TLC's Stars of 2013: Haircare

I am soooooo late with these Favourites posts!! No joke, I have spent the entire last 10 days buried under university essays and there has been zero time for anything else. There were days where I actually forgot to EAT! Thankfully I've now found a couple of days respite so I'm going to be working hard to get the rest of my 2013 Favourites out as well as a January Sales haul and a few new product reviews. This haircare favourites post is going to be a little brief compared to the previous skincare one. 2013 wasn't the best year for my hair by any means and I didn't seem to stick religiously to any specific products. However, here are a handful that I have really appreciated over the last year...

Wella SP Luxe Oil* - BeautyBay

Obviously, I'm am a fan of hair oils. I've tried a fair few in my time (hello... former hairstylist over here). It is because of all the oils that I've tried in the past that I appreciate this one from Wella all the more. It doesn't rely entirely on Argan Oil, also incorperating Almond and Jojoba oils. This makes is super lightweight and it's the only oil I've ever felt l like I can use freely on dry hair. It absorbs completely and does not weigh my hair down or make it greasy. My favourite thing about it, however, is the smell. OH EM GEE this stuff smells like heaven. Better even than Moroccan Oil!

TIGI Catwalk Session Series Transforming Dry Shampoo - FeelUnique 

I'm not a fan of dry shampoos by any means. I find them chalky and even the best selling drugstore brands haven't made a massive impact on me. I was introduced to this product in the Spring of 2013 and am now on my third can! This stuff is MAGIC. I have very heavy hair and struggle to get texture and volume that lasts any length of time but a spray of this all over after straightening and a bit of ruffling completely transforms my hair. It's not sticky but gives a lovely matte texture. The smell is gorgeous and really clean. I'd recommend this as a texturising product for any hair type. 

Twisted Sista Curl Activator - Beauty@Creightons

I find it so refreshing when a budget beauty product makes it into my 'essentials' category. You can buy Twisted Sista products in Poundland and other discount stores as well as via Creightons (check out their site by the way, they have some real gems). This Curl Activator has become a handbag staple for me as the weather has got colder. Wind and rain are not a friend to my hair but this product rescues me every time. I just scrunch it through and it turns the 'drowned rat' look into naturally tousled and hydrated. Worth every penny and then some! 

I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't love that many hair products last year. This year I am already on a mission to find more perfect products and, of course, I will let you know any special finds I make. 

What were your haircare essentials in 2013?? 

(Late) August 2012 Favourites

Hello beauty seekers!!

This is a belated post dedicated to a few (and it only is a few this month) things that i've really been enjoying in the month of August. I have only made subtle changes with my product choices this month. Nothing has really drastically changed in my routine, however there are a handful of products and colours that i really have been enjoying so i thought i'd share them with you all..

August has been a BIG nail polish month for me! Up until now i've hardly been able to wear it due to working in a kitchen. Constant pot washing and suchlike meant that my nails were weak, splitting and generally AWFUL and any nail polish i did wear was chipped away to nothing in a matter of hours! But since finishing that job my nails have really sprung out again so i've taken full advantage of being able to wear nail polishes again. 

My favourites this month have been OPI Barefoot in Barcelona, which i have mentioned before on this blog, and H&M Nail Polish in Blue My Mind. 

I've done a bit of a tanning u-turn in the last month. I mentioned in my July favourites that i was loving my St Moriz spray tan, but this month i have REALLY gone off any kind of tan with a guide colour. Maybe it's because i've been wearing paler colours since the weather has warmed up again, i don't know, but i've really turned to my Bronze Ambition Deep & Dark tanning cream. You have to be careful applying it, as there is no guide colour at all, but the colour you get is fantastic and it's a great price!! Only a couple of pounds!! It also smells like holidays.

 I reviewed Twisted Sista 'Different Strokes' serum last month (for the full post on this product click HERE) and it is really impressing me! It's another total bargain at only £1.99 from Superdrug but, for what you get, i'd be happy to pay a fiver or perhaps even more for it! It's just a great all round serum for any hair type, with no sulphates, parabens or icky things in it at all. It also has a UV filter which is perfect for the weather we are having lately! I've been using this on damp hair before drying, then adding a bit extra to the ends before heat styling.

This was a little bit of an impulse buy i made just before i moved to London but i think i've worn it almost every day since. I've fallen completely in love with Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in the shade Cherish. It's just such a wearable shade of pink that lasts really well. I want to do a full post on this product soon so i won't say too much about it here but i'm thinking i want to purchase more of these in September! 

Excuse the brush hairs in this photo haha.... Illamasqua Cream Blush in Dixie has been in my top 5 all time favourite shades ever since i bought it but, this month, its hardly been off my face. It's just perfect in every way and i love it! I love the Illamasqua cream formula and really had to restrain myself in Selfridges the other day when i walked past them. I kept telling myself i don't need any more blushers but i have a feeling i will be going back to purchase Rude very soon. 

So that was a very brief favourites for August. Nothing else really stood out for me. That could all change in September though you never know!! I'll let you know next month.

What have you been loving in August?? What are your favourite summer products??

New BARGAIN Super Serum!

Hello again beauty seekers!! 

Tonight i wanna talk about hair.... again. Specifically, i would like to tell you about a great little discovery i made lately over a cuppa with the lovely Kate from Soapbox PR. We'd arranged to meet up for a cup of tea and a catch up but i just HAD to rummage through all the lovely Twisted Sista goodies in her office to see if there were any new ones i hadn't sampled.... and i found THIS!!

Twisted Sista 'Different Strokes' Hair Serum

I'd been looking for a new serum as i've drained all my posh hair oils dry and can't afford to buy any more posh hair oils for a while. My ultimate favourite serum of all time is the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny serum but, unfortunately, i can't afford that EITHER (boooooo), but boy am i glad i found this one!! A very lucky coincidence that Kate let me take this home really!

Twisted Sista by Urban Therapy are a brand i have mentioned before on this blog. They are a London based brand but have recently expanded to the US market. They have consistently impressed me because of the AMAZING quality you get for the price of their products (the RRP for this particular serum is £4.99 but I've seen it for less depending on where you buy it). 

Different Strokes contains Argan Oil and Green Tea as well as Vitamin E antioxidants. It is a serum and not an oil product so it does contain silicones (that's what gives that extra shine you always get with serums), but with all the extra yummy ingredients you get in this one and the fact that it is completely free from sulphates, parabens and other such synthetic nasties, i reckon it's a winner!! 

The product itself is on the thicker side for a serum, but a little goes a long way. I tend to apply two pumps rubbed in my hands to my damp hair before i blow dry (or dry naturally) and maybe run a little through my ends if i've straightened my hair. I just find it makes my hair REALLY soft, shiny and easy to comb through. 

The product protects from UV damage and colour fade, even on hair that has been dyed, and the Vitamin E also helps protect your hair from the elements. 

I'm extremely impressed by this product! For a budget product i think it performs fantastically and i am not missing my Moroccan Oil at all at the moment. Of course i will repurchase it as a special treat once i have more cash to play with, but for me this is a perfectly adequate substitute. I'm not saying it's comparable with Moroccan Oil, just that i love the finish it gives just as much. 

Twisted Sista products are sold in Tesco stores and selected Superdrug stores. They have a great range of products for all hair types, straight or curly. This is definitely a product that i could not live without at the moment as, as we all know i've given my hair a bit of a battering lately. 

What are your everyday hair favourites?? Do you have any drugstore hair products you can't live without??

My Summer Essentials Pt2: Haircare and Styling

Evening all!! 

I'm back tonight to bring you the second part of my Summer Essentials series. Yesterday saw my skincare and tanning choices and today it's all about hair! Gonna round it all off tomorrow with my favourite makeup products and summer shades. 

Summer can be a stressful time for your hair and it's so important to protect it and give it that extra bit of TLC when spending time out in the sun, swimming and styling. Humidity is also a major hair issue for a lot of people (remember Monica in Friends) and I'm no exception. Doesn't take much to make me look like something out of Saturday Night Fever!

Since the heat has been on i've been majorly turning to products that contain UV protector and it just so happens that i have a few Twisted Sista products in my cupboard at the moment. All of these products in this post contain UV filters and antioxidants so you know you're going to be protected throughout the washing, drying, styling process. I'm not necessarily trying to push these particular products on you, but these are exactly the TYPE of products you should be shopping for. If you do want to know more about the range than you can find information and stockists HERE!!

Straightening Thermal Protector:

Heat protection spray should be in everyone's beach bag. The name of this product really doesn't mean that it's only to be used for straightening. I spray this all over my hair after washing, even when i'm letting my hair dry naturally (blow drying, for me, is a hot, sweaty and unnecessary process in hot weather). I sometimes even take a heat protector in my bag when i'm on holiday or out in the sun, just for the odd spritz to help it along. 

De-Frizz Shampoo:

This product actually won a Hair Award last year for Best Shampoo and Conditioner Under £5 (all Twisted Sista products are under a fiver). De Frizz products really come into their own in the summer months, and there are many on the market, but i'm liking this one. 

Straightening Blow Dry Cream:

Of course, if you're in a hurry or REALLY desire a poker straight, smooth style, then blow drying with a styling product like this with UV filters built in is a must. I haven't used this product yet but I'm glad i have it on standby for emergencies!! Twisted Sista also do a blow dry cream for curly, permed or afro hair (which my boss has really been enjoying).

Hot Curls Perfector:

If you're not blessed with naturally wavy hair (can be a blessing AND a curse, believe me) and desire a curled look or beachy waves than this is a great product to be using with your hot tongs, rollers or wavers. I give each section a spritz of this before tonging and it just helps combat the heat, enhance shine and protect your curls against dropping as well as the heat.

Ojon Damage Reverse Serum:

Of course, at the end of a day of glaring sunshine, your hair will need as much TLC as your skin. Heat can completely change the structure of your hair, even if you can't see it like you can on your skin. Intensive serums and oils are a great way of putting back in what the heat takes out. There are several ways to use them. One is to actually smother your dry hair with them BEFORE going out in the sun as an intense conditioning treatment (the heat of the sun opens up your hair so the product is absorbed straight into the cortex), then wash it out, or you can use it on your hair wet after washing and leave it in. Silicone based products such as Moroccan Oil are also okay for this, but for a real treat, try to go for a pure Argan oil (or similar). 

OSIS Style Shifters Texturising Spray:

These kinds of products are a must for me. My hair has a natural wave to it and its such a godsend to just be able to let my hair dry naturally then scrunch in some of this to create natural beachy waves. If you're not blessed with natural waves, don't worry, I'm coming to you in a minute. Other products similar to this that i have used in the past are the Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray and the Lee Stafford Sea Salt Spray. All have their merits and are very similar, but just appeal to different budgets. 

Diva Professional Styling Heatwave:

As promised, for you straighter ladies, you can still get gorgeous, beachy, mermaid waves with minimal hassle. Even i use this sometimes after scrunch drying just to tease my waves into shape. Make sure you use a good heat protector (like those mentioned in this post) and use a medium/low heat setting. The titanium plates also enhance shine so your hair will appear more glossy. 

My summer hair - EEEEK no makeup (apart from lip butter hehe). This is having washed my hair and drying naturally, followed by a spritz of OSIS and a quick going over with the Diva Heatwave. SORTED! And i don't have to worry about frizz or kinks.

Diva Professional Styling Feel The Heat Styler:

Can you tell i'm obsessed with Diva products?? Not gonna tell you or show you too much about this product today as i'm planning a full review in the near future, but this is the first EVER styler to have ceramic plates INFUSED with Argan Oil! Perfect for smoothing holiday frizz!!

Straightening can be an absolute NIGHTMARE on holiday and in hot, humid weather. My top tips for summery straight hair would be (at risk of sounding like a stuck record here) a good heat protector at every stage and choose a styler with variable heat settings. Heat stressed and frizzy hair will only be made WORSE by going in with your irons on full whack. If you own GHDs (which is no bad thing, as i also use those wonderful things) you don't have to fork out for another expensive styler as there are several cheaper alternatives available from drugstores with variable heat settings, which may be handy to have just for holidays. If you use hair extensions then i'd advise you should invest in one also, as GHDs really are a bit too hot for use on even human hair extensions.

So i hope you got some handy hints on hairstyling in the sun. If you have any further questions about styling or care then i'd be happy to answer them. Just comment below! See you later in the week for my top makeup and colour picks for summer 2012!!

What are your summer hair issues?? Any must have products i need to try??