Liz Earle The Next Chapter - Haircare

A few weeks ago I was invited to the Liz Earle flagship store to learn about Liz's new venture - Haircare.

Six years in the making, a range of shampoos and conditioners has been their most requested product, and with over 100 variations trialed in three years this is definitely a launch to be excited about. In keeping with Liz Earle's ethos of using natural ingredients wherever possible this range is SLS/SLES free. The premise was to create a shampoo that would foam like any other on the market, but instead of using a harsh detergent to create a lather a gentle natural wash active was used (SLM1- sodium lauroyl methyl isethionate). This haircare is therefore suitable for sensitive, dry and eczema prone skins while being very gentle and promising not to strip colour.

The fragrance in the shampoos and conditioners is 100% natural and smells absolutely beautiful. It is made up of 8 essential oils and 1 pure extract. Cirus, floral, warm and refreshing, this is a scent that really lasts in the hair.

The range consists of the botanical shine shampoo, suitable for all hair types, and three conditioners tailored to dry/damaged, normal or oily hair.

The Botanical Shine shampoo contains Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Apple and Orange Extracts (same principle as cider vinegar, to flatten the cuticle and make hair shiny). Honestly, it works better than any other 'sulphate free' shampoo I have previously tried. It lathers pretty well (the key is to keep adding water), rinses clean and doesn't strip my hair of moisture leaving it tangled, as I have found some of the 'Naked' range has in the past. I also love the scent, in keeping with the rest of the Liz Earle range it smells like a spa treatment - refreshing and invigorating yet warm and slightly sweet.

For conditioner I chose the one for dry hair, with meadowfoam and yangu oil. This is a lovely, creamy conditioner that de-tangles and smooths without weighing the hair down. I have been using both for the last two weeks and I really have noticed a difference. My hair definitely feels more silky and light (minus the product build up other shampoos have left on my hair). Although I am in dire need of a haircut this conditioner has definitely helped repair some of the damage and my hair actually feels much smoother!

The Liz Earle Haircare is now available for pre-order on their website here and will be available for purchase on the 2nd of September online (and in LE stores) and in John Lewis Stores on the 6th of September. I was surprised to learn that they are priced at £7.50 each (for 200ml - 29 washes), which I think is pretty reasonable for a higher end hair product. I can wholeheartedly recommend this line and will definitely be stocking up on some more once I have worked through my samples ;).

While we are chatting Liz Earle, I also wanted to share a few photos of the lovely lady herself. I was actually given the chance to meet her last week at the celebration of 15 years of Cleanse and Polish evening.

She really is an inspiration, glowing inside and out. Not only does she look truly radiant in real life, but she is also a fantastic speaker, full of knowledge and enthusiasm about her brand, which is lovely to see!

I have been using the Cleanse and Polish for about 3 months now and I can see why it has become such a cult product, and the number one selling item in John Lewis (followed by their duck pillow... lol)!

A trick I was shown during the Liz Earle skin tutorial (available in their flagship store) is to use one part of the deep cleansing mask to two parts of the Cleanse and Polish when cleansing to help control my oily skin. I also use the deep cleansing mask as a 'spot treatment' and leave it on overnight on any blemishes threatening to come to the surface. It seems to dry them out and prevent their progress without leaving behind that horrible 'crust' that some other spot treatments tend to. The next step in my obsession is to really treat myself and book a Liz Earle facial.. bf if you are reading this take note ;).

Have you tried Liz Earle? Are you tempted? I am currently in the process of converting my friends... Do you have any tips for using the products in your own way? xxx

Work It Out: Installment Dix-Huit

Since the Summer sales have been and gone I am now beginning to run out of new purchases to show you. As a child I was always very restrained, never looking for my presents before Christmas, savouring that cohocolate bar for a week one piece at a time, and now I do the same with clothes and shoes. Now, I do not say this to mislead you, I am a complete shopaholic and if I see something I like I will most probably end up buying it. However, once it is lovingly hung in my wardrobe it can stay there for days, weeks, months and sometimes a year before I find the perfect occasion to wear it. In this way the joy of a shopping spree can outlast the damage to my bank balance ;).

With this in mind, here is a dress I purchased at the beginning of the summer sales (or rather my mama kindly purchased for me.. I can't even pretend to lie as she often mentions I don't call her enough and that she has to read this blog to see that I am 'still alive').

Dress: LK Bennett. Cardigan: M&S. Pearl necklace: Ukranian market. Shoes: Faith (though I only wear these to work on the tube, during the day I wore black patent Mary Janes).

I actually got so many compliments on this dress, and especially it's purple shade. I absolutely adore bright colours, even in the workplace (if you haven't noticed already lol).What is your take on bright blocks of colour? xxx

Dry Shampoo

Not the most glamorous of subjects, but let's talk dry shampoo ladies. As a girl with little time and a lot of hair dry shampoo is an absolute must have for me. These products are the easiest way to stretch your hair that extra day and still look fabulous and I have tested many in my quest to find the perfect one - lightweight, effective, volume building, transparent (no one enjoys looking prematurely grey!) and affordable. So here is the line up.

Let's begin with the original: Batiste. Batiste comes in many 'flavours' and luckily have tried most of them ;).

The original (as well as blush, tropical and diva) have a very similar formulation, but differ in fragrance. They refresh your hair effectively, but unfortunately leave a white cast which is especially visible on darker hair. I tend to struggle with these as it takes a lot of effort to massage into the roots and brush through the hair to work the powder in and remove that 'grey' look. On the plus side, they are widely available and very affordable at £2.50.

Batiste Coloured Dry Shampoo. To combat the 'grey hair' issue Batiste developed a different formulation for darker hair. This is available in Black and Brunette and works just as effectively. My only gripe with this is that instead of making the spray clear Batiste have simply coloured it. Although when you spray it on it doesn't leave any hint of white, when it comes to washing it out the colour does run out of your hair making the water somewhat murky. It has also stained the bristles of my brush, which doesn't look too pleasant. Despite this minor defect, this is definitely one of my favourites.

One of the new editions to the Batiste line is Nude, which is fragrance free and 100% natural (I assume they are talking about packaging rather than ingredients.. correct me if I'm wrong). The bottle is 100% recyclable and comes with a nozzle applicator, instead of a spray. This works well and despite the powder being white it doesn't leave the hair too dull.

The last in the Batiste line up is their Shimmer dry shampoo (comes in Silver and Gold). This was sent to me in silver for review purposes. It works the same as the others, but if you use enough to absorb some oil you are left with visible streaks of silver at your roots that are difficult to brush out. The silver particles are small, no scary glitter to speak of, so it is quite pretty. The best way of using it is as a light all over spray to add some shimmer to your hair (if you are into that sort of thing?).

Next up is the new Tre Semme Instant Refresh range, which includes a dry shampoo for normal to oily hair and a waterless foam for dry, frizz prone hair. This was also sent to me for review and it was made very clear that both products will not suit me. Even though I have frizzy, dry hair I couldn't make the waterless foam work for me. However, the dry shampoo worked perfectly. As promised it soaks up oil effortlessly, builds up volume and doesn't leave any unwanted residue behind. Although the scent of alcohol is quite prevalent at first the fragrance it leaves behind is clean and pleasant. I will be sure to repurchase once this one runs out!

The Charles Worthington balancing act dry shampoo was wisely recommended to me by a friend. Effective, lightweight, transparent and with a pleasant fragrance this one ticks most of the boxes, however it is a little more pricey at £5.

Last, but not least, is the Big Sexy Hair mineral and clay based dry shampoo. I was sent this to review in the mini size and have kept it in my bag for on the spot touch ups throughout the last couple of weeks. This is perhaps the most potent dry shampoo as a little really does go a long way and it is great for creating volume at the root. However, it does smell very strongly of alcohol and can leave a little bit of residue behind (though if you use a small amount this should not be a problem). The full size (150ml) is about £11.

I hope this mammoth review was useful to some of you! xxx

Work It Out: Installment Dix-Sept

As you may have noticed I am not really a fan of trousers. Since I am tall and have an hourglass figure (with a high waist and wide hips) finding trousers that fit in the right places (read: love handles) is near impossible. I have, however, been loving the recent trend for 'peg-leg' cropped trousers. Sophisticated and chic they are the quintessential 'grown-up' trouser. I have been desperate to find a pair that would work with my shape, but have found most of them to accentuate the hips and flatten the bottom, which is never a good combination. For tailored trousers I tend to stick to wider leg options to try and balance out my hips, but not only are they quite masculine and dull they also limit my shoe choices. Size five stilettos peeping out below a wide trouser is not a flattering way to work proportions.

After seeing these on a friend I decided to put my fears aside and order a pair online, which I never do with trousers. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. Although they are not perfect as they are a little too short in the body (and the legs) I decided to keep them before I completely miss out on the trend!

Ruffle shirt: Mango. Cropped Trousers and tan belt: River Island. Cardigan: M&S. Black croc pumps: Faith. They also look great with heels!

I really love the pleating at the front, but because they tend to ride up the pleats can create a little too much volume in the area. I personally think they suit the slimmer figure and create feminine curves for narrower hips. I'm not too sure if I can quite pull them off, they may just be that elusive style that I always think looks beautiful on others...

What do we think of 'grown-up' trousers? Have you been able to make them work for you? Are there any other trends you love on others, but can't quite wear yourself? xxx

Gucci Guilty

In September Gucci are launching a new fragrance - Gucci Guilty.

Gucci has put together a fantastic Hollywood team, including Evan Rachel Wood, who sizzles in the ad campaign, and Sin City director Frank Miller to create a special promotional clip for the launch.


This film will be shown at the MTV VMAs and Gucci are giving you a chance to get involved by giving you the chance to win VIP tickets to the awards!! This fabulous prize includes business class tickets to LA, a luxury shopping experience at the Gucci boutique on Rodeo Drive and a limousine ride to the VMAs where your VIP tickets will give you the opportunity to meet Evan Rachel Wood!

To enter just got to www.facebook.com/Gucci, but hurry as the competition ends on the 27th of August.