Kevin Murphy Shimmer.Shine Repairing Shine Mist - Review & Before/After Pictures

A brief tale of woe, to begin.

I recently had my hair highlighted, and it did not go well.

I had brought in inspiration pics of balayaged brunettes with deep brown crowns blending softly into caramel ribboned ends - and as a newbie to dyeing my hair, I had no idea where in the process things were going wrong. 

My stylist proudly told me as she rinsed out the toner, 'Oh yeah, I can see the brightness, this is going to be great!"

Cue to the blow-dry and my growing dismay as I watched my hair transform in the mirror to a light brown almost monochromatic sheet starting about an inch away from my part, with precise thin streaks radiating downward. Gone was any trace of my well loved dark brown hue. No rivers of caramel peeking through the at the ends. It was a 90's color revival. 

Unfortunately, I am not Sarah Michelle Gellar, and this do would not do. 

Long story short, I went back and asked for my roots to be deepened, the sharp streaks blended out, and the deeper hue blended into the lengths of my hair to contrast with the light pieces. And that's how I ended up with red toned roots and bronde ends. And also when I gave up and decided oh well, at least the bottom looks ok now.

That's also when I tried to make the best of a bad situation and bought Kevin Murphy's Shimmer.Shine Repairing Shine Mist, which is AMAZING (as you'll see below). 

The product:

All shook up.

The Kevin Murphy website says:

"Revive shine and repair hair with this finishing mist. Treat your hair as it shines with Vitamins C and E, Baobab, Immortelle and Bamboo extracts. Light reflective technology from high-end skincare adds a brilliant shine to hair with no oily residue. SHIMMER.SHINE contains essential oils and vitamins that treat and repair damaged hair."

How to use: Spray lightly over hair after styling. Twirl me before use.

Benefits: Repairing, Adds Shine, Strengthening, Antioxidants, Moisturising, Applied pre or post styling

Thanks Kevin Murphy. Now back to me.

All that, and just look at that bottle! Swirling eddies of liquid gold shimmer. Gorgeous. One note - the fragrance is strong, and it is unique. I saw one review that described this as smelling like 'vanilla rum', and I can't say I disagree. For me, this is not a dealbreaker - I'm not spraying it on my hair to intentionally get the scent, no, but it isn't overpowering. Just something to be aware of!

On to the important stuff.

The performance:

Before, no product (direct sunlight)

After using Kevin Murphy Shimmer.Shine Repairing Shine Mist (direct sunlight)

Close-up after using Kevin Murphy Shimmer.Shine

Close-up, dim lighting

My thoughts:

I could write more, but I feel like the pictures kind of speak for themselves. My hair feels soft after using this, and the shine is subtle (flecks of shimmer, not chunks of glitter) but very apparent. 

I really love this!

If you can get past the fragrance, I highly recommend giving this a try, particularly if you have hair on the dry side, like I do. And if you're blonde, you might want to check out the Shimmer.Me Blonde version, which has lovely lavender shimmer to brighten. 

This particular line is sold in salons, so be sure to use the website to find your nearest vendor. Because of this, prices vary slightly, but I paid $27 for mine (3.4 oz). 

Let me know what you think in the comments!

- Taylor

Rosy Outlook

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I used to HATE the scent of rose in products. I remember getting a sample of Stella fragrance by Stella McCartney, reading the rave reviews and wondering if there was something wrong with me because a taking a whiff of it alone made me feel I had aged forty years.

But as with so many things in life, tastes change! My passion for lavender still burns, but rose has been creeping in. Did I say creeping in? What I meant to say was, now I'm obsessed and sixty percent of my bath and body products are rose scented.

Take a look at some of my favorites below!

Clockwise from top left: Well Being by Lab candle in Dune Rose, Herbivore Coco Rose Body Scrub and Rose Hibiscus Face Mist, Fresh Rose Face Mask, Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil, Origins Original Skin™ Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay, AERIN Beauty Rose Lip Conditioner, Tweezerman ProCurl Eyelash Curler in Rose Gold

1.  Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish & Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Face Mist:

Herbivore is all about natural, cruelty free skincare, and everything they sell happens to smell delicious. I'm a sucker for their minimalist packaging - just look at that font! Swoon. The body polish is seriously wonderful for dry skin - it has a combination of exfoliating grains and oils, and it leaves your skin softly scented and feeling totally moisturized before you even leave the shower. 

The face mist is a great first step in a morning/evening skincare routine to add an extra layer of hydration, or for whenever you feel like spraying yourself in a coat of luxury just because. The packaging is glass rather than plastic for an extra luxe feel. These can also be purchased in-store at Sephora. 

2.  Well Being by Lab candle in Dune Rose:

My sweet cousin Becky gave me this candle, and it has a lovely soft rose scent. The candle itself is a coconut wax blend. This company, Lab, just launched their website - the scents vary, and they're adding more every day, so keep an eye out for this addition. In the meantime, there is a Rose + Crystal scent available that looks heavenly!

3.  Fresh Rose Face Mask:

I've been using this mask for years as a reliable staple. Fresh describes this as 'A unique gel formula infused with real rose petals and pure rosewater that hydrates and tones the complexion.' It feels very refreshing on the face - there's no tingle/warming sensation/fizz that so many products are incorporating now, just a soothing and simple experience. I find that it does a good job of adding some moisture to my complexion, and a bit of a glow; my favorite way to use this is as a follow-up to an exfoliating treatment of any sort to calm my skin down. 

4.  Ouai Rose Hair and Body Oil:

I would absolutely bathe in this oil if I didn't know it would probably cost more than my life is worth. That is how deep my love for this goes. Sephora says, 'This luxurious, rose-gold hair & body oil is a silicone-free fusion of nutrient-rich oils from all over the world. The perfect multitasker, the fast-absorbing formula illuminates hair and skin as it restores moisture and repairs damage. Absinthium oil rehydrates dry skin and hair, rose hip oil reduces the appearance of scars and redness, and shea oil nourishes dry, dull skin and hair.' 

I haven't tried this on my hair yet, but the scent is incredible and perfect and a dab on each of my shoulders and collarbone gives such a healthy glow. It feels smooth and silky - the oil sinks in without leaving any residue other than the light from what I can only assume are miniature angel halos illuminating my decolletage. I classify this a must buy. 

5.  Origins Original Skin™ Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay:

On the back: 'This powerful mask with Mediterranean Rose Clay, Canadian Willowherb and exfoliating Jojoba beads helps gently deep clean while refining skin's texture. The result - skin emerges anew, pores appear to vanish. Radiance is restored. Skin looks refreshed, flawless. Feels silky smooth'. 

Those are some high claims! I wouldn't quite say my skin looks 'flawless' after I use this mask, but it does feel completely clean and fresh. This is excellent for stopping any impending breakouts, I've found - it has some of that traditional clay mask drying feel, but doesn't go quite as far, and the exfoliating factor when you wash this off is very nice. I like to use this in tandem with a lightweight moisturizing mask or oil (such as Fresh Rose Mask)! A good maintenance mask to add to your skincare arsenal. 

 6.  AERIN Beauty Rose Lip Conditioner:

One problem I often find with scented lip products is that the taste can be downright unpleasant. For example, although I love many of Herbivore's offerings, their Coconut Rose lip balm has a powdery aftertaste. Not so good. At this point I will note that the eating of these products is unintentional and I do know better.

This lip balm, however, is gorgeous - the tint is a glossy, light pinkish-beige that adds easy polish to any look. The scent is light, fresh rose (not powdery in the least), and while the taste is not that of cupcakes, it is completely unoffensive. A little on the pricier side, but my tube has lasted me for months as a small bit is concentrated enough to moisturize. Love!

 6.  Tweezerman ProCurl Eyelash Curler in Rose Gold:

We've seen plenty of rose skin and beauty products now, so switching gears for the last pick! I picked up this eyelash curler at Sephora several weeks ago and I've used it every day since. The rose gold hue caught my eye, but the performance on my lashes was what stole my heart. This curler was an Allure Best of Beauty pick, and I wholeheartedly support their choice. If you're looking for a new curler you can't go wrong with the Tweezerman ProCurl - it even comes with several extra eyelash pads, so the value is definitely there! I'll be doing an in-depth review on my daily products and this will be featured in the roundup, so keep an eye out. Wink. 

I have a feeling my addiction is just beginning. Do you have any favorite products or recommendations? What kind of scents do you normally look for? Let me know!

- Taylor