Hair Products I'm Currently Loving....

(From left to right) Toni&Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hairspray, Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle,
 Redken Extreme Conditioner, Redken Extreme Shampoo, Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil,
Redken Satinwear 02 Prepping Blow Dry Lotion, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

 These are the hair products that I've been using and loving lately, they've all been helping my hair in one way or another wether it be with it's condition or with the way it looks. I've really gotten into my hair products lately, and have been branching out into some more professional type haircare brands such as Redken and Philip Kingsley as opposed to things you can pick up in the supermarket or Boots. I've been really pleased with the results from the higher end brands and will definitely continue to invest!

First up is the Toni&Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hairspray (£6.39) which I have heard lots of things about but decided to pick one up after I tried a friends and was seriously impressed! Before this I was using L'Oreal Elnett hairspray and was fairly happy with it's hold and it's ability to brush out into nothing. This Toni&Guy alternative is much more heavy duty but does also brush out quite nicely and doesn't leave my hair crispy. It's more obvious that I have something in my hair when it isn't brushed out, aka when I have my hair back in a pony and spray it to keep the strays down. It's definitely a much firmer hold than the Elnett and I have really been enjoying the results that it gives my hair. 

Second product is the Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle (£5.61) which I've been loving in the roots of second day hair when I need a bit more lift and texture. It's got a nice texture to it and just feels like you're spraying a hairspray in rather than a powdery spray. It disappears when ruffled up with fingers and works nicely with the hair dryer too.

Next is my shampoo and conditioner duo, the Redken Extreme (Shampoo £12.50, Conditioner £13.75) range for distressed hair. I love both of these products equally and they have given so much strength and shine to my hair. They are both packed with proteins and help to fortify damaged and weak hair. They smell like sweets (bonus!) and the conditioner doesn't weigh my hair down which it is prone to with certain conditioners. I'm really impressed by both of these and I definitely recommend them to anyone with hair in the above category!

I've also been enjoying using the Elemis Frangipani Monoi Body Oil (£31.50) which is for the hair, nails and body. It's been really quenching my hair where it needs it most - the ends, and has overall given it softness and shine. I've been slathering it in and tying my hair up, leaving it in to soak for a good few hours if I'm doing bits at home. I am completely obsessed with the Elemis Body Exotics range at the moment, the oil is fantastic on damp skin after a shower too! 

The Redken Satinwear 02 Prepping Blow Dry Lotion (£15.30) is also something that I have been really, really impressed with. It makes blow drying my hair about 10x easier, and that is saying something as I have very thick, frizzy hair that is plentiful and is a complete chore to style/manage! This prepping lotion makes my hair dry quicker, it makes it softer and straighter (win!!) and is protecting my hair from heat damage at the same time. What's not to love? The lotion is very light and undetectable in the hair which is fab too. Highly, highly recommend!

The last product in my little line-up is the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£27.00 for 150ml)  which has been my hair masque of choice for the last few months and I'm almost ready to repurchase it! Along with the Redken Extreme shampoo and conditioner, this masque has given my hair a lot of strength and it feels much more resilient against blowdrying and brushing. My hair is quite brittle and breaks fairly easily but I have definitely seen a huge improvement since changing my products. My hair looks and feels so much healthier and I've had a lot of comments on how shiny and healthy it looks -yay! I also like that it is a pre-shampoo treatment which means it's not just coating the hair shaft with silicones and things that make the hair feel in better condition when it actually isnt. A pricey but effective product!

What products have you been loving for your hair?

A hairy post! - My hair update

Just a quick update on my hair, as in an earlier post I said that my hair was SO dry and fluffy. It was so unmanageable and horrible looking so I decided to use my new products that I spoke about in that post, you can read it here.

Here are some photos just to show you how shiny and smooth it looks, I'm so impressed! It feels so soft and silky and looks healthy, not dry in the slightest!

The products I used are:

Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask

James Brown Rich Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner - LOVE these!!!

Toni & Guy Prep Leave In Conditioner

 Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Princess Purrfect Hot Styler Spray

V05 Miracle Concentrate with Argan Oil (On my ends)

Lastly I styled it slightly with the Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle - I have mixed feelings on this but will keep testing it!

And lastly a snap of me being a weirdo - excuse the bare face and dressing gown, I went to bed after this :-)

Those products seemed to really improve the look and feel of my hair and I am very impressed! For someone with afro-caribbean hair this is really satisfying that I can wear my hair straight without it looking unhealthy and damaged.

Boots Haul: Hydraluron and Haircare

So I popped into Boots today when I was supposed to be banking in town - whoops! It never ends well for my bank balance when I enter Boots, especially now my local is stocking Hydraluron *screams*!!!

I have been squeeeeeeeezing my tube of Hydraluron to death for a while now so it was about time that I picked up a new tube. I stopped using it for a little while when I noticed it was running out, wanting to save it for when I really needed it. Truth is, I need this stuff everyday. When I started to get extremely dry skin last week due to the weather, this little bad boy was slathered on before bed and when I woke up my skin was so soft, supple and plump - really plump. I think sometimes it takes going without a product for a while to really appreciate and know for certain that it works - and this stuff WORKS! I cannot sing it's praises enough, *sings*.

Then I picked up some much needed haircare products as my hair has not been behaving itself what so ever for the last few days, it's been really dry on the ends and fluffy - ergh! The 3 for 2 promotions in Boots always suck me in so I ended up getting six items. 

I picked up the Lee Stafford Blinding Brunette Conditioner for natural or coloured brunette hair, as I dye it to keep it glossy and bright, so I thought this conditioner will help to keep it really chocolatey.

I also picked up the James Brown Rich Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner as I need some hydration in my hair, desperately!

I also picked up two Umberto Giannini products - The Glam Hair Backcomb in a Bottle and the Glam Hair Princess Purrfect Hot Styler Spray. I got these because both my heat defence spray and texturising spray are on their way out. I also got my favourite leave-in cream that I use for styling my hair - the Toni & Guy Prep Leave In Conditioner, this really makes a difference to how smooth and sleek my hair is when I'm blowdrying and straightening it. It's nice to be able to keep the hair moisturised and hydrated without having to wash the product out. 

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What are your recent beauty buys?

Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask - Review

Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask for Intensely Nourished Hair - 200ml

Boots - £7.19

Here is a product that I don't think I could live without it, and believe me I did try! I originally picked this up on a trip to Boots for some new hair products, at the time it was 1/3 off so I thought I would give it a go. The mask is from Toni & Guy's 'Nourish' range which claims to give you 'intensely nourished hair'.

Directions for use: Apply to clean, wet hair. Leave for 3-5 minutes then rinse thoroughly.

The first time I used it, I noticed a massive difference in my hair - and that's saying something! My hair typically is very dry and dehydrated without the right products and care. My ends would often be dry, brittle and frizzy as well of the rest of my hair suffering from breakage and dryness (typical qualities of Afro-Caribbean hair). Using this mask I found my ends were nourished and I can't even tell you how soft. My hair looked shiny and felt sleek and manageable with no signs of dryness. I used the mask all over paying extra attention to my ends and the front section near the roots. I was so surprised at how much this mask had changed my hair in just one use and it continued to perform until I finished the pot.

Once the pot was finished I didn't get a change to pop to Boots to pick up another for around two weeks and I was so surprised how much this made a difference to my hair. The first time I washed and styled it without using the mask my hair was frizzy, dry and brittle. I thought it might have been a shampoo I had used, but the next time I washed my hair with other products, it was the same story. 

Now, I'm not sure if I'm okay with the fact that this product doesn't provide long term effects, however I can't argue with what it does to my hair in terms of it's condition when I use it and how much healthier it looks when styled. It's safe to say that I most definitely did re-purchase this mask - I just can't get enough! As for the price point, I think it's a great price based on the results that it gives -- a definite recommendation from me!

The mask has a lovely, thick texture that applies well onto the hair and feels quite luxurious, very different from lower-end masks I have tried such as Herbal Essences and Pantene for example. It also has the most gorgeous scent which I've found all of T&G's products have.

You can pick up Toni & Guy products from their salons, online or from Boots!

Do you use any Toni & Guy products?