Monday, 2 July 2018
3 Ways To Keep Your Hair Hydrated & Healthy This Summer
Sunday, 12 March 2017
Monday, 5 December 2016
Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Monday, 9 May 2016
Sunday, 28 February 2016
Friday, 26 February 2016
Thursday, 17 December 2015
Blogmas Day 17 - My Top 5 Hair Products For The Party Season
I've talked a lot about the makeup side of things in my Blogmas posts so far, but not enough about hair! Lets face it, if your having a good hair day or your hair is looking the way that you want it too, it just makes everything so much better. One of my go to hair styles and one that I'll always put my hair in when I'm going out is to wear my hair down in loose glamorous curls. I know it sounds like a pretty basic hair style, but its one of my favourites and I just think it works perfectly with every outfit.
Whilst it maybe an easy hairstyle to recreate, I always find that a lot can go wrong. For me especially I always find that my hair never wants to stay curly for very long because its just so long and fine. Another issue I have is that my hair lacks a lot of volume, so I always have to find those hair products that will give it a much needed boost. So today I thought I would bring together a selection of my favourite hair products that are essential for the party season, whether you're wearing your hair up, down, curly or straight! Basically there are four main hair products that I cannot live without!
Starting with an old favourite, the Envy Professional Stye Hero serum which I use every time before blow drying my hair. This serum not only smells divine, but it really makes my hair feel glossy, smooth and easier to work with and manage. I just use a few pumps of this serum on damp hair and work it through from roots to tip and it really does make such a difference. If I try and style freshly washed hair without this stuff I find that I'm dealing with a hair nightmare.
Another product that I swear by and one that I'll use also before blow drying my hair is the Matrix Hold Booster. This is the kind of product that would have scared me a few years ago as I would have assumed it worked like gel or something. Again this product has more of a serum feel to it and I only use this when my hair is wet or damp. I either use it on its own or mix it into my my favourite hair mousse and distribute it throughout my hair. I find that this product helps to create a lot of texture and movement to my hair, which it really lacks on its own. As it's a holding serum I find that whatever hairstyle I create lasts a lot longer when I use this, which is just what I need.
Of course no hairstyle would be complete without a trusty bottle of hairspray. I think investing in a good hairspray is worth while. I've bought so many cheap ones in the past that just ruin a really good hairstyle. One hairspray that is really worth investing in is the Matrix High Amplify as it really does an amazing job at giving my hair that much needed hold. What I really love about this is that it's really lightweight and doesn't make my hair feel crusty or hard! Ewww! My hair always has a lot of flexibility when I use this, which for me makes it a winner.
And last, but not least is my favourite hair styler... My GHD Curve. This curling tong really is my baby and I would recommend to any one who loves curling hair to pick one of these wands up, they're just amazing. I love big bouncy curls and this wand creates them in an instant, it really is the best curling tool that I've ever tried and I'm desperate to get my hands on the other three in the GHD collection.
I really hope this helps fix up your hairstyles for this party season. Please let me know what your favourite hair products are?
Lots of Love
Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Secrets To Creating Big Bouncy Curls With Matrix Hair
As a girl who has long hair, I can tell you that good hair days can be one of those things that are few and far between. As a beauty blogger who loves experimenting with new hair products, I'm always on the look out for new holy grail hair products and style secrets that can give me more of those good hair days. If your like me and always make it your mission to have amazing hair than keep reading as a few weeks ago I had the chance to discover the best hair secrets thanks to Matrix Hair.
My hair mission started when I was invited to head down to a local hair salon in my town. The owner Christian was not only amazing but also happened to be one of Matrix Hair's Artistic Directors, so he so many hair secrets to share with me!
I headed down to the Christian Wiles salon straight afterwork, as it's in town I had seen it in passing, heard great things about the salon and staff but had never actually booked a hair appointment there. I have to say I was so impressed with the place. It was so much more than your average hairdressers. Christian had a lot of style and was clearly on every bloggers wavelength as there was so much white which means everything there was so 'Instagramable' my fave!
I was treated to a consultation where I was given an overview of the new Total Results Matrix Hair products and was told what would be best suited for my hair. As my hair is long and dry, Christian thought it would be great to add some much needed hydration to my hair. We used the Moisture Me Rich Shampoo to wash my hair and followed with the Moisture Me Rich Conditioner for a deep conditioning treatment. Honestly if you've not smelt these products yet I urge you to as they literally smell so yummy and my hair felt so soft afterwards; It was just what my dry locks needed.
STYLE TIP
Ladies for those of you who have thin hair like me, it's really important to not condition your hair near the roots as it will only weigh your hair down. For lots of body, but super soft hair just massage the condition a few inches down from where your roots start. For an extra moisture boost, wrap your conditioned hair in a hot towel and leave for five minutes before rinsing.
Once my hair had been treated to a pamper, it was time for the styling. When it comes to hairstyles having big bouncy curls is my favourite. It's a style that always makes me feel more glamorous and confident. However sometimes I find this hairstyle really hard to create due to a number of reasons
1. My hair is so long, so I find that curls drop really quickly and are weighed down.
2. I never know what the best products are to use to keep my curls looking big and bouncy.
3. My hair is thin, so I never have that much volume on top which is where I want my hair to look the fullest.
It was great being able to talk to Christian about all my hair troubles and to pick his brain on how I can recreate my favourite hairstyle easily at home.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LAYERS
To create volume to your hair it's really important to use a layering technique. By this I mean layering your hair prodcuts. The first thing Christian told me was that it was important to add plenty of volume to my hair before I started curling it; He used the Matrix High Amplify Foam Volumizer on my damp hair before drying it.
Once my hair was dry, Christian then used the Matrix High Amplify Wonder Boost on the root area and repeated the process until my hair felt dry again. This was the miracle product I swear as my hair never felt so thick!
Once my hair had plenty of volume and bounce, he started styling it with a large barrel curling wand to create those super bouncy curls.
CREATING THE PERFECT HOLD
I told Christian that I really struggled to keep my curls in place and he told me it was really important not to add loads of hairspray directly onto my hair, which I had always done in the past. Instead of doing that I should try spraying the Matrix High Amplify Hairspray onto the tips of my fingers and work this through my hair from roots to end.
Not only does this give your hair plenty of hold, but also adds definition and stability to your hair and most importantly movement. So yes girls, you can actually do that sexy hair flick if you wish!
TIE UP ANY LOOSE ENDS
Once you've practiced your best hair flick a few times and are pleased to see your hairs still curly and bouncy (I did this too), Christian told me that to make my hair style look even more glam and polished I could easily clean up any fizzy fly always or loose ends by spaying some of the Matrix High Amplify Hairpray onto a clean makeup brush and gently pat them down.
This is such a genius idea as this could be done with any hairstyle where you have flyaway hair and it sorts out the problem in an instant. Perfect!
I was so happy with the way that my hair looked afterwards. I felt so glam that I had to persuade my man to take me out to dinner after my appointment as my hair looked so good and needed showing off.
Its been a few weeks now since Christian shared his best style secrets with me and I've been putting them to good use as they really make such a massive difference when doing my hair. It's great to have more good hair days now than bad. I can't thank Christian enough.
If you happen to be in the Northampton area I definitely recommend checking out the Christian Wiles Salon (website here). I've already asked Christian to be my new hairdresser, especially as I'm going to be making some big hair changes next year (more on that another time).
I would also recommend getting your hands on the new Matrix Total Result products as they are amazing. Not only does my hair look good, but I get so many compliments on the way my hair smells.
If you have any hair style secrets, then please share them in the comments below.
Lots of Love
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
How I Create Big Bouncy Glam Curls || ghd Curve
I remember when it was my last year of school and everyone in my class was going pretty much crazy for ghd's straighteners. I think it was around this time when they came on the scene and it wasn't long after that before I had my very own pair. For years ghd has been the only hair straighteners that I've used and although I've not tried other brands I'm willing to go as far as saying they're the best. As a lover of curly hair, I was always one of these girls that would try and curl my hair using my flat iron, although be it wasn't very good at it. As soon as curling wands become affordable and came in all shapes and sizes, I kind of ditched my ghd's for curls and used these instead as I found them a lot easier to use.
With so many people opting for curly hair over straight it wasn't long before ghd brought out their own range of curling tools and before Christmas last year I was lucky enough to get my hands on a pair and I've been reaching for them regularly ever since. I apologise now because this blog post is way overdue, but the ghd curve has literally changed the way that I curl my hair, so I thought it was about time I got this blog post up for you all.
One thing that I love about ghd in general is its super sleek packaging. I'm lucky enough to have the Curve that comes in the limited edition rose gold role bag (swoon). The actual Curve itself is just so sleek and has that classic ghd look to it. ghd offer four different types of curling tools ranging from wands to tongs. The one that I've been using is the soft curl tong, which is perfect if your like me and love your curls big, bouncy and soft looking.
I must admit the tong can be a little tricky to use at first, especially if your used to using a wand. However with practice, curling my hair has never been easier. I always thought to create big bouncy curls like the ones you achieve with this Curve can only be done with the use of rollers. Which I've tried in the past and found it to be so much faff! It really doesn't take too long curl my hair and create perfect curls.
Whats also great about the ghd curve is that my curls are actually long lasting and although they have dropped the next day, with a bit of sea salt and texturing spray I can create my favourite wavy beach hair in a matter of seconds. The only gripe I have with this product is that it doesn't come with a glove for your curling hand and trust me when I say these get really hot. There have been too many occasions where I've accidentally caught the end of my finger tips, especially in the beginning where I was on that practice makes perfect stage.
Apart from the glove issue I cannot fault the ghd curve at all, its by far the easiest and my favourite way to curl my hair. I'm really interested in trying the classic curve wand, I think this might be my next hair purchase. I just want to be able to create different types of curls... I told you I was obsessed. If you've reviewed this then please let me know in the comments below.
What are your thoughts of the ghd curve? Do you have one of your wish list?
Lots of Love
Monday, 13 July 2015
The Best Shampoo & Conditioner For Thicker Hair || L'Oreal Fibrology
When it comes to shampoo and conditioner I have to say I'm not really that adventurous, I tend to stick with my favourites and trust the products that I know will give my hair the best results. I usually stick to Aussie haircare, but recently I decided to try something to mix things up a little. Out of all the shampoo and conditioners sat there on the shelves I was really drawn to the new L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner (what a mouthful I know). Some of you may know now that whilst my hair maybe long, its incredibly thin and if there is a product that claims to thicken my hair then it instantly grabs my attention.
I'm not really sure the know all behind the technology of this shampoo and conditioner, but I'd like to get it out there right now that this stuff actually works. From the first time using it I really noticed a difference to the way my hair felt, it definitely had a lot more life and omph to it which is so amazing. Thin haired girls will understand my struggle of having hair that literally just hangs there and does nothing no matter what you do to it.
When it comes to my hair usually I'll add products to it to create some body and texture, but I really wanted to see what this thickening shampoo and conditioner could really do, so for the past two weeks apart from my obsessive use for hair oils, I've left my hair product free. I have to say the difference is hugely noticeable. It's really hard to explain in words how this makes my hair feel, but it just feels as though each stand is a little thicker than what it once was before. Don't get me wrong, my hair is still thin and these products didn't give me new set of hair overnight. But the fact that my hair just feels and looks a lot thicker is just amazing.
I honestly don't think there are enough shampoos and conditioners on the market that thicken your hair that actually work! This one also passes the smell test, I just love the way this shampoo and conditioner smells; It has that professional salon smell to it which makes it feel luxurious and a lot more expensive that it's £4.00 (each) price tag.
As always I'm a sucker for packaging and turquoise and pink are two of my favourite colours so these bottles get a big thumbs up from me. L'Oreal really have changed the way my hair feels and looks with this thickening set and I will definitely be making a repurchase once I'm finished with these. If you have thin hair like me, I honestly can't recommend these enough.
Lots of Love
Thursday, 16 April 2015
Invisibobble | The Only Hair Bobble You'll Ever Need!
If you had a little look at my most recently blog post (a Boots haul... here) you will have seen that I picked up a pack of Invisibobbles. In all my time blogging I never thought I would be blogging about hair bobbles, but these are seriously so amazing that I simply had to share with you all. Invisibobbles are my latest obsession and since buying this pack of three I've had one either permanently in my hair or around my wrist.
Incase your wondering what the fuss is over these hair plastic spiral hair ties, these bobbles sit so comfortably in your hair and when your ready to take your hair down you're left with no nasty kink or marks in your hair where the hair bobble has been. Now I have no idea how this works, but these bobbles are magic I'm sure of it because they actually work.
Most evenings I will go to bed with my hair tied up. My hair is so thin and because of this I'm always left with a horrible mark left in my hair the next morning. This always means that I pretty much have to do some sort of updo that day just to disguise the kink that will be there until I next wash my hair. Even when I need my hair up for a short while, regular elastic rubber bands leave behind that dreaded which is so annoying.
I picked up the Invisibobbles purely to sort my kink troubles out and I've been amazed at how well they work. It's such a great feeling being able to sleep with my hair tied up and leave it down the next morning. What I also love about these bobbles is they actually feel very secure in my hair and although the hair bobble does stretch after use, it always manages to shrink back down to the size of my wrist for its next use.
Again another problem that I some times get with regular hair bobbles is that they can sometimes cause me to get a headache, especially when I'm wearing my hair up all day at work. Now I've not had these bobbles long enough to say they've left me headache free, but so far so good. They really do sit very comfortably in your hair.
I honestly can't see myself using regular hair bobbles again, with so much hype surrounding these bobbles I was a bit sceptical at first, but after trying them I can see what all the fuss is about. To say they have changed my life is a bit extreme, but my mood can easily be changed on the state of my hair and the Invisibobble so far has given me some great hair days - So yes these have changed my life and I love them.
As you can see I'm in love with the Invisibobble and can't recommend them enough! I would love to know what your thoughts are on these hair bobbles? Do you agree with me that their life changing? Let me know in the comments below.
Lots of Love
Wednesday, 25 February 2015
Perfect Girl Hair || Dirty Looks HK Extensions
When it comes to our own hair am I right in thinking that were all lusting after locks we simply don't have? Yes we have those great hair days, which for me are probably way outnumbered by the bad ones. But there are those moments where I'm just really fed up with my hair. The one thing that really lets my hair down probably is just how thin it is. Don't let my pictures on Instagram fool you, my locks really lack life, curls never hold and don't even get me started on volume! My sister on the other hand has gloriously thick hair, hair that I just think looks beautiful and I'm slightly envious she got the better genes in the hair department. Despite me secretly wanting her hair, she often tells me her hair is too thick and she would love it to be a bit thinner. Which brings me back to my first point, I think we all want hair that we simply can't or never have.
However for me there is a solution to having perfect girl hair, and incase you didn't guess by the title of this post, my hair saviour are the Dirty Looks HK Hair Extensions. Around a year ago I got a post up reviewing these amazing hair extensions (you can read that post here) and a year on I'm still loving them just as much. I sometimes think it's good to reevaluate a product, especially for review purposes as you guys can see that I truly do love a product.
Hair extensions are one of those things which I think pretty much every girl has or has tried, and with so many on the market to choose from it can be hard to know which ones to choose. Let's face it, there not exactly the cheapest of things to buy, but if you invest in the right ones, its money well spent. As a girl who loves long hair, and like I mentioned at the beginning of this post have extremely thin hair, I love wearing extensions to add a little length and more importantly to add thickness to my hair. A few clip-ins really does make such a huge amount of difference to my hair and it only takes seconds to apply them.
The Dirty Looks HK Hair Extensions still have to be the best I've tried and since receiving them they are the only hair extensions I reach for - They're that good! If you're looking to invest in some hair extensions this year I can't recommend these ones enough. If your happy with the length of your hair, but like me need to add thickness then Dirty Looks have the perfect solution. They offer the quad weft, which is essentially four wefts sewn into one band and its a fabulous way to add thickness to your hair instantly. This comes with your hair extension pack or alternatively you can purchase it on its own, which I did.
One hair style that I often create is the classic pony tail, especially on those second day hair days. However the thinness of my hair really shows whenever I wear my hair in this classic style. To fix that problem I always pop in my quad weft, curl my hair and then tie it up, and as you can see from the pictures in todays post it really does make such a difference. The hair extensions blend beautifully into my own hair, and my pony tail looks so full and thick which I love. These extensions really are a my hair saviour.
I can't recommend that you take a look at the Dirty Looks website enough, especially if your on the hunt for some new extensions. I promise you, you won't regret it. If your still unsure, take a look at my first review of the extensions here, where I go into much more detail.
I would love to know what your favourite extensions are and if your a fan of Dirty Looks too?
Lots of Love
Sunday, 31 August 2014
Argan Dew Hair Oil & Replenishing Hair Mask || Review
Argan Dew Hair Oil & Replenishing Hair Mask* (Samples)
If anyone asks me my top tips on getting lovely healthy hair and how I manage to get long locks, I always tell them that I swear by a good hair mask and most importantly hair oil - I honestly couldn't live without it. Since I started blogging I've tried and tested out my fair share of oils and lotions for my hair and recently I've come across the brand 'Argan Dew' who are new to the UK and offer an amazing hair oil and hair mask. I've been lucky enough to try out and test the samples that you see in the pictures and I have to say I've been so impressed and I feel as though I'm pampering my hair every time I've used them.
Starting with the replenishing hair mask, this creamy thick deep conditioner that has a pretty pearlesque look to it and oh my gosh guys it smells incredible, as soon as I opened this I was taken back at just how gorgeous this treatment it. I can't quite pinpoint the smell, but it has a kind of professional salon kind of smell to it. Not only does this treatment smell lovely on its own, but I found that it transferred onto my hair really well.
As for the actual treatment itself, my hair feels so amazing once I've used this. I found that it was great at detangelling my hair (which is always my biggest nightmare whenever washing my hair) and it made my hair feel so silky smooth, it was amazing. I honestly just had the kind of hair that needed to be swished when I used this. I think that the reason this hair mask works so well is because it contains Argan oil which really is your hairs best friend. Not only did I get a really good hair treatment with this mask, but it left my locks feeling very soft and shiny too. I cannot wait to get my beauty mitts on a full sized bottle of this stuff, its amazing.
The next set of samples is that one hair care product that is a holy grail item for me which of course is hair oil. Argan Dew honestly have such an amazing hair oil, its so good that I feel like popping it right up there with my beloved Moroccan Oil! I know that these are only sample sizes, but I also managed to get my mitts on a full sized bottle and I've honestly been using it non stop. This rich non greasy hair oil works wonders on my hair. I use it every time I was my hair without fair and as soon as I work it though the ends of my hair, I feel my hair become a lot more manageable and softer. This oil takes away any nasty frizz in your hair and smells incredible, it's so lovely to use I can't recommend it enough.
Overall I am so impressed and I cannot wait to get my hands on the full sized product of the hair mask, I need to use this in my weekly hair routine. If you want to know a little bit more about the hair oil, I do have a post coming up very soon which will be dedicated to it, its just so good. In the meantime be sure to check out the Argan Dew website for more information and details on their products
I would love to know what your favourite hair oil and treatment is and if you've managed to try anything from Argan Dew? Let me know in the comments below.
Lots of Love
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
©
Miss Sunshine and Sparkle | All rights reserved.