Five products that didn't live up to the hype for me

Hyped up products are tricky ones because expectations are high and it is easy to get carried away with "the next best thing". After some disappointments, I try not to jump on the hype bandwagon and purchase products as soon as they are released. My cynical head says that some products are hyped because the brand behind them has a large marketing budget and know how to cause a stir but, of course, there are some products that deserve the hype around them because they are genuiely amazing products. Before I get into this post, which I know may be a little divisive, I want to remind you that beauty is subjective - what works for me, may not work for you and vice versa.  Also, I am not saying that these are bad products - it's more  a case of them just not living up to the hype for me. Some of them I will still use, they just aren't my favourites and others I will pass on to others who might enjoy them more than I do.

Hair styling game changer: Kérastase L'incroyable Blowdry

Kérastase is one of my favourite haircare brands and has been for years. I have used a number of their shampoos, conditioners, heat protectors and oils and there have only been a few products that didn't hugely impress me so I had high expectations for their latest styling release: Kérastase L'incroyable Blowdry. This is not just a heat protectant, but is also a styling product that promises to retain the style/shape for a number of days after use. Because I only wash my hair twice weekly, I was intrigued by this claim and also hopeful. So does it live up to its claims? Well, I guess the title of this post gives it away but keep reading for my full thoughts!

My favourite all matte eyeshadow palettes featuring Viseart, Kat Von D & more!

Whilst I love a good shimmer eyeshadow, on a day to day basis it's matte shadows that I use most frequently. I find that I can achieved a polished look more quickly with mattes, although this was not always the case as I used to find that matte shadows were chalky/powdery and stiff. Fortunately, formulas have changed over the last few years and now mattes can be as buttery soft and easy to work with as shimmers and satins. Today I am sharing my favourite all matte palettes - I have some really beautiful mattes in other palettes that also contain shimmers and satins but the four palettes here today are all matte so if you are on the hunt for the perfect palette, I hope that you will find something here.

GIVEAWAY: Win Ferragamo Signoria Misteriosa - the ultimate Valentine's Day gift for her with Debenhams #foundit

I mentioned in my Valentine's Day Gift Guide here that perfume is one of my favourite gifts to both give and receive - for any occasion, and today I have a very exciting post to you in collaboration with Debenhams! You have the opportunity to win a bottle of Ferragamo Signorina Misteriosa, which features in their Valentine's Gift Guide for her. Of course, if fragrance isn't your or your partner's thing, Debenhams have a huge selection of gifts to suit all budgets, which you can check out here to find your ultimate gift!