Four Haircare Favourites - L'Oreal and Lee Stafford

During March I went on a Makeup Spending Ban so naturally I turned to other things to check out whenever I was out shopping. As I've recently had my hair highlighted at Vidal Sassoon, I wanted to refresh my haircare collection and I've found a few new favourites I'd like to share with you today! Some of the product names are in German as I'm living in Berlin but I promise they're all available elsewhere in Europe.

Vidal Sassoon Berlin & Mini Haircare Haul

When I was looking for an English speaking hairdresser in Berlin, I didn't think I'd end up picking internationally renowned professional salon Vidal Sassoon. It's definitely the fanciest salon I've been to so far and I'm lucky that my family offered to treat me to an amazing experience with such a renowned brand. As Vidal Sassoon is an international chain with a variety of locations, I thought I'd write a little review of my experience and include a few photos of my new hair. I'll admit it's really not that different but my highlights have been refreshed and my dry ends eliminated. I'm very happy. The salon in Berlin is located on Schlüterstrasse near Kürfurstendamm and the street reminds me of Regent Street in London as it's lined with beautiful designer shops such as Michael Kors, Karen Millen and Louis Vuitton. 

What's in my Travel Makeup Bag

I always love to read a good 'what's in my bag' blog post, it's a classic for a reason. Today's theme is packing for a city break and I've tried my very best to downsize my collection for a 5 day trip to Rome. I've spent the whole of the Easter break so far counting down to our little European getaway and I can't believe I'm here! For days in advance I satisfied my excitement by planning my travel makeup bag and although it may look extensive to some, I wouldn't describe myself as a low maintenance traveler so this is pretty good by my standards. With products such as makeup and toiletries, it can be very difficult to pick out a capsule collection but I'm happy with my choices. The photo below is the contents of my travel makeup bag which includes almost everything I've taken with me makeup and beauty wise. There are a few exceptions such as a toothbrush and deodorant - travel essentials of course - but those are the things I threw in at the last minute! I also packed an everyday lipstick such as Mac Creme Cup in my hand luggage.

• I'll start with the beautiful Leighton Denny makeup bag that is the epitome of spring florals. It's the perfect size to fit everything in for a city break such as this one. 

• My Real Techniques makeup brushes go everywhere with me - there's the powder brush, expert face brush and blush brush.

• The No7 Beautifully Matte foundation is a must, as is the Bourjois Liner Pinceau.

• The YSL Touche Eclat needs no explanation, it's the number one under eye highlighter and holy grail beauty product for a reason. This one's my third!

• There's also a mini Benefit Roller Lash courtesy of last months Elle magazine.

• The Kiko Eyeshadow pencil in Taupe will be great to spice up evening outfits and I'll need the Kiko Nude Nail varnish to rectify any chips!

• The Maybelline Brow Drama gel is a quick-fix for perfect brows.

• The Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner and Max Factor Lipstick in Ruby Tuesday is the perfect combination for a bold lip.

• L'Occitane's Amande Shower Oil, Amande Hand Cream and Shea Butter Lip balm are essentials for luxurious body care and the travel sizes are adorable. 

• I've mentioned the Stila in the Light Palette in my 2014 favourites post and wish I'd added the Rimmel Stay Matte powder and Tangle Teezer.

• Benefit's Hoola Bronzer is a new one for me and is a gorgeous matte tan colour that complements a variety of skin tones - love!

• A few Clarins samples have made their way into my travel bag and it's the Toning Lotion, Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel and the Multi-Active Day moisturizer.  I haven't tried the final two and I'm excited to give them a go!

• The Benefit Porefessional is a guilty pleasure of mine because I know how pricey it is but this mini size is a little treat for the trip!

• Finally, the more practical products include a mini toothpaste, nail file, tweezers, an Aussie shampoo and an Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner. 

What are your beauty essentials for a trip away?

xxx