Archive for the ‘Bumble & Bumble’ Category
Recently I wrote about converting to a sulphate-free shampoo. Well, I’ve got another one and it’s by NYC salon stylists Bumble & Bumble.
Once confined to being purchased online from selected e-retailers, Bumble & Bumble has become so much more accessible since being taken on by Boots but examining the contents on their shelves has left me flummoxed many times so I was glad of some help from the experts at their recent event with Smashbox Cosmetics.
I’m using sulphate-free shampoo to maintain my hair extensions and Bumble & Bumble are one of the brands which caters confidently for this preference so I was recommended to use their Color Minded duo which also protects colour and crucially is sulphate-free as well.
So come shower time, off I went with the shampoo (£23/250ml) and conditioner (£25/250ml). I always look forward to trying new hair products. There’s a kind of excitement and hope of having nice, clean and shiny hair to look forward to – never gets tiresome.
Well the first major surprise with Color Minded was the shampoo lathered up generously from a small amount. It feels wonderful to work it through your hair and you honestly feel thoroughly ‘cleansed’. The conditioner needs no further explanation though I use a small blob from mid-length to the ends.
The second surprise? Soft, shiny locks with sheen(ie) and I do believe my hair appears more vibrant despite the fact it has not been coloured in three months. This is a good sign if colour is preserved as too many other colour protecting shampoos don’t work.
I also spritzed their Prep spray (50ml/£5.50) all over my damp hair, massaged into my scalp and then blasted the hair dryer for a smooth finish. I have been advised to try the best-seller thickening spray to add volume, which I’ve since bought (available in two sizes – £21.50 for 250ml and £7 for 50ml) and this can be used together with the Prep spray for ‘the ultimate blow dry’. We shall see about that.
I have been washing my hair with Color Minded for about 10 days (yes, I wash nearly every day or every other day) and so far, I am really impressed. The price tag is a bit steep so I think only those who are concerned about haircare (like me) will invest. If it prevents me from getting greasy roots and dry ends, I am happy to pay it. Besides, this stuff will last me ages! Looks like I’ve been stung by Bumble & Bumble then… (excuse the pun!)
*PR samples*
Well it’s been a very busy week for Just Nice Things and one special event which I have to tell you about was an evening hosted by Smashbox Cosmetics and haircare extraordinaire Bumble & Bumble.
Joined by a few blogging girlfriends, we had our hair coiffeured, make-up done rounded off with a cheeky photo shoot with top fashion photographer Mike Blackett (whom some of you may remember papped me at a previous Smashbox Click, You’re It event).
Smashbox is launching some lovely new products next month and we had a sneaky peak at their luscious Mega Tints, a cross between a lip balm and lip stain though as you can see from the swatches, they are very pigmented and have a consistency similar to matte lipsticks. The Mega Tints are soft to apply, have staying power (as I discovered while trying to wipe them off with a piece of tissue) and they also don’t dry and flake. (Damn, I want that red!)
There are also two new mineral blushers from the Halo Long Wear Blush range (the coral Peachy Dream and the pink In Bloom) and these, along with the Mega Tints will all be available in Boots stores from 3rd April but online two weeks prior.
I will bring you my thoughts on the latest new products in a separate post but for now, let’s chat styling and photo shoots!
So what did the crew do to me? Well my usually sleek Cleopatra bob (which is long overdue a cut and colour) was given a messed up look thanks to Jose using Bumble & Bumble’s Thickening hair-spray (£21.50) and Does It All Styling Spray (£21.50). It didn’t long nor did it require much effort and the simple products Jose used gave my tired locks a much needed lift.
I’ve been very curious about Bumble & Bumble but felt overwhelmed at their display unit in Boots (which has now started stocking B&B) and clueless about what I would like to try so having the chance to see how some of their products would work with my hair was fantastic. It strikes me as an exciting range that delivers on its promises and I like their quirky approach to hair styling as well as their packaging AND THE NAME TOO. I love it! It makes me think of bumble bees!
Then it was onto make-up artist Emma White Thurle who added some glamour with Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow on my eyes (I think it was shade ‘icon’), a thick line of Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eye Liner AND she gave me some cheekbones too before I had to perch on a stool before Mike’s lens and strike a pose. Terribly. I swear I’m too old for this posing malarkey – I could only manage a few standard expressions.
But it was so much fun and you can see how good and accessible the Smashbox and Bumble & Bumble products are in completely transforming a look into something good.
There was also time to be snapped with a couple of my favourite blogging beauties – Fei of Peonies & Lilies and Polly of er, Hello, Polly. Don’t you reckon we could be the new faces of Benetton? Both Fei and Polly are wearing the new Mega Tints by the way.
Smashbox has got to be the brand that excites me the most at the moment – they’ve clawed their way from the back and are seizing the crown with their refreshing approach and attitude plus their products aren’t half bad either. In fact they’re pretty perfect.
Have you managed to get yourself down to a Smashbox counter in Boots? And if you’re a fan of Bumble & Bumble, what products would you recommend I try? I’d love to know your thoughts.
For more information on Smashbox, visit www.smashbox.co.uk and for Bumble & Bumble, see www.bumbleandbumble.co.uk. Don’t forget both are stocked in large Boots stores nationwide and online.
A perfect wash and blow-dry can do wonders – it transforms your appearance and hide the sins of not having had a hair cut in months. Like me.
Last week I was invited to award-winning hair salon Brooks and Brooks for a wash and blow-dry and I turned up with bad looking hair – always a good start. The salon is tucked away on a side street close to Holborn tube station and the surroundings makes it feel like you are walking through a boutique arcade.
Brooks and Brooks, which opened 10 years ago, has recently undergone a £120,000 make-over. There are two floors (ground and basement) with different areas all giving a comfortable, warm and relaxing, homely feel where you can have your hair cut and coloured, and also have your nails done by their resident manicurist who only uses OPI.
I do quite a poor job of blow-drying my bob so my stylist came to the rescue and gave my limp-looking locks some lift from the crown. I was also introduced to a Bumble & Bumble product for strengthening and thickening my hair, one of the brands Brooks and Brooks uses (as well as Kérastase, L’Oréal and Kevin Murphy). It’s a shame I had nowhere to go afterwards but home. Any way, here is what I left the salon with…
These pictures were taken when I got home so excuse the ruffles courtesy of London Underground’s own unique blow-drying system. Bah.
With lots of offices and businesses in the area, Brooks and Brooks are open till 9pm most days so it’s possible to fit in an appointment after work.
Brooks and Brooks is at 13-17 Sicilian Avenue, WC1A, London. To find out more, visit www.brooksandbrooks.co.uk. You can also follow the salon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrooksHair.
Yesterday Helen and I were taken on a personal tour of John Lewis’s multi-million pound new beauty hall at their flagship store on Oxford Street and what an experience it turned out to be.
Photo: John Lewis
Costing over £7 million to revamp and a whopping 18,000 square feet of retail space, if heaven is all bright white lights and pretty things then this must be it. I defy you not to be marvelled by what welcomes you the moment you enter the double glass doors of the store’s entrance.
Designer gpstudio has carefully planned the concept of this breath-taking haven with precision and style and created an ambiance that soothes and relaxes customers. It’s a complete turn-around from other beauty halls, which are usually very daunting and sometimes claustrophobic. John Lewis’s epic beauty hall was completed in seven phases, with the final unveiling only yesterday.
Photo: John Lewis
Based on the idea of a Town Square, the premium cosmetic brands are positioned like ‘houses’ around a central area focused on fragrance and niche assortments such as haircare, skincare and nails. It is a pleasure to stroll through and take in the sights, sounds and scents. I think this was the first time I could stop and look around in without other shoppers pushing past or shoving me out of the way.
Photo: John Lewis
Major international names are neighbours with niche brands and some highly prestigious names. It’s wall-to-wall beauty with something for everyone.
You can make a bee-line straight for Creed, Tom Ford or Diptyque or drool over favourites Chanel, Nars, YSL and Dior. Both Lancome and Guerlain have treatment rooms but there is also room for firm favourites L’Oreal, Carmex, Neal’s Yard, Ojon, Origins, Elemis, Liz Earle, Clarins and Clinique (to name but a few).
John Lewis has also secured concessions with Burberry (the first one outside of Harvey Nichols), Top Shop (the only place other than Top Shop itself to stock their make-up range) and the jewel in the crown (in my humble opinion), a Jo Malone concession that blasts other JM concessions out of the water.
Photo: John Lewis
Photo: John Lewis
Photo: John Lewis
You also can’t miss the incredible OPI glass cabinet housing hundreds of OPIs (can we have one commissioned for Helen, please?) surrounded by Nails Inc, Jessica and Leighton Denny delights.
Even gadgets have been incorporated (such as electric toothbrushes, haircare electrical goods, hair removal and magnifying mirrors) so all your beauty needs are covered.
It’s the ultimate beauty experience and the ultimate beauty hall. Mind you, I couldn’t leave without actually experiencing it properly, now could I? So I picked up YSL lip stain and then had the pleasure of spending an hour or so in the company of Stephanie at Jo Malone. The purse is a bit lighter (as is my head) but John Lewis’s new beauty hall is amazing. There. I’ve made my point. Now go and see it for yourself.
