6 Month Spending Ban

I know I've tried to do these before and have succeeded in none, but this time I am very determined and also poor! I will not be purchasing anything to do with beauty from 1st Jan - 30th June 2013. I have been stocking up and fulfilling my addiction in the sales so will post a haul soon but I shan't be buying anything new! I will post my progress in my monthly empties posts.

I spend an awful lot on beauty products, a lot of the time because at the time I think I'd like to review them, as I've mentioned before though living in two cities makes it difficult for me to be able to review products without them getting lost along the way. By not spending on beauty I'm sure I'll save a lot and use up a lot of what I already have! (I think I have enough shower gel to last me for 3 years...)

I've chosen to do this for 6 months as I know there will be a lot of new product releases and I will eventually have to buy something! I will be receiving Glossybox, but that has already been paid for this year and I will allow myself to buy something if I run out, e.g shampoo and conditioner. For some reason those are the only products I haven't got boxes full of!

I may try to extend this to an entire year if I manage the six months - although I imagine an extension would be very unlikely knowing myself...

Are you thinking of going on a spending ban for 2013? I'd love to know!

Klorane Oat Milk Shampoo and Conditioner Review

These are Klorane's Oat Milk Shampoo and Conditioner available from escentual.com, John Lewis and other stockists. The shampoo contains 200ml for £6 and the conditioner contains 150ml for £6.50. The packaging for the conditioner has changed and it now comes in a handy tube, I was going to fault the conditioner's packaging but no need to as they've already changed it! (I am very late on reviewing this so sorry for that!)

Both of these are designed for frequent use and are for all hair types, the oatmilk products are part of their ultra-gentle protecting range.

The Shampoo

Klorane say the shampoo should soften, protect and detangle keeping the natural balance of the scalp and hair fiber, it is dermatologist tested and paraben free, also that one shampoo should be enough. I found it to be of a very thin consistency and that it lathered up very well. It was gentle, no harsh scent or stinging of the scalp, it was barely noticeable. It looks a bit like milk as well! I loved this shampoo, it definitely cleaned my hair and without any issues or horrible smell.

The Conditioner

The conditioner was of a slightly thicker consistency in comparison to the shampoo, still very much like milk, maybe a cream. I found it conditioned my hair well, in the sense that it made it shiny and soft, although didn't detangle that much. I get a lot of tangles quite easily because my hair is naturally very very curly and a lot of the time I don't bother styling it because I'd have to straighten it or blowdry it straight for something to be made of it. I really like conditioners that manage to detangle my super curly hair and unfortunately this one didn't. I think as my hair has its own nature I don't want to fault the conditioner.

Overall, I really liked how gentle both products are, they would be perfect for the whole family and certainly if anyone had any hair/skin issues. I don't think they're for me particularly but I did enjoy using them. Once they run out I will not repurchase as a regular use item but will repurchase as products to use once in a while when I feel my hair and scalp need a break.

Have you tried any Klorane haircare? What did you think?

Glossybox and A Little Update

I have caved into subscribing to Glossybox again for all of 2013! I used a discount code they emailed me a little while ago so I ended up getting it much cheaper, expect to see lots of Glossybox posts next year! (Well 12...)

I have subscribed to lots of beauty boxes in the past and had to give up all subscriptions due to funds, the code was just too tempting though so I thought I should join up again!

Click here to subscribe!

Discount code is xmas30 for 30% off! (Not sure if it will still work though)

I have also decided to change my blog name and give my blog a new look, this won't be done overnight as I have so many exams all throughout the year but it will be happening soon, I would say it should all be changed by mid February 2013. Once everything is installed and ready I will be posting links on Navilicious Beauty to let everyone know that my blog has moved. I don't know how to move the blog without disappearing from followers' feed so if anyone does I would be very grateful for the help.

I also find it quite difficult to blog while in-between two cities so please bear with me for a little while as I get into a routine, I will definitely be blogging though! I've missed writing and have decided not to make the "changed blog" solely a beauty blog but with lots more added in!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and I wish you a prosperous new year!

Montagne Jeunesse Skin Heroes Break-out Mask Review

This is one of five products in Montagne Jeunesse's Skin Heroes range. It is the Break-Out mask retailing at £1.49 for 15g of mask and 3g of lotion. All masks in this range have 2 steps, a mask and a moisturiser. I find that the sachet lasts for at least 2 uses, sometimes 3.

The break-out mask is a mud mask containing willowherb, witch hazel and tea tree and claims to cleanse the pores. It is for problematic skin prone to imperfections, blemishes and spots. Unfortunately I fit into that skin type but fortunately it means this should help! (It did.)

The mask itself is the pale green colour depicted, applies very smoothly and is easy to even out on the face. It has a faint tea tree smell and after 15-20 minutes dried and was easy to wash off. The first time I used this I am 99% sure it shrunk my spots, I had 2 on my cheek (doesn't that sound great?! Yuck.) and both had shrunk and practically disappeared. On subsequent uses (and the first) my skin felt soft and smooth afterwards, clean and looked slightly more even-toned.

The 2nd step is a lotion, it is a pure white lotion also smelling a little of tea tree and is absorbed well by the skin after about 5 minutes. It is easy to apply and I found that I really liked having a "matching" lotion to use after the mask. I call it a lotion because it is less dense in comparison to a cream. The only negative with the lotion is that it made me oily after a few hours, I used the smallest amount several times after using this mask (I already repurchased.) and it had the same effect. I'm not sure if it's just on my skin or it's that way with other people too? Have you found the same?

I would recommend this for combination/oily skins prone to break-outs, despite the slight issue I have with the lotion - although I still love it! Would I repurchase this? I already have. It is available from Montagne Jeunesse's website, Boots, Superdrug and supermarkets. Montagne Jeunesse are 100% cruelty-free and BUAV approved. All the more reason to love them!

Have you tried any of the Skin Heroes range? 

Miaflora Moroccan Argan Oil Review

This is argan oil, one of the rarest oils in the world due to the Argan tree only growing in Morocco. It is rich in essential fatty acids helping the skin from wrinkling and allowing it to become more toned. It can also aid hair repair from the sun and chemical damage. It is available at Holland & Barrett costing £12.99 for 59ml.

I decided to use this on my hair and skin and I also asked a friend to use it as she suffers from very very dry cracked skin to compare.

It looks like a standard yellow oil and smells of olives to me, this scent is not very noticeable and I only realised this after using up half the bottle.

On my hair - I think this was amazing, the bottle lasts a long time if you use just the amount you need, I found it nourished my hair and made it feel stronger, softer, thicker and like new hair. I used it before washing my hair and left it on for about 2-3hours, longer if I could.

On my skin - I used it on elbows, knees, all over really and it was surprising how well it worked for me. After about a week's worth of regular use I could see my skin was glowing, looking better and feeling better, not so tight anymore. I didn't feel the need to use it on a daily basis after this and satisfied passed it on to my friend.

On my friend's skin - she suffers from very dry cracked skin, particularly on her legs, elbows, knees and feet. She used this for about a week daily on those areas only, after the week I asked her how it was and she was asking me where she could get it and nothing had worked so well for her. She said the cracks were slowly healing, her legs looked a lot smoother and her rough patches weren't so rough anymore. I bought her another bottle!

Overall - I definitely think this a truly amazing product, I would definitely repurchase and I think it would work well for all skin and hair types.

Have you used argan oil before? What did you think?

Avon Arctic Goddess Ultra Colour Rich Brilliance Lip Gloss in Pink Icicle

This is a member of the Avon Arctic Goddess collection, the lipgloss. It contains 6ml for £7 (currently £3!) and is available from Avon's online shop. The shade is Pink Icicle, it is a very pretty sheer shade with flecks of sparkle in it (these aren't chunks of glitter and cannot be felt on the lips at all, they seem to be part of the gloss). Every skintone could easily wear this, on my lips it shows up as a light pink tinted sheer glitter.

It is not sticky, which is a major plus as I don't do very well with sticky lipglosses especially with my hair down! I've been wearing this with pretty much any look, it is that versatile. It lasts for around 2-3 hours on me, fading after 2 hours with eating and drinking. This lipgloss also contains SPF15!

I really like the packaging on all Avon products, it makes them seem high-end yet their prices are amazing. The brush is very small which allows for precision, and 1-2 dips are enough for the entire lips. There isn't an offensive scent either.

Would I repurchase this? Yes - if I didn't have so many lip products already. I think it's amazing value, and a really good lipgloss for everyday or any look.

The Ulta Colour Rich Brilliance lipglosses are available in 3 shades; pink icicle, north star and caramel sparkle. The Arctic Goddess Collection is Limited Edition.

Have you tried any Avon lipglosses? What are your thoughts?

Mudd Original Mask Review

Mudd's masks are available in 1,5 or 10 application packs, costing 99p/£1, £3.05 and £4.99 respectively. This is the original mask available from Boots/Superdrug and possibly some other stores where they might be hiding! The 5 application pack contains 50ml.

I've now almost used the entire thing up and it's lasted for over 5 applications, which is great because it means you get more for your money. The image on the pack is actually misleading though because the mask itself is not brown, it is a charcoal shade. It feels very thick and applies evenly and well. After waiting the recommended 10-15 minutes most of the mask is dry and I tend to take it off with warm water, which surprisingly removes the mask quite easily. Usually I find plain water doesn't help and some scrubbing is required but this one comes off very easily.

I really like the packaging, it is simple and effective, I love the top which opens and closes to prevent the product from drying out.

Mudd say this contains special minerals which absorb excess oil, dirt and makeup. It should make the skin feel smoother, softer and deep-cleansed, which it does in my opinion. It should also tighten the skin in turn helping control spots and blackheads, this I did notice but only after around 3-4 uses. It is non-comedogenic, dermatologically tested and lanolin-free. It also smells quite pleasant.

Have you tried any Mudd masks? What did you think?

Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner Pencils Review - Silver & Black

These are the amazing gel eyeliners in pencil form by Avon. I have heard so many good things about these and everyone was not wrong! They are £6 each and always on offer, at the moment you can mix and match makeup 3 for £10 on Avon's website.

Both shades are incredibly rich and creamy, they last all day on me without wearing off or smudging, and one line is enough to create intense colour. Unfortunately I forgot to swatch these for you - I'm really sorry about that! However, as they are so intense and creamy, I don't think anyone would have an issue with these! The packaging makes them look very high-end too.

These have become my favourite pencil eyeliners alongside Stila's waterproof eyeliner sticks, in my opinion they are better than a lot of brands and also on par with Urban Decay's eyeliner pencils. I will definitely be repurchasing once they run out.

Have you tried these yet? Love them like me?