Helping Hands for Hair

Everyone's hair needs a little bit of a helping hand at times, and mine is no exception. Although I've got mine through it's terrible 'frazzled' phase of last year, the warm weather and sunshine can still dry out my locks and leave them feeling less than silky soft, so besides my shampoo and conditioner, I have an arsenal of little helpers on hand to get  things back on track.

My trustiest friend when it comes to keeping my hair in tip-top condition is the Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe, a liquid treatment which is applied to clean, wet hair for 3-5 minutes. I have never managed to ascertain whether or not this one is supposed to replace a conditioner, but when I use this once a week I do tend to apply an extra one afterwards, as with this being quite runny in consistency, I sometimes feel that my tresses are asking for a little bit of something extra afterwards. Revitaluxe is a Bio-advanced restorative treatment to revitalise, nourish and repair, and it certainly does just that. With each use, my hair becomes stronger, smoother, silkier and more manageable,and as I'm coming to the end of this tube the full-size version is a must for my shopping basket.

A couple of times a week, I run two pumps of the Redken Extreme Anti-Snap Leave-In Treatment through towel-dried hair after washing and conditioning (excuse the sticky label mark - couldn't get it off for love nor money!). Rich in proteins, this helps to strengthen each strand and minimise split ends - it can't be used daily though, as too much protein can have the same effect as none at all: breakage.

On the subject of split ends, I recently picked up the TreSemme Split End Remedy, a spray-in treatment which aims to reconstruct the ends of the hair. I've been spraying this on liberally after washing, despite my scepticism - I don't personally believe that split-ends can be 'mended', at least not permanently. But anything that helps keep any nasty fly-aways at bay is worth a try in my book.

After a coconut oil disaster some while ago that left me with something of an oil slick on my head, I might well have been put off hair oils for life, but I'm so glad I persevered with them as they are now an integral part of my post-hair-wash routine. I apply a couple of pumps of the L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil (don't mind my foreign version in the picture) to my hair after blotting with a towel (if I'm using the Redken Anti-Snap then I mix the two together in my palms before smoothing through), and it makes a huge difference to the final appearance of my hair after blow-drying, leaving it much softer, smoother and shinier. I rarely to apply this to dry hair, as personally I don't find it hugely beneficial, but I will occasionally add the tiniest amount if my ends are looking overly frizzy. Generally though, I much prefer damp hair as a canvas, as I find that my locks just drink it up, with no hint of greasiness left behind when dry.

Last but by no means least is the Agadir Argan Oil Hair Treatment, which I stumbled across by sheer accident when looking for discounted Moroccan Oil on Ebay. This is my best find in quite a while when it comes to hair products, and is far superior to the Elvive Extraordinary Oil (which is pretty darn good in itself). This is a slightly thicker, more luxurious oil and leaves my hair feeling healthier and shinier than anything else I've tried. Unfortunately I only picked up a handful of samples, so I have now made it my mission to find out where I can get my hands on a full-size bottle - if anyone has heard of this brand before and knows the best place to buy it then do please let me know!

What are your favourite hair saviours? 

Are you a fan of oils?

xx