Essentials ~ haircare

As I've previously had a whinge about here, my hair is really (& I mean realllly) grey now which has totally changed the texture of my hair from silky & thick to coarse, wiry.....& erm, thick!!  Consequently, most of the products I used to use & love are now not suitable so I've spent the best part of the last year trying out new products to see which ones work for me now. 

 

   I have consciously tried not to try more expensive brands of haircare as I get through so much of the stuff, I can't justify the cost of them....after all, my kids still need shoes etc.!  These are my current favourites which, when combined, seem to make my hair much more manageable & the silkiness is nearly back to where it used to be!

 

1.  Primark hair donuts

2.  Superdrug Salon Radiance permanent colour

3.  L'Oréal Elvive Full Restore shampoo & conditioner

4.  L'Oréal Studio Silk & Gloss Curl Power Spray

5.  Toni & Guy Iron-It Heat Defence Spray

6.  eBay hairdressing scissors

7.  Primark kirby grips

8.  Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Plumping Powder

9.  Carino Professional Miracle Oil with Argan Oil

10.  Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls Curl Cream

11.  John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion

 

 

Primark hair donuts £1 each

Handy to keep in for when I fancy BIG hair!  So far, I can only master a rough, messy bun though & not a sleek smooth one but I'm getting there.  The sponge thingy (yes, that is the technical term!) attached to the hair comb is amazing for when you want a bit of a beehive going on or just for some extra oomph in your ponytail.  A bargain at around £1 each, if I remember correctly.

 

Superdrug Salon Radiance permanent colour

I've talked about this before on my blog but it is awesome at covering grey hair, of which I have many & it works in 10 minutes too.  It leaves my hair so shiny & soft & I always have 2 or 3 in my bathroom stocked up as my roots seem to appear overnight.  £5.09 or currently on offer for 2 for £7.

 

L'Oréal Elvive Full Restore shampoo & conditioner

I try out lots of different shampoos & conditioners when they're on offer in Boots or Superdrug but these are the ones I keep coming back to.  My hair feels really healthy when I use these, they don't irritate my scalp & don't fade my colour.  £3.99 for 400ml.

 

L'Oréal Studio Silk & Gloss Curl Power Spray

I'm pretty sure I found this spray in a bargain bin one day in either Boots or Superdrug for a couple of pounds but I have a horrible feeling it's no longer available as I can't find it on their websites!  Bit of a bugger really as I find it great to give beachy, rough curls & lots of volume.  If I can't find it, I'm going to have to limit my use until I find a good replacement!  £2 for 200ml (on offer)

 

Toni & Guy Iron-It Heat Defence Spray

On the rare occasions that I straighten my hair, I've found this heat defence spray to be excellent at giving protection & shine without weighing my hair down.  My hair will also stay perfectly straight for a couple of days too when using this.  £6.39 for 200ml.

 

eBay hairdressing scissors

When my sister cut a fringe into my hair back in January or February, I knew that I'd be back at the salon every fortnight getting it trimmed if I didn't get myself a pair of scissors to do it myself.  I didn't want to spend a fortune so had a look on eBay & found this funky pair for £5!  They're really sharp, fit in my hand really well, are not too long & have a removable thumb rest, a really great bargain buy!  £5

 

Primark kirby grips

With 3 females in my gaff, all with long hair, the house seems to haemorrhage kirby grips!  I swear, no matter where you go, there will always be at least 3 of the things within a metre of where you're stood!  But they're indispensable in a hair kit, even for short hair but I'm not a snob when it comes to these, any cheapy ones will do the job!  £1

 

Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Plumping Powder

I use this plumping powder for when I want MEGA volume!  You sprinkle a tiny bit into your roots & massage it in & woooosh, you have seriously big hair!  It's great for when I put my hair in a beehive or when it's freshly washed & too slippy to put up properly.  It does leave a matte finish on the hair though so I don't use it a lot as it feels a bit icky but it's fantastic for occasional use.  £5.49 for 10g.

 

Carino Professional Miracle Oil with Argan Oil

When everyone was going mad for the miracle that was Moroccanoil, I decided that although it sounded great, it was out of my price range so I'd look for a cheaper alternative.  Step forward Carino Professional at Aldi!! I read about it a few months back but my local Aldi never had any in stock so when I finally spotted some last month I snapped one up & now I've used it, I wish I'd bought more!  I can honestly say, my hair has never felt so good or nourished.  I apply a 10p sized amount to the lengths & ends of my wet hair & then leave to dry naturally as usual & it just leaves my hair so smooth & silky - I love it!!  It works just as well on blow-dried hair as my daughter, who usually suffers terribly from split ends, will testify.  If you have an Aldi near to you, get yourself down there & pick some up - you won't regret it!!  £3.99 for 50ml

 

Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls Curl Cream

This product has been used & replaced many times now as I love the finish on my hair.  It gives great, separated soft curls without any crunchy finish & doesn't feel heavy either.  A staple in my hair kit.  £5.29 for 150ml

 

John Frieda Full Repair Perfect Ends Deep Infusion

This was my go-to serum until I found the Aldi argan oil as it offers great shine & heat protection but I find that it works better on hair that is blow-dried as it seems to be heat-activated.  As I usually leave my hair to dry naturally (or I end up resembling Chrystal Tipps - showing my age now!) I don't feel like I'm getting the best out of it but I do use it when I dry & then straighten my hair.  My daughter swears by it as she straightens her hair a lot & she definitely doesn't have as much damage as usual.  £6.99 for 50ml

 

So there we have it, a wee look at my haircare essentials.  More 'essentials' posts coming soon!

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty haul #1

I'm really depressed with all this snow that is showing no sign of stopping so yesterday I had a wee mooch around town & bought a few new bits to try in Superdrug.

1.  MUA Primer £4

2. Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Plumping Powder  £5.49

3.  MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Blonde £1

4.  Essie polish in Eternal Optimist £7.99

5.  Sleek Pout Polish in Perfect Plum £4.29

Over the years & through my work, I think I've used pretty much every cosmetic & skin care brand available in the UK but I'm still keen to try new stuff.  Now, I'm a stay-at-home mum of three on a very strict budget but even I am a tad dubious at the quality of the MUA products being that they retail at such low prices.  I really hope to be impressed with these though.  I've used the Primer this morning for the first time under my foundation & I have to say, it felt really smoothing when it was applied.  I can't say that it has made a huge difference to the application or indeed the finish of my foundation but to be honest, I was in a real rush today.  Tomorrow I will take more time & see if I notice a difference.  But hey, for those sort of prices, they've got to be worth a shot right?

Tresemmé is a brand I have a love/hate relationship with.  I really like most of their styling products but I often don't get on with their shampoos & conditioners which is a crying shame as they're such good value!  I've been looking for a volume booster for my hair for when I'm in a beehive kind of mood so it'll be interesting to see how it fares......watch this space!

Although I have several boxes full of nail polishes, Essie is a brand I've never got around to trying for some reason.  Actually, I do know the reason.....the price!  Normally, I wouldn't dream of spending £7.99 on a nail polish as I tend to buy mine in my local salon supplier so I get them at trade prices but I keep reading such good things about them, I decided to use my Superdrug points & get one!!  I love the colour, a neutral warm pink with a hint of brown so I feel a mani coming on tonight to give it a whirl.  I have to say though that I adore the range of colours offered by Essie but although their stands are brightly lit, this can sometimes be a tad misleading on the colour you're actually getting.  I thought this colour was more brown in the store but it's still lovely so it's all good!

I've tried the Sleek eye shadow palettes before & I LOVE them.  They're really densely pigmented & they have huge staying power but it's a first for me with the lip colours.  I'm hoping it will be as richly pigmented as the powders although the Pout Polish is a tinted lip conditioner, not a lipstick or gloss even but still, I want it to have some impact on my lips!  Incidentally, when trying out lip colours in stores, don't swipe them on the back of your hand.  As a former MUA, I've always taught my clients so test colours on the pads of their fingertips as the thinness & colour of skin is very similar to your lips so you will get a more realistic & accurate colour!!

 

So I'll be giving these products a shot over the next few days & will blog a follow-up on them asap.  À bientôt!!