Offer: 20% off at Cult Beauty

I'm not normally one for posting about discounts but the fabulous Cult Beauty has 20 per cent off until midnight (GMT) on Tuesday 12 February and the site carries some of my all time favourite brands. It would be rude not to take advantage!

I'll be stocking up on some of my favourite shampoo and conditioner, what is, in my opinion, the best cleansing and moisturising masks out there by a certain spa brand and sampling some of the Rose Otto range from REN. I'm also really tempted to try some of the Perricone MD range - it all looks so amazing!

What's your favourite Cult Beauty buy? Shop their selection here.

Hair: January Empties - James Brown Intensive Moisture Mask and Tara Smith Shine On Review

Returning back to London after the Christmas break is always a little hectic. The bump back to reality is a bit of a shock to the system, and somehow, I managed to exacerbate that upheaval by leaving my shower filled with empty hair products: bad blogger! What we can learn from this event is that a) I'm occasionally lazy b) there were some good products in that shower! 

And here they are - Tara Smith's Shine On shampoo and conditioner and James Brown Intensive Moisture Mask.

First up, James Brown. This conditioner is lovely and rich, beautifully scented, and easily translatable to an everyday conditioner. My hair is naturally dry and quite thick, and so I like something deeply nourishing to follow my daily shampoo: this delivers perfectly on that front. If your hair is less dry, this would be perfect as a weekly treat.

Next up, Tara Smith. I have met Tara a couple of times and think she's a star. Passionate, innovative and utterly driven to deliver on products that meet her high ethical standards, as well as giving us the movie star hair she's renowned for. The range - which comprises four shampoos and conditioners and some wonderful styling products - is entirely vegan and SLS-free. Tara recommended the Shine On duo for me and I happily zipped through the fabulous travel-size bottles in a couple of weeks. It does exactly what it says on the bottle

These products will now absolutely be my go-to for when I'm travelling, rather than fussing over decanting my larger products into dinky bottles. Perfect!

Tara Smith is available at Marks & Spencer (link!), with the range starting at £5 for travel size bottles.

James Brown Intensive Moisture Mask is available from Boots (link!) for £8.16, but is on 2 for £8 at the moment, so grab a bargain!

Haircare: Percy & Reed

How often do you find yourself wanting to change your hair but you just don't have the products to do it? Step forward, Percy & Reed and their mini Trend Kit!

From left to right: Volumising No Oil Oil, Bodifying Cream, Volumising Mousse, Texturising Spray, Dry Shampoo, Finishing Polish

The Texturising Spray and the Volumising Mousse aren't available in the kit, but there is a hairspray, which I used so quickly! All the products are available in full size, so you can buy the biggies if they're not included in the kit. 

The illustrations on the products are fabulous. I want to be her:

 And her on weekends:

Cute marketing ploys aside, how do the products perform? The Volumising No Oil Oil is by far my favourite product in the range. It says it's for fine hair, but it copes pretty well with my thick locks, boosting volume and leaving my hair lovely and glossy. I use this with a ball of the mousse and there is no stickiness at all: just great height.

I love this photo - the packaging really is just beautiful.

What I've loved about these products is that they're so easy to use, and so portable. I've had the Finishing Polish in my bag since day one and whip it out whenever touch-ups are required. The dry shampoo has been used in the same way, but it isn't a challenger for Batiste's crown. The main selling point for me is that this kit is the perfect introduction to salon-performance products, that you may not use on an everyday basis, and all for £20 (see note above: not everything photographed here is in the asos kit). It's perfect for holidays, and perfect for when you just fancy a bit of a change.

Percy & Reed have also produced some brilliant demo videos to help you along in creating your new 'do. Here's the perfect blow dry made easy:

The kit is available here for £20 and you can view the rest of the videos here.

Haircare challenge: Review #4 - Kerastase Elixir Ultime

'The haircare month is still going?' I hear you cry! Yes. We all know how crap I am at regular posting, and given that I set myself a pretty hefty challenge, it's unsurprising that I failed. That said, I'm persevering with the theme with a slight rebrand: no longer will I refer to the 'month', and instead, we'll stick to haircare as a theme. Entirely more realistic, and allows me to pick it up as and when I can keep my eyes open after work. Winner!

Anyway, onto business...

What is it: Another hair oil, and notably, the winner of a Bazaar top 100 beauty products award (amongst many others). Their beauty editor, Newby Hands, is as spot-on with product recommendations as her name is crazy, so if she likes it, I'm there. Yes, it contains silicones, but it's also lauded as a serious smoother, tamer and all-round glosser. I was told by the good people at Trevor Sorbie's Covent Garden salon that 'it has a couple more ingredients than the Shu Uemura oil' (which was out of stock at the time - sad face) so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Price point: Around £29, which is pretty standard for a salon-brand hair oil. This may sound expensive, but given that you need a tiny amount, they last for ages. 

USP: The website says 'Elixir Ultime delivers a powerful cocktail of emollient and anti-oxidant active ingredients for ultimate shine and suppleness while promoting cellular renewal.' So far, and it sounds so good. So, how does it perform?

Would I recommend it: Hmm, I have to confess, I was disappointed. We all know I love the Shu oil which leaves my hair perfectly silky. For me, Elixir Ultime is the kind of silicone-based product that initially gets your hair super glossy, and then after a few weeks' use, you start noticing some dryness. This is in complete contrast to Shu's Nourishing Oil, which moisturises without drying. I got a third of the way through the Elixir Ultime bottle and stopped using it. Any hint that a product is wicking much-needed moisture from my hair is a deal-breaker for me. I have naturally dry, curly hair that definitely needs more love than most hair types. Just because this isn't for me, doesn't mean it won't be for you. That said, if you have dry hair, I'd recommend Moroccan Oil, Macademia Oil, Phyto or Shu Uemura before this one every time. There are plenty of brands to choose from, and as with most things, it's about working out what's right for you.

Would I repurchase: Sadly not. And with two thirds of this left, the prospect of buying Shu again without finishing this makes me feel very wasteful. I keep thinking about putting the Elixir onto ebay as it clearly works for lots of people (the sage Newby included), but I can't help but feel that this has been the nail in the coffin of my once dedicated Kerastase habit. Disappointing!

Haircare: 30 day hair challenge day #3 - Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment

What is it: A 10-30 minute conditioning treatment, this is the third product in the Liz Earle Haircare range.

Price point: £14 for a 150ml tube, this comes in much cheaper than salon competitors. Regular readers already know this is going to be a rave review, so I’d say it’s damn good value.

USP: It’s a hair treatment by Liz Earle. Basically, they had me at ‘hello’.

Would I recommend it: It’s the same old story with me and Liz: I just can’t find a bad word to say about any of their products. You need a relatively small amount, you leave it for a while, you wash it out, and you find that somehow, and without you noticing, someone has neatly grafted Giselle’s hair onto your scalp. Beyond this, the entire Liz Earle line just strikes the perfect pitch – natural, ethical, innovative and then there’s the shopping  experience: fabulous staff, beautiful packaging (don’t get me started on the perfectly wrapped mail order products – it’s like shopping origami) and now with a loyalty scheme, I really wouldn’t mind if I was never allowed to shop anywhere else.

Would I repurchase: Given that I have repurchased every single product I’ve ever bought from Liz Earle, the answer is a very predictable, yet no less emphatic ‘YES!’ 

Review: 30 day hair challenge day #2 - John Frieda Three Day Straight

Ok, this is the second post in my 'month of happy hair' blog challenge. I wonder if I'll make it to 30...?

What is it: Three Day Straight is a spray-in straightening product that’s used when hair is still wet. It works in the same way as Brazilian blow dries, using straightening irons to seal in the treatment, allowing three days of straight hair-wear.

Price point: Cheap. £6.99 for a decent sized bottle. The product also acts as a heat protectant meaning you don’t need to double up on that.

USP: It’s an accessible way of getting sleek hair without the hefty salon price tag for a Brazilian blow dry or the hassle of an at-home treatment.

Would I recommend it: Yes, I’m in love with it! I’ve been contemplating trying to manage without my Brazilian blow dry treatments and after three weeks of use, I’m really impressed with this. I have to confess that I’m not always using straightening irons as I had previously only used them very infrequently in my quest for healthier locks, but the effect has been a natural looking blow dry that I can now style with some curl whilst maintaining sleek hair. It’s not quite Kate Middleton, but it’s the closest I’ll get, and I like it!

My long-ish, thick hair takes around fifteen spritzes of the product, which is combed through clean, towel dried hair. The resulting blow dry is incredibly simple, and if it’s followed with straightening irons, the finishing look is glossy and sleek. I have left it three days without washing and with a bit of a Batiste refresh, the style looks perfect.

Would I repurchase: Absolutely. I’d especially recommend this for those of you with thick, dry hair who are aiming to limit the amount of heat styling to improve your hair’s health. The product is a complete winner.

Review: 30 day hair challenge day #1 - Rahua shampoo, conditioner and finishing treatment

It's haircare month here at The Beauty Hall and I'll be sharing with you some of my favourite new finds and old favourites. I'm also trialling a new review format so let me know what you think!

What is it: Pronounced ‘Ra-wa’, it’s a haircare range based around four products – shampoo, conditioner, finishing treatment and the eye-wateringly expensive Elixir. They’ve recently introduced a volumising line to the range.

Price point: Expensive. The shampoo is £26, conditioner £28, finishing treatment a cool £36 and then a staggering £135 for the Elixir.

USP: The range is entirely organic, and contains Rahua oil used for centuries by the Quecha-Shuar tribe in the Amazon.  The women of the tribe credit the oil as the reason for their thick, lustrous hair and the aim of the range is to improve hair strength to enable growth with less breakage. I’m desperate to get my hair a few inches longer so anything that can help with that sounds good to me!

Would I recommend it: I’ve read mixed reviews of Rahua products, and my first experience wasn’t especially exciting. With such a hefty price tag, one can’t help but expect great things, and I have to say I was disappointed. I used them twice more and then switched back to my old favourite, occasionally spying the Rahua bottles in the cupboard and wondering how something so expensive could be so average. I resolved that it couldn’t be, so I tried again and something good happened: my hair got some serious gloss and the kind of bounce I’ve only seen from a salon blow dry. It was silky, manageable and has looked the best it has done in years. So why the initial poor results?

For me, this is definitely a range I needed to persevere with, and I have been astonished at the results. I was perhaps a little heavy-handed with the applications the first few times, as less is definitely more. I shampoo my thick hair twice as I can never get a decent lather on the first wash, even when my hair is soaked, but need only a minimal amount of product. The conditioner is rich and again, a little goes a long way. The star of the range for me has been the finishing treatment. A little applied to the lengths and ends seals the cuticle and leaves you with a glossy, gleaming mane.

Would I repurchase: Firstly, I feel it’s important to note that I won these products rather than buying them or receiving them from a PR company. I don’t normally disclose that, but given the price point, I wanted to share that I’m not sure I would ever have bought the entire range without some seriously good reviews. I’ve not included the Elixir in this review for the simple fact that I haven’t been using it, but I'll soon be putting it through its paces.

That said, I will definitely buy the finishing treatment, which I’ve been using for around three weeks, compared to two weeks using the shampoo and conditioner. It’s been eight weeks since I last had my hair cut, and normally, I’d have needed to schedule a chop two weeks ago. The finishing treatment and another ‘to be reviewed’ product are the only things different in my routine, and at £36, the large-ish pot seems a sound, long-lasting investment.

I’ve seen a big difference since using the shampoo and conditioner, but the thought of spending £54 on these products seems to me a little excessive. That said, if you’re desperate to grow your hair and find it getting to the point where it looks too damaged and you’re prepared to invest, I’d recommend giving this range a try. I don’t think I’ll use it all the time, but perhaps alternating this with my other favourite range will help me to justify the investment!

What do you think? Is spending this much on haircare madness?

Beauty: Slicker Than Your Average

It would be no exaggeration to say that I'm obsessed with oil products. Obsessed. As I'm currently on a make up purchasing embargo - more on that tomorrow - I'm seeking solace in all things skin and hair care. And when it comes to these glistening amber potions, who am I to refuse?

Since introducing an oil to my facial skincare routine, blemishes have become a thing of the past. Yep, even at *that* time of the month. It seems natural to conclude that skin prone to the occasional breakout is oily, and that adding more oil to the mix would be the last thing needed. I can't tell you how many times I'd see an article on facial oils that I'd read, re-read, read again, only to question a friend on it's efficacy with as many high-pitched 'really? Really?' moments as they'd tolerate. Not many, I can tell you. My long term favourite has been Liz Earle's Superskin Concentrate, but I recently scooped up The Sanctuary's Therapist's Secret Facial Oil during a 3 for 2 assault at Boots. So far, so impressive. I'm in love with the heady herbal scent of the Liz Earle version, but The Sanctuary's offering is a bargain at half the price of the full size LE oil (note: the LE oil in the pic is the travel size which is great for those wanting to try without committing).

Hair oil has become ubiquitous this year, almost to the point that I don't know how we functioned before it. I had long been dedicated to my Sunday hair ritual of coating it in olive oil, wrapping it in cling film and hoping that nobody popped over for an unscheduled visit, but the thought of using an oil pre-heat styling had me terrified that my hair would end up dry and fried rather than sleek and silky. In a not-unexpected revelation, hair oil wins my can't-live-without award as it's totally transformed my tresses. I'm a big fan of Shu Uemura, but when this bottle runs out, I have a few products with my name on them. The bottle second from left on the image above is my most beloved oil - Phytonectar - which was sadly discontinued this year. On learning this, I promptly ran to the local chemist and bought their entire stock, begging them to call their supplier to see if they had more (they didn't: sob). Phyto, if you're reading this, bring it back, please!

As for body, I alternate between Neutrogena Body Oil which is a beautifully rich, unfragranced sesame oil, and The Sanctuary's Massage and Body Oil, which is the usual concoction of potent ginger and spices, so perfect for winter. Both are incredibly reasonable, so there's no excuse for dry skin.

Now, I know what you're thinking: that's a lot of oil (and I haven't even mentioned the Rituals and Jo Malone bath ones!) You might be thinking it's enough to keep me greased up for a lifetime, especially now you know about my Phyto stockpile. Predictably, it's not enough, and I have my eye on some beauties to purchase in the new year:

1. Kerastase Elixir Ultime - Featured in The Bazaar Hot 100 Beauty List and that bottle is just what's missing from my dressing table

2. Moroccan Oil - Everyone who's tried this raves about it. It's this or the Kerastase. Or both...

3. REN Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil and Ultra Moisture Body Oil - It smells utterly divine and will be perfect for balmy holiday evenings

Do you use oil products in your beauty routine, and most importantly, what our your recommendations so I can add them to my shopping list :)

Review: Macadamia Natural Oil haircare

I'm sure none of you are in any doubt about how deep my haircare obsession runs. When you were born with the kind of hair that does what it likes, when it likes, you find that life becomes some sort of Lord of the Rings-style quest for the perfect product. Even when I find something amazing, like a certain hair oil, I still can't help but try other products in the hope that I'll one day be frolicking around in corn fields like the girl from the old Timotei ads...

So, it's with very great excitement that I proclaim Macadamia Natural Oil products the best shampoo, conditioner and treatments I've ever used. Yep, that's better than Pureology, better than Kerastase, better than Rahua (need I go on?). My hair is naturally pretty dry, and this gorgeous, fresh-scented, light yet ultra-nourishing range has left my hair sleek, glossy and with that shampoo-ad swish we all crave. It's not cheap (the shampoo is £15.45 and conditioner £17.99 from Clay & Blossom) but a little of these argan and macadamia oil elixirs go a long way: really worth the investment for those of you whose tresses need a little TLC.

If you're interested in trying Macadamia Natural Oil, The Beauty Hall will have an exclusive discount code for Clay & Blossom's website which will be live at 9am tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Small print: discount will be available to UK readers only and will be live from 9am tomorrow

Lifestyle: The New Year Beauty and Style Honours

If you're anything like me, you're probably contemplating your new year's resolutions whilst surrounded by empty chocolate boxes and a half drunk glass of champagne. It's always so easy to decide these things when you have a good supply of sugar and alcohol on hand! The effort comes when we all go cold turkey on the 1st Jan! Ugh, don't mention turkey...

Anyway, I'm not talking about vowing to lose seven pounds, giving up chocolate forever and going to the gym nine times a week, but instead, those nice, achievable resolutions. The ones that involve nothing more taxing than, say, buying some fabulous new beauty products and letting them do all the hard work for you. So grab another box of chocolates, top up your wine glass, and make some simple resolutions with the help of my top picks from 2010.

If 2011 is your year for clear skin...

...then head over to Liz Earle. The fact that this brand is by far the most reviewed on my blog should give you an indication of just how much I love the range, and the skincare is without doubt best that I've ever used. Whether you have dry, oily or combination skin, Cleanse & Polish takes care all of your makeup removal and skin clearing needs, and the toner keeps everything perfectly balanced. I can't imagine my routine without C&P, and its my number one recommendation.

If 2011 is your year for fabulous hair....

...then hair oil is what you need. Shu Uemura Nourishing Hair Oil and Phyto Nectar are firm favourites, and MoroccanOil gets fantastic write ups, too. If you're on a budget, you can do a lot worse than a weekly treatment with good old olive oil, so there's really no excuse for dry tresses next year!

If 2011 is your year for style...

....then check out The Blonde Salad, Fashion Toast, Style Bubble and Park & Cube. Chiara, Rumi, Susie and Shini are by far the most stylish ladies on the blogging block, and there is always something inspirational on their regularly updated sites. The photography is fantastic, and their stunning styling is the perfect fashion fix for those of us who get a little tired of the same old images in the same old magazines.

If 2011 is your year for getting body beautiful...

...then Tracy Anderson is your girl. Her DVD is both utterly mind-boggling in its lack of explanation yet completely effective when you finally memorise it! Tracy's approach works your accessory muscles to pull everything nice and tight, leaving your muscles long, lean and feminine. Ignore the negative reviews (and subsequently, the burning in your thighs), and embrace her mat workout to get the beach body you've always wanted!

Hope that helps. What are your resolutions?

Image courtesy of solariasun.com

Loves and Loathes: October

I start my new job a week tomorrow and it's made me realise that I really need to get better organised when it comes to writing blog posts. At the moment, I am a freelance consultant, who works from home, which means that it's not difficult for me to spend an hour here and there writing whenever the mood takes me. But next week sees me return to office life full time, so it won't be quite as practical for me to spend a lunch hour photographing my latest beauty buys! For that reason, I'm going to try and get some regular themed posts, like this one: Loves and Loathes.

Loves

Shu Uemura Nourishing Hair Oil - I have never had a product that is more 'in' than this one, and I can honestly say I'd give up every single thing in my hair and beauty product collection to keep hold of this little beauty: it's THAT good. In the 6 weeks I've been using it, my hair has gone from quite dry, occasionally dull and unruly, to shiny, silky gorgeousness. Despite using it 3 times a week, I have used about a tenth of the bottle, making the £32.50 spent on it pretty good value.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Recovery Complex - I have a love/hate relationship with eye creams. I have invested so much money in creams, gels and lotions that have done absolutely nothing to moisturise or brighten my under eye area and was starting to lose faith in ever finding anything that works. Then in steps this little miracle. I managed to get my hands on a month's supply of this product when it came out and it's done everything that I always hope an eye cream will do. Dark circles have been reduced, and my under eye skin looks radiant and plump with health. I will definitely be buying this when my supply runs out.

Lookbook.nu - I could quite easily lose myself in this website. I absolutely love style blogs and this website is almost like a speed style blogging experience! I have found so many fabulous bloggers since coming across this site, so to ensure my reading list doesn't expand to the realms of the ridiculous, I am really restricting the number of times I'm allowed to look at it!!

Loathes

Chipped nail varnish - I ran out of my beloved Barry M 3 in 1 basecoat last week and haven't been able to get my hands on a replacement bottle yet. In the few days since it ran out, I have worn two different nail polishes, both of which have chipped within a day! I quite enjoy painting my nails, but having to touch them up every 24 hours is slightly ridiculous. I'm really lucky to have naturally strong nails that grow to a nice, elegant length, but I so often find myself wishing I had an excuse to get gel nails! The thought of ruining my natural nails really bothers me, so maybe I will look into having my nails Minxed to cut down on my home manicures. Either that or I'll just go and buy the Barry M basecoat!

Sugar - You may have read my post about cutting sugar out of my diet. I've managed to eliminate the vast majority of refined sugar from my diet and, although it's been tough, I'm really happy that I've made the decision to avoid it. Over the past 7 days, I've felt healthier and had more energy which has really boosted my commitment to stay away from it long term, so I hope I the resolve stays! I can't promise that as the night's draw in, I will be able to say no to the occasional hot chocolate, but the long term impacts of a sugary diet will hopefully be enough to help me resist temptation!

Haircare: Shu Uemura Nourishing Hair Oil Review

It started like so many hair love stories. They met in a glossy salon, each having heard a little about the other, and keen to know more, they arranged a date in the bathroom. My hair told all about her past as an experimental teen who made some decisions she's lived to regret, but promised she'd turned over a new leaf and wanted commitment and most of all, love and care. She confessed to her long list of ex lovers, all of whom had eventually disappointed her, worrying that this would turn him off. Instead, Shu Uemura Nourishing Hair Oil enveloped her in his camelia bouquet and told her he wanted to look after her for the rest of her days. She said she wanted to take it slow as she's been deceived by wild promises too often in the past: Shu asked her to trust him, and he'd prove his worth. Three weeks later, Shu has shown that there's nothing quite like him in the world, and my hair has declared herself well and truly off the market.

Ladies, let me tell you: my hair looks good in love.

I'm yet to try Moroccan Oil or Rahua, but if things continue like this, I won't be bothering, as my hair hasn't looked this good in ten years. We all know that hair is dead but this is making my hair softer and softer with every use, and I can't quite believe how great it feels: I can't stop playing with it! The oil can be used as a pre-wash treatment and before styling - with only a single pump required to impart shine, softness and unbeatable gloss to even the most stressed out hair. I have been searching for a product like this for a long time, and have invested more money in the search than I care to admit to. I'd rather given up hope that I'd ever find it, but I suppose, like love, these things come along when you least expect them.

In terms of the product, the oil is incredibly light and although I have thick hair, I can see this working for fine hair as it leaves absolutely zero residue. At £32.50, it isn't cheap, but it is definitely a fantastic investment. As anyone needing to justify a purchase will tell you, the cost of a product is directly linked to its value: if you use something often, love it, and even better, see great results from using it, then that's the kind of thing you want to spend your money on! It's probably not for everyone: if your hair is naturally healthy, it may not make the kind of difference I'm talking about, but if your hair is dry and in need of a treat, I cannot recommend this oil more highly.

Given my recent hair-related virtuous behaviour, I can't say that this oil is the only thing that's different in my routine. I should remind you that I haven't coloured my hair for several months, and that I have completely stopped using straighteners and tongs, restricted blow dries to 3 weeks, use SLS free shampoo and am onto my fourth Brazilian blow dry in a year (they last for 3 months). My hair had been showing steady signs of improvement, but I have seen a significant difference since introducing this oil into my routine. What I'm trying to say is that I don't think there are any miracle products out there, but with good behaviour, this comes pretty close!

Are you using a hair oil at the moment, or is it something you're considering trying?

Haircare: New Products

Last night I had my hair tidied up by Adam at Trevor Sorbie in Covent Garden. It's the first time I've been to the London salon, as I normally head back to their Manchester outpost when I'm visiting my parents. With this swishy new do, I think I'll be staying in London for future cuts! Adam explained that he is a third generation hairdresser (following both his father and grandfather before him) and his technique is so thorough and precise, it's almost hypnotic! The style is amazing and the dryness that had been creeping in has all gone. Ladies and Gentleman, I have a new favourite hairdresser.

So onto my purchase: Shu Uemura Art of Hair Nourishing Protective Oil. I have lusted after this for months but already had far too many products to justify its purchase. Since then, my haircare routine has been edited down to a select few items and I am so excited to see if regular use of this oil will help my hair on it's way to a glossy future!

It cost £32.50 for 150ml, but you only use one pump at a time, so I was advised that this bottle will last a long time. I will of course be enjoying my lovely salon blow dry for a little longer, but I will report back as soon as I use this.

I'll also be writing a more general hair health post soon, as I am astonished that I somehow managed to go 8 weeks before thinking I needed to have my hair trimmed. Ordinarily, I would be cursing my split ends at week 5, so I really think that my haircare routine is having an effect. To read up on my routine, click here, and for my advice on looking after you hair, click here.

Trevor Sorbie London can be found at 27 Floral Street in Covent Garden. For prices and appointments, go to www.trevorsorbie.com.

Haircare: The Road to Hair Happiness

You may remember that I posted my hair commandments last month, and I am pleased to say that sticking to them has started to pay off. I’m blow drying my hair less (I’m permitted a maximum of three a week), and letting it dry naturally where I can. Where this used to end with my hair knotting itself into a helmet of frizzy curls, something miraculous has happened: it now dries soft and reasonably sleek, with a few waves that look pretty and natural, rather than crisp and tortured. It’s also been six weeks since I coloured my hair, and as I’m almost back to my natural shade, roots aren’t too great a problem. It’s probably the longest I’ve gone without colouring my hair in the past ten years. I’m impressed!

In case any of you have been inspired to take up the healthy hair challenge, I thought I’d update you on my Hot Hair product arsenal, and the things that I rely on to keep my tresses tamed.

From left to right: Aussie Take the Heat heat defence spray, HairSublim supplement, Pureology Essential Repair serum, Liz Earle Botanical Shine conditioner for dry and damaged hair, Silica supplement, Liz Earle Botanical Shine shampoo for all hair types

The Liz Earle shampoo and conditioner continue to be a big hit with me. The conditioner is so rich and certainly the best I've ever used (yep, that takes into account pretty much all the high end haircare brands). It comes out on 2nd September, and I for one can see this becoming a permanent feature in my haircare routine.

I’ve talked about both the Aussie and Pureology products before, but the Pureology in particular deserves to be revisited. I wasn’t convinced at its split end ‘repair and prevention’ claims but it’s five weeks since I had my hair cut, but the frazzled ends are mysteriously absent. Of course, the situation is probably helped by the limited heat styling, but if things continue this way, I will definitely repurchase this product. Aussie’s Take the Heat spray is the cheapest product here, but it’s also the one I wouldn’t be without. Nothing protects my hair like this, and I love it so much, I even spray my hair when I’m not heat styling it!

I’m sure that everyone who reads Lollipop26writes will have rushed to their nearest Boots when they read Laura’s posts on HairSublim and Silica. The products provide the essential nutrients required for healthy hair, and I have to say, I really feel as though my hair growth has quickened. It’s only been a month, but I’ll be stocking up on these supplements and hoping for swishy long hair by Christmas!

Image courtesy of HQHair.com

My final hair essential is Kerastase Resistance Forcintense. The pack contains three two-step treatments and is for hair that’s in need of some serious TLC (I’m talking over-processed, dry, damaged and colour treated here). I’ve just run out of my last batch, but it’s something I use at least once a month and for a few weeks after colouring. It’s £21 for three treatments, but if you have very damaged hair, it’s definitely worth the investment, in my opinion.

I’d be really keen to know about your haircare routine, and what products you can’t live without!

Haircare: Liz Earle Botanical Shine Review

Although I'd planned to get lots of work done yesterday evening, after spending the 20 minute train ride back from the Liz Earle haircare preview sniffing the products, I ran home and jumped straight into the shower to test the Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. What can I say? After a comprehensive, informative and engaging explanation of the product evolution and a bit of show and tell with the ingredients (including smelling the delicious essential oils used in the range, which explains my sniffing on the train!), I expected to love these products. And in shock move, I absolutely did. Could it be any other way when the shampoo is described as 'Cleanse & Polish for hair'?

The range consists of one shampoo for all hair types. That's right, one. See, I told you it was the C&P for hair! The only choice you need to make is for the conditioner, and whether you are normal, oily or dry and damaged. After we all selected the dry and damaged conditioner to take home last night, I predict that one will be a best seller!

Everything is SLS and SLES free, so the challenge was to create products that lathered without stripping essential moisture and colour from the hair (most of us associate a good foam as a sign that we're clean, although the ingredients that make a product lather are not what strips the dirt away - weird, non?) The top tip of the evening was to use a 10p sized amount of product, and, if it doesn't foam, more water should be added. In the past, I have always heaped on more product, so my new mantra for this range will be 'less is more' for the shampoo and 'more is more' when it comes to water! Hair should be completely saturated before you apply the shampoo and although you don't get the kind of lather that enables you to shape your hair into a point on top of your head (no, I've not done this for years either, but it was fun when I was small!) it's a nice foam that you can feel is really working. After I rinsed, I had squeaky clean hair - don't you love it when your hair actually squeaks with cleanliness? - and, delighted, I moved onto conditioning.

How to describe the dry and damaged conditioner? Think of your richest, most luxurious face cream, and that's the texture you've got. I was surprised and delighted at how thick it was, especially as it comes in a tube (textures like that always seem to come in pots that promise miracles!) and the scents are heavenly. Liz and Kim worked to create the beautiful fragrances that have base, middle and top notes, so actually feel like a full-on, indulgent fragrance experience (after 12 hours, my hair still smells incredible, and it got 10 points from the boy who described it as 'very sophisticated and understated. It smells expensive'.) The conditioner is rich in West African shea butter, an ingredient that smoothes the cuticle as it hydrates, leaving us frizz-prone girls with silky, manageable locks. I blow dried after I washed, and using only a heat protectant spray and no styling product or straightening balm, I was able to straighten my hair much more easily than normal. As for the other conditioners, the key ingredient in the oily hair conditioner is black cohosh, which provides finely balanced conditioning that addresses an oily scalp while still nourishing the lengths and ends. The normal hair conditioner contains the very pretty sounding meadowfoam oil which conditions without excessive heaviness. We compared the textures of the dry and damaged with the oily hair conditioners and the difference was marked: the latter was much finer and lighter, which is exactly what you'd expect from such a carefully developed ranged. It was interesting to hear that Liz Earle herself has actually managed to go from using the dry and damaged conditioner to using the normal conditioner, suggesting that they have a cumulative conditioning effect on hair, which is something I'm really hoping for!

Now onto what you really want to know: how did it rate? Well, after I washed it out, my hair was squeaky clean and beautifully soft. As covered in earlier posts, I have dry, damaged, coarse, thick hair, and had moments in my teenage years where it looked as though I was wearing a tumbleweed on my head: ah, the glamour. This morning, I have soft, silky hair that is swishy and shining. And the best part? The shampoo and conditioner are £7.50 a bottle. £7.50! I have paid three times this for a shampoo and even more for a conditioner that have delivered similar or poorer results, but were invariably not 100% natural and contained SLS and SLES. Each bottle contains 29 applications, and in a non-consumerist moment, Liz even challenged us to 'see how little product we can use each time: happily!

The range will be released online and in the Cowes (Isle of Wight) and Duke of York (Chelsea) stores on 2nd September and in John Lewis stores on 6th September. There will be a 'know your hair' page on the site that will recommend the best conditioner for your specific needs, completely removing the mystery from your selection. So, where will I be on 2nd September? In the queue outside the Duke of York store, of course!

Finally, thanks to Andrea, Laura, Louise and the entire Liz Earle team for inviting me to this lovely event and introducing me to yet more amazing products!

Are you excited about this launch and planning to invest, or is this the first you've heard of their hair range?

Don't forget to enter our competition here!

Haircare: Pureology Essential Repair

So, I managed to control myself long enough to finish 30 mins on the cross-trainer and a quick bit of pilates before running home, diving in the shower and testing my new Pureology Essential Repair range. In a complete shock situation, I am in love with this range. I loved Hydrate, but this suits my hair so much better. I tested the range's shampoo, conditioner and split end treatment. Here's the lowdown:

1. They smell gorgeous - a gentle coconut that lasts beyond the blow dry
2. It's rich and creamy, and you need a tiny amount of everything (my bottles of Hydrate lasted four months)
3. Have you ever washed your hair and had the blow dry turn out what looks like freshly cut hair? No? Me neither: until today. The plumping effect of the products has levelled the ends, and made it look like I have a lot more hair (and I had a lot to start with). This is a huge, unexpected bonus, and one that's very, very welcome
4. If it's anything like Hydrate, it only gets better with use

So, thank you, good people at Pureology: I love you even more than before!

Haircare: Pureology countdown and commandments update

I am really going crazy on the blogging today (I'm currently waiting for someone to get back to me on a report I've written so downtime is focused on blogging - woo!)

Tonight will see me breaking open the Pureology Essential Repair range, and I am so excited. My boyfriend and I are heading to the gym after work so I am holding off until we get back, although the wait is killing me! I will update you the minute my hair is dry :)

And to show that I'm not just all talk on the hair commandments, I have booked in for a split end-ectomy with the lovely Mai at Trevor Sorbie in Manchester next week. She has an amazing talent for getting rid of all the damage whilst keeping as much length as is possible, so I'm really excited to say what is, I hope, a permanent goodbye to my frazzled ends. I get my hair cut every six weeks without fail, but the damage always seem to reappear. I'll post some photos of my hair soon so we can chart progress!

Haircare: Hair Commandments

Source: style.com

Hi everyone! This is pretty chatty, so make yourselves comfy!

Since the A/W 2010 show reports came out, I have been fixated on one thing - and no, it's not how to get my hands on the entire Celine collection (but tips are welcome, if you have any!) What has had my attention is the hair at the Chloe show, or as I am now christening it: The Chlo-Dry.

This style has everything I want for my hair: movement, waves and gloss, gloss, gloss. You could power all the homes in Britain on the shine from the models luscious locks. Anyway, split ends and frazzled tresses do not equal the Chlo-Dry: they equal the Hell No-Dry!

So, as I am on a quest for hair health, I thought I'd let you in on my current hair commandments, which, amazingly for me, I am actually sticking to! Let's hope I'll have Chloe Hair by the autumn...

1. Thou must rock thy natural colour, or something close to it: After all, Mousy is the new Platinum - After years of wondering, and hours studying teenage pictures of myself (ew) I have taken an educated guess at what my natural colour might be, and thanks to Clairol Perfect 10 in Medium Ash Blonde, I think I am there. Permanent dyes and bleach contain peroxide and many contain ammonia, all harmful chemicals. It’s stuff you wouldn’t put on your skin or in your body, so why put it on your already parched hair? If you have to have a drastic dye job to go back to nature (I'm talking from dark to light here: the other way is much easier to do at home), put it in the hands of the professionals. Otherwise, go for a good home permanent colour and maintain with vegetable dyes where possible (semi—permanents contain the same harsh chemicals as permanent dyes and the colour is generally a bit more of a gamble). I’d say opt for one last hurrah with a permanent and then spend the next 3 months pondering where your roots are. I am loving Perfect 10, so that's a good place to start.

2. Thou shallt layeth down thy straightening irons and curling tongues – Yes, I’m being strict on this one. If you can tolerate running a hot flat iron along one of your fingers without screaming the house down, blistering and possibly losing half your skin, then you probably have suitable hair for straightening, because you must be made of metal. Hair is dead, so once it’s damaged, there’s not really much you can do for it. Having weaned myself off irons, I can say that, although you’ll have a few weeks where you want to throw yourself under the nearest bus, your hair will be grateful and will reward you with increased shine very soon. Trust me on this one. In the meantime, treat it well: a good shampoo and conditioner, heat defence products, frizz control, whatever you need to get through this difficult time.

3. Thou must blow dry only as often as thy hair needs washing – i.e don’t wash your hair every day if you don’t have to, and if you do, have a few days when you dry it naturally. My thick hair can happily manage 3 days sans wash, and although a shower cap isn’t my favourite look, decreasing my weekly blow dries from 6-7 to 2 has paid dividends.

4. Thou shalt deep condition weekly – I am raving about Rituals Shakakai Secret, but any conditioner that works for you will do. Don’t underestimate the power of olive oil, either. Use enough to coat your hair (don’t soak your hair in oil or you will end up needing a bottle of shampoo to get it all out), comb it through and then leave it as long as possible. If you’re not going out, pile your hair up, wrap it in cling film, top with a warm towel turban and watch a boxset. If you can afford to use a lot of product frequently, slap on your deep conditioner for an hour before every wash (avoid this will the oil as it’s too messy).

5. Thou shalt accept and deal with thy damage – There’s a saying in business: you’ve got to speculate to accumulate. Roughly translated, this means that you’ve sometimes got to take a risk or do something out of character to get ahead. You’ve guessed it: I’m talking about your split ends. ‘But Rachel!’ you cry! ‘If length is what I want, why should I cut it off?’ Because, split ends are a party crasher. They’ll stay all night, eat your food, drink your cocktails and probably try to get off with your boyfriend. They are the enemy and they need to GO! So march that ass to the salon and tell them you’re trying to grow your hair, but that you’d like them to ‘cut out the damage’. They’ll take pity and although this may result in a drastic do, it’s a good platform from which to start your new routine. You know I’m right!

6. Thou shalt eat right, and no, Krispy Kreme is not a food group – 2 litres of water a day, plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, blah blah. I know you hear it all the time but feeding your hair from the inside out can’t hurt.

7. Thou shalt consider an investment product or procedure where possible – This ranges from buying a product like John Freida’s Night Repair (£15.99 and brilliant), a bottle of olive oil (a few pounds), Kerastase Resistance Forceintense treatment (£21 for 3 at-home treatments), or if you have the right hair type (read: PROBLEM HAIR!), a permanent blow dry (£150+, depending on length). You absolutely don’t need to spend a fortune to get great hair, but the permanent blow dry has worked miracles for me, and is a big part of the reason I have so easily weaned myself off heat and yet my hair is still straight. A word of caution, though: absolutely DO NOT have any chemical straightening procedures: it will ruin all your hard work and cause more damage than you started with. I know from hideous experience!!
8. Don’t give up!

Have you got any hot hair care tips for those of us striving for length and shine? Any advice on supplements would be very welcome, too!

Beauty: A major haul

The past two days have seen a haul of such epic proportions, it's made my head spin. Meet my new happy hair and skin care products, and a few nail polishes for added gloss!

Back row from left: Bliss Triple Oxygen face mask, Pureology split end treatment, Pureology Essential Repair shampoo and conditioner, Pureology Hydrate Shinemax, Bliss Steep Clean face mask.

Front row from left: Diptyque Olene perfume, Seche Vite topcoat, Essie Tartufo, Essie I Need a Vacation, OPI Florentine Fuschia, Diptyque Vetyverio.

Front of picture: Pureology Volume Boost range.

So far, I haven't tried any of the products but expect reviews over the next few days - I'm so excited! With thanks to the lovely Laura of lollipop26 for the tip off on beautyzone2007's ebay shop for fantastic polishes at amazing prices!

Haircare: Rituals

Crazy angle but check that shine!

As someone with natural dry hair that has been chemically treated and coloured within an inch of its life since the tender age of 15 (scarily some 12 years ago *shudder*), I know my way around haircare products. I have tried every high end salon brand, every high street chemist product and even whipped up a few homemade treats in between, all in pursuit of my nirvana: glossy, healthy hair. Two weeks ago, I bought a product that has turned out to be the best conditioner I have ever used, and it cost £8.90. Considering I regularly drop £30 on good conditioner, this makes me very, very happy indeed.

After Tresemme and Elvive went postal on my hair (Elvive is explained above, and I can't even bear to write about Tresemme yet!), I spent a full weekend with olive oil on my head. Yes, I came home on the Friday, slapped it on, and didn’t wash it off until Sunday night: and no, my boyfriend doesn’t think I look sexy with a greased-up head that was occasionally wrapped in cling film! It gave my hair the usual boost, but I knew there was a long road to recovery ahead. Two days later, I found myself with some time to kill at St Pancras station where I went into Rituals, one of my favourite bath and body product stores. Everything’s natural, but seems much more luxe than your average ‘green tubes and minimal packaging’ brand. 'What the hell?' I thought, and decided to take a punt on their hair care range.

The assistant recommended Shikakai Secret nourishing conditioner, a product so divinely scented that you’re immediately transported to tropical shores (just keep your eyes closed, otherwise you’re just in your bathroom with a nice smell pervading!) I got it home and slapped it on for a couple of hours, then lo and behold: hello, Glossy! Two weeks later, I am still applying this a few hours before I bathe, enjoying the glorious smell and then twisting my silky hair through my fingers for the following days until it’s rewashed. I’ve also used it for just 2 mins in the shower (without the pre-application) and it’s still as good.

As I said, I have used every single high end brand (with the exception of Fekkai so far), and this is by far the most incredible, quick turnaround product I’ve ever used! Buy, buy, buy!!