Pretty Head – UK Make Up Reviews

I bought this foundation for £6.50 from Superdrug a few months ago because I had never tried a mousse foundation before and it was recommended by a friend. I was also attracted to the fact that it apparently stays on your face for 16 hours without needing a touch up, which is perfect for a girl on the go! The foundation comes in a glass pot, with a black screw top plastic lid, not the usual container you would expect foundation to come in. There is some information on the sticker on the top of the lid and then on the white sticker on the bottom, however this just tells you the quantity, shade, contact info and barcode, so if you need instructions or information on the ingredients you are going to have to try the internet!

The first thing that I noticed was how little you seemed to get in the pot, 18ml compared to the 30ml that you get in most non mousse foundations. The foundation had a slight smell, which was definitely not bad and it went on well using just my fingers. I picked the shade (natural beige) that was as close to my skin tone as possible, however I did think that in some lights I looked slightly orange. I thought I had applied the foundation evenly, however in some places it sort of looked like it was caked on. One thing I did notice was just how cool the foundation felt when I applied it to my skin; this is obviously where the “cool” on the label comes from. This would be really nice on a hot summer’s day; however seen as we never really get much sun in the UK it seems a bit pointless. It also didn’t cover up my dark circles very well, so if like me you have dark rings or other skin blemishes, you would have to use a concealer as well.

To test this foundations staying power I tried it both with and without a setting powder, with there being no instructions on the pot it isn’t clear whether you should be increasing its staying power with a setting powder.  With no setting powder there was still foundation on my face 16 hours after the application, however it did come off on my top and it looked like it had worn off by the end of the day. With setting powder by the end of the day I still looked like I was wearing foundation and a lot more came off when I removed it.

Overall the look this foundation gave me wasn’t very nice, even though I applied it properly, well as properly as I could without instructions, I looked a bit caked in places and slightly orange. At the end of 16 hours there was still some foundation on my face , however not as much as I originally put on and without setting powder it did look like it had worn off a lot. This product also.  only lasted for about a month and considering that for pretty much the same amount money I could get almost double the amount of foundation from another well known and trusted brand, it seems a bit of a rip off. I would not recommend this foundation for anyone who wants a natural make up look, anyone looking for bridal make up, anyone on a budget or anyone with allergies or sensitive skin as you are not told what the ingredients are.

Pros: A cooling sensation that would be good in the summer and some foundation remains after 16 hours.

Cons: Runs out quickly, can make you look orange, can also make you look a bit caked and is not good value for money

I started using this concealer years ago as it is what my mum uses and I used to steal hers. After spending a few years dabbling with other brands of concealer I ended up coming back to this one. It has always been about £3.99 from Boots, earning you 12 advantage card points which always come in useful! Rimmel concealer comes in four shades, ivory, soft honey, natural beige and sand, none of which would be suitable for darker skin tones.

The cover up stick comes in a plastic case just like lip balms and the actual concealer looks just like a brand new lipstick. The concealer doesn’t come stuck to any plastic or cardboard so on an environmental front Rimmel has done quite well! To use you simply pull off the cap and twist the base, just like any lip balm or lip stick, which is probably the reason why there are not instructions needed.

I have quite bad dark circles under my eyes and get the odd spot, so I rely on concealer and it is a must in my make up bag. It seems that even within the same brand the colour that best matches my skin tone differs depending on the product, for example I have to get Rimmel’s foundation in natural beige and this concealer suits me best in sand, with beige being too orange. Due to this I would recommend that people always try the testers before purchasing, as you can never be exactly sure as to what shade you are.

I apply the concealer under my eyes, to the sides of my nose and on to any other spots or blemishes that appear with a concealer brush after putting on my foundation. . Rimmel claims that this ‘creamy concealer stick that blends to camouflage any skin imperfections’ and can give your ‘complexion a smooth even appearance’. After setting it with powder it would seem that I have a nearly flawless look, with any blemishes only visible up close. One thing I really like with this concealer is that it is quite rich and moisturising, definitely living up to Rimmel’s claims of being creamy, which is really useful as my skin can be prone to dryness and when a non moisturising concealer is added to dry skin it looks horrible and flaky.

The concealer lasts ages as well, you can get a good 4 months out of one stick, so this is very good value for money. If you don’t fancy paying £3.99 for a product you have never tried before, try buying one cheaper on ebay  – links to which can be found further down the home page.

I would recommend this concealer for anyone wanting a natural make up look or for bridal makeup and every woman wants to look flawless on their big day!

Pros: Lives up to Rimmel’s claims of being creamy and giving a smooth and even appearance, lasts for ages and is good value for money.

Cons: By the end of the day it has started to wear off, but you would expect this from most products!

This leave-in conditioner comes in a light weight, 150ml spray bottle and is from the boots own range. When I bought it a few days ago, it was £1.26 per bottle with a buy one get one half price offer. The bottle is plastic and recyclable as is the cap. The image is quite basic yet enticing, with lots of pure white and a picture of an open coconut and an almond on. It states that it is suitable for normal to dry hair, which means that it is suitable for most people as those with greasy hair would not be looking for an extra conditioner.  The conditioner itself is watery and white, probably designed to resemble coconut milk. Boots state that “with extracts of coconut and almond this leave in conditioner is specially formulated to moisturise and smooth, leaving hair soft and tangle free”.

The first thing I noticed when using this product was the gorgeous smell; it smells strongly of coconut, not too artificial and this smell remains on the hair for a good day after use or until the next wash! The sprayer ensures that the hair is lightly and evenly coated in the conditioner and leaves no mess. My hair is prone to dryness and this conditioner does have some moisturising effect on it, however I still need to use a wash off conditioner when I wash my hair as the leave in conditioner itself is not enough to combat my dry hair. I have long hair which I spray with the conditioner every other day and it has lasted a good few months, which for £1.26 seems great value for money.

I would recommend this conditioner for anyone who wants their hair to smell great and have an extra level of conditioning. This conditioner would be great for wedding hair as everyone who hugs you on your special day will be able to smell the lovely coconut fragrance. Even people with greasy hair would be able to reap the benefits of this spray as long as it was only used on the ends of the hair.

Pros – Smells amazing, is cheap and lasts a long time, can be used by all hair types, you get boots points, has some conditioning effect on the hair, the bottle and cap can be recycled.

Cons- For people with dry hair it could not be used as the only form of conditioner, did not detangle the hair as stated on the bottle and the spray pump cannot be recycled.

As I have mentioned in probably all of my other reviews about hair care products, I have very dry and brittle hair and so I am always on the lookout for products that will help put a bit of moisture and life back in it. My friend Carly had just become an Avon lady so I was having a look through the book and this caught my eye. Avon claims that this “penetrating conditioner works deep into the hair cuticle to soften, condition and strengthen. Dramatically improves moisture in damaged hair and leaves hair with incredible shine” and so for £4.25 for 150ml I decided to give it a go. Avon recommends that you apply this mask to wet hair after shampooing and leave for 10 minutes, using as often as required.  As you can see the hair mask comes in a white plastic pot with a blue screw on lid and the mask itself is white and thick. The first thing I noticed was the nice, strong smell, which remains on your hair for a few days after, even after washing it. So after shampooing, I applied the conditioning mask all over my hair and left it for 10 minutes as directed. Once it had been rinsed off my hair felt really nice a soft and well moisturised. Once dried my hair seemed softer than usual, however it didn’t have the “incredible shine” that Avon said it would.

I have reasonably long hair and so I didn’t expect the hair mask to last for very long, however I use this once every other week and it took about 3 months for me to run out, so I would say it is pretty good value for money. I would recommend this product for anyone with dry and damaged hair as it really does make it feel nice and look a bit healthier and well moisturised. However I do wonder if you left any conditioner on for 10 minutes whether it would have the same effect, something I might test in the future.

Pros: Moisturises hair well, leaves hair feeling softer and lasts a long time even if you have long hair.

Cons: Does not live up to its claims of giving your hair an “incredible shine”.

As you may know from reading some of my other hair product reviews, I have really long, annoying hair. If left to dry naturally I get random curly hairs, crazy frizzy bits that look like I have had my fingers in a plug socket and then bits that are relatively straight. The only thing that can be done with my hair is either putting it all up into a bun so no one has to see the total mess that it is in, or subjecting it to over 200 degrees of heat from my straighteners, which I use to both straighten and curl my hair. Just like with any other part of your body, you wouldn’t want to put 200 degrees of heat on it without some form of protection and so for about 2 years now I have been using TRESemme’s Heat Defence Spray, that I get for £3.99 from Superdrug, to protect my hair whilst styling it. The heat defence styling spray comes in a black, plastic, 300ml bottle with a trigger spray, pretty much exactly the same design as those spray bottles used for cleaning products (see pic below). According to TRESemme, “this product guards against heat and friction to keep your hair shiny and incredibly soft”. The instructions tell you to spray the heat defence spray liberally over both damp hair before blow drying and on dry hair before straightening to insure hair is protected from the damaging effects of heat. I use this mostly on dry hair before straightening and it has left quite a lot of dirty looking marks on my hair straighteners, which are hard to remove. However since I have been using the spray I have noticed that my hair is no longer as dry and damaged anymore and my hair dresser believes that this is one of the best on the market. To be honest it is a bit hard to tell whether it totally works as it is for defence rather than an instant result, but my hair doesn’t appear to be that shiny or incredibly soft, even after 2 years of use, like TRESemme promised on the bottle!

I would recommend this product for anyone who uses hair straighteners, blow driers and curling tongs, even just now and then. As I said before you wouldn’t let 200 degree heat near any other part of your body without some sort of protection, so don’t subject your hair to that! Also on an economic level, you get a lot of spray for your money, especially when compared to other brands such as Dove, so I would recommend this for anyone on a budget and with long hair that will require a lot of the spray with each application. On that note it takes a good few months to get through all the spray, one of the reasons it is popular with hairdressers!

Pros: Seems to protect the hair, very good value for money, lasts a long time, smells nice.

Cons: Doesn’t give you shiny and very soft hair as promised, hard to know if it really protects the hair.

I first heard about this beauty serum on the BBC 2 Horizon documentary that claimed to have scientific evidence that this product could reverse the signs of aging and sun damage. The next day it was all over the news as Boots stores were selling out of the serum in crazy amounts, so obviously I had to try it! 30ml of this product retails at £18.50 and 200ml of it retails at a huge £96, so I opted to buy a trial size of 5ml from ebay for £3 and I would recommend that you do the same. The packaging, for all sizes, is pretty simple, with the 5ml and 30ml coming in pearl coloured plastic tubes and the 200ml coming in an opaque glass container with a pump dispenser. The leaflet that comes with the larger quantities of the serum states that “concentrated levels of collagen-boosting ingredients to smooth out lines and firm the surface of the skin” along with “skin-protecting antioxidants to help prevent damage from sun exposure, air conditioning and pollution”. It is recommended that you use the serum twice a day on all areas of your face, however as I only bought a 5ml tube and only have a few fine lines around my eyes and on my forehead I concentrated on just these areas. When first out of the tube the serum appears to be quite watery, however when it is applied to the skin in goes on well and sinks in and dries within seconds. The actual serum is a white colour and is fragrance free, meaning that it is good for people with sensitive skin. After a month of using this product twice a day on the skin under my eyes and on my forehead I think that there is a slight difference in the fine lines, which is far more than any other moisturiser I have tried has achieved! It also left my skin feeling very soft and nourished and there were no nasty dry patches. So I have bought my second bottle, a 30ml this time, and I hope that it will eventually get rid of my fine lines all together; this may be wishful thinking though! Apparently one bottle of this product is sold every 10 seconds in the UK and so far I haven’t read many bad reviews about it so it must be a pretty decent anti aging product!

I would recommend this product for anyone wanting to get rid of their fine lines and wrinkles. I don’t have ‘proper’ wrinkles at the moment and so I can’t really say what effect this serum will have on them, however if you buy a 5ml tube from ebay for a few pounds you haven’t really lost much if it doesn’t work.

Pros: Supported by scientific evidence and it seems to have a slight effect on fine lines. It also lasts for quite a while when only used on specific areas instead of the whole face and is very moisturising.

Cons: Expensive, it’s hard to prove whether or not it lives up to its claim to help prevent damage from sun exposure and pollution.

I have naturally very wavy long hair, with random bits that go into ringlet curls, bits that stay straight and then bits that are frizzy, in short it’s a bit of a wavy mess that either needs straightening or curling properly with tongs. So when I saw this product advertised I thought great, now I can make my hair look better and curly without having to torture it with tongs. I bought my bottle from Asda for £4.99 a few months ago, however it is now £3.99 in places like Boots and on the internet it’s even less (see links below).  The curl perfecter comes in a 200ml pump action spray plastic bottle. It may have just been a fault with the one that I had bought but it was quite hard to spray, with it coming out in dribbles until a lot of pressure was applied.  The label on the back says “breakthrough curl perfecter transforms wilted waves and curls…just spray and ‘scrunch’ for the curls of your dreams…sexy, highly defined swirls and curls that are soft and silky, never crispy.” The directions suggest that you spray small sections of the hair at a time with the product and then scrunch and leave to dry naturally or blow dry using a diffuser. I followed these instructions, experimenting a few times with a diffuser and leaving it to dry naturally and each time I got really rubbish results. My hair looked the same as before, maybe slightly less frizzy but there were definitely no bouncy curls or ringlets. It also felt sticky, which I really hate, so it did not live up to the ‘soft and silky’ claim for me, however it didn’t feel crispy, so that was quite nice. If it had of given me bouncy curls I would have been interested in seeing how long they lasted for without adding hairspray. So this product was a total failure for me, however I have read quite a few glowing reports about this product elsewhere on the internet, more good than bad to be honest, so the jury is still out for me. If you wanted to try this product I would recommend that you bought your first bottle of it cheaply on ebay or amazon (please see links below), as if it doesn’t work for you, like it didn’t for me then you haven’t wasted too much money.

I would not recommend this product for people with long, thick hair or those wanting long curls. It would also not be suitable for people who have dead straight hair.

Pros: Doesn’t leave your hair feeling crispy, works for some people, left my hair less frizzy than before.

Cons: After following the instructions to the letter several times I could not achieve the desired and advertised results. It also left my hair and hands feeling very sticky when I applied it.