Superdrug Loves Blog - Superdrug Health and Beauty » Pampering

So So So Scandalous, a boy’s honest opinion.

Hollie — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:55:59 +0000

Whenever I’ve mentioned the brilliant Scandalous products lately I’ve broke into that Misteeq song. The products are gorgeous: simple eyecatching packaging in matte black and hints of bright fuschia pink. After getting my hands on the product I felt my review wasn’t enough, so when my boyfriend found the big box of products I was amazed when he said he wanted to try them for me (in exchange for keeping the shampoo and conditioner!). BRILLIANT!

Ed’s hair before the products, not much shine, dry and brittle hair. Heat has really taken its toll!

Ed isn’t a typical lad really. He loves hair products and has had every hair colour under the sun (blue streaks…red streaks…platinum blonde…I could go on). He’ll kill me for this but hes a bit of a pretty boy and has been since I met him about 5 years ago. He loves the top brands for hair and when I told him of this up and coming brand he jumped at the chance. The scent is really suited to a man I think too, so it was only right that he tested the products!

Really well branded – cant miss these products

Ed chose to use the Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner, Hair Serum, Heat Protection Spray and Hairspray. After trying out both the shampoo and conditioner in the shower I got the lowdown…Ed’s first opinions immediately out of the shower:

The smell and texture of the Gorgeously Rich Moisuring Shampoo and Conditioner reminded him of the hairdressers.
Left his hair feeling smooth but not too smooth.
Felt he had used a really professional set of products!
Feels volumous even when wet.

It was time to apply the Seductive Shimmer Serum. The serum promised to tame and calm without overloading the hair and to create a dazzling shine. Ed’s immediate opinions upon applying the serum:

Being a smoker, he was particularly impressed that the serum contained Citronella which stops the hair picking up smells of smoke which Ed is concious about.
Felt like hair will dry well and maintain a lengthy shine.
Serum wasn’t as sticky as previously perceived.

Seemed to tick all the boxes there! With all the products applied to wet hair, it was time to get cracking with the drying and straightening. After drying his hair the vote was in:

Hair “went in” so well straighteners will be barely needed!
Really thick locks.
Feels revitalised!
Feels soft but manageable.

The Red Alert Heat Protection spray was then used immediately after hairdrying. He spritzed it a few times all over his hair before he applied his straighteners. I think this is a product where you will see the benefits through several uses. But the Protection spray promises to withstand high temperatures which is perfect for the use of daily hair straightening; the temperatures they reach are sky high!

The Flaunt It Hairspray was used as the final product in the Scandalous mission. Ed really raved about this and thought it gave a firm hold, but without the hair looking too”crisp”. The “memory foam” effect particularly impressed him too. He fought to keep this but I wasn’t having any of it, I want it for myself!

So calling all boys: these Scandalous products aren’t just for girls! I found the scent to be unisex, a fragrance which is musky and feminine but also has masculine tones. Perfect for Ed and other men too.

Ed’s deciding vote………a massive 9/10, this could be Superdrug’s next big thing! Plus they’re now priced at £3.50 on the Superdrug Site…grab a bargain!

Hollie xo

Playing with Mudd

beautyh2t — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:59:15 +0000

Oily skin is driving me up the wall right now. I am trying out a variety of things to try and keep the grease levels down and help ward off the hideous amount of spots it brings. I have taken to reading everything I can get my hands on to learn more about what causes it and how best to combat it.

One of the things that came up a lot was the power or Mud, yup mud. It is a key element in the fight against greasy skin as it contains Kaolin which is a natural clay that helps draw out impurities from the skin, while still allowing the pores to breath. Masks in general are fab as a once a week or when needed treatment to give the skin a boost. Just be sure to pick the right kind of mask for your skin type:

Oily skin- go for mud or clay formulas

Dry skin- use a more creamy hydrating mask

Sensitive skin- try a light or gel style mask

Combination skin-you might need a blend, a deep cleansing mask for the T Zone and a moisturising type for your cheeks

I went down to Superdrug and picked up a sachet of Mudds original formula to try out and I had to share the results with you all. I loved this stuff, applied to a clean face slightly damp with warm water, it was easy to smooth on and there was plenty in the sachet to cover my face and neck well.

It is incredibly hard to smile or make any facial expressions when this dries on the skin. The boyf found this hilarious! After 15 minutes you just rinse the mask off with a cloth or in the shower and finish your skin care routine as normal. I was really impressed with the results from this, you can literally see it soaking up the excess oils from your face as it dries and pore dots appear.Afterwards my face felt incredibly clean and fresh, not too dry at all, just soft and clear. I am a total convert to using mud once a week, it is cheap, easy and best of all effective if like me you are oil and spot prone. These little sachets are under a pound and on a 3 for 2 right now so you can mix and match and find one that suits you.

I am now keen on trying the Superdrug Mud Therapy version as it comes in a neat little tube so I can get lots of applications and even just dab a little on any mega spots that arise- even better, they are in a 2 for £3.50 deal in Store and online now and come in an aloe vera version for sensitive skin and a raspberry enriched one that would be good for dry skin, hurrah!

Are you a fan of masks?

PS can I just mention how excited I am to get to Superdrug to try out the amazing looking new MeMeMe Blush Me! Boxed blushers, hello affordable Benefit style boxed blush. A total must have from what I have read of them!

Part II – Professional Finish Flawless Tan Range

Soph — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:59:13 +0000

Hi everyone, I’ve been working on a post as part of my ‘trilogy’ Summer posts for 3 days now, but for some weird reason everytime I try to save it all the photos and words jumble up! So for now, whilst I attempt to sort it out, I thought I would do the second installment on the new Professional Finish Flawless Tan range.

I have tried tons of fake tans, from the more expensive St Tropez and Fake Bake, to cheaper lotions such as L’Oreal and Rimmel. I only tend to use fake tan on special nights out/occasions, so when I use it I like it to look good and have an obvious effect!

Here’s the Flawless Tan range in their sleek black and bronze packaging! Step 1 – Exfoliation and Skin care, Step 2 - Greedy Skin Serum, Step 3 – Salon Tanning Spritzer or Salon Tanning Lotion, Step 4 - Hydrant and Gloss Finish.

The Exfoliation and Skin care is used in the shower, to get rid of dead skin and give the smoothiest base for the fake tan application. It states on the back of the bottle that it has a ‘minty’ scent to it, when I first put it on my wash mitt I couldn’t smell anything… but as soon as I started using it on my skin, the scent became really strong!

It was almost like rubbing Vicks all over me… it was quite invigorating and refreshing but also slightly odd! The lotion had little bits in like most exfoliants do, to further aid the dead skin removal.

The only thing about this was that the little bits collected by my plughole and looked like sand… as if I’d just got in the shower after going to the beach! It was easy to rinse away though so not really a problem. My skin felt nice and smooth as I washed it off, but I would recommend using a good lathering shower gel beforehand if you want to feel really clean.

The Greedy Skin Serum is used after you’ve dried yourself off from the shower. It’s a clean gel that looks a bit like the ulcer gel Bonjela (I tried to take a photo but because of it’s clear consistency it didn’t seem to show up well in photos!). You rub it into the dryest areas of your body such as your elbows, knees, ankles etc so that when you apply the fake tan it doesn’t build up on the dry areas and look uneven. The gel rubbed in easily and dried quickly and doesn’t really have much of a scent.

The fake tan is available in 2 options – the spritzer or the lotion. The spritzer comes with both clear rubber gloves and a tanning mitt, the lotion only comes with clear rubber gloves.

I found the spritzer was easier to apply than the lotion as you just spray it on and it’s easy to rub in. I didn’t use the gloves for this, only the mitt, which has a luxrious soft velvety feel which made it nice to use on the skin.

The lotion is much thicker than the spritzer, and I found it took quite a lot of time to rub the lotion in and to try and get it even. When putting it on it was also a slightly merky green colour! The gloves were really good though, they were easy to put on (unlike some rubber gloves that come free with products and are too tight!) and none of the fake tan seeped through, so I had no tan stains on my hands.

The smell of the tan was really random… it reminded me of a foreign supermarket?! Which I know isn’t a great description, but it wasn’t an unpleasant smell. The tan is meant to be left on for 6-8 hours to deepen in colour before washing it off, and like most products it did smell a bit whilst drying but it wasn’t overpowering.

Legs after using the Lotion

When I washed it off, I found that the lotion had left a stronger tan colour, however in some places despite using the Greedy Skin Serum it had collected in places and looked really dirty.

Arm after using the Spritzer

The spritzer left a much more even colour but it wasn’t as prominent, I would definitely have to spray a lot more next time to get an obvious tan colour.

To finish, the Hydrant and Gloss Finish is a moisturiser that is meant to lock in the colour and leave the skin feeling soft and shiny. I liked the moisturiser and would use it again but I wouldn’t say it was any better than any other moisturisers I have. If I were just buying the fake tan I would be likely to just use a moisturiser I have at home rather than spend money buying this just because it’s from the range.

Overall I enjoyed trying the range and I would probably choose the sprizer over the lotion because of its easy application. I would recommend the lotion for people wanting a deeper colour who have the time and patience to apply it evenly. The whole range works well together and some of these products are currently reduced, so now is definitely the time to give them a go!

What about me?

StephyScribble — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 21:32:42 +0000

Witnessing my boyfriend james’ experience over the past week, testing out health and beauty products from all the top brands, I couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous.

… Day dream…

After my journey of testing out all the fab products sent by Superdrug, I no longer feel jealous of my boyfriend’s pamper experience. I’ve just learnt that both women and men can enjoy the products on offer at Superdrug as there is a large variety on sale; something to suit everybody.

Here’s a list of all the products I used:

Bloom Aromatherapy Lip Balm (Peach Flavour)£8.00
Bloom Shadow Liner (Ebony Brown) £10.00
Bloom Nail Polish (Sofia) £8.00
Bloom Sheer Colour Cream (Rosie) £10.00
Bloom Lip Definer (Trace)

Scandalous Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner currently £3.50
Scandalous Firm Hold Hairspray currently £3.50
Scandalous Wave Spray currently £3.50
Scandalous Volumising Mousse currently £3.50
Scandalous Finishing Spray currently £3.50

I recommend all of the above products readers

Thanks again Superdrug!

Stephy Scribble

My experiment

StephyScribble — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:34:34 +0000

From my last post you would have seen the results of an intense but enjoyable pampering session that my boyfriend James undertook yesterday. James began the day feeling overworked and stressed so I thought it would be perfect to test out the beauty products on him so he could unwind. The obvious reaction was ‘hell no’, but after some heavy persuasion he agreed to let me show him the products and how to use them.

My main aim was to break the macho mould that still exists. I want men to feel more comfortable about walking into a health and beauty store, purchasing pampering products and using them. I mean why not?

Here he is before the pampering began, looking very worried (haha):

Problem areas include: tired eyes, dull skin complexion, frizzy hair, stubble

To put the wheels in motion I told James to get in the bath and I scattered the products around the bath for him to use. To my shock he was totally confused as to what they were. Joking aside, he actually said:

“Which one do I use first shampoo or conditioner”?

Followed by:

“Do I use the shampoo, conditioner then shampoo again”?

After hearing these questions I knew I had my work cut out for me. I honestly thought he knew more about beauty products. I asked him what his normal bathing routine was and I discovered that he washes with whatever shower gel I buy and uses a cheap 2in1 shampoo and conditioner. The key for James was to get clean and get out, which got me thinking. Maybe the stress he’s been having was linked to the constant rushing without relaxation.

So… let’s see if he enjoys what I have in store.

Here is a little more about the products James used and what he thought of them.

The products James tested out

Timotei Fresh and Strong Shampoo and Conditioner £1.99

The Verdict

“I really enjoyed using the shampoo and conditioner. They made my hair smell really nice without being too girly. The texture of my hair is now a lot nicer too”.

Superdrug Plum and Red Cherry Shower Gel £1.99

The Verdict

“It was far too fruity, all I could think of was food when washing myself”.

Superdrug Cranberry and Pomegranate Body Butter currently £3.09

The Verdict

“I liked the smell but I would never consider using it again. It didn’t spread as easy as I thought and I was conscious of it on my skin long after I’d applied it”.

Superdrug Gentle Facial Wipes and Essential Facial Wipes

The Verdict

“I really enjoyed using the face wipes. I don’t normally use them but it made me feel refreshed and cool. I would use them again”.

The Little Pink Tin £1.27

The Verdict

“It does the job but I think I’d still opt for cheaper Vaseline. Plus it’s pink, so I wouldn’t want anyone to catch me carrying it around”.

Superdrug Expertise Gel

The Verdict

“Wow, I’m really surprised at how well the gel held my hair in place. With afro hair I usually have to go to specialist stores for my gel but this stuff is better. The smell is nicer than the one I usually use too. I’m definitely going to buy it again”.

T-Zone Nose Pore Strips currently £4.95

The Verdict

“I hate these things, they’re uncomfortable and they didn’t even remove any blackheads. Never again”.

T-Zone Spot Zapping Stick £4.49

The Verdict

“I’m not sure if this is any good or not. I haven’t noticed any difference to my skin, I think it’s just a placebo”.

As I put all the products away and called it a night you’ll never guess what I found.

Superdrug Aftershave balm

I can assure you, it isn’t mine! I think James is into making himself look nice more than he lets on, hehe.

THE FINISHED PRODUCT

Now James has a glowing complexion, styled curly hair, no stubble and most importantly a big smile on his face

The Afterthought

Star product? Superdrug Expertise Gel

Worst product? T-Zone Nose Pore Strips

Did you enjoy pampering yourself? Yes and I will do it again.

Would you go into a Superdrug store and buy beauty products after this? Yes, it won’t bother me stepping into the store from now on.

Mission Accomplished

Stephy Scribble

The S Factor!

Rosanna — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:31:12 +0000

The X…or should I say The S Factor, has come a day early this week.

I don’t know if you know, but this year they have changed the categories…its now boys, girls, groups and…shampoos!

Let’s meet the judges!

Louis, Danni, Cheryl and Simon.

And now it’s time to meet tonight’s contestants…THE SHAMPOOS!!! (and conditioners)

The shampoo and conditioners will perform one by one. The judges will comment on their performances, but then its up to the public vote to decide who is best!

Up first are the loveable duo-

ANDREW COLLINGE PURITY RANGE COLOUR THERAPY!

please note how well I have cut all these out on paint.

What the judges said:

The shampoo and conditioner (s+c from now on) bottles are very attractive in appearance. The natural green, mixed with the pale pink and cream really do give off a pure feeling. Inside the s+c are both very thick and have a really nice apple scent which is fresh and invigorating. The shampoo creates a good lather, but is a rather off-putting yellow colour. Overall they feel very expensive to use- and it is lovely to know you are using the very s+c that Andrew Collinge uses in his salons. The s+c created shiny, vibrant and healthy looking hair and the judges were very impressed with the quality and design!

CHERYL SAYS

ANDREW COLLINGE PURITY RANGE SMOOTH THERAPY!

The second performers have a tough act to follow, how will they fare against the judges’ comments?

so wobbly, they look nervous to perform!

What the judges said:

The judges were impressed with this s+c duo, but they failed to live up to the hype of the last performers. The shampoo wooed the judges with its delightful peach scent, but the conditioner let them down with its herbal/medical smell. The s+c created shiny and soft hair, but failed to eradicate frizz and did not instantly detangle. The s+c have an excellent price, consistency and appearance but they weren’t sure it had the S Factor!

SIMON SAYS

the crowd are booing at Simon for being mean!

SCANDALOUS BIG&BEAUTIFUL VOLUMISING S+C!

What the judges said:

The judges really like the S+C’s vivid, bright and bold look. The hot pink and gold against the black add an air of glamour, excitement and expensiveness. The s+c are both very thick and sparkly (!) and the shampoo creates a brilliant lather. The scent lets it down slightly as it gets a bit sickly after a while, although at first it isn’t unpleasant. These ACTUALLY created voluminous hair, which stayed bouncy. The price is quite expensive (but these are James Brown products to be fair) at £5.49. However at the moment they are£3.50 at Superdrug, so the judges urge you to try them out now while they are on offer!

DANNI SAYS

SCANDALOUS GORGEOUSLY RICH MOISTURISING S+C!

What the judges said:

This S+C have a great design which is bold, simple and appealing. The S+C themselves are thick and sparkly, like liquid snow (I know this would just be water…but imagine it a bit thicker, whiter and with all the sparkle of snow.) They give an amazing lather and smell and feel very expensive to use (which arguably at their normal price of £5.49 they are for most people.) They leave hair revitalised, strong, very shiny and not greasy. A hard act to follow!

LOUIS SAYS

I can really imagine Louis saying this (hmm...haha)

TIMOTEI FRESH AND STRONG S+C!

More excellent paint skills. They look quite scary.

What the judges said:

You get more for your money with this act, not only are they the cheapest (£1.99 at Superdrug) but also the biggest (300ml whereas the others have all been 250ml.) Not only are they more economical, but they are also really great. The clear shampoo is fresh and invigorating and sure to energise you in the morning. The conditioner is smooth and both create very soft, strong, smooth and shiny hair which feels healthy and smells great. The judges are really impressed with these!

SIMON SAYS

The bottle says 'selection of herbs from the Alps, where they are known for their hair strengthening properties.' It just seemed a bit odd to me...or oddly written anyway.

THE UNDERDOG- SCANDALOUS FABULOUSLY FLIRTY DRY SHAMPOO

Can this solo act live up to the duos?

What the judges said:

This dry shampoo is not what the judges are used to on The S Factor, but they are completely converted. Unlike other dry shampoos it didn’t leave a chalky residue or make hair dull. It rejuvenates greasy or limp hair giving it a sparkling shine and more bounce, all in a few seconds. The spicy smell is pleasant and exciting, matching the bottle’s bold exterior, it is like a body spray and a dry shampoo in one. At £3.50 (usually £5.49) it is an expensive choice, but great for infrequent hair emergencies or sprucing up on a night out. The judges are surprised and again impressed!

CHERYL SAYS

So tonight’s performances are over and now the lines are open for the public vote!

So call and make sure your favourite is safe (not really…but feel free to leave a comment if you want haha)

Hope you’re all well, lots of love

from Rosanna xxx

Top Trumps; the hair edition.

Phoebe — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:31:08 +0000

With my creative juices flowing, I scratched my head up until now to think of a new way to review my huge box of goodies from Superdrug.

After a considerable amount of time spent staring at the products, it came to me!
Ever wanted to compare several shampoos but never really known how? Well, now you can with the Haircare Top Trumps!

If you’re unlucky enough not to be in the know with Top Trumps, it’s a basic card game (spawning thousands of themes, superheroes, animals, cars, even mullets) where you compare statistics of various objects and trade with your friends, i’m hoping you’re all familar.

Prepare for the newest Top Trumps theme, Haircare. I think it’s far more useful than comparing super powers…

So – I broke it down into some of the more important categories;
Price, basing this on whether I think the price is worth it.
Scent, how I rated the smell.
Texture of hair, whether it left it manageable, soft or just plain wrong!
Amount needed, how much I had to use to achieve a good result.
Total, the overall mark, taking into account the above points.

For £1.99 you really can’t go wrong with the Timotei Fresh & Strong shampoo and conditioner. This left me with an absolutely brilliant hair day, it slicked down all my fly aways and left it really soft, I wasn’t too keen on the herb like scent, but it didn’t linger too long on the hair so it didn’t dent my experience.

I could already smell the product before even opening the parcel, whether that was due to it leaking everywhere or just the potent scent I’m not sure! This was another scent I wasn’t a fan of, it was along the same route of herbs but it left my hair feeling enviably soft.

If you read my personal blog, you’ll know that I’m always on the lookout for anything to give me some oomph to my locks, the Scandalous range didn’t disappoint, just a quick blow dry away from really light feeling hair and you only need a tiny amount of conditioner.

This was the first product I reached for, to treat my colour treated tresses, this scent was a little better than the Smooth version, but still not something I’d chose, I didn’t think it lived up to the £4.99 price tag.

I love the packaging of the Scandalous range, but just don’t think the usual £5.50 price tag is justifiable. The scent is amazing though, verging on ginger, which I hate the taste of, but love it in my hair!

So there we have it, personally I can’t wait for Superdrug to bring out Top Trumps, wouldn’t it make deciding which product to go with so much easier?

Treat Mate: Here come the boys!

beautyh2t — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:18:47 +0000

*CATCHY/ANNOYING THEME TUNE*

Welcome back to Treat Mate my series of blogisodes for the challenge that sees my friends set up with amazing products that I was sent from Superdrug loves.

If you missed the first post where we met 3 lovely ladies try out a whole range of exciting products you can catch up here. In this installment we meet… the boys!

I live with two men who have to put up with my makeup lying about everywhere and me asking their opinions on every new product I get! So when I decided my friends deserve to be treated by sharing out my latest bundle of Superdrug goodies, I couldn’t leave them out( and I would never hear the end of it!) The Superdrugloves blog is for men and women of any age so only right that everyone gets a look in, so get ready to meet Ally and Jamie and find out what they made of their new products…

The Treats:

T Zone instant fix nose pore strips ( for blackheads)

The Mate:

Ally:

The patient boyfriend with a healthy obsession for basketball, hip hop and computer games!

First Impressions: Ally said “Are you sure these are for me! I’ve got great skin! Oh alright, I’ll give them a try!”

The Date: “Maybe I was in denial, my nose was a blackhead mess, but not anymore! It was easy to use and felt like it was doing good, looking at the back of the strip after using it made me realise what a disgrace my nose had become. Never again now I have these.”

Will they be seeing each other again? These strips turned out to be a great success with Ally saying he will definitely be getting them again if only to stop me attacking his nose and trying to get those pesky blackheads out myself! He gave them a huge 8.5 out of 10 and is very proud of his new clear nose!

So major success to start with and one happy male customer. (I have to admit I took more than a little pleasure ripping this strip off his nose!) I tried these out too and really was amazed at what all is cleared from my nose, and just how easy and quick the process was. I am looking forward to picking up the Face Strips to try out, it is buy 2 get the cheapest free right now too- bargain!

Now let’s see if we managed to make Jamie as happy with his new products…

The Treats:

Timotei Fresh and Strong Shampoo and Conditioner

The Mate:

Jamie:

A spreadsheet loving, tea drinking man with a healthy head (and face) of hair!

First Impressions: Jamie said “I liked it! The bottles looked nice, really clean and fresh.”

The Date: “It went really well, it felt fresh, like a day at the spa (!) I thought it felt really luxurious and like it was doing my hair some good.”

Will they be seeing each other again? Jamie was keen to keep using this and to buy it again, he said it was a range he hadn’t used in years but now will be a welcome addition to his shower routine, giving the shampoo and conditioner set a great 8 out of 10.

Well thanks to our male guinea pigs we have a few more products under our belt with some glowing reviews, and I have two squeaky clean and fresh flatmates to live with- thanks Superdrugloves!

Join me tomorrow for the final installment in our Treat Mate series, where you will meet…Me!

You didn’t think I could share out all these goodies and not keep a couple of things for myself now did you

A special delivery of Seven Deadly Sins!

Amy — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:19:38 +0000

I couldn’t believe how much Superdrug sent me this time round; 2 whole boxes of amazing stuff. In the first box was a whole hair care range (yes range!) from Scandalous and in the next box I received a tonne of products including Bloom & 2True make up, a 4 step tanning system from Professional Finish – Flawless Tan some Superdrug own brand things like make up wipes, moisturisers, hair care and body care… I really could go on!

Upon opening the boxes I realised how greedy I can be because I wanted to keep the whole lot to myself and didn’t want to share them with anyone moohahahahaaaa! Greed is one of the 7 deadly sins and I figured that since I’d already been capable of this reaction, I’m sure the rest of my week would be just as ’sinful’ without even trying.

Envy

Pretty much as soon as I opened the second box, my fiancé got ‘envious‘ of all my goodies and grabbed the TZone Nose Pore Strips. After following the instructions; wetting the strip and leaving it on for 10 mins, he was disappointed that the did not work. Thinking that he might not be too good with these things I tried one on, following the steps on the packet like Dave had done and still no sign of removing blackheads.

Lust

The summer weather has been glorious in the South East, that was until August arrived. The one thing aside from the sun that most would say they have been ‘lusting‘ after, is a suntan. I went to the SW4 fest on Sunday so wanted to look my best as it’s the only festival I’m going to this year so I decided to give in to my temptation for tan lust and use the self-tanning quartet in my superbox!

I prepped my skin with Step 1 Exfoliation & Skin Care I am quite picky about exfoliating products as I like them to make my skin super soft ready for a tanning product or just to make my skin look healthy and bright before a night out. I didn’t feel like the scrub was grainy enough for my skin and was a little worried as to how the tan would go on. It did have a lovely smell though and left a nice tingle when I got out of the shower. Step 2 was the Greedy Skin Serum, which sank straight in to my elbows and wrists without any tacky residue. I opened Step 3 Salon Tanning Lotion and put on the gloves that come with it; the product has a guide colour that leaves you instantly greeny brown. There were pros and cons to this; I liked that I could see where I was putting the tan but didn’t feel that it blended in well enough at the time and was worried that it would go streaky – I was left with darker bits that looked like flaking skin! Fast forward a night’s sleep and panic over – not one streak!! I was quite shocked at how well it went on and what a lovely colour it was – not too light or dark. Lastly I used Step 4 Hydrant & Gloss Finish which left me nicely moisturised with a healthy glow! Even though I got a great tan out of the product, I did find it a little messy but I’m sure I could get used to it.

Gluttony

I said before how greedy I felt when I opened the parcels in the first place. When I opened the whole box of Scandalous haircare, I wanted to use EVERYTHING! So I thought, ‘why not use everything, it’s yours right?’

Doh, I gave in again and pretty much used it all to give myself a good hair day at the festival. I washed my hair with the Moisturising shampoo and conditioner which both smelled nice and left my hair feeling averagely smooth (remember I have bleached hair so it takes a lot to make my hair feel smooth and healthy!). I then used the Red Alert Heat Protection Spray which was weightless and gave me peace of mind that I was protecting my hair from my hairdryer. I haven’t used a mousse in years but thought I might as well give the Voluptuous Boost Volumising Mousse a go. I took a larger-than-walnut-sized amount (it’s nigh on impossible to get a walnut-sized dollop of mousse!) and put in on my roots; I think I should have added more as I have a lot of hair but wanted to follow the instructions. It didn’t feel sticky so I was pleasantly surprised. Before blow-drying, I used the Seductive Shimmer Serum spray over the whole of my hair, concentrating on the ends. I’m a bit of a hair product snob and usually favour salon products so I didn’t hold out much hope for the serum but it left my hair feeling rather sleek afterwards, I really liked it!

The mousse gave my hair volume but nothing too mad! I used some of the hairspray and found that to be very lightweight, after one spritz. Lastly I used the Luminous Shine finishing spray, which smoothed the stray hairs at the top to complete my gluttonous look!

All my efforts turned out to be all in vain since the heavens opened at the festival and I ended up looking like this!

before………………………..after

Superdrug is doing a special offer on this hair care range – all products for £3.50!

Sloth
Work’s been pretty hectic of late and I was feeling a little delicate from the day before so I decided to have a day in front of the TV and do NOTHING!! While doing this, I washed my hair with the Scandalous Moisturising shampoo and gave myself a well-needed intensive conditioner. If I’m honest, the Intensively Glossy Rescue Treatment made my hair feel no more smooth than the Scandalous Moisturising Conditioner and even when I blow-dried it, it did not feel any softer. This might have something to do with the product advising to only leave the conditioner in for 30 seconds and I perhaps should have used my own judgement and left it in for longer. Since I was having a lazy day ‘slothing‘ about I decided that I would leave my hair to dry naturally with the curling product. Rock Chick Wave Spray which I felt worked rather well to help my curl spring up.

Pride

The following day, I had to wake up for work… it was too early to wash my hair in the morning so I embraced my natural ‘fro’ from the day before. Because it was dried naturally, I had gotten a little greasy so I decided to preserve my dignity and ‘pride’ and use the Fabulously Flirty dry shampoo to disguise what was really going on. Not to sound gross but I’m quite a fan of dry shampoos, reasoning that they provide a good surface for up-do’s when hair is too fine and flimsy and they offer a good bit of freshening up in between washes. This dry shampoo was no different to those I’ve tried in the past and I’m pleased to report that it worked well and smelt great!

Wrath

Most sins complete, I was left with one sin that I had not experienced (this week), wrath – I’d had a pretty good week and didn’t feel vengeful or angry! Red is the colour associated with anger and it just so happens that I was sent 2 red nail polishes in my box of tricks: 1) Bloom in Sofia 2) 2True in Shade 5 (we’ll call this a red for the purpose of this exercise but it’s more of a coral). They both went on well and came off not so well, leaving me with red fingers afterwards I couldn’t find these on the Superdrug website but Superdrug is doing a 3 for 2 offer on Bloom nail varnishes and a 3 for £5 offer on all 2True products.

So that was my week of sin… I have to say it felt pretty good Thank you Superdrug once again!

TTFN

Amy x

P.S. Ooooh get this – as I was writing this post, I was watching Ultimate Big Brother and the housemates started talking about the 7 Deadly Sins…. weird!!

Part I – Sisters share Scandalous surprise!

Soph — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:24:33 +0000

Hi everyone! As I received so many great products from Superdrug to review, I thought I would try a ‘trilogy style’ final Summer post, where I describe the products over 3 posts which makes it both easier for me to write, and easier for you to read!

My first post is on the ‘Scandalous Haircare Range’ which was a big surprise as it was in a massive black box (tied with a bow!) full to the brim with haircare products!

My sister Becky and I took it in turns to use everything to give a thorough and honest review.

Becky’s hair - Mid length, brunette, quite greasy, washes it a lot, sometimes straightened but usually worn in it’s natural state.

Soph’s hair - Short, blonde, dry, only needs washing 2/3x a week, quite damaged from sun and hair straightening, always straightened.

We have completely different hair, which hopefully makes this review accessible to more people! For each product, we gave it a mark out of 10 and wrote down notes on various things such as texture, scent and obviously whether it did what it says on the bottle. Two opinions are always better than one!

The first thing we looked at was the packaging.

Becky – 8/10 – I liked the packaging as it was minimalist and modern and appeals to a young buyer. It would definitely be recognisible in a shop and I’d be inclined to look at it first amongst other less obvious packaged products.

Sophie – 8/10 – I used to have this obsession with anything black and pink so obviously I loved the use of bright pink and gold on a black background! I thought the packaging was funky and well marketed to young, fun loving women. I thought it was really cute how each product has it’s own little slogan on, for example, the Volumising Mousse says - ”It’s a big night ahead, and I’m ready for anything. I know my curls will stay as fabulous as the moment I created them. The party may last from dusk til dawn but nothing can make my curls drop.”

After analysing the packaging, we used the products and noted things down straight after we had used it so nothing would be forgotten.

Product 1 and 2 – The ‘Big and Beautiful Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner’. 250ml each

Becky – 6/10 – I thought the texture of the shampoo was good and gave a nice, thick lather. The conditioner’s texture wasn’t as good as I thought it wasn’t thick enough but it absorbed well. The scent was nice, but smelt a little too ‘processed’ – it wasn’t a scent that would be recognisable amongst other shampoos and conditioners. It did volumise my hair but also left it a little frizzy – overall it was alright but I probably wouldn’t buy it.

Hair after using the Volumising Duo

Sophie – 7/10- The shampoo texture was just right. It lathered really, really well. The conditioner for me wasn’t thick enough, I had to use quite a lot to get a good coverage and I only have short hair. I thought the scent smelt professional and sophisticated, it lasted until the next day which was good, but other products I’ve tested have had longer lasting scents. It left my hair soft and healthy but without a significant change in volume (see photo). The products had a shimmer to them, which left some of my skin looking glittery which was a nice touch.

Product 3 and 4 – The ‘Gorgeously Rich Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner’. 250ml each

Becky – 7/10 - I felt this shampoo and conditioner were pretty much the same as the first two. However, I think I preferred this set as it did seem more moisturising and it detangled my hair better so I would be more inclined to buy it.

Sophie – 7/10 – To be honest I couldn’t tell much difference between these and the first two products, although these two didn’t seem to have as strong a scent to me. I think if I were to buy them I would probably buy these as the other two state that they are for ‘volumising’ but I didn’t really find they helped in volume.

Product 5 – ‘Intensively Glossy Rescue Treatment’ 150ml

Becky – 7/10 – I thought this product was good as my hair felt a lot thicker and stronger after using it. However I didn’t like how it made my hair very knotty to comb through after I had towel dried it. I also didn’t particularly like the colour (an off custard colour), but it was one of my favourites in the set and one I would be likely to buy.

Thicker hair after Rescue Treatment

Sophie - 8/10 -

I found that this product seemed to strengthen my hair too. As soon as I brushed through it after the shower it seemed thicker, although I also had trouble brushing it at first as it was quite knotty. I liked the thick consistency of it, and would definitely use it again.

Product 6 – ‘Voluptuous Boost Volumising Mousse’ 200ml

Becky – 7/10 – I liked this mousse as it had a nice scent but it wasn’t too overpowering. It was lighter in texture than the mousse I currently have and was easy to apply into hair without being too messy.

Sophie – 7/10 – It’s a shame I don’t have long hair like I used to, because I used to use mousse quite a lot to define my waves but I don’t use mousse on my current hairstyle! I did still try this out though, and I found the mousse seemed light, smelt nice and added volume to the roots.

Product 7 – ‘Seductive Shimmer Serum’ 50ml

Becky - 8/10 – I don’t use shine spray but I really liked this, I thought the scent was really nice, not too strong but not too weak. I definitely noticed the change in shine and it made me consider buying a shine spray for the first time.

Sophie – 9/10 – I was really surprised by this product as I thought it was going to be a gel serum but it’s actually liquid, like the one I currently used. The Kukui Nut Oil made it smell lovely and the shine was great! This is definitely on par, if not better, than the shine spray I currently use and it’s cheaper too.

Product 8 – ‘Fabulously Flirty Dry Shampoo’ 150ml

Becky – 4/10 – I don’t tend to use Dry Shampoo that much, because my hair gets greasy within a couple of days so I tend to just wash it properly more often. However, I have used dry shampoos in the past and I preferred them to this one as I didn’t like how hard it was to brush the powder out, especially as I have dark hair.

Sophie – 5/10 – I thought that this dry shampoo was quite good in absorbing greasyness, but I didn’t like the smell that much, I much prefer the smell of Batiste Dry Shampoo which I usually use. I also found that no matter how much I tried to brush the roots so they didn’t look ‘powdery’ they remained quite white and powdery looking all day, which wasn’t very subtle!

Product 9 – ‘Flaunt It Firm Hold Hairspray’ 250ml

Becky – 8/10 - I didn’t like the smell of this at all, it sounds weird but it slightly reminded me of dust?! But I found that it kept my hair in place and didn’t make it crunchy like some hairsprays do, it also added shine to the colour.

Hair after an evening out using the Hairspray

Sophie – 5/10 – I don’t tend to use hairspray much as my hairstyle doesn’t really need it. I also don’t find that hairspray seems to work particularly well on my hair… I liked how this one came out quite softly compared to a usual hairspray, but I really didn’t like the smell. It was really strong and even made me start coughing! Overall it wasn’t any better or any worse than other hairsprays I’ve tried so if I were to use one I’d probably stick to Elnett.

Product 10 – ‘Rock Chick Wave Spray’ 150ml

Becky – 6/10 – I liked the smell and it was easy to spray evenly on my hair, but it didn’t make that much difference to the ‘waves’ in my hair, however I do have quite thick hair, so it may work slightly better on someone with thiner hair where product isn’t weighed down.

Sophie – 5/10 – I didn’t try this spray first hand, as my hair can’t really be styled wavy because of the length so it wouldn’t of been a very accurate description! But by looking at my sister’s hair although there were some defined waves it didn’t really hold them very well.

Product 11 – ‘Luminous Shine Finishing Spray’ 125ml

Becky – 6/10 – I don’t use finishing spray on my hair so I didn’t have anything to compare this with. But I found it was easy to spray on my hair and distributed evenly. I definitely noticed my hair looked shinier when out in the sun, but in an averagely lit room it wasn’t as noticeable, and I preferred the Serum in this range.

Sophie – 5/10 – I liked the scent of this product, however I didn’t feel that it did what it said on the bottle. I liked how it had a hairspray like nozzle instead of a squirty nozzle as it made it easy to control the amount of spray. However, it didn’t compare at all to the Serum!

In conclusion both of us loved the distinctive packaging but our opinions in the products differed, so I guess it’s a case of trying things out and choosing what is best for you! The prices of the items are usually £5.49 each, apart from the Wave Spray which is 50p extra, however they have recently been reduced to £3.50! I think this is a really good price, as a lot of thought has gone into them… and it means you can stock up and find your favourites for cheaper!

Soph and Becky x

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