Beauty: Paul Mitchell and New CID Cosmetics Review

Following on from the Paul Mitchell Gift of Style event I wrote about here, comes a blog post dedicated to the snazzy goody bag filled with luxurious products that we were kindly given to take home with us and try out. The products I got given included Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner, Paul Mitchell's Extra Body Daily Boost Spray and New CID Cosmetics i-gloss Light-Up Lip Gloss with Mirror. Over the past week I've had the chance to trial the four beauties and feel the individual benefits of each one, all ready for me to come and chat about on my beloved blog.

My hair has always been overly greasy so unfortunately that means I have to face the choice of A) Looking like a gremlin who needs a good wash or B) Washing my hair frequently despite it draining the natural moisture out of it. I choose the latter, so naturally the Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner was the first duo I tested. Upon first impression I loved the convenient and easily storable packaging and praised the fact the conditioner had a pump meaning I can control the amount I need (why it wasn't the same for the shampoo though I don't know because we all know the trouble of finishing a shampoo bottle way before a conditioner!).

The shampoo and conditioner has a very strong tea tree, herbal scent to it which of course was expected due to it being a mixture of lavender and mint. I can't say I'm overly struck on this kind of smell for a hair product but once I started to apply I did begin to warm to it and once your hair is dry after you've used it, it leaves your hair smelling divine. As I started to massage the shampoo into my scalp I could feel it working wonders straight away, it felt different to how it usually feels - less dry and more hydrated. With the added conditioner on my ends (which I didn't need much of as the shampoo was so smoothing) I could tell it was going to live up to its name. That it did indeed; once I'd left my hair to dry naturally (as per) I noticed a big difference in the healthy shine it displayed. Every chunk of hair felt silky soft and completely clean and it left such a refreshing feeling. There were less fly away, problematic frizz and it made my hair manageable, even after a couple of days. My hair definitely had that bounce to it and according to my mum (aka the one person I turn to for honest opinion), my hair not just felt moisturised, but appeared it too. I even noticed less hair fell out when washing, usually it feels as though my hair is been teared out and I often wonder how I'm not bald but this is so gentle. The only negative thing is the fact it didn't change the frequent greasiness and after 2-3 days it still felt like I had a massive buildup but I do think that's just my hair type and my habit of piling on too much product. Everything else I would give 5 stars to, the shampoo and conditioner being gluten free, vegan and colour safe on top of all its credits deserves a gold star. 

I had been searching for that HG product that boosts and volumes my ever so flat hair for so long now, then uncannily I opened my gift bag to find the Paul Mitchell Extra Body Daily Boost standing there with open arms. As mentioned before, I haven't blow dried my hair in about a year but I do feel this is best used once applied to damp hair and then dried with heat and a brush so to give it its best experiment, I blew away the gathering dust and whipped out the hairdryer. A little goes a long way with this product, you only need to spray a few squirts of the bubbled water like texture onto the roots to get that nicely added bounce but you have to be careful not to use too much as you might not get the desired result. As I have heavy, thick hair I'm often guilty for this. I'm always dubious when using a product that works so well for fine hair and think something best suited for thicker hair would be better. However, I was pleased with how this made my hair turn out. It gave it that extra push of volume without that build up of stickiness and stiffness that some products can leave and there were no signs of any unwanted residue. My boring, poker straight hair takes a lot of work to bring some fullness into and I'm often annoyed at my hair rejecting any attempts at volumising/never staying that way even when I do try but this did the job so easily and satisfyingly and seemed to last all day. Although it didn't hugely change my hair, it lifted the roots so I don't look as though I have constant hat hair - and that is certainly good enough for me.

Finally, we have the New CID Cosmetics i-gloss Lipgloss in the shade Coral Candy. Before I begin, I just want to point out the excitement I felt when I was shown how these lit up during the event itself. I'd forgotten all about it until I took this out of the packet and was greeted with a bright welcome. The bottle itself even has a small mirror on the side for you to flick over. Such a handy little feature for when there's gloomy lighting (aka all the time in winter), you can really see the fine detail of the gloss when applying. The colour I was given is so pretty, it's a deep coral colour and is that sort of versatile staple shade that is ideal for all seasons. Application of the gloss is also just as nice, although visibly it does look like your average lipgloss, it's so much more than that. Admittedly, I've never really been a big fan of lipgloss because I dislike the sticky aftermath it leaves but with this you don't have to worry about your hair sticking to your lips as you venture on outdoors. You still get a sheen appearance but it doesn't feel loaded with heaviness, it instead leaves a super smooth feeling with a sparkle of highlighted colour that really stands out; the pigmentation is brilliant! The brush is also lovely and soft to the lips, it has gliding bristles so allows steady and precise application. All in all, I can't find any faults, it's even persuaded me to crawl back to my teenage days and look into using more lipgloss again!

Have you ever tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?