John Frieda Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery Deep Conditioner

I am currently having a bit of a hair dilemma. After years of highlights I had to step down because having a one year old baby means I no longer can sit for three hours in a hair salon looking like a satellite dish. So a couple of months ago I decided to have my hair bleached and just get the roots quickly done every month, [I am now rethinking that decision]. 

Bleached hair needs a lot of regular deep conditioning. Although I have a few expensive favourites I also like to have an affordable option that I can easily pick up when doing the groceries shopping. This hair masque would be great for any hair colour that needs to be rehydrated. When I used this John Frieda Miraculous Recovery for the first time I was blown away with the result. My hair looked as if it had a professional blow-dry, incredibly sleek and shiny. I don't remember last time my hair looked that healthy. Thumbs up! 

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BaByliss Boutique Salon Ceramic Rollers

BaByliss Boutique Salon Ceramic Rollers

When it comes to hair, again mama doesn't have that much time. And when I am in the mood to dedicate a few minutes to hair styling then this is a trusty [new] friend that helps me out. If I have an extra 5-10 minutes before applying my make-up I quickly roll these ceramic rollers on and take them off when I finish with the make-up. I am not fond of a crispy curl, so the soft curls you get with these rollers are right up my alley. 

The rollers heat up really quickly as they are heated up from the centre as visible on the image above, this makes them the perfect temperature to work magic on those curls. What I also like about these rollers is that they are ceramic, which enables them to keep the heat for longer and the luxurious velvet coating makes the hair curl beautifully against the soft base of the roller. The velvet seems to help with making the hair shiny!

Another huge bonus is that the clips have a separate heat bar that gets them to the same temperature as the rollers and so the hair gets infused by the heat from both the inside and outside of the curl. The end result is a gorgeous soft curl/wave that looks modern and sophisticated. I have not used any hair products to achieve this look and kept the ceramic rollers on briefly, about 10-15 minutes. If you prefer more definition to the curl then keep the rollers on for longer and use adequate styling products to set the curls.

Also on a separate note. I ordered these BaByliss hot rollers from feelunique.com and along with a couple of free samples I also got a neat iPhone cover also for free! It was a great surprise as actually my old cover was all cracked up and needed urgent replacement. So thank you feelunique for being so generous, these little touches make ordering beauty products even more fun!

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Gift Guide: Redken All Soft Gift Set

Hey Beauts! After taking a bit of a blogging break I am now officially back. Had a pretty busy summer and autumn, sorting out personal matters... Moving out of my old shoe-box apartment in Hampstead was a big thing. Sometimes it's hard to let go of the old, but then you realise when old goes new comes. Soon after my then boyfriend got on one knee and popped the question. We are now engaged, just in time for Christmas! So it's been very exciting six months of my life. Love does happen in the end, you just got to keep believing in it. And now I am ready to come back to full-time beauty blogging.

So I decided what would be a better time to get back into things than Christmas! I picked up this Redken All Soft Gift Set from my Trevor Sorbie salon in good old Hampstead, where I still go to get my hair done. I was just going to get the shamp & condi, but they had these lovely gift sets which also includes a mascara, who can say no to that?! Redken All Soft is my personal favourite range, it makes the hair look beautifully soft and at the same time gives it a nice volume. Not to mention the absolutely divine apricot scent!

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L'Oreal Wave Creating Spray!

Hey Beauty Lovers! The new L'Oreal Wave Creating Spray is a heat protective spray, which activates waves on straight hair when it comes in contact with heat. It is perfect for that bohemian relaxed beach wave hair. Wave Creating Spray adds a texture to the hair without that crunchy feel that some salt sprays can do. For best results spray the product on damp hair and blow-dry half way, then create two or more topknots and blow-dry further and as a final step finish blow-drying the hair while scrunching the waves upwards. It's he quickest way of creating beach wave hair without a curling tong. I find the hair looks even better the night after it's slept on, gives you that sexy Brigitte Bardot bed-hair.

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Moroccanoil Treatment Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Moroccanoil Treatment is probably the most talked about and loved haircare amongst all beauty and hair professionals. Moroccanoil Treatment is an Argan oil that deeply nourishes and hydrates hair, while replenishing lost proteins for strength. It's also rich in fatty acids and omega-3 oils for that beautiful natural healthy and shiny hair. Can be used on damp hair and dry hair, when applying it concentrate on mid-length and especially the ends and remember a few drops go a long way! The scent of Moroccanoil hair products is very rich and luxurious. It's hard to pick up what exactly the scent is, but I think there is jasmine and rose amongst other notes, whatever it is it leaves the hair smell luscious.

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Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask

Hey Beauty Lovers! Lately I have been on a Moroccanoil kick. There is just something about Moroccanoil haircare that makes hair look so pretty, the way it falls, the shape it takes. Restorative Hair Mask is a deep treatment that hydrates hair making it look healthy and shiny. Just apply it for a few minutes on mid-lengths and tips avoiding the roots as with any hydrating mask and then rinse off.

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L'Oreal Hot & Smooth Hot Curl Spray!

Hey Beauty Lovers! L'Oreal Hot Curl Spray is the perfect hair styling product that creates natural easy wave on straight hair. It's a heat protecting spray combined with curl definition and anti frizz control. The way I like to use it is simply spraying it over damp hair and scrunching the hair slightly while quickly blow-drying it. The natural beachy wave stays a good few days. Equally it can be used with curling tongs for extra curl definition.

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Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo & Conditioner!

Hey Beauty Lovers! My current choice of shampoo and conditioner are these two. Moroccanoil is a high end haircare range moistly known for their Moroccanoil Treatment, which is a nourishing and deeply hydrating oil and it's also one of their ultimate best-sellers. Hence why most good hair salons stock their products. On the first trial of the Moisture Repair Shampoo & Conditioner I knew I was hooked. Without an additional hair mask my hair felt like it had an intense hydrating salon treatment. Hair felt and looked super smooth, healthy and shiny, but at the same time it kept a nice shape and looked super pretty. So I'm definitely on it!

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Trevor Sorbie Salon: Getting Highlights Done!

Hey Beauty Lovers! It's been almost five months since I had my highlights done and so I booked in the appointment earlier today, usually I go every 3-5 months depending on how the colour is holding up. I've been getting them done for years at my local Trevor Sorbie salon in Hampstead by Travis who is an amazing colourist! I tend to have long gaps between getting highlights done, firstly it's not as damaging as bleaching your hair every couple of months and secondly I love the look of dark roots. When the highlights are done well the transition from light to dark doesn't look harsh and it becomes a completely different look adding a bit of an edge. For my length of hair the whole thing including a blow-dry  takes almost four hours.

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Trevor Sorbie Big Hair Powder Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Another Trevor Sorbie hair product I have been loving is the Big Hair Powder from the Volume range. It's a mighty little bottle with a nozzle that deposits the powder to the targeted area. It can be applied only on dry hair, straight into the roots for a big lift and immediate volume or it can also be lightly dusted over the mid-lengths and worked in for a matte modern texture. It's super lightweight and doesn't build up as much as some of the other volumising hair powders I have tried but a little goes a long way!

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Trevor Sorbie Styling Range!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Here are some great and affordable hair styling products that I have been enjoying lately. All three are from the Trevor Sorbie Styling range and have a gorgeous summery scent, so I'd definitely recommend to check these out in the coming months! Another reason why they are great for the summer is their lightweight texture, they are non-heavy and non-sticky. The Dry Shampoo has the most delicious floral scent, and what I love about it beside the über sexy scent is that it doesn't leave a powdery cast on the roots as dry shampoos tend to. It's great for refreshing oily roots and also for some volume and texture through out the length.

Invisible Hold Mousse is another great lightweight hair styling product from this range. It creates volume and leaves your hair looking shiny and pretty, use it on wet hair before blow-drying with a round-brush. And finally Natural Hold Hairspray is the perfect light summer time hair spray!

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John Frieda Luxurious Volume Sham & Cond Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! So today it's all about hair, colour treated hair to be precise! I believe this is one of the latest new shampoo & conditioner addition to John Frieda haircare line. Luxurious Volume range is designed for colour-treated hair helping to keep the volume and texture of freshly coloured hair and making the colour look pretty and fresh. I have only used this shampoo and conditioner once so perhaps it's a rushed review, nonetheless I want to share my experience!

It made my hair definitely look shiny especially picking up on the highlights and making them look fresher, hair felt really smooth. But when it it comes to volume I have noticed that it made my hair look full in general but pretty flat around the roots. Perhaps it's because it's been a while since I had my hair highlighted and therefore the roots are not colour processed so it's not working on the roots. Next time I will try to use a round brush when blow drying my hair to give the roots a bit of an extra lift and see how it goes, will report back! But all in all I'm a pretty satisfied colour-treated hair customer!

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Touché by Flavien Volumising Spray!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I had this Touché by Flavien Volumising Spray sitting on my bathroom counter for ages and I have finally had a chance to try it! If you like your hair to have that natural type of volume but still have that movement, be smooth and soft without that crispy texture - this Volumising Spray is made for you! It's haircare combined with a styling product, it has Prickly Pear to nourish the hair leaving it shiny and healthy looking. You can use this Volumising Spray on dry or damp hair, applying it just into the roots or all over before styling with a round brush. I have asked Flavien if he could share his professional tips & tricks on how to use this Volumising Spray for best result and he has kindly shared his expertise:  

‘Apply on wet and clean  hair from the roots to the ends. Lift all the roots whilst drying or put your head down to lift the roots. This product is fab if you just have to redo your fringe in the morning. Spray on the part of the hair that needs fixing  (ex: fringe) then blow dry with a round brush.’

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Percy & Reed Wonder Balm Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have featured Wonder Balm few weeks ago when I went to the ELLE UK cover launch event, if you haven't read that blogpost yet click here! I have now used it a couple of time, so here is what I think. Percy & Reed Wonder Balm in effect is a primer for hair, it's meant to protect from heat and also make other styling products work and last much better. It's hard to say whether other hair products do work better or last longer but I basically use it as a heat protector on damp hair before blow drying. It also can be used on dry hair if you want to curl hair on day two you can apply it through out the length for heat protection. This is a sample that I got with the ELLE mag but the actual products comes with a pump. And as per usual the Percy & Reed scent is gorgeous!

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Touché By Flavien Prickly Pear Shampoo & Conditioner!

Touché By Flavien Prickly Pear Shampoo for Balanced Scalp and 

Conditioner for Moisturising Repair, both 50ml

Available at Harvey Nichols, Fenwick, and Harrods

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have previously featured Touché By Flavien haircare range when I met Flavien himself, if you haven't read that blogpost yet click here! I have now had the opportunity to try his Prickly Pear Shampoo for Balanced Scalp and Conditioner for Moisturising Repair. Touche By Flavien products feel luxurious, not only does the eclectic packaging look beautiful displayed in the bathroom but the quality of his haircare products speak for themselves! 

The ingredients that go into his haircare line are rare and expensive to extract, which you can read all about in the previous blogpost I have linked above! The Balanced Scalp Shampoo helps to keep the scalp healthy, which then as a result will also make your hair look healthy. Moisturising Repair Conditioner is like a treatment within, it left my hair feel ridiculously smooth and silky, something I have only experienced from deep moisturising salon treatments!

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John Frieda Frizz Ease Perfect Finish Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! This products is not something I'd go for typically as I generally apply all of my haircare and styling products into still damp hair before blow-drying. But after trying this John Frieda Frizz Ease Perfect Finish Polishing Serum I really like how it takes care of any frizz that I may get on day-two/three-hair if it's super humid as it is specifically designed to be applied on dry hair. It's great for smoothing flyaways as well as adding some shine. You just need a small amount, one pump is more than enough to apply evenly throughout the length avoiding roots.

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Exclussive ELLE UK Launch: Percy & Reed Wonder Balm!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Yesterday I went to the Percy & Reed Wonder Balm launch event at ELLE UK. It's the first time ELLE UK has done a cover launch for a beauty product, so I'm super excited to share some insider info with you! Amongst champagne and mini cupcakes we talked beauty with Sophie Beresiner, who is the Beauty Director at ELLE UK. We had a sneak preview of the ELLE Magazine which went on the shelves today, so grab your issue before they sell out. 

There was also Percy & Reed team who were showing how to style four on-trend hair looks for the spring using Wonder Balm: The Top Knotty, Buns and Roses, Pony Grip, and my favourite Blossom Braid! Wonder Balm is a hair primer, just like a facial make-up primer makes your make-up last longer and look prettier. It creates a heat protecting smoothing base which can be worn on its own or topped up with any of your regular hair styling products. Wonder Balm is multifunctional and can be used on towel dried hair before styling or on dry hair to keep frizz or flyaways under control, apply a small amount from roots to ends.

So with ELLE UK April 2014 issue that is available today you get a sample of Wonder Balm, which is the exact amount of product as in the original, so you get 75ml worth £18 for free!! The only difference between the ELLE sample and the original product is that Wonder Balm comes with a pump. Wonder Balm will be available to purchase on March 15th, so you get a great opportunity to try this product for free now!

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On-Trend: Super Chic 70s Inspired Hair Updo!

 Nails: Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Soho Place

[available in March 2014]

Hey Beauty Lovers! This updo is a modern version of the classic 60s beehive and a more softer but still voluminous 70s updo. It's great for medium long hair and doesn't involve any back-combing whatsoever, back-combing makes me cringe as it tends to break hair and create frizz afterwards... To create volume I used Kerastase K Lift Vertigo, which is a root-uplifting gel with medium hold. I have done a full review on this product previously so check it out by clicking here! You just need to massage one pump of this gel into the roots of still damp hair and then blow-dry with a round brush to achieve that voluminous lift. To create this hairstyle all you need to do is hold the hair at the ends and then just push it up and secure it with a hair clamp and bobby pins, making sure you have a nice lifted shape! For extra hold you can finish with hairspray. E voilà!

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V-Day All-Rounder: Beauty + Hair + Nails!

 Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick 

 Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in Rose Amethyst [discontinued]

a similar shade would be:

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Long Lasting Crystal Lipstick in MOD Pink

BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine in Passion Fruit

Hey Beauty Lovers! If you are not sure what to do with your hair, what kind of make-up look to go for or what colour to paint your nails for the up-coming V-Day here is my suggestion: go for something pretty and innocent with a sexy edge! As a rule wearing too strong colours on the face for a date is not recommended, guys don't like too much make-up. So if you keep everything subtle and soft you than can bust out bright nails, which adds the sexy element to this innocent soft look. Do something cute with your hair, don't over work it yet do put some effort into it. This hair style opens up your face and regardless of what weather it is on the V-Day, you will still look sexy/cute! This entire look would go with a casual outfit or a tip-to-toe black number.

Beauty: This look is all about eyes so the rest is kept neutral. To create this smokey eye I have used Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick palette, applying the 2.Enhance eyeshadow shade all over and under the lower lashes and 3.Smoke just into the outer V and also under blending it under the lower lashes. Then I took Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl eyeliner in Bedroom Black and smudged the hard edges with the eyeshadow. And for the lips I chose Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick in Rose Amethyst just because it's a very special lipstick to me and I only pull it out on very special occasions. This lipstick was unfortunately discontinued, but any nude pink with a subtle shimmer will do. A similar shade from the core collection would be Estee Lauder Pure Colour Long Lasting Crystal Lipstick in MOD Pink.

Hair: Although this hair style looks quite elaborate it's actually very simple to create. To begin with separate hair into two halves each side. Then separate each side into three, do it softly so that you don't have harsh partings. Then loosely braid every part so that you end up with three thin braids on each side. Then take all the braids and pull them back and gently cross them over as though attempting to tie a knot, hiding the ends inside the cross over. Then you will needs lots of bobby pins to secure every braid into place so that it feels quite solid and won't fall apart.

And finally Nails: I'm absolutely obsessed with this BarryM Gelly Hi-Shine nailpolish in Passion Fruit. It's super bright almost a neon coral, and looks ah-mazing on every skin tone, pale or tanned! It's also one of those bright colours that you can absolutely wear both in the summer and winter, it brings the whole outfit together giving it that daring and sexy pop of colour.

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On-Trend: The Alternative Top-Knot!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I call this hair style the alternative top-knot because it combines two hair trends in one. I came up with this look when I was trying to do something new with my hair when it was insanely windy outside and the rain was pouring down. Top-knot is one of my most worn hair styles, it's super effortless and very quick to make regardless of what your hair looks like that day. And obviously it's great for a bad weather day as it looks pretty cool and stays put! 

So to create this look firstly I spray a bit of Bumble and Bumble White Hair Powder into the roots, which is a dry shampoo and it helps to create a bit of volume and texture. Then I separate the top half of the hair into the classic top-knot. To find out how I create the perfect top-knot click here! Then the lower half I separate in the middle and holding the hair up from one side I create a braid and use one of those tiny elastic bands on the end, repeating the same process with the other side. So then you have two braids that you need to bring together in the centre and fix them in place with bobby pins, the end you want to tuck in around the base of the top-knot and also fix them in place with bobby bins.

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