bloomzy /

Review: Yuko Lock In Colour Shampoo & Treatment

Yuko Lock In Colour Shampoo & Treatment*

I’m a fan of Asian beauty products, as most of you will probably know by now.
When I was living in Japan of course I used Japanese shampoo and I quite liked it.
However after returning from Japan I switched to natural shampoos/conditioners instead.
So I was interested to try this Japanese shampoo/treatment duo when it arrived at my door.
I still use natural shampoos 99% of the time but I like to mix it up every now and again.
Founded by a Japanese hairstylist in 1996, Yuko is a well known brand for hair straightening techniques.
They have now branched out to include other products in the range such as shampoos & conditioners.
I was sent the Yuko Lock In Colour Shampoo & Treatment to try out.

Pros:
+ Plenty of product
+ Lathered well on my hair
+ Washed out easily

Cons:
– Dried my hair out
– I didn’t notice a scent

Notes:
I was so looking forward to using this but it just didn’t work out for me.
Naturally my hair is quite dry after washing but natural shampoos have remedied this.
However this duo dried my hair out and left it very frizzy. I’d like to say some of this is due to the lovely hot weather we’re having but these products are meant to help target that. It just seemed to be down to the shampoo and conditioner, which is a real shame. This is probably due to the fact that my hair hasn’t dealt with non-natural products for a long time (apart from dye). I also didn’t notice a scent, which is a shame because I love it when the fiancé comments on how nice my hair smells (slightly creepy, I know). I may give this another go at some point but unfortunately it just proved that natural is the way to go for me. This would be better suited to someone who uses non-natural products regularly.
bloomzy /

Pegasus Beauty Showcase

Snaps from Pegasus Beauty Showcase, and the contents of my goodie bag*

Yesterday I attended Pegasus PR’s Beauty Showcase at One Marylebone.
The ladies (are there any gents? I’ve not met one yet) at Pegasus PR are always so lovely.
I am always happy to meet and chat with them as they genuinely love what they’re doing.
They also represent so many wonderful brands, a lot of whom I own and buy regularly.
So I knew there would be some amazing brands at the showcase and I couldn’t wait.
I was literally one of the first to arrive – that’s how eager I was to check it out!
The showcase itself was set out very nicely, making it easy to notice (and chat) with each brand.
Some of the brands I know and have worked with thanks to Pegasus were there: Trilogy, Avène, Klorane, Dr Organic Australian Bodycare, and Holland & Barrett. It’s always nice to see tried and tested favourites. I was also happy to see a few new brands being represented such as Collection (formerly Collection 2000) and Witch. Even though I was impressed by pretty much all the brands there were several that really stood out to me. What were they?
+ Trilogy Sensitive Range – sfor those with sensitive skin. The serum was as light as a feather.
+ Dr Organics Snail Gel – sounded weird enough for me to try it, and smelt heavenly, like lemon sherbet.
+ Holland & Barrett Aromatherapy Oils – over 35+ oils in the range, each with its own purpose & properties.
SHOWCASE WINNER: Collection Gothic Glam Lipstick & Polish
I will be investing in literally all of these when they’re released later this year (apart from #1 Dramatic polish as that was in my goodie bag). The lipsticks are the exact colours I love and I know I would wear them everyday. The polishes also came in 4 brilliant shades that remind me a bit of crushed velvet – love it!
Thanks for such an amazing showcase Pegasus!
I can’t wait to try out the goodies in my bag and review some on the blog.
bloomzy /

Review: Black 15-in-1 Miracle Shampoo & Conditioner

Black 15-in-1 Twice A Week Miracle Shampoo & Conditioner
The beauty section is always a favourite of mine in TK Maxx.
So when I recently paid a visit to the new TK Maxx in St Mary’s Axe (opposite The Gherkin), I was excited to check out their beauty section. My first impressions were that it’s quite small and it didn’t really carry many brands that I was interested in…in fact I barely noticed any well-known name brands. Anyway, I still had a peak at what they had to offer and one item that caught my eye was the Black 15-in-1 Twice A Week Miracle Shampoo & Conditioner which they had in large and small bottles. I was intrigued by the claim that this shampoo/conditioner was a ‘miracle’ treatment for hair. Not only that, but the original price tag (£20 per 600ml bottle) told me that this wasn’t kiddy’s stuff. TK Maxx were selling the 600ml bottle for half price, but I still didn’t want to spend £20 on some shampoo & conditoner that I’d never even heard of, so I went for the smaller 200ml option and paid £6 for both bottles. That’s less than I’d pay usually, so I was happy.
The ingredients include:
Panthenol B5 – protects and adds shine to chemically processed hair. 
Prodew 500 Amino Acid Blend – repairs surface damage & strengthens hair, preventing moisture loss.
Sunflower Seed Extract – UV protection, heat protection & protects hair color from fading. 
Argan Oil – nourishes the hair strands and helps reduce frizz and flyaways.
– It’s also Sulphate & Paraben free –
After using it, my hair was:
+ Shiny
+ Smooth
+ Soft
+ Tangle free
What did I think?
It pretty much did everything it said on the tin…or should I say bottle.
I didn’t feel that it was a ‘miracle treatment’ but it was certainly a good shampoo.
One major downside though is that this is an American brand, and I can’t seem to find a UK stockist.
There are plenty of sellers on eBay, but they’re selling it for extortionate prices, so I would avoid that.
Sure you might be able to find some at TK Maxx but for those who want to continue using it, a lack of stockists within the UK doesn’t make this a practical option. I enjoyed my love affair with it, but I think I’ll have to say goodbye for now.
Source; 1, 2 (No original photo as TK Maxx used a massive sticker, which ripped off the labelling when I tried to take a photo, and left the bottles looking like this).
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: OOTD Catch-up

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been having some fun with my outfits.
I was finally able to pop to my parent’s house and bring back my Summer wardrobe.
You know your country has a problem with weather when you store your seasonal clothing away.
Typically English whining aside, I loved being able to wear some dresses and show my legs off again.
I was also pretty ecstatic as I found my infamous ‘Purple Paris Trousers’ amongst my Summer clothes.
I love them to pieces but some people just don’t seem to be able to understand just how amazing they are.
So I intend to rep them on the blog as much as possible this Summer!
On the darker days I was able to shine with the help of accessories and my amazingly bright red hair.
I’ve been wearing a lot of accessories by Marc by Marc Jacobs, Tatty Devine and indie brands recently.
As gorgeous as they all are though, I don’t think anything is as good an accessory as my hair is right now.
Don’t worry I’m not becoming bigheaded, I’m just super happy (and pretty proud) of my hair for once.
Ever since I had it done at Bleach I’ve had people stopping me to tell me how much they love the colour.
It’s a silly little compliment but it boosts my confidence and makes me glad I went back to red.
You can follow me on Instagram: @bloomzy
bloomzy /

New Hair!!

Say hello to the new me!
Yes, after 6 months of avoiding the hairdresser, I finally had my hair cut.
For a while I had wanted to grow my hair out, after looking at an old photo. Thanks for that nostalgia.
Well after doing that for a while I remembered how thin my hair looked long and fancied short hair again.
So yesterday I made my way to Bleach in Dalston – the same salon that put the lovely red in my hair (thanks Scarlett!).
If you follow hair trends then you should have have most probably heard of Bleach. Their main salon is based in Dalston (just down the road from me – lucky!) and they also have one in Topshop Oxford Circus. They’re known their colouring (see their amazing LookBook here) but they’re also not too bad with a pair of scissors. Being in Bleach is like watching artists at work. The hair creations that go on in that salon are amazing. I always end up wanting a new hair colour each time I go as I see other fancy people walking out with theirs. When I went yesterday, this lovely lady was having her hair dyed blue and it was gorgeous! Anyway, back to my hair. Forgotten what it looked like before? It was a slightly longer version of this.
I wanted a long bob, to make my hair look a bit thicker and so I could have fun styling it.
I usually go into a salon with an idea of what I want but know it won’t usually happen.
Well this time the wonderful Loren cut & styled my hair for me, and she did an amazing job.
My apologies for the poor quality photos but I was feeling a bit blergh after getting back, so I used my iPhone.
Anyway, here’s a derpy gif of my new hair to amuse you into forgetting how bad the photos really are.
Emma the Puffa Fish says “you can visit the Bleach website here“
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Burgers, Bleach & Bling

Follow me on Instagram: bloomzy
The last couple of weeks before my holiday have been busy, busy, busy.
I’ve been working a lot and enjoying my internship at Finchittida Finch.
Of course I’ve also managed to pack in a few fun things.
I’ve been meeting old friends and treating them to the delights of London.
I made a stop to Bleach, to be a hair model, where I had the red in my hair re-done brighter.
Tatty Devine held a workshop and I tagged along, and I made a neon ombre elephant necklace.
The odd bottle of wine, hot chocolate and burger helped to keep me going.
I finally received my Tatty Devine name necklace, which I’m utterly in love with.
I also attended the Benefit Fake Up event in Spitalfields, and met some lovely fellow bloggers.
After trying to cut back on spending I caved and bought a cute iridescent phone clutch from Primark.
I got to enjoy cuddles from a cute sausage dog at my internship this week; distracting but adorable.
At the end of the week I was sent some Manuka Doctor goodies, which I can’t wait to try out!
Finally, I’m off on holiday!
I’ll be skiing it up in Chamonix, France until next weekend.
Have a lovely Easter everyone!
bloomzy /

Review: Birchbox February Box

February’s ‘London Fashion Week’ Birchbox*

Yesterday I received February’s Birchbox through the post.
I’ve found that with some beauty box brands the anticipation is better than the outcome.
However that was certainly not the case with this month’s London Fashion Week themed Birchbox.
As soon as I opened it I was genuinely happy, and quite excited about the products featured. 
What did I receive in my Birchbox?

Korres – Guava Shower Gel
I love Korres – they are a great natural brand with amazing scented products.
I know I will get good use out of the shower gel when I go away on holiday in March.
Nick Chavez Plump N’Thick Thickening Mist
A leave-in product to use on towel-dried hair.
I am always after thicker hair, so I’m very excited about trying this one out.
Vichy Thermal Spa Water
A limited edition item – ohhhh.
You guys know I’m a little obsessed with eau thermal sprays.
I have one by Evian, one by Caudalie and two by Avene – so this is the latest edition.
I’m glad to see a brand I don’t know doing a product I love, and in travel size, which I don’t have!
I’ll be popping this in my handbag and trying it out asap.
Birchbox Eyelash Curler
It was about time I got a new eyelash curler.
I invested in a heated curler a while ago, but not a new ‘regular’ curler.
I know I’ll use this everyday, so it definitely seems like a nice little extra.

Gerda Spillmann – Bio Fond Cream Foundation
The only item in the box that I know I won’t use.
I’m ok with that though as it’s purely based on the shade of the product.
I find it hard enough to get a product to suit my skin tone on the high street, so…
EBoost Energy Booster
When I met with one of Birchbox’s founders; Katia Beauchamp she mentioned ‘lifestyle extras’.
She wanted to add something extra to the box to make it stand out, as your lifestyle is a big part of you.
I liked that idea and it might have been a bit odd to see an energy boost drink, but it was different.
The reason I was so pleased with this month’s box was because it matched me & my lifestyle perfectly!
I was very happy and for £10 (plus p&p) I would have gladly purchased it myself!
If you want to subscribe to Birchbox, or just purchase this month’s box, click here.
You can also buy any of these products on Birchbox’s online store here.