bloomzy /

Review & Nail Art: Mavala

Mavala Spring Trend Nail Polish*
You guys know how obsessed I am with nail polish by now.
So I was very happy to receive these lovely spring shades by Mavala, a Swiss brand.
I’ve not tried the brand before but have heard good things and I completely agree with those views.
The bottles, although small, hold quite a bit of polish.
I prefer to do a couple of coats myself but really only one is needed with these.
I was actually very surprised at how opaque it was, as I thought the shades would make it difficult.
The colour of the polishes themselves are very pastel & spring like, but I still felt they were quite vibrant.
I was inspired by Mavala’s nail art for Holly Fulton’s S/S 13 Collection and tried out my own nail art.
I used:
1. Manicure Stickers
2. Mavala Polish in Lemon Cream
3. Mavala Polish in Lagoon
4. Mavala Polish in Aquamarine
5. Mavala Polish in White
I used the White as a base for my nails, and then once it had dried, placed manicure stickers over top. I did this is several different ways so that no nail was the same. Then I took my polishes and painted over top of the white, making sure to only paint over part of the nail and stay within the border of the manicure stickers. I think the final result wasn’t too bad.
I’ve never been much of a fan of white nail polish but I didn’t mind this one paired with other colours.
I still don’t think I would wear it alone but I would definitely layer it with a glitter polish or other shades.
The polish applied easily, and very well and was opaque with just one coat.
The Mavala Spring Trend Shades will be released later this month.
You can purchase them from various UK stores, find your nearest here.
bloomzy /

Where to Eat in London: The Hawksmoor

The Hawksmoor | Bar/Dinner | Spitalfields | Website
– reservations available –
I’m a pretty big foodie, if you hadn’t already guessed, so I wanted to post a bit about food in London.
This is my version of a Where to Eat in London – I have included the name, type of restaurant/cafe/store, the location of the place I visited, and a link to their website, as the bigger places have more than one location.
This is an ongoing series (you can find the series here) as my love for food and discovering new bars, restaurants etc. continues to blossom. This time I decided to feature only one restaurant as I loved it so much, and that is The Hawksmoor Spitalfields Bar. I went for my birthday celebrations with a group of 6 friends, so we were given a booth, which was lovely and definitely added to the atmosphere of the place. All the waiters were lovely, especially the Japanese guy we chatted with about Tokyo and eating in London.
I had the cheeseburger, with triple cooked chips. I was a little worried when they didn’t ask me how I wanted my burger cooked but it turned up medium rare, which is what I would have chosen anyway. So I was more than happy, especially when I dug in – the meat was perfect and the pickled cucumber was a welcomed extra. The highlight of the meal though was the dessert. I had the peanut butter shortbread with salted caramel ice cream – honestly there could not be a more perfectly suited dessert for me. Hidden inside the shortbread was a layer of liquid chocolate waiting to ooze out, and the peanuts scattered around the plate were a nice added touch. The presentation of the burgers was the only thing that let The Hawksmoor down, but I can forgive them as I’ll definitely be back!
I wouldn’t have included this place if I didn’t love and recommend it.
So if you have the chance you should definitely check it out!
bloomzy /

Review: Klorane Shampoo & Conditioner

Klorane Pomegranate Shampoo & Conditioner, for coloured hair*
Klorane is one of my favourite beauty brands, who I’ve mentioned several times on the blog.
To me the French brand’s products are natural, but also luxurious, which isn’t always easy to come by.
After attending an event for the brand I was curious to try out their shampoo & conditioner for coloured hair.
“This [shampoo], formulated for colour-treated hair, protects against progressive colour fading and loss of radiance. Hair colour retains its intensity and shine. Its cleansing base is enriched with regenerative agents so that hair remains soft, silky and easy to style.

Used in addition to KLORANE shampoo with pomegranate, this [conditioner] repairs and regenerates the hair fibre deep down to leave it soft and supple. Protected from fading, hair colour remains as intense and glossy as the first day.

Both are hypoallergenic.”


Pros:
+ Leaves my hair soft
+ Conditioning
+ Smells amazing
+ Great price
+ Brought out my colour
Cons:
– Shampoo doesn’t lather easily
Notes:
Certain brands of shampoo dry my hair out, even though I use a conditioner each wash.
So I was very happy to find that Klorane’s shampoo & conditioner didn’t do this to my hair.
Some people might find it slightly pricey at £6 each, but it’s actually cheaper than what I would usually buy. I’ve been looking to change shampoos for a while, but I haven’t found a natural product that looks after coloured hair for a decent price, so that’s a big plus for me. The only downside to the shampoo is that it doesn’t lather easily, but that’s a problem with using natural ingredients in a shampoo, and is not down to Klorane in particular.
You can purchase Klorane’s shampoos & conditioners in John Lewis stores or online, here.
bloomzy /

Review: Colour Restore for Redheads

Colour Restore Deep Red, for Redheads*

Colour restore for redheads uses concentrated red pigment infusions to keep colour.
Most of you will know how difficult red hair is to maintain, so this is a great product to have.
I recently became a redhead again, and even though my colour has maintained well I wanted a pick up.
So I was very thankful to receive this and try it out, and let me just say, I was very pleased with the results.
Colour restore can be used as a wash-in shampoo type product to keep your colour fresh, or for something a bit more vivid, you can leave it in for up to 25 mins. I needed to refresh my hair colour so I choose to leave it in for 25 minutes, on my first use.
Before and after

Pros:
+ 3 different ways to use
+ Vivid colour and great shine
+ Left my hair feeling conditioned
Cons:
– Stains skin easily, but can be removed
Notes:
This is such an amazing product for redheads who want to keep their colour.
It’s also a great money saver for those like me who have their hair dyed at a salon.
The only downside was that it did stain, but it was removed with water and another wash.
It was easy to use, and as only a tiny bit is needed the bottle can be used more than once.
It lasts for 12 months, so I plan to make the most of it and use it as often as needed.
For those who might be worried about using it often, it doesn’t contain any peroxide, harsh chemicals or ammonia.
There are also blonde, shine treatments, colour removers and strippers in the range.
You can view and purchase the whole range here.
bloomzy /

Review: Nourish Golden Glow Toning Soufflé

Nourish Golden Glow Toning Soufflé*

Nourish are a skincare company who targets their products at your skin’s needs and health.
This Christmas they are doing just that and bringing you their golden glow toning soufflé with frankincense & myrrh.
The light reflecting particles in this cream are said to:
 “Even skin tone, giving a smooth lustrous appearance and a naturally healthy sun-kissed glow. Golden resins of frankincense and myrrh, combined with a nutrient rich phyto-active marine extract, tone the skin, firming and boosting suppleness. With super-hydrating hyaluronic acid and tripeptides to stimulate the production of collagen, skin feels smoother, softer and has a refined, fresh appearance.”

Definitely not an easy product to capture on camera

Pros:
+ Absorbs into the skin quickly
+ Leaves a subtle sparkly sheen
+ My skin felt soft and smooth after application
Cons:
– Slightly odd scent
Notes:
First off I have to say how much I love the consistency of this product.
It wobbles like jelly and reminded me of custard – I like both those things so I liked this.
The ‘soufflé’ absorbed into my skin very quickly, and I was really impressed – waiting around for creams to dry is a pet hate of mine. This dried within a couple of minutes so it definitely gets bonus points from me!
As for the ‘odd scent’ I mentioned. It’s not terrible but it just didn’t seem to match the decadence of the product.
Some of you may think this review is a little late for Christmas, but I believe in sparkling all year round.
If you really need an excuse though, this cream would be perfect for any New Year celebrations!
You can buy Nourish’s Golden Glow Toning Soufflé here.
bloomzy /

Where to Eat in London 4

The Book Club | Brunch/Dinner | Shoreditch | Website
– reservations not available –
Byron | Lunch/Dinner | Hoxton | Website
– reservations not available –

Chicken Shop | Dinner | Kentish Town | Website

– reservations not available –

I’m a pretty big foodie, if you hadn’t already guessed, so I wanted to post a bit about food in London.
There are some amazing places to eat and pick up food, and these are just a few of the places I have visited lately.
This is my version of a Where to Eat in London – I have included the name, type of restaurant/cafe/store, the location of the place I visited, and a link to their website, as the bigger places have more than one location.

This is an ongoing series (you can find the series here) as my love for food and discovering new bars, restaurants etc. continues to blossom. This time all of the restaurants, apart from Byron (I’ve now been to two of their locations – both wonderful) are all one offs – meaning they can’t be found in multiple locations in London. If you’re curious about what I ate feel free to ask but I didn’t write it as I think it’s self explanatory from most of the photos.

I wouldn’t have included these places if I didn’t love and recommend them.
So if you have the chance you should definitely check them out!

bloomzy /

Review: Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray

Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray

Remember when I visited France this Summer and picked up some facial sprays?
Well here is my first review of the bunch – Evian’s Brumisateur Facial Spray.
What is it?
A moisturising and toning facial spray to be used throughtout the day, or in your daily skincare routine.
You can spray it throughout the day if you feel your skin needs a pick-up, or if you need to cool down.
What can it do?
Evian claims that their facial spray will hydrate, moisturise, refresh and even tone your skin.
It also claims that it will help hold your make-up – just spray your face gently with the product after application.
Does it work?
I think that a lot of people just see this as water in a can.
Well I don’t know whether that’s true or not, but after using it I don’t think it is that simple.
I can be quite lazy in my skincare routine, so I will grab any cheat I can get. So naturally the idea of a spray that does the work of a toner and moisturiser, as well as holds my make-up appealed to me. Was I let down by the product? Not at all! Sometimes my skin can feel a bit raw or dry (not in a scary way) after I’ve washed/exfoliated, and a quick spray of this automatically helps ease my skin so that it feels normal again. I also agree that it can help hold your make-up although you need to be careful not to spray until after everything has dried (mascara, eyeliner etc.), or you might end up with a smudgy face. It works great as a toner, and it certainly helps moisturise. It’s also very gentle on the skin, so no chance of breakouts or dry patches.
The Evian facial spray is perfect to carry in your handbag, use as part of your routine, or just to take on holiday.
You can buy it in selected branches of Waitrose or online here.