such a Beach...

I like the word 'beach' pronounced by some non-native English speakers. Especially with a Spanish dialect, which sounds more like the assertive woman-type equivalent. 

So I can write a whole post-feminist story why it isn't such a bad thing to speak up to people, being the so-called b#tch, and how people value assertiveness differently when it's a guy (assertive) than when it's a girl (bitchy). But I'll leave that to the frequent feminist bloggers.  

In this case, I'll keep it up with the sandy talk and the sea-saltedness of the beach.

So I have been trying out some new things. The Coola (mineral) sunscreen above was not a favourite.  It has a SPF 30 factor but I returned quite tanned from 2 hours of lounging in the sun. I have been used to the meticulously functionable Japanese sunblocks in the past, so this was not the result I was after. The tan was nice, though, but certainly not anticipated.

More Beachi-ness:

I have been loving the Ambre Solaire (Same as the Garnier) Sunscreen line a lot in the pump-spray form. It is delightfully watery and thin and leaves no greasiness behind: perfect when you get into contact with sand, water or almost everything. The aerosol spray might not be the most environmental construction but at least I can go to the beach alone without asking strangers to rub in my back...EEEK, I've never done that, btw! I had this method of misting my suntan lotion on a round can and trying to roll it on my back -> not handy and it will give you pityful stares of coupled, familied or befriended people.

Short story: excellent protection for the body and the aerosol is single-girl friendly too. And so thin you can't hardly tell you put it on, which will not give you backne either.

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 KIKO stick in SPF 50 is so nice because the formula is like a dry-stick. I've been suffering from oily skin in a different climate so anything greasy felt and looked quite wrong. It protects quite good: I've used it for shading my nose (SPF 30 on face and a thin line of KIKO SPF 50 on the bridge of the nose) and I had a lighter result: tadaaah, photoshop by sunscreening.

KIKO also has this line of peeling tissues in a purple packaging. They are plasticy bobbly on one side and cloth-textured on the other side. The plastic side is too harsh for me and the liquid on the cloth-side would be too hash normally as well. But as I said: the skin had his neo-teenage moment and I loved these for removing sunscreen after the beach.

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I swim! People tell me I shouldn't swim with my hair but I just love it too much. I have been telling my colourists to keep that in mind when doing my hair. Still, I protect the hair before: normally with L'oreal Mythic Oil. I will upgrade to a hairlotion with sunscreen for the next beachy encounter. Post swim I rinse my hair with water quite fast, and scrunch in some Aveda Damage Remedy leave in treatment: most showers at the beach have cold water so I prefer not to spend too much time under them.

The Sunnies are from & Other Stories. I have designer Shades (hi Celine), but for that beachy stuff I'll just like to minimise the damage upon the Expensive and go for the Scandinavian cheaper but still stylish variety.

I have some more beach-i-ness to share but for the time being I just like to discuss the Iphony bunch of it...I'm gonna look closer upon Marie Veronique Organics (MVO Organics) Sunscreen SPF 30 soon and why it's such a breeze when having oily skin. Next time, less I Phony-ness, more quality photos.

Leave Me In! Fast Conditioning with Aveda, Wunderbar, Unite & Less is More

Yesterday I watched an old episode of Sex and the City. The theme was about getting into the most desired restaurant, so the 'let me in' kinda got mixed up with the 'leave-[me]-in' conditioners: 

I'm not gonna talk about the hippy-hair-gone-normal-long story about mine, but maintainance has been easier: I'm often permitted to go 'fast-n-go' with a good leave in conditioner. I'm still about quality, and my stylist, recommendations of other bloggers, own curiosity has led me to these.

1. Wunderbar Moisture Leave in Treatment: This brand is quite new. It smells chemically fresh but has a refreshing low amount of ingredients including poweroil Argan Oil:
   

   

    Aqua, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyquaternium-37, Quaternium-87, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Quaternium-80, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil,hydrolised Adansonia Digitata Extract, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydatoin, Carbomer, Fragance, Limonene, Lanalool, Geranol.

    Most of all, it's actually good and it doesn't irritate my scalp nor the skin of my face. Affordable! This travel sample is €1 for a reasonable 50 ml.
2. Unite 7 Seconds is a typical blogger's recommendation (various here): I've noticed a lot of [bleached] blondes use it as their hair needs volume & oh-so-much care as well. The spray-formula is light and easy. It conditions well but it's not my favourite: this for being too chemical as my skin doesn't like it when it gets into contact with my hair.
3. Less is More Lavendel Smooth Balm is not a listed Leave-in Conditioner but more of a pre-blowdry moisturizer. Meh, different-label-same-construction to me.

   

   Balmy, my hair absorbs it better than this flower

   It's lovingly balmy and shockful of good ingredients (more here). It smells like authentic lavendel: not everybody would be into this scent but I think it's soothing and reminds me of the South of France, nice.
4. Aveda Damage Leave in Treatment is infused with Quinoa: really! I think it's the strongest and most conditioning one of the pack.
   
   It really functions as a deep-conditioning mask only in the leave-in form. I love it's Aveda-ish scent. On some days it can be too moisturizing so I actually use it like I would use a wash-out mask; every now and then for that extra boost.

Comparing ingredients:

 It is surprising how the naturals can have either a long list (Aveda) as a shorter list (Less is More). Aveda is actually not as natural as it claims to be (eg here & here) but they have been around for a longer time bringing quite good quality in a more natural way, so I give them credit for that. And how to resist power-superfood Quinoa in haircare?

I was already surprised Wunderbar has a short ingredients list and other chemical partner Unite has a longer one.

I really like all of them for specific reasons. Unite is the fastest on the go, but I still believe in combing through the liquid. The rest are to be rubbed in and are wonderful in protecting it from blowdry & other styling tools.

You absolutely do not need as many as I have but I've been sampling them by chance, curiosity and for different kind of needs. I'm glad to see the leave-ins gotten more sophisticated and effective throughout the years. They used to be a gooey 'residence-left-over' potion that couldn't really compare with the rinse-out's, but now they equal the effect you might need for your hair.

November Empties & December Full's

My empties of November: 

1. Inner Me Pretty Locks haircapsules:

The cute packaging of a Zoe Deschanel look-a-like in animation + the promise of bountiful hair = purchase. I'm not sure if I repurchase as similar ingredients come cheaper in other formulas.

2. REN F10 Smooth and Renew Mask: 

I really liked the thicker texture of this mask/exfoliator and it removes enough skincells without going overboard. I'll consider repurchasing as REN is easily available in Holland and it works quite well.

3/4. Intelligent Nutrients Body Elixir in Attune & Restore

I bought both on sale and I liked both (review here). They are oils with a slightly sticky texture, so it works wonderful as an evening oil. I prefer Attune's fragance as Restore is a bit too pepperminty. They're both smaller sizes 50 ml so I'm not sure if I'd repurchase when full priced.

5. Sophyto Exfoliating Treatment

Yes, another exfoliator and another good one as well: I often exfoliate more after a holiday and during autumn. The texture is so much thinner as REN: a lotion-like substance that gives a bit of a tingle after 10 minutes. It works just as adequate as REN in exfoliating terms and is slightly cheaper, but I have to order it online.

6.  Neil George Indian Gooseberry treatment for hair (the whole package of 6)

I once received a free sample and liked it a lot. I love it for my dryer (highlighted) hairs close to my scalp: it adds moisture and seems healing without making it loose volume.  I think it is an expensive set so I tried the pure Amla (Gooseberry) oil but that version was so intensely fraganced and quite heavy & oily in the pure form. So I'd repurchase but only after payday.

6. Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo

A wonderful & slightly herbal scented shampoo. It adds a certain degree of 'thickness' and it never feels stripping. I use it in combination with their Revitaliser so I cannot tell how it works on itself. But my hair on top looks a lot healthier these days.

7.  Pai Echium Eyecream

My second bottle used up (1st review here). I am not sure if I got this one for free or that I bought this one and got something else for free. I love this thicker eyecream but curiosity made me buy the similar looking Nourish RevitalEyes with Kale.

8. RapidLash Eyelash growth Serum

I've gotten eyelash extensions during summer and for my last holiday. They're handy for the beach but at a certain moment I get tired of them: as they feel unnatural after 3 weeks and the constant refreshing is expensive and time-consuming.  I think they slightly wreck your own eyelashes so I'm trying to recover them by RapidLash. It worked lovely the last time as they grew normal and even more sensually long after a month: wonderful!

Those have been my empties, so I bought myself a Ciate Mini Mani Advent Calender to surprise myself every day:

It's really a good value if you like Ciate with a couple of newbie colours too. 

I already 'cheated' and added day 13 to my nails (spoiler: it's Ferris Wheel).

But as a good girl I added day 1 on top today: Snow Globe, a gorgeously greenish-silver holo flecked goodiness:

And that will absolutely not be the only newbie beauty product for December: I'll keep you updated : )