Umberto Giannini Enviable Body Blow dry spray

So once I'd purchased this blow dry spray, I popped on to Boots and looked up some reviews... it wasn't promising, a lot of people were complaining that it made their hair extremely sticky which made me a little worried to use it, but I did and here's what I thought...

I sprayed this into wet hair (as recommended) before blow drying and winced as I aimed the hair dryer at my head, expecting it to turn into some sticky mess. It didn't and I was thrilled! Until I realised that my hair looked exactly the same as it would have if I'd used no product at all. No volume, no body, no difference. I've tried this multiple times using different amounts of the product - but it's never made my hair sticky (or heavy surprisingly) but it's never made a difference to the volume either.

One positive thing I did notice about this spray though, was that it cut drying time in half. This is a big thing for me because usually it takes 15-20 minutes to completely dry my hair with a dryer, but with this spray it literally only took 5 minutes. One main reason I picked this up because it has heat protection built in... I'm normally good at remembering heat protection before styling, but not before drying!

So all in all, if you're looking for something to solely cut drying time + protect your hair from the heat then go for it, but don't expect any of the extra volume that it promises.

What's your favourite thing to create volume? (not dry shampoos)
NATALIESLOVEx

My DIY Pamper Night: Hair Mask

Hello ladies,

In the last few days I've noticed that my hair looks extremely dry - especially my split ends. I think it has something to do with the fact that I dyed my hair a shade lighter, paired with the fact that I can't put the heat tools down! I know, it's my own fault right? Lol. 

Anyways, I mentioned it on twitter and ask for some home remedies and the lovely Katie mentioned putting Olive oil on the hair and letting it sit for a while... this got me thinking and I wanted to go a step further so off to Google I went! After reading through what seemed like hundreds of different hair mask recipes I sort of took aspects from a few of them and made a little hair mask. Total experiment - didn't think it was going to work as well as it did!

It's so simple and cheap to make! And I bet most of you have all of these ingredients knocking around in your kitchens.

- Place the banana into a bowl, and mash with a fork. Don't worrying about making it completley lump free, just make sure it's not too lumpy. Remember the larger the pieces of banana, the harder it will be to wash out!

- Now crack the egg into the mixture, we want both the yolk and the egg white. Then mix thoroughly.

- Add 2 tablespoons of Honey and 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil, stir well.

- I put some clingfilm over the top and popped it into the fridge ready for when I used it later that night. It's fine to keep it in fridge for a few hours but I wouldn't recommend keeping it for any longer because obviously, the banana is perishable and would go all horrible and brown!

I applied this to dry hair whilst standing in the bath... and thank god I did. It is quite messy and I still managed to get some on the floor - although the dog did start lapping it up, so apparently it taste nice as well! Lol. Surprisingly, it does smell quite nice... banana's would you believe ;) Make sure you wear a towel around your shoulders unless you want banana chunks down your clothes! Here's what it looks like applied, I wrapped it up on top of my head in some clingfilm. Possibly the most unflattering photo's...

You can leave this in your hair anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours! I left it on for around 2 hours just because I wanted it to work it's magic to the full! I rinsed it out in the shower with shampoo twice, this was enough to was it out for me... I took a brush with me to aid the de-bananaring process, haha.

As soon as my hair started to dry I could feel how much smoother and softer it was, and it was a lot more manageable! I thought it might have been extra fluffy but it seemed to tame my frizz and well as making it look quite shiny! Complete success! I think I'll be doing this more regularly and experiment with different ingredients - next time I think I'll use Avocado and a bit more Olive Oil.

Have you ever made a home-made hair mask? Send me the recipe!
NATALIESLOVEx

2 for £7, Umberto Giannini

Hello my loves,

Just thought I would let you all know that Umberto Giannini products are 2 for £7 in Boots at the moment. Definitely a bargain! I took advantage of the offer because Umberto Giannini is rapidly becoming my favourite hair care brand! So if you've been wanting Backcomb In A Bottle (which I seriously recommend) head to your local Boots! Here's what I got...

Umberto Giannini Incredible Body - Enviable Body Blow Dry Spray

I love big, big hair. I can't stand it when my hair has gone all limp and is stuck flat to my head. I usually put some mousse in my hair before I dry it and I find that works amazingly well. I felt like a bit of a change though and when I saw that this has 'heat protection care' I was sold. I often forget heat protection :( I know, you can all curse me! When I got home I read up some reviews and a few of them were quite negative :/ But we shall see how it goes.

Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets - Instant Beauty Silky Soft Leave-In Conditioner

I really love using leave in conditioners, my hair always looks better when I use it but I haven't been using one for a while because I simply ran out. With all the heat I use on my hair I need extra moisture. The packaging of this is so much nicer than the blow dry spray! Smells gorgeous, now lets hope it makes my hair look like it should belong in an advert... I can wish?

Once I've used these for long enough I will definitely review them. Particularly the blow dry spray because of the negative reviews I've read. Fingers crossed it all goes well! So yup, just a little heads up :)

NATALIESLOVEx

Velcro rollers: My first experience!

Hey cuppycakes,

Probably going to get a bunch of weirdos ending up on my blog because of the title post ;) haha. They'll be disappointed! In this haul here I showed that I finally bought some rollers - Trevor Sorbie ones from Boots. I'm trying to get my hair to a much healthier state so that it grows quicker. Heat being my main enemy. So today I tried out rollers for the first time. Obviously the results aren't perfect because my hand eye co-ordination is a bit shoddy and I still need practice in putting the rollers in properly... don't laugh at my noviceness. ;)

This is me looking oh so glamorous with a full head of rollers, as you can see - this needs improvement! I put them in my hair when my hair was 80% dry and let it dry naturally when up in the rollers. I secured them with bobby pins because the velcro only holds them in place slightly. Has anyone got any tips on putting in rollers?!

These are the results I got and I'm quite pleased. I used all of the biggest rollers so there isn't much curl. I was trying to get more volume and body over curl... but next time I'll see how it looks with the smallest rollers. There will probably be more room on my head for them too, lol. Here a couple more photo's because... well, why not?

Overall, rollers are really great if you're looking for a straightish, voluminous and heat free hairstyle. I'll probably be opting for rollers a lot now. Although, for me it feels like its going to take some time to perfect. But I really recommend these Trevor Sorbie rollers. They have a variety of sizes so you can create a few different looks. Let me know what you think? :)

What is your experience with rollers? Any tips are welcome!
NATALIESLOVEx

My bank holiday face

Hello beauts,

So today is a Bank Holiday and I hope you're all doing wonderful things with lovely people, with hopefully a very sunshiney day! Today I'm just going out for lunch and wander with my Mum, Stepdad and Boyfriend. I think going out for lunch/dinner or even breakfast is one of my favourite things to do... I love food! I feel like it's such a social thing rather than just a survival thing lol. I hope we get to munch on some garden pub grub!

Maybelline Superstay 24h foundation

Elf HD powder

17 blusher, Brickie

NYC mosaic blush wheel, Pink Cheek Glow

Elf brow kit, Medium

Cream/gold eyeshadow over whole lid, Sleek Storm palette

Urban Decay 24/7 eye khol, Zero

Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara

NYX lipstick, Strawberry Milk

NYX lipstick, Gem

Sorry I didn't get a close up of my eyes or anything, it isn't anything special so don't feel like you're missing out ;) Can you see the freckles on my nose?! They always come out in the sun, lol. Thought I'd throw in how I'm wearing my hair today .as well... again nothing special!

Enjoy your day sweets!
NATALIESLOVEx

Braids in her hair...

Hello my loves,
I woke up this morning with major, uncontrollable hair. You know, when it just won't do what you tell it to? Yeah I hate those days too. I haven't worn plaits out of the house since I was about 6 years old, but they're a big trend that always rolls around at Spring/Summer and I thought it could remedy my rebellious hair. It's totally messy, I don't like polished hairstyles, but here it is...

I just teased the crown of my head, plaited my hair and pulled the plait apart slightly, messy yanoo better than what was there before.

Just have a bit of a boring day at college, a lot of work to get done... and not all that long until summer exams. Eek! Then I have a driving lesson, which is a bit meh - I just want to pass now! Then I'll probably go and chill at Dean's house. I'm really craving chocolately and desert things today, I'm resisting the temptation though! Has anyone got any good healthy/diet foods that will satisfy my sweet craving?
natalieslovex

Schwarzkopf home dye

Hello :)

So a couple of months ago my niece Chloe went through a phase of wanted the 'Cheryl' red/plum coloured hair. She's never dyed her hair herself, so I offered to do it for her... I must've used more box dyes than had hot dinners! She loved the result, but we all know that red is notorious for fading quickly. So we popped to Sainsburys where she picked up a new colour to liven her hair up again and get rid of her roots. She picked up a Schwarzkopf dye in the shade 'Cyber Purple'.

I've used some Schwarzkopf hair dyes before, and I really like them - in fact they're probably my 'go-to' box dye! They make your hair extremely glossy and soft... and I find the colour doesn't fade as quickly as some other brands such as Clairol. Here is the before shot...

So the application is pretty much the same as any other dye... yup, with that horrible smell too! But it's easy to mix up, and it's easy to apply. However, I think we could've done with another bottle... It did manage to get all of Chloe's hair, but only just about. And as you can see, her hair isn't all that long (just below her shoulder).

Don't let the colour of dye in the bottle put you off, Chloe got a bit freaked about when she saw this pale pink solution (which oddly looked like yoghurt) going into her hair. It comes in the usual nozzle bottle, over some other ones which come with some kind of comb on the end. Is it just me who finds those ones tricky to apply??

These are the after shots - the dye turned out a bit darker than the box indicates, but that always happens really doesn't it? And within a few washes, it will fade out to the colour it's supposed to be. You can see the shine this stuff gives!! The only complaints I have about Schwarzkopf dyes is that it's really noticeable when it washes out, I'd say you'd need to use a dark towel (or one you don't mind ruining) for about 5 washes afterwards, because it really does still run out! I would totally recommend Schwarzkopf dyes, although I'd say the colour range is quite limited and they seem to specialise in bright colours.

What brand is your favourite dye? What do you think about the new foam dyes on the market?
natalieslovex

In a knot...

Hey everyone,

I've always thought that my hair looks better in hairstyles that involve my hair being down and flowing, with a few grips or plaits to jazz it up sometimes. I just don't think I look right with my hair up... but when I'm slobbing around the house I do just chuck it up in a messy bun or something similar. But generally, I don't like having my hair up and away from my face. However, I've seen top knots everywhere lately... and I really like how they look, so I thought I'd try and rock it today, and have vowed to keep my hair like this all day. I want to get out of my boring hair rut!

I actually messed it up a bit and roughed it up after I took the pictures because it was a bit too polished for my liking ;) So have you tried out the top knot? Are you someone that has always got their hair up or down?

natalieslovex

Hankering for healthy hair

Hello :)

My mission for healthy, long and shiny hair is continuous. The thing is, I get bored then chop it all off and then decide that I want my long hair back. It's a vicious circle! After another session on weheartit when I really should be revising, I found some inspiration photo's to stop my from chopping off my locks! Major envy...

I do not take credit for any of these photo's. Image source - ALL weheartit.com

Anyone have any hairgrowing tips??

natalieslovex

DIY Fringe

Hello girlies :)

The other morning when I was styling my hair, I realised my fringe is so out-grown and out of control. You know, when it's gone past the point of ever doing anything you want it to? Something that looks a little something like this...

Now, I would've popped along to my hairdressers (it is just down the road...), but my fringe is one thing that I don't even trust my hairdresser with... They always seem to get it just out! So I grabbed a pair of scissors (ordinary ones at that) and started hacking... I've always cut my own fringe and I've not yet had any disaster *touches wood*. Here is what I ended up with...

I feel so much better now my fringe co-operates! And now I feel quite tempted to cut in a full fringe long enough to be a side swept fringe when I want it to be. What do you guys think... go in for the kill or quit whilst I'm ahead?

On a sidenote... this lipstick is much redder in real life and it's 17's Mirror Shine lipstick in the shade 'Hollywood' a really nice, glossy, cherry red which is surprisingly easy to wear. Plus, milestone of the century... Dean actually noticed a change in my make up! He commented how much he liked a red lip. I think I'll be sporting it more in the future :)

Do you guys go to the hairdressers for a fringe trim or DIY it?

natalieslovex

Superdrug Colour Effects shampoo

Hello sweets,

Just a little (ahem) hair post today. I first heard about/saw the Superdrug colour effects shampoo on Louise's blog [sidenote: you need to follow this girlie]. So, the next time I was in Superdrug I thought I should pick one up and give it a try, and I picked up the shade 'Mahogany'. My hair has always had warm red tones in it, so I thought I'd embrace that and try and bring them out a little bit.

This was my hair before I went through the whole sha-bang. As you can see... quite a dull 'fading out from too many home hair dyes' brown.

So this was the next step... Superdrug say you can leave it in for 5-20 minutes, depending on the intesnity of colour and long-liveity you want. I put it on in the shower (after washing with my normal shampoo) and then clipped it up and jumped out for 20 minutes. Draping my wonderful 'rag' towel I use for a various array of things such as dying hair and washing make up brushes! :)

So this is the result! Overall, I'm really happy with it, it's quite a subtle change and I didn't really notice much of a difference until I looked at these photo's and when people pointed it out. I'm feeling the redness but I already fancy going a deep plum colour :)

Superdrug market this as a conditioning colour, and my hair does feel really soft, and looks shiny too... such big thumbs up for 99p!! Time will tell how long this lasts, and I'll let you guys know. But this is a really great change from proper hair dye, and isn't as harmful. Have a look at the colour range the next time you're in Superdrug, defs worth a go and I still have about 2 applications I'd say!

If you have any more questions... ask away in the comments!

natalieslovex

Corioliss Classic Pro Flat Iron review & GIVEAWAY

Tis' the season for Homecoming, Halloween, and the Holidays - reasons to have quality tools in hand to produce your hairstyle of choice!

My hair happens to be extremely fine/thin with little to no volume. I do have a slight wave as well which always manages to make an unwanted appearance. Since I am a low maintenance gal--especially when it comes to hair--I want to get either sleek tresses or gorgeous curls in minutes. One of the easiest ways to do so is by using a flat iron, as you can go either way with an all-in-one tool!

Misikko is family-run business specializing in hair products and tools, especially flat irons and hair dryers! Their approach is professional yet personalized with an emphasis on customer service and interaction with their clients.

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My flat iron was meticulously packed with attention to detail and a nice little soft pouch to house my flat iron when not in use:

I reviewed the Corioliss Classic Flat iron - one of their best-sellers and a steal considering the free shipping and features. It comes packaged in sleek & sturdy packaging:

I liked how the shell was embossed with a diamond pattern - adds some character and class, don't you think? :)

The iron feels very sturdy in hand- definitely not whimsy or cheap.

As for the features - it has solid ceramic plates which help prevent heat damage to your hair. I really liked the straightforward and speedy heating process (literally in seconds) - just choose your desired heat setting from 140-410 degrees F (I really love the dial which lets you adjust your heat setting, more on that later...), plug in, wait for the easy-to-spot light turn from red to green, and you're ready to go!

Before you begin, don't forget the additional Heat protection! The last thing you want to do is seriously fry your hair (make sure your hair is dry before using a flat iron!) I used this bottle from my local Walgreens! Smells like flowers and makes you feel like you just stepped out of a salon!

After running this over a few sections of my hair...

**RESULTS**

Before: Messy unmanageable bedhead :(

After: Sleek, shiny, & sexy locks in less than 5 minutes!!! :)

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*Happy sigh*

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Important tip - If your hair is THICK, you can use the hotter setting, normal texture at medium heat and LOW for thin or fine hair!!! This will protect your hair from damage!

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And for the styling newbies, some informative, pictorial step-by-step guides to getting your desired look!

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*Overall*

The only other flat iron I have used would be the Chi. This iron is comparable in heating time and results. The particular version of the chi that I have used did NOT have the option of heat adjustment and did not get as hot as the Corioliss. Regardless, both are quality products and I would recommend either one depending on your personal preference and budget. I am extremely happy with the results of my Corioliss - it didn't snag my hair and gave me options for my fragile hair. I think it is extremely good value for the product you receive.

*****

Now for the fun part - the GIVEAWAY! You can own your very own Corioliss flat iron!

♥~* The Basic Rules*~♥

Must be at least 18 years of age please!

Open to US & Canadian followers

Must be a follower!

= 1 entry

♥~* Extra entries *~♥

1. 1. Place entry on your blog sidebar (+1)
2. 1. Blog about giveaway on your personal blog w/ linkback (+2)
3. Follow Misikko on Twitter (+2)
4. Join Misikko's newsletter (+2)
5. "Like" Misikko on facebook (+2)
6. Interact with Misikko's facebook by posting on pic/writing on wall (+4)

*Maximum number of entries = 14*

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Comment below with your name and a link to your blog post/blog/feedback/fave beauty product (in case you are doing extra entries) Finally, please list total number of entries! All entries will be verified!

Giveaway ends 11/11/11 (one month from now)

Winner will be selected at random and announced on the blog & on twitter so stay tuned :)

Good luck & have fun!

**This post was generously sponsored by Misikko!