L'Oreal & Rowenta Steam Pod

I have been massively excited about the Steam Pod for a long time. I first came across it when my hairdresser used it on me in the salon and I couldn't believe the texture or the finish of my hair afterwards. I contemplated for over a year getting one for myself, and now I finally have one. I found it for a pretty good price on allbeauty.com where I also bought the Steam Pod smoothing protective cream.

I'm not going to lie, the Steam Pod is a bulky enough unit. You have your water tank, power lead, steam cord and then the hair tool itself. There is a removable comb (I personally like the comb although be careful if you have tatty hair like me!) and you can see the little jets where the steam comes out. That is where the magic happens!

I don't know about you but even though everyone raved about GHD's it must be for over a decade now, they didn't really do much for my already straight hair. They got the job done, sure, but they made my hair look really flat, dehydrated and a little lacklustre. The Steam Pod has really changed everything for me. Where I may have washed my hair and styled it with the GHD, my hair would have been so greasy a day later and badly in need of a wash. For some reason, I can style my hair with the Steam Pod, and not have to style it again until my next wash, up to a week later. I don't know how I am getting longer between washes but I am. Also, my hair remained poker straight the entire week, not a single kink in my hair like I would have seen by day 2 of a GHD styling.

Just after a colour, cut and Steam Pod treatment from the salon

If you are used to straightening your hair, the Steam Pod works in the same way, just make sure your hair follows the direction of the arrows so as it passes through the steam. 

The benefits of the steam are that it completely nourishes your hair, adding glossy shine and a smooth finish. If you use it with the Steam Pod protective cream, which has pro-keratin technology it will really help your hair to look more healthy. 

I of course have been using my Steam Pod since I got it to straighten my hair, but I have also experimented with other styles too.

I love the big bouncy curls you can create with the Steam Pod, but just be aware that it does not have a swivel cord so it is a bit tricky to do on your own. It almost creates a curly blow dry effect. I have no layers cut into my hair but I imagine if I did the curls would be even more bouncy.

After using the Steam Pod, it's incredible how "swishy" and light my hair feels. It's like the steam has infused each individual hair and it leaves my entire hair feeling so soft and smooth, and full of bounce and body. I have never had this feeling using any other hair tool. That is why I have fallen in love with the Steam Pod. I feel like I could be in a hair ad!

I am absolutely thrilled I purchased the Steam Pod and only wish I bought it long ago! I can only imagine this would be an absolute godsend if you had frizzy hair. I really like the fact that when you straighten with it, the hair stays straight. I am going to take this with me on holiday, though I have to think about how I will pack it as it isn't exactly that travel friendly, but I don't think I can be without it at this stage!

A little colour boost! Revlon Nutri Color Creme

I get my hair done every 6 weeks, and because it is such a vibrant colour, it fades fast. In between colours I use this Revlon Nutri Color Creme in the shade 740 (Copper) to give me a little boost!

I have such long hair that I do need quite a large amount, I can't even count how many pumps I use! But basically I just shampoo my hair as normal (with Mane n' Tail Colour Protect) then I will massage this cream all over my hair, from roots to ends. I wrap my hair up in a towel and leave it for at least 15 -20 minutes. On the bottle it says you can rinse it off after 3 minutes, but I feel like I need to keep it on for longer to see any visible results with the colour.

Don't forget to wear gloves!

 Before

After

After I use this colour creme, not only is the colour visibly more vibrant but my hair has never felt better. It is so soft and smooth, it feels wonderful!

Naturally there are different tones in my hair left over from a dip dye/ombre which I had in last year, so you can still see the lighter parts of my hair. But overall the colour has really brightened up and will keep me going until my next trip to the salon!

I order my Revlon Nutri Color Creme from this seller on Amazon, they have other shades too!

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse - Multi Purpose Dry Oil

This product featured a few posts back when I wrote about a few items which kept me going throughout the time that I wasn't feeling well. I thought it deserved it's own post! I have been using it non-stop, and it really is a multipurpose product.

I saw it in my local chemist and being completely besotted by the Prodigieuse scent, I bought it although I wasn't really quite sure what I was going to do with it! (apart from smell it!)

But ever since then, I have been using it all the time, sometimes even multiple times a day, on my face and my hair. My skin has been so dry and flaky lately, especially across my nose and this product has been amazing at remedying that. I put a few drops of the oil into my palms, rub my hands together and smooth it onto my face. The excess left on my hands I will rub into the ends of my hair. Sometimes though if my hair is feeling really dry I will use a few drops to run through the lengths and ends of my hair.

I haven't tried this on my body yet as I only bought the smaller bottle (which has the smallest opening in the world - I need to get the larger bottle next time with the spray pump) but I am sure it would be absolutely fantastic as a body oil. I would love to try the shimmery version in summer to add a bit of glow!

As for it being classed as a "dry oil", a description which kind of contradicts itself, I couldn't have been more surprised by this. There is absolutely no oily or greasy residue left after using it. It doesn't make for a messy application and really it is just a wonder product in my opinion!

I am completely and utterly overwhelmed by this oil. I don't think I could be without it in my skincare routine, although it is kind of a luxurious product. The fact that it is multi-usage and completely versatile justifies the price, right?!

Great Lengths Large Paddle Brush - the hairbrush that changed my life!

OK perhaps a slight exaggeration in the title there! But I have got to say, that this is the best hairbrush I have ever used in my life. Now, I do not have Great Lengths hair extensions myself, however I first spotted this hairbrush in my hairdressers and I could not believe how it literally glided through my wet hair. That had to be a miracle! I went straight home and ordered myself one right away, such was my awe at what this hairbrush could do to my hair. I ordered it from ebay here incase you are interested.

It arrived very quickly and in a fancy little pouch. It's the most expensive hairbrush I have ever bought but it is certainly very well made and of excellent quality. It's good and sturdy and feels quite heavy. The bristles remind me of the old fashioned hairbrushes from Victorian times!

I have really knotty hair, it is terrible! I have dabbled in quite a few hairbrushes targeted at this, namely the Tangle Teezer and the Wet Brush. While I liked both brushes at the time, I came to realise that I was losing far too much hair with every brush. And I also needed a detangling spray before even attempting to put a brush near my hair (the Mane n' Tail Detangler is my favourite). The Great Lengths brush requires no effort from me at all. I can glide it through the lengths of my hair with ease. This has never happened me before! And after I have finished brushing my hair, there is hardly any hair in the bristles, compared to the ball of hair I had to pull out of my Wet brush and Tangle Teezer after each brush!

So I just thought I would share my amazing new discovery! If you have tangly hair like me, it may be worthwhile looking into this brush. Yes it is very expensive, but I do not regret my purchase for a second, and cannot go back to using any other hairbrush now!

Instyler Rotating Iron Review

I was very kindly sent the Instyler to try out. I hadn't actually came across the Instyler before, but basically it is a rotating barrel which can be used to curl, straighten (yes!) and give volume to the hair. Sounds amazing, doesn't it?! It's like several hair tools in one.

 It comes with a fabulous drawstring pouch, comb, heat guard and instructional dvd. It really is an impressive kit!

This is a 32mm barrel. The barrel begins to rotate when you clamp it together. The black bristles smooth the hair and the heat can distribute evenly while the barrel is rotating. There is also a thin ceramic plate in the middle of the bristles.

The heat guard can only be used when you are straightening your hair with this barrel. You won't be able to curl your hair with this thing on, as you need to wrap the hair around the barrel. I actually burned my forehead while curling my hair so do be careful!

Here is what my hair looked like, straight after I curled it. I spent quite a bit of time curling my hair, and to be honest I was left a little disappointed. It certainly looks wavy, but not curly how I like it, even when I used the highest heat setting.

I felt the Instyler was a little too time consuming for my liking. Only a tiny section of my long (relatively thick) hair could be put through the Instyler at one time for any sort of curl to appear. You then of course have to hold each section of hair in the barrel for around 20 seconds. So I was working on my hair for a good half an hour to achieve this look! Whereas with my Remington Pearl wand I can create waves like this in less than 10 minutes by just separating my hair into about 5 big sections.

Anyway, just about an hour or two after the above photo was taken, my hair was back to it's natural straight self as though I had never curled it at all!

I'm just disappointed that I spent so long curling my hair just to get a few kinks in it like this. I tried it on freshly washed hair, and on two day old hair but it didn't make any difference, my hair just didn't take to the curl.

I also tried straightening my hair with the Instyler, and I must admit that this did nothing for me at all. My hair is already naturally straight. When I ran the Instyler through my hair it genuinely didn't look any different. It doesn't give me that sleek, polished look as when I straighten with my GHDs.

Maybe part of my problem with the Instyler is due to the fact that my hair is long, kinda thick and I have no layers cut in my hair, so it's quite heavy. I asked my sister to try the Instyler and she loved it on her short hair and thought it gave her a lot of volume!

I should also add that I don't use any styling products in my hair at all, I just wash and condition my hair. I am not sure if that would have any impact on the performance of the Instyler. I don't even own any styling products so I couldn't test it that way.

The Instyler RRPs for €120.00. It certainly is not cheap. I think the price is a little high considering I am so fond of my Remington Pearl curling wand which cost a fraction of the price. (You can read my review of the Remington pearl here! )

What I really liked about the Instyler was the fact that it is a multi-functional hair tool and would be great for travelling and you wanted to create different hair styles. It comes with a great pouch suitable for travel. It certainly was presented incredibly well and the accompanying accessories are really handy.

Sadly the Instyler did not perform on my hair as well as I had hoped. I know that i have read many a rave review on it, I guess some things just don't work for everybody!

Remington Pearl Pro Curl Wand

Some time ago I reviewed the Remington Pearl Wand (click here to view!). Around the same time as I bought the Remington Pearl, I was so impressed by it that I ran out and got its chunkier counterpart too, the Pro Curl.

 The Pro Curl is much thicker and does not taper down at the end. It is the exact same design though. The Pro Curl is much heavier though, and I think is a lot more awkward to use. I must say that it really does nothing for me, and perhaps the before and after photos can explain better.

 Before

After

I suppose it gives a nice tousled look, but I was expecting more of a curl, or even big waves. But it really doesn't impress me. The skinnier wand is a much better hair tool, and you could even use thicker sections of hair to create loose curls or waves and it would give a much nicer effect than this fat wand.

So if you are trying to decide which Remington Pearl wand to get, I couldn't recommend the skinny wand highly enough! I also think that you could easily recreate the look that the Pro Curl wand gave me even without putting heat on your hair.

Remington Pearl Curling Wand - best hair tool EVER!

I'm sure you have all heard of this curling wand many many times before! I bought this a couple of years ago, from what I can recall it cost around £25.00 from Argos.  Previously, any time I wanted to curl my hair I had to use the only other hair tool I possess - the GHD. It curls well, but I find the curls are too "ringlety" looking and flat, and I was after a more natural look.

You can adjust the setting if you wish, but the default 180 degree setting works perfectly well for me. A heat protecting glove is provided, but I don't particularly think it is overly protective! I suppose it takes the edge off any burns you may get!

It is quite a lightweight tool, so easy to use (even for me!). I love the flower design on it! :)

So... here are my before and after photos! In my "before" pic, I had just washed my hair the night before. I used my Mane n' Tail Detangler but I let my hair dry naturally. I don't use any styling products before I curl my hair!

Before...

After.....

What do you all think?! My hair is quite long and thick, I don't really have any layers cut into my hair. It look me about 30 minutes to curl it like this. I could put a bit more time in and end up with tighter curls but I like to twist my hair around the wand in order to get a loose kind of wavy look like this.

If you have tried this wand, let me know if you love it as much as I do! If you don't have it - get it! It is absolutely brilliant and incredibly inexpensive!

Life's Little Saviours... Beauty Edition

I was thinking about what little essential products really just make life easier while at the same time being incredibly useful. So I went through my bathroom cabinet and make up drawer to see what I could come up with. Surprisingly there is only one "make up" product.

1. La Roche Posay Cicaplast Mains - I love a good hand cream and this is what I am currently using. I got this just before Christmas when I spotted it in my local chemist. I have read so many La Roche Posay reviews, so I couldn't resist. It is kind of a gel-like formula which acts as a barrier too. Great if you suffer from seriously dry hands. Mine aren't too bad but this hand cream is really brilliant.

2. Mane n' Tail Detangler - This is a fairly new product in my collection, but in those couple of weeks it has made life so much easier for me, you know, hair wise! My hair is so incredibly tatty. If I brush it through smooth, I will have knots in it after about 30 seconds flat! I spray this Detangler in my hair after I wash it, and it is incredible how I can brush my hair with ease. You can use the Detangler in dry hair too, but I find just using it in my wet hair is enough, and I can still brush my hair easily right up until I next wash my hair. Fantastic product.

3. Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan - I never used to wear fake tan apart from the odd special occasion...now I wear it all the time. Ever since I discovered the fabulous Cocoa Brown a little over a year ago, I use it religiously at least once per week. It is the most lovliest tan, easy to apply, not a streak in sight and it gives me the most perfect colour. It looks so natural. I don't even remember what I look like un-tanned! Honestly, this is one product I could never be without.

4. Batiste Dry Shampoo - Another hair product! My hair gets greasy pretty quickly and if it wasn't for this dry shampoo, I would have to wash my hair every day and that is just not happening! Now I can wash my hair and get a good three days out of it. I have used other brands of dry shampoo but Batiste is by far the best. They have a huge range of scents but the original is my favourite, it smells quite citrusy and I actually think it is the most effective on my hair. It's also great for adding texture to your hair for styling.

5. Burts Bees Lip Balm - A good lip balm is essential every day and Burts bees is my favourite. They are so moisturising and last a long time on your lips before having to re-apply. The scents are just amazing too. The original honey is my favourite, but the chocolate and blueberry is gorgeous too! I have one of these in my handbag, on my dressing table and one at work as well. They are really good quality for the price. When you compare them to something like Baby Lips, you can really tell that the Baby Lips are a little waxy in comparison. Burts Bees are just so nourishing and beneficial.

6. YSL Touche Eclait - I got this for Christmas and I swear I have never looked back since. I am extremely conscious about my under eye area. I have spent years searching for concealers to cover my under eye bags, but nothing worked. I realised that I actually don't have bags or dark circles, just the natural contours of my eye. What I needed was a brightening product, and one which has a thin/light consistency. Enter Touche Eclait. This is every thing I had been searching for. A quick stroke of this and my eyes are transformed. It is a wonder product and one which I now could not be without.