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

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...

CURRENT HAIRCARE FAVOURITES

Recently, for me, haircare is where it's at. I never used to care about what I used, but due to the fact that I am way too many weeks late on my regular cut (I'm going in two weeks though), I have been paying more attention to what I use on it.

My hair is very thick, and so it often gets dry at the ends, so whenever I use heat on my hair I will always go for a protectant prior to the curling, blow drying etc. and that is where the Lee Stafford Blow Dry Your Hair Faster Spray comes into play. This detangles, protects from heat damage, and supposedly allows your hair to dry faster, and I really, really like this.

Sometimes my hair can look a little on the greasy front in between washes, and so I need to use something to banish the oil. I used to love Batiste, but I just fell like it is very powdery and whenever I touch my hair in the day I have the powdery residue everywhere. But, the Toni & Guy Cleanse Dry Shampoo is brilliant, and I would like to purchase the full size when this is finished. Full marks for the sleek packaging too.

I'm not a hair spray person really; I don't like the smell, and I hate the crispy look, but when it comes to styling my hair I need some sort of hold in there to get me through the day without my hair going cray. This Toni & Guy Extreme Hold Hairspray gets the hold on point, but without and crisp of crunch, and doesn't smell like stereotypical hairspray either. This is another that I would love to get my hands on the full size.

FInally, to banish my pesky dry and lacklustre ends, I use the got2b Oil-licious Tame & Shine Styling Oil religiously and it makes my hair feel like silk. I either apply this on damp hair after towel-drying it, or when it's dry, and sometimes if my hair is feeling extremely dry, I slather it on in both situations. This also has a lovely scent to it, and is a thin texture so your hair soaks it up, and you aren't left with any residue.

My next item on the wishlist? A good, deep conditioning hair mask, and a dry texturising/volumising spray...

TRIAL-SIZED TONI & GUY

I have never been one for hair care products, but over the winter break I went a little but cray for all things hair, and craved all the hair care things, ever. I obviously didn't buy them all, but in the boxing day sales I managed to find this perfect little set.. The Toni & Guy Matthew Williamson Hair Meets Wardrobe bag came home with me, containing 3 rather generous trial-sized products at 75ml each, and I couldn't wait to spritz them all over my locks.

The first item you get is the PREP Heat Protection Mist, basically, a heat protect spray. I rarely use heat on my hair, as when I do, the ends go incredibly dry and frizzy, and look horrible, but on NYE when I curled my hair, I used this and no damage was shown to my ends, and I will continue to use this whenever I blow dry my hair (which is a rare occasion).

Next up, is the CLEANSE Dry Shampoo which I generally use on my second day hair when it is looking a little greasy, and this does the job of a dry shampoo so well. Gone are the days which I would use Batiste and end up getting powder on my fingers every time I touched my hair throughout the day, or being told that my roots are white, because this stuff leaves no residue whatsoever. I can imagine that once I have gone through this mini, I will be buying the full size product.

Finally, is the CREATIVE Extreme Hold Hairspray. I usually avoid hairspray, because I always have those visions of 'crispy hair at the primary school discos', and it makes me cry a little bit inside. But, this bad boy is brilliant. No crisp, a good hold and I am loving it at the moment. Best thing? It doesn't smell like hairspray at all! I wore my hair up to school, and generally after a good hour, I will have flyaway sections all over the shop, but this didn't give me any of that for a good 5-6 hours. *claps*

After trying these items, Toni & Guy is definitely a brand I am going to be looking out for more in the future. I have noticed that quite often they have offers on, so I am hoping a 3 for £12 comes up at some point again soon and I can stock up on some more products.