Bumble Bumble Curl Conscious Holding Foam & Reactivating Mist

I quite like the Curl Conscious range from Bumble and Bumble and these nifty little products have only increased my appreciation. It's very rare that I find curly-hair products that a. actually do what they say they do and b. don't make my hair gross. I have never really gotten along with mousse, it often leaves my hair crispy and generally very grim. The Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Holding Foam seems to be an exception to the rule and i'm quite surprised at the results it gave.

Part of the problem with my hair is the thickness and length, when its curly it looks like a bushy pyramid and is revolting. My curls don't always turn out the same either, sometimes I have tiny ringlets, other washes will leave me with looser waves. More often than not I'll get a combination of the two and there is guaranteed to be a halo of frizz either way. 

The foam helped my curls stay curly and regulated the shape a little bit but I don't think I can say i'm a convert to the dark side and give up my GHDs just yet. I really still have to straighten and then re-curl my hair to get it how I like but this mousse is great for holding a springy curl in!

My favourite of the two products has got to be the Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Reactivating Mist. I use it on styled hair to help retain the curl and spruce them up if the curl is starting to fall out. I have to be careful not to get too carried away spraying this on because it can make a bit of a sticky mess. It helped a little with my frizz problem so this is definitely a product worth keeping on the shelf.

You can find them both here for between £20.50 and £23.50

Xo

Make Up For Ever High Definition Microfinish Powder

My go to primer is from MakeUp Forever and it made sense to finish 'my face' with one of their products too. I saw this mini in Sephora back in January for roughly half the price of the full size and thought it would be perfect to try out the product without investing a lot of money in an untested product. I usually used a loose powder that has some colour to it so I was a bit nervous about using a white powder all over my face. The powder itself is so finely milled it is really brilliant and giving a lovely matte finish without looking cakey and keeps my face shine free all day as well as the evening.

The packaging is very fiddle-y and it's difficult to get just the right amount on my brush for application without showering myself in white powder. I think they have now redesigned the dispenser bit to make it easier to use.

I'm not too sure where you can get your hands on this in the UK but I've heard that Sephora France now deliver to that side of the channel if you can face the postage fees. The full size is available here for €30. 

Xo

Phyto7 Day Cream

I was always led to believe that France had really strict rules about when shops could have Sales but apparently they have a way around it: Just don't mention the word "soldes". My closest department store is BHV which I think is part of the same family as Galeries Lafayette (which, coincidentally, I work very close to). They all had something going on titled 3 days or 6 days and I didn't understand what was going on until I had to pop to a haberdashery department. 

My search for thread did't end well because I tried to pay for it at a till on the wrong floor (humph) but I did manage to spot this little gem. Phyto is a brand I see everywhere and I have only ever heard good things about it so when I realised they had a few products at 50% I thought i'd seize the opportunity to give something a try. I went for the Phyto7 Day Cream which was only about €7.50 instead of the usual €15. I was really intrigued by the idea of a day cream for hair and quite frankly, my hair could do with all the help it can get. 

The Phyto 7 name is in reference to the 7 plants that give it the magical hair treatment abilities. I've only been using the cream for a few weeks and I'm already in love! It does't leave any residue or greasiness behind and it makes my hair look at lot smoother without using silicone and it definitely appeared shinier and more moisturised. I think I may have to try out some more Phyto products to see if they live up to the hype. 

I've found it on Amazon here for cheaper than the pre-discounted price. 

Xo

NUXE Body Long-Lasting Deodorant

I don't think I could rave about Nuxe enough, I've never tried a really bad product and am generally very impressed with the quality of their ranges. The things we tend to hear the most about are the Huile Prodigieuse and the Reve de Miel lip balm but I don't think I've ever come across an article including the Nuxe Body Long-lasting Deodorant before. It's probably because it's a deodorant, nobody wants to gush about something that you put on your armpits but I think it's really worth a mention. 

It is available in the UK here at a slightly inflated price that what I paid here in Paris. It is expensive for a deodorant, especially if you are used to stocking up when theres a 2for1 deal on Dove at boots. I think I paid just under €8 for this beauty. 

It contains no alcohol which is great and smells divine, even after a long warm day.  I haven't put it to the test at the gym but I would be surprised if it wasn't as effective as it is for everyday use. It doesn't mark my clothing in any way and leaves my armpits very moisturised which is very welcome after my normal deodorant made my skin very dry and itchy.

 I love the fact that its ingredients are very natural and its paraben free!

Xo

MAC Studio Fix Powder

I'm very loyal to MAC when it comes to powders, whether it be pressed or loose they seem to always give me the perfect finish without looking cakey. MAC Studio Fix Powder plus Foundation is perfect for a lazy/short on time girl like me- It saves me the extra step in the morning and gives a lovely, velvety matte finish to my skin. 

MAC Studio Fix is a really handy compact with a mirror inside and (unfortunately) a sponge for application in another compartment. Personally i'm not keen on using the sponge because they are quite unhygienic so the product would be much less bulky if it wasn't included.

Pictured here is NC43 which is actually a little bit too dark for me at the moment, but as soon as late spring rolls around i'll be golden.  

 At £21.50 i'm really glad its foundation plus powder and if you'd like to try it yourself, it's available here.
Xo

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I'm going to start by admitting that until very recently I thought it was called Claudalie not Caudalie and I only realised my mistake when I went into the Caudalie shop that is 200m from home (i'm embarrassed) 

This teeny 30ml bottle was bought at CityPharma a few weeks ago for a little bit cheaper than it would have been in the UK, this is the limited edition bottle design by the late L'wren Scott which is much cuter than the original design.  If you'd like to read about my trip to CityPharma, you can here.

I've had a chance to use it and although I definitely agree its a lovely product, I don't quite get the hype. It's very refreshing and feels lovely on my skin but I have not noticed any discernible difference to my skin after use. I haven't been using it for long so I may yet change my mind. 

My skin does look a bit brighter after use but I can't comment on the pores. I'm looking forward to trying it out for setting make up. It smells lovely and herby and is 100% natural. Considering the price, its pretty expensive for a refreshing face mist when a can of Evian Spray will do just as well for that purpose. 

The full size is available from SpaceNK here for £32. Have you tried the Caudalie Beauty Elixir?

Xo