MY GO-TO HAIR PRODUCTS FOR SLEEK STRAIGHT HAIR | 2018

Hello everyone! For the past couple of months i have noticed that my current hair-care routine/product combination seems to be working in my favour, when it comes to achieving and maintaining sleek straight hair (as i naturally have frizzy/wavy hair). With that in mind and seeing has it has been about a year since i last did a hair routine post, i thought it was about time for an updated post.

1. ultimate blends coconut water dry hair shampoo + conditioner

So i first started using this shampoo/conditioner duo back in the summer time and i must admit i have switched up my shampoo from time to time, but i just keep going back to this combination as it works so well for my hair. As my hair type is frizzy/wavy it tends to get dry quite quickly so i often need all the help i can get for keeping both situations under control. Check out my first impression/review post on the Garnier Ultimate Blends shampoo and conditioner here. Whilst on the subject of shampoo i do only wash my hair between 2-3 times a week, as i find by not over washing it your hair benefits for it in the long run and looks healthier for longer.

2. l'Oréal professionel mythic oil masque
Every once in a while i like to go in with a hair masque or treatment, just to really nourish my hair and give it an extra shine. What i will do is apply to the ends of my hair, leave it in for about an hour before rinsing in the shower and then going in with my shampoo duo. By doing a hair masque every now and again can also simply cheer you up, by making you feel a little pampered. This particular one is a favourite of mine, as it really works well for my hair and out of every hair masque i have tried this one definitely has that "salon" quality finish to it.

3. ogx renewing moroccan argan oil

This product has been a hair saviour for me for so many years now, as it is truly that one product that will always protect and control the frizz. Just by adding a small amount of this and running it through the ends of my hair once towel dried, helps keep my hair soft yet manageable as well as protecting my hair against UV damage. Even though this product is an oil it doesn't leave your hair feeling full of product or "greasy" looking in the slightest, hence why it is always best to only apply leave-in products and conditioners to the lengths of your hair and not the root. The only thing i ever apply to my roots is shampoo or dry-shampoo on a non-hair washing day.

4. l'Oréal elvive dream lengths no haircut cream

This is actually a new product that i have been reaching for this month and one that i am really enjoying using, as i have noticed an instant change in my hair and it looks so much more healthy and has literally reduced the appearance of any hair breakage. Just like the argan oil i also apply a small amount of this to the ends of my hair before blow drying, which is where a lot of damage can come from not only from the heat but also from any breakage hair brushes can cause.

5. ultimate blends oat milk heat protection spray

Protecting your hair from heat is such an important step to keeping your hair looking and feeling healthy, as heat can be the worst thing when it comes to hair damage. This is a step i never skip before either straightening or curling my hair, at the moment this is my go-to heat protection spray as i picked it up whilst Ultimate Blends products were on offer for 3 for 2. I also figure that if oat milk tastes amazing in coffee then surely it is going to be good for your hair right? I also find ever since using this/the other combination of products together, my hair stays straighter for longer and i don't have to use as much heat on it as i would of had to before.

6. mark hill miracOILous nourishing hairspray
The final step to my sleek straight hair is always a small amount of hairspray, just to help tame any fly away hairs as well as adding more of a shine. I used to be super fussy with my hairspray but now i just tend to pick up which ever is on offer at the time, that being said this particular one from Mark Hill is a favourite of mine because it always tends to give a better finish to the hair and it doesn't leave any crunch/crisp to the hair like some brands of hairsprays can yet it still does the job.

the hair tools i use for blow-drying + straightening my hair:
| tangle teezer original pink fizz | ghd air hairdryer set | tangle teezer blow styling smoothing tool half paddle | ghd pink blush platinum styler |

xo.

FIVE OCTOBER FAVOURITES FROM SUPERDRUG UNDER £5

Hello everyone! Can you honestly believe that come Wednesday, October will be over? It has also been a hot minute since i last did any form of "monthly favourites" post, i believe that last one was my end of summer favourites. With that in mind i thought i would do a little spin on a monthly favourites, by sharing with you five of my recent favourite purchases from Superdrug that all retail for under £5. Superdrug is pretty much my go-to to get the everyday essentials from shampoo, to toothpaste, makeup etc and i always tend to order them online as it is free (with a beautycard), the delivery is quick and you don't have to wait in the busy queues.

garnier ultimate blends maple and castor oil shampoo 

So i just had to start things off with probably my favourite of the bunch i am going to talk about, because it is a must have product this autumn to have in your shower. First of all how rare is it to see any form of autumnal hair/body product in the UK? This is why i got excited and because it is actually by one of my favourite brands for shampoo, which i have to thank for keeping my hair frizz-free this summer (ultimate blends review). The smell of this shampoo is simply beautiful, with its sweet but not too sweet maple syrup fragrance. This shampoo and conditioner retails for £2.50 half price each currently at Superdrug.

garnier ultimate blends marvellous oil hand cream

Sticking with the Garnier Ultimate Blends theme and a new hand cream i have been reaching for this month, because with the weather getting cooler i have found my hands getting dry easier and i need to give them some serious hydration. Ironically now me and both of my sisters are loving this hand cream, because of how instant after application this hand cream leaves your hands hydrated and it has a very luxurious feel/scent to it. I picked this up from Superdrug earlier in the month for only £2, but the full retail price is £3.99.

mua luxe powder brow definer in the shade dark brown

For the longest time i have always stuck to my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade and not really bothered giving anything a try, because i just found that worked for me so well. Until recently that is anyway as started reaching for brow pencils more, i found myself buying a few to put to the test and this one being one of them. This is probably the perfect dupe for the brow definer by Anastasia Beverly Hills, as it is dual ended with one end having a spoolie and the other having that angled shape with the product. Although as i say "dual ended" it took me a while to figure out there was a third part to the pencil, with a thicker tip in the centre and when i discovered it i had one of those "oh that's why it says 3-in-1 brow".

t-zone charcoal and bamboo nose pore strips

So i have tried nose strips out by this brand before but it was a long time ago and they wasn't the charcoal bamboo ones, i think they was the normal strips. That being said i decided to pick some up from Superdrug a few weeks back, as for some reason my pores were quite blocked and i had a few more black heads appearing and honestly from the first use these were so effective. I know you can get some by Biore but honestly if you are thinking of giving charcoal nose strips a try, just go for these ones as they are so affordable at £3.99 for 6 and the Biore ones are almost £10 for the same amount.

nip+fab makeup matte liquid lipsticks
I have mentioned in so many posts before about my love for the liquid lipstick by Nip+Fab in the shade Tart, as it is one of my favourite go-to and the most perfect pale beige/pink toned nude shades. That being said this was the only shade i owned, so i decided to pick up a couple of other shades and they were such a bargain on offer for around £3 each rather than £7.95 (current offer £5 for beautycard members). The two shades i opted for are Toffee (brown/beige nude) and Biscuit (pink/mauve beige nude), which i think are both perfect for this time of year. The formula of these matte liquid lipsticks are super pigmented, long-wearing and comfortable to wear as they are enriched with shea butter and vitamin e.

Catch my perfect nude lip combination post HERE...

xo.

SUMMER HAIR: GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS COCONUT WATER

Hello everyone! In my previous post beauty & random favourites: june, i mentioned how i had been loving a combination of products including a de-tangle spray from Lee Stafford, which was included in that post and a particular shampoo and conditioner. That particular duo is from the Ultimate Blends range by Garnier and is something i have been reaching for non-stop in the shower every single time i wash my hair.

Now that we are into the summer months i always need serious help when it comes to keeping the frizz at bay and my hair looking/feeling hydrated, as my hair type is dry. So with that in mind i always find that either Argan Oil or Coconut based products are the way to go, when it comes to doing just so. I had mentioned in a couple of posts tropical trends for summer and best of beauty: coconut that i had been reaching for the ogx weightless hydration coconut water shampoo & conditioner, but when i was all out and went to purchase some more this one from Garnier caught my eye. The Garnier Ultimate Blends Coconut Water and Aloe Vera shampoo/conditioner, claims to quench your hairs thirst when feeling dry/dehydrated in a freshly scented way to leave your hair feeling soft, smooth and full of shine. The claims/benefits of this particular blend of shampoo and conditioner, are super similar to the OGX coconut water duo but there are a few things that have made me like this Ultimate Blends formula more, such as the price and over-all effect of the product. The comparison of the two products is the OGX coconut water shampoo/conditioner retails for £6.99 each for 385ml and the Ultimate Blends coconut and aloe vera shampoo/conditioner retails for £2.50 offer price (usually £4.99) each for 400ml.

I have been using this shampoo for around two weeks now and usually i have to wash my hair every two day (three times a week), because my hair is dark it tends to look greasier quicker than a lighter hair colour would and the day after washing it i would need to reach for a hefty amount of dry shampoo. Since using this shampoo/conditioner duo my hair stays fresher looking longer and on that second day i don't even need to use dry shampoo, which hasn't happened in a long time. My hair is super shiny, full of moisture but not weighed down, soft, frizz free and i have also found it is a lot easier to style once dry also. How i like to use the products is firstly when in the shower i go in with the conditioner first, i only concentrate this on the ends/length of my hair and i leave that in my hair whilst i go about doing all of my other shower things. Once i have done that i rinse out the conditioner before going in with the shampoo, then rinsing again until all of the product is out. 

Shop the ultimate blends range here.

♥