Tommy Guns - Make Up to Make Out

It’s so stupid when you think about it, but I’ve always been a bit ‘put off’ by mousses. I think it was all the scrunch-dried crunchy hair in the 90’s that left me with the impression that it was a vile outdated product. However, after hearing a few comments along the lines of ‘a bit of mousse will sort that out’ in regards to my flat, limp hair (and other peoples’ flat, limp hair) I decided to bite the bullet and try some. I knew I had a can of mousse somewhere, and it transpired it was this one by Tommy Guns given to me at a press event a while back. Not expecting much, while my hair was still damp I shook the can, squeezed a generous amount out and applied it to my roots, then blow dried with a big round brush.

Wow.

I couldn’t believe how amazing this product worked in giving me brilliant root lift and gorgeous flouncy bouncy hair. It looked like I had used some giant coke-can sized heated rollers and really spent time styling my hair into a very polished voluminous look. Obviously I understand that my trusty natural bristle round brush and hair dryer contributed to the result, but I use those tools all the time and the only new addition was this mousse and thus that was clearly the difference! It gave perfect hold, controlled all those pesky baby hairs and really disciplined my often hard to manipulate hair. FYI, my hair, although quite thin, is also quite heavy and has a tendency to fall down regardless of all my attempts of root lifting; however this product works amazingly for it! Without being sticky/crispy or needing to back comb!

Since then (that was about six months ago), I have ALWAYS used this volumising mousse with every hair wash, maybe I should branch out and try a few others now I’m clearly over my phobia and preconceptions? I don’t know, to be honest I genuinely doubt all mousses are as good as this one. I went to a PR event again quite recently, the same company who represent Tommy Guns, and they specifically asked if I had tried this mousse; I get the impression it is a wonder product.

Whilst I did get this as a freebie, I will definitely invest in another can (and another can!) as so far I’m not even tempted to stray with something I am so happy with. Plus, the icing on the cake is this baby is priced at only £5.99! I’m lucky enough to get lots of great products sent to me, some of which are very pricy so when I choose to use a product that costs around a fiver over the rest of them in my ‘daily’ routine – that’s saying something! My can is still going strong (I wash/blow-dry my hair about 2-3 times a week) and I actually think I wouldn’t need to repurchase another one till at least March next year so it’s brilliant value for money.

Alas, I haven’t tried scrunch drying my hair with this product, but if that’s the look you’re after I seem to remember my sister perfected the art in the 90’s with a can VO5 Mousse!

You can pick up Tommy Guns Miraculous Volumising Mousse from larger Boots stores (it’s not on their site online, unfortch), but if you don’t find it there you can definitely pick it up online HERE for £5.99. Seriously, if you suffer from flat limp hair like myself and crave a bit of volume that lasts I highly recommend it!

There was a brilliant event I went to yesterday hosted by a PR company who wanted to offer bloggers a chance to familiarise themselves with their [predominantly skin care] brands better. It was an amazing opportunity for us to discover new brands, and best of all, to meet the creators behind them!

Elizabeth’s Daughter

This range is 95% natural and a great alternative for those who do have problem skin and want something gentle, effective and free of fragrances and chemicals. Woman of all ages can use this, especially if most other products irritate their skin, but generally it is aimed for younger skin – it’s aimed for mothers buying their daughters skin care that is natural and kind.

Elizabeth, founder of Elizabeths’s Daughter

Elizabeth’s Daughter really appealed to me as I suffer from Eczema, and always have done. People do comment that I have good skin, but that is because I work really hard in looking after it. My skin is the sensitivest of the sensitive, and there are many products that people rave about that I simply can’t use. Such as Elizabeth Ardens 8 Hour Cream. I’m allergic to that. HOWEVER, Elizabeth’s Daughter have actually bought out an alternative to that product (Soothing and Glossing Balm) without the known allergens which I’m hoping I can actually use (woo hoo!). Elizabeth’s Daughter also have an Intensive Moisturiser which is supposed to be fantastic for dry, Eczema prone skin. Luckily we were given one of these in the goody bag!

Elizabeth’s Daughter Intensive Moisturiser

You can buy Elizabeth’s Daughter online from www.elizabethsdaughter.co.uk, or from retail stockists John Lewis (Oxford St, London), Peter Jones (Edinburgh, Bristol & Newcastle) and Harvey Nichols (Dublin, Edinburgh & London).

He-Shi

An Irish brand that specialise in self tanning products. I only really fake tan my pins during summer for the once in a blue moon I get them out, but I am still well aware of the problems most self tanners are rife with; horrible smell, patchiness, dryness. Yep, I’ve definitely noticed those in the past! However, this brand promises to be the genuine product that is the exception to all those common problems, and whilst I haven’t used it properly, Hilary (the founder), demonstrated it on my arm and it looked gorgeous, smelt lovely and didn’t turn orange (or stain my clothes!)!

Hilary McMurray, Founder of He-Shi

You can buy He-Shi online from www.he-shi.co.uk or from selected salons and day spas across the country.

Blooming Babe

A range mostly for the pregnant woman but they do also have some gorgeous sounding skin care products too! Blooming Babe have (as you’d expect) anti-stretch mark oils, tummy masks(!) and so on, but what excited me the most was their oil cleanser (Genie in a Bottle) and Glow Papaya Enzyme Mask – an exfoliator that was in a mask form. You applied it as a mask, let it develop for a certain amount of time, then washed it off. It worked by only removing the dead skin through enzymes alone, so it contained no scrubby bits! This is a fab idea as it meant you weren’t accidently scrubbing healthy skin that many of us probably do unintentially with a regular exfoliator.

The star products (in my eyes), Genie in a Bottle Rinseable Oil Cleanser and Glow Papaya Enzyme Mask

Blooming Babe’s Creative team – including founder Elizabeth Horgan Navarro on the left!

You can buy Blooming Babe online from www.beautique.com and www.bloomingbabe.com, or from retail stockists Urban Retreat and Harrods.

Bumble & Bumble, Korres and Tommy Guns

Yes, we’ve probably all heard of all of these brands already, but it was nice to have a good look at the ranges and in the case of Bumble & Bumble (I so heart Bumble & Bumble), see what new stuff they were coming out with.

As it happens, Bumble & Bumble are coming out with a new thickening range!

You can buy Bumble & Bumble from retail stockists Space NK.

Cosmetics ála Carte

I could have spent all day at this display! Although I don’t like to play favourites, especially as all these brands were all equally amazing, obviously I am going to be most excited by the one make-up brand show cased here!

I remember back in make-up school the tutors were always using Cosmetics ála Carte, so I knew they were of good quality. But for some weird and unbeknownst reason I had never ever gotten round to testing them out myself! I have now instantly fallen in love with their little cream blush compacts – the neon bright ones in the picture above! I WANT!

Hermoine, co-funder of Cosmetic ála Carte, on the left.

They are most famous for their Made-to-Measure foundations (much like Presciptives used to do) and general Made-to-Measure attitude. If you bought a lipstick from them that was discontinued, you have the option for them to re-make you one exactly the same. This does come at a price, but at least it’s good to know that if you do have ‘one’ lipstick that you wear every day, year after year (my mum springs to mind), all is not lost if it suddenly became discontinued.

You can buy Cosmetics ála Carte online from www.cosmeticsalacarte.com, or from their London store Cosmetics A La Carte (19b Motcomb Street, London, SW1).

Purity

I was briefly introduced to this brand last week at the Superdrug event, but in a nutshell Purity are a brand created by Canadian Banker Paisley Arnold (who now resides in the UK – still a banker!) who wanted everybody to have the option to use good quality, affordable organic skin care. Purity boast a staggering 98% of natural origin ingredients, with 82% of the ingredients processed from organic farming. Most of the products are under a tenner (some even under a fiver!) and are amazing value for money. I’ve been using the cleanser this last week (review to follow soon!) and can vouch that it’s pretty good, so far.

Paisley Arnold, founder of Purity, on the left.

You can buy Purity exclusively from Superdrug, and online at www.superdrug.com.

I left the event massively inspired with a wealth of knowledge about all these amazing, mostly new to me brands and their equally awe inspiring founders. Most of them had started off as regular cosmetic and skin care savvy consumers, like us, who saw a gap in the market that simply needed to be addressed. I love the ethos of all of them and can’t wait to get cracking into the goody bag – expect a lot of reviews in the next coming months! Let me know if there’s anything/brands you want me to review first.

Make Up to Make Out

Tommy Guns Miraculous Volumising Mousse

New skin care brands to have a gander at!

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