Review: Aveda Pure Abundance Shampoo

I'm an absolute sucker for any hair products claiming to make my hair look more voluminous. I tend to be fairly low maintenance with my hair; shampoo, either a hair oil or leave in conditioner spray, dry shampoo and hairspray are the only products I really reach for. I find that mousses and cream products weigh my hair down too much so even if they claim to add volume, I end up with greasy flat hair. On that basis, volumising shampoos tend to be what I opt for most. I've tried a few across a range of high street brands which I've enjoyed but whilst perusing the Aveda counter in Debenhams I was drawn in by the Pure Abundance line and decided to give the shampoo a go.

The packaging is plain and functional although I did have to store it upside down to get the remaining product out when it was running low. The product itself is a honey coloured gel with a normal 'shampoo' texture - it's not too runny or exceptionally thick. The scent is quite herbal and overpowering; I didn't pick up the jasmine in the scent (I love jasmine!)

Aveda state that the shampoo:

Lifts fine hair up and fills it out. Hair looks fuller, feels thicker, stays more abundant. 

•	plant-based formula boosted by certified organic acacia gum
•	Aroma with jasmine, certified organic peppermint, palmarosa and ylang ylang

I used the shampoo as normal and spritzed a little leave in conditioner on the ends of my hair. When it was 80% dry, I blow dried it. I did find that my hair felt lighter and had a nice amount of volume once I'd dried it and my hair did feel cleaner for a little longer when I used this shampoo. However, I have quite a sensitive scalp and this shampoo would sometimes be a little irritating so I couldn't use it on a daily basis. 

The bottom line is that I liked the product, I just didn't love it. It did give my hair a bit of extra volume without that product build up feeling so if you've not got a sensitive scalp and you fancy trying a higher end volumisng shampoo, I'd say that this is worth a try. I won't be repurchasing it as I've found the volumising shampoos from Herbal Essences and Aussie are fairly similar in terms of performance, are a fraction of the price and they smell nicer.

A 250ml bottle of Pure Abundance shampoo retails for £17.00 from Aveda stockists and online.

Have you tried any good volumising shampoos recently?

Stace xx

Budget Beauty Essential: Boots Extra Large Cotton Wool Pads

I first heard about these super sized cotton pads from Boots in a Zoella video, I believe. At the time I was using a cream cleanser, separate eye make up remover and toner so I was going through 6-8 regular cotton pads every time I removed my make up. At £2.59 for 60 these may seem a bit pricey for cotton pads but I think they're well worth it.

(a bit of a weird size comparison shot!)

If you've ever been a fan of those dreaded drying face wipes (we've all been there...I still keep some on hand for emergencies!) because they're so quick and easy to use, these cotton pads, a good quality cleanser and toner make an excellent alternative. I typically massage my cleanser into my skin to lift the make up and remove with one of the pads. The process is much quicker as I only need one pad unless I need to double cleanse to remove lots of make up.

I also use them to remove polish - one pad will do nails and toes.

You'll find these in the baby section rather than in the beauty section and they're currently in a buy one, get one half price offer. I've only got a few pads left so am planning on stocking up this weekend!

Stace xx

Ps - I'll be posting a wee blog sale at some point over the weekend because I'm moving flat again and am having a bit of a clear out so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Weekend Haul: Philosophy & Boots

Hello!

I've finally done a little bit of beauty shopping! This haul is probably going to seem tiny compared to the monthly hauls I used to post but I'm sort of pleased about that. I generally try to be cleverer about the purchases I'm making now so will usually only buy one or two products over a period of a few weeks. This week I allowed myself to go a tiny bit crazy at the Philosophy counter and in Boots. I say 'crazy' because I don't actually need any of these things but that's not to say I won't enjoy trying them out; there could be some new favourites in here!

Philosophy as a brand is still fairly new to me. I've tried a lot of samples (and received even more after making this purchase - check out the cute little 'mini miracles' bag they came in!) and generally liked everything so I've been keen to pick up more of their line for a while. The 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath is one of the brand's staple offerings; I went for the delicious citrus scented Señorita Margarita. At £14 it's pretty pricey for a basic shower gel but I've been trying this out and a little definitely goes a long way. I tried it in my hair too and liked it as a shampoo but my hair is ridiculously low maintenance so I wouldn't recommend this as a shampoo for all hair types. 

The second product I picked up is their primer: The Present. I've heard mixed reviews on this one and haven't tried it out myself yet but plan to this week so expect to see a review soon if I have especially strong feelings either way. This was £22 but you do get 60ml of product which is around twice the size of most standard primers from other brands. 

Then I had one of those trips 'I-want-everything' trips to Boots but I somehow managed to compose myself and not spend too much. Looking at it now it does seem like a random selection of products! 

I made a couple of repurchases from Rimmel; the Wake Me Up concealer has been a favourite of mine for a long time and another lipstick from Kate Moss's Lasting Finish range. I got the shade 05 which is a warm, slightly bright pink because I've misplaced my beloved shade 19 and I'm hoping to find it again soon! I got a free Scandal Eyes mascara in black which I'm not sure I'll be a fan of as the brush looks absolutely huge.

The next three products which swiftly made it into my basket are all things I was really excited to see because until now I've not spotted them in British drugstores. The Maybelline Mega Plush mascara came out in the States forever ago and I've been dying to try it. This is another product which appears to split the opinion of beauty addicts so I'm interested to see which camp I end up in. I imagine there'll be a review of this up fairly soon. Next up is a Sally Hansen Salon Manicure polish in the infamous shade: Commander in Chic. It's one of those griege-nudes that's been doing the rounds for the past two or three years but I'm still looking forward to trying it out. I also came across a Sinful Colors display with a wide array of shades which are a snip at £1.99. I've been hankering after green nail polishes recently so this one in Exotic Green is a good way to try it out on the cheap.

Finally, I need new skincare. My current skincare system is driving me crazy; largely because it's not really a system. I'm starting my mini-revolution with this Vichy Normaderm moisturiser because it claims to target the issues I've been having with my skin. I also need a new cleanser, toner, serum, exfoliator and mask...suggestions on a postcard (or in the comments, probably quicker), please!

Have you been buying anything lately? If you've posted a haul, leave me a link!

Stace xx

E.L.F. Angled Blush Brush

Say hello to one of my new favourite brushes! This is the Angled Blush Brush from E.L.F.'s Studio range and I've been using it for about three months now. Its name would suggest that I've been using it for blush but the densely packed bristles and thinner shape mean it's a rubbish blush brush. However, it's excellent for foundation. 

As with all E.L.F. Studio brushes this one has a matte black handle and a black metal ferule with black bristles. Pretty sleek looking for £3.75, I reckon. I was expecting something similar to my beloved MAC 168 in terms of shape and density so was a tiny bit disappointed when I first got my hand on this. It languished in my brush collection for about a month until I realised that it might be great for foundation. 

It turns out that I was right; it's totally a foundation brush. It's similar to one of those traditional foundation brushes which make me feel like I'm painting my face but it's a bit fatter and the angle makes it great for getting into areas under the eyes and around the nose. I use it to blend concealer in under my eyes and on any other blemishes before dotting some foundation on my skin and blending it in. Right now I'll happily reach for this in place of my Real Techniques Buffing brush or Illamasqua Highlight brush which have both been long-time favourites of mine. 

My only issue with this brush is the fact that after about two uses I could tell that the ferule was getting loose. It hasn't fallen apart yet but every time I use it I think it's going to! I don't mind so much because it was so inexpensive but the inconsistency in quality of E.L.F. products is very frustrating. Thankfully it doesn't shed! 

Available from eyeslipsface.co.uk 

What's your favourite brush for foundation?

Stace xx

LUSH Love Lettuce Fresh Face Mask

I can always rely on LUSH for a pick-me-up when my skin is feeling a bit 'blah'. I meant to review this fresh face mask about two months ago but since I plan on picking up a new tub of the stuff this week, I thought it'd still be okay to rave about it today!

Love Lettuce is a face mask that I've avoided because I preferred less abrasive options such as BB Seaweed and Catastrophe Cosmetic. I liked using my own microdermabrastion exfoliator and then a mask but this one changed my mind because the ground almond shells aren't too harsh. Love Lettuce left my skin feeling clean, smooth, refreshed and soothed all at once! No mean feat for one little pot of gritty green goo, really. It's got something to do with seaweed, honey, almond oil and lavender, apparently. 

This and BB Seaweed are the two best 'all rounder' masks that I'd recommend to almost anyone. If you've got very sensitive skin I'd tell you to opt for BB Seaweed instead, though. 

I get six or seven uses out of these pots so I tend to use them twice a week before they go past their best before date. Make sure you remember to keep these in your fridge to keep them fresh!

Available from LUSH stores and online priced at £5.95

Do you like LUSH's fresh face masks? Have you got a favourite?

Stace xx