MOROCCAN MAGIC

I had heard plenty of praise about this wonder product and was dragging my heels over buying it due to a perpetually wandering eye and a mounting credit card bill.

After several very polite (but increasingly firm) suggestions from my amazing hairdresser, the lovely Katrina (of Katrina Dwyre Hair Design) I finally bit the bullet and purchased it.

In my pre-Morrocan Oil life I had to block out an hour in my day just to perform the necessary (wash, blow dry, straighten) steps that would see me leaving the house looking semi-sane and polished and less like a wild woman from the forests of Borneo.

This sweet smelling potion not only cuts blow dry time at least by half, it also nourishes and conditions my balayaged to death ends and leaves everything in general looking lovely, shiny and bouncy.

Such are its wonderous abilities that I have been known to towel dry hair, rub some oil through my top layers and GO....with a wavy, beachy, lightly perfumed and (lean closer ladies) frizz free do to call my own.

Its only downfall is that it does boast a fairly large price tag for its diminutive size (NZ $29-34 for 25mls and NZ $60+ for 100mls) but you only need a tiny drop each time so you get reasonable bang for your buck.

Definitely a MUST HAVE if you are after silky soft hair this summer or your mop is more Side Show Bob than sexy Sue (or Sally).

WHAT I'M USING RIGHT NOW

On my internet travels I've noticed that several other beauty bloggers are doing a "What I'm using right now" post so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and share the inner workings of my bathroom cupboard with you. I am nothing if not original :)

Shampoo:Dove Heat Defense Therapy Shampoo - bought this by default when I went to get the Dove Dry Therapy Shampoo (which won best shampoo for dry hair in the 2009 Australian Beauty Awards) but our poorly stocked backwater supermarket didn't have it, so after much agonizing I went with this and it is actually excellent at injecting some moisture back into my heat fried hair.

Conditioner: Kevin Murphy Staying Alive Leave In Treatment

Treatment: See above...such a wonder product...it's all I need!

Styling products: KMS Flat Out Hot Pressed Spray - a heat protecting spray that straightens out my curls and always makes my blow dry last a day longer and John Frieda Frizz Ease Ultra Strength Serum to tame any frizz that sneaks through my blow dry.

Styling tools: I blow dry with my cheap as chips hair dryer and then finish off with my ancient but trusty GHD's (definitely an upgrade on the cards though!)

Shower Gel: Palmolive Aroma Therapy Anti-Stress Shower Gel (a private joke between me and my partner - we are sleep deprived new parents and thought it might help ease the strain).

Body Scrub: St Ives Moisturizing Body Polish

Body moisturizer: Renui Coconut Oil Frangipani Infusion...this stuff reminds me of long hot summer days and is guaranteed to pull me out of mid-winter fug..

Deodorant: Dove Clear Touch Deodorant

Fake Tan: Dove Summer Glow Body Lotion and Clarins Radiance Plus Self Tanning Cream/Gel for Face
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Cleanser: Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser and Neutrogena Foaming Cleanser.

Toner: Clinique Clarifying Lotion in #2 (my go to for clear skin....has kept the nasties away for five years and counting.

Facial moisturizer: Loreal Derma-Genesis Pore Minimising Smoother and Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturiser for Sensitive Skin - I randomly interchange the two.

Exfoliator: Dermalogica Micro-Exfoliant
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Primer: extremely ashamed to say I'm not currently using one...need to stock up though...they are essential for a lasting base.

Foundation: Mac Face and Body Foundation.

Foundation brush: Mac #187 Duo Fibre Stippling Brush.

Concealer: Lancome Effacernes Liquid Concealer, Loreal Infallible Concealer and Laura Mercier Flawless Fix Pencil
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Powder: Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Classic Beige

Blusher: I've been mixing it up between Mac Peachykeen, Nars Blush in Orgasm (both soft peachy pink colours) and Nars The Multiple in Maui(a lovely flushed looking pinky-red).

Bronzer: Not using anything at the moment but gagging to get my hands on Nars Bronzer in Laguna again when time and money allow for it.

Highlighter: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Apricot.

Eyeshadow Base: Have been keeping it simple and dusting Laura Mercier Mineral Powder over eyelids.

Eyeshadows: Knight Divine by Mac when I'm in the mood for a smokey eye.

Eyeliner: The Body Shop Eye definer in Rich Brown and Clinique Liquid Eyeliner in Black.

Curler: Shu Uemura

Mascara: Lancome Virtuose in Black

Lipstick: Mac Slimshine in Rockout

Lipgloss: Mac Plush Glass in Wildly Lush

Nail Colour: Nothing on my hands as my teething mini me tends to bite them any chance he gets and Loreal Mango-Get-Em on my toes.

Perfume: Ralph Lauren Hot for day time and Theirry Mugler Angel for night