John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume in Shower Treatment Review

Oh why, oh why! My sister has beautiful long hair that bounces when she walks and swishes like a vale of copper glitter. Me on the other hand...my hair is fine, brittle and can't decide if it wants to be blonde or brown.

I like to try the latest hair products, promising the hair you dream of in small squeezy bottles! The fresh face on the scene is the new John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume In-Shower Treatment...*puts tongue back in mouth*.

What they say: An innovative treatment with volume boosting polymers, penetrates fine hair to thicken individual hair fibers and enhance thickness and fullness for volume building style.

What I say: After shampooing and conditioning as normal, I apply 3 pumps to the palm of my hand and rub it through damp hair. I have really flat roots, so I make sure I concentrate on that area. Once I am happy I have covered my entire head I leave it to work magic for 4 minuets. Have a bit of a sing in the shower or shave my legs.

Once that is done I just rinse it off with semi warm water. I dry my hair upside-down with the hair dryer to create as much lift as possible!

There is definitely a noticeable difference, my hair feels thicker and their is more of a lift at the root. I use this if I am going on a night out, it holds a style really well. Only negative point is that I wash my hair every day, so it doesn't last for me 7 days.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume 7 Day Volume in Shower Treatment £9.99

Have you tried this volume boosting hero?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Review

So we dye it, straighten it, curl it and blow dry it. Our poor hair has to go through a lot and mine is no exception. I have been highlighting my hair for nearly 10 years and my hair has started to look neglected and frayed at the ends. Think candy floss and not the yummy kind!

I love a serum, but the idea of applying an oil to my hair scared me a little. I have oily roots and the thought of applying more oil to it seemed a bit odd. I picked up this Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil after being really impressed with their shampoo and conditioning products. So after washing and drying my hair,  I add a small pump to the palm of my hand and rubbed them together to warm the oil. I then lightly run the oil to the dry ends of the hair and any left over the flyaways. I can honestly say it didn't make my hair any oilier than normal and it instantly calmed the crazy bush looking ends I have been failing to rock. 

It smells really delicious and even though I don't like the feel of oil in my hands the finish effect made it worth it. I have been using it for a couple of weeks now and a little goes a long way with this product; for the price tag it makes it a little better. If you want a cheaper option, I have written a review for a budget friendly serum (here).

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil, £31.00

What do you think of this oil? Let me know in the comments

Stay beautiful

xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

Hero Products | Fine, Broken and Damaged Hair

I like to think of myself as a hair product connoisseur. I like to flirt between different products always looking for the next best thing. What will give me sexy waves, what will banish my fine limp hair. I have picked up a couple of favourites this month and I think these are some gooduns. 

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray

This is a little secret I learnt from a professional hairdresser on set of a shoot. She got through bottles of the stuff and swore it would transform my very fine, lanky hair. Even with a lovely blow dry my hair instantly falls flat to my face looking like I have bathed in chip fat...hot right!? So this little beauty, the Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray adds thickness to each strand, making it look like I have more hair! Don't be fooled my the name, I wouldn't suggest using it as a hair spray and I don't think it would do much for setting a style. I spritz a few sprays all over damp hair and then brush it in so that it covers as many strands as possible. It is quite pricey, but it has lasted ages for me!

Ojon Revitalising Mist

I have been using this for nearly a year, my longest relationship with a hair product. Because I hilight my hair it means it is prone to a lot of breakage and it often gets really tangled. This product is a ultra nourishing leave in conditioner, but it doesn't leave my hair greasy and my brush glides through without pulling or snapping the hair. I can't go a single wash without this stuff now and again although it is expensive, one bottle has lasted me nearly a year. 

Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair 6 Effects Serum

I have banged on about my fragile hair splitting, but I am trying to treat and repair the damage I have been doing over the last few years. This luxurious hair serum is enriched with Pashmina Silk Proteins which provides instant shine and softness in damaged hair whilst restoring a silky suppleness for a healthier appearance. I can already see the difference and I have been using it for a month or so. Apply it to the tips of wet hair. 

Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, £21.50

Ojon Revitalising Mist, £11.71

Goldwell Dualsenses Rich Repair 6 Effects Serum, £9.95

Have you got any hero hair product I should be trying?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

My Hand Luggage Holiday Essentials

I am exhausted and I have just got back from a four day holiday. How is this possible? I did nothing.....apart from lazing by the pool and slapping on the SPF, I spent the 4 days eating my weight in paella and drinking like a fish late into the night. My family have been holidaying in the same Spanish resort for nearly 25 years and not being one to break tradition I hopped on a flight and spent a long weekend in the sun. 

In preparation I tipped the entire contents of my beauty stash onto my bed and starfished in them for a while. My house mates think I am crazy to have so much! As any beauty addict will know it is often painful to decide what to take on holiday, you never know what may be thrown at you and the warm weather requires extra strength products to stop you face looking like you have slapped on a melting mask. 

So these are my top picks for hand luggage holiday essentials -

1. Goldwell DualSenses Rich Repair 6 Effect Serum

I try really hard to look after my hair. Highlighting it every few months had left is really dry and damaged. The effects of chlorine and intense sunlight on holiday do nothing to help banish the candy floss fuzz. I discovered a new hair hero in the Goldwell DualSenses Rich Repair 6 Effect Serum and I am obsessed. After washing my hair I rub a pea size amount in to the ends of my hair, where most of the breakage is. It seals the cuticles and nourishes the split ends to prevent breakage, leaving it silky smooth and soft. I can't live with out this product and it saves my holiday hair.

3. Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 Oil Free - Shade: Blush

If there is one product that you need this summer it is this one! I have never been much of a fan of tinted moisturiser, having struggled with acne I find they do not give enough coverage. Having been on Roacutane for a couple of months now my skin has cleared up considerably and so I can now get away with slightly less coverage. The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 Oil Free gives the exact amount of coverage that you would want pool side. It blurs imperfections and evens out skin tone, but it gives a lovely natural dewiness to the skin that you don't get from thick foundations. It also has the added benefit of SPF and the tube lasts for ages. 

2. Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45 

My natural skin colour matches that of a cold chicken you find in a supermarket. Pale, slightly yellow and you can see every thread vein or skin follicle; so sexy. Because of this I need to protect the skin on my face with a relatively high SPF. The Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45  is so light it can be used under your moisturiser or foundation. It comes out slightly tinted but once it is rubbed onto the skin the colour disappears. I love this product because it doesn't leave the thick greasy feeling on your face that some other facial SPF's leave. I am pleased to say my face was the only part of me that did not burn, the rest of the supermarket chicken got cooked! Ouch!

4. Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara - Shade: Black Onyx

I am having a bit of a Clinique fan girl moment. When I first tried this mascara I really wasn't keen. It dries up very quickly and you do need to add a few layers to get the lashes looking nice. But after taking it on holiday with me I am now obsessed! It coats each lash making them appear longer and fuller. The best part is that with even an excessive amount of sweat and pool time there was not a panda eye in sight.

Goldwel DualSenses Rich Repair 6 Effect Serum, RRP £9.60

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 Oil Free, RRP £34.00

Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45, RRP £26.00
Clinique Lash Power Feathering Mascara, RRP £18.00

Do you have any holiday essentials?

Stay beautiful

xoxo

Rapunzel's secret colourist: LGD Twist Hair Salon Review - Cardiff

Taking a trip to Cardiff or are you a welsh lady?? Then this post is for you!

Pre warning: This post contains no makeup selfies!! 

I am very particular about my hair. It is a love affair I have strung out for some 10 years. Having mousey hair that was neither brown nor blonde I begged my mum until I was blue in the face to let me have highlights for my school prom. I turned up all podgy and wedged into a tacky Jane Morgan dress but my hair was a hit. Since then I haven't looked back. 

I have constantly changed from platinum blonde, during my student days, to a more demure natural blonde in my now late 20s, apparently I needed to grow up. But through out this constant change of colour there has only ever been one hair stylist, apart from when I once cheated and visited Toni & Guy.

But Janine knows hair better than any Toni and Guy colourist and every time she gets it right. She knows what colour I am after without getting her little book of hair swatches out and I always leave loving my new do. Last year she opened a small salon, LGD Twist, in the heart of Cardiff to teach the new generation of stylists and colourists the ropes and I want to share it with you.

As I am writing this I am sat with delicate foils threaded through my hair with the same excitement I have done for the last 10 years. You are provided with a constant supply of tea and the occasional cheeky doughnut in a relaxed environment. Unlike the larger salons LGD Twist is small and more intimate, it feels like a family run establishment where clients are friends and there is the obvious lack of blasting hairdryers and people shouting – often got from larger chains.

This is my little secret that I want to share with you, so much so that every 8weeks I get on a train to come back to Cardiff just to have my hair done. The best part is the price! To have the owner, Janine, work her magic on your hair it is £45.00….yes fall off your chair, its that good! This is for a FULL HEAD of highlights mind. You heard right! In Toni & Guy I paid over £130 for exactly the same thing. LGD Twist also run special offers, recently you could get a full head on a Thursday for just £30! Don’t be fooled by the price, the service is top notch, the colours are the same as the pricey salons and the finish is even better!

Janine starts by using a mixture of Matrix highlights and low lights which are brushed onto the hair and sealed in foils. Once they are all in you leave them to work their stuff for 20mins and then wash the colour out. I like to have a Matrix Fiber Strong treatment on my hair every time I have highlights, constant colouring can damage the hair so keeping it in silky condition is a must – condom head!

It is slightly cheaper to have one of the stylists do your hair, if you do I recommend you ask for Jodie. She recently came third in a Welsh competition and you can see why!

Taken from Jodie's Twitter

So give them a call to book your appointment! Say Charlotte sent you, ;) to get extra cups of tea and the special biscuits!

Finished Result - added makeup

e: lgdtwist@gmail.com

t: 02920 363137

They are new to social media and I know it would mean the world to them to get a follow on Twitter!

@LGDTwist

https://www.facebook.com/LgdTwistSalon

Party Like We Were Famous: Company MusicParty! @Rimmellondonuk #risingstars

I think I’m getting ahead of myself in the ‘cool’ department, I’m almost developing a swagger. On Wednesday night I once again made my way to East London for another Company Magazine party and this one was a corker! In association with Rimmel London, Company threw a bash in support of the music industries rising stars. Held in the super hip Queen of Hoxton bar where we sipped on various fruity concoctions and took photos in the photo booth. 

What I wore:

Dress: Miss Guided

Bag: Coach

Shoes: Dorothy Perkins

Watch: Michael Kors

We were treated to a little bit of pampering with glorious summer manis from Rimmel London and sleek hair dos by the creative kids at Blown Avenue – you can see what fabulous creation they gave me below.

The sun was shining and we headed up to the quirky roof top bar for some Pimms and meaty treats. I highly recommend the prawns on a stick, fishly delicious! After my belly was full and the alcohol was being absorbed I fancied getting a pretty Henna tattoo by Dina’s Mehndi and proceeded to walk around the party with an awkwardly held hand - looks good though! 

The #risingstars of the evening were Rainy Milo and Laurel. Sadly I missed Rainy’s performance because of the BBQ happening upstairs but from the cheers I heard I would say she was pretty good. I did manage to see Laurel, apart from telling people to quit talking when she was singing (which was pretty hilarious) her voice is something I haven’t heard for a while. Her voice is beautifully haunting and soulful, you wouldn’t expect it of her young girlish exterior. However, I am so pleased she is now on my radar and I really think you should all go and listen to her. Dat girl gonna be big yall!

And so home to bed I went, weighed down with a decent goody bag and and new tunes in my head.

What bands do you recommend?

Stay beautiful!

xoxo

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

Blogger Crush: Company Magazine #StyleBloggerAwards 2014

Having a girl crush moment……

Having lived in the world of beauty for such a long time I have sort of been living under a rock when it comes to fashion, until Wednesday. Myself and fellow blogger Alisha Magic were lucky enough to be invited to the Company Magazine Style Blogger Awards 2014 at The Oval in East London to recognise and award the best in the industry. 

It started off as a bit of a nightmare as the Central line was suspended and Alisha was stranded in commuter hell, I was relaxing in a park soaking up the sun mwhaha! I decided to head along to the awards on my own and check it out. While I waited I propped up the bar with some delicious Pinky Vodka cocktails and dished out awkward smiles to the other party people. I even got my hair sorted buy a fabulous Lee Stafford stylist who wanted to give me a rocky edge, fairly difficult with my very fine hair. When Alisha finally arrived we threw some interesting looking shapes on the dance floor, ate some gluten free Heck sausages and drank some head spinningly strong Koperberg vodka cocktails – flirting with the bar staff gets you triple measures ;)! 

What I wore:
Top - Zara
Trousers - Zara
Shoes - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - Mulberry
Lip Stick - Joan Collins Timeless Beauty in Fontaine

Music was provided by the fabulous Zoe London, one of the nicest girls, and we chatted to Kayla Hadlingtion , Leanne Woodfull and Scott Emery for most of the night. I have to say that these two made my night and I now have a big old girl crush, check out their blogs! Sadly by the time we left there were no goody bags left, which is a shame seeing as we provided a lot of entertainment with our on stage dancing and toilet selfies - keep scrolling to see what I got up to.

(disclaimer - very drunk faces and blurry selfies, got to be done..)

What I didn’t expect from the night was that I would meet such a lovely bunch of down to earth and genuinely friendly people that I had THE best night with. I am so proud to be a part of an industry that celebrates talent and recognises creativity in such an incredible way.

So, who won what! 

Congratulations girls and boy on your well deserved titles! 

BEST DESIGNED BLOG - What Olivia Did
www.whatoliviadid.com

BEST PERSONAL STYLE BLOG - In the Frow
www.inthefrow.com

BEST FASHION BLOG - Melon Lady
www.melonlady.com

BEST PERSONAL STYLE BLOG - Lydia Rose

www.lydiarosexo.blogspot.co.uk

BEST BLOGGING DUO - London's Closet
www.londons-closet.com

BEST INTERNATIONAL BLOG - Thunder and Threads
www.thunderandthreads.blogspot.co.uk

BEST TEEN STYLE BLOGGER - Rose and Vintage
www.roseandvintage.blogspot.co.uk

BEST MALE STYLE BLOG - Steve Booker
www.stevebooker.co.uk

BEST FASHION BLOG (NEWCOMER) - The Pixie Cut
www.thepixiecut.blogspot.co.uk

BEST INTERNATIONAL BLOG (NEWCOMER) - Creepers and Cupcakes
www.creepersandcupcakes.blogspot.co.uk

Are there any fashion bloggers you think I should be following?

p.s don't forget to follow me on Blogloving

Pastel Power: L'Oréal Paris Feria Pastel Toning Conditioner in Pink Panther

A/W 13 Fashion Week was jam packed full of ambitious hairstyles. Some you would wear to the office and some you just wouldn't. Perhaps the Givenchy show in Paris is one of the latter.

A/W 13 Givenchy

But, never one to give up on a trend I thought I would give it a go. Armed with my latex gloves and a tube full of pink toner I set to the challenge. I used L'Oréal Paris Feria Pastel Toning Conditioner in Pink Panther, hoping to get beautiful dip dyed ends that would make my hipster sister jealous. The directions say to leave it on for 15 minutes, but after 30 I felt the toner had sufficient time to sink into my porous, damaged tips. I was surprised to see the water running off the hair was clear, so I wasn't expecting brilliant results.

Once I dried my hair, this was the result.

You can see some hint of pink...

My verdict on this is pretty underwhelming. It washed out after one wash, but if you want it for a festival or party then it would be perfect. I did get a lot of compliments. The girls in the Vogue office loved it so much they asked me to write it on the blog, you can see that HERE.  The L'Oreal Paris Feria Pastel Toning Conditioner in Pink Panther is £5.79, available from boots or HERE.

 Stay beautiful,

XOXO