Davines Hair Care | NOU NOU | Review

Hello Loves!

I have a review for you today on the beautiful davines NOU NOU hair care range.

It is one of the many davines products that you can purchase from the Australian online beauty mecca

Recreate Yourself.

This beautiful gift set was sent to me for review, and I have my thoughts to share with you today!

davines is a family owned Italian hair care brand with long history of developing high quality, in salon hair care and colouring products. With a focus on sustainability, and inspired by their cultural heritage, davines is indeed an absolutely lovely brand. I have tried a couple of samples of their products in the past, and was really impressed.

davines NOU NOU range is a part of their Essential Haircare range, and is designed for bleached, highlighted, brittle hair types. Whilst I wouldn't class my hair as brittle, it has certainly seen its far share of bleach over the years! I have recently had a big change, and cut off my medium length hair in favour of a longish pixi cut. I am still getting used to it, but I am loving how quick and easy it is for me to style in the mornings when I am trying to get four children off to school whilst concurrently comforting a teething baby on my hip. I enjoy using good quality products on my hair, and am always up for switching up my products and trying something new, especially if they smell good!

davines NOU NOU Shampoo is just lovely. It quickly transforms into a dense, moisturising lather, and then rinses cleanly and easily. My hair and scalp feel clean and refreshed, without feeling stripped or squeaky! If you have highlighted/bleached hair you will know what I mean by this! davines describe the scent as " citrus, spicy and aromatic note " however it is quite subtle and not at all overpowering. I would describe the scent as slightly citrusy, clean and little powdery. It's lovely.

250ml RRP - $32.95 AUD.

davines NOU NOU conditioner is equally as lovely, and is packaged in a plastic pot with a flip top lid. It is surprising easy to use, just pop up the lid, scoop out the product and pop the lid back down. Nothing worse than trying to screw a lid back on a jar of product with wet hands whilst trying not to let said product plop on the shower floor! Do you feel me?! I digress... it is indeed a rich, thick luxurious conditioner which does a stellar job of hydrating and detangling my locks. I always try to take a little time to give my scalp a massage for a minute or two. It is an easy way to incorporate a little bit of self care, and whilst not a patch on having someone else do it, it is great for your scalp and can assist in helping you feel relaxed. Like the shampoo, the conditioner rinses very nicely, and leave my hair feeling soft and nourished. Love.

250ml RRP - $32.95 AUD.

davines NOU NOU Hair Mask is another winner in my book. My very first hair stylist ( whom I still miss very much due to her rudely moving interstate ) recommended to me to use a hair mask in place of a normal conditioner for those times when you feel your hair needs some extra nourishment. I will often do this for one week out of the month, particularly in summer when my hair feels the effects of lots of swimming and exposure to the sun. Like the conditioner, the hair mask hydrates and nourishes without weighing down my hair, and without making it look and feel greasy the next day like some products can have a tendency to do. It's a good one!

250ml RRP - $39.95 AUD.

I have also found that whilst using this range, my hair has become shiny again! If you have blonde/highlighted hair like me, you will know how difficult it is to get it to reflect light! It has also helped to maintain the 'brightness' of my blonde, meaning I have needed to reach for my purple toning shampoo a great deal less than I would normally.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, these products were sent to me as a trio gift set from Recreate Yourself. I have just checked on the site, and it would appear that the NOU NOU gift sets have sold out already, so I apologise for that most sincerely! The products I have mentioned are all available individually on the website, at prices which are quite comparable. 

Head over to the RY website here to check out their huge range of davines products, many of which are also available in travel sizes. RY Brickworks has also recently opened in sunny Southport, Queensland, so you lucky folk living nearby can pop in and potter around to your hearts content!

RY also stock some of my favourite beauty brands such as AlphaH, Bioderma, Becca, Bite beauty, Lanolips, Metta Skincare, OPI, DnA Elements, Lulu & Lipstick, Eco Tools and Real Techniques just to name a few!

Have you tried davines? Do you have a favourite haircare brand? Or do you prefer to spend you beauty dollars on skincare or makeup rather than your hair? Let me know in the comments below...I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings!

Lou xo

This is not a sponsored post. Thank you RY for providing the lovely davines.

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Straight Talkin'! | Hair health and straightening tips with Tracey Bazzano Lauretta

I am excited to share some hair straightening tips with you today my loves!

I am honoured to have Tracey Bazzano Lauretta, Global Straightening Educator, and creator of EVY Professional Hair Tools as my special guest on The Beauty Vine.

Tracey has some wonderful information to help you achieve the best results, not only when using a straightening iron, but also protecting and maintaining the health of your hair.

I don't know about you, but I love picking the brains of people who are experts in their field. Whether it be makeup, skincare, or haircare, I'm ready to soak it up like a sponge. There is always something new to learn in life...every day!!

Read on to discover Tracey's valuable tips!...

Tracey Bazzano Lauretta, Global Straightening Educator and creator of
EVY Professional Tools.

* When straightening hair, always make sure hair is 100% dry. 

* Use an iron that has a temperature dial that can be adjusted to suit your hair type and condition.

* Irons that emit high levels of ionic energy are best - more minerals mean more hydrating power!!

* Never use a "wet to dry" straightener... these are very damaging to the hair ( Yuk! ).

* When straightening hair, it is best to use a comb or brush in front of the iron to guide/glide the hair and allow the hair to be smoothed as you style.

* Take small sections of hair that are not too thick. If you have thick hair, no more than 1" sections. Finer hair can have thicker sections if you are only smoothing.

* When using a high ionic energy emitting iron, glide the iron at a slower speed to "lock in" the moisture and hydrate the hair.

*  I always like to use a light spray leave-in conditioner with heat protecting qualities, and/or a non-coating oil, such as Agave Healing Oil, before and after styling to give extra protection and sealing.

* Hair that is hydrated internally will sit better for longer, and repel moisture and humidity. The EVY iQ-One Glide will give the most internal hydration because of its 33 mineral blend.

* Treat hair regularly with a good quality moisturising mask.

* If you always wear your hair smooth and straight, invest in a non-formaldehyde smoothing treatment ( Agave has a great one ). This will make styling and straightening last longer and assist you to achieve the best result.

* Regular trims will keep split ends away.

* Remember that you also need to be healthy internally, as your hair and nails will be the first to go when you are not well, or not eating correctly.

*Healthy body, Healthy skin, Healthy hair!!

I have recently reviewed the EVY iQ-One Glide Professional Hair Straightener... if you would like to read my review, follow the link here.

Thank you very much Tracey for taking the time to share your hair health and straightening tips, it is much appreciated! I shall be looking out for that lovely sounding Agave Healing Oil!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

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The Top Shelf | August Beauty Favourites

It would appear that since this blog's conception I have been remiss in sharing a favourites post. The months just fly by, and my new month resolutions do as well, and I seem to see no light at the end of the procrastination tunnel.

Righto then, enough self deprecation, on with some things that I have been loving, monthly favourites, current favourites, duck's nuts...or as I like to call mine, The Top Shelf.

Kate Somerville Goat Milk Creme - one of the many times that Caroline Hirons spoke, and I listened. Goat Milk Creme is my go-to night cream. It is hydrating and nourishing without being heavy or greasy. On application you will noticed quite a glow...it does take a good five minutes to absorb properly. With the added benefit of a dash of lactic acid, this white pillowy goodness gets the job done. This is my second jar...thanks Kate...love your work.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye - I can't actually remember where I got this deluxe sample size from, but it has lasted me for ages! It has a velvety, silicone texture and feels very lightweight. Rich emollient eye creams tend to cause me to wake up with extremely puffy eyes, so this one fits the bill nicely. I use it both morning and night, and it has the added bonus of smoothing those pesky fine lines around my eyes. I haven't dared look to see how much the full size is...

NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Powder and his handy companion the elf Kabuki brush have been my daily duo for setting my makeup. The kabuki's bristles are not too densely packed, and very soft. It picks up and deposits this gorgeous powder perfectly. I tap it in the pan and press it gently over my face. It sets my foundation beautifully, and I love the subtle blurring, and illuminating effect it gives my tired old face. Big thanks to Jodi from Goo Roo Beauty who warmly recommended this lovely powder. I would certainly repurchase.

A recent newcomer to the Australian hair care market is the brand Fuente, Glamourous By Nature. Well known and loved internationally, the brand uses natural and organic ingredients in both its Salon colouring, and hair care products, fusing luxury with sustainability. I was recently gifted these three products for consideration, at a time when my hair was driving me nuts. It was frizzy, unmanageable and I had a very dry, irritated scalp. The Moisture Wellness Shampoo, and the Moisture Wellness Care ( conditioner ) are very nourishing, and have made a huge difference to the condition of both my hair and scalp. Designed to restore 'bounce and shine', I noticed a big improvement after 2-3 uses. If your hair and scalp need a hydrating kick, these two will do the job nicely. My hair feels so nice after I use the shampoo, I almost think I could get away without using the conditioner. They both have a pleasant, clean subtle scent, not at all overpowering.

Soft Ice is certainly not your 90's style sticky hair mousse. Far from it. This is your leave-in conditioner and volumiser in one. A multi-tasking mousse!! I work it through my hair evenly prior to blow drying, and crikey it gives you some volume! If I choose to let my hair dry naturally, I am never left with crunchy sticky hair, it just feels soft and conditioned. The only beef I have with this product is the dispenser. a light squeeze will deliver a rather large amount, and too much product just weighs my hair down, so to avoid wastage, I recommend a light hand on the nozzle! Oh, and by the way, it smells really good...like really really good. A little bit sweet, a little bit coconutty...need I say more?

I though I would include a favourite nail combo from a manicure I posted on instagram recently. I used OPI Don't Bossa Nova Me Around for my base and L'Oreal Sequin Explosion for my glitter gradient. I wasn't sure about it at first, but it grew on me, and I got so many compliments! Here it is below.

Oh the curse of dry, itchy winter skin! These two body oils have absolutely been my skin saviours this winter.  The Monoi Tiki Tahiti Vanilla Coconut oil...ugh... words cannot describe how good this smells!! As you can see it is solidified in the bottle at present due to our cold temperatures, but doesn't take much to soften up enough to squeeze out a blob. I typically use this in the shower, after cleansing, just before I hop out. Any body product with a high oil content will serve this purpose nicely, even plain coconut oil. You don't need a specific in-shower moisturiser. I can safely say that I will always have a bottle of this vanilla/coconut loveliness in my stash. Highly recommend.

Antipodes Heavenly Body Oil is absolutely heavenly in every sense of the word. A base of avocado and macadamia oil with Jasmine, Lavender and Ylang Ylang, this oil's fragrance is stunning. If you love lavender, and I mean really love lavender, then you will adore this body oil as much as I do. As nourishing and nutrient rich as the oils are, it is suprisingly lightweight and absorbs quickly and easily. I was gifted this body oil by Antipodes a few months ago, and when it runs out I will be purchasing another. If you suffer from stress, have trouble sleeping or difficulty quietening a busy mind, this indulgent oil will do wonders. Gorgeously glowing, fragrant skin on your list? It's on mine.

I discovered Benefit's fakeup under eye concealer in January of this year, and have used it almost daily since then. You can read my full review of it here to find out more. The elf High Definition Undereye Setting Powder is a fairly recent purchase, but I had to include it in this post, because I love it so much! It manages to set my concealer without looking powdery or dry, whilst cleverly brightening the undereye area beautifully. The Real Techniques setting brush applies it perfectly. I have found these two products to work really well together, and I would not hesitate to warmly recommend both.

NYX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie, and CHI CHI Dramatic Lip Laquer in the shade Bombshell have been my choice for a quick, easy wash of neutral pink. They look a little intense in this picture, but are definitely more muted and subtle in real life. Both offer a nice bit of colour and shine, and feel comfortable on the lips. 

Lanolips Banana Balm is my evening, and sometimes daytime, sometimes anytime lip treatment. It has an almost moussy fluffy texture, a tiny bit of shimmer, smells like a banana and feels amazing on your lips. The perfect antidote for a dry, chapped winter kisser. I am quietly obsessed with it, and was very excited to hear the news that there are three new flavours launching next month. Peach, Apple and Strawberry will be released in late September at Mecca Maxima for all you Aussie girls. I'm smacking my lips in anticipation...

Do leave a comment below if you have tried any of these products! What are the current beauty bits that have made it to your Top Shelf? I would love to hear from you as always!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

Lou xo

Disclaimer: I have purposefully mentioned the products that have been gifted to me in the body of this post. As always, my opinions are my own, and always honest. I am not aware if anyone else uses the term The Top Shelf for their favourites...if you do, then be completely flattered that I unknowingly borrowed the phrase! Cheers! xo

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