Diva Professional Styling: Argan Gold Styler

Hello there beauty seekers!!

I'm going to be a bit controversial today. Well..... You know GHDs?? The BEST hair straighteners in the biz?? The ones nobody (including me) who has tried them can live without?? Well i've actually found some i PREFER!! Shock, horror!! Don't get me wrong, i still adore my GHDs, but i do not reach for them on a daily basis anymore and, believe it or not, did not bring them to my new flat when i moved. They are in reserve at my parents house so that i have a spare pair there at all times haha. So which ones did i plump for?? It's THESE.....

Diva Professional Styling: Feel The Heat, Argan Gold Styler

I make no secret of my ADORATION for Diva products. I've reviewed several on this blog including the Ultima hairdryer, the Heatwave and their Hot Tong. I first heard about the Feel The Heat, Argan Gold styler at the SoapboxPR press day back in April when i got treated to a demonstration and got to try them for myself. Obviously the idea of Argan Oil infused into ceramic plates is the stuff that dreams are made of, isn't it! Well Diva only went and DID IT! 

For anyone who may be confused as to HOW the Argan Oil is integrated into the plates, i'm informed that it works very similar to a Teflon coating on a saucepan (that's about the simplest way i can describe it to you). You cannot see or feel it on the plates, you just know it's there. As you run the plates through the hair, a slight coating of Argan Oil is deposited onto the hair giving unbelievable shine and an altogether smoother finish to your style (be it poker straight or curled). This also means that you end up using less product on the hair, and it gives great control over frizz and flyaways!

The other thing i love about this styler is that it has variable heat settings. I was never comfortable to straighten my hair extensions with my GHDs as i just found them too HOT! This styler, as with most other Diva tools, has variable heat from 120 up to 220 degrees. I find this a major bonus because if i want to straighten my extensions i only want around 140, whereas my thick, unruly natural mop can easily require 180-200! With this, i can just crank it up or down accordingly!

You may be wondering about the 'Intelligence' of this styler... Well, like the more recent models of GHD, this one knows when you've forgotten about it and will promptly switch itself OFF! In fact it's quicker off the mark than GHDs which can either be a good thing or if, like me, you tend to switch your straighteners on then go off and start something else while they heat up, then it can be a minor annoyance when you go back to them and they're stone cold again haha. I can live with it though, purely for the reassurance that even if i've left the house and not switched them off, then they will happily do it themselves. Saves on that paranoia that we've ALL experienced with heat styling tools! 

Well that turned out to be quite a long-winded post didn't it! I just find that i have a lot to say about this product because i love them so much and it's part of my daily life now! I just felt i owed it to them to do a full review. Up to now i've only mentioned them in favourites and other styling posts. 

This model of the Argan Gold Styler (they also do an 'Elite' version that i would give my left leg for) retails for £79.99 and can be found by searching on Amazon or from Sally's and other professional retailers.

What is your must have styling tool?? Have you been tempted away from your beloved GHDs?? What features do you look for in a good styler?? 

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?? 

BIG Curls with the Diva Pro Styling Hot Tong and Halo Extensions

Afternoon lovelies!! 

As you all probably know by now i am a MASSIVE fan of Diva Professional Styling tools. So, when i was on the lookout for a jumbo barrel tong, they were my first port of call!! And they haven't let me down. Their 'Hot Tong' is part of their Titanium series and comes in 3 sizes from 25mm up to 38mm so they've pretty much got one for any curl you fancy!!

I'm such a sucker for packaging!!! There are almost TEARS whenever i take a new Diva product out of its box!! Good job they're worth it.

I got this tool a week or so ago and have been patiently waiting for an excuse to use it and i found my inspiration yesterday from Holly Willoughby on the cover of the latest Cosmopolitan. What a great example of BIG, loose Rock-Chick curls!!

So i popped in my Halo hair extensions and got set for an EPIC curling session!!

 So, as is standard for most Diva styling tools, you get variable heat settings ranging from 160-200 degrees (heating up in approx 30seconds making them SUPER quick for any hair type). For use on my hair extensions i always use on the lowest heat, and only after spraying with heat protector. On my normal hair i crank up the heat a little as my hair is THICK and stubborn. 

The tong i have is the medium (32mm) version with the blue handle. The 25mm is red and the 38mm is pink. I went for this size because my hair is pretty medium in length (although its growing FAST lately) so the BIGGEST tong would probably be wasted on me, while the smallest would produce much tighter ringlets than i would like. It comes with a neat built in stand so no need to worry about scorching any surfaces and the clamp is BIG and easy for grasping the hair. 

Other perks include a generous, salon-length, rotating cord and a cool tip so easy reach and no burnt fingers! 

 Here i thought i'd just show you a comparison. I'd sectioned my hair up leaving only the very bottom layers down and curled AWAY from my face using 1 or 2inch sections of hair (smaller sections will give you more defined curls and larger ones will give a more subtle effect). I did brush the curls out after i'd done the whole head but this just shows you the power of the styler. For my shorter top layers it didn't really curl as such, but gave MASSIVE volume and shape. I don't think these pictures actually do justice to just how BIG and bouncy my hair was after i used this tong. 

 I love how these curls are big and bouncy but still soft and natural. Even with my Halo in, I haven't got the length that Holly has in her pic so my hair is much more sparse, but i LOVE this look!! Barrel curls have got to be my ultimate favourite. Much more so than if i use my conical wand. I just love the volume and finish they give!

So if you want thick, MASSIVE, natural curls I'd definitely recommend Diva. Their Hot Tongs are priced at £39.99 making them a very affordable, professional option compared to some brands. They are available to buy from sallyexpress.com 

How do you achieve your dream curls?? What are your favourite styling tools??

December Giveaway WINNERS!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR LADIES!!!

I've been completely AWOL over the festive period. This was not intentional but i do not have a job which gives me time off over Xmas. In fact, this year is the first year for a while that i haven't had to work on Xmas day!! On top of all this I had 3 assignments due in and an exam over Xmas and New Year! HARSH!

But i'm BACK and i thought i'd start off the new year by announcing the winners of my December Xmas GIVEAWAY!!!

Here's a little reminder of the main prize and the first peek at the surprise parcels i will also be sending to more lucky winners....

So in total there are 6 Winners. In true blogger tradition i have numbered all your entries and then let random.org fire 6 numbers back at me!! 

The Winner of the Main Prize: Diva Rebel Thermique Styler IS.......

JADE!!

And the other 5 surprises are going to.....

YU

SHERRIE

NIC

LORNA ROSE

NICOLE

I'm not telling who is getting which prize apart from the main prize as i am keeping it all a mystery in the spirit of Xmas (even though its long gone for another year haha)

I will contact all the winners via Twitter or Email and prizes will be posted out on Monday, or as soon as i have all the details i need. The main prize will be sent directly from Diva so i cannot give a shipping date for this. 

Special thanks for this Giveaway go to the lovely people at Diva and Soapbox PR for donating the prize. It is FABULOUS and i am so jealous of the winner!! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOG FOLLOWERS!!! 

I look forward to sharing more beautiful things with you in 2012. If there is anything anyone would like to see on this blog in the new year please comment/tweet/email me and let me know!!

Wicked Waves ft Diva Professional Styling HeatWave

Hey girls...

I was planning this post for tomorrow but I'm soooo excited about it i simply can't wait so I'm going for it now!! If you've read my previous post about my escapades at Salon International over the weekend you will know that i was THRILLED to bits to finally get my mitts on the HeatWave waving irons by Diva Professional Styling. Well today i finally had a play around with them and I'm sooo pleased with the results!! 

I have wanted this waver for absolutely AGES. I picked it up for £29.99 at Salon International (although i may have to dig around to check that this is the RRP as it WAS a trade show). For this price i think it is AMAZING value for money. Here's the buzz.....

- Titanium Barrels for diamond-like hardness and mirror smooth finish

- Instant heat: Ready to style in only 30seconds

- 25 heat settings from 140 to 200 degrees

- Cool tip for easy styling (ie, you can hold the end of it while you curl and not burn your fingers off)

- Built in heat protection stand

I think you'll agree that those are pretty impressive vital statistics!!!

This tool is very lightweight and not clunky at all and this makes it VERY easy to use. You don't need to hold it on the hair for long at all to create a decent wave (a few seconds does the trick). I just took my hair down section by section and clamped the hair bit-by-bit starting at the roots and working down towards the ends. I'm definitely going to be doing a youtube tutorial with this and my Halo extensions (which i curled BEFORE putting in my hair this time, but could just as easily be done after applying them). 

I am very impressed with the results. Using this near the roots creates AMAZING volume. For less volume I would start waving at a point lower down the hair. 

I did a quick twitpic from my iphone earlier after i had waved my natural hair (which is only shoulder length at the moment...

Excuse the quality... i only have a lowly iphone 3G (roll on upgrade time in April). 

This look may even persuade me to go extension-less more often as i LOVE the effect. When i do tighter curls on my own hair i lose too much length and often end up looking like orphan Annie haha. But OMG what happened when i added my pre-waved extensions into the mix.......

Cher eat ya heart out!!! I feel like a character in the movie 'Mermaids'!!! My extensions look so THICK and bouncy! 

I would TOTALLY recommend this tool to anyone wanting an affordable, GREAT quality waver. Its so easy to use and hardly takes any time at all to create a really natural waved look which is sooooo wearable!! 

It was so great to meet the Diva team at Salon International. We talked about their new Rebel collection and i can see myself going NUTS for their travel sets which include the CUTEST little fold-up hairdryer (which, judging by the quality of their Ultima Hairdryer which i reviewed HERE will be a great tool for on the go). Speaking of on the go.... they have JUST brought out the cutest mini version of the HeatWave along with teeny versions of some of their other tools which i had fun playing with at the show too. 

You can purchase the HeatWave, along with their other AMAZING products including the famous Glamoriser, at sallyexpress.com 

What styling tools can't you live without?? What do you think of my 'Mermaid' look??

Trains and Tantrums at Salon International

So here is the OTHER half of my escapades during my visit to London last weekend...

As soon as i learnt that TOWIB was going to be held on the same weekend as Salon International i was STRAIGHT on the phone to book tickets! I haven't been in a couple of years and there are so many brands who i chatter with on Twitter that i wanted to see in person, as well as browsing the latest trends and equipment!! As well as some cheeky make-up brands popping up!

The sheer amount of TRAINS i went on that day really blew me away!! Underground, Overground (Wombling freeeeee). Where i live, anywhere you need to go is just around the next corner. I forget that, in London, you go everywhere by tube. I actually got quite used to it by the end and managed to navigate myself home from the show thanks to the expert directions from Natalie!!

Everyone was swarming around the Sleek stands. They had a MASSIVE display of their make up as well as a separate counter where you could get your skin tone matched. There were also some AMAZING bargains to be had. They had goodie bags containing FIVE separate products including an i-divine palette, a brush kit and eyelashes for a FABULOUS £10. I will show you exactly what i bagged later in the post!

There were some amazing exhibitors including Balmain (who i did my hair extension training with earlier this year) and, of course, GHD who were showing off their NEW Hairdryer (which looked soooo sleek and amazing). 

I just HAD to stop by the Diva exhibit because i WANTED their HeatWave waving irons which i got for an absolute BARGAIN (more on those later in the week). Got to chat to the lovely girls that i chat with on Twitter and it was fantastic to meet them in the flesh. They were all so friendly and chatty. We talked a little about their new Rebel Collection which features funky designs and cutting edge technology. 

As always Hairdresser's Journal International were there to showcase the latest techniques. I really wish i could have afforded to sit in  on some of the seminars, but I happen to be a student and the purse strings are TIGHT (even more so after this weekend).

Had a bit of a dreamy moment walking past the Sassoon Academy stand (one can only dream). I'm happy enough that i will be visiting Wella in Manchester in November, but wouldn't it be AMAZING to train with Sassoon??!

I had the lovely Natalie with me (from BlushBlendBeauty) who was on the hunt for the PERFECT hair extensions. Fingers crossed she found them. Can't wait to see the photos babes!! 

My Sleek haul!! All that for a TENNER!! Bargain. So glad i finally replaced my Storm palette. The old one was KNACKERED!! Here's what i got...

Storm iDivine palette

Glo - Face & Body Highlighting Kit

Pout Polish in Chocolate Kiss

False Lashes

Mini 5-piece Brush Kit

My Diva Heatwave. Sooooo excited to play with this!!

Once again i didn't have too much opportunity to take good photos as it was RAMMED!! People kept walking into my shots (HATE that) and was hard to get close to the REALLY good stuff. We kept missing the GHD catwalks or just couldn't see! Got rather frustrated on a couple of occasions!!

Did anyone else get to Salon International this year?? Who managed to catch the seminars??

My New TOY!! Ft Diva Pro Styling

Good evening ladies!! 

I swore this week that i would up my game but yet AGAIN I have gone a couple of days without a post. I'm not gonna beat myself up about it (I've had work and hospital appointments to attend which has left me KNACKERED) but I still look at the number of posts for this month and feel a little disappointed. Not least because I have a few VERY exciting things still to show you this month.

And one of those things is this little beauty....

Diva Pro Styling: Ultima 5000 Pro Hairdryer

Imagine my excitement when the postman asked for my signature for THIS!! I was sent this by the company as i had mentioned that, as a hairdresser, i would be VERY interested in trying out some better equipment. I see clients at home and had been making do with a relatively standard, drugstore hairdryer. It's great to finally have a good quality tool like this! 

So here's the vital statistics from Diva....

New ultra slim ergonomic handle

Noise reduction system

High pressure motor system

77km/h

Ionic conditioning for faster drying, reduced static and frizz, for healthy looking shiny

hair

4 heat & 2 speed settings

Ceramic and tourmaline grill

True cold shot

Removable easy clean rear grill

Housing in super-tough nylon

3 metre soft flexible power cord

Available in rubberised black, gloss black, metallic hot pink

I think you'll agree that those are some IMPRESSIVE statistics!! I couldn't wait to put it to the test!! I've been using this hairdryer for around 2 weeks now. 

First thing that stikes you about this hairdryer is that it's PINK!! I am not ashamed to admit that i am one of those girls that likes something even MORE, just because it's pink. It comes in black as well, but give me the pink version ANY day of the week!  

Here's what i LOVE about it....

The airflow is AMAZING and this makes drying time so QUICK!! I also feel like it helps me to control my hair better during drying. From a hairdressers' point of view this is also a bonus as it means less time in the chair for your client. 

It has FOUR heat settings (including the cold shot), which is one of the biggest bonuses for me. I have MASSIVELY thick hair and the cooler setting does NOTHING for me. Whereas I worry that the HOT setting is too hot and will eventually FRAZZLE my hair (especially as i have coloured my hair a few times recently). Its great to have something in the middle. 

It gives my naturally wavy (in a bad way) hair the smoothest finish of ANY dryer i've every used (professional or otherwise). The photos for tonight's post were taken after JUST blowdrying. No straighteners. Nothing else. 

Here's what I DON'T love so much....

I got quite excited when i saw that it had a curling wand attachment. I don't actually have a conical waver at the moment as mine has been loved to DEATH and finally given up on me. I loved the idea that i could dry AND curl my hair in a single step. 

Well i didn't get along with this from the first moment i TOUCHED it. It's almost impossible to attach and remove from the hairdryer (even though the 2 concentrator nozzles provided are no problem to change). So much so that, the first time i attempted it, a portion of the skin on one of my fingers became TRAPPED between the wand and the dryer and I could NOT free it or get the wand off. I now have a lovely scar on my finger after i had to do a-la 'SAW' and rip my finger away from it myself. 

It doesn't do ANYTHING on dry hair.

Using it on WET hair is near impossible as it burns both your fingers and your head after a couple of seconds (I tried it on all heat settings). You'd definitely need to wear gloves. And even on the hot setting the payoff isn't great. This could just be my hair though. It is VERY heavy and thick. 

The Results???

As i said before, these photos were taken after using JUST the hairdryer WITHOUT straightening. My hair is thick and wavy and I would usually NEED straighteners to get a result this smooth. For this I blowdried my hair with the Ultima on the medium heat setting and the highest airflow setting. I used a medium sized barrel brush. The only product on my hair is Moroccan Oil (put on whilst wet). 

The Verdict??

All things considered.... this styling tool is a WINNER for me. From a personal and professional perspective I would recommend it. Its a great tool for stylists and it offers high performance and reduced service times. On a personal note, this would suit anyone with thick or difficult to manage hair who wants more control while styling and a smoother finish. Just make sure you use your regular conical waver/barrel tong/straighteners for curling. I wouldn't want you all hurting yourselves haha. 

The Diva Pro Styling range is available from www.sallyexpress.com and also includes conical wavers, straightening irons and waving irons amongst others. I'm actually intrigued by the waving irons. I've never tried them before. And I'm seriously considering purchasing their conical waver to replace my old ones. The Ultima retails for £79.99

Have you tried any of the Diva styling tools?? What are your biggest issues when styling your hair?? If you have any questions about blow-drying or styling, feel free to comment!!