Tag: Hair Products

Hair Syrup Pre-Wash Conditioner

beauty, Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Summer, Women

Disclaimer – We have received this item for free or on a loan basis for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The folks at Hair Syrup are serious about hair care. With various ‘flavours’ of syrup, their aim is to treat hair to give you your best look regardless of how brittle, frizzy, oily or thin it is.  We were sent the Original Hair Syrup this week to try out for ourselves.

The premise of Hair Syrup is that it’s a ridiculously thick oil which repairs damaged hair.  The bottle says to leave on your hair for 1-3 hours, so not one for disobeying orders, I put the Hair Syrup on my own hair, making sure all areas were covered and set about my normal weekend routine for just over 3 hours. I made sure all areas of my hair were covered, right down to the tips, as well as the scalp. My hair had only been washed the day before, but needs a trim so the ends were a bit dry – a good test for this pre-conditioner I thought!

I only had to tie my hair up to let the Hair Syrup magic work, but I could feel over time that it was really heavy. This was partly because after about an hour you can feel the syrup drying, so in the height of summer like this, I might cover my head next time so that it doesn’t dry. It was a nutritious oil which was working on my hair.

When it came to shampooing it out (and they suggest on the bottle that it takes 2 shampoos) I was able to get most of the by now dry, brittle mixture to come out with one shampoo. The second one was to make sure it was completely clean.  Conditioning as normal as I did (you can leave out the conditioner if you like) I then rinsed off to see the effect.

After just one treatment (of 3 hours) my hair was much more conditioned. I let it dry naturally, and instead of the frizziness I usually have and then have to straighten, I had my proper, big curls back.  They weren’t perfect, but this was after just one treatment and with no product, drying on a hot day.  It’s seriously impressive that I didn’t have to do much else, nor spend that much time or money on the result.

I think Hair Syrup is one for the long term. Once I get my hair trimmed this week, a few more Hair Syrup pre-conditionings and I’ll have some seriously slick hair!

Available for around £15.95 online and on the Hair Syrup website:

SYRUPS

Hair Gain Peptide Puff Dry Shampoo, Scalp Foam and Hair Mask Review

beauty, Birthday Gifts, camping, Christmas, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, secret santa, Stocking Fillers, Summer, Sustainable, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Women

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

AD I’d been on the lookout for some travel sized hair products to take on holiday with me so was really pleased when Hair Gain offered to send me a selection of their hair care products. The handy sized products fit easily in my wash bag, making them the ideal companions on my recent walking and cycling holiday.

The Hair Gain Peptide Puff Dry Shampoo is a festival goer’s dream come true, with it’s ability to refresh your hair instantly it’s the perfect choice when showering isn’t an option. With its unique powder puff applicator rather than the typical aerosol, it offers a refreshing and eco-friendly way to freshen up greasy locks when you’re away from home. This method is not only better for the environment but offers a more precise application, absorbing excess oil and adding volume, leaving my hair feeling fresh and clean without the need for water. The other advantage to the powder is it doesn’t leave a chalky finish on my hair and feels less chemical-like than other dry shampoos I have used before. There’s no excuse for dull locks now, one application and my hair feels clean and full of life again.

RRP £15

The Scalp Foam is lightweight and easy to apply, providing a soothing and revitilising treatment for the scalp. It’s especially beneficial for maintaining scalp health whilst on the go, ensuring your scalp feels comfortable and balanced. The leave-in hair foam contains naturally derived ingredients which work together to nourish your scalp. It is applied to dry or towel dried hair and you simply massage it into your scalp. It doesn’t need rinsing out and by using it daily I have noticed that I am shedding less hair and my hair is starting to feels stronger. It also smells lovely too.

RRP £32

Finally the Hair Mask is a nourishing treat that deeply conditions and revitilizes hair. You apply it to towel dried hair, massage it in, leave for 5-10 minutes and then rinse out. There was enough in the 50ml tube for 5 applications on my shoulder length hair so is the perfect size for a summer holiday. I used it on a week long walking and cycling holiday where my hair was assaulted by sun and sweat every day and it really made a big difference to my dry curly hair. Using the mask a couple of times over the week meant my hair was more hydrated and manageable than it is normally. Since returning home I’ve been using it on a weekly basis and am very pleased with the condition of my hair – the mask gives a powerful dose of hydration, leaving my dry curls soft, shiny and bouncy again.

RRP £14.50 50ml

The wide toothed Hair Gain comb is the perfect tool to help distribute the Scalp Foam and Hair Mask. It can be used on wet or dry hair and it’s great for detangling my curly hair without excessive pulling or tugging. The sturdy teeth with rounded tips effortlessly glide through wet hair with less pulling which speeds up the detangling process whilst reducing breakage

RRP £11.95 

I’m really impressed with these products, they are fantastic for both travel and everyday use and the handy sized products combined with their effective formulas makes them a must have for anyone looking to maintain their haircare routines whilst away from home this summer.

Nanogen Haircare

beauty, Fashion, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I have recently had a dietry deficiency which caused my hair to thin, plus it won’t grow very long now so it seems to be getting shorter and shorter with each cut I have! Nanogen Haircare has a solution to thinning hair which includes shampoo and conditioner, Hair Fibre Locking Spray and hair fibres.  Intrigued, they sent me some samples to try along with instructions. 

Nanogen’s products are designed to thicken your hair in as little as 30 seconds.  With 20 years of experience and a variety of products and also boast a wealth of information on their website as to how to care for you hair and how to make it look instantly thicker.

Starting with the Nanogen Hair Fibres, choose your hair colour online: https://www.nanogen.com/pages/what-shade-are-you The Nanogen Hair Fibres are designed to bounce light from the transparent fibres to make your hair appear thicker and more like natural hair. Choosing your shade of hair colours allows the Nanogen Hair Fibres to blend in with your natural colour, and a mix of shades often makes the blending much easier. I have medium brunette hair so I was sent the shades No 05 Medium Brown and No 06 Light Brown.

Once I had styled my hair for the day, I took the darker colour to my roots, sprinkling the fibres onto where my hair needs thickening. Lightly patting the fibres into my hair to make them more even, I then applied the lighter shade of Nanogen Hair Fibres and patted the area again to even out the distribution. Essentially, that’s all you need to do, but if you want to change the thickness, or the tone of the colour, you can repeat the process to get the desired look. As with all products, practice is the key. I was also advised that ‘less is more’ with building up the thickness and colour, so keep trying at small intervals until you get the look you like. 

To keep your new thicker looking hair water resistant and to fix in place more, Nanogen also have the Hair Fibre Locking Spray, which I used on my hair before I went out.

If you’re a bit nervous about using thickening products on your hair straight away, Nanogen has other haircare products that might also benefit you.  I was sent the Shampoo Luxe Thickening Hair Experience for Women and Conditioner for Everyone.  I love trying out new haircare products, so this was another way for me to get thicker hair and also love pampering myself a bit more. As with most shampoos and conditioners which are designed to do a bit more than just clean and condition, it takes a few washes for the condition of your hair to change. Having said that, after one wash I could feel that my hair was coated more rather than stripped back which is what most High Street shampoos do.  The hard water in my area doesn’t help the condition of my hair either, so the protection of the conditioner helps.

After a week of washing my hair with the Nanogen Shampoo Luxe Thickening Hair Experience and Nanogen Conditioner for Everyone, my hair began to feel stronger and dried less frizzy when I left it to dry naturally. The fragrance of the Conditioner for Everyone is to die for too – I loved conditioning my hair with it and the scent it left!

I was also sent the Nanogen Shampoo and Half-Conditioner for Men, which lathers up to exfoliate the scalp as well as lightly conditioning. The conditioning aspect of the product is from panthenol and glycerine, which is to prevent hair feeling weighed down.  I don’t normally use 2-in-1 shampoos and conditioners so I had a good opportunity to test it when I went away for a night and didn’t know what the haircare products would be like.  It has a similar fragrance to it as the Nanogen Shampoo and felt like it was just as nutritious as the separate shampoo and conditioners.

From fretting about my thinning hair to suddenly having a 30-second fix and being given a long-term solution with different shampoos and conditioners, Nanogens has given me both confidence and hope, and more healthy looking hair. Thanks Nanogen!

All products available from £9.95 at: https://www.nanogen.com/collections/all

Hair Boss – The Heat Protecting Spray

beauty, health, Women

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

There are so many hair products on the market nowadays, and getting to know what might be available for your hair routine is just as difficult.  If you style your hair with a hairdryer (who doesn’t in winter!) or use straighteners, you may find that the condition of your hair suffers when so much heat is applied.

Hair Boss by Lisa Shepherd is a revolutionary spray which protects hair before heated tools are used, or as a hairspray after styling, to give extra hold.  

Lisa Shepherd is a Kidderminster based colourist and hairdresser whose accolades include being the most awarded hair colourist in the UK today. As a mentee of Umberto Giannini, she has spent more than 30 years perfecting her craft. Lisa also has a drive for her business and a philosophy in life to be true to yourself and shower clients with love, whilst at the same time being honest.  With this enthusiasm, Lisa has developed the 4-step programme for hair, personally evolving the products herself to give clients, and you, the best possible hair. 

The Hair Boss Heat Protection Spray is number 4 in the list of 4-steps developed by Lisa.  The spray can protect hair up to 230 degrees centigrade, which is about as hot as most hair straighteners can get. I tried the spray twice – once on wet hair and again as a flexible hold hairspray on finished hair.  Using the usual 10-15cm rule of spraying from a distance, on wet hair it took a bit more spray for it to cover all of my hair, which is almost down to my elbows and very curly.  I usually put on some kind of heat protector if I’m using straighteners but not always when using a hairdryer. I used both on my hair to give a straight look and try out how the protection works.

After The Hair Boss Heat Protecting Spray, I used the hair dryer and straighteners on my hair. My hair was better hydrated and protected from the heat, allowing a shine to come through once my hair was straight. I think I need to use more though, especially on the ends to give an even protection, so the first few times are very much trial and error to see what is right for your hair, and depends on what heated styling tools you use.

Lastly, I used the spray on my dry hair to see how it held. It does seem to have a really firm hold, even in this weather and brushes out easily without destroying my styling, which is always the problem.  

I will happily be using Lisa Shepherd’s Heat Protecting Spray from The Hair Boss more, and hopefully getting the application 100% correct to give my hair the best possible style.

Available for £8.99 at: https://www.thehairboss.co.uk/products/the-heat-protection-hairspray