Well hello there!
The last few weeks I've been feeling pretty rubbish - the flu got me and wiped me out for weeks, and the colder weather has been playing havoc with my skin and hair. So I thought it was time to share my absolute favourite cruelty free hair products to rescue my 'do and save it from turning to straw and looking like something a crow wants to curl up in.
Here's the babble:
I'm lucky that my hair is quite manageable - by that I mean it grows fast, is generally straight (with an occasional wave depending how fast it dried) and as long as it gets hydration it's pretty well behaved. I can go without straightening it every time I wash it and as it's long and without a fringe I can get away with tying it back for minimal fuss.
However it needs DROWNING in moisturising products to keep it this way. It's always loved a bit of conditioner but that's normal, now it requires a hefty avalanche of conditioner when I wash it plus a good hair oil and extra care when heat styling. It's by no means difficult but I struggle to get it feeling smooth without overloading it in products. So if this sounds similar to you then read on my friends! I am about to tell you exactly how I get my hair feeling and looking great.
1) Get your shampoo and conditioner right
There was a time I used to think shampoo didn't matter, and it was all about the conditioner. I was a little bit right, as long as you have a decent shampoo then you should be fine. But I did not have a decent shampoo and it was only when I tried one that was all sorts of incredible did I understand the error of my ways.
My favourite is this, the Lavender and Mint Tea Tree Shampoo and Conditioner from Paul Mitchell.
It makes my hair feel glorious, smell incredible and a little goes a long way. I save it for special occasions/really bad hair days but I really really love it and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with similar hair or those looking for some extra hydration in the winter months. This was originally gifted to me but I've repurchased it since so I really do recommend it.
You can buy it from any Paul Mitchell stockists but I've also found it online, the cheapest being Look Fantastic where they have the duo for £20.63
You can buy it from any Paul Mitchell stockists but I've also found it online, the cheapest being Look Fantastic where they have the duo for £20.63
2) Choose your styling products wisely!
I always shied away from using lots of hair products because they left my hair feeling sticky, overloaded and generally bad. This was again because I'd never tried the right products.
Using the Rare Marula oil was a game changer for me, it's a great multi purpose oil and I take it with me when I travel as it can be used on skin as well. Plus it smells great! It absorbs into my hair really quickly and doesn't leave any sticky traces, but my hair feels a lot smoother. I use it on wet hair when I dry it and also apply it to the ends when I'm tying my hair up for the day, it gives it an extra hydration boost before washing.
I've also found the Style Extending Primer to be really useful, it's a spray that you use on wet hair and it can help to prolong your style. I use this on the weekends when I style my hair and hope it lasts for the duration when I curl or straighten it, and it normally helps me get an extra day out of my curls which is a massive achievement for my straight hair!
I always shied away from using lots of hair products because they left my hair feeling sticky, overloaded and generally bad. This was again because I'd never tried the right products.
Using the Rare Marula oil was a game changer for me, it's a great multi purpose oil and I take it with me when I travel as it can be used on skin as well. Plus it smells great! It absorbs into my hair really quickly and doesn't leave any sticky traces, but my hair feels a lot smoother. I use it on wet hair when I dry it and also apply it to the ends when I'm tying my hair up for the day, it gives it an extra hydration boost before washing.
I've also found the Style Extending Primer to be really useful, it's a spray that you use on wet hair and it can help to prolong your style. I use this on the weekends when I style my hair and hope it lasts for the duration when I curl or straighten it, and it normally helps me get an extra day out of my curls which is a massive achievement for my straight hair!
The Rare Marula Perfecting Hairspray was a product I had to swallow my words on. I have NEVER used a hairspray that's been this good, and I can honestly say I would repurchase it again in future. A little goes a long way and it holds my curls well, but it's so weightless that it barely feels like there's anything on my hair. This is great because it means I don't need as much of it and my hair doesn't get so dried out - it's a winner!
Kenra Professional was a brand I hadn't heard much about before, but their hair styling products have been saving my hair the last few weeks.
The Blow Dry Spray is already a firm favourite of mine and I can't believe I ever survived without it. My very long mane takes a lot of drying, sometimes up to 30 minutes of constant blasting from a hot hair dryer, and this is sure to take its toll. However with this product my hair drying time has been cut by a third and sometimes I can be done in 10/15 minutes which is amazing. It's a great time saver but it's also stopping my hair from getting so much heat damage!
The Silkening Mist sounds an interesting product doesn't it? I love this for adding a little bit of shine and manageability to my hair after styling, it smells great and helps to reduce flyaways - this has been really useful to reapply on days when I haven't washed my hair and it's getting a bit frazzled from the constant heating/air conditioning/ cold outside.
The Blow Dry Spray is already a firm favourite of mine and I can't believe I ever survived without it. My very long mane takes a lot of drying, sometimes up to 30 minutes of constant blasting from a hot hair dryer, and this is sure to take its toll. However with this product my hair drying time has been cut by a third and sometimes I can be done in 10/15 minutes which is amazing. It's a great time saver but it's also stopping my hair from getting so much heat damage!
The Silkening Mist sounds an interesting product doesn't it? I love this for adding a little bit of shine and manageability to my hair after styling, it smells great and helps to reduce flyaways - this has been really useful to reapply on days when I haven't washed my hair and it's getting a bit frazzled from the constant heating/air conditioning/ cold outside.
Lastly we have the Root Lifting Spray which is my final recommendation. It's great for adding some volume in at the roots but again doesn't seem to leave any stickiness to my hair, it adds some extra oomph with minimal effort so again less heat styling is required.
All in all these products have done a pretty great job at helping me rescue my hair and it's gone from feeling terrible to looking healthy and being manageable.
Depending what style you're after depends on which products you will need but we test out a fair few different styles so I think we've got everything covered above!
Depending what style you're after depends on which products you will need but we test out a fair few different styles so I think we've got everything covered above!
Have you tried any of these products from Rare Marula, Paul Mitchell or Kenra Professional??
Which are your favourites? Which would you like to try out??
If in doubt you can always throw on a hat to help you save your hair from the cold!
L xxx
*Many of these products were gifted to us, but my opinion is absolutely 100% honest. I wouldn't keep blabbing on about them if they were rubbish!
