A hair journey

A lot can change in a year, including your hair

What's that?

I've been super indecisive with my hair as you can tell and the only things that have remained consistent is the location of my part and the halo of baby hairs. I know my hair intimately, the ins and outs of its texture, its behaviour, its whims and the fact that I get bored with it very quickly. After chopping off more than six inches back in January, I quickly realised the error of my ways and longed for my security blanket to envelop my shoulders, to tickle the backs of my arms, to fall in my face and obscure my vision.

Short hair requires attention, time, heat, product and a bit of magic. While I don't possess magical abilities, nor do I have a wand conveniently tucked away in my back pocket. I have, however, been biding my time by making the most of my hair while it grows out to a yet to be determined length.

After the hair journey

It's been a few weeks since my hair was last trimmed* and while I was a bit nervous about the shorter layers, I now understand their function -- to give my thin, fine hair a touch of fullness and bounce. 

Impatience and boredom is a dangerous cocktail, whence shaken and served can lead to a nasty hangover filled with regret. Now that I've sobered up, I'm making amends with my hasty decision. Don't circle the drain only to get swallowed in.

This metaphor merely serves as a cautionary tale: I wasn't ready to cut my hair. Do me a favour and buy one of these if you're experiencing a moment of weakness. 

Can you tell short hair isn't for me, then again Nicole Warne makes it look so good.

What's your hair journey been like?

*The wickedly generous team over at Rakis Salon recently invited me over to experience a hair journey with a little help from Kerastase's latest release, Discipline. My hair was cut and styled by David, a hair genie with a golden smile.

The French Connection

Kerastase's Keratine Thermique and Decleor's Moisturising Body Milk

French beauty products have been rocking my world as of late. Dior, Chanel, Kerastase, Bioderma and Provence Sante. Always happy to name drop things that make my day.

It's taken some serious willpower and self-control to only wash my locks every other day; there are days when I struggle to keep my head away from the shower's warm spray. If you can find the patience and the will, your hair will thank you in kind with smooth strands, minimal to no frizz and loads more body and movement. To protect my timely investment, I've added Kerastase's Keratine Thermique Smoothing Taming Milk ($43 USD / $48 AUS) to my haircare rotation. 

The consistency of Keratine Thermique Smoothing Taming Milk is light and creamy, its slip allows you to smooth a small amount from root to tip. Its scent is enhanced with perfumed cocoa powder; sweet enough to take a whiff of, just promise not to eat it. For whatever unknown reason I used to get a kink across the mid lengths of my hair at the back of my head, I suspect it had something to do with the placement of my hair brush while blowdrying. The kink has receded to the point where I don't need to run the flat iron over my hair. A mere coincidence or is this the power of Kerastase?

Fresh hair post 10 minute at home blowout

To cap off this Francophile sesh, let's discuss Decleor's Moisturising Body Milk. It's the nourishment your skin's been craving, better yet a moisturiser that melts into your skin without leaving behind any greasy residue. If you can get past a couple of shortcomings, you might enjoy this rather luxe body lotion. 

Love

• Looks super classy resting on my bathroom counter.
• My post winter limbs are singing in rejoice for slathering this stuff on.

Loathe

• It's exy (ahem, expensive) at $45 USD / $44 AUS for 250 ml of lotion. I feel more inclined to pick up a bottle of my old faithful, St Ives Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Lotion.
• The scent is overly perfumed, the magnolia essential oil really kills it for me. That said, the pungent, flowery notes dry down within a few moments of applying. If you can get over the first hurdle, you're home free.
• The engineering of the pump or lack thereof was a major oversight as the head of the pump doesn't extend out far enough. Unfortunately, you have to pick the bottle up, tip it slightly to the side and press the pump down. Points off for inconvenience.

*PR samples provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Straight to the Principal's office: Kerastase's Discipline

Kerastase's latest release: Discipline

Goody two shoes here reporting from the Principal’s office for flunking Hairology. I was recently written up by Claire for over washing, so I reformed my ways to please my teacher and then Kerastase dropped the gauntlet. I’ve been told it’s time for a little Discipline.

Finding good stuff that works for my hair has been a long and arduous uphill battle, so much that I once likened myself to Sisyphus pushing his oversized boulder. How does one fight frizz, enhance shine, reach voluminous heights (not the Snookie sort) and minimise the amount of time spent wielding a hairdryer? These pressing thoughts plagued me for years until I once and for all kicked drugstore hair care brands to the curb or is it kerb?

My Hairology chart

What’s changed? Well, Kerastase’s Discipline range unexpectedly made its way to my doorstep a few weeks back and I really haven’t questioned its arrival. In fact, the shampoo, conditioner and masque have become permanent fixtures in the shower.

Now that I wash my hair every other day, I always double cleanse. The first wash aims to get rid of the dirt, sweat and any other environmental nasties. As for the second wash, it takes advantage of the ingredients in Bain Fluidealiste (shampoo), specifically Morpho-Keratin. I like to think of Morpho-Keratin as the hair shaft smoother/perfector.

Once my hair feels properly clean, I then massage a small amount of Fondant Fluidealiste (conditioner) from the mid-lengths to the ends and allow it to work its magic while I wash my face and body. Fondant Fluidealiste protects the hair and further enhances manageability and shine.

Time for the piece de resistance, Kerastase’s Maskeratine – this masque is the weekly pit-stop my hair looks forward to the most. After (double) washing and conditioning, I work in a dime sized amount of product making sure to start from the roots to avoid weighing my hair down. I swear this stuff is an uptown version of Silkience, a hair conditioner P-Cakes bought in bulk when Gillette stopped making it.

Have my Hairology marks improved? Well, when it comes to managing my frizzy, fine, wavy hair I can confidently say I made the grade (well, my hair did). My mane remains soft and shiny for well over 48 hours, it takes less time to style and the greasy second day hair is no more. Does this mean my days of homework are over?

My freshly styled locks

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Kerastase Discipline:

• KÉRASTASE DISCIPLINE BAIN FLUIDEALISTE - $42.00 AUS / $39.00 USD

• KÉRASTASE DISCIPLINE FONDANT FLUIDEALISTE - $48.00 AUS / $42.00 USD

• KÉRASTASE DISCIPLINE MASKERTINE - $60.00 AUS / $62.50 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags — For every morning I don't have to stress about styling my hair, makes the expense totally worth it.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• The Fluidissime (finishing spray) could so be the cherry on top.

*PR sample provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

My current hair routine

Kevin Murphy's Plumping Wash and Rinse and Kerastase's Elixir Ultime Sublime Cleansing Oil Shampoo

When I visited my hairdresser last month, she had two requests:

1. Stop washing my hair every day
2. Quit being a commitment-phobe by regularly switching haircare brands

Second day hair really isn't my thing, but I'd like to tip my hat off to dry shampoo, inside out braids and ponytails for helping to mask what I feel can sometimes be a hideous situation. It'll take some getting used to, but I'll get there. If Claire asks me to go three days without washing, I might just sob.

Now the second request was admittedly tough, because I had loads of shampoos and conditioners cluttering the floor of my shower from attending various hair events and PR send outs. I'm not complaining at all, but the copious amounts of product far exceeds my precious head of hair. With Claire's assistance I streamlined my haircare routine and in the process, I may've kicked a few things to the kerb.

Kevin Murphy's Plumping Wash (Shampoo) and Rinse (Conditioner) - I picked these babies up last month and haven't looked back. The scent is sweet, yet smoky with a tinge of earthiness from the ginger root. Although, Scott told me my 'fresh from the shower' hair smelled like popcorn - go figure?! The absence of sulphates and parabens means you'll never reach a proper suds session in the shower and that's ok, because my hair feels properly clean, silky and fuller.

Here's what Kevin has to say about this plumping duo:

Nettle Extract 
High in iron with stimulating properties, this extract reduces DHT. It is rich in Vitamins A and C, and a wide range of minerals including Iodine, Silicon, and Sulfur. It is a powerful source of amino acids that the hair follicles require for proper growth. It’s stimulating qualities also help increase the microcirculation to the scalp.

Ginger Root Extract 
High levels of zinc counteract DHT levels making this extract a growth accelerator and also reducing hair loss.

Oleanolic Acid from Lovely Hemsleya root 
Fights follicle ageing by fortifying the roots. It’s anti-inflammatory properties aid in reversing and preventing the damage caused by DHT.

Kerastase's Elixir Ultime Cleansing Oil Shampoo - A luxe PR send out I jumped at the chance to try. This stuff is crazy expensive, like wicked expensive, so much that I've never purchased anything from Kerastase; let's just say their prices will make your eyes roll to the back of your head. 

This shampoo is pure liquid gold, a treat I look forward to when it's time to give my hair a proper washing. Sometimes I'll start with Kevin Murphy's Plumping Wash and then follow it up with Elixir Ultime Cleansing Oil Shampoo. I figure why not, because both brands suggest a double wash. Think peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and chocolate - they just make sense. This cleansing oil is infused with four oils (argan, camellia, maize and pracaxi) which work together to cleanse, condition, strengthen and protect your hair.

Whenever you look at this bottle, I want you to picture boxing gloves because it "floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee."

Sporting a fresher 'do

My hair will never be as lush as it once was prior the great fallout of 2010, but I do feel a glimmer of hope every time I spy whispy strands hovering about like a halo.