Fight the Frizz.

Firstly, big apologies for slacking on the blog front for the last few weeks! July was totally manic for me work wise with lots of beautiful brides and a couple of other exciting projects all of which didn't leave me with a spare minute to throw together a post at least worth reading. I am however back and writing today from beautiful Majorca, accompanied by a breath taking view of the Mediterranean sea and a Mojito in hand and so feeling totally inspired although also a little distracted and wishing I had packed a pair of nerdy binoculars so I could spy on the gorgeous people in the huge yacht that has just moored up below me. *please be Bradley Cooper…please!*

Today, inspired by the constant battle I have with my hair as soon as a little humidity is added into the mix I thought I would share my holiday frizz fighting heroes, very appropriate for me right now and also those of you at home in the UK enjoying the current heat wave. Do bare in mind I am in no way claiming to be a hair expert, these are just products I have tried and tested being the beauty junkie that I am and that I would totally recommend to anyone to add into their haircare routine during warmer weather and some all in every wash. 

To begin, I use Shu Uemura haircare to shampoo and condition my hair all year round and have done for the last year or so since my SpaceNK discount stopped and Oribe haircare became totally unaffordable for me at £90 a pop! ouch! As you can imagine stepping away from the creme de la creme of haircare was a difficult time for me and my barnet but Shu Uemura has just about filled Oribes pretty big boots and I am a total convert plus with a little extra cash left in my pocket afterwards! phew! I use the Shu Uemura Moisture Velvet Shampoo, £23.00 and Conditioner, £27.00. The Moisture Velvet range is designed to soften and nourish dehydrated and processed hair and so particularly good for those like myself with thick, curly and naturally dry locks. I do recommend however going to your nearest Shu Uemura stocking salon and have a good consultation to ensure you get the right Shu product for your hair for optimum results. As mentioned previously I use this shampoo all year round but it has been particularly fabulous to flood my hair with much needed moisture especially after exposing it to the drying effects of the sun and harsh chlorine for the last few days. I have been using my Shu Uemura Moisture Velvet Treatment Mask, £35 every other day for a more concentrated hit of moisture, this has been a wonder to calm frizziness and detangle. I usually use this mask a couple of times a month at home for a deep treatment or after colouring. 

The first product I use always after washing my hair is the Bumble and Bumble Prep Spray, £16.00. I discovered this product during my Space NK days and have used it after every wash ever since. I spray this liberally through my hair before brushing through with my Tangle Teezer, it works to detangle hair like a grown up version of that stuff in a pink fish bottle your mum doused you with when you were little to stop you screaming your head off after swimming- just me? ok. It is rich in nutrients such as Aloe Vera, Rosemary and Vitamin A all of which not only detangle but strengthen hair to reduce the amount of breakage during brushing and soothe any irritation on the scalp. Perfect if you've forgotten your hat and burnt your head- we've all done that! I’ve heard people use this product as a hair refresher, the best way to think of it is as a wet version of dry shampoo that you spray in and blow-dry out, refreshing hair and banishing the need to wash your hair for another day. Perfect for people with full fringes, very oily hair or when you manage to get suncream well into your hairline- never a good look in holiday selfies. I haven't got round to trying this yet but I really must as it sounds like a certain life saver! 

Next up I use a nice dollop of the Living Proof Prime Style Extender, £18. This works in the same way as a primer does for your face, it primes the hair ready for any other products you wish to add on top, it smoothes the hair cuticle allowing for an optimum foundation for hair to be further styled on. It has incredible anti-humidity properties that encourage smoother hair and wrap each hair strand in a protective coating meaning moisture from humidity cannot enter and ultimately expand and frizz your once beautiful hair style. Amazing on holidays but also a crucial part of my pre night out hair routine to stop the dreaded post in-da-club-hair fro. This protective coating also helps to keep dirt out and repel oils meaning hair stays cleaner for longer and should lengthen the time in between washes. I apply this product generously from roots to ends. 

I would absolutely recommend everyone have an oil for their hair, as you can probably tell if you have read any of my previous blogs I generally love a good oil in the beauty department whether it be for the body, face or in this instance hair. However getting the right one is very important, especially when it comes to hair. There are so many hair oils out there at the moment, a lot of which are loaded with naughty ingredients that are heavy and ultimately suffocating to the hair. Look out for products and particularly hair oils that contain Silicone. Silicone works by coating the hair shaft giving the illusion of an instantly smoother, healthier looking hair- amazing from the view of a styling product for a quick fix but often these products contain so much Silicone in ratio to oil that it prevents any of that super nourishing oil from actually penetrating the hair and so actually doing no good at all in terms of treating and hydrating the hair. A product totally guilty of this and I am definitely going to break a few hearts here is the Morrocan Oil Hair Treatment, £31.00. I know, I know- I got sucked in too, it smells incredible and yes it does make your hair look good but in terms of making your hair healthier which lets face it is probably why you bought it actually it might even be doing the opposite, too much silicone suffocates the hair leading to weak, brittle hair especially prone to breakage and spilt ends. Instead I recommend a silicone free alternative in Oribes Gold Lust Oil, £45.00- yeah I couldn't let go completely! Infused with a rich blend of Jasmine, Lychee, Bergamot, and Argan Oil extracts this stuff is quite frankly the shit and it smells uh-mazing! I use it on towel dried hair before blowdrying for extra moisture and most days after brushing on dry ends. I, sometimes if I am feeling really flush drench my hair in it, putting it in a pineapple on top of my head and letting soak for as long as socially acceptable before washing out like a pre-wash treatment. Oh goodness while doing my research I have just spotted that they have now brought out a shampoo and conditioner in this Gold Lust Oil line, dam you SpaceNK.com now I need THAT! 

Finally and continuing along the vein of this Oribe hair care worshipping, I have been reaching for my Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray, £37. This is the third holiday I have packed this same can of anti-humidity spray and so despite the hefty price tag it really has been the gift that just keeps on giving for the last few summers. I mostly forget to use this when at home but I have remembered to use it before on nights out, leaving the bar at the end of the night a lot less sweaty and puffy haired than deserved, much to my friends disgust. I honestly do not understand how this works and so I am not even going to attempt to try and explain it but it has been tried and tested on the glamourous people of Miami and is a apparently a favourite of Cheryl Cole and so an instant winner in my books- ‘Cos your worth it!’. It also works to protect hair from UV rays and so I have been spraying generously after applying suncream hoping to prevent my hair from going too OTT bleach blonde in the sun and protect against the drying effects of the sun. 

So thats my holiday and mostly everyday must have hair products, I do have a huge basket full of sprays, mousses and creams that I occasionally reach for if I am trying to pretend I know what I am doing hair wise. Better go, mojito is out and its been at least an hour since I last ate something! Happy Good Hair Days! xoxo