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

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?

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?

SUMMER HAIRCARE ADDITIONS

Generally I don't seasonally switch up my hair care, just more so skincare and makeup, but recently I have gained a couple of additions to the stash and so why not share them with you guys and enable you all to buy them too?

I haven't tried much from Aussie but when spotting the limited edition Beach Mate Shampoo and Conditioner I thought they looked (and smelt) pretty good. It's the same formula and scent as the Miracle Moist range just with a different name I guess and they seem to work the same on the hair (I am a touch confused to be fair). But, I really like how these work for my very thick hair and they seem to be doing a good job without me needed to squeeze out half a bottle of conditioner each time.

Another item I got was the Got 2 B Weightless Dry Oil Mist. I had tried the original oil and still love it so this intrigued me a great deal. You spray it on to dry hair and kind of ruffle it in and it seems to nourish things quite well. I'm not 100% how I feel about this one but it's definitely a good addition if you want to nourish your hair but don't want to overload it with product - especially in the current climate.

What have you been adding to your hair care routine this summer?

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.

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...

GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS

After finishing my previous shampoo and conditioner recently, I sent my mum on a mission to scour the aisles of Boots and get something new for my locks. I'll give you the quick back story of my hair so you know what we're dealing with. It's very thick, and the under layer can sometimes get a little frizzy with some dry ends, but then gets fairly oily and greasy (I wash it every other day due to this).

A lot of people have been telling me that they like the smell of my hair when I use this, so it automatically gets extra credit from me. I have The Marvellous Transformer duo, which is targeted towards dry, dull hair.

When washing, I actually (on first impressions) have really been enjoying this. The shampoo cleans my hair really well and doesn't leave me feeling stripped or dry, just the right amount of nourishment. But, the conditioner is the one on the podium for me - I have never had to use such little conditioner in my life. I probably use the same amount of this as people with normal hair would, but mine is thick and dry, so this is really surprising for me. I am literally wowed with this stuff.

On the Garnier website you can actually answer a few questions to find out 'what your blend' is, so I really recommend you do that and give the range a go.