Nuts for Coconuts

I am a huge coconut fan. I love the taste but love how it smells even more. Candles, soap, shower gel, you name it and I've probably got it. I was first introduced to the wonders of coconut oil about 9 months ago and since then I've been reaching for it on a weekly basis. 

Yes, you can use it in cooking but I use it solely as an all natural beauty product. Coconut oil has countless uses but I'd thought I'd share my favourite few with you today. 

Firstly, where can you buy coconut oil? You can pretty much pick up a jar of the good stuff in any large supermarket or health food store. I get mine in Holland & Barratt, 453g for £15.49. It initial sounds quite pricey but this large jar lasts a long long time so it's actually fantastic value.

Coconut oil is solid in room temperature but dissolves quickly and easily with bodily contact. The brand I buy contains 100% pure oil and that's what you're after. 

My number one use is as an intensive hair treatment. The night before my hair is due a wash I massage a large palm full of melted oil into my ends, adding it in bit by bit until it's fully saturated. I then twist my hair into a bun and leave it in overnight. The next morning after washing (making sure I carefully double shampoo to remove all the oil) my hair is ever so soft, silky and shiny. It really gives your hair the ultimate moisture boost without weighing it down and best of all it's completely natural. If you don't fancy sleeping in it just add it in 20 mins or so before you wash it for a quick moisture treat.

Coconut oil also makes an incredible body moisturiser. Not only does it smell amazing it also conditions your skin beautifully. Less is more when applying it to the body. A tiny dot goes a long way. 

Great for extra dry patches on elbows, knees or even feet. Ideal as an after-sun too, it leaves a lovely shine to the skin. Perfect for dry cuticles or anywhere that needs a little extra TLC. Scoop a little out of the jar and rub it in. Easy! 

I also take a blob and use it when shaving my legs. It makes the razor glide like a dream and moisturises at the same time. Double success right there.

I loved using it during my pregnancy when the skin on my stomach got tight and itchy. It's also good to know you're not pilling on a chemical filled product too.  

Dogs need some oily lovin' too! I read that it's great for conditioning a dog's coat, along with making them smell like a piña colada! I couldn't wait to rub in into Buddy, my chihuahua. It did condition his coat really well but he couldn't resist the tropical smell and spent the rest of the day trying to lick it off. Probably best to use it on less greedy canines, but it does absolutely work, his fur was shiny and soft before he scoffed it all off!  

Coconut oil is a great all round moisturising product which is simple & easy to use. Pick a jar up when you're next out and give it a go. 

Do you use coconut oil? What's your favourite use? 

Read a Tried & Tested featuring Makeup Revolution's Amazing Lipsticks here.

I'm off to condition my tresses! 

Love Emma

XOXO   

Tried & Tested - Wen Cleansing Conditioner

The curse of QVC strikes again. Around 3 months ago I was watching an hour dedicated to Wen by Chaz Dean. A brand & a man I had never heard of.

After 15 minutes or so of watching I picked up my phone and ordered 'Today's Special Value'.

What did I buy? Well, it was a new hair-washing concept that I was really intrigued to try.

Wen by Chaz Dean is a range of hair products free from chemicals or harsh detergents - the star of the show being a cleansing conditioner. An all in one product to replace your traditional shampoo & conditioner combo. Sulfate-free, it promised to leave my hair shiny & manageable whilst replacing my shampoo, conditioner, treatment, detangler and leave-in conditioner. See why I bought it!?

I purchased a set that contained two large cleansing conditioners, one in Pomegranate & one in Sweet Almond Mint, plus two Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatments in the same 'flavours'. The set was pricey but with QVC's money back guarantee I had nothing to loose. (Unfortunately it seems you cant get the same four piece set at the moment but you can get one of the cleansing conditioners with it's matching treatment for £32).

So what's the product like? The cleansing conditioner is just like, well, a conditioner. You use the product twice - once as the shampoo and the second as the conditioner. It feels very strange indeed - it doesn't lather, it literally feels like you're rubbing conditioner into your roots.

On the first use I was very sceptical to whether or not it would actually get my hair clean. Well, I needn't have worried - my hair was super clean, easy to comb through and it smelt amazing. (Both 'flavours' smell good enough to eat). I left my hair to dry naturally and it was so soft, shiny and remarkably pretty frizz-free. I was hooked!

I've been using both the Pomegranate and Sweet Almond Mint for about 2 and a half months exclusively. The bottles were large so they've lasted a decent amount of time (good job really considering their price). Every now and then I used the Intensive Treatments but my hair has felt so good I didn't really feel the need to.

The cleansing conditioners are really enjoyable to use, you soon get used to having no bubbles when you wash your hair. I found that a good tip was to use, & leave in, a tiny tiny amount of the cleansing conditioner on the ends of my hair whilst it was still soaking wet to really seal in the moisture.

Now, here's the thing. Both of my bottles are almost empty but I haven't rushed online to repurchase them. Probably because of the price if I'm honest. One 480ml bottle on it's own is £27 (plus P&P). Yup, that's super expensive. I loved the product. I enjoyed using it & got great results but the fact that I haven't bought it again says a lot - it's great but not life changing! Perhaps if it were a touch cheaper I'd get it again.

You can check out Wen by Chaz Dean here. 

Have a read at some more of my Tried & Tested posts - Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil here & Memebox here.

Have you tried Wen? If so, what do you think? What's your fave shampoo & conditioner? 

I'm off to watch some more QVC! 

Love Emma 

XOXO