Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact

I spotted this beautiful looking bronzer whilst browsing the Clarins website and had to blog about it.

I'm a big fan of bronzers that have more than one colour in them. In Summer, your face isn't one uniform shade all over so bronzers that contain different shades of browns and pinks always achieve a more natural effect in my opinion.

The thing that most attracts me to this is the intricate engravings on the bronzer itself and the little gold circle in the centre. The pattern almost looks like hyroglifics - very detailed and unique.

This compact has just the right amount of shimmer in it, without giving you an overly glowy, sparkly face. The little gold circle in the middle will allow your brush to pick up just a tad of shimmer.

This is available now as part of Clarins limited edition Summer collection and costs £30.

xo

Clarins Instant Smooth Crystal Lip Balms

I can't get over how odd these lip balms look, but they sound impressive.

The idea behind these balms is that the outer part, which is translucent, provides the moisturising and repairing elements of a good lip balm, whilst the middle part provides a swipe of intensely pigmented, high colour lipstick.

I posted about Burt's Bees tinted balm yesterday  - this offering from Clarins is like the ultimate version of the basic tinted balm that Burt's Bees have released.

The blue and green ones in particular are very odd looking, but the colours at the centre of these look really lovely so you will have to get over the fact that from the outside it looks like you're applying a green or blue lipstick!

These cost £18 each. They're limited edition so if you want one you'll have to snap them up quickly!



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OPI The Top 10

I'm lusting after this OPI set  - there isn't one colour I wouldn't wear in this collection.

The set consists of some of OPI's best-selling shades, and it takes care of every colour spectrum from natural, nudes, reds, pinks and darks.

The polishes in this set are all mini versions and the set costs £28.50. You can pick this up now and it's actually on offer at Debenhams with 10% off if you're quick!

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Guerlain Terracotta 4 Seasons Bronzing Powder

The concept behind this product from Guerlain is interesting - the idea is that you pick a colour palette based on your hair colour, and the 4 shades within your palette will automatically suit your skin tone, all year round.

All girls know that your skin changes colour so much throughout the course of a year - whether it's getting lighter or darker. Any one who uses a bronzer regularly will know that it's a struggle to find the right colours to match your skin during different times of the year that don't make you look 'caked' in brown powder that sits unnaturally on your face.

Guerlain have designed their 4 Seasons Bronzing Powders to offer the perfect mix of bronzing and highlighting in a matte, natural looking palette. You can use the pink or dark shades as a blush, and the neutral shades for the rest of your face. 

It's quite expensive at £46.50 RRP, but looking at the colours they've included in each palette, it seems like an all-in-one product for bronzer, blusher, highlighter and sculpting. And if you can use it all year round, it would save buying different shades for different times of year to match your changing skin.

The palettes are available in ebony, brunettes, blondes, sheer brunettes, sheer blondes and ivory so there is something for everyone.

xo

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm

I'm a lipbalm addict and am always on the look out for the next best thing in the lipbalm market.

Burt's Bees is the balm of choice for many ladies - the balms all use natural ingredients and are great for really nourishing your lips. 

We are often forced to sacrifice wearing colour on our lips when they're dry - no one likes a dry lip smothered in lipstick. But now there are a few brands creating balms with colour that mean we no longer have to pick one over the other.

Burt's Bees is a cheap and cheerful offering and their tinted balm is actually quite good.

There are 4 colours available, and they all give a subtle wash of colour whilst keeping your lips moisturised. These have a really sweet taste too which is a bonus. I've tried this recently and would definitely recommend it if you're looking for an everyday, good quality lipbalm with a slight touch of colour.

You can pick these up now for around £5 in a range of stores.

xo

Essie Resort 2013

This collection is only available in the US at the moment but is expected to be released in the UK in the run up to Summer this year.

Essie Resort 2013 collection. From left: Come Here!, First Timer, In The Cab-ana, Under Where?

Essie are always on the ball when it comes to nail colours. All 4 of these polishes are bold, pretty Summer shades. With the Summer collection from Dior already available, we'll soon be spoilt for choice.

I think bright nails are a great way to perk up a Summer outfit and add a fun flash of colour.

My favourite is Come Here, although I am also liking the look of Under Where - a very girly, orchid shade.




Liz
xo

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Collector Edition

So many people buy Touche Eclat religiously. It's undoubtedly one of the best and most popular concealer/highlighter products around.

YSL have just released a collector edition version of the cult product.

Inspired the crystal beaded 'Edition Soir' gown, design by Yves Saint Laurent himself in the 1960s, this version of Touche Eclat is engraved and embossed to create a reflective, sparkling gold casing.

If you're a fan of Touche Eclat already, it's definitely worth picking one of these up. They will look so pretty in any make up bag!

I'm impressed that YSL haven't tried to make loads of money by releasing a limited edition version of this - it's actually being sold for the same price as the original. This is available now for £25.


Liz
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Dior Nail Glow Polish Review

I posted about this new product from Dior last week and over the weekend I managed to try it out.

To  give this a proper test, I applied normal clear top coat to one nail, Dior Nail Glow Polish to another and left the rest bare so I could compare them.

I applied two coats of this polish, and at first I did think the nail I had applied it to looked slightly better than the rest. Because it has a very tiny touch of pink to it, it slightly changes the colour of the nail once applied. It's completely transparent and very shiny, and the light touch of colour just makes your nail look a little bit different - it's hard to describe unless you have seen it in person, but the overall effect is really quite minimal. 

The difference between the nail with this on, and the one with a normal top coat on, was barely noticeable.

This polish claims to whiten the tips of your nails too - I left it on for a couple of days but there was no difference to the whiteness of my nail compared with my other nails.

After just one day of wear this polish started to chip and peel all over the nail. Having read a few reviews of this online, it seems like a common problem. It wasn't just at the end of the nail either, it was peeling off in little bits all over the nail. Because the polish is transparent, it's hard to notice this but looking up close, at least half had chipped off in the course of 1-2 days.

When I first heard about this product, I was intrigued as it seemed to improve the natural appearance of your nails and claimed to give them a french manicure look. It sounded like something that would make your nails much easier to manage - just one coat of this and you're done! 

But in reality, it peeled off so quickly that you'd be constantly repainting it, and the difference between this and any old top coat was so minimal that I doubt anyone else would notice your nails looked any different.

I was disappointed with this - especially as I am a big fan of Dior products. I'll be ditching this and trying out their new colour collections instead!


Liz
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Dior Vernis Sparkling Shine

Fans of Dior polishes (or just polishes in general!) will love the newest offering from Dior - Vernis Sparkling Shine.

These have been released alongside the most recent Dior Addict Gloss and both are supposed to compliment each other when worn together.

These are so different to the Dior Cruise Collection polishes I blogged about recently but both collections are perfect for Summer. 

These are really gorgeous - you need to see them in person to appreciate how pretty they are. They're ultra shiny and have a really fine shimmer in them that reflects the light and really draws attention to your nails.

The colours themselves are quite bright and very pigmented - one coat gives enough colour, two just tops it off nicely.

My favourite of the above is Delice which is a coral colour - the shimmer just goes so well with this colour and it's a really warm, Summer shade.

These are available now for £18 each and I would highly recommend you take a look at them in store - once you've seen them in person you will want to purchase the whole collection!


Liz
xo

Topshop Cheek Duo Review

I was browsing the Topshop make up counter over the weekend and picked up this little beauty. I'm a huge fan of Benefits Perfect 10 bronzer and this is the closest match I've found so far. 

The colour is called 'Break of Day' and it's half bronzer half blusher with an easy to wear light bronze on one side and a subtle but pretty pink on the other. Both sides have a very slight shimmer, nothing too obvious, and blend really well together. 

The best thing about this (and Perfect 10 is good for this too) is that you can either use just bronzer, just blusher or blend the two to whatever shade you like - some days you can apply more of the bronzer and on others more of the blush depending on your mood. 


This is really easy to apply - I just swirl a bronzer brush across the whole palette and apply across the top of my cheekbones, dusting any excess across my forehead, nose and chin. As long as you don't pick up too much product there's no need to blend. 


The only criticism I have of this product is that it would be nice to have a mirror inside - it looks just like a compact and it's the kind of thing you can keep in your handbag so a mirror would be helpful. Other than that I'm in love with this, and it only costs £12.50 which is an absolute steal! 


Liz
xo

By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge

These brand new lipsticks from By Terry are the next generation in lip products. They contain a hyaluronic acid concentrate to smooth, renew and regenerate your lips.

The lipsticks themselves are primarily sheer but you still get a ready good veil of colour. They have a really glossy texture which gives lips a volumised, plumped appearance. 

I'm loving the colour range available for these, too. The one shown above is Nudissimo - it looks like a perfect nude lipstick.

There are a range of really flattering shades with something to suit everyones personal taste and skintones.

These are great lipsticks because they are something you can wear everyday and they actually improve the texture and condition of your lips whilst wearing them - something not many lip products can genuinely offer.

The lipsticks are available now for £25 each. Space NK  have these in stock and are currently doing free delivery on them until Sunday so if you are thinking of getting one, get there quick!


Liz
xo

Dior Claridges 48 Palette

Continuing the unintentional Dior theme today...

Alongside the My Lady palette which I posted about earlier this week, Dior launched an eyeshadow and gloss palette inspired by Claridges in London. The hotel was the location for the launch of the very first Miss Dior fragrance back in 1948 – it couldn’t get more glamorous than one of the most famous hotels in the world pairing up with a worldwide fashion powerhouse.

If you’ve ever been to Claridges you’ll know that it has a real art deco theme to it – think checkered and printed floor tiles, timeless chic furnishings, chandeliers, marble and ornate banisters. This palette draws on those themes to create a houndstooth printed eyeshadow in pastel pink and grey – both really flattering colours with a hint of shimmer to brighten the eyes.

You can’t see it in this picture, but the gloss is a fresh, pink, subtle tone – also really wearable.
Inside the palette, there’s a mirror for on-the-go touch ups, as well as two applicators.

It’s an expensive item at £52 and is available now exclusively at Harrods.


Liz
xo

Dior Nail Glow Nail Polish

I'm really intrigued by this nail polish by Dior. The principle behind it is that it's meant to look like you might not be wearing nail polish but just naturally have shiny, healthy, glowing nails. 

Dior even go so far as to say it brightens the nail tips so it looks like a natural french polish. As someone who gets impatient with chipped nails and definitely has no patience to do a french manicure on myself - this sounds like a dream come true.

I haven't tried this yet but I'm tempted to pick it up soon - have any of you tried this?

Doing some research online, it looks like it gives your nails a transparent light pink glow which looks really pretty and gives your nails a naturally healthy look. 

I'm a huge fan of nail polish but sometimes a natural nail just says 'chic'. A natural nail with whiter tips and a glowy base? Even better!


This costs £18 and is available to buy now.


Liz
xo

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill

These new eyeshadows by Giorgio Armani look amazing! Armani have really stepped up their game in the last few months with their make-up offerings and these eyeshadows add to an already great collection of products.

The Eyes To Kill Intense range is described as a 'breakthrough, super shine, high voltage color film that glides on and vibrates around the clock.' I'm not sure what they mean by 'vibrate' exactly but nonetheless...they do look pretty great.

The shadows are all intensely pigmented and shot with shimmery specks in various colours, depending on which shade you choose. There are loads of colours to choose from and it was really hard to narrow it down but a few of my favourites...

The way they are layered and the shine on these reminds me of foil, which I think is a good thing in this case!

These are £28 each and available from Selfridges now. Quite pricey for an eyeshadow but you're getting something really different to your average shadow.


Liz
xo

Dior Vernis Cruise Polishes

Dior recently added a trio of polishes to the Vernis Cruise collection which all look perfect for Summer...

Dior Vernis Cruise Nail polishes in (from left) Pasteque, Lime and Mango

My personal favourite is the pink shade, which is called 'Pasteque' (French for 'watermelon'), which is a really high shine, vibrant shade. 

Lime and Mango are really bold colours too and will look amazing worn on the beach when Summer eventually arrives.

These aren't available in the UK yet and there doesn't seem to be a launch date, but when I hear of one I will post it here.


Liz
xo

Stila All You Need Is Love Blusher

I'm really liking the look of some of the new Stila products and in particular this very cute blush.

Sometimes a little pink on the cheeks is a great way to perk up your complexion and this blush, with a selection of 4 shades, gives you the option to choose just one colour or sweep all 4 on to your blusher brush.

The design is really cute and would look lovely in any girls make up bag. The embossed 'love' design gives it a shimmery gold accent which warms up the cheeks and adds a little highlight.

The colours in this palette go really well together and I think for just £12 this is a really good value product.

You can pick this up from Stila online or from Selfridges now.



Liz
xo

Lancome Absolue Oleo Serum

This new serum by Lancome is backed by 20 years of skin stem cell research and contains a number of powerful ingredients which are undoubtedly beneficial for the skin.

The main 'push' behind this serum is that it uses the 'new benefits' of oils - including lemon, camellia and babassu oils - to regenerate and strengthen the upper layers of the skin, with fatty acids which improve the skins barrier function. Combined, these ingredients promise plumped, radiant skin.

One of the main things I like about this product is that it contains a lot of natural ingredients, such as Pro-XylaneTM, which is derived from a natural sugar occurring in beech, birch and bark fibres.

The other appealing factor about this serum is that Lancome have given is a scent - something not many serums are concerned with. It may not provide any particular skin benefits, and it may also be a bit shallow, but I definitely enjoy using scented products better than unscented products (as long as it is a nice scent!). 

The description of the fragrance used in this serum sounds like a perfume ad - it has 'top notes of cardamom, mandarin and bergamot, with a rose heart, on a base of cedar, musk and iris'.

It doesn't come cheap at £150 for 30ml! That makes the price per 100ml £500 which I think is crazy!

It has some undeniably great ingredients and used on the right person would make a visible difference to the skin - if you're under 35, I wouldn't part with your pennies for this one but for the older lady whose skin needs some added elasticity and a daily, powerful dose of serum it may be worth a try. I'm not sure I could ever justify £150 for 30ml but if you can afford it, it is worth a try with a list of ingredients like this.


Will any of you be purchasing this? Or have you tried it already? Leave a comment below!


Liz
xo

Dior My Lady Palette

This is a brand new palette from Dior, which is available exclusively at Harrods.

The palette is inspired by Princess Diana - the design of the palette is based on a Dior handbag that the lady herself used to carry.

This is an illuminating powder with lots of pink and gold tones.

Dior 'My Lady' Palette

'

It has a definite shimmer to it when you look up close so I wouldn't recommend dusting this over your whole face but it really brightens up the skin in the right places - think cheekbones, temples, bridge of your nose...

This powder is meant to give you a natural, healthy glow and I think with the gold and pink tones it will definitely freshen up a complexion and give it that 'glowy' appeal that we all want our skin to have. This will be a great product to perk up the skin on those days when it just looks a bit flat or dull and will undoubtedly look really pretty in Summer when the sun hits your face.

The palette is exclusive to Harrods and is available now for £48.


Liz
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Ciate Creme Polishes

Ciate have just launched a handful of colours for Spring/Summer as part of their 'Fairground' collection, including these pastel beauties.

Candy Floss and Loop the Loop

If you're a fan of pastel nails, these will definitely hit the spot. They're really creamy and full of colour. If you aren't into pastel nails, give it a try when Spring (eventually) arrives and you may surprise yourself. Cute, fun candy nails are a great way to perk up a look.

Ferris Wheel and Hoopla

If you really can't get into the pastel thing, Ciate have also launched a range of glittery polishes alongside these which all look really pretty.

These are available now and are only £9 each. You can pick them up from Ciate online.


Will you be wearing pastel nails this Spring/Summer? What's your favourite nail trend for the season?


Liz
xo

Stila Lip Glaze Trios

Stila have just launches these glosses for Spring/Summer and the colours are looking really pretty.

Stila Lip Glaze Trios in Flower Power (left) and Awesome Blossom

Each set contains 3 glosses. The Flower Power trio contains Pink Blossom, Pink Orchard and Lilac, and the Awesome Blossom trio contains Dahlia, Cherry Blossom and Rose Bud.

If you prefer neutral, light every day shades, I would go for the Awesome Blossom set. My personal favourite is the Flower Power trio, which has slightly stronger colours - I tend to think in Summer you can get away with a bolder gloss during the day.

These have just launched and are available from Stila or Selfridges for £12 per set - a bargain!



Liz
xo

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks

I'm really excited about these new shadow sticks from Bobbi Brown. I love beauty products which are high impact but with little effort and Bobbi Brown is a great brand for easy, chic make-up.

Once applied, these last for up to 8 hours and don't crease or fade.

There are a selection of gorgeous colours to choose from. The range seems to lean towards the smokey eye look with lots of dark and metallic colours, plus a few lighter ones which will be great for highlighting and adding a touch of shimmer.

The Bobbi Brown website suggest that you layer a few of the colours for the best effect, and I think there are lots of shades in this collection that will go really well together. I've definitely got my eye on all 3 of the above shades.

Will any of you be trying this one out?

They're available now and cost £20 each.

Liz
xo

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask Review

I've been using this mask from REN for about 2 years now and it is one of my favourite skincare products.

I originally bought it because I felt my skin was looking a bit dull and no matter how much I exfoliated or moisturised it just always looked sort of lifeless.

I was really impressed when I first tried this product and have remained a big fan of it ever since.

The mask comes in a pump action bottle which is really handy for getting the right amount of product out for your whole face. The mask itself is quite thick in consistency - I've heard it described as being like jam before and I think that's a pretty accurate description. It's quite sticky and thick but smooths on really easily.

The mask contains natural fruit acids which brighten the skin and a papaya extract which exfoliates it. It removes dead skin cells, de-congests the skin and leaves it generally looking bright and glowy.

You apply the mask for 10 minutes before washing it off - I often leave it on for longer but don't do this if you have sensitive skin. You might notice a slight tingling when the mask is on, which I think is the fruit acid doing it's work. If you have sensitive skin I would keep an eye on your face and definitely not leave it on for longer than 10 minutes or you might get some redness.

REN is one of my favourite brands for skincare. They use a lot of natural ingredients which I feel is a big plus, and the main thing is the products actually work and they do what they say they'll do. This is not very often the case in the beauty world so for one brand to get this right 99% of the time, it's quite an achievement.

This mask costs £30, but because it's so thick you don't have to apply very much and one bottle will last you months and months.

You can pick this up online from REN or Space NK.


Liz
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Chanel Le Vernis 'Elixir'

If you're searching for the perfect pretty pink nail shade, then look no further.

At the Chanel show during Paris Fashion Week, the models were seen wearing the newest shade to the Chanel collection - Elixir.

Elixir is a beautiful pinkish red polish, the epitomy of the ladylike, pretty beauty trends we've been seeing on the catwalk over the last few weeks.

The Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes are priced at £18 in most stores and online.

 Elixir will be launched late-Summer as part of the Fall 2013 collection.


Liz
xo

Topshop Lip Crayons

The Topshop make up collection has some surprisingly good pieces for a high street fashion store. A lot of clothes shops try to do make up and it doesn't work well at all but the Topshop collection has always seemed very well planned and a better quality than most.

The lip crayons are one item I particularly like. They have some really pretty colours and the consistency is kind of balmy. Different colours have either matte or shiny finishes - all with a big colour pay off. If you try a matte one, apply either a lip primer or a little balm first to prevent the product looking too powdery.

At only £7 each they're a real bargain and at this price you can can get a few different colours to try. My favourites at the moment are Powder Room (a medium to light matte pink) and On the Cards (bright shiny Barbie pink).

Pastel Coloured Hair - Eek or chic?

This is a trend that has been growing for a while now but seems to be gathering momentum. Last week, models backstage at Givenchy were seen flaunting the trend...

Backstage at Givenchy A/W 2013 Paris Fashion Week Show

I think it's safe to say this is a trend that only blonde haired ladies can try out. This wouldn't show at all on brown hair.

Off the back of this growing trend, L'Oreal designed a range of pastel hair dyes - available in pink, lilac or peach, for those who want to give the trend a go themselves.

I've heard on the grapevine that brighter, 'rainbow' hair colours are going to be popping up this Summer. A trend for the brave!

Would you try any of these crazy colour trends? Have any of you tried them already? Do you love it or hate it?



Liz
xo

Sepai Tune It Range

I'm really not sure what to make of this range...

Sepai have recently launched a collection called 'TUNE IT', which is a range 'extracts' packaged in a faux syringe which you add to your serum or moisturiser to achieve certain effects.

The products come with titles which tell you what they're designed to achieve, for example 'volumising facial', 'tan prolong', 'slimming body'...There is even one called 'Boobster' (yes, really) which claims to firm and improve the appearance of your bust. Others say they can either volumise or firm your face and body, or remove and help prevent cellulite.

If the syringe packaging alone isn't enough to put you off (I am needle phobic but also think this just looks unattractive) maybe the price of £48 per syringe, containing just 12ml of product, will send you running...

Sepai TUNE IT

I haven't tried these products myself so I can't say whether they work or not but I am always instantly sceptical when a product claims it can help you slim down, or that it can transform your bust.

If you want to try them out for yourself, they are available online from Selfridges.


Liz
xo

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

Two great reasons to buy this product...

1) It's a really pretty double-duty product that can be used on your lips and cheeks

2) 100% of the purchase price for each pot (£18) goes to charity. This year's charity is Dress for Success London, a charity that women on low incomes get back into work.

Pretty and charitable? What other excuse do you need to buy?!

Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful Pot Rouge

You can get this now for £18 from Selfridges or Bobbi Brown.


Liz
xo

Kerastase Initialiste Review

I've been using Kerastase Initiailiste for nearly 1 month now so thought it was a good time to do my first proper review of the product.

If you don't know what Kerastase Initialiste is, it's a serum designed for your hair and scalp which claims to make your hair look and feel shinier, stronger, and more resistant to breakage. The product promises up to 93% less breakage in your hair and the formula is the first of its kind, using plant cells to 'rebuild' your hair structure and give you more resilient locks.

Overall, I have been impressed by this product. The claims made about the product, and the £40 price tag, gave me very high hopes. I wouldn't say that my hair has been totally transformed, but it has definitely improved my hair so far and I can feel a difference in  my hair if I forget to use it which I think is a good sign.

The serum itself is quite runny and watery. It comes with a dropper which I think is a really handy way of getting the product out of the bottle without using too much. I dispense 3-4 droppers into my hand then distribute it from the scalp to the ends, working it in as I go and massaging it in at the scalp. This product should be applied to thoroughly towel-dried hair for the best impact, but I have to admit that sometimes it has gone on to wetter hair, simply because I haven't had time to keep towel drying it! Kerastase have a video to show how you *should* apply it, if you have time to do it this way...

Once on the hair, you can't feel the product at all, it just sinks in and dries with your hair. This is a positive point because I don't like products which improve the condition of your hair but leave an oily or greasy residue - after all, what's the point if improving your hair means it has to look greasy on a daily basis...

On to the most important part of the review: what has it actually done to my hair?

Since using the serum, my hair has definitely started to feel stronger. I had a trim about 2 weeks into using this, so I can't say whether it improved my split ends or if they just improved because I cut them off! However, I would usually start to notice split ends around now and so far I've only spotted the odd one or two (I use heated tools every day so that's pretty good going!)

One really obvious benefit of the product is how shiny it makes my hair. After I've applied the serum, my hair looks really shiny and 'swishy' without feeling too fly-away or fluffy. It just looks a lot healthier and better kept.

My hair feels softer than it did 4 weeks ago, and is easier to style because of this. I find because the condition of my hair is better, my styles hold for longer. I don't know if my hair has actually got thicker (it was quite thick already!) but it looks like it has got slightly thicker and because the condition has improved, the overall appearance of my hair is better.

 Pros:
- Hair feels softer
- Hair look shinier
- Less split ends
- Hair is easier to style
- Hair feels ( a little) thicker
- Easy to dispense the product with the dropper

Cons:
- Takes a while to thoroughly towel-dry hair so overall styling time is longer
- Expensive
- If you have long hair, you use a fair bit of product each time
- Thickness has only improved marginally

I hope my review is helpful to anyone looking to purchase this product. If you have any questions about the serum you want answered, leave me a comment and I will try my best to answer!

If any of you have used this serum, I would love to know your thoughts too.

Liz
xo