A Hair-Raising Challenge from Clynol

Afternoon lovelies!!

How gorgeous is this weather?!?! Stark contrast to what we've been getting lately! Hopefully it's a change for the better and will stick with us. Don't fancy having yet ANOTHER Winter this year, do you??  Unfortunately, today, i am stuck indoors chained to my laptop as i have uni assignments to get handed in (left it til last minute, bad Lisa), BUT i wanted to pop this post out there before i get too carried away as i was invited recently by the lovely ladies at ImmediatePR to take part in their hair challenge featuring some hardcore Clynol Products! 

So the product up for scrutiny in this case is the NEW Clynol Grip Hairspray, however i thought this would also be the perfect opportunity to unleash my Clynol Hairshine for a proper testing. 

So the brief was to create a wild, fierce, extreme editorial look worthy of the runway. It's been a little while since i've gotten silly with my styling so i jumped on it. With a little help from my trusty Patrick Cameron Long Hair Kit, the Clynol hairspray and a HELL of a lot of kirby grips I came up with THIS.....

Now, i did fail somewhat, with these photos, to capture the true SIZE of this hairstyle. It was MAHOOSIVE! Unfortunately due to camera flash and the darkness of my current colour it wasn't easy to get photos that did it justice. 

Anyhoo, I'll talk ya through it.... 

This is a look i originally did on a model last year for a hair showcase. I suppose it's your typical Faux-Hawk really but PERFECT for testing the metal of any hairspray out there. Didn't work quite so well on ME, as my full fringe/bangs are used to growing forward and did NOT wanna go back. To give the hairspray it's props, it put up a HELL of a fight and was even semi-successful, but the fringe is still a little wayward in these pictures. 

And there are what i used to create the look. It isn't as time consuming as it may appear BUT it's soooooo much easier to do on other people than it is to do it on yourself. There is a fair amount on sectioning involved and a LOT of backbrushing.

 Here's a little idea of HOW i did it...

- Take the front, top section of your hair (ending just BEFORE the crown) and clip it away. 

- Then secure the two side panels of hair so that you are left with just a long section of hair running down the back of your head from the crown.

- From this section secure smaller sections into ponytails using snag free hair elastics so that you end up with a vertical row of little ponytails going down the back of your head (how many ponytails you end up with will depend on the amount of hair you have)

- Take down the side sections and take them back piece by piece (like you would with a french braid), criss-crossing them in between each ponytail and securing with a grip.

- Smooth the sections back as you go using the Hairspray and a bristled brush like the one shown above. 

- Once all hair at the sides is smoothed back you can begin backbrushing. I find it easier to start from the nape of the neck and work up.

- Apply hairspray throughout the backbrushing process.

- Once all of the sectioned hair and ponytails are MASSIVE you can then take out your front section and carry on backbrushing (directing the section backwards as you go).

- Apply another layer of hairspray to finish. As i mentioned before i also added a layer of Clynol Hairshine.

For anyone more interested in the makeup side of this look here's what i used...

Face: MAC Matchmaster Foundation - Shade 04

MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural - Medium Plus

Sleek Contour Kit - Medium

Cheeks: MAC Melba

Eyes: VIVO Pearl Eyeshadow - 09 Goddess

Shades from my HD Brows palette (Vamp)

Brows: Also HD Brows

Lips: MAC Matte Lipstick - Heroine

Bourjois Effect 3D Lipgloss - Beige Elastic (dabbed over the centre)

Same VIVO eyeshadow as before applied over the gloss. 

So that's about as FIERCE as my hair gets!! I'll add in a little photo at the end just to give you all a giggle and show you what you can expect when you REMOVE all the grips and bands. The hairspray itself performed VERY well and wasn't as difficult to brush out. My hair is very heavy and its difficult even to get backcomb to stay in place for long but Clynol Grip put up a good fight. If i'd been allowed to use a model i may have come up with several different styles using the product but, thats not the rules haha. 

RAWWWWR!! Bonnie Tyler eat ya heart out!!

Clynol Haircare Review: Moisture Collection

Good evening ladies!!

I am reviewing a range today that i received to review before Christmas as reward for receiving the accolade of ImmediatePR Blog of the Week!! I was chuffed to bits that i was chosen! I'm a bit late with this review though... Partly because i was flat out over Christmas and am only just about recovered and partly because i think that, with products like shampoos and conditioners, you have to give them a good run before reaching a verdict. 

So here are the products i received....

Clynol is a salon exclusive brand who also have a range of colourants and other salon systems. In my previous (although not recent) experience of their products i have always found them to be of a very high quality and i believe that they generally offer great results for the price. 

This collection is marketed as being super moisturising but lightweight, so suitable for daily use (with the exception of the treatment which is recommended for weekly use). The key ingredient in this range is bamboo milk to hydrate without weighing the hair down. It is a simple range. No sickly sweet fruity fragrance or fancy colours, which i like. I find the mild scent to be quite comforting. Kind of like baby lotion.

Moisture Hydrate Shampoo:

I'll be honest and say that i am unable to use this shampoo for every wash as i suffer from a dry scalp and tend to use the Head and Shoulders Smooth and Silky as my main shampoo at the moment or the itch drives me crazy!! However, i have been using this shampoo once a week to give my hair a little treat and i do like it. It's quite milky in texture so you do not need a lot. It isn't soapy either so don't expect it to lather up too much. In my experience, lots of bubbles does not necessarily mean your hair is any cleaner, but more of a reflection of what is in the shampoo. This formula is very simple and lightweight. 

Moisture Dream Bi-Phase Conditioner:

This is a very clever product. It isn't like a conventional conditioner. It is a leave in formula which consists of two layers which are shaken together before spraying into towel dry hair. I think it is intended for use INSTEAD of a heavy regular conditioner and would be perfect for those with fine or flat hair as it will not make it greasy or drag it down like a rich, intense conditioner. For me, however, i use it as well as my normal conditioner as this product on its own is not enough for me to get a brush right through my hair. Please note that i have MEGA thick hair and no issues with body or volume so thats not to say the product does not work, just that it isn't the perfect product for me, but i HAVE been using it and it is a very decent leave in conditioner. I just can't get away with it on its own. 

Moisture Charm Lightweight Treatment:

I like this treatment and have been following the instructions and using it once a week, leaving it in the hair for 5-10mins before rinsing out. Again, it's not a rich, heavy, indulgent treatment but the moisturising products in it give a lovely softness and shine to the hair after blowdrying. I actually use the leave in as well after this treatment, just because my hair is so wild but i would totally recommend this product to someone with fine hair that is in need of a moisture hit as it will not drag your hair down whatsoever. I tend to use this when i have a bit of extra time and can just lie in the bath and let it do its thing. Sometimes i even do a face mask at the same time. It feels like a real treat! 

To sum up, these products are not exactly perfect for my hair type, but i will continue to use them as I really do rate Clynol products. I'm very grateful to ImmediatePR for sending them to me because i have not tried anything new from the brand in quite a while. I'd say this would be perfect for finer haired ladies or those lacking in volume, yet need a bit of extra moisture. The lightweight formula is perfect for hydrating without overloading the hair and weighing it down. They are a real treat and well worth spending the extra pennies for a salon product. For more information on these and other fab products from Clynol check HERE!

Have you tried any Clynol products?? What are your go-to hydrating hair favourites??