CYO Cosmetics Mini Haul

Saturday 30 June 2018

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A month or so ago I was invited to the Boots store in Leeds as they had totally re-hauled their beauty section, which looks amazing! Some of you may know that their Seventeen makeup brand has now been discontinued, but fear not as they have replaced it with budget brand CYO, and whilst I was there I picked up three products to try out.
The first one is the CYO Bronzing & Illuminating Compact (£5) in the shade The Radiant One, which is for Fair/Medium skin tones like myself. It looks super pretty in the compact and even smells like coconut! This three in one compact contains a matte bronzer and a cream shimmer and pink shimmer highlighter. They can be used individually or all swirled together to give the complexion a warm, radiant finish. All three shades can also be used as eyeshadows - bronzer makes the perfect shadow for making blue eyes pop, and the wear is very impressive.
At the event, there was a CYO makeup artist, and she chose the CYO Colour Nutrition Moisturising Lipstick (£5) in the shade Pop the Question, a warm coral shade. It isn’t a colour I would normally go for, but it really suits my fair skin and blue eyes. The Colour Nutrition Lipsticks are super nourishing and don’t dry out the lips in the least, and the formula even withstands my Starbucks Iced Coffees!
A product I found really interesting was the CYO Two Tone Twist Ombre Lipstick (£5) in the shade Partner in Crime, which consists of two different lipstick shades, one darker than the other, in an angled tip. Both shades can be used separately, mixed together or you can even create an ombre effect with them. The colours are really pretty and in this one you get a light blush nude and a warmer brown-toned nude, which again works really well for my colouring.
There are so many products in the collection I cannot wait to try and the prices don’t reflect the quality whatsoever.

You can find CYO Cosmetics instore and online at Boots.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Smashbox Super Fan Fanned-Out Mascara

Friday 29 June 2018

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On a recent makeup shopping trip to Boots, I noticed Smashbox had released a brand new mascara, the Smashbox Super Fan Fanned-Out Mascara. I haven’t tried a Smashbox mascara before and as someone who is always on the hunt for the perfect mascara I decided to give it a whirl.
The Super Fan Fanned-Out Mascara is a lengthening mascara, which my short, fair, straight lashes are definitely in need of! It promises 12 hour length, lift and volume without any heaviness or clumping. So does it actually work? 

Yes, it bloody well does! It has an acrylic-type 360 degrees precision double-bristle brush, which normally I aren’t a fan of, but this seems to grab every single one of my lashes, even my inner corner ones which are tiny, and adds colour, volume and length from root to tip, whilst fanning them out for a pretty, natural yet bold look.

It has a super-black formula which lasts all day long without any clumping, smudging or flakiness, which as I have quite naturally oily eyelids, I find happens with quite a lot of other mascaras, so this has definitely been my go-to mascara since I purchased.
The mascara comes in a sturdy metallic red tube and you get a lot of product included so this is going to last you ages. You can choose a natural fanned out look, with one or two applications, or go all out and apply more, without it clumping up and create that horrific spider lash look.

The Smashbox Super Fan Fanned-Out Mascara costs £17.50, which I think pretty reasonable for a high-end mascara, and you can find it online at Smashbox.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Tarte x Aspyn Ovard Eye & Cheek Palette

Thursday 28 June 2018

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I am a bit hit and miss when it comes to Tarte eyeshadow palettes - a lot of the colours seem very neutral and samey, but when I saw the Tarte x Aspyn Ovard Eye & Cheek Palette, I ordered it straight away. I am not going to pretend I know who Aspyn Ovard is, I had to read on the back of the packaging that she is a You Tuber, and I am in no means being rude, but I don’t spend a lot of time watching You Tube and so a lot of their big stars unfortunately pass me by. 
Anywho, on to the palette itself! What a beauty it is! The packaging alone is insanely beautiful, and I love how they have continued the peach and pink floral design onto the casing of the palette itself, along with its rose gold metallic finish, this makes for possibly the cutest packaging I have personally come across in the makeup world.
The palette costs £33, which for a high quality palette, with a mirror on the inside of the lid, a blusher, a highlighter and nine eyeshadow shades I think is definitely very reasonable. Tarte’s trusty Amazonian clay formulas are of course included in each pan to give plenty of pigment, creamy colour payoff and long-lasting wear.
The blush shade is named Made You Blush, and is a pretty light mauve shade, with the highlighter, Pure Soul being a light champagne shade tinged with tiny pink iridescent shimmer. As mentioned, there are nine eyeshadow shades, including;

Brilliance: a very light nude shimmer
High School Sweetheart: a pale nude matte
Endless Summer: a super shimmery warm champagne, which could also be used as a highlighter!
Santorini Sands: a paler nude matte than High School Sweetheart
Heart of Gold: a high shimmer/almost glitter rose gold
Road Trip: a warm chocolate matte
Married Life: a cream matte
Tea Time: a mid-brown matte
Wanderlust: a high shimmer copper toned brown
I adore the mixture of mattes, shimmers and high-shimmers/glitters included within this palette, and I think it is something that can take you throughout all seasons and with it also being a cheek and highlighter palette, it definitely makes a great travel buddy!

You can find the Tarte x Aspyn Ovard Eye & Cheek Palette online at Tarte Cosmetics.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Favourite Five: Eyeliners

Wednesday 27 June 2018

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Due to my eyelashes being super fair and short, eyeliner for me is a must, particularly on the lower lash line to add some shape and definition to my eyes. Therefore, I have put together a post on my current five favourite eyeliners, some liquid and some pencil.
Starting with the Revolution Renaissance Flick Liquid Eyeliner (£5), which comes fancifully boxed like a luxurious pen. This rose-gold packaged liquid eyeliner has a long, fine felt-tip-type nib to it and enables you to create perfect wings and flicks. The eyeliner glides onto the skin easily and once applied I found that it didn’t budge an inch.
When I was placing my last Kylie Cosmetics order, I added the Kylie Deep Bronze Eyeliner to my basket ($10, works out at about £7) as I am in love with the quality and wear of her makeup. It is a pencil style eyeliner, and the shade is beautiful, it has a slight metallic/shimmery finish and looks amazing with my blue eyes. Even though it is a pencil, it doesn’t drag on the skin whatsoever, and the slightest touch gives immediate payoff. 
I noticed that a lot of people were raving about the NYX That’s the Point A Bit Edgy Eyeliner (£9.50), which has been shaped with a thin, sharply angled felt tip which is perfect for drawing very fine lines and even ‘lash’ style strokes. It is super easy to use and because it is so angled, you can use it in different ways to create a variation of looks.
Urban Decay have one of the best collections of pencil eyeliners I have come across, and I know they are reliable, they work well and they last on the eyes. With Summer now here, I have been loving the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in the shade Goldmine (£15.50), as it gives a lovely metallic yellow-gold finish which works wonders with blue eyes and a tan.
Due to me being quite fair-skinned and blonde-haired, on an everyday basis I don’t always want a dark black eyeline, and so I recently picked up the Bourjois Liner Pinceau Liquid Eyeliner in the shade 33 Brun Impressionniste (£6.99). The extra fine tip allows the ultimate precision and control to help you create both thick and thin accurate lines and contains a super long-lasting formula which glides effortlessly onto the skin.
All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Neutrogena Hydro Boost Facial Skincare Collection

Tuesday 26 June 2018

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After trying out the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Body Skincare a couple of months ago, I was excited to try the Hydro Boost Facial Skincare range, and so when it was recently on offer, I decided to snap up most of the collection and I haven’t been disappointed! This is the perfect Summer skincare…
When it comes to cleansers, they do have a milky cleanser, but I personally prefer the Hydro Boost Cleanser Micellar Water (£7.99) which is a unique cleanser which gently removes makeup and impurities whilst also quenching the skin with a boost of vital hydration. The Hydro Boost Micellar Water contains a patented cleansing technology and combined with hyaluronic acid, it cleanses the skin effectively whilst also locking in hydration. Plus it is even suitable for sensitive skin!
After cleansing my skin, I use an exfoliator a few times a week, yet the Hydro Boost Smoothing Exfoliator Gel is suitable for daily use. The Exfoliator Gel exfoliates the skin and removed impurities whilst adding moisture back into the skin. This innovative gel contains soft, naturally derived micro beads which gently exfoliate, making it work even for sensitive skin types. It is oil free and leaves the skin with a fresh, clean yet not overpowering scent.
If your skin is super dry, then I recommend adding the Hydro Boost Supercharged Booster Serum (£14.99) to your skincare regime. This is a vitamin-rich serum which keeps the complexion healthy and glowing for up to 24 hours. The formula is infused with micro beads for powerful exfoliating action and the gel formula targets signs of dryness and fatigue such as wrinkles and dullness. Vitamin E and hyaluronic acid work together to smooth and brighten the skin and it feels super refreshing once applied.
For the perfect daily moisturiser, try the Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser (£12.99), a refreshing, oil-free, water-gel moisturiser which intensively replenishes the skin. Once you apply this gel moisturiser to the skin, it is drenched in a refreshing veil of hydration, and its lightweight formula melts effortlessly into the skin, locking in and continuously releasing hydration throughout the day. My skin feels instantly softer and more supple immediately after use.
Not forgetting the eyes, we finally have the Hydro Boost Eye Awakening Gel-Cream (£12.99) which has been ophthalmologist tested and works to smooth and revive tired eyes by hydrating the skin around the delicate eye area. It has been infused with purified hyaluronic acid and combines the quick absorbing properties of gel with the intense moisturising benefits of a cream to leave the area feeling smooth and revitalised.
You can find the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Facial Skincare collection instore and online at Boots.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Achieving a Flawless Base with Essence Cosmetics

Monday 25 June 2018

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If you are a regular reader of Kathryn’s Loves, you will know that Essence is by far one of my favourite high-street makeup brands, and so I have put together some of their products which help create a perfect, flawless base.
If like me, you suffer from dark under eye circles, then the perfect product to conceal them is the Essence Colour Correcting Liquid Concealer in the shade 10 Pastel Pink (£2.50). This liquid concealer gives a wake-up effect and peach-tones balance out any darkness under the eyes. This is a must for me, and it comes with a doe-foot sponge applicator for super quick and easy application.
To balance out the rest of my skin tone I then go in with the Essence Correct to Perfect CC Multi-Benefit Pearls (£4). This little pot contains colour correcting powder pearls in green, lilac, peach and yellow tones and when used together give you a great all-over skin perfecter. Simply take a large brush and swirl it around and apply all over the face.
A primer is also a must for me, as creating an even, perfect base allows your foundation and the rest of your makeup to sit seamlessly. I recommend the Essence Fresh & Fit Awake Primer (£3.50), which gives a fresh, healthy glow to the skin and minimises those pesky pores. It also contains a cocktail of vitamins and cranberry water to take care of the skin.
Moving on to foundation, I like to use the Essence Fresh & Fit Awake Make Up Foundation (£5), in the shade 10 Fresh Ivory. The foundation comes in a glass bottle with a pump applicator so that you can control the amount that comes out. It gives wonderful coverage and feels light and refreshing on the skin as it also contains vitamins and cranberry water. I find that it gives my complexion a really fresh appearance and feel and it lasts on the face throughout the day.
To set my makeup in place, I then use the Essence Brighten Up! Banana Powder (£3), which is a matte powder which comes in a plastic compact. This can be used to bake the undereyes, to lighten up certain areas of the face, or as an all-over powder. Banana powders are great for setting makeup into place and brightening the skin.
Finally, you can then apply the Essence Glow to Go Illuminating Setting Spray (£3.30). This makeup setting spray contains iridescent particles to give the skin a stunning healthy glow to the skin without going disco, and a few spritzes of this will keep your skin looking perfected and your makeup kept in place all day long.
You can find these Essence products and more instore and online at Wilko.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lipgloss

Sunday 24 June 2018

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Urban Decay are killing it with their new releases this Spring/Summer, and one of my favourites has to be the new Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lipglosses, which come in a variety of twenty different shades, and I recently picked up three of my favourites.
The Hi-Fi Shine Lipglosses contain Vitamin E and Peppermint Oil to produce a hydrating formula which nourishes the lips and has an instant plumping effect, topped off with a vanilla-mint scent. The twenty shades come in a variety of brights, neutrals, metallics, holographics, creams and sheer creams, so there is a gloss for every skin tone and personality. 
The packaging is neat yet ultra-UD and they fit neatly into any bag or purse. The applicator of the glosses is a flexible flat sponge which glides onto the lips perfectly. Even though these are lip glosses, they still have a ton of pigment and colour pay-off, and are far superior to most lip glosses on the market.
When it came to choosing a shade, I couldn’t pick just one and ended up with three, although there are many more on my wish list. The first I opted for is 1993, a lipstick shade which was part of the Gwen Stefani collaboration a few years ago. 1993 is a warm brown with a cream finish that is permanent, so lasts a lot longer than a regular gloss. Next I chose Midnight Cowboy, a soft peachy-pink with gold pearl and a cream-like sheen, which is super pretty for the Summer. For a more fun gloss, I then decided on SPL, a pale pink base full of multi-coloured iridescent sparkle, which my 12 year old self would have absolutely loved and even though it is a glitter, you still get a lot of coverage.

The Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lipglosses cost £15 each and are available online at Urban Decay.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Feather & Down Sweet Dreams Breathe Well Bath Essence & Pillow Spray

Saturday 16 June 2018

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Feather & Down are a fairly recent brand, which have already given us cult products to help calm the mind and senses, and they have just released two brand new products - the Sweet Dreams Breathe Well Bath Essence and Pillow Spray.
The Sweet Dreams Breathe Well duo has been created using infusions of peppermint, tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils along with lavender to give the most amazing uplifting, soothing, refreshing and relaxing fragrance. The blend clears the senses and is perfect for this time of year for those of you who suffer from hay fever and I know this is going to be perfect for those cold Winter nights when I have the sniffles.
The Bath Essence comes in a whopping 500ml bottle with a press-down lid ensuring you can pour just the right amount of product into hot running water. However, this isn’t a Winter-only product, after a warm day in the sunshine, I have found it refreshing to have a cooler bath with the Essence in and it really manages to cool me down. It has a lovely creamy consistency and so doesn’t dry out the skin, instead leaving it soft and smooth.
Moving on to the Pillow Spray, this handy 100ml sized spray applicator bottle is refreshing and uplifting. After I have been in the bath, I like to spritz my pillow generously with this spray to leave it to sink into my pillows before I head up to bed. As well as it being a great relaxer, due to the tea tree essential oil included in it, this is a great refreshing spray for a hot day, or if you tend to suffer from headaches. As I suffer from anxiety, the Feather & Down Pillow Sprays have been a must for me, and they really do help me sleep through the night without waking up as much, and encourage me to get a good night’s sleep!

If you know of someone who struggles with hay fever, anxiety or sleepless nights, then these products make the perfect gift, especially the Pillow Spray as it comes beautifully boxed.

You can find Feather & Down online here.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

*This post contains PR samples, but all views are my own

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Primark Bronze Makeup Collection

Friday 15 June 2018

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I have been seeing the Primark Bronze Makeup collection all over social media and You Tube, but when I went to my nearest store a few weeks ago they had very little of the collection to choose from - oh how I wish Primark did online shopping, at least for their makeup! However, I managed to pick up four bits from the Bronze collection and so here’s my thoughts on them…
First up we have the Primark Bronze Instant Radiance Highlighting Drops in the shade Paradise (£2.50). This little glass pot comes with a dropper applicator, which doesn’t work the best compared to similar products, but it is still easy to get the product out. The Highlighting Drops don’t have the highest density shimmer to them, but when applied to the skin, they give a luminous glow, with the consistency being quite lightweight and easy to apply. The shade Paradise is a soft champagne, and is really pretty for fairer skin like mine. I don’t know if they do have other shades available, but I would definitely pick this up in other colours if I found them.
We then have the Primark Bronze Metallic Eyeshadow Cream (£2) in the shade Sundown. The product itself comes in a little glass pot, and the cream is quite low down from the top of it, so it makes messy work for fingers, but the result is totally worth it. It gives a strong, highly pigmented metallic finish, which is easy to apply onto the lids, and just one swipe is enough. Sundown is a warm bronze shade and will look stunning with a tan and blue eyes especially. 
Next up we have the Primark Bronze Highlight Loose Highlighter (£2) in the shade Vacation. You get rather a lot of loose highlighter in this glass pot, and whilst it isn’t the most pigmented highlighter I have come across, it still looks pretty on the skin. Vacation is a soft baby pink, so again perfect for lighter skin tones and I am going to try scooping some of this up and adding it to the Primark Primer Water to create my own shimmering face mist. A bargain for £2!
The Primark Bronze Shade & Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette (£4) is possibly the piece de resistance and the colours inside are perfect for Summer and holidays. The shadows are lightly scented with coconut to get you in that vacation mood, and you will find nine good-sized pans inside, featuring both mattes and shimmers. You find colours of browns, bronzes, oranges, corals, creams, beiges and reds, and as with all Primark eyeshadow palettes I have tried so far, the pigment is crazily impressive. With each collection they bring out, I just want more and more!! 
You can find Primark online here.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat Haircare

Thursday 14 June 2018

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When recently flicking through an American magazine (I much prefer them to UK magazines), I saw an advertisement for Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat Haircare, so I immediately Googled it to see if I could buy them in the UK, as many products out in the US don’t often reach us straight away. However, I was in luck, they were available here too, so I placed an order right away…
With the warmer days upon us, and it being the time to jet off on holidays, the Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat products are perfect as they have been created for sensitive scalps and fragile hair. Plus they smell super dreamy! The collection is enriched with protein-rich ingredients such as oat and rice. Oat milk is rich in antioxidants and rice cream, which provides the hair with moisture. The formula soothes the feel of sensitive scalps and leaves the hair feeling protected and super soft to the touch. Oat is a protein rich and low-fat cereal and the oat milk helps to soothe and nourish the hair without weighing it down or leaving it feeling greasy. Rice Cream is produced by grinding small grains of rice and is said to have moisturising and protective properties for the hair, also being rich in protein.
There are four products within the collection, a Shampoo, Conditioner, Treatment and Heat Protection Milk and all four products are free of parabens and contain natural extracts. Both the shampoo and conditioner come in regular plastic squeezy bottles containing 360ml each, so you get plenty of product for your pounds. The Shampoo has a light, creamy consistency and builds up to a nice foam, filling the senses with the scent of sweet flowery milk. The Conditioner has a slightly thicker consistency and after use of the duo combined, my hair is left feeling lightweight and gorgeously soft.
The Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat Heat Protection Milk Spray nourishes, softens and protects the hair without weighing it down. It is incredibly easy to incorporate into your daily haircare routine, simply give it a good shake, and then spritz evenly onto the lengths and ends of damp hair and then style as normal. This also has that delicious, creamy oat scent which keeps the fragrance for longer in your hair. I found that after use my hair wasn’t at all tangled up and as it protects the hair from heat up to 230 degrees, this is the perfect pairing for heated hair tools. 

The Garnier Ultimate Blends Delicate Oat Shampoo and Conditioner both retail at £3.99 and the Heat Protection Milk retails at £4.49 at shops including Boots and Superdrug.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Laura Geller Life Glows On! Illuminator Palette + Swatches

Wednesday 13 June 2018

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Many things in this crazy-ass world of beauty get me excited, however I think out of everything, if I absolutely had to pick one product, it would be highlighters - as a child and an adult I was and am a magpie - anything shimmery or glittery and I had to have it so when I saw the highly holographic Laura Geller Life Glows On! Illuminator Palette, I knew it had to be mine, even if it meant I had to pass on an eyebrow wax and tint that week haha!
This thing of absolute beauty contains three highlighter shades, which you can make as subtle or glitzy as your heart desires. Laura Geller is renowned brand across the world and she is forever bringing out amazing new releases, always staying on trend, without sacrificing on quality and use. This palette costs £22, and includes a mirror, making each shade around £7.30 which is crazy considering the pay off you are getting here.
Life Glows On! has been created to suit all skin tones and the highlighters consist of a smooth, creamy formula which creates a radiant, opalescent glow. Within the palette, you get Opal Crush, an iridescent violet, French Fizz, a sparkling gold and Diamond Dust, a holographic pink. Due to the depth of colour and shimmer, you could definitely use these as eyeshadows too - Diamond Dust is perfect for applying near the tear duct to really brighten the eyes.
As I mentioned, you can create the prettiest highlight with these, but because they are suitable for eyeshadows too, this is definitely THE palette to take to a festival with you, or on holiday as the palette itself is nice and compact. Plus, at £22, it isn’t the absolute end of the world if you did lose it or it did get damaged as it isn’t going to cost you £50 or more to replace like a lot of other highlight palettes.

You can find the Laura Geller Life Glows On! Illuminator Palette online at Beauty Bay.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

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Paul Mitchell Neuro Care HeatCTRL Haircare

Tuesday 12 June 2018

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I am always on the look out for new haircare products, as I think if you use the products all of the time, that your hair can get too used to them and you don’t get the benefits as you would have at the start of using them. Legendary hairdresser Paul Mitchell’s latest collection, Neuro Care doesn’t just look pretty cool, but works wonders for the hair…
The Paul Mitchell Neuro HeatCTRL Shampoo (£18.95) treats stressed and damaged hair with a weightless formula that gently cleanses and revitalises the hair from root to tip. It has been fortified with innovative HeatCTRL technology, and this lathering shampoo effectively eliminates dirt and impurities to prepare the hair for the use of any heat styling tools. The Shampoo is suitable for all hair types and colours and leaves a refreshing scent after use, leaving the hair feeling and looking soft, smooth and rejuvenated. I adore the luxurious blue packaging and both the shampoo and conditioner come in pump applicator bottles ensuring you get every last drop of product.
I never wash my hair using shampoo alone, so the Paul Mitchell Neuro HeatCTRL Conditioner (£20.95) is the perfect pairing. This conditioner works to replenish and protect the hair, and again has a lightweight, ultra-hydrating formula which gets to work on revitalising stressed strands. With the innovative HeatCTRL technology, this rich conditioner provides advanced thermal protection to shield the hair from tools which can cause heat damage. I find that the HeatCTRL Conditioner leaves my hair super glossy and healthy looking along with improved manageability. As an added bonus, these products are not tested on animals - gotta love that!

Also within the Neuro Range, we have the Paul Mitchell Neuro Prime HeatCTRL Blowout Primer (£25.95), which really prepares the hair for styling. You only need to use a tiny bit of product and I found it to be lightweight and non-greasy which is great for me as I have quite fine hair and if I use some products they can weight my hair down or make it look greasy. This hair primer helps to reduce the rate of heat transfer from roots to ends when using hair straighteners, hairdryers etc and can be applied to clean, damp hair for a super sleek and smooth finish.
You can find the Paul Mitchell Neuro Haircare Collection online at Look Fantastic.

All the Loves,
Kathryn xxx

*This post contains PR samples, but all views are my own
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