My Favourite Sea Salt Sprays

There is something you should know about me, I am a bit obsessed with looking like I just walked off a beach, if you can walk off a beach in all black ;)

For me, Jennifer Aniston is the epitome of #beautygoals the sun kissed hair, the golden tan and those, I put no effort in but really I've spent 2 hours in a salon waves. 

In my desperate attempt to become the Suburban Jen, I have become obsessed with sea salt sprays. I am too lazy to do anything to my hair and if I dry it with a hair dryer I look like the girl from the grudge. So instead I always wash it at night, sea salt spray it when its wet and go to bed. That is pretty much my hair routine, but its the only way my naturally straight hair can get any type of natural wave.

I have tried a fair few sea salt sprays so I thought I would save you the trouble and let you know what ones work best.

John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray

You know how certain smells take you back? One whiff of this and I'm 14 again on my family holiday, lying on the beach, listening to the Backstreet Boys and praying for a boyfriend (not much has changed!) Seriously, this stuff just smells like holiday in a bottle.

This sea salt spray was a bit of a game changer for me. Prior to rediscovering this, I would happily shell out on more expensive sprays, but now I know how good this is I don't know if I would. 

This gives me soft, noticeable waves, without any crispiness. You can't feel it in your hair but you definitely notice the results. Proof that you don't always get what you pay for. 

Based on the affordable price and amazing results, this is by far my pick of the bunch.

£4.00 Boots

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

I do love a cult beauty item and this one definitely deserves its place in the beauty hall of fame. Out of all the sea salt sprays, this gives me the best and biggest waves. If I spray this in my hair at night when its wet, I will wake up in the morning with actual curls, which is a miracle for me. The only downside is that this can get a little bit crispy and you can definitely feel it in your hair, but I'm prepared to put up with that.

£21.50 Boots

Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion

When I first heard about this I was so excited and immediately made a Boots trip. Sadly my excitement didn't last long and for my hair type this is the worst of the bunch. Like I said, I love the original B&B Surf but sometimes it can get a little bit crispy, so I hoped this would give me the same amazing waves but with some much needed softness, both in look and feel. 

Sadly this didn't give my hair my hair any kind of wave. The oil in it really weighed my hair down and it looked pretty lank and greasy. To be fair, this is recommended for dry, coarse hair types, which my hair isn't but I was still left feeling pretty gutted. 

£21.50 Boots

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

At £34.00 this is a very decadent sea salt spray. I love the smell of this stuff, all Oribe products have the same amazing scent and every time I spray this someone will ask me what perfume I'm wearing. I really like that this comes in an aerosol, as the mist is very fine and you get a good, even distribution.

This gives my hair a natural wave, without any stickiness or crispiness. 

I do really like this, but since discovering the John Frieda, I don't think I could justify repurchasing this, even if it does smell like heaven. 

£34.00 Space NK

Sachajuan Ocean Mist

The whole aesthetic of this bottle really pleases me, especially the colour. I can just stare at it and visualise a summer holiday far away. Now apparently Jennifer Aniston actually uses this, so of course I had to try it ;)

The first time I used this I wasn't impressed. I think I sprayed too much and it left my hair without much wave and looking a bit lank. I tried it again, this time using a lot less product and I was left with subtle, beachy waves. This did the job that the Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion didn't, soft waves, with zero crisp.

£18.00 Beauty Bay

The Beauty Graveyard

Time for a round up of all the products I have used up lately. If you haven't read one of my Beauty Graveyard posts before *'s indicate how many times a product has featured in previous Beauty Graveyard posts.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo **

I am a massive fan of the Bumble & Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner. They leave my hair feeling squeaky clean and bouncy, plus help me achieve the tousled effect I love.

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray **

This stuff is sickeningly expensive but it works so good I cant be without it! This gives me that tousled bed hair I love without any stickiness. In fact when I use this it doesn't even feel like I have anything in my hair at all. Plus it smells amazing and I always get compliments on my perfume when I use this!

Living Proof Full Discovery Kit

I have used up everything in this kit except the thickening cream. I did a full review on the kit here and I would highly recommend trying it, as its really good value for money. One thing I would add to my original review though, I didn't really rate the shampoo and conditioner but when used in conjunction with the thickening cream and root lifting spray, I really did notice a major difference in the volume of my hair!

Garnier Body Repair Anti-Dryness Restoring Lotion *****

One of my favourite body moisturisers. 

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion*

I really don't like the smell of this moisturiser, I think it must be the oat in it. Its not a bad moisturiser but the bottle is too small I use it up in no time at all. I probably wouldn't buy this again.

Clarins Body Shaping Supplement

I nicked this off my Mum as she wasn't using it. First of all I don't believe that any cream or lotion will shape your body in any way shape or form but as this is an oil you mix in with your normal body lotion, I thought it might be nice to use when your skin is drier in the Winter months. 

I don't have anything good to say about this, of course I noticed no "body shaping" results and it wasn't even particularly hydrating. Don't waste your money!

The Body Shop Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow and Body Mist

I definitely think these kind of products are used as a placebo but it was quite enjoyable spraying this on my pillow before bed and smelling the calming scent. I am a bit of a sucker at times, so I probably will purchase something similar to this again one day.

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks

I did a full review on these masks in this post but I have to say I wont be repurchasing. In this pack you get 4 masks for £20.00 and I would just rather buy a tube of hydraluron for the money.

Yes to Cucumber Soothing Daily Calming Moisturiser *

You know I love the Yes to range because of their natural ingredients. I have tried all their moisturisers now, Cucumber, Carrot and Tomato. They feel nice and light on my skin, which is good for me as I cant stand heavy moisturisers on my face.

Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner

I really liked using this toner after cleansing as it left my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. It didn't feel at all stripping or drying, just very gentle. I would definitely buy this again.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel **

I forgot how much I loved this cleanser. For one reason or another, when I used up my last tube I didn't repurchase it. Then the other month I remembered how much I loved it and since then I have bought 2 tubes! I use this with a muslin cloth, it takes my makeup off so easily and feels really luxurious on the skin.

L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation

I really loved this foundation. It gave a light to medium coverage and felt really light on my skin. I would definitely buy another bottle of this. More in depth review here

L'oreal Miss Manga Mascara

This mascara really grew on me the more I used it. I felt like it really lengthened my lashes and gave volume but wasn't at all clumpy. I have done a full review here and again I would definitely repurchase this.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Crappy packaging aside, this is a really good setting powder. It kept my oil at bay for the whole day which is important for me, as apart from lipstick I don't tend to touch up my makeup during the day. You do need to be careful with this though, as if you apply too much it can look a little cakey.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm *

My all time favourite lip balm. This was in a limited edition peachy shade which they released a few years ago. I wish they would release more of these in different shades. 

This is a staple for me and I will forever be repurchasing it.

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel **

Another staple, the best brow gel I have found. Not only does this groom your brows and keep them looking natural. It also has amazing hold, I like to brush my brows upwards and this keeps them in place all day.

Texturising Sprays

Bigger is better when it comes to hair and if like me your hair can sometimes look a bit limp, a texturising spray will become your best friend.

These do exactly what they say on the tin, add volume and texture to the hair. To use spray throughout dry hair, focusing on the roots, then tszuj with your hands (it took me a while and a few unfortunate google searches to learn how to spell that word!) 

I have tried out 3 of the most popular texturising sprays, so you can find the best one for you.

My Favourite - Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray 

A clear favourite for me. I love the lift this gives my hair at the roots and out of all three this one holds your style in place the longest. This also feels the nicest in my hair, no stickiness or greasiness, its barely noticeable but still gives long lasting volume and texture. Out of all three, this is the one I would recommend you try.

£6.99 Boots

The Popular Kid - Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray has gained cult status in the beauty blogging world, however at £18 for a mini can its not an expense most people could justify (unless you  live your life by beauty maths like me). This doesn't give my hair the lift that the Charles Worthington gives but it does give your hair great texture. If you like messy, Olsen twin style hair you will love this. Based on price alone it falls into second place and I would stick with Charles from now on.

£18 (for the mini size) Space NK

The Budget Buy - L'oreal Studio Line #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray

My least favourite of the three. This does give volume and is a good product to use in your hair on a night out, when you don't really care what its going to look like the next day. My main gripe is how sticky this leaves my hair, it makes my hair feel dirty and unlike the Charles Worthington, this doesn't have much hold so the volume drops quicker. One of those products where you need to wash your hair the next day after using it.

£3.79 Boots

January Favourites

I've only got a few favourites this month, mainly because I have been using pretty much the same products all month long. I'm happy with my condensed selection though, these are all amazing beauty products.

MAC Prep & Prime Highlighter in Light Boost

A long term favourite of mine, I use this highlighter under my eyes, in the middle of my forehead and down the centre of my nose. I love that its yellow toned rather than pink toned, as it really does brighten up sallow looking skin. I think I'm on my second one of these, so you know its good if I repurchased it!

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm

Another long time favourite, to say I'm obsessed with this lip balm would be an understatement! Its the prettiest rosy pink colour and it sorts my dry lips out a treat. This is my second pot and I have another pot somewhere else which is almost finished, so technically its my third! This has also been in both my 2012 and 2013 beauty favourites, I will never be without it.

L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush

Like some of the best things in this world, you can only buy this particular shade of eyeshadow in America :'( The Infallible eyeshadows are available in the UK, we just don't have a particularly great shade range. I bought this in Chicago in September and I'm so happy I got it. These shadows are really metallic so they give this beautiful sheen to the lids, plus this colour looks beautiful with blue or green eyes. If you are going to America anytime soon put this on your wish list!

Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Camel

The newest addition to my Bobbi Brown eyeshadow family and quickly becoming the favourite. Don't be put off by the fact its the same colour as the end of cigarette! This looks amazing if you just use a matte cream colour all over your lid and run this through the crease, a tiny bit of winged eyeliner and you're done!

Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush in Natural

I'm sorry to put another American product in my favourites but I did actually buy this from Amazon, although its a lot more expensive on there! I love my Happy Booster blush in Warm but I think I actually prefer the Natural. Its pinker than I expected but it just looks (as the name suggests) very natural once applied. Every time I look at those little tacky hearts it makes me smile!

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray

Behind Moroccanoil this is my favourite hair discovery ever, just a shame its also ridiculously expensive! I spray this in my hair when its about 80/90% dry and leave it to air dry. It leaves me with natural, beachy waves but with no stickiness at all. Love it.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji

My latest and greatest foundation. I feel like I have spoken about this foundation a lot this month, so I wont repeat myself now but i just love how this makes my skin look!

New Hair Care Purchases

I picked up a few new hair products recently which I am very excited to try. 

When it comes to my hair I tend to keep things very simple but having long, straight hair gets kind of boring after a while, so I wanted to play around with some new products.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo and Creme Rinse Conditioner

These are a repurchase so I already know I love them. I had put off buying these again as they are very pricey but now I am very happy to have them back in my life! These promise "buoyant body and soft seabreezy texture" and you know what, they completely live up to that promise. Love, love, love.

Redken Wool Shake 08

This is described as a "gel-slush texturizer" (doesn't sound overly appealing, I know!)

When sprayed in your hair this is designed to give extreme volume, texture and a semi matte top coat. I haven't used this yet but I'm hoping it will work really well with my Messy Waves.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

I tried this before and wasn't overly fussed, although I did like using it kind of like a dry shampoo, as its invisible. I thought I would give it one last try and of course I only bought the mini bottle due to the ridiculous price tag!

Living Proof Full Discovery Kit

I love my Living Proof Prime Style Extender and have been wanting to explore more of their line ever since. I have had my eye on the Full Discovery kit for a while, it comes with a shampoo and conditioner, Full Thickening Cream and Full Root Lifting Spray, all in mini size. 

I really want to try their Perfect Hair Day 5 in 1 Styling Treatment but I don't think its available in the UK yet. To be honest since discovering that Jennifer Aniston is the co-owner of Living Proof I want to try everything!

I will report back with my views once I've had a chance to try some of these!

Messy Waves

When it comes to hair I have learnt (the hard way!) to keep things simple, the trick is to make it look like you made no effort at all.

This hairstyle is essentially a more messy version of my Game of Thrones hair. Wavy, messy hair with a lot of texture, think Jennifer Aniston, the Olsen Twins etc.

Here is my piss easy guide for messy wavy hair

1. Brush your hair and start. This hairstyle works a lot better on day two hair, so you can skip the shower!

2. Get out your curling wand, mine is the Babyliss Waving Wand which I love. Its the only thing I use to curl my hair and was quite the revelation when I discovered it, I cannot recommend it enough. 

Now you can be fancy here and section your hair but I was not feeling very fancy so just started curling. Make sure to curl AWAY from your face (oh 18 to 23 year old Laura if only you knew that very important fact). Curl away until.......

3. You have a head of curls and look like the Lion from The Wizard of Oz after hes been beautified.

4. Fight the urge to brush through those curls! Its ok you wont have to stay like little orphan Annie for long but if you can just leave your hair until it cools down your curls will hold so much better. I tend to do my makeup in this time.

5. DESTROY THE RINGLETS! Get your hands in there and shake, shake, shake. 

6. Straighten - Now I know using two hair tools seems like a lot of effort but trust me this is the key to this look. Straighten random sections of your hair, particularly focusing on the ends. No rhyme or reason to this, just grab whatever bits you fancy. Make sure you run the straightener through your hair quickly.

7. Now you just want to add some product to your hair to give it extra texture, body and hold. You can use whatever you want, I like using the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray or the Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray. Today though I used Trevor Sorbie's Goop, which is a texturising paste. 

And you're done

13 Beauty Favourites of 2013

Yesterday I shared my top 13 makeup products of the year and today I'm sharing my top 13 beauty products of the year. This includes skincare, hair, nails, tools and fragrance.

It was actually pretty easy picking my top 13, as these are the products I use on an almost daily basis. They are all tried, tested and true and I highly recommend them all!

1. Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray - I did not want to like this purely because of the price but of course what happened....I tried it and loved it. 

Now I do very little to my hair, I don't even blow dry it. This is because I naturally have very straight hair and if I use a hairdryer I look like Gwyneth Paltrow. Polka straight hair is not for me, so I leave my hair to dry naturally to get some movement in it. If I leave it to dry naturally and spray this in, I get actual waves. If I can do this and let it dry outside in the wind, I get my perfect hair. Of course I work in an office Monday to Friday so that rarely happens, but still! The other great thing about this product is that it doesn't leave any kind of residue in your hair, its not sticky, or greasy, or heavy, you really cant feel it.

Available from Space NK £18 - £33

2. Aussie Mega Shampoo and Conditioner - Thank God I found a cheap shampoo and conditioner after that spray hey! This shampoo was recommended to me by my Sister and I have used it religiously ever since. Ive lost count of how many bottles of the stuff I have got through! I am a greasy hair sufferer but this makes my hair feel so clean, it leaves behind no residue and also makes my hair super shiny. I loved the Bumble and Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner but they were a little pricey for everyday. This however is under a fiver and works amazingly.

Available from Boots £4.69

3. Micellar Water - My bottle of Bioderma is pictured as that is the one I'm currently using but I think all Micellar waters are the same, so take your pick. I love Micellar waters, they remove all my makeup and are so gentle on my skin. I personally hate face wipes as they always leave my skin looking red, blotchy and slightly stinging. I tend to use a Micellar water to remove my makeup and then cleanse my skin with some form of balm. If you are a face wipe addict make the change, you won't regret it.

I love L'oreal's Micellar water and its a lot cheaper and easier to get hold of than Bioderma.

Available from Boots £3.33

4. Kate Somerville Goat Milk - This is the first moisturiser I have ever found that I really like and you can only buy it from Sephora (excuse me whilst I have a massive tantrum). It feels so light on your skin, its not heavy or greasy at all and I felt like I could comfortably wear it underneath my makeup, without it slipping off. My pot is now empty so I am going to have to make a trip to America next year to restock.

Available from Sephora

5. OPI Natural Nail Base Coat - The best base coat I have found and trust me I have tried a lot. This might seem pretty bog standard but it extends the wear of my nail polish, prevents my nails getting stained and has helped prevent my nails peeling. I wouldn't even bother trying another base coat now I have found this, I'm currently on my second bottle and counting.

Available from Beauty Bay £9.35

6. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat - This top coat is quite honestly my number 1 beauty discovery of all time,  if they ever stopped making it I don't know what I would do. This drys my nail polish completely in 5 minutes. I mean completely dry, stick your hands in your bag, put your socks on, run your fingers through your hair dry. It also gives me the glossiest, shiniest finish, to the point where I am constantly asked if my nails are gel. Nah uh, its all because of this absolute beauty.

Available from Boots £9.00

7. MAC 217 Blending Brush - The only eyeshadow brush I need. This applies my eyeshadow and blends it at the same time. There are a lot of people I would love to introduce this brush to, let me tell you!

Available from MAC £18.00

8. Real Techniques Buffing Brush - The Real Techniques brushes are amazing and the Buffing Brush is my absolute favourite brush to apply foundation. Its only available as part of the Core Collection set, so if you don't want to buy the whole set, the Expert Face Brush is a good alternative.

Available from Feel Unique Currently on sale for £15.74

9. Topshop Celestial Nail Polish - Picking a nail polish was easy because this colour has been on my nails for pretty much half of the year. I am obsessed with this colour.

Available from Topshop 

10. Zoya Remove + - All of my nail care products are in my top 13 and that is because I have found the best of the bunch and don't even bother trying anything else. This might seem pricey for a nail polish remover but because I constantly wear nail polish, normal remover drys my nails out something rotten. This keeps my nails nourished, stops them drying out and I swear it increases the wear time of my polish. I don't know how many bottles of this I have got through but I refuse to use anything else.

Available from Amazon £10.55

11. Bobbi Brown Almost Bare Perfume - If you are very strange and want to smell like me, than this is what you should be wearing! This has a very light, fresh smell and I think the name describes it far better than I ever could!

Available from Debenhams £48.00

12. Moroccanoil - This would come in second place to my Seche Vite in my best beauty discoveries of all time. This stuff changed my hair texture for the better. Years of going from blonde to brown ruined my hair and left me with some serious dried ends. Applying this to the ends of my hair every time I wash it has quite literally saved my hair and I would now never be without it. Expensive but a 100ml bottle lasts me about 6 months!

Available from Feel Unique £31.85

13. Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner - I much prefer using a chemical exfoliator to a more traditional gritty one, as I find the gritty ones can aggravate my skin. The Brightening toner by Clarins is my favourite chemical exfoliator, I just pour some of this on a cotton pad and wipe over my skin after cleansing. I notice such a difference when using this.

Available from Boots £25.00

I cant believe I didn't include my Tangle Teezer!