It seems that strange beauty ingredients are all the rage now! Bird poo is used in a luxurious facial, bull semen in hair treatments and newest Brazilian shampoo has taken the crown with ox marrow extract as its key ingredient.
Going against every other beauty manufacturers' bid to rid their products of animal derived extracts - and any remote fears of lingering mad cow disease - the South American country is audaciously selling bone marrow from oxen as the best way to achieve healthy looking locks.
The glamorous Tutannol shampoo has hit the shelves in Brazil with further promises of '0% salt' and 'essential oils which strengthen and sterilize hair' – should your hair need sterilising that is.

Today I will talk a bit more about how water affects our hair and what to do if we didn't follow my advice from the Part 1 of the article :) ie damage control.
Both chlorine and salt water dry and discolour hair. Chemicals in pool water bind to the hair and can give hair a greyish or green cast. Mineral deposits in salt water, in combination with sunlight, severely dehydrate hair and can turn it brassy. How to take care of that?
- Rinse hair in fresh water immediately before and after swimming in a pool or sea water. (Wet hair will absorb less chlorine than dry hair.) Club soda makes a good post-pool rinse, or try a shampoo designed to remove chlorine and salt from the hair.
If your hair has been damaged during summer months, the right hair care is especially important.
- Deep condition your hair using a product containing keratin, jojoba oil, wheat germ protein or other natural ingredients that increase moisture, shine and elasticity.
- If your hair seems dull, condition after shampooing then rinse it with a mixture of vinegar and water.
- Finally, schedule trims for the beginning and end of the summer season to rid your hair of dry, older ends and keep your cut in shape.

Here are few tips on how to protect your hair in summer.
Though your hair can't technically get sunburned as it's not alive, Sun exposure will damage your hair’s natural protective film. According to a study after just three days of sun exposure the scale-like cells that cover each individual hair shaft begin to pull off. This makes your hair dry, dull, fragile and brittle. Choose hair products containing sunscreen since hair can suffer damaging effects from the sun if not well-protected.
How does sun exposure affect colour-treated hair?
Hair that has been dyed or highlighted (stripped of it’s natural colour) is especially prone to UV damage. Colour-treated hair is already damaged, the sun will make the cuticle even rougher which makes hair more fragile and dried out.
To prevent sun damage to coloured hair look for a product that contains an oil or sun protectant. Frederic Fekkai’s Sun Protectant for Hair contains a sunscreen and shea butter which super-moisturises hair. The French line Phytoplage was developed to protect hair from splitting and breaking in the sun in the early 1970s. The classic Phytoplage Oils contains oak acron extract oil which shields the hair from the sun. In a newer, lighter product called Phytoplage Protective Sun Veil, sunflower oil is used as a sun filter. Renee Furterer has a Sun Mousse containing jojoba wax to form an invisible protective coating on the hair. Whatever you use, apply it liberally and often, especially after you’ve been swimming.

It looks like this week I am obsessed with food and vitamins. It could be worse, no? Today I wanted to share with you recipes for two of my favourite hair masques. They are great for all hair types, adding shine and smoothness. If you have problems with frizz - keep on reading as you are about to learn the ultimate solution!
Avocado rosemary hair masque:Smash up one avocado with rosemary. If you’re using fresh rosemary, mash it up or the little rosemary prickles will poke you. Add a bit of vitamin E - it's great for your scalp. Add a splash of olive oil for extra dry or thick hair or add a splash of a lighter oil (like almond or apricot) for thinner, less dry hair. Don’t add too much oil, or you’ll get a conditioner, not a masque. The texture should be sticky and thick not runny. Drop in four drops each of tea tree and orange essential oil and two drops of peppermint essential oil.Apply to your hair and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. You could wear a shower cap - but I don’t believe in using them. I just clip my hair up in a twist - it works fine and never drips. Rinse out well in cool water for shiner less fizzy hair.

Cucumber & yoghurt masque: Mix in a blender: 1/2 cup organic plain yoghurt, 1/2 of an medium sized peeled cucumber, a tablespoon of honey, a few drops of lavender essential oil and chamomile. You can add egg for extra shine. The mixture is runny so you might want to have a nice bath at the same time as the masque. Keep it on for 30 minutes. Rinse in cool water for softer, smoother hair. Cucumber is also known to fight off chlorine damage well if used weekly so it's a perfect solutions if you use swimming pools a lot.

What type of shampoo shopper are you? Do you open a bottle in the middle of the isle and take a whiff before purchasing, regardless what the content will do to your hair? Are you a shampoo snob and buy only brand products? Or do fairly believe that you might as well be using soap and you wouldn't spend more than 5 quid on any shampoo even if your life or life of your hair was dependent on it?

If you take your hair seriously you do what I do: you take up a quest for a Grail amongst hair products: a perfect shampoo. It will have a pleasant scent, won't be extravagantly expensive or/and you'll get good value for money. Are you there yet? I'm not unfortunately, but I managed to gather quite impressive collection of shampoo-experiences. Below you'll find seven of them.
1. Origins Clear Head Mint Shampoo (£8.50 for 250ml) did you ever felt like mixed up the bottles and you washed your hair with shower gel? I did. It's a OK shampoo packed with mint from all over the world, giving your hair this super clean feeling but you definitely don't want to get it in your eyes! Good for normal and greasy hair.
2. Botanics Normal Shampoo (£2.99 for 250ml) Cheap but surprisingly good! It has nice, herby scent (after all it is Botanics), and seems to get reed of all the residue from your hair. On the down side you need quite a lot of it to get good lather. Good for normal and greasy hair.
3. Clarins Re-Vital Shampoo for frequent use (£9.50 for 200 ml) I had to remind myself why it wasn't the one...It smells nice. You only need a bit to get an awesome lather going and left my hair nice and shiny. I guess it is a bit expensive if you don't need any particular qualities from shampoo...Good for normal and dry hair.
4. Fructis Normal Shampoo (£2.49 for 250 ml) Fructis and I didn't work out from the start. Though the shampoo has great price and the scent to die for it left my hair tangled and in bad need of conditioner. Wouldn't recommend.
5. L’Oréal Elvive Nutri Gloss Shampoo (£2.99 for 300 ml) Let's get things straight - it didn't give me a miracle shine. The shampoo is OK - nice scent, good value for money, hair feels clean but my dry hair didn't seem impressed. If you have normal hair - maybe something for you.
6. Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo (£3.44 for 300ml) It's currently my favourite! My hair feels really nourished, it smells so great I wish I washed my hair every day, it has really good price and it last and lasts and lasts! And I really like their marketing - I never laughed when reading shampoo labels!
7. Kerastase Resistance (depends on salon) Yes. I thought I try. When my stylist said that my hair has exactly 6 months of life and only this product can save it, could I say no? Well, I should have. I spent over £50 on various treatments and conditioners but...my hair still stayed brittled and dry...On the upside you can use the shampoo sparingly and it will last for ages. And my friend would sell her grandmother to buy it and that has to mean something, no?Good for dry hair - supposedly ;)


Everyone's hair is different and what works for me may not work for you and the opposite. The only way to find out is to take on your own shampoo quest. Good luck and I hope you won't ruin your hair in the process!