Balmi Moisturising Cute Lip Balm - Strawberry Review

With the weather suddenly taking a major dip in the temperature... it is a bit bloomin' nippy out there - I'm sure, like alot of you, lip balm is now one of my best friends!

I always like to try out new ones out and I'm sure you're all thinking... another lip product? really Kirstie? 

But yes, I'm doing it, another post about another lip product is here and this time it is the Strawberry lip balm from Balmi.

I saw this online and I'm not going to lie I was immediately attracted to it because it is fairly new and looks kind of like an EOS lip balm. Something I've been wanting to try in forever and as it was only £4.99 and had a few glowing reviews I thought I'd give it a go!

I bought this from boots.com as they aren't in my local store and aswell as strawberry there are 3 other flavours available  - raspberry, mint and coconut.

 I was tempted by the coconut (and think I'll order that next) but settled for Strawberry as it's a scent I always like and it had the best reviews.

The smell reminds me of the natural collection strawberry products from boots - you know the ones! Super sweet and fruity, I love it!

Now this is unlike anything I've used before, in a cube container this product is seriously unique. 

All you do is twist the top undone to reveal the triangle shaped product. Now this shape looks a little awkward but it actually makes application so so easy. A quick circular motion with it and your lips are fully covered - and this stuff feels lovely.

 Probably not the best if you have a seriously bad chapped lips problems (as it isn't a hard core balm like vaseline or carmex) but just for a lip balm to keep you moisturised, smooth and smelling great this product is fantastic. I think I am actually addicted to applying this.   

It also comes with a keyring attachment - perfect for keeping it in an easy accessible place in your bag or attached to your keys!

Like I said before there are 3 other flavours so I definitely think I'll either be adding them to my Christmas list (can you believe it's that time already!) or purchasing them real soon!
But what I still REALLY want to try is an EOS.... I think it's time I bought one!

What are your favourite lip balms? I swear I carry about 18 in my bag 24/7 in the winter!

Lauren's Way Self Tan Mousse & Glam Tan Review

So, winter is upon us. Not only does this mean chapped lips, freezing cold fingers and toes and tights become a staple in the wardrobe but we all get a bit...well.... pale.
I, myself, look like a total ghost in the autumn & winter months so fake tanning is normally key to me looking half normal.
So when the fabulous ladies at Lauren's Way contacted me after I had been raving about their rollers on twitter (seriously they are amazing!) and asked me whether I'd want to try out some of their tanning products I jumped at the chance - seriously who wouldn't!

I had heard so many amazing things about this tan so I jumped straight in and whacked it on as soon as the postman dropped it through the letterbox.
Because I'm fairly fair skinned and not an expert tanner I went for the 'Medium' shade in the mousse - I think this was the safest option for me to start off with!

I do have a confession to make - I normally only tend to tan before a big night out - 1. because I am lazy and 2. because I'm always scared I'm going to totally muck it up.
 There is nothing worse than seeing someone with horrific streaks or who is clearly the same colour as a tangerine -I do NOT want this to be me!

I've been using this tan alot over the last few weeks as I have had lots of partys, night outs and general fun-type things to go to!
 But for these photos I thought I would just show you the difference from just ONE application!
I found this mousse so easy to use (thank you for the free mitt aswell LW!) Just 1 pump from the bottle goes a long long way and I think the smell is slightly better than the other tans I've used but of course there is still that slight "biscuit smell" that everyone has grown to know and love haha! (although I've never really got that... what biscuit to you people eat?!)

It doesn't take me long to cover my whole body with this stuff and streak free I must say! One thing I was super impressed with is the drying time. 
Normally I'm flapping around the bathroom trying to get my tan to dry and feel less sticky before I get dressed again but the LW tan dries so quickly - I was so shocked! Massive brownies points for that one girls and boys!

As you can see in the photos there is a huge difference for just one quick once over with the mousse AND this is a developing mousse so you leave it on for approx. 8 hours and then wash it off for the best results - so pop it on before bed and this tan develops while you sleep - easy peasy!

The mousse is priced at £17.95 and the Glam Tan spray (mentioned below) is £18.95 and that comes with a FREE tanning mitt worth £3.99! To me these are total bargain prices, cheaper than St. Tropez and Fake Bake and for, in my opinion, a better product!

With the LW mousse tan I was also sent one of the "Glam Tan" spray bottles! When I fake tan I normally use Fake Bake or St. Mortiz and always go for a mousse, I find it so much easier to use than anything else so this is something that initially scared me a little to try out but I am actually am so impressed with how easy it has been to use!
Where it is quite a bit darker than the 'medium' mousse it took me a lot of courage to try it out but with the mitt the spray technology makes it so easy to apply evenly! So, thank you LW for helping me get out of me mousse comfort zone!

Fake tan has so many benefits - it makes you look healthier, it makes you look skinnier, it makes you feel more confident,  it isn't harmful to your skin and body unlike sunbeds and sun-bathing, you are in control - want to go darker? Do it again tomorrow and the next day! If you need a pick me up with all this gloomy rain and cloud - hit the bottle and you won't regret it!

I can honestly say now - hand on heart - that the LW is the best at-home fake tan I have EVER used and will 100% be purchasing when these bottles have run out, because with the weather as it is and no holidays booked as of yet ... I'm going to need it!

(***Disclaimer : This product was kindly sent to me by the lovely people at Lauren's Way. . All thoughts, opinions and ideas are always my own and I would never include an item or product on A Yellow Brick Blog that I didn't truly believe in.)

How to Maintain Gorgeous Hair | Fun Facts & Tips

Okay so if you’re reading this then there’s a 99% chance that you’ve done the L’Oreal head swoosh and pouted the words, “Because I’m worth it!” whilst giving yourself some serious eye squinting action in the mirror. And you know what? We ARE worth it, as are our flowing locks!

Did you know? 
That when we refer to our hair as being either fine, medium or coarse, we mean that each individual hair is fine, medium or coarse. 
The texture of our hair is determined by the circumference and the condition of the cuticle in each of our hair strands! Fine hair has a small circumference and a closed cuticle, coarse/thick hair has a much larger circumference and the cuticle will be more open.

The lovely ladies over at Glamour did a survey that found a huge 78% of men considered healthy hair to be a turn on, and 44% said that hair is the first thing they notice about a woman, followed by her clothes (26%), her legs (swit swoo! 25%) and her make-up (4%). Also, the average woman spends a leg quivering £26,500 on her hair over her lifetime, and a full year just styling it, but how much do we really know about taking good care of our hair?

This guest post has been bought to A Yellow Brick Blog by the fabulous (and clever!) people at Viviscal. They recently contacted me and started chatting about hair... and not just hair but - hair growth, hairstyles, hairlengths, hair types, extensions and general good health - I learnt so much that I just knew I had to share it all with you lovely lot! 
What fascinated me alot was the "hair cycle" - something I had never really giving my thought too before until I read about it on their site - here and watched their video on it - below!


Now time its time for some lovely facts, tips and general information all about the different hair types and how to maintain and care for them in the best way possible.
 Find out which hair type YOU are and how to get it looking and feeling the best it ever has with some great advice and ideas from Lauren - A Yellow Brick Blog's fabulous guest blogger from Viviscal.....

Our hair grows, stops growing, falls out and then starts growing again continually throughout our lives. However, if something happens to stop this process of renewal, the hair will not replace itself and we will go bald… (Yikes!) But lucky for you ladies, we’ve got all the facts and tips you need to keep those tresses looking fabulous forever!
Now, here is how our hair is built up....

So, which type of hair do I have? 

Fine Hair: Fine hair contains more cuticle than normal/coarse hair and it has more cuticle scales that want to repel each other! This means that you are more prone to static hair, and more of those annoying fly-aways we all despair of. 

It is also more prone to breakages and split ends through styling, grooming and general day-to-day life. Fine hair also tends to get limp and greasy quicker (sorry, ladies!) It feels thinner and lacks natural body and bounce; however, it’s not all bad news! Fine hair is more versatile meaning you can try out more adventurous hairstyles, and it reflects light easier giving it that lovely shiny, swooshy effect. Yay! 

Normal Hair: Well, well, well… Aren’t you the lucky lady!  Some of us are blessed with ‘normal’ hair, which can be a balance of dry/oily hair, but in a good way! Normal hair has all the lovely nutrients to keep it looking vibrant and shiny without appearing greasy, meaning it naturally has a good moisture balance. But this doesn’t mean to say you don’t need to look after it. Day-to-day stresses such as heat exposure and the weather can still leave normal hair needing some love and attention, and those split ends can still creep up on you – so watch out! 

Coarse/Thick Hair: This type of hair has the largest strand diameter, meaning it has higher protein content than other hair types – lovely! This means your hair is doused in all the good stuff, however due to the density of the hair strands, coarse hair is able to absorb up to 40% more moisture – meaning it’s difficult to maintain a sleek, smooth style. This hair is more prone to damage at the surface due to the fact it has overlapping cuticle layers, so you have to be extra careful when using heat on those luscious locks! 

So, how do I wash it? 

Fine Hair: As this type is more prone to greasiness, the best way to take care of your fine hair is to wash it every day! Yep you heard me, every day. And although it might seem counterproductive, pop lots of conditioner on to revive limp strands and to keep them protected from damage. 

Normal Hair: To keep your natural moisture balance use both shampoo and conditioner when you wash your hair, although it doesn’t have to be every day. As you already have lovely moisturised hair you don’t have to worry about it being greasy, however, try to avoid touching it all the time as this will make it extra oily! 

Coarse/Thick Hair: As the density of thick, coarse hair makes it harder to maintain a soft, smooth look the best thing to do for your hair is to condition it, lots! Make sure you give it a really good rinse too, to get any excess moisture out so it doesn’t look greasy. Coarse hair is more vulnerable to frizz and ‘big hair’ syndrome (not in the Cheryl Cole way, either) so a deep conditioning treatment from time to time would give it the little treat it needs to maintain a fuller, healthy head of hair!

So, how do I style it? 

Fine Hair: It’s really important to try and stay away from heat as much as possible, so avoid the straighteners and blow-dryer as much as you can! Try and wash it on an evening and then give it a little towel dry, then let it do the rest for itself. Fine hair is more resistant to twisting, so curly hair styles will be more difficult to maintain, but a cute bun or a high pony will look great! Plus they will keep your hair in place – avoiding damage. If you want to go for a more volumised look (of course you do) then use a nice big round brush when blow-drying (to a minimum!) Short hair cuts are generally better for fine hair, so pick a style that suits your face shape, and layers are an amazing way to create a fuller, thicker feel. 

Normal Hair: However you want! Make sure you get regular haircuts to get rid of any annoying split ends, and keep it looking fresh and healthy. Keeping heat to a minimum is recommended for all hair types; however you have a little bit more freedom… so get experimenting! Highlight your gorgeous hair by trying out new styles, wear it down and show it off, using tongs or preferably rollers to create big glamorous curls that will really extenuate the natural volume and texture of your hair. 

Coarse/Thick Hair: Coarse hair has a lack of flexibility, meaning it doesn’t bend as easily as other hair types so can sometimes be difficult to curl or style in a certain way. Its absolutely full of body, but can be heavy and uncomfortable. A good way to enhance your thick hair is to wear it in a fancy French braid, or try out a few braided styles or up do’s that will keep your hair out of your face, as well as looking elegant and sophisticated. Try and stay away from hair products that contain alcohol, and use a wide tooth comb instead of a brush to keep the frizziness at bay! 

So, what foods can I eat to give my hair a healthy boost? 

Fine Hair: Fine hair can become brittle and dry, so foods containing fatty acids are a god send for treating your scalp to a health kick!  

Salmon: Fish is a brilliant source of Omega-3 fatty acids, so eating salmon regularly will maintain a healthy scalp! (Other kinds of fish are just as helpful too.) 

Oysters: Oysters are powerful antioxidants that also contain Zinc, which is an absolute essential for healthy hair and scalp. 

Eggs: Eggs are the best source of protein out there, one of the main elements that makes up your hair! They contain Vitamin B-12 and biotin, so get making those omelettes!  

Normal Hair: Although normal hair contains the most natural vitamins and minerals, it is still important to maintain them, so eating food with lots of protein in will make sure you hair stays at its best. 

Poultry: Chicken and turkey are fabulous for getting all the protein your hair needs to keep all 3 layers in check 

Low fat dairy: Products such as low fat yogurts and milk are packed with protein, and will ensure that your shiny hair doesn’t fade! 

Beans: Kidney beans and lentils are a great source of protein, but they also contain Zinc and iron which ensures your hair gets an all-round touch up, perfect. 

Coarse/Thick Hair: This type of hair contains the most protein, so you want to pack it full of vitamins to keep it full and bouncy. 

Nuts: Brazil nuts are the best source of selenium, which is a really important mineral to maintain a nice, healthy scalp. 

Whole grains: Breads and cereals are perfect whole grain sources, they contain Zinc, Iron and Vitamin B, so its buy 2 get one free! Bargain. 

Carrots: Carrots contain vitamin A, which is really important for keeping your scalp in good condition; after all, this is where your hairs come from! 

So, what else can I do to look after my hair? 

Manage Stress -  It’s really important to look after your hair from within, as well as on the outside! We all have times where we feel stressed out (and a glass of wine wouldn’t go a miss), but stress really does take its toll on your hair! So make sure you take time for yourself to relax, unwind and just generally give yourself some TLC. Here are a few things you can try: 

Take a long bath – Everyone knows a nice, long candle lit bubble bath solves many a problem. 

Read a book – A good way to unwind is to lose yourself in a good book, preferably one with a nice handsome man in. 

Go for a walk – Getting some fresh air can work wonders for us, so wrap up warm and take a walk. You can go with a friend or pop your earphones in and have a leisurely stroll to your favourite music. 

Get plenty of exercise – Exercise is one of the best ways to relieve any kind of stress! It releases endorphins that naturally make you feel calmer, and more relaxed. 

Go for a massage – There’s no better way to relax than to lay back and do nothing while a stranger works their magic on all your tense bits, and you might even fall asleep on the table! 

Hope you girls and guys have liked this post - it's a bit different to what I normally have on A Yellow Brick Blog but like I said before I really enjoyed reading this and learning more about haircare and how it works so I hope you have too!
Kirstie xoxo

Images all from google. I am not in any way shape or form being sponsored or compensated for this post.

Kirstie's Top Picks For Purple Lipsticks

Right now I am LOVING lipsticks - I actually cannot get enough. Well I've always loved lipsticks but the amount  I have bought over the last couple of months is both staggering and worrying!

 I don't think I will ever have too many in my collection! A colour that keeps appearing in my "most used" is one I'd never really worn until this year and that is.... purple.

I am loving purple shades, from bright funky violets to deep sultry purples, I have found them to be some of my most reached for at the moment!

 So I've picked out a few of my personal favourites to share with you all...

1. Sleek True Colour - Mystic

2. Collection, Little Mix - Perrie

3. Barry M - 156

4. MAC - Rebel

5. Rimmel Moisture Renew - Dark Night Waterl-oops!

6. Rimmel Kate Moss - 04

1. Sleek True Colour - Mystic : If you've read my blog recently you may have seen my blog post on this lipstick! I bought it on a trip to London back in September and have been wearing it ALOT. It is a gorgeous bright violet purple and for more pictures check out my post on it here.

2. Collection Little Mix - Perrie : Now I was after this lipstick for weeks and weeks, my local Superdrug doesn't stock the LM Collection and it was sold out online *big sad face* - but when I spotted it last week back in stock on the Superdrug website - that was it, mine! I'm so pleased I managed to get hold of it aswell as I love it, a total bargain at only £2.99, I'm so impressed. I wore it last weekend to my best friend's wedding party and it stayed on so so well - check out a photo here!

3. Barry M - 156 : You all know I'm a massive fan of Barry M lip products - their lipsticks and glosses are some of my favourite and most used ever! I included this one in my Beauty Buys Of The Week a couple of months ago and have been loving it! (Not sure why it looks so pink in the swatch.... as you can see in the tube it in't that pink!)

4. MAC - Rebel : I've been eyeing this beauty up for months and finally decided to splash out the £15 for it! So many of you will be owners Rebel and I know why - this is so easy to wear and being a MAC lipstick the forumla is gorgeous! I love their lipsticks so much... I just wish I could afford more of them! I highly recommend it!

5. Rimmel Moisture Renew - Dark Night Waterl-oops! : This was mentioned in my October Favourites post - the new Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks are incredible! They are so thick and pigmented - the swatch above was just one light swipe of this beauty, they are flawless! I cannot wait to buy more of them!

6. Rimmel Kate Moss - 04 : I have some good news and some bad news about this one - Bad news....I believe it has been discontinued BUT good news I purchased it from Fragrance Direct and it was only £1.99!!  Absolute Barry Bargain! The Kate Moss lipsticks are amazing, if you own any of them you will know how great they are, I can't believe this one isn't available anymore - it is a tragedy! If you are looking for a really dark dark purple - this is the one for you!

Have you tried any of these purples? Have you got any shades you recommend?

Before I go I have a quick favour to ask from you beautiful lot - if you could head on over to facebook and "like" this photo for my best friend too help her win the Jones & Jones comp - I will owe you one :)

Vaseline Limited Edition - Paint The Town Review

Vaseline is one of those products I will always love and own! I've used it for years and years and the amount of uses for this stuff is endless, I always have one in my bag!

So when there are new pots, scents, colours that come out I always want to get involved and try them out.... and this newbie is no exception!

I was browsing the Boots website the other day when I suddenly noticed this - a new Vaseline.
A new limited edition Vaseline! So obviously, I had to order it!
This is the no.3 Limited Edition Vaseline and it is called Paint The Town. It is your usual yummy Vaseline but with a gorgeous red tint for a bit of extra glam!

Now in the tin this stuff looks super bright and a real deep red BUT putting it on your lips is a different story!
It is a very very sheer red - which makes it great for anyone.... especially those who find a bold lip a little nerve-wracking! Like having your usual Vaseline feel but with a tiny bit of glam!
Saying that though there is something which is majorly different..... the scent.
The scent of this stuff is incredible! Like sweets, I cannot explain how much I love it, I can't stop sniffing it everytime I get the chance! I urge you just to go and have a look at this just too have a sniff! By far the best Vaeline scent yet in my opinion!

These pots are £3.49 each and I'm guessing are going to be in most Boots stores (and most likely others too) over the next couple of months! 

If you are a Vaseline lover like myself I highly recommend it, especially with all this cold weather we are having - avoiding chapped lips AND look cute whilst smelling amazing? - deal!

Are you a Vaseline lover like myself? Which is your favourite Vaseline?

October Favourites

Another month down in 2013 which of course means only one thing - another favourites post here for you all! 

As usual I have some products/things that I have been loving over the last 4 weeks and actually this month everything is new to me. Products I've never used before until recently - and I've found some gems! 

 Lots of make-up ones for you all this month and of course there's some cheeky music in there for you too!

 As winter is more or less here I am getting more and more pale by the day. So, fake tans and instant tans are something that I am going to be relying on constantly to help me looking at least a tin bit normal/healthy. I love to fake tan but I struggle to fit it into my schedule sometimes (although I have recently been using a new gradual tan which I will be uploading a post about very soon!) so sometimes a quick fix is all I need! This is the "Glow Getter" from Soap and Glory it is £10.50 and it has been doing the job of making me look slightly better very well! Like a spray foundation you just hold the can around 20cm away for your body and spray to get a gorgeous even toned tan in seconds - perfect (especially for your legs!) 

 Now this is the funkiest looking eyeliner I ever owned! I picked this up ue to mere curiosity  I had never seen an eywliner like this before! I love khol liners and tend to always gravitate towards them over a normal pencil or liquid liner!  This stuff works so well,  it has a lovely creamy type forumla and it stays on for hours - really impressed and now a firm favourite in my make-up bag!

Rimmel lipsticks are up there with my favourites in my collection - always such great quality for the price and such amazing shades!

 This month I have been obsessed with the new Moisture Renew lipsticks from them.  I own a couple from years ago and although they are great they don't have a patch on the new shades/formula! These lipsticks are incredible after just one swatch the colour is so thick and pigmented, you wouldn't believe! I am so so impressed with these and have so far bought 2 of the newer shades but I have my eye on a few others aswell already!

I have been eyeing this up for months and months and after hearing so many incredible things about this stuff a couple of weeks ago I decided to splash out and try it out for myself!

 This is hydraluron from Indeed Labs and is £24.99. A little more expensive than I would normally pay but from everything I had heard I didn't mind paying out! I have been loving this stuff, I use it every morning and night after using my toner (Liz Earle Skin Tonic) before I put on my moisturiser and it just makes my skin feel so amazingly silky smooth, plump and radiant! It has made my complexion look and feel so much more healthy looking and moisturised - totally worth the price tag, a little goes a long way with this stuff!

Concealer is something I've always been a bit lazy with. Where I am quite lucky with my complexion I only ever really use it on my under eyes. This is a fairly new product from Seventeen and is called Phwoarr Paint. This stuff works so so well on my bags, I just dab a bit on with my finger and blend it in with one of my Real Techniques brushes - bobs your uncle... no more tired looking Kirstie!

 I never change my day-to-day foundation, I have been using True Match fro L'oreal for years and still love it! But a few weeks ago I spontaneously decided to try out this foundation from Bourjois.
 It's not a new product and I know its a firm favourite with alot of you... and I can see why! This stuff is gorgeous and is up there with my True Match foundation as a perfect full-coverage daytime foundation! I have used it more or less everyday since I purchased it and it will definitely be repurchased once I have run out! Top marks Bourjois!

 Katy Perry. The goddess herself. Her new album, Prism, is out and if you haven't bought it yet then well..... you are a silly billy! Of course it is flawless, every track could be a single and every track is completely different to the last! Possibly her best album yet? It could be! I am loving Legendary Lovers, Walking on air and of course Roar!


What are your favourites from this past month?