#SBBC Day 8 – Maintaining Healthy Hair

I was meant to post this yesterday but just didn’t the time, I usually try to have Sunday’s off to spend time with my family and at church etc so I’m doing an extra post today.

These are the products I am currently using to keep my hair healthy, especially as I colour my hair! I’ve also included my top tips.

John Freida Radiant Red Shampoo and Conditioner

I wash my hair every other day to avoid drying it out by over washing. I use this John Freida shampoo and conditioner to prolong my deep red hair colour. It does seem to be helping and it also makes my hair feel incredibly soft and moisturised.

TRESemmè Heat Defence Styling Spray

I heat style my hair so this is perhaps one of my most important items in my hair care regime. I spray it onto damp hair to protect from blow-drying and then straightening. It also contains a UVC filter which protects my hair from the sun and helps to keep it hydrated and stops the sun bleaching the colour from my hair. It smells awesome too.

Guy Kremer Protection Serum

You can never protect your hair too much, I mainly use this to smooth y hair and keep it that way all day but it also protects my hair from the heat styling too. It makes my hair much more manageable to straighten and strengthens it against humid and damp weather.

Top tips

• Use a wide toothed comb instead of a hair brush.
• If you have greasy hair use dry shampoo or talken powder between washes you can last an extra day and protect your hair.
• Use the right shampoo for your hair type this will give the best results.
• Avoid using hair bands too often; they can damage your hair.
• Eat healthily and make sure you’re getting all of your vitamins.
• Avoid heat styling if you can but protect your hair well when you have to do it.
• Only dye your hair every 6 weeks(minimum) and make use of the weekly conditioner they provide!

Garnier Nutrisse Hair Dye in Fiery Red 6.60 Review

As most of you know I have had Ombre hair for a while but I was really missing red hair, it’s what suits me best, I’m fiery and passionate and red hair just seems to work well with that.

I don’t have the sort of money to go to the hairdressers other than for trims so I always colour my hair at home, I’ve had my fair share of disasters but home kits do seem to be getting better and better. I picked this one up yesterday and done my patch test immediately so I’d be ready to colour this morning.

I was up bright and early to get it done. I selected Garnier Nutrisse in 6.60 (Fiery red) as I’ve used it before and the colours on the box indicated that both the blonde and the brown in my hair should come out the same sort of shade… in theory. I hoped for the best and it paid off.

The instructions are really easy to understand and the gloves are a better quality than most. I found the dye really easy to use on my own hair, I started with the roots and gradually went through the lengths of my hair. I massaged it in well and left it to develop for 35 minutes which is the maximum suggested time.

Being red, it took ages to rinse it all out but I got there in the end. The conditioner smells really good, quite sweet and left my hair feeling really soft. In fact my hair feels softer and shinier than it has in a while. I also got the John Frieda Colour shampoo for red hair to try to help keep the colour longer, I’ll let you know how that goes.

I was really pleased with the results, it did indeed come out even despite my risky move of dying straight over ombre hair. It sounds silly but I feel more ‘me’ with red hair. It’s like I become a superhero when I’m a red-head! Here’s the results! Sorry for the posy photo and sorry that most of you saw a similar one earlier in the day!

It was also really well priced, at around £6 from Superdrug. That saved me a fair bit than if I’d gone to the hairdressers instead. Really hoping it doesn’t fade out too quickly. I’ve been advised recently that sulphate-free shampoos are best to lock-in colour but seeing as I splashed out on the John Frieda I’ll use that this time and do a comparison when I next dye my hair!

If you have any other tips for keeping the colour longer please do let me know!

Salon Hair Chalks Review

Hair chalk has been a pretty big trend recently but they’re not the sort of thing I’d use any old-time. Being at a festival this weekend gave me the perfect opportunity to give them a go. I picked these ones up from eBay for around £10. You don’t have to get so many colours but I wasn’t sure which we’d want.

I have to say I love the wide range of colours, every colour I could possible want is right there in that set.

They’re really easy to use, you just wet your hair, chalk it in where you want it, dry it and then seal with hair straighteners. They say it takes 1 to 2 washes to get it out again, I’d argue that it is more 3 to 4. However, I did also make a huge mess trying to do these, think purple and pink EVERYWHERE, my chin, my neck, my leg… you totally have to take a lot of care when using these. They do wash of skin without a problem so it’s not horrific, just do it before you get dressed.

These definitely work best on lighter hair. They looked amazing in my friends hair but took more washes to get out than mine. They’re great for the odd occasion where you want to be a bit more wacky.

While they don’t cause any long-term damage to your hair it is undeniably harder to style the hair that contains the chalk as it dries it out quite a lot. After one wash, I didn’t put it back in for the second day and there was still enough left and my hair was soft and silky again. I’d maybe advise putting too much in then giving it a wash and going with what’s left for the best results.

This is the day we put it in:

As you can see it has a much brighter result on the lighter blonde hair than it does on my darker hair. I still liked it though and I definitely could have put more in mine for a more vibrant look.

I’d rate these at around 5/10 because they are a bit of a pain to do and get right, a wash in wash out colour would probably have better results. They also only work really well for light blonde hair, although I’m yet to see how the light colours come on on dark hair, now that’s a thought!

TRESemme Platinum Strength 60 Second Treatment Shot Review

Hey all!

Sorry for my absence over this weekend, I had an amazing time at V festival and I’m back fresh and ready to blog again now. Don’t miss tonight It’s in the bag episode and we have plenty of new reviews coming up this week too. Also importantly I hit 200 wordpress followers while I was away, 207 to be precise so hello to all my new wordpress followers and those who have followed through bloglovin’ and She Said Beauty too, thank you for your continued support.

I decided to use this 60 second TRESemme treatment shot before going away as my hair was looking and feeling a little bit fragile. I loved that it was so quick to use and smelt really nice too. It also has an awful lot in the shot, plenty to do long hair, I think with my length hair I probably could have got two uses out of it, if I’d thought about it at the time!

You simply shampoo your hair and then massage this into the ends of your hair, avoiding the roots. Sit back and relax for 60 seconds then rinse well.

The results were really good, my hair looked shiny and perked up quite a bit. It was also incredibly soft and straightened really easily and stayed straight all day, which is amazing considering I was at a windy Hylands park all day.  At just £1.50 a time I definitely think I will continue to use this each week, repeated use can only have even better results.

Soft, shiny and wonderfully straight hair

10 Festival Beauty Essentials

With less than 2 weeks until I head to V Festival at Hylands Park with one of my favourite people my attention has turned to what I need to take with me. So here’s my list of the 10 essentials that I’ll definitely have with me!

1 – Antibacterial Hand Gel – With the toilet facilities lacking and being out in the open for 2 whole days (even though I’m heading home and not camping) this is the thing I could never attend a festival without.

2 – Sleek Pout Paint – This is a festival favourite, it can be used for cheeks and lips but for me it will be used to create pretty designs, perhaps flowers for a cute festival makeup.

3 – Water – If you want to keep your skin in top condition and not be the one passed out under a tree by 3pm then you need to stay hydrated! Most festivals only allow you to take a small bottle of water into the arena with you but have taps to refill, make use of this and drink plenty of nature;s good stuff!

4 – Sunscreen – You’re outside all day, even those of us who tan are at risk in those conditions, keep your sunscreen topped up and head for shaded areas when possible.

5 – BB Cream – Save space and take a BB Cream in place of a foundation and moisturiser, a BB Cream will double up as both and stop your skin from drying out. The Body Shop All-in_one BB Cream is my favourite!

6 – Fudge Urban Sea Salt Spray – With shower facilities limited and the expectation if rain at some point there’s no point in paying out to have your hair straightened while you’re there, instead spritz in some sea salt spray for a gorgeous boho, festival look, you could add some flowers to your hair too!¬

7 – Figs & Rouge Lip Balm – The is hygienic and easy to use without a mirror, it can also be used as a cheek stain and eye shimmer. Multi-taskers are the way forward when at a festival!

8 – The Body Shop Vitamin C Face Spritz – Ideal for a quick freshen up and to keep your skin looking radiant throughout the whole weekend!

9 – Makeup wipes/ wet wipes – Don’t forget to remove your makeup in the evening and wipe your face in the morning, also a good idea for a quick wet wipe bath to stay smelling a little fresh at least!

10 – Sunglasses – Protect your eyes whilst out in the sunshine, I swear half the time you site with the sun in your eyes! Plus sunglasses will always make you look that little bit cooler. Why not select a new fun pair just for this occasion?

I hope this quick guide has been of some use to you. What are your festival must-haves?

VO5 – Give Me Texture Shampoo & Conditioner Review

Reviewed by Tams

The last few weeks I’ve been bored with my hair being dead straight, I don’t know if it’s something to do with the sun being out but I’ve been hankering after textured hair that’s full of life. You’ll have noticed that I’ve tried a few different products recently that all aim to add texture to your hair. It started with this one but I like to give shampoo a good try before I cast my verdict.

The VOZ Give me texture shampoo and conditioner were really reasonably priced and I’ve used others of their before. I always like to start a new look from the base up, any products I use later on in my routine will always have a better result if I start with e relevant product. This is why I choose a shampoo and conditioner that add texture to your hair in place of my normal sleek and shine types.

First up, it smells amazing, as all VO5 products do. It has a really fresh and clean scent which I love. It contains a unique blend of collagen and minerals which gently cleanse product from your hair and create a style full of volume and life. The conditioner is also much lighter than most, it doesn’t weigh your hair down.

I found that because I have frizzy hair naturally that if I want to straighten it after this shampoo it’s hard to do so but if I want a bed-head or beach look it’s absolutely perfect. It really works with styling sprays to create a gorgeous textured style. I also don’t need to wash my hair everyday with this shampoo, every other day is plenty to keep it looking clean and healthy!

My husband is also loving this shampoo right now, it’s giving his hair a bit of oomph which he’s delighted with!

 

All the Fun of the Fair

Last night we decided to pop down to the fair whilst it was still in town. My 5 (nearly 6) year old has just started getting into fashion and style. He decided he was going to use my L’Oreal Professional techni.art Clay. Naturally I let him and decided to see how it held up at the fair!

He’s so damn cute with his little quiff going on! We put a little bit through all his hair to add texture and then pulled the front upwards. We added a little hairspray to finish. The cheeky smile says it all.. he knew he looked cool!

The clay is really easy to use, just a little is needed and it spreads though the hair well. It doesn’t have a nice smell but you can’t smell it once it’s on either.

 

 

Fin went on plenty of rides, a bouncy castle and a fun house, his hair as still holding up! 

We were totally loving our time together as a family. Fin was really going for it, loving being out way past bed time and the excitement of the rides.

He truly is the most amazing little man.

Though we totally shattered Fin out and by the walk home (we don’t have a car) he was wanting a little help. He gave us a cheeky little smile whilst clinging onto my husband and the day finished perfectly, with his hair still in tact!

xXx

Try it: www.lorealprofessionnel.co.uk

P.S. Mine is still in the old packaging, it’s lasted that long

Fudge Urban Texturising Sea Salt Spray Review

Recently I reviewed Alterna Haircare – Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist and I mentioned in the post that it was quite expensive and I’d see if I could find a cheaper version. Since then I’ve been on a mission to just that and I’m pleased to say it’s MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Fudge Urban provides salon standard hair products on the high street, they do everything from matte hair max to volumnising powders, and all in fun, brightly coloured packaging.

I normally spend ages in the morning styling my hair but this provides a huge relief in that routine. This morning, I washed my hair, sprayed this in from mid-length to the ends and scrunched up. I left my hair to dry naturally. It battled well with the frizz and left me with beach-cool hair.

It also smells amazing, it has a delicious coconut scent that just reminds me of holidays. Every time the wind blows I get a whiff of my hair and it transports me back to sunny days even though I’m currently sat in the office with storms raging outside my window.

My hair feels light and it hasn’t caused a huge product build up in my hair like some products do. It can also be used to plump up your hair but applying it before blow-drying. I think I’ll stick to using it in wet hair as it’s so quick and I’m really happy with the result. This is definitely one to take to V Festival with me!

I was originally looking for a cheap alternative but instead I’ve found a new favourite! I’m so over dead straight hair and I’m happy to have a product that allows me to embrace my naturally wavy hair.

On the more technical side of things the unusual nozzle makes it really easy to apply accurately. After all you don’t want huge clumps and sections with nothing in. You also do not need a lot to create the look so I think it’ll probably last a while.

Try it: £6.99, www,superdrug.com (Currently on offer for £3.49)

Schwarzkopf – got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protection Spray

Reviewed by Tams

This product is one of my beauty heroes. I was forever being scolded at the hairdressers for damaging my hair via heat styling all the time. I have frizzy hair, I have no choice but to do something with it every day. Either that or I walk around looking like Cave Girl. That is the options. I’ve never found that heat protection sprays have been all that good and I’ve tried A LOT of them before finding this little friend.

It protects up to 200 degrees and is suitable for blow drying, straightening and curling. It also smells amazing. I’ve been using it for nearly 3 months now, in fact I’m almost all out and the condition of my hair has considerably improved. It also helps to hold my hair straight for longer, meaning I don’t have to do it so often.

My hair is also more manageable when I use this, which is every day now. I don’t think I’ll be trying any more for a while. Cheers to my new BFF.

Try it: £4.05, www.superdrug.com

Surf’s up!

Reviewed by Tams

Alterna Haircare  – Bamboo Style Boho Waves Tousled Texture Mist Review

We can spend so much time making ourselves look like it took no time at all to get ready for a day at the beach. This is why I love this texture mist, it literally takes no time at all and looks amazing. It’s really quick and easy to get an effortless look ready for a day beside the sea, or at a festival. If you’re  me you used it for a day in the office when it was too hot to straighten your hair.

It’s really easy to use, you simply spritz damp or dry hair from root to tip and scrunch your hair up, done!

This came out best when I blow dried my hair the night before then spritzed it in the morning. It lasted all day, in fact it probably got better throughout the day. The scent is fairly neutral and it gave my hair an extra shine while giving it a texture, tousled look.

I would definitely use this product again, it will be perfect for when I go to V Festival next month. The only drawback is the full size is fairly expensive for a hair product that I may not use that often and if you have long hair you need to use quite a lot to get a good result.

Try it: £23 for 125ml, www.lookfantastic.com/alterna