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

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?

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...

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.

 

CHARES WORTHINGTON TAKEAWAYS ON THE GO DRY SHAMPOO

I'm sure we are all fans of dry shampoo. The nifty little can which allows you to freshen your hair between washes, with no use of water. Batiste used to be my best friend, but I have realised after someone complaining about my grey roots at school, and that every time I touched clothing I would have powdery residue left everywhere.

I was on the hunt for something that wasn't going to do this, but something that still would offer the freshness that Batiste does to the hair. I have tried Megan's Toni and Guy one, and that is next on my wishlist, but this Charles Worthington Takeaways On The Go offering which has been lingering at the back of my desk is pretty much just as good. No white residue, no gritty feeling, and that 'I washed my hair last night' look. Brilliant.

I have this in a minature size, which I buy in a hope called Home Bargains for a minute price of something like 80p, so it isn't too bad. I am still to hunt down a full size, because I really love this, but frankly I don't think it exists. Perfect handbag size though, which is handy.

A dry shampoo is an essential for me. Maybe next time I'll have to trial the 'dry conditioner' thing, and if I do, I'll report back... And a side note, but bad photo editing skills makes my hand look like it has had an awful fake tan job on the first picture, oops. I'll do better next time....