Schwarzkopf got2b Happy Hour 24-Hour Hairspray

RRP: £4

--What does the promo say?--
"Do you want a stunning style that lasts? Then got2b happy hour 24 hour Hairspray will be your ultimate partner. Give your unique style the long lasting hold you desire from morning until night ? make your hair work as hard as you do!"

--Packaging--
The lively pink and purple spray can definitely stands out, and delivers a medium mist of spray. At 300ml, though, it's a little on the large side, so maybe a smaller can for travel, for the handbag, or to keep in the car would be welcome too.

--Application--
Schwarzkopf says: "Hold can 30 cm away from head and spray your style evenly for 24 hour hold. Use in short bursts. For a unique, individual style that lasts spray selected strands of hair."

--Scent--
Doesn't deliver the horrid choking smell of many hairsprays, delivering a sweet, slightly floral scent with hints of clove. Think old-fashioned sweetshops!

--Effects on the hair--
Delivers a good result without the heaviness, holding styles in place with success.

--Value for money--
At £4, this is an affordable price for a product that delivers such good results. It's also frequently discounted, making it even better value, meaning that the BBB team would definitely buy it when our freebie from Schwarzkopf runs out.

perfect partners

Volume Boost Shampoo, from £8.85

got2b Oil Licious Styling Oil, £4

Guardian Angel Heat Protection Spray, £4

Time Restore Night Treatment, £14 

Schwarzkopf Got2B Beach Matt Texturizing Salt Spray

RRP: £4.05

--What does the promo say?--
"got2b Beach Matt Texturising salt spray gives your hair beachy waves - mermaid style. Every day will be like a day at the beach full of textured, wind blown voluminous waves and touselled beachy tresses with a rough and matt texture."

--Packaging--
The ergonomically-styled bottle is made even more attractive thanks to the cheerful seaside colour scheme of white, blue and yellow, which all makes you want to use it. The spray mechanism itself is also well-designed to allow for targeted application.

--Application--
Spray liberally through dry or towel-dry hair. Tousle or style as desired, before blow-drying or letting your hair air dry. This is not as easy as it sounds. I was never sure if I was applying too much or not enough and the 'tousle or style as desired' direction is too vague for people like me who frankly know nothing about hair (despite this being a general-sounding 'beauty' blog, makeup is definitely more my game).

--Scent--
None, despite the salt content. BONUS.

--Texture and consistency--
Naturally, thanks to the salt, hair still has that kind of 'crunchy' feeling after the spray has been applied. Don't expect to get away from it!

--Appearance--
Disclaimer: as mentioned above, I am rubbish with my hair. Definitely the wash and go type! You may see me messing my hair into plaits and using fancy clips if you're lucky. However, I was hoping this would be easy and that my hair would look like this in no time:

However, what I ended up with was more like this:

Mmm, yes: the 1980s rock star look. Which I could have basically got by staying in bed a bit longer, or sticking my finger into an electrical socket. No matter what I did, my hair just would not look like beach girly above. I admit that my hair doesn't hold any style well and never has. But it should be easier than this. Eventually, all I could manage was for the ends to go a tiny bit curly. I ended up sweeping it all to one side to try to mask the bed-head effect. Even my husband (who is usually complimentary) said something along the lines of "what have you done to your hair? It looks like you haven't even washed it."

--Removal--
Removing the effects of the spray will require a little effort. You will need a) a good hairbrush to get out the knots you have created; b) some patience (to also help with this); and c) a good shampoo to wash it out afterwards.

--Value for money--
I was sent mine for free by Schwarzkopf, but needless to say I wouldn't be too happy if I'd spent £4 on this. Just go and dance in the rain instead. It's more fun, your hair will look better if it curls naturally in the rain like mine does, and dancing in the rain is free too.

perfect partners
got2b Beach Matt Paste, £4.05
got2b Oil-Licious Styling Oil, £4.05
got2b iStylers Wax Define, £4.05
got2b Volumising Style Powder, £4.05

Brighten up your January

POST SPONSORED BY SCHWARZKOPF

  I am a complete sissy when it comes to hair. I have greasy roots and dry ends, and I'm definitely a wash-and-go kind of girl: no straighteners, no styling. Getting it done as quickly as possible is the name of the game. I have also never ever dyed my hair (OK, beyond those 80s-style hair mascaras). It's not that I've never been curious to see what I'd look like with a different hair colour; my eyebrows and lashes are dark, and I'd like to see what my blonde hair would look like if it were the same colour. And red appeals too, just because it looks so lovely when it catches the light. But the maintenance of it terrifies me, along with the subsequent expense, and we've all heard too much about how damaging hair dye can be to hair.

But for the braver amongst you, Schwarzkopf's Live Color XXL sounds right up your street: its Ultra Brights range features three semi-permanent colours in different shades of red to suit all personalities and tastes (Fiery Copper, Raspberry Rebel, and Pillar Box Red). While it can be applied to hair normally for bold and daring colours (after carrying out an allergy test beforehand of course!), but can also be mixed with normal hair conditioner for pretty pastel results (which should definitely appeal to people like me who fear that hair dye will damage their hair). It also washes out in 6-15 washes, meaning that you can also go back to your normal self easily if you're not a fan of the final result. At £5.49, it's also an affordable luxury. Maybe someday I'll also have the guts to have a go...in the meantime, I look forward to hearing all your stories of your hair-dye fun :)

Schwarzkopf Gliss Shea Cashmere Shampoo and Conditioner

RRP: £1.59/bottle
Retails at: Sainsbury's, Superdrug, Savers, Bodycare

--What does the promo say?--
"Hair Repair - Repairs Inside the Hair Cell

Dry or Lifeless Hair

Easy Combing & Cashmere Smooth Hair

Suitable for Daily Use

The nourishing formula with Shea Butter and Cashmere Protein provides the hair with intensive care and tangibly more suppleness."

--Packaging--

Like many other brands of its type, it reaches its target audience of women aged 20-30 with soft pastel colours, although the purple is a bit more zingy and adds a nice touch. The unusual combination of shea and cashmere immediately conjures images of softness and luxury, and high technology is also evoked in the illustrations on the bottle. With the shampoo bottle standing on its flip-top lid and the conditioner bottle having its lid at the top of the bottle, the slightly opposing yet harmonious design works well too.

--Application--

Massage the shampoo into wet hair as normal before rinsing out, and then add the conditioner, smoothing it down the full length of the hair, or just on the ends if this is where you have most difficulty with dryness, and then rinse out completely after a few minutes.

--Appearance--

The shampoo is a lovely pearlescent slightly beige/off-white coloured product, which continues to create the image of something truly luxurious in the shower. The conditioner is slightly yellower and more matte than pearlescent.

--Scent--

The shea butter is expectedly prominent; you are definitely given what you are promised. Always nice to have a slightly chocolatey start to the morning!

--Texture/consistency--

No problems here: it wasn't too sticky, too thick, too runny, or too anything. The  conditioner is creamier and less runny than the shampoo; both products are very manageable and easy to control and rinse out.

--Effects on the hair--

Truthfully, Schwarzkopf's claims on this shampoo and conditioner are very modest, so you cannot claim that they do not deliver. The main claims are "increased suppleness" and "cell repair", with the former being very subjective and the latter being presumably only something that could be tested by a scientist. However, I did thankfully experience increased softness in my hair, which I assume to be down to the various proven conditioning ingredients within, such as glyceryl cocoate (derived from coconut) and wheat protein, as well as the cashmere protein and shea butter mentioned in the brand's promotional materials. I was therefore fairly pleased with the products, in spite of the fact that they didn't quite deliver the high-shine result I was after (but hey - you can't have everything).

--Value for money--

Being a hair colour company primarily, I had always (perhaps stupidly) presumed that Schwarzkopf's products were expensive (since hair dye usually is) and was very pleasantly surprised to find this retailing at such an affordable price. It easily competes with others in its price bracket, such as Aussie and Trésemmé, as well as with others of a higher price range, such as John Frieda. Would buy again - they just need to bring out a hair mask now!