My Hair Loves - Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle - Review

I was first introduced to Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment for heat-damaged hair when I was given a sachet to try at the Aussie Christmas Blogger's Market. I was so impressed with the results I purchased a full size bottle and have made repeated purchases of this little gem ever since.

Aussie says

With Australian Jojoba -seed oil. It's the heat-protection miracle you've longed for. No need to pray anymore when using tongs or blow-driers. Side-effect: Fabulously fragrant hair.

My thoughts 

Like most girls I like to use a hair dryer, straighteners and tongs to style my hair - all the things that over time will cause damage because of the level of heat used. My hair is particularly  vulnerable as it is highlighted. My hair is thick, prone to frizz and of course what I want is smooth, sleek and glossy hair :-)

I pop Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment on after shampooing, leave for 3 minutes, rinse off and blow-dry my hair and then use a hair straightening tool.

The results 

After rinsing, combing through is so much easier than if I don't use this. My hair is left smooth, sleek and shiny. It feels soft and is so healthy looking. The product smells nice and fruity (a bit of shame it doesn't smell like the other products in the 3 Minute Miracle range as I love that smell too) and texture wise is slightly thicker than a normal conditioner.

I use Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle deep treatment regularly as it really does work, is an affordable treatment and is fast working - as the name suggests..

Which product in the 3 Minute Miracle range is your favourite?

Aussie Take The Heat 3 Minute Miracle costs £4.99 for 250ml

Max Factor Summer Rain Collection Giveaway! Winner Revealed

Thank you for entering my giveaway with Max Factor.  I enjoyed reading what you love best about the rain.

The lucky person will be sent the following make-up goodies

The Prize 

NEW Max Factor 24 from False Lash Effect mascara - £11.99

NEW Max Factor Colour Xpert Waterproof Liner Anthracite - £6.99

Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation - £7.99 

Max Factor Lipfinity - £11.99

The winner as chosen by random.org is ...

Courtney

Congratulations, can you please email me bettina@beautyswot.com so that I can arrange your prize.

Perricone MD No Sun Tanner - Review

As I have mentioned many times, I don't like sitting in the Sun but I DO love my skin to have a lovely golden hue without the time taken to achieve this in the Sun, so will try anything to cheat this process! About a month ago an email came in asking me if I would like to review Perricone MD No Sun Tanner and I have been using this product off and on during this time.

The Claims

No Sun Tanner is as multi-tasking all over body self-tanner with pro-Vitamin D that delivers the benefits of the sun without its harmful effects. It maximizes the skin's natural tanning ability, imparting a gradual sun-kissed tan that is even-toned and long lasting. It also provides a multitude of other benefits to the skin as it helps to firm and tighten the skin while delivering intense moisture and antioxidant protection.

No Sun Tanner customizes to your skin tone for a healthy, natural looking tan that reaches optimal colour in 7-14 days, depending on the depth of desired tan. No unpleasant odour. Does not streak, feel heavy or sticky.

My thoughts

I like the no nonsense medicinal design of the bottle and it comes with a pump for easy and non messy dispensing. The product has a lid and the pump came with it.

I have been applying this gradual tan after bathing in place of my usual moisturiser, it has a nice thick and creamy texture so it won't run. As it is thinner than a body butter, it is easy to apply and it absorbs instantly with no tacky residue. I have been able to dress almost immediately after application as it has felt dry. No Sun Tanner has a slight vanilla scent but this doesn't linger too long. It leaves my skin feeling gorgeously soft, smooth and moisturised well.

As this is a gradual tan I wasn't expecting much of a difference after the first application but actually I noticed a big difference after the very first application, overnight my skin had taken on a gorgeous honey colour and it it was just beautiful and looked so natural.

I have been very impressed with the No Sun Tanner, effortless to apply with, natural looking, gorgeous results that really last.

As this is a gradual tanner, moisturiser and toner in one, the only downside is the rather hefty price tag...

Perricone MD No Sun Tanner £54 for 118ml www.perriconemd..co.uk

Max Factor Summer Rain Collection Giveaway! *CLOSED*

This May - July were the wettest three months on record according to The Met Office... and August hasn't been much better!

However, there is no need to let the weather ruin your make up.. Caroline Barnes, Max Factor Make-up Artist has put together her ‘Summer Rain’ collection; a range of top performing weather proof make-up, that come rain or shine will last.

The lovely folk at Max Factor have given me the collection for one of my readers to win!

The Prize 

NEW Max Factor 24 from False Lash Effect mascara - £11.99

NEW Max Factor Colour Xpert Waterproof Liner Anthracite - £6.99

Max Factor Smooth Effect Foundation - £7.99 

Max Factor Lipfinity - £11.99

The Rules - 

You MUST be a follower of this blog - please tell me in your comments how you follow and what you love best about the rain.. whether it is the romance or fab things to do in the rain..

One person will be selected at random using random.org and the giveaway will close at midnight Sunday 26th August.

Giveaway open to UK and Ireland residents only.

PLUS - 

Follow Max Factor on twitter for trend news, tips and much more and one lucky follower will be picked to win a P&G goody bag (ends Wednesday 22nd August)

The P&G goody bag will include Olay, Pantene, Oral B and Max Factor, the choice of products will be at P&G’s discretion and may vary from products featured here. The giveaway is open to UK and Ireland residents only, to be in with a chance of winning you must become a follower of the Max Factor UK twitter page.

Good Luck!

Nars Duo Eyeshadow Vent Glace - Autumn 2012 Collection

Nars Vent Glace Duo Eyeshadow is from the Autumn 2012 Collection.

The two shades in this Duo are described as platinum and silver smoke

With micro-fine powders that are crease resistant, Nars eyeshadow should stay all day long.
True color application
Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.
Multi-funtion use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes

With flash

Vent Glace swatch with flash

My thoughts 

As soon as I opened the lid I knew that I would like these shades, they are wearable and hugely flattering against my green eyes.

In just the same way as the Nars blushers are buildable for a more intense colour, the same is true of the eye shadow that I tried. Both are super smooth and not at all chalky almost silky in texture in application, blend easily and beautifully to leave a gorgeous finish.

The cool icy tones appeal to me and with the flash look almost metallic, with the platinum brightening the inner corner of the eyes nicely. Silver smoke is a smokey grey with a slight green tinge to it, nice and murky for a great smokey effect.

Looking forward to having a few plays with it to see how best to use this combination. Look out for some Eyes Of The Day Posts featuring Vent Glace.

Having seen the whole Nars collection for this Autumn, it has a real vibe of Narnia about it. Like it very much.

Available from www.hqhair.com priced £24

*PR Sample

Liz Earle Special Offer - Everyday Favourites Kit!

Liz Earle fans will not want to miss this fab online only offer!

The Everyday Favourites kit features some of my favourite products - the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 200ml and two pure muslin cloths, Botanical Shine Shampoo 200ml and your choice of Botanical Shine Conditioner 200ml (choose between Normal, Dry or Damaged, or Fine or Oily), as well as your choice of either the Orange Flower Botanical Body Wash 200ml or Men's Face and Body Wash 200ml.

In addition, when purchasing this offer, you'll be entered into a prize draw for a chance to win a luxury family trip to the Isle of Wight.

This offer will be available for just seven days at a special price of £39.50 - that's a total saving of £14.50!

Offer available until 9am 20th August 2012

www.uk.lizearle.com

The Body Shop Skincare And Face Cream

It can be hard to know what skin care products you should be using – cleansers, toners, day creams, night creams…the list goes on! The most important thing however is to make sure you find something that is right for your skin type, to make sure your skin gets the care and attention it deserves!

Everyone looks for something different when it comes to face cream, and face creams can be difficult to choose. The skin on your face is incredibly delicate so you need to make sure you’re using something that is perfect for you. Whether you want anti-aging, firming cream or a cream to balance out your skin, there is a cream for you. The Body Shop has a fabulous range of face creams, including some from their Vitamin E range, which are great if you are looking to give your skin an extra glow, and some from their Wise Woman range, slightly richer, hydrating face creams which are ideal for more mature skin.

Cleansing, toning and moisturizing are the three basic skin care steps that should be an essential part of every skin care routine. This routine is great for your whole body, and is very important for your face. Cleansing is to remove the dirt and the build up of the day, and of course any make up that you’ve been wearing. Toning is the following step as this closes your pores, removes anything you might have missed whilst cleansing and prepares it for the next step. A moisturizing face cream is the final step, and this is the one that is most important to get right when it comes to your skin type, whether you have oily, normal or dry skin, choose a face cream accordingly.

The Body Shop have a lot of skin care products which are great for more specific parts of your skin care routine, such as a Vitamin C Skin Reviver, perfect for giving your skin a little glow and an extra boost, and the Tea Tree Facial Wash which is good for those of you who suffer from blemishes. The Body Shop also have a wide choice of body lotions which are great for your skin, especially when applied right, and can add a little bit of luxury to your skin care routine, and they’ll make you smell great too!

Day after day we put our skin through so much, so it’s incredibly important to make sure that you take great care of all your skin and give yourself the treatment you deserve!

*Sponsored Post