Quick Review : Macadamia Oil Flawless

 

Macadamia Flawless is a ‘breakthrough’ all-in-one hair product. It’s a cleansing conditioner which claims to totally replace the need for separate shampoos, conditioners, detanglers and serums. I’m a big fan of the whole Macadamia Oil line so I was really excited to try this product. I get mine from Look Fantastic for £20.60 which is currently 20% off. I’ve been using the product for over a month so here’s a quick overview of my opinion :

Pro’s

• Very quick to use, no fussing around with different shampoos, conditioners and treatments, can be in and out of the shower in a flash.
• Smells lovely and remains after drying.
• Leaves my hair feeling lightweight, soft and voluminous.
• Easy to de-tangle hair.
• No nasty ingredients like parabens.
• Easy to use foam-free texture.

Cons

• Hair becomes greasy quickly, needs washing at least every other day.
• Never get that fully clean feeling
• Does not reduce drying time
• Expensive

Overall, I like this product and the way my hair feels on wash day. It can be a strange experience when you first use it as it creates no suds or foam and needs to be left in for a few minutes to work properly, but this is much healthier for your hair. However, my main issue is that my hair becomes greasy quickly and as the kind of person that is used to washing my hair only twice or three times a week, I think this isn’t something I would buy again.  Having said that, if you are a regular hair washer this would be great for you and will definitely save you money in the long run!

Ali x

 

Hibiscus for Hair

D.I.Y hibiscus shine spray & shine boosting mask

Like rosemary, hibiscus is a great natural ingredient to incorporate into your hair regime. The hibiscus flower is mainly used in herbal teas, but not only is the tea healthy and delicious, it can also work wonders on your hair! Although there has been very little scientific research into the beauty benefits of the flower, it has been used by women for centuries, in cultures all over the world. For me, the best thing about using hibiscus on your hair is the fantastic shine it gives, especially to red and brunette hair, and it couldn’t be easier or cheaper to prepare!

Step 1

The first thing you will need to do, is buy some chopped hibiscus. I get mine off ebay here for £4.25 for 200g (This will make 20 bottles of shine spray!!). Make sure your hibiscus is dry and fine cut.

 

Step 2

Measure out 10g of chopped hibiscus. Add this in a saucepan to 500ml of boiling water. Leave to brew on a low heat for about 10 minutes (or up to half an hour if your patient).  The water should turn a lovely deep shade of pink. Also, your kitchen will smell AMAZING!

 

Step 3

Use a sieve to pour the tea into a measuring jug, wait till it is fully cooled and pour into an empty spritz bottle. And Viola! It’s that easy. Use liberally on damp hair before drying and you should see a visible difference in shine. You will have a lot of left over hibiscus in the sieve, but this doesn’t have to go to waste. Here are a few ways you can recycle the left overs :

• To create a shine boosting mask, combine with a table spoon of coconut oil and apply all over wet hair. Wrap hair in a warm towel and leave over night. Wash thoroughly with a light shampoo and conditioner. Warning  this is messy, apply the paste in the shower or over a towel/sink.
• To create a natural moisturising face wash, combine the left over leaves with some olive oil. Don’t be alarmed at how pink this is, it won’t dye your skin.
• Keep the leaves in a ceramic bowl and put on top of a radiator to fill a room with their relaxing fragrance.

Ali x

Homemade Hair Smoothie

Treat your hair to it’s 5-a-day

If anyone has ever browsed the hair care department of Selfridges, you would have found it very difficult to miss the HUGE tubs of banana conditioner from the ‘Tina Cassaday of Beverly Hills’ line. The extra-deep conditioner claims to be formulated with 15% real banana pulp and a fruit complex from apples, sugar cane and citrus fruits. Sounds yummy! But unfortunately I could not afford the £55 luxury price tag, so I decided to research the brand & product to see if I could make my own version. 

 

The women of Beverly Hills appear to be going crazy for Cassaday’s in salon ‘Hair Shakes’ treatment. Much like going to your favourite smoothie or juice bar, Tina will whip up a shake for your hair after analysing it’s condition and level of nourishment required. So if you can’t nip over to Beverly Hills, her most used recipe is :

 

• Half a banana
• Quarter pint of purified water
• Coconut creme conditioner
• Half a tub of plain yogurt
• Slice of cantaloupe
• Eighth of an avocado
• Aloe Vera juice

After a little trial and error, I have come up with my own favourite hair smoothie and here is a simple step by step guide :

What you will need

• Banana
• Strawberries
• Coconut Oil
• Natural Yogurt
• Organic Conditioner
• Cling Film

 

1. Put 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute or until it has fully melted into a liquid.
2. Mix 50ml of natural yogurt into the coco
3. nut oil and whisk with a fork to form a paste.
4. Mash 10 strawberries and one banana into the mixture. ( to make the banana easier to wash out, freeze and defrost before using)
5. Finally add a squirt of your favourite fruity organic conditioner, mine is ‘Organic Surge’ shine booster http://www.organicsurge.com/product/shine-boost-conditioner
6. When you are happy with the consistency of your smoothie, apply liberally to your hair.
7. Wrap hair tightly in cling film and leave for 1-2 hours (any longer and it might start to go off!)
8. Thoroughly wash out, use a comb to remove the banana pulp.
9. Condition with a light, volumising conditioner and add a little coconut oil to the ends when you get out of the shower
10. Voila!! Beautiful, healthy and nourished hair. Aim to do this fortnightly, if your hair is very damaged there are extra ingredients you can add:

Egg- Works as a protein treatment and adds shine.

Honey- Hydrating and lightens blonde hair.

Avocado- High levels of vitamin B and E to strengthen hair.

Hair myths from controversial Kingsley

The truth about hair care according to the Hair Bible.

It is no secret that Philip Kingsley is the most renowned and successful trichologist to date. His products are definitely some of the best on the market, and are highly regarded by professionals. I personally am a loyal consumer of the famous ‘elasticizer’ (designed for Audrey Hepburn) and  ‘shampoo for fine hair’. Wanting to learn a little more about the man himself, his theories and to broaden my knowledge of hair, I purchased ‘The Hair Bible’. Released in 2003, it is a guide to preserving and enhancing the health and appearance of your hair.  Although it is 10 years old, I found everything still relevant to today, and would really recommend it if your researching into your own hair care routine. I snapped mine up from amazon for less than 2 quid!

I found the book very informative, however I was shocked at some of the things he had to say. Particularly the chapter on hair myths, as some of these I had a fundamental belief in, from hours of research online, to reading blogs and listening to friends and family, Kingsley has made me question many of my hair care ideals and practices. So I thought I would share a few of the most controversial ones, and see if you agree with Phil?!

 Cutting your hair makes it stronger/grow faster.

I have never really believed this myth, but I know a lot of people do, even hairdressers! ‘Neither is true, your hair is not like a lawn  or a rose bush where cutting can stimulate fresh growth. Compare your hair to bamboo, a long cane bends and flexes easily, whereas the same cane cut shorter feels hard, inflexible and stronger.’ Totally agree with you on this one Kingsley, although it is still important to get your hair trimmed every couple of months to prevent breakage which will make it weak.

Hair gets used to the same shampoo.

As a hair blogger, I change my shampoo’s so frequently that I could never experience this, however it’s a myth I have heard many times and lots of women believe. Philip Kingsley disagrees,  ‘ This is a myth initiated by shampoo manufacturers to encourage consumers to swap brands. The same shampoo, used on the same hair under the same circumstances, always gives the same result. Shampoo buyers are noted for their disloyalty (guilty) and manufacturers frequently take advantage of consumer dissatisfaction with other competitors.’ So that’s great news if you have found a shampoo that you love, don’t switch it just for the sake of it! Only change a shampoo that works for you if you change your hair e.g you dye it, heat style it more often, perm it, move to/visit a very hot or cold country.

 

Natural products are better.

I like to try and incorporate as many natural and organic products into my routine as possible, I don’t know why, but I feel like you are doing your hair and the planet a favour when you do. In this day and age, it’s not really acceptable to say you would use anything synthetic and chemical ridden over an organic alternative However Kingsley isn’t afraid to speak out on this one. ‘This is another physiological ploy adopted by advertisers. Products labelled ‘botanic’ ‘organic’ or ‘herbal’ also carry the connotation they are natural. We could equally say that deadly nightshade, poison ivy, a bee sting and rabies are ‘natural’, yet the word implies something healthier and better for you. ‘Chemical’ has negative associations, although everything is chemical. Even when natural ingredients are used they have to be extracted, leeched, masticated and mixed with chemicals to preserve them! By the time a natural ingredient has reached a commercial product, it is completely different to its original form.  Natural is just a feel-good factor.’ So it seems unless you are putting raw fruit and veg on your hair, its not worth buying into the natural hair care brands. Not sure if I fully agree with this, but he has a good point.

Dying your hair makes it fall out.

In the past I have had bad experiences bleaching my hair, and it has definitely made it thinner. This could be from it falling out, or it just continuously breaking from the ends. The Hair Bible states ‘There is absolutely no scientific evidence to support this. It may sometimes appear so because colouring often starts when we age, which is the time hair will begin to thin anyway, so we just blame colouring.’ Disagree on this one!

The more frequently you shampoo your hair, the oilier it becomes.

I have heard lots of beauty bloggers talk about how they trained their hair to become less oily by washing it a bit less every week. I am quite a firm believer that the more you wash your hair, the more oils your scalp will produce to compensate what has been removed. Of course, Kingsley disagrees. ‘You might as well say that the more you bathe, the dirtier you get. Clean hair shows grease faster than hair that is already oily, similarly, clean clothes show dirt immediately, however dirty clothes wont. Myth!

In total there are over 20 myths that Philip Kingsley address’s in his book, from brushing your hair a 100 times a night, to using a cold rinse to add shine. All of which he believes to be untrue! But who am I to contradict him, he has over 50 years working in the industry.

For more info on the man himself and his products you can check out his website here.

Let me know what you think of his theories, or if you know of any common hair myths to be untrue!

Ali x

Lush ‘Roots’ Review

”Thine be the glory – Don’t despair, we’ve got a treatment for thin and fine hair.”

 

I must confess that before last weekend I was a bit of a Lush virgin. Except popping in for the odd birthday bath bomb for my mum, I had never gone in with the intention of trying their hair care. I have heard very mixed reviews about their hair products, and so was slightly weary. I actually went in because I had heard good things about their henna bars, as I’m thinking about ‘hennaing’ my hair a more vibrant red, so while I was discussing this with the sales assistant, I noticed ‘roots’ and was instantly intrigued.  If you have read my post on Redkens thickening lotion, then you’ll know I’m quite conscious of my hair getting thinner as it gets longer and am always a sucker for something that promises big voluminous hair.

 

‘Roots’ is a pre-shampoo treatment for fine/thin hair, which claims to revitalize and add body to your locks. It’s also a stimulant as it contains 3 types of mint, which will encourage hair growth, sounds right up my street! The tester pot smelt AMAZING, really fresh with a citrus twist. The sales assistant recommended I dampen my hair, massage the product into my scalp for about 15 minutes, and wash and condition with a gentle shampoo. A clarifying one would strip out all the goodness you’d put in.

 

 

 

 

So in the bath, I did as instructed and really enjoyed the minty tingling sensation on my scalp. It is kind of hard work to massage your own head for 15 minutes, but it’s great  for hair growth so I persevered. When I washed it out my hair felt lovely and soft. I shampoo’d and conditioned the ends of my hair, used my L’oreal kids detangler and applied no other products, I wanted to determine if this treatment alone could add volume.

After blow drying my hair I was slightly disappointed my hair didn’t really look any thicker. However my roots felt super lightweight, and swishy! So although it didn’t add much volume, my hair had more movement and was bouncy. This product definitely revitalized and detoxed my hair, so this might be a great alternative to using a harsh clarifying shampoo every fortnight. In terms of hair growth, its much to early to tell, I think I’ll get about 8-10 uses out of this pot so I’ll report back when it’s used up.

Overall I like this product. It’s nice to add another natural & organic product into my routine. If your looking for miracle volume you will be disappointed and would be better off with a post-wash volumising product, but if you experience product build up in your fine hair then this will be great for you.

Here is a link to the Lush product page for more details and ingredients https://www.lush.co.uk/product/6027/Roots-Scalp-Cream

Bye for now!

Ali x

Rosemary for Hair Growth & Hair Care

How & why I incorporate rosemary into my hair routine.

As much as I love Nisim’s FAST shampoo and Lee Stafford’s hair growth range, you don’t always have to splash the cash in the quest for longer locks. Sometimes a little scavenge through your kitchen will unearth hair care gold!!
Rosemary is a really great natural stimulant, it is often used in aromatherapy and herbal teas to invigorate the mind and body. When applied to the scalp, it does an amazing job of stimulating your hair follicles, increasing blood flow and therefore improving hair growth rate, and for people suffering with hair loss, it can help brand new hair growth. It is also proven to darken the hair over time and will keep greys away. If that wasn’t enough it is also great at tackling dandruff and an itchy scalp and will leave you feeling fresh and flake free.
I love you rosemary!

There are tons of ways you can use this is your hair care routine, but here are four of my favourites…

Rosemary leave in conditioner and rosemary & cider vinegar rinse

Rosemary leave in conditioner is a natural way to detangle your hair and leave it super glossy whilst stimulating your scalp, and it’s so easy and cheap to make.

Take a pack of dried rosemary, I buy mine from Holland & Barrett for about £1.20, and put roughly 200g into a saucepan.

Fill to the top with cold water and bring to the boil, simmer for about 20 minutes until water is a dark red/brown colour, keep stirring.

Let this cool, then use a sieve to pour the water into a jug and get rid of the used rosemary. Once it’s completely cool pour into a water spray bottle (I get mine from poundland) and that’s it!
After you have washed your hair spritz this all over, and comb through.

A rosemary and cider vinegar rinse is a great way to neutralise the ph of your hair as shampoo and conditioner is very alkaline and it can take your a hair a while to rebalance itself out, leaving it vulnerable to damage. The acidity of the vinegar will make your hair extremely shiny and healthy, the smell isn’t great but is masked by the rosemary and olive oil. Here’s how to make it.

In a spray bottle, fill 1/3 with apple cider vinegar. Then fill the rest with the rosemary conditioner from the previous method. Add 4-5 drops of olive oil for extra moisture.

To use, shake really well, remember oil and vinegar don’t mix! After conditioning whilst hair is still wet, spray evenly and leave for a minute. Then rinse fully. You should feel the results immediately and your hair will feel like silk!

Rosemary and coconut hair mask

If you have read my blog before, you’ll know I’m a bit obsessed with using coconut oil in my hair. Well this post is no exception! An overnight mask will deliver maximum results, the rosemary to grow your hair and the coconut to repair any damage. Again this is super easy to make.

You will need some pure rosemary essential oil, again I get mine from Holland & Barrett for about £8 but you can get it cheaper on ebay

Then all I do is pour about 6-7 drops into my virgin coconut oil tub, use my hairdryer to melt the coconut and massage the mixture into my scalp and tips. I will then wrap it in a warm towel over night and wash out in the morning. Simple!

Rosemary tea

Beauty starts from within I am always told, so this is a really easy way to boost your hair from the inside out.
That first method of boiling the rosemary to make a conditioner, well that’s also known as rosemary tea and you can drink it! It’s not the nicest flavour tea, but I promise it will work wonders for your hair!

Let me know if you have any other techniques for using rosemary!!
Alice xx

My Sulphate-Free Saviour

MOP C-System Hair Care

No-sulphate shampoo = Very happy hair. If your growing your hair, or just looking to make it healthy, you need to use a gentle shampoo. Most contain sulphate’s as they easily break down grease on hair, to clean it thoroughly. However, they also strip the natural oils from your hair, and can be extremely harsh on already damaged ends. Sulphate’s do not cause any health problems, but your locks will be much better off if you avoid them.

I was on the hunt for a really great, natural shampoo. The downside to sulphate-free products is they don’t really lather and clean the hair as well as a normal shampoo, as I normally wash my hair just 3 times a week, I needed to something that really worked, because I didn’t want to damage my hair by overwashing. So a few hours of intensive hair-care research later and Voila!! This range of products really stood out to me, and like the hair junkie I am, went straight to the checkout, and I haven’t looked back.

I love Mop C-system so much! This makes my hair super soft, shiny, and really clean, just like a regular shampoo. It’s packed full of real fruit extracts and it has a lovely fresh citrus smell. I use the hydrating version, this is targeted towards coloured hair as it’s extra gentle and wont strip any colour. I don’t have dyed hair but I would always pick a moisturising shampoo over a normal one. So if your looking for a great alternative to your regular shampoo, give this a try. It is on the pricy side, at about £13, but mine have lasted me well over 2 months of regular washing and I reckon they still have a few weeks left in them. I buy mine from John Lewis, but you can get the entire Mop range off amazon or ebay. So say goodbye to sulphates, I promise you wont miss them!

If you have read my last post/watched the video, I am currently using Nisim FAST shampoo and conditioner (which is sulphate free) in conjunction with mop c-system for extra moisturisation. So far I am having good results and will do my 2 week update next monday.

Ali x