My Hunt For The Perfect Black Boot

I used to hate black boots and no joke every single pair of boots I used to own at one point was brown - mainly because my mum loves the colour brown so I guess I just followed her lead. However in the past few years I've started to like black boots and have owned a couple of pairs but I'm looking for the 'Perfect Black Boot' this winter. 

I want a pair that I can literally wear with anything and everything over the winter months. So here are 10 pairs that are in the potential running to maybe be 'my perfect pair' and at least one pair will no doubt get a purchase knowing me!

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YSL PARIS PREMIERES ROSES

YSL Paris is one scent that I always associate with my mum and every time I go into a perfume shop/section and I see a bottle of Paris I always remember seeing it on my mum's dressing table when I was younger. So when I saw that YSL had bought out a new limited edition to celebrate it's 30th birthday I was intrigued and then I saw the design of the packaging and that was it I was sold. Thankfully after testing it out I loved the scent as well. (A note to myself that the design of the packaging and bottles should be looked at after smelling the scent).

Premieres Roses is very much like the original scent but just a bit fresher and lighter with the bases notes of this fragrance being white musk, sandalwood & roses. This is a scent that can definitely been worn all year round as well as day and night.

I absolutely love it and if you know anyone who likes the original or even someone that just generally likes fresh scents then this would be a great Christmas present!

Currently available at: www.perfumeshop.com - £22.50 and www.debenhams.com - £17.75 for 125ml.

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My New Dry Shampoo Favourites

So wow we're in November already and I have to honestly say I have absolutely no idea where on earth the last month has gone - is it me or is this year just going super super quick? I mean we're on the countdown to Christmas already - well I should say I am anyway. The John Lewis advert certainly got me in the mood & I'm actually excited to see the Coca Cola advert - that's when I know Christmas is officially on it's way for me. 

But enough of all that I've recently been getting quite lazy with my hair and trying to prolong my washes as I feel after 2 days my hair doesn't really need a wash but then bang in the morning it looks so limp and in need of a wash just when I have no time. My saving grace has been dry shampoos of which I've discovered a new found love for not something that I thought I really would if I'm totally honest.

When Batiste first came on the market I was all over it just because it was the new 'it' product but I never really fell in love with it as for some reason it never really had the desired effect on my hair and that's from trying out various versions. However recently I've been discovering some great dry shampoos and there are 3 in particular that I have been loving and hence reaching for on a daily basis. I've also found that these dry shampoos also give my hair a good amount of volume when used. 

Left To Right: Colab Paris. Garnier Ultimate Blends. Urban Fudge Crisp Pear & Sweet Vanilla.

1- Colab Dry Shampoo Paris - So the latest Youtuber collaboration and this time with Ruth Crilly from A Model Recommends and I have to say by far in my opinion best collaboration/range yet! I love this dry shampoo so much to the point that it is the best dry shampoo that I have used & allows my hair to actually go that extra day without the wash. 

It also revitalises my hair after it's been washed - I hate that just washed feeling and I usually spray a bit of this in it just to get rid of the un-flat/too clean feeling I feel. Plus the smell is amazing and I've yet to actually witness any residue left over which is another bonus!

There are 5 in the range (Paris, London, New York, Tokyo & Rio) all available from Superdrug in both 200ml (£2.99) and in the smaller travel sized 50ml (£1.99) version.

Also available from www.feelunique.com.

2- Garnier Ultimate Blends - This is 'The Silky 7-in1 dry shampoo'. Garnier has big claims for this product with it claiming to do the following 7 things -

- Instantly cleanses 
- Absorbs grease at the roots
- Lightweight feel
- Hair feels supple to the touch
- Hair easy to detangle
- Blissful fragrance
- Leaves no visible residue.

Now it's big claims but I believe from my use of this product that it does exactly all of this. The smell is the one of the most refreshing smells of a dry shampoo I've come across and I have definitely never had any visible residue. 

This is slightly more expensive at £3.99 but for the smell alone it's certainly worth it in my opinion. Available from Superdrug and Boots with Boots also stocking the Garnier Ultimate Blends Revitalising Dry Shampoo which I haven't yet tried but if you have then let me know!

3- Urban Fudge Crisp Pear & Sweet Vanilla Dry Shampoo. So at £5.99 this one is the most expensive of the 3 but you are always able to get this on offer as currently it's £2.98 in Superdrug and £3.99 in Boots so if you can get it on offer it's a bit of a bargain. 

Although it's not my favourite out of the 3 it's still in my opinion a great dry shampoo that really does get rid of grease however for me the only problem with it is that it tends to leave my hair a bit fluffy which I know sounds very strange but that's honestly my only issue. Apart from that it has a fab scent and it has only ever left the tiniest bit of residue!

All three of these are really great dry shampoos and great alternatives to the classic Batiste if like me you've never felt the love, never got on with it or simply just looking for some other dry shampoos. There are some great ones on the market at the moment that are definitely worth a try!

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& More New Brush Sets

So Monday I did a blog post about my new So Eco Face Brush Set and today I have two more brush sets that I bought before the So Eco set but haven't for some reason or another got round to doing the post! 

So the two sets I had were the Real Techniques Sam's Picks Collection  and a set of three brushes from a brand called Beauty Muse Pro which are very much in my opinion Real Techniques dupes. 

I apologise for the terrible quality of this picture.

The Real Techniques Sam's Picks Collection I got a few weeks ago when Feelunique.com had their big sale on and then an extra 10% off so this set which usually retails for around £29.99 ended up costing me around £17-£18 which I thought was a brilliant deal. In the set you get 6 brushes which include the essential crease brush exclusive and the multi-task brush which is mainly the reason I wanted this set.

L - R: Multi Task Brush. Setting Brush. Buffing Brush. Pointed Foundation Brush. Essential Crease Brush. Fine Liner Brush.

This set I feel at full price is brilliant value considering the prices of most Real Techniques single brushes are around £10 alone. You can still get this on Feelunique.com but it currently is back to the price of £29.99 however the set is available at allbeauty.com for £26.99 is anyone interested in this set and I would highly recommend. 

Now the next set I purchased was on one of my many trips to TK MAXX and this was the Beauty Muse Pro set of three brushes for the brilliant price of £5.99. 

L - R: Buffing Brush. Foundation Brush. Detail Brush.

These brushes are very much a dupe of Real techniques brushes it has to be said however for the price I thought I'd pick them up and see what they're like. As of yet I haven't actually used them but once I have I will certainly let you know how I feel about them! I know that I'll be using the foundation brush as a blush brush instead of a foundation brush - just feel more suited for blush!

Definitely feeling like I have a bit of an addiction to make up brushes! 

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October Is Here

For me the best month of the year by far is OCTOBER and it's finally here!!! I literally wait all year for this month as not only is it the month of my birthday - yay - but it's the month whereby we first start to experience Autumn and the build up to Christmas properly starts. Just generally I love October!

Images of fallen leaves and the sun trying to make a sneaky appearance make October and Autumn all the more brilliant. Plus the colder weather allows for extra layering and the return of my coats and boots! Autumn is brilliant for getting them out! 

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Nothing better than October! Anyone else a fan of the month and the return of Autumn?

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So Eco Face Brush Set

So I popped into Sainsbury's just to get a few little bits and accidently sort of on purpose end up in the beauty section and find this little gorgeous set of brushes just staring at me in the face for the bargain price of £9.00 - a price which I double checked considering the single brushes were around £7-£8 each. 

This set is the Face Brush set which contains Eye Shading Brush, Foundation Brush, Blush Brush and a Finishing Brush as well as coming wrapped in a Brush Wrap! 

The packaging reads -

''I am made from recycled & sustainable materials that are compostable, recyclable & bio-degradeable. My bristles are super soft & cruelty free. 

My handle is made from bamboo, which is an ecologically sustainable material. My aluminium ferule is recycled. My packaging is PEFC approved board from managed forests. My window is made from a corn starch. I'm held together using water based adhesives and printed using vegetable links.

I am a true eco alternative, try me and you too, can be So Eco...''

These are possible some of the softest make up brushes that I have ever come across and definitely some of the cutest. Now although you don't tend to see So Eco stocked in many stores don't let put you off because these are high quality for sure at a brilliant price! One of my best buys in a while!!!

So Eco Face Brush Set Available Here.

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In Love With Green

I've been fairly good with buying dresses and bags lately I have to say but there are some really nice dresses and bags that are currently in the shops and all the ones that have caught my eye just happen to be in my favourite colour - GREEN!

In the green by chloeslowrie featuring a fit and flare dress

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All About Barbie

First it was all about McDonald's and Spongebob and now is is simply it's 'All About Barbie'. Now whilst I'm not exactly sure I'll be rocking the Barbie trend anytime soon Jeremy Scott - Moschino's Creative Director - has definitely started a trend with his Moschino Spring 2015 Ready To Wear line that was showcased in Milan this week and there is more than just a little pink as you can imagine. 

It's all very girly with lots of pink and very fun as well as very reminiscent of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde! Here's a few of the designs.

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A little trip to Sainsbury's & Superdrug ended with this.....

So I've done a little bit of shopping again and only gone and bought some more little bits and products and a detangling comb?!! Sainsbury's had some really great offers on their haircare products and so I ended up buying two of the Tresemme Texture Style range - Divine Definition Spray and Tousled Wave Spray - both for £3.33. I then also managed to pick up VO5 Dry Backcomb Spray for £2.80.

I also picked up some random bits that weren't really needed such as a detangling comb and some exfoliating gloves but the bargain for me was the Sensodyne Pronamel Pack for the bargain price of £5.50. The pack contains Pronamel toothpaste and a Pronamel mouthwash which if you're like me and forever having problems with your teeth is definitely worth an investment. Not only that this also helps 'against the effects of acid wear' from drinking fizzy drinks and wine and also from eating fruit! 

So next up was Superdrug and Herbal Essences have their new range of dry shampoos out and I saw they had a new Limited Edition - Party Re-Fresh- that I thought I'd snap up seeing as it was an absolute bargain at £1.49! I then also got the MUA Pro Base Eye Primer which is something that I tend to not always use all the time but it's one of those products I keep coming back to and for £2.50 it never hurts to have a spare. Then finally I just got some boring large cotton wool pads for all those products that require them. 

So not a massively exciting haul I'm afraid - just some essentials and yet more hair products. Whoops.

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Current Beauty Wishlist

Beauty Wishlist by chloeslowrie featuring an urban decay blush

// Naked Flushed Urban Decay // Rouge Volupte Lipstick YSL // Salon Pro By Kate Nail Polish Rimmel   // Effaclar Duo + La Roche Posay // Hydraluron Moisture Jelly Indeed Labs // Naked Ultra Nourishing Lip Gloss Urban Decay // Sweetheart Blush Too Faced // 

So as we have now hit September I always get that feeling of summer ending and the autumn/winter is coming and that for me usually means that I have a wishlist of products that I feel I need in my life! Now I did my Current Perfume Wishlist a few days ago and now it's the turn of my what beauty products I currently want.

Now my wishlist is mainly higher end products and I think that's because I haven't really tried much from any of these brands that always seem to be raved about in magazines and other bloggers so I'm quite curious to see what all the fuss is about. Plus currently my make up collection doesn't really have that many stand out products that I continuously seem to reach for so I'm looking for products that can maybe become that within my collection.

Have any of you tried or have any recommendations for products that I definitely need in my life? Then please let me know!

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August Favourites

So monthly favourites time and well yeah here are my favourite products of August!

Hair

So my first for hair is Urban Fudge De-Gunk Deep Clean Shampoo which has become by go to shampoo for the last month. I am quite fussy with shampoos and get really impatient if I don't feel they are making a difference to my hair within the first couple of days but with this shampoo I've just stuck to using it because of how nice my hair feels after using it. 

The shampoo aims to get rid of the excess product in your hair that you get if like me you are a product junkie. We don't always realise how the build up of excess product weighs our hair down but this gets rid of that plus the citrus mint fragrance of this product makes your hair smell amazing.

Next up is the new Herbal Essences Clearly Naked Dry Shampoo which has taken over all the other dry shampoos in the race to be the best for me! Everything about this product is brilliant - amazing smell, no white residue on the hair, value for money - literally cannot rave about this enough! This for me is the one to beat in terms of dry shampoo. And the final hair product is OGX Nourishing Coconut Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist which I love to use on my hair after using heat just to re-hydrate my hair and as someone who loves the smell of coconut it just makes my hair smell amazing and always makes me feel like I'm on holiday!

Face

So for the face I've been loving the Bourjois Happy Light Matte Serum Primer so so much that I actually now need to repurchase a new one as there's so little left I now have to scrape it out! For me this primer just makes my skin feel so soft and keeps my make up in place all day as well as that just wearing this alone on good skin days is enough for me! The other face product is the Nivea Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water. Now everyone is doing micellar waters these days - they are literally eveywhere and new ones pop up on a weekly basis but right now I'm loving this one. This is great if you have sensitive skin as not only is if formulated for it but it is actually gentle with no overpowering fragrance. I'm pretty biased as I love everything Nivea but this is a winner for me. 

Body  

Recently the Nspa range from Asda underwent a makeover so when I find the Nspa Patchouli and Ylang Ylang Softening Sugar Scrub in the old packaging in the reduced section for a whole 62p I literally snapped it up and how glad I did! This body scrub has kickstarted a whole new love for body scrubs. And finally a favourites wouldn't be complete without my favourite perfume and for August that was the amazing See By Chloe. 

Me and my mum got the gift set of this in the Boots half price sale after Christmas and I haven't really used it that much but the last couple of weeks I've been using it everyday. It's a very floral scent with the notes of sandalwood and vanilla but not a sickly sweet floral scent just a nice, grown up everyday perfume that's not too overpowering. This is one of my top 5 perfumes and one that I will definitely repurchase again once I use it up!

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Current Perfume Wishlist

// Daisy Dream Marc Jacobs // Modern Muse Estee Lauder // Honey Marc Jacobs  // Midnight Rain La Prairie   // Intense Rose Charm Thomas Sabo // Princess Power Vera Wang // Si Lolita Lolita Lempicka   //

I'm pretty much addicted to perfumes! Lately it's been getting to the point that I've near enough been buying a new perfume every week. When I feel I want to treat myself I always have a little look in various shops to see what perfumes are currently on offer or which new ones have hit the shelves however there are a few perfumes that I haven't quite managed to add to my collection yet. 

So although my boyfriend won't be thrilled at the prospect of me adding potentially more perfume to my already quite large collection - here is my Current Perfume Wishlist!

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Juicy Couture Malibu Eau de Toilette

There are a few things in life that I find hard to resist and one of those things is perfume - I cannot walk past a perfume counter or shop and not have a sneaky little smell of the latest scents. One thing about summer is that there's always a range of gorgeous refreshing summer scents that really lift your spirits and make you embrace the beautiful weather when you smell them. 

This year in particular the summer scents have really been amazing, so much that I have accidentally bought a cheeky few (my perfume addiction is slightly out of hand).

All these bad boys are my latest additions to my ever growing collection of perfumes and I am going to try to do a post on as many as them as possible however I thought I'd start with a post on the first of the seven I purchased - Juicy Couture Malibu.

Now there are two perfumes in the Juicy Couture Malibu range - I define them as the orange one and the pink one (I'm not into all the technical lingo). Now I really liked the Juicy Couture Malibu from the first smell in comparison to the Juicy Couture La La Malibu (the pink one) so when I saw it on offer in Debenhams a few weeks back for £32.50 for 150ml I literally snapped it up.

Now normally for me the packaging of a bottle is what attracts me but to be honest with this it wasn't really all that appealing. For one I really don't like the big heart on the lid that makes it look really tacky and the rest of the bottle is just plain and standard with a palm tree print on it but the scent more than sold it to me. 

I am absolutely useless at picking out the 'notes' of perfumes but according to Boots the notes that are in this fragrance are; Wild Rose, Water Lily, Jasmine, Watermelon, Tangerine, Apple, Passion fruit, Blackcurrant and Tiare Blossom.

Personally to me the particular notes that stand out are the Wild Rose, Watermelon and Passion fruit. It's a very zingy, refreshing smell that is perfect as a summer fragrance but would maybe not be something I wear in the winter months as it's a very light, fruity smell. This perfume is absolutely amazing and as the first Juicy Couture Perfume I've ever purchased I have to say I am very impressed.

This is still available to buy from both Boots, Debenhams and The Perfume Shop.

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Soap & Glory Orangeasm Super Tonic Fragrance

So in my last post Back To Blogging With A Boots Haul I told you how I had bought the Soap & Glory Orangeasm Super Tonic Fragrance and how I was already completely in love with the fragrance even though I think I'd literally had it like 2 days at that point and I have to say I still am loving it.

Of course it smells of Oranges but it's also scented with the following; 

* Energising Elemi

* Fresh Green Mandarin

* Cool Mint

* Sicilian Lemon

* Sweet Orange Peel Oils

It is probably one of the most addictive smells I have and for me it's definitely an instant pick me up smell that immediately puts me in a feel good mood! The only thing that really disappoints me is that the scent really doesn't last that long and it's in constant need of a top up but apart from that I don't have any other negatives about this fragrance.

 If you haven't already tried this then it's available from Boots for the bargain price of £12.00 for 100ml. I highly recommend you go and check this out but of course only try this out if you are a fan of the smell of oranges otherwise there really isn't too much point.!!!

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Back to Blogging With A Boots Haul

I've not blogged in what feels like whatever mainly because time is literally whizzing past me at such a rate but to get me back into the swing of things I thought I'd do a good old classic haul post featuring all the wonderful items I treated myself to today at Boots! I've been trying to resist buying too many new products because my boyfriend is definitely starting to get annoyed about the amount of unused and brand new items currently in our bathroom but I literally could not resist today! 

So the first thing that I picked up was 2 make up brushes from one of my favourite brands - Real Techniques. I picked the Powder Brush  which was £12.99 and the Stippling Brush for £11.99 but currently on selected Real Techniques brushes there is a buy one get one half price offer so I got the two brushes for just under £19.00 which I was rather pleased about. 

The next items I got were 3 make up products from Maybelline which currently has a 3 for 2 offer on across it's range so I got tempted and of course took full advantage of this offer - did I really need to? Of course not but never mind! 

The three items I purchased as can be seen in the picture above was the Maybelline Dream Sun Triple Bronzing Powder in the shade 01 Blonde which was is reasonably priced at £5.99 however due to the 3 for 2 this was the product I got free. The next item was the Big Eyes Volume Express Mascara  in black which was £8.99 and finally I caved in and bought the new Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Fatigue Primer  in Cool Rose which was priced at £7.99. I'm really hoping this new Baby Skin is better than the original one which just did not express me at all. 

Next up I got a product I have been debating about for a while but thought why not today and that is the Soap & Glory Orangeasm Super Tonic Fragrance which was £12.00 and OMG I am in love with this Fragrance so much already. Of course you might of guessed it smells of oranges hence the name of the range but it's not an overpowering smell which makes it really wearable. I can already tell I am going to be reaching for this a lot. 

Now the other little bits I got was a small travel size of the Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Scrub  which I thought I'd give a try for £2.50 as I'm starting to really get into body scrubs at the moment. The next product was the Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray which again I bought in travel size so I could try it out! And finally the last products I got were two lip balms? Well at least that's what I guess you classify them as!

Since Maybelline gave us Baby Lips it was only going to be a matter of time before other companies started to bring out similar products and that's exactly what Barry M and Rimmel have both done.

So today I thought I'd give both a try and bought one from each collection - on the left is Barry M Cor Balmy! Tinted Lip Balm  in Adam & Eve which was priced at £3.49 and on the right is one of the brand new Rimmel Keep Calm and Lip Balm in the Keep Calm and Shop Version which is priced at £2.99! I am so excited to try both these out and will probably end up collecting them all knowing me!

So I think today may have been quite a successful shop for me - now it's just finding space to store it all.

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My Current Favourites 2014

Hello lovely people! The sun is finally shining once again and so far there's been no sign of rain (fingers crossed) & today I am actually feeling in a rather happy mood - so there's definitely smiles all round! Yay!

So now I see everyone always doing their monthly favourites and I always say I'm going to do one but even though I often buy new products it does actually take quite a lot for them to become my favourites. So because of that I thought I'd simply just do my current favourite products that I basically use all the time and currently have no intention of not still using! 

My Current Favourites

My first 3 products are all skincare products!

So my first product is Boots Skin Clear Deep Cleansing Lotion which is normally £2.99 but I managed to get mine on offer for £1.49. The purpose of this product is stated as -

'To penetrate pores to visibly clear & reduce blackheads'

I have been using this product morning and night to cleanse my face and neck for about 2 months now and have definitely noticed a significant difference in my complexion. This does contain salicylic acid so the product does have a really strong smell to it but you do get used to this after you've used it for a while.

My next favourite product that I've added to my skincare rountine in the last weeks is Nivea Pure & Nautural Cleansing Toner that is described as a 'mild toner with bio argan oil and bio aloe vera that gently cleanses and revitalises while supporting your skin's natural balance'. 

I use this after using my cleansing lotion and have noticed a difference in how my skin feels after. After applying this I do tend to use a moisturiser to replenish my skin as this can leave my skin feeling quite thirsty. 

I bought this for £1.99 from Savers and is currently on offer at the same price in Boots as well if you don't have a Savers near you! The normal price is around £3 - £3.50.

L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution has been talked about so much by beauty bloggers that there's not really much to say. I've been using this for about 2 months now and still not finished the bottle. I can't really compare to other micellar water's because I haven't used any others but I do love using this one and will certainly be repurchasing it again! I managed to get this for £2.99 in Asda and I know a lot of other places also have it offer quite regularly. The normal price is £4.99 and available from Boots.

Serum's have been the latest 'it beauty product' and it's easy to see why. Unlike a moisturiser they aren't so thick and do lock into the skin a lot quicker. Superdrugs Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser and Serum gives the best of both world's and smell's absolutely amazing - reminds me of fruits and summer! It's so much lighter on my skin and dries so much quicker than a standard moisturiser. I also feel it gives my skin a really nice natural glow!
This is available for £5.99 from Superdrug.

Vichy Normaderm Nuit has been my night time face cream and this little beauty certainly seems to work it's magic over night! This is formulated for those that have blocked pores/irregular skin surface now whilst I wouldn't say I have irregular skin surface I do have quite open pores unfortunately.
This product helps to tighten pores and to fight against the excessive sebum that skin produces over night. 

Whilst I do have a lot of love for this product in that my face does feel a lot fresher in the morning if you are someone who doesn't like fragranced products then I would stay clear of this as it does have quite a potent smell about it. 

Now I bought this when Boots had a clearance sale so I'm not totally sure if you can get this exact product but on the Boots website they still have other Vichy products from the range.

A couple of weeks ago in my Superdrug & Savers Bargain post I bought the Schwarzkopf Essence Ultime Omega Repair Shampoo and Conditioner that had been developed in collaboration with Claudia Schiffer. So the next day I went back and bought the Omega Repair Intensive Mask from the same range and I absolutely love it. 

I tend to use a hair mask once or twice a week depending on the condition of my hair and this one has been a life saver. Although it saids to leave it on for one minute I leave it on for slightly longer and the results are that my hair feels so much healthier after this has worked it's magic. It's also making my hair look nicer for longer and stopped it becoming limp one day after washing which is always a bonus. 

This is available for £5.49 from Superdrug.

My final favourite is the MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder which is a bargain £3.00 from Superdrug. Now I have been experimenting with lots of different highlighters in the last couple of weeks but this MUA one never fails to do it's job and is always my fallback when other products fail. I absolutely adore this a highlighter and can also be used as a shimmery blush if you choose. For £3.00 this in my eyes is very hard to beat! 

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