Review: biOrganics Salon Secret Range

The kind people at biOrganics recently sent me their new Salon Secret Replenishing Shampoo, Replenishing Treatment and Hair Perfecting Oil Elixr to try out and review, and I'd like to add a *disclaimer* here just to say that although I did receive these products for free, this will not influence my review and all feelings expressed are my own.

biOrganics is a company that creates ethically sourced, cruelty-free, natural and organic hair products which provide salon quality results.

My hair has been dying a slow and painful death over the past few months, and trips to the hairdressers have been few and far between for a long time now (I last went for a trim at the beginning of March and it is now coming to the end of June...) and so it's safe to say my hair is not in the best condition.  I've been using restorative shampoos and conditioners, hair masks, treatments, avoiding heat, everything I could think of to try and sort out the birds nest on top of my head.  

I have been using these products for around 3 weeks now.

The website says that biOrganics Salon Secret Replenishing Shampoo is 

'The all-in-one secret to salon beautiful hair.

Our Salon Secrets range of luxury hair care is designed to combat dry, damaged and frizzy hair caused by heat styling, colouring and environmental exposure. Our natural, replenishing ingredients revitalize and hydrate, for lustrous healthy hair.

luxurious Replenishing Shampoo contains a blend of natural active ingredients that revive, repair and moisturise hair while protecting against breakage. Experience the benefits of nutritional ARGAN OIL, strengthening WHEAT PROTEIN and smoothing LAVENDER OIL & YLANG YLANG.'

It claims to 

- Hydrate and Replenish
- Repair and Revitalise
- Enhance Shine and Lustre
- Have a colour safe formula
- Be free from SLS and Parabens

It sounded like exactly what I've been looking for to tame my dry, dull, brittle hair - and with the added bonus of being colour safe. 

And I cannot express how happy it makes me that it is free from SLS and Parabens.  I've tried a SLS free shampoo before and my hair had never felt as good, and as for Parabens, well you can read my opinion of those here.

The first thing I noticed about the product was the packaging, it looks very high end with it's black white and gold bottle - minimalist and professional.  Next was the smell - it smells SO GOOD.  You can really smell the Lavender, which would usually put me off, but it's balanced out with the Ylang Ylang and just smells really natural and calming.

Without the SLS it doesn't foam up as much, but you really don't need to use any more than you usually would - it still goes a long way.  My hair is to my bra strap at the back, and I use just a bit more than a 50p sized blob.  

I have used this alone, without conditioner, and it leaves me with really nice, thick hair that isn't too dry or frizzy - which could be down to the Argan Oil in the mix.

The shampoo retails at £11.50 for 250ml / 17.50 for 500m (Click here).  I would suggest getting the larger bottle with the pump if you are going to spend the money, as you get twice as much for £6 more.  It is on the higher end of the haircare price scale, around the same as Paul Mitchell, Wella and Tigi.  The difference is that this is natural, paraben free and, in my opinion, actually does what it claims to do.

It is also available as part of a bundle with the Replenishing Treatment (Click here) Replenishing Treatment and Hair Perfecting Oil Elixr, for £35 - (Click here).

The next product biOrganics sent me was the Salon Secret Replenishing Treatment - a deep conditioning treatment which the website says will 

'Restore smoothness, shine and moisture with our Replenishing Treatment for unmanageable, dry and lacklustre hair. VEGETABLE PROTEINS repair and restore damaged hair, while ARGAN OIL smoothes and hydrates and SUNFLOWER SEED EXTRACT provides UV protection, reducing hair colour fade.'

The directions say to smooth through clean, wet hair and leave for 5-10 minutes.  I have used this twice a week since I received it, following the biOrganics shampoo, and left it for approximately 10 minutes each time.

It doesn't really smell very strong, it's kind of like a softened down version of the shampoo smell, but is still soothing and calming.  It has a pump action bottle and my hair needs around 5-8 pumps to cover the ends and most of the top - but I have fairly long hair.

As for the results, I have found that my hair looks in better condition each time I use it, and it is definitely shinier and sleeker - even when I let it air dry. I haven't been experiencing quite as much breakage, I still have split ends, only a trip to the hairdressers can fix that for me, but I haven't noticed the ends getting any worse.  

One of the biggest differences I've noticed is how easily I can brush my hair - I haven't had to deal with knots and tangles after using it, and as a result I'm not snapping off even more hair.

I've also noticed that my hair colour has stopped fading quite as fast as it was - I was heading towards blonde from my ginger, and nobody wants to see me as a blonde - trust me.

I definitely love that it is free from parabens, and feel comfortable leaving it on my hair for longer than my usual conditioner or deep treatments.

It's available for £15.50 for a 250ml bottle, or £23.50 for a 500ml bottle (Click here) 

as part of a bundle with the shampoo for £25 (Click here)

or as part of the bundle with the shampoo and elixr for £35 (Click here).

The final product sent to me was the Salon Secret Elixr Hair Perfecting Oil, which the website says 

'transforms your hair in just one application. Hair feels healthier with improved softness and shine. Used regularly, hair is noticeably stronger, whilst retaining colour vitality. The weightless formula is instantly absorbed, detangles and eliminates frizz. Offering protection against heat styling, it also reduces drying time.

Created to give you a salon-professional finish with every use, Salon Secret Elixir, Hair Perfecting Oil leaves hair smooth and frizz free for up to 48 hours.'

It claims to:

- Soften and smooth frizz- Add incredible shine- Replenish dry and brittle hair
- Strengthen and repair
- Protect against heat styling
- Reduce blow-drying time

It can be used on damp or dry hair, and for damp hair you should use 1-3 pumps (depending on the length of your hair) in the palms of your hands and apply first to the ends and then smooth the rest down the lengths of your hair - not the top.  For dry hair, use less and apply before using straighteners/curlers or, if you don't use heat, use alone to finish your hair style to leave it looking sleek and shiny with no frizz.

I've used this a few times since getting it, before drying, before straightening and on air dried hair to tame the frizz, and I've found that it works really well.  It smells good (Ylang Ylang) and the smell isn't too strong that you'll be overpowered all day.

I've found it really good with all methods of using it, and especially on the ends of my hair, which take a lot of smoothing to look good - I can have nice sleek hair without straightening it poker straight.

Again, it is paraben free, cruelty free, natural and organic, with Argan Oil doing most of the work.  It's something I can definitely see becoming a part of my regular hair routine, and at £3.50 for 12ml or £13 for 50ml (Click here) it's not ridiculously expensive.  It's around the same price as Toni and Guy Classic Gloss Serum, but without all the nasty chemicals. 

It's also available as part of the bundle with the Replenishing Shampoo and Replenishing Treatment for £35 (Click here).

Overall I'm really enjoying using these products, and whilst they are slightly above my current price range, they would make an excellent pay day treat or a great birthday gift for someone else.

If you have tried biOrganics products before, or have any questions please leave a comment below and I'll get back to you!

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June 2013 Glossybox Review

Glossybox is a monthly subscription of 5 high-end beauty product samples (with some full-size products sometimes, too) for £10 + £2.95 p+p)

You can earn Glossydots by reviewing the products in a quick survey, or by inviting friends, and redeem points for a free box.  Each survey is worth 50 points, so if you review 5 products a month, every 5th Glossybox should be free.  You get 200 Glossydots for every friend that signs up and places an order (1000 Glossydots = 1 free box) 

The June Glossybox theme is 'Summer Looks' - the ultimate staples for any summer make up bag.  

The first product I received was a Helen E Shimmer Eye Powder - in Shade 22 - silver.  I've always associated silver with winter, what with it being not at all warm or fun.  It is very sparkly and shimmery etc, but I can't see myself using it until at least October.  It's a good sized pot (1.5g) of loose pigment, and can be used wet or dry.  But I can't help being disappointed that I didn't get a bronze/copper or even the olive green colour they have (Shade 25).  They have at least 14 shades I would use and rave about, but I got silver.  Sad face.

The packaging is really cute, a clear hexagonal pot with a silver lid, and a pepper shaker style dispenser.  I guess that contributes to the price - £5 for 1.5g.  I always find it hard to understand the price difference between products like these, am I paying for the quality or the name? MUA do a range of eye dusts that are very similar, and cost £1 each.  Barry M Dazzle Dusts are £4.59 and Makeup Geek pigments are about £4.50.  I don't see the justification and I can't compare the pigmentation as the silver seems quite sheer, but it doesn't really show up well on my skin tone - is it bad quality or is it my skin colour?

The range is available from Helen-E.com for £5 (Use the discount code PR13 for £10 off orders over £25 until 31/07/13)

The next product in the box was a lip tint from Figs & Rouge in Cherry Blossom.  It's by far my favourite item in this month's box, as it is

- 100% Natural Ingredients

- Petroleum Free
- Paraben Free
- Mineral Oil Free
- Free of Synthetic Colours & Aromas

It comes in really nice bright packaging, which looks like a paint tube, with a screw cap.  The product itself doesn't have a strong smell or that nasty plastic feel to it like some lip products do.  It's moisturising and has a nice colour - kind of a deep dusty pink.  

It lasts quite a long time on the lips and doesn't transfer too much.  It keeps my lips soft and doesn't look too shiny or sticky (and my hair doesn't get stuck in it either, #1 trait of a good lip product)

It can be applied either straight from the tube, with fingers or with a brush.  I keep mine in my bag and use it multiple times throughout the day when I feel it's wearing off a bit - and it's great for summer when my lips are getting dehydrated faster than usual due to the heat we're actually getting for once in the UK.

It retails at £4.95 for 12.5ml and can be bought from FeelUnique.com with free delivery.

Third in the June box was a Long Lasting Nail Gloss from MeMeMe - a brand that keeps popping up in my Glossybox, and to be honest, I wish it wouldn't.  

It claims to be a 'premium, long-lasting, high-shine nail gloss complete with maxi-brush for one-stroke application.'  What I've found it to actually be is an almost clear, very watery nail polish that lasted just long enough for me to see the result and wipe it straight off again.  There was no opacity except at the edges of my nail where the product actually ran to.  I've never had a nail polish that was so watery that it could run before, so that's unique I guess.

Maybe it's that I got the colour Ambitious, which is a dusty pink, but I'm leaning more towards it being a bad product.  

I definitely wouldn't pay £5 for this, but if you want to give it a try, you can use the discount code GBUK15 for 15% off from MeMeMeCosmetics.co.uk

Next up is a Hydrating Moisturiser SPF15 from Monu.

'Soft focus technology helps to blur imperfections and to correct skin tone. We use Zinc Oxide to provide a physical barrier against the sun’s harmful rays. This provides broad spectrum UV protection with good UVA to UVB ratio. Includes Vitamin E, an antioxidant, to fight free radicals. The best way to stop your face from ageing is to protect it from the sun.'

My general rule with moisturisers is that if I can't pronounce at least 50% of the ingredients, it probably isn't good for my skin, and the ingredients on this bottle read like a Swahili tongue twister.

'Aqua (Water), Zinc Oxide, C12- C15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Caprylic/ Capric Triglyceride, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Seed Oil, Isostearic Acid, Polyacrylamide, Parfum (Fragrance), Tocopherol, Silica, C13-14 isoparaffin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Linallol, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Isoceteth-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol, Limonene'

I've tried it, and it does moisturise quite well, doesn't smell, and extra SPF is great any time of year.  Again, the price isn't very budget friendly at £29.95/50ml, so I wouldn't recommend it purely based on that if nothing else, but if you want to give it a try you can use the discount code Glossy1 until 01/10/13 on monushop.co.uk

Last in the box was Huile Prodigieuse (R) OR from NUXE, a 'multi-talking desert-island dry oil... forumlated to be easily absorbed and illuminate all skin and hair types with a subtle golden shimmer that looks like it comes from within'.  I'll admit, it is subtle, as I didn't notice any difference at all really.  

The ingredients say to spray the oil into your palms and rub onto the face/hair.  However the sample I got didn't have a spray dispenser, so maybe that affected the application.  It can be used all over the body, face and hair but again, I don't feel that I can comment because the sample wasn't packaged correctly and I can't really use it as it's meant to be used.

At £34/100ml, I won't try to recommend it as that's a lot of money to spend on a product that may or may not work.  However, if you have tried it, please comment below to let me know the best way to use it!  

I also have a 15% off discount code for Nuxe.co.uk - Just enter GLOSSYBOXDISC before 30/6/13.

***Bonus Item***

I would like to mention that in this box there was a bonus item, a sachet of John Frieda Sheer Blonde Everlasting Blonde Shampoo and conditioner - however, being a full on ginge, I won't be using it.  

I do complete my beauty profile on Glossybox regularly, to make sure I get the products that suit me best, but I'm getting the feeling that the information gets lost somewhere.

Overall, the June Glossybox was a bit of a let down - some of the other products available would have been PERFECT for me - Frizz Ease Original Serum, Helen E Waterproof Lip Liner, Monu Soap-Free Facial Wash, Sarah Chapman Intense Hydrating Booster/Skin Tone Perfecting Booster, Gosh Growth Mascara, ANY of those would have been great, and all 5 would have been a great box.  Maybe next month will be better... maybe.

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Previous Post: First Impressions: Seventeen 'On The Spot' Foundation
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First Impressions: Seventeen 'On The Spot' Foundation

Today's blog is a first impressions review of Seventeen's new product, On The Spot Foundation, which was released on 13th May 2013.

I came across it when I was in Boots looking for a concealer and figured I'd give it a shot - it cost less than the concealers I was looking for and says full coverage right there on the front.  Worth a risk, right?

It has SPF 25, which is higher than most foundations, and it also claims to give you clearer skin in 4 weeks.  Not many make up products which claim to clear your skin actually do, but looking at the ingredients it contains:

Salicylic Acid - which is used to clear blemishes and pimples in people with acne, by reducing redness and swelling and unblocking clogged pores, and also works for conditions such as psoriasis by softening and loosening any dry skin

and Kaolin - which draws out impurities and toxins in the skin, reducing excess oil, dirt and other waste materials.

So I picked it up and have been using it for about 2 weeks now in place of / mixed with my Bourjois Healthy Mix Radiance Reveal Foundation.  On it's own it's medium-full coverage, and mixed with Rimmel Wake Me Up or Bourjois Healthy Mix it's full coverage (no need for concealer!) and still light on the skin.

So far I have not had any breakouts since starting to use the product, and my skin is looking clearer than it was 2 weeks ago.  So far, so good!

The packaging is nice, a soft tube which is great for getting the last bits of product out, rather than the hard glass/plastic bottles, which inevitably have a good amount of product that you just can't reach at the end, and it has a pump dispenser, which dispenses enough for your whole face in 1 pump - less if you're mixing it with another foundation.

Overall I really like this foundation so far, and will definitely be repurchasing it if my skin stays clear whilst I'm using it.

RRP £5.99, available from Boots (Currently part of a 3 for 2 deal).

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