SHORT HAIR SAVIOURS

Since getting 'the chop' a few months back, I've come to notice that for me my shorter hair takes more work on a daily basis, and with a strict weekly school routine I don't have the time for curling and I don't own any straighteners, so I have to have a good group of products to fall back on.

The Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Volume Spray is a good one for spraying on damp hair before blow drying to get some extra volume. I find this works especially well if you blow dry it upside down and you get a lot more root volume that way, and it seems to hold rather well too. This is only a mini but it's lasting well as only a few spritzes does the job.

For some hold on any hairstyle I opt for, I tend to use the Bumble and Bumble Classic Hairspray. if you can get over the fusty smell, this does a decent job at holding the hair in place without being crispy, but due to the smell I am hunting for an alternative.

As my roots lack volume but I have quite thick hair, it tends to resemble some kind of triangle where the ends are much bushier and the top almost sticks to my head. To combat this I have recruited the VO5 Give me Texture Dry Texturising Spray that I spray at the roots and give a good ruffle and it seems to do the job. To add a little more texture and also some hold, I use the L'oréal #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray and scrunch up the hair in my hands a little for a bit of gritty-ness.

Finally, after years of using it and a love-hate relationship throughout, it's Batiste Dry Shampoo. This is the Oriental one, but I recon I've tried most of the range and get the same effects from them all. If you use it properly you avoid that powdery feeling and white roots dreaded combo and instead have fresh looking hair with added volume, a doublet of effects everyone loves.

What have you been reaching for to spritz on your hair recently?

AN ODE TO BATISTE

I have a very love-hate relationship with Batiste Dry Shampoo, I love the effectiveness for refreshing your locks and oily roots, but I hate the powdery texture and white cast left behind. With a bit of experimenting, I have managed to find the right way to use this and I have been loving it, hence my vast variety of scents.

Pictured above I have Cherry, Blush and Tropical, all of which smell lovely, with tropical being my favourite. I find that to get the best results for me and to avoid any of the unwanted side effects of Batiste, I use this the night before to get rid of the majority of the oil, then in the morning as a refresh and because most of the oil has been banished already, the powdery texture doesn't stick around and instead my hair looks really clean.

I also like the volume it gives to the hair, as for me especially when my hair is greasy, it lies quite flat and adds to the oily look, so the volume makes things look a lot cleaner. Of course this isn't first day hair in a bottle but it sure does a good job of keeping you going for an extra day or two.

I have tried a vast range of dry shampoos from a lot of drugstore brands but of course I always go back to Batiste, it's foolproof (if you have the right technique), and is the cult classic for many. I'm sorry I doubted you in the past Batiste, can we be friends now?

PRE-SPENDING BAN BEAUTY HAULING

Yesterday, I went shopping - bad idea, I know. But, in the next couple of weeks I am starting my spending ban in order to save for my trip to America in the next few months so that I can try out some of the beauty items from there, but of course I had to pick up a couple of things I could try out so I wasn't totally beauty purchase deprived up until I step into the airport (read: Duty Free).

I restocked on the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in the shades 1 Fair and 2 Cool Medium as I caught the sun a little recently and so I thought I could mix the two of these together to find a match. I also got a new Batiste for those bad hair days in the Floral & Flirty Blush scent.
Sticking with the hair products, I also thought I would give the VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray a whirl and on first impressions, I'm a little unsure - how do you use this product?

In the trusty Boots clearance I found the Botanics Face Brush which I plan to use occasionally to cleanse, and this was £2 anyway so I thought it'd be a good time to try it out. As well as this, I found the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil in Brownie Points for £4 (after peeling back the sticker apparently it's expired but if it's unopened I don't see the issue - I'll report back), but this is something I have been wanting to try for a while now so when better than for when its selling for something short of a fiver.

In TkMaxx I found this Orly Nail Polish in Va Va Voom (a vibrant neon pink in which the picture just isn't doing it justice) but this was a bargainous £2.99 so I couldn't pass it up and I thought it'd be a good summer shade. Finally in Topshop I got these simple gold shape earrings in the sale for £2.50 and thought they would be nice to wear everyday.

What have you been buying recently, and what are your tips for saving money?

PRE HOLIDAY HAULING

My trip to Madrid is getting crazy close, and Megan and I are beginning to get into the holiday spirit, and to do so I have been doing a spot of hauling, and of course a stop at the minis section...

Being in land, the temperatures are going to be pretty hot *touch wood* and my skin needs some serious protection. I ordered the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light SPF50+ from Feel Unique and I gave it a trail run the other weekend, and I really like it so far. It's light, almost like moisturiser texture and isn't greasy on the skin at all. My only complaint is the small bottle, as this normally costs £16 for 50ml, but I got it for £11 on offer.

I also got some scrunchies from Primark for £1.50 in a pack of a plain pink and a floral. I thought these would spice up a simple wavy ponytail in summer. I also found the NSpa Jasmine and White Must Body Fragrance in ASDA and although it smells good, I often think its a touch too musky for the summer so perhaps I need something a little more fruity for my getaway.

As for minis, there was some kind of 3 for £4 offer I believe, so of course I had to get a Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo as when the heat gets to my hair, it's going to get greasy. I also got the Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo and Conditioner and these smell pretty good too. Last but not least, is the Original Source Lemon Shower Gel, as if I need waking up in the mornings this'll be sure to do so with the szesty scent.

What have you been hauling for summer?

BAD HAIR DAY SAVIOURS

Bad hair days - we all have them, and most likely loathe them and as a result try and combat them in every way possible (when I was 10, this would be to soak my hairbrush under the tap and brush it through my hair with little success), but I think I have finally found a trio of products to solve my array of bad hair problems.

Dry Ends: Most mornings I will be greeted with the ends of my hair feeling a little dry or not bringing the glossiness I was hoping for. One product that diminishes the dryness in minutes is the Schwarzkopf Got2b Oil-licious Tame & Shine Styling Oil - a lightweight oil that does a good job of nourishing ends without feeling heavy.

Oily Roots: This is the other extreme I will face in the mornings, greasy roots with little or no time to wash my hair. Recently I got the Batiste Cherry and have been using this on my roots if they ever look oily and it adds a little texture there too. I have a love/hate relationship with Batiste as it does a great job at getting rid of greasy roots, but sometimes I find myself with a white hairline or a powdery feeling every time I touch my hair (which may I add is very frequently)

Lacking in volume: Flat hair was something I had a few issues with in the past, especially at the top area, but since purchasing the L'Oreal Studio Line #txt Volume Supersizing Spray I have been waving goodbye to my lackustre locks. My favourite way to use this is to either flip my head upside down and have a good spritz or to spray it all over and give my hair a little scrunch - texture in a bottle.

I seem to have found my trio to attack all my hair foes, meaning I will no longer have hairbrushes filled with water or be pulling it back so tight I had a botox effect as my primary school days encountered...