A flaky itchy scalp, for some reason, is one of those embarrassing body things that people hate to talk about. This is why I love Philip Kingsley even more for just slapping it on the front of the bottle and getting straight to the point. It happens, especially to those of us with dry skin and especially in the winter. Your scalp gets dry, therefore starts to get itchy and then the flaking starts… oh, the flaking. Dandruff has always been associated with being dirty and unwashed but it’s really not the case and it’s so unfair to feel ashamed of it. Whether it’s an allergic reaction to a hair product or dry skin, it happens and I’m so happy to have found a product to save my scalp.

It was difficult to find a dandruff or scalp cleansing shampoo that isn’t damaging to dry or coloured hair but I was recommended the flaky/itchy shampoo by Ruth so I immediately went out to buy it. It’s a treatment shampoo that relieves and clears irritated scalps or product build up. It’s very mild and gentle though, unlike others, so it can be used daily or just for every wash (which is every 3 or 4 days for me). It doesn’t strip the hair at all which makes it safe for coloured hair but also good for dry hair that is likely to suffer for breakage.

I know a shampoo isn’t the most exciting thing to write about but I’m just so happy to have found a product that works so I wanted to share it!

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*This blog post is part of a paid for advertorial with Cult Beauty 

I’m so glad that after months and months of planning I can finally announce that Anna and I have teamed up with one of our favourite online beauty stores, Cult Beauty, to create a bespoke box full of our favourite products.

I’ve always loved Cult Beauty and it’s founder Alexia Inge for offering unique, interesting and exciting beauty products. She travels the world finding new brands to add to the site and her passion for beauty is something that’s had me going back to the website time and time again to haul my heart out!

So what’s a Cult Beauty Box you ask? A one-time, limited edition box that Anna and I have both personally designed and filled with our absolute favourite products from the website. Before I go through the products, let’s talk about the really important stuff that you need to know if you want to get your hands on one of these boxes.

The box includes 7 products and will cost you £85 to purchase, which means you’re making a 43% saving!

To be one of the first to find out more and purchase the box you must sign up to the wait list here. Once you’re on the wait list you will receive an email on 29th April from midday and then you can purchase your box via the link in that email!

Note that the box is available for free international shipping – yippee! 

We wanted to pick out some of our favourite products for the box and ensure you guys were getting really good either full size or travel size minis. So let’s start with the FIVE full size products…

The Oskia Rennaisance Cleanser had to go in as it’s both of our favourite cleanser. I use this morning and night, it’s a gel to oil cleanser that removes all makeup and leaves your skin feeling refreshed and hydrated.

The Wet Brush is a life changing product for me. It may just look like a simple hair brush but this thing is magic and will literally get through the knottiest hair! My curly, frizzy hair would be impossible to brush if I didn’t use this and I have one in every size!

The Jade Face Roller is a funny little tool that you wouldn’t necessarily know what to do with it at first, but this is a game changer for your skincare routine. The roller is made of pure jade and has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. Use this on your face to help to aid lymph drainage and blood flow, eliminate puffiness, to tone facial muscles and to plump out wrinkles. Cult Beauty recommends also storing it in the fridge and using on your temples to ease headaches and hangovers.

The Pixi Milky Mist is a product we both fell in love it when it first launched. Mine lives on my desk and I spritz my face with it throughout the day. Unlike some face mists, I find this one super hydrating as it includes Hyaluronic Acid so it leaves a gorgeous glow on your skin. I use it both on bare skin and as a makeup refresher!

The Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Black is must-have for your makeup bag. You all know I love the Tom Ford liquid liner but this Stila one would be my alternative and more affordable pick. The brush tip is long enough to make application easy but firm enough to prevent any mistakes. It’s jet black and looks great either thinly lined above the lashes or cat flicked to the extreme! Black liquid liner is a classic makeup look that every one should try.

The Becca Backlight Priming Filter in this cute, travel-size packaging made me squeal with excitement when I first saw it. Anna and I both use this almost daily either under foundation or mixed in with. It’s glowy, sheeny but not at all glittery. My skin is quite dry so this is the quickest and easiest way to add a bit of glow back into my skin. Becca is the absolute best brand for getting that Australian natural glow.

The Sunday Riley Luna Oil is also a staple in my bathroom cabinet. It’s a night oil that includes retinol and blue tansy, a duo that really seems to get my skin in order when it’s not looking it’s best. It helps battle with the damage and free radicals your skin experiences during the day and overnight helps to smooth and plump the skin leaving it luminous. I find this works amazingly on my skin and this generous deluxe size will be coming with me on all my trips!

So those are all the products and all the info you need to know. I think this is an incredible box and I’m so happy that we can finally announce it! Don’t forget to sign up to the wait list if you’d like one and then keep an eye on your emails on 29th April! Thanks for all your continued support and please let me know what you think about the box?

“More than just a look or an effect, Isle of Roses Hair Oil is a feeling, an effortless polish, a quiet glamour. It’s a subtle reminder of the sensual self, a transporting aroma, and a quintessentially feminine moment like dabbing fragrance behind the ear or gazing into a compact mirror while putting on lipstick. It’s a private luxury to keep close and resort to anytime”. 

This was the first thing I read when looking at the side of this little white box that landed on my desk. It’s the perfect description of the product and there’s no way I could put it better myself. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with hair oils over the years. I know that it really helps my dry, coarse hair but some are just too heavy and make the boring task of hair washing more of a frequent priority.

The Isle of Roses hair oil is the new hair baby of Michael Gordon, the founder of Bumble & Bumble. What first grabbed my attention was the little, delicate, discreet white and blush pink bottle. It’s the perfect handbag size and reminds me of something from Alice in Wonderland. The dropper picks up a small amount of oil so it’s hard to go overboard.

Right, so onto the oil itself. It can be used on both damp or dry hair and I’ve tried using it both ways. Used on damp hair it acts as a slight protector and shield for any heat damage and used on dry hair it acts as a frizz and split-end tamer, an on-the-go hair fixer if you will. I use a couple of drops and rub it in between my hands before running my fingers through the mid to end lengths of the hair. It’s light enough that it doesn’t make your hair feel greasy but it’s oily (?) enough that it actually makes a difference!

I’m a convert. This is the sort of product I would definitely add to the beauty bag that lives in my handbag. It’s currently a bit hard to get hold of, Beauty Mart stock it for £42 if you want to get your hands on it.

It seems that my hair gets in some kind of hair rut every few months or so. It gets too used to the tools and products I’m using so I often switch up my shampoo and conditioner or sometimes my styling products. Over the past 7 days I’ve had the opportunity to try a new range of styling tools so I’ve switched up my hair dryer and straighteners and I’ve been trailing the Remington PROtect Dryer and PROtect Straightener.

The Remington PROtect range uses Hydracare and Thermacare Technology  to ensure your hair is properly protected which I find is so important with my fine, curly hair. I tried the PROtect Dryer first and it took no time at all to dry my hair. I was surprised that although it’s less heat, it worked just as well if not better than most dryers I tried and my hair was still protected. I tend to dry my hair downwards so that it’s prepped for straightening and is less frizzy than if I were to rough dry it.

I then tried the straighteners which I used every day for that week. A straightener that gives off a “cool mist” would have completely put me off but after giving it a go I can tell you that it’s completely undetectable and it’s something that protects your hair behind the scenes without effecting the actual straightening process. The cool mist combined with the optimum straightening heat means that you still get perfectly straight hair but with far less damaged ends and breakage – I’m up for that! 

I gave it a full 7 day trial run and was really impressed with the results. My hair feels in great condition, soft and strong. If your hair feels in a rut and the damage is starting to become noticeable, try switching up your styling products and opting for something that’ll protect your hair whilst styling it.

*This post was sponsored by Remington. 

I wish I could do milkmaid braids or a halo braid but for those of us with slightly less styling skills the Relaxed Boho is the perfect look. KMS California and their ambassador Sam Burnett have looked at this season’s biggest hair trends and edited them into three key wearable looks.

The Relaxed Boho is carefree, simple and it’s the 70s at it’s best. Here’s how to achieve it:

1. Prepare the hair by using HAIRPLAY Sea Salt Spray all over the hair
2. Create various sections throughout the whole head to create natural twists
3. Blow-dry the hair, loosing the twists as you go
4. Create a few braids throughout the hair and apply HAIRPLAY Dry Wax for texture
5. Finish the look with HAIRPLAY Anti-Humidity Seal

I loved using the products especially the Dry Wax and the Anti-Humidity Spray. These both gave amazing texture and hold, especially if you have unruly hair. You can add more braids depending on the length of your hair or if it’s really short you can just leave it with loose waves. Play around with your hair length and texture until you find something that works but the more undone the better, this look should be relaxed and easy.

To celebrate the summer festival season, KMS California have teamed up with Bora Aksu and are offering a beautiful gold clasped wrist cuff as a gift with purchase on two or more KMS California products. To learn how to create this look and others from KMS ambassador Sam Burnett click here.

What’s your go-to festival hair style?

* This blog post is sponsored by KMS

When I mentioned on Twitter and Instagram that I was having a permanent/Brazilian blow dry, SO many of you asked for a review so today I’m going to talk through the process and results from my personal experience.

I’ve had this done a few times before but never before at Hershesons. As you guys know, my natural hair is very curly but it has relaxed a bit over time from straightening so now when it’s natural it’s just coarse, frizzy and very unmanageable. The ‘before’ photo above isn’t natural but that’s how it looks in the mooring even when it’s straight. I have to straighten it every single morning and after washing it takes about 45 minutes to straighten. The idea of the permanent blow dry isn’t necessarily to give you dead straight hair, but it helps to remove frizz, add in moisture and in general make your hair easier to manage. I tend to have this done in the Summer or before any holidays (quite a bit before, as you can’t swim in chlorine for a while!). The permanent blow dry at Hershesons (which is actually semi-permanent) uses a natural keratin and glycolic acid to reduce frizz by re-building the keratin in the hair semi-permanently. The cost can vary but at Hershesons costs start at £250. Don’t stop reading…. it’s worth it I promise!

They start by shampooing the hair using a sulphate-free shampoo and no conditioner is used. The hair is then rough dried before the product is applied. It’s applied with a brush just like when you get your hair coloured and they make sure to cover every inch of hair concentrating at the curly roots. The product is then left to soak into the hair for 10/15 minutes and I was given one of those strange drying machines that goes round your head. This is the bit that’s not that comfortable… they then blow dry your hair straight. It feels like blow drying your hair with loads of shampoo and conditioner still left in your hair. It can also sting your eyes but I find if you just close your eyes then it’s not too bad. I’m personally not fussed about the “chemicals” causing the stinging as it’s something I don’t do regularly and it’s completely worth it. After they’ve blow dried your hair they then use straighteners to make sure the hair is completely dead straight. For some reason the hair doesn’t feel like it has lots of product in it at all, in fact it feels soft, healthy and really nourished.

It’s important to keep the hair dry and straight for the 3/4 days to follow. Tying it up or curling it might cause semi-permanent kinks in the hair and you should also use sulphate-free products to get the most out of the treatment and make it last for up to 3 months.

When I have this done it’s something I can feel instant results with. I woke up the next morning and my hair was straight! It’s 100 times easier to straighten after washing, it doesn’t curl in the heat, my roots aren’t as frizzy… it’s a bit of a miracle really. I always let my hair dry naturally after washing and before straightening to avoid extra heat damage from the blow dry. As you can see in the photos above my hair was always super frizzy and coarse… it’s like different hair now! For me, it’s worth investing £250 on something that’ll change my hair for the entire summer. If you want to watch me getting my hair done, watch this vlog and if you have any more questions about my experience, tweet me @lilypebbles I go to the Hershesons in Harvey Nichols and have Katherine for my cut and Jason for my colour/permanent blow dry.

I hope this helps!