Pure Papaya Pleasure for your skin

Ive found a new staple product for my ever growing beauty cabinet. Pure Papaya Ointment with Calendula. This product is just as versatile as Vaseline and can be used to moisturise dry, chapped lips, care for dry, irritated skin, soothe cracked nipples ( id like to clarify I haven’t needed to try this one!) and protects against and relieves the effects of wind and cold whilst promoting skins elasticity.

The product itself is yellow in colour and non greasy- it closer resembles the consistency of a moisturing lotion than Vaseline and has a subtle sweet smell.

On the product it states that the value of fermented Papaya in health and skin care has been recognised for over 100 years, due to its fantastic source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and enzymes, and yet it has taken me 25 years to come across this product. Now ive found it, im not letting it go!

Pure Papaya Ointment is available in over 250 stockists nationwide and in Ireland, including Nutricentre stores, Whole Foods Market, Planet Organic, As Nature Intended & Revital.

Nourish me the VO5 Way

I have to be honest, the last time I used any VO5 products was when I was about 15 and was addicted to their hot oil treatment. It was one of the products that  I considered as a luxury- yes it was reasonably priced, but it was far more exotic than just your run of the mill shampoo and conditioner, and I could picture myself in a spa being treated to this expensive, hot oil treatment which left my hair feeling nourished and repaired.

Fast forward 10 years and I've been reacquainted with the brand and have fallen for it again. I tried their new Nourish me truly Shampoo and conditioner for damaged and heat styled hair- both of which mine sadly is. Firstly I must say that I adore the packaging- a hot pink bottle for shampoo with a white for the conditioner, which for me is fab as there have been many occasions when blearey eyed in the shower I have reached for a bottle, massaged the contents into my scalp only to find out that ive picked up the conditioner. Massive Fail.

The product itself has a pleasant scent, not over powering or possessing a particularly chemically enhanced aroma. The shampoo lathered up well and rinsed to leave my hair squeaky clean. The conditioner was lovely- I must have only had it on for 30 seconds or less, and yet as I rinsed it my hair it felt like it has been subject to a deep conditioning treatment.

Once blow dried my hair was light, shiny and  swishy. VO5 you’ve done it again. I feel like that 15 year old girl experiencing a little piece of luxury on a very reasonable budget!

(Superdrug, £1.99)

Back to Blonde

Last week saw Cheryl Cole emerge from hiding with a brand new look- a short asymmetric cut and blonde hair. Granted it is not platinum, rather a more honey hue, but its blonde none the less.

Then there’s Katy Perry who revealed to the world her strawberry blonde locks at a press conference for the launch of her perfume in Toronto, Canada. The colour is a world away from her traditional raven locks and Perry confided that this is just the first step in the quest to go back to her native blonde colour. Katy Perry a Blondie, who’d have thought!

So whats with these starts ditching the brunette look in favour for a lighter shade? Perhaps its because summer is bringing out the lighter side of them, perhaps they think blondes have more fun?

What do you think? Do the change suits them, or would they have been better off leaving their hair as it was? Lets take a look at some other celebs who have gone from brunette to blonde- but which colour looks better on them? Ive offered my opinion, but what’s yours?

Lindsey Lohan

Verdict: Brunette 100%. It brings out the colour of her eyes and warms her complexion

Cameron Diaz

Verdict: Cam can clearly pull off both looks, but theres something about her as a blonde that just works better!

Renee Zellweger

Verdict: For me, I’d say blonde. I find the darkness of her hair in the first photo too severe for her skin tone and face.

Britney Spears

Verdict: Britney spears was born to be blonde, its how we know her and when shes looking her best.

Scarlett Johansson

Verdict: Both. She looks like a 1940’s screen siren as a brunette and a hot California girl as a blonde.

Keira Knightly

Verdict: The jurys out on this one, I don’t especially like the colour shades of either- the honey blonde warms her skin tone but the brunette colour brings out her eyes.



Nicole Richie

Verdict: Beautiful as both a blonde and brunette, I think the blonde brings out her fun side.

Chewie & The Beauty Factory

So i read the other day about a new beauty product, one which sounded like something straight out of Charlie and the Chocolate factory. A chewing gum has been launched in Sweden that claims to enhance your appearance. Yes really.

Vigo Beauty, manufactured by a company called Antula Healthcare contains vitamins to strengthen your hair, nails and give you healthy, elastic skin.

Containing a mix of vitamin A, B1, B6, B12, C, carotene and selenium, the gum is available along with 2 other flavours called vigo Active and vigo Focus.

While Antula Healthcare have stated that the products will not make you look better, they have said that they can help you to maintain a healthy complexion. You can chow down on up to 4 pieces a day for 10 minutes per piece.

Surely eating a balanced diet rich in fruit and veg will give you the same results? Taking multivitamins to supplement your diet is one thing, but chewing a gum laden with vitamins is a whole other thing, and are we even sure that they work? Sounds like a massive fad to me, that said i would be very curious to try it for myself.

Crystal Clear Skin

Like most teenagers I was regularly cursed with spots, most of which would chose to erupt right before a big party, date or event, which as you can imagine, was most inconvenient. Even now, from time to time I find myself feeling the familiar tingling sensation under my skin and sit back in the knowledge that in a day or two, mount Everest the second will have appeared on my face.

I know that eating well, staying healthy and having a decent skin cleansing regime goes a long way towards helping, as well as using antibiotics- be it only in extreme circumstances. The majority of the products out there for problem skin are topical lotions and potions which when applied to the skin help to cleanse, tone, reduce oil and grease and aim to keep your skin clean. I have even referred to a product which you can use to target spots once they have developed here- but there are not many products on the market to try and help with the problem from within.

Now allow me to introduce you to help:clear skin

Now there is a solution from natural supplements company Works with Water Nutraceuticals that promises to clear skin from the inside out in 6 weeks.
help: clear skin is a 100% natural and clinically proven skin supplement that treats the skin gently from the inside out to clear spots, rather than using harsh ingredients direct on to sensitive skin.

Help:clear skin is a powdered product which you mix with a drink or soft food, take twice a day for a minimum of 6 weeks and is clinically proven to help clear skin, spots, acne, blemishes and oily skin.

The key ingredient they use is something called Praventin, which has been proven to help achieve a clearer complexion by enhancing the body’s natural defenses. It limits the growth of acne bacteria, reduces the blemishes associated with acne and assists in the repair of damaged skin cells caused by blemishes.

It sounds great in theory, but does it actually work? Well, the company has a gallery on its facebook page of before and after photos to help back up their claim.

Have you tried help:clear skin? Id love to hear from you and hear about your results if you have.

Help:clear skin is available now from Boots, Waitrose and Holland & Barrett stores and online at ocado.com, and www.workswithwater.co.uk, priced at £9.99 and £38.96 for a week’s or month’s supply (month’s supply only available via website).