find it less nourishing and it doesn't leave my hair so magnificently silky as Oleo-Relax, but also doesn't leave my hair stripped. While Oleo-Relax feels like a 2-in-1 product, so like there is also some conditioner added, Bain Satin 1 rinses of completely without leaving that silky layer on the hair. That's why it might appeal more to those who have moderately dry hair and avoid shampoos that could weigh down the hair. It foams very well, cleans the hair well, almost to a squeaky clean point, but doesn't make the hair feel like straw and it smells very classically clean, so similar to Nivea and the likes.


The one thing that kind of does bothers the spoiled side of me is the absence of a flip lid. It's all very old school with the screw off lid. 

I much prefer Oleo-Relax for my hair type and it's still my favourite ever shampoo. Bain Satin is better suited for those with normal/moderately dry hair or even hair with dry ends that gets greasy fast (but don't quote me on that) as it leaves nothing behind, but clean hair. If it's in your budget and fits your hair type, give it a try as it's a lovely shampoo, but for super dry, frizzy hair I'd still go with Oleo-Relax.

Kérastase is sold in hair salons (for example Simple in Slovenia) and in online shops. It costs around 20 €.

Have a great day! 
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Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer


When it comes to high-end hair care, Elasticizer is one of the most recommended and praised products in the business. The sheer amount of positive feedback pretty much everywhere combined with the high price of the product set my bar of expectations very high and yet I was let down.

Elasticizer is a pre-wash treatment meaning it's meant to be used on damp hair before shampooing. The instructions on the tube recommend leaving it on for 10-20 minutes, but on their website they also recommend leaving it overnight if your hair is very damaged. 

It feels like a standard creamy conditioner and it's easy to spread on damp hair. I detect no scent, which to me is a bit disappointing, but I know a lot of people hate scented products. I used this in both recommended ways, one was for 20 minutes before washing and it didn't wow me as it should for such an expensive product. The second time I left it on overnight and the results failed to impress me as well. The hair felt silky when I was rinsing it off, but that was no different to if I just used a regular conditioner before shampooing. And that was the entire extend of the effects. I haven't noticed any excellent hydration or nourishment that would differ from using just my regular (drugstore) conditioners. Claims include improved manageability of the hair and shine, but my hair didn't benefit much from either. There is a possibility that this is the type of product that needs time and proves beneficial after an extended regular use, however, to be completely honest, I expected a lot more from such an expensive product in terms of immediate effects. Considering the price, this should be better than Kérastase Masquitense Épais - Thick and yet the latter knocks this out of competition completely. By the way, Elasticizer has no silicones and the main ingredient is castor oil. 


I had the 75 ml tube, while bigger sizes come in a pot (150 ml) and a bottle with a pump (500 ml and 1000 ml). It lasted me three uses on my lower back length of hair. I bought it on Look Fantastic where regular price of this size is 22 €, but I waited for a discount.

I'm happy I only got the small size to try because if I bought the full size pot for 40 €, I'd be very disappointed. I expect a lot more from such an expensive hair product, especially since a lot of reviewers on Makeup Alley appear to have a very similar hair texture to mine, but unfortunately this didn't deliver on my hair. I'll be sticking to my beloved Kérastase Masquitense Épais - Thick for fantastic results and Redken's Anti Snap for strengthening the hair.

Anyone loves this product? Have a great day!
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Garnier Fructis Wunder Öl


I'm a huge fan of hair silicone-oils, but I've only been using high-end ones, with Orofuido being my absolute favourite. It's not hard to justify paying high prices for these silicone-oils, since even with my long hair one bottle can lasts years, but I just wanted to check how the drugstore brands are doing in that department. I checked so many oils and most had completely disappointing ingredients mainly due to high alcohol content or just too many silicones instead of proper oils. Garnier Fructis' one appeared to be the best in the quite a big selection, so I chose the regular version, but there is also a version with added heat protection. 


I must say I was quite disappointed when I saw the texture of this. Considering that argan oil in on the third place among ingredients, this is very light and runny. It's closest in texture to Elixir Ultime, which I never considered to be amazing for dry hair, but good for quick fixes like taming the frizz a bit. Due to lightness if you use it on damp hair, it doesn't help tame the hair much when it's blow-dried, in fact it doesn't do much of anything if used like that apart from perhaps creating a layer of protection from the heat due to silicones. On dry hair it makes the hair sleeker and shinier just like any other oil, but on coarse hair it can't quite manage to tame it for very long, plus you need to use several pumps of it. Of course I think that people with thin hair will most likely love this product because it is so light that it doesn't weight down the hair much (quantity is the key here).


The scent is so blah to me. It's like Nivea with a slight fruity twist or some baby cosmetics, so nothing like the rich scents of other oils I've tried. Even after almost a year, I'm not a fan of it and I consider scents in hair products important because my hair is long and everywhere, therefore also close to my nose. 

The packaging is a plastic one with a good pump. There is 150 ml of product there, which is a huge amount. However, due to lightness it won't last long if you have thick hair as you'll have to use quite a few pumps, but if your hair is thin this should last you ages. 


I used it here on my mother's hair (in internet years an ancient Instagram picture), who has about the same hair texture as me and as you can see it does it's job of making the hair appear healthy and shiny, but as I said it's not the best for dry hair or at least we prefer thicker ones.


I may have expected too much from it. In the mountain of drugstore hair silicone-oils, judging purely from ingredients, absolutely none apart from this one and one other whose brand name I don't recall looked anything particularly special when I was in the shop. Given that the argan oil is supposedly not only in trace amounts since it's placed third on the INCI list, I presumed it was pretty much as good as the professional salon brands ones. It is not. I may be thoroughly spoiled by Orofluido and the likes (I've tried most of the popular high-end ones, which you can read in my Hair Oils Series), but yes, there is a difference between high-end and drugstore treatments that I guess most people won't notice on their hair, but on my dry hair there just is. I consider these silicone-oils more like styling products than care, but thicker ones still manage to keep the hair look nourished longer. This one isn't the best for thick, coarse hair, but those are afraid of these type of products and fear it might make it greasy, might like it a lot.

One "drugstore" oil did impress me. It's Avon's Advanced Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil and that one is close in texture to Orofluido, so it manages to tame thick hair a lot better. Petra, who also suffers from dry hair, gifted me that oil and she loves it as well. If you have a chance to try that one, it's definitely worth checking it out.

I got this oil in Müller for about 10 €. By the way, I saw a different Garnier oil recently and it was much cheaper.

How many of you have tried this and love/like it? Have a great day!
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Best Beauty Tools


These were the discovery of the year in 2014. I've always wanted sectioning clips, but I could never find more than a pack of 2 for a completely unreasonable price in our drugstores. Then I resorted to eBay and ordered these for a few euros not expecting much, but the quality of these blew me away. They are made from that "NARS" like rubberised, matte plastic and the spring is a really good one meaning it's not too weak, but neither too tight. I use these every time I blow dry or curl the hair to keep them out of the way as well as to  pin the just blow dried strands in a ring shape to let it cool and in that way create a loose wave. 
I bought mine from this seller.


Pot Nail Polish Removers
A trend that Bourjois started years ago with their Magic Nail Polish Remover and that has now spawned many "dupes", both more affordable and more expensive. The level of brilliance when it comes to these removers still astonishes me and I can barely imagine myself still using the old school remover and cotton pads to remove the nail polish from my fingernails. All you have to do is pop the finger in the pot, swish it around for a while against the foam soaked in remover and it's done. It shaved so much time of removing nail polish, which before was one of my most hated beauty chores. This is truly an amazing beauty invention and I hear some even make their own versions from common household objects. 


The days of putting just cleaned damp brushes on the edge of the table or on the radiator are long for me ever since I got this brush drying station. It's such a clever little thing and it does its job so well. All you have to do is put the damp brushes upside down in silicone grippers and wait for it do dry. It prevents the water collecting inside the ferule and dissolving the adhesive, therefore prolonging the life of brushes. This one is also collapsible, so it's easy to store in the drawer when you're not using it. 
Mine is from Glossy.si, but international readers can get it on the official Benjabelle site. There are also many versions of such racks sold on eBay.


 REMINGTON Ci6325 Pro Soft Curl Curler
The unsung hero of mine. In the four years of blogging I mentioned this curler only once and I yet I use it so much. Every time you see me with curly hair in my swatches pictures, this is the curler I used. I've had a few in my time and this is by far the best one for my type of hair. It's a 2.5 cm (1 inch) barrel curler with an adjustable temperature option, but it's still very basic and most importantly very affordable. I bought it in Interspar a long time ago for about 30 € (but I think I even used a nice discount at the time - the good thing about Interspar, am I right?). On my thick, long hair I find that the 200°C setting works best and if I use a lower temperature, the curls don't last nearly as long. I usually just simply curl the hair starting at the middle of my length and curl it away from the face, but leave the ends out and hold it for usually less than 10 seconds. I do that in sections and clip the hair that's already been curled in a loose bun, so it cools and keeps shape better. Once all the hair is curled and cool, I run through the curls with fingers and Orofluido, then finish with some hair spray and a texturiser. This way my curls last three or even more days, but they get quite loose by day three giving me that slightly wavy, but almost glam look. I just can't imagine my life without this curler.  


EBELINE Ionic Negative Round Ceramic Brush
60 mm
If you have unruly, frizzy hair like me and you're not using a round brush together with a hair dryer, you're seriously missing out. I find that a good blow-out makes my hair feel less coarse, makes it more manageable and less dry-feeling to the touch. See that orange strip on this brush? Well, by changing into yellow that little genius thing alerts you that the temperatures are so high they are damaging for your hair . Though I use a hair dryer once a week, I never use it at the highest heat setting and this brush also alerts me if I'm concentrating on one strand too long and causing unnecessary damage. I like the design of this brush a lot as it never got tangled in my hair and it manages to make my hair look sleeker. Quite a nifty thing. 
Ebeline is a brand sold in DMs and this brush cost around 10 €. I've seen a similar design from Műller's Body & Soul brushes. 


Tangle Teezer and its many dupes
While my hair isn't that tangly despite the length and thickness (it's all the conditioners/leave-ins I'm using, I guess), these type of brushes are so much better than any of those old school brushes I used to have. I particularly like the ones with some sort of a handle, especially if you have "baby hands" like me because the original Tangle Teezer is quite big to hold (but not the travel size). They glide through the hair so much easier and it takes a lot less time to comb the hair which if you have such long hair as me is a giant plus. Also there is almost none of pulling and tugging, so it reduces damage when combing. 
I saw my Ulala! brush sold for as little as 4 € in E.Leclerc, but such brushes are sold everywhere now. 


BRAUN Silk Epil Xelle Epilator
Another unsung hero of mine and one that has been my trusted companion for about 7 or 8 years. I paid a lot at the time (around 100 €) and it still works perfectly after all this time. TMI moment, I have very dark, strong hair and very pale skin, so you do the math, but I can tell you it's just one of those things that causes me great distress. Shaving lasts about a day or less for me, even so it never does the job completely as the dark dots are still clearly visible against my milky skin, so plucking is the most long lasting and better performing option. I'm not going to say that it doesn't hurt. This one has a massaging rollers attachment, which is supposed to help with the pain, but it's rather gimmicky to be honest, however, the "smartlight" is just brilliant (seriously, get one with the light). I have a high threshold for pain and even I feel a bit of discomfort, but mostly because my hair is so strong (it's a slight burning sensation if you're interested). I gave it to my cousin to try once and she can't even look at it since then that's how painful it was for her. But it's the best way of dealing with the problem for me and it gives me about a week of carefreeness and even in the later days the hair is more sparse. It takes about three weeks for all the hair to grow back, which is not bad, but as I said it's completely smooth for a lot less time because hair grows at different rates. Its main issue is the ingrown hair, but that's a story for another day. 
This version is discontinued, but Braun has many new versions of Silk Epil epilators. I think it's worth investing more into these as mine lasted amazingly long.


RIFFI Body Brush
Jana from Small Bits of Loveliness hooked me up on the whole body brushing business. As I've said before I have a problem with ingrown hair, so I had hopped regular brushing will help alleviate the problem. It turned out to be such a fun and pleasant beauty treatment at the end of the day. The bristles are so soft that the brushing is really pleasant. Apart from exfoliation, there are several other advantages to using a body brush, but you should investigate that yourself if you're interested.
My brush is from Müller for 5.5 €, but these type of brushes are sold in most drugstores.

What are your essential beauty tools? Have a great day! 
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Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat UV Protective Primer


I expected a lot from this. It's a high end product, which has gained some great reviews, though granted mostly from people who were sent the product, but I still trust most of them. However, I'm just not as impressed by it. My hair requires a great deal more care than an average individual's, so I'm sure this kind of product suits a lot of people, but still for the price I was expecting something exceptional, so in the rank of Kérastase products, but this isn't even close. 

First, I'd like to praise the ease of use. It's super simple to just spray this on the hair and have everything from heat and UV protection, an extra boost of moisture and pre-styling element of hair care sorted. Judging from the name as well as the claims, I expected something similar to Orofluido Sahara, but this is a completely different product. It's closer to a light milky lotion and it has none of the oil-like qualities. Due to that, you have to be mindful of how much you apply on dry hair as it does make the hair wet, so that means you shouldn't really go straight to curling or straightening your hair, but let it dry for a moment. Also on dry hair it has a tendency to get a bit heavy or maybe I should say that you notice a layer of product on the hair. But my real issue is not with its performance on dry hair, but on damp. It just doesn't deliver. Sure it provides heat protection, but that's it. There is no frizz control nor do I think that it's as effective as the much cheaper Sexy Healthy Hair leave-in when it comes to adding and sealing moisture into the hair. Even the scent is unremarkable and bland - as I've described it before, it's like a classic soap scent mixed with porcini mushrooms (SLO jurčki) and cream. Basically, it's the most simple heat protecting spray, but that's it. Though, the ingredients do look fantastic, since it contains grape seed oil, sweet almond oil, macadamia oil, coconut oil, argan oil and safflower oil as well as some proteins. So I'm a bit surprised that it performs so averagely when it comes to seriously nourishing the hair.


I know I may seem harsh in my hair care reviews at times, but I seek only brilliance and I'm not satisfied with run of the mill products. And this is the latter, which is a bit sad considering the price. If your hair is super dry as mine, I'd again like to recommend Kérastase Nectar Thermique or if you prefer to use heat protection on dry hair, I really love Tigi's S Factor Flat Iron Shine Spray Heat Defender for the job. But if your hair isn't as problematic as mine, you should still give this a go if it interests you, but Tigi's Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm is lovely and in my opinion better, though admittedly more expensive if you look at the price per ml (but no per bottle). Of course, I will use this up and I do use it a lot because it's so easy to use, however, I doubt I will repurchase it. Still the bottle is big with 250 ml of product, so I may change my mind about it when it'll be on its last legs.

Have a great day!
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December Inspired Beauty


Christmas lights, glitter, red lips and cocoa with cinnamon - that's what December is all about to me. I so enjoyed doing my Autumn Picks post, so I'm doing another similar one inspired by the holiday season.


LIPS
CATRICE Ultimate Colour 350 MATTador
Even if you're not a red lipstick girl, the holiday season beckons for some ruby red on the lips. MATTador is a warm toned red with a creamy-matte finish. 

To make it a bit different, MATTraction is not a classic red, but a deep rose-pink-red shade that is super pretty on the lips and it's a fun colour, but at the same time very glamorous.

 
L'OREAL Color Riché Pure Reds Collection Exclusive Blake
An incredible ruby/cherry red with a blue undertone that is the most classic shade in my selection. The finish is matte and the formula just spectacular. Here is a comparison with Ruby Woo and Russian Red.

L'OREAL Color Riché Pure Reds Collection Exclusive Laetitia
The berry-burgundy season hasn't passed yet, so I can't let such a shade out of this selection. Laetitia is a proper deep red with some purples tones and it looks so striking on the lips.
Pure Reds are currently 25% cheaper in Müllers.

For more red lipsticks check my Swatch Gallery


EYES
URBAN DECAY Naked Palette 
Sin, Half Baked, Smog & Toasted
There is hardy a more appropriate palette for the season. The lovely shimmery finish of some shades looks very festive, but still every day appropriate, not to mention the slew of combinations and different looks that can be created with this palette. My personal favourites for this time of the year are shimmery light pink Sin, warm gold Half Baked, fantastic bronze Smog and medium cool pink Toasted. 

002 Hourglass Beige, 015 Flashback Silver, 021 Sahara Treasure, 024 Bronze Goddess and 033 Tender Caramel
I say go all out with shimmer on holidays and these have some of the best shimmery-metallic finish paired with excellent pigmentation. My absolute favourite in this whole bunch is Sahara Treasure, a shimmery medium brown-gold that looks über glam on the eyes. Other shades are a light gold Hourglass Beige, lavender-silver Flashback Silver, gorgeous green-gold Bronze Goddess and my newest addition- a taupe version of Sahara Treasure - Tender Caramel. 
All of these shades can still be found in DM and I was told that Tuš has them for 3 €. If you still can't find them, try Fragrance Direct or Salma.

CATRICE ViennART LE Baked Eyeshadow
C03 Lovely Lace
By far the best gold eyeshadow I've found so far for my pale skin tone as it doesn't look orange. It's a limited edition, so hurry up if you want it.


BARRY M Dazzle Dust Old Gold
No one talks about Dazzle Dusts anymore. If you're looking for super sparkly eyeshadows, look no further. Old Gold is a greenish gold with lots of shimmer. I like using this over other eyeshadows to give the look some extra sparkle.

MAC Patina
A neutral classic, but a nice way to wear some understated gold on the eyes. 

I actually knew this was discontinued before I decided what to include in this post, but it's so damn pretty it'd be a crime not to put it here. It's a proper gold shade that on me turns a bit orangey because of my skin tone, but it' gorgeous nonetheless and it's incredibly pigmented. 
I set upon finding more drugstore gold eyeshadows to mention here and I found it in Catrice's Absolute Mono Eyeshadow 420 Talk Like An Egyptian and L'Oreal L'Ombre Pure 500 Gold Mania (or Lumiere).


All of those shimmery eyeshadows will need a base and On and on Bronze is an excellent choice for the job. It's a nice neutral bronze shade with a metallic finish. Of course, you can just wear it on its own, as I have almost all December.

Two more liquid/cream eyeshadows with a metallic/shimmery finish that can be used on their own or as a base. Brazil's Sunset is a beige-gold, while UK's Stonehenge is a taupe cool toned brown.

To define those eyes some eyeliner on the top lash line always does the trick. Felt Tip eyeliners are super simple to use and this particular one has a very pigmented black and long lasting formula.


A copper gold eyeliner that costs just a pound. Bargain

I didn't know that this was discontinued, but it's one of the best gold eyeliners especially for the price. I searched for another similar gold eyeliner in our drugstores and found Catrice's Liquid Gold Gel Eye Pencil 030 You’re So Gold Fashioned!.

Stash is an interesting mix of gold and green, and it's dark enough to define the eyes, but still give it that something special. I love using this on my lower lash line and even in the waterline as it defines, but doesn't look as stark as black.

There is no better time to wear falsies and Demi Wispies are without a doubt some of the prettiest lashes I've ever seen. They are slightly tapered at the outer corner giving that elongated eye effect and don't overpower the eye makeup because they still look natural enough. Not to mention how comfortable they are to wear. To help you with the lash application, Catrice has a nifty Lash Applicator.


CHEEKS 
No matter what makeup you're wearing, this blush will work with it. It's such a gorgeous natural, slightly pinkish warm shade. I just adore it

ESSENCE Silky Blush 70 Kissable
It is the season for deeper blushes and this plum one fits the bill perfectly. It's super pigmented, therefore great if you have a medium skin tone and it also has gold shimmer that gives that glow to the cheeks.

NARS Blush Orgasm
The good old classic that suits pale skin tones so well (those with deeper skin tones go for Deep Throat). It's the quintessential peachy-pink shade with gold shimmer. You can't go wrong with it on any occasion.


Designed as a primer to give some extra subtle luminosity to the skin, it can be used under foundation, mixed with foundation or just on the highpoints of the face over makeup. I really love this because it's subtle, warm toned and feels super light.

MAKEUP REVOLUTION Vivid Baked Highlighter 
Peach Lights
Though the name suggests a warm toned highlighter, the shimmer in it is actually cool pink. It's a baked highlighter that I find is still more on the subtle side, especially compared to the cream Essence one. Petra The Awesome (yes, that's how I renamed her) gave me this because it didn't suit her warm colouring, but it suits my neutral complexion very well. Here is her review.

A cream highlighter with a pink based shimmer and one that is similar to Benefit's High Beam. It's super glowy and very creamy, almost like it's melted when touched,  however, on the skin it feels kind of dry to the touch.

Highlighting pen brings some extra light to the face and helps hide dark circles as well as lifts the complexion. It's a subtle effect, but it does so much.

As if there isn't enough highlighting going on in this post, there is also this little gem. I use this as a setting powder and I swear it makes the foundation look so much better. There are some scary big glitter particles inside, but they don't translate on the face, however, what you're left with is a lovely, fresh complexion.


NAILS
Why mess why the good old classic and not just wear the chic nude manicure. It should look particularly lovely if paired with some glitter either as an accent nail, ombre effect or just the simple all-over glitter effect. 
Though this shade was a part of a LE, there are still places where you can get them, but Maja did a nice post about nude nail polishes if you need more recommendations and I'm also adding Essence Candy Love (Katja's swatch) as well as Deborah Smalto Gel Effect 01 (Zlatana's swatch) as possible suggestions.

Though I have a soft spot for proper bright red shades (such as Essie's Really Red), I picked something deeper. I adore such shades because they look vampy, yet so glamorous on the nails.


MODELS OWN Diamond Luxe Heart Red
I swear this is the most Christmassy nail polish ever. It's a classic red with gold shimmer that looks like bright red shimmer once it's on the nails. My picture does not do it justice as the shimmer is much more visible in person under light.

MODELS OWN Disco Pants Copacabana
If dread the glitter removal from your nails, Copacabana is a simpler, but still a glamorous enough choice to wear on the nails. It's a complex mix of gold, silver and even some green with a frosty-metallic finish that gives quite a lovely effect on the nails


ESSENCE Metal Glam TE Topper Steel-ing the Scene
Basically any gold glitter topper could take the spot here and there are so many. I've seen one from L'Oreal, Essie (newest collection) as well as an Essence one from the one of the current TE's. Taya did a comparison of gold glitter toppers from Essence here.

My favourite glitter nail polish ever. It's like diamonds on the nails and looks phenomenally glamorous. There are many dupes for this nail polish, I know about at least two: Illamasqua Trilliant (Maja's swatch) and P2 Sand Style polish 070 Pretty (Polona's swatch)


Time for some serious shimmer and Catrice delivers with it's Luxury Lacquers. My choice is It's Showtime, a proper, glamourous silver that is just perfect for the season. If only the removal process weren't so laborious.

Does anyone else feel like this is the best nail polish choice for New Year's Eve? What better to wear on the nails while sipping champagne and watching the fireworks than a galaxy effect topper. Just wear it over black for best result.


BODY
The post need some more shimmer and this body oil contains just that. You can apply it on the skin or hair for a subtle gold glistening effect.

Though this is more like water than a cream, it does smells so good. It's a warm, sweet and yummy scent, basically just as it say on the bottle - honey and almond. Great scent for cold winter night.

The cutest bath bomb ever, little Chilly Willy snowman smells (roughly) like cinnamon and will brighten your bath pampering experience.

Luxury in a bottle - there is no better phrase to describe this. It smells divine and it's super nourishing which excellent for winter dry skin.


DIY Cinnamon Scrub
This is in one word yummy. I love the scent of cinnamon and this smells amazing. It's super easy to make: just combine sugar, olive oil (or whichever oil you prefer), cinnamon and I also add a bit of vanilla extract. It does make a mess in the shower, so make sure you use a shower gel to get any brown cinnamon traces off the skin, but works a treat. 


HAIR
Festive Hair Accessories
What better way to decorate your updo with a sparkly hair accessory. Be it gold, silver or with rhinestones, anything goes for the holiday season. I went for glitter hair ties that I got form O'Twist (Tally Weijl also has a couple), sparkly hair bands and gold bobby pins (H&M). There are tons in shops that sell accessories, mine are mostly old from New Yorker, H&M and Tally Weijl, but check Asos and New Look for more. 

I don't think any other hair product screams Christmas as much as this one. It smells like cinnamon, clove and cookies, so it's a bit of an aromatherapy session while you take care of your hair.

A brilliant affordable shampoo for dry hair.

Not merely a light heat protectant and a serum-type of product in one, this also contains tiny shimmer that actually makes the hair more shiny, but not in a super obvious way.


Low Messy Bun Decorated with Jewellery
You can use a head band for this, but just wear it so it's on the back of your head. I used a necklace from New Yorker that I got a few months ago, so it might still be sold. Pin the necklace on the hair first because it's easier to hide the ends under the hair before all the twisting. Do a very, very loose fishtail braid using large chunks of hair and then twist it into a low bun. Use a lot of pins, so it will hold all day. I can't link you a tutorial to this, since it's of my design, but if you don't know how to do a fishtail braid, I learned from this video years ago.

Fishtail Halo Braid with a Glitter Head Band
If you're using an elastic band, lift and pin half of the hair up first, then put on the head band and unclip the top part of the hair, so it falls over and hides the lower part of the band. Then split the hair into two parts, left and right, and begin braiding the hair into fishtails. Since my hair is really long, I cross them in the back, but if your hair is shorter don't do that or they braids will be too short. Pin the braids in a way that hides the ends, so one under another. Tutorial by Miss Sue here.

Bouncy Voluminous Curly High Pony Tail with a Glitter Hair Tie
Curl the hair with a 2.5 cm barrel curler and brush out the curls with fingers. Apply a texturising spray and a hair spray to achieve great hold. Pull the hair up and tie it with a fancy hair tie. My gold one is from O'Twist and some shops have these as well, or you can just order glitter 15 mm fold-over elastic on eBay and check out my tutorial on how to make a hair tie. I'm sure you don't need a tutorial for this, but it's one of my favourite as well as most worn hair styles.

Hair Bow
I love this hair style so much, but you need a lot of hair to do it and it takes many tries to get it right. Tie the top part of the hair with a hair tie that is as inconspicuous as it can be (I use thin black ones). Pull a bit of the hair from the hair tie to form a loop. Split the loop into two parts, left and right, and then form a bow using bobby pins. Take a small strand from under the middle of the bow and cross it over the vertical centre of the bow tucking it behind the bow from above and pin it in place. 
Mimi's Tutorial here. 


I'm finishing off with my favourite treats for the season - hot cocoa with cinnamon, cream, chocolate syrup and rum plus the super yummy cinnamon stars that I embarrassingly only discovered this year (but man are they good!)

I hope you enjoyed this post and have a great day!
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