Nioxin Diaboost review

I've been trialling Nioxin Diaboost for the past couple of months for Savvy Circle. The name doesn't give you any idea of what the product is - in fact, the rather scary, scientific-sounding name is quite off-putting to me so they could definitely do with a more memorable and seductive rebrand ! - but the big box that it came in gives you a clue. It reminds me of Willow Smith warbling "I whip my hair back and forth, I whip my hair back and forth ..." ! So have you guessed what it's all about yet?!

Well, in a nutshell, it's a leave-in hair thickening treatment that has been scientifically proven to increase the thickness of every single strand of hair, giving you an instant volumising effect. According to the project handbook, it  increases the diameter of each existing hair strand; penetrates right to the core of the hair, making it manageable and fuller looking; strengthens the hair's resilience against breakages; delivers beautiful, thick looking hair; shows noticeable results from the very first use. That's a lot of claims so I was keen to get testing and see what we'd think.

If you're wondering about the science behind it, it contains a trio of active ingredients : caffeine to hydrate the scalp, resulting in a thicker, healthier Stratum Corneum, which is the outermost layer of skin; Panthenol to penetrate deep into core of the hair, strengthening and moisturising from root to tip; and Niacinimide which is used in skincare to improve skin texture, skin tone and improve the natural moisture-barrier function.

It's dead easy to use. You just spray 4-6 pumps on to wet or dry hair at the roots, massage it into your scalp and through to the tips, then comb through and blow dry if your hair is wet. It has a fresh, clean, slightly minty, unisex fragrance that I really like and I was impressed to see that it didn't leave hair feeling stiff or greasy. I already have very thick hair so I tried it on Juliette, who has much finer hair. On dry hair, it did give an instant, albeit subtle, thickening effect. The effect was more noticeable on wet hair that I then blowdried, but as I usually let it dry naturally, I'm not sure how much of that was due to the blowdrying ! 

What I did notice was that Juliette's hair seemed glossier and in better conditioner, so even without wanting thicker hair, I've been using it from time to time to add extra sheen and manageability to my hair. Having seen the price of the bottle, I wouldn't buy it just as a conditioning treatment though.

I've been talking to work colleagues and other mums at the school gates and there is definitely a market out there. Middle aged women and guys in their twenties and thirties whose hair is starting to thin and who aren't ready to give up the fight just yet seem to be the most enthusiastic. It's not something we'll be buying at the moment, but give it a few years and I may come back to it !

star rating : 4/5

RRP : £40 for 100ml

Disclosure : As a member of Savvy Circle, I received the product in order to spread the word and collect and share honest feedback.

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Vaseline Lip Therapy review

Vaseline recently launched a new Limited Edition Lip Therapy lip tint called Paint the Town and they kindly sent me through a sample to try out. I instantly loved the vintage-style tin featuring a city skyline.

I was slightly dubious when I opened the tin though - it looked VERY red ! I glanced at the press release, which says : "Enriched with a spiced berry flavour, this unique combination of Vaseline’s caring Petroleum Jelly with a subtle red tint will intensively moisturise, smooth and give colour in an instant. Simply glide on as the final touch to your make-up look, day or night, for a hint of glamour, whatever the occasion."

I smeared some on my finger and spread it over my lips. I could detect a slight fruity fragrance but couldn't actually taste it once it was on my lips. I wiped the excess off my finger on to a tissue and, as you can see, it's nowhere near as red as it looks in the tin.

In fact, it gives a barely-there tint which wouldn't be overpowering for children or if you're not wearing make up. I also love the fact that you can apply it to chapped or dried out lips without a mirror without looking like a clown ! It's very soothing and moisturising and is perfect for the colder weather, which always plays havoc with my lips.

star rating : 4/5

RRP : £3.49 for 20g

Disclosure : I received the product in order to write an honest review.

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Lovea Argan Oil Hair Care review

You may remember me telling you about discovering argan oil in Morocco this summer. The kids loved looking out for the "goat trees" - the rather athletic goats love eating the fruit from the argan trees and climb up into the branches to reach them which looks very strange ! - and Juliette even helped produce some oil in one of the traditional cooperatives just outside of Agadir. There are culinary oils and zillions of beauty products available using argan oil, from skin and hair care to lipsticks and perfumed body oils.

I'm sure these products all existed on the UK market before we went to Morocco but it's only since our trip that I've noticed them. I was therefore over the moon to get the chance to try out this duo of argan-enriched products from Lovea's haircare range from Big Green Smile.

The first product was the Lovea Moroccan Argan Oil Brilliance Shine Shampoo. It is a certified organic shampoo that targets lifeless, dull or treated hair, promising to fortify it and restore sheen and brilliance. It boasts 99.4 % natural origin and is paraben-free, so I was actually pleasantly surprised to see how well it lathers up. The shampoo has a lovely, slightly pearlescent golden-yellow colour and a delicate but pleasant fragrance. It left my hair feeling literally squeaky clean, which I always thought was a bad thing, meaning it had been stripped of its oils, but apparently happens a lot with sulfate-free shampoo.

I went on to use the Lovea Moroccan Argan Oil Brilliance Shine Conditioner which has the same properties as the matching shampoo. This comes out of the tube as a white, fairly runny cream and I could feel it smoothing and untangling my hair as I worked it through the lengths. Once my hair had dried, it felt light and clean. It did seem less frizzy than usual and it felt extra sleek when I ran my hand across it.

Argan oil is seen as the cure for all evils in Morocco, so finding an affordable product range that uses it is definitely great news in my book.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : shampoo £4.99 for 200ml, £5.49 for 250ml

for more information : http://www.biggreensmile.com/brands/lovea.aspx?brand=Lovea

Disclosure : I received the products in order to write an honest review.

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Magic Nail Laboratory review

Both of the Madhouse girls are big into playing around with make-up and nail varnish when they get the chance, so when we were sent a Magic Nail Laboratory from Interplay to review, I instantly knew that it would get a warm reception.

When it arrived, I was very pleased to see that it's part of the Wild Science collection, which goes way beyond a simple girlie pamper session accessory, providing an insight into the science behind beauty products (homemade and shop bought) as well as giving tips on looking after your body. We had a huge amount of fun with the Lip Balm Laboratory that we reviewed last year and were very impresed with the quality of the lip balms that the girls made, so we had very high hopes for the Magic Nail Laboratory.

The first thing to do was unpack the ingredients and look at all the contents. It contains :

Clear polish base

Shimmer cream

Red and white colourants

Nail stickers

Pots

Gift bottles

Brush

Toe separator

Stirring stick

Beaker

Buffer and sandpaper file

The instruction booklet gives lots of useful advice on looking after your nails and keeping them manicured, which Sophie was very interested in, but the main attraction was making their own nail varnish, adding pigments or shimmer to the polish base. Sophie took control of the fiddly measuring and mixing, but Juliette didn't feel left out because she was put in charge of the nail stickers. Very special nail stickers at that, because they are designed to change colour in sunlight or glow in the dark. Cue big whoops of excitement !

I was very pleased to see that the nail varnish came off easily in the bath too, peeling off without any need for harsh nail varnish remover and - all importantly - without damaging or drying out the nails underneath. 

I did take some photos of the finished nails but Sophie refused to let me post them because she was embarrassed of her chewed nails and cuticles. (She said I can add some in a few weeks when her nails have grown longer !) If this kit helps her kick the habit of biting her nails, that's an even bigger bonus. Even without that incentive, it's a really fun and educational kit that any tween or teenaged girl will love. 

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £12.99

for more information : http://www.interplayuk.com/wild-science-girls/magic-nail-laboratory

Disclosure : We received the kit in order to write an honest review.

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Amie natural skincare review - Like mother, like daughter !

Amie recently sent me through some of their skincare products to try out, and offered to send two sets - one for me and one for Sophie. Although I totally appreciated the gesture, it did leave me feeling slightly dubious. Could the same products really be suited for a 12-year-old girl and and a 40 (nearly 41 - eek !)-year-old woman? Well, time would tell !

The first product that I tried was the Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash, in the pink tube. In my experience, "purifying" usually means astringent and facial wash usually means a gel or a foaming lotion. I therefore did a bit of a double take when I squeezed some out on my fingers and discovered a pale pink cream. I actually had to check to make sure I hadn't picked up the moisturising lotion by mistake ! 

I applied it to my damp face, massaged it into my skin then rinsed it off. It didn't feel like a facial wash, it felt more like a moisturiser, but my skin did feel refreshed and clean afterwards. It's lovely for waking up in the morning, as its name suggests, but I also like using it at bedtime to clean off the day's grime. My skin doesn't feel dry or tingly as it does after using many purifying products, it feels hydrated and soft.

A quick look on the website reveals that the active ingredients in this product are mayblossom and elderflower to purify and decongest the skin, keeping oiliness in check and helping prevent spot formation; natural sugar moisturisers to ensure skin is not stripped or dried out; cocoa seed butter to nourish; sweet almond oil to soften; orange blossom and raspberry to tone pores and refresh skin. Phew, that's an impressively long list of lovely natural ingredients.

On to the second product, the Morning Dew Matte-Finish Moisturiser in the yellow tube. This is a lovely light moisturiser that is absorbed instantly into the skin without leaving any feelings of greasiness or shine on your face, so I can put it on before heading out of the door to work when I'm in a rush, unlike many of the other moisturisers I've tried. It leaves my skin feeling soft, soothed and protected from the cold, wind and rain outside, so it will be my new ally over the autumn and winter. It can be used under make-up too.

I went to investigate the natural ingredients in this prodct and was equally impressed : organic rosehip and bilberry nourish, natural plant sugars hydrate and Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant protecting against sun damage and pollution; Lemon Fruit Extract acts as an effective antiseptic whilst Orange Blossom is an excellent skin clarifying agent, helping to remove excess sebum and keep oily skin clear. The ingredients are 90.8% natural, which does mean that I feel really safe handing them over to my (almost) teen-aged daughter.

Amie’s products are completely free from parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, petrochemicals and animal extracts and they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. They have been especially designed to work in complete harmony with your skin to help keep it clear, soft and radiant and I love the fact that they are packed with natural plant and botanical extracts rather than harsh chemicals.

I was also very impressed by the low price tags. Sophie loved the fact that she could use the same grown-up products as Mum too !

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : Matte-Finish Moisturiser £4.95 for 100ml, Purifying Facial Wash £4.95 for 150ml

for more information : http://amieskincare.com/

Disclosure : I received the products in order to write an honest review.

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