Batiste Dry Shampoo: A Hint of Colour (Medium & Brunette)

My experience with dry shampoo is a classic example of why you should give everything a second (and possibly third, and fourth!) chance before swearing off it for life. I'd given dry shampoo a fair go before - I think I actually tried about 3 different ones and all I'd ended up with was pseudo-dandruff in my no less greasy hair. I have black hair, so it wasn't the best look. Why did I decide to go for it again? Recently, I've amped up my exercise routine which means that I can't always get away with afternoon workouts (my preferred time to get gross and sweaty,) and although I'm always itching to wash my hair by the end of the day, I don't want to double wash it after my morning sweat-off. So, armed with a YouTube tutorial and a brand new formula, I decided to give dry shampoo another shot. And boy, am I glad I did!

Here's the reason why dry shampoo never worked for me before - all the ones I'd tried had told me to spray the shampoo on and brush it out. WRONG. The best way to make sure that the product soaks up the oil is to massage it into your roots. And don't forget to spray it at least 20-30cm away from your head as well, otherwise you'll get a concentrated lashing of powder and it'll look like you lost a fight with a bag of flour.

The Batiste dry shampoo in particular smells really nice - my Mum actually complemented me, and she hates about 95% of all scented products. Don't worry if you're not a fan of it, though, it doesn't linger or overpower perfumes. It really freshens up my roots and makes my hair look (almost) as soft and fluffy as it did freshly washed. The only thing I noticed was that my scalp was a bit itchy, but it tends to do that even without dry shampoo anyway so I don't think it was an issue with the product.

My one complaint is that you don't get many uses out of the bottle. I had the 200mL can and I felt like I'd hardly touched it. Regardless, it's now become a staple in my routine and both my hair and my parent's gas bills are definitely better off with it in my life!

The Lowdown: Keeps hair looking and smelling fresh without drying it out. As long as you know how to make it work for you, this is a must-have for anyone wanting to extend the time between washes!

Batiste Dry Shampoo is available in a variety of scents from Priceline and selected pharmacies, retailing for $4.95AUD for the 50mL, $9.99AUD for the standard 200mL, and $12.95AUD for the 200mL cans with colour.

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil: Fresh

Image Source: Google Images

I sense another addition to my holy grail product lineup....

One of my former work colleagues suggested this product to me, but at the time it was far too expensive for my poor uni-student budget to afford, so I went on my merry way and promptly forgot about it. A couple of months ago, I was shopping with a friend and we stopped by the Shu Uemura counter at David Jones, where some pretty significant price reductions had just taken effect. The 150mL bottle was now just $36AUD, so after some umming and ahhing, I decided to go ahead and give it a shot.

And the rest, they say, is history. I am now legitimately in love with this product.

First of all - it is an AMAZING makeup remover. I've never had anything like it - even my waterproof mascara just melts away. It has honestly halved the my makeup removal time, is much more gentle on my eye area than the previous eye makeup remover I was using, and I've saved plenty of $$ from makeup removal products in general. Previously, if I came home after a night out it would take me about half an hour to get all my makeup off - first I'd use some facial wipes, then I'd use my Avene Micellaire Lotion (similar to the cult Bioderma product) - and I'd have to go through at least 2 cotton pads to get everything off, and finally I'd use an oil based eye makeup remover. Now, one and a half pumps of my Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil is enough to melt off everything, and it only takes about 5 minutes.

Shu Uemura offers a range of cleansing oils, all for different skin problems. Since my main nitpick with my skin is the enlarged pores I have around my nose and cheek area, I decided to go for the pore-refining one. While I'm not 100% certain my pores have actually decreased in size, they have definitely never been more unclogged in my lifetime. And because they're not congested, they appear less noticeable. Since I started using this cleansing oil regularly, I'm no longer too ashamed to walk out of the house without makeup on, and I'm finding that I'm wearing makeup less and less now outside of work because I'm pleased with how my skin looks naturally.

The 150mL has lasted me close to three months and as soon as I finish it, I'm definitely investing in the larger size. Skinwise, this product has definitely been a life changer!

How to apply: Massage the oil gently onto your face, eyelids and eyelashes. Using a small amount of water, emulsify the product (you'll see it turn to a milky consistency.) Then, rinse with lukewarm/cool water and pat your face dry. You can use this product morning and night, but I'm a cheapskate so I only use it at night :D

The Lowdown: The mother of all makeup removers, with skin benefits. Clarifies pores without a drying effect, leaving skin looking fresh and glowing. Definitely a worthwhile investment!

The Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils are available from selected David Jones Stores. The 'Fresh' Cleansing oil retails for $36AUD for 150mL, or $96 for 450mL