Victoria Jackson Review (sort of...)

On a visit to Sheffield yesterday, my mum and I were "accosted" by a young female in Sheffield train station, and she just had to use the words "freebie" and "make up" to have my attention. And, I will admit that all the way through her sales pitch I had two things on my mind:

1. Oooh, something to review for my blog - SCORE!

2. Oh good grief girl, you're trying to sell me make up and you are looking like that? I mean, her foundation/bronzer(?) was patchy as hell (I don't think that I have ever seen someone's face make up looking so awful!) and buy, don't get me started on her weird eyebrows! She certainly wasn't a walking advert for what she was selling!

Despite that, several things bothered me about the whole thing. I had never heard of this "Victoria Jackson", although I did feel like I recognised her from an advert, but "apparently" she worked on Sex and the City and Desperate Housewives. But, anyway, she showed us all of this make up that "apparently" had an RRP of £180. She showed us mineral-based eyeshadows, moisturising lip glosses and an unbreakable mirror! She was really going for the hard sell, as I strongly imagined she had been trained to do. 

I'll admit, I was sceptical, but we ended up paying £30 for a bag full of this "Victoria Jackson" make up.

Since taking the make up home, I have since learnt that this is all one big "scam", and that this Victoria Jackson isn't entirely anything much to do with it. But, whilst I agree that it is completely wrong to say that it is her make up, when really, it isn't, I'm not really sure where the actual scam is.

A lot of people are claiming that the set is not worth the £30 you are charged, let alone the £180 that the Sales Rep claimed it was worth, but personally, I don't agree. I'm not an expert in make up, or even in pricing make up, but I'm pricing these items individually, compared to really cheap brands that are widely available in places like Superdrug and Boots. The items may be worth more or less than I predict, but I'm just trying to make a point.

I mean, inside the bag that I received were four boxes and a little book.

The Book. Sure, the book probably isn't worth more than 50p. 

Eyeshadow Sticks Pouch. The sticks come in what smells, to me, like a high quality case, and nothing about it screams cheap, as such, put for the purpose of this, will price it at £3. There are three eyeshadow sticks and I would price at at least £1.50 each.

Lipgloss Pouch. Again, the pouch that the lipglosses come in smells and feels like a good quality item, costing (in my opinion), around £5. The only part of the pouch that screams cheap, to me, is the terrible mirror inside, that seems more like one of those crazy mirrors that you get at Fun Fairs. There are four lipglosses, that I would say could be £1.50 each. And, a lip pencil that I predict at £2.

Lipgloss/Blush Pallette. The Sales Rep claimed that the box for this pallette was made out of Teflon, which is "apparently" what is used for GHD hair straighteners. I don't know for fact, that this is true, but the box seems incredibly sturdy. And, I think that the pallette could easily sell for around £10 for the entire thing.

Eyeshadow Pallette. Again, this product comes in a case that smells and feels good. The pallette of eight colours, plus a miniature mascara, and duel end brow gel and liquid liner, I think could also cost £10 in a shop.

So, let's add all that together:

Total: £41

As I said before, this is a rough guess, after looking at cheap options, and this draws me to the conclusion that whilst the kit that I received may not have been worth as much as we were told, it's still not that bad a buy. I have added several items to my make up collection, that I had been looking for, so as long as I got make up that I like and actually use, surely that is better than the fact it isn't really attached to a big name! Because, let's be fair, make up does not have to have a big name connected to it, for the make up to still do what make up is supposed to do!

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L'Oreal Men Expert 24hr Hydrating Balm Review

As you might guess from the title, this is actually the first product that I have reviewed for men, and I thought that it would be really good to add a little focus on to these products, because the amount of products specifically aimed at the more "manly" consumer, has shot up a great deal over the past few years. It's almost as if a generation of men secretly using their girlfriend's moisturiser has finally stepped out of the shadows and shouted "you know what, I do use moisturiser. But, that's okay, because it's for men!" Personally, I don't see the big deal of men using products like this, because they suffer dry skin and breakouts just like us women...but anyway, this introduction is getting to be more like an essay than a simple intro. Therefore, I'll quickly point out that since this product is not mine and is not aimed at me, I'll be referring to my boyfriend in this blog. 

Problem Areas: Dry skin, especially after shaving, alongside stinging. Made worse by the necessity for daily shaving, with only weekend breaks.

What we were looking for: It's fair to say, that as a female, I have a lot of say over what products my boyfriend buys. He might not like me saying this, but he's just not very good at picking things for his skin, and as far as he is concerned if the bottle says "Moisturiser" then it's perfect. It doesn't matter that it isn't for his skin type (dry), and isn't even designed for the skin on his face, he will buy it, purely because it is "cheap!" Of course, cheap is always good, but if it's not what you're looking for, there's no point wasting your money. So, when I say "we", I predominantly mean "I". 

"We" were looking for something that would take that horrible "edge" away from his skin that leaves it feeling and looking terrible. So we wanted something that was moisturising, but relieving at the same time. We just wanted something that would look after his post-shaven skin.

Why We chose the L'Oreal Range: When we initially bought this specific product, it was basically because we found it as part of a "3 for the price of 2" offer in Boots. Offers like that always have a certain draw to them. But, after I graduated from University in 2005, I spent a lot of time living with my brothers, whilst (and for some time after) I was doing work experience in London, and one of my brothers used a couple of products from the L'Oreal Men Expert, and he'd always spoken quite highly of it. So, I thought that since it was on offer, it was worth a try for the boyfriend too.

How it Works: Like any moisturiser, you apply it to your skin wherever you feel that it is needed. Since the product is ultimately to be used after shaving, the main area to focus on is probably around the chin and mouth area. Despite that, I don't see any reason why the product can't be used all over the face, including forehead and cheeks, if those areas are particularly dry.

Did it sort out the Problem Areas? The boyfriend reports that whilst the moisturiser certainly soothes the pain, it's not really instantaneous and he can still feel the not-very-pleasant stinging for a while after use, although not quite as bad as without the product. The skin also appears to be hydrating throughout the majority of the day, without a need for further application. 

Any Downsides? The boyfriend found that the product was a little too greasy for his likings, and came to the conclusion that if you have remotely greasy skin, or even combination (mix of dry and greasy) skin then this product probably isn't for you. Having tried the product on my own face a couple of times, I can definitely vouch for this. Even if at the time of application, the skin is a little dry, it doesn't take long for the skin to feel oily and it's not that great.

So, overall the product does soothe the pain of shaving...eventually, and it certainly hydrates your skin all day long, but is only ideal for people with dry skin.

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Urban Decay Range Review

Who are they? Formed in 1996, when co-founder Sandy Lerner just could not find a purple nail varnish (good grief, I don't know how I could live in a world without purple nail varnish - a little extreme, but purple nail varnish is just the best thing ever!), amidst the many shades of pink! 

The company, led by Creative Director Wende Zomnir quickly became the leader of "alternative" cosmetics in the United States, with a strong sense of uniqueness provided by the inspired naming of shades, including that all-important purple shade that Lerner had craved, that was named "Does Pink Make You Puke?" (yes, actually it does!!). Other names have included "Oil Slick", "Yeyo" and "Smog".

What do they do? Urban Decay are mostly known for the incredible eye shadows and eyeliners that they offer in some beautiful colours, but they offer pretty much every kind of cosmetic that you might want including nail varnish, foundation, blush, lip gloss, lip stick and concealer.

Whilst Urban Decay is most famously known for it's colour palettes, weirdly, the company's top selling product is not an eyeshadow or an eyeliner. It isn't even a lip gloss. The company's top seller is actually their Primer Potion for the eyes, which comes in a slinky and curvy potion-style bottle, and primes the eyelids in preparation for eyeshadow. 

Why are they so brilliant? I have always had issues with eye liners. They're either so hard that they feel like theyre going to rip my skin off from around my eyes. Or, they won't blend the way that you want them to. Or they run so that you look like a wannabe Panda, which is not really a good look, no matter what some people might think. But Urban Decay's eyeliners are so soft, that they go on so nicely and they're nicely blendable, which is exactly what I would want out of an eye liner.

I only own one of their eyeshadow pallettes, but the colours are so vibrant and amazing that if I had the money, I would definitely buy more. Initially, you don't think that the colours will go together, but somehow they do. There is such a variety of intriguing colours across their entire range of products, colours that most other companies probably wouldn't even touch.

Urban Decay are also brilliant at producing those little things that help us make up lovers, from their Potion Primers to their various make up setting sprays. 

Why are they not so brilliant? Ironically, since the company is very much like America's version of our Barry M, my issues with the brand are pretty much the same, although on a greater scale. I have come across very few shops that actually sell Urban Decay products, whilst Barry M is available in most Superdrugs, Urban Decay is limited to only larger branches of Boots, Debenhams and House of Fraser, and I've only actually found the products whilst travelling quite a long way from home, so other than buying the products online (or on my occassional trips on P&O Ferries), they're not very accessible to people like myself, who don't live in big cities.

Urban Decay products are also incredibly expensive. I thought Barry M was pricey, but Urban Decay is over twice as expensive. Don't get me wrong, the products are worth it, but when money is tight, which for a freelance writer, it most definitely is, then they're reserved for special occasions only!

I wish they had more offers, but unfortunately, they never seem to!

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Dictionary: Dermatologically Tested

Dermatologically Tested - Derma relates to the skin, whilst a Dermatologist is a Scientist that specialises in treating skin rashes, burns, irritations etc. Therefore, something that has been
Dermatologically Tested, has been tested on skin, by a professional Dermatologist, who has deemed the product safe for use.

There is, however, some speculation, about how vague the term is, and many believe that is unclear as to whether something that has been Dermatologically Tested was tested on human or animal skin.

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XSparkage YouTube Channel Review

I initially came across the XSparkage YouTube Channel, when I was looking for reviews of Urban Decay eyeliners (a little late, since I already owned the eyeliners, but hey!) and I just loved Leesha's style and attitude. She has a brilliant, warm personality for this type of video, and whilst she does cute, simple make up videos (Wearable Wednesdays), she also isn't scared to do the more daring looks, that she has become most popular for doing (now part of Fierce Fridays). 

Leesha's videos are now  my absolute favourite, and I loved her recent [un]wearable make up: Make DON'T's video - that was just genius!

YouTube User Name: Xsparkage

Making Videos Since: 18 March 2007

Rankings: 

#19 - Most Subscribed (All Time) - Gurus - Global #11 - Most Viewed (Today) - Gurus - Global #58 - Most Viewed (Today) - Partners - Global #53 - Most Viewed (This Week) - Gurus - Global #73 - Most Viewed (This Month) - Gurus - Global #48 - Most Viewed (All Time) - Gurus - Global

Content and What she does: Similar to Lauren Luke, who I started this blog reviewing, a few weeks ago, Leesha is basically teaching normal girls how to create make up looks, wonderfully complemented by Leesha's cheerful personality. Leesha mainly focuses on eye looks that are bright, bold and often quite daring, in a "I could NEVER pull that off kind of way". However, she also reviews nail varnishes and nail art products, and more recently she has moved into creating looks for people that aren't quite as daring, or need more subtle looks for School and/or Work. 

One of the great things about Leesha's style, is the fact that she is still studying in make up, and as she learns, she passes on her lessons to us, as the viewer. And, she is full of so many useful tips, that I for one would never have thought of.

Set Up: Generally, Leesha is again similar to Lauren Luke, in the sense, that it is pretty much just her and her camera (and the cat, often washing herself on the bed!), as she shows us how to do these looks, by doing them on herself. She often shows us swatches of colours, that are placed on her blog. Lighting wise, Leesha tends to do better than Lauren, who can sometimes look quite washed out from bad lighting. 

Length: Unlike Lauren, Leesha edits her videos quite a lot, filming the tutorial, and then recording the introduction with the final look afterwards, which in a time-saving sense, works well. Her videos are usually between five and ten minutes long, which is just long enough to keep my attention span!!

What makes her so Appealing: Her personality. Leesha comes across a very cheerful person, with a wicked sense of humour. Both traits that are quite appealing, because she never really takes herself too seriously. Leesha has worked for MAC Cosmetics in the past, which is mixed with her love for make up to make a young woman who you just know, knows what she is talking about, and she is full of so much passion and raw talent for what she does, that you know that she has a bright future ahead of her, whether with her YouTube Channel or as a Make Up Artist.

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Nair Hair Removal Cream Review

My Problem Areas: Laziness! I'll be honest, I hate, hate, hate shaving my legs. It has to be one of the most boring, time consuming beauty musts that us women have to endure. And then, whether you're in the shower, or the bath, it is a case of twisting and bending all over the place, to reach those awkward places, and if you're anything like me, usually manage to knick the bit behind the knee. Personally, I usually end up realising that I've missed a few spots, and the hairs just do not went to come off with the razor. I hate razor cuts, and why is it that after shaving, my legs always feel so sore? Nope. I hate it. My legs do not feel amazing, they feel like they want to be knee deep in ice cold water...and that really is saying something!

What I was Looking for: Again, I'll be honest. I was, quite simply, looking for a quick, simple and easier solution to hair removal, that didn't involve the hassle of shaving. And let's be fair, shaving can potentially be pricey in itself, because you have to buy razor's, and the better ones (you know, the ones that don't rip your skin off too much!) can cost a fair bit, and then shaving foam/gel can be expensive too.

If I wasn't a swimmer, and full of a little self-pride, I think I could have been tempted to never shave my legs ever again! But, hairy legs are just not attractive really, are they?

Why I chose the Nair brand: In a word (or four): Because it was cheap! Simple, really. I'd tried another brand that worked in a similar (although not exactly the same) kind of way, when I was at University, and it was just so expensive, that I never even thought about trying it again, especially not on my then student budget. I mean, in ASDA, Nair is as little as £1, with the sachets being even cheaper, although it's important to remember, when purchasing, that a sachet will last one use, whilst a tube will last two or maybe three applications. You can do the maths!

How it Works: You "Follow The Instructions Exactly", that's how!!

I have known people who have found that Nair, and similar products, have caused irritation to their legs, so I strongly recommend that everyone does a Skin Test, before using this product. To do a test, you just place a small amount of product on a small area of your leg (preferably somewhere that you would be using the cream) and if your skin feels fine 24 hours later, then it is fair to say that you will be perfectly fine to use the product without any trouble. If, on the other hand, you do find that you suffer any irritation, burning or stinging, do not continue to use the product. You might want to try the Nair that is designed for Sensitive skin if you think that you might have problems. It's the same price as the ordinary cream, luckily.

To use, smooth (don't rub) the cream onto the area of your legs of which you want to remove hair. Leave the cream on your skin, for no longer than 10 minutes, and then wash off in the shower. It's not recommended to use another product to wash it off, like soap or shower gel.

Did it Sort out my Problem Areas? Well, it get rid of the hairs on my legs! That's a start. And it did it without me having to twist, turn and bend here, there and everywhere! With past hair removal creams, I've had to rub the cream off using a sponge that came with it, but with Nair's Cream, I found that the shower washed it (and my hairs) off quite easily. Definitely impressed with how easy, and simple using the cream was.

It left my legs feeling lovely, smooth and fresh, without that burning pain that usually follows shaving!

Any Downsides? The smell. The smell of this product is really strong, like hair dye peroxide, and you're probably there on how strong this stuff is when you smell it from the tube. When it's actually on your legs, it actually smells like the product is burning the skin or hairs. 

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Schwarzkopf Heat Protection Straightening Spray Review

My Problem Areas: Heat Damage. Tangles easily.

What I was looking for: All I was really looking for in a product, was something that would protect my hair from heat damage caused by blowing drying, straightening and the (very) occasional curling. I've had a few problem with my hair breaking due to heat damage, and the ends getting incredibly dry due to that, so I wanted some protection. I also wanted something that would de-tangle my hair, because tangles are a nightmare, especially when my hair starts to get long, as it currently is.

Why I chose the Schwarzkopf range: To be completely honest, I initially bought this product, because it was the cheapest "decent" range that I could find when I was looking for a Heat Protection spray. To be fair, when it comes to heat protection, there is a very limited amount of products to actually choose from in shops, which is odd because a lot of companies make them, so why do shops offer such small ranges? That is just my experience of course.

How it works: The bottle suggests spraying on clean blow-dried hair, but personally this feels like it is defeating the purpose. Surely, you want to be using the spray to prevent damage caused from blow drying, so surely the spray should be used before any heat is applied to the hair. This is of course another option that the bottle gives, but it seems more like an afterthought. 

Did it sort out my Problem Areas? I definitely found that spraying my hair straight after I have washed it, helps me to get a comb through my rapidly growing hair, without too much trouble, I know that the spray isn't really designed to do this, as such, but it really does help. I can't say that it has helped protect my hair from damage, purely because I'm not an expert on hair, but I have certainly not had any breakages, like I have experienced in the past. So, I have overall been quite pleased with the product. So pleased, in fact, that when I recently ran out, I set out to purchase the product again. 

Any Downsides? None that I came across, the spray is easy to use, and even includes a lock, so that if you have kids, they're not going to be spraying the cat with it! It smells nice, and I think a really good price, compared to other top brands that do the same (often sometimes worse) job. As with all products that promise things, not really sure if it really prevents against heat damage, I guess I'll have to get a hairdresser to analyse that for me!

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Simple Oil Balancing Cleansing Wipes Review

My Problem Areas: Oily skin. Breakouts. Skin irritation. 

What I was looking for: I'd noticed that the cleanser that I was using, appeared to be irritating my skin, so I wanted something gentle, and preferably designed for Sensitive skin, whilst my recent experiences have led me towards oil-free products, in order to control my oily skin, which I am pretty certain is one of the main causes of my breakouts.

Why I chose the Simple Range: Simple promote themselves on being the experts in sensitive skin, and I know so many people that swear by the products. I have used their Eye Make Up Remover before, and I've had the chance to try some of their other facial wipes (when my mum has bought them). I've never experienced any personal issues with anything, and although I had never tried any of their Oil Balancing products before, I was fairly confident that Simple would be a good buy.

I wanted to try the Oil Balancing Range, because they contain Zinc, and I had read that zinc is good for the skin.

How they work: After you have taken off your make-up, preferably using a gentle eye make up remover, pull a wipe out of the packet (make sure that you seal the packet shut as soon as you've taken a wipe out, otherwise you might forget and find that all your wipes have dried out!). Carefully, rub your face with the wipe, concentrating on any areas that are specifically prone to breakouts or are just generally oily. 

Did they sort out my problem areas? Whilst it is still too soon to say whether or not they have combatted the breakouts, I did notice that the wipes seemed somewhat "different" to typical facial wipes, I don't know if it was the lack of oil, but the texture just felt different against my skin when I was using them. I'm over the moon to be able to say that my skin did not feel oily at all after I had used this wipes, and I'm even happier to say that they didn't dry my skin out either, like so many other products that claim to combat oily skin do.

Any Downsides? The price. At roughly £2.39 for one packet of 25 wipes, or 2 for £4 at Morrisons, I will admit that I find these wipes to be quite expensive, and certainly one of the most expensive brands of facial wipes on the market. If used everyday, these won't even last a month, and if you are using them twice a day, as many professionals recommend then they'll only last two and a half weeks. I don't know about anyone else,but I don't really want to be paying over £2 every two or three weeks, on facial wipes. Especially not when I can buy a Gentle Cleanser in a Bottle for roughly the same price, that could potentially last two, three or more times longer than the wipes.

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Barry M Range Review

Who are They: Barry Mero (yes, he really is a man! And no, he's not Barry Manilow!), created this make up range in 1982, after realising that no make up companies offered the "dynamic, outrageous make up" that all of his 1980's clients were demanding. Anyone who remembers the eighties, will remember that bright was key in the sense of make up and clothing!

Almost thirty years later, and the Barry M range is still as bright, bold and outrageous as it always has been, encouraging young women, to step away from  neutral colours, and opt for bright colours as a form of expression.

What do they do? Whilst they tend to aim more towards providing the colour to our make up palettes, like eye shadows, eye liners, nail varnish, and lip glosses, over recent years, Barry M have begun moving into a wider range, including foundations, and more recently concealers. However, their overall appeal is still predominantly in their amazingly wide variety of bright coloured dazzle dusts, that are not only for the eyes, but for the face as well. 

Why are they so brilliant: Because they offer practically every single colour that you could possibly think of, in both dazzle dusts and nail polishes. Any colour that you could possibly want, either to match a certain outfit, or just because you feel like, there is a huge chance that Barry M will offer it.

From personal experience, some years ago I had a lovely dark blue (almost black) nail varnish that eventually dried up (as they inevitably always do). But, by the time I'd thought to go buy another (because I really did love that nail varnish, and I never felt that black did anything, other than make my fingers look weirdly pale!), I'd forgotten what brand I'd got the nail varnish, and I couldn't find it anywhere. Then I'm introduced to Barry M, and yippee, Navy coloured nail varnish. Of course, a lot of brands now offer similar colours, like Midnight Blue, but at the time, Barry M was the only brand to offer it.

Another great thing about Barry M's Dazzle Dusts is that they come in little pots of loose powder, and the colours are so bold, that you don't need to use a lot in one go, so they literally last forever. The first colour I bought, about four years ago (green), is still over 3/4 full, even though I still use it quite a lot!

The nail varnishes are also renowned for being quite cheap, and have even won the InStyle 2010 Best Beauty Buys Award for Best Inexpensive Nail Varnish. 

Why are they not so Brilliant? Not really a huge gripe, but a lot of shops don't actually sell Barry M products. They're pretty much exclusive to Amazon and directly from Barry M (online, of course), plus physically in Superdrug and larger Boots (my local Boots doesn't offer them). So, if you don't have a Superdrug, or a larger Boots store, then you're stuck to buying online, which isn't really a good idea, if you have never purchased a colour before. Whilst a lot of the colours are pretty close to what you'll get, screen resolutions and different monitors, along with bad photography, could potential mean that the colour you receive might not necessarily be the colour you had expected.

Also, as stated before, the Dazzle Dusts are loose powder, meaning that they can sometimes be quite messy, so it can sometimes be best to do your foundation after you have put your eye shadow on. The Dazzle Dusts can also seem a little expensive (£4.50), when put next to other eye shadows, however, they really do last a long time. And, Barry M regularly have "3 for £10" offers.

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Dictionary: Cassia Complex

Cassia Complex - Cassia is a plant, originating from East Asia, that is closely related to Cinnamon, and commonly used in medicine. It produces senna which is a mild laxative (note to self: make sure not to eat new Pantene Shampoo or Conditioner!!) Although Pantene use it as a scientifically enhanced active ingredient, in their new collection, they don't really give much away as to what exactly the plant does naturally, that is so good for your hair.

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Toni & Guy Red Brunette Shampoo & Volume Conditioner Review

My Problem Areas: Fine hair, that sometimes lacks volume, and is generally lifeless. Coloured.

What I was looking for: Every so often, I like to buy shampoo and conditioner that are a little bit pricier than what I would normally buy, from a brand that is considered to be "better". The idea behind it being, to have some "luxury" products that I only use for special occasions, or whenever I decide to treat myself,and my hair. So, in January,with my Christmas money in hand, whilst on a trip to Leeds, I decided to invest in something that I'd never tried before.

Why I chose the Toni & Guy range: The main reason for buying from the Toni & Guy range, was because itwas on offer (Buy One Get One Free) in Boots. Which, after a look on the Boots website, seems to be a regular occurrence, as the entire range appears to be part of a 3 for £10 offer. 

How they Work: As with normal shampoo, massage into wet hair and wash it out with warm water. The shampoo has hints of red and brunette colours in it, which you can see pretty well in the product. Due to this fact, product should be washed off skin (and anywhere else that you might have splashed it), to avoid staining.

Smooth the conditioner into your hair, after shampooing, and comb through. Leave for two minutes and wash out. The Toni & Guy website claims that the product is "amazingly lightweight...detangles...without weight."

Did they sort out my problem areas: To be fair, neither were bought with the intention of combating my problem areas, but for the sake of this review, I'll still comment on the facts.

I always get the impression that shampoos (and conditioners) that have henna, or hints of hair dye in them, are more designed to be used over time for real effects, and I think that this is definitely the case with the Toni & Guy Red Brunette shampoo, as the bottle states that it "...intensifies with use...", so I can't really comment on this, because I only use the shampoo once every one or two weeks. However, I expected it to maybe brighten my colour a little, and it really didn't seem to do that. That was perhaps because I was due to re-colour my hair, but in my opinion, that is the time when the majority of people will be using a product like this.

In regards to the Volume Conditioner, I personally think that this is a load of rubbish. It didn't make my hair feel any "lighter" than a normal conditioner, and my hair didn't gain any kind of volume or body at all. 

Any Downsides? Other than being incredibly sceptical of any benefits for my hair, from these supposedly better products? Yep, there is a huge downside to both of these products.

I think as far as packaging goes these have to be the worst packaging for hair products that I have ever known. Sure they might succeed in looking stylish, opting for a pump-style bottle, which is very different to most other shampoos, but the pump system is complete and utter rubbish.

Even if the shampoo and conditioner made my hair vibrant with colour, and full of va-va-voom volume, that wouldn't make these worth buying. Why? Because the pumps just don't work properly...on either of them (I know I'm sometimes unlucky, but surely this is too big a coincidence).

With both pumps, you get very little product out, and it takes at least ten pumps to get an adequate amount into the palm of your hand. And, this in itself is very slow going. With pump systems, I expect the pump to spring back up again straight away, but with the conditioner it creaks more than springs, coming back up so slower that I think I fell asleep one time! But, at least it's better than the shampoo pump....that doesn't come back up on it's own at all!! 

The annoying thing is, that it's not even a case of a pulling the pump up...Bottle in one hand, product in the other...evolution hasn't yet given me a third arm, so unfortunately the only way I could find to get the pumps back up, was using my teeth...and no, this does not taste very nice!!

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