Coconut Oil - The Wonder Hair Product

Coconut oil has been hailed as a miracle product for a long time and ever since Miranda Kerr mentioned how much she adores it to help keep her skin and hair in tip top condition, sales of coconut oil have apparently went through the roof – who wouldn’t want to look like Mrs Bloom?!  I’d heard about the buzz surrounding the oil for some time, so I was pretty chuffed when Holland & Barrett sent us some to try – I now can’t believe I’ve never tried it before!

It’s generally believed that consuming coconut oil can improve your hair and skin, has anti-aging properties and can apparently be a great aid to losing weight, Miranda Kerr is said to consume several tablespoons a day for a healthier appearance. Other than consuming coconut oil as a supplement there is a million and one ways coconut oil can be used, below is just a few ideas I’ve come across but I'm sure there are MANY more –

•    All over body moisturiser - keep it in the fridge for a great after sun
•    Hair mask/ conditioner
•    A small amount used as a hair oil to add shine and control frizz
•    Rubbed into your scalp it can apparently help get rid of dandruff
•    A great alternative to cooking oil
•    Shave oil
•    Hand and cuticle cream
•    Make up remover 

it comes in a solid form an melts when warmed up in your hands

I haven’t yet tried consuming pure coconut oil but I’ve been using this one from Holland and Barrett for the past few months as a body moisturiser and hair mask. I use it as a moisturiser on my super dry patches eg. elbow, knees and feet and I find It’s extremely moisturising and cooling, best of all it smells amazing too – pure coconut bliss. Although it’s worth noting that it does take some time to sink it so light layers are best and definitely not one to put on when your in a hurry!

However my favourite use of all is using Coconut oil as a hair mask. I simply take a chunk of oil and apply the oil all over my hair from root to tip, for as long as possible – usually over night (don’t forget to lay a towel over your pillow though) I then simply shampoo it out in the morning. I’ve found that this leaves my hair feeling supper soft, tangle free and just feels incredibly healthy. For me this is better than ANY hair mask I’ve used before and it’s great to know that it’s all natural no nasty chemicals or sulphates! I would HIGHLY recommend trying this if you enjoy hair masks!!

Overall I couldn't recommend coconut oil enough– the tub is huge so it’s going to last a long time, therefore it works out a LOT cheaper than buying separate products. It’s a winner for me and my new wonder hair product.

Are you as mad about coconut oil as me? Do you have other uses to share?

Rachel

Bargain Beauty Finds!

 We always nip into Wilko's to get some bargain products, as they always have amazing offers on Simple products, Garnier and lots of other beauty and hair brands, however neither of us have ever tried any of their own brands, so when we saw their new range reviewed on a few other blogs we were really looking forward to trying these out. We were thrilled when we were contacted and asked if we would like to try some products and of course we jumped at the chance, we've had these for a couple of weeks so here are our thoughts.

Fruity Tropical Hair Mist

We received the shimmer spray but there are also fruity sprays to add protection and hydration.

Prices in the fruity hair collection (including shampoo and conditioner) start from £1.48 each or two for £2.

Elaine's Review

I absolutely love the scent of this spray, they call it tropical but I would say it was more of a banana scent. I have been using this after I have washed and dried my hair mainly because I use  Batiste tropical dry shampoo on my other hair day and that already has a lovely coconut scent. I would spray this onto your hair at arms length as it can make your hair quite wet and I can't really say that I noticed my hair having any extra shine.

 I would buy this again as I like the idea of a scented hair mist, and the price is soo good!

7.5/10

Rachel's Review

Like Elaine I am in love with the banana/tropical scent of this shine spray, it really is one of the nicest smelling hair products I've tried. I don't usually use many hair care products but since getting it I've found my self reaching for it most days. I didn't find this added much shine to my just washed hair, however on hair day 2 I find it works wonders. I don't like washing my hair everyday so on the second I usually use a bit of Batiste and tie my hair back, now without fail once my hair is tied up I spray a bit of this over the top to mask the powdery Batiste smell and add a bit of natural shine back to the matt dry shampoo texture. I would definitely buy this again, its a bargain!

8/10

Fruit Berry Shower Smoothie

'Skin will be in for a real treat with these smoothing body scrubs. Each contains tiny grains of walnut shell, which gently polish skin, leaving it feeling silky smooth.'

Shower Smoothies are £1 each or 2 for £1.50 for 200ml.

Elaine's Review

Shower smoothies aren't really my kind of thing, I prefer to have a normal shower gel and separate exfoliator but I do love fruity shower products. I liked the scent of this product but found it wasn't long lasting unless you used a lot of it.

I wouldn't buy this again as it's not my kind of thing but I would be tempted to try their range of fruity shower creams especially at £1! 

6/10

Rachel's Review

I love fruity shower washes and as mentioned I'm in love with my Mango Body Shop gels, so I couldn't wait to try this product. The smell was deliciously fruity and I liked that it had exfoliating grains of walnut shell in, however I was a tiny bit disappointed. I found that this wash didn't exfoliate enough or lather up enough for my liking, so in agreement to Elaine I think I would prefer two separate products, one to lather and one to exfoliate. Like Elaine said the smell didn't last long once out the shower which was a disappointment, although I know many people don't like the smell of their shower wash to linger on them, however I am not one of these people. I wouldn't buy this wash again but I will be going out to buy some of the other products in the range as I loved the smell and at 2 for £1.50 how could I resist?!

5/10

Skin Therapy Face Wash

Skin therapy say 'for daily facial care, invest in the face ash which is pH balanced, fragrance free and dermatologically tested - skin will be left feeling beautifully clean, clear and fresh.'

Prices are from 98p!

Elaine's Review

I was really pleasantly surprised by this product, I normally prefer foaming face washes as gel face washes can feel heavy on my skin but after using this my face felt really clean and it managed to take all my makeup off in one go even my eye makeup (although it does advise you to avoid your eye area). I would never have picked this up normally as the packaging makes it look very cheap so I would be worried it wouldn't be good for my skin, but I would definitely be using products from this range again. I prefer foaming face washes so I would probably try their range of deep cleansing pore strips.

8/10

Rachel's Review

I tend not to use gel face washes as I have really dry skin and I find they strip too much oil and often leave my face feeling quite tight, however I was pleasantly surprised with this product. It was really soft on my skin and left my skin feeling thoroughly cleaned without leaving my skin feeling tight or dry at all, I also liked that it didn't have much of a scent. I've been using it quite a lot (every couple of days as not to dry my skin too much) and I'm still impressed. I agree I would never have picked it up as the packaging looks like all other cheaper face washes, however I would buy this again.

7.5/10

Thermal Defence Protection Spray

The Thermal Protection Defence Spray promises to protect your hair from temperatures up to 220 degrees, the heat protection agent works to improve smoothness and reduce friction.  

The spray is £1 for 200ml.

Elaine's Review

Firstly I love this spray bottle, it has a small little tap at the neck of the spray that you just twist to lock the bottle so you could easily transport it without worrying about any product leaking all over. The spray itself covers your entire head in 1 - 2 sprays, so it's great to know that your all of your hair has the same level of protection. I found after using this my hair felt really healthy and soft (I've also been using L'Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss shampoo & conditioner), and will definitely be getting this again.

9/10

Rachel's Review

I cannot tell you how much I love this spray bottle, its the best I've ever tried! I also think Wilkinsons have got the packaging design spot on with this product, it looks sleek, modern and technical. I haven't noticed too much difference with my hair since using it but its great to feel reassured that I'm protecting my hair and unlike others I've tried it doesn't leave any residue on the hair at all. I can't wait to try more of this range, including the dry shampoo which I've heard great things about.

8.5/10

Overall we are really impressed with this whole range, there are points we'd like to change but for the price points these products are all fantastic and we really don't think you'd find better for the price. We will without doubt be trying more of these products and as always we will let you know our thoughts. 

Poundland Hair Care Find

I picked up a bottle of this Australian Bodycare Argan Oil Shampoo last week in Poundland for well a pound, I wasn't expecting much for a few reasons, firstly I'd never heard of Australian Bodycare before, secondly it was in Poundland and finally the packaging is truly shocking. I really only tried it as I needed to spend over £5 to pay on my card and it had argan oil in, whats the worst that could happen?!

Well as you can see from the picture above I now own a few bottles, I was so impressed with how healthy and shiny it left my hair I went straight back and bought the last 3 bottles on the shelf (fingers crossed they get more in) Honestly I couldn't recommend this product anymore, its the best hair product I've tried in awhile, it even nourished my bleached out ends leaving my hair shiny and not at all greasy on the second day. Unfortunately I can't find very much information on the web about this product; maybe its discontinued, but this is what the bottle tells me -

This shampoo with Argan oil is rich in vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant and together with ProVitamin B5 repairs and protects the hair leaving it smooth, shiny and healthy looking. This nourishing shampoo contains both conditioner and Silsoft Shine which leaves hair smooth, shiny and healthy looking.


Did they mention it leaves the hair smooth, shiny and healthy looking!?!?

Rachel

Still Love Pink Hair

If I was blonde I would definitely go for pink hair - I know its been around for forever now and people say blue is the new pink (eugh Katy Perry) but I still love the look of pink hair .

April Cosmopolitan and Glamour Freebies!

Cosmopolitan are offering Clinque freebies on their April issue, the magazine costs £3.50, I love it when there are freebies like this I normally end up buying a couple! 

7-Day Scrub cream 30ml - £5.25

Superbalm Moisturising gloss 7ml - £6.30

High Impact mascara 4g - £8

Moisture Surge Thirst Relief 30ml - £18

Glamour are offering some Percy & Reed by Hair freebies, the magazine only costs £2! I've never heard of this brand before so I'm looking forward to trying it out.

Splendidly Silky Moisturising Shampoo

Splendidly Silky Moisturising Conditioner 

Totally TLC Hydrating Mask

Quite Frankly Flawless Finishing Polish

We got the hydrating mask and finishing polish, so we will try it out and let you know what they are like!

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque Review

Elaine was nice enough to let me try the sample of Macadamia deep repair masque from the February Jolie Box, as after having the ends of my hair bleached it is in some serious need of some TLC. On the website Macadamia Hair describe this product as a “Deep Repair Masque is a hair reconstructor (love the beauty industries use of made up words) that will penetrate and rebuild damaged hair for improved shine and elasticity.

• combines Macadamia & Argan oils with Tea tree oil, chamomile oil, aloe and algae extract
• deep nourishment & long-lasting conditioning
• ultra-conditioning hair reconstruction
• Paraben-free formulation with Tea-Tree leaf oil, Chamomile oil, Aloe & Algae to revitalise & reconstruct dry, damaged hair 
• All hair is deeply nourished with improved elasticity & shine
• Available in 500ml & 250ml retail & 60ml trial size”

After hearing all the reviews I couldn’t wait to try this product however I must admit I am a tiny bit disappointed. This product smelt great & was creamy, soft and easy to run through my hair without snagging or tangling, so as I waited the 7min I was quite excited to wash it out, dry my hair and see the lustrous effects. Whilst drying my hair I must say it was totally tangle free and did feel a lot softer and healthier however that’s where my love ended for this product, I found my hair was frizzier than normal on the top near my roots and lacked its usual all over shine I get from other products.

 All in all I found this product did make my hair feel healthier but it didn’t look as good as when I have used other hair masques, so maybe this is a product to use to add health but not on a night you’re going out. If you would like to try this product the best price I have found online is on Cheap Smells £16.25 with free delivery for 250ml, but the Macadamia travel pack is also coming onto BuyaPower anytime soon so you might be able to pick up a bargain – I’m tempted by this to try out their other products.

Overall nice but not amazing, so I'm still on the hunt for the ultimate hair masque, any tips on great hair products?

Rachel

TRESemme Salon Shine Glossing Spray with Argon Oil

I've had this for a while now, I had been looking for a shine spray and had been drawn to this as it had Argan Oil in it, to be honest I'm not sure I would have got it if it didn't! I got it from Boots for £4.99.

Tresemme say - Tresemme Smooth glossing spray contains Argon oil from Morocco, known for its nourishing and smoothing benefits. Lightweight spray adds gorgeous glossy shine. Protects from frizz and tames flyaways, so your style stays smooth and shiny, with a frizz free finish.

You can use this by spraying it on damp hair for heat protection or when your hair is dry for a 'blast of shine and keep it smooth'.

I have used this nearly everyday as a heat protection spray and as a glossing spray after I have styled my hair and I don't think this adds any shine or keeps my hair that smooth and I have naturally really straight hair, my hair doesn't really look any different. So I have stopped using it after I have dried my hair and have only used it to protect my hair from the hair dryer. I wouldn't buy this again and would just get a heat protection spray instead.

Cosmopolitan Full Body Hair Styling Kit

We have to tell you about this great product, we both really wanted to try out the Babyliss Wave Envy but were reluctant to pay nearly £40 on something we weren't sure would look good, so started looking for alternatives and found the Cosmopolitan hair styling kit at Argos for only £34.99 (original price £69.99).

 It contains a holder case, a wand with three hair styling adapters, including a waver, curling wand and a big hot brush which you can remove to have a big barrel curler, 4 Velcro rollers and some clips. Which is an absolute bargain!

We both use this styler all the time, and love the different ways that it styles your hair, I always use the waver and Rachel prefers the curling wand. The waver and curling wand are bigger than they look in the picture so it definitely gives a modern wave look not 80's crimped.

This is perfect if you are like us and want to try out the wave trend without spending too much money, plus you get all the extras too!

Samy Fat Hair "0" Calories Review

I got this in Superdrug a few weeks ago (I am always on the hunt for any products that promise to add volume to your hair as mine is soo flat, so have tried most of the high street brands) it was on buy one get one free which was great as normally I think it's a bit expensive, the shampoo and conditioner are £5.59 each for 300ml.


So Samy say: This revolutionary sulphate free, 100% vegan, thickening shampoo is the first step toward thicker, fuller, stronger hair. Samy’s exclusive FH4 Thickening Complex—a blend of natural extracts and proteins—penetrates each hair strand, increasing the strand’s diameter and expanding the hair from the inside out. The result—thicker, fuller, stronger, healthier looking hair.


I have been using this for about 2 weeks and I have to be honest I haven't noticed any added volume, it did make my hair soft and left it looking in good condition. But after a couple of days I noticed my scalp felt a bit itchy/stingy and using this shampoo and conditioner is the only change I have made to my hair care, I don't have a sensitive scalp and have never had a reaction similar to this before, so all I can think is perhaps I'm allergic to an ingredient? Also the shampoo took a lot to lather up properly i had to rub it in my hands before putting it in my hair. 
So I won't be buying this again, although even if i didn't have any itchy head I wouldn't buy it again as it didn't make my hair have anymore volume. 


Rachel is going to try this out to see what she thinks, I hate wasting things there is practically the whole bottle left! She has a lot thicker hair than me so perhaps it will be more suited to her hair type, and hopefully it wont make her head itch too!

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