Budget vs Blowout - Hair Strenghtening Treatments

Even though I'm a big-time bargain lover, I always find myself tempted by the bigger name brands which tend to carry the higher price tag. Luckily, when it comes to hair products, I rarely have to splurge to try a higher end product thanks to my Aunt, an ex-hairdresser who likes to sample every shampoo, conditioner and treatment going, then pass them on to me after a few uses reveal that they aren't suitable for her super fussy hair.

 The last time I saw her, she donated a 250ml bottle of Redken Anti-Snap Leave In Conditioner. I was pretty pleased with this result as I'd been longing to try a Redken product for some time, but could never quite bring myself to spend twice as I'd usually pay for a highstreet alternative. At over £13 a bottle on Amazon, I'd usually consider this product to be out of my poverty stricken student budget (sobs).

In contrast, I recently decided I wanted to give coconut oil a try in wake of Moroccan Oil Mania (see my review of Avon's budget friendly version here), as it sounded like it could be a purse-friendly alternative. To quench my curiosity, I picked up Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment from Amazon for £2.36, in the hope that I may have found a new favourite that I can actually afford!

The Redken treatment promises to strengthen hair and prevent split ends, as well as hydrating for instant results. I found that I didn't need to use too many pumps of the conditioner to be able to get good coverage of my ends, and the smell was pleasant too.
I didn't notice a massive difference in the feel of my hair immediately after using the Redken conditioner, but in the long term I have noticed a reduction in the amount of split ends - whether this is down to the conditioner or the fact that I have shorter hair than I used to, I'm not entirely sure. 

The Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment is a masque rather than a leave in conditioner, making it more of a hassle to use than the Redken strengthener, which you can just apply to hair and then blow dry as normal. The packaging promises that the treatment will nourish and hydrate hair making it softer and stronger, helping to prevent breakage and split ends. The smell of the Inecto product is divine (providing you like the smell of coconut as much as I do), and the scent lingers on your hair until you next wash it. My hair did feel immediately softer and shinier after rinsing the masque - more so than after using the Redken treatment - but the feeling fades fast, leaving me wondering whether the product is actually benefiting my hair at all in the long run.

Despite promising the same results,  I've found that I've been using these products for different reasons. The Redken Anti-Snap conditioner won't provide immediate benefits but will instead work its magic in the long run, whereas the Inecto conditioner is perfect for using before a special occasion, as it will leave your hair shiney, soft and smelling gorgeous. For under three quid I'd recommend investing in the Coconut Oil masque, but in light of the £13 price tag I probably won't be re-purchasing the Redken treatment when it runs out.

November Wishlist Review

Apologies for the lack of posts recently, the wonderful combination of essays, deadlines and illness has made it difficult for me to find time for blogging. However, I thought it was about time that I finally spoke about some of the items from my November Wishlist (view the original post here).

Due to financial restrictions I've been unable to try out all of the products from the wishlist - L'Oreal's Extraordinary Oil is on my Christmas list so hopefully I'll be able to talk about it in January, and I haven't got around to trying the MUA Nail Constellation either, although my housemate has bought it so I'm hoping she'll let me try and review it before the end of term.

I bought Organic Root Stimulator's Hair Fertilizer for £4.39 a good few weeks ago now and have been using it fairly regularly. This product promises to make hair grow long and strong, and so I'll probably have to keep you posted on how well this works as the three or so weeks I've been using it isn't long enough to see significant results. First impressions are that the product is a bit of a nuisance to use as the packaging doesn't give specific instructions on how long to keep it in for or whether to wash it out at all. I've been sleeping with it in to try to get maximum impact - which isn't the most pleasant thing in the world, but if it's going to make my hair grow faster then I'll try anything! In the mean time I've come up with a cunning plan to see how well this product really works - I regularly get my eyebrows threaded and after my last visit one is slightly thinner than the other, so I'm going to use Hair Fertilizer on the thin eyebrow to see if it grows any faster than the thicker one! Watch this space for the results of this hair-brained scheme (pun intended).

I've been using the set of seven Lydia makeup brushes for a good few weeks now, and although I will openly admit that I know next to nothing about different makeup brushes, I've been pleased with the results I've had from this set. At only £5 these brushes are seriously cheap, and to me they feel decent quality when using them. The brushes come in a handy carry case which makes them ideal to slip into your bag when going out, or travelling somewhere for the weekend etc. I'd definitely recommend these makeup brushes, even if just as a spare or travel set. The brushes are available from eBay - just search 'Lydia makeup brushes' and you'll soon find the whole range.

The final product I mentioned last month was the Kate Moss Matt Lipstick by Rimmel, which I absolutely love. I've bought a couple of new shades but can't see the point in writing another review, so see my full review of the lipsticks in this post. Long story short, these lipsticks are incredible value for £5.49 each - buy them!

That's everything from the November Wishlist covered, I hope you'll give some of the products a go!

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