OOTD: Misguided

A fun little outfit from last Saturday. This crop and midi pencil skirt were from Nicole for Misguided, but they still stock many similar versions!

 Similar set from Misguided here and here.

For the hair I used Babyliss Curl Secret. I took small sections to create the curls in alternate directions. I then let them set for about half an hour while I did my makeup. After the curls had thoroughly cooled I brushed through them with my hands and a smoothing brush to loosen them and give them a lot more volume and movement.

Review: Hair is Fabric HIF Cleansing Conditioners

As my hair has been long and coloured for many years I am always on the lookout for gentler ways of washing it to ensure it doesn’t become dry and frizzy. I am a big fan of cleansing conditioners as they don’t strip your hair of natural oils, so when I was offered the new HIF (Hair is Fabric) range to review I jumped at the opportunity.

Hair really is like fabric. It’s made up of dead cells that can’t be repaired. The most effective way of achieving healthy hair is simply by preventing it’s fibre from being damaged in the first place. HIF is designed to be akin to dry cleaning for hair….only with water!

 

The HIF range of 15 Cleansing Conditioners has been formulated to fully cleanse using Fractionated Cleansing Particles that do not strip the natural oils from the hair and scalp. The unique particles bind only to dirt and leave the hair fabric alone. This allows for all impurities to be fully removed and rinsed away without stripping or damaging the hair.

A first-ever Fabric Depositing Technology has also been included to deliver next-generation active ingredients effectively to the deepest parts of the hair. This technology is used in the textile world to deposit dyes into fabrics and stop them from being rinsed away through consistent washing. Most haircare products target only the cuticle, leaving a superficial healthy look, but no long-term benefits. HIF’s delivery technology allows actives to remain anchored to the cuticle, even through washing, thus facilitating the penetration of ingredients into the deepest parts of the hair. Thanks to nourishing and conditioning ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Exotic Oils and Precious Rock extracts hair will become stronger, shinier and smoother with each and every wash.

Unlike most cleansing conditioners, which do not foam, HIF offers an exaggerated foaming feeling by creating a unique fake foam (in seven of its formulations).

The collection includes:

·         Hydration Support

·         Intensive Detox

·         Colour Support

·         Volume Support

·         Straight HairSupport

·         Curly Hair Support

·         Anti-Frizz Support

·         Growth Support

·         Anti-Aging Support

·         Black Hue Support

·         Red Hue Support

·         Brunette Hue Support

·         Blonde Hue Support

·         Silver Hue Support

·         Anti-Brass Support

I love that the range has so many different formulations so you can really target your hair’s needs. I chose the Red Hue Support (as red is the most tricky colour to maintain) and Anti-Frizz Support to try to keep my hair under control during these humid Summer days. These cleansing conditioners do not foam, but feel very rich and creamy. Personally, I don’t mind the lack of foam as I simply wet my hair, massage the conditioner through and leave it for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

The Red Hue Support was very red when it came out of the tube. As my hair is long I felt like I had to use a lot to saturate the hair on my first wash, but this may be a testament to how dehydrated my hair was as it seemed to suck up all the product. It did take a while to rinse out the conditioner as it is very pigmented and I did feel that some deposits were left on my hair so it felt a little heavier than usual, but the colour looked visibly better. The next time I used it I applied less to the root area and this prevented my hair from being weighed down, but still gave the benefits of hydration and kept my colour vibrant.

The Anti-Frizz Support is a slightly lighter formulation, while still being moisturising and caring for the hair. Once again I concentrated it on my mid lengths and ends and it rinsed out well leaving my hair soft and smooth with a really long-lasting scent.

The HIF range is available through the Deciem webiste here and on www.victoriahealth.com  priced at £20-50. You can get 15% OFF using my discount code NORTHAMERICA15. Enjoy! x

New Hair

I love long hair. I have always loved it. I play with it constantly, until people tell me to stop. I think I will be 60 and still have long hair, I can never imagine getting to that stage that all women seem to go through in their 40s when they decide to go for the chop. I have always wondered why that happens!

When I was 12 my hair was so long I could actually sit on it! To be honest it was pretty horrible and a nightmare to wash and dry. I didn't give it that much thought until I went to boarding school. I definitely couldn't fit my super long hair washing ritual into my schedule and didn't want to annoy everyone with my hour long showers each day! So I got it cut to just below my shoulders and since then it has been getting long and then being reigned in for the last 10 years. I'm not very exciting when it comes to hair. Long soft waves, volume at the crown and a side parting (ie. playboy bunny hair) is what I love. If only I could transplant Cheryl Cole's hair, plus her numerous extensions, on to my own head, then I would be forever happy.

Enough of the rambling, I really should not be allowed to post at 1.30am. I just wanted to share with you guys my new hair :). As you may have noticed when I came back from Thailand it was very long, which I loved. However, I did not love all the nasty split ends and the fact that the colour had really been bleached by the sun, so it was turning somewhat coppery, and very orange on the ends. It was time for a trim, and as much as I hate having my hair cut I could not put it off any longer. In the end I was right to be scared as the initial promise of "I'll only take off an inch" turned into 4 inches! I hate it when hairdressers do that! Luckily my hair grows like wildfire and there are always extensions meanwhile.

As for the colour, I decided to go darker for autumn and more red. I always dye my hair at home as I find it a lot easier, cheaper and I like being in control of what I am doing. Sometimes I add my own highlights, but this time I decided I wanted to keep it dark throughout.
Before:

I used my favourite hair colour (usually 5.3), but in a deeper red shade. I chose L'Oreal Couleur experte in 3.54 a dark copper mahogany. Unfortunately this photo has bleached the colours somewhat and it looks much more red in real life.

I can't decide whether these photos make me look like the girl from the ring, cousin IT from the Adam's Family or the little hair creature from those 'don't break up with you hair' adverts. What do you guys think?

Have you been brave enough to ever do anything drastic to your hair, or do you experiment within limits like me?  xxx