Schwarzkopf Got2b Play it Straight

As much as I try to hide it my natural hair is wavy/ curly, which turns to frizz and unruly volume when it comes in contact with humidity. In my teens I was absolutely obsessed with getting straight hair and had to be surgically removed from my straighteners, which damaged my hair and completely ruined any natural shape it had. The wonders of modern science have made the straightening process so much easier and faster. The new innovation from Schwarzkopf is their got2b Play it Straight straightening blow dry kit, which is a semi-permanent solution to rebellious, unmanageable hair.

 

Play it straight contains a special protein that helps loosen the bonds that make hair frizzy. The formulation also contains keratin, silk and wheat proteins for caring and conditioning. These advanced formulas help to seal in lasting smoothness to create a weightless, humidity-resistant barrier to frizz. After only one application, this kit promises to leave you with perfectly smooth, straight and manageable hair, for up to 10 washes. 

To me this sounds amazing, but how exactly does it work? The video below shows you all the steps, including smoothing, sealing and blow drying your hair.



Got2b Play it Straight is priced at £6.99 RRP and available now from Boots, Superdrug, Asda, Savers and Amazon. For more information please visit www.got2b.co.uk or G2B's facebook here.


Do you prefer a straight style? Have you tried the play it straight kit? Would you use an at home straightening kit on your hair?  xxx

*This is a sponsored post*

Sexy Victoria's Secret Waves w/ the InStyler

I am a huge fan of Victoria's Secret! The underwear, the girls, the show, the hair, the makeup and those amazing wings. As ever this year's show was spectacular and my favourite angel Adriana Lima looked as beautiful as ever. Though I would not often want to put my picture next to hers needs must

for the greater good... good hair!

This week I have been experimenting with a new hair tool - the InStyler. I first spotted this styling tool in a commercial and was intrigued by it's innovative design, which features a rotating curling iron and a brush.

The InStyler is a multi functional tool that can both curl and straighten the hair, as well as adding volume and shine. The bristles separate individual strands while the rotating cylinder straightens and polishes. As the heat is spread evenly along the hair with the rotating motion the InStyler uses less heat than traditional tools, which is encouraging as I always worry about using too much heat on my hair! The three heat settings available are 196 °C (for thick, coarse hair),  157 °C (for thin to medium-textured hair) and 140 °C (for fine, thin hair).

To see how I used the InStyler to create sexy, soft curls and sleek, straight hair just watch the video below!


I really like the idea of the InStyler as it creates beautiful, soft curls/waves in an innovative way. However, I did find it a little tricky to use at first, especially as you have to be quite careful with the hot cylinder not to burn your fingers. This tool does come with a heat guard for this purpose, but I found it easier to remove it when curling the hair.

Being accustomed to my Babyliss Big Hair I did find it a little annoying that I could not control the direction of the spin, meaning that you always have to hold it in a certain direction to get the best results, which can be a little awkward if you are not ambidextrous. Though this is a tool that takes a little practice for me it is worth the effort as I absolutely love the shape of the curls created by the InStyler - the perfect big, bouncy, shiny Victoria's Secret waves!

The InStyler retails at £99 on their website here and is also available from Boots here... with 396 clubcard points too ;). For more information, as well as tips and tricks for creating a range of styles you can also visit InStyler's Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channel, which also has a great range of tutorial videos!

Have you seen the InStyler? Are you a fan of multipurpose hair styling tools? Are you tempted to try it? What hair style would you create with it? xxx

**This is a sponsored post.**

Aveda Smooth Infusion - The Products

As my final installment in the Aveda Smooth Infusion series I wanted to review the products that make up the range and share with your my experiences in testing these out over the last four weeks.

Before I get into too much detail let me give you my overall impression. The Aveda Smooth Infusion range sets out to protect hair from humidity and banish frizz. On my wavy/ curly frizz prone hair I noticed a marked difference while using these products. Firstly, my hair was much smoother and had less texture and curl when left to dry naturally. Personally I prefer a little volume, and though I wouldn't say that these products weighed my hair down, they definitely made it more sleek. When used in conjunction with heat styling I noticed that (despite my best efforts) my hair didn't frizz as much as it normally would, however if I left my hair to air dry there were still quite a few flyaways to be found. Therefore, I think these products would be best suited to someone with frizz-prone hair who wants their sleek look to last a few hours longer, without having to worry about humidity. If you are someone who religiously straightens their hair this would be the perfect range as it will reduce the time needed for styling, protect from heat damage and ensure your style lasts!

The Shampoo contains an exclusive plant infusion—a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bea to create a smooth new hair surface. Not only does this shampoo smell fantastic (herbal yet fresh) it gives a really lovely soft lather that feels moisturising and in no way strips the hair. As with most Aveda products this is great for use on a sensitive scalp, or dry, colour treated hair as it cleanses effectively while being gentle.

The Conditioner has a slightly stronger, more spicy smell than the shampoo, which is in-keeping with the range. Its rich texture makes it easy to use as both an everyday and a leave in conditioner. I tend to overdo it with conditioners, so the narrow nozzle made it easier to control the amount I was getting as you really don't need very much.

The Style-Prep Smoother contains hydrolized wheat protein to protect against surface damage from heat styling and organic tapioca to defend against humidity for up to 12 hours. I use 3-5 pumps of this (as I have quite a lot of hair) and spread it throughout the ponytail section of my hair. The formulation of this is very smooth, and not at all sticky, so it spreads easily and evenly throughout the hair. Since I am pretty lazy when it comes to hair, especially as I mostly wash it just before bed, I like the fact that this is a multi-functional product that tames, battles frizz and protects against heat styling damage.

The Glossing Straightener, as all other products in this range, smells lovely - a fresh yet spicy citrus-floral blend with rose oil and certified organic bergamot, palmarosa and Australian sandalwood. It contains natural cellulose to deliver long-lasting hold and maintain a straight style all day. However, as I rarely straighten my hair I have had less use of this product. The few times that I have straightened my hair with a flat iron I have noticed that my hair looked a little more shiny, though I can't be sure if this is due to the straightener, or the whole combination! I have however tried this on the ends of dry hair for a little 'pick me up' and it works well at defining sections, or applied sparingly throughout to reduce frizz.

I hope this review is helpful to some of my wild hair beauties - I will definitely be using these products in future when I am going for a straight style. Usually when I straighten my hair I leave it for 3 days before washing and it has always been a stretch. However, the Smooth Infusion range has really helped my style last longer, and anything that saves time on two work mornings deserves praise from me! If you missed my 'results' post with before and after photos you can check it out here.

Let me know your thoughts on any of these products... I have been impressed by Aveda and am keen to try their range for curly hair next!


*This post was sponsored by Aveda as part of a month long challenge to see how the products perform*

Aveda Smooth Infusion - The Results

Some of you may have already read my earlier post (find it here)- introducing the Aveda Smooth Infusion Challenge.

Throughout this month I have been putting the Aveda's Smooth Infusion range to the test, seeing if it can really deliver on its promises - protect my hair from heat styling damage, keep my hair free from frizz for 12 hours and defend against humidity. Rain, tube, dance class, clubbing - you name it, I have done it in the name of good hair ;).
 
Shall we take a look at the results? First up, a walk in the wind and rain, followed by a tube ride. Aaah my favourite!

Since my hair was blow dried with some volume and movement at the ends you can definitely see it has dropped and lost some of its curl. However, it has remained smooth and frizz free.No flyaways here!

A few days later I straightened my hair and set out for another long day at work. Although my hair is  wavy and textured it is pretty quick to straighten and smooth, however the curls usually start to make themselves known in the evening, especially if there is moisture in the air.

 After a hot, packed tube ride and a walk in the drizzle by lunchtime my hair was still looking sleek.

 In the evening I set out for another walk in the rain and tube ride (anyone sensing a pattern here?), followed by dinner and a few cocktails. Please excuse my pyjama and glasses clad snaps ;).

As you can see over 12 hours later my hair is still straight, however a few flyaways are starting to emerge. Since my hair is layered quite often the shorter pieces tend to frizz, especially around the front and at the crown. The next morning my hair was still straight, and all it needed was a little serum to smooth the ends and a few of the flyaways. 

Let me know what you think of the results and do keep an eye out for my last post in this series, where I will be reviewing the Smooth Infusion range in more detail!


*This post was sponsored by Aveda as part of a month long challenge to see how the products perform*

Gifts for Her!

The most hectic days of the year are upon us and with only a week to go before Christmas it's time to get organised! So many of you have sent me messages asking for advice so I thought I would put together a little last minute gift guide, to suit all budgets, for those struggling to maintain the Christmas cheer while bustling around the shops ;). Let's begin with gifts for her (for him and for you coming up next)!

For Her

Liz Earle Essentials Try-Me kit (£21.75) - This skincare set is great for any age and would make the perfect gift for the girl who is always too busy to pamper herself, but deserves a lovely treat. This kit includes the celebratred Cleanse and Polish (with muslin cloth), Instant Boost Skin Tonic and two Skin Repair Moisturisers (one for dry/ sensitive and one for normal/combination skin) enclosed in a durable little makeup bag.

White Tea and Ginger Bath Gift Set (£24.99) - For the budget conscious who don't like to show it this set has a great range of beautifully presented products including bath soap, body lotion, bath confetti, hand wash, bubble bath, bath salts, shower gel, and sponge in a stylish ceramic bowl. You don't have to rush out either, if you order by Tuesday 21st December with standard delivery your gifts are guaranteed to be delivered by Christmas Eve!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant (Limited Edition) (£15.50) - In this harsh winter weather Eight Hour Cream is an absolute handbag essential for dehydrated skin and chapped lips. The limited edition packaging is adorable too!

ELF 100piece Eyeshadow Palette (£15.00) - Having had the opportunity to try this palette out it is evident that the price does not reflect the quality of these shadows. Pigmented, smooth and with a range of textures this palette would make a wonderful gift for the younger girl starting to experiment with makeup through to the makeup master. I absolutely love it and think it is incredible value for money.

GHD Midnight Collection Gift Set Limited Edition (On sale £119.20 down from £149!) - This wonderful new GHD set would make a wonderful gift for the glamorous girl in your life. We all know GHDs are pricey, but this set including the gold classic styler, limited edition travel hair dryer, styler pouch with heat resistant roll mat, treasure chest case, baroque travel mirror and two ghd sectioning clips is currently 20% off!

Ted Baker Tellan Leather Jacket (£299) or Reiss Rogers Biker Leather Jacket (£275) - Every girl needs a good leather jacket, and I am in love with these two. The quality of the leather is stunning in both and the feminine, fitted shape makes it versatile and perfect to throw over a party dress or a smart blouse and pencil skirt. One of these is actually my Christmas present this year ;). Yay!

Viktor and Rolph Flowerbomb Gift Set (£48.50) and Emporio Armani Diamonds Gift Set (£34.50) - At a recent fragrance event I was given the chance to try a multitude of different perfumes and these are my two top picks for the season. V&R is one of my all time favourites - femine and floral this warm, sweet fragrance with notes of tea, bergamot, jasmine, orchid and rose is a signature statement scent. Armani Diamonds is a fragrance I had never tried before - elegant and feminine with top notes of rose and raspberry that blend into an amber and vanilla base, I think this perfume will be enjoyed by many!

Zara Messenger Bag (£29.99) - While browsing the Zara website (as you do!) I noticed this stunning bag and thought it would make a perfect present at a budget friendly price! With it's classic shape, mix of materials and geometric perforations it is completely on trend for this season, and will accessorize a number of outfits perfectly.

Phew! I hope that was helpful my lovelies! Stay tuned for the next installments in this series - For Him and For YOU! Hope you are all well and looking after yourselves :). 

Natalya xxx

Nicky Clarke DesiRED Hair Straightener Review