Tips and tricks: How to keep your hair healthy when dyeing it.

Hey guys!. Today's post is all about healthy hair and what can be done to ensure you don't go as bald as a coot if you excessively dye your hair like me. Because that ain't cute. I have been various different shades over the past 2 years, going from deep browns to ash blonde and back again. I have had my hair dyed as much as 3 to 4 times a month depending on the colour change and people still compliment my hair for being full, sleek and healthy. So the following are my tips and my hair care routine to ensure you survive your next encounter with a peroxide bottle.

Tip 1: Use A Moisturising Shampoo

It pretty much common sense that you strip your hair when bleaching it, so you have to give back the moisture that it so much desperately needs. Your hair tends to feel like straw especially if you are lightening it. I go for non-sulfate shampoos usually as they clean but don't strip your hair. Some shampoos can intensify that hay feeling and leave you with knots and tangles. One shampoo i bought recently enough after hearing great reviews was the Macadamia Oil shampoo (pictured below). they usually retail in the €20's but they sometimes have them in tk maxx for €12.99 where i got mine. It has macadamia oil in it (duh) which locks in the moisture into the hair. I find it does the job perfectly. If you are having trouble finding this brand a cheaper alternative would be the Aussie miracle moisture shampoo which I have used for months previous.

Tip 2: Use Hair Masks As Your Conditioner

Now I'm not saying completely get rid of your conditioner but I have been using masks as conditioners every time i wash my hair and it is the best thing that has helped my hair get back into top condition. Think of them as a double strength conditioner. This is something you need especially if you just had a bleach up done. I have tired loads of different masks from various different brands but the one I haven't budged from is the Toni & Guy Nourish Reconstruction Mask. It is a lifesaver! It made my hair feel so sleek and like I never dyed my hair before in my life. I leave it on for 5 minutes after I shampoo and wash away. It doesn't leave your hair weighed down either which is a plus. Lads ye know i'm good for the bargains, so right now this is on offer in boots for €6.66 (creepy price) and the usual price is €9.99, ye could buy a coffee with that change!

Tip 3: Add MORE Moisture

When you think your hair is moisturised enough.. ITS NOT!. I never leave the house without putting my leave-in moisturiser into my hair. This step keeps the frizz at bay. Throughout the day dry hair can get fluffy and wild but with a leave-in moisturiser it keeps hair hydrated. I have only ever used one leave-in moisturiser and its the R&B from Lush Cosmetics. When i worked in lush a few years ago a colleague told me of this and i haven't looked back. It was designed for afro hair which is naturally dry. It is a blend of butters and has a divine smell of jasmine that lingers on the hair. A little goes a long way with this as you only need a pea size amount, run it through damp hair and leave to dry. A small pot lasts me over a year. It is a bit pricey at €15 for a 100g pot but as i said it will last you ages. Cannot recommend this enough!

 

Tip 4: Skip A Wash

Skip a hair wash not a body wash.. I might wash my hair twice a week most. I find that my hair is much healthier now than it was when i used to wash it everyday. It leaves the natural oil build up. Dry shampoo every so often keeps the tramp look at bay. Batiste dry shampoo always does the job. Of course I get the pink floral one. It smells pretty!

                                                     

Other Tips

Other tips which are very obvious include;

• use minimum heat
• wash your hair with cold water to close up cuticles
• get trims every few weeks to prevent split ends
• get a professional to colour your hair, no home jobs for the love of god!

Anyway those are my little tips and tricks for getting my hair back into tip top shape after dyeing. I hope it has helped some bit.

Thanks for reading.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeee

My Current Skincare Saviours

I think we can all agree that the holiday period can be really bad for your skin. Whether you are going hard on the chocolate and wine or stressed in the run up to Christmas, it can wreck havoc on your face. When I have a glass of wine in one hand and some cheese in the other, there's always a voice in my head saying "DEAR GOD STOP, THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES". Do I listen to that voice?.. no! What I have learned over this Christmas is that with a good consistent skincare routine, I'm allowed to eat a little more junk without paying the price. Finding what suits your skin and being consistent is key. So today I'm going to share some products that really helped clear my skin up and kept my spots at bay. My skin type would be combination spot prone.

Cleanser

The cleanser i have been using the past few weeks is the Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion by No.7. I haven't used much of the No.7 skincare range until recently and i'm actually pleasantly surprised. I got the Beautiful skincare christmas set which came with a few minitures and it had this lotion in it. I immediately fell in love with it and ran out to buy the full size one. It retails for €13.00  for 200ml in boots. I got mine for €6.50 with the No.7 vouchers Boots give out. Seriously if more shops did money off vouchers i'd be like the crazy coupon lady!!. I like it for the fact it doesn't foam up but yet it gives a good clean. My Clearasil days are over, with those foaming harsh chemicals stripping my skin. I use 2 pumps and apply to a damp face. It might not feel as your are using much because it melts into your skin but a little goes along way. Its hypo-allergenic for us sensitive souls out there and it comes with a pump which is key for spot prone skin. I will be repurchasing!

Toner

This has made so many appearances on my blog before but with good reason, this toner is amazing. Its the Lush Cosmetics Tea Tree Toner Water. It has cleared up my skin better than anything i've used before. I spritz some onto a cotton pad and rub onto my skin after I cleanse. It gets off any excess dirt and oil, and the tea tree oil in it combats any breakouts. It retails for about €12.00 (ish) for 250ml and there's a mini travel-friendly version at €6.00 (ish) for 100ml. There are Lush stores in Dublin and Cork, or you can order online too. Every time i replace this with another toner i always end up coming back to it, it's just that good.

Moisturiser

Up next is probably one of the most important steps, Moisturising. I cannot stress enough how important it is to moisturise your skin. Everyone thinks (me included) that if you have oily or spot prone skin you shouldn't moisturise as it causes breakouts. This is so wrong. Applying the correct moisturiser daily means that your skin doesn't have to produce excess sebum after using your cleansers that strips the skin. That excess sebum causes breakouts. Sorry for biology lesson but moisturiser is key people! The one i'm using is the Elizabeth Arden Visible Deference mosituriser,

Its the combination one with SPF 15. I love it so far, it's light and sinks in very fast. It hasn't reacted bad to skin which is a major issue for me and skincare. I don't use it at night as it has SPF in it which can clog up pores when you sleep if worn overnight. I have been looking into more brands like Elizabeth Arden and Clarins who cater for more mature skin. Lets face it, i'm not getting any younger. I have the sample size which has done me for the past 2 months and i got it in a set for €12.99 in tkmaxx. I know the full size is in Debenhams for €21.00 on offer at the moment.

Serum

Serums are a new enough thing for me, but now since i'm in my mid 20's i need to be taking extra good care of my skin. I have seen this serum being mentioned so much on the internet i had to give it a try. It's the Vitamin C Skin Boost serum by The Body Shop. I bought it because it claimed to brighten up the skin and reduce blemishes. Well it does exactly what it claims. I've been using it 3 weeks and i've seen a major improvement in my blemishes and hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks. I mix a little bit with my moisturiser in the morning and then ill use 1 pump and massage it into my face before bed. It feels so oily at first but it dries down fast and soaks into the skin. It smells like oranges which is a plus! It retails for €23.50 in The Body Shop, but if you haven't already guessed I'm wise to all the bargains. I got mine for €9.99 in Tk Maxx. If ye need to find something for cheaper just ask me!

Mask

Masks seem like such a unnecessary step but i can't live without them. My name is Paul and i'm a maskaholic. The mask i have been lovely recently is the Dragon's Blood plumping mask by NIP+FAB. Once a week after i cleanse my face ill throw on this mask. I leave it on for 10 mins and then wash it off. Its a clear gel mask so there's no mess. I was a bit skeptical because anything that has such claims as "plumping" never works out. Now with this you are not going to get an instant face lift but it does give you a nice healthy glow and make the appearance of your skin look smoother. I put this on the night before I go out or have something on and the next day my skin looks perfect. Dragon's blood is not actual blood FYI. It retails for €19.99 in Boots. If you are in the mood to splurge it's worth it.

So yeah, that's my current skincare routine. It has really helped my skin over the christmas period to look somewhat normal. I do believe that you should spend the time and the extra bit of money perfecting your skincare routine. With skincare you pay for what you get. 

Thanks for reading guys!

Paul.

New year, old me?!

So it's been a minute.. Well just over 2 years to be exact. I genuinely forgot I a had blog for a while. Looking back on my blog and my posts fills me with mixed emotion. On one hand it makes me happy to see myself doing something I really enjoyed. On the other I'm filled with sadness and regret.  I regret that I stopped doing something I loved . I was afraid of ridicule from others, even though the only person who was ridiculing me was myself. Self sabotage was a favourite past time of mine back then. With that being said I'm in a much better place in my life now and more comfortable in myself.

For 2017 I've decided to do more things that push me creatively. So what better way to do so than digging up the auld blog and get the creative juices flowing. I am going to try and blog on the regular.   I'll still be blogging about the usual, beauty, lifestyle and the odd rant.

Here's to new beginnings and doing what makes us happy. I hope everyone has a prosperous new year and stayed tuned!!

See ye soon!

Paul.