Pink Ombre Hair

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Call the cops, I've gone wild. 

If you follow Sprinkle Of Glitter in all it's forms (this blog, youtube, twitter, instagram etc) you will have seen that since I wrote this Hair History post back in January, things have changed a little in the barnette department. 

In February I started the transition from brunette ombre to full blonde. It took a few full heads of highlights (I have extremely thick hair- as in a lot of strands of hair and all of them individually thick) to achieve the blonde I wanted but happily, it happened.

This month, after missing the ombre effect, I have decided to push my comfort zone a bit and add pink. 

I think I'm in love. 

I have a really good relationship with my hairdresser so I was able to talk about it a fair bit before we went ahead. A few weeks prior, she took a snippit of my hair to test on and play with so we were pretty prepared.

I was clear in what I wanted (bright candy pink ombre, not dip dye) and Alicia was completely on her A-Game. She even did a bit of online research to be exactly clear on what we were working toward. She is an absolute gem. If you would like a full review on the salon I go to, let me know. 

It took no longer to do than any other dye work and came out brilliantly. I'm glad we put so much effort in at the start of the blonde transition because the plan (yep, I planned this hair way back in February haha) was always to add colour in the summer, so it was totally worth it. 

The response I've had from people when they see my new-do has been very warm. 

I had some reservations that I might be too old/too chubby/too goodness-knows-what to pull off such a bold style but they were only fleeting. Of course there will be folk who think bright colours are for teenagers or that a married mother should be more conservative but to them I say, 'I pity your small mind'. 

It's hair. It's stuff that grows out of your head and can be cut on a whim. You can do anything you like with it and you aren't too anything to not allow it. Whether you are fat, thin, short, tall, fashionable, young, old, obsessed with stamp collecting, do what makes you happy. Don't judge people on their choices and don't stifle your own in fear of theirs, be glad of what you have been given and enjoy it. Appreciate it, not everyone has the luxury of hair to play with. Be thankful. 

What do you think? Will pink ombre catch on? If you could do ANYTHING with your hair, what would it be? Let's get creative in the comments!

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Toodlepip!

xx

Pastel Hair Envy & Giveaway Winners

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Three weeks in and I'm still in love with my hair. Call me vain, I don't care, I can't help my feeling of hair joy. They are made all the stronger considering I was the child at primary school who's Mum put a bowl on her head and cut round it to make a nice 'style'. Back then I could only have dreamt of having swishy My-Little-Pony styled locks.

If you would like to know more about more new do, pop by tomorrow where I have a full, dedicated post scheduled. 

(Image. I must say, I've seen this image all over twitter and pinterest so I'm not sure where it originates from)

With my new found pink love, I have been spending a lot of time on Pinterest (nothing new there then) looking at amazing hair ideas. From crazy complicated plaits to the most incredible dye job above, I've swooned over it. Where shall I go once I'm bored of the pink? Purple??

Pastel love aside, two weeks ago in THIS blog post, Pantene offered to giveaway 5 of their 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules to 5 lucky readers of Sprinkle of Glitter. If you see your name below, you are one of those lucky duckies. 

If you can see your name up there, please email me on louise@gleamdigital.com with the subject, 'I WON THE PANTENE GIVEAWAY' and we can arrange your prize to be posted. 

I'm rather enjoying these little giveaway treats and hope to make it a regular feature. I have something very exciting lined up for next week! 

What would be your dream hairstyle?

(Oh good, blogger won't allow me to centre the above. Thanks internet)

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Toodlepip!

xx

1 Minute Hairstyle - Simple Curls

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Last week I wrote THIS post about how to style your hair using Pantene Pro-V's new Style and Shine range. I usually shy away from hair related posts but this week is a very special one.

PINK OMBRE.

Oh yes, that's right, I've gone wild and feel great. I missed my ombre do from Oct '11- Feb '13 but knew I wasn't ready to return to my natural brunette hue so took the plunge and turned to colour. I was already caring for coloured hair what with it being blonde but now I feel extra precious about my My Little Pony inspired locks.

After the 1 Minute Hairstyle I showed you last week, Pantene have asked me to share another and I took this as a great opportunity to show off my swish new do.

Before you style, wash (if need be. No need to wash it exclusively for this style as excessive hair washing is to be discouraged). Alongside your shampoo and conditioner, you could consider trying one of Pantene's 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules which help strengthen hair against styling damage and contain the highest concentration of conditioning actives. More on the little gems at the end of this post!

Excuse my VERY EXCITED face! Baby Glitter needed Mummy to look enthused about something (a scribble on a page!) and the camera time went off. Motherhood eh?!

After blowdrying my hair straight, it looks pretty fluffy. I used Pantene's Deep Moisture Souffle to help add moisture back into it and to add softness.

I love that it came out like Mr Whippy ice cream. It's the simple things that please me.

To add extra gloss I used some of the Shine Serum that I loved so much last week. Both of these products calmed the frizz and made my hair styling tool ready.

Using a skinny flat iron/straightening tool, wrap sections of hair round the barrel and gently pull down to create curls. If you are doing this in a hurry (which I often am), start from half way down the length and select bigger sections of hair to work through more quickly The larger the sections, the looser the curls will be. Think beachy waves (big hair sections) vs princess ringlets (small hair sections). Adjust the style to the time you have available. This can be a 1 minute 'do' or an hour of work, depending on your preference. 

Brush through your curls to soften the look and create waves.

Set your style with hairspray. I used Pantene Pro-V Style and Protect spray.

Et Viola!

This is a style I wear quite often for 'going-out' days. It's an opportunity to show off your locks and is fuss free throughout the day. Perfect! Also, if you find you want to take your hair up off your face, the curls/waves look pretty hanging in a pony tail. 

Now back to the ampoules! Last week Pantene offered to giveaway 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules and today they are offering the same! Woop! If you'd like to nab yourself a nifty freebie, comment below with, 'I'd love a 1 Minute Ampoule please!'. This is open to UK residents only and I will announce the winners next week in a blog post. 

The winners of last week are ::

If you can see your name up there, please email me on louise@gleamdigital.com with the subject, 'I WON THE PANTENE GIVEAWAY' and we can arrange your prize to be posted. 

Woop woop and congratulations if you won, if not, you have five more chances this week so don't despair! 

And that's that for today- hair demo and giveaway, a good Thursday if you ask me!

If you have seen me sporting any other hair do's and would like a step by step on how to create them, please do let me know either in the comments of via Twitter as I have really enjoyed doing these and am keen to venture more into the world of hair! 

Thank you to Pantene for sponsoring this giveaway. 

Let's chat in the comments!!

To find new ways to stalk me or learn about my discloser policy, click HERE. 

Ultimate Advertiser - It's A Blondes Life. Click HERE for more info. 

Toodlepip!

xx

1 Minute Hair Style - Easy Messy Bun

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

As any of you who have eyes will have noticed, this Spring I began my transformation from ombred brunette to blondey blonde blonde. It took a few salon trips to achieve the exact hue that I was after but once it was set, I was happy as a little blonde clam.

The important part now is caring for my hair to ensure it stays it's best for longest.

When Pantene Pro-V contacted me and asked if I would like to try their 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules and a few of their other styling kit products from their strength and shine collection, I was keen to see what they could do. The ampoules contain the highest concentration of conditioning actives that promise to leave your hair even stronger against styling damage than before it was dyed- a winner in my books! Easy to use, all you need to do is snap the seal of the ampoule (seriously satisfying), squidge out the conditioner onto freshly washed hair from root to tip, leave on for 1 minute, rinse off and voila- super nourished golden locks of joy.

Something that nourishes this well is highly welcomed by me, since we all know that after a few rounds of bleach, hair can be pretty thirsty.

To celebrate my newly strengthened hair, Pantene asked if I could demonstrate a one minute style and share it with the lovelies that read this blog. Since I so rarely do hair posts (I think I've done about 3 in 4 years haha), I thought it might be nice and that you might enjoy a change- they say change is as good as a holiday after all!

I decided to use a little Pantene Shine Serum to give my hair a bit of pep and gloss. It applied smoothly and evenly and left a lovely sheen to my ever so slightly lacklustre hair (thank you mr blowdryer). I love that this was so quick to use and really was a matter of put-on-hand-put-on-hair. Nourishing and perfect for quickie quick styles.

Using a hair bobble/hairband matching your hair colour, tie a pony tail. Wrap the pony tail round it self to make a bun and secure with another bobble/hairband. Leave a section free at the front. This will give you something to frame your face with in the next step.

Pull and tweak your bun to give it that 'messy' vibe and use kirby grips/bobby pins to secure it in place. I also pulled a few strands out round my face and pinned my fringe/bangs to the side. You can pin in whatever way you think suits you. You can also use hot styling tools (wands/irons) on the pulled out bits if you feel they need it. This is a very flexible style. 

To ensure it would be secure for the day I spritzed on Pantene Style and Protect Hairspray. 

Tada!! The easiest hairstyle ever! I wear my hair like this A LOT because it requires little effort but kinda looks like you did a lot of work, haha love a hair illusion!

Pantene have offered to give away 5 sets of the 1 Minute Wonder Ampoules so if you would like a chance to win one of those, comment below with 'I'd love a 1 Minute Wonder In My Life' and I will announce the winner next Thursday in a blog post. This giveaway is open to UK residents only. 

What do you think? Do you do this easy messy bun? Do you have any super quick styling tips that I could try? Let me know in the comments!

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Toodlepip!

xx

Thank you very much to Pantene for sponsoring this giveaway. 

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is It's A Blondes Life. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.

This page contains links to outside sites, including affiliates. Click on the 'Sponsor' tab to read my disclosure policy.

Cloud Nine Giveaway

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

To celebrate my new do and to thank you for always being such an encouraging force in my life (see THIS video), I have decided to offer you lovely Sprinklerinos a fun giveaway.

The prize is your own C9 iron or waver of your choice, excluding The O and the Waving Wand.

 I've made the whole giveaway really simple because nobody likes faff and effort!

TO ENTER ::

1. Follow this blog. (Unsure how? On the right, under the title 'beauties', click 'Join this site'. You won't be spammed and it's big fat free).

2. Comment with why you'd like to win a styler. No essays needed, it just be because you like winning stuff! 

3. If you'd like an extra entry tweet " I just entered @Sprinkleofglitr 's Hair Celebration Giveaway! Have you entered yet? http://bit.ly/Zg0dgY " 

Be sure to tell me in the comments if you have the extra entry. Please be honest, karma will bite you in the butt if you tell a porky. 

And that's it! Good Luck!!

Winner will be chosen at random. This giveaway is open internationally, from the 20th to the 27th of February. The winner will be announced one week later, on the 6th of March, on this blog. If you are under 16 years of age, please make sure you have permission from your parent/s.

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Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Ji Ji Kiki . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE. 

My Hair History

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Brace yourself for some shockingly bad photos today. They're not with my lovely cannon and beautifully edited, but real life through the ages numbers.

Once upon a time, my hair looked like this:

Blonde and wispy and pretty cute, even if I do say so myself.

After about four years, it thickened, darkened and my Mother decided a bowl cut was what I needed.

Thanks for that Mum!

After a few years, I was allowed to grow my hair a smidgen into what Matt affectionately calls, my 'helmet hair' on account of it looking like it could actually be a helmet. So kind.

As you can see, neon was all the rage in the 90's!!

Fast forward 15 years and I had lost the fringe, grown it long and had an appointment with bleach.

Woop!

(Do excuse the red eye- I'm taking these photos direct from my personal FB)

Two years, a wedding, pregnancy and a baby later, and my hair was shorter and darker.

The above was when Baby Glitter was only 15 days old and she looks super surprised to see me

A year on and my hair is now long, with it's natural colour at the top and ombred (courtesy of my chummy Zoe, also photographed) blonde at the ends.

And there we have it, my hair history. Truly thrilling stuff. 

I have recently been contacted by Cloud Nine about a really fun competition they are running where you can win a styling tool of your choice by telling them what your New Hair's Resolution for 2013 is. 

After hearing about this I thought now would be the perfect time to share my plans with you and also a good chance to let you know about winning fabulous products (who doesn't like a freebie?!). 

If you would like to find out more about Cloud Nine's competition, I shall leave the links below for you. 

Site | Facebook | Twitter

So for 2013, I'm thinking, drumroll please, BLONDE! Goodbye ombre, hello golden locks. I'm even tempted to pop a couple of pastels in there like lilac and pink just to be fun for the Spring/Summer. Living on the edge!

Now you've seen my hair through the ages, what do you think? Stick with the ombre or go for gold? I'd love to hear your thoughts!!

Toodlepip!

xx

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Lou's Reviews :: GHD Cherry Blossom Styler

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

In the past few months, I have received a great many questions about my hair, what it's like, how it is styled, favourite products to achieve certain looks, the list goes on.

I plan on getting round to answering these queries in good time, but today I'm going to talk about a brand of products that I have been happily using and trusting for about 7 years now. GHD aka Good Hair Day.

Unless you have been living under bald rock, you will have heard of GHD's. The British run company sell hair electrical hair tools as well as styling products to achieve every look you can think of. Initially selling products in salons (for the first two years of their business -2001 - 2003- they did no advertising and relied solely on excellent recommendations), they now have a full range of products on a beautifully laid out website and regularly bring out limited edition merchandise.

One such product is the GHD Cherry Blossom Styler* which retails for £129.00, with £10 going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer, a cause very close to my heart. 

Just as much as I love my set of GHD Straighteners from 2004 (yes, still going strong, touch wood), I love these too. They have an array of lovely features, both cosmetic and functional. As a lover of all things pink and girly I am thrilled with the pretty pink blades, floral designed box and cherry blossom heat-resistant bag, which had enough space for hot blades and a divide to keep the wire safe- nobody wants melted electrics in their beauty kit! Yikes! I also like that you when the styler is on (indicated by the lit up GHD motto), it will automatically turn itself off after 30 minutes, so there is no acute panic when you're half way down the road and wondering if you remembered to turn them off. Zoe and I once had to turn a taxi to the station around to go back and check on mine, we hadn't turned them off! Uh oh! 

Other little features that make all the difference are the swivel cord which allows you to twist and turn the tool without being restricted or becoming tangled and the rounded barrel which allows you to create beautiful curls, waves and flicks. 

The reason I love my GHD's (this lovely new pair and my older pair) so very much, aside from their reliability and ability to tame my insanely thick hair like non-other, is because you can create so many looks with them. They really can do everything! Hmmmm except crimp, but really, who wants to crimp their own hair? I had mine done once and it was NOT a good look haha!

I've put together a little 'hair collage' from pictures I had floating about of different styles I've had in my hair created by GHD's. Do excuse the posey faces and picture quality, some of these are instagram snaps or video screenshots. I'm pretty boring and usually go for the same kind of thing - wavy/curly/volumised/straight with a flick, but even when I'm having a 'hair up' sort of day, I will use my GHD's to tame little frizzy bits at the front or remove any annoying kinks.

In summary, I have nothing bad to say about GHD Stylers. I've loved them for years and hope I will continue doing so until I'm old and grey and my grandchildren are telling me that I look like mutton dressed as lamb with my big shmexy hair! Hahaha!

Are you a GHD lover like me?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS-

Told you I didn't look great crimped! Haha xx

Lou's Reviews :: Hensmans Hair Salon

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Good old twitter. A couple of weeks ago, I saw a snazzy little tweet from a PR Company, asking if any Beauty Bloggers lived in Northampton. Hello!! I do! I do!

They asked me if I would pop on down to a swish salon called  Hensmans and tell my Bloggerinos my honest, unbiased opinions on my experiences there.

So that is precisely what I shall do. Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin.

Hensmans hair salon is located in central Northampton, ideal for those arriving on public transport or if you fancy a spot of shopping afterwards.

On arrival I was pleasantly ushered over to a plush lounge area, where I perused a magazine. The atmosphere was really relaxed but not in an 'everyone-must-be-uber-hushed-and-well-behaved' fashion.

After a few minutes, a rather lovely chap (steady on, I'm married!) called Gavin came over and I was led downstairs to a quieter area of the salon to discuss my treatments and have a chitchat.

Whilst we went downstairs, I had a quick nosey around and was surprised to see that there was such a variety of ages there. I usually find salons cater to a certain age groups, like young trendy salons or ones more preferred by the blue rinse ladies, but here there was a young boy, me and an elderly lady. I mentioned this to Gavin and he said this was a great part of the job and of course all the staff cater their conversations to their clients, so it makes for a more varied day.

So, the treatments. I had a seah head massage, a luxury conditioner treatment, a wash and a blow dry. Yum.

After a bit of basin time, the conditioner was applied. Yes, it looks like something that came out of shrek's nose, but I promise you it was delightful! All smooth and rich, mmmm. Gavin told me that there is the option to apply heat the to hair which would open up the cuticles slightly and allow for a deeper conditioning experience. Fortunately, my hair isn't super dry (although I have just had it ombred- ooopsie) so this wasn't really necessary. There are also different strengths and formulas of conditioner, so there'll be something for everyone. Hurrah.

The seah head massage was huh-mazing. After Gavin applied aromaoilum (which I oh-so-hilariously described as 'hair lube'...why do I say these things!?!), he worked his magic. A seah head massage is 14 step treatment aimed to relax and sooth. What more could a girl ask for?

Being the snazzy little (or not so as the case may be) blogger I am, I asked for some info about the 14 steps. For all of you that are interested, I will be writing all 14 steps in the Extras page, which is coming very soon!

In a nutshell, it was fabulous. To reaffirm this, let me just tell you something- I am NOT a tactile person. I struggle to hug chums, I hate shaking hands and kissing on arrival/departure is a chore for me. That being said, I not only coped with the massage, but very much enjoyed it.

And look! My drink was bought to me on a little silver platter, fancy.

After pinging back to reality from my swishy massage, we went upstairs to the busier area, so I could have the oils and conditioners washed out and my hair blow dried. I don't think it's customary to have all this upstairs downstairs business but Hensmans wanted to show me all of the salon, so don't fear, you won't be moved about so much if your visit!

Upstairs was bustling and busy, a stark contrast to the more subdued downstairs area.

With squeaky clean hair, it was blowdry time. I asked for something with body and movement.

Gavin used Moroccan oil as it defrizzes and reduced drying time, the flatliner for a sleek finish and grip mousse for extreme hold and volume (although I must say, it was very light and not at all 'crispy' like some mousses can be).

As I was reviewing these treatments, I was a very lucky girly and they were given to me complimentary, but should I have paid for them, I believe the whole experience would have cost around the £40 mark. I think this is reasonable for a luxury treat. It would even be quite nice to book something like this as a present for a Mum, Sister, Chum etc.

This is the part where I have to apologise for my camera. Macro setting, yes yes yes, regular setting, yuk yuk yuk. I'm working on a new camera, phewf!

Anyway, this was the final result. I loved it. It was gorgeous and bouncy and I kid you not, my actual hairs felt strong. Hmmm, sttrrrronnnggg is a good word isn't it?!

Gavin and Hensmans Hair Salon get a great big 10/10 from me. If you are ever in the area and fancy giving yourself a treat, pop in and enjoy.

Would you like to see more spa/salon treatments and experiences reviews on Sprinkle of Glitter, or are you all about the products? If it's a resounding 'yes', I shall do more for you :)

Toodlepip!

xx