The Empties # 1 | Haircare & Beauty

In the corner of my room, I've been hoarding empty packaging of hair, beauty and skincare products for the past couple of months and it wasn't until I thought it was overflowing enough and I pulled everything out in front of me that I realised just how many products I had accumulated. So I've split this post into two parts- haircare and beauty then next up will be all the skincare empties. I will say though that I have been making a conscious effort to finish products that I've had for a while and use up samples and minis that I've been accumulating in my stash as well.

With that being said, I'll get into it! I won't write too much on each product or you'll start to see visible signs of ageing as you're reading it so I will do my best to keep things short and sweet- just a brief low down to let you know whether I loved or didn't love it. I really enjoy watching these videos and reading these types of posts; it's great to get a rounded up opinion on a whole heap of products that you can see people have actually used up and finished!

Haircare- 

L'Oreal EverSleek Shampoo & Conditioner: I've gone through multiple bottles of both shampoo and conditioner in the EverSleek range- they work really well for my hair maintaining frizz and keeping things a little more.. sleek as the name would suggest! Within the range there are two subranges- Smooth & Tame and Smooth & Repair; to be honest, didn't notice a huge difference between the two except Smooth & Tame isn't as creamy and rich so feels a little more lightweight in the hair.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine: I've done a blog post that went more in depth about this product but I purchased it on recommendation from Amelia Liana who most definitely has enviable locks and I did see a difference in the appearance of my hair and would repurchase.

Beauty- 

Urban Decay 'Chill' Setting Spray: The second bottle of this that I've gone through which says enough really. This setting spray is designed to work with temperature control in mind but not sure how it really does that, some fancy technology I suppose but regardless it does keep my makeup looking fresh all day.  At the moment I'm using the 'Deslick' spray and I think I actually prefer this one.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Corrector:  I did have a shade before this but it was too light and too old so I repurchased in a shade that actually matched me better and I am on the fence about this product. Some days I thought it was the bees knees and covered my dark circles like no other, then others I felt it looked cakey and didn't even cover that well considering how thick it is. I liked it but I didn't love it or find it holy grail like I know so many others do.

The Body Shop Instablur: This is another product that I think you can tell how I feel from the amount of times I have included it in posts or featured it on my Instagram. This primer worked really well for me and for a moment actually took the place of my beloved Hourglass Mineral Veil primer. Regardless of the seriously affordable price, this product is the bomb.com, I definitely recommend it.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara: The cheapest and one of the best mascaras I've ever used. First saw this on Lauren Curtis' channel and not that I like my lashes as big as she does hers necessarily, I'm hooked! I've lost track of how many tubes I've gone through. It works really well, keeps a curl all day and is easy to remove. I buy mine from either Beautyjoint or Cherry Culture and it's under $5.

Australis Lash and Brow Extender: aka brow gel.  May as well stay on the same trail, another recommendation from Lauren Curtis and as I'd always used mid-high end brow gels I thought it was about time I tried a drugstore offering; this does a fabulous job of keeping my brows in place, some have said it's a bit too crispy and crunchy for their liking but I don't really find that.

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer: A fantastic and affordable concealer and actually an old favourite, I remembered when I bought it more recently that I've in fact gone through a couple of tubes of this already. It has good coverage, comes in a good shade range for a drugstore product and can be used all over the face.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance: A deluxe sample that came in the Beauty Blogger's Favourites box that I was kindly given by one of my best pals. I used this after running out of the Urban Decay Primer Potion and in comparison to that, they're quite similar in texture, colour and application. In saying that though I think I prefer the UD one, it did more for me in terms of mattifying and keeping the shadows looking super fresh all day.

Simple Eye Make-Up Corrector Pen: A fantastic idea in theory but the annoying thing with this design is that you have to clean the nib after each use so not fantastic if you're in a rush or on the go because if it's not clean things can get more messy instead of fixing your mistakes but it did work well for the first few uses.

Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Soft Brown: I've gone through quite a few of these now and I really like them (well, duh). The pencil has that waxy consistency so it does a good job of putting the brow hairs into place as well as filling in the sparse areas. I did still use brow gel over the top but it was a good extra hold. Colour was a great match for my medium brown hair, only thing is that they can be a bit difficult to sharpen as the pencil itself is waxy.

Bourjois Liner Feature Felt Tip Eyeliner: To be honest I'm actually just throwing this one away because I think it's had it's day and even in it's day it didn't do wonders for me. I found it a bit dry from the beginning and difficult to use because of that. I also didn't think it had great lasting power and transferred onto my eyelids. Soo.. sorry Bourjois liner you weren't the one for me.

So there we have a quick roundup of my most recently used up hair and beauty products! Some were firm favourites, some were not so much but their appearance was appreciated in my stash. Keep an eye out in the next few days or so for my skincare empties. Let me know if you've used any of these products and your opinions on them as well.                                                                                                    

Haircare Do Care

I used to be pretty lax with my hair. I'd wash it, maybe pop a drop or two of MorrocanOil in and then just let it air dry. Those were the days.. the school/uni days; however those are no more. Now I get up with enough time to wash my hair and tame it a bit to make it look like I put in enough effort to turn up to my retail job and look presentable. The lazy days (for the most part) are sadly a thing of the past. So there are three products that I've been reaching for to make my hair dry more quickly, look extra healthy and prevent damage from heat and styling.

In order of application, we first of all have John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Liquid Shine which was bought on Amelia Liana's recommendation. If you know of her, you'll know she has luscious, long locks that would be the envy of many a woman. She posted before & after photos when using this and even though I'm sure camera flash had a bit to do with it, you could tell a difference in shine. Running this through very slightly towel dried hair, it adds a gloss and shine that makes the lengths of my hair appear much healthier especially when it catches the light. I think applying this before properly blow drying your hair would be even more effective but I generally just do a shabby high force, medium heat gust of air all over my head.

While I apply my makeup, I put my hair up into my turby towel which is one of those quick drying towels (side note: honest lifesaver) and this makes a world of difference. For a lady with longish, thick hair, having one of these towels cuts my drying time in at least half, if not thirds. Makeup, lunch prep, outfit decisions etc. usually takes 20-30..40 minutes so my hair is up in my towel for that time; then we spritz through the most recent addition to the Bathroom cabinet which is the Bumble & Bumble Invisible Oil Protective Primer. I bought my Mum the Invisible Oil at the beginning of the year (which may or may not have been one of those gifts that we can "share") but we both really like it. It's more lightweight than other oils I've tried; hence the name 'Invisible' I would presume but it doesn't leave my hair feeling weighed down. Sorry got sidetracked there! The Primer is a newer launch for B&B which was released with an accompanying shampoo and conditioner. I was a fan of the oil, saw this launch in the UK, I think I maybe read one review and just bought it. I consulted the MeccaCosmetica assistant, she hadn't tried it, thought yolo and it was mine.  I like to spritz this through the lengths of my hair post towel-dry, as well as the fronts which get a lot of heat. Like the oil, the smell is very nice and because it's a spray, again it isn't heavy or feels like it's building up in my hair. When I use this I do skip a separate heat protectant because this can do it all!

Last but not least, if things are looking a little unloved and dry, I like to apply the Goldwell Elixir* to the ends of my hair which also works well for smoothing and taming after I've blow dried. This again is very lightweight and thinner than other hair oils I've tried. A very pleasant scent and you only need 1-2 pumps to do your entire head; keeping in mind I have longer hair. I do avoid applying oils to the roots of my hair just so it doesn't go greasy super quickly but from the mid-lengths down, this works a treat!

(*kindly sent to me for consideration)

Goldwell Elixir

I did try to take a photo of the actual oil then realised it was clear and just the bottle is gold.. derp.

With Summer around the corner, often things can get a little dry and frizzy from all the heat and beaching and swimming that us Aussies enjoy. However, I just have to say AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FO' DAT! So I've found a product that will be helping me combat frizzy, dry locks this Summer so things remain looking sleek and chic.

Goldwell's Elixir* is a beautiful, lightweight hair oil that has a nice scent and doesn't leave your hair feeling weighed down and greasy. Plus it's a bit of a multitasker so if you're someone who just can't be bothered too much with your haircare routine or you don't want to be spending a lot of money on various products then this could be the one you need. Unlike a lot of other much loved products on the market that have only one oil in them, Elixir is a combination of Argan Oil which we all know is the new 'it' thing in the beauty world, together with Tamanu Oil which has protective qualities. The combination of the two provides your hair with intense shine, silky soft to touch and is great for anti-frizz- well hello, I think you've answered my prayers hair angels!

I like to use this more on towel-dried hair before I quickly 'blow dry' it. I use that term loosely because really I run my fingers through and wave the hairdryer around until is dry enough for me to leave the house and look semi respectable. Applying the oil before hair drying also works as a heat protectant but sometimes I do double up with my TRESemme Keratin Protect spray for added protection.

As I mentioned before this one is a bit of a multitasker, so you can also add a drop of the Elixir into any other hair treatments you may use for a bit o' extra silky smooth and as well as a finishing product. So once you've dried your hair and maybe things are looking a little frizzola and bouffy post-dry; rub a pea sized amount through your palms and gently over your hair avoiding the roots. This will calm things down more and protect against the frizz which for me, is a necessity.

The Goldwell Elixir retails for $34.95 which is cheaper than a lot of the other salon products that aim to do a similar thing. You can purchase it from Goldwell salons.

*I was kindly sent this product for review however all opinions are truthful and my own and this post is not compensated.

Review | L'Oreal Ever Sleek Shampoo & Conditioner

In my time I have gone through a hell of a lot of shampoo and conditioner, both supermarket as well as salon brands. When I was younger my mum always used to say she swore I just poured it down the plughole because I went through it so quickly but I stand by the fact it's because I have quite thick and at the moment, long hair. For that reason when I was younger I never bothered with expensive haircare and it wasn't until recent years when I started buying my own that I experimented a bit more with salon brands and highend shampoos and conditioners. Some were good, some meh and some really bad. Like highend makeup, I hate spending a lot of money on a product to use it and find out I hate it but unfortunately with haircare there's no samples, it works differently for everyone so it can be seriously hit and miss! 

I think it was madam Estee (essiebutton) who I first saw rave about L'Oreal's Hair Expertise sulfate-free ranges. With a quick google search, I read more positive reviews and at $15 a bottle I thought I'd give it a go. In terms of a better than basic supermarket range shampoo and conditioner the price isn't too unreasonable and of course Priceline always has amazing offers on. The first of these ranges I tried was EverCreme shampoo, conditioner and deep repair masque. Used it, loved it, repurchased it. I was very impressed with the way it left my hair and the masque did a great job as a more intensive repair. If you follow me on instagram (@beautylocale) you may have seen that when I was on a short getaway with my Mum I realised I'd forgotten to bring any type of hair serum or oil so I dashed to Priceline and after much pacing the aisle and weighing up all my options (as I am a devoted MorrocanOil-er and hadn't tried many of the products) I bought the EverSleek Frizz Taming Creme Serum. Once again I was impressed with the way this left my hair so during Priceline's most recent 40% off haircare offer I stocked up and purchased both the EverSleek and EverCreme shampoo and conditioners. 

Ok so onto the duo of the hour! I'm almost through the bottles so I feel it's time to review and share my thoughts. I'm sure you can guess..? I'm impressed. No surprises here, the EverSleek range is another nail on the head by L'Oreal and I will definitely be repurchasing it. My hair is thick, I wouldn't say wiry but most definitely frizzy. As a youngin I was that girl with the low pony and a halo of frizz around the frame of my face. With age it has definitely calmed down but I do still straighten my front frizzies as I call them, on the daily. Using this combination has left my hair on the whole a lot more sleek as it intends and nice and soft. The smell, like all the products is super yummy and does stay in your hair so when you flick it you can smell it which I really like. As I briefly mentioned before these are sulfate and silicone free and don't leave any kind of build up nor do I feel they weigh my hair down. 

The verdict:

What they say - Fully and weightlessly smoothed , your hair becomes incredibly soft, with exceptional 
body and a silky feel. Intensely nourished and repaired, your hair reveals a new kind of beauty.

What I say- Agreed! As you can probably gather, I really like this range and I will continue to use it and the EverCreme range on rotation. 

Haircare Routine from Wet to Dry

I'm not one to put a lot of time and effort into my hair and it's only recently that I've started doing more regular treatments to try and restore my dry ends. In saying that though, there are a few products that I do run through my hair after I've washed it (so 2-3 times a week) but other than that I just spritz some heat protectant in everyday before straightening to taming the front frizzies.

I have quite thick, wavy hair and it is also a bit frizzy but much less than it used to be when I was younger. I've used MorrocanOil religiously for probably over 2 years now and it's been the only product I've really used together with heat protectant because I've always been quite weary about further damaging my hair. These days I've started incorporating more into my haircare routine from wet to dry so here's a bit of a rundown of what I'm currently using. 

From towel dried to blow dry I always start with either a pea size of MorrocanOil or more recently L'Oreal Ever Sleek serum or even both. Both of these are great for taming frizz and overall smoothing but I feel the MorrocanOil does a bit more for treating and repairing my hair whereas L'Oreal is more for just sleeking everything down. I then move onto drying my hair which I am far from professional at and generally I just dry my hair using a Tangle Teezer or my hands to pull the hair taught so it dries more straight. Before starting this I spritz Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant all over my hair, comb through with my fingers and give it a few minutes to sink in. Then on a low-medium heat I dry my hair as best as I can and just do about 3/4  (because there is a lot of it) and just let the rest air dry. I then clip my hair into a loose bun to kind of smooth it down and make it less fluffy, I'll keep getting ready for a few minutes then go back to straighten the front bits around the edge of my face. I don't like to straighten immediately after drying because I feel like that's a lot of intense heat on my hair in one go so I do like to leave my hair to cool down for a little bit. Once I've completely finished and straightened what I want to fix up I like to use a pea size drop of Bumble & Bumble's Invisible Oil all over, starting from the ends to further tame frizz and smooth everything down. If my ends are feeling particularly dry I'll add a tiny amount of John Freida's Frizz Ease Finishing Creme just to the ends avoiding the roots completely because this is quite a heavy product. 

So there we have a brief rundown of my wet to dry haircare routine and the products I reach for once I've washed my hair. Products I use for styling and curling is separate to the products I've mentioned, these are just for haircare and making everything look a bit more sleek and smooth!