Dry & Damaged Hair Care Routine - Part 2 - After

The second part of this post has to do with my routine after washing my hair (you can find what I do prior to that here). The products that I have been using lately are the following:

Product No 2 - Schwarzkopf Professional BC Oil Miracle Barbary Fig Oil Conditioning Milk 

My latest purchase and favourite. It is a rich leave-in conditioning milk for damaged, dry and brittle hair (sounds like mine!) which helps to replenish moisture into it. This product does great work to me! I use it on towel-dried hair and makes detangling much easier (women with bleached hair know what I mean!). I definitely want to try the shampoo and mask from this series! 

You can get it from Ariane (Greece) for €12.81 or allbeauty (UK) for €9.82

Product No 3 - Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique 

What can we say more about Kerastase? It it a well known, much loved and of high quality brand. This is a heat-activated leave-in blow drying milk for weak and damaged hair. It protects the hair again the heat (up to 180C). My hair feels smoother and firmer after using it and most importantly it is protected from the every day torture. The price is quite high but we're talking about Kerastase.

You can find it on Ariane (Greece) for €19.50 or allbeauty for € 21.72 or Lookfantastic (UK) for €25.

Do you use any of these? What is your favourite heat protector?
Stay tuned for the final part, the finishing touches!

Dry & Damaged Hair Care Routine - Part 1 - Before

The last couple of years I've been playing with blonde highlights and I'm constantly seeking the best products to minimize the damage. Bleaching has made my hair dry and prone to breakage and split ends. Blow-drying makes the situation even worse. 

I've collected all the products that have been using lately and divided this post into 3 parts because initially was too long. I'll start with what I do prior to washing my hair. 

Product No 1 - Coconut oil

I'm talking about pure, organic, cold-pressed coconut oil. It is amazing and has many uses (blog post on its versatility soon!), but here I'll talk about the stunning work that does on my hair. 

When in hurry, I use it on its own prior to showering. I dampen my hair, apply it all over, massage the roots and leave it for as long as I can. It sounds greasy, but due to its low molecular weight it is absorbed quite quickly as it penetrates the hair shaft and helps the hair seal moisture in it. Moreover, it contains lauric acid which is a natural antibacterial/antifungal ingredient that can help sensitive scalps. 

When I have more time to make a proper mask, I like to add some more ingredients:

• raw honey - full of vitamins, helps to get your hair softer and your scalp moisturised,
• castor oil - fatty acids and vitamin E helps hair to grow faster and roots get nourished. It also helps scalp fight dandruff and bacterial/fungal infections.

Here's the recipe (adjust the dosage depending on hair length and quality - mine is long and thick).

1/3 cup of organic raw virgin cold-pressed coconut oil 
1/3 cup of raw honey
1/2 tbsp castor oil
glass mixing bowl
pan

• Warm (not boil) the coconut oil (tends to solidify below 22 degrees Celsius) and the honey using bain-marrie
• Add the castor oil
• Detangle your hair and dampen it
• Apply the mixture and wear a towel or a shower cap
• Leave it for at least an hour
• Wash and give extra rinse
• Ta-daa! Amazing, softer, nourished, shiny hair!

My favourite coconut oil is Biona. You can find it on biotevma for €12.63 and €3 shipping cost (Greece) or on Amazon (UK ) in 400gr for £8.88 and 800gr for £13.45. 

Have you ever used coconut oil on your hair? What's your opinion? 
Stay tuned for the second part of my hair care routine!

ZOEVA Brushes - A new addiction

A few months ago, my sister brought me a much wanted gift from her short trip to Germany. Yes, I'm talking about ZOEVA brushes! ZOEVA is a successful German cosmetic brand whose founder Zoe Boikou is Greek (somehow we Greeks manage to thrive abroad). Its name comes from the words ZOE (life in Greek) and EVA (the first woman). I have been watching my favourite bloggers and vloggers using these brushes for quite some time now and I couldn't wait to lay my hands on them.

The 230 / Luxe Pencil (€7.80) is ideal for precise shading, covering up and smoothing edges in the eyelid crease or along the lash line. Thanks to its triangular shape and compact natural synthetic hair mix, it absorbs excess colour and applies it evenly and precisely. This is the perfect brush to create a sexy under-eye smoky look or smudging your eyeliner. Dupe to Sigma E30 pencil brush ($14-18).

The 227 / Soft Definer (€7.80)  enables soft and smooth blending with an ease of application. It provides every eye makeup with a super soft finish. It is perfect for blending and shading loose and mineral eye-shadows. This brush is a much cheaper dupe for MAC 217 (€22) but of equivalent quality.

The 126 / Luxe Cheek Finish (€14.80)  has a blend of exquisite natural and synthetic hair. It is perfect for a finishing touch, since its dome shaped flat head achieves a beautiful blending of the blush. 

I really liked these brushes and I would love to buy some more in the future, since they are great value for money even with the shipping cost (€7.50 for Greece). Have you tried any of them?