Whenever I appear on a story on my Instagram page (LINK) I get questions about my hair. This has come somewhat as a surprise to me as I’m rarely happy with my hair and I’m always faffing around with it! I long for thick hair and although it’s quite fine, hairdressers are always telling me ‘You’ve got loads of it’. I have to work quite hard to make my hair look presentable. I love it to have lots of volume at the root, but be sleek at the ends.
I’m going to try and answer some of my frequently asked questions and recommend my favourite products. Just click the link to buy, I’ve done all the hard work for you!
Firstly, my hair is coloured at the salon. I’ve been asked so many time which colour I use but I’m afraid I haven’t coloured my own hair since I was a teenager! Blondes have to be careful with DIY colouring kits. It’s so easy to get it wrong. I don’t have ashy tones in my hair. I like it to be a warm, golden blonde. But a warm toned blonde can easily become brassy, therefore I don’t colour it myself. My hair colour inspiration is Holly Willoughby!
Being a blonde isn’t easy. It’s a whole lot of maintenance. I have my tint done every 6 weeks which sounds like a real pain however when you’re a busy mum, a couple of hours in the salon is no longer a chore, in fact, it’s a rare treat to sit with a cuppa and a magazine and get some peace and quiet for a couple of hours! I have it trimmed every second visit and the ends become dry very quickly and this helps it keep a healthy look.
I must confess, I don’t spend a lot of money on shampoo and conditioner. I go through so much of this stuff that I feel like I’d be washing my money down the drain. Literally. I prefer to spend my money on quality oils and treatments so I tend to buy my shampoo and conditioner from the drug store. My favourite is John Frieda Miraculous Recovery range (LINK). Both the shampoos and conditioners leave my hair beautifully soft and conditioned. My best tip is one that I heard years ago and have never forgotten. Always shampoo your hair twice. The first shampoo is generally lifting oil, product and dirt. That’s why you never get a good lather on that first time. The second should be worked into the hair in a rich lather to allow it to do its job, whether that be to volumize, soften or strengthen. Once per week I also use a silver shampoo to stop any brassy tones developing. Just don’t leave it on longer that it suggests as your hair will turn purple!
If you haven’t yet tried a wet brush then boy you’re in for a treat. Gone are the days of tangle teezers. They aren’t a patch on these! Wet brushes (LINK), as the name suggests, are designed to glide through wet hair, without a tug in sight. I cringe when I’m at the hairdressers and they use a comb on my wet hair! Not only does it take forever, it’s also painful! It’s not the 90’s anymore. Move forward Mr Wet brush. It doesn’t matter how coarse and knotty your hair is, I challenge you to try this brush and not love it. I also use it on dry hair. I don’t own any other brushes because I don’t need to. One of the best things about this brush is that it makes post bath time, hair washing time much more tolerable for my daughter. I’ve always used these on her hair, so much so, that I don’t think she knows what a ‘tug’ is! They’re also relatively cheap, so I have them everywhere. In my handbag, work, car, you name it! Best. Brush. Ever.
If you have colour treated hair, or indeed you expose it to heated tools, you’ll know that the ends of your hair will suffer. It can become dry, brittle and full of split ends. It’s imperative that you use a treatment on your over exposed, fragile locks at least once per week. I love the Phillip Kingsley Elasticiser (LINK). Unlike most treatments, this should be used prior to washing your hair. The most effective way to use this is to slather it on your hair before jumping in the bath for a long soak. I like to wrap my hair up in cling film and allow the heat from the bath to work its magic. The longer the better. You can even sleep in this if you’re intending to wash your hair the following morning. The results? Moisturised, silky, luscious locks! Just read the rave reviews online. It’s a cult product and I hear they have a new coconut scent. It’s on my Christmas list!
After every wash I use an oil through the damp ends of my hair prior to blow drying. I also finish off my hair with a tiny amount to keep it sleek and prevent flyaways. I’ve recently fallen in love with Macadamia oil (LINK) It does exactly as it says on the tin.
It’s difficult to get volume at the root if your hair isn’t particularly thick. I’ve tried so many ‘volumizing’ products that just do nothing. You want the root to have some product, something for the brush to grip to and work with. The absolute best for this is the Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray (LINK) It’s worth the price tag because not only does it beef up my locks, it lasts an age and smells gorgeous. When my hair is dry I then like to spray some Batiste heavenly volume (LINK) in the root before back combing, but for special occasions I bring out the Oribe dry texture thickening spray (LINK). My god does this make your hair look good. It gives that feel of just leaving the salon. But it’s pricey. Definitely one to keep reserved in your vanity for a special event. Another alternative is the Show Beauty texturizing spray (LINK). It also smells beautiful, provides loads of texture and volume and looks downright fabulous on my dressing table!
I simply couldn’t live without my BaByliss big hair (LINK). It’s so tricky and downright painful on the arms to try and achieve a bouncy blow yourself. This ingenious product combines a rotating brush and hair dryer all in one, meaning you can achieve that bouncy look with one hand! Make sure that your hair is 80% dry, section it off with a clip and you’re ready to go. It’s completely fool proof and provides such a beautiful bouncy finish in no time. Unfortunately, it’s not very robust and they tend to only last a year or so, so keep your receipt for when it dies on you without warning! But for the price and the result, it’s well worth investing!
My straightener of choice are GHDs (LINK), of course. Nothing else compares in my eyes. I use them religiously (with heat protection) and they never fail. They heat up in seconds and last forever. Who remembers when the very first hair straightener came out? Mine was a white and blue BaByliss set gifted by my Aunt Jackie. They had a little compartment to add water and once the water was hot enough (14 hours later) you were good to go! It had little teeth that clamped down on the hair like an over excitable puppy. But still I thought they were the bee’s knees, as prior to their invention I was using an iron, yes, an actual iron. Don’t judge me, we all did it back in the day! I was so skilled at this that I even used it to straighten my fringe. I would use a towel to stop it from burning my hand and run it down the length on my long hair. I still have a scar on my leg to prove it. Yes, that’s right, on my leg. Go figure.
I love to curl my hair into loose waves when I go out. The only wand which holds a curl in my fine hair is my beloved enrapture curlers (LINK) They are unique in the sense that there’s a dial to choose the intensity of the curl – 1 being loose, 2 medium and 3 tight curls. Or you can mix it up going for a 1,2,3 combination meaning that your curls start of light any wavy and end in a defined curl. They heat up in no time and hold like a dream. I love them and just find them so easy to use. I couldn’t recommend them enough.
I would love to hear recommendations of your favourite products as I’m always on the look out!
Happy hair styling!
Love
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