The Damage Preventing Hair Products You Need To Try - AD

Having damaged, brittle hair is the bane of my life; no matter how many products I've used, how many trims I get or how little I try to heat style, my hair just looks drab. It's a real struggle. For me, my hair is one of the first things people notice and just knowing that it looks dull and lifeless really knocks my confidence. Oh, the things I'd do to have gorgeously thick, shiny, healthy hair that I can swish about like they do on the telly! 

Well, what if I told you that I may have found the answer to all my hair wishes? And it comes from the experts in healthy, breakthrough hair care at JOICO.

Introducing the Defy Damage Home Care System; a new range of bond-protecting and colour-protecting treatments that will provide salon results in the comfort of your own home and quite literally change your hair care routine forever.

What does it do?

The main aim of the products is to protect all hair types from the damaging effects of daily heat styling, UV exposure and environmental pollution (two factors I usually overlook!). This damage defying breakthrough helps to protect and strengthen hair bonds for a healthy hair transformation that is seriously hard to ignore! 

And now for the scientific bit 

So, what's the secret? Well, there's a few key ingredients that make this breakthrough in damage protection so wonderful; Arginine, Moringa Seed Oil, and a Protective Lipid. As well as this, there's the new Smart Release Technology - a one of a kind liposome delivery system that provides a trio of healthy hair ingredients that continuously release Rose Hip Oil, Arginine and Keratin. It's these that will help to repair, strengthen and protect the hair from the effects of daily styling. 

In summary, it aims to give 80% less breakage, make your hair 5X stronger, maintain over 90% of colour, strengthen and rebuild bonds and leave hair feeling soft and shiny. What more could you want? 

When a special delivery of this new breakthrough hair care appeared on my doorstep from the lovely teams at JOICO and AJC93 PR, I literally couldn't wait to try it! If you know me well, you'll know that trying new hair products is one of my biggest thrills in life so I was very excited! 

If you want to know my thoughts on the products, keep on reading! 

DISCLAIMER AD - Products gifted by JOICO and AJC93 PR. All opinions are my own. 

Defy Damage Protective Shampoo

Firstly, I have to say how amazing this smells. My bathroom smelt like a hair salon after using it and I couldn't believe how long the scent lasted. When buying a shampoo, I do mainly buy for the scent but I also like something that is gentle on my hair and won't make it feel dry. 

The Defy Damage Protective Shampoo is gentle enough to use daily as it swiftly removes dirt and build up without roughing up the hair cuticle or stripping even the most vibrant of colours. This means it's perfect for brittle, damaged hair like mine! Not only did it leave my hair looking silky smooth, it felt cleansed and replenished. It's the healthiest my hair has felt in a very long time! 

Defy Damage Protective Conditioner 

I'm always very apprehensive about trying out new conditioners as I find that a lot of them weigh my hair down, making it look flat, lifeless and hard to style - not exactly the look I'm going for! 

The aim of this Defy Damage Protective Conditioner is to replenish moisture and build resilience without weighing the hair down. I thought this was too good to be true but let me tell you now,  I have been pleasantly surprised. 

After massaging the shampoo into my scalp and rinsing, I applied the conditioner to my mid-lengths/ends and left it for five minutes to work its magic. Again, not only does it smell amazing but left my hair feeling super soft, shiny and easy to detangle. 

I literally couldn't stop running my fingers through my hair and best bit is, no hair was snapping or breaking when I was doing it! I haven't had a conditioner that's made my hair feel like this in years. It's an absolute game changer!

Defy Damage Protective Masque 

I absolutely LOVE hair masques. I have an ever growing collection in my bathroom and I genuinely look forward to my weekly hair indulgence - it just gives my hair that extra bit of TLC and I notice a massive difference if I forget to use one. 

My usual favourites are Argan Oil, Garnier Ultimate Blends and Tresemmé but this Defy Damage Protective Masque is definitely a strong contender. The aim of this conditioner is to help to rebuild broken hair bonds, deeply replenish hair without weighing it down and proactively build hair's resistance to damage, resulting in less breakage and more protection from heat styling. 

When it claimed that I'd see results after the very first use I was skeptical, but they were telling the truth. My hair was even shinier than when I used the normal conditioner and even my Mum complimented the shine when we were sat in the garden. A little bit goes a long way and it's becoming a firm favourite in my hair care routine! 

Defy Damage Protective Shield 

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how lovely the packaging is? It's so professional and looks so cute on display in my bathroom. 

This Defy Damage Protective Shield acts as a guard against thermal styling, UV exposure and environmental pollution helping to prevent damage for healthy looking hair like you see on the telly. I don't colour my hair, but if you do then this also protects against colour fade so it's perfect to use on colour treated hair too! 

Prior to styling, put a few pumps onto your hand and gently comb through damp hair, then dry and style as you wish. It's an instant protectant and does two things that I never thought a hair treatment could do simultaneously; leave hair soft and shiny whist keeping a style in place, even my curls don't drop! 

So, What's The Verdict?

I am so impressed with this new Defy Damage Range from JOICO. They continue to exceed my expectations with how amazing and healthy their products make my hair feel. I've had damaged hair for a while now, particularly since taking roaccutane but this has given me a complete hair transformation. It feels softer, it looks healthier, it's breaking less and it's been the perfect indulgence to look after my hair during this lockdown. 

If you're after some products to look after your damaged hair or just wanting to switch up your hair care routine with products that really work (and smell amazing!) then go and have a browse on JOICO. They cater for every hair type and style so there's something on there for everyone and I promise you won't regret it. 

It will quite literally change your hair care routine forever! 

A special thank you to the lovely teams at AJC93 and JOICO for brightening my day with these products and allowing me to try them out! 

What are your go-to hair care products? Let me know in the comments!

Lots of Love,

Meg x 

DISCLAIMER AD - Products gifted by JOICO and AJC93 PR. All opinions are my own. 

How to Maintain a Full Fringe

It's January 2017 which means it's the time of year when people crowd into the hair dressers and demand a complete makeover. It's all about the new year, new me. January is the most common season for people to change their appearance, and you'll notice that a lot of people will be getting full fringes cut and styled. If it hadn't occurred to you already, I have a full fringe and it's something I've had for over six years. I first got my fringe cut when I was 12 years old, after pestering my Mum for years to let me have one (the reason she'd been against it previously is because the growing out process can be such a pain). And since then, it's become a part of who I am. I don't know if it's a good thing but my fringe is the thing people remember me for. 

I would consider myself an expert on all things 'full fringe'; I've tried every technique, every product and every style. There's nothing I don't know. When I was 12 I really didn't look after my fringe and it was this greasy, string like thing covering my forehead; I look back on photos of myself and wonder what the hell I was thinking. However, as I grew older and took more pride in my appearance I picked up various techniques in order to keep my fringe looking perfect (most of the time). I base my hairstyle on my style icons Zoeey Deschannel and Audrey Hepburn; their effortless, natural beauty is something I find so inspiring. 

Most people keep their fringes for a month or two, get fed up of them and then start the painful growing out process. However, I've managed to keep up with mine for over six years and people always ask me how I do it, but it's really quite simple. This is why I'm going to give you my top tips for people with full fringes; what to ask for when you go for it cut and how to maintain it. 

1 ♥  Commit To Them

Whispy bangs are not the way forward. If you're 100% sure that you want a full fringe then you need to commit to it, none of this micro fringe or whispy fringe business. The main reason that I got my fringe cut was to cover my big forehead, and I got it cut to just underneath my eyebrows which is the common length. Full fringes all depend on your face shape so if you're not really sure if it's for you then ask your hair dresser and they'll give you their honest opinion. 

2 ♥ Wash it Everyday

There's nothing I hate more than having a greasy fringe and this will be a common problem for you. Because your fringe goes over your forehead, it collects the dirt and oil which can make it look greasy. In order to stop this, and to make sure your fringe looks flawless at all times, make sure you wash it everyday. I wash mine under the tap with a little bit of shampoo and then dry it as normal. If your fringe looks clean then it gives the illusion that the rest of your hair is clean too. Spray a bit of dry shampoo on your roots and you'll be good to go! 

3 ♥ Go for it Trimmed Regularly

This is the most time consuming thing about having a fringe, because it seems like the minute you go for it trimmed, it's grown again and you have to go back. I go for my fringe trimmed every two to three weeks in order to maintain it's length. Most hair dressers offer this service for free if you're a regular customer. However if you're not, fringe trims can cost between £3 and £5. 

4 ♥ Make sure your Hairdresser chips into it. 

When you go for your fringe cut, whether it be the first time or just for a trim, do not get a blunt fringe. These are harder to manage and style. Instead ask your hairdresser to chip into your fringe, this feathers it and prolongs the time until your next trim. Plus, it looks more natural. 

5 ♥ Curl it under

When your fringe starts to get long, it can get very annoying; you just want to clip it back and get it out of your face. I find it helpful to curl your fringe under with your straighteners, it might take a few go's to get it right but the more practice you have, the easier it becomes. 

6 ♥ Always carry a comb/brush

If there's one thing I hate, it's gaps in my fringe so I always make sure that I carry a brush/comb in my bag in case of emergencies. I'm like that girl in Pitch Perfect who is constantly brushing her fringe with a comb, I always have to make sure that it looks perfect. 

7 ♥ Hairspray is your friend

Another good way to keep your fringe looking perfect is to hairspray it before you go out. It keeps it in place all day, even in the wind and rain. 

8 ♥ Don't be frightened of it

A lot of people are scared of getting fringes, and true it is a big difference to your appearance, but you've got to embrace it. I promise it'll grow on you, and remember that if you don't like it, you can always grow it out. Google photos of people with fringes and learn what you like, what works and what doesn't. I really take inspiration from Zooey, she's the fringe style icon!

Fringes are a lot of work, more work than people first anticipate, but if you're willing to keep up with the fringe trims and the washing then it'll be one of the best decisions you'll make. I hope this post has given you some hints and tips as to how you can maintain it and if you have any more tips or questions then please leave them in the comments below. 

Lots of Love

Meg

xox

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