CHARLES WORTHINGTON VOLUME AND BOUNCE TEXTURISING SPRAY

My hair often lacks volume, especially in the roots. Having my hair down usually ends up tucked behind my ears and flat to my face and ponytails end up making me resemble a boiled egg, so I'm pretty much always trialling new solutions to give me a bit of texture, and a bit of bounce too. 

The Charles Worthington Volume and Bounce Texturising Spray offers me both of those requirements, so I thought it was about time to give it a try - especially considering this product has received a whole lot of hype in the past. I'd class this as a mix between a hairspray and a texturising spray, so not quite as powdery as some others, but it depends on your preference. For a budget option, it does serve rather well and helps me add the volume I need; especially useful for second day hair. 

The photo above is another way I use this product. Although you might be wondering why my hair isn't HUGE in the photo, by curls look pretty relaxed and soft - right? I find this spray a good option for loosening up curls so you don't have goldilocks ringlets all day, and instead something closer to a tousled curl. 

I'd totally recommend this if you are seeking a volume booster in the aisles of the drugstore, to avoid spending what might feel like an entire payslip on something from the likes of Oribe...

THE DUTCH BRAID

(Hair styled by myself)

Since I was young, I was never one to enjoy wearing my hair up and it was near enough only for the sake of PE in school where I would slick my hair back into a ponytail through gritted teeth and extreme reluctance. In terms of braids, I would only ever wear these overnight to achieve rather mad wavy hair in the mornings, but since the dutch braid has come into fashion and seems to take up 70% of my Instagram feed, I've become partial to the odd pair of plaits on a pretty regular basis.

For work I have to wear my hair up/out of my face for hygiene reasons, and I often opt for these braids for a more fashionable alternative than a regular ponytail that leaves me looking rather 'egg' like. I like the 3D effect a dutch braid gives, in comparison to the usual French braid. This is rather simply achieved by passing each strand under the others into the middle rather than on top.

I think what I like the most is that this works on any length of hair. My sister (pictured above) has a shoulder length chop and this still works just as well as those that have hair to almost their waist, and I personally find that its this versatility that makes it a go to style for so many. It also works a treat for when you don't have time to wash your hair; with the help of a few spritzes of dry shampoo.

Are you a fan of the dutch braid or are you yet to master it?

AMIKA HAIR PRODUCTS

I rarely venture outside the household's shared shampoo and conditioner when it comes to hair care products, and my standard heat protecting and shine giving sprays and serums, so when these Amika products* popped through my letter box, I was extremely excited to try them out.

The first of the trio is the Heat Defense Serum*, a nice alternative to the usual heat protective sprays. What I like most about this is that you can really coat all of the hair because of the serum formula, and it leaves my hair (which tends to go frizzy after blowdrying) feeling silky smooth and shiny looking. Because of this in comparison to my usual post-blowdry locks I am rather impressed with the protecting abilities of this one.

Usually when it comes to dry shampoo I am loyal to Batiste. I've ventured out to other brands before and missed out on that Batiste level of reliance and some even made my between-wash hair look worse than it did before applying anything. This however, is an exception to my 'Batiste only' rule; not only did it smell brilliant, it made my hair look extremely fresh with no powdery look or feel after a brief massage. This Perk Up Dry Shampoo* definitely ticks the boxes for me.

Finally we have the 'Haute Mess Texture Gel'* - the one I was perhaps most uncertain of. I rarely use products like this, as I fear I will be left with matted hair rather than beachy waves. I think the key is moderation, and the best method I have found is to apply a pea sized amount to the lengths of the hair and then do a french plait overnight, as by then it has done the work without me having to.

This brand has definitely surprised me, and I look forward to implementing these products into my everyday hair routine.

*PR Samples

BOUFFE DRY SPRAY

My hair can sometimes look a little lacklustre and I'm always looking for products and ways to add a little volume to my roots to keep things looking decent throughout the day, and when the Bouffe Dry Spray* came through my door I was pretty excited, hoping it would be the new Oribe Dry Texturising Spray. 

On the can, it holds a lot of promises - mainly for thicker and bigger looking hair, thanks to the 'revolutionary formula' set to recreate the high styles of Marie Antoinette in the 18th Century - I mean you can't argue with that. I got the dark brown hair one, and it seems to blend pretty well with my hair anyway, and I think it might be down to this tinted formula that actually creates the effect of thicker strands all the way from the area of growth. However, what I don't like is the texture. I put this in my hair (I had it down and felt like a bit of volume) and it just felt really gross in my roots, and I just wanted to go home and rinse my hair. I mean, there was definitely a lot more volume there than before but I just didn't like the way it felt.

It's not all bad though - for work we are all required to have long hair tied back, and when I have my hair up it's very easy to slip into an egg looking style with a few flyaway chick tufts - however this kept things looking smooth the entire day, as well as maintaining volume. I think it's safe to say this works better with updo styles etc. as it kind of brushes out any gross feeling build up in the process of styling. To be honest I think this product would be best for stage work, like theatre and dance as it really does create a long lasting statement effect and you don't need to be touching the hair anyway.

The verdict? Not for me unless I'm scraping my locks back for work every Saturday, but I could definitely see a lot of uses for this one elsewhere...

HEATWAVE ESSENTIALS

I'm pretty sure all the British public have been talking about for the past week is the 'heatwave' that hit us - and it was some of the best weather we have had in years, so, I had to prepare myself pretty quickly and this checklist-esque post should spare you the panic when the sun next hits.

The most obvious would be SPF. I love the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL for my face as it is super lightweight, and has an SPF of 50 so makes sure you are fully protected, and works well under makeup (the most makeup I manged during the heat was brows and mascara, but for a daily basis). I also have the Ultrasun Ultralip balm, an SPF lipbalm because I had sunburnt lips once, and I will take all costs to ensure that happens never again. For my body, I'll tend to use whatever we have in the house but I quite like the Boots Soltan Dry Touch Lotion for reference. I picked up the Sephora Softening Face Mist last year in Madrid, and it is still very handy for when you need a quick refresh.

Another pretty clear essential is sunglasses - and I have quite the stash for when they are needed, but at the moment this lightly rounded giraffe/tortoise shell framed pair from Primark are my current favourites, and cost a mere £2. This bandeau bikini is also from Primark (£6 in a set with corresponding bottoms) and is pretty good at maximising the tan in the garden - and the slightly slimmer centre makes it really flattering.

The headphones are pretty self explanatory, but when in the garden I like to listen to music either on Spotify or some of the songs I have on iTunes (they have to be pretty special to be purchased and the majority of my playlist is Kanye West albums), but at the moment I'm quite enjoying the slightly older album from him - Graduation. Another pass time is painting my nails in a bright nail polosh, I've got Color Club Bright Night and Ciaté Play Date shown here; great sandal colours. I also have a hair oil there, because my thick hair tends to suffer a little when it gets hot (more so on holiday and near pools/beaches, but it's best for me to keep the moisture up anyway), and its the Got2B Oil-Licious one, and is super softening to the hair.

What have your beatuy/fashion essentials been recently during the heat surge?

PROM 2015 JEWELLERY PICKS

My Year 11 prom is swiftly approaching and the preparation is in full swing. Until recently, I had the dress, shoes and bag all at reasonable prices and I was just waiting to see what jewellery to buy. I knew I wanted gold as my dress is a pale blush nude colour and silver washed it out a lot (despite it being my favourite for jewellery I had to make the compromise), and I got quite a few good picks.

The chunky chain you see is actually a head chain/hair chain. This was from ASOS and is the Flat Curb Chain Hair Crown and although I'm still not quite certain I can rock it I will be giving it an attempt on the night with some beachy curls. The necklace you see is from ASOS too, and is the Mini Shard Necklace and I really liked the small clear crystal-esque detailing it had and was super dainty too (my dress is strapless so it looks rather nice on).

That necklace then inspired my next purchase which were the earrings from New Look. These were a mere £2.99 and have the same sort of hanging clear crystal on them, so they look like they are literally made for the necklace. The ring was a bit of an impulse buy in a pack in Primark, but I realised that the stone in it looked very similar to the colour of my dress too, so it might be an addition on the night.

If you are interested, I could do a complete post on my look (dress, jewellery and makeup etc.) after the night as I'm sure I'll have plenty of pictures to spare.

AUSSIE DO SHOWER GELS

I've always loved the Aussie hair range; from the punny labels to the scents of the products, so when I found out that they were bringing out a range of shower gels/body washes I was over the moon. I chose the Shower Smoothie version, that literally smells like the bubblegum-ish shampoo, but still fresh and not sickly by any means. There's another 3 in the line I believe, and I hope to make my way through them all, but I chose this one for it's debut in my shower.

What I like is how well this lathers, as I need a small amount and there are endless bubbles. It's also pretty nourishing on the skin, and doesn't leave the skin feeling tight like some intense shower gels cam, but of course you still feel fresh and clean after using it. The moisture is probably thanks to the Macadamia Nut Oil, and each scent has a different addition to it, from Ginseng to Jojoba Oil. You can also purchase these in 2 sizes, and I've seen quite a few offers on since they launched, so definitely worth having a look.

I'm certainly not disappointed, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Aussie branch out to next.

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?

WHAT TO BUY FOR A TEENAGE GIRL

* PR Sample

I'm not one for writing gift guide posts, generally as it depends on the situation, the person, and the budget. But this year, as I am a teenage girl myself literally hitting 16 years a couple of days ago, I thought I could perhaps a few of you out that are struggling for a friend or relative.

I think for most of us, when you struggle on what to buy, or need a little filler present, we all opt for the body spray. I don't know why, but I know it's always my backup option. I got sent this set of So...?! Body Spray Set* and if you needed you could split the range, or even just do it as the set.

Sticking with fragrance, I also received the Britney Spears Fantasy EDP 30ml* which is the perfect scent for someone my age. It's rather sweet, but also is balanced out by a slight musk and really is just a youthful scent that I'm sure so many girls would love. For body, most people I know adore Soap & Glory, and so buying a Righteous Butter would be a nice gift perhaps alongside some other minis, as a sweet pampering gift.

For those that are wanting something a little more high end, I 100% recommend an Urban Decay Naked Palette. I have Naked 2, but any would be perfect. I personally would opt for 1 or 2 as they are more neutral rather than the pink tones in 3, as it is a little safer and those two suit most eye colours. Another makeup item is the Maybelline Baby Lips. I don't use these too often, but the amount of people I see at school using these is unreal, so if they happen not to own them already, you have a perfect stocking filler.

For the girl that doesn't particularly like makeup nor beauty, I would suggest buying The Wet Brush*. Mine is in a cute mustache print, and I've had this for such a long time and use it daily. It honestly is the best brush I've ever used and even the girls furthest from beauty lovers would appreciate it.

These House of Holland Polka Dot Nails would also appeal to a nail fanatic. If you don't want the glue aspect, pick up some Elegant Touch Adhesive Tabs, as they just make the process as little less damaging and longer lasting if I say so myself. These are 3D, monochrome and stiletto shaped; I would be pretty bloody pleased to receive these myself.

Finally, this Trim Brow and Lash Set*. If your mates are eyebrow obsessed like mine are, this would be a great present. You get a mirror, a spoolie, some scissors and tweezers in a travel pouch - and only costs you about a fiver. I know a lot of girls that would appreciate this present a LOT.

Hopefully I gave some ideas, and if you have any more please do leave them in the comments!

GOING FOR THE CHOP

After a very spur-of-the-moment decision on Saturday night (which entailed quite a lengthy session of scouring Google Images for pictures of every blogger who went for the chop), I decided to get my hair cut. Not professionally, just by my mum in the kitchen. Yep, you heard. My mum has been cutting my hair for me up until about the age of 12, and I have only been to the hairdressers for something short of 10 times maximum.

I was practically hyperventilating and as she hacked off the first chunk of hair off, it's safe to say I squealed and made a spectacle, but, there was no going back after that so she continued and I walked up to the mirror with hands over my eyes, and luckily absolutely loved the finished product. I started testing out styles, not even bothered by the hair left behind on the table that resembled a small rodent.

I did wake up Sunday morning with a minute feeling of regret but as soon as I looked in the mirror, saw where my hair used to look ratty and dead, and began waving and curling it, that feeling went away. I will say I like this curled, but very lightly with some texture enhancing spray through the lengths too - with this length of hair you really can go for the gritty look.

I look forward to celebrating how quick my hair takes to dry and wash, as well as enjoying the new look I have going on - honestly, who knew a trim (or a few more inches than the latter) could make me feel so fashionable?

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?

TRESEMMÉ 24 HOUR BODY BLOW DRY LOTION

I have thick hair, that is often unruly or frizzy that I rant about more than enough times on here, but when scouring the beauty hall in Tesco and seeing this Tresemmé 25 Hour Body Blow Dry Lotion for something under 50p, (although it is a mini), I ran to the tills and took it home with me.

It's not a 'lotion' its more of a spray, but think slightly thicker/heavier in consistency than your average heat protect spray and you have the right sot of idea. It does spray in quite concentrated bursts so I tend to wave my head frantically when applying this to coat the hair without wasting too much.

In terms of volume, I definitely did see some body in the roots and midlengths of my hair that I was lacking in beforehand, and I really enjoyed using it, and will do in the future. I think one thing they could do is incorporate some kind of heat protecting element in this so that I can just this as a multipurpose one rather than having to go in with a separate heat defense spray.

The scent is very similar to the smell of the majority of Tresemmé's shampoo/conditioners and I quite like it as it smells very fresh, although it doesn't linger too much once you have blow dried.

I think if I can find a full size of this if I continue loving it I may have to buy it, but I can assure that this handy mini will be joining me on my upcoming Madrid trip...

BUMBLE AND BUMBLE CLASSIC HAIRSPRAY

I'm not an avid hairspray user, but recently after bracing the beachy waves (and finding my thick mop of locks dropping out within a few hours) I decided a hairspray was on the list for me, and on a recent trip to a CCO where I stumbled across the Bumble and Bumble Classic Hairspray my wishes were granted.

Now, considering I don't know the ropes of hairspray use, I don't know how much I can explain the hold, but I'll give it a whirl anyway. First thing first, there is no crisp with this. I always get flashbacks of my primary school discos where I went a bit heavy with the extra firm hold hairspray, but this looks like your hair did before you spritzed it on. I did use this when I opted for a hair-up look earlier in the week, and it did keep my flyaway-prone hair at bay, although not everything was kept in order.

As for the smell, things get a bit fusty. Me and Megan described it as if you went to smell the corner of a pub with some cold food that's waiting to be collected (brilliant), but I don't think it is that unbearable. I don't tend to smell it when it's on the hair either, so the smell must fade with time (unless I can't smell it but everyone around me that catches a whiff of my hair can; awkward).

But, I think for the price you pay, although I am loving the Bumble and Bumble product sitting proudly in my drawer, there are probably offerings equally as good in the drugstore, but if you see this at a discounted price like I did, definitely give it a whirl.