Diamond Dust - A Girl's Best Friend

label.m is constantly innovating and releasing new ways to keep our hair looking its shiny best. And what are really, really shiny? Diamonds! Their new Diamond Dust range has an exclusive Micro-Diamond complex; with real black diamonds and white diamonds, pearl dust, champagne and white rose petal oil. Luxe. It makes my hair feel so smooth and I really love the smell, it reminds me a little of one of my favourite perfumes – Narciso Rodriguez Essence. It’s free from sulphates and parabens too. Just one gripe: the formula is so thick and rich that it can be quite hard to get out of the bottle. I squeeze tightly and persevere for the luxurious shower experience that follows.

I was kind of surprised to see a body lotion in the range – I thought the brand only did haircare and I had to read the tube a few times before eventually confirming that yes, it’s definitely for my bod and not my locks. Saying that, it’s all I can do to remember my pants when I go to the gym in the morning, so I have actually used a teeny bit of the body lotion instead of hair serum before. It makes your hair look really shiny because of the tiny flecks of shimmer.

At the moment, you get a free Jean-Pierre Braganza tote bag when you buy three label.m products.

Get your Diamond Dust products here.

Label.m Fashion Fix - the Bardot

I’ll admit it – I’ve fallen into the ‘boring hair’ trap. Day in and day out, I blow-dry the front and leave the rest to air dry, occasionally scraping it into some sort of bun, depending on my energy levels that day. 

But with Christmas parties fast approaching, it’s time to start paying attention to my hair and find some new ways to shake up my routine. Label.m have created ‘Fashion Fix’ kits that contain everything you need to create a current look. With clear instructions on the back of the box, copying the hair look feels incredibly simple. I tried the Bardot and was so happy with the results. I think these would make amazing Christmas presents for any girl looking to shake up her routine. Look out for my impending trial of the Nouveau Knot - I'm saving that one for my first festive bash!

label.m

Wash and use the Volume Mousse

Rough dry - already the volume is getting there!

Put the lower half into a low pony and backcomb the top section

I pulled mine out a bit to make it bigger - don't look at my greys!

Pin the top section around the pony with the grips in the kit

To Bob or not to Bob?

I love the idea of long, mermaid-like locks, but for some reason, whenever my hair reaches a certain length, I possess an all-encompassing desire to chop the whole lot off. I have no idea why. This fashion week, I explained my issue to the team at the TONI&GUY team. Every season, Toni and Guy set up camp in Somerset house, to attend to the tresses of journalists and bloggers. We learn about new products and try out some of the styles that the TONI&GUY team have been creating backstage for the London Fashion Week shows. It turns out that the ‘fake bob’ is a big trend and, they offered to show me how it was done.

After washing my hair with delicious-smelling shampoo and conditioner from the Label.m ‘Hair Therapy’ range, my stylist cut me a style with lots of layers – the perfect way to keep the length of my hair but giving it a new lease of life. She then added some protein cream and rough dried my hair. She paid more attention to the front, blow-drying it forwards before pushing it to the side, creating a fashionable low side parting.

When it was dry, she sprayed some Label.m Texturising Volume Spray into the roots and backcombed. Then came the creation of the fake bob. My stylist rolled the back of my hair under, securing it tightly with an array of kirby grips and wider pins. When she was sure it wasn’t going anywhere (the backcombing seriously helped) she started to pin the remaining sections under too. When the desired shape had been created, she started pulling a few sections out to make it look more natural.

The end result was so realistic, then when I texted my boyfriend to show him a photo, he thought I’d gone for the chop. He was relieved to find it was all a trick (it’s true, all the men I know prefer long locks!). TONI&GUY came through again, creating a look which made me feel great, even when running the gauntlet of ubiquitous street-snappers and hot young things outside the London Fashion Week tent.

www.labelm.com
www.toniandguy.com 

Preparing for the chop

The desired effect

Cut complete

I do still love it long!

The roll at the back formed the structure of the fake bob

The end result!

Realistic, no?

Still a bit tempted to do it for real...

Go Large with Label.m Texturising Volume Spray

When it comes to hair, I firmly believe that bigger is better. Volume equals glamour and nothing makes me feel as confident as a bouncy blowdry or nicely backcombed bouffant. 

Label.m launched ‘Texturising Volume Spray’ at London Fashion Week, which may explain the number of ‘big hair’ shots snapped by street style photographers at the gates of Somerset House. The new product boasts the texturising benefits of backcombing with the hold of hairspray. 

Label.m promises their versatile, texturising spray will ‘take your hair to new heights’. I put it to the test, washing and rough drying my (slightly wavy) hair as normal before spraying it fairly haphazardly and ‘roughing it up’ with my fingers along the way. As well as smelling amazing, it instantly gave my hair more body and hold, creating a rocky, Kate Moss feel. 

I now keep it in my desk drawer – it’s a brilliant refresher for lank locks, especially before after-work drinks. 

Label.m Texturising Volume Spray 200ml, £12.50. Available in selected salons and online at www.labelm.com. 

London Fashion Week: TONI&GUY at Somerset House

Another season, another amazing haircut at my beloved TONI&GUY. This time, I had a hankering for my old friend; the fringe. Hairstylist Liz, who had come down from TONI&GUY Manchester was more than happy to make my hair wishes come true. Armed with a selection of delectable styles (Freja Beha Erichsen was one of my inspirations) I requested a blunt, sixties style cut and Liz suggested layers throughout. She used label.m products (the organic range) each one smelling more delicious than the last.  I particularly liked the Moisturising Lemongrass Shampoo and Protein Spray. She blowdried my refreshed locks and roughed everything up with Resurrection Dust (one of my most-used products as you can tell from this post!) mousse and hairspray. Another great styling session with my favourite hair brand!

The inspiration!

LOVE

Give good fringe

Not looking ideal!

Speed drying! (I felt a bit model-ly at this point)

Liz and I do a selfie

Lovely new hair!

TONI&GUY 50th Festival, Sunday September 8th

“We are the first ever hair brand to host a music festival!” TONI&GUY Global Creative Director, Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck announced from the huge catwalk, in the centre of the enormous tent in the middle of Knebworth.  I always thought the TONI&GUY 50th anniversary would be something special, but I had no idea of the scale.

Over 4000 staff, partners  and friends from across the globe were led in to the arena by a the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band and guests were welcomed with a live DJ set by designer Giles Deacon before the company awards started the evenings proceedings.

There were pamper zones courtesy of L’Oreal, Essie, Shu Uemura and GHD’s airstream bus. Understandably, the label.m Pamper Lounge was popular, offering drinks and the opportunity to have your hair sprayed pink with the brand’s amazing new product: Powder Pink Spray (RRP £9.95 150ml). The current catwalk trend for technicolour locks has been championed by models such as Charlotte Free and Chloe Norgaard and I couldn’t wait to have lovely pink lengths. I was surprised at how well it worked on my mid-brown hair and will definitely be introducing it into my everyday routine! Why not have pink hair on a weekday? It would certainly cheer up a boring Monday.

The festival line-up was kept secret until the last minute but included Beardyman, Iggy Azalea, Labyrinth and Tinchy Stryder. An awards ceremony and fashion show (recreating iconic looks from each decade of TONI&GUY) preceded the music and it was great to see so much enthusiasm for a brand. Toni and Guy hairdressers from all over the world attended, along with press and bloggers in their droves.

There were even fairground rides, and later on in the evening I plucked up the (Dutch) courage to go on the big wheel!

Understandably proud, Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck, says: 

“50 years is an impressive achievement for any brand and I am particularly proud to say that it is through my father’s hard work and dedication to every salon that we are still here today. After spending almost a year trying to create an event worthy to mark such an auspicious occasion, my aim was to include every single member of staff from across the globe to come together and celebrate something unique.  This festival was all about paying respect to what has been but also looking firmly forward to the next 50 years and what they will bring.”

TONI&GUY

Pink hair!

I hang with Giles

Beardyman

Iggy Azalea

Fashionable guests!

Catwalk invasion!