finding the haircare that works for YOU | shiny waves with Percy & Reed

• 

• 

So, hair.  A beauty blogger I am not, but a girl with dreams of luscious, shiny hair I certainly am, so here we are.  Hair is one of those things that can seem frivolous to talk about but can actually have a pretty big impact on how we feel about ourselves, so I shall indulge myself in a good old ramble about these strands upon my head.

My hair is naturally very dry, quite fine, and a natural texture that can only be described as ‘part straight, part wavy, very fluffy’. No loose glossy waves or sleek straight ends, just a mildly candy floss-like texture that likes to remain flat to my head at the roots and explode Monica Gellar style at the ends.  If I’ve managed to fool you that I have lovely thick hair then, well, I’ll give myself a pat on the back (and nope – never used extensions).  Add to that the fact that I have a rather odd square hairline that I’m not a fan of, and well, I really was blessed by the hair gods.

• 

• 

You probably think I’m complaining about nothing, but we all have those things that annoy us and my hairline is one of mine.  It’s like there are missing chunks in the corners where it’s square when it should be curved, and it means lots of hairstyles just don’t work.  Just one of those things that nobody else probably notices (this is the part where I get 28 comments saying ‘yeah I noticed that was kinda weird but just didn’t say anything’) but is the first thing you notice in any photo of yourself.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Hair is one of the most easily modified aspects of our appearance, and obviously many people take full advantage of this and change up their style/cut/colour on the regular.  If that’s you then good on you!  I admire your bravery.  I, however, am far too much of a wimp to do anything drastic, and my dream hair would just be a thicker, glossier, bouncier version of what I have anyway.  Long brunette is fine by me.   This gal will not be going anywhere near hair dye for the foreseeable future since last time resulted in accidental black locks, which left me looking far too Wednesday Addams-esque for my liking.  Currently waiting for this dark brown shade to naturally fade however it seems to be taking its sweet time.  My attempts to go redhead have worked short term but always fade to a nasty brassy shade, and I could never, ever go blonde.  I could almost guarantee bleaching would make my brittle hair turn to straw, break off, and I’d be rocking the scarecrow look for 3 years waiting for it to grow out. 

I could rant all day about how irritating my hair is and all the ways I wish I could change it, but like I said a) I probably sound like I’m complaining about nothing, I have a full head of hair and should be grateful for that, and b) there’s not a lot I can do about changing my natural hair texture.  I could dye it, perm it, style it or whatever, but they’re all temporary and it’s still going to be fine and frizzy at the end of the day.  What I can do is pay attention to the condition of my hair so it hopefully doesn’t get any wispier than it already is.  I can work with what I’ve got, and use products that smooth and strengthen to make the most of my natural mop.  Enter Percy & Reed, the brand I’ve recently started using and that has genuinely made a difference to the silkiness of my hair.

• 

• 

For a long time I only used oils as an occasional overnight treatment for my hair, which left it super shiny (and kinda heavy/sticky) for a day or so, and then reverted to dry a couple of days later.  Only recently have I tried using smaller amounts as part of my everyday routine, and whaddya know, it’s made a world of difference.  Since giving the Percy & Reed Wonder Treatment Oil a whirl my hair feels less dry; I did as was told on the packaging and used it as a ‘pre shampoo’ oil (rather than on wet hair, as I would have assumed to do) and I am liking the result. 

• 

• 

As for actual hairstyles, well, I can’t say I’m madly adventurous.  Neither have I mastered the bouncy blow dry I so longingly wish for (slight exaggeration but whatever).  What I have done is narrow down a few hairstyles that actually work for me, dodgy hairline and fine frizzy hair considered.  Those amount to low ponytails, loosely tied half up dos, and soft waves that don’t need to look too perfect but aren’t rock chick messy either.  There are people on this Earth who can pull off the messy look in a casually windswept kind of way, and there are mere mortals like myself who look like they have literally been dragged through a hedge backwards.  In fact, I vividly remember coming home from school at age 4 or 5 and my mum saying ‘You look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards!!!’, to which I replied ‘I have!’, after a playground incident involving trying to balance on a bar and falling off.  So yeah, been rocking that look for a while now and I still haven’t perfected it.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Yep, that’s a loose thread hanging from my cardigan there… it’s a lil’ handmade item from a few years ago and I may get around to weaving the ends in one day.  Today is not that day, however, and I can’t be bothered going back and photoshopping it out either so there you go.  Cute cardigan though right?  I’m making an effort to wear my handknits more rather than invest all that time for them to sit in a cupboard, and this is one of my faves. 

• 

I curl my hair with an irregular wand which I wrote about last year, and in the past have generally just tipped my head upside down and given it a good dousing with hairspray to fix it.  Because hairspray is the obvious thing to use, right?  When I actually think about it, it makes far more sense with my hair texture to use a shine inducing, curl defining, crème like the Percy & Reed Wonder Balm to hold my waves/curls/whatever you want to call them in place, and just finish with a light spritz of hairspray.  One size does not fit all when it comes to hair, who’d have thought it?  Telling grandma how to suck eggs I may be, but I can’t be the only one who’s pretty clueless and usually just does what they *think* they’re supposed to do, even if it’s not actually the best for them.  Wonder Balm has become a staple in my haircare routine already – a quick scrunch of my curls, twirl of my loose ends, and slick over my plait, all those kind of things.

• 

• 

Smile representing my happiness at finally achieving shiny curls on my own head.  I might not have my dream hair, but I’ll take it!

Lily Kate x

Follow me on Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin | Email me

This post is sponsored by Percy & Reed but all opinions are 100% my own