Bouffe Dry Spray for Bigger, Thicker-Looking Hair - Review

Bonjour!

Anyone who a) knows me b) reads my blog c) follows me on Twitter/Instagram will know that my hair is super-fine, flat and getting thinner and greyer by the minute!  Needless to say I was over the moon when Bouffe very kindly offered to send me a can of their Dry Spray 'for bigger, thicker-looking hair' to try out!

I was sent the  Bouffe Dry Spray in Dark Brown ... it is available in several other options - light blonde, dark blonde, light brown, black, silver and 'all colours'.  It contains a bespoke formula which is meant to thicken and bulk up the hair as well as giving root lift and disguising grey bits. Sprayed onto my hand above - it's grabbed and fattened up the hairs which are usually barely visible  to the naked eye ... it follows then that it should work the same way on my barnet?

I've learnt by trial and error to follow the exact instructions ... spray onto the appropriate sections (I concentrate around the root area) from about 15 cm (roughly a hand-span) and leave for a couple of minutes to dry (it's important to let it go from wet to dry) then smoosh in with your fingers. I don't use it instead of washing my hair as you would certain dry shampoos, this is more of a texturising, plumping spray.   It's really really  concentrated and pigmented and so you only need a few shorts bursts, you will feel like there is product in your hair and let's face it you will end up with it on your fingers (just don't forget to give your hands a little rinse!) - I'm used to both of these scenarios and neither bother me!  Basically it does what it claims on the can ... it gives the impression of a plumper head of hair ... adds body and gives volume and lift to the root area which lasts all day.  It covers the never ending greys and disguises the thinning bits and ever widening partings around my crown.  It's brilliant for creating texture and grip for updoes and bulking up my barnet if I want to wear it down.  Honestly I'm impressed ... it just makes my hair bigger - bigger is better and I'll definitely be repurchasing!

You can check out the full range of colour options over on the Bouffe website here and buy for £5.99/200ml (which I think is really reasonable) from Boots here.  

Have you tried out the Bouffe Dry Spray yet? Which is your favourite product for bigger, thicker hair?

Jen x

Charles Worthington Strength and Repair Pro-Heat Milk - Review

Bonjour!

The  Charles Worthington Strength and Repair Pro-Heat Milk from his Secrets Collection is something I picked up out of sheer curiosity a few months ago and have been using after most 'hair-washing' sessions  ...

The Pro-Heat Repair milk is lotion-like in texture and has ... I'd say quite a light sweet smell? I'm rubbish at describing scents so maybe just have a sniff for yourself!  It's a leave-in treatment which works with the heat of your styling tools to help repair and protect hair.   I apply one and a half pumps to my hair before blow-drying (I ain't got a lot of hair so this is enough for me) - not right up to the roots - but from about 2 inches from my parting, taking it down through the mid-lengths and ends.(I do apply an additional root lift product mid-way through styling - but that's another review in the making!)  I then blow dry and straighten.  I like that I can apply it directly with my hands to the places most in need so nothing gets wasted and I can just crack on and use my straighteners without having to apply another product.

After the first use the Pro-Heat Milk left my hair looking healthy and swishy and I was thoroughly impressed.  Since then I've used it almost non-stop for the last 3ish months ... dare I say ... I think this has the edge over my much loved previous hair protector of Kerastase Ciment Thermique - never thought I'd say such a thing but yes I think this works better on my particular barnet.  It was recently confirmed by good old Phil the hairdresser that the state of my usual split ends wasn't at all bad when I went in for a cut a couple of weeks ago,  so for me it definitely does what it says on the tin!  I like the way it leaves my hair shiny and smooth yet with decent body/bounce through to the ends, it feels stronger and less prone to breakage.  There is no lank, greasy or sticky feeling and I only need to use my straightener to get rid of natural unwanted kinks.

My bottle is starting to empty now but I intend to repurchase without a doubt - it may seem pricey at £9.99/100ml but to me it's money well spent!  For myself, I think the longer I've used it the better the results - so long may they continue!

Have you used the Charles Worthington Strength and Repair Pro-Heat Milk? What's your favourite heat protector?

Jen x

OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Dry Styling Oil - Review

Bonjour!

I tried for ages to shorten the title of this post but it was not to be so you have the full shebang!   Picked up this trio from the OGX/Organix Hydrating Macadamia Oil range (on offer of course!) specifically to take away.  Think it must have been the 'drench your strands' and 'hydrate and smooth parched, dry hair' bits that made me think it would be ideal for holiday. I went down the non-sulphate route as my daughter would be using it too so reckoned I do both our hairs' and scalps' a favour.  There was no problem with taking full sizes this year as we were driving, so everything got chucked in the boot of the car ... luckily it's a fairly big boot!

Both the shampoo and conditioner have quite a creamy but not heavy texture, the shampoo lathers well and both rinse out easily.  Your barnet is left with a silken feeling as you rinse - it feels mighty good I have to say!!  Must be quite a concentrated formula because you don't need to use too much of either the shampoo or conditioner - even on my daughter's giant mane of hair! Hence we still have a good amount left after using on holiday and on and off since returning approx a month ago!

The Dry Styling Oil can be used as a styling aid and also as a finishing product.  The oil itself is quite heavy so the trick is to find the correct amount for your own barnet.  I only need to use the smallest amount (tiny ... actually for my pathetic head of hair!), make sure you rub between your palms so you're only left with a thin film and then apply to mid-lengths and ends and dry as usual - or apply as above after styling (I use a mere droplet in this case!).  I still need to use a volumising product on the top half of my barnet but used correctly it does leave hair smooth and shiny and doesn't weigh it down - unless of course you do use too much (which I have done) and then you'll know about it!

And the aroma! ... Honestly they smell absolutely wonderful ... like ripe, sweet, watermelons - not sickly but really clean, juicy fresh watermelons! Pop into Boots and have a sniff and see what you think! Of course if you don't like watermelons you may have an issue!

So ... yes ... myself and my daughter are impressed with the OGX Hydrating Macadamia Oil Shampoo, Conditioner and Dry Styling Oil - lovely products to use at home or abroad to keep hair soft, shiny and silky.  I would repurchase ... but then I also want to try another range - just look at all this lot on the OGX site here - it's total hair product heaven! Of course if you're a 'normal' person this won't excite you ... but I'm not normal!

Have you tried any products from the OGX/Organix range? Which ones would you recommend?

Jen x

Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence - Review

Bonjour!

We're talking hair again - 'oh no not again!' I hear you say ... yep sorry -it's my obsession of the moment!  I bought this duo of Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence (from QVC) back in August just before holiday (seems so long ago now).  It's not cheap at approx £20/250ml but I'm a big fan of the iconic Philip Kingsley Elasticizer and so was certainly intrigued to try the Daily Damage Defence.  For those who aren't aware my hair is super-fine, curly, frizzy and thinning - good (not) combination eh...?

It contains ingredients to help smooth, strengthen and provide more elasticity together with heat and UV protection, and aids anti-breakage, frizz fighting and general manageability.  I took the mini bottle on holiday and have been using the larger one for the past few months.  The spray is easy to use with a super-fine mist and you don't need to use much, hence there is still loads left in each bottle. It doesn't cling to the hair or weigh it down and is not sticky or crispy. Plus - it smells lovely!

On holiday - I found this a brilliant product for enabling me to wear my hair curly, helped with the frizz whilst leaving my hair to dry naturally (something I don't often do - trust me it's frightening!), sprayed lightly after washing and also in the mornings to help tame and define curls which had succumbed to my usual overnight holiday hair madness! Yes - I do remember reaching for this most mornings!

Back home - again, sprayed lightly through mid-length/ends and layered with whichever other styling product I happen to be using -it does (usually) leave my hair softer and fairly frizz free - however I do still have bad hair days (when nothing I use seems to work!).  What I have found is that the Daily Damage Defence doesn't so much stop hair from becoming frizzy if I'm caught out (hat and hood-less) say on a damp school run but is great at rectifying the matter to a degree. I just spray lightly over the affected areas, which will have curled and frizzed up.  It renders the curls much less frizzy, softer and wearable.

Unfortunately - my hair is still prone to breakage in places,  maybe due to missing my haircut appointment?  I do think, sometimes, no matter how lovely the product you are using, if you let yourself get run down and stressed (as I have done recently) then it shows in the state of your hair (and skin) - well it does in mine anyway.

For me the Daily Damage Defence is a brilliant product for fighting established frizz. Not sure about the long term effects as Phil the hairdresser says he didn't see a vast improvement in the condition of my hair but then again it wasn't in as bad condition as I thought it was anyway - confusing!  I'm not sure I'll re-purchase immediately as there are similar products I want to try but it will be interesting to see what happens once it runs out - although I'll be saving the travel size to take away on holiday again next year...!

Have you tried the Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence? Which leave-in conditioning spray do you use?

Jen x

Another Great Hair Dilemma ...

Bonjour!

As you may have guessed I'm having another hair dilemma - well I have them all the time to be honest (my friends are laughing)!  It's like I can sort of manage my skin (more or less) but my mop is a different and an 'oh so unpredictable' kettle of fish!

I tried to skip a cut (well I went about 12 weeks) but it simply does not work for my hair - as it's so fine it just thins out and splits on the bottom - so lesson no 1 learnt (you'd think I know this at my age) regular trims are a must have. Lesson no 2 is that longer hair is a thing of the past - although it grows quite quickly - again - splitting and thinning are an issue - so... I've recently been bobbed off again and I think this is the shape of things to come - had a few layers cut back in (after growing them all out) as I didn't want to look like a monk!

So - I'm booked in with Phil (hairdresser) to have a colour this week and herein lies the dilemma! Highlights or semi, highlights or semi...can't decide in the slightest. So I'm looking at hair colour here and trying to imagine it on a bobbed head!

Every weekend I see Claudia's hair on Strictly and lust after the richness and shine of a semi-permanent colour which will cover the greys (there aren't loads but they stick out like a sore thumb)  and perk everything up a bit - shimmering and multi-tonal - that's what they say isn't it?

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And of course Alexa's hair is always on my mind! So do we go for darker Alexa ....

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or lighter Alexa ... in which case I'd need lots of fine highlights (instead of a semi) - which will also add texture and give the hair a thicker look?

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or all over chunkier slices of colour and sod the growing out phase ...

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...and then just to confuse matters I go and notice this gorgeous glossy colour and am now swaying back to dark again...?

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or am I ...? I think I need some help! You think I'm mad don't you?

Which do you prefer - would you choose highlights over a semi?  How often do you have your hair cut and what do you do with your hair colour in Autumn/Winter?

Jen x

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment - Review

Bonjour!

As you may know, I'm a bit of a Liz Earle junkie!  I love the Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner.  The shampoo leaves my hair squeaky clean and seems to counteract product build-up and clear up my flake-prone scalp. I've used each of the three conditioners (and rate them all), but am currently reaching for the 'dry or damaged hair' option since returning from holiday, as my hair has been a little frazzled.

With this in mind what better addition to my haircare routine than the Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment. Although my hair is not coarse (fine and rather thin), it is certainly prone to frizz and dryness on the ends, especially after a bout in the sun.

Some info directly from the Liz Earle website...

Naturally active ingredients include red algae to help enhance the hair’s natural barrier, cotton extract to improve smoothness and sumac wax to smooth and tame even the most unmanageable hair, plus apple and orange extracts to boost shine.

The treatment has a good creamy texture and smells just as you would expect from a Liz Earle product, fresh and natural, you can really smell the apple and orange in there!  I've been using this after shampooing, as it says on the tube, concentrating on mid lengths and ends.  I've left it on for between 10 and 30 mins, I think the longer it's left on the better but even after the 10 minute stint I could definitely tell a difference.  My hair is difficult to manage at the best of times but after using the Botanical Shine Treatment, it's so much easier to style, just blow dry with my normal styling product and I've only had to straighten the ends to get rid of the kinks.  It just seems to improve the manageability and leaves it shinier, smoother, hydrated and volumised. It feels stronger, if that makes sense!

So, really impressed with this and definitely something I'll be re-purchasing.  I bought mine directly from Liz Earle at £14.00/150ml - details here.

Have you used the Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment? What's your favourite product for 'post-holiday frazzled' locks?


Jen x

Holiday Haircare!

Bonjour!

Holiday haircare eh? My hair is difficult to manage at the best of times, on holiday it's a nightmare! Remember that episode of 'Friends' when Monica's hair went wild and frizzy on holiday (in Barbados?) - imagine that but with much much less hair!

So here are my holiday haircare products.  There ain't 'a bag' I'm afraid because they'll be split up and chucked into a couple of suitcases!

From left to right (again sort of) -

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo and Conditioner (dry or damaged hair) - I'm a big fan of this shampoo and all three of Liz's conditioners actually.  I suffer from an itchy, flaky scalp on and off and this gentle shampoo really seems to sort it out every time!  It's almost like a detox treatment and just calms everything down, leaves my hair cleansed and soft but still with volume.  I'm taking the dry/damaged conditioner option because I've had my hair coloured recently which always dries it out a tad. 


Lee Stafford Flat Iron Protection Shine Mist - Boots had 3 for 2 on selected travel minis so I got this as one of the 3. I've used it before and really like it, you only seem to need a little and it leaves hair soft and silky (and smells good as well!) .

Avon Advance Techniques Frizz Control Lotus Shield - last years bottle but plenty left for hols, you only need a tiny bit before blow drying (although I don't blow dry my hair on holiday I just put this on and blast off with the hairdryer) and it helps to 'block' the humidity from frizzing everything up! I'll put a mini blob on after as well just to be on the safe side!

Charles Worthington Front Row Brunette Dry Shampoo - I'm a big fan of dry shampoos for extra texture and volume, so treated myself to this for hols. I try not to wash my hair every single day on holiday so this is great for maybe non beach/pool days( I'm not a 'head submerger' where water's concerned anyway as I wear contacts!). Not used this particular one before so will see how it fares.


John Frieda Full Repair 'Full Body' Shampoo and Conditioner - the rest of the 3 for 2 goodies.  These are meant to 'revive overstyled hair' and 'weightlessly repair' damage from heat and colour. This sounds exactly what my hair needs. I do have colour in my hair and use straighteners, (even on holiday) so my hair's going to need all the help it can get! Let see what happens!


Aussie 3 Minute Miracle 'Colour' Deep Treatment - this is 'for coloured hair in need of love', sounds like my hair. Sachets come in so handy for holiday and take up no space in the suitcase!  

Ojon wide tooth comb - this comes in the pot with the famous Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment which I've used on and off for a while. Useful little compact comb!

A couple of  products to decant -

Philip Kinglsey Elasticiser - I love pre-shampoo treatments and this is one of my faves. Just so easy to pop on dampened hair and just get on with stuff (or sit around in the sun if you're on holiday!) while it does it's work.  I take this every year and put it on in the afternoon so that when I wash my hair in the evening it feels the benefit of the deep conditioning.

Lee Stafford Beach Babe Sea Salt Spray - this stuff is great for beachy waves and texture and you only need a couple of squirts! Using this encourages me to not straighten my hair and just rough it up a bit!

So that's that then.  Just a few bobbles, clips and my trusty old hat to throw in!

Very Old Hat but I love it! 

What are your holiday haircare secrets?

Jen x