Hair Products I Love

As regular readers are probably aware, my hair is most certainly not my crowning glory. It is the bane of my life, flitting from looking thin and lank to frizzy and dull. When I want it to grow, it resolutely stays the same length for months on end, and when I’m happy with the style and colour, the roots grow through in record time. However, what never change are the dry ends. Years (decades actually, but there’s no need to focus on that!) of colouring my straw coloured hair means it is pretty damaged. I thought I’d share my comprehensive list of hair products that I like and do work.

L’Oreal Serie Expert Silver Shampoo: If you hate it when your blonde hair gets that yellow tinge, this is the answer. It looks very scary when you pour it out of the bottle, a very punchy indigo colour, but I use it once a fortnight, like a regular shampoo, and it keeps my hair a cool, icy blonde. Don’t use it too regularly, as it can start to leave a blue tinge, which does wash out, but can be a bit odd looking (I’ve been there, and been likened to Marge Simpson, not my current style idol). If this is out of your price range, Schwarzkopf make a similar product called Touch of Silver, which is a bit weaker in its results, but does the same job for a few pounds.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme: A pre-shampoo treatment which really makes your hair stronger and softer. I have used this for years, and think it works so well. It’s a bit of a faff, putting it on before you wash your hair, and leaving it on, but, if you can make the time, your hair will be very grateful!

Coconut Oil: If you are on a budget, a pot of coconut oil is a beauty must-have. It is very cheap, and will make your skin soft and hydrated, and work wonders on your hair when used before shampooing. I just slather it on, leave it for half and hour, wrapped in cling film if my husband is really lucky, and then shampoo it off (very thoroughly!). A great bargain product for dry hair (and skin). VO5 Hot Oil is also another cheaper product that is really good and I have used since I was very young and still adore.

Kerastase Forcintense: This is a conditioning treatment that really packs a punch on dry, damaged hair. It’s a two stage process, with the two products in little tubes, which again, is a bit of a faff, but I couldn’t be without it. It’s quite expensive, but I can get a couple of uses out of each tube, so don’t feel you need to use it all. I just keep the tubes in the bathroom cupboard (in cling film if you don’t want them to dry out, as the lids are snap off ones) until I use them again. This works really well with Ciment Thermique, another product I like and have mentioned before.  I rub a bit of this in, mixed with a pump of hair serum (John Frieda Frizz Ease is great), and it leaves my ends really soft.

Frederic Fekkai Shea Butter Range: I discovered this in the USA a few years ago, and absolutely adore it. I use the shampoo and regular conditioner (I find the treatment mask a bit too heavy for my hair), and find it makes my hair very soft and glossy. The FF shine spray is also a great buy, as it really does what it says,, especially if you are using strengtheners (the most evil things on the planet for your hair, but oh how I love how they make my hair so swingy!). However, trust me, use it sparingly!

Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive RestructuringTreatment: Another great conditioning treatment and general range of products that do what they say. The conditioner is effective but doesn’t leave your hair greasy or weighed down, and smells delicious. I love this brand, as the products are a good balance between science and nature, which makes sense in my head, and I’m yet to find one that doesn’t work.

Tangle Teezer: This hairbrush is really great for hair that tangles easily, or for children who don’t like having their hair brush. I think it is made with some sort of magic, as it gets through all tangles without pulling at all.

♥  L’Oreal Serie Expert Silver Shampoo £7.10 from Look Fantastic

♥  Schwarzkopf Touch of Silver Shampoo £4.20 from Boots and most chemists

♥  Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Extreme from £3.70 for 20ml, available at Philipkingsley.co.uk

♥  Coconut Oil from £3 from health food stores

♥  Vo5 Hot Oil £4.29 for 4 treatments, from Boots

♥  Kerastase Forcintense £22.25 from Look Fantastic

♥  Kerastase Ciment Thermique £16.05 from Look Fantastic

♥  Frederic Fekkai Shea Butter Range from £20 from Space NK

♥  Aveda Damage Remedy Range, from £18.50, available from Aveda.co.uk

♥  Tangle Teezer, £10.99 from Boots

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