HAIR | Dove Radiance Challenge Week 2 Overview

OK so the top picture is my official Dove photo, you can see all the other girls on their Facebook page. I have to admit they are not the best pictures, the photographer made me over smile, but hey they would have been worse when I was bigger. As a result someone commented in Portuguese that I need to see a dentist! To be honest I was bullied about my teeth a lot at school so I'm kinda over it, it hasn't bothered me. In fact I was quite lucky as I only had two negative comments on my photos, I was really upset to see some of the awful comments on the other girls photos. Considering that the Dove brand is about real women I was very disappointed in the amount of women on women hate.  I think it is awful and pathetic that women can be so horrible and negative towards each other. We aren't models we are real women, even models aren't perfect, unless they are photoshopped. I guess the internet gives people the anonymity to say horrible things to people to make themselves feel better, but that doesn't make it right.

Anyway, about the products. When I start using shampoos that contain sulphate my scalp usually becomes a dry itchy mess, so I'm again very surprised that the Dove Radiance Shampoo* hasn't affected my scalp. Another common problem with these shampoos is that after 1 day my roots will be crazy greasy, but my hair is lasting up to 3 days which is a miracle! Conditioners are working really well, I alternate between the two and my hair is really soft. But my favorite product by fair though is the Leave In Conditioner! Its great to use to restyle my hair between washes, and because it is so light it doesn't make my hair greasy. My colour is holding well, although I am getting a major urge to make the tips more blonde as I want some crazy colour in my hair! So on to week 3!

Love Lilla xx

BEAUTY | Argan Oil - Whats the deal?

Argan oil, also known as Moroccan oil is an organic oil pressed from the seeds of fruit from Morrocco's Argan tree. Traditionally used as a cooking oil, in recent years it has been exported as a treatment for skin and hair problems such as acne, dry skin and damaged hair.

When I was doing #30daysnoheat, Argan oil seemed to be hailed as a magic cure for my damaged locks. Since completing the challenge and making a few changes (using a natural bristle brush, detergent free shampoo, heat protection spray, condition mask and using my straighteners less) my hair is in incredible condition. I don't have the problem, where my scalp would be dry, roots greasy and ends dry and frayed.
Taking all of this in to consideration, I thought it was about time I saw what all the fuss was about.

I tried two types of oil one for my hair and one for my skin (Argan oil is high in vitamin E, so I am hoping it will help improve the appearance of a scar i have on my forehead.).

The first one I tried was Rodin olio lusso Rodin by Recine Luxury Hair Oil. My main concern was that the oil would make my hair greasy so I applied a few drops to damp hair and then styled it. My hair was definitely softer and shinier. I also found that putting a few drops on to the ends of dry hair seems to bring it back to life! But be careful about how much you use, I rub it into my palms and then through my hair.

You can buy the Rodin by Recine Luxury Hair Oil on their website for $65.

For my skin I tested the Kahina-Giving Beauty's 100% Organic Kahina Argan Oil, which is described as being rich in Vitamin E and antioxidants. Again when using the oil on my skin I was worried about my skin appearing really greasy as a result, but the oil is absorbs very quickly and left my skin feeling smooth and soft. Not only did I notice my skin was more even than before, but I noticed that the spots that I sometimes get near my hairline have more or less vanished.

This product can also be used for your hair, but I found it was a tad heavy for my thin locks, my OH on the other hand found that it absorbed perfectly into his thicker mop.

This oil can be purchased from the above website and ranges in price from $36-$82 for 30ml-100ml or from Beauty Works West for £74.

The oil may seem expensive but it is well worth the investment and when you consider how little you will use each time the product will last for ages!

HAIR | Ruby Hair Design- Shiny Hair Tips #30daysnoheat

TOP TIPS FOR SHINY HAIR

My friend Regan is the brain child behind Ruby Hair Designs and has kindly written this guest blog for my #30daysnoheat blog to guide us to shiny hair!

It's not easy to get beautiful, strong, shiny hair in a world full peroxide and hair straighteners. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to have untouched virgin hair to get brilliant shine. Here are my top tips for easy shine.

1 - Eat me, drink me

Yes, I know you've all heard it a thousand times but drinking plenty

of water and eating well really is the key to all hair and beauty tips! Your hair follicles (the base from which your hair grows) are deep in your skin and their health is governed by our diets and lifestyles. Think of it as a seed you need to nurture. A good balanced diet with the right fats and oily foods such as avocados and oily fish are great. Now go feed that seed!

2 - Cool is ... cool

This is surely the easiest tip in the world. After conditioning your hair rinse with cool water, this will help to close the cuticles on the hair shaft so that it becomes smooth. The hair cuticles are opened when it is coloured or heated and this is the most common cause for dull hair. Switch your hair dryer to its coolest setting to finish off your blow dry for a similar effect.

3 - Conditioner is key

It still amazes me that a lot of my first time clients don't

hardly condition their hair. While the shampoos job is to clean and cleanse away grease and dirt, the conditioner is there to replenish the hair. Don't forget to give the conditioner a chance to penetrate for 2 or 3 minutes and treat your hair to a good hair mask every few weeks. My favourite is L'Oreal Elvive full restore masque. Leave on for 15 minutes. Its a life changer!

4 - If you can't handle the heat...

Straightners and tongs pull out all of the moisture from your hair making it dry and brittle. Now is the time to get practising your blowdry, girls. If done properly it should last longer and give you heaps more shine. For frazzle free curls wrap freshly washed dry hair into foam or bendy rollers with a touch of hair spray, catch some ZZzzzzz's and in the morning hey presto! Not a tong in sight!

5 - Products are power

If you simply can't bare to tear yourself away from those GHD's then make sure you are using a good leave-in conditioner. Apply when your hair is damp to help it retain as much moisture as possible. Once dry a good heat protector spray is your new best friend. Last but not least use a shine serum or spray, Gliss by Schwarzkopf is a great finishing product. For a more intense shine try one of the serums from the wonderful Fantasia IC range. Careful not to over do it though, you don't want to overload your hair with products!

6 - Colour me beautiful

Using a semi permanent hair colour will give you amazing shine with no damage to you hair as it uses very little of the harmful products in more permanent colours. Try a semi with the same shade but a slightly different tone to your own hair. Reds are huge this season and will bring you a little warmth through the winter months.

For more tips on how to love your hair Ruby Hair Design

HAIR | Day 7 #30daysnoheat #curlformers and Fishtail plaits!

Here I am experimenting with different styles without heat. I have used natural clip in hair extensions, Extra-wide and Long Curlformers and Velcro rollers. I will post some pictures tomorrow :) I love the look of a fish tail plait!

HAIR | #30daysnoheat Curlformers results :)!

Here is the video of me taking the Curlformers out! I loved the curls I achieved. They also lasted ages so I've a picture of them that evening down below!

HAIR | #30daysnoheat Using Curlformers

Curlformers Short and Narrow at hair show

Here is the video of me putting in Curlformers. I found them very easy to put in and it was a lot quicker than I thought it would be!

HAIR | Day 1 #30daysnoheat Curlformers

Here is day one of 30 days of no heat. This is my first ever video blog so apologise for the ums and sos! /
You can tweet them here: @Curlformers or they have a Facebook page here.

Please fill free to leave suggestions in the comments or Tweet me @LillaJade

HAIR | Could you do #30daysnoheat?

I will start by explaining to you how badly I have abused my hair in the last 26 years.

Image:Dano 

My hair has been every colour of the rainbow... and more, which when you have dark hair means a lot of peroxide. I also have been blowdrying, straightening and curling my hair after every wash for most of my life. Consequently my hair resembles straw. The day after washing my hair the roots are greasy and my ends knotty and uncontrollable. My hair is thinning and lifeless.

I have got to the point in my life where I need to look after my hair otherwise in another 5 years I might not have any! As a response to the fear of being bald at 30 I came up with the idea of shunning heat styling for 30 days to give my hair a break. This will also give me the chance to explore different hair styles and techniques so I don't need to use heat as frequently in the future.

In the last month I have already made some changes to my hair care routine, firstly I now have a hair care routine, rather than lather rinse repeat.

Natural Bristle Brush

My first change was my hairbrush. I have gone natural, that is to say my brush has natural bristles, which  helps promote growth and shine. The natural bristles help distribute the natural oils from the roots to the tips. I also changed my shampoo to a clarifying shampoo to wash away any build up and then use moisturising conditioner. I then follow this up with an olive based hair oil on the ends.

As a result my hair last longer between washes and the ends of my hair no longer look like straw. My hair is better, but by no means healthy. I want shinny, glossy and stylish hair and hopefully #30daysnoheat will help.

So do you think you could go 30 days without your GHDs? why not join me?

Also if you have any hairstyles or tips that could help me get through these 30 days without compromising on style please either comment below or tweet me @LillaJade with #30daynoheat