So as you might know, I signed up to a Beauty Blogging Challenge with All The Buzz. Last week I told you all about my Skincare Saviours (if you missed that, check it out HERE). This week, we’re talking hair and I’m sharing my Hair Heroes with you!
My hair has been through A LOT in the last couple of years. I was blonde for years until my hair got really thin and brittle and just broke away. Nothing I did made it stronger and it just never grew so I had to admit defeat, give my hair a break from the bleach and go back to my brunette roots! I did a lot to get it back into good condition and now it all seems to have paid off, so I’m going to share the hair products that I think really made a difference.
Microbead Hair Extensions:
As I said, my hair was broken and ravaged from the effects of years of bleaching it so when I heard of a new type of hair extension called Microbeads, I decided to try it out in the hope that I’d have lovely long thick locks again. The hairstylist took tiny individual bunches of hair which were glued together at the top and attached it to a small section of my own hair, securing both together with the “Microbead” which is a tiny round bead which is then clamped onto the hair with a plyers and forms a strong grip. The beads are tiny and you can barely notice them when your hair is down as they are matched to your own hair colour but if you tie your hair up, they can be quite noticeable.
I got up to 4 months each time out of mine and then I had to go back and have them replaced with new hair.
In all, I kept getting them in for 2 years and I just recently got them taken out. I was sooo scared to do this as I had really gotten used to my thicker fuller hair from the extensions but I needn’t have worried as my own hair has been growing well underneath. Although it felt a lot thinner when I got them out, it was much stronger and had grown below shoulder length so I was delighted about that and I really think the Microbead extensions were good for my own hair and protected it while it grew underneath. Unlike extensions that are bonded to your own hair with glue, Microbead Extensions are easy to take out and won’t wreck your own hair provided you look after them and follow the aftercare guide.
Kerastase Hair Treatments
These really transform your hair and I have used them a lot over the years with great results. Last time was just before my wedding when I was still blonde and my hair was really dry and damaged so I got the “Nutritive” pack which included the Shampoo, Conditioner and Intense Treatment Mask which totally revived my hair and made it stronger. You can get this from Peter Marks but I find it much cheaper to buy online so I get mine from www.gorgeousshop.co.uk and they have all types of different packs to suit all hair types.
Orifluido Hair Oil
This is hair oil that you massage into your locks when wet and then blowdry as normal. It’s similar to the Argan Oils that are everywhere at the moment. You can also use it on dry hair to smooth it and tame frizzies. I love the smell of this, it’s so nice and when you apply it, your hair doesn’t become oily or greasy at all. Plus it leaves your hair looking super shiny. Since using this my hair has been in great condition, I use it every single time I blowdry my hair. You can buy this in all good hair salons or on Feelunique.com
Home Treatment: Bay Rum and Olive Oil
If you have very thin hair that won’t grow, this is the home treatment for you. My mother has always sworn by this little concoction and often used it on my hair as a child to thicken it and help it grow long. I also used it after having my daughter when tons of my hair fell out! It really helped it grow back thick & strong. Bay Rum is actually a hair tonic for men with thinning hair that can be bought at pharmacies like Boots, some men also use it as a cologne as it has a very masculine “aftershave” type smell but don’t let that put you off. The kind of Olive Oil you need here is not the one you get in the Supermarket for cooking with, but the Pharmacy brand. You lightly heat the Olive Oil and mix equal parts of that and the Bay Rum together and apply to your hair, particularly your scalp, before bed and then wash the next morning as normal. For extra hair growth/thickness you can pop the Bay Rum into a spray bottle and apply to your roots before bedtime most night. It will dry normally and really help accelerate hair growth.
Schwarzkopf OSIS Dust It Mattifying Powder
A styling product I really swear by to give great volume to your hair and give it a “big hair” look is this fab texturizing powder from Schwarzkopf. You just tap it into the roots of your hair and it gives a backcombed effect that’s great for getting height at the crown or giving texture and volume if you want to attempt your own updo. It does make your hair feel slightly knotted and matted but your hair won’t budge and you can easily wash it out and it doesn’t leave tangles. You can buy this from Salons or Salon service type stores and it’s fantastic stuff all together!
Hask Keratin Protein Shampoo, Conditioner & Treatment
Ok, so some of the products I’ve mentioned above are quite expensive and not everyone has money to spend on this stuff, so if you’d rather save your money, get yourself down to Penneys and pick up these fantastic Shampoo and Conditioners from Hask which nourish your hair and leave it soft and shiny. Plus they are only €2 a bottle! They also have little vials and packs of deep conditioners available and their version of Argan Oil is fantastic and cheap as chips. I always stock up on these.
If you are on Twitter or Facebook and looking to check out the other bloggers participating to see what favourites they have, just search the hashtag #BOBBlogChallenge
Will you be trying any of these? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂
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