From friends and colleagues to family members and even comments from my mutual followers on Instagram, I'm often quizzed on my haircare routine - whether that be my shampoo of choice or how I achieve my blow-dried locks.
All these questions have left me thinking, what's better than gifting my all-time favourite haircare and styling buys to my nearest and dearest this festive season? Well, I'm here to let the (no so secret) secret out of the bag, I'm talking one of the best shampoos for fine hair, a frizz-shielding mist and one of the best hair straighteners on the market.
The outcome? A glossy, bouncy faux blow-dry that will leave others pondering whether you've spent the morning in a salon chair. So, if you're brainstorming a gift for a beauty lover or perhaps someone that is difficult to buy for, these buys are set to impress anyone who unwraps them on Christmas morning.
The 6 haircare essentials I'm gifting my friends for glossy strands this Christmas
In my opinion, you're either someone who loves giving gifts or finds yourself scrambling at the last-minute trying to think of a present idea. Although I would place myself in the former category, it doesn't mean that I'm immune from struggling to think of Christmas gifts for friends. So, this year I've decided to gift my loved ones my all-time favourite haircare buys, because, as a Beauty Writer, it's my bread and butter.
RRP: £30
As someone with greasy-prone hair, I've always been on the lookout for a scalp scrub until I tried this Remi Scalp Exfoliator. Powered by AHA and BHA, this liquid exfoliator not only allows for an easy, mess-free applicator, but also works to remove dead skin, excess oil and product build-up. In turn, you can expect soothed irritation, reduced dandruff and a rebalanced scalp to aid hair growth. Simply massage into the scalp as a pre-shampoo treatment and leave to work its magic for 2-10 minutes, before rinsing and continuing your normal hair washing routine.
RRP: £58
I must admit, I'm also particularly fussy when it comes to choosing what shampoo and conditioner to opt for but the fact that I've been using Living Proof's Full Shampoo and Conditioner for the majority of this past year speaks volumes. This duo works to cleanse hair and breathe life back into damaged, brittle strands, while boosting weightless volume. The outcome? Clarified, soft and fuller-looking hair.
RRP: £39
I rely on Gisou's Honey Gloss Hair Mask to give my strands an instant touch of glossiness. Enriched with ceramides, hyaluronic acid and Mirsalehi Honey, this nourishing formula intensely hydrates, strengthens and boosts the shine of the hair - without weighing it down. This also works to minimise frizz for smoother, glossy hair.
RRP: £27
Color Wow's Dream Coat Supernatural Spray has quickly gained cult status for a reason. This heat-activated anti-humidity hair mist acts as an invisible shield for your strands, combatting the effects of humidity and waterproofing the hair for sleek, smooth, shiny and frizz-free strands. With a spritz of this formula, you'll be saying hello to glossy, salon-worthy hair.
RRP: £149.99
This Remington straightener boasts an innovative Ionic Air Technology, which works to banish static energy and cools your strands as you style for a sleek finish. Not to mention, its ultra-smooth ceramic-coated floating plates ensures the tool effortlessly glides through the hair, without causing any tugging or creasing - plus, they're infused with heat-activated micro-conditioners to keep frizz at bay. Styling your strands is easier than ever.
RRP: £9.99
With a misting of this strong-hold hairspray, my hairstyles are guaranteed to remain intact all day (and night) long, holding its shape and definition. I must commend its ultra-fine misting applicator and the fact that it doesn't leave my strands with the classic crunchy, crispy effect that comes with many hairsprays. It's also incredibly easy to brush out the next morning, leaving it barely detectable in my strands.
After years of not styling my naturally pin-straight strands, I feel like I've finally cracked the code to making my locks appear as though I have just stepped out of the salon. My faux blow dry has garnered me so many compliments this year thanks to its bouncy, voluminous and dimensional nature. In fact, you'd never know that I have naturally very straight, limp and flat strands.
As someone with oily-prone hair, the key is all in the prep. Firstly, I apply the Remi scalp exfoliator to help extend the time between my hair wash days. Then, I reach for the Living Proof Full Shampoo and Conditioner to gently cleanse my strands, whilst bolstering volume and lift at my roots. Roughly once a week, I replace the conditioner with Gisou's Honey Gloss Hair Mask to give my tresses extra hydration, nourishment and shine.
While my hair is still damp, I liberally spritz the cult classic Color Wow Dream Coat spray throughout my locks, helping to keep frizz at bay and offer heat protection prior to going in with my hair straighteners.
For those wondering why I keep labelling it as a 'faux blow dry', well, once my hair is fully dry, I glide the Remington straighteners through my strands before turning them inwards 90 degrees at the ends of my hair. This gives the blow dry effect, without getting into a tangle with a round brush and one of the best hair dryers. Finally, I finish my routine by locking my hairstyle in place with the John Frieda Extra Strong Signature Hairspray.
For those wanting to go the extra mile, I have an honourable hair fragrance to mention. Leaving a trail of fragrance behind you as you swoosh your strands about, Fenty Hair's The Mista Hair & Body Fragrance Mist is guaranteed to offer a long-lasting scent that always gets me compliments - it quite literally sticks around in my locks for days.
