DGJ Organic Hair; Hangover Hair Range*

"We all know what a hangover feels like and our hair is no different. Pollution, diet and lifestyle can all take their toll. Our luxury shampoo contains wheat protein, coconut derived extracts, vitamins, honey and organic lavender to detoxify and revitalise all hair types." 

-DGJ Organic Hair

My hair hasn't been in the greatest condition for a while now, I wouldn't say I have got split ends or exactly damaged hair, I just feel its been looking a bit meh, know what I mean? It's been looking dull, lifeless and the cold weather and being ill has completely dried it out. So when I had the chance to try these I jumped at the chance and it seems that these products are just what my locks need! If your hair is in need of a detox and bringing back to life then I may have the products for you!

DGJ Organics 

If you're like me and never heard of the brand DGJ Organics you may be interested to know that it was developed 10 years ago by a celebrity hairdresser and colourist,  Daniel Galvin Junior. All the products are organically led which means they do not contain harsh chemicals and little or no foaming agents. They state on the packaging that this may effect how much the product foams- I didn't notice a difference at all!

 Shampoo and Conditioner

 I confess I was slightly concerned when I saw that these products were Lavender and did wonder whether I would be keen on using the scent on my hair. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how the aroma of the essential oil in these products makes the whole showering experience incredibly relaxing and soothing. I usually wash my hair in the evenings so this is perfect for unwinding after a long day, it really relaxes the mind and does wonders for your hair at the same time!  This combination of products has left my hair in a lot better condition it really has brought life back into my hair. It definitely gives a lovely glossy finish to the hair and makes it look incredibly healthy. I would confidently say the products do what they claim to do and make a noticeable difference!

 

Hair repair

I love the shampoo and conditioner, however, I'm not so sure about the hair repair. With the shampoo and conditioner being so good at their job I didn't feel I really needed to be using anything else. Plus, to me, this didn't seem any more intense than just the usual conditioner. I'm going to carry on using this and see if it does make a difference over time. However, my boyfriend has been using this and said that he's noticed a difference in his hair condition. So I think if you have a shampoo and conditioner you already like and are looking for a good conditioning treatment then this may be a good product to try to see if it suits your hair. Also if you get a lot of split ends I can see this product making a huge difference!

Verdict? 

Both shampoo and conditioner are priced at £5.99 each and the hair repair is priced at £5.49 which is more expensive than maybe what you would pay in a drugstore but for a salon tested luxury hair care I think it is well worth the pennies! I'd definitely buy the shampoo and conditioner again as I think they've a massive difference to my hair. As for the hair repair, I think it maybe just didn't suit my hair or that it doesn't give as immediate effects as the shampoo and conditioner. I'm really keen to try other products from DGJ organics, they have an Argan Oil range which if its anything as good as this range I recon is worth a try!

Have you tried any products from DGJ Organics? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowsandbuttons!

Hayley x 

The Body Shop; Banana Shampoo + Conditioner

A while ago these products caught my eye; The Body Shop, Banana Shampoo and Conditioner. I'd resisted buying them as I always have a stash of shampoos and conditioners,  I tend just to buy whatever is on offer (poor student problems!). However, I popped in to look at the new raspberry collection and well, got distracted, smelt these again and could not resist. I was really intrigued by the fact they were banana scented, it's not very often you see banana scented products and I love tropical fruity scents so I thought these might be worth a try.

Back in September The Body Shop had a student event which they were giving out the beauty cards (normally £5) for free which means for a year I've had the membership and when I was in store buying these they had extra discount for membership holders! However, they always have online offers so you rarely pay full price and for the money these are completely worth it. These retail at £4.50 each which is super affordable, especially considering the miracles these have performed for the condition of my hair. 

PROS

Firstly, I've got to say I would definitely repurchase this product! If you're like me, this is a big thing, I tend to rarely find products that I love enough that I will repurchase them! However, it does have it's not so brilliant points, but it makes up for these in so many other ways. The most noticeable change this made to my hair is how unbelievably soft and conditioned it leaves it feeling, having frizzy wavy hair this is very important!

Secondly, I'll be honest with you, I am one of those people who prefers only to wash their hair only three times a week and these products leave my hair so fresh that between washes my hair doesn't get greasy! It gets rid of any product build up and really cleanses the hair, if you wash your hair daily but want to train your hair to be washed less often I think this would be a great product to try out.

Finally, what always makes me a bit skeptical is when a product states for "all hair types", like skin, everyone's hair has different needs. However, saying that, I would say this actually would be suitable for any hair types, it keeps the greasiness away but is also very moisturizing, so I can imagine it would be ideal for someone with oily or dry hair! Maybe it was wrong of me to be skeptical?

CONS

Now, I love almost everything about the product, except how it actually feels when using it in the shower and at the wet hair stage. It does not detangle and feels a bit slimey before drying. For me, having long hair, it's essential that a conditioner detangles, however this really doesn't do the job. This is the one thing about this product that really bothers me and why I'd perhaps choose to use another product over this one.

Another thing which slightly bothers me is the smell; it isn't particularly amazing, or as strong as when you smell it in the bottle and it smells rather artificial. However, since using LUSH products I am critical of this as I have become accustomed to very heavily scented products and use of fresh ingredients. For the price though it does a darn good job!

 Overall, I'd highly recommend this product to anyone, it is really worth the price and I would definitely buy this products again. Only negative is the fact it doesn't detangle my hair which is a major let down and may make me choose another product over these such as my beloved Dove conditioners.

Have you tried any other shampoos or conditioners from The Body shop? Or got any recommendations?

Hayley x 

February Favourites

 

 LUSH Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion - I've been using this product to try and cool down my eczema, it's £13 ish for the tub (I think) but it really is worth it and I know it will last me a while.

LUSH Popcorn Lip Scrub- With the weather being so cold this has been the best product for my chapped lips, it makes them feel SO soft!

Soap and Glory- Thick and Fast Mascara- I go through phases of loving then being indifferent about this mascara, however it's been the only mascara I seem to have been using this month! It makes my lashes look nice and long and very black.

Simple- Eye roll on- This product is so cooling and perfect to use in the mornings to help wake yourself up and refresh the skin under your eyes.

TRESemme Heat protection- Lately I realized how I've stopped using heat protection on my hair so repurchased this old favourite which smells nice and products my hair against the heat of my straighteners!

LUSH American Cream Hair Conditioner- If you want amazing smelling hair, this is the product for you! It smells incredible! I usually just put this on the ends of my hair as I feel it is a bit too heavy to use on my roots. The scent lingers in your hair for absolutely ages, which for me is extremely important!

My Kindle and new case is a non beauty favourite - I've been trying to get back into reading, this month I read The Knot- Mark Watson, it's quite a quick read that tells the story of a wedding photographer and his life.

What products have you been loving this month? I'd love some suggestions of some new things to try!

Hayley x

January Favourites

To be honest, I haven't fell in love with many products this month but here are the few that I seemed to end up using most days of January.



 1. Vaseline: Spray & Go body moisturiser- This is absolutely perfect for when you don't have much time to properly moisturise after a shower or bath, you can quickly just spray it all over. It soaks in quickly and doesn't feel greasy at all. I'm not overly fond of the smell of this product and probably wouldn't use this product if I had more time after showers. However saying that it is a very gentle product which is good for my sensitive skin, especially after just shaving.


2. Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation- There's been so much hype over this foundation, so when my skin started getting paler over winter and my Bourjous Health Mix was looking not quite right on my skin I opted to try this out, I don't regret it at all! In the past I haven't been to fond of Rimmel foundations as they never seemed to apply very evenly. However, this foundation is a lovely colour and does add a nice glow to my tired and dull skin. I definitely will be repurchasing it again.



3. Fudge Urban Iced Raspberry & Vanilla Hair Spray- For a long time I've never really used hairspray as it I've never made me hair feel crunchy and I hate the smell. However, I've heard a fair few things about how amazing this one is and it certainly lives up to expectations! I've also purchased  Iced coconut cocktail hair spray but the scent is far too summery for this time of year.


4. L'Oreal Paris #TXT (Texture styling) Volume super sizing spray- This spray has a similar effect to sea salt spray, although it doesn't leave your hair feeling crunchy or stiff. I've found myself using this a lot in January just to give my hair a bit of volume when it's straight or curly.

5. LUSH green FUN- I'm completely in love with this stuff, I received it as a Christmas present and have been using it ever since. You can use FUN on your body, hair or in a bath- I've tried it in all 3, I prefer to take a ball into the shower and use some on my body and some on my hair. It makes my hair extremely soft and smelling fresh, it's a very zingy and limey scent which is very refreshing. I definitely want to try out the other colours of FUN.




6. Nicki Minaj Pink Friday Eau de Parfum- I don't think many people will disagree with me when I say that the packaging is disgusting and tacky but I love the scent it's sweet but not too teenage girlish. I'm on the search for a permanent new scent but this is what I'll be wearing until I do. Very fruity and vanilla like scent which I think it's lovely for during in the day!


7. Maybelline The Volum' Express Mascara Falsies (Black Drama) - Whilst everyone was raving about Maybelline The Rocket mascara, I fell in love with this one, it gives my lashes the perfect length and volume. So happy with this mascara I probably won't be changing it for a while!


8. Rimmel Professional Eye Brow Pencil (Black Brown)- I never really felt the need to start filling in my brows until last year or so but this pencil is completely perfect and makes my brows filled but still looking natural, plus it's very affordable.

9. Montagne Jeunesse; Dead sea face spa- I love this brand of face masks, they're affordable and perfect for a pamper night alone or with friends. My favorite ones tend to be the sea salt ones as they leave my skin feels soft and fresh.

What products have you been loving this month?

Hayley x

 

Mini LUSH Haul

On the last day of January, after not feeling great for the last few weeks and wanting to reward myself for some good coursework grades I decided to pop into my local LUSH store. I only picked up a few things as I still have a lot of bath bombs that I received at Christmas, but I fancied buying a few things that I could use to add a little bit of the gorgeous LUSH scent and pampering to my everyday routine. I purchased American Dream hair conditioner, Prince Charming shower gel (Valentines collection), Dream Cream and Close To You massage bar (Valentines collection).

 

 Close To You Massage bar- I've been wanting to try out a LUSH massage bar for a while but thought I'd wait until the Valentines day products were released to see if there was anything else and I'm so glad I did! The scent of this bar is extremely sweet and perfect for anyone who loves the Snow Fairy scent, it reminds me quite a bit of it. On the LUSH website it says it is scented with "Fair Trade vanilla absolute" which makes it smell gorgeous! What is even cuter is that the inspiration for the shape came from the Jammie Dodger Biscuit! I'm yet to test out this product, so can't full say what I think of it, although just by the smell I'm already rating it pretty highly already. The only thing that concerns me about this product is just how easily it melts, as soon as you have it in your hands it seems to begin to become very soft.

Dream Cream Hand & Body lotion- This product is their number one bestseller, it's described as a simple cream which with ingredients that soothe and cools upset skin. Over the years I've had a lot of trouble with eczema, mainly on my arms and legs. . I try to not use harsh products on my skin, I try to use what the doctor recommends but it never seems to work. For the last year or so, it's settled down dramatically, all except one place on my arm (the inside of my elbow) and everything I seem to put on it makes it more itchy and irritated.

I'd put off buying Dream Cream as at nearly £12 if it just made me itch like every other cream it would not be worth the money, however the last week I've been slapping on the Sudocreme in the attempt to dry it up (my eczema is gets red and sore rather than just dry) and it dried up all the nastiness but I was left with a very dry patch of skin, so as many eczema sufferers recommended and rated it highly I took the risk and decided to purchase it (at last).

 I've only applied this a few times so far but am extremely surprised at how much moisture it has locked into my skin and how soft it has made it. You can still see where the eczema is and I very highly doubt it's going to prevent future flare ups but I'm definitely feeling optimistic about it so far, my skin is definitely feeling a lot smoother and calmer.

As for the Prince Charming shower gel, I have mixed feelings about it and I haven't decided if I really like it. I've used it a few times in the shower and wouldn't really say it smells like anything it is supposed to (marshmallow root,vanilla and fresh pomegranate juice). On a recent review someone said it kind of smells like chocolate orange and I do see what they mean. This smell in my opinion is quite sickly, but in a different way to other sweet scented products by LUSH. Then again, after using Snow Fairy and falling in love with it, I'm not sure any other LUSH shower gels with live up to that standard for me.

I've only used American Cream once and although it smells amazing, I'm not sure it did wonders for my hair. I have quite fluffy/frizzy prone hair and I'm not confident this product will be smoothing enough. Saying that, it left my hair smelling AMAZING, it's supposed to smell like Milkshake and strawberries! I can still smell it in my hair even the day after washing it. I will review this product fully once I've actually made up my mind about whether it was a worthwhile purchase.

Hayley x