The road to recovery after burning my hair off!

In follow up to my 'Help! I burnt my hair off' blog post which you can view by clicking here, I am going to share with you the products and treatments I used, post haircut, to get my hair in healthy condition again (and keep it that way). All my products were bought in my local drugstores Superdrug or Boots, because who doesn't like to be rewarded with points to buy more lovely things with every purchase?!

Please note that this blog post is NOT sponsored, so everything I do tell you is my own honest opinion. 

Enjoy!

OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil 100ml; Superdrug £6.99

Often referred to as 'liquid gold' I had to give Argan Oil a try after hearing all the hype, and I must say, it exceeded my high expectations! By putting a 20p size worth in my palms and rubbing it onto the ends of my hair, the oil left it much shinier, and even tamed my frizz giving me a new sleek healthy hair look! But most importantly, it has worked wonders for preventing and helping my split ends. The great thing about this product is how versatile it is, as it can be used on both wet and dry hair! I use this product most when I have just curled my hair and notice the ends are looking a bit dry, I simply rub a little onto my ends and it instantly makes them look thicker and healthier. Although one of the priciest, this is a product I could not do without, it's a must buy!

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Control 230 Straightener; Superdrug £59.99

After my hair straightener fiasco, I sadly had to throw my expensive pair out as the protective coating was completely non-existent. As I sat staring at my hair which was either dead or full of horrific split-ends, I couldn't help but think, no wonder my hair has ended up in this condition. When it comes to strengtheners, we are exposing our lovely hair to around 200 degrees every day (if not more)! And on this thought, I decided I wanted a new pair of strengtheners which had various temperature settings so as I wasn't exposing my hair to 200 degrees as frequently. In light of this, I am in love with my new strengtheners, TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Control 230 Straightener, which have 3 temperature settings, and a protective coating which isn't eroded (bonus)!

Although I have thick, wavy hair naturally, due to being more informed on what I am exposing my hair to everyday, 90% of the time I use the lowest temperature setting, and it does the job perfectly! They are extremely quick in heating up, only a few seconds, and the

style stays in my hair longer than I could have hoped for on such a low heat! 

Although currently attached with a selling price of £59.99 in Superdrug, when I bought these they were on promotion at £34.99. Having originally set out to buy a cheap pair of straighteners, I probably would not have bought them at the current price, even though you do get 200 ml of Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray and a heat protection matt for free. However, if money is not a big issue, and you do want a good investment, they are good value for money, and paying the extra dollar is totally worth it! 

TRESemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protection Shine Spray 200ml; Superdrug £2.72

Although I got this heat protection spray free with my straighteners (as mentioned above), it can be bought individually at Superdrug for only £2.72, a fairly average price for heat protection spray.  The spray does leave my hair feeling smooth and healthy. However, it is important to note that this product is currently on offer at this price, usually standing at £5.49 per 200ml. Unfortunately, I would not pay this amount of money for only 200ml, as other amazing heat defence sprays such as TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray can be bought at £4.99 per 300ml, and is currently on offer at £3.32.

After a shower, I towel dry my hair then give my damp hair a few sprits and brush through before blow drying. I also spray some on my hair before using styling irons, although make sure it has dried into your hair before applying heat as it can cause your hair to sizzle if not! Although I find both sprays good, there is no major difference in quality with the major difference in price. However, I have found heat defence spray a staple in keeping my hair in good condition and damage prevention, so I really recommend you get some!!

TRESemme Split Remedy Leave-In Treatment 125ml; Boots £5.75

My old strengtheners synged all my hair and left it dead and full of split ends, however, from the help of a flatmate, I was informed of this wonderful product! Although fairly expensive at £5.75, I definitely think it is worth the money. With the labelling stating an 80% reduction in split ends after 3 uses, from looking at my hair, I strongly believe it has reduced my number of split-ends significantly! I use the product after having washed my hair whilst it is damp. I use two pumps worth and rub them into my ends.  The treatment smells great, and doesn't leave your ends feeling greasy!

I have a lot of love for this product and will definitely be a repeat purchaser. This product is a must have if you want to have healthy hair, and are avoiding the hairdressers to keep or grow long locks!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner 20ml; Superdrug £1.09

After my hair disaster I bought two packets of this product, and one packet of the colour protection version. With 3 small 20ml packets in hand, having never tried this product before, I didn't want to commit to a big bottle incase the product wasn't great (also they were on offer at 75p at the time!) 

If you are in a rush, or just want your hair to have an extra nice condition, 1-3 minutes is

sufficient. However, if you really want a deep condition to transform dry, damaged hair, leave it in as long as you can. Though make sure you have a shower cap at hand to allow you to do everyday things like sitting on a chair without getting product all over it! I have lots of friends who go to bed with the shower cap on and let the product work wonders over night!Having now tried the product (and fell in love), I would invest in the bottles available at £4.99 in Superdrug for 250ml, as I plan to use this product every 1-2 weeks to keep my hair in extra tip-top condition!

VO5 Give Me Moisture Hot Oil 4 x 15ml; Superdrug £4.29

I had always heard hot oil was great for repairing damaged hair, so in my hour of need I decided to test out this product. To use this product you put one of the oil tubes in hot water until the oil has warmed up, then rub it onto the ends of your hair and leave in for a minute (no longer or this can be very bad for your scalp) and I must admit the oil did give me the squeaky clean feeling! 

However, considering the price and the other products which I have tried I wouldn't purchase this product again unless I experienced another hair disaster. Although this product was good, it wasnt as amazing as the products mentioned above, so for me it'll be a while until my next repurchase!

My everyday big recommendations are argon oil, heat defence spray and the split-end remedy serum, alongside using the deep conditioner once a week! Using these products have given my hair new life, and I really believe products which keep your hair healthy, especially if you want to grow it and avoid the hairdressers scissors, are a worthwhile investment.

Now I want to hear your story!

Have you tried these products? Is there any other products you have found to be a life (or hair) saver?

Comment, email or tweet @thoseyoungyears and let me know! Don't forget to follow me on Google or give my new Facebook page, www.facebook.com/thoseyoungyears, a like if you enjoy what I write, I'll be forever grateful!!

 Much love,

Those Young Years

x

Life's harsh truths; Everyone's battle

This post may seem unorganised and like a huge jumble of words which are not making a lot of sense, and you are right, it probably doesn't. 

The truth is alot has happened within the past month, I've started exams, preparing for placement and I am dealing with something which I never expected or  could have ever prepared myself for. As much as I would love to tell you and get your lovely help and support, I'm just not ready yet. Although, hopefully with a few more weeks to digest the news, I do plan on sharing it with you, keeping you informed on the journey it will take me, discussing the topic with you and helping each other  who are in similar situations.
This blog was always going to be addressing some of the harsh truths in life, and this particular news has definitely taught me that sometimes it does seem like life can be cruel, throwing obstacles in your imaginary life plan which in your head seemed all so simple and beautiful. However, although it may seem like a painful complication now, I am a firm believer in that everything does happen for a reason. Sometimes it is important to remind ourselves that it may lead to greater happiness and love in the future, or things may not work out how you wanted them to, but if you allow it, it can help build you as a person and enable you to become stronger than you could have ever imagined.

"Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a battle of their own"

I find this quote to be comforting yet sad. Comforting because it's nice knowing you are not alone in over-coming hard situations every day. Sometimes, in our own sorrow, we look to other peoples 'perfect'  lives and wish that ours can only be half as easy as theirs. However, the sad truth is that, everyone IS facing their own battle, whether it be a battle within themselves, friends, family or relationships. It is important to know that nobody has the perfect life, some of us are just better at hiding it than others, so it is important that we execute kindness with everyone. If you know someone facing a hard situation, even if they do not wish to discuss it, a simple 'I'm here for you', can be all they need to hear. If they do want to talk, it's important to listen, be patient and understanding of their thinking or situation.

However, I'm definitely not one for negativity, and although I do love a good cry about sad things sometimes, I try not to let them get me down for too long. Next time your sad, even try and think of one thing your thankful for in your life, or a good thing which could come out of your situation. The latter may seem very difficult in some circumstances, and it is, but sometimes only time can help you realise these things. Has it taught you what you want in life, how you don't want to act towards others or made you appreciate the little things in life like the constant support of family and friends?

Although everyone is facing their own battle, always remember that life is beautiful, and when something kicks you down in life, take time to be sad if you need to, but as soon as you have cried everything out put on a song that makes you feel good then get back up and fight back even harder to make your life the best it can be!

Please let me know if you found this post comforting. Share it with others if you think it will help and don't hesitate to comment or direct message me on twitter @ThoseYoungYears if you have anything you would like to share. I ALWAYS look forward to reading your lovely comments!

Sending alot of love and happiness your way,
Those Young Years

x

Update: Good news everyone! I've joined Facebook! I'd greatly appreciate it if you gave facebook.com/thoseyoungyears  a like! I'll keep you up to date on blogposts, everyday life and anything I find on the big internet which I want to share x