Hair care Splurge

The Au Natural Look - Still looking a bit poorly hence the blemishes, but on the mend!

The area where I live has been heavily hit by snowfall - the traffic is barely moving, people are looking far from glamorous with snow boots and hoodies and I'm feeling very uninspired in the hair department. Recently I've been tying my hair into a ponytail, grabbing my nearest jumper, which at the moment seems to be my pole dancing hoodie and running the bus stop as quick as I can to avoid the flourishes. This morning I woke up in utter despair as my locks looked dry, my roots were halfway down my head and the realisation that I had let myself go started to kick in. Yes, I've unfortunately been ill lately and the weather has not been the best, but I must try to make an effort, after all it's this face that my partner wakes up to every morning, I should be rolling around in silk pyjamas with my hair perfectly coiffed. 

All these sudden thoughts made me jump out of bed, embrace the snow and run to the nearest Boots. After my mini spree, I returned with a handful of goodies which I'm very eager to try.

The first product is the Got2B - 2 Sexy mousse. I love the bright pink container as it blends with my bedroom and looks very girly. I've been a fan of Got2B products since I tried their hairspray last year and I'm seriously hooked on it.

The next product I purchased was the Wild Ombres kit from L'oreal Paris. I'm finding my hair really bland at the moment and would really like to spice things up a little. I'm hoping that this kit will be easy to use and give my locks a new lease of life. Look out for the review in the next week or so.

Finally, the last item I bought was the Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist from the Lee Stafford range. I used this earlier when I got out of the bath and straightened my hair. The product smells quite refreshing and my hair is now glimmering with shine. Although I've only used it once, I have really noticed the difference between using a heat protector and not using it before. It's been a long time since my TIGI Catwalk heat protector ran out and I probably shouldn't have left it this long to replace it.

Three other products I'm seriously in love with at the moment are all from the Timotei range. I was lucky enough to be sent two samples a few weeks ago and I've been religiously using them since they came in the post. The dry shampoo is really refreshing and perfect for those days when you're in a hurry and need your hair to be looking it's best. I like the simple packaging and that the product isn't too over fragrant. Both of these factors has made my partner take a liking to this product and he happily uses it when he's at my hair and hasn't had a chance to wash his hair before work. The dry shampoo can be purchased for under £2 and I think it's a reasonable price. Unfortunately nothing will make me stray from my Bastiste obsession, but this dry shampoo is definitely close second and a firm winner for my fiance James.

The second product I was sent to review is the 2in1 Timotei Pure Shampoo. I'm happy to report that product really exceeded my expectations. It has managed to revamp my hair and it really does wonders on my sensitive scalp. Having a sensitive scalp runs in my family and my mum has been borrowing this product every other day to use. The shampoo is quick and easy to use and gives an overall glossy look to the hair. I barely have any pitfalls about this product, but one would probably be that I need to purchase a Timotei shampoo that is more catered to my dry hair. The glossy look is perfect, but my ends dry out really quickly. This is perfect for anyone with normal hair and I would recommend it to anyone. The other product in this picture is an older Timotei product that I have been using for quite awhile now. This conditioner really helps revive my hair when it's having a dull moment and it's another conditioner that I would happily rate in my top 10.

I like that all these products have made me embrace my natural side and that my hair is looking in a healthier condition. I can't wait to properly try all the products that I bought today and I hope my dip dying session doesn't end up in a hair disaster.

Have you made any hair care changes recently?

xx

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Herbalife Hair Care

Since colouring my hair blonde, my beautiful locks have never quite recovered. My hair is often dry, lifeless and the only way of a revamp is to wear extensions and hope for the best. Being a hairdresser in the past, I've always been very picky when choosing shampoos and conditioners. I've been told by my old lecturers, that the trick to determine whether a shampoo is that good  is whether it foams up straight away or not. If the shampoo foams up in the first wash, it's diluted and probably wont keep your hair clean as long. Many hairdressers recommend two washes for a reason - the first is to get rid of the dirt and the second is to cleanse the hair before conditioning. I really don't know whether this is an old 'hairdressers' tale, but I take it very seriously and I normally find that my hair is in great condition for it. 

Being fussy about my hair means I care a lot about what goes on it and if at all possible, I like shampoos or conditioners that use natural ingredients. Herbalife Strengthening shampoo and conditioner is a paraben and sulphate free range, that contains aloe vera to add a fresh scent and keep your hair well mositurised. With a combination of lemon blossom, white lilies and musk, this little duo is perfect for those who love beautifully scented hair.  The olive oil extracts and shea butter help to replenish dull hair and add the all important moisture our cuticles are in need of. The winter weather can be quite harsh on hair, so it's important to give it a treat now and then, so you and your hair look your best.

I have used these products twice since I got them and so far I'm really impressed with the results. I love changing my hair care routine every couple of months so that my hair doesn't become dull. The Herbalife shampoo and conditioner seem like the perfect next step to combat my dry, split ends and I'm already seeing an improvement. Herbalife's strengthening duo costs £9.22 for each item, but a little goes a very long way.  When I go to the hairdressers, they always say that my hair is in excellent condition for someone that has changed her hair colour as almost the amount of birthdays she has gone through. I will only use the very best for my hair and if it involves spending a little bit more to get that shine, I'm happy to do so. 

 The Herbalife shampoo and conditioning set are so gentle that I've used them to wash my hair extensions and the above pictures show the results. I've had many compliments since using the products - many people have approached me asking if I've changed anything about my hair. The simple fact is that I've switched my hair care routine. I think my hair was trying to tell me that I needed a change and that change has made a big improvement. 

For more information and the products check out:  http://products.herbalife.co.uk/

What do you think of the range?

x

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Memoirs of a Blonde

To some people, a hair colour is insignificant. It doesn't matter whether you're brunette, blonde or a red head, it's just a colour. However, there's a handful of people that believe a hair colour can define your personality. Blondes can be represented as 'dumb', red heads apparently have 'fiery tempers' and brunettes are classy, demure, yet don't know how to have fun.  My hair colour is simply an expression of how i'm feeling at the time. For years I had black hair. This could have been heavily influenced by the amount rock music and concerts I was going to or on a psychological level, it could have been an expression of my life being at it's darkest days. When I turned blonde, I wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the injection of fun into my life and to represent how happy I became during that time period. Being blonde was fun and exciting, but unfortunately it wasn't me.

At first it was fun. Suddenly, I got more attention for the men. Even though I'm happily engaged, it was nice to be complimented and gave my man an ego boost. People presumed I was a party animal and I was invited out a lot more. However, the stigma of being a blonde used to get to me. Like a skinny person being called anorexic just because she's naturally slim, I was being called 'dumb' just for being blonde. I then started missing my brunette sex appeal and now I've decided to go back.

I decided to write this post 'Memoirs of a blonde' because it represents how a hair colour change affect your personality. Blonde brought out a new side of me. An outgoing, unreserved persona that I will take with me on my journey of being brunette. I also got to weigh up the old saying: 'blondes have more fun'. Blondes do get recognised easily. When I'm walking down the streets, people often notice my bright hair.  However, I love the classy looking brunette. Audrey Hepburn and Dita Von Teese are my style icons and as much as I loved going through my Marilyn Monroe moments,  I longed for voluminous dark tresses. 

Tomorrow morning will bring out another side of me. The brunette I've wanted to be for quite awhile.  I've loved being blonde, but my hair is so damaged that it lacks shine and is becoming rather dull. So it's bye bye to the blonde and hello to brunette.

Does your hair colour define aspects of your personality?

♥♥♥

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