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Review: OGX Coconut Water Hydration Oil Hair Spray

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OGX Coconut Water Weightless Hydration Oil*

Remember when I reviewed the OGX coconut water shampoo and conditioner? No? Well that’s ok, I’ll forgive you this time. Anyway, in that particular review I mentioned how I use the coconut water hair spray alongside those two products. So it seemed only right that I review the hydration oil also.

Pros:
+ Lightweight
+ Helps hydrate dry hair
+ Smells lovely
+ Leaves hair glossy

Cons:
– Not for use on grease-prone hair

Notes:
I really love this little product. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I know I can rely on it to perk up my hair when it’s looking (and feeling) dehydrated. The spray is lightweight enough (some might say weightless, ho ho ho) that I can spritz it onto my roots or ends. Not only that, but it leaves my hair looking glossy, and smelling wonderful. A word of warning though, this isn’t for grease prone hair. I have tried it on my strands when they’re in need of a wash, and it leaves them looking greasy and heavy. For £6.99 I would happily purchase this. You only need a few spritz, so this will last you a while.

You can buy the OGX Coconut Water Weightless Hydration Oil at Boots.

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Review: OGX Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner

OGX Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner*

No I haven’t started washing my hair with coconut water, like some rich eccentric old woman. OGX (formerly known as Organix) did notice though that people were loving coconut water for it’s hydrating abilities, so they they asked the question on everyone’s (read: mine) lips – why can’t it work outside of my body as well as inside? OGX’s Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner was born.

Pros:
+ Stylish packaging
+ Smells nice
+ Shampoo lathers well and washes out easily
+ Conditioner isn’t heavy

Cons:
– Took a while (a week or so of using it) for my hair to feel hydrated

Notes:
Coconut water/oil is known for it’s natural hydrating abilities, so it only makes sense that OGX decided to add it to their growing collection of hair care products. The packaging on the products is stylish and simple, and I love the blurb stating the benefits. The shampoo lathers well and washes out easily, whilst the conditioner is light and doesn’t weigh my fine hair down. Usually I would only apply it to the ends of my hair, but this conditioner is light enough to put all over. Unfortunately at the begining I didn’t find that the two worked well enough together to hydrate my hair as much as I would like. I put this down to my naturally dry hair, so I used them alongside the OGX coconut water hair spray to perk up the dry bits. At £6.99 each they are averagely priced. However I would have to think about whether I would purchase them as I need to use them with another product.

You can buy OGX’s Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner at Boots.

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Review: O’right Golden Rose Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

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O’right Golden Rose Oil Shampoo and Conditioner*
 
Ever since I had a mishap with a DIY bleach kit several years ago I have been using shampoos and conditioners that predominately feature natural/organic ingredients. I’ve found they help hydrate my dry/coarse hair (something I’ve always had, even before the bleach) whilst also keeping my coloured hair bright. So when O’right – a brand that prides themselves on being the ‘world’s greenest haircare brand’ – offered to send me some of their products I was eager to learn more about them.

“The O’right factory, based in Taiwan, is also the world’s first carbon neutral cosmetics plant – which also doubles as a nature park for locals and uses 100% clean energy. It is so green, it doesn’t even hire smokers! O’right packaging is 100% biodegradable and some of its products actually grow into Acacia trees when planted. It’s the only hair care product that yields a negative carbon footprint. The product itself is as natural as it can be (min of 95% natural ingredients).”


Now that’s pretty impressive.

Pros:
+ Smells lovely
+ Helps lock in colour
+ Minimalist packaging
+ Let my hair soft and smooth
+ Lathers amazingly well for a natural shampoo
 
Cons:
– Left my hair feeling greasy
 
Notes:
It’s difficult to get the perfect shampoo/conditoner, and this was so close. I really like the simple packaging of the products, and how easy they are to use (way too many conditioners make it difficult to get the product out). The shampoo lathers amazingly, something which can often be a problem with natural shampoos. The conditioner doesn’t feel heavy on the hair, and like the shampoo, smells nice and refreshing. My hair was left feeling soft and smooth on the ends but unfortunately the roots were greasy. For someone who has naturally dry hair this was a big problem, as I don’t really know how to deal with greasy hair. I also found it odd as I only apply conditioner to the ends of my hair, not the roots. My only reasoning is that the ingredients used just don’t sit well on my hair. Hair is a very personal thing so I don’t want to go and say that this will happen to everyone. Instead I’m just going to conclude that this particular product doesn’t work on my type of hair. Prices start around £15, which may seem like a lot, but not when you consider the process and ingredients that have gone into this product.
Everything aside, I’d like to say how much I’d love to shake the hand of O’right’s CEO, Steven Ko. Creating a green product is not easy but it’s so important, and Steven has done an amazing job with these products.
You can purchase O’right’s Golden Rose Oil Shampoo and Golden Rose Oil Conditioner at O’right, and at Harvey Nichols.
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OGX Hair Lunch at The Gilbert Scott Restaurant

Both food and beauty in one sitting…what more could I ask for? OGX must be able to read minds, as they recently invited me for a sneak peek of some of their up-coming launches, over lunch at The Gilbert Scott Restaurant. The venue for the press event was the perfect choice. TGS is a part of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, and much like it’s counterpart it is incredibly stunning.

We were sat in a private dining room lined with products from the OGX haircare range. I recognised some old faithfuls, and some new shiny products. I was impressed to see that some of the American team (OGX is an American brand) had flown over especially for the event. What better way to find out about a brand than through their own people? I’ve been using OGX’s shampoos and conditioners for several years. I even remember when they were called Organix. The ranges are fun and vibrant, and allow you to mix and match – something that most haircare brands don’t offer. We were given a small presentation on the brand and what we could expect from them in 2015. OGX always stay up to date with the latest haircare trends and ingredients, and their latest ‘Coconut Water‘ range mirrors this perfectly. They knew that people loved putting coconut water into their bodies, so why not on their bodies hair too? The shampoo and conditioner are currently available in-stores, however the Coconut Water Hydrating Oil will be released in January, and I know you’re all going to love it. The Lemon Highlights range is another sneak peek that you’ll find hitting UK stores in the new year. It uses coconut oil to give highlighted hair a healthy, shiny glow. It smells divine and I can only imagine how sun kissed hair will look after using it. Finally, we were told all about the Kukui Oil range, something that spoke to me personally – a shampoo/conditioner that reduces frizz and locks in moisture. There is a God! I’ve made a mental note to put the coconut oil and kukui products in my basket next time I visited Boots.

I’ll be reviewing some of the latest OGX products on the blog soon, so keep an eye out on here and in stores! You can purchase OGX products in Boots and Superdrug. 

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A Pamper Session with Panasonic

I love a good pamper session, even more so when it involves a trip to a salon. My hair is so fine and awkward that I never quite know what to do with it. I’m always keen to learn new ways to style it, so any products that might help me in my eternal struggle for the perfect do are alright by me. Enter Panasonic and their new range of beauty products.
Last week I was invited along with Sabina & Julie to a press day with Panasonic at The Drawing Room salon just behind Liverpool St station. We were there to find out all about the new Panasonic beauty products range. I was intrigued as Panasonic are a brand I know and trust, and used almost everyday whilst I was living in Japan. I had never put Panasonic and beauty products together in my head, but when I thought about it, it made sense. When I arrived I was greeted with warm smiles from the Panasonic team, before being whisked away for my pampering. The Drawing Room salon is inside a beautiful Georgian house with original features, making it an incredibly relaxing and decadent location for a makeover. I was offered a drink and immediately seated in one of their luxurious chairs whilst my stylist prepped my hair. This is where I admit that I have a dark sordid secret when it comes to salons…I adore having a head massage whilst my hair is washed. Ok, so admittedly it’s not very sordid, or dark, but I think it’s a secret pleasure for most of us. After my glorious head massage and wash, I was sent back upstairs to have my hair styled. Oskar decided to do bouncy waves in my hair, which meant a quick dry with Panasonic’s Nanoe Hair Dryer followed by some twisting and twirling of Panasonic’s new straighteners. Et voila! My hair was complete.  

I was incredibly impressed by Panasonic’s new beauty range, especially the hair dryer. I usually let my hair dry naturally to avoid heat damage and wiry/dry hair. However the Nanoe dryer dried my hair super quick and left it feeling soft and smooth. Credit also goes to the straighteners. Have you ever put your straighteners on, come back and felt like they’d been dropped into the fires of hell? Well the Panasonic hair straighteners don’t do this as they keep a constant temperature, which is also better for your hair. Both products worked wonderfully on my annoying hair, and left it voluptuous and healthy looking. I’ve been using the same well-known brand of straighteners, and a lack of hair dryer, for years. However both these products have left me wondering whether I should be brave and make a change in my haircare routine.

You can buy Panasonic’s beauty range from Boots.
The Nanoe hair dryer is currently on sale with £40 off, whilst the straighteners will be available to buy soon.

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Review: Label M Toni & Guy Powder Colour Hair Spray

I started dying my hair when I was a teenager. I was always looking for something new and amazing that would turn my almost-black hair a cotton candy pink, or a dazzlingly bright blue. Unfortunately no amount of hair mascara or wash-out hair dye would offer me the results I so desperately wanted. Since then I have gone on to have more than my fair share of dye jobs, and now I’m back to something a bit more subtle. Still, I’d love the opportunity to try out something a little different every now and again. Thankfully for me, the new colour makeover set from Label.M (part of the Toni and Guy family) landed on my doormat. 
The Label.M powder sprays come in 4 colours: red, purple, pink and blue. The colours spray in (best done around 20cm away from the hair) and wash out, making them perfect for a quick colour festival fix this Summer.
Pros:
+ Amazing pigmentation
+ Easy to apply
+ Washes out easily

Cons:
– Leaves hair matted after application 
– Difficult to brush through

Notes:

These sprays left me wanting to pull my wonderfully coloured hair out. They are the epitome of a love-hate product, and it’s all down to whether you’re willing to accept the bitter aftertaste of an otherwise delicious product. First off, let me just say that I am amazed at the pigmentation with these sprays. I have dark hair with light tips (ombré) and I can vouch that all of these colours work on both. You can see me with the purple spray above (check out my Instagram for photos of the other colours). Now, the colour may look amazing, but I was more than a little upset with what happened afterwards. As soon as the colour had dried, my hair became matted and I was unable to even comb it. The main reason this bothered me is because I never get knots. I tried putting argan oil on it (as recommended by Poppy D) but my hair felt like a birds nest. The argan oil worked slightly, but my hair was still unmanageable. In fact the only way to bring my hair back to life was to wash it out. I had more success when I used the sprays on my fringe, but my hair was still matted, just less so. This was the same for all of the colours unfortunately. So you can see my problem – great colour outcome, but difficult to work with. If you fancy using this on styled hair, such as a bun or braids, I think this would be great. Maybe even just using it on the tips of your hair would work, but don’t expect to be able to use this on a large amount of hair without having to deal with the aftermath. As for the spray transferring onto clothes and skin, I happened to get some on my top, but I threw it in the wash and it came out as good as new. The colour makeover set costs £15 for 4x50ml sprays in the 4 colours shown above or £9.95 for 1x150ml. I won’t be repurchasing these, purely because I don’t know how to deal with matted hair. If anyone has any tips I’d love to know, as I really would like to get the most out of these.

You can purchase the Label M Colour Makeover Set or the separate sprays at Label M.

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Giveaway: Chill* Colourful Hair Dye

You’ll find it hard to meet someone who hasn’t dyed their hair, and over the last few years non-natural (think bold and pastel) hair colours have been ridiculously popular. I myself used to have a bright red shade, and my friends have hair colours ranging from pastel pink to bright turquoise. Still, it can be difficult to choose which colour, and even more annoying is the price that comes with a dye job. So I have teamed up with Chill* to offer 4 winners their choice of 2 of their hair dyes each, so you can colour your hair yourself at home. Yes, that does also mean that you won’t have to decide on only one colour, you can pick your favourite pair! You’ll be able to choose from their range of semi-permanent (up to 20 washes) dyes in a variety of amazing colours!
What can you win?
4 x Winners will win their choice of 2 x Chill* semi-permanent hair dyes

How to enter:
+ Be a follower of ‘Bloomzy’ via Bloglovin
+ Earn extra entries on Twitter, Facebook etc.
– Entrants who do not follow the rules will be disqualified.
– Twitter accounts created purely for giveaways will be disqualified.
This giveaway is open to UK participants only.
Running for 2 weeks (ending 14th June).
The prize is provided by and will be sent out by Chill*.