Update

I just wanted to give you guys an update on what has been floating my boat recently... 

1) No Faking It - Since being on honeymoon I have somehow acquired a great tan, even though I didn't actually do any sunbathing and miraculously managed not to get burnt this time! I love the fact that I don't have to faff around with self tan and I can just enjoy being a darker hue of my self.  There's something about having a tan that makes me feel more confident, my makeup looks better and more even and I feel more glamourous whe I get dressed up for a night out.  I wore SPF40 every day all over my face and body while I was on honeymoon so I'm glad that I managed to get a tan the safe way.  Clinique Super City Block was a god send over the whole holiday because it's brilliant for protecting your face from the sun without blocking your pores and causing spots. Love it!

2) Silver and Taupe Eyeshadows - I don't know about you but as soon as I saw Kylie's video for All The Lovers, I instantly adored the pale silver and taupe combination on her eyes.  It went perfectly with the soft peach blushed cheeks and apricot lips!  I have tried it out a couple of times already with the eyeshadows pictured which are Korres White e/s and L'Oreal's Astral Taupe e/s.  The effect is just plain gorgeous and by adding some black liquid eyeliner to the upper eye lid, it just completes everything and emphasises the eyes in such a beautiful way.  It's a strange combination that I may not have thought of myself but try it out for yourselves!

3) Cetaphil - I finally discovered these wonder products for myself whilst I was in Hong Kong.  Me and Chris were strolling past a drugstore in the city centre and I spotted a pack of Cetaphil cleanser and moisturising cream.  I've heard about them alot in the past but its not always easy to get hold of them in the UK.  I snapped up a pack containing a huge soap-free cleanser bottle and a small moisturising cream tester for very dry skin.  The reason I was adamant I was going to try them is because the skin on my chin and upper lip had become quite dry due to all the sun exposure and I really needed some products that were gentle and would restore the moisture back into my face.  Within 24 hours of using these two products, the dry skin was gone! I LOVE these two products and if you have dry skin then check them out because they are amazing.  I've heard the cleanser is great for all skin types as well.

4) Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment - I said before I went away that I would be trying out this product as a way of protecting my hair from the sun.  You all saw the pics of my hair from a couple of years ago when it got frazzled on holiday.  Well this product single-handedly saved my hair on the honeymoon.  The temperatures soared to 40oC on some days and we spent most of the day walking around.  I applied a small amount of this treatment to my damp hair every morning and dried it as normal.  It acts as a natural sun screen and left my hair soft, smooth, super shiny and really hydrated.  My hair is in great condition at the moment and I put it all down to the daily use of this oil treatment.  It worked like a dream!

5) Mistresses - I have always loved this programme and when I saw they were doing another series, I was so excited! I think the acting and storylines are fantastic and it always leaves me on the edge of my seat.  I think it's great when a tv programme can really grip you and make you care about all the characters.  If you haven't seen the new series, you can watch all the episodes on BBC i Player here.  I would highly recommend it!  Don't watch it expecting it to be Sex & The City because it's definitely in a different place.  It deals less with fashion and frivolity and more with relationship dynamics.


6) Is it just me or does this video make you wanna round up all your friends and do a 'skip-off'???!

What is floating your boat the moment?

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