Well, Olaplex. Where do i begin?! If you've got color-damaged, dried hair then you're going to want to stick around for this one so grab yourself a cuppa and get comfy. I was heading to Leo Bancroft's Weybridge salon for a cut last weekend and knew I was in dire need of a treatment beforehand. Following a lot of salons and stylists on Instagram I was sure I'd heard of Olaplex before so when an Olaplex treatment cropped up on Leo's list of services I immediately asked my stylist Holly to book me in for a treatment before my cut.

If you haven't heard of Olaplex, let me give you the 101 on the sciencey-stuff. Most conditioners, even the expensive leave-in ones, usually just sit on top of your hair, temporarily treating damaged hair which can leave you with a silky smooth finish at first but after a few washes you're back to square one. This is wear Olaplex is different because it actually repairs and fixes the hair shaft while it colours and treats it. To give you some context, Olaplex is how Kim Kardashian went platinum from her natural dark locks in one day without going bald.

My Olaplex treatment was a two-part process and the whole process took half a hour from start to finish. The sensation was an odd one, the product is obviously a liquid but didn't feel super wet or thick like some conditioners so until I reached up and patted my hair it didnt' feel like there was any product on at all as it wasnt trickling down my neck or the side of my face which is always a bonus!

When it was rinsed out I reserved all judgement until my hair had been cut and blow-dried. When I finally ran my fingers through my previously thick, dry, damaged brittle hair I could have cried with happiness. That sounds dramatic but I've been through a few ordeals with my hair over the years and the last time I felt that silky-smooth, lightweight, freshly-cut hair feeling was probably about six or seven years ago. Since then, every blowdry has been a nightmare with hair breaking, brushes struggling to pull through the ends and stylists unable to run their fingers through my hair. It used to fall heavy, full of frizz and the ends looked frazzled.

Not now. The damage has literally been reversed and it's like I've rewound the last few years of bleach and dye, leaving my hair feeling so light and soft and genuinely healthy. I'm so excited that Olaplex is a thing and it doesn't cost a fortune either, my treatment was £30 and worth every single penny.

Olaplex can also be added to colour and bleach to minimise damage and if you YouTube Olaplex you'll find an abundance of videos showing girls with damaged hair going even lighter with little to no damage at all. It's incredible and a revolutionary product which hopefully will be rolled out to more and more salons around the UK - and the world - very soon!

Let me know either in the comments below or over on Twitter @laurenfell if you're thinking of giving Olaplex a try, I'm also happy to answer any questions you might have!

CARVELA KURT GEIGER TINK BOOTS

I'm a sucker for a mid-heel boot and I could not be happier that it's now the perfect boot weather. As soon as I saw these Carvela Kurt Geiger boots I fell in love and the fact that they were in the sale just made me fall even harder!

The 'Tink' mid block heel ankle boot is an adorable black suede-esque ankle boot with a metallic silver 3" block heel. I'm super fussy when it comes to shoes, mostly because I'm totally convinced one foot is bigger than the other, and I'm in that awkward place between a size three and four. These boots were in a size four and came up just the tiniest big on me but I only have little sockettes on, so with a proper pair of socks or tights they'll fit perfectly. They're also really comfortable to walk in and the little girl sat on the chairs in Debenhams totally gave these boots the nod of approval which was good enough for me.

These boots are currently on sale at Debenhams, down from £150 to £79!

NEW HAIRCARE HAUL

So I've reached that point with my current hair care products where I'll sit pressing down the pump on my Aussie leave-in conditioner bottle for about 20 minutes before accepting that I've 100% run out and definitely need to replace it.

Of course, when I get to Boots they're completely out of the leave-in conditioner that I usually use so I had to stand there in the aisle talking myself - yes, out loud - through the pros and cons of the two conditioners they had instead. As you can see from the picture above, arguing with myself never gets me very far so I resulted in throwing both in my basket along with a couple of other bits.

I'm in love with Aussie's leave in conditioners and although I do really like a hair mask, I appreciate being able to spritz my  hair with moisturising goodness and leaving it in because I'm a very impatient human being. I usually use the Miracle Recharge Moisture conditioner but as I said they were out of it in Boots, leaving me to decide between Take The Heat and Shine before giving up and opting for both.

I haven't given either of these a go yet but if they're anything like their Moisture counterpart then these conditioners will be lightweight, non-sticky leave-in sprays which I feel just give my hair a little more of a silky soft finish after washing. Although I use a heat-defence product alongside the Aussie conditioner, I quite liked that the Take The Heat spray also does this so I can double up on the heat defence!

The Shine leave-in conditioner just sounded really nice, I've always had quite damaged hair until recently thanks to the incredible Olaplex treatment I had recently, post on that coming this week - so it will be nice to put a shine back into my much healthier looking hair.

Another product that I've ran out of recently was my heat-defence spray, usually I use a Toni & Guy product but once again, they were sold out. I'm really not selling my local Boots right now, am I? Although, this did give me a chance to look for something new. I'm a big fan of Lee Stafford products and thought that the Poker Straight Flat Iron Protection Mist sounded like it would do the trick. You can use this product before you blow-dry and also afterwards, on dry hair, before you use straighteners.

I also picked up a large can of the DeHumidifer Liquid Umbrella, also from Lee Stafford. I used to swear by this product when I was at school/college and when I discovered serum I stopped using it, however, I'm gradually running out of Bleach London's Split Fix Serum which I am obsessed with and was going to replace until I saw this! This is a lightweight spray which controls frizz and keeps your hair looking smooth, sleek and silky. I've already given it a go this afternoon and forgot how much I loved it. This product also comes in a smaller, handbag-sized can for frizz-control on the go!

Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what you think of them so let me know! 

COLLECTION AT BOOTS BEAUTY HAUL

Before we head off to Center Parcs for the week, I popped into Boots today to stock up on some essentials and some not-so-essential-but-still-really-lush beauty bits!

Ever since I gave the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer a go I've never used anything else to cover up my problem areas and under-eye area. I find nothing else conceals as well as this and I always opt for the lightest shade, 01 Fair, to give my under-eye area a lift and make it appear brighter. This concealer is also perfect for covering up those nasty zits that tend to spring up out of nowhere although I tend to find it can require a little pat from a finger-tip to really melt it into the skin for a natural finish.

Along with the concealer, I picked up another favourite of mine; Collection Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Powder. This product teamed with the concealer really do make the perfect power couple. After I've used the concealer I whack some of this over the top - I use a powder brush and forgo the use of the pad/sponge that comes with this powder because I have a weird thing about bacteria/germs lingering on those things - and it sets everything perfectly!

While I was in Boots I also couldn't resist picking up a few coral/red/pinkish lipsticks. I've been after some lippys with more orange tones so I grabbed these three beauts - it's just a big coincidence that all of these products are from Collection but it makes for a consistent post fo' sho!

The lovely lipsticks are in the shades 16 Paper Rose, 17 Colour Pop and 2 Pretty In Peach and they're all quite similar with only very slight differences but I'm very excited to give them a go nonetheless! They were also on offer in Boots for only £2.50 each so I couldn't resist, I'm a bit of a lipstick hoarder - there's just something about lipsticks that are so aesthetically pleasing to me I don't know why I'm a weirdo - so I'm definitely thinking of getting a few more shades in this range if they stay at this price!

There are so many fantastic offers on at Boots at the moment and all of the Christmas boxsets and offers are in store already so if you live near a store then I'd recommend popping in for a gander.

Let me know if you've tried any of these products or if you're thinking of giving them a go yourself, I'd love to know!

JEROME RUSSELL BBLONDE MAXIMUM LIGHTENING SPRAY

If there's one thing you guys should know about me it's that I am always changing my hair colour. Over the past year or so I've been various shades of blonde and ombre but now that autumn/winter weather is creeping in it's got me in the mood for something very different altogether.

Now, I knew that I didn't want to go even blonder right now - let's wait til next summer though, eh - actually, my goal wasn't to drastically change the colour of my hair but to even it out ahead of a whole new shade that I'm aiming for this season and the Maximum Lightening Spray* seemed ideal!

You use the spray after you wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and after three applications you should see a gradual lift, even more so if heat is applied after use. Now, I can probably guess what you're thinking, yikes, a lightening product + heat = fried hair and I'm not going to lie, I spread out the three applications over a couple of weeks as the thought of frying my roots didn't appeal to me. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how soft my hair feels after using, although bear in mind I did only spritz this product closer to my roots and kept it entirely away from my ends.

I noticed a visible lift in colour after one application and this product by Jerome Russell definitely helped to even out the colour, giving me a much better base for my next colour which I'm very excited to be having done by the lovely Holly at Leo Bancroft's salon in Weybridge. I shall keep my plans under wraps until Tuesday 20th but if you follow me on Pinterest you can probably tell the gorgeous shade that I'm hoping to achieve *insert smiling devil emoji here*.

The BBlonde range is so extensive and I definitely recommend it if you're thinking of going blonde this season, however, if you're looking for something less intense then the Lightening Spray is the one to go for to enhance highlights or keep your ombre looking fresh. Team it with one of their awesome toners - either a natural shade or be daring and go for a pretty pink - for a completely finished look!

*PR sample

CURRENT BEAUTY FAVOURITES

As much as I love autumn and winter it's always a slightly trickier business when it comes to beauty. The wind, rain and cold doesn't do much for my poor hair and skin so now's a better time than any to bring a few slightly different products into my routine. These are the products I'm currently loving.

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser, £7.99

Moisuriser is a key player in my make-up routine and I find that my foundation just doesn't last without it. This little gem from Good Things Beauty includes extracts of blackcurrent - for its' clarifying qualities -  and goji berry (so it smells hella good for one thing). What I like most about this moisturiser is that it's fast-absorbing so I don't find myself spending ages trying to rub it into my face in the mornings.

Lush Rub, Rub, Rub Shower Scrub, £8.75

Not only is this pretty pot from Lush an exoliating shower scrub but it double's up as a hair treatment; adding volume and shine to the hair. So two for the price of one! I love to use this product once or twice a week in the bath to exfoliate and really treat my skin to a gentle cleanse, however, this product can be used dry for a really good buff and I find this makes it perfect pre-spray tan!

Montagne Jeunesse (now My 7th Heaven) Dead Sea Mud Spa Clay Mask, £1.09 

I'm such a huge fan of Montagne Jeunesse, who are now known as My 7th Heaven, and I probably own more face masks that one girl needs but at just over £1 a pop it's a crime not to invest in a bunch! One of my all-time favourites though is this Dead Sea Mud Spa Clay Mask.

Each mask from My 7th Heaven boasts lots of different benefits and ingredients but as I have breakout-prone, sensitive skin there's a select few I go for again and again and this is one of them. This particular clay mask is all ready for you to use as soon as you open the sachet, no awkward squeezing out and slapping on, the pre-constructed mask just unfolds, you pat it down and you're good to go!

John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Intensive Masque, £2 for 25ml 

If you dye, bleach or put heat anywhere near your hair then an intensive masque or treatment will definitely make your life a lot easier! Winter weather conditions can be harsh on your hair, making the ends brittle and dry and this treatment from John Frieda's Frizz Ease range gives my hair a little TLC when it needs it most.

Superdrug B. Makeup Brush Cleanser, £4.99

I'm hooked on the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray but as I very recently ran out of the stuff I gave this (much cheaper) version a go and I think it's great for a temporary fix! The cleanser comes in an easy-to-use pump bottle and I've found it works a treat in between washing my brushes properly.

Let me know what beauty products you're loving at the moment in the comments below or tweet me @laurenfell!

BOOKSHELF: THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN BY PAULA HAWKINS

A love of crime/thriller novels is one I think I've inherited from my mum, after first borrowing her James Patterson books I discovered a love for all things gruesome and grisly (I know, how weird does that make me sound) so when I first heard about this book I was dying to read it. This post won't contain any spoilers. Zero, zilch, nil!

The Girl On The Train* is told through the perspective of three different women; Rachel, Anna and Megan. Rachel is ultimately the girl on the train. She makes the same two journeys each day in and out of London and in the morning her train stops, like clockwork, at the same signal. From the train she can see into the lives of a couple that live in a house that backs onto the train tracks.

She names them; 'Jason' and 'Jess' and day in, day out she watches them, making guesses about their lives and relationship until one day the train stops at the signal and Rachel sees something that changes everything and she finally has a chance to become more than just the girl on the train.

The story is gripping, with insane amounts of twists and turns, some slightly predictable and if I am completely honest - which I always aim to be when writing my bookshelf reviews - the ending for me was less of a surprise and more of a confirmation of suspicions I'd had throughout. That's okay though, as it's not always necessary to be kept entirely in the dark where crime and thrillers are concerned, you'll want to keep reading regardless to find out if your theories are proved right in the end.

I quite enjoyed the fact that I found Rachel a difficult lead character to like, she had traits that I'm sure most women can relate to on some level but at times I was frustrated with her and I've rarely felt like that about a protagonist in a novel before.

It's tricky for me to talk about The Girl On The Train without spoiling aspects of the plot but I would 100% recommend this novel if you're a fan of twisting and turning mysteries and thrillers. This book isn't as gruesome or grisly as some others I've read, like YOU by Caroline Kepnes, but it's gripping nonetheless with a lot more insight into the emotional damage left behind by betrayal and broken relationships which is the recurring theme throughout.

Let me know if you've read The Girl On The Train, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

*This book was sent to me for review by Transworld Publications.

MY WEEK IN PICTURES: MOVIE PREMIERE, HAIR DYE & HELLA GOOD CHEESECAKE

I'm sitting on my bed in an oversized Wildfox sweater and tracksuit bottoms, watching a terrible Adam Sandler movie feeling sorry for myself because my sinuses are swelling up and causing me major face ache. SO, I thought, hey, why not reminisce on happier times like last week when I was eating heavenly cheesecake?!

The Best Cheesecake In The World  (So Far)
Okay, I say 'so far' because I'm waiting to try something at The Cheesecake Factory when I go back to Florida next year BUT for now, this is The Best Cheesecake In The World. It's the new Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake from Prezzo, where I've been twice in the last two weeks just so I can sample this delight. I'm actually salivating now just thinking about it which isn't great because I'm sure all we have in the cupboards is maybe a Kit Kat or a chocolate digestive.

Dinner With Old Friends
I was super lucky when I finished my foundation diploma but didn't want to go to University, I ended up temping at a company where I ultimately stayed for over two years. There I met some of the loveliest people I've ever come across and the other week a few of us met up at Las Iguanas for dinner and drinks. It was a lovely evening and man the food at that place is so good, I do love me a sizzlin' fajita.

Scorch Trials Premiere
I've fangirled over this movie so hard on Twitter over the last week or so that I'm sure you're well aware of this BUT if you didn't know, I was lucky to attend the UK premiere in Leicester Square, London last Monday for The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials. This is a photograph from our seats of the lovely Ki Hong Lee, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Wes Ball and Jim Chapman when they answered some fan questions before the movie.

Lush Tea Tree Water
This is my holy grail right now! I wrote a whole post about this last week because I abso-freaking-lutely love the stuff. A quick spritz of this toner water in the morning when I wake up and before bed makes my skin feel really clean because of all the anti-bacterial shiz that's in this product.

My Hair Dye Collection
I didn't actually realise I owned this much hair dye until I got round to sorting out one set of my Alex drawers at the weekend. It's obviously ridiculous as no one person can use all of that much product at one time - especially seeing as there's a good old mixture of platinum blonde, honey blonde, ash blonde, golden brown, dark brown etc in there but I think I like to have the options and they kinda look pretty in there don't they?! Okay I'm just trying to justify my hair-dye-hoarder tendencies...

Makeup Revolution Palette in 'Flawless'
I posted all about this awesome product yesterday and seeing as the packaging is so darn pretty I thought it was Instagram-worthy! This is a 32-shadow palette from Makeup Revolution and is sold in Superdrug for only £8 - I can't get over the price and as it's nearing the end of the month I am living in Bargain Town right now.

Follow me @laurenefell on Instagram for more!

MAKEUP REVOLUTION ULTRA EYESHADOWS IN 'FLAWLESS'

If you're not familiar with Makeup Revolution then they're a budget makeup brand sold by Superdrug for extremely good prices, starting as low as just £1. Now, don't get me wrong, I love NARS, MAC and also loads of high-street brands like Rimmel and Maybelline but sometimes if I'm feeling experimental and want to try new shades that I'm unsure about, then I don't always want to splash out on products.

The Flawless palette consists of 32 matte and shimmer eyeshadows in beautiful shades, perfect for fall and winter. The colours are extremely well-pigmented which means that you get fantastic value for money - even for £8, it's always good to know you're not going to need to spend another £8 on the same product in the space of a month or two. I'm also in love with how sleek the packaging is. I'm a sucker for less-is-more when it comes to product packaging, especially palettes, and I even love the rose-gold foil box so much I tend to keep the palette in there when storing it.

The palette boasts shades such as Paper; a light nude shade, perfect for a base colour, Raw; a matte neutral shadow and Darkest Shimmer; a burnt orange hue great for defining your outer lid and crease. These three shades also happen to be fantastic dupes for the three MAC shadows I purchased earlier this year so if I'm looking to recreate that warm smoky-eye on the regular then I'll use my Revolution palette, saving my MAC shadows for special occasions.

Now, Makeup Revolution have released the all-new 'Beyond Flawless' palette, featuring 32 new shades in much more neutral tones. If you'd be interested in seeing a post on this palette then let me know in the comments below.

MakeUp Revolution Flawless Palette costs £8 and is sold in Superdrug, you can also purchase online at Makeup Revolution's website.