My Current Products and Treatments for Bleached/Over Processed Hair

This is a subject I happen to know a lot about, as I've had bleached hair since I was 14! At 22, this is the longest my hair has been in a long time, so I believe the products that I've been using are working. I use products that are targeted at moisturizing, preventing/fusing split ends, putting protein/keratin back into your hair and preventing and reversing heat damage. Here are my current go-to products!

Pantene Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser: I did a review on the Pantene Expert Advanced + Keratin Repair line back in December, so if you're interested in reading that, you can find it here. I did repurchase the Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser in the full size, and I absolutely love it. I apply it only to the ends of my hair by scrunching it in if I'm leaving my hair wavy, or combing it in if I'm heat styling it. It's a super thick conditioning treatment, so two small pumps will definitely do you. The Pantene website claims that this product is mean to fuse and prevent split ends, as well as fight frizziness, dullness and dryness, which is definitely does. I would recommend this to anyone who suffers with split ends, especially due to bleaching or heat damage.

Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner & Anti-Breakage Serum: This is a product line that I  recommend over and over again, as it really is one of the best lines I've ever tried for my type of hair. These are the Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner and the Anti-Breakage Serum. Organix has recently come out with a Coconut Water line, which I'm really excited to try. These products provide everything that damaged hair needs, including egg white proteins to strengthen your hair, and coconut oils to balance and moisturize. The Anti-Breakage Serum is specifically meant to promote longer hair, as it reduces the everyday damage that causes your hair to break off. I prefer to use this on dry hair, especially when I leave my hair wavy. It provides noticeable body and shine, and you can tell my hair is instantly moisturized. I've been using these products for years, and I'll definitely continue to. You can find these at the drug store, so they're super affordable as well.

Pantene Silky Moisture Whip: I actually did not expect to like this as much as I do, as it's so rare that I find a product that works really well for me. This product is not like a mousse, as it does not expand in your hand, but literally comes out like whipped cream. It's meant to condition your hair for up to 48 hours, which is a huge plus for me. It also protects against heat damage, so I use this both when I heat style and when I leave it naturally wavy. I most likely would not have thought to purchase this if my Mom hadn't given me a sample, so I'm really loving sample sized products  for this reason. I have recently run out this, so I will be purchasing more soon!

Lush Curly Wurly Shampoo: This is another amazing coconut related product. Curly Wurly is like a shampoo and conditioner in one, as it leaves your hair so nice and moisturized. You can use this if you have damaged straight hair as well, but I find you get the best results with wavy or straight hair. The reason why coconut related products are so amazing for your hair, is that coconut is one of the only oils that can get right inside your hair shaft, while others tend to just sit on top and coat it. Not only does this shampoo contain coconut oil, but it contains creamed coconut, fresh eggs and avocado butter. This product is a little pricy at $25.95, but it's definitely worth it if you can afford to spend a little extra money. Plus this pot lasts you a long time, as you need really little per wash.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner: If you are into hair care, it's unlikely that you haven't heard of the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. I tend to use the one from the Moist line, but there are a few different kinds. This treatment is super cheap. If you're lucky enough to find it in Canada anymore, it's usually under $5.00. I picked up a new bottle when I was in Ireland, as they seem to be everywhere over there. In my opinion, this is one of the best deep conditioners out there, high end or drug store. It really does transform dry, damaged hair within a few minutes. The only thing about this product, is it should not be used more than once a week. If it's used more than that, it builds up on your hair. This can be fixed by using a purifying shampoo, but it's best to avoid.

Coconut Oil: Last but not least, this has been my go-to treatment/hair mask for the past few weeks. Any kind of coconut oil will do, but try to look for both "organic" and either "virgin" or "extra virgin". Extra virgin is best if you don't mind spending a little more! The one I'm using right now is just the Omega Nutrition Organic Coconut Oil. I've been using this sporadically on my hair for a long time now, and have recently picked it up again. Like I said before, coconut oil really is incredible for your hair. I take a few tablespoons and heat it up for about 30 seconds before applying it to my hair. I either leave it on overnight, or just for an hour or two if I'm staying in for the day. I especially like to apply this on heat styled hair. It does not leave your hair super greasy, so just wash it out with shampoo (no need to repeat) and conditioner, and you're done! I have seen growth in both my hair and nails when this is continuously applied. 

Hope this helped! xx

Review: Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length

It's been awhile since my last blog post, so I wanted to get back on track and do a review on this amazing product I picked up at Boots in Ireland! If you're into watching beauty gurus on YouTube or you're into reading blogs, you've probably heard of the Lee Stafford Treatment For Hair That Never Grows Past a Certain Length. I first heard of this when Helen aka Melon Lady did a review of it on YouTube (watch her hair growth experiment here!) You could really see the difference in the length of her hair within a short period of time! So when I saw this in Ireland, I picked it up right away.

The Lee Stafford Hair Growth range includes 4 products: shampoo, conditioner, leave in treatment and the wash out treatment. This is the wash out treatment, which you apply after you've shampooed and before applying conditioner. I try to leave this in for as long as possible, but it is recommended that you leave it in for 5 minutes. I really wish I had picked up the rest of this line while I was in Europe!

This treatment is meant to not only encourage hair growth, but reduces hair loss and improves the condition of your hair and scalp. It also smells amazing! It is moderately thick in consistency, so it does well as a nice mask. You're applying a decent amount into your hair at a time (about the size of an egg), so you'll get anywhere from 5-10 uses out of this jar, depending on the length and thickness of your hair. It is recommended that you use this treatment every time you wash your hair until the condition of your hair visibly improves, and then follow up once a week.

There are tons of products that claim they're going to help your hair grow, but does this product work? I am so happy to say it actually does! Although I do not have a before and after photo as of now, I can honestly say I have noticed visible hair growth, and I have used this product about 4 times. While I haven't had time to use this every time I wash my hair, I can honestly say it's done it's job already. As well as making my hair grow, it has definitely improved the overall condition as well. 

I've managed to find this product for sale on amazon.com here, so go check it out! You'll be really surprised.

xx

Review: Pantene Expert Collection Advanced Keratin Repair Line

         I have never been a big fan of Pantene Pro-V Products, mainly because I never really bothered to buy them. I haven't heard a lot of raves about any particular Pantene product. So when I received two samples with my order from beyondtherack.com of the Pantene Expert Collection, I didn't have high expectations. I do love trying new hair products, so I decided to give them a go. At the time, I received the sample size of the Advanced Keratin Repair Conditioner, and the sample size of the Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser (pictured above). 

I did not look up anything about these products before trying them. My first impression while using both, was that I loved the consistency and the smell. Everything about it reminded me of a high end product. They are both relatively thick in formula and quite creamy. The conditioner was extremely easy to rinse out of my hair, and I felt it detangling as I ran my fingers through it. Once dry, my hair felt nourished and looked quite healthy! All a big thumbs up!

After looking up these products online, I learned that they are meant to do the following things: fight damage and provide shine, as well as fight split ends, frizz,  dullness and dryness. I would say that they definitely fulfill all of these categories. When I went to buy the full sized conditioner (pictured above) I was surprised at how much it cost. Pantene Pro-V is known for being a budget friendly brand, and these products were $9.99 for the conditioner and $12.99 for the Split End Fuser at Target, as well as $2.00 more each at Shopper's Drug Mart. The Pantene Expert Collection line is designed to basically step Pantene's level of hair care up a notch. They have two hair systems, the Age Defy line and the Advanced Keratin Repair line. The Advanced Keratin Repair line is perfect for my hair, as bleaching strips your hair of it's natural keratin. These products are also meant to repair up to two years of damage. 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this product to anyone who colours/bleaches their hair and/or uses heat styling, and needs to start repairing the damage. I've noticed more difference while using these products than I have with any other drug store product in a long time. The only thing I'm not a fan of, is that I don't recognize one ingredient on the bottle, so they definitely don't use any natural ingredients with these products. Seeing as I'm a big believer in using natural ingredients in any product, I do struggle with this a little. However, it does work, so I can't complain too much! Great job Pantene! 

Over 60 Days of No Heat!

  It's official, the last time I blow dried and styled my hair was August 21st, 2013! Coming from someone who used to heat style my hair every day, this is quite an accomplishment for me. When I made the decision to stop heat styling, I also made the decision to only wash my hair every other day. I really wanted to see what putting effort into taking care of my hair was going to do for me. In addition, I have ONLY used a wide toothed comb during this time to comb out my hair after washing it.

So what have I noticed as a result? First of all, I have really come to realize that my hair looks much better in it's natural state. I find that almost everybody's does. People think that straightening or curling their hair everyday or adding extensions makes it look better. However, unless your hair is a mess on a regular basis, I have never come across someone whose natural texture does not look better, with the help of products of course. 

The condition of my hair has really changed in the past couple months. I would say that I have almost twice the amount of hair that I used to in terms of thickness, as you lose significantly less hair when you are not heat styling, brushing and washing every day. Whether or not my hair is growing faster I don't know, but the growth is a LOT more noticeable than it would otherwise be, as it's not breaking off at the ends. My split ends have been drastically reduced, and my hair is much softer than it's ever been. My colour looks more vibrant, and I feel the need to get it touched up less. My hair unfortunately has not become significantly more shiny, as it's hard to make hair that's been bleached as much as mine shine, but it's coming along. 

I would recommend that everyone give their hair a break and let it be for a while. Especially if you're trying to grow it out, and have no idea why it's not growing. It's frustrating that people don't see that it IS growing, but it's snapping off at the ends due to your heat styling! Find new ways to style it that do not involve heat, and you'll find that they're quicker, and look even better. 

Click here to see what products I use on my hair!

HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT WEEKEND! xx

First Impression Review: Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum

         I was recommended the new Dove Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum after my mom received a sample of it, and was extremely impressed at the difference in her hair. She was complimented on the condition of her hair by our hairstylist, who told her to keep using whatever she has been using, as it seemed much less dry. My mom has much curlier hair than I do, and hers tends to be prone to dryness and frizz. Curly hair needs as much moisture as possible, especially when you use colour on top of it like she does. I'm always looking for moisturizing hair products, so I went out and purchased it from the drug store for $8.99.

The package recommends that you dispense 2-3 pumps into your hands, rub them together and then disperse the product evenly into your hair. I used 3 pumps, which isn't very much product, as it's an incredibly light weight oil. It's ingredients include sweet almond oil, hydrogenated coconut oil and argan oil.

Since the texture of my hair is naturally wavy, whenever I apply product I scrunch it in to help form the waves. I let it naturally air dry after I finish scrunching.

And this is the final result! Although it doesn't take care of all of my frizz, it made my hair feel conditioned without weighing it down at all. My waves were so bouncy and light, especially compared to when I use some of my other products. It also smells AMAZING and leaves a lasting scent in your hair. I applied one pump after my hair dried, which made even more of a difference. On dove.ca, they recommend using this product as a pre-blow dry primer or to use after your hair is already dry to tame frizz and flyaways. We'll see if this makes a bigger difference with continued use, but so far I love it!

Everyday Cleansing/Moisturizing Routine!

          For whatever reason, girls are incredibly interested in what other girls use in their pre-getting ready routine, the stage before you do your hair and makeup and figure out what you're going to wearing for the day. I suppose this is because it's such critical part of the daily routine, and people just want to know what works. And seeing as I haven't done anything of note lately that would be of any interest to blog about, I will show you what I have been using!         

Even though I do switch up my shampoo and face wash a couple times a week, this is what I grab on a regular basis. I try to only shampoo and condition my hair every other day, as it is bleached and can be quite dry. I would have to say that all of Bed Head's Products are amazing for putting strength and nutrients back into your hair. The Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Shampoo is no exception, and feeds my bleached hair extremely well! As mentioned numerous times before, I wash my face twice a day with my lovely Biotherm Hydra-Mineral Cleansing Toning Mousse in the Biosource range. Then for my body wash, I use Dove Visible Care Toning Creme Body Wash. I actually like to shave my legs with this as well, as it leaves your skin incredibly soft. You barely even need to moisturize afterwards. This will definitely be a continued favourite, especially for the price.

I try to use a treatment on my hair at least once a week, and leave it on for as long as I have the time to. Lately, I've been using my Bed Head Self Absorbed Mega Nutrient Conditioner and it gets the job done beautifully. You do need to use quite a lot of it, as it's not as thick as it seems, but it's worth it. Also, the citrus scent is amazing!

When I get out of the shower, I moisturize with my Coconut Body Butter by the Body Shop, which is my favourite in their selection. I can't get over how soft it makes your skin feel! However, I'm really not crazy about having to dip my hand into a pot, I find it a little unsanitary. If they come out with this same formula in a squeeze tube, I will be a happy, happy person.

After brushing my teeth, the last part of this routine is applying my L'Oreal Paris Ideal Moisture Radiant Tone Day/Night Cream! Although it could be a tiny bit more moisturizing, this has worked well for me so far, and I have been applying it both morning and night.

GOODNIGHT!! xx

High End Drugstore Products: Why You Don't End Up Spending More

                As you may have been able to tell from my previous posts, I am a big fan of drugstore products. I buy almost all of my hair and skin care products from Shoppers Drug Mart on a regular basis. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I ventured over to the "high end" section of hair care, and it was only this year that I discovered high end skin care. Now when I say high end, I mean anything that is over a certain price point. In Shopper's, they generally have these products separated into different sections. However, drug store high end is still only high end to a degree, as they try to keep these products below a certain price point as well. I think I only started checking out these products when I left home, as I was always discouraged from spending too much on anything. 

Having said that, there's something I've noticed since I began to purchase these products. I'm actually not spending more money. The large majority of drugstore users shop at these stores for deals and affordable products. Nothing wrong with that. Spending much more than $10.00 at a time on pretty much anything is a no no, and that's just how it is. And these products generally work perfectly fine, they do what they're supposed to. This year, I started to want to REALLY take care of my skin, and transform it from just okay to really nice, clear and radiant. Many will just say to cut out this and that, don't drink caffeine or diet pop, drink lots and lots of water, blah blah. I'm a student, realistically none of that is going to happen right now and I'm good with that! I have watched all kinds of beauty tutorials and reviews on YouTube for years now. As there are a multitude of beauty gurus out there, you can always find someone with your same hair or skin type. This has lead to me getting it right almost every time I've purchased a product that they've recommended. 

Countless reviews on YouTube have led to me purchasing my beloved Bioderma Sensibio H2O for the first time. I have never seen or heard a bad review on this stuff, and that's coming from girls of all skin types. Great, great stuff! Having said that, this cleansing water is more expensive than what I would typically buy. I had never tried a cleansing water before Bioderma, and would never really have thought to. However, from the first day I started using it, I noticed that it did amazing things for my skin. My skin felt softer, produced less oil and looked more clear. It also eliminated the need for another drug store product I was using on top of my makeup remover, to get a similar softening effect. I haven't repurchased this other product since. Interesting.

Oh Biotherm....how I love you. I just started using this product, and I'm obsessed! This is the Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Foaming Mousse by Biosource for normal to combination skin. I noticed a difference in my skin after using this product twice. I have to say, through all my years of buying Clean and Clear, Garnier, L'Oreal and even Neutrogena, there has never been a time where I've noticed such an amazing difference, especially in such a short period of time. I actually bought this product on a whim, as I have not seen it mentioned in a YouTube video yet on my usual subscription channels. This cleanser eliminated the need for a toner, as well as cutting down my use of Bioderma to only once a day.

Last but not least, another recent purchase, my Bed Head Self Absorbed Conditioner. After using this product for the FIRST TIME, my hair was so lovely, full of moisture and frizz free that it eliminated the need for any other product I would normally spray or scrunch into my hair after it was dry. It also did the job better!

All 3 of these products are in the "high end" category of the hair or skincare section of the drugstore, and all three have eliminated the need for at least one other product for me. The prices are not outrageous, they are all $20 or under. Don't get me wrong, there are so many great drugstore products that cost less than this. However, if you're going to end up spending the same amount anyway for 1 versus 2 or 3 products, do some research on what would really work for you. You may be surprised how much better your skin or hair gets from one amazing product.

TIME TO HAVE A NAP! xx