GROWING OUT A PIXIE CUT

Three years ago I cut all my hair off and it was great! I did it on a bit of a whim (I'd lingered too long in long bob territory, and I was bored), and I didn't regret it for a second, although I was a little concerned about what a faff it would be when I fancied long hair again. 

Everyone is pretty universally agreed that growing a pixie cut out is The Worst... but I'm here today to tell you that the internet is wrong, it's totally easy, you should definitely chop your hair!

2018 vs 2021

Here's how I went from short short short to shoulder length hair (yes, lockdown helped). Hope you're ready to see loads of photos of my face! 

If you are just looking for my main tip, it's this: go to the hairdresser loads! More than you usually would! It might seem counter-productive, especially if you are trying to grow your hair out, but it means you'll navigate the choppy world of regrowth with dignity (and minimum kirby grips).

September 2018 / October 2018
February 2019 / April 2019

After I first got it cut I started going to my hairdresser approximately every 8 weeks, to get it reshaped and to top up the colour (I'm naturally ginger, but as you'll see, I like to just bounce around different red tones). The whole point of getting it cut short was to keep it short, and as I'd never had haircut below my chin before I was excited to try out all sorts of crops and bobs along the way.

I'd say probably most of the year (Feb - September) I kept it pretty close to the original pixie length, then in October I started to think about growing a bit more hair for winter (short hair is cold!), which meant letting the sides grow in a little for a 60ish bob. This round bob was maybe a little bit awkward (little round cheeks and little round hair combine), so I think this was possibly the trickiest stage... but really, it was totally fine.

At the time I joked about having Princess Diana hair, but looking back I really like my Feb 2019 hair! My hair is pretty thick and feels like it grows quite fast, so I definitely was saved by regular haircuts which kept it neat and in shape - if I'd just let it do it's own thing, I imagine it would be pretty terrible, but this stage was plain sailing! I kept it roughly around this length for the rest of the year.

May 2019 / July 2019
October 2019 / December 2019

Loved my summer 2019 hair! At this point I felt like I'd got through the worst of post-pixie life (which again, WAS FINE), so now I was just making my way through various bobs, mixing up the colour, sometimes wearing it straight, sometimes letting it naturally go a little wavy.

In December 2019 I figured it was time to start aiming for the long-side again, although after a couple of years of minimum styling, I was not super thrilled about having to spend ages drying my hair again.

February 2020 / May 2020
July 2020 / September 2020

Then 2020! I started the year off with a slick sharp cherry red bob, ready with loads of plans of how I could do cool dip-dyes and vibrant shades so I wouldn't be bored getting it past shoulder-length, and then lockdown kicked in. I've been working from home all year so I have properly embraced my natural wavy hair, I actually like the pale ginger it's faded to (is it my natural colour? Who knows) and it's had peace to just keep on growing, and is pretty happily past my shoulders again.

Was growing out a pixie cut much easier than I thought it would be? Yes! Is my hairdresser a superstar? Yes! (She's Linden at Dean Jones in Edinburgh, and I would highly recommend her!). Would I cut my hair all off again? Yes! But maaaaybe not when we are in total lockdown.

SHORT HAIR DIARIES

It's been eight months (!) since I cut all my hair off. I chopped a pixie cut on a bit of a whim, after having a long bob for ages, and it's the first time I've ever had hair this short. So, how am I finding pixie life?

The Good

Overall, having a pixie cut has been the BEST experience. 

I'm a lazy person, and a pixie cut has been a game changer. It's SO easy. I have so much time! Washing it takes seconds, and as it's so short (and I barely touch it), it stays cleaner for much longer, meaning I basically wash my hair every 4-5 days now. I don't dry it or use any heat on it, so my hair's much happier, and I don't even brush it, I just roughly style it with my hands and use a tiny bit of product to give it definition. I've easily shaved 30 minutes off getting ready each day, which is amazing. I can't imagine returning to the horror of having to dry and straighten my hair in the morning.

And pixie cuts are cool! People say nice things to me about my hair the whole time, which is such a joyous little boost when you're just going about your day. I had slightly worried if I had the 'right face' for short hair, because I'm not a chisel-jawed model, but I'm so glad I didn't dwell on insecurities and just went ahead and chopped it. I've liked having it super short, and I'm liking having it a bit scruffier, and that's the cool thing with pixie cuts - they grow so quickly, it's easy to play around and find the right version for you. 

The Bad

I realise that I've always used my hair as a bit of an accessory. I loved wearing it curly or doing interesting plaits, or even just wearing it up in a big messy bun with a headscarf. You can always change up your look when you have hair, and it's weird not having that option - every day my hair pretty much looks the same. It's the same when I'm going to a fancy red carpet event, and it's the same when I am slumming it in my pyjamas on a Sunday.

That's both good and bad. It is SO nice not having to worry or think about your hair ever. It used to drive me mad when I wanted to look nice and my hair would frizz up in the heat - now, there's no hair to frizz! And if you're rushing to go somewhere after work, it's a total delight to not even think about having to do anything with your hair - pixies look cute at all times of the day. 

I'll admit to having two major hair pangs - once when I came across a photo of me with a curly bob, and instantly missed the feeling of having swooshy hair (I haven't swooshed in months!), and on holiday, when it dawned on me that no hair also meant no magically-perfect-seasalt-holiday hair (my secret best hair move). It's been weird at those points realising that I am VERY FAR AWAY from  having princessy locks again.

The Ugly

And the worst bit currently? If I brush my hair into a centre parting, I literally have 90s boyband curtains. I look like a scruffy version of A1, which isn't exactly on my pinterest board. I've been getting my hair cut every two months, which is just enough to curb the risk of a mullet, although I should probably go a bit more regularly - this isn't a haircut you can cut it and then leave to grow out happily (luckily my hairdresser is great, and I'd go all the time if I could afford it, but I know not everyone is as snip-happy as I am). 

Would I recommend it?

Without question! The things that annoy me about it are minuscule compared to how much I've loved this haircut. Convincing people to cut their hair off has been added to my regular soapbox topics (along with: why hedgehogs make the best apartment pets; why Star Trek Deep Space Nine is actually one of the best political dramas of our time; and how Mamma Mia 2 is the best film of 2018). You should do it!

HELLO PIXIE CUT

Oh hi. I cut all my hair off.

I've been gradually going shorter and shorter over the last year or so, but I've never been this short. It's SHORT-short. Don't have to brush or dry my hair short. Shorter than a guy's haircut short! And it's GREAT. I'm now 100% a pixie cut aficionado, and I can't quite believe it's taken me so long to join the short hair crew.

Here's what I've learned in my month since getting the chop...

Do your research! Deciding to cut my hair was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I did make sure I did my Pinterest research and went to the hairdresser armed with photos of what I loved, and what I didn't. I am very lucky to have an ACE hairdresser who kept me right (the brilliant Linden from Dean Jones Hair), but it definitely helped to know what my hair boundaries were.

Not having to dry your hair is the BEST. Oh my god, I cannot state how strongly I despised drying my hair before, and how glorious it is to not have to do it now. These days I just wash and towel dry my hair and that's it! It's saved easily 30 minutes off my routine every day and it's SO EASY to look after.

I don't care if I look like a boy. One of the weirdest comments I got was 'oh, you'll need to wear make up everyday'. Um, okay. I saw this online too, with loads of people worrying that you'd lose your feminine qualities if you chop your hair off. To that I say, WHATEVER. I don't need a mane to feel like a woman, and I don't actually care if I look like a tomboy. It's been really refreshing to realise this!

Everyone will ask you why. This threw me. I had known I wanted to change up my long-ish bob, figured why not?, and then a couple of days later got it cut. But almost eveeeeeryone asked why I did it, and I didn't have an answer other than - I wanted to?

Phantom ponytails are a thing. I got my hair cut weeks ago and WITHOUT FAIL every night I go to take it out of a ponytail. I also still go to put it up if I'm about to go in the shower, and one particularly stressful board games evening (ahem), I found myself trying to tighten my ponytail in concentration. It's a bit of a surreal feeling!

I'm in total denial about growing it out. Everyone's agreed that growing out a pixie cut is HORRENDOUS. But I kind of feel optimistic? It can't be that bad, right? Plus, that's in the future! It's ages away! Ask me again in a year or two...

It's just hair. At the end of the day, there's only two things you can count on - change is the only constant and hair grows! If you're swithering over a pixie cut but worry that it won't suit you, does it really matter if it doesn't? Your hair will grow and at least you've tried something new.

Did I say it's the BEST? It really is. You should definitely cut your hair.

HOW TO GET BRIGHT ORANGE HAIR

Let me tell you about one of my favourite hair products, the totally amazing Evo Fabuloso intensifying colour conditioner.

I'm a natural ginger, but I've been dying my hair weird variations of this for years (you can see the various incarnations of previous hairdos here). For the longest time I had ombre/dip-dye hair, going from a bright copper at the roots, through my natural-ish colour to blonde at the ends, but this slowly merged into an obsession for getting my hair a bright copper all over.

Turns out, red hair dye is the quickest to fade (even if it's going over a red base!), so my hairdresser (the lovely Linden from Dean Jones) recommended I tried out Fabuloso  to keep my hair bright between appointments. I started using it, and was pretty quickly hooked - it made my hair shiny, the colour was definitely brighter, and generally my Peak Ginger dreams were coming true.

Fast forward a few months, and I was trying out a lighter peachy dip-dye for the summer (meaning my ends had been lightened quite a bit). On auto-pilot I used Fabuloso for the first time on my light ends and it went ORANGE. AMAZING ORANGE HIGHLIGHTER, QUEEN OF GINGERS ORANGE. So I went back to Dean Jones in total delight, got my hair lightened all over, and am now loving life with super bright hair.

Fabuloso over natural hair | Freshly applied over lightened hair | Faded application over lightened hair

I'm not sure if you can tell in the photos, but it is just SO bright! My hairdresser used a light blonde dye (so no bleach! My hair is in a very happy place), and since then I've just gone back every two months to get my roots done, which are naturally pretty light anyway.

I use Fabuloso conditioner probably once every two weeks, which means the bottle lasts for AGES! The colour really lasts too, and just goes a little peach pastelly when it needs topped up... although I really like that look too, so it's a win/win. Can you tell I bloody love this conditioner?

Nails - Buff Nails

I use the copper shade, which I get from amazon (it's quite a bit cheaper here than the official website), and it also comes in loads of other shades - platinum blonde (apparently amazing as a silver conditioner), caramel, light beige, purple red, mahogany and chestnut.

It's super simple to use too, although they do recommend that you use gloves as the colour might stain your skin (I've used it without before and been fine, but I've maybe just been lucky!). You just shampoo your hair as normal, then towel-dry it, apply Fabuloso all over, leave for three minutes, and then rinse until the water runs clear. It's also a really good conditioner, so my hair always feels really glossy and lovely after I've used it.

I'm sure I'll switch back to the natural side at some point, but for now, I could not recommend this enough! Go forth and be shiny.

RED & ORANGE DIP DYE HAIR

I've been playing about with the colour of my hair all year, but I reckon this is my favourite haircut yet! My hair is naturally ginger (this post is pretty close to my natural colour), but for a year or so I've been dyeing it - mainly to brighten up the roots and lighten up the ends, although I did go pastelly orange and pink too!

This time round, I wanted to really, really embrace my red locks. My hair has lightened up loads since my last haircut (you can see how light it looks in this outfit post), so it was the perfect base for a red and orange dip-dye/ombre look! I got a really bright red dye on my roots, which blended into a bright copper, then blended into my natural ginger hair. I love it!

I've been going to Dean Jones Hairdressing ever since they invited me along for a review last summer (I'm so glad they did!). It's a really lovely salon on Elm Row in Edinburgh, and I hugely recommend it - it's so peaceful and chilled, and the staff are absolutely lovely.

My stylist Linden is a total star, and it's been so fun trying out different hair colours this year with her! She's basically exactly what I want in a hairdresser - she listens to my (rambly, not well-thought-out) ideas, and then suggests how to make it wearable on my hair, so I've always been delighted with how each colour change has turned out.

I'm still a massive fan of my undercut and can't see myself growing it out any time soon! I've actually shaved another one in the back of my head in a V-shape, which looks really cool when I've got my hair up in a high bun (but is also easy to hide if you want to pretend you have normal hair). I think that's probably the most shaven I can get away with though - my friends are starting to make jokes about how I'm going to get carried away and end up completely bald!

HOW TO: MILKMAID BRAIDS

Next up in my series of incredibly easy tutorials for bad hair days is milkmaid braids - something that is SO quick and simple to do, but always makes you look like you've made an effort.

Start by parting your hair into two, and braiding two plaits. I use a kirby grip to secure the end of each braid instead of a bobble - it feels much easier because you are plaiting to the very ends of your hair, and you don't want to faff around with a bobble you're only using for 30 seconds.

Take one braid and pull it tight, crossing over the middle of your head. Secure the very end (with the handily already-attached kirby), and keeping hold of the braid, attach more kirby grips along it until it feels secure.

Now get the other braid, pull it up and over, tuck the end of this braid under your already-secured braid, and then pin it into position. Use some hairspray to secure everything, and that's it!

It's a really cute look that's perfect for days where you just want to get your hair out of the way.

BABYLISS DIAMOND STRAIGHTENER

I cannot quite believe I'm saying this, but I've found straighteners that are better than GHDs.

BaByliss Diamond Straightener* - £40

One of the perks of blogging is that nice companies, like BaByliss, occasionally offer you things to review (which is brilliant, as there are so many things out there to write about, and definitely not enough pounds in my purse to afford them all!).

BaByliss have a new-ish range of products - the Diamond Radiance Shine Collection (made up of a hairdryer, curling tong and straighteners), and asked me to try one out, boasting that the straighteners were possibly the best out there. Pssssssh, I thought. Of course they'll say that. But I'm a sucker for playing with hair stylers so I was intrigued to see how they'd match up with my super trusty GHDs (and, I'll be honest, I was quite keen to get a spare pair of straighteners to keep at my boyfriend's house).

The straighteners boast a Diamond Radiance Shine System, which combines diamond-infused ceramic plates (so fancy) with active ionic conditioners (which essentially reduces the frizz of static electricity when straightening your hair). The plates are longer than those on most other straighteners which means you can style larger sections of hair at one time, and the sides are curved, meaning if you are one of those wizards that can curl hair with straighteners, it's even easier.

They also heat up to a top temperature of 235ºC (with two lower heat settings) and are ready to use in 15 seconds. Aaaand they've got universal voltage (handy) and automatic shut-off (which is SO useful, because I spend far too much time in my life freaking out about leaving my straighteners on).

Left: Scowly, curly hair
Right: Sleek, straight, happy hair!

It all sounded very impressive, but I thought it was just enthusiastic marketing chat, until I used them!

I first tested them on super annoying hair (illustrated in my mega unflattering, scowly photo above) - I'd left my hair to dry naturally so it was all kinky and wavy, and my hair's pretty thick so it takes a while to straighten (which makes me worry about the damage I'm doing to it).

These straighteners just glided through it SO quickly, leaving the shiniest, nicest, straight hair in their path! I had them on the hottest setting at first, which was super hot (it almost scalded my hand when I touched a just-straightened strand), but I reckon my hair was exposed to less heat overall, as it was just so quick to style all of it.

Afterwards, my hair was super soft (shown in the happy photo above), and it stayed straight for the whole day - no annoying waves creeping in, just super lovely hair. They've now replaced my GHDs for good, and I've been getting comments on how shiny my hair is.

Love love love love love. The Diamond 235 straightener is only £40 and it is my new favourite thing. Can I rave about it even more? LOVE.

HOW TO: TIE A HAIR SCARF

I am a big fan of hairstyles that I can rely on when I don't have much time to get ready - which, most commonly for me, is in the morning when I should have definitely washed my hair, but didn't (I am often the victim of my snooze button!).

So, I've put together a few hair tutorials showing you what I do when I'm trying to hide mucky hair! Here's the first one, and my very favourite thing to do on a bad hair day - just stick a scarf round it!

For this I used a vintage silk scarf that I found in a charity shop. You want a scarf that is long enough to wrap around your head (with enough left to easily tie a knot). My hair is dirty at the roots and just feels a bit mucky and uncomfortable down, so with this look I just want to get it out of my way.

Start by putting your hair up in a ponytail, then twisting it into a messy bun, securing it with kirby grips.

Take your scarf and fold it into a long strip, about 3 inches wide. Then wrap it round your head, and tie it into a knot on top of your head - don't worry about doing the bow yet!

Then make sure you're happy with the position of the scarf round your head, and use a few kirby grips to secure it at the sides and back. Now it'll be totally secure, and you can tie the scarf ends into a bow. If the scarf is longer than the one I'm using, just tuck the ends under the sides of the scarf, and adjust your kirby grips to secure this too.

And that's it! It's so easy to do, and instantly hides messy hair.

HOW TO: Reverse shampooing

A few months ago I noticed loads of beauty bloggers seemed to be chatting about the miracle of 'reverse shampooing' - basically, conditioning first, then shampooing after. Those WEIRDOS, I thought, ignoring the hype and sticking with my tried-and-tested everyone-must-do-it-this-way-for-a-reason routine.

Until about a month ago, the whole thing suddenly popped into my mind as I was reaching for the shampoo. And, well, I haven't gone back!

My hair is fairly long and thick, so it needs conditioned regularly, but I also try to avoid washing my hair too often (partly to avoid using heat on it regularly, and mainly because I am lazy). So in my pre-reverse days I would wash my hair roughly every three days (which worked out as: Day 1 - clean but fluffy; Day 2 - well-behaved hair; Day 3 - rewash fringe, wear hair up). It was fine, but looking back, it only gave me one good hair day per wash.

Since switching things up, I have noticed a surprising difference. Day 1 hair feels sleeker, Day 2 hair is well-behaved as always, but Day 3 hair is actually clean enough to wear down if I want to (and I'm not having to rewash my fringe as often!). My hair definitely feels less greasy overall (although it feels weird immediately after washing, but then feels normal as soon as it's dry).

All you do is condition your hair (putting most through the length and a wee bit at the roots), leave for a few minutes, rinse, shampoo (you'll only need a little bit), rinse and go!

So! How? What? Why? I may work at a Science Festival, but I am very much not a scientist (so please don't judge me if this is all nonsense!). I think it's based on the fact that the residue in conditioner can be difficult to wash out (which then clogs up your hair), and that shampoo can be quite harsh and strip out your natural oils, encouraging your hair to be more oily. By switching it up, you get all the benefits of conditioner, then the shampoo strips the dirt from your hair AND the conditioner... leaving you with shiny, happy, absolutely clean locks.

Now, again, this may all be total rubbish (and after a google, some people are absolutely raving about it, and others aren't impressed). But I am a total convert! If you try it, let me know how you get on...

I shaved my head! (sort of)

This year I've been playing about with my hair. I've tried new hairdressers, moved from badger hair to fox hair, and said goodbye to my super short fringe, but each time I chatted to the hairdresser I almost asked for an undercut... and then decided I wasn't brave enough.

An undercut isn't that rebellious, but it seemed like such a big deal each time I was in the hairdresser's chair. I would get super excited about the possibility of it, and then by struck by thoughts like - I'm in a client-facing job! I can't shave my bloody head!... I won't suit it!... it'll be a TOTAL pain to grow out... I'm too much of a scruff to pull it off.

Well, whatever, wimpy me. Yes, it will probably be a nightmare to grow out, and  there was definitely the possibility that it wouldn't suit me (I am plagued by a weak chin, sob), but hair does grow. And as for my job? I'm well aware that appearance has a depressing role in how people view you, but my ability to do my job is not challenged by my hair, thankyouverymuch.

So I went back to Dean Jones Hairdressing (as I had been so impressed by my last visit) and got the chop.

AND I LOVE IT!

My hairdresser was really great, and talked about how to incorporate it into my current style, so I could still wear my hair up or down, however I liked. She suggested keeping the shaved section in a soft shape round my ear to start, so that I could take more off next time if I wanted (I'd explained my big wimpy journey up until this point).

I know it's not that different, but it felt like a big step for me! Over the last year I've really started to understand that actually life is completely up to you. If you want something, the only person stopping you (or making excuses) is yourself. And on this occasion, that 'something' might just be hair, but it's an exciting thought to have.

Dean Jones Hairdressing, Edinburgh

Recently I was invited along to Dean Jones Hairdressing, a new Edinburgh hairdresser, to get my hair chopped and try out their salon. Dean Jones is based on Elm Row, which is a lovely leafy street (just off Leith Walk, but tucked back from the busy main road). The salon is a super peaceful spot in a beautiful building, with huge windows, and light bulbs that I seriously want to steal.

Dean Jones Hairdressing: 3A Elm Row, Edinburgh

It was a super sunny day when I headed out for my appointment, so I was dressed for summer and COMPLETELY unprepared for the downpour of rain that soaked me when I was only half way there! I sheepishly limped in, soggy and dripping all over the place (and looking, once again, like the world's scruffiest person), but the staff were all lovely and helped towel-dry me off. Bless them!

I had a chat with Dean who was really inspiring. He's wanted to own a salon on Elm Row for years, and it seems like he actually can't believe his luck. We chatted for a while about my hair and what I wanted to do, and it was really good. I recently changed my hair, so I wasn't looking to do anything too drastic, but he (gently) steered me away from my impromptu decision to get an undercut (which in retrospect, definitely needs more than 10 seconds of thought), and suggested some layers to shape the hair around my face instead.

It only took about an hour to go from a drowned rat to a silky haired happy person. Dean explained all the products he was using on my hair as he did it (not that I can remember the names now, but it is useful to see what a proper haircare routine would be!).

Good things also included a PROPER head massage that felt like it went on for ages (I'm always a bit disappointed when I don't get to doze while getting my head rubbed at the hairdressers!); chat that wasn't your usual "got any plans for the weekend?... got any holidays coming up?" nonsense; products for sale, but no heavy sales chat about buying them; a little discount card for repeat bookings; and just a lovely, friendly atmosphere that really put me at ease.

Prices start at £25 for a blow dry, £40 for a cut and finish, or £45 for colour. The salon is open Tuesday - Saturday, and stays open late on Thursday evenings.

You can book appointments by calling 0131 558 7777 or by emailing info@deanjoneshair.co.uk. You can also keep in touch with them on facebook or twitter!

How to: use a waving wand

After an absolute age, I'm back with a video tutorial!

My hair is naturally curly, but it never dries in a nice way, I always look like I've been dragged through a bush backwards (which really isn't the look I'm going for). So, for well behaved waves I have to use a styling tool, and am always on the look out for one that is simple to use (I can't use tongs to save my life), doesn't take ages, and won't totally frazzle my hair.

For this tutorial I used a Silk Waving Wand*, sent to me by the nice folks at Remington. Here's how I got on...

It took 13 minutes (I timed it!) to do my whole head of hair, which I'm pretty pleased with, given the thick mane I have to deal with. Each curl set really quickly, which is important as you don't want loads of heat on your hair - it'll go all dry and unhappy if you scorch it regularly.

The wand costs £34.99, so it's pretty affordable. It comes with a heat proof pouch and heat protection glove, which is good news if you are scared of burning yourself on the barrel (which gets pretty hot, but you'll probably be surprised by how easy it is to use without hurting yourself. Just don't get distracted and DROP IT ON YOURSELF. Which I didn't do with this one, but have with another curling wand. OW). 

I used a wee bit of hairspray to keep in all in place, and the curls stayed in for AGES. Hooray for wavy (non-frizzy) hair!

Fox hair!

I've got new hair! After two years of absolutely loving my badger stripes I thought I was well overdue for a change, and I wanted to embrace my ginger locks a wee bit more.

I changed hairdressers too, and have started going to Boosh, a lovely hair & beauty salon in Edinburgh's Cowgate. I don't know why I left it quite so long to try them out - loads of my friends go and absolutely rave about it!

So this is it! About four years after ombre hair was cool, I'm giving it a go. I wanted to have hair that looked like a fox tail when it was up in a ponytail, and I'm so pleased with it.

We picked a red colour that was a really vibrant version of my natural hair colour, with super coppery undertones. That was put on the top third of my hair, with bleach on the bottom to lighten up the ends. Then when it was time to wash it out, my hairdresser did some magic blending trick, so the two dyed sections and my natural hair colour (the colour in the middle) all come together in a lovely soft gradient.

It's taken me a week or so to get used to it (the first day or so any time I caught my reflection I would almost double-take!) but I love it. Hooray for new hair!

MoroccanOil

Ages ago there was a lot of hype about MoroccanOil - it suddenly appeared on loads of blogs & everyone was raving about the new wonderful hair product. I was sorely tempted to try it out, until I realised that the RRP was close to £30 for a 100ml bottle - ouch! 

So it sat in my amazon basket for practically a year, and now and again I would swither about it & then decide it probably wasn't worth the cash. Until Christmas, when I got some vouchers & thought I'd finally buy it and see if it lived up to the hype... 

MoroccanOil - £26 for 100ml

My first impressions weren't particularly good - it comes in a nice bottle with a pump-top, which broke as soon as I tried to attach it. Not great! 

But, that's where all negative opinions end. The oil has a really rich smell (which I really love, although if you prefer flowery products on your hair this might be a bit strange), and surprisingly, doesn't leave an oily residue on your hands or hair.

I use a couple of drops, rub my hands together, and then apply it all over the ends of my hair and it's WONDERFUL. Seriously, amazingly, notice-from-the-first-use wonderful.

My hair feels much softer and shinier, and generally feels in much better nick. I've found since using it my hair dries faster, and stays straighter for much longer - so overall I'm using less heat on my hair. 

I thought I would like MoroccanOil, but I didn't realise just how much I'd love it! My hair is naturally a bit mental and frizzy (I've chatted about this - with terrible photos - here), so anything that helps keep it tame and healthy is in my good books.

I know it's expensive, but the bottle does seem to be lasting for ages as you use only a little each day, so I'll definitely be re-purchasing it. Proper love love love.

GHD Style & Protect gift set

I'm a big fan of ghd & have been for many, many years, since their straighteners appeared in my life & changed my frizzy hair days for good (anyone who remembers the HELL of steam powered straighteners will understand the wonder of using ceramic ones for the first time!).

So when I was offered the Style & Protect gift set to try out I was pretty keen to see how it matched up to my (massively high) expectations of the brand.

ghd Style & Protect gift set - £39*

In the gift set you receive a large paddle brush, their Straight & Smooth spray, Final Shine spray & two sectioning clips (all can be purchased individually from the ghd products page).

I thought I'd show you my normal blowdrying routine, using these products. I received the set just before Christmas so I've had a couple of weeks to try them out, and see how they face the horrible winter weather (a pretty tough challenge!).

I started out by spraying the straight & smooth spray (which contains heat protection - which you must, must use!), on towel-dried hair, brushed it through & blasted it with a hair dryer.

My hair is naturally very thick, quite frizzy and turns into a mane at the slightest bit of heat or water. So whenever I blow dry it (no matter how careful I am), this happens. I reckon I'd give Hermione a run for her money. Massive massive hair that needs to be tamed.

I then put it into sections using the clips (usually I just use a bobble - I always thought clips would slide out, but these ones have serious grip!) and went over each section with my ghds. I know that normal people can get smooth hair with just a brush and a hairdryer, but I am a bit lazy and just go to straighteners. Sorry hair.

After I worked through each section I sprayed my hair with the final shine spray (and a bit of hairspray) to keep it all neat and tidy. The spray was nice and light on my hair, but I had to resist the urge to use it enthusiastically - it can go from silky to looking-a-bit-oily in mere seconds! It does tell you to only use a wee bit though, so that's more my fault for being a shine addict.

And here's the final look! Definitely an improvement on my alter-ego, Captain Frizz. 

Overall I really liked the set - I have never owned a fancy hair brush before & whilst I am rubbish at blow-drying (which I think uses the brush to best effect), it definitely felt like it tugged my hair less than my normal one. I'm a HUGE fan of shine products in general & I thought the ghd ones had a really lovely fresh scent, which made me feel like I'd just stepped out of the hairdressers! 

It is a bit pricey at £39 (although shh, I found it on amazon for a little cheaper), but I think it would be a really lovely gift - it feels really indulgent and expensive (in a nice way!) and the products do what they promise without weighing down your hair. 

My hair history

Yesterday I saw this hilarious post by Gillian from elevatormusik & was inspired to dig out my old photos and cringe/laugh/regret my old hair decisions!

My hair is naturally red (gingery/auburn) so as I was growing up I was always told how lovely it was & that I should never EVER touch it. So I had long red hair til I was about seventeen years old. Then I went to uni & realised that I was a grown up (ha ha ha) & could do what I want. So I did. CRINGE.

Age 17 - 19

1. My first big hair change! A couple of months into uni I went into my hairdresser with a photo of Willow (from Buffy!) and asked for her hair. Didn't really work. I look like I have 90's curtains. Sob.

2. I let this grown out a bit and hacked shorter layers in. Also started wearing blue eyeshadow (!).

3. Decided to dye it all a dark brown with big bits of pink all over. Was terrified to show my dad (shouldn't have been, he was actually very nice about it). What an awful haircut. It's just so shapeless?

4. I then dyed it almost black (WHY?) and add blue bits in that faded to a horrible green after a few weeks.

5. When I was too poor to redye it I just had massive yellow patches all over my head. Here I am with my pal Patrick from Fall Out Boy. Note the wrist warmers.

6. I joined myspace at this point & thought this was a perfectly acceptable photo to take. Oh lord.

Age 19 - 21

7.  Kept dying it dark brown with random colours in it. Where are my eyebrows?

8. And let the colours fade to a weird white/yellow when I couldn't afford to buy hair dye. Worringly, this hair isn't too far off what I have now.

9. I'm in third year of uni at this point & I decided to start wearing hot pink eyeshahow to match the pink bits in my hair.

10. Dyed the whole thing a weird red colour (which had odd lighter patches throughout). Scowled a lot at this point apparently.

11. Finally made a sort-of sensible hair choice, and dyed it a lovely chestnut brown (that actually looked okay with my skin tone). I reckon if I ever dyed all of my hair again it would be to this shade!

12. Then I got bored, chopped it all off and discovered the joy of a blunt fringe!

Age 21 - 24

13. Attended a "favourite decade" fancy dress party where Craig & I were the only people who had dressed up. Hahaha. My hair was boring and shoulder length.

14. The chestnut dye grew out (and I didn't ever bother to try and cover the regrowth) so I had my natural colour for the first time in four years! Went back to a middle parting (bad idea).

15. Became addicted to wearing it long and super straight. Didn't use any protecting products & caused ridiculous levels of damage to my hair.

16. Tried to wear it wavy, but felt a bit unsure about it. Hence the scowly face!

17. Chopped in a short diagonal fringe. Bought Riley!

18. Started wearing it in a sweeping fringe again. Still trying to learn how to style it wavy (the curls in this photo were a total fluke!).

Age 24 - present

19. Cut my fringe SUPER short and a bit spikey. Shaved the other side of my head slightly (annoyingly don't have a photo of this, but it was fun!).

20. Grew out my fringe and FINALLY learned how to curl my hair (and not look like I'd been dragged through a bush). Stayed in New Zealand for almost a month & my hair lightened up quite a bit in the sun.

21. My hair naturally went a bit darker in winter. Cut in a blunt fringe again. Finally sorted out my eyebrows!

22. Badger hair appears! Dyed a big section blonde and absolutely loved it.

23. My fringe is getting shorter and shorter, blonde panel more prominent.

24. Present day! Still in love with my weird badger hair & now dye a little bit white blonde on the other side too. I can't imagine not having a blunt fringe any more (and this journey back in time has taught me to avoid centre partings!).

Well, that was fun. If a little embarrassing! If you have any old hair photos to share then please post them in the comments & we can all laugh at each other. My poor, over-dyed, over-heated hair! I promise I'll be nice to you from now on...

John Frieda Full Repair range

I'm pretty lazy with my hair. It's really thick & easily gets tuggy, has bleached panels on either side (that can get really dry), and I use heat on it pretty regularly. I also can't be bothered to wash it more than every few days & get REALLY BORED any time I have to dry my hair. No wonder my hairdresser gives me rows!

So, it was pretty good timing when I was offered some John Frieda products to try out. I've only ever used their Frizz Ease serums before, and didn't realise that they made so many things - everything from hair dye to hairspray.

Perfect Ends Sheer Mist* - £6.99
Full Body Shampoo* - £5.89
Full Body Conditioner* - £5.89

I was sent three products from the Full Repair range, which is designed to revive overworked hair (hello), repairing the damage of frequent hair styling & colouring.

The products all smell really fresh, and even a day after washing my hair smelled really CLEAN, which is always good. Because I have thick hair I can handle heavier products, so it was actually really refreshing to use products that were very lightweight (and it feels like they've removed some of the build up in my hair). After washing my hair felt very well behaved (although I did have my usual few tugs when brushing it out!).

I'm always cautious when using products designed to add shine for the first time, as I don't want to end up with greasy looking hair! To play it safe, I've been using the spray mist on the ends of my hair & the blonde panels - basically the bits that could use some repairing! Like the shampoo & conditioner, the mist feels super light, and my ends definitely felt less frizzy.

All in all I'm really pleased with these products! My hair definitely felt super clean and soft after using them, and I feel like a much better long-hair-wearer using heat protection for once! Because my hair was so soft, it went quite wavy across the day as I didn't use any other products, so if I wanted super straight hair I'd need to use more products on top of this. Still, I think that is okay - wavy hair is fun!

Silhouette 'Hold the Look' competition

I really love trying out new hair do's, so I was quite excited to be picked as an entrant in Immediate PR's Silhouette competition. The challenge was to re-create a celebrity silhouette using the new Silhouette Color Brilliance collection. Each entrant was sent out a Mousse, Hairspray and Extreme Gloss Spray.

It didn't take long for me to pick Emma Stone as my celebrity to copy. I absolutely LOVE her, she's so funny and likeable and sweet! She also has amazing hair and I am massively jealous of how well she pulls off different colours of hair - would you have guessed she's not a natural redhead?

Looking through photos of her red carpet do's, I noticed that she quite often wears a loose curly chignon. It's a really pretty style - there's lots of movement which keeps it fun and fresh, but it's smart enough to wear to all those swanky premieres that she goes to. 

I started off by using the Mousse after I'd towel-dried my hair to give it a bit of (controlled!) volume and movement. After drying my hair I then sprayed it with the Extreme Gloss Spray for movie star shininess. I've been using these products for a couple of days to get a feel for them before tackling this challenge and I am SO impressed with the gloss spray - it makes my hair feel like I've just been at the hairdressers. Wonderful.

I brushed my hair to the side and twisted it into a simple chignon. Emma wears hers quite curly and messy (which is right up my street), but I tried to be a little more neat than I normally would be!

I then used my curling wand to add a wee bit more definition to the bits of hair I had pulled down at the front, and sprayed with the Hairspray to keep it all neat and in place.

I'm pretty pleased with it!

How to: rolled hair updo

I was looking through my blog stats the other day (as you do) and was quite surprised to see that my previous hair tutorials (how to use a hair doughnut & how to do a twisted hair updo) had over 4,100 views between them!

So I thought it definitely was time to do another one, and wanted to show you all a very easy updo. I did it earlier (with the lovely Craig helping out and taking photos), but when I started to put this post together I realised it was quite hard to see what I was actually doing in the photos. So I am being BRAVE and have made a wee youtube tutorial which hopefully explains it simply. Please be kind!

I've also included the photos and a brief how-to below in case you aren't a fan of videos. I wasn't quite sure what to call this hairstyle.. is it a twist? Is a a roll? It makes me think of vintage hairstyles, which I like, and you can make it as sleek or scruffy as you'd like. Plus you don't need anything other than a hair bobble and kirby grips!

You want to start by putting your hair in a low ponytail, at the base of your neck. Then pull out the hairband until it is about half way down the ponytail.

Now take the end of your ponytail and start wrapping it around itself, making a roll. You want to roll this down into the space at the bottom of your hair (I hope this makes sense!).

You'll find it makes a nice roll at the bottom of your hair. Try and make sure it's even, and use some kirby grips to start pinning the middle part of the roll.

Now add in a couple more kirby grips at each side of the hair roll - this helps keep the sides neat and in shape.

Use curling tongs to loosely curl any hair that is hanging down at the front - this helps keep the shape nice and soft.

Tada! There you go! It's so simple to do and I really like it as a quick way to get hair up and out of my face.

p.s. please let me know what you think of my video. If it's not too daft I might try doing more video tutorials.. it's much easier explaining things when you can waffle a wee bit!