Review: Long Hair, Don't Care.

I & K Clip In Straight Hair (Dark Brown) 22 inch: £72.99 @ Hairtrade* 

Are mirror selfies acceptable for a blog post? I hope so, as I was really lacking a photographer, the quick release plate for my tripod and a nice background to take photographs against today. Plus I cleaned my mirror especially.

Anyway. I go through phases with my hair a lot. Throughout my life I have experimented with different cuts, from the disastrous chin-length bob that had me sobbing for days, to waist-length locks that to be quite honest, I couldn't be bothered dragging a hairbrush through most of the time. I have never really been an extensions kind of girl; in all honesty the thought of wearing something that once belonged on somebody else's head for vanity purposes has never really sat well with me, but since I am going through one of those phases where my own hair isn't growing fast enough for my liking and I envy every single girl I see with huge, voluminous tresses, I thought I would give them a go.

These are the I&K Clip In Straight Hair Extensions from Hairtrade. The pack contains ten super soft clip in pieces of different sizes, allowing you to blend your extensions nicely with the thickness of your natural hair. They are made from 100% human hair, meaning that they can be cut, coloured and styled. As the layers in my hair are cut quite thick, I found that my extensions didn't blend very well when straight, but after curling them and teasing them in to my hair a little bit, I was left with hair fit for a Herbal Essences advert (and also a reminder of how much of a pain in the backside it is to style long hair).

Admittedly, upon trying out these hair extensions I have come to realise that they are just not for me, although I did have fun flicking my new long hair around for the above pictures. The hassle of clipping them in and trying to make them blend with my own hair is outweighed by my desire for an extra fifteen minutes in bed in the morning, and I just don't feel like myself with an extra wad of hair attached to my head. Plus I still feel quite uncomfortable with the fact that it was somebody else's hair, but each to their own. So, whilst I patiently wait for my own hair to grow out again, these will be put away and saved for very special occasions. However, if you are a regular user of hair extensions, I definitely recommend checking out Hairtrade, as they stock extensions in lots of colours, lengths and styles and they are of fabulous quality for the price!

Are you lusting over long locks?

Frances x

DISCLOSURE: PR sample. All opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own.

Review: GHD IV Hair Straighteners.

GHD Periwinkle IV Styler: £110*

Since the age of around thirteen when I got my first pair of hair straighteners, I have trialled a fair few brands including Remington, Philips and Vidal Sassoon, but I had never taken the dive in to the highly raved about world of GHD. Admittedly, it's the rather hefty price tag that has scared me off for all these years- My Remington straighteners were half the price of a pair of GHDs and they still did their job well. However, I finally decided it was about time I bit the bullet when I fell in love with the new limited edition pastel collection that GHD have recently brought out. After facing the tough decision between lavender, jade and periwinkle blue, I finally settled on the blue pair, and my, how beautiful they are.

Now, I don't know what it is about GHDs that makes them so special, but these have quickly become my favourites. Maybe I'm just judging by appearance because of my current obsession with everything pastel, as I don't feel that they straighten my hair any better or worse than my other hair straighteners- but just look at them, they're so sleek and super comfortable and lightweight to hold as well. Hitting a maximum temperature of 200 degrees and sporting a round barrel for creating curls and flicks, these are definitely good contender for anybody looking for a new pair of straighteners. Oh, and they feature a 2.7m long power cable and swivel cord, two things that you don't appreciate until you know what it's like to have to bend over backwards to straighten you hair as your plug socket isn't close enough to your mirror.

If you are on the market for a new pair of hair straighteners, you can find GHD straighteners here at Argos, amongst other brands if GHDs still aren't your thing.

What is your favourite brand of hair straightener?
Frances x

*In collaboration with Argos.

Review: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Range.

After seeing a few John Frieda Frizz-Ease products floating around on various blogs, I have been interested in trying them out as my hair is prone to frizz, even more so now that has been ombred and dried out. I had always put off buying it however, as I just tend to use whatever shampoo is sat round the side of the bath, but I thought I would take the chance when I was offered to try them out.

L-R: John Frieda Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Shampoo* & Conditioner*, John Frieda Frizz Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme*

I don't think there is anything particularly special about the packaging of John Frieda products, but then again I never do.  I do think that the simple, sleek packaging makes it look like a professional salon quality brand, however.

Smooth Start Hydrating Shampoo*

What it says: Formula with Frizz-Mending Complex and olive oil replenishes moisture and restores hair's natural frizz defences.

John Frieda products have a trademark fragrance which I am not going to try to explain as I am rubbish at describing scents, but if you have tried any John Frieda product you will know what I mean. I think it is nice none-the-less; it takes me back to high school, when I used to use the Radiant Red range to maintain my bright red flashes. The product has a typical shampoo consistency and lathers up well. It does it's job of leaving my hair feeling clean and fresh, and I do notice that my hair is a lot less frizzy and easier to tame when I get up in the morning. The scent also lingers for a couple of days, which is always good.

Smooth Start Hydrating Conditioner*

The conditioner has the same trademark John Frieda fragrance, which actually reminds me of the kind of product that they use in salons as it is quite strong and lingers for a while, adding to the professional quality that John Frieda goes for. It has the typical, thicker consistency of a conditioner. As with all conditioners, I tend to leave it on my hair for around 10 minutes before rinsing it off. I find that it makes my hair feel a lot more hydrated and easier to untangle, and again, my hair looks a lot less frizzy when I style it in the morning.

Straight Fixation Smoothing Creme*

What it says: Smooths, moisturises and aligns strands for silky-straight styles that last up to 24 hours.

I always find that if I straighten my hair, the humidity in the air means that my hair starts to go wavy again within a couple of hours, so I was interested in seeing if this product would really help it last for 24 hours. This smoothing creme contains a Thermaguard Complex which helps to protect your hair against heat damage. To use, you apply the product to damp hair before blow-drying. I found that it made my hair easier and quicker to style, I didn't have to repeatedly drag my straighteners through my hair to get it straight once it was dry. Unfortunately, I cannot say that my hair stayed straight for 24 hours after using this, however it did last around five or six hours of being out and about which I am quite happy with, so if your hair tends to stay straight for quite a while naturally, this may make it last even longer for you. If I am not wearing my hair straight I also like to just apply a tiny amount of product to the lengths of my hair to smooth it down.

I have really enjoyed trying out these products and I do see myself repurchasing them as I love the smell of them and I am always for a product that helps tame my hair when it is being wild! I definitely recommend trying these if you have very dry hair.

You can purchase John Frieda products in Superdrug and Boots; the shampoo and conditioner are £5.69 each (250ml) and the smoothing creme is £5.89 (100ml), which may seem a little expensive compared to most brands, but I would say it is worth it if you have dry hair as it does the job well and you get a decent amount of product.

Have you tried anything from the John Frieda Frizz-Ease range? What are your favourite John Frieda products?

*DISCLAIMER: PR samples. My opinions are still 100% honest.

Review: E.V.A Unbreakable Hair Repairing Mask.

Before I start the review, I just thought I would apologise for my disappearance over the weekend. I have been feeling very stressed out and lethargic lately, so I thought instead of posting half-hearted blog posts every other day, I would take a few days out to relax and get my blogging cap back on. I am feeling much better today and ready to get back in to action with lots of blog post ideas lined up, so if I don't post every day this week, it's smacked hands for me!

Anyway...

Prior to having my hair dip dyed, I went about trying to find a way to get my hair in as good condition as I could. It wasn't too damaged anyway since I hardly heat style my hair any more, however my ends were a little bit frazzled due to straightening my hair religiously a year or so ago.

I spotted the E.V.A Unbreakable Hair Repairing Mask in TK Maxx at a discounted price of £12.99 instead of £25.99. Normally I wouldn't even spend £12.99 on a hair mask, but the tub was a generous size and I had been interested in trying out a product that contains Argan oil, so I thought I would give it a go.

The mask contains Keravis Protein which is derived from vegetable oil, and repairs the elasticity and strength of your hair. It also contains Argan oil which is already a wonder product in the blogging world, and leaves your hair feeling smooth and moisturised. What is even better, is that the product is free of parabens and sulfates, making it safe to use even on colour-treated hair.

The product comes in a thick, creamy consistency, similar to that of a typical conditioner. The directions on the packaging say that this can be used either as a weekly treatment or an every day conditioner. As it is quite a pricey product with rich ingredients, I prefer to use this twice a week after shampooing my hair. My favourite thing about this product is the smell; it is absolutely divine! I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it is sweet and reminds me a little of cocoa/ shea butter.

To use the product, I just smooth a generous amount through the lengths of my hair after shampooing and then wrap my hair in a warm towel. The directions say to leave it on for 2-5 minutes but I like to keep it on for around 10 minutes whilst I am relaxing in the bath.

Once I rinse the product off, I can feel the results right away. My hair feels so much softer and easy to manage. My usually dry and frizzy hair looks and feels more moisturised and any split ends don't look half as bad. The gorgeous smell sticks around for a couple of days, too. Thumbs up for this product.

If you are in the UK, you might be able to pick this up at your local TK Maxx for £12.99 for a 500ml tub; I have seen it a couple of times in my nearest TK Maxx recently. I am not sure about everywhere else in the world, although if you are in the US, I believe you may be able to find it at Walgreens, or purchase it online here.

Have you tried this product? What is your favourite hair treatment?

Review: Twisted Sista De-frizz Shampoo and Conditioner

This shampoo and conditioner were included in a lovely goodie bag that Lizzie gave to everybody who was at the BBloggers Afternoon Tea in Sheffield last month. I thought I would just do a little review on them as I have been trying them out for the past few weeks.

When I saw these in the bag I was quite interested in trying them out, as I am constantly at war with my sometimes curly, sometimes wavy, always frizzy hair. I did a little research on Twisted Sista and found that they are a brand that focuses on curly and afro hair, although they have also branched out to cater for straighter hairstyles too.

 Twisted Sista De-frizz Shampoo* and Conditioner*

I'm not overly fussed about the packaging of these products, I feel that it is something that would have appealed to me more when I was 12-13 years old with the bright green colour and the illustrations. You get 200ml in each tube, which is quite a generous amount considering the price of the product.

De-Frizz Shampoo

What it says: Frizz reducing cleansing formula for thirsty hair- delivers TLC right where it's needed.

I'm not sure how I feel about the smell of this shampoo, it has quite a tropical fruity scent, a bit like an artificial banana fragrance, which I have never really been a fan of. It is a bit overpowering for me when I am using it, but I find that the smell is really subtle and actually quite nice when your hair is dry. The product has a typical shampoo consistency and lathers up well. It does it's job as well as any other shampoo and leaves my hair feeling clean. I do find that the day after shampooing my hair (I wash my hair in the evening), my hair isn't as frizzy as usual, but only if I brush my hair before I go to bed and tie it up whilst I sleep; my hair has never agreed with having a hair brush dragged through it.

De-frizz Conditioner

What it says: Detangles, calms, soothes and conditions, leaving hair ready to style- minus the frizz.

The conditioner has the same banana-like smell as the shampoo, which I am not particularly fond of when I'm washing my hair, but as with the shampoo, the fragrance isn't so apparent once my hair is dry. I think this conditioner has quite a thinner consistency compared to other conditioners I have used, but it is still easy enough to spread through the lengths of your hair. I usually leave conditioner in my hair for around 10 minutes to let it do it's job, and this one did quite a nice job of detangling my knot-ridden hair in this time. Again, my hair didn't feel as frizzy as usual the morning after using this.

I don't think I would purchase these once I have used up the tubes that I have, simply because I am not the biggest fan of the smell and the packaging just isn't something that appeals to me. This, however, is just down to personal preference. The product does it's job quite well although I don't think it is anything particularly special.

I am actually not sure where you can buy these in the UK, but I have found them online at Amazon for £4.99 each. I have heard that some Asda, Tesco and Bodycare stores sell them for between £2-3 so if you would like to try these then check out those stores. If you are in the US, I believe that these products are available at Walgreens, Target and Walmart.

Have you heard of Twisted Sista?

*DISCLAIMER: This product was gifted to me free of charge. My opinions are still 100% honest.

Review: Tangle Teezer

 I got a request to do a review on the Tangle Teezer, so here it is! :)

I got this for Christmas, so I have only used it for a couple of days, but I love it already!

Being a naturally wavy haired girl, the hair brushes I previously used were a nightmare on my hair, they would hurt my head so bad and pull so much of my hair out that the brush would be full of hair in about a week. In the end, I actually gave up with hair brushes, and would just drag my fingers through my hair a few times to pull apart any tangles, which was probably just as bad.

I saw so many good reviews on the Tangle Teezer so I really wanted to try it. My dad looked at me like I had gone crazy when I asked him to get me a hair brush for Christmas haha.

If it hasn't caught on already, the Tangle Teezer is a detangling hair brush. It claims to brush out tangles painlessly and effortlessly, without damaging your hair. In all honesty, when you see and feel this hair brush for the first time, it seems more like a torture device, the bristles look and feel so harsh and sharp. But when I brushed it through my hair, it glided so smoothly through it, and it didn't hurt one bit. The Tangle Teezer can be used on wet or dry hair and is designed to be easy to hold in your palm. I was always worried about brushing my hair after washing it as your hair is more vulnerable to breakage when it is wet, but this hair brush is really gentle. I still find some hairs caught in the bristles when I have finished brushing my hair, but there isn't half as much as when I have used other hair brushes; I think it is more due to the natural breakage of my hair, rather than the brush pulling it out.

The Tangle Teezer also claims to make your hair shinier, which I am not too sure about, I don't know how it could. I think it just untangles and smooths you hair to make it look shinier.

I would definitely recommend the Tangle Teezer, especially if you have wavy, tangle-prone hair. You can buy it from their website or Boots for around £10-£13. That may seem a bit steep for a hair brush, it is one of the factors that put me off buying it for a while, but I definitely think it is worth it. It comes in quite a few different colours, such as neon pink, neon orange and black. I chose the glittery purple one as it wasn't too bright but it wasn't plain either. You can also buy a compact size for travelling or a flower pot style which can sit on your vanity and has storage for hair bands/ clips.

Do you have a Tangle Teezer? What do you think of it?
If you have any more post requests, let me know!