I am about to start my third treatment and and so far am quite pleased with Braun IPL hair removal system. It took me a while to get to grips with the device and I felt a lot more comfortable with it on my second treatment. The flash window has to... +
I am about to start my third treatment and and so far am quite pleased with Braun IPL hair removal system.
It took me a while to get to grips with the device and I felt a lot more comfortable with it on my second treatment. The flash window has to be in full contact with skin and at first I found it quite a challenge to manuvre the gadget on my legs, holding it with both hands seemed to help. Bear in mind that the flash is very bright. It says in the instructions that the window must be cleaned between uses and I wish there was some sort of cleaning cloth included and maybe a cap to go onto the flash window to protect it whilst in storage. A storage bag would've been handy as well.
Comfort wise it was pretty good. An odd sting here and there, some more painful than others but overall quite good. Think about your eyebrow hair getting plucked - that's as bad as it gets on a rare occadion. After treatments my skin wasn't red or sensitive at all which for me is a great plus because normally my skin gets irritated easily and I have to wear trousers for a day or so.
Can't say much on the effectiveness as it's still early days for me however I will continue using Braun IPL and will post an update in the due course. Hopefully will see great results as per other reviews!
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Today I would like to review Scholl Pedi Velvet Smooth Electric Hard Skin Remover. It's an electric foot file designed to remove hard skin. It's available in all major supermarkets, drugstores and online at RRP £39.99, subject to promotion at... +
Today I would like to review Scholl Pedi Velvet Smooth Electric Hard Skin Remover. It's an electric foot file designed to remove hard skin. It's available in all major supermarkets, drugstores and online at RRP £39.99, subject to promotion at retailer's discretion.
I love it! Being battery operated this is the easiest and the most effective foot file I've ever had because it means I don't have to spend a ridiculous amount of time and energy scrubbing my feet to achieve the desirable result.
I love the ergonomic design of Sholl Pedi. The handle is quite thick and made of non slip rubbery material and at the end there's a rotating roller head for buffing away rough skin. It somewhat resembles a vegetable peeler, but no blades!! Oh no-no-no!! Scholl is safe and completely pain-free :)
The rotating roller head is meant to last for 12 treatments and after that you'll need to get replacements, a pack of two replacement heads is RRP £12.49 unless you can them on offer.
Once the batteries are inserted all you have to do is twist the silver ring on the unit to turn it on and gently guide the roller over the hard skin. Scholl Pedi was very efficient at exfoliating the soles of my feet and manoeuvring this little gadget around my toes was an effortless bliss. Had to spend a bit more time on the typical problem areas such as heels and cushions. If you press too hard - Scholl Pedi stops. After I finished, I washed my feet and applied a good foot cream.
So far I have only used it once and it has left my feet soft and visibly smoother and I will certainly will continue using Scholl to maintain them that way.
Scholl Pedi is definitely a worthwhile investment. It's a perfect combination of ease of use and effectiveness.
The only possible downside that I can think of is that Scholl Pedi is not rechargeable and requires 4 AA batteries (which are included). I don't know how long the original batteries would last, but it could be a bit of a pain if you need to use your Scholl quite frequently and wind up spending a small fortune on batteries. No a problem for me as I have rechargeable batteries anyway. On the positive side, it's easy to store as there's no cables and rechargeable stations.
Overall, it's a product that I would recommend to anyone. I can't believe how quick and effortless a fabulous home pedicure can be!
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I had a fantastic opportunity to try out Ariel 3in1 pods. I received a full size box of 16 pods (RRP £5.49), 10 individual sample pods and 10 money off vouchers at 50p each to pass on to friends and family. Ariel also provided with a project... +
I had a fantastic opportunity to try out Ariel 3in1 pods. I received a full size box of 16 pods (RRP £5.49), 10 individual sample pods and 10 money off vouchers at 50p each to pass on to friends and family. Ariel also provided with a project handbook with lots of useful background information and questionnaire sheets.
Using Ariel 3in1 pods was incredibly easy. I simply put them in the drum before the washing, no fuss and no measuring required. The pods are contained within a recyclable plastic tub with a snap-on lid that is very andy for storage.
Ariel 3in 1 is a super concentrated pre-dosed liquid detergent that has been specifically designed to clean, lift stains and brighten your clothes all at the sae time. I put Ariel 3in1 through a very rigorous testing process and have to admit that I'v been left very impressed with the results.
My son's jumper had a big stain from a marker pen that he sneaked in the washing machine drum and inevitably it leaked during a wash cycle. I had no hopes whatsoever of getting rid of the stain but saved the jumper for messy pay in the garden. The jumper had been washed with a regular washing detergent but as I expected the stain wouldn't budge. However, when I washed it with Ariel 3in 1 to my amazement the stain was gone completely!! I wish I took a picture to share with you but the jumper is as good as new now and my son is wearing it to the nursery again.
Ariel 3in1 has also been very effective at removing finger paint, beetroot and blackberry stains. It wasn't as good on some really tough dried in mud and food stains.
On a couple of occasions due me cramming too much laundry in one wash Ariel 3in1 capsule didn't dissolve completely and left a light blue soapy stain on an item of clothing. My advice is be careful not to overload you washing machine, Ariel recommends leaving a hands width gap between the wash load and the top of the drum.
All in all, Ariel 3in1 is a great and convenient washing detergent, it was effective at removing some really tough stains, the whites came out brighter and it made my clothes smell lovely. I had lots of positive feedback from my friends and family whom I gave out the samples to. Ariel 3in1 is a bit pricey but I would still highly recommend it.
Ariel 3 in1 pods are also available in Colour & Style and Fabreeze, click here to watch Ariel 3in1 pods TV advert https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=ariel 3in1 pods advert&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCsQtwIwAA&url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlRWK2NAs1E&ei=IpZnUqbTNOjz0gX5vYGAAw&usg=AFQjCNEoLFDsJXBQnYBYLKz39kVJ5bZVnQ&bvm=bv.55123115,d.d2k
Laundry tip: If you can, immediately rinse a fresh stain in cold water as it reduces the chances of it settling into the fibres. Do not rinse in hot water, thus will set the stain making it more difficult to remove.
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I had an opportunity to try and review Diaboost hair thickening treatment by Nioxin over a period of 8 weeks. I noticed that my hair has thinned after giving birth to two children in a fairly quick succession and much as I was looking forward to... +
I had an opportunity to try and review Diaboost hair thickening treatment by Nioxin over a period of 8 weeks. I noticed that my hair has thinned after giving birth to two children in a fairly quick succession and much as I was looking forward to thicker and more voluminous hair I am very disappointed to report that Diaboost made very little difference.
Diaboost claims to be advanced hair thickening treatment that increases the diameter of each individual hair strand giving you fuller locks than before after just one application and better and longer lasting results with continued use.The RRP for a 100ml bottle is £39.99. It's a premium professional product that can only be found in salons or online.
The the clear gel like substance of Diaboost is contained within a clear action pump bottle with a frosted label wrapped round. The product smells nice and feels lovely and cool against hair scalp, is very lightweight and absorbs easily into hair without leaving any residue.
I feel that the label has been designed very badly - the caption line says "thickening xtrafusion treatment" and it's absolutely impossible to gather from that what it is actually supposed to treat. At the bottom of the bottle in small capitals and in three languages it says it's for hair but it's really difficult to see the grey lettering on a clear frosted label unless you hold the bottle against the light. Poor readability also goes to the instructions on the back of the bottle and what's more annoying is that the instructions on the bottle are different to the ones on the website!
On the bottle it says: " Apply generously throughout the scalp. Massage gently at the hair roots. Do not rinse. For exceptional results use daily on wet or dry hair". On the website the instructions are as following "Apply 4-6 pumps of Diaboost to wet or dry hair. Massage the product into the roots and work down through the lengths of your hair, until the product has absorbed completely. " Unsure as to weather to apply Diaboost to the scalp or through the length of the hair I stuck to the instructions on the bottle and applied 4-6 to the hair roots every other other after I'd washed my hair over the 8 week trial period.
I didn't notice any instant increase of hair volume but was still hopeful to see better results with continued usage over time. A few weeks on, I noticed that my hair was looking slightly thicker. The improvement however took far too long to be seen and still was quite insignificant and worth neither the fuss or money. I could have easily achieved a far better result by simply blow drying my hair upside down or putting in some rollers.
Another downside with Diaboost is that it s a semi-permanent cosmetic product meaning that once you stop using it your hair will revert back to its pre-Diaboost state. At least once a month I like treat my air with a nourishing hair mask and always use a cleansing shampoo to remove any build up to allow the nutrients in the mask to penetrate my hair more efficiently. Now, although a normal shampoo washes out Diaboost only partially, the cleansing shampoo removed the benefit of Diaboost altogether. A lot of time, money and effort went down the drain and I had start from scratch.
Sadly, I didn't see any immediate results with Diaboost and over time the improvement was very slight. It's incompatible with my hair care routine because if I wanted to use on a regular basis I would have to abandon a cleansing shampoo. I am not prepared to do that and therefore won't be purchasing Diaboost in the future. It was fun to be able to try it out but the search for a product that will help me to reclaim my former mane goes on.
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I had a privilege to try and review Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo and Conditioner. Formulated with honey and apricot extract it claims to help repair the protective outer layer of each strand of hair to leave it strong against combing damage... +
I had a privilege to try and review Herbal Essences Bee Strong Shampoo and Conditioner. Formulated with honey and apricot extract it claims to help repair the protective outer layer of each strand of hair to leave it strong against combing damage. The complete Bee Strong range includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Intensive Mask and Strengthening Cream.
Herbal Essences Bee Strong shampoos and conditioners are available in all major UK supermarkets and drugstores across the UK and are priced around £2.25 for 200ml and £3.79 for 400ml bottle and many retailers offer them on promotion.
I have previously seen a TV advert starring Nicole Scherzinger and was really excited to try Bee Strong. Years ago I took a bottle of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner on my honeymoon and ever since then that gorgeous coconut scent reminds me of Barbados. It works like magic and evokes the most wonderful feelings of paradise on earth.
I had a friend at my house when when a delivery with my trial products arrived and as soon as I opened the package we both could smell a beautiful honey & apricot fragrance that burst out of the box. As the shampoos sat on the dining room table my friend couldn't stop commenting how lovely the scent was.
The shampoo and conditioner are both soft yellow colour and of satin smooth texture with conditioner being slightly creamier than the shampoo. The shampoo lathers up ok and the conditioner distributes easily on the hair. The smell is intoxicatingly divine and washing my hair with Bee Strong was a glorious experience.
Both shampoo and conditioner come in plastic orange bottles with vibrant green flip top caps. The bottles are squeezable and you can keep them upside down which is great because it allows to use the products literally to the last drop. What I didn't like however is that both bottles look almost identical especially when both stood upside down. I have very poor eyesight and can't see any of the writing on the bottles when they are sitting on a shelf and i'm in the the shower. I have to hold them close enough to read to avoid mixing the bottles up. It would help if the bottles were more distinct.
Bee Strong left my hair clean, soft and silky smooth. My hair is dry and damaged due to dyeing and occasional use of heated styling appliances but after a regular use of Bee Strong I found that my hair felt stronger and healthier and was very easy to brush.
Bee Strong by Herbal Essences is not as natural as you might think however. It contains silicones, sulphates and parabens. Personally I am not convinced that these chemicals are all entirely bad for you and would buy Bee Strong as an occasional treat. I love it's luscious fragrance and it gives me stronger and healthier looking locks.
Click here to watch Honey, I`m Strong! TV advert, aka Bee Strong in the UK - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ev78elKPGU
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I had a privilege to try and review new Danio super thick super tasty yogurts for free from Danone. Once I got my coupons I was super excited to get my hands on them at my local Tesco Express but they only had the Strawberry ones in stock. I... +
I had a privilege to try and review new Danio super thick super tasty yogurts for free from Danone. Once I got my coupons I was super excited to get my hands on them at my local Tesco Express but they only had the Strawberry ones in stock. I couldn't get hold of the other flavours, such as Cherry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Passion fruit and Peach, even though I checked a few times a that particular store.
Danio yogurts come in individual pots of 160g priced at 85p each and are available at Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Ocado and Asda, with many retailers offering them on 3 for £2.00 deal at the moment.
A round plastic pot is covered with a foil seal for freshness and has colourful fruit pictures printed on. A protruding part of the seal is very easy to grab and peel back to open the pot and the seal does not rip in the process.
The super thick yogurt is layered on top of fruit compote and you can choose to dive in straight to the fruit, get a bit of yogurt and fruit on your spoon or mix it up for an entirely new concoction!
The yogurt is made to a Danone’s strained yogurt recipe which uses more milk than standard yogurts and is packed up with protein. It has amazingly thick and creamy consistency. Just one 160g pot contains double the protein of a regular yogurt, or 29% RDA, 20% RDA of calcium and 0% fat. It contains no preservatives, artificial flavours and sweeteners. Danio tastes like an luxurious Greek yogurt and delicious fruit compote nicely hits the sweet spot. With six different flavours to choose from you won't get bored and it still contains only 125kcal per pot!
I love Danio yogurts and really enjoyed my trial. They are very filling, tasty and healthy at the same time. Danio yogurts are great for breakfast, on the run or as an evening snack. It's a perfect power boosting pre or post work out snack that is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger pangs and promote muscle building process. Brilliant as they are or with a helping of fresh fruit or granola you can enjoy them anytime knowing that Danio not only entertains your taste buds but also nourishes your body with calcium and protein.
The only reason why I`m giving Danio four stars is that I think it`s a bit pricey for for regular purchase.
Click here to watch Danio TV advert on YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxQzX5cvuwI
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I received YUM Buttery spread, 500g, £1.30 and YUM Green Pesto Soft Cheese, 250g, £1.75 for free from YUM to try and review. YUM is a new, exclusive to Tesco range of butters and spreads produced by Arla, which owns Lurpark and Anchor. Both... +
I received YUM Buttery spread, 500g, £1.30 and YUM Green Pesto Soft Cheese, 250g, £1.75 for free from YUM to try and review. YUM is a new, exclusive to Tesco range of butters and spreads produced by Arla, which owns Lurpark and Anchor.
Both spreads come in eye catching black tubs with bold logo and vibrant food visuals. I immediately liked the packaging and I think these spreads are guaranteed to stand on a supermarket shelf amongst a vast variety of yellow tubs. Underneath the plastic lid the spreads are protected by silver foil for freshness. The tubs seemed to be a little flimsy and the lid wouldn't click on easily.
I really enjoyed YUM Buttery Spread, it has a lovely smooth texture and buttery colour and was very easy to spread straight from the fridge. It also contains half the fat and calories than the buttery spread my family is using at the moment and still tastes lovely. Although nothing beats real butter for taste I was perfectly happy with YUM and would buy it again. It's contains less fat and calories than butter and has vitamins A and D but so has flavourings, preservatives and a small amount of salt.
YUM Green Pesto Soft Cheese was absolutely divine. The combination of delightful creaminess of cheese and freshness of rocket & basil was a gorgeous explosion of taste, it was soooo YUM I just couldn't have enough! There's no doubt I will be buying it again and also would love try other varieties such as Original , Garlic & Herb and Pink & Black Peppercorn.
Thumbs up to YUM! These spreads are great for livening up mealtimes. I had some home made mini burgers with YUM mash and broccoli for dinner and wholemeal toast with YUM soft cheese for lunch. Delicious.. Just add your imagination!
YUM Rocks!
I made some rock cakes with YUM Buttery spread and they came out gorgeous. Mouthwatering, soft and crumbly inside with rough golden appearance they were a pure delight to eat. This recipe was given to me a very good friend of mine, Louise, and has been tried and tested many times without a fail, i've contemplated keeping this secret to myself but that's not the spirit, right? They are easy peasy to make and are great fun for children and adults alike. Serve them warm with lashings of YUM Buttery Spread as an excellent teatime treat.
Ingredients
200g of self rising flour
A pinch of salt
1/4 tsp of mixed spice
110g of YUM Buttery Spread
50g of caster sugar
110g of mixed dried fruit
25g of mixed peel, chopped
1 egg
2tbs of milk
1. Preheat oven to fan 180, conventional 200, gas 6
2. Grease a large baking or cupcake tray
3. Sift together the flour, salt and mixed spice into a large bowl
4. Rub the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs
5. Stir in he sugar, dried fruit and peel
6. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, add egg and milk
7. Using a palette knife bring the ingredients together to form a stiff dough
8. Spoon into 12 moulds on the baking tray and bake for 12-15 mins until golden
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I never waxed before, at home or in salon, so was very excited to try Veet EasyWax electrical roll on kit to prepare my legs for the summer. I received it for free from Veet to try and review. I was just about to go on holiday so this campaign came... +
I never waxed before, at home or in salon, so was very excited to try Veet EasyWax electrical roll on kit to prepare my legs for the summer. I received it for free from Veet to try and review. I was just about to go on holiday so this campaign came in with perfect timing.
I took me approximately ten days to grow my hair the right length for waxing, lucky for me we haven't been spoiled with good weather because for those ten days I lived in leggings. Frankly speaking, I was quite fed up with it but was determined that it was worth it!
I got the kids to bed and set out on the waxing mission. According to the instructions it all seemed to be pretty straightforward but having read the other reviews I let the appliance to heat up a bit longer than the recommended 20 min.
I normally use a razor but a little while ago I epilated and started getting ingrown hair ever since. In hope of preventing this happening again i've been using body scrub on my legs and also used body brush to lift off any hair right before waxing.
I liked the warm sensation of the pink wax on my legs and as I pulled the first strip off it did't actually hurt that much. I left my legs silky smooth and I was very impressed with the result.
Very quickly it started to get messy though. I had wax stuck to my fingers, to the appliance and the bathroom floor. I also didn't like the fact the you could only remove wax with the special wipes and I only had four of them. I also noticed that some of my hair was shorter than the others and it was particularly difficult to grab those.
Unlike an elilator or a razor Veet EasyWax requires not just one thing to the job but a few. Apart from the actual appliance you need to make sure that you have enough wax, plenty of waxing strips and a good supply of aftercare wipes.
I also had to leave the appliance to cool before I could pack it away and it doesn't come with a storage bag. Lucky I had a spare bag otherwise it would have looked really messy with all the wires and waxing cartridges scattered in one of my draws.
I was glad when eventually I was done with waxing and believe it or not I had a beautiful pair of silky smooth legs to show for it!
Four weeks on my hair started to regrow and I noticed it was finer than before. A bonus, right? It would be if sadly some of the hair didn't start to grow back into the skin instead of rising up from it. Most of them I managed to lift up by exfoliating but some grew in and as a result my legs are scattered with red bumps. Some of the bumps had pus inside and as I couldn't resist squeezing them they swell up even more and now look like bites. My legs are not a pretty sight and I only hope this is temporary and will heal overtime.
I heard that there are some topical aftercare creams out there that prevent ingrown hair and it would be very handy if something like that was included in the Veet waxing kit.
In the meantime I will revert to shaving and will tend my legs for any ingrown hair. Unfortunately at the moment I can't boast with silky smooth legs. It's a real shame waxing didn't work out for me, i really enjoyed the results while they lasted.
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I received Right Guard Extreme Invisible 72h antiperspirant deodorant for free from Right Guard to try and give my honest feedback. In my kit I received two full size bottles of spray deodorant and £1 off coupons which were a great hit with my... +
I received Right Guard Extreme Invisible 72h antiperspirant deodorant for free from Right Guard to try and give my honest feedback.
In my kit I received two full size bottles of spray deodorant and £1 off coupons which were a great hit with my friends and family. I've told everyone that Right Guard was on half price offer at Tesco at £1.14 instead of the usual £2.29 so with money off they could have it for 14p!
Right Guard Extreme Invisible claims to provide protection against white, oily and yellow stains. This high performance antiperspirant also boasts to to provide protection from sweat and body odour for up to 72 hours. It is powder free, alcohol free and dermatologically tested also available as a roll on.
The deodorant comes in 150ml black aerosol can with pink design and a back top. If I'm honest the packaging is far too masculine for my liking and I tend to buy something more natural looking such as Dove, Sure or Sanex. Being black I would imagine that Right Guard stands out on a shelf next to a dozen of white cans. Funny enough though prior to this trial I didn't even know that Right Guard did women deodorants, I always thought of it as a 'man' product! Maybe because my husband uses Right Guard or maybe because it stands out so much I did't notice it? If you know what I mean?
The smell was lovely with floral/fruity undertones, quite strong but not overpowering and did't leave me in fits of sneezing and coughing. It faded after some time but that's what you would expect from a deodorant anyway. It did not irritate my skin.
This deodorant is 100% invisible and I conducted a test prove it. I sprayed and rolled on six different deodorants onto a black card and Right Guard came a clear winner. When I applied it on to my armpit it also did not leave any white flaking marks like some of the other deodorants do. It didn't leave oily stains on any of my clothing and as to yellow stains I can't tell just yet as those are caused by deodorant oxidising over time. I had to chuck some white tops in the past due yellow stains and would like to hope that Right Guard will help to tackle those!
Regarding keeping me dry it offered adequate protection. Being a busy mum of two young boys I am constantly on the move; chasing them, taking them places not to mention never stopping cleaning and ironing. Right Guard worked well for me and kept me dry on most days. However when I went on a brisk 20 min walk pushing a double buggy with two kids in it I felt a bit of wetness under my arms, not as much to start emerging as embarrassing wet patches under arms but still not what what I expected. Since Right Guard Extreme claims to be high performance antiperspirant I tested it at the gym and after doing 5k run on the treadmill I was sweating but dripping sweat under my arms. So 72 hour protection without reapplying? I doubt it but I couldn't bring myself to go 3 days without showering anyway.
All things considered, it's a good deodorant and I would recommend it especially if like me you can't stand white marks. Would definitely buy it if it was on promotion but wouldn't go out of my way to pay the full price of £2.29.
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On the way back from work my husband picked a Stylist magazine at a train station. The magazine contained two samples of L'Oreal Ever Riche Shampoo which were passed onto me later on that evening. I few days later I decided to try it out... +
On the way back from work my husband picked a Stylist magazine at a train station. The magazine contained two samples of L'Oreal Ever Riche Shampoo which were passed onto me later on that evening.
I few days later I decided to try it out. When I ripped open my first sachet of Ever Riche shampoo I was disappointed that there was so little product inside and was sceptical that it wouldn't be enough for my medium length hair. So I squeezed out everything I could but as I was massaging the shampoo into the my wet hair I couldn't help amazing how well it lathered up! I had so much shampoo in my hair, I could probably have done with have a sachet!
The foam felt luxurious and satin smooth. The smell was gorgeous, a mixture of cocoa, chocolate and almond perhaps? Once I rinsed the shampoo off I couldn't smell it anymore though, I didn't have any L'Oreal Ever Riche conditioner so applied my usual Tresemme conditioner. Perhaps if I did use Ever Rich conditioner my hair would retain the scent?
I have been using Tresemme haircare products for years, a 500ml bottle of shamppo is £3.59 at Boots and they also have a buy one get one free promotion going on at the moment. L'Oreal Ever Riche is currently available at Boots for £5.99 for a 250ml bottle or on offer of 2 for £9.
It was a lovely experience washing my hair with L'Oreal Ever Riche, it left my hair clean and luxuriously soft. Saying that however my usual Tresemme did the job just as well so considering that L'Oreal costs more than double if I'm totally honest I probably wouldn't switch. The price is the only reason I'm giving Ever Riche four stars, I would still highly recommend it and since it seems to be highly concentrated it probably is economical after all. L'Oreal Ever Riche shampoo comes in a stand up upside down plastic squeezy tube with a flip top. Love the fact that it stands upside down to ensure maximum product use. Since it lathers up exceptionally well a 250ml bottle would probably go a long while without taking up a lot of room in the bathroom cabinet unlike my 500ml bottle of Tresemme. L'Oreal Ever Riche shampoo comes in a stand up upside down plastic squeeze tube with a flip top. Love the fact that it stands upside down to ensure maximum product use. I would buy it if I was going away on holiday or to keep it in my gym bag and if I found that a 250ml of Ever Riche lasts me as long as 500ml of my current shampoo I would definitely be a convert!
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to write a review. I love L'Oreal as a brand and enjoy trying and reviewing new products. If you have any other products that you would like to be reviewed I would feel privileged to be contacted.
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