HAIR TLC

Winter.....Not only can it create havoc on our skin, making it quite dry, itchy, and flaky during the colder months, but it can also take a toll on our lovely locks.
From dry, brittle hair full of split ends to frizzy, static-prone tresses, our hair needs a little extra DIY TLC every now and then to keep it look its very best. But how do we look after our hair in these cold months? Hair masks ofcoursee!

With the dramatic change in temperature comes a change in how you manage, treat, and style your hair. Starts with simple habits, such as letting your hair air-dry, can cause more damage than you realize. I usually opt for air dry for less damage in warmer months. The structure of your hair can be weakened. Wet, or even damp hair can freeze and break more easily, causing split-ends which we all hate! These split ends then cause your hair to look even more damaged and dull. Compound that with dry, static-causing air and you’ve got one hairy situation going on.

To avoid this make sure you completely dry your hair before leaving the house, and try to only wash your hair every other day. That way you help to lock your hair’s natural moisture into each strand, protecting it against the harsh elements.
If you find your hair still feels a little dry or damaged, try conditioning it up to four times a week.

No matter how good (or bad) my hair looks, the cold weather will dry out my scalp causing irritation and flaking. 

If you tend to have dry hair or split ends, boost up your hair care with a weekly DIY hair oil treatment.  Here are a few of my favourites:

• Apply olive oil (cooking oil) I know that probably sounds bizarre but olive oil cooking out is fantastic!  Apply all over your hair and scalp, massage in thoroughly, cover your hair a shower cap or plastic bag if you don't have a shower cap and leave in for 20 minutes. Shampoo as usual, but avoid conditioner maybe just on the ends if you have knotty frizzy hair.
• Boil ½ cup of water, then add ½ cup of olive oil.  Warm up the mixture for a couple of seconds approx 30-40 until warm (make sure not to over heat the mixture) Once it cools down to the point that it won’t burn your scalp, mix well. Massage into your hair, cover with a shower cap and leave on for 15-30 minutes.  Wash as usual.

Glossy Shine: For a shine boost during the winter, every couple of weeks pour 1 cup around 30ml lemon juice through your hair after shampooing.  Rinse well and condition as usual. This will add shine and smooth the cuticle. 

The Sweet Life: So you need 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1 egg yolk... Mix mix mix! Apply to hair, cover with shower cap and leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse and shampoo as usual. This is always brilliant for soft skin, highly recommended face mask. Two in one hair and face mask, what more could a girl want! 

MIRACLE OF ALMOND OIL

When it comes to hair oils I like to stick to natural oils. Why? because all products like Moroccan Argan oil etc from drug stores have many other chemicals mixed into the product to speed up the process and for quick results. My favourite oils have to be Almond oil, coconut oil and olive oil. Almond can do wonders to your skin, hair and general health, making it a popular ingredient in many beauty products. I'm going to roughly talk through hair and skin benefits of using almond oil.

Most oils I have used have a pour-cap mechanism, which can release a lot of product in one go so girls be careful! As you can see above I have removed to cap lid and replaced it with a spray bottle cap, as I'm not a fan of oil getting messy or falling onto my bedroom carpet. Its much easier with this spray bottle cap. But be careful not to spray too much as washing it out might take around 3-4 washes. I learnt the hard way!

 Almond oil naturally is scented of almonds, some brands can be sweeter than others but I find most have an earthy undertone to them. The scent is barely visible once used however, and doesn't tend to be overpowering or artificial. Hair oils are a hair care product, but tend to come with a hefty price tag - as a cheaper and pure alternative I apply a small amount of almond oil.

Hands & Nails

I love to use almond oil on my hands after doing the washing up or cleaning and even after hairstyling as hairspray can make my hands feel all yucky! My hands are left overly dry and rough after all the above. The oil sinks in nicely and leaves them feeling instantly replenished. It's definitely not something I would carry about in my handbag but around the house it's ideal. Another thing I love using my almond oil for is a cuticle oil, it rubs around the nail nicely without leaving a greasy feeling on my fingers. If your like me sometimes have dry skin, peeling or even darkness around your finger nail, then almond oil is brilliant to sort these minor problems! It smoothes and softens my cuticles in an instant, they push back well without any pain and feel nourished after use, I'd say its definitely improved the appearance of the skin around my nails.

Hair

I have been using almond oil on my hair for a couple of months now, I'm obsessed with my hair! I have been testing different oils and this is definitely one of my favourites. I didn't really know the value of this oil until I used it and its actually AMAZING! definitely recommend I bought my KTC bottle above from a Cash and Carry for around £1.99. Super cheap I know! Almond oil is a rich source of vitamin E which is an antioxidant that protects and repairs scalp and hair. Almond oil apart from hair growth also nourishes the hair follicles and smoothens the hair cuticles. Not only does it helps in less hair fall but also has shining property to the hair. Now you can achieve the sleek polished hair in no time. My ends were a slightly dry on the ends and now I have sleek fresh ends. I'm not one to get lots of split ends  as I hardly use heat and I do cut my hair regularly. There are many home remedies available for the organic people who can combine almond oil or just use it plain on the hair for better results. To tame the mane honey can be added with almond oil to get rid of the frizz. Apply this treatment an hour before washing your hair, wash you hair as normal. Another trick I have tried is mixing almond oil into conditioner but I found this treatment made my hair way too silky so I would only advise this for girls with frizz bomb hair!

Benefits of Almond oil:

- Nourishes hair and smoothes hair cuticles.
- Makes hair long, strong and thick.
- Massaging with almond oil adds shine to the hair. 
- Controls hair fall.

How to apply almond oil to your hair and scalp - Apply a small amount onto your palm or 4 sprays if your using the spray application. Dip your fingertips and apply gently on your scalp. Massage slowly in small circular motions and relax. Remember to massage slowly, quick movements will cause hair loss.

Skin

Making good use of almond oil I mainly use this product to lighten dark circles, as I believe its a more natural treatment. I have had a look at eye creams to lighten dark circles, however nothing has grown on me and I feel all these high street products only help short term, not long term. I hoping to make sure I don't get dark circles at all although my eyes have a little darkness recently as I'm a night owl and hardly drink water! I apply almond oil to my under eyes every night before bed, pour a little oil into a bowl, dip the cotton bud into the almond oil and gently apply under the eyes. Leave on for the night and wash in the morning with lukewarm water. Be careful not to apply too much, if any almond oil leaks to close to the eye its very very painful and itchy! I learnt the hard way guys, so definitely avoid applying to eye lashes or too close to the eyes.

Listed below are benefits of almond oil for the skin. Beautiful skin will be no more just a dream.

- Improves complexion and retains glow.
- Moisturises better and deeper.
- Soothes skin irritation and inflammation. 
- Delays ageing process. 
- Lightens dark circles .
- Relieves dry and itching skin.
- Nourishes the skin. Makes it smooth and soft. 
- Cures chapped lips and body rashes.