Expert Reviews: Our spring flings

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Expert Reviews: Our spring flings

Whenever life feels a bit stale, the cure is trying something new. Now, we’re a bit biased, but beauty products always make us feel amazing (and look good, too – just sayin’). Come on, join us and have a spring fling with one of these babies…

Touch of Silver Brightening Shampoo & Intensive Conditioner

bh’s Ally says:

To my mother’s delight, I’ve decided to stop bleaching my hair peroxide blonde and go back to my natural roots. So to make my ashy hues pop without further damaging my scalp and strands, I need all the help I can get from my haircare. That’s where Provoke: Touch of Silver’s dream team comes in.

Formulated with a violet pigment to neutralise brassiness and yellow tones, I left Touch of Silver’s Brightening Shampoo on my hair for just under five minutes (as recommended). The easy-to-spread shampoo made my hair a little dry and knotty after rinsing, but I then lathered in the Touch of Silver Intensive Conditioner to see how that remedied the tangles. This formula contains keratin to rebuild hair in as little as one wash, as well as sunflower seed extract and a UV absorber to protect and prevent colour fade. You can keep the conditioner on for up to 10 minutes, and upon rinsing I prepared to ravage through my strands with a comb – but to my complete surprise, there wasn’t a single knot in my hair! I experienced a bit of frizz and flyaways as my hair dried (albeit I have that on the reg) – but not a single brassy tone in sight. My hair was an icy, bright blonde hue and my locks looked deliciously vibrant and shiny.

RELATED: Your guide to maintaining bleached hair

After a few weeks of use, my colour still looked fresher than ever. I’ve also experienced considerably less hair loss, which is a godsend to any girl who has dabbled (ahem, destroyed) their strands with bleach. It’s hard to find shampoos and conditioners that tone blonde colour as effectively as they hydrate hair, but I’ve found the ultimate power couple. When these bottles run out, I’ll be running out to repurchase.

NIVEA 4 in 1 Firming Body Oil

bh’s Michelle says:

One of my guiltiest habits is a very long, very hot shower every morning – even though it wreaks absolute havoc on my skin. I’m pretty diligent about following it up with a body lotion, but have never really considered a body oil, mostly because I can’t be bothered waiting for it to dry. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this oil dries even quicker than my usual lotion. I apply, wait a couple of minutes (usually while I brush my teeth), and by then it’s fine to get dressed.

After the first few applications, my arms – which are normally dry and covered in small bumps – felt noticeably softer and smoother, and this has gotten even better with ongoing use. They also look much more even in colour; the blotchy redness around the bumps has reduced significantly. While this is the area that I saw the most dramatic change, the oil has left the skin on my entire body looking and feeling great.

The fast-drying finish might have changed my opinion of body oils, but it’s the noticeable skin benefits that make this one a keeper.

INIKA Certified Organic BB Cream

bh’s Sam says:

I haven’t played around with a BB creams in ages, so I was pretty excited to try this product! I tend to go for BB creams and tinted moisturisers as the weather gets warmer, just because my skin starts to behave better and therefore needs less coverage. I used the shade Beige, which seemed to match my skin tone quite well and blended easily, offering sheer coverage. I liked using it on the weekends, because it made my skin look awake and even in tone, but you couldn’t tell I was wearing anything. I was scared it might be greasy because of the jojoba, avocado and pomegranate oils in the formula, but it was actually the opposite. It goes from liquid to matte as soon as you apply it, making it ideal for my oily t-zone, and it stayed put throughout the day. For a BB cream that contains 80 per cent Certified Organic ingredients, it performed just as well as other BB creams I tried. If using organic make-up is important to you, it’s definitely worth the price tag.

RELATED: The benefits of going organic

Save Our Skin by INNOXA NoTox Eye Patch

bh’s Skye says:

I have been using the SOS NoTox Eye Patches for the last week, and I must say I’m very impressed! Thanks to the technology and active ingredient, hyaluronic acid, it’s not only painless but very effective. The packaging is beautiful, with each set of patches on a tray and individually wrapped. The application is quick and easy, and the patches can be left on overnight (they stay put until morning, and simple to remove). I’m loving the NoTox patches and I’ll continue them as part of my beauty routine. 

jane iredale HandDrink Hand Cream

bh’s Astrid says:

I can’t stand having dry hands, but I hate the greasy feeling some hand creams leave me with even more. It’s a real catch-22, and I’m forever applying creams then washing them straight off again. This jane iredale buy is honestly the first hand cream I’ve tried in a long time that doesn’t make me want to run to the sink. It absorbs really quickly into my skin, leaving an almost silky finish that’s not remotely greasy, and my hands softly scented with delicate rose – my favourite. I love that it contains SPF15 too, making it the perfect choice for someone who spends weekends by the beach (like me!).

Have you tried any of these beauty products? If not, which one would you most like to try?

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