Trying Kerastase Hair Products

Hello Lovelies

My hair has been the bane of my life for a long time now, I suffer from very oily hair and my hair is thin due to me having Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, some people grow excess hair with PCOS and some people lose hair and I am most definitely the latter which is really irritating. When I was asked recently if I would like to try some products from the brand Kerastase I was really pleased and of course said yes please straight away. I have been trying out some products for the last 2-3 weeks now and I wanted to let you know my thoughts on them. 

Kerastase Bain Divalent Balancing Shampoo

The Kerastase Bain Divalent Shampoo is a balancing shampoo for oily roots and sensitised lengths, and removes excess sebum whilst cleansing the scalp, it is enriched with Glycine and Vitamin B6 and re balances moisture from the root and repairs dehydrated and damaged fibres leaving the hair lightweight and softened. The shampoo is free from silicone meaning the hair will feel revitalised and look shiny. 

The shampoo smells incredible, it has a lovely fresh scent that isn't over powering. The shampoo lathers up really well and one thing I noticed immediately was that I don't need to use a lot, I have long hair and usually need to use quite a lot of shampoo but I don't with this, a little goes a long way and both myself, and my 2 daughters have been using the shampoo for the last 2-3 weeks and there is still around a third of the bottle left which is brilliant. 

The shampoo lathers up really well and is easy to rinse out, usually when my hair has been washed it is very tangled and hard to brush through but I don't find that when using the Kerastase, my hair brushes through a lot easier than with other shampoos. My hair feels lovely and soft when it is dry and it has a lovely shine which I don't usually have, having blonde hair it is rare my hair looks shiny. 

Usually having very oily hair I have to wash my hair every day but since using the Kerastase Bain Divalent I find I can go 2-3 days without washing my hair which for me being in a lot of pain is brilliant because having my hair washed and dried can be exhausting. If I want to wear my hair down I can do on the day it has been washed and the day after but on the 3rd day I will pop a little dry shampoo through my hair and wear it up which is brilliant for me and unheard of because usually with my hair being so oily, it has to be washed every day. 

The Kerastase Bain Divalent is a brilliant shampoo, it smells amazing, lathers up well, rinses out well and my hair is left oil free and looking and feeling great,  if you suffer with oily hair or oily roots and dry ends, I highly recommend this shampoo. You can find it on the Kerastase website HERE priced at £17.90 250ml or on the Look Fantastic website HERE where it is currently on offer for £13.40. 

Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique - Resurfacing Strengthening Milk

The Kerastase Ciment Thermique is a leave in heat protectant hair treatment that is applied to towel dried hair before styling, it contains Vita-Ciment Topseal which works to strengthen the hair from the inside out whilst also repairing the outer layer and leaving a protective topcoat. It provides protection from the moment heat reaches the hair, leaving a smooth and shinier finish and healthier looking hair.  

The Ciment Thermique strengthening milk is white in colour and is thicker than a lotion but not as thick as a cream and it smells amazing. I apply it to my towel dried hair before my hair is dried with the hair dryer and brush my hair through, my hair dries a lot faster than it does without using the Ciment Thermique, it cuts down the time it takes to dry my hair to less than half the time and I feel good knowing my hair is being protected from the heat of my hairdryer and then my straighteners which are used after my hair dryer. 

I really like this product, my hair dries super fast which is brilliant and it is protected from my hairdryer and straighteners, another bonus of this product is that it doesn't make my hair oily at all, I usually shy away from using products in my hair because they always make my hair oily but this doesn't at all. My youngest daughter also uses this and she loves it too and is really pleased that her hair dries a lot faster when she uses it, it's a brilliant product and one I would highly recommend. You can find the Ciment Thermique Strengthening Milk on the Kerastase website HERE priced at £20.90 150ml or the Feel Unique website HERE where it is currently on offer for £15.65 (was £20.90).

Kerastase Fondant Densite - Lifting Bodifying Care

The Kerastase Fondant Densite is a wash out hair treatment that contains hyaluronic acid and Intra-Cyclane which are minerals that strengthen the hair from the inside. It provides improved texture, fullness of the hair, resilience to the hair and a weightless feel. I apply the Fondant Densite to my hair after shampooing and towel drying, I apply it to my hair, leave for 1-2 minutes and then rinse out. 

The Fondant Densite is a cream like texture and with all the other Kerastase products, it smells lovely. My hair feels incredible when I use it and it looks and feels so much fuller and like I have so much more volume in my hair, my hair is very thin because I lose a lot of hair due to my PCOS and this is a fabulous product for making my hair look and feel so much thicker, my hair also feels extremely soft and is beautifully shiny too. My youngest daughter has also been using this product and she loves it too and she is so happy with the way her hair looks when she uses it, her hair looks and feels so much thicker too. 

I absolutely adore this product and cannot recommend it enough, my hair looks and feels so much thicker it is amazing, and my hair isn't oily when I use it either, it gives incredible results from the first use, I love it and it smells incredible. You can find the Kerastase Fondant Densite on the Feel Unique website where it is on offer for £15.65 200ml (was £20.90) HERE.

Kerastase Masque Age Recharge

The Kerastase Masque Age Recharge is a firming gel mask to replenish hair that has lost vitality, it's protective formula works to renew your hairs strength and vitality, leaving it feeling soft and smooth and incredibly shiny. The mask contains Vita-Ciment which strengthens the hair from within and Euphorbia Wax to even out the hairs texture, the unique gel mask reinforces the hairs natural defences and transforms the texture of the hair without weighing it down. 

I have been using the mask once a week and applying it all over my hair, massaging it in and then leaving for 5 minutes, I then add a little water to emulsify and then rinse thoroughly. My hair feels absolutely incredible after using the mask, it feels soft and silky and feels and looks thicker too, I rarely ever really use hair masks because the ones I have used in the past have made my hair oily but this mask doesn't make my hair oily at all, it doesn't leave my hair feeling weighed down at all either, it is really nice and I am thrilled with it, my hair looks so nice after using it and if you're like me and have been put off using hair masks because they make your hair oily or feel weighed down, I highly recommend you try this one, it is absolutely lovely! You can find the Kerastase Masque Age Recharge on offer on the Look Fantastic website HERE priced at £21.35 200ml (was £28.50)

My Overall Thoughts On The Kerastase Products

I am absolutely thrilled with all 4 Kerastase products, they all smell incredible and all leave my hair looking and feeling amazing. I love that I can use the shampoo and the Fondant Densite and the Ciment Thermique together and my hair isn't oily the day after or even the same day which is usually the outcome if I use hair treatments. The mask is outstanding and the way my hair looks and feels after using it is fantastic, I have noticed my hair feels and looks so much nicer since I have been using the Kerastase products and I definitely want to try out some other products from the brand, I have honestly been blown away by how amazing each product is, I never thought I would be so pleased with hair products so much but these have to be some of the best hair products I have ever used and I highly recommend them. 

To find out more about the various different products and ranges from Kerastase, check out their website HERE. 

Have you tried Kerastase products? What is your favourite range/product? Let me know in the comments section below. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ Post Contains PR Samples or Gifted Items 

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Gosh Makeup Autumn/Winter 2016 Range

Hello Lovelies

A couple of weeks ago I was kindly sent some products to try from the new Gosh Autumn/Winter 2016 range, I haven't ever tried anything from Gosh, so I was super excited to try the products and since I have been using them for a couple of weeks, I want to share with you both the products I received and my thoughts on them.

Gosh Overnight Primer Oil Essence 30ml - £14.49

What Gosh Say About The Primer Oil

OVERNIGHT PRIMER OIL ESSENCE is an innovative night-time product. It is a product that builds a bridge between makeup and skincare. A primer formulated in a lightweight blend of oils, perfected to help the skin optimise the recovering and skin beneficial effects of sleeping. 
Prep skin while sleeping with OVERNIGHT PRIMER OIL ESSENCE and wake up with primed, de-stressed, calmed, soft, moisturised, luminous, and plumped skin. Use alone as a night primer or combine with i.e. PRIMER PLUS+ HYDRATION. Both will result in a dewy, youthful complexion and a perfect finish for applying makeup. 

• Wake up with primed, de-stressed, moisture and luminous skin
• Building a bridge between makeup and skincare
• Preparing skin for a new day
• Gives skin an even and smooth look
• Use alone as a night primer or combine with PRIMER PLUS+
• Blend of oils and Vitamin E moisturises and protects 
• Butterfly Lavender Seed Oil reduces fine lines and wrinkles
• Absorbs instantly without greasing 
• Perfume and paraben free

Application & My First Impressions & Thoughts

The first thing I noticed when I used the primer oil was that it doesn't have a scent which I really liked as I expected it to smell quite herbal and of lavender and as I really don't like the scent of lavender I was pleased. I applied the primer oil after finishing my usual evening skin care routine, the primer oil comes with a pipette style applicator which I filled and then gently squeezed the primer oil onto my finger tips, I rubbed my fingers together and gently patted the oil onto my skin.

The oil was easy to apply and didn't feel too greasy, some facial oils are very greasy and I am aware of them on my skin until they absorb, but I didn't find this with the Gosh Primer Oil. I wouldn't agree though that the oil instantly absorbs into the skin, I have very dry and dehydrated skin, the oil took around half an hour to be completely absorbed but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin and I wasn't aware of the oil on my skin whilst it was sinking in so it wasn't a problem that it wasn't instantly absorbed.  

My skin felt lovely and soft in the morning, I used the Superdrug Micellar Tonic to cleanse my skin the following morning and my skin still felt lovely and soft and my make up applied beautifully. I have used the primer oil every evening before I have applied my makeup which is around 2-3 times a week and I really like it, I always apply it after my evening skin care routine and then let it absorb whilst I am relaxing watching TV before going to bed. My skin feels lovely and soft the following morning even after cleansing my skin and my makeup always applies beautifully, the Primer Oil Essence is a lovely product and especially if like me you have dry and/or dehydrated skin. You can find the Primer Oil Essence on the Superdrug website for £14.49 HERE.

Gosh Contour 'n' Strobe Kit In Light 001 - £12.99

The Gosh Contour 'n' Strobe Kit in Light 001 is a 4 in 1 compact containing a highlight, blush and 2 contour shades, the kit is available in Light 001 and Medium 002 and I have the shade Light 001.

I really like this kit and the first time I used it I was blown away by it, the pigmentation is incredible and all the shades are lovely and apply beautifully and have a buttery soft texture that blends effortlessly, they really are all stunning. The highlight is a beautiful champagne shade with a slight gold/peach tone to it, it is completely different to any other highlighters I own and it is really pretty, the blush is a stunning peach shade with a lovely shimmer to it that is just enough, I usually prefer a matte blush if I'm wearing highlight but I love the blush in the kit it compliments the highlight perfectly and they look stunning together. There are 2 contour shades, one has a slight shimmer and one matte, I prefer a matte contour but have been using the shimmer one as my bronzer and I have also used it as an eyeshadow and it is beautiful, in fact all 4 shades make lovely eye shadows, applying and blending beautifully, so this is a very versatile as well as stunning palette. 

As you can see from the swatches, the shades all compliment each other beautifully and they look stunning on the skin and enhance it perfectly. All 4 shades have excellent colour payoff and last all day, the blush and highlight don't accentuate my pores at all, they compliment my skin and give a flawless finish and my blush, contour and highlight look exactly the same when it comes to removing my makeup as they did when I applied it. The Contour 'n' Strobe Kits are perfume and paraben free and being available in the 2 shades will compliment many skin tones. You can find the kits on the Superdrug website for £12.99 HERE. 

Gosh Lash Sculpting Fibre Mascara - £9.99

I have pretty pathetic eyelashes, they are short and sparse but they are good for testing mascara's because if a mascara can lengthen and make my lashes appear fuller then it's a good mascara. I also have a real issue with mascara transferring onto the socket bone of my eye, it happens with most mascara's unless they are waterproof. 

The Gosh Lash Sculpting Fibre Mascara in Black has a long thin bristle wand, I prefer a bristle wand as I feel they brush through my lashes better, the wand picks up just the right amount of mascara and is easy to apply, it isn't so long that it ends up all over the bridge of my nose but it gets right into the corner of my eyes to coat the tiny lashes. It coats my lower lashes well too and was easy to apply to the lower lashes also. 

The first time I used the mascara, I was thrilled with the way my lashes looked and I have used the mascara every time I have applied my makeup since. My lashes look longer and fuller and look nicely fanned out and the mascara doesn't transfer onto my socket bone which is fabulous considering it isn't a waterproof formula.

The mascara is easy to remove and I don't have to rub at my lashes to remove it, I have used micellar cleansing wipes, eye makeup remover and cleansing balm to remove my makeup when wearing the mascara and each have removed it completely without the need for rubbing. It is a brilliant mascara and makes my lashes look fabulous. You can find the Lash Sculpting Fibre Mascara on the Superdrug website for £9.99 HERE.

Gosh Brow Sculpting Fibre Gel In Chestnut - £6.49

I hadn't used a brow gel up until a couple of months ago and I wish I had tried one years ago because I adore them. I have my brows waxed and tinted and for a few weeks after having them done all I use to fill my brows in is a brow gel. Unfortunately the shade Chestnut is too dark for my blonde brows so I haven't been able to wear it a lot but I have still used the Gosh Brow Sculpting Brow Gel at home so I could review it for you.

The brow gel has a tiny little wand which is brilliant for reaching all my brow hairs and filling in any sparse areas too. I simply dip the wand into the brow gel and then brush it through my brows, it's simple to use and my brows look great, it really is a brilliant product and is just as good as brow gels I have used that are 3 times the price of the Gosh one.

The brow gel is a brilliant product, it is easy to apply and looks great and means your brows can look fabulous without spending a long time filling them in, I simply sweep the Brow Sculpting Fibre Gel through my brows and they're done. If you would like to try the Brow Sculpting Fibre Gel, you can find it on the Superdrug website for £6.49 HERE.

Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks - £6.99

 016 - Purple

017 - Clove

I love matte lipsticks so I was very pleased to receive two of the Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks in the shades 016 Purple and 017 Clove. Purple is as you would imagine, a bright purple shade and Clove is a very deep berry shade, when I saw both lipsticks I worried they wouldn't suit me, I have tried deep berry shades during previous autumn/winter months and always thought they didn't suit me so I have stuck to bright reds and nudes over the autumn/winter months but I have never tried a purple lipstick, always assuming they wouldn't suit me, I was hesitant to try both shades but the first time I tried the lipsticks both my daughters and my partner Simon really liked them both on me and thought I should wear them more often as did all my friends. 

Both lipstick shades apply really well and feel lovely on the lips, they contain natural waxes to keep the lips moisturised and hyaluronic acid to keep the lips hydrated and smooth and they do feel incredibly moisturising for a matte finish lipstick, they don't feel dragging when I apply them and they are very comfortable to wear and are the most comfortable matte lipsticks I have worn. 

The lipsticks are highly pigmented and give a strong colour pay off which lasts for around 5-6 hours on me. The lipstick fades away nicely and does not leave an unsightly ring of colour around the lips. I really like the lipsticks, they apply well, they don't drag on the lips, they feel amazing, they don't bleed or feather and they last really well, there are so many shades in the range to choose from, there will be something for everyone, they are fantastic. You can find the Gosh Velvet Touch Matte Lipsticks on the Superdrug website for £6.99 HERE.  

Me Wearing The Lipsticks

Overall Thoughts On The Gosh Makeup Products Autumn/Winter 2016

I absolutely adore all the products I received from Gosh and I will definitely be try out more Gosh products in the future, I can't believe I hadn't ever tried anything from the brand before, they are a fantastic brand and all the products I received are brilliant and excellent value for money, the pigmentation of the makeup products is incredible and they all apply beautifully, the colour pay of, application and wear time is the same as high end makeup products I own if not better and the primer oil is fabulous too. 

I highly recommend every single product I received and would 100% purchase them all again once they are coming to an end. If you would like to check out more products from the brand, you can find Gosh products online at Superdrug here. 

The Makeup Look I Created Using All The Products

To create the look, I used the Contour 'n' Strobe Kit to contour my cheekbones, I used the blush from the palette and then used the highlight from the palette to highlight the tops of my cheekbones, under my brow bone, down my nose, my cupids bow and in the inner corner of my eyes. I used the Lash Sculpting Fibre mascara on my top and bottom lashes using 2 coats on my top lashes and 1 on the bottom and I have used the Velvet Touch Matte Lipstick in the shade 017 Clove. 

This look is exactly the same but I have used the Velvet Touch Matte Lipstick in the shade 016 Purple. I received so many compliments on both lip shades and I have had so many people ask me where my highlight is from, I posted a photograph on Instagram and Facebook of me wearing the makeup look and I got so many lovely compliments on the look, I hope you like it too. 

Have you tried Gosh products? What are your favourites? Let me know in the comments so I can put a shopping list together as I will definitely be checking out some more Gosh products soon. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

✿ Post Contains PR Samples or Gifted Items

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An Autumn NOTD - Essie Sand Tropez

Hello Lovelies

Today I have a Nail Of The Day or NOTD post for you and it's a lovely nude shade that is perfect for Autumn but can be worn all year round too, it's Sand Tropez by Essie and I first showed you this polish in my Autumn Drugstore Beauty Haul post and lots of you said you would love to see it in a NOTD post, so here it is. 

My purchase of Sand Tropez was completely influenced by my lovely friend Khila, she spoke about it a lot and wore it a lot and it always looked so nice on her that I thought I would pick it up, I did worry I would be too pale and it wouldn't suit me but my youngest daughter loves nude shades so I knew it wouldn't go to waste. 

The first time I used it, I loved it, I am pleased to report that I am not too pale and it is a gorgeous nude shade that is perfect for Autumn. 

I used the Nails Inc After Gel as my base coat and then applied 3 coats of the Sand Tropez allowing each coat to dry fully in between, I finished off with a coat of the Essie Gel Couture Top Coat which is amazing and gives an amazing shine and your polish lasts so much longer too. I love the finished look, a lovely opaque nude that goes with every makeup look and every outfit choice too, it's perfect!

I have worn Sand Tropez so much since I bought it and I always receive lots of compliments on it and am asked what I am wearing on my nails. I have also worn it with a rose gold glitter accent nail and I loved that look too. 

The photograph isn't the best I'm afraid and I had been wearing the polish for a few days when I suddenly thought "I should take a pic of this" but in hindsight maybe I should have re done my nails as this isn't the best but you get the general idea I hope. I used the Maybelline Colour Show polish in the shade Rose Chic for the accent nail, it is a gorgeous rose gold glitter and looks stunning with nude nail polish or on it's own all over the nails, I highly recommend it if you're after a rose gold polish, you can buy it here for £3.99 currently 3 for 2. 

I am so glad I picked up Sand Tropez, it is a gorgeous nude shade and one I have already worn so much and will continue to wear, the polish lasted 7 days on my nails but I do think the Gel Couture top coat helps with the wear time too, Essie always last well on me but they last even longer with their Gel Couture top coat, it is amazing and I highly recommend it, you can buy it here for £9.99 currently 3 for 2. 

If you would like to pick up Sand Tropez you will find it on the Superdrug website here for £7.99 but all cosmetics and beauty accessories are currently 3 for 2 so if you fancy picking up the Gel Couture top coat and the Maybelline Rose Chic, then now would be the perfect time as you will get a free polish. 

Do you own Sand Tropez? What is your favourite nude polish? Let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always

Zoe x

The New L'Oreal True Match Foundation

Hello Lovelies,

You may have seen in my huge autumn beauty haul that I picked up a couple of foundations, one of them being the L'Oreal True Match foundation. I have wanted to try True Match for a long time but having extremely dry and dehydrated skin, I always assumed it wouldn't be right for me since all the reviews I read were aimed more at an oily skin. When L'Oreal recently re vamped the True Match foundation I thought it might be a good time to finally try it, I have used it quite a few times over the last month, so I thought it was about time I told you how I've been getting on with it and what I think.

What L'Oreal Say About True Match Foundation

L'Oreal's number 1 foundation is now available in 23 shades and matches 98% of UK skintones. L'Oreal's velvety formula matches your skin’s unique tone and texture, for a true to skin finish: flawless, blendable, and never fake.

L'Oreal's 23 shades range from warm to neutral to cool undertones, to ensure your foundation is right for you. Whilst your skin tone is visible on the surface and can alter through the seasons, your skin undertones are determined at a deeper level, they are part of your skin and never change. Each complexion has its own undertone: pink (cool), neutral or golden (warm), so you can now find a match that’s true to you.

My Thoughts, Packaging, Application & Wearing True Match

I really like the packaging of the foundation, it comes in a glass bottle with a clear plastic lid and a plastic silver pump applicator. I much prefer a pump applicator on a foundation so I was pleased to see a pump on the True Match. I picked the shade 2C Rose Vanilla, I guessed my shade because I was buying online, I am usually the second lightest shade in foundations and I am cool toned as I have a very pink undertone to my skin so I guessed 2C. 

The first time I applied the foundation I stupidly forgot to apply my primers and didn't realise until I'd almost finished applying the foundation. I always apply the Smashbox Photofinish Hydrating Primer all over my face and then I spritz my face with the Pixi Glow Mist before applying my foundation, my skin is super dry and dehydrated and I find using both these products help my foundation to look look nice and not cling to dry patches or be sucked up and go patchy because of my dehydrated skin. 

I used my Beauty Blender to apply the foundation the first time I used it, I pumped some foundation onto my index finger and then put a blob of foundation on my forehead, chin, nose and each cheek. I then used the Beauty Blender to apply the foundation to my skin. The foundation applied well and looked nice on my skin, it has more of a matte finish than a dewy finish but doesn't look powdery or cakey and considering I completely forgot to use my primers the foundation didn't look too bad at all and I was pleased with the finished look.

I have used the foundation quite a few times since the first time I wore it and each time I have used my Smashbox primer and the Glow Mist, I have tried applying the foundation with a brush and my fingers but I do prefer using a makeup sponge, my favourite being the Brush Works Complexion Sponge. The True Match applies well and blends beautifully onto my skin, it gives a lovely flawless finish and doesn't settle into any fine lines around my eyes or any dry patches on my skin, and I am really pleased I bought it, I always assumed I wouldn't be able to use it because I thought my skin would be too dry but it is lovely and looks lovely on my skin. True Match is a medium coverage foundation but can be built to a full coverage, I don't need to use as much underye concealer which is always a bonus, the foundation, although medium to full coverage isn't thick or cakey and doesn't leave me feeling as if I am wearing a lot of makeup, it feels nice and light on the skin. 

I do usually prefer a dewy finish foundation but the True Match is definitely more of a matte finish, it isn't powdery or cakey or as matte as some other foundations I have tried but it definitely isn't dewy on my skin but that could be due to me having such dry skin. 

The shade I picked was a good guess as it is the right shade for me, it's a lovely shade and covers my redness really well but my skin still looks like skin. I do agree completely with what L'Oreal say about the True Match Foundation, it is lovely and looks flawless, I think having the choice of cool, warm and neutral shades is a brilliant idea as I struggle to buy drugstore/highstreet foundations because they are mostly more suited to a yellow undertone than pink. 

The only negative I would say about the foundation is that I think there should be more shades suitable for darker skin tones, out of 23 shades there are aren't many suited to a darker skin tone, this obviously isn't a concern for me but it will be for other people and it is something I think is a definite negative but it is also something that is very apparent with other brands too and not just L'Oreal. 

How True Match Looks On Me 

No Makeup

Just Using True Match

Finished Makeup

Overall Thoughts

I am really pleased with the L'Oreal True Match Foundation, it is a really lovely foundation that applies well and looks lovely on my skin, it gives a flawless finish and lasts all day and looks exactly the same when I remove it as it did when I applied it, I am thrilled I bought it and will definitely re purchase it, I like to wear a more full coverage foundation over the autumn/winter months and usually wear Illamasqua Skin Base but I will be wearing True Match this autumn/winter, it applies better and looks nicer than the Skin Base, I am very very happy! 

If you would like to try the L'Oreal True Match foundation, you can find it on the Boots website priced at £9.99 for 30ml (Boots currently has a 3 for 2 offer on L'Oreal products) or on the Superdrug website priced at £9.99 for 30ml (Superdrug currently has a 3 for 2 offer across all cosmetics)

Have you tried True Match and do you like it? What's your favourite drugstore/highstreet foundation? Let me know in the comments. 

Thank you for reading, much love as always 

Zoe x

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