Hairburst Volume & Growth Elixir

I'm gonna be honest, I only bought this product as it was part of a 3 for 2 deal at Holland and Barrett. I usually get the Vitamins but I never feel the need to buy 3 tubs of them. One tub is a month's supply which includes 60 capsules- so that's 2 per day. But because my skin breaks out, I only take one a day so two tubs last me 4 months. So into the basket went a bottle of this Elixir Spray instead! 

I didn't have high expectations for this Elixir, and this product matched up to this. Although it smells lovely and coconut-ty, there wasn't much difference in terms of hair growth as the vitamins pretty much do the job. 

One positive aspect I experienced while using it was that it kept my hair soft which is always a welcome benefit for my naturally frizzy hair! Also, one tip I've learned with this Elixir- keep it away from the hair roots. It will make your hair greasy quicker. 

At £23.99, the product isn't cheap and there are so many other more affordable alternatives available on the high street. 

So basically, my advice is: this product has some benefits including the fact that it smells nice, and keeps the hair soft. But don't pay full price for it. 

Emporio Armani Stronger With You

Despite the cheesy name, this is quite an impressive fragrance. It's a rather strong, luxurious scent; I got a friend to test it out for me, and he couldn't stop raving about the longevity. 

Notes: 

Top notes: Pink Pepper Essence, Apple Accord, Violet Leaves Accord

Heart: Lavender Essence, Sage Essence, Cardamom Essence, Cinnamon Essence

Base notes: Glazed Chestnut Accord, Cedar Tree Essence, Guaiac Essence, Amber Wood

As you can see, there are plenty of intense notes (Sage, Cardamom, Cinnamon) that come into play during the scent's development. The sweet cardamom and amber wood- to me- are the most prominent notes. It's an interesting fragrance as it's warm and oriental yet slightly sweet at the same time. The sweetness surprised me as I was expecting a very spicy, overwhelming scent. 

I've heard some comparisons of this to Paco Rabanne's One Million, and I really must disagree. Although Stronger With You is not the most original scent on the fragrance market, it's definitely a good one as it's modern and classy. I actually haven't yet tried the women's version (as I'm more of an Armani Si fan!), but I'm told that's a decent fragrance too. 

Emporio Armani's Stronger With You by Emporio Armani is available nationwide. 

ELEMIS Pro Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment

I began to develop a skincare regime when I was 21 after attending an event with Elizabeth Arden where the key speaker emphasised the importance of 'prevention over cure' when it comes to young skin. This motto really struck me and I've been living by it ever since; I cleanse, tone and moisturise everyday, always wear an SPF (even in the winter), and eye cream/serum is a must. 

As a full-time PhD student, part-time university lecturer and beauty blogger, I'm always limited on spare time so looking after my skin is so important to me. I'm always switching products in order to test them out, but when a product is really good beyond expectation- I will always re-purchase and stick to it. Elemis' Pro Collagen Eye Treatment is one of those products. 

At £46, the product's not cheap. But it works. I've never suffered from dark circles, but when I began by third year of PhD study and started lecturing, I noticed some fine lines had developed underneath my eyes. Clearly this was caused by stress (as you can imagine) and less sleep. Within two weeks, I saw an improvement. Since then, I have gone through 3 bottles of the stuff. 

The serum is so smooth that the product glides over the eyelid and underneath the eyes. It's almost like water so it doesn't even feel like a serum, and isn't at all sticky. Many eye treatments/serums on the market are sticky and remain so when applied over the eyes. This can be incredibly frustrating when applying concealer or eyeshadow as it causes clumping.

Also, some eye treatments irritate the hell out of my eyes. This one thankfully doesn't.

What I would say that is a downside of the product is just in terms of the design of the product. Because of the way the pump is designed, the bottle releases way too much serum than is actually required.

Elemis Pro Collagen Eye Treatment is available nationwide and is priced at £46. 

Giorgio Armani Si Rose Signature

It's very difficult for me to pick a favourite fragrance brand (primarily due to the fact that I own so many fragrances) so I'd have to pick a handful. It's safe to say that Giorgio Armani is most definitely one of them, amongst others including Viktor & Rolf and Tom Ford. 

Si Rose Signature is a re-interpretation of the original Si. The original is absolutely fantastic and has been a staple fragrance of mine ever since its launch in 2013. The luxuriousness and elegance of the sensual fragrance is something that makes it an absolute pleasure to wear. Si Rose Signature is an interpretation of the popular chypre scent. 

As you can perhaps guess by the name, the rose notes remain at the core of Si Rose- May Rose and Turkish Rose (two rose absolutes). It's more floral and much lighter in comparison to the original, making it a better choice to wear in the summer months. In my opinion, Si is strong and can be very overwhelming if too much is sprayed.

Despite this, the original Si still exists in the tones of Si Rose. This is because the top and base notes are the same- only the heart is different as it includes rose absolutes. Top notes include bergamot and mandarin oil, and the base notes consist of patchouli oil and vanilla absolute. 

Also- to my surprise, despite being lighter and fresher, Si Rose lasts quite long. Much longer than I expected it to anyway. I still do prefer the original, but I'll be hanging onto this for when it's a bit warmer outside! 

 Giorgio Armani Si Rose Signature is priced at £73 for 50ml. It's available to purchase nationwide. 

Unity by Mesut Ozil and Mathieu Flamini

As an Arsenal fan, I was thrilled when I spotted an invitation to the launch of Unity- a wellbeing brand by Mesut Ozil and Mathieu Flamini. I wasn't sure of what to expect as the invitation was brief and didn't explain what the product line would consist of. Like others at the launch event, I honestly thought it would be a range of sports or health drinks (it wasn't!). I actually even got to see Ozil and Flamini in the flesh which was an absolutely amazing experience. 

Unity: the brand 
'For people and planet', Unity is a collection of skincare/grooming products, ranging from hydrating lotions to body washes and beard oils. The majority of the range is meant to be unisex but there are obviously products aimed at the male market like the beard oil. 

I also had the opportunity to learn about Ozil and Flamini's reasons behind creating the brand. As an environmentalist, Flamini is very passionate about raising awareness and possible solutions to the problem of climate change. Whereas, Ozil's reasons for having co-founded the brand sits in the desire of being a voice for others in times of diversity and discrimination whilst also wanting to provide a healthier future for the the next generation. Overall, both of them come across to me as very nice, and incredibly ambitious people who really want to bring about positive change in the world- something we can never get enough of.

Natural ingredients 

As a skincare and fragrance enthusiast, it was only natural for me to pop open the lids and check out the scent of some of the products at the launch. I was actually expecting them to be non-scented (not sure why), so to my surprise- I actually widened my eyes upon smelling the fragrance of the products. The scent is incredibly fresh and invigorating without smelling artificial, and this is because Unity refuses to include any parabens or artificial fragrances in their products, as well as mineral oils or plastic microbeads. All product ingredients are 100% natural, and sustainably sourced too. 

Eco-friendly packaging 

The product is just as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside (and I'm not just talking about the simple yet clean/sleek design). 

I was very impressed when the PR told me about the packaging for the range. Get this: the product containers are made from sugar cane. You read that right. Sugar cane is a recyclable bioplastic that help to reduce C02 emissions (normal plastic increases them). 

But, the bottle tops are made from plastic but this is because there is no suitable alternative at the moment. Unity will change this if an alternative is found though. 

I couldn't help but smile when I saw this
photo canvas at the launch 

Why is climate change important to address? 

As a PhD student, I'm constantly reading and learning new things but at the launch, I learnt so much about climate change and the importance of reducing plastic that I kept thinking about it as I travelled home in the evening. 

Here are some facts I learnt: 
       - Climate change displaces up to 10x more people than conflict and war. By 2050, climate change will have displaced 250 million people, impacting the world's poorest populations. 

       - We cannot lift people out of poverty if we do not conserve the environment and the natural resources they rely on, and we can't protect the environment if we do not address their needs. 

It's so lovely to see footballers giving back, and to address the detrimental effects of plastic waste (which has amplified in the past couple of years) is- in my opinion- an excellent choice to make. Especially as it's evident that Ozil and Flamini are extremely passionate about it. 

I also was told that Ozil has visited refugee camps. I've always had respect for him as a footballer but now I love him even more, particularly as he's supporting a global cause that I'm also passionate about. Both Ozil and Flamini have brilliant outreach opportunities, and for them to use it in this way is quite frankly, beautiful. I really believe their brand will be a huge success whilst also bringing about positive, global change. 

To check out the product line, visit Unity's website at: www.oneunity.com 

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Lucky

Lady Million Lucky launched last year and is definitely one of my favourite fragrances from that year. Although I love the original, sometimes I do feel that the original Lady Million's a bit too obvious now so I like how Paco Rabanne are still launching more sister scents, and I hope there's another upcoming one this year. 

It reminds me very much of one of the perfumes I purchased in Dubai (which was over 3 times the price!), so that's pretty positive in my opinion! Let's take a look at the fragrance notes.

SK:N Age-Delaying Cream for Younger Skin

I'm incredibly diligent with my skincare routine, and have been ever since I was 21. I've recently been using SK:N's Age-Delaying Cream for Younger Skin, and I very quickly became a fan of it. 

I admire SK:N as a brand- I attended a roundtable conference of theirs last year and was slightly taken aback as to how the company seemed to genuinely care for its patients and was so passionate about the future of the beauty/aesthetics industry. To me, this is pretty rare.

Dadi'Oil

When I reviewed Morgan Taylor's Royal Temptations collection, I mentioned that my nails weren't in the best condition. So recently, I've been using Dadi'Oil- a very popular nail and skin treatment- to help with the dryness and help my nails recover from their brittle state. 

Paco Rabanne Lady Million Privé

Last week, I reviewed Paco Rabanne's 1 Million Privé, and I mentioned how I thought of it as far more superior than the original 1 Million scent. Well, that's also the case for Lady Million Privé. Isn't it such a gorgeous bottle?! 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Miracle Hydrating Mist

I love Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour range; I apply the Skin Protectant on my lips every night without fail, and due to its versatility, I use it on cuts, dry and sunburnt areas, and burns. So obviously, I had high decent expectations of their Miracle Hydrating Mist.