The Perfect Blow-Dry? | Ego Professional & Schwarzkopf OSIS+

When it comes to my hair, styling starts right from the shampoo and conditioner I use.  I am most definitely not your 'wash and go' type. Oh no. I'm much more fussy and like to get everything 'just so'.  If I haven't got time to blow-dry my hair properly, then heaven forbid - it's going to be a bad day to say the least.  Blow-drying my hair is a delicate operation - I have a certain 'routine' and technique I use every single time without fail and I like to experiment often with new products in order to get the best possible barnet.

Ego Professional Hair Alter Ego* | Link

As hairdryers go, this one is pretty swish.  It's superly duperly lightweight - which makes it the perfect companion for those of you who take time blow-drying your hair like me - my hair takes an age to try so I like to avoid 'dead arm' whenever I can.  The design is also really satisfying (waheyy the design student in me is coming out...) - it's really smooth to the touch, easy to grip, buttons are easy to access and the 'nozzle' (not pictured) is very easy to whip on and off.   I also love the whole 'red to black' thing it's got going on.  Visuals aside, the actual performance is really good.  It has 8 speed and heat settings which is fabulous for a fussy little urchin like me, and also has the much needed 'cool' shot for setting in the style.  The best aspect for me, and what sets it apart from a lot of dryers on the market, is the 'HW2' technology - making your hair feel softer and smoother to the touch and generally increasing hair manageability and quality afterwards.  I can honestly say that my hair felt so smooth after using the dryer - even when I blow-dryed my hair upside-down (i do this to get volume in the roots).  I found that I had to use less hair serum the next day to tame frizz, and my GHD's glided through like a dream. I did find I had to read the manual a couple of times to get the best out of it - at first I found it didn't dry my hair as quick as I'd have liked but a quick gen up on the controls and I found it pretty speedy.

The downside? It's by no means a cheap addition to your hair tool collection.  At £109 it really is the crem de la crem of the hairdrying world and if you're a 'blow and go' kind of girl (scrap your filthy minds....) then this won't be for you.  If you're like me and are absolutely hair-care bonkers then it's worth a look if you're in the market for a new dryer - but it's worth shopping around.  You can find it on BeautyBay currently at full price, but a couple of weeks back I found it on Amazon for a great deal less.

Schwarzkopf OSIS+ 'Blow & Go' Volumising Blow Dry Spray* |  Link

Those of you who read my hair-related posts are probably well aware of my love affair with hair mousse. I flippin' love the stuff. If I blow-dry my hair without a dollop or two then I certainly know about it.  After trying a few volumising sprays in the past, I've always converted back to my trusty bottle of the whipped stuff. I often find sprays leave my hair crispy, or looking dull, and often don't provide as much volume as a mousse.   This little offering by Schwarzkopf has probably been the most successful in swaying me in the 'spray' direction so far.  I actually use this for my fringe.  I either like my fringe pushed back slightly, or sweeping across my forehead - and I always like it to look like it has volume. There's nothing I hate more than a flat, gappy fringe (fellow fringe fans will know what I mean here! Jeez, how many more times do I want to say 'fringe' in this paragraph? >>FRINGE!<<) I simply lift the section of hair up, and spray at the root a couple of times from a bit of distance and then blow-dry for a few seconds in the opposite direction, before drying and setting it into the position I like.  I find that it always looks much more glossy afterwards, and doesn't have any crispy bits that the mousse can tend to leave - the 'Blow & Go' doesn't leave any sticky residue whatsoever and leaves your hair looking polished and feeling light as air.  It also helps my fringe to stay pretty 'swoopy' all day.  Result. I can totally see why this little spray is a bestseller... At just under a tenner at £9.75 (you can find it for around £7 on eBay) it's well worth a try if you're struggling to inject a bit of volume into your barnet but don't want to pay a fortune.

Have you tried any of these products? Are you a blow-dry obsessive like me?! If so, recommend me some stuff!! :)

KMS California | Tame Frizz Range

KMS California Tame Frizz Range* | Link | Frizz Fighter Kit |

If you know me, you'll know that one thing I'm really fussy about is my hair.  I often spend a little more on my hair care, and have a drawer full of my favourite treatments (honestly it's like there's a little hair product pick 'n' mix going on in there).  Recently, I had the chance to try the new 'Tame Frizz' range from KMS California. A brand I actually hadn't tried before but one that my mum uses often (my mum's also a bit of a hair fanatic so if she uses something and likes it then I can often rest assured that I will like it too..), Tame Frizz is the new offering that aims to do just what it says on the tin - Tame your frizz! Now, I've been struggling no end just recently to keep frizzy-bits at bay! I won't harp on about this but I've been noticing changes in the texture of my hair just recently due to medication I've been taking - so to say this range interested me is an understatement as my hair has been a little unmanageable at times and quite a bit drier than what I'm used to.

| Tame Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner |

Before I go into what I think about the performance of the shampoo and conditioner - let me tell you that they smell absolutely divine.  I have to say it's one of the nicest smelling shampoo & conditioner sets I've used - it almost has hints of vanilla to it and leaves your hair smelling beautiful after you've blow dried.  It doesn't take much to get a good lather going on with the shampoo, and when used alongside the conditioner you really do notice how smooth your hair is upon rinsing out.  I noticed a bigger difference after I'd used the products for a couple of weeks or so - of course, it leaves your hair silky soft from first use but it lives up to it's claims of controlling humidity after you've used it a few times.  It's moisturising but not overly so - so if you're more in the market for a moisture surge for very dry hair then it might interest you to know they do a Moisture Repair range (I stole some off my motherbear and it's lovely).  Tame Frizz seems to concentrate more on controlling fly aways and frizzy bits - and leaves your hair smooth to the touch and easier to brush through afterwards.

| Tame Frizz De Frizz Oil |

If I had to pick a favourite product from the range it would be this one.  As a person who hoards hair oils, I thought 'do I really need another?'. Well...Yes. Yes I do.  You can use this oil just as you would any other hair oil - applied to the ends of the hair after washing and towel drying.  It really does work a miracle on my hair, and I find it best to use when my hair is dry.  I find the top layers of my hair sometimes get a little bit frizzy, but with a couple of pumps ran through lightly it banishes any sign of fly aways in an instant and leaves the hair feeling moisturised a soft without looking greasy.  It's lighter than some oils I own (it's not as thick or heavy as some) which makes it perfect for more multi-purpose use - either when your hair is wet or dry.  I really recommend trying it when your hair is having a bit of a cruddy day - it smooths it out and adds a little extra shine and moisture to hair that's lacking a bit of life. It also adds heat protection - little fruity bonus there!

| Tame Frizz Smoothing Lotion |

Another one of my favourites from the range and I reckon I'll be buying this pretty soon.  I use the smoothing lotion like a finishing touch to my hairstyle - a small amount rubbed into the palms of your hands and lightly smoothed over the top layers of the hair or through the ends and provides a smoothing effect; banishing any frizzy-bits and generally just adding that finishing touch. You can also use it when you're hair is damp depending on what works for you. I really like this one - smoothing cremes are something I've used since I was a teenager and I find them so beneficial for those days where my hair looks a little dishevelled!

| Tame Frizz Taming Creme |

The Taming Creme is very similar to the smoothing lotion, but just with that extra bit of hold that the lotion doesn't provide.  It's ever so slightly thicker in consistency but works in more or less the same way - adding that extra bit of control if your hair is being particularly devilish!  It adds heat protection which is really handy and can be applied to hair wet or dry. It's quite lightweight to say it adds a little bit of hold - so if you want a bit of control but don't want to weigh your hair down with sprays or heavy styling products then it's worth giving something like this a whirl.

Overall, I really like the KMS California Tame Frizz range and am so glad I've been introduced to a brand I know I will go back to. Would I buy into the range in future? Absoloutely yes.  The hair oil is something I couldn't live without now despite my array of different bottles and brands that I have - I find it the most lightweight and versatile oil I currently own, and I really love the effect it gives on dry hair. It's worth mentioning that their 'Frizz Fighter' kit also comes with an anti-static comb (not pictured) - really handy for those untameable days! I really want to try their Moisture Repair shampoo and conditioner next - and can imagine using them alternatively with the Tame Frizz will work wonders for me and my hair.  You can find KMS California on Look Fantastic, Beauty Bay and Feel Unique, and also in salons across the country. You can have a nosey at their website here and discover more about the ranges they do.

Have you tried KMS California?
What product from them would you recommend if you have?