Meet the housemates ...and their favourite products!

I'm doing something a little different with this post, partly to spice things up a little but but mostly because I'm in the middle of my finals exams and thought it would be a convenient time-saver to effectively get somebody else to write for me! In order to get some fresh ideas, I've asked my uni housemates to talk about their favourite beauty products, one budget and one blowout. If you don't know me personally then you definitely won't know the nutters girls I live with, so here we are (I should point out that we are in fancy dress in several photos)....

 

If you're looking at the bottom right photo (90s night) then we are Prema, Nat, Anna, me, and Rachel. Here's what they have to say...

Anna

 

 

"My blowout is Mary Kay Timewise Matte Foundation (left) because its good for sensitive skin and oil free but still manages to give good coverage. My saver would be Bourjois Chocolate Bronzing Powder (right, Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder, £6.99) because its really cheap for a good bronzer, has lasted me ages, isn't too shimmery and smells lush. Also I can't live without the Superdrug coconut oil. Literally addicted!"

 Nat

My splurge product is definitely Benefit's  Boi-ing concealer (left, £17.50)... I can't live without it as its the only concealer that actually works on my dark undereye circles! My make up necessity. My budget favourite is Max Factor's False Lash Effect Mascara (right, £11.99). It's still a over tenner bur for me, a mascara addict, it's the best value one I've used and worth it when compared to luxury brands!


Rachel

 My best budget product would be Rimmel's Stay Matte Powder (right, £3.99), because I've found a lot of foundations to be too heavy, but the powder is light and still gives a great even finish and saves my skin from looking greasy. Rarely need to touch up during the day, so great value for money. My splurge is Benefit's They're Real! Mascara (left, £19.50). I have quite short lashes but this mascara works wonders and makes them look full and long without looking clumpy and lumpy, and only needs a couple of coats tops.

Prema

"My favourite budget product is Fast Stroke Eyeliner by Collection (formerly Collection 2000, right, £2.99). It's easy to apply, lasts all day and night and is a brilliant bargain for under £3. My favourite splurge product is Garnier's Moisture Match moisturiser (left, £5.99). I consider it expensive since you don't get a lot of product for your money, but it's so luxurious and rich - I have very dry skin and this has completely sorted out patches of dry skin on my face."



So there you go! We are a pretty keen house of bloggers and three of my housemates also write blogs - if you would like to check them out then I've put the links below.

Have you tried/do you plan to try any of their reccommended products? Please feel free to leave a comment!

Anna: writes a foodie blog (she's a proper domestic goddess)
www.annalizaknowsgoodfood.blogspot.co.uk

Nat: blogs rants, raves and reviews on a whole host of different things.
www.natchat20.blogspot.co.uk

Rachel: has been writing a music blog for years, loads of reviews of singles, albums, gigs etc.
www.rachelannewriting.blogspot.com

Budget vs Blowout - Hair Strenghtening Treatments

Even though I'm a big-time bargain lover, I always find myself tempted by the bigger name brands which tend to carry the higher price tag. Luckily, when it comes to hair products, I rarely have to splurge to try a higher end product thanks to my Aunt, an ex-hairdresser who likes to sample every shampoo, conditioner and treatment going, then pass them on to me after a few uses reveal that they aren't suitable for her super fussy hair.

 The last time I saw her, she donated a 250ml bottle of Redken Anti-Snap Leave In Conditioner. I was pretty pleased with this result as I'd been longing to try a Redken product for some time, but could never quite bring myself to spend twice as I'd usually pay for a highstreet alternative. At over £13 a bottle on Amazon, I'd usually consider this product to be out of my poverty stricken student budget (sobs).

In contrast, I recently decided I wanted to give coconut oil a try in wake of Moroccan Oil Mania (see my review of Avon's budget friendly version here), as it sounded like it could be a purse-friendly alternative. To quench my curiosity, I picked up Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment from Amazon for £2.36, in the hope that I may have found a new favourite that I can actually afford!

The Redken treatment promises to strengthen hair and prevent split ends, as well as hydrating for instant results. I found that I didn't need to use too many pumps of the conditioner to be able to get good coverage of my ends, and the smell was pleasant too.
I didn't notice a massive difference in the feel of my hair immediately after using the Redken conditioner, but in the long term I have noticed a reduction in the amount of split ends - whether this is down to the conditioner or the fact that I have shorter hair than I used to, I'm not entirely sure. 

The Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment is a masque rather than a leave in conditioner, making it more of a hassle to use than the Redken strengthener, which you can just apply to hair and then blow dry as normal. The packaging promises that the treatment will nourish and hydrate hair making it softer and stronger, helping to prevent breakage and split ends. The smell of the Inecto product is divine (providing you like the smell of coconut as much as I do), and the scent lingers on your hair until you next wash it. My hair did feel immediately softer and shinier after rinsing the masque - more so than after using the Redken treatment - but the feeling fades fast, leaving me wondering whether the product is actually benefiting my hair at all in the long run.

Despite promising the same results,  I've found that I've been using these products for different reasons. The Redken Anti-Snap conditioner won't provide immediate benefits but will instead work its magic in the long run, whereas the Inecto conditioner is perfect for using before a special occasion, as it will leave your hair shiney, soft and smelling gorgeous. For under three quid I'd recommend investing in the Coconut Oil masque, but in light of the £13 price tag I probably won't be re-purchasing the Redken treatment when it runs out.