New John Frieda Products | Tried and Tested!

John Frieda is undoubtedly one of, if not my favourite hair care brand on the market.  I religiously use their 'Blonde' range and I always feel at a bit of a loss if I don't have my trusty 'Volume' shampoo at hand! Whenever people ask me about my hair care routine, I guarantee there's always a John Frieda product or two in there - it's fair to say that my bathroom cabinet houses my very own little JF army!   So, when I had the chance to try some of the new offerings from John Frieda, I was rather chuffed to say the least.  What I love about John Frieda is that there's always something new - the ranges are tailored perfectly for different hair colours and types and the products are almost always of amazing quality and all at a competitive, high street price.  I've been trying these products now for a good few weeks and thought I'd give you my two pennies worth; have they managed to make it into my 'John Frieda Army' or are they just a fleeting member of the 'Not so Sure' crew...? Let us find out, shall we?!

John Frieda | Full Repair | Deep Conditioner 'Hydrate and Rescue' | £6.99*

The John Frieda 'Full Repair' range often finds it's way into my shower! I love the conditioner and often use it if my hair is feeling a little in need of a moisture boost - so I was really intrigued to try the Deep Conditioning version.  This bottle promises to 'restore softness and shine' whilst deeply nourishing the hair strands and repairing the look and feel of any damage.  I found this to work really well on my hair - it left it feeling smooth and silky and easy to comb through and style, and left it looking in good condition with a good bit of shine. Having long hair means that my ends can sometimes lack a little bit of life but this perks it up no end.  It says to leave it on for 2-5 minutes so I always leave it on for as long as I can - the longer you leave it the more beneficial it will be. It's by no means the greatest deep conditioner on the market, and if your hair is considerably dry I'd recommend using this in-between a thicker treatment - but it is without a doubt a very good little deep conditioner that I will definitely repurchase.

John Frieda | Full Repair |  Flyaway Tamer Smoothing Wand | £10.99*

Ok. I'll be honest. Out of everything I thought this would be the one I wasn't going to be too fussed about.  I was intrigued by the wand concept but was unsure if it was going to be more of a gimmick and do nothing more than stir up memories of my 11 year old self getting creative with the blue hair mascara (don't lie, you went there too).  I was wrong.  I actually really like this one! I can only describe it as a serum in handy little tube, that you simply smooth on using the mascara-like wand. It distributes an even amount of product and instantly tames any fly aways.  I get one heck of a load of 'wispy' bits so this has been a little gem of a product for me! It's so simple, and is the perfect handbag friend due to it's size and easy to use concept - no sticky serum hands on the go! It's perfect for going to uni or work, or for events where you might get a little bit of frizz going on (I'll definitely be taking it to my graduation - there's no way that I'm having any 'bird's-nest-barnet' in my photographs!)  The only downside is that it can get a little straw-like if you overdo it.  It's easy to go a bit heavy handed on it (I did simply because I liked the motion of mascara-wanding my hair...) so it's worth using a very light hand and using quick, gentle 'wispy' motions rather than full on combing!

John Frieda | Frizz Ease | Dream Curls Enhancing Oil | £9.99*

This one still holds the 'undecided' status with me.  I have naturally straight hair that I curl or wave using hot tools or rollers - so straight away I wasn't so sure this would work for me what with it being tailored towards naturally curly hair.  However, I gave it a good go.  I noticed it feels more like a cross between a serum and an oil rather than a pure oil - it didn't provide the moisture I usually want from a hair oil.  However, it did seem to work well at defining the curls I went on to style and didn't seem to weigh them down at all - which is great.  I do think it does it's job - I just wasn't blown away by it.  I've taken to using it now as a finishing oil to smooth on once I've styled my hair rather than before - or I mix a drop or two in with my usual oil to give it a bit of 'oomph' which seems to work better for me.  I like it, don't get me wrong, I just don't love it.  Maybe it would work better for people who do have naturally curly hair as I can imagine it would provide a good bit of definition and tame any frizz. 

So, yet again, John Frieda doesn't disappoint! I love that they're always bringing out new things, and for me they still hold a special place in my bathroom cupboard. You can have a nosey at their products on the John Frieda website here, or have a gander at Boot's website - they often have 3 for 2 offers on which is when I tend to replenish my stash - so keep your eyes peeled!

Have you tried any of these products from John Frieda? Have you got a favourite JF product?

Latest Drugstore Beauty Purchases

Sometimes, in one's life, a trip to Boots or Superdrug for a mere shampoo or two turns into a little indulge-fest ending in a basket full of goods you never really set out to purchase but realise you simply must have. This is exactly what happened on a recent jolly-outing with my motherbear.  Of course, I thought it was only right I showed you what I threw in my basket that day and give you a little run through of what my first impressions of some of them have been...

Seche Vite | Dry Fast Top Coat | £9 | This is a repurchase for me and is something I will continue to buy forever and ever. And ever.  If, like me, you love painting your nails but hate waiting for them to dry then you need this in your life. It's very much worth the price tag and it lasts an age. I use this about 3 times a week and my first bottle lasted a good 6 months. I honestly cannot recommend this top coat enough and those of you sat wafting your hands in the air like you're at a boy-band concert of some sort waiting patiently for your nails to dry - take note!

Orly Polish in 'Purple Crush' | £5 | I bought this a while back now but decided to throw it in with this post anyway. I've had my eye on this for ages but never quite fancied parting with a fiver for a teensy-tiny bottle. I finally gave into temptation and my goodness me, it's such a pretty colour.  It's a really deep fucshia pink with warm purple hints and it looks utterly fabulous on the nails.

Barry M | Nail Paint in 'Mushroom' | £2.99 | I've wanted this in my collection for yonks. I've worn it already and I just think it's a beautiful understated shade of nudey-brown that goes with anything.

Eyelure False Lashes in 'Natural Volume' 020 | £5.35 | I often grab a pair of these. They're certainly not you're typical false eyelashes that you'd wear on a night out and they're incredibly subtle - but I keep these by me in case I ever need a bit of an eyelash boost on a day out somewhere nice, or if i'm going out for lunch. If, like me, you don't like full on glamour for daytime and you can be a little bit 'iffy' with false lashes, then i'd really recommend these. They're so light you can't even feel them on your peepers. Perfect.

John Frieda | Full Repair Deep Conditioner | £6.29 | I desperately needed an intense conditioner. My hair has gone crazy recently and i've had a bad hair month, let alone a bad hair day! I popped this on the other night and my mother commented straight after i'd dryed it how shiny my hair looked. Thumbs up so far John! ;) I must admit, I really do love John Frieda products and it's my go-to brand for all things hair care.

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in '101' | £5.49 | After loving the infamous '107' shade over the festive period (review & FOTD here) , I figured it was about time I picked up another one of these beauties. I opted for the lovely nude pink shade. So wearable and a fabulous daytime colour I will get tonnes of wear out of.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick in '010 Rouge Buzz' | £7.99 | I bloomin' love this lipsticks and did a little review not long ago that you can read here. This one is amazingly bright and is a lovely orangey red. Similar to Mac's Lady Danger but a little bit more creamy in formulation.

Samy | Fat Hair Amplifying Mousse & Hairspray | I've been wanting to try this range for ages and finally gave in when I saw they were on offer. I shall do a review soon once I've given them a good whirl! I'm still not sure if they've taken over my trusty Mark Hill 'Va Va Voom' mousse/Elnet Volume Spray combo. But I shall let you know if they cut the mustard!

Revlon | Nearly Naked Foundation in 'Nude' | £8.99 | I gave into the rumours i've heard about this foundation being amazing and decided to try it for myself. I've never actually tried any Revlon foundations but being a fan of a sheer daytime base I thought I'd try this one out!

Rimmel | Match Perfection Foundation in 'Soft Beige' | £6.99 | Ok. So i've only used this for about 4 days but I'm really enjoying using this one. It's definitely medium coverage and covers the majority of imperfections - it looks flawless once applied and I find the colour range works for me as the lighter shades seem to have more available options if you have cooler yellow tones in your skin like me! Yippee! I have a feeling this will knock 'Wake Me Up' out of the water for me - I love that this one seems to have a more satin finish and doesn't look overly dewy. Watch this space ladies..

And so there we have it! Another trip to Boots/Superdrug and another little collection has gathered on my beauty shelves. I'd also just like to apologise for my past two posts having to be duplicated - I'm having such a 'mare with my HTML on some blog posts at the moment, and although the posts read fine it seems to stop any other blog posts showing up on my home page. If any of you are also getting this really annoying little devil of a problem, please do tell me if you've managed to shed any light on it.  I'm really not getting much joy out of typing my blog posts out twice every time to correct it!  I do hope this won't be a regular thing but something has really began to go a little pear-shaped over on Bird's Words the past few days.

Have you tried any of these products? What were your thoughts?

How To: My Everyday Hairstyle | Casual Waves

Products used / Loreal Elnett Heat Protecting Styling Spray in 'Curls' / Tresemme Keratin Smooth Protecting Spray / John Frieda Frizz Ease Shape & Shine Hairspray / Loreal Elnett Volume Hairspray / Batiste Blonde Dry Shampoo / Tigi Bed Head Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff / Schwarzkopf Got2B Powder'ful Voumising Styling Powder

Firstly, apologies about the lack of my face in this post.. I do hope you can forgive me. I'd got up early, hadn't applied a great deal of eye-makeup and didn't feel at all spritely this morning to say the least. Nevertheless, because I love you all so much, I thought I would take the chance to take a few photos of my daily hair routine since I had some spare time on my hands. Quite a lot of you asked me about my hairstyle in my Christmas Face of the Day post (here) and so I thought I'd give you a little run through of how I achieved it and the products I use to style my hair everyday. This has been one of my 'signature' styles since I was at school - and I find making my hair wavy this way is very quick if you're in a rush, or are just lounging around the house but want your hair to look half-decent. The beauty about it is that it turns out slightly different every time you do it, and the longer you spend on it the more control you have over what it turns out like. Personally, I like my hair to look a little 'undone' and a little dishevelled, so if i'm being completely honest I don't often take too much time or care in doing it! It's a very versatile little method and one that I will continue to use until i'm old and grey and resisting temptation to get a perm...

Step 1 | This step is optional, but being a massive fan of volume I take my teasing comb and backcomb at the roots lightly. My hair often gets quite dull in the winter months so I also tend to spray some Batiste dry shampoo in 'Blonde' at the roots to lift the colour slightly. This is also a fabulous way to add texture to 'just washed' hair - it takes away the fly-away feeling and helps to achieve volume. I just generally give my hair a bit of a tousle and a fluff up to prep for the further steps.. (you may notice one side of my hair is already curly - I decided half way through my hair-routine to start this tutorial so concentrate on my other half of my head)

Step 2 | To make my hair wavy, I use my trusty Remington straighteners. Yes, you may gasp in horror that I don't use GHD's but my trusty age-old ceramic Remingtons do the job perfectly fine (and until they run out of juice i refuse to throw money at more heat appliances as I have a drawer full of them - eek!). I either use the Elnett Styling Spray or the Tresemme Keratin Smooth for my heat protectant. For daily use I find the Tresemme works wonders on my hair as it keeps it soft and manageable and doesn't weigh it down. If I need my style to last for a night out I will use the Elnett Styling Spray. This is a little heavier and feels a bit more like a hairspray when applied - it has a slight sticky feel to it that helps to keep the style in your hair for longer.

I take 1-2 inch sections, varying as I go around my head but I never go smaller than this. The bigger the sections the looser the curl. This step is a little difficult to explain (definitely need to start YouTube!) but I place the straightener where I want the wave to begin - usually about 3 inches down from the root. After this you need to move fairly swiftly to avoid lines in the hair. I turn the straightener as shown so that the hair is wrapped around the 'barrel' bit. I turn it just under 180degrees (the further you twist the straightener the tighter the curl).

Step 3 | I then move the straightener down to the ends of my hair as smoothly as I can. If you aren't used to curling your hair with straighteners then I will warn you this bit takes a bit of getting used to (especially if yours are square edged like mine - but don't worry if they are, you can't tell at all if you do it correctly). I repeat the process all around my head - I dont section it off - I just do as I please as it adds to the 'undone' look I'm going for. But I do concentrate more on the two front sections.

Step 4 | I then take John Frieda's Frizz Ease Hairspray. If you're after a really good setting spray then this is wonderful. You don't need much at all. I spray 2-3 sprays on each side and lightly tousle the waves I've made. I don't scrunch it! This will make it frizzy and ruins the smooth shape you've created.

Step 5 | Again this step is optional. I don't always do this but I find it helps if I'm having a flat hair day. I take Schwarzkopf's Volumising Powder and use a small bit rubbed into the palm of my hands to lightly mess up the lengths. This adds volume to the lengths of the hair - if your hair is like mine and all the layers have grown out (my hair is mostly one length), it can be difficult to achieve volume - especially if it's long as it weighs the curls down. This gives the style texture and plumps up the hair. Again, I do this lightly and use more of a 'lifting' motion as opposed to scrunching the hair.

Step 6 | After all of that styling and 'plumping' sometimes some hairs can get out of place and if I'm having a bad hair day it can sometimes look a little frizzy (damn you, wintery weather!) If this is the case I take a pea sized amount of Tigi's Dumb Blonde Smoothing Stuff and very lightly smooth down the frizzy bits. I do this bit so lightly that I almost don't touch the majority of my hair - just the flyaways!

Step 7 | This step is just general shifting and perfecting. I use my fingers for this. I pull my fringe down properly and lift up the roots to bring back the volume I added at the start of the process. I sometimes give it a quick once over with Elnett's hairspray - it's really light and just seals in the style without making it crispy and overdone.

It goes without saying I use volumising shampoos and mousses when I blow-dry my hair (John Frieda's Volume Shampoo and Mark Hill's VaVaVoom Mousse to be precise) so I give my hair as much help as I can to achieve the volume. And there we have it! Simples! If I ever start YouTube I shall definitely do a little tutorial on this in video form. I'm also planning on doing some more in-depth photograph tutorials on my blog over the next few months using my waving wand (my favourite for nights out) and various curling tongs - I often switch up the heated appliance I use and each provide slightly different looks. So keep your eyes peeled for those!

What is your everyday hairstyle?

♥