Keratin treatments update!

I thought I would write an update on my campaign for sleek, smooth hair over the past few months. I had another Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy treatment in May at Haringtons in Southampton. The first treatment I had was back in September (Read my in-depth review here) and I found it lasted much longer than the suggested 4-6 months so 8 months in total which was amazing. I definitely recommend using the aftercare products (the Keratin Complex shampoo & conditioner) and trying not to wash your hair every day to ensure the treatment is effective for as long as possible. The second Keratin treatment I had a Haringtons took significantly less time to do (my hair wasn’t such a tangled mess after the cleansing wash!) and consisted of a new formula which doesn’t contain formaldehyde. The first time I had the Keratin treatment my eyes ran so much I had make-up all down my face, so this was a welcome alternative! 

Here is a photo of my hair after the initial treatment – very straight! 

I also found this time leaving my hair unwashed for 72 hours was SO much easy the second time round, my hair didn’t get greasy at all! I definitely recommend to have a follow up Keratin treatment as it’s much easier and quicker second time round. My hairdresser has also noticed that nearly a year on my hair is stronger, no split ends (I used to suffer BIG style from them) and much healthier because of the keratin. I may sound dramatic but it literally has changed my life being able to wash my hair and not having to battle with the frizz if I got wet/sweaty/caught in the wind. I can also wear my hair wavy if I want, so it's never poker straight unless I blow dry it like that. Going on holiday in May to Spain was also a breeze as I didn’t have to fight a frizzy, tangled dry mess! Thanks to Haringtons for providing me with the treatment and for transforming my hair!

If you can’t afford a Keratin treatment as it is fairly costy at around £200 (but well worth the money don’t get me wrong!) then try out John Frieda’s 3 Day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray (£6.99). The spray is a good way to try out Keratin on your hair for under £10! You can transform curly, frizzy hair into a straight, smooth style that lasts up to 3 days.

It’s designed to work with your hair straighteners and contains heat protection which blocks out frizz as you straighten. The blend of polymers with keratin protein wraps each strand, sealing in a straight style for up to 3 days. Obviously I can’t really comment on the success of this spray as I don’t straighten my hair anymore but my sister who has wavy hair tried it out and said it worked really well on her hair. Definitely worth trying out for £6.99!

I hope you have found my Keratin treatment updates useful! I really believe this is the long term solution for my hair and will keep having the treatments for as long as I can. I’m interested to hear about other straightening treatments anyone has had? Are there other alternative solutions out there I haven’t tried? Let me know!

Snow attire in Southampton!

I am sure everyone is getting bored of the snow updates, but let’s face it in this weather there’s not a lot else to talk about/do! As you can see from my beautiful photography, Southampton has been hit by a lot of snow making my walk to work pretty icy the past few days! So I went out and purchased some lovely snow boots from Sports Direct after work for £15 to make my walk home a bit easier! They are not as comfy as my trusty UGGs, but have a much better grip which is good so hopefully I won’t fall over. 

What have you been wearing to combat the cold weather and snow?

Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy - an essay!

I am sure you all know how long I have spent trying to find the perfect hair care products for my fluffy, wavy hair. Despite this, as soon as my hair gets subjected to wet/humid/windy conditions it all goes out of the window and my hair is a mess again! People tell me I have lovely hair anyway, which I am lucky to have as my hair is healthy and can be managed, however it’s down to my dedication/vanity that it looked half decent! Anyway, a few weeks ago after tweeting asking about keratin treatments, the lovely people at Haringtons got in touch and asked if I would like to try one out. YES PLEASE was the answer, after receiving positive tweets back from followers about how good it actually is.

Here is a little bit more info about the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy by COPPOLA, which is the treatment I had. I understand there are various treatments on the market but this is the best on the market according to Haringtons expert Heather. The revolutionary smoothing system infuses Keratin deep into the hair cuticle, eliminating up to ninety-five percent of frizz and curl, leaving the hair smooth, shiny and luxurious. Results typically last 3 to 5 months depending on hair type. It rejuvenates and revitalises the hair, giving it a softer, silkier feel that everyone raves about. Unlike other salon services, the more you treat your hair, the healthier it becomes. With each treatment, the build-up of Keratin makes the hair smoother and silkier, straighter and shinier, easier and faster to blow-dry and close to being “maintenance-free". Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy encases the hair follicle with a keratinous bond to promote healing (which my hair needed after years of straightening!) block the effects of humidity (the bane of my life in summer and on holiday!!) and prevent environmental toxins from entering the hair.

The most important aspect for me when researching keratin treatments was seeing real-life photos, not photos of adverts or models which I struggled to find. Especially photos from the UK, where people have the treatment done in the UK. So here we go - a complete step-by-step guide to my treatment in photos!

1. This is a photo of my hair before the treatment. It's a mess as I couldn't be bothered to straighten it too much as I knew I was going to the hairdressers the next day! Once I got to the salon, they washed my hair to cleanse the hair of all products and then applied the keratin treatment to my hair. I then had to wait for 40 minutes for the treatment to settle in my hair, before my lovely stylist Heather painstakingly blowdryed every section of my hair! She then had to straighten every section five times with special Keratin Complex straighteners that heat up hotter than normal straighteners. This stings your eyes a lot and made my eyes water, as the fumes are quite strong apparently! Here is the final result 3 and a half hours later - poor Heather!

2. As you can see my hair was now very straight! It also felt a little bit processed from all the heat, but still felt very smooth and straight. The worse part of the treatment was to come - I was told I had to wait 72 hours until I could wash my hair!! So no sweating, no tying your hair up, no putting your hair behind your ears! If you are a sporty person like me you will find this very difficult or if you have greasy hair but it is worth it as the longer you leave it the better the results will be. I'm lucky my hair is fairly dry so it didn't look too bad but by Tuesday afternoon it was starting to itch and I was desperate for a hair wash and boy didn't everyone around me and at work know it! After going back to Haringtons yesterday for a wash using the recommended Keratin Colour Care shampoo and conditioner (which are included in the price) and a quick blow dry, my hair now looks like this!

3. Here is the final result! No straighteners, no blowdrying, no serum, no leave in conditioner, no shine spray! This is going to save me so much time when washing my hair and also styling it! Plus a fortune on hair products. 

I had my treatment at the gorgeous Haringtons salon, Southampton (02380 237414) which was fantastic. The stylist Heather was really lovely and very reassuring and informative. I recommend going to a reputable salon like Haringtons as you are spending a lot of money (my treatment costs around £150-£250 depending on hair type) so you want it to be done properly. 

Obviously I have just had the treatment done, so I can't comment on how long it will last or if there are any side effects, but I will give you all an update in a few months to see how I found it! So far I am loving it and am amazed how soft and sleek my hair is and no longer dread the whole hair washing process! Thanks to Haringtons for giving me the chance to try this out. Two of my friends are already planning to have treatments done with Heather!


Who else has tried the Keratin treatment and what do you think?


x

September Ins and Outs!

I have just got back from (another!)holiday in Spain and already have post-holiday blues! It's freezing here compared to Spain and feels like I have gone from Summer to Winter overnight! So after reading Amy Antoinette's post on her holiday, I thought I would write a similar one to cheer myself up! 

Ins

* Having a tan! 10 days in Spain has left me with a lovely golden glow which I am desperate to maintain for as long as possible! I think I will be slapping on the tan maintainer, as there's not much chance of topping up my tan in the UK now! My hair has also nicely re-highlighted itself thanks to the sun!

(Lovely view from my apartment balcony in Spain)

* Nails Inc Coveted collection nail polish from Very.co.uk. I love the bright colours in the collection and have fallen in love with Brook Street, which is a hot coral shade. 

* I am having a Keratin treatment at Haringtons in Southampton on Saturday! My wavy, thick mop of hair is the bane of my life so I am very intrigued and excited to try this treatment. Only downside is I can't wash my hair for 72 hours... I don't know how I am quite going to manage that!!

* Before holiday I also won an Aussie Rescue from the Aussie Hunks! Ok it was a bit cheesy and the Hunks weren't really my cup of tea (they turned up late and changed in the car park opposite my office - doh!) but it provided some entertainment in the office for a Friday afternoon!

Outs

* The end of summer! Packing away my bikinis and summer clothes was v depressing this week. I am not looking forward to the cold weather and hate wearing jumpers :-( I also miss the long summer evenings and swimming in the sea on holiday. The salt water does wonders for my skin.

* The cost of clothes on the high street will rise by as much as 8% next year because of a cotton shortage and a planned VAT hike :( Not good for. the bank balance and a tragedy for the people of Pakistan whose lives have been destroyed by the floods.

* The poor performance of Southampton FC! Ok so not beauty or fashion related, and most of you won't even care but we have managed to lose four games in a row after being pre-season favourites to win the league.... enough said!

Hope you are all enjoying September - let me know if you have had a keratin treatment!

x