It’s 2016, and out of both funemployment and a newfound talent for beauty reviews, I started a YouTube channel. Want to know the video that went viral? Well it’s me deadpan (and rather awkwardly) looking into the camera, chatting about how I got my hair to the beautiful dark ash blonde you see me fashioning for those 3 minutes.
What I didn’t record were the next few days, weeks and most probably up to a year following that video, where I had to nurse my poor unsuspecting hair follicles back to health.
It was only when I sat down in the hairdresser’s chair that I had been told, that no my hair wasn’t just magically growing layers… it was snapping off! Moral of that story, don’t desperately bleach your hair at home every two weeks (but you already knew that, didn’t you?!).
I’d say this year though, my hair has risen from the ashes (pun intended) and become healthiest, softest and shiniest yet, and if you’re a blonde you’ll know how much harder that is to achieve.
I’ve switched up my haircare products over the past 6 months, and the results have proven to me that when it comes to haircare, premium brands work a lot harder than those I used to just throw in my basket at my local Savers (…I’m so sorry Savers, you still hold a place in my heart).
These are the products that have taken my hair from Worzel Gummidge (if you’re too young for this reference, please Google it just for laughs!) to My Little Pony…
Aveda Sap Moss Weightless Hydration Shampoo + Conditioner
Aveda does it again with this iconic relaunch, a thick (but lightweight) formula that uses minimum water for maximum hydration. I have oily roots and dry ends and this does not weigh my hair down, but it does hydrate the ends… a miracle, I know.
Bumble + Bumble Mending Shampoo + Conditioner
Oh Bumble + Bumble, you are too good to us with your cute, squidgy and aesthetically pleasing bottles. This has been my ‘everyday’ shampoo and conditioner for months and one I believe played a huge part in restoring my hair’s strength, as I’m an ‘everyday’ hair washer.
Josh Wood Everything Mask
I was in Boots recently and was in desperate need of a decent hair mask, I picked this up as I remember how brilliant it was the first time I tried it. It was the most expensive of the high street buys, but when it comes to hair masks, you want results don’t you? This product proves going up a price bracket pays off. I even had someone comment on my hair being ‘Disney Princess-like’ that day.
Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment
I use this protein treatment a couple of times a month to help strengthen my hair and in typical Aveda fashion, you get results. My advice is to use it only a few times a month, as you can actually overdo protein treatments when it comes to hair and it can have the opposite of the desired effect (who knew?!). I reach for it when I’ve just had my hair coloured – it’s a real SOS product.
Coco + Eve Like A Virgin Super Nourishing Coconut + Fig Hair Masque
I had seen this product all over Instagram to the point I thought it would be all marketing and hype. I was so, so wrong. After first use, my hair was left so smooth I didn’t have to take my straighteners to it, as I usually would after blow drying. Taming frizz is probably the biggest USP to this big ole tub of exotic goodness.
Amika SoulFood Nourishing Mask
Again, a haircare product that sits around that £20 price point, where results are dramatically different to the under £10 mask you can pick up on the high street, that leaves you wondering what it actually did. I get this in a huge tub (nothing better than tubs when it comes to scraping every ounce left) and it leaves my hair baby soft – if that’s a thing.
I use this EVERY DAY. I have very thick hair but the follicles are fine – so I have to be very careful when choosing styling products (I tend to stay away from creams). I use this liberally on my hair when it’s damp to help brush out tangles and its helps the brush glide seamlessly but doesn’t leave my hair with any residue once dried.
This brush is a game changer for thick hair like mine. I use this in the shower to comb through conditioner/masks with no pull. I love it so much I just wish hair salons would use it instead of combs! I sometimes even take it with me to the salon… yes, I’m that customer.
