How to (truthfully) grow long hair!

If you have ever tried to grow your hair, you will know deep inside that it cannot be done overnight and will take alot of time and patience (unless you have extensions.)

 However after growing my hair and then cutting it and growing it again over the years i have come up with my best tips that will actually work and help speed up the long boring process!

* Disclaimer*
I cannot promise you that these tips will work on everyone, as everyone has completely different hair and natural growth rates, but these tips have 100% worked on me personally and people i know, so if you are really desperate to add some more length they are definitely worth a shot!

the current length of my hair!

ignore my face in these embarrassing selfies but this is my hair transformation

SHAMPOO/CONDITIONERS
When you are trying to grow your hair it needs to be in its best condition to grow well. I have had highlights/bleach in my hair for over a year and its still in such good condition thanks to the shampoos and conditioners i use.

I have never ever loved any hair products as much as i do these! I have been using these consistently for 4+ years now and they are amaaaazing! These are the Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner by Herbal essences. They also smell amazing and the product itself is bright blue! My hair loves these so much, they keep my hair constantly hydrated, helping it stay strong whilst it contains bleach. I can use these for months without any build up and they do not make my hair greasy in the slightest like alot of other shampoos. These are honestly an amazing set to have in the process of growing your hair!

I use these l'oreal shampoo and conditioners on special occasions only, or if my hair is feeling unusually dry. I leave the conditioner on for a good five minutes and treat my hair to a rinse and repeat. This solves any issues with dryness and completely refreshes my hair if its feeling a bit ugh.

Another essential is a hair mask. Any hair mask will do, i used mine which was an Argan Oil Mask from B&M costing me only £1.99! I applied this and left it in my hair for about ten minutes once every three weeks. This just helps get your hair in the best condition it can possibly be!

WEEKLY HAIR ROUTINE
I wash my hair around 3 times a week. It is now so long and thick it doesn't need washing so often wooo! I usually wash my hair with cool-ish temperature water to keep it nice and shiny.

I let it dry naturally almost all the time i wash it, but if i am in a rush i will dry it around 70% with a basic hair dryer and leave the rest to dry naturally. This keeps my hair protected from the heat nicely and even though to start with i got annoyed with my frizzy hair, the longer it got the less frizzier it became.

HEAT STYLING YES OR NO?
This has played a big part in the growth of my hair. When it was short i was constantly straightening it as it kicked out at all sorts of angles and just looked a mess, but now its long it hangs down pretty much poker straight to my head!

I can't say i never used heat, because that's a lie, but i definitely cut down the amount i used! Around 6 days of the week i'd wear my natural hair, and then usually at weekends or days out i'd curl it with my tongs using heat protection spray.

I have discovered some amazing ways to curl hair without heat through this process and i am currently loving Bantu Knots more than anything, google them and give them a try they are beautiful when released!

HAIRDRESSERS VISITS
I hate going to the hairdressers. The thought makes me scared as everytime, i think i'm going to come out with all the hair i've just grown being cut off! I go around twice a year and just have a tiny tiny tiny cut to get rid of split ends.

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS

• Find an up hairstyle you love and wear it as much as possible! I love wearing a high messy bun. This is great for if your hair is at that annoying stage where you are contemplating giving up and cutting it and is also great as you loose track of how your hair is growing as you are not constantly staring at it. 
• Use soft bobbles if possible! My hairs so thick one soft un-elasticated will not hold so i use three instead. Soft bobbles cause less damage to hair.

Thanks for reading! Hopefully these tips will help you in some way or another!

Chloe :)

New Beauty Product Reviews July 2015!

Hello! Long time no speak. Managing two part time jobs and a blog is a lot harder than i thought, however it has given me the time to collect up some bits and bobs i will be reviewing today, enjoy!

 BOURJOIS FOUNDATION: HEALTHY MIX - £10.99
I'm going to be 100% honest here, and say that this foundation has completely changed my opinion on all foundations i have ever tried in my life. This is honestly amazing! I thought my previous Rimmel Wake me Up / Loreal Infallible foundation were really good foundations but now i have tried this it knocks all of the old ones off the charts! This foundation feels nice and light on the skin and leaves a gorgeous dewy finish without looking remotely shiny. The colour i have (no 52 vanilla) matches my very pale skin nicely. It lasts all day without a primer and as the bottle says, it actually does leave my skin feeling hydrated. If you are looking to buy a new foundation, please try this one out!

 ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS - WATERPROOF CREME COLOUR LINER (JET) £18.00 + DIPBROW POMADE (SOFT BROWN) £15.00
I love this brand and always have done, however for me spending this much money on two products is not a usual thing, i like to try the cheaper drugstore brands first as who doesn't like saving money! However i already love the dipbrow, i previously had the colour Chocolate but as my hair lightens in the summer i went for Soft Brown this time. It's lovely and creamy and gives my brows that extra oomph they need whilst they are still after 5 months growing out.

I was expecting amazing things from the liner but i'm still a little unsure. I do use it every day as it is so much better than any i already own, but it has a few cons in itself. The formula is so dry that you have to apply it very quickly and often looks dry towards the end of the day. Now i can deal with this, as unlike other gel liners this one doesn't flake off at all. It is nice and light and does not smudge onto my upper eyelids at all! It does last a long time too, sometimes i sleep in my makeup by mistake and wake up with perfect winged liner the next day!

JOHN FREIDA GO BLONDER SHAMPOO - £5.99
My hair is a browny/blondey gold colour with year old blonde highlights at the bottom. This shampoo smells nice and cleans my hair well. It does gradually brighten highlights if used consistently for a few weeks but doesn't make major changes. I will continue to use it, as it does a pretty acceptable job on my way too old highlights.

EYLURE ENCHANTED LASHES - POISE £5.25
False lashes are great for special occasions and makeup looks, however the older i get, the more i move away from the thick long ones, i want to make my false lashes look as natural as possible yet still give off a gorgeous finish. These lashes by Eylure are perfect! The enchanted collection is sadly limited edition and i might have to stock up as they are so beautiful and pretty. The poise lashes are nice and light on the eye with an invisible band for a natural finish. They are not too long, or thick yet are nice and full giving the lots-of-lashes effect! I love these so much and will definitely buy some more.

SEVENTEEN INSTANT GLOW CREAM BRONZER - £4.99
My hunt for an amazing bronzer is still ongoing after months and months and months. I picked up this sweet looking bronzer from boots and had high hopes! However as for the colour, it looks great in the pan but orange on the face. The texture is actually lovely and when mixed with a powder bronzer, can be worn. It is not great though and i felt ever so disappointed. Bronzer's are the bane of my life!

BARRY M FINE GLITTER DUST £4.50
I recently went too a nice fancy party where i could have so much fun with my makeup and glam it up to the extreme. The theme of the party was 'glitz and glam' so glitter eyeshadow was the way forward. I was so excited to use this, as i don't really have much experience with loose pigments. It got to the day and as i looked at the label too see the name (gold iridescent) i saw in tiny writing 'not to be used around the eyes' but i thought forget that and was a rebel and used it anyway. Even though its messy this colour is gorgeous! It doesn't feel to rough and lasts all night without hardly any fall out. I am very impressed with this eyeshadow even though it isn't actually meant for eyes.

 Thanks so much for reading and sorry for the absence! I have missed this alot, Chloe :)