REVIEW: Schwarzkopf Colour Specialist Supreme-Care Colour Creme...

Back in February, I discovered this ever so gentle home hair colouring kit through a Trial Team invitation from beatyheaven. Somehow I'd never spotted this Schwarzkopf Colour Specialist Supreme-Care Colour Creme, probably because to date I've only found it at Priceline, and I usually buy my hair dye from the supermarket. Anyways, I was so excited about the concept of the Omegaplex Anti-breakage Technology that I bought a box even before the trial began, and as you can see, I've used it quite a few times since, and I'm thrilled with the results...

All but one box in the photo above is 8.1 Cool Light Blonde, and it's pretty obvious in the pic below that my hair didn't turn out like the shade on the pack...thankfully! In fact, I'm ecstatic - it finished up being super cool and ashy (which is what I was after), but darker than I planned (the photo is with a flash so it looks lighter than reality), no doubt because my hair is so porous from a lifetime of home colouring/streaking. So I've bought the 10.1 Cool Ultra Light Blonde (top right) to see if that's more like the light ash blonde hue I'm aiming for, and I'll report the shade results at a later date. I'm pretty hopeful though, and despite it being such a pale colour, they still promise 100% grey coverage. Actually, I usually buy two shades once I'm set on a colour path, one darker one lighter, and alternate between the two to minimise build-up ♥...

Below is what's included in the pack - the usual tube of colourant, developer, gloves and instructions,  and there's also a blister pack of anti-breakage serum that you mix into the other contents of the bottle, plus two sachets of conditioning creams. No.2 (black) is a "repair sealer" that you leave on for 2 minutes after rinsing, but I have to say that even before I applied it, my hair felt as soft as silk with no tangles - amazing! Sachet No. 3 (silver) is what they call a "repair reviver" and you apply that 3 weeks after the initial colouring to maintain the glossy condition (and colour) of your tresses. My hair is short and I found there was enough for two applications, so I've been combing it through my hair weekly (I colour the white roots every fortnight), and it's stayed soft and manageable with lots of shine. Incidentally, there's barely any of the usual ammonia smell during the dyeing process ♥...

On the back of the box is an explanation of how the "micro-bonds protection" process works, and work it sure does! ♥...

In summary, it's the best, kindest and most loving home hair dye kit I've tried in over 40 years (!), and it's the one I'll be using going forward. At $18.99, the price is quite a bit more than I've been used to paying but so worth it for the way less damage it does to my hair. Thanks a bunch beautyheaven for introducing me to this brilliant box of mane colouring benefits! ♥...

Do you dye your hair at home?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

SPOTLIGHT: August Empties!...

This post comes to you from a very happy blogger - the days are finally getting longer, the Antarctic winds are finding someone else's toes to freeze, and I've started poking around in the secondary wardrobe for some of the bargains I scored at the end of last Spring/Summer. I do so love buying at end of season sales, and then stashing things away so that I've something fresh and new to wear on day one. And today I changed my hair colour (yet again!), but enough of the Kats-Has-Got-Spring-Fever ravings, let's get on with last month's empties ♥...

Skin Doctors Relaxaderm Advance (30ml RRP $59.95)

From memory I bought this at Chemist Warehouse because it came with a free tube of Younger Hands (which is very good).  I've been using this instead of a serum - advertised as a wrinkle relaxer, it claims to reduce expression lines by 66% in 28 days, but I've not noticed much difference in my crevasses. To be honest I think I'm too far gone for anything like this to have an effect, but you don't know till you try! I've had mixed results from SD products in the past - some have been astoundingly good (like their Eyetuck), while others have been nice enough, but not all that (visibly) effective. I reckon this would be excellent for much younger gals who are starting to see some signs of ageing...

Repurchase?

No - my search for the Fountain of Youth will continue elsewhere...

Imperial Leather Japanese Spa - Jasmine & Green Tea Triple Moisturising Bodywash (1 litre RRP $8.99)

Another one of my gigantic bottle purchases, but unlike the Forbidden Fruit one, I'm still loving this fragrance. Surprising as it contains Jasmine, but it's beautifully balanced with the Green Tea, plus a wee bit of citrus, orange blossom and rose - a lovely fresh and slightly exotic scent that hits the spot all year round. I raved about it HERE, in fact I think it's the same bottle lol!...

Repurchase?

Definitely - at least this one is still available at Coles, but I'll wait till I've cleared some of the others in the cupboard ♥...

Garnier Skin Naturals Miracle Sleeping Cream (50ml RRP $19.95)

This came in my third Marie Claire Ageless Parcel, and won me over from the first application. It's just plain gorgeous - the fragrance alone is heavenly enough to put me in the perfect state for a peaceful slumber. The cream has an unusual texture - it's sort of springy to the touch (if that makes any sense). Not a gel nor a cream, but somewhere in between. Magnificently hydrating without being heavy, it absorbs in a flash, and I wake up with plump, refreshed and satin-soft skin, and no oily film. LOVE it! ♥...

Repurchase?

Already have another jar - I have SO many night creams to try, but I'll alternate them with this because it's so special ♥...

Mirenesse Liquid Silk Foundation (35g RRP $59.50)

Well whoopdedoo, I finished some makeup! I have to hand it to Mirenesse - they make fabulous foundation. Pricey (unless you're a VIP member), and their entire range of foundations only comes in 4 shades, but Vienna is the perfect match for me. This baby is matte, oil free and contains SPF15. It's not my HG (their Velvet Maxi Lift Supreme Antiageing Renovage is even better) but it's a close second. Not quite enough coverage to be perfect, but with a tinted cc cream underneath, the finish is superb. Detailed review HERE ♥...

Repurchase?

I'm in a bit of a quandry - I like the Velvet Maxi Lift a tad more but it's an extra $40, and I'm just now trying their new Smooth Nude CC Hydra Makeup Mousse which I'm absolutely loving, so... maybe not ♥...

Maybelline FITme Shine-Free Foundation Stick (9g RRP $15.95)

I always like to have a stick foundation in my kit, but I was disappointed with this. Super easy to apply and blend, but kind of disappears by lunchtime on my combo skin, and even though I didn't wear it every day, I used up the entire stick within a month. I didn't find it to be shine-free either ...

Repurchase?

No - MNY make so many other foundations that are heaps better...

Clairol Nice'nEasy - Natural Lightest Golden Brown (RRP $12.99)

My experimentation with a new hair colour continues - so now I'm moving away from the reds and getting into the golden stream, and this shade is a natural looking dark honeyish blonde (no way is it brown!). As mentioned in previous empties posts, this range suits me to a T because the colour never EVER becomes darker with re-application. I'm actually after something a wee bit deeper as my base, but the next one up is medium brown which I reckon will be too dark, so I might do my usual trick and mix them half and half ♥...

Repurchase?

Oui - there's several boxes under the bathroom sink ♥...

Lancôme Trésor in Love Eau de Parfum (30ml/50ml/75ml RRP $81/$114/$138)

SO sad when I finished this - it was only a miniature, but I sure fell under its spell, and I made it last for 4 years! I wrote a rave review about it on beautyheaven, and called it 100% romance. The original Trésor smells like rotting fruit on me, but this fruity-floral on a cedar base is nothing short of divine ♥...

Repurchase?

I'm putting all my gold coins in a jar so I can buy the big bottle - it's taking a while, but I'll get there ♥...

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector (10ml RRP $50)

I'm embarrassed to say that this eye cream was part of my beautyheaven Blogstar prize that arrived in January 2014, and it's been languishing in my drawer for two years! Mind you I don't have dark circles under my eyes (I have huge bags instead), which is why I wasn't in a hurry to try it. Nor can I report that it does in fact work. All I can say is that the cream is a fleshy colour, has a lovely texture, a groovy little dispenser nozzle, hydrates well, and leaves my skin baby soft...

Repurchase?

Negative - does nothing for my eye bags, and my squinty crows feet are the same depth...

CROP Gentle Cleansing Gel - Essential Oil Blend (125ml RRP $12)

Finishing this was probably my greatest achievement last month. I'm a huge fan of CROP products, but this cleanser would have to be the weirdest one I've ever tried. In its favour, it smells fantastic because of its essential oil content (eucalyptus, rosemary, lemongrass, cajeput & peppermint), and once I rinse out my face cloth, the water is decidedly murky and the colour of my foundation, so it's amazingly effective, but it feels way too peculiar on my skin. I'll try to explain. It's an oil. The directions say to work it into a light lather, but it's ridiculously sticky, and the only way I can get any kind of lather up is to wet my hands a little. So then it lathers a teeny bit and spreads a little more easily, but only for a few seconds, and then my hands get stuck to my skin again, and I have to add more water, and on it goes. By this stage, I'm dripping all over the sink, and well, it's all just too awkward...

Repurchase?

Shakes head from left to right - life's too short for tacky cleansers...

CROP Natural Mineral Pressed Bronzer - Solaire (10g RRP $24)

My HG bronzer - it's a quad with four shades ranging from light to dark, the lightest shade is a terrific highlighter with a slight shimmer. I've hit pan on the two deeper pigments, and halfway to the bottom on the other two, but I'm treating myself to a brand new one that doesn't look so cruddy. EXACTLY the right tone for my skin, riddled with goodness, minus all the bad stuff, and no animal testing ♥...

Repurchase?

Absolutely - it was 40% off at Coles this morning. Yay! ♥...

Did you get through many products last month?

Take care of you,

kats xxx

P.S. It's a done deal that I'm linking this to the always awesome Ingrid's Monday Madness Link Up Party ♥