Beauty review: a Kerestraight treatment

Hair can take a battering. Thanks to the intense heat of hairdryers and straighteners paired with the extreme weather conditions and the busy days and nights, your hair can be one of the last things you think of. But like everything else, it needs some TLC once in a while. So enter Kerestraight.

My hair was in desperate need of some loving so I was very kindly treated to an intense boost treatment at Salon International, Excel centre. The treatment helps to rebuild what the hair lacks and locks in moisture for up to 30 days. Sounds like a miracle? That's because it certainly is! My hair had never looked so shiny and glossy - I felt like I was in a hair advert. It can be done in a Kerestraight salon and only takes around 30 minutes to complete. A special solution is added to your washed, wet hair. Once it's washed off, your hair is blowdried, straighteners are run through and it's all done. It's really as simple as that!

There's not hassle of having to wait a few days to wash your hair. After this treatment you can wash your hair in as little as 30 minutes and it still looks just as good as new after it's dried. It's a fantastic treatment if you have a special occasion like a wedding or simply because you've decided your locks need to be treated. It's something I'd definitely recommend if you're looking to treat your mane to help keep it in tip top condition. Visit the website to find your nearest salon.

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Beauty: How to maintain a fringe

As someone who has had the same haircut for the past 22 years - why fix what isn't broken?! - I reckon I have a pretty good idea of how to keep a fringe in check. It can be high maintenance but really you just have to know the tricks of the trade. I wouldn't be without mine. After all, the world doesn't need to see my forehead. Ever.

1. Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo will be your best friend. My fringe always gets greasy ten times quicker then the rest of my hair so this bad boy will help keep it looking fresh. That way if you're a lazy kid like me, you won't have to wash your hair every single day. Nobody has time for that. It also helps to keep it from looking as flat as a pancake.

2. Regular trims
My fringe grows like wildfire and need to be trimmed practically every two weeks. If it's left any longer than that it starts to resemble a shaggy haired dog. I splashed out on a pair of hairdressing scissors from Boots for when I'm in desperate need and can't make it to my hairdressers. I don't recommend trimming it yourself all the time but in emergencies these will be your best friend.

3. A barrel brush
In order to keep your fringe looking smooth, a barrel brush will be a lifesaver. Dry it in sections. Never dry your fringe flat as it'll look limp and lifeless. Always blow-dry it under so it has some oomph. You want it to look fierce right?

4. Hairdryer
A hairdryer is the bane of my life. I cannot wash my hair without one. If I let it dry naturally, it will go frizzy and limp. Even if the rest of my hair is left to dry naturally, my fringe must always be given a blow-dry. It's a bit of a diva like that.

5. Hairspray
The final step in keeping your fringe in shape is hairspray. Give it a quick spritz to help keep it in one piece. That way you don't get the dreaded curtains scenario. Only David Beckham could pull that off in 1993.

So there you have it. My foolproof tricks to help keep your fringe looking pretty good. Does anyone else have anything to add to the list?

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A few favourites #2

Mary Berry Baking Bible
I was very kindly given this by my sister-in-law for Christmas. I just adore Mary Berry - she's such a babe and whenever I follow her recipes I always have such incredibly tasting cakes. Admittedly I haven't made anything out of this yet as I've just not had time to think since the festive period. But things should calm down soon and I have the cheese straws and Swiss Roll at the top of list of things to bake.

Matalan Pink Initial Scarf
My mum bought my dad his own version of this scarf just before Christmas and kindly treated me too when I expressed an interest. I love things with my initial/name and I kind of feel a little like High School Musical in it. It's very warm and the £10 goes straight to Alder Hey charity. Not only do you look good but you do a good deed at the same time!

Topshop Forest Green Tunic
I've been on the hunt for suitable tops for jeans for what feels like my whole life. Okay slight exaggeration there... But in an era of crop tops, they're like a needle in a haystack. I'm quite fussy and like tops to cover my bum and to be long and flowing.  Thankfully Topshop have come up trumps with this tunic. I love the colour and it skims perfectly past my rather large booty - winner all round! I might have to get it in the oxblood colour too.

No7 Pop and Glow Cream Blush Stick
I bought this with a No7 voucher, used it once and then popped it in my make up drawer and promptly forgot all about it. Fast forward to a day where I was determined to finally get a hold on my mountain of stuff - never did - and I came across it. Since then it's barely left my cheeks. Although the colour looks a touch scary, it's the perfect shade to build to your tastes and has great staying power. I'd love to try other shades in the range.

Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquer Big Bang
Over the last few months I can seem to get enough of a red lip and this is one of the top contenders that I reach for. It can be a little tricky to apply as it's so easy to be heavy handed with it. A lip liner might help to keep it under control. But it really does pack a punch.

Enrapture Totem Styler 
I asked for this a few birthday's ago when it reached the dizzy heights of the blogger hype. Everyone and their dog seems to have one. Again it had been pushed to one side for a good few months - sense a theme? I need to detox my room. But I picked it up before Christmas and instantly remembered how much I loved it. I adore the fact you can adjust the curl depending on your mood and it really does lasts on my dreaded heavy hair. Perfect!

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Review: Rush, Loughton

There's nothing I love more than having a good pampering session so when Rush got in touch and offered me a complimentary blow dry, I couldn't say yes please quick enough. I had so much about Rush but had never had the opportunity to visit a salon.

Rush opened on Loughton High Street earlier this month and it was all sparkling and new when I visited - it was literally just over a week old. I was immediately whisked off to have my hair washed by the lovely junior. She happened to be from the same town as me so we had a lovely chat and she did a very good head massage. I thought I was going to nod off there and then. I loved the little touch of the drink and a few pretzels to nibble on. Food is always the way to my heart!

I was in the salon for over an hour while the owner preened and primped my hair into a voluminous masterpiece. Just look how beautiful it is?! I certainly had a spring in my step when I walked out. He talked me through every product that was put in my hair and constantly asked if I was ok and happy with the service. The blow dry lasted all day which was very impressive considering it was done at 1pm - it still had a little oomph after i'd slept in it. I'd definitely go back if I was after a little helping hand before a special day or even a well deserved treat.

If only I could afford to have a professional blow dry every day eh? That would be the life!

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Review: The Purple Salon

When an email dropped in my inbox asking me if i'd like to be treated to a blow dry by The Purple Salon. I've never actually had a proper bouncy blow dry. I know right? I've been extremely lucky that my wonderful uncle is a hairdresser and he helps me keep control of my mop. As I usually have it done late at night I don't want him to spend hours blow drying my hair into shop so it usually get it blow dried straight.

I arrived to the salon with a sinking feeling as my name wasn't on their appointment list. But credit to them, they didn't seem fazed and did their best to fit me in. It took a lot of shifting but in the end it worked out fine.

I was very well looked after by the junior Chloe (I think that was her name!) who made sure I was comfortable and fetched me a drink and magazines to read. She was very chatty and made me feel at ease. My stylist Karl again was very friendly and made me feel at ease too. I was very impressed with his attention to detail and he worked well with Chloe as a team. I was in awe of the fact I had two people working in the blow dry! I was so happy with the result. Just look at those curls?! It helped put a spring in my step the whole day. It lasted for most of the day. Karl explained the curls would have held better if my hair was layered. Something i'm going to look into getting down next time i'm due a trim.

Thanks so much guys!

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Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'

 

A while ago I was kindly given some Sleep In Rollers to try out. I'm always after some extra volume in my hair, given it's thickness I struggle to help curls stay in and it often drops out within hours. Sometimes thick hair is a curse and not a blessing! These rollers are designed to flatten when you go to sleep helping you get a better nights sleep. Having slept in heated rollers before, it's not very comfortable so I was excited to try these out! You could feel the rollers in your hair as you laid down to the land of nod but you soon forget about them and drift off to sleep. I find they are most comfortable when you sleep on your back. I did find my neck ached slightly when I woke up the next day but beauty isn't without pain as we're told! It didn't put me off using them again.

You get given a good selection of rollers and some kirby grips to keep them in place. They're easy to pop in and feel very secure. I didn't worry about them falling out as I tossed and turned in my sleep. I think spraying the hair before you go to sleep might have helped them set better. Something I'm going to attempt next time!

I was a bit sad my hair didn't come out quite as I expected. But it definately has some volume at the ends, just not the sassy curls I was hoping for. I kept them in my hair for around 10-11 hours throughout sleep and a little while after I woke up. They recommend you keep them in as long as you possibily can.

I think the reason why I don't have bouncing curls is because my hair isn't layered and is too heavy. I find it much easier to curl and blowdry when I have layers cut in. This time I decided I wanted my hair all one length and my curls have suffered! I'm going to try them next time in slightly damp hair to see if I get a different result.

Have you ever tried Sleep in Rollers?

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A/W hair inspiration with GHD

When Best British Bloggers challenged me to create my own take on an a/w hairstyle using products from the GHD range I puffed my chest out and racked my brains.

I'm not the most amazing at creating hairstyles but I can do simple and chic. I hope. After spotting side braids across the Valentino catwalk I decided this was the direction I wanted to go in. It's a little something out of the ordinary (for me anyway) and can work from day to night if you're hoping to paint the town red after you've finished work. It's also perfect for freshly washed hair or day-old hair you're trying desperately to hide and make look presentable.

After a giving your hair a rough towel dry, apply 4-6 sprays of the Straight & Smooth Spray before drying it fully. The pins really help to give you a sleeker finish as it's so much easier to blow dry in sections especially when you have a lot of hair like me - the big paddle brush was a god send! Give your hair a good ruffle at the roots and spray evenly with hairspray to give it some oomph.

Divide your hair into three even sections and plait to the side keeping it nice and tight. It might help to use some gum/wax if you have layers to keep the plait in tact. Simply run a little through your hair before you start. Tie the end with a snag-free hairband and give it a few squirts of the Final Shine Spray to give it the perfect shine and keep away those pesky flyaways. Add any colour ribbon to fancy - I don't think you can wrong with red!

Have you tried any hairstyle from the catwalk?

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This week i'm loving - Bumble and Bumble thickening range

 

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse and Bumble and Bumble Thickening Crème Contour c/o

I personally find the crème contour works best on my hair after I've used the surf spray. They make such a great combination. I spray on a liberal amount of surf spray on before using the crème to help define the waves. The saying less is more really does apply here. It's quite sticky and can get gloopy so you only need a tiny amount. I simply put it on the tips of my fingers and tap my hands together to even it out before scrunching my hair.

The picture above is my hair after I'd used the mousse. Admittedly the volume isn't huge but I don't have thin hair anyway so it was never going to make a lot of difference. But saying that I can feel a difference in my hair after I've used it. It really helps my roots and gives them a bit of a lift - my hair can feel very flat and limp on top. I think I have too much hair weighing my head down! I use just under a golf ball amount of the product and run it through my hair from the roots to the end. It takes a while to figure out the right amount you need as too much can make it feel too 'product-y' if that's a word! I then dry my hair upside down before drying and straightening my fringe.

Overall they're both products that have been welcomed into my haircare selection and I'd buy them again as soon as I run out.

Have you tried anything from the thickening range before?

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This week i'm loving - Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray - c/o

As far as cult products go, Surf Spray is probably the most famous in the blogging world. Bumble and Bumble is an American company founded way back in 1977 by unknown hairdresser Michael Gordon and the Surf Spray itself was introduced in 2001.  It's a very popular salon brand, in fact my uncle uses the shampoo and conditioner in his hairdressing business.

I'd only really used it once when I stayed at a friends house so wasn't really sure if it was going to live up to the hype. After using it every other day for the past three weeks I can safely say I've been sucked into the hype. I use it on roughly dried hair and dry the rest of it upside down. I squirt it a few times on the crown and then evenly spray it around the bottom of my hair. I then tie it in a bun and give it a few blasts with the hairdryer. My hair is quite thick so it doesn't quite go as tousled as I'd like but it helps to break up my layers and make them look more prominent. It just helps to make it look less flat and lifeless. I'm still yet to try it on dry hair but that is next on my list!  I also need to find time to let my hair dry naturally with the product in. I never get up early enough in the mornings! At £20.50 it's not the cheapest of products but it really is worth the investment to be honest. I've found it makes a real different unlike a few other salt sprays I've tried.

Have you ever tried the Surf Spray?

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How to get party perfect hair

Now that the festive season is nearly upon us - how did it creep up so quick?! - it's time start thinking about party perfect hairstyles. Luckily Argos very kindly sent me a hair styler and came to the rescue. I'd been lusting after Babyliss Wave Envy for a while so was extremely pleased i'd been given the opportunity to try it out. I always find hair is easier to style the day after it's been washed or if you do wash it the same day, try not to use conditioner as it will make your hair too soft

001: I find it's a lot easier to curl your hair - especially if you have a huge mane like mine - if you divide it into sections. You can do this using clips or hairbands.

002:My personal favourite style is a headfull of curls and the great thing about this hair styler is that no two curls will be the same - giving you a unique style each time. Start at the very top and work your way down. Hold the styler in each place for about 20 seconds. You can do a shorter time but the curl won't be a pronounced.

003:Run your hands through the curls to loosen them up and give your head a little shake to seperate them.

004: Find a decent can of hairspray, - I swear by Vo5 Extra Strong Hold Weather Resistant as recommended by Lucy - hold your nose and spray like it's going out of fashion. Make sure you cover your whole head and spray underneath to stop it from dropping.

005. Ta-da! To help jazz it up you can choose a clip to pin a section away from your face or just leave your wild mane free and let the curls do the talking.

The great news is the curls stay in even after you have slept in them. I was very impressed I could have mermaid-esque hair for two days running - everyone commented on it!

Have you ever tried these hair stylers? Seen anything you fancy on the Argos website?

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