Cheap, effective way to remove chlorine from hair

Check out my disgustingly crispy, frizzy hair.  That is the result of many swimming sessions at the local pool this summer.  Usually, I like to wash my hair straight after a swim but sometimes I forget to take my shampoo and conditioner.  Overtime, chlorine builds up in the hair anyway, and you need a special shampoo to get rid of it.

I didn't want to spend any money on a shampoo that I'd only use a few times... Ok, well the truth was, I actually did want to go out and buy a specific chlorine removing shampoo but all the shops were closed... *sobs*!  Anyway, I turned to Google to see if there was anything I could do to effectively remove chlorine from my hair, and I found a few things I could try.  The method I am telling you about is method #3 from this website: wikihow.com.  I chose the baking soda method simply because I already have baking soda at home, and it seemed to take up the least amount of time to do.  Hello, I'm not called lazy for no reason!

What I used:  baking soda, water

What I did:  I filled a small glass about one third full with baking soda, and added some water - enough to turn it into a not-too-thick paste.  I jumped in the shower, wet my hair, turned off the shower and started using the paste I just made to wash my hair.  I made sure to scrub it all over.  I spent a good 2-3 minutes doing this.  I then turned the water back on and rinsed my hair thoroughly before shampooing and conditioning my hair as normal.

Result:  I am pleased to report that I no longer have crispy, chlorine scented hair!  This method worked extremely well for me and I'm actually grateful that I saved a few dollars.  When it came time to blow drying my hair, my hair no longer felt like it had been at the beach all day.  The "salt" feeling had completely gone and my hair was back to being soft, light and bouncy.

Thank God that the shops were closed, and that I had to resort to Google.  Google really does have the answer to everything!

Katy Perry and the 20’s Style

This winter there is a definite return to 1920s style with the catwalks showcasing 1920s style and TV programmes like Broadwalk Empire hitting the silver screen.  Even a remake of The Great Gatsby is due in cinemas.  The decade is very much in style.

As usual, ghd is well ahead of the trend and have released their new limited edition Scarlet stylers which have sexy red plates.

What's more, face of the brand Katy Perry was transformed in a 1920s, Snow White inspired advert. She is seen with two beautiful 20s style dos.

In one picture she is seen dressed as a flapper with long bouncy curls and in another she is dressed as the wicked queen from Snow White, with a short sleek black bob with waves running through it. She is seen wearing a vamp look with a sexy maxi dress with a daring split up the side.  The whole look was accessorised with sexy stockings and red stilettos.

The best thing about the look is that it can all be achieved with the new ghd limited edition Scarlet styler that you can find online at http://www.ghdhair.com/au/. The Scarlet styler has all the best bits of ghds including the rounded barrel so you can create a sleek straight 1920s style bob and, with the same tool sexy curls, as well. You can easily achieve both of Katy’s great hair looks with one styling tool.

The Scarlet has the same great smooth plates as ghd gold stylers so you know that it will easily glide through your hair and will protect it as well. However, the plates have been given a sexy makeover and turned red so they not only create great 20s style look, they also look the part too. It also has a sleep mode so you can go to work or out on the town knowing that if you have left your straightener on, they will switch off. To add to the deal you will also get a stylish clutch with your straightener.

*Non-sponsored guest post written by Maria.

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo & Conditioner

Looking for a natural shampoo that actually cleanses?  What about a natural conditioner that will work hard at conditioning your hair?  Or are you just after a sweet smelling shampoo & conditioner that will leave your mane attracting honey bees for days?

Look no further. I have found it for you!  This is my review of the Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose shampoo and conditioner.  I've been using it for several months now, since the start of this year.  I discovered this product browsing the Aubrey Organics Australian website and was planning on ordering just soap, but succumbed to the free shipping offer if $75 or more was spent.  So I hastily added the Honey Suckle Rose conditioner (as I had plenty of shampoo at home) along with a few other items and patiently awaited my order.

One sniff basically sold me.  I didn't even try it on my hair before I decided that I was in love with it, the conditioner just smelt so wonderful!  So soft, sweet and feminine.  Once my regular shampoo ran out, I went back online to order the Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo but the website was undergoing maintenance.  I waited.  And waited.  I managed to snag free samples of shampoo during my wait, but several weeks later the website was still apparently getting maintenance done.  So, frustrated, I finally found another website that stocks this product, along with basically the whole Aubrey Organics range.  This is where I found it: www.innerglow.com.au.

Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo

If you're not familiar with natural shampoos, then you'll probably really hate them until you get used to them.  Because they don't contain any chemical foaming agents, they are quite runny in consistency and don't produce much lather at all.  It's no different for this shampoo.  However, I like to double wash because the second time I use it, it produces quite a nice lather!  I feel that it cleanses better when it foams up and because the first wash barely produces anything, the second wash more than makes up for it.  I'm not sure why a lather is formed the second time around, but I'm glad it does as it makes my hair feel like it's cleaner.  It does not dry out my hair at all, in fact, I believe that this has helped my hair become more softer and moisturised.  The scent is very soft and floral, but not grandma floral.  It's very delicate and sweet.  Smells very much like herbs mixed with honey suckle!

Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

My favourite hair conditioner OF ALL TIME.  This stuff has stolen my heart and become a holy grail!  Not only does it smell absolutely amazing (very similar to the shampoo, but much more sweeter), it actually does a fantastic job and keeping my tresses moisturised and manageable.  Some reviews have said that it is way too "oily" and makes the hair really slippery, and to some extent that is true.  But if you have extremely dry, frizzy hair like myself, it's actually a good thing.  Once you've rinsed it out thoroughly, it feels so wonderfully soft and light.  My hair just drinks it up.  The honey suckle rose range IS designed for very dry, brittle hair so if you have normal or oily hair, it may not work for you.  

Let me tell you a little secret: I used this range on both my boys and they have normal hair.  It does not leave their hair oily at all.  They both have gorgeous, easily maintained hair.  So will it work for everybody?  Maybe, if you can get used to how it feels the first few times.  But I'll leave that up to you to decide.  Most conditioners say to only apply to the lengths of the hair, but with this conditioner, I have no problems rubbing it all over, even letting it sit on my scalp.  As "slippery" as it feels, it really does not leave my hair oily whatsoever.  Just light, soft and moisturised.  For me, it is not greasy... I cannot stress that enough!

For myself and my family, it works wonders.  Both the shampoo and conditioner last a long time (a little goes a long way) and at roughly $20 AUD per bottle (for 325ml), it works out to be a reasonably priced natural product.  As long as they keep making these, I'll keep buying them and using them religiously because it is a fantastic range!

Redken Satinwear Blow-Dry Lotion

This is a product I was very curious about, because lots of beauty gurus on YouTube raved about it.  I read reviews on MakeupAlley, saw that it had mostly positive reviews so finally bit the bullet and purchased it from a salon in Doncaster for about $26 AUD.

Prior to using this, I was using the Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide (review here), which I was really happy with.  However, I wanted to try something different, because I always like to switch it up and try new products in case it's even better than the last.  I was getting bored of the heat glide...

Initially, I hated the Redken Satinwear blow-dry lotion.  Absolutely hated it!  It was too runny, the pump was difficult to open each time I tried to use it, it made my hair frizzy and hard to blow dry.  The only thing going for it was the scent, which is really fresh.  It's kind of a sweet, citrus like scent.  I used it for a month, even though I hated it.  I wanted to give it a fair trial.  I guess I was just waiting for a miracle to happen, and that one day it would just work beautifully like how it seemed to work for everybody else.

After a month I finally gave up and threw it into the back of the bathroom cabinet.  I was sick of dealing with the frizzy hair.  I went back to the Redken Smooth Down heat glide and decided to give the Satinwear away to my sister to try (she is a big beauty lover, like me).  However, months went by and I completely forgot about it.  Not that long ago I wrote a review on the heat glide, and said I would write a review on a similar product that I had tried that hadn't worked for me (which obviously was the Satinwear blow-dry lotion).

Before writing this review, I decided to give it another go, just because it was so long since I had last used it.  I've been using it for about 3 weeks now.  My thoughts on it have totally changed.  The miracle finally happened: it works beautifully!  I think I was using too many pumps (I used to use 1 and a half, or 2 full pumps), and it was laying a thick coating on my hair which made it frizz during blow drying.  I now only use half a pump (if that!) and the results are on par with the heat glide.  My hair is frizz free, smooth, not sticky to the touch (in fact it feels like nothing in my hair) and, of course, my hair has that lovely fresh scent to it.  Plus my hair looks shiny, which only usually looks that way after straightening.

The thin, runny consistency.  Looks a lot like... well, I'm not even gonna say!  LOL.  I use only a tiny amount, as that gives me the best results.  Keep in mind that I have extremely long (to my butt) hair!

Look at that shine!  This is after a rough blow dry using just my fingers.

How I use it: After washing my hair, I towel dry it.  I leave my hair wrapped in a towel for five-ten minutes, then let it out.  Using just half a pump, I apply the Redken Satinwear Blow-Dry lotion to the lengths of my hair, focusing on the ends.  Any remainder gets applied to the roots (there is barely any product when I do this).  Then I proceed with blow drying my hair.  I never use a brush, only my fingers.  I don't aim for a sleek, straight look.  I just want to get my hair dry!

I blow dry my hair twice a week, and using the Redken Satinwear Blow-Dry lotion makes me feel at ease about using heat on my hair, as it protects your hair.  It certainly makes my hair silky feeling and shiny looking, and the best thing about this product is that it cuts my drying time by half.  It usually takes me ten minutes to blow dry my hair, but when I use this, it only takes 5 minutes.  I'm so glad I held onto this bottle and decided to give it another chance!  While I'm not loving that it's not a natural product and is in fact laden with chemicals and silicons, I justify it by telling myself that the majority of the products that I do use are natural.  A little chemical here and there won't hurt.  Plus, if it's making my hair manageable and nice, and cutting my blow drying time, that's a win-win right there!

The only annoying thing about this product is that the pump does not twist to close, so I have to keep it open.  If I attempt to close it, it kinda gets stuck and I can spend about five minutes trying to twist it open again!  And also, because I only use this twice a week, some dried product gets pumped out when I next use it again, so I have to pick it out to chuck it away.  Very annoying.  However, I will use this bottle until it runs out.  Afterwards, I would consider repurchasing if I can't find a similar product that is natural.  Any recommendations?

Jasmin & Henna Fluff-Eaze by LUSH

Want great smelling hair?  Me too!  I only wash my hair twice a week, so in between washes I often feel a little self conscious about my hair not smelling its best.  Generally, I'll use a coconut scented dry shampoo but I don't like using it too often because it just builds up on my hair.  When I read reviews that a Lush hair product would keep my hair smelling... well, lush, I was all over it.

This is the Jasmin and Henna Fluff-Eaze.  It is a deep conditioning hair moisturiser that smells of jasmin.  In my honest opinion, I don't think it smells as good as most people make it out to be.  To me it smells of... floral powder.  I'm not quite sure how to explain it.  Kinda like how an old granny would smell.  Not bad, but not very modern.  The smell actually put me off when I had a sniff at a Lush store, and I didn't buy it until a week later when I decided to just try it anyway.

I wasn't at all interested about the "de fluff" power that this product claimed to have.  Honestly, I just wanted my hair to smell nice.  But wow, the Fluff-Eaze actually works!  I follow the directions to a T (but I don't use half a pot as suggested, I use about 1/5 of a pot).  I apply it to my dry hair, wrap it up in a bun and put a shower cap or plastic bag over it and let it sit for 20-45 minutes (usually the latter).  After washing it out, I do notice that my hair is a lot softer, smoother and shinier.  And the scent is quite nice!  It lasts until you next wash your hair, although once I washed my hair and noticed that it still had a slight scent to it!  It definitely lingers and the smell is quite strong so be aware of that if you don't want your perfume to clash.

This is not a cheap product.  A 220g pot costs $25.95 AUD and if you use it how they recommend you use it (half a pot each use) then it's very expensive!  I don't follow the website or sale person's advice, though.  I use only 1/5 of a pot each time on my extremely long hair, so someone with shorter hair could probably get away with even less.  The price is kind of justified when you use the product sparingly.  I only use it once a week as well, so I'll get a good month and a bit out of it.

LUSH Jasmin and Henna Fluff-Eaze 220g - $25.95 AUD

This is how much is gone after two uses.  It can get a little messy if you scoop it out with your fingers, so a better option is to pour it into your hand from the pot.

I do like how this hair conditioner leaves my hair so smooth and silky, as well as smelling quite lovely until I next wash it.  However, I wish the scent was a bit more musky and less floral.  But like I said earlier, it's not a bad scent at all.  When I style my hair or flip my hair around I can catch whiffs of the smell, which I love.  In fact, I used it today and I'm now laying in bed writing this post and it's all I can smell.  I like that it's strong and lingers, but for those who aren't into floral scents or strong, long lasting scents, this may not be for you.  Great for creating smoother locks though, so if anything, try it for that!

The Jasmin and Henna Fluff-Eaze is available at the online Lush store or in Lush stores throughout Australia and worldwide.  I no longer feel self conscious in between washes, because my hair always smells nice now.  This will become a regular product in my bathroom cabinet!

Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide

Before I became "green", I was heavily into this one product that helped me protect my hair while styling.  I still use it occasionally as I think it's a great product, but I do prefer to use natural products as much as I can.

The Redken Smooth Down heat glide is a protective smoother for very dry/unruly hair.  This is the excerpt on their website: Protective smoother is a leave-in serum that provides heat-safe control to tame frizz on even the most unruly hair. Gives an ultra-smooth, glossy finish. WHY IT WORKS: An ionic charge in the hair result in frizz and fly-aways. The ionic Smoothing Complex contains cationic refiners that attract to and neutralise the existing anionic charges on the hair, smoothing the surface. It helps control and prevent frizz so unruly hair is smoothed down, and manageability and shine are turned up.

I have been using this product since 2007 and have only bought one other product to try out for a change (review coming!), but I went straight back to the Redken Smooth Down heat glide as I much prefer it.  I pump two, sometimes three, full pumps onto my palm, rub it between my hands then apply it to the mid-length and ends of my towel dried hair.  You can use it on dry hair too.  If I'm going to blow dry and straighten my hair, I'll apply it to damp hair and if I want extra sleekness and shine, I'll apply two pumps to my dry hair before I straighten it, and one pump afterwards.  A little goes a long way, and using too much can weigh your hair down and make it look greasy.

It does what it says it does: makes your hair smooth, gets rid of frizz, protects your hair and also makes straightening your hair so much easier.  When I don't use it, I find my hair isn't as shiny, and it tends to snag while I'm pulling the iron down my hair.  But when I apply it before straightening, it smooths out my hair even before I've applied heat!  It makes it so much easier to pull the iron down my hair, and the result looks a lot smoother and shinier.

It has a really pleasant scent, I can't quite put my finger on it, but it smells very fresh and a little bit fruity (in a "product" way, which makes absolutely no sense but that's the only way I can describe it).  It lasts for a very long time, well over a year, even with regular use (on average, I used it twice a week).  It's around $26 AUD and you can find it at salons and stores such as Hairhouse Warehouse.  If I hadn't discovered coconut oil (review coming!) then the Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide would be my holy grail protector/smoother for my frizz prone, dry hair.  If you are on the hunt for a good hair product that will protect, add shine and make your hair a heck of a lot smoother, definitely give Redken a try.  It really works!

Organix Coconut Milk Leave In Nourishing Milk

This stuff is so good. I really just bought it make my hair smell yummy, as an alternative to perfume which is drying to your hair. Organix Coconut Milk leave in nourishing milk claims to "indulge your senses with this exclusive blend of organic coconut milk to nourish your hair, while ultra whipped egg white proteins add strength and elasticity, along with weightless coconut oils to add hydration and balance".

So does it? Well, I know for sure it does two things. One- it makes your hair super yummy smelling, and two-it leaves your hair silky and so so shiny. My hair only really gets shiny if I straighten it, but I've been using this product for over a week now and I've noticed that there is a natural shine to my hair. So it must be doing something!

I will continue to purchase this as I love the scent. I spray it into my hair after blowdrying it and also before I go out. I use it every single day and I love what it's doing to my hair. If you like your hair to smell nice but don't want to dry it out with perfume, use this! It has benefits to your hair on top of making it smell yum! A great product. I lurve it!

Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin & Nutridefense

This is my current shampoo and conditioner. The nutridefense is really a treatment that you leave in for 5 mins, but if I'm rushed for time I'll use it just like a regular conditioner.

My current hair care regimen is comprised of the following: washing hair twice a week, using a mask (nutridefense) once a week (I try to anyway!) and minimal styling and products. My hair is really thick and dry. I used to wash my hair every single day until I figured out that it was probably making my hair really oily and flaky. So in 2007 I stopped washing every day and my hair is now normal and I don't get flakes anymore!

I love using the Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin because it has a really fresh, clinical smell to it. I'm sure there are people out there who hate it, but I happen to love it. It's just a clean, crisp smell. Reminds me of the hospital, actually! Lol. I don't think it's a bad smell. It's nice and fresh. The shampoo lathers up nicely and you really feel like you're giving your hair a good clean. I don't need to shampoo twice as doing it once is effective enough.

Kerastase Nutritive Nutridefense is such an awesome product. It's a treatment that really works. My hair is dry, but after using this my hair feels so soft and silky. It's amazing! What I do is wash my hair with the Nutritive Bain Satin, towel dry my hair, apply the Nutridefense, clip my hair up in a bun, pop a shower cap on and continue showering. The heat of the shower really helps your hair to absorb the product. I leave it in for 5 to 10 minutes then rinse it out. Seriously, my hair feels so amazing afterward. Like silk! I love, love, love the stuff!

If I don't have time, I just wash my hair with the Nutritive Bain Satin, then use the Nutridefense as if it were a regular conditioner: I just apply it to my hair, leave in for a few minutes then rinse out. Still makes my hair feel silky!

These two products together are amazing. Usually, I switch shampoos and conditioners every year but I think I'm going to stick with the Kerastase Nutritive range. The Bain Satin comes in a 250ml bottle and the Nutridefense comes in a 200ml pot. Both products have lasted me for a long time, I bought this back in March 2009 and I don't think I'm even halfway through it yet! So I think it's safe to say that Kerastase Nutritive is my HG shampoo and conditioner (treatment)!