Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil Review -Sponsored

This post was sponsored by Garnier and SheKnows.
For more information on sponsored posts please click here.

After how well my last experiences with Garnier products went, I jumped at the chance to try something else from the range! When they offered to send me a bottle of Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil I was very interested as I am a big fan of hair oils.

With all of the bleaching and damage that I do to my hair, drying it out is a big concern for me so any product which can keep it healthy is very important.

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review56

So what is the idea behind the product?

Well you can’t walk into a beauty aisle anymore without being bombarded with advertisements for different oils, the biggest selling point of which seems to be the use of Argan Oil. The benefits of this oil are apparently smoothing down frizz, adding shine, moisturising dryness and improving general texture. Unlike other oils, Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil is supposed to be “weightless” so it gives all of the benefits without making your hair look greasy or icky.

It’s funny that when I started using oils I was very sceptical of the idea… I mean normally we do things like washing hair to get rid of them, why on earth would I want to put it back in? Since I started using it though the overall condition of my hair has definitely improved.

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review59

 

At RRP $11.95 for a 150ml bottle the price is definitely lower than a lot of the other oils I’ve tried as well. I’m not sure whether the concentration of ingredients would be the same but the fact that “Argania Spinosa Oil/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil” is only third on the list is promising.

The directions on back of the bottle are straight forward and can either be used in your existing hair routine or as an added step. Generally with oils I’ll use them after washing my hair to smooth everything down and put some moisture back. I’ll also use it as a mask to give my hair added protection before bleaching my roots.  I’ve heard of people adding it to their regular conditioner for an extra boost with is an interesting idea I’d like to try as well.

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review58

 

So let’s see if Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil actually works!

Out of the yellow bottle the oil is clear so it should be suitable for use with any hair colour and types. It feels slippery but I found that it actually even absorbed into the skin on my hands… so there’s an extra use: emergency hand cream! 😉 The Miraculous Oil feels very light and smooth and left the skin on my hand feeling quite velvety.

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review55

This is my hair with nothing in it, I’d just washed and dried it and hadn’t done anything other than brushing. You can see my main problem is the frizz. Even before I started dying my hair it was always frizzy, it’s just how my hair naturally is. I’ve kept these photos quite dark so you can see the wave and strands of my hair.

Before:

 

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review49

 

It’s suggested to apply an AUS 5 cent coin sized piece for short/fine hair or an AUS 20 cent coin piece for long/thick hair. My hair is getting very long so I ended up using a little bit more than that. Less is definitely more in the case of oils so having the 150ml bottle means it’s going to last ages. If you’re unsure how much to use, start small. Put a tiny bit on your hands and rub it around so your skin feels smooth then run your fingers through your hair until it’s gone from your hands. Repeat until you can see a shiny but not so much that the strands clump together.

You can use on wet, dry or damp hair. My preference for using it is on dry hair but I also like to put a tiny bit through damp hair before I use my hairdryer.

I warmed the oil up in my palms and then gently brushed it through the length of my hair, avoiding the roots. The ends/middle are the areas which get dry the most whereas my roots tend to get oily on their own so I avoid putting oils on the roots unless it’s right before I’m going to bleach them.

After:

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review52

 

I’ll let you be the judge from the photos but I felt like my hair was shiner and less frizzy after application. The photo was taken right after application and I found that once the oil had settled for around 15 minutes my hair became very soft. I also thought that it straightened out quite a few of the kinks which was an interesting side effect.

One of the other suggestions for use was a tiny bit as a touch up during the day. I was a bit hesitant to do that as in the past some oils I’ve used have been like a magnet for lint and dirt which shows up very obviously on my light hair, I ended up giving it a try anyway out of curiosity and found that the Miraculous Oil didn’t do that at all, my hair looked and felt light and very shiny rather than picking up more dust.

Close ups of my hair with before on the left and after on the right. You can click to see the large versions in the gallery. To me, the left has more of that cotton-candy texture and the right looks more like hair is supposed to.

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review50Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review53

So would I use this again? Definitely. It does it’s job well, I used it mostly as a mask and intensive treatment and I couldn’t fault it on that. With such a low price I would definitely repurchase as it’s a very economical way to get an oil fix.

If you want to learn more about Garnier Fructis Miraculous Oil check out their Facebook Page or this page on their website which has a whole bunch of reviews from other people who have tried it. Feel free to leave your own review there as well!

Garnier-Miraculous-Oil-Review60

Competition time!

If you want the chance to win your own bottle of Miraculous Oil to try for yourself, head over to the SheKnows website here and enter the competition. There are 20 Miraculous Oil products to win, good luck everyone!

 

10 Lazy Day Hairstyle Tutorials With RY and GHD

This post was sponsored by RY.com.au.
For more information on sponsored posts please click here.

I was contacted a little while ago by RY.com.au to try out some of their products and considering my hair obsession we settled on a GHD to play with!

As you guys know by now, I’m trying to make my life a bit better one tiny thing at a time in hopes that all the tiny things will add up to big things and being happier in general. As silly as it sounds, when I look good I feel a lot happier and more motivated.

In my ideal life where I’m so rich that I never have to worry about money or anything other than which beautiful gown I’ll wear that day I think I would spend a large amount of time doing my hair every morning. Unfortunately in real life, time-to-do-my-hair tends to get over run by time-doing-the-washing. So the age old problem: how to look cute without having to spend hours doing it?

So I’m taking on bad hair days with the help of RY and GHD! I came up with 10 hairstyles that can be done in less than 5 minutes, perfect for busy and lazy days!

But before we get into the hairstyles, let’s do a quick review of the GHD 😀

Lottie was totally begging me to straighten out her crimps but I don’t trust her to use hot appliances without supervision.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9555

RY is one of Australia’s biggest beauty supply websites, they stock all of the major brands often at discounted prices. They also ship internationally and stock a lot of Australian skin care brands which are hard to find overseas so make sure to take a look! RY also has a price match guarantee for Australian websites and a points system as well.Here’s some information from their site:

Ry.com.au is what happened when two guys — yes guys – had one great idea: Make cosmetics, skin and hair care available for everyone to buy online. The result? Australia’s Number 1 online beauty store.

It all started on the Gold Coast in 2002 when we decided to expand our local salon business by selling one line of professional hair products online. Today we offer more than 30,000 hair, skin and cosmetic products from leading industry brands including Clarisonic, Redken and GHD and we’ve shipped over one million products to thousands of beauty addicts across Australia.

One thing that hasn’t changed is our passion for beauty innovation. Our hair and skincare experts continually research new products, appliances and trends to bring you the best beauty products in the country at the most affordable prices. Have you seen ry.com.au in the press?

Whether this is your first order or your 100th, we want to thank you for choosing ry.com.au for your makeup, skin and hair care needs. Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your shopping experience better.

The box from RY was shipped and arrived within 2 days which is so quick considering how long AusPost usually takes. They also have a pick up location in QLD which would be quite convenient. It came with some little samples and was packed securely with paper and a bag.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9553

The GHD I picked was the Pink Diamond V Gold Classic Styler 24mm.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9558

This model is partnered with the Breast Cancer Foundation so the price of $264.95 (on sale from $289) includes a $20 donation.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9560

 

From the RY website the features are:

  • Ceramic heaters
  • Sleep mode
  • Universal voltage
  • Round barrel
  • 2.7m swivel cord
  • Smooth black plates with a hint of sparkle for snag-free styling
  • Contoured plates for easier curls and waves
  • 2 year GHD Australia Warranty.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9563

Inside the box is the very bright and pretty pink GHD and also a huuuge flat brush.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9566

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial9567

I’ve tried just about every straightener known to man and I really do have a soft spot for GHDs. It sounds silly but a straightener’s main function is to heat  and a lot of the cheaper models just can’t get hot enough to work with my hair.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial1215

 

The 24mm is a really good size for creating curls too, it’s big enough that you don’t need to spend all morning doing them but it’s small enough to get tight curls and still be reasonable to travel with. I like the fact that these new models are really light too, compared to the older ones I’ve used this feels like holding nothing. When you have flimsy weak arms like me that’s a big plus haha!

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial1217

 

So back to the idea of quick hairstyles that you can do on busy mornings… I’ve got 10 tutorials just for that purpose! A lot of them are very basic styles but sometimes basic is all you need when it’s a choice between 10 more minutes of sleep or hair styling!

This is totally a continuation of my Inspiration For The Lazy series. Each of these took only a few minutes to do with the GHD so now I know I have no excuse not to do something with my hair every morning.

Let’s get into it!

Style #1: Straight.

This is a pretty obvious style but so long as you can get some volume in your fringe I think it’s still really effective. I get more fringe volume by brushing it to the opposite side to usual.

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial1

 

Style #2: Sleek

Another variation of that straight style is pulling pulling the fringe back and teasing a little. I them like to leave some side bits down and use a headband to hold it in place. Very preppy!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial2

 

Style #3: Fishtail

I love fishtail braids so much. They are so much cuter than regular plaits! I usually wear one over my shoulder but two is super cute too ^_^

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial3

 

Style #4: Mini Ponytail

This is one of my favorite lazy day styles because it has a lot of top volume but takes no more time than a regular ponytail!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial4

 

Style #5: Side swept

I love side swept hair lately, and now that I’ve mastered pinning it at the back of my head so I don’t have to keep flipping it around the right side every 10 minutes it’s even more convenient.

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial5

 

Style #6: Side pony

So did I mention I liked hairstyles which are one sided? I don’t know why but this seems so much more interesting than a regular ponytail to me!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial6

 

Style #7: Side bun

Yep it’s another side style but they just look so good! This one takes a little more effort because of the sheer number of plaits but the end result looks so complicated it’s worth it.

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial8

 

Style #8: The loop

This style has so many variations: do a loop on either side, do two loops. It’s such a retro style and looks even better in short hair!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial7

 

Style #9: Double Twist

If you exaggerate the twists more you can get the nekomimi style too!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial9

 

Style #10: Curls

This one does take a little longer but I justify this because I can use the curls in different hairstyles for like 3 days so it really saves time in the long run. Justified!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial10

 

Bonus style 11: Updo

This is what I mean about using the curls for several days, the next day I just mess them up and make a big poufy updo!

Easiest-Hairstyles-Ever-Tutorial11

 

So there you have it, 11 quick and easy styles using the GHD!

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial1362

I think even though they take a little longer my favorite is still the curls ^_^

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial1361

So overall verdict on the GHD: love it for quick lazy styling. Super fast to heat up, easy to use, light weight and the colour is very cute.

RY-and-GHD-Tutorial1364

 

If you want to get your own, make sure to check out RY.com.au and have a look at the massive selection of all kinds of GHD straighteners.

Hair down, now I just need to work on making changes in the rest of my life!

 

How To Use The L’Oreal Rowenta Steam Pod Hair Straightener – Violet LeBeaux

Today I’ll show you how I use my L’Oreal Rowenta Steam Pod to get super smooth straight hair. It’s totally awesome and doesn’t damage hair as much as a traditional straightener, I love it!

Here’s the text transcript:

Hey Besties!!
Look how lovely and straight my hair is!
Today I’ll show you how to straighten your hair using the L’Oreal & Rowenta Steam Pod!
Hooray!
I was lucky enough to win this Steam Pod as a door prize at the Garnier “Goodbye Damage” event.
I’m so glad that I did because this has become the love of my life.
This is my hair before I start. I washed it the night before, dried it and put some of the serum through.
This is the Steam Pod!
It’s like a normal straighter but it has a built in comb and these jets that shoot out steam.
The other half is the pod that goes on your bathroom counter.
It has suction cup feet that keep it in place.
The top comes off and you just fill it with water up to the max line.
It’s even comes with a water testing kit so you can see if you have hard or soft water.
Then pop it back onto the pod and you’re good to go!
Turn it on and wait about 90 seconds for it to heat up.
While you’re waiting, brush and section your hair into four sections just like you would for a normal straightener.
While you’re at it, pin back your fringe!
You can tell it’s ready when you close the straightener and steam starts to come out.
You’ve already applied heat protector, right?
Take a small section of hair, clamp the steam pod on top of it and move in the direction of the arrows.
The arrows are really important because it makes sure that the comb is going on the right side.
oooOOOoooo, soft!
Now just continue working section by section.
It can sound a bit scary because once you clamp it down the steam starts blasting out.
Even though it sounds scary it’s actually doing a lot less damage than a traditional straightener!
Before and after!
Frizzy, not frizzy. Silky smooth and shiny, not so silky or shiny.
Now repeat!
You don’t want to look like a before and after, right?
It’s actually really quick to do this, It takes me about 10 min max and that’s in my brain-no-workie just got up mode.
Don’t forget to do your fringe!
I do my fringe in two sections, bottom and top.
I’m not so much into the science-y side of things but you can read more about what it’s actually doing on their website.
I just care that it works!
Tadaa, all done!
Perfectly sleek and smooth and this will last pretty much up until I wash my hair again, about 3-4 days.
I can not tell you how much I love this steam pod.
I still use a traditional straightener for curling but this leaves my hair feeling great and healthy.
For more info check their website and thanks so much for watching, bye!~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shop: http://bit.ly/NknExz
Blog: http://bit.ly/qIKumk
Tumblr: http://bit.ly/oF86Yz
Twitter: http://bit.ly/onCld1
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/pdZ8B5
Instagram: http://instagram.com/violetlebeaux

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A blog and Youtube channel about a girl and her quest to make everything sparkle. New craft, hair and beauty tutorials every week!

Violet LeBeaux spends most of her time trying to think of ways to make life prettier, posting said ways on her blog and drinking very strong tea. She writes about big hair cute things, girly fashion, beauty finds, sometimes Hime Gyaru fashion (姫ギャル) and crafty tutorials.

She lives with her adorable boyfriend Jimmy, fluffy puppy Miss Lottie and Bergamot Bunny in Melbourne, Australia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Music: Garageband unless otherwise credited

FOREO LUNA Cleansing Tool Review! Mini Life Overhaul

Over the last few months I’ve been trying to change my life a bit. Nothing crazy but James and I are trying to eat a bit more healthily, treating my skin better and work in actual routines rather than just going to bed when I’m too tired to work anymore. We are even trying to exercise a bit… that’s a bit much though so baby steps!

Anyway skin care is something that I want to learn more about. I tend to get frustrated at the possibilities of allergic reactions so I put it in the “too hard” basket and don’t put in the time and effort to research things thoroughly. It’s not a great attitude to have really so I decided enough was enough, time to take better care of myself!

A few weeks ago I was contacted by FOREO to test out their new product, the LUNA Skincare Device, so I jumped at the chance! A fancy face cleansing system has been on my “to buy” list for quite a while but I had never gotten around to researching and pricing them either. I seriously need to stop being so lazy and find time for all of this stuff.

Foreo-Luna-Review-302

Shipping directly from their online store took around 5 days to me in Aus. It came in a heavy box including recharge cable, short instructions (full ones available online) and a little travel bag. It was all very well packaged and the materials used were very luxurious.

Foreo-Luna-Review-240

So what exactly is it?

The short version is that it’s a fancy tool to clean your face. It’s used with your regular cleaning products and when turned on it vibrates to get rid of all the dirt you can’t see on your face.

As opposed to a lot of the other cleaning brushes I’ve seen this one doesn’t rotate, it vibrates. According to their website it uses T-Sonic™ technology which is supposed to vibrate more dirt/whatever out of your skin and promote healthier skin beneath the surface. It’s made of soft silicone and has tiny silicon fingers which are in different shapes and styles depending on which model you order. The models/colours correspond to different skin types, I was sent the sensitive/normal one which is pink.

Foreo-Luna-Review-231_1

It requires charging out of the box which took around an hour. There are indicator lights on it to let you know when it’s done.

Basically you apply your cleanser or whatever you are cleaning your face with then turn it on and rub around your face with it. Easy. The entire thing is pretty idiot proof actually which is awesome because first thing in the morning I have no patience for anything that takes brain power.

Foreo-Luna-Review-235_1

 

There are 3 buttons: on, + and -. The plus and minus buttons control the power level of the vibrations. One feature I like is that once you set the power you want, it remembers it every time you use it even after being switched off. I use it on a medium setting.

Foreo-Luna-Review-260

 

I also love that the entire unit is water proof so it’s fine to use in the shower. It also times how long you should be using it using short stops in the vibrations. It vibrates then stops for a moment 3 times indicating how long to spend in each area of the face. After that it gives 3 short bursts at once to let you know that it’s time to stop or keep going for a little longer if you prefer. Then you press the middle button and it waits for you to wash off, pressing the button again and it starts the anti-ageing mode.

The anti-ageing mode is used with the other side of the Luna, it has ridges rather than the silicon fingers. I found this side more awkward to use as it was rounded rather than flat. This mode is supposed to reduce fine lines and it supposedly improves skin elasticity as well. I can’t really say that it’s made any major changes to face so far but I think that would take longer than a few weeks if it was going to happen.

Again I like that it times things for me because I have very little concept of time in the shower XD

Foreo-Luna-Review-252

 

When looking at the photos online I was worried that the little finger parts might be a little hard for my face. My skin is crazy sensitive so I can’t usually use anything scrubby on it unless I want to look like a tomato for a few days. In person, the fingers on the FOREO LUNA are super soft and they didn’t irritate my skin at all. Yay!

Now it wouldn’t be a fair review without some downsides. I have ongoing sinus problems/infections/etc and I found that I couldn’t use the LUNA anywhere remotely close to my nose because they vibrations caused a very unpleasant tingling feeling there and under my eyes. If you have sinus issues you might want to try before you buy and see if you experience something similar.

Foreo-Luna-Review-311

The other main sticking point I have is the price, the regular sized LUNA is $249, a lot of the brush based competitors are around the $150 price range but when you factor in replacement brushes over the life of the machine I think you’d be approaching a similar price if not more. The LUNA is supposed to last for 10 years without needing anything so looking at it as $24.90 a year seems a lot less scary. That’s how I justify my purchases anyway, cost per use. There is also a mini version which is $179. Or you can go the FULL LUXURY route and get the 18-karat gold base model for $8,000-10,900 *_*

Product information provided:

FOREO LUNA Skincare Device RRP AU$249, available in Pink, Blue and White according to skin type (Violet uses Pink for Normal/Sensitive Skin). Available online with worldwide shipping at www.foreo.com

That all said, I think they are fairly minor complaints when I consider my skin has improved SO much while using the Luna.

Foreo-Luna-Review-315

 

This is my full routine when using it:

– Apply cleanser. Turn on.
– Clean first cheek until first pause.
– Clean second cheek until second pause.
– Clean forehead until three short pauses. Turn off
– Wash off cleanser.
– Turn on for anti-ageing mode.
– Use on first cheek until first pause.
– Use on second cheek until second pause.
– Use on forehead until three short pauses. Turn off

Afterwards I apply my moisturisers etc.

Done!

So does it actually do anything? Yes! My skin feels SO much softer and smooth since I started using it. I’ve noticed that my moisturisers absorb into my skin a lot quicker as well. Foundations go on a lot smoother and I find myself having more days where I just apply concealer on my dark circles rather than full foundations or BB Cream. I think this has been a really great first step into taking better care of my skin and myself in general.

I actually find using it a really relaxing part of my morning routine, it’s like getting a fancy massage!

Foreo-Luna-Review-324

So verdict? If it was within my budget I would 100% buy again. My skin feels awesome and it’s very little effort for nice results. I’m really interested to see what happens with this long term and whether any of the anti-ageing bits make any difference. I’m extremely happy with the progress I’ve made in a couple of weeks anyway so I’ll be continuing to use it twice a day as part of my routine. I would definitely recommend this as a skin car product,

Now if I could just make changes to other areas of my life like motivation to work out etc so easily!!

Garnier Goodbye Damage Review, Event and Competition!

A few weeks ago I was invited by the lovely ladies of Brand Meets Blog to attend an event to celebrate Garnier’s new Goodbye Damage range.

Originally I had just planned on putting the photos in a Snapshot post but after I actually used the products properly at home I really wanted to review them fully because they made such a ridiculous difference on my hair! I am alway so sceptical of hair products that make massive claims like the ability to fix split ends but this time I was really pleasantly surprised.

Garnier was nice enough to provide some products for me to giveaway as well down the bottom of the post if you want to try them!

I hadn’t been sure what to expect because Garnier’s branding is usually a little playful, I definitely hadn’t been expecting this…

Garnier Goodbye Damage - Violet

 

The theme of the event was “Hair Crimes” so we were all subpoenaed to appear in court for our crimes against hair.

Garnier-No-Damage466

My crimes were over processing, teasing, pinkening and allowing my hair to be used as a puppy chew toy! The idea behind the new range is that it can supposedly fix 1 year’s worth of damage within one week of use. It contains Amla strengtheners plus fruit vitamins and all kinds of other fancy things.

I have been bleaching my hair for around 3-4 years and dying it for 12 so I really wasn’t expecting it to do anything amazing to me.

Garnier-No-Damage469Garnier-No-Damage468

The police officer (who was a super nice guy btw) made sure we were thoroughly read our rights and then we were sentenced to having hair make overs with the Goodbye Damage range

Garnier-No-Damage471Garnier-No-Damage481Garnier-No-Damage478Garnier-No-Damage482

Garnier-No-Damage476

 

Some of the bloggers fought back but there was no escaping the law 😉

Garnier-No-Damage486

Garnier-No-Damage487

Garnier-No-Damage502

 

In case you want to see more of the action here’s my vlog from the night:

So back to it, I was given an amazing scalp massage and a wash and condition with the Goodbye Damage range. I have always loved the fruity smell of Garnier products and having an entire room full of it was fantastic. The new range smells more or less like all of their other ranges so a big plus if you like that.

After the conditioning some of the extra treatment serum was rubbed through as well for extra protection.

Garnier-No-Damage494

While I was getting my hair washed the police officer started giving some of the other ladies shoulder massages!

Garnier-No-Damage504

 

Then everyone started getting in on the massage action, it was so much fun and everyone was giggling the whole night.

Garnier-No-Damage509

I moved over to the blow dry station next to have some more treatment oil rubbed through and a fun new style.

This is me explaining how I usually wear my hair… BIG! XD

Garnier-No-Damage511

 

While my hair was being blown out it definitely felt a lot smoother but at the time I couldn’t tell if that was actually an improvement in my hair or just that I never blow dry my hair properly if I can avoid it!

Garnier-No-Damage518

 

 

I told Nicole to go nuts and do whatever she wanted with my hair, I love being able to see people have fun and have their own creative freedom to work, what she came up with was amazing too!

In this photo I look like I’m more interested in the delicious brie I was eating than the hair… which was only partially the case… I LOVE brie and this was so good!

Garnier-No-Damage519

 

Ready for the finished look?

Garnier-No-Damage524

 

Taadaa! I thought it was like Marie Antoinette meets a 1960’s greaser!

Garnier-No-Damage539Garnier-No-Damage540

Garnier-No-Damage542Garnier-No-Damage541

 

Many more photos with the officer after my transformation haha.

Garnier-No-Damage525Garnier-No-Damage529

Garnier Goodbye Damage - Violet (after)

 

 

After all of that I ended up winning the door prize which was amazing and totally crazy!

Garnier-No-Damage475

It was a massive pack of Garnier products along with a Parlux 3800 hairdryer and a L’Oreal Rowenta Steam Pod! I can’t wait to film a video with the Steam Pod, it is one of the best styling tools I’ve ever used.

Garnier Goodbye Damage - Violet (winner)

 

All of that is fun but what about the actual products? Claiming to be able to remove a year’s worth of damage is a huge thing!

After all of the treatments my hair felt amazing. It was soft and smooth and easily manageable but I never judge hair products on how they feel at an event like this. It’s all well and good when a professional stylist is taking care of your hair, how did it work when I got home?

Garnier-No-Damage497

Since the initial treatment I’ve been using the shampoo and conditioner every 2-3 days and then smoothing the split ends serum through towel dried hair.

It’s been a few weeks and I am really surprised at the huge difference this has made to my hair. My hair is very hardy but it’s impossible to bleach to the level I’m at for as long as I have without sustaining some damage. I have used the standard Garnier products before and even though they smelled and felt nice to use they didn’t really do anything amazing to my hair. This range was different, waaay different.

The shampoo seemed fairly standard, it lathered easily, smelled great and cleaned my hair well. It seemed quite gentle and my hair felt super soft after use.

The conditioner was much thicker than usual conditioner so I found myself having to use a lot less. It’s the consistency and same feeling of the thick conditioners which are included in my L’Oreal bleach kits. It felt really good in my hair and washed out easily. My hair felt light and airy after using both of them and dried a lot faster than it used to

Now the really impressive part… the split ends serum. The ends of my hair especially tend to get split often because the pink I use is quite drying. I’ve tried all kinds of products to combat split ends and nothing worked well and I thought that it was impossible to fix them so I generally just chopped them off when I found them. I didn’t even bother taking a “before” photo of my hair/ends because I didn’t think this would work, then after the first use I couldn’t believe I had around 70% less split ends. I actually sat there when we got home and searched through the ends of my hair looking for them because I was so sceptical. After a few weeks of use… I can’t find ANY *_* WHAT IS THIS BLACK WIZARD MAGIC??

I don’t normally get this excited about products but I can’t believe I actually found something that fixed my split ends, especially because it’s not crazy expensive either at just AU$11.95.

This obviously wouldn’t be a good review if I didn’t point out the flaws though: I hate the packaging. I know one of Garnier’s things is bright colourful packaging but the orange is like fluorescent. It sounds so silly but am really picky about how my bathroom looks and having things colour coordinated so the orange is a turn off for me. I also didn’t like the pump bottle that the Split Ends serum came in because the serum is quite runny so it had a tendency to dribble from the pump down into the lid which was a bit messy. All of those issues are just personal though and can be very easily solved by decanting them into different bottles. Also if you aren’t usually a fan of the fruity smell that all of the Garnier products have then this range probably isn’t for you. I personally love it though!

So the verdict? I am going to 100% continue using these three products and also look forward to trying some of the other things in my gift pack, I will let you guys know if the other things are this crazy good too. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a range like this which has made me want to get rid of all of the other shampoos/conditioners/whatever that have been clogging up my cupboard because I think I’ve actually found my Holy Grail set! If you have a similar hair type to me I’d definitely give it a shot.

Bonus pic: here I am with super smooth nice hair, no split ends and wearing the Hair Crimes pyjamas they gave me.

IMG_8118

Competition time! This competition is provided by Garnier Fructis.

After talking about my results with the range Garnier has been generous enough to offer 3 sets for you guys to try.

Each prize pack includes:

  • 1 x Garnier Fructus Goodbye Damage Fortifying Shampoo RRP $5.95
  • 1 x Garnier Fructus Goodbye Damage Fortifying Conditioner RRP $5.95
  • 1 x Garnier Fructus Goodbye Damage Split Ends Serum RRP $11.95

Important information:

  • Sorry this one is for Australian residents only (I’m pretty sure the range is already out everywhere else already anyway!)
  • Entries are judged on creativity so be creative!
  • Competition closes Friday 2nd August 2013 at 5pm AEST
  • See the full terms and conditions here.

To enter the competition, leave a comment telling me about what hair crimes you’ve committed!

How To Dye Pink Gradient/Ombre Hair Extensions

I was sent some human hair extensions to play with by VPFashion so I set about dying them to match my actual hair colour. I ordered the lightest blonde but my hair is almost white so I needed to bleach then add the pink over the top as I do on my normal hair.

The results were very good and I had a lot of fun playing around with them. I will wear them quite often to give my hair more volume in places.

You can an $8 discount on the VPFashion site by entering violetlebeaux1031 in the “Referred By YTB Guru” option when checking out.

These clip in extensions were from vpfashion:

http://www.vpfashion.com/color-diy-white-blonde-indian-remy-clipin-hair-extensions-d613a-p-8947.html 

Hair Length – 24 inches
Hair Color – 613A# white blonde
Hair Texture – Straight(Silky)

Check more vpfashion extensions:
http://www.vpfashion.com/youtube-hot-sale-c-183.html?vp=1031

Link here to become a fan of vpfashion:
https://www.facebook.com/vpfashionhair

The dye I’m using for the pink is Paint Box Pink Moon: http://www.fudge.com/en-int/product/colour/pink/prod-key/paintbox-pink-moon

Thanks for watching!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shop: http://bit.ly/NknExz
Blog: http://bit.ly/qIKumk
Tumblr: http://bit.ly/oF86Yz
Twitter: http://bit.ly/onCld1
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/pdZ8B5
Instagram: http://instagram.com/violetlebeaux

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A blog and Youtube channel about a girl and her quest to make everything sparkle. New craft, hair and beauty tutorials every week!

Violet LeBeaux spends most of her time trying to think of ways to make life prettier, posting said ways on her blog and drinking very strong tea. She writes about big hair cute things, girly fashion, beauty finds, sometimes Hime Gyaru fashion (姫ギャル) and crafty tutorials.

She lives with her adorable boyfriend Jimmy, fluffy puppy Miss Lottie and Bergamot Bunny in Melbourne, Australia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Music: Garageband unless otherwise credited

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pink Gradient/Ombre Hair Extension Instructions!

Hello! Today I’m going to show you how I dyed my hair extensions in the same sort of pink gradient that my real hair is.
I love my hair but sometimes it’s nice to have extra length and volume so… HAIR EXTENSIONS!
I’m using human hair extensions provided by VPFashion.
These ones are #613A- White Blonde. Use the code “violetlebeaux1031” to get $8 off your order.
Link in the description.
These extensions are great quality but the colour is just not quite right.
I used the extensions, my usual blonde dye, my pink dye, scissors, a brush, some paper and my phone as a timer.
Firstly, lay out some paper to protect your surface from the dye because it’s going to get messy!
I would think that most of you would do this in your bathroom rather than your living room so it probably wouldn’t be nessecary.
The next thing I did was mix up the bleach. Please read and follow the instructions that come with the bleach you’re using.

For the rest of the written instructions check my blog or turn on closed captions!