Our favourite hair products that really work

Fed up with hair products that over-promise and under-deliver? We’ve tracked down the ones that we think REALLY work, from frizz busters and heat protectors to hydration boosters and thickening lotions.

Leave-in conditioners to revive dry hair

Christmas opening hours

Is your hair ready for Christmas?

Here's a little reminder of our festive opening hours:
We're open 10am-5pm until December 23, closed between December 24-27, then open again on December 28, 29 and 30. We reopen at 10am on January 2, 2024.

Give us a call on 01865 553725 to make your appointment.

How to use less plastic in your beauty routine

You may have nailed the BYOB (bring your own bag) to the supermarket and you’ve invested in a Keep Cup for your coffee, but what about the plastic in your skincare and beauty regime?

A quick look in most people’s bathroom cupboards, wash and make up bags would reveal a whole heap of plastics. But all is not lost. Here are our top tips for reducing your plastic use.

Ditch the glitter

With festival season fast approaching, it’s tempting to stockpile the face paints and glitter transfers. But glitter is made from tiny pieces of plastic and foil, which are non-recyclable and can take several YEARS to decompose. So invest in some bio-degradable glitter instead. Simples.

Go package-free

We buy over 1.4 BILLION plastic bottles across the world. And while LUSH Cosmetics is a great champion for so-called ‘naked’ cosmetics, opting for products that are packaging-free is the best way to make an impact. Solid shampoos, soaps and deodorants are great choices.

Shop in store or buddy up to combine orders

Online shopping is wonderfully convenient but often comes with excessive packaging. The cardboard used for shipment in America alone equated to 1 billion trees in 2018. So what’s the answer? Mindfully shop online and steer away from outlets that are renowned to use copious amounts of packaging. Alternatively, ‘buddy up’ with a friend and combine your orders to ensure that only one shipment is made. Of course, shopping in store is a great alternative as you can use your own bag.

Ditch wipes

Wet wipes, baby wipes and make up wipes are all plastic-based, meaning they won’t break down and stay in landfill blocking water systems. Worryingly wipes are responsible for 93% of the make up in blockages found in our water systems and the fastest cause of pollution on our beaches. So ditch the wipes and use biodegradable products, cleansers in glass bottles or good old fashioned soap and a flannel!

Recycle make up

Include a recycling bin in your bathroom. Many people only have one waste bin for recycling, usually in the kitchen. This often means that every mixed rubbish ends up in the generic bin.

How to protect hair while sleeping

As wonderful as sleeping is, it can play havoc with your hair.

But there are a few things you can do to protect it. Here are our top tips and tricks for protecting your hair while you sleep…

Seven ways to protect your hair while sleeping:

• Dry your hair before bed

• Avoid sleeping with your hair tied up

• Use scrunchies over hair bobbles

• Apply some dry shampoo

• Use a silk scarf

• Apply an overnight conditioning treatment

• Splurge on a silk pillowcase

How to get more volume in your hair

Use a volumising shampoo and conditioner 

Volume starts in the shower (or bath) so find a volumising shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and make it part of your haircare routine.

Avoid putting conditioner on roots

Tempting as it might be to slather conditioner all over our heads, this will actually make your hair look flatter! When you clean your hair with shampoo, your cuticles open up looking for nourishment and moisture, but when you whack loads of conditioner on the scalp (a natural oil source) it will make your roots appear heavy and greasy.

Half-dry your hair upside down

Start off your drying journey with your head flipped upside down - this lifts hair at the root and will rough up your cuticles for maximum volume. When your hair is almost dry, flip back to upright and blow-dry the mid-ends to smooth and soften them.

Is having a haircut good for your mental health?

Is having a haircut good for your mental health? What is it about sitting in the salon chair that gives us such a sense of calm and wellbeing?

Could it be that there is a therapeutic element which improves our overall wellness and sense of self? A study by Tamika Roper and Dr. John Barry looked into exactly that, questioning men and women about what they loved about going to the hairdresser.

They concluded that a visit to the hairdressers could boost wellbeing in the same way as talking, watching your favourite TV show or reading magazines.

There’s also a trust factor involved with our hair stylist - many of us refuse to have our hair cut by anyone else once we’ve found someone we like and someone who ‘gets’ us.

Maybe this is not just about the stylist’s ability to cut hair, but also a connection and ease of talking about and sharing personal matters.

On top of that, there is a fresh feeling associated with a haircut or a new hairdo. We leave feeling revived and restored, which of course can also contribute to our perceptions of ourself.

What do you love about your hairstylist? Tell us in the comments box below.