Inspired by Nature: Montagne Jeunesse Face Masks

Montagne Jeunesse (literally ‘Mountain Youth’) are a French company who use an array of delicious, sweet-scented and nourishing ingredients to create a range of face masks and skincare products. From lip balms to hair conditioners to all over body moisturisers and even grooming products for men, they have something for everyone.

While I was in my local pharmacy recently I picked up three of their face mask sachets to try out,
Passion Peel Off, Chocolate Masque and Dead Sea Mud Pac (£1.09 each). The first mask I tried was from the ‘Peel Off’ range. Combining pomegranate and passion flower it had a really fruity, invigorating fragrance, by far my favourite of the three. It had a thin, gel like texture with a slightly red/pinky tinge, when I applied it it was almost translucent -completely unlike the lilac colour pictured on the packet! Because it was so thin I was concerned it would just run right off my face but surprising it went tacky almost immediately and stayed in place. It took around 20-25 minutes for the masque to dry enough to start peeling it off, but then it came off easily in large sections. It did leave a slight residue in places but just a quick splash of water solved this problem. After using this masque my skin was left matified and my pores deep cleansed, I think this had the biggest effect on my skin out of all the masks. 

The next two masks were both from the ‘Muds’ range. The first, Chocolate Masque, combines Dead Sea salt, cocoa and Shea butter with Mediterranean clay to create a rich, intensively moisturising mask. It has the most incredibly chocolatety fragrance which lasts from the moment you open the sachet until you rinse it off, I personally really liked this although if you’re not keen on very strong or food-based scents it may not be for you. The mask itself had a very thick consistency that made it challenging to remove from the packet, but once massaged onto the skin it went on smoothly and easily. The only downside for me was the way the mask hardened and cracked as it dried, leading to a slightly uncomfortable, tight feeling after around 10 minutes. The mask was also very messy to remove, it took me longer to rinse off all traces of it than it did to apply. Once removed though my skin felt incredibly soft and moisturised, a feeling that lasted for days afterwards.

My final mask was the Dead Sea Mud Pac. With bergamot, lavender and seaweed it had a lovey fresh smell, much more delicate than the Chocolate Masque. It had a medium consistency and smoothed on easily, I found it didn’t crack as much as the Chocolate Masque as it dried or feel as tight. I used a washable muslin cloth to remove the mask after 15 minutes which really helped to speed the process up and created a lot less mess. As with the other two masks, the Mud Pac left my skin feeling noticeably softer, smoother and hydrated. For anyone who enjoys pampering their skin, I cannot recommend Montagne Jeunesse highly enough. I love the quality and variety of their masques and the inventiveness of their formulations, at just over £1.00 a sachet, you can afford to experiment. I can’t wait to try more of their products. To see their full range visit the Montagne Jeunesse website. Have you tried Montagne Jeunesse masks? What did you think of them?   

John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo and Conditioner Review

I’m a huge fan of John Frieda haircare. I usually trust the Sheer Blonde rage to keep my hair smooth and soft and maintain its colour, but when my local Boots sold out I decided it was time to try something new. I was immediately attracted by the vibrant red packaging of the Full Repair products so I picked up a bottle of the shampoo and conditioner (£5.89 each). Specially formulated for colour and chemically treated hair and enriched with Omega 3 rich Inca Inchi Oil, this range promises to ‘repair the look and feel of overstyled hair as it weightlessly restores bounce for full, flowing styles’. I did find that with just one application my hair felt softer and appeared noticeably more shiny. The shampoo had a lovely fresh salon smell and lathered well but not excessively making it easy to rinse away. The conditioner had the same light fragrance, it combed easily through my hair, instantly detangling it although I felt the texture wasn’t as rich or as thick as some of the other John Frieda conditioners I’ve tried.

My only complaint was that despite the claim that the shampoo and conditioner ‘restore body’ they actually left my fine hair totally flat and made holding any style even more challenging than usual. I think if you’re looking for volumising products there are much better alternatives out there, but when it comes to improving the condition, smoothness and shine of hair, the Full Repair range is really hard to beat. 

Mine at Last: Modalu Bibi

I discovered Modalu a couple of years ago, this –a tan satchel style bag called the Bibi- was the very first bag I saw and I instantly fell in love with it. It had the mid-range price tag of £155, enough to qualify as an investment buy but not unreasonable considering the quality of the design and the butter-soft leather. I’d just splurged on a quilted Ri2k bag though so instead of snapping up the Bibi there and then, I told myself I should wait, it would probably be reduced in the sale, I could always buy it later. Just a couple of months after that Pippa Middleton was pictured carrying Modalu’s Bristol handbag (later renamed the Pippa in her honour) and the profile of the brand sky rocketed. Their most popular bags seemed to sell out in stores overnight and started appearing on ebay for up to twice their retail price. Since then I’ve been trying to track down a Bibi, although I’ve found them in black snakeskin, pink, blue, burgundy patent and even canvas, the tan leather completely eluded me. Until amazingly last week one popped up on ebay, still in brand new condition with its original dust bag, I jumped on it immediately. I bought it on Friday and by Tuesday morning it had arrived.

As soon as I opened the package I could tell the bag was just as nice as I’d remembered; the classic yet relaxed design, the beautiful light tan -officially called ‘oak’- leather and chic gold hardware. Inside it has one central compartment with a smaller zipped pocket inside and a divider for a mobile phone. On the back there’s a handy pocket that could be used to store small items like keys or change that you want easily accessible. The interior is fully lined in a lilac monogrammed jacquard fabric. I found the main handles just a little too short to carry the Bibi on the shoulder but this isn’t a major issue as the bag comes with a long detachable strap so it can be worn satchel style. I’ve been really pleasantly surprised by how well the Bibi holds its shape, it’s not as structured as some of Modalu’s other bags like the Pippa so I was concerned it would sag if it wasn’t completely full but so far it’s held up beautifully. All in all I’m delighted with almost every aspect of the bag. The only thing I feel is lacking is a little more reinforcement in the base of the bag and perhaps some metal studs on the bottom to protect it from every day wear and tear. Aside from these very minor complaints I wouldn’t hesitate to unreservedly recommend this bag –or any of Modalu’s designs- to anyone who wants a high-quality, beautifully designed handbag for a reasonable price.