Afro hair + Beauty + Fashion + Fitness

Oct 30, 2016

October 2016 GLOWWBOX Review

October 2016 GLOWWBOX Review

Today I will be reviewing the October 2016 GlowwBox. I am sure you have heard about GlowwBox by now,  but if you haven't- it is a monthly subscription box containing 6 beauty products that are aimed at darker skinned girls. Above, you can see the contents of the box I received. I received 5 full sized products and one smaller sized product (the bath milk).

Andre Walker- Ultimate TKO Conditioner, £14.99-  This is a conditioner which can be used as a deep conditioner if left in for longer. It's from a brand new range called "the Gold System" by America's leading stylist Andre Walker and it is a Keratin therapy for textured, coarse or dry hair. Now my hair is coarse and also happens to be very damaged- so the fact that it contains Keratin is perfect for me. The formula has a very subtle scent and is pretty thick, but when applied it has a lot of slip and you really don't need a lot. Initially when I saw the small container I thought, this can't be enough for more than one wash. However I've actually used it for my last two wash days as a deep treatment and I have half or more left. I loved it as a deep treatment and my hair felt soft and tangle free after using it.


Mixed Chicks- Dual Quick Stick Foundation & Bronzer, £16.99- This is another brand new product and I received two different shades just to ensure I got a good match to my skin tone. As the name suggests, it's a two-in-one foundation and bronzer stick from the brand Mixed Chicks. It comes in 5 different shades and promises high coverage and silky smooth skin feel. It's also Gluten free, Paraben free and not tested on animals. Now, the shade that match my skin best was the lighter one but the bronzer which was lighter and a better match for me- was actually the bronzer for the darker shade, which I found a bit strange. I've really enjoyed using the foundation, it's very moisturising and I'd say it's more of a dewy rather than matte look (which is my preference, and I don't have oily skin so it's not a problem for me). I used the bronzer almost like a highlighter as it gave a really nice golden glow.

Here is a look I shared on my Instagram (@Yolandaas). I used the Mixed Chicks foundation as a base and the bronzer as a highlighter. It gave a great glow on it's own but as it's a liquid product I used a of tiny bit golden eyeshadow on top to "set" the highlight.



Eye of Horus Goddess Pencil, £15.00- I have actually reviewed this products years ago, you can check out the review here, where I shared information about the product and also a makeup look using it. 

Lucy Annabella Date Night Organic Bath Milk, £43 (full size)- Unfortunately I was unable to try this product as I don't have a bath tub. It is a bath milk with "a seductive blend of Patchouli, Ylang Ylang, Nutmeg, Palmarosa and Mandarin essential oils". I love the scent and I could see this being very relaxing and aromatherapy- like in a hot bath.

Saturated Colour Multitasker (Seductive Damson), £3.50- This product is a two in one lip liner/eye liner. The shade is called "Seducative Damson" and it's a deep purple- perfect for autumn. Purple is my favourite colour so I will definitely be using this as a lipliner all over my lips instead of lipstick. I have worn it once already and it's pigmented and creamy with great coverage.

Benecos- Quartto Eyeshadow (Beautiful Eyes), £6.95- This is an eyeshadow palette with four different shimmery shades- light pink/white, purple, pink and brown. Initially I tried to create a makeup look using all products, including this one for the eyes. These shades would have been perfect for an Autumn look but they weren't no where near pigmented enough. When swatched, the colours hardly even show, except for the darkest shade. When used on the eyelids, neither of these were easy to work with or pigmented enough to stay on the lid.


So what did I think of this month's GlowwBox? My two favourite products were the Andre Walker- Ultimate TKO Conditioner and the Mixed Chicks- Dual Quick Stick Foundation & Bronzer. Overally I really enjoyed the box but if I had to choose- I would have preferred if there were less eye makeup products in it. A couple of years ago I would have said the contrary- as I was very into experimenting with makeup looks. If you're a regular customer and sign up for the GlowwBox you fill out a quick survey so that they can personalise the box so this would probably not be an issue. There were also two other body products in this month's box so overall there was a great variety of products.

Do you receive any subscription beauty boxes? Have you tried GlowwBox?

x



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*These products were sent to me for free to review.

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Jul 27, 2016

IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients- Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder, Second to None Luminous Foundation, BB Creme, Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick, Luxury Lip Shimmer

IMAN Cosmetics UK-  Review & Ingredients
- Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder, Second to None Luminous Foundation, BB Creme, Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick,  Luxury Lip Shimmer

IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients
Keep reading to see what IMAN Cosmetics products I used to achieve this look

Hello Everyone! A few months ago I was contacted by IMAN Cosmetics UK who wanted to offer me some products to review. Of course, I was more than happy to do so and I was sent this generous bag of full size and a few sample size products.

Now I am sure you've heard of IMAN Cosmetics, but in case you have not or if you just want to know more, here is the information I received about the brand:

"MAN Cosmetics, is an American cosmetics brand founded by the iconic Iman Bowie. The complete range of IMAN makeup and skincare is now available online, enabling IMAN lovers across the United Kingdom to purchase their favorite products in 3 clicks from their computers, tablets or smartphones. IMAN Cosmetics foundations, lipsticks and the brand’s new classic BB Crème is available in all shades.
The website is designed to answer all beauty issues from women with dark skin tones across the UK, offering make up video tutorials, beauty inspiration and tips from professional make up experts. 
Finding the perfect shade is made easy with the “Meet your match” page, where the customer is guided in matching the shade she may have worn in another brand with an IMAN Cosmetics shade."


IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients

When I was offered to review their products I had a look on their website and mentioned some products I was interested in (the bronzer, BB Creme and the Nude lipstick). As you can see I received those and a lot of extra products which was very exciting!
IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients

Now, first I would like to show you the look I created using some of the products and below I will review the products individually and show some before and after pictures for the face products. 

IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients


I have actually been sitting on these products for quite a few months, other than  busy schedule it was due to the fact that both the BB Creme and the foundation were slightly too dark. I figured I would wait a couple months until summer time so that I would have a tan, however, London summer never came but fortunately I recently went on holiday (to Sweden ironically), but the weather was great and I got a very nice tan! When I got back I thought I'd try the products again and I was happy to find that due to my recent tan- both the BB Creme and the foundation were now the right shade.



IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients

I decided to go for a bronzed/nude look, using the BB Creme in place of my normal face moisturiser, the next to none foundation applied using a Real Techniques buffing brush, bronzing powder and the nude lipstick (Nude 598, pics further down) finished off with some nude lipgloss ("muse", pics further down)

IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients




IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients

IMAN Cosmetics Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder- £20.50, Shade: Sand

























IMAN Cosmetics Sheer Finish Bronzing Powder- £20.50, Shade: Sand

This is one of the products I choose. It's a nice shimmery bronzer as you can see in the picture. When it's applied, it's not too shimmery which I would have personally liked. I use this to contour, so just to define cheek bones or, like now, if I am tanned I might apply it lightly to cheek bones similarly to how you'd use a blusher- just for some extra colour!

IMAN Cosmetics Second to None Luminous Foundation, £24.95, Shade: Clay 1

IMAN Cosmetics Second to None Luminous Foundation, £24.95, Shade: Clay 1

This is a powder foundation, it's not one of the products I personally selected but I was kindly gifted this product anyway. As mentioned previously, when I initially tried the face products, I did not have a tan and they were too dark for me. As I created the look for this review, the shade was now fine and initially I tried applying this product using the puff which came with it (and as instructed on the packaging).This didn't work for me as it didn't spread the products out and applied it all patchy. Then I tried applying it with my Real Techniques buffing brush, sort of working it in into my skin using a circular motion and oh- my- god! I honestly haven't used powder foundation before so I expected quite a powder and possibly dry look. However, as I applied this I noticed that it gave a full coverage (see below), my skin is far from flawless at the moment so there was quite a lot that could be covered and smoothed out. This is the product out of all that impressed me the most! I have put together a collage below so that you can compare the before and afters and also the BB creme results vs. the second to none foundation results.

IMAN Cosmetics Second to None Luminous Foundation and BB Creme
Click on the picture to enlarge and see a more detailed view
As you can see, in the first picture is my bare skin with no product except face moisturiser. The second picture is when I had applied the foundation- you can see how smooth my skin looks and it really provided great coverage. The third picture is using the BB creme only and the last picture is with a layer of BB creme finished off with a layer of the foundation.

IMAN Cosmetics BB Creme, £20.95, Shade: Sand Medium
IMAN Cosmetics BB Creme, £20.95, Shade: Sand Medium

This BB Creme contains SPF 15 which is a plus! I have used this as an every day product in place of my normal face moisturiser. As you can see in the comparison picture below, it does give quite a dewy and borderline shiny finish. When I took the picture I had just applied the products and I didn't finish off with powder or anything which possibly made it look a little extra shiny. If you have oily skin (which I don't) then you would most likely need to blot your face with some powder when using this BB Creme. If you have dry skin you'd be fine with just this product alone. The coverage isn't amazing, but looking at my picture above, you can see that it does provide some coverage but not as full as the foundation, which is pretty much what a BB creme is supposed to do! I am off to holiday again soon and I will definitely be using this as the shade is perfect for my tanned skin and it will provide a low SPF factor as well.


For the lip products, I decided to just show you the shades, to see the actual product and the packaging, please look at the picture at the top will all of the products. There is one full sized lipstick (Nude 598) and one full sized lip gloss (Socialite) and the rest are sample sized (but still decent sizes). The lipsticks are very creamy but I have to say that when I wore them, they lasted without re-applying through the London heat wave we had last week and also after I ate.

IMAN Cosmetics Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick and Luxury Lip Shimmer,

The Lipsticks
The Lip Glosses 

For the look below, I used a layer of the lipstick in shade Nude 598 and a layer of the lip gloss "Muse" on top- this to me was the perfect nude combo! 

IMAN Cosmetics Review & Ingredients


Overall I would definitely recommend these products as I feel they are much needed (as they offer a great range of shades especially for brown and black skin tones), they are a black owned business and they are all great quality!

What do you think of my look & 
have you/will you be trying this brand?

xx


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(*) These products were sent to me for free to review
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Apr 28, 2016

Natural Potions LTD Review- Natural Potions Body Butter, Cleansing Balm, Lip Balm & Natural Potions Nourish & Strengthening Hot Oil Treatment

Natural Potions LTD Review- Natural Potions Body Butter, Cleansing Balm, Lip Balm & Natural Potions Nourish & Strengthening Hot Oil Treatment

Today I am reviewing some products from a company called Natural Potions Ltd which offers natural handcrafted skin (and some hair) products. Behind this brand is husband and wife Fatimah Anwar and Mohammed Kolia who had their vision for their natural skin care company in the middle of the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania (Read their story here, they've even included a picture of this crater, it's beautiful!). As a Cosmetic Science student with knowledge of making products myself, I find it interesting to review natural companies because I want to know what separates them from other similar companies and also what they can offer- that I could not make myself. With DIY's and easily accesible information from the internet there are so many natural companies created by people who are not more qualified than any other person (no disrespect to them, but it just means you could easily do what they do). However, I was very impressed to hear that this husband and wife duo have between them; degree in Organic Skin care, Law Degree, Pharmaceutical experience (qualified pharmacist with experience working in Boots).



They decided to start off with 6-8 anhydrous products (meaning they do not contain water & also therefor do not need to contain preservatives) and I have had the chance to review four of these; Natural Potions Body Butter, Cleansing Balm, Lip Balm & Natural Potions Nourish & Strengthening Hot Oil Treatment. Most of their ingredients are certified Organic, Vegan and Fairtrade and you can read more about them here.


Natural Potions Body Butter £6.99, 50g.

"A rich & deeply mositurising body butter which hydrates your skin for a smooth and supple finish."

Now for the first product which is a body butter. Although it doesn't say, I believe (I could be wrong) this is a whipped butter with oils, it has a light and fluffy consistency similar to that of whipped Shea Butter. However it doesn't contain Shea Butter but instead Cocoa Butter and Mango Butter. The first thing I noticed about this was how light it felt when applied to my skin, it melts immediately and spreads very well which was very impressive. In addition to the butters it also contains Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil and Sweet Orange Essential Oil which gives it a really nice fragrance. Sweet Orange Oil is actually my natural fragrance of choice and if you go to the DIY section of my blog you can see that I have used it multiple times.

Key ingredients and their properties: 
Cocoa Butter: A butter high in fatty acids and antioxidants, hydrating the skin deeply & helping to reduce signs of ageing, wrinkles & stretch marks (information from Fatimah, one of the owners)

Full ingredient list: Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Citrus sinensis (Sweet Orange) Oil Sensitisers: Limonene, Linalool


Natural Potions Cleansing Balm, £6.99, 50g.

"A nourishing cleansing balm that clears face of dirt, grime & make up resulting in a radiant & illuminating glow. For all skin types. "

Now here is a product which I have never tried before, a cleansing balm. I do enjoy natural products and have tried a lot of them, especially when it comes to using oils for makeup removal. The products I've tried before are Cleansing oils (emulsifying oils) and natural oils using the Oil Cleansing method. Now this cleansing balm would be quite similar to the latter, as it contains oils and butters only and no emulsifying agents (agents that will make the oils mix with water and rinse off, like in the DHC cleansing oil). The directions say to massage the product into your face to melt away the makeup, excess oil and grime and then remove buy holding a warm muslin cleansing cloth over face before wiping away (I assume they mean Muslin cloth soaked in hot water, at least that is how I do it). This is an amazing way of removing makeup and the only downside to this method is having to use a face cloth every single time. If I have worn makeup, I remove it using the method just described and afterwards I use my normal face wash followed by my face toner (the last two steps are optional). To my suprise, it really did leave my skin glowing and despite me using quite a strong face cleanser afterwards my face was still soft from the cleansing balm. This product doesn't contain any essential oils as fragrance but it has a very pleasant smell although I am unsure how to describe it. My only guess is that the scent is coming from either the Rosehip Oil or Kukui Seed Oil as I know the other oils don't have a scent.

Key ingredients and their properties: 
Argan Oil: Argan Oil has anti aging properties and has firming qualities due to its high content of essential fatty acids. It is also anti inflammatory and reduces irritation on the skin

Rosehip Oil: Rosehip Oil is also high in Vitamin C and as a result has skin brightening properties, helping the skin tone to become even (a huge concern with skin that is not Caucasian).

Both Argan Oil and Rosehip Oil are know for their skin regenerating properties as well their function to remove scars and blemishes.

Both ingredients were chosen for their ability to heal the skin and brighten its tone. (information from Fatimah, one of the owners)

Full ingredient list: Argania Spinsosa (Argan) Oil, Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Rosa Canina Fruit (Rosehip) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Beeswax, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).


Natural Potions Lip Balm, £3.49, 15.g

"Description A conditioning and repairing lip balm."

I really like the formula of this, compared to other natural lip balms I'd say it's quite oily in terms of Butter/Wax to oil ratio which just makes it really soft on your lips and shiny and it smells of Lemon Oil! Only criticism I have about this would be the size of the packaging, it's rather large for a lip balm. I don't really mind but I guess a smaller size would be preferred just because it's more convenient to bring along with you in your bag or pocket.

Key ingredients and their properties: 
Sweet Almond Oil: Has anti inflammatory and moisturising properties
Coconut Oil: High in essential fatty acids making it the perfect emollient for lips and is anti inflammatory, perfect for those with sensitive lips
Castor Oil: Thick and heavy making it a rich moisturiser but also gives the lip balm a glossy feel keeping it on the lips for longer 

Full ingredient list: Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Beeswax, Sunflower Lecithin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil Sensitisers: Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Geraniol

Natural Potions Nourish & Strengthening Hot Oil Treatment, £7.99, 100ml

"An intensive treatment to enrich your hair with essential vitamins, conditioning & firming your locks to give them strength & shine. "

A hot oil treatment for your hair is definitely a good idea if you want your hair to get some extra nourishment as well as protect from the harshness of your shampoo when you're washing your hair (If used as a pre shampoo treatment). The way I use it is dividing my hair into 8 sections, sprizing some water and then applying the oil while finger detangling. As the top ingredient in this is Coconut Oil, it is a solid, in a bottle which is definitely a minus in my opinion as it means you can't get any product out unless you heat it somehow. I placed mine in a bowl of boiling water and although it did liquify completely straight away, it's pretty inconvenient. However, if you want to use the oil warm (as in hot oil treatment) then you would have to do this step anyway. The oil worked well with finger detangling my hair and after shampooing, my hair still felt soft and not dry at all. The smell is Ylang Ylang from Ylang Ylang essential oil, this is another one of my favourite essential oils so I was happy with the scent.

Key ingredients and their properties:
Coconut Oil: Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal (very good for scalp problems), anti-inflammatory & very rich in fibre, Vitamin E (a natural anti-oxidant), Vitamin K and Iron. It has also been shown to be able to penetrate the hair shaft due to its fatty acid structure.
Argan Oil: Contains unsaturated (contain double bonds) Omega 3 and Omega 9 fatty acids so it is able to penetrate the hair shaft and repair damaged hair follicles, provide nutrition to the hair and restore its shine. 
Avocado Oil: high in vitamins and fatty acids, giving it a reputation of having a higher degree of penetration into the dermis than most carrier oils. It boost scalp health by helping clear scaly skin and increasing hair growth
Ylang Ylang essential oil: Research has suggested that it has influence over normalising sebum secretion thereby stimulating hair growth and ensuring that the scalp is moisturised reducing hair loss and dandruff. It therefore is very functional without compromising on scent. 

Full ingredient list: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Argania Spinsosa (Argan) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Cananga Odorata Flower Oil Sensitisers: Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Farnesol, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate.




Check out Natural Potions:
Website~Twitter~Instagram

Have you tried this brand and 
what are your favourite natural skin and hair care products?

xx

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Apr 27, 2016

L.O.G Cosmetics Hair Care Review- Heads Up Shampoo, Hair She Goes Leave in Conditioner & Tickle Tickle Deep Conditioning Pumpkin Spice Puree

L.O.G Cosmetics Hair Care Review- Heads Up Shampoo, Hair She Goes Leave in Conditioner & Tickle Tickle Deep Conditioning Pumpkin Spice Puree


L.O.G Cosmetics Hair Care Review- Heads Up Shampoo, Hair She Goes Leave in Conditioner & Tickle Tickle Deep Conditioning Pumpkin Spice Puree

Hi Everyone! I am so excited to share this review of L.O.G Cosmetics hair care products. It's a brand I have been trying out for a few months and I have just posted my video review/demo which you can watch below. If you do, please show some love and like & share the video!


Now, L.O.G Cosmetics is a brand which uses a lot of high quality natural ingredients. They do makeup and hair care products but I will only be reviewing their hair care range today. I mentioned in my video that a lot of the hair care products have Aloe Vera Juice as the first ingredient (the ingredient with the highest concentration) instead of water which definitely shows that they use high quality ingredients.

£16.99 Tickle Tickle Deep Conditioning Pumpkin Spice Puree

"Our Pumpkin Spice Protein Puree is a creamy conditioner that is designed to strengthen weak hair cuticles, prevent damage, and tantalize the senses. It is guaranteed to repair brittle hair textures with its amazing blend of pumpkin extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and organic pumpkin seed oil."

Tickle Tickle Deep Conditioning Pumpkin Spice Puree

First up is this deep conditioning treatment. I was so impressed by this as a lot of fully natural conditioners tend to have little to no slip (in my experience), and I have tried a lot of products! You can even see in the picture how creamy it is. It has a subtle vanilla scent and contain a lot of amazing ingredients like Aloe Vera Juice, Shea Butter,  Natural extracts (Yucca, Horsetail & Nettle), Natural Oils, Vitamins, Hydrolysed Keratin. I do suggest you watch the video so that you can see  how shiny my hair looked after I had used this and also how easily it spread when I applied it. With any conditioner I always have to use a ton, but I really didn't with this one. It's not a massive jar and despite that, I got 4 uses out of it.



"Say no to dry brittle hair! HAIR SHE GOES is guaranteed to nourish your curly or dry brittle hair.Its made from coconut milk and moisturizing cocoa butter, very light weight leave-in and promises to rehydrate even the driest of hair types leaving your hair soft and manageable."


Now to the leave in conditioner, called "Hair She Goes". This too contains Aloe Vera Juice as the first ingredient, followed by Coconut Oil then Behentrimonium Methosulfate which is used to give the product more slip. Overall this didn't give me too much slip as in I would use it to detangle, this wasn't a problem though as I applied it onto already detangled hair as you can see in the video. It made my hair soft and I actually blow dried my hair with this in as I was just about to put braids in.

£15.99  Heads Up Shampoo

"Heads up for Our 100% natural shampoo is enriched with a soothing blend of organic peppermint and sweet essence of dark chocolate. Got naturally kinky hair? We’ve got you covered with our 100% natural conditioning shampoo your hair will be cleansed, revitalized and ultimately moisturised."


This actually isn't a shampoo as it doesn't contain any synthetic cleansing agents like Sulfates. It is a castile soap but it is so rich and creamy that I would say it pretty much looks like it could be a conditioner, until it comes in contact with water and starts to lather (if you want to see exactly how much it lathers please check out the video). I guess another way you could describe the formulation is more of a cleansing cream or Co-wash. It reminds me a little bit of the Curls cleansing cream that I used years ago when I was relaxed/transitioning. I way very impressed by this product because it really did cleanse and condition my hair at the same time, if you watch my video review you can see that after I rinsed the product out, my hair actually looked not only conditioned but also had a healthy sheen to it- something I don't see a lot with the bleached parts of my hair. Sometimes I do detangle with Shampoo and you can see in the video that due to this shampoo being so creamy it was very easy to detangle.

These three products can be bought separately and I have included the price and direct link if you want to check them out on the website. You can also buy them in a set called "Itchy Scalp Trio" for £47. Overall I was very impressed by the quality of these products, they are all quite pricey but you literally get what you pay for. I do get quite a few Nigerian ladies on Instagram (@Yolandaas) asking me about natural hair products so I am happy that I finally have some products I can recommend for my naija sisters, as these are available in Nigeria. To purchase in Nigerian you can contact them via telephone 09084991140 or check out their Nigerian Instagram page.

Hope you enjoyed this review guys and if you are interested here is where you can find L.o.g Cosmetics online: 

Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Nigerian Instagram


What is your favourite natural hair care products?

xx

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(*) These products were sent to me to review. This is not a sponsored blog post, but it includes a sponsored video.
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Apr 24, 2016

UFit High Protein Health Drink Shake Review- "Milk with added oomph!"

 UFit High Protein Health Drink Shake ""Milk with added oomph!"

Hi Everyone! I am so excited to be back with another fitness post as it has definitely been a while since I posted one. I am more active in the gym than ever so definitely expect more fitness posts in the future. If you want to check out my older fitness post you can check them out here.

I went to a blogger's event a few months back and was lucky enough to meet the people behind the UFit drink, the Protein drinks company. They were super friendly and told me about the concept behind the drink and let me try all the different flavours. As I really liked it, I am so glad I got the opportunity to proper review them and try some more.

Now why would you need a drink with extra protein? Most of us are familiar with gym goers drinking or eating extra protein to build muscle. This is the main reason that I drink and eat protein personally. However, in addition to building muscle protein can provide you with energy, benefit your hair and nails and also make you feel more full. In other words, whether you go gym or not this is a great drink to just bring along with you in your bag, or pick it up from the shop if you do not have time to make a smoothie or mix a protein drink in a shaker. When I was trying out these drinks I was going through a tough term at University and towards the end, exams. So even on the days when I didn't go gym I found it very convenient to bring one with me in the morning if I didn't have time to make breakfast.


What does it taste like? I remember being told at the event that the Strawberry one was their best seller, and I did try both flavours there and then. But as chocolate is my favourite flavour I still thought that would be my favourite. I have to admit that I found myself reaching for the Strawberry one and I also ran out of them before I ran out of the Chocolate ones. The taste is quite similar to Yazoo milkshakes and there is no taste of any protein or any "grittiness" in the drink at all. In fact, it's pretty watery (in terms of consistency not flavour) and very smooth which is a huge plus compared to other protein drinks. They both taste pretty sweet, but not too sweet. In my opinion, some protein drinks and snacks can almost feel too heavy but this went down very easily and once or twice I actually had two in a day just because they taste nice.

"UFIT is our best selling high protein nutrition drink, specifically formulated with passion and goodness to support active and healthy lifestyles! UFIT comes in a delicious chocolate or strawberry flavour and is bursting with 22g of protein and added vitamins and minerals. Just pop one in your bag or grab one at any time during the day for the healthiest, high protein snack."- http://theproteindrinksco.co.uk/product/ufit/

What are they ingredients? They both contain 22g. of protein and 3.2g of dietary fibre as well as added Vitamin D, E, C and Selenium and Calcium

Picture borrowed from: http://theproteindrinksco.co.uk/

UFit High Protein Health Drink Shake Chocolate flavour ingredients:

Ingredients: Skimmed Milk, Water, Whole Milk, Milk Protein, Dietary fibre, Fat reduced cocoa powder, Vegetable oils (Sunflower, Corn), Beta glucan, Trisodiumcitrate, Stabilizer: Carrageenan, Dextrose, Salt, Flavour, Sweetener: Sucralose, Vitamins & Minerals: Sodium ascorbate, Vitamin E acetate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3.
Picture borrowed from: http://theproteindrinksco.co.uk/

UFit High Protein Health Drink Shake Strawberry flavour ingredients:

Ingredients: Skimmed Milk, Water, Whole Milk, Milk Protein, Dietary fibre, Vegetable oils (Sunflower, Corn), Beta glucan, Trisodiumcitrate, Stabilizer: Carrageenan, Dextrose, Salt, Flavour, Colour: Carmin, Sweetener: Sucralose, Vitamins & Minerals: Sodium ascorbate, Vitamin E acetate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3.
Pros & Cons

It's tricky to write up pros and cons as it just varies depending on your personal opinion. The drink contains no added sugar like a lot of other milkshakes and protein drinks, however it does contain the sweetener Sucralose.  It is ready made which I am sure would be a pro to most people as this is very convenient. Another pro is that it is quite readily available and stocked in a lot of "normal" stores compared to some fitness products which are only stocked in health or fitness stores. You can find the drinks at stores like Superdrug, Tesco, Holland & Baretts and Ocado. However, I actually found it available at my local corner shop and I believe it is stocked at my local gym too!

Check out the protein drinks company on social media if you're interested:

Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Have you tried this drink and what do you think of protein drinks?

xx

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(*) This product was sent to me to review
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Mar 26, 2016

BLOW DRYING DAMAGED NATURAL AFRO HAIR ROUTINE, 4 YEARS NATURAL


BLOW DRYING DAMAGED NATURAL AFRO HAIR ROUTINE


Hello Guys!

In this video I am showing you the way I blow dry my hair. This particular product combo will work well for damaged hair and if you want to prevent heat damage. The ApHogee products contain a lot of protein and silicones and work as heat protectants as well as putting protein back into your hair..

If you enjoyed this video, please like and share and subscribe if you're not subscribed all ready :)
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What is your blow drying routine for your hair, and do you have a favourite product combo?

xx



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Mar 9, 2016

Trying Out: Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth

Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth

So excited for today's review guys. I am sure you have all (especially within the natural hair community) heard of people using T-shirts to dry their hair instead of a towel as the fabric of towels isn't very gentle on your hair and can cause damage. Personally, I never tried it because the thought of using a T-shirt to wrap/dry my hair wasn't that appealing to me, however I do recognise that using a normal towel is probably not the best for your hair. This is why I was really excited when I was contacted about review this product. The lady behind the idea has her hair studio and she didn't want to use damaging towels on her clients' hair, nor did she want to use T-shirts as that just wouldn't professional. She therefor created this product with the intention to use for her client as there are none (or few) similar products out on the market and decided to offer them for sale as she saw a demand for them.

Picture borrowed from website: http://www.agidee.com/healthyhair/: Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth

Here is some information on why you might want to stop drying your hair with regular towels and try out the Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth, £10.50:

"Stop using towels on your hair. Traditional towels are made with a harsh abrasive fabric which will lift the hair cuticles and create frizz. Wouldn't you like your bantu knot out or twist out to be more defined ?

The richest in thread count and smoothness of this Egyptian cotton hair cloth will reduce friction which means less breakage. Wouldn't you like your air dried hair to give have a more polished look?
This 100% egyptian cotton hair cloth will remove excess water from your hair rather than all the moisture. Wouldn't you prefer to keep as much moisture as possible in your hair after you deep condition"

Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth


Now let me start of by saying that the hair cloth will arrive in a nice parcel and will be wrapped with a cute bow as you can see in the first picture. The cotton looks like it has a bit of a silky texture to it as it is so smooth. AsI have been using this cloth for a while and didn't get around to taking the pictures before, mine is a bit stained.

As you can see you can use the hair cloth as you usually wrap a towel around your hair, or as I have used it above, wrapping it like a head scarf. For me the latter alternative was really convenient because sometimes I like to sit with my hair towel for a while, allowing it to "towel" dry. Although the hair cloth is quite big, it isn't bulky and thick like a towel and whichever way you choose to wrap it- it will stay on your head and won't feel heavy.

Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth

Just a picture to show you the actual size of the product, in this picture it is folded so it is twice as long. Also, for this type of product, the quality and the fact that this is an independent company, I personally think the price £10.99 is pretty amazing!
Healthy Hair Studio By Enitan: 100% Luxury Egyptian Cotton Hair Cloth

Check out Enitan on Instagra, @Eniagidee or visit the website http://www.agidee.com/healthyhair which is where you can purchase the product.



Have you tried any hair wraps or hair cloths?

Or do you use a towel/t-shirt?

xx

(*) This product was sent to me to review

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Mar 6, 2016

Earth Kiss Miracle Clay facial Hydrate & Million Year Clay Facial Revitalise Bamboo Sheet Mask Review

Earth Kiss Miracle clay facial Hydrate Bamboo Sheet Mask 
&
Million Year Clay Facial Revitalise Bamboo Sheet Mask Review

Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks review and ingredient list

Today I am reviewing the Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks. I got two face masks to review and they are the Earth Kiss Miracle clay facial Hydrate Bamboo Sheet Mask and the Million Year Clay Facial Revitalise Bamboo Sheet Mask. They are available to buy for £1.99 from the Earth kiss website (direct line) and also from Holland and Barretts.

Earth Kiss offer a lot of different face masks including pore cleansing, detox, rejuvenating and what in my opinion makes their face masks different to those of other brands- are they exclusive and carefully selected natural ingredients.

Their "key- ingredient" is the Himalayan Shilajit which is described by them as follows:

"Himalayan Shilajit, a rare form of powerful mineralized organic matter, contains 85 plant micronutrients that help to naturally rebalance the skin and body, restoring its natural beauty. One of the most important ingredients in Ayurvedic medicine, Shilajit was known in ancient Indian scriptures as a potent skin rejuvenator. Found in wild spiritual Tibetan mountains, this precious life force energy is collected from the natural crevices of the high peaks of the Himalayas."

Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks review and ingredient list

Earth Kiss Miracle clay facial Hydrate Bamboo Sheet Mask 

"A natural bamboo sheet mask with Argile clay and Baobab- wonder why we call it Miracle Clay facial? Because it is not only bursting with minerals and 85 micro nutrients that nourish, it also cleanses your skin. It is a marvellous experience!"
Key Ingredients: Argile clay, Baobab, Mandarin oil, Dead sea salt, Rose Geranium oil

Million Year Clay Facial Revitalise Bamboo Sheet Mask 

"A natural bamboo sheet mask infused with the wonder of Rhassoul Clay from Morocco and Juniper, to purify and revitalise your skin in minutes"

Key ingredients:  Key Ingredients. Rhassoul Clay, Juniper, Lavender, Dead sea salt, Dead sea mud, Mandarin oil

Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks review and ingredient list
Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks ingredient list


Now to the results. My first thought was to figure out if there is actually any benefit to using the "sheet- face masks" compared to the normal liquid face mask that you just apply to your skin. I have previously tried one sheet face mask but it wasn't a clay one, it had more of a gel texture so it was a little bit messy. Now with these, when you take them out the packaging it will be a folded sheet with product on it, as you can see in the picture below. 


Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks review and ingredient list


The sheet is pretty big, but because of how there are cut outs, you can pretty much "adjust" it to ensure it fits your face and shape properly. It has more than enough product on the sheet, but not too much so that it's messy. I obviously tried two face masks only so I cannot comment on any long term results. However, I have used a lot of clay face masks before and in my opinion the biggest cons with clay masks are that they can leave your skin feeling a little dry and they can be hard to rinse off. Now these Bamboo sheet face masks didn't have those disadvantages, because of them being sheets they were obviously really easy to remove and the remaining product on your face was super easy to rinse off. Also, these face masks were super moisturising and didn't make my skin feel dry. For the purpose of the review I left my skin to dry for a while after removing the product so I could see if it would go dry or not, but it actually felt very moisturised.

Earth Kiss clay bamboo sheet face masks review and ingredient list

As you can tell, I really enjoyed these face masks and I would use it once in a while when I feel like treating my skin a little bit. Lastly I just wanted to mention that the Earth Kiss was very informative and they also had this video about their face masks that I wanted to include.




Have you tried these or any other sheet face masks?
What did you think of them?

xx


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(*) These products were sent to me to review
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Feb 23, 2016

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review


Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review


Hi Guys! Today I am reviewing the Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones as it has just been re launched in Boots and Superdrug.

I like contour kits, it's not something I would use daily but I like to have one for when I do a proper full face of makeup, I had also just run out of my old one so I was really happy to try this product out.

I actually have a Contouring & Highlighting Chart tutorial on my blog already, so check this out if you want to see how I contour my face.

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review

So there are instructions inside of the packing on how to use it. The text is a bit too blurry in my picture so I am going to write the instructions in short;

1. Light Powder: To highlight: dust over cheek bones, chin, length of nose & centre of forehead.

2. Medium Brown: To bronze, sweep the powder across cheeks, forehead and nose where the sun would naturally hit.

3. Dark Brown: To sculpt, apply to hollows of cheeks blending towards ears, along hair line and down the sides of your nose.

I personally didn't find the light powder too useful, only because I already use a regular face powder and as for highligher, I really like the shimmery kind. However I think this shade could be good for setting under eye concealer for instance or as a highligher for skin tones darker than mine. I used the medium brow on my temples, under chin as a light contour powder and the darkest one only for my cheeks. Comparing to previous contour kits I have tried (see here), this shade is a lot darker, but very creamy and easy to work with. The dark colour looks slightly intimidating at first, but I applied a bit onto my Real Techniques brush and it was really easy to blend.


Ingredient Check:

(√) Mineral Oil/Petroleum
(√) Silicones
(/) Parabens
(/) Butylene/Propylene Glycol

Picture of what the contoured cheek looks like but with flash and after I applied highlighter

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review

The finished look!

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review

What do you think of this looks guys? :)

Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit For Medium To Dark Skin Tones Review



Do you contour your face, and if so, 
what product do you use?

xx


(*) This product was sent to be to review


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Feb 16, 2016

How to: Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

How to: Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

I finally have a new video for you guys. I decided a while ago to try a Henna treatment on my hair,  mainly for the treatment purpose as it is said to strengthen your hair and make it shiny. I wouldn't have minded more of a red colour to my hair from the Henna, but I also didn't take any steps (such as leaving henna mixture to set to release the dye) to get colour out of it.





Please watch the video for more detailed instructions or just follow this short summary:

  • Purchase natural henna powder. Make sure it is just henna powder and not a mixture of different powders or synthetic dyes. The powder should look green/greyish.
  • Mix according to instructions on the pack if given, otherwise use the same powder to water ratio that I used in the video.
  • Add your favourite conditioner and oil of choice and mix.
  • Apple to hair wearing Gloves and wrap with cling film when done.
  • Leave for a few hours then rinse
My hair definitely had a orangy/copper tone to it afterwards. I was hoping it would help blend my regrowth a bit but I didn't get enough red colour for that. However, for some reason when I put my hair in a bun, the red tone was a lot more visible. The pictures of my hair out are from the next day when I blow dried my hair and the pictures with my hair in a bun is 2-3 days after.

Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

Strengthening Henna Treatment for Natural Afro and Curly hair

If you want your hair to be dyed from the Henna, I would suggest using a high quality natural henna, and leaving the mixture to set over night or at least a couple of hours after you mix it, so that the dye will be released.

I believe I mention this in the video, rinsing the Henna out of my tightly coiled afro hair was an absolute nightmare. I am not sure if it was the henna I was using or maybe the fact that at first I tried to just wash it out with conditioner. If you use Henna I recommend rinsing it with a shampoo multiple times to get all of the Henna out of your hair.


Have you done a henna treatment before? 
If so, what Henna powder did you use and did it dye your hair?

xx

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