Lovea Bio Hair Care - Two Reviews For My Pure

Well it's that time again, time for my monthly reviews for My Pure - for January I selected a few hair care products. Whether we like it or not our hair suffers as the seasons change, cold wintry weather can be just as damaging as hot summer sun. Added to that a spell in hospital when I was unable to wash my hair for a week and you can imagine the poorly state of my hair. The products that I had already chosen for January came from the French brand Lovea Bio. I've discovered this brand purely through my relationship with My Pure and I have to say like A'kin I've generally been impressed by the products I've tried. Certified organic and free from Parabens, the two products I chose were the Lovea Bio Tahitian Monoi Moisturising Shampoo and the Lovea Bio L'Argan Detangling Leave in Conditioner Spray.

Lovea Bio Tahitian Monoi Moisturising Shampoo

This is the second shampoo I've reviewed by Lovea, I'd previously tried out the Lovea Bio L'Argan Shine Shampoo, which I liked but this time I wanted something a bit more moisturising.

Containing genuine Tahitian Monoi oil, which is Tiare flowers, soaked in pure coconut oil, and vegetable glycerin, this shampoo is designed, to moisturise and add shine to the hair

It has a slightly cloudy appearance, and quite a runny texture as you can see. Because of the texture I think you tend to use slightly more than you would normally but the shampoo produces a fine creamy lather, which cleanses well and rinses easily without tangling.

What sells this shampoo to me though is the smell, exactly like the Lovea Body Milk I previously reviewed, it has the most gorgeous, sensual fragrance of tropical flowers and a tiny bit of coconut, amazing! Once dried my hair was left feeling soft and fairly sleek even without the use of a conditioner (a matching conditioner is available though).
I have to say I loved this shampoo, it's gentle enough to be used every day, the hair was left soft, and none greasy and smelling amazing - a big thumbs up for me - it's definitely something I would consider repurchasing:) Lovea Bio Le Monoi Moisturizing Shampoo retails at £4.99 for 200ml from My Pure making it very affordable too :)

Lovea Bio L'Argan Shining Non Rinse Conditioner

I have to say I am a huge fan of leave in conditioner sprays - even since a disastrous experimentation with Sun In, in my late teens, when it was the only way to get a comb though my hair, I have always had at least one on the go. I've found brilliant ones at both the high end and low end of the spectrum, the key thing I look for is to add moisture without adding grease. I was interested to try Lovea's version of a leave in conditioner spray primarily because it contains the famous Moroccan oil, Argan. 

This hugely prized oil which crops up in a lot of Lovea's products is well known for it's moisturising and regenerative properties - a prefect inclusion in a hair conditioner. The leave in spray comes in a pump action bottle, with a fine spray. It looks yellow in the bottle but it looks quite clear when its sprayed. It has the same citrus, nutty smell as Lovea's other products containing Argan oil, it's quite pleasant but I can see how some people could find it a bit overpowering. I used the product in two ways on damp hair after shampooing, and on dry hair as a detangler / refresher. I found that my hair was a lot easier to comb and that it felt a lot softer and less tangled. On dry hair I found that it freshened the hair and added shine whilst getting rid of any tangles without leaving the hair greasy or oily. I have to say again though the fragrance does have a tendency to linger on the hair, so whilst this would be good for getting rid of cooking smells etc it does last so it may interfere with fragrance and so on.

I have to say I did like this product, my biggest fear was that it would be oily but it certainly wasn't, it provided just enough moisture and slip to the hair. Having said that I'm not sure I would repurchase as I've already found my hold grail leave in sprays which unfortunately I still prefer to this but if you want a good, organic leave in conditioner this may be the one for you. Lovea Bio L'Argan Shining Non Rinse Conditioner retails at £5.49 for 125ml from My Pure

(Both Lovea Bio Products Were Provided By My Pure For Review Purposes)

The Bionic Woman

Hey my loves first up thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post I really appreciate it and yes I know you are all right my health comes first.
Well today was my hospital appointment, as you know I was feeling a bit apprehensive about the whole thing, the first hurdle obviously came when I had to get to the car - we have steps at both sides of the house and torrential rain made it a bit hairy on my zimmer but I managed it.
The first task when I got to the hospital was to have my old cast removed, and my little staples removed - eeek to be honest the staple removal wasn't that bad a little bit stingy but nothing more, what surprised me was the length of the scar it goes 1/4 of the way up my calf :( I then had it re plastered with a full purple plaster cast - chic no?

Then it was time for another x-ray and to see my consultant - it was the first time I had seen my x-rays since before my op and I have to say I was a bit shocked - as well as a huge long pin through my bone, there are also a few metal plates and screws in my foot holding all the bones together  hmm it looks like someone has been playing with a mecanno set - the bionic women indeed. But I have to say despite me visible blanching when I saw the pics he was very happy with my progress and I'm ahead of schedule so I was given a very unattractive surgical shoe and I can start to try and use my foot and begin to weight bear from next week - wahoo - I have to go back in a month for cast removal and continue with my daily injections and just to confirm everything is OK but that's good enough for me for now -a great weight has lifted from my mind and I certainly feel a lot happier. So thanks again for your nice words I really appreciate it, all we need is some decent light and blogging properly can resume xx

I'm Sorry

 

The offending foot



Hi guys - Just a bit of an apology really - I meant to get a few posts up but to be honest my heart just hasn't been in it -I think what's happened has just hit me really, I've felt a bit weepy, and just generally sore and exhausted. It's quite scary being so dependent on some one else for washing, food and water, etc. Don't get me wrong I can dress myself and use the loo but that is pretty much it, and my poor mum has been at my beck and call. I have a hospital appointment tomorrow which I'm not looking forward too - it's mainly just to take out my surgical clips and to put a full cast on my foot but still I'm a bit nervous I am really hoping that the surgery has been successful and tomorrow will be the first proper indication since the op. I'm sorry again for being a bit miserable but I can't help it :( I'll do a post tomorrow letting you know how I got on and then hopefully normal service will resume with a few reviews. Thanks again for your sweet messages on both here and on twitter xx

Bangle Bargains

A little while ago Marie Claire offered a set of brass bangles by fair trade jewellery company Made as their free cover gift. I got a set with my copy and I have to say I love them - I have pretty chunky knuckles and a lot of high street bangles just don't fit me - at the time I debated whether to buy more copies of the magazine for more bangles but I thought better of it.

Before my little tumble though I'd been wearing my set quite a lot so I thought I'd have a little look for some more. The retail price of £15 was a bit too much so I had a look on ebay and managed to pick up 3 sets for less than a tenner :) Two of the sets are pictured here but I think I'll be wearing the four sets together for a nice layered look :)

My 2010 Favourites

Hi Guys
Whilst I'm getting back into the swing of things I thought I'd give you something to be going on with. I filmed a few 2010 favourites videos for my You Tube channel and I thought you might be interested in watching them - if you haven't subscribed to my You Tube channel I would really appreciate it you clicked the subscribe button - link in the sidebar or by clicking into the video - thanks in advance xx

Part 1 - Body and Haircare



Part 2 - Make Up




Part 3 - Facial Skincare


I hope you enjoyed any questions please let me know xx

It Only Took 32 Years....

Well where do I start ? You may have noticed I've been AWOL, I'm sorry but I do have a good excuse honest which I'm sure you'll agree if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter ;) x Last Monday the heating engineers were coming to install our new heating system, the house was freezing so I decided to decamp to my Godparents for the day. All was going well a nice chat, warm cuppas then I decided to pop to the library -hmm bad move, last Monday we had more snow, and lots of ice, So I guess you can bet what happened.. I fell down and my leg bent underneath me with a sharp cracking noise. Eek I managed to crawl the short distance to my Godparents house where by this time I was feeling very faint and shaky, they managed to get me comfortable and my mum managed to collect me and bring me home - I could still move everything on my foot so after taking a few painkillers I tried to get some sleep. By the Tuesday morning though my foot didn't resemble a foot anymore swollen and every colour under the sun. So we headed off to the nearest hospital where after a bit of prodding it was revealed after 32 years I had my first ever broken bones :( I had spiral fractures to my right foot and ankle, and not only that but I would probably need surgery to realign it and put it all back together - I have to say at this point I nearly fainted again :( I was then transferred to the main hospital in my areas orthopedics department and after about 6 hours I was eventually found a bed. After a few days of I have to say vile food, attempted joint manipulation, and various periods of being nil by mouth I eventually had my operation on Friday, I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be bar the anesthetic which made me a bit sick. On Monday afternoon they let me go home with some walking frames, so you can now refer to me a hopalong ;) I can't put any weight on my foot for about 8 weeks :(. All that coupled with my ME means I'm feeling pretty crappy - my legs, back and arms ache and my nails, skin and hair are a disgrace - how the heck do you wash your face when you can't stand up without grabbing hold of something hmm I guess I'm going to have to learn a lot in the next month or so. So I'm back not quite with it but I'm here - I am going to start trying to get a few posts up over the next day or so but please be patient - I have hospital again next week to remove my clips and put on a full cast but otherwise I will be around I can't bend down or reach anything but I'll be here. Thanks for all the sweet messages I really appreciated it especially when I was stuck in a hospital bed - I dread to think what my phone bill is going to be - oh and thanks to my new followers too I logged on today expecting to have lost a few but there are actually more of you lovely peeps thank you so much xxx

Feeling Rosey With QVC?

One of the key accessories to any outfit is a watch -I know we all carry mobile phones which tell the time but a watch really can finalise a look. They are no longer just a practical item they have a real place in a lot of fashion looks, and they can really make a difference.

One of the most popular type of watches at the moment appear to be the large, chunky boyfriend style increasingly bejewelled and often in rose gold. I have to say there are some gorgeous ones out there, and the master of this style has to be Michael Kors

(pics from ASOS and House of Fraser)

Aren't they gorgeous alas they have a price tag retailing at nearly £200 each eek I love watches but I don't think I could justify paying that for a watch - thankfully the high street including ASOS, Oasis and more have  produced some lovely watches inspired by the boyfriend design. I have to say as much as I loved the style I wasn't desperate for a watch that was until I saw this just before Christmas on QVC of all places

I say that with a hint of irony I've bought a few watches from QVC before from their own brand Gossip - they specialise in affordable fashion influenced styles, and this one is no exception. This was a Christmas TSV and I just happened to have an easy pay code, well not that I really needed it at less than £16.

I got the Rose Gold option, but it also comes in Gunmetal and Gold Tone and I have to say I really like x  OK it will probably never be as stylish or probably as good quality as the Micheal Kors, it might even be a bit dare I say it tacky :) but for price you can't argue x Any questions please yell x

MAC Holiday 2010 Cool Thrillseekers Pigment/Glitter Swatches

Hiyas some of you were eagle eyed enough to spot this in my Christmas pressie haul video and as a result a few of you lovely ladies have asked me for some swatches.





Although this was from the MAC Holiday collection Tartan Tale it's still available in the Goodbyes section of the website and it might still be around in store



I don't own many MAC pigments but I have to say the minis are definitely the way to go I mean who honestly will use a whole jar bar maybe an MA, these little 2.5g jars give you a chance to try some new colours and in my case some new textures - having never used MAC glitters :)


Pics and Descriptions - from left to right Cheers Me Dear! (Pale Violet), Softwash Grey (Light Purple?), Silver Fog (Light Silver), Mauvement (Taupe), and Reflects Pearl (Silver Glitter With Pink Pearl Sparkle)


I am not sure how well these have photographed Softwash Grey actually looks my purple toned irl but if you have any questions please let me know xx

A Little Purchase From December + An Update

Hey my loves just a quick little post to show you something I received in the post today. When I saw my bestie over Christmas on her finger was one of the infamous Scrabble rings. I really loved how it looked and being a bit of a Scrabble fan I ordered one from the lovely Dainty Dollymix
Excuse the bad nails - packing boxes etc hasn't helped my hands :(

Cute eh :) Thanks Sinead xx
Just a little update whilst I am on too, If you follow me on twitter you'll know that this week had mainly been spent packing my life into boxes ahead of the new central heating installation next week, I officially have no bed now too - my own bed didn't survive been dismantled so I am now getting my shut eye on a mattress, still after this hell is over I will be getting a nice new bed :) To be honest I wish this was all over it's going to be a nightmare I spent all day yesterday lifting boxes and stuff and I am really paying for it now :( I was in agony all night and I could barely move let alone walk, I had to get up early this morning because we had someone coming to move some furniture away from the root of the new gas and water pipes and I have to say I fell asleep on the sofa, bleurgh! Never mind after a trip back to bed I am feeling a tiny bit better so I am going to have a pretty easy rest of the day before a nice bath, some magazines and an early night x I had planned to do a few more posts this week but I'll try and get them up over the weekend - stay safe and enjoy the snow (again!) x x

A'kin Hand, Nail & Cuticle Creme - A Review For My Pure

A'kin is a brand I have grown to seriously love over the last few months I love their whole philosophy, organic, paraben, and petrochemical free products, that do the job. It may have escaped your notice or not ;) that it's winter time, and what happens in winter? as well as being cold, our skin dries out, and in particular our handy pandies. That's why I chose a hand cream for one of this months My Pure products.



The A'kin Lavender, Geranium and Jojoba Hand, Nail & Cuticle Creme comes in a cream tube and comes jam packed with moisturising ingredients, such as Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Jojoba and Botanical Glycerin as well as Vitamin E and Vitamin B5. It has a reasonably thick, creamy texture


which spreads easily and absorbs well with hardly any stickiness or residue, leaving your hands softer and more hydrated


Containing a high proportion of essential oils including Lavender, Geranium, Rosemary and Pettigrain, it has quite a strong, albeit natural smell, it isn't unpleasant but some people might find it a little bit overpowering especially since it has a tendency to linger on the skin.


Despite that though I think this is a good hand cream I'm not a 100% sure I would repurchase but it certainly does the trick in a relatively natural way. A'kin Lavender, Geranium & Jojoba Hand, Nail and Cuticle Creme retails at £7.99 for 75ml. Any questions please let me know x

(The A'kin Lavender, Geranium & Jojoba Hand, Nail and Cuticle Creme was provided by My Pure for review purposes)

My First Good and Bad Post Of 2011

Apologies in advance that this is a bit of a negative one - life sometimes throws crap at people :I(

Bads

* I mentioned a little while ago on twitter that my Auntie was having some health problems - Doctors found an aneurysm near her heart but at the same time they also found out she had emphysema so they were unwilling to operate on her heart. Well they managed to stabilise her condition through inhalers and steroids enough for her to have the operation last Tuesday. The operation itself seemed to go well but she has been having problems coming out of the anesthetic and  especially with her breathing so the latest was they were keeping her sedated and
debating whether to give her a tracheotomy to help her breathe :( I'll keep you posted but it's not looking great at the moment but she's in the best place x

* My dear friend Helen lost her gran yesterday - her poor family have had an awful holiday period her other grandma is also very poorly in hospital and her uncle is in hospital too - things like this really put everything else into perspective

* Slightly trivially in comparison I have been feeling poorly on and off since Boxing Day - lots of sore throats and tummy pains :(

*The heating - this really has been the bain of our lives over the past month or so - its kept going on and off  like a yo yo :( We are hopefully getting a new boiler the week beginning the 11th January - this is going to cause untold havoc in the house we are getting it totally repiped so floors have to come up and all sorts surfice to say I am dreading it !!

Goods

* Despite everything I really enjoyed Christmas and New Year I got some lovely & I have some lovely friends and family

* Have really discovered nail varnish in a big way again :)

* I have been on a You Tube roll I'm on uploading about 4 videos including my 2010 favourites - I'll stick them in a post for you so you don't miss out xx

That's pretty much it I'm sorry again its so negative - Next up some swatches and another review xx

Alva Naturkosmetik Dead Sea Salts - A Review For My Pure*

I don't know about you but being by the sea is one of my favourite places to be, whether it's walking along the Northumberland coast, or lazing on a beach in Cyprus. I don't know what it is but the sea air always makes me feel relaxed and invigorated.

As well as just breathing it when I'm on holiday (not in this country I'm not daft) I like nothing more than being in the sea, floating on a airbed, splashing around in the shallows, or swimming with the fishes

Salt water is well known for having amazing health and beauty benefits particularly the salt from the Dead Sea. That's why in need of a boost in December I chose a packet of Alva Dead Sea Salts for one of my December My Pure review products

The Dead Sea is well known as being one of the lowest points in the world as well being a water body with one of the highest salt levels in the whole world, the water is so salty that not only can you float in it, but it contains hardly any plant or animal life.

Because of this the water is packed full of essential minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which can help with a number of skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne, and well as aiding muscular conditions such as rheumatism, and arthritis.

The Alva Dead Sea Salts contain 100% pure Dead Sea Salt and are packaged in a plastic bag. For one bath they advise you use about 250g which is about a handful or so. You can also use less to use these in a relaxing hand and foot bath.The product itself just looks exactly like a coarse sea salt

It had no discernible smell, even when you add it to the water but it dissolved easily creating a very slight clouding to the water. I have to say despite the lack of smell which is often so important for relaxation, the bath felt very relaxing and soothing, and I actually felt a lot more relaxed and refreshed when I got out. Surprisingly enough my skin felt fine too and definitely not tight or dry which is what you might think with such a large volume of salt - a definite thumbs up for me

My one gripe with these is the packaging the bag isn't resealable so I just chopped a corner off and poured them out from there, I then found a old Yankee Candle jar which I put them in to keep them dry and airtight, in the bag in the bathroom they do have a tendency to attract the damp and stick together a bit.

 Never the less I really like these, if you wanted a nice smell to your salts you could also mix them with a bit of aromatherapy oil too to make your own scented bath salts. Alva Dead Sea Salts come in a 1kg bag for £10.00, or a 500g bag for £6.50. Any questions please ask

*Sample

2011 - A New Start ?

OK I know the title of this post is a bit a cliche but a lot of 2010 just wasn't that great for me - For those of you that don't know I've gotten pretty good at hiding things and putting on a brave face. In 2011 I really am going to try and things I a more positive light I have issues who doesn't but there are things I can change and I am going to do my damnedest to do exactly that. How does that effect you my loves, well as I've already said your support means the world to me, just knowing that so many people take an interest keeps me going. As per usual my aims for 2011 - I'm not going to say resolutions because to be honest that just means a bit of a laugh and something that is often destined to failure - my aims, well at least some of them are going to be life changes that I can implement not just on the 1st January but everyday!
The normal one at this time of year is the word diet! The cliche of cliches almost every person in the UK probably is probably saying the same thing today but for me it's a necessity- being kindly advised by my new GP that I could do with losing some weight has been the kick on the inside that I need. I am 100% aware that I need to lose weight when your jeans get tighter and dare I say it tighter you know that the time has come. Because of the obvious health reasons and medication I find it easy to put on weight and harder to lose it, but I am going to give it a go. I am going to try and eat more healthily and snack less and I am going to try and have a little walk everyday - I know this doesn't sound much but going outside for a few minutes everyday is a huge and sometimes difficult for me. As per usual I'll keep you guys posted x
Next up decluttering  I've  started this in the last few months of 2010 but its something I am going to implement in all areas of my life in 2011. I've shed a few friends who get me down, now I just need to start shedding a few more possessions I have so many things I don't use I am seriously going to be ebaying my life away in 2011, clearing out my past and my present. Like most people I also have lots of papers, and documents that I probably don't need so shredding scissors are at the ready and hopefully a clearer mind and box file to come x
OK now to the things that are going to concern my blog first up Trimming My Stash - after the success of the whole trimming my stash and monthly catch ups this is something I will definitely be continuing throughout 2011 it's gave me a strange sense of satisfaction every time I finished a bottle or a jar and it certainly stopped the half finished bottles in my bathroom - so yes I'll keep you posted on my diminishing toiletry stash :)
Next up monthly spends yes this is going to continue hopefully with 100% more success than last year - my financial situation at the moment is not good, I've been buying too many things I don't need or even want that much and it needs to stop - I'll keep the £40 limit but I really need to keep well under this every month through 2011 and I'm only going to be buying things I really need.
As well as that Project 10 Pan will be continuing I am 3 down at the moment, and very nearly 4 (come on Collection2000 mascara you are so close to the end now ;) As I said in my last post this has proved to be a great help in trying to cut down my spending and in trying to use things up it's also really helped me to take another look at the things I already own,so shopping my stash is going to be a big part of 2011 for me - I just have to hope MAC doesn't do any more MSF's - a real weakness of mine at the moment ;)
Well that's all I can think of at the moment - on LouLouLand in 2011 you can hopefully look forward to lots more reviews, a few different types of postings, more blog sales and above all I am going to try and work in conjunction with my You Tube channel a little bit more to give me a bit of variety, oh and I am going to reintroduce the weekly goods and bads posts too no matter how I feel. Once again I'd love your input let me know what you would like to see on my blog it could be reviews, randoms, favourites - whatever you'd like to see please let me know x My blog and twitter have really kept me going over the last year and they are certainly going to be a big part of my life in 2011. Onwards and Upwards as they say -Happy New Year xx

December Is Ended 2010 Has Gone

Well another month and another year have gone for good - life is oh so short. It's about this time of year that we all start looking back on how the year has gone, but before I do that I'll do a little recap of December - well first up the spending diet well the words Big Fat Fail spring to mind a little bit of online shopping, a bit in the sales and a bit in the middle of the month lead to me giving up in December before I'd even started eek - to be honest this was the story of my year really, I had the best of intentions but I only managed to stay under my limit in two of the twelve months - FAIL!! I have to say though the start of Project 10 Pan has really started to help so maybe that's the way to go we'll see but I have to say my willpower was super weak this year

Trimming my Stash - well I have to say December was a bit of a success I  finished 14 items

b.liv by Cellnique Shrink and Tighten Large Pore Reducing Serum 30ml
Boots No7 Cleanse and Care Eye Make Up Remover 30ml
L'Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream 15ml
Keraskin Esthetics Lait No27 Daily Residues Cleanser 400ml
ELF Luscious Liquid Lipstick - Baby Lips - 1.5g
Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Color Save Spray Conditioner 200ml
Neutrogena Pure Glow Daily Cleansing Cushions x 22
Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Smooth Shine Shampoo 250ml
id Bare Minerals Foundation - Medium Beige 2g
Boots Botanics Soothing Make Up Remover 150ml
The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub 200ml
Soap & Glory Calm One Calm All Bubble Bath 500ml
Lacura 3 in 1 Facial Cleansing Wipes - 20 x Wipes x 2
Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream 30ml


So in total over the last 12 months I finished 182 items  I broke these down into a few different categories so you can see what type of things I finished the most of

Bath and Shower Products - 28
Body Moisturiser Products - 40
Hand and Feet Products - 20
Facial Skincare - 53
Make Up - 19
Perfumes / Deodorants -4
Hair Products - 18
Total - 182  Yeah :D

Don't get me wrong I still have loads to use up but I'm getting there and I've really impressed myself, at one point in December I actually ran out of eye make up remover so that has to be an improvement on having 7 backups lol. I have to say it's being an interesting experiment to see what you can actually use up. It makes you actually want to use up a bottle before leaving one half full and opening another one :), yes its frustrating when you want to try something new, which is in some cases why you have had to wait so long for some reviews but my mum is certainly pleased that the bathroom cupboards are starting to look slightly less stuffed ;) I really appreciate your support on these two challenges despite the fact I have the willpower of a slug lol Any questions please ask and I'll be back later with a look forward to 2011 x

Happy New Year

I hope you like my little banner I borrowed it from Lidl of all places. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I hope 2011 is everything you hope it will be and that you get everything you wish for x
On a personal note I'd like to to this opportunity to thank you all for your support, and comments both on here, You Tube and on Twitter I've really appreciated it more than you will ever know. Next up are a couple of posts a December and 2010 summary, and a post looking forward to 2011. Happy New Year To You All xx