Root-fixation + dry shampoo

I went to the hairdressers today to FINALLY get my roots done.  I haven’t had my highlights touched up since the middle of August and lately I’ve been subject to severe root-fixation!  Root-fixation is a stage I normally go through a few weeks before my highlights are due.  It consists of me struggling to do anything with my hair as all I can see are big brown roots.  Up-do’s look rubbish, having my hair down looks rubbish.  I’m reassuringly told by my friends that this fixation is “all in my head” (excuse the pun) but still my hair appointment can’t come a day too quickly once root-fixation kicks in.  During this time, dry shampoo is my friend and my saviour.  Everyone knows dry shampoo leaves a white residue, and for most people this is an annoyance.  For me, it is my most powerful weapon against root-fixation.  I find the white residue kicks out some of the stark contrast between the blonde hair and the brown roots – I swear by it.  I think it helps that I have white blonde highlights, but generally I know a lot of people who have blonde highlights complain that roots make their hair look greasier quicker.  The dry shampoo combats this as well, as it lifts your roots, making them look more freshly washed.

Batiste range

 

The dry shampoo I use is my old faithful Batiste.  I tend to use the “Blush” one as I prefer the smell.  Batiste now offers larger cans of their dry shampoo which are £4.99 for 400ml.  I’ve dabbled with other dry shampoos in the past.  I quite liked the Toni & Guy and Lee Stafford ones.  Both have a nice signature scent which makes your hair feel very fresh.  They don’t pack the same punch when it comes to white residue, so if you struggle with the residue Batiste leave then maybe try one of these.  My main problem with these two though was the price.  Both were around £7-8 for a standard size can, and I go through the stuff so quickly it was turning into a massive chunk of my cosmetic expense. 

For a cheaper alternative to Batiste, which does not pile on the residue, you can’t go wrong with Tesco’s own brand dry shampoo.  You’ll need to give the scents a try (I think I got the purple one) as some are a bit funky.  But for £1.50, they do the job well enough if you are after something to freshen your hair.  If, like me, you are a residue girl then I wouldn’t recommend anything other than Batiste.

My younger sister is a fan of Superdrug’s own brand but not necessarily for freshening greasy hair.  She finds their power lies in their ability to volumise and hold.  Apparently the texture it leaves in your hair isn’t ideal, but it makes your hair go quite rigid and voluminous, which is undoubtedly useful in certain hairstyles which would normally require excessive backcombing.  She uses the brown version though, so I cannot vouch for the other colours/types.  It sounds like they have a similar effect to the new “backcomb in a bottle” products that are creeping onto high street shelves.  I know Umberto Giannini definitely do one, and I was actually quite a fan.  I don’t have much call for backcombing because I rarely wear my hair up and it is naturally very thick.  But I did think the product produced an interesting, and workable texture in my hair.  Anyway, tangent...

So here is my freshly highlighted hair.  I have half a head of woven bleach highlights with the top section done with back to back highlights to get it as light as possible. Oh bleached roots it is so good to have you back...

Update on Hydraluron review

I posted a review back in September of a new (and rather expensive) product I had purchased called Hydraluron by Indeed Labs.

At the time of my original review I said the 'proof of the pudding' would come down to whether I was willing to spend the money to re-purchase the item when it ran out.

For the initial review see here,

UPDATE:

So, my Hydraluron has finally run out, which means it has lasted for 17 weeks of applying twice a day.  This works out at about 10p per application ... not too bad?

So it is crunch time ... am I going to buy again?  I was originally in two minds about whether I would re-purchase this, but now I have shifted to a definite yes.  There are two main things that contributed to this shift. 

Firstly, I was away at the weekend and forgot to take the product with me.  I didn't notice any drastic difference in my skin, but it did feel less 'well-behaved'.  One of the most noticeable differences was that my foundation literally melted into my skin within a few hours.  So on a review basis, I can definitely say that Hydraluron makes my make-up last considerably longer.  I guess this is because it creates some form of barrier which prevents my skin absorbing the foundation.  For information, I was using primer at the weekend as well, and my foundation still disappeared.  So the Hydraluron is doing something more than a primer.

Secondly, my skin is having a bit of a nightmare generally.  I think it is due to the change in the weather as I tend to get this every year.  My eczema is playing up, my skin is dry, I'm itchy and I've got lots of angry red patches on my arms and legs.  Noticeably though, I haven't had any problems with my face.  I'm putting this down to my new power partnership of Hydraluron and Body Shop Hemp Face Protector.  My skin is notoriously difficult in this weather, so the fact my face is coping well this year means Hydraluron must be packing some kind of punch in the hydration department.  Now all I need is a similar product for my body.....