1 Minute Hair Tutorial using 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules

So with the weather being its usual horrendous self I thought that the second instalment of the 1 minute hair tutorials should be completely rain and wind proof!

As before I prepped my hair with the Pantene 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules to ensure my coloured hair looked super healthy and had some added gloss. I tied the hair up into a tight ponytail, using a soft bristle brush to give it a sleek look. I then put a generic brown hair doughnut on the ponytail and twisted the hair around it in one direction covering the entire thing.

I then used the ends to wrap around the bottom of the doughnut and secured any strays with brown bobby pins. I finished off with a good spritz of Pantene's Style & Protect hairspray to keep hair in place. This is such an easy style to wear as it stays put all day with no effort. Let the weather do its worst!

If you try this out do let me know how it goes! I would love to hear your feedback :).

*This is a sponsored post*

Hair-Mare

This post has been a long time coming! A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to freshen up my hair with a few subtle highlights. However, my wish for sunkissed locks was not fulfilled and after an absolute disaster involving someone I can't believe is allowed to colour hair, too much bleach and (dare I type it) black hair dye I was left in an absolute panic. Luckily, I was able to get in touch with the right people to rectify some of the damage in the shade department, but my hair was still left feeling dry and ravaged. It has taken me the best part of a month to bring it back to life and get over the shock (I can't recommend Ojon and Philip B haircare enough!!). Yes... I know how melodramatic I sound, but hair is so important and when your hair doesn't look good you can't help feeling rubbish.

Enough of the preamble though, a few of you have asked me to share the new hair...

Frankly after many a wash and a treatment it doesn't look so different. It's a cooler brown tone all over with lots of thin caramel highlights throughout.

The initial post colour skunkalike photos are not making it on to the internet. Seriously.. think the worst hair in history... think *gasp* Tulisa.

So what do you guys think of the new hair? It's good to have a change every now and then, but I have been blonde, dark, mousey and I still think the red is my favourite. It just looked so much more glossy and no doubt I will be running back into its comforting embrace come Autumn ;). xxx

Philip B Oud Royal Shampoo and Conditioner

Philip B's latest creation is the indulgent Oud Royal range that promises to transform all hair types.

Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine contains time-released botanical hydrators, molecules tiny enough to pass through the fiber of hair and moisturize each strand from the inside out. 

This set promises to be perfect for reviving, defining and de-frizzing curls; creating sleek, swingy blowouts and plumping up fine, limp hair for lasting volume.

 

Key features include:

• An intensive hydrating complex treated with high-vapor energy – a new, patent-pending technology that breaks botanical oils into molecules tiny enough to sink deep inside the hair shaft. 

• Time-released botanical delivery system (made with natural Safflower Oleosomes) for major volume and a lustrous shine that goes on and on. 

• L-Amino Acids revive parched strands & tame frizz without weight. 

• Sweet Blue Lupine Peptides for superior color protection. 

• Pure Oud Essence for a rich, warm, sweet-woody scent. 

• Sulfate-free shampoo cleansing base with a rich luxurious lather for gentle and effective cleaning. 

• Safe for color-treated or straightened hair.  

The Oud Royal Shampoo and Conditioner both smell amazing and work hard to ensure hair is well nourished. The recommended use is to only apply the conditioner every other time you wash your hair as the shampoo is moisturising enough to be used on its own! As it is sulphate and sodium chloride free it doesn't lather as much as most shampoos, but that can easily be fixed by adding more water and massaging the scalp. I would highly recommend this for coloured hair as it is so gentle or as an indulgent treat for those trying to get the hair into perfect condition.

As with all Philip B products the price point is set high with the shampoo retailing at £60 and the conditioner at £70.


Do you indulge in hair care? Have you ever tried any products from the Philip B line? xxx

*Winners* John Frieda Salon Blends Giveaway

Thank you so much to all my lovely readers for entering my latest John Frieda Giveaway. The five lucky winners are:

• Dark Caramel Blonde - Chrissie Miss.Chris@aol.co.uk
• Dark Cool Pearl Blonde - MindyandRoo mindyandroo@googlemail.com
• Light Bronze Brown - Azra Ionlyponder@hotmail.com
• Light Amber Brown - Annabel - babybel_90@hotmail.com
• Lightest Cool Almond Brown - xoannie xoannie09@gmail.com

Congratulations my lovelies! Please e-mail me your details so I can arrange for your prizes to be sent to you ASAP.

The next competition is coming up in just a few days so if you didn't win this time you don't have long to wait till the next one... ;) xxx

*Giveaway* John Frieda Salon Blends

You all know that I am a big fan of John Frieda's foam hair colour, so I am excited to be holding a giveaway of their new Salon Blends range - a collection of five professional multi-blended home colourants. Precision Foam Colour Salon Blends has been developed alongside the experts to allow you to achieve the next level of salon-quality colour in your own home, as if a professional had mixed the shades together !

The colour range includes: 

   Dark Caramel Blonde 

Dark Cool Pearl Blonde 

Light Bronze Brown 

Light Amber Brown 

Lightest Cool Almond Brown

I have one of each box of colourant to give away to all my lovely UK readers. All you have to do to enter is:

1. Be a follower of this blog.
2. Leave a comment below letting me know which would be your preferred colour. (Please include your e-mail in your comment).
3. Check back after the end of the competition to find out the winners!

 The competition starts now and will end on the 14th of May. Good luck my lovelies!! xxx

Lisa Shepherd Makeover and Discount!

I was recently invited to the Lisa Shepherd salon in London for a mini-makeover. After being presented with a menu of looks, which included a 'Dynamic Dip Dye' and 'Posh Girl Pony' I decided to go for the 'Absolutely Fabulous Finish', as my hair was long overdue a little trim.

Unfortunately I don't have a before style photo taken on the evening, but here is one from the week before, which shows the full weight and length of my hair.

As ever I wasn't going for a dramatic difference, but I wanted to get rid of the dry split ends that have been creeping up on me over the last few months and also add some shape to the front. I have mentioned many times that I am fearful of hairdressers who can be overzealous with the scissors, but my stylist was very attentive and concerned with giving me what I wanted. He took a couple of inches off the length, added more layers throughout and much shorter pieces at the front. He then gave me a gorgeous blow dry with a bit of bounce and curl at the ends.

So what do you guys think? We tried a slightly different parting on the night, but as my hair naturally falls into a side parting I have maintained it that way since. The new layers and long fringe make it so easy for me to play around with different shapes and I feel that my hair is much lighter and healthier, yet still full.

Before the styling we had a little presentation from Jason Cocking, the director of Lisa Shepherd London, who showed us some of the hottest trends for the season. LS is all about working runway trends in a wearable way, making it the perfect salon for the fashion conscious. The trend they are currently concentrating on is a wearable dip dye effect. Many of the girls attending chose this option and I have to say they all looked fabulous. You can check out Lina's blog here for pictures. Jason has made the dip-dye effect more subtle, by taking various sections and blending the dye up the hair, making the transition of colour look seamless!

If you are interested in checking out the salon, or want to try out the new wearable dip dye you can get 25% off any treatment and also get a complimentary shampoo and conditioner if you mention this blog when you call to book your appointment on 0207 467 9560!! The Lisa Shepherd London salon is located at 24 Mortimer Street, London, W1T 3JP.

Are you due a little makeover? Have you been tempted to get a dip dye? What style are you currently lusting after? xxx

The House of Rush

New Year, new you? I would never be so dramatic, but it's nice to update your look a little every now and then. So I was excited when I was given the opportunity to review the newly opened House of Rush in the heart of bustling Picadilly. With it's ultra glamorous decor, and a team of top stylists it makes a great flagship for the RUSH chain of salons.

With a list of treatments that ranges from the usual cut and colour through to eyelash extensions, facials, massages, waxing, tan and even permanent hair reductions I was spoilled for choice. However, when I think of Rush I think of hair, so I decided on a half head of highlights to give my hair a new lease of life.

 The before:

My lovely stylist Amanda met me on arrival and gave me a full consultation about the look that I wanted to achieve. After dying my hair a deeper red/ brown earlier in the week I felt that my hair colour was looking a bit flat, and wanted to add some vibrancy and shine. What I was hoping for was to have a variety of tones throughout my hair and achieve a look that would make someone say "oh, your hair looks nice" rather than "oh, you've had highlights".

I have to admit that I was a little worried about getting highlights as often red can turn into streaky orange/ brassy sections if bleached or stripped. So instead I was delighted that Amanda chose to add slightly lighter, more vibrant red highlights throughout my hair, which would catch the light and add dimension and shine, rather than bleaching or lifting my existing colour. The highlights themselves were placed just under the line of my natural parting, so that they looked more natural.

As many of us find the hairdressers can sometimes be a bit of a stressful experience I have to point out that I felt very relaxed during my colour. Amanda was absolutely lovely, extremely friendly, bubbly and thoughtful. It was an absolute pleasure to meet someone who was genuinely excited and enjoyed their job! The mood at the salon was also very calm and it was refreshing to see that due to the longer time slots allocated for each appointment care and time was taken over my hair, unlike at other salons where I have previously felt rushed out of the door, or handed over to a junior because my stylist had run out of time.

So here is my after shot, though unfortunately this was taken after I had come back from dinner (in the drizzle) so my hair had lost some of its volume and bounce.

As you can see the change is very subtle, but the freehand placement of the highlights adds some lovely tonal variation to my hair, without making it look 'stripy' or unnatural. I absolutely loved the final results and will definitely be going back to the House of Rush and particularly Amanda, who was absolutely wonderful!

Have you been to the House of Rush? I'm so excited to have found a salon that is a one stop shop for all my beauty needs and can't wait to try some of the other treatments they have available! xxx

Schwarzkopf partnership with LIVE Salon Style home hair colour

Remember Louise Redknapp from Eternal? The gorgeous yummy mummy and wife of equally yummy Jamie Redknapp has been announced as the new face of Schwarzkopf LIVE Salon Style.

 Her blonde locks have been transformed into a gorgeous, rich chocolate brown shade using LIVE Salon Style’s Chocolate Brown.

If you want some tips on choosing the right shade for your the video below is really helpful! It shows you some of the colour results you can expect, lists the selection of colours available as well as recommending different colours, or colour families for different skin tones.


You can also check out the the Live Salon Style Colour Booth Ap, which allows you to upload a picture of yourself to try out different hair colours. This is my before and after (using the dark brown shade). What do you guys think?

Schwarzkopf LIVE Salon Style is available nationwide now from Superdrug, Tesco,
Boots (where it is currently on offer for £3.99 here!), Sainsbury's and all leading pharmacies. Plus at RRP £5.99 it makes an affordable treat to get your tresses ready for the party season.

Have you tried the new shades from LIVE Salon Style? Are you thinking of changing your hair colour? xxx

*This is a sponsored post* 

Cast Yourself: Please vote for me!! :)

Many of you have probably heard about the L'Oreal Cast Yourself Competition on Facebook to be the face of Casting Creme Gloss alongside Cheryl Cole. I have unashamedly entered and with only a few days left to vote I am so excited to be in the top 60 entries for my colour (red!) so far. Voting closes in two days so I am hoping for one more little push to get me into the lucky few who will audition for the part!

I would absolutely love the opportunity to meet the gorgeous Cheryl and it would mean so much if you could vote for me on facebook here!!!

Thanks so much my lovelies and fingers crossed! xxx