Beauty Peak Hair

(Gifted Item) Not long after I had my son, I noticed that I was losing a lot more hair than usual. By the time he was six months old, I was practically leaving a trail of hair everywhere I went. Our drains were getting clogged, I was waking up with a lot of hair on my pillow (that was no longer attached to my head) and I developed bald patches over my temples. I know that post partum hair loss is completely normal but that doesn't make it fun. It also doesn't mean you can't try a few things to support hair growth and try to have your hair looking like it's old self again. This is where Beauty Peak Hair comes in.

Founded by Pharmacist Amr Mosa and Emilia Lipinska (an Occupational Therapist with Nutrition qualifications), Beauty Peak capsules are designed to improve hair growth and quality and, while beneficial for everyone, are perfect for women experiencing post partum hair loss. In fact, they were created because Emilia experienced excessive hair loss post-pregnancy, so with her husband Amr, set out to create their own nutritional food supplement to help with the shedding and thinning.

Each capsule contains 26 active ingredients to support the hair and you simply take 2 a day (with food) and that's it.
While the capsule is vegetarian, the product itself is not, as it does contain fish collagen.

Biotin is a vitamin well known for contributing to healthy hair, skin and nails, so it features in the capsules too, along with Selenium and Zinc which also aid in maintaining healthy hair. 

MSM, Hyaluronic Acid, Co Enzyme Q10, Grape Seed Extract and Amino Acids are also in the mix to support growth and hair health, while the addition of Copper contributes to normal hair pigmentation.

It's worth mentioning that Beauty Peak capsules contain Vitamin A, so if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it's advised that you consult your GP before taking them.

So, you should take two capsules every day, for a minimum of three months to see results but Beauty Peak recommend to take the two capsules for six months, then take one a day for a few months thereafter. They suggest that if the hair shedding continues, you should visit your GP to see if there is an underlying issue causing the shedding.

My son recently turned 3 and my bald patches cleared up, for the most part, about a year ago now. So I've mainly been trying the capsules to improve the general health and look of my hair and slow down the rate that my hair sheds. That said, I have noticed some new 'tufts' growing just below my temples, which could well be down to the supplements! I have had a two month supply of Beauty Peak so don't have the full program, but I would say my hair condition overall has improved and there has been less shedding. I'm growing out a pixie cut at the moment and I've got a short bob/lockdown mullet thing going on right now, so wish I'd tried these when my hair was long when the slow down in hair shedding would probably be more obvious. On top of the hair-supporting ingredients, the capsules also contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Folic Acid, so they're a bit like a multivitamin with extra beauty super powers! 

Beauty Peak already has rave reviews - you can find these on their website- and it seems to have a lot of fans among mum's with young babies and anyone wanting to help out their hair a little. You can read more about the brand and the product at Vitopia.
A one month supply of the capsules is £19.99 or £17.99 per month if you subscribe. There are also bundles available.

Weleda Week: Weleda Oat Replenishing Shampoo

I think it's important that I begin this review by saying that the Weleda Oat Shampoo smells really good. I know that fragrance is a very subjective thing and this particular one is tricky to describe but I just feel like most people will enjoy the way this smells. Also, as if you would expect an oat shampoo ( or an oat anything, let's be real) to smell fantastic! Oats are just bland, beige little fibrous things some of us like to eat for breakfast aren't they? Apparently not, if this shampoo is anything to go by.

As it turns out, the humble oat is actually really good for your hair. This is because oats absorb silica in liquid form from the soil that the crops grow from, and silica is an important mineral that promotes healthy, shiny hair.

Phosphorus and Iron are also found in oats and are beneficial to the hair as, along with the silica, they smooth the hair cuticle, therefore reducing hair breakage and split ends.
Who knew?

The shampoo has a Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate base, which is essentially an alternative to SLS made from vegetable oils and Disodium Coco Glucoside Citrate which is a Sugar Surfactant ideal for people with sensitive skin and scalps.
Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids ( a salt made from the fatty acid Lauric Acid and amino acids from oat proteins) is 4th on the inci list. I mention it's position on the inci as the higher an ingredient is on the list, the higher the percentage (hopefully that makes sense) and it's great to see a product marketed as an oat shampoo actually have oat as a vital component. You know when you see shampoos or body products with things like 'with lemon extracts' or worse, just called 'lemon shampoo' or 'lemon body lotion' (no idea why I'm using lemons as an analogy here) and then you look at the ingredients and lemon is listed right at the bottom, as if the bottle was once just in the same room as a lemon and that's it and you feel a tiny bit ripped off? There's none of that here. This is an oat shampoo and oats play a major role!

Using this shampoo is a slightly different experience to washing your hair with a typical SLS based shampoo (I don't have a problem with SLS as a side note) and the first time I used it my hair felt a little too clarified if you know what I mean. While it was still wet it felt quite stripped but bare in mind that I rarely actually use a conditioner after I shampoo (I prefer leave in conditioners) so that could have been a factor. Once it was dry, my hair went oily quite quickly and it didn't look or feel excellent by the next day. Not one to write off a product after one use, I persevered and washed with it again and things started looking up. Now I've used the shampoo four times and I'm really pleased; my hair is shiny and healthy looking with natural volume and it smells magnificent too.

Maybe the first wash was a bit weird because the formula was getting rid of some kind of build up left behind from my previous shampoo? Maybe I didn't rinse it out properly the first time round? Who knows. Either way, I think it's a lovely shampoo that's worth a shot whether you exclusively use natural products or not.
Weleda Oat Replenishing Shampoo is £11.95 for 190ml at Feel Unique.

Rediscovering Palmer's Cocoa Butter

[AD/Gifted] Somehow, Easter is just a few days away and for many of us that means a vast amount of chocolate is about to be consumed. If you're a regular reader of this blog you'll probably already know that I don't just have a sweet tooth - I'm a huge lover of gourmand beauty products too. Sometimes it's good to revisit an original and Palmer's Cocoa Butter is pretty much the OG of sweetly scented beauty products.

I think the last time I regularly used something by Palmer's was when I was pregnant; I had the stretch mark lotion which I applied at least once a day (true story) from the start of the 2nd trimester right through to delivery day. I couldn't honestly say if it was down to my religious use of the lotion or not but I ended up with precisely zero visible stretch marks on my belly (boobs are a slightly different story I might add). Either way, the ritual of massaging the lotion onto my growing belly every day was therapeutic and it kept my skin suitably moisturised and supple.

I'm currently rediscovering a few items from Palmer's and experiencing a few for the first time, so let's get stuck in and have a look at a few bits that are satisfying my sweet tooth this Easter.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Body Lotion

Perhaps the most well known and widely used Palmer's product, the body lotion is loved for its fast absorption and smoothing, moisturising formula. The rich lotion is packed with cocoa butter, an effective natural moisturiser ideal for relieving dry, rough skin and Vitamin E, an antioxidant which aids in improving the overall tone of the skin and can help to improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars. Best of all, the lotion leaves skin smelling sweet and chocolatey. Perfect for adding glow to sun-kissed skin. If you're not so keen on smelling like a dessert, there is also a fragrance free version available.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Original Solid Formula Jar

This solid formula is more concentrated and intense than the lotion and melts on contact with the skin. Ideal for really dry bits (knees, elbows, ankles and heels) or an intense overnight treatment, the solid formula has cocoa butter as the first ingredient on the inci list (meaning it's the main ingredient in the product) and is also brilliant for adding a nice sheen to (faux) tanned skin.I hadn't tried the solid formula before now but I can say that the jar will last a very, very long time as this formula is mega rich.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze Body Lotion

I don't need to tell you that the safest tan is a fake one, and the Natural Bronze gradual tanner is a good option if you want a faux glow with the added benefits of cocoa butter. The formula uses DHA to deliver the fake glow and contains added Vitamin E. I used the gradual tanner years ago, so the formula may have changed, but I remember being a bit put off by the lack of guide colour. I loved the bronze shade that resulted but I would recommend to blend, blend, then blend some more when applying this so you end up with an even glow and not patchy bits. I'm looking forward to revisiting this in the coming months when the coats are put away and the legs come out.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Original Ultra Moisturising Lip Balm with SPF 15

Lip balms with added sun protection are always a good idea so I was really pleased to receive this. The formula is a solid, twist up stick form that melts on contact with lips and leaves a nice sheen and subtle chocolate scent. On the lips it feels very, very moisturising and is ideal to treat and protect chapped, wind-burned, cracked and uncomfortable lips. I imagine this balm would be perfect to prime the lips before applying lipstick and is perfectly unisex too as it doesn't make things too shiny (only talking to dudes who deliberately shy away from a shiny lip look by the way).

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream

The first word I took notice of on this tube was 'Hands' so I've been using it as a nightly hand cream by default. It wasn't actually until I started writing this post that I noticed it's not actually a dedicated hand cream, but rather a multi-purpose cream that fits somewhere between the body lotion and solid formula in terms of texture and viscosity. Like the aforementioned, the cream can be used anywhere that needs it but I can vouch that it's excellent as a night time hand cream, though it does absorb quickly enough for day time use too. The compact handbag sized tube makes it a perfect option for travelling/ stashing in your desk drawer.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisture Rich Shampoo

I'd seen Palmer's hair products on the shelves but it never occurred to me to actually try them before because I assumed that they would be too heavy for my hair. However, I tried the Moisture Rich Shampoo and Restoring Conditioner (more on that below) together the other night and am pleased to report that my hair was left feeling clean, light and smelling beautiful.
The cocoa butter shampoo features Mongongo Oil (derived from the nuts of the Mongongo tree) which is naturally high in polyunsaturated fatty acids which form a protective layer on the hair shaft and help to prevent moisture loss. The shampoo also contains Peppermint Oil which soothes the scalp and adds a refreshing tingle, making the shampoo perfect for the warmer months when that tingly, refreshing feeling is particularly welcome. The peppermint oil combined with the cocoa butter gives the shampoo a chocolate mint fragrance, so if you fancy having hair that smells a bit like an After Eight, this is the shampoo for you.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Restoring Conditioner

Featuring the same chocolate mint scent as the shampoo, the Restoring Conditioner is designed to moisturise, soften and detangle the hair. For fine hair, it's recommended the conditioner is used primarily on the ends and for more coarse hair, you can take it to the scalp and really smother it on. I did the latter as my hair is quite thick and left it on for a few mins (it's recommended you leave it be for up to 6 minutes) before rinsing. The conditioner rinsed away easily and once dried, it didn't feel weighed down or oily - just healthy, shiny and light. Just like the shampoo, the peppermint oil in the conditioned makes it a refreshing, tingly option ideal for warmer weather.

*Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturizing Hair Oil

A great complementary product for the shampoo and conditioner, the hair oil is designed to instantly add moisture to the hair and scalp. Formulated with cocoa butter, mongogo and peppermint oils, the hair oil comes in a spray on form, which I personally love because it means you don't have to get the product on your hands if you're in a hurry/ about to do your skincare. The hair oil is lightweight yet very moisturising, so perfect if you want to add a bit of shine or smooth any frizz. It can also be spayed directly onto the scalp to relive itchiness and tightness. To finish, it smells like mint chocolates too!

Palmer's is such an iconic and well loved brand so I'm really pleased to be rediscovering some of their products. The general chocolatey-ness of the hair and body products is so perfect for this time of the year when chocolate is on my mind (more than ever) and my skin needs a little extra TLC after winter. Is there a brand you're revisiting at the moment? Will you be indulging in Palmer's Cocoa Butter this Easter or do you prefer chocolate treats of the edible kind? Let me know in the comments.
You can find Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula at loads of retailers but it's always worth checking Boots for special offers.
Read more about Palmer's products on their website.

*Gifted Items/ Affiliate Links

Hairburst Mulberry Silk Pillowcase - do silk pillowcases really work?

I have always neglected my hair. By that I mean I rarely actually make an effort to do anything with it and it's perpetually either scraped off my face in a half-bun-half-ponytail situation or it's flowing free in all it's un-brushed glory. Now that I have a fringe I sort of look a bit like I've made some kind of effort (isn't it weird how a fringe makes you look marginally sort of 'styled' and 'put together'?)but still, I'm slightly embarrassed to admit my hair is lucky if I even brush it these days. Because of my apparent  reluctance to spend any time doing anything to my hair, I like products that require the least amount of time and effort. Leave in conditioners? Love them. Fast-drying hair turbans? Yes please. Silk Pillowcases? You betcha bottom dollar.
In case you didn't know, silk pillowcases do wonders for your hair (and are pretty good for your skin too) and this one from Hairburst is no exception. 

The Hairburst Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is probably the most luxurious addition to my bedroom at the moment. Made from pure silk, the pillowcase is obviously really smooth (and silky for lack of a better word) and therefore the bed head look I've been rocking since forever has significantly toned down.
The smooth surface of the pillowcase can aid in reducing friction, which can cause damage to the hair and therefore create split ends and exacerbate hair fall.
Reduced friction can also help your blow-dries and heat styled looks looking better for longer. There are really no cons to having a silk pillowcase that I can think of!  Unless you're staunchly vegan because, you know, silk is made by worms.

Something I've particularly noticed since slipping the pillowcase over my favourite pillow (we all have one) is that my hair fall has significantly reduced. I had pretty dire post-partum hair loss which has only really eased up in the past few months and I've noticed that there are not nearly as many hairs on my pillow in the morning since I've had the silk case. True story. It makes sense that the hair fall would decrease during the night because of the lack of friction -hair sort of glides over the silk- so if you're currently experiencing postpartum hair fall or hair loss of any kind I'd really recommend one of these pillowcases. Of course it won't stop your hair falling out, it'll just make mornings a little more pleasant as you probably won't wake up with yourself/partner/baby covered in strands.
It's worth mentioning that a lot of people invest in silk pillowcases for skincare reasons too. Silk doesn't absorb moisture like cotton does so your nightly skincare routine stays on your face rather than ending up soaked into your pillow case. Pretty cool, yes?
It's also been claimed that silk pillowcases can help to reduce wrinkles and sleep creases due to their smooth surfaces. I guess every little helps if you're concerned that your current pillowcase is ageing you!

While I don't think I can give a fair comment on the skincare claims (though I do think there is something to those), I do think it's made a definite difference to the feel and condition of my hair.
The Hairburst Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is £34.99 and is available at Hairburst.

Design.ME Hair Puff.ME

The haircare market is pretty saturated with styling sprays and texturising powders and potions, but this one is a little different. Puff.ME is billed as the first ever volumising powder in a pump, which might sound a bit odd but is actually pretty innovative! Packaged in a pretty hot pink bottle, Puff.ME creates instant volume, texture and general oomph with just one pump. I realise what I just wrote probably reads like a strap-line but it's absolutely true. 

When the bottle arrived the other day, I neglected to read the label properly, so without knowing what it actually was, I gave it a shake and then promptly sprayed two pumps into the front of my hair. Not my smartest move but I wasn't to know that this stuff packs some serious punch. I actually had to wash my hair pretty soon afterwards because I was literally walking around with the front of my hair in some kind of textured bouffant thing! I've tried my fair share of volumising and texturising products in recent years but I'm pretty confident that Puff.ME could just be a new front runner.

Designed for use on dry hair, I would liken it to an industrial strength hair powder- just in much more convenient packaging -and rather than shaking it on your head until the desired amount of powder falls on your roots, you just pump it on much like you would with, say, a seasalt spray. For volume, part your hair where you want to add oomph, hold the bottle 2 to 4 inches away and spray the pump at the roots. I'd definitely start with just one pump and add more if you feel you need because as mentioned, this stuff is potent! If you prefer, you can just spray some into the palm of your hands and work it in that way. For creating texture, just spray where needed and get styling. If my hair was long I would totally use this to add interest to braided styles and pony tails, but as I've currently got a 'lob' going on, I'll use it to add volume and messiness.

Even though the powder itself is white, I didn't notice any visible residue, though I would imagine this would be inevitable if you used a lot at once. It's also worth mentioning that it is fragrance-free (literally smells of nothing) so won't clash with your perfume. I personally quite like my hair products to smell nice but making it fragrance free makes it more universally appealing. Puff.ME is for normal to thick hair and there is a 'light' version of Puff.ME designed for fine/medium hair. It retails for £9.95 and as well as the aforementioned Puff.ME Light, the brand also has a blow-dry spray (PowerDRY.ME) and an amazing-sounding treatment (Fab.ME). The collection is cruelty free, sulphate free, paraben free and vegan. You can find Puff.ME at Sally's Beauty or Design.ME where it ships from the US.

3 Struggles of Having a Fringe (and how to deal)

So you've taken the plunge and allowed a hairdresser to get scissor-happy across your forehead. Your fringe sits perfectly and frames your features just right. Then a day or so later you WASH YOUR HAIR and think that maybe going for the chop wasn't such a fabulous idea after all...

I've had a fringe on and off since the age of 7. Full and thick, short and blunt, to the side, cut by my mum and lopsided, choppy and textured- you name the fringe, I've had it. With all this experience of fringe-bearing I know all about the very real struggles that come with a slab of hair hanging over your forehead. 

The Cowlick

I have a cowlick on the right hand side of my fringe and the struggle is real. Letting my hair air dry results in a lovely straight fringe three quarters of the way across my forehead then BAM a random chunk of fringe that curves off to the side in a sort of 90's boyband floppy-curtain-hair way. If I am just air-drying my hair (which 99% of the time is my hair drying method...) I just use kirby grips/ bobby pins to sort of train the cowlick bit to lay more flat. I have naturally straight hair so more often than not, just pinning the fringe across to one side with a couple of grips for a few hours or while I do my makeup makes it look a bit less wayward. After years of having various fringes I have come to appreciate that hair grips are almost essential when you have a fringe.

The Grease Factor


Greasy hair is just not nice is it? But a greasy fringe? Heinous! Fringes oil up quickly because they are pretty much in constant contact with one's forehead, and there's not a whole lot you can do to avoid the inevitable - you can delay it though with this nifty trick. Powder your forehead. That's right, once you've finished doing your make up, sweep some translucent and mattifying powder across your forehead to keep excess oil at bay and away from your fringe. Any sort of powder will do but from my experience, those designed for oily skin work best. If your fringe still gets greasy quickly and you're not into washing your hair everyday, keep in mind that there's no law against tying or pinning your hair back and just washing your fringe when you feel it needs it. Also, dry shampoo used sparingly will sort you out if you don't have the time or inclination to wash your bangs.

Growing Pains


There's no denying that growing out a fringe is generally pretty awkward and tedious. They seem to grow so quickly too don't they! Growing out a fringe is another scenario where hair grips are your best friend - sometimes there is no other option than to pin it back and hope for the best. In the past, I've braided a growing-out fringe with the rest of my hair to keep it out of my face (hairspray helps in this situation to stop the shorter bits of hair popping out) and also rolled/ twisted the fringe back before pinning. Once the fringe is getting a bit of length to it, start 'training' it over to one side by brushing it to an angle (like a long side fringe) and adding a bit of product to keep it in place. If the growing out phase is just too annoying, head back to your hairdresser for a fringe trim and tidy up - most will do it for free or for around £5 - £10.

While fringes can be annoying to maintain and often add more time to your morning routine, the extra effort is totally worth it. I love that I just look a bit more polished when I'm sporting a fringe even when I'm wearing ludicrously odd socks and have baby drool down my front.

OUAI Hair Oil Review

OUAI is one of those brands that burst onto the beauty scene and had everyone paying attention from day one. There's just something so delicious about luxury and high end haircare and I'm a total sucker for beautifully scented and effective hair products so OUAI is right up my street. Created by celeb hairstylist Jen Atkin (the woman responsible for a lot of the Kardashian's much-coveted 'dos), OUAI products are designed to nourish and care for the hair and showcase its natural beauty. The collection includes sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, styling sprays, treatment masques, that dry shampoo foam that I am far too curious to resist trying and a hair oil, which I have to show you today.

For the past few years, hair oils, creams and leave-in-lotions have been my thing. There was a time when I used them almost obsessively to keep my lengths and ends healthy and hydrated and I do believe that a touch of oiling makes a considerable difference to my medium/thick hair and stops it frizzing out. 

The hair oil is, incidentally, made up of quite a few different oils including African Galanga, Ama and Asian Borage, all of which I'd never actually heard of before and all of which are said to protect and nourish the hair. Some more familiar oils found in the rather extensive ingredients list include Argan, Jojoba, Sweet Almond, Rice Bran and Soybean. The OUAI hair oil features the brand's signature scent- a beautiful floral fragrance that lingers brilliantly.

OUAI Hair Oil Ingredients:

 Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Isododecane, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Dimethiconol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Jojoba Esters, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Kaempferia Galanga Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Parfum (Fragrance), Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Polysilicone-15, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Beta-Carotene, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Benzoate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Methyl 2-Octynoate, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol

The OUAI Hair Oil is a do-it-all multitasking product and there's no real rule book on how to use it but personally I have been dispensing one or two pumps into my palms, rubbing my hands together and lightly smoothing over dry hair. This keeps fluffy, frizzy, wispy bits of hair in check and makes my head smell generally beautiful (which is probably secretly the real reason why I like the product so much).

Other suggested uses include working a few pumps through towel dried hair and leaving to dry naturally- I'm feeling inspired to try that next- and using the oil as an overnight mask and rinsing in the morning. Yep, I'll try that too. 

You can find OUAI Hair Oil for £24 as well as other OUAI products at Panache Cosmetics. * Receive a 7ml sample of OUAI Repair Shampoo and Conditioner with any purchase from the OUAI collection. One gift per customer, subject to availability while stocks last. 

The Fishtail Plait Made Simple

I love it when a fashion or hair style trend is also practical. Sometimes what is trendy is a little difficult to sustain or not really for everyday wear. However, the current trend for intricately and beautifully plaited hair is perfect for work, school or simply hanging out with friends. Once you’ve got the trick and know how to create a plait you can do it in no time. To help you get started here’s my guide to one of the hottest styles of the moment: the fishtail plait.

Fishtail plait: a step by step guide

Step 1: Shampoo, condition and dry your hair thoroughly. If you usually straighten it you could do that too, but it’ll look just as good unstraightened as well.

Step 2: If you want a side-y fishtail plait comb all your hair into a side parting on one side of your head, otherwise just go to step 3.

Step 3: Split your hair in two large, equal sections.

Step 4: Take a thin piece of hair from outside one of the sections and bring it to the middle gap between the two.

Step 5: Holding that piece there, do the same with another piece of hair from the opposite section. Cross it with the original thin strand in the middle.

Step 6: Pull tightly on each section of hair to make sure it is fixed. Then take another thin strand from the opposite side of your hair, and again, cross it with the piece in the middle.

Step 7: Repeat this process, alternating each side, until all your hair is braided.

Step 8: Secure the plait with a hair tie.

Step 9: Enjoy your beautiful fishtail plait!

Here are a few additional tips for a perfect fishtail plait:

·         Don’t use elastic bands to tie your hair as this can cause breakage and damage.

·         If your hair is fine or flyaway use a bit of hairspray to keep it in place.

·         A fishtail plait is best done with well conditioned hair as softer strands move more easily. Use an intense conditioning mask before braiding, if your hair tends to be dry.

·         If you braid your hair when it’s wet it will stay wet inside the plait, so make sure to dry it thoroughly beforehand.

Fishtail plaits look great on practically everyone, and as you can see, they’re not hard to do. Give it a go with your hair and see how you get on – practice makes perfect!

*Guest Post

How to piss off a Hairstylist

Hairstylists spend a large number of hours in the salon and on their feet, working hard to help make their clients look and feel their best. They politely listen as clients ramble on and on about their lives and they proudly do it with a smile on their face. You’d think that there’s nothing that can get to these selfless hair magicians, but that notion is actually far from true.

To find out what truly irks them, Rosy Salon Software surveyed busy salon professionals and asked them to come up with their worst client offenses. Read on to find out if you are guilty of any of these cringe-worthy salon no-nos.

Late to the Party

The most common issue with surveyed salon pros involves clients who are always late. We’re not talking a single unavoidable situation but the habitually late-every-time person who is oblivious to the issue. That 10-minute tardiness in the beginning of the day can easily turn into being an hour or more behind by the end of the day.

Taking Their Time

One salon pro explained that they have a few clients who think it’s acceptable to wander in 10-20 minutes late for their appointment. Or have ones who take their time as they wander over to the salon chair, which delays the stylist from getting started on their hair. What’s worse is when they get upset when the service can’t be finished in what they feel is a timely manner.

No-Show

The worst possible offense is to book an appointment and not show up, or to call last minute to cancel. It can be considered insulting to the stylist and is likely a financial burden to the salon owner. Most salons schedule their clients based on specific increments of time and a cancellation or no-show means that they now have unbookable spots and lost revenue.

Personally Speaking

Clients can sometimes get a little too personal with their conversations while sitting in the chair. Many have admitted to torrid affairs, some asked for dates and /or made unwanted advances toward their stylists, while a few actually wanted to spark up a fling, despite the fact that their wives were also clients.

Rude ‘Tude

There’s always that one client who feels that the world revolves around them. They talk too loudly, push their beliefs and opinions on others, and don’t care if they offend anyone else in the salon. Don’t be THAT person! The entire salon thanks you!

Get to the Point

While over-explaining what you want can be unnerving, arriving to your appointment unprepared or having stacks of opposing hairstyle photos may make your hairstylist’s head explode. Instead, go for a quick, to-the-point description and just a few photos.

Expect Much?

Some clients can be very unrealistic with their hair expectations. everybody wants to look like their favorite celebrities but coming in with overly retouched pictures of thick, perfectly-placed tresses does not mean that your thin strands can or will look just like the picture.

In other cases, clients want to remove years of dark hair color and take their saturated strands to a pure platinum. What’s worse is that they expect to do it in one sitting with no yellow, or breakage! Oh my!

One stylist explained that a client was upset when they realized that root had to be touched up every several weeks and that the touch up service is not free!

Ewwwww

One salon scenario involves a client coming in with a sample of hair for the stylist to use to color match, a common practice for color services. When asked where the clippings in the baggie came from, the client promptly pointed to her nether regions.

Oh My!

Taking pleasure from a great scalp massage at the shampoo bowl is one thing but moaning like a porn star is a definite no-no. It makes the situation very uncomfortable for anyone in earshot.

Overt Control

If you really want to piss off a seasoned hair pro, tell them how to do their jobs. Things like what tools to use, how to use them, how to layer hair or cut wispy fringe, etc. Oh, they so love that!

Expressive Encounters

Bouncing like a bobble-head doll or chattering away on your cell phone while sitting in the salon chair can really irk a hairstylist. When they are working on your hair, they need for you to remain somewhat still, otherwise your cut, color, eyebrows, or whatever, may not turn out quite the way you wanted. Nobody wants that!

No Thanks

Hairstylists thrive on positive feedback and hope that happy clients will express their satisfaction. Unfortunately, far too many stay silent or don’t leave a decent tip, or one at all. Just keep in mind that a hairstylist won’t be too eager to take another booking for you if you don’t at least say thanks.

Guest Post

The Hollywood Browzer Review

When I first read a review about the Hollywood Browzer I felt a bit intrigued and a little hesitant. Intrigued because, until this point I'd never had any kind of shaver near my face and afraid because the Browzer essentially looks like a Sweeney Todd-style cut throat razor. 

Ok, if I think back a few months I do recall seeing something on Huda Beauty's Instagram about a razor for women to use on their peach fuzz. You know that invisible hair that makes itself known only when you've just carefully applied a layer of foundation? That. I didn't think that as a female i could actually use a blade to get rid of anything more than the peach fuzz - after all, doesn't shaving make the hair grow back about a trillion times thicker? My mustache is already darker and more pronounced than I would like it so I'll be damned if I'm going to make that situation any worse! 

The Hollywood Browzer, however, is currently trying to convince me that razoring off my facial fuzz is not going to result in a full, Shoreditch-style beard. 

This nifty little gadget may look a little like a somewhat deadly cut throat, but in reality it's much less intimidating. The foldable device flips open to reveal a stainless steel-waffle coated blade with safety guards on each side. This design ensures that it doesn't cut or irritate the skin so you can go about your grooming business without fear of nicking your skin/lopping off any of your facial extremities.

After taking it out of the packet and staring at it for a bit, I decided to give it a go on my upper lip. To use the Hollywood Browzer, you hold it at the non-bladed end (obviously) at a 45 degree-ish angle and gently swipe across the hair. After doing this on my mustache I noticed two things:

1. My upper lip suddenly felt and looked as smooth as after I've waxed the hell out of it.
2. It's actually weirdly satisfying and quite fun to see all the little hairs on the blade.

After I'd de-stached I had a go on the peach fuzz (fun), sideburns (really fun) and, as the finale I gave my brows a little tidy up (instant gratification). It's really quite a brilliant little tool!

As an upper lip-waxer, I've beco me accustomed to expecting redness for a good few hours after the deed is done, so it felt like an actual treat to remove the hair and not have the irritation afterwards.

The Hollywood Browzer is not just for the face, you can use it to tidy up the back of a hairy neck as well as the stomach and bikini line. Though to be honest I think I'd need an industrial-sized one for that.

The Hollywood Browzer is £15 (for two razors and a travel pouch) and you can find it at hollywoodbrowzer.com or Boots.

3 Shampoos for Oily Hair - which is best?

I haven't really had oily hair since I was a teenager so it's sort of taken me by surprise that my hair's started playing up again. Lately I've found I can't go more than two days before things start really greasing up and I don't know if it's the change in weather, something funky going on with my hormones or another explanation but I do know that it makes me feel pretty gross. I like to have fresh, swishy, yummy smelling hair as much as the next girl so for the past few weeks I've made it my mission to track down an affordable shampoo that would banish the grease, not irritate my scalp and keep my hair looking nice. That's not too much to ask for now, is it?

Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo - Greasy Hair

At £6.99 I had high hopes for this one. I know that T Gel is an incredibly popular shampoo for people with dandruff and itchy, irritated scalps and while I don't really have dandruff, I thought I'd give the Greasy Hair formula a go. This one contains Salicylic Acid, Tar and Zink that work to essentially exfoliate the scalp, removing excess sebum and breaking down dandruff. This stuff doesn't smell great (but obvs better than oily hair) and reminds me of the old school coal tar soap that my Dad has used for as long as I can remember.
Did it Work?
Heck yes it did. I like the dual function of the product - tackling greasy hair and dandruff all at once. By day two my hair was still looking pretty fresh, so it definitely does the trick. The downside? Well it doesn't smell very excellent and it's pretty expensive at £6.99.

L'Oreal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Anti-Dandruff Shampoo

(Currently on offer at Boots for £1.99) I'll admit I blundered when I bought this. I thought I was buying the Rebalancing version but neglected to actually read the label so I ended up with the anti-dandruff variation. I digress, this shampoo is still primarily designed for people with oily roots and dry ends with the added bonus of treating dandruff too. The addition of 'clay' in this formula is what really piqued my attention - after all, clay face masks are brilliant for oily skin so I figured popping it on my head would mop up the grease in a similar fashion. I also bought the matching hair mask, which thus far have found to be more effective than the shampoo in terms of banishing oil.
Did it Work? Yes and no. The immediate effect is brilliant - volumised, bouncy, fresh smelling hair that appears lifted at the roots. Unfortunately for me, the freshness and volume just didn't last that long. In fact, my hair only really felt and looked nice and clean the day after (I tend to wash my hair in the evening). It does smell nice though and I'm not going to completely write it off as a decent product - I'll just make sure I buy the rebalancing version next time and see if it has a better effect.

Alberto Balsam Juicy Green Apple Shampoo 

I'll admit I usually don't give Alberto Balsam shampoo and conditioner a second glance when I'm browsing in Boots. I'll put this down to some kind of shampoo snobbery that I didn't realise I was actually suffering from until now. That said, I decided to buy the budget bottle of green shampoo after extensively googling phrases like 'best shampoo for oily hair' and 'greasy hair shampoo' and finally accepting that Alberto Balsam was probably appearing in all the searches for a reason. This shampoo is only £1 so I thought there was every possibility that budget product equals budget result.
Does it Work? Oh how wrong I was to doubt this. Like the previous two shampoo's, this one is by no means natural and contains a fair whack of SLS but I personally have no problem with that because I don't have a sensitive scalp and I've never had a reaction to suds on my head. When it comes to shampoo, so long as it does the job I'm happy and this one ticks all of the boxes. Not only does it smell fresh and delicious (like apples, go figure) but it keeps the oil at bay for the longest out of the three shampoo's I've tested. This shampoo also makes my hair feel soft and swishy and just generally good - the clear winner for me with the added bonus of being £1.

Even though Alberto Balsam Juicy Green Apple Shampoo won this round, honourable mention needs to be given to Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo which is utterly lovely and a joy to use!

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Lush Jersey Bounce Shampoo Review

I'd already tried (and loved) Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo, so it was only natural that I was going to be giving its salty sister, Lush Jersey Bounce a round in the shower. I like Jersey Bounce, I really do. I just don't love it and would take Big over this any day. Here's the low down.

Jersey Bounce is a lemony-yellow sea salt based shampoo infused with honey and linseed that promises big, bountiful locks. The addition of fresh organic lemon juice gives the shampoo a tart citrus scent and Fair Trade olive oil brings the shine. 

The sea salt shampoo also contains a bit of free range egg. When I was buying it the other week I asked one of the staff whether I should expect scrambled eggs in my hair. They laughed and said no one's ever asked that before but I thought it was a perfectly reasonable question - hot water plus raw egg usually results in a cooked egg situation, doesn't it? Anyway, I don't really know how but Jersey Bounce does not scramble in your hair, so you can rest easy.

The salt granules in this shampoo are a little finer than the ones in Big and the formula in general is 'wetter'. It does lather up well and a little scoop goes a long way and does the job on my below-shoulder length hair.

Jersey Bounce also does give the hair body, volume and shine- just not quite as much as Big. It's a nice shampoo and I'm sure many people prefer it over Big but the scent of Big makes it the clear winner for me.

Jersey Bounce Sea Salt Shampoo is available from Lush for £15 for 300g and £26 for 600g. ETA* Jersey Bounce no longer contains egg (edited Nov 2019).

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Reveal #23

Drawer number 23 reveals Une Nuit a Bali Dry Shampoo. The dry shampoo is a 100% natural formula that you shake onto the hair rather than spray. The base of the dry shampoo is Rice Powder and the added fragrance is Ylang Ylang essential oil and Jasmine Absolute.
Naturally, I can not spot this on the Liberty site but it retails for 25 euro on the Une Nuit a Bali site here.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Reveal #16

Drawer number 16 reveals a cute travel sized bottle of Kiehl's Amino Acid Shampoo.
I have tried this particular shampoo before and I have to say I'm rather fond of its scrummy coconut scent and shine-imparting properties. Enriched with wheat proteins and wheat starch, the shampoo includes coconut oil and amino acids and is suitable for all hair types. If you like your hair to smell all tropical and coconut-ty, you'll want to try this one.
It's £16 for 250ml at Liberty.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Reveal - Day #11

On the 11th of December we've got a gorgeous hair oil from Italian brand Davines.
I like this oil for three reasons:
1. It smells delicious
2. It feel great
3. It's called a potion
That's right, a potion. Because I'm exceptionally immature, if a beauty product is labelled as a potion, I'm pretty much instantly sold.
Davines Ol Absolute Beautifying Potion is designed for 'all kinds of hair' (their words, not mine) and is essentially a fantastically scented hair oil with added silicones.
The calendar contains a 30ml travel size of the potion that features a Roucou Oil (rich in beta-carotene) base and can be used on both damp or dry hair. This will come in very handy for me because I like my hair to smell nice (and this stuff smells amazing) and I often go without conditioner, so a couple of little pumps of this through my lengths and ends will suffice I think.
The Absolute Beautifying Potion is part of Davines' Ol range which also includes a Shampoo, Conditioner, All in One Milk, Body Wash and Hand Balm.
Frustratingly I can't actually find this on the Liberty Website but I have found the full sized 135ml version on various sites for around £30 and the travel sized 50ml bottle for £18.15 from Fruugo.

Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo

I don't always wash my hair with a pot of salty mush, but when I do, I use Big shampoo by Lush.
I love an accidental rhyming opening sentence almost as much as I enjoy using this shampoo.
Sure, it feels kind of strange to lather up my hair with something grainy, but like most things in life, after you've done it the first time, it gets easier.

Lush Big Shampoo is created with a Seaweed Infusion (Toothed Wrack to be exact), Organic Lemon, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Lime Juice, Fair Trade Vanilla Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Limonene and a fair amount of Coarse Sea Salt. It also contains Mandarin and Neroli oils and a couple of synthetic ingredients including Sodium Laureth Sulfate (for the suds), Lauryl Betaine, Alpha Isomethyl Ionone and Perfume.

The volumising shampoo actually does volumise - mainly down to the huge amount of sea salt and makes my hair feel soft and lovely and not greasy in the slightest, which surprised me because of the addition of coconut oil.
To use the shampoo, you just scoop some out (you don't need much) and rub it onto your scalp and hair to get a nice frothy lather going. This part can be a bit perilous because some of the shampoo is definitely going to end up in your bath/ down the plughole before it has a chance to do anything. It's OK though, there are worse things that can end up in your bath.
Rinsing the shampoo out is easier than expected (for me anyway) and it takes virtually the same amount of rinsing time as a more traditional shampoo.
The shampoo smells absolutely beautiful - the vanilla absolute stands out the most to me - and the scent lingers in my hair for a good day or so after I've used it.
The only downside of Big Sea Salt shampoo for me is the price point, but this is Lush we're talking about here and we all know their products aren't exactly cheap and cheerful. Cheerful? Yes. But cheap? Naaaah.
I have the medium sized pot of Big which is £15 for 330g but you can buy 100g for £8 or a bumper 600g for £26.
You can find out more about Lush Big Sea Salt Shampoo here.

Orofluido Shine Spray Review

Since I received a beautiful bottle of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Hair Mist for my birthday last year, I have been slightly obsessed with the very idea of hair fragrance. Perfume? For my hair? Amazing!

I very recently went for the big chop and had a lot of my hair cut off, but before I did, I spied the Orofluido Shine Spray on Feel Unique and was very quickly convinced by the reviews gushing about the luscious scent. Truth be told, I didn't really care about the 'shine' part, it was more the promise of delicious amber and vanilla scented hair that had me sold.

I've had the shine spray for about two weeks now and rarely walk past it without having a cheeky spritz. I tell no lie - this stuff is scrumptious.

On the box they say: Beauty shine spray for all hair types that gives your hair an incredible luminosity of pure gold, extraordinary silkiness and control. A radiant and immediate sensual finish. Its light texture allows for a rapid absorption without weighing down your hair. Its delicious amber fragrance with a vanilla foundation will transport you into a fascinating world of oriental perfume.

Ok, while I don't feel that the fragrance transports me into a fascinating world of oriental perfume (that would be kind of terrifying) this product does smell 100% delectable. If, like me, you're a fan of foodie scents, you will love it.

In terms of its central function - adding shine - it certainly does that too and it is quickly absorbed and nothing like spraying on that old school leave in conditioner that saturates your hair. It's more like a fine mist that you can chuck in your handbag (though the bottle is glass) and freshen up your hair any time you like without feeling like you're overloading it with product. It doesn't seem to have magnificent staying power but does keep my hair smelling edible for a good few hours.

This is my first product from Orofluido; though if the rest of the line smells like the Shine Spray, I doubt it will be my last. I got it from Feel Unique where it retails for £11.90, though it was on sale when I ordered it so it was a bit cheaper ;)

Glossy Hair Treatment at Martyn Maxey Hairdressing

Martyn Maxey is a pretty big deal. Having opened his salon way back in 1991 and tending to the tresses of A-Listers such as Elle Macpherson, Nigella Lawson, Robbie Williams and Naomi Campbell (to name a few), Mr Maxey has earned a reputation as one of the best hairdressers around.

The salon has recently relocated to Wigmore Street (just behind Selfridges) and I went along on the weekend to check out the new space and experience a treatment designed to add gloss and shine to the hair.
The best way I can describe the Martyn Maxey salon is this; Upmarket and classy without the pretentious factor. In fact, the salon has a lovely, warm atmosphere and the staff are professional, friendly and accommodating.
They even serve pots of tea and coffee instead of cups, which I thought was a nice touch.

Before the Treatment

I'm not going to lie and say that my hair looked completely awful before the gloss treatment, but it was definitely dry, my ends were frizzing and things were looking a tad dull.

After a consultation with Martyn, we decided the best way to achieve a healthy, glossy look was with clear Sebastian Cellophane treatment customised with a little veg colour to add a bit of pigment. The Sebastian Cellophane gloss treatment is kind of like 'gel nails for the hair' - it's your hair, just better! The treatment works by infusing each strand with botanical-rich goodness that makes it glossy and gorgeous for up to 6 weeks- sort of like a supercharged semi-permanent hair colour.

The Treatment

 I headed over to the basin where my hair was cleansed twice with Sebastian shampoo and conditioner.

After a towel dry, it was time to apply the treatment. My hair was divided into sections and the treatment was painted on.

My head was then wrapped in a stunning plastic cap.

And heat was applied to help the treatment along. This took about 20 minutes.

Once the heaters had worked their magic, the treatment was rinsed out and I was ready for a (much needed) trim and style from Martyn.

I wanted to keep the length, so Martyn trimmed my ends and added some layers for extra body and movement.
My hair was then blow-dried with a round brush and a curling iron was used to create some loose curls.

The Result

Shiny, glossy, bouncy and lightweight hair. I think the pictures speak for themselves really.

 Look at the glossy goodness!

The whole experience began at 3pm and I was done just after 5pm - not bad for a wash, treatment, cut and blowdry! My Martyn Maxey Hairdressing trip was definitely among my favourite salon experiences to date - not only were the results amazing, but Martyn himself is a genuinely lovely person and this obviously has a positive effect on the staff at his salon.

Want to get glossy? The treatment I had is £36 - this includes consultation, advice and cellophane plus colour application, processing, rinsing and conditioning.

The blowdry is from £34.50 - £74

and cuts start from £52.50

You can find Martyn Maxey Hairdressing at 104 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 3RN.

Visit the website Here 

*My Martyn Maxey Experience was gifted to me for consideration