New year calls for a hair change

Since Daniel Galvin’s star colourist Daisy Twyman had taken my hair darker, it has lasted longer and hardly faded. I was really pleased with the result, so much so that I asked Daisy to take out the remaining “gold” in my prescription. The look on her face said it all, sheer horror. It will be too dark.

However, as I said I would take the risk and also knowing that this lady’s expertise would not have me ending up looking like I was going for an interview for Cruella de Vil, we went ahead.

The result was stunning. It shows the difference a fraction of a shade can make. For the first time in ages I was actually wearing pink,  a colour I liked and used to wear a lot as it warmed my complexion. I was back to my natural colour and am loving it. 

Luckily, I hadn’t been too naughty using too many heated appliances during the festive season, but if you have, give them a rest over the next few weeks and get your hair back into condition with the regular use of treatments in the salon or/and at home. You have heard it before, but  a well-balanced diet will also help.

If the ends are looking ragged, stylist Emma Mitchell suggests having a slight trim to make your cut look sharper. “Going for a blunt cut will make your hair appear shinier,” she says. I can vouch for that. When I had my hair layered, I noticed it did not reflect light as well as it did now and also my hair appeared frizzier.

Daisy also suggests freshening up your colour using vegetable colours which tend to be kinder on the hair as they coat it rather than penetrate the cuticle. They will wash out gradually. If your hair is really porous, they can grab the ends and you may find them much darker than the rest of the hair. 

Before using any home colorants, always seek the advice of a professional. Daniel Galvin can make up colours that you can apply at home so there should not be any risk.

If you see the new year as an opportunity to reinvent yourself, you are best to stay within a couple of shades of your natural colour. However, like with me, it sometimes only takes a small tweak to make a huge impact.

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)

 

Happy Holidays

Wines for gifts

A bottle of wine can make an excellent gift, but choosing something for the connoisseur can be difficult. So here are some unusual ones that you may like to put on your shopping list as well as a favourite that anybody who knows about champagne will find hard to resist.  

Pol Roger Réserve, Brut, £39.95 per bottle or £191.76 for a case of 6 (£31.96 per bottle) Berry Bros. & Rudd (bbr.com)
Reputed to have been Winston Churchill’s favourite fizz, this stylish, well-balanced champagne, still produced by descendants of the house’s founder, is worth every penny. Pale gold in colour, with a steam of delicate bubbles, this classic Grande Marque tantalises the taste buds with gorgeous fruity tangs. A real treat that exudes class.

Rara Neagră, 2011, Purcari, Purcari Estate, Moldova, £11.95, bbr.com
This is a superb velvety, dry red loaded with red fruits given a twist of spice. Made with indigenous Rara Neagră grapes, it slips down so easily that it is sure to please.

Grüner Veltliner, 2012, Hohenberg, Josef Ehmoser, Wagram, Austria, £16.50
Made from Austria’s signature white grape, this zingy, yet refined medium-bodied dry white is fresh and bursting with flavours of  juicy citrus and a slight hint of pepper. Those that like crisp white wines without oak will enjoy this number.

Moscato d'Asti, Canelli, Cerutti, Cassinasco, Piedmont, Italy £12.95, bbr.com
Ideal for those who only like a little alcohol (it only contains 5 per cent), this delicious, frothy and sweet Italian number is the perfect way to end a meal.

By Daralyn Danns

Spotlight on L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner

Having tested so many hair products over the years, I am always sceptical about new products that claim to give you “the hair of your dreams”. 

However even though that shampoos and conditioners won’t change the texture of my hair, I am always excited to try something new just in case that it really can improve the look and feel of my tresses making them shiny and sleek, without too much styling, when I wash them.

So having to cope with particularly frizzy hair due to the recent humid conditions, I have to admit being lured to try the recently launched L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Nourishing Shampoo for very dry dull rebellious hair (£2.89, Boots) and conditioner for dry to very dry hair (£3.99, Boots).

I liked the scent which always helps. A cocktail of six mirco flower oils, this shampoo nourishes while cleaning, leaving me with super soft hair. 

According to L’Oréal Paris, most shampoos contain surfactants which cleanse the hair, but as they are negatively charged can also strip the hair of its natural oils.

Both of the new shampoos (there is also one for dry and fine hair), the company says, contain positively charged polymers that cling to the driest parts of the hair which are negatively charged. In short, it helps smooth down the rough scales. 

Fascinating stuff, but does it make a difference? Well, my mane wasn’t weighed down and it did feel lovely and smooth. I did add a few drops of hair oil to the conditioner which I applied to the mid-lengths and ends.

If you have dry over-processed hair that is difficult to keep smooth, give this range a whirl.

By Daralyn Danns