Holiday packing: hair care

On Tuesday, I'll be going on my first cruise. I'm incredibly excited as I haven't been on holiday for a while, and also there are eight other family members going. For me, the best part about going on holiday is picking up miniature beauty products. They look adorable, and you get the chance to try out new things. So although I have another week before I go away, I have already packed my beauty bits (minus fragrance and make up) so I thought I would show you.

Shampoo and Conditioner

When choosing a shampoo and conditioner to take on holiday came around, I really struggled. Some days my hair is extremely oily and fine, but other days it's very dry and in need of a bit of love. So I decided to take two products I've never tried before; the Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Shampoo* and Conditioner* - full size £22 & £24.50 and two products I have tried before; the Bumble & bumble Surf Foam Wash - full size £18.50 and Creme Rinse - full size £20. The Aveda products will be perfect for when my hair is in need of some TLC and the Bumble & bumble products are wonderful at injecting a bit of life back into my hair. They also smell incredible.

Style

Bumble & bumble Surf Spray - full size £21.50

I absolutely adore this product and if I could afford it, it's one that would always end up in my collection. I got this and the shampoo and conditioner in a little travel-sized set from Boots' clearance section. It cost me a measly £4.50 (plus staff discount!) even though it currently retails for £18. Bargain.

Macadamia Control Hairspray* - full size £15.70

I've never tried this hairspray before but I love Macadamia so I doubt it'll let me down. I don't really style my hair, just straighten it every now and then, so I tend to use hairspray to add a bit of volume and lift. This one claims to resist humidity and also has UV protection in it. Perfect for my holiday.

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Cherry* - £1.50

A dry shampoo is a must-have for me. I use them mainly to inject volume into my hair, but considering I have oily hair, they're an absolute staple. I haven't used this scent before but in terms of affordable dry shampoos, you can't go wrong with Batiste.

John Frieda Frizz Ease Nourishing Oil Elixir* - £9.99

I can't live without hair oils and the only reason I'm packing this one is because it comes in a plastic bottle. It's also a lovely hair oil that doesn't weigh the hair down or make it greasy. It is, however a little bit large so if anyone has any decanting ideas, please do let me know.

Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Spray* - full size £16.50

Originally I was going to take a Bumble & bumble volumising spray but this one is much smaller. I haven't used it before but I did get it used on me at an Aveda consultation. It added lots of body and movement to my hair, and hopefully I'll be able to do the same with it.

Treatments

Aveda After-Sun Treatment Masque* - full size £21

Of course, I had to pack this little hair mask. I can't remember how my hair reacts to the sun so I'm taking this just in case. I'll use it as a mid-week pick me up to nourish and repair my hair. It also smells absolutely delicious.

#1 Holiday Packing: Skin Care

#2 Holiday Packing: Body Care

#3 Holiday Packing: Hair Care

Are you going on holiday this year? What beauty products will you be packing?
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Collective Haul

Recently, I've been a woman on a mission. Since Christmas I've been spending and spending and spending. Which is pretty bad. But with a new year comes new collections and I just can't stop myself. Plus I've been on work experience for the past two weeks. 6:30am everyday?! I surely deserve a few treats. Like I said, this is a collective haul so I've purchased everything over the past month or so. I normally don't buy much for myself. Usually I get my money and it goes on car insurance, phone bill, braces and then food. So I most definitely have enjoyed buying myself some wonderful products.

Hair:

Most purchases were haircare items mainly because I've recently had it cut. Since getting my skin under control, I've been loving looking after my hair. The L'Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo - £3.99 is all over the blogosphere at the minute and after reading some incredible reviews, I couldn't not buy it. I haven't tried it yet but I'm extremely excited to, so I'll report back. My Moroccanoil ran out the other month which left me heartbroken. I couldn't bring myself to part with the hefty £31.85 price tag so instead, I bought the L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil UV Filter for All Hair Types - £9.99 which I've been loving. It does the exact same job as the Moroccanoil and comes in a prettier bottle. What's not to love?!

I bought the Bumble and bumble Surf Travel Set which was on offer for £4.50 (an absolute bargain considering it retails for £18). It comes with a mini shampoo, conditioner and Surf Spray - and when I say mini, I mean mini. I adore the Surf range and I'm going on a cruise in July so this will be perfect for it. Apparently, we're not allowed to take straighteners so I thought this little set will help leave my hair looking lovely and windswept. It's currently packed away in the bottom of my drawers - so tempting to use it. The Remington Keratin Therapy Round Brush - £9.99 was something I bought the day after I had my hair cut. It does a good job at getting volume into the hair but it does feels cheap to hold.

I also went a little bit crazy with Charles Worthington products. The Volume & Bounce Shampoo, Volume & Bounce Conditioner, Volume & Bounce Texturising Powder and Backcomb Brush came in a Christmas set that was reduced in the sale. It was down from £16 to £8 which is a wonderful price as the products alone would set you back £18 individually. I was going to buy the shampoo and conditioner on their own until I spotted this set - bargain. I then purchased the Volume & Bounce Texturising Spray - £6.99 using a voucher from the set. It's raved about a lot but I just can't seem to love it. It's okay but it's nothing mind blowing.

Skin and body:

I made a few repurchases because a few of my favourite skin care items had ran out. I've found a wonderful skin care routine that I'm now sticking too because it's working perfectly - no trying other products (except face masks etc) unless I really think they're going to benefit my skin. The Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil - £10.99 is something that I've raved about many times before on my blog. I absolutely love it, it removes all of my make up and brightens my complexion. It's also very good value for money. I then repurchased my favourite cleanser which is the Clearasil Ultra Blemish + Marks Wash and Mask - £5.79. I won't go into too much detail because I am planning on doing a full skin care routine soon. I also bought the Dove Original Beauty Cream Bar - £0.70 and Boots Frosted Travel Soap Box - £1.69 because although I love my shower gels, I do believe there's nothing better than a good old bar of soap for the more "intimate areas." 

Make up:

I've tried a few Benefit products in the past but at this current moment, I don't own anything by the brand. I bought the Benefit World Famous Neutrals Most Glamorous Nudes Ever Kit - £23.50 earlier today and I'm so excited by it. I'm going to be doing a review on UNiDAYS so I won't say too much but it's so pretty! I also repurchased one of my favourite foundations, ever (the other being VICHY's Dermablend) Estee Lauder's Double Wear - £27.50. I realised that I haven't done a proper review of this foundation on Bamboozle Beauty before so I will be getting round to it soon. I bought the Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation - £8.99 after reading some wonderful reviews on it. I haven't had the chance to try this yet but I will say the colour range was very strange.

Phew, I thought that was never going to end! What have you been buying recently?

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HAIR CARE | Current styling favourites

More recently, I've been getting into styling my hair. Not styling it any differently than usual - I either leave it natural, straighten it or curl it - but I've been looking after my hair more. And my hair is without a doubt loving the extra attention. It's in extremely good condition at the moment and the majority of the time, it does exactly what I want it to. In case you're wondering, I have fine hair that's flat and prone to oiliness. 

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Cream - £4.79

I've gone through many split end creams in my time but this is the one that I always end up coming back to. Not only does it smell divine - like raspberries - but it does a wonderful job at smoothing split ends down and preventing new ones from forming. I have long hair and I don't get it cut very often so this cream is a godsend for me. It doesn't weigh the hair down either which is a must have for my fine hair.

YUKO Repair Through* - £15.00

This leave-in conditioning spray is perfect for protecting against split ends and heat damage. I spray this onto wet hair before blow drying and after styling, my hair feels beautifully soft and bouncy. It sprays out as a lightweight mist that detangles the hair using moisturising agents and amino acids. These both help to maintain moisture and prevent damage.

Love Boo Natural No More Knots Detangling Spray* - £11.99

This range is aimed at mothers and babies/children however, I've been loving using the Detangling Spray on my fine hair. As I have long hair, it tangles up easily and this spray quickly detangles the hair, adds shine and leaves it feeling soft. It uses papaya and coconut extracts to add shine and hydrate and argan oil and fig to help release knots and de-frizz the hair. I should also add that this smells absolutely gorgeous.

Schwarzkopf Osis+ Body Me Fullifying Volume Serum* - £9.75

I'm not the biggest fan of mousses as I find them tricky to use so this volumising serum is a godsend for me. I apply this to my hair before blowdrying and it significantly increases hair body and fullness. It offers medium control so it holds throughout the day but with natural movement. The serum element of this means that it smooths the hair shaft down so you can say goodbye to frizz.

John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer* - £10.99

This on-the-go mascara wand-esque treatment is perfect for carrying around with you on a daily basis. It quickly smooths down flyaways and adds shine. I have a random piece of hair on the left hand side of my head that always sticks up. I could never tame it until I found this product. 

Moroccanoil Light Oil Treatment* - £13.45

This really is a little godsend and regardless of your hair type, it's something I believe that everyone should own. It fixes a multitude of sins including frizz, dry hair, tangled hair and more. I use the light version because I have oily/thin hair and this lightweight formula doesn't weigh the hair down or make my hair appear greasy. It leaves the hair looking shiny and feeling hydrated and soft. It's one hair product that I definitely couldn't be without.

TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Sky High Plump Powder* - £5.50

This is a product that I've owned for years but never used. I'm extremely glad that I "discovered" this as it's wonderful at adding volume to the hair. My hair is really lacklustre and a couple of shakes of this underneath my roots leaves my hair looking crazy - in a good way, of course. It does leave the hair feeling a bit bleugh but it's easily washed out the next day. I use this every time I go out at night to ensure that my hair is volumised and full.

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Hot Styler Spray* - £5.61

Quite simply the best heat defence, ever. It protects your hair against heat damage, smooths the hair down, fights frizz and holds your style like a light-hold hairspray. I use this every time I use heat on my hair and it's wonderful. It's a 3-in-1 product (serum, heat defence and hairspray) and if I'm curling my hair then it holds the style for a lot longer than normal heat defences. I also love the way this sprays - like an aerosol and not a spritz bottle - as it makes it easy to evenly coat the hair.

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray* - £21.50

I've mentioned this beauty many times on my blog before and I stand by everything I've ever said. Yes, it's damn expensive, no I won't be able to afford another when this one runs out but my oh my, I absolutely love it. For effortlessly sexy hair, this is my "go-to" product. It adds texture, body, bounce, waves - everything I could ever want in a hairstyle. And it smells beautiful too. But that little big price tag, oh I hate it so much.

What are your favourite hair styling products? Do you use any of the above?

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Save or splurge: Salt sprays

Summer has well and truly been and gone but despite the drab weather that's currently spreading across the UK, there's no need to say goodbye to sexy, beachy hair just yet. As a student, sometimes I can be strapped for time and a great way to create effortless volume, body and texture is to use a salt spray.

The Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray* is an absolute classic. It's the original. The best. And it's without a doubt a wonderful product. A few spritzes into wet hair and a quick blast of the hair-dryer will transform your locks from dull to "beach-perfection" in an instant. At £21.50 it's pricey but if you're not willing to splash out and invest just yet, they do offer a 50ml alternative which retails for £9.50.

Since the explosion of the salt spray, many different brands have brought out alternative (and much more affordable) options. Umberto Giannini’s Glam Hair Tousled Salt Spray* requires a bit more work but as it retails for £5.61, the extra effort is worth it. A similar concept to Bumble and Bumble's offering; a couple of spritzes into the hair, a blast of the hair-dryer and a tiny bit of hot iron curling and you're good to go for the day.

The better of the two? Nothing comes close to Bumble and Bumble's version in my opinion - it's so effortless - but when Umberto Giannini's offering saves you £15.89, it's hard to resist a good bargain. You can buy the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray here and the Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Tousled Salt Spray here.

Do you use salt sprays? Which ones are your favourites?
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This post has been edited and adapted from this one by The Linc as I am the Deputy Style Editor of the publication.

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REVIEW: Bumble and Bumble Surf range

I can remember back in the day when I first started blogging and the Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray was one of the most wanted products in the beauty industry. Everyone was raving about how it gave you that effortless sexy, sun dried hair. I wanted to get my hands on it but there was no way I could afford to splash out £20+ on a hair product. I tried many of the other high street versions but none quite did the job for me. My hair never looked as beautiful as the many girls posting their images and videos on YouTube so I guess you could say that I gave up. That was until I saw even more girls raving about the newest addition to Bumble and Bumble's Surf range - the shampoo and conditioner. My poor heart could barely take it! That was until I received one of the best emails of my life. I was given the chance to try the range out for myself and it was one thing I just couldn't turn down.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Shampoo* - £18.50

As a shampoo, this is a good one. For reference, I have long but fine hair that is prone to oilyness at the roots and can end up getting pretty dry on the ends. This lathers up beautifully and the smell of the shampoo makes you feel like you're somewhere exotic on holiday. As my hair is pretty long, I have to use a conditioner after using this shampoo because it does end up leaving knots in my hair but then again, every shampoo I've ever used has done that. It leaves my hair feeling really clean and both this and the conditioner give my hair added volume and texture - bonus. 

Bumble and Bumble Surf Conditioner* - £20.00

So luckily for my knotted mane, this conditioner does the job of completely de-tangling my hair in minutes. It has the same smell as the shampoo which once again is beautiful and it is without a doubt the best conditioner I've ever used. It doesn't leave my hair greasy, it doesn't weigh it down but it manages to add moisture and smooth down the ends of my hair. How this manages to solve all of my hair woes in one go I'll never know - it's a little miracle.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray* - £20.50

And finally, the Surf Spray. The one product my little teenage self used to cry out for lives up to the expectations I'd set - and they were pretty darn high. I use this on wet hair, I use it on dry hair, I use it during the day, I use it when I'm going out at night. I use it all the bloody time! It gives you that perfect "I-haven't-really-made-an-effort-with-my-hair-today-but-it-still-looks-pretty-sexy" hair. It adds volume, it messes your hair up, it makes it easier to style. It is just pretty much heaven in a bottle and I can't sing its praises enough.

The Bumble and Bumble Surf range have been fortified using a 'unique blend of body-enhancing minerals and softening sea botanicals.' It aims to leave you with that desired but hard to replicate salty, sun dried, sexy and windswept hair. I completely agree with all of the claims and while I do think the products are definitely worth the money, I'm going to be needing a full time job before being able to splash out on such luxurious hair care products. These three products alone cost over £50 which for my little student budget is unfortunately too expensive. I would say that I'm saving the products for "special occasions" but I just can't as they're that wonderful so I find myself using them constantly. And do you know what the worst part of all this is? Bumble and Bumble products are now being stocked in Boots stores. I work in Boots and we have a few of their products already in store - and it's going to grow - so my poor heart is going to be weeping once again whenever I walk past these. I loved them before I'd even tried them and now? Well, I just love them even more.

So there you have it. Probably the biggest "rave review" I've ever posted on this blog but I literally couldn't fault the products. Have you tried any products from Bumble and Bumble? Have you tried the Surf range? What's your favourtie hair care range/brand?

xxx
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