Review: TRESemmé Heat Tamer Protective Spray

I can honestly say that for me, this is the most important product when it comes to heat styling. Heat proetection should always be used no matter what! I cannot stress this even more but yeah it's like using sunblock when you go out in the sun kinda thing. You get the jist. My favorite heat protector is this one from TRESemmé :) I have been using this product for years! So let's talk about this magical product:

How to use it:

Well simple... Before heat styling of course! You can spray this on dry or damp hair. Spray liberally as the more you spray, the shinier and more protected your hair will be after styling - well I am not suggesting you use up the whole bottle in one go. Spray it all over.. your hair that is. Go nuts!

PROs:

• Let's start from the top: I like that the nozzle and the red thing that you push down is easy to use. The spray that comes out can cover half of your hair. It's a fine mist and it goes on lightly. 
• The nozzle has an open and close twisty knob that allows you to put it in your bag without it spraying all over your things. Handy!
• It doesn't weigh your hair down even if you've sprayed it like more that 10 times. Seriously. It's so lightweight like that.
• It smells nice and clean!
• It makes my hair super shiny that when the sun shines on it, it shines like little diamond crystals ;)
• It has a hold effect so that your hair style, may it be straight or curly will last for the whole day!
• It's cheap :)

CONs:

• I can't think of any.

So if I were you, and you still don't have this product in your beauty routine then go go go to the supermarket and snag one!

Homemade Beauty Part 2: Eggs, mayo and olive oil hair mask!

This easy three ingredient hair mask will give your hair the nutrients it needs with its protein packed kapow-chow combo. The properties of egg create a needed impact on your dull and dry hair. It helps to recreate itself and maintains the texture of your hair by the presence of proteins. Mayonnaise is a traditional treatment for dry hair due to the fact that the three main ingredients: eggs, vinegar and oil, are all great for restoring your hair's moisture. Olive oil can nourish, condition, and improve the strength and elasticity of your hair.

 It is super easy to make and also very inexpensive as all the three ingredients can be found in your kitchen :)


What you'll need:                                                                                  

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 heap tbsp of mayonnaise (it's your choice, low fat or fat fat.. as long as it's mayo)

Beat the eggs first in a bowl, then add the olive oil and then the mayo - easy right? Okay so make sure that the mixture is well blended and there are no lumps to be seen especially from the mayo part. Right, apply the concoction to dry hair (remember, do this before you have a shower), and I advise that you only apply this to the lengths of your hair if your hair usually gets oily easily. Apply as much as you can. Leave it on for 30 or more minutes to make sure that your hair has soaked up all the nutrients from all these natural (chemical free) products! Rinse with water and shampoo and if you want, you can skip your conditioner.

Et voila! Nice and shiny hair with all the added benefits from the ingredients.

 Remember to always use a heat protector when styling your hair using heat ;)

Toni&Guy Beach Curl Spray Vs. Juuce Pure Sea Salt Spray

So here we are in the battle of the HAIR TEXTURIZING SPRAYS!

When I buy a texturizing spray, the criteria I have in mind would be something that wouldn't be too heavy on my hair, cause brittleness or get my hair oily the next day. I have tried so many products and so far, these two stood out:



TONI&GUY Beach Curl Spray


What I LOVE with this product:

• When I spray it on my hair, it doesn't make it too sticky and I can still run my fingers through it :)
• The packaging is cute with its pink and metalic look, it sure is eye catching 
• You can use it both on damp and dry hair and the results are still amazing
• It is affordable at $11.99 it is more than worth its price

What I DON'T LIKE about this product:

• It has the "TONI&GUY Signature Smell" that everyone (well most) doesn't like. It's musky with a hint of weirdness. But that doesn't bother me really (really).
• The nozzle doesn't disperse the vapor evenly - i.e. its more like a hose on "jet" setting - so you'd have to make sure that the can is about 15-30 cm away from your hair when you spray so it doesn't saturate one area of your hair only

Rating: 4/5

Juuce Pure Sea Salt Spray


What I LOVE with this product:

• I love the smell of it! It has a coconutty smell that is absolutely delicious :) It's very summery.
• I love the packaging which comes in a tall bluish see through plastic container which has an "aqua" effect.
• The nozzle dispenses the vapor evenly as it is very fine 
• It protects your hair from the harmful rays of the sun as it has UVA/UVB (perfect for summmmer!)

What I DON'T LIKE about this product:

• If you spray too much 2 or more on one part of the hair, then it makes it really sticky and the strands stick together and become hard
• It's quite expensive as I got mine from a hair salon at about $30 NZD
• It gets a bit greasy the day after using it, which is a big no no.

Rating: 3.5/5

So it is now up to you to choose which type of texturizing hair spray is right for you :)
Both are suitable to apply before curling your hair and they both give volume when sprayed on the roots when blow dryed.

DIY Ombre Hair

Ombre! No, I am not speaking Spanish or some other language, this is the new hair trend that everyone is raving about. Last year, it was all about the dramatic blond-blue-pink-yellow-whatever combo, but now it is all about the gradual change from brown to light brown to blond tips or from the black to brown to light brown tips. This look is so low maintenance because you don't have to keep visiting the hairdresser for your monthly touch-ups, but rather, this hair trend will only cost you a couple of dollars if you do it yourself + maintenance (every 4 months or so).

So, I have been wanting to get my hair dyed this style for ages and I've been asking salons how much it would cost me and they are not cheap.. costing more than $200 for the length of my hair.. SIGH!

But not to worry.. DIY Ombre is doable! So doable that even non-professional hair stylists can do it with their eyes closed (as long as they don't leave the solution on their hair for too long :P).
So I ventured into the local supermarket and grabbed me a box of lightening kit from Schwarzkopf called Nordic Lightening Creme L1 Ultra Intensive Lightener, which comes in a box like this:

I have really black hair and hair dyes don't usually work when I use them. One of my biggest fears when I was lightening my hair was that it might turn ORRRAAANGE! I knew this was a possibility but I still decided to go through with it. 

Here are the steps to achieve DIY Ombre:

1. Make sure your hair is dry and all the tangles have been brushed through.
2. Decide the gradient mark to know where to start applying the lightener.
3. So what I did was, I only lightened half-way through the lenthgs of my hair, although you also have the choice to start 3/4 from the tips to the roots or leave a couple of inches from the roots to start. 
4. Apply the lightener to the chosen length of your hair and distribute it evenly right down to the tips.
5. Keep on applying it till its all gone and make sure it is more concentrated down at the ends of your hair for that sun-tip bleach look.
6. Leave on for about 30-45 minutes if you have dark hair like mine or 20 minutes if your hair is already light.
7. Rinse and blow dry using the lowest heat setting (and don't forget to use a heat protector before blow drying, as your hair is now more prone to breakage and damage caused by the chemicals).
8. If you're not happy with the result, if it's not lightened enough, you can repeat the whole process again but this time lessen the time you leave it on since its already bleached).

I love the result I got and I will definitely be doing it again when it needs retouching.

Ombre Hair Care Tip:


Now that your hair is bleached/lightened, it is now more prone to breakage and damage, make sure that you condition your hair regularly using shampoos and conditioner rich in protein to keep your hair looking beautayfull!

L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner

I've been really busy this year with my studies and with that thing they call life and as a result, at the start of the year I have been neglecting my hair of the care it needs such as deep conditioning and heat protection when I'm styling it using my GHD or whatever. I noticed my hair become very dull, dry and lifeless which were all warning signs that I have to do something before it gets even worse. So I searched and searched in the pharmacy for what seemed like ages and found................... L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner!

Finding the right shampoo for your hair is very important if you want to have luscious shiny locks. What I love about L'Oreal Elvive is that not only do they create shampoos and conditioners that actually works, but they also smell super nice :) The smell stays in your hair until you need to wash it again (promise!).

These are my favorite L'Oreal Elvive Shampoo and Conditioner:

Elvive Anti-Breakage

I came across this product when my hair was breaking easily probably due to styling and all that crazy rituals I do with my hair. The shampoo claims to "Help repair brittle, damaged hair and split ends by replenishing the hair's natural cement." 

Now, I for one agree that ever since I started using the shampoo and conditioner, my hair has been noticeably shinier and healthier than ever. As I have recently lightened my hair (ombre hair), I know I will need to take extra good care of it due to the bleaching process. So far, I am satisfied with the result :)








Elvive Re-Nutrition

This product I love also, but not as much as the previous one. This gets the second prize for revitalizing my damaged hair from root to tip! I am a sucker for awesome smelling hair products and this one I must say is like the milk and honey of all the nice smelling shampoos and conditioners ever made (no exaggerations intended..haha).

This shampoo and conditioner contains "Royal Jelly + 10 regenerating nutrients". What's Royal Jelly you may ask? According to the internet, "Royal Jelly is considered by many a potent anti-oxidant. Produced in the beehive for the nourishment of the queen bee, it is a complex substance that cannot be recreated by man. When examining its properties and considering the source of its documented benefits, many conclude that it is its high amino acid content that make it such a special rejuvenating substance."

Enough said.


Hair tip:

When washing your hair, always use cold to luke warm water - never hot, as this can damage the cuticles of your hair making it look dull and dry.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Schwarzkopf OSiS+ Dust It Mattifying Powder

So I heard about this product that can make your hair all "boofed-up" without the use of the ol' hairspray and teasing comb. This intrigued me and I definitely wanted to try it.

My first impression of this product was that the packaging was a little smaller than I expected. Haha.. the hairdresser showed it to me and I was like, "That's it?" Osis Dust It costs about  $36 NZD at your local hairdressing salon.

How to apply it:

Make sure your hair is DRY.

1. Put a little bit of the powder on the palm of your hand.
2. Sprinkle some of it using your fingers on the roots of your hair (where you want it to be lifted).
3. After, sprinkling it, rub it several times until the powder is not visible.
4. Scrunch the roots of your hair where you've applied it to get that messy texturized look.

PROs

• the packaging is very stylish and it is small enough to fit in your handbag whenever you need to touch-up
• the powder is very fine and it doesn't leave visible residue when you put it on the roots of your hair
• it lasts for a long time as you don't need a lot of it when you use it
• it doesn't have a funny smell

CONs

• the product stays in your hair even after several washes
• you have to keep on "scrunching" the roots of your hair a couple of times a day to re-activate the effect
• it doesn't work well on people with long thick hair (mid-past shoulder like mine), as I think this is especially created for people with short layered hair
• I hardly use it as it doesn't really give me the volume I want but it is great if you want that extra oomph after styling

Product Tip:

When I am styling my hair for the "messy up-do" I sprinkle a bit Dust It on the top of my hair to give it a texturized finish. Also, I sprinkle the powder on random parts of my hair to add extra volume that screams "I just woke up from bed and my hair already looks fantastic" haha..

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review - L'Oréal Paris Elvive Total Repair 5 Restoring Masque

This hair product is my new obsession!
I love to take care of my hair and I love it especially when the product smells really nice. L'Oréal has lived up to its standards with this one.. It makes my hair smell expensive, eventhough it only costs $12 NZD.

I like how it is packaged with the maroon/red, white and gold theme, it'll definitely look good on anyone's bathroom :) The hair masque is suppose to be left in your hair for about 1-2 minutes, but as you know, when it comes to hair conditioning, I don't follow the rules so I leave it in for another 5 minutes to soak in the full nourishment.

How many times do I have to emphasize the smell..sweet sweet fragrance that stays in my hair for days. Lovely.

As for the results, it leaves my hair shiny from root to tip, soft and very manageable. I recommend this product and I will definitely buy it again and again and again!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Hair, Hair and more Hair!

Who says blondes have more fun? Pfft! That is the biggest myth of all time. I don't have anything against blondes but I just think that dark hair is bootayful.

So I just wanna say that i love dark hair especially in men (: haha. For I, myself have black hair and I absolutely love it. Dark haired girls look exotic, mysterious (oooohh..) and just striking (wa-pow!).

To keep your luscious dark hair (or whatever hair color you have) soft and shiny, here are some tips from the one and only, Me. 

• apparently using baby shampoo can make your hair softer and smell nice like a baby's hair..lol. it is also gentle so it'll keep your hair clean without the added chemicals.
• washing your hair with bottled water can or would probably make a difference to your hair (you wouldn't know unless you try..right? then let me know if it works lol).
• everytime i have a post regarding hair tips, I always, religiously include this tip: HEAT PROTECTOR. for your hair of course. 
• and the second most important is to deep condition your hair at least once a week. this'll keep your hair nice and happy :)
• i like to tie my hair up when i go to sleep, like i put it in a bun so at night, when i wiggle around my bed (asleep) my hair doesn't get all tangled up and it'll also reduce frizz the next morning.

If you take care of your hair and follow my tips..then you might just have the dream hair that you've always wanted..(no guarantees ladies, but i like to be positive).

oh yeah, here's a pic of me and my bestie Steph .. i put it here because, duh, we both have dark hair :) and i also love this picture.

Review - Pantene Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Treatment

"Intensive damage repair in just 3 minutes" 

I've been meaning to write a review on this conditioner and now here it is..
I'm a religious user of this product for about a year now, and all I can say is that it makes my hair shiny and soft from root to tip! I recommend this product and reward it 5 out of 5 stars.

The advertisement says to leave the conditioner on for 3minutes, but I usually leave it on for more than, say, 5-10 minutes.

So.. typical of me, here are the PROs and CONs of this product:

PROs:

• it works like a miracle! haha - it does what its suppose to do which is to rehydrate and repair your hair from the inside-out.
• smells nice :)
• the package has 3 15mL tubes, which is handy so you don't have to keep on going to the shops whenever you need one
• if you use daily heat styling, then this product is definitely for your hair :) I guarantee that after one wash with this product, it'll give your hair its full life and shine back and so much more if you keep on using it..

CONs:

•  if you have long hair, a 15mL tube is not enough and will only cover the lengths of your hair
• it is a tad bit expensive considering the amount you pay for - $7.40 NZD
• the packaging is quite hard to open..haha not really a CON but I find it difficult sometimes, especially when I've just cut my nails short.

tips to get silky hair without your weekly visit to the hairdresser

So for all you hair fanatics out there, here are some tips on how to achieve glossy looking hair without visiting your hairdresser. It'll save you money, time, and maybe petrol if you're driving there. Haha :P

• After shampooing and conditioning, only wash your hair with cold water, as it seals the hair cuticles which makes your hair oh so sparkly ;)
• Always, and always use heat protection for your hair whenever a hairstraightner, blowdryer, or hot rollers are involved as it can help prevent your hair from getting fried and frizzled from all that heat overtime.
• Make sure that when you blow dry your hair, point the nozzle of the blow dryer down towards the lengths of your hair and not against the growth of your hair as it can give you a frizzy/fuzzy look unless you're going for the "bed head look," but otherwise, always point it downwards.
• Use shine serum to finish off your look after styling.
• Use the L'Oreal Glossy Rich Hair Color as it has natural ingredients that can make your hair look glossier than normal. If you only want glossy hair without the color, then choose the same shade as your hair color.
• Most importantly for a shiny healthy looking hair, girls, don't starve yourselves as proper nutrition has a huge effect on how you look on the outside. So, if you want naturally beautiful hair, eat healthy and get a dose of your fave fruit and veggies daily :)

The New GHD IV Stylers

The mother of all straightners. I just got one today and it is totally divine. If you're looking for a hair

straightner to count on, this would be it :) It is the most advanced GHD technology yet as it has an automatic turn-off time of about 30minutes when not being used and it is temperature controlled so it wouldn't get too hot on your hair. They come in 3 different sizes, to suit every type of hairstyles; straight, curled, loose waves or flicks. Cool yeh? I think so too.

Summer + Hair = Fabulosity

Summer's coming! And yes, all the hair dramas regarding the hot weather and the humid days would appear. But not to worry, here are some hair styles that you at home can do to maintain your summer hair cool while having fun under the sun :)

The Classic Twisted Bun.

This hair style is easy to achieve and is recommended if you want a no fuss quick fix in the morning. It is a celeb favorite because it adds glamour and sophistication to any look.


The following are the steps needed to achieve this chic style:

1. Finger comb the front of your hair, gathering the rest into a ponytail at the back of your head.
2. Hold the ponytail with your left hand then using your right, twist your hair to the end.
3. Wrap and twist the loose end until you have reached the tip.
4. Use hair pins to secure your hair.
5. Leave little strands of hair and/or pull out some at the front of your face for a softer look.

Loose Waves.

 This is my favorite hair style as it resembles the beach babe persona. Its cool, fun and light.

The following are the steps needed to achieve this chic style:

1. Style your hair the way you normally would then add a styling mousse or a texturizing spray to your hair prior to the styling.
2. Section your hair into equal pieces and secure them with clips.
   
3. Always begin at the base of your hair then to the crown.
4. Using a large barreled curling iron on low heat, take one section and place the end of your curl near the handle of the iron. Do not open the clip of the iron; simply and loosely wrap the entire section around the outside of the barrel, making sure to overlap the end so it will stay.
5. Hold the hair for about 2 minutes, then gently remove it from the curling iron.
6. You then repeat this step for every section.
7. Don't use a brush or a comb to separate out the curls as this can destroy the style. Use your fingers to gently separate the hair from each other. Toss your hair while spritzing hairsrpay evenly along the strands.

Sleek and Long.

This hairstyle is perfect for long thick hair as it will make your hair look nice and healthy. It is easy to do and would not take your whole morning to achieve.

1. Before straightening your hair, apply  heat protection to prevent damage to your locks.
2. Put your hair into even sections.
3. Straighten sectioned hair.
4. Repeat this step to every section.
5. Spritz shining serum then repeat step 3.
6. Et voila! Your hair is shiny and straight.

Hope you enjoy,

Hair Tips and Tricks.

Okay, so most of you by now would have noticed that I am obsessed with styling hair. So, as a nice person [haha], I would share to you my hair tips and tricks to help you guys achieve a healthy, shiny, looking hair in minutes.

• To make your locks look extra-shiny, rinse your hair with cold water as this seals in the cuticles which prevents "fly-aways" resulting to a dryer looking texture of the hair.

• To add shine after styling the hair, spritz some shine serum and quickly run the straightening iron thru it.

• Avoid hair damage by using heat protection for your hair before straightening, blow drying and curling.

• Try to air dry your hair as much as possible.

• Only use styling mousse to the roots of your hair as it can add heaviness and prevent natural movement of the hair.

• Do not use a hairbrush while your hair is still wet as this can easily break wet tangled hair. Use a wide toothed comb.

• Do not wash your hair everyday, as frequent washings can strip off your hair's natural oil leaving it dry and lifeless.

• Trimming your hair will not make it grow faster. This is a myth.

• Deep condition your hair at least once a week to maintain a healthy look.

• If your hair is greasy and you don't have time to wash it, use translucent powder over the roots as this will absorb the grease of your hair leaving it looking clean.

• If your having a bad hair day, tie your hair up in a stylish up do leaving some hair strands at the sides of your face for a softer look.

Hope you enjoy it,

Must Love BIG HAIR.

Big Hair is on the rise again as we can see in the fashion runways of Marc Jacobs, Gucci and Elie Saab. The look is messy with va-va-voom volume which give you the sexy a la Brigitte Bardot hair like you've just gotten up from bed. It is easy to do and it is very fashionable.

To achieve this sexy look, here are some easy steps for you to follow in the safety of your own home:

What you need:

• Volumizing spray/mousse
• Round brush
• Teasing comb
• Heated rollers
• Hairspray

VOLUME.

1. Wash your hair with volumizing shampoo and conditioner, and then rinse it with cold water for a shiny end result.
2. Spritz your toweled dry hair evenly with volumizing spray or mousse on the roots.
3. Before styling, make sure that you use heat protection for your hair to prevent damage against heat styling.
4. Blow dry your hair using a large round brush making sure that you lift your hair up using the brush as you dry the roots of your hair for maximized volume.
5. After drying your hair, tease the roots of your hair using a teasing comb or just a brush and spritz hairspray lightly.

CURLING.

1. Use heated rollers to achieve sexy voluptuous curls within minutes (like, literally!).
2. Start at the top of the hair by rolling the hot roller from the lengths of the hair up to the roots. Secure the roller into place.
3. Do this step until all your hair is rolled up around the hot rollers.
4. To speed up the curling process and to also improve the life of your curls, use a blow dryer and blow dry your whole hair for approx. 1 minute (still with the rollers on).
5. Leave the rollers on for 10-15 minutes or until they have cooled down.
6. Remove the rollers gently and let your hair fall into place naturally.
7. To finish off, spritz your hair with hairspray while tousling your hair around.

Ta-da! Gorgeous hair in minutes :)

Hope you enjoy it,