Kiehl's Heat Protective Silk Straightening Cream

RRP: £15 for 150ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Created especially for wavy, frizzy, or curly hair in need of smoothing, our cream helps smooth hair and tame frizz without weighing hair down whilst protecting the hair from breakage."

--Packaging--
The yellow accents on this squeezy tube brighten up an otherwise dull item. The screw-top lid is practical and the overall design is suitably unisex.

--Application--
Run through the ends of wet hair (not the roots) before drying/straightening. Brush/dry as normal. Very easy. A 50p-sized amount should do it.

--Appearance--
A white, glossy cream that melts invisibly into the hair.

--Scent--
Clean-smelling and homely, a bit like fabric softener - which makes sense given the relatively neutral main ingredients (silk, soy and sesame). 

--Texture and consistency--
Beautifully creamy with no lumps or stickiness. As mentioned, it works beautifully with the hair to leave no stiffness after styling either.

--Effects on the hair--
Flyaway hair is tamed and made to feel beautifully smooth, soft and under control. FAB.

--Value for money--
As so little of the product goes such a long way, and there is NOTHING wrong with it (not even the price!), I'd happily repurchase this. Maybe my favourite Kiehl's product ever!

perfect partners
Amino Acid Shampoo, from £8.50
Hair Conditioner and Grooming Aid Formula 133, from £18.50  

Aussie Take The Heat Shampoo

RRP: £4.49

--What does the promo say?--
"It's a given. You look hot. But while you smoulder, your hair doesn't have to. Singed hair doesn't match that LBD, so grab a bottle of Aussie Take the Heat Shampoo. Lather. Rinse. Style. Sorted. It protects your locks from the harsh effects of primping and preening."

--Packaging--
A cream, dark purple and dark red squeezy bottle makes for an unusual colour scheme that definitely stands out on the shelf. The lid is in the push-down style whereby it flips up to reveal the opening. The kangaroo emblem on the bottle also adds a fun touch and definitely evokes the notion of the brand being from Australia, and there is a nice balance of image and text too.

--Application--
Rub through wet hair, and then rinse out. Perfect if you are planning to dry your hair afterwards and/or use other heat styling tools such as straighteners.

--Appearance--
A pale cream lotion that leaves no visible residue on the hair.

--Scent--
The jojoba oil scent comes through strongly. For those who don't know it, it's simultaneously 'clean' and luxurious, which I think is reflective of the brand in general.

--Texture and consistency--
This makes for an opulent experience thanks to the creamy yet light texture. It's not runny or claggy and is easy to wash out when required.

--Effects on the hair--
Hair is immediately degreased as well as having added volume and luminosity. It also retains extra softness even in the face of heat styling products. However, I would like these effects to last a bit longer than just a day or so; within 48 hours it seems like you have to wash again, but maybe this just comes down to individual variations in hair type.

--Value for money--
I think Aussie have pitched this fairly, with this product falling into the same price bracket as other salon-style brands, such as Fudge, Tresemmé, and Schwarzkopf. However, I'd perhaps recommend spending the extra 50p or so and going for the 3-Minute Miracle, which really does deliver amazing results. 

perfect partners
Take The Heat Conditioner, £4.49
Take The Heat Leave-In Cream, £4.99
Take The Heat Leave-In Spray, £4.99
Take The Heat 3-Minute Miracle, £4.99

Tresemme Heat Defence Styling Spray

RRP: £3.99 for 300ml

--What does the promo say?--
"Contains a heat activated complex to help protect hair when drying and straightening."

--Packaging--
A professional, slim black spray bottle, with a striking white and purple colour scheme used for the company logo and product information. It's also of a good portable size, measuring in at 23cm/9 inches tall. In keeping with Tresemme's image, it really does look like it's come straight off the shelf in a professional hairdresser's. If it isn't TRULY used by salons as their advertisements claim, then they do a pretty damn good job at faking it.

--Application--
There's a plastic clip on the spray action part of the bottle, which they recommend using as a clamp between uses if you have young children. Since I don't have young children, I threw the clamp away. If you keep it, though, you need to remove the clamp before each use. When you've removed the clamp, simply spray the product onto wet hair before drying. In a way it's difficult to apply as it doesn't emerge from the bottle in huge clouds like with a hairspray, but rather, in short bursts, more like a cleaning spray. Consequently it can be difficult to tell where you've applied it, so there's a real possibility of wastage.

--Appearance--
The spray appears to be clear and there's no visible residue on the hair after use.

--Scent--
It smells fruity but not too sweet, and again, the scent wouldn't be out of place in all the sounds and smells of the hairdresser's salon. The smell also lingers on your hair for a reasonable amount of time. While the spray could easily be used by women and men, I don't know if men would find the scent too girly.

--How much do you need to use?--
Earlier I spoke about the risk of wastage - however, this can be avoided, as just a few quick spritzes is easily enough to protect your hair, particularly if you spread it through your hair with your fingers.

--Washing out--
No need to wash out the spray - leave it in while your hair dries.

--How does your hair look and feel afterwards?--
Definitely de-frizzified. It looks and feels much smoother and less dry. Even a day after using the spray on my hair and being rained on, my hair still felt smooth the next day, even without washing. It doesn't feel at all claggy, gluey or sticky before or after use.

--Effects throughout the day--
As mentioned, the effects of this spray seem pretty constant. With continued use over the weeks and months, things can only improve.

--Value for money--
Excellent, particularly if you catch Superdrug on a day where they're selling them on a Buy One Get One Free deal.

--Other comments--
Tresemme has also recently released a new range of sprays, in its Thermal Creations range - the Heat Tamer Spray and the Curl Activator Spray.