Bumble and Bumble Brilliant Brilliantine

I have gone back to being blonde - mostly because my husband seems to prefer me that way and partly because I feel more me when I'm blonde although frankly I'm now slightly freaked out by it. What it does mean is that my lovely locks are now dry and crying for help so I've spent most of my salary this month on buying various serums and potions to see what works! I've gone for John Freida Frizz-Ease Serum which everyone seems to recommend, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme which I love, Pantene Pro V Heat Protection Cream and Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine.

I've used the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer before and it is great for a longer conditioning treatment but I just don't have the time to use it every time I was my hair. The Pantene Heat Protection Cream I've used on and off for years and really helps smooth your hair so, because bleach damages your hair enough without the added worry of heat damage, I've started using this again with a vengeance. You just rub it into wet hair and you can feel the difference. The two new products I've been using are John Freida Frizz-Ease Serum which I think is relatively new - it definitely makes a difference but i still feel that my hair isn't quite as smooth and healthy looking as it is when I come out of the hairdressers. Part of me thinks that this in fact may be due to my hair dryer being a problem - there are no specific heat settings on it and I'd much before to use medium level temperature rather than hot all the time.

The Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine is my favourite new find though. Although its ideal for hair that's just been cut I've been using it when I want to have that extra styled look and I don't know how it works but it really makes a difference. It makes your hair look choppy, you can see every cut end and sometimes that's just what you need. I can't recommend it highly enough - it's not cheap for the amount you get but you only need to use a tiny amount so it lasts.

These products have made a huge improvement on how my hair looks but I definitely feel that there is something out there I'm missing so if you have any recommendations I'm all ears xx

Barry M Fine Glitter Dust (Make-up 1 - Top 10 for 2010)

I'm a little bit like a magpie about shiny things so doing glittery eyes is something I've always wanted to try but have frankly thought were a bit too much a pain to do. But after seeing Barry M's Fine Glitter Dust in a magazine I just had to give it a try. I'm still not sure how you apply this without looking like a childrens party just happened on your face but it actually stuck to my eyelids better than I thought it would and obviously if you are using this you can do the eyes first so you scrub any flyaway glitter off your face!

I had some silvery grey eyeshadow on underneath and then dabbed the Fine Glitter Dust in Silver on over the top. It looked really good and obvioulsy you can have as little or as much as you want and it comes in loads of different colours (I went a little crazy and bought loads). They are incredibly cheap as well so great fun as presents.

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (Product 1 - Top 10 for 2010)

I've always wanted to try out Liz Earle products - it's a brand I've heard a lot about and was actually one of the reasons I thought it would be great to finally try out all these products that I've had my eye on for years but never got round to using. So it's fitting really that the first of my Top 10 for 2010 is a Liz Earle product - Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser.

First things first I wanted to know more about the brand itself. With a combined fascination for botanicals and natural remedies and unparalleled knowledge of beauty, natural health and well-being it would, I think, be difficult to find someone more qualified to be setting up a skincare range than Liz Earle. With over 30 books published and her own TV series under her belt she really knows what she's talking about and she has an MBE to prove it.

It's incredibly difficult testing out products like cleansers and moisturisers as whatever other products you are using will no doubt have an affect on the results. This was easier than most though as it sort manages to stand by itself. I have been removing the majority of my eye make-up with Vaseline and eye make-up remover on cotton wool before using this as instructed and using my usual moisturiser afterwards (Origins - A Perfect World).

Right so to the product itself. I'll admit I wasn't convinced at first - the cleanser itself is lovely and thick (I hate it when you get frothy non-events that are supposed to change your skin!) and the muslin cloths provided are just great. I suppose I was expecting an overnight miracle (and the fact that I've become obsessed with this thread vein on my face which is now all I can see doesn't help). However, after a couple of weeks of using this I am a real convert. This is supposed to be part of a three step routine but its actually fantastic on its own.

You smooth the cleanser over your dry face and neck and polish it off with the muslin cloth and hand warm water. So easy to use and it is the first product I can remember that seems to fully remove my make-up. Everything comes off, my skin is smooth afterwards and looks healthier. It actually does. I'm really impressed and although I have been moisturising afterwards for those of you without dry skin I doubt you'd even need to bother (not that I'd recommend that - I'm a big fan of moisturising).

So how does it work? Well it contains known skin soother cocoa butter, skin-brightening eucalyptus, and rosemary to stimulate circulation not only is this great for your skin but the essential oils and aromatic herbs also relax and lift your spirits so it's a real pampering experience. This particular Liz Earle product has got a huge following among make-up artists, supermodels and us normal people. It is sooo easy to use and really makes a difference - a great start to the years testing. For a 100ml pump with two pure double muslin cloths (the perfect starter pack I think) it's £12.75. Completely reasonable and if you love it you can get the 100ml pump on it's own for £11.25 available here xx

The List

Right here it is - after a lot of thinking I've come up with the definitive 10 make up and 10 beauty products I want to try out in 2010. There's going to be two a month (one of each) - so, in no particular order...

1. Mac - Irridescent loose powder in Silver Dusk
2. Mac - White Frost eyeshadow
3. Mac - Studio Sculpt SPF15 Foundation
4. Illamaqua Birthday Lashes
5. Bobbi Brown - Lip colour in Beige
6. Giorgio Armani - Face Fabric Second Skin Nude Makeup
7. Barry M - Glitter Dust in Silver
8. Illamasqua - Liquid Metal Eyeliner
9. Laura Mercier - Secret Camoflague
10. New ID - I-Shadow in Aspen

1. Aveda - Pure Abundance Hair Potion
2. Elemis - Pro-radiance Cream Cleanser
3. Mac - Studio Moisture Fix
4. Jemma Kidd - Dewy Glow All over Radiance Cream
5. Shu Uemura - Brightening and Cleansing Oil
6. Liz Earle - Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
7. Liz Earle - Instant Boost Skin Tonic
8. Leighton Denny - Gold Dust Nail Varnish
9. Origins - Brighter by Nature Skin Tone Correcting Serum
10. L'Occitane - Brightening and Renewing Serum

I'm going to get trying - results soon xx

My Top 10's for 2010

I spend quite a lot of my time reading magazines, papers and blogs and making lists of products I want to try. I then lose these lists about the house and they turn up months later and then I lose them again... So I decided that this year I'm going to choose ten beauty products and ten make-up products to try out this year - one of each a month starting from March. The first one is Barry M Fine Glitter Dust - voted top eye colour by various magazines - which has just arrived. I've wanted to try out some glitter on my eyes for some time now and then realised after ordering that I'm going to need some sort of party or something to be able to carry off the glitter look. Either that or my next trip to Tesco's is going to be uber-glamorous.

The full list will be up soon so let me know if you have any suggestions or anything you've been wanting to try out and I'll add it to the lists! xx